Chapter 20 Irritated
The Diaz Group’s top–floor office was filled with tension. Reece stared at the online slander flooding in against Julis- sa, his expression stormy and unreadable.
“Still haven’t found the leak?”
James, standing nearby, shook his head.
“I told you to clean up the comments. Why are they still everywhere?”
James looked troubled. “Mr. Diaz, the volume’s too high. Our content moderation team can’t keep up…”
“Then hire more people.”
“Yes, Mr. Diaz.”
James had been working for Reece for years. But lately, he’d never seen Reece like this–on edge, explosive, and walking a hair–trigger line.
After a long pause, James couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“Mr. Diaz… do you still not want to divorce Ms. Rivera?”
Honestly, what else could cause this kind of emotional spiral?
Reece shot him a frosty glare.
But James pressed on. “If you really don’t care about her, then why go through all this trouble–burning time, money, and manpower–just to trace the source? No matter who’s behind it, Ms. Rivera’s the one taking the fall, and we’re the ones benefiting.”
“You talk too much,” Reece snapped, voice full of irritation. “She was once my wife. Getting dragged like that affects our image too.”
To James, that excuse sounded hollow at best.
He pressed his lips into a tight line, and Reece caught the expression.
“Say it,” Reece barked.
James hesitated but finally said in a quieter voice, “All those things the internet’s saying about her… weren’t you the first one to say them? To her face, no less?”
Back then, did the Diaz family’s reputation not matter?
Reece froze for a second. “I said that?”
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James nodded hard.
Silence fell.
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As if dragged into a sudden tide of memories, Reece recalled those scenes: his cutting words, his cold demeanor. He had been cruel and brutal, all because he couldn’t separate anger from vulnerability.
But now that she was gone, his perspective was shifting in ways he didn’t expect.
Their marriage had been his grandfather’s idea. Her becoming the face of Harvest had been a coincidence. She never asked for anything, not once in three years.
That realization brought an unfamiliar haze to Reece’s otherwise sharp, indifferent eyes.
“Mr. Diaz…” James saw the shift and gently probed, “There are no leads right now. It’ll be hard to track the master- mind.”
3
His eyes gleamed with an idea. “But I might have a way to turn things around for Ms. Rivera. Ease the attacks, even clear her name.”
Reece looked up and asked, “You have a plan?”
James nodded. “It won’t hurt the Diaz Group’s image. And it’ll help Ms. Rivera.”
“And maybe warm things up between you two,” he thought but wisely left that part out.
“Do it,” Reece said, rubbing his temples as exhaustion crept in.
He hadn’t slept properly in days.
But just as he started to doze, loud knocking jarred him awake.
“Reece!”
Cristina burst in, her perfect makeup slightly smeared with sweat. She looked panicked but radiant.
“I… I found that woman from the notary’s office. The one who ran!”
Reece sat upright in an instant.
“Where?”
“I saw her getting into Zayne’s car.”
Reece’s eyes narrowed into an unreadable calm. “And how did you know I was looking for her?”
Cristina froze, and then she let out a faux gasp, blinking innocently. “I didn’t! I swear! I just… saw all those awful things people were saying about Julissa online, and I thought she was your wife, after all. Even if she’s with the Fowlers now, you shared years together. I just didn’t want to see her being attacked like that. So I took it upon myself to track that woman down. Reece, you’re not mad… are you?”
She lowered her head, feigning guilt.
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Reece’s heart softened. Her “kindness” always disarmed him.
“How could I be angry? You meant well.”
Cristina sighed in relief.
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“I almost had her, you know. I lured her to my place and was going to bring her to you, but then Zayne showed up and took her first.”
“It’s alright.” Reece gave her hand a light squeeze. “I’ll take care of it now.”
Once Cristina left, his expression turned cold again.
He pulled out his phone. “Julissa,” he said flatly when she picked up, “come to the Diaz Building. We need to talk.”
A long pause. Then her tired voice filtered through the line.
3
“Is that really necessary? The divorce papers are signed. All that’s left is to wait. What’s the point of the meeting?”
“You really don’t want to know who’s been orchestrating this behind your back?”
Julissa’s breath caught as she thought, “Did he trace down to Cristina?”
If Reece was finally willing to tell the truth, she’d make sure the whole world heard it.
A spark flared in the ashes of her heart.
“I’m on my way.”
***
In all three years of marriage, Julissa had never once set foot inside.
Back then, none of the employees even knew who she was.
But now? Even with the CEO’s direct approval and the secretary escorting her up, Julissa couldn’t avoid the cutting whispers.
“That’s her. The ex–wife. The homewrecker who came between Mr. Diaz and Ms. Hurley.”
“She’s shameless.”
“Absolutely disgusting.”
Each word was a slap to the face.
She clenched her fists and thought, “When has the wife become the ‘homewrecker“?”
Still, if Reece truly exposed the truth today, maybe she had a shot at clearing her name. That hope carried her into his office. Until she heard what he said.
“Zayne.” Reece didn’t even look up. His voice was maddeningly calm, as if he were throwing out a random name just
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to mock her.
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Julissa’s knees nearly gave way. “You’re saying that the person who paid off the notary office, leaked the story, hired trolls to destroy me online–was Zayne?”
Reece finally looked at her. His eyes were cool, aloof.
“Yes,” he said.
Julissa let out a cold, bitter laugh. So much for hoping he’d come clean.
She turned to leave. Behind her, Reece’s voice was like a whip cracking in the air.
“You don’t believe me?”
Julissa stopped in her tracks, eyes flashing. “If this was just some show to humiliate me, Mr. Diaz, save your breath.”
3 “Why are you so quick to trust him?” Reece asked, frustrated.
Julissa spun around, every nerve alight with anger. “Then you tell me, what does Zayne gain from ruining me? What
fit does he get?”
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