It was still early, but Kylie was wide awake. She hadn’t eaten anything since noon the previous day, and hunger was starting to set in. With that in mind, she headed to the kitchen and began preparing breakfast. At exactly 7:00 am, Samuel descended the stairs, dressed immaculately in a crisp white shirt and a tailored black suit. His tall, lean frame exuded effortless elegance. The moment he spotted Kylie in an apron, a mocking smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. How ironic. Was she trying to put on a show of being the perfect, dutiful wife now? The butler stepped forward. “Mr. Vance, breakfast is ready. Ms. Clark prepared everything herself.” Standing off to the side, Kylie anxiously studied Samuel’s expression. He said nothing, simply making his way toward the dining room. The quieter he was, the more uneasy she became. As he stepped inside, his voice was cold and authoritative when he addressed the butler and housekeepers. “I don’t need anyone here. Leave.” “Yes, Mr. Vance.” Without hesitation, the butler led the housekeepers out of the dining room. The vast dining room now held only Kylie and Samuel, the air thick with silence and tension. Kylie bit her lip uneasily. “What time did you get back?” Samuel’s voice suddenly cut through the quiet, laced with an unmistakable chill. Hythe Villa had the best security system in the world, so lying wasn’t an option. “4:00 am.” She quickly added, “I didn’t mean to come back so late. I haven’t been resting well these past few days and was just too exhausted… I accidentally fell asleep…” Samuel’s dark eyes brimmed with an icy chill, and a single, commanding word escaped from his thin lips, “Strip.” Kylie’s mind went blank. “What… did you just say?” Her head snapped up in disbelief, eyes locking on the imposing man before her. Samuel’s face turned ghostly pale, his chiseled features sharp yet unreadable—cold, detached, betraying no hint of emotion. “Inspection.” His cold, commanding gaze bore down on her. “The entire city knows about the scandal. You spent the night at another man’s house—you should know the consequences. Will you do it yourself, or shall I do it for you?” Inspection? Kylie’s eyes widened in shock, and she instinctively stepped back. Neither option was one she could accept. A dining chair toppled over with a loud bang, making Kylie flinch. She quickly explained, “Owen and I aren’t what you think! We’ve known each other since childhood. We just happened to run into each other today and had dinner—nothing more.” Samuel scoffed. “Oh? And exactly how much catching up required you to spend the night at his place?” The sheer audacity of this woman, acting so righteous even after what she had done, was almost laughable. His patience snapped. Without hesitation, he opted for the latter and advanced toward Kylie. Kylie scrambled back, only to collide with the dining table, leaving her with no escape. “Everything I said is true! Do you think I’d go to such lengths just to deceive you?” A mix of anger and fear tightened in her chest, forcing her voice to rise sharply. “Forced marriage, manipulation, and now this—do you really expect me to believe you?” Samuel caged her between his body and the table. His long, well-defined fingers caught a loose strand of her hair, twirling it briefly before bringing it to his nose and inhaling lightly. “There’s no such thing as pure friendship between a man and a woman,” he mused. “So, tell me—what exactly are you afraid of? If there’s nothing between you and him, then why fear my inspection?” Samuel’s presence loomed over her. Kylie’s ears buzzed as if an invisible hand were tightening around her throat, making it harder to breathe. Her face flushed. Back then, even under those circumstances at Zouk Lounge, he had chosen to believe in Iris. But now, with her, when she had done absolutely nothin, he refused to trust her. A wave of sorrow swelled in her chest. She had used underhanded means to force his hand, but did that mean she deserved to be falsely accused and humiliated? “Jim, is Samuel home?” A sharp female voice rang out from the courtyard, laced with displeasure. Kylie’s heart jolted. Panic flickered in her eyes as she registered the situation. It was her future mother-in-law, Liana. She must have seen the news. And now, she was here for answers. “Think carefully about how you want to handle this.” Samuel’s gaze was razor-sharp, cutting straight through her. “We’ll settle our matter later.” Liana had never been interested in celebrity gossip. Earlier that day, Yvonne had visited the Vance residence to see Vincent. During their conversation, she casually brought up a scandal involving her idol, looking utterly dejected. “My idol’s dating scandal just got exposed… I feel like I’ve been dumped.” Gabriella immediately asked, “Let me see! What kind of man managed to steal your heart?” Yvonne handed over her phone, and after taking a look, Gabriella passed it to Miranda and Liana. “Miranda, Liana, you two should check this out too—help Yvonne evaluate him.” Miranda glanced at the news photo, her pupils contracting in surprise. Feigning uncertainty, she murmured, “This woman… Why does she look so familiar?” “Really? Let me see!” Gabriella’s curiosity was instantly piqued. She stared at the image for a few seconds, then suddenly gasped as if she had just uncovered some earth-shattering secret. “Oh my god! That outfit… Isn’t the woman in this photo Ms. Clark?” Miranda replied, “That’s right! Ms. Clark was wearing this exact outfit when she came to the Vance residence yesterday. No wonder she looked so familiar.” Gabriella discreetly studied Liana’s expression, clearly relishing the unfolding drama. Adding fuel to the fire, she said, “Liana, you’d better start paying closer attention. It looks like Samuel married a troublemaker. “Who would’ve thought she had the audacity to pull this off? Forcing Samuel into marriage while secretly meeting with a top male celebrity and getting caught in a scandal? This is truly a first in Vance’s family history.” If Yvonne hadn’t come back to the Vance residence today, Liana wouldn’t have even known about Kylie’s rumored affair with Owen. In the living room, Liana sat on the sofa with Yvonne beside her while a female doctor in a white coat and a nurse stood nearby. Frowning, she asked Kylie, “Are you the woman in that scandal?” “Yes.” Kylie stood a short distance away, like a criminal on trial. Samuel sat alone in a leather armchair, his expression unreadable as he coldly observed the exchange. “Even if you don’t care about your own reputation, you should at least consider Samuel’s—and the Vance family’s,” she snapped. Then, she turned to Samuel. “Samuel, are you aware of this scandal?” “I am,” he replied. “And you can just sit there so calmly? Letting her do as she pleases?” Liana’s fury deepened, her frown tightening. Her disdain for Kylie only grew. Her heart ached for her son, who had always stood above the rest, yet was now being utterly controlled by a mere country bumpkin. “Samuel, are you really going to marry a woman like this?” Yvonne asked. Samuel lifted his gaze slightly, casting her a glance. “And what kind of woman is that?” Yvonne scoffed. “A fickle, shameless woman who only wants the title of Mrs. Vance, your wealth, and your power. If you go through with this marriage, you might as well prepare yourself for the day she cheats on you.”