All Chapters of The Rise Of The Betrayed Wife: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

Isla's POV:I woke up wrapped in Callum's arms for the first time.We'd fallen asleep together on the couch last night after hours of talking, about the future, about feelings we'd both been suppressing for months, about what came next now that everything had changed between us.The morning light filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting gold across the living room and across Callum's sleeping face beside me. I took a moment to simply look at him without the careful distance we'd maintained for so long.His features were softer in sleep. The constant tension and control that defined his waking hours were completely relaxed.His dark hair was messed up from my fingers running through it. His arm was heavy and warm around my waist, holding me close even unconscious.I thought about how far I'd come from the woman who died alone and terrified on a glass-covered floor.That Isla had never imagined being held like she was something precious. Had never known what it felt like t

Isla's POV:Callum's PR team gathered in the conference room Thursday afternoon for an emergency meeting.Sarah, his head of PR, had called it within an hour of the press conference ending yesterday. The room was full now. Sarah and three members of her team, Margaret, Callum, and me."We need to get ahead of the narrative," Sarah said, pulling up her laptop. "The press conference yesterday was incredibly successful in exposing your family's crimes. Public opinion is overwhelmingly on your side regarding the abuse and fraud."She paused."But there are questions emerging about your relationship with Callum. How it started, why it started, whether the engagement is legitimate or another piece of the larger manipulation story."She showed us screenshots of social media posts and article headlines."Billionaire's Convenient Engagement Raises Questions""Did Isla Brennan Trade One Controlling Relationship for Another?""Timeline of Thorne-Brennan Romance Doesn't Add Up"I felt my stomach

Callum's POV:Declan Hartley showed up at my office Friday afternoon unannounced.My assistant David called before letting him up. "Mr. Hartley is in the lobby asking to see you. Should I tell security to remove him?"I was tempted to say yes. But curiosity won out.I wanted to hear what the man who'd hurt Isla thought he could accomplish by coming here."Send him up," I said. "But stay close in case I need him removed."Five minutes later, Declan walked into my office with false confidence. He extended his hand like we were old friends meeting for drinks.I didn't shake it."Thorne," he said, dropping his hand. "Thanks for seeing me.""You have five minutes," I said, not inviting him to sit. "What do you want?"Declan's discomfort was visible but he maintained his composure. He settled into the chair across from my desk uninvited, trying to project ease he clearly didn't feel."I'm here for an honest conversation," he said. "Man to man, about Isla's wellbeing."The audacity was rema

Callum's POV:The emergency board meeting Monday afternoon was tense when it started.Everyone had heard about Richard Hayes threatening to pull his investment.The potential fallout had board members concerned about other investors following suit, about market confidence dropping, about damage to the company's stability.Then Hayes walked in and announced he was not only maintaining his investment but increasing it by twenty percent.The room went silent with shock."I had a very enlightening conversation with Ms. Brennan this morning," Hayes said, taking his seat at the table. "She approached me directly with evidence and complete honesty about the situation. I was impressed by her integrity and her strategic thinking.”He looked around the table at the surprised faces."Someone has been feeding me lies to undermine my confidence in Callum's judgment," he continued. "Ms. Brennan provided documentation proving those lies were part of a coordinated attack by her family. She was transp

Chapter Seventy-Nine: The Contract QuestionCallum's POV:The one-year contract had four months remaining.I pulled it out Wednesday evening while Isla was putting Rosie to bed, reading through terms that now felt completely absurd.Separate bedrooms. We'd been sleeping in the same bed for weeks.No public affection beyond what was necessary for appearances. We could barely keep our hands off each other.Financial arrangements that treated our relationship like a business transaction. Clean divisions of assets, predetermined payments, exit clauses that assumed we'd part ways as strangers.None of it accounted for what happened when fake became real.I flipped to the termination clauses. Either party could void the contract early with thirty days notice and mutual agreement.The financial terms for early termination were clearly outlined. Isla would receive the agreed upon sum, keep any gifts given during the arrangement, retain rights to the penthouse for ninety days after termination