THE DIVORCE GAMBIT From Dumped Wife to CEO's Forever novel Chapter 5

The man's name was Gordon Sylvester.

He was the ninth and youngest son of the Sylvester family, known to everyone as Master Ninth.

Old Mr. Sylvester and Dowager Beatrice Sylvester had him rather late—in their mid-forties—and because he was their surprise child, he'd grown up swaddled in affection. Add to that Gordon's razor-sharp methods and the fact that he'd made a name for himself in the business world at just eighteen, and it was no wonder that, now in his early thirties, he reigned at the very top of the financial elite. He was a true powerhouse—no one doubted it. On top of it all, he'd served as a peacekeeping officer in his earlier years, and rumor had it he'd seen his fair share of combat. There was an intensity about him, a residual chill that seemed impossible to wash away; most people could hardly meet his gaze.

Caitlin was the first to ever try.

"Uncle!"

Skyler Cumming hurried up from behind, catching just enough of Caitlin's comment about Gordon to freeze in his tracks.

He was stunned.

Master Ninth, a man who'd always stood head and shoulders above the rest, was used to nothing but honeyed praise, whether in the family or in the boardroom. Even Skyler, who spent nearly every day at Gordon's side, had grown accustomed to the constant flattery that followed him like a shadow.

This was the first time Skyler had ever heard anyone say his uncle was merely ‘alright.'

Skyler burned with curiosity to see what this person looked like, but the street was dim, and Caitlin had her baseball cap pulled low, making it impossible to see her face clearly.

Woo-woo—

Woo-woo!

Suddenly, urgent sirens split the night air.

A squad of police officers piled out of their cars, rounding up a group of battered thugs and herding them into the back of the cruisers.

As witnesses, Caitlin, Gordon, and Skyler were naturally asked to ride along to the station and give their statements.

Caitlin slid into the back of a police car, sitting beside the victim—a short-haired girl who was clearly still shaken. Even with a female officer sitting nearby, the girl clung to Caitlin as if she were her lifeline, refusing to let go. It was obvious Caitlin had become the person she trusted most in the world.

About ten minutes later, they arrived at the nearest precinct.

It was only then that Caitlin learned the girl's name: Celeste Hayes, just eighteen, a high school senior. She'd come out tonight with her best friend after a fight with her parents, hoping to clear her head. But when trouble struck, her so-called friend had bolted at the first sign of danger—hadn't even bothered to call for help.

Caitlin frowned slightly. "Sweetheart, you really hang out with friends like that?"

Celeste's voice was hoarse. "I... I never thought she'd do something like this..."

The officer watched Caitlin's retreating figure with something like wonder in her eyes.

If she hadn't checked Caitlin's ID, she never would have believed that the young woman was only nineteen—barely a year older than Celeste.

She was calm under pressure, tough as nails, and completely unpretentious. Most people, after taking down a gang of thugs and saving someone's life in the middle of the night, would be at least a little smug.

But Caitlin was different.

She'd remained cool from beginning to end.

The officer had worked at the precinct for years, and she'd never met anyone quite like her.

Caitlin rounded a corner just as Gordon and Skyler came out of another doorway. The three nearly ran straight into each other.

At last, Skyler got a good look at Caitlin's face—well, what he could see beneath the heavy makeup. He stared, incredulous. "Wait… you're Caitlin?"

"That's me. Anything I can do for you?" Caitlin's tone was mild, almost bored.

Julian was the financial world's rising star—someone the old-money crowd only saw once in a decade. Without him, the Chandler Group could never have pulled off its miraculous turnaround. A man that accomplished was bound to attract attention, and people were constantly speculating about his love life.