He Cheated With Sister-In-Law, I Fought Back

Chapter 5

Bernard stood straight before the cameras, his voice sharp and unyielding.

"The Uriel family may be massive and powerful, but we aren't a damn shelter where she can run wild as she pleases!

"As soon as this blows over, I'm filing for divorce. I'm done with her for good!"

The crowd erupted in cheers, clapping and whooping their approval.

Elena leaned limply against his shoulder, her voice soft and shaky as she tried to talk him down.

"Bernard... why don't you give your wife one more chance..."

The reporters ate it up instantly, praising her for her incredible grace.

A: [They say you marry a wife for her virtue, right? Only a proper lady like Ms. Tides fits that bill!]

After that, they dumped their kids with the nanny and jetted off across the globe. One week, they were at the front row at Paris Fashion Week, the next they were sipping cocktails on a beach in the Maldives.

Me? I was stuck dealing with the acrid stench of chicken blood, and razor blades crusted with red someone left on my property.

People even threw paint on my front door in the middle of the night.

Aunty Beatrice never left my side for a single second, constant in her worry that I'd come to harm.

Three days later, the Uriel Group press conference kicked off right on schedule.

Bernard and Elena stepped into the venue putting on matching designer outfits. Bernard in a tailored suit, Elena in a flowing gown. The whole five of them, the entire little family, showed up looking perfectly put together for the cameras.

A reporter pulled Cordelia aside for a question, asking why I wasn't in attendance.

She tilted her chin up so high it practically touched the ceiling, her voice dripping with scorn.

"Starting today, the Uriel family only has one daughter-in-law, and that's Elena!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, the society ladies swarmed Elena, shoving lavish gifts into her hands left and right.

"This is our brand's new launch, please don't be shy! It's an honor just to have you use it!"

"And this set of antique jewelry, we just auctioned it off in Paris! Only someone with your grace and class can pull it off!"

Drunk on all the praise and flattery, Elena puffed out her chest, her eyes grew brighter and brighter with undisguised pride.

Bernard and his father, Branson Uriel, stepped to the center of the stage, and the press conference officially got underway.

Bernard cleared his throat, then announced the Uriel family's official decision.

"Because of my personal family matters, my sister-in-law and nephew have suffered wrongfully for far too long. Because of that, I've decided to sign over all my shares and personal assets, all of it to Elena and her son!"

The room exploded into another round of cheers.

"Bernard is a real man. He's a stand-up guy who takes full responsibility!"

But when Aunty Beatrice caught sight of the list of assets on the big screen, her eyes turned blood-red with fury and she said,

"The stocks, the private island, all those properties, those were what Clara's parents had left for you, to give you leverage and security right here in the Uriel family! What right does that woman have to steal all that?!"

I pressed a hand over Aunty Beatrice's trembling hand, signaling her to stay calm.

Right after that, Bernard pulled out another document, his dark eyes deep and glossy as black ink.

"After a unanimous vote from the whole family, I've decided to step out of the running for heir. I'm giving up the position to my nephew, to honor my brother's spirit!"

The crowd of onlookers burst into shocked gasps.

"Oh my god, can you actually find a man this selfless in a wealthy family? That's one in a million!"

"That's only because Miss Tides is such a good person. There's no way the Uriel family would trust her this much otherwise!"

Elena smiled sweetly for the cameras, every line of her face practically glowing with smug satisfaction.

Bernard said, "Right now, I'm going to sign this promise right here!"

Under the rapt gaze of every person in the room, Bernard bent over the document.

He was just about to put pen to paper when a deep, booming voice cut through the noise from outside the crowd.

"Hold it!"

Every head snapped toward the source of the voice.

Elena's eyes blew wide. All color drained from her face, leaving it deathly pale.

Bernard's pupils shrank to pinpricks, and his voice shook so hard he could barely get the word out.

"Brother?"

The entire room went dead quiet. Every person stared at him, utterly stunned, too shocked to believe their own eyes.