Alle Kapitel von After My Husband Betrayed Me, I Married His Greatest Rival: Kapitel 21 – Kapitel 30

Nakahawak pa rin si Jordan sa collar ng blouse ni Elena.Hindi naman masakit, pero sapat para hindi siya basta makalakad palayo.“Why did you answer the last question wrong?”Saglit na nawala ang composure ni Elena.Hindi niya akalaing may makakapansin.Lalo na ang isang lalaking hindi man lang nagsulat sa buong exam.Then she looked at his hand.“Pwede mo ba akong bitawan?”Jordan glanced down, as if ngayon lang niya napansing hawak pa rin niya ang damit nito.Binitiwan niya si Elena, pero hindi siya umatras.“You did it intentionally.”“Based on what?”“You read the question twice.”“Maraming examinees ang nagbabasa nang dalawang beses.”“You wrote the correct analysis, then changed the conclusion.”Elena’s fingers tightened around the exam file.Hindi siya dapat nagkamali sa huling part.Akala niya, sapat na ang ginawa niyang calculation para manatili sa passing line. Hindi niya gustong magmukhang sobrang galing sa harap ng school administration—lalo na’t may connection si Adrian s

“Any update?”Lucas stood beside Damien’s desk, holding two cups of coffee. One was for himself. The other had already gone cold because Damien had ignored it for almost an hour.Damien looked up from the admissions report.“She passed.”Lucas stopped halfway to the sofa.“Wait. She actually passed?”“Yes.”“You didn’t use your connections?”“No.”Lucas stared at him.“Hindi ako nagtatanong dahil hindi ako naniniwala sa kanya. I’m asking because the school board would bend over backward if you told them to.”“I didn’t tell them to.”“So she really earned it.”Damien closed the file.“She took the graduate exam with working finance professionals. No assistance. No adjusted paper.”Lucas placed the coffee on the table.“Hindi ba linguistics ang background niya?”“Not exactly.”“You told me she completed a master’s degree at seventeen.”“In financial strategy.”Lucas blinked.“Then why did everyone think she didn’t know anything?”Damien’s gaze moved toward the city outside the window.“

Rosalie was still staring at Adrian.“So the woman I saw at Crown Galleria was only an employee?”Adrian placed one hand on the back of Elena’s chair.“Yes. She works with my executive office. I asked her to help choose the gifts.”“Why would you need her help?”“Because I wanted someone with a different eye.”His answer was calm.Too calm.Rosalie had clearly expected him to deny being at the mall or become defensive. Instead, Adrian had given her an explanation that sounded reasonable enough to end the conversation.Ralph visibly relaxed.“Then there’s no issue,” he said. “Adrian, take a seat. Dinner is about to begin.”Adrian nodded and pulled out the chair beside Elena.As he sat, Elena leaned closer.“Hindi ko akalaing marunong kang umarte.”He did not look at her.“Likewise.”His hand remained near hers on the table.From the outside, mukha silang mag-asawang sanay nang magkatabi sa family gatherings.Only Elena knew how careful every movement was.Rosalie sat across from them.

Hindi na maalis sa isip ni Shelia ang itsura ni Elena sa Vale family banquet.Midnight-blue ang dress nito. Simple ang design, pero bagay sa kanya. Hindi nito kailangang magpakitang-gilas para mapansin. Kahit tahimik lang si Elena, kusa pa ring napupunta rito ang tingin ng mga tao.Kabaligtaran niya.Sa tuwing kasama niya si Adrian, palagi siyang mukhang batang estudyanteng kailangang alagaan.Kahit gaano siya kaganda ngayong gabi, alam niyang hindi iyon sapat kung ganoon pa rin ang tingin ni Adrian sa kanya.Kaya pinili niya ang itim na dress.Mas fitted. Mas mature. Mas bagay sa isang babaeng hindi na dapat tratuhing parang bata.Sa maliit na private dining room ng The Regalia Hotel, maingat niyang inayos ang mga kandila sa mesa. Pinatay niya ang malalaking ilaw at iniwan lamang ang warm lights sa paligid.May cake sa gitna ng mesa. May birthday gift siyang inilagay sa tabi ng wineglass.Hindi iyon ordinaryong regalo.Isang leather watch strap iyon para kay Adrian. Alam niyang pareh

Pagkababa ng tawag ni Uncle Ralph, hindi agad gumalaw si Elena.Nanatili siyang nakaupo sa harap ng desk habang nakatitig sa acceptance letter ng Aurora School of Finance.Hindi naman talaga siya naniwalang si Ralph ang unang magdududa sa kanya.Pero hindi iyon ang pinakamasakit.Ang mas nakakabahala ay kung gaano kabilis nitong nalaman ang tungkol sa bank transfer.At kung sino ang unang nagbigay ng ideya.“Rosalie,” mahina niyang sabi.Hindi pa man tuluyang nakakalapit si Elena sa negosyo ng Vale family, may gumagalaw na agad sa loob nito.Hindi man direktang inaagaw ni Rosalie ang mana niya, sinusukat na nito kung gaano siya kadaling ma-pressure.Kinuha ni Elena ang phone at tinawagan ang private bank na nagma-manage ng inheritance account niya.“Good afternoon, Ms. Vale,” bati ng receptionist. “How may we assist you?”“I want to transfer the remaining assets from my family account to a separate account under my name.”“Would you like us to connect you to your relationship manager?