Chapter 2 She Was Shot

Giada let out a wry smile. So, this was how Samuel perceived her. An hour later, Giada and Samuel walked out of City Hall, each holding a divorce certificate in their hands. Tilda glanced at the paper in Samuel's hand, her face lighting up with excitement. Finally, she would be Samuel's wife, no longer a hidden figure in the background. She pretended to be concerned, looking at Giada. The once stunning face she had envied now seemed even more striking, but colder, distant, and completely unreachable. What she had always envied most about Giada was her beauty. But now, she wouldn't have to see it again. "Giada," Tilda said, feigning concern, "The Bensones don't want you anymore. You've left with nothing. Do you even have somewhere to go?" For Tilda, Giada was just a country girl, someone who had only gotten lucky enough to become involved with the Bensones. But now, that luck had run out. Giada found it ridiculous that Tilda would still pretend to care. When the Bensones found out Giada wasn't their real daughter, they had sent her away to the countryside. She hadn't mattered to them. It wasn't until she turned 18 that they brought her back into their world, and that was when she met Samuel. Two years ago, Tilda was found and sent abroad for further schooling to be "worthy" of someone like Samuel. When Tilda returned, Giada learned the painful truth: The Bensones had found their biological daughter and intended to sever all connections with Giada. They had never raised her, so cutting her off had been easy. It hadn't bothered her much either. Her return was just to trace her biological parents. It was then that she learned why she had been sent away in the first place—because she wasn't the real Bensone child. Just days ago, she overheard Samuel's friends talking and found out that Samuel had fallen for the sweet and innocent Tilda the moment they met during his business trip abroad. As soon as Tilda returned, they quickly started a romantic relationship. Tilda had sent Giada pictures of their nights together, flaunting her victory and rubbing it in. Even though she was a mistress, Tilda didn't hesitate to brag. Giada looked at her with indifference. "Don't waste your time, Ms. Bensone. Where I go from here isn't your problem." Without sparing Samuel a glance, she straightened her back and hailed a cab, walking away without a second thought. Her departure was so final because she knew something else about Samuel—something just as vile. Samuel gripped the divorce certificate tightly, his knuckles turning white as his veins bulged. She didn't even look at him before walking away. But why did she leave with such a peculiar air about her? He watched as Giada's car disappeared down the street, his thoughts swirling in confusion. "Samuel, this is amazing! That country girl is finally gone, and now we can be together without hiding!" Tilda gushed, her excitement barely contained. She was already eager to tell her parents the good news. Samuel's expression darkened, but his voice remained calm. "I'll take you home." "Great! Samuel, my dad will be so happy when he hears you're divorced. Let's go tell him the good news." Samuel's eyes betrayed a deep emotion that he tried to hide, leaving Tilda puzzled. He smiled gently at Tilda, the sweetness of her face momentarily softening his features. "Let's go and share this news with your father." "Okay!" Tilda cheered, thrilled. Giada was finally out of the picture for good. It was all thanks to her mother's brilliant plan—executed flawlessly, leading to the divorce. When Samuel's car pulled up to the Bensone family's front gate, his phone rang, displaying the CEO of Hystra on the screen. He gestured for Tilda to get out first. Tilda obediently exited the car, waiting by the side. "Hello." Samuel answered, his voice low, his brow furrowed in a tight frown. On the other end of the line, a mocking tone rang out. "Mr. Connor, your sales director has some nerve. She came at me with a knife, forcing me to sign the contract. I shot her, but she pulled the bullet out right in front of me. I've never respected any woman, but I have to give Giada credit. Is she still alive?" Samuel's eyes widened. "What did you just say?"