After Divorce

Chapter 21 Want to Meet Her

Hearing Caroline invoke Sylvia left Cyril frowning in distaste. He disliked her sullying Sylvia’s name, feeling it a disparaging insult.

Especially now realizing how much Caroline had deceived him over the years, directly causing so many fights with Sylvia too.

“Enough. You never spoke ill before so I blindly thought you innocent. Keep trying to frame Sylvia and consider the consequences if you can withstand the backlash. I’ve provided your final way out. Don’t let it become your downfall instead.”

Ending the call abruptly, Cyril knew further discussion was useless. Meanwhile at the hospital, Caroline flung her phone violently down in frustrated despair.

Cyril claimed he was offering her a way out yet clearly his actions were shoving her onto an inescapable path towards destruction! And he dared insist Sylvia played no part in this? If so, why was he overreacting so extremely?

It had to be Sylvia orchestrating everything to remove her rival! With Caroline gone, Sylvia probably aimed to reclaim her position as Cyril’s wife!

What a joke! After Cyril had willingly fought with Sylvia countless times for her sake before and moved heaven and earth selflessly on Caroline’s behalf, how could Sylvia endure their closeness? The hatred in Caroline’s eyes intensified. If Sylvia wanted to ruthlessly drive her into a corner like this, Caroline refused to let her get away with it! Just wait! She would find a way to retaliate against Sylvia no matter what!

At his company, Cyril’s intense workload recently brought back painful old stomach issues that Sylvia used to help manage through regular meal reminders and preparing food for him occasionally. With their divorce however, no one now prompted him to eat anymore and he frequently neglected meals altogether, especially busy shielding Caroline from backlash recently.

His employees were overworked too, often missing meals in their haste as well. One morning, Cyril finally felt the consequences when his stomach started cramping badly mid- meeting, leaving his brows tightly furrowed in discomfort, unable to speak.

Hurrying in and noticing his painful clutch over his abdomen, Assistant Barry instantly understood the cause when he noted the lunch hour had long passed. If even he with a lesser workload hadn’t managed more than some quick bread earlier, Cyril surely ate nothing.

Barry had tried calling reminders without response, occupied with Caroline’s scandal. Their former diligence in this matter highlighted the new neglect.

Chapter 21 Want to Meet Her

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Wracked with guilt, Barry quickly offered to grab antacids though a thorough search found none in the office. Then he remembered who used to prepare them.

“Any medicine yet?” Cyril demanded through gritted teeth. Shaking his head apologies, Barry elaborated Sylvia’s past attentiveness as the reason before Cyril interrupted furiously.

“So she’s your boss instead of you being my assistant? If you can’t handle such basic tasks, why do I waste vast sums paying your salary?”

Stunned by the unexpected connection to Sylvia, Cyril desperately yearned to see her now. To demand explanations why she initiated divorce over Caroline’s irrelevance to her. Hadn’t they agreed Caroline posed no threat to her status?

Mortified over failing his duties, Barry self–blamed the entire escalation. If he had stayed properly attentive, this would have never happened. Insisting on taking Cyril to the hospital immediately, Barry had to support his struggling boss weakened by pain.

In the car, Barry reviewed workplace divisions and realized Cyril’s personal needs had slowly transferred under Sylvia’s purview the past years. With her managing that area, Barry’s ownI workload had lightened considerably. Her hyper vigilance lowered his own attentiveness until he took it for granted. Too late did he recognize that was still his primary responsibility, regardless of her initiative. Habits once formed became difficult to break after all.

Well understanding that now, Barry knew he had to refocus on fulfilling his duties going forward, no matter Sylvia’s involvement. Else what purpose did he serve Cyril?