Chapter 99 Goli's Wife

Chapter 99 Goli's Wife

Violet's POV

I yanked my hand back and turned. Bethany was walking toward us, her arm linked with a woman in a tailored couture suit. I didn't know her, but one look at her eyes told me she wasn't the kind you could meet halfway.

"Bethany, cut it out." Goli's voice went flat, his jaw tightening.

Bethany gave a sharp little laugh, leaning into her spite. "Don't say I didn't warn you. Violet's got layers of deceit under that sweet face. One day you'll wake up and find Goli gone."

"Bethany—" Goli started, but the other woman broke in with a low, mocking sound.

"No wonder you've been finding excuses to stay in Veridian. You've got quite the game. If Bethany hadn't told me… What, planning to pick up another wife?"

"Aurora, don't listen to Bethany's garbage."

"Garbage? I just saw it myself. Since when do you go out of your way to help someone? Tell me—what's so special about her?"

"Watch your mouth!" Emma stepped forward, her voice sharp enough to cut. "Violet's husband is Clifford. Your husband isn't worth a second glance from her. Try not to flatter yourself."

"Clifford?" Aurora's laugh was short and scornful. She turned to me, her gaze dripping with pure contempt. "Oh… so you're Clifford's woman."

"Clifford, the bastard born in the slums with tainted blood… Bethany, you should be grateful you didn't marry him. That kind of background fits only women with equally questionable origins—"

My fist moved before she finished speaking.

Aurora stumbled back, hitting the wall with a heavy thud.

"You're insane! You hit me?!" She clutched the side of her head, eyes blazing.

I grabbed her collar and slapped her hard.

The air went still for a beat.

She hadn't even processed it when the second slap connected, harder than the first.

This time she was stunned. I doubted anyone had ever laid a hand on her like that.

I smiled coldly, raising my hand for a third. She shrieked, "Goli!"

Her eyes squeezed shut.

"The first slap is to teach you respect."

"The second is for your parents, since they clearly failed to train that filthy mouth of yours."

"And the third—"

"Violet, if you dare hit me again, I swear—"

I didn't let her finish. My palm cracked across her cheek.

"The third is a warning. If you ever insult my husband again, you'll wish this was the worst I could do. I'm not afraid of you or anyone else. Try me."

Three fast, brutal strikes left her cheek swelling high, a smear of blood at her lip.

I shoved her away like something foul I'd touched by mistake.

Emma was there with a tissue. "Wipe your hands. Disgusting."

I took it, laughing, wiping my skin clean while my eyes stayed locked on Aurora—then slid to Bethany, frozen beside her. "I thought you'd brought backup. Turns out she's as stupid as you."

"You hit me?!" Aurora's shock broke into a shrill scream. She lunged, but Goli stepped in, grabbing her around the waist.

"Aurora, calm down. Stop it."

"Stop it? She hit me! What were you doing, just watching?"

"Enough, Aurora!" Goli's voice was a growl, his hand clamping around her wrist. "You've embarrassed yourself enough. Go home."

"You dare yell at me?! You're yelling at me for her?"

The crowd was swelling.

I looked at Goli, my voice cold. "Mr. Francis, handle your own mess. We're leaving."

I took Emma's hand and turned, but Aurora tore free and blocked my path. "You're not going anywhere—"

Before it could get uglier, someone must have called the cops. Two officers walked up.

Goli, unwilling to expose his identity, let them take all of us to the station.

Not long after, Clifford arrived. "Where is she?!"

His voice was low but edged with raw violence.

I looked up. He filled the doorway—tall, broad-shouldered, black coat billowing with his stride, his face dark as a brewing storm.

Several officers trailed behind him, tense, ready to block him but clearly afraid to lay a hand on him.

He didn't see me on the bench. His eyes swept the closed interrogation rooms, fists clenched so tight the veins stood out.

The next second, his fist slammed into a metal file cabinet. The sound was a deep, brutal boom. The whole thing rattled.

"My wife. Bring her out. Now. Or I tear this place apart."

He didn't raise his voice, but the weight in it was enough to crush the air. His gaze cut over the officers like a blade.

"Dear, I'm here!"

His head snapped toward me.

In three strides he was standing over me, his hands gripping my shoulders, scanning me. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine." I wrapped my fingers around his—cold, trembling.

Some of the tension drained from him. He pulled me into his arms, crushing me against him until I couldn't breathe.

"We're leaving."

He released me just enough to keep hold of my hand and started for the door.

"Stop!"

Aurora's voice rang out.

She strode up, eyes locked on Clifford. "You think you're just walking out? Look at what your wife did to me! She's going to get on her knees and apologize, or I'll make sure you regret it..."