The Perfect Wife's Perfect Revenge

Tears streamed down Victoria's face.

"Why, McNeil?" Her voice trembled as she spoke, barely more than a whisper.

Why did he keep drawing her in if he never cared for her? If she meant nothing to him, why couldn't he just let her go?

"Victoria, just be good," McNeil murmured, wrapping his arms around her from behind and holding her tightly against his chest.

The warmth of his body seeped through the thin fabric of her blouse, burning straight into her heart.

Was this how he comforted Violet, too? The thought stabbed at Victoria. She lowered her gaze, only to realize a cool touch against the smooth skin of her neck.

McNeil's large hand gently guided her own to something cold resting at her throat.noveldrama

She looked down and found a delicate necklace, strung with pale stones, a matching pendant hanging in the center.

Her heart skipped a beat as she stared at it.

This was-

She turned to look at McNeil and met his dark, unfathomable gaze.

"It belonged to your mother," he said softly, his lips close to her ear. "I had someone track down the pendant at an auction. It's the matching piece to the necklace."

He nuzzled her gently, his words barely above a whisper. "Do you like it?"

Victoria felt dizzy with confusion. So, when he'd asked about the necklace, it was so he could reunite it with the pendant?

McNeil intertwined his fingers with hers, resting his chin lightly on her shoulder as he spoke in a low voice.

"Victoria, I've never given your mother's things to Violet."

Just one sentence, and the frost that had settled over Victoria's heart began to thaw.

He saw the uncertainty flicker across her beautiful face and pulled her even closer.

His breath was warm against her ear, his deep voice as soft as a feather, brushing across her soul.

"You and Violet-" she started, her voice faltering.

She only believed what she'd seen with her own eyes: his betrayal, his devotion

to another woman, all those times he'd abandoned her for Violet. None of that was a lie.

"She saved my life, Victoria," he said, touching her cheek with infinite care, as though she were the most precious thing in the world. "I could never ignore what she did for me."

He hesitated, then continued, "I admit there was something between us a long time ago. But you're my wife now, Victoria. I can't live without you. We have Gwyn."

His voice grew more passionate with every word. Held tight in his arms, Victoria felt her body growing warmer, too.

McNeil pressed his lips to the curve of her ear. "Nothing ever happened between Violet and me."

Victoria froze, her whole body going rigid.

Before she could process what he'd said, McNeil had already swept her into his embrace, loving her with a fierce, possessive tenderness-

Starfall City

Violet lay sprawled on her bed, phone pressed to her ear. On the other end, the same automated message repeated endlessly: "We're sorry, the number you have dialed is unavailable. Please try again later."

Three days. For three whole days, she'd heard nothing from McNeil. Except for that single brief call with Gwyneth-when McNeil had said he'd found Victoria- his phone had been out of reach ever since.

So McNeil had found Victoria. Were they together now? What were they doing? Had they already slept together?

Violet clenched the edge of the mattress so hard her nails nearly tore the fabric.

He'd been ignoring Victoria for weeks, even brought Gwyneth out here with him. Now this.

Victoria. It was always her.

If it hadn't been for that woman six years ago, Violet would have been Mrs. Langford by now.

And now, after all these years, Victoria was back, haunting her life, trying to take McNeil away again?

Violet's eyes fell on the drawing propped on her nightstand—a picture Gwyneth had made. The little girl was the spitting image of Victoria, every delicate feature a perfect copy.

With a surge of anger, Violet snatched up the frame and tossed it into the trash.

She couldn't let McNeil and Victoria get back together-not after everything.

Her fingers flew across her phone's screen as she typed out a message: "McNeil, come home. Something's happened to Gwyn."