Chapter 45 “Jason had me locked up, Claire,” I said, my voice trembling slightly as I relived the horror. Claire’s lips parted in surprise. “What do you mean he had you locked up?” she asked, her voice filled with disbelief. “I’m serious. Remember when you called me, telling me to check the internet? After that call, a group of men barged in. They said I needed to be taken to a psychiatric home.” Claire shook her head, her brows drawing together. “You’re not mad. Why the hell would they take you there?” she demanded, gripping the edge of the couch like she needed something solid to hold on to. I swallowed hard, my hands tightening into fists. “It was all Jason’s doing. He locked me up in an abandoned facility and treated me like a madwoman. His men watched me day and night. There was no way to escape. They fed me scraps and treated me like a beggar.” Claire jumped to her feet, her whole body shaking with rage. “Jason is evil. How could he do something so horrible? Just because
Chapter 46Claire’s POV“I hate that bitch!” I screamed, gripping the steering wheel as I sped away from the Sinclairs’ estate. My hands trembled with rage. Why is she always the lucky one?“Andrèa Sinclair,” I mocked, squeezing my face in disgust. If only she knew how much I couldn’t stand her. How did I even miss that she was a Sinclair? She played her cards so well. And even though Jason had already told me who she was, at the event in Seattle, I still hated that she had lied to me.She always acts like a saint, like she’s incapable of hurting a fly. But she could pull this whole thing off so well.Oh, I didn’t mean to lie to you, Claire. I mimicked rolling my eyes. Always playing the victim and seeking sympathy. That's what I hated the most about her.My mind flashed back to when we first met in college. She had approached me, looking lost, and asked if I knew where the library was. She was new, and I happened to be heading there too, so I showed her the way. That’s how it started
Chapter 47 Jason’s POV I woke up feeling the weight of Claire’s arm draped over my chest. Her bare skin pressed against mine, her blonde hair falling over her breasts. She looked beautiful in the soft morning light—angelic even. But as I stared at her, I couldn’t pinpoint whether last night had been a night of passion or just another way to distract myself. I sat up and slipped on my robe. The movement caused Claire to shift on the bed, her lashes fluttering as she woke up. “Good morning, baby,” she murmured, rubbing her eyes. “Good morning, sugar,” I replied, turning back to her with a small smile. She sat up, stretching lazily, her bare hips swaying as she moved closer and pressed a lingering peck to my lips. “Last night was fire,” she whispered, her fingers tracing over my chest. “I know. You kept screaming my name.” My hand brushed against her lips. Claire blushed and looked away, biting her lip. “So… about Andrea—” “Oh, Jason, not again! Not this morning,” she cut m
Chapter 48Andrea’s POV“You don’t have to babysit me, you know,” Jake murmured, giving me his usual teasing look.I shot him a glance as I shifted in my seat. “How is accompanying you to the hospital considered babysitting, Jake?”“You don’t get my point, Andrea.” He exhaled dramatically, leaning back against the seat. “My hand has an issue, not my legs or eyes. I could’ve come to the hospital by myself.”“Stop whining. We’re already here.” I gestured toward the window as Paul pulled the car to a smooth stop in the hospital parking lot. “Come on, let’s get this over with.”“If I didn’t come with you, I’m sure you’d just sit in your room and rip the stitches out yourself, not caring if it got infected,” I added.A smirk pulled at his lips as he turned to me. “You think that little of me, huh?”I gave him a pointed look. “You can be reckless, Jake. Now, let’s end this conversation and get you checked.”To my surprise, he didn’t argue. Instead, he pushed open the car door and stepped ou
Chapter 48“Jason is using the same tactics he used during the divorce. You know that, right?” Jake said, his voice filled with anger and frustration.I let out a bitter scoff. “Yes, this has his handwriting all over it. Son of a bitch.”Jake paused before speaking again. “Andrea, I’m so sorry—”“I don’t need your sympathy right now, Jake!” I snapped, my voice rising. The last thing I wanted to hear was pity.Jake let out a slow breath, his eyes still on me. “I never said you did, but you need to calm down.”I let out a dry laugh, shaking my head. “Calm down? Seriously? How am I supposed to stay calm when my name and my family’s name are being dragged through the mud? It’s easy for you to say—you’re not the one going through this.” My fingers curled into fists, frustration boiling inside of me.Jake exhaled slowly. “You have—”“No,” I cut him off, my voice thick with pain. “I’m not interested in anything you have to say.” My chest tightened as I turned to him, “You think I don’t see i
Chapter 50“How did you get here?” I asked, staring at Claire, dumbfounded.“Oh, Andrea…” Claire’s voice trembled as she took a step closer. “Are you okay?” Tears gathered in her eyes.Finally, I thought, someone I could be vulnerable with.“Wait—Andrea, is that blood?” Claire gasped, dropping her bag. She rushed toward me, her eyes wide with worry. “Did you hurt yourself?” Her grip tightened around my hand as tears spilled down her cheeks.“Claire, please stop crying. I’m fine, honestly.”“No, you’re not fine, Andrea! You’re shaking. Don’t try to act strong in front of me—it doesn’t work on me. I know when you’re hurt. For God’s sake, you’re bleeding!” She held my hand firmly, guiding me to sit down. Then, she took out a handkerchief from her bag and tied it around my wound.“This will stop the bleeding for now,” she said, sniffing. “You know what? Let’s go to the hospital so it doesn’t get infected. Stand up, let’s go.”“No, Claire, It’s just a little bruise. I don’t need to go to t
Chapter 51Claire and I stepped out of the office building, the cool evening breeze brushing against our faces as we walked. The sun was already setting, casting long shadows over the parking lot. The day had been filled with a lot of tension, and my mind was still spinning from the whole scandal, my position in the company slipping from my grasp, and Claire's advice about Jake, I was still trying to process everything.“Today was one hell of a day,” Claire let out, exhaling sharply.“Yes… and thank you for being here with me today,” I said, my voice softer than I intended.“Don’t mention it, Andrea. If I’m not here for you, then who will?” she replied with a small smile.“Let’s go to my car. My driver will take you home,” I said, reaching for her hand.She shook her head, pulling out her car keys and shaking them slightly. “I drove here. I’ll call you later” “Alright, drive safe.” I watched as she walked to her car started the engine, then honked once before driving off. The red ta
Chapter 52“Jason is one disgusting, greedy snake!” I spat, shaking my head in disbelief. “How could he do that? Not just to anyone, but to his own brother? He stole your hard work, your sweat, your ideas—and made it look like his own! That is just… sickening.” My stomach twisted with rage. Every day, I realized more and more that I never truly knew the man I had once married.I turned to Jake, watching as his eyes still burned with fury. He was calming down, but I could tell the anger still steamed beneath the surface.“You know,” I continued, “I always asked Jason why he suddenly switched from engineering to wanting to own a tech company. But he never gave me a straight answer. He was always dodging the question, making up excuses.”Jake let out a humorless chuckle. “Did you expect him to tell you the truth?”I hesitated. “Well, no… but why didn’t you fight back? You shouldn’t have just let him get away with it. You should have exposed him to the public!”Jake suddenly burst into l
Chapter 85Jason pov I woke up to a sharp, hammering pain in my head, I groaned dragging a hand down my face as I sat up. It felt like someone was pounding my skull with a hammer. I opened my eyes wider, but everything still looked blurry.“Shit,” I muttered, rubbing my eyes until my vision cleared. I looked around the room.Claire wasn’t there.Where did she go this early?I swung my legs off the bed and stood up, only to stumble, catching the edge of the nightstand to steady myself.I needed some water. My mouth was dry, and I could still taste the whiskey from last night.Just as I was about to call out for someone, the door creaked open.Claire walked in, with a maid holding a bowl and a jar of water.“Good morning, sir,” the maid greeted.I ignored.“You can hand it over to me,” Claire said to the maid. The maid gave her the tray and left.She marched toward me, handing over the bowl like she was doing me a favor she’d rather not.“Here. Hangover soup,” she said stiffly.I blink
Chapter 84Claire povI leaned against my window, watching Andrea’s car disappear into the traffic. My heart pounded against my ribs. Damn, that was close—I almost got busted.If I hadn’t thought quickly, if my voice had wavered even for a second, Andrea would’ve seen right through me.I turned away from the window. Jason needs to know what just happened.I grabbed my phone from the table, my fingers moving fast. The screen lit up—Jason’s name glaring back at me. I tapped the call button and pressed the phone to my ear. It only rang twice.“Hello Claire ““Jason, Andrea saw you leaving the boutique,” I said immediately.“Huh?” He sounded nervous, caught off guard. “She saw me?”“She saw you walking out of the boutique,” I repeated, pacing the floor.“I heard you the first time, Claire. Did she… Did she suspect anything? Did she question you?”“Of course, she did. Do you think Andrea would see you walking out of my boutique and turn a blind eye? She asked what you were doing there.”“W
Chapter 83I sat in the car, still trying to make sense of what had just happened. Claire and Jason can’t stand each other—that was one thing I was very much aware of. They were like cats and rats, so the question popped into my head again: Why was Jason walking out of Claire’s boutique?I shifted in my seat, chewing the inside of my cheek. My head was spinning with questions I couldn’t answer. The more I thought about it, the more restless I felt.Sitting here wasn’t going to give me answers. I opened the door and started walking down to the boutique.The receptionist welcomed me with a smile when I got in.“Good afternoon, ma. Welcome to Claire’s.”I returned a polite nod. “Hi, I’m here to see Claire.”“One moment, please.”She picked up the phone, I could tell by the way she looked at me that she recognized me.I waited, arms crossed, eyes drifting toward the hallway. A second later, she looked up.“You can go ahead.”I walked past her desk, my pace steady—even though my thoughts we
Chapter 82“Did you really think I’d let Jason off that easily?” Jake asked, his voice calm but laced with a hint of mischief. “A press conference doesn’t clean up what he’s done. That was just… step one.”I sat up straighter, my eyes narrowing. “What do you mean by step one?”Jake shrugged, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips. “That press conference? That was me killing two birds with one stone. Your name’s cleared. The public believes you. But as for Jason… this is far from over.”“You already gave him the file,” I said slowly, suspicion creeping into my voice. “So what else is left?”He turned to face me more fully, his expression unreadable, eyes sharp. “Did I?” he asked.I let out a frustrated breath, throwing my hands up. “Can you please just stop answering my questions with another question, Jake? You have something up your sleeves. I can feel it.”He chuckled and lifted both arms, rolling up his sleeves dramatically. “I’ve got nothing under my sleeves, Andrea.”“Jake…”
Chapter 81Andrea’s POVI nearly choked on my coffee when Jason’s face popped up on my screen.He looked expressionless . Cold. Like he was reading a script straight off the teleprompter with no soul behind it.But I knew better.Beneath that polished suit and deadpan expression, I could see the cracks. The stiffness in his shoulders. The way his eyes avoided the cameras. He looked like a man holding his breath underwater—desperate not to drown, trying to make it seem like this was all under control.It wasn’t.He was miserable, and he felt like a damn loser for standing up there. I could see it in the way his jaw twitched after every sentence like he had to force the words out without spitting. He didn’t want to do this. This wasn’t some noble act of redemption. He didn’t have a choice.And the way he was acting—like he was one broken, lonely ex-husband who had no choice but to drag my name because of how pained and heartbroken he was? So pathetic. Some things never change. Even now,
Chapter 80 Jason’s POV I stood in front of the mirror, tying the knot for the third damn time. No matter how tight I pulled it or how clean the fold looked, it still didn’t sit right on my chest. My hands paused. I stared at my reflection—sharp suit, clean shave, everything in place—but I still looked like hell. I looked like a man about to step into a war he already lost. “Jason?” Claire’s voice floated in behind me. I didn’t turn. She walked in, her heels clicking against the marble floor. I caught her reflection beside mine—flawless, hair pinned up, makeup soft and polished. She wore a cream-colored dress that hugged her in all the right places. “You look tense,” she said gently, wrapping her arms around my waist from behind. “Everything’s going to be fine.” I didn’t say anything. My eyes were locked on the tie, my knuckles clenched around the fabric. “Jason,” she said again, a little firmer this time. “You’ve got this. Just go in, say what you planned, and walk out. You’r
Chapter 79Claire’s POVJason’s arm was heavy across my waist, his breath warm and steady against the back of my neck. He was snoring softly—completely at peace, like nothing had happened. Like he hadn’t just slammed me against the wall a few hours ago and wrapped his hand around my throat like I was an enemy in his way and not a woman he claimed to love.I lay there wide awake, staring at the ceiling. Every time I closed my eyes, I could feel it again—his fingers digging in, the panic clawing up my throat, the way my legs gave out under me. My heart wouldn’t slow down. My chest still felt tight, like I hadn’t fully caught my breath since.Though he had apologized and promised it would never happen again, could I count on his words? I had never seen him like this before—not toward me. For the first time since we became an item, I was scared. I was terrified of him.I shifted slightly, careful not to wake him. I turned to look at him. He looked so calm in his sleep. Like nothing was ea
Chapter 78 Jason (POV) The bookshelf was upside down, with books scattered all over the floor. The TV remote lay cracked nearby, its batteries having rolled somewhere under the couch. Shards of glass glinted under the light from the broken lamp. One of the picture frames had been smashed to pieces—the photo ripped and tossed across the room. I didn’t care. I grabbed the edge of the dresser and yanked it, dragging it a few inches before slamming it back against the wall, I needed something else to hit. Something else to throw. My whole body buzzed with anger—chest rising and falling, hands shaking. How dare they walk into my office like they owned the damn place Waving that stupid file in my face like it was a weapon. Threatening me. I was sure they were laughing inside, having cornered me. I slammed my hand against the wall. Pain flared, but I didn’t feel it. The door burst open. “Jason!” Claire’s voice rang out, high-pitched and sharp with panic. “What the hell happened?!
Chapter 77Andrea’s POV“Andrea, you’ve barely touched your food,” my mum’s voice cut through the quiet dining room.My fork froze halfway to my mouth. I blinked like I was just waking up from a long nap. The scent of roasted chicken and garlic rice hit me all over again, for a moment i forgot i was having dinner with my parents.“Oh… sorry,” I muttered, setting the fork down slowly. “I didn’t realize.”“You’ve been staring at the wall for the past ten minutes,” my dad said, setting down his glass of water. “Are you alright?”I nodded too quickly. “Yeah, I’m fine.”But I wasn’t here. Not completely. My mind was still stuck in Jason’s office—replaying every word, every twitch of his jaw, every glance exchanged between him, Jake, and me. The way his pride cracked when he saw the file. The look in his eyes when he realized we weren’t bluffing.It was like that memory had taken up all the space in my head. I barely remembered anything else right now.“You’re not letting all this scandal n