Beyond the Divorce

A Predicament

When I exited the elevator, Matthew froze. Immediately after, he reverted to his usual self and smiled. He exchanged a few words with the woman and sent her to the elevator without introducing her to me.

I couldn’t help but take a second look at the woman. She seemed elegant, intellectual, and full of dignity. Our eyes met, and the woman grinned at me as the elevator doors closed.

“Who was that?” I asked.

“A client,” Matthew simply answered, then held shoulders. “Where’d you go?”

It seemed he still cared about my whereabouts. His question revealed that he knew I was out. I smiled. and glanced at him mischievously. “I won’t tell you.”

On the other hand, Johnson didn’t return to the company building until it was time to get off work. The

following day, he secretly passed me the information I asked for. The look on his face was indescribable.

“Chlo I… Please don’t make things too difficult for me. I…”

I knew what he wanted to say. He feared I would report his misdeeds and Matthew would know about his betrayal.

“That depends on what you do. You can go now,” I said, not promising anything.

Suddenly, I thought of the woman from yesterday and quickly called Johnson back. “Help me ask about

the woman who came to look for Matthew before he got off work yesterday. I want her name and phone

number.”

Upon hearing that request, Johnson turned and left helplessly. © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

I was racing against time to find out the truth. Meanwhile, that woman wasn’t sitting idle either. When I

ignored her texts, she continued messaging me on WhatsApp to harass me.

It seemed Matthew was starting to suspect something, too. Maybe the woman had told him something for him to start paying more attention to me. I was confident Johnson wouldn’t say anything.

When Matthew returned that afternoon, he asked Johnson and me to visit his office. Matthew gave us

some clients‘ information and told me to study them before giving my opinions.

I had a hunch he was trying to test me. I took a closer look at those clients and found no issues with their

qualifications. Some were massive companies.

After reading all the information, I called for Johnson.

He snuck into my office like a thief. I looked at him with ridicule and asked, “Seriously? Is this necessary? Why are you sneaking in here like that?”

“Chlo, don’t make things difficult for me. There’s surveillance everywhere, and I keep coming here. Matthew will get suspicious sooner or later!” Johnson spoke bitterly.

I inwardly cursed him countless times, realizing that Matthew was beyond redemption. He was treating

me like a criminal. I rolled my eyes and said, “You can tell him I asked you for a client’s information.

That’s the truth, after all.”

“No, I won’t say anything. You can trust me, Chlo.” Johnson misunderstood me and quickly reassured me, scratching his head anxiously.

“I mean it. Do as I say!” I had already figured out that Matthew’s data was a smokescreen.

Johnson hesitated before finally telling me the truth about the situation. He explained that those precious

clients were solely under Matthew’s control. Afterward, I instructed him on what to say to Matthew.

When I got home that evening, I discussed the clients with Matthew to seek his opinion and share my thoughts. He appeared genuinely attentive. I even mentioned that ATL Empire had the most potential.

Johnson had given me the lowdown on them privately. He said it was the least likely major client to secure.

I intended to put Matthew at ease by doing all this. I played the same naive Chloe Tanum, who enjoyed chasing potential stocks, even if they were challenging. Of course, there was another reason for my choice.

The next day, that company held a bidding meeting. After a selection process, Tanum Corporation made it through. I volunteered to give it a shot, and Matthew assigned what he referred to as an assistant to accompany me.

However, I knew what he was up to. The company was in the heart of the city’s business district. A multinational corporation owned the entire building, as rumor had it. Upon entering the towering structure, I finally understood why Johnson said it was an improbable deal to strike.