Chapter 119
Chapter 119
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Yolanda murmured, “Vivian is your business partner.” Her lashes were lowered, her tone steady and matter- of–fact, like she was simply stating the truth.
“But you’re my wife,” Charles replied firmly.
“Charles, I know the company is always your top priority. I don’t want to put you in a tough spot,” Yolanda said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Charles paused, then pulled her into his arms, saying nothing.
Yolanda caught a faint whiff of another woman’s perfume lingering on Charles. She didn’t say a word.
Instead, tears slid silently down her cheeks, soaking through the fabric of his shoulder.
Charles gently cleaned up her wounds, then reached out to softly ruffle her hair. “Get some rest,” he said.
“Okay,” Yolanda replied quietly.
She lay down slowly, her lashes still wet with tears.
Charles watched her for a few seconds before finally leaving the room.
‘Whatever he’s up to, doesn’t matter to me,‘ Yolanda thought, turning over and falling asleep without another word.
When Vivian got Charles’s message that he was coming over, she could barely hide her delight–her eyes sparkled with surprise and anticipation.
It was already past eleven at night, but she quickly did her makeup and sat waiting for him in the living room, nerves buzzing in her chest.
Charles arrived in no time. The moment she opened the door, Vivian was so excited she almost leapt into his
arms.
“I knew it! You still care about me,” she blurted out, hope shining in her voice.
But in the next second, Charles shoved her aside and brushed off his suit jacket, as if trying to wipe away something unpleasant.
Vivian’s face instantly turned pale, “Charles, what’s that supposed to mean?” she demanded, her voice shaking.
“Where’s Yolanda’s earring?” Charles asked, his tone cold and unwavering.
Vivian couldn’t believe her ears. ‘Is Charles actually backing Yolanda up?‘ she thought, totally stunned.
She let out a scoff, her scalp prickling with anger. “Do you really think Yolanda is any better? I told her right to her face–I slept with her husband–and she just pretended like nothing ever happened! Charles, you never used to take her side! You must’ve totally fallen for her tricks.”
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Chapter 119
Charles knew all too well that what Vivian was saying was the truth.
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I’ve heard all that before, but I never let myself believe it, Yolanda thought. She was always the quiet, obedient type–she just chucked the clothes away, started sleeping alone, and kept all her pain bottled up
inside.
Charles’s eyes grew frosty, but no matter how mad he got, he’d never let himself explode in front of someone like Vivian. He just gave a quiet laugh. “The carring.”
Vivian was shaking all over. Even though Charles hadn’t said anything cruel, she still felt gutted inside, like his coldness was cutting her to pieces–it hurt so much she could barely breathe.
“I threw it out! Why would I hang on to some worthless, filthy thing like that?” Vivian shot back, her voice full of contempt.
She was openly provoking Charles now.
Charles locked his gaze on her for a few seconds, his lips curled into a cold, distant smirk. “Funny I never realized it before–women like you make me sick.”
Vivian’s eyes shot up in complete shock. Seeing the sheer disgust in his eyes, she felt dizzy–like she might just black out right then and there.
Charles had always been a gentleman, a bit of a ladies‘ man. Saying something this harsh to a woman? Unthinkable.
That is, unless he hated her so much, he didn’t care about hiding it anymore.
“You… what did you just say?” Vivian gasped, her voice trembling.
Charles sneered, “Are you deaf or something?”
Vivian snapped, totally losing control. “It’s all because of Yolanda! I swear I’ll ruin her! Charles, you won’t be able to protect her. Just wait–I’ll make that bitch wish she was dead!”
Vivian, the CEO of the Andrade Group, had never suffered a setback like this in all these years. In her mind, it was all Yolanda–she was the one who’d wrecked everything and stirred up all this trouble.
When a woman loses her head over love, you can forget about her playing it smart–she’ll burn it all down if
she has to.
Vivian screamed, lunged for Charles, grabbed his collar and tried to kiss him.
Charles’s eyes grew icier by the second. He sidestepped her kiss, then peeled off his suit jacket with a look of utter disgust and tossed it straight into the trash like it was contaminated.
That was the moment Vivian completely lost it.
Vivian snapped, tears streaming down her face, her features twisted with fury. “Fine, just great! Watch me—I’ll make sure that bitch Yolanda disappears from this world!”
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Chapter 119
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What Vivian didn’t get was that every word she screamed out was goading Charles–and she was even challenging the entire Sinclair family without realizing it.
Charles undid the top button of his shirt, letting out a cold, dismissive laugh. “You can try.”
With that, he left without looking back.
Once he got in the car, Charles rubbed his temples and spoke to Jack up front. “Order ten more pairs of emerald earrings
Jack felt even stranger now. The CEO really is acting different toward his wife lately, he thought.
He just kept quiet and nodded.
The next morning. Yolanda was still curled up in bed, refusing to get up.
Charles pushed open her bedroom door, walked over to her side, and asked softly, “Still feeling down?”
Yolanda didn’t answer.
Charles strode over and gently pulled Yolanda up from bed. “I got you some new earrings. As soon as your ear heals, you can wear them.”
Yolanda responded with a soft “Mm,” then wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. “Baby, you’re the best.”
Charles stiffened for a moment. To be honest, he’d always treated his lovers better than Yolanda. But Yolanda never wanted much–so it took very little to make her happy.
His heart fluttered a little. He gave her cheek a light squeeze. “You’re so silly.”
Charles thought. With all the resources and connections I have, she never even tries to take advantage of any
of it‘
Yolanda got up, had breakfast, and noticed Charles was still around. She couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you headed to work today?”
“Isn’t spending more time with you a good thing?” Charles teased.
Yolanda didn’t respond, but in her head she was thinking, Wish he’d leave already, I’ve got to get over to Starlight Entertainment soon.
Starlight Entertainment’s upper management was in chaos. Word had gotten out there was a new CEO parachuting in, so everyone had been on high alert for half a month, ready to put up a fight and see who’d come out on top. But the new boss never showed. The ones itching to give their new CEO a hard time were starting to think maybe the whole thing was just corporate gossip gone wild.
Yolanda knew exactly what she was doing–let them burn through all that bluster, chip away at their confidence, and then stroll in on some random day when nobody’s expecting it. She thrived on psychological
warfare.
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“But I’ve got plans at Starlight Entertainment today,” Yolanda chimed in.
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She’d been married to Charles for two years, but out in the real world, no one had any clue who his wife even
was.
Sure, the inner circle knew her name, but almost nobody had seen her up close–she pretty much kept to herself, living the stay–at–home life and rarely going out.
Rumor had it she was a plain Jane, not exactly memorable or fun to be around–no wonder Charles barely paid her any attention.
Charles slid a glass of fresh juice over to her, a little smirk flickering at his lips. “Wow, really all about your career these days?”
Yolanda lowered her lashes, hesitated for a long moment, then finally asked, “If anyone from upper management tries to bad–mouth me to you, would you do anything about it?”
“You want me to step in?” Charles teased.
Yolanda glanced up at him, her cheeks going bright red. “I want you to just ignore them, don’t meet with anyone, don’t even look at the news coming out of Starlight Entertainment. Just let me make my own mess and figure it out myself.”
She was clearly trying to work up her nerve, but her voice still shook a little. “If I totally screw up and run the whole thing into the ground, would you…”
Before she could finish, Charles caught her lips between his fingers. “Starlight is barely even a blip for me. If keeping out of it makes my wife happy, I’ll pretend I don’t see a thing. Sound fair?”
His eyes were overflowing with warmth as he pinched her lips and gave them a playful tug. “You’ve got that mouth for a reason, you know? Those other folks can’t come griping to me, but you can always tell me anything, okay?”
No wonder every woman who ever tangled with Charles ended up crazy about him–when he decided to spoil someone, he’d say whatever sweet things it took.
Yolanda nodded, then picked up a little bun and placed it on his plate. “Baby, you really are good to me.”
Charles looked at her with that gentle, adorable look on her face and let out a soft laugh.
Yolanda’s mature, level–headed ways were a world apart from Vivian’s hysterical outbursts. Honestly, what guy would ever pick someone like Vivian over her?
Men–yeah, they’re just that practical in the end.
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Chapter 120
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.
