George's POV:
"You ought to have known that Helen and I got married.The reason I neglected to tell you before
marrying her should be clear to all of you." My tone was unfeeling and heartless.
"I've arranged this meeting with all of you to make myself crystal clear.I will never divorce
Helen.Period.So do yourself a favor and stop interfering in our lives."
The three elders looked at me aghast, their eyes citing disapproval.My mother opened her mouth to
speak, but I interrupted her rudely.
"Mom, you promised me that no matter what happened, you would avoid clashing with Helen and
would refrain from making our lives difficult.Did you keep your promise? Hell no! You went to her place
of work and even slapped her!"
The anger in my chest was rising like an airplane taking off.Only now did I realize what callous and
downright nasty people my parents were.It was never my desire to confront and threaten my parents in
this way.I would have avoided it at all costs if I could.
But they left me with no choice.
"I've told you umpteen times how important Helen is to me, but you choose to ignore my
sentiments.You are pushing my boundaries now.I bet you have no idea how far I would go for her!"
Then I flung a thick stack of documents in front of my parents.
The expressions on their faces changed from anger at me to shock.They clearly wondered what I had
up my sleeve.
My mother stood up and picked up a document.
After a swift scan of the document, she fell back in her seat.She began to shiver and breathe heavily as
if she was having a panic attack, but her anger did not leave her.
The maid, who had been standing nearby, hurriedly brought my mother's chronic medication.
"Mrs.Affleck! It's bad for your health.Please calm down."
She gave my mother a glass of water and her pills and tried to comfort her.My mother was lying on the
sofa, very weak and gasping for breath.
"You ungrateful child! What the hell do you want?" my father roared at me after he saw the documents
scattered in front of him like bust beer bottles.
I had specifically and painstakingly collected these documents.
They clearly documented my father's scandalous life, including the affairs he had with various women
when he was young.It also detailed his serious misconduct in his political career.
For people who were fighting for power, no one was clean enough and could withstand investigation.
"George, how did you find about all that forgotten history? Were you shameless enough to investigate
your own father?" My mother looked pale but was more stable than before.
However, her voice was still strained and shaky when she spoke.
This reminder of her painful past hurt her badly.
When my father was young, he had multiple affairs with a string of women.
In order to maintain the reputation of the Affleck family, my grandfather deviously took care of all his
dirty linen.
If my parents had not pushed me to the limit, I would not have spent valuable time gathering this
damning evidence.
Because I wasn't into politics, they openly spoke about these matters in my presence when I was
younger.
Now that I was in the Internet business, I could easily dig up dirt on someone however deep their
secrets were buried.So now I had the upper hand.
Even these small matters I'd found were enough to make them afraid.
My plan would invariably work.
These things never bothered me before, but now I found them useful.
They were my leverage against my family.I frowned inwardly because I didn't feel that I had done
anything wrong.I was not indifferent to my family.I just wanted to show them my tenacity.I could beat
them at their own game.I would never back down on Helen.
There was no way I was going to divorce her.Come hell or high water, I would stick with Helen.
The whole living room went dead silent.
My parents felt suffocated.My grandfather on the other side of the video call kept quiet as well.
His face was covered in shame.
"Grandpa! Dad! Mom! My decision to marry Helen is mine alone, not yours.If you give Helen any more
trouble, these documents won't just sit here idle.I promise I will make them public.I can, and I will do
anything to protect Helen from the likes of you"
I reiterated my intention that I was willing to ruin the whole family to protect Helen.I wanted to make
sure that they knew that I meant every word I just said.
My father was currently busy canvassing in the upcoming election.
Since my grandfather's time, the Affleck family had gained a lot of support.
Exposing my father at this critical time would undo all my grandfather's hard work.
If any scandal broke out at this juncture, it would be devastating to the Affleck family and other
interested parties.They would lose favor with the electorate and suffer a humiliating defeat.I would have
never threatened my family with this if they hadn't gone so far.
But they were really pressing my buttons.
"You are a real disgrace.Your son is threatening to expose all your scandals!" my grandfather growled
at my father.
Having said that, my grandfather ended the video call, seething with anger.I put my phone away and
walked out of the house, ignoring my parents’ grumpy faces.I had said everything that I needed to say,
and I didn't want to be in their presence even a minute longer.
Erin's POV:
"You can't do anything right.You literally just added new meaning to the word useless!"
Morton lashed out at me spitefully with a sour face after George left.His hurtful remark plunged into my
heart like a sharp knife.I worked as a respected official, but he never spoke to me with respect at home.
"Are these my scandals or yours?"
I retorted, setting free my angry emotions like a popped champagne bottle.
"If you hadn't been romancing other women and embezzling money, would your son be able to hold a
gun to your head today? You dug your own grave, so lie in it! Why didn't you say these hateful things to
your father or your son? Because you are afraid of them.You just abuse your power over me because
you think I'm a sponge that can absorb anything! Well, I'll have you know that after all these years, I've
finally had enough of your nonsense!"
All the words that I had hidden in my heart for too long, suddenly surfaced in one big, outburst.
After all the drama, I felt my blood pressure soar again.I almost lost my balance and swayed unsteadily.
The maid hurried to help me.
"Mrs.Affleck, why are you stressing yourself when you know you are unwell?! Please relax," she was
always there for me.
She helped me back onto the sofa.
"I have nothing left in my life but the title of Mrs.Affleck," I grieved.
That was the only reason I was prepared to keep my marriage alive.
After being married to Morton for donkey's years, I understood him best.
For him, having numerous affairs when he was young, was just a novelty.We had married with the
interests of our families in mind.
As long as the purpose of our families remained, our marriage would stay intact.
Now in his old age, he was not distracted by any skirt.
All that mattered to him now was his supreme position and his powerful identity.
My rage caused him to calm down quickly and he stopped arguing with me.
"How much do you know about this Helen?" he asked directly.
Have you had someone investigate her background?"
After taking the medicine, I felt much better.
"Yes.She comes from an ordinary family.Her father died a long time ago, and her mother lives with her
in New York," I told him the result of my investigation.
There was nothing more that I could add on yet.
After a moment's contemplation, Morton said, "I don't think a girl from an ordinary background can stir
up any trouble.Let's wait and see after the election if we need to do anything.But until then, George's
marriage must remain a secret."
62fb1bb41dcb31934bd49bda