The Perfect Wife's Perfect Revenge

The next morning, Victoria returned to the McNeil estate with a small team to pack her belongings.

Haley was also up early, having already finished her chores. She handed her remaining duties over to Xenia, the other housekeeper, and quietly followed Victoria out the door.

Watching her employer move out, Xenia sensed trouble. She wanted to call Mr. McNeil and let him know, but hesitated—she didn't want to be seen as meddling.noveldrama

After a moment's thought, she reasoned that if Mrs. McNeil was really leaving, surely Mr. McNeil already knew. Otherwise, he'd be back by now, trying to stop her.

What a shame about those two-they'd always seemed like the perfect couple. And with a five-year-old child, too. Young people these days, she thought with a sigh. One minute they're together, the next it's all over, just like that.

**The Velvet Fork**

Victoria sat across from Johnny, who regarded her with a mixture of confusion and disbelief.

"Mrs. Langford, are you sure you want to redraft the divorce agreement?"

In all his years as a lawyer, this was the first time Johnny had seen a woman filing for divorce over her husband's affair who willingly gave up all claim to his assets.

Women like this, he thought, were either so capable they didn't care about a few scraps of money or they were hopelessly naïve.

"I'm sure," she replied.

Victoria set her coffee down gently and spoke with calm finality.

She'd already burned the contract granting her fifty percent of her father-in-law's company dividends. There was no point fighting over assets that meant nothing to her.

The Turner family's wealth had once eclipsed even the Langfords'. What mattered now was reclaiming her grandfather's and mother's legacy from Simms. That was what truly belonged to the Turners.

As for McNeil's share he didn't love her, and she could see that the thirty percent stake in his company and those generous annual allowances were things he resented giving. So why not make a clean break? Let him keep it all.

Johnny shook his head in wonder. "Honestly, Mrs. Langford, you're a rare exception. In most divorces, as long as the husband has any assets, the wife fights for every last penny. But you..."

His job was to fight for his client's best interests. He'd never met someone who came to a lawyer only to say she wanted nothing.

"Truthfully, Mrs. Langford, you might not even need me. If you're walking away with nothing, your husband won't stand in your way."

Victoria smiled faintly, stirring her coffee with a silver spoon. The brew was as dark and bitter as medicine, but she seemed to savor it.

"Better safe than sorry," she said quietly.

Just then, the sound of a child's laughter drifted up from downstairs. It sounded familiar.

"Violet, you have to try it! Dad says this place has the best roast chicken in town. Last time, I even asked Mom to bring some back from Evermore when she visited, but I don't think it was as good as this. But you can't let Mom know you tried it, or she'll be upset."

It was Gwyneth's voice.

"Thank you, Gwyn, but you should save what your mom brought for yourself. If I want some, I'm sure your dad will order it for me, right?" Violet said, glancing at McNeil with a gentle look.

For someone recovering from stomach surgery, Violet looked remarkably well— her complexion was bright, her skin radiant, and she wore a contented smile.

Gwyneth turned to McNeil. "Dad?"

He stroked her hair with a fond smile. "Violet's still recovering and can't eat just anything. But whatever you want, I'll order for you. We're just here today to get some fresh air and keep Violet company while you enjoy your meal."

Just then, a group passed by their table. One of the young men stopped short, staring at Violet. He stared so long that McNeil noticed, frowning slightly. "Is there something I can help you with?"

The young man looked flustered but determined. "Excuse me, are you Miss Violet?"

His voice was loud enough that his friends all turned to look.

Could it really be her? Violet? The same Violet who was a legend at Stanford for her research, and one of the few female drivers on the Formula One circuit? Rumor had it she'd received offers from prestigious European car manufacturers while still a student abroad, not to mention being a rare female mechanical engineer with her own professional team.

Violet had been a rising star in the racing world until about a year ago, when she seemed to vanish without a trace. Some whispered she'd fallen seriously ill.