Ch. 231..235: Divorced My Scum Husband, Married His Evil brother Chapter 231-235

Chapter 231

Vernon's eyes widened instantly when he saw long scabs covering her cheek. The wounds seemed to be a wound inflicted by a sharp nail and stretched from the edge of her lips to her earlobe.

"WHAT THE—!?" Vernon yelled out loud as he saw the scabs on Chloe's beautiful face. His blood rose up instantly, and he slammed the door open.

BAM!

Chloe had just finished putting the plate on the table when she heard the loud sound of the slammed door. Her eyes darted towards Vernon's room across the kitchen, and she froze instantly.

Vernon was too angry to notice the stunned expression that Chloe had made. He rushed to the dining table until he stood right across Chloe, with only the dining table separating them.

Vernon's gaze lingered on the scabs on Chloe's cheek, and he asked in a voice full of repressed rage;

"Who made that wound?"

…

Chloe didn't answer, but for some reason, she looked down, and her eyes looked at something else instead.

Vernon thought Chloe was just being her meek self as always. He was too angry to be soft right now. The more he stared at the dried wounds on her beautiful face, the more he felt irritation that couldn't be quenched.

Vernon slammed the table, and Chloe jolted again. But her eyes kept looking at something down there as if she was hypnotized by something.

"Look at me, Chloe! Tell me who hurt you!" Vernon yelled.

But Chloe kept her silence until Vernon couldn't handle it anymore. He wanted to walk around the dining table and reach Chloe, but Chloe retreated quickly;

"V—Vernon, don't get closer—" Chloe warned as she took another step back.

Vernon halted his step immediately. He took a deep breath and studied Chloe's face to see whether there was fear in her eyes.

Which was... Slim to none.

Surprisingly, Chloe only had a tint of fear in her eyes, but there was another emotion that Vernon could read from her eyes and reddened cheeks.

And it was… embarrassment?

'Why is she embarrassed?' Vernon frowned. The anger surged from the depth of his heart. It was still taking control of his body, but the embarrassment now confused him.

'Why did she blush?' Vernon asked himself.

"V—Vernon, go wash first and get dressed…." Chloe said. She pointed at Vernon's lower half. "Um… that…"

Vernon looked down immediately, and his anger vanished in an instant. Because he forgot that he didn't wear a thing— not even a boxer.

What made it worse was the dried cum covering his erect cock. Because he fell asleep right after cumming, he didn't even think about cleaning up.

Vernon knew he looked more like a gross teenage boy who had just hit puberty. He gulped and raised his head. He looked at Chloe and tried to explain, "W—Wait, let me explain this— I—I mean, let me get dressed first! You wait here and don't run! We're not done yet with this!"

"Ah— uhm… it's fine. Young men can be very… uh… messy, I guess…." Chloe said.

Vernon gritted his teeth and rushed back to his bedroom to at least wear a boxer.

Vernon slammed the door again as he wore his boxer in a hurry, but when he turned his head towards the dining table, Chloe was nowhere to be found.

She was probably already going downstairs to hide from him and to hide the wound on her cheek.

"DAMN IT!" Vernon yelled out loud and punched the wall on his right to vent his frustration a bit.

He walked to the dining table and then to the kitchen. He stared at the stair downstairs and considered for at least a few minutes. He was contemplating whether he should go down and pull Chloe out of her safe space to question her about the wound or let her be.

Of course, logically, he should be patient and let Chloe open up.

But he also had the pride of a man.

"I'm not a man if I let my woman to get hurt, so— argh, fuck it!" Vernon said spontaneously without thinking at all.

He rushed downstairs and looked around the apartment to see no one.

He went to the dining area and accidentally stumbled upon his feisty little niece eating her breakfast.

Mackie turned her head towards her big bad wolf Uncle, who stood wearing nothing but a boxer.

Mackie smiled wide until her teeth showed and greeted, "Morning, Uncle!"

"A—Ah, m—morning…." Vernon was a bit embarrassed to only be wearing a boxer in front of his niece. He was promiscuous and wild, but even a wild man like him knew a bit of decency, especially in front of kids.

He hid behind a tall ceramic vase and asked, "Where's your Mom?"

"Mommy is taking a bath right now. Uncle, why are you hiding there? Come and eat with me!" Mackie hopped off the chair and approached her Uncle innocently.

She stood beside Uncle Vernon and grabbed his wrist with her two small hands. She tried to pull him, but her Uncle didn't budge at all.

"I—I will eat breakfast upstairs. You go eat yours here," Vernon said, feeling ashamed for being almost naked in front of Mackie.

Mackie pouted, she tried to pull her Uncle again, but she soon noticed a weird smell on her Uncle.

Sniff. Sniff.

"EW! Uncle, go take a bath! You smell like fish! Uncle is a smelly wolf!" Mackie quickly released her Uncle's wrist and distanced herself.

She made an exaggerated gesture by pinching her nose, "Smelly uncle, go away!"

"You—"

Vernon was slightly annoyed by his niece, who dared to mock him. But he was too ashamed to say anything. So he just turned around and returned upstairs because he couldn't handle the shame.

Vernon returned to his penthouse and sat on a dining chair. He stared at the breakfast on the dining table, and the image of Chloe putting the food on the table with stripes of scabs on her cheek flashed in his mind.

Chapter 232

"Urgh, fine, I can't really ask her here, since there's Mackie," Vernon said. "And she's probably going to avoid me again, but I'm not all hopeless."

"Even if Chloe refused to tell me. Diamond will help me instead. I'm sure she will not let this slide, after all, it's her best friend who got hurt."

…

Vernon realized that he could also guilt-trip Diamond into working together with him.

Based on his short observation, Diamond already saw Chloe as his true best friend since she dared to challenge his authority no matter how much intimidation Vernon did to her.

'She's very capable, and I'll make sure she will work with me to reveal who hurts my beloved— I—I mean, my Big sis Chloe,' Vernon shook his head once to make sure that he didn't think of a ridiculous idea.

Thus, Vernon ate his breakfast easily because he was certain he could influence Diamond to be on her side in this case.

**

After preparing himself, Vernon walked out of the penthouse and used the elevator to head downstairs. He went to the parking lot and noticed Chloe's car was already gone.

He scoffed;

"She's still avoiding me for whatever reason," Vernon said dissatisfied, but he chose to ignore the annoyance in his heart and focused on his work and also personal mission today.

He drove to his office and used the elevator straight to his floor.

When the elevator door slid open, he saw Diamond busy with her reports. She glanced in his direction for a split second and stood up reluctantly to greet him as a sign of formality.

"Welcome, Sir."

Honestly, Vernon still didn't understand why Diamond looked so pissed ever since he told her to book a table for him and Shailene. Shouldn't she be happy that he was taking his step to know Chloe better?

'Surely, women are hard to please,' Vernon thought.

He walked past Diamond and said, "Diamond, come to my office. I have an important matter to tell."

Diamond raised her head and glanced at her boss. She didn't know what this man was trying to pull this time. But if he wanted her to spill anything she knew about Chloe's abuse, that wouldn't happen.

"Yes, Sir," Diamond followed her boss to his CEO's office.

Vernon sat on his executive chair and looked at Diamond standing in front of him.

He cleared his throat and asked, "Do you know why I called you just now?"

"I don't know," Diamond replied truthfully.

"Well, I have bad news about Chloe," Vernon stated.

Diamond's body tensed immediately. She was afraid that something would happen to her homegirl, "D—Did you do something to her last night?"

"What the—" Vernon felt wronged when Diamond accused him.

Little did she know, he was the real victim last night! Chloe was seducing him nonstop, and he had to comfort himself TWICE just because that succubus was teasing him mercilessly!

But, of course, he wouldn't tell Diamond about that. Not because it was private stuff. Diamond already saw him fucking a girl in the velvet room once, after all.

But because it was a shameful thing for Vernon.

A heartless playboy like Vernon had to jack off twice a night just because of one woman? That was the joke of the century!

"Anyway, it's not about that," Vernon quickly shifted the topic back. "I accidentally saw something terrible this morning, and it's about Chloe."

Diamond started to get nervous. Her boss seriously knew how to lead someone with his words, "What happened to her?"

"She got hurt by someone," Vernon replied, and his gaze darkened. "I won't tell you the details, because I want you to see it for yourself."

"Sir, you're making me nervous. Why don't you tell me now, so I won't get a heart attack later?" Diamond reasoned. "Who hurt her?"

But the devil shook his head. With a little grin and a shrug, he replied, "Well, just like how you don't want to tell me about her trauma because you're respecting her choice. I also don't want to tell you without her consent first."

"So you have to find out yourself," Vernon said.

Diamond was agitated. She was so worried about her homegirl Chloe that it made her worry if something really bad happened to her.

"Don't worry, it's not a fatal wound," Vernon added to ease Diamond's tension. "But, no matter how light the wound is. I will never allow anyone to hurt her— at least not without consequence."

"Wound…" Diamond's mind started wandering about so many possibilities. In her mind, Chloe was a kind and compassionate but meek and weak woman, so it wasn't surprising that she got bullied or hurt by someone else outside.

"Once you see her wound, you shall return to me, and we will work together to find the culprit," Vernon ordered. "Don't you want to help your best friend? Surely, you won't allow someone else to hurt her."

Diamond gulped. She swore that she wouldn't help Mr. Phoenix Gray unless it was for work-related stuff.

But his offer was too tempting.

He was right. Diamond had a strong protective feeling for her homegirl. She wanted Chloe to be happy and well-protected.

So when Mr. Phoenix Gray said that Chloe had been hurt by someone, her anger rose immediately.

But she also understood that Chloe was dealing with so much trauma it wasn't easy to open up.

Vernon observed the small change in Diamond's expression, and he already guessed that Diamond wanted to do something for her best friend.

"Now, now, I know that you're afraid that Chloe would refuse your help. After all, she always backed off whenever I tried to pry more information about her traumatic experience," Vernon said.

"But listen to me, Chloe's current wound is not because of her trauma. There must be someone out there who's actively trying to hurt Chloe, so we have the right to protect Chloe by eliminating any threat," Vernon added. "Isn't that right, Secretary Johnson?"

Chapter 233

​ "Chloe's wound is not because of her trauma. There must be someone out there who's actively trying to hurt Chloe, so you and I have the right to protect Chloe by eliminating any threat," Vernon added. "Isn't that right, Secretary Johnson."

…

Diamond bit her lip. What her boss said was correct. If Chloe experienced bullying and abuse outside, even after she left her bastard husband, it would be stupid if Vernon and Diamond didn't do anything to help her.

"But…"

"Don't tell me you don't want to help me because you're afraid of invading her privacy? Oh come on, she clearly needs my, no, OUR help!" Vernon insisted. "Do you want Chloe to get hurt right in front of your eyes? I thought you're her best friend."

Vernon's persuasion seemed to have shaken Diamond's firm belief that she shouldn't interfere with Chloe's problem and would just support her best friend emotionally (and financially if she could).

A smirk grew on Vernon's lips. He might specialize in intimidation, but that didn't mean he had no skill in persuasion.

"Sir, I— I will help you to eliminate whoever that person is. But let me see her wound first to see if it's worth the risk," Diamond said.

"Fair enough. I bet you'll return to me immediately after looking at her wound though," Vernon said confidently. "You can return to your desk now. But remember, Diamond, don't tell Chloe about this."

"Chloe can be too much of a doormat sometimes, and refuses to tell anyone about her problem. So I will eliminate whoever hurts her in silence. I can hire some people as well," Vernon said with deep, dangerous eyes staring at Diamond's soul.

Diamond shivered from head to toe after being stared at by that kind of scary face, but she kept her professionalism, "Then, please excuse me, Sir."

Vernon watched as Diamond left his office. He snorted as he found it quite funny, "At least, we're on the same page in this one."

Of course, Vernon could use all of his connections to search for the perpetrator— the one who hurt Chloe.

But he preferred to persuade Diamond in this, so Diamond understood his worry and wanted to work with him in the future.

As much as he hated to admit it, Diamond was competent in almost every job she handled, making her an invaluable member of his office.

'I can imagine many ways to utilize her competence to get closer to Chloe,' Vernon thought. 'But we're not on good terms right now. Somehow, she thinks that betraying Chloe and telling him about the trauma that Chloe experienced is harder to do than defying my order as her boss.'

"Why is she switching sides towards Chloe anyway? She has known me for two years, compared to Chloe whom she had just known for a few months," Vernon asked himself. "Shouldn't she have unwavering loyalty towards me instead?"

"What kind of charm did Chloe use to make someone like Diamond completely turn to her side?"

He fished his phone out of his pocket, checked his gallery, and then clicked on one picture taken not long ago.

It was a picture of Chloe cooking in the kitchen. She looked cute, especially with her pink apron and hair tied in a ponytail.

Vernon smiled as he kept staring at the pic and sighed before putting the phone back in his suit pocket.

"I guess I got charmed too…."

**

Diamond felt even more conflicted after she left her Boss' office.

Diamond was worried about her homegirl. Because if Chloe got hurt by someone else outside and refused to tell her about it, should she stop asking and act as if nothing was wrong.

Or should she interfere and ask who dared to hurt her homegirl?

"This is difficult…." Diamond thought as she faced the dilemma. "I will have to see the wound first and wait for her explanation. I don't want to act rashly and make Chloe uncomfy..."

**

About two and a half hours later, the elevator opened, and Chloe came out of the elevator. She was wearing a simple black shirt and jeans. On top of that, she wore a red scarf to cover the everlasting hickeys around her neck and a medical mask to cover half of her face.

Diamond didn't get up and greet her best friend as usual. Instead, she squinted at Chloe, full of suspicion.

Chloe smiled beneath her mask and greeted Diamond first, "Morning, Diamond. Is Vernon still inside?"

"He has a meeting outside with a client. He told me that he'll be a bit late for lunch. So you can just put the lunch in the pantry, and I'll reheat it for him later," Diamond replied.

"Ah, okay, let me put this in the pantry first…." Chloe said.

Diamond's eyes followed Chloe, who went to the pantry and returned. She still wore her medical mask, even though she took off her red scarf comfortably in front of Diamond.

Chloe sat on the sofa across from the secretary's desk. She played with her phone for a second until she realized that Diamond was staring at her without a pause.

Chloe got uncomfortable and finally asked, "Um… Diamond, is there something wrong?"

Diamond sighed and relaxed her tense shoulder. She got up and walked towards her home girl.

She sat beside Chloe and asked, "Gurl, why are you wearing a mask in the office?"

"Ah— I'm sick..."

"Really? But you looked fine yesterday," Diamond said.

"I—" Chloe lowered her head instantly. Because Diamond's peering gaze made her nervous. "I'm fine, don't worry about me…."

"If you're fine, then you shouldn't be afraid of taking off that mask, right?"

…

Chloe felt the pressure under Diamond's suspicious gaze, and she finally took off the mask that covered half of her face.

Diamond's eyes widened, and she gasped when she saw a few long wounds that had dried and turned into scabs on Chloe's face, stretching from the edge of her lip to the tip of her earlobe.

Chapter 234

Diamond's eyes widened, and she gasped when she saw a few long wounds that had dried and turned into scabs on Chloe's face, stretching from the edge of her lip to the tip of her earlobe.

"GURL! WHAT THE HELL!?"

Diamond grabbed Chloe's chin and inspected the scabs carefully, and the horrified expression she made said it all.

Diamond was a model before she worked with Mr. Phoenix Gray, so she always took care of her face and would be in a terrible mood for a whole day if she got one pimple.

Thus, she was horrified and reacted bewilderedly when she saw the wounds on her homegirl's cheek.

"Gurl, what the hell happened?! Oh my god, that looks so bad!" Diamond yelled while she kept checking on the scabs. "Oh no, it will take a while until you get your smooth skin again. Damn it!"

Chloe understood why Diamond freaked out, but that was because Diamond was a model, and she was a beautiful woman.

But Chloe wasn't an attractive lady like her, so she didn't really worry about a wound like this.

Chloe tried to separate herself from Diamond, who was busy checking the wound, and replied, "Um, I fell down in the apartment's parking lot last night and got wounded like this. It's fine. It's just a wound, haha…."

"Gurl—" Diamond rolled her eyes and found the alibi ridiculous. "We both know that's a lie. Why don't you tell me the truth instead?"

"I—I'm telling the truth—" Chloe continued to dodge.

Honestly, she kept dodging and refused to tell the truth because she didn't want Diamond to know that the one who did this was her own sister.

As much as she was angry at Chelsea yesterday, she still wanted to protect her. Because based on Chloe's assumption, Diamond was a bold woman that wouldn't hesitate to confront someone if she had to.

Diamond tried hard to hold the urge so she didn't roll her eyes twice. Her Boss was right. Chloe could be such a doormat to someone who has bullied her.

"Gurl— I ain't an idiot. That's obviously a wound inflicted by scratch, and it's definitely from human's nails, because—" Diamond lifted her other hand and showed her freshly manicured, medium-length nails with hot pink as the color of choice that suited her so much.

"—I can scratch your face with my nails, and make the same wound. Gurl, let's be real, who hurt you?" Diamond asked again.

This time, Chloe knew that she couldn't escape Diamond's question. Chloe gulped and quickly tried to find a good alibi;

"Um… I was having a fight with a random woman yesterday, and I got this wound…." Chloe said. "D—Don't take it too seriously, Diamond. The woman has apologized…."

"Are you sure it's a random woman?" Diamond asked again, knowing well that was a complete lie.

"Y—Yes…"

Chloe kept lying over and over, giving Diamond enough reason to know this woman wasn't just a random woman.

First, she knew that Chloe was someone who would apologize first in a conflict. She had a peaceful nature, after all.

Second, she wouldn't have to lie in the first place if that was the truth!

'Of course, I can't really confront her like this. I have to find out for myself….'

Diamond sighed and finally released Chloe, "Gurl, if I were you, I'd press charge on that woman. She's literally assaulting you!"

"Ahaha… It's fine, Diamond. It will heal sooner or later…."

'Mhm, sure, it's fine. But I'll still talk with Mr. Phoenix Gray after this. Don't blame me for snooping around, gurl. You're just too kind for your own good,' Diamond thought.

**

They started talking about random stuff for at least an hour until Diamond got a call from Vernon, telling her to meet him in the client's office for an extended meeting with a document.

So Diamond got up and picked up the document she prepared in advance and the lunch bag in the pantry, "Gurl, I'll have to help my Boss with work. You should go home or do something because both of us won't be here until dusk."

"Oh, don't worry about him. I guarantee that he won't do anything with that woman he will meet today for dinner date," Diamond said, thinking that Chloe would be jealous because Vernon would meet that psychologist for dinner.

"Eh? I think it's fine…." Chloe replied innocently. "I bought him two packs of condoms yesterday. So he would practice safe sex."

…

'Oof, you gotta work hard, Boss. She doesn't even see you as a potential romance partner,' Diamond said in her heart and finally entered the elevator to leave.

She went to the parking lot and drove to the client's office. She was ready for a meeting, but when she was led to the meeting room, she only saw her Boss, Vernon Phoenix Gray, sitting alone while playing with his phone.

"Sir?" Diamond called him while closing the door behind her.

Vernon lifted his head, and his face brightened when he saw the lunch box in Diamond's hand, "Damn, my lunch is finally here. I'm starving."

…

"Sir, how about the meeting?"

"Huh? What meeting? It's done an hour ago. I told my client if I can borrow his meeting room for a few hours for a private meeting."

"And he allows you?"

"He's my friend. It's not a problem," Vernon chuckled. "Now, go prepare my lunch. I'm so hungry."

​ …

Diamond was still hella confused. Why would her Boss borrow another company's meeting room to eat lunch?

But she followed the order and returned to Vernon with a plate full of food made by Chloe.

Chloe sat on a seat while watching her Boss eat his lunch. He finished lunch quickly and patted his stomach while drinking his banana milk.

Diamond kept silent until Vernon started the conversation, "Have you met her?"

"Yes, I did."

"And what do you think?" Vernon asked. "Do you still want to ignore what happened to her? Are you a deadbeat best friend or what?"

Chapter 235

Diamond kept silent until Vernon started the conversation, "Have you met her?"

"Yes, I did."

"And what do you think?" Vernon asked. "Do you still want to ignore what happened to her? Are you a deadbeat best friend or what?"

Diamond knew that Mr. Phoenix Gray was trying to persuade her. She worked with him long enough to know all of his tricks.

But his persuasion was based on fact, and the cold hard fact showed that Chloe had been hurt by someone.

'I know I shouldn't be badgering her problem. But ain't no way I'm gonna let my home girl get hurt. If she got scratched by someone, then let me scratch that woman in return! Eye for an eye!' Diamond toughened herself and finally decided;

"I will work with you, Sir. But let me ask one thing before we proceed—"

"And what is it?"

"—what will you do to the woman who hurt Chloe?" Diamond asked. She knew that Mr. Phoenix Gray was more than capable of being ruthless to any obstacle in his business.

And she also knew how angry he was right now. He looked calm, but the calmer he was, the more terrifying he became in Diamond's eyes.

'Well, I can't really blame him this time. After all, the one who got hurt is the only woman in his heart.'

"Hmm, I'm not sure. I haven't thought of it, actually," Vernon replied, still with a grin. "Should I ruin her life then? I bet she has family and a job. I can ensure that she will get fired and never financially recover."

"She will be thrown to the street and begged for food. I'd love to see a picture of that woman— whoever she is— begging in the street. I think it's a fair punishment for hurting Chloe. Don't you think so, Diamond?"

Vernon stared at Diamond as he was waiting for her answer.

Diamond shuddered as she saw the gradual change in her boss' expression. His gaze deepened like a hawk looking at his prey, and the grin widened into a malicious smirk.

Diamond took a step back subconsciously, knowing that Mr. Phoenix Gray wasn't playing around right now.

She took a deep breath and clenched her fist to brace herself, "Sir, I think we need to find the culprit first, then we can decide a fair payback for hurting Chloe."

"Hah, boring," Vernon scoffed. "I thought we're on the same page, Diamond."

'Oh, thank god we're not on the same page for that one. I don't want to be an evil bastard like you,' Diamond replied in her heart.

"But fair enough, you can start with Mackie's school, and then Citarella Gourmet market. I checked my credit card account to see the history, and Chloe went to the grocery shop there yesterday."

"I know that you're more than capable to do some inspection, so I'd rather ask you to do it than someone else whom I might not trust," Vernon said.

"Understood, Sir," Diamond nodded. She noted two places she had to visit. She knew she couldn't just call the private school, as it was an open secret that the Gray family owned the school.

If she directly asked the headmaster, there was a big chance that the headmaster would just report to Vincent Gray that someone was inquiring about Chloe and Mackenzie Gray.

'I'll think of a way,' Diamond thought. 'But for now….'

Vernon burped carelessly as he finished drinking the second banana milk and wiped his lips with a tissue. He patted his belly happily and said, "Ah, her cooking is the best. I don't think I can seriously eat anything other than her food."

"Sir, about your dinner date with your colleague…."

"Yeah, what about it? Did the restaurant cancel it?"

"No, Sir. I'm just curious about your relationship with her…."

"Didn't I tell you that she's an old friend from uni? What more do you need to know?"

Diamond wanted to ask if Vernon was serious about meeting this woman. As much as she remembered, her boss ALWAYS fucked whoever woman he took in a dinner date.

She was still on her boss' side because she saw Mr. Phoenix Gray as a suitable partner for her home girl.

But if he dared to fuck this random woman, Diamond might as well put her resignation letter on the table and help Chloe pack her things. She would rather start a small business and work with Chloe as she didn't want her best friend to be entangled with another scum after her ex-husband.

"Sir, are you sure that you're going there for a talk?"

"Yes," Vernon frowned as he got annoyed by Diamond. "What's with your pesky questions? Why are you asking the same thing over and over?"

"I'm just making sure, Sir, after all…."

Vernon finally caught on to what Diamond meant.

"Wait, do you think… that I will fuck her after the dinner date?"

"It is plausible, Sir. You have a full track record of sleeping with all women you went on a dinner date with," Diamond replied without hesitation.

"And you think I will continue doing that?"

"… I'm just looking out for my best friend, Sir," Diamond replied bluntly. As she felt that her relationship with her boss had slowly grown to be more of a friend rather than a working colleague.

Of course, only when the topic was Chloe. They maintained the same professional work if it wasn't for her.

Vernon scoffed as he thought it was so ridiculous.

Obviously, he could not do so because his full attention was now on Chloe.

Besides, he had already vowed to save all his condoms for Chloe.

After all, she was the one who dared to play with fire. She teased him nonstop and forced a playboy like Vernon to jack off twice in one night.

"That woman…" Vernon clenched his fist as he felt humiliated for the last night. "Do you know what she did? She gave me two packs of condoms right beside my dinner, and wrote a note, telling me to use it if I want to do it with her."