Chapter 118
Chapter 118
Briana was hitting and kicking Shepard.
Shepard just held her, letting her vent, taking it all in stride.
Briana didn’t dare get too rough. After all, she was pregnant.
She didn’t want to risk hurting the baby.
Briana struggled several times, but Shepard didn’t loosen his grip one bit.
Since fighting back wasn’t working, Briana had to switch tactics and try a softer approach.
She pleaded, “Can we please just get the divorce done first? We can figure out everything else later.”
“What is there to talk about?” Shepard replied.
Briana couldn’t answer.
All she wanted was to get Shepard to agree to the divorce first.
2377
Her eyes flickered as she tried to think fast. “Like, we could keep it a secret from both the Carter family and the Lane family.
go
“Or you
could another period.”
ahead and marry Vivian. The period of divorce proceedings is just torture. If we miss it, we’d have to wait
Shepard jumped in, “Or you could marry Henry.”
“No,” Briana waved her hands quickly. “I promise, I’m not marrying Henry. Seriously, you have nothing to worry about.”
Shepard’s expression said it all: You really think I’m falling for that?
Briana insisted earnestly. “Really, I mean it. I… I swear.”
But Shepard still wasn’t convinced.
“I’m swearing on my mom and dad,” Briana said, stressing every word, “after we split, I swear I’ll never marry Henry. Not ever.”
That was one hell of a promise.
To Briana, her parents meant everything. She loved and respected them more than anyone.
So Shepard believed her.
He wondered, ‘But…Why is she so dead set on not marrying Henry?
Why is she so focused on divorcing him?
‘Is it that she just doesn’t love me at all?‘
Thinking about that just made him feel even worse.
Briana looked him in the eye. “Is that promise enough for you? You know if I’m swearing on my parents, it means I really
mean it.”
After a long pause, Shepard said, “Whether you get married again or not, that’s your business. But I’m not getting a divorce.”
Chapter 118
Briana deflated.
She tried everything, sweet talk, tough talk, nothing worked. Shepard just wouldn’t let the divorce go through.
Still not ready to give up, Briana clung to her last shred of hope. She pushed her documents toward the clerk at the window. “I’m here to finalize my divorce.”
The clerk said firmly, “Sorry, but your husband doesn’t want to go through with it, so I can’t process the divorce
“But I do!” Briana protested.
“Both husband and wife have to agree to the divorce,” the clerk explained firmly.
Just like that, Briana’s last shred of hope vanished.
She let out a long, heavy sigh, staring up at the ceiling.
She’d done everything she could, but this was all she got in the end.
Briana muttered, half to herself, half asking him, “Why? Shepard, why is it always you pulling the strings between us? Why do you always get to decide everything?
“I never get a say. I can’t change a thing… I’m always just dragged along wherever you want to go.”
Shepard reminded her. “Didn’t you get to call the shots once? You were the one who decided we should get married.”
“I regret it,” Briana said quietly.
“Regret won’t help now,” Shepard replied.
Shepard bent down, picked up the bouquet from the floor, and pushed it back into her arms.
“These were prepared just for you,” he said. “Do you like them?”
Briana’s face was blank, showing no emotion at all.
“Alright,” Shepard reached for her other hand, his voice gentle. “Let’s go home.”
He walked a few steps ahead, but Briana just stood her ground, refusing to follow.
Shepard turned back, his gaze soft. “Come on, be good. Listen to me.”
Briana bit her lower lip hard, her teeth leaving a deep imprint.
After a few tense seconds, Shepard turned back, walked right up to Briana, handed the bouquet off to a bodyguard, and then he scooped her up into his arms, carrying her like a bride.
Reporters outside the glass doors let out a collective gasp.
With all eyes on them, Shepard carried Briana out of the courthouse, bodyguards leading the way and clearing a path for their dramatic exit.
The reporters snapped photos like crazy.
The livestream numbers exploded. Viewers were pouring in by the second.
By the curb, Ben, sharp as ever, had already popped open the back door.
Just before getting in, Shepard hesitated for a second.
11:14 Thu, Jan 1 M.
Chapter 118
He looked out at the crowd of reporters.
Shepard said, “Sorry for making your jobs a little harder today. My wife is just in a bit of a mood, and I’m doing my best to cheer her up.
“Honestly, I’m pretty clueless when it comes to this stuff, so I’ve been trying everything, but nothing seems to work.
“If anyone’s got any good ideas, hit me up. My social media comments and comments sections are wide open. Feel free to drop your advice. I’m all ears, thanks in advance!
“And just to set the record straight. My wife and I are solid. There’s no divorce happening, so all those wild rumors online can stop now.”
With that, Shepard ducked into the car.
“Take it slow, Mr. Carter, Mrs. Carter,” Ben reminded them.
Ben held his hand above the car door, making sure Briana didn’t bump her head as Shepard carried her inside.
Shepard gently set Briana down on the seat, making sure she was safe and comfortable.
As soon as the door shut, all the noise from outside was cut off.
Briana turned her head, studying Shepard’s profile.
Outside the window, reporters were practically pressing their cameras against the glass, desperate to get a clear shot of what was happening inside.
As if that would ever work.
The windows were tinted, so no one could see a thing from the outside.
The car rolled out slowly.
Shepard’s grin widened, looking more pleased than ever.
He said, “Briana, you didn’t get your way. Whether you tried to make me divorce you or mess up my reputation, you came up short.”
Shepard went all out, putting on a full display of husbandly devotion.
He played the loving husband to the hilt,indulging Briana’s every tantrum, showing up at the courthouse with ninety–nine roses to chase her down, and personally scooping her up into his arms to take her to the car.
And Briana?
She ended up looking like the ungrateful one, totally oblivious, acting spoiled, and always tossing around the word “divorce” like it was no big deal.
She’d wanted to make sure everyone in Belaris knew she was the one calling for the divorce, not the one getting dumped.
It was Shepard who got dumped, not her.
She wasn’t the one biting her tongue and putting up with crap just to keep the marriage going.
But now, it looked like Briana was just making a scene, and Shepard was the one running after her, trying to calm her down.
Just like that, Shepard flipped Briana’s whole scheme on its head.
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Chapter 118
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The narrative online did a complete 180 in seconds.
[Is Mr. Carter carrying Mrs. Carter out of the courthouse? That was seriously badass.]
[This isn’t a divorce scene at all. It’s a total PDA fest.]
[There’s so much couple energy here, we’re stuffed with all this PDA, even through the screen. Burp!]
[Obviously, Vivian was flirting with Mr. Carter. That’s what caused all the drama between him and Mrs. Carter.]
[I’m gonna go back and check out those pics of Mr. Carter and Vivian… Maybe I’ll dig up some real tea.]
Netizens were a force to be reckoned with.
It didn’t take long before the all–knowing netizens dug up those supposedly intimate photos of Shepard and Vivian…
Turns out, it was just a misleading camera angle!
They weren’t actually kissing!
Shepard’s image got a major upgrade. Everyone started seeing him in a much better light.
Vivian was instantly labeled a bitch, scheming, and fake to the core.
AD
