Violet couldn''t help but fixate on the way Maynard kept calling Victoria "ma''am." Cool-headed as she usually was, she found herself feeling a rare twinge of


    jealousy.


    "Is your marriage with Victoria public?" she asked, unable to hide the bitterness in her tone. At the very least, McNeil had never sent Maynard to pick her up in such an expensive car.


    But McNeil, stone-faced and distracted, hadn''t even registered Violet''s question. He mmed his foot on the gas, racing after Victoria''s car.


    Just as he was about to catch up, the Maybach suddenly turned off, taking a different route straight toward The Langford Group''s headquarters.


    It wasn''t until Victoria''s car disappeared down the road that the employees from Quantum Core Technologies finally snapped out of their daze.


    "Was that Victoria''s husband?" Sandra asked from a distance, unable to make out exactly what Maynard had called Victoria.


    "No, that was her family''s driver," someone else chimed in, though the female executives wore a mix of expressions-skepticism, surprise, maybe even envy.


    More than a few eyes darted toward Mr. Garcia. Everyone had seen that car, its license te was almost ostentatious, the kind that even Mr. Garcia probably couldn''t get his hands on.


    So, was Ms. Turner really Mr. Garcia''s mistress after all?


    "I bet for someone who rides in a car like that, five hundred thousand dors is nothing just pocket change for a couple of designer bags," Maisie from Marketing blurted out, unable to hide the envy in her voice, conveniently forgetting how she''d just been belittling Victoria moments earlier.


    George''s face darkened at that. "Really? Maybe we should have the Marketing Department working for Ms. Turner, if you''re so eager to hand her half a million."


    He kept his voice low, making sure Curtis didn''t overhear, but the irritation was real.


    "Seems like Victoria''s family is loaded. Her husband must be a real big shot," someone whispered.


    "No idea who he is, though-"


    The earlier gossip about Victoria quickly shifted into subdued spection.


    Curtis was only just snapping out of his shock. That car... why did it seem so


    familiar, like he''d seen it somewhere a few years ago? But he couldn''t quite ce it.


    "We''re out of time, let''s get moving. Enough gawking," Curtis called, getting into his own car. The others followed,ughing and chatting about other things, no one daring to gossip about Victoria and Curtis anymore.


    Now, the only thing everyone was curious about was Victoria''s mysterious husband. Who was he? And why was even the family driver so handsome? Surely the husband was even more attractive, some muttered, unable to hide their envy.


    "I bet her husband''s just some balding, middle-aged guy. I heard there are even rumors about a divorce-" someone started to say, but the shuttle bus doors closed, the engine started, and no one dared talk about Victoria anymore.


    Maynard dropped Victoria off at herpany''s front entrance. As she was about to get out, he turned to her.


    "Ma''am, should Ie back to pick you upter?"


    Victoria nodded. "Yes, please."


    It was a privilege she could im without question. "How soon will the divorce papers be finalized?" she asked.


    "Very soon," Maynard replied. "They''ve already been filed at city hall."


    "Make it as quick as possible."


    Victoria got out with Ailie, who stared longingly after the sleek car as it pulled away.


    She nced at Victoria. "McNeil''s so rich, you sure you want this divorce?"


    If Victoria went through with it, wouldn''t that just hand everything over to the other woman?


    Victoria shrugged. "There''s no point staying together when there''s no love left. Anything I want, I can buy for myself I don''t need the Langford family for that."


    Still, for now, she was Mrs. Langford, whether McNeil acknowledged it or not. And anything that belonged to McNeil-if she used it, who would dare say a thing?


    "Are we going in now?" Ailie asked, ncing up at the imposing ss facade of The Langford Group.


    The Langford Group was the undisputed giant of Starfall City-Quantum Core Technologies couldn''t evenpare. For all her bravado, Ailie felt a little intimidated by the sheer size and presence of the ce.


    "Let''s wait for Mr. Garcia and the others," Victoria said quietly.


    After all, unless McNeil gave the word, no outsider could just stroll into The Langford Group.