Chapter 1 He Betrayed Her

Trevor Blake's heated lips trailed relentlessly over Elyse Lambert's skin, grazing from her neck to her shoulders, then lower, inch by inch, until he reached the base of her spine.

The sensation blurred the line between pain and pleasure, a prickling numbness that gradually spread through her entire body. A soft sound escaped her before she could stop it. "Trevor..."

Trevor was as unrestrained as ever, panting heavily, his hot breath fanning against the side of her neck like a predator closing in.

Then, the sudden sharp noise shattered everything. Elyse jolted awake, her mind foggy as reality rushed back in-she was still in the bar.

A voice rang out, firm and authoritative. "Everyone stay where you are! Routine inspection!"

The remnants of her vivid, intimate dream dissolved instantly, leaving behind a trace of irritation in her eyes as Elyse blinked awake.

But in the next moment, her gaze locked onto a figure entering from the doorway, backlit by the harsh light outside.

Trevor stood there. His features were rigid, his expression unreadable beneath the authority of his uniform. There was a coldness about him, something distant and unapproachable that seemed to fill the entire room.

"Captain Blake, your wife is here," someone beside him murmured carefully.

Trevor's eyes narrowed slightly. After a brief pause, his lips parted. "Go ahead and inspect everyone," he ordered, his voice devoid of warmth.

After a few seconds of shock, Elyse pushed herself upright from the sofa. The blanket slipped from her shoulders, revealing her figure beneath.

She was wearing a long, delicate dress with thin straps and a plunging neckline-elegant and eye-catching-but the curve of her lips held nothing but a faint, mocking smile.

A month of silence between her and Trevor, and this was how they met again-during a crackdown on illegal activities, with her sitting right in the middle of it.

Trevor's subordinates were careful, keeping their eyes averted from Elyse as they moved around the room, questioning the drunken men and women scattered across the space.

Elyse hadn't had much to drink; she was clear-headed now. It had only been the emptiness of the hotel room that drove her out, the quiet pressing in too heavily for sleep. Therefore, she'd called a few friends out for a drink.

Now, with half-lidded eyes, Elyse watched Trevor, her gaze steady, her smile unreadable. "Captain Blake," she said lightly, "since when do homicide captains handle vice raids?"

Trevor closed the distance between them, each step deliberate, tension sharpening his expression. Stopping in front of her, his voice came out low, edged with displeasure. "Why did you drink so much?"

The question ignited something in Elyse instantly. A whole month of indifference and now this? Her lips curved, but there was no warmth in it. "That's none of your concern."

What she didn't say lingered beneath the surface-his worries should be directed at his mistress.

Elyse and Trevor had been together for a year before marriage and married for three. Their life hadn't been filled with tenderness or sweet words. Trevor had never been that kind of man. He was distant, composed, and rarely expressive. Except in intimate moments. Only then, when control slipped from his grasp, did she feel the intensity of his feelings-mirroring her own.

There had been a time Elyse was content with such a pattern of life. She had even planned it all-another couple of years in the entertainment world, then she would step away, have his child, and settle into a quieter life centered around their family.

Fate, however, had no intention of letting things remain as they were, and Trevor shattered her hope mercilessly. He had already crossed the line and betrayed her.

A month ago, Elyse had stumbled upon a receipt tucked into Trevor's pocket, one that listed baby products.

She had long been aware of Trevor's fondness for children, yet he had never once suggested they start a family. She assumed he was willing to wait for the day when she was ready. However, when she looked into his expenses, she uncovered far more than expected-he had been purchasing items from various maternity shops and had even bought a bag meant for a pregnant woman's labor moments.

Consumed by fury, she confronted him right away, demanding to know who the woman was. Yet, his response was nothing more than a careless excuse, claiming he was "just picking something up for a friend."

Elyse couldn't make sense of it. What kind of "friend" would need him to prepare a maternity bag? And what sort of relationship required him to register at baby stores using his own contact details?

Elyse's anger only intensified, leading to repeated arguments, but Trevor evaded the matter by citing work as a pretext and retreated to the police station. Unable to bear it, she walked out that very night, checked into a hotel, and remained there for an entire month.

As those memories resurfaced, Elyse felt a sting in her chest, her eyes beginning to glisten.

"Captain Blake, everything's wrapped up here. Maybe you should take your wife home first," one of the officers approached Trevor and suggested.

Elyse was jolted out of her thoughts and brought back to the moment. With so many people watching, she refused to create a spectacle. Leaving their arguments unsaid, she replied casually, "There's no need. Anthony will be here shortly to pick me up."

It might have passed without issue if she hadn't mentioned Anthony Tucker, but the moment his name came up, Trevor's expression hardened once more. He lifted his hands, slowly undoing the buttons of his coat before removing it and throwing it over Elyse's head.

Startled, Elyse tried to pull it off, but before she could react, she was swept off her feet, surrounded by a scent she recognized all too well.

"If you don't want your photos circulating everywhere, then stay still," Trevor's cold voice murmured near her ear.

Elyse immediately went still. Even as a mid-tier celebrity, she had a significant online following. Her career depended heavily on her image, and being caught in such a situation would damage her reputation.

As they stepped outside the bar, they ran into Anthony, who had just arrived.

The instant Anthony saw Trevor, he knew the woman he was carrying had to be Elyse.

As Elyse's manager, Anthony was with her almost constantly, only separating at night. Because of this, no one understood the relationship between her and Trevor better than he did.

Just as Anthony stepped forward to stop them, Trevor shot him an icy glare. "Leave, if you know what's good for you."

Intimidated, Anthony froze, not daring to speak as he watched Elyse being placed into the police car by Trevor.

The car drove off quickly, mirroring the storm of anger brewing within its driver.

Elyse removed the coat from her head, and with it, the last trace of Trevor's scent began to fade. She inhaled deeply, trying to hold onto what remained of his presence. Still, she understood that no matter how deeply she loved him, if it went unanswered, it would eventually wither into nothing.

In a quiet voice, she finally said, "Trevor, let's end this marriage."