Chapter 10

Every desperate tug from Brandon only made Alexia bear down harder, twisting her heel into his foot with pitiless intent.

"Get off me! What's wrong with you?" Pain cut through his voice, and his hands flew up in panic, only for Alexia to seize him by the wrist. He barely had time to catch his breath before her open palm struck his face, snapping his head to the side.

She didn't hold back-not for a moment. The slap rang out clear, leaving Brandon stunned, his jaw hanging open in disbelief.

Drawing close, Alexia dropped her voice to a dangerous whisper. "Who said you could even glance in my direction? With how empty your head is,I'm afraid I might catch stupidity just standing near you."

From her purse, she drew out a handkerchief,wiped her hand with slow, deliberate care, and then let the cloth flutter down onto his hair as if it were nothing but a piece of trash.

"Absolutely pitiful."

Without a second's hesitation, she strode away,never bothering to look back.

Brandon sat in silence, burning with embarrassment and unable to move.

The butler, finally regaining his senses, looked at Eleanor with alarm. "Ma'am..."

A slow shake of the head was Eleanor's only answer,her eyes never leaving Alexia's fading silhouette.Sorrow deepened her features. "She's never coming back."

No one in that house could claim to have known the real Alexia until that very moment.

A soft note of regret crept into Eleanor's tone."Roger was never good enough for her."

Hours later, Roger dragged himself back to the estate,hair mussed and clothes rumpled. He barely made it through the door before the thick, suffocating atmosphere hit him.

All the Gibson family members were assembled,faces set and unreadable, as if waiting for his confession.

He never imagined a divorce would leave the household in utter chaos.

Allen Gibson, the family patriarch, sat nursing a cup of coffee,his weathered eyes fixed on Roger with a look that chilled to the bone. Noticing the bandaged hand,Allen sneered, "Well, look who it is. Coming home looking like you've had a really bad day."

Roger stood his ground, jaw clenched, but stayed silent.

Allen continued, "Was this circus worth it? All that drama at Marilee's party, dragging our name through every paper in town. Are you satisfied with yourself?"

Gloria Gibson, Roger's mother, chimed in with venom,"This is all Alexia's fault..."

Allen asked, "Did I ask what you thought?"

Gloria's lips snapped shut, her anger swallowed by fear.

Turning even colder, Allen continued, "Your grandmother is so sick over you divorcing Alexia, she refuses to see you at all. She said one thing: throw Alexia away, and you could marry the first stranger you meet on the street for all she cares. But bring Marilee into this house? Never."

Roger's head snapped up. "Grandpa, Marilee's amazing.It's just that Grandma hasn't really spent time with her.

Once she does, she'll-"

His plea ended in a sudden gasp as a coffee cup hurtled his way, smacking into his chest and sending a spray of hot coffee across his shirt. Shattered porcelain scattered across the floor.

Allen's voice cracked like a whip. "Fool. Do you seriously not understand what you did wrong?"

Heat radiated from every corner of the room, anger mixing with something heavier-deep disappointment.The next words from Allen felt heavier than a fist."The news is out-Waylon Mason will be the next president of the Chamber of Commerce."

Roger had prepared himself for this moment, yet confirmation of the news still unsettled him, stirring up a storm in his stomach.

He tried to make sense of it all. "Waylon Mason? He's so young. His qualifications-"

With a bitter chuckle, Allen interrupted. "Interesting to hear you talk about qualifications now. That man is a leader you could never dream of becoming. Do you even know what he's done? He's bulldozed impossible policies, locked in international deals, and forced the old president to abdicate. He's the youngest president in the history. Everyone envies him."

The way Allen stared at him left Roger feeling small.Were it not for tragedy robbing him of his only son.Allen never would have bothered seeking out a grandson born out of scandal, much less pouring resources into him.

"Roger, I handed you every advantage I could. Never expected you to climb to the very top, but those other roles? That should have been easy. You could have bouilt real power for yourself. But all that is gone -because of Marilee."

Roger's hands balled into tight fists.

Allen let out a sigh. "Your name is now linked to Marilee,the other woman. You're divorcing Alexia just because she's not a reaI Jenkins. You honestly believe Marilee's some kind of prize? People in our world don't marry for love-it's about strategy. The perfect marriage keeps up appearances, helps you squeeze every bit of advantage out of the story."

Allen's voice turned ice-cold. "Find a way to clean this up.Immediately."

That night, Alexia found herself in the quiet of a hotel suite. After a steaming shower, she wrapped herself in a robe, fingers flying over her phone as she sent Roger a message.

"Are you free tomorrow morning? We should meet and finish the divorce."