THE FORGOTTEN HUSBAND’S REVENGE!

Chapter 3: The Vultures Return

“Look at this place, “ A man’s voice rang out as three people stepped through the shattered threshold. “How can Arabella stand living in this place!?”

“I can’t believe she left the comfort of our home to come live in this slum,” The woman beside the man said, her face twisted in disdain.

“You both spoiled her too much…” The young man beside them replied, constantly wiping his jacket with his hands. Disgust was clearly written on him.

“Dad, Mum, Mike, you are all here,” Arabella chimed happily, her eyes watered making her mother scoff.

Before any of them could speak, Maxwell stepped out the hallway into the living room. Theodore’s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, and Sienna let out a sharp, muffled gasp, her hand going to her throat.

“Maxwell,” Theodore stammered, his face going pale. “You are… alive?”

Mike gaze washed over him, his mouth forming into a vicious smirk as he shook his head, glaring at Maxwell. “So, you are back,” He laughed mockingly, taking a step closer. “And looking around, I’m sure you came back with nothing but rags. What were you doing for four years, Maxwell? Serving as a low level guard at some dusty outpost? You have done nothing but ruin my sister’s life even more by coming back!”

Maxwell said nothing, his jaw hardened as he narrowed his eyes on Mike. His domineering aura and hard stare made Mike take a step back. The only thing hindering him from dealing with Mike was because of Arabella, if it were to be someone else they will never see daylight again.

“Don’t speak to him like that, Mike!” Arabella snapped, stepping forward. “He’s your brother in law and he deserves some respect. He was fighting a war!”

“Oh please,” Sienna scoffed, her hand waves in the air dismissively. “Mike is right and was he really fighting a war or was he hiding while his family was slaughtered like sheeps?! And you were right here and turned yourself into a cemetery officer.”

“Look at him, Arabella,” She sneered, her eyes flashing with disdain. “He’s wretched. He’s a nobody. At least soldiers with high ranking get back home with some goodies but he’s empty handed and he's going to destroy your happiness and take you down with him. You are coming home with us!”

“I’m not going anywhere with any of you. You have tried forcing me before and I didn’t budge and I won’t leave him,” Arabella retorted.

Theodore glared at his daughter, wondering if she had gone mad. “Enough Arabella! You’re coming back home with us and that’s final. The Greens have fallen and we have already fallen from grace to grass in front of the whole family so we have a new suitor for you and you will do as I say!”

“She’s still my wife and you can’t marry her off to another!” Maxwell replied, his voice low.

“Wife?” Sienna laughed, a sharp, ugly sound. “A marriage of convenience made years ago? That marriage was annulled after we thought you were dead and your family is gone so nothing would hold us back anymore. You both will get a divorce!”

“You have no money, no status and we won’t reduce ourselves anymore!”

“I’m not having a divorce,” Arabella snapped back, clutching Maxwell’s arm. “I’m not leaving him. His parents are dead! He just found out and instead of us to comfort him you are adding salt to his wounds!”

“We weren’t the one who killed his parents, are we?” Mike questioned. “Besides, why should we suffer for that? And it’s not your decision to make whether you want to divorce him or not, it’s grandfather’s decision. He has already wiped your name from the family’s registry until you marry the man he has chosen for you.”

“There’s nothing you can do to change it,” he added.

Theodore reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a thick gold invitation card. He held it out towards Arabella, his expression stern.

“Be at the mansion in three days for Grandfather’s 80th birthday. Don’t be late and do not act foolishly, Arabella. You have responsibilities towards the family!”

Arabella stared at the invitation card, her hand shaking, hesitating to touch the card that represented her family’s selfishness and betrayal.

How could they reason like this?

But, she couldn’t blame them. Grandfather had never really favoured their own family only her father’s younger brother, giving him half of the shares in the company while her father was reduced to nothing but a mere receptionist in the company. An insult to his status as the eldest son of the Zade family.

When she had gotten married to Maxwell, the Greens were at the pinnacle of success and Grandfather had finally began to give attention to her family but now that the helmsman of the Greens was dead and their companies and everything they owned taken away, her parents had to do everything to survive but there’s no way she would leave Maxwell to marry a man she has never seen in her life.

Before she could reach out, Maxwell’s hand moved. He snatched the invitation from Theodore’s fingers. “We will be there,” He said simply.

Sienna snickered, leaning into Theodore’s arm as they turned to leave. “Of course you will be there. I imagine that a lowly guard like you, didn’t have the luxury of eating good food back at the camp so you would do anything to get a decent meal. Just try not to embarrass us while you are stuffing your face with the free food and drinks.”

Maxwell growled and the colour drains from Sienna’s face. Years ago, Sienna had doted on him like he was her own son and now, she was acting disgusted by merely his sight? He wondered what she would do if she found out about his real identity.

“Common, let’s go,” Theodore spat, not looking back. “The smell of this place is staining my senses.”

As the roar of their engines faded into the distance, Maxwell looked down at the gold lettering on the card. His grip tightened just enough to crinkle the edges.

“Why didn’t you stand up for yourself?!” Arabella frowned, hitting his arm with her fists.

“Was there any need?” Maxwell gave a small smile. “There’s nothing that I would say that would make them change their minds…”

Arabella sighed. “Please do not be angry with them. They are good people okay? They have just fallen into hard times. Grandfather doesn’t like our family so my father will try everything possible just to gain his favour.”

“I understand,” He said and caressed her cheek. She had chosen him over her family and now, he would do everything possible to make sure she was comfortable and successful.