Chapter 82
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Yolanda turned and returned to the studio, closely monitoring Elara Aster’s situation.
Elara Aster was like a gambler, betting everything just to jump from a second–tier to a first–tier star.
Because of the scar on her face, more and more sympathetic netizens rallied around her, and she conveniently released her depression diagnosis.
These days, every celebrity seems to have depression, as if it’s the latest fashion statement.
But fans really buy into it.
“We have to allow a woman the right to express her pain. Elara is very brave. There aren’t many people like her in the entertainment industry. Support!”
“Punish the criminal as soon as possible. Elara is beautiful. The courage to expose this is admirable. Before some ‘brother’s‘ show even airs, she’s on the rise. People like that should be crushed before they get started.”
“Ian is still pretending not to hear? That vile agent of his doesn’t have a Twitter either. These two are a perfect match in villainy.”
Elara Aster posted ten tweets in a row, the last one being a video of herself crying so hard she was gasping for breath in front of the camera.
She talked about how terrified she was when she was threatened and had her face slashed with a knife.
By the end, her voice even started to tremble, and she turned off the camera.
This made fans feel even more heartbroken, and three trending topics blew up on Twitter.
Ian, with just a few million followers, had never trended before and certainly never experienced this level of
heat.
Director Zack White couldn’t handle the pressure anymore and called Yolanda again. “Can you even handle this?”
Yolanda saw the heat around this issue climbing steadily, even showing signs of sparking a nationwide debate.
“Zack, give me two days. Just two days, and I’ll turn this whole thing around by tomorrow afternoon.”
Zack breathed a sigh of relief. He’d been getting calls from all sides lately, the pressure was overwhelming.
He lit a cigarette. “Tessa, this mess was caused by your talent. If you can’t handle it, your studio’s finished. So don’t hold anything back–use everything you’ve got this time.”
“I know.”
After Yolanda hung up, she raised her hand to rub her forehead.
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Chapter 82
Ian sent her a message at this moment.
[There are so many people insulting me online.]
This situation was actually caused by Yolanda herself; lan was just dragged into it.
[Foster, everything will be fine.]
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Ian is two years younger than her, and she tries her best to take care of him when they are together.
His call came in immediately, his voice slightly hoarse, “Yeah, I trust you.”
There was a hint of trouble on his side, so Yolanda asked, “Are you outside?”
“Just finished dinner, came out for a walk.”
It’s already evening now. This neighborhood has complete facilities, including a long running track.
He’s walking on the track right now, but ever since he started, someone has been following him. This is not just his imagination.
He didn’t want to alert anyone, so he continued calling Yolanda, “Ms. Grant, I miss you.”
When Leo walked past him, he happened to overhear this sentence.
At first, he was a bit doubtful, but now he’s absolutely sure—this is the shameless homewrecker who ruined his brother’s marriage!
He stopped in his tracks and suddenly looked up, staring at Ian.
Once he looked, damn, she’s actually quite attractive.
Ian pinched his phone, frowning slightly as he felt Leo’s intense gaze.
He walked past him and left.
Leo didn’t pursue him after all, but caught a phrase floating in the wind: “Thirsty, wanna drink your water.”
Leo felt as if thunder was crashing all around him, leaving him dazed and confused.
He wasn’t unfamiliar with those films, so of course he knew what that line meant.
His cheeks flushed red, then paled, then flushed red again, until finally his fingertips trembled slightly.
Ian took a few steps forward, and with his peripheral vision saw that the man had already left, his lips curling into a faint smile.
Leo returned to his villa, feeling an uncomfortable heat all over his body.
He took a shower first, but still felt uneasy.
*
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8:56 Thu, Sep 18 d
Chapter 82
It wasn’t an illness, just a general discomfort he couldn’t shake.
He wanted to find a game to play, but after browsing through options, none seemed quite right.
Frustrated, he threw down the controller.
The phrase “Thirsty…” slipped into his mind unbidden.
He startled all over and turned over.
He couldn’t control his mind and recalled the scene of Yolanda doing that in the car.
Thirsty–did it mean what he thought it did?
Damn!
Shameless!
So dirty!
Disgusting!
Anger flared up again, and he took out his phone to send Yolanda a message.
[You scum totally deserve a lightning strike from heaven.]
Yolanda was still monitoring online discussions at the studio; seeing this strange message, her anger flared
too.
up
[If you’re sick, go get treated. I think you’d better rinse your mouth with some water.]
Your words are so poisonous, you might just poison yourself to death one day.
Leo stiffened all over, his eyes fixed on that phrase-“I think you’d better rinse your mouth with some water.”
His expression changed instantly. He sat up straight and immediately made a phone call.
“Yolanda, what do you mean? Are you seriously not even pretending anymore? Aren’t you ashamed? Aren’t you pathetic? Are you that desperate for a man?”
Yolanda was already upset from reading those nasty comments, and now with Leo’s sudden attack, her mood. hit rock bottom.
“Leo, even if I were desperate for a man, I wouldn’t come to you.”
Leo immediately fell silent.
She really didn’t turn to him–no one knew where she found that gigolo.
After hanging up, he sneered coldly.
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Chapter 82
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He’s different from that kind of person. He plans to find someone clean and with a clear background in the future.
Yolanda tidied up her office and then planned to go back to Watermoon Bay.
The coffee brand Ian had endorsed also called her. Their meaning was similar to Zack White’s: if this keeps dragging on, they’ll have to terminate the contract, and she’ll owe a huge compensation.
The fans acted like maniacs; smelling the situation, they swarmed under the coffee brand’s Twitter, launching a boycott.
Across the entire internet, lan was probably cursed in over a million posts.
Meanwhile, Elara Aster was leisurely eating fruit in her room, spearing small pieces with a toothpick and popping them into her mouth.
Tom Hayes was getting anxious, “Elara, you’ve made such a big scene. How are you going to settle this? Simone called several times, but you didn’t answer. She also called me multiple times, telling me not to go to the set anymore.”
Elara rolled her eyes, a smirk curling at the corner of her mouth. “Who does Simone think she is? The Sinclair manor doesn’t even support her career. Don’t you know who I’m connected to this time?”
Raising an eyebrow, she chewed the fruit thoroughly. “Vivian promised me that if I could take down that bitch Tessa, I’d get 30 million and be able to move abroad straight away. You know the company I signed with now is a trap–they’re holding onto my decade–long contract and won’t let go. If I terminate it myself, I’ll lose all my savings. I’ve already contacted Vivian; she’ll use the Andrade manor’s influence to get me out.”
But Vivian didn’t know that Yolanda’s nickname in the entertainment circle was Tessa Gilbert, and Elara didn’t know Yolanda was Charles’s wife. When they referred to her as “that bitch,” they missed the crucial
information.
Vivian has not been paying attention to outside opinions recently. She was seriously injured this time and nearly fainted several times.
It’s only heard that Yolanda invested in a studio, and now the studio’s talent is finished.
She sneered coldly, saying this is just the beginning. Megan is about to make a move too, and she will make sure Yolanda can’t take a single step in Beloris!
田
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.
