Ch. 296..300: Divorced My Scum Husband, Married His Evil brother Chapter 296-300

Chapter 296

"Then, if there's nothing to worry about, you may sign that document and we can start working soon," Vernon continued pressuring Mr. Maxwell, and the old man went silent instantly.

He kept reading the document and scanned through everything to ensure he found any flaw with the contract, so it could give him a chance to escape.

But he found nothing.

This contract was so beneficial it might even net him a big profit if he signed it.

But Gregory Maxwell was unsettled by Vernon's behavior. The way he had predicted everything gave off the idea that this man in front of him was the one who knew about him cutting corners and told Vincent about it.

'I know it's just a baseless accusation. But my gut feeling said I shouldn't sign this…' the old man thought.

"Mr. Phoenix Gray, this is a tantalizing offer, but…."

"But?"

"M—May I bring this to my office first? I need to discuss this with some of my stockholders."

"I see…" Vernon sighed. He leaned on the chair and continued, "That means you're not comfortable with the contract, even though I already give you many benefits within that contract, and I'm sure your shareholders will be more than happy after you signed it. Do you have any reason to reject it?"

…

Gregory Maxwell couldn't think of any reason. In fact, what he said was true. If he showed this contract to his shareholders, they would be the ones who pressured him to sign it immediately.

What made the old man hesitate was his instinct. He was solely motivated by the fear of the unknown.

He was scared that Vernon might've been plotting something against him that would lead to his downfall.

Vernon dropped the bomb, knowing there was no use in pressuring this old man anymore, "Well, Mr. Maxwell, if you're not interested in our cooperation, then I'd want you to hand that contract back to me."

"B—But I'm planning to bring this to my office, Mr. Phoenix Gray."

"No need, I don't have time to wait for your confirmation," Vernon said. "You see, I have no real incentive to accept you as my supplier in the first place, Mr. Maxwell. But I did so because of sentimental value between us, since you've been working closely with my family for two decades."

"I thought this would deepen my relationship with businessmen within my Big brother's companies. But it seems that you think I have something more sinister planned against you, right?"

Gregory Maxwell was stunned at how accurately Vernon read his mind.

It was true. He was scared that Vernon might've planned everything to trap him this far.

'Now that I think about it. Why would he need to trap me? What's the use? I don't have any bad blood with him,' Gregory Maxwell thought.

"Well, Mr. Maxwell, please hand me the contract in your hand and you may leave my office. I will find a supplier from Asia or Southern Europe instead."

"W—Wait, Mr. Phoenix Gray!" Gregory Maxwell clenched the document in his hand even tighter. He was still unsure whether this was a bad move or not.

But he shouldn't be passing up a golden opportunity during these hard times just because he was scared.

Thus, Gregory Maxwell took a deep breath and fished a pen from his suit pocket.

He signed the contract in less than a second and then handed it back to Vernon, "I've signed it, Sir."

Vernon smiled as he saw Gregory Maxwell's signature.

"Good. Diamond, go make a copy of that, and give it to Mr. Maxwell," Vernon instructed.

"Yes, Sir."

Diamond quickly made a copy of the newly signed agreement between the two companies and then handed one to Mr. Maxwell.

"Mr. Maxwell, I hope this work between us will go well, and will deepen our trust in each other in the future," Vernon said. He got up and stretched his hand, waiting for a handshake.

Gregory Maxwell got up, shook Vernon's hand, and tried to fake a smile, "Likewise, Mr. Phoenix Gray. I hope this will go well, without any accident."

Vernon sensed the uneasiness of the old man. But he didn't care because he got what he wanted, and everything was going according to his plan.

"Now, please excuse me. I have another meeting with one of my clients outside," Vernon turned around and left the meeting room, followed by Diamond.

Gregory Maxwell was alone in the meeting room. While staring at the contract, he was contemplating whether it was a good decision or not.

"Technically, this is a good decision because I've gotten a beneficial contract that will help to maintain the company while I'm under Vincent's pressure. But…"

Gregory Maxwell couldn't lie. There was this unsettling feeling he just couldn't get a grasp on.

As if he was just a pawn played by Vernon Phoenix Gray all along.

"I still have to be careful. I don't want to get into another Gray family's bad side, or it might be the end of me," Gregory mumbled. "Besides, I still have to find that woman…."

Gregory Maxwell was still trying to find Chloe Gray. Honestly, he wanted to just go and find the daughter in her school, but Vincent forbade him because he claimed to love his daughter so much, so he didn't want her innocent daughter to be involved.

"Tch, what kind of bullshit is that? I don't understand why can't he just kidnap his daughter and Chloe will return to his side," Gregory Maxwell commented. "Besides… What kind of crazy man would hide the wife of Vincent Gray? Does he not know being discovered means death?"

He also didn't understand what was on Vincent's mind. He was creating a battle royale inside his own business circle filled with businessmen that had been working closely with the Gray family rather than fixing everything by himself.

"I don't understand how Vincent's mind works, but then again…." Gregory Maxwell lifted his head and stared at Vernon's back, who had just entered the lift with his secretary.

"I also don't understand how his little brother's mind works…."

Chapter 297

Diamond followed her boss, who went down to the ground floor, and they headed to his car as he had another meeting with a client.

Vernon drove the car to their client's office while Diamond sat beside him.

She wondered about the whole thing, especially if her boss had predicted everything. He told her to make a contract for him and Gregory Maxwell's company.

'He also gives me specification on what to write down to the smallest number, making sure that I don't fuck this up,' Diamond pondered. She glanced at Vernon and had to fear crept up from the bottom of her feet to her head.

"Sir, about Gregory Maxwell…"

"What?"

"Did you plan everything?"

"I did," Vernon replied nonchalantly, eyes still on the road. "He is my prime target, I know that he has been cutting corners in my Big brother's company, so I make sure to put his data on the list of suspects that I handed to my Big brother."

"My big brother is smart. He definitely has investigated Gregory Maxwell prior to me giving him the list of suspicious men that he needs to weed out to find Chloe. So he will naturally weed that old man out first."

Diamond had been informed about her boss' plan to take down his Big brother. She knew that he was using Chloe's disappearance in some ways. Many of his previous plans had been revoked as his heart had been softened by Chloe, much to Diamond's relief.

'If he's still thinking about using Chloe in a more extreme way. Then I might have to turn my back on him,' Diamond thought.

"And about the contract that you told me to write?" Diamond asked more.

"Naturally, I am the one who leaked my plan of launching a beverage product in Western Europe to some of Gregory Maxwell's close friends. That's why he came to us," Vernon explained. "That contract is meant to be perfect, even beneficial for him because I want to make sure that he cannot refuse my offer."

'Seriously? You've planned everything so perfectly. You're literally so smart!' Diamond complained in her head. 'But you didn't do what you said wrong to make Chloe cry? Oh for fuck sake!'

While Diamond was cursing her boss in the head. Vernon's eyes deepened as he continued driving through the road.

"Everything is according to plan. But there's one thing that's not within my range of expectation," Vernon said.

"And what is that, Sir?" Diamond was quite appalled by that statement. As much as she observed, it seemed Mr. Phoenix Gray had executed his plan perfectly.

"About my Big brother… I thought he would simply ditch Gregory Maxwell."

"And he didn't?"

"No, he only halved the usual supply from that old man's company instead. I've also heard from one of my informants that Gregory Maxwell started asking a few of his friends whether they're having a mistress in her 30s, definitely referring to Chloe."

Diamond slowly pieced a few things from her boss' statement, then concluded, "So, do you think Vincent Gray is…."

"Yes, he is definitely using Gregory Maxwell as a pawn to start combing through the list. He knows that culling all of his business partners to find Chloe is too risky and inefficient. That's why he is using that old man to start accusing each other."

"In short, my Big brother wants those people who've been working closely with the Gray family to start accusing each other, eventually breaking them off and hopefully will catch the one who hides Chloe," Vernon explained.

"But how is that effective, Sir?" Diamond asked again.

"It is very effective, because all of them will start being suspicious of their friends. They will start spying on each other trying to save their asses and present the head of the real culprit. So Vincent wouldn't need to work too much, because everyone is doing the job for him."

Vernon clenched the steering wheel, and his gaze deepened with a mix of fear and anger, "I hate to admit this. But my Big brother— Vincent Gray, is a genius tactician. He knows how to get the most with minimum effort. He knows how to control people."

"And you're facing him, Sir…." Diamond murmured.

"Yes. After all, I'm planning to take him down," Vernon replied. "I have to face him, and I will do anything as long as I can pull him down until he has nothing."

"That's why, Diamond—" Vernon glanced at Diamond for a split second. "—I trust you with this secret. Because I know you're competent, and I know you have lots of connections even without me. Don't worry, you're going to get what you want."

"What I want…."

"25% of Gray family's stock, right? You want to be a big shareholder," Vernon stated.

"Ah, yes, that one, Sir…." Diamond murmured.

Truth be told, Diamond still had no idea why her boss hated his Big brother so much.

She knew it wasn't because of Chloe— at least not initially. Because he hated both Vincent and Chloe at first, to the point that he hired Diamond and proposed to her a very tempting offer as long as they would join forces.

Diamond was young but very ambitious. She had all that was needed to be Vernon's assistant, and she was charmed by the devilish smirk, just like the rest of the woman in Vernon's bed.

Thus, she took that deal out of whim because she never expected Vernon to be able to topple down the Gray family, she didn't think much about being the shareholder.

'Besides, the salary he gives is literally ten times— or more than the expected salary of a secretary. I cannot pass that up.'

Though, as time passed, Diamond changed her opinion about Vernon.

'He is an insufferable, stubborn man-baby who cannot admit that he is living in the past and obsessing over one woman who's already married and has a child,' Diamond commented.

'But on the bright side, that's what makes me able to work with him for so long. He is a jerk that has no pity for those who don't fit his interests, my type of work partner.'

Chapter 298

'But on the bright side, that's what makes me able to work with him for so long. He is a jerk that has no pity for those who don't fit his interests, my type of work partner.'

Diamond was initially a very cold woman, 'Or so they say, a cold hearted cold bitch.'

She had no regard for others' well-being and safety as long as it wasn't her family that was harmed. Thus why she was a perfect partner for Vernon.

However, something changed inside her once she met Chloe.

'I always assume the worst of everyone because I don't want to let my guard down. But with Chloe… I cannot assume anything bad about her because she is just a simple, peaceful woman….'

'She has no devious idea in her mind, and her priority is just to earn money and save her daughter from that bastard Vincent Gray….'

Diamond felt at peace and generally happier with Chloe around. Chloe might not realize it, but she was Diamond's precious best friend— even sister at this point.

'Ah, I'd love to have a Big sister. All I have are two stinky brat brothers,' Diamond complained. 'I really should consider bringing Chloe and her daughter to my family, they will be happy with her presence.'

Vernon parked his car and patted Diamond's shoulder, snapping her out of her daze.

"We're here, Diamond. You know what this meeting is about, right?"

"Yes, Sir," Diamond replied professionally. "This should be the casting for that cooking show you've planned with Vincent Gray."

"Yes, and after this, everything should be set in motion. I want my Big brother to be happy with my performance, and will give me a bigger workload with more money. I want him to trust me completely."

"Understood, Sir."

**

Chloe was driving through the city, holding back the tears she accidentally shed when she faced Diamond kept questioning her.

Chloe wanted to return to the apartment to hide. Just imagining Vincent already gave her anxiety and fear.

A fear that Vincent might eventually find her and drag her back to that dreaded mansion, where she was treated like a punching bag for him to insult and laugh at.

She drove past the apartment and decided to continue as she didn't want to be reminded of the Gray family in any way for now.

Chloe continued driving aimlessly until she saw a familiar diner she had visited before marrying Vincent.

It was a cheap dinner, but it was enough for her. Since she didn't have much money in the first place.

Since Chloe had nowhere to go, she parked her car and entered the diner.

She looked around and commented in a low voice, "Huh, this place is… kind of empty…."

Chloe sat on one of the seats and ordered a simple sandwich. She didn't know if she could eat it, but it was cheap, so it wouldn't be a waste if she couldn't eat at least half.

She waited for ten minutes, and the sandwich sliced in half was served on her table.

She stared at her lunch for a while and felt sick immediately.

"Ugh, why do I keep thinking about Vincent? How am I supposed to eat this sandwich if I keep vomiting everything I eat?" Chloe complained to herself.

It took her a while until she picked up half of the sandwich and opened her mouth. She took one bite, but a woman suddenly stormed to her table before she could chew her food.

SLAM!

Chloe spat out her sandwich instantly as she was surprised by the woman who suddenly slammed the table.

She looked up and saw a familiar face she didn't want to see for now— and forever.

"P—Priscilla?" Chloe called her name, unsure if it was because her appearance wasn't like the usual Priscilla, the bitch secretary.

Usually, Priscilla would wear a low-cut shirt and short skirt that barely covered half of her thighs. She wore full makeup whenever Vincent was around and usually had her proud smile.

But now…

She looked like she hadn't taken a bath for at least two days, wearing no makeup, a hoodie that covered her messy hair, and loose jogging pants.

But that wasn't the worst…

"P—Priscilla, how could you find this place? This is a—"

"—Cheap diner? Well duh!" Priscilla rolled her eyes. She sat in front of Chloe even though Chloe hadn't allowed her, classic Priscilla.

Priscilla stared at Chloe, who was nervous by her presence, and she scoffed, "What? Do you want to laugh at me now?"

…

"Laugh all you want. This is just temporary!" Priscilla suddenly became hostile even though Chloe said nothing. But for Priscilla, just looking at Chloe's face was aggravating enough for her.

Because she didn't understand why Vincent kept saying she couldn't replace Chloe.

…

"Heh, I know that you're ridiculing me in your head right now. Well, I'll tell you, Vincent is still mine! He might not want me right now, but that's because he's busy. Wait until he clears everything, including you, and then I can be the new Mrs. Gray."

"You will be his ex-wife soon, you fat bitch!"

…

Chloe said nothing because she was still stunned by Priscilla's haggard appearance. But Priscilla continued running over her mouth, giving so much information to Chloe.

'So apparently, Vincent is not sleeping with Priscilla now? Why? I don't understand him,' Chloe asked herself. 'Usually they're doing it everywhere. They even did it in the backseat of the car, while Vincent forced me to sit in the front and heard this bitch moaning so loudly.'

'Shouldn't he be happy that I am gone? He can fuck Priscilla whenever and wherever without the risk of getting discovered by Mackie….'

Chloe had many questions in her mind, but she stayed silent while Priscilla continued making scenarios in her head, "Why don't you say anything? Were you still scared? Traumatized like a teeny-weeny baby? Uuuu, I remember how you cried like an idiot when Vincent slapped your ugly face, and he does it like this—!"

 

Chapter 299

"Why don't you say anything? Were you still scared? Traumatized like a teeny-weeny baby? Uuu, I remember how you cried like an idiot when Vincent slapped your ugly face, and he does it like this—!"

Priscilla raised her hand and swung it hard towards Chloe's cheek. There was a heightened sensation of ecstasy, thinking she would slap this bitch for being a pest who kept disturbing her relationship with Vincent.

But Chloe caught Priscilla's wrist with one hand and shocked Priscilla immediately. Priscilla slowly shifted her gaze from her wrist towards Chloe's face.

But before she could say a thing…

PA!

"AH!"

Chloe slapped Priscilla's cheek with her other hand. She was ruthless enough not to hold back and made Priscilla's soft cheek red with the shape of Chloe's handprint.

Chloe released Priscilla's wrist immediately, and the bitch fell to the floor as if she had a concussion.

Priscilla's eyes were blurry. She held her cheek that was stinging in pain, "Ugh… uhk…."

It took a while for Priscilla to recover from the concussion. She gritted her teeth once she realized what had just happened. She had never realized that Chloe would be able to fight back, even going as far as slapping her without mercy.

It was so NOT her!

Priscilla glared at Chloe, who sat neatly on the diner chair, looking down at her unblinkingly.

"You!"

"What?"

"You're supposed to take it! You fat bitch!" Priscilla yelled. "How dare you hit me like that? Once I told Vincent about it, you will beg to be saved!"

"Priscilla, I think you should stop playing like a high school bitch against me," Chloe said. Her doe eyes, which usually looked very sweet and harmless, became somewhat unsettling and gave Priscilla an uncomfortable feeling.

But Priscilla thought that Chloe was bluffing just to look intimidating, "H—How dare you call me a high school bitch! I will fucking report this to Vincent, I swear!"

"Go on, report it to him," Chloe said nonchalantly. "Besides, you will tell him that you met me nonetheless."

"You should realize that I am not Vincent's wife anymore. You can have him all you want, if you can," Chloe added. "Don't expect me to let you slap me without retaliation. I am not tied with Vincent anymore, I have no fear against one of Vincent's bitches."

Priscilla was shocked by how scary Chloe was right now. She never knew that Chloe could say something like that to her.

Usually, Chloe would beg her to stop or simply cower in the corner as Vincent watched Priscilla hit Chloe. He would laugh occasionally and usually said that they should do this often.

"D—Don't you know who I am?" Priscilla still tried to maintain her pride to no avail.

"You're too far gone, Priscilla," Chloe sighed. "If you think you have any worth in his eyes, then you're severely mistaken. You're just one of the bitches in his life. Get over yourself, insufferable witch."

Chloe put a fifty-dollar bill on the table and walked past Priscilla, still slumped on the floor.

"W—Wait, I'm not done with you!"

"But I am," Chloe replied. "I am done with you, Priscilla. You and Vincent have nothing to tie me down now."

Chloe left the diner without looking back. She entered her car and drove away immediately.

…

…

Priscilla was still sitting on the floor in silence. She was just too stunned to react right now.

,m The waitresses who had been watching the whole time were too scared to approach Priscilla because they saw how she attacked that poor woman.

They were thinking about calling the police, but that thin woman was surprisingly able to defend herself, even slapping that woman back until she fell on the floor.

They started to whisper at each other, and Priscilla caught them.

"What are you looking at?" Priscilla confronted, and the waitresses shut their mouths and looked away, acting as if nothing had happened just now.

Priscilla gritted her teeth and got up from the ground. She dusted her butt and walked out of the diner.

She stomped her feet as she returned to her apartment not far from there. It had been a month since she rented a cheaper apartment because Vincent only paid her the base salary, no bonuses, which she usually got after having sex with him.

Usually, through sex, she could earn at least five times her base salary each month, added to many lavish gifts that Vincent usually had for her.

But after Chloe left, he suddenly refused to have sex, no matter how hard Priscilla tried to seduce him.

It had been months, and Vincent finally told her not to come to the mansion anymore because she wasn't needed there.

Priscilla unlocked and kicked the apartment door open.

She took off her hoodie and threw it in a random direction.

Priscilla took a bath and came out looking fresh but still without a smile.

She still looked pissed off, as if she wanted to chew someone.

Priscilla sat in front of the vanity table and prepared all of the makeup items she would use. She wanted to look stunning in front of her special someone, the man that she loved so much.

"That fat whale! How dare she slap and humiliate me in public!" Priscilla said as she was putting on her foundie. "Just because Vincent is not into me right now, doesn't mean I can't seduce him!"

Priscilla drew her brows while cursing the life out of Chloe, "I will get what I want. I will be Mrs. Gray, and you'll cry when you see me with a diamond wedding ring from Vincent! You fat fucking whale! AHHHHHHH!!"

Priscilla looked unhinged right now. Even the thick makeup that she applied didn't cover the redness from her uncontrollable anger.

She applied the classic red lipstick as the last touch and kissed the air while winking at the mirror.

She had a malicious smirk on her face as she was satisfied with her makeup, "See? I am still the prettiest woman Vincent ever has."

Chapter 300

She smiled maliciously as she was satisfied with her makeup, "See? I am still the prettiest woman Vincent ever has."

Priscilla walked naked around her bedroom and opened the wardrobe. She picked her favorite black dress that was barely covering her butt. The tight dress accentuated her hips and pressed her boobs as if they would burst out soon.

Priscilla wore her high heel and sprayed her sweet perfume that would incite a man's desire. She fixed her hair a little, and after she was done with her preparation, she walked around the bedroom while posing in front of a tall mirror.

She was awed by her beauty and thus commented, "There is no way Vincent wouldn't be tempted by this. This is the dress he bought on my birthday. He said I should save it for a special occasion."

"Well, there is no special occasion. But I will use it anyway, I will make sure he will not be able to resist me!" Priscilla claimed.

She checked the time, just to ensure she would come at the right moment, and seduced Mr. Vincent Gray, the Billionaire CEO and the Master of the Gray family.

"Hmm…" Priscilla smirked. "Should be the right time to come to his mansion. He always returned to that mansion after work ever since that fat whale left him."

Priscilla didn't know what had changed in her beloved lover. She thought Chloe was just an insignificant bug that stopped them from marrying.

Thus, Priscilla was so happy when Chloe finally left, as she had no competition to be the new Mrs. Priscilla Gray.

But it didn't seem to be the case.

Vincent suddenly changed without reason and became so… strict.

"Hmph, who cares whether he has changed or not. Maybe he's just dealing with stress. After all, he has so much work to do."

Priscilla grabbed her handbag and left her shabby apartment. She called a cab.

'And I will be one who helps him de-stressing,' Priscilla thought as she entered the cab and headed straight to Vincent Gray's mansion.

**

Chloe was clutching the steering wheel as she left the diner and drove to Mackie's school.

She felt giddy and nervous simultaneously because she had just punched Vincent's current bitch without mercy.

"Holy crap, I was so cool!" Chloe celebrated and praised herself for having some guts.

Though, she knew that courage came because of Vincent. She was so pissed off and angry about anything relating to Vincent, so she would automatically retaliate when there was someone who looked similar or was related to him in some way.

So what she did to Priscilla was… a part of her anger towards her bastard ex-husband.

She was happy, but…

"Priscilla will definitely report this to Vincent. I don't know what Vincent would do to me…." Chloe wondered.

She shuddered out of fear. No matter how much she hated Vincent, she couldn't simply erase the impact of ten years of abuse in a few months.

She still feared him and wanted to retaliate as much as possible, even though she knew how powerful he was.

"Will he… hunt me down?" Chloe wondered. "H—He won't search me and then beat the shit out of me, right?"

Chloe started questioning whether she did the right thing standing up for herself or if she should just let Priscilla slap her…

She parked her car in front of Mackie's school gate and waited for her daughter to leave the school. The idea of Vincent beating the shit out of her was still lingering in her head, like a nightmare she couldn't dispel.

But she snapped out of her daze when the bell rang. Chloe saw Mackie waving her little hand at her and running toward her Mommy.

"MOMMYYY!"

Chloe smiled as her heart felt warm and waved back at Mackie.

'Ah, I don't know what will happen in the future. But I want to be strong, just like my daughter. So I should not regret anything that I've done.'

'Everything happens because Vincent can't straighten himself for seven years.'

"Mommy!"

"Princess!" Chloe crouched and hugged her daughter. "How's school? And how about you practice for the drama?"

"Everything went well, Mommy! But Mr. Rush told me to practice my growling, so I will look scarier as a big bad wolf!" Mackie reported. "I will ask Uncle to practice with me on the weekend!"

'Uh-oh— I don't think that's a good idea…' Chloe thought, though she didn't have the heart to tell Mackie.

After all, Mackie had no idea that her Mommy and Uncle had a fight because her Uncle was a sexist pig, just like her Daddy.

"Mommy?" Mackie noticed that her Mommy looked nervous. "Can I practice with Uncle?"

Mackie remembered that she couldn't have breakfast and dinner with Uncle Vernon for a while. She didn't understand why, but Mommy forbade her to go up for some reason.

"A—Ah, yes, I—I will talk to your Uncle later. Let's just go home now, okay?"

"Okay!"

**

Vincent went home early after he finished a meeting. He was satisfied with the new arrangement that he had made.

'Now, every businessmen working close with my family will be suspicious of each other. They will start hunting for the one who hides Chloe and Mackie,' Vincent thought.

'And to save their asses, they wouldn't hesitate to report to me if they found their former colleagues had been doing something shady behind my back, like what Gregory Maxwell did.'

'They will start competing for my favor, and that is exactly what I want, hahaha….'

Vincent had always been able to control those crooked bootlickers with ease. After all, he was the one who made them depend on his company so much, to the point that all of their companies would crumble once Vincent broke the contracts between them.

But he just didn't have the urge to do so as he thought it was unnecessary.

"Well, not anymore. One of them is brave enough to hide my wife and daughter. He is challenging my authority, so everyone will have to suffer until that guy's identity is revealed."