Marla’s POV

We headed straight to the dining hall, and Jason, for once, didn’t say a word.

He quietly followed me, his presence heavy yet silent.

Once we sat down, I tried my best to act like everything was fine, but deep inside, I was seething. I wanted to strangle him. I wanted him to suffer for everything he was putting me through.

As soon as we settled at the table, I couldn’t help myself—I had to bring up the issue about Chestnut.

“So, who did you sell Chestnut to?” I asked, keeping my tone as steady as I could.

His eyes locked onto mine, his jaw clenched tightly, and his gaze was sharp, almost dangerous. Then, with unsettling calmness, he replied, “It was just a business partner.”

I scoffed, barely hiding my disbelief. “A business partner, huh? I doubt that,” I muttered under my breath.

Before the tension could thicken any further, my phone buzzed with a notification. I paused, putting down my fork to check the message. And, oh, wasn’t this just delightful? The message was from Shane.

As I read it, my stomach twisted in anger.

Attached to the message was a photo—a picture of her kissing Chestnut on the forehead.

Looks like I know who he gave it to.

I couldn’t help but laugh, the sound escaping me bitterly and uncontrollably. Jason immediately noticed, his eyes narrowing, his brows furrowed in confusion.

“What’s so funny?” he asked, his voice laced with suspicion.

I turned to him and shook my head. “Nothing,” I said curtly. “Just finish your dinner.”

But I had no appetite left. I pushed back my chair, stood up, and left him sitting there alone.

“Marla!” Jason called after me, his voice firm and commanding, but I ignored him. I climbed the stairs to the second floor, heading toward a different room—one that wasn’t ours.

He followed me, his footsteps echoing behind mine. Before he could catch up, I turned around and looked him straight in the eyes.

“I’m not sleeping in our room tonight,” I said coldly.

“Marla! Don’t you dare turn your back on me,” he said, his voice booming with authority, but I didn’t flinch. Instead, I shut the door in his face, cutting off whatever argument he was about to make.

The next morning, I forced myself to rest. After everything that had drained me emotionally and physically, I needed to regain my strength.

Over the next few days, I wasn’t surprised that Jason didn’t come home. I knew he was busy dealing with issues at his company.

I was sipping a glass of water when my phone buzzed with another message from Shane.

My heart sank as I opened it and saw a photo of her and Jason together at his company.

They were holding hands, her face glowing with satisfaction. The message was loud and clear—she was flaunting their closeness, as if to remind me that Jason, my fiancé, was hers in every way that mattered.

I don’t know why she’s doing this or how she even got my number, but one thing is for sure—she’s trying to mock me.

This is the moment I need to leave everything behind.

But then another message came in from Shane, accompanied by a new photo. The sight made my world come to a screeching halt.

It was an x-ray. An ultrasound, to be exact.

The image of an unborn child stared back at me, accompanied by Shane’s message:

‘We’re looking forward to the baby’s arrival. We’ll meet this angel soon.’

My heart plummeted, and the strength in my legs gave out. Before I could process what was happening, I collapsed.

“Lady Marla!” panicked voices echoed around me as the house staff rushed to my side.

“Call Jason!” I managed to scream, my voice breaking with desperation. “Tell him to come home. Now!”

The servants sprang into action, and I was left. Minutes passed like hours until Matthew returned. His expression was a mix of hesitation and disappointment as he approached me.

“Lady Marla,” he began carefully, “Sir Jason said there was an emergency at work. He instructed us to take care of you and ensure you recover… before the wedding.”

His words cut through me like a knife.

“Where is he?!” I screamed, my voice echoing through the room.

Matthew hurriedly handed me a phone. “He’s on the line. I was just speaking to him.”

Without hesitation, I snatched the phone from Matthew’s hand. “Jason! Where are you?!” I demanded, my voice trembling with anger and desperation.

But instead of hearing Jason’s voice, a different, unmistakable tone greeted me. The voice on the other end was high-pitched, playful, and far too familiar.

“Jason, hang up already,” the voice chirped. “Come here. Let’s continue what we were doing.”

Shane.

Her voice was like nails on a chalkboard, and the casual intimacy of her words made my blood boil. I felt my grip tighten around the phone, my knuckles turning white. My heart raced, each beat filled with rage and betrayal.

For a moment, I couldn’t speak. She was with him right now. Whatever he was doing, it was with her, not handling an "emergency," as he had claimed.

“Jason!” I finally yelled, my voice sharp enough to cut through the tension. “Answer me!”

But the line had already gone dead.

Marla’s POV

My hands trembled, and before I knew it, I had dropped the phone I was holding.

"Lady Marla!" Matthew screamed. Everything became a blur, and then darkness consumed me.

When I woke up, the first thing I heard was a commanding voice barking orders.

"Make sure she regains her strength before the wedding happens."

The sheer authority in his tone sent shivers down my spine. Slowly, I opened my eyes, trying to make sense of the chaos around me.

"W-What happened?" I asked weakly, still disoriented.

Before I could gather my thoughts, Jason suddenly appeared before me. I froze, shocked to see him here. The last thing I remembered was that he wasn’t even home.

“You’re finally awake,” he said, his tone cold and devoid of emotion. It was like he just wanted to confirm I was conscious, nothing more.

I struggled to sit up, my body still weak. I looked around. It looked like I was in a hospital.

Then I remembered what had happened and why I had been brought here. I looked at Jason, expecting him to say something, but he didn’t even seem guilty—even though he knew I had heard them.

I needed to end this miserable situation with him.

“I need to visit the welfare home,” I said all of a sudden.

The welfare home—the one I had worked so hard to fund and build. I needed to go there before I commenced with my plan.

Jason’s eyes narrowed. “Why now? You’re still sick, and you just woke up. You’re not going anywhere,” he said sharply.

I glared at him, my frustration boiling over. “And what about you? Why are you here? Since when did you start pretending to care about me? Don’t act like you suddenly care now!”

I didn’t expect what happened next. He grabbed my wrist tightly, his grip almost painful.

“Don’t you dare talk to me like that,” he growled, his eyes blazing with a dangerous intensity. For a moment, I thought he might lose control.

I stayed silent, too stunned to speak. After a few tense seconds, he let go of my hand, visibly calming himself down.

“Just focus on recovering,” he muttered. “You need to regain your strength before our wedding.”

And with that, he walked out, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

This wasn’t the Jason I used to know. He had changed—he wasn’t the same man I once loved. Ever since Shane entered our lives, everything about him had become different.

I was still lost in thought when Matthew came in carrying a bouquet of flowers.

“Lady Marla, someone sent you these flowers. There’s a letter with it too,” he said, handing them to me.

I took the flowers and the letter, already suspecting who might have sent them. I knew it wasn’t Jason—he wouldn’t bother with such gestures.

As I opened the letter, my heart raced. My suspicion grew stronger.

It was from Shane.

‘I hope you recover soon. ;)’

As if on cue, the door suddenly opened again. Jason walked back into the room—but he wasn’t alone. Shane was with him.

"What are they doing here?" I asked, clenching my fists in frustration.

“Oh, hi!” Shane greeted, her smile so wide and overly sweet that it was almost unbearable. “I see you’ve already found the flowers I brought for you,” she said.

I couldn’t stand her smug expression. I wanted to wipe that annoying smile off her face. Then she turned to Jason, ignoring my growing irritation.

“Jason,” she said cheerfully, “I could drive Marla to the welfare home if she really insists on going. I overheard your conversation earlier, and as your personal assistant, it’s also my responsibility to take care of your future wife.”

Before she could say more, Jason abruptly cut her off.

“No,” he said coldly, his voice firm.

I was stunned, and so was Shane. She opened her mouth to argue, but Jason glared at her, silencing her with a single look.

“I said, I forbid you. I don’t want you to waste energy on her,” he continued.

The authority in his voice was undeniable, and the icy glare in his eyes left no room for argument. But what truly unsettled me was how close they were standing. Their bodies were barely inches apart, and the way they looked at each other made it seem like they shared some unspoken understanding.

For a moment, it felt like I wasn’t even in the room, like they existed in their own little world. I couldn’t shake the uncomfortable feeling that Jason wasn’t as cold to Shane as he pretended to be.

Trying to break the tension, I finally spoke up.

“There’s no need for anyone to take me,” I said firmly. “Shane, don’t bother yourself.”

Both of them snapped out of their own world and turned to face me.

“I just want to visit the director and the children at the welfare home to let them know I’m getting married,” I added, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Besides, you two seem so busy with each other,” I said sarcastically, unable to hide the bitterness in my tone. “I can manage on my own.”

Shane clapped her hands dramatically, her sarcasm matching mine.

“What a generous and tolerant woman you are!” she exclaimed. “I’m so excited about your wedding—I just can’t wait!”

Then she turned to Jason, her gaze lingering on him in a way that made my stomach churn. There was something in her eyes, something possessive, that made my skin crawl.

“Well, excuse me. I’ll leave you two now,” she said sweetly before walking out of the room, leaving Jason and me alone.

Jason seemed ready to follow her, but before he could, I grabbed his hand, stopping him in his tracks.

“Jason, wait,” I said. “I need to talk to you.”

Marla’s POV

“What is it?” Jason asked me seriously, his eyes narrowing as his brows furrowed.

There was tension in his gaze as he looked at me, and I couldn’t help but think, How did it lead to this?

Jason, the mafia lord. The kingpin. A man who owns countless businesses, both legal and illegal. But despite his ruthless nature, a memory suddenly surfaced in my mind—a memory of a time when he was different. When he used to be so sweet to me, as if I were the most precious person in his world.

I remember when my parents died in a car accident. My butler, Matthew, and I moved into Jason’s grand mansion.

Back then, Jason didn’t just protect me—he protected us. We were each other’s refuge, our light in a dark world. I can still picture the way he used to smile at me, the way his eyes held mine like I was the center of his universe.

But all of that shattered when Shane appeared in our lives—sexier, wilder, and undeniably captivating. Her presence changed everything.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I said, “I just wanted you to come with me... to the welfare home I mentioned. Just the two of us.” I bit my lower lip, waiting for his response.

Jason stared at me, his expression unreadable, as if he was lost in deep thought. Then, to my surprise, he smiled. But it wasn’t a sweet or kind smile—it was teasing, playful, almost as if he were joking.

“Why?” he asked, a hint of amusement in his tone.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. “You’re still going to be my husband, Jason. Just do this one thing for me.”

Perhaps I’m still expecting he will change. That he will realize his mistress is tearing us apart. I wanted him to realize that... before I continue with my plan.

His gaze lingered on me, searching my face. After a long moment, he exhaled heavily.

“I know what this is about,” he finally said. “You’re afraid of the wedding, aren’t you? It’s happening in two days, and the thought of it is getting to you. Am I right?”

“No,” I replied firmly, meeting his gaze. “It’s not about that. I just want you to come with me.”

Jason gave me that look again—the kind that made it seem like he was carefully weighing my request. It was starting to make me feel uneasy, as if he wasn’t sure whether he wanted to join me or not.

There it was... the disappointment.

Then, suddenly, his phone rang. He pulled away from me and said coldly, “I need to take this.”

His tone was distant, almost dismissive.

He removed my hand that was holding onto him and added, “I’m quite busy right now. But I’ll think about going with you to the welfare home you mentioned.” He glanced at me briefly before continuing, “Now, will you excuse me? I have to leave. I’m meeting someone.”

I bit my lower lip as I watched him turn away. Suddenly, I couldn’t help but feel sad somehow. I’m a human, after all. I may be angry about what he did to me, but this time... I could feel the weight on my chest.

I wanted to stop him, to reach out and say something that might make him stay.

But I knew there was no turning back now. Everything was already set into motion, and the wedding was fast approaching. The plan I had been carefully keeping to myself would soon unfold.

I forced a small smile, but it didn’t reach my eyes. It was a smile meant to hide everything I was feeling inside.

“Okay, I’ll see you at home, Jason,” I said softly.

He didn’t respond. Without a word, he turned his back on me and walked away, his strides hurried, his mind already elsewhere.

To Shane.