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CEO's UNEXPECTED WIFE
img img CEO's UNEXPECTED WIFE img Chapter 2 2. Smiles and Whispers
2 Chapters
Chapter 7 7. Watcher In The Chair img
Chapter 8 8. Card of Contention img
Chapter 9 9. 48 Hours img
Chapter 10 10. Picking up the pieces img
Chapter 11 11. The Photos img
Chapter 12 12. Cleaning up the Mess img
Chapter 13 The deal with the devil img
Chapter 14 The Glass Castle img
Chapter 15 The Billion-Dollar Flaw img
Chapter 16 New Rival img
Chapter 17 Lion's Den img
Chapter 18 Cocktails and Cross Examinations img
Chapter 19 A Ghost in the Machine img
Chapter 20 Cook img
Chapter 21 Ghost In The Photo img
Chapter 22 No Regrets img
Chapter 23 I Would Love To Go img
Chapter 24 The Grand Entrance img
Chapter 25 Shall We img
Chapter 26 The Spotlight Waltz img
Chapter 27 Compromising Photos img
Chapter 28 Trial by Projection img
Chapter 29 The Eye of the Storm img
Chapter 30 The Investors Are Vultures img
Chapter 31 Declaration of War img
Chapter 32 The Digital Shame img
Chapter 33 The Plan of Surrender img
Chapter 34 The Declaration on Stage img
Chapter 35 The View From The Bottom img
Chapter 36 The Prince And The Pauper img
Chapter 37 A Hero's Tale, Made Up img
Chapter 38 Bitter Redemption img
Chapter 39 Sound of a Million Whispers img
Chapter 40 Ghost in the Lobby img
Chapter 41 Revelation img
Chapter 42 A Story Forged in Ruin img
Chapter 43 The First Secret img
Chapter 44 The Mirror Without Flinches img
Chapter 45 A Friend's Warning img
Chapter 46 A Hole in the Foundation img
Chapter 47 Polished Blade img
Chapter 48 Sabotage in Steel img
Chapter 49 Logic of Lies img
Chapter 50 New Top Dog img
Chapter 51 Forbidden File img
Chapter 52 The Secret Helper img
Chapter 53 The Truth About The Scholarship img
Chapter 54 HIS SIDE OF THE STORY img
Chapter 55 Accident img
Chapter 56 LEAD ENGINEER img
Chapter 57 Cold Reality img
Chapter 58 An Empire's Price img
Chapter 59 Mrs Vanessa Harrison img
Chapter 60 Cooked Up Affair img
Chapter 61 The Weapon Who Didn't Know img
Chapter 62 Digital Investigation img
Chapter 63 Brutal Reunion img
Chapter 64 Thrust Of The Past img
Chapter 65 Failed Poison img
Chapter 66 Forging The Weapon img
Chapter 67 The Devil's Introduction img
Chapter 68 3 United img
Chapter 69 Digital Ghost img
Chapter 70 Crack It img
Chapter 71 He's Beyond Repair img
Chapter 72 Reunion img
Chapter 73 Even my Assistant img
Chapter 74 Enemy In Plain Sight img
Chapter 75 Ignorant Assistant img
Chapter 76 A Picture Worth 10,000 Lies img
Chapter 77 The Truth img
Chapter 78 Lies Upon Lies img
Chapter 79 Echoes of Lies img
Chapter 80 A Fateful Spill img
Chapter 81 Architecture of a Lie img
Chapter 82 (18+):The Day I Gave Myself Away img
Chapter 83 Beyond the cries img
Chapter 84 The Girl In The Photograph img
Chapter 85 Listening Ear img
Chapter 86 Bridge of The Past img
Chapter 87 Consolation img
Chapter 88 (18+): Delusional Tyler Wants Revenge img
Chapter 89 New Life img
Chapter 90 Joyous Report img
Chapter 91 BZZT BZZT img
Chapter 92 New Lie img
Chapter 93 Need Prrof img
Chapter 94 Your Proof img
Chapter 95 A Verify of Blood img
Chapter 96 A Billionaire and The Ex img
Chapter 97 The Verdict img
Chapter 98 One More Thing img
Chapter 99 Scar of Truth img
Chapter 100 Forty Eight Hours img
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Chapter 2 2. Smiles and Whispers

Maddison's POV

His remark was meant to be a nice thing, but it was awful to hear. She felt like all the air got knocked out of her lungs, and she just couldn't help but think that her fake smile was just going to shatter.

"He, uh..." Her mind just completely blanked. All the good excuses she had practiced, such as an office emergency or a family situation, just disappeared.

Jenna who had been silent, stepped in to help, and she was so good with people. "He was called into an emergency meeting at the last minute, Professor. He's so sad about missing this but you know how it is with those oil companies; they just don't care about graduation days."

"Oh, what a shame! A real shame on a day like today," Professor Davies called out but then he was already distracted by another lecturer waving at him. "Well you tell him I said hello, Maddison and once again, congratulations. You really have earned all of this."

As he turned and walked away, Maddison leaned back against the cool stone of the window frame and her whole body was shaking from trying to hold herself together.

"Thanks," she whispered to Jenna, and her throat felt tight. "I couldn't think of what to say."

Before Jenna could answer, a low, clear voice cut through the noise nearby. "Ms. Carter."

Maddison turned around and saw a man standing a little step behind who seemed very composed and dignified, and though he looked hot, he seemed to be in his forties and was dressed in a well-tailored dark suit. He had a quiet aura of power surrounding him, and as other party guests laughed and chatted, he was calm, his dark grey eyes settled on her with a stare that made her uncomfortable.

"Your speech was..." he started, taking a step forward.

"The structural integrity of a promise. A novel approach."

Maddison was surprised. "Thank you, I..."

Just then, a quiet buzz came from his inside pocket and he didn't move, but his eyes looked down for just a second. He held up one hand, which was both an apology and a clear sign for her to wait. He pulled out a simple phone, looked at the screen, and his jaw tightened just a little.

"Excuse me for one moment," he said, and his voice became a quiet, commanding whisper. He turned away from them and brought the phone to his ear. "Stevens... Yes... Tell Zurich the wire transfer is not up for debate. If they refuse, we acquire them by morning and I don't care what it costs."

He walked a few steps away with his back to them, already lost in his important business after which Maddison and Jenna gave each other a wide eyed look.

"Whoa," Jenna mouthed without making a sound. "Who was that?"

"No idea," Maddison whispered back, feeling a strange chill even though the room was warm. She was curious but also a bit scared because the man was so different from all the other men in the room, and when he looked at her, she got the impression it was less of a compliment and more like he was judging her. But soon, her worry for Tyler took over, and she turned to look back out of the window. The man and his commanding phone call were already fading from her mind as the familiar ache returned to her chest.

"I have your back and I always will." Jenna looked very loyal and worried. She moved a little closer, and her voice was barely a whisper. "Did you call him?"

Maddison shook her head while she stared into her champagne. "No. I texted him as soon as the ceremony finished and I texted him twice earlier, but he didn't answer." She swirled the glass and watched the bubbles race to the top. "His phone could be dead or he could be somewhere with no signal."

She listed off all the possible good reasons, as if she were trying to convince herself there was still hope but each reason sounded less and less likely.

"Or," Jenna said, and she wasn't joking at all, "he could have taken five seconds to text you back, Maddy. A simple, 'So sorry, can't make it.' That's all it would've taken." The simple truth of it really hurt Maddison's feelings, and this wasn't about some big problem he couldn't get out of, it was about five seconds. Tyler didn't think she deserved five seconds of his time on one of the biggest days of her life.

The small bit of worry she felt during the ceremony started to grow much bigger, and it now felt as though that worry was breaking apart the trust she and Tyler had built for the past years.

"I don't want to think about it," Maddison said, and the words sounded meaner than she wanted them to. She tried to push the thought away but the decision felt empty, as if she were ignoring the big problem that was already happening. "I'm not going to let him ruin this, because I worked too hard."

She squared her shoulders and drank the rest of her champagne in one gulp, then she set the empty glass on a passing tray before she put her brightest smile on her face, but just when she turned to join the party again to act like a happy graduate who wasn't bothered by anything, Jenna's hand on her arm stopped her.

"Hold up," Jenna said, and her eyes were serious. She pulled Maddison back, out of the way of people walking by. "Look I love you and today's your day, and I'll punch the next person who asks where Tyler is, but we need to be real for a second. This isn't the first time he's let you down on an important day."

Maddison pulled back a little. "That's not fair."

"Isn't it?" Jenna's voice was gentle but also very firm. "Do you remember my 21st birthday party? The one he promised he would be at, the one we spent months planning? He said he fell asleep. Do you remember the awards dinner when you won that big scholarship? He said he had a meeting late in the night. Maddy, I have been hearing you make excuses for him for many months."

"They were different," Maddison whispered, but the words sounded weak even to her. She remembered those times clearly, and they were like small problems she had tried to ignore and perhaps, she should not have.

"Is it different?" Jenna asked, her eyes still fixed on Maddison's. "Or is it just a larger occasion? I'm not trying to argue with you or spoil your day, I swear. I just... I want you to be safe. Please."

Her words were serious and felt important. It was more than a warning and it showed how strong their friendship was, and it was also her way of trying to help Maddison before something bad happened.

***

Now, the stuffy air in the party room suddenly felt hard to breathe and Jenna's words along with the quick, strange meeting with the mysterious businessman had bothered her more than she wanted to admit. She was trying hard to stay calm, but it wasn't working anymore.

"I need some air," she whispered to Jenna, and then she slipped out through a pair of heavy, arched oak doors, and just like that, the loud noise of the party became a soft, distant hum. She walked out onto the perfectly kept lawn, and the late afternoon sun felt warm on her face, and in that moment, she felt like she needed a moment to be honest with herself. Her thumb stopped over the power button on her phone, as a mix of fear and silly hope grew in her stomach. She just needed a sign...any sign that would make her world feel right again.

"Ms. Carter? I hope we can finish our conversation."

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