Chapter 7

Ethan worked far faster than I expected.

Within three days, he used his connections to find a family law attorney with no ties to Starlight Entertainment.

Her name was Grace Foster. She was in her early forties and well known for high society divorce cases. It was said that she had never lost a single trial.

We spoke for the first time late one night. My daytime caregiver left right at ten. The on-duty nurse only checked the room every two hours, which left me a brief period to talk privately.

Grace spoke in a calm, professional tone with no extra emotion, "Ms. Summers, Mr. Brooks has explained your situation in basic detail. I need you to answer a few clear questions for me."

"Go ahead," I said.

"Do you have any direct proof that Andrew Lane deliberately hurt you? That could include leftover traces from tainted drinks, purchase records for harmful substances, or saved email records."

I paused for a moment before replying, "I have no hard physical evidence. I overheard him talking with a doctor about a chemical made to cause permanent nerve damage."

"You were the only one who heard that?"

"Yes."

"Legally, that's considered circumstantial evidence. Courts seldom accept such claims without outside proof or another witness."

"I understand."

"Second, what personal assets do you have listed under your legal name?"

"I truly have no clear answer to that. Andrew has managed all my earnings for the past five years. I never kept track of my own finances."

Grace fell quiet for two short seconds. Her next words sent a cold shiver through me. "I need you to consider a harsh reality.

"Andrew could have slowly moved and hidden your assets throughout your marriage and even before your wedding day. The property and funds you can legally claim may be far smaller than you expect."

My heart dropped heavy in my chest.

"Third, and the most critical point," Grace spoke with greater severity, "have you considered how Andrew and Starlight Entertainment might respond once you file for divorce?"

"Yes."

"They may destroy your public image. They may work with media outlets to frame you as ungrateful and unreasonable. Public narratives may paint your vocal injury as a cause for sudden mood shifts and unfair lash outs against a devoted husband.

"You have worked in this industry for five years. You understand how powerful public perception can grow."

"I understand all of that."

Grace softened her tone into careful inquiry. "What other challenges have you prepared for?"

"I know I can't win this fight."

A long pause stretched over the call.

"I can't gain the upper hand through legal channels," I went on. "I lack solid proof against him. My personal wealth may no longer sit in my name. My career and industry value have faded away completely.

"I stand against a major entertainment corporation and a man with immense social and financial power."

"Why are you pushing forward with this then?" Grace asked.

"Winning doesn't matter to me. I only want him to lose."

Grace stayed quiet for a longer stretch before she finally said, "Ms. Summers, I think I understand your goal. But I need more time to build a solid strategy.

"Until then, I need you to do one thing. Don't let Andrew sense that anything is off. Keep acting like you've lost everything. Let him see that you're broken, hopeless, and fully dependent on him."

"I will."

"One more detail." Grace's voice lowered slightly. "Mr. Brooks asked me to pass along a message. He has something that might help your case. But he needs your permission before he can use it."

"What kind of thing?"

"He didn't share specifics. He said he'll come to Belaston to talk in person if you agree."

I closed my eyes, my mind racing.

What secret was Ethan keeping?

After we ended the call, I lay awake in bed for hours. Sleep wouldn't come.

Andrew's face kept floating through my thoughts.

I remembered the first time we met. It was at a partnership event between the music academy and Starlight Entertainment.

The company was looking for new talent. I performed as the student representative and sang my father's favorite song, "O Mio Babbino Caro."

When I finished singing, Andrew walked up from the audience.

He handed me a water bottle and smiled. "Your voice is the most beautiful I've ever heard."

His eyes sparkled like diamonds under the stage lights. There was a spotless purity to his smile, the sort of innocence only seen in someone who hadn't been hardened by the entertainment industry.

I was twenty-one at the time. My father had passed away less than a year earlier. I felt completely alone with no one to lean on. Andrew's arrival felt like a beam of light breaking through the darkness in my life.

He chased after me for a full year. He sent flowers, luxury bags, even a car and a house.

He tried every overdone gesture people use to win someone over, but none of those things truly touched me. What really moved me was the promise he made at my father's graveside.

"Mr. Summers, I know Charlotte was always your greatest concern," he'd said earnestly. "You can rest easy. From this day forward, I will take full responsibility for her happiness."

When he spoke those words, his eyes were red and his voice cracked with emotion.

He stood with his head bowed before the cold stone marker, one hand resting gently on the monument, his expensive suit pants dotted with damp soil from the soft ground.

In that moment, I truly believed he loved me with all his heart.

Now I found myself wondering. Could that man at the grave be the same person who said losing my voice for a comfortable life was more than I deserved?

The truth was, it was him all along. The first version had been an act. The second showed his real self.

He spent a year performing as the devoted suitor, tricking me into giving him my trust, my love, everything I had.

Over five years, he slowly tightened his hold. In the end, one single cup of drink trapped me completely in his twisted plans.

And every part of it had been for Evelyn.