Chapter 11
Facing the rows of eager reporters, the bright, flashing lights and the sea of murmuring voices, I felt a surprising calm settle over me. I thought of all that had happened–Oliver’s unflinching support, Leon’s relentless harassment–and for the first time, I felt ready to close the chapter, to end this here and now.
Taking a steadying breath, I began, my voice clear and composed. “I am Oliver’s wife. And yes, before I married him, I had a boyfriend of seven years. But he betrayed me first. I ended things with him long before my marriage, yet he has continued to intrude on my life.”
My words stirred the crowd, rippling through the audience in quiet whispers.
Without pausing, I gestured to the staff and on the screen behind me, the contents of my phone appeared. Hundreds of
messages scrolled across the display, text
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after text from an unknown number- messages filled with manipulative pleas, then angry threats and finally, with proof of Leon s duplicity. Photos of him with another woman, posing intimately, side by side with screenshots of his comments on that damaging livestream and our recent call logs. Each piece of evidence told the story of the tangled web Leon had created, all on his own.
The murmurs grew louder as the reporters took in the evidence. I could hear snippets of disbelief and judgment:
“She should’ve left him long ago. Unbelievable…”
“Good riddance to that creep! She deserves so much better.”
Their words washed over me and a lump rose in my throat, my vision blurring with tears. I hadn’t expected sympathy, much less support. And then, just as I felt a tear slip down my cheek, I sensed Oliver behind me. He placed a reassuring hand on my
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shoulder, his presence a steadying force. At his signal, the staff dimmed the screen and Oliver stepped forward, taking the microphone. His voice, steady and calm, cut through the noise with quiet authority.
“This will be the end of this matter,” he declared, a protective arm around me. “We’ve clarified what needed to be addressed and I ask you all to refrain from publishing any part of my wife’s
evidence. This isn‘ t just data–it’s the record of her dignity after enduring seven difficult years. I thank you all, sincerely, for respecting her privacy.”
With a graceful bow, Oliver concluded the conference. The room fell silent, the flashing lights dimming as he led me offstage, shielding me from the prying eyes. as he guided me toward the exit.
As the press conference ended, I whispered to him, “Why not announce the new branch office here, like you planned?”
But Oliver simply shook his head, a soft
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smile tugging at his lips. “My wife is by my side now. There’s no reason to stay in this city, filled with memories that have only hurt you. Let’s leave it all behind.”
The wave of exhaustion hit me as we drove back, my head leaning against Oliver s shoulder. I felt his arm tighten around me, keeping me close, his warmth a balm for the ache of the past. As I drifted in and out of sleep, I heard him make a call, his voice low and measured.
“Leon, yes… His character is
questionable. It’s fine if your company decided to fire him. But this time, do
everyone a favor–help others steer clear of him too.”
The quiet satisfaction in his tone brought me a sense of peace. I closed my eyes, feeling a final, cleansing relief wash over
me.
In the days leading up to our departure from Greenwoods, I watched as the messages from Leon trickled in, each more
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desperate than the last. It was a reminder
of the hold he’d had over me, but it felt like a distant memory, a shadow of a person I no longer was. Oliver‘ s influence, his strength, had finally closed that chapter.
As we left Greenwoods, I could feel the weight of the past slipping away. Leon would no longer haunt my life and I was finally free from the mistakes of the past. Beside me, Oliver held my hand, a reassuring presence as we moved forward together.
For the first time, I felt ready to start fresh, to embrace the possibilities of a new life and a new chapter, filled with the love and peace I had waited so long to find.
(The End)