Chapter 58: Deceive Yourself

Raquel fell silent, a heavy wave of fear washing over her. At that moment, she felt utterly exposed, as if every secret had been laid bare. The humiliation was so intense that she wished she could vanish into thin air.

How does he know? He was right. When she saw Caleb in an intimate moment with Gianna, jealousy surged within her like a tidal wave, clouding her mind and nearly driving her to irrationality. But Caleb had seemed completely indifferent, almost annoyed by her presence, as if her feelings were irrelevant—like she was intruding on something that wasn’t her concern.

Why? I was once his fiancée. And yet, he held another woman in his arms right in front of me. How am I supposed to accept that?

As the days passed, Raquel’s insecurities only grew. She learned that Caleb had gotten Gianna’s phone number and even moved into her private mansion. The closeness between them was undeniable, and the thought of them becoming a couple began to gnaw at her.

Consumed by a mixture of anger and desperation, she made a reckless decision. One night, she snuck into Gianna’s bedroom and stole a few valuable pieces of jewelry. Just the necklace she took alone was worth four hundred million—Phillip had bought it for Gianna’s birthday. Raquel recalled how Gianna had flaunted it in front of her.

Now that Gianna had lost her precious belongings, Raquel thought that Gianna would be too distraught to spend time with Caleb. Caleb was hers, and he could only ever be hers. Even if she no longer wanted him, no one else had the right to claim him.

The overwhelming surge of emotions inside her broke free. Trembling, Raquel raised her hands to her face, trying to hide the tears that were beginning to fall.

“I… I didn’t…” Her voice wavered, barely a whisper. “I really didn’t do it. You have to believe me… please believe me…” Her words dissolved into sobs, her voice all choked up.

“You’ve truly disappointed me, Raquel.” Yelena, who had been defending Raquel, was now filled with disappointment. “I really didn’t expect this from you. Is being engaged to Jesse not enough for you? Why can’t you just be content? Why do you always have to want more, always dissatisfied with what you have?”

Yelena stood by Raquel mostly because of her engagement to Jesse. Without that, Yelena couldn’t be bothered about her.

Raquel wanted to defend herself, but the words wouldn’t come. That was the truth, and she couldn’t deny it.

George’s voice was rough as he spoke, “It’s… natural for her to feel this way. Everyone makes mistakes… evidence, do you? Even if Raquel had a motive, there’s no proof she stole anything, right?”

His look carried a subtle provocation, as if deliberately trying to get under Caleb’s skin.

Caleb’s expression remained cool and distant. “If you’re intent on deceiving yourselves, I can’t stop you. The facts are clear, and Raquel’s own admission of jealousy says enough. What else is there to argue about?”

George let out a dry chuckle. “Without evidence, how am I supposed to explain this to the Shermans? Your words won’t convince anyone.”

Caleb frowned. “What are you getting at?”

George’s eyes narrowed, the malice in his gaze unmistakable. “What I mean is…” His voice grew colder, laced with a dangerous edge. “Tomorrow morning, I’ll take you to the Sherman residence. You’ll kneel and apologize at the gates.”

Caleb’s expression remained as cold as ice. “And what if I refuse?”

George’s chuckle sent a chill through the air. “Then perhaps you should consider taking your own life in apology—leave your heart behind for Jesse to cure his illness!”

Chapter 59: You Have No Say