Chapter 484

Chapter 484:

His dark eyes were fixed on Cyrus’s hand, which rested lightly on the cashmere draped over Isolde’s shoulder. A violent, sickening wave of jealousy crashed through him. He wanted to cross the room, grab Cyrus by the throat, and wrench his hand away. But his feet felt anchored to the floor. He had no right. He was no longer her husband. He was not even a friend. He was the man she despised.

Belle appeared at his side, holding two flutes of champagne. She followed his gaze and sneered.

“Stop torturing yourself by looking at her, Gray,” Belle said, her voice laced with venom. “Some women will do absolutely anything for money and power. It’s pathetic p>

Grayson turned his head slowly and looked at Belle as though she were something unpleasant he had found on the bottom of his shoe.

“Shut your mouth, Belle,” he said. His voice was a low, quiet growl. “You don’t understand anything p>

He turned back to Isolde. The painful truth was finally forcing its way through.

Cyrus was not looking at Isolde with lust or possession. The way he spoke to her, the way he handed her the water — it was the dynamic of absolute, equal respect. It was the camaraderie of two brilliant minds who had stood in the same rooms, solved the same impossible problems.

It was a respect Grayson had never once, in five years, given her.

Cyrus noticed Grayson staring. He leaned down, bringing his mouth close to Isolde’s ear to make it appear he was sharing a private secret.

“Your ex-husband is staring holes into my back,” Cyrus murmured. “Do you want my security team to throw him out into the snow p>

Isolde did not turn her head. She kept her eyes on her glass.

а𝘤𝗍іv𝗲 с𝗈𝗆𝗆𝘂𝗇𝘪𝘁𝘺 оn

“No,” she replied coolly. “Let him stay. Let him watch. I want him to see exactly what he threw away p>

She turned her body slightly and raised her glass of sparkling water, looking directly across the crowded room into Grayson’s eyes. She offered him a slow, deliberate toast. Her expression was utterly devoid of warmth — the look of a conqueror surveying a defeated enemy.

The breath left Grayson’s lungs. The rejection in her gaze was a physical thing. He raised his glass of whiskey and drained the burning liquid in a single swallow, trying to dull the ache spreading through his chest.

A loud chime rang through the lounge, signaling the end of intermission.

Isolde removed the cashmere shawl and held it out to Harper.

“Keep this safe,” she said, her voice sharpening with resolve. “It’s time to finish this p>

She turned and walked back toward the arena, her posture radiating absolute confidence.

Belle watched her go, teeth grinding.

“Just wait,” Belle muttered to herself. “The next round is team collaboration. I am going to show you what it means to be completely isolated p>

She caught Chase’s eye across the room and gave him a sharp nod, signaling him to initiate their backup plan — a coordinated boycott by the smaller teams to freeze Carson Dynamics out of the simulation entirely.

Grayson caught the exchange. A cold dread settled in his stomach. He was only now beginning to understand how deeply he had underestimated the reach of Belle’s malice.