The Cheater Pays
He stepped on the stones by the riverbank, his voice as chilling as ice: Shirley Scott, if you dare harm Viola, sinking into the river is mercy for you.
Viola Lincoln clung to his arm, an unashamed look of triumph on her face.
She whispered softly, "Husband, don't dirty your hands. Let her sink on her own."
The searing pain of my broken limbs still spread through me. I summoned my last strength to glare at them, but I could only watch helplessly as the river water rose above my head.
In the final second before losing consciousness, I was still thinking—If there is a next life, I will make that treacherous couple, and Eric Shawn who betrayed me, pay with their blood.
I suddenly opened my eyes; the crystal chandelier in the living room made them ache.
On the coffee table lay the half-finished cup of coffee I hadn't finished yesterday, now stone cold.
My body wasn't soaked in the icy river water, nor did I feel the agonizing pain of broken limbs—I had returned.
The calendar on the wall displayed the date: the very day Viola Lincoln's affair was uncovered by Yale Gabriel.
On this very day in my past life, she called me in tears, begging me to help deceive Yale Gabriel.
Foolishly, I agreed, only to become her scapegoat—slandered, beaten, and ultimately dying tragically in the river.
Suddenly, the phone rang, and the screen flashed the name "Viola."
I took a deep breath and pressed the answer button, my fingers quietly sliding to the record key.
"Shirley, I won't be going to Yale's tonight."Viola Lincoln's voice carried a hint of joy, completely free of the panic she had in her past life.
"If he asks, just say I was shopping with you and will stay at your place later, got it?"
I leaned back on the sofa, my tone calm: "Going on another date with your little lover? Viola Lincoln, aren't you afraid Yale Gabriel will find out?"
She scoffed disdainfully, utterly unconcerned: "Afraid of what? He flirts with that female secretary every day, why should I be the one to stay loyal to him?"
"I will not only go on a date with Andy, but also bear his children."
"When Yale Gabriel grows old, I'll tell him the child isn't his. Do you think he'll be so furious he'll cough up blood?"
Those words stabbed into my ears like needles.
In my past life, it was precisely because I never heard these words that I always considered her a good friend and defended her at every turn.
So, from the very start, she was this poisonous.
"Don't forget, Yale Gabriel once suspended your secondary card."I deliberately reminded her, hoping she'd say more.
Viola Lincoln's tone instantly grew resentful and venomous: "Isn't it because last time I caused a scene at the company, he felt humiliated!"
"If I hadn't knelt all night, claiming it was you who egged me on, would he have forgiven me?"
"And then there's Eric Shawn. If he hadn't pleaded for me, Yale Gabriel would have divorced me long ago—but it doesn't matter. Once I get the Gabriel family fortune, who will care about them?"
I tightened my grip on the phone; the recording was still going.
"Enough, stop babbling. Remember to cover for me."After saying that, Viola Lincoln hung up immediately.
The phone screen went dark. I stared at the recording file, a cold smile curling at the corners of my lips.
Viola Lincoln, this time, your good days are over.
A few minutes later, the phone rang again. This time, it was Yale.
I stared at the name 'Mr. Gabriel' on the screen, recalling how he had beaten and scolded me in my past life. All that remained in my heart was loathing.
I pressed the answer button, and his furious roar blared through: "Shirley! Where are you hiding Viola Lincoln?"
"I warn you, stop messing around with her. If you try to drive a wedge between us, I won't spare you!"
In my past life, hearing this would only make me flustered, stumbling over my words out of fear of offending him.
But now, I can only laugh at it.
"Mr. Gabriel, Viola Lincoln is an adult, not your possession."My tone was icy, "You can't find her, so on what grounds are you asking me?"
"Besides, she and I are friends, not her babysitter—I have no obligation to keep an eye on her for you."
Yale Gabriel clearly didn't expect me to say that; he was stunned for a moment, then grew even angrier: "Shirley Scott, how dare you speak to me like that? Believe it or not, I'll make sure Eric Shawn's company goes bankrupt!"
A threat? The same old trick.
In my last life, it was because I feared his crushing of Eric Shawn that I compromised again and again.
"Go ahead and try me."After I spoke, I immediately hung up and even added him to my blacklist.
After finishing all this, I stood up and continued packing my suitcase.
In my previous life, they forced me to lose everything. This time, I must prepare in advance, always ready to leave this place riddled with betrayal.
The sound of a key turning in the lock came, and Eric Shawn entered carrying his briefcase.
He saw the suitcase in the living room and frowned as he approached. "Wife, where are you planning to go?"
I gazed at his familiar face, a wave of turmoil rising in my stomach.
In my previous life, when Viola Lincoln slandered me, he frowned exactly like this and called me 'malicious at heart.'
He divorced me in front of everyone and kicked me out of the house, all just to secure Yale Gabriel, this major client.
What disgusted me even more was that I only learned before I died that he had long been involved with Viola Lincoln, and that Viola's lover, Andy, was even introduced by him.
"Pack some things, just in case."I didn't look at him and kept folding the clothes.
Eric Shawn came over and tried to take my hand. "Honey, what's wrong with you today? Did someone upset you?"
The moment his hand touched my arm, I jerked away as if struck by electricity.
"Don't touch me."I said coldly, "I find it dirty."
Eric Shawn was stunned, a hurt expression on his face: "Shirley, what's wrong with you? Weren't we doing fine?"
Are you alright?
In my previous life, I thought the same, until they together shoved me into hell.
Just then, my phone rang again; it was still Viola Lincoln.
I glanced at Eric Shawn and pressed the speakerphone button.
"Shirley! Help me!" Viola's voice was panicked, trembling with sobs. "Yale Gabriel has brought people to the Holiday Hotel! He must have found out!"
"Hurry and come distract him, or I'm finished! Yale Gabriel will kill me!"
I leaned against the sofa, my tone calm: "Your matters are none of my concern."
"Shirley Scott! How can you be so heartless!" Viola Lincoln screamed, "Weren't we best friends? Are you just going to watch me die?"
"Friends?"I sneered coldly, "I'm certainly not the kind of friend who cheats and lets others take the blame."
After speaking, I immediately hung up the phone and even blacklisted Viola Lincoln.
Eric Shawn stood beside me, his face pale. He grabbed my arm, stomping his feet desperately: "Shirley Scott, are you crazy? How can you do this to Viola!"
"She's your best friend! If Yale Gabriel gets angry, what will happen to my company? He's one of our major clients!"
I looked at his anxious expression, my heart growing even colder.
Sure enough, the one he cared about was never Viola Lincoln, but his business.
"If you want to help her, it's still not too late to go now."I shook off his hand. "The Holiday Hotel isn't far from here. Make sure you don't go to the wrong place."
Eric Shawn paused for a moment, then grabbed his coat and rushed out the door. "Shirley, wait here. I'll go explain everything to Mr. Gabriel. I won't let him blame you!"
He ran so hastily that he hadn't even put his shoes on properly; the slippers by the entrance were kicked into a complete mess.
I watched his retreating silhouette, a colder sneer deepening at the corner of my mouth.
Eric Shawn, in this lifetime, neither you nor Viola Lincoln will escape.
After packing the suitcase, I placed it by the door, then sat quietly on the sofa, waiting silently.
In the previous life, whenever Yale Gabriel failed to catch Viola Lincoln at the hotel, he would come to my house with others and vent all his fury on me.
This time, I will no longer be slaughtered like a helpless lamb as I was in the past life.
Past seven in the evening, a loud bang echoed outside the door.
The front door was kicked open.
Eric Shawn stormed in with more than a dozen burly men, his face pale with terrifying rage.
Behind him, Viola Lincoln's eyes were bloodshot from crying, her expression full of profound grievance.
Yale Gabriel brought up the rear, his head bowed, too afraid to meet my gaze, his face etched with panic.
"Shirley Scott! You wretched woman!" Eric Shawn lunged forward, seizing my hair and slapping me harshly across the face.
The force was so great that I was thrown to the ground, my cheek immediately burning with pain.
He wasn't satisfied yet and kicked me again: "You dare to frame Viola! Today, I will make sure to kill you!"
Enduring the pain, I tried to get up, but Viola Lincoln suddenly pounced on me and pinned me down.
She cried as she hit me, her nails scratching my arm until it ached: "Shirley, I treated you like a sister—why would you do this to me?"
"You drugged me in the water, let men touch me, and even took photos to threaten me. How could you be so cruel!"
"If it weren't for Yale Gabriel believing me, I would have long since jumped into the Yellow River, unable to clear my name!"
Her performance was deeply passionate, with tears falling at just the right moments.
Eric Shawn also approached and kicked me, his voice choking: "Shirley Scott, I never imagined you were that kind of person."
"You disguise yourself so well every day; I was truly blind to have married you."
"We're getting a divorce. You don't deserve to be my wife."
Familiar lines, familiar scenes.
In my previous life, hearing these words would only shatter me into tears as I desperately tried to explain.
But now, I could only look at them coldly, watching the two people I once trusted most conspire to slander me.
"I did not frame her."I endured the pain in my body, speaking each word deliberately, "She was the one who cheated; she asked me to help deceive Yale Gabriel."
"You still deny it!" Yale slapped me again, grabbing my hair to pull me up. "Both Viola and Eric Shawn said so; who do you think will believe you?"
"Today, I will destroy your reputation and let everyone know you are a vicious woman!"
He waved to the burly men behind him. "Drag her to the community square and let everyone see her true colors!"
Two burly men approached, grabbed my arms, and dragged me outside.
Eric Shawn and Viola Lincoln followed behind, Viola's lips curling into a faint, scarcely noticeable smug smile.
The community square was crowded with neighbors taking their post-dinner walks.
Someone raised their phone, taking photos and videos of me, while whispering unpleasant remarks.
"Isn't that Shirley Scott from building 3? She usually seems quiet, but how could she be so wicked?"
"To actually betray your own friend—how vicious!"
"People like this should be driven out of the neighborhood to keep the atmosphere clean!"
Yale Gabriel shoved me to the ground, forced me to kneel, then took out his phone and started a live broadcast.
"Everyone, look clearly. This woman is Shirley Scott. Jealous that my wife is doing well, she drugged her to frame her!" He shouted furiously into the camera. "Today, I want her to learn that if you do wrong, you must pay the price!"
Comments in the live broadcast room streamed by rapidly, all cursing me.
"Wretched woman, die!"
"Hurry up and get a divorce; don't ruin Eric Shawn for everyone else!"
"People like this deserve to be punished!"
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