Alle Kapitel von Collar of Betrayal: Kapitel 1 – Kapitel 9

In that moment, it felt like the blood vessels in my brain were about to explode.I froze where I stood. The glass slipped from my hand and shattered against the floor, shards scattering everywhere.Caitlin Watson flinched like a startled cat and whipped her head around.The sultry look on her face hadn’t fully faded. Around her neck, a black leather collar gleamed under the light.A dog’s collar.Half-naked, Jackson Dalton sat sprawled arrogantly across the expensive leather sofa I had just bought, the leash clenched in his hand. When he saw me, he didn’t panic. Instead, he broke into a wide grin."Hey, hey, Cameron Pruitt’s finally awake! Want to join us?"He yanked the leash hard. Caitlin stumbled forward, forced along, her knees scraping audibly against the wooden floor.My stomach churned violently. "Caitlin, what are you doing? You’re my fiancee! We’re getting married next month!"She snapped out of it, but not in the way I expected.There was no shame on her face. Inst

I immediately called Caitlin.The phone rang for a long time before she finally picked up. Loud, chaotic music blared in the background, and her voice came through, laced with impatience."What now? Still mad? I bought a new bag, so I’m in a much better mood. I’ll allow you to come home tonight. Sleep on the couch."I took a slow breath. "Caitlin, the report about my project. Was that you and Jackson?"There was a brief silence on the other end.Then Jackson’s arrogant laughter rang out. "Looks like you’re not completely stupid, Cameron. But hey, I’m just making a righteous report and keeping you from going down a criminal path."If you behave and transfer the house to Caitlin, and give me another half a million as hush money, I’ll withdraw the report."Otherwise? Illegal bribery, unfair competition… You can start preparing for prison."I let out a cold laugh. Adding her name to the property and half a million in cash. They really planned to strip me down to nothing."Jackson,

When I returned to the apartment, I turned off my phone and slept soundly.The next morning, I was woken by a series of urgent knocks on the door.When I opened it, Caitlin’s parents, Andrew and Natasha Watson, were standing there. They looked anxious, and the moment they saw me, they rushed forward."Cameron! You finally opened the door!""Something’s happened to Caitlin. Did you know she’s been arrested? Go save her! You’re her fiance. You have connections, don’t you?"Mrs. Watson clutched my sleeve, crying hysterically.Mr. Watson stood beside her, his expression stern, tinged with blame. "Cameron, Caitlin may be a little willful sometimes, but she’s still a young woman. How could you let her end up in a place like that?"I heard you were the one who called the police? Couples fight, but they make up. Isn’t this going too far?"Looking at the same faces that used to boss me around without restraint, I let out a silent, cold laugh.Caitlin had become who she was today, and t

After that gala, I thought Caitlin would finally give up.I was wrong. She clung to me like a parasite.I don’t know how she got my address, but she started waiting outside my building every single day.No screaming. No crying.She just stood there holding a sign that read: "Looking for my husband, Cameron Pruitt."She even started livestreaming, playing the victim online. She painted herself as a devoted woman who had been abandoned by a wealthy man.On social media, she claimed I dumped her the moment I got rich. Combined with her earlier claim that she had been "coerced", she actually managed to fool quite a few people who didn’t know the truth.Soon, strangers started showing up outside StratNova Group, throwing paint. Online, people began doxxing me, calling me a heartless scumbag.It even started affecting the company’s stock price. Senior management called me in for a meeting. They didn’t say it outright, but the message was clear: if I couldn’t handle my personal mess,

After that, I would occasionally hear updates about Caitlin from former classmates. They said that without a degree and with a criminal record, she couldn’t find any legitimate job.She ended up working at shady massage parlors. Because she was older now and no longer attractive, she was stuck doing the dirtiest, hardest work. Customers often picked on her and insulted her.One time, she ran into Jackson, who was fresh out of prison. The same Jackson she once adored showed her no mercy.For a few hundred dollars, he snatched away the wages she had painstakingly saved and beat her. He broke one of her legs. From that point on, she was crippled and was reduced to begging on the streets.Jackson didn’t fare much better. He went back to gambling, racked up massive debts, and was eventually hunted down by creditors. They cut the tendons in his hand, leaving him permanently disabled.The two people who once conspired against me ended up destroying each other in the darkest corners of th