Chapter 862

Chapter 865:
Bettina’s confession came in a rush, followed by uncontrollable weeping.
Through her tears, Bettina saw Candice’s face, expressionless, almost as if she wasn’t surprised at all.
Bettina stood there, tears shimmering in her eyes, her mind a whirlpool of confusion.
“Why aren’t you even a bit shocked?” she asked.
Candice gently laid her hands on Bettina’s trembling shoulders and replied, “Are you surprised I’m not surprised, Betty? I’ve had my suspicions about Bart all along!”
Bettina gazed at her friend, shocked. She had been wrestling with her emotions lately and had finally mustered the courage to confide in Candice about everything. She had even steeled herself to lose this treasured friendship. And yet, Candice had known all along.
“What did you know? How could you possibly know? Did you look into Bart?”
“I’ve had my suspicions that Bart is involved. I’ve pieced together some indirect proof, but direct evidence still eludes me,” Candice confessed, glancing around to ensure no one was eavesdropping.
She had analyzed the surveillance footage repeatedly, discovering an unaccounted twenty-second gap. The videos from her wedding night and the ambassador’s wife’s birthday party had been manipulated. She relayed her theories to Bettina.
Exhaling heavily, Candice murmured, “I didn’t share this with you, Betty, because I didn’t know where you stood with Bart. He’s your ex-boyfriend, and yet you’ve never spoken of him. I don’t know what happened, but I understand that you have your own apprehensions. I’m concerned that if you still have feelings for him and I reveal everything, it might put you in a difficult situation.”
Catching sight of Bettina’s bruised jaw, Candice suddenly grasped the terrifying truth.
Grasping Bettina’s arms, she demanded, “Did he threaten you to ensure your silence with this? Is that why you’ve been…?”
𝖁𝖊𝖗𝖘𝖎𝖔𝖓 𝖆𝖚𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖎𝖈 𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊:
Candice’s eyes welled up with tears. Bettina’s recent melancholic behavior, her absent-mindedness, and her unavailability at night all made sense now.
“Candy, I… I’m sorry. I should’ve confided in you sooner. But I feared losing you, losing our bond. I worried you wouldn’t forgive me. But you deserved the truth. I’ve wanted to tell you countless times, but I always backed out. I also feared that you’d be in even more danger if you knew the truth. I didn’t want to be used by Bart again, like what happened three years ago. I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault…”
Bettina’s voice hitched with sobs.
“Bart himself confessed he’d been spying on me. That’s how he found out Milton visited the Crowne Hotel and his room was next to yours on your wedding night. He exploited the situation. I witnessed your anguish, Candy. You struggled, and it was all my fault. You endured a forced divorce, got tangled with the Lopez family, and suffered a tragic miscarriage. You were caught between Milton and Greyson. All because of me. It shouldn’t have been this way!”
Candice wanted to interject, but Bettina shook her head and continued, “Let me say this. You didn’t deserve this. You finally married Greyson, the man you’d loved for a decade. Even though Madilyn, that bitch, had returned, we would’ve revealed her true nature. Nothing would’ve come between you and Greyson. You would’ve been happy. But now, everything’s different. The Lopez family is a tangled web. Bart’s ambitions are relentless. He won’t stop until he achieves his goals. We can’t predict what lies ahead. You’re caught in this mess. And it’s all my fault! Because of me! I can’t bear to face you. I can’t bring myself to tell you everything.”
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