Chapter 5

Rhea pretended to be worried and hurried to Alia’s side. She tapped her cheek. “Alia! Alia! Wake up—what’s wrong?”

Alia blinked, clearing her vision. “Huh? Wh—what happened? Ugh… my head. It hurts.”

She tried to sit up but her body slumped back into the chair for support.

Rhea steadied her. “If you don’t feel well, let me help you. I already booked a suite upstairs—come, you can rest there.”

Alia nodded, eyes half-closed. She stood with Rhea’s help and walked slowly; each step was unsteady.

In the elevator her voice came out slurred and drowsy. “Rh-Rhea… thanks. I-I really ap-appreciate your he-help. You’re… trully my fr-friend.”

“No need to thank me, Alia. We’re friends now, right?” Rhea replied with a calculating smile.

Everything was unfolding exactly as she’d planned—she felt a small, eager thrill when they reached the suite and she closed the door behind them.

The instant the door clicked, Rhea’s body flared hot as if someone had thrown a blanket of steam over her. She staggered, lost her balance, and collapsed onto the carpet. Heat crawled through her veins; her limbs trembled.

She glanced up at Alia—who was still standing—and panic flared.

Could it be?

Alia lifted her chin, smoothed her hair, and suddenly looked perfectly composed—nothing like the woozy woman a moment ago. She smiled, small and cruel.

“You—what is happening? Wh-why?” Rhea managed between shudders.

Alia’s smile widened into a smirk. She looked down at Rhea with cold amusement. “I already knew what you were up to, Rhea.”

Rhea tried to rise, fingers clawing at the carpet, rage and heat making her vision swim. But her body betrayed her—shaking, burning, useless.

Alia walked with slow, deliberate steps into the bathroom and closed the door behind her, leaving Rhea twitching and gasping on the floor like a caught fish.

She didn’t linger; in Alia’s eyes, a cunning woman deserved a taste of her own medicine.

The next day, Alia was jolted awake by a loud bang.

The bathroom door burst open—Jasper stood there, followed by a group of police officers.

They froze at the sight before them. Alia was lying half-submerged in the bathtub, her long hair floating in the water. For a split second, Jasper’s heart dropped.

“Alia!” he shouted as he rushed in. The officers followed, one of them kneeling to check her pulse.

Her skin had turned almost ghostly white, pale from being soaked too long. From their view, she could’ve easily passed for a corpse.

But before they could panic further, Alia stirred. Her eyes fluttered open, confused by the chaos around her.

“What the—?” she blinked at the officers hovering above her. “Am I... in trouble?”

“Alia, what the hell are you doing?!” Jasper barked, anger laced with worry.

She winced at his tone and immediately covered her ears.

“Do you have to shout? Geez, I can hear you just fine without the yelling. F*cking christ.”

What she said only made Jasper’s brow furrow. He asked again. “What were you doing inside the bathroom? Are you even aware of what happened to Rhea last night?”

Before answering, Alia slowly stood up with the help of the officers. They quickly covered her with a towel.

“I don’t get what you’re saying,” she replied, confused.

That only made Jasper explode in anger.

“Alia, you’d better tell me the truth or I swear I’ll strangle it out of you!”

Alia’s expression darkened. She turned to the police.

“Officer, can I sue my own husband for death threats based on what he just said?”

The officers exchanged startled looks but one of them quickly answered.

“Well… technically, yes, ma’am. What your husband said can be considered a grave threat under the law. You can file a report if you wish.”

“I will,” Alia said without hesitation.

Jasper’s anger only flared higher. “Alia, explain yourself this instant!”

She rolled her eyes. “Rhea brought me here. She said she booked a private suite in advance and suggested that I rest here. I told her I felt dizzy and hot all of a sudden, so I went inside the bathroom and soaked myself in cold water the whole night.”

“Mrs. Silvercrest, were you here the entire night and didn’t hear what happened outside?” an officer asked.

Alia nodded. “I was drunk that night and slept soundly. Rhea offered me wine — I wanted to refuse, but she insisted. I had no choice but to drink with her even though I have low alcohol tolerance.”

The officers glanced at one another, seemingly convinced by Alia’s statement. Her explanation was clear and consistent — a strong alibi that placed her out of suspicion.

And besides, they had no reason to doubt her since the CCTV footage clearly showed Rhea carrying Alia into the suite.

Alia changed into a simple white polo shirt, tight blue jeans, and white pointed-toe pumps. The hotel staff informed her that her wedding dress would be dry-cleaned and delivered to her address once it was done.

She simply nodded and was about to leave when Jasper grabbed her arm.

“Do you still have more to say?” she asked.

Unlike a minute ago, Jasper wasn’t as angry as before. His tone had softened.

“Alia, you shouldn’t have drunk that much. If you hadn’t, you could’ve heard what happened outside. Rhea wouldn’t have experienced such an assault.”

His words instantly irritated her. Why was he suddenly blaming her for what happened to Rhea?

Her eyebrow arched in mockery.

“Jasper, am I the one who did something to her? No, right? Then blame the real suspect, not me.” She yanked her arm free. “How could you blame me for something I’m not f*cking related to? Idiot.”

After making her point, Alia walked away confidently — not once looking back.

As she walked down the corridor, Alia turned a corner and accidentally bumped into someone. The impact made her stumble backward, losing her balance—

but before she could fall, a strong arm wrapped around her waist. Instinctively, she clutched at the man’s shirt to steady herself.

She looked up—and froze.

For a moment, her mind went blank as she stared at the stranger before her.

She had always thought Jasper was the most handsome man she’d ever seen… until now. The man standing in front of her looked almost unreal, as if God Himself had taken His time sculpting him.

A ridiculous thought slipped into her head.

How could a man be this handsome? Being this handsome should be a sin!