The internet exploded overnight.
Pictures of Ethan Hale holding Chloe Bennett’s hand spread across every major media platform.
The headlines were brutal.
“Sterling Group CEO Caught Cheating!”
“The Perfect Husband Exposed!”
“Billionaire Heiress Betrayed After Childbirth!”
Isoldesat alone in the dark living room staring blankly at her phone.
Thousands of comments flooded the internet.
Some pitied her.
Others mocked her appearance.
“She let herself go.”
“No man wants a fat wife forever.”
“She’s rich. She’ll survive.”
Isoldeturned the phone off.
She suddenly felt sick.
The front door burst open.
Adrian strode inside furiously.
“I’m going to kill him.”
Isoldelooked up weakly.
“Adrian…”
“You still defending him now?”
He threw a stack of printed articles onto the table.
“You know what the media’s saying? That he built Sterling Group with his own hands. They’re erasing your father completely.”
Isoldelowered her head.
Adrian crouched beside her.
“Divorce him.”
Her fingers tightened.
“I…”
“I already contacted the best lawyers in New York.”
Isoldelooked startled.
“You did what?”
“I knew this would happen eventually.”
“You hate him that much?”
“No.”
Adrian’s eyes darkened.
“I hate what he’s done to you.”
Before Isoldecould respond, the front door opened again.
Ethan walked in calmly.
As if nothing had happened.
As if he had not destroyed her entire life the night before.
“You’re here,” Isoldewhispered.
Ethan loosened his tie.
“We need to talk.”
Adrian immediately stood.
“You’ve got nerve showing up here.”
Ethan ignored him completely.
He placed several documents onto the table.
“I need you to sign these.”
Isoldefrowned.
“What are they?”
“A public statement.”
She opened the papers slowly.
Then her face turned white.
The statement claimed that Ethan and Isoldehad been emotionally separated for years.
Worse.
It implied Isoldehad cheated first.
“You want me to lie?”
Ethan crossed his arms.
“It’ll protect the company.”
Isoldelaughed in disbelief.
“You cheated on my best friend beside our child.”
“And now you want me to take the blame?”
“You’re overreacting.”
Adrian lunged forward instantly.
“You son of a—”
Isoldegrabbed him desperately.
“No.”
Her voice shook.
She turned toward Ethan slowly.
“I want a divorce.”
For the first time, Ethan’s expression changed.
“No.”
Isoldestared at him.
“No?”
“You can’t leave me now.”
“Why?”
“Because the board won’t support it.”
Not love.
Not guilt.
Only business.
Isoldefinally understood everything.
Ethan had never married her for love.
He had married her for Sterling Group.
“I’ll expose everything,” she whispered.
Ethan’s eyes turned cold.
“Think carefully before doing that.”
Adrian stepped protectively beside her.
“Are you threatening her?”
Ethan smirked faintly.
“You should mind your own business, Adrian.”
“Isoldeis my business.”
Silence filled the room.
Ethan’s expression darkened.
For years, he had tolerated Adrian because Isoldetrusted him.
But now the jealousy in Ethan’s eyes was unmistakable.
“You always wanted her,” Ethan said coldly.
“And you never deserved her,” Adrian replied.
Isoldesuddenly felt exhausted.
“Leave.”
Both men looked at her.
“Both of you.”
Adrian hesitated.
“Isolde—”
“I need time alone.”
Eventually, Adrian left reluctantly.
Ethan went back to his room.
Isoldereturned to the bedroom and lay down on the bed without going downstairs again.
Late that night, Isoldewalked past Ethan’s office downstairs.
The door was slightly open.
Inside, Ethan spoke quietly on the phone.
“She’s becoming a problem.”
A woman laughed softly.
Chloe.
“What if she refuses?” Chloe asked.
Ethan’s voice turned icy.
“Then we make sure she disappears before the divorce happens.”
Isoldestopped breathing.
Her entire body went cold.
“She and the baby,” Chloe whispered nervously.
“Yes.”
Silence.
Then Ethan spoke again.
“It’ll look like an accident.”
Isoldecovered her mouth to stop herself from screaming.
Tears streamed silently down her face.
At that moment, something inside her finally died.
Not her love.
Not her marriage.
Her weakness.
And for the first time, Isolde Sterling understood that survival meant becoming someone entirely different.
