Chapter 4
Valerie stared coldly at the message on her phone from Margaret.
She hadn’t blocked Margaret’s number yet. Valerie had a plan—once she left Houston, she would send all these messages to Terrence. She wanted him to see for himself how disgusting Margaret truly was. She wasn’t the innocent, pure woman Terrence believed her to be.
Taking a deep breath, Valerie glanced around the villa.
This villa belonged to Terrence, and it felt more like a temporary space. Valerie didn’t have much here, so she wasn’t in any rush to pack.
She had another villa, a place she could call her own.
In the past, she had believed that her intense love for Terrence would lead her to settle in Houston. She had thought this was where her life would be, so she had bought things carelessly, assuming it would be her forever home.
Now, those things could be sold off. What she didn’t want to leave behind were the antiques in the villa, items that held sentimental value, but even they couldn’t hold her to this place anymore.
However, before heading home, she had to make a stop at the hospital. A few days ago, she’d been feeling off—stomach issues, nausea, and vomiting every time she ate. She had delayed the checkup, all because she’d wanted to get the marriage license with Terrence.
Soon, Valerie arrived at the hospital, her car pulling into the parking lot. Before she even got out of the car, she saw a crowd gathering at the hospital entrance. The buzz of voices grew louder.
“They’re coming out! They’re coming out! Mr. Crawford and his girlfriend are coming out!”
Valerie’s gaze sharpened, and then she saw them—Terrence, walking protectively beside Margaret as they emerged from the crowd.
The last time, it had only been a photo. This time, Valerie was seeing it with her own eyes.
She could clearly see the way Terrence’s sharp eyes were filled with tension and anger. He was on high alert, almost as if he were trying to ward off anyone daring to get close.
“Get lost!” Terrence’s voice cut through the air, filled with hostility.
The crowd, stunned by his anger, fell into an uneasy silence, the tension thick in the air.
Then, someone finally summoned the courage to speak up. “Mr. Crawford, who is this lady to you?”
There had been speculation for a while that Margaret was Terrence’s girlfriend, but nothing had ever been confirmed. The crowd turned their eyes toward Terrence, waiting for an answer, including Valerie, who watched from the car.
But Terrence didn’t answer. Instead, his cold fury erupted—he suddenly reached out and grabbed the journalist by the neck, tightening his grip as if to silence him once and for all.
