The Verdict on My Husband the Judge: GUILTY novel Chapter 55

Chapter 3

I stood there stunned, letting Celeste rush out with tears streaming down her face.

Sensing trouble, I followed her back into the private dining room, only to find she’d already thrown herself into Nathaniel’s arms.

“Nathaniel darling, Miss Ashford hit me.”

“I just went to the restroom to apologize, but she called me your kept woman and said I wasn’t good enough for you.”

Nathaniel froze, staring at me with shock and confusion.

She sobbed pitifully while spinning an elaborate web of lies.

Nathaniel’s brow furrowed as he looked down at the weeping girl in his arms, uncertainty creeping into his voice:

“Isabella, what exactly happened in there?”

I laughed bitterly and sighed. “Mr. Blackthorne, surely you don’t believe such a clumsy frame job?”

“‘“‘We weren’t alone in that restroom–Mrs. Harrison from Wellington Holdings was there too. Feel free to ask her.“”

Celeste’s sobs stopped abruptly, her face draining of color as she continued her performance.

“Nathaniel honey, women understand women–she has ulterior motives getting close to you!”

“Isabella looks down on me because she wants to be the future Mrs. Blackthorne.”

Nathaniel grew irritated by her tears, studying me with disappointment clouding his features.

“Celeste is young and naive. Even if she said something inappropriate, you shouldn’t have resorted to violence.”

Once, during a corporate war, our competitors had paid people to frame me.

Back then, Nathaniel stood by my side without hesitation, declaring with absolute certainty that he would always

trust me.

Apparently, even the most solid professional partnerships cumble when hormones cloud judgment.

Seeing my silence, Nathaniel chose to smooth things over.

He wrapped a consoling arm around Celeste’s shoulders, his voice weary with exhaustion:

“Isabella, did you really need to create such an embarrassing scene over something so trivial?”

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The Verdict on My Husband the Judge: GUILTY

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Chapter 3

“You’re my employee–you should know better than this. Focus on your actual job instead of fantasizing about things that will never be yours!”

“This ends here. I want a written apology on my desk tomorrow morning!”

With that, he walked away with the still–sniffling Celeste in his arms.

I stood there watching their retreating figures, releasing a long, frustrated breath.

Mr. Li, one of our longtime partners, handed me a cup of sobering tea with meaningful intent:

“Someone of your caliber shouldn’t have to endure baseless accusations, Miss Ashford. Stellar Corporation’s doors are always open to you.”

For some reason, I found myself thinking of twenty–year–old Nathaniel.

That young man had been so full of ambition, facing his crumbling company without fear.

His eyes blazing with determination, he’d pointed to the city’s tallest skyscraper and declared:

“Isabella, I swear I’ll restore Blackthorne Industries to its former glory.”

He’d achieved that goal–but had become a stranger in the process.

He could no longer distinguish right from wrong, and no longer deserved to be my business partner.

I pulled out my phone and sent a text to my father:

Cancel next week’s partnership with Blackthorne Industries I’ll make the announcement personally at the press conference.

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