Married to the Billionaire Who Betrayed Me novel Chapter 62

Chapter 62 Warning Of A Two-Front War

Celeste froze.

“But we both know the truth, I continued. I met Tristan’s haunted gaze, then shifted back to her. “You hold his arm because if you

let go, he will walk away. You threaten my vendors because you know my company is outpacing your family’s portfolio. You are

terrified.

“I am not terrified of a corporate whore!” Celeste shouted.

The word echoed off the marble walls.

A collective gasp rose from the onlookers. The insult crossed a permanent line. In the ruthless arenas of the capital, executives

dismantled competitors with numbers, leverage, and lawyers. Screaming obscenities in a crowded atrium signaled a complete loss of

control.

Tristan grabbed Celeste’s wrist. He peeled her fingers off his sleeve. His face was a mask of cold fury.

“That is enough,” Tristan bit out. His voice was a low, dangerous rumble.

Celeste stumbled back. She looked at her empty hand. She looked at the furious expression on her fiancé’s face. The realization of

her public error crashed down on her. The surrounding investors watched her with open disgust.

I did not raise my voice. I did not match her hysteria.

“Congratulations on still pretending, Celeste,” I said. The quiet words cut deeper than a shout. “It must be exhausting.”

I turned my attention to Tristan. He stood with his hands clenched at his sides. He wanted to speak. He wanted to bridge the gap.

The unspoken apologies burned in his eyes.

I offered him nothing.

*Control your liabilities, Mr. Johnston,” I instructed. “They are damaging your brand.”

I turned my back on both of them.

I walked away. Marcus and Leo fell into step behind me, creating an impenetrable barrier. The crowd parted, offering a wide,

respectful path. No one whispered insults as I passed. No one mentioned the tabloid rumors. They watched a CEO dismantle a

legacy heiress without raising her voice or breaking a sweat.

I reached the far side of the atrium. I found a quiet corridor lined with abstract sculptures. I stopped walking.

My knees trembled. The adrenaline drained from my bloodstream, leaving a hollow, aching void in my chest. I pressed a hand

against the cool marble wall to steady my balance. I survived the encounter. I struck the decisive blow. Yet, the victory felt like ash

in my mouth.

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Chapter 62 Warning Of A Two-Front War

Seeing him hurt. The raw physical reality of his presence bypassed my logic. He looked broken. He looked like a man starving to

death in a room full of food.

“Miss Hayes.”

The voice came from my right.

I straightened my spine. I masked the exhaustion and turned my head.

Alexander Redford stood near a tall bronze sculpture. The veteran venture capitalist held two crystal glasses of sparkling water. He

offered one to me.

I accepted the glass. “Thank you, Mr. Redford.”

Alexander took a sip of his water. He looked back toward the crowded atrium. The Johnston-Whitmore incident remained the

epicenter of attention.

“You possess a lethal precision,” Alexander noted. He did not sound critical. He sounded impressed. “The Whitmore family commands massive influence in this city. Most founders would cower. You backed her into a corner and let her detonate her own

reputation.”

“She brought emotion to a business negotiation,” I replied. “Emotion is a vulnerability.”

“True,” Alexander agreed. He turned his sharp, intelligent eyes on me. “But you are not immune to it. I watched your face when Johnston approached. You built a strong wall, Minerva. But the mortar is still wet.”

I tightened my grip on the crystal glass. Alexander Redford missed nothing. He observed the micro-expressions. He saw the history

between Tristan and myself, and he calculated the risk.

“My personal history does not affect Aegis,’ I stated.

“Your personal history is sitting on tomorrow’s panel discussion, Alexander countered.

I frowned. “Excuse me?”

Alexander reached into his jacket pocket. He produced a printed schedule for the summit’s second day. He handed the heavy

cardstock to me.

“The organizers updated the roster an hour ago, Alexander explained. The morning panel focuses on emerging market disruptions.

You are the primary speaker.”

I scanned the printed schedule. My name sat at the top of the list.

I looked at the names of the opposing panelists.

My blood turned to ice.

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Chapter 62 Warning Of A Two-Front War

The second name on the list was Benedict Holloway. He operated a massive, traditional logistics conglomerate. He was an old-guard executive known for misogynistic business practices and aggressive public debates.

The third name on the list was Tristan Johnston.

“Tristan does not sit on emerging market panels,” I said. My voice sounded thin. “He operates an established global monopoly. He has zero reason to debate a start-up founder.”

*He called a favor with the summit organizers, Alexander revealed. “He bumped the scheduled speaker. He intends to corner you on

that stage, Minerva. He intends to use a public forum to force an interaction.”

I stared at the printed names. Tristan used his wealth to manipulate the schedule. He could not reach me in the green room. He

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