Chapter <i>54 </i>
With Orion’s sudden appearance, the divorce was abruptly cut short.
Tessa watched as Orion took Xylia and Connor away. She gripped the bedsheet so tightly that her knuckles. turned white, biting down on her lip until she drew blood, her anger threatening to spill over.
Is that old man senile or what? Tessa fumed to herself. “Why is he so obsessed with a bitch like Xylia? I was so close to getting what I wanted. Time to y hardball.
Just then, her phone rang. She picked up immediately.
“Tessa, someone’s tracked someone down to Seth Wilson’s ce, a man’s voice said, his tone urgent.
Tessa’s expression turned panicked. “Didn’t they already leave Jupiton? Who went there?”
“Seth called. Someone called to ask about the hit<b>–</b><b>and</b>–run. He told them the same thing he told the before, managed to send them away, but now the risk of getting exposed is way higher,” the man said, sounding tense.
cops
Tessa clenched her fists. “Look into who that person is. If you have to<b>, </b>make sure the guy never talks again,” she ordered coldly.
“Got it,” the man said before hanging up.
As she hung up, the sweetness on Tessa’s face faded, reced by a sharp, vicious glint in her eyes.
‘I won’t let anyone stand <b>in </b>my way, she thought, her eyes narrowing dangerously.
Meanwhile, Orion had summoned Xylia and Connor to his study.
Orion wasted no time. “Connor, apologize to Xylia,” he said firmly.
Connor protested, his tone stubborn. “Grandpa, you really don’t need to get involved in my marriage to Xylia.”
Orion shot him a re. “If I didn’t step in, you two would be divorced in no time. Do you even realize how many eyes are on you as the heir to the Ford Group, watching your every move–especially your marriage?”
Orion didn’t spell it out, but Connor got the message loud and clear.
Right now, the Ford Group was at a crossroads, and as CEO, Connor was under the watchful eyes of every shareholder.
After that fallout with the Sadler Group, people in thepany were already unhappy with Connor. If he really divorced Xylia and married Tessa, any more drama in his personal life would ruin his credibility.
Connor wasn’t the only one in the Ford family’s younger generation gunning for the top. All those cousins
ET 55 vouchers
from the other branches were just waiting for their chance to take his spot. He <b>couldn’t </b>afford to make a mistake<b>. </b>
But Xylia had gone way too far today: he <b>was </b>at his breaking point.
“Grandpa, I can take responsibility for my choices, Connor said firmly. With that, he walked straight out of the study, not hesitating for a second. He never spared Xylia a single nce the whole time.
“Connor?” Orion barked. He was furious, but he couldn’t stop Connor.
Xylia looked at Orion, her tone steady. “Mr. Ford, I just don’t get it. Why won’t you let us get divorced?”
She didn’t buy that it was just about the <b>Ford </b>Group.
Honestly, a CEO’s personal life didn’t affect thepany that much, and Connor’s brought in a ton of value since he took over. His achievements far outweigh any drama in his
private life.
Just their marriage alone couldn’t possibly rock the wholepany. There had to be more to it.
Orion sighed deeply, “Xylia, I know you’re a good person. Only with you by Connor’s side do I feel truly at
ease.”
“Will you promise me you won’t leave him?” he asked, his voice softening.
Xylia could tell Orion wasn’t telling the whole truth.
She lowered her eyes, putting on a look of heartbreak. “Mr. Ford, you know I love Connor so much. I really can’t bear the thought of leaving him. But if he <b>insists </b>on divorcing me, there’s nothing I can do.”
Orion felt reassured by Xylia’s words.
He smiled at her, “Don’t worry, Xylia. No matter how old Connor gets, he’s still my grandson. As long as you don’t agree to the divorce, I’ll take care of him.”
Xylia didn’t say anything, but her silence said it all.
Orion cleared his throat and switched topics. “Xylia, you know you weren’t born into the Schultz family. Have you ever thought about looking for your birth family?” he asked.
Xylia wasn’t sure what Orion was getting at. But she was already wary of him.
She shook her head. “I used to think about it, but since I never found anything, I just stopped bothering
Orion smiled gently. “Everyone wants to know where they truly belong as they grow up. I might be able to help you find your real family. If you trust me, maybe you can work with me on this.”
Xylia had never told anyone about reaching out to her birth family, except Joshua.
Xylia couldn’t tell if Orion was genuinely trying to help her or if he had some hidden agenda. After thinking it over, she decided to turn the tables and y along. “Of course I trust you,” she said with a smile.
9:49 Fri, Sep 12
S55 vouchers
“Perfect. I just need a little bit of your blood to put in the gic database, so we can track down your birth parents faster,” Orion exined;
Xylia nodded.
Orion seemed prepared for this; he had the butler bring in someone to draw her blood.
Xylia obediently let them <b>take </b>her blood, not making a fuss,
She spotted the Ford Group logo on the blood collection tube, so she instantly knew the doctor was from a private hospital backed by the Ford Group.
She quietly memorized the hospital’s name. She nned to dig into itter and find out what kind of game Orion <b>was </b>ying.
“I know tonight was tough on you, Xylia. Don’t worry. I’ll make things right for you,” Orion said, his <b>tone </b>full
of reassurance.
Xylia just shrugged it off and went back to her room.
After a while. Connor knocked on her door.
When he saw her, his expression wasplicated; there was sympathy in his eyes, and maybe even a touch of tenderness.
“I was too impulsive tonight. We’re not getting divorced.” His voice was calm, almost detached, as if he were granting her a favor.
Xylia let out a softugh. “Did Mr. Ford say something to you?”
Connor didn’t answer. He just told her to get some rest.
As he was turning away, Xylia said coolly, “We’ll be at city hall to make our divorce official before the end of this month.”
Connor was about to say something, but Xylia had already gone back to her room and locked the door behind
her.
He clenched <b>his </b>jaw, swallowing his anger, and after a moment, turned and walked away.
Xylia pulled out her phone and dialed the hospital director she used to know. “I need a favor,” she said.
The next morning, Xylia was out the door early.
Mnie had been waiting in the living room. She’d even skipped her <b>usual </b>shopping session just to deal with Xylia
<b>But </b>Xylia didn’t even give her a chance to speak; she just walked straight out of the vi without looking back.
9:49 Fri, Sep 12
55 vouchers
Mnie was so pissed off that she took it all out on Connor. “Xylia’s acting totally crazy these days. Why are you still with her? How much longer are you going to wait to get a divorce?” she snapped.
Connor just let her rant, not saying a word in his defense. He just stared off in the direction Xylia had gone, lost in thought. Something about her had changed sincest night, and he couldn’t quite put his finger <b>on </b>it.
Once she was done at the hospital with the director, Xylia reached out to Josie. They decided to meet up at <b>a </b>
Datonese restaurant.
As soon as they met, Josie pulled Xylia aside. “People are tearing you apart online. Can you tell me what’s going on?”
Nylia opened her phone, puzzled, and realized that everything fromst night, the reporters ambushing her, had exploded all over the inte.
Words like “hit–and–run,” “Jealous wife,” and “murderer‘ were blowing up the trending topics.
Xylia scrolled through thements, her heart sinking as she saw the nonstop insults. Someizens had even dug up what they called irrefutable evidence against her.
Xylia frowned, feeling a heavy weight settle in her chest.
AD