Violet offered a polite, apologetic smile and hurried after McNeil, slipping into his sleek ck sedan under the watchful eyes of his security team.


    McNeil said nothing for the entire ride. Violet could sense the tension radiating from him, but she couldn''t grasp what had set him off.


    Was it possible he''d discovered she wasn''t really Vivian?


    But that seemed unlikely. McNeil had never once questioned her about the connection between herself and the name Vivian. Maybe he was simply jealous that one of her fans had shown up so unexpectedly.


    After all, her male fans far outnumbered her female ones, and the bouquet she''d just received hade from a man.


    Violet nced at the flowers resting beside her. They were beautiful, but she knew she''d have someone dispose of them as soon as possible.


    McNeil dropped Violet and Gwh off at Number Three, Winding Peak Lane, then turned to head back to the office. Violet considered inviting him to stay for dinner, but he cut her off with a curt, "No need," before striding away without a backward nce.


    He climbed into the car, and as the driver pulled away, McNeil felt a chill crawl up his spine.


    Years of experience had sharpened his instincts, and right now they told him that Mr. Langford was in an exceptionally foul mood.


    McNeil gripped his phone, thumb pressing hard against the screen. After a few seconds'' hesitation, he finally made a call.


    "Look into Mrs. I mean, look into Victoria. I want a full report on her life before she married me."


    Maynard, on the other end, paused in surprise, thinking he must have misheard. He was the only person in thepany who knew McNeil was married-and that his wife was Victoria. Whenever Victoria needed something, she called Maynard; if McNeil needed to find his wife but didn''t want to handle it himself, Maynard dealt with it.


    Over the years, an unspoken understanding had developed between them: Maynard never referred to Victoria as Mrs. Langford.


    To Maynard, Victoria was little more than McNeil''s personal assistant-married in name, invisible in reputation, and expected to share his bed without any real im to the title.


    "Sir, you mean...?"


    Investigate Victoria? Mr. Langford had always seemed indifferent to his wife, especially with divorce looming and Victoria herself insisting on leaving with nothing.


    Maynard had worked for Mr. Langford for years, but this was the first time he truly didn''t understand his boss.


    "I want everything from her childhood, her time with the Turner family, every detail from the day she was born," McNeil said coldly, then hung up without another word.


    After Victoria published her game''s code, someone quickly bought the rights. Curtis sold the game under the name Vivian, and even blocked both his and Violet''s IDs from the system.


    McNeil never suspected Violet. The name Vivian created a clear divide between her and that identity; they were two separate people in his mind.


    Online, the controversy was mounting. As Quantum Core Technologies'' vice president, Violet was well-known for her partnership with The Langford Group- she had both reputation and influence.


    But now, the new racing game belonged to V&S Group, apany no one had heard of. Violet had already used the Vivian persona to build hype, and with two Vivians showing up at the rally, all the attention and emotion had shifted to that name.


    Everything Violet had nned-the Langford Group''s billion-dor investment, Quantum Core''s technical support, and years of hard work—had been snatched away by an obscure littlepany.


    Onunch day, the game raked in eight billion. With the race''s poprity, aggressive marketing, and the ongoing spection about Violet and Vivian''s identities, V&S Group was riding a wave of publicity. If not for Violet''s fans crowding the hospital entrance that day, McNeil might never have realized he''d been used as a stepping stone for V&S Group''s sess.


    McNeil trusted facts, not coincidences.


    Victoria had helped him rescue the family business from the brink of ruin and take it public-he''d never doubted her abilities. But she''d always worked quietly behind the scenes: data analysis, support. She''d never joined him on the front lines, never yed at boardroom intrigue or tried to outmaneuver a rival.