The CEO's Contractual Wife (Olivia and Alexander) novel Chapter 304

Chapter 304

Chapter 304

Olivia

235 vouchers

I arrived at Carter Enterprises before the sun had fully risen, the building still half–empty and quiet. The elevator ride to my floor felt longer than usual, my mind already churning through the Cornerstone materials I’d spent half the night reviewing.

Dylan wasn’t in yet. I’d beaten even him to the office.

Good. I needed the silence, the space to think without interruptions.

My office smelled like expensive leather and the faint trace of yesterday’s coffee. I dropped my bag, fired up my computer, and dove back into the Cornerstone files.

An hour passed. Then two.

(

My phone buzzed around eight thirty, breaking my concentration. Emilia’s name flashed on the screen.

I opened the message, expecting her usual cheerful good morning text or maybe an invitation for drinks later this week.

Instead, I found screenshots.

My stomach dropped as I scrolled through them.

The first was from some public forum I’d never heard of, a discussion thread titled “Alexander Carter’s Surprising Marriage Choice.”

“Can anyone explain how a junior marketing executive landed one of LA’s most eligible bachelors?”

“I heard she’s not even that smart. Friend of a friend works at Carter Enterprises and said she mostly rode coattails on the Thompson project.”

“Gold digger vibes for sure.”

I stared at the words, my chest tightening.

The next screenshot showed another forum, this one clearly more exclusive based on the sleek interface.

“Alexander’s new wife, Olivia, seems sweet, but let’s be real. She got that promotion RIGHT after marrying him. Nepotism

much?”

“My cousin works at Carter Enterprises. Says everyone knows she’s just there because of the marriage. Her actual work is pretty mediocre.”

“Poor Alexander. Probably felt pressured to settle down. She’ll take half his money in the divorce.”

My hands were shaking now.

Emilia had sent one more thing. An article link with her message Have you seen this?

ing fingers.

I clicked it with trembling fingers.

Is Alexander Carter Pushing His Wife to Success, or Is She Really That Talented?

The business world has been abuzz with Olivia Morgan–Carter’s recent achievements at Carter Enterprises. The newly married Mrs. Carter has climbed from junior marketing executive to Senior Marketing Strategist in record time, securing high–profile accounts like Thompson Hotels and now, allegedly, Cornerstone Resort Group.

19:35 Wed, Mar 18 ROM

Chapter 301

97

10 vouchers

But sources inside Carter Enterprises question whether Olivia’s success is earned or orchestrated by her powerful husband. “The Thompson project had a whole team working on it,” one anonymous employee revealed. “But Olivia took all the credit. It’s pretty obvious Alexander is positioning her for bigger things.”

Another source suggests that clients only want Olivia because of her connection to Alexander Carter. “These companies aren’t hiring her for her skills,” they claimed. “They’re hiring her to get closer to Alexander and Carter Enterprises. She’s basically a very expensive networking tool.”

Questions also swirl around Olivia’s qualifications for projects of Cornerstone’s magnitude. With only a few years of experience and a portfolio that some describe as “unremarkable before her marriage,” industry insiders wonder if she’s in over her head.

“Alexander is trying to make her successful,” another source close to the company said. “But you can’t manufacture talent. Eventually, she’ll have to prove she can deliver results without his influence. That’s when we’ll see if this fairy tale has a happy ending or a very public failure.”

།

I set my phone down carefully on my desk, afraid I might throw it otherwise.

The comments section was even worse.

“She’s pretty, I’ll give her that. But marrying rich isn’t a career strategy.”

“Feel bad for Alexander honestly. Probably trapped by family pressure to settle down.”

“Anyone else notice how she dresses now vs before? Designer everything. Must be nice having unlimited access to his bank

account.”

“The Thompson project was good, but let’s not pretend she did it alone. Her team carried her.”

I closed the tab, forcing myself to look away from the screen. Just gossip. Just jealous people with nothing better to do than tear others down.

But the damage was done. The words wormed into my brain, echoing insecurities I’d been trying to suppress since landing this job.

I pulled up the Cornerstone files, determined to focus on work.

My phone buzzed again. Another message from Emilia.

Emilia: There’s more. You need to see this.

Another screenshot appeared. A different forum, this one with a sleeker interface that suggested money and exclusivity.

‘Heard she fucks him under his desk during lunch. That’s the real reason he married her. Can’t get enough of that pussy.”

“Probably spreads her legs every time he asks for a report. Easiest promotion ever.”

“She must be incredible in bed to land a guy like Alexander Carter. That’s the only skill that matters when you look like that.”

“Gold digging whore. She saw an opportunity and rode it straight to the top. Literally.”

My face burned. I set my phone down carefully, my hands shaking with rage and humiliation.

This wasn’t just gossip about my qualifications. This was filth. Disgusting, degrading garbage that reduced me to nothing more than a body Alexander used for entertainment.

Another screenshot loaded.

“Alexander Carter must be losing his touch. Marrving some nobody junior executive? What happened to dating

19:35 Wed, Mar 18 ROM

Chapter 304

supermodels?”

“Mid–life crisis. He’ll realize his mistake in a year and trade her in for a newer model.

“Poor bastard probably got trapped. She’s probably pregnant already.”

“Or she faked a pregnancy to lock him down. Oldest trick in the book.”

I stood abruptly, my chair rolling backward. The office walls suddenly felt too close, the air too thick.

Dylan appeared in my doorway, knocking softly. “Mrs. Carter? Everything okay?”

I wiped my face quickly. Had I been crying? I hadn’t even noticed.

“Fine. Just reviewing materials.”

His eyes flicked to my phone, then back to my face. He clearly didn’t believe me, but was too professional to push. “Need anything?”

“No. Thanks, Dylan.”

He lingered for another moment, then retreated to his desk.

I closed my door and leaned against it, breathing slowly through my nose. This was ridiculous. I was letting anonymous internet trolls get under my skin.

But they weren’t entirely anonymous, were they? Someone with money and connections was posting this garbage. Someone who ran in the same circles as Alexander’s family.

Victoria. Had to be. Or Penelope. Or both of them were working together to destroy my reputation before I could establish myself.

I returned to my desk, pulling up the Cornerstone materials with renewed determination. The best revenge was success. Let them say whatever they want about how I got here. I’d prove my worth through results.

The Aspen property loaded on my screen. I forced myself to focus on their branding inconsistencies, their scattered social media presence, and their lack of cohesive messaging.

But my eyes kept drifting back to my phone. Back to those comments.

What if they’re right?

The thought slithered in unbidden. What if I only got here because of Alexander? What if I’m not actually talented enough for this level?

19:35 Wed, Mar 18 RM.

Chapter 305