THE LIE THAT WORE A RING - Chapter 20: Chapter 20
You are reading THE LIE THAT WORE A RING, Chapter 20: Chapter 20. Read more chapters of THE LIE THAT WORE A RING.
Nicholas had barely slept.
The conversation with Ava and Ethan haunted him—each word a strike, each truth a blow to the chest. He had built his life around control, around knowing what was real and what was stable. Alina had shattered that illusion. And now, the pieces lay scattered at his feet.
He needed proof. Concrete. Unshakable. He needed to see her with his own eyes. No more whispers. No more “what ifs.” Just truth.
So he stayed home that day. Told his assistant to cancel all meetings. Watched from the shadows. Every move she made.
And by early evening, he found what he was looking for.
Alina didn’t know he was in the house.
She thought he’d gone to the city for board meetings, like he always did on Thursdays. She didn’t question the quiet halls. She loved it when the house fell still—easier to move without interruption.
Her heels clicked softly against the marble floor as she made her way to the east wing—the guest lounge. She had something to retrieve. Something she kept hidden in the antique globe bar: a small envelope, thick with bills, passports, and a flash drive.
She checked her phone. A message popped up from a private contact.
> “Still on for tomorrow. 5PM drop-off. Cash only.”
Alina smiled. She was almost free.
In less than 24 hours, she would vanish again. And this time, there would be no children, no husband, no one to tie her down. Just her and the money. Maybe a new name. A new start.
She didn’t hear the soft footstep behind her.
She didn’t see him until his reflection appeared in the glass of the cabinet.
Nicholas.
He was standing by the doorway, expression carved in stone.
She froze.
“How long have you been standing there?” she asked, voice cold.
“Long enough,” he said. His voice was tight, not raised. That made it worse.
She straightened slowly, slipped the envelope behind her back. “I was just tidying up. You startled me.”
“Cut the act, Alina,” he said quietly. “Or is it Genevieve?”
Her eyes narrowed. “They told you.”
“They showed me.” He took a step forward. “I wanted to believe in you. I wanted to believe the woman I married was real. But she isn’t, is she?”
She didn’t respond. Her hand tightened around the envelope.
“I saw the message on your phone,” he continued. “I know you’ve been planning to leave. I just didn’t know you’d do it with stolen funds and a fake name.”
“You think I was going to stay in this tomb?” she snapped. “With your moody children, your judgment, your pity? You were always looking at me like I was something you could fix.”
“No,” he said, bitterly. “I looked at you like someone I loved.”
For a moment, her face twitched. Something vulnerable tried to surface—but it died quickly, suffocated by rage.
“You were weak,” she hissed. “You fell for the fantasy. The poor, broken woman who just needed a home. A family. I gave you what you wanted. And now I’m taking what I earned.”
Nicholas looked at her with cold, tired eyes. “You never earned this.”
Suddenly, Ava and Ethan appeared at the door. They’d been listening the whole time, recording every word from the hallway.
Alina spun around to see them. Her face paled.
“You little spies,” she spat.
“You lied to us,” Ava said. “And now you’re done.”
Nicholas stepped forward and took the envelope from her hands. “You’ll be leaving tomorrow, all right. But it’ll be in the back of a lawyer’s car. Or a police one. That depends on how honest you are, from now on.”
Alina opened her mouth to scream—but no one flinched. No one ran. No one begged.
Not this time.
The conversation with Ava and Ethan haunted him—each word a strike, each truth a blow to the chest. He had built his life around control, around knowing what was real and what was stable. Alina had shattered that illusion. And now, the pieces lay scattered at his feet.
He needed proof. Concrete. Unshakable. He needed to see her with his own eyes. No more whispers. No more “what ifs.” Just truth.
So he stayed home that day. Told his assistant to cancel all meetings. Watched from the shadows. Every move she made.
And by early evening, he found what he was looking for.
Alina didn’t know he was in the house.
She thought he’d gone to the city for board meetings, like he always did on Thursdays. She didn’t question the quiet halls. She loved it when the house fell still—easier to move without interruption.
Her heels clicked softly against the marble floor as she made her way to the east wing—the guest lounge. She had something to retrieve. Something she kept hidden in the antique globe bar: a small envelope, thick with bills, passports, and a flash drive.
She checked her phone. A message popped up from a private contact.
> “Still on for tomorrow. 5PM drop-off. Cash only.”
Alina smiled. She was almost free.
In less than 24 hours, she would vanish again. And this time, there would be no children, no husband, no one to tie her down. Just her and the money. Maybe a new name. A new start.
She didn’t hear the soft footstep behind her.
She didn’t see him until his reflection appeared in the glass of the cabinet.
Nicholas.
He was standing by the doorway, expression carved in stone.
She froze.
“How long have you been standing there?” she asked, voice cold.
“Long enough,” he said. His voice was tight, not raised. That made it worse.
She straightened slowly, slipped the envelope behind her back. “I was just tidying up. You startled me.”
“Cut the act, Alina,” he said quietly. “Or is it Genevieve?”
Her eyes narrowed. “They told you.”
“They showed me.” He took a step forward. “I wanted to believe in you. I wanted to believe the woman I married was real. But she isn’t, is she?”
She didn’t respond. Her hand tightened around the envelope.
“I saw the message on your phone,” he continued. “I know you’ve been planning to leave. I just didn’t know you’d do it with stolen funds and a fake name.”
“You think I was going to stay in this tomb?” she snapped. “With your moody children, your judgment, your pity? You were always looking at me like I was something you could fix.”
“No,” he said, bitterly. “I looked at you like someone I loved.”
For a moment, her face twitched. Something vulnerable tried to surface—but it died quickly, suffocated by rage.
“You were weak,” she hissed. “You fell for the fantasy. The poor, broken woman who just needed a home. A family. I gave you what you wanted. And now I’m taking what I earned.”
Nicholas looked at her with cold, tired eyes. “You never earned this.”
Suddenly, Ava and Ethan appeared at the door. They’d been listening the whole time, recording every word from the hallway.
Alina spun around to see them. Her face paled.
“You little spies,” she spat.
“You lied to us,” Ava said. “And now you’re done.”
Nicholas stepped forward and took the envelope from her hands. “You’ll be leaving tomorrow, all right. But it’ll be in the back of a lawyer’s car. Or a police one. That depends on how honest you are, from now on.”
Alina opened her mouth to scream—but no one flinched. No one ran. No one begged.
Not this time.
End of THE LIE THAT WORE A RING Chapter 20. Continue reading Chapter 21 or return to THE LIE THAT WORE A RING book page.