Her words were drowned out by Hendrix’s ringtone.
He didn’t hear a single thing she said before he immediately picked up the call.
On the other end, Maya was crying loudly, saying something between sobs.
His face darkened instantly. His sharp gaze swung toward Cordelia.
“Okay. I understand. I’ll make sure you get justice.”
The second he hung up, he grabbed Cordelia by the throat, squeezing hard enough to crush bone.
“Cordelia! Just because I’ve been busy lately and spent a few days with Maya, you sent someone to rape her?! She barely escaped!”
Cordelia instantly understood—it was one of Maya’s staged acts.
She tried to explain at once. “I didn’t do anything! She’s framing me!”
But Hendrix didn’t believe a word. Grinding his teeth, he said, “Maya is gentle and kind. She’d never lie. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have risked her life to save me back then.”
Cordelia blurted out, “Hendrix, I was the one who saved you five years ago!”
He sneered. “You’re seriously using that as an excuse now? When we were on our honeymoon in the Maldives, you wouldn’t even get in the water. You probably don’t even know how to dive.”
Cordelia laughed from sheer anger. “I couldn’t dive because saving you damaged my lungs! I can’t handle the pressure underwater!”
“Ha.” Hendrix let out a cold chuckle. “You even know about Maya’s lung injury? She must’ve told you, right? Cordeli… How come I never realized you love making things up?”
A suffocating pain hit her chest. She had never felt so helpless.
But Hendrix snorted harshly. “This time, I’m going to teach you a lesson you won’t forget. I’ll make sure you never dare lay a hand on Maya again.”
Then he called the police.
“My wife intentionally harmed someone and keeps lying. Please lock her up for three days and teach her a lesson.”
Just like that, Cordelia was taken away.
Because of Hendrix’s special instructions, the next three days became hell.
The inmates ganged up on her, torturing her in every possible way.
They stole her food, refused to give her water, defiled her bed, and beat her whenever they pleased.
Three days later, there wasn’t a single uninjured patch of skin on her body. She looked like a hollow shell.
Right before she left the station, a guard slapped her so hard her head rang.
“Your man told us to teach you a lesson. Learned it yet?”
Cordelia’s heart turned to ash. Whether she wanted to believe it or not, she finally had to accept—Hendrix truly hated her enough to destroy her.
At that moment, she regretted ever loving him. She regretted saving his life.
She walked out of the police station in a daze when her phone suddenly rang.
It was her lawyer.
“Cordelia, your marriage with Hendrix has officially been dissolved. You can pick up the divorce certificate anytime.”
“Since he committed adultery during the marriage,” he added, “all marital assets will go to you.”
“Alright.” Cordelia’s voice came out hoarse. “Thank you.”
After she hung up, a message from Sebastian popped up.
[Della, tomorrow is your fifth wedding anniversary with Hendrix. Come back to the old house. I’ve arranged a dinner for you two. I have something important to announce.]
Cordelia’s breath caught.
The day had finally come.
Tomorrow night, she would expose everything about Hendrix in front of everyone.
What he and Maya owed her—she would take it all back.
