NOVPUB
Chapter 56 - 56- Groundless rumors
"Did you hear? Wilson's wife isn't much to look at. Just check out that wedding photo circulating online—she looks like someone who just walked out of a nightclub. No wonder she couldn't keep our VP's heart. I mean, our VP is handsome and rich; it's such a shame he ended up with her!"
"Ugh, honestly, I think no woman in the world could ever be good enough for our VP. He's just too perfect!"
The two girls chatted away, their tone full of infatuation. She couldn't stand it anymore. Gritting her teeth, she stood up and snapped at the girl sitting beside her,
"Excuse me, could you move? I'm getting off here!"
What the hell? If they wanted to criticize him for having an affair, fine—but why drag her into it? It was utterly ridiculous!
She had just stepped off the bus when her phone buzzed. It was Bonnie. Irritated, she picked up, her tone sharp enough to make Bonnie flinch.
"Cynthia, did you eat dynamite for breakfast? You nearly scared me to death!"
Miss Cynthia was known for her calm and composed demeanor. Rarely did she ever lose her temper like this. Realizing she had overreacted, Cynthia sighed as she walked toward the hospital, carrying her bag.
"Alright, alright, my dear Miss Laurence, I apologize. I shouldn't have scared you. Now, what do you want so early in the morning?"
Bonnie chuckled mischievously on the other end. After a moment of suspense, she finally spoke.
"Hey, hey, did you hear? Wilson made the gossip headlines last night!"
Cynthia rubbed her temples and asked,
"And then?"
For some reason, a chill ran down her spine. Knowing Bonnie as well as she did, Cynthia had a feeling Bonnie was about to dive headfirst into this mess.
On the other end, Bonnie chuckled slyly.
"And then... well... do you want to release a statement through us or something?"
Just as Cynthia had predicted. Grinding her teeth, she retorted,
"Bonnie, have you lost your mind trying to get a promotion? Seriously, dragging your own sister into your news stories now?"
Bonnie immediately tried to defend herself.
"Aw, Cynthia, don't be mad! If you let me handle it, at least the story will be accurate. I can make sure your position isn't distorted or misrepresented!"
Cynthia replied dryly,
"Why would I bother making any statement? Let him stir up whatever drama he wants. It has nothing to do with me!"
Bonnie sighed.
"Cynthia, you just don't get it, do you? Everyone knows Wilson is married to you, a member of the famous Lancaster family. For something this scandalous to happen so soon after the wedding, everyone's watching. They want to see how the Lancaster family—and his wife—will respond!"
Bonnie's words gave Cynthia pause. After a moment of reflection, she realized Bonnie had a point. Still, what Wilson had done was a blatant humiliation of the Lancaster family. If he wanted to insult them, why not take it to the extreme? She might as well play along and help him make the disgrace complete.
A few days later, when rumors of their marriage being on the brink of collapse were spreading like wildfire, she issued a brief statement through Bonnie:
"Groundless rumors. We're doing just fine and very happy."
The statement was met with widespread ridicule. Even if the photos were blurry, Wilson's unmistakable, one-of-a-kind car in the background served as irrefutable evidence.
Yet his wife claimed it was all baseless? People couldn't help but think she was far too tolerant, even submissive. It made them suspect that the Lancaster family held no sway over VP Wilson—otherwise, how could he so brazenly humiliate them with his antics?
The day after releasing the statement, Cynthia received a call from William S. Lancaster. His furious voice roared through the phone.
"Cynthia! How could you be so spineless? You've completely disgraced the Lancaster family! We were counting on you to keep Wilson in line so the family could benefit from him, and look at what you've done!"
The Lancaster Empire's stock took a nosedive the same day Cynthia issued her statement, plummeting several points. This was the first major drop since the couple's marriage had consistently driven the stock upward, leaving Grace Lancaster and William S. Lancaster deeply alarmed.
No matter how much William S. Lancaster ranted over the phone, Cynthia refused to make a rebuttal. Finally, fed up with his endless tirade, she replied in an icy tone,
"Wouldn't it be perfect if I got divorced? Doreen could step right in and take over."
With that, she coldly hung up.
Her seductive cousin, Doreen, had been eyeing Albert Wilson for ages, hadn't she? If Cynthia divorced him, the Lancaster family could conveniently push Doreen into his arms. That way, the Lancasters wouldn't suffer any loss, and Albert Wilson would remain their pillar of support.
Pillar of support? Hah. Was he truly a support, or a bottomless abyss pulling them all down?
After hanging up on William, Cynthia casually texted Bonnie:
"Miss Laurence, I think you should consider becoming a celebrity manager."
Someone with Bonnie's knack for maneuvering and driving people to the brink of madness was wasted at a tabloid.
Bonnie responded with a simple giggling emoji.
So, as the storm unfolded, Cynthia remained composed, while he—Albert Wilson—was quietly seething.
BGIG Headquarters, CEO's Office
Albert Wilson sat at his desk, gripping the newspaper, his gaze fixed on her statement. He was utterly speechless.
Groundless rumors? They're fine and happy?
How could she even dare to utter such blatant lies?
Within days of her first statement, another scandal broke. This time, the photos were crystal clear. He was snapped holding hands with the rising starlet Lisa, the two shopping for jewelry at a luxury mall. The scene was so perfectly framed, it almost looked staged.
Cynthia, unfazed, once again issued a statement through Bonnie:
"It's normal for men to have women outside their marriage."
Her calm, unbothered attitude persisted. This time, with such clear photos of his face, Cynthia couldn't keep insisting it was all fabricated.
William S. Lancaster was so enraged by her latest statement that he ended up in the hospital, hooked to IVs for several days. Meanwhile, Doreen Lancaster called her directly, her voice dripping with icy sarcasm.
"Cynthia, if you can't keep him, let go already! Don't stand in the way of others pursuing their happiness!"
Cynthia chuckled softly, countering,
"Doreen, whether I can keep my husband or not is none of your concern."
A few days after the latest statement, Cynthia was enjoying a rare day off at home. After thoroughly cleaning her little apartment, she planned to relax with a cup of coffee and a good book in the attic. Just as she was about to settle in, a loud banging came from the door, startling her.
Peering through the peephole, she saw an irate Albert Wilson standing outside. Deciding not to engage, she turned to walk back inside, but his menacing voice rang out.
"Cynthia, I know you're in there! I'm giving you three seconds to open this door, or I'll handle it myself!"
Reluctantly, she stopped, hesitating before finally unlocking the door. She feared him—not because he was physically violent, but because he was a man who always got his way, no matter the cost. She had no idea what lengths he might go to if provoked.
The moment he stepped in, his dark expression bore down on her as he approached, forcing her to retreat step by step until she fell onto the sofa. Only then did he stop, towering over her. Staring at her calm and indifferent face, Albert Wilson finally erupted, his voice raw with anger.
"We're fine and happy? It's normal for men to have women outside their marriage?!"
To be honest, his scandals were partly a calculated move to humiliate the Lancaster family. But mostly, they were born out of spite—spite for her throwing him out of the house without a second thought.
He wanted her to see how desirable he was, how many women would fight to be by his side. And yet, she had the audacity to throw him out, so decisively, as if she didn't care at all.
He had hoped to provoke her, to make her furious, to force her to try to win him back. But here he was, storming into her home, while she remained as unshaken as ever. What infuriated him even more? She had even changed the locks.
Cynthia tilted her head up, studying his stormy expression for a long moment before quietly standing and brushing past him. She walked into the kitchen and calmly began making herself a cup of coffee. Her voice floated back to him, light and unruffled.
"Albert, why are you so angry? Isn't this exactly what you wanted?"
Humiliating the Lancaster family—that was his goal, wasn't it? She had merely helped him along. Shouldn't he be pleased?
Her words left Albert utterly speechless because she was right. Humiliating the Lancasters had been his intent. But how had things come to this? Why was he now the one losing control, showing up in a fit of rage? What was he even demanding from her?
Doused in the cold water of her detachment, Albert suddenly felt ridiculous. His behavior was childish, a far cry from the ruthless and composed CEO of BGIG he was known to be.
