Imperfect Marriage : A Billionaire's Love Scandal

At a fancy hotel ballroom, a luxurious wedding party was in full swing. The Walters extended Family was visibly joyous, completely immersed in the festive atmosphere. The invited guests, mostly prominent businesspeople, took turns congratulating Darwin Walters, who was ending his bachelor days by marrying Veronica Ashborne tonight.

Meanwhile, at a guest table, a woman sat staring at the couple with a deeply hurt expression. She was Vivian, a beautiful woman who had previously been in a relationship with Darwin Walters.

They had been together for over two years, even enduring a long-distance relationship when Darwin was sent to manage a company in South Korea by his parents. Their hopes and dreams of building a life together suddenly shattered when Darwin was arranged to marry someone else by his father's choice. This was deliberately done to rescue the Infinix Group, a strong presence in the mining sector, from the threat of bankruptcy due to an ongoing crisis.

It remained unclear whether Vivian's relationship with Darwin would come to an abrupt end or if it could continue in secret, as Darwin had requested earlier.

"I swear, this won't last long. After I manage to divorce her, I'll marry you, Vivian," Darwin promised.

"Are you sure you can divorce the woman your Dad picked?" Vivian seemed skeptical. She knew Darwin's character well. He had never once contradicted or refused his father's orders. Even when he was sent to Korea for so long that they were separated, Darwin complied without any protest.

"I'm sure I can. I'll do whatever it takes to end that marriage quickly. I only love you, Vivian, not Veronica."

"You're cruel, Win. You've been playing with my feelings while I've been faithfully waiting for you—"

"Vivian, please." Darwin interrupted his girlfriend. He pulled her close, embracing her tightly, then softly kissed the top of her head as he whispered, "Please understand my situation right now. You know I don't want to lose you just like that. Besides, I've never broken a promise, right? So please, wait just a little while. And for now, let's keep this relationship a secret," he pleaded, hoping Vivian would grant his request with passion.

Vivian couldn't lie to herself about her feelings. No matter what, she truly loved Darwin. Not wanting to drown in sadness, she chose to stand up and prepared to leave the ballroom. Her head ached thinking about what lay ahead. Could she bear to have a secret relationship with her own boyfriend?

After the party concluded, Darwin decided to take Veronica back to his place. As they arrived, without hesitation, he pulled her inside, pushing her to sit on the corner sofa.

"Are you satisfied? Have you ruined my life?" he snapped, filled with anger. Darwin's gaze seemed capable of burning Veronica alive until she turned to ashes. "Don't think that becoming my wife will make you happy!"

"What did I do wrong?" Veronica's voice trembled.

In her entire life, Veronica had never been treated roughly like this. Being an only child, her parents had always cherished her wholeheartedly. She had never been yelled at, let alone subjected to anything that made her feel hurt or sad.

Still driven by his emotions, Darwin stepped forward, approaching his seated wife. He gripped her chin, mercilessly.

"What do you think you did wrong?" Darwin's eyes narrowed. His frustration was evident on his handsome face. For some reason, whenever he looked at Veronica, he wanted to shatter her bones. "It's your fault for agreeing to this damn arranged marriage! If only you had rejected it from the beginning, this marriage would never have happened!" He then released his harsh grip on her.

Veronica winced in pain. She didn't want to live like this, but what could she do? There was no choice but to obey what had been ordered. Furthermore, this marriage had been planned for a long time, aimed at expanding both families' businesses and helping the struggling Infinix Group.

Moreover, Damian Ashborne and Magnus Walters had a longstanding friendship since their youth. Long before the Infinix Group faced difficulties, they had both speculated about arranging their children's marriage to continue their good relationship into the future. This was the basis for the agreement to marry Darwin and Veronica.

"So what do you want then? Do you want to divorce me? Then jeopardize the fate of the Salim family business that's hanging by a thread? Risk the futures of thousands of workers and employees who have dedicated their lives to you?"

Darwin sighed. He couldn't deny that the Wijaya family's support was desperately needed now. When no one else could help, it was only Veronica's father who extended a helping hand. Ensuring that the Infinix Group would regain its former glory.

"Don't think that just because your family helped the Infinix Group, you can control me however you want! Sooner or later, I will definitely divorce you, Ve," Darwin said firmly. "I swear, once the issues with my company are resolved, I'll divorce you as soon as possible. It would be insane for me to stay with a woman I don't love at all."

Darwin's words dripped with hatred. Then he stormed out, slamming the bedroom door behind him. While newlyweds usually enjoyed their first night together, Veronica's experience was starkly different. She could only hold back tears and the ache gnawing at her heart, pondering what challenges awaited her in the days ahead.