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She comforted Renee Sinclair a few times and heard her say repeatedly, “I wish you were my sister–in–law, then we wouldn’t have nothing in common.”
Vivian’s eyes were full of amusement. “Don’t worry, she won’t enjoy this for long. You’ll happily go to the dinner soon.”
“Okay, thanks, Vivian.”
Renee Sinclair was pretty savvy; after hanging up, she looked maliciously toward the direction Yolanda left.
Yolanda originally planned to go back to Moonbay Estate to get ready and then head to Ian’s place.
But Jack, Charles’s driver, suddenly appeared at Moonbay Estate. Seeing her, he immediately opened the car door on one side.
“Mrs. Sinclair, Mr. Sinclair asked me to pick you up.”
Now she had no choice but to go.
She was a bit unhappy but didn’t say much, not wanting Charles to take it seriously.
She took Ian off the blacklist and told him to follow Simone’s car first, saying she would come get him back early in the morning.
Ian responded quickly.
[Got it.]
She stared at the word, recalling the chaos between the two of them in the makeup room.
She thought he would tone it down, but he only got worse.
[Ms. Grant, you’re sweet.]
Yolanda wasn’t experienced in this; she admired Charles since she was young but rarely got any response.
She instantly turned off her phone screen, her heart beating a little irregularly.
She turned her head to look out the window and opened it just a crack.
The cold air from outside blew in, and she suddenly felt much more awake.
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She thought to herself how backwards her life had gotten, being flirted with by a man two years younger than her like this.
She closed her eyes, trying to give her mind a rest.
Jack glanced at her through the rearview mirror and noticed her empty hands–no gifts prepared–which surprised him.
He had assumed the bag she just carried was a gift for Mr. Sinclair, but she casually handed it to the housekeeper and told them to put it upstairs instead.
After all these years, this was the first time Yolanda didn’t bring a gift.
The car pulled into Moonbay Estate on the outskirts of town. Surprisingly, it was only about an hour’s drive from Ian’s location.
She raised an eyebrow slightly. What a coincidence. Now she just wondered what Charles planned to do here tonight.
She followed inside and found many men and women already gathered there, all friends within Charles’s circle, some of whom had brought celebrities from the entertainment industry.
Yolanda furrowed her brow. By the time they reached the innermost hall, Charles was already seated there, surrounded by a group at the center of the elite circle.
The first to speak was Max.
Max’s personality was a bit reserved, and his sharp features matched his demeanor. He pulled out a contract and tossed it onto the coffee table.
“Here’s the contract for the development land in North City. It’s yours.”
Quinn, with his sly, fox–like eyes twinkling, smiled, “What a coincidence! We were thinking along the same lines.”
He pulled out a contract as well.
Leo threw down a card, his tone firm, “My family is led by my brother, so I can only offer some spending money.”
Quinn chuckled without holding back, swirling a glass of wine between his fingers.
Leo’s cheeks flushed with anger, “Stop laughing. I’m living the good life–playing games, working out, relaxing at home. No need to exhaust myself running around like you guys. Look at Charles; he’s been so worn out lately there’s hardly any sign of him left.”
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His voice faltered, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yolanda arrive. His throat felt like it was being squeezed by a hand, and his expression instantly changed as he sat back down.
Quinn waved his hand. “Yolanda, come over quickly. You’re a bit late.”
Yolanda had a pretty good impression of Quinn, even though everyone here knew Charles didn’t love her.
She walked over and saw the expensive contracts and gifts on the coffee table. Then she heard Quinn ask,
“You’re late–did you put a lot of thought into preparing a gift?”
A gift?
Confusion flickered in her eyes for a few seconds, then it was like someone pressed a pressure point on her.
She suddenly remembered–it was Charles’s birthday today.
Before, whether it was their wedding anniversary or his birthday, she would start planning a month in advance.
But so much had happened in the past month that she hadn’t thought about it at all.
Leo noticed her confusion and scoffed, “Oh, isn’t Charles your favorite? You even forgot his birthday. Yolanda, Yolanda, you wouldn’t be…”
He had wanted to say, you wouldn’t be like Lily, getting involved with another man behind his back, right?
But halfway through, he suddenly felt uneasy and unconsciously glanced at a certain spot on her.
That scene kept haunting his mind.
If Charles found out, he’d probably pop his
eyes out.
He took a deep breath, feeling stifled, scoffed again, and fell silent.
Charles sat in the center. As today’s birthday guy, he wore a sharp suit, his long legs casually resting on the floor, looking both noble and gentle, but his eyes had grown cold just now.
“Yolanda?”
He called out, patting the seat beside him.
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Yolanda lowered her lashes, speaking calmly, “The gift’s at home. It’s not very valuable, so I didn’t bring it.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Quinn said, “I told you, Yolanda, you like Charles the most. There’s no way you didn’t prepare a gift. You probably just felt bad bringing something since ours might be too expensive. It’s okay, no matter what you prepared, Charles will like it.”
His sly eyes curved, but it was a polite remark. Everyone noticed from Yolanda’s reaction that she hadn’t even remembered Charles’s birthday today.
Though her face remained calm, Yolanda was a bit nervous inside.
Fortunately, her words gave Charles a way to save face.
If she truly hadn’t prepared anything, it would embarrass Charles a lot.
She sat down beside Charles.
He handed her a glass of fruit wine.
Yolanda could tell he was in a bad mood; when he was upset, his lips pressed slightly tight.
Over the years, she had actually never seen Charles genuinely angry.
Though the Sinclair manor was full of intense power struggles, he always kept a composed and proper demeanor in front of his uncles.
He leaned closer, his tone still gentle, “Busy lately, even more than me?”
“Sorry, I haven’t been feeling well mentally because of Aunt Lily.”
She silently apologized to Lily in her heart; only by doing this would Charles not mind.
As expected, he lowered his eyelashes and looked seriously into her eyes, then raised his hand and gently rubbed the corner of her lips with his fingertip. “Don’t let it happen again.”
She breathed a sigh of relief, suddenly realizing how stiff her body had become.
The dinner party was lively tonight. Many people came, and after sitting in the hall for a while, these few left.
Yolanda usually didn’t fit into these kinds of gatherings. Seeing many people playing in the pool–good–looking men and women–was quite a sight.
She didn’t join them. She walked past the pool, looking for a quiet place.
But suddenly, a pair of hands reached out from behind and pushed her straight into the
Chapic
་་
water.
She hadn’t changed into a swimsuit yet and instantly became soaked like a drenched rat.
Renee Sinclair’s triumphant laugh rang out, “Serves you right for not helping me carry the bag!”
The pool was crowded, and everyone burst into laughter instantly.
In this circle, Yolanda had always been at the bottom.
Renee Sinclair glanced over at Charles’s side; her brother was chatting with a few people, and no one had noticed what was happening there.
So when she saw Yolanda trying to climb up, she lifted her foot and kicked her away.
Laughter erupted again at the scene.
Yolanda couldn’t stand it anymore, grabbed Renee Sinclair’s ankle, and pulled her down forcefully.
A look of shock flashed through Renee Sinclair’s eyes, and then she started screaming, “Help! Charles, help!”
The next moment, she fainted.
Suddenly, Yolanda remembered that Renee Sinclair almost drowned as a child, which made
- in. her afraid of water. That’s why she always stayed by the poolside and wouldn’t go
Charles was chatting about stocks with Max and a few others when he heard voices from this side and strode over.
Yolanda quickly pulled Renee Sinclair out of the water and knelt by the pool, pressing on her chest.
But Renee Sinclair wasn’t simply drowning; she had a psychological condition and had fainted from extreme fear.
Yolanda looked up, about to speak to Charles when he raised his hand and slapped her.
She tilted her head slightly; the slap made the scene completely silent,
She sat silently nearby, watching him take off his shirt, wrap it around Renee Sinclair, and stride away.
Everyone at Sinclair manor doted on Renee Sinclair.
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People at the scene whispered among themselves while Yolanda sat by the pool, soaked like a drenched rat.
Her cheek burned painfully–that was the first time Charles had ever hit her.
AD
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.
