Julia's vision blurred as a fiery haze consumed her mind. Anger flickered through her veins, urging her to unleash chaos, to let it all explode.
With a surge of adrenaline, she acted without thought. In a swift motion, she seized the hair of the woman perched on her husband's lap—none other than Iris Hale.
Their startled faces mirrored her own fury as the slap rang out sharply in the air. Julia wanted no fanfare; she simply refused to be the subject of laughingstock.
"You are really something else, Miss Iris Hale. Is this your idea of being educated? Classy? Rich? You must be delusional if you think a woman like that would settle for being a mistress," she fired back, keeping her expression as steady as stone. No fury, no tears—just strength.
Being pathetic wasn't in her vocabulary. She refused to be the punchline. Bravery was her armor, and she clung to it, determined to shut out the pain that threatened to break through.
Iris blinked in shock, her eyes wide, unable to process that someone like Julia had just struck her. "H-How dare you…!" A flicker of instinct told Julia to move, and she narrowly avoided the strike aimed at her cheek.
Before Iris could recover, Julia seized her wrist, yanking it down and delivering a swift slap with Iris's own hand. The impact shifted Iris's face, leaving her mouth hanging open in disbelief.
"Ha! You really dare to hit back? I'm the one who should be saying how dare you! Everyone sees you as perfect. What do you think they'll say when they find out you're my husband's mistress?"
Julia felt a surge of courage she couldn't place. Was it from her rising anger? From her heated talk with Dante? Or was she simply worn out from everything crashing down around her? She had no clear answer, but the weight of exhaustion pressed heavily on her.
Fed up with feeling trapped, she was weary of being misunderstood. She was tired of grasping for empathy and affection, only to be met with coldness.
"Why are you angry with me? You should be furious with your husband! If he truly loves you, he wouldn't allow me in his life!" Iris shot back, defiance in her voice.
A sly grin crept onto her face. "What do you think I am, stupid? Of course, I understand. Don't worry; when we're home, my focus will be Victor. But for now, it's you I'm dealing with. Remember, Victor is still my husband, and we will go home together." She taunted Iris.
Iris's expression shifted to panic, her eyes darting to Victor as if seeking rescue. "V-Victor! Your worthless wife is scaring me!" she cried out, feigning distress.
Victor blinked, shaken from his stupor by the chaotic scene happening. He straightened his expression, firm and resolute. "You won't do that, Julia! You will face me!" he declared, his voice thunderous.
Iris smirked, her gaze telling Julia, "See? I'm the one Victor chose."
Not wanting to attract more eyes, Victor tightened his grip on Julia's arm, guiding her away from the balcony. "Let's go! This is a conversation for home!" he barked at her.
"W-What! You're abandoning me here, Victor? You're siding with your worthless wife?!" Iris yelled, fury boiling over.
Annoyance flashed across Victor's face. "Don't hold me back! Are you out of your mind? We can't attract attention! Julia and I need to talk!" he snapped, frustration evident in his tone.
As their voices clashed, her thoughts raced like wildfire. This couldn't be the end of this. She refused to be defeated again. She had to gain leverage over them. She wouldn't let herself be a loser to these cheaters.
Victor fixed his gaze on her, anger flashing in his eyes. "And you! We're going home, you fucking bitch!"
She twisted in his grip, breaking free with determination. "Let go of me! I can walk by myself, and we really are going home. Do you think I'll let you talk to your mistress?" she shot back, hiding a plan in her mind.
He released her, allowing her to move ahead. "I'll grab my things from the table. And you better head straight to the parking lot, or else I'll make a scene!" she warned with a playful smirk, trying to sell her bluff.
Victor seemed swayed by her fiery spirit. She was boiling inside with anger—fueling her, yet she knew she couldn't act foolishly now.
Her husband marched ahead toward the hotel exit as she cast a burning glance at Iris Hale. "You know? I feel bad for you. You'd settle for a married man, a mama's boy, and a loser like Victor. You should be ashamed," she sneered, striding away with confidence.
Once certain Iris Hale was gone, she swiftly turned into the first hallway. She leaned against the wall, breathing deeply. Dante had been right; the necklace Victor wanted was for his mistress, not for her. Victor really destroyed their marriage life.
Why had it taken her so long to see his betrayal? She had wished for Victor's forgiveness, but no matter what she did, he turned her away. His affair was proof—he no longer respected her.
She quickly wiped away tears threatening to fall. This wasn't the moment to be emotional. She had to think clearly; if she didn't, she would surely end up in tears, and will be blamed for everything.
Victor was certainly waiting for her in the parking lot. So, she quickly looked for the security room where the CCTV footage was. She saw a staff member who she was sure was on duty there.
She wasn't used to intimidating people or using bribes. But this time, she felt she had no other choice.
She fixed him with a glare that could freeze fire. "I'm Victor Voss's wife, the owner of this hotel. If you value your job, you'll review the footage from the balcony starting thirty minutes ago. I want the full review. Then, erase today's recordings. If my husband asks, say the CCTV in that area is broken. Understand?" She forced her voice to stay strong.
The staff hesitated, so she pulled out a post-dated check and wrote '$5,000' on it. "Surely, this will buy your silence and help you with what I need? What I'm asking is simple. If you don't comply, I'll make sure you're fired, and good luck finding a job," she knew she couldn't really carry that out, but she felt trapped.
Fear flickered in the staff's eyes as he nodded vigorously. "Y-Yes, Mrs. Voss. I will comply."
She scribbled her email address on a piece of paper and handed it to him. "This is just between us; do we have an understanding?"
His face showed fear, but he nodded obediently. She gave him a smile that surprised even her. "Thank you, you're really nice and obedient…"
Stepping out of the security room, she rushed toward the hotel exit, a thrill of anticipation buzzing within her. She would gain the upper hand against Victor and his mistress.
Taking a deep breath, she quickly made her way to the parking lot. She spotted Victor, his face tight with impatience. "Why did you take so long? Don't tell me you hurt Iris again?" he snapped, anger evident in his voice.
Not wanting Victor to suspect her plan, she mimicked his anger. "Oh, Victor, please, don't accuse me! I can do whatever I want to your mistress because you cheated on me! But just to let you know, your business partners keep asking me where you are, you just vanished! I don't want to be rude to them. This is all your fault!" she retorted, defending herself fiercely.
Victor's expression shifted, and he started the car. She slid into the back seat, feeling his angry glare through the rearview mirror. "And why are you sitting back there? Am I your driver?" he snapped.
"And why should I sit next to you? You never see me as your wife, right? You treat me like shit. Why would I sit next to you?" she shot back, her voice simmering with anger.
Victor's jaw tightened, and he fell silent. "I'll let you speak to me like that today. But when we get home, be ready. You'll see what you're asking for," he warned, his voice low and tense.
Fear tightened in her chest, but she forced herself to be brave. His boldness was infuriating; he was the one at fault, yet somehow she felt like the guilty one!
Lost in her swirling thoughts, she didn't notice when they reached his mansion. The atmosphere shifted around him, darkening. She knew that in his home, he'd reveal just how cruel he could be.
Pushing the car door open, she stepped out and headed into the mansion first. A wave of nerves washed over her, making her heart race. They had to confront each other—no choice.
Taking a deep breath, she positioned herself by the main door, waiting. When he entered, she acted on her impulse without a second thought.
She struck him fiercely across the face. "You're a fucking cheater, Victor! How low can you get? How could you do that to me?"
She had thought such moments only existed in movies, but she was staring at the darkness spreading across his eyes.