Chapter 3
942 Words
Emotions stormed through Brian's eyes.
"You really wanna do this here?"
I let out a sharp laugh. "Isn't this the perfect place for it? The same place where you all sit around figuring out how to strip me for everything I have and leave me with nothing. So here I am. Isn't this exactly what you wanted?"
A vein twitched at Brian's temple. He took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before speaking again, his voice suddenly sounding almost tired.
"Fine. Let's say I did it. So what? Cheryl, take a good look at yourself."
There wasn't even an attempt to hide the disgust in his eyes anymore.
"What do you even have besides the shares your parents left you? That little art studio of yours doesn't make enough money in a year for me to buy Tracy a single handbag. And all those people around you? Which one of them wouldn't disappear if it weren't for me?"
With every sentence, he stepped closer until I was trapped against the wall.
"I'm the one who's taken care of you all these years. I gave you the best life possible. I gave you the title of Mrs. Scott. I gave you everything other women dream about. So why can't you just behave? Turn a blind eye, stay in your lane, and everybody wins. Do you really have to make this ugly?"
I stared at the face inches away from mine. The face I'd loved for ten years. The face I once thought I'd spend the rest of my life looking at.
Now it only felt disgusting.
"So this is your version of loving me? Stealing my shares, sleeping with my best friend, then bragging about it online?"
I glared at him so hard my vision blurred.
"You're a parasite, Brian. A disgusting one."
His expression darkened instantly. The last bit of fake warmth disappeared from his face.
"Cheryl, once certain words are said, you can't take them back. The wedding invitations are already out. Every important person in this city will be there the day after tomorrow. If you keep causing trouble now, the only person embarrassing herself and the last bit of dignity your family still has is you."
His voice dropped lower, colder. "I can ruin you completely. I can make sure you never survive in this city again and your parents regret everything even in their graves. Do you believe me?"
I did. Of course I did.
A man who could calmly plan all of this was capable of anything.
My chest hurt so badly I could barely breathe.
"So from the very beginning... all you ever wanted were my parents' shares?"
Brian straightened up. He neither admitted it nor denied it.
He just looked at me with those cold, calculating eyes.
"Cheryl, be smart."
His tone softened slightly, but it sounded more like a final warning.
"Show up at the wedding on time. Finish the ceremony. After that, you'll still have the status and luxury that come with being Mrs. Scott. As for everything else, men fool around sometimes. It's normal. If you learn to be a little more understanding, life will be easier for everyone."
I listened to the insanity coming out of his mouth and suddenly lost the strength to cry.
"You know what my biggest regret is, Brian? It's not falling in love with you. It's believing you. My dad held my hand before he died and told me to trust you, to stay by your side. He said you were loyal. Said you'd protect me for the rest of my life."
I looked up through blurry tears and watched his face turn uglier by the second.
"I should've told him the truth. That you never cared about his daughter. You only cared about the fortune he died leaving behind."
Brian's jaw tightened violently. "Shut up!"
"Brian, you think you've won? Keep dreaming! Those shares? I'd rather burn them to the ground than hand them to trash like you and this pathetic little mistress of yours!"
I pointed straight at Tracy, who had curled herself into the corner looking terrified.
Her eyes immediately turned red as she looked toward Brian. "Brian..."
But he ignored her completely. His gaze stayed locked on me.
"Cheryl, don't push me."
"You pushed me first! The second you touched her, we were over."
For a long moment, Brian closed his eyes.
When he opened them again, there was nothing left inside except calculation.
He took a step back from me like I was something filthy.
"Since you've decided to take it this far, then there's nothing left to discuss. You can either stay as Mrs. Scott in name only... Or lose everything and crawl out of this city with nothing. You choose."
He turned away from me and waved toward the bodyguards who had appeared silently at the door.
"Take Ms. Lewis home. Watch her carefully. Don't let anything happen to her."
The bodyguards immediately grabbed both my arms. Their grip was tight enough to hurt.
"Let go of me! Brian, you bastard! You piece of s**t!"
They dragged me toward the door anyway.
The bright hallway lights stabbed into my eyes.
Right before I was pulled away, I saw Brian return to the table, pick up the unfinished glass of liquor, and drain it in one swallow.
And Tracy, like a frightened rabbit, leaned back into his arms again.
Brian wrapped an arm around her waist and lowered his head, whispering something into her ear. A second later, she burst into laughter through her tears and lightly punched his chest.
The sight made me sick to my stomach.
- Writer
