He Framed My Dad, I Married His Rival

Chapter 1 Confrontation Behind Closed Doors

Having sent the anonymous note, I pocketed my phone and headed straight for Orion's private office.

Inside the room, two figures leaned closely over stacks of case documents.

Heads nearly touching, Juliet let out soft, shy giggles as they reviewed case details together.

A frown creased Orion's forehead the second he noticed my arrival. "Did no one teach you to knock before entering a private office?"

Burning frustration welled up inside me. "Why? Why did you press the case so relentlessly, planting false evidence to frame my father for crimes he never committed?"

Icy detachment settled over his features. "Sylvia, you are speaking nonsense."

"He never did any of those terrible things, and you know it better than anyone! Yet you insist on pinning baseless accusations on him!" My voice rose with suppressed grief.

"Enough!" A loud crash cut through the tense air.

Orion surged to his feet, slamming a thick pile of legal folders hard onto the desktop.

"Do you have any idea how ridiculous you look right now? Throwing childish tantrums while I prepare for cases of far greater importance."

I thought, 'Cases of greater importance?'

My gaze drifted sideways, landing on Juliet standing nearby.

Stepping forward with a glass of water in hand, she wore a mask of gentle concern. "Sylvia, please drink some water and calm yourself down."

Her fingertips brushed the raw wound around my wrist—a deep red mark left by the tight metal of a bracelet I had sold to raise legal funds.

Sharp pain shot through my arm, and I drew in a sharp breath.

"Mr. Frost carries immense pressure every single day. Try not to blame him," Juliet murmured.

Only then did Orion's eyes fall upon the gruesome gash on my skin.

A flicker of impatience crossed his face, and he waved a hand to dismiss Juliet. "Step outside for a moment."

Once the door clicked shut behind Juliet, he tossed his mobile phone onto the desk before me.

My comment under her social media post stared back from the lit screen.

His tone turned frigid. "Delete it. Now. Do you intend to destroy Juliet's future? She is just starting out in this field. A comment like this will make her a laughingstock throughout the legal community."

As I stared at the man I had loved for ten long years, my heart turned completely cold and lifeless.

For another woman, he did not hesitate to speak harshly to me.

He sneered, his words dripping with malice. "Your father is an old, stubborn man. He's doomed to be eliminated by the market sooner or later. Sylvia, he is nothing but a failure. He mismanaged his business and broke the law time and again. What happened to him is nothing but a well-deserved consequence. Did you truly expect me to ruin my own reputation for a man like him?"

A fleeting thought crossed his mind, and he let out a shallow sigh. "You are a reasonable woman. This verdict was always inevitable. I just won a case alongside Juliet—you ought to feel happy for me, shouldn't you?"

Calm resolve settled over my mind. "Orion, let's get a divorce."

A mocking laugh escaped his lips, contempt shining clearly in his eyes. "Divorce? What do you have to rely on without me? Who will clean up the mess your father left behind? Without my influence, you and that aging man will rot in prison for the rest of your lives."

He spun on his heel and marched toward the door. "The firm is holding a celebration dinner for Juliet tonight. Think carefully about your decision while I am gone."

The heavy door slammed shut, leaving me alone in the cold, empty office.

Waves of bitter memories washed over me.

I had emptied every last cent of my savings to pay off his law school loans.

I had abandoned my own career, choosing to stand behind him as a supportive wife.

I once believed I had found a husband who loved me deeply.

Now I realized I had nurtured nothing but an ungrateful bastard.

A sudden vibration pulled me back to the present.

The recipient of my anonymous message had replied.

Recipient: [Your information has caught my attention. I will need more credible evidence to move forward.]

A cold smirk appeared on my face as I stared at the screen.

'Orion, do you truly believe I have nothing left without you?'