CHAPTER 97: CHAPTER 97: VICTORIA CRUSHES VIVIAN MILLER UNDERFOOT

Eugene said sternly, "It’s none of your business, get lost."

Ethan glanced at Victoria sitting at the dining table, hands in his pockets, raising an eyebrow mischievously, "Do you think by getting rid of Vivian, Victoria won’t face those unfounded accusations anymore?"

Victoria was his Achilles’ heel, now being manipulated by this group of people, he had no choice but to let Vivian go.

Vivian rubbed her sore arm, looking pitiful, "Eugene, I’m not asking for much, just take me off your WeChat blacklist."

Eugene said harshly, "Vivian, if you’re sick, get treated properly. You can’t threaten me."

With a gritted tooth and a fiercer look in her eyes, Vivian bypassed Eugene and walked towards Victoria.

Eugene panicked, grabbed her arm, and pulled her back, "Have you had enough of this?"

"Eugene, I’m not making a scene." Vivian cried again, her tears so overwhelming that the relatives all felt sorry for her.

All the elders and my relatives were blaming Eugene.

"Eugene, don’t go too far. Vivian grew up with you, closer than a sister, how can you treat her like this?"

"Vivian has depression, are you trying to push her to her death by being so heartless?"

"Eugene, you’re in the wrong here."

...

All the elders were blaming Eugene, and there was a lot of insinuation, pointing fingers at Victoria.

This is the most frightening aspect of a big family; any elder, without knowing the full picture, wants to assert their status, loves to teach the younger generation how to behave, and likes to point fingers.

If you offend these relatives, grandma will definitely not forgive him.

Eugene knew the pros and cons but had no intention of compromising, even if he offended all the elder family members, it wouldn’t matter.

"Shut up, all of you." Eugene’s voice was cold and harsh as if from an ice cellar, stunning everyone present into silence. He continued unreservedly, "You all..."

Victoria finally couldn’t hold back any longer, got up, and walked quickly to Eugene, holding his hand when he was about to speak the next sentence, "Eugene." She shook her head, signaling him not to say anything further.

She originally thought that after the divorce, she and Eugene would be strangers, and she shouldn’t meddle in his love, friendship, or family.

But Vivian had gone too far.

Using relatives to put pressure, morally blackmailing Eugene into submission, and making her very embarrassed at the same time.

Eugene watched Vivian cry, sneered coldly in exasperation, utterly speechless yet helpless.

Eugene’s body stiffened slightly, his gaze fell on her hand, and he slowly lifted his eyes to look at Victoria’s calm and composed face.

Victoria said softly, "Hand me your phone."

Eugene’s anger gradually dissipated, without asking more, he directly took out his phone, unlocked it, and handed it to her.

Everyone’s eyes were on Victoria.

Victoria followed up on the malicious accusations Vivian had thrown at her, generously admitting to being the villain, "Vivian, I really am too petty, I shouldn’t have stopped you from interacting with Eugene."

Vivian was dumbfounded, unable to react for a moment, like a log.

Eugene’s face turned abruptly dark, looking at her in bewilderment.

Victoria found Vivian’s name in Eugene’s WeChat blacklist, speaking earnestly in a teaching tone, "But Vivian, from now on don’t fabricate those ridiculous lies about me, saying you and Eugene drink from the same cup, eat the same food, wear the same clothes, and sleep in the same bed, we’re all women, who can hear such words and not misunderstand?"

As soon as Victoria said this, Vivian’s face flushed with anger, embarrassed and awkward.

Everyone present was dumbfounded.

After all, these words, when heard by any woman with a husband, are extremely provocative and scandalous.

Vivian, originally the victim, instantly became the perpetrator.

And Victoria, who was labeled as malicious, also received understanding from everyone.

Any legitimate wife would misunderstand, and blocking such a schemer seemed justified.

Grandma Vaughn, seeing Victoria turn the situation around, hurriedly led the charge, "Vivian, how could you fabricate such ridiculous lies to sow discord in their marriage?"

Vivian panicked, tears streaming down, frantically explaining, "Grandma, I didn’t..."

Victoria immediately interrupted her, "I believe you and Eugene are innocent, and I also accept your apology just now."

This acceptance of her so-called apology just happened to slap the fact she wanted to deny.

Vivian choked on tears, speechless for a moment.

Victoria showed Vivian the phone, "You’re off the blacklist now. I won’t stop you from interacting again, but even friends need boundaries. If I see you behaving intimately with my husband, hugging shoulder to shoulder, I’ll put you back on his WeChat blacklist, stopping your interactions. I hope you can understand my feelings, after all, there’s a difference between men and women, and you can’t gloss over hugging with just ’brotherhood’."

While asserting her sovereignty, Victoria gracefully accepted this trap forced upon her, hitting bottom only to bounce back and turn the tables.

She was clear and logical, almost crushing Vivian underfoot.

Vivian had described her as a jealous, domineering, and petty woman, a venomous wife forcing her husband to break ties with a friendship of over twenty years.

She never expected Victoria Sinclair to admit to such a persona and deliver such a fatal blow.

She turned into a bona fide scheming green tea girl.

Everyone present felt that such a jealous and petty woman like Victoria, upon finding out her husband was getting cozy with another woman, partying and even sleeping together, blacklisting Vivian Miller was considered very merciful, which they completely understood and even agreed with her actions.

Some relatives even turned around and suggested, "With so little sense of propriety, it’s better not to let them associate anymore."

Vivian Miller was livid, trembling while biting her molars, unable to escape the intricate web she had woven.

Ethan Vaughn looked at Victoria Sinclair, his eyes shining, unable to suppress the smile on his lips, and couldn’t help but slowly applaud.

This applause made Mr. and Mrs. Miller’s faces turn ashen, as they felt embarrassed just like Vivian in front of the Vaughn Family’s relatives.

"Excuse us, everyone." Eugene Vaughn said with a cold expression.

He took Victoria Sinclair’s hand and turned to head upstairs.

The relatives dispersed.

Jenny Vaughn came over to comfort Vivian Miller and couldn’t help but ask, "Vivian, did you really say those things to my sister-in-law?"

Vivian was taken aback and looked at Jenny, "Even you think Victoria Sinclair is right?"

Jenny felt very awkward, "I didn’t mean that, it’s just..."

But she found it difficult to find the right words to describe her feelings at the moment, so she could only give an awkward smile, shake her head, and then comfort her, "Actually, you really don’t need to be so anxious, they’re almost getting divorced, aren’t they?"

"Who’s getting divorced?"

This angry voice startled both Jenny and Vivian, and they turned to see their grandmother standing behind them.

Grandmother’s face was cold and severe, looking extremely displeased.

——

Eugene Vaughn took Victoria Sinclair back to the room.

She stood awkwardly in the room, "Aren’t we going back tonight?"

Eugene removed his wristwatch and placed it on the table, "The Rhodes Family will be here tomorrow morning. We’ll stay here tonight."

Victoria was silent, nervously eyeing the only bed in the room.

Eugene turned around, a bit helpless as he walked toward her, "Afraid that if we sleep together, I’ll eat you up?"

Victoria awkwardly pursed her lips and shook her head.

Eugene, feeling quite impressed, said, "I thought you were like cotton, soft and weak, but it turns out you’re as tough as steel. I was worried you’d be bullied by Vivian Miller, but now it seems I was overthinking."

Victoria gazed at him with shimmering eyes, momentarily at a loss for words.

They had wasted two years of each other’s time, never getting to know one another, never spending quality time together.

Eugene not understanding her was normal.

Just as she didn’t quite understand some of Eugene’s illogical and abnormal behaviors.

For example, post-marriage, he preferred driving three hours daily rather than purchasing a house near her company.

Since getting married, he always returned home to sleep, even demanding to be discharged after suffering a stomach hemorrhage from drinking, just to come home.

Despite being a billionaire, he willingly got up every morning to share household chores, secretly doing most of them without her knowing.

He’d be afraid of her misunderstanding, even sought a forensic expert to clear his name.

Because of a gesture when she covered her nose, he quit smoking, a habit of five years.

Because of her single request to stop binge drinking, he gave up alcohol outright.

He refused to compromise with his father, insisted on not divorcing her, even at the risk of losing the chance to inherit the Vaughn Group, resolutely giving it up.

Even after she initiated divorce twice, his demeanor turned gentle and passionate.

Such a man is an extremely good husband, as he should love her.

Yet these past two years of marriage, what she felt was his coldness, distance, courtesy, and disdain.

In those unintentional moments, he would disdain her wearing his clothes.

In those drunken nights, he said he detested her as bland and tasteless as plain water.

He never touched her, let alone got intimate with her.

His past disdain and neglect were still vivid, yet the events emerging now were so profoundly genuine.

Victoria’s mind was in a whirl, and she couldn’t help blurting out, "Which one is the real you?"

Eugene frowned in confusion at her disjointed question, "What?"