CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: Tit for Tat

MARIUS’ POV:

"He’s ready to draw more blood. Can I keep up?" I mutter to myself, my voice barely audible over the drone of the TV.

Carter stands at the podium, smug and confident, addressing a room full of reporters.

I know this moment will come, but the reality of it is a gut punch.

Hazel emerges to the living room, her gaze drifting to the screen as she takes a seat beside me.

"Marius Thorne has gone to great lengths to deceive me," Carter declares, his eyes gleaming with triumph. "Two years ago, he faked my wife’s death and swaped her identity with another to hide her from me. For this, he must be stripped of his license to practice law and should be served some jail time."

“Why would he do that?” a reporter asks.

Carter takes a second to pause before angrily answering, “Because he wants my wife for himself. He’s in love with her.”

I clench my jaw, trying to maintain a facade of calm. Hazel's worried eyes on me, piercing through my exterior. I want to reassure her again, but I