Chapter 4

There was a long silence on the other end of the line. All I could hear was Lynn's shaky breathing.

Finally, Lynn choked out, "Elena, wait for me. I'm booking the earliest flight home right now."

I replied, "Don't. Your project's at a crucial point—don't let this mess up your schedule."

Lynn asked, "What about you?"

I said, "I can handle it. Find me a lawyer. And make it fast."

Lynn knew how stubborn I could be. Once I'd made up my mind, not even wild horses could change it.

She let out a sigh and said, "Alright, I'll take care of it right away. I know someone from college—he's a top lawyer, specializes in messy divorces with complicated circumstances.

"But Elena, Asher's not just anyone. Getting a divorce from him won't be easy."

I said, "I know. I need evidence."

Evidence that could destroy his reputation and leave him disgraced.

Evidence that could drag him down from that high-and-mighty throne as Drake Torch.

Like crossing the line between work and personal life in the middle of a mission. Getting too close to a student with a complicated past. Abusing his authority to cover up a car crash. Or letting his own wife suffer without lifting a finger.

I kept score, and one day, he would answer for all of it.

Lynn replied, "I get it. Don't worry, you can count on me. Are you safe right now? Where are you?"

I said, "I'm safe. I'm somewhere Asher would never even think to look."

After hanging up, I felt completely drained, like all the strength had been sucked out of me.

I slid down onto the carpet, my back pressed tight against the cold, unforgiving glass of the window.

The wound on my body still ached, but the fire in my chest—that wild hatred—burned fiercer than any pain.

Five years of marriage—the best five years of my life—dumped like trash.

Even a stray cat would brush my leg for warmth, but Asher? He walked away without a backward glance. Not even worth calling human.

The next morning, I was startled awake by a knock at the door.

Sleep had been restless, my dreams filled with Asher's cold eyes and Yvonne's triumphant smile.

Frank called out from outside, "Ms. Sterling, are you awake? Mr. Reed is here."

I forced myself upright, wincing as a sharp pain shot through the gash on my leg.

In the mirror, my face was ghostly pale, deep shadows sinking beneath my eyes, and a bandage stuck across my forehead. I looked like hell—exhausted, battered, barely holding it together.

But I still made myself tidy up, smoothing back my hair and fixing my clothes. I didn't want William to see me falling apart like this.

When I came downstairs, William was sitting on the living room sofa, drinking coffee.

Morning light poured through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a soft golden light over him.

He wore a plain white shirt and gray slacks, sitting up straight with an air of quiet nobility.

William was nothing like Asher and his violent, almost predatory presence. He was more the refined scholar, or maybe the kind of businessman who always kept things classy.

But I knew that was just the surface. Anyone who could stand up against Asher had to be far more formidable than they looked.

William set his cup aside and rose to greet me, his eyes lingering on my leg with just the right amount of gentlemanly concern. He asked, "How's your leg? Is it still painful?"

I replied, "I'm feeling much better, thanks for checking in, Mr. Reed." I sat down across from him.

The staff carried in breakfast, quietly arranging everything on the table.

But I could barely bring myself to eat. My appetite just wasn't there.

With a wave of William's hand, Frank and the rest of the staff silently stepped out, leaving just the two of us in the room.

"Did you manage to get any rest last night?" William asked, pouring me a glass of milk like it was the most normal thing in the world.

I said, "Yes."

He looked at me, eyes dark and thoughtful, clearly searching my face for answers I wouldn't give.

He then said, "Ms. Sterling, you said yesterday on the phone that you were willing to work with me. Can I ask what made you change your mind?"

I wrapped my hands around the milk glass. My fingertips stayed icy cold.

I met his eyes and said, "Didn't you already know, Mr. Reed?. About Asher. And that so-called star student of his, Yvonne."

William didn't deny it.

He said, "I've heard a few whispers. But after all, it's a personal matter, Ms. Sterling."

I forced a bitter smile.

I said, "The person who hit me in last night's car crash was Yvonne."

William froze for a split second, a flash of surprise flickering in his eyes before his face smoothed back to calm, like he'd never reacted at all.

He said, "Seriously? That's quite the coincidence."

I snapped, "It wasn't a coincidence. She did it intentionally."

I laid out what happened: how Yvonne slammed into me with her car, then pressed a button on her watch to call Asher. And how Asher showed up—right on cue—protecting her, acting as though I was invisible.

I didn't sugarcoat it or add any drama. I just laid out the facts, keeping my voice steady.

But every word felt like it passed through shards of ice, scraping painfully from my throat.

William listened in silence, his face unreadable.

Only after I'd finished did he quietly set his cup down.

He said, "It seems Asher treats this girl quite differently."

I lowered my gaze, hiding the raw hurt in my eyes.

William leaned forward and asked, "Ms. Sterling, just how far are you ready to take this?"

I lifted my head, meeting his probing stare without hesitation.

I said, "I want a divorce. And I want him to pay. Everything he treasures—his status, his reputation, and that woman. I'm going to tear it all down."

William watched me for a few silent moments. Then, out of nowhere, he smiled.

It wasn't mocking or gloating—more an appreciative, knowing smile, like he fully understood exactly where I was coming from.

"Good," he said.

He stood and strolled over to the window, hands folded calmly behind his back.

He said, "Asher's got undeniable talent, but his flaws are just as plain to see. He's far too full of himself, cares too much about certain people, and never manages to keep work and private matters apart."

He turned, sunlight framing him from behind, casting his silhouette in sharp contrast.

He added, "Especially when it comes to that Drakenight he's been grooming."

My heart skipped a beat.

Drakenight? So Yvonne actually had a codename? And it matched Asher's.

That meant she wasn't just some random student. She was his chosen successor.

She was the new blood—the one who'd stand at his side, his younger, shinier replacement.

No wonder Asher would tie his most important life monitoring system to Yvonne. No wonder he was so tense—so protective over her.

An icy chill shot up from my toes all the way to the crown of my head.

Turns out, I wasn't just shut out of his world.

I wasn't even the one by his side anymore. That spot—my spot—had already been taken by someone else.

William said, "So you didn't know."

His tone was cool and precise—like a blade, slipping right into the deepest part of my wound.

He added, "Yvonne's been the CID's rising star for the past few years—she's insanely talented. Asher's poured everything into training her, even breaking protocol and pulling strings so she got fast-tracked.

"Rumor has it inside the department—everyone sees Yvonne as the obvious successor to become the next Drake Torch.

"Asher and Yvonne go everywhere together, totally inseparable. People call them the golden duo."

Golden duo, huh? Then what did that make me?

Was I just some extra, hidden away in his shining life—a pointless decoration kept in the shadows?

My stomach churned, fighting back a wave of nausea. I forced a deep breath—gotta keep it together.

I said, "Just get to the point, Mr. Reed. What's your plan?"

William made his way back to the couch and sat down.

He said, "Asher's got his sights set on a major deal I'm working. I've been laying the groundwork for three years—I won't let all that effort go up in smoke.

"I need someone who can tie him up. At least until I've closed the deal—keep him too busy to meddle."

He gave me a hard, calculating look.

He added, "Right now, Ms. Sterling, you're my best shot. You're his wife. Nobody knows how he operates or what gets under his skin like you do. If anyone can throw him off, it's you.

"And honestly, this is the perfect chance for you to dig up proof and get your revenge."

I realized: William wanted to use me as the secret weapon to bring Asher down.

And me? I needed to use his resources to get revenge on Asher.

We both had something to gain. Fair enough.

I asked, "So what do you need me to do?"

William pulled out a tiny, USB-looking device from his suit pocket and placed it down on the coffee table.

He said, "This is an encrypted drive. It's got your first batch of dirt—the stuff that's going to kick this off.

"You'll find some intriguing details about Yvonne's past. And records of her and Asher—let's just say it's more than the usual mentor-protégé dynamic."

I locked my eyes on that tiny black drive, my pulse quickening—whether from excitement or cold dread, I couldn't tell.

Instinctively, I reached out, grabbed it, and clenched it in my palm like it was my only lifeline.

The metal was icy and hard, edges pressing into my skin—reminding me this game was about to get real.

William continued, "Next, you need to head back home to Asher."

I snapped my head up. I asked, "Go back?"

He nodded and said, "Exactly. Just pretend nothing ever happened. Act like you're a shaken wife, only wanting your husband's comfort."

"He won't buy it," I retorted right away.

With Asher's suspicious nature, there was no way my disappearance last night wouldn't make him start digging for answers.

With a calm, almost smug smile playing on his lips, William said, "Of course he will. But he won't find a thing. Frank will make sure everything's covered up.

"And you? You need to play your part. Be the wife who loves so much it hurts, torn between heartbreak and helplessness—forced to swallow the pain and pretend nothing's wrong.

"Make him think you're just being moody, that you still can't let go of him, that no matter how much he messes you up, you'll just endure in silence—because you love him too much.

"That's the only way he'll relax his guard. That's when you'll have the best chance to dig up what truly matters—the evidence that'll ruin him for good."

I stayed silent, weighing my options.

Back to that house steeped in lies and cold indifference? Facing that husband who was nothing but a fraud, day after day?

Just imagining it made me feel suffocated.

I stared at the drive in my palm.

Picturing Asher and Yvonne side by side—the way he called me "ma'am" with that frozen tone, Yvonne's bold, mocking gaze—yeah, the rage in me surged up again, swallowing every bit of hesitation, every ounce of discomfort.

I said, "Alright. I'll go back."