Back from the Dead,The Billionaire's Revenge

I'd miscarried three times. Each loss dragged me further into the dark, until my mental state was barely held together by threads. I'd tried to kill myself more than once.

To help me clear my head, my husband bought me a beachfront villa overlooking the ocean.

He was busy with work, but he called me every morning and every night without fail.

That evening, after he said goodnight, he forgot to hang up.

I didn't remind him. I wanted to fall asleep to the sound of his breathing.

Then a mocking voice drifted through the line.

"Seriously, Everard, you've been slipping Iris Pruitt those depressive hormones for months now and you still haven't stopped? With that kind of dosage, it'd be a miracle if she wasn't losing her mind."

"And three pregnancies, all terminated. You really are something else."

Everard Delgado sounded bored, his tone flat and indifferent.

"So what? She's the one who insisted on throwing Madge out of the house. Called her a bastard born from a homewrecker. Made Madge cry all night until her eyes were swollen shut."

"Three miscarriages. That's the price she deserved to pay."

"Besides, I didn't exactly mistreat her. I gave her a beachfront villa to 'recover.' That's more than generous."

"Once Madge cools down, I'll bring Iris back. She'll still be Mrs. Delgado."

——

My eyes flew open. My fists clenched so tight my nails bit into my palms, and every drop of color drained from my face.

The voice on the other end kept going.

"Everard, you're ruthless. Aren't you worried Iris will find out?"

Everard laughed, low and dismissive.

"She's a wreck. Can barely string a thought together. Even if she talked, who's going to believe the ravings of some depressed lunatic?"

"Besides, the drugs will only make her worse. She'll be too far gone to take care of herself, let alone have the energy to go after Madge."

I shot upright in bed. Moonlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows and fell across my face, washing it pale as bone.

Madge Pruitt.

The woman whose very existence kept my mother from closing her eyes in peace, even in death.

The person I hated most in this world.

Years ago, her mother had crawled into my father's bed. The affair drove my mother off the edge of a rooftop.

I'd sworn I would never coexist with Madge under the same sky. Every time we crossed paths, one of us would bleed.

For three years of marriage, Everard had stood firmly on my side every single time.

In front of me, he never once showed Madge a kind face. He'd thrown wine at her. Berated her until she ran off in tears.

Then he'd pull me into his arms, voice dripping with tenderness.

"My wife's enemy is my enemy."

"From now on, I'll protect you. Nobody gets to bully my wife. Not while I'm alive."

Those words still echoed in my ears. But now, the person who had truly been destroying me all along was the husband I loved most.

The air felt thin. I gasped, mouth open, chest heaving, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get enough oxygen.

The voice on the other end spoke again. "But those three babies were yours too. You really had the heart to get rid of every single one?"

Everard scoffed, utterly careless.

"Her? Worthy of bearing my children? Only Madge deserves to carry the Delgado heir. Whatever was in Iris's belly was nothing but a mistake."

"If she didn't still have a shred of usefulness left from the Pruitt family name, I'd have thrown her out a long time ago."

The other person sucked in a sharp breath, then pressed further.

"She's this deep into depression now. Aren't you afraid she'll actually go through with it one day?"

Everard's voice turned cold, a sneer curling through every syllable.

"As long as I'm around, she won't die that easily."

...

I couldn't listen to another word. I pressed end call.

I got out of bed and changed immediately.

White-faced, I called the housekeeper. "Arrange a helicopter. I'm going back."

Vanessa Lambert's expression shifted. Hesitation flickered across her face as she tried to talk me out of it.

"Ma'am, why the sudden urge to go back?"

"Mr. Delgado specifically arranged for you to stay here. It's quiet, good for your recovery. If you're feeling restless, you could always take a walk along the beach..."