A Divorce He Regrets

Chapter 56:

I slowly lifted my gaze to Vanessa, whose smug smile faltered the moment she caught the glint of fury in my eyes. My jaw tightened, and the restraint I’d been clinging to all evening began to unravel.

“Vanessa,” I said, my voice deceptively calm, the edge sharper than a blade. “Do you think this is some kind of joke?”

“What?” she stammered, blinking rapidly as if trying to feign innocence. “I-I gave you the card!”

I stood abruptly, the chair screeching against the floor as I towered over her. “Do you take me for a fool?” I demanded, each word clipped, my tone laced with barely contained rage.

Her lips parted, but no sound came out. She reached up instinctively to clutch the neckline of her dress, her confidence evaporating.noveldrama

I didn’t give her the chance to answer. In a flash, I grabbed her by the neck—not enough to hurt her, but enough to remind her of the warning I’d issued earlier. Her eyes widened in panic, and she let out a strangled gasp.

“What did I tell you would happen,” I said through gritted teeth, “if you tried to play me?”

Her hands flailed, clawing at my wrist, but I didn’t budge. Instead, I leaned in closer, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “Where. Is. The. Card?”

“I—It’s in my bag!” she choked out, her voice trembling with fear. “I swear!”

I released her, stepping back as she coughed and scrambled to collect herself. Despite my anger, there was a grim satisfaction in watching her squirm, her usual arrogance replaced by genuine terror.

Without waiting for her to hand it over, I grabbed her bag from the chair beside her and tipped its contents onto the table. A cluttered mess of makeup, perfume, and designer trinkets spilled out, but my focus was immediately drawn to a small, sleek box.

I picked it up, flipping it open to reveal another SD card nestled inside. My jaw clenched as I glared at Vanessa.

“You thought this would be funny?” I snapped, holding the card up to her face.

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She shook her head frantically, her lips trembling. “I—I just forgot it was in there! I swear, Dominic!”

Ignoring her excuses, I inserted the card into the drive and accessed the files. This time, the directory populated with folders and videos. I scrolled through, quickly confirming the contents. There it was—data from Raina’s phone, including the video evidence she needed.

Relief washed over me momentarily, but it did nothing to cool my anger. I turned to Vanessa, glaring at her with disdain.

“You’re pathetic,” I said, my voice low but venomous. “You thought you could manipulate me into forgetting who you are. But let me remind you—I see through every lie, every act, every fake tear.”

Her mouth opened as if to respond, but no words came. She looked smaller now, her usual bravado completely stripped away.

I stepped closer, leaning down so that our faces were inches apart. “Let this be the last time you try to toy with me, Vanessa. Next time, there won’t be warnings.”

Without another glance, I pocketed the SD card and turned on my heel. As I reached the door, I paused, looking back over my shoulder.

“Oh, and by the way,” I said with a smirk, “I’m a happily married man. My wife just gave birth to a beautiful baby boy.”

The shock on her face was priceless, though it did little to improve my mood. I didn’t wait to see her reaction play out. Instead, I walked out of the restaurant, leaving her stunned and speechless, the cool night air hitting my face as I left her and her schemes behind.

When I got home, I handed the SD card to Raina, dropping it into her outstretched palm.

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