The Transactional Marriage That Imploded novel Chapter 100

Mathis froze, the words hitting him like a physical blow.

On stage, Bianca finished her performance, and the host seamlessly transitioned to the next segment.

It was time for Milo to join the cosplayers for a photo op.

Milo shot Mathis a look of sheer contempt. "I have the right to stand beside her in the spotlight. Do you? You're too much of a coward to publicly claim an incredible wife, yet you openly parade *that* woman around. You have shockingly terrible taste."

As Mathis scowled, Milo confidently bounded up the stairs and took his place next to Bianca. Standing side by side, they looked flawlessly compatible.

The sight of it made Mathis's eyes burn. She was up there laughing and smiling with a man she had just met, willingly acting as the face of his company.

Yet she had blocked Mathis's number, deleted his social media, and severed every tie they shared. The chasm between them was growing wider by the second.

Some lines, once crossed, could never be uncrossed.

He couldn't accept losing her. It had been nearly three months since she packed her bags and walked out.

She had promised to stay by his side forever. Then she broke that promise.

Mathis abruptly stood up and walked out of the venue. *She'll come looking for me soon enough, anyway.*

Milo's game launch was a massive commercial success, instantly trending online. Bianca's portrayal of the Lyrist sent shockwaves through the cosplay community, quickly going viral.

When Rosalind saw the photos, she furiously dialed Mathis's number.

"What is Bianca playing at?" she screeched. "I begged her to cosplay for my channel and she refused, but she'll happily fly to Austin City to promote some random guy's game?"

Mathis was back in his office, buried in paperwork. His voice was freezing. "Where are your manners? Show her some respect."

Rosalind was completely thrown off. "What? But you brought Cynthia into the family. Why are you suddenly demanding I treat Bianca like family? Which one of them do you actually want?"

When Hector Goodwin uncovered the identity of the whistleblower, it confirmed Bianca's worst fears: it was Mathis.

Hector was genuinely stunned. Anyone with half a brain could see the patent's name was a direct homage to the man. Literally anyone else in the world could have filed a credible dispute against Bianca—except him. And yet, he had pulled the trigger.

The man truly was utterly devoid of humanity.

Bianca, however, wasn't the least bit surprised. Nothing Mathis did could shock her anymore.

"Is the evidence I submitted enough to overturn his claim?" she asked.

Patent plagiarism was a career-ending accusation. If the board ruled against her, she would be blacklisted from the tech industry forever. She couldn't fathom why Mathis was going to such extreme lengths to destroy her livelihood.

"It's painfully obvious this is a manufactured crisis," Hector explained. "He used his real name for the whistleblower complaint because he's intentionally trying to force a confrontation. He wants you to come to him begging for mercy. Whatever you do, do not meet him in a private setting. If you do, it could completely reset the clock on your mandated separation clause."

That single sentence sent a spike of pure dread through Bianca's chest. "Wait... does he know I'm running out the clock on the statutory separation period?"