You Faked Your Deaths to Punish Me?! That’s Illegal, Family! novel Chapter 69

Chapter 6

The next day, Kevin called me.

“Finally come to your senses?” His deep voice was filled with joy.

I looked down, hiding the sadness in my eyes.

“Yeah. So Kevin, you gonna help me or what?”

“Ms. Whitmore, how could I ever say no to you?” He laughed softly, his voice full of affection.

After hanging up, I stared at the divorce papers in my hand, along with my wedding ring.

I left them both in Alexander’s study.

Looking around this villa I’d called home for five years, when it actually came time to leave…

I felt strangely empty.

Staring at the obvious tan line where my ring used to be, I rubbed it with bitter irony.

I was paying the price for my naivety back then. Everything I was going through now was probably the cost of knowingly walking into something doomed from the start.

I gathered my documents and looked around one last time, suddenly realizing something.

In five years together, our only photo was the one on our marriage certificate-and even then, we looked like strangers.

I smiled to myself. Finally, I was free.

When I got home, my parents were waiting for me.

“Sweetheart, we heard you teamed up with the Coopers to go after Sterling resources?” Dad squeezed my shoulder reassuringly.

That’s when I realized that since marrying Alexander, I’d barely come home.

And my parents’ first instinct wasn’t to question me-it was to comfort me.

we’re getting divorced. Don’t worry, partnering with the Coopers won’t be a problem.”

sighed heavily.

“Did something happen?”

I looked down, not sure how to explain.

It wasn’t really that big of a deal, honestly. It just gave me a reality check.

“It’s nothing major. Just a marriage ending. We Whitmores don’t get hung up on that stuff.”

My parents exchanged a look.

“Well, whatever happened, it’s that Sterling boy’s fault!”

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I couldn’t help but laugh, my eyes stinging a little.

After that day, Kevin and I threw everything we had into poaching Sterling Corp’s domestic partners.

We completely destroyed all the joint ventures that had once connected the Sterling and Whitmore families.

Cut off from their lifeline, Sterling Corp was hanging by a thread.

A week later, at Kevin’s private estate.

On the dimly lit couch, two figures were tangled together in the shadows.

Lost in each other.

Just when I could barely breathe, I pushed Kevin away.

“Wait, Kevin.”

He paused, lifting his head from the haze of desire. “Not into it?”

I felt awkward. “No, I just… can’t breathe.”

Kevin burst out laughing, burying his face in my neck as his shoulders shook.

“Thank you.” Sterling Corp was massive, after all. I knew Kevin had paid a steep price to help me take them down.

He smiled lazily.

“Doing anything for you is pure bliss.”

I looked down, feeling a bit hollow. “Do you think… maybe ir,

Kevin gripped my shoulders, staring at me with unusual intensity.

“Don’t you dare put yourself down. He’s the one who blew it.”

I shook my head, pushing those toxic thoughts away.

“Kevin, I want to be with you.”

His expression froze, the sudden fire in his eyes almost scary.

how

to

act all helpless like Chloe, he wouldn’t have hurt me like that?”

I tilted my head. “B

er and I aren’t officially divorced yet. You sure about this?”

Kevin

said, I’d do anything for you.”

reeze made the curtains dance all night long.

he couch to the bedroom, we never stopped.

woke up the next morning feeling like I’d been taken apart and put back together wrong.

“Asshole!”

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“Hmm? Who’s calling me names?” Kevin’s teasing voice drifted from the bathroom.

He emerged with just a towel around his waist, his broad shoulders and narrow waist on full display.

“Uh, you didn’t leave?” I felt embarrassed.

Kevin laughed, walking over to ruffle my hair.

Then he got serious.

“The Sterlings are barely hanging on now. The overseas joint ventures have been bought out by Smith Industries.”

My smile faded.

“Good.”

My phone rang. I glanced over-it was Alexander.

“Victoria, can we talk?” His voice was hoarse, stripped of its usual coldness. “There’s been a misunderstanding between us.”

I almost laughed out loud.

A misunderstanding?

Hell no. But we did need to talk.

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