All Chapters of Married To My Ex Husband Rival : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Donald's PovThe air inside Courtroom 4 turned dangerously thin.My knuckles relaxed against the polished wood of the defense table as Chief Ajayi stepped up to the wooden podium. He possessed the greasy, unbothered confidence of a man who knew the verdict had been paid for before we even pulled into the parking lot."May it please the Court," Ajayi began, his deep voice carrying through the room with practiced theatricality. "My client, Mr. Donald Crowne, has acted with absolute legal propriety. The claimant’s emergency petition is nothing short of a bitter, calculated attempt to use a domestic fallout to extort Apex Capital."Judge Olanrewaju lowered her spectacles slightly, her expression unreadable. "Chief Ajayi, this court is not examining domestic fallouts. We are examining an emergency application to freeze a fifty million naira credit facility based on a sworn affidavit and forensic claims of forgery.""And that, Your Honor, is precisely where the claimant’s case falls apart,"

Aurora's povThe heavy doors of the High Court swung open, and the cold afternoon air hit me like a physical slap.I just needed air. My lungs felt small, squashed under the weight of the silence that had settled inside my chest. I walked down the broad stone steps, my leather briefcase held loosely in my hand, my feet moving on autopilot.Behind me, the quick, frantic clatter of heels echoed against the concrete."Aurora! Aurora, please wait!" Jasmine’s voice was high, tight, and laced with a terrifying kind of panic. She caught up to me at the bottom of the steps, grabbing my arm and pulling me to a stop. "Aurora, talk to me. Say something, please! You’re not crying, you’re not yelling, you’re just... you’re playing deaf and dumb! You are scaring me, Aurora!"I stopped. I looked at Jasmine’s face, at her eyes wide with frantic concern, but no words came out of my mouth. I didn't feel angry. I didn't feel sad. I just felt completely empty, as if my soul had packed its bags and left m

AURORA’S POVThe drive back to Jasmine’s apartment was bathed in the harsh orange glow of the streetlights. Rain had started to fall again, streaking down the passenger window of Jasmine’s sedan as the wipers beat a steady, rhythmic cadence against the glass.I leaned my head back against the headrest, staring blankly at the dark road ahead. The silence inside the car was heavy, but for the first time all day, my head was completely clear."Are you sure you don't want me to stop by a diner?" Jasmine asked softly, her eyes flicking to me in the rearview mirror before returning to the slick pavement. "You haven't eaten a single bite since morning, Aurora. Your lips are completely pale.""I'm not hungry, Jas," I replied, my voice quiet but steady."You need strength if you're going to fight that bastard, Aurora," she insisted, taking a sharp turn into her neighborhood. "You can't go to war on an empty stomach and two hours of sleep.""I'll drink water," I said. "That's enough."Jasmine l

Donald's PovThe heavy glass doors of the Grand Imperial Hotel parted, and the roar of the bustling, high-society gala washed over us like warm velvet. Flashes from the press photographers lit up the polished marble foyer, catching the sparkle of Lily’s diamonds and the sharp tailored lines of my navy silk suit.I took Lily’s hand, resting my palm proudly over the curve of her waist as we made our grand entrance into the ballroom. Heads turned instantly. Whispers rippled through the crowd in tuxedos and floor-length gowns. This was my night. Fifty million dollars secured, Vanguard completely under my thumb, and every elite player in the city gathered under one roof to watch me take my victory lap."Look at them staring," Lily murmured under her breath, a triumphant, razor-sharp smile plastered on her red lips as she squeezed my arm. "They know who owns this city tonight.""Let them stare," I chuckled, taking two flutes of vintage champagne off a waiter's passing silver tray and handin

### Aurora's POV The ride down in the elevator felt completely different from the climb up. The choking panic that had gripped my chest earlier had settled into a heavy, numb quiet.When the doors slid open on B3, Marcus was standing near a concrete pillar, hands shoved deep into his uniform pockets. He let out a long breath when he saw us step out into the chill of the basement."All good?" he asked, keeping his voice down."Yeah," I said, giving him a quick nod. "Nobody's going to know anyone was up there."Marcus nodded back, looking at me with a mix of pity and relief. "Get out of here safely. I'll clear the elevator logs and loop the camera feeds for the last forty minutes.""Thanks, Marcus. For everything."Jasmine and I moved quickly toward Frank’s car. The second the doors shut, Frank shifted into drive and pulled up the ramp, holding off on the headlights until we cleared the street curb.Outside, the city was buried in a thick, cold fog. The streetlights were just blurry ye