Sham Marriage Quit Real Heiress Strikes Back novel Chapter 64

"If there's no issue, I'll publish it like this?" Elena asked.

Lydia's mind was clearly elsewhere. "Do whatever you want."

Elena left the office. Laughter from Lydia and Luna drifted out behind her. She closed the door and returned to her desk. After reviewing everything one last time to ensure there were no factual errors, she hit publish.

The response was immediate.

The voices fueling gender hostility began to quiet. Those who had been condemning the husband online fell silent. Some users expressed sympathy for the family. Others blasted irresponsible media outlets.

Because Swiftline had been the first to release a correction, its official account was flooded with heated comments.

Elena scrolled briefly, then closed the page.

A sudden stir swept through the office. Everyone stood up at once. Sophia nudged her repeatedly with her elbow.

Elena looked up, confused, and quickly rose to her feet.

At the entrance stood a group of executives.

At the front was Alexander. He looked sharp in a tailored black suit, his expression composed. Ryan stood beside him, along with several senior managers.

Lydia stepped forward, smoothing her hair. None of her usual arrogance showed. "Mr. Kingsley, this is our entire editorial department."

He nodded slightly.

His gaze moved past the crowd and landed precisely on Elena and Sophia.

Alexander's face showed no change, yet for some reason Elena felt warmth creep up along the edge of her ear.

The group did not stay long. It seemed like a routine visit, a quick morale boost.

Once they left, Lydia clapped her hands. "Mr. Kingsley said we've performed well this quarter. He's inviting the entire department to dinner Friday night, so make sure you clear your schedules."

Excitement erupted instantly.

Their CEO was notoriously elusive. Seeing him in person was rare enough. Having him host dinner was an opportunity no one wanted to miss.

Luna grinned and teased, "So is Mr. Kingsley taking you out, Lydia, or all of us?"

"Yeah, if it's just you, we won't crash your date," someone else chimed in.

"Enough," Lydia said, barely hiding her smile. "Just be there Friday."

Sophia rolled her eyes. "Unbelievable."

If their relationship were not still private, she would have shut down Lydia's fantasies immediately.

She ended the call. Between her and Camille, her parents had always chosen Camille.

After work, Sophia left first. Elena stayed late to finish up. When she finally walked out of Velmora Media, Nathan's car was parked at the curb.

She was not surprised.

Her article included interview details. It would not take much digging to find where she worked.

Nathan stepped out, took her bag, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry about yesterday. I didn't mean to bail on you."

"It's fine. Work comes first," Elena said gently.

Her back suddenly felt warm. She turned slightly.

Alexander and Ryan were walking out of the building at that exact moment. Their eyes met.

For a split second, a strange thought crossed her mind.

As if she were living a double life, playing the part of Nathan's wife while sharing something far more intimate with Alexander, and now standing here, acting affectionate in front of him.

The thought sent an unexpected thrill through her.