ISLA-
Alistair’s voice thundered across the office—his icy demeanor turned the luxurious room into a dreadful place.
The couple’s faces paled in horror as they shook their heads incoherently.
And I, as well, felt goosebumps all over my body.
I never realized how powerful and ruthless Alistair could be until now.
“She is my wife.
And you dared to slander her name in public that easily…” His tone dropped to a cold murmur, more lethal than a shout.
I was momentarily stunned by his words again.
WIFE.
Hearing him say it with that brutal conviction, in front of strangers, made something inside me tremble.
The Carters began to stammer, their excuses tumbling over each other.
“W-we didn’t know—”
”Exactly.” His deep voice cut through the silence in the room.
“You didn’t know.
And now, you will pay for your ignorance.”
Alistair nodded toward Evan, who immediately placed a folder on the desk.
With one hand, Alistair picked it up, then tossed it at the Carters.
It slid across the floor, stopping just in front of them.
“Do you want to know what we found?” His voice was cold, deliberate.
“Your child didn’t die because of her surgery.
The report is clear—he had an underlying disease.
A condition you never disclosed.”
My heart thumped hard as I heard his words.
The Carters were clearly framing me, and for what?
For money?
Did they think I had that kind of fortune?
Mrs.
Carter’s face went pale.
“T-that’s not true!
You’re lying—”
Alistair slammed his palm against the desk, the sharp sound echoing through the office.
“Do you dare deny it in front of me?”
The couple recoiled, trembling under the weight of his fury.
Mr.
Carter swallowed hard, unable to hold his gaze.
“Who told you to do it?”
Alistair’s words were simple, but they carried the promise of a death sentence if they dared to lie again.
“N-no one.
We did it of our own will!” Mrs.
Carter still denied it without batting an eyelid.
Her husband threw her an angry look.
Their silence stretched for a moment, before Alistair’s chilling voice came—more grave this time.
“You dare accuse my wife without proof.
You dare drag her name into the mud for your convenience.
Do you think I’ll let that slide?”
He turned toward his assistant and casually gave him an order.
“Tell our men to throw this garbage into the den. Visit g.com for the full chapter.
It’s time to feed my pets.”
The couple’s jaws dropped, and so did mine.
Who wouldn’t know about Alistair’s strange taste for keeping pets?
He was actually raising a pack of wild wolves!
It had been reported many times that he rescued wild wolves whenever he went hunting in the most dangerous mountains.
Weird, right?
But because of his endless connections, no one dared question him about it.
And wherever those wolves were kept, nobody knew.
And now, these two were about to become prey.
“It—it was Ms.
Montgomery,” Mr.
Carter blurted out.
Alistair’s eyes narrowed dangerously.
“Ms.
Montgomery?”
The couple nodded frantically, their fear evident on their faces.
“Her personal butler came to us the last time.
The order was to ruin Dr.
Bennett’s reputation and—and make sure she was stripped of her license and removed from the hospital.
He—he gave us a lot of money.
We didn’t want to do it at first.
But the butler threatened us.”
”We didn’t know Dr.
Bennett was your wife.
Mr.
Montgomery, please…
spare our lives!
We’re very sorry for our ignorance,” Mr.
Carter pleaded pitifully.
Alistair’s expression darkened, his jaw clenching tightly.
“Pathetic.”
I sat frozen, my thoughts spinning uncontrollably.
I couldn’t think of another Ms.
Montgomery aside from Stacey.
But why would she do this to me?
We didn’t know each other—we had no history or any conflict.
There was no reason for her to target me so viciously.
Well, if there was, maybe it was simply her disliking me for her brother.
But isn’t that too unreasonable?
Right.
How could I forget?
Stacey was Liana’s friend.
Of course.
My sister never needed her own hands to get dirty. Find the original chapter at g.com.
She knew exactly how to twist people to her side, how to drip venom into their ears until they believed they were fighting her battles for her.
My chest tightened as I looked back at the Carters.
They were just pawns, the same way I had been for years.
Only this time, the one pulling the strings was someone far more dangerous.
The couple tried to explain and apologize over and over, but the damage was done.
Alistair’s cold and indifferent presence broke them apart.
He flicked his hand, a simple gesture, and two of his men stepped forward.
“Throw them out.
Make sure they never crawl their way back into this city’s circle again,” he ordered.
The couple cried out, still pleading, but the sound grated in my ears.
I didn’t pity them—not after everything they had tried to do to me.
Still, watching how quickly their lives crumbled at Alistair’s command left me unsettled.
When the door finally shut behind them, the horrible silence continued.
My heart thudded unevenly.
Alistair went back to his desk and sank into his chair, his sharp gaze finally landing on me.
I couldn’t breathe for a moment.
But I still found the courage to ask him.
“W-what are you going to do with them?” My voice trembled a little.
His expression remained unfazed as he leaned back.
“Teach them a lesson.
A snake, even if it sheds its skin, will remain a snake.
They’re venomous.”
”From now on,” his unwavering gaze settled on me, “anyone who dares touch you is declaring war on me.”
The words sank into me, heavy and confusing.
Part of me wanted to thank him.
Another part recoiled, uneasy at how absolute he sounded, how tightly he bound me with that single sentence.
I found my voice, though it came out softer than I meant.
“You didn’t have to go this far.
I could’ve handled—”
”Enough.” His tone cut me off, final.
“You’re Mrs.
Montgomery.
Act like it.”
My throat felt like it was closing up.
His words should have felt like protection, but instead, they felt like chains tightening around me.
He didn’t say another word, returning to his paperwork, already dismissing the matter as if nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, my thoughts spun.
Stacey Montgomery.
Liana.
If Liana was already pulling strings inside his family, then this marriage isn’t just a contract I can hide behind.
It’s a battlefield waiting to swallow me whole.
And I wasn’t sure if I had the strength to stand in the middle of it.