Chapter 11

7 p.m. at Times Square. The streets were packed, a steady tide of people and cars weaving in every direction.I swirled the coffee in my cup, took a sip, and nodded approvingly. "This coffee's not bad. Strong aroma, smooth foam…""Becca! Are you even listening to me?!" Denise's face had turned a furious shade of red. Her eyes blazed as she slammed a thick stack of letters down on the table.Only then did I tear my gaze away from the window and set my cup down, turning toward her with a pleasant smile.She stared back with an air of superiority, her tone laced with pity and disdain. "Becca, take a good look. These are love letters your husband wrote to me—dozens of them, all these years. It's really touching. Ever gotten even one from him?"I tried to keep my expression calm and indifferent, like it didn't matter. But somewhere beneath my ribs, something still pulled tight.That only made her smirk more."Jason has always been mine. All I have to do is play the victim, and he com

Chapter 12

At 10:30 that night, just as I stepped out of the shower, my phone rang. It was Ruby."Girl! You won't believe this!" Her voice crackled with excitement, so giddy she sounded like she'd just struck gold. "Guess what? Denise's gone viral! And not in a good way—everyone's out for blood!""Check X and Snapchat now! She got beaten up! The wife of the man she had an affair with stormed a café and went off on Denise. The video hit a hundred million views in under an hour! She's topping every trending list!"That's not even the best part. She was in such a hurry to run, she left her phone behind! And you'll never guess what was in it. A bunch of indecent tapes—with two different men. Someone got hold of them and leaked them all over group chats and forums. It's chaos out there!"Denise is wild! Turns out she cheated on her fiancé with some CEO, got dumped, took hush money, and now—get this—she tried to blackmail him with the videos! Didn't get a cent and got her ass kicked instead. Karma

Chapter 13

The day we went to the courthouse, the sky hung low and heavy. A fine drizzle floated through the air, as if even the weather knew how things would end.Jason stood blankly at the courthouse entrance, dark circles shadowing his eyes, hair unkempt, looking worn and hollowed out."Becca," he said quietly, "was what happened to Denise your doing?"I stared at him, caught off guard. I had thought he might try to talk me out of this, say something soft, something pleading. But no, his first words were an accusation.And with that, whatever last trace of attachment I might've felt quietly vanished.My heart, once stirred by him, was now utterly still."Oh," I laughed, voice light but sharp, "so you're saying it was me who told her to sleep with that CEO? And me who made you two hook up? Sure. And if I filmed it, I'd definitely skip the censorship. Might as well show it to our daughter—let her admire your… impressive performance."I dug a finger into my ear, irritated for no reason I c

Chapter 14

Half a month later, Ruby tearfully saw me off at the airport.A month after that, I wrapped up a long-desired trip to Bodrein City, satisfied and sun-kissed, and wheeled my suitcase back to my hometown, Deckstar City.Two months later, with a nervous heart, I knocked on the chairman's door. "Mr. Boyle? You asked to see me?"A voice answered before I saw the face. When I looked up, a young man—sharp suit, thick eyebrows, dark eyes—lifted his gaze from his laptop. Handsome, composed. There was warmth in his smile, like spring wind brushing across the skin."Hello, Becca. I'm Greg Boyle's son, the new chairman. It's a pleasure to see you again."I froze. That voice—that face. It was him. The kind young man from the hospital on my first prenatal checkup.I smiled gratefully. "It's an honor to meet you again, Mr. Boyle. To have crossed paths with you and now to work under your leadership, I'm truly lucky. How's your wife doing?"He laughed, cheerful and open. "That was my sister."T

Chapter 15

Jason's POV - Side StoryI fell for Becca the moment I met her on a blind date.She didn't have Denise's kind of sweetness, but she was quietly lovely, the kind of pretty that lingered the longer you looked. And when she smiled—those two dimples at the corners of her mouth—something about it disarmed me completely.At the time, I'd been drifting through the aftermath of heartbreak for over a year. Denise had left me, and though I'd only barely stepped out from under that shadow, I couldn't bring myself to turn down my family's well-meaning arrangements. So I went, half-heartedly, just to go through the motions, to give them an answer.But the moment I saw Becca, all that went out the window.She was warm, quick to laugh, and behind her bright, clear eyes seemed to shimmer a thousand hidden stars. She liked to read what I read. She watched the same obscure films I loved. She craved my favorite dish and dreamed of the places I wanted to go.Military history, world geography, econom

Chapter 16

During that time, Denise brought Alison to my home, looking for me. I turned them away.I felt awful for Becca.Her words lingered in my mind, and I knew I had to change the locks. I blocked Denise without hesitation.Bodrein City had always been a dream destination for Becca and me.I promised Becca I'd take her there on Independence Day.But at noon before Independence Day, I received an unexpected call from Kate. She was crying, begging me to spend some time with Denise. Kate told me Denise's emotions were unstable. The doctor had diagnosed her with IgA nephropathy. She might only have a few years left.It hit me like lightning from a clear sky. Grief, pity, guilt, anxiety—so many emotions tangled together, pressing down on me until I couldn't breathe.Everything else faded. I just wanted to see her.For the first time in my life, I lied to Becca. That night, I moved into Denise's apartment.I kept telling myself that Denise was just like a sister to me. And that after In