Chapter 3: Truth Exposed

Karina fluttered her eyes open, her gaze immediately landing on his bare chest.

She swallowed hard, quietly admiring his frame. Her fingers drifted toward the faint red marks along his neck when he suddenly caught her hand, his eyes snapping open.

“Sleep well?” he asked softly, bringing her hand to his lips and pressing a kiss against her palm.

Her heart skipped violently as her eyes darted away.

“Mmm.”

He tilted her chin toward him, his thumb brushing gently against her cheek as he studied her face carefully.

Karina stared at him in silence.

This was the first time she had truly looked at him.

His brown hair fell messily across his forehead, giving him a rugged appearance, but beneath it were the most beautiful green eyes she had ever seen—soft enough to draw anyone in.

“You look beautiful, Jade,” he murmured before pressing a soft kiss to her lips and burying his face against her neck.

Karina stiffened the moment she heard her sister’s name.

Reality came crashing down instantly.

The warmth in her eyes dimmed as she remembered this fragile moment would disappear the second he learned the truth.

A single tear slipped down her cheek as she parted her lips weakly.

“I’m not—”

“Mr. Russell! Mr. Russell!”

Leon’s frantic voice echoed from the other side of the door.

Devon groaned softly. “What is it?”

“There’s a problem downstairs. Her parents are here. You need to come down quickly.”

His footsteps hurried away immediately after.

Karina’s heartbeat quickened violently as beads of sweat formed across her forehead.

Were they already here to expose her?

“What were you saying?” Devon lifted his head from her neck and looked up at her, his arm still wrapped loosely around her waist.

“N-Nothing,” Karina stammered softly.

It would all be revealed soon anyway.

Devon raised a brow at her strange reaction but brushed it aside, assuming she was simply shy.

He got off the bed before helping her sit up carefully.

His gaze shifted toward the red-stained sheets, proof that she had never belonged to another man before him. A faint smile appeared on his lips.

It would not have mattered to him either way.

But somehow… this pleased him more.

“Let’s go wash up,” he said, stretching his hand toward her.

Karina hesitated.

This was wrong.

She should tell him everything now before it became too late.

But would he even believe her?

No one ever did.

Her eyes slowly lifted to his face.

Even if it was only for a moment… let her stay inside this illusion a little longer before it shattered completely.

Slowly, she placed her hand in his.

He guided her toward the bathroom before leading her downstairs afterward, one arm resting around her gently.

But with every step they took, Karina felt herself drawing closer and closer to her doom.

Just before they reached the living room, she turned to look at him one last time.

This would probably be the last moment he would ever treat her this gently.

And if a man like Devon Russell could kill his enemies without hesitation…

Then a woman who had deceived him would not be spared either.

The moment they stepped into the living room, Karina’s parents immediately collapsed at Devon’s feet.

“Have mercy on us, Mr. Russell,” her mother cried dramatically.

“It’s all our fault. We failed to discipline our daughter properly,” her father added as he lowered his head.

Leon stood silently by the side, watching the scene unfold in surprise.

He had expected the Garcia family to be desperate.

But not this pathetic.

Jade stood nearby with a fragile expression carefully arranged on her face, as though she were the true victim in all of this.

Her gaze slowly drifted toward Devon’s arm wrapped around Karina’s waist before lowering to the faint marks scattered along his neck.

A flicker of jealousy crossed her eyes.

She had not expected the infamous Mr. Russell to be this handsome.

Still, it didn’t matter.

Even if Karina had married him first, she was only a replacement.

In the end, she was the one Devon Russell originally wanted.

And Jade had no intention of letting Karina keep what belonged to her.

A subtle smile tugged at her lips as she glanced at Karina, but it disappeared just as quickly, replaced by a pitiful expression before she turned toward Devon again.

Beside him, Karina’s fingers tightened around her dress.

Every breath she took felt heavier than the last.

“Speak,” Devon said coldly, already growing irritated with the strange atmosphere.

Karina’s mother hurried to Jade’s side and held onto her arm protectively.

“Y-You see, Mr. Russell…” her father began weakly, unable to meet his eyes.

“It’s okay, Dad. I’ll explain,” Jade said softly before stepping forward.

Then, to everyone’s surprise, she slowly knelt in front of Devon.

“The woman beside you…” She paused, tears gathering in her eyes as she looked up at him helplessly. “She isn’t Jade.”

Her voice trembled slightly.

“She’s my sister… Karina.”

She lowered her head before adding softly,

“But please… don’t blame her.”

Devon went completely still the moment the words left Jade’s mouth.

His hand slowly slipped away from Karina’s waist and fell limply to his side.

For a moment, the only thing he could hear was the violent ringing in his ears.

The room fell deathly silent.

Even the faint sound of the wind brushing against the curtains seemed unbearably loud.

No one dared to speak.

Behind him, Karina stopped breathing altogether.

“Is she telling the truth?” Devon asked quietly.

His voice dropped to a low tone.

But the anger beneath it was unmistakable.

Karina opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out.

Devon laughed.

The sound was sharp and unsettling, sending chills through everyone in the room.

Leon immediately signaled for a chair, already knowing what that laugh meant.

Devon slammed a hand against the armrest as he sat down, using the force to steady the slight tremor in his hand.

“Come here,” he barked.

Karina flinched before slowly stepping forward, her movements weak and unsteady. Her head remained lowered as tears gathered helplessly in her eyes.

“Someone better give me a proper explanation,” Devon said coldly. “Otherwise, none of you are leaving this house.”

Karina parted her lips to speak—

But a sharp slap suddenly landed across her face.

She stumbled sideways before clutching her cheek in shock.

“If you hadn’t locked Jade up, none of this would’ve happened!” her father shouted, pointing at her furiously.

Karina’s eyes widened.

“What?” she whispered shakily. “I didn’t—”

“Sis…” Jade interrupted softly, tears streaming down her face. “I know you wanted him for yourself, but you didn’t have to go that far.”

Karina staggered backward as if the words themselves had struck her.

So this was their plan.

No…

No, no, no—

There had to be a way out of this.

“I didn’t do it!” Karina cried desperately, her body trembling violently. “There’s no proof! I-I—”

Her knees suddenly gave out beneath her.

She crawled toward Devon in panic and grabbed onto his leg, but he kicked her away immediately.

Despite the pain, she forced herself upright again, shaking her head frantically like someone on the verge of losing their mind.

“I didn’t do it,” she kept repeating brokenly. “I swear… I didn’t do it…”

Her hair had fallen loose around her tear-streaked face, her entire body trembling in desperation.

But she no longer cared how pathetic she looked.

Because if their plan succeeded, Devon Russell would kill her.

“Here’s the proof you wanted.”

Karina froze.

She slowly looked up to find her mother staring down at her with a smug expression.

The woman handed a tablet to Devon before stepping back quietly.

A video immediately began playing on the screen.

The footage was dark and blurry, but Karina’s figure could still be seen locking a door while Jade’s cries echoed desperately from the other side.

“Let me out! Please!”

Karina’s face drained of color.

Devon’s expression darkened instantly.

Without warning, he hurled the tablet to the floor directly in front of her.

CRASH!

The screen shattered into pieces, making Karina flinch violently.

Her gaze slowly dropped toward the broken glass scattered around her knees.

It was over.

“Everyone leave,” Devon ordered as he rose to his feet.

His voice was terrifyingly calm.

“Now.”

Karina’s mother immediately rushed toward Jade and helped her stand while Leon escorted the Garcia family toward the door.

Just before leaving, Leon glanced back at Karina briefly.

Something about this situation felt wrong.

When he had dropped them off at the manor yesterday, Karina had looked terrified—not triumphant.

The more he thought about it…

The less sense everything made.

Meanwhile, Devon slowly walked toward Karina.

She instinctively backed away, trembling violently with every step he took.

“You locked your sister away,” he said coldly.

One step.

“You signed the marriage certificate in her place.”

Another step.

“You followed me into this house.”

Then another.

“And then you slept with me.”

Karina’s back suddenly hit the wall behind her.

She had nowhere left to run.

Devon bent down until they were face to face before suddenly grabbing her hair and forcing her to look at him.

“Was it fun?” he asked quietly.

For the briefest second, something flickered through his eyes.

Pain.

But it vanished so quickly Karina almost thought she imagined it.

Because whatever he was feeling…

It could never compare to the terror crushing her right now.

Karina shook her head frantically as she clawed weakly at his wrist.

“No… please…”

Devon suddenly flung her aside before grabbing her throat and dragging her back upward.

“People like you disgust me,” he said coldly, tightening his grip around her neck.

Karina choked violently as tears poured down her cheeks. She kicked and struggled desperately against him, her fingers clawing helplessly at his hand.

“Devon!”

Leon rushed forward immediately and grabbed his arm.

“Let her go. You can’t kill her here.”

Devon’s breathing had already become uneven, the rage in his eyes growing darker by the second.

“You need your medication,” Leon lowered his voice carefully. “You can deal with her later.”

For a long moment, Devon said nothing.

Then…he released her.

Karina collapsed onto the floor with a painful thud, gasping desperately for air.

“Get a doctor,” Devon snarled. “And make sure she isn’t pregnant.”

The words struck Karina harder than the choking ever did.

Then he turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him so hard the walls shook.

Silence followed instantly.

“Yes, sir,” Leon muttered quietly.

He looked down at Karina lying weakly on the floor.

One thing was certain.

The woman before him did not look like someone who had won.

Slowly, he removed his coat and draped it over her trembling shoulders.

“Go to your room,” he said softly.

Karina didn’t respond.

She merely nodded weakly before forcing herself upright.

One hand pressed against the wall for support as she slowly dragged herself upstairs alone.

Leon watched her disappear down the hallway before lowering his gaze thoughtfully.

Something about this entire situation felt terribly wrong.

And for the first time—

He decided he would investigate it himself.