Chapter 3

In the video, Rhys was on one knee before Lila, a bouquet of flowers in his hand, his eyes red. "All the romantic gestures I never gave you back then," he choked out, "I'm giving it to you now."

"This house is my ultimate proof of love for you."

The background was this very house, packed with Rhys's family.

Everyone was saying, "Rhys finally caught a break."

"Seriously!"

"Rhys has been through so much these past few years, living with *that woman* just to give Lila a home."

"Lila's so lucky, so loved by Rhys. Even though he doesn't love *that other woman*, he was willing to 'sleep next to her' just for the money, all for Lila."

Lila cried, her eyes red, and nodded, saying she accepted.

Then, a tear-jerking kiss, a moment that moved everyone, ended with Leo's delighted cheers.

I finally understood why, even when Rhys and I were in the throes of passion, he was always so controlled. And when I brought up having a child, he'd just give me this vague, distant look.

"Aria."

"We're still young. We have plenty of time to think about kids. But your family is so powerful, so wealthy. I don't want to just be seen as a kept man. I want people to talk about me and make you proud."

On that Thanksgiving weekend, Rhys had come home smelling of strange perfume. I wasn't oblivious, but Rhys would always explain, "It's just a client's wife's perfume. If you don't like it, I'll drop the deal."

Rhys was a master of disguise, and he'd protected Lila so well.

Even when I knew of Lila's existence, he'd just tell me, "If it weren't for Lila, I wouldn't know how to love."

"They say a woman who helps a man grow up often gets replaced by a later one. I never believed it before."

Rhys held me in his arms.

"But now, I'm truly grateful for my ex. Without her, how would I have learned to appreciate such a wonderful wife."

It was all a trap. All deliberate.

My fingertips went numb, and even in the blazing summer heat, shivers ran down my spine. Finn, who was sitting beside me, hadn't dared to utter a sound until the video ended, when he gently patted my shoulder.

My body reacted instinctively. I pushed Finn away and rushed to the toilet, throwing up until my head spun. As I reached for a tissue, I noticed that even the tissues were the same brand I used. I remembered someone asking Rhys at the end of the video:

"Aria won't really find out, will she?"

"She's so sensitive and suspicious."

But Rhys was utterly confident.

"I've covered every angle. She won't find a single flaw."

Everything—from the tissues and toiletries to the pillowcases and kitchenware—was identical to mine. Even the skincare products and perfume on the vanity were my brand. Every detail was meticulously copied, as if Rhys were truly living, loving, and marrying the same person.

No wonder I never suspected anything. I thought of Lila at the police station—her hair color was *exactly* like mine. Identical. It sent a chill down my spine, but then a soft jacket was draped over my shoulders.

"Have you figured out what you're going to do?"

I turned, meeting Finn's unusually concerned gaze, and squeezed out a smile.

"Of course."

My mom always said if you get hit, you hit back. If someone wrongs you, you make them feel worse. I wasn't raised to quietly endure. My education was always about fighting fire with fire.

I grabbed the deeds to this house, listed it online for 70% below market value, with one condition.

The buyer had to be aggressive. Ruthless.

Then, I had Finn use his connections to apply pressure, launching a full investigation into Lila's son's school enrollment. After that, I arranged for hair samples from Rhys and Leo to be used for a DNA paternity test.