“You’re my wife. If they respect me, they’ll naturally respect you too. What’s the point of you having shares on your own?”

The words had barely left his mouth when Shalane walked over, slipping her arm around Brent’s.

“Brent, there are a few elders I don’t know. Can you introduce me?”

She pulled him toward the crowd, and just as she turned, she shot me a mocking, condescending look.

When his parents were calling everyone over for a family photo, I quietly stepped back, slipping out of the group.

By the time Brent came back, I was already sitting on the floor, tears blurring my vision as I drank.

He crouched down and held me, guilt in his eyes, the scent of perfume clinging to him.

He brought me water, wiped my face clean, and helped me drink.

For a fleeting moment, I felt like I was back 20 years ago—when we had loved each other with all we had.

Back then, his company had nothing, not a single cent. We had to take a bank president out for dinner, hoping for a loan. I downed one glass per hundred thousand, forcing down a million in exchange for a loan.

That night, I vomited until I bled from my stomach. Brent held me just like this, tears streaming down his face as he wiped my face and fed me water.

More than once, he sobbed and told me to give up.

“If we keep going like this, we’ll lose the company. And we’ll be destroyed too.”

I had clung to him so tightly, kissing his tears.

“Brent, I’ll take back your family’s company for you. I’ll make those who humiliated you kneel and apologize.”

He had held me just as tightly, pressing his lips to my hair, his tears filled with guilt.

“Oh, Cammie, I’ll never leave you. Never.

“I just didn’t want you to suffer through the surgery, but I still hurt you.”

Our tears blended again, but this time, there was no sweetness left—only bitterness.

“Brent, send them back to London. Make sure they never come back, okay?

“You love kids. I’ll go to the hospital tomorrow. Let’s have our own, okay?

“As long as you come back, I can endure anything—”

Brent’s body tensed, and I snapped back to reality.

“Brent, when you wanted children, why didn’t you come to me?!”

The marble coffee table cracked under my fist, blood dripping down from my clenched fingers.

The next day, he personally brought Galvin and Devin home.

“Galvin, Devin, this is Aunt Camryn. Say hello.”

He gently pushed the two kids in front of me.

“Spend some time with them. You’ll definitely grow to love them.”

Then he bent down, his voice warm, the same way he spoke to Shalane.

“Galvin, Devin, play with Aunt Camryn today, okay? Daddy has to take care of something at the company.”

Galvin, sharp as ever, immediately spoke up loudly, “Daddy, go ahead! We’ll listen to Aunt Camryn. Mommy already taught us.”

Brent smiled in satisfaction.

As he reached the door, he turned back and waved at us.

The moment he left, Galvin lowered her voice, leaning in close to me.

“Daddy went to see Mommy. Mommy said you’re pathetic—no kids of your own, yet still trying to steal us.

“This is Daddy’s house. None of us like you. Why are you still hanging around?”

Her mocking eyes locked onto me.

A chill spread through my entire body, tightening around my throat.

I just sat there, staring blankly at the door.

How could he lie to me so easily?

Did he really want to rip my heart out?

I sank onto the couch, watching the two kids run and jump around.

I reached for my phone, wanting to call Brent.

Galvin snatched it away and threw it to the floor, her face suddenly vicious.

“You’re not allowed to call! Mommy and Daddy are on a date!

“Don’t even think about ruining it ‘cause you’re nothing but trash! Daddy only keeps you around because he pities you!”

He stuck his tongue out at me, making faces.

My breath hitched. Even a kid could tell I was nothing but a useless freeloader living off Brent.

No wonder no one blamed my husband for cheating and having kids with someone else.

Suddenly, Galvin grabbed the shattered phone, and blood immediately started dripping from his hand.

His twin Devin quickly called for help, and Brent and Shalane arrived in no time.

Shalane scooped Galvin into her arms, her face full of worry as she checked his wound, asking over and over if he was okay.

The boy sobbed, hiccupping between words.

“It was her… She got mad and threw away her phone. I just wanted to pick it up for her, and she—she called me a bastard… told me to get lost.”

At the same time, Devin clung desperately to Shalane’s leg, trembling. “Mommy, Mommy, I’m scared. I wanna go home!”

Shalane turned to me, her eyes blazing with barely contained fury.

“Camryn,” she said through gritted teeth, “I know this is my fault. I shouldn’t have fallen for Brent. I’ve been to London all these years—I never wanted to get in your way. But Galvin is just a kid. If you have a problem, take it out on me. Hit me, yell at me, whatever you want.”

Her eyes welled up with tears.

I felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness and opened my mouth to explain when suddenly, the sound of Brent’s palm striking my face rang through the room.

His face was stone-cold, colder than I had ever seen it.

“I get that you’re upset, but I never thought you’d take it out on a child!”

Then he looked at me, his gaze like a blade cutting straight through my chest.

“This is the Ceppetellis’ property, Camryn. Galvin is the rightful son of this villa. Who the hell are you to call him a bastard and tell him to get out?”

I tried to explain, but he didn’t give me a chance. He just turned away, picking up Galvin and Devin in his arms, and walked out.

For a long time, I just stood there, my bitterness surging up.

Then, finally, I pulled out the divorce papers and placed them on the coffee table.

After packing my bags, I hesitated only for a second before accessing the security footage.

Then, I sent the clip to Brent.

And blocked his number.

“Hey, I’m ready. Come pick me up.”