All Chapters of When Love Turns into Betrayal : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

117 Chapters

Chapter 31: Marcus's Breakthrough

Marcus called at midnight.I was still awake, unable to sleep after the gala. After seeing Ethan with Layla. After the whispers and stares and barely concealed shock on everyone's faces."I know what he did," Marcus said without preamble. "How Ethan got to Layla.""How?""He didn't. Victoria did." I could hear papers rustling. "I've been going through the visitor logs at Victoria's house arrest location. She's allowed supervised calls with her lawyer. Except her lawyer visited six times in the past week. Way more than necessary for case preparation.""You think the lawyer was passing messages?""I think the lawyer was the message. Alan Decker. High-powered defense attorney. And guess who just filed a motion to represent Layla Brooks in exchange for her cooperation agreement being revoked?" Marcus's voice was grim. "He offered her full legal representation if she recants her testimony. Claims she was coerced by the DA into lying about Ethan and Victoria."My stomach dropped. "She's fli

Last Updated : 2026-01-02

Chapter 32: The Dress That Declares War

The trial started in two days.I stood in my closet, staring at rows of clothes that suddenly felt wrong. Too soft. Too professional. Too much like the woman I used to be."You need armor," Harper said from my bedroom. She'd come over with coffee and moral support, understanding without being told that I was spiraling."I need to not throw up every time I think about sitting in that courtroom." I pulled out a black suit, held it up. "This?""Too funereal. You're not mourning. You're winning." Harper joined me in the closet. "What about the red one? The one you wore to that conference last year?""Too aggressive.""Vi, you're about to destroy your ex-husband in court. Aggressive is the point."I laughed despite everything. "Fair."But the red suit felt wrong too. Everything felt wrong. Like I was trying to dress for a part I didn't know how to play.My phone rang. Liam."How are you holding up?" he asked."Badly. I'm having a wardrobe crisis and an existential crisis simultaneously.""

Last Updated : 2026-01-03

Chapter 33: Jordan's Urgent Discovery

The call came at five AM on the morning of the trial.Jordan. Voice tight with urgency."Vi, we have a problem. A big one."I was already awake, had been since three, too anxious to sleep. "What kind of problem?""I've been monitoring Ethan's digital activity like Marcus asked. Checking for any last-minute evidence tampering." He paused. "An hour ago, a massive file transfer went out from his personal cloud storage. Gigabytes of data. All encrypted.""To who?""That's what I'm trying to figure out. But Vi, the timing is too perfect. Today's the trial. Whatever he sent, whoever he sent it to, it's his insurance policy."I sat up, heart pounding. "Can you trace it?""Working on it. But I need you to know this might blow up in court today. If he's sent something to the media, to his lawyers, to anyone who can cause chaos, we need to be prepared." Jordan's keyboard clicked rapidly in the background. "I've alerted Marcus. He's already on his way to the courthouse early to strategize.""Wha

Last Updated : 2026-01-04

Chapter 34: Victoria's True Face

Bennett's opening statement was exactly what I expected.Smooth. Polished. Designed to paint Ethan as the victim of a vindictive wife who couldn't accept that their marriage had naturally run its course."Ladies and gentlemen of the jury," he said, pacing before them. "This is a story about two people who fell out of love. It happens every day. Marriages end. People move on. It's sad, but it's human."I kept my face neutral. Didn't react."What makes this case unusual is what happened next. Instead of accepting that their marriage was over, Ms. Carter embarked on a campaign of destruction. A campaign to ruin Mr. Carter's reputation, his business, his life. All because he had the audacity to find happiness elsewhere.""Objection," Marcus said calmly. "Counsel is testifying rather than presenting facts.""Sustained. Mr. Bennett, stick to what you can prove."Bennett didn't miss a beat. "The evidence will show that Ms. Carter has made numerous false allegations against my client. Allegat

Last Updated : 2026-01-05

Chapter 35: The Kiss That Complicates Everything

The jury's expressions shifted. From neutral to skeptical to outright hostile."Ms. Brooks, one final question." Marcus moved closer to the witness stand. "You're currently under house arrest awaiting trial for fraud and conspiracy charges related to this case, correct?""Yes, but...""And you're testifying today in hopes of receiving a reduced sentence, correct?""I'm testifying because I want the truth...""The truth?" Marcus's voice rose slightly. "You've lied repeatedly under oath today. About your relationship with Mr. Carter. About your motives. About your treatment of your stepdaughter. The only truth here is that you and Mr. Carter conspired to destroy Violet Carter. And when that conspiracy failed, you're trying to save yourself by lying some more.""Objection!" Victoria's lawyer was on his feet. "Argumentative!""Sustained. Mr. Hale, rephrase.""I'll withdraw the question." Marcus gathered his notes. "I'm done with this witness, Your Honor. Though I'm sure the prosecution wi

Last Updated : 2026-01-06

Chapter 36: Evelyn's Secret Files

My testimony lasted two hours.Marcus walked me through everything. The night I found them. The gaslighting that followed. The discovery of hidden money. Every lie Ethan had told. I kept my voice steady. Looked at the jury when I answered. Didn't cry even when I wanted to.When Bennett cross-examined me, he tried every tactic. Suggested I'd been a neglectful wife. Implied I'd driven Ethan to cheat. Asked repeatedly about my relationship with Liam, trying to paint me as equally guilty."Isn't it true, Ms. Carter, that you moved on rather quickly after discovering the affair?""I moved on after my husband spent two years lying to me," I said calmly. "There's a difference between moving on quickly and moving on from something that was already dead."The jury nodded. Small victory.When I finally stepped down, exhausted and wrung out, Marcus squeezed my shoulder. "You did great. Perfect."But the day wasn't over. As court adjourned, a woman approached me in the hallway. Elderly, elegant,

Last Updated : 2026-01-06

Chapter 37: The Article That Shifts Everything

The article dropped at midnight.The New York Times. Front page of the digital edition.THE PREDATOR IN PLAIN SIGHT: HOW ETHAN CARTER DESTROYED MULTIPLE WOMENI was still awake, reviewing the USB drive Evelyn had given me, when Harper sent the link with three fire emojis.The article was devastating. Meticulous. And perfectly timed.Three women. Three stories. All eerily similar to mine.Sarah Martinez, 2015. Married Ethan fresh out of business school. Within two years, he'd drained her savings, cheated with her coworker, and left her bankrupt while he used her money to start his first company.Jennifer Walsh, 2017. Engaged to Ethan for eight months. Discovered he was simultaneously engaged to another woman in Boston. Both women had given him money for "investments" that never existed.Rachel Kim, 2019. Dated Ethan for a year. He convinced her to quit her job and move across the country for him. Then he emptied her bank account and disappeared.Each story included documentation. Bank

Last Updated : 2026-01-06

Chapter 38: Layla's Pregnancy Bombshell

Layla took the stand on day four.She looked fragile. Thin. Pale. Like the weight of everything had physically diminished her. She was sworn in, sat down, and kept her eyes on her hands.Marcus approached gently. "Ms. Brooks, can you tell the jury about your relationship with Ethan Carter?""We had an affair." Her voice was barely audible. "For two years. While he was married to my stepsister.""Did you know he was married when it started?""Yes." She looked up, tears already falling. "I knew. And I did it anyway. I'm not here to make excuses. What I did was horrible. Unforgivable."The jury leaned forward. This wasn't what they'd expected."Why did you do it?" Marcus asked."Because I was jealous. Because Violet had everything I wanted. Because Ethan made me feel like I mattered for the first time in my life." Layla wiped her eyes. "But that's not a reason. That's just weakness. I hurt someone I should have protected. I destroyed a family. And I have to live with that.""Did Victoria

Last Updated : 2026-01-06

Chapter 39: The Anonymous Tip

The email arrived at three AM on the morning of closing arguments.Subject line: You need to see this before the verdictNo sender name. Encrypted address. But the attachment was clear.A video file. Timestamped from two days ago. Location: a parking garage.I was still awake, too anxious to sleep. I clicked play.The video quality was grainy but clear enough. Ethan meeting with two men. Both wearing dark clothes. Both looking like exactly the kind of people you'd hire for illegal work.Audio was muffled but I could make out phrases."...after the verdict...""...make it look like an accident...""...she won't even see it coming..."My blood turned to ice.Ethan was planning something. Just like Evelyn warned. And this anonymous tipster had documented it.I called Marcus immediately. He answered on the first ring, clearly awake."I just got it too," he said. "Jordan sent it to both of us. He's been monitoring Ethan's movements.""Those men. Who are they?""Running facial recognition n

Last Updated : 2026-01-06

Chapter 40: Harper's Dangerous Discovery

The jury deliberated for six hours.I spent them in Liam's apartment, pacing. Unable to eat. Unable to sit still. Harper tried to distract me with movies, with conversation, with anything. Nothing worked."They're taking too long," I said for the hundredth time."Six hours isn't long for a case this complex," Marcus said via video call. "They have multiple charges to consider. Embezzlement. Fraud. Conspiracy. It takes time.""What if they can't agree? What if it's a hung jury?""Then we try again. But Vi, that's not going to happen. The evidence is overwhelming." Marcus checked his phone. "I'll call the moment I hear anything."After he hung up, Harper disappeared into Liam's office. Said she had work to catch up on. I knew she was lying—she was investigating something. She always got that look when she was digging.An hour later, she emerged. Face pale. Hands shaking."I found something." She set her laptop on the coffee table. "Something bad."Liam and I gathered around. On screen,

Last Updated : 2026-01-06

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