Everything was a deal until divorce novel Chapter 23

Chapter 23 Old Scandals, New Targets

Finished

Lucien’s eyes lit up. “Wait, so you’re using yourself as bait to draw Vivienne in? Hoping she’ll lead us to whoever’s behind her?”

Dorian gave him a look. Lucien winced. “Right. None of my business.”

He hesitated, then asked, “So… you really planning to divorce your wife?”

Dorian glanced sideways. “What do you think?”

Lucien mumbled under his breath, “How the hell would I know…”

That evening, Arden was out to dinner with her classmates when Isla sent her a message.

Isla sent a video. Isla asked, “Arden, isn’t this the clip from three years ago, when Vivienne fell down the stairs? It’s back on the trending list. People are going nuts–doxxing you, dragging your name through the mud.”

Arden didn’t check her phone right away. When she didn’t respond, Isla called directly. Arden stepped out of the private dining room to take the call.

“Isla? What’s going on?”

“Did you see the video I sent?”

“Not yet. What video?”

“That one of Vivienne falling down the stairs three years ago.”

Isla sounded furious. “It’s all over the internet again. People are saying she was pregnant with Dorian’s baby and that you pushed her. The comments are brutal. They’re calling you names–crazy, homewrecker, monster. There’s even footage showing Dorian in the background. It just makes the whole thing look

worse.”

Arden stayed quiet for a moment. “Vivienne probably leaked it herself.“.

“So what do we do now? You should call Dorian. Have him get that post taken down.”

Arden let out a quiet laugh. “He doesn’t care enough to do that. Don’t worry, Isla. I’ll handle it.”

As soon as she hung up, her phone rang again. It was her brother.

“Caleb,” she said as she picked up.

“Arden, have you seen the trending post?”

“Yeah.”

Caleb’s voice was filled with concern. “You okay?”

“I’m fine.”

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Crashes 23 Old Brandets New Vergete

I already paid a PR firm to suppress the search terms, he said carefully. But is it true? That Vivienne was pregnam with Dorian’s child?

“Maybe”

Caleb swore under his breath. She framed you back then, and now she’s doing it again. She’s clearly targeting both you and Dorian

“Or maybe just Dorian, Arden said softly.

Caleb went quiet. He hated that his sister never complained, never asked for help.

“If Dorian’s treating you like this,” Caleb said finally, “you don’t have to stay. We can pay the money back. It might not be easy, but the family’s stable now. We’ll get through it. Even if life gets harder, we’ll make it.”

Arden looked out into the night. “I know, Caleb. She’s got connections. That post might not be easy to scrub. Try not to let Mom and Dad see it. They’ll just worry.”

Arden hung up and finally opened her phone to watch the video. It was the same one from three years

ago.

She didn’t bother responding, reposting, or explaining. She didn’t have the reach–or the power.

Whoever was backing Vivienne, it wasn’t her fight to pick. If Dorian was behind it, she had no say. If it was someone else, she still had no say.

Either way, Vivienne would definitely be calling her soon.

Back at Vale Group, Dorian was reviewing files in his office while his group chat was blowing up with pings.

Cassian asked, “Yo, is that true? Vivienne was pregnant with your kid back then?”

Theo said, “Honestly, Arden doesn’t seem like the type to push someone down the stairs. She’s way too proper.”

Another friend joked, “So that’s why Dorian personally took Vivienne to the hospital? Guilt from a miscarriage three years ago?”

Cassian asked, “So what’s the deal? Was the baby yours or not?”

Cassian added, “Want me to pull the trending post down for you?”

Cassian, being the head of the biggest media company in Avalen, could wipe a headline off the map in a single call.

Lucien rushed in without knocking. “Boss, there’s a situation.”

Dorian frowned. “You’re this rattled on a weekday? You’ve been working with me how long?”

Lucien ignored the scolding. “That video of Arden pushing Vivienne? It’s trending again. It’s a mess— people are flaming her online. Personal info’s getting leaked.”

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hap 51 PH 2, andals New Targets

Dorian snatched the phone from his hand. It really was the same old video.

He cursed under his breath, slammed the phone down, and yanked off his tie. “Tell them to pull that damn video and clean the feed.”

“On it.”

Lucien ran out.

Dorian’s phone kept buzzing like crazy–but none of the messages were from Arden. She hadn’t texted or called–not a single word.

He opened the group chat again. Cassian had sent a few more jabs.

Cassian said, “Take down the video and the post. If you can find out who leaked it, I’ll owe you one.”

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