"That’s enough." Catherine’s voice cracked like a whip. "The decision has already been made. You will divorce Elena and marry Tessa."
Her expression was resolute. "End of discussion."
"Mom, please listen to ..." He reached for her hand, his gaze pleading. "That baby ca unplanned. I never wanted a child with Tessa."
He swallowed hard. "I was only taking care of her because she saved my life."
There was no warmth, no trace of sympathy in Catherine’s eyes when she looked back at him. Only cold indifference remained.
"You could have repaid her in many other ways," she said in an icy tone. "You didn’t have to sleep with her. What is the point of saying this now? The child in her womb is yours. You must take the responsibility."
Her eyes briefly landed on the shattered remains of her phone. The sight seed to irritate her all over again.
"Bring Tessa to the mansion tomorrow evening. Your father and I have sothing to discuss with her."
Dropping those words, she left.
The bedroom fell silent.
Noah remained seated on the bed. A painful hollowness opened inside him.
"Why is this happening?" He stared blankly ahead. "Why?"
He thought he had everything under control. He believed he could keep Elena by his side while secretly protecting Tessa. Instead, everything had fallen apart.
His plan failed terribly. Now, he was on the verge of losing Elena completely.
The thought alone filled him with panic.
For the first ti, he realized just how important she was to him. He couldn’t imagine returning ho and not seeing her. He couldn’t think of his future without her.
"I have to bring her back," he mumbled decisively. "I can’t lose her."
The phone rang in his hand. Seeing Evan’s na on the screen, he answered imdiately.
"Hello?" He hoped Evan had found a way to suppress the scandal.
"Turn on the TV. Elena is holding a press conference," Evan said anxiously. "She is responding to the rumors, clearing her na. She claid that you cheated on her first and that she had already severed ties with you."
The words struck Noah with chilling force. A sense of foreboding washed over him.
He jumped out of bed and bolted out of the room. He ran down the hallway like a madman. Reaching the living room, he grabbed the remote and turned on the television.
His fingers moved quickly as he changed channels.
Soon, Elena appeared on the screen. She was seated beside Elias at a long podium facing dozens of reporters.
"Evidence is clear," Elena said, pointing at the giant screen behind her.
The cara zood in. There was a photograph of Noah carrying Tessa in his arms.
Noah’s eyes widened in shock and disbelief, his mouth agape.
"When I was at the hospital, still recovering from my miscarriage, he was with his first love," she said. "He didn’t co to see . Instead, he spent all the ti with Tessa."
The photograph had been retrieved from hospital surveillance footage.
"This is not the first ti he left alone," she continued. "And it was not the last. He did that many tis. Every ti he claid he had work, a eting, or a business trip, he was actually spending ti with her. But in reality, he lied to ."
A hushed murmur spread across the room. The caras flashed endlessly.
"He left again and again," Elena said, her tone turning colder. "I was still recovering when he left alone on a hilltop during a storm."
Gasps echoed through the room.
"I was stranded on the empty road. I would have died if Elias had not appeared."
Noah instantly rembered his parents’ anniversary party. That night, he had left early with Tessa. He had no idea Elena had been stranded alone and suffered that much.
Confusion flashed through him.
’Why didn’t anyone bring her ho? Why did no one inform ?’
Just as he was wondering, he saw Elena holding Elias’s hand.
"He saved ," she said, "more than once."
Noah’s gaze turned cold as he watched their hands holding together. Every muscle in his body tensed with barely restrained anger.
"When I was kidnapped and nearly killed, Elias was the one who rescued ," Elena said.
"Kidnapped?" Noah narrowed his gaze. "When did that happen?"
He was utterly shocked. "How do I know nothing about it?"
"Every ti I fell into danger, he appeared as my savior." Elena’s voice drifted out of the TV. "I am grateful to him."
Her gaze softened as she looked at him.
Elias smiled at her.
Elena then faced the reporters again. "It’s Noah who betrayed in the first place. He broke my trust. He chose Tessa over . So I decided to leave him. And now..."
She glanced back at Elias, a radiant smile brightening her face. "I am married to Elias."
The next photograph on the large screen was their marriage certificate.
"Going out and having dinner with my legal husband is not a cri. Yet people have been treating as though I have sinned."
The murmurs grew stronger.
"This is outrageous. She is the victim, but everyone is slandering her."
"She wasn’t cheating at all. The real cheater is Noah Sinclair."
"I was judging her too quickly."
"I can’t believe she has gone through so much."
"She deserves happiness, soone who chooses her first."
"Honestly, Noah Sinclair doesn’t deserve her anymore. She should never go back to that cheater."
"Yes, Mr. Elias Rowan is perfect for her."
Online, public opinion shifted instantly. The sa people who had insulted Elena began posting apologies.
’I was wrong. I’m sorry, Elena. I judged you without knowing the truth.’
’You deserved better.’
’Stay strong. We support you.’
’Sorry for believing the rumors.’
’Mr. Rowan seems like a much better man.’
Others redirected their anger toward Noah and Tessa.
’Noah Sinclair is the real cheater.’
’He abandoned his fiancée after her miscarriage. That’s disgusting.’
’How could Tessa stay involved with a man who already had a girlfriend?’
’Both of them should be ashad.’
’Justice for Elena.’
’Elena deserves far better than Noah.’
Noah sagged onto the sofa, cold sweat appearing on his forehead.
"She really married that man," he mumbled. "She wasn’t faking it."
His chest tightened painfully.
"How could she marry soone else?"
As soon as those words escaped his mouth, every part of him went still. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. A painful pressure squeezed his chest.
"That ans she already knew we were divorced."
The realization crashed into him like a tsunami. He struggled to catch his breath.
Questions raged in his mind.
’How did she find out? Did anyone tell her?’
Confusion and doubts warred within him.
’Did Tessa tell her anything?’
He suddenly rembered the box Elena had left for him. "Yes, that box."
Sothing sparkled in his eyes. "She urged to check it. Maybe I’ll find sothing in it. Maybe this is all just an act to get ."
He still clung to the hope that Elena was acting to make him jealous.
"She can never marry another guy. She loves ."
He rose from the sofa. "I need to find out what is in that box."
He strode straight to the study.
The mont he entered the room, his heartbeat accelerated.
The box sat quietly on the desk.
He crossed the room and opened it urgently.
The mont he saw what was inside, a cold sensation gripped his entire body.
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