The Billionaire's Divorced Wife

Chapter four

That Friday as planned, Derrick drove Valerie to his grandfather’s villa. The sprawling estate was nestled in a secluded area, surrounded by lush gardens and tall trees that provided a sense of privacy and tranquility. As they pulled up to the grand entrance, Derrick glanced over at Valerie, who was looking out the window with wide eyes.

"Wow, this place is incredible," she said, her voice filled with awe.

"Yeah, Grandpa Max has always had a taste for the finer things," Derrick replied with a hint of pride. "He's been here ever since I can remember."

“That's cool…” she paused for a moment, turning to face Derrick. Valerie was quite a lovely young damsel with dark curly hair and innocent doe eyes. She was quite tall with a nice body and a tight blue dress and black stiletto heels to fit.

“Derrick, what if your grandpa doesn't like me? I'm pretty sure he's used to seeing Cara with you… You know how old men are.” she muttered with pouted lips and Derrick smirked, caressing her cheeks with his thumbs. He lived how sweet and innocent Valerie was. To him, she was better than Cara who was always so miserable.

“Don't you worry about my old man, Valerie. I'll handle this.”

Valerie beamed with relief.

Shortly, stepped out of the car and walked up to the large wooden doors. Derrick knocked, and within moments, a butler appeared and ushered them inside. The interior of the villa was just as impressive as the exterior, with high ceilings, ornate chandeliers, and walls adorned with beautiful artwork.

"Master Derrick, welcome," the butler said politely. "Mr. Maximilian is in his study."

"Thank you, James," Derrick replied curtly.

As they made their way to the study, Derrick could feel his nerves starting to creep in. He knew his grandfather was a man of strong opinions, and he wasn’t sure how he would react to the news of the divorce or to meeting Valerie.

They entered the study, and Derrick's grandfather, Maximilian, was seated behind a large mahogany desk, engrossed in a book. The old man, well dressed in a tuxedo with spectacles, looked up as they entered, his sharp blue eyes fixing on Derrick.

"Derrick, my boy!" Maximilian exclaimed, rising from his chair. "It's good to see you."

"Good to see you too, Grandpa Max," Derrick replied, stepping forward to embrace his grandfather.

Maximilian then turned his attention to Valerie, who stood a few steps behind Derrick.

"And who might this be?" he asked, his tone polite but reserved.

"Grandpa Max, this is Valerie," Derrick said, stepping aside to introduce her. "Valerie, this is my grandfather, Maximilian."

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Maximilian," Valerie said, extending her hand.

Maximilian shook her hand briefly before turning his attention back to Derrick. "So, what brings you two here today…? Who is she to you?" he asked, his tone still polite but with an edge of curiosity.

Derrick cleared his throat momentarily, the air somewhat heavy.

"Grandpa, I wanted to tell you in person... Cara and I are divorced. She signed the papers yesterday."

For a moment, there was silence as Maximilian processed the information. His expression darkened, and his eyes flashed with anger and shock.

"Divorced?" he repeated, his voice rising. "You divorced Cara?!"

"Yes, Grandpa. It was necessary. Things weren't working out," Derrick said, trying to keep his voice steady.

Maximilian's face turned red with fury.

"How dare you! After everything you both have been through together?! She loved you, Derrick! Are you just throwing her away like she's nothing?"

"Grandpa, you don't understand. It was a toxic relationship. I was unhappy. To be honest, I was never happy from the beginning. It was all a charade to please you because you kept pressuring me to get married, so I did," Derrick tried to explain.

"Toxic? Unhappy?" Maximilian scoffed. "You think life is about being happy all the time? Marriage is about commitment, about working through the hard times. You’ve made a mockery of it!"

Valerie, who had been standing silently, spoke up.

"Mr. Maximilian, with all due respect, Derrick made the best decision for his well-being. Sometimes people grow apart—"

Maximilian cut her off, his gaze cold and unyielding. "I don't need to hear your opinions, young lady. This is a family matter."

Valerie's face flushed with embarrassment and anger, but she remained silent, tightly pursing her lips as she lowered her gaze.

"Grandpa, please," Derrick pleaded, slowly becoming agitated. "I need your support. Valerie is important to me, and I want you to accept her."

Maximilian shook his head, his expression one of deep disappointment. "I can't support this, Derrick. You've dishonored this family. And as for her," he gestured dismissively at Valerie, "I have no interest in getting to know her."

The room fell into a tense silence. Derrick felt a knot of frustration and anger tightening in his chest. He had hoped for a better outcome, but it was clear that his grandfather was not going to change his mind easily.

"Maybe we should go," Valerie said quietly, reaching out to hold Derrick's right arm, her voice trembling slightly.

Derrick nodded, feeling a wave of disappointment washing over him.

"Yeah, let's go."

As they turned to leave, Maximilian's voice rang out one last time. "Think long and hard about what you're doing, Derrick. Some decisions can't be undone."

“Actually, Grandpa, I've thought about this for so long before making this decision. I assure you, I have no regrets.” He resounded and Maximilian narrowed his gaze at them, brimming with upset.

Without another word, Derrick and Valerie walked out of the study. Almost immediately, Max took out his phone and tried to call Valerie, but she wasn't picking up any of his calls. Frustrated, he sent her a few text messages and hoped against all odds that she would respond.

***

Valerie angrily walked to Derrick's car in the lobby, a scowl on her face.

“I'm so embarrassed, Derrick. Your grandfather didn't even let me speak! He treated me like I was…nothing!”

“I'm so sorry babe.” He walked up to her, placing both hands on her shoulder and looking down at her with a charming gaze.

“I anticipated this, but I never thought he could be so difficult.”

Valerie rolled her eyes, folding her arms and looking away from him.

“Well…you better make him understand. I can't be with you if he's going to treat me like that.”

Derrick leaned forward, cupping her face and pulling her closer.

“Don't worry about him, babe. I'll take care of him, I promise. He'll understand…I just need some time to convince him.”

Valerie thought for a moment and beamed, reciprocating his hold.

“Okay. I trust you.”