The Heiress Who Watched Them Fall

Chapter 1

Clara Lane never had imagined that the first time she went on a Vice Squad raid in someone else’s place, she would end up catching her own husband.

She froze outside the door, unable to believe the face she saw through the half-open doorway.

Julian Rivers sat in the shadows, calmly smoking a cigarette while staring intently at the girl kneeling before him. He leaned forward and casually lifted the girl’s chin with the hand holding his cigarette.

"Your father’s debt has already climbed to five million with interest, hasn’t it? How long do you think it would take to pay that off working at a nightclub?"

The girl trembled all over.

"Why not agree to my offer? Be my mistress for one year, and the debt would be cleared."

He suddenly reached out and pulled the girl into his arms. She cried out and struggled, but he subdued her effortlessly.

He took out a velvet box and opened it, revealing the Pink Star Necklace inside.

"I saw it at an auction yesterday," Julian said softly. "I thought it would look perfect on you. Put it on. Think it over carefully. I’ll wait for your answer."

Standing at the doorway, Clara felt all the blood in her body turn to ice.

She had seen that necklace in Julian’s study three days ago. He had just returned from overseas then, and when she asked about it, he had replied casually, "It’s a gift for you. Open it on our anniversary in a few days."

Back then, she had laughed at how mysterious he was.

But now, seeing that necklace around another woman’s neck felt like a brutal slap across her face.

The girl bit her lower lip, eyes reddening.

"I may be poor, but I won’t sell myself! I’ll pay the money back! Mr. Sherlock, I won’t agree to this!"

The other well-dressed men in the private room burst into laughter.

One of them swirled his wine glass and sneered, "Plenty of women would kill to get into Julian’s bed, and he doesn’t even look twice at them. It’s been two years since Julian remarried, and this is the first time he’s cared this much about a woman. He helped deal with the debt collectors your father brought on himself and even got you a job here. Scarlett, if you ask me, that’s already more than generous. Even Julian’s actual wife—"

Julian lifted his gaze without saying a word, and the man immediately shut up awkwardly.

He looked back at the girl, his tone softening with a hint of pleading.

"How about this? Have dinner with me tonight. One meal. One hundred thousand. Is that acceptable now?"

Clara felt as if an invisible hand had clenched her heart, the pain spreading through her entire body.

After knowing him for so many years, she understood this wealthy heir’s temperament better than anyone. He had been spoiled his entire life, always getting whatever he wanted, and he could not stand being defied.

Under normal circumstances, if someone had dared to reject him like this again and again, he would have made sure they could not survive another day in Riverport.

But toward this girl, not only was he not angry, he was unexpectedly gentle.

Three years ago, in this very nightclub, she had caught Julian fooling around on the couch with a dance student.

She had just graduated from the police academy back then. Young and hot-tempered, she flipped the table on the spot and threw divorce papers in front of him the next day.

Julian had signed them with a cold sneer, saying that if she wanted a divorce, then fine.

But soon after, he went insane searching the entire city for her, and even followed her to Latin America while she was on assignment.

He had said he would change—and from that moment on, she would be his only wife.

When she was kidn*pped, he took three stab wounds for her and nearly died on the operating table.

After waking up, he cried and begged her for the first time not to leave him.

The next day, they remarried.

After the remarriage, Julian abandoned all his former playboy habits and became famously devoted to his wife throughout Riverport.

He remembered her weak stomach and would bring soup to the police station late at night; when she went on dangerous missions, he stayed by the phone all night waiting for her safe call; on her birthday, he even lit up all of Victoria Bay to spell out the name "Clara."

She had almost believed a playboy could truly change.

But now, she recalled what her superior had said after learning she had remarried:

"Some playboys don’t come back—they just dock temporarily."

Looking at the patience and affection on Julian’s face, Clara thought of all their intimate nights and suddenly felt sick to her stomach.

She had already given Julian one chance.

In her world, betrayal never got a second chance.

She took a deep breath, walked to the corner, and called Director Miller.

"I’ve made up my mind about the overseas training assignment you mentioned before. I’ll go. The sooner, the better."

Director Miller fell silent for a moment on the other end of the line.

"Alright. I’ll arrange for someone to get you out immediately. But before you leave, I need you to complete one mission. The Rivers family has recently been getting close to an overseas criminal organization. We’ve been watching them for a long time, but they’re extremely cautious and difficult to approach. We need someone who can get into their next private gathering. It will take place one week from now at a private party in Peakview Manor."

Clara’s breathing hitched.

Peakview Manor.

That was the home she shared with Julian after they remarried.

"Clara, you’re the only person who can reasonably appear there and have a chance to access their core information. Once this mission is over, I’ll immediately arrange for you to leave the country. As for Julian, you don’t need to worry about him. I’ll give you a new identity. You won’t have any ties to him anymore."

"Okay." Her voice was soft, yet steady.

The other officers had already finished searching the area and gathered outside the private room.

"Clara? This private room..."

Clara snapped back to reality and shoved the door open.

"IDs, please."