Hearing Aspen's words, Aren quietly withdrew his hand and gave her a gentle smile. "Alright, I'll wait for you," he said softly, his voice warm and reassuring.This was the difference between Aren and Colin. Colin only cared about himself and never considered others. However, Aren chose to respect Aspen and give her space. Watching him, Aspen felt her resolve waver, and her heart stirred with emotions she had tried to suppress. To force herself to stay rational, she said something she didn't truly mean. "Aren, you should go. I can handle the rest on my own."Aren didn't push back. He simply nodded, gently brushing her cheek with his hand before standing up and walking out. As she watched his retreating figure, Aspen hugged herself tightly, taking a deep breath. Tears silently rolled down her cheeks....The next morning, Colin arrived with another bouquet of hyacinths. His face lit up with a warm smile. "How are you feeling today?"He was so gentle, acting as though Aspen was
After Colin left, Aspen grabbed the bouquet of hyacinths from the table and threw it into the trash, feeling a wave of disgust. She wasn't done, though. If there was one thing she excelled at, it was making people just as miserable as she felt. Aspen immediately headed upstairs to Gwyneth's room. Since Aren had already arranged everyone around Gwyneth, Aspen had no trouble making her way to Gwyneth's room. She walked in, her arms crossed, and sat down in a chair, smirking at Gwyneth. "So, this is what it's like to be Colin's true love? Seems exhausting."Gwyneth's face twisted with rage the moment she saw Aspen. Her voice was filled with venom as she screamed, "You bitch! You scheming, evil bitch!"Aspen would have stayed silent in the past, enduring the insults without a word. Then again, she was no longer that Aspen anymore. She strode forward and slapped Gwyneth across the face, hissing, "Who's the real bitch here? You knew he had a wife and a child, yet you still threw yo
Standing by the door, Aspen listened to Gwyneth's tortured screams from inside the room. The sound sent a rush of satisfaction through her, but even that didn't feel like enough. Colin deserved to experience this kind of suffering too.When Aspen returned to her own hospital room, she found four stylists already waiting for her. They all stood respectfully, their postures formal.The lead stylist stepped forward with a polished smile. "Mrs. Fuller, I'm Howard Lewis. I'm here to do your styling for today."Then, he gestured toward the collections behind him, adding, "These are the latest designer gowns and accessories—you're free to choose anything you like."The dresses were all high-end couture, and the jewelry was nothing short of exquisite—each piece more extravagant than the last.One glance at the collection told Aspen that today's press conference and evening gala were of great significance. Otherwise, Colin wouldn't have invested this much. At his core, he was nothing more
With just a light touch of makeup, Aspen's features became even more refined and striking. Howard admired his work with deep satisfaction.Stylists like him prided themselves on their skills, but the truth was that working with a naturally beautiful canvas was far more enjoyable than doing a full transformation. Enhancing beauty was far easier than creating it from scratch, and the results were always breathtaking.The best makeup wasn't the kind that looked obvious. It was the kind that made people wonder if any had been applied at all.Aspen stared at her reflection in the mirror, finding the whole situation incredibly ironic. She used to love wearing bold, eye-catching colors like this, but after marrying Colin, she had gradually abandoned her own tastes, simply because he found them tacky.Over time, she had tried to match his so-called refined aesthetic, wearing muted, outdated tones to please him. Looking at herself now, she couldn't believe how far she had strayed from who
"Is that so? This is the same gown a top international model just wore on the runway. How is it tasteless? Some people just can't let go of outdated ideas," Aspen shot back, rolling her eyes. It was the first time she had ever pushed back against Colin's criticism. In the past, no matter how harshly he judged her, she would stay silent, even questioning herself. But now, she knew better. She hadn't done anything wrong—it was Colin who was the problem.Even Howard had praised her look, but Colin, as usual, had nothing positive to say. His lack of taste and constant negativity were exhausting.Colin hadn't expected that his single comment would spark such a sharp response. His eyebrows furrowed as he glared at her. "Aspen, is this your new strategy? Are you trying to get my attention by acting out? Pathetic.""And yet, who exactly is the one obsessed with this?? Are we going or not?" Aspen snapped, losing patience. If she hadn't spent so much time perfecting her look, she might ha
It was exactly what Aspen wanted. There was no way Gwyneth could just move on and live a peaceful life now—not after what she had done to them. She had made their lives a living hell, so it was only fair for her to finally experience what it felt like to lose sleep over it.When the reporters bombarded her with questions, Aspen handled it with grace and poise, earning plenty of praise. She took this opportunity not only to officially acknowledge her identity but also to send a clear message—she was exceptional. This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance, and she was determined to make sure the whole world knew her name—she was Aspen Nicholls, not some pathetic caged canary or Mrs. Fuller.Watching her effortlessly take control of the situation, Colin found himself seeing her in a new light. He had always assumed she was just a woman who only cared about grocery store prices, but clearly, he had underestimated her.It almost felt like Aspen was a completely different person. The old As
Facing the cameras, Aspen carried herself with confidence and grace, showing no sign of embarrassment despite the personal nature of the questions. It was as if none of this had anything to do with her. Colin had always wanted to see this composed and professional side of her. Yet, when he met her cold, emotionless gaze, he couldn't help but feel a growing sense of irritation. He had hated how she focused all her attention on him in the past, but now that she seemed completely indifferent, he found it even harder to accept. "Mrs. Fuller, what exactly is the relationship between Ms. Sanders and Mr. Fuller?" a reporter asked."Ms. Sanders is just Ms. Sanders, and I am Mrs. Fuller. Colin is right here beside me—isn't that answer enough?" Aspen replied with a soft smile. She took Colin's hand, interlacing their fingers in front of the cameras and proudly displaying their wedding rings. In reality, Aspen's original ring had been discarded long ago, and the one she wore now was a ch
What was supposed to be an urgent matter suddenly didn't feel so urgent to Colin. Puzzled, he stood there, glancing at Aspen and wondering why she wasn't making a scene like she used to. Sensing his confusion, Aspen looked back at him with the same questioning expression before finally waving him off. "Take your time. Don't let me keep you.""Wait for me," Colin said firmly before turning and striding away. Aspen watched him go, letting out a scoff of disdain. Then, she turned to Riley, who was still standing there, and snapped, "What are you staring at? Get the car ready. We can't be late.""But Mr. Fuller told you to wait for him," Riley replied, clearly confused. When had Aspen become so decisive?Aspen gave him a look that was both amused and exasperated. "You've worked for him for years, and you still don't know him? Do you really think he's coming back?" It wasn't like this had never happened before. The only difference was that back then, the empty promises had been mad
Eric was baffled by Aren's response. Was this really the time to be worrying about whether he could get married? No matter how important getting married was, it couldn't possibly top what they were dealing with now.Seeing how defeated he looked, Aren couldn't help but grin smugly. Then, he said, "Don't worry, I've got this under control. I already passed the issue to Aspen—if all goes well, I should be getting good news tonight when I drop off her dinner."Eric felt like he was about to explode. He stared at Aren in disbelief and snapped, "Mr. Jefferson, do you even know what you're doing? We're direct competitors with Fuller Group! What you're doing now is a breach of confidentiality! You realize I could have you arrested for this?"Aren laughed out loud at his outrage. With a completely relaxed tone, he replied, "Calm down. She would never betray me. Sure, we're rivals with Fuller Group, but Aspen isn't Fuller Group—she's our partner. That's a pretty clear distinction, don't you
"Gwyneth called me a lapdog, and Colin just let it happen, even threatening me!" Riley's voice trembled with barely contained outrage.He graduated from a well-known college and had devoted years to Colin, only to be humiliated without recourse. What kind of twisted corporate hell was this? Employees had their limits too."Huh?" Aspen was taken aback when she heard Riley's reply. Of all the reasons she had imagined for his defection, this wasn't it.Colin had truly lost it for Gwyneth. The man's logic circuits were obviously fried since he had actually let Gwyneth verbally assault his most loyal aide.Aspen thought he was definitely out of his mind. She said, "Don't worry. I'll make sure you get your justice. But first, I need Fuller Group's core data for the past five years. Can you access it?" Now that they were officially allies, Aspen saw no need for formalities.Riley nodded immediately. "I can get it. I'll need some time, but you can expect it by tomorrow night." He stoo
Gwyneth was no fool and immediately recognized Riley's thinly veiled contempt. She shot to her feet, teeth clenched. "You're nothing but Colin's lapdog! How dare you give me an attitude? Do you even want to keep your job?"Riley replied flatly, "My apologies, Ms. Sander, but I'm Mr. Fuller's assistant, not his pet. If you're fond of dogs, I'm sure he'd be happy to buy you one."Gwyneth's eyes widened, shocked that he was actually speaking to her in that tone. She lunged forward, hand raised to strike. However, Riley was no delicate flower and caught Gwyneth's wrist mid-swing. He said, "Control yourself, Ms. Sanders."Colin arrived just in time to see the confrontation. He strode forward, intercepting Riley with a glare. "What the hell is going on?""Ms. Sanders attempted to assault me," Riley stated matter-of-factly, releasing Gwyneth's wrist. "I merely defended myself. No aggression intended."Gwyneth seized the moment, throwing herself against Colin with theatrical sobs. "I di
"Move aside!" Colin roared, his face twisted in fury.Maria was unfamiliar with Colin or his status, and she stood her ground. "Sir, I must protect my patient. Leave now, or I'll call security.""Maria, it's fine. He's my husband," Aspen said, her voice dripping with sarcasm at the word "husband". Maria stared in disbelief. She had been caring for Aspen for weeks, and Aren was the only visitor she had ever seen. She couldn't believe this snarling stranger was Aspen's husband.She eyed Colin suspiciously and asked, "Ms. Nicholls, are you sure you don't want me to call the police?""No need. Thank you." Aspen smiled and gave Maria's hand a reassuring squeeze.Maria glared at Colin and scoffed, warning him, "I'll be right outside that door. Lay one finger on her, and I'm dialing 911 myself. He's got a fancy suit but can't keep his hands to himself… How disgraceful."Then, she shoved past him and headed outside.Watching Colin's thunderous expression, Aspen almost laughed. She dou
"Aspen said Zac did it. What does that have to do with you? Your brother's always been reckless and undisciplined—him doing something outrageous isn't exactly a stretch," Colin said calmly, trying to stay rational.But Gwyneth, sitting beside him, already understood something crystal clear—her place in Colin's heart wasn't what it used to be.Before this, Colin had never approached her issues with reason. He had always been impulsive, acting purely on emotion. And now? He could actually stay level-headed when it came to her. That only meant one thing—he didn't care anymore."Colin… do you not love me anymore?" Gwyneth's voice trembled with hurt, and tears began to stream down her face.She cried, "I know I've been a mess lately, and I'm sorry. But I can't help it. I love you too much—I can't live without you. I can't lose you!"As she spoke, she curled up in the passenger seat, trembling all over.Seeing her like that, Colin's heart softened, and his tone eased. "I'm not blaming
Right after stepping out, Colin grabbed Gwyneth by the arm and dragged her straight to his car. He frowned at her and said coldly, "Call Zac."Gwyneth stared at him in disbelief. "Colin, do you really believe what Ms. Nicholls said? You actually think Zac did it?""Call him!" Colin didn't bother responding to her questions. This time, it wasn't a suggestion—it was an order.Gwyneth didn't dare argue. Her eyes welled up with frustration as she pulled out her phone and started dialing Zac's number....At that moment, Zac was hanging from the ceiling, being whipped mercilessly. He howled in pain, sounding like a pig being slaughtered, thrashing around helplessly. When his phone suddenly started ringing, it felt like the light at the end of the tunnel."Sir, please—I've got money! Just let me answer the call, I'm begging you!" Zac pleaded over and over. He couldn't take it anymore.Kian shook out his sore hand with a grimace of disgust. "You're a grown man, yet all you do is bully
"Aspen, I don't have the energy for this anymore. Just tell me what you want." Colin rubbed his temples, exhaustion etched into every word. Between the company's critical restructuring and this domestic chaos, he was under siege from all sides.Seeing how weary he was, Aspen let out a humorless laugh. She lowered her head and said, "Colin, I want a divorce. A fair one. I want everything I'm entitled to." Colin was shocked. Of all the things she could have asked for—even having another child—he hadn't anticipated that all she wanted was to carve out his assets and walk away.In an instant, his composure shattered. He lunged forward, his hand closing around her throat. "You're desperate to leave and bleed me dry just to fund that Jefferson brat? You whore! How long has this been going on?"Aspen didn't even flinch. Up close, his rage was almost pitiable. She said disdainfully, "The only cheater here is you, and you dare play the victim?" "Aspen, don't push me past my limits." Col
Aspen kept her eyes downcast, the picture of wounded vulnerability. It was enough to soften Colin's expression.Gwyneth hadn't anticipated Aspen mastering the art of playing the victim. Watching Colin's demeanor shift, alarm bells rang in her head. "Colin, Zac would never do such a thing! Ms. Nicholls is slandering him!" "Yes, yes, it's all my fault. You're absolutely right." Aspen nodded eagerly, like a chastised child agreeing to whatever would end the conversation.Gwyneth's temper flared. She stepped forward, teeth clenched. "Aspen, I know you've always resented me because of Colin. But if you hate me, take it out on me. Why target Zac? What has he ever done to you? This isn't fair!""How exactly have I 'targeted' him? Did I hit him? Insult him?" Aspen blinked, all wide-eyed innocence. She gestured to her bandaged ribs, then leveled her gaze at Colin. "And you're just going to stand there while someone screams at your wife? What kind of husband does that?"If he wanted to
Colin scoffed, brandishing his status like a weapon. Regardless of the circumstances, he undoubtedly had a greater right to rage than the man before him.Watching his theatrics, Aren suddenly realized any further words would be wasted. He smirked and said, "It's great that you finally know who you are. Just don't cling to what you don't appreciate.""Hey! Aren, you're a homewrecker. Do you think your family will tolerate your actions if they find out that you're involved with another man's wife?" Colin's face darkened, the threat dripping from every word."The CEO of Fuller Group, reduced to tattling to Mommy and Daddy? How pathetic," Aren retorted. Then, he glanced at Aspen and left. Aspen sat silently, forcing steady breaths through the pain. When she finally looked up, she met Colin's furious gaze.He hissed, "How many times must I say it? You're my wife—Mrs. Fuller. Stop embarrassing me with your shameless behavior! What exactly is going on between you and Aren?" His molars