“Stay back, you worthless coward—don’t you come any closer!”Joseph advanced step by steady step. Charles could only retreat. He had watched Joseph bring down a black bear with his bare hands; if Joseph decided to kill him now, there would be no escape.His voice shook. “I’m warning you—don’t do anything rash! If anything happens to me, the Martin family will never let you go!”Joseph’s mouth curved in a cold smile. “Mr. Martin, when you pulled your little stunts just now, did you spare a thought for what would follow?”“Three lives thrown away to feed your selfishness. Do you still call yourself human?”His voice was glacial, like something risen from the depths of hell. The sound of it sent a shiver through Charles. Joseph had seen him shove Alice at the bear. Had Joseph been one second later, she would’ve been meat between those jaws. She wouldn’t be standing here now.Joseph had said it before: Alice was his reverse scale—the one thing no one could touch.Everything Charles had do

“You’re making things up—stirring trouble and trying to wedge yourself between Joseph and me. Those little tricks won’t work. I won’t fall for them. Do yourself a favor and give it up.”Alice wore the look of someone already assured of victory.Each calm sentence rang like a bell, staking her claim in no uncertain terms: she was the wife, the rightful one. Whatever Naomi Martin schemed, no matter how clever, she’d never be more than the interloper.“Besides, even if any of that were true, Joseph wouldn’t have the guts. At most he’d dare think it—and only in his head.”Joseph could’ve wept with gratitude, nodding like a madman, buttering her up at every turn.“Exactly—she’s slandering me. I didn’t do anything. My wife’s always been the best in my eyes. No one else comes close!”He was moved beyond words. Alice knew him—knew when to throw him a lifeline. Without her, he wouldn’t be able to wash this off in a thousand rivers.Naomi Martin was beautiful, no denying it, but her heart—pitch

“It’s not what you think, Naomi—listen to me—”Panic unraveled Charles. With so many eyes on him, and Naomi standing there like a closed door, he knew she must have learned what he’d done. That was why she was furious.He could have torn every gossip to pieces, but this wasn’t the moment.“Then go on,” Naomi said, suddenly interested.“Slander!” he barked. “It’s all slander!”He sprang up, wild-eyed. “They can’t stand to see me do well. Their status is beneath mine, so they smear me in front of you out of sheer jealousy. That’s all this is.”“Think about it, Naomi—Kyle Lee’s my sworn enemy. Of course he’d take the first chance to kick me when I’m down. You can’t trust him.” He clutched her arm. “You have to trust me. You’re my fiancée. I love you most, only you, with all my heart—please, believe me!”Sweat slicked his brow; his scalded face throbbed. None of it mattered if Naomi didn’t believe him. If she decided the stories were true, the engagement would be torn up the moment they r