The CEO's Regret: His Lost Wife's Secret Twins novel Chapter 53

Chapter 53

ARIA

“Liv… what David said back there about me stirring up trouble. Do you think he’s right? That I was being a gossip?”

I watched Olivia’s face carefully as we stood outside the hotel. The morning sun caught the tear tracks she hadn’t bothered to hide.

She grabbed my hand hard. “Stop that. You warned me. You came with me. That’s what real friends do.”

“But David made it sound like-

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“David made it sound like four people sitting around discussing fraud cases is normal business. Her voice went flat. “Alex, his assistant Sarah, him, and Bella. All very professional. All very documented.”

“The photos did show coffee stains on all three of them.”

“Photos can be staged.” Olivia’s jaw clenched. “Sarah taking notes the whole time. Alex keeping everything documented. It’s too perfect.

Too rehearsed.”

Poor Olivia. She wanted to believe the evidence, but her gut wouldn’t let her.

“What really gets me?” She pressed a hand to her belly. “I wanted to drag Bella out of that bathroom by her wet hair. I wanted to tear David’s explanation apart piece by piece. But I can’t make a scene. I can’t risk stressing this baby because those people might be lying.”

“Liv, at least now you know to watch them closely. You can go back to the company, keep an eye on things-

“That’s exactly the plan. Her eyes went hard with determination.

‘Just be careful,” I said, squeezing her hand. “If David’s lying, and Alex is covering for him, and Sarah’s in on it too-

“Then they’ve been planning this for months. Which means I need to be smarter.” She squeezed back. “I’ll watch. I’ll document. And if they slip up, I’ll catch them.”

Her face crumpled suddenly. “God, Aria. What would I do without you? Everyone else just takes their side.”

“Always got your back,” I said, meaning every word.

“How does this happen?” She wiped her eyes roughly. “The man who ran into a burning building for me. Who wears those scars because he saved my life. How does that person turn into someone who might be stealing from me? Lying to my face with three witnesses backing him up?”

I didn’t have an answer. People changed. Or maybe they just got better at hiding.

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Chapter 53

“You know what?” Olivia laughed without humor. “Blake’s heading for the same thing. When Emma finally shows who she really is-and

she will-he’ll have nothing left. At least I’m catching it now. He’ll waste years on her before he figures it out.”

I nodded, but doubted it. Blake would probably live happily ever after with Emma. Some people got fairy tale endings. The rest of us got

this mess.

An hour later, I’d finally gotten Olivia home safely. She’d pulled herself together in the car, already planning how to review company

finances without tipping David off. The woman was scary when she focused.

My phone rang just as I was thinking about going back for Dad’s keychain.

“Aria, where are you?” Jack’s voice hit panic levels. “It’s almost noon!”

Shit. Noon? How did that happen?

‘I had a personal emergency-*

“Mr. Morgan needs documents. He says get here immediately. Doesn’t matter where you are or what you’re doing.”

Of course he did. Blake Morgan’s needs always came first.

“On my way,” I said, already flagging down a taxi.

So much for the keychain. Blake’s demands won again.

I practically ran from the elevator to my office, sorting through excuses. Family emergency. Traffic nightmare. Sudden illness. Anything except ‘I was helping my friend catch her possibly-cheating husband.”

I pushed open my office door and stopped cold.

Blake sat in my chair, legs stretched out, hands folded. His ice-blue eyes tracked my entrance like a predator watching prey.

‘Lock it,” he said.

I did, hand shaking slightly. “Mr. Morgan, people will talk if they see you in here-

“People will talk?” He rose from the chair with deadly calm. “Since when do you care what people say? You certainly didn’t this morning when you decided work was optional.”

He closed the distance between us. I retreated until my spine met the door.

“You know what I find fascinating? You disappeared for hours. No call. No text. Not a word to anyone. Like you don’t have responsibilities.

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Chapter 53

Like you don’t answer to anyone.

His hand came up fast, fingers catching my chin and forcing my head still.

‘So here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to explain where you’ve been. And it better be good.”

His grip tightened just enough to make his point. I tried to jerk away. He didn’t let go.

“I’m waiting.

Damn him. Damn his control, his entitlement, his assumption that I owed him every second of my existence.

“Fine. I didn’t want to be here. After the circus last night, I needed space from you. Happy now? Fire me if you’re that offended.”

Something dark flashed in his eyes. Before I could blink, he had me turned around, pressed against the wall with his body blocking any escape route.

“Space from me?” His voice dropped to something dangerous. “Is that what we’re calling it? Because from where I stood last night, you had plenty of energy for Matthew Redwood.”

“That’s not-

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“You couldn’t take your eyes off him. And then you reached out. You were going to touch him. Put your hands on his face while everyone watched. His hand slid from my chin to my throat, fingers curling around it loosely. A promise of what he could do. “My wife. About to

caress another man like I didn’t exist.”

“It wasn’t like that-

“Then explain it. Tell me why you ignored my injury but rushed to examine his.”

“Your injury happened while you were protecting Emma!” The words exploded out. “Everything you do revolves around Emma. Why would

I care about wounds you collected defending her?”

His hand tightened slightly. “Because you’re my wife.”

‘Only on legal documents. You’ve made that abundantly clear.”

“Legal documents or not, you belong to me for two more years. And I won’t tolerate you throwing yourself at other men.”

“I haven’t thrown myself at anyone!”

He laughed, bitter and cold. “Haven’t you? Matthew Redwood, your childhood companion. Tell me, Aria, is he your first love?”

What? Where was this coming from?

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“You’ve lost your mind-

ร

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“Have I? You two were inseparable growing up. All those years at the Grant estate. You expect me to believe nothing developed? That

you’ve never been intimate with him?”

His insinuations made my stomach turn. “You’re revolting.”

“Answer me. His hand returned to my throat, thumb finding my pulse. “Has Matthew Redwood touched you? Have you given him what

belongs to me?”

His hand tightened around my throat, cutting off my response.

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