Chapter 38
Charles had never cared about what Yolanda truly felt, yet her hollow performance now ignited his curiosity.
She walked past him and started up the stairs. He waited for her on the landing, leaning back with an air of detached coolness. “I took care of that celebrity issue,” he mentioned.
She continued down the hall without looking back. “Okay.”
Charles watched her go, a fresh cigarette perched between his fingers, unlit. After a brief pause, he followed her.
Yolanda grabbed her pajamas and headed for the shower. When she stepped out, she found him already in bed, leaning against the headboard with his long legs stretched out. She froze, about to ask what he was doing here.
But then, his phone rang. This time, it wasn’t Sophie.
A moment later, Jack knocked on the door. “Mr. Sinclair, we’ve identified the mole who leaked the internal info.”
The leaked bid had cost Charles a major project he’d spent months preparing for. Now, they finally had a lead.
Yolanda moved toward the bed and reached for the covers, but his hand closed around her wrist. “Come with me. I want you there.”
She frowned, turned away, and began changing into her sleep clothes.
Charles watched, faintly amused, his hand resting lightly on her waist. “You’ve been acting different lately. sweetheart.”
Around a man like Charles, even the smallest shift in behavior didn’t go unnoticed. She kept her eyes down, changing slowly. “I’m just tired
She got into the car after him; Jack was behind the wheel. They pulled up to another of Charles’s properties, one Yolanda had never seen before.
The e moment she stepped inside, the metallic tang of blood hit her like a wall. She recoiled instinctively.
In the center of the living room, a man, beaten nearly unconscious, seemed to sense their arrival. He began pleading frantically, voice ragged, “Mr. Sinclair, I shouldn’t have done this. I’m begging you, let me go, just this once. Have mercy!”
Charles walked calmly to the sofa in the middle of the room and sat down. His expensive leather shoes were smudged with blood, but he paid them no mind.
The man crawled forward, forehead dripping crimson. “Mr. Sinclair, I’m so sorry. I’ll return every cent to the company. I was wrong. I was greedy.”
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Chapter 38
He lunged for Charles’s pant leg, but Charles shifted his leg and kicked him away dismissively.
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Yolanda stood behind Charles, watching his ice–cold expression. A chill ran through her. She’d known Charles for years and had seen his anger before. In public, he played the charming, doting man, but when crossed, he turned ruthless and cruel.
He took a tissue and slowly wiped a drop of blood from his trousers. Without looking up, he asked Jack, “Where’s his family?”
Jack replied. “At the airport. He transferred the money to them. Looks like he was trying to get them out of the country.”
“Stop them.” Charles ordered.
The man on the floor froze, eyes wide with horror. “Mr. Sinclair, it was me. Punish me, not them. They’re innocent, I’m begging you… His voice broke into sobs as he trembled. “They didn’t know. They had no part in
this-
He thought of his tender wife, and his bright son who’d just been accepted to a university overseas. His bloodied fingers curled into fists against the cold floor.
Then, with a sudden burst of despair, he lunged toward a nearby pillar and smashed his head against it. “Take my life! Just spare them,” he gasped before his eyes went blank and he collapsed, lifeless.
The room fell into a heavy silence, broken only by Charles’s low, humorless chuckle.
Jack, quick to understand, already made a hushed, urgent call to intercept the man’s wife and son before they could board their flight.
Yolanda’s stomach turned. She’d grown up in the Grant family, so she was no stranger to violence.
But the thick, coppery smell of blood hanging in the air was something else entirely. Sheltered by strict upbringing and polished manners, the raw brutality of the moment left her shaken.
Charles glanced sideways, noting her pale complexion. He gestured casually. ‘Come. Sit.”
She took a step back. After everything had settled, she just wanted to go home. “When are we going back?”
He lit a cigarette, the flame flickering in his dark eyes. “I thought you might plead for mercy o on his family’s behalf.
Yolanda turned her face away, fist clenched at her side. “If the family profited from his betrayal, they’re not innocent.” And she didn’t want to interfere in his business.
Her chest felt tight, her back damp with cold sweat. This was the price of betraying Charles. Arrogant, ruthless, and surrounded by yes–men who saw everyone else as beneath them, he lived by his own brutal.
code.
She drew a slow breath, forcing her emotions down.
Charles crushed his cigarette into an ashtray and leaned back. In one swift motion, he caught her wrist and
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Chapter 38
pulled her forward. She stumbled, bending awkwardly over the back of the couch until their faces were just inches apart.
His lips met hers. It was a hard, possessive kiss tinged with the scent of blood and tobacco. “Honey,” he murmured, voice dangerously soft, “if this bothers you, you should’ve said something sooner.”
Yolanda stayed bent, feeling his breath coming sharp and cold against her car.
He released her wrist slowly and stood. “Jack, finish up here.”
Jack replied, “Yes, sir.”
Jack stayed behind to oversee the cleanup. Back in the car, Charles slumped into the passenger seat, tilting his head back. His Adam’s apple moved faintly as he closed his eyes. I’m exhausted. Drive.”
Yolanda slid behind the wheel, her palms slick with sweat.
Yolanda and Charles arrived back at Moonbay Estate a little after one in the morning.
Yolanda got out of the car, brushed past Charles without a word, and went straight to her room. She made it to the sink just in time, retching before splashing cold water on her face.
A dry voice came from the doorway. Charles stood there, having shed his jacket, his shirt sleeves rolled up. One eyebrow was arched. “Was it that bad?”
She hurriedly rinsed her mouth and shook her head, avoiding his eyes. “Just an upset stomach.”
She’d showered before they left, but now she felt contaminated, needing to scrub the phantom scent of blood from her skin. She kept her gaze down and pushed the bathroom door shut without another word.
Charles didn’t move, a silent presence on the other side.
When she finally emerged, he was gone
Alone, she curled into a tight ball on the bed. She and lan had gone too far. If Charles ever found our, his retaliation would be merciless. A man like him, prideful and powerful, would never tolerate such a blow to his
ego.
She tossed restlessly, her mind racing for a way out of this marriage.
Her phone buzzed. It was a message from her another number. Sophie: [Think you’ve won? How pathetic. I’ve had fun with Charles more times than you, his real wife. Bet you didn’t know he gave me this.] Then a photo followed
Yolanda’s breath caught. Since she was ten, she had given Charles a gift every year–meaningless luxuries he likely never noticed.
But this one was different. This cross necklace was a cherished keepsake from Athena, the late wife of the orphanage director, a woman who had been like a mother to her.
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Chapter 38
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Two years ago, after Charles’s car accident, she’d been terrified. Hoping it would protect him, she had reluctantly parted with it, her most precious possession. And he had casually given it away to his mistress.
A sharp, visceral pain lanced through her chest. Her fingers tightened around the phone until her knuckles turned white.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
Part 1: The Discovery of BetrayalYolanda Grant’s marriage was built on patience, sacrifice, and quiet endurance — but that illusion shattered in one night. It was late when she arrived at a dark, empty alley after receiving a mysterious message with an address. At first, she thought it was a misunderstanding. After all, her husband Charles Sinclair — a man of wealth, power, and refined taste — would never lower himself to something so vulgar. But when she saw him holding a young woman in his arms, kissing and touching her like a man possessed, every ounce of denial drained from her. Charles, the proud and disciplined businessman, was cheating — and in a filthy alleyway, no less.Part 2: The Scene of HumiliationFrom the safety of her car, Yolanda watched as the scene unfolded. The woman clinging to Charles was frail, trembling, and emotional, like a flower blooming in the mud. The surroundings — the stained floor, damp walls, and suffocating darkness — mocked everything Charles had always claimed to be. This wasn’t just infidelity; it was degradation. Yolanda’s mind swirled with disbelief. Her husband, who obsessed over class and perfection, had become a man of impulse and dirt. She didn’t confront him or make a scene; she didn’t even cry. Instead, she leaned back in her seat, numb, realizing that her marriage was already over in spirit.Part 3: Two Years of DevotionAs she sat there, flashes of the past flooded her mind. Two years of marriage — two years of her trying to please him in every way. She had known from the start that Charles didn’t love her. On their wedding day, he had made it painfully clear that his heart already belonged to another woman. Still, Yolanda married him out of hope, out of love, out of the foolish belief that devotion could melt even the coldest heart. She gave up her career, her ambitions, and her independence, just to prove she was worthy of him. She cared for him like a nurse for her patient — cooking his meals, planning his wardrobe, and tending to every detail of his life. And in return, she got nothing but distance and silence.Part 4: The Breaking PointNow, watching him entwined with another woman, everything she had built inside her — the patience, the sacrifice, the illusion — collapsed. The man she had once called her husband had become unrecognizable. He had torn off his noble mask and revealed himself as nothing more than a beast driven by desire. Yolanda felt like she’d been slapped, her dignity shattered into pieces. But instead of screaming or crying, she felt an eerie calm. Her pain was too deep to express. All she could think was: This marriage must end.Part 5: Charles’s UneaseWhile Yolanda drove home, Charles suddenly sensed that something was wrong. The headlights of a passing car illuminated his face, and a chill ran down his spine. He didn’t know whose car it was, but unease stirred in his chest. The girl in his arms whimpered for his attention, but his mind was already elsewhere. Straightening his clothes, he pulled away coldly. “That’s enough for tonight,” he said flatly. “The company’s got big projects. I can’t afford divorce rumors right now.” His words revealed not love, but calculation — every move guided by image and control. The girl, blinded by her feelings, agreed softly, claiming she would wait. But to Charles, it was just another temporary indulgence.Part 6: The Return HomeWhen Yolanda returned home, the villa felt colder than ever. She had just come out of the shower when Charles entered the bedroom, carrying his jacket. He looked as immaculate as always — tall, handsome, commanding — but tonight, his arrogance seemed cruel. On his pristine white shirt, Yolanda noticed a faint smear of pink lip gloss. She had never worn lip gloss; she hated its stickiness. That small, shiny mark told her everything she needed to know. As she dried her hair, she kept her expression neutral, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of seeing her pain.Part 7: The Cold ConversationCharles glanced at her and asked casually, “When did you get back?”“This afternoon,” she replied.He loosened his tie, unbuttoning his shirt as if nothing had happened. “I was out playing golf tonight,” he added. The lie rolled off his tongue effortlessly. Through the reflection in the window, Yolanda saw the dirt on his back — proof that golf wasn’t the only game he’d been playing. With quiet fury, she shot back, “Then I guess you scored plenty of holes. Congrats.”Her sarcasm caught him off guard. For the first time, he frowned, slightly unsettled. He wasn’t used to this tone from her — the woman who once worshiped him now sounded indifferent, almost mocking.Part 8: His Cruel ArroganceInstead of apologizing, Charles smirked and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Are you mad? I told you when we got married that I didn’t love you. If you’re that unhappy, find someone else to cheat with.” His words cut through her like a blade. It wasn’t just betrayal anymore — it was humiliation. He treated her heartbreak as an inconvenience, as if her pain were irrelevant. Inside, Yolanda’s chest felt like it was being strangled with wire, every breath searing. Yet she stayed silent. Her quietness, once a sign of love, now turned into armor.Part 9: The Memory of InnocenceIn that moment, Yolanda’s mind drifted back to when she first met Charles. She was young, freshly adopted into the Grant family, and he was already the picture of perfection — disciplined, confident, untouchable. Back then, she looked at him with admiration and love. To her, he was everything she aspired to be. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that this same man would someday make her feel worthless. All those years of love, of marriage, of giving — they now felt like a cruel joke.Part 10: A New Beginning Hidden in the Word “Fine”Charles chuckled when she finally said, “Fine.” To him, it was just another empty threat, another outburst that would fade with time. He kissed her cheek, confident that her love would keep her shackled to him forever. What he didn’t realize was that this time, “Fine” wasn’t surrender — it was goodbye. Behind her calm eyes, Yolanda had already made her decision. The love that once bound her had turned to ash, and from that ash, something new was forming — strength.Chapter 1 ends with Yolanda’s quiet determination to take back her life. She won’t cry or beg anymore. This time, she’ll walk away — not as a broken wife, but as a woman reborn through betrayal.
