Chapter 22 Linda smoothed her dress and flashed her sweetest , practiced smile . She sidled up , her neckline daringly low . " Mr. Canfield , my hero , do I owe you my hand for saving me? " Before she could bat an eyelash , Simon's secretary whisked her away by the collar . Simon slouched in his chair , his voice dripping with boredom . " You think you're in my league ? " Linda's face soured . She was not a knockout like Jessica , but she was no slouch in the looks department . How could Simon dismiss her so easily ? She settled back into her chair at the dining table . " Alright , what do you need me to do ? " Simon had dangled a carrot in front of her : 750 thousand dollars . With that money , she could whisk Tracy away from the orphanage and they could vanish into the horizon , just the two of them . " And who's Tracy's real dad ? " Simon planned to play Linda like a chess piece against Anthony , but he needed something to hold over her head . He never knew what Linda might do when she snapped - she was a ticking time bomb . Linda's lips tightened , but she kept silent . Simon was not sweating it . " Take Ms. Brown back to her place . " Of course , he was not talking about sending her back to Capital City . No , he meant the dank basement at Anthony's villa . Linda had been trapped there for seven days , subsisting on scraps that were barely fit for an animal , all while enduring Anthony's random outbursts of violence . She would rather die than go back to that hellish pit . " Wait ! I'll talk . " Back when Linda had first landed overseas , she had been with a host family . The woman of the house had been a real piece of work and treated Linda like dirt . In a twisted act of revenge , Linda had lured the husband into her bed . That very night , he had slipped into her room … Tears streamed down Linda's face as the memories flooded back . " I'm so full of regret , and I'm terrified . After they threw me out , I had nowhere to turn . I lied to Anthony , told him I was pregnant with his baby . " 1/3 Chapter 22 Anthony , with a soft spot for his former lover , had married her out of sympathy . That marriage certificate was Linda's lifeline , her ticket to stability . " But why come back home ? " Simon prodded . " I heard Anthony struck it rich . I wanted to claim my place as the rightful Mrs. Harris . " Simon nodded , confirming that Linda's story aligned with what his secretary had uncovered . The secretary glanced at his watch and gave Simon a nudge . " You've got a wedding dress fitting to get to . Time to head out . " Simon rose to his feet , buttoning up his suit jacket . Just as he reached the door , Linda blurted , " Jessica's your bride , isn't she ? " She did not wait for an answer and pressed on . " Lucky Jessica . Anthony was ready to kill me over her , and you … you don't even care that she's been someone else's wife . " +25 Bon Simon did not look back . " It's not about Jess being lucky ; she's simply wonderful . Love is about giving everything you've got , pure and unadulterated . Letting go should be clean and decisive . " Being with her , I'm the lucky one . " With those final words , he strode out of the club . Linda sat there , mechanically eating , her voice barely above a whisper , " To have a full belly is such a blessing , such a blessing . " Her words broke off as tears cascaded down her cheeks . Jessica emerged from the fitting room in a stunning mermaid gown and caught sight of Simon lounging on the couch . " I told the secretary you didn't have to come if you were swamped . I can handle this , " she said , meaning every word . With Anthony , it was all about his booming career . " Pick out a dress on your own , Jess , I've got an important client tonight . " Jess , you handle the venue booking , Jess , I'm tied up with dinner . " Any ring will do for now , Jess . We'll get a fancy one later when we can afford it . " The wedding was a rush job , thrown together with more enthusiasm than elegance , and Jessica was the one who pulled it all together . Anthony ? He just showed up on the big day , and before the officiant could get a word in , he had turned their special moment into 2/3 Chapter 22 a schmooze - fest for Harris Group . Poor Jessica was sidelined , her stomach growling as she watched Anthony work the room . Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!