Love's Illusions: Secondhand Affections

"Winnie, don't look, please!"

I followed Winnie into the villa.

This was supposed to be my and Matt's home, but in reality, it was more like a secret place he used to keep someone hidden.

Matt hadn't been here in ages.

Winnie looked around and finally spotted the black box on the table. She was just about to approach it when footsteps sounded outside. When she turned, she saw it was Matt.

"How dare you, Winnie!" Matt shouted. His face darkened at the sight of the broken glass on the floor.

I hurried to his side. "Matt, you—"

"Catherina stole my data and then went into hiding. Stop putting on an act! Tell her to come back and apologize, and I might go easy on her. If I find her myself, she'll face the consequences!"

I was stunned. "Matt, it wasn't me! I didn't do it!"

I turned to Winnie. "Winnie, it wasn't me!"

Winnie scoffed. "The mighty CEO of a company could even bring back his first love. But somehow, he can't locate his wife! Matt, are you out of your mind? Catherina is your wife! Why would she betray you?"

Matt replied coldly, "You'll have to ask her why she was meeting with Yarick! Tell her to come back. I won't go easy on her otherwise."

No matter how much Winnie tried to explain, Matt wouldn't listen. He signaled his guards to drag her out.

Winnie yelled, "Matt, I will find her and prove it to you!"

I was frantic upon seeing this. "Matt, Yarick kidnapped me to get to you! As for the data leak, I didn't do it!

"Oh, right. It was your birthday that day. I did go to see you!"

As I remembered that suddenly, I reached out for Matt, only to grasp at thin air.

Matt scanned the room before his gaze landed on the box.

My heart sank.

"Don't look! I'm begging you; don't look!"

Matt stepped forward and reached out to touch it when he was interrupted by a shrill ringtone.

It was Rachel calling. Her name stood out prominently on the screen. By comparison, my contact name on his phone seemed so cold and distant.

"Matt, are you busy? I'm scared; there's a man in black outside, and I—"

"I'll be right back!" He hung up and left without a second thought.

My soul was forced to follow him.

When we reached the villa on the hillside, I couldn't help but laugh. Security here was everywhere, with guards stationed every few steps.

No wonder Yarick targeted me; my place was much easier to access in comparison.

The thought of Yarick sent a shiver down my spine. Even though I was dead, remembering what he did to me made me shudder all over.

He had hung me up and sliced my body bit by bit, watching as the blood flowed. He called me his "Beautiful Flower".

As the pain vividly stabbed at me, I hugged myself. The marks on my fingers were still there. Every inch of my fingers and knees, too, had been broken.

Yarick had said that using a real person as a doll made it more lifelike. He had dislocated every joint, manipulating my body like a puppet.

A gust of wind brushed past, and I felt a wave of dizziness.

Just then, Rachel, dressed all in white, delicately flung herself into Matt's arms.

"Matt, I was so scared!" Her eyes shimmered with tears.

Matt patted her shoulders. "Don't worry. I'm here."

"Matt, have they found Catherina? Please don't be too hard on her. She must have her reasons for doing what she did."

Stunned, I looked up at her. I happened to catch a glimpse of a faint smirk in her eyes.

Matt's expression darkened slightly. "She'd better have a good reason!"

Then he turned to his assistant and asked, "Any updates?"

"No news yet, sir. Her last known location was in the south of the city."

Looking at Rachel, the assistant asked, "Ms. Saffron, are you sure you saw her in the west?"

Rachel tensed up instantly upon hearing that. "Matt, maybe I was mistaken."