My Cold-Hearted Husband Wants Me Back
Chapter 206: The End Of Career

Chapter 206: The End Of Career

The moment the elevator doors slid open, a hush swept over the glossy, white-marble hallway.

Eryx didn’t need to introduce himself.

Every intern, assistant, and junior manager at the agency knew his face, especially after that video. But no one dared to meet his gaze as he strode through reception like he belonged there.

"I’m here for Seraphine," he said, not breaking stride.

"Ah—Mr. Eryx," the receptionist stammered. "Miss Seraphine is in a meeting with the Gild campaign team upstairs. It’s a closed branding session, so—"

"Then open it."

His tone was calm, but final. A weight behind the words that didn’t leave room for protocol.

The receptionist paled, reaching for the intercom.

Ten minutes later, Seraphine appeared at the far end of the corridor, heels clicking, lips set in a practiced smile. She was dressed in a sleek black wrap dress, her hair done to perfection, still glowing from the studio lights.

"Eryx," she greeted smoothly. "I didn’t expect to see you here."

"No," he replied. "But you’ve been working hard to make sure everyone else does."

Seraphine blinked, eyes wide with manufactured confusion. "I’m not sure I understand what you mean. Is something wrong?"

Eryx scoffed under his breath, the sound soft but heavy with contempt. He tilted his head slightly, studying her the way one might observe a broken piece of art—something that once looked perfect but had started to crack.

"You should’ve gone into acting," he said dryly. "You’re wasting time smiling in front of cameras when your talent for pretending would have earned you awards."

Her smile twitched.

"Whatever this is about—"

"Drop it," he cut in, his voice suddenly cold. "You know exactly why I’m here."

He took a slow step forward, lowering his tone but sharpening it like a blade.

"Clear. The. Video. Put out a statement. Tell the truth. Or by tonight, there won’t be a campaign left for you to walk into."

Seraphine’s eyes darkened just slightly, but she held her composure.

"Threatening me now?" she murmured.

"Call it a warning," Eryx said. "Your agency might love your face, but brands don’t touch walking scandals. And right now? You’re dragging me, my wife, and yourself straight to the bottom."

His words hung in the air like a loaded weapon.

"This is your last hour to fix it."

Seraphine’s eyes softened with sorrow as she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "What happened to us? What went wrong with our relationship? I always believed you loved me... at least, that wasn’t all just lies."

Eryx’s expression hardened instantly, and his voice rose with anger. "Love?" He spat the word out. "Maybe I once confused infatuation with love but I never truly loved you, Seraphine!" His words came out fast, harsh. "I mistook passion, the thrill of power and the satisfaction of winning, for love. There was never any real feeling behind it."

Eryx’s expression didn’t soften. If anything, his eyes grew colder.

"A mistake?" he echoed, his voice low and sharp. "It wouldn’t have been one if you didn’t approach me with a motive, Seraphine."

She blinked, stunned. "I—I never—"

"You never what?" he cut her off. "Used our relationship to climb higher? Stayed close just enough to be photographed but far enough to never really know me?"

Tears spilled down her cheeks now, but Eryx didn’t look away. "I confused attention with affection. I mistook silence for peace. That’s on me. But love?" He shook his head, scoffing faintly. "I never loved you. I only loved the idea that maybe someone saw me for more than my name."

Seraphine opened her mouth, but no words came. Just the quiet, shaky sound of her breathing.

"You started the fire with that video," Eryx continued, voice quiet but heavy. "But if you don’t put it out soon, you’re going to burn with it."

He turned, not waiting for her response, already pulling out his phone. "You have one hour to clear the lie. After that, I will make the truth public and this time, I won’t hold back."

Seraphine took a shaky step forward, voice trembling. "Just—just give me until tomorrow. Please, Eryx. I need time to fix this properly."

Eryx stopped mid-step and turned his head slightly, the corner of his jaw tightening. When he spoke, his voice was low and cold.

"Tomorrow?" he repeated. "You mean time to crawl back to Matilda? Let her pull some strings and twist the story again?"

Seraphine’s expression faltered.

He faced her fully now, his eyes sharp. "No. You don’t get more time. You started this. You lied. And you dragged Lunara into something she had nothing to do with."

He stepped forward, voice like ice. "If you’re thinking of calling Matilda for help, don’t bother. If she gets involved, I’ll make sure her name is tied to this mess just like yours."

Seraphine froze, her breath caught in her throat.

"One hour," Eryx said, already turning away. "That’s more than you deserve."

Then Eryx turned, his gaze sweeping over every staff member who had been silently watching from the corners of the room.

"Make sure she clears it up within the hour," he said, voice cold and final. "Or this entire agency goes down with her."

No one dared to breathe.

His words cut through the air like a blade. The silence that followed wasn’t just awkward, it was almost suffocating. Phones stopped tapping, footsteps halted, and a few assistants subtly exchanged wide-eyed glances. No one wanted to be the one to breathe too loudly, let alone challenge him.

Seraphine opened her mouth as if to protest, but no sound came out. Even her perfectly trained expressions cracked, lips trembling as she stared at the man who once smiling at her like she meant so much to him. He didn’t smile at her now. Not even once.

He was already walking away, every step measured, calm, and terrifying in its finality.

One of the interns, barely out of university, whispered under her breath, "Is he serious?"

"Yes," someone else muttered. "That’s Eryx Grantham. He doesn’t bluff."

Seraphine stood frozen in place, the weight of her choices pressing down like a collapsing stage set.

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