Divorced CEO's Forgotten Wife Strikes Back (Riley and Bryce) novel Chapter 58

**TITLE: Dreams Refuse Gravity by Leo Arden Knox**

**Chapter 58: How is that possible?**

Claire’s voice rang out with indignation, slicing through the tension in the room like a knife. “Riley, are you really willing to jeopardize the entire company just for your own selfish gain? This organization was built by Bryce and a team of dedicated colleagues. It’s not your personal cash cow!”

With that declaration, Claire firmly planted herself on the moral high ground, casting Riley in the light of a selfish, self-serving individual. The air was thick with tension, and the atmosphere felt electric as the stakes of their confrontation escalated.

It was true that many of the senior executives within the company recognized the immense effort Riley had poured into its success over the years. They knew she had worked tirelessly, often sacrificing her personal life for the sake of the company’s growth. Yet, when personal interests came into play, their loyalty faltered, and they fell silent, unwilling to voice their support for her.

Riley remained a silent observer, her gaze icy as she watched Amanda and Claire exchange barbs, their words dripping with contempt. Meanwhile, Bryce sat like a statue, his expression unreadable, yet the tension radiating from him was palpable.

Private cash cow? Who had truly been treating the company’s profits as if they were their own personal treasure? The irony was not lost on Riley.

Suddenly, a voice broke through the charged atmosphere, dripping with sarcasm. “Haha, this is downright absurd. Trying to snatch his wife’s hard-earned patent for free during a divorce and plotting to leave her destitute? That’s just cruel—worse than a bloodsucker!” As the words faded, Vince strode confidently into the press-conference hall, his presence commanding immediate attention.

All eyes snapped to him, and a few journalists who recognized the scion of the Brunson family looked visibly taken aback. No one had foreseen that Vince would make an appearance here, and it was clear he had come to rally in support of Riley.

Bryce’s expression flickered momentarily before he stood up, his voice laced with defiance. “Mr. Brunson, your comments are rather exaggerated. That patent was filed during my marriage to Riley, which makes it marital property. It only stands to reason that it should belong to the company.”

Vince’s lips curled into a sneer. “Just because a patent was filed during marriage doesn’t mean it’s automatically shared property. Riley developed that on her own. What does it have to do with you?”

Claire, ever the opportunist, jumped in. “How can you be sure Bryce wasn’t involved? He graduated from Princeton! What could Riley possibly achieve on her own? She probably lifted Bryce’s research to claim that patent!”

The moment those words left her mouth, the air was thick with suppressed laughter from those who knew the truth.

“Wait a second—Bryce has a business degree, right? Does he even know how to code? What does he know about drone technology? How could he possibly have anything to do with a drone patent?” Vince shot back, his voice sharp and unwavering.

Claire’s face paled as she retorted, “And what makes Riley capable of applying for a patent?”

Before Riley could respond, Lara sprang to her feet, her fury palpable. “Riley graduated from the National Defense University! She was the highest scorer on the SAT in all of Washington! Is that not enough qualification for you?”

“If Bryce had any real talent, he wouldn’t be trying to steal Riley’s patent while also trying to wriggle out of paying the 1.53 million dollars he owes in the divorce settlement!”

Claire stood there, momentarily speechless, processing the weight of Lara’s words.

Graduated from the National Defense University? The highest SAT scorer in Washington?

Is it… Riley? How can that even be true?

Such an underachiever couldn’t possibly be that remarkable!

“You’re just making this up!” Claire insisted, her voice trembling with disbelief.

“Go ahead and ask Bryce. He knows all about it,” Lara retorted, her tone dripping with disdain.

Turning to Bryce, Claire saw his stony silence, a clear indication that Lara was likely speaking the truth.

While Claire grappled with the revelation of Riley’s impressive educational background, the rest of the audience was more shocked by the fact that Riley was only requesting 1.53 million dollars in the divorce. Bryce had never disclosed the exact sum before, leading many to assume Riley was asking for a king’s ransom.

Those who had once thought of Riley as greedy now felt a wave of sympathy wash over them. After all, by the standards of typical divorce settlements, she could have claimed at least half of Bryce’s wealth.

“Bryce, you can keep the patent. I just want the promised 1.53 million dollars,” Riley stated firmly, locking eyes with him.

Bryce’s face flushed with anger. The judgmental glances from those around him made him feel like a villain in a tragic play. “Riley, I’m not refusing to pay you. You’ll receive your money once the share lock-in period is over. Why are you being so demanding?”

“Me, demanding?” Riley scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. In a swift motion, she pulled out a thick stack of documents. “Take a look at your bank records from the last two years. You dropped over 50 million on jewelry for Bella—twenty pieces in total. And now you stand here claiming you can’t scrape together 1.53 million?”

Just then, Claire, who had been lurking nearby, interjected, “That’s because Riley had an affair! That’s why Bryce is reluctant to pay!”

A wave of gasps rippled through the crowd as Claire’s accusation hung in the air.

“I have proof! And the man she had an affair with is him!” she declared, pointing an accusatory finger at Vince.

The photos she produced depicted Vince and Riley sharing drinks and enjoying kebabs together, seemingly intimate moments frozen in time.

Riley’s eyes narrowed as she examined the images. They had been taken the previous night on Lara’s terrace, but the framing cleverly excluded Lara, making it appear as though Riley and Vince were alone together.

In one particular photo, Vince leaned against her shoulder while she held his waist, a seemingly compromising position.

“See? Riley had an affair with this toy boy. She’s the one in the wrong! Bryce is being generous by offering her some shares. A woman like her deserves to be cast aside with nothing!” Claire proclaimed, her arrogance palpable.

“Bullshit! What affair? I was there!” Lara shouted, her anger boiling over.

“Even if you want to defend Riley, you don’t need to concoct such a pathetic lie,” Claire shot back, her voice dripping with disdain.

“That was my place! If you’re going to frame her, at least use some common sense. Last night, the three of us were together. Riley was just helping Vince get to his room. Besides, Vince’s uncle came to pick him up later!” Lara insisted, her frustration evident.

“You’re her friend. Naturally, you would say that. Riley had an affair with this toy boy. You’re clearly covering for them!” Claire retorted, her tone filled with venom.

Lara’s fury ignited as she glared at Claire, her fists clenching in anger. She was on the verge of lunging at Claire when Vince intervened, stepping in to restrain her.

“Toy boy? Well, I’ve never been called that before,” Vince scoffed, a mocking laugh escaping his lips. His deep-set eyes locked onto Claire, cold and emotionless, as if she were nothing more than a lifeless object.

A chill of fear skittered down Claire’s spine, and those familiar with Vince exchanged glances of pity towards her.