“Callista, are you closing your bank account?” Alexander asked, confused.
Her heart jumped to her throat, but just as quickly, she forced it down.
“Spam message,” she said coolly. “Don’t worry. I’ve signed the papers. I won’t bother you two again.”
She turned and walked away without looking back.
For some reason, her final words unsettled him. Alexander had only asked her to stop coming to the office, so why did it feel like she was saying goodbye to more than just the company?
Why did she sounded so serious?
***
Once Callista got home, she began packing right away.
Her professor had just called to say her senior research fellow was on the way to pick her up. She needed to be ready to leave at any time.
She’d never owned much to begin with. Everything expensive in the house had been gifts from Alexander. So, she left them behind without a second thought.
She packed only the essentials: her ID, a few changes of clothes and a single suitcase.
As she stepped outside the estate, suitcase rolling behind her, Dimitri appeared, limping toward her on a cane—and without saying a word, he slapped her across the face.
“Did you leak the photos of Vanessa and Alexander online?” he snapped, his voice shaking with anger.
Callista stood stunned. Her brother had always been gentle with her. This was only the second time in her life he’d ever hit her and both times had been because of Vanessa.
She couldn’t understand it. What was it about Vanessa that turned the two men she loved most into people she didn’t recognize?
“Now the whole internet is flooded with private videos of them. Her reputation’s ruined. Is that what you wanted?” he shouted.
Callista’s eyes were bloodshot. She clenched her fists, her voice trembling but steady. “I didn’t post them. If there are intimate videos floating around, the only people who had access to them are the ones who made them.”
Alexander cared too much about appearances to ever release anything like that. Which meant the only other possible source was Vanessa.
But Dimitri didn’t believe her. His voice turned colder. “Don’t lie to me. I looked into it before I came. Vanessa was assaulted at work today. She got slapped. You were banned from the company. You had motive. You wanted revenge.”
“Vanessa has never treated anyone unkindly except you. You’re the only one who keeps trying to destroy her.”
Whatever explanations Callista had prepared fell apart in her throat. He’d already made up his mind. No matter what she said, it would only sound like an excuse to him.
She looked up at her brother with tired eyes. “So what now? What do you plan to do, Brother?”
For a split second, the sight of tears in her eyes made Dimitri falter.
But then he steeled himself. She’s not the same Callista anymore, he told himself. She’s turning vicious. She needs to learn a lesson.
“I uploaded the private videos of you and Alexander. That seemed fair,” he said flatly.
Callista’s breath caught. She stared at him in shock. The brother who used to protect her no matter what was gone. All that remained was a stranger who now hurt her for the sake of the woman who’d ruined their family.
She went pale. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she whispered, broken, “I should’ve let Alexander kill you that night.”
Dimitri flinched, just for a moment. Then several of Alexander’s security guards rushed out of the villa and grabbed her.
They dragged her back into the house and locked her in the basement.
The bodyguard said this was Alexander's order and asked her to reflect.
***
The basement was cold, damp and dark. Rats scurried in the corners. Then they turned off the lights.
Callista screamed. “Let me out! Please, let me out!”
She had claustrophobia. It was something that had started after her parents died suddenly years ago. During the first year of their marriage, Alexander had installed soft lights in every room of the house so she’d never be in complete darkness.
He knew. He had known exactly what this would do to her. All this was for Vanessa.
Callista screamed until her voice gave out. No one came. Eventually, her tears dried. She curled up in the corner, clutching her arms around herself like a shield.
Hours passed. Then, without warning, her stomach started to cramp. unfotunately, she had no strength left to cry out. She collapsed onto the cold floor.
From the crack beneath the basement door, she saw a sliver of light.
Callista didn’t know if she’d live to see the morning sun.
She had no idea how much time had passed when the basement door finally creaked open. The guards came in and unlocked her chains.
“Madam, you’re free to go,” one of them said. “Mr. Throne said this was just a lesson. He hopes you’ll behave yourself from now on and stop causing trouble for Miss Delacroix.”
Callista slumped against the nearest sofa, laughing and crying at the same time.
Alexander hadn’t even come to ask her side of the story. He’d simply declared her guilty.
None of that matter though. She reminded herself that it was almost over. She’d be gone soon. She would never have to see him again.
Steadying herself against the armrest, she stood slowly. And just as she turned to grab her suitcase, she saw Vanessa walking in.
Polished. Perfect. Not a hair out of place. The contrast between them was stark contrast to Callista's disheveled and pale appearance.
“I told you before, I’ve never been interested in being the other woman. I’m only here for one thing: to be Mrs. Throne.” She only ever let her mask slip when no one else was around.
Yet, Callista didn’t care anymore. If Vanessa wanted the title so badly, she could have it.
Callista turned to leave, but then her gaze locked onto the necklace around Vanessa’s neck.
A simple good luck charm: an obsidian stone necklace her father had given her. She had passed it to Alexander during their first year of marriage, when he kept falling sick.
No. Anyone could’ve ended up with it, but not her!
Callista’s voice went cold. “Give me that necklace. It’s mine!”
She reached for it, but before she could grab it, Vanessa pulled back—and immediately turned toward the sound of footsteps behind them.
“Mr. Throne,” Vanessa called out, just as Alexander approached. “Your wife attacked me again. She already spread those videos earlier today and now she’s trying to steal my things.”
“If I’m really not welcome here, then maybe I should just leave.” She turned, ready to walk away.
Alexander rushed forward and grabbed her wrist, stopping her. He then turned and struck Callista's face.
“Enough! Haven’t you caused enough trouble?” He’d assumed she’d calmed down by now, learned her lesson. But clearly, she hadn’t.
Callista slowly raised her head, laughing bitterly. Then, without hesitation, she slapped Vanessa hard across the face.
Her voice was clear and firm. “Now that’s what it looks like when I actually fight back.”
If Alexander had already made up his mind that she was the villain, then fine, she’d play the part.
Stunned, Alexander grabbed her by the throat. The woman in front of him didn’t resemble the gentle, soft-spoken Callista he used to know.
Vanessa gasped beside him, pressing her hand to her cheek. “Mr. Throne… I think she scratched me. Please, take me to the hospital.”
A faint red line had appeared on Vanessa’s skin, Callista’s nail had barely grazed her.
Still, Alexander looked panicked. He shoved Callista aside and scooped Vanessa into his arms, carrying her out without another word.
Callista hit the floor hard. Her abdomen slammed against the sharp corner of the table and a sharp, searing pain tore through her stomach.
She doubled over, breathless, as something warm and red began to spread beneath her.
