The Three-Year Lie: A Wife's Vengeance

l clung to me, but I pushed it down, deep inside.

ity. "My head really hurts. And my face... it stings." I touched my cheek, feig

. He knelt beside me, his hand gentle on my arm. A shiver o

sive. She believed you were trying to seduce me. A misunderstanding, that's all." He sighed, shaking

woman who had brutally attacked me, triggering the return of m

ut... aren't we married? You said we were. Why would she think that?

mething unreadable in his eyes. Guilt? No, not Edgar. Anno

gaze back to his. "She just... she's had a difficult life. She admir

s good at this, I thought. So good at twisting reality, at painting himsel

if he didn't agree to the divorce and stay out of my life. That must have been why. Why he needed me gone. Why the accident. Why the memor

needs to be taught a lesson, clearly. I'll make sure she understands her place." He stroked my hair,

e was married to Amelie. The audacity. The sheer, unadult

edge that only I could hear. "She hurt me, Edgar. Physically. That's not okay." I looked up at him,

helped me up, his arm around my waist, guiding me towards the door. The familiar surround

She appeared from around the corner, her eyes darting between Edgar and me, a triumphant smirk play

oing to discuss the designs for the new wing. You know, the one for our master suite." Her gaze

new wing. The master

harp now, a warning. "We were jus

That I am?" She sauntered closer, her eyes gleaming with predatory confidence. "Look at her, Edg

ilver locket. My locket. The one my mother had given me on my eighte

innocence. "I found it. So old-fashioned, isn't it? But Edgar said you used to love

with joy. Now, those faces were gone, victims of a cruel lie. A

en back at Edgar. My face remained a mask

in my eyes. The confusion was real, a mixture of the feigned amnesi

d." She turned to Edgar. "See? I told you she was completel

's arm, his grip tig

She needs to know her place! She needs to know I am the woman

morph into a childlike bewilderment. "El

g in the grand hallway. "Both of you! This is ridiculous." He turned to me, his voice quickly regaining its false calm

a low hiss. "Go to your room, Amelie

mped off, the silk robe swishing, but not b

gar turned to me, his face a complex ma

emotional. And she's very protective of me. She misunderstood everything." He sighed dramatically. "Your accident

ting the narrative, twisting the knife. He was blaming the

hispered, my voice still fragile. "But you s

After your 'death,' it was... a way for her to carry on your legacy. It was her way of coping with the loss. And a way to keep Everett Industries

or I disguised as fear. My parents' legacy. Stepping i

e catching. "Why would she hurt me if she a

away. "She's afraid, my love. Afraid of losing me. Afraid of losing what she has built. She se

re that made my skin crawl. "I would never let a

ike a promise, but I heard a threat. He would never let me

pulling away slightly. "I feel so confu

and, my love. You've been through so much. Perhaps... perhaps it's be

I'm not ready. My head still hurts." I pushed at his chest lightly, a gesture of gentle reject

public face of Everett Industries. We can't just send her away." He paused, a wicked gleam

Was this a test?

"I just... I just want peace. And for her not to t

xisted? Think of it, Elise. Both of you by my side. You, the true heart of Everett Industrie

keep his stolen empire, his stolen wife, and his priso

ld and sharp. This was his weakness. H

my voice barely above a whisper.

won't dare touch you again. She won't say anything to upset you. You have my word. As long

tainty. "And she won't... she won't pretend to be

e. It's too late to change that. But she won't diminish you. I promise. You will alwa

y my life. With the man who had ordered my death. But this was my

y from me. No more touching. No more hitting. No more calling herself...

urn, my love, you will be kind to her. Understand her situati

s view. Incapacitated. He meant dead. I agre

kingdom. I would find a way out. I would gather every piece of evidence. I would reclaim my name, my fortune, my identity. And I would make

ghting. I secretly reached for the burner phone still hidden in my pocke

king my hair. "That's my Eli

hroat. Understanding? He would see