The Lies Behind Her Marriage novel Chapter 130

New Neighbor.

[Montgomery Holdings Faces Internal Shake-Up at Rexam Medical Center]

[A sudden shift in share ownership has sent ripples through Rexam Medical Center, where insiders confirm that members of the Montgomery family were recently forced to divest a significant portion of their holdings. While official statements cite “internal restructuring,” multiple sources suggest the entry of a new strategic partner has reshaped the board’s balance of power, significantly reducing the Montgomerys’ long-held influence over the institution.]

[Sources further indicate that the Montgomery family has also been compelled to relinquish its holdings in VanderMed Technologies, extending the impact beyond Rexam Medical Center. The turbulence has spilled into social circles, where talk of the long-rumored Montgomery–Vander alliance has grown noticeably quiet over the past few days.]

On Tuesday morning, Serena was reading the news that had broken in one of Rexam’s business magazines. She was surprised by how quickly the papers had caught wind of the situation between her family and the Montgomerys.

“So, is it true?” Helene Moore, Serena’s assistant, asked. She was the one who gave Serena the magazine.

Serena blinked. She answered, “It’s true. Sadly, whatever relationship we have with the Montgomerys has come to an abrupt end.”

“Yes, it’s true, but I can’t divulge the details yet,” Serena smiled. “We haven’t come to a settlement concerning their shares in the company.”

“So.” Helene looked sad. “So, Sir Stefan is not your fiancé anymore?”

“What?” Serena frowned. “He never was. Our families were only talking about a marriage alliance, but had never been official.”

“I see,” Helene said, looking down at the documents in her hand. “Anyway, Miss Vander, here are the propositions from HelixPoint. You might want to check.”

Then, Serena caught how her assistant wrinkled her nose. She asked, “What?”

“I find inconsistency in HelixPoint’s proposal compared to the previous ones,” Helene noted.

Serena briefly scanned the document and noted the big difference. “This report has been prepared by a new project manager.”

She winced because the new manager from HelixPoint was a name that she knew, a neighbor to be exact.

Gwen Porter. She lived two blocks away from the Vander’s estate.

HelixPoint was their partner in AI innovation. While Vanguard AI Body Scanner was VanderMed’s own product and vision, HelixPoint handled system maintenance and offered recommendations for future advances.

Smiling at her assistant, Serena said, “I’ll take care of it. Thank you for giving me a heads up.”

Serena returned to work. Just then, she received a message from her family’s group chat. She read it.

Celine: [Everyone, as you know, I’m part of the community’s welcome committee. We have a new neighbor who moved in today at Estate 20. There will be a housewarming gathering, and we must all attend.]

Celine: [I’m so excited!]

Her mother had heart emojis for some reason, which led to Serena asking: [Why are you excited, Mom?]

Sterling: [Yes, why?]

Silas: [Why didn’t we have a welcome party for the Hartleys?]

Serena: [They are trying to keep a low profile. Remember the case against the Holts?]

Silas: [Sorry. Forgot that huge detail.]

Sterling: [You were never this excited when the Jenkins from Estate 30 moved in.]

Celine: [I’m excited because if I’m not excited, people will think something is wrong. And nothing is wrong. At all.]

Celine: [Nothing.]

“But who is his wife? He was probably joking.”

“Yes, he also mentioned he has children, but he didn’t introduce any wife or children.”

“But why buy a house with a playground if he doesn’t have kids?”

“Married or not, I like him. He’s hot.”

Serena shook her head. She just couldn’t believe what she was hearing. To think, these were ladies she knew within the community.

The gathering was set up on the property’s expansive lawn, though Serena noticed that guests were also free to move in and out of the house. Soft music drifted through the open doors, and trays of desserts and drinks circulated easily between the indoor and outdoor spaces.

Serena easily spotted where her parents were. They were at the same table as the Hartleys.

She smiled, seeing Alice, but before they could reach the table, Alisa tugged on her hand. When Serena turned to her daughter, Alisa pointed at the playground.

Then she pulled her in that direction.

Alisa wanted to play.

“Baby, no,” Serena said, chuckling. “It’s nighttime. It’s not safe to play at night.”

Alisa frowned and said nothing. As she walked with Serena, her gaze lingered on the playground.

Behind Serena, Sebastian said, “Ali, don’t be sad. We can make friends with our new neighbors and play at their playground.”

Of course, neither Sebastian nor Alisa knew it yet, but that playground had been meant for them all along.