---- Chapter 3 Alexandra Smith POV: The fire of Carla' s insults burned in my veins, but my body was a dead weight. Every muscle screamed in protest, the dull ache in my abdomen a constant, brutal reminder of the void she had helped create. | watched her leave, her words hanging in the air like toxic spores, and a wave of helplessness washed over me. Edward stayed for three more days, playing the part of the grieving husband with nauseating perfection. He brought me flowers-lilies, which he knew | was allergic to. The cloying scent filled the small room, making my eyes water and my stomach churn. "You forgot," | said, my voice flat as | pushed the vase away. He looked up from his phone, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face before being replaced by his familiar, concerned mask. "Forgot what, darling?" "I'm allergic to lilies. We've been married for three years, Edward." It was such a small thing, but it was everything. It was the carelessness, the complete lack of genuine thought. He wasn't my partner; he was my keeper, and a neglectful one at ---- that. "Oh, Alex, I'm so sorry," he said, the apology sounding hollow and rehearsed. "My mind is just... all over the place." He reached out to touch my arm, but | flinched away. "Why did you marry me, Edward?" The question slipped out, cold and sharp. He stared at me, his perfect facade finally cracking. The warmth vanished from his eyes, replaced by a chilling distance. He looked at me like | was a stranger, a problem he needed to solve "You're not yourself," he said, his voice clipped. He stood up, grabbing the offensive vase of lilies and slamming it into the trash can. "You're grieving. You're saying things you don't mean. I'm going to give you some space." He walked out without another word. He didn't come back for the next two days. When | was finally discharged, a driver he'd sent took me not to our home, but to his temporary corporate apartment near the hospital. The place was sterile and impersonal, lacking any of the warmth and shared memories of the house we' d built together. It felt like a cage. Alone in the silence, | scrolled through his social media. There he was, the devoted husband, posting a picture of our clasped hands from a week ago with the caption: "My everything. My ---- rock.". The comments were a flood of sympathy and condolences for our "tragic loss." The hypocrisy was a physical blow. My finger hovered over Gabriel's contact information. | had cut ties with him when | married Edward. Edward had been jealous of our close bond, of the way Gabriel looked at me like a daughter. He'd subtly poisoned my mind, convincing me that Gabriel didn't approve of our marriage, that he was trying to hold me back. In my love-blinded state, | had believed him. I'd chosen my husband over the man who had mentored me, guided me, and helped me build my empire. The memory of that choice was now a source of deep, burning shame. A sharp pain lanced through my head, and the world went fuzzy. | collapsed onto the unfamiliar bed and fell into a fitful, nightmare-ridden sleep. When | woke, it was dark outside. Edward was standing over me, loosening his tie. He didn't ask if | was hungry or how | was feeling. He just tossed his jacket on a chair and disappeared into the bathroom. While the shower ran, | saw his phone lying on the nightstand. This was it. No more doubts, no more hoping for a mistake. | needed the truth. All of it. My fingers trembled as | picked it up. Our anniversary. The password that once felt romantic now felt like a cruel joke. It opened on the first try. ---- His text messages were a roadmap to his betrayal. The conversation with J.H.-who | now realized must be Jamie House, a junior executive and distant cousin at Cardenas Corp. -was there in black and white. But it was the conversation with Carla' s brother that made my heart stop. It laid out the entire conspiracy. Cardenas Corp was failing, bleeding money and on the verge of collapse. The marriage was a business transaction, orchestrated by Edward' s cold, calculating mother, Dianne. Their goal: to get their hands on my Prometheus Al source code, the one thing that could save their crumbling dynasty. The car crash was no accident. It was a "targeted cyberattack," just as the nurse had said. They had planned it. They had hacked my car's systems. They had intended for me to have an "accident." The final message was the kill shot. Carla's Brother: Mom says to speed things up. Once you have the code, you can file for divorce. Carla and Theo are waiting. Edward: | know. Just a little longer. Alexandra is stronger than we thought. But she'll break. They hadn't just intended for me to lose the baby. They intended to get rid of me entirely once | was no longer useful. And the child | had lost, the child | was mourning with every fiber of my being... was an obstacle they had clinically, ruthlessly removed. ---- He had a whole other family. A life | knew nothing about. Our life, our love, our child-it was all a lie. A meticulously crafted performance for a single purpose: my destruction. Title: A Princess? No! I'm the Female General! In "A Princess? No! I'm the Female General!" by CrushReel, Adela Taylor, a noble family's daughter, disguises herself as her brother to secure their Duke title by joining the army. Despite facing obstacles, she achieves remarkable success. However, upon her triumphant return, her brother betrays her, setting off a chain of events that will test her resolve and reveal hidden truths. This captivating novel delves into themes of secrets, reincarnation, revenge, murder, and drama. Adela's journey from deception to betrayal is filled with intrigue and suspense as she navigates through a world where power dynamics and family loyalties collide. What sets this story apart is its strong female lead who defies expectations and challenges societal norms in a quest for justice and redemption. Experience the riveting tale of Adela Taylor online at CrushReel and witness the transformation of a princess into a formidable female general.