Chapter 7
I moved from room to room, each door opening to a new wave of dread that tightened in my chest. My mind raced, my heart pounding, as the tension inside me grew unbearable.
Finally, I reached the last door. I pushed it open and what I saw made my blood run cold.
Edward was there, slumped against the wall. His left arm was bleeding heavily, the white fabric of his shirt soaked with deep crimson stains. His breath came in ragged gasps and sweat plastered his hair to his forehead.
On the bed lay Liora, her forehead swollen with a large bump, her hands fumbling clumsily with her clothes. She appeared disoriented, half–undressed, her intentions painfully clear.
When Edward saw me, his voice was
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hoarse but firm. “I didn‘ t touch her,” he managed to say before his legs gave out and he collapsed to the floor.
I rushed to him in shock, catching him just in time. As I held him, I noticed his hand still gripping the shards of a shattered ashtray. His arms were covered in fresh, jagged cuts and blood smeared his skin.
I wasted no time. Pulling out my phone with shaky hands, I called an ambulance, followed by the police.
Hours passed in the sterile, cold light of the hospital. It was not until the early hours of the morning that his eyelids fluttered open.
“Calista,” he croaked. “I didn’t…”
“I know,” I said softly, reassuring him while patting his shoulder.
“Last night’s surveillance footage has already been given to the police. You didn’t do anything wrong, Edward. You‘ ve kept your innocence.”
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Liora had drugged him, planning to force. him into submission, but instead, she met his fierce resistance. No matter how much she cried and pleaded afterward, Edward was firm in his decision, saying that he was going to see her in court.
As for Luke, things had only gotten worse. for him. Not only had he failed to secure the Watson Family‘ s cooperation contract, but Edward had targeted him for his unforgivable behavior toward me on the balcony.
The performance of his business
plummeted and his company’s stock prices continued to fall, causing him mounting anxiety.
Our paths crossed again at a wine party a few weeks later.
I sat next to Edward, observing the scene unfold before us. Luke was drowning himself in alcohol, his face turning a deep shade of red as he struggled to hold his composure. His voice was low, desperate,
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as he attempted to negotiate for the new project, but it was too late.
I had already intercepted the deal with
ease.
“Calista,” he started, his voice full of accusation, “do you have to follow Edward and push me to the edge? Why can’t you let go?”
Outside the bathroom, Luke cornered me. His eyes were rimmed with red, a mixture. of alcohol and frustration written across. his face. I could not tell if he was genuinely drunk or just putting on a pitiful act to gain my sympathy.
“I’ve already divorced Liora and I didn’t really do anything that night… Why are you still holding this against me?”
I could not help but laugh at his twisted sense of reality, the way he still believed he was the victim. “It’s because of your incompetence in securing a designer that pleases their company. What does that
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have to do with me?”
“We were together for five years,” he pleaded. “You can’t even give me a shred of sympathy?”
I looked at him, my voice sharp and unwavering. “Am I supposed to feel
sympathy for you after everything you did? You betrayed me, married your mistress. and allowed my child to be labeled an illegitimate one. Do you think I should tolerate that?”
Luke’s throat tightened as he swallowed. hard, the truth settling in. He had no response, no defense. The weight of his actions spoke louder than any excuse he
could offer.
Meanwhile, Liora had been released from prison, not because she was innocent but because she was pregnant.
His mother, who had once despised Liora, now welcomed her back into the Grayson Family, eager to have a grandson regardless
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of the divorce.
Liora, however, was not the same woman
she had been before. She hated Luke with a
new intensity, blaming him for everything, from losing her chance with Edward to the failed plot that landed her in jail.
Her bitterness turned her into a nightmare for the Grayson Family. She wreaked havoc. wherever she went, such as destroying documents, smashing furniture and even setting the kitchen on fire.
The chaos she caused left the household in
shambles and his mother was at her wits” end, suffering frequent headaches from the constant drama.
Eventually, her health deteriorated so badly that she suffered a cerebral
hemorrhage and nearly lost her life on the operating table.
After that, she finally gave up her fight. She decided to let Liora give birth to the
grandson she longed for, but not without
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conditions. Liora was given seven million dollars and told to leave Eden City for good.
Liora agreed without hesitation. She took the money and immediately bought herself a new car, ready to start a new chapter of her life.
One time, I happened to be coming out of the office with Edward and Luke.
It had been a significant day. Edward‘ s company had just bought 30% of the Grayson Group‘ s shares and the contract had been signed. As we made our way downstairs, I could feel the tension
radiating from Luke. He gritted his teeth, barely able to contain his fury.
“Snatching orders, stealing wives and now
shares. Edward, is your ancestor a robber?” he spat, his words laced with
venom.
Edward’s smile was cold and sharp, devoid of any real warmth. “Watch your mouth, Luke. I’m the one who got the
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marriage certificate with Calista. Whose ex–husband are you?”
Luke s jaw clenched and his bitterness only deepened. “So what if you’re married? People leave marriages all the time. As a hoe swings properly, there’s no corner that can’t be dug up!”
Edward’s face darkened at the crude remark and what began as sharp words quickly escalated into a heated exchange. The two men stood toe–to–toe, hurling insults at one another.
Unable to take it any longer, I quickened my pace, trying to distance myself from their bickering. However, just as I was about to step further away, something unexpected happened.
Suddenly, the Grayson Group‘ s glass doors burst open with a loud crash and I saw a black car speeding toward me at an alarming rate. My eyes widened in shock and for a split second, my mind went. blank. Time seemed to slow as I realized I
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was frozen in place, the car closing in on me faster than I could react.
I wanted to run, but my body would not move. The front of the car was less than a meter away from me and I could already feel the panic rising in my chest.
Before I could even scream, a powerful force shoved me out of the way.
In a blur of motion, two figures, one in black and the other in white, rushed past me. They appeared out of nowhere and just as quickly as they appeared, they vanished.
The next thing I knew, there was a deafening roar as the car crashed into a wall with a violent thud, bringing everything to a sudden halt.
I struggled to my feet, my body shaking with adrenaline. But as I stood up, my vision was filled with red. Blood. Blood was everywhere.
My heart sank as I looked around, my eyes settling on Luke. He was lying in a pool of
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his own blood, his eyes wide open, still staring in my direction.
Edward was not far off, but he did not look
much better. He had been thrown by the impact, rolling several times before coming to a stop. His body lay still, unconscious.
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