The Billionaire's Silent Wife (Ryan and Eve) novel Chapter 68

Chapter 68 The Office Return

Ryan’s POV

Ryan hadn’t stepped into the office in nearly three weeks.

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The walls of the mansion had begun to close in on him, the weight of his mother’s sharp tongue, the whispers from the board, the constant drip of gossip from the press. His name had been dragged through every column, his wife painted either as a conniving thief or a helpless victim, depending on who was talking.

He needed air. He needed order. He needed to remind himself that he was still in control of

something.

That morning, he stood in the hallway, buttoning his shirt, the crisp white fabric cutting cleanly against his tan skin. His watch glinted as he adjusted his cufflinks, the small, automatic gestures grounding him in routine.

Eve watched from the edge of the dining table, her hands loosely cradling a cup of tea. She didn’t say much. She didn’t need to. The silence between them had become something gentle lately, not suffocating.

“I’ll be gone most of the day,” Ryan said finally, slipping on his jacket. “Lock the main entrance once I leave.”

Eve frowned slightly. “Ryan…”

He paused, meeting her gaze. “I mean it, Eve. My mother’s been unpredictable lately. If she or Kimberly come around, don’t open the door. I’ll let myself in when I return.”

The softness in his tone startled her. For the first time, she saw a trace of concern, not

control.

She nodded quietly, “All right.”

He looked at her one last time, his eyes lingering a second longer than necessary, as if he wanted to say something but thought better of it. Then he grabbed his keys and walked out, the sound of the door closing echoing through the quiet house.

Eve stared at the doorway long after he was gone. It was strange, this man who once locked her out emotionally was now trying to protect her from his own family. She wasn’t sure how to feel about it yet, but somewhere deep down, she was grateful.

Ryan’s black sedan glided through the city streets, the skyline of Bexlin flashing past the tinted windows. He kept his expression neutral, his mind occupied with everything that had

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<Chapter 68 The Office Return

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piled up in his absence, board meetings, contracts, investments. But beneath it all, something else simmered: frustration.

The moment he walked through the Ashbrook Corp building, every eye followed him. Conversations halted mid-sentence. His employees whispered behind polished glass walls. He could practically feel their curiosity, their judgement, the unspoken Is it true? lingering in the air.

He straightened his tie, letting the cold, commanding version of himself take over.

“Good morning, Mr. Ashbrook,” his PA greeted, scurrying behind him with a tablet in hand. I’ve compiled your pending documents, sir. Several contracts have been awaiting your approval. Mr. Reynolds came by twice last week, he insisted they be signed immediately. Your father held them off, but,”

“Cancel them all,” Ryan said sharply, cutting her off as he entered his office.

The PA blinked. “Sir?”

“You heard me. Cancel everything that carries Steven Reynolds’ signature.”

“Yes, sir.”

”

Ryan loosened his tie slightly and sank into his chair, the familiar leather creaking under him. For a moment, he let the silence of his office swallow him whole. The city stretched out beyond the glass wall, grey, endless, and pulsing with life.

He missed this. The quiet power of control. The predictability of business, where logic ruled and emotions had no place. It was simpler than marriage, simpler than family. Numbers didn’t lie. People did.

He reached for the first file on his desk, but before he could even open it, the door flew open.

“Ryan!”

His mother’s voice tore through the air like thunder.

Leah Ashbrook stormed in, dressed in an immaculate cream suit that glowed with wealth and self-importance, Kimberly followed close behind, her arms folded tightly across her chest, her face painted in feigned innocence. Luan trailed after them, nervous and silent, her gaze flicking anxiously between them all.

Ryan’s shoulders stiffened. He leaned back in his chair, forcing his expression into one of detached calm.

“Mother,” he said evenly. “I wasn’t expecting a visit.”

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< Chapter 68 The Office Return

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“You should have,” Leah snapped, slamming her palm down on his desk so hard that the pen holder rattled. “What the hell has gotten into you?”

He raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “You’ll have to be more specific.”

“Don’t test me, Ryan!” Her voice rose, sharp and filled with fury. “You publicly hit your sister! In front of a crowd, the press, people, all because of that gold-digging tramp you call a wife!”

Kimberly’s lips curved slightly, satisfied to see her mother doing the talking.

Ryan said nothing. He folded his hands on the desk, expression unreadable.

His silence infuriated Leah.

“You couldn’t even render them aid!” she continued, voice trembling with rage. “You just abandoned them there like strangers! You have disgraced this family, my family!”

“Next time,” Ryan said calmly, his tone cutting through the chaos like ice, “she’ll know better

than to call me.”

Leah froze, staring at him, unable to believe his audacity. “What is the matter with you?” she

hissed. “Has that girl bewitched you? Has she, ”

“Careful, Mother,” Ryan interrupted, his tone dropping dangerously low. “You’re talking about my wife.”

Kimberly stepped forward. “Your wife? Ryan, she’s a liar and a thief. She took ten million from me and, ”

He turned his head sharply, his gaze pinning her in place. “And I have returned your money,” he said coldly. “You will not bring it up again.”

Kimberly’s bravado faltered, and she looked at her mother for support. Leah, however, was seething too much to notice her daughter’s discomfort.

“You’ve lost your mind,” Leah spat. “You’ve turned against your own family for her.”

Ryan gave a short, humourless laugh and leaned back in his chair. “My family?” he repeated softly, his eyes narrowing. “Do you mean the same family that manipulated, humiliated, and used me to cover your dirty alliances with Steven Reynolds?”

Leah blinked, thrown off by the precision of his words.

“I don’t know what you did,” Ryan continued, voice quieter now but every syllable sharp as glass. “But you let him blackmail us. You entertained him because you thought you could control him. And when things got out of hand, you hid behind me.”

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