Chapter 132
1 stood there speechless, watching him transform before my eyes.le ooked defeated and lost, his face half–hidden in the dim light of the hallway, as if he might disappear at any moment, I said nothing as he turned and left, vanishing as the elevator doors closed with e son ding.
Maybe keeping my distance was the best thing for both of us.
Half an hour later, photos of Seth hugging me surfaced online. A trending topic appeared: ‘Wright’s Wife’s Messy Private Life,
The pictures showed me clinging to Seth, my face buried against his chest, his arms around me protectively. Seth’s trademark curly hair made him instantly recognizable.
The Price family quickly intervened, and the trending topic was removed shortly after. Some users posted thinly veiled jabs at Blake: “Why doesn’t the Wright CEO consider expanding into ocean conservation? Not interested in the ocean?*
Internet users were fascinated by wealthy family drama and speculated wildly. Some painted me as a victim, others as a calculating adulteress. I pretended not to care, focusing instead on my career, but each notification on my phone felt like a tiny dagger.
Emily checked on me repeatedly, assigning me a critical coral reef conservation project while I worked from home as online gossip intensified. Blake remained impassive, and Michael confirmed Claire wasn’t pressing charges.
The following week, my professional life collapsed. After Emily reassigned me, I threw myself into preparation with sleepless nights and endless coffee.
But one by one, potential partners refused to work with me–some canceling meetings upon hearing my name, others visibly uncomfortable in person.
Several clients even demanded refunds, citing the “controversy” as compromising our work.
At EcoMarine, I overheard colleagues in the restroom:
is the still coming here? Doesn’t she know how much damage she’s caused the Co
“Exactly! Otherwise, we wouldn’t be sitting in the office with no projects!”
“Emily seems close to her though. But we can’t keep going like this. I’m sending out resumes.
either–you need to plan your next move.”
You guys
shouldn’t just sit around
I was stunned, frozen in place as their words washed over me. My personal issues weren’t just affecting me; they were hurting the
entire company.
I went straight home and made a decision. I tweeted: [My contract with EcoMarine Group has ended. Moving forward, I’ll continue to dedicate myself to marine conservation, staying true to nature and my direction. Today’s departure is for a better beginning
tomorrow.]
Emily called immediately, furious I hadn’t trusted her. But the facts were clear–I couldn’t let EcoMarine lose all its researchers because of me.
“Something’s not right about this,” Emily said, her voice cracking. “Give me some time. I know the people who took over some of our canceled projects–met them at an environmental summit. We got along well. Let me see what I can find out.”
“Emily, don’t waste your energy,” I sighed.
I understood what she meant. After being turned down repeatedly these past few days, I had a lot on my mind. I could handle
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Chapter 132
rejection from others, but why were my colleagues affected too?
And why hadn’t Blake gone to the detention center to pick up Claire after all this time? Maybe he really wanted her to learn a lesson, but he was definitely out to get me too.
Just like he said, he believed I didn’t deserve to be someone he could negotiate with. A little manipulation was all it took for him to make that clear, so why would he hold back on teaching me that lesson?
“No, I’m not wasting my energy. Blake’s assistant has called several times this week. I didn’t answer,” Emily said.
Then she suddenly fell silent.
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