Semua Bab The Wolfe's Deal : Married My Ex Fiance's Billionaire Enemy : Bab 71 - Bab 80

The elevator ride to the top floor of the Thorne building was silent and impossibly fast. I watched the numbers climb, my reflection in the polished chrome doors looking more like a corporate executive than a novelist. I had checked my phone three times before stepping out. No missed calls from Adrian. No texts.The doors slid open, and I was greeted not by a marble fortress like Adrian’s, but by a world of glass and light. Nathan’s headquarters felt like the future open floor plans, living walls of moss and ferns, and young, energetic staff moving with a sense of purpose that felt electric. It was the total opposite of the Wolfe empire’s heavy, traditional power."Mrs. Wolfe! Right this way," a young assistant said, her smile bright as she led me toward a corner office that seemed to float over the city.Nathan was standing by a glass table, looking over a series of digital mock-ups. When he saw me, he didn't just offer a polite nod; he walked over and took my hand, his grip warm and

The silence of the mansion the next morning was heavier than any storm. I had barely slept, my mind replaying our argument like a broken record, the sound of Adrian’s hand hitting the desk still echoing in my ears. When the alarm went off, I stayed on my side of the bed, staring at the empty space between us. Adrian was already gone.I dressed in a simple, sharp dress. When I walked into the dining room, the scene looked like a postcard of a perfect family. The sunlight was streaming in, fresh coffee was brewing, and Leo was sitting at the table, swinging his legs while he ate his pancakes.But the air was freezing.Adrian was sitting at the head of the table, his eyes fixed on a digital tablet. He didn't look up when I entered. He didn't offer a "good morning." He just tapped the screen, his face a mask of cold, professional indifference."Good morning, Leo," I said, my voice sounding thin as I kissed the top of Leo's head."Morning, Lena! Dad said we might go to the zoo this weekend

Lena’s POVThe silence of the house after Adrian left was suffocating. I stood in the foyer, the echoes of the front door’s heavy thud still vibrating in the air. For months, that sound had meant safety. Now, it felt like a dismissal.I looked down at my phone. Nathan’s text was still there, glowing like a challenge. “Don't let the gray skies stop you.”I didn't want to hurt Adrian. I didn't even want to defy him. But I realized that if I backed down now, if I let his cold shoulder scare me into canceling my plans—I would never be his equal. I would always be the girl he rescued from the factory, forever in his debt."Sarah," I said, calling my secretary as I grabbed my car keys. "Clear my afternoon. I’m heading to Thorne’s office. Tell them I’m coming in to sign."The atmosphere at Thorne’s headquarters was even more electric than the day before. As I walked through the glass doors, the staff didn't look at me as "Mrs. Wolfe." They looked at me as the centerpiece of their new ventur

The storm didn’t just roll in; it attacked. By 8:00 PM, the wind was screaming through the pines, and rain lashed against the timber walls of the lodge like gravel. When the power finally flickered and died, plunging the massive living room into shadows, Leo let out a small, frightened whimper."It’s okay, buddy," Adrian’s voice came through the dark, steady, and instantly grounding. I heard the strike of a match, and a second later, the warm glow of a candle bloomed between us.We spent the next hour settling Leo down on the rug by the fireplace. Adrian worked with a silent, focused efficiency, stoking the embers until the hearth roared with life. We sat on opposite ends of the sofa, a vast canyon of tension between us, but for Leo’s sake, we spoke in soft, rhythmic tones until his eyes finally drifted shut.Once his breathing evened out, the silence became unbearable. The only sound was the crackle of wood and the violent thrum of the storm outside."I’m going to take him up to bed,

The door of the SUV clicked shut, sealing us in a silence so thick it felt like the oxygen had been sucked out of the vehicle. Adrian didn’t tell the driver to move. He didn't even look at me. He simply reached for a leather folder beside him and tossed it onto my lap."Open it," he said. His voice was a low, dangerous vibration.I opened the folder, my heart hammering against my ribs. Inside were printouts of a private internal memo from Thorne’s marketing department, along with a draft of a press release that had been sent to a major tech-and-lifestyle blog an hour ago.The headline made my blood run cold: “Escaping the Pack: Lena Wolfe Breaks Free from the Wolfe Media Monopoly.”The document went on to quote an "anonymous source close to the author" detailing how the marriage was a "stifling environment" for my creativity. It even mentioned the factory incident, framing it not as a kidnapping, but as the moment I realized I was "expendable" in the Wolfe empire."I didn't say this,