In the photos was my brother, dining with several business partners, smiling faintly, tipsy, completely unaware someone had set their sights on him.
“If you insist on suing Sherree,” Payton warned calmly, “then I’ll have no choice but to slip something into your brother’s drink.”
The blood in my body surged straight to my head. My chest heaved violently as I snapped, “Payton, are you insane?!”
His expression remained calm, almost gentle. “Delane, as long as you cooperate, nothing will happen. Listen to me—children aren’t something we’re short on, right?”
I was shaking all over.
Ruddy, my brother—he was the one who had once fought side by side with Payton to build his family’s company.
Seven years ago, when Payton had just inherited the Frohlichs Industries and the company was on the verge of bankruptcy, it was Ruddy who used our family’s network to stabilize his position, one step at a time.
Later, when I was kidnapped, Ruddy charged into the hideout alone and carried me out. I’d clung to him in tears that day, believing this man—Payton—was worth my whole heart.
When we dated, he showered me with love, indulging in grand and romantic gestures. I’d truly believed he was a man of loyalty.