His wife’s favorite… But then he realized she wasn’t his wife anymore. They had signed the divorce agreement yesterday. It was over. She was gone. He had lost her forever. A low ache spread through his chest.

And yet, just as he was still reeling from the loss, Dominic had to post that cake, flaunting it right in his face. She had just divorced him, and now he found it absurd that she couldn’t wait to throw herself into Dominic’s arms. Slar had lied to him after everything they had talked about yesterday. Luke’s frustration boiled over, his jealousy and bitterness surging uncontrollably.

He used a new number and dialed Vespera. Since she had blocked him on both his phone and WhatsApp, this was the only way he could reach her.

Vespera was sitting in the passenger seat of a car. As the car entered the underground parking lot of Tavian Troop, she felt her phone vibrate. She glanced at the screen. 11 was an unfamiliar number. She wondered, “Is it Luke again?” But they were divorced now, and he seemed to have calmed down. She didn’t think he would still be harassing her. Then again, it might be a call from the police.

“How could you promise me one thing and do another, Vespera? You’re a great actress; why didn’t you keep up the act a little longer? Why jump straight into another relationship the moment we’re divorced?”

The cold fury on the other end of the line was overwhelming. Vespera immediately hung up. She wearily rubbed her temples. She had overestimated Luke. His erratic behavior had resurfaced. Dominic and Gerard, who were with her, had both heard Luke’s angry shouting through the phone. The mention of “divorce” had particularly grabbed their attention.

Chapter 136

Derand was surprised to learn that they had already divorced. However, Dominic remained unfazed. He had known about their visit to the family court to finalize the divorce the day before. The car ride was quiet, but a subtle awkwardness lingered in the air. Vespera turned her head to look out the window. Fortunately, the car had already entered the underground parking lot, and they would soon be out of it.

She followed Dominic into the exclusive elevator that took them up to their floor. Shortly after, Gerard showed her to the HR department to complete her onboarding process. She received her access card and was then given a tour of the office. He pointed out the locations of different departments and the upper floors where the executives worked. After all, she would have to interact with them often.

By the time they finished the tour, the whole company had heard about Vespera’s hiring. The staff had heard that the president had hired an impressive new chief secretary. Rumor had it that a headhunting agency had recommended her. She had been the project manager at Eclipse Group and even the wife of their president. They had split up, and she left the company soon after. The headhunters saw an opportunity to bring her over.

Before long, news broke online about Vespera’s public dispute with the Sowle family and the Munoz family. Dominic had also made strategic moves, such as blocking Vortex Group’s project loan and issuing pointed critiques. It was clear to everyone that he was protecting her. Everyone thought she was too clever, too influential. She had managed to secure Dominic’s favor in such a short time. Now, the entire company saw her as a femme fatale.

However, upon seeing her in person, they couldn’t help but admire her beauty and presence. Her hourglass shape made even her professional attire look alluring. Her features were exquisite, her skin smooth and glowing, and her tall, slender figure gave her an almost ethereal presence. No one could resist such a captivating and elegant woman. When she smiled, her captivating eyes seemed to draw everyone in. Her beauty certainly proved the saying that in the presence of overwhelming allure, cuteness was irrelevant.

“Who said Mr. Reid has a thing for men? His tastes seem pretty straight to me.”

“How could her ex-husband let go of such a beautiful wife and go off cheating with some young girl? If it were me, I wouldn’t go anywhere after that.”

Two male employees whispered among themselves, watching as Vespera and Gerard walked away. Nearby, two female employees rolled their eyes. They thought, “Men are disgusting.”

One of the female employees said, “Men are always after something new. No matter how beautiful their wives are, they’ll still stray.”

“Yeah, men are all just driven by their lower halves,” the other woman agreed. They harshly criticized the men, their words sharp and unforgiving.

The two male employees were dissatisfied. One of them retorted, “You women are so biased against men! Don’t get all starry-eyed over that one; he’s a man-tool.”

The two female employees scoffed. “Who said I’m obsessed with Mr. Reid? I ship him with Mr. Locke. They are the perfect pair.”

“Exactly! 110% Mr. Locke and Mr. Reid who are meant to be. He only feels sympathy for Vespera; he’s definitely not interested in women.”