Zack didn’t like the way she always pushed him. Besides, he knew Theodore wasn’t interested in Gina. "I know what I am doing," he said coldly. "I don’t need your advice. You should focus on yourself instead of wasting your breath on me. Theodore doesn’t even like you."
His words landed like a blow, and he could see the shift in Gina’s expression. Her eyes darkened with anger, and she shot back, "Who told you he didn’t like me?!"
In her mind, Theodore belonged to her. She wouldn’t let anyone come between them. "There is only one woman in his life, and that’s me. Do you understand? If you don’t take Bella away, I’ll make her leave Theodore."
Zack’s stomach twisted in unease. The crazed look in Gina’s eyes told him she was serious, and that scared him more than he’d admit. He grew concerned about Bella. Gina’s jealousy could push her to do something reckless, and he couldn’t let Bella get hurt.
Now wasn’t the time to argue or provoke her further; he had to play this carefully, figure out what she had on her mind.
"How are you planning to do that?" Zack asked cautiously, keeping his voice calm, though the knot of anxiety in his chest tightened.
Gina straightened up, crossing her arms over her chest with a smug air of confidence. "Theodore hates betrayal," she said, lifting her chin. Her voice took on a tone of certainty that made Zack’s unease grow. I just need to make him believe she is cheating on him."
An icy chill crept down Zack’s spine as her words sank in. A man would never tolerate the thought that his wife had been cheating on him. It didn’t matter whether he liked his wife or not.
If Gina succeeded in planting doubt, Theodore might make Bella’s life a living hell. However, it was beneficial for him.
He maintained his composure and asked, "What is your plan?"
Gina pondered for a moment before laying out her plan. "You can help me with this. You want her, don’t you? Spend time with her. Take her out, make her feel better. She is still devastated after losing the baby. This is your chance to get close to her and replace Theodore in her heart. I’ll handle the rest of the things."
Zack slightly narrowed his eyes as he processed her words. He understood what Gina was trying to do. But he still wanted to know from her. "Sounds good," he mumbled. "I’m ready to help you, but you have to tell me everything."
Gina’s eyes lit up with excitement as she realized Zack was on board. Her lips curved into a triumphant smile.
"When you’re out with her, I’ll have someone follow you—someone who can take photos of the two of you together," she began. "Theodore will never stand for infidelity. The moment he sees those pictures, he’ll break up with her. Problem solved. What do you think? Isn’t it a perfect plan?"
Zack didn’t respond immediately. He stood there, processing what she was suggesting. He knew the false accusations would crush Bella. It pained him to think that she had to go through heartbreak. But deep down, Zack knew that if this plan worked, it would give him what he wanted. He could be there for her when Theodore cast her aside.
"Alright, I am in," he said without hesitation. "But promise me one thing—you won’t hurt her."
"As long as you do your part and take her away from Theodore, I won’t need to hurt her," Gina smirked.
"I’ll take her away," Zack promised.
~~~~~~~~~~~
A man dressed in a sleek black suit silently crept into Keith’s study. He leaned down and whispered something in Keith’s ear. He pulled out a phone and played a video for Keith to see.
At first, Keith’s eyes widened in shock as he watched the footage unfold, but within moments, his expression shifted. A slow, calculated smile spread across his face with cold satisfaction.
"Well, well..." he murmured, a smug look crossing his features. "This is quite interesting."
"The cops are looking for O’Neil everywhere," the man in the black suit informed. "And this footage confirms his death. I was going to alert the authorities immediately, but I figured you’d want to see it first."
"You made the right choice," Keith replied, his sharp mind already racing with cunning plans. "This video will be helpful for us to bring Theodore to his knees."
His fingers drummed lightly on the desk as a dangerous gleam sparked in his eyes. "Make sure no one else sees this for now," he added. "Silence any leads."
The man nodded, bowing slightly. "Understood, sir," he said before slipping out of the room.
The sinister smile on his face deepened, and he leaned back in his chair with a satisfied sigh. "Theodore, Theodore," he mused darkly. "Now, you are under my grasp. Let’s see how you manage to escape this."
He picked up his phone and quickly dialed Claudia’s number. After a few rings, her voice came through. "Hello?" 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎
"I’ve got something interesting to share," he said, his excitement barely contained. "Come over."
"Now?" Claudia frowned at the clock. It was eight in the evening. She had always been very careful about meeting Keith since she didn’t want to expose their relationship, at least not yet. "Is Gina not home?"
"No, she is not. She is out at a friend’s birthday party and won’t be back until morning," Keith reassured her. "You really should come. I’ve got something that will make you quite happy."
Claudia’s curiosity was piqued by the excitement in his voice, and despite her reservations, she couldn’t resist. "What is it?" she asked.
"I can’t tell you over the phone," Keith replied, his tone mysterious. "You’ll have to come here to see it for yourself."
After a moment’s pause, Claudia made up her mind. "Alright, I’ll be there soon."
Keith’s grin widened as the call ended, the gleam in his eyes betraying his satisfaction. He had long coveted the Reid fortune, a desire so intense that he had even let his girlfriend marry into the Reid family to achieve his goal.
Theodore was the only obstacle left, but soon, that hurdle would be removed, and his wish would be realized.
It was the time to celebrate, and Keith wanted to enjoy this moment with Claudia. He walked out of the study in haste.
Claudia arrived after some time and found him lounging comfortably with a glass of wine in hand, his demeanor unusually buoyant. His face was alight with a wide, triumphant grin as he met her gaze.
"You’re finally here," Keith said warmly, waving her over with a flourish. "Come, sit with me. Have a drink."
Claudia, taken aback by his bright mood, settled next to him. "It’s rare to see you so delighted," she remarked, her intrigue deepening. "What is the matter?"
Keith’s smile never faltered as he poured a generous amount of wine into a goblet and extended it to her. "This is the finest wine in my collection. It’s really good. I am sure you’ll like it."
Claudia accepted the goblet, the rich, deep red wine glistening in the light. She took a sip, and the wine slid smoothly down her throat, its sweetness lingering pleasantly.
"Mm," she hummed in approval, savoring the complex flavors. "It’s good." She took another sip, then a third, letting the taste fill her senses.
Keith slowly pulled out his phone and showed her a video. As Claudia watched the video play on the screen, her initial pleasure from the wine vanished. The footage was brutal and shocking—Theodore savagely beating O’Neil, breaking his fingers mercilessly. The violence and cruelty twisted Claudia’s gut.
Her eyes widened in horror as she absorbed the grim scene. "How did you get this?" she exclaimed, glancing at Keith.
"I have been keeping a tab on him," Keith said, "look what we’ve uncovered. O’Neil is dead, and the cops are still hunting for him for attacking Bella. They have no idea Theodore has already killed this man."
He smirked slyly. "This video is our trump card. With it, we can make Theodore do whatever we want."
Claudia smiled with satisfaction, her fear replaced by admiration. "Keith, you haven’t changed a bit. You’re just as cunning as ever. I’m falling in love with you all over again."
"You are always my queen." Keith drew her close, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss.
Claudia put her goblet aside on the central table and kissed him back, her hands gently cradling his face.
When they finally pulled apart, Claudia’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. "What’s your plan?"
Keith sank deeper into the sofa, swirling the wine in his glass with a thoughtful expression. "First, we’ll force Theodore to marry Gina and transfer all his assets into her name. He’ll become nothing more than a puppet, completely powerless. And once Gina tires of him, we’ll get rid of him."
Claudia’s grin spread from ear to ear. "That’s intriguing. I love the idea." She clasped her hands excitedly.
"And you make me excited." With a forceful tug, he pulled her in closer and kissed her hungrily, wrapping his arms around her.
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