THE DIVORCE GAMBIT From Dumped Wife to CEO's Forever novel Chapter 88

She asked, a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

After all, these days, not many young people are into musicals anymore.

She was worried Gordon might not like them, either.

"I actually really like musicals," Gordon said, his voice soft and even.

"Really?" Caitlin looked at him, genuinely surprised.

He nodded. "Yeah."

"So, do you like Les Misérables?" Caitlin pressed, a hopeful note in her tone.

"I do. Quite a lot, actually."

"Then I'll put it on."

As soon as she finished speaking, the car filled with the sweeping, melodic strains of the musical.

Caitlin leaned back lazily in her seat, one hand resting naturally on her lap while her fingers tapped out the rhythm on her thigh.

Some people might find the drawn-out melodies and slow tempo a bit dull, but Caitlin loved it. She savored every moment, letting herself get lost in the music. When her favorite parts came on, she'd even hum along softly.

From the rearview mirror, Gordon could see her face—completely absorbed in the music, oblivious to everything else.

She didn't notice the pair of deep, thoughtful eyes watching her from the mirror.

Nor did she realize that the car had slowed down a little.

About twenty minutes later, they pulled up in front of her building.

Caitlin opened the door and stepped out. "Thank you for giving me a ride home, Mr. Sylvester."

"You're welcome." Gordon's gaze flicked to the rearview mirror as he reminded her, "Miss Kensington, you forgot your boyfriend's clothes."

The color of the shirt inside the bag was clearly visible.

A gray polo.

Hideous, honestly.

What an ugly shirt.

"What boyfriend?" Caitlin looked genuinely confused.

Towering and long-limbed, Gordon easily reached back, grabbed the bag from the rear seat, and handed it to her. "This."

Caitlin laughed. "Oh, that's for my granddad."

But Caitlin? A nobody from a rural village? Impossible.

Which meant, obviously, his mother must have been mistaken.

"I swear I didn't get it wrong!" Vida insisted. "I even said hello to Mrs. Cumming, but people like her don't have time for families like ours." She frowned, her tone bristling with indignation. "Honestly, I have no idea what Caitlin did to charm her, but Mrs. Cumming seemed to really like her."

Julian narrowed his eyes. "Mom, have you ever actually met Mrs. Cumming before?"

Vida pulled out her phone. "I even snapped a picture from afar. Look—this is Mrs. Cumming, isn't it?"

The moment he saw the photo, Julian felt his heart drop. His face darkened immediately.

Because there was no mistake—the woman in the photo was Alaina.

And standing right next to her was Caitlin.

How? Why her?

What did Caitlin have that he didn't know about?

Vida sighed heavily, then added, "You know, I'm starting to think that fortune teller was right. Maybe that country girl really does bring good luck to her husband. We could have secured a partnership with the Sylvester Group, but ever since you divorced her, we lost that, too. And now she's somehow caught the eye of Mrs. Cumming."

She looked at Julian, concern etched on her face. "Son, maybe you should bring that girl back. She loved you to death. I bet if you said just a few words to her, she'd come running back, grateful as ever."