Julian dragged me away so quickly that all I could hear was Dolly’s furious shouting fading into the distance.He drove fast, too fast.Without a seatbelt, I was tossed around in the back seat, forced to clutch the back of the passenger seat just to stay upright.My eyes burned red in fury. "Julian, are you insane?! I’m calling the police!"His expression was dark, his grip on the steering wheel tight. His gaze stayed locked on the road, cold and sharp."Go ahead," he said, voice laced with mockery. "Tell them your lawful husband took you home. See if they care."I reached for my purse, but before I could grab it, he slammed the brakes.My head whipped forward, crashing into the seat in front of me.A sharp pain exploded in my skull, and for a moment, my vision went black.I struggled to keep my eyes open, but my body betrayed me, succumbing to the dizziness.As the darkness swallowed me, I instinctively reached for my phone, only to come up empty.Then everything faded.…When I woke
Tears welled up, slowly filling my eyes before spilling over, one by one, tracing cold paths down my cheeks.Julian took my hand, his grip firm yet coaxing. "Eve, stop being stubborn. Over the past five years, how many times have you threatened divorce? “And in the end, haven’t we always been fine? I’m not divorcing you. No matter what, I never will."I yanked my hand away and asked coldly, "Fine. Then leave Chloe. Never see her again. Not once in your entire life."His expression froze.I let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "What’s wrong? Can’t do it? If you can’t, then don’t talk to me about love. Julian, you disgust me."Strangely, after I said that, his expression softened instead of darkening."Eve, Chloe and I grew up together. We’ve known each other since childhood. You can’t expect me to just cut her off completely. Even if we’re only friends, I will see her again."I scoffed. "Right. So, you publicly flirt with her. You gave her that pink diamond she’s been dreaming about. You l
Julian hadn't expected me to hit him.He clutched his face, staring at me in disbelief.I let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "Talk? About what? Whether I get to be with you on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays while Chloe takes Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays? "Or should we talk about how much of the hundred million dollars I gave you five years ago you're feeling generous enough to return? Ten million? Twenty?"Julian, there’s nothing left for us to talk about. And I don’t want to talk to you."I shoved him aside and turned to leave, but before I could take a step, his arms snapped around my waist—tight, unyielding.In the next second, I was lifted off the ground.Panic shot through me, and I screamed, "Let me go!"Julian said nothing, hauling me back into the bedroom like I weighed nothing.The door slammed shut. The lock clicked.Before I could fully process what was happening, he threw me onto the bed.I bounced against the mattress, momentarily stunned, my head spinning.Just as
"I just want to find my brother!""I saw him, I really saw him. It was him... It was my brother..." I broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. "Please, just let me go. I need to find him... I have to find my brother..."A strong, warm embrace pulled me in, shielding me like I was something rare and precious.I caught the familiar scent of pine and cypress, mixed with something unfamiliar yet deeply stirring—a clean, crisp fragrance that only belonged to him.A scent I had only ever known on my brother.A gentle voice coaxed, "Don’t cry, don’t cry. Be good, Eve. You saw him, you did. It was your brother. You weren’t mistaken."My sobs grew louder, but he didn’t let me struggle free.Holding me firmly, he kept me pinned to the bed."Calm down. The doctor said you hit your head again. You can’t afford to get worked up."There was an unmistakable command in Miles’ tone.Gradually, my breathing steadied.He still held me, his upper body pressing me lightly into the mattress.After a long silen
I lowered my head, absentmindedly picking at my nails.Seeing my dejected look, Dolly grew anxious. "Hey, don’t be like this! You didn’t see how crazy your brother went when he found out Julian took you. “If you’d handed him a knife, he wouldn’t have hesitated to chop that scumbag into mincemeat."That thought lifted my spirits a little.Dolly then asked, "So, what’s your next move?"I lifted my head, my voice firm. "Recover, get a lawyer, and file for divorce!"...Recovering wasn’t difficult since most of my injuries were superficial. But because I had hit the back of my head when I fell from the second floor, Joseph wasn’t willing to discharge me so easily.I had to stay in the hospital for monitoring, a full-body check-up, and further observation.When Joseph saw me wrapped up like a mummy, he let out a deep sigh.I forced a smile. "Dr. Watson, sorry to trouble you again."He adjusted his gloves and replied flatly, "It’s no trouble."His indifferent tone made me uneasy.I had cau
His gaze was sincere. "Personally, I believe this is the best punishment for an abuser." The female lawyer immediately agreed. "Yes! Evelyn, we will do everything in our power to help you." I slowly nodded, a newfound determination lighting up my eyes. "Alright!" …Julian walked out of the police station, his face still bearing the marks of his injuries. The moment Chloe saw him, she rushed over. Tears filled her eyes as she threw her arms around him. "Julian, you suffered so much in there." She immediately began complaining, rambling about how heartless the police were, how they wouldn’t budge no matter what connections she tried to pull. She said apologetically, "Julian, I tried everything, but they said... they said you were suspected of unlawful imprisonment and attempted sexual assault, so they had to investigate thoroughly." As soon as she finished speaking, she realized Julian hadn’t responded. He simply got into the car without a word. Sitting in the backseat
After the check-up, my forehead had healed, leaving only a faint scar. I stood in front of the mirror, staring at the worn-out woman reflected back at me. The bright, youthful face I once had at eighteen was nothing more than a fading memory. I had come to accept the woman I was now. But the ache in my chest remained. Seven years of my youth, seven years of love and devotion, and this was what I got in return. I wiped away the condensation on the mirror with force, then picked up my makeup brush and carefully began applying it. I refused to be a laughingstock. No one—absolutely no one—was going to look down on me, Evelyn White. So, when I appeared before my lawyer, James Howe, I was refreshed, composed, and radiant. My bangs covered the scar on my forehead, and for the first time in a long while, I felt a spark of life return to me. Dolly’s eyes lit up the moment she saw me. "Eve!" I gave a wry smile. "Do I look alright?" Dolly’s face was full of awe. "Alright?
A milk carton was suddenly handed to me from behind. I shook my head. "I don’t want it. I feel awful."A moment later, a warm towel was placed in front of me.With no choice, I took it and absentmindedly draped it over my forehead.The soothing warmth eased my tense nerves, and I finally let out a long sigh."Dolly, thank you," I murmured. "If you weren’t here with me, I would’ve broken down by now. I swear, from now on, you’re my closest family. How was I ever so blind to fall for him?"I scoffed, my voice dropping. "Do you think even the heavens couldn’t stand it anymore and gave me amnesia on purpose?""Maybe this is the heavens giving you a chance to start over," a cool voice replied from behind me.I stiffened in shock, and as I instinctively turned my head.Crack!A sharp pain shot through my neck.I winced, trembling slightly as I peeled the towel off my face and turned toward Miles, my expression both pained and embarrassed."You… How long have you been standing there?"Miles
My phone buzzed twice.I quickly unlocked it and found a flood of photos and videos.A quick glance was all I needed before I grimaced and looked away."Here, there’s more where that came from," Trey said, watching me with an amused smirk. "So, tell me, do you really want to take down Julian? What happened? You finally got your head on straight? Or did you take the wrong meds recently?"Of course, someone as well-connected as him would have heard all about my black history.I hesitated. "I… I just don’t want to keep embarrassing myself."Trey chuckled, unconvinced. "Liar."His eyes narrowed, studying me with unsettling sharpness. "Tell me the truth, and I’ll give you something even juicier."I hesitated, James’ warning from earlier still fresh in my mind.Seeing my internal struggle, Trey’s smirk deepened. "No truth? Hmm?"I had no choice but to admit, "I… I lost my memory. And I don’t love Julian anymore."Trey blinked.Then, after a brief pause—he burst into laughter.Loud, unabashe
The three of us walked out together.Waiting outside were three flashy Ferraris, belonging to Trey’s poker buddies.They strolled over, grinning. “Trey, Evelyn, where to?”Trey casually rattled off a location, and the guys whooped as they jumped into their cars—each one, of course, with a stunning young woman already waiting in the passenger seat.Dolly tugged at my sleeve, whispering, “This is a full-blown rich boys’ club.”I nodded. “I just need to stick around long enough to get the evidence.”My gaze drifted to the bag she was clutching tightly—stuffed to the brim with cash.“And, well… there’s a lot of money involved, too.”At the mention of money, Dolly’s entire attitude shifted. Her back straightened, her legs no longer ached, and suddenly, she had zero complaints about hanging out with a group of spoiled playboys.Instead of taking one of the Ferraris, Trey ditched the idea and grabbed a convertible that could fit all three of us.And so, we sped off.Four cars tore through th
Trey smirked, his tone dripping with mockery. "Oh? Is that so? I thought it was your beloved Chloe who started spilling the tea. I’m just helping the public see the truth, nothing more."Laughter rippled through the room again.I watched as Trey danced all over Julian’s last nerve, and yet, Julian had no way of shutting him down.I couldn’t help it and laughed.Julian’s eyes darkened the moment he saw me smile. "Evelyn, you—"I cut him off. "What does this have to do with me? Chloe accused you of deceiving her. Maybe you should go explain things to her instead of embarrassing yourself here."His expression grew even more menacing. "You... what are you doing with him?"I let out a cold, dismissive laugh. "Julian, I’m divorcing you. We have nothing to do with each other anymore. If I want to hang out with friends, I will. If I want to go out and have fun, I will. What right do you have to control me?"His face darkened with rage. He stepped forward like he was about to drag me away.Bu
Something stirred inside me, and for a moment, I forgot to push him away.“Hurry up, play your hand!”The guys who had just lost were already urging me to make a move.I hesitantly placed a card down—the Queen of Spades.Trey smirked. “Not bad. Playing the Queen—might just turn things in your favor.”With a cigarette between his lips, he leaned over again, casually adjusting the cards in my hand.The truth was, I did know how to play poker—at least in theory. I had spent enough time as a child watching my mother and her socialite friends play at fancy cocktail parties.But watching and playing were two very different things.At first, I was stiff, unsure of the strategy. Then, as the game went on, I started picking up the rhythm.And then… I won.I stared down at my hand in disbelief, double-checking my cards. I glanced at Trey for confirmation.Just then, he flicked away his cigarette and leaned back with a lazy grin.“Straight flush. Damn, you actually won. Alright, pay up, boys!”
A strange shiver ran through me, and I quickly averted my gaze.Trey seemed to catch onto my thoughts. He smirked, deliberately exhaling a puff of smoke in my direction before turning to the others. “Alright, let’s play a few rounds.”I shot Dolly a pleading look, but she only shrugged helplessly.The game began. Trey’s long fingers toyed with the custom poker cards, his every movement exuding an effortless sense of wealth and refinement.“Three rounds.”He casually discarded a card, then leaned back, eyes half-lidded as he took a slow drag from his cigarette.“Hah! Gotcha! I win!” one of the guys across the table cheered, rubbing his hands together excitedly.Trey rolled his eyes, laughing. “That’s all it takes to get you excited? Fine, take it.”The game moved on—counting cards, reshuffling the deck. I watched as Trey casually tossed a thick stack of cash onto the table.My brows furrowed and thought, “They’re playing for that much?”He glanced at me. “Starting to get it?”I shook
I took in the massive VIP suite, realizing just how absurdly large it was.Scattered around the plush sofas were more young men—clearly heirs to wealthy families, each accompanied by stunning women.And these weren’t just any women. Every single one of them had the kind of looks that could make them instant social media influencers. They knew how to dress, and they weren’t shy about showing off.That was when it clicked—so this was why the server gave Dolly and me such a weird look earlier.I was in a simple, modest white cotton dress. Dolly was in a tracksuit and sneakers.Our attires were high-quality from designer brands, but compared to these women, we might as well have walked in from an entirely different world.Dolly tugged at my sleeve, frowning. “Who is this? Do you recognize him?”I pointed to the man sitting in the very center—the most striking, effortlessly handsome one in the room. “He’s Trey Wynn. So, it’s him.”Right on cue, Trey spotted us. He lifted his glass and s
I said, “He did buy me a lot of jewelry, designer bags, clothes, and other things. Those are worth quite a bit.”James adjusted his glasses. “Those are considered gifts. The court won’t allow you to reclaim them. “But Chloe Clarke, on the other hand, is in trouble. The transfer records and expensive gifts she herself exposed can all be compiled as assets to recover.”I was momentarily stunned.Dolly burst out laughing. “Amazing! This scheming, gold-digging snake clearly never bothered to read the latest civil laws! Everything she got falls under marital assets.”Realization hit me. “So not only can I get back the money I invested in Moore Group, but I can also claim a significant portion of Julian’s wealth and leave Chloe with nothing?”Dolly grinned. “Ding ding ding! You got it.”Then she turned to James. “Mr. Howe, make sure you collect every piece of evidence. Let’s ruin Julian Moore.”James smiled knowingly. “Bankrupting him might be a stretch—Julian has built a strong foundation
He pulled an A4 sheet from his briefcase, a photocopy of an official document.I immediately spotted my signature, along with the statement detailing the purpose of the transferred funds. In my own handwriting, I had written: Investment as a partner in Moore Group’s Expansion project.A long breath of relief escaped me.James smiled. “It’s all clearly stated, and there’s also a record of your transfer into Moore Group’s corporate account. There’s no way they can deny this.”“Thank you, Mr. Howe,” I said sincerely.He waved it off with ease. “No need to thank me. You should be thanking the financial regulations in place. “If you had transferred the money directly to Julian’s personal account instead, it could’ve been classified as a gift.”At that, the entire legal team seemed to relax considerably.Then James turned to me with a serious expression. “Miss White, have you truly lost your memory?”I nodded.He grew even more solemn. “You cannot let Julian know about this. If he finds ou
She stared at me for a long moment before urging, “Hurry up! He’s probably online right now.”“How do I contact him?” I asked.Dolly rolled her eyes. “Go to your account and message him.”I hesitated. “I forgot my login credentials.”With an exasperated sigh, Dolly helped me set up a new account.After what felt like forever, I finally managed to log in.I sent a message: "Hello, I’m Evelyn White, Julian Moore’s wife. Can I have your contact information? I need to ask you about something."A few minutes later, I got a reply: "Sure."I waited a moment before another message appeared.It was a username notification.I quickly added the contact.His profile picture was an anime-style illustration of a smirking, devilish-looking man. Something about the eyes looked oddly familiar.I typed, "Hello, may I ask where you got the photos you posted?"The chat showed he was typing.After a long pause, his response finally came through, "Someone sent them to me."I followed up immediately, "Would