All Chapters of The Wife He Replaced : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Chapter 11: Rita’s POVI should have known better than to think things would be easy. Nothing with Victor Vale is ever simple.The conference room felt too cold and polished like him.I sat across the glass table trying to look calm and composed with my fingers resting lightly on the documents in front of me. Inside I was tense. Because Victor was here. Of course he was.He was sitting at the head of the table looking commanding and untouchable watching everything and everyone including me.“Let’s get started, " Victor said smoothly, his voice cutting through the murmur in the room.The meeting began like any other with numbers and projections and contracts. Ethan spoke beside me, confident and sharp, walking everyone through the proposal.I focused on the numbers trying not to think about him. I could feel his presence pressing against my awareness. I could feel his gaze on me every now and then.Stay focused, I told myself. Stay unaffected.“…and this merger will make both companie

Chapter 13I walked into the room. It fell silent. That was good. It meant they were all paying attention to me. I did not. Hesitate. I took my time walking to the head of the conference table. Every step I took was steady and controlled. I was not nervous. I was confident.I owned the room. I owned my confidence. I did not borrow it from anyone. I put my file on the table. Sat down. The executives across from me straightened up in their seats. Some of them looked at each other. They were not sure what to make of me.Ethan leaned back in his chair. He was watching me with interest. He knew I had something to say.. Today I was going to say it."Lets get started " I said. "We need to talk about the merger. There are some problems with the way it is set up." A man on the left frowned. "We already looked at the numbers " he said. "No " I said. "You looked at the surface numbers. I looked at the risks."The room was quiet. People were listening to me. They were paying attention. The man wh

Chapter 15 Rita's pov."Are you certain about this?" Ethan asked me. His voice was really low and calm.. I could tell he was tense.I did not look at him. My eyes were fixed on the papers in front of me. I had not read a word in the last five minutes."I do not do things halfway " I said to him."That is not what I asked you, " he said, pressing me for an answer.I let out a breath and put the pen down. "Then ask what you really want to know."Ethan leaned forward a little, his eyes sharp. "Are you ready for what this will bring?"Victor. The past. Everything I had buried.I froze. "I do not have the luxury of not being ready." I said. The door opened before Ethan could say anything "Mr. Hayes, they are ready for you " his assistant said.Ethan looked at me for a long time like he wanted to say more. Then he stood up."We will talk later." I gave a nod, already pulling back into myself. Because conversations like that one require honesty. Honesty is dangerous.The moment the door sh

Chapter 17:Rita’s POVI need to avoid him. That is my plan.It is simple and clear and necessary. It is also impossible.I spent the morning doing my job making sure I did not see him. I changed my meetings. Made my conversations shorter and I left the rooms before he could come in.I thought about everything I did. I was careful. I am not scared of him. I do not want to say that I am.There is something about Victor that makes me feel like I am not in control. That is something I do not like. I have worked hard to be in control of my life.I do not want anything to change that. My assistant came to my office.“Miss. Rita, the board is waiting for you " she said.“I will be there in five minutes, " I said. I did not look up from my tablet. My voice was calm and professional.That is how I wanted it to be. My assistant waited for a second then she. Left.I let out a breath when the door closed. I had five minutes to get ready. I had five minutes to make sure I did not react when I saw

Chapter 19. Rita's pov I heard the door open.I didn’t turn around. Because I already knew who it was. I didn’t rush to react.I just let the silence go on.. enough to make his presence feel… pointless.“You’ve become hard to reach.”His voice. Calm. Measured. Like he hadn’t broken anything.I slowly closed the file in front of me before looking not at him but at my reflection in the glass wall.“You shouldn’t be here.”You shouldn't be barging into my office without knocking.“I knocked.”“And I didn’t answer.” That’s when I turned around.Victor stood a step inside my office completely at ease like he owned the place. Like this was another room he could walk into and take control of.That version of me is gone. “What do you want?" I asked, my tone flat.“Clarity.” I almost smiled.“Try a lawyer " I said, picking up my pen again like he was already dismissed. "That’s what they’re for.”“I’m not here for stuff.”“No?" I looked up at him now, meeting his eyes fully. "Then you’re defi