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Chapter 80
Christoph slumped back into his seat, knuckles white as his fists clenched tight. His voice was low, strained, like he was trying to convince himself more than anyone else.N
“But she’s never been like this before. Lately, she’s just… different. Like she’s not even the same person. I’m scared she might”
Natalie’s composure finally cracked and tears slid down her cheeks. “So you do still care about her.“”
“I don’t!” Christoph snapped, raking a frustrated hand through his hair.
He tried to bury the gnawing anxiety building in his chest, repeating over and over in his head that this was just another one of Gina’s games. A test. A tantrum. She always came back. Always.M
Something just felt different this time around.
****
Meanwhile, high above the clouds on a flight bound for Switzerland, I sat quietly by the window, champagne flute in hand, eyes lost in the endless sky.
The flight attendant passed by with a soft smile. I gave a polite nod in return.M
From the seat next to me, a friendly young woman glanced over with curiosity. “Traveling alone?“M
I swirled the champagne, then downed the rest in one smooth motion. “No,” I said with a quiet smile. “I’m leaving to start a new life.”
As the plane sliced through the clouds, I opened my phone, flipping through the photos from the night before–Christoph and Natalie tangled up in each other, unaware they were being watched.W
A cold, amused smirk tugged at the corner of my lips.
“Christoph, the game’s only just begun.“W
I turned off the screen and leaned back in my seat, letting my eyes drift shut for the first peaceful moment in what felt like years.”
Back on the ground, Christoph’s plane had barely touched down when his phone exploded with back–to–back calls from his assistant.”
His gut twisted. Dread pooling fast, he answered with a tight voice and a pounding heart.”
Christoph’s heart dropped as soon as he heard his assistant’s trembling voice on the line,
“Mr. Rader, it’s bad–really bad. You need to check the trending news right now. It’s about you and Ms. Bloom…“\
A cold dread crept down Christoph’s spine. He ended the call without another word and frantically pulled up the news.
There it was–front–page coverage plastered across every major outlet:
[CEO of Shen Group Exposed in Affair with Widowed Sister–in–Law]
[The Ugly Truth Behind a “Platonic” Marriage]
[Secret Door Between Christoph’s Bedroom and His Sister–in–Law’s House Revealed in Scandal]
Each headline was more damning than the last, paired with crystal–clear photos–shots of him and Natalie entangled in bed and images of the hidden passage connecting the two homes.
“This… this can’t be happening,” Christoph muttered, voice barely audible. His fingers trembled against the screen. “There’s no way this could’ve leaked! No one was supposed to know!“”
Before he could process it further, Natalie snatched the phone from his hands. Her face turned ghost–white as she scrolled through the pictures.”
“Chris… it’s over. She did this. Gina did this. She’s getting back at us.“”
There was no doubt in her voice. And that certainty–too sharp, too rehearsed–made something click in Christoph’s mind.!! His eyes narrowed. “How do you know it was Gina? What aren’t you telling me?”
Natalie froze, guilt flashing across her face.”
“I… I didn’t mean to,” she stammered. “I just… I mentioned to her, in passing, that you treat me differently. She slapped me, I panicked, I–I told her we’d been together for years…“W
Christoph reeled back like he’d been punched in the gut. His entire world began to tilt. “You what?”
In that moment, he realized–this wasn’t a game anymore. He was losing.”
Christoph shoved Natalie away and frantically dialed my number. A machine replied instead,
“The number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable.”
His face darkened.
“Book the next flight back to the Capital! Now. I’ll deal with her myself when I get there.“”
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WHICH
He didn’t even bother grabbing his luggage–just rushed to the counter to rebook his ticket, desperate to get back, desperate to explain.
As the plane lifted off again, Natalie sobbed beside him, tears streaming down her face like a tragic heroine in a play.!!
“Chris, what do we do now? I never thought Gina would be so petty. She can ruin me, fine–but you? You’re her husband. How could she do this to you?”
Christoph wasn’t listening, however. He sat stiffly, staring out at the clouds swirling beyond the window, his jaw clenched tight. His mind wasn’t on Natalie–not anymore.”
It was filled with me.
He remembered the fire in my eyes that day I knelt in the snow and refused to beg. He remembered how calmly I’d thrown out all the gifts he gave me, one by one. He remembered the chilling detachment in my voice when I told him he could “marry both” if he wanted to. Like I no longer cared.”
And now… he realized, I meant it when I said the game had just begun.
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