Page 44 of Breaking
"Oh, please." Olivia rolled her eyes. "Jenna might have been quiet about it, but everyone saw what was happening. Your mother practically shoved Lila at you, and you let her. I have my ear to the ground. The office staff assumes you two have been having an affairfor years, and Jenna-Jenna, who spent twenty years making excuses for you-finally has had enough."
Troy could not meet her accusing eyes, "This is all happening too fast."
Olivia's expression turned scathing. "No, Troy. This has been happening for years. You just never noticed."
He was still reeling from her words when she reached for her bag, her voice calmer now but no less cutting. "You should be thrilled. Isn't this what you wanted? Your mother and Lila have got what they wanted. Jenna had moved aside with the minimum fuss. Lila's available. Why aren't you happy?"
Something heavy and ugly curled in Troy's gut. Because the truth was, he had never thought of Lila that way. He had been vaguely aware of her crush when they were young because Grant used to tease him about it. He had even enjoyed the admiration back then , but she had never been an option, never been real in his mind. And now Jenna-his Jenna-was walking away without a second thought, without a demand, without even a fight.
His voice was quiet when he finally spoke. "She deserves half."
Olivia stilled, her sharp eyes scanning his face. "What?"
Troy swallowed hard, his voice firm now. "Jenna deserves half of everything. I won't let her walk away with nothing."
Olivia studied him for a long moment before exhaling sharply. "Then prove it, Troy. Put it in writing. But I am not sure that's going to change anything. Jenna seemed quite determined."
Troy ignored that and said "Let's start with the prenup. But I want something from Jenna if she wants a divorce."
Chapter 36
Maggie had always been discreet. It was why she had held her position in the company for so long, why Troy had trusted her implicitly to keep things running smoothly. But she wasn't deaf.
She had overheard snippets of Olivia's visit. The sharp, clipped tones. The sound of papers being placed on a desk. The silence that followed. Olivia's voice, firm and unwavering, had been clear enough: She's not coming back.
Maggie had lingered just outside the office, ears pricked. The tension in the air was palpable. Troy's voice had been a mix of disbelief and rising anger, his usual composed demeanour cracking.
"... the prenup."
"She doesn't want anything, Troy."
Maggie held her breath as she eavesdropped. Jenna really was leaving, and not with a fight-but with finality. No claims, no demands. Just gone.
Now, standing outside Lila's office, she hesitated for only a second before knocking. She found Lila perched at her desk, a self-satisfied smirk already on her lips.
"Well?" Lila prompted, twirling her keyring as if she had already won.
Maggie shut the door behind her. "He was blindsided."
Lila smirked. "Of course he was. He's always been blind."
Maggie hesitated. "He's angry. And confused."
"He'll get over it," Lila said dismissively, setting down her glass. "It's better this way."
Maggie narrowed her eyes. "Better for who?"
"For everyone." Lila's nails-long, red, and sharp-drummed lightly against the arm of her chair. "Jenna was never the right fit. Troy deserves someone who understands his world, who belongs in it."
Maggie inhaled slowly. "His family agrees, don't they?"
Lila's smile now resembled the Chesire cat’s
"Of course they do. They've always seen me as the better choice. His mother, his sister-everyone knows Jenna never truly belonged. Troy just needed time to see it too."
Maggie exhaled nervously. "So, what now?"
Lila's smirk widened. "Now? Now we make sure there's no turning back."
