Chapter 5
Chapter 5
At eighteen, Lorenzo was at that age when control was everything. He quickly caught on to Nina’s scheming, but Nina only shed a few tears, and with that, she managed to twist his perception of her.
“Lorenzo, is this really how you see me? You wouldn’t lower your head for the sake of your pride, but I couldn’t bear to see you live a normal life. If you’re willing to fight Julia for the assets, then why should I flatter those bad people outside?”
I watched through the peephole as Lorenzo stood outside my door–anxious, embarrassed, and pitifully foolish.
Thinking about how he had allowed Nina to hurt me, how he had looked down on me with that indifferent expression, I made up my mind to destroy him.
Topened the door and put on a different face, fighting to suppress my disgust as I spoke.
“After seven years of marriage, I can consider redividing the assets. But you’ll need to promise me one thing.”
Lorenzo’s face lit up at first, but then he instinctively crossed his arms, bracing himself.
“Anything else is negotiable, but I’ll never get back together with you. Don’t even think about it.”
I scoffed.
“First of all, I’m not interested in your body, not even if you were a discounted freebie. Secondly, my request is that you go back and tell Nina that I refuse to redivide the assets.”
Seeing the confusion in his eyes, I continued,
“You said she’s pure and innocent, that she treats money like dirt. Even if you have no money, she’ll remain loyal to you, right? Don’t you want to test
that?”
When I first met Lorenzo, he was incredibly paranoid.
From what I knew about him, he might believe Nina for a while, but in most cases, he’d chew over doubts again and again.
And I would be the spark that set off the bomb.
After Lorenzo left, I ignored him for a month. He finally couldn’t stand it anymore and asked when I would have time to meet again.
His tone was no longer self–assured, but cautious, with a hint of unease.
I smiled as I sent him a room number and a time, saying nothing else.
My best friend gasped,
“You’re not seriously thinking about taking this rotten cabbage back, are you?”
Of course not. That was Nina’s schedule, and it was my gift to Lorenzo.
Photos and words may not wake someone with amnesia, but seeing it with his own eyes–now that would do the trick.
At eight in the evening, Lorenzo Porter followed me into the hotel.
In the elevator, his face turned red to his neck as he stammered:
“This is the last time. After this, we’ll redivide the assets.”
Ding dong, the elevator doors opened, and I no longer hid the mockery and disdain in my eyes.
“Lorenzo, who said anything about sleeping with you? Don’t be so narcissistic. I called you here to give you a gift.”
“What do you mean?”
We had already reached the door to the room when familiar voices came from inside.
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Photos, Lies, and Fire
20.8%
Chapter 5
Lorenzo face turned pale, his expression a mix of shock
and fear, while I calmly
ched his reaction.
“Not going in to check?”
Seeing him freeze, seemingly lacking the courage to face what was inside, I decided to help him knock on the door.
“Knock, knock, knock.”
The door opened, revealing a man in nothing but a bath towel, his face full of rough
ntures, exuding the vibe of a nouveau riche.
“Who are you?”
Before he could finish, Lorenzo shoved the man aside and rushed into the room, only to find Nina Alora lying naked on the bed, her body sprawled out.
room was filled with an air of seduction, but it was soon drowned out by loud, frantic screams.
Nina shrank under the blanket, her face covered in tears.
“Lorenzo, let me explain! I was framed! I don’t even know what happened–I just woke up here!”
Seeing me in the corner, she immediately pointed at me and screamed,
“It’s you, Julia! You’re
jealous that Lorenzo loves me and deliberately tried to ruin me!”
The nouveau riche man got angry, slapping Nina across the face.
“What the hell are you talking about? Wasn’t it you who begged me to come here? Now you’re pretending to be pure? You have a husband but still run around, you’re such a
The scene
quickly isprace!”
turned chaotic–one moment, Lorenzo and the nouveau riche man were fighting, the next, Nina was jumping in to intervene.
I leaned against the cabinet, watching like a bystander, enjoying the spectacle before me.
