CHAPTER 54: CHAPTER 54: TIMOTHY XAVIER KISSES ME LIKE A MADMAN

By the time I finished giving my statement at the police station, it was almost dark.

I didn’t dare linger on the street, terrified of running into Serena’s crazy fans, so I rushed to hail a cab.

But the taxi driver immediately recognized me.

"Aren’t you that homewrecker who stole someone’s husband?"

He spat, cursing, "Get out! Out! Don’t dirty my car."

I snapped a photo of his taxi license before getting out.

Right after, I called the taxi company to file a complaint against him.

Thankfully, the police station was close to where I lived.

And it was dark, so nobody paid attention to me.

I deliberately avoided crowds the entire way back.

Just then, my phone rang—it was Victoria Monroe calling.

"Zoe, I’m so sorry..."

Her voice was thick with guilt, breaking as she choked out, "You did all this for me, and yet they’re writing about you like this! This was planned—they’ve been following you for quite a while already."

I was utterly confused. Victoria continued, "Didn’t you see the latest trending topic?"

"I just left the police station, haven’t checked my phone yet."

I answered, then hurriedly opened X.

Turns out, the news about me suing Serena’s fans had spread—not only that, the comments were practically unanimous, calling me a thief shouting ’stop thief.’

As retaliation, the whistleblower posted even juicier stuff.

There were photos of me entering and leaving the hospital’s OB-GYN clinic, plus a signed abortion consent form.

The handwriting was mine, but that consent form was one I’d signed for Victoria after I rushed her to the ER—she couldn’t sign, so I signed on her behalf.

The whistleblower only released the consent form, omitting the ’authorization letter’ with Victoria’s fingerprint on it.

So, to anyone who didn’t know the truth, it looked like I’d had an abortion myself.

The comment section was overflowing with all kinds of curses:

"Shameless! Stole Serena’s man, got pregnant with President Xavier’s child, secretly got an abortion. And now acting innocent, suing Serena’s fans!"

"Exactly, Serena’s way too kind—throughout this, she never attacked back. My heart aches for her! Who knows how much she’s suffering!"

"Heard Zoe Ellison is an orphan; her whole family died. Serves her right for being a homewrecker!"

"..."

I know the saying "if you’re innocent, you stay clean," but words like these cut deeper than knives.

On my way home, Mrs. Ellison called me too.

She was crying nonstop, "Zoe, what are all those people online blabbering about? I’m so mad I could burst! I’ve called Timothy so many times, but he won’t answer. Is he really done with you?"

"Mom, please don’t read that stuff online."

I said, feeling guilty, "I’m old enough, and yet I still make you worry about me."

Mrs. Ellison sighed. "I just hurt for you. Why don’t you come home, honey? I really don’t like you living alone right now."

If it were before, maybe I’d have gone back.

But remembering my brother’s murky relationship with Serena, I really didn’t want to return to The Ellison Family.

I comforted Mrs. Ellison for a while, promising again and again that if I ever reached my breaking point, I’d come home for sure.

Later, Mr. Ellison took the phone, his voice heavy: "Zoe, I know you’ve suffered terribly. But you mustn’t act rashly—don’t go public with your marriage to Timothy without his consent. If you do, it’ll have to be with his agreement. Don’t make decisions for yourself. Timothy has treated our family well over the years..."

A faint bitterness welled up in my heart—I knew the rule about not biting the hand that feeds you.

If I tore things open with Timothy Xavier, The Ellison Family would be the first to pay the price.

"Mm, I understand, Dad."

After hanging up with them, I arrived at my building.

Yet when I stepped out of the elevator, I found Timothy Xavier standing right at my door.

I halted, staring at his tired face.

He probably hadn’t had much easier of a day than I had.

After all, I was being called a homewrecker, and he’d been slapped with the label of "cheater."

On top of that, Xavier Group’s stock price had plummeted today.

"Open the door."

His jaw was clenched like iced steel.

I thought he was here to discuss a solution, at least—he was, after all, a key figure in all this.

So I pressed my fingerprint and let him in.

What I didn’t expect was, the moment I turned on the lights, he grabbed me by the waist and yanked me into his arms.

His cool lips crashed down on mine without warning—whiskey and mint burning into my mouth, forceful and invasive.

"Mmm..."

My eyes widened in shock.

Was Timothy Xavier insane?

Ever since he started believing in Buddhism three years ago, he’d been completely cold to me; even when we did have sex, it was always me taking the initiative.

But now—what the hell was he doing?

"Let me go!"

My protest was crushed by the punishing violence of his kiss.

My heels lashed uselessly at his leg, only to be pinned by his knee.

At last, when I bit down hard, he finally released me.

In the next instant, I slapped him across the face.

Timothy turned his face aside, blood trickling from where I’d bitten his lip—but he didn’t wipe it away.

His icy features seemed encased in frost; sparks flew in his eyes, shattering his usual cool detachment.

I gritted my teeth: "Timothy Xavier, if you’re so desperate to get laid, why don’t you go find Serena! I’m not your damn vessel for relief—get out!"

He still had me trapped between himself and the door, pinning my shoulders: "If it weren’t for that news leak, I’d never have known my wife got an abortion right under my nose. Whose kid is it? Ethan’s?"

So that’s why he’d snapped tonight.

I wanted to smash his face in.

But this time, before my hand could reach him, he gripped my wrist tight.

"Zoe Ellison, if I’ve left you lonely enough to cheat, let me satisfy you tonight. Make sure you’re not empty anymore."

As he spoke, he twisted my hands behind my back, yanked at my collar with the other.

His hand slipped under my clothes, scorching hot.

But how could I let him touch me now?

Never mind that I was pregnant—there was no way I could do this.

More than anything, this disgusting man—who knew how many times he’d touched Serena with those same hands?

"Timothy Xavier, I’m begging you, let me go, I don’t want this!"

Seeing me beg seemed to make him even angrier.

Timothy’s long fingers gripped my chin, eyes storming darker than ever—"Zoe Ellison, weren’t you so tough before? Refusing to let me touch you for my sake, and now what, you’re actually begging?"

My voice cracked, raw with tears. I nodded desperately: "Yes, I’m begging you. Timothy Xavier, please don’t touch me!"

He seemed to realize something, staring at me in disbelief.

Of course, he couldn’t accept it—a woman who’d chased after him shamelessly just a month ago, now pleading so humbly not to be touched.

Just then, the doorbell rang behind us.

Through the camera, Timothy saw Ethan Xavier standing outside.

He said, "No wonder you moved out on your own—you wanted to shack up with him."

I didn’t want to explain—didn’t want to argue. Timothy Xavier didn’t deserve it.

His dark gaze was like shattered ice. "I don’t need a wife who can’t even keep her chastity. In a few days, I’ll have the lawyer send the divorce papers."

At that moment, I smiled for the first time in relief. "Just like you, I don’t need a tainted husband. I’ll be home for the next few days—bring the papers whenever you’re ready."

Timothy stared at me for a long, long time, then suddenly opened the door.

Ethan was still standing outside.

Seeing Timothy there, he looked at the two of us in shock.

After all, I looked pretty disheveled right now.

Anyone with half a brain could tell what had just happened, especially someone like Ethan who’d seen it all before.

"Timothy Xavier, what the hell did you do to her?"

Ethan went straight for Timothy’s collar, grabbing him.

He’d forgotten Timothy used to be in the army—Timothy was excellent in a fight.

Before Ethan’s fist could even connect, Timothy reversed and threw him aside.

"Ethan Xavier, within a month, I’ll make sure you’re out of Veridia for good."

Timothy dropped the threat and strode off.

I hurried to help Ethan up from the floor.

Ethan didn’t seem to care about Timothy’s words at all, asking instead, "Are you alright?"

"He agreed to the divorce."

I forced a smile, but for some reason, hot tears spilled uncontrollably down my cheeks.

Ethan, usually all grins, handed me a tissue, comforting me, "It’s normal to feel upset. You loved him for so many years. I’m sure, once, he must have loved you too."

"Thank you."

I gathered myself, then asked, "Why are you here so late?"

Ethan’s gaze was serious. "So much happened today—I wanted to see how you were holding up."

I murmured, "I’m okay."

Ethan spat, "That Serena woman is terrifying! She even fabricated an abortion story!"

A slow sadness spread through me.

Even Ethan, who hadn’t seen me for years, could tell it was a smear job. But Timothy Xavier still wouldn’t believe me. Ethan was still scrolling through X, telling me, "I paid for some bots to see if we can swing the comments around. But your best bet now is posting the marriage certificate."

My voice was hoarse, depleted. "You know my mom’s and The Ellison Family’s situation."

"Yeah, I know."

Ethan sighed. "Timothy Xavier is ruthless as hell; he might actually destroy The Ellison Family and your mother if he wants to."

Remembering Timothy’s parting threat, I warned Ethan: "Let’s keep some distance between us from now on. Watch out for yourself—I’m scared he’ll screw you over later."

"First part—I disagree. Second part, I’ll just take it as proof you care about me. Means you have me in your heart."

Ethan grinned, heading straight for my kitchen.

I sprang up and followed him. "What are you doing?"

"Making you some food."

Ethan was already digging through my fridge. "Let me guess—you haven’t had a proper meal all day, have you?"

Truthfully, I was exhausted—too tired to even cook.

So I let Ethan take the reins, and he stayed to eat dinner with me.

Later, Katherine Sheldon showed up in person to take Ethan home.

She exchanged a few reassuring words, telling me not to be too affected by outside gossip, but ultimately, she was just here to get her son.

After all, no mother wants her son tangled up with a married woman.

Especially when I was technically Ethan’s sister-in-law.

...

Though I wasn’t going to the office for now, hiding out at home to avoid the storm,

The moment morning came, I got to work on my own report.

I went online and dug up every paper Miles Sawyer ever published, then started cross-checking their validity, one by one.

Sure enough, after a full day’s work, I found tons of flaws in them.

I marked every problem, compiled them, and sent the file to Victoria Monroe.

And so, following the "Miles Sawyer’s Fake Credentials" scandal, the second exposé was born—"Miles Sawyer’s Academic Fraud."

Victoria checked over my report and published it that very night.

Before she posted, she asked if I wanted her to put her own name on it instead.

She was worried that if my name went out again, Serena’s fans would retaliate even harder.

I said, "No. Use my name. If we’re right, I’m not afraid. I want to see how Miles Sawyer tries to explain his way out of this."

So the report went out under my name. Overnight, it didn’t get much traffic yet, but thanks to the time difference, a few international scholars saw it.

To my surprise, they started posting under my article, confirming that several of Miles’s papers did, in fact, contain data and image discrepancies.

These papers had appeared in some of the most prestigious journals in the world, cited thousands of times.

If those original reports turned out to be fraudulent, the consequences would be catastrophic.

The next morning, before I even opened my eyes, Victoria’s call came in.

Her voice was electrified: "Zoe, did you see? University of Veridia and Veridia Municipal Oversight have formed a joint investigation group—Miles Sawyer has been suspended!"

"Zoe Ellison, you did it! We did it!"

Victoria’s voice lifted me, joy spilling through the phone: "Your article just knocked yesterday’s smear campaign off the trending list."

I logged onto X, and saw the piece I wrote yesterday had hit number one on trending—and in the comments section, all kinds of academic heavyweights were verifying my findings.

Finally, those experts drew a clear conclusion: Miles Sawyer was indeed suspected of academic fraud.

That directly vindicated my report.

Meanwhile, posts smearing me still flooded with comments:

"So pissed! This homewrecker just won’t let our Serena go!"

"Zoe Ellison will never end well! Too bad all her family’s dead—if she had parents, they’d be dead tonight! Stole someone’s man and now wants to drag their whole family down too!"

"Exactly! She’s been exposed as a homewrecker and abortionist, yet dares to keep hurting Serena and her family. Does she think Serena’s fans are just sheep?"