Chapter 2

I sped all the way to the company building and used my spare key to unlock the empty office.

The familiar surroundings now felt utterly alien and repulsive to me.

Without hesitation, I headed straight for Derek's office.

His self-proclaimed secrets were utterly exposed to me, his wife of ten years, with whom he'd shared a bed.

I walked to the massive framed calligraphy piece behind his desk, a quote that read "Fortune Favors the Bold," and lightly pressed an inconspicuous spot on the lower right corner of the frame.

The frame silently sprang open, revealing a hidden safe behind it.

Derek thought I'd never know the password.

He used the anniversary of his first time sleeping with Maya.

How ironic. I still remembered the scent of perfume on him that night, a scent that definitely wasn't mine.

I entered the password, and the safe door clicked open.

Inside, there wasn't much cash, just a few luxury watches and a black hardcover ledger.

This was my true target tonight.

My hands trembling, I flipped open the ledger. The dense pages recorded far more than just the whereabouts of my five million dollars.

It detailed how he'd abused his position to falsify company records, illegally transfer assets, and pay under-the-table kickbacks to various "partners."

Every single entry was enough to land him in jail for life.

It turned out his so-called charity trip to the mountains was just a cunning ruse.

He'd planned it all along: to bleed me dry using my five million, then run off with the assets he and Maya had secretly transferred, leaving me and our child to fend for ourselves!

I pulled out my phone, turned on the video recorder, and meticulously filmed every single page of the ledger.

The light from my phone screen illuminated my face, cold as ice.

Derek, you want me and my child to suffer the consequences of your actions?

Then tonight, I'll personally dig your grave and show you what it means to reap what you sow!

I placed the ledger back, closed the safe, restored the framed calligraphy, and wiped away every trace of my presence.

After it was done, I felt utterly drained, collapsing onto the cold floor.

The baby in my belly seemed to sense my despair, kicking me uneasily.

I jolted, looking down and stroking my swollen belly.

No, I couldn't fall apart.

For my child, I had to get back up.

I wiped away the mess on my face, pulled myself off the floor, and dialed a number I knew by heart.

"Mr. Davies, it's Chloe."

The voice on the other end was steady and firm. "Ms. Dawson, it's late. Is everything alright?"

I calmly recounted everything that had happened.

After listening, Mr. Davies was silent for a moment, then his tone took on a hint of approval. "Ms. Dawson, you are more composed and decisive than I imagined."

"This evidence is crucial, but it's not enough. We need undeniable proof, something that will utterly destroy him."

"Go home now. Act as if nothing happened. Remember, from this moment on, every word you utter could be used against you in court."

After hanging up, the huge stone in my chest eased slightly.

I drove home. As I pulled my car into the garage, Derek's familiar BMW slowly drove in after me.

He was back.

I took a deep breath, adjusted my expression, and pushed open my car door.

Derek saw me, paused, then his face broke into a tired yet doting smile.

"Sweetheart, why are you still up so late? I told you to get some rest."

He walked over, opening his arms to embrace me. The scent of an expensive cologne mixed with Maya's perfume clung to him.

My stomach churned. I subtly sidestepped, clutching my waist, and frowned. "My stomach's been a bit uncomfortable, couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd come down for a walk."

His hands froze in mid-air. A flicker of something dark, almost imperceptible, crossed his eyes, but it quickly morphed back into tenderness.

"Really? Do you want to go to the hospital to get checked out?"

"No need, it's just my usual discomfort." I looked at him, feigning concern. "You... weren't you in the mountains? Why are you back?"

"The project finished ahead of schedule, and the local leaders insisted on celebrating, so I had a few drinks and stayed at the resort overnight." He lied without batting an eye. "I wanted to give you a surprise, you know?"

A surprise?

I stared at his affectionate face, finding it utterly sarcastic.

He pulled a beautifully wrapped gift box from the trunk and handed it to me.

"Sweetheart, look, I had someone bring you the latest designer bag from abroad. Do you like it?"

I opened the box to find a six-figure Hermes Birkin bag nestled inside.

I scrimped and saved, barely buying myself anything new, while he used my money to splash a fortune on the other woman, then tried to buy me off with a mere designer bag.

My heart bled, yet I forced a moved smile onto my face.

"I love it, honey. You're too good to me."

"Silly girl, who else would I be good to?" He laughed, playfully nudging my nose, his actions as intimate as ever.

Just then, his phone rang.

He glanced at the caller ID, his eyes instantly softening, and walked away to answer it.

"Hello, darling... yeah, I just got home... she didn't suspect anything... don't worry, everything's going according to plan..."

His voice was hushed, but I heard every word crystal clear.

I stood rooted to the spot, chilled to the bone.

He hung up and walked back, the tenderness still lingering on his face.

He looked at me, then suddenly sighed, pulling me into his embrace, resting his chin on my head.

"Sweetheart, you've worked so hard all these years, following me."

His voice held a chilling, almost "farewell" tenderness I'd never heard before.

"Once things settle down, we'll sell the company and travel the world. How does that sound?"

I stiffened in his arms, feeling the warmth of his chest, yet a wave of dread shot from my feet all the way to the top of my head.

I finally understood what Mr. Davies meant by "undeniable proof."

The ledger could only prove his financial crimes, not his complete lack of affection for me, nor could it force him to leave empty-handed.

I needed evidence that he not only didn't love me but even wanted me dead!

And now, it seemed, that opportunity had arrived.

I looked up, meeting his "loving" gaze, my voice trembling with a feigned excitement.

"Honey, are you serious?"