When She Ended It With Divorce (Chiara and Titus) novel Chapter 57

**Silent Roads Remember by Sawyer**
**Chapter 57**

Paul sat in stunned silence, his mind racing as the reality of Chiara becoming Titus’s secretary sank in. It felt like the universe had conspired against him, and he couldn’t fathom how things could possibly spiral further down.

The car ride to the office was thick with tension; Paul’s thoughts were a chaotic whirlpool of disbelief and concern. He wrestled with his emotions, his heart pounding as they approached the office building. Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, he finally broke the silence. “Mr. Goodman,” he ventured cautiously, “what exactly is Mrs. Goodman going to do in the secretary’s office?”

Titus caught the underlying tension in Paul’s voice and shifted his gaze to Chiara, clearly anticipating her response.

Chiara sensed the weight of their gazes on her and felt a flicker of doubt. Would Titus genuinely care about her perspective? She muttered softly, almost to herself, “Paul, I’m just going to be a secretary, that’s all.”

As soon as the words left her lips, Chiara felt the intensity of Titus’s stare upon her. She couldn’t ignore it, so she turned her head to meet his gaze, a mix of defiance and vulnerability swirling within her. “What? Did I say something I shouldn’t?” she asked, her voice steady despite the flutter in her chest.

Titus’s lips curled into a faint smile, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. “No, you got it just right,” he replied, his tone light yet layered with unspoken meaning.

Chiara held his gaze for a moment longer, then quickly averted her eyes, her mind racing. ‘Blow my cover? Not a chance. Honestly, aside from Paul, no one in this entire company has the faintest idea that I’m Titus’s wife.’

Their marriage had been shrouded in secrecy, a carefully guarded secret that felt as though it had been woven into the very fabric of their lives. Chiara had never flaunted her relationship with Titus, and now, she certainly had no intention of starting. A small part of her was relieved that their marriage remained hidden from the prying eyes of colleagues.

“Paul, could you pull over up ahead, please?” Chiara asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Paul immediately understood her unspoken concern. If a newly hired secretary were to be seen arriving and departing with the boss each day, it would raise eyebrows and spark rumors. It would be far too conspicuous. He glanced at Titus, searching for any sign of dissent.

“Pull over,” Titus instructed, his voice firm, leaving no room for argument.

As the car rolled to a stop, Chiara watched the Maybach fade into the distance, a wave of relief washing over her. She casually hailed a taxi and slipped into the back seat, her heart racing with a mix of excitement and apprehension. “To the Goodman Group, please,” she said, her voice steady.

The driver, who had been trailing the luxurious Maybach, couldn’t resist stealing a glance at her through the rearview mirror. “That’s quite the switch,” he teased, his tone light. “Riding in a Maybach one minute, and now you’re in a cab. What happened? Did they kick you out?”

Chiara chuckled, her spirits lifting at his playful banter. “Yeah, just like that,” she replied, matching his humor.

The driver relaxed, and soon he was chatting away like an old friend. “Listen, lady, rich guys are nothing but trouble. Girls chase after them for free, thinking it’s all glitz and glam. Stay true to yourself. You’re young and charming; trust me, you’ll find someone solid. Just don’t let any of them burn you, okay?”

Chiara smiled, genuinely touched by his words. “Got it, thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“That’s good to hear,” he replied, a grin spreading across his face.

As Chiara exited the cab, she waved goodbye to the driver, who rolled down his window to return the gesture. “Miss, take my card. If you ever need a ride again, just call me,” he said, his voice warm and friendly.

She laughed, appreciating his kindness. “Okay, take care. See you around,” she replied, her heart lighter as he honked and drove away.

Turning to face the towering skyscraper before her, Chiara’s smile faded, replaced by a heavy silence. The weight of her situation pressed down on her, and she took a deep breath before stepping inside the imposing building.

Meanwhile, Paul observed from a distance as Chiara entered the office, his gaze shifting to the rearview mirror where Titus was now leaning back, his eyes closed in contemplation.

Paul navigated the underground garage, taking the private elevator up, still puzzled by Titus’s insistence on stopping at the entrance first. ‘Is he worried Mrs. Goodman will change her mind and walk away?’ The whole scenario felt surreal.

“What kind of person do you think she is?” Titus suddenly broke the silence, his voice cutting through Paul’s thoughts like a knife.

Caught off guard, Paul stammered, “Uh, you mean Mrs. Goodman?”

Throughout the conversation, Paul kept a close watch on Titus, waiting for any sign of a reaction. It wasn’t until the elevator doors were about to open that he finally heard Titus’s response.

“So, by your logic, there’s no way I’d ever let a woman like her walk away,” Titus said, his voice steady and resolute.

Paul was left utterly speechless, his mind racing.

As Titus strode into his office, Paul found himself scratching his head, completely baffled. ‘Did I just make things worse for Mrs. Goodman? She seems determined to get a divorce,’ he pondered, anxiety creeping in.

Chiara had come in outside the usual hiring process, so Paul had given both the HR department and the secretarial pool a heads-up beforehand.

Yet, there was one crucial detail everyone seemed to have overlooked. The viral clip of Chiara and Elaine clashing in the restaurant had already made her face a hot topic across the internet.

The HR manager was indifferent to gossip, but the secretarial team were experts at sneaking peeks at their phones the moment the boss turned his back.

“Hi, I’m Chiara, the new secretary. I’m looking forward to working with all of you,” she announced with a bright smile, trying to mask her anxiety.

One of the secretaries suddenly gasped, her eyes wide with recognition. “Chiara? Are you the heiress of the Lynch Group?”

“Oh, yes, that’s you, right?” another secretary chimed in, her excitement palpable.

Chiara froze momentarily, taken aback that someone recognized her. They only knew her as the heiress of the Lynch Group, and she felt a strange mix of pride and discomfort. “Yeah, that’s me,” she admitted, her voice steady despite her racing heart.

Paul, sensing the shift in atmosphere, quickly interjected, “Chiara’s our new colleague, so let’s all work well together from here on out.”