Chapter 8

Mark soon heard about how well-behaved I was.

He called me up, sounding all smug, like he'd expected this from the start. "Yolanda, glad you finally thought it through.

"See? Hardy treats you like a queen. Don't forget how lucky you are.

"Why stress about a career? Just enjoy being a rich wife. So many people envy you."

He was still trying to fill my head with those same old clichés.

I didn't argue back. I replied meekly, sounding sweet and obedient. "Mark, I know I was wrong. Don't worry. I'll make things work with Hardy from now on."

Mark was clearly pleased with my attitude. "That's the spirit. I'll take you to the riding club this weekend. Let's have some fun and relax."

"Sure," I said, hanging up. The smile on my face vanished the moment I ended the call.

That was exactly how they operated.

As long as I stayed obedient and did whatever they wanted, they'd shower me with endless affection.

But all that affection felt cheap and suffocating.

Night was my only battlefield.

Once Hardy was sound asleep, I'd sneak into the study.

That was my secret base.

Joan was right. I had to put on a show, act vulnerable.

But even more than that, I needed to prepare the sharpest weapon for myself.

I spent day and night digging into everything about Peak Group—from its founder to its design philosophy, and every iconic project they'd ever pulled off.

I dug out my college graduation project from a pile of blueprints, the hanging garden design that had snagged me a gold award.

The blueprints from five years ago looked pretty rough now.

Using some new software I'd picked up recently, I rebuilt and re-rendered the whole thing.

I infused it with everything I'd come to understand about life, space, and people in the last five years.

I made the original design richer, breathing new life and soul into it.

Every tweak, every render felt like I was talking to my old self from five years ago.

The girl who used to chase big dreams, full of energy and ambition, was coming back to life inside me, bit by bit.

Besides working on my project, I was also busy with something else—collecting evidence, all under Joan's remote guidance.

Using the excuse of cleaning up, I discreetly checked every document in Hardy's study without raising any suspicion.

I stumbled across a second phone he'd hidden away in a secret compartment.

The contacts and some suggestive messages on it made my heart sink.

His so-called loyalty turned out to be nothing but a joke.

I also found dual contracts he'd signed with other shareholders to secretly move company assets.

It turned out that this so-called business genius was backed by some seriously shady tactics.

I even found a few insurance policies. None of them had my name as the beneficiary.

I quietly snapped photos of everything, encrypted them, and sent them to Joan.

With every new piece of evidence, my heart, clouded for five years, became a bit sharper.

The facade of the perfect husband Hardy had so carefully crafted was gradually falling apart, exposing the most selfish and hideous side beneath it.

*****

The night before my interview, Hardy suddenly said, "Yolanda, come with me to a party tomorrow."

My hand paused as I was pouring him some water.

I was supposed to meet the director at Peak Group at ten tomorrow morning.

I looked up, hesitating. "But I already made plans with Tonya and the others for a spa day. We've had this planned for ages."

Out of all my rich wife friends, Tonya's husband was the one who did the most business with Hardy.

Hardy frowned. "Just cancel it. This party tomorrow is really important for me."

My heart sank.

I had to figure out a way.

I set the glass down, went over, and hugged him from behind.

I rested my cheek against his back, my voice soft and sweet. "Honey, but I haven't seen them in forever.

"Last time, I had to bail on them because of that charity gala. If I cancel again, they'll think I'm not one of them anymore.

"Plus, Tonya said she wanted to get the scoop on that new investment project your company just launched."

I brought up Tonya and business on purpose, I knew that was Hardy's Achilles' heel.

Just as I expected, he hesitated.

He turned around and gently pinched my cheek. "Always thinking about having fun with your friends, aren't you?"

He paused for a bit. "Alright. The party is in the evening. Once you're done with your spa, I'll have the driver pick you up and take you straight to the venue. Will you have enough time?"

My heart finally settled back into place.

"Of course." I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. "You're the best, honey."

He smiled, all his doubts gone. "Go get some sleep. Make sure you look gorgeous tomorrow."

"Okay." I headed upstairs, my heart pounding.

First step, done.

****

Early the next morning, I carefully picked out an outfit that looked casual but was super easy to slip in and out of.

After Hardy left, I got into the new red sports car he'd bought for me and headed out of the villa.

I didn't go to the spa. Instead, I pulled into the underground parking lot at a shopping mall.

Then I slipped into the restroom and changed into the suit I'd prepared long ago from my college days.

I pulled out my portfolio, the one I'd tweaked over and over, from my bag.

Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I saw myself with my hair pulled back in a high ponytail, my eyes full of determination.

I told myself, "Yolanda, you've got this. From today on, you're the one calling the shots in your life."

I walked out of the mall and hailed a cab. "Sir, please take me to Peak Group."