"Quincy, I still have work to do. You go to sleep first."

Lucien's voice was rushed, barely lingering in the room before he turned on his heel and strode out. He didn't even wait for my response. Moments later, the faint sound of the front door opening and closing reached my ears. Then, the creak of the study door.

I sat up in bed, my fingers trembling as I unlocked my phone and opened the surveillance app. My heart pounded as the screen flickered to life.

Lucien was in the study—pulling Megan into his arms.

"What's the rush? Aren't you still injured?" he teased, his voice carrying a coy lilt.

"I need to apply medicine, but I can't reach it. What else am I supposed to do?"

"Alright, let me take care of it for you..."

They were so bold, carrying on just a wall away from me.

The surveillance feed captured every movement, every whisper, yet in my room, I couldn't hear a thing. If I hadn't discreetly moved the living room camera to the study earlier, I would've never seen this disgusting scene at all.

The footage felt like a blade plunging straight into my heart, slicing apart the seven years of love I thought I had with Lucien. I curled up against the mattress, my body wracked with silent tremors.

Megan.

Lucien's sister-in-law.

Lucien's brother had died in a car accident while delivering an insurance policy to him. Before the accident, he had taken out policies for both himself and Lucien, naming only the two of them as beneficiaries. Megan's name was nowhere on them.

No one had expected that trip would be his last.

Left all alone in a strange city, Megan had no one to rely on. Overwhelmed with guilt, Lucien had taken her under his wing, ensuring she never lacked anything. He even arranged for her to work as his personal assistant. But what I had once thought was kindness—what I had defended on his behalf—had turned into something so vile, so revolting, that I felt sick to my stomach.

"Who's better—me or your Quincy?" Megan's voice was a sultry whisper as she lightly bit Lucien's ear.

"Don't bring up that lifeless log. You're way more exciting."

Megan glanced directly at the camera, her eyes filled with smug provocation.

She had already discovered it. And yet, she deliberately didn't tell Lucien. She wanted me to hear this. Every word was meant to drive the knife in deeper.

Tears blurred my vision as I exited the app. Like an ostrich burying its head in the sand, I pulled the blanket over myself, willing the world to disappear.

Lucien and I were truly finished.

In two days, I'd be marrying someone else.

I didn't know when I finally drifted into sleep, but by the time I opened my eyes, Lucien was lying beside me, sleeping soundly—his expression peaceful, as if last night's madness had been nothing but a dream.

I forced myself up, freshened up quickly and resumed packing my things. I didn't want to spend another second in this house.

Lucien, as always, remained oblivious. Before leaving for work, he reminded me about a business banquet tonight and told me to attend.

I hadn't planned on going, but when I heard it was at my family's hotel, I changed my mind. I needed to go there anyway. It had been far too long since I last returned home. To protect Lucien's fragile self-esteem, I had distanced myself from my family, making countless excuses to avoid the place where I truly belonged.

That would end today.

I called a moving company and had all my belongings taken away. I didn't take a single gift from Lucien—left them all behind, untouched. As for the past—the unbearable memories—I burned them to ashes.

Once everything was settled, I headed straight to the top-floor suite of the hotel and took a long, indulgent shower, scrubbing my skin as if I could wash away the filth clinging to me.

By the time Lucien called, I was already dressed and waiting in the hotel lobby.

He didn't keep me waiting long. And he wasn't alone.

Lucien stepped into the grand lobby in a perfectly tailored suit, exuding effortless charm. His tall, handsome frame, sharp features and icy demeanor drew admiring glances from the women around him.

And Megan? She followed closely behind, step by step, never straying too far.

Megan had a delicate, fragile-looking face, framed by soft curls that cascaded down her bare shoulders. She wore a deep V-neck red gown that clung to her curves, revealing a generous expanse of smooth, milky-white skin and drawing the eyes of every man around her.

But Lucien's gaze wasn't on her. The moment he spotted me, his expression brightened. Without hesitation, he strode over and wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me close before leading me toward his business partners.

His familiar warmth once brought me comfort. Now, it only filled me with conflicting emotions. He introduced me with an air of pride, as if I were a prized possession he was eager to display. Megan was completely ignored—he didn't spare her a single glance.

Amidst the clinking glasses and polite laughter, my gaze unintentionally met hers. Megan smiled, her lips curving ever so slightly, but her eyes told another story. Pure malice gleamed beneath her deceptively gentle expression.

The banquet carried on, reaching its climax as various companies took turns presenting their business strategies. Lucien was well-prepared, leaning back in his chair with a confident smirk as he waited for his moment.

Then, just as he was about to step forward, Megan gasped in panic, her voice trembling.

"Lucien, the USB drive is gone!"

The shift in Lucien's demeanor was immediate. The easy confidence in his features vanished, replaced by an icy glare. His voice dropped, sharp with irritation.

"How careless can you be? You can't even handle something this simple?"

Megan shrank under his harsh tone, her shoulders trembling as if she had reached a breaking point. Then, as if making a monumental decision, she suddenly lifted her hand and pointed—at me.

"It was her! She touched my bag just now!"

A pitiful sob escaped her lips as she took a step closer, voice shaking with desperation.

"Quincy, please, I beg you, just give it back!" Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her distress perfectly crafted. "I know you don't like me, but that USB contains critical company documents. If you don't return it, you'll ruin everything for Lucien!"

A wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd. The weight of countless eyes settled on me.

My breath caught in my throat. I stared at Megan in utter disbelief.

"I didn't!" My voice was sharp, rising above the whispers. "Stop making things up!"

But Megan didn't give me a chance to defend myself. She lunged forward, reaching for me as if she intended to search me on the spot.

A jolt of panic shot through me. My only hope was Lucien. I turned to him, silently pleading for help, for any sign that he would believe me.

But his expression was unreadable, his brows furrowed in frustration. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm, cold.

"Quincy, if you took it, just hand it over. It's almost our turn to present."

A chilling wave surged through me.

Lucien was running out of patience. Megan's frantic search yielded nothing, but instead of questioning her, he acted himself. His grip was rough as he reached for me and in his haste, he pulled too hard—too recklessly.

A sharp tearing sound echoed through the hall.

Gasps filled the air. My dress had ripped open, the fabric giving way with brutal finality.

I stiffened in horror, my hands flying up to clutch my chest. The world around me blurred as mortification burned through my entire being. My pulse roared in my ears.

Then, with a soft clatter, a USB drive tumbled from my clothing, rolling across the polished floor before coming to a stop in the middle of the room.

Silence.

The murmurs started slowly, hushed whispers carrying the weight of accusation and disbelief.

Lucien's gaze fell to the USB, his expression shifting—urgency giving way to something far worse. Disappointment. Disgust.

"Quincy, I never thought you were this kind of person," he said, his voice like a blade of ice, slicing through me without mercy.