LOGIN"Forgive me, Erica. Let's start over, okay?" Lester pleaded. "I know you still love me. Why else would you still be wearing the earrings I gave you?"I touched my dangling earrings as I met his eyes, then let out a soft sigh. "Stop it, Lester. These were from a colleague. They just happen to look like the ones you gave me…"They were the simplest glass-bead strands, which one could find at any store. The fact that he read so much into something so ordinary was just laughable."As for the ones you gave me, I lost them ages ago…"Lester's eyes went glossy with tears as a self-depreciating smile touched his lips."I'm going home, Lester. Please don't come to me again."I moved past him toward the door, but he caught my wrist.Before I could react, a sharp, grating shriek cut through the air from some distance away, shouting crude words in a shrill, unpleasant voice. "Erica, you whore! How dare you seduce Lester! A slut like you probably has been cheating on Caspian for ages!"Wh
Lester's words stunned me. "What are you talking about?" I asked. "I have no idea what you mean."His eyes turned wild and feral as he gripped my shoulders tightly. "If you weren't scheming, why were you wearing Mable's jacket when you nearly drowned on Valentine's Day?" Just like that, everything clicked. In both lives, the past and the present, he'd never once considered saving me. Mable was the one he'd wanted to save all along, and he'd grabbed the wrong person, just because of a jacket.Still, he never noticed that Mable—the woman he loved and doted on—was the one insisting we switch jackets.Though I watched him calmly, I couldn't help but scoff deep down."You're such a fool, Lester. Mable played you.""That's impossible!" he snapped."Mable's my stepsister, and we have similar jackets," I explained. "If she hadn't suggested the idea and begged me to switch with her, why would I have done it?"His eyes instantly widened. He broke down and couldn't stop muttering, "No…
Chatters from the onlookers continued."Mrs. Kaine is nothing but a troublemaker. She dragged Lester into such a mess. He must've been blind to marry her!""Lester is just too vain. He fell for her pretty face and ended up marrying a walking disaster, bringing home trouble dressed as a jewel. I bet he regrets it now."I listened to their debates and remembered their earlier fawning and flattering toward Lester. Now, their sudden righteousness just felt ironic.But since we all lived in Jovia, I had to try my best and keep my composure.Lester heard the murmurs too. His expression shifted between anger and shame, feeling a turmoil of emotions inside.Mable still glared at me with the same resentment and twisted expression, as if she wanted to tear into me.Eventually, the commotion died down. It was still early, so Caspian had his men bring me a set of new outfits and even had a stylist redo my makeup. He said he wanted to introduce me to a friend.When I was ready, he led me
"Shut up!" Caspian roared.His heart throbbed painfully as he held my hand and said, "Erica's my lawfully wedded wife, so that makes her your aunt. "You showed no respect for her and twisted the truth. I held back for your sake, but you really are determined to dig your own graves, aren't you?"The crowd exchanged stunned looks, disbelief written plainly across their faces as they stole glances at me.Mable's eyes went wide, yet she still clung to denial. "No way! That's impossible! Erica was kicked out of the family. How could she be your wife?"She'd always believed marrying Lester would put her above me. So now, she refused to accept that Caspian, a ruthless business prodigy sitting on a multibillion-dollar empire, was my husband.Lester stared at me, his eyes filled with complex emotions. He muttered, "Erica… you said you'd love only me and that you'd be mine forever. How could you marry another man?"Someone stepped forward to pull him back, but he shook them off. Mable
People in the room jumped in at once."Exactly! She's so despicable that she even claims to know you. Everyone knows you adore your wife and would never fool around, let alone set your eyes on a slut like her.""Mable has taught her a lesson. We'll hand her over to you soon and, however you decide to deal with her, we have no objections."It was Mable's first time seeing a man as polished and handsome as Caspian. His tailored suit accentuated his striking facial features. Though he appeared aloof and distant, he exuded a deep, gentle charm.In comparison, Lester's looks fell far short.As her heart fluttered like a lovestruck teenager's, Mable stepped forward to speak and tried to stand as close to Caspian as she could.He ignored her and swept his cold gaze across the room.Refusing to be ignored, Mable grabbed the signet ring off the floor and held it up. "Look, Mr. Caspian. She picked up some random trinket and claimed you gave it to her."She was eager to see me utterly rui
I kept my composure as I said, "It's just a bracelet. No matter how precious it is, it's still worth less than me. Besides, Mable broke it herself. What does that have to do with me?"Mable's eyebrows shot up in fury. "Still mouthing off even when you're doomed, huh?"The manager, Trisha Gates, rushed in and bowed apologetically at her. "What happened, Mrs. Kaine?"Mable glanced at the shattered pieces on the floor and gave an exaggerated account. When Trisha turned toward me, she looked me over for a few seconds, then snapped, "What's wrong with you? Is this how you treat guests? Don't forget who you are."After I married Caspian, I barely appeared in public, so most employees in his companies didn't recognize me.I gave a short laugh and unhurriedly said, "If you don't know who I am, ask your chairman."Trisha froze, then she scowled. "You slut! What makes you think you're worthy of meeting our chairman?"Since you broke a guest's belongings, it's perfectly justified for us







