The Underestimated Heiress Wife

The golden door of the bridal chamber closed with a soft click. Silence immediately enveloped the spacious white room filled with fresh rose arrangements. The crystal chandelier cast a warm glow across every corner of the luxurious suite. In the middle of the room, Veronica Aurelia Kingsley stood motionless. The simple white wedding gown she wore looked strikingly modest against the opulence of the Kingsman family’s master bedroom. There were no excessive diamonds or sparkling embellishments — only elegant fabric that reflected her calm personality. Vero let out a slow breath. The long day had finally ended, or so she thought. Her fingers had just touched the zipper of her gown when the sound of heavy footsteps came from behind her. She turned and saw Leonardo Adrian Kingsman entering the room. His wedding suit was already partially unbuttoned. The handsome face that had graced countless billboards and international magazines looked cold and hard. Without greeting or small talk, Leo walked straight to the vanity table, picked up a prepared document folder, and threw it onto the bed. Thud! The folder landed right in front of Veronica. “Sign it,” Leo said flatly, his voice ice-cold. Veronica lowered her gaze to the folder. “What is this?” “A marriage contract,” Leo replied curtly, folding his arms across his chest. “Two years only. After that, we’ll handle the divorce. While the contract is in effect, don’t expect me to act like your husband. We’ll live our own lives. And one more thing — never drag my name into the media for attention.” Vero simply stared at the documents without interest. A flicker of irritation crept in. Not because she had any feelings for the man in front of her, but as a woman, it felt incredibly insulting to be presented with a transaction document on their wedding night. But that irritation quickly turned into deep disappointment. Especially when Leo snorted sarcastically, interpreting her silence as resignation. He stepped closer, closing the distance between them. “What? Shocked?” Leo looked her up and down with a condescending gaze. “Wake up, Veronica. A woman with nothing but a small café like you getting into the Kingsman family is already a miracle. This marriage is purely because my grandmother is sick. So throw away any romantic fantasies you have.” Vero clenched her fists inside the folds of her gown. Thankfully, she had never placed any expectations on the actor in front of her. If she had, his words would have surely made her cry. “This is the fairest way out,” Leo added, feeling superior. “After two years, you’ll get a decent compensation payment, then we part ways amicably. Fair, right?” Vero finally looked up. Her eyes locked onto Leo’s. “Are you done talking?” Leo frowned. “What?” “Have you finished insulting this marriage?” Slap! A hard slap landed squarely on Leo’s cheek, jerking his face to the side. The sound echoed sharply in the quiet room. Leo stood frozen, holding his reddening cheek with a look of disbelief. Vero pulled her hand back. Her palm stung, but there wasn’t the slightest trace of fear on her face. She was only disappointed in herself for thinking this popular man had even basic decency. “If you didn’t want this from the beginning, you should have walked away before we stood at the altar, Leonardo,” Vero said. Her voice wasn’t loud, but every word cut deeply. “Instead of pretending to be a dutiful grandson in front of your grandmother, then throwing this trash paper at me after everyone left.” Leo’s jaw tightened. “How dare you—” “I’m not finished,” Vero cut him off quickly. Her piercing gaze made Leo pause. “Marriage is something sacred to me, and you turned it into a transaction.” Rip! Leo’s eyes widened as Veronica tore the first page of the contract without hesitation. “Are you crazy?!” Leo snapped. “No.” Veronica tore the second page in half. “I just have no interest in maintaining a marriage that isn’t even respected by my own husband. We’re getting a divorce.” The torn pieces of paper scattered across the floor. The room fell deathly silent. Leo stared at Veronica as if he had just heard the most ridiculous joke in the world, then laughed coldly. “You’re asking me for a divorce?” “Exactly.” “Don’t act,” Leo shook his head. “I know women like you. You’re just trying to make me panic.” Veronica didn’t waste energy replying. She turned toward the large wardrobe in the corner of the room and opened her suitcase. Leo still wore a mocking smile — until he saw Veronica starting to put her clothes back inside. The smile on Leo’s face slowly faded. The woman was really packing. A marriage that had only lasted a few hours and hadn’t even made it through the wedding night was now on the verge of collapse because his wife was preparing to leave. “What are you doing?!” Leo shouted. “I’m saving time,” Vero answered without stopping her movements as she folded the last piece of clothing. “My lawyer will contact you in the morning.” Leo’s eyes widened. “Lawyer?” “Of course.” *Click.* The suitcase closed tightly. The wedding that had been prepared for months couldn’t even last one hour. “You can’t leave!” Leo moved quickly to block the door. This time, there was no more triumphant arrogance on his face — only panic. If Veronica walked out now with her suitcase, everyone in the house would know, and tomorrow morning, his family would definitely hear about it. “Have you lost your mind?” Leo hissed. “How can we get divorced after just a few hours of marriage?” Veronica let out a small, dry laugh that only made Leo feel more uneasy. “Oh?” She looked at him directly. “So now you suddenly care about this marriage?” Leo fell silent, at a loss for words. “You can’t leave tonight.” “That’s not your decision.” “Veronica—” “Enough.” Veronica’s firm voice stopped all of Leo’s protests. She gripped the handle of her suitcase tightly. If Leonardo thought she would cry, beg, or stay just for the status of Mrs. Kingsman, then the man was making the biggest mistake of his life. Because starting tonight, the one who wanted to end this marriage was no longer Leonardo — it was her. And Veronica Aurelia Kingsley never took back a decision she had made.