Ridiculed

As soon as Floyd Stanton walked over, Nicole jumped into his arms and cried hysterically.

Floyd sighed, heartbroken and angry at his daughter. She had never suffered the slightest bit since she was a child, yet she acted so lowly in front of Eric Ferguson. To make things worse, Eric Ferguson never once appreciated his darling daughter.

If not for their prior agreement, Floyd Stanton would have crushed the Fergusons and beat that bastard to death to avenge his daughter!

“Nikki, remember our agreement? If that bastard doesn’t fall in love with you within three years, you’ll come back to succeed me in the company. Now, you have to abide by our agreement, okay?”

Floyd lovingly stroked his daughter’s hair while she bawled. After a while, Nicole sobbed and spoke intermittently.

“Don’t worry, Dad… I… Won’t be… That stupid again…”

To chase after her so-called “true love”, Nicole abandoned her family and friends despite their advice. She gave up her identity, elite status, and luxury lifestyle to fly into her own self-destruction, like a moth to a flame.

Now, Nicole finally erased the man from her heart, bit by bit, despite enduring unforgettable pain because of that.

“Good. Daddy will get your big brother to accompany you. Familiarize yourself with the company first, then we’ll choose a nice day to host a welcome banquet to announce your identity.”

Floyd was excited because his precious baby daughter was finally going to start a career!

Although news of Nicole’s return to the Stanton family had not been announced yet, Nicole’s best friend, Yvette Quimbey, could not wait to come to her house to meet her.

As soon as Yvette saw Nicole, she gave Nicole a big bear hug and said, “Baby, I’ve missed you so much! Congrats on your divorce!”

When Nicole first told them that she would conceal her identity to get married, Yvette was the first to stand up against it, but Nicole still stubbornly married into the Ferguson family and gradually lost contact with Yvette. Now that she saw her best friend after all these years, Nicole’s eyes brimmed with tears again.

The two ladies chatted for a long time about everything under the sun. Finally, Yvette pestered Nicole wanting to see her divorce certificate, so Nicole had no other option but took it out and showed her. When Yvette saw it, she sighed with relief.

“Eric Ferguson, that stupid blind son of a b*tch! He’s gonna regret this!”

Nicole lowered her eyes. “Even if he does regret it, it doesn’t have anything to do with me anymore. He’s a stranger to me now.”

“Well done, Baby! You just need to wave your hand, and your admirers will be lining up from your doorstep to the outskirts of West City! That bastard can’t even get in line!” Yvette scoffed in disdain.

Nicole suddenly remembered that she left some important documents at Eric’s house, so she had to go back to take them. Yvette volunteered to go with her, which Nicole agreed to after some thought.

What Nicole did not expect was to see Eric’s mother, Quinn, as soon as she went back. Quinn always went to their house without notice and walked around like she was the master of the house.

Quinn was very displeased when she saw Nicole return with a stranger. She held her head up high and looked at Nicole and her friend with scorn.

“Nicole, didn’t I tell you that we have a lot of confidential documents in the house? You can’t just bring randos back here. Do you have a goldfish memory?”

Yvette was stunned and spoke up in dissatisfaction. “Who are you calling a rando? Don’t you think you’re too old to be calling people names?”

She grew up with love and care from her parents, so how could she endure Quinn’s ridicule like this?

Now, Yvette could already tell what kind of life Nicole had while she lived here and felt infuriated.

Quinn coldly snorted and gave Yvette a once-over. “Don’t think you can pretend to be elite just by wearing this fake outfit. I’ve seen a lot of low-class people like you who dream of marrying into a rich family!”

Yvette sneered in anger. Nicole’s face sank as she said, “She’s my friend. Please show some respect.”

Nicole had always been submissive in the Ferguson family and never talked back to Quinn.

‘Now, she dares to reprimand me in front of outsiders? This lowly woman with an unknown background dares to speak to me like this?!’ Quinn thought.

She was furious and yelled, “Respect? Do people of your background even deserve respect? Nicole, you should count your blessings that our family accepts you to be our daughter-in-law. You’ve been living so well in our house for the past three years. Did you forget your lowly background? This girl you brought home is probably just like you. You both smell of poverty, so get the hell out of my house and don’t stain my floors!”

Stolen

Yvette tilted her head back and laughed from exasperation. She wanted to jump up and curse at Quinn.

“Nicole, is this the result of you devoting yourself to loving these people and gratifying all their demands for three years? We smell of poverty?! How did you put up with this for three years?! Well, you can put up with it, but I can’t!”

Yvette stepped forward and shoved Quinn, who stumbled backward and almost fell.

“I’m telling you, if it wasn’t for Nicole, I wouldn’t have even heard of the Fergusons! You’re just a nouveau riche with that measly money. Watch how I’ll stain your floors with your blood! If you dare, come at me with your old wrinkly limbs!”

Quinn was trembling with anger as she pointed at Yvette and Nicole. She threatened them. “You... You… Nicole, I’ll kick you out of the Ferguson family!”

Nicole did not apologize and make amends as she would have in the past. Instead, she just looked at Quinn with an expressionless face.

“There’s no need for you to kick me out. I’ll take my own things and leave.”

After that, Nicole ignored Quinn’s shocked gaze and went straight to her bedroom upstairs.

Her old self was really stupid to give up her dignity for a man.

Nicole was trampled on time and time again by Quinn, who only wanted a daughter-in-law from a prestigious family, yet she did not utter a word of complaint.

Going forward, she did not have to put up with all this anymore.

She took nothing but her documents, then went straight downstairs.

Yvette and Quinn, who were downstairs, were still shooting daggers at each other. When Yvette saw Nicole coming down, she raised her eyebrows proudly. “You ready?”

Nicole nodded. “Let’s go.”

“Nicole, I’ll tell Eric what happened today! Don’t think that you can just leave and come back as you please. Even if you come crying and begging on your knees, I’ll still kick you out!”

Quinn thought that Nicole would be afraid of such a threat.

As a result, Nicole stopped in her tracks and smirked, then looked back at Quinn with disdain.

“I forgot to tell you. I’ve already divorced Eric Ferguson. Even if you come crying and begging on your knees, I will never step into this house again.”

Nicole finished her sentence and left without hesitation.

Quinn was stunned in place. ‘Divorce? Nicole’s willing to get a divorce?’

She immediately called her son. “Eric, did you and Nicole get a divorce?”

Eric furrowed his brows. “How do you know? You saw her?”

“You’re really divorced?! That’s great! This kind of woman is not worthy of being a part of our family. That’s all just her wishful thinking. I can’t stand her from the beginning. There are so many high-born ladies waiting to marry you, so it’s best if she leaves. Good riddance!”

Eric’s dark eyes sank. His voice inexplicably became urgent. “Where is she?”

He impatiently interrupted his mother’s ramblings.

Nicole had mysteriously disappeared from the hospital and he could not find any trace of her, but she finally appeared on her own.

There was only one thought in his mind at this moment. ‘I want to see her!’

“At Imperial Gardens, of course, but she left. This reminds me, I have to check if she stole anything. You didn’t give her too much money for the divorce, right?”

“She didn’t ask for a penny.” Eric was a little surprised at his mother’s malice towards Nicole. He had always thought that Nicole and his family got along well and did not expect his mother to be so outrightly discontented with Nicole.

“At least she’s self-aware!” Quinn coldly snorted.

The man’s cold eyes darkened as he hung up the phone in annoyance. He felt even more unsettled. ‘Did Nicole ask for a divorce because of my mother?’

Eric went back without a thought. He barely came back to their house.

When he went upstairs, he saw that everything was still there. Even the card that he gave her for her monthly expenses was untouched, but her documents in the drawer were all gone.

Eric suddenly felt a tightness in his chest, and the irritable feeling became more intense.

After all, he could not remain indifferent to her after three years of marriage.

Quinn came into the room angrily. “The ‘Daydream’ necklace in the safe is missing! It’s worth $10 million. Nicole must have stolen it. I’ll call the police!”

Eric frowned. “Don’t call the police. It’s not her. Maybe you left it somewhere.”

Nicole had never asked for the password to the safe, so how could she steal the necklace?

‘Also, it’s merely $10 million. It’s not worth much, so what’s the point of stealing it?’

When Eric thought of this, he could not even recall if he ever gave his wife any jewelry in their three years of marriage...

Eric took his car keys and left. He sat in the car and smoked a cigarette, but the uneasiness in his heart did not dissipate.

Quinn was not willing to let this lowly woman get away that easily. She did not have to call the police because she had plenty of other means.

Gone Viral

After Nicole and Yvette left Imperial Gardens, Yvette had been cursing the Fergusons until they got home. “That old hag is a weirdo! If it wasn’t for her age, I would’ve taught her a lesson!”

Nicole was used to it and smiled. “Forget it. Don’t stoop to her level. Anyway, we won’t be seeing them anymore.”

The two ladies were talking and laughing. When they finally returned to the Stanton Mansion, they saw Grant Stanton, who rarely appeared because he was always busy with work, sitting on the sofa and reading the newspaper. He looked so serious, noble, and indifferent.

Nicole happily ran over and hugged him from behind as she acted like a spoiled child. After three years without seeing him, he still felt as familiar as ever.

“Big Brother, you’re finally back! Why did you disappear after sending me home?”

Grant helplessly and dotingly allowed her to hug him and rock him back and forth. In the cozy atmosphere, his cold aura was totally gone.

“There was an important meeting I had to attend. I rushed back as soon as it was over. Here, your gift.”

This was Grant’s habit. No matter how far away he went on a business trip, he would always bring her souvenirs. This was a limited-edition custom-made handbag that was not yet available in the country. It had an eight-digit price tag and was invaluable in the market. Most importantly, it was unique to Nicole.

Grant found out in advance that Yvette was also here, so he bought her a custom Chanel perfume that women liked.

Yvette took it over with a blush on her face and said softly, “Thank you.”

However, Grant did not notice Yvette’s expression because his eyes were fixated on his sister. He knew that she had a rough time, so he felt heartbroken and only wanted to give her the best.

On the other hand, Nicole keenly observed Yvette’s reaction. Her smile widened and she had already fantasized about their future.

“Your second brother is in a laboratory abroad participating in a confidential scientific research project, so he can’t come back at the moment. Your third brother’s at a film festival and will be back in a few days. For the next couple of days, you can shadow me at the office…”

Nicole made a bitter face, but she knew that there was no escape, so she could only nod and agree.

......

Late at night.

“Holy sh*t!” Yvette was hyperventilating as she called Nicole, who picked up the phone in the middle of the night with a sleepy voice, “What’s wrong?”

“Go online right now! The Fergusons still didn’t forget to sling mud at you after the divorce. They said that you stole something from them and that they won’t involve the police if you return it by tomorrow. Otherwise, they’ll screw you over. It’s gone viral!”

Nicole’s heart sank and she immediately went online. Sure enough, the hashtag, #FergusonsExWife, was trending on the internet.

It was an official statement from the Ferguson Corporation accusing Nicole of having no character and stealing valuable jewelry after the divorce.

“Valuable? They even dare to show off a mere $10 million jewelry? Do they think that you’ve never seen money before?” Yvette cursed indignantly.

The comments on the internet were speculating that Nicole was kicked out of the wealthy Ferguson family because of her bad character.

Those netizens spittled so much hate and even dug out Nicole’s social media account. Her only happy memories during the past three years that she posted on her social media were all spun into twisted stories by those spiteful netizens.

[Peaceful times? I think she’s just pretending!]

[She deserves to get kicked out of the family!]

[They should just call the police. She’s not only a clown but also a thief!]

There were many other hateful comments about Nicole.

Nicole had seen that set of jewelry once. Eric kept it locked in the safe and she did not know the password, nor did she ever ask for it.

‘Haha! Eric Ferguson doesn’t even have the basic decency after our divorce and wants to hurl mud at me? Does he think that I’ll put up with this crap?!’

Nicole immediately dialed Grant’s number. “G, I remember that K’s entertainment company is under my name. Who is managing it now?”

Grant paused for a moment and rubbed his temples. He had also just learned about this news. “Dominic Young. I’ll get him to handle that viral hashtag right away.”

“No need. I’ll handle this myself.”

Nicole’s tone was indifferent. ‘Don’t they want a confrontation? Do they think that I’m scared?’

This viral topic spread like wildfire after one night. Nicole became a rat that everyone mocked.

At 8:00 am, Nicole logged on to her social media account and posted a photo with a statement.

After that, she looked at the nice weather outside and smiled bitterly in self-derision.

‘I was really so blind to marry Eric Ferguson…’