Chapter 4

A wave of nausea rose in my throat, choking off my words. I couldn't bear to sit there for another second.

Without a word, I stood up to leave.

Before I could take three steps, Justin’s voice thundered through the room:

"Evelyn, what the hell did you do?!"

I turned around.

An iPad came flying through the air, striking me squarely on the temple.

Warm blood immediately trickled down my forehead, blinding one of my eyes.

The tablet clattered to the floor, its shattered screen displaying viral entertainment headlines:

[SHOCKING! Vance Real Heiress Catches Fiancé Red-Handed: Hayes Group Heir and Imposter Socialite Stripped Bare in Bed!]

[LEAKED! Explicit Photos of Chloe Exposed! Vance Heiress Unleashes Brutal Revenge!]

[How to Destroy the Other Woman: Real Heiress Leaks Nude Photos of Fake Sister!]

Beneath the headlines were several crude, low-resolution composites—humiliating, explicit, and utterly vile.

Holding my bleeding forehead, I looked up.

Chloe had thrown herself back into hysterics, but behind her tears, her eyes flashed with pure spite and triumph.

She exaggeratedly mouthed the words to me:

*I’m going to ruin you.*

The second Justin turned back toward her, she shrank into her chair, the picture of a helpless, shattered victim.

She was sobbing her heart out.

I turned my cold gaze back to Justin.

"Send your people to investigate."

"It wasn't me."

Justin didn't believe a single syllable. His face was twisted with fury:

"If not you, then who?!"

"Only a handful of people were in that room that night! Your name is in every single headline! The proof is right there, and you still have the nerve to lie?!"

The reek of rotting food in the room was suffocating.

I ran out of patience to explain anything to him.

"I'll say this for the last time. I did nothing wrong. The only ones who need to apologize are Chloe and you."

Justin lost his mind. He roared at the top of his lungs:

"And I will say this one last time!"

"Apologize to Chloe right now, and take down those damn articles!"

I didn't spare him another glance. I turned and walked straight out.

Justin instinctively moved to chase me, but Chloe clamped onto his sleeve, weeping:

"Justin, what do I do?! Everyone thinks I'm your mistress now, and those pictures... I... I really don't want to live anymore..."

Justin froze. He pulled her into his arms, whispering comforts, while shouting threats at my retreating back:

"Evelyn Vance!"

"You walk out that door today, and we are completely through!"

I didn't turn around. I simply picked up my pace.

Justin was furious.

He gave me the silent treatment for an entire month before sending an arrogant text:

[Have you learned your lesson yet?]

The moment the text was sent, an automated alert popped up: *Message failed to deliver.*

I had blocked his number.

Justin sat bolt upright on his sofa. Enraged, he dialed my number directly.

The phone rang for a long time.

Usually, I’d just reject the call, but today, someone actually picked up.

"Hello?"

Hearing a man's voice on the other end, Justin pulled the phone away in shock to check the screen.

It was definitely my number.

"Who the hell are you? Why do you have Evelyn’s phone?!"

A low, amused chuckle came through the speaker.

"I'm her husband. Is there an issue with me answering my wife’s phone?"

Justin’s blood boiled instantly.

He screamed into the receiver:

"Bullshit! Evelyn is MY fiancé!"

The man on the other end didn't get angry at all. Instead, his voice dripped with mocking amusement:

"Mr. Hayes, perhaps you should check the latest press release from the Vance Corporation."

"Too bad—your woman threw you in the trash."

Justin rapidly switched to his news app.

[Public Notice of Broken Engagement: Due to irreconcilable differences, Evelyn Vance, CEO of Vance Corporation, has terminated her engagement to Justin Hayes, Vice President of Hayes Group.]

[Effective immediately.]