When we reached the building, Abigail grabbed my arm and dragged me to the couch. Her sharp nails dug into my jawline, and she looked at me with eyes full of venom. "I lost all interest in you a long time ago," she sneered. "What I wanted was to see you suffer, nothing more."
I met her gaze, remembering how she had manipulated Samuel in the past, using her sister's condition to twist the knife deeper. She had warned him that if anything happened to Kayla, she would make sure she died in the hospital. The memory of those words was enough to make my blood run cold.
Abigail pulled out her phone, showing a video of her from the past, on her knees, begging Samuel not to leave. "I'm sure you remember this," she said with a mocking laugh. "This is why I wanted you to suffer endlessly. You left me when I was at my lowest, but then I found an investor to back my company, and I got everything back. And you know what I did after that?"
She sneered, her voice growing louder. "I went and found you."
Before she could say more, I interrupted her sharply. "You manipulated me and married me just to make my life a mess!"
She froze, stunned by my words. I saw her trying to gather herself, but it was too late. I signaled the system to **boost my Charisma**, and with a cold, calculating smile, I stepped closer to her.
"Even if Kayla hadn't died, you would've killed her, too." The words hung in the air, and I could see the shock on her face. "It took me a long time to realize that, but you know what's even better?"
I leaned in closer, my voice dripping with mockery. "There's nothing that can hold me anymore after her death. But you've got Joshua, right? When you were in despair, you always watched his videos to lift yourself up, didn't you?"
Abigail's eyes widened. "How did you—"
I cut her off, my voice low and cold. "Now, you're going to play one of those videos from the past, right? The ones where you were begging me not to leave?"
Her face froze, as if she couldn't believe I knew her tricks so well. "And now you want me to beg you to stop the video, right?" I said, almost amused at how predictable she was.
I stepped back, crossing my arms. "You know, I'm well aware of women who throw themselves at other men. And you, Abigail, are no exception."
Her expression flickered with anger, but I wasn't finished. "You think I left you because of your financial situation, right? Go ahead, think whatever you want. You'll end up saying that Joshua is more charming and charismatic than me, and you know what? I accept that. Your dog is greater than this pathetic husband of yours."
Her eyes burned with fury, but I didn't care. I wasn't finished.
"Tell me," I said, my tone hard. **"Is there anything else you want me to say? Because I know you won't believe anything I tell you. You never have."
I turned, heading toward the door, my back to her. "Ms. Bardot, I want to die. It's better you divorce me and marry Joshua if you don't want to live the rest of your life as a widow."
As I walked out of the building, the cool night air hit my face, but it couldn't cool the fire that was burning inside me. Abigail had tried her best to manipulate me, to make me feel guilty, but it was over now.
She had no idea who she was really dealing with. "I already completed the Hidden Quest," I thought to myself, a smirk playing at the corner of my lips. The system chimed in, confirming my thoughts.
[Hidden Quest Completed: Break Abigail]
I chuckled, glancing at the floating blue screen before me.
"I broke her with the truth. But I didn't expect to get this skill right now."
The new skill flashed on the screen:
[Skill Unlocked: Unshakable Will]
- Effect: Your resolve becomes ironclad. No manipulation, no emotional attack, no external force can sway you from your path.
- Bonus: All mental debuffs are negated, and emotional damage is significantly reduced.
I couldn't help but laugh bitterly. "Well, isn't this a nice little gift?"
The truth was, after everything I had endured, nothing could break me anymore. Not Abigail. Not anyone. I had died, not just once but in countless ways. And now, the system had given me the final push to become untouchable.
"Unshakable Will," I repeated, letting the weight of it sink in. I'm untouchable now. Even she can't reach me with her games anymore."
As I walked down the street, the city lights blurred around me, but all I could think of was the path ahead. Abigail's manipulation had been powerful, but it was nothing compared to the strength I had now.
And as the realization settled in, I couldn't help but think "This time, I'm in control."
I let out a deep breath, and the pressure that had been mounting in my chest slowly started to dissipate. "I'm done with playing her game."
The system chimed again, its voice as neutral as ever.
[Warning: Your actions have created a significant shift in Abigail's emotional state. The consequences of this may lead to unexpected changes in her behavior.]
I smirked. "Let her feel the consequences. I'm done with her. This story is no longer hers to control."
As I walked further into the night, I knew one thing for sure: the battle for control was over. And I was the one who had won.