Transmigrated: Stealing the CEO husband-Chapter 57: Suspended scapegoat

After Luiss pulled back, his intense gaze lingered on Ariana’s bruised lips. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her heart somersaulting inside her chest.

"It’s time we set up some rules," Luiss said, his voice firm and authoritative. "I don’t date just anyone, Ms. Grey. You should have known that by now. And when I do, I expect integrity."

"Yes, President Luiss," Ariana murmured, struggling to regain composure.

"When we’re dating, I require exclusivity from you," he stated matter-of-factly. "Likewise, you can expect the same from me."

Ariana froze.

If this was true, then this was a very good deal for her. It meant he wouldn’t pursue the female lead, even if he felt attraction toward her. And if there was one thing she knew about the male lead, it was that he was a man of unwavering integrity. She could trust his words.

"Alright," Ariana agreed after a brief pause. "Thank you for making things clear, President Luiss. I hope you’ll follow your part of the bargain with honesty."

"You can trust me on this." His words were firm, leaving no room for doubt.

As their conversation ended, Ariana opened up the reward tab in her mind.

[Make the Male Lead Jealous]Status: CompletedReward: Alter Memory x3]

A satisfied smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

Later that evening, Ariana received an unexpected phone call.

"We need to meet," said a deep, serious voice on the other end of the line.

Ariana’s heart skipped a beat. She immediately recognized the caller.

"Of course, why not?" she replied, though guilt tugged at her chest.

"I’ll text you the time and location."

"Alright."

The next day, Ariana met David at a quiet, low-key restaurant tucked away from prying eyes.

David, the suspended scapegoat, sat across from her with his arms crossed. His face was devoid of any warmth as he tapped his foot against the tiled floor. His sharp eyes bore into her, demanding an explanation without uttering a single word.

Ariana cleared her throat. "Why don’t we order something first?"

David remained silent.

"This restaurant, though lowkey, has an impressive variety of dishes," she continued, trying to ease the tension.

More silence.

"I’m thinking of getting braised pork. What about you?"

Even more silence.

"Fine," she sighed, feigning indifference. "I’ll just order their specialty—Ember-Grilled Moonfish with Starflower Glaze. Don’t worry, the bill’s on me."

David slammed his hands on the table, his voice dangerously low.

"Ms. Grey," he growled, his eyes dark with frustration. "I lost my job, and you’re asking whether I want to eat Ember-Grilled Moonfish with Starflower Glaze?"

"Um... about that," Ariana said awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck. "I hope Mr. David won’t take it to heart."

"Take it to heart?!" David choked out.

His sharp glare burned through her as he clenched his fists.

"Is that all you have to say after stealing my first kiss and putting me at odds with President Luiss?"

Ariana blinked, momentarily thrown off. "Um... would you rather hear an elaborate story—wait... your first kiss?"

She gaped at him in disbelief.

David’s face turned red as he realized his mistake. He averted his gaze, trying to recover. "That’s irrelevant."

Ariana, however, was grinning from ear to ear.

"Of course, that’s relevant," she teased. "The great right-hand man of Luiss, David Steverson, has never kissed a girl before? OMG! I can only imagine the rumors and gossip this would cause."

David smirked, a glint of mischief flashing in his eyes. "I hadn’t. Now I have. Go ahead and tell people—while you’re at it, make sure to mention that you were the one I lost my first kiss to. Let’s see how President Luiss reacts then."

Ariana’s smile faltered.

His words struck a nerve. The other night, Luiss had dragged her through a crowd of guests, creating a spectacle. If rumors spread about her and David, things could spiral out of control.

"I’ll talk to President Luiss and get you reinstated," Ariana said after a moment. "After all, it was my fault. And you’ve always worked in the best interests of the company."

David exhaled, relaxing slightly. "That’s the only reason I was suspended and not fired."

"Exactly. Since you’re only suspended, there’s room for negotiation. If you had been fired, there would’ve been no way out of this."

David was silent for a while before he finally asked, "Why did you do it?" His voice was softer, but there was an undeniable edge to it. "It’s obvious you used me. And judging by President Luiss’s reaction, something is going on between you two."

Ariana tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Sometimes, the less you know, the better."

David shook his head. "It’s not going to work," he said bluntly. "So leave before it’s too late. You’ll only end up hurt if you drag this out any longer."

"Why does Mr. David think so?" Ariana asked, her curiosity piqued.

"I’ve met Luiss’s mother," he said grimly. "She’s the type who would never allow her only son to marry a commoner."

"Is that so?" Ariana blew softly over her coffee, watching the steam rise.

"Yes. And that’s not all," David continued. "If Luiss insists on being with you, she might even resort to more drastic measures. Your life could be in danger."

"You seem to know a lot about President Luiss’s family," Ariana remarked, studying him.

"It’s not that I know a lot," David replied. "But the nature of aristocrats is the same everywhere. We work for them, but they are different from us. We are the servants; they are the rulers."

Ariana fell silent. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Despite everything, despite losing his job because of her, David was still looking out for her. His concern warmed her heart.

"And there’s one more thing I need to tell you," David said suddenly. His voice was serious.

"What is it?" Ariana asked, intrigued.

"First, promise me you’ll keep it a secret," he insisted.

"Okay, I promise."

David hesitated for a moment before revealing, "The Alexander who specifically targeted you and the Skyscraper Project..."

"Yes? What about him?"

"I discovered that millions of dollars were transferred into a dummy account by President Luiss’s mother," David said. "And the account into which it was transferred? It belonged to Alexander."

Ariana’s breath hitched.

She had expected someone to be backing Alexander, but she had never imagined it would be Julian Wellington.

In the original story, Mrs. Wellington was a kind-hearted woman who supported the female lead. She was a proper aristocrat—active in elite social circles, full of grace and nobility.

"Have you told President Luiss?" Ariana asked carefully.