Chapter 6

Aurelia POV:

Chandler's fury was a palpable thing, a hot, suffocating wave. He glared at me, his face contorted. It used to be that if I even hinted at leaving, he'd turn on the charm, the sweet words, the promises of a better future. He'd scoop me into his arms, tell me I was being silly, that he'd never let me go. Now, there was just raw, unadulterated hatred.

He didn't even look at the divorce papers. His signature was a jagged, angry scrawl, an afterthought. Britni, still on the floor, watched with a triumphant smirk. As Chandler scooped her up, cradling her dramatically in his arms, her eyes met mine. And in that brief second, I saw it-a smug, victorious glint, a silent "I win."

Then he was gone, storming out the door, Britni in his arms, leaving the faint scent of her cheap perfume lingering in the air. The click of the lock echoed in the sudden, cavernous silence.

I stood there, alone in the entryway, the divorce papers clutched tight in my hand. The ink of his signature, dark and fresh, felt like a brand. It was done. Truly done.

The next morning, my phone buzzed with an email. My transfer application to the international desk in Geneva had been approved, effective immediately. A small victory, a fragile bud of hope.

But of course, a new battle was brewing.

I logged onto the military forum, a habit I'd kept from my journalist days, expecting to see discussions about policy or recent operations. Instead, a new thread, trending violently, screamed at me.

"ROBERSON'S WIFE CAUGHT CHEATING? SHOCKING PHOTOS REVEAL LOVE TRIANGLE!"

My heart dropped to my stomach. No. He wouldn't.

I clicked. The first photo was a grainy, zoomed-in shot of me, entering the townhouse late the night before, alone. The caption implied I was sneaking in, looking guilty. Then, another photo. Chandler, holding Britni, moments after he' d signed the papers. The caption twisted the narrative: "Roberson, heartbroken, rushing his injured aide to safety after confronting his wife's infidelity."

The comments section was a cesspool.

"I knew Aurelia Reese was too good to be true. Always so prim and proper. Turns out she' s a home-wrecker!"

"Poor Chandler. After everything he' s sacrificed for his country, to be betrayed by his own wife."

"Look at her, sneaking into her own house like a thief. Definitely up to no good."

Then, some familiar voices.

"Wait, isn' t Aurelia Reese married to Chandler? What' s going on?"

"They' ve been married for seven years! This is insane!"

But those voices were quickly drowned out by a new, insidious wave. A "hot comment" had risen to the top, strategically pinned, undoubtedly.

"Aurelia Reese has always been obsessed with Chandler Roberson. This 'engagement' story is a pathetic lie. She' s been secretly in love with him for years, clinging to his coattails. The push? A jealous rage, pure and simple. I heard she even tried to claim the house, saying it was hers, after he bravely brought his injured aide home."

And then, the kicker. A series of screenshots. My old social media posts, gushing about Chandler's achievements, praising him, defending him. Photos of us together, from years ago, before everything turned sour, carefully curated to make it look like I was the one chasing him. Like I was the stalker.

My blood ran cold. He couldn' t have. He wouldn' t have. He had to know how this would destroy my career, my reputation.

My fingers trembled as I dialed his number. It rang. And rang. The fourth time it went to voicemail. On the fifth ring, he picked up, his voice clipped.

"What do you want, Aurelia? I'm busy."

"Did you do this?" My voice was barely a whisper, raw with a new kind of pain. "Did you leak those pictures? Those posts?"

A beat of silence. Then, a sigh. "You brought this on yourself, Aurelia." His voice was devoid of remorse. "You embarrassed me. You attacked Britni. What did you expect?"

"You're accusing me of cheating? You're ruining my reputation? After all these years?"

"You're the one who started this. With your 'fake' engagement. Britni was being slandered, called a homewrecker. I had to protect her. And then you attacked her, pushed her down the stairs!"

"She threw herself down the stairs, Chandler! And you slapped me!" The memory of the stinging blow brought fresh tears to my eyes.

"You deserved it! You're a liar and a manipulator! And now you're trying to twist the story again. You pushed her, Aurelia. And I saw it."

My laugh was shaky, humorless. "You saw it? You saw it with your biased eyes, blinded by that simpering snake." My voice rose, cutting through my own pain. "You are truly despicable, Chandler. I knew you were selfish, but this? This is a new low."

"Don't you dare speak to me like that!" he roared. "You apologize to Britni! You get down on your knees and beg her forgiveness, and maybe, just maybe, I'll reconsider."

"Reconsider what, Chandler?" My voice was icy now, the tears gone. "Reconsider taking back the woman you dragged through the mud, the woman whose career you just destroyed? The woman you publicly humiliated? No." My voice was firm. "I'm done. We are done. And you know what? You deserve each other. Britni and you. A perfect match of manipulators."

I heard a frantic, muffled voice in the background, Britni's. "Chandler, honey, come quick! I'm awake! And I'm scared!"