after being

8

Cole shouted angrily, “Shut up. Didn’t I warn you to stop pestering my ex–wife? You’re the real piece of work here.

“You know damn well why I called off the wedding.”

Reva’s face flashed with panic.

She still tried to plead her case, but Cole ignored her.

The staff, unable to watch anymore, led Reva to the defendant’s

seat.

During the trial, she denied everything she’d done that day. Watching her brazen face, I felt rage burning in my chest.

couldn’t believe how thick–skinned she could be.

She claimed the online videos were deepfakes.

She said the livestream was scripted.

She blamed her friends for egging her on to attack me.

But no matter how she tried to weasel out of it, her fingerprints were found on the mop at the school.

There was evidence of her on the chair that smashed my car window.

The security cameras by the school building caught her whole vandalism spree, clearly showing her face twisted with anger. Reva was sentenced and ordered to pay damages to me and the school.

When she heard the judge’s verdict, she exploded with rage.

“He cheated first. He hid his affair with his ex–wife. How was I wrong to lash out when I didn’t know? After we marry, half of what she spends will be mine. Why should I pay damages?” she retorted.

1 knew she couldn’t afford it.

So, I made sure to include compensation for emotional distress, intending to bleed her dry.

Cole told me they’d met when she first came to the city. He even bought the place she was living in

He’d found her several jobs, but she always complained they were too hard or her boss harassed her.

In the end, Cole covered all her living expenses.

And this was how she repaid him)

I couldn’t swallow this injustice.

After her meltdown, a calculating look flashed in Reva’s eyes,

She turned to Gode with a pitiful expression.

“Cole, how can we throw away years of love over this

misunderstanding? I’ve been with you for three years. How can you do this to me? A girl only has so many three–year chunks in her youth.

“You’re already divorced, which proves you two weren’t right for each other. Why won’t you give me a chance?” she said.

was afraid Cole might soften and let her off

But to my surprise, he just laughed coldly.

He sneered, “When I was on that business trip, I swung by your hometown to drop off some gifts for your parents. And well, do I need to spell out what I found?”

watched the color drain from Reya’s face.

Cold sweat trickled down her forehead.

Despair welled up in her eyes.

She couldn’t muster another word in her defense

Before we left the courthouse, Reva called out to Cole.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she sobbed, “Cole, do you have to do this? You said I was the love of your life.”

Cole’s eyes were devoid of emotion.

“Did I? Well, I guess I misjudged you,” he said.

With that, he turned and led me out of the courthouse.

Outside, a crowd of reporters had gathered, hoping for a scoop. We took a detour to the parking garage.

Once in the car, I couldn’t help but ask, “What happened in her hometown?”