Part 3The Conquest System’s Deadliest Target

My fingers tightened around the bakery box.

James had only ever had eyes for me. He secretly bought a diamond ring when we were eighteen. The day we turned twenty-two, he practically dragged me to the courthouse to sign the marriage papers.

In the early days of our marriage, he was insatiable. Even if my fingers just accidentally brushed against his arm, his eyes would darken with a heat that made my breath catch.

But... it had been a long time since we shared a bed properly.

Three months? Maybe longer? I couldn't even remember.

I forced my heart to slow down and kept my voice perfectly casual. "Let's go home, James."

He took my hand, lacing his fingers through mine. As he did, his fingertips accidentally pressed against the plastic hospital band hidden beneath my cuff.

His entire body went rigid. His jaw tightened, but he didn't say a single word.

A week passed in quiet routine.

James was drowning in work. This time, his business trip was to London.

Before he left, dressed in a sleek charcoal suit, he pinned me against the wall in the entryway, kissing me breathless. He kissed me over and over, like he was afraid I would vanish.

"Be a good girl, Sylvia. Wait for me to come home."

I nodded, just like I always did.

He lingered, his voice dropping low. "If anyone upsets you, you tell me immediately. Understand?"

My fingers twitched.

I thought about the post Lindsay had uploaded to her social media a few days ago.

Just started my new job! My direct boss is painfully gorgeous. I want him so bad.

The photo attached was her new corporate badge. The department listed was the Executive Office of Kensington Holdings. In the blurry background of the photo, you could clearly make out James's broad shoulders as he stood looking out the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office.

James had never allowed female assistants in his inner circle before. He always said he hated the drama, hated the rumors, and mostly, hated having to coax me if I ever got the wrong idea.

I looked up at him. "Are you flying out alone this time?"

James gave a soft "Mm." Then he sighed, resting his forehead against mine. "Baby, you never come with me anymore. I wanted to take you to see the fireworks over the Thames."

I pinched his cheek gently. "Next time."

The moment his car pulled out of the driveway, I grabbed my keys and drove straight to the Sinclair estate.

I pushed the door to my old bedroom open. Everything—my books, my clothes, my childhood memories—was gone. Replaced by Lindsay's cheap perfumes and fast fashion.

I slowly turned to look at Tristan, who had followed me upstairs. I waited for an explanation.

Tristan looked incredibly guilty. He rubbed the back of his neck, refusing to meet my eyes.

"Sylvia, you hardly ever stay here anyway. Since Lindsay liked the room, I figured it was easier to just let her have it. She's a Sinclair, after all. She's spent years struggling out in the world... it's quite pitiful, really."

A hollow laugh escaped my lips. "Since when did you become the patron saint of charity, Tristan?"

He didn't have an answer.

Just then, Lindsay walked out of the guest bathroom. She was wearing a sharp pencil skirt and carrying a small designer suitcase.

I blocked her path. "Where are the things from my room?"

She looked at me and offered a sickeningly sweet, mocking smile. "The maids threw them in the storage room downstairs. Now move, please. I have a flight to catch for a business trip. We can't all sit around doing nothing like you."

Tristan stood right there. He watched my face carefully, evaluating my reaction. But he didn't say a single word in my defense.

The System's voice echoed in my mind. [Host, Tristan's affection level is now at one hundred percent. Congratulations, your progress is halfway complete! Once you conquer the Kensington family, you will successfully replace the female lead.]

After Lindsay left, I turned my gaze to my brother. "Did you know she got a job at Kensington Holdings? As James's personal assistant?"

Tristan walked over and reached out to pat my head, just like he used to do when we were kids.

"I pulled the strings to get her in, Sylvia. Kensington is a massive corporation. It's completely normal for them to have female employees. You need to be more generous. Stop being so paranoid. Look, if having her around bothers you, just tell me what you want. I'll buy you anything to make up for it."

My hands curled into tight fists, my nails biting into my palms.

The Tristan standing before me—completely brainwashed by Lindsay's System—was a stranger. The betrayal settled in my bones like ice.

"And what if she wants to sleep with my husband?" I asked softly, a bitter smile on my lips. "What exactly are you going to buy me to make up for that?"

Tristan's face instantly darkened. His mouth pressed into a thin, hard line. After a long, tense silence, his voice turned uncompromising.

"You're overthinking this. James would never allow something like that to happen. Lindsay interning at Kensington Holdings was a family decision. It is not up for debate."