Chapter 703
704 The Second Betrayal
704 The Second Betrayal
– 25 mm Cont
Wyatt said nothing at first. He pulled a cigarette from his pack, brought it to his lips, but didn’t light it. After a few seconds, he took it out and crushed it in his hand, the paper crumpling into a tight, silent knot.
“You really think Oscar’s a good brother?”
His voice was sharp, laced with bitter laughter. “He wasn’t innocent. Owen was the one who ruined your life, yeah—but Oscar? If he’d had even a shred of real family loyalty, he wouldn’t have let Owen handle your case like that. You want to know why Oscar signed that mental illness document without even verifying anything? Because Owen promised him a new round of research funding. And that money came from your medical award. Oscar knew it. He signed anyway.”
Yunice’s head lifted slowly. The deepening suspicion in her eyes made it clear–this was the first time she was hearing any of it.
She’d known Oscar had always kept his distance, that his version of responsibility meant cold logic and emotional detachment. When Owen told him she was mentally unstable and had harmed others, he co- signed the fake diagnosis under the guise of helping her avoid criminal charges. She had believed it was poor judgment, or maybe just misplaced trust.
But now, she knew the truth.
It wasn’t a mistake. It was a transaction.
Wyatt’s voice lowered. “You know what really pisses me off?”
He paused, jaw tight. “When I was hiding abroad from a hit, I ran into Oscar once. I recognized him right away, but he didn’t recognize me. I asked if he’d been in touch with his family–if he knew how you were doing. You know what he said? He said Paul had settled down, treated you well, that the two of you were madly in love. He even thanked me for asking.”
The bitterness in his voice was unmistakable, every word laced with restrained fury. His jaw clenched so tight it looked like he was physically forcing back the urge to spit.
He’d always cared. He’d always been watching. Back then, to avoid bringing Yunice any trouble, he hadn’t even used connections he trusted. He’d hired anonymous informants to quietly report back on the “eldest daughter of the Saunders family.” And the updates that came back? All painted a picture of a woman living peacefully, happily, with someone who loved her.
He never imagined that someone could have their identity stolen in broad daylight. What infuriated him even more was that none of her so–called loved ones had questioned it. They had all accepted it–just like. that.
That was the first betrayal.
Later, he saw Oscar again. Thinking he might know more, Wyatt had pretended to be a pharmaceutical contact and invited him to drink, hoping to fish for details.
All he got was a vague, pleasant lie about how wonderful Yunice and Paul were together.
He had believed it. Jealousy had clouded everything. He couldn’t stand the idea of intruding on what looked like a calm, content life. He hadn’t wanted to be the bitter outsider barging in to ruin her
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704 The Second Betrayal
happiness.
That was the second betrayal.
He had hated them all. Paul. Owen. But most of all, he hated Oscar.
Oscar had done nothing obvious. He hadn’t raised a hand. He hadn’t shouted or lied directly. But somehow, that made it worse.
Wyatt knew the kind of man who stayed silent while others drowned. The kind who never threw a rope , never lifted a finger, and called it morality. He loathed that the most.
When Oscar had returned to the country and finally met Wyatt face–to–face, his reaction said everything. His expression had frozen. He’d recognized him.
And still said nothing.
No apology. No explanation.
So Wyatt had forced his hand.
He let Oscar make a choice – stand with the Saunders family, or stand with Yunice.
Oscar, pressed to the wall, had finally branded Paul’s face with words and pushed a manipulative woman into Owen’s life to destabilize him. But all of that had only happened because Wyatt had forced him to act. It was what Oscar should have done from the start–as a brother, as a man.
If it weren’t for the fact that Yunice still held onto hope for her brother, Wyatt would never have tried to clear Oscar’s name. He would’ve let him rot.
Yunice didn’t speak for a long time.
Wyatt had said everything he’d bottled up. For a moment, he felt a bitter kind of release. But as the silence stretched, he realized he’d gone too far.
Yunice had been betrayed enough.
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Oscar was one of the last people she still trusted. The only one left who felt like family. And now Wyatt had dragged him down from the pedestal, shattered what little faith she had left.
She was already someone who struggled to believe in people. And now, surely, that door had shut for good.
Wyatt stared at her, speechless. He hadn’t meant to tell her any of this. But if he hadn’t, it would’ve eaten him alive. He needed her to know that he had always cared–that from beginning to end, she had never been out of his thoughts.
But Yunice refused to believe it. She had made up her mind to walk alone. She didn’t want to be tethered to anyone , not even him.
Wyatt didn’t know how to make her stay. He couldn’t pressure her–she’d push back. He couldn’t plead either–she didn’t do compromise. He had tried dragging it out, hoping time would soften her , but she was too sharp for that. She’d seen through it already.
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704 The Second Betrayal
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She’d brought up Paul and Nora’s location to test him. To see whether he would respect her decision, or go behind her back and force her hand.
Now that the truth about Oscar was out, Yunice kept her head down, saying nothing.
Wyatt turned his head and leaned down a little, trying to catch a glimpse of her face.
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