Divorced My Cheating Husband, Married A Billionaire novel Chapter 96

"Can I join you guys?" Krista suddenly popped out of nowhere, wanting to be part of their group.

Brian recalled how Krista was close to Riley. However, Krista changed when Riley became his girlfriend in college.

"Ah, sure," Luke answered reluctantly, and Krista excitedly took a seat.

"So, where is Riley? And who is with you, Brian? Is she your cousin?" Krista asked curiously.

"No, this is Claire, my wife. Riley and I are divorced," Brian answered, and he saw the glint in Krista's eyes when she learned of the truth. Krista asked how it went down, and Brian told everything. Claire also answered some of her questions.

Brian used to dislike Krista, but he no longer minded her presence since her jealousy was directed at Riley. However, he did not anticipate Krista to invite Riley to their table. "Riley Allen? Over here. I saved a seat for you!"

When Brian saw Riley walking toward them, he was stunned by her confidence and beauty. His now ex-wife looked more captivating than the last time he saw her. Wasn't Riley supposed to be heartbroken over their divorce?

Not long ago, Riley had begged him not to proceed with the divorce. She used to look exhausted, with bags under her eyes, but now she looked radiant. What changed? Could it be the man she was canoeing with not long ago?

When Krista started questioning Riley, Brian frowned. It seemed to him that Riley was unaffected.

When his friends complimented Riley, he was slightly irritated. Have they forgotten he was with his new wife? They should compliment Claire and not Riley! Their actions were a slap to his wife.

"And you look happy too," Jean remarked. She had always favored Riley because she loved her jewelry designs.

"Yes, well, after leaving Brian, I found happiness I never knew existed," Riley replied, irking Brian.

'Just what did she mean? Was she never happy with me?' Brian asked. He shook his head, realizing that Riley was trying to make him feel that she had moved on when, clearly, his ex-wife was testing his limits.

"I heard you couldn't get pregnant. I'm sorry to hear that, though. It's no wonder you guys broke up." Krista suddenly said.

Brian saw how Riley was hurt. When she pointed out the affair, he lost it. Did she really have to bring it up? Now, Brian realized that Riley was still bitter about the divorce.

Claire was clearly being treated as a mistress, and it hurt her. Claire wept as she turned to him, clutching his coat. Brian could not help but feel guilty. When will Riley ever realize that Claire is innocent?

Because of this, Brian snapped. "You are insulting my wife!"

Jean had to act as a mediator between him and Riley, and thank goodness she did. When Krista complimented Claire, Brian was thankful.

Due to her lack of education, Claire was not confident about being around his friends. Thus, Krista's gestures were very appreciated. However, Riley had to raise her qualities by saying, "Oh, Krista, don't you know? A pretty face gets old. A nice body will change, but one's character and achievements fortify a woman's beauty as her youth fades."

Again, Brian understood that this was an insult against Claire, for she was the only one who had yet to achieve something for herself. What made the whole situation worse was when Adrian King was called to the stage. Brian became overwhelmed by mixed emotions.

First, he was utterly frightened at how Riley looked at Adrian with admiration. He mused, 'If anything would spark between them, will Adrian remember his promise to him? If so, what will he do?'

At the same time, Brian felt jealous. He did not know why, but he coveted the way Riley described Adrian. "He is not just hot. He is smart and -"

"Adrian is married, Riley. Don't even think about going after a married man," the words came out of his mouth, unfiltered.

"I don't know. You would know, Brian, right? You and Adrian used to be close?" Mark asked.

Riley glanced at Brian and saw how his face turned white, clearly guilty. Brian cleared his throat and said, "Yeah, I think it's Daisy."

'Daisy, my ass,' Riley mused. Inside, she was grumbling. However, knowing the truth, she ignored Brian's reply and listened to the rest of Adrian's inspiring words.

"I admit my progress was slow," Adrian described, looking very serious. "However, I soon realized that my perceived limitations were only in my mind. The real obstacle was not my disability, but my attitude toward it."

He took a deep breath, his expression softening with a hint of a smile. "With the support of the people around me, I began to see that I could still achieve great things. I returned to sports and started working. But most importantly, I learned to embrace my new reality."

Adrian's voice grew more passionate as he restarted, "I learned to navigate the world in new ways. Every challenge taught me something valuable about resilience, perseverance, and the power of a positive mindset."

Next, Adrian discussed his individual achievements. He concluded, "To anyone facing obstacles, know this: You have the strength to overcome them. Embrace your challenges, learn from them, and never give up on yourself."

The audience erupted into applause. Riley, for one, wept from her seat, proud of her man.

"Thank you," Adrian said, his voice filled with gratitude. "I urge everyone to find inspiration. That helped me become the person I am today."

"One of my goals was to marry the woman of my dreams, and now, despite being disabled, she is my wife today," Adrian announced, causing a louder uproar from the crowd. Everyone was cheering for him except Brian, Claire, and Krista.

"Okay, who could this woman be?" Krista asked. "Is it Daisy or Leni Eros?"