Chapter 79
“What are you trying to say?”
“I’m saying… we can’t change what’s already happened, but we can influence what comes next. The fact that you did something bad… that she’s been hurt? It doesn’t just disappear. No amount of ‘I’m sorry’ will fix it. What if she’s caught up in some scam? What way of getting out is there? Once people hear about this, do you think they’ll care if you manage to bring her back? Secrets always have consequences. How will you explain this?”
She stepped closer, resting a hand on his shoulder, leaning in to continue. “Chase, you know you have to make tough choices.”
“I’m a woman too. If I went through something like that… If it were my family… just living would be unbearable. There’d be only one thought in my mind: to end it all. I couldn’t bear to face my family.”
“Her mind would be forever scarred. Even if she’s rescued, those mental wounds could last a lifetime. The slightest thing could trigger her. Even if she doesn’t harm herself while she’s there, the chances of her doing so afterward are high. Do you understand what that means? In this age of social media, no one’s free from judgment. Have you thought about losing face? Sure, Amanda’s a victim, but the weight of public opinion could crush her, and you’d become the laughingstock. What would people say? That your wife’s tainted, that she’s been with countless men…”
“Enough,” Chase interrupted, his face darkening as he seemed to picture it all too vividly.
“You know I care about you, and I genuinely want what’s best. If you stick by Amanda, people will mock you. If you divorce her, they’ll call you cold-hearted. Once gossip spreads, it’s not just your reputation at risk, but the company’s, too. With Derek waiting in the wings… what do you think Grandpa would decide?”
Nicole pressed down on Chase’s shoulder. He shivered. “So this is a dead end?”
Nicole pressed harder, whispering in his ear, “Being replaced by Derek is just a matter of time. There’s a simple way out. Just stay out of it. Amanda’s already vanished, and no one can link it back to you. Even if something comes out… the worst is that she’d disappear without a trace, and no one would ever know she was Mrs. Reyes. She’ll be gone, and no blame will fall on you.”
Chase looked at Nicole intently. “Are you telling me to do nothing? To leave my wife in that place?”
Nicole dropped her pretense of vulnerability and smirked. “Chase, you need a partner who can stand by you, not one with a shadowy past. Do you really want to hand over the Reyes family empire on a silver platter? If Derek comes back, and suddenly Amanda is missing… it’s possible he orchestrated her disappearance.”
“Are you saying he laid this trap… and is just waiting for me to fall into it?”