The Billionaire's Insignificant Wife novel Chapter 176

But the potential was there.

With the right framing, with carefully chosen timing, with context prepared in advance–these photos could become something far more damaging than the cheap gossip article Clarissa made.

Margaret saved all the photos to an encrypted folder on her phone.

‘I’ll keep these,‘ Margaret thought with an almost meditative calm. ‘And I’ll bring them out at the right moment. Not now, while Daniel can still think clearly. But someday when a single small spark is enough to burn everything down.‘

Margaret placed her phone back in her clutch with very calm movements.

At the podium, the host mentioned the names of several honorary donors–including the name Margaret Blackwood which was met with warm applause from the entire room.

Margaret stood.

Smiled gracefully toward the audience.

Waved her hand.

Perfect as always.

Yet inside her head, she spoke in a voice no one could hear.

‘Wait, Alina. I will find the right time for your destruction.‘

On the other side, in his cramped apartment, Steven Walsh sat in front of his laptop with a satisfied expression.

His article had gone viral.

Thousands of people had already read it. Money from Clarissa had already entered his account. This was one of the easiest jobs he had ever done.

Steven was just about to close his laptop when his phone rang.

An unknown number.

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He answered casually. “Yes?”

“Mr. Steven Walsh?” The voice on the other end sounded professional. Calm.

“Who is this?”

“I’m from Vantage Capital Group,” the voice said. “We’re an investment company. There are some interesting things we’d like to discuss with you – related to your journalistic work.”

Steven frowned slightly. The name wasn’t unfamiliar – Vantage Capital Group, one of the conglomerates long known as a heavyweight business rival. “About what exactly?”

“We’re interested in… your ability to reach a wide audience,” the voice answered smoothly. “Your recent articles have quite impressed us. We’d like to offer a mutually beneficial collaboration. Of course with very commensurate compensation.”

Steven leaned back in his chair.

*Very commensurate compensation.* Those words always sounded melodious.

“What kind of collaboration?”

“Better we discuss it directly, Mr. Walsh. Not a comfortable topic to discuss over the phone.”

“Where?”

“We’ll send you the address. Tonight. At eleven.”

Steven glanced at the clock in the corner of his laptop screen. Still several hours away. “Why does it have to be at night?”

“Our schedule is packed,” the voice answered lightly. “And for a meeting of this personal nature, we prefer a quieter atmosphere. You understand.”

Steven nodded even though his counterpart couldn’t see him. “Alright. I’ll be there.”

“Good, Mr. Walsh. We’ll be waiting.”

The call disconnected.

Steven lowered his phone slowly.

Part of him was excited – Vantage Capital Group was not a small name. If they were interested in him, this could be a big leap.

But another part felt something vague. A kind of small fear he couldn’t explain. There was something about that call that felt… off. Too smooth. Too careful.

But money was still money.

And he wasn’t in a position to reject a potentially enticing deal.

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The Obsessive Protector

Meanwhile at Blackwood mansion, Clarissa stood at the window staring at the quiet mansion garden below.

Her mind was spinning. Margaret was angry. But Clarissa didn’t regret spreading Alina’s photos.

Margaret was too patient, too methodical, too convinced that time would solve everything on its own,

Clarissa didn’t have that kind of patience.

Every day Alina still breathed was one day longer than it should have been.

Footsteps in the corridor made Clarissa turn.

Heavy. Regular. Too familiar.

Daniel was home early.

Clarissa felt something move in her chest–something uncomfortable. She picked up her wine glass again and pretended to be busy with her phone, looking down at the screen as if reading something important.

Those footsteps stopped in front of her bedroom door.

No knock.

The door simply opened.

Daniel stood in the doorway with his jacket still on and his tie slightly loosened–a sign he had been at the office for a long time. But what truly made Clarissa freeze was his eyes.

Dark.

Cold in a way that was different from usual.

“We need to talk,” Daniel said. His voice was very calm. Too calm. “Now. My study.”

Before Clarissa could open her mouth, he had already turned and left.

Ten minutes later, Clarissa stood in front of Daniel’s study door with sweating hands.

Her room back there had felt like a prison. Daniel’s study felt like a courtroom.

She knocked.

“Come in.”

Clarissa opened the door.

The room was dim. Only the desk lamp in the corner was on, casting long shadows across the dark wooden floor. Daniel stood with his back to her, staring out the window with posture as rigid as stone.

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