Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Yolanda was seated by the window with Charles. Then she opened Sophie’s post, enlarging the photo to lay it side–by–side with the real–life scene before her. It was a perfect match.
A faint smile touched her lips. She took a sip of juice, snapped a photo, and posted it to the private Twitter account Sophie followed. If Sophie keeps clinging to Charles, she thought, ‘he won’t have any time left for
- me.
Then Charles’s phone buzzed when their food had just arrived. He took his phone and got up briskly. “I need
to take this.”
Yolanda didn’t ask anything. She simply bowed her head and focused on the food quietly.
Charles slipped out into the hallway, phone in hand. But before he could find a quiet spot, an arm reached out from the next booth and pulled him inside.
There was Rachael, who only moments before had been all sharp edges, now wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning in for a kiss.
He tilted his head away, a faint glint of amusement in his eyes.
Rachael pouted, tracing idle circles on his chest with one finger. “What’s this? Staying loyal to the wife, Mr. Sinclair?”
Charles stood tall, his features strikingly handsome under the soft lighting. “It’s our anniversary,” he said simply.
Rachael’s eyebrow arched in understanding. Anniversary rules: no funny business. She sighed dramatically, “Fine. And here I thought I’d get to steal you for a minute.”
His gaze drifted over her suggestive posture. “I heard you’ve been cozying up to some actor lately.”
Rachael lit a cigarette, a sly smirk playing on her lips. “After a man like you, everyone else is a letdown, event celebrities. But he’s… entertaining. Besides, I invested in a show backed by your Starlight Entertainment. Consider it a favor.”
Charles checked his phone. Five minutes had passed. “I’ll make it up to you.”
Her eyes glittered as she twisted his tie around her finger. “Someone was just mentioning his anniversary, no? Poor girl, it must be exhausting being married to you.”
“Yolanda is innocent, he replied coolly. “She doesn’t suspect a thing.”
In his eyes, Yolanda was pure. He left traces all the time–perfume, lipstick, and late nights. She’d ask, of course, but a few sweet lies were always enough. She had no other experience to compare it to. But her unquestioning trust eventually bored him.
He gripped Rachael’s neck and kissed her, and then pushed her away. “That’s enough. I have to go.”
“Always so cold. Mr. Sinclair,” she murmured.
Chapter 34
But he was already walking away, straightening his tie. Then he returned to his booth and slid the door open,
Yolanda was still by the window, meticulously cutting her steak into neat pieces.
Outside, fireworks burst into the night sky, painting brilliant, flecting patterns across the glass. She turned to watch, her eyelashes fluttering as a delighted smile spread across her face.
Cheating had never weighed on Charles’s conscience. He’d never been particularly fond of Yolanda to begin with. But the sight of her, so innocent and captivated by something so simple, made something in him soften.
He took his seat across from her. “Do you like the fireworks?”
Yolanda propped her chin on her hand. This was surprising, and no wonder Sophie was so obsessed with him. “They’re lovely. I suppose all women are swayed by pretty things like this, aren’t we?”
Charles picked up his wine glass and gently tapped the rim against the tip of her nose. “It’s our wedding anniversary. Don’t you have anything to say to me?”
Her eyelashes fluttered again. This time, she caught the faint, clinging scent of perfume on his sleeve- Rachael’s perfume.
She thought, ‘How can Charles just sit here, smelling of another woman on our anniversary? And I’m suffocating under the memory of being drugged and spending those hours with Ian. I can’t even talk about him. God, I shouldn’t have been this sensitive.
“What did I say on the last anniversary? Oh, right. He hasn’t even been there. He was with Sophie and talked to me on the phone.
A faint, ironic smile touched her lips. “Same as last year, honey. I wish every year would be just as good as today,”
Charles’s brow furrowed. For some reason, the words left him strangely unsettled.
Just then, his phone buzzed. It was a call from Sophie.
Sophie had seen Yolanda’s post after finally getting service in the mountains, and she was livid. She’d bombarded Charles with a series of provocative photos, but he hadn’t responded. ‘Is he really going to spend the night with his boring wife?‘ she wondered.
Panicking, she made this call, her voice a pained whimper. She claimed she’d been hurt, that there was no hospital nearby, and that she was in agony and needed him.
But a quiet warning bell often rang just before one lost their grip on something important. Tonight, it was ringing for him. He found he didn’t want to leave.
He remained seated across from Yolanda, watching her slowly finish her steak, and for the first time all evening, a strange sense of calm settled over him.
After dinner, he slid a bank card across the table toward her. “For your studio renovations.”
He’d always given her sixty thousand a month but never a dollar more. Now, he was offering six million all at
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Chapter 34
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once. Yolanda figured it was fair compensation for fifteen years. She picked up the card without a second thought. “Thanks, honey.”
Charles was used to getting what he wanted. Life had always handed him wins. He enjoyed pulling strings in business and with women. It was a game he knew how to play.
Her easy compliance reminded him of last year’s birthday. She’d shown up late, worried about his stomach. bringing food as a devoted wife. He’d been in bed with Sophie at the time. He saw her calls but didn’t answer. And Yolanda waited downstairs all night.
The memory put him in a good mood. He leaned in to kiss her. But she turned her face away, looking out at the fireworks.
They said the show lasted half an hour, and this was the best view in the city. It was hard for regular people to book, but Charles had a permanent booth here. The restaurant belonged to the Sinclair Group, after all.
His expression cooled. ‘Playing hard to get? Pointless, he thought.
The colored lights glittered in her eyes. “I heard this fireworks show has run every night for ten years. This is my first time seeing it, though.”
He’d brought so many other women here. She used to wonder what was wrong with her. She’d learned everything she thought might please him. But Charles never came home.
Now she understood: a man like him wasn’t meant to be kept. He didn’t value what came too easily.
She stood. “Megan’s working late alone at the studio. I should go check on her. Thanks for dinner. She tucked the card into her pocket.
Charles stayed seated, momentarily caught off guard. It wasn’t until the door clicked shut that he let out a low chuckle. ‘Still mad at me, then.‘
He lit a cigarette, gaze drifting downward. He’d never seen her act like this before. And he had to admit it was interesting.
The door to the private booth swung open, and Rachael’s voice cut through the quiet. “Don’t tell me you just got stood up by your own wife.”
She sauntered in, perching familiarly on the edge of the table. “A man like you, getting turned down? Hard to picture.”
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Chapter 35
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.
