Chapter 5

As soon as Chloe finished speaking, she immediately regretted it. Reflected in her widening eyes was the image of Kyle stepping toward her. “What are you doing? Are you crazy? Don’t tell me you actually want to hit me?”

Kyle didn’t waste words. He raised his hand and delivered a crisp slap across Chloe’s face. A bright red handprint immediately appeared on her cheek. The pain was one thing, but what stung more was the psychological shock. Chloe had thought Kyle was merely trying to intimidate her, but she hadn’t expected him to actually hit her so decisively and without hesitation.

“To me, anyone who becomes my enemy, man or woman, deserves what’s coming to them. If you need to be hit, I’ll hit. If you need to be killed, I’ll kill. This is your final warning. If you say another word, I’ll break your legs. Go ahead, try me.”

In an instant, everyone around felt their scalps tingle. The look in Kyle’s eyes made it clear he wasn’t joking. He wasn’t just ruthless; he was utterly cold-blooded. Even if they planned to retaliate later, no one dared speak up at that moment. They could only stand there in stunned silence.

Chloe clutched her stinging cheek, her teeth clenched in fury, but all she could do was dial Belle’s number. She reported everything—the chaos, the injuries—and emphasized how Kyle had humiliated her and beaten Matthew.

On the other end of the line, Belle sounded incredulous. In her memory, Kyle was timid and reserved. How could he possibly hit someone, let alone beat them to such a degree? But the facts spoke for themselves. Whether she believed it or not wouldn’t change anything.

“Well, it looks like she’ll come,” Kyle said casually as he poured himself a glass of water and settled onto the couch. His demeanor was calm, as if nothing had happened.

Chloe sat on the floor, still holding her cheek. She wanted to say something, but the sharp sting reminded her to stay silent. The Kyle Archer sitting before her now was like a madman—someone who had lost everything and reached the brink of despair.

Meanwhile, at the Lite Pharma headquarters, Belle sat in her office, her eyes blazing with anger. After hearing Chloe’s report, she slammed the phone down and barked, “Get all the bodyguards and security staff together. Wait for me downstairs.” After issuing the order, Belle grabbed the divorce agreement on her desk, gripping it tightly as she seethed.

“Kyle, I was trying to leave you some dignity out of old feelings, but now? You’ve gone insane. Beating Matthew is one thing, but even daring to hit Chloe? You’ve completely lost your mind! It seems the only thing you learned in those six years in prison is how to fight. Fine. Let me show you just how powerless you are in Kerdonia.”

By the time Belle appeared at the building’s entrance, her face was dark with fury. Around thirty bodyguards and security personnel waited for her, forming a formidable group. The group got into their vehicles, forming a long convoy as they headed toward Kyle’s residence.

When they arrived, Belle was stunned. She had thought Chloe might be exaggerating, but the scene before her left no room for doubt. Chloe sat on the ground, a vivid handprint still visible on her face. Matthew lay sprawled on the floor, his face so swollen he looked unrecognizable. He didn’t even dare to approach Belle, let alone speak to her. And the culprit behind it all—Kyle—sat calmly in the corner, sipping tea with a look of complete indifference.

Belle’s fury reached its peak. “Kyle, you’re nothing but a bastard!” She stormed up to Kyle, her rage full of venom. She slapped the teacup right out of his hand. “How dare you hit Matthew and beat him like this? Do you even have a conscience?”

Without bothering to understand what had happened, Belle immediately launched into accusations, placing all the blame on Kyle. He felt a pang of sorrow. Had six years truly turned Belle into someone so merciless, so different from the person he had loved deeply, the person he had gone to prison for? Kyle couldn’t pinpoint what had changed her. Was it money? Was it power?

He stood up, his eyes sweeping over the numerous bodyguards Belle had bought with her wealth. With a sigh of resignation, he felt soothing but bitter disappointment.

“Belle, do you even know where you are right now! You think I hit Matthew because I was upset? If you had any sense of fairness, you’d know it was Matthew who came looking for trouble!”

“Do you really think I should just stand there and let him assault me without fighting back?”

To Belle, Kyle’s life meant less than Matthew’s feelings. Why would she care about the truth?

Chapter 6 (The provided text repeats Chapter 5)

Chapter 7 (No text provided)