Chapter 24
“Call an emergency meeting to formulate countermeasures,” Lina ordered coldly. “Also, investigate their funding
sour…”
“Don’t bother,” Shane suddenly interrupted. “Theodore Marsh likely pretended to be bought by you from the beginning.”
Lina turned sharply: “What do you mean?”
Shane nodded, his expression complex: “You thought he was Chase’s man, but most likely, he serves no one but himself.”
Lina’s mind raced. If true, this situation was simpler than she’d imagined.
She suddenly grabbed her coat: “Get the car. We’re going to Chase.”
Shane frowned: “What for?”
Lina headed out without looking back: “To find Dominic.”
When Lina pushed open the door, Dominic stood before the floor–to–ceiling window, his silhouette thin as a shadow.
Hearing the sound, he slowly turned, surprise flashing in his eyes before fading to emptiness.
“Rare visitor,” his voice rasped. “Ms. Lina personally checking my work?”
Lina walked directly to him, pushing the tablet forward: “Explain this.”
Dominic glanced at the screen, brow furrowing: “I know nothing about it.”
“Theodore Marsh is your man!”
“Was,” Dominic looked up, dark eyes meeting hers directly. “Just as I once was… yours.”
Lina’s breathing faltered.
After a tense moment, she suddenly inhaled deeply: “I need you to help me resolve this.”
Dominic froze.
Outside, the rain intensified, water tracing tear–like paths down the glass.
“Why?” he asked softly.
Lina remained silent before offering an answer that surprised even herself: “Because only you understand how
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Just a Stand In?! My Billionaire Hubby’s OTHER Wife…
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Chapter 24
Chase’s old guard operates.”
This wasn’t the whole truth. After all, half of Chase’s former executives still worked under her.
But she wouldn’t admit that seeing his medical chart had cracked something inside her.
Dominic stared at her for a long time, suddenly smiling–exhausted yet relieved: “Alright.”
He turned, extracting a document from his drawer: “This is my compilation of Chase’s former executive relationships and their vulnerabilities. Enough for you to counter them.”
Lina opened the file, pupils contracting. The information was incredibly thorough, clearly not recently prepared.
“You anticipated this day?”
Dominic didn’t answer, merely walking to the coat rack for his jacket: “Let’s go, while I still remember how to be Mr.
Chase.”
His silhouette straightened, momentarily recapturing some of his former edge.
Perhaps this was the last thing he could do for her.
In the Chase conference room, Lina pushed the final document to the end of the long table.
“Your severance packages have been deposited,” she surveyed the executives with mixed expressions. “From today forward, Chase has no further connection with any of you.”
The financial director tremulously spoke: “Ms. Lina, we’ve served the Chase family for thirty years…”
“Which is why you’re leaving with double compensation and dignity,” Lina’s fingertip tapped the table. “Rather than like Stella Reed, counting facial stitches in a prison cell.”
The conference room fell instantly silent.
In the corner, Dominic sat with lowered head, his wrinkled suit still retaining dampness from the rainy night. He remained silent throughout, like a shell emptied of its soul.
After everyone dispersed, Dominic remained seated.
“Anything else?” Lina closed her folder.
He suddenly pressed his hand to the document, knuckles whitening: “Is there… truly no chance for us?”
Lina’s gaze fell on his hand–a fresh wound where he’d shattered a mirror the previous night.
She recalled years ago, teenage Dominic climbing a wall to bring her strawberries, slicing his palm on wire but smiling, saying “it doesn’t hurt.”
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Chapter 24
“Do you know what I thought inside that sack?” she asked softly. “I thought, if you just turned back to look at me,
even once…”
Dominic’s pupils contracted violently.
“But you didn’t,” Lina withdrew the document. “So my answer is no, not even a chance.”
Shane’s words suddenly echoed in her mind.
He was right–revenge’s best conclusion was complete forgetting.
She turned toward the floor–to–ceiling window, sunlight breaking through clouds to gild her silhouette with pale gold.
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