Chapter 14

Joshua froze, as if a mental switch had flipped. He regained his senses, reluctantly releasing Alice. Seizing the opportunity, Alice swiftly kicked him in the groin. Pain contorted Joshua's face, immobilizing him. Alice quickly stood, straightened her clothes, and shook off the tension. Fear lingered, but her anger intensified, overwhelming her with the urge to inflict serious harm. However, realizing she was outnumbered and at a disadvantage, she suppressed her fury, grabbed the divorce agreement, and headed for the door.

Lilliana descended the stairs, blocking Alice's path. Disdain filled her eyes as she sneered, "Despicable bitch." Alice's anger flared. She glared at Lilliana, who stood her ground.

"You talk about divorce, yet you shamelessly interfere in my relationship with Joshua," Lilliana hissed. "I never took you for such a manipulative woman."

Joshua, enduring the pain, stood. Lilliana continued, "Don't pretend Joshua forced you. I ignored you for two years of our marriage. Why would he change now?"

Joshua firmly grasped Lilliana's arm. "Lilliana, stop. It's beneath you."

Alice stood tall, a mocking smile playing on her lips. "I never imagined a mistress could be so audacious."

Lilliana's anger erupted. "What ridiculous accusations are you making?"

Before she could finish, Alice slapped her. The sound reverberated through the room, shocking both Lilliana and Joshua.

"Did you not understand? Perhaps this will clarify things," Alice said coldly, her gaze fixed on Lilliana.

Lilliana's face flushed. Screaming, she broke free from Joshua's embrace and shrieked, "How dare you hit me!"

Enraged, Lilliana lunged, but Alice swiftly grabbed her wrist and slapped her again. Lilliana staggered back, her vision blurring, her screams echoing.

When Joshua recovered, he grabbed Lilliana and turned to Alice. "That's enough, Alice!"

Alice, reaching her limit, shook her hand and stared at them. "One slap for your filthy words, the other for your disgusting actions. You're a celebrity, and you stoop to drugging someone? Do you have no shame?"

Joshua's confusion mounted. "What are you talking about? Drugging?"

Alice, refusing to remain, left. The door slammed shut, leaving the room in chaos. Lilliana's face was swollen, her sobs racking her body. Joshua's irritation grew with each sob. He fetched ice and applied it to Lilliana's face.

When the room fell silent, he asked, "What did Alice mean by 'drug'?"

Hatred filled Lilliana's tear-filled eyes. "On your second anniversary, I drugged her with a love potion to make her sleep with someone else."

Rage surged through Joshua. He fought back the curses threatening to escape. Lilliana, noticing his grim expression, asked, "What? Do you feel bad for her now? Are you upset?" "I just wanted to ensure she wouldn't cling to you and refuse the divorce," she explained.

Joshua closed his eyes, battling his anger. He wanted to strangle her for her stupidity, but he couldn't afford to alienate Lilliana's powerful family.

"No," he muttered, hugging her. "She's nothing more than a housekeeper to me."

"Then why are you so upset?" Lilliana asked, her voice trembling.

Joshua forced calm. "I was going to wait until my father died to file for divorce. But I won't let you suffer. What's done is done."

Reassured by his explanation, Lilliana softened. "Don't worry. My father will support you," she said, touching her stomach. "And now that I'm pregnant, Caden won't be able to defy you."

Joshua remained silent. He felt a deep unease.

It took Lilliana a long time to calm down. "If it weren't for my status, I would have sent her to jail the moment she touched me!" she exclaimed. "Joshua, you have to do something about that bitch. Teach her a lesson."

"Fine," Joshua muttered wearily.

He went to his study to smoke. Images of Alice flashed through his mind—her tenderness, her newfound determination and ruthlessness, the burning hatred in her eyes. He realized the woman who had adored him was gone, replaced by someone else entirely.

Even after finishing his cigarette, Joshua felt uneasy. On impulse, he transferred a large sum of money to Alice, with the message: "Think carefully about what I told you earlier." He couldn't forget their years together. He couldn't accept it.

Moments later, his phone buzzed with a reply. He opened it, anticipating her response: "I took a screenshot and sent it to Lilliana." The money was instantly returned.