MasukShe stopped in her tracks, but she did not flinch, nor did she pull away in haste. She simply stood there, looking down at him with an expression so cold and distant it felt like standing in the middle of winter. There was no softness in her gaze, no flicker of the warmth that used to shine for him, no trace of the woman who had once looked at him with love.“Noah,” she said, and her voice was calm, steady, and as sharp as shards of ice. “There is nothing left between us. Do not fool yourself into thinking there ever could be again.”Her presence was commanding, overwhelming, and the sheer force of her indifference made him want to shrink away, but his guilt kept him rooted in place.“I know I was wrong,” he cried, and before he realized what he was doing, his knees hit the hard pavement. He sank to the ground, still holding onto her arm, then brought her hand to his lips, pressing desperate, trembling kisses against her skin. “I was arrogant. I was blind. I was cruel and heartless.
For Noah, desperation had long since crossed the line into something unrecognizable. At last, he had done what no one ever imagined he would broke off his engagement. The decision came not lightly, but with a finality that felt like tearing out a part of his own chest yet it was a choice he was willing to make, even when it meant going against the very person whose word had once been his law his own mother, Alicia.There had been a time when Noah never dared to disagree with her. He had grown up learning to heed her every advice, follow every instruction, and respect her judgment above all else. His will had always bent to hers his choices were shaped by her expectations, and his life had moved along the path she carefully laid out. But everything shattered the day Selin Orchestrated what appeared to be her own death. That single act had ripped away the old Noah, leaving behind someone unmoored, angry, and completely transformed. Where once he was obedient and controlled, now he
The following day, Fabi arranged a private meeting with Calex Sever. He had been turning the idea over in his mind for days, weighing every possible angle before finally deciding to bring it up. The subject was delicate, yet important he wanted to ask for Calex’s help in assisting Selin with her research into developing a groundbreaking medication for brain tumors.This project was more than just work—it was Selin’s greatest dream. It was the way she intended to prove to the world, and most importantly to herself, that she was far more than just a discarded wife or a woman defined by her past. She wanted to rise on her own merit, to create something meaningful that could change lives. But lately, Fabi had watched her struggle. Day after day, trial after trial, her efforts ended in failure. The formulas did not hold, the results were inconsistent, and the frustration began to show in the dark circles under her eyes and the tight set of her jaw. It pained him to see her push herself so
“Fabi….”Noah’s voice trailed off, the name dying awkwardly on his tongue. It took him a moment to realize just how wrong it sounded Fabi had never once allowed him the familiarity of using his given name. There was no warmth, no brotherly bond left between them only a history of division and the cold reality of who they had become.“I… I’m sorry,” Noah stammered, the words sounding hollow even to his own ears. He cleared his throat, straightening his posture in a feeble attempt to regain some measure of composure, though his eyes betrayed his desperation. “Mr. Grimes, then. I hope you will consider helping me. I know full well that I am far from a good man, and I have made countless mistakes. But believe me when I say I am not entirely vicious, either. There is still some part of me that knows right from wrong, even if I have spent years ignoring it.”Fabi remained silent, his expression unreadable. He swirled the deep red wine in his glass, the liquid catching the light like blood,
Later that night, Ronald and his younger daughter had a fierce, heated argument over the way Jana had behaved. Ronald knew Jana better than anyone, and he could sense she was hiding something dreadful about Rach’s scandal — so he confronted her directly.“Jana, stop lying. I know you’re aware of what happened to Rach,” he said firmly.Jana had never dared to lie to her father, so she finally admitted the truth. “You’re right, Dad. I kidnapped her and made her take sleeping pills. Everything went exactly according to my plan.”Her brother Deb’s eyes went wide with shock — then admiration. “Sister… this is unbelievable. You actually did that? You’re incredible!” he said, sounding proud.Ronald pressed a hand hard against his chest, his heart pounding with fear. For years he had raised her to be sensible and kind he never imagined she could be this cold and ruthless. Without hesitation, he struck Deb’s knee with the tip of his cane.“And you have the nerve to be proud of your sister?”
Rach fell to her knees before Alicia Miller, her voice cracking with desperation as tears streamed uncontrollably down her face. She reached out to clutch the older woman’s skirt, her fingers trembling as if her very life depended on this one person’s mercy.“Auntie… please, you have to help me. I beg you!” she sobbed. “You are the only one who can save me now.”But Alicia did not reach down to lift her up as she would have done in the past. Instead, she stared down at Rach with an expression so cold, so filled with revulsion, that it felt like a physical slap. For years, Alicia had favored Rach above everyone else even above her own daughter-in-law, Selin. She had seen Rach as the perfect match for Noah, someone who knew how to charm, how to please, and how to secure the family’s status. But after witnessing the scandal, after seeing the images spread across every screen in the country, all that favor had curdled into pure disgust.“What have you done?” Alicia hissed, her voice shar
“She truly is Selin,” Rach muttered, her voice trembling, then rising into a sharp, frenzied murmur. Her eyes glinted with something far more dangerous than mere jealousy it was a madness taking root, fed by years of insecurity and the fear that the woman standing before her held every part of the
“If you two have come here only to cause a scene at my engagement party, then you would do well to leave right now,” Selin said, her voice icy and calm. She held her head high, looking down at them as if they were nothing more than worthless trash beneath her shoes.Noah and Rach stared at her, fr
Three days had passed, and the grand engagement banquet was now in full swing. Every elite guest had arrived, and the venue sparkled with unrivaled luxury gold-plated cutlery, rare and expensive spirits, massive crystal chandeliers, and a sweeping hallway lined with plush red carpet. Guests arrive
Back home, the second the heavy oak door clicked shut behind them, Jana’s composure shattered completely. She stormed across the living room and threw herself down onto the plush leather sofa so hard the cushions bounced, her chest heaving as if she had just run a marathon. Every muscle in her bo







