(Not) a Preferred Son-in-Law

7. The Fate of Veronica and Dion

Veronica told people to look for Leon, but for several days there was no news about Leon's whereabouts. Veronica was frustrated thinking about it because her fate was now hanging in the balance. The video of her marriage to Leon and the incident of her kissing Dion that was uploaded by someone to social media became a trending topic on online news channels and television.

Insults and insults were directed at Veronica by netizens. Netizens considered Veronica to be shameless, to have no social norms, to have no heart and empathy. Veronica really became the target of netizens' abuse.

"Oh my, there are women like that. She just got married, how could she kiss another man in front of her own husband. It's outrageous." 

"Where are her norms and ethics? They say that rich and highly educated people do that?" 

"Oh my, why don't you have any empathy at all? Her grandfather died before her eyes, instead of being sad, she did something stupid." 

"That's the same as cheating in front of your husband. How stupid. If you want to cheat, don't do it so openly." 

"Oh my. How would her husband feel? Doesn't she think, if her husband did the same thing, how would he feel?"

"It turns out that the brain of a rich and respected woman like her has moved to her knees, huh. The proof is that she can't be used to think."

"If I were her husband, I would have divorced a woman like that. If I kept her, she would probably still cheat on her with other men."

"Just block her company. Don't buy products from that company!"

There were many more insults directed at Veronica, making the woman feel stressed and not dare to open her social media accounts. She also didn't dare to watch television anymore.

Ariana didn't know about it because she was still locked in her room. However, she received a report from some of her socialite friends about Veronica's viral video. Ariana's blood immediately boiled, she felt humiliated by her daughter. She immediately came out of her room and shouted in front of Veronica's door which was still tightly closed. 

"Open up, Vero! Hurry! Mom wants to talk to you!" 

After a few seconds of no movement, Ariana who was impatient finally banged on her daughter's door. 

"What's wrong, Mom? Disturbing people's sleep!" complained Veronica with a tired face, looking like she had just woken up. Sunken eyes and dark eye bags seemed to tell her that Veronica had not had enough sleep for the past few days.

"Look, Vero! What you did really embarrassed the family!" Ariana shouted while showing the video sent by her socialite friend. 

"Huh! Just like that, you're so panicky, huh?" Veronica grumbled, her expression looking indifferent. 

Smack! 

A slap flew across Veronica's cheek. Who else could have done it if not Ariana. The woman was really furious with her only daughter's behavior. 

"It hurts, Mom!" Veronica complained while wincing. 

"Feel it! How can Mom not panic? Don't think about yourself. You've embarrassed Mom in front of our extended family!"

Veronica had not had time to answer, suddenly the security guard who usually guarded the front post was standing near Ariana. 

"Excuse me, Ma'am. There are a lot of journalists gathered in front of the house. I've tried to chase them away but they still won't leave," said the security guard with a panicked expression. 

"What's going on, Ma?" asked Veronica who was also panicking upon hearing the news. 

"You're the one who has to face it. It's all because of your stupidity!" Ariana snapped in annoyance, she stomped her feet and left the place.

Ariana rushed downstairs and headed to her room on the first floor. The woman tried to open the curtains of the bedroom window a little. The woman's narrow eyes immediately widened when from where she stood she saw a crowd of reporters pointing their cameras at her house. 

"Oh my God. Oh my God. What's going on?" Ariana muttered with trembling hands. Especially when suddenly the phone rang, and the name of her relative was listed there as the caller. Ariana panicked even more, she could already guess that she would definitely get scolded and cursed by her relative. 

Veronica did not dare to answer the call, until the ringing stopped by itself. Then another call was heard, from a different relative. Ariana was really at a loss. She wanted to just disappear into the ground, rather than have to endure such shame.

"Damn it! This is all because of that stupid Veronica! What a useless child!" Ariana grumbled in annoyance.

Meanwhile, Veronica herself felt confused, her brain seemed to be stuck, who knows what was blocked so that she couldn't think.

"Huh! How can I get out of the house if there are reporters out there. I have a very important work deadline today. My boss might scold me if I don't come to the office."

Feeling desperate, Veronica finally contacted Dion. However, Veronica's call was rejected by her lover. When Veronica called again, suddenly Dion's cellphone number was no longer active. All that was heard was the operator's voice informing her that the number Veronica was calling was out of reach.

"Damn! Why is he avoiding me? Come on Dion, turn on your phone!"

Veronica tried calling again, but up to the tenth call, Dion's phone was still inactive. Veronica sent a message to Dion, not caring when the phone number would be active again.

"Oh, what should I do?"

Veronica banged her head against the bedroom wall, getting more frustrated thinking about the situation. Veronica's hair was tangled like a lion's mane because she had repeatedly messed up her hair, so frustrated.

"Should I just disguise myself so I can get out of here? I'll go to Dion's house and ask him to take responsibility. Just leave the office problem for now. After all, I'm the owner of the company now, why can't I be absent?"

Suddenly the idea crossed her mind. Veronica immediately cleaned herself up and intended to carry out her plan. 

Veronica did not know that Dion's fate was the same as hers. Dion received a lot of abuse from netizens. Dion was accused of stealing someone else's wife and also being an adulterer. The name of the man who had just become famous as a successful young entrepreneur was really tarnished because of the video. 

That morning, Dion's house was also surrounded by dozens of journalists who wanted to ask for confirmation from Dion regarding the viral video. Dion, who woke up because he heard the commotion, immediately peeked out of his bedroom window upstairs. He saw a crowd of journalists in front of his house gate. Dion locked himself in his room, not daring to go out because he was afraid of his parents.

"Dion! Come out!" shouted Dion's father in front of his son's bedroom door. 

However, after waiting for a few seconds, the door in front of him did not open even a little. 

"Dion! Don't be a coward! Watch out if you don't come out, Daddy will take away all your facilities!" shouted Dion's father while banging on Dion's bedroom door. 

Dion was forced to open his bedroom door. He really didn't want all the facilities and luxuries that he had so far to be taken away by his father. 

Bugh! Bugh! 

Two raw punches flew straight to Dion's face, a gift from his father. Dion's body staggered backward and hit the wall because the blow was so hard.

Understandably, Dion's father used all his strength which increased drastically due to being fueled by a burning feeling of anger. Moreover, Dion did not expect to get a 'gift' from his father so his body was not ready to receive the blow. 

"Daddy! Stop, Dad! Our son could die!" shouted Dion's mother who had just arrived at the place. That woman immediately stood in front of Dion, becoming a shield for her only son. 

"Move aside, Mom! Daddy has to beat up this shameless child!" 

Dion's father pulled his wife's hand away from Dion and threw another punch at Dion's face. 

"Have mercy, Dad! Have mercy!" shouted Dion who could no longer withstand the blow from his father until his body collapsed to the floor.

"Dion!" Dion's mother immediately shouted and came closer, she hugged her son's body. Mama Dion wiped the fresh blood that was flowing from the corner of her child's lips while crying. 

"Enough, Dad! Don't hit our son again!" Mama Dion shouted while crying over her injured son. 

"This is the result of Mommy spoiling the child too much. He does whatever he wants. It's embarrassing for the family. Even though he knows someone else's wife, he still approaches him. Are there no other women in the world? What a useless man! Embarrassing his parents!" 

Dion's father grumbled at length and then left Dion and his mother. He was really fed up with Dion's behavior which he thought was very minus. The trusted person he assigned to supervise Dion always reported Dion's behavior that made him angry and disappointed. His son visited nightclubs every day and often changed women. 

Dion's father had just arrived in the living room when suddenly his personal assistant came in with a pale face. 

"What's wrong? Why is your face so pale?" Papa Dion scolded his personal assistant. 

"This is bad, sir. There's bad news, sir!"

So far, Dion's father has tolerated Dion's negative behavior because behind all that, Dion is very responsible for his work leading the company that was handed over to Dion. Even under Dion's cool hand, his company has advanced rapidly to become a large company and is respected in the country. However, what made Dion's father furious was the viral video. Because of the video, he was reprimanded by his relatives, considered a parent who could not educate his child.