All Chapters of When Love Turns into Betrayal : Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

At midnight, Jordan's trap sprung perfectly.The backdoor activated. Downloaded what it thought was sensitive client data. Sent it to pre-programmed media contacts. Emails fired off to gossip sites, business publications, industry watchdogs.But all of it was fake. Dummy files Jordan had created. Generic client names. Fabricated complaints. Nothing real. Nothing damaging."It worked," Jordan said, watching his screen. "Whoever's monitoring thinks they've successfully destroyed your company. The real data is safe.""How long until they realize?" I asked."Hours. Maybe a day if they're not checking carefully." He pulled up tracking software. "But look at this. The backdoor connected to an IP address before sending. I traced it."A location appeared on his map. Address in Brooklyn. Warehouse district."That's where they're operating from," Liam said, looking over Jordan's shoulder. "Send it to police.""Already done. SWAT team's mobilizing now." Jordan checked his phone. "Detective Morri

The celebration lasted until midnight.Marcus, Harper, Jordan, even Richard Cole who'd been released from the hospital. All gathered in Liam's apartment, toasting victory, swapping war stories, laughing at the absurdity of it all."Remember when Ethan filed that fake restraining order?" Harper said, wine-flushed and happy. "And we thought that was the worst thing he'd do?""Remember when Victoria testified and destroyed herself in twenty minutes?" Marcus added. "That cross-examination was poetry.""Remember when I spilled coffee on Liam?" I said quietly. Everyone turned to me. "And he laughed instead of yelling? I think that's when everything started to change."Liam's hand found mine. Squeezed. "Best coffee stain of my life."Around eleven, people started leaving. Long hugs. Promises to stay in touch. Marcus the last to go, squeezing my shoulder at the door."You did it, Vi. You actually did it." His normally stoic expression softened. "I'm proud of you.""Couldn't have done it witho

The gala was winding down when Jordan found me."We have a situation," he said quietly. "Someone's been sending anonymous messages to the press. About Ethan. Claims there's new evidence that was suppressed at trial."My blood ran cold. "What kind of evidence?""I don't know. But three major outlets received identical packages an hour ago. I'm monitoring their feeds to see if they publish." Jordan showed me his phone. "The timing's suspicious. Middle of your celebration. Someone wants to ruin this night.""Who would even care anymore? Ethan's in prison. Victoria's convicted. Everyone's moved on.""Not everyone." Liam appeared beside us. "Bennett filed an appeal last month. Claimed prosecutorial misconduct. What if this is part of that strategy?""To what end? Overturn Ethan's conviction?" I shook my head. "There's no new evidence. We presented everything.""Unless we didn't." Jordan was typing rapidly. "What if there's something we missed? Something Ethan kept hidden even from his lawy

They couldn't stop staring at me, and I hated that I loved it.The gala continued around us like nothing had happened, like Ethan hadn't just been dragged out by security while Layla screamed obscenities that would make a sailor blush. But everything had changed. The air felt different. Charged. Electric. People who'd crossed the street to avoid me last week were now angling for my attention, their champagne flutes raised like peace offerings.I stood near the bar, Liam's grandmother's necklace cold against my collarbone, and watched the room reshape itself around the explosion I'd just detonated."Violet Carter." A woman I vaguely recognized from some charity board appeared at my elbow, her smile sharp as broken glass. "That was quite the spectacle."My fingers tightened around my champagne flute. "I had nothing to do with the technical difficulties.""Of course not." Her eyes gleamed. "Still. Brilliant timing. I've been telling everyone that Ethan always seemed too smooth. You know

The DA's office smelled like old coffee and broken promises.I sat in a chair that had probably held a thousand other witnesses, victims, people whose lives had been turned inside out by the legal system. Marcus was beside me, his presence steady. Across from us sat Assistant District Attorney Sarah Chen, her eyes sharp and calculating."Ms. Carter, thank you for coming in." She slid a folder across the desk. "I wanted to discuss your testimony before we proceed."I didn't open the folder. "What do you need from me?""The truth." She leaned back in her chair. "Everything you know about your husband's financial activities. Any conversations, documents, suspicious behavior. Anything that can help us build our case.""Ex-husband," I corrected automatically. "Almost.""Right." She didn't look sympathetic. Just tired. "We have the evidence from the gala video, the offshore accounts, the paper trail. But juries like personal testimony. They like to see the human cost."The human cost. That'