Filed to story: Billionaire Bride’s Revenge (Vera & Howard)
Even now, Vera maintained her air of haughty superiority, as if nothing could touch her quiet confidence.
Upon witnessing Lily’s distress, Sharon’s patience snapped. She advanced toward Vera, her voice dripping with scorn.
“From start to finish, it’s all your fault! If not for you, how could Lily have ever been mistreated like this? You’ve deprived her of everything, and even now, you continue to torment her! Vera, you’ve crossed every line!”
Each word felt like a dagger twisting in Vera’s heart. She had done nothing wrong-why was she being condemned by everyone?
Lily seized the moment to intervene, her voice soothing as she said, “Mom, please don’t hold it against Vera. I understand that the earlier incidents weren’t your fault.”
Vera’s fists were clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white as she struggled to contain her swelling disappointment and anguish. “After concealing your true self behind this facade for so long, do you really think people would just believe this pretense of yours is the real you?”
Sharon’s rage reignited instantly. “Wretched girl! How dare you speak to my daughter like that!”
Unable to restrain herself any longer, Sharon’s hand shot out, landing a sharp, resounding slap across Vera’s face.
Vera, already frail and weakened, felt the full force of Sharon’s slap. The impact whipped her face to the side, leaving her cheek searing with a hot, stinging pain, and her ears ringing with an unrelenting buzz.
“This slap serves as a warning,” Sharon declared, her voice cold with fury. “If you dare to torment Lily again, you’ll find no mercy from me.”
Aimee, stunned by Sharon’s unexpected violence, quickly stepped in front of Vera, shielding her protectively.
“You’ve overstepped every boundary,” Aimee snapped. “You entered Vera’s room, stirred up chaos, and now you must leave. If you don’t, I’ll call security.”
Sharon, grinding her teeth in rage, retorted, “She’s been relentless in tormenting Lily. I was merely giving her a lesson she desperately needed.”
Overcome with fury, Aimee fired back, “Are you blind? I’ve been chastising Lily from the beginning. If you have the courage, face me yourself. Vera, out of respect for the care she’s received from you, has endured your bullying. And now, shamelessly, you lay hands on her!”
Aimee’s words ignited Sharon’s rage to its peak.
Though seething with anger, Sharon dared not confront Aimee directly. Instead, she lashed out at Vera. Her outburst wasn’t just fueled by her frustration over raising the “wrong” child, but also by her misguided belief that Vera would offer no resistance. Had Vera chosen to fight back, Sharon would have seized the opportunity to create a scandal, swaying public opinion against her.
In that moment, Vera regained her composure. The sting of Sharon’s slap severed the final thread of affection she had still harbored for her.
Noticing Aimee’s intent to continue arguing, Vera quickly intervened, halting her before she could say more. “From this moment forward, I will sever all ties with Howard and will not interfere in your lives. You can be assured of that. The very moment he betrayed me, he lost every right to my affection.”
Her voice remained steady, her gaze tranquil, despite the reddened palm print marring her right cheek.
“Since my presence displeases you, I will remove myself from your lives. As for the money you spent on me, I will repay it a hundredfold.”
All Vera desired now was to sever every connection with this family, making a clean and final break. There was no point in considering anything else; her disappointment had reached its limits.
Jeff and Sharon stood in stunned silence, utterly unprepared for Vera’s resolute declaration.
Jeff stepped forward, his expression unyielding, and scoffed, “What’s the use of saying all this now? Your money is our money, isn’t it?”
Aimee let out a sharp, derisive laugh, fixing Jeff and Sharon with a scornful glare.
“Vera has always been capable of earning her own money. She’s never needed yours. Have you forgotten that she stopped taking your money in junior high? You were the ones parading around, bragging about raising such a capable daughter.”
All their past boasting and praise now rebounded like a boomerang, striking Jeff and Sharon’s pride with full force. They had always taken pride in Vera, especially in her financial success-a fact well known within their social circle.
Vera’s voice remained detached as she stated, “I will compensate you with one billion.”
“One billion!?” Sharon and Jeff were left momentarily speechless by the declaration. This was no trivial amount.
Lily dug her nails into her palm, seizing the opportunity to step forward. Her face was painted with a mask of sorrow. “Vera, what is the meaning of these words? Do you wish to cut all ties with the family? I have always wanted nothing more than to be your sister.”
Lily’s words immediately sparked Sharon’s anger anew. “After all the years we’ve cared for you, you want to cut ties over a single slap? How could I have not seen before how melodramatic and fragile you are? You are so heartless and selfish-you’ve truly squandered all the love and guidance we invested in you.”
Lily gently held Sharon’s arm, fanning the flames with her calm voice. “Mom, don’t be upset with Vera. She is only venting her frustrations. And as for the billion, it’s such a huge amount-how could Vera ever gather that much? She is merely talking nonsense.”
Sharon’s laugh was cold, dripping with contempt. “Boasting before your own family-Vera, is this the result of my upbringing? You have sorely disappointed me. Had I known you would turn out this way, I would never have bothered to nurture you.”
Vera responded with a faint smile, choosing silence. All she felt now was a deep, unrelenting disappointment.
Unable to endure their words any longer, Aimee grabbed the phone directly from Vera’s hand.
“Enough with this nonsense. The money has already been transferred. Now, get out!”
Impatience clouded Aimee’s expression.
“Check your account. This money is meant to sever ties. Take it, and stop claiming I owe you anything!”
Sharon felt a surge of anger. How could they equate years of care with money? As she was about to mock them, a notification popped up on Jeff’s phone, indicating a deposit had been made. His expression shifted as he saw the account balance.
He grabbed Sharon’s arm, his face a mix of emotions. “The money’s in,” he announced.
Sharon and Lily, standing beside him, looked on in shock. Vera had indeed transferred a billion dollars-a significant sum.
Lily’s hands balled into fists, her eyes flashing with jealousy. “Where did all this money come from? Did Howard have a hand in it?”
Sharon, though less shocked now, still looked at Vera with disapproval and continued questioning. “Can money really buy everything? How can I ever repay Lily for her childhood and everything she’s been through?”
Jeff maintained his composure and shot Sharon a cautionary look. “Enough, let’s leave.”
Lily, however, wasn’t ready to drop it. “Dad, shouldn’t we find out where this money came from? What if it’s not legal? I’m concerned she might be heading down the wrong path.”
Jeff’s expression darkened. “Enough,” he snapped. He had known Vera well for many years. Despite everything invested in her, perhaps this billion was her way of settling everything.
It was now evident that Vera was declaring a definitive end to their bond.
Lily bit her lip, realizing she couldn’t change the situation. She could only escort Sharon, who was still complaining, out of the room.
As soon as the door shut, Aimee hurried to the window to let in some fresh air.
“We need to ventilate this room quickly to clear out the negativity. Sharing the same air as them is suffocating.” Aimee was clearly upset. She looked at Vera’s pale face, sighed, and expressed her concern. “Vera, you’re too generous with them. Why give them so much?”
Vera averted her eyes, her long eyelashes veiling a fleeting look of bitterness. “We need to end this charade one way or another. Consider us even now.”
She had lost all faith in maintaining family bonds. Today’s events had shattered any remaining illusions about Sharon and Jeff.
After the family of three left the hospital, Sharon grabbed Jeff’s phone and obsessively reread the deposit notification. She murmured in disbelief, “This is actually happening. How did she acquire so much money?”
Jeff thought for a moment before responding, “I recall Vera starting a small business while in school. It was somewhat successful, but not like this.”
As they reflected, it dawned on them that they really didn’t understand Vera. For the most part, they had merely seen her as a symbol of their successful parenting. Impatiently, Sharon dismissed the matter. “Forget it. If we can’t figure it out, let it be. This money can still compensate for our past losses.”