Chapter 2
Mia’s message came through right after.
[Wow Victoria, Pierce’s face just went white! What did you send him?]
I smiled and sent her a tongue–out emoji: [Just wait for the show!]
The diary belonged to Ethan’s first love, Emma Davis. On the frontispiece was a line: “For sixteen–year–old Ethan, hope you like this gift.”
It contained her diary entries about her crush on Ethan, which she had planned to give him when confessing her feelings.
But before she could confess, she and Ethan were kidnapped. To buy Ethan time to escape, she was tortured and killed by the kidnappers right in front of him.
This diary was the only thing she left behind, and Ethan cherished it more than his own life.
Thinking about this, I suddenly realized that assistant Sophia Morgan bore a striking resemblance to Emma.
I couldn’t help but laugh. Ethan was really regressing, playing this disgusting substitute
game.
[Don’t touch it! We can talk this through!]
Messages came rapidly, showing how anxious Ethan was about the diary.
[Call me. Now.]
The next second, my phone rang.
“Put it on speaker,” I said calmly.
From the other end came the sound of fabric rustling, then Ethan’s suppressed breathing: “…I’m in a business meeting.”
“I said, PUT. IT. ON. SPEAKER.”
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Chapter 2
After a moment of silence, the speakerphone tone sounded. In the background, the clinking of glasses suddenly stopped, indicating the entire banquet hall had gone quiet.
“I apologize for the interruption, everyone.”
My voice carried through the phone to that magnificent banquet hall. “I’m Victoria Reid,
Ethan Pierce’s wife.”
I could imagine the scene–those well–dressed guests holding champagne flutes, looking
awkwardly toward the main table.
Sophia Morgan was probably still maintaining that affected smile, though her lips would be trembling by now.
“My husband was supposed to bring me to this dinner tonight, but I never received any notification about it,” I said methodically, my fingertips brushing the yellowed corners of
the diary.
“Victoria, calm down. There’s nothing between us, just a normal professional relationship.
Don’t misunderstand.”
“Really? What kind of boss gives his employee a million–dollar bracelet?”
“I don’t care about whatever sordid business you have going on.”
“Now, Ethan Pierce, I want you to slap her. Twice. In front of everyone.”
Gasps could be heard from the other end.
“Have you lost your mind?” Ethan lowered his voice.
“You can refuse,” I said, opening the diary to a middle page. “I believe this page describes the first time she saw you? ‘Ethan looked so handsome playing basketball. I secretly took a photo and hid it in my diary…”
“Enough!”
Ethan’s voice suddenly grew louder, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps.
“SLAP!”
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A Million Dollar Betrayal The Tycoon’s Wife Strikes Back
Chapter 2
The crisp sound of a palm striking flesh came through the speaker.
“Ah!” Sophia’s scream was so shrill it made my eardrums ache.
“Continue,” I said coldly.
“SLAP!!”
The second slap was harder. I even heard something fall to the floor–probably that bracelet.
There was dead silence on the other end.
I closed the diary with satisfaction. “Very good.”
After hanging up, I poured myself a glass of red wine.
I remembered our wedding three years ago. When exchanging rings, Ethan’s smile seemed measured to a precise angle.
When our fathers shook hands and spoke of a “power alliance,” everyone present understood the unspoken message.
This marriage was never a fairy tale.
He was the perfect heir groomed by the Pierce family; I was the appraisal machine polished by the Reid family. We were like two high–end precious jewelries displayed in a showcase, labeled “perfect match.”
My phone vibrated. It was a video from Mia.
In the footage, Sophia covered her face as she rushed out of the banquet hall, with an ashen–faced Ethan following behind.
The video ended with a close–up–that “priceless” bracelet, shattered even more thoroughly
than before.
Twenty minutes later, the doorbell rang. Through the security monitor, I saw Ethan standing at the door, his tie askew, his eyes burning with a familiar rage.
I pressed the intercom button: “Wait.”
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Chapter 2
Then I turned off the display. Just let him stand in the rain a while longer.
Mia, still relishing the drama, called me.
“That was brilliant! What did you send him? Teach me! I want to learn how to keep my
husband in line too!”
I laughed. “It’s nothing special. When you don’t care about him, you can control him.”
Hearing this, Mia scoffed: “Then I definitely can’t do it.”
Of course she couldn’t. She and her husband had been childhood sweethearts, always stuck
together since school. They’d been inseparable and deeply in love for so many years.
“But after what you did to Pierce today, won’t he come after you?”
“Come after me?” I laughed coldly.
“He parades around with Sophia, and I’m not the one causing trouble?”
I heard the sound of the door opening behind me and turned to see a soaking wet Ethan.
His face was grim as he demanded, “Where’s my diary?”
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