Chapter 2
Series 1 Chapter 2
Three days after I handed Alistair the divorce papers, I stood backstage at the annual industry summit.
A silver badge hung from my neck.
Special Strategic Advisor.
For the first time in two years, I wasn’t here as Alistair’s wife.
Back then, he stood onstage with the data, proposals, and models I had prepared.
I stayed behind the scenes.
I used to tell myself I didn’t mind.
Now I knew better.
I had simply stepped aside for far too long.
“Ms. Vale, you’re up in ten minutes,” a staff member said.
I nodded.
I was about to head inside when a familiar voice stopped me.
“Maren?”
I turned.
Vespera stood several feet away.
Alistair was beside her.
Both wore standard attendee badges.
Alistair’s eyes, however, were fixed on mine.
Vespera gave a short laugh.
“Special Strategic Advisor?”
“You?”
Her gaze swept over me.
“You never even had an official position at the company. How did you get access to the main conference?”
Alistair walked over.
“Maren.”
“How did you get in?”
“I passed the review.”
He clearly didn’t believe me.
“You know how selective this summit is.”
“Our company applied for three months, and we were only approved as observers.”
His eyes dropped to the tablet in my hand.
His expression hardened.
“Did you use company materials?”
For a second, I just stared at him.
Then I laughed.
Even now, his first thought wasn’t—
Maybe I actually deserved to be here.
No.
His first thought was that I had stolen something from him.
Vespera jumped in immediately.
“I knew it.”
“You left the company three days ago, and suddenly you’re a strategic advisor?”
She tilted her head.
“Maren, you didn’t hand over confidential company information, did you?”
A few people nearby had already slowed down to listen.
I looked at Alistair.
“You think that too?”
He was quiet for a beat.
Then his voice dropped.
“Explain yourself.”
“Come back with me now, and I won’t take this any further.”
There it was again.
That tone.
Like he was offering me mercy.
Like he still had the right to decide where I went.
Before I could answer, the host’s voice carried out from the main hall.
“And now, please welcome this year’s Special Strategic Advisor—”
The giant screen lit up.
My photo appeared in the center.
MAREN VALE
The host continued.
“She will be participating in the commercial model review and strategic assessment of this year’s key projects.”
The hallway went silent.
Vespera’s smile froze.
Alistair said nothing.
A staff member hurried over.
“Ms. Vale, they’re ready for you.”
I nodded.
As I passed Alistair, he suddenly caught my wrist.
“Maren.”
I stopped.
For the first time, there was genuine confusion in his eyes.
“When did you learn how to do all this?”
I looked down at his hand.
Then I calmly removed his fingers from my wrist, one by one.
“Alistair.”
“Did you really think all those contracts that saved the company, the core models, every disaster we avoided over the last two years—”
I looked him straight in the eye.
“Were things Vespera taught you?”
“Or did you think you came up with all of it in your sleep?”
The color drained from his face.
His lips parted.
Nothing came out.
I turned away and walked into the main hall.
The spotlight found me.
This time, they were the ones looking up.
An hour later, the forum ended.
The moment I stepped out from backstage, I saw Alistair and Vespera still waiting.
Alistair blocked my path.
“How long have you known the organizers?”
“That’s none of your business.”
His frown deepened.
“You spent the last two years at my company.”
“If you built those connections while you were at my company, then they have something to do with us.”
I stared at him.
It was almost funny.
Even now, he still believed anything I had somehow belonged to him too.
Vespera gave a cold laugh.
“So what? You know a few people.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“Who knows what you did to get in here?”
I ignored her.
I was about to leave when the other end of the hallway suddenly went quiet.
Several executives turned at once.
Someone murmured,
“Orion’s here.”
Alistair looked over immediately.
A man emerged from the VIP corridor in a black suit, his expression unreadable.
The summit director and several senior executives from Solstice Holdings walked behind him.
People began moving toward him.
“Mr. Hayes.”
Alistair’s entire demeanor changed.
Solstice Holdings.
The investor he had been trying hardest to secure.
And Orion was the man who made the final decisions.
Alistair started forward.
But Orion walked straight past everyone.
Straight toward me.
He stopped in front of me.
“Done?”
I nodded.
“Just finished.”
Then I smiled at him.
“Hey, brother.”
Behind me—
Alistair went completely still.