Chapter 4
Two days later, Caroline’s design won a gold award.
Claude threw a lavish celebration party just for her.
Under the crystal chandeliers, he stayed by Caroline’s side the entire time-deflecting drinks from her, adjusting her dress, being ridiculously attentive.
The guests whispered among themselves, saying Mr. Preston was so good to his childhood friend but so cold to his wife. If Aaliyah hadn’t kept desperately trying to save their marriage, it would’ve ended ages ago.
Aaliyah stood in the corner, swirling her champagne glass, tuning out their gossip.
Halfway through the party, she stepped outside to the man-made lake for some air.
The night breeze was cool, clearing away some of the alcohol fog.
What’s wrong? Finally can’t stand it anymore?”
Caroline’s voice came from behind her, dripping with vicious satisfaction.
he clicked over in her heels, standing next to Aaliyah with a mocking smirk. “If I were you, I would’ve crawled away with my tail between my legs ages ago.”
Aaliyah didn’t even bother looking at her. “Move.”
Oh, what’s with the high and mighty act? You chased Claude for four years, been married for three, and you still can’t get him to look at you twice. How
athetic is that?
‘ou know what? I could shove you in right now and he still wouldn’t give a shit about you.”
he moment she finished speaking, Aaliyah felt a violent shove-
Splash!”
he icy lake water instantly swallowed Aaliyah’s mouth and nose. She struggled to call for help but only swallowed more water.
hrough her blurred vision, she saw a figure frantically rushing over, diving into the lake without hesitation.
Aaliyah!!!”
laude’s voice was panicked in a way she’d never heard before. He swam toward her desperately, his arms wrapping around her waist in a death grip.
n her daze, Aaliyah saw his eyes-the fear and desperation in them were so real, it left her momentarily stunned.
tanding on the shore, Caroline was completely frozen. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing-
laude, who was always so cold to Aaliyah, had just jumped into the lake like he’d lost his mind.
he way he held Aaliyah-like he was protecting some precious treasure he’d lost and found again.
lo, no way!
he had to be seeing things!!
fter pulling her to shore, Claude knelt down and gave her mouth-to-mouth, his long fingers shaking uncontrollably. Only when she coughed up some water id he seem to breathe again.
ut the next second, his expression froze, as if he suddenly realized something.
le stood up, quickly shutting down all emotion, slipping back into that cold, distant mask. “What kind of idiot falls into a lake at a party?”
Laliyah sat on the ground, soaking wet, her fingers gripping her drenched dress, but her voice was crystal clear: “I didn’t fall. Caroline pushed me.”
Caroline’s eyes immediately filled with tears, shaking her head frantically. “Aaliyah, I didn’t! How can you accuse me like this?”
Fine,” Aaliyah let out a cold laugh, shakily pulling out her phone. “Since you won’t admit it, let’s call the cops. Attempted murder is a serious fucking crime.”
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99 Divorce Games: The Final Round Goes My Way
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The moment her finger touched the dial button, Claude grabbed her wrist.
“Enough.” His voice was low, his grip so tight it felt like he might crush her bones. “Caroline didn’t mean it. Don’t blow this out of proportion.”
Aaliyah looked up in disbelief. “She almost killed me!”
“But you’re standing right here, aren’t you!” Claude’s voice got sharper, his eyes narrowing in warning. “Cut the drama.”
Aaliyah suddenly felt like this was all completely ridiculous.
She knew Claude needed Caroline as a tool to make her jealous.
But for this sick game, he actually didn’t care about her life?
“I’m not making a scene.” She spoke each word carefully, her finger firmly pressing 911. “I have to call the police.”
“I said enough!” Claude’s voice exploded, snatching her phone away. “You’re not thinking clearly. Go back and think about what you’ve done.”
He waved over his security. “Take her to the isolation room. Stays there until she gets her head straight!”
As the bodyguards dragged her toward the isolation room, Aaliyah fought them with everything she had.
“Claude! Are you insane?” she screamed hoarsely. “She tried to kill me! You know she did!”
Her nails clawed bloody scratches into the guards’ arms, her heels falling off as she struggled.
But the guards were too strong-she was like a butterfly with pinned wings, all her thrashing useless.
When the isolation room door slammed shut, Aaliyah’s pupils constricted sharply.
The windowless room was barely three square meters, and darkness swallowed her whole like a tide.
“Let me out…” her voice began to shake.
Claustrophobia wrapped around her throat like an invisible hand.
She remembered being ten years old, when her stepmother locked her in the basement for three days and nights.
That feeling of being abandoned by the entire world crashed over her again after all these years.
Aaliyah curled up in the corner, her nails digging deep into her palms.
She could hear rats scurrying in the darkness, and she bit her lip hard, not daring to make a sound.
Time became meaningless-could have been an hour, could have been a whole day.
She refused to eat any food they brought, knocked over the water glass.
Her throat burned like fire, but the psychological torture was worse than any physical pain.
The next day, when the isolation room door finally opened, the harsh light made Aaliyah instinctively squeeze her eyes shut.
“Still gonna press charges?” Claude’s voice came from above her.
She weakly lifted her head to see his silhouette against the light.
After one day, he was still perfectly dressed, not a wrinkle in sight. Meanwhile, she looked like a lunatic-hair disheveled, completely wrecked.
Aaliyah suddenly laughed, laughed until tears streamed down her face. “No… I won’t press charges.”
Her voice was soft as a whisper. “I won’t pursue anything anymore.”
She just wanted freedom.
Away from Caroline, away from Claude, away from this suffocating prison.
Claude frowned at her strange reaction, an inexplicable unease stirring in his chest.
But quickly, he slipped back into his cold expression. “Remember what you just said.”
He turned and left, missing the look of absolute resolve in Aaliyah’s eyes.
