Eighteen
To P’ervis, Anna looked like a performer in some tragic comedy, completely oblivious to how foolish she appeared to everyone watching
He shook his head slowly, his expression a mixture of disappointment and pity.
“You’ve always assumed the worst of me, haven’t you, Anna?” he said quietly. “Before Noah appeared in our lives, we were actually in love. We had something real.”
“Don’t try to rewrite history,” Anna snapped defensively.
consistently
“I’m not rewriting anything,” Pervis continued calmly. “But after Noah showed up, you painted me as the villain in every situation. You made me the jealous husband, the unreasonable man, the petty fool who couldn’t understand your “kindness‘ to a friend.”
Anna’s face flushed with anger. “Because that’s exactly what you were!”
“Was I?” Pervis asked with genuine curiosity. “Or were you simply blinded by Noah’s manipulation, unable to see the truth that was right in front of you?”
“Noah would never deceive me!” Anna declared arrogantly, her voice rising in the conference room. “He’s my best friend’s younger brother! I’ve known him since he was a teenager!”
“And that automatically makes him trustworthy?” Pervis asked.
“It makes him family,” Anna replied firmly. “That leaves only one possibility in this situation–you’re the
one who’s been lying all along.”
Her voice took on a self–righteous tone as she continued. “I once felt guilty for neglecting you while taking care of Noah. I worried that maybe I wasn’t being fair to you as a wife.”
“And now?” Pervis prompted.
“Now I feel absolutely no quilt at all,” Anna stated coldly. “You’ve proven exactly what kind of man you really are, and I’m ashamed I ever doubted my instincts about you.”
Pervis looked around the conference room, noting how several board members were shifting uncomfortably in their seats as this private drama unfolded in their professional space.
“You’re right about one thing, Anna,” he said, his voice taking on a tone of authority that surprised everyone present. “This board meeting is not the appropriate venue for airing domestic disputes.”
“Finally, some sense from you,” Anna muttered.
“Which is why I’m going to make this simple and direct,” Pervis continued, his gaze fixed steadily on his estranged wife. “I have only one demand for this board, and it’s non–negotiable.”
“What demand?” Anna asked suspiciously.
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I want your shares in this hospital revoked immediately,” Pervis stated clearly ‘I want all of your financial ties to this institution severed completely and permanently
Anna’s face went completely white. “You can’t be serious”
“Tam “I “I am absolutely serious,” Pervis replied. I will not allow such a vices, vindictive woman to maintain ownership in the place where my grandmother receives her medical care.”
“Vicious?” Anna gasped. “How dare you call me vicious
“What would you call someone who tries to throw an elderly woman out of a hospital out of spiter Pervis asked calmly.
Anna opened her mouth to respond, then closed it again as she realized she had no good answer to that question.
“I refuse,” she said finally, crossing her arms defiantly Those shares are my property, purchased with my own money. You have no right to take them from me”
Aria, who had been watching this exchange with obvious amusement, finally spoke up
“Mis Tyler,” she said softly, “I think you should carefully consider the power dynamics at play here.”
“What do you mean?” Anna demanded
“I mean you should understand exactly what the Coleman family is capable of achieving.” Aria replied wia smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “When we want something, we have a remarkable ability to acquire it, regardless of the previous owner’s preferences”
Anna began to tremble, the full implications of Aria’s words sinking in. The Coleman family’s influence extended far beyond simple business transactions–they had the power to destroy careers, ruin reputations, and eliminate obstacles through entirely legal means.
“You wouldn’t dare,” Anna whispered, though her voice lacked conviction
“Wouldn’t we?” Aria asked mildly. “I think you’ll find that we would dare quite a lot to protect our
interests.”
“Our interests?” Anna repeated, latching onto the word. “So you admit this is all about your sordid relationship with my husband“”
Aria’s smile widened slightly. “Is that what you think this is about?”
“I know exactly what this is about,” Anna declared, desperately trying to regain some control over the situation. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll expose the scandal between you and Pervis? The whole world will know about your perverted arrangement”
Aria actually laughed at that threat–a sound like silver bells that somehow managed to be both beautiful and deeply unsettling
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How delightfully naive, she said, her voice dripping with amusement Tell me, Mrs Tyler, once such a story becomes poldie knowledge, who do you think will suffer the most from the revelation
Anna’s mouth opened and closed as she tried to process the implications of that question
“Thank about it carefully,” Aria continued “A powerful, successful businesswoman having a relationship with a married man, versus a discarded wife making desperate accusations against her husband and his new partner. Which story do you think the media will find more compelling?
The color drained completely from Anna’s face as she realized the trap she had walked into. Any attempt to expose what she believed was happening would only make her look like a bitter, jealous ex–wife trying to damage her former husband’s reputation
“You’re threatening me,” Anna said, her voice barely above a whisper
“I’m educating you,” Aria corrected pleasantly. “There’s a significant difference
With shaking hands, Anna reached for the share transfer documents that had been placed in front of ber The paper rustled as her trembling fingers held the pen, and her signature looked more like a child’s scrawl than the confident script she usually employed.
“There,” she said bitterly, sliding the papers back across the table. “Are you satisfied now?”
“Quite satisfied, thank you,” Aria replied graciously
Anna stood up slowly, her legs unsteady beneath her. As she gathered her purse and jacket, she turned to face both Pervis and Aria with as much dignity as she could muster.
“The Coleman family may be powerful now,” she said, her voice like ice, “but power doesn’t last forever. I will find a way to have my revenge against both of you.”
“I’m sure you’ll try,” Aria replied with apparent unconcern. “How exciting for you.”
Anna stormed out of the conference room, her heels clicking angrily against the polished floor as she
made her exit.
Outside the hospital, Noah was pacing frantically in the parking lot, his earlier humiliation still burning in his chest like acid. When he saw Anna emerge from the building with a thunderous expression, he immediately rushed toward her.
“Anna!” he called out, tears streaming down his face. “Thank God you’re alright! They threw me out like I was some kind of criminal!”
די
“I know,” Anna replied curtly, not slowing her pace toward her car.
“This is all Pervis’s fault!” Noah continued desperately. “He’s been cheating on you, humiliating you in public, and now he’s using his rich mistress to destroy your business interests!”
Anna stopped walking and turned to face him. “Noah, I need you to be completely honest with me about
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something”
“Of course,” Noah said eagerly. Tll tell you anything you want to know.”
“All these times you claimed to have seen Pervis with other women,” Anna said slowly, “did you actually witness them being intimate? Did you take any photographs?”
Noah’s face went pale as he realized the trap he had walked into. “L.. well… the situations were clearly inappropriate, but…”
“That’s not what I asked you,” Anna pressed. “Did you see them kissing? Touching? Did you take pictures?
“No,” Noah admitted quietly, hanging his head. “I didn’t actually see anything explicit, and I didn’t think to take photos.”
Anna stared at him for a long moment, her expression unreadable.
“I see,” she said finally. “How very disappointing
As she got into her car and drove away, leaving Noah standing alone in the hospital parking lot, Anna’s mind was already working on new plans
She had been outmaneuvered today, but the war was far from over. She would find a way to expose the truth about Pervis and Aria, and when she did, they would both pay dearly for their humiliation of her.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
