The CEO's Rejected Wife And Secret Heir novel Chapter 134

Chapter 134: Chapter 134: Marcus Texts

Aria pov

"Please!" She fell to her knees. "Please, I’m begging you. I know I don’t deserve mercy. I know I’ve done terrible things. But Aria" Her voice cracked. "You’re my sister, my only sister. Please don’t let them send me to prison."

I looked down at her—my sister, on her knees, begging for mercy she absolutely did not deserve.

Every instinct screamed at me to walk away. To let her burn. To watch her face the consequences she’d spent years avoiding.

But then I heard Noah’s voice in my head: Family forgives each other. Even when it’s hard.

And Damien’s: Don’t become what you hate.

And Olivia’s: Forgiveness is for you, not her.

"Get up," I said quietly.

Vivian looked up, hope flickering in her eyes.

"I said get up." I stepped back. "I’m not doing this with you on your knees like some kind of martyr."

She stood shakily, wiping her face.

"I’m not going to lie to you," I said. "Part of me wants to watch you rot in prison for what you did. I want to see you suffer the way you made me suffer."

"I know"

"But," I continued, "I have a four year-old son who believes families should forgive each other. And I have a man who taught me that becoming the villain to punish the villain doesn’t make you the hero. It just makes you another villain."

Vivian’s breath caught.

"So here’s what’s going to happen," I said. "You’re going to turn yourself in to the police within the next two hours."

"Aria"

"Let me finish." My voice was cold. "You’re going to turn yourself in, confess EVERYTHING—and I mean everything, Vivian. Every text, every plan, every conspiracy. You’re going to cooperate fully with their investigation."

"Okay," she whispered.

"And in exchange," I continued, "I’ll ask the DA to offer you a plea deal. Probation instead of prison, mandatory therapy, community service. But" I held up a finger. "On four non-negotiable conditions."

"Anything."

"One: You stay away from me, from Damien, from Noah. Completely. No contact unless I initiate it. You violate that even once, the deal is off and I personally make sure you get the maximum sentence."

She nodded frantically.

"Two: You get help. Real help. Not performative therapy sessions to look good for the judge. I’m talking about intensive treatment. Anger management, cognitive behavioral therapy, whatever it takes to become a person who doesn’t destroy others out of jealousy."

"I will. I promise."

"Three: You testify against anyone else involved in plots against me or my family. Marcus, accomplices, anyone. You give prosecutors everything—names, dates, plans, all of it."

Vivian hesitated. "Marcus will kill me if I testify against him."

"Then you’ll have police protection. Witness protection if necessary." My voice was firm. "Those are the terms. Take them or I walk out and let the DA throw the book at you."

"What’s the fourth condition?" she asked quietly.

I met her eyes. "You will never lie to me again. About anything. If I ask you a question, you answer honestly, no matter how ugly the truth is. Because Vivian, I will always know. I have resources now. Investigators. Technology. If you lie to me, I will find out. And when I do" I stepped closer. "The mercy ends. Permanently."

She swallowed hard. "I understand."

"Do you?" I searched her face. "Because I need you to really understand what I’m offering you. This isn’t forgiveness, Vivian. This isn’t reconciliation. This is me choosing not to destroy you completely because I refuse to become the kind of person who ruins lives out of revenge. But make no mistake—you betray me again, you come near my family, you so much as breathe wrong—and I will end you. Legally, financially, socially. I will make sure there’s no hole deep enough for you to hide in. Are we clear?"

"Crystal clear," she whispered.

"Good." I moved toward the door. "You have two hours to turn yourself in. The DA’s office is expecting you. If you run, if you try to disappear—I’ll hunt you down myself and make sure you get the maximum sentence for everything. Conspiracy, fraud, harassment, every charge they can make stick."

"I won’t run," Vivian said. "I swear."

I paused at the door, my hand on the handle. Without turning around, I said, "Why did you really leave the apartment, Vivian? The truth this time."

Silence. Then, quietly: "Because staying there meant admitting you won. That you were better than me in every way. And I—" Her voice broke. "I couldn’t face that. Couldn’t face my own failure every day in an apartment paid for by the sister I’d tried to destroy."

I finally turned to look at her. "That’s the most honest thing you’ve said this entire conversation."

"Does it change anything?" she asked.

"No," I said. "But it’s a start. Real change starts with brutal honesty, Vivian even when it makes you look pathetic."

"I am pathetic," she whispered.

"Yes," I agreed. "But you don’t have to stay that way. Get help. Real help. Do the work and maybe someday" I stopped. "Maybe someday we can have a conversation where you’re not manipulating me and I’m not waiting for you to stab me in the back."

"You’d really give me a chance?" Hope flickered in her eyes. "Even after everything?"

"I’m giving you a chance to save yourself from prison," I corrected. "What you do with that chance is up to you. But Vivian—" I met her eyes one last time. "This is it. Your last chance. Blow it, and there won’t be another."

"I understand." She wiped her eyes. "And Aria? Thank you. I don’t deserve this, but thank you."

"You’re right. You don’t deserve it." I opened the door. "But I deserve peace. And holding onto hatred, plotting revenge—it was poisoning me. I’m doing this for me, not for you. Remember that."

I thought about that. About Noah’s questions this morning. About the values I wanted to teach him. The family forgives each other. Even when it’s hard.

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