Beneath His Ugly Wife’s Mask: Her revenge was her brilliance

Chapter 13:

The public might’ve been clueless, but Cole’s inner circle knew the real story about his parents.

Years ago, Cole’s dad, Jarrett, had returned from overseas with a woman named Sophie Seydoux on his arm. He dropped the bombshell—he was marrying her. Sophie was a knockout, seemingly perfect, but she was a total enigma—no family, no past, a blank slate. In the Evans family, an heir’s wife had to come from a solid, traceable background. Ruben and Diane had been dead set against it. But Jarrett doubled down, threatening to walk away from his inheritance if they didn’t approve of Sophie. In the end, Ruben and Diane caved.

Thankfully, Sophie kept a low profile after the wedding. She ran the household like a pro, stayed out of the spotlight, and was tight with Jarrett. Soon after, they had Cole.

But fifteen years ago, Sophie vanished into thin air. One day she was there, then the next, poof, gone—like she’d been erased.

Jarrett had been gutted. He searched high and low, but she was nowhere to be found. The years of heartache and exhaustion broke him. Now, he was seriously ill.

After Merlin’s words, Cole’s temper cooled a bit. But he didn’t take Merlin’s advice. His voice stayed steady, unyielding. “That’s the last time.”

With that, Cole grabbed Elliana’s hand and strode off.

Watching them go, Merlin’s brows knitted, powerless to change Cole’s mind.

Allan let out a soft sigh. “Cole’s always marched to his own beat. We can fret all we want, but it’s no use. He’ll sort it out his way.”

Manley, though, flashed a grin. “I don’t know, guys. I’m kinda digging this. Haven’t you noticed? Cole’s finally got some spark back.” Allan and Merlin swapped a glance and nodded. Manley had a point. Cole was usually a closed book, cold as stone. But today? Something was different.

Manley rubbed his chin. “Elliana might not be attractive, but she’s got something. No way Cole would be into her otherwise. I’m dying to figure out her deal.”

Allan and Merlin didn’t say a word, but deep down, they were just as curious.

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Outside the room, Elliana yanked her hand free. “Enough. We need to talk.”

Cole stopped, his piercing gaze locking onto her determined eyes.noveldrama

Elliana held his stare, her voice firm. “What was that kiss about?” She couldn’t shake it. That morning’s kiss had been light, all for show, but the recent one? It felt real.

Cole’s lips curved into a slow, teasing smirk. “You can climb into my bed and snuggle up, but I can’t steal a kiss? Sounds like a raw deal to me. That kiss was just you paying me back.”

He thought it was unfair and did it because of that? Elliana was floored. Of all the things he could say, that was his excuse? She’d never met someone so downright bizarre. Keeping her cool, she forced a tight smile. “Your friend’s right. You should steer clear of me. It’s safer for both of us.”

Cole’s eyes glinted with a dark, playful edge. He reached out and gave her cheek a gentle pinch. “In my world, you could be the most dangerous woman on the planet and do whatever you damn well please.”

Before she could blink, Cole grabbed her hand again and started walking, tugging her along.

His strides were long, his grip like iron. Elliana had to hustle to keep up.

“Where are we going now?”

“Home.”

“I can’t. I’ve got things to handle.”

“Like what?”

“Cleaning up your family’s PR mess.” Cole stopped dead in his tracks.

Elliana whipped out her phone and started dialing. “Hello? I’ve got a tip you’re gonna want to hear…”

Back in a private room, Paige and Kiara were getting antsy. They’d been waiting forever for those scandalous photos of Elliana to drop, but nothing came through.

“Mom, what’s the holdup?” Paige asked, her nerves fraying.

Kiara frowned, checking her phone. No reply. “I’m going upstairs to see what’s taking so damn long.”

Saying this, Kiara left the room. As she moved, something felt off. A wave of heat hit her, her skin prickling as if it were on fire. Her head spun, and a strange, wired energy coursed through her. She brushed it off, blaming stress from Elliana and too many sleepless nights, and kept heading for the elevator.

The elevator was across the dance floor, forcing her to weave through the crowd.

The club was dark, sultry, with slow, sensual music pulsing through the air. Couples swayed close, locked in tight embraces, lips brushing skin, whispers trading heat.

Kiara’s breath caught. Something wild stirred inside her, a hunger she couldn’t quite pin down. Her body burned, her mind fogged, and suddenly, she was gliding through the dance floor like a woman unhinged. Her jacket hit the floor. Her heels clicked faster. Every good-looking guy caught her eye, and she didn’t hold back. She slung her arms around random shoulders, pressing close, her words bold, flirty, downright reckless.

The whole club froze, eyes glued to Kiara. Whistles and cheers erupted as she turned the place upside down, every move screaming for attention she couldn’t even explain.

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