Filed to story: Billionaire Bride’s Revenge (Vera & Howard)
Because of that, she cursed Vera inwardly.
Visibly annoyed, Howard warned, “Vera, don’t push it. Stop discussing my company’s business. Stay on topic.”
The next moment, Vera snorted and slapped him across the face.
The sound of the slap resonated across the corridor.
Vera’s slap came without warning, leaving Howard stunned.
Lily’s eyes widened, her voice laced with fury as she spat, “What the hell is wrong with you?”
Howard’s gaze flared with rage, but Vera stood firm, ignoring the sharp pain in her hand.
“We’ve settled the score. We are even now.”
Vera was not only talking about the slap; her words carried the weight of their relationship.
Howard caught the deeper meaning, his face paling. A sudden fear gripped his heart, sensing he was about to lose something important.
Before he could respond, Vera added sharply, “If either of you comes after me again, I will not stop at just a slap. It disgusts me even to share the same space or breathe the air you do.”
Vera turned on her heel and walked away purposefully, her high heels echoing as she left. Howard watched her retreating figure, unable to tear his eyes away.
Lily gently touched his cheek, her expression filled with a mix of concern and regret. “Are you okay, Howard? Vera crossed the line this time. She used to be so gentle. Was that all just an act? Have we been deceived by her all this time?”
“That is enough!” Howard lost his patience, ripped off his necktie, and stormed toward the entrance. He had no intention of listening to whatever she had to say.
Lily stood frozen, shocked by how he had never treated her like this before.
Her fists clenched tightly.
She shifted all the blame onto Vera.
An hour later, Vera made her way back to the Montgomery residence.
The past two days had been overwhelming, leaving Vera feeling utterly drained.
Her parents were seated on the sofa. Vera glanced at them and murmured, “I’m home, Dad, Mom.”
Sharon Montgomery, her mother, quickly put down the jewelry she had been holding and patted the sofa beside her, inviting Vera to sit. “Vera, you look so pale. Are you feeling ill?” she asked with a worried tone.
Vera took a deep breath. As she looked into her parents’ concerned faces, she paused briefly before sharing the difficult news.
“Mom, Dad, I’m getting a divorce.”
The words fell like a thunderclap, shocking everyone. It took Sharon a few seconds to regain her composure. She asked, “What is going on? Have Howard and you not always seemed so happy together?”
Not only did her parents see them as a devoted couple, but their friends also believed Vera and Howard were deeply in love.
Jeff jumped to his feet, his anger causing him to stumble as he tried to steady himself. He glared at Vera and demanded, “Did he mistreat you? I’ll set him straight.”
As Jeff prepared to confront Howard, Vera quickly intervened. “No, Dad, please don’t go. Howard is involved with someone else. We have both decided to get a divorce.”
Sharon clenched her teeth. “Who is this disgraceful woman? I will make her pay.”
Vera, however, was reluctant to divulge further details. Sharon gently patted the back of Vera’s hand and continued, “You can’t go through with the divorce right now. It will only play into that woman’s hands. Your father had affairs when we were younger. One of those women even flaunted her pregnancy. What happened in the end? She had the abortion and left the country. If she ever dared to come back, I would make sure she regretted it.”
Vera blinked, surprised by her mother’s revelations. She wondered if infidelity was a common trait among men.
Embarrassed, Jeff rubbed his nose and cleared his throat.
“Those were events from decades ago. Why bring them up now?”
Sharon shot back fiercely, “Of course, I’d always remember. You would too if I were unfaithful to you. I would have divorced you long ago if it weren’t for Vera. But I didn’t, because I refuse to give those women the satisfaction.”
The passage of time had left its mark on her face.
Sharon was more robust than most and lacked conventional charm. Known widely for her short temper, Jeff, unable to tolerate her, had cheated on her.
When Sharon discovered the affair, she caused a scene, and Jeff, fearing further embarrassment, ended it.
Blushing and at a loss for words, Jeff finally stammered, “Let’s focus on Vera’s situation.”
Vera, struggling with a migraine, tried to stand up.
“Dad, Mom, I need to rest. We can discuss this later.” As she took a step, a wave of dizziness overcame her.
The room spun before her eyes.
Suddenly, she collapsed to the floor and lost consciousness.
“Vera! Are you alright?”
Vera was rushed to the hospital immediately. Swimming in and out of unconsciousness, she could hear noises, as if a fight was occurring around her.
Sharon, gritting her teeth with fury, glared at Howard, who had arrived at the hospital quite late.
“Howard, what promises did you make when you married Vera? You’ve only been married for three years and you’ve already cheated on her! You scumbag!”
Howard glanced at Vera, lying on the hospital bed. She appeared pale, her eyes shut, her right hand connected to an IV drip. The hospital gown hung loosely on her, making her seem more fragile than ever, as if a mere gust of wind could whisk her away.
A sharp pang of guilt surged through Howard as he looked at her, but he quickly pushed it aside, ignoring Sharon’s fiery glare.
“Who is that woman? Tell us!” Sharon demanded, barely containing her rage.
Howard, struggling to maintain his composure, responded, “This is a matter between Vera and me. Please, don’t get involved.”
Jeff interjected sharply, “Nonsense! My daughter has been mistreated because of you, and you tell us to stay away?”
Sharon then threatened, “I’m not letting this go. If you don’t tell us who the other woman is, I’ll go to the media and expose how you’ve cheated on my daughter.”
She was well-prepared to handle such deceitful behavior. Howard, increasingly agitated and running low on patience, thought back to how, if it weren’t for this couple pushing Lily away, she wouldn’t have left the country, and his frustration grew.
Yet, acknowledging their authority as his in-laws, he responded, “Look, our marriage didn’t work out, and there’s fault on both sides. It’s unfair to lay all the blame at my feet.”
Sharon’s anger intensified at Howard’s deflection. “Enough with your excuses! Men like you who betray their wives deserve to be punished.”