Everything was a deal until divorce novel Chapter 31

He’d had a bias against her from the start.

Finished

Lucien asked, “Sir, if we release the footage from three years ago, people are definitely going to say nasty things about her. What if she misunderstands you again? Wouldn’t that just make things worse for you?”

Dorian said, “Use the budget to shape the narrative. I shouldn’t have to walk you through this. Arden doesn’t get touched, not even indirectly. Vivienne’s not the patient type. She’ll crack soon and make a scene, try to spin everything to make Arden look like the villain.

“When the buzz hits its peak, we release the second video. I want Vivienne ruined for good.”

Lucien left to rally the team.

Dorian pulled out his phone and opened WhatsApp. He sent a message, “You home yet?”

Arden was having lunch with Isla at the mall. When she heard her phone buzz, she casually picked it up and glanced at the screen. Seeing Dorian’s name, she looked like she’d just seen a pig fly.

She muttered, “Did that jerk send the message to the wrong person? He’s asking if I’m home?”

Isla leaned over. “Where? Let me see!”

Arden handed her the phone. “It’s been over three years. I’ve always texted him first. He’s never replied. Now Vivienne brings him lunch and suddenly he’s possessed?”

Isla nodded. “Maybe he meant to text Vivienne and clicked your name by mistake.”

“Yeah, what am I thinking? No need to get ahead of myself.”

“Text something back, just to see if he answers.”

So, she sent a message, “?”

Dorian stared hard at the screen. When the notification finally came through, he instantly tapped it open. It was a question mark from Arden.

He panicked. He typed, then deleted. He sent a message, “You free tonight?” Deleted. He sent a message, “Wanna get dinner?” Deleted. He sent a message, “I’ve got something to tell you.” Deleted.

Sweat started to bead on his forehead. It was the first time he’d ever struggled this much to get a sentence

out.

Back at the mall, Arden’s phone buzzed three times in a row. She picked it up, saw three messages had

been recalled.

She was even more convinced. She turned to Isla. “He sent them to the wrong person. Had to delete them real quick.”

“Forget him. Let’s eat. He’s got a damn celebrity now. Arden, stop wasting your time.”

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Chapter 31 Trapped in the Game

Right. She turned her phone to silent.

Finished

Dorian, after thinking for a while, finally sent. He sent a message, “Arden, dinner tonight.”

He spent the entire afternoon staring at the screen. But Arden never replied.

Lucien, acting under Vale Group’s name, posted the video from three years ago that showed Vivienne and Arden. It went viral within minutes.

Vivienne, seeing it come from Vale Group, was thrilled. She thought Dorian was backing her up again.

She smiled and immediately had her team push it across every channel.

Then she opened WhatsApp and sent Dorian a voice recording–captured during her conversation with Arden at the office earlier that day.

At that moment, Dorian was on the phone with Cassian. He said, “Make it go big. As big as it can. The more eyes on this now, the harder Vivienne’s fall will be later.”

Cassian chuckled. “So you’re protecting your secret wife now? Word is, your wife was queen of Avalen University back in the day. Guys lined up for her. Super popular.

“She must be blind though, ending up with a grumpy man like you.”

Dorian frowned. “Whose side are you on?”

Cassian teased, “I just enjoy watching your love life crash and burn.”

“Honestly, I’m dying to see you in ‘Heartbreak Mode. Cold–blooded guys like you… when they fall, they fall

hard.”

Dorian cut him off. “Just get the job done.”

As soon as he hung up, he saw a new message from Vivienne.

She had sent not only the voice file, but a message too. She sent a message, “Dorian, I saw Arden outside Vale Group today. You should listen to what she said to me.”

She continued, She sent a message, “The way she talks, it’s like she wants someone else to win your heart. She’s never been into you, not really.”

Dorian played the voice recording. He clenched his fist. His blood was boiling.

This woman, Arden, had spent those three years saying she liked him, loved him, couldn’t live without him. But the second Vivienne threw shade, she just handed him over like he was nothing.

She even joked about dating younger guys, fresh–faced boys.

They were married legally. And she still dared to talk about chasing other men? What the hell was she

vasn’t good–looking enough for her?

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Chapter 31 Trapped in the Game

Finished

Fuming. Dorian tapped the screen. He sent a message, “Arden, do you think I’m good–looking?”

He tossed the phone aside, yanked off his tic, unbuttoned his collar, and shut his eyes in frustration. Lucien walked in to report, only to sense the pressure in the room. Dorian sat upright and looked directly

at him.

Lucien shivered. “Sir, if there’s something you need, just say it. Don’t look at me like that. You’re scaring

me.”

Then Dorian spoke slowly. He asked, “Lucien, do you think I’m good–looking?”

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Everything Was a Deal Until Divorce

Chapter 32 Do You Like Me