Chapter 5: The Mistress Who Knew Too Much
I almost laughed when Vivian said those words.
The woman who stood beside my husband on stage.
The woman who accepted his kiss while cameras flashed.
The woman who smiled as my life was turned into entertainment.
Now she wanted my help.
“You expect me to believe that?”” I asked.
Her breathing became uneven.
“I know how this sounds.””
“Yes.””
I walked toward the window.
“It sounds like you’re afraid because you finally realized you weren’t special.””
Silence.
Then Vivian whispered:
“You’re right.””
That answer caught me off guard.
“I was wrong about him.””
I looked down at the city lights below.
People always imagined betrayal looked dramatic.
A scream.
A confrontation.
A slammed door.
Sometimes it was quieter.
Sometimes it was a person on the phone admitting they had made the biggest mistake of their life.
“What do you want?”” I asked.
“I have proof.””
“Of what?””
“That Adrian never planned to leave you for me.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“He planned to use me.””
I didn’t speak.
Vivian continued.
“He promised me a position at Hawthorne Industries. He promised me shares. He promised that after the banquet, he would announce our relationship publicly.””
Her voice became smaller.
“But I found documents in his office.””
“What documents?””
“A divorce agreement.””
I froze.
“Between you and him?””
“Yes.””
The room went silent.
“He already prepared everything?””
“Yes.””
My fingers tightened around my phone.
“When?””
“Three months ago.””
Three months.
That was before the affair became public.
Before the banquet.
Before he humiliated me.
Adrian had been planning my replacement while I was still fighting for his company.
“What else did you find?””
Vivian hesitated.
“A private investor presentation.””
My heart sank.
“What was in it?””
“He was selling control of Hawthorne Industries.””
I stared at the glass window.
“Selling?””
“Yes.””
“To whom?””
Another pause.
Then:
“Your family’s biggest competitor.””
Everything suddenly connected.
The secret transfers.
The hidden accounts.
The public humiliation.
Adrian wasn’t just trying to remove me.
He was trying to remove the only person standing between him and a takeover.
“Send me everything,” I said.
“I will.””
“Why?””
The question came out before I could stop it.
Why help me?
Why betray him now?
Vivian was quiet for several seconds.
Then she answered honestly.
“Because I saw what he did to you.””
I said nothing.
“And I realized something.””
“What?””
“He never loved me.””
Her voice broke.
“He loved winning.””
The next morning, I entered Hawthorne Industries for the emergency board meeting.
The atmosphere had completely changed.
The same executives who once surrounded Adrian now avoided eye contact.
Everyone had seen the news.
Everyone knew the CEO’s position was unstable.
But they didn’t know the full story.
Not yet.
Adrian arrived ten minutes late.
Of course he did.
Even when losing, he wanted everyone to wait for him.
He walked into the boardroom wearing a perfect suit and the same expression he wore on magazine covers.
“I assume we’re here to discuss this misunderstanding.””
I looked at him.
“Misunderstanding?””
He sat down.
“This entire situation has been exaggerated.””
One board member cleared his throat.
“Adrian, the shareholder action is serious.””
He smiled.
“My wife is emotional.””
I almost laughed.
There it was.
The old strategy.
Reduce me.
Dismiss me.
Make everyone believe I was reacting instead of acting.
I placed a folder on the table.
“Actually, I’m very calm.””
Adrian looked at me.
“What is that?””
“Evidence.””
His smile weakened.
“Of what?””
I opened the folder.
“Your attempt to sell company control.””
The room exploded with whispers.
Adrian’s face changed.
“That’s impossible.””
“Is it?””
I placed the documents in front of him.
His eyes moved quickly.
For the first time, he looked afraid.
“Where did you get these?””
I leaned back.
“That’s not important.””
“It is.””
“No.””
I looked around the table.
“What matters is whether this board wants a CEO who protects the company…”
I turned back to him.
“Or one who sells it.””
Nobody spoke.
Then Adrian’s phone rang.
He looked down.
His expression changed.
A message appeared.
He read it once.
Then again.
Slowly, he looked at me.
“What did you do?””
I frowned.
“I don’t know what you mean.””
He stood.
“You froze the acquisition account.””
I didn’t answer.
Because I had.
But that wasn’t what surprised him.
His phone rang again.
This time, he answered.
A voice came through the speaker.
Everyone heard it.
“Mr. Hawthorne, we need to inform you that the buyer has withdrawn.””
Adrian went completely still.
“Why?””
A pause.
Then the voice said:
“Because they received information that you no longer have authority to represent Hawthorne Industries.””
Adrian looked directly at me.
May you like
And for the first time in our entire marriage…
He looked powerless.
