Chapter 2The Curse of Betrayal

Three days later, Natalie finally released me from the isolated guest suite.

My throat was raw, my body a hollow ache. I couldn’t even summon the strength to meet her gaze.

She walked in, delivering a sharp kick to my stomach. “Ethan Sterling, I never thought you’d be so malicious!”

“What have I done?” I rasped, my voice barely a whisper.

She didn’t answer. Instead, she ordered the guards to drag me to the back garden. The rough cobblestones scraped my skin raw, painting my legs in shades of purple and blue. Seeing my agony, a flicker of disgust crossed her face. “You knew Dylan was allergic to flowers, yet you deliberately filled the garden with roses. Were you trying to kill him?”

My lips parted, but no words came. She’d forgotten, hadn't she? Forgotten that the one who truly loved roses was herself, and that this sprawling sea of blossoms was a surprise I’d cultivated for her over a year and a half ago.

I gave a self-deprecating laugh. “I’ll clean it up now.”

I struggled to my feet, limping into the flowerbed, tearing out the roses with my bare hands. Thorns tore at my palms, blood bloomed against my skin, trailing crimson down my wrists. Natalie’s eyelids fluttered at the sight, but she coolly averted her gaze. “Don’t bother with the dramatics. It only makes me loathe you more.” With that, she clenched her fists and departed.

When I pulled out the last rose, my body gave out. I collapsed onto the ground.

The next morning, I woke to find my hands and face bandaged. I got up to look for Natalie, and as I neared her study, I heard her furious voice from within. “Why are they tearing up signed contracts? I’ve sunk every liquid asset we have into those deals! Why am I suddenly plagued by such bad luck? Go deal with those cancelled projects first. I need to figure something out…”

The curse, I realized, was beginning its dance.

I pushed the door open and walked in.

Natalie put down her phone and looked up at me. “Ethan Sterling, what do you want? Now that you’re awake, go whip up some soup for me in the kitchen.”

“And remember to add plenty of salt. Dylan wants a bowl too, he prefers his food extra savory. Go on, get to the kitchen.”

I, who had barely lifted a finger in the kitchen my entire life, had learned to cook and make soup for her, all because she once murmured about wanting the warmth of a homemade meal. Now, my hands were still stinging and scabbed from the roses; I couldn’t even touch water.

I scoffed. “I can make it. Just don’t complain if it tastes like poison.”

“Are you itching for another stint in that room?” Natalie’s face darkened.

I sat down in the chair opposite her, crossing my legs. “Natalie Hayes, I advise you to sign the divorce papers while there’s still something left to salvage.”

“You’re already carrying another man’s child. Let’s part ways amicably.”

Natalie stared at me, her eyes hardening with a bitter venom. “You think I’m behind these… setbacks? That you had someone tamper with my projects as revenge?”

Her accusation made me laugh, a short, sharp sound. “Miss Hayes, you had me locked away for three days! How could I possibly orchestrate such a grand scheme?”

“You’d better not have!” she scoffed. “Don’t even think about divorce. You won’t get to just walk away now.”

“If you hadn’t lied to me, Ethan, I never would have mistaken you for Dylan. I wouldn’t have wasted five years of my life with you, and he wouldn’t have been hurt so badly.”

I frowned, trying to make sense of her words. “What lie did I tell you?”

She sneered. “Still playing innocent? I know everything. Ten years ago, you dragged me from the cliff…”

Dylan burst in, cutting her off. “Natalie, darling, we need to head to the hospital for our prenatal appointment. The car’s already waiting.”