Chapter 121

At the Jones Group headquarters, Vincent strode into the lobby just as the workday ended, the tension radiating off him in waves.

The secretarial office instantly fell silent. Not a single employee dared meet his eyes, much less greet him.

The air buzzed with gossip. Word of what had happened at Sharon's birthday banquet had rippled through the building. The press might've kept quiet, but every corridor crackled with speculation.

The most outrageous rumor making the rounds? Hannah-long pegged as Vincent's mistress-was actually his legal wife. Meanwhile, Brinley, once expected to marry him soon, was nothing but the bold and shameless other woman all along.

Many employees found the story believable. Especially the secretaries, who'd watched Hannah come and go from the CEO's office for weeks a few years ago. It all added up now-she'd simply been visiting her husband in plain sight.

Clive, ever skeptical, rolled his eyes at their whispered theories. People were letting their imaginations run wild. Anyone who'd witnessed how cold Vincent was to Hannah would never believe she was his wife. His focus had always been on Brinley.

The memory of that day when Brinley collapsed was still fresh-Vincent had swept her up in his arms and carried her straight to the ER, his concern written all over his face. If that wasn't love, what was?

Believing he knew the truth better than anyone, Clive let the office whispers fade without challenge. He knew exactly where Vincent's heart lay. As far as he was concerned, Brinley would eventually marry Vincent.

With that thought, Clive picked up the newly resized wedding ring and strode to Vincent's office,knocking on the door with calm confidence.

Vincent didn't bother looking up from his paperwork."What is it?"

Clive waved the small velvet box in his hand. "The ring you asked to have resized is ready, Mr. Jones."Without looking up, Vincent offered a curt nod. "Just leave it."

Setting the box gently on the edge of the desk, Clive slipped out of the room.

Left alone, Vincent reached for the ring box and flicked it open. For a moment, he simply stared, almost surprised by its presence-he'd nearly let it slip from his mind. The ring had been meant as a peace offering for Hannah. Now, staring at it, he could only wonder what purpose it served anymore.

With a sharp snap, he shut the box and shoved it aside. A prickling frustration crawled beneath his skin,restless and insistent.

He glared at the mountain of reports scattered across his desk, but the lines and numbers bled into each other, refusing to make sense.

Pushing himself to his feet, he propped a shoulder against the edge of the desk and stared out at the city,hoping the glass would absorb some of his tension.

Suddenly, a burst of noise erupted in the hallway. He caught the unmistakable lilt of Rena's voice threading through the chatter.

Outside his office, the staff had gathered, offering Rena their congratulations.

Rena gave them a sly smile and remarked, "Oh, the celebration is not for me. It's for my best friend."

The air buzzed with well-wishes, right up until Rena dropped her bombshell. "She is getting her divorce.Isn't that something to celebrate?"

A hush swept over the group-then came a few nervous laughs, no one quite sure how to react.

Rena breezed through the crowd, handing out pastel-colored candy bags as if she were tossing out wedding favors.

Grabbing a handful of pastel-colored candies, she made a beeline for Vincent's office. Then, without so much as a knock, she swung open the door and stopped at the doorway. "Good afternoon, Mr. Jones."

Vincent shot her a languid look and slowly turned around."SOyour father still can't keep you in line, even after last time's disaster at the event?"She clenched her fists. He actually had the nerve to bring up the gala? She'd been stuck at home for days thanks to him-and that was precisely why she'd shown up today, to get under his skin.

Rena's lips curled into a sly smile as she gave the open door a few light taps for show. "Mr. Jones, I am here to drop off some documents."

Vincent arched an eyebrow, tone dripping with sarcasm. "The Brown Bank heiress running errands for once?That's a surprise."

She grinned, unbothered. "I'm multitasking, Mr. Jones. Paperwork's just part of it." With a flourish, she tossed a small bag of pastel candies onto his desk. "Here's the real reason I stopped by."

She leaned closer, drawing out every syllable. "On behalf of Hannah."

All trace of amusement vanished from Vincent's face. "What's that supposed to mean?" Were those wedding favors?