Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

Chapter 492: Together in the Open After enduring hours of harsh criticism from various members of the Alvarez family, Susan finally left with Hayden, her body and spirit utterly drained. What hurt her most was Hayden's silence throughout the ordeal. He hadn't uttered a single word in her defense.

This incident brought Susan a brutal clarity about Hayden's true nature. She realized that she should have left him long ago.

"Tomorrow, I'll hold a press conference. You'll attend with me," Susan said, her voice devoid of the pleading tone she once used when begging for scraps of Hayden's affection.

"What time?" he asked, his tone indifferent.

"Ten o'clock." "Alright. Do I need to prepare anything for the event?" Hayden asked, his words clinical, as though they were discussing a business deal.

Susan bit her lip. Even though she had long decided to end things with him, his coldness still stung.

"Hayden, you're better suited to being an actor," she said, her voice trembling with suppressed tears. In the past, at least he would occasionally feign concern for her. But now that he had secured her shares, he didn't even bother pretending.

"Thanks for the compliment. I've learned a lot from being with you every day," Hayden replied with a cold smile. Though they were legally married, their relationship was worse than that of enemies. Susan felt a deep sense of regret. How could she have been so blind as to marry such a heartless man? Back at her office, Susan discussed the details of the press conference with her manager. When Susan revealed her decision, her manager looked at her in shock. "Are you really going to do this?" "What other choice do I have? None. I lost the chance to choose long ago," Susan answered with a bitter smile. Once certain paths are taken, there's no turning back. No one would give her that luxury.

"That's true. Things have gotten so bad now that even if you don't say anything, others will likely boycott you. It's such a shame. You had such a promising career ahead of you. Just a while ago, a director was talking about casting you as a supporting actress in his new film. Hollywood, Susan. That could've been your way into Hollywood.

If this hadn't happened, we'd probably be preparing for auditions right now," her manager sighed heavily. Susan's rise to stardom had been meteoric. With the backing of the Simmons family, she had entered the entertainment industry with ease. Her natural talent for acting, combined with her family's influence, had catapulted her to fin Clothville. She becan A-list star overnight, her career seemingly unstoppable. Her manager, who had ridden the wave of Susan's success, had beca star agent herself, standing out among her peers. But now, as Susan's career plummeted, her manager's fortunes fell alongside hers.

"Enough. Let's focus on getting through this crisis. Who knows what the future holds? I need to step out of the public eye for a while. I'm exhausted. I want to take a break," Susan said, extinguishing her manager's laments. "Understood. I'll make the arrangements right away." "Go ahead." Afterward, Susan sat alone on the balcony, chain-smoking as her mind replayed her years with Hayden. The smiles he once showed her were mostly insincere, mere performances for the public. Back then, she had chosen to look the other way, convincing herself that he cared for her.

"Marcos," she whispered as she dialed his number. "Tomorrow, I'll finally be free. After that, let's be together, openly and honestly. I'm so tired." What Susan didn't know was that her scandal had already caused chaos in the Giron family, which was even more formidable than the Alvarez family. Marcos had been punished by his parents, forced to kneel for two hours until his legs went numb. Lying on his bed in exhaustion, Marcos recalled his parents' furious words: "If you bring an actress into this family, I'll disown you!" "How could you even think about being with her? Yes, Susan may have been your childhood friend, but she's married now! How can you justify being involved with a married woman? Have you thought about your reputation?" Marcos had knelt silently, enduring their scolding without offering a defense.

Even his grandmother, who had always been gentle with him, placed a hand on his shoulder and sighed.

"Marcos, you're a good boy. Something must have happened for you to lose your way like this. I won't blyou. Everyone makes mistakes-even saints. But making a mistake is one thing; correcting it is another. Promise us that you'll cut ties with that woman. If you do, we'll let this go."

Marcos's gaze darkened. He thought back to that night when, fueled by e alcohol, he had failed Orestrainm himself. But now that things had gone this far, he could not abandon Susan. They had already crossed a line.

If you're loving the book, nel5sis where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience-all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! "Mom Dad O'm Grandma, Grandpa-I'll take responsibility. I'll give Susan an explanation." "What kind of explanation?" his father snapped. "She's a married woman! Instead of staying with her husband, she's been out with you. Does she even know what she's doing? She's disgracing the Alvarez family and tarnishing the Simmons name. Letwarn you: that woman is manipulative. Don't get involved with her again. Our family can't afford this kind of humiliation." The fond memories they once had of Susan as a child had been obliterated by this scandal. Marcos opened his mouth to speak but swallowed his words. This was between him and Susan-how could anyone else understand?

"Marcos," his grandmother continued, "you're from a respectable family. You can marry anyone you want.

That Emily Langdon forinstance-she's lively, sweet, and generous. She's a much better match than Susan. We've already spoken to Mr. Langdon about setting up a meeting between you and Miss Langdon." "Grandma, I don't like Miss Langdon," Marcos replied flatly.

"You haven't even met her. How do you know? Your mother and I think she's perfect.

She's wife material, and the Langdon family is a good match for ours.

Letmake this clear: give up on Susan. We will never allow such a disgraceful woman into this family." Their words echoed in Marcos's mind as he listened to Susan on the other end of the line. His thoughts were a chaotic mess, and he didn't know how to respond.

"Marcos, are you listening?" Susan asked softly. "I'm telling you, tomorrow I'll announce my divorce from Hayden. After that, we can finally be together in the open." mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLliIofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1