Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 11 - Chapitre 20

In the cold guest room that felt far too large to be called a place of rest, Sarah sat on the edge of the bed with her back straight, even though her body felt broken from the inside. The bedside lamp glowed dimly, reflecting her shadow in a small mirror in the corner of the room. The face staring back at her felt unfamiliar. Pale skin, swollen eyes, yet a hard line was slowly forming along her jaw.Every breath felt like a decision. Every heartbeat became a count that confirmed one truth. She had reached her final limit.Sarah stared at the ceiling, then closed her eyes. In the darkness, memories lined up neatly. Ronan’s degrading words. Mia’s victorious smile. And the silence of her own family, which felt crueler than any insult.With painful clarity, she realized that she had been surviving with the wrong hope. She had been waiting for mercy from people who had never intended to give it.So she changed the way she survived.If humiliation was the price she had to pay at the beginni

Madam Vexler spoke again, her voice calm but filled with a carefully hidden threat. “So, this is what I want to talk to you about,” she said slowly. “If you do not want to be thrown out of this house and end up as a homeless woman out there, then simply obey your husband.” Sarah remained sitting straight. Her face was blank, almost without any expression. “Be a good housewife,” Madam Vexler continued. “A proper domestic wife who knows her place. Do not ask too many questions. Do not demand too much.” She then crossed her arms and looked Sarah up and down. “Oh, one more thing,” she added as if she had just remembered something trivial. “There will be a banquet at the Hermes family tomorrow night. They invited us.” Miranda slightly raised her eyebrow, while Ronan stayed silent, his expression relaxed. “I want you to attend with Ronan,” Madam Vexler said firmly. “Act properly. Behave as if you are truly a woman of noble blood who is worthy.” Her tone hardened. “Everyone knows tha

The next day, exactly on the appointed night, Sarah stood in front of the mirror in the Vexler family guest room. A long dark-colored gown wrapped her body elegantly, chosen by one of Madam Vexler’s assistants without asking for her opinion. Her hair was neatly styled, her face lightly made up, just enough to make her look proper standing among a noble family.Ronan waited outside the room. When Sarah stepped out, he glanced at her briefly, then gave a short nod. There was no praise. No comment. Only a brief evaluation, like someone inspecting an item before taking it out.“Remember,” Ronan said quietly as they walked toward the car. “Focus. Smile. Do not drift off.”Sarah nodded. “I know.”“And behave like a good wife,” Ronan added, his tone hardening slightly. “Do not make me repeat it there.”The drive to the Hermes family residence was silent. City lights flashed past the window while Sarah sat upright with her hands folded in her lap. She took a slow breath, preparing herself for

Sarah straightened her back, even though the throbbing pain in her cheek still pulsed like waves that refused to recede. Her eyes met Ronan’s directly, as she tried to gather whatever courage she had left. “I don’t have any kind of relationship with him,” she said at last, her voice low yet firm. “We’re just friends. That’s all.” Ronan let out a short laugh, humorless. There was a sharp note of sarcasm in it. “I don’t care,” he said coldly. “I still don’t like it. Stay away from him.” Sarah frowned. “Why?” she shot back. “Am I not allowed to have friends?” Ronan’s gaze hardened. His jaw clenched, the vein at his temple tightening. “No,” he said without hesitation. “You are not allowed to be friends with that man!” That possessive tone made Sarah’s chest feel tight. She drew in a breath, then smiled faintly—a smile that looked more like a challenge. “Why?” she asked softly. “Is it because he’s richer than you?” The words had barely landed when Ronan moved. SLAP! The sou

“I see it now,” Alex continued, his voice trembling as he held back his anger. “With my own eyes. You are abusing your wife.” Ronan was startled. Instinctively, his hand released the pinch at once, as if burned. Sarah pulled her arm back to her chest, her fingers trembling as she rubbed the aching spot. “Were you following me?” Ronan snapped, his face flushing red. “How dare you stalk us!” His voice rose, loud enough to make several guests in the distance turn their heads, though they were still too far away to fully understand the situation. “That’s illegal,” Ronan added quickly, trying to regain control. “You followed us! We’re husband and wife. This is a private matter!” Alex stepped forward one pace. “You’re forgetting one thing, Ronan,” he said coldly. “This is a public banquet. I wasn’t following anyone. I simply saw a woman being hurt right in front of my eyes.” He glanced briefly at Sarah, then looked back at Ronan. “You’re extremely rough with your wife. Something is cl