The CEO's Contractual Wife (Olivia and Alexander) novel Chapter 305

Chapter 305

Olivia

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I shook my head violently, physically trying to dislodge the doubt. That was what they wanted. They wanted me to question myself, to fail, to prove their ugly assumptions correct.

Screw that.

I grabbed my phone and purse, needing air, needing space to think away from these four walls that suddenly felt suffocating. The Cornerstone files could wait an hour.

Outside, the morning sun hit my face, warm and reassuring.

I walked for a while, letting my feet carry me without any real destination in mind. The sidewalks were already filling with the morning rush, people clutching coffee cups and staring at their phones. I needed space. Needed air. Needed to think about anything except those comments and the poison they were spreading through my brain.

Eventually, I found myself standing outside a café I’d never been to before. Through the windows, I could see people scattered at tables, the warm glow of pendant lights creating pockets of intimacy in the modern space.

Perfect.

I pushed through the door, ordered a latte from a barista with bright pink hair, and claimed a corner table near the windows. The coffee arrived quickly, steam curling up from the ceramic mug.

I pulled out my phone and stared at those screenshots again, forcing myself to read each comment slowly.

‘Gold digger vibes for sure.”

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

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

My chest tightened. These people didn’t know me. Didn’t know Alexander. Didn’t know anything about our relationship or my work.

But they’d decided anyway. That was the problem with anonymous internet warriors. They felt entitled to opinions about lives they knew nothing about, relationships they’d never witnessed, work they’d never seen.

I drained my latte, the bitter taste matching my mood. The cafe buzzed around me, oblivious to my spiral. A couple laughed

at the next table. Someone’s phone rang. Life went on while mine felt like it was under a microscope.

My phone vibrated again. Emilia.

I stared at her name on the screen, debating whether to answer. But she’d just keep calling until I picked up

“Hey, I said, pressing the phone to my ear.

“Where are you?” Emilia’s voice was sharp with concern.

“I needed air, so I stepped out and came to a café”

“Did you read them?” A pause. “The comments?”

“Yeah, I read them.”

“Liv, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have sent those. I just thought you should know what people were saying.”

19:35 Wed, Mar 18 ROM.

Chapter 305

“It’s fine.” I traced patterns in the condensation on iny water glass. “Better to know, right?”

“Are you okay? Because you sound like you’re not okay.”

I laughed, the sound hollow even to my own ears. “Define okay.”

“That’s what I thought. Stay there. I’m coming to you.”

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“You don’t have to-”

“Too late. Already in my car. Text me the address.”

The call ended before I could protest further. I sent her the location and ordered another coffee, suddenly grateful I wouldn’t have to sit here alone with my thoughts.

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Twenty minutes crawled by. I scrolled mindlessly through my phone, avoiding the urge to reread those screenshots Emilia had sent. The words were burned into my brain already.

Gold digger. Spreads her legs for promotions. Midlife crisis trophy wife.

My throat tightened. I set my phone face down and took a long sip of coffee, trying to focus on the taste instead of the churning in my stomach.

The café door opened, and Emilia rushed in, her hair slightly windblown, eyes scanning until they found me. She wove through the tables and dropped into the chair across from me without ceremony

“Are you okay?” she asked, slightly breathless.

I attempted a smile that probably looked as fake as it felt. “I’m fine. Just needed to see a friendly face.”

“I’m so sorry about sending those screenshots. I should have thought twice before-

“You did the right thing,” I interrupted. “I needed to know what people were saying.”

“But still.” She reached across the table, squeezing my hand. “I didn’t realize how vicious some of those comments were until I’d already hit send.

A barista appeared. Emilia ordered an iced latte, then turned her full attention back to me once the server left.

“Talk to me,” she said gently. “What’s going through your head right now?”

I traced the rim of my coffee cup with one finger. “Honestly? I keep wondering if they’re right.”

“About what?”

“About all of it.” The words came out quieter than I intended. “That I only got this promotion because of Alexander. That I’m not actually talented enough for this level. That I’m just playing dress–up in a world I don’t belong in.”

Emilia’s grip on my hand tightened. “That’s complete garbage, and you know it.”

“Do I?” I met her eyes. “Think about it, Em. A few months ago, I was a junior marketing executive. Now I’m married to Alexander Carter, and suddenly I’m a Senior Marketing Strategist working on accounts worth millions of dollars. The timing is suspicious.”

The timing is coincidence. Emilia leaned forward, her voice firm. “You landed Thompson Hotels because you’re brilliant at what you do. Andrew Thompson specifically requested you. That happened because of your work, not your last name.”

“Maybe.” I pulled my hand back, wrapping both around my coffee cup. “But that’s not what everyone else thinks.”

Chapter 305

“Who cares what everyone else thinks?”

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“I do.” The admission felt like pulling teeth. “I care that people look at me and see Alexander’s wife instead of seeing me. I care that my accomplishments are being dismissed because I married the right person.”

Emilia’s latte arrived. She took a long sip before responding. “Look, I get it. The gossip sucks. Those comments are cruel and unfair. But you’re letting anonymous internet trolls define your worth.”

“It’s not just internet trolls, though, is it? It’s people at the office. People in Alexander’s world. People who matter.”

“People who matter don’t tear others down like that.” Emilia set her cup down with more force than necessary. “Real professionals recognize talent when they see it. And you have talent. Loads of it.”

I wanted to believe her. God, I wanted to believe her. But the doubt had already taken root, spreading through my thoughts like poison ivy.

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