The Ruthless CEO's Revenge Wife
Chapter 65: The Gala Evening

Chapter 65: The Gala Evening

Long after sundown, Tyler’s car sat idling on a quiet road behind the Adams estate. From where he parked, he could see the faint outline of Jean’s bedroom window on the second floor.

When her lights turned on, he leaned forward in his seat. She came into view, wrapped in a towel, damp hair cascading down her back. She didn’t close the curtains.

He didn’t blink.

When she finally disappeared from view, Tyler reclined back into the shadows, eyes gleaming with twisted satisfaction.

"She has no idea," he whispered.

_____________________________

Meanwhile Jean’s parents...

The door shut behind them with a heavy thud. Derek leaned against the desk, loosening his tie. Darla paced slowly, her heels clicking sharply against the hardwood floor.

"She’s going to cause a scene," Darla said with thinly veiled annoyance. "You know how Jean gets when she thinks someone’s pushing her."

Derek scoffed, pouring himself a drink. "She won’t. Not if we control the setting. That gala is the perfect opportunity. Public, polished, and full of powerful people. She won’t risk her reputation."

Darla turned to him. "Reputation? Jean doesn’t care about that. She’ll burn the whole place down if she has to. The real question is... how do we shut her up long enough to make the announcement?"

Derek was silent for a moment, staring at the amber liquid in his glass. Then he said, "We corner her. Tell her everything depends on this... Alex’s career, our name, everything we’ve built. And if that doesn’t work..."

Darla’s eyes narrowed. "We remind her what Tyler’s capable of. The last thing she wants is a scandal attached to her name."

A small smile tugged at her lips. "If she refuses, she’ll look ungrateful. Hysterical. We’ll come off as the loving, concerned parents trying to protect her."

Derek nodded slowly. "Exactly. She walks into that gala thinking she’s just attending as a guest. By the time it’s over, she’ll be known as the woman engaged to Tyler Dominic and the whole world will celebrate it."

Darla sat on the armrest of the sofa, smoothing her skirt. "Let her cry about it later. We need this. She doesn’t have to like it."

_____________________________

The soft rustle of silk and the low hum of hairdryers filled the air. Stylists moved like shadows around Jean, tugging, pinning, perfecting.

The white gown they’d brought her shimmered faintly under the chandelier light... elegant, sculpted, and cruelly beautiful. It hugged her curves with calculated precision, designed to impress a room full of vultures.

Jean stood before the mirror, her bare shoulders rising and falling with each uneven breath. A stranger stared back at her. Flawless skin. Flawless smile. But her eyes betrayed everything.

"You look divine, Miss Adams," the designer said with pride.

She forced a smile and nodded. "Thank you."

But she didn’t feel divine. She felt like a porcelain doll dressed for auction. Made to sparkle under lights she didn’t ask for.

Her stomach twisted as her mother peeked in through the door, approved the final look with a single nod, then vanished again... no warmth, no comfort. Just control.

As the final touch of highlighter grazed her cheekbone, Jean’s heart began to thump harder.

Louder.

Tonight, she would see him... the man who would own her future.

And this time, she couldn’t run.

There were no options left. Her parents had made that clear. The gala wasn’t just a social event anymore. It was a stage. And she was the showpiece.

Jean held her breath, pressing a hand to her chest to steady the storm inside her. You can do this, she told herself. You’ve survived worse. Just get through tonight.

But something deep inside whispered... not this time.

______________________________

Logan adjusted his cufflinks as he stepped out of the car, already regretting his life choices. Especially the one where he agreed to bring his little sister as his plus one.

"Oh my god, thanks Mom for letting me come to this party too!" Hannah practically bounced beside him in her silver heels.

Logan didn’t even try to hide his grimace. "It’s not a party. It’s a gala. And could you please tone down the excitement? It’s a corporate event, not a Taylor Gaga concert."

Hannah huffed. "Ugh, why are you acting like such a brute? Don’t you know how to talk to a woman?"

Logan glanced sideways at her, dry amusement in his eyes. "You think you’re a woman? You don’t act like one."

Their mother, Martha, chuckled softly from behind them, linking arms with Jared Kingsley, both dressed in quiet elegance. Hannah narrowed her eyes at Logan, her tone sharp with mischief. "So what, I should act like Jean? Because that’s clearly the only one you seem to classify as a woman these days."

Logan paused.

The name alone dropped an anchor in his stomach. He exhaled and ran a hand through his hair, his expression unreadable. "This is not what I signed up for tonight."

Martha smirked but said nothing. Jared clapped Logan on the back, sensing the tension, "Just smile for the cameras, son. We’re here to keep appearances, not stir drama."

Logan adjusted his stance, his jaw tightening. He had no interest in seeing Jean tonight... not with the mess they’d left behind after the island, not with the lingering taste of unsaid things. All he wanted was a quiet evening with a beautiful partner and maybe a distraction for the night.

But as he stepped inside the grand ballroom, the first thing he saw wasn’t champagne or chandeliers.

It was her.

Jean.

Radiant in white, curves kissed by silk, walking arm-in-arm with her smug brother like she was walking the red carpet to her own funeral.

And just like that, Logan knew... quiet was no longer on the table.

And then... She turned.

Their eyes met. Time slowed for a moment.

She didn’t smile. He didn’t look away.

Cameras flashed.

Smiles were painted.

Lies danced in every corner of the room.

She knew he would be here.

Logan Kingsley. The Corporate giant. The Ruthless genius. And the man she had once betrayed for her own selfish reasons.

Her heart didn’t race when she saw him. Her heart was just simply... paused. As if bracing itself.

Their eyes locked across the room...