Meanwhile, I had already found the mechanic's family.His wife was an honest woman. She had three children to raise on her own."Miss, we've already taken money from that boss," she said cautiously. "If my husband tells the truth like you said, will he really be released?"I couldn't promise her that."I'll have my lawyer do everything he can to help. You don't want your children growing up with a father in prison, do you?"Her shoulders trembled as she covered her face with her hands, muffling her quiet sobs.Zach had been paying her three thousand dollars a month—more than her husband ever earned. But who would willingly trade decades of freedom for a little extra money unless they had no other choice?"I can give you more," I said. "More than what he's offering. All I ask is that you persuade your husband to tell the truth—for his own sake and for my mother's justice. Your husband didn't do it in the first place. The real culprit is still out there, living freely."At last,
In the courtroom, Zach slumped in his seat, a shadow of the confident man he had once been. There was nothing left of his earlier arrogance. He remained silent, offering no defense, until the mechanic and his family appeared. In that moment, a flicker of broken panic flashed in his eyes."Your Honor, it was this man who found me and asked me to take the fall for that woman.""The woman came to me to have her car repaired, asking how she could make the brakes fail," the mechanic continued. "I thought she was joking, so I told her, but she insisted I tamper with the brakes.""I refused. But I never expected that car to crash. Your Honor, I am innocent!"This time, I was prepared. No one could have anticipated that the mechanic's wife had kept a recording from that long-ago day."My husband had just found a new job. I wanted to record everything so our children would know how hard he worked," she explained.The video wasn't perfectly clear, but the conversation between Kayla and the
"I've prepared the contraceptives as you instructed. Should I continue giving them to your wife?" the family doctor asked.Zach's voice was cold and detached. "Yes. Don't stop. Marrying her was nothing more than a convenient arrangement. In my heart, only Kayla is worthy of being the mother of my child."There was a hint of tenderness in his expression, shadowed by regret. "Victoria's mother passed away. I gave up my marriage to protect Kayla. Even if it means I'll never become a father, I'm willing to accept that. In my heart, no one can replace Kayla—not even a child born to me and Victoria."The doctor hesitated. "But long-term use of this kind of contraceptive can harm a woman's body. Even if she stops taking it, conceiving might become impossible."For a moment, a trace of conflict flickered through Zach's eyes—brief and fleeting—before resolve hardened his expression."It doesn't matter. I'll take care of her for the rest of her life."I stood outside the study door, my ent
Zach hurried to call the family doctor, but I stopped him."Sometimes dizziness leads to nausea," I said. "Maybe it's because I skipped breakfast. It's nothing serious."His tense expression softened slightly. Without another word, he lifted me gently back onto the bed and carefully tucked the blanket around me. Watching him move with such tenderness, it was hard to reconcile this man with the cruel things I had overheard. If I hadn't heard it with my own ears, I would never have believed he could be so skilled at pretending.I closed my eyes and pretended to fall asleep. From the bathroom, I heard his low voice over the phone."Kayla, don't worry. Whatever you want, I'll give it to you at any cost."When he emerged, he found me awake. For a fleeting moment, surprise flashed across his face before he recovered, offering me a smile."Something came up at the office," he said. "Get some rest. I need to head out."I nodded, watching him leave. The moment the door shut behind him,
I reached out to my lawyer friend, Lily Parker and asked her to print two copies of the divorce agreement. Lily hesitated for a moment, as if weighing her words."Victoria, about your mother's death… Something just doesn't sit right with me.""What do you mean?" I asked."It all went too smoothly, didn't it? I had already planned how to fight the case if the culprit refused to confess." She paused, her brows knitting together. "But then he suddenly turned himself in. Sure, there was evidence, but it still feels too convenient—like something's off."My heart clenched. A vague suspicion stirred within me, as if scattered fragments were beginning to form a clear line."Lily, can you help me trace an account?" I asked.She shook her head. "I can't do that, but I know a private investigator who might be able to help."Something unseen pulled me forward—a feeling that the truth was close, just out of reach, waiting to be exposed.With the divorce papers in hand, I went to Zach's co
"I didn't say anything, did I? No need to be so nervous," I said.Zach's tense expression softened slightly. As if eager to change the subject, he said, "It's Kayla's birthday tomorrow. She invited us to her party."I told him I would be there.Relief washed over his face. He seemed almost cheerful as he walked me to the door.When I got home, I took the wedding photo down from the wall. With a pair of scissors, I cut it into tiny pieces. The framed picture on the table, the diamond ring he had given me when he proposed—I flushed them all down the toilet without hesitation.That night, Zach didn't come home.At 11 p.m., Kayla posted a selfie on her social media. In the background was a man's hand—bare of any wedding ring—but I recognized the watch on his wrist. It was the one I had given Zach.The next morning, she posted again. This time, it was a photo of a custom CHANEL dress, dazzling with diamonds. Her caption read: [Will you really give me whatever I want?]I suppose it m
The moment my words fell, the hall erupted into chaos.Zach, his face pale with shock, stormed toward me and yanked me off the stage. "Victoria, what the hell are you trying to do?"I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could speak, Kayla was already beside him, slipping seamlessly into the role of the peacemaker."Calm down, Zach," she said softly. "You know how Victoria is—she loses her temper without thinking. Let me talk to her. Don't take her words to heart."With a sweet smile, she took my arm and led me toward a quiet corner. The moment we were out of sight, her mask slipped away, revealing something far colder underneath."Victoria," she said. "Do you really think Zach is afraid to divorce you? Is this all you've got?" She tilted her head slightly, as if genuinely curious. "Do you even know how much he's done for me over the years? How much he's spent on me?"How does it feel not being able to have a child? I wouldn't know—I'm going to be a mother soon. And who knows
Just then, my phone rang. It was Lily."Victoria, I found out something important. Something you would never have imagined.""What is it?" I asked."Your mother's death—it wasn't as simple as it seemed. The private investigator found the owner of that account."A cold sensation spread through my body, seeping into my bones. The air around me felt heavy, almost suffocating.My mother's accident—it was Kayla. She was the one who killed her.And the man I loved, my husband, had been lying to me all along.He had loved Kayla with such blind devotion that he found a mechanic to take the blame, just so she could escape the law. For her, Zach spared no expense. For her, he jeopardized our marriage. All to make sure she could live a perfect, undisturbed life.How lucky Kayla was.Even the prison sentence she should have served—Zach found someone else endured it in her place.Her happiness was built on my mother's life. On my inability to ever become a mother myself.They trampled ov
In the courtroom, Zach slumped in his seat, a shadow of the confident man he had once been. There was nothing left of his earlier arrogance. He remained silent, offering no defense, until the mechanic and his family appeared. In that moment, a flicker of broken panic flashed in his eyes."Your Honor, it was this man who found me and asked me to take the fall for that woman.""The woman came to me to have her car repaired, asking how she could make the brakes fail," the mechanic continued. "I thought she was joking, so I told her, but she insisted I tamper with the brakes.""I refused. But I never expected that car to crash. Your Honor, I am innocent!"This time, I was prepared. No one could have anticipated that the mechanic's wife had kept a recording from that long-ago day."My husband had just found a new job. I wanted to record everything so our children would know how hard he worked," she explained.The video wasn't perfectly clear, but the conversation between Kayla and the
Meanwhile, I had already found the mechanic's family.His wife was an honest woman. She had three children to raise on her own."Miss, we've already taken money from that boss," she said cautiously. "If my husband tells the truth like you said, will he really be released?"I couldn't promise her that."I'll have my lawyer do everything he can to help. You don't want your children growing up with a father in prison, do you?"Her shoulders trembled as she covered her face with her hands, muffling her quiet sobs.Zach had been paying her three thousand dollars a month—more than her husband ever earned. But who would willingly trade decades of freedom for a little extra money unless they had no other choice?"I can give you more," I said. "More than what he's offering. All I ask is that you persuade your husband to tell the truth—for his own sake and for my mother's justice. Your husband didn't do it in the first place. The real culprit is still out there, living freely."At last,
Just as Zach stepped out of the hospital, his phone rang. It was his assistant."Mr. Hayden, I checked the surveillance footage. Three days ago, Madam appeared outside your study. She didn't go in—just stood there for a moment and left.""Three days ago?"A thought struck him like a cold blade. Without another word, he sprinted to his car, slammed the door shut, and pressed the accelerator to the floor.He called me repeatedly as he drove, but my phone was turned off. His messages remained unread. That had never happened before.No matter how late he came home, no matter how early he left, I was always there—waiting for him, sending him off. In three years, we had hardly ever fought. Even when I felt hurt, I swallowed my feelings without a word.And now, I was gone.When he pushed open the door to our house, the silence struck him first—a hollow, unfamiliar emptiness.The wedding photo on the wall had disappeared. Every trace of my presence had been wiped away, as if I had neve
Meanwhile, Zach was completely stunned by my accusations.He immediately called the family doctor. The answer he received was simple—while birth control pills were effective, no method was foolproof. There was always a small chance of pregnancy.Frustration surged through him. He dialed my number over and over again, but each call went straight to voicemail. Desperate, he turned to the assistant who had once helped him find a scapegoat. "Find Victoria," he ordered. "Now."When the assistant returned from the house, he was breathless, his face pale. "Mr. Hayden," he said, pushing open the hospital room door. "The house is empty. She left a divorce agreement behind."For a moment, Zach didn't react. The words floated above him, detached and meaningless. It was only after a long pause that their weight finally sank in."A divorce agreement?" His voice was incredulous. "She's still throwing a tantrum over this?"The assistant hesitated, then said quietly, "I don't think it's just a t
Just then, my phone rang. It was Lily."Victoria, I found out something important. Something you would never have imagined.""What is it?" I asked."Your mother's death—it wasn't as simple as it seemed. The private investigator found the owner of that account."A cold sensation spread through my body, seeping into my bones. The air around me felt heavy, almost suffocating.My mother's accident—it was Kayla. She was the one who killed her.And the man I loved, my husband, had been lying to me all along.He had loved Kayla with such blind devotion that he found a mechanic to take the blame, just so she could escape the law. For her, Zach spared no expense. For her, he jeopardized our marriage. All to make sure she could live a perfect, undisturbed life.How lucky Kayla was.Even the prison sentence she should have served—Zach found someone else endured it in her place.Her happiness was built on my mother's life. On my inability to ever become a mother myself.They trampled ov
The moment my words fell, the hall erupted into chaos.Zach, his face pale with shock, stormed toward me and yanked me off the stage. "Victoria, what the hell are you trying to do?"I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could speak, Kayla was already beside him, slipping seamlessly into the role of the peacemaker."Calm down, Zach," she said softly. "You know how Victoria is—she loses her temper without thinking. Let me talk to her. Don't take her words to heart."With a sweet smile, she took my arm and led me toward a quiet corner. The moment we were out of sight, her mask slipped away, revealing something far colder underneath."Victoria," she said. "Do you really think Zach is afraid to divorce you? Is this all you've got?" She tilted her head slightly, as if genuinely curious. "Do you even know how much he's done for me over the years? How much he's spent on me?"How does it feel not being able to have a child? I wouldn't know—I'm going to be a mother soon. And who knows
"I didn't say anything, did I? No need to be so nervous," I said.Zach's tense expression softened slightly. As if eager to change the subject, he said, "It's Kayla's birthday tomorrow. She invited us to her party."I told him I would be there.Relief washed over his face. He seemed almost cheerful as he walked me to the door.When I got home, I took the wedding photo down from the wall. With a pair of scissors, I cut it into tiny pieces. The framed picture on the table, the diamond ring he had given me when he proposed—I flushed them all down the toilet without hesitation.That night, Zach didn't come home.At 11 p.m., Kayla posted a selfie on her social media. In the background was a man's hand—bare of any wedding ring—but I recognized the watch on his wrist. It was the one I had given Zach.The next morning, she posted again. This time, it was a photo of a custom CHANEL dress, dazzling with diamonds. Her caption read: [Will you really give me whatever I want?]I suppose it m
I reached out to my lawyer friend, Lily Parker and asked her to print two copies of the divorce agreement. Lily hesitated for a moment, as if weighing her words."Victoria, about your mother's death… Something just doesn't sit right with me.""What do you mean?" I asked."It all went too smoothly, didn't it? I had already planned how to fight the case if the culprit refused to confess." She paused, her brows knitting together. "But then he suddenly turned himself in. Sure, there was evidence, but it still feels too convenient—like something's off."My heart clenched. A vague suspicion stirred within me, as if scattered fragments were beginning to form a clear line."Lily, can you help me trace an account?" I asked.She shook her head. "I can't do that, but I know a private investigator who might be able to help."Something unseen pulled me forward—a feeling that the truth was close, just out of reach, waiting to be exposed.With the divorce papers in hand, I went to Zach's co
Zach hurried to call the family doctor, but I stopped him."Sometimes dizziness leads to nausea," I said. "Maybe it's because I skipped breakfast. It's nothing serious."His tense expression softened slightly. Without another word, he lifted me gently back onto the bed and carefully tucked the blanket around me. Watching him move with such tenderness, it was hard to reconcile this man with the cruel things I had overheard. If I hadn't heard it with my own ears, I would never have believed he could be so skilled at pretending.I closed my eyes and pretended to fall asleep. From the bathroom, I heard his low voice over the phone."Kayla, don't worry. Whatever you want, I'll give it to you at any cost."When he emerged, he found me awake. For a fleeting moment, surprise flashed across his face before he recovered, offering me a smile."Something came up at the office," he said. "Get some rest. I need to head out."I nodded, watching him leave. The moment the door shut behind him,