Adeline Carter's POV:

I took Alvin's phone and read every single word Brock had typed.

I forwarded the entire transcript to my own phone. Evidence. I had to protect myself.

I stared at the screen, at Brock's profile picture. A handsome, smiling face.

I remembered our early days. He was charming, always making me laugh. He seemed so considerate. I thought he was perfect. Even when we were drowning in debt, even when our tiny apartment felt like a cage, I believed our love was enough.

Did he love me? I think so. Once. He loved me once, truly.

But everything had changed.

I recalled a conversation I'd had with my own boss, Gill Webb.

Gill was openly gay. He had made a shameless proposal regarding Brock, wanting me to set them up.

I had turned him down instantly, without a second thought.

At the time, my loyalty to Brock was absolute. I would never sell him out, not for a promotion, not for money. But Brock? He was ready to sell me.

The betrayal cut deeper than any physical wound. I couldn't accept it. I refused to be his victim.

I closed my eyes, a new resolve igniting in my chest. I had to act. I had to protect myself and fight back.

I started to plan. I would not be a pawn in his game.

Adeline Carter's POV:

It started months ago at Brock's company's annual gala. That was when Alvin Thompson first took an interest in me.

Brock had insisted I go. He was desperate for me to network, to make a "good impression." He wanted me to stand out.

In the ballroom, Alvin Thompson was the center of gravity. He wore a perfectly tailored suit and a glinting watch that cost more than our rent for a year. He was tall, striking, and radiated a power that was impossible to ignore.

Brock was handsome, too, but his was a more approachable, less aggressive charm. He didn't have Alvin's "Old Money" aura. That night, Alvin's charisma didn't move me. My eyes were only for Brock.

But when Alvin's gaze fell on me, he froze. The noise of the gala seemed to fade around him. His deep, focused eyes locked onto mine as if I were the only person in the crowded room.

The other guests noticed. Someone nudged Alvin's arm, calling his name repeatedly before he snapped out of it, a faint flush creeping up his neck.

The signs of Alvin's "love at first sight" were painfully obvious.

After the party, Brock was smug, convinced my presence had boosted his status. “Addie, you charmed everyone! Even my boss couldn't take his eyes off you!”

“I'll have to hide you away. Someone might steal you,” he laughed, pulling me close.

“No one can steal me,” I said firmly. “I only love you, Brock.”

I meant every word. Back then, my love for him was pure and simple.

How ironic that the encounter that night would become the prologue to the destruction of our lives.

Adeline Carter's POV:

I truly believed Brock was a good man.

In college, he was the campus star, the charming athlete everyone liked. He was gentle, he loved to cook, and he kept our apartment spotless. We married for love, and nothing else.

Our life was peaceful, almost devoid of conflict. We were happy.

But the last three months had been a descent into hell. Both of our stable jobs had turned into nightmares.

Brock missed out on a promotion he'd been dreaming of. His department head started making his life miserable, piling on the most grueling tasks instead of moving him up.

He came home every night exhausted, looking haggard.

My situation was no better.

I was working as an executive assistant to Gill Webb at a prestigious law firm. I thought it was a stable job, a stepping stone to something better.

Then Gill met Brock.

Gill was out and proud. He had never shown any personal interest in me.

But from the moment he laid eyes on Brock, everything shifted. He started asking incessant questions about him, digging into our lives and our relationship. it made my skin crawl.

Then came the dinner invitation. “Adeline, why don't you and Brock join me for a meal? Just a casual get-together.”

I saw right through him. His intentions were as clear as glass, and they were predatory. I turned him down without hesitation. “Thank you, Mr. Webb, but we have other plans.”

I could feel the storm brewing.