Chapter 14

Daphne struggled to understand the mindset of these spoiled, rich heirs. Their collective pride seemed unbearably insulted by the idea of someone like her marrying Wilson, the golden boy of their social circle.

The thought disgusted her. She wanted to leave, but reminded herself of her purpose and forced herself to endure the situation. "Stay calm. Just think of them as maggots feeding on garbage," she muttered inwardly.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the door. All eyes turned to her, but Daphne focused solely on Wilson.

He sat at the center, dressed entirely in black, like a king surrounded by his court. His striking features commanded attention, making everyone else fade into the background.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Wilson's eyes flickered with annoyance before hardening.

Daphne walked toward him purposefully. "I'm here to see you, of course."

The group of heirs who had earlier mocked her burst into laughter.

"Will, why even ask? Of course, she's here for you. She's still hung up on you, I bet," Ezra Gray sneered contemptuously.

Daphne recognized Ezra. He came from a wealthy hotel family, so rich he burned money on film investments for fun. Countless aspiring starlets sought his favor, using any means to gain his attention. This fueled his deep disdain for actresses, whom he called "cheap performers." Like Noah, he had always belittled Daphne, considering her unworthy of Wilson.

During her marriage to Wilson, she had endured his insults, fearing that complaining would embarrass him. She never mentioned them.

Now, her standing in his eyes had fallen so low that Ezra felt free to insult her openly. Wilson's friends joined in unrestrainedly.

"Come on, Will, give her some attention. She's clearly here out of love. How devoted!"

"Yeah, I think she's about to break into pieces."

Ignoring them, Daphne focused on Wilson. "Why did you spread rumors that I cheated during our marriage? Fine, you like Yvonne, but why slander me? Your affair was exposed, and now you want to drag me down with you?"

Wilson reacted indifferently. He raised an eyebrow, elegantly picked up a glass of wine, and said nonchalantly, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Daphne's anger flared. She showed him an article on her phone. "Don't pretend. Didn't you hire someone to write this?"

Wilson glanced at the screen, his brows furrowing briefly before resuming a look of detached confusion. He swirled his wine with a dismissive smirk. "Do you really think I need to spread lies to ruin you? If I wanted to destroy your reputation, I wouldn't bother with fabricated stories."

Realization dawned on Daphne. Wilson was ruthless, but he wouldn't use a story accusing himself of infidelity; it would backfire.

"Yvonne. It was you!" Daphne's sharp gaze shifted to Yvonne.

Yvonne flinched, but quickly regained her composure. "Daphne, you can't just accuse me like that. I don't have time to spread rumors about you. Everyone saw your relationship with Mr. Turner, even Mr. Farrell. How do you know it wasn't just the paparazzi?"

"Bullshit!" Daphne splashed the contents of her wine glass onto Yvonne's face.

Yvonne's makeup smeared. Some wine even splashed onto Wilson.

"Daphne Yeager, what the hell is wrong with you?" Wilson snapped, protectively pulling the shrieking Yvonne into his arms.

His glare was sharp and menacing. But Daphne wouldn't back down. Yvonne deserved it.

Daphne stood firm, meeting Wilson's gaze. "Take down the posts and issue a clarification. You can come after me, but you shouldn't drag innocent people into this."

"Innocent? You don't mean Sebastian Turner, do you?" Wilson's mocking laugh dripped with sarcasm.

Daphne's silence confirmed his suspicion. Wilson's jaw tightened. "So, you're protecting him now? Are you really involved with him?"

Daphne laughed humorlessly. "Do you even realize how ridiculous you sound, Wilson? You're accusing me of something you're guilty of. How typical."

Yvonne wiped her face dramatically. "Daphne, you're so defensive about Mr. Turner, and you still claim nothing's going on? Why are you targeting me?"

"Because I'm still legally married to Wilson! I'm the wife; you're the mistress. And right now, you're sitting in my husband's arms. I have every right to attack you."

Her words were strong, but her gaze lingered on Wilson's comforting hand on Yvonne. He was probably heartbroken that she'd hurt his "precious darling," wasn't he? His earlier glare had been vicious, but Daphne was numb to it now. Pain, she realized, could be so intense it ceased to be felt.

"Wilson, by tomorrow, I want every defamatory post removed. If not, I can't guarantee what I might do to Yvonne."

"Are you threatening me?"

Wilson stood, his hand clamping Daphne's chin with bruising force. "You should know, Daphne Yeager—people who threaten me never end well."

A chill pierced Daphne's heart. She remained silent.

Wilson hated her defiance and tightened his grip. "You've grown bold, haven't you? Do you really think I can't deal with you?"

Though gasping for breath, Daphne held her head high. "I'll return that statement word for word. Do you really think just because you're protecting Yvonne, I won't dare to do anything to her?"

In the past, avoiding confrontation hadn't helped. Why not fight back?

Wilson studied her unfamiliar defiance, his expression unreadable. After a pause, he smiled and released her. "Well, well. Impressive."

He pulled Yvonne into his arms and gently wiped the wine from her face. His movements were tender and deliberate.

Yvonne blushed. "Oh, stop. There are so many people watching."

Wilson didn't look at Daphne. "Daphne, if you insist on humiliating yourself, let me make this clear. Even if Yvonne is behind that post, I'll still protect her. If you dare lay a finger on her, think carefully about your parents back in the countryside."

Family was Daphne's weakness. Even when forcing her into a divorce, Wilson had never threatened her family before. This casual threat drained the color from her face.