Yvonne Sutton didn’t believe a single word Vincent Reed said.

She reached her front door, but Vincent blocked her way.

"If you stay with him, you’ll get hurt! Trust me, leave him! Divorce him now! You don’t have to worry about him coming after you. I can protect you. I, Vincent Reed, will risk everything to keep you safe!"

Yvonne was utterly speechless. ’What kind of heinous monster is Wyatt Shaw? And who says I need protection?’

She looked up, about to tell Vincent to get lost, when she saw Wyatt Shaw walking out of the house, hands in his pockets. His eyes were cold and deep, and a sinister smile played on his lips. As Wyatt approached, Vincent heard the movement and spun around. The moment he saw Wyatt, he subconsciously took a step back.

"Weren’t you going to protect my wife?" Wyatt asked, raising an eyebrow.

Bolstered by the promise he’d just made to Yvonne, Vincent took a deep breath, marched two steps forward, and bellowed at Wyatt, "I already know about all the terrible things you did in Country M!"

"What terrible things did I do?" Wyatt asked, looking curious.

"You know damn well what you did!"

"Actually, I really have no idea."

Vincent gritted his teeth. "I’m warning you. You have to divorce Yvonne immediately. I can’t just stand by and watch you destroy her! If you refuse, I... I’ll expose everything! We’ll see how you can face anyone after that!"

Yvonne pressed a hand to her forehead. ’Vincent is actually threatening Wyatt? Is he trying to be funny?’

Wyatt’s smile vanished. He paced closer to Vincent.

"You’re telling me to divorce my wife?"

"That’s right!" Vincent retorted, jutting out his chin.

Wyatt nodded, his eyes darkening. An instant later, he swung his fist and punched Vincent. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Vincent saw it coming and threw up a hand to block, but the punch was too powerful. He couldn’t stop it and was knocked flat on his back.

"Wyatt! For Yvonne’s sake, I’ll fight you to the end!"

Vincent roared and scrambled to his feet, but before he could even throw a punch, Wyatt sent him sprawling with a single kick.

THUD. He hit the ground hard, busting his lip. He spat, and a mouthful of bloody foam hit the pavement.

"I... I’m obviously no match for a thug like you in a fistfight," Vincent snarled, glaring at Wyatt. "But I have other ways to make you leave Yvonne."

Wyatt scoffed. "Not a fan of fighting with your fists? You prefer a battle of wits, then?"

He nodded, then pulled out his phone and dialed. "Manager Lynch, that project on the west side of town... I want you to kick the Reed Group out. Immediately."

"Wyatt!" Vincent exclaimed in shock.

Wyatt glanced down at him and sneered. "Already signed the contract? Then find an excuse to void it. The losses? Whose losses? The Rhodes Group can find other partners. I’m sure companies are breaking down the doors to work with us. You mean the Reed Group’s losses? What do their losses have to do with me?"

After hanging up, Wyatt tilted his head and stared at Vincent, his expression full of ridicule.

"Wyatt, you’re scared!" Vincent sputtered. "You’re scared I’ll expose you, so you’re resorting to these dirty tricks to threaten me! I..." Before he could finish, his phone rang.

Vincent glanced down at the caller ID, and his face instantly paled. He hesitated for a moment before answering.

"What’s everyone panicking about? The Rhodes Group is the one who broke their word; this won’t end well for them! How could we go bankrupt? The Reed Group is financially sound! What? That much debt? What kind of lifeline was the Rhodes Group anyway?! You want me to beg Wyatt Shaw? You’re telling me to beg him? You..."

Whatever the person on the other end said, it made Vincent angrily hang up. He pointed a trembling finger at Wyatt, but no words came out. He could only spin around in place, fuming.

Wyatt folded his arms, watching as if enjoying a good show.

"You’ve gone too far! This is between you and me, we should settle it privately! What gives you the right to try and bankrupt my family’s company with a single phone call! You... you can’t do this!"

Wyatt smirked. "Hey now, don’t cry. I can’t stand watching a grown man blubber."

"Bullshit! I’m not crying!"

"You’re not crying? Then why are your eyes red?"

"I..."

Vincent really didn’t feel like he was crying, but when he wiped at his eyes, his fingers came away damp.

"I... I wasn’t thinking straight just now. Everything I said was just nonsense."

Wyatt narrowed his eyes. "You’ve never had a fucking clear thought in your life!"

"I shouldn’t have spouted all that nonsense to Yvonne. I... I won’t do it again."

"And?"

"I’m sorry."

"Sorry to whom?"

Vincent took a deep breath, then turned to face Yvonne. "Yvonne, I’m sorry. I won’t bother you again."

Yvonne just shook her head wearily, ignored him, and went straight back inside.

Wyatt followed her inside a moment later. They exchanged a look, both feeling the situation was as ridiculous as it was exasperating.

"If he ever bothers you again, I’ll have him committed to a mental hospital. Let the doctors have a look at that brain of his!"

Yvonne gave him a light slap on the arm. "Oh, stop. Why even bother with him."

Wyatt wrapped his arms around Yvonne and bent down to kiss her.

"I wasn’t even angry, at first," he murmured. "But then he told me to divorce you."

"It’s not like what he says matters."

"I just get angry. I don’t care who says it, it makes me angry."

"Me too."

They looked at each other and smiled, and Wyatt happily resumed kissing her.

"Okay, okay, you have to go to work today."

After taking a few days off, it was time for Wyatt to go back to work.

He told Yvonne to eat her breakfast while he went upstairs to change. As he opened the closet to grab his clothes, he noticed a red box underneath a pile of them.

’Where did this box come from? Did I put it here?’

Wyatt picked up the box. It felt empty, incredibly light. He hesitated for a moment before opening it. Inside was a photograph—or, to be more precise, half a photograph.

In the photo, he was wearing a winter hat and a thick down jacket, standing in the snow. Behind him was a glacier several meters tall, and there were two penguins at his feet.

’This is... Cryos?’

’I’ve been there? But why don’t I have any memory of Cryos?’

’And I was clearly holding someone, but the photo was torn. Who was next to me?’

When Wyatt still hadn’t come down, Yvonne called up the stairs for him. A little while later, he finally appeared, but his expression seemed off.

"Honey, are you not feeling well?" Yvonne asked.

Wyatt shook his head. He came down the rest of the stairs, walked over to Yvonne, and pulled her into a kiss.

"Wait for me to get home tonight."

Yvonne kissed him back. "I’m sorry, but Jean Bell’s shoot has already started. I have to go to the island and join the crew for a few days. I did promise her, after all."

Wyatt nodded. "I’ll come see you on the island this weekend."

"Okay."

After seeing Wyatt off, Yvonne packed a small bag and set off for the island. The moment she stepped off the boat, Ms. Young hurried over to greet her.

"Young Madam, we’ve been so looking forward to your arrival."

Yvonne stepped forward and gave Ms. Young a hug. "It’s been too long."

"Yes, it has. Almost half a year. Come on, Young Madam, we’ve gotten a room ready for you."

The main villa had been requisitioned by the film crew, so Yvonne was staying in the bungalow next door again. This time, however, she had her own private room, and it was spotlessly clean.

After stowing her luggage, Yvonne went to the main villa to look for Claire Lawrence. An intense scene was being filmed inside. Just as she reached the entrance, a girl with blond hair who was rushing out bumped into her. Yvonne turned to look, and at the same moment, the girl turned back.

Seeing the girl’s face, Yvonne gasped, "Hannah Abbott!"