The Contract: My Hidden Billionaire Husband

Chapter 7

Only exit

In those two long, exhausting weeks, almost as long as their honeymoon trip should have lasted, life, as Candy knew it, fell apart. Everything had changed. Her world was no longer the same; she could no longer be the same. It was time to confront Rick, her husband, revealing what he had done, exposing it so that everyone would believe him once and for all. The rumor she spread was about Candy's infidelity.

She needed to think that she wasn't crazy, she needed to focus so she could defeat him. But Candy was still somewhat disoriented. The fact that her sister and her husband were together continued to upset her. She wondered many things, but more than anything, how did she not realize?

She hated blaming herself, remembering when her husband compared her to his sister, but she convinced herself that she wasn't to blame for any of that. How could she listen to anything Rick said? Her perfect wedding, the ideal man, her life all planned by herself, what she always dreamed of, that ideal life plan, was nothing anymore. Anything. Everything was left on the ground, destroyed. How was it possible that plans could change so quickly?

Candy was the type of person who planned everything, every aspect of her life, everything of the week. She didn't take a single step without having planned it first, and she couldn't help being like that.

"Have you already had breakfast?" As soon as she arrived at her office, Samara gave her a mug of coffee. Candy took it and took the first sip, perfect as always, ideal temperature, no sugar. "I left the documents on your desk; Mrs. Martínez will arrive at ten." You know, the normal thing, she comes with her loud children and her long plastic nails. Which one do you want to start with?

It was time to be the same again. The situation required it. Spending more time on the ground was not possible. She took another sip of her coffee, left the glass in the hands of her friend and secretary, and looked around. There was a lot of silence, maybe because everyone knew what a failure her marriage was.

"Has Albert arrived?" She wanted to get straight to the point and carry out her plan, the only thing she could do.

"Minutes before you."

"Tell his secretary that I'll go see him."

"I think it won't be possible. He started Monday very busy, and his father is also here. I suppose Mr. Smith will want to see you."

"As always." She took off her jacket, opened the first and second buttons of her perfectly smooth white shirt, took her perfume out of her bag, and sprayed some into the air. She let go of her beautiful blonde hair and left it on her shoulders.

"What are you doing? You don't seem to have any plans to work, Candy."

"Yes, this is part of the job," Candy replied.

Interested, Samara sat in the chair across from Candy. "Tell me everything." She needed to know Candy's every step to be able to get ahead. Everything was easier knowing what the other person would do.

"I'll have Albert defend me against Rick," Samara's eyes almost popped out of her face. "He's better than me, my best option. Even if such a strong attack is not necessary, I want to go with everything, without hesitation."

"Defend yourself? Do you have progress? What happened?" Samara asked, curious about Candy's strategy.

"Well... not much. I already told you that I have the videos, but Rick also has them. I got Lexi's passport, and her plane ticket receipt, and it turns out they arrived on the same flight."

"But that also happened with you and Alaric."

"Exactly. We are tied, and the idea was unpleasant, horrible. The damn deal is starting to give me the advantage—at least not to go under Rick."

"What do you mean? Why didn't you tell me all the details?"

"You'll notice," Candy said. The Candy in front of her, fully incorporated into her work, was not crying; her expression was not sad, her head was not down, and her eyes were not teary. No. She was ready for the fight. And Samara was lacking information, leaving her at a disadvantage.

"Don't you want to tell me? Two minds are better than one," Samara suggested.

Candy stood up, took lipstick out of her bag, and looked at herself on the cell phone screen, painting her lips and fixing her hair again. She approached the door, ready to fight. She knew that to win, she would have to go a long way, but she would not allow Rick to take the lead; that was no longer possible.

All these days, she had analyzed her evidence, thanks to Rick, who had been boasting, and she knew what he was counting on, so she was able to prepare perfectly. Catching up. Since Albert Smith agreed to represent her, she would start a long fight, witnessing the destruction of Rick Johnson so that he would not keep a single cent of her money, and the shame of Lexi Weber.

She knocked on the door of Albert's office, while his secretary looked at her with a bad face. She had told him that Mr. Smith was there, but that didn't stop her; she combined her plans with her.

"Go ahead," Albert's voice was heard after knowing that it was Candy.

In the back, he and his father sat, rising to greet Candy Weber.

Albert's smile broadened as he saw that Candy looked good. He was the first to hug her and place a kiss on each of her cheeks.

He took her face in his hands and brought his forehead close to hers.

"I'm fine," she told him before his boss asked him. Albert used to be very attentive, but he respected her limits. It was the first time he had gotten so close to her. Candy was distracted by the mole near her nose or by the brightness of her green eyes. But those green eyes of hers reminded him of other eyes.

"I didn't deserve you, you know that, right?"

"He's an i***t, and I was a fool."

"Leave something for me," Mr. Smith complained, watching the hug his son gave Candy. Albert released her, and she walked toward Mr. Smith. “We have you back. I felt a little worried. I wanted to call. Know how you were.”

"You called me, Mr. Smith," but she was not in a position to answer. I apologize.

"Albert told me not to insist, that when you were ready, you would return."

"And here I am, just in time."

"I'm back. How is your health?"

"Much better now that I see you." He was a tall, very thin man, his cheeks wrinkled, like his forehead or his hands. He left his fingers on Candy's hair and took a strand, feeling its texture. “What are your plans to finish off that leech?”

"I would like to ask Albert to be my lawyer. I know very well everything that the agreement includes. And I think we are at a point where the evidence is even."

"Of course, he will be your lawyer," the father responded instead of his son. "How could he refuse that?"

Candy looked into Albert's eyes. There was some hesitation, but he wouldn't refuse.

"Of course," he agreed.

"Let me send you a copy of the prenuptial agreement," the blonde said. She took her cell phone and immediately sent an email to Albert.

The man walked to his desk and sat down. Candy went after him, getting closer to both of them and looking at the screen.

Her hair brushed Albert, and he turned his face, encountering the closeness that Candy had to him. Her soft and direct perfume enveloped his nose, allowing him to smell the fragrance with which Candy bathed herself.

He focused his eyes on the screen after having seen Candy's unbuttoned shirt.

He felt a little nervous when he noticed the color of Candy's bra.

“Do you want to sit?” he offered, pointing to the chair in front so she could move away and he could concentrate.

"I'm fine," she responded with a half-smile. "Do you see this part here?" She pointed to the screen, then lowered her hand to the mouse and moved it without Albert being able to remove his hand. She shaded the text she was referring to, and Albert read it aloud.

"The first clause is very clear."

"They all are."

"You will proceed to file for divorce with evidence of infidelity, then you are the affected party."

There was one thing that Albert still didn't know, but she wouldn't say it in front of Mr. Smith. And Rick also had proof of Candy's infidelity. He felt her tense, noticing that they were already speaking as client and lawyer, but her father was still there.

She stood up and walked around her desk, reaching out to her father. “Shall we meet for lunch?” He asked her father, a sign of farewell. “I have many matters to attend to.”

"Of course. I'll see you at lunch."

Candy also said goodbye to Mr. Smith, leaving them alone in Albert's office.

"Would you like to take a walk?" Candy suggested talking about the topic.

"Sincerely? No," he became serious. "Take a seat, and let's talk about this now. What do you have to tell me?"

"In addition to what you already know, the relationship the two of them had, I...that night, after knowing what was happening, I slept with a man." Albert's eyes didn't flinch, but he felt a sting in his chest. “Rick has that evidence, too.”

"Ah. That changes things a little," he reviewed the first clause again. "Both have been affected. That would be nullified if there were not three other clauses, Candy," she continued with the next one. "In the second, both can prove infidelity. Again, the agreement would be annulled, but... there are two more," he ran a hand over his head. "Reading it, I have a slight feeling that this was not your idea."

"No, but I agreed. There are two left, continue, please."

"They have the possibility of going to therapy, but since they are both unfaithful and wanting to divorce without one of them wanting to continue with the marriage…I think this part can be revoked. It would be an immediate divorce, except that someone has to compensate the other. Could you prove that Rick cheated on you first?"

"No, I only have the evidence from that day."

"Let's see how we're doing so far. He has evidence that you were unfaithful, but you also have evidence against him, three clauses are now void. We are clinging to only one. Why don't they reach a mutual agreement where they get a divorce, nullifying the prenuptial agreement?"

"It was the initial idea that his father offered, but he refused. He wants to mess me up. I can't afford it. This fight is happening because he went ahead with everything."

"Last clause, Candy," Albert ran a hand over his head. He thought it would be something simple, but it wasn't. One thing complicated the other.

"Before you say it, I want to make public one of the pieces of evidence I have against the two of them."

"As long as you leave others up your sleeve and the disclosure is not linked to you, you already know that," he read the last clause in a low voice. "If that's what I think, don't do it." After reading it, Albert knew what Candy was referring to. "It's a dangerous weapon that can go against you, Candy."

"I know my parents. When they find out that my sister was really with my husband, they will repudiate that relationship, and she will not submit to the public ridicule of being with Rick. She would only do it if I turned out to be the unfaithful girlfriend. But if she ends up the bad guy, Lexi will back away from him. She won't want to publicly be the woman who destroyed her sister's relationship. I know her perfectly."

"Not so much," Albert wrinkled his brow. He didn't like Candy's plan. "Because if what you think is going to happen doesn't happen, you will have Rick with a stable and demonstrable relationship, given that he was already having a clandestine relationship with your sister. That makes him win automatically."

"What I'm trying to do is destroy the only possibility he has left. After a year, the prenuptial agreement will no longer be carried out, and each person will keep his money. It's what we can do right now."

"Candy," Albert stood up. "I reiterate the risk of relying on the last clause. You don't think Rick is capable of having a stable partner within a year?"

"No, not when he makes public his infidelity with my sister. She will take away all credit. It's all we have, Albert."

He sighed again, fearing for Candy's trust in that last clause.

"Let's take that walk. Now I need it." He loosened her tie and reached the door before her, opening it for Candy to come out.

"Thank you." She smiled politely, but her sensual appearance elevated any gesture, even for him, who tried to see him only as her co-worker.

When they left the company, in front there was a park that covered the entire area; both of them used to go there to think or just free their minds.

"What if you find a stable partner before the year is up? Just in case Rick also tries the same thing. He is a good lifeguard."

"I'm not into relationships, believe me, not. My heart is closed, with a key that I already threw into the depths of the ocean, and a huge fish may have swallowed it."

"Let's hope that fish doesn't take the bait and ends up in the hands of someone who can open your heart again." He changed the subject when the sadness was reflected in Candy.

That man could be him, but she didn't take that direct hint.

He would offer, of course.