Chapter 27 10 voucher Andrian arrived at the office with brisk steps. As soon as he exited the elevator, Bianca was already waiting outside his office. "Andrian... finally, you're here," Bianca greeted sweetly as she approached. "I've been looking for you all morning. Are you alright? I was worried after seeing the news about... Aliana." Andrian gave Bianca a brief glance and walked into his office without a word. Bianca followed him in, uninvited. "I know this must be hard for you. But you're not alone. If there's anything I can do to help manage those rumors especially about your wife being..." she paused dramatically, then continued in a falsely concerned tone, "a little too careless with her behavior-just say the word! I'll help however I can." Andrian stopped in front of his desk. His gaze at Bianca was sharp, expressionless, and full of suspicion. "Did you have anything to do with that video?" Bianca froze. Her eyes widened slightly before quickly returning to neutral. She hurried to compose her face. "W-what? Of course not. Why would you accuse me of that?" Andrian remained silent, his stare unblinking and unwavering. Bianca sighed, her voice rising with feigned hurt. "I only care about you, Andrian. How can you say something like that? I'm just as furious about how that woman humiliated you." "I don't like liars," Andrian said coldly. Bianca knew he was serious. She tried to stay calm, though panic had started to creep in. "I swear, Andrian. I had nothing to do with that rumor. I don't even know who leaked it." Andrian said nothing. He sat in his chair and yanked off his tie roughly, frustration clear in his movements. He bowed his head briefly, trying to compose himself. Aliana's words still echoed in his mind: "If you won't make Bianca take responsibility, then I will make her regret messing with me." Bianca stepped forward cautiously. "It's nearly one o'clock. You haven't eaten. Why don't I order us lunch? You need to take care of yourself, Andrian." Andrian looked up sharply. "Leave, Bianca. I don't want to be disturbed." His tone was flat but unmistakably firm. Bianca stood frozen for a moment, then gave a tight nod. "Alright. I'll order lunch for you." She exited the room. Her face wore its usual sweet smile, but her eyes were dark as her back turned. Once the door closed, Andrian let out a low growl. His fists clenched on the desk. "Damn it!" He was angry at Aliana's confident accusation, and at himself for starting to believe it. Her piercing gaze and threat still stung. Grinding his teeth, Andrian picked up his phone and dialed a number. 1/5 Chapter 27 "Elric," he said as soon as the call connected. "Yes, sir?" "Find out everything about Rafe Donovan." "Rafe Donovan?" Elric's tone turned sharp. "Who is he? What exactly should I look into?" "He's the man in the video with Aliana. She says he's like a brother to her. I want to know how close they really are. Look into his background, any connections with the Zavier family, and every detail involving Aliana. I want to know if she's lying" "Understood. I'll send a full report as soon as possible." Andrian ended the call without another word. He leaned back in his chair and massaged his temple with one hand. His jaw clenched. His eyes were locked on the monitor ahead, but his mind wasn't registering anything on the screen. Instead, his thoughts kept replaying Aliana's claim that Rafe was like a brother. Andrian didn't believe it-not yet. He needed proof. "If you're lying, Aliana... I won't hesitate to remove you from the Velor family." Meanwhile, in the pavilion, Aliana sat on a chair, staring at her phone. She had just finished an encrypted exchange with Rafe. They had agreed to meet again in two days at a new location. The rumors spreading like wildfire were limiting Aliana's movements. She knew she couldn't act recklessly-especially not meet Rafe too soon. That meant postponing the pursuit of Julian Crane, for now. She leaned back in her chair and exhaled deeply. Rafe had informed her that surveillance around him was tightening. Altand wasn't surprised. She had already sensed that she was being watched. Everything in the mansion felt too orderly, too quiet. She knew she was under observation. As a trained shadow operative, Aliana recognized the signs-the subtle patterns in people's behavior. Even without showing themselves directly, she could feel their presence. The sharp glances in hallways. The footsteps just a bit too close. The silhouettes appearing where no one should be. Someone was probing for her weakness. But she would not slip up again. The leaked CCTV footage had been a costly mistake-proof that her enemies were fast and efficient, able to retrieve hotel security footage before Rafe could secure it. Now, she would be even more careful. She wouldn't give anyone else a chance to corner her. Instead, it was time to strike back. She unlocked her phone and opened a hidden folder inside one of her apps. With a tap, she played a video file-a security camera clip from a hotel. The screen clearly showed Bianca and Andrian entering a hotel room together, late at night on their wedding day. Expressionless, Aliana stared at the screen for several seconds. She had watched this video many times before, but this time, it felt different. It was no longer just evidence for herself. It was a weapon. One she was now ready to use against the person who had dared to smear her name. Aliana pressed the share button, selecting just one contact. Not a journalist. Not the media. But the root of the problem- Bianca Lorraine. Without a single word, she sent the video. Seconds later, two blue ticks appeared. Message read. 2/5 3:16 pm Chapter 27 Aliana leaned back and closed her phone, her expression calm. 10 vouchers She knew Bianca all too well. The woman loved Andrian too much, obsessed over her reputation, and was terrified of any scandal that could tarnish her lover's name. Aliana had chosen the most sensitive pressure point-Bianca's relationship with Andrian. If Bianca had any sense, she would stop meddling. But if she didn't... Aliana was ready to expose everything, no matter how furious Andrian might become. "The choice is yours, Bianca," Aliana murmured. "If you still want to protect Andrian's name, don't play games with me." On the top floor of Titan Group, Bianca sat comfortably in her office as Vice CEO. A satisfied smile lingered on her lips as she reread the morning's headline-scandalous rumors about Aliana being caught with a mysterious man at a hotel. Bianca was thrilled. The board of directors had begun to question Aliana's credibility as Andrian's wife. Even the Zavier family's reputation was shaken. And best of all, Andrian was beginning to falter in his support of Aliana. "It won't be long before Andrian's grandmother demands a divorce," Bianca murmured with satisfaction. "He won't resist. and the board will surely approve." She chuckled quietly, confident she had won-that Aliana would soon be pushed out of the Velor family. But her laughter froze when her phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number had arrived. No name. No words. Just a video file. Bianca tapped to open it. The first second made her freeze. There she was-Bianca herself-entering a hotel room with Andrian. She remembered that night well. It was the night Andrian and Aliana's wedding. Bianca's hand tightened around her phone. Her jaw clenched. She didn't need to ask who had sent it. She knew. Aliana. But how did Aliana get hold of CCTV footage from that hotel? Bianca had always been careful with anything related to Andrian. She would never risk his reputation. That night, they hadn't stayed at just any hotel-it was one owned by the Velor family. No one would dare leak such footage without her permission. "She's bold..." Bianca hissed, trying to steady her breath. Once composed, she began to rationalize. Aliana must be bluffing. She wouldn't dare release a video that could destroy her own husband. Aliana wouldn't risk sullying the Velor name. Surely, she wouldn't act without her father's blessing. "She won't dare," Bianca reassured herself. "Ethan Zavier would never allow her to bring shame to the Velor family." Bianca believed her own logic. But she was wrong. What Bianca didn't know-Aliana didn't need anyone's approval. Not from her husband. Not even her father. If Aliana decided to attack, she would strike the most vulnerable spot. And Bianca had made the mistake of underestimating her. Bianca stared at the screen. The video still played. 3/5 3:16 pm D Chapter 27 She deleted it, then blocked Aliana's number. "I'm not afraid of your threats." Hours later, the internet exploded. A new article surfaced on major media outlets: "Betrayed by Her Husband? Titan Group Heiress's Wife Seen with Another Man-Is Divorce Imminent?" 10 Vouchers The article featured a blurred video clip-Andrian entering a luxury hotel room with an unidentified woman. The timestamp was clear: the night of Andrian and Aliana's wedding. Andrian's face was unmistakable, despite the dim lighting. The woman-Bianca-was purposely blurred. Her name wasn't mentioned. Narratives began to shift online: "Could Mrs. Velor's decision to be with another man be the result of betrayal-her husband's affair on their wedding night?" "Who's the real victim here?" Public sentiment turned sharply. Social media swelled with sympathy for Aliana. The hashtag #JusticeForAliana started trending. Outrage grew-not toward the mysterious woman-but toward Andrian Velor, the heir to a powerful empire who now seemed like nothing more than a cheating husband. "Sir... we have a new problem." On Titan Group's top floor, the CEO's office was thick with tension. Andrian had just finished a post-scandal damage control meeting. He was about to rest when the door burst open-Viktor. his assistant, rushing in. "An article and video of you have gone viral, sir. Over a dozen major outlets have picked it up. Our servers are being spammed." He handed Andrian a tablet, visibly panicked. "This is serious." Andrian snatched the tablet. His eyes widened as the video played. His face. His body language. The timestamp-unmistakable. The hotel room only he and Bianca had access to. "WHO LEAKED THIS?!" he roared. Viktor swallowed. "We're still tracing the source, sîr. But initial data shows it was uploaded from within the Velor mansion's internet network." Andrian immediately thought of Aliana's threat. He slammed the tablet down on the desk, fists clenched, chest heaving. He didn't need confirmation. He knew. Aliana Zavier, his wife, had leaked the video. He understood now-this was her retaliation. But she hadn't gone after Bianca directly. She had aimed at him. Now, it wasn't just Aliana's name in ruins. His was too. 4/5 8:16 pm Chapter 27 His public image. His standing in the family. Most of all-hit rot with the beard "Aliana Zavict.." Andrian growled through clenched teeth, staring at the dark screen in front of him "You really are a crazy woman." 5/5 田 AD Comment Freelance photographer Violet Beck is forced into an engagement with CEO Roy Payne. He is everything her wild heart rebels against: proper, predictable, and painfully kind. But love has a way of devel...