Ch. 161..165: Divorced My Scum Husband, Married His Evil brother Chapter 161-165

Chapter 161

"It's okay, Chloe. Your mom and sister don't believe in you because you can't give them money. Maybe after I saved enough from Vernon, I can give them a little, so they'd see me as their family once more…."

Chloe knew that buying her family's trust with money was such a shallow thing to do, and she should've just cut contact with them since she planned to leave New York after she saved enough money.

But she lived through poverty with her mother and sister. She understood how they wanted the money coming from Vincent. Even if Chloe wasn't a fan of it once she realized that Vincent used it as a weapon.

"It's also my fault because I thought I could help my family a little once I married Vincent…." Chloe murmured.

However, there was one thing she was assured in her heart about Tommy.

"I will tell Chelsea sooner or later," Chloe said without hesitation. She hesitated at first because she didn't want to ruin Chelsea's family and their family bond.

"But, Tommy already told me how my mother completely sides with Vincent. Tommy can't drag me to hell when I'm already in hell right now," Chloe said, cementing her decision to tell Chelsea.

Of course, Chloe couldn't be rash. Before telling Chelsea about Tommy's affair, she needed to ensure that her big sister was in fine condition. Chloe didn't want to hurt her sister when she was in a bad situation.

"Thanks to him, I don't need to hesitate now. Even if my family hates me, Chelsea still has the right to know," Chloe said.

After she wiped her face with a tissue, she returned to the ice cream shop.

Mackie was still eating ice cream without distraction, and Chloe was relieved. She returned to the table and asked Mackie, "Dear, are you finished with your ice cream?"

"Just a little more, Mommy!" Mackie replied as she dug the remaining ice cream into her cup. She looked at her Mommy, who smiled and then commented, "Mommy, did you cry in the restroom?"

"Eh?" Chloe got surprised by the question. "Why do you think so?"

Chloe had already washed her face plenty of times to ensure that her eyes weren't red before returning to Mackie.

"Mm… because Mommy has a wet face. You wash your face often when you're crying in the bathroom!" Mackie said, completely silencing Chloe, who didn't know how to react.

"Is something wrong, Mommy? Did you get bullied by someone? Mackie will protect you!" Mackie said courageously.

Chloe was both nervous and relieved at the same time. She was nervous because Mackie's observational skill was amazing despite being a seven-year-old.

But she was also relieved to have such a smart daughter…

"Mommy was just thinking about something, dear. That's why Mommy cried," Chloe said. "But thank you for your protection. I feel much safer around you."

"Of course! Mommy is safe when I'm around because I will be Mommy's number one protector!" Mackie claimed.

"Hihi, you will be a strong woman who protects Mommy when you're older," Chloe smiled.

"Un!" Mackie nodded seriously. She might be young, but she really wanted to protect her Mommy. After all, her Mommy had been through a lot.

Well, Mackie didn't know what went through her Mommy's life. Since Daddy always treated her well when Mackie was around.

But she also sensed that her Mommy wasn't happy for an unknown reason. She was constantly sad and crying and would not say a thing when Daddy was around.

Mackie asked her Daddy once whether he was kind to Mommy or not, and Daddy said he loved her the most, so Mackie just believed it.

"Okay, time to go to the cinema. Your movie will play soon," Chloe said.

"Yay! Minion!"

Thus, Chloe and Mackie spent the rest of the evening in the cinema before returning home.

Chloe took care of Mackie first until the little girl was asleep, then she sat in Vernon's living room, waiting for the young CEO to return after a long day at work.

This time, she wore regular pajamas that covered her body modestly. Wearing only lingerie and a satin robe would only spell another disaster.

She checked the clock and sighed deeply, "It's past midnight already. Did he go to a bar tonight? Maybe he's sleeping with another woman right now."

Chloe wanted to scold Vernon for being too promiscuous, but they weren't really related, and Vernon was an adult already. So it wasn't her place to scold her.

To spend her idle time, she scrolled through her phone and opened the gallery full of her small family, Chloe, Chelsea, and their mother— Judith.

Chloe had a bit of scanning old photos in the album and stored them in her phone gallery. So she could always see many of her beautiful memories in case she was too depressed to function.

"Ah, this one is when Chelsea and I are still very young. She was such a good sister to me, but time changes…." Chloe mumbled. "Oh, this picture is when Mom was still a working single mother. She worked as a receptionist in her old company."

"I don't want to live in the past, but there's no good thing happening in my current life… well, Mackie's birth is the ultimate happiness I'll ever get…."

Chloe ignored the sentimental feeling in her heart and continued scrolling and smiling whenever she remembered the good old times. But her smile faded once she saw one picture of her standing beside a handsome young man.

He was so handsome that he got the heartthrob status in their high school back then.

It was a picture of Vincent and her, standing side by side as they were dating back then. Vincent hugged her waist lovingly and stared at her with eyes full of love.

Who would've expected the prince charming that Chloe loved to turn into a monster after they married?

'Ah, my prince charming… I thought we could grow old together after we married. Why did you ditch me after I'm not pretty anymore?'

Chapter 162

'Ah, my prince charming… I thought we could grow old together after we married. Why did you ditch me after I'm not pretty anymore?'

Chloe asked herself on why Vincent had fallen out of love with her. She tried her best to get dolled up for him and always tried to present her best. She was fat after giving birth, and for a few years, because of spiraling depression. But she dieted so hard until she developed bulimia. She also obeyed Vincent and never talked to any man unless it was formal.

But it wasn't enough. Vincent still cheated a lot of times.

Chloe gently caressed Vincent's cheeks in the picture. She hated him as much as she loved him.

No matter what, Vincent was still Chloe's first love and also the father of their daughter. He presented himself really well in public, and even to their daughter.

It was just Chloe who knew his true face…

"Ten years… and you still don't love me, my prince charming…." Chloe couldn't help to continue lamenting her terrible fate as a woman. She often assured herself that everything would be okay as long as she left Vincent.

But problems after problems kept coming, making her wonder if leaving him was a bad decision.

A tear suddenly dropped on her phone screen, and Chloe's eyes pooled with tears. She didn't wipe her tears, though, because it had been a while since she cried so freely to relieve her pain.

She started sobbing carelessly since there was nobody that'd hear her. After all, her daughter was already sleeping, and it'd probably take another hour or two for Vernon to return home.

She continued crying as she scrolled through the old photos she had in her gallery, thinking it was safe…

Until the main door of the penthouse was suddenly opened from outside, Vernon walked in only to see his sister-in-law crying on the sofa.

**

Vernon was exhausted after a whole day of the meeting, filtering through the celebrities for the TV show and checking the products that his Big brother wanted to promote in the show.

He needed it to be an effective ad and an excellent investment for his Big brother so he'd trust Vernon more.

Thus, he gave his 100% to this project.

After he was finished, he checked his watch, "Past midnight already. I guess she's already sleeping."

Honestly, Vernon was still embarrassed by the lingerie accident this afternoon. So it'd be better if he didn't see his sister-in-law for at least a day before he could calm down and resume his cold self.

'After all, I'm not sure how to act, not after I stole her lingerie…' Vernon thought. 'Good thing she doesn't know I'm the one who stole her lingerie… or is she?'

Vernon gulped and tried to dispel the idea completely. He couldn't handle the shame of bearing the new title of the young pervert CEO who stole panties.

He entered the private elevator and went up to his penthouse. He unlocked the door and didn't expect the living room was still brightly lit.

However, there was a scene that shocked him even more.

Because he saw his sister-in-law sitting on the chair, crying nonstop while staring at her phone. She seemed to be releasing so much pain that had been bottled in her heart.

Vernon's heart sank when he saw this scene. He dropped his briefcase and stared at his sister-in-law for a while before asking, "Who made you cry?"

Chloe was also surprised by Vernon's sudden appearance. She quickly wiped her tears and forced a smile to greet Vernon, "W—Welcome home, Vernon. Do you want me to make you a cup of tea?"

"Who made you cry?" Vernon asked for the second time. But his sister-in-law continuously tried to dodge the question.

"Um… m—maybe a coffee? I can make you a coffee— wait, it's not good. It's already midnight. You won't be able to sleep after a cup of coffee, haha…." Chloe laughed awkwardly.

But the more she tried to dodge the topic and act like nothing was wrong, the more Vernon sensed that something was terribly wrong with her.

He kept telling himself that he would never care about his sister-in-law. Even if she begged in front of him, he'd kick and stomp her face instead.

But the rage and grudge he build-up for years crumbled in a mere second after he saw his sister-in-law crying painfully. He became the man that Vernon hated the most, a man who crumbled when he saw his lover cry.

"Who… makes you cry?" Vernon asked for the third time. He was already impatient, holding the rage in his heart that needed to be unleashed somehow.

But he didn't want to scare her, so he tried to hold back.

However, his sister-in-law wasn't cooperative. She kept trying to dodge the topic no matter how many times Vernon asked.

"Oh, I bought a dozen of donuts from the mall. Um… I remember that you always like the caramel one, right? Do you want me to—"

"DAMN IT!" Vernon lost his patience and rushed toward Chloe with his intimidating posture and sharp eyes that would make anyone tremble. Chloe's body stiffened, she was so scared when she saw how intimidating Vernon could be.

She wanted to get up and excused herself, leaving Vernon's penthouse and locking herself in her bedroom.

But before she could get up, Vernon already stood in front of her. He grasped and pressed her shoulders, so Chloe was stuck on the sofa. He glared at her, but not because he was mad at her. He was just extremely frustrated right now.

"Who makes you cry?" Vernon asked, almost grunting at this point.

Chloe looked up and stared at Vernon who looked menacing. Everything about Vernon was menacing; his big figure, hawk-like eyes, and intimidating aura.

And to top it all off…

Vernon had a similar facial feature to the man Chloe dreaded the most, her ex-husband, Vincent Gray.

Chapter 163

Everything about Vernon was menacing; his big figure, hawk-like eyes, and intimidating aura.

And to top it all off…

Vernon had a similar face to the man Chloe dreaded the most, her ex-husband, Vincent Gray.

The way Vernon pressed her on the sofa triggered her trauma because he reminded her so much of Vincent whenever she tried to raise her voice. He'd grab her wrist and flung her to the sofa before pressing her either by her shoulders or neck.

Vincent would often call her a noisy bitch for raising her voice or simply insulted her physical appearance and status as a woman from a poor family and a stay-at-home mom.

It was so ruthless that Chloe often had nightmares about it.

—

​ 'Chloe Gray, how dare you raise your voice against me? Don't you think that I hadn't tolerated you enough?'

'I allow you to be my wife and let you address yourself as Mrs. Gray. I allow your poor ass to live in a lavish mansion, and I gave you a smart and beautiful daughter. Do you think Mackie can be such a talented little girl because of your gene and teaching? She got it all because she has my blood. She's a Gray just like me!'

'So shut up before I smash your head. Don't you dare raise your voice against me, got that?'

—

The memory of abuse that Chloe experienced at the hands of her ex-husband. She started shaking, and her brain automatically wired to lower her head obediently because if she kept fighting, the man who pressed her would hurt her even more.

"S—S—S—S—Sorry—" Chloe stammered to apologize to Vernon. Her gaze was already blurry as if she could faint soon.

"Why did you say sorry?!" Vernon got angrier when he got an apology from Chloe. He was frustrated by her reaction and how she didn't seem to take him seriously.

Chloe didn't dodge his eyes this time, but her gaze was empty.

Unable to vent his frustration as he got impatient, Vernon shook Chloe's shoulders to wake her up and raised his voice until he was yelling at her;

"STOP BEING SLOW, AND TELL ME WHO MAKES YOU CRY?! I WILL FUCKING KILL THAT BASTARD!!"

Vernon had no intention of scaring his sister-in-law. In fact, he was already trying so hard to hold back but still came out as fierce and scary in front of her.

Chloe was too shaken to react, she just stared at him emptily, and the tears she wiped a few moments ago began falling again.

Vernon soon realized that she was scaring her too much that his sister-in-law started crying again.

He quickly released his grip from her shoulder and stepped back. He didn't expect that he was also the one who made Chloe cry.

"C—Chloe, I—" Vernon didn't know what to say. He wanted to apologize for scaring her, but he became tongue-tied because how he reacted was unjustifiable.

It took a while until Chloe got up from the sofa with all her remaining strength and tried to brush it off despite the fear that had consumed her, "It's okay. It's my fault for crying. I'll return to my bedroom now."

"No, I—"

Chloe didn't want to listen to Vernon's explanation. There was nothing to explain after all.

Chloe thought it was her fault for remembering about Vincent when Vernon pressed her.

Chloe wiped her tears again and said, "Don't worry about me, Vernon. I… I'm just a little dramatic after watching a sad movie."

Chloe went downstairs after she gave Vernon the answer he wanted.

But Vernon knew well it was a complete lie. There was no way it was just caused by a sad movie. Because Vernon saw the deep sadness in her eyes, she was holding so much pain. It was so apparent.

"But how am I supposed to talk to her about it?" Vernon asked himself. He knew that it was also his fault for being uncontrollable.

But he just couldn't help it. The more she shed tears, the more he felt his heart was torn.

Vernon sat on the same spot where Chloe sat for a long time. He could feel the warmth of her body lingering on the sofa, and he closed his eyes, trying to calm down while assessing what had happened just now.

"I saw her crying, and I… I just can't control myself," Vernon murmured. "I keep telling myself not to be moved by a woman's tears. But she's not a random woman…."

Vernon also wondered about Chloe. No matter how many times she told him she was okay and everything was perfectly fine, Vernon knew well that she wasn't okay at all.

"No 'okay' person would hold so much pain…." Vernon said. He wanted to know what happened to his sister-in-law when he was absent for ten years.

Because in his mind, his sister-in-law must've led a happy life with her billionaire husband. Vincent was the one she chose, and she even made it clear about her choice by degrading Vernon, calling him disgusting, incompetent, and not worth the effort. She said it all in front of their late father, Vaughn Gray.

So Vernon thought… he was the only one who had suffered for the past ten years.

But it didn't seem to be the truth…

Vernon started questioning his own method and action toward his sister-in-law.

He always thought that she deserved no respect from him. So he never treated her carefully.

He also often unleashed his rage on her a lot of times, even though it could be unjustifiable sometimes.

He was petty, he admitted. It was a trait that he'd never be able to grow out of.

…

Vernon started counting the times he was nice to her after they reunited.

Which was… none. At least none that he remembered…

Vernon took a deep breath and massaged his temples as he realized one problem that might be 99% true.

'Am I the one who made her cry all this time?'

Chapter 164

'Am I the one who made her cry all this time?' Vernon asked himself in his heart. He acknowledged that he had been treating his sister-in-law badly all this time, so Chloe might have been crying because of him just now.

'Wait, isn't that what I want? Back then, I said that I would make her cry for ditching me. Isn't this my goal since the beginning?'

'But why am I distressed now?'

…

Vernon was also confused about himself. He got what he wanted to see her cry for him, but why did he regret it now?

'Am I that weak-willed to falter over a woman's tears?'

…

Vernon already knew the answer but didn't want to admit it. He just found himself so pathetic, maybe a little too easy to forgive after the humiliation Chloe had done to her.

'But I just can't see her cry again. I can't bear the pain….'

Vernon didn't know if he could try to be gentler in front of her— because he had never done that to anyone.

He treated everyone the same, either work colleagues or enemies, with no in-between. He also treated his sister-in-law as the latter, thinking she was the enemy alongside his Big brother.

…

Vernon decided to just lay on the sofa, resting his head where his sister-in-law sat just now, imagining that he was resting on her lap.

He imagined Chloe staring at her with a smile while caressing his forehead. He had that dream once he slept on the sofa, and the dream was so vivid that he thought his sister-in-law was sitting on the sofa while propping Vernon's head on her lap.

He could also feel the kiss on his forehead. He felt that everything was real that night.

"Sister-in-law… no, Chloe…." Vernon called his sister-in-law. "If I treat you better and show you my vulnerable side, will you find me pathetic? After all, you like a powerful man that can do anything for you…."

"If I show that I'm still the same little Vernon you cared for years ago… will you show your disgust to me? You told me that I'm incompetent and disgusting…."

Vernon covered his eyes with his arm. He didn't want to think about it because he was scared that his sister-in-law would laugh at him again, just like she did back then.

'But I don't want to see you cry….'

**

Chloe woke up the next morning, and the first thing that came to her mind was what happened last night.

She thought she could pass the night without drama, but Vernon caught her crying and sobbing so shamelessly.

She didn't expect Vernon to look so agitated, which prompted her trauma of being pressed by Vincent and verbally abused by him.

"Ah, he must've been shocked by my reaction too…." Chloe murmured, regretting her reaction last night. "But I don't understand why he'd look so angry and distressed to see me cry. It has nothing to do with him."

Chloe refused to believe that Vernon still deeply cared for her. After all, they were already separated for ten years straight, and he had so many things to do than caring about her problem.

Still, Chloe believed she had to apologize for making Vernon see something unsightly.

She got up and washed her face.

Chloe checked the clock, "Still five thirty in the morning. I better prepare the breakfast for them. A filling breakfast on the weekend sounds good."

Chloe went up to Vernon's penthouse and was surprised when she saw Vernon sleeping on the sofa.

Vernon's big frame didn't fit on the sofa, so his sleeping posture didn't look comfortable. He covered his eyes with his arm and still hadn't changed his clothes from last night.

The first thing in Chloe's mind was…

'Did he not brush his teeth last night? That's not good….'

'Besides, he'll get shoulder pain sleeping on that small sofa…' Chloe decided to wake him up. She intended to tell Vernon to sleep in his bedroom to get a better sleep quality. 'And he should sleep until noon. It's Sunday after all.'

Chloe approached Vernon carefully and gently tapped his shoulder a few times to wake him up, "Vernon, wake up. You should sleep on the bed."

…

"Vernon, wake up…" Chloe repeated. This time she patted his cheek a few times.

Vernon finally opened his eyes slowly. He'd be grumpy when someone woke him up when he was asleep. But he heard the soft voice of the woman who had filled his life since he was a child.

When he saw his sister-in-law trying to wake him up, he knew it wasn't a dream this time. But he was still unsure of what to do. He should've pushed her away, so that old feeling wouldn't grow again in his heart.

But he also wanted to have her warmth…

Vernon decided to just follow what his heart— and dick wanted. He wrapped his hand around Chloe's hips and pulled her to the sofa.

"Ah—!" Chloe didn't have time to react when Vernon suddenly pulled her, forcing her to lay on top of his abs and pecs. Chloe struggled a bit, but Vernon tightened his arm around her waist, ensuring she couldn't live.

Chloe gave up soon after, knowing she had no strength to struggle against Vernon. She looked up, thinking she could wake Vernon by continuously badgering him.

Vernon had a habit of sleep talking and having vivid dreams, which Chloe discovered when he talked about the woman he loved but also hated. He talked about that woman while sleeping on this sofa as well.

However, Chloe was stupefied when she saw that Vernon had already opened his eyes. It seemed that he was already wide awake the whole time. It gave off the idea that Vernon pulling Chloe into his embrace was a deliberate, conscious action that Vernon did.

And that action was unfathomable for Chloe.

'But if he's already awake, why would he pull me to his embrace like this? A conscious adult Vernon has never been this warm towards me….'

Chapter 165

'But if he's already awake, why would he pull me to his embrace like this? A conscious adult Vernon has never been this warm towards me….'

They stared at each other for a while, and a smile slowly bloomed on Vernon's lips. He was satisfied with their current position, sharing warmth that Vernon had missed for a decade.

"Don't move. I want to feel your body when I'm sleeping," Vernon instructed.

"B—But— T—This is inappropriate…. "

Vernon ignored Chloe's pleas, his other hand wrapped around Chloe's shoulder and pressed her body deeper until her tits squeezed against his pecs.

"Nice tits, by the way," Vernon commented and closed his eyes again.

"Vernon!"

Chloe tried to break free from his grip to no avail. Vernon was simply too strong compared to her, so she could only lay hopelessly on top of his muscular body.

,m Vernon's heartbeat calmed down, and he was in a deep sleep again. Chloe didn't know whether he was just acting or he was actually sleeping right now.

But she had to get off of him before Mackie saw this inappropriate position between her Mommy and Big bad Uncle Vernon.

'Oh crap, this is even worse than yesterday! It's too dangerous if Mackie saw this forbidden scene between us!' Chloe panicked. This was like a time-ticking bomb that would explode if Mackie discovered this moment between them.

She checked the clock on the wall, it was still five fifteen, and Mackie would probably wake up at eight since today was Sunday.

But she still had to prepare breakfast, and Mackie also had a habit of waking up early because she was hungry and grabbed a snack or searched for her Mommy before going back to sleep.

Her upper body was completely deadlocked by Vernon's arms. But his hands didn't come down to her butt or thighs, so if she could just… wiggle her way down until she could escape…

'Okay, I think I need to do it slowly…' Chloe thought. She slowly wriggled by rubbing her thighs together to make a move down there.

But by rubbing her thighs together, she had unknowingly woken up the giant snake under Vernon's trousers.

Chloe's eyes widened, and she paused for a while as she realized something big and long was rubbing against her thighs. She looked at Vernon, who was still sleeping, and she swallowed her saliva nervously.

She knew that men experienced morning wood every morning. But she never expected it'd awaken just by rubbing it with her thighs.

"Vernon—"

PA!

"AH!"

Chloe shrieked when she felt a sharp pain in her ass when Vernon suddenly slapped her ass. The pain gradually turned into a hot temperature around her lower half when Vernon lightly squeezed her butt cheeks.

Vernon was smirking, but his eyes were still tightly shut, making Chloe confused about whether he was awake or not.

Vernon's hand stayed around her butt cheeks, and his big snake was fully erect after a few rubbing with her thighs. If she continued wriggling, then maybe she'd get fucked right here on the sofa.

Chloe had run out of chances of escaping Vernon. So, to be released, she had to wake up the sleeping tiger under her.

She stared at Vernon, who was breathing steadily. Even from this angle, Vernon was still very handsome. His jawline, nose, and chin were well-defined. He had thick-straight eyebrows and deep eye-socket, which gave that hawk-like eyes. The said brooding eyes also gave out the image that he was always displeased and very intimidating.

She noticed a few inconspicuous things from this angle because she dared not look at him for more than five seconds in a normal situation.

One thing she noticed was his stubble growing around his jawline area. Vernon was so smooth with no facial hair, like a baby until he was fourteen.

Then, he grew a single strain of hair on his chin when he hit fourteen-year-old and showed it off in front of his Big sister Chloe. He looked so proud and called himself an adult— ready to face the world like his Big brother and father. Chloe only laughed at it, but she told Vernon that he should take care of his facial hair once he grew up.

Well, he did because Chloe saw a few bottles of shaving creams and an electric razor in Vernon's bathroom when she was cleaning. Vernon seemed to be shaving daily because he always kept his clean-shaven appearance while working, maybe emulating how his Big brother and late father presented themselves.

'He's a big man now, huh?' Chloe smiled. She remembered that Vernon always aspired to be an adult, so he could also do adult stuff.

He often said that he wanted to be an adult as soon as possible, so he could do 'adult stuff' with Chloe.

Though, Chloe was convinced that Vernon just wanted to try drinking alcohol, driving, and paying bills… literal adult stuff, so she'd always say yes, but he needed to be an adult first.

'Now the adult stuff is about sex with me...' Chloe murmured.

The other thing that Chloe noticed was a scar under Vernon's left ear. Vernon acquired a long scar when he was around eight years old.

Back then, Vernon threw a tantrum again, demanding a skateboard after he saw a skateboarder doing tricks on TV. Thus, Vincent bought him a small skateboard for kid.

Vincent and Chloe watched how Vernon skated around Gray mansion's driveway until he went too fast and fell. His left ear hit the concrete, and he got a wound under his left ear. The wound was so bad that Vincent and Chloe had to bring him to the hospital owned by the Gray family to get it treated and stitched.

Of course, Vernon was only taken care of by Vincent and Chloe because his parents— Vaughn and Dorothea Gray, were busy cheating and drinking their life out.

'Look at you now. You've grown so big and strong,' Chloe said in her heart, not wanting Vernon to listen to her monologue as she was afraid it'd offend him.