Chapter 1066:
Her body refused to hold her upright, and she crumpled to the floor.
Her best friend had perished due to her reckless ignorance and misguided devotion.
At that instant, her endless tears ceased.
Her eyes became completely dry, not a single drop escaping. It was then that she finally understood: when a person is shattered beyond repair, they no longer have the strength to weep. She tried to pull her lips into a semblance of a smile, but the emptiness in her gaze betrayed her loss of will to live.
Rhys had once considered sparing Anika for the sake of Christopher, but her decision to target Harlee was unforgivable.
âBreak her limbs,â Rhys instructed.
His merciless words plunged Anika into an abyss without end.
For three years, she had cherished him, devoted herself to him, and sacrificed everything she hadâbut he had never loved her. To outsiders, Rhys might have seemed cold and unapproachable, yet with her, he had been differentâor so she thought.
He had been gentle, attentive, and endlessly affectionate. In front of the world, he openly showed her tenderness.
He tied her shoes, showered her with sweet words, and made her believe she was irreplaceable.
But the truth was crueler than anything Anika could have imagined. Yes, Rhys was a man who loved deeply, but never her.
Every kind act, every warm smile, every whispered promiseâit had all been a carefully crafted lie to shield the woman he truly cared for from unseen dangers. That love had never belonged to Anika.
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When her limbs were dislocated, Anika didnât scream or cry. She merely furrowed her brows. The pain in her heart had already numbed her entire body, and no physical agony could compare to the torment of a shattered soul.
âCome out,â Rhys ordered.
From her spot on the cold, hard floor, Anikaâs still body gave an involuntary twitch at the sound of his voice. Was it Harlee? Had Harlee come to mock her, to strip away what little dignity she had left?
But when the figure appeared, Anika found herself wishing it had been Harlee.
Christopher emerged from the shadows, wearing a mask of Rhysâ face.
As he approached, Anikaâs vacant eyes darted between the two almost identical men, frozen in disbelief.
âYou know him well,â Rhys remarked, his tone sharp with derision.
âHeâs the one who shared your bed for three yearsâwhile pretending to love you.â
âNo⦠No, youâre lying⦠Youâre lying to meâ¦â Anikaâs voice trembled as her mind began to unravel.
Even the news of Eugeniaâs death had not shattered her like this. She tried to lift a hand to block out the horror before her, but with her limbs rendered useless, she was powerless. She could only screamâa broken, hollow sound that echoed through the room.
Christopher, steeled by his decision long ago, approached Anika with grim purpose.
His fatherâs murder had been a wound that refused to heal, and though he had once cared for Anika, he chose to betray his feelings for her. Yet, he had never wished her harm. In his heart, he still believed her innocent of the sins committed by her family. The grudges of adults, he thought, shouldnât involve the children.
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