Vera knelt outside Lydia’s home, her back lashed with thorny branches that dug into her flesh, blood staining her white dress crimson.
Her face was swollen, her eyes blackened. She held her arms above her head, continuously kowtowing and shakily calling out, “Lydia Reed, please forgive me! I’m trash-I shouldn’t have seduced your husband.”
The crowd of onlookers grew, some even starting a livestream.
Julian stepped out of his car and walked to Vera’s side, kicking her. “That’s it? Show some real sincerity.”
Vera cowered, kowtowing faster and cursing herself more viciously.
“Lydia, please forgive Julian. It wasn’t his fault-I was just too cheap and slutty.”
“Everything was my fault. I shouldn’t have insulted you or destroyed your marriage. I deserve to die.”
Vera shouted until her voice was hoarse, but Lydia inside the house showed no reaction.
She simply instructed security to remove them, and if they wouldn’t leave, to call the police.
Julian took Vera away before the police arrived, believing her punishment wasn’t severe enough, which was why Lydia wouldn’t forgive him.
“Julian, I’ve done exactly what you asked. Can you please let me go? I really know I was wrong,” Vera begged.
“I told you, you have to convince Lydia to forgive me. You clearly weren’t sincere enough. Think harder-how else can you punish yourself?” Julian’s eyes held a twisted light.
Vera was frightened by his expression. “You’re crazy! Julian Hayes, you’re a psychopath! Let me go! LET ME GO!”
“SHUT UP!” Julian slapped her hard, splitting her lip.
“Julian Hayes, you’ll die a horrible death! Lydia Reed will never forgive you-she hates your guts!” Vera, driven mad by pain, cursed him.
“You don’t deserve love! Lydia was right to marry someone else!”
“I SAID SHUT UP!” Julian violently grabbed her throat. “Don’t speak! Lydia won’t marry anyone else!”
Vera struggled desperately against his grip, fighting for air, but couldn’t escape.
Her breathing gradually ceased until her arms fell limply to her sides.
Julian still didn’t release her, squeezing harder. “Shut up! YOU SHUT UP! It’s all your fault, you whore! You made Lydia and me separate!”
After what seemed like an eternity, Julian finally let go.
Vera’s body slid to the floor.
Julian was stunned for a moment, checking her to find she was dead. Surprisingly, he didn’t panic at all.
He placed her body in his trunk and took her to the Hayes mansion basement.
For the next few days, he acted completely normal, sending Lydia gifts while handling company matters.
More and more business partners demanded contract terminations. Julian had to personally negotiate, even giving up half the profits.
Julian believed that if they could survive this period, everything would improve.
Meanwhile, Lydia had reached her limit and no longer wanted to give Julian any chance to hang on.
She directly released evidence of Hayes Group’s past illegal profiteering, exposed affairs involving Julian’s parents, and revealed proof of Julian’s fake death, his time with Vera, and his illegal return.
These consecutive bombshells caused Hayes Group’s stock to hit its limit down.
Lydia seized the opportunity to buy shares, quickly accumulating more than Julian held.
When Lydia arrived at Hayes Group with her team, Julian was nearly frantic in his office.
