Chapter 631 Scandal Between Samuel and Zenobia Exposed 2
A sharp screech of tires tore through the quiet street as a black Bentley lurched to a stop at the curb.
Inside, Samuel gripped his phone, his gaze locked on the woman beside him. His eyes were cold enough to burn, yet his voice came out soft, almost tender. "Taylor, is this really how you want to leave me? So eager to destroy me and run straight into Julian's arms?"
Taylor frowned. "Samuel, what the hell is wrong with you now?"
His Adam's apple bobbed as he spoke, each word deliberate. "Why did you leak that video? Taylor, I can give you anything you want — a loyal marriage, my constant attention. Why would you do this? Was it for Julian? Have you fallen in love with him?"
Video?
Taylor lowered her gaze and let out a cold, humorless laugh. "That video isn't just in my hands, Samuel. You have a copy too. How can you be so sure it didn't come from you? And for the record, I wouldn't stoop that low. But since you've already paraded your shameless behavior in front of the public, let's skip the pretense. I'll have my lawyer file for divorce."
She didn't bother arguing further, but in Samuel's mind, her refusal to deny it was as good as a confession. He was certain she had done it — and for Julian.
Frustration, anger, and a bitter sting of loss surged through him, drowning out reason.
Before he even realized it, his hand lashed out, striking Taylor across the face — the same face he had once touched with nothing but tenderness.
The air froze.
In the cramped car, the only sound left was their breathing.
It took Taylor a long moment to blink. Her eyes locked on him with disbelief. She had never imagined they would sink to this — that Samuel would hit her without even asking for the truth.
Her body trembled. Samuel stared, stunned by his own action. His hand shook violently.
For seven years of marriage, he had never so much as lifted a finger against her. Yes, he had thought her proud, but in his eyes she had always been a woman of dignity.
"Taylor..." he began, his voice unsteady.
Her palm cracked against his cheek. Once. Twice.
Taylor's lips curled into a cold smile. "Samuel, you are disgusting in every possible way. I must have been insane to marry you. A man like you belongs with Zenobia. The two of you deserve each other forever."
Even now, she was determined to leave. She wanted no further entanglement.
She steadied her breath, then looked at him with eyes as flat as glass. "If you don't want to go bankrupt and see your name dragged through the mud, I'll help the PR team spin this as an amicable divorce. You have twenty-four hours to decide. After that, you can watch your empire burn."
She opened the door and stepped out. Samuel wasn't worth another second of her life.
But his hand shot out, gripping her wrist.
"Let go," she snapped.
He didn't. So she slapped him again, hard. "You make me sick, Samuel."
This time, she didn't look back.
Morning light spilled over her as she walked away, gilding her in pale gold. Samuel watched for a moment, but he had no time to dwell on her words — his company was bleeding, and if he didn't act fast, SamZen Tech's stock would crash.
By the time he reached the headquarters, the boardroom was already in crisis mode.
Quentin met him the moment he stepped out of the car, worry etched across his face. "Mr. Collins, the situation is bad. We're looking at an eight percent drop today, minimum. If the media keeps pushing, the damage could be far worse."
Samuel strode into the elevator, hit the top floor button, and stared at the glowing numbers.
"What's the PR department's plan?" he asked.
Quentin hesitated. "They think the only way to contain it is for you and Dr. Montague to announce you've already divorced. That way it becomes a personal matter, not a legal or moral scandal. People will lose interest in a couple of days."
Samuel's voice was hoarse. "That's all they came up with? I'm not announcing a divorce. I'm not divorcing Taylor."
Quentin nodded quickly. "Of course. You and Mrs. Collins still care for each other."
He muttered, "I just can't believe someone would do this. It's vile."
The elevator doors slid open. Samuel stepped out, tossing over his shoulder, "It was Taylor."
Quentin froze. That made no sense.
Two hours later, the markets opened — and SamZen Tech's stock plummeted like a stone. No amount of staged photos or fluff articles about Samuel and Taylor's happy marriage could sway investors. No one trusted a man caught cheating, and no one believed in fairy tales about crossing class lines.
By mid-morning, Samuel sat alone in the conference room, cigarette smoke curling around him. His phone rang. He snatched it up. "Taylor?"
But it was Zenobia's voice. "Samuel, I saw the news. They made us sound awful. This must be hurting your career. It's all my fault. If I hadn't lost control that day... Please don't blame Dr. Montague. I'm sure she only did this because she loves you so much. Talk to her, clear up the misunderstanding."
Something in him softened. "This isn't your fault. Just take care of Thalassa. I'll handle the rest."
When he hung up, Quentin rushed in. "Mr. Collins, the stock's down further. The shareholders are demanding answers."
"Tell them to get out," he said flatly.
"Sir, you can't afford to—"
"I've given Taylor everything," Samuel said with a bitter laugh, staring out the window. "And she still tries to destroy me for another man. Impressive, isn't it?"
And yet, he still didn't want to let her go.
At the Montague Group Hospital, Taylor sat in her office, scrolling through the headlines. SamZen Tech was in freefall. She was certain Samuel would come crawling — and she wouldn't even need to go to court to end the marriage.
She suspected Zenobia had leaked the video for money, but she didn't care. All that mattered was the divorce.
"Dr. Montague, it's time for rounds," Molly called from the doorway.
Taylor closed her laptop and headed out. At 11:30, she returned to the outpatient building — and ran straight into Julian and Luna.
Taylor didn't want to get tangled up with Julian, but she had a soft spot for Luna. Seeing the little girl pale and droopy-eyed, she bent down to touch her hair. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"
Julian answered for her. "She caught a chill last night. Low fever. Just had a shot, but insisted on seeing you."
Taylor shot him a look — she didn't believe him for a second.
Julian's gaze flicked to her face, his voice tightening. "What happened to your cheek?"
He knew about the scandal. He apologized for giving her the video, saying it must have fallen into the wrong hands, and never once implied she was to blame. Only regret and concern.
Taylor was surprised. Julian understood her — more than her own husband, who had assumed her guilt instantly and slapped her without hesitation.
She thought back over their years together, the man Samuel had become, the lines he had crossed. Zenobia's return had been the breaking point.
She forced a small shrug. "It's fine. The video makes the divorce easier."
Julian's eyes darkened. He sent a quick message to his private broker: [Buy SamZen Tech at rock-bottom, then dump it the moment it ticked up. He would keep Samuel's company pinned to the floor.]
When he looked back at her, his voice was gentle. "Ice it at lunch."
Taylor felt the weight of his words, the warmth in them. She only murmured, "Mm," and lifted Luna into her arms.
The little girl clung to her neck, all softness and trust.
She liked Taylor — enough to dream of her as a mother. Julian had told her that if she spent enough time with Taylor, it might happen. She had even stayed up all night imagining it.
Taylor said nothing, just held her close.
From the hospital's front doors, Samuel watched. The sight of them — Julian, Taylor, and Luna — hit him like a blade to the chest.
He strode toward them, expression like ice. "Julian," he said, "have you slept with my wife?"
Taylor stayed silent. Julian stepped forward and drove a fist into Samuel's jaw.
"You don't get to judge her," he growled. "Yes, I want to be with her. But I'd never hurt her or make her cry. Taylor is a woman of integrity, and she deserves to be treated that way."
Samuel staggered back, eyes red. He had come to ask for her help — but the scene before him had burned that thought away. He swung back, and the two men collided in a brutal fight.
Taylor tried to intervene, but couldn't with Luna in her arms. She called security, but Luna, seeing Julian take a hit, darted forward and bit Samuel's leg.
Pain flared through him, and his hand twitched toward her.
"Samuel!" Taylor's voice cracked through the chaos.
He froze, looking at her. Her face was a storm of disappointment, shock, and pure loathing.
She knew Julian would protect Luna — but that shout was her final break with Samuel.
His arm dropped. He blinked, almost to himself. "Taylor... you stopped loving me a long time ago, didn't you?"