Linda looked at the photos on the phone screen, and her heart seemed to stop for an instant. She immediately recognized Henrique's face, the man for whom she harbored such affection.
But in the images, he was with other women, in situations that left no doubt about the nature of their encounters. Her hands trembled slightly, and she felt a knot form in her throat.
"What... what does this mean?" she asked, her voice almost a whisper, as she tried to process what she was seeing.
Nolan kept the phone in his hand, watching her with a serious expression, but without losing his composure. He knew those images had a strong impact, and he was prepared to deal with her reaction.
"It means that Henrique isn't exactly the man you think he is," Nolan replied, his voice firm. "I'm sorry to inform you, but he's been involved with several women behind your back. Furthermore, he's a pathetic man."
For a moment, the girl was irritated by the way Nolan spoke of her boyfriend, but his powerful gaze made her hesitate.
Then she looked at the glass of wine Nolan had set out some time ago. She had refused to drink because she didn't want to get drunk, especially with that charming man in front of her. However...
She filled her wine glass, then irresponsibly drank it all in one go. Almost immediately, the alcohol took effect on her body, making her mind a little fuzzy, as well as making her more uninhibited.
"This has to be a misunderstanding!" She complained angrily, not knowing where to put her frustration in the face of that news.
"Look at my face," Nolan said with a firm tone, then looked her in the eyes. "Do you really think I'm lying? Do you really think I made up these photos?"
"This..." she couldn't find an answer as she felt a strong tightness in her chest. "Why are you showing me this?" she asked, her eyes meeting Nolan's. There was a vulnerability in her gaze, but also a spark of distrust.
Nolan leaned forward, placing his phone on the table while keeping his gaze locked onto hers. Then, he gently brushed his fingers over her trembling hand, steadying her.
"Because I believe you deserve the truth. You shouldn't be treated like this by a man who doesn't recognize your worth," he said, his smile disarmingly warm.
Linda fell silent, her body shaking as she struggled to process everything. Part of her wanted to sob; another part burned to confront Henrique immediately.
But beneath it all? Despair.
What could she even do? Her entire future had hinged on marrying Henrique. What else was left for a woman the world deemed worthless?
She drained another glass of wine in one go, her body trembling with emotions too tangled to name.
"I don't deserve anything…" she muttered bitterly. "Even if he chases other women… what right do I have to stop him?"
Nolan studied her, struck by how thoroughly broken she was, her self-esteem crushed to dust. But that wasn't a problem. In fact, it made her perfect.
"And what makes that man worthy of a beautiful, devoted woman like you?" he challenged. "What does he even give you in return?"
"N-Nothing, but…"
He slid another glass of wine toward her. She needed to loosen up further.
"But what?"
"He… loves me," she whispered, the words hollow.
"Are you sure?"
The weight of his gaze shattered whatever feeble conviction still clung to her heart.
"I guess I should at least talk to him one more time..." she said in a weak voice.
"Why, so he can fool you again? Come on, can you really see yourself being happy with that man?"
Nolan smiled confidently, almost certain he would conquer the woman that very night. Meanwhile, Linda drank even more.
Then she began to cry silently, tears streaming down her face as she held the wine glass with trembling hands. She tried to hold back, but the weight of her emotions was too great. Nolan watched her intently, unhurried. He knew this was a crucial moment, and any wrong move could ruin everything.
"I... I don't know what to do," she confessed between tears, her voice almost inaudible. "I dedicated so much time to him, so much of my heart... And now..."
Nolan leaned forward, gently placing a hand over hers. His touch was firm, yet comforting.
"You don't need to worry, things will get better," he murmured sweetly.
Then he touched her chin, forcing her to look directly into his eyes. And seeing his handsome face, she began to feel an uncontrollable desire.
"I'm sorry," she murmured as she did her best to stop crying. "I'm sorry for making you see this. You don't need to worry, I'm just going to..."
Nolan then embraced her gently, enveloping her in his warmth. And suddenly Linda felt so safe, absolutely surrounded by the strong muscles of that man.
"You can cry," he said softly, his eyes remaining fixed on hers.
That said, without her noticing, he typed a message on his phone to his servant, telling her to have a nightgown ready.
Linda continued to cry, her body trembling slightly as Nolan held her in his arms. She felt small and fragile, but at the same time protected, as if nothing could hurt her at that moment.
After some time, Linda's crying began to subside, turning into trembling sighs. She pulled away from him slightly, embarrassed to have let herself go like that.
"I'm sorry..." she murmured, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.
Nolan just smiled gently. Then he looked at the woman before him for a long moment before asking:
"Would you like to be mine?"
"Yours?" Linda looked at the man, a little confused, but he didn't answer or explain anything.
"I think you should go home; you've had too much to drink," he said, taking the glass from her hand. "I can take you there."
"Hmm... alright," she said with a shy sigh.
"Don't be so disheartened, I've prepared a surprise for you," Nolan smiled confidently, which made Linda feel a little relieved, as if she was captivated by the man before her.
Then he stood up, offering his hand to help her up as well. Linda hesitated for a moment but eventually accepted, feeling the warmth of his hand envelop hers. They left the place and got into the taxi Nolan had called.
When they arrived at the clan's mansion, Linda felt a chill down her spine. After all, the universe didn't seem to want to give her a moment of peace.
"Where were you?" An old woman approached the two and asked in a rigid tone. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"
The woman was one of the many matriarchs of the Sun clan, to which the Scarlet family belonged. The clan was like a large organization, led by many powerful women in combat. That old woman was no longer as strong, but she still abused weak young women like Linda, forcing them to do things she didn't want or wasn't interested in.
And Linda lowered her eyes, feeling even smaller before that imposing presence.
"I... I was, I..." Linda couldn't find words; her mind was a whirlwind of emotions at that moment, and she couldn't control herself properly.
"And who are you?" Suddenly, Nolan's voice resounded like thunder, drawing the attention of both women.
Then he stood between Linda and that arrogant woman, staring at her with his powerful gaze.