Julia took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders as she faced Victor. A steely resolve glinted in her eyes, holding his gaze firmly, refusing to back down.
"Do you know how shameless your mistress is?" she shot at him, her voice steady but laced with bitterness. "Before I saw you both on the balcony, she confronted me in the restroom! She boasted about being your mistress and threatened me! You've shattered our marriage, Victor, without an ounce of respect!"
His eyes widened, disbelief washing over him for a moment. Unexpected. But then, annoyance shadowed his features. "So what if I have a mistress?" he retorted, leaning in slightly. "You should be grateful that's all I did. What if I never come home again?"
She took a step back, her heart racing in disbelief. "And I should be grateful for that?" she replied, voice rising. "I want nothing more than to fix our relationship. I'm fighting to fix our marriage, and yet you keep pushing me away. You're the one destroying us."
He erupted into laughter, a harsh, derisive sound that cut through the air. The housemaids hurried away, sensing the storm brewing. His laughter felt mocking, almost demonic, echoing loudly in the spacious living room.
"Why are you laughing?" she yelled, confusion and frustration bubbling over. "What's funny about what I just said?"
His laughter faded, replaced by a look of incredulity, like she was crazy. "You're the one who's funny, Julia. You think you can fix this? There's nothing left to fix! It was broken from the very beginning. You destroyed it! Because you're fucking idiot and didn't choose to die!" His voice turned icy.
"And why is it always my fault?" she shouted, frustration boiling over. "Why must I always bear the blame?"
His gaze shifted, drifting to the floor lampshade beside him. With sudden rage, he snatched it and hurled it to the floor, shattering it. The loud crash echoed, and jagged pieces scattered, a danger to anyone who stepped there.
"Victor, what are you doing?" she exclaimed, eyes wide with shock.
"This is all your fault!" he bellowed, face twisted in fury. "Why do you think I cheated? Why does our marriage end up like this?! You and your lover ruined everything! You shattered my dream of having a decent and clean wife. You destroyed my dream of an ideal marriage!" His shout was so loud she was sure even their neighbors would hear.
His words hurt her. Even now, Victor was still there, unable to move on.
"How many times do I have to tell you that I didn't want any of this!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling. "You never even cared about what I went through! I'm the one who suffered the most, yet here you are, still blaming me! I don't have a lover! I never cheated on you, Victor! I am faithful to you. Even if you think I'm worthless, it never crossed my mind to cheat. Why are you so close-minded with everything? If you had an open heart, we could be happy now. Our marriage could have been beautiful. You can't accept my pain because your love for me is so shallow. Victor, life isn't just about rainbows and butterflies! When we swore to each other, it was for better or worse. But where were you when I needed you the most?" Her voice shook with intensity, and she felt hot tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Did you really think it was that simple?" he shot back, anger flaring in his eyes. "I cared for you for years. I respected you above all! And now, another man gets to enjoy what's mine? If you were in my shoes, wouldn't that hurt you? The woman I put on a pedestal is now tainted by someone else! If you were in my place, wouldn't you cheat?"
She felt disbelief wash over her. How could he twist things like this? His words felt like daggers, sharp and pointed. For a moment, she almost doubted her own feelings. Deep down, a part of her did understand his pain, but his heart seemed cold and unyielding.
"If I were in your shoes, yes, I would feel the pain too. I'm not gonna invalidate that," she said, her voice shaking. " But you're being unfair. I would still accept you since you never wanted this to happen. This is a tragedy you didn't ask for. Don't make me accept your cruel treatment, Victor. I had hope. I truly believed our married life could work. I wanted you to forgive me and to return to how we used to be. But you invited Iris into our lives; you've shattered our family. You disrespected me and gave your mistress the power to disrespect me too!"
"You deserve this! And you even have a fucking son with your lover!" he yelled, his voice harsh and cutting. "You're nothing but a filthy woman! You have nothing to be proud of!" His neck strained, veins bulging as anger consumed him.
Inhaling deeply, she steadied herself. How much longer could she endure this? Maybe she had reached her limit. Their marriage felt irrevocably broken. Despite her love for him, he treated her poorly, and she didn't deserve this pain.
"You've won, Victor. Maybe you never truly loved me," she said, her voice shaking. "I didn't know you at all. I thought the man I married was worth fighting for. But that was just a dream. Don't worry, I won't be a burden anymore."
He hesitated, eyes narrowing. "W-What do you mean?"
She managed a weak smile, meeting his gaze for a moment. "You'll find out soon," she said softly, then turned on her heel, hurrying up the stairs towards the second floor of the mansion.
She quickened her pace, knowing that if she didn't hurry, he would notice the tears beginning to spill down her cheeks.
She opened the door to her son's room, slipping inside without switching on the light. Suddenly, she was enveloped in a warm hug from small arms.
"Eli?" she gasped in surprise. "W-Why are you still awake?" she stammered.
Her son flipped on the lampshade, illuminating his concerned face. "I waited for you, mommy. Are you crying? Did daddy make you cry again?" he asked with wide eyes.
She was taken aback. His words felt so grown-up. She quickly wiped her tears and tried to smile. "H-Huh? I'm not crying. I'm just tired, Eli," she said softly.
His expression turned serious, and he gently reached up, wiping her tear-stained cheeks. "Don't lie, mommy. I heard you and daddy fighting again. Your voices were really loud."
Guilt twisted in her chest as she looked at him. Her son shouldn't have to witness this chaos. It was her fault, she had believed they could still salvage her marriage with Victor.
"F-Forgive me, my dear," she whispered, her voice trembling. "You shouldn't have to hear any of this."
He wrapped his small arms around her, pulling her close. "You don't have to apologize, mommy. You're the best mom ever, and you do so much for me. I understand you don't want to leave daddy, you don't want us to be a broken family…"
"Eli…" her words barely a whisper.
"But mommy, I can't take it anymore! You and daddy always fighting… it hurts me. I don't want to see you sad. Please, don't worry about me," he said earnestly.
She understood, even without his words, that Eli was giving her permission to leave Victor. Maybe he was right; that could be the best choice for both of them.
Gently, she ran her fingers through his hair, forcing a smile. "I'm sorry, sweetie, for not giving you the happy family you deserve…"
"Mommy… you're enough for me," he replied, his voice steady. "You don't have to suffer for my sake. I'll be happy if I see you smile again."
Tears spilled from Julia's eyes, warm and heavy. It felt as if her heart was about to burst from the swirling emotions inside her.
She pulled him close, wrapping her arms around her precious boy. Although Victor had failed her, she was thankful for her smart and loving son. Eli was her light, full of understanding.
Sobbing, she leaned on his small shoulder while he comforted her, rubbing her back gently. "I'm so sorry for being weak, Eli. I promise, mommy will make it better. I won't let us stay in this painful situation any longer," she vowed.
She felt a sense of clarity wash over her. This was the moment she had been waiting for. Tomorrow, she will meet with her attorney and begin the process of filing for divorce!
In the guest room, Victor tossed his coat onto the bed, irritation flashing across his face. Every talk with Julia spiraled into an argument. He was about to sink into the soft mattress when his phone rang. Expecting Iris, he frowned when he saw the name of their company lawyer lighting up the screen.
He answered the call, annoyance creeping into his tone. "Hello, what do you want at this hour, attorney?"
"Victor, we need to meet in the morning. There's something important I need to tell you,"
"About what?" he asked, curiosity replacing his irritation.
"It's regarding the company. While reviewing the finances, we discovered a significant amount of money is missing!"
Any annoyance with Julia faded, shock overtaking him as his eyes widened. "What?!"