Chapter 2

"As for the credit card fraud," I sneered, "since they refuse to admit their wrongdoing, we'll proceed strictly according to the rules."

My lawyer, following my instructions, noted all my demands and was about to approach the police, but Rhys blocked his path.

"Aria!"

Rhys stood in front of my lawyer, his eyes like daggers, fixed on me. "Are you out of your mind? Bigamy? An illegitimate child? Do you have *any idea* how much damage your words are doing to me and Lila?"

"And you," Rhys said, looking at my lawyer with disgust. "How much did Aria pay you to do her dirty work? Do you know I'm her husband? Every penny she spends is our joint marital property! You're using *my* money to sue *me*? Are you really that naive?"

Lila, too, joined Rhys in shoving and pushing my lawyer.

"How dare you sue me!"

"I'll sue Aria for assault!" Lila cried, clutching half her face, staring at me. "Don't blame Rhys for not liking you! You're so domineering, no man wants a woman like that! You deserve to be alone forever!"

Listening to Lila's commentary, and seeing Rhys's fleeting flicker of guilt, I understood everything.

Behind my back, this is how Rhys described me.

If that's the case, why should I put myself through any more trouble? I smiled at Lila, then looked at Rhys and nodded earnestly.

"You've got a point."

Rhys thought Lila had convinced me. He was about to speak. "You—"

But I cut him off.

"After all, I'm not a morally bankrupt person like you," I said, changing my tone. "I'm not the kind of person who'd step over their morals even if they were lying on the ground."

I pointed to my face.

"If you want to sue, go ahead!"

"But for now," I smiled, "enjoy your fifteen days in lockup and the hefty compensation bill."

After all.

Buying a house for Lila's son's schooling. If he had to pay that back, it would practically kill Rhys. I walked out of the police station and got into Finn Hayes' car. The car radio was playing a breakup song, the singer crooning, "Happy breakup, wish you happiness, you can find someone better."

Finn handed me a green hat, asking, "Like it?"

I looked at the green hat in my lap, a bitter laugh escaping me. I slapped Finn on the head. "Drive, unless you have a death wish."

I sat in the two-bedroom condo Rhys had bought for Lila.

Inside the house.

The layout was cozy, with a family portrait hanging in the living room: Rhys with his arm around Lila and a child. The kid, Leo, was probably at school right now, oblivious to the fact that both his parents were cooling their heels in jail. From the bills in the living room, I saw Rhys's expenses for Lila over the past few years.

From a single dollar to hundreds, then thousands, tens of thousands, and even hundreds of thousands. The figures were staggering.

I remembered that in our three years of marriage, Rhys and I were often apart. He'd always use that line:

"I want to be worthy of you."

This excuse stifled all my simmering resentment about our lukewarm relationship. Then, I noticed a USB drive in the TV stand drawer. In bold, block letters, it read: [Rhys Davies x Lila Stone].

I inserted the USB drive into the projector. The timeline on the screen showed last year.

It was Thanksgiving weekend. My parents and I had waited for Rhys all day at our family estate. He finally showed up, festive treats in hand, apologizing about being too busy, hoping we weren't mad.

Now, watching the projected content from the USB drive, I felt as if I'd been plunged into an ice bath.