"I think your take on this is off. If Mr. Langford really wanted Ms. Marchand to represent The Langford Group, he wouldn''t have let Mrs. Langford get involved."


    "They must''ve plotted this together. Since they couldn''t make it today, Mrs. Langford''swyer and assistant are representing The Langford Group at the press conference."


    "I agree. Honestly, The Langford Group is way too big a corporation to send someone like Ms. Marchand-who doesn''t even have any official status as their representative."


    "Who would''ve thought, huh? Turns out Ms. Marchand is actually the other woman. I used to see her as some kind of role model for women-thought she was really inspirational."


    Everyone had an opinion.


    Victoria just smiled at the gossip.


    Curtis hadn''t taken his eyes off Victoria since the event ended. Truth be told, he was skeptical about her supposed friendship with Mrs. Langford. If Victoria really was that close to Mrs. Langford, why bother applying for a low-level clerical job at Quantum Core Technologies in the first ce? Mrs. Langford could''ve easily ced her in one of McNeil''s otherpanies. Besides, Victoria had put up with more than her share of trouble here. If Mrs. Langford was really looking out for her, would she have allowed Violet to make her life so difficult?


    Having known McNeil for years, Curtis had only ever heard rumors about Mrs. Langford-never met her in person. Now, apparently, Victoria was her close friend? He found the whole thing more than a little suspicious.


    But Curtis wasn''t about to pry. He knew that even if he asked, Victoria probably wouldn''t tell him the truth.


    Still, this mysterious Mrs. Langford-McNeil''s enigmatic wife had finally piqued even his curiosity.


    "All right, enough about other people," Ailie interjected, rescuing Victoria from the relentless spection. "Tonight''s ourpany''s gameunch party-we should be celebrating Ms. Turner and Mr. Garcia!"


    Ailie''s timing was perfect. Any more drinks, and if people kept going on about Mrs. Langford, Ailie herself might have started ranting about McNeil.


    "Exactly!" someone chimed in. "Ailie''s right-this is our night. Let''s raise a ss to Ms. Turner and Mr. Garcia!"


    Victoria politely excused herself from drinking, iming she didn''t feel well. She epted their goodwill with a ss of soda instead.


    The game''sunch exceeded everyone''s wildest expectations. By the third day, it was already a runaway hit, even outpacing thepany''s popr racing title.


    Victoria kept waiting for McNeil, but he never responded.


    Three dayster, Evermore City Courthouse.


    Victoria arrived with Yasmine by her side, Johnny trailing close behind.


    She and McNeil were keeping their divorce proceedings low-key. No one in Evermore City had the faintest idea who Mrs. Langford really was, and there wasn''t a single leak to the press. Today, President Langford and his wife were quietly facing each other in court.


    Victoria showed up early, but on the other side, only Maynard and McNeil''s attorney were present.


    McNeil himself was nowhere to be seen.


    Maynard looked at Victoria and said, "Ma''am, today''s Miss Gwh''s birthday. Sir''s been waiting for you toe home and celebrate with her."


    Victoria''s face was unreadable, her eyes cold and emotionless.


    "He''s clearly too busy to show up. But that doesn''t mean we can''t proceed." She didn''t waver.


    Johnny nced at the judge and opened the thick file he''d been preparing. "So, shall we begin?"