Chapter 189: You Got It Wrong, He's My Man!
Outside the Moon Bay Hotel…
Sarah Johnson and Karen rushed there in a taxi.
After getting out, Karen pointed at the hotel and said, "Darling, Ryder and that rich lady have gotten a room here!"
Sarah stared at the hotel entrance, her eyes rimmed with red, feeling an indescribable mix of emotions.
She had been skeptical when she first heard that Ryder was being kept by a rich woman.
She doubted it was happening, even when Karen showed her the pictures on her phone.
But when she tried to call Ryder and found his phone switched off, her hesitation started turning into concern.
Ryder had become more secretive lately.
It seemed he was keeping too many things from her, especially how he suddenly seemed flush with money and connections.
Good fortune like that didn’t just fall from the sky!
Could it be that he really was being kept by a rich woman?
After all, in today's society, many young men who saw no hope and didn’t want to strive fantasized about being taPken care of by a wealthy patroness.
It was entirely possible that Ryder could be on that path.
Karen sneaked a glance at her phone.
A message from Ernest Johnson popped up. "It's been handled! Come to Room 1106!"
A gleam of excitement flickered across Karen's face as she needled Sarah Johnson. "We shouldn’t just stand here, honey! Once we get in there, you'll see Ryder Clark's true colors, and the truth will come out!"
Sarah nodded absentmindedly, her fists clenched tight.
They headed into the hotel and took the elevator up.
Sarah's heart was in a state of suspension the entire way.
She was torn. Eager to face the truth, but fearful of it.
What if... what if Ryder Clark had truly betrayed her?
What could she do?
In the past, she would have easily uttered the word "divorce."
But now? Their relationship had been heating up lately.
A divorce would be irreversible.
But staying married without resolving this felt unbearable...
Her thoughts were tangled in a mess.
Meanwhile, Karen, unable to hide the joy on her face, stepped out of the elevator on the 11th floor and pulled out her phone, launching a TikTok live stream.
After sharing the link on social media, Karen put on an "outraged" expression in the live stream and announced, "I've got some news to share today! Our good-for-nothing son-in-law, that absolute waste of a man, Ryder Clark, had the gall to cheat! My daughter and I are here to catch him red-handed. If it's true, we'll kick him to the curb!"
The shared link quickly drew in a crowd.
Soon, over a dozen people had joined the live stream, mostly Karen's relatives, friends, and neighbors.
Comments flooded in:
Second cousin Melinda: "Is this true? Did Ryder really have the nerve to cheat?"
Cousin from back home: "Sis, I told you that your son-in-law was no good! Give him a beating once you catch him!"
Neighbor, bachelor Brother Wang: "I never pegged Ryder for the type! Ah, what a waste! Don’t be upset. How about I make you dinner sometime? Just come by yourself, no need to tell ol' Suze, okay?"
When Sarah saw this, she exclaimed in distress, "Mom! What are you doing? We haven't even confirmed if he cheated. How can we air this kind publicly?"
Karen was relentless. "Of course he’s cheating! Besides, I want to tarnish that ingrate’s reputation so he won’t even be able to show his face in public! Don’t worry, this won’t reflect badly on you; you're innocent. Besides, once you ditch Ryder, there’ll be a line of men wanting to marry you that’ll stretch all the way to the train station!”
Sarah Johnson let out a resigned sigh.
She didn't have the time to waste on a squabble with Karen right now.
She headed straight for room 1106.
In no time at all, they arrived at the door.
A few hotel housekeepers and other guests who were staying at the hotel followed behind them.
They had tagged along because Karen had made a scene, shouting about wanting to witness an adulterous affair and calling everyone to come watch.
She had also painted a picture of Sarah's life as woefully tragic and Ryder Clark as especially despicable.
So, naturally, those filled with righteous indignation had joined in.
The door to room 1106 was ajar.
Sarah stood at the doorway, hesitating.
When Karen saw that, she stepped forward and pushed the door open.
"Catching a cheat is no big deal. What are you scared of? Relax, I’ve got your back, no matter what happens. But you've got to be composed! Strong! Don't you dare start wailing and making a scene. Keep your dignity, you hear me?" Karen said, then stormed into the room, live streaming on her phone with about a dozen onlookers following her.
Inside the room, a faint smell of alcohol lingered.
Orange lights from the ceiling cast a warm glow.
Scattered on the floor were sandals, stockings, and a dress.
On the large circular bed, a huge mound under the covers suggested someone was hiding.
Karen walked straight to the bed, announcing to her live stream audience, “Get ready for the shocker!”
With that, she whipped off the covers, revealing two people!
A man and a woman!
The woman, who was half-naked, lay on top of a man who was only wearing boxer briefs.
The man was sound asleep, his eyes closed.
His forehead and cheeks bore several clear lipstick marks, and his lips curved in an expression of pleasure.
"Ha ha... so comfortable... amazing..." he murmured in his sleep.
Karen, who had been keyed up to catch a cheater, stood frozen with her eyes wide.
Sarah covered her mouth in disbelief.
The man in the bed wasn't Ryder Clark.
It was Ernest Johnson!
The online crowd exploded into chaos.
Cousin Melinda: "OMG, Sarah, he cheated on you!"
Cousin Jack from back home: "Sis, I told you your husband was no good. Time to give him the beating he deserves!"
Neighbor and bachelor, Big Joe: "I never suspected Ol' Ern was like that. Such a shame! Why didn’t anyone think to invite me..."
As for the onlookers who had followed them into the room, they didn't recognize Ernest Johnson at all.
Ernest Johnson was rumored to be Karen's cheating son-in-law!
Everyone was getting more irked by the minute!
"You're what, in your forties or fifties, and you're stepping out on your young, beautiful wife to mess around with a woman who’s nearly forty?"
"Are you even a man?"
While Karen and Sarah Johnson were still in shock, two well-meaning guys lost their cool.
They rushed up and yanked Ernest Johnson right off the bed, slamming him onto the floor!
Thump!
Thump!
They each kicked him!
"You stupid man! That's for cheating! That's for cheating!"
"You disgrace all of us men with your garbage behavior!"
Karen, startled, quickly intervened. "Hey, stop! You've got it all wrong! He's my man—my man!"
The two men exchanged looks.
They understood instantly.
Their expressions darkened.
Instead of stopping, they landed a few more furious kicks on Ernest Johnson, berating him.
"You scum! You cheated, and you also went after your own mother-in-law! How despicable!"
"Damn it! I should kick you to death! Anyone call the cops yet? Get this guy arrested!"