Chapter 94: The soulmates

Soren’s fingers tightened around the phone, his eyes darkening.

Although he trusted Elowen, his chest still constricted at the sight of Theron leaning so close to her. And the next picture, showing Theron carrying Elowen out of the café, made something twist painfully inside him.

A strange mixture of emotions surged through him.

He knew what had happened the previous day. Theron might have carried her out of the café when the dizziness had hit her. But knowing the truth didn’t make the photographs any easier to look at.

Seeing another man holding his wife in his arms made his insides burn with unrestrained jealousy.

’How did she get these photographs?’ he wondered inwardly. ’Has she been following Elowen?’

The thought added to his uneasiness.

Soren’s fingers scrolled the screen down and went to the next message.

’Aren’t they looking intimate? Theron is carrying Elowen like a loving boyfriend. This is what your dear wife is doing behind your back.’

Soren’s jaw locked. For a moment, he stared at the message, his expression turning frigid. He wanted to crush the phone with the sheer force of his grip. How dare she make such accusations against Elowen?

He, however, managed to stay calm and checked the next message.

’Someone posted these photographs on the office portal, and they created a storm there. Everyone is talking about their affairs. It’s a disgrace to the Vale family. Are you going to endure all this silently?’

The question seemed to twist into his chest like a sharp blade. He wanted to call her right away and demand to know where she had gotten the photographs. He wanted to ask her whether she was the one who had posted them to get back at Elowen.

But instead of dialing her, he scrolled to the next message.

’She no longer loves you, Soren. Look at the photos. She looks so comfortable with Theron, as if they are soulmates.’

The word ’soulmates’ was like a blow to his head. His lips pressed into a thin line. A muscle twitched in his jaw.

’You should reconsider whether you want to continue this marriage with her or leave her.’

"Mr. Vale, are you alright?" an executive asked, pulling Soren back to the present.

Soren lifted his head from his phone and noticed everyone staring at him. Their curious gazes only annoyed him further.

"We’ll continue the meeting after a short break." With that, he stood and walked out of the conference room.

As he headed back to his office, he called Kael. "I want you at my office in five minutes. If you are a minute late, don’t show your face again."

He didn’t wait for a response. He didn’t need to. Ending the call, he stomped into his office.

Kael rushed in a few minutes later, breathing heavily. He looked as though he had just run a half marathon. He was about to ask what had happened, but the moment he met Soren’s icy gaze, the question died on his lips.

It was as though his boss was ready to kill someone.

Soren pushed his phone across the table toward Kael. "Find out who posted those photographs on Aurevia’s internal portal. I want everything that is going on there. Who took them, who circulated them, and who spread the rumors. I want names."

Kael lowered his eyes to the phone and saw the photographs. He felt a jolt passing through his spine.

It was only at that point that he understood why Soren looked so pissed.

Kael didn’t question further. He nodded firmly. "I’ll look into it right away."

While Soren was trying to find out the person behind the photographs, Tahlia arrived at the Vale estate. She wore her practiced smile as she entered the mansion. Her eyes lit up when she saw Valora walk down the stairs.

Dressed in a grey pencil gown, Valora looked graceful and elegant. She had maintained her figure remarkably well. And the expensive skin care products she used made her appear much younger than her actual age.

"Aunt, you are practically radiating today."

Valora laughed softly at the compliment. "You certainly know how to please me. Come and sit."

She gestured to the sofa.

Once they settled, Valora looked at Tahlia, her keen eyes studying the younger woman.

"You haven’t come to see me in all these days. Are you upset with me, dear?"

"No, Aunt..." Tahlia reached out and squeezed her hand. "I could never be upset with you. I just didn’t know how to show my face."

She lowered her head, allowing her shoulders to stoop slightly. Her acting was precise. Every expression, every pause, every carefully chosen word was designed to evoke sympathy.

There was hardly a flaw in her performance.

"After Soren’s rejection, I didn’t have the courage to face you." Her voice almost broke toward the end. She lowered her eyes further, as if she might start crying.

"Don’t say that." Valora clasped her hand tighter. "You are always welcome here. You can come and see me whenever you want. And Tahlia, you are the only one who is suitable for this family. Sooner or later, you will become the mistress of the Vale estate."

Tahlia’s eyes flickered with satisfaction, but she quickly concealed it.

"Whether Soren agrees or not, he has to divorce that woman," Valora added, her voice turning firmer.

Tahlia found a perfect moment to fuel Valora’s hatred for Elowen. But she pretended to be hesitant, as though she was struggling with whether to reveal something.

"Aunt, you should talk to him soon. Elowen is far more shameless than we ever thought. She is having an extramarital affair..."

"What did you say? An extramarital affair?" Valora’s voice echoed inside the hall, her eyebrows shooting upward. "Do you have proof?"

"I do." Tahlia pulled out her phone and showed her the photographs.

Valora snatched it from her hand, her eyes immediately on the first picture.

It showed Theron sitting close to Elowen inside the café. He was leaning toward her, his face so close to hers that it almost looked as though he was about to kiss her.

Valora’s eyes burned with fury. She swiped to the next one.

Theron was carrying Elowen in his arms.

"This is what she does in the name of going to work," Valora spat. "I never liked her from the beginning because of her background, but I never thought she would stoop so low as to cheat on Soren."

Her expression clouded with violent rage.

’How shameless she is,’ she muttered in her mind hatefully. ’She is married to one of the prestigious families in the country, yet she couldn’t remain faithful to her husband.’