Rift in the perfect picture

Chapter 0460

Three years later, on a stormy night, the Coral Villa was shrouded in darkness, with only a faint light illuminating the living room.

Nicholas sat in a recliner by the window. He narrowed his eyes as he scrolled through today’s trending videos on his phone.

In the first year, Pete had set a trap that left Annie’s company with debts amounting to hundreds of billions while filing for divorce.

In the second year, I sued for breach of contract and won. The once–dominant figure in the fashion industry changed its name overnight.

By the third year, I dominated the courtroom, ensuring Annie received not a single penny of their assets, enabling Pete to divorce without any loss.

In just three years, Pete’s name had become inseparably tied to mine. Meanwhile, Nicholas was known only for the viral video of him crying at the airport, pleading to win back his ex–wife.

To others, Nicholas was a laughingstock, a relic of my past.

In the video, Pete was the first to present me the flowers after the legal proceedings. People remarked that it was a tale of redemption between childhood friends.

Nicholas silently raised his gaze, his dark eyes locking onto a petite figure outside the window. His childhood friend” was kneeling in the rain, drenched by the downpour.

In the darkness, Beth limped slightly and approached with a towel.

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She bowed with a humble posture and said softly, “Mr. Hawk, Ms. Claudia has been kneeling for two hours. It’s cold at night. With the rain, she might not be able to endure it.”

D

Nicholas turned off his phone screen. He took the towel from Beth and silently wiped his hands before tossing the towel to the floor.

“Tell her to come in.”

Beth opened the door, and Claudia crawled toward the entrance but was blocked by her.

Claudia lifted her head, her wet hair sticking to her face and revealing only half of her eye. She stared at Beth with that eye.

The corner of her lips curled slightly, and her voice sent chills down Beth’s spine. “Just a dog. I should have killed you back then!”

Beth looked down at Claudia, her eyes filled with suppressed hatred. She would never forget how Claudia had tormented her.

If Nicholas hadn’t regained his fighting spirit and remembered her as the secretary he relied on, she might have already been dead and buried in some ditch.

My departure was something Nicholas could not let go of. If Claudia hadn’t harbored feelings for him, I would never have left..

From that moment on, Nicholas could no longer see Claudia as a sister. The two inevitably grew distant.

Beth seized the opportunity to expose the terrifying white building to him. With just a little investigation, he could find out what kind of treatment Claudia had given him. It would add fuel to his disappointment

in her.

With a cold smile on her lips, she instructed, “Mr. Hawk has ordered you to wipe off the water from your body when you come in. The carpet under his feet is Mrs. Hawk’s favorite.”

Claudia laughed as if she had heard a joke. “This house belongs to me! Nick gave it to me personally. As his dog, how could you not know?”

When I moved out of Coral Villa, Claudia had ordered all of my belongings thrown out.

What she didn’t realize was that Nicholas’s memory was sharper than she thought. He repurchased everything and restored the Coral Villa to its former state.

Beth simply smiled. “The house is under Mr. Hawk’s name now. I advise you to hurry. He hasn’t given you much time.”

Claudia gritted her teeth in fury. She stood up and began to undress, garments soon piling at her feet. Beth looked away. “You’re far from being compared to Mrs. Hawk.”