From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress Chapter 309: Riley Knew

"I won't let my son suffer this kind of injustice! Harvey, you have to help me. This time, I'll plan everything perfectly. Just one success is all we need!"

Harvey stared at her tear-streaked face, his initial fear dissolving under a surge of deeper emotion.

For Sophia. For Jeremy. What won't I dare?

I'll sweep every obstacle from their path.

"Alright. Tell me what you need me to do," he agreed, his voice low with grim determination.

Sophia's tears vanished as quickly as they had come, cold calculation snapping back into place.

Leaning close, she whispered her meticulously crafted, venomous plan into his ear, detail by poisonous detail.

Convinced her scheme was flawless, Sophia had chosen a members-only private club with tight security.

She'd even parked her car several blocks away, believing she'd covered her tracks completely.

But from the moment she left the kindergarten, an unremarkable black sedan had trailed her vehicle like a shadow.

The occupant was a professional. The following distance, the seamless switch between cameras—it was textbook precision.

A stream of photos was transmitted in real-time to Riley's phone.

Riley awoke to find the room dark.

Reaching for her phone on the nightstand, Riley saw the screen illuminate with a single unread message.

The sender was the private investigator she'd hired through a discreet channel—a strictly single-point contact, known for professionalism and airtight discretion.

Tapping the message, her fingers swiped through a series of high-definition photographs.

At a time like this, with the Ashford family on high alert and Sophia at the eye of the storm, she should have been lying low, behaving with utmost caution.

Yet here she was, unable to resist seeking out Harvey.

This was no simple social call.

They were plotting something.

Riley continued scrolling.

The next set of photos, however, brought a ripple of genuine surprise to her calm eyes.

The backdrop had shifted to the underground parking garage of a five-star hotel.

Sophia and Harvey emerged from the same car, still maintaining a careful distance, but the forced separation now seemed more like a clumsy cover-up.

Next came surveillance stills from a hotel corridor. They entered the same room.

The final photo was a close-up of a closed door, the room number crystal clear.

Riley's finger paused on the screen, her mind racing.

So... Harvey isn't just a pawn that Sophia has planted. They are lovers?

This revelation instantly reshaped Riley's entire understanding of the woman.

I underestimated her.

She had assumed Sophia's obsession with Lucas was genuine, that everything was a calculated play for the title of Mrs. Ashford.

Riley might have expected her to chase men with greater power than Lucas.

But never this—a woman clinging to a wealthy heir while keeping a subordinate as her lover.

It proved her feelings for Lucas were far from pure.

And betrayal, once it started, was rarely a one-time thing.

After all, Sophia had already palmed off a child that wasn't Lucas'.

Habitual infidelity was entirely possible.

Her thoughts immediately turned to Brandon.

Sophia's former boss from her entertainment days.

He had hinted before about knowing Sophia's secrets.

Coincidentally, just a few days ago, Brandon—from who-knows-where—had found her contact info. His friend request still sat unanswered in her list.

Back then, pride had held her back. She wanted no connection with him.

Now, the situation had changed.

Sophia was sharpening her knives, devising every underhanded tactic to destroy Riley.

Clinging to some foolish sense of propriety now would be like laying herself on the chopping block.

Decision made, Riley opened WhatsApp and accepted Brandon's friend request.

Almost instantly, a message popped up, as if he'd been staring at his screen around the clock.

Brandon sent a "thank heavens" emoji, followed by text, "Finally opened the door. Any chance you are free for dinner tonight? Just a casual meal, Ms. Harper."

His wording was slick—an apology for his previous bluntness, yet hinting at something more.

Riley looked at the screen, typing her reply without haste, "Not lately, too much going on. But I'll agree to dinner on one condition: we exchange some information. Deal?"

Silence lingered for a few seconds on the other end.

Then, Brandon's message reappeared, laced with playful insinuation.