Chapter 8
“Enough!” Daniel couldn’t take it anymore. His voice cut through the noise like a blade and he swept a cold glare over the crowd. “Kayla is my wife. She would never do such a thing. I thought the most important trait for journalists was integrity, not rumor-mongering. What do you all think?” The reporters stiffened, stunned by the sudden revelation. They nodded awkwardly, unsure of how to respond. Without another word, Daniel turned around and walked away, only calling for his bodyguards to escort the guests out of the building. The crowd exchanged looks, their minds spinning. Regardless of the outcome, they had just uncovered a major scoop—this trip hadn’t been a waste. Still… if I was Mrs. Murphy, then why did I resign today? Daniel returned to the office building and immediately noticed a group of employees gathered near the window, watching the aftermath of the chaos. His voice boomed across the floor. “What are you all doing during work hours? If this issue isn’t resolved soon, don’t expect to see your salaries this month!” Only after he stormed off did the employees quickly scatter back to their desks. Yet, something had shifted—the way they looked at Elena had changed. “Did you hear that? Manager Moore is actually Mr. Murphy’s wife. She kept that really low-key.” “No wonder. A few days ago, Elena made it seem like there was something going on between her and Mr. Murphy. Turns out he’s been married all along. Doesn’t that make her the mistress?” “Do you think Manager Moore resigned because of this?” “If I were her, I would’ve left too. Don’t forget, Mr. Murphy once tried to replace her with Elena. With the mistress flaunting herself so shamelessly, how could anyone stay?” “She has no shame. So young, yet already a homewrecker—and she even forced the wife to leave. If it were me, I’d jump into the river out of shame. How can she still show her face at work?” Elena heard every whisper. Her expression darkened, her head lowered as her nails dug into her palms. “That bitch. Even after leaving, she still won’t let me live in peace!” She wanted to go plead with Daniel, but when she reached his office, the door was locked from the outside. His assistant stood guard firmly, refusing to let her in. All she could do was crouch in the hallway and cried softly, hoping her tears would stir his sympathy. But inside the office, Daniel only felt a wave of irritation. He didn’t know how things had spiraled so quickly. My resignation letter and divorce papers still sat on his desk, along with the wedding ring. He admitted it—over the past two years, he had given Elena special attention and his heart had wavered. But he had always despised men who couldn’t control their impulses. And deep down, he knew—he had only ever loved me. What he saw in Elena was just a shadow of who I used to be. In his world of power and status, there was never a shortage of women throwing themselves at him. Some were offered by business partners, some even lay naked in his hotel bed, hoping to climb the ladder. But no matter how perfect their bodies or beautiful their faces, he had never once given in. He would always end the day by video calling me—watching me in our familiar bedroom and softly asking if I was tired. His fleeting attraction to Elena wasn’t worth the destruction of his family. Thinking of this, Daniel slammed his fist into the wall. The pain barely registered as regret surged through him. He regretted it. Deeply. I had been pregnant, physically and emotionally worn down, handling work while exhausted. And he, selfishly, had only thought of himself. Even when I needed him most, he was protecting another woman. As guilt consumed him, his phone suddenly vibrated. “Mr. Murphy,” came the assistant’s voice, “we’ve completed the investigation you requested. The design plan was leaked by Secretary Brooks. Her intention was to create a rift between you and your wife.” “While reviewing the surveillance footage, we also discovered that Mrs. Murphy didn’t bully her the day she resigned. It was Secretary Brooks who threw herself onto your desk, making it appear to others that you two had been together that night…” Each word hit him like a knife, slowly slicing through his chest, bringing unbearable pain. Daniel could barely contain the fury burning within him. Gritting his teeth, he ordered sharply, “Copy all the evidence. Transfer all her work to someone else and don’t approve her resignation yet. I want her to apologize to Kayla in person.” “Yes, Mr. Murphy.” As soon as the call ended, Daniel frantically opened our chat window, desperate to explain everything to me. But the moment he sent a message, a red exclamation mark popped up—he had been blocked. His body froze. He quickly dialed my number, only to be met with a cold mechanical voice. “The number you dialed is powered off. Please try again later…” A chill swept over Daniel like a winter storm. He never imagined I could be so ruthless—completely vanishing from his world.