His Housewife Had Secret Identities novel Chapter 844

The corners of Jonathan's lips fell, and the food in his mouth suddenly tasted bland. He knew the 'before' she was referring to was when they were married. Seeing his expression change, Niamh gave a bitter smile. “Sorry, I shouldn't have brought that up.”

“You don't need to apologize. I was the one who was wrong,” Jonathan said quickly.

Niamh just shrugged. “It’s all in the past.”

“Is it really?” Jonathan suddenly grabbed her hand, and Niamh’s eyes widened. His palm wasn’t as warm as it had been. She quickly pulled her hand free. “I’ll go get you another bowl of soup.” Watching her leave, Jonathan felt an emptiness in his palm, and in his heart.

Meanwhile, Ramona was locked away in Coralis City’s pre-trial detention center. A detention center wasn’t like a temporary holding cell, which was for minor administrative offenses where people were released after a few days. This place was for criminal cases. After sentencing, inmates were transferred to prison to serve their time. Ramona had publicly confessed to murdering the patriarch, a clear-cut criminal case.

Inside the small cell, Ramona was confined with other criminals. A large communal bunk took up most of the space, leaving a painfully narrow area for the inmates to move around. Ramona had never been in a place like this. Even in her worst nightmares, she couldn't have imagined how foul it would be. The walls were stained and peeling, the air reeked, and the faces of the other female inmates were like walking corpses.

Just the day before, she had been wearing a haute couture gown and dripping with jewels, standing on a stage and basking in the praise and envy of the crowd. Her company, The Quinn Group, had been named Coralis’s Enterprise of the Year. Suddenly, Ramona froze. The Quinn Group had won the award. But… what did that have to do with her anymore? The award was for The Quinn Group, not for her. And by now, The Quinn Group… was surely in Niamh's hands.

“Ha… haha, hahahaha, HAHAHAHAHAHA!” Ramona’s laughter suddenly echoed through the oppressive, grim cell. It was so wild and unhinged that it sent shivers down the spines of the other inmates, who all thought she had gone mad. “I never would have guessed… I never would have guessed…” Ramona laughed until bitter tears streamed from her eyes. To think that Niamh was the final winner after all… Ramona just didn’t understand. Wasn’t Niamh’s fate supposed to be bad? Why did good fortune just fall into her lap without her even trying?

More tears blurred her vision. She was the one who had worked the hardest. She was the one who had risked everything to change her destiny. And yet, fate had played a colossal joke on her. When Ramona was very young, she lived in an old, run-down housing complex in Aldonia City. Her only neighbor and playmate of a similar age was Katarina—or as she was now known, Niamh. At first, because they were neighbors, Ramona thought they were the same. Ramona’s home life was unhappy; her father was an alcoholic and a gambler who would come home and beat her mother, and sometimes her. She always had bruises on her body and face, and other children avoided playing with her. Niamh, too, often had bruises. So Ramona assumed Niamh’s family situation was just as bad as hers, and that they could be friends.