Chapter 64
Edmund POV
The moment I heard the whispers, I knew something was wrong.
At first, it was just murmurs.
I turned toward the entrance, just as the crowd began to part.
And there she was.Vikki.
Wearing a fitted crimson dress that screamed for attention. Her blonde hair was too neat for coincidence, her lipstick too perfectly reapplied for someone who wasn’t planning to be seen. She looked like trouble dressed in satin.
My stomach twisted. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I muttered under my breath.
She shouldn’t have been here. She was supposed to be back home, far from this event, far from Amelia.
I started walking toward her, every muscle in my jaw tightening. Cameras were already tilting in her direction, capturing her entrance. I could see reporters whispering to each other, sensing blood.
“Vikki,” I hissed when I finally reached her. “What the hell are you doing here?”
She gave a lazy smile, eyes glassy, voice thick with arrogance and alcohol. “Oh, come on, darling. You didn’t think I’d miss your big charity night, did you?”
The scent of champagne hit me before her words did. “You’re drunk,” I said quietly.
Tipsy,” she corrected, giggling in a way that made my skin crawl. “Don’t be dramatic, Edmund.”
“Vikki, this isn’t the time or place-”
She cut me off, loud enough for the nearby guests to hear. “Oh, don’t you ‘Vikki me like I’m not the embarrassing wife you forgot existed.”
A few heads turned. My pulse kicked. “Lower your voice,” I warned. “You’re making a scene.”
“Oh please.” She stepped closer, her voice rising higher. “You’ve already made one for me, haven’t you?”
I froze. “What are you talking about?”
Vikki smirked, that cruel, knowing smile that always came right before she caused a disaster. “You think people don’t notice? You think I haven’t seen the way you’ve been looking at her?”
Her words sliced through the air like knives.
People were turning now, guests, donors, reporters, even some of my board members. The entire hall seemed to hush as her laughter echoed off the walls.
“Vikki-“I started, but she raised a hand dramatically
“Don’t pretend with me, Edmund. I’m not blind. You brought your little doctor girlfriend here tonight, didn’t you?” She sneered. “The one you’ve been working so hard with on all those outreach trips. Is that what you call it now, outreach!”
A murmur rolled through the crowd, and cameras flashed.
“Jesus Christ,” I muttered, grabbing her wrist. “Stop it.”
19:54 Wed, Mar 18 ROM
Chapter 61
“Stop what?” she snapped, jerking free. “Stop telling the truth?”
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I glanced toward the front of the hall toward Amelia. She was frozen near the table. Her lips parted slightly, as if she couldn’t believe what was going on.
My heart sank.
This wasn’t just embarrassing. It was devastating.
“Vikki,” I said under my breath, leaning close. “You’re drunk and out of line. You need to leave. Now.”
She laughed out loud, bitter, and broken. “Out of line? You’re sleeping with her, Edmund!”
The gasps that followed felt like daggers to my back.
“Vikki!” I snapped, my voice sharper now. “Enough.”
But she wasn’t done. She turned toward the crowd, tears streaking her makeup now, her words slurring as she raised her voice again. “Do you all know why she got the lead role in the outreach? Why Dr. Amelia Garcia got all the credit? It’s because my husband-” she pointed at me with a shaky hand, “can’t keep his hands off her!”
A stunned silence fell over the room.
Someone whispered, “Oh my God.”
Another voice, a reporter, muttered, “Get this on camera.”
My fists clenched at my sides. “Vikki, that’s enough,” I said through gritted teeth. “You’re humiliating yourself.”
“No,” she hissed. “You humiliated me first.”
I reached for her again, but she stumbled back, hitting the table and knocking over a glass of champagne that splattered across the floor. The sound of it breaking seemed to echo louder than anything else in the room.
Amelia was already heading toward the exit, her face unreadable, her steps quick. I took a step toward her, but Vikki’s voice came again, sharp and broken.
“Go ahead, Edmund. Run after her like you always do!” she shouted. “You never cared about me, only your perfect little
doctor!”
“Security,” I snapped over my shoulder. “Now.”
Within seconds, two guards were approaching.
Vikki laughed again, but this time it cracked into a sob. “See? That’s what you do best.control everything. Even your messes.”
She tried to slap my arm away, but I caught her hand gently, lowering it. “You’ve had too much to drink. You need to go home,”
“Home?” she laughed bitterly. “You mean the empty house you avoid?”
“Vikki-”
“I hate you!” she screamed suddenly, struggling as the guards tried to escort her away. “I hate you, Edmund! You think you can just throw me away like garbage? After everything I’ve done for you?”
My head pounded. I could feel every eye in the room burning holes into my back. Every flash of a camera felt like an
accusation.
19:54 Wed, Mar 18 RDM
Chapter 64
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I turned briefly to the guests, my investors, donors, colleagues, all staring in a mixture of pity and judgment.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” I began, my voice tight, “I sincerely apologize for this disruption. Please continue to enjoy the evening.”
It sounded hollow even to me.
As the guards led Vikki away, still cursing under her breath, I forced a polite nod toward the people I knew, shaking hands, offering brief apologies. But I could see it in their eyes: the damage was done.
The whispers would spread before the night ended.
By morning, the tabloids would have their headline.
” *Billionaire CEO’s Wife, Victoria Montgomery Crashes Charity Gala, Accuses Him of Affair With a Doctor.“*
Perfect.
When I finally stepped outside, the cool air hit me hard. The sound of Vikki’s voice still echoed faintly down the corridor as the guards carried her toward the waiting car.
“Get her home safely,” I told them quietly. “And make sure someone stays with her until she sobers up.”
“Yes, sir.”
As the car door slammed shut, I rubbed my face with both hands.
Anger. Shame. Worry. They all fought for space inside me. But beneath all of it was one emotion stronger than the rest, fear.
Fear that I’d lost Amelia again.
I replayed her expression, that mix of hurt and humiliation before she turned and left the hall. She didn’t even wait to hear my side. Not that I blamed her.
The woman I loved had just been accused of being someone’s mistress, my mistress, in front of hundreds of people.
And I hadn’t been able to protect her.
I stood there for a long time, the muffled sounds of the gala fading behind me, the night air heavy with everything I hadn’t said.
Then I took a deep breath, straightened my jacket, and looked toward the waiting car. I watched until the taillights disappeared into the dark. Then I turned toward the entrance again.
My mind was already racing.
Tomorrow, the world would be talking about headlines, gossip, and speculation. But none of it mattered. The only thing t cared about now was finding Amelia.
I didn’t care how late it was or how angry she might be. I needed fo see her. To explain.
To tell her that I was done letting other people write our story.
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.
