Everything was a deal until divorce novel Chapter 47

Chapter 47 The Lunch Invitation

Talia leaned in again. “So, do you have a boyfriend?”

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Arden wasn’t sure how to respond. Talia went on, “You know our CEO, right? Dorian Vale?”

“Huh?”

Seeing Arden’s confusion, Talia grinned. “You don’t know him? Dorian? The Dorian Vale? He’s single, by the way.”

“Oh.” Arden didn’t react much.

Talia raised an eyebrow. “You haven’t seen him, huh? He’s insanely hot. Like, way out of our league. But listen, don’t get any crazy ideas.”

Arden shook her head quickly. “No way. I’m here to work. He’s not my type.”

Talia looked relieved. “Good. Every woman in this company’s got a thing for him, and he hasn’t even glanced at any of them. Just the other day, Vivienne–you know, the A–list actress–she went on the record claiming she was pregnant with his kid. Wanna guess how that ended?”

Arden shook her head. She hadn’t been following the gossip.

“He personally shut her down. Publicly. Then blacklisted her everywhere. Now she’s buried in lawsuits and facing billions in damages. Her career’s toast. Guys like him? You mess with them, you’re done. He’s not someone regular people like us can mess with.

“There was this secretary once who tried to seduce him. He fired her on the spot. She’s still unemployed, totally blacklisted. Since then, all his secretaries have been men.

“And he hasn’t been linked to anyone in years.”

Talia leaned closer and whispered, “Honestly? I think he might be gay.”

Arden blinked, startled. Her mind flashed, uninvited, to those two nights with him. He wasn’t gay. Very much not.

Her ears flushed. Talia already liked Arden’s vibe, so she kept chatting.

Their boss was hot, sure–rich and powerful, too–but totally untouchable. A predator at the top of the food chain. Arden seemed sweet and grounded, like the type who needed a guy who was kind and emotionally available.

Arden nodded in agreement.

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14:47 Tue, Feb 3

Everything Was a Deal Until Divorce

Chapter 47 The Lunch Invitation

Talia leaned in again. “So, do you have a boyfriend?”

44

Finished

Arden wasn’t sure how to respond. Talia went on, “You know our CEO, right? Dorian Vale?”

“Huh?”

Seeing Arden’s confusion, Talia grinned. “You don’t know him? Dorian? The Dorian Vale? He’s single, by the way.”

“Oh.” Arden didn’t react much.

Talia raised an eyebrow. “You haven’t seen him, huh? He’s insanely hot. Like, way out of our league. But listen, don’t get any crazy ideas.”

Arden shook her head quickly. “No way. I’m here to work. He’s not my type.”

Talia looked relieved. “Good. Every woman in this company’s got a thing for him, and he hasn’t even glanced at any of them. Just the other day, Vivienne–you know, the A–list actress–she went on the record claiming she was pregnant with his kid. Wanna guess how that ended?”

Arden shook her head. She hadn’t been following the gossip.

“He personally shut her down. Publicly. Then blacklisted her everywhere. Now she’s buried in lawsuits and facing billions in damages. Her career’s toast. Guys like him? You mess with them, you’re done. He’s not someone regular people like us can mess with.

“There was this secretary once who tried to seduce him. He fired her on the spot. She’s still unemployed, totally blacklisted. Since then, all his secretaries have been men.

“And he hasn’t been linked to anyone in years.”

Talia leaned closer and whispered, “Honestly? I think he might be

gay.”

Arden blinked, startled. Her mind flashed, uninvited, to those two nights with him. He wasn’t gay. Very much not.

Her ears flushed. Talia already liked Arden’s vibe, so she kept chatting.

Their boss was hot, sure–rich and powerful, too–but totally untouchable. A predator at the top of the food chain. Arden seemed sweet and grounded, like the type who needed a guy who was kind and emotionally available.

Arden nodded in agreement.

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14:47 Tue, Feb 3

Chapter 47 The Lunch Invitation.

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Finished

That morning, she spent her time reading through company policies and learning her job responsibilities.

She was a fresh graduate with no experience, so she had to start from scratch. She stayed at her desk the whole time.

HR had already made her employee badge and scanned her fingerprints. By 11:30, she was still buried in her documents when Talia smacked her desk lightly.

“Let’s go,

Arden. I’m taking you to lunch.”

Grateful, Arden smiled and agreed. Just as she stood up, her phone buzzed.

It was a message on WhatsApp from Lucien. He sent a message, “Mrs. Vale, the boss would like you to join him for lunch upstairs.”

Arden typed back, “No thanks. My friend’s taking me to the cafeteria. He can eat on his own.”

Lucien stared at the reply, nervous. He looked up–and sure enough, Dorian was watching him.

He had no choice but to report honestly. “Uh, ma’am said she’s going to the cafeteria with a coworker. She told you to eat by yourself.”

Smack. Dorian set his pen down hard on the desk. He stood up. “Then I’m going to the cafeteria.”

Lucien was stunned. “…What?”

In all these years, Dorian had never stepped foot in the cafeteria. But Dorian was already loosening his tie and heading out the door.

Just then, Cassian called him. “Hey man, I’m starving. Let’s grab lunch at that bistro near your office? I’m downstairs already.”

Dorian said flatly, “I’m eating in the cafeteria.”

Cassian paused. “You? Cafeteria?”

Dorian snapped, “Eat or don’t. If not, wait in my office.”

This was wild. No way he was missing it.

Vale Group had no shortage of gorgeous women, and the food wasn’t bad either. Might as well tag along and watch Prince Charming slum it with the rest of the peasants for once.

“Eat, obviously. I’ll meet you there.”

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Chapter 47 The Lunch Invitation

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Cassian was already at reception, charming the front desk girl. He had that easy swagger–tall, athletic, stylish in a floral shirt and black trousers, his trademark smirk in place.

He turned at the sound of the elevator and saw Dorian walking out.

He whistled. “Who pissed you off?”

Dorian glanced at him coldly. “Can you not flirt with everyone in my building? Even the front desk?”

He shot a look at the receptionist. She stiffened. “Good afternoon, M–Mr. Vale.”

Dorian gave no response, hands in his pockets as he walked toward the door. The cafeteria was on the first floor of the adjacent building.

It was his first time going there. Cassian caught up with him, still grinning. “Dude. You? Cafeteria? What’s the occasion?”

Dorian ignored him. “What do you want?”

“What, I need a reason to visit you now?”

“You just came to mooch food?”

Cassian smirked. “Your company’s full of beautiful women.”

Dorian shot him a look and kept walking.

The Vale Group cafeteria was top–tier–multiple cuisines, everything from pasta to fresh–made

entrees.

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