After finishing her conversation with the wealthy man, Naomi Catherine called a taxi and returned home alone. Initially, she thought her situation with Liam Claude could be resolved simply, but now, it was clear that things were far from easy.
As Catherine unlocked her door, a sudden rush of reporters from various media outlets swarmed from behind, snapping photos, recording, and shoving microphones into her face. Catherine was taken aback by their curiosity and relentless ambition. The harsh flashes of the cameras and the rapid-fire questions hit her like a storm, leaving her feeling exposed and vulnerable.
In that moment, Catherine knew exactly who was behind this intrusion—Annie. She had been the one to provide her address and call the reporters. Liam Claude would never stoop so low. He understood Catherine's ultimate limit, but Annie... Annie had no such boundaries.
The people outside her door pushed and shoved, fighting for a glimpse of her private life. None of them cared for her well-being. They only wanted sensational headlines, regardless of the emotional toll it would take on her. Catherine felt like a mouse caught in a cage, trapped by the frenzy of the media, each moment more suffocating than the last.
"Why are you doing this, Catherine?" A reporter suddenly shoved a microphone in her face. "Are you really manipulating Liam Claude, threatening him to replace Annie?"
The words stung, and Catherine's eyes narrowed with fury. She had been expecting this, but the sudden onslaught of questions felt like a tidal wave crashing over her. She opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. The world felt dizzy, like the ground beneath her was disappearing.
"Did you cause Liam Claude to betray Annie? Are you the one responsible for all the trouble in his relationship with her?" Another journalist pressed forward, pushing harder.
Catherine stood frozen, her mind racing as she tried to piece together the whirlwind of events. How had everything come to this? How had she gone from being a woman in love to a villain in the eyes of the world?
She was overwhelmed, the questions never stopping, the cameras never ceasing. The reporters pressed on, shoving their microphones toward her with a hunger for scandal. The more they prodded, the more Catherine's sense of control slipped away.
"Enough!" she snapped, but her voice was drowned out by the cacophony of voices demanding answers. She struggled to move past them, her chest tight, her breath shallow. It was like they were choking the very air from her lungs.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Catherine managed to push through the crowd, stumbling into her house. She slammed the door behind her, leaning against it for support. Her mind was racing—she had narrowly escaped the suffocating chaos outside, but what was waiting for her inside felt even worse.
As she turned to face the room, her stomach dropped. There, standing in the center of her home, were Liam Claude and Annie. Liam's strong arms were wrapped around Annie's waist, holding her close, as though they were a couple in love. The sight of them together hit Catherine like a physical blow. It wasn't just the betrayal—it was the way they were so unashamed of it, like she was invisible, like she no longer mattered.
They had been waiting for her.
"Come here, Catherine," Liam's voice was cold, bitter, almost mocking.
Annie leaned into him, her smug smile unmistakable as she looked Catherine up and down. "She's back, Claude. Look, she's been dragged through the mud by the press. She's the troublemaker now." Annie's voice dripped with satisfaction, as if she had already won.
Catherine's heart pounded in her chest. The storm inside her mind was deafening. She wanted to scream, to throw something, to break something—anything to relieve the fury building up inside her. But she stood still, biting back the tears, forcing herself to stay composed.
"Annie, you're really good at this, aren't you?" Catherine said, her voice low but sharp. She was trying to maintain control, but the weight of the situation pressed down on her with every word. "You've managed to turn everything around. Now, the whole world thinks I'm the villain."
Liam chuckled, his gaze cold and dismissive. "Really? It seems like you've played your part well too. And now, what's left for you, Catherine? Just the title of relationship wrecker?"
Annie's laughter was loud and mocking. "Oh, last night, hearing you beg for his attention, I was so scared... But look at you now. You're just an inferior assistant, while I'm a hot, famous model. They've seen Liam and me together countless times. Who do you think the public will believe?"
Her words pierced Catherine's heart like a dagger. "For how many years did you stay by his side, pretending to be a loving assistant?" Annie taunted. "You have nothing, Catherine."
Desperation crept into Catherine's voice. She tried to stand tall, but it was hard. Her whole life had been a sacrifice for love, for Liam, and now it felt like she was being thrown away. "Enough," Catherine said, her voice trembling with emotion. "I loved you, Liam. I gave everything for you, but now, I see it. I was just a pawn in your game."
Liam let out a bitter laugh. "Give up? What will you do after you give up? You were the one forcing me, Catherine. I'm just protecting myself now—with Annie."
Annie's face twisted with frustration, and she lunged toward Catherine, her hand swinging through the air, but Liam stopped her. "Enough, Annie! She's not worth our time or anger," Liam said, his voice sharp.
Catherine stood there, feeling numb. She was exhausted, emotionally drained, but still, she refused to back down. She locked eyes with Liam. "You might own this house now, but we built it together. Maybe it's only fair that we end things here, once and for all."
Annie stormed off, fuming with anger. "Fine. I'll give you a minute. But remember, Liam, I'm your girlfriend now." Her words were laced with venom as she walked away.
Liam's gaze turned cold. "Catherine, you can leave now," he said, his voice empty of any warmth.
Catherine took a step back, her heart heavy with everything she had just experienced. "Leave? Fine, I'll leave, but I won't leave a single thing behind for you." Her words were firm, cutting through the tension like a knife.
Liam chuckled, his eyes filled with disdain. "Then leave. I don't need your presence here."
Catherine's fists clenched, but she refused to let her emotions get the best of her. "I loved you, Liam. I sacrificed everything for you. Ten years. Ten years it took me to see who you really are."
Liam brushed off her words with a dismissive laugh. "It's all over, Catherine. Don't fool yourself."
"I don't need your lies anymore," Catherine shot back, her voice filled with conviction. "I can't trust a word you say."
Annie's voice rang out from inside. "Enough. You should leave. Everyone's been waiting for you to fall. It's your turn now."
Catherine ignored the venom in Annie's words and turned toward the door. "Send me an invitation when you get married, Annie," she said with a cold smile, then walked out without another word.
As she stepped outside, the reporters were still waiting, hounding her with more questions. Catherine felt a cold dread settle over her. But this time, she wasn't going to give in. She refused to let them dictate her story.
"Catherine, you've been fired, haven't you?" one reporter asked, thrusting a microphone into her face.
"Do you have any apologies for Claude and Annie?" another chimed in.
Catherine didn't respond. She simply walked away, ignoring their attempts to pull her back into their drama. But just as she reached a nearby park, the weight of everything hit her. She broke down, collapsing onto a bench and crying.
After a while, she fumbled in her pocket, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper with a phone number scribbled on it—Lucius's number. She stared at it for a long time, then pressed the call button.
Lucius answered quickly. "Catherine, are you okay?"
Her voice was steady, but filled with something darker. "If I agree with your plans, will you help me get revenge on them?"
A tall figure in a dark vest approached her, blocking half of the sunlight. It was Lucius.
"Very pleased, Mrs. Ravenswood Catherine," he said with a smirk.
Catherine's heart skipped a beat, the weight of his presence grounding her. She hadn't expected him to be the one to come for her now. But in that moment, it felt like maybe—just maybe—she had someone on her side.
Lucius lifted Catherine's face, their eyes meeting, his voice firm. "I'd rather see you cry over a pile of money than cry over that garbage, my lady."