After hanging up, annoyance surfaced on Niamh’s features.
She was about to get up when Kendrick’s hand around her waist pulled her back.
Niamh snapped her head back to find the man burying his head in the crevice of her neck as he greedily took in her scent.
“Are you awake, Kendrick?”
“I heard and I saw,” Kendrick spoke calmly as he slowly opened his eyes, “Let me deal with it.”
Niamh turned around to hug him and apologized. “It’s my fault for being impulsive. I shouldn’t have agreed to marry Ryan at all in the first place.”
“It’s not your fault.” Kendrick was well aware that both the wedding back then and the trending headline today were the results of someone else’s schemes.
That person’s goal was still the same—for Kendrick to disappear.
It was because Kendrick knew a dirty secret.
Pushing Kendrick out to stand under heavy scrutiny was a part of the plan.
The first thing Niamh did when she got up was to have someone try to kick the headline about them off the trendings list as she prepared the documents she needed to announce that her and Ryan’s marriage had been one in name only.
As she was making preparations, she suddenly received a call from the lab.
“Are you free to come over, Miss Montgomery?” the chemist asked politely. “We’ve already run a test on the blood sample and there are some details that I need to tell you.”
Niamh glanced at Kendrick who was looking at his phone.
She turned her head and responded softly, “Of course. I’ll be there shortly.”
As he was focused on his phone, Kendrick did not realize Niamh was talking on the phone.
He had finished reading the so-called breaking news, which was about Niamh reuniting with her ex- husband with a bad temper who got physical with Ryan Jones.
The people online were calling him blind.
These people were not only scolding him like no tomorrow, but their heinous words had extended to Niamh as well.
Niamh was about to look for an excuse to go to the lab by herself when Kendrick suddenly appeared in front of her.
“Stay home and take care of Pudding, Nia. I’ll go and deal with this.”
While Niamh was indeed looking for a good reason to leave the house, she did not want him to deal with such a tricky matter himself either.
“How do you plan to deal with it?” she asked.
“I promised I wouldn’t go overboard, right? Just wait for me at home, okay? It’ll be alright.”
The man gently caressed the back of her head before turning to walk out the door coolly.
“Kendrick,” Niamh called out after him.
The man turned around and gave an assuring smile in response to the worry in her eyes. “Don’t worry, just wait for me at home.”
Niamh nodded. After watching him drive away, she headed to the lab.
On the way to Waldburg Corporation, Kendrick made two phone calls, the second one to Ryan.
He answered the phone calmly within the first few rings. “How do you still have the time to call me now? You must’ve seen the things online, haven’t you? What are you going to do about it?”
Kendrick replied nonchalantly, “Is this you admitting to being the person behind all of this, then?”
Ryan did not reply and only chuckled subtly. “There has always been two things that hinder men ever since the beginning of time, Kendrick Waldburg. One of them, women, and the other one, authority and fame.
“You chose the former and that has become your Achilles heel.” Ryan paused. “I could give you the chance to spend your last moments with the woman you love, Kendrick, if only you didn’t know so much.”
Ryan hung up the phone as if he had already won Kendrick.
Kendrick removed the Bluetooth earphone and stared heavily at the road before him. His dark eyes sparkled with an intelligent flare.
Driving toward Waldburg Corporation, he was met with a large group of people made up of reporters, journalists, and passersby looking for gossip before he even reached the entrance.
Someone suddenly shouted, “Kendrick Waldburg is here!”
Everyone’s gaze fell on the car Kendrick was driving over and they crashed toward him like a wave.
Kendrick’s car was immediately surrounded.
All sorts of doubts, questions, and even words that held personal attacks began to sound in the air.
“Shouldn’t you respond to what’s trending online, Mr. Waldburg?”
“Have you gotten back together with your old flame, Eveline Montgomery?”
“Do you admit to breaking someone else’s marriage apart?”
Sitting in front of his computer screen, Ryan’s lips curled into an intrigued smile as he watched the live stream from Waldburg Corporation’s main entrance.
The reporters’ questions only sounded worse as they went on.
“You and Eveline were caught buying a new house together some time ago. Does that mean you’ve been having an affair since then?”
“Eveline Montgomery is the Jones family’s daughter-in-law, yet she’s secretly having an affair with you. You’ve destroyed Mr. Jones’ marriage while Eveline Montgomery was caught cheating. Do you two not fear the consequences of being so open in public?”
At that, the car door opened with a click.
Kendrick’s tall figure took a step toward the crowd, overwhelming them with his domineering aura. The group of people fell into pin-drop silence.
A male reporter who Ryan had bribed turned the camera to Kendrick’s face as he began to question. “How could you do such a thing despite being one of Glendale’s prominent persons, Kendrick Waldburg? Do you think you’re still worthy of the title as Glendale’s number one young master?
“Not to mention Eveline Montgomery. The two of you have already divorced, yet she’s still having an affair with you. She cheated despite her status as someone’s wife while you seduced someone who is already married. The two of you had it coming for being condemned by the internet!” The male reporter spoke as if he was being impartial when his words were meant to mislead and accuse.
Most of the crowd supported this man.
Kendrick’s cold gaze was sharp as his words punctured the air. “I don’t care what you want to say about me, but you leave my wife out of this.”
“Chupse…”
The crowd sucked in a sharp breath of air at Kendrick’s response while that male reporter merely scoffed. “Your wife? That’s Ryan Jones’ wife!”
Having had enough, Kendrick grabbed the man by his collar. “She’s my wife and will only ever be my wife!” he emphasized frostily as his eagle-sharp eyes stared into the man who was shivering.
The man trembled and immediately urged the passersby. “Quick, look! Kendrick Waldburg is hitting people! He can’t explain the vile things he has done with Eveline Montgomery, so he’s trying to kill me now!”
The people by the side were easily influenced and started blowing Kendrick’s actions out of proportion.
Sitting by the computer, Ryan watched the scene before with satisfaction.
Thinking that Kendrick’s reputation would take a huge plummet, he was about to turn his computer off when Niamh suddenly made her way through the crowd toward Kendrick.
At the same time, the internet suddenly erupted with a piece of news that threw all of Ryan’s hard work out the window!
Kendrick was shocked as well to see Niamh appear in front of him. “Why are you here, Nia?”
Niamh walked up to Kendrick and smiled. “You said it yourself, didn’t you? That I’m your wife. Then as husband and wife, by your side is where I should’ve stood in the first place.”
She took his hand and averted her sharp gaze to the male reporter as she spoke clearly, “Listen properly. My husband’s name is Kendrick Waldburg, not Ryan Jones!”
“…” Faced with Niamh’s aura, the man was lost for words.
It took a few seconds before he finally reacted and mocked. “You’re still Mr. Jones’ legal wife, Eveline Montgomery, yet here you are standing by Kendrick Waldburg’s side and calling him your husband. What do you take Mr. Jones for?”
The man’s gaze was filled with disdain, and his tone was mocking.
“You’re still the lady of one of Glendale’s richest families. Do you not feel shameful for cheating and saying these things? Or do you think this is something to be proud of?”
It was evident that the man was picking on her, but Niamh remained unfazed. “You’re right, I am proud of it. How can I not be when I have such a perfect man who loves me so much?”
“Chupse…”
The passersby began to point fingers when they heard Niamh’s reply. “Are you really not embarrassed by your actions?”
“Exactly. You have no shame at all!”
“You being the Montgomeries’ daughter is a waste. Did your dead parents never teach you the concept of shame and respect—”
“Shut up!” Kendrick roared, and the people who were still attacking Niamh fell silent as a shiver ran through them.
Kendrick’s overwhelming gaze fell on the taunting male reporter.
Meeting that frosty gaze, the reporter gulped frantically.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.