Chapter 3 - The Businessman’s Mask
Julian’s first instinct was primitive. He wanted to leave the office, drive to the penthouse, and throw Genevieve off the rooftop terrace.
But Julian was an apex predator in the corporate world. He knew that rage without strategy was just noise. If he threw her out now, she would take half of his liquid assets through the co-habitation clauses she had cleverly woven into their joint real estate ventures over the past year. She would walk away a billionaire, and she would play the victim to the press.
Julian grabbed a towel, wrapped his bleeding hand, and picked up his phone. He dialed Elias, his lead corporate investigator.
"Elias," Julian said, his voice dropping to a deadly, hollow calm. "I need you to pull every financial record, every tax return, and every digital footprint on Genevieve Dupont. Dig into her past before she came to New York. Find me the skeletons."
"Is there a problem, boss?" Elias asked.
"No problem," Julian whispered, watching a drop of his own blood hit the mahogany desk. "Just a demolition."
That evening, Julian returned to the penthouse. He walked through the door with a bouquet of expensive white lilies. Genevieve met him in the foyer, her public mask firmly in place, kissing his cheek.
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"How was your day, darling?" she purred.
Julian looked into her eyes, burying his wrath behind a flawless, charming smile. "It was perfect, Genevieve. Everything is going exactly according to plan."
