The day goes by in a blur. Bella can't seem to focus on any of her classes, not when her mind is a jumbled mess. She flops badly in her dance classes, even more than usual, and the displeased look the teacher gives her is enough to make her want to crawl into a hole and die. But persist she did, urgently wanting to get this awful day done and over with. After leaving the dance studio, she finds a spot under a shady tree to sit. She scrolls through her phone but only sees text messages from Vaughn and her parents, who are still convinced they can get her to return to Vaughn's mansion in New York to keep him company. Bella thinks she'd rather crawl into the deepest part of hell than return to that place, which brings back so many torturous memories. She replies to Vaughn's messages to avoid appearing suspicious. She ignores her parents, not wanting to indulge them further. The only highlight of her day is when she goes to see Damien. Maybe the pop star knew she would be in a bad mood
"You know him?" Damien was surprised, seeing the two of them bickering with familiarity.Bella huffed, "It’s just a coincidence. I met him at the park... that day..."She didn’t need to emphasize which day she meant; Damien understood. He still felt guilty for not being there to accompany her, but he knew that some things she needed to face alone. It was the only way she could identify who was truly with or against her.The stranger glanced between the crybaby and Damien, sensing a hint of intimacy between them. The way they seemed to communicate through mere eye contact was irritating. He couldn’t deny he had a peculiar interest in the woman; she was fierce and seemed to share his interests. Forced here by his brother on behalf of the company, he figured he might as well enjoy himself."The name’s Silas, Silas Walker. I’m sure you’ve heard of me. Even if you haven’t, I’m not offended. We can still go somewhere private and get to know each other," he flirted shamelessly, unfazed by th
For someone like Silas, who had grown up with an overindulgent brother and a workaholic father who used money to solve problems, he’d never once been verbally disciplined. Now, he’d suddenly received a shoe to the face. He was so stunned that he couldn’t react for a long time.When he did, it seemed he didn’t feel anger in the end. He chuckled and wiped his face. Wow, fierce women were really the best. "Okay, don’t be angry. I didn’t mean it maliciously."Bella didn’t even want to acknowledge the man anymore. His thinking aligned with Vaughn’s. As expected, most men raised in wealthy families seemed to grow up with the mindset that they could get whatever they wanted with money."I still have things to do, so I’ll go first." She said her goodbyes to Damien and left.Silas watched her retreating figure, his eyes falling on her slim waist and voluptuous backside, hugged by the short dress she wore. He said to Damien, "How about you give me her number?""She is a married woman.""Huh?" T
Bella was speechless. She couldn’t comprehend why Jessica was in her apartment or why she’d insulted her. It had been a while since they’d seen each other, and Bella couldn’t recall doing anything that might have offended her sister. But how could she not feel angry, seeing the person who had once tried to kill her lounging casually on her sofa, still audacious enough to throw insults? "What are you doing here?" she demanded. "Why can’t I be here? Isn’t this the apartment Vaughn got you? It’s not yours, so what right do you have to kick me out?" Bella couldn’t believe her nerve. "Vaughn is my husband," she replied firmly. She had every right to anything he owned, whether money or property. The apartment was hers, and even Vaughn hadn’t fussed about ownership. So why was Jessica making an issue out of it? "That's what you think!" Jessica spat, trembling with rage. She looked at Bella with such hatred that Bella almost expected her to strike. Thinking back to the text she’d received
"I’ll send the private jet to pick you up tomorrow at noon. Be ready."Bella wanted to scream in frustration. Couldn't he get the hint that she didn't want to go back to the city? Vaughn's behavior was very strange. First, he broke it off with Jessica, and now he wanted her to attend an event with him? Usually, he mostly avoided being seen with her in public.She cut the call, fearing that if she heard his voice again, she might end up saying something she shouldn't—like cursing him. Honestly, she was getting so used to living a remote life that she felt very reluctant to go back. Maybe she would have preferred it if Vaughn and Jessica were still together; that way, her sister would be a distraction for Vaughn.Bella rubbed her cheeks absentmindedly; it still stung a bit from where Jessica had hit her. It was already late, and she had no interest in watching television, so she might as well go to bed. She took a shower, put on her nightwear, and lay on her soft bedding. It didn't take
Vaughn's $26 million mansion was nestled in a high-class neighborhood, standing grand and elegant with its stone walls and steep slate roof. Warm lights glowed from its many windows, creating a welcoming aura. A circular driveway led to the main entrance, flanked by neatly trimmed bushes and vibrant flowers. At its center, a fountain stood, surrounded by lush green lawns and softly lit pathways.Bella had only been here a handful of times. She much preferred living in the villa over staying in the mansion. Whenever she stayed here, she felt uncomfortable. The space was simply too vast. Although there were maids and other staff in the house during the day, they all retired to their homes by dusk, leaving the mansion eerily quiet.Vaughn owned many properties—mansions, villas, vacation homes, and even skyscrapers. But Bella had never been the materialistic type. She longed for a modest home where she and her husband could spend quality time together.Unfortunately, the mansion was teemi
Bella threw the first punch; unfortunately, the man was able to evade it very easily. Her chest heaved as she faced Vaughn, her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Rage burned in her eyes, frustration bubbling just beneath the surface when she saw the amusement on his face. “Stop smirking like that!” she snapped.Vaughn, calm as ever, tilted his head slightly, dodging another punch aimed at his face. “Is that all you’ve got?”“Shut up!” Bella growled, throwing another punch, followed by a clumsy kick. But Vaughn moved like water, effortlessly sidestepping each attack. His movements were fluid, precise, and unhurried—more like a dance than a fight.Bella stumbled but quickly regained her footing, her frustration evident. She lunged again, this time with more desperation than precision. Vaughn caught her wrist mid-swing and released it just as quickly, almost as if he found her attempts amusing.“Why aren’t you fighting back?” she yelled, her voice a mixture of ang
The Banquet Hall was decorated lavishly. The heavy scent of expensive perfumes mixed together was very unpleasant, though when Bella saw the table brimming with all kinds of desserts, she felt her mood lighten up a bit.Being married to one of the world's richest men meant that she had a free pass to attend exclusive events like this. It was just a gathering where rich people mingled, compared who had the most assets, and formed partnerships. The rich only favored the rich. It was one of the reasons why she hated attending events like this."Mr. McCoy, it's a pleasure seeing you here," a middle-aged man with a balding head and an obvious potbelly was the first to walk up to them. Bella was ignored as usual; she was treated more like an accessory by her husband's side, only there to make him look good.As Vaughn and the man cheerfully chatted about business, Bella looked around the place. She saw some familiar faces, like her sister, Damien, and her parents. That's right... Bella's par
Jessica's life had never been more challenging than it was at this moment. Don’t get her wrong; she’d always wanted her sister to get divorced, but what’s the point of that anymore when Vaughn didn’t even give her a second look? She’d never seen the man so obsessed before.The news of the divorce had taken the world by storm. Many people were in disbelief as Vaughn and Bella were viewed as the perfect couple. They’d been seen together acting all loved-up, and now they were separating?While Bella seemed to have disappeared completely from the public eye, Vaughn, unfortunately, was left to deal with the aftermath of the divorce. The paparazzi followed him like a second shadow. The blinding flash of their cameras and the inappropriate questions they threw at him pissed him off to no end. At this point, he might just work directly from home.But even while at home, there were still some people who came to bother him from time to time. Damien blamed him for his split with Bella, like Vaug
Bella met with the lawyer the next day. He was a middle-aged man who had been working with the Walker family for almost a decade. According to Ethan, he was one of the best lawyers money could buy."Ms. Page, you need to understand, if you insist on not filing for domestic violence, you'll likely end up with very little after the divorce. Your husband has such a good reputation in the public eye. Also, since you filed for the divorce, he has more advantage in this case.""It doesn't matter. I didn’t want anything to begin with. I want a smooth parting if that's possible."The man hummed in understanding. "We'll still have to meet up with your husband's lawyer. Your husband has asked that you speak to him in person.""Fine. Where?" Vaughn was probably going to try to convince her not to go through with the divorce. However, her mind was made up. If he came all the way to China for that, then she'd like to see the disappointment on his face when she rejected him. Also, she had some thin
Her words didn't garner the reaction she had been expecting. Her father and brother looked like they had anticipated her saying this."I have a lawyer ready. In two days, all arrangements to go to court will be concluded," Ethan said, assuring his daughter with a soft smile.He was usually a detached person who rarely showed such emotions. Ever since the tragedy years ago, he’d felt as though he had lost his reason to wake up every day with a smile. But now, with his daughter back, he vowed to honor his deceased wife by being a good and supportive father.Bella was surprised. She hadn’t expected Ethan to have already found a lawyer for her. She wondered if Damien had told him about the divorce earlier. Either way, she still felt uneasy about having to ask for their help.“I… thank you. You didn’t have to do this for me, but I’m grateful.”“This is what we must do. You are the daughter of the Walker family, and nobody is allowed to get away with bullying you.”“We’ll easily amass half
Bella's mouth fell open. She wanted to curse but couldn’t find it in her to utter even a single word. She felt completely drained. Jess took her silence as submission, and with one last hateful glare, she stormed out of the house, slamming the door hard behind her.Bella slowly rose to her feet and walked to her bedroom to strip off her clothes. Mindlessly, she walked into the bathroom to shower. Even the hot water didn’t manage to calm her down. Today was turning out to be one of the worst days of her life, and that was saying a lot, considering she had had a lot of bad luck in the past few years.She didn’t sleep a wink that night. Whenever she closed her eyes, even for a moment, her mind quickly flashed back to Damien and the conversation they’d had earlier. Bella wasn’t frightened by Jessica’s threat. At this point, she didn’t think her life could get any worse. But the fact that the woman was pregnant couldn’t be ignored. And Damien had so ruthlessly lied to her face for weeks. T
Bella blinked, startled. "Your... sister is Jess?" It was hard to imagine that the stubborn girl Dylan talked so fondly about was none other than Jessica—the woman who clung annoyingly to Bella's lover. "That's a surprise. I don't see any resemblance.""Yeah, she takes after our mom. Lucky her. By the way, are you familiar with Jess?""Well, not that much. She hangs out with Damien a lot, so we've met a couple of times." Bella tried not to let the bitter jealousy seep into her voice. She wasn’t sure if she pulled it off because Dylan was looking at her with those attentive eyes that seemed to see right through her very soul. She turned her gaze away, afraid that if she kept looking at him any longer, he might see how much bitterness she was masking."Didn't think they were back together."Back together? What the hell did that even mean? Her eyes darted back to him so quickly she went dizzy for a moment. "What?""You know, the guy I was telling you my sister's been dating—the rich boy.
'What am I doing? 'Bella thought to herself as Vaughn's kisses trailed to her neck, his fingers slowly working the loose ends of her dress. He had never kissed her like this before—slow and loving, almost as if he thought she would slip out of his grasp at any moment."Vaughn..." Her words were cut off when his lips pressed against hers once more. He backed her against the sofa, his fingers slipping through her dress to caress soft skin. Things were escalating so quickly that Bella feared if she didn’t do something now, she might not get the chance in a few more minutes."Vaughn!" Her trembling hands came up to push her husband's chest.The billionaire pulled back with a small frown, but he didn’t give her the distance she so desperately needed."What’s the matter?""I don’t want to do this!""Come on, it’s just sex. We’ve had sex before, remember...?""It’s not just sex! It’s sex with a man who literally betrayed and destroyed my life! I’d be crazy to let this happen!""Your body...
And damn, that revelation made him anxious. Vaughn prided himself on his ability to manipulate others; he was a businessman, after all. With money, he could get whatever and whoever he wanted. But now... even with half his fortune on the line, billions of dollars laid on the table, just begging to be taken, his woman didn't even glance at it a second time.Was I that much of a monster?Vaughn wasn't the kind of asshole who lied to himself—he knew he wasn't a good person. And honestly, he'd never cared before. Good people didn't get what they wanted. Just look at Bella—kind, gentle, and good—yet she was stuck with a monster like him. Goodness made people stupid; it made them ignore all other signs and signals. It was what made her marry him, despite the fact that he hadn't exactly hidden his flaws back then. She must have noticed how he got around her sister—the inappropriate touches must have been obvious. But she believed he was good enough not to break her heart. That was her mistak
Damien has been acting weird lately. On the days they are together, he clings to Bella like a second shadow, and on other days, he seems to disappear off the surface of the Earth, not even leaving her a text to ease her anxiety. Bella worries, but she knows better than to push things at this point. He is a busy man as well; it's understandable.She attends her horrible classes and spends her leisure time dreaming of freedom—of a divorce. Vaughn doesn’t contact her either, thank God for that. She saw on the news that he was cooperating with Eric's company on a project. How totally bizarre was that? Two businessmen who hated each other’s guts working together? It sounded too unreal.At this point, Dylan Snow seemed to be the only normal aspect of her life. They hung out once in a while, and their friendship was proving to be a wall she could lean on.“Hey, how are you?”Bella cringed, not even needing to look back to know who it was. Silas Walker, the latest thorn in her flesh. She didn
"I want to see him! I'm not leaving unless I do!"The secretary felt her irritation soar higher with this woman's behavior. She'd worked in the company for only a few weeks after the boss's last secretary had quit her job all of a sudden. She couldn't understand, for the life of her, why someone would want to give up a job working for America's most generous billionaire. The pay was good, and the boss was kind and easy to deal with.But there were some days when the middle-aged woman was tempted to bang her head on her desk. And it was all because of this blonde bitch. She knew who Jessica Page was—a famous model and sister-in-law to Mr. McCoy. Though Martha had never met the boss's wife in person, she'd heard from her coworkers that the woman was kind and down-to-earth. Her sister, on the other hand, was a bitch! She thought being related to Mr. McCoy meant she could treat his staff disrespectfully."Ms. Page, please understand that the boss is currently busy with work. If you have a