Chapter 4

However, I didn't forgive Richard right away because I kept catching him zoning out, just staring at his phone.

I snuck a peek and found that he hadn't unblocked Lucy.

But his business partner kept sending him updates about Lucy every single day.

Lucy, the new foreign girl, was getting bullied nonstop at her new job.

She was stuck doing other people's work late into the night, and if she showed up even a minute late the next morning, they'd drag her out in front of everyone and shame her on the spot.

If she made even the tiniest mistake in her paperwork, she'd be forced to scrub the floor while everyone watched. Some people would even spit snack shells at her while she was down there.

But Lucy couldn't fight back—she just had to swallow her tears and take it.

One photo after another kept landing on Richard's phone—even shots of her boss getting handsy with her in the office.

His phone buzzed with another message.

[Polygamy is just a way of life back where Lucy's from. She isn't some homewrecker in her culture.]

Richard's expression turned grim. However, he fired back with a text: [Maybe that's normal where she's from, but not here.]

Without another word, he blocked that partner, too.

I stood quietly behind him, watching everything unfold, then slipped away without a sound.

Good. It looked like my husband still knew right from wrong.

Since that was the case, he could have a seat at the table for the takeover project of a company from Novia, a foreign country.

Soon enough, the takeover ceremony was officially underway.

It wasn't just our business partners in attendance—even the local political heavyweights showed up to witness the event.

If we pulled off this deal, Richard and I would become the undisputed leaders in the city, driving the local economy through the roof.

But just as the representative of the Novia company was about to sign the contract, the big screen behind them suddenly flashed with a video of Lucy being ambushed by a group of men.

Her screams and cries—so loud and desperate—made the representative freeze, his pens hovering in mid-air.

"Mr. Bennett!" The doors to the hall burst open.

Lucy stumbled in, her long dress hanging off her in tatters—anyone could guess what she'd just been through.

She threw herself into Richard's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. "I was going to go back to my country, but I never thought your wife would still come after me.

"She said if I lost my innocence, you'd never look at me again. I wanted to end it all, but I forced myself to come here just to see you one last time..."

"What?"

The Novia representative put down his pen and turned to the local officials. "Is this really how you treat foreign guests here in Astero City?"

The official's face went pale, about to explain, but the representative turned to me instead.

"We chose to sell to you because we respected your integrity, Ms. Quinn. But there are plenty of other buyers interested in our company," he said coldly.

I snatched up the mic in a hurry. "Ladies and gentlemen, I have a few questions about this video. First—"

Suddenly, a slap landed hard across my face.

My forehead crashed into the edge of the table, the taste of blood flooding my mouth—metallic and bitter.

And the one behind it all—my husband, Richard—was standing there, arm wrapped around Lucy's waist, looking down at me like I was nothing.

Richard sneered, saying, "Cut the act, will you?"

"You think I don't know all the hell Lucy's gone through at her new job was your doing?"

The Novia company's representatives just froze, speechless.

Richard wasted no time pulling up all the proof of how Lucy got screwed over at her new company and shoved it in their faces.

I stared at Richard, completely stunned. "You really can't see through such a pathetic trick? Who just stands by and lets someone record workplace harassment?"

"Is there anything you wouldn't stoop to, just to get your sick revenge?" he shot back, my voice trembling with fury.

Suddenly, I couldn't breathe—my chest tightened.

Now I finally got it. I was the one who was wrong.

Even though Richard blocked his partner that day, in his heart, he'd already decided I was the real reason Lucy got hurt.

The representative stormed out, furious.

The official pointed at me, his face twisted with rage. "Don't even think about getting any government support for your company ever again!" he snapped.

Everyone hurried out of the hall.

Richard draped his suit over Lucy's shoulders and gave me a cold glare. "Sure, protect your own dignity, but don't do it by stepping all over someone else's!"

I watched his retreating figure as he shielded Lucy, like she was the only person in his world.

I pushed myself up from the table, steadying myself with my hand.

My gaze grew colder by the second.

I had bent over backwards to handle this fairly. Now, they'd better not come crying when I play hardball.

With blood still dripping from my hand, I picked up my phone and issued a cold command. "Bring me Bennett Group acquisition file."