From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress (Riley and Lucas) novel Chapter 358

Chapter 358 Leaving the Harpers

She caught that hint of physical resistance and emotional space between Melissa and Zavier.

It wasn’t just a wife irritated with her husband–it felt like years of bottled–up tension and quiet unhappiness.

A faint, knowing smile touched her lips.

So her biological parents‘ marriage wasn’t as picture–perfect as it appeared on the surface.

“Well… Dad, Raymond, we should get going now.”

Zavier snapped back to the moment. He didn’t want her to leave, but he knew pressing her to stay would be pointless.

His voice turned earnest, almost protective. “Riley, drive safe. Have a good time out there.”

Riley nodded lightly. “I will. Don’t worry about me.”

Sebastian’s car eased smoothly away from the Harpers‘ brightly lit suburban home.

Inside, he kept his eyes on the road, the passing streetlights reflecting briefly in his steady gaze before fading away.

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A comfortable quiet filled the space for a few moments before Sebastian spoke, his tone casual. “So… how did it feel? Being back here?”

Riley tilted her head, a playful glint in her eyes. “How about you? What did you think of my dad’s… hospitality?”

Sebastian actually took a second to consider it. “The coffee was excellent. Your dad clearly knows his way around a good blend.

But…”

He paused, choosing his words. “Your mom… didn’t exactly seem thrilled about this arrangement. And…”

He trailed off, cautious not to overstep.

Riley, however, finished the thought for him, her voice calm and clear. “And she seems closer to Elsie than to me–her actual daughter. Is that what you meant?”

Her directness caught him slightly off guard. He nodded slowly, not wanting to stir old hurts.

Without another word, he rested his free hand gently over hers, offering silent comfort through the simple warmth of his touch.

Riley felt the gesture, and some of the cool distance in her expression softened.

She even let out a soft, almost dismissive laugh.

‘It’s not really a surprise,” she said. “From the day the Harpers officially ‘welcomed me back‘, I pretty much knew where things stood.”

The whole process of the Harpers reclaiming Riley had been… complicated.

Back then, she was still heading the marketing division at Ashford Group, representing the company in negotiations with Harper Group over a major green energy partnership in Nexopolis.

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5:16 pm P PP

Chapter 358 Leaving the Harpers

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titial talks went smoothly enough, but when it came to final approval, she finally met the so–called heir to Harper Group:

Raymond.

Their first meeting was in the top floor conference room at Harper Group’s downtown headquarters.

Raymond showed up in a designer blazer and an air of casual entitlement.

He studied Riley with an odd, almost familiar curiosity–like he already knew something she didn’t.

Professionally, though, he was all over the map. His ideas shifted by the hour.

One minute he’d praise a proposal, the next he’d nitpick some minor detail and tear the whole thing apart. It drove Riley–eager to seal the deal–half crazy.

Raymond dragged the negotiations out for nearly a week, refusing to sign..

Somehow, rumors reached Zavier, twisted along the way.

The Harper heir had taken a liking to the striking marketing lead from the partner company and was delaying the deal just to keep her around.

Zavier valued his company’s reputation highly.

Worried his impulsive son might spark a scandal, he decided to step in and take over the negotiations himself.

That was how he came across Riley’s proposal–and even he was impressed.

The plan was logically tight, backed by solid market data, and showed a foresight that was unusually sharp for someone her age. Every section revealed a confidence and skill beyond her years.

When he learned it was written by a woman in her twenties, Zavier’s curiosity peaked.

He couldn’t wrap his head around how someone so young could possess insights that left seasoned executives in the dust.

So he had Raymond arrange a dinner–a casual “celebration of the partnership“-and invited Riley to join.

They met at an upscale steakhouse downtown.

Riley sat calmly across from Zavier, the head of Harper Group, and Raymond, the source of her weeklong professional headache.

But from the moment she entered the private dining room, Zavier’s attention felt… off.

He stared at Riley’s face with an intensity that bordered on rude, barely acknowledging Raymond’s attempts to lighten the mood.

Riley kept her cool, assuming the seasoned executive was simply assessing a younger counterpart.

Throughout the meal, Zavier spoke very little. His eyes kept tracing her features–her eyes, her brow, the line of her nose, the curve of her mouth.

Outwardly, Riley remained composed, continuing to discuss deal points with Raymond. Inside, though, her guard was already up.