A few weeks earlier,
“Don’t be too confident if Darwin has changed, dear. You should also consider that he might be doing all of this out of fear of becoming poor and afraid that the woman he loves will suffer because of you. I’m sure Darwin intentionally backed down because he didn’t want you to forcibly take away what he already has.”
In Darius’ room, right in front of her father, Veronica shook her head repeatedly. She contradicted the argument she had just heard. Veronica was convinced that Darwin had indeed changed and was not as selfish as he was at the beginning of their marriage. Veronica was very sure that Darwin genuinely loved her.
“Darwin has changed, Dad. Besides, he can’t possibly go back to his ex-girlfriend. Veronica is 100% sure of that.”
Darius chuckled dismissively. No matter how hard his daughter defended Darwin, he had already lost respect for his son-in-law.
“Changed from what? If Darwin chose you, then why did he meet his former girlfriend just two days ago? Just so you know, in front of Papa’s own eyes, they were hugging each other affectionately. Even in public. Embarrassing!”
“It’s impossible,” Veronica shook her head repeatedly. With all her might, she denied the accusations her father was making. “Darwin would never do that. He even promised not to meet Vivian again.”
“Papa couldn’t have been mistaken, dear. Sean and Adrian were there too. They both saw the same thing Papa saw. If necessary, you can check the CCTV footage from the restaurant I visited the other day.”
Veronica’s shoulders slumped. She felt disappointed that Darwin had broken the agreement they had made. But deep down in Veronica’s heart, she believed there must be a significant reason for her husband’s actions.
“If it’s come to this, do we really need a divorce? Papa doesn’t want you to be hurt by anyone, no matter who it is, Veronica. Your parents have never hurt you even a bit.”
Veronica widened her eyes listening to her father’s words. With a panicked expression, she shook her head repeatedly.
“No… Veronica doesn’t want to divorce Darwin, Dad.”
“What more do you expect from a husband like Darwin? He has even acted aggressively before, dear. Do you have to wait until Darwin actually harms you before you realize?” Darius said, cutting deep.
“But Darwin is really different now, Dad. Veronica is sure this is just a misunderstanding,” Veronica debated for the umpteenth time. It wasn’t easy to convince her father to believe her. “If Papa is still skeptical, why don’t you see it for yourself?”
Darius furrowed his brows reflexively, trying to understand what his daughter had just said.
“See it for yourself? What do you mean?”
“Well, Papa, just test it yourself, whether Darwin has truly changed and now genuinely loves Veronica or if it’s just a disguise like you’re accusing him of.”
Darius nodded in understanding. It seemed like a good idea to do what his daughter had just suggested. After all, he needed to see firsthand what effort or steps Darwin would take if he were to issue a challenge or test.
“Alright,” Darius nodded confidently. “I’ll personally find out whether Darwin has truly changed as you claim or if he’s just pretending.”
Darius then got up from his seat. The man was getting ready to leave the room. This actually raised questions for Veronica, who appeared curious.
“Where is Dad going? Is Dad going to do something to Darwin?” Veronica asked.
Darius nodded. Wasn’t it Veronica herself who had given him advice earlier?
“Of course. Dad wants to prove your point in his own way.”
“Dad’s way, how?”
Darius smiled meaningfully. Suddenly, many ideas popped into his head.
“Definitely, Dad wants to visit Magnus first at his place. He also needs to know what his son has been up to. And, of course, you have to come along. After visiting Darwin’s parents’ house, Dad will take you home to pack.”
Veronica’s face suddenly stiffened. Why did her father ask her to prepare and pack?
“Dad wants you to stay with him while Darwin is being tested,” Darius continued.
“But, Dad-”
“No ‘buts,’ Veronica. Or do you want a divorce right away?”
Veronica swallowed hard. Instead of protesting, she immediately nodded in agreement. What else could she do? Rather than getting divorced for real, it was better to just obey her father’s orders.
Just as Darius had said earlier, she quickly asked the driver to take her to Magnus’s place. Knowing that her friend was on vacation at home, she approached without much thought. Upon arriving there, Magnus welcomed her and Darius.
“You rarely stop by without notifying us first,” Magnus said as he ushered Darius and Veronica to sit on the living room sofa. Normally, Darius would always call ahead if he wanted to visit. He had never come directly like he did now.
“I’m in a hurry. There’s something important you need to know.”
Magnus furrowed his brow. Before he could ask, Darius handed him several photo prints to look at.
“Did you know about this before?” Darius asked after handing over what he had been holding.
Magnus remained silent for a moment. He carefully examined the photos in his hands and took a deep breath. He was shocked by what he saw.
“These must be photos taken before Darwin married Veronica.”
Darius nodded, not denying it. The photos Magnus saw were indeed from the documentation before his son got married.
“These are old collections of photos. However, did you know? After getting married, Darwin continued a relationship with the woman in those photos. Even during his honeymoon with Veronica, he brought his lover along, and they spent time together.”
Magnus fell silent again. He wanted to defend his son, but Darius had spoken first. It seemed like there were many things his friend wanted to convey to him.
“Furthermore, your son has even been violent towards his wife. At the beginning of their marriage, without our knowledge, Darwin dared to commit physical and verbal abuse against Veronica. Do you know, Magnus? My heart truly aches to hear this news.”
Once again, Magnus was stunned for a moment. Then, a few seconds later, he shook his head. He found it hard to believe what Darius had just said. Especially regarding his son, who apparently had resorted to violence against his own wife.
“That’s highly unlikely, Darius. I know what kind of person Darwin is. Throughout his life, I’ve never taught him to be violent, let alone towards women.”
“But that’s the reality. You can confirm it directly with your son or Veronica.”
Magnus then shifted his gaze towards Veronica, hoping his daughter-in-law would testify.
“Is that true, Veronica? Has Darwin ever hurt you physically and verbally?”
Veronica nodded quietly. But before her father took over the conversation and made the situation even more complicated, she hurriedly explained.
“But that was in the past. Veronica admits that in the early months of our marriage, Darwin did act aggressively. Perhaps Darwin behaved that way because he was upset about being forced to marry Veronica. But lately, Darwin’s behavior has changed, Dad. We are both genuinely happy now.”
“Oh, dear Veronica. Don’t be too naive,” Darius sighed lazily.
Feeling uneasy, Magnus approached Darius. He took his friend’s wrist, intending to apologize.
“On behalf of Darwin, I sincerely apologize. I’ve been negligent in raising him. I swear, I don’t want this issue to strain our friendship.”
“I understand,” Darius replied casually. “Just know that I’m also tired of my daughter’s constant pleas for me to forgive Darwin.”
Magnus seemed embarrassed. He felt sorry for what Darwin had done to his friend’s daughter. In his heart, Magnus promised that when he met Darwin, he would reprimand his son for his misconduct.
“I know Darwin has gone too far, Darius. But please, give my son a chance to make amends for his past mistakes.”
“Of course,” Darius nodded again. “That’s why I’m here. I want to tell you something.”
“What is it?” Magnus inquired.
“I plan to test your son. I hope you’ll support whatever I do to Darwin.”
“If you believe it’s for the greater good of our extended family, I’ll approve of whatever you do to Darwin in the future.”
Darius smiled broadly. After explaining his plans to Magnus, including what he would do next, he decided to take Veronica home and help her pack before bringing her to his house to stay temporarily.