And the seal—looked at closely—wasn't the Henson ancestral mark at all. It was a fake. Some no-name counterfeit.
Cold sweat broke across my skin. I stared at Rebecca, unable to believe it.
“How is this possible……You told me it was real.”
Rebecca had already shut her eyes completely, choosing not to look at me.
All these years. Her so-called love—just stringing me along, letting me fool myself into thinking she actually cared.
I'd never been worth a single thing to her.
I clenched my teeth until my jaw ached, and the blood in my veins went cold.
The woman I'd loved and protected for eight years had given her heart, completely and without reservation, to another man.
Old Mr. Henson's gaze turned vicious：
“Nothing to say for yourself? Good. Then take your punishment.”
He clapped his hands, and a ring of men in black closed around me.
Fists came down like a storm, slamming into my gut.
I doubled over and coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Val's face twisted into something grotesque with how much he was enjoying it. Only Rebecca turned her back, conflicted.
“Dad, maybe just—he didn't even do anything to me……”
She didn't finish. Val cut in, his voice wounded：
“Becca, did you forget what he did to me? What he did to you? Are you feeling sorry for him now?”
Rebecca shook her head immediately. Then, as if steeling herself, she walked up to me.
She slapped me across the face—once, twice, three times, her palm cracking against my skin until my vision swam and the room tilted sideways.
I thought I caught a flicker of guilt in Rebecca's eyes.
Impossible. I laughed bitterly at my own delusion.
Old Mr. Henson saw that I was barely clinging to consciousness and called off the beating.
“That's enough. We'll leave it here. There's an important guest arriving today. Drag him out, clean him up, and get this place spotless before the visitor shows.”
Rebecca looked confused：
“Dad, who's coming?”
Ken was already barking orders for the finest wines and tonics to be brought out for the guest.
“I told you about this before. At an investors' summit, someone introduced me to a young prodigy. A lot of the people at those gatherings know him. I only ever saw him from behind, but I can tell you he's good-looking.”
“Top-tier education, sharp eye for business. Young as he is, he's already invested in a string of wildly successful projects. Word is he's taken a liking to you and wants to pay us a visit!”
Rebecca's mouth pulled into a frown：
“Just because he likes me, I have to meet him? Besides, I already have someone I like!”
But her eyes didn't turn to me. They went to Val, who stood to the side, silent and seething.
Ken patted her on the head：“Silly girl, you might end up liking him even more. He might not even look twice at you! But if our family locked him down, nobody in this city could touch us!”
Rebecca pouted hard：
“So where is he? What's his name? What does he like? I don't know a single thing about him and you're just inviting him over?”
“The introducer called him Jack, if I remember right. Around your age, too. And you won't believe this, but the gifts he sent ahead for you are already here!”
On cue, the servants brought out piece after piece of dazzling jewelry, the kind of brilliance that nearly blinded Rebecca.
“Jack! That name sounds kind of familiar. What's his last name?”
“Something like… started with an S, I think. Can't remember the rest.”
Rebecca's head snapped toward me. A flash of unease crossed her eyes.
“It couldn't be……”
My vocal cords were damaged from the beating. I couldn't get a single word out.
Ken couldn't wait any longer and asked a servant when the guest was due to arrive.
“Sir, Mr. Sanchez arrived quite early. He glanced at me once, and now he's simply vanished!”
The color drained from Rebecca's face：
“It can't really be him……”
My assistant arrived late and out of breath, frantic as he addressed Old Mr. Henson：
“Mr. Sanchez is missing. He came today to propose to Miss Henson. There's no way he would have just left on his own!”
Rebecca's face went rigid, her voice shaking：
“His full name……what's his full name?”
“Jack Sanchez……”
