His Mistress is His Ex-Wife
Chapter 188: Lingering Doubts and Suspicions

Chapter 188: Lingering Doubts and Suspicions

"How’s the Product Launch? I’m sorry. I wasn’t able to accompany you last night." Lanny sat down next to Athena, handing her a cup of coffee.

Athena dropped by Lanny’s condo unit today, checking on her.

"Oh. The event was successful. As usual, so many VIP guests approached me. Fortunately, Ashton and Timothy were there. They acted like my bodyguards."

Lanny let out a soft giggle after hearing that. "You captivated those men. Anyway, how’s the Williams Family?"

Athena took a deep sigh at the mention of her relatives. "My Uncle and my Aunt focused on the event. But I sensed something. It looks like they haven’t given up on the marriage between Oliver and Melody. Melody kept on following Oliver last night."

"Hmm. Do you think Melody tried to convince Oliver to continue the marriage?" Lanny asked, her voice laced with unease. She had a bad feeling about this.

Athena sighed and leaned back in her chair, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "I think so. My uncle will do anything to join forces with the Jones family. He needs power and influence to reclaim the company from Dominique’s hands. But before he can do that, I must acquire the largest percentage of shares without their knowledge."

She took a slow sip of her coffee, her mind racing with strategic calculations. Currently, she owns eight percent of the shares. Dominique had promised to transfer fifteen percent to her name. Once the transfer became official, she would control twenty-three percent of W Diamond Group’s shares.

"Dominique owns thirty-five percent of the shares. You only need to surpass him to become the major shareholder of the company," Lanny said, pride evident in her tone.

Athena nodded, a determined glint in her eyes. "Exactly. If I can secure just thirteen percent more, I’ll have the majority. I’ve been quietly buying up shares through various proxies to avoid suspicion, but it’s not enough yet. I need to act quickly and decisively."

Lanny leaned forward, her face reflecting a mixture of admiration and concern. "What’s your next move?"

"I’ve been in talks with a few key shareholders who might be willing to sell. It’s risky, but if I can close those deals without tipping off Dominique or my uncle, I’ll have the leverage I need." Athena’s voice was calm, but her eyes burned with resolve.

"But according to our trusted men, my Uncle is also trying to gather and buy shares," Athena added.

Lanny hesitated for a moment, then reached out to touch Athena’s hand. "Just be careful. Your uncle is desperate, and desperate men are dangerous. He won’t hesitate to play dirty."

Athena squeezed Lanny’s hand reassuringly. "I know. But I have to do this. For the company, for our future. And I’m not alone in this. I have you by my side. Including V." Her eyes shone brightly at the mention of Vladimir.

Lanny also noticed the spark in her eyes. "Hmm. You smiled when my brother’s name was brought up. Tell me. What is the real score between you and my brother? Are you an official couple now?" Lanny teased Athena.

Athena’s cheeks became flushed when she heard that. She immediately shook her head to deny it. "No. We are not yet a couple. I told you. I have to finish my revenge first before I enter into a serious relationship with a new guy."

Lanny sighed disappointedly. "Alright. I understand where you are coming from. I hope we can achieve our goal soon. You know... my brother is a little bit impatient. And I am afraid he might do something that will ruin your plan."

"Hey, don’t say that. Have a little faith in your brother. He promised me that he would never intervene with my plan. I trust him." Athena said confidently, defending Vladimir.

Lanny could only shrug her shoulders, uncertainty clouding her features.

’I’m still doubtful whether my brother can stay put without doing anything. I know how he is.’ She murmured to herself.

Meanwhile, Athena’s eyes scanned the room, noticing Dmitri’s absence. "By the way, Lanny, where’s Dmitri? I don’t see him around."

Hearing Dmitri’s name made Lanny rub her temples as the memories of the recent dinner date with Enzo and Alice came flooding back. She hadn’t yet shared the story with Athena.

"Vladimir invited him to hang out," she nonchalantly responded.

"By the way, Athena, let me tell you what happened two nights ago. Dmitri and I might have unintentionally caused an argument between Enzo and Alice," Lanny began, her voice tinged with guilt.

Athena’s eyes widened in surprise. "Huh? What happened?"

Lanny took a deep breath and began to narrate the incident. "It was during our dinner, the four of us met coincidentally at the same restaurant. Everything seemed fine until Dmitri decided to surprise me with a bouquet of roses and hired musicians. But when the musicians arrived, I mistakenly thought the flowers were for Alice. I handed them over to her without a second thought."

Athena’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Why would you think the flowers were for Alice?"

"Because I assumed Enzo planned the surprise for her. Dmitri tried to correct me, but by then, the damage was done."

"To our surprise, Alice overreacted. Instead of being touched and happy, she scolded your brother in front of us, telling him she was not ready to settle down. She spoke spontaneously without letting Enzo explain his side. He barely said a word for the rest of the night and kept drowning himself in alcohol," Lanny explained, her tone heavy with regret.

Athena leaned back, processing the information. "That does sound like a mess. How did Dmitri handle it?"

"Well, Dmitri tried to make light of the situation. He even took the bouquet back from Alice and gave it to me, explaining it was meant for me all along. But by then, the atmosphere was already tense," Lanny continued.

Athena sighed. "I can see why that would cause a misunderstanding. Enzo must have felt pretty awkward, and Alice probably didn’t know how to react. And I guess, my brother got hurt by Alice’s reaction."

"Exactly. I think Enzo was greatly affected by Alice’s words. I’m worried this might affect their relationship," Lanny admitted, her eyes filled with concern.

Athena placed a comforting hand on Lanny’s shoulder. "Don’t worry. Enzo and Alice will work things out. They just need some time to cool off."

Lanny nodded, though her worry remained. "I hope so. I just hate the thought that Dmitri and I might have caused a rift between them."

Athena gave her a reassuring smile. "Trust me, they’ll be fine."

"But Athena... Honestly... I keep thinking about it. The way Alice responded to the surprise. I thought she loved Enzo and she was willing to settle down with him. They are even cohabiting now. But why do I feel like she is hesitant to marry Enzo? I find it a little bit strange." Lanny expressed her concern as the incident at the restaurant still lingered in the back of her mind.

She wanted to contact Enzo but she was reluctant to ask him about it.

Athena fell silent for a moment, observing Lanny’s expression. "Hmm. Let me ask you, Lanny. If you were in Alice’s shoes, were you going to say yes to my brother’s proposal? Are you willing to marry him?"

Lanny: "..."

Lanny was at a loss for words. She was caught off guard by Athena’s question.

Athena smiled teasingly. Before, Lanny would respond right away with a "No". But surprisingly, Lanny took her time before answering her hypothetical question.

"Hey, why are you looking at me like that?" Lanny gently hit Athena’s shoulder. "You already knew my answer right? You know I hate commitments!"

Athena burst out laughing. "Why do I feel like you reconsidered it earlier? I thought you had changed your mind and were now willing to marry my brother." Now it was Athena’s turn to tease Lanny.

"Hey, stop that, Athena. You’re teasing me again." Lanny looked away, feeling a little embarrassed.

Athena chuckled once more. "See? If that’s your answer, maybe Alice feels the same. She’s not ready for marriage yet."

Lanny nodded, but deep inside, she was still troubled by Alice’s reaction. "One more thing, Athena..."

Athena glanced at her with intrigue. "What is it?"

"Dmitri also sensed something suspicious about Alice."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Athena looked a bit confused. "What’s suspicious about her?"

"During our dinner, she kept asking for information about you and me. At first, I didn’t think much of it. But Dmitri brought it up to me. I guess, being the successor of his family’s organization, Dmitri has honed his skills in observing people—figuring out who can be trusted and who cannot. He told me that Alice seemed to be gathering information about us, which is why she kept asking random questions."

Athena’s expression turned serious. "That’s unsettling."

Lanny nodded. "Yes, she was curious about our background, our plans, and even details about our relationship with Enzo. It all seemed innocent at first, but Dmitri’s suspicion has me on edge."

Athena thought for a moment. "We need to keep an eye on her. If she’s prying into our personal lives, there might be more to her than we realize."

Lanny sighed. "I just hope we’re wrong about this. But we can’t afford to take any chances."

Athena agreed. "Exactly. We’ll be cautious and see what she’s up to. In the meantime, let’s keep our guard up. But I hope we are just overthinking. My brother cares so much about Alice."

"That’s true. And she is Enzo’s savior and his girlfriend."

The two women shared a look of understanding.