THE DIVORCE GAMBIT From Dumped Wife to CEO's Forever novel Chapter 173

Even she couldn't get close to Master Ninth—so what made Caitlin so special?

What did Caitlin possibly have that others didn't?

The news that Caitlin was now dating Gordon stung more than a slap in the face. For Veronica, it was a humiliation worse than death.

Vida scoffed at the rumor, shaking her head. "Julian, you must have gotten it wrong! Caitlin's damaged goods, for heaven's sake. Forget about Master Ninth—even regular men of status wouldn't want someone like her! Master Ninth isn't blind, after all."

We're talking about Gordon here.

A man at the very top of the financial world.

A man like him could have any woman he wanted—why would he ever choose a divorced nobody from a rural town?

It was just common sense.

Julian sat in heavy silence. When he finally spoke, his voice was strained. "But that man... he looked just like Master Ninth…"

Just like him. Almost an exact likeness.

Even now, Julian still felt suffocated by the fear Gordon inspired.

"Looks like him? There are plenty of people in this world who look alike. Does that mean anyone could be Master Ninth?" Vida dismissed the idea with a contemptuous wave. "That girl is just trying to get your attention, Julian. From now on, don't contact her, don't go looking for her. If you ignore her, she'll come running back. She's only playing hard to get because she knows you'll chase after her."

Once Caitlin realized Julian didn't care anymore, she'd come crawling back, just as they expected.

Veronica narrowed her eyes. "Aunt Vida's right. Caitlin, that little nobody, thinks she can climb up to Master Ninth? The guy is obviously some stand-in she hired. Julian, if she comes back begging, you have to put your foot down this time. Don't forgive her so easily again!"

Hearing his mother and cousin's words, a glimmer of hope flickered in Julian's eyes.

What they said made sense.

Rosenthal's tallest skyscraper.

Gordon had just wrapped up a meeting, followed by a stream of high-level executives. Though every face in the entourage belonged to a local, all of them spoke flawless English—clear, precise, and without a trace of an accent.

That was the world of the powerful.

When your status reached the very top, you didn't adapt to your environment; the environment adapted to you. So, even though Sylvester Group's branch was based in Rosenthal and every employee was a born-and-bred local, they all conducted business in English, no exceptions.

"Master Ninth, here's the complete summary of this morning's meeting," the secretary said respectfully, handing Gordon a folder.

Gordon took it and flipped through a few pages, barely glancing at the contents. "What's on the schedule for this afternoon?"

The secretary immediately pulled up the agenda and read it aloud. "At one o'clock, the president and delegates from KD Group are scheduled to visit you."