THE DISABLED HEIRESS, MY EX-HUSBAND WOULD PAY DEARLY.

Without wasting anymore time she raised both hands apologetically and shook her head with a smirk. "No offense, but someone like Cora? Someone of her caliber? Her status? No way. She can't settle for—"

"She can't settle for you," Abigail finished the sentence bluntly, folding her arms. "Let's be honest here. We don't believe it. We really don't. Not even a little bit. So, please, try another story. This one? We're not buying it."

Hearing Victoria mocking words James didn't flinch. He just sighed lightly and gave a short chuckle not out of amusement, but more from exhaustion. "You don't have to believe me," he replied calmly, slipping both hands into his pockets. "But I'm telling you the truth. Cora is my wife."

At that moment both women blinked again, this time slower. Their expressions showed they were torn between laughing again or calling it a day.

"We just had a misunderstanding," however James continued, speaking with more seriousness. "And the truth is, it was all my fault. I was working on a serious business deal that needed a very convincing move. So I made it look like we were separating. I even pushed for a divorce just to make the people I was negotiating with think I was serious about the new woman they were linking me with."

Then his voice grew softer, more reflective. "I thought I could handle it. I thought I would fix things quickly after the deal was done. But it got out of hand. The lies became real. The gap between me and Cora widened. She took it seriously, too seriously. And now… I'm trying to fix it."

Seeing the serious look on James face and his words Victoria and Abigail were silent. No more laughter, no more snide remarks. They just looked at him with an odd mix of confusion, suspicion, and surprise. There was still doubt in their eyes, but James didn't pause.

"I know it sounds ridiculous. But I came here today to beg her. To explain everything. To take responsibility."

Then, without another word, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Then he Unlocked it swiftly, he opened his gallery and scrolled to a particular folder.

"Since you don't believe me…" he said, stepping forward and holding the phone toward them. "Here. Look for yourselves. These are pictures of both of us."

At that moment, without wasting any time, Abigail grabbed James's phone straight from his hand. Her fingers moved quickly over the screen, swiping through the gallery. Without wasting anymore time Victoria leaned in close, her curiosity more intense than ever. What they both saw left them stunned truly speechless. Dozens of photos. Not one. Not two. Multiple. And in each one, Cora and James were together not casually, not distantly, but intimately. Arms around each other, laughing, eating, traveling… snapshots of real affection. Some of them looked like they were taken at home, others at resorts, and then one photo stopped them cold.

It was a picture of Cora sitting in a wheelchair, leaning on James's shoulder while smiling weakly. She looked pale and fragile. The kind of photo that didn't just tell a story it screamed one.

Immediately Abigail's jaw dropped slightly. Victoria blinked. "Wait… wait, when was she on a wheelchair?" she muttered, more to herself than anyone else.

"Exactly my thought," Abigail whispered, her brows furrowing. "Because last we checked, she's walking perfectly fine. No limp. Nothing."

James, still standing there, quietly watching their reactions, cleared his throat. "She was sick," he said softly. "A car accident. She didn't want anyone to know. And I took care of her throughout. That's why we grew so close. That's when everything became real between us."

However it seems he didn't understand Cora then because she actually walked in from him the very last day.

But in this situation if he has to tell lie, to gain favour so be it.

Both women looked up at him again. The sarcasm and disbelief in their expressions had melted into something closer to concern, maybe even pity. Victoria crossed her arms but said nothing. Abigail sighed deeply and asked, "So why is she refusing to accept you now? You clearly loved her. You were there during her darkest moment. And from the way she slapped you and warned you earlier… it seems she's done. Like done done. Is she seeing someone else now? Someone you don't know about?"

Without wasting anymore time James quickly shook his head. "No. I know Cora. She's not seeing anyone. That's not even possible. She's not like that. She doesn't jump from one man to another, especially after something like that. I messed up. I played a role too deep trying to win a business deal. I pretended like I broke up with her so I could close a major contract with someone who didn't like my connection to her. I didn't tell her it all spiraled."

At that moment he clenched his jaw, his eyes looking away, filled with shame. "By the time I wanted to fix things, the divorce papers were already filed. I thought I could stop her. But she went through with it. It was never supposed to be real."

Abigail blinked slowly. She understood now, and It made sense. And at the same time, she couldn't help but think about Robert her Robert and how tangled this whole thing could get if James's return stirred the waters.

She didn't want her own relationship to get caught in Cora's personal drama. That thought alone made her pause. But as she looked at James this man who seemed so desperate, not prideful, not arrogant, just broken she realized he truly wanted a second chance, and she couldn't fold her arms either, because she's going to ask use this opportunity to actually gets what she wants.

"Alright then," she said finally, slowly. "Out of kindness and maybe curiosity, I want to help you, James. But…"

She stepped forward, her eyes narrowing just slightly.

"…would you be willing to do what I want from you?"