She covered her mouth and bit down hard on the back of her hand to keep from making a sound, but her tears fell uncontrollably, like strings of pearls snapping apart.
"Professor Hamilton only accepted one student. Helena's talent surpassed Laica and he clearly favored her, so she had to step aside."
The words were spoken so casually, yet they crushed Helena's world to dust.
Shawn's tone turned suggestive. "Still, Helena's face and figure—even after three years in prison, she's stunning. And technically, you two are still husband and wife, right? You could..."
"Wife?" Jackson let out a cold laugh. "That marriage certificate from three years ago was fake."
"I never intended to marry her."
Helena's whole body began to tremble violently. A sharp, metallic taste rose in her throat, and she nearly lost her balance.
Fake...
Even the wedding she had treasured so much was nothing more than a carefully orchestrated lie.
Shawn burst into laughter. "You really outdid yourself! But Helena's real strength is her research. What a waste to let that go, huh?"