The moment I saw that necklace at the auction, it felt like a thunderclap in my chest.Back then, my love for Esther was pure and passionate. I wanted to give her the very best of everything. When she mentioned wanting a necklace, I dropped all my work, traveled abroad, and personally met with the designer to have a custom, one-of-a-kind piece created just for her, at an exorbitant cost.The more effort I put into that gift, the more it hurt to see it displayed at the auction. At this point, my pain wasn't even about whether I still loved Esther. It was about the regret I felt for my past self and how much I had given.Then I thought of Shelia. How had she felt when I completely disregarded her efforts and devotion?I knew the necklace had come from Warner's boutique, and Shelia must have had a hand in getting it donated. So later, when Esther came running to me in tears, claiming Shelia had bullied her, I sensed something was off. But I still believed Esther, partly out of anger t
I was stunned when I realized that Hugh didn’t respond to my confession and explanation at all. He just stared at me, and after a moment of silence, he left. Before Sheila came into the picture, he had always been devoted to me, completely trusting.Back then, I left him for another man, but when I decided to return, even though he was already married, all it took was a little gesture and a few tricks, and he’d abandon his wife to come crawling back to me without a second thought.But this time, he actually left me standing in the ballroom like this. I could feel the judging stares all around me—I was the clown. Before Sheila got involved, Hugh would never have let me be so humiliated. It was all her fault.If Sheila hadn’t interfered between Hugh and me, he would still be devoted to me and only me.I was furious, but there wasn’t time to indulge my anger. I could tell Hugh was genuinely upset this time. He had just left me at the event without a second thought!When I got home, I
After Esther left, I stared at that cup of hot chocolate for a long time. I knew she had ulterior motives, but I still couldn’t bring myself to say anything harsh to her. While she envisioned our future, I was planning how to end things with her once the engagement party was over.On the day of the engagement, Esther got into my car, wearing an elegant white dress. Her golden curls cascaded over her collarbone, and her face radiated happiness. She tried to hold my hand, but I discreetly avoided her touch."Esther, today you must stay by my side at all times. I’ll explain why after the ceremony is over."I didn’t want to scare her, but the guilt of deceiving her weighed heavily on me. I knew that if she were hurt by this, it would be a tragic experience for her.Esther smiled brightly and nodded. "Okay, I’ll do whatever you say."As we entered the ballroom, I overheard people talking."Can you believe Mr. Thornton threw such a grand party for his fiancée? I did a rough estimate, a
From the time Hugh and I got married to when we divorced, he never once took me to any public events. So when I arrived at his engagement party, I could hear people whispering about me. The poor, neglected ex-wife, discarded by her husband.Back then, I had nothing. Now, Esther was basking in Hugh's undivided attention and love.What a joke.Travis was visibly upset, clenching his fists. "These ignorant people don't know anything. Hugh isn’t worthy of you. You're the one who left that sorry excuse of a man. He’s the pathetic one for losing the best woman in the world."“But you can’t deny that Esther has everything I never had,” I said with a shrug.“Shelia…” Travis's expression softened, his eyes filled with concern and sympathy.“Don’t look at me like that. If I can talk about it so casually now, it means I’ve already moved on from my past.” But despite my words, when I turned and saw Esther clinging to Hugh's arm, I quickly averted my gaze.Years ago, Hugh saved me, and I stayed by
After splashing a bucket of cold water on the tattooed man, he woke up and immediately started cursing at me and Travis. I pulled out a recording device and spoke calmly, “You should know who he is and the power the Warner family holds. If they want you gone, there won’t be a trace of you left in this world.”The man looked at me, then at Travis, with a mix of confusion and disbelief. “Hah! You think I’m scared of a couple of tough words? My muscles aren't just for show, sweetheart!”I glanced at Travis, who shrugged. “Okay.”Then, without hesitation, he punched a nearby water pipe, leaving a clear dent where his fist had struck. The tattooed man’s smug grin froze on his face.“So, friend,” I said coolly, “from now on, you will answer every question I ask. If not, the next punch lands on you.”He nodded, now clearly shaken.“Who are you? And what’s your relationship with Esther?”“My name’s Jack. I used to be a bodyguard for a European prince—I won’t name names, of course. But n
I saw Jack appear at the front of the stage, gesturing at me. It meant he hadn’t yet found that sneaky assassin. Damn it, that killer was slippery as an eel. As long as we couldn’t locate her, I needed to keep Hugh close, securing my safety and making sure he had no chance to discover the secrets I couldn’t afford to reveal.The engagement ceremony was about to begin. I took a deep breath, steadying myself so I wouldn’t show even the slightest hint of unease.“Esther, remember, after today, everything will be over. No one will ever learn about your dark past. Your future will be bright,” I silently reassured myself.From the crowd below, envious glances were cast my way, and I could hear whispers among the women."Esther is so lucky to win the love of someone as incredible as Mr. Thornton and become his wife.""I’d trade ten years of bad luck just to marry someone like Mr. Thornton.""Even if you had ten years of bad luck, you wouldn’t stand a chance with him. Mr. Thornton only wan
By the time I arrived at the banquet hall, chaos had already erupted. To prevent Jack from escaping, Travis had dragged him inside. The crowd had formed a wide circle around the center, and from the looks of things, I could piece together what had happened.A woman on the floor was being restrained by two soldiers from the peacekeeping force, and a handgun lay nearby. On the stage, Hugh was shielding Esther, holding her close. It seemed clear—the woman on the floor had fired at Esther, and Hugh had saved her.Meanwhile, the video continued playing on the large screen, showing a brutal scene of a woman and a child being killed. The footage ended with a freeze-frame of Esther’s face. Given what Jack had said earlier, I now fully understood what was going on.Esther had brought Jack to the engagement party with the true goal of finding this woman. But because Travis and I had intervened, Jack had been captured, causing Esther’s plan to fail and giving the woman a chance to attack her.
“What?” Esther stared at Hugh in shock.“I said, I found out about your involvement in the 701 incident a long time ago. But because I trusted you and valued our relationship over the years, I chose to believe you were innocent. Even with today’s engagement ceremony, my plan was only to uncover who was behind 701. I didn’t tell you so you wouldn’t be afraid. As for our relationship, I’ve been wanting to call off the engagement for a long time, and you know that.” Hugh spoke slowly, laying everything bare.Inside, I felt waves of confusion. So Hugh didn’t like Esther anymore? Today was definitely full of surprises. Based on what I knew about him, Hugh may have been messy in relationships, but his character had never been in question—he was always upfront. So this had to be the truth.Esther looked devastated, her face pale as she gazed at Hugh. “That’s impossible... You used to love me so much. This is all because of what happened today... Hugh, don’t do this…”“Let me finish, Esthe
Hugh’s actions made me want to laugh. Did he really think throwing money around could make up for all the hurt he caused me? What did he take me for? A cheap decoration he could put on display when it suited him and toss aside when he didn’t need me? I looked at him coldly, as if he were nothing but a pathetic clown—ridiculous and pitiful.Carol’s face turned green with jealousy when she saw Hugh "defending" me. She clung to his arm, her voice dripping with bitterness. "Hugh, why are you bidding on that worthless thing?"Before she could finish, Hugh cut her off, his voice calm but firm: "It’s just an auction, Carol. Stop talking."Carol was furious but swallowed her words, glaring at me like she wanted to tear me apart. I smirked inwardly but pretended not to notice, casually watching the next auction item on stage.Just then, Ada gracefully walked onto the platform, dressed in an elegant white gown and with flawless makeup. She took the microphone from one of the staff and began
*The charity gala began with the clinking of glasses and the buzz of polite conversation.Susanne was dressed in an elegant light blue gown, adorned with expensive jewelry worth millions, giving off an air of sophistication and grace. But I instantly recognized her necklace—it was an old piece, the same one she wore when she got married. Carol, on the other hand, was dressed in a perfectly tailored red gown, showing off half of her large chest, exuding a bold, radiant beauty. She clung to Hugh’s arm like a proud peacock, flaunting her charms for everyone to see. She whispered sweet nothings to every man who passed by, always on the hunt for new admirers.I looked at Hugh, unsure how to feel. There was a time when I used to attend events like this on his arm, foolishly believing that was what love looked like. Now, we were strangers.Carol had become the center of attention lately, thanks to all the media coverage.Zachary couldn’t come because his back injury was too severe, an
In the past, I would have apologized to him out of habit, a natural sense of submission. But things are different now.“What does it have to do with you?” I snapped back at him.Furious, Hugh threw the cake to the ground. Cream and fruit splattered across my shoes, but I barely noticed. I just stood there, staring at him in disbelief. Hugh, how could you do this?“Hugh, what’s wrong with you?” I tried to keep my anger in check, but my voice trembled despite myself.“You have the nerve to ask me that?” he growled through clenched teeth. “Shelia, how many times do you expect me to stand by and watch? Huh?”His hot breath, laced with the smell of alcohol, hit my face as he leaned closer. The rage in his eyes was like sharp knives cutting into my heart. I could feel the sting deep inside.“What did I do?” I lifted my chin stubbornly, refusing to back down. “Zachary is just a friend. He was hurt, and I helped him bandage his wound. What’s the problem?”“Friend?” He laughed bitterly,
I got breaking news from Gregory—a massive update! Garcie had collapsed in prison, and no one knows why. She’s in a coma now, lying in the ICU. What kind of drama is this?Damn it, just when we were piecing everything together, the trail goes cold! A few days ago, we discovered that Garcie wasn’t just working with Carol—there’s a big boss pulling the strings behind the scenes. Now, with her unconscious, all the evidence she could’ve provided is gone. How could this happen? Did someone try to kill her in prison? Or is she really sick?My head was spinning. I lit a cigarette, something I rarely do, but the nicotine helped calm my nerves a bit. If I could dig into these women’s connections, I’m sure I’d find links to some powerful figures.Just then, I heard a knock at the door. Zachary walked in, looking as handsome and intense as ever. Today, he was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, making him look even taller and stronger. But his deep, brooding eyes always seemed to carry
*These past few days, I’ve been on cloud nine! News about my successful deal with Ada is everywhere, headlines like “Business Genius Carol” and “The Youngest Marketing Queen” plastered all over. Every time I see those flattering articles, I can’t help but smile inside, though I keep my signature "elegant" smile on the outside.Hmph, Shelia, did you see that? The Ada deal you tried so hard to get—now she's working with me! Who do you think you are? Just a discarded woman Hugh threw away!To celebrate my victory, I arranged a get-together with Fiona. After all, we landed this project together. I wonder if Lucas will come too. He’s one of the best guys I’ve ever dated. Maybe tonight, we could rekindle some old flames. I told Fiona to bring him along.I took extra care getting ready—slipping into a red backless gown, my hair elegantly pinned up to show off my long, slender neck. My makeup was flawless, and I looked sophisticated, sexy, untouchable. Glancing at myself in the mirror, I th
"Hugh, I’ve already scheduled a meeting with Ada. How about we go to Vienna the day after tomorrow? I heard the pastry chef at that hotel has won several international awards. We could try some of their desserts while we’re there." I put on a sweet, pleading tone, even though, in my heart, I thought Hugh was a total idiot—arrogant, cold, and not very bright.Without even looking up, he coldly responded with just two words: "Not going."“What’s that supposed to mean? I can’t handle Ada alone. She likes you! You have to come with me!” I tried to hold back my anger, raising my voice. How dare this useless man refuse me!He glanced at me with disdain, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Carol, I’ll say this one more time. Figure out Ada on your own. And honestly, you should give up—this was Shelia’s project from the start.""You!" I was trembling with rage, my carefully applied makeup barely concealing the fury twisting my expression. I’d gone through so much trouble to steal this projec
I sat in the café, gripping a cup of cold latte, my gaze fixed coldly on Marcus, who was sitting across from me. He kept his head down, hands nervously twisting together, looking like a beaten dog with its tail between its legs."Marcus, I really didn’t expect this from you," I scoffed. "I treated you like one of my own, and you..." I let out a cold laugh. "You and Garcie teamed up, scheming behind my back. But your biggest mistake was thinking you could cross me, Shelia!"Marcus jerked his head up, his face pale. "It’s not Garcie’s fault! We didn’t do anything!"“Do you even hear yourself, Marcus? Still defending her? That woman has been cheating on you left and right!"“No way! Don’t slander her! Garcie loves me and only me.”"How pathetic." I sneered. "Let me show you what your precious Garcie is really up to."I called Gregory. "Proceed as planned. Come pick him up."“Got it,” Gregory replied.I hung up, standing over Marcus, my voice cold. "Marcus, I’m giving you one last
The first step was to root out the traitor. To do that, I needed to find Gregory. He had been pursuing me for a while, but he was much younger than me, and I only saw him as a younger brother. I explained the whole situation to him, and he handed me a thick envelope filled with documents, a confident glint in his eyes."Shelia, it’s all in here. Marcus Leedon and Garcie Milton are working together, betraying the company. This time, they won’t get away with it! But for now, we don’t have enough solid evidence."I took the envelope, flipping through the pages. The evidence of Marcus and Garcie’s scheming was worse than I imagined. If it hadn’t been for this incident, they would’ve continued selling company secrets, and the entire company might have been destroyed in their hands! In a way, I should thank Carol for exposing the traitor early.Gregory handed me a stack of photos. "I dug up something else. Garcie is even more complicated than we thought—she’s been involved with several se
After leaving Amanda’s room, I rubbed my temples, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over me. I needed to think carefully about my next move against Carol. This was like a game of chess, and I had to plan my strategy well.I went to the bathroom and soaked in a hot bath, hoping to relax. But just as I started to unwind, the doorbell rang. I barely had time to dry my hair, so I quickly threw on my pajamas and went to answer the door.“Shelia, are you home?” It was Zachary’s voice from outside, deep and gentle.I opened the door and saw Zachary standing there in casual clothes, looking even more fit than usual. He was holding two bags, his usual warm smile on his face.“What brings you here?” I asked, surprised but touched by his visit.“I came to check on you and brought some things,” he said, stepping inside and placing the bags on the table. Inside was a box of freshly picked strawberries and a beautifully packaged raspberry pie.“Wow, raspberry pie!” I lit up with excitement. It