Second Chance: Marrying into Wealth Chapter 135

"There's definitely some juicy gossip in this," Paula said with a mischievous grin.

My eyes lit up, and I leaned in closer. Gossip—who didn't love it? "I'm all ears!"

"You must've heard that Alan Bennett, the CEO of Quantum Dynamics, married his second wife, who used to be his mistress, right?" Paula asked.

This wasn't exactly breaking news. Even if Alan tried to keep it under wraps, it was bound to get out. "Yeah, I've heard. So, what's the scoop on his second wife?"

"Melinda, you're getting sharper. It does have something to do with her. Word is, before she married Alan, she was involved with an executive at Horizon Innovations."

"So, Alan's doing this out of revenge? But from what I've dug up, Alan's reputation with women is pretty bad. I doubt he'd go after another company just for a woman. Quantum Dynamics needed a shake-up when he took over, which was more about timing than his skills."

Guys like Alan, raised in a conservative family, usually only acted when they had no other choice.

"Who knows what he's thinking? Maybe he got played," Paula mused.

I couldn't help but frown. "Even if it's not for revenge, Alan definitely won't let Horizon Innovations' executives off easy. From what I can tell, Horizon Innovations isn't doing well. Quantum Dynamics acquiring Horizon Innovations should be beneficial for that executive. Why would he do it? Could he have been set up?"

It was just a hunch, but I couldn't shake it.

Paula seemed surprised that I hit the nail on the head and praised me, "Melinda, you really are sharp, hanging around Mr. Collins. There's even more explosive news you can use. If I sold this info, it could easily be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars." 

"I once overheard Alan's wife in a mall restroom, talking on the phone. She was being blackmailed with private photos to push for Quantum Dynamics to acquire Horizon Innovations. If she didn't comply, the photos and videos would be sent to Alan and spread within the company the next day. I recognized her from a distance at a party with Alan. If you connect that call with the recent acquisition, it makes perfect sense."

"Your info really clears things up. It seems Alan's wife tricked him into the acquisition. But there might be someone else pulling the strings, the person who called Alan's wife."

Maybe that person set the whole thing up.

When I analyzed the acquisition, I found several red flags. Christopher didn't seem keen on helping with the merger, and I doubt he'd agree after further investigation.

Paula continued talking about Alan's wife's past. "Even a basic investigation would reveal Horizon Innovations' issues. Alan should know this. For his wife to persuade him despite the disadvantages, she must be quite something. She came from an ordinary family, and while she might be a bit pretty, Alan has seen countless beauties. It can't just be her looks that made him marry her."

"She must have some exceptional qualities. As Mr. Collins' assistant, you need to be prepared."

I corrected Paula, "Not assistant."

"What?" Paula looked puzzled.

I replied with a bit of pride, "Special assistant. I'm taking Paxton's place."

"Wow! I underestimated you. But I have to ask, doesn't Mr. Collins like you? It doesn't seem like it." Paula was at it again.

I pretended not to hear and didn't explain.

Instead, I was curious about her earlier warning. "I'll be on high alert for this investment research. But do you think Alan's wife will come after me? Even though I'm the special assistant, Christopher makes the decisions."

Paula gave a knowing smile. "You might not think there's anything between you and Mr. Collins, but others might. Christopher has no women around him, and suddenly there's a beautiful assistant like you. People will be suspicious. You have no idea how many women envy you for being so close to Mr. Collins. Alan's wife, being a mistress, is sensitive to these things. She'll probably come after you."

"Only someone with a dirty mind would think that way," I said, annoyed, feeling like I was already labeled a mistress.

Paula laughed. "Understandable. People like that use underhanded methods."

"Don't worry. Since you warned me, I'll be careful!" I wasn't as naive as before, always seeing the best in people. Human nature was unpredictable. The cost of mistakes was too high. One wrong move could lead to disaster.

"As long as you're aware. By the way, how's the golden retriever? Is it well-behaved?" Paula, who also had a dog, was experienced. I had taken care of her dog before, so I had some skills and found it easy.

Of course, I couldn't help but tell her about running into Christopher while walking the dog.

"You wouldn't believe it. Christopher's dog is so smart. Watching it befriend the golden retriever, I couldn't help but imagine a scene from a novel and laugh." I described the situation to Paula.

Paula laughed too. "Do you think Mr. Collins likes the type of woman who acts like a little wife? Someone with a bit of cleverness but unaware of her actions, making people feel protective?"

It was possible. "Maybe. But Christopher is so smart, he might see through it and enjoy playing along."

I agreed with Paula's analysis.

Paula laughed. "I'd love to see who Christopher likes."

"Don't. Being interested in a man means..."

"Don't get it twisted. I only like obedient men! I wouldn't dare with Mr. Collins. Besides, my interest in him is because of you!" Paula clarified.

I was just joking. Then I told her, "I'll probably have to work overtime for the research, so I won't be able to meet up for a while. We'll catch up later. By the way, do you have any info on Alan's wife? If you do, send it to me."

"Their PR team contacted us a few times, so I do. I'll send it to you! No worries, even if we don't meet, we're still connected. We'll catch up later."