The day of the verdict, Teri begged me to take the plea deal. “I know you’re innocent,” she whispered, tears in her eyes, “but Aiden’s too fragile. I can’t let him go to prison.” She squeezed my hand. “This is for your own good.” I signed the confession. Last time, I resisted—and paid dearly. Now, reborn, I gave her what she wanted. The next day, headlines exploded: ZANE FORD ADMITS TO CORPORATE ESPIONAGE. Aiden, the star witness, claimed he’d seen me sneak into Moses Industries. But in court, Isabelle Moses stood and dropped the charges. Silence fell as she walked to me, pulled out a ring, and knelt. “Zane,” she said, unwavering, “this time, will you marry me?” 1 The moment I’d signed the confession, a flicker of triumph had flashed in Teri’s eyes. She’d hidden it in a heartbeat, replacing it with a look of profound distress the instant she saw me looking. “Zane, don’t you worry,” she’d said, her voice laced with manufactured concern. “I’ll get you the very best lawyer.” “And when you’re inside,” she continued, her performance flawless, “I’ll make sure to smooth things over, pull some strings. We’ll get you out on parole as soon as possible.” I had to physically bite back a sneer. “Don’t bother,” I said, my voice flat. Her face immediately contorted into a mask of frantic worry. “Zane! I know you’re devastated right now, but you can’t just give up like that. If you just let this happen, what about your parents…?” She kept on, a relentless performance of her supposed “care” for me. If it weren’t for the scars of my past life, I might have actually believed her. Last time, when I refused to confess, she’d shown her true colors. She’d not only forged evidence to imprison me but had also stolen my future, my right to ever have a family. The rage simmered inside me. It was her greed that drove this, her desire to steal the secrets of Moses Industries. She had used Aiden to do the dirty work, so why the hell was I, the only innocent one, the one fated to suffer the most brutal consequences? “Zane?” Teri’s voice snapped me back to the present. “You look so pale. Are you alright?” I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms, the sharp pain a welcome anchor. “I’m fine.” I forced a weak smile. “Just… the thought of prison. It’s a little scary.” She reached for my hand, but I pulled away before her fingers could touch mine. A flicker of surprise crossed her face, but it was quickly swallowed by the sheer joy of her victory. She carefully slid the signed confession into her briefcase as if it were a holy relic. “I’ll present this to the judge at the hearing in three days,” she promised, her eyes shining with false sincerity. “Until then, I’ll keep this under wraps. No one will know.” I gave a cold, dismissive nod. After signing the papers, I was released on bail. As we left the courthouse, Teri held the car door for me, her hand hovering protectively over my head, a familiar gesture from the past three years of our life together. But I knew, with chilling certainty, that nothing was the same. She was still playing the part of the devoted fiancée, her gaze soft and loving. “Zane, let me take you home.” Home? A bitter laugh echoed in my mind. The villa that once held all our memories was likely no longer a place for me. My suspicions were confirmed the moment we walked through the door. The air was thick with the scent of an unfamiliar, expensive men’s cologne. The minimalist decor I’d chosen had been replaced with an avalanche of gaudy, ostentatious furniture. And our wedding portrait, the one we’d taken in the rose garden, was now treated like trash, shoved in a storage closet, coated in a thick layer of dust. Teri saw me staring at it, and a flash of guilt crossed her face before she rearranged it back into that look of deep affection. “Zane, this was all Aiden’s idea…” she began, her voice a soft apology. “You know how he is, with his illness… his emotions have been all over the place…” 2 I said nothing, my face a blank mask as I turned and walked toward the master bedroom. I pushed the door open. The cloying scent of that same cologne hit me like a physical blow. The bed was a mess of rumpled sheets and lacy lingerie that was decidedly not mine. On the nightstand, a framed photo of Teri and Aiden, laughing intimately, had taken the place of our own. “You’re sleeping in my bed?” I turned, my voice dangerously low. Teri rushed to explain, her words tumbling out in a panic. “It’s just temporary! As soon as Aiden is feeling a little stronger, I’ll have him move to the guest—” “Don’t bother,” I cut her off. “I’m just here to get my things.” I strode to the closet, only to find it stuffed to the brim with Aiden’s designer clothes. My own wardrobe had been unceremoniously crammed into a single suitcase and tossed in a corner. “Zane, please don’t be like this…” Teri tried to grab my arm. “I know you’re hurting, but…” I shook her off. As I reached for the suitcase, ready to leave this nightmare behind, my phone buzzed. A news alert lit up the screen. BREAKING: FORD HEIR SIGNS CONFESSION, ADMITS TO STEALING MOSES INDUSTRIES SECRETS! Beneath the headline, a flood of comments. “Oh my god, I can’t believe a Ford would stoop to corporate theft!” “I thought he was innocent! I really believed he was taking the fall for Aiden.” “Throw him in jail and lose the key!” My world tilted. I looked up at Teri, a cold, stark disbelief washing over me. I had done exactly what she asked, signed away my life, and she couldn’t even keep a simple promise for three days. She saw the headline on my phone, and her expression soured with guilt. “Zane… about that… let me explain…” “I… I was going to keep it a secret, I swear. But you know Aiden… he’s sick, and he was a suspect, too. This was the only way to make sure no one would bother him, so…” Disappointment, when it reaches its absolute peak, becomes a strange, cold calm. “It doesn’t matter,” I said, my voice devoid of emotion as I put my phone away. “The hearing is in three days anyway.” Teri let out a visible sigh of relief. She took my hand, her touch feeling repulsive and phony. “I’m so glad you understand, Zane. And don’t you worry. Once you’re… away… I’ll take good care of your parents.” I fought the urge to be sick, pulling my hand from her grasp and moving to a spare room for the night. Later, in the dead silence of the house, I dialed a number I hadn't called in a lifetime. When the call connected, I took a deep, steadying breath. “Ms. Moses? This is Zane Ford. There’s something I think we need to discuss. In person.” 3 The next morning, I was up and dressed before the sun. I was heading for the door when I ran into Teri in the foyer. She frowned, taking in my suit and tie. “Where are you going so early?” “Out. I have some things to take care of,” I said, keeping my head down as I put on my shoes. She suddenly slammed her hand against the door, blocking my exit. Her voice dropped, taking on a hard edge. “This is a sensitive time, Zane. You shouldn't be wandering around.” “You’re out on bail. What if someone recognizes you…?” I was done playing games. “Move,” I said, my voice cold and sharp. Teri’s face darkened, the mask of concern melting away to reveal the ugly truth beneath. She grabbed my wrist, her grip like steel, her nails digging into my skin. “Zane Ford, you need to recognize the situation you’re in!” I struggled, but she was strong, dragging me back toward the stairs. “It seems I’ve been too kind to you…” She suddenly released me and clapped her hands. Two burly men in dark suits appeared as if from nowhere. “Tie him up,” she commanded, her voice dripping with ice. “Lock him in the basement. He’s not to leave this house until the hearing.” They were on me in an instant. I fought, but it was useless. They bound my hands tightly behind my back. “Teri, are you insane?!” I yelled, struggling against them. “This is kidnapping!” Her eyes were dark, bottomless pits of cold ambition. “Don’t blame me, Zane. You brought this on yourself.” The basement was damp and cold, the only light coming from a single, weak bulb hanging from the ceiling. Teri stood at the doorway, a dark silhouette against the light from upstairs. “You’ll stay here until the hearing,” she said, her tone final. With that, her men shoved me inside. I stumbled, crashing hard against the concrete wall. A sharp, searing pain shot through my shoulder. “Nngh—” I let out a choked groan, glaring at her with all the hatred I could muster. For a moment, her expression flickered. She gestured for her men to untie me. Then, she pulled a box from her pocket, revealing a watch glittering with diamonds. “Zane…” Her voice was soft again, tinged with a hint of remorse. “This watch… I had it custom-made for you. Think of it as… compensation.” She held it out to me, the diamonds glinting mockingly in the dim light. I just stared at her, my hands remaining at my sides. “What, you think I’ll try to escape?” I scoffed. “So you’re trying to pacify me with a toy?” Teri’s jaw tightened. She sighed. “I just want you to know that I do still have feelings for you.” A bitter laugh escaped my lips. “Your ‘feelings’ involve letting me take the fall for your lover and then locking me in a cellar?” Before she could answer, Aiden’s voice drifted down the stairs. He bounded down, saw the box, and snatched it from her hand. “Wow, what a beautiful watch!” he exclaimed. “Is this for me, Teri?” Teri was taken aback. “Aiden, this is for—” “I don’t care, I want it!” Aiden snapped, already fastening the watch around his wrist. He shot me a contemptuous look. “He’s going to prison anyway. A watch this nice would be a waste on him.” Teri’s eyes darted between me and Aiden. In the end, as always, she gave in to him with a doting smile. “Alright. If you like it, it’s yours.” But Aiden wasn’t finished. A cruel little smile played on his lips. “But if I get his present, what does he get? How about…” He paused, then ripped the cheap, old watch from his own wrist and shoved it in my face. “Here. You can have this one as your gift.” Teri pretended not to notice his malicious little game. “You see, Zane?” she said to me. “Aiden is so thoughtful. I just know you two will get along wonderfully in the future.” I stared at the dull, scratched face of the cheap watch, a dark, humorless smile touching my lips. “Oh, and Zane,” Teri continued, her voice turning clinical. “Considering Aiden’s poor health, and… well, the doctor did say it would be difficult for you to have children… I’ve decided to cancel our engagement. Aiden and I are getting married.” Even though I’d been expecting it, the words still felt like a knife twisting in my gut. “But don’t worry,” she added, as if offering a great charity. “I’m not heartless. When you get out, I’ll arrange a place for you to live, a job. After all, we were once…” “Teri,” I cut her off, my voice dripping with ice. “Do you really think I believe a single word of your bullshit?” Aiden wrapped his arm around Teri’s waist, looking down his nose at me. “Don’t be an ungrateful bastard,” he sneered. “Teri’s taking pity on you. Who else would want a man who can’t even have kids?” My hands balled into fists so tight they trembled. The pain was the only thing keeping me grounded, reminding me not to strike. Not yet. The time for revenge had not yet come. 4 Late that night, the basement door creaked open. I looked up, my brow furrowing as Aiden swaggered in. He stood over me, a smug, triumphant grin plastered on his face. “Tsk, tsk. I almost envy you sterile guys. You can live anywhere. Not like me. I simply must have my high-thread-count Egyptian cotton.” “Get out,” I said, my voice a low growl. His smile widened, a venomous glint in his eyes. “You know, Zane, the real reason Teri never got pregnant wasn’t because of you.” My heart stopped. “What are you talking about?” “She’s been grinding birth control pills into your food for years,” he whispered, leaning in close, his breath hot against my ear. “A high enough dose to make sure you’d be sterile for life. It was all part of the plan. Once you were broken, she could dump you, take your money, and marry me without any complications.” So that was it. That was why. A volcano of pure rage erupted inside me. I shot to my feet and slapped him across the face, the crack of the impact echoing in the small room. “You sick, twisted bastards!” Aiden stumbled back, but then a strange, crazed smile spread across his face. He took a few steps back, then threw himself dramatically to the floor and let out a blood-curdling scream. “Aah! What are you doing?!” The basement door was kicked open. Teri rushed in with her two goons. “Aiden!” she shrieked. She scrambled to his side, and seeing the red mark on his cheek, her face contorted with fury. She rounded on me. “Zane Ford! What did you do to him?!” Aiden buried his face in Teri’s shoulder, sobbing pathetically. “Teri, he… he tried to kill me!” “That’s a lie!” I roared. “He threw himself on the ground!” Teri wasn’t listening. Her eyes, fixed on me, were murderous. “Seize him! Tie him up!” Her men grabbed me, slamming me roughly against the wall and binding my hands. “Teri! You animal!” I thrashed against the ropes. “You’ve been poisoning me, haven’t you?! You’re the reason I can’t have kids!” Her face paled for a second, but then hardened into a mask of pure cruelty. “So what if I did? A man like you doesn’t deserve to have my children!” She turned and pulled a leather whip from a hook on the wall. “You dared to hurt my Aiden. Now, you’ll pay the price.” She raised the whip, a sadistic smile on her lips, and brought it down with a vicious crack. “AARGH!” The pain was blinding. The first lash tore open the skin on my back, leaving a weeping line of red. “That one,” she hissed, “is for Aiden!” CRACK! The second lash followed immediately. The blows rained down on me, a relentless storm of agony. I soon blacked out from the pain, only to be jolted back to consciousness by a bucket of icy water so the torture could continue. After the ninety-ninth lash, I was a broken, bleeding mess, collapsed on the filthy floor, barely breathing. Teri tossed the blood-soaked whip aside. “Drag him to the courthouse. I want his confession finalized today.” I was hauled out of the basement and shoved into a car. Every movement was agony as the raw wounds on my back scraped against the coarse fabric of the seat. By the time we arrived at the courthouse, dawn was breaking. Thanks to Teri’s “generosity” with the court officials, the hearing had been moved up. The moment I was dragged into the courtroom, Teri’s lawyer was on his feet. “Your Honor, my client voluntarily confesses. We request an immediate sentencing.” The judge picked up his gavel, ready to bring it down and seal my fate. But just as he did, the grand doors of the courtroom burst open. Every head turned. There stood Isabelle Moses, flanked by her legal team and a group of paramedics. She was dressed in a pristine power suit, every inch the commanding CEO, but her eyes, when they found me, were filled with a gut-wrenching pain. “As the plaintiff in this case,” she announced, her voice ringing with authority, “I am withdrawing all charges.” “Furthermore,” she continued, her gaze sweeping over my broken form, “I request immediate medical assistance for my fiancé, Mr. Ford.”
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