THE DISABLED HEIRESS, MY EX-HUSBAND WOULD PAY DEARLY.
Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Chapter 20

At that moment, seeing and hearing what just happened, James couldn’t even say anything.

He just stood there, completely frozen eyes wide, lips parted, breathing slowly as if he was trying to understand whether what just happened was real. But it was. It was all real.

His ears were ringing with the words "blacklisted by the Victors" and "Global Investments pulled out." The atmosphere inside the VIP room had changed completely. What was once a warm room filled with powerful men and high expectations was now drowned in dread and disbelief.

At that moment James blinked slowly, still processing what was still happening. he looked at the television screen where the breaking news was being broadcast live. the other businessmen seated beside him, was boldly displayed. Each of them powerful men in their own right now looked like helpless children. One was still standing, trembling. Another had already slumped back into his chair, his face pale, lips trembling. Another one was gripping the edge of the table as if he was about to faint.

James didn’t know whether to sit or stand. He didn’t even know how to breathe at that point. His thoughts were scattered. A minute ago, he was sure the contract was back in his hands. A minute ago, he was full of confidence. Now... now he was speechless. Completely lost.

His throat felt dry as he finally spoke up, voice lower than usual, but filled with disbelief.

"What the hell just happened...?" he muttered, then looked at the others. "You guys called me here... for a meeting. Just a normal meeting. And now this? This...?"

He turned around, almost stumbling backward as he tried to gather his thoughts. "How? How is this even possible?" His voice rose, slightly shaky now. "How can this just happen to all of you at the same time? Did... did any of you do something wrong? Did any of you offend someone?"

The room remained quiet. Everyone looked confused. No one had an answer. That made James feel even worse.

He ran his hand over his face in frustration, trying to breathe properly. "No. No, this can’t be a coincidence. this... this isn’t just something random. You don’t just gather for a business meeting and then, boom your names show up on a blacklist in the same moment."

He looked at each one of them carefully, his eyes narrowing.

At that moment Bartholomew Ainsley couldn’t help but say.

"Someone... Someone we offended must have planned this. This is too calculated. Too perfect in timing. Someone’s pulling the strings."

But none of them said anything. They were all still trying to wrap their heads around what had happened.

At that moment James lowered his voice, more serious this time. "I don’t know what’s going on. But whatever this is... it’s not good. Not good at all."

And he meant every single word.

He didn’t actually know what was going on.

But something dark had just been set in motion.

At that moment, Bartholomew Ainsley slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. His fingers trembled not because he was scared, but because he was confused. Deeply confused. And angry.

He stared at the screen for a moment before unlocking it. His heart pounded against his chest, the sound echoing in his ears louder than the murmurs in the room.

"If anybody could pull this off..." he muttered under his breath, "it has to be someone with deep connections."

Then his eyes shifted around the room. The other men—business moguls, respected figures in the industry—were all in various states of panic. Some were whispering rapidly on their phones. One was pacing back and forth. Another still sat slumped, his hands clutching his head. They all looked like kings who had suddenly been stripped of their thrones.

immediately Bartholomew Ainsley swallowed hard.

He had been doing business with the Victor family for a very long time. They were one of the few families he actually respected—powerful, precise, ruthless when needed, but always professional. He had always believed their decisions were calculated, not emotional. So... why now? why blacklist him?why blacklist all of them?

He clenched his jaw, brows furrowing deeper. "Unless..." he began slowly, "this isn’t about me alone."

He turned to face the group again. "We all know the Victors, don’t we?" His voice echoed in the silent room. "Most of our biggest deals came through them or passed through their network. Right?"

A few men nodded slowly, cautiously.

Bartholomew Ainsley continued, pacing slightly now, still holding his phone. "So what if... this has nothing to do with one person? What if this is a punishment? What if... someone crossed a line, and now all of us are paying for it?"

At that moment he stopped walking and stared blankly at the floor, thoughts running wild in his head. "Or maybe... maybe someone framed us. Maybe there’s more going on than we know."

He looked at his phone again but didn’t dial. There was no one to call. No one to ask. Because he didn’t even know what was going on.

At that James could feel the weight of a thousand questions pounding against his mind.

Was it Cora? was it the Victors?

Was it someone else entirely?

His chest tightened as the silence in the room grew heavier.

"This doesn’t make sense," he whispered to himself. "None of this makes any damn sense..."

He looked around again. Everyone’s face mirrored his confusion. Their panic. Their helplessness.

Bartholomew Ainsley could only say one thing— truth that lingered in every man’s heart at that moment, yet none of them had the courage to admit aloud.

"I don’t know what’s going on but I think the victor are behind this..."

At that moment, everyone in the room slowly began nodding their heads, as if James had finally said the one thing they all didn’t want to admit out loud. The silence wasn’t just heavy—it was suffocating. Each of them had power. Wealth. Influence. Yet all of that seemed meaningless now.

Because the way it happened...

The way the contracts were revoked...The way their names were dropped publicly without a single chance to defend themselves...

It wasn’t just punishment. It was a statement. A warning. A thunderclap meant to silence the entire business circle.

And worst of all, it was effective.

So without wasting any more time,Bartholomew Ainsley , the one with the ancient English lineage and deep-rooted influence—snatched his phone from the table, his fingers fumbling slightly as he dialed a number only a few people in the world could claim to have.

The line rang once. Then twice.

Then it picked.

"Hello?" the voice came through, sharp and professional.

"Jeremy," Bartholomew Ainsley said, his tone tight with anxiety. "What’s going on? Talk to me, now. What the hell is going on? Did... did the Victors do this?"