Chapter 12 The Ex–wife
Cerci was driven to the brink of madness by Nancy. With her hand raised high, she was about to smash the vase on Nancy’s head, intending to shatter her skull.
However, just as she was about to strike, Nancy seemed to have eyes in the back of her head. She tilted her head to the side and skillfully caught the vase raised by Cerci.
In an instant, the vase ended up in Nancy’s hand. With a swift and powerful strike, Cerci was knocked down to the ground, crying out in pain. “Ah!”
Her vision blurred, and half of her face burned. She struggled to rise from the ground.
“You’re useless but audacious.”
Nancy’s expression was cold as she forcefully threw the flower vase to the ground, causing ceramic shards to scatter. Cerci covered her ears and screamed, curling up to protect herself.
Nancy approached Cerci, while Cerci retreated with each step. They continued until Cerci backed into a corner, looking at her with fear. “D… Don’t come any closer.”
“You were planning to ambush me earlier, weren’t you? And now you’re scared?”
Nancy reached out her hand, and Cerci thought she was going to strike her face. Terrified, she tightly closed her eyes. However, Nancy only reached out to tidy up her disheveled
hair.
“You were once my cousin, whom I truly loved and cared for. Although we are not blood- related, I believe I have never treated you unfairly. May I ask why you hate me so much, to the point of joining forces with Joshua to bring about my demise?”
Only then did Cerci open her eyes and meet Nancy’s questioning gaze. She sneered coldly. “Don’t you know?”
Nancy silently looked at her. She knew that there was always a reason behind hatred in this world, so she wanted to understand.
Cerci looked up, gazing at Nancy’s face, which remained beautiful and captivating even in the dim light. The flames of jealousy almost consumed her, and the darkness that had been festering in her heart for years finally found its release.
“You, me, and Linda–the three of us are cousins, but our upbringings couldn’t be more
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different. Our uncle is the chairman of the Smith Group, and our aunt gave birth to you, their precious daughter. Since childhood, you have been their favorite, receiving everything you desired. If you didn’t want to go to school, they hired private tutors for you, providing you with the best education. They even bought you a rose garden. Everyone in the city knows you as the daughter of the Smith family. But who knows about me? My parents divorced when I was very young. My father used to be a low–level manager at a state–owned enterprise. Every year, the new clothes I wore for the new year were given to me by you.”
As Cerci spoke, tears streamed down her face. “We are both daughters of the Smith family. Why do you get to live in luxury while I have to live in poverty?”
After listening for a while, Nancy couldn’t make sense of it and furrowed her brows. “Is this my fault?”
“Your biggest mistake was rejecting Joshua!”
Cerci wiped away a tear, and a smug smile appeared on her face. “You didn’t expect that he would choose me, did you? Why would you reject him? Joshua is the heir of the Reed family. How many noble ladies in the southern city want to marry him? Only you, Nancy, foolishly turned him down! Don’t you know? Joshua and 1 are getting married soon. From now on, I will be part of the Reed family. The Reed Group is much more powerful than the Smith Group!”
“Indeed, I’m talking to a wall.” Nancy couldn’t find any reason to argue and shook her head helplessly.
There was no point in asking her anymore.
Nancy glanced at Cerci. “You’re making a fuss over nothing. When you marry into the Reed family, refer to yourself as Madam Reed and don’t mention that you’re a daughter of the Smith family. I can’t afford to lose my reputation.”
In the study of the Walker family’s home, the conversation between grandfather and grandson had become heated.
“If you insist on marrying Layla, then go ahead, but don’t invite me to the wedding! I can’t afford to lose face!”
Liam’s grandfather stormed out of the room.
“Oh my, what’s going on here?”
Madam Walker was sitting in the pavilion with her daughters–in–law, enjoying the cool
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breeze and admiring the flowers. She listened attentively to the commotion coming from the study and hurriedly approached her husband, who was walking out with a grim expression. “Let’s discuss this calmly. Why are you so angry?”
The old man also had a fiery temper and snorted, “How can I not be angry? He rejected such a good daughter–in–law and chose to marry a woman of low character. Don’t you think he’s gone mad? He’s definitely gone mad!”
The old lady watched her angry husband leave and sighed helplessly. Liam also came out of the study and met the old man’s gaze. He softly called out, “Grandma.”
“Is it worth causing such a scene today for the sake of a woman?”
The old lady sighed, “Impulsiveness can ruin everything. How did your father treat your mother back then? If you remembered how your mother has been living all these years, you wouldn’t have set your sights on the daughter of the Rivera family.”
Liam pursed his lips, his eyes revealing a sense of endurance and determination. “The Rivera family is the Rivera family, and Layla is Layla. They are not the same.”
“Not the same? I don’t see any difference.”
A hint of mockery appeared on the old lady’s face. She knew her grandson was stubbornly trapped, and she didn’t say much anymore. She only asked, “I heard that Nancy left without asking for anything. Do you know where she went?”
Liam shook his head. “I’m still investigating.”
“She’s such a good girl. What a shame.” The old lady lightly tapped him. “You really have no luck.”
Liam furrowed his brows. Everyone was praising Nancy, but it made him uncomfortable.
When did that woman, who was usually so quiet, manage to win over people’s hearts?
“Mr. Walker, something has happened.”
Finn rushed over, interrupting Liam’s thoughts, and reported, “Madam went to find Ms. Rivera, and… she physically attacked her.”
Liam’s eyes darkened, and he immediately ran out.
Layla currently lives in an apartment arranged by Liam, a three–bedroom unit. It was spacious for one person, but Layla was not very satisfied. She preferred the Walker
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residence.
She was waiting for the day when she could enter the mansion and become the lady of the house, so that she could hold her head high and erase her past shame.
She brewed a cup of coffee with the newly bought coffee machine and elegantly sat on the
sofa. Turning on her phone, she realized that she had slept the entire afternoon and by
now, the article she had posted was probably causing a huge commotion.
However, there was no news about her or Liam on the trending list. Layla became uneasy and kept scrolling down. She thought that after a day, the hype might have died down, but it couldn’t have disappeared completely.
She checked the official Facebook account of the Walker Group, but the article she had written was nowhere to be found. There was only an official explanation, claiming that they had been hacked.
How did everything change overnight?
Layla’s mind was in turmoil. She reached out to several familiar bloggers, but as soon as they answered, they began complaining, “Please refrain from sharing any more false information in the future. Do you realize the trouble you have caused us? Are you out of your mind, seeking to marry into a wealthy family? I must have been foolish to believe. you. I have been cursed all day, and my account has been suspended. I am incredibly frustrated… I took the money, but from now on, anyone who cares about you is a fool!”
That was the most polite response. The others she called either cursed at her or blocked her.
Layla furrowed her brow, feeling a sense of unease. How did things come to this? How could it have turned out like this?
She made a conscious effort to regain her composure and was just about to reach out to Liam when she noticed an elegant and dignified woman being wheeled in on a wheelchair.
Layla was startled and immediately stood up, calling out, “Madam Walker…”
