Betrayed By Husband, Stolen By Brother In Law
Chapter 140: Wow

Chapter 140: Wow

Adam, I have news."

"What?"

"I don’t think we can afford to wait any longer—this thing is festering, and they’re holding a press conference."

Max threw the phone down on the table with a loud thud. Adam didn’t even flinch. He just shrugged, cool as ever.

"Let them hold it," he muttered. "It’s not like we weren’t expecting—"

"Would you say the same thing," Max cut in sharply, "if you knew Melanie’s name is on the list? She’s one of the speakers."

That stopped Adam cold. The muscle in his jaw twitched as he turned and scowled. He snatched the tablet off the counter and began scrolling furiously.

"She left the house right after you did," Max added, his voice low but biting. "And right now? She’s at Collins’ mansion. I really hope you’ve explained everything to her."

Adam’s mouth tightened. He didn’t look up from the tablet as he said, "I haven’t. Not much of anything, anyway. I was going to at least clarify these pictures—but then you called. I came straight here."

Max stared at him like he’d grown two heads and shook his head. "For someone with that absurd IQ and a brain made for building empires," he said slowly, "you really are dumb sometimes. No most times!"

Adam finally looked at him with a question that had Max shake his head in exasperation," When, last week, you told me the truth of whatever happened five years ago, even I could not help but doubt you momentarily! Me! Who had seen you and known you for five years and received an entire explanation from you! What do you think Melanie must be believing after receiving the rubbish from them?"

Max crossed his arms in front of him and sighed again, "So what now? Do we expose them first—call a press conference of our own and get ahead of it? Or do we sit back, wait for them to pull the pin, and come crawling out after the explosion to ’clarify’? I will strongly advise the first, but I have a feeling..."

Adam didn’t answer right away. He stood slowly, raked a hand through his hair as his eyes darkened in thought. "We wait," he said at last. "Let them speak first. Let them feel untouchable. Like we originally planned."

Max curse. This is what he had feared. That Adam would want them to wait. Why was the man intent on torturing himself!

Meanwhile, he watched as Adam pulled his phone out of his pocket and tried calling Melanie. Once. Twice. A third time.

And as expected, it was not answered.

"Damn it," he muttered under his breath. "She’s not picking up."

Just then, Adam turned to him, jaw tight, expression unreadable and muttered. "Send me the location. Wherever they’re holding that press conference—I want to be there."

With that, Adam walked out of the office, leaving Max shocked.

Adam drove in silence, almost unaware of where he was headed, the hum of the engine the only sound in the car. But inside his head, it was anything but quiet as a single thought seemed to be echoing in his head- How was he going to explain this to her?

His hands tightened around the steering wheel until his knuckles whitened. His jaw clenched as if that could somehow hold back the flood of thoughts rushing through him.

Why was he so worried? When it had all gone down—when he’d been dragged through the mud and thrown out of the Collins’ household like trash—he’d sworn never to explain himself to anyone again. Not to plead. Not to justify. Not to beg for understanding that no one seemed willing to give.

He didn’t need anyone to believe him as long as his own conscience was clear.

The people who raised him hadn’t believed him. Of course, he didn’t expect Madam Collins or Spencer to have done that, but grandmother and father...They had doubted him without a second thought. Just because Saira claimed she had been ra*ed by him, they believed it.

And yes, his grandmother had eventually uncovered the truth—but discovering something and believing in someone? Those were two completely different things. So, even though he had willingly forgiven her, he had not forgotten the hurt that he had received.

Just now, even Max had just confessed to a moment of hesitation. A flicker of doubt about his character. So, why would Melanie have any reason to believe in him.

Adam’s grip tightened all over again and he had to remind himself. So what if Melanie believed the lies? So what if she stood at that podium and spat his name like poison? That was her choice. He didn’t care. She was just a means to an end and though he respected her, he didn’t need her approval.

If she hated him, so be it. If she believed their version of the story, fine. It wasn’t his concern. It wasn’t.

He told himself that again, breathing slowly through his nose as he kept his eyes fixed on the road. But still, his foot pressed just a little harder on the gas as his own conscience called him a liar.

He reached the hotel for the press conference and carefully extracted his mask. He was pretty sure that even if he tried to explain or wanted to explain, he would not get a chance So, with a simply mask, covering his face, he walked in. But just before that, he sent a message to Max to make a special announcement.

His patience was at an end. He’d planned to give Spencer and Sir Collins a little more time to enjoy their lives but if they did not want it, he could not help it. As for Saira... she really was a fool if she thought that he still loved her. He had indeed been waiting for her. Quite eagerly... Not because he loved her or was obsessed with her. But because he wanted revenge. And it seemed his dish was cold enough to serve....¹