I stared at her coldly. “So the bruises on my face, the shattered antiques—those are just props for your little performance?”
Veronica frowned, clearly displeased by my response.
Their so-called friends quickly crowded around, all talking over each other.
“Veronica, this mistress is way too bold—he even showed up here?”
“Slap him! Do it for Skyler!”
“Yeah, put him in his place!”
Veronica didn’t move. But Skyler looked at her expectantly, clearly hoping she’d obey.
Instead, Veronica turned to me and intoned coldly, “Just leave.”
I clenched my fists. Anger and humiliation surged in my chest. “Why should I leave? And with what identity do I leave, exactly? As the third party?”
"You tell me, Veronica—am I the homewrecker here?!”
Someone beside me spat at my feet. “She has a husband and a child already. If you’re not the third party, then what are you?”
I turned back to her, heart pounding with a mixture of pain and disbelief.
“Just tell me the truth. Am I the third party?”
Veronica hesitated, then mumbled, “...No.”
The crowd exploded.
Voices rang out, all defending Skyler, all blaming me.
Veronica tried to calm them. “You’ve misunderstood. We’re just ordinary friends. He’s not a homewrecker—there’s nothing between us.”
I almost laughed from the absurdity of it all. “Ordinary friends? Then tell me—why are you having your wedding with your ex in my house?”
Someone kicked me from behind. “Your house? Are you delusional? This is Veronica and Skyler’s wedding home.”
“Just a kept man chasing rich women. He’s hallucinating.”
“People like him should be paraded around the streets and shamed.”
Insults flew from every direction, cruel and unchecked.
I took out my phone and dialed the police.
But Veronica snatched the phone from my hand and ended the call.
She narrowed her eyes and said sharply, “Marvin, can you wait until today is over? Just for today. After that, do whatever you want.”
Before I could respond, a familiar voice interrupted. “Marvin, listen to Auntie. Causing a scene today won’t benefit you.”
I turned, stunned.
It was Veronica’s mother.
The same woman who used to treat me like her own son—always kind, always doting.
She once warned Veronica again and again, "Don’t you ever hurt Marvin. If you do, I’ll be the first to object."
But here she was, attending Veronica and Skyler’s wedding.
She pulled me into the bathroom and locked the door behind us.
“Marvin, listen to Auntie,” she said gently. “I’ll make sure everything is made right.”
“When Veronica got pregnant, she hadn’t even met you yet. It wasn’t cheating.”
“Just let her marry Skyler. After that, they can quietly divorce.”
“A divorced single mom sounds much better than having a child out of wedlock, don’t you think?”
I almost laughed in disbelief. “Auntie, who said I have to marry Veronica?”
“Who she marries, or whether she has a child—that’s none of my business.”
“But this house is mine. I want them gone. And I expect full compensation for everything I’ve lost today.”
She froze and her eyes widened, disbelief written all over her face.
“But... didn’t you love Veronica the most? You were willing to do anything for her.”
“She tried to break up with you once, and you kneeled outside our door for three hours.”
“She’s just giving Skyler a name. That’s all it is. Why are you being so difficult now?”
Hearing her bring up the past stirred a complicated mess of emotions inside me.
The old me was so foolish—far too humble in this relationship.
I gave everything, never realizing how little I was truly worth to them.
Despite coming from a good family, I had bent over backwards for Veronica.
I tiptoed around her moods, afraid of upsetting her—afraid of losing her.
