Chapter 2: Will. Not. Apologize!

Thud!

The loud thud made everyone jump in surprise.

“Ahhh!!!” the man cried out in pain, clutching his head and releasing his grip on Dharia.

Immediately, someone else shouted in response, “Blood! He’s bleeding!”

“Richard, are you crazy?! This is Elvan Winston, the nephew of Diamond Group’s general manager, Mr. Raylon Winston! Have you had enough of life to dare hit him until he bleeds like this?!” Dharia exclaimed, feeling weak as not only had ten billion disappeared just like that, but she was also facing trouble with the largest company in Almolia City.

Diamond Group’s general manager—what kind of madman would dare challenge him?

“Richard! How dare you hit me?!” Elvan stared at Richard with bloodshot eyes as blood flowed down his face. His right hand pressed against the wound on his head, trying to stop the bleeding.

The entire room froze upon hearing Winston’s outcry. No one dared to stand in the way of the nephew of Diamond Group’s general manager. It was akin to signing their own death warrants.

Richard ignored Winston’s shout. His focus was solely on Dharia, whose face had turned pale witnessing this horrific scene. “Darling, I’m sorry, okay? For the past three years, I’ve let you be humiliated by so many people. From now on, no one will ever be able to disrespect you again. Shall we go home? I’ll take care of the company matters.”

Go home?

Richard was still thinking about going home after what he had just done?

After everything he had just done?

“Dharia Nelsons, from the Nelsons Family, right? Richard, isn’t it? Alright!” Elvan suddenly spoke. He stared at Richard with cold eyes, like a wild beast observing its prey. “I didn’t want to mention this earlier, but since you’ve gone too far, I’ll tell you anyway. The general manager of Diamond Group, he’s my uncle. The local police chief is also my uncle. My cousin is the deputy minister of industry!”

“Dharia, let me tell you, if you don’t make this scoundrel kneel down and apologize to me a hundred times today, don’t expect your family and this scoundrel to ever set foot in this city again!”

Wow!

Elvan’s connections surprised everyone who heard them. Even Dharia was almost fainting from shock. She had long known that Winston’s family background was powerful, but she didn’t realize it was this strong.

“Don’t touch me!” Dharia exclaimed to Richard, pushing his hand away. “Go away, far away!”

Dharia approached Winston, then apologized to him, “I’m sorry... He didn’t mean it, please, don’t be so angry...”

She turned to Richard, “What are you just standing there for?! Didn’t you hear what he said? Kneel down a hundred times!”

“Damn, I’m so unlucky, marrying a scumbag like you! For three years, all you’ve done is ask for money from me, and now you’re humiliating me in front of everyone? Use your brain for once! Apologize to Elvan Winston!”

Richard clenched his fists upon hearing his wife’s words. He realized, for the first time, how much Dharia despised him. All this time, he had been considered a beggar by his own wife. Perhaps that’s why Dharia now wanted him to kneel before that bastard Winston.

“Darling, I really can help your company. Please trust me, just this once. Okay?” Richard asked, looking at his wife with a serious expression. Just one chance, he would prove that he could do what he had just said.

Unfortunately, after living together for three years, Dharia had seen how useless Richard was.

“You don’t need to say anything! I’m sick of it. Apologize now!”

Sick?

Richard smiled bitterly, then closed his eyes and took a deep breath before saying, “What if I don’t want to?”

It was the first time he had opposed his wife’s words. Usually, he would never go against Dharia’s commands, blows, or insults. But, as he had said earlier, today was different from any other day.

Immediately, Dharia reflexively raised her hand and slapped Richard’s cheek.

Slap!

Dharia’s palm met Richard’s cheek, making a loud sound that silenced everyone again. No one had expected Dharia to slap her own husband in front of them.

But the silence didn’t last long. A few seconds later, they all started laughing at Richard, “That’s it! Don’t pamper this jerk, slap him a few more times if necessary!”

“Agree! Someone who only knows how to ask for money should be treated like this! Why bother being kind to him?”

Richard gently rubbed his cheek.

Suddenly, he burst into laughter, laughing at himself. For three years, he had hoped to touch Dharia’s heart. But it seemed that it was all just an illusion. He was so foolish, hoping for something that could never happen.

His hard work over the years, doing all the household chores delegated to him by the Nelsons Family. The secrets he occasionally wanted to reveal but held back with all his might until the right time came. It was such a pity that when that time truly arrived, Dharia only grew to hate him more.

“I. Will. Not. Apologize!”

“Richard!” Dharia stared coldly at her husband. “Have you ever earned any money from your own work all this time? No, right! Have you ever bought me a gift? No, you haven’t! Help the company? Forget it! Apologize now, or we’re getting a divorce! I regret having such a useless husband like you!”

Divorce?

Once, he had feared this word greatly. He might even have considered suicide if it had come to that, but now it wasn’t like that anymore. At this moment, he only felt disappointment towards that woman. He never thought his own wife would slap him and threaten him for another man.

Elvan laughed upon hearing Dharia’s words.

“This scumbag wouldn’t survive if he gets divorced, you know? His food, drink, even his place to live, all provided by the Nelsons Family. What are you waiting for? Come here, apologize, or you’ll be divorced.”

He then turned to Jaslene, “You see, Jas, when you’re looking for a husband, don’t choose someone like this guy! Your whole life will be miserable if you end up with a life partner like Richard. Dharia here is a great example for you, so you don’t mimic what he does.”

“Okay,” Richard said, still clenching his fists. While forcing a smile on his face, he said to Dharia with a trembling voice, “I’m sorry.”

Dharia felt relieved that Richard finally followed her words. She knew he would obey her like a dog obeys its owner when threatened with divorce. Indeed, she always regarded her own husband as a dog.

“If Winston doesn’t forgive you, you might as well die! I can’t stand looking at your face,” Dharia said before turning to Winston. “It’s all his fault, please don’t take it to heart. He’s about to apologize—”

“Dharia, you seem to have misunderstood. What I meant earlier wasn’t apologizing to that person.” Richard said.

“So, what do you want!” Dharia yelled in frustration.

Elvan’s laughter interrupted their conversation, “You don’t want to apologizing? Then what do you want? Want to lick my shoes like a dog? Come here, come here, I’ll give you my shoes. Lick them clean so you won’t divorce Dharia!”

Once again, everyone laughed at Winston’s mockery. They all thought the same thing, Richard couldn’t possibly divorce Dharia. That man couldn’t survive on his own. If he were kicked out of the Nelsons Family, Richard would surely die of starvation on the streets.

As everyone waited for Richard to lick Winston’s shoe, the man suddenly shook his head.

What Richard did next left everyone stunned. From Dharia, who looked at him in disgust, to Winston and everyone who had belittled him…

To be continued...