Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

Chapter 402: My Life Has Been a Lie

Genevieve set the basket aside and slowly knelt down. With trembling hands, she

slapped herself across the face. "I'm sorry. I was wrong. I shouldn't have approached Paul knowing he had a wife."

"Speak louder. I can barely hear you," Kimberly said coldly, her heart burning with hatred. How could a few words possibly extinguish the fire raging inside her?

Kimberly had a temper, but she had always given everything to her family. She had known Paul was a bit of a flirt, but she never imagined he would go as far as having an affair with Genevieve-and to make matters worse, they even had two children together! The pain wasn't just from the betrayal; it was a wound to her very soul, one so deep that words could never fully express it. Who could possibly understand the agony in her heart?

"I'm sorry. I was wrong. I am despicable. I shouldn't have seduced a married man, and I shouldn't have destroyed your family," Genevieve said, her voice shaking as she slapped herself harder. The sharp sound of her palm striking her face echoed through the room.

No one in the Blake family stepped in to stop her. While nothing could undo what had happened, watching this scene brought them at least a small measure of satisfaction. After all, Genevieve owed Kimberly this much.

Within minutes, Genevieve had slapped herself more than a dozen times. Desperate to prove her sincerity, she didn't dare go easy on herself. Her blows were forceful and unrelenting. At first, the pain was sharp, but soon her face went numb, replaced by a burning heat.

If it had been the old Kimberly, she would have sneered and continued to humiliate Genevieve without hesitation. But after her recent brush with death, she had gained a different perspective on life. Now, she simply watched Genevieve with cold indifference, as though the woman before her was nothing more than a stranger. Kimberly said nothing, and Genevieve dared not stop, continuing to hit herself mechanically.

"Enough. This all happened because of me. If you want to blame someone, blame me," Paul said, storming into the room and grabbing Genevieve's hand to stop her.

time, Kimberly's eyes flickered when she saw Paul. He wrapped his arms tightly around Genevieve, shielding her. In the past, Kimberly would have rushed over to tear the two of them apart, but now she no longer had the strength-or the will. Though Paul had spent over

Blake family's power. After the wedding, he had played the

was supposed to be about two people building a life together. But she

her voice icy as she glanced at Paul. Though they were already in the process of divorcing, only she knew how much she

sit back and watch him go to prison. Please, for the sake of the years I've spent trying to make it up to you, let him go. You

spoke with an unfamiliar seriousness, but his plea was not for Kimberly-it was for another woman's child. His words cut deeper than any wound. Even someone

Does he

his fists clenched tightly. His expression was conflicted, as though he were about to reveal something

to this, why don't you just tell

had already decided. Magnus had been kept in the dark for so long, and it was only a matter of time before the truth came out. Better to say it now than to let Kimberly suffer even more down the line. Secrets, after all, could

Eric, there were complications. You were bleeding heavily, and the baby... he was stillborn. He

in disbelief. "What are

that child. You risked your life to bring him into the world. I couldn't bear the thought of

entire body shaking as the

than Paul's affair. Worse than the existence of his illegitimate children. Her husband was gone, and now even

things? Eric grew up in this family-we've watched