When Love Is A Lie

Chapter 1 A Trap Should a woman always give her first time to someone she loves? The moment the sharp pain ripped through her, Katherine Clarke realized that her chance for that was gone for good. Faced with a stranger forcing himself on her, she cried so hard her vision blurred. Her instincts told her to run, but her weak, disoriented body couldn't move. All she could do was give in to the nightmare and sink into despair. When she finally accepted there was no escape, she clenched her jaw and tried to hide how scared she was. Her voice was dry and broken as she muttered, "At least use protection." The man on top of her stopped for just a second but didn't say a word. Instead, his actions became even more violent. She didn't know how much time had passed before it ended. Completely worn out, she lost consciousness. The next morning, when she woke up, the suite was quiet and empty. The messy bed and the pain in her body told her clearly--it hadn't been a nightmare. It had really happened. It had all been planned. What was supposed to be a regular business dinner turned out to be a trap. She'd been given drink after drink until she could barely stay awake, then sent to that room to be taken advantage of. Last night, when she realized she had been set up, in her half-conscious state, she had thought of Julian Nash--her husband--who had just come back from a business trip. She messaged him again and again, calling nonstop. When he finally answered, his voice was cold and distant. "I'm busy. Call the cops." Even now, his words kept ringing in her ears. With just a few words, he had crushed all the love they'd shared and what little pride she had left. A bitter laugh slipped out as the pain in her heart turned numb. She slowly pushed the blanket off and got out of bed. Just then, a business card slid off the bed and fell to the floor. She stopped in her tracks. She picked it up slowly, and the second she saw the logo, her blood ran cold. It was from Nash Group. The room had been dark, and she never saw the man's face. But out of all the things she could've imagined, she never thought the man from last night would be connected to Julian's company. Could Julian have had something to do with this? ...... When Katherine got back home, she saw a pair of shoes she knew too well--Julian was back. She paused, took a breath, and headed upstairs. Julian came out of the bathroom, wearing a clean bathrobe. Even in something so simple, his natural confidence and sharp looks stood out. His hair was damp, his features sharp, and he carried himself with that usual cool distance. His gaze landed on Katherine, and a faint frown formed between his brows. The look in his eyes was cold and distant. Maybe even filled with scorn. "What is it?" he asked flatly. Katherine just looked at him. They never should've ended up together. Their worlds had always been miles apart. Three years ago, when Julian's father had been dying, she was the bone marrow donor who saved him. In exchange, he promised to grant her one wish. She used that wish to marry Julian. Back then, she had been young and foolish. She thought she could make it work--that even a man who was emotionally closed off could be opened up over time. But to Julian, she was nothing more than an opportunist. He resented her. For three years, he expected her to wait on him and care for him, all the while never truly seeing her as his wife. And Katherine had taken it all without complaint. After her family fell apart, holding on to Julian hadn't just been about needing a roof--it was about love. She wanted him to love her. So, no matter how cold he was, she kept finding ways to convince herself it was okay. But after last night, she had nothing left to give. She still didn't know if Julian had anything to do with what happened. But she had a feeling that it had something to do with his family. She had walked into this house ready to confront him, but just standing here, looking at him, she already knew. This would only end with her pride in pieces. Her voice came out rough, strained from everything she'd been through. "Julian..." But he didn't even glance at her. He walked straight to the closet, reaching for the shirt and tie Katherine had prepared for him, like it was just another morning. With his back to her, his tone was cold and careless. "Stop standing there. Go make breakfast. I'm heading out in half an hour." Katherine didn't move. She stood her ground, her voice quiet but steady. "Julian, let's get a divorce." Chapter 2 Signing The Divorce Papers Julian didn't even flinch at Katherine's words. He simply adjusted his tie and turned to look at her, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "This is about last night, isn't it? You're upset I didn't come running when you called?" Just thinking about the night before sent a deep ache through Katherine, right down to her bones. Julian's voice was as cold as ever. "Eloise called earlier. She said the Lewis Group deal went through. Apparently, you played a big part. You'll get your bonus. Don't worry." Katherine froze in place. Eloise Nash was Julian's favorite little sister, the one he never said no to. It all came back to Katherine now. Eloise was the one who brought her to that dinner. Since it had something to do with Julian's business, Katherine hadn't dared to take it lightly. She couldn't hold her liquor, but she still drank--just to do something that might help him. She never thought that night would end in something so cruel. Yet to Julian, Eloise had probably just made a small mistake. Something he could overlook. Nothing worth getting upset about. The hopelessness inside Katherine had swallowed the pain whole. She let out a dry, bitter laugh. "Then let's just cut to the chase. I'm sure you know what happened to me last night. And it won't be long before it spreads. You're the pride of the city, after all. How could you let someone tainted like me ruin your perfect image?" Julian stepped closer, towering over her. "Tainted? You used a bone marrow donation to push your way into this marriage three years ago. So did you really believe you were so pure and innocent before?" In three years of marriage, he'd almost never stood this close. But this wasn't closeness. It was a knife--sharp, cold, and straight to the heart. Katherine stood there, completely still. She thought about all those quiet moments when she watched him from a distance, wondering if he'd ever look her way. He'd always been distant--but not like this. Why did it feel like he hated her now? Like he was holding on to some silent resentment she could never understand. Before she could fall too deep into her thoughts, Julian checked his watch and said sharply, "Skip breakfast. Just make lunch and send it to my office." ...... Katherine didn't follow his orders this time. He'd never treated her kindly. And for years, she had endured it without saying a word. But today was different. Today, she asked for a divorce and vanished without another word. Sometime after noon, Julian's assistant, Cayson Price, stepped into the office carrying lunch. Julian glanced briefly at the lunchbox. It didn't take long for him to realize that Katherine hadn't made it. He frowned, but with barely any time to rest, he didn't bother complaining. He ate a few bites just to fill his stomach. Honestly, after three years of being used to Katherine's cooking, nothing else tasted right anymore. The bad lunch had already put him in a mood, but things got worse when he walked back into his office and saw the divorce papers waiting on his desk. Catching the look on his face, Cayson paused and asked cautiously, "Sir, you didn't tell your wife it was you last night, did you?" Julian's thoughts immediately jumped back to the night before. His expression turned cold. He had only gone to find Katherine to avoid a public mess. The last thing he wanted was a scene tied to his name. But he hadn't expected the version of Katherine he saw--drunk, vulnerable, clinging to him like he was the only thing keeping her steady. She kept whispering his name, crying like she was breaking from the inside. And somewhere in that moment, he snapped. Maybe it was her softness. Maybe it was just pent-up frustration. But when desire took over, he stopped thinking. His restraint disappeared. And what followed lasted until long after midnight. To him, it was a slip-up. Not something he needed to explain, especially not to someone like Katherine. She was driven and greedy. He'd make it up with money. That should do. As for those divorce papers... Julian stared at the documents and let out a cold, humorless laugh. He signed without hesitation. Then he flung the folder toward Cayson. "Send them to her." As Cayson turned to leave, Julian's voice rang out again, low and sharp. "Find out who arranged for her to be at that hotel last night." Chapter 3 To Live For Herself Katherine spent nearly the entire day at the hospital. Her twin brother, Austin Clarke, had been born with a neurological disorder. He was twenty-four now, but his mind had never grown past that of a small child. Life had been good for Katherine, until she turned eighteen. That was when everything shattered. Her father went to prison, and the shock pushed her mother into a deep depression. Their family business collapsed soon after, and with it, so did any chance of continuing Austin's treatment. Just like that, everything landed on Katherine's shoulders. The burden of the entire family. Those years nearly crushed her. She worked endlessly, carrying more than any young woman should, trying to hold the broken pieces together. After getting married to Julian, for a moment, she thought she'd found someone who could save her, but even that hope slipped away. The memory tugged at something buried deep inside, and her eyes quietly filled with tears. As the sky outside turned from gold to grey, her mother, Ivy Clarke, approached. Ivy worked at the hospital and had been looking after Austin there, making sure he stayed safe. "It's getting late," she said gently. "Julian must be off work by now. You should head home. Don't give him any excuse to be upset." Katherine's response was calm but honest. "I won't be going back. I'm divorcing him." Ivy froze. "Was it Julian's idea?" she asked, her voice uncertain. "No," Katherine replied. "It was my idea." Before she could say more, Ivy quickly cut in, her voice laced with panic. "Why would you even think of doing that? He's not even the one pushing you away after what happened last night. Katherine, you have to understand--people like us... we can't expect the Nashes to treat us as equals. Their pride runs deep. Sometimes people make mistakes; these things happen." Katherine looked at her mother, stunned. "Who told you what happened?" she asked slowly. Ivy met her daughter's pale, drained face. Her heart ached, but she couldn't bring herself to say it outright. "I've failed you. I couldn't protect you. But think about it, darling--if you walk away from Julian now, what happens to me? To Austin?" Ivy didn't answer the question directly, but Katherine already knew the truth. It could only have been Eloise behind last night. She was the only one capable of pulling the strings like that. She probably reached Ivy first, too, feeding her words to keep Katherine silent. After all, Eloise had never liked her. As Katherine looked at her mother's downcast, apologetic face, something inside her froze. The bitterness ran so deep it almost made her laugh. The home she poured everything into was never truly a place of safety and love. Her hands curled into fists at her sides. She shook her head slowly, more in sorrow than defiance. She could still bear it all, if needed. But now, she finally had the strength to live for herself. Without saying a word, she turned to leave. Just as she stepped away, Ivy clutched her arm, her voice shaking. "You've got a job now, sure, but what about your dad? Without Julian, who's going to help prove his innocence? Can you really stand by while he spends twenty-five years behind bars?" Katherine's voice came out soft, tired to the bone. "Mom, if Julian ever intended to help, don't you think he would've done something by now?" It was true. Her marriage to Julian wasn't just about love. At the time, she'd had no one else, no other lifeline. But once the vows were spoken, she knew he couldn't stand her. And because of that, she had never begged him for help, not once. And now that it was finally over, she wouldn't bring any of it up again. Seeing the firm look in her daughter's eyes, Ivy backed down. She wiped her tears and quietly said, "Kathy, the Nash family... they're not people to cross. Just don't do anything foolish." Katherine stood by her brother's hospital bed, watching him sleep. She didn't say a word, just turned quietly and walked away. As she stepped outside, she noticed someone standing near the entrance--Julian's assistant. Cayson approached with his usual professional calm. "The divorce agreement has been signed by Mr. Nash." Katherine's mind blanked for a moment. Without a word, she slowly lifted her hand and accepted the documents. ...... That evening, Julian came home to find a new housekeeper waiting for him. Katherine had clearly chosen her replacement with care--experienced, efficient, and capable of handling the home effortlessly. But Julian didn't keep her for long. He sent her away the same day. He believed Katherine would eventually return and didn't want to adjust to anyone else. Even so, the days that followed left him in a foul mood--three years of routine weren't so easy to shake off. His mood cast a shadow over the entire company. Everyone felt it. A few days later, Eloise showed up at his office. She barely stepped inside when she caught him lashing out at a subordinate. She hurried in and tried to soothe him. "Julian, calm down. You'll wear yourself out like this." Julian glanced at her coldly. "Why are you here?" Eloise's eyes sparkled with something cunning. "I heard about your argument with Katherine. Don't tell me you're actually getting divorced?" Julian's eyes narrowed. "Who said that to you?" Chapter 4 She Cheated On You Eloise's face stiffened a bit. "It's all over the place, Julian. Everyone knows how much you hate her. You really don't know? She was fooling around with that older guy from Lewis Group while you were away. They even stayed at a hotel together." Julian didn't show much reaction. "Stay out of things like this." "But she cheated on you, Julian!" Eloise cried. "Were you right there at the bed, watching them?" he shot back. Eloise clamped her mouth shut immediately. For all her entitlement, even Eloise couldn't handle that edge in his voice. She backed off, worried she'd overstepped. But she still muttered, barely audible, "I seriously don't get why you kept her around this long. If I were Louisa, I'd be furious. When are you divorcing that woman and marrying Louisa? She's the only one who deserves to be part of this family." "That's enough," Julian said flatly. "Let my driver take you home. I've got work to do. Don't get in the way." Eloise grabbed his arm and pouted. "You've been in such a bad mood lately. Since Katherine's gone, why not let Louisa stay with you? She could take care of you." Julian didn't bother replying. He simply gave her a cold, warning look. Eloise huffed and turned on her heel. Just as she got to the door, she heard his voice. "Cayson, come in." She turned back and saw Cayson holding a contract folder with the Lewis Group logo on it. She had a feeling what this was about and quickly stepped in front of him. She whispered, "Cayson, you know I matter more than some people. Just don't say anything that'll upset my brother, okay?" Cayson smiled in that polite, unreadable way of his. "Of course, Miss Nash." Once inside, Julian got straight to the point. "What did you find out?" Cayson shared a few truths to report back to Julian. He mentioned that the hotel footage had already been erased--nothing was caught on camera. It basically kept Eloise in the clear. Julian's face revealed nothing. He didn't say a word. ...... Though the divorce papers were signed, the official process still had a few weeks to go. In the meantime, Katherine lived alone. During her marriage, she'd juggled different jobs and saved up enough to handle her brother's medical expenses. Now that she had some breathing room, she began brushing up on her skills and started sending out her resume. She kept herself occupied, trying to shut Julian out of her thoughts. But a man like him--smooth and attention-grabbing--was impossible to avoid. His name kept popping up in the news. Just a few days ago, there was a paparazzi shot of him in another city. He'd rented out a whole private beach for some woman. Katherine knew exactly who that woman was. Julian, after all, was still a man. He might have been forced into an unwanted marriage, but he clearly knew how to indulge himself occasionally. Katherine looked at the picture and forced a bitter smile. She kept reminding herself that one day, she'd move on. It was only a matter of time. But that peace didn't last. One day, she got a call from the Nash estate, asking her to come back. Usually, they'd go straight to Julian. This felt strange. She hesitated, then asked, "Did something happen?" The butler on the other end answered coldly, "Your mother came by today, had an argument with the Nash family, and got so upset that she fainted." When Katherine arrived in a hurry, the first person she saw was Julian. The living room was wide and luxurious, but his presence seemed to fill every inch. When his eyes fell on her, they carried a quiet intensity that made her skin crawl. She glanced around, but her mother was nowhere to be seen. She had no choice but to walk up to Julian. "Where's my mom?" she asked. It had been two weeks since they'd last seen each other. Back then, she would've looked at him with love--always caring for him, always tending to him. He had always dismissed her devotion, but now, hearing her cold tone, he was just as annoyed. He didn't say anything, his lips pressed in a tight line. Just then, the family doctor walked in. "Your mother's awake and resting in the guest room. I'll show you to her." Katherine put on a polite smile. "Thanks," she said, following him. As she walked off, Eloise came down the stairs toward Julian. "Julian, Dad's in the study. He wants to talk to you." She caught sight of Katherine disappearing down the hallway and scoffed. "That family's such a drain. I bet her fainting act was just to make us look bad and try to get some money out of us." Julian stayed calm. "If you can't keep your mouth shut, at least learn when to." Eloise huffed. "Fine." She narrowed her eyes, a smirk forming as she followed Katherine down the hallway. Chapter 5 A Fifty-Million-Dollar Deal When Katherine got to the guest room, she quickly found out what had gone down. Apparently, after hearing about the divorce, her mom had shown up with pricey gifts, hoping to talk to Laurence and plead on Katherine's behalf. After all, Katherine had once saved his life--her mom thought that had to count for something. Unfortunately, Eloise was home at the time and stopped her at the door. She didn't let Ivy in or even let her leave. So Ivy ended up standing out there for hours in the scorching sun. Tears streamed down her cheeks as Ivy choked out, "Kathy, I know I made a fool of myself... but I only did it because I care. You love Julian so deeply--how could I stand back and do nothing? I just wanted to give you one more shot, that's all." Hearing that, Katherine was hit with all kinds of feelings, but she didn't show any of it. Because her mother cared? Really? No--it wasn't about her at all. It was about chasing the Nash family's money and power. Not wanting to cause a fuss in someone else's house, Katherine helped her mom up and said, "Come on. Let's go. And don't come back here again." Right then, Eloise threw the door open and sneered, "Leaving already? Don't stop the show now. My dad's a softie--he falls for pity parties. If you cry a little harder, maybe he'll persuade Julian to let you keep mooching off us like a leech." Katherine's face went ice-cold. During her three years of marriage to Julian, she had never taken anything that wasn't hers. Still, Eloise never stopped picking at her. And Katherine had kept quiet every time--for the sake of peace. But all that tolerance had just invited more humiliation. Now, she refused to endure the humiliation in silence. Standing protectively in front of her mom, Katherine looked straight at Eloise. With a calm but cutting smile, she said, "Tell me something. What exactly did I do to you? As my sister-in-law, why are you always trying to mess things up between me and Julian? Do you have some kind of hidden agenda or what?" Eloise's face twisted with irritation. "Sister-in-law? Please. Don't flatter yourself." Katherine tilted her head and replied, "Oh? That hit a nerve? What's really eating at you? That deep down, you wish you were the one married to Julian?" Eloise's face went pale and then red with anger. "You're insane! Who do you think you are, talking to me like that?" Katherine gave her a small, knowing smile. "If I'm wrong, prove it." Eloise had no words. How was she even supposed to prove she didn't have feelings for her own brother? She told herself Katherine was just playing mind games, trying to cause a rift between her and Julian. She never thought Katherine, who was usually so quiet, could be this sharp. Furious, she raised her hand to slap her, but Katherine grabbed her wrist mid-swing and held it tight. Eloise yelped in pain, not used to anyone grabbing her like that. "Let go of me, you bitch!" she snapped. Katherine stared into her furious eyes, but her mind was stuck on that awful night--how she'd been forced to drink and then violated by a stranger. No woman could just walk away from something like that as if it never happened. Still, no matter how much it tore her apart inside, she couldn't ignore the reality in front of her. She had a family to protect, and Julian's influence wasn't something she could afford to challenge. So, she pushed her rage down and kept quiet. But Eloise, still fuming, kept poking the wound. "My brother has no idea you slept with that old guy from Lewis Group. Just wait... I'm going to destroy you!" Katherine didn't hold back anymore. With fury blazing in her eyes, she slapped Eloise so hard the sound bounced off the walls. Eloise screamed and instantly broke down in tears. Then came the sound of footsteps from outside. Julian stepped in, composed as ever, but the whole room stiffened the moment he showed up. As soon as he walked in, the tension dropped into dead silence. Katherine didn't budge or look away. She just released Eloise's arm and moved to the side. The second Eloise saw Julian, she cried even louder, "Julian! She slapped me! You've got to defend me!" Julian looked at the bright red handprint on Eloise's cheek, then slowly turned to Katherine. His voice was cold and sharp. "How dare you hurt her?" Katherine clenched her fists, her voice cold and steady. "You think I went too far? What about what she's done to me? Should I give her a taste of her own medicine?" Eloise's crying hitched. Her expression shifted, and panic started to show. Julian's expression darkened. "What exactly did she do to you?" "Julian--" Eloise tried to cut in. Katherine spoke over her, slicing right through. "She worked with the Lewis Group's CEO and trapped me. They used me like a bargaining chip for a fifty-million-dollar deal. So tell me, Julian--if your wife is worth fifty million, how much is your sister worth? Half a billion?" &6&