جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 10

The cold floor of the clinic crept up to the tips of my toes. I stood frozen behind a large pillar, watching the man who looked exactly like Mike disappear behind the teak wood door of a VIP room.The phone in my hand vibrated.An incoming message notification from Mike:“The meeting was moved up, Honey. I’m heading straight to the field after this. Don’t forget to take your vitamins.”I stared at the screen with a bitter smile. A lie so smooth, as if it had been practiced a thousand times.The nameplate beside the door read: Internal Medicine Specialist.I immediately hid when I saw that Mike was not alone. He was holding the hand of a woman wearing a bright red dress, a sharp contrast to my boring clothes.They shared a small laugh, a sight I hadn't seen in our home for the past year.I followed them to the parking lot, then hailed a taxi to tail Mike’s car as it sped toward the city center.The journey ended at a grand building with a shimmering glass facade: The Grand Astoria Hote

I leaned my back against the car seat, which felt cold, letting the subtle hum of the engine become the background noise for the chaos in my head. My eyes were fixed on the bright glow of the phone screen in the middle of the dark cabin.“Sakura Residence”The name looped in my mind like a broken tape stuck on the most painful part.In my previous life, I was so stupid. I remember how Mike gripped my hand, looking into my eyes with a spark I believed was love, and called it a "future investment" for the two of us. I even imagined what color curtains would suit the living room. It turns out, that place was nothing more than a disgusting nest where Mike and Lucy laughed at my naivety while sipping wine from glasses that I probably paid for.My fingers moved quickly, trembling slightly from the rage I was trying to suppress. I typed a short reply to the mysterious number that had just given me the information:"Who are you? And what do you want?"I waited. One minute. Two minutes. Only a

The sunlight streaming through the gaps in the bedroom curtains feels different this morning. There is no longer a soothing warmth or hope for a beautiful new day. All that remains are the remnants of anger frozen into a resolve as hard as steel inside my chest. Beside me, that side of the bed is already empty and cold, leaving behind the scent of Mike Wilson’s cologne, which now makes me nauseous.​Mike must have already left for the office with a sickening smile of victory. He surely feels on top of the world, thinking that my entire family inheritance is already within his grasp just because I signed the prenuptial agreement last night.​Enjoy your hollow victory, Mike. Because that will be the last drop of happiness you feel before I drag you to hell, I thought sharply while clenching my fists until my knuckles turned white.​I walked over to the vanity, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My face, which once looked fragile, naive, and full of the spark of love, is now gone. M

"Give me your phone, Bella! Don't make me repeat myself for the third time!"Mike's voice was no longer just a shout; it was the roar of a predator that had been stalking its prey for a long time. The sound bounced off the bedroom walls, creating an echo that made my ears ring painfully. He stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a harsh kick that made our framed photo on the wall tremble violently, then fall lopsided—a visual omen of destruction. Instantly, this spacious room felt narrow, empty, and suffocating.I could feel the sharp edge of the phone pressing into my palm, which was wet with cold sweat. Behind that dark screen lay every trace of my communication with Jack Miller. My heart hammered so hard I could feel it in the back of my throat. My lungs suddenly felt stiff, refusing to take in any more oxygen. If Mike managed to seize it now, not only would the Onyx Global Group contract be ruined, but my life might also end before dawn. I imagined Jack’s last message th

I returned to the table with a smile that was perfectly sincere in its falsehood. I stepped as if the heavy burden weighing down my shoulders had just evaporated into thin air. On the surface, I was merely Bella, Mike's naive bride-to-be, intoxicated by love; but beneath that, I was an executioner waiting for the moment of execution.​Mike stared at me sharply. "Is everything okay, Darling?" he asked. His voice was heavy, filled with a concern that I knew was only forced to maintain his image as the ideal man.​"Of course, Darling. Lucy just needs a little time to compose herself. You know how much she loves that silk dress, and my clumsiness earlier must have given her a bit of a shock," I answered calmly while tucking a few strands of hair behind my ear. I sat back down, positioning myself with the elegance of a queen.​Before Lucy had a chance to return from the restroom, Mike slipped his hand inside the expensive blazer that clung to his well-built body. He pulled out a small wood