Chapter 51

Documents in hand, Clive made his way downstairs,intending only to hand them off to Vincent. The sight of a middle-aged couple hovering near the lobby desk barely registered at first, until their voices drifted over, boldly declaring Vincent as their son-in-law.

A phone was waved in the air by the man, who pointed at the screen with earnest conviction."That's our daughter's husband. Vincent Jones."

Curiosity got the better of Clive, so he took a closer look. The photo turned out to be nothing but a basic headshot, hardly proof of anything. He had to stifle a laugh at their nerve. Some people would go to any lengths just to cozy up to someone important.

While the receptionist tried to stay polite, her patience was wearing thin. "I'm sorry, you'll need an appointment if you want to see Mr. Jones."

Refusing to take no for an answer, the couple dug in their heels and kept insisting.

Clive noticed the growing tension and decided to put an end to it. Stepping forward, he flashed his work pass with authority. "I've dealt with your type before," he said, voice cold and crisp. "Spread another lie about our CEO, and we'll drag you into court."

Rising indignation flared in the middle-aged woman's eyes. "We're not making this up! Vincent really is our son-in-law. Our daughter married him!"

Disbelief flickered across Clive's face. "That can't be.Mr. Jones isn't married. What wife are you talking about?"

Shocked, the middle-aged man nearly dropped his phone. "What? That's impossible! Our daughter even showed us her marriage certificate!"

Desperately scrolling, he found the photo he wanted and thrust it toward Clive. "Look, this is real! They got married for sure!"

A quick glance at the image stopped Clive cold.There, on the digitalcertificate, he saw two names:Hannah Scott and Vincent Jones.

Recognition dawned on Clive, and a few pieces finally snapped together. So Hannah was their daughter. All at once, the ugly truth took shape.She'd spun a web of lies for her parents-pretending to be Vincent's wife, faking a marriage certificate,and selling the fantasy that she was anything more than a shameless mistress.

Clive couldn't begin to understand what Vincent ever saw in Hannah. Vanity and manipulation defined every move she made. No explanation seemed good enough.

Not even a day had passed since Hannah stirred up an online scandal, going after Brinley out of sheer jealousy, only to retreat and delete the evidence in the dead of night. All morning, the secretarial staff buzzed about the drama, and now Clive found himself standing right in the middle of yet another mess.

With a short laugh, Clive brushed off the couple's presence and fired off a message to Derek,requesting Hannah's contact information. Seconds after Derek replied, he dialed Hannah's number without a second thought. His tone cold,he taunted,"Ms. Scott, your parents are here at the Jones Group. It's about time you dealt with them, don't you think?"

Not waiting for a reply, Clive ended the call abruptly.Before he could break the truth to the couple, the familiar sight of Vincent's car turning into the driveway caught his eye. The car window rolled down, revealing his face.

Stepping forward, Clive quickly passed the documents to Vincent. Sitting in the passenger seat,Brinley caught his eye and flashed a warm smile,while Vincent barely paused to skim the papers before signing his name.

Papers handed back, Vincent glanced in the direction of the lobby but didn't linger, uninterested in the commotion.

Brinley, more observant, pointed discreetly. "There's a couple over there who can't stop staring at us."

A smooth answer rolled off Clive's tongue. "They're probably just awestruck by how photogenic you both are."

Her laughter came easily, a soft blush coloring her cheeks. "You're such a charmer."

Knowing Vincent and Brinley were heading abroad for a vacation and choosing not to spoil the light mood, Clive kept quiet about Hannah's parents and their wild claims.

Across the lobby, Hannah's parents, Raymond Scott and Margaret Scott, waited anxiously. As the car window rolled down, both caught a clear glimpse of Vincent. Margaret's eyes widened. "That's him!That's our son-in-law!"

Eager, the pair hurried after the vehicle, but it was already cruising away before they reached it.

Clive stepped forward to block their path, putting himself between them and any hope of pursuit.

Margaret turned to her husband, clutching his sleeve in excitement. "Did you see? Our daughter really has good taste. He's even more handsome than in the photos."

A pleased nod from Raymond followed as he adjusted his glasses. "He certainly is."

Curiosity turned to hope as Raymond faced Clive."When will Vincent be back?"

A scoff escaped Clive. "You two? Meeting Mr. Jones?

You might as well wish for the moon."