The standoff

Mark Brinstrone is threatening his Valeria that she will not be getting anything if they were to get divorced.

"I have proof of your affair," he said.

Valeria rolled her eyes. If a reluctant kiss in a car is called an affair, then what is him humping a young girl half his age in an alley way called? A super affair?

"I have proof of your affairs too…oh wait…it was splashed all over the news and on every social media and news portals…" she pointed out drily.

"I am not divorcing you so you better stay here and be the obedient little wife you are supposed to be," he told her. He walked towards her menacingly.

Valeria almost backed away from him but she stood her ground. Surely, she is much stronger now compared to before. She planted her hands on her hips and glared up at him with false bravado.

"Don't forget, you need me now, I don't need you at all," she told him.

He gave her an evil grin. "Get over yourself Valeria. You couldn't even give me an heir and here you are trying to talk terms with me," he reached out and she automatically flinched away from him. He chuckled coldly and run a finger down her cheek.

"See? You know you are no match for me," he said icily. "Just do as I say and be the obedient quiet wife you have been all these years,"

Angry at her own reaction and the still lingering fear of him, Valeria is now seeing red. She should not have flinched away from him! That was showing fear to this asshole. She reached up and grabbed on to his finger and as if she has done it before, she pushed his finger back till he cringed.

His eyes widened and he tried to pull his finger free but she kept a firm hold on it and bend it further till he was shouting.

"Stop! Let go!" he shouted. He raised another hand to try to slap her but she found her reflexes has also improved as her other hand caught his hand easily and held it with a strong grip.

A look of surprise crossed his face as he looked at her and her hands gripping on his. A smile curled up her lips when Valeria realised that the strength she had gained were enough to overpower her cruel abusive husband.

"Touch me one more time and I will snap your fingers right off," she warned him. She bend the finger back till he bend over shouting for her to stop, then she released him and shoved him hard.

Unprepared, Mark Brinstrone fell over, crumpling on the floor in shock. He stared up at Valeria for a moment before scrambling up.

"How dare you!" he hissed at her but he did not take a step near her. Instead, he took a few steps back from her.

"Don't like it when I turn it around now huh?" she asked him.

"So, here are my conditions. I will pretend to be your 'happy' wife and 'help' you with this situation only if, number one, you transfer $10 million into my personal account right now, number two, sign a no contest divorce form and number three, we never ever see each other again once all these died down," she told him.

His eyes widened at her conditions.

"You think I will comply with such ridiculous conditions! I will never give you that much money and you can forget about a divorce, you have to stay on as my wife to maintain the image," he said. "You will have to continue living here as my wife to show a happy front,"

Valeria crossed her arms.

"You are hardly in the position to make any demands now," she told him. "You need me more than I need you,"

He glared at her. "Fine, I will give you the money but no divorce," he conceded.

"If the media gets even a rumour of a divorce, the deal is off so I will give you $2 million now, I will give you the balance once all of this dies down and we are no longer under the spotlight," he said.

"We get a divorce when all this dies down," Valeria pushed on.

"We will talk about divorce when all this dies down, not before," he insisted.

They stood there glaring at each other. Valeria could hear Ari chuckling behind her. She had half a mind to turn around and glare at him. Instead, she told him to shut up in her mind.

"Fine, when all this dies down, you sign the no contest divorce immediately," she said.

She won't even demand for alimony. Getting the $10 million from him is more than enough for her. She is not one who wants to live in ultimate luxury and fritter away millions within the space of a few months.

"Right, now, lets go out and put on a show," Mark said. He walked over to the door but then he stopped short and looked at her clothes. He sneered at her choice of clothes.

"Please, you are dressed like a pauper. Go put on something presentable," he ordered coldly.

Valeria had half a mind to kick up in his family jewels but held herself back. She was wearing her favourite blue pant suit which is nice and professional looking.

"This is too working class…please, you are the wife of a billionaire, behave and dress like one!" he added.

"Well, too bad, I didn't bring a change of clothes so like it or not, this is it," she told him.

Mark Brinstrone rolled his eyes.

"Don't be ridiculous! Your closet is bursting with designer wear, go and pick a presentable one now," he said.

Right. She didn't take most of the designer wear that she didn't like. Most were chosen by Erin or Mark. All of it were stuffy looking dresses that didn't suit her style at all. All of them looked like what Erin would wear. Flowery. Shapeless. Dowdy. Ugly. Ugh.

"Well, agreeing to this doesn't mean I will listen to your orders, forget it Mark," Valeria insisted.

Mark exhaled and gritted his teeth in annoyance.

"Come on, let's put on the show already, I have other things to do," Valeria said. It's close to noon now. Who knows how long the media circus might drag on? She has her sister-in-law's kinky soul to reap at 2 o'clock.

They left the library and headed downstairs where unsurprisingly, Erin, the twins and Sophie awaited. Sophie came up to them all polite and professional.

"Mr Brinstrone, we have prepared a proper press statement for you to read out with Mrs Brinstrone," she handed him a printed statement.

Mark took it and glanced through it. He nodded curtly. "This will do, come now Val," he said to her and offered his arm for her to hold. Valeria hesitated for a moment. Once she takes that arm, she will be helping her cheating abusive husband to get out of a situation that she had created for him.

Is that what she really wanted? It this worth the $10 million she is asking from him? It is definitely worth the divorce though. She will at least get to leave this man and his family once and for all.