Game of Love and Deception: The Billionaire's Ex Wife
Chapter 106: All for her

Chapter 106: All for her

Charlotte’s voice broke the silence when Lorenzo didn’t respond.

"It’s painful to admit, darling, but I don’t have all day to spend with you. Tick-tock."

Her lips curled into a sly smile. She was enjoying this, watching him break. Her eyes gleamed with cruel amusement.

Lorenzo trembled. His eyes were glassy, his chest tight, like something heavy was sitting on him.

How could he choose?

Be torn from Ashley.

Sleep with this monster.

Or rot in jail for a crime he didn’t commit.

There was no right answer.

"Please," he choked out, sweat sliding down his neck. "I—I can’t. Have mercy. Ask for something else. Anything else."

She didn’t even look up. Her fingers tapped away on her phone.

He already knew what the best option was—what he had to do if he truly wanted to protect the people he loved from the monster’s grip. But how could he abandon from Ashley? How could he trust this woman to keep her safe?

Fear coiled in his gut.

"You can never harm her," he said at last, his voice low and hoarse.

Charlotte gave a casual shrug, finally glancing up. "I owe it to her poor dead mother to keep her safe. But if you push her to defy me... well, defiance should be punished. Don’t you agree?"

Her words carved through him.

Guilt gnawed at his insides. Ashley was suffering because of him. If he stayed, she’d keep suffering. If he left... at least she might have a chance.

His heart pounded. His stomach churned.

"I’ll leave," he whispered, legs shaking.

Charlotte pouted in mock sympathy. "Aww. I’m touched. And remember... don’t ever think of defying me again. I’m not always this... generous."

He turned—and froze. The sheriff and the girls were gone. He’d been too caught in the storm rolling before him to hear when he drove off.

"What about the girls? The evidence?"

Charlotte casually reached into a bag Mercer had handed her earlier. She pulled out a sealed brown envelope.

"You mean this?" she said, holding it up.

Lorenzo’s heart slammed against his chest. He wanted to grab it, to see what was inside—but he knew she wouldn’t let him.

Then, with a wicked smile, she pulled out a lighter.

"See? Getting destroyed," she said, flicking the flame.

She held it close to the envelope. Then let it catch fire. The document burned, slowly curling into black substance dropping on the tiled floor.

"But don’t forget..." Her eyes narrowed. "It wouldn’t take much to make it reappear—if I ever sense you’re playing games."

As he walked away Moments later from the compound, he dared one last glance at the house where Ashley might be.

Charlotte hadn’t let him say goodbye. Not even for a few seconds.

Each step felt like something was tearing from his chest.

He tried to hold the tears back. But they came anyway—hot, silent, and relentless—until he was far enough from the house. He couldn’t let his mom see him like that, he couldn’t add to her worries.

He found a quiet, empty spot, dropped to the ground, and let the sobs break. He wept until his throat was raw and his eyes ran dry.

Then he stood up.

And went home.

A week later, he accepted the scholarship at Princeton College, and they left Bronze City behind.

But deep inside, a hollow space opened; an ache he couldn’t quiet, a hole in his heart that made it hard to breathe. Still, he kept it hidden. He had to. For his mom. For his sister. He smiled, laughed, and carried on, making sure they never suspected a thing.

That’s when he realized that the hardest battles aren’t the ones we fight for our own happiness. They’re the ones we fight in silence, for the safety of the people we love. Because sometimes, real love means giving up what we want most— And in that sacrifice, we prove our love is stronger than any selfish need.

***END OF FLASHBACK*******

*************

BACK TO THE PRESENT

Lorenzo’s voice broke as he spoke, the pain raw and exposed. "I didn’t leave because I stopped loving you, Ash. I left because your aunt gave me those choice—face two rape charges with witnesses she provided, and a sheriff in her pocket... or disappear. She locked you away so you couldn’t stop me. I thought walking away would protect you. I thought silence would hurt less than dragging you into hell with me."

Ashley sat frozen, stunned by the weight of his confession. His words echoed through her mind, painting a clear, harrowing picture of the torment Lorenzo and his family had endured because of her.

Her heart clenched as she took in the sacrifices he’d made—the depth of his love, the burden he’d carried alone. She couldn’t imagine the helplessness, the fear. And the fact that his mother and sister didn’t even know the full truth shattered her completely. He had suffered in silence. All for her.

Could this be why he got involved in drugs? A sharp wave of guilt struck her. She had judged him, hated him, while he was out there paying the price for loving her.

And Charlotte... the thought that she had offered herself to Lorenzo made Ashley’s stomach churn. But he’d refused. Even with everything on the line, he’d thought of her. He’d chosen her, even while walking away.

Now everything made sense.

She remembered how Charlotte had let her out of the basement earlier than promised. How she had acted strange—gentler, almost kind. She’d even allowed her to go search for Lorenzo. At the time, Ashley had thought maybe the witch had finally accepted she couldn’t keep them apart.

Then came the heartbreak. Lorenzo was gone.

Charlotte had been quick to fill the silence, to whisper lies—saying he never came looking, that he had used her, dumped her, moved on. That disobedience had brought her to ruin.

Ashley had been devastated. Confused. Ashamed. For a long time, she truly believed Charlotte was only trying to protect her... until the witch became obsessed with marrying her off to that old, toothless man.

Now it was clear.

Charlotte hadn’t just forced Lorenzo out—she had done it to make room for George. It had all been part of the plan. And it might have worked... if Ashley hadn’t run away that night.

Only to fall into the hands of another monster—her ex-husband.

Rage surged through her, not just at Charlotte, but at herself for being so blind all these years.

How had she only now begun to see the depths that bitter old woman would sink to just to ruin her life? What had she ever done to deserve such hatred?

She didn’t even realize she was crying until Lorenzo’s hands gently cupped her face, his thumbs brushing away the tears. Their eyes met, and even through her blurred vision, she saw the sorrow, the guilt, swimming in those amber eyes.

But it wasn’t him who should feel guilty—it was her. For all the years she’d spent hating him, blaming him, thinking he’d walked away without a care.

"Lorenzo," she whispered, voice shaking as her fingers found his cheek, "I’m so sorry you had to go through all that... because of me. I didn’t know. I had no idea."

Her heart ached with shame. All this time, she’d believed the worst of him.

Lorenzo lifted her chin and pressed a soft kiss to her trembling lips, not caring that they were wet with tears. Her heart stuttered in her chest.

"I’m the one who’s sorry, Ashley," he said, voice thick. "I’m sorry I left. If I hadn’t, maybe you wouldn’t have gone through all that... with Christian."

She shook her head quickly, taking his hands in hers, blinking hard to clear the tears.

"No... none of that was your fault. You did what you had to do to protect me. And now that I know the truth, I wish I hadn’t been so angry. I wish I hadn’t believed her lies."

Her voice cracked, and she took a shaky breath.

Thinking about Charlotte’s threats made her shudder. If Lorenzo had stayed, she wouldn’t have hesitated to carry out every one of them. And she would’ve never forgiven herself.

"I’m just so sorry," she whispered. "For everything. For causing you so much pain."

"Hey," Lorenzo said softly. "You don’t owe me an apology. We were both trapped in her game. And if I had to go through all that again to keep you safe, I would. A thousand times over."

That broke her. A sob tore from her lips, loud and raw, and Lorenzo’s heart clenched as he pulled her tightly into his arms, holding her like he never wanted to let go. Because the truth was he didn’t. He never wanted to lose her again.