All Chapters of Obsessing Over My Ex-Wife: Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

Brian's POVI didn't sleep much that night either, the confirmation from the day before still sitting heavy in my chest, refusing to let me settle into anything resembling rest.By morning, I'd made a decision, though I wasn't entirely sure it was the right one. I wasn't going to confront Jolene about it. Not yet. Something about the idea of walking into her office and thanking her for years of silent rescue felt wrong, felt like it would come across as manipulation dressed up as gratitude, another attempt to worm my way back into her good graces now that I finally understood what she had actually done for me.If she had wanted credit, she would have taken it years ago.Instead, I found myself thinking about Isaac Graham.The name had been sitting in the back of my mind since the gala, since the sight of her walking in with her hand in his, since the picture of them laughing together while I stood frozen with a drink in my hand. I hadn't seen him at the joint press conference, hadn't

Jolene's POVVincent was waiting in the living room when I entered, sitting on the arm of the couch instead of actually sitting in it, the way he always did when he was too restless to settle properly."You're back late," he said, standing when he saw me walk in."I had a stop to make." I dropped my bag down on the side table, not quite meeting his eyes.He studied my face for a moment, and whatever he saw there made him drop the teasing tone he usually greeted me with."Ham's Archive?"I didn't answer, which was answer enough."Come sit," he said, patting the space beside him. "You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to."I sat down anyway, mostly because my legs felt heavier than they should, the weight of the evening finally catching up to me now that I didn't have to hold my composed face together for anyone."It's over," I said quietly. "Whatever it was between me and Isaac."Vincent didn't say anything right away, which surprised me. I expected questions, maybe even

Jolene's POVThe charity gala for the children's hospital was the kind of event I usually enjoyed, its quieter than most of the functions I attended, filled with people who actually cared about the cause rather than just being seen caring about it.Lily walked beside me as we moved through the crowd, greeting a few familiar faces from the advisory board, exchanging brief updates about the fund-raising numbers before I found myself near the dessert table, momentarily free of anyone needing something from me.That was when I saw her.Sophia stood near the entrance in a modest, understated dress, nothing like the flashy outfits she usually wore to events like this, her hair pulled back simply, her makeup light. It looked deliberate, the kind of careful restraint someone adopted when they wanted to appear humble in front of a crowd that would remember exactly how they looked.I turned to walk the other direction before she could catch my eye, but Lily's hand brushed my arm."She's coming

Sophia's POVI stared at Brian's name on the screen, my heart hammering hard enough that I could feel it in my throat.I opened the message slowly, bracing myself.Have you seen this? Someone's spreading rumors about Jolene online. Ridiculous stuff.I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. He hadn't found me out. He was just forwarding the same post I had made minutes ago, already circulating, already catching attention faster than I expected.What kind of rumors? I typed back, keeping my tone light, curious, nothing like the woman who had written the words herself.*Some anonymous account claiming she manipulated her way into Beaumont Group. It's already got a few hundred shares.*A few hundred. I hadn't expected it to move that fast. I set the phone down and walked to my window, watching the driveway below, the gardener trimming the hedges like it was any other ordinary morning, completely unaware that somewhere inside this house, I had just set something loose that coul

Brian's POVI overheard my mother's voice before I saw her, low and sharp, coming from behind the half closed door of her sitting room. I slowed my steps in the hallway, the same way I had weeks ago, some instinct telling me this wasn't a conversation meant for my ears."You need to be more careful," Margaret was saying. "If they trace it back to this house, we're all finished."There was a pause, and then Sophia's voice, quieter, strained."I told you, I used a different network. It shouldn't lead anywhere.""Should isn't good enough, Sophia."I stood frozen in the hallway, my hand hovering near the doorframe. I didn't know yet what they were talking about, only that the tension in their voices told me it was something they had both agreed to keep from me.I pushed the door open before I could think better of it.Both of them turned at once, and the guilty shock that filled the room told me something was wrong, even if I didn't yet have the full picture."What is this?" I asked, my v