Everything was a deal until divorce novel Chapter 42

Chapter 42 Twist the Knife

His eyes narrowed. “Why were you in Northmere? Shouldn’t you be in Avalen?”

“I came to visit Grandma. She’s here for the summer.”

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Dorian didn’t say a word. But everything about her story screamed ‘lie‘. The girl from last night wasn’t Vivienne. And he damn sure never slept with her.

“Get out.”

He pulled the blanket back over himself, face like stone. Vivienne flinched at his tone. She scrambled to cover herself and rushed out.

Dorian grabbed his phone and called Lucien. “Get the hotel surveillance. All of it.”

An hour later, Lucien called back. “System’s down. Cameras were offline all night. I checked myself.”

Too convenient. Way too convenient. And just like that, Vivienne claimed he’d slept with her.

A month later, she said she was pregnant. By then, Dorian had been ordered back to Avalen by Eugenia to marry Arden. Vivienne was already three months along.

Arden had just turned eighteen and was about to start college.

It was supposed to be a quiet dinner with his grandmother and his new wife–but Vivienne had shown up, seen everything, and panicked.

Afraid Dorian would drop her completely once the baby was born, she staged a miscarriage.

Blood and drama, all of it scripted to earn his sympathy.

Maybe, she thought, if she made him feel guilty enough, he’d marry her out of remorse. But Dorian didn’t work like that.

He had the fetus collected and sent to a lab. The DNA test confirmed what he already suspected -it wasn’t his child.

He stood outside the operating room, laughing coldly. Lucien brought more.

Turns out, Vivienne and the entire Ash family had been working behind the scenes with the Soutarian syndicate.

They’d gone to Northmere on purpose, knowing one of the crime bosses would be there. Vivienne was part of the plan–bait for Dorian, a chip in a bigger game.

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The Ash family were casting a wide net. If Vivienne could tie herself to Dorian, so much the better.

But Dorian had never been easy. Vivienne had tried everything–seduction, flirtation, even slipping into his room once–but nothing worked.

That night, the Ash family had caught wind of something big. Dorian was in Northmere, badly injured, and–more importantly–without his usual security team.

That was how Vivienne ended up on his bed the next morning, playing the concerned companion. Back at the office, Lucien brought in the DNA results, along with the USB drive.

Dorian checked the time. The press conference was in thirty minutes.

He called Arden. This time, she answered. But she didn’t say anything.

Instead, it was Dorian who broke the silence. “Arden.”

“Yes, Mr. Vale.”

“Wait for me tonight. Let’s have dinner.”

Arden’s voice was calm, distant. “I’ve already eaten. You should eat on your

“I said, wait for me.”

own.”

“Mr. Vale, my mom’s been missing me. I’m staying at the Wynn Estate for a few days. I won’t be going back to Silverbay.”

Dorian frowned. “How many days?”

“Three or four, maybe.”

He said, “Then I’ll come too.”

Arden didn’t even hesitate. “That’s not necessary. The Wynn house is far from the office. Going back and forth would be a hassle. I’m busy anyway, learning to cook with my mom. I’ve got to go.”

And she hung up. She actually hung up on him.

Dorian stared at his phone, stunned. She’d really just cut him off. He wasn’t even serious about going to the Wynn house. He’d just said it to tease her.

Well, dinner plans got canceled. His mood? Instantly worse.

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Lucien knocked just then and peeked in. “Boss, the press is all here. Ready to head down?”

“Yeah.”

Dorian grabbed his phone and opened WhatsApp, typing a message to Arden, “Watch the Buzznet livestream.”

He hit send. She didn’t reply.

The press room was packed.

It wasn’t often that Dorian agreed to any kind of interview. Most of the media outlets barely had usable photos of him, let alone soundbites. And now, not only was he appearing in person, but the story involved a celebrity, a pregnancy, and a potential affair?

Every journalist in town wanted a piece of this. All eyes were on the door. Finally, it opened.

He walked in wearing a fitted black dress shirt, sleeves slightly rolled up, black slacks, and a silk tie. Every step he took radiated authority.

He checked his luxury watch as he made his way to the podium and took a seat at the center.

The room fell completely silent. Only the cameras clicked softly in the background.

He looked

1. up.

“I’ve asked you here today to clear up two things.”

Before he could go on, a reporter jumped in. “Mr. Vale, Vivienne confirmed she’s pregnant with your child. Is there a wedding in the works?”

Dorian locked eyes with him, his stare ice–cold and razor–sharp. The reporter froze instantly, swallowing the rest of the question. Dorian’s voice stayed calm, steady, and firm.

“Let me make this perfectly clear. Three years ago, Vivienne was pregnant–but not with my child. I never touched her. I never will. I didn’t plan on marrying her then, and I won’t be marrying her now or ever.”

The room lit up. Cameras flashed. Microphones pushed forward.

He had just publicly denied everything.

Another reporter asked, “Mr. Vale, how can you be so sure the child wasn’t yours? Vivienne doesn’t seem like the type to pick a fight with the Vale family.”

Dorian’s gaze sharpened. His voice didn’t rise, but the weight behind it made the room feel

heavier.

“Three years ago, I ran a paternity test on the embryo from the miscarriage. The results were

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conclusive. There was no biological relation.”

He held up the folder. “The official report is here.”

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