The Lies Behind Her Marriage novel Chapter 147

Petty Serena.

Serena turned to her, raising a brow. She calmly answered, “Sorry to disappoint you, but I haven’t told him yet. There are more important things at stake. You’re merely too trivial to matter at all.”

Tina gasped. Her composed face faltered, her red lips trembling.

“I am not trivial,” Tina insisted. “I’ve worked for Mr. Thorne for three years. I’m one of the few employees allowed inside his office."

“I know everything about him. I know all of his schedules."

“I have also been to his villa, alone."

“He also knows me well. My father is a franchisee of NC Pharmacy, and when my father recommended me, Mr. Thorne personally placed me as one of his secretaries,” she claimed. “Personally.”

“Really? You know everything?” Serena questioned.

“Yes!” Tina answered.

“Then tell me, Tina, where has Mr. Thorne been recently?” Serena challenged.

“He was on a business trip, in Rexam,” Tina rolled her eyes. “Obviously. I can’t tell you the details. It’s private information.”

“What does his home look like from the inside?” Serena asked.

Tina spoke with certainty, but the house she described was entirely wrong.

Serena didn’t bother hiding her reaction. “You’re too confident.”

“I have a reason to be,” Tina said.

“And you’re very comfortable speaking on Nathaniel’s behalf,” Serena added, her tone sharpening. “If you’re that important, how come I’ve never heard of you until yesterday? You don’t know much about his recent business dealings. And no, you haven’t been to his home. You don’t know him at all. You didn’t even know we shared the same room.”

“You’re just a wannabe,” Serena concluded. “And you thought throwing yourself at the boss would work.”

Tina’s jaw tightened. “You’re temporary. He’s only interested in you because of VanderMed. An infatuation at best. And sharing the same name as his ex-wife doesn’t make you special.”

Serena’s gaze drifted slowly from left to right.

‘Oh,’ she realized. ‘She doesn’t know who I am.’

It made sense. Serena had never been a public figure. Even when the truth about Vanessa broke, her identity had been deliberately kept out of the media at Sterling’s request. The Vanders had never wanted attention.

“So that’s what you think,” Serena chuckled. “That I’m just passing through.”

Tina lifted her chin. “I know it.”

“Tina,” Serena sighed, making a face. “I hate to burst your bubble, but your history with Mr. Thorne doesn’t even come close to mine.”

She tilted her head slightly. “We were together in college. We got married. I don’t just share the same name as his ex-wife. I am his ex-wife. He lives in our marital home, and I know that house inside and out. You haven’t been there.”

“We were married for four years,” she added. “And we have two children together. That’s why he was in Rexam, to see me and to be with our children. We are in the process of working things out.”

The shock on Tina’s face became evident. She tried to speak, but Serena didn’t give her a chance.

“Okay,” she agreed.

She tipped onto her toes to initiate a kiss.

A smile crept onto Nathaniel’s face, his arm wrapping around her waist.

“That’s the first,” he chuckled as he kissed her again. “Now I know I’ll do great.”

“You always do great,” she said.

He offered his hand, and she took it. He said, “Let’s go. Let me take you to Dennis.”

They walked out hand in hand, with many eyes on them, especially Tina’s.

Serena certainly hoped the message was loud and clear.

***

At exactly three in the afternoon, the press conference began. While Nathaniel addressed the demonstrators and the media outside the research institute, Serena and Dennis stood by the Holts’ mansion gates.

The plan was straightforward.

Nathaniel would flood the public with evidence, and by the time the press conference ended, Dennis would accompany Serena as police officers served the Holts another arrest warrant.

Serena already imagined the look on Vanessa's face, and she looked forward to it.