I suspected that Cindy had indeed said those things to Max. Given her lack of shame when confronting me, it came as no surprise that she could stoop to such levels.Curious, I asked Max, "So, how did you respond to Cindy?"Max replied, "Honestly, honey, I was scared... but I have to admit, the affair was thrilling. However, it also filled me with guilt. I was actually relieved when you became pregnant and the doctor advised against intimacy due to the risks. Otherwise, how could I face you, let alone engage in intimacy?"In that moment, I felt genuine gratitude towards him. Just the thought of him having sex with me after he was in bed with her made me feel sick!Luckily, we never had any intimate moments after that."Sometimes, Cindy would curl up in my arms and look at me. When our eyes met, it would remind me of the night I proposed to you and the way you gazed at me. Honey, that look was pure love, something only a deeply in love person would show. In that moment, I felt both
Wow, Max had managed to cleverly explain away all the inappropriate things he said in the video, seamlessly tying everything together. He portrayed himself as the innocent victim, crushed by Cindy's manipulations. I was almost tempted to applaud his performance.But now, here comes the crucial point."Honey, ever since you found out about Cindy and me, I completely cut ties with her. I made it clear to her that since you knew everything, I no longer feared her threats. I even warned her that I would involve her father to resolve the situation if she didn't back off. It seems that Cindy is truly afraid of her dad because she has backed off for a while. During our confrontation, she coldly laughed and accused me of being ruthless."Max raised his hand, as if taking an oath, and pleaded desperately, "I truly haven't been in contact with her. She's the one harassing me. Honey, you have to believe me now. Don't fall into Cindy's trap. She can't stand to see us happy and wants to destroy
Max looked at me with teary eyes, filled with remorse and emotion."I can't believe Cindy provoked me like that today, Max. I have my pride. Even if I forgive you, I can't let a woman who's trying to ruin my marriage publicly humiliate me. It was the first time I've ever fought someone. Do you understand how ugly that scene was?"Max held my arm, saying, "Honey, I know and I understand... Cindy crossed the line! She intentionally said those things to make you think I'm still in contact with her! I swear, I have no contact with Cindy anymore. If I'm lying, may lightning strike me down."Honestly, I wished a lightning bolt would strike Max down right then and there!That scumbag! He swore without even flinching, completely unafraid of death!I broke down in tears.Max hugged me tightly, comforting me, admitting his mistakes, and begging for forgiveness.As I leaned on his shoulder, anger boiling inside me, I decided there were some things I couldn't wait any longer to do.And I b
Three days later, Taylor informed me that Cindy's lawyer was interested in reaching a settlement. Despite being the first to initiate the altercation, the other side did not intend to press charges and proposed that both parties agree to leave each other alone.Taylor asked, "Ms. Middleton, should we agree to their terms?"Upon seeing Taylor's message in the WhatsApp group, I couldn't help but sneer and reply, "Terms? What right does she have to dictate terms? She should be pleading."Wendy was even angrier, exploding in the group chat, "Doesn't the Lansworth family have any shame? If she dares to act tough, I'll get a few influencers to publicly criticize her! That woman has the audacity to make demands? Unbelievable!"I said, "We do not agree to her terms. Let her ponder why I struck her in the first place. If she wants to go to court, I am prepared."After Taylor relayed our response, I expected Cindy to retaliate, given her usual attitude. Surprisingly, her lawyer returned, as
Last year, when I discovered I was pregnant, I made the decision to stop consuming coffee and tea completely for the sake of my baby. This was difficult for someone who relied on coffee every day. However, I persevered for the well-being of my child and continued to abstain until after giving birth.Thinking about my child only strengthened my resolve to send Max packing. I truly understood the saying, "A woman is weak, but a mother is strong."Steven arrived, dressed in army-green work clothes and wearing a baseball cap, and took a seat across from me. "Ms. Middleton."I pushed the cup of coffee towards him. "I wasn't sure what you would like, so I ordered an Americano."Steven casually removed his cap. "I'm not picky."After taking a sip, he immediately got to the point. "You asked me to investigate Lucy. I did, but I advise you to abandon this lead.""Why?" I inquired."Lucy's benefactor is Cindy's father. As I mentioned before, this man plays a significant role in Lucy's lif
"Based on my experience, Max probably knows that you're monitoring or investigating him," Steven said gravely, looking at me. "He's highly intelligent and has better counter-surveillance abilities than we imagined. He might know more than we think."I smiled lightly, unsurprised. "I've been expecting this day to come. If Max were a fool, he wouldn't have fooled me for so long."Steven asked, "What do you plan to do now, Ms. Middleton? You're in great danger."I chuckled, "Haven't I always been in danger?"Steven replied, "You still manage to joke in this situation. You're truly impressive."I said, "I have no choice but to take things as they come. Or maybe I'll just go with the flow."Steven asked, "Is there anything I can do to help?"I nodded, "Actually, yes.""Tell me.""Max drugged the milk he gave me with some kind of psychotropic substance. I suspect he wants to send me to a psychiatric hospital. Can you check if he's been in contact with any such places recently? And f
"I will think it through. Mr. North, this is my last chance, and I have to seize it. But I'm not reckless; I know my limits, which is why I need your help. I know you have extensive connections and resources."Steven shook his head, "Ms. Middleton, please do not place me on a pedestal. If Ms. Smith were to find out, she would be furious—she is my most important client. Nevertheless, I will help you with this, without any additional charges. Your husband, I mean Max, is truly a shitty person.""You are a true friend!""I will take care of arranging the phones and the bodyguards. If you need anything else, just let me know."After pondering for a moment, I asked Steven, "Have you ever... been involved in a kidnapping?"Steven looked shocked, "Ms. Middleton, we do not engage in illegal activities.""I am not asking you to actually kidnap anyone, just to intimidate them," I explained seriously. "Max's mother is a fierce old lady, but she's all bark and no bite. Without Max's support,
Even Steven couldn't hold back his laughter, and I couldn't help but chuckle as well. "That's exactly how Annie is—aggressive, rude, selfish, and mean. Max used to complain to me about how difficult it was for his mom to raise him. Looking back now..." I sighed deeply, recalling my encounters with Annie. "The house belongs to Cindy, right? The property management must have contacted her. How does she handle the embarrassment that Annie causes?" I asked."That's what I wanted to tell you. Since Annie moved in, Max has only visited her twice. One of those times was because of the flower incident. The property management did contact Cindy, but do you think she dealt with Annie? According to our surveillance, she hasn't even seen her yet. Max was the one who went to handle it. When he arrived, Annie was still sitting on the ground, clutching the flowers and throwing a tantrum. She got Max all muddy. He had to apologize and make amends. It was quite a scene."Steven continued, "Do you thi