Chapter 126
Yolanda had practically handed Vivian the leverage herself, and with Sophie’s screenshot in play, there was no way Vivian would just let this slide.
The thought of Charles telling Yolanda to erase her from his world made Vivian’s blood boil–she was itching to get back at every single one of them.
Vivian couldn’t help but think, ‘Why does Charles get over things so fast? It must be that bitch Yolanda messing with him!‘
She squeezed the carved sandalwood token in her palm, eyes gleaming with vicious intent, as a frosty smile curled on her lips.
Earlier that night, her grandfather had warned her that something’s off with Grady lately and told her to be extra careful.
His words basically spelled out that someone had their sights set on the Andrade manor, hinting at Charles being the culprit–but Vivian just couldn’t buy it.
She took a deep breath, thinking to herself, ‘If I can just ditch that eyesore Yolanda, maybe things with Charles will go back to how they used to be.
Using a burner phone, she shot Yolanda a text, laying it out: come alone to pick up the sandalwood token, and don’t even think about bringing backup–or she’d torch the thing without a second thought.
When Yolanda saw the message, she finally breathed easy, relief washing over her.
“This is the last chance in this game, Yolanda thought to herself. ‘Charles once gave me that token, but now Vivian’s using it as leverage against me. He might act heartless, but there’s no way he won’t feel something.’
All she needed was a flicker of guilt–a single moment of hesitation–and victory would be hers.
She sat in her room at Moonbay Estate, staring at the address sent from the random number–it was somewhere near a reservoir way out on the edge of town.
Yolanda wasn’t bad in the water, and ever since she got shoved into that pool, she’d made it her mission to train herself to hold her breath as long as possible.
‘Vivian definitely chose this place because she wants me dead, Yolanda thought, suspicion growing in her
chest.
She quickly messaged Charles and attached the location.
[Babe, the sandalwood token Athena gave me was stolen, and someone wants me to meet them here. If I don’t come back tonight, promise me you’ll look for me at this spot.]
Once she sent over the address, Yolanda slipped behind the wheel and set off by herself, swallowed by the night.
It was a forty–minute drive to the reservoir–forty minutes alone with her nerves and dread.
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Chapter 126
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Tonight, Charles was in the middle of a meeting with his own crew, going over all the fallout from Grady’s death.
As soon as he got Yolanda’s text, his brows pulled tight with worry, and without even thinking, he dialed her number.
But Yolanda didn’t answer.
Charles immediately told Jack Nolan, who was next to him, “Go get Yolanda and bring her back from this spot. Right now.”
Honestly, the whole sandalwood token thing didn’t even ring a bell–there were so many odds and ends lying around Moonbay Estate, he couldn’t possibly remember every single one.
Jack didn’t hesitate for a second–he rounded up his crew and peeled out, racing through red lights without so much as blinking, determined to intercept Yolanda before she had a chance to run into trouble.
Yolanda, on the other hand, was in no hurry whatsoever. She deliberately slowed down, dragging out the drive and giving herself time to think things through.
Jack kept Charles in the loop on everything, and once Charles was certain Yolanda wasn’t in immediate danger, he simply ordered, “Just keep her under surveillance for now.” That calm, decisive tone made it pretty clear who was in control.
Yolanda, ever observant, immediately spotted a familiar license plate among the cars that sped past. ‘No way Charles himself would show up in the middle of the night just for me, she thought. ‘Must be Jack watching my back.‘
After all, Jack was Charles‘ right–hand man–the one always ready to get the job done, no matter how messy things got.
Yolanda pressed down on the accelerator, picking up speed and soon reaching the spot they’d agreed on.
The reservoir was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that made your skin crawl. She got out and walked forward alone. It didn’t take long before she spotted a burly guy standing by the water’s edge.
The dim lighting made it impossible to see the man’s face clearly.
He gripped the sandalwood token in his hand, lifted it deliberately, then tossed it straight into the reservoir.
Yolanda hadn’t even had a chance to react when someone shoved her hard, sending her straight into the
water.
Splash!
The reservoir walls towered above her–there was no way she could climb out on her own. Out here in the middle of nowhere, even if she screamed her lungs out, nobody would hear her.
The man sneered from above, then quickly vanished into the darkness.
Yolanda kept her composure, searching the water until she found the sandalwood pendant. She clipped it
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Chapter 126
securely around her neck, thinking to herself, I’m not panicking. I can do this!
From up above, Jack’s voice echoed through the night. “Yolanda, grab the rope!”
Yolanda sounded genuinely surprised, “Jack?”
She acted as if she hadn’t expected him to be there at all.
She gripped the rope, and in no time, Jack’s team hauled her out of the reservoir.
2700
Jack took one look at her, soaked to the bone, and quickly gestured toward the nearby car. “Yolanda, come on
-get in. That was reckless, even for you. Let me drive you home.”
Yolanda just smiled, fingers lingering thoughtfully on the pendant at her neck.
“This is a keepsake Athena left for me. I can’t afford to lose it,” she said quietly, letting the weight of her words hang in the air.
Jack shot a glance at the pendant but kept silent.
Once she was in the car, Jack drove her straight back to Moonbay Estate.
Yolanda took a long, hot shower, letting the water wash away the chill. She didn’t need to say a word–Jack would fill Charles in on everything that went down tonight.
Late at night, Yolanda was burning up with a fever. Half–conscious, she noticed someone sitting at her bedside. Her fingers curled tightly around the pendant at her neck as she started to ramble, completely out of it.
One moment she was whispering, “I’m sorry,” and the next she was quietly sobbing–her emotions spilling out in broken whimpers.
Someone reached out and gently brushed away her tears, then stood up and slipped out of the room.
Once she was certain she was alone, Yolanda slowly opened her eyes.
She wasn’t delirious enough to forget who it was–Charles had been right there with her.
After Charles left the room, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it slowly. The sandalwood pendant felt oddly familiar–Yolanda had given it to him once, saying it would keep him safe.
He didn’t believe in that kind of stuff, but he’d worn it anyway. Then, when Sophie asked for it, he’d just handed it over without a second thought.
‘So, was it Sophie who did this?‘ Charles wondered, his mind racing.
He spun his phone absentmindedly between his fingers, then hit up Sophie’s number.
When Charles started asking about the sandalwood pendant, Sophie’s eyes lit up for a split second–then she nervously ducked her head, her voice dropping low. “Oh, I ran into Ms. Andrade on set that one time. She was kind of buddy–buddy with that actor, so I thought I’d cozy up to her, you know? She took a liking to the
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pendant, so I handed it over. Charles, I’m really sorry… Honestly, if it were anything else, she probably wouldn’t have blinked an eye. She doesn’t care about money anyway.”
Her voice faded to a whisper; she looked down, guilt written all over her face. I totally messed up this time! Sophie thought, heart pounding.
Charles pretty much knew the truth before he even dialed–this wasn’t Sophie’s doing.
Sophie wasn’t clueless enough to go after Yolanda with some blatantly obvious move.
He crushed out his cigarette in the ashtray, his tone cool. “Alright.”
Sophie kept quiet, knowing full well that the more she talked, the easier it was to slip up.
She nervously swallowed. “If you liked it, I can make you a new one sometime.”
Charles had had no idea it was Athena’s keepsake. Realizing Yolanda had trusted him with something so meaningful was enough to give his heart a brief, guilty squeeze.
She hadn’t told him back then.
He understood just how much Athena meant to Yolanda–so that sandalwood pendant had to be her most treasured possession, woven with memories and emotion.
For some reason, a restless frustration began to simmer inside him—one he couldn’t quite explain.
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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.
