Years ago, when Kaelyn had made a blunder that nearly put the Stevens family at odds with Kellan Lloyd, the eldest son of the Lloyd family, it was Allison who had smoothed things over. She had negotiated a deal with Kellan, who was paralyzed, securing the crucial land for the Stevens’ commercial project. Back then, Kaelyn had been grateful, almost humbled. But now, emboldened by the winds of change within the Stevens family, Kaelyn acted as though she had never bent the knee.
It all boiled down to one thing: Colton’s grandmother’s favor had drifted, and with it, so had the family’s attitude.
“If clothes get dirty, you’re right,” Allison said, her eyes flicking to Colton, “they’re impossible to clean completely.” She shrugged, a casual finality in her voice. “So, I won’t be needing them anymore.”
She had never liked those bland, shapeless things anyway. They had never quite suited her.
“But when people mess up,” she continued, her voice turning cold and unfamiliar, “they need to face the consequences.”
The air in the room shifted. For the first time, Colton looked at Allison as if seeing her through a new lens-her usual softness now replaced with a sharp edge. Even Kaelyn sensed the change, but she quickly donned an innocent mask, as though slipping into a role she had perfected.
“I only serve the Stevens family, Ms. Clarke,” Kaelyn said, her voice tinged with sweetness. “And since you’re divorced-“
Smack!
Kaelyn never got the chance to finish. Allison’s palm cracked across her left cheek with such force that the sound echoed in the room.
Kaelyn’s eyes widened in disbelief. “How dare you hit me?”
“Because I felt like it.”
“If Mrs. Stevens finds out-“
Smack!
Another slap, harder this time, sent Kaelyn stumbling backward. Both her cheeks were now red and swollen, the perfect mirror of each other.
The second blow knocked Kaelyn off her feet, and as she hit the floor, her ankle twisted beneath her. She cried out in real pain, her face a picture of humiliation and fury. Tears welled up in Kaelyn’s eyes, spilling over as she whimpered, “Mr. Stevens, she’s gone too far!”
But before Kaelyn could spew more of her complaints, Allison was on her again, her hand gripping Kaelyn’s throat as she tore the necklace from around her neck.
“That’s for the suitcase and the clothes.”
Kaelyn’s face flushed crimson as Allison’s grip tightened, choking her words into sobs.
“And now, I’m taking back what never belonged to you in the first place.”
The necklace was a modest piece-an emerald pendant encircled by diamonds-but it wasn’t the value that mattered. The engraving on the back made it unmistakably clear that it was never Kaelyn’s to wear.
“You… you’re committing assault!” Kaelyn croaked, gasping for air. In her panic, she didn’t even notice when her bladder gave way.
As Allison’s grip threatened to suffocate her, Kaelyn’s mind finally cleared, and she realized with terrifying clarity that Allison wasn’t just capable of hurting her-she could kill her if she wanted to.
But Allison, without hesitation or lingering, snapped the necklace chain and walked away, her steps unhurried, as though the encounter was beneath her notice.
Kaelyn scrambled to her feet, desperation clawing at her as she turned to Colton, pleading, “Sir, this is all a misunderstanding, please-“
“Get out!”
Colton’s patience snapped as his boot connected with Kaelyn’s side, sending her sprawling once again. The smell of urine, sharp and acrid, hit his nose, and his temper, already at its peak, spilled over.
“The Stevens family doesn’t have room for someone with sticky fingers.”
Meanwhile, Allison had already stepped out of the villa, her phone in hand, and dialed a familiar number. When the call connected, her voice was calm, almost light. “Rebecca, I’m divorced, and I’ve moved out of his villa. My house and car are still in Vrining. Mind if I crash at your place for the night?”
On the other end of the line, Rebecca Green went from silence to squealing joy within seconds.
“Holy crap! You finally divorced that idiot! Forget crashing-you’re staying over for a party! A single’s party!”
Even from a distance, Allison could hear Rebecca’s exaggerated laughter bubbling through the phone. “If the folks at Cobweb find out the founder is back, the servers will explode!”
Inside the villa, Kaelyn was practically at her wit’s end, kneeling in front of Colton and pleading in desperation, “Mr. Stevens, weren’t you planning to surprise Miss Johnson on the cruise tonight? Let me make it right and fix my mistake!”
She had served Melany for years, knowing her every like and dislike down to the smallest detail.
Colton’s frown deepened. Melany had shown up without warning, and the party venue wasn’t even close to being ready. “I’m giving you one final chance,” he muttered, glancing at his watch. Only three hours remained before the cruise party was set to begin. “If you blow this, you’re done. Not only will you be out of the Stevens family, but the next thing you’ll see will be a court summons!”
It was a double-edged sword-a lifeline and a threat. Kaelyn swore to herself she wouldn’t fail as she hurried away.
Colton turned back, his gaze falling on the dining table loaded with food. Frustration flared inside him, especially as his mind flashed back to the memory of Allison slapping Kaelyn earlier.
Allison had stayed composed, but something about her felt colder, harsher than before-far from the docile, compliant woman he once knew.
But the thought slipped away quickly. To him, Allison would always be that dull, submissive housewife. Without him, she’d be nothing.
Outside the villa, a sleek Lamborghini pulled up, and a woman stepped out.
“Allison, darling!” Rebecca rushed over and wrapped Allison in a warm embrace. “You know, you could live at my place forever if you wanted to!”
Rebecca, the only daughter of the Eternity Group’s owners, practically owned half the city’s skyline. A roof over Allison’s head was hardly an issue.
“So, what on earth happened tonight?” Rebecca asked, pressing close, her cheek resting against Allison’s neck. “You still smell like cooking oil. Don’t tell me you were cooking for that moron again?”
Allison felt the familiar tightness in her throat, emotions rising as Rebecca’s hug warmed her.
“Let’s talk in the car,” she said.
Once inside the Lamborghini, Allison began to recount what had happened that day. Her voice remained steady, but Rebecca’s temper flared like a spark igniting dry wood.
“Can you believe this? Colton got dumped by Melany on their wedding day, and now he’s trying to crawl back to her by divorcing you? They’re made for each other-two peas in a rotten pod!” Rebecca raged.
“And his parents!” she added, her anger rising like a storm. “You’ve been looking after them for three years, bending over backward for that family, and this is the thanks you get?”
Rebecca continued her tirade, her words sharp and biting.
“Listen, he’s lost his memory of that incident in his childhood, sure, but that doesn’t excuse what he’s done. You’ve more than paid your dues over the last three years. There’s no point pretending to be the woman he wants anymore. You’ve wiped that slate clean.”
Allison slouched in the passenger seat, her gaze distant as the world blurred past her window.
“It’s done. We’re even now.”
For three years, she’d molded herself into Colton’s image of the perfect woman. She’d ditched her heels, pulled her hair back, and settled for modest, boring outfits-ones she didn’t even like-all to mirror Melany. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t compete with the woman he truly loved.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.