There was a sharp click. The turn of a lock echoed through the silence, sharp enough to stop Bethany's pulse mid-beat.

She went still, lungs tight, waiting for footsteps. None came.

Very slowly, Bethany shifted her head toward the sound.

The bathroom door remained tightly shut; the sound of a turning lock was the wind blowing open the unlatched bedroom door.

At the moment, a notification blinked across her phone screen, showing the transmission was complete.

Bethany released a shaky breath and only then noticed the cold sweat soaking through her back.

She erased the forwarding record in an instant and put everything back the way it was.

Bethany slipped out of the bedroom without hesitation, eased the door shut, and headed downstairs.

Once she reached the living room, she looked at her phone. The entire chat history sat quietly on the screen.

A resolute smile traced Bethany's lips as she studied the image.

She opened her chat with Daniel and forwarded everything. "This is the latest evidence."

Then she snapped a picture of the necklace and sent it to a reseller she trusted. "Help me sell this. Donate all proceeds to the Women and Children Protection Foundation."

After completing both tasks, she placed her phone aside—only for footsteps to sound from the staircase moments later.

Brodie appeared, rubbing a towel over his damp hair. When he noticed her still there, his expression shifted. "Bethany, why aren't you resting?"

"I'm going to." Bethany turned toward him, her gaze unwavering. "I'm not feeling very well. I'll sleep in the guest room tonight."

Brodie paused mid-step, confusion creasing his brow. "Are you sick? Should I get a doctor?"

He reached out instinctively, aiming to touch her forehead.

"That will not be necessary." Bethany shifted back just far enough that his hand met empty air. "Sleep will take care of it."

Brodie froze, his arm hanging uselessly between them, and before he could speak, Bethany slipped into the guest room and shut the door with a quiet, final click.

Left alone in the living room, Brodie stood facing the closed door, a knot of unease forming in his chest that he could not quite name.

...

Early the next morning, Brodie was summoned away by a phone call.

The moment the engine sound faded into the distance, Bethany's eyes opened. She was fully awake, no trace of sleep lingering.

After breakfast, just as she was preparing to step out, her phone rang. Olivia Lawson, her bestie.

Bethany's lips curved faintly before she answered.

"Bethany, are you alright?" Olivia blurted, her tone sharp with worry. "I was at a party last night, and I swear I saw Brodie! He was with a woman, acting way too close! I almost marched over to confront them, but my friends dragged me back—"

"I know, Olivia. I'm already planning to divorce him," Bethany replied, her voice level and steady.

Bethany sent the photo to Olivia.

Olivia took one look and nearly snapped her phone in half. "That bastard Brodie! And who is that shameless woman? I swear I'll rip her hair out strand by strand!"

"Karen Jenkins, she's Brodie's very first love," said Bethany in a flat tone.

"You should have left Brodie the jerk a long time ago. Honestly, you ought to speak up and expose them online. Let people tear them apart and call Karen a home wrecker for the rest of her life."

A cold smile glimmered across Bethany's lips. "I'm waiting for the right timing. Screaming and making a scene in public is pointless. It makes me look foolish and solves nothing."

She paused, her tone turning more deliberate. "Olivia, I need your help with something."

"Say the word! Money, contacts, whatever you need! I've wanted to expose Brodie's fake saint routine for years," Olivia said, practically buzzing with outrage.

Bethany's chest warmed with genuine gratitude. It felt good to know she wasn't alone.

"Olivia, I need you to locate a safe and private apartment for me, and also look into Karen's background as much as you can."

"Okay. Leave it to me," Olivia replied without hesitation.

...

Brodie strode into the company, only to be met by his assistant, Callum Marsh, whose face carried a heavy look.

"Mr. Wilson, we have a problem. The Taylor Group announced it is terminating the Evergreen Pharma collaboration. They refused to discuss it further," reported Callum.

"That doesn't make sense. Our cooperation has been going smoothly." Brodie stopped mid-step, confusion tightening his features.

"I heard it was decided by their new CEO. We have poured so much money into this project. If the partnership fails, our cash flow will be in real danger!"

Brodie's expression shifted, and he turned to Callum. "A new CEO? Who is it?"

"His name is Jonathan Taylor!"

"What? That man?" Brodie's expression shifted, and his brows pulled into a tight frown.

Jonathan Taylor. The name carried the weight of absolute power and ruthless methods in the business world. He was known for being nearly impossible to handle, influential in every circle yet quiet and composed.

For the past two years, Jonathan had focused on overseas ventures. No one anticipated his sudden return, much less his decision to seize control of the Taylor Group—and certainly not that his first decisive action would strike at the Wilson Group.

"What was their justification? They can't dissolve a contract without presenting a reason," Brodie demanded as he moved toward the CEO's office.

Callum rushed to stay beside Brodie, his tone dark. "Their official statement claims that after a new assessment, they believe Evergreen Pharma has major uncertainties in the core technical stability and the later clinical data support of the new oral liquid project, which does not meet the Taylor Group's investment risk control standards."

"That's ridiculous!" Brodie spat, pushing open the office door with more force than necessary. "They approved our clinical data long ago and were pleased with it! This excuse is garbage."

Tugging at his tie, he dropped into the chair behind the grand desk with irritation.

The Wilson Group's entire future rested on the Evergreen Pharma project. If it failed, the next three years would be a financial graveyard.

"Get in touch with Jonathan. I want to speak with him myself," Brodie said, his tone clipped as he attempted to rein in his growing panic.

Jonathan lounged on the plush sofa in his high-rise hotel suite, the top buttons of his black shirt undone, giving him an air of effortless confidence.

A soft knock sounded before Robert stepped inside, folders in hand. "Mr. Taylor, here's the background report on Brodie. Also, since we ended things with Wilson Group, he's been calling nonstop trying to reach you."

Jonathan barely glanced at the paperwork, uninterested in the details for now.

"Don't bother returning his calls," he said, his tone cool and resolute. "His suffering will be endless and anguished."

Confusion flickered across Robert's face. "If you don't mind my asking, sir, why single out the Wilson Group? Did Brodie do something to provoke you?"

A single cold look from Jonathan was enough to silence any further questions, the weight of his authority instantly filling the room.

A shiver ran through Robert, who quickly bowed his head. "Apologies, Mr. Taylor. I shouldn't have pried. On another note, there's an invitation here for a business banquet this Friday. Would you like to attend?"

Jonathan drummed his fingers against the sofa's arm, considering the invitation. "Will Brodie be there?"

"He's listed as a guest. He usually brings his wife to these gatherings, and I'd bet he'll be working the room harder than ever now that the Taylor Group dropped his company. He's desperate to find new allies," Robert replied, keeping his voice steady.

The mention of Brodie bringing his wife to the event brought a faint, knowing smile to Jonathan's lips, a spark of intrigue flickering in his eyes. "I'll go to the banquet."

Robert, caught off guard for just a second, quickly regained his composure. "Understood, Mr. Taylor."

As Robert moved to exit, Jonathan spoke up again. "Also, arrange for Cirrus Mansion to be ready. I'll be moving in tomorrow."

That announcement left Robert both surprised and secretly delighted. "So you're finally staying in the city for a while!"

Jonathan's time in recent years had been spent mostly abroad, each visit home short and packed with business obligations before he'd disappear again.

Only one ritual never changed—no matter how busy he was, he always made time to see someone special, slipping away for half a day every visit.

Nobody on his team knew who it was. The whole thing was shrouded in secrecy.

Once, curiosity got the better of Robert, and he dared to ask.

Jonathan's reply was cool and dismissive. "Just a fool."

Jonathan waved Robert out, ending the conversation. With the room finally quiet, he reached for Brodie's file and began flipping through the pages at a relaxed pace.

His attention paused on the name "Bethany" listed under spouse, along with the sparse details of her background.

A small passport photo of Bethany was clipped to the file, capturing a face marked by delicate features and a steady, determined gaze.

Jonathan tapped his fingers against the desk, his expression unreadable as a storm of emotion flickered in his eyes.

One line in the report stopped him cold—"Forced his wife, Bethany, to undergo a bone marrow extraction to save Karen." Instantly, a chill entered his stare and the whole room seemed to tighten around him.

His finger pressed hard against the paper as he repeated her name in his mind.

Bethany.

So that sickly, fragile look he had noticed wasn't an accident—it was the result of everything she'd been forced to endure.

Brodie had sacrificed his own wife's well-being for the sake of another woman. That was a cruelty Jonathan couldn't ignore.

A dangerous smile crept across Jonathan's lips. Brodie would not escape the consequences.

...

Friday night arrived with the city shining bright, and the grand ballroom of the Glory Hotel buzzed with chatter, laughter, and the clinking of crystal glasses.

Bethany swept into the hall beside Brodie, draped in a champagne gown that shimmered under the lights and adorned with a set of diamonds he had chosen. Every detail was perfect, from her polished look to the graceful air she carried.

The couple drew instant attention as they entered arm in arm.

Brodie flashed a proud smile at his elegant wife, clearly pleased by the admiring stares they received.

Bethany's poise and beauty had always served as Brodie's favorite "show piece" in any crowd.

"Good evening, Mr. Wilson. Good evening, Mrs. Wilson." One guest after another came by with polite greetings.

Brodie navigated the room with practiced charm, while Bethany wore her carefully curated smile, slipping easily into the role of the loving wife at his side.

"I'm going to step out for a moment." A soft tilt of her head brought her lips close to his ear.

He squeezed her hand in response, barely glancing her way. "Don't take too long."

His attention drifted elsewhere, scanning the ballroom for any sign of Jonathan's arrival.

After freshening up in the restroom, Bethany found the air inside stifling. She slipped out to the small garden in the back, seeking a quiet breath away from the crowd.

Just as she began to relax, a silken, deliberately provocative voice called out behind her. "You must be Bethany."

Bethany stopped in her tracks and slowly turned to face the speaker. Standing before her was a woman draped in a bold red backless gown, every line calculated to draw the eye.

It was Karen.

"That's right. What do you want?" Bethany replied, her tone icy and her eyes unreadable.

Clicking confidently across the stones, Karen closed the distance between them, every step punctuated by the sound of her heels.

A slight tilt of Karen's head was matched by a sweet, almost childlike smile. "Nothing really. I've just heard so much about you, Mrs. Wilson. Brodie's always praising you for being such a devoted wife."

Bethany returned the courtesy with a cold, distant smile. "That's kind of you, Miss Jenkins. Oddly enough, I've never heard him mention you."

Karen's expression faltered, but she quickly regained her composure. "Brodie probably doesn't want you to get the wrong idea. He and I work closely these days, and he always looks out for me. I hope you don't mind?"

"Not at all," Bethany answered smoothly. "But maybe you should be concerned. There's nothing glamorous about being called a mistress, is there?"

"You!" Karen's hands shook with barely controlled anger.

Damn it! So, Bethany already knew. All the better—there was no need for pretense now.

"You can blame me all you want, but holding onto a man who doesn't love you is pointless, don't you think?" Karen began.

Her eyes sparkled with a cruel innocence. "Oh, and just so you know, Brodie gave me that good luck charm you made for him when I wasn't feeling well. He said it might bring me luck. But honestly, I tossed it—anything that's touched another woman isn't worth keeping."

A spark of satisfaction flickered in Karen's eyes before she added sweetly, "You don't mind, right? Brodie told me it was just some ordinary trinket. Nothing special. So it wasn't a big deal when I tossed it."

That good luck charm. Bethany would never forget it.

Back when Brodie had been kidnapped and lay unconscious in the hospital, she spent night after night crafting it by hand. Her fingers had blistered and bled as she carved every detail, pouring her fear, her love, and her hopes for his safety into it.

Now, the token that had carried her devotion, her pain, and five years of her life was being dismissed as trash—broken and tossed aside.

Bethany's tone didn't waver. "Just a cheap charm. You can buy ones like that online for just 1 dollar with free shipping. If you want a handful of useless trinkets, I can send you some."

And she meant it. There wasn't a single ripple in her chest anymore. The moment she learned that the so‑called "check‑up" had been a lie, that the man she had loved so fiercely had stolen her bone marrow for Karen behind her back, something inside her had finally died.

Bethany brushed her thumb over her wedding ring, eyes lowering. It was time to let everything go.

Karen faltered, caught off guard by Bethany's calm indifference.

"You're so 'generous,'" she said through clenched teeth, forcing a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "But what Brodie gives me is far more precious than some cheap charm. Some things just can't be bought—like love, or the time we share."

"Love, you say? That's an interesting way to put it. If what you two have is real love, why is he still wearing a ring with my name on it, and not yours?" Bethany arched an eyebrow, her voice tinged with amusement.

"Enough out of you! Brodie will—" Karen's voice shook with fury as she tilted her glass, champagne poised to fly in Bethany's direction.

But suddenly, a movement caught her eye. Someone familiar was approaching, and a sly, vengeful smile twisted her lips as she glanced at the sparkling blue of the pool.

Without warning, Karen closed the distance, grabbing Bethany's wrist in a tight grip. She leaned in, voice a breathless whisper. "Let's see who Brodie chooses to save, shall we?"

In the very next instant, she staggered forward, dragging Bethany down with her. Together, they tumbled into the water, Karen's shrill voice blurting out, "Bethany! What are you—!"

Water exploded upward in a violent spray as both women hit the pool.

The early spring water hit Bethany like a wall of ice and pulled her under before she could brace herself.

She gasped on instinct and swallowed a rush of cold water, then forced her way back to the surface where she found Brodie watching her from the pool's edge with clear worry in his eyes.

For a heartbeat, neither of them looked away.

In that brief pause, Bethany could have sworn he was about to dive in for her.

Before she could be sure, Karen's voice cut through the air. "Brodie! Help me. I can't swim..."

Karen cried out in a shaky, sharp voice that made it sound like she might sink any second.

Brodie froze for a split second, and whatever he had been thinking vanished at once.

He lunged into the pool and rushed straight for Karen. He never once looked back at Bethany, as if she were nothing more than a stranger.

The freezing water clung to Bethany's skin, yet it still felt warmer than the ache spreading through her chest.

While Brodie held Karen close, his hand moved gently across her back as though he were afraid she might break.

Bethany realized she had no one to count on but herself.

She managed to scramble out of the cold pool, every movement awkward and exhausting.

Her soaked dress clung to her like a second skin, making each step heavier than the last.

Water streamed from the expensive fabric, gathering around her feet in a widening pool.

Everyone nearby seemed to stare right through her, their eyes sharp and unkind.

Meanwhile, Brodie lifted Karen and carried her out of the pool without hesitation.

Karen curled up against him, shivering, but there was a hint of triumph in her eyes as she looked straight at Bethany and gave a smirk that needed no words.

"Bethany!" Brodie turned and fixed his gaze on her, his eyes full of accusation as water dripped steadily from her hair.

He didn't try to hide his anger. He shouted, disappointment in every word, "How could you be so cruel? You fell in, and you dragged Karen down with you? Do you even care that she just got better?"

He called her cruel? And he believed she'd dragged Karen under?

Bethany's anger flared up, hotter than the sting of the cold water clinging to her skin, drowning out whatever restraint she had left.

Her gaze locked onto Karen, who still clung to Brodie's chest, weeping softly but throwing her a smug, taunting look that didn't fit the trembling act.

A dry, humorless laugh escaped Bethany.

With Karen gloating, Bethany didn't hesitate. She stormed straight at them.

Before Brodie could block her path, Bethany drew back her leg and drove her foot hard into Karen's side.

"Ouch!" Karen shrieked, the sound slicing through the heavy air. Her victory vanished in an instant, terror replacing the smirk as she tumbled out of Brodie's arms and crashed back into the pool.

The water exploded up, higher and louder than before.

A heavy silence settled over everyone. Not a soul moved, each person frozen in disbelief at what they'd just witnessed.

Brodie seemed rooted to the spot, staring at his now-empty arms in shock.

Bethany stood tall at the pool's edge, her eyes following Karen as she thrashed in the water, fear replacing every trace of her earlier pride.

Slowly, Bethany lifted her gaze and fixed it coldly on Brodie. Her words cut through the hush, quiet yet sharp enough for all to hear. "You've already made up your mind about me. Wouldn't it be a letdown if I didn't act the part you've given me?"