Dead Wife? Guess Who's Back & Boss Now, Hubby!‌ - Chapter 15: Chapter 15

Winter turned to spring.
Months had passed since Charlotte supposedly "died in the fire," and there hadn't been a single trace of her.
Preston was getting seriously unhinged lately.
Adrian had been going after Fitzgerald Industries like a man possessed recently.
Their core tech patents were getting hit with invalidation lawsuits, and overseas deals they'd already locked down were being stolen by Blackwell subsidiaries with lower bids.
Even the luxury brands under their umbrella kept getting slammed with negative press, tanking their stock prices.
The butler knocked and reminded him: "Sir, it's time to leave for Mountain View Country Club."
Preston's eyes narrowed, then he nodded.
Today was the Peterson Group's annual golf tournament and charity gala.
Peterson Industries—this massive conglomerate spanning finance, tech, and real estate—had a succession battle that was basically common knowledge in their circles.
The golf course and the evening gala were key opportunities for all the major players to size each other up, test the waters, and cut deals.
In his past life, it was at this exact tournament where he'd spotted and shut down a critical data breach targeting Maxwell Peterson, the third son.
That move earned Maxwell's trust, and Preston joined his team.
The old Peterson chairman was dying, with the sons fighting it out in boardrooms and backrooms.
Last time around, the third son Maxwell came out on top.
He crushed his brothers to take the chairman position, and Preston, as one of his key backers, landed exclusive rights to Peterson's most profitable overseas business.
But just three months after taking over, Maxwell died in a suspicious car crash, leaving only his young son behind.
Peterson Industries spiraled into chaos, and Adrian Blackwell—who had deep ties with the company and owned a major stake—used his enormous capital and tech industry clout to quickly stabilize things by working with other shareholders.
He effectively seized control of Peterson's entire strategy.
In the end, the board—now under Adrian's thumb—stripped Preston of all his contracts, claiming "damage to company interests." They used legal tactics to completely destroy him and even got him thrown in prison.
Preston was sick of living in Adrian's shadow.
This time around, he wouldn't repeat those mistakes. He was going to watch Adrian crash and burn instead!
Mountain View Country Club was all manicured greens and exclusive vibes.
All eyes were on James Peterson, the oldest son, and Maxwell Peterson, the third son.
Maxwell smiled politely and gestured toward the tee. "After you, James."
James gave his brother a calculating look before taking a casual swing, sending the ball flying in a perfect arc.
The brotherly respect was total BS—everyone knew there was a war brewing under that country club politeness.
Preston couldn't give a damn about the golf. He kept his eyes locked on Maxwell's every move.
When he spotted Maxwell heading with his assistant to a private lounge tucked away from everyone to handle some documents, Preston's eyes narrowed. This was his chance.
In his past life, this exact spot was where Maxwell's laptop got hacked, nearly leaking critical business plans.
Preston casually drifted closer, hanging back in a corner to watch.
But as the sun started setting, nothing sketchy happened around the lounge. No suspicious people coming or going.
Preston's mind raced with confusion: What the hell? The timeline had changed?
He walked away disappointed, completely unaware that Adrian had been watching his every move from the security room.
Late that night, in a downtown luxury penthouse.
Adrian's fingers flew over the keyboard as he sent an encrypted email. Recipient: Maxwell Peterson.
The message was simple: [WATCH OUT FOR PRESTON].
As the "message sent" confirmation appeared, Adrian's eyes went cold.
Try to team up with Maxwell? Keep dreaming.
Just then, Jessica walked into the study with a mug of warm milk, her voice gentle: "Adrian, it's late. Have some milk and get some rest."
Adrian didn't even look up. "Just leave it there."
Jessica felt a stab in her chest—always the same cold distance.
She set down the mug and reluctantly left. As she was closing the door, she glimpsed him taking a sip, and a dark gleam flashed in her eyes.
The milk had a little something "extra" in it.
Adrian kept refusing to perform his "husbandly duties," so she had to resort to this trick.
A few minutes later, Adrian felt a hot rush building in his lower abdomen.
He instantly realized something was wrong with that milk.
He jumped up to go take a cold shower.
Right then, Jessica pushed open the door wearing a sexy lace nightgown and pressed herself against him. "Adrian, let's..."
Before she could finish, Adrian shoved her away, disgust all over his face. "How fucking low can you go?"
He grabbed a towel and bolted out to the elevator, heading straight for the freezing infinity pool on the building's roof.
Jessica stood there shaking with rage.
After that night, they became complete strangers living under the same roof.