Chapter 2 Colton, Your Heartlessness Knows No Bounds

Colton disconnected the call, his expression etched with concern and anxiety that clearly weren't for his wife.

"Go home, Kiera. We'll talk about this later," he said.

Kiera forcefully removed Colton's hand from her arm.

"Go ahead. She clearly matters more to you," she said with a thin smile, masking her shattering heart.

Colton seemed about to respond but ultimately chose to remain quiet. Quickly waving down a taxi, he made sure Kiera was seated inside before rushing away.

A bitter smile formed on Kiera's lips as she watched him disappear.

With Colton's attention always fixed on someone else, what was the purpose of holding onto their hollow marriage?

When Kiera reached their house, the servants were quick to greet her, but she hardly noticed them.

Her eyes scanned the monochrome bedroom that bore no mark of her personal taste, intensifying her feeling of insignificance. She laughed softly to herself, realizing just how much of a charade her marriage had been, and pondered if it was time to let it go.

All night, Kiera waited for Colton.

Not a single call came through. The overwhelming silence from his end was like a series of stings to her already aching heart.

"Sweetheart, I'm so sorry. I can't give you the complete family you deserve. But don't worry. I'll always love you," Kiera murmured through tears as she signed the divorce papers she had prepared overnight.

Each pen stroke was a painful cut into her heart, each line a reminder of her deep sorrow.

Once she finished, Kiera gently took off the wedding ring Colton had given her, placing it carefully on the signed papers.

That ring had been her most precious possession. Three years of wearing it had left an indelible mark on her finger, a permanent reminder of her love for Colton, much like the emotional scars that would linger.

Feeling like a failure in love, Kiera quickly gathered her things, determined not to falter again, and left the house.

When she was about to leave, Colton's bodyguard stepped in front of her. "Mrs. Sutton, Miss Gill is unwell, and Mr. Sutton is attending to her. He has instructed us to arrange for your immediate travel abroad," he said, his presence blocking her way and sparking anger in her heart.

"Why should I leave the country? I refuse to go!" Kiera retorted, her resolve firm.

"I'm sorry, but Mr. Sutton insists, and you must comply," the bodyguard said before abruptly knocking Kiera unconscious and hastily dragging her to a vehicle.

She was transported to a desolate warehouse, where she was stripped naked and positioned next to a man who touched her suggestively while cameras captured every degrading moment.

"Miss Gill, it's done," the man beside Kiera informed Maeve over the phone.

Maeve's voice was cold with malice. "Excellent. Release the photos online later. I doubt Colton would want a wife implicated in infidelity. Ensure you erase all traces afterward."

"Will do," the man replied before ending the call. He then began dousing the warehouse with gasoline, igniting it shortly thereafter.

As the fire raged, Kiera regained consciousness to a nightmare of flames and smoke engulfing her. Struggling for air, she realized the dangerous situation as the fire voraciously spread around her.

"Help! Help!" Kiera's voice rang out. She ignored her state of undress as she frantically struck the warehouse door with a stick, but the bodyguard outside the door just said, "Mrs. Sutton, forgive me. This was all Mr. Sutton's directive. He'll secure a choice gravesite for you."

Kiera stopped cold.

Could Colton genuinely be behind this?

Why?

Was it because, like Maeve, she was also expecting? Was his plan to marry Maeve and legitimize their unborn child?

"Colton, your heartlessness knows no bounds! How can you kill your own child?"

In a torrent of despair, Kiera yelled out, "Colton Sutton, I despise you! Loving you was my mistake. If there is a next life, I will make sure you taste the agony of being slain by the one you love most!"

Her desperate cries were lost in the roar of the flames. As smoke filled the air, her breathing became labored, her eyes heavy, and she collapsed, succumbing to the engulfing flames...

Five years later.

Alaric passed a dossier to Colton.

"Mr. Sutton, here's the profile for the designer from Vista Group based in Claklas. She arrives in Freley today. Should we send someone to pick her up from the airport? She's renowned internationally for her unique sports car designs. Without our partnership with Vista Group, securing her guidance would have been unlikely."

"Katherine?"

A slight narrowing of his eyes was Colton's response.

"Yes." Alaric confirmed eagerly.

In just two years, Katherine had risen to prominence as a notable sports car designer. Her debut model, the "Luna Wing," had clinched the top award at an international competition. Prior to its release, the wealthy were already vying to acquire it. With only two of these cars made, available at a steep price, the demand was overwhelming.

Now, with Vista Group facilitating her visit to Freley, Alaric pointed out the potential opportunity for Prime Group to keep her and her expertise here, given Colton's interest in high-end automobiles.

Colton's gaze sharpened.

He hesitated as he examined Katherine's profile and paused abruptly when he saw her full name.