Chapter 161

ROBERT'S POV

As I drove home, the weight of Ariana’s words pressed heavily on my chest. I gripped the steering wheel tightly, my knuckles turning white. How did it come to this? How had we reached a point where she couldn’t even look at me, let alone trust me? The image of her face, filled with pain and doubt, haunted me.

Odette’s lies, Maria’s betrayal—it all swirled in my mind like a toxic brew. Maria had been my one confidante in Vanderbilt Holdings. She had told me I was voted out of Vanderbilt Holdings, and I had believed her. I had gone to her for help with Odette. How much were they paying her to spread these lies? How deep did the betrayal run?

The drive home was a blur, my thoughts consumed by anger and exhaustion. I could barely process the fact that Ariana had sent me away. She was going to see Odette, to confront her. But what did she hope to learn from that viper? Odette had always been a master manipulator, twisting truths and creating chaos. Ariana had to know that.

W