"I'm not saying anything." Gwyneth shook her head. She was so close to untangling the rope.Liana gave her a sharp look, her voice full of venom. "Fine. I'll ruin you, then. I'll ruin your looks so no one will ever fall for you again! I'm doing what's right!"She had gone off the deep end. She took the knife and aimed for Gwyneth's face. Gwyneth managed to break free and dodged just in time.Realizing something was off, Liana lunged to grab Gwyneth. Gwyneth tried to escape, but her body was drenched in blood. She barely got a few steps before Liana was on her.Just then, a figure darted forward.Kieran stepped before Gwyneth, landing a hard kick on Liana before pulling Gwyneth into his arms."Wyn, I'm getting you to the hospital," he said, his voice heavy with concern and regret.Gwyneth looked at Kieran, her eyes welling up. She let go and burst into tears. "It hurts, Kieran. It hurts so bad."Kieran's eyes hardened as he watched Liana struggle to get back on her feet. He
Asher's voice cracked with emotion as he spoke.Feeling speechless, Gwyneth shot him a cold look and shook her head. "You're pathetic. If you're still a man, just sign the divorce agreement already. We could part on good terms, and I'd still see you as a man. "None of what you've done these last two months has been for me. It's all been about you."What he did made her more certain that leaving him was the right call."What should I do to get you to forgive me?" Asher asked, his eyes full of pleading. "Do I have to die for you to forgive me?"Suddenly, he pulled a knife and sliced his wrist. The cut was deep, and blood came pouring out.Gwyneth froze. Then, she stepped back while shaking her head. "You're insane. You didn't just revisit all the places we used to go. You also begged anyone you could for money to pull your company out of bankruptcy."The sad truth is, your reputation was already ruined. So, you decided to bet everything on me, hoping I'll agree to reconcile and s
Gwyneth shook her head. "No. It'll still end up like this. You'd still end up with another mistress, even without Liana. Asher, you know nothing about love."Asher went stiff when he saw the big diamond ring on Gwyneth's finger. In a hoarse voice, he asked, "Will you invite me to your wedding?"Gwyneth shook her head again, her tone icy. "No. I'm not seeing you again."Kieran stepped up and took her hand. "Mr. Crowe, leave my fiancée alone. I'm not someone you want to mess with."The message was clear—he'd make Asher pay if he kept harassing Gwyneth.Asher lowered his gaze, feeling helpless as Kieran draped his arm around Gwyneth and led her away. He sat alone in the courthouse, mumbling, "It's gone. I've lost everything—money, property, business, and my wife."…The next day, Kieran went with Gwyneth to the Payne residence, having already picked up some gifts. He bought so many gifts that they didn't fit in his trunk, so he had to rent another car to get them all there.Gwynet
Two weeks later, Gwyneth was at the entrance of Heatherwood Hotel, greeting everyone arriving for her wedding.She was in a white wedding dress, standing beside Kieran. They made a stunning couple, catching the eye of everyone around them."The wedding's in half an hour," Kieran said, looking down at Gwyneth's high heels. "Are your feet hurting from those?"Gwyneth shook her head, smiling sweetly. "Nope! My feet are fine. I'm just really happy."Roderick and Felicia looked at her, grinning with pride. They'd watched her grow up and knew she had a heart of gold.Money was never an issue for the Lauders, and they'd hoped for a long time that Gwyneth would marry into the family. Now, it was finally happening.Meanwhile, Asher was geared up with a mask and a cap. He quietly snuck into the hotel's basement parking lot. He slipped into the elevator with a bag of powder in his hand.Half an hour later, the officiant took the stage, and the ceremony began. Franklin took Gwyneth's hand,
"I gave you plenty of chances, but you never bothered to make them count!" Gwyneth shot back.She went along with it when Asher first brought up taking Liana abroad with them. She let it slide again when he brought it up the second time. Those were the chances she'd given.Kieran shook his head, looking grim. "You'll never get it. You trampled on someone who actually cared."In the end, Asher ended up in prison. But it was only for a month since no one was impacted.Kieran had found out early that Asher was planning to use the wedding to get back at Gwyneth. So, he came up with a plan to fake a wedding and spread the word to lure Asher in. He treated it like a practice run for their real wedding.Asher took the bait but was smart. He only slipped strong laxatives into the Lauders' and the Paynes' meals to steer clear of serious charges. The next day, Gwyneth and Yvette sat down for afternoon tea. When Yvette heard that Asher would only get a month in prison, she sighed, clearly
"Mrs. Crowe, are you sure you want me to cancel your flight ticket for moving abroad with Mr. Crowe in a week?" Milena Brooks' voice came through the phone, sounding confused. She was Asher Crowe's assistant.Gwyneth Payne stood on the balcony. She glanced at the withered trees below and made her decision. "Yes. Book me a flight to my parents' place for the same day and get Liana a flight overseas for that day, too. I'll see them off to settle down overseas in a week, then head back to my parents' place."Milena was taken aback on the other end of the line. Liana Quayle was the other woman in Gwyneth's marriage. Milena couldn't figure out what Gwyneth was up to.Even though she was puzzled, she nodded. "Got it, Mrs. Crowe."Gwyneth ended the call.Asher was in the living room. He jumped to his feet as soon as he saw her walk in. He looked impatient. "Have you decided yet? Lia's still waiting on my answer."Gwyneth had just finished getting the meal ready ten minutes ago.Asher c
Gwyneth was left silent by Asher's words. She hadn't worked in years because she overexerted herself while helping him get his startup off the ground, and it took a toll on her health.Back when Asher first started dealing with clients, he was arrogant and awful at negotiations. He couldn't close any deals.Gwyneth downed one drink after another, toasting clients until her stomach bled. That was how she kept landing deal after deal.When he finally succeeded in his venture, her body was a wreck. She lost her period and ended up in the hospital for over half a year. And now, he was blaming her for staying home instead of working.Gwyneth silently headed to the bedroom, tore up the pregnancy test report from today, and threw it in the trash. She couldn't sleep that night again, managing only two hours of rest with the help of some pills.After that day, they fought almost every day.Two weeks ago, Asher brought up the idea of expanding his business overseas and talked about settlin
"Are you done?" Gwyneth asked again.Liana paused, unsure what she was up to, but still itching to provoke her. "I'm not leaving him. If you guys head abroad, I'll be going, too. I'm sticking with Asher—he loves me. You won't have a happy marriage with me around!"Gwyneth set the plates down and narrowed her eyes. "You done? Now, it's my turn. Here's a little advice. If you're going to be a mistress, act like it and stop blabbing."She slapped Liana hard, and her face jerked to the side.Liana twisted her ankle and knocked the soup bowl off the table. The scalding liquid splashed on her, and she yelped, "Ouch! That's burning!"The noise caught Asher's attention, and he hurried into the kitchen. "What happened, Lia?"Liana looked up, her right cheek red from the slap and her left hand swollen and burned. She pointed angrily at Gwyneth, who remained cold and distant. "Honey, she slapped me and spilled soup on me!"Honey? Gwyneth pushed down the disgust rising in her. Liana acted l
"I gave you plenty of chances, but you never bothered to make them count!" Gwyneth shot back.She went along with it when Asher first brought up taking Liana abroad with them. She let it slide again when he brought it up the second time. Those were the chances she'd given.Kieran shook his head, looking grim. "You'll never get it. You trampled on someone who actually cared."In the end, Asher ended up in prison. But it was only for a month since no one was impacted.Kieran had found out early that Asher was planning to use the wedding to get back at Gwyneth. So, he came up with a plan to fake a wedding and spread the word to lure Asher in. He treated it like a practice run for their real wedding.Asher took the bait but was smart. He only slipped strong laxatives into the Lauders' and the Paynes' meals to steer clear of serious charges. The next day, Gwyneth and Yvette sat down for afternoon tea. When Yvette heard that Asher would only get a month in prison, she sighed, clearly
Two weeks later, Gwyneth was at the entrance of Heatherwood Hotel, greeting everyone arriving for her wedding.She was in a white wedding dress, standing beside Kieran. They made a stunning couple, catching the eye of everyone around them."The wedding's in half an hour," Kieran said, looking down at Gwyneth's high heels. "Are your feet hurting from those?"Gwyneth shook her head, smiling sweetly. "Nope! My feet are fine. I'm just really happy."Roderick and Felicia looked at her, grinning with pride. They'd watched her grow up and knew she had a heart of gold.Money was never an issue for the Lauders, and they'd hoped for a long time that Gwyneth would marry into the family. Now, it was finally happening.Meanwhile, Asher was geared up with a mask and a cap. He quietly snuck into the hotel's basement parking lot. He slipped into the elevator with a bag of powder in his hand.Half an hour later, the officiant took the stage, and the ceremony began. Franklin took Gwyneth's hand,
Gwyneth shook her head. "No. It'll still end up like this. You'd still end up with another mistress, even without Liana. Asher, you know nothing about love."Asher went stiff when he saw the big diamond ring on Gwyneth's finger. In a hoarse voice, he asked, "Will you invite me to your wedding?"Gwyneth shook her head again, her tone icy. "No. I'm not seeing you again."Kieran stepped up and took her hand. "Mr. Crowe, leave my fiancée alone. I'm not someone you want to mess with."The message was clear—he'd make Asher pay if he kept harassing Gwyneth.Asher lowered his gaze, feeling helpless as Kieran draped his arm around Gwyneth and led her away. He sat alone in the courthouse, mumbling, "It's gone. I've lost everything—money, property, business, and my wife."…The next day, Kieran went with Gwyneth to the Payne residence, having already picked up some gifts. He bought so many gifts that they didn't fit in his trunk, so he had to rent another car to get them all there.Gwynet
Asher's voice cracked with emotion as he spoke.Feeling speechless, Gwyneth shot him a cold look and shook her head. "You're pathetic. If you're still a man, just sign the divorce agreement already. We could part on good terms, and I'd still see you as a man. "None of what you've done these last two months has been for me. It's all been about you."What he did made her more certain that leaving him was the right call."What should I do to get you to forgive me?" Asher asked, his eyes full of pleading. "Do I have to die for you to forgive me?"Suddenly, he pulled a knife and sliced his wrist. The cut was deep, and blood came pouring out.Gwyneth froze. Then, she stepped back while shaking her head. "You're insane. You didn't just revisit all the places we used to go. You also begged anyone you could for money to pull your company out of bankruptcy."The sad truth is, your reputation was already ruined. So, you decided to bet everything on me, hoping I'll agree to reconcile and s
"I'm not saying anything." Gwyneth shook her head. She was so close to untangling the rope.Liana gave her a sharp look, her voice full of venom. "Fine. I'll ruin you, then. I'll ruin your looks so no one will ever fall for you again! I'm doing what's right!"She had gone off the deep end. She took the knife and aimed for Gwyneth's face. Gwyneth managed to break free and dodged just in time.Realizing something was off, Liana lunged to grab Gwyneth. Gwyneth tried to escape, but her body was drenched in blood. She barely got a few steps before Liana was on her.Just then, a figure darted forward.Kieran stepped before Gwyneth, landing a hard kick on Liana before pulling Gwyneth into his arms."Wyn, I'm getting you to the hospital," he said, his voice heavy with concern and regret.Gwyneth looked at Kieran, her eyes welling up. She let go and burst into tears. "It hurts, Kieran. It hurts so bad."Kieran's eyes hardened as he watched Liana struggle to get back on her feet. He
Liana smiled, clearly enjoying how tense and helpless Gwyneth seemed. "I'm going live now. You've got to apologize to me before everyone. You have to admit you're the mistress and that you pressured Asher into marrying you and leaving me. "If you're cool with it, I'll let you go once the live ends."Gwyneth's face tightened. She stared at Liana, who was about to lose it, and asked, "Are you insane? How can you be so evil?"Forcing Gwyneth to admit she was the mistress would ruin her name for good. The live replay would get clipped and shared by viewers. If she ever had kids, they'd probably get bullied over those videos."That's not happening," Gwyneth said.Liana grabbed the pocket knife and slashed Gwyneth's face, leaving a streak of blood. The blade cut across her fair skin, causing her to wince, but she didn't make a sound."Agree, and I'll leave you alone. Disagree, and I'll keep cutting your face every ten minutes until you do."Gwyneth watched Liana, who seemed totally m
Asher's business hit a major slump right after Liana was sent to prison. His company couldn't even cover payroll that month due to his recent poor choices and two years of losses.Once Asher got the news, he didn't leave his office for the rest of the night. Memories of Gwyneth supporting him back when they started their business flooded his mind.He was clueless about client negotiations five years ago. Gwyneth took the time to research online and show him the ropes.His businesses failed for three years straight, and he wouldn't let her use the money the Paynes sent her. She agreed but secretly picked up some nutritional supplements for him.Regret came over Asher, strong and relentless, like waves pounding the shore. He clutched his head and began crying uncontrollably. He realized he'd truly screwed up.Gwyneth hadn't seen Asher in two months.One day, Yvette invited her to join her over coffee. She scrolled through a website and suddenly gasped, "Oh, my gosh, Asher's disappe
Asher was caught off guard, staring at Gwyneth with a look that said a thousand things.Liana had harmed Gwyneth several times? Why didn't Gwyneth ever tell him about any of this?He didn't offer a hand to Liana. She pushed herself up, glaring at Gwyneth like she wanted to tear her apart. "Asher wouldn't have dumped me if it weren't for you! This is all your fault!"Gwyneth remained calm as she sneered at her. "My fault? Who ruined my marriage, huh? Did I make you get all those abortions? Liana, even if I walked away, you'd never make it as his wife with that brilliant mind of yours."Liana realized Gwyneth was calling her dumb. She was so pissed that she almost exploded.Asher quickly stopped her. "Enough already! What exactly did you do to Gwyneth two years ago?"Liana felt guilty and couldn't bring herself to look at him. "She's a living, breathing person. What could I possibly have done to her? She's standing right here, fine as ever, isn't she?"As the past flooded back, Gw
Right then, Gwyneth got a call from Kieran.His cold voice came through, "They just got here. Bet they're here for you."Gwyneth looked cold and detached. "Asher sure knows how to time things. He knew exactly when I'd return.Kieran was quiet for a moment before saying, "If you'd rather not deal with them, I'll send someone to make them leave."His steady, soothing voice made her feel safe.After a pause, he added, "They're probably here to convince you."Gwyneth thought it over for a second, then shook her head. Asher might not have come from a rich family, but his parents, Harvey Crowe and Rosalie Ridley, had been good to her over the years.They'd always send her fresh produce from their farm, growing whatever she loved to eat. So even though Gwyneth had lawyers prepping for the divorce, she still wanted to keep things respectful with them."Let them in. I'll talk to them," Gwyneth said.After parking the car, she sat for about ten minutes before finally heading into the li