CHAPTER 174
As the room remained silent, the door to the conference room burst open, and a man burst in, yelling, “Don’t trust Arianna’s words! She’s nothing but a liar spreading falsehoods!”
Everyone's attention snapped to the entrance.
A man appeared, unattractive, thin, and seemingly in his fifties. Despite his plain looks, his outfit screamed wealth—every piece was from a luxury brand, with oversized logos that seemed designed to ensure everyone noticed them.
He had a noticeable limp and moved slowly as he made his way into the room.
Whispers began to ripple through the crowd.
“Who is that?”
“I have no idea.”
“I’ve never seen him before. Does anyone recognize him?”
Amidst the murmurs, the man continued his slow, deliberate path toward the stage, eventually stopping beside Arianna. He turned to face the crowd, then locked his gaze on the camera streaming the live event.
The man opened his mouth, revealing a hoarse voice that sounded as though his vocal cords had been through hell.
“Hello, everyone. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m the wealthy husband in Arianna’s secret marriage. You can call me by my surname, Cole.”
A wave of astonishment swept through the room.
“Whoa!”
“No way! That’s Arianna’s husband?”
“I didn’t expect the rumours to be true. He is disabled!”
“What does he mean by that? Could Arianna have been lying?”
The excitement in the room was palpable. The previously tense and quiet atmosphere of the conference room shifted into a buzz of anticipation. All eyes were fixed on the stage, eager for the next dramatic turn.
Moments ago, it had been a tense standoff between Arianna and her father, Simon. But now, it seemed the confrontation was about to escalate into a showdown between Arianna and her husband.
Aside from those at the venue, the live broadcast viewership had soared past 100 million, outpacing even the most popular prime-time dramas.
Arianna’s eyes darkened as she cast a sidelong glance at the man who claimed to be her husband, a man she had never seen before.
The reporters could barely contain their eagerness as they fired off questions.
"Mr Cole, what do you mean when you say that Ms Johnson is a liar who only spouts nonsense?"
"Mr. Cole, are you implying that Arianna's explanations are all fabrications? Is she deceiving the public?"
Mr. Cole shot a venomous glare at Arianna, his voice dripping with bitterness as he spoke.
"Arianna may appear innocent and pure on the outside, but it's all just a façade. I’ve been suffering from a leg injury and poor health due to a past accident, which left me deeply insecure. She exploited my vulnerability, showing me sympathy and whispering sweet words that led me to believe she truly cared about me and loved me for who I am. That’s why I married her."
“It was only after our marriage that she showed her true colours. She didn’t love me at all; her only interest was in my wealth. She kept demanding that I spend lavishly on her, insisting I buy her a car, a house, and all sorts of luxury items. She used my credit cards for everything, which is why there’s no record of transactions in her bank accounts. That’s also why she has no assets in her name.
"I’ve endured all of this in silence because I love her. I’ve willingly spent my money on her, hoping she might eventually see how deeply I care for her. But to her, my worth is measured only by how much I’m willing to spend. She’s never shown any restraint, and she constantly avoided getting close to me because of my disability. Since the day we married, she’s refused even a kiss, let alone sharing a room with me!”
As Mr. Cole spoke, his face was etched with the look of a man who had suffered greatly, and tears welled up in his eyes, making his story seem all the more tragic.
People in the room couldn’t help but start tearing up.
It’s rare for a man to cry, especially in front of so many people. The depth of his pain must have been overwhelming for him to shed tears so openly.
“She won’t allow me to even touch her, but she has no problem with other men. The men in the video you just saw are all part of her affairs, but they aren’t the only ones. There are countless other random men she’s been involved with, though they haven’t been named yet. Arianna is incredibly manipulative—she has a way of twisting words so that these men are willing to defend her. They’re just like me, caught in her web of lies and deception!”
"And if that wasn't enough, she even tried to murder me!" Mr Cole's voice suddenly rose in intensity as he unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a prominent stab wound on his side.
"When my father-in-law started to expose her, I decided to come forward too. But Arianna tried to silence me—permanently. She stabbed me, leaving me for dead. I’m only alive by sheer luck, having barely escaped death. As soon as I regained consciousness, I rushed here to let everyone know the truth: Arianna is a ruthless, calculating woman who’s willing to kill for money!"
He then cast a significant glance in Simon's direction as he finished speaking.
Simon nodded and suddenly burst into tears, his sobs carrying the weight of years of suppressed pain. "I’ve wronged you, Mr. Cole," he cried.
"If you hadn’t come forward, Arianna would have deceived us all!"
Margaret joined in, wiping away her tears and snot as she spoke, "Arianna, you’ve gone beyond anything I can defend. As your parents, we could endure the way you treated us, but to betray your husband, a man who has been so good to you, with such unforgivable actions—this is beyond outrageous!"
As she spoke, Margaret turned to the reporters and bowed deeply. "It’s my fault for failing to raise my daughter properly and allowing her to become like this. I sincerely apologize to everyone here. I’m so sorry for the disappointment I've caused, especially to my son-in-law."
Simon, not to be outdone, dropped to his knees with a heavy thud. "As her father, the blame falls squarely on me for raising such a daughter. I apologize to everyone. I've let you all down, and I've let my son-in-law down!"
He then turned a fierce gaze on Arianna, his voice trembling with anger. "You wicked woman, aren’t you going to kneel and apologize? Get down on your knees and beg for forgiveness—from everyone here, and especially from your husband!"
All eyes turned sharply to Arianna, waiting for her response.
