Chapter 9
“I’ve already told you, my heart beats only for you. No matter what you do, I won’t stray again or get entangled with her!”
“Rest assured about that.”
After saying this, Ruslan turned to me with look of triumph as if waiting for approval.
“Aurelle, are you alright? I never imagined that after abandoning Thea, she’d hold a grudge and come after you.”
“But I’ve already cut her off now.”
He took my hand, his gaze softening with affection.
“Aurelle, now you can see my sincerity. Can you forgive me?”
The Ruslan before me, humbling himself in such a way, was an entirely different
man from the one who had once tried to drag me back to the country.
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I listened in silence for a long moment, my
eyes locked on the face of the man I once knew.
Then, without warning, I burst into laughter, the sound escaping me like a flood. My shoulders shook with its force.
“Are you done pretending?”
The moment the words left my mouth, Ruslan’s expression paled, his face draining of color.
I had sensed something was off earlier. Thea never struck me as the impulsive, thoughtless type. Based on her usual cunning ways, it was clear she wasn’t someone who acted without a plan.
So how could she suddenly lash out at met unprovoked?
And when Ruslan slapped her earlier, her instinct was to protect her belly as if she had anticipated the strike.
That’s when it hit me: this entire scene
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54
Chapter 9
I listened in silence for a long moment, my
locked on the face of the man I once
eyes
knew.
Then, without warning, I burst into
laughter, the sound escaping me like a
flood. My shoulders shook with its force.
“Are you done pretending?”
The moment the words left my mouth, Ruslan’s expression paled, his face draining of color.
I had sensed something was off earlier. Thea never struck me as the impulsive, thoughtless type. Based on her usual cunning ways, it was clear she wasn’t someone who acted without a plan.
So how could she suddenly lash out at me unprovoked?
And when Ruslan slapped her earlier, her instinct was to protect her belly as if she had anticipated the strike.
That’s when it hit me: this entire scene
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was staged, a performance carefully crafted by both Thea and Ruslan.
They had really put everything into this. act. The marks from the slap on Thea‘ s face were almost too perfectly vivid.
“Ruslan, I told you you should really consider a career in acting.”
I shot him a knowing glance before turning to Thea, still sitting on the ground, her expression now shifting.
“You two should aim for the best actress
award. Paired together, you’d make a perfect duo.”
At that, Thea dropped her act entirely. The mask of the tearful, vulnerable woman shattered, revealing her true colors.
She jabbed a finger in my direction, fury written all over her face.
“Aurelle, don‘ t tempt fate!”
“You think you‘ re something special? If it weren’t for Ruslan‘ s misplaced
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nostalgia, he wouldn’t even give you a second thought.”
Thea’s aggression only fueled my calm. resolve. I took a step closer, my voice. dripping with contempt.
“You know, I kind of admire you,” I said, leaning in. “To be a mistress and go to such extremes, helping your cheating lover chase after his so–called ‘true love‘–now that’s dedication.”
I closed the distance between us, my gaze unwavering.
“Do you really think Ruslan cares for you? If he did, why hasn‘ t he made you official? Why does he keep you hidden away like some dirty secret, slap you in front of others, and beg for another woman‘ s
return?”
“You should realize how pathetic this is.”
That last remark hit its mark. The color drained from Thea‘ s face as she staggered and collapsed to the ground.
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Before I could say another word, Ruslan rushed forward, catching her by the waist and shielding her behind him, his expression filled with something unreadable.
With a faint, almost pleading tone, Ruslan spoke, his voice breaking.
“Yes, I was acting. But Aurelle, I even planned for Thea to have the child and then send it to you before taking her overseas. Why can’t you see how sorry I am?”
At that moment, a bitter laugh bubbled up from deep within me. His reasoning was ludicrous.
“Ruslan, do you truly believe the world works that way? You think you can have it all, savor one woman‘ s devotion while chasing thrills with another?”
I shook my head, the absurdity of it all sinking in.
“But I’m no fool. Secrets don’t stay
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buried forever. Sooner or later, the truth claws its way out. You‘ ve deceived me for so many years; does it give you satisfaction. to see me blind and manipulated?”
“I’ve already let it go. Don’t be too greedy, Ruslan.”
Each word I spoke made Ruslan‘ s face. lose more color until, by the end, he was left with nothing but a ghost of himself whispering hoarsely.
