A Whirlwind Marriage with the Beautiful CEO Chapter 171-180
Chapter 171
Mackenzie stifled a laugh and walked past him.
It was after she turned around and looked away from him that she could not
help but sneer. He deserves it!
After they took a cab back home, Emmanuel received a call from Roselynn.
“Manny, how is everything? Is it time to strike back?”
Although only two days had passed since the cyberbullying incident and
Roselynn had already changed her phone, she could not bear it any longer.
“Roselynn, yes, it’s time!” Wanting to put an end to his sister’s suffering,
Emmanuel suggested, “Now, it’s time for you to write an article detailing how
Uncle Emerson engaged in gambling, accumulated debts, and borrowed
money from us. Make sure to include all the evidence of the loans as well.”
“No problem,” Roselynn said, “but I don’t know how to spread it. It will be
pointless to post it if no one sees it.”
“Don’t worry. Mackenzie will help us,” Emmanuel replied, stealing a glance at
her.
The dependable Mackenzie nodded. Earlier, she had instructed Lexi to do
some groundwork. Once Emmanuel and Roselynn were ready to retaliate,
she would have those informants overturn their testimonies.
With all the compelling evidence at their disposal, flipping the script would be
a breeze.
“Ms. Quillen is quite impressive, isn’t she? Does she have to pay to boost the
visibility of my article?” the flabbergasted Roselynn asked.
Emmanuel hummed in acknowledgment, feeling an inexplicable sense of
pride. “In any case, Mackenzie is highly capable. Just let me know once
you’ve uploaded the article. At this stage, I can’t yet disclose our strategy in
detail on how we’re going to make it work.”
He had rushed into marriage just to escape the endless blind dates, fearing
he would marry someone disastrous. Little did he know that Mackenzie
turned out to be his lucky star.
Since he married her, she had repeatedly come to his aid, resolving one crisis
after another. Now, he could not help but be in awe of her abilities, feeling
that there was nothing she could not accomplish.
“All right. I’ll upload the article now!” After ending the call, Roselynn swiftly
composed a response article to counter the trending headlines and the
criticisms aimed at her and Emmanuel.
In her article, she meticulously laid out the evidence, exposing the loans they
had extended to the Cadigans.
As soon as Jamison caught wind of Roselynn’s response, he promptly
informed Hermann and sneered, “Grandpa, their efforts are futile. Our
network of keyboard warriors is widespread, and we’ve successfully
brainwashed the people in Yeringham. They won’t believe a single word they
say!”
Although Hermann was not well–versed in the workings of the internet, he
unquestioningly placed his faith in his grandson’s words and commended
him, “Well done, Jamison! You far surpass your father in every way!”
He could not help but swell with immense pride for his accomplished
grandson.
However, amidst the pride and satisfaction, a nagging curiosity lingered in
Hermann’s mind. He could not help but wonder why, despite his exceptional
abilities, no university seemed willing to accept him. There must be
something wrong with the current education system!
Upon seeing Roselynn’s article, Emmanuel swiftly compiled all the insider
information about Emerson’s fraudulent activities in northern Manchernius.
He also revealed that Emerson had been extorted for thirty thousand, but
Hermann and his family had unexpectedly asked for eighty thousand when
seeking assistance. He posted all these on the internet.
He also exposed Jamison’s attempt to bribe his way into a private university
after failing his university entrance exam.
The online war of words escalated, setting the stage for a fierce battle.
Hermann and Jamison sat at home, snacking and eagerly watching
Emmanuel and Roselynn fight back.
They firmly believed Emmanuel and Roselynn’s efforts would be in vain no
matter how hard they tried, as they believed the keyboard warriors they hired
would lead them to victory.
Jamison found his reliance and pride in Yenyl Zerway, a skilled hacker who
operated his own studio and controlled numerous online accounts.
Moreover, Jamison’s associates from the village had already received bribes
from him and were ready to support him by posting favorable comments. He
was confident that the tide would turn in his favor.
However, all of a sudden, his expression froze.
“Jamison, what’s wrong? Netizens are accusing you of lying and even calling
you morally bankrupt. They claim that you resorted to defamation when your
monetary demands were not met!” Henrietta rushed in, her voice filled with
panic.
While she acknowledged her grandfather and brother’s unethical behavior,
Henrietta’s loyalty still leaned toward her family.
She could not help but worry about her brother’s ability to withstand the
repercussions if the situation were to be turned around.
Chapter 172
“What’s going on, Jamison? Didn’t you say victory’s on our side?” Hermann
started getting anxious too.
When everything had unfolded as planned, Hermann had reveled in a sense
of complacency, relishing the heartless notion of witnessing Roselynn and
Emmanuel’s suffering.
However, the tables had turned.
“Grandpa, there’s no need to panic!” Jamison’s expression momentarily froze
before he swiftly regained his smug smile. “Since Roselynn and Emmanuel
are fighting back with their articles, it’s normal for them to gain some
supporters. They might have also paid money to boost the visibility of the
article or employ ghostwriters. The transient dissenting voices won’t have a
significant impact on the overall situation. People have been berating them
for two consecutive days, and these minor disruptions won’t make any
difference.”
Convinced that his analysis was sound, Hermann slowly regained his
composure.
“Grandpa, I’m going to call my friends now and tell them to step up their
game!” Jamison uttered.
“Great! I can’t wait to see the desperate look on Roselynn’s and Emmanuel’s
faces!” Hermann let out a haughty laugh.
Hermann was filled with anticipation as he witnessed Emmanuel and
Roselynn’s struggle. Although their initial resistance had briefly concerned
him, he soon realized he would have been disappointed if they did not put up
a fight.
Hermann became convinced that Emmanuel and Roselynn would eventually
realize the futility of their efforts, and out of desperation, their only option
would be to succumb to the pressure and pay his family to quell the
backlash online. They’ll kneel before us, begging for mercy and pleading for
us to delete the posts and articles. It’ll be a resounding victory for us! It was
the sheer gratification of overpowering his opponents that he truly craved.
You heartless siblings! Your unwillingness to provide the eighty thousand has
caused my grandson’s dreams of attending university to crumble, shattering
his future. It’s time for you to face the consequences and pay the price!
As soon as Jamison posted in the group, his friends, who had received a few
hundred from him, began commenting on the post.
After setting down his phone, he eagerly awaited the unfolding drama, ready
to witness the pendulum of public opinion swing once more.
Yet, seconds later, his expression turned into one of disbelief.
All eight of his friends had abruptly changed their stance on the previously
popular comments they had posted, now accusing Jamison of bribing them
to act as keyboard warriors for him.
“These ungrateful b*stards! How dare they betray me after taking my
money?” Jamison cussed.
He was at a loss for how to react to the sudden betrayal by his eight buddies.
The impact of their comments had always been significant, capturing the
attention of netizens. But now, with their sudden change of allegiance, the
Cadigan family’s carefully crafted reputation was on the verge of collapse.
“How did this happen, Jamison?” Hermann grew increasingly anxious.
He had been counting on Roselynn and Emmanuel to reach their breaking
point and come to him begging to delete the posts. If the Cadigans ended
up losing, it would not only leave them penniless, but it would also result in all
their previous investments going down the drain.
“I-I have no idea! I’ll call those guys and give them a piece of my mind!” That
was the least Jamison could do now.
All this while, Jamison had been under the impression that it was the
individuals he had paid who had caused the story to trend at the top
position.
Unbeknownst to them, the success of their article reaching the top of the
trending topics was not a result of their own efforts.
In fact, there had been people behind the scenes boosting the visibility of his
article.
Meanwhile, Emmanuel borrowed Mackenzie’s laptop and sat at home,
observing the online trends. He could not help but feel a sense of satisfaction
and pride. “Jamison and Hermann must be feeling desperate now, huh? The
truth will prevail, and their deceitful attempts to smear me and my sister are
bound to fail!”
Mackenzie, who had been watching the situation unfold alongside him, had a
completely different perspective. The truth will prevail? Please. It’s all about
money and clever tactics! That’s the ultimate recipe for success!
Of course, she would not seek credit in front of Emmanuel. After all, she just
wanted to help him resolve the matter.
“Thank you so much, Ms. Quillen!” Emmanuel was someone who would
always be grateful to people who had lent him a hand. Although he did not
know the extent of Mackenzie’s efforts behind the scenes, he sincerely
expressed his gratitude. “You’re truly my lucky star. Whenever I face
difficulties, you always manage to help me solve them!”
Mackenzie feigned indifference and snorted. “You don’t have to thank me! I
told you as long as we’re not divorced, we’re still husband and wife. I certainly
can’t let anyone bully you!”
Her remark rendered Emmanuel speechless for a moment.
Chapter 173
FL
Emmanuel felt a little awkward. Why do I feel like a kept man, being protected
by my beautiful wife? Fine, I’ll admit it. This feels great!
Meanwhile, Hubert also sensed something was off and hastily went to
Gautier.
At that moment, Gautier had already returned home from work. When he
heard from Hubert that someone was defending Emmanuel online, he
immediately checked using his phone.
He found that the internet was awash with vindications supporting
Emmanuel. He curled his thin lips into a smirk. “Ha! It seems like Mackenzie is
helping him.”
“What? Mackenzie is helping him?” Hubert became even more disgruntled.
Why is my goddess helping him?
“What exactly is his relationship with Mackenzie?” Hubert exclaimed.
Gautier was also very curious. However, he never thought that Emmanuel
was actually Mackenzie’s husband. Otherwise, he could’ve easily figured out
the truth by carrying out an investigation at City Hall.
“Calm down. Even Mackenzie can’t save the Verkade family’s enemy. I give
you my word!”
With that, Gautier immediately gave the instruction using his phone to pay
the internet water army to smear Emmanuel.
The next instant, the internet was flooded with users slandering Emmanuel.
They mindlessly insulted Emmanuel, spreading baseless rumors and
directing vulgar remarks at him.
Seeing those comments, Emmanuel furrowed his brows. These are obviously
bot responses. Their words are nonsensical.
Unfortunately, those netizens, having low IQs and eager for drama, were
easily swayed by those comments.
“Don’t panic. Bots will never be able to defeat real people.” Mackenzie
sneered, knowing it was Gautier playing tricks behind the scenes.
Not backing down, she immediately texted Lexi, ordering her to start
countering.
At the same time, Jamison thought the comment he posted and his call to
chide others were taking effect. “Haha. It seems like the public’s eyes are still
sharp!”
Just as the grandfather–and–grandson duo was about to gloat again, they
suddenly discovered that those scornfully abusive comments against
Emmanuel were being rebutted, stating they were bot responses.
“D*mn it! When did Emmanuel become so capable? How did he manage
this?” Jamison, an ignorant dropout, knew nothing about those technical
aspects related matters.
What baffled him even more, was how Emmanuel, a guy earning an annual
Salary of eighty thousand, had the money to hire ghostwriters.
“Jamison, your trending topic has dropped to third place,” Henrietta piped up.
“How is that possible?” Jamison was taken aback and puzzled.
Many people were still following and commenting on his article, so how could
the popularity decrease?
As soon as he refreshed the homepage, he saw that the top two trending
topics were two clarification posts published by Roselynn and Emmanuel.
While some people in Yeringham merely followed the news mindlessly, most
were not fools. With the solid evidence now, how could they not know who
was telling the truth?
All of them went to support Roselynn and Emmanuel. Coupled with
Mackenzie’s frenzied subscription to internet water army services, Jamison’s
article, which relied solely on machines to boost its popularity, simply couldn’t
compete.
Upon refreshing again, the article had fallen out of the top three trending
topics.
Jamison’s grand plan was starting to turn south.
“Haha! The news about my confession made it to the top three!”
Hubert, having noticed the change, quickly forgot about dealing with
Emmanuel. Being a simple–minded scion, Hubert desired to let everyone
know about his romantic confession to Mackenzie was above anything else.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
While Hermann and his grandson were at a loss and staring blankly at the
computer screen, powerless to turn things around, a group of agitated
villagers pounded on their front door.
“Hermann, Jamison! Stop distorting the truth online and bringing shame to
Greendale Village!”
“That’s right. Come out here and face our criticism!”
Chapter 174
The internet feud had brought Greendale Village into the limelight.
Everyone knew the truth now. Moreover, most of the villagers had long known
about Hermann’s character and despised him.
However, no matter how horrible Hermann was as a person, that was a
personal matter, but now that scandal was exposed, it was embarrassing the
entire Cadigan family.
When they were out elsewhere in the future, everyone there would feel
ashamed to admit they were from Greendale Village.
“Grandpa, w–what should we do now?” Jamison panicked and looked at his
grandfather helplessly.
Hermann didn’t know what to do either. He had no experience in dealing with
such matters.
“Henrietta, hurry up and go out there to tell those villagers to leave!”
“That’s right! If you can’t do it alone, ask Grandma to tag along!”
Whenever trouble arose, Jamison’s first thought would be to ask his sister
and grandmother for help. In the Cadigan family, women had very low status.
“This…”
A reluctant look spread across Henrietta’s countenance. It was clearly
Jamison and Grandpa who caused the mess, so why am I the one who
needs to face the villager’s wrath?
“Hurry up! If you don’t go, I’ll beat you to death!” Hermann immediately raised
the broom to hit her.
Since she was little, Henrietta had been beaten countless times by Hermann,
even bearing permanent scars on her thighs and back.
In contrast, Jamison had never been beaten even once.
Her status was as lowly as a dog in the household.
Under duress, Henrietta eventually went to answer the door.
Still, no matter how much she persuaded the villagers, even lying to them
that her grandfather and younger brother weren’t there, they refused to
leave and barged into their house.
Standing behind the crowd, Beatrix also came to watch the drama with her
two bodyguards.
Taking in that scene, the playful young lady clapped in excitement and
muttered, “Hmph! I can’t believe this grandfather–and–grandson duo tried to
play such tricks on Manuel. Mackenzie will definitely make them suffer!”
Those villagers had undoubtedly gone to confront Hermann and his
grandson because of Lexi’s instigation.
For Lexi, someone with strong planning and execution skills, inciting the
villagers‘ emotions to deal with Hermann and Jamison was as easy as ABC.
Initially, Hermann and Jamison wanted to escape through the back door, but
before they could get out, they were surrounded by those incensed villagers.
The duo became overwrought. They never dreamed that they would end up
as the cyberbullying victims and be besieged in real life instead of Roselynn
and Emmanuel.
“Hermann, one should not be so shameless! Others might not know, but do
you think we from Greendale Village don’t know the truth?” The village chief
was the first to speak up and chided Hermann, “The money Alessandra’s
family took was what they deserved, and you only returned a fraction to
them. On the other hand, your family borrowed fifty to sixty thousand from
them to repay Emerson’s debt. Afterward, they even gave you another
twenty thousand. How can you be so ungrateful as to repay their kindness
with animosity? You’re indeed more despicable than animals!”
Following the village chief’s lead, the rest of the villagers also chimed in with
righteous indignation.
“That’s right. Are you heartless? How can you frame your own grandson like
this?”
”
“Get out of Greendale Village and quit bringing shame to our village!”
“I suggest we remove the two of them from Greendale Village’s census
records and chase them out of here!”
“I agree! In the future, when Greendale Village shares profits, we shouldn’t
give a penny to people like them!”
Hearing those angry voices and seeing the villagers‘ furious demeanors,
Jamison curled up on the ground, not daring to move.
Hermann didn’t have the courage to resist either. Their family was weak and
couldn’t win against so many villagers.
The village chief declared, “Hermann, if you don’t want to be expelled from
the village, quickly apologize and beg your granddaughter and grandson to
delete their posts to minimize the consequences of this incident! Otherwise,
we’ll handle this matter according to the village rules. Any villager who
tarnishes the village’s reputation and brings serious negative impact will
have their names removed from the census records and be driven out of
Greendale Village!”
“Ah? A–All right!”
Chapter 175
Hermann was aware of the rule. He had even signed his name in support of it
at the time, never dreaming that the rule would eventually apply to him.
Following a day-long online battle, Roselynn and Emmanuel managed to
decisively defeat Hermann and his grandson.
Finally, the torrent of messages berating Emmanuel had ceased, replaced
instead by apologies.
Emmanuel paid them no mind and ignored all incoming calls from unknown
numbers.
It wasn’t long before Roselynn called.
“Hooray! United we stand, divided we fall. We’ve achieved a complete
victory!” she exclaimed.
The frustration that had been building up inside of her was finally released.
“Indeed, we gave the two scoundrels of the Cadigan family quite the lesson
this time,” Emmanuel agreed.
Hermann had always favored sons over daughters and never considered his
daughter’s children as his family. Naturally, Emmanuel had no reason to show
the old man any sympathy, much less, Jamison, who was much more
despicable.
Emmanuel and his family had given the Cadigans so much money, yet he
showed no gratitude and even used their money to hire people to harm
them. The man was the epitome of ingratitude.
“Roselynn, our victory this time is all thanks to Mackenzie!” Emmanuel
quipped.
After sharing a moment of excitement with his sister, Emmanuel didn’t forget
his wife’s contributions.
While he was unclear about how much Mackenzie had done behind the
scenes, he understood that much of the impact was due to her help,
especially when it came to swaying public opinion.
“Indeed, I’ve always known how capable my sister–in–law is! You should bring
her home soon. I want to give her a big kiss!” Roselynn exclaimed, caught up
in her enthusiasm.
Emmanuel chuckled, deciding not to relay this to Mackenzie, knowing it would
only make her more reluctant to return home with him.
“By the way, Manny, that old coot Hermann just called me asking me to
remove the post. He even apologized, though it didn’t seem sincere. But it
was still a rare move for him,” Roselynn added.
“Remove the post? Did you agree to it then, Roselynn?”
“Not yet. That’s why I called to ask your opinion. Should we delete the post?
After all, I noticed that their posts have been deleted,” Roselynn replied.
Her words made Emmanuel hesitate for a moment.
1
However, Mackenzie immediately chimed in with a cold snort, “Delete it? After
all the effort we’ve put in? Do they think we were just playing games? I don’t
have time for such nonsense!”
Emmanuel immediately turned to his sister and jokingly said, “Roselynn, my
wife has decreed that we cannot delete the post.”
“Haha, you are already henpecked? All right, then. Let’s leave it as is and let
Hermann and his grandson stew,” Roselynn agreed.
As a matter of fact, Roselynn didn’t want to delete the post either, and now
with her younger brother’s support, she was even more firm in her decision.
“What do you mean by ‘my wife has decreed‘? It sounds so unpleasant!”
Mackenzie feigned indifference, returning to her room while struggling to
suppress a smile.
That Dummy clearly understands his standing in the family, doesn’t he? If he
dares to display any male chauvinism like his granddad, I will kick him out
without a second thought.
However, Emmanuel mistakenly believed Mackenzie disliked his way of
addressing her. He had only used that phrase to create a façade of marital
harmony in front of his sister.
Now, Emmanuel was growing more anxious by the minute. How was he to
face the aftermath if Mackenzie truly intended to divorce him in half a year?
How will I be able to face Mom and Roselynn then?
Shaking his head in silent despair, Emmanuel resolved to take one step at a
time.
As he was about to place his phone down, another call came in. This time, it
was from Ryder.
Chapter 176
“Hey, Manny, I see things have taken a turn for the better. The cyberbullying
against you has settled, hasn’t it?” Ryder asked with genuine concern.
He had just returned home from work after picking up Tommy and glanced
at the news on his phone before making dinner.
Seeing the public opinion now unanimously in support of Roselynn and
Emmanuel and scolding Hermann, Ryder’s heart was finally at ease.
Just as he was engrossed in the conversation, Abellyn returned home, a
storm brewing inside her. She had had an unlucky day playing poker, losing
all her money, and even skipping lunch. Naturally, her mood was nothing
short of foul.
Her anger was further kindled when she heard Ryder’s voice wafting from the
kitchen, full of concern for his cousin without even sparing her a glance.
“Ah, did Ms. Quillen help you out again? She’s pretty and capable, huh? You’ve
truly found a treasure, Manny,” Ryder remarked sincerely.
However, these words triggered Abellyn’s simmering anger into a full–blown
tempest.
“What is the meaning of this? Spending your time worrying about your
cousin’s wife while your own wife and son starve?” Abellyn yelled, her voice
laced with venom.
Ryder paused, setting his phone down, matching her ire with his own steely
gaze. “I’ve been working all day, and I’m tired. Is it a crime to have a
conversation with my cousin? If you have so much spare time, go make
dinner yourself!” he shot back.
“Did you ask me to go make dinner for someone like you? You don’t deserve
it!” she berated righteously.
No matter how honest and down–to–earth Ryder was, he was but a man who
deserved respect.
I work tirelessly like a dog all day, and I’m also in charge of fetching the kids.
She does nothing all day. How dare she yell at me when all I ask is for her to
make dinner? What have I truly done, marrying this impudent woman to be
my wife?
Despite it all, Ryder found it hard to vent his frustration on Abellyn. Hence, he
quietly retreated to his room, phone in hand, and resume his conversation
with Emmanuel.
“Ryder, did you have another fight with Abellyn again?” Emmanuel asked
cautiously.
Even he had sensed the tension between Ryder and his wife over the phone.
“Don’t mind her. She’s becoming more and more unreasonable!” Ryder
replied, suppressing his anger.
He had decided not to make dinner for the insolent woman today, and he
couldn’t care less if she would go hungry.
Meanwhile, Abellyn was seething in the living room.
Ryder’s refusal to include Robby in their family registry had already made her
feel guilty toward Chloe and put a strain on their relationship as a result. And
now, Ryder’s blatant disregard for his wife in favor of Emmanuel’s wife was
the last straw.
“This is preposterous! I cannot live like this!” Abellyn shouted, her eyes wild
with fury.
In a moment of sheer madness, she stormed into the kitchen, grabbed a
cleaver and stormed toward Ryder’s room.
Fortunately, Tommy was busy doing his homework in another room and
didn’t notice his mother’s actions.
When Abellyn burst into the room, she planned to simply intimidate Ryder.
However, seeing him still on the phone with Emmanuel, laughing and fawning
over Mackenzie, she felt a rush of resentment. Without a second thought, she
lunged toward Emmanuel, knife raised high.
Although Abellyn had never attacked anyone in her life in her younger days
but spent long hours working in places where brawls and violence were not
uncommon. Consequently, her current fury erased any traces of timidity.
Ryder, on the other hand, was oblivious to her intrusion. Yet, at the pivotal
moment, an instinctual sense of danger prompted him to dart aside,
narrowly avoiding the path of the blade.
The cleaver instead grazed his underarm and arm, instantly painting a
vibrant streak of red as his blood spilled forth.
Dropping his phone in shock, Ryder watched the deranged woman before
him, horror etching across his face. “Abellyn, what are you doing? Have you
gone mad?” he cried out.
“Mad? I’m perfectly sane!” she retorted and her voice was ice cold. “Are you
thinking about your cousin’s wife all day long? Do you find her more
attractive, more beautiful, and more graceful than me? If so, go be with her!”
With that, Abellyn once again lunged at Ryder with the knife.
However, despite Ryder’s humble demeanor, he was no pushover. Swiftly
sidestepping the cleaver, he grabbed hold of the woman’s wrist and
immobilized her with his legs, effectively halting her frenzied attack.
While Abellyn was consumed by rage, Ryder’s heart was aflame with a fury
that surpassed hers.
He had worked tirelessly for their family, earning money for her frivolities,
cooking for her, and treating her with the utmost respect. Now, she dares to
assault me with a knife simply because I have taken a call instead of
preparing her dinner?
Chapter 177
If she hasn’t gone crazy, it just means she’s just an ungrateful, evil wr*tch!
Ryder had always been bad with his words, so he could never scold anyone
like Abellyn did. Instead, he kept silent and swatted her bottom.
Even though Ryder was worried he could hurt her and bring shame to the
family, he still hit her with all his might, trying to vent all his anger.
Smack!
“Ahh!”
Smack!
“Ahh!”
Abellyn cried out in pain each time he hit her. “I dare you to kill me now,
Ryder! Otherwise, don’t even think about sleeping from now on. I’ll make sure
to stab you to death once you’re asleep, you worthless man! You’re just a
pauper who coveted my beauty!”
The more she scolded, the more furious Ryder became.
He didn’t know how to retort to her words and only knew how to fight back
with his hands. The man kept on hitting her on her butt and it had swollen up.
She wants to kill me, doesn’t she? I’ll just kill her first!
“Ahhh!”
Abellyn’s screams became louder each time. She kept struggling to move
away from him but to no avail.
It was only at that moment that she began regretting her choices. I shouldn’t
be so hasty and acted on my own. I wouldn’t have been beaten up by him if I
had joined hands with Chloe and the others.
“Mom! Dad! What are you doing?”
The commotion alerted the boy, and Tommy cried in shock when he entered
and saw the scene before him.
His mother was trying to cut his father with a knife, while the latter was hitting
her relentlessly. Such a scene would definitely traumatize the child and haunt
him for the rest of his life.
Ryder panicked and instantly let go of Abellyn.
He did not, however, expect the woman to be so malicious that she would
use this chance to stab him.
What she did truly provoked Ryder.
W
No matter how dumb he was, Ryder finally saw Abellyn for who she was. She
did not care for whatever bond they had in the family and dared to stab her
husband right in front of her son.
Abellyn stabbed him right in the thigh. However, he did not cry out in pain but
instead gave her a slap across her face.
The woman screamed in pain as she collapsed onto the floor. She saw Ryder
walking closer to her when she turned to look, a vicious look on his face.
Frightened by the sight of this, she got onto her feet and began running
away.
“Stop right there, you crazy b*tch! I’m going to kill you!”
Ryder had completely lost his mind and began chasing after her, even
though blood was still flowing down his leg.
Tommy was terrified as he watched everything unfold, and his cries only
became louder.
Emmanuel finally arrived at Ryder’s house in his Maserati half an hour later.
Fortunately, Ryder hadn’t ended the call when he threw his phone earlier, so
Emmanuel could hear the commotion on the other end and guess what had
happened.
He was startled to see blood everywhere when he arrived.
Emmanuel noticed Tommy was lying on the ground unconscious. He quickly
took the child in his arms and patted his cheeks. “Tommy! Wake up, Tommy!”
Fortunately, Tommy had only fainted from crying. The boy soon opened his
eyes slowly.
“Uncle Manny! You’re finally here. Please save Daddy! Mommy was trying to
kill him with a knife! I’m so scared…” he said.
Tommy buried his face in Emmanuel’s chest and cried his heart out the
moment he woke up.
Emmanuel felt his heart clench at that moment. Has Abellyn gone insane?
How could she do this?
Chapter 178
“Chloe! Help me! Help!”
Abellyn ran straight to Chloe’s place after escaping from her house.
She stumbled the whole way there, covered in bloodstains and bruises.
“Oh, my! What happened to you, Abellyn? How did you end up like this?”
Chloe was shocked by the sight of her sister and quickly strode over to
Abellyn.
“How did I end up like this? That b*stard Ryder tried to kill me! He wanted to
murder his wife!”
“What? He actually dared to do that?”
Chloe was frightened by her words.
“What did you mean by that? Just look at me! Look at what he’s done to me!”
Abellyn didn’t try to be discreet even though Robby was around. She lifted her
dress and showed Chloe the bruises caused by Ryder.
Both her thighs, butt, and waist were covered in bruises. There were even
parts of her that had big, red hand prints on them.
Besides, Abellyn didn’t use to have a decent career, so she was accustomed
to these things.
“That b*stard, Ryder! He looked like a nice and honest man before, but he
finally showed his true colors now. This is unacceptable. How can he do this
to you?”
Chloe’s heart ached for Abellyn. She was her sister after all, and she had
been caring for Abellyn since she was young.
“Take off your clothes, Abellyn. I’ll apply some ointment for you. I’ll make sure
to bring your cousins there and settle scores with him!” Chloe complained in
an angry tone.
Abellyn obediently took off her coat and dress, wearing only her underwear
as she stood in the middle of the living room.
However, the garments she was wearing couldn’t hide her voluptuous figure
at all.
“All right, Abellyn. This might hurt a lot.”
Chloe soon found some ointment and applied it to her sister.
She continued to complain that Ryder was inhumane as she did so.
Robby was filled with rage as he listened to the adults‘ conversation. How
could Uncle Ryder bully Aunt Abellyn? How horrible of him! I have to get
revenge for her when I have the chance.
Meanwhile, Ryder had actually lost his wife while he was chasing after her.
He wanted to teach her a lesson, but Ryder eventually stopped chasing after
her after calming down a little and thinking of his poor son.
He didn’t want to scare his child any further, and to prevent his wound from
getting an infection, Ryder went to a clinic nearby and had the doctor clean it
up for him. Once that was done, he slowly limped his way home.
He had been worried about Tommy being at home alone. Fortunately, he saw
Emmanuel there when he reached home, who had made some food for the
boy and coaxed him to sleep.
“What on earth happened, Ryder? What made you and Abellyn fight in front
of the kid? To the point of sustaining such an injury too!”
Emmanuel quickly walked over and helped Ryder sit down.
To his knowledge, Ryder had never beaten a woman in the thirty years he
had been alive, much less his wife. Something must have instigated this.
“I don’t know what happened either!”
Ryder couldn’t help but become agitated again. “That woman was crazy! I
was talking to you on the phone when I told her to make us something to eat.
Then, she went into the kitchen and came out with a knife trying to stab me! If
I hadn’t reacted quickly enough, I would have died right then and there!”
He had made it sound simple, but Emmanuel had goosebumps all over his
body when he heard that.
After all, they weren’t talking about an enemy on the battlefield, whom Ryder
could avoid just by leaving the area. This was his wife. He wouldn’t be able to
sleep peacefully after how things had turned out.
“I should have told you about this a long time ago, Ryder. You’ve spoiled your
wife too much. Things must be difficult now that you’re trying to make her
take responsibility for the household now.”
Emmanuel knew his mother and sister had talked to Ryder about it
previously, but the latter never listened. It was also why he had never brought
it up.
This was a married couple’s private matter, after all. It wasn’t something an
outsider like him had a say in. They would have had to bear the responsibility
if problems arose in their marriage.
However, Emmanuel had to say something now that things had come to this.
“Marriage isn’t like dating. You have to spend the rest of your life with each
other. A family can never function with only one person putting in the effort.
You’d only feel exhausted, while she wouldn’t have a sense of belonging. You
won’t have a happy life if this continues.”
Ryder finally took his advice seriously.
“That’s right… I brought this upon myself. I can’t blame anyone else for this. I
really envy your relationship with Ms. Quillen. She’s in charge of earning
money, while you manage the household. A married couple can only live in
harmony if you work together.”
Pfft!
Emmanuel was exasperated by his words. Why does Ryder make it sound like
I’m living off of her? I and earn too!
Nonetheless, it wasn’t the time to be arguing about something like this. “Since
It’s come down to this, what are you planning to do?” he asked.
“What else can I do? Of course I have to divorce her!”
Ryder could fortunately still think rationally. That woman stabbed me and told
me never to fall asleep or she’ll kill me!
Even though he wasn’t quite ready to let go of her, there wasn’t anything else
he could do besides getting divorced.
“You’d better think it through, Ryder. It’s best if you divorce her. Tommy can’t
be living with a woman like that!”
Emmanuel was saying that for the sake of Tommy. Abellyn would only play
poker and enjoy a lazy life. She didn’t know how to earn money, nor did she
know how to take care of her child. Tommy would only starve to death if he
lived with her.
“I got it. This is where I draw the line. Let’s talk about it again when she comes
back.”
Ryder heaved a long sigh, and it seemed like he had gotten ten years older in
an instant. Even though he didn’t want his son to end up with a single parent,
he had no other choice left.
Bitterness filled Emmanuel’s heart when he saw the dilemma Ryder was in.
Ryder has such a bad relationship with Abellyn, yet he’s feeling so upset
talking about their divorce. I wonder if it’ll be the same when I get divorced
from Mackenzie.
It was already ten thirty at night. Mackenzie gave Emmanuel a call when she
noticed he had not gone home.
“Hey, why aren’t you home yet when it’s already so late at night?”
Emmanuel was actually quite happy to hear her complain.
Ryder was envious of him. How he wished his wife would do the same to him.
Just once was enough. The way he saw it, complaints like this meant that
love existed in their relationship.
“Ms- No. Mackenzie, something’s happened to Ryder, so I’m having a drink
with him. I can’t drive home myself,” Emmanuel explained.
“What a fool! Just call me whatever you want from now on. It’s awkward to
have you change the way you address me so forcefully,” Mackenzie said,
feeling odd.
Emmanuel was stunned to hear that, but he quickly replied, “Okay, Darling!”
His words left the woman stunned this time, and her heart skipped a beat.
www
Chapter 179
Mackenzie glanced at the time and let out a sigh.
She had no choice but to call Wally to pick her up at the residential area.
Wally was surprised to receive the call. He had been Mackenzie’s driver for so
many years, but she had never once made him work at such a late hour.
It finally dawned on him that she wanted to pick her husband up when he
drove Mackenzie to Ryder’s house and watched as she entered the place.
“You can head back now, Wally.”
“Yes, Ms. Quillen.”
Wally quickly drove away, and at the same time, he couldn’t help but exclaim
in astonishment at how much Mackenzie had changed in the past month.
I have to admit, marriage is really something!
Mackenzie could vaguely smell the metallic smell of blood the moment she
walked into Ryder’s house. She didn’t ask what had happened after seeing
the man’s injury and could already guess that he must be having troubles
with Abellyn.
I knew Abellyn wasn’t a good person. Though, it’s still surprising that that
woman would dare to stab her husband.
“Why are you here, Mackenzie?”
Emmanuel instantly got to his feet when he saw Mackenzie. He had been
drinking with Ryder, so he stumbled his way to her and fell into her arms.
“Ugh! You reek of alcohol!”
Even though Mackenzie sounded disgusted, she didn’t try to push the man
away. After all, it would only make it seem like she had no respect for him.
Thus, she had no choice but to quietly endure it.
“I’m sorry. Ryder was in a bad mood today, so I’m drinking with him to help
him ease the tension.”
IN
Emmanuel was trying to get permission from her.
“No, no! I’m fine now. Manny, hurry up and go home with your wife.”
Ryder quickly stood up as well. He was afraid that he would affect his cousin’s
relationship with his wife and didn’t want to become a problem for them.
Mackenzie had no idea what had happened to Ryder before she came and
was originally planning to bring Emmanuel home.
However, after seeing Ryder’s circumstances, she thought it was better for
Emmanuel to stay, even if it was just for Tommy’s sake. She was worried
Ryder wouldn’t be able to handle Abellyn if she came home.
“Enjoy your drinks. I’ll head home first.”
With that said, she turned to leave.
“Mackenzie!”
Emmanuel immediately grabbed her wrist and asked anxiously, “Are you
mad?”
Mackenzie was amused by his reaction. I didn’t know he was so afraid of
seeing me mad.
Although she looked cold on the outside, she was not someone so
narrow–minded. Mackenzie turned around and said, “What? Am I someone
who has such a bad temper?”
“No, Ms. Quillen-”
Emmanuel had blurted it out in the heat of the moment. He only realized that
she hadn’t been mad earlier when he saw her actual angry face right then.
Fortunately, he reacted quickly and began complimenting her, “You’re the
most understanding wife. I must be blessed to have been able to get
married to you.”
“Hmph! You’re only realizing that now?” Mackenzie accepted his
compliments. Then, turning around, she continued coldly, “Don’t drink too
much, and take good care of Tommy.”
“Okay!”
Only then did Emmanuel finally confirm that Mackenzie wasn’t angry at all.
Ryder burst into tears when she finally left, feeling envious and jealous of his
cousin.
“We both got married, but how is it that you married an angel while I married
a monster? You’re really something, Manny!”
Emmanuel had no idea how to respond when he heard that.
Me? It’s all because of a blitz marriage! I was even worried that I’d gotten
married to a devil at first. I never expected Mackenzie to be so perfect! I can
only say that I’m just extremely lucky.
The next morning, Mackenzie told Lexi to cancel her first appointment, then
she personally drove her Maserati to pick her husband up.
Even though it was early in the morning, Abellyn still arrived earlier than she
did. She arrived home in a hurry with her parents, her sister, and her cousins
behind her.
Chapter 180
“Ryder! Get over here right now, you wife–beating b*stard!” Mary shouted
while slamming a fist on the door.
Abellyn had left the house in a rush the previous day. She didn’t bring
anything with her, so they had no choice but to wait for the people inside to
open the door.
It was also why they had come so early. They didn’t want to risk having the
man leave for work and not be able to get their payback.
“You wife–beating coward! Come out, right now! I’ll kick your door down if you
don’t come out soon!” Abellyn’s cousin, David Sheppard, roared as he kicked
the door.
It was such a huge commotion it aroused the attention of the neighbors.
Nonetheless, Abellyn did not feel even an ounce of shame. Instead, she
instructed her cousin to kick harder. It was like that unit in front of her wasn’t
her house at all.
“Who’s kicking the door? Do you have a death wish?”
A man suddenly opened the door. He was filled with rage and looked
absolutely formidable. David jumped in shock and stumbled backward.
The person was, of course, Emmanuel.
David dared not utter another word, even though he had been so arrogant
earlier. He could tell with just one glance that the man before him was not
one to mess with.
Mary was about to speak when Ryder came limping out. “Mom, Dad! Why are
you here?” he asked.
Despite the fact that he was having problems with Abellyn, he was still being
respectful of his in–law.
Mary instantly gave him a slap across his face when she saw him. “I’ve raised
my daughter for so many years, but we’ve never laid a hand on her. How
dare you beat her up like that? You don’t have an ounce of respect for us, the
Sheppard family, do you?”
“Mom! Stop it! Stop hitting me!”
MIS
Ryder was confused. He couldn’t hit her back, nor could he just allow her to hit
him. All he could do was protect himself, using his hands as his shield.
Mary’s husband, George Sheppard, was worried his wife would get the short
end of the stick and began helping her to beat his son–in–law up.
Shortly after, Abellyn’s cousins joined in as well.
The family burned with rage and was adamant about beating Ryder to a
pulp.
Originally, Emmanuel had no intentions of intervening when he saw Mary
hitting his cousin. He had assumed that they would talk things through after
they had both calmed down.
However, he seethed with anger when he saw the group of people bullying
Ryder.
“D“mn it! Are you looking down on the Lowe family?”
Emmanuel pounced at them and easily managed to fling David to the
ground.
Without much effort, he pushed the rest of the Sheppard family away and
stood before Ryder to protect him.
“You just have to pick a fight, don’t you? Are you going to come at me one by
one or all at once? Do you think I’d be scared?”
Sure, Emmanuel did have a good temper, but he could be horrifying if he ever
got angry.
Even Samuel was terrified of him, let alone people like the Sheppard family.
“Sh*t! This man is so strong!”
David didn’t dare to fight him anymore.
The family chickened out. They wouldn’t be able to beat Emmanuel even if
they were to pounce at him together.
“Come on! You’re just looking down on Ryder because he’s injured, aren’t
you? Fight me if you want to. Abellyn is not the only one with family here.
Ryder has one too!” Emmanuel shouted in anger once more.
Only then did Mary finally notice Ryder was covered in blood. Her expression
changed in an instant. “W–What happened? Who did this?”
Her daughter had complained that her husband was abusing her the
previous night. Because of that, she brought David over to seek justice for
Abellyn.
Mary had no idea Ryder was injured so badly.
“Who else besides your precious daughter?” Emmanuel answered for Ryder.
Hearing that, Ryder chimed in emotionally, “Abellyn went crazy last night. She
suddenly stabbed me with a knife! I had no other choice but to hit her. Look!
My thigh is still bleeding!”
As he spoke, the man removed the bandage and showed his mother–in–law.
He was about to lose control of his emotions and sounded like he was on the
verge of tears as he spoke. “Are you, the Sheppard family, the only humans
here? Am I not human to you? I’ve been a coward all my life. Couldn’t I have
gotten mad just this once?”
Mary was shocked to hear that. “Is Ryder telling the truth, Abellyn? Why did
you stab him? Have you really gone crazy?”
She deserves to get beaten up by Ryder if she did stab him. Why did she do
something like this? Has she gone nuts or what?