Chapter 86
“Sean, I have never wronged you.” Myra suddenly lifted her head and met the gaze of the happy couple before her. “I don’t know what’s going on with Lyla and your baby, but I’ve never harmed your child. Over the past two years, I have never forgotten my duty as your wife. Not only have I been serious about our family, but I even kept our marriage a secret and worked as a designer in the company for your sake. But in the end, everything has turned out to be just my wishful thinking.”
For two years, Myra had shed the pretentious airs of a rich family’s daughter and plunged herself into the hardships of the workplace. She had donned business attire, despite the grueling environment, without once complaining or thinking of backing down for the sake of his career. However, now, her attire, which once symbolized dedication, seemed too rigid and out of place, making her appear cold and distant when compared to the softness of the long green dress that symbolized tenderness.
“Do you know nothing about the baby?” Sean’s eyes narrowed as he stared coldly at her. “Myra, are you pretending to be clueless, or are you just trying to shirk your responsibility? Would Lyla and I have lost the baby if you hadn’t spiked her drink back then? What kind of show are you trying to put on right now? Don’t you think you’re being too full of yourself?”
Spiking Lyla’s drink… Myra suddenly had a sinking feeling. She raised her head, her eyes wide with shock. “I never offered her any drinks,” she said softly, almost in disbelief. “Did she miscarry after our encounter?”
Sean’s expression darkened further. “That’s right,” he said icily. “Didn’t you go to meet Lyla to reassure her that you wouldn’t marry me? Why did you get rid of our baby? And why did you end up marrying me?”
Myra’s face drained of color, her mind spinning in confusion. It was her fault for marrying Sean in the first place, but the baby… The baby…
“I’ve never spiked any of her drinks! I wasn’t the one who did it… And how do you know it was because of the drink that she miscarried?” Myra’s voice trembled as she desperately searched for an explanation.
Could it be that Lyla, the cunning woman, set her up? Had she framed her like this to make her the scapegoat?
At that moment, Lyla let out a sob, her voice breaking the tension in the room. “Sean… that’s enough… The baby… didn’t have the luck to come into this world… Don’t blame Myra anymore… I’ve given up long ago…”
Sean’s face turned stormy as he glared at Myra. “You didn’t spike her drink?” he scoffed bitterly. “Do you know that Lyla was rushed to the hospital for a miscarriage right after leaving the café? She even asked the waiter to keep the cup she used, and it was found that the drink had been spiked with something you prepared beforehand!”
Myra’s body shook violently. She didn’t know what had gone wrong. “I didn’t… I really didn’t…” she whispered, her voice trembling.
But it was too late. She had already been labeled as the villain in Sean’s eyes. He had accused her of trying to harm Eris when that woman jumped into the water before. Now, he was accusing her of causing Lyla’s miscarriage.
Tears welled up in Myra’s eyes, but she shut them, trying to hold herself together. “Alright, I know you’ll never believe me no matter what I say now.” She looked at Lyla, who was crying miserably next to Sean, as if she were the one who had killed her baby. But Myra knew better than anyone whether she had harmed the baby.
“Lyla, you said just now that you hadn’t won because you were waiting for all this to happen, right?” Myra’s voice cracked as she sank her fingernails deep into her palm, trying to keep her rage in check. “You’ve won now… Sean, I’m just a vicious woman to you anyway. Aren’t you waiting for me to ask for a divorce? You’ve been looking for excuses to blame me since Lyla came back. You accused me of killing your baby because you want to leave yourself a way to get back together with the woman who once dumped you! Well, I’ll grant your wish!”
Sean stared at Myra, his eyes filled with a flicker of something — regret? Confusion? But before he could process his thoughts, Lyla cried out in pain, “Ouch! You’ve hurt my hand, Sean!”
Sean snapped out of his thoughts and immediately looked down at Lyla, her pitiful expression pulling him back to reality. He had been consumed with worry when he received her message earlier, but even though he hated her, he still loved her. He feared she might suffer injustice. On the other hand, Myra had made so many mistakes; he had honored their marriage for two years, but now he realized it was time to let go.
As this realization settled in, the strange feeling he had just moments ago — when Myra spoke — vanished. He met her eyes again, his lips curling into a cold sneer. “It’s best to do so,” he said, almost as if he had decided it long ago.
Then, suddenly, something occurred to him. He turned to Myra, his voice cold. “I’ll return every single percent of the Stark Family’s shares that you invested in the Chase Group back then.”
It was clear now: Sean was eager to sever all ties with her, especially now that Lyla had returned. Myra had already been in despair, but hearing his words — confirming that he was truly going to cast her aside — left her breathless with pain.
“As you wish,” she whispered through a tight throat.
Her heart felt like it was being torn apart, yet she forced herself to maintain her composure. Straightening her back, she turned and slowly walked toward the café’s exit. The sunlight outside cast her figure in sharp relief, making her seem smaller, thinner, more fragile than before. The bustling world around her seemed so distant, and she felt like a stranger in it, lost and alone.
As she stepped into the sunlight, a strange feeling tugged at Sean’s chest. For a moment, he wanted to rush after her, but the thought quickly passed.
“Sean, you’re unwilling to let me suffer injustice, after all…” Lyla’s soft voice broke through his thoughts. She pulled away from him, her eyes filled with sorrow and longing. “You’re here, after all. I was afraid you wouldn’t come… Sean… you believe me, don’t you? I didn’t mean to leave you back then… I love you… I had my own difficulties at the time…”
Lyla’s words pierced Sean’s heart. She had won. Myra stood no chance against the woman who had manipulated him so expertly.
He looked down at Lyla, seeing the slap mark still lingering on her cheek — the mark left by Myra. The contrast was stark: Lyla, delicate and innocent; Myra, vicious and cold.
Would they have been apart all this time if not for his mother’s pressure and Myra’s cruelty? Would they have misunderstood each other for so long if not for the manipulations and lies that had clouded everything?
As Sean’s gaze lingered on Lyla, the answers seemed clear.