Chapter 85
“Even if you bring Allison back, she’ll never be whole again,” Amber said, laughing, wildly.
“Shane, you and her can never go back to the way things were. From the moment you touched me, from the day my sister was deffled, it was already over for you two!”
She tilted her head back and laughed maniacally “If people find out that the illustrious Mrs. Lundberg was once sold to a scam operation center, it would be a disgrace to both the Schultz and the Lundberg families!
“She’ll drag all of us down with her. Can you really accept such a filthy Mrs. Lundberg?”
“Get out! Get out of here now!” Shane roared, his fury palpable.
Covering her slapped cheek, she laughed like a demon.
“Shane, why are you so naive? Weren’t you happy enough when you were with me? This proves that you don’t need my sister.
“Besides, haven’t you noticed that your uncle has returned to the country? He’s obviously here to fight you for the inheritance.
“Yet, at a critical moment like this, you’re wasting time on these trivial matters. How utterly foolish!”
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
“I’m saying that what’s done is done. Neither of us can change the past, but we can control the future. It’s a fact that you wronged my sister, and no amount of apologies can change that.
“If she’s truly trafficked, even if you manage to ransom her back, do you think there’s any way to keep it a secret?
“Walls have ears, and how do you think people will perceive you once a whisper escapes? How will they view her?”
Shane didn’t interrupt her again. Amber moved closer to him, pressing down on his shoulder and leaning in.
“Shane, do you know the biggest difference between adults and children? Adults must learn to
make sacrifices.
“I’m a woman, too. If something like this happened to me, I’d only have one thought, and that is to end it all. I wouldn’t be able to face my lover, my family. My very existence would be a
mistake.
“If Allison hadn’t died, her mental state would have changed dramatically. Even if she’s rescued, the psychological scars will follow her for the rest of her life. She will never be the same woman again.
Chapter 45
2/3
“The smallest thing could trigger her, breaking her completely. Even if she doesn’t commit.
suicide in the scamion center, she very well might after returning home.
“In this modern age, no one is immune to scrutiny. Have you considered what would happen then?
“Not only will our two families‘ reputations be utterly destroyed, but my sister–though she’s a victim–will be crushed under public opinion.
“And you? You’ll become the subject of ridicule. People will say your wife is tainted, that she’s been with countless men, that she’s-“!
“Enough!”
Shane’s face grew pale as if he could already see such a scene unfolding.
“Shane, you know I love you. I’m really doing this for your own good. Even if you stand by my sister, people will ridicule you. If you choose to divorce her, they’ll call you heartless.
“Once public opinion snowballs, it won’t just be your reputation. It will be the company’s as
well.
“With Uncle Damon waiting like a tiger to pounce, what do you think Grandpa will decide on then?”
Cold sweat broke out on Shane’s forehead. Amber pressed down harder, leaning closer to his
ear.
“Shane, it’s only a matter of time before Uncle Damon replaces you.”
He shivered upon hearing that. “So, this is a dead end?”
“No. There’s a simple way to solve this. Don’t go. Allison’s already missing. There’s no way to connect her to you. Even if something happens to her, the worst–case scenario is that her body ends up feeding the fish in the sea.
“No one will ever know she was once Mrs. Lundberg. She’ll disappear quietly from this world, and no one will blame you.”
Shane stared at Amber, his eyes dark and unwavering. “You’re asking me to stand by and do nothing? To leave my wife in that scam operation center?”
Amber dropped her pretense of vulnerability, her lips curling into a smirk.
“Shane, what you need is a wife who can support you, not one with a dirty past stained with scandal. Are you really willing to hand the Lundberg family over to someone else?”
“Never!”
3
“Uncle Damon returned at this precise moment, just as Allison disappeared. Don’t you think he might have orchestrated her disappearance?”
“You’re saying he planned her disappearance to dig a pit for me, waiting for me to fall into it? “Shane asked in disbelief.
