Emma was hospitalized. The next morning, James brought her breakfast himself.

“I’ve called the police about last night. For that attack, she’ll be in jail for years. Emma, I promise you’ll never see her again.”

A promise? Just last night, he had sworn he sent Charlotte away, yet she was right there at the gala.

Emma wasn’t sure she could trust James's promise. But seeing how exhausted he looked, her cold heart softened for a moment.

After James left, Emma learned that her mother’s necklace had turned up at an underground casino near the old Calderon Walled City.

This was the only thing she had left of her mother and the source of her long-time grief. Without a second thought, Emma went there by herself.

When she opened the door, she saw Charlotte, who was supposed to be in jail, sitting at a velvet gambling table. She looked perfect, with a huge pile of expensive chips stacked in front of her.

The image of the poor cleaning lady was gone. Emma laughed bitterly at herself; the escape and the imprisonment were both lies. Only James’s betrayal was real.

They locked eyes and Charlotte smiled meanly as she opened her hand. "Mrs. Nicholas, what a coincidence—are you looking for this?" She was holding the jade necklace that belonged to Emma’s mother.

Emma felt a surge of shock, then went cold. “Does James know you’re wasting his money in a place like this?”

Charlotte’s face tightened. “Mr. Nicholas got me this job; I was just having some fun…”

Emma ignored her and went straight to the manager. “I want to buy back this necklace.”

She didn’t even use the extra credit card James gave her; she got the necklace back easily.

Before she left, Emma turned and said calmly, “Please thank Mr. Nicholas for being kind enough to hold onto my necklace for a while.”

That night, Emma was cleaning the necklace when James came home. Loosening his tie, he asked, “I heard you went to the Calderon Walled City to gamble today? They say you bullied a young girl, took all her money and embarrassed her. Emma, when did you lose your self-respect?”

Emma stopped, about to explain. But James didn't let her. He went to the bar, poured a whiskey and looked at her with a mix of sadness and pity.

“Charlotte worked at a casino before because she needed the money. Just like when we first moved here—didn’t you dance in bars to earn extra cash? Why be so hard on each other? Why hold onto things from the past?”

The word “embarrassment” hit Emma like a slap in the face. She snapped her head up and stared at him, shocked.

Years ago, Emma’s family lost everything, so she moved here with James. Back then, after working late, James would squeeze into their tiny room. He would gently massage her sore legs and promise to give her a better life.

The tough times they had faced together were now being used against her. He was calling those same memories "undignified" and "shameful."

That night, they left things in a mess. The next day, Emma got a text from James: [Emma, the charm on your mother's necklace is loose. If you want it back, come to the Calderon Walled City.]

Emma squeezed her phone so hard her knuckles turned white. That was the same underground casino from the day before. James was trying to force her to go back and face Charlotte.

Emma opened the casino door and ran into an old boss who once had a crush on her. He had tried to win her over because of her looks, but James had dealt with him so harshly that he was forced to leave town. She never imagined they would meet again like this.

Lucas stared at her and suddenly laughed. “Mr. Nicholas, you’re such a gentleman. To save that dealer, you actually used your own wife to make a deal.”

Emma realized Charlotte had lost the bet and Lucas was going to take her.

James said no, so he gambled with Emma's safety to win Charlotte back. The game started. Emma went pale and cold as she watched him play with such confidence.

Long ago, James had made his money exactly like this, before he had the power he has today. Back then, she had also been used as a prize in his games.

As she sat at the table, James started to shake. He was terrified that one wrong move would lose her forever.

Now, his face was calm and showed no sign of stress. Lucas showed his hand: three sixes. James lost.

Emma closed her eyes, heartbroken and ready for the worst with Lucas, when James spoke up again. “Lucas, shouldn’t you take out the magnet under your table?”

As soon as he finished, two bodyguards stepped forward and grabbed Lucas.

James pulled a magnet from under the table and threw it down. “Cheating on my property and hitting on my woman? Do you want to die?”

Lucas turned pale. “Mr. Nicholas, this is just a misunderstanding!”

James ignored him and had him tossed out like trash. He then stood up, took off his coat and wrapped it around Emma.

“Scared? Let’s go home.”

In the car, James handed Emma a jewelry box containing her mother’s necklace. It had been repaired with gold and jade, looking even more beautiful than before.

“Emma, I would never really put you in danger,” he said, his eyes unreadable in the dark. “I just wanted you to know I’m always in control.”

He reached out to touch her face. Emma pulled away, clenching her fists.

He was in control?

To her, that just meant he enjoyed watching her suffer before "saving" her at the last second.

He knew exactly how much she hated being tossed between hope and despair in an instant. Yet, just to protect Charlotte or teach Emma a lesson, he put her through that nightmare anyway.

She stayed silent, clutching her necklace tightly. She thought it was over, but a few days later, James came to her again.

“Has Charlotte contacted you lately?” Emma was confused. “She called, but I didn’t pick up.”

James sighed, sounding both annoyed and protective. “I know you don’t like her, but she’s sensitive and easily scared. Tell me where she is, for my sake, okay?”

Emma’s heart sank.

“You think I kidnapped her?” James smiled at her like she was a pouting child. “I’m not doubting you, but she’s missing and you were the last person she called.”

He picked up the room phone and dialed a number. “Officer Matthew, my wife might know something about a friend’s disappearance. Please come and investigate.”

Emma felt a chill run through her as she looked at his calm eyes. “You called the police on me?”

James patted her hair. “It’s just a routine talk, don’t be afraid.”

The police arrived quickly and handcuffed Emma.

Before she was taken away, James gently draped a coat over her. “Just answer a few questions. I’ll come get you soon.”

As she was being led to the police car, James’s phone rang. He answered immediately, his voice full of concern. “Charlotte? Where are you? Stay calm, I’m coming.”

Emma leaned out of the car window. “James, I told you I didn’t do it!”

But James had already run off. He was in such a hurry to find Charlotte that he forgot Emma was being driven away in a police car.

Emma turned to the officer. “Officer, they found her. Can I go now?”

Officer Matthew looked at her sadly. “Mrs. Nicholas, we still have to follow the rules.”

Emma was locked in a dark cell. The cold and the small space triggered her claustrophobia, causing her to lose touch with reality. She hallucinated about the early days of their marriage, when James was kind and held her until she fell asleep.

Then the visions turned dark, showing James with Charlotte and then Michael lying in a pool of blood.

By morning, Emma’s fingernails were broken and bleeding. The walls were covered in scratches from her night of pure terror.

Officer Matthew felt sorry for her. “Mrs. Nicholas, why don’t you call your husband to bail you out? He loves you; he wouldn't want you here.” But even after ninety-nine calls, James never picked up.

Officer Matthew looked at her with pity and confusion. Emma stayed in the cell for three more days.

Three days later, James finally came for her.

Seeing her looking so weak, he frowned and wrapped his coat around her. "What happened to you?" he asked.

He held her mangled, bleeding fingers with a tender look. "I’m so sorry you suffered. I was busy with urgent business in Norvanya and only saw the news today."

In the past, this kindness would have worked, but Emma just pulled her hand away.

"Let’s go," she said. Her heart felt more numb than her fingertips.

On the way home, James tried to comfort her. He told the driver to go slowly and offered her a thermos of her favorite tea.

The warmth of the tea vanished the moment she entered the villa. Charlotte was there, dressed in a maid’s outfit, kneeling on the floor.

Emma froze. "Is the 'cleaning lady' act not enough? Does she really need a costume too?"

James pulled Emma close and explained softly, "She feels bad that you were arrested because of her. She wants to work as a maid to make it up to you. If you don’t want her here, I’ll send her away tomorrow."

Emma was exhausted by his constant excuses. She pulled away and went upstairs.

That afternoon, Charlotte brought in tea. As she set down the tray, she "accidentally" knocked over a photo frame, shattering the glass.

Emma’s heart stopped. It was the only photo she had of her, James and Michael together. It was ruined.

Charlotte cried out and reached for it.

"Don't touch it!" Emma screamed. She knelt down, her heart breaking as she traced Michael’s smiling face in the photo.

Emma stood up and slapped Charlotte hard. James heard the noise and came running. Seeing the mess and the mark on Charlotte’s face, he pulled Emma into his arms to "calm" her.

"Don't be angry, Emma. It was my fault for leaving it there. I have the film; I’ll have it fixed tomorrow, okay?"

Emma leaned against him, but she felt nothing.

That night, Charlotte sent her a message: [Mrs. Nicholas, James has been in my room comforting me. He even applied my medicine himself.]

She attached a photo of James kneeling to tend to Charlotte's face.

Emma remembered that James—always so proud—had only ever knelt for her when he proposed.

Now, he was doing it for Charlotte. Emma replied coldly: [Does a maid even deserve a phone? James is too soft on you.]

Then she blocked her.

The next day, James took Emma to a private auction to make up for the drama. He spent a fortune bidding on jewelry for her without a second thought.

"Our final item is from Mrs. Nicholas!" the announcer shouted.

The curtain rose to show a tank full of piranhas with a cage hanging over it. Inside the cage was Charlotte, wearing a thin white dress.

"Mrs. Nicholas has ordered that if no one buys this 'item' before the timer ends, the cage opens," the announcer said.

James went stiff. He looked at Emma with deep disappointment. "Emma, stop this. Even if you hate her, this is going too far."

Emma felt like ice. The trick was so obvious, yet James immediately blamed her.

"Do you really think I'm that evil? Fine. Watch what happens to your lover then!"

James didn't hesitate. He bid $2.9 million immediately.

As soon as he won, he ran onto the stage to save Charlotte, leaving Emma behind. Emma sat alone as people whispered about her.

Then, two men in black approached. "Mrs. Nicholas, our rule is 'one for one.' Since that girl is gone, you will be the next item for auction."