The Perfect Wife's Perfect Revenge

"So you want to settle the score with me, McNeil? I knew you were an ungrateful backstabber."

Violet's voice hitched with a couple of sobs.

"That's enough..."

McNeil's reply wasn't loud, but it cut straight through, cold and commanding.

"Save the tears. They don't work on me anymore. You're not sick-at best, you had a minor stomach bug.

I was careless before. I made the mistake of treating my savior like a saint, believing every word out of your mouth. I wrongly accused my own wife and let myself trust you completely."

Violet stared at him, stunned, but her shock quickly gave way to fury.

"But you let all of this happen! You let me misread everything. You doted on me, treated me like I was the only one who mattered-what was I supposed to think? Who wouldn't believe you were in love with them? And now you stand there, acting like I'm the one at fault? Isn't that a joke?”

Every word was a needle, and McNeil felt each one strike home.

"I know this mess is on me. I let you misinterpret everything. But from now on, let's set things right. We'll both go back to our own lives and stay out of each other's way."

Violet clenched her fists, refusing to back down. "Dream on. You ruined my reputation. I can't get a job anywhere in Starfall City, let alone find a decent husband. People think I'm Mrs. Langford, and you think you can just wave it all away with a few words?"

McNeil stubbed out his cigarette and looked at her coolly.

"Then what do you want?"

"Five million," Violet shot back, her desperation barely masked by bravado. "You pay me, and I'll disappear from your life forever."

She was backed into a corner now, and she knew it. She'd assumed working at Golden Era Enterprises would be just like her old job at Quantum Core Technologies-sit in an office, order people around, easy as pie.

But reality hit hard. As PR manager, she was constantly running herself ragged, dealing with endless events and schmoozing. Her first month's paycheck was only eight thousand.

When she finally got paid, she nearly laughed in disbelief.noveldrama

Eight grand? A PR manager making less than ten? She'd made that in a day at Quantum Core. Begging on the street would've brought in more.

She'd gone to Simms to complain, only to be told she was lucky she'd even gotten that much-he'd tacked on an extra two grand just because she was his daughter.

Back at Quantum Core, that was pocket change for her. Violet figured she was worth far more, even on her worst day.

"I'll write you a check. After this, we owe each other nothing."

McNeil called Maynard over for his checkbook. Violet's eyes widened as she watched him jot down figure after figure, her lips curling into a triumphant smile.

If she couldn't have the man, at least with five million in the bank, she'd never have to worry about money in this life-or the next two.

"That'll do."

McNeil handed the check to Maynard, who passed it to Violet.

"Xenia, show her out."

McNeil turned and headed upstairs, leaving Violet giddy as she reached for the check.

"Five hundred thousand?"

Violet's jaw dropped. She hadn't anticipated this in a million years-the check in her hand was for five hundred thousand, not five million.

"McNeil, you said five million, not five hundred thousand. What is this, pocket change? Trying to get rid of a beggar?"

She gripped the check, ready to rip it to shreds. McNeil stopped on the landing, turned slowly, and looked down at her.

“The fact that you're here demanding money just shows how desperate you are. Tear up that check and you'll end up with nothing.

Over the years, I've paid for Randy's treatments, and my grandfather has wired money to your account every month at least thirty thousand a month Even if you'd never worked a day, you'd be clearing over three hundred grand a year, not counting the salary and bonuses you got at Quantum Core.

If you hadn't blown it all at nightclubs, hiring male escorts, ordering top-shelf wine every night-how in the world would you ever be broke, forced to take a PR job at Golden Era?"

Violet froze, the check trembling in her hand.

"Don't you dare accuse me, McNeil. When have I ever gone clubbing or hired escorts?"

She clung to the check, shivering-whether from rage or fear, she wasn't sure.

"Oh really? There's a record of every Starfall City flight you've taken. You leave before dawn and are back at Winding Peak Lane by seven-thirty, then off to work like nothing's happened."

Violet's face drained of all color. She thought she'd kept everything hidden-there was no way McNeil could know.

"You—you're making this up. Lying through your teeth."

"If you hadn't conspired with Kelvin, even arranging for someone to fake a gynecological exam, I would never have discovered any of this. I only wanted to check for stomach cancer and happened to find out the rest.

We've never slept together, so those diseases didn't come from me. You don't have a boyfriend anyone knows about, so where do you think you picked them

up?"

Violet's composure crumbled.

"You said yourself, McNeil-we're not together, you're not my boyfriend. What right do you have to pry into my private life? Even if I did those things, so what?

You keep promising to take care of me, but you never even touch me. I'm a woman-I need love, comfort, someone to fight off the loneliness.

But instead, every night, you just send Gwyneth to check on me. Do you have any idea how humiliating that is?"