While My Husband Cheated, I Married His Powerful Brother

Chapter 163: Chapter 163 Him or Me

Veyra carefully set her water glass back down on the table, the heavy glass making a dull click against the wood.

​Her face was still flushed a bright red from her sudden choking fit, her eyes wide with unrefined shock. She stared across the tabletop at Xander as if he had grown a second head right before her eyes.

​"I am not divorcing my husband," she said, her voice completely clear and unshakeable.

​Xander blinked, clearly taken aback by her instant refusal. "Why on earth not?"

​"Because I have zero desire to do so."

​Xander slowly leaned back in his chair, his broad shoulders stilled as his dark eyebrows rose high on his forehead. "You have no desire to?"

​"None at all."

​He shook his head in absolute disbelief, a light scoff escaping his lips. "You married a bodyguard. A common subordinate. Someone who spends his days taking orders from your family." He paused, looking at her with genuine confusion. "There is no way you actually harbour real feelings for a man like that."

​"I do," she replied without a single second of hesitation.

​Xander stared straight at her, his expression a chaotic mixture of deep confusion, wounded pride, and sheer disbelief.

​"Are you honestly sitting here telling me that you love a simple bodyguard?"

​"I am telling you that I am never leaving him."

​Xander brought his heavy fist down hard against the wooden table. The sudden impact made the water glasses jump and the fine china plates rattle sharply. Beside Veyra, Mia flinched violently, shrinking back into her seat.

​"That is completely ridiculous!" Xander shouted, his loud voice echoing off the silk-covered walls of the private room. "You could have anything you could ever dream of in this city. Unlimited wealth, real power, and absolute respect. I can hand all of that to you on a silver platter right now."

​Veyra said nothing, remaining completely silent as she watched him vent.

​Xander leaned far across the table, his posture intensely aggressive and his dark eyes locked onto hers. "Look at me, Veyra. I am incredibly rich, I hold massive power, and I personally rule over half of the Riverside District. Anything you could ever want or ask for, I can secure for you in a heartbeat."

​He gestured broadly with his hands, sweeping them across the quiet restaurant, the private dining suite, and the expensive meal spread out before them.

​"Can your bodyguard husband ever provide a life like this for you? Can he give you this level of luxury and protection?"

​Veyra kept her composure, her tone dropping into a calm, steady rhythm. "He gives me something far more valuable than material luxury."

​Xander frowned. "And what could that possibly be?"

​"Respect."

​Xander stared at her as if she were speaking an ancient, unknown language. His mouth opened to argue, closed, and then opened once more, completely robbed of a quick comeback.

​Over by the sliding wooden door, Leon remained standing perfectly still.

​His arms were still loosely crossed over his broad chest, his facial expression entirely calm on the surface. Yet his sharp, attentive eyes were pinned directly onto the gang leader.

​He had heard every single insult, every piece of arrogant mockery, and every arrogant attempt to dismiss him as a mere low-level subordinate.

​And now, Xander was directly insulting his master.

​A subtle curl touched the edge of Leon’s lips, a fraction of a second movement that formed a small, deeply contemptuous smile.

​Xander caught the tiny expression instantly.

​His eyes narrowed to dangerous slits, his voice dropping into a sharp, lethal rasp. "What on earth are you looking at?"

​Leon didn’t bother to give him a spoken answer, simply looking right through him.

​Xander stood up abruptly, his chair legs scraping violently against the hardwood floor with a harsh screech. His voice boomed across the small room.

​"I asked you a direct question!"

​Leon’s steady gaze locked right onto Xander’s furious eyes. His voice came out flat, quiet, and completely unbothered.

​"Clown."

​The single word hung heavy in the silent room.

​Xander’s face instantly turned a deep, furious shade of red. His large hands curled into tight fists, his heavy chest heaving with rapid, loud breaths.

​"Clown?" he repeated, his voice tight with rage. "Did you just call me a clown?"

​Leon offered no reply, remaining perfectly still.

​Unable to contain his fury, Xander suddenly lunged straight across the space between them.

​His heavy right arm shot forward, throwing a fast, hard fist directly toward Leon’s jaw.

​Leon moved without a hint of panic.

​He simply took a smooth step to the side, fast, fluid, and effortless, like water flowing effortlessly around a heavy rock.

​Xander’s wild momentum carried him entirely off balance. His punch met empty air, his arms flailed wildly to catch himself, and his heavy knees crashed hard against the floorboards.

​He went down in a messy heap right at the feet of his own guards.

​The entire private room fell into an uncomfortable, absolute silence.

​Xander scrambled back up to his feet, his face burning red with humiliation and his eyes blazing with pure hatred.

​He reached out and violently grabbed his heavy walking cane from the floor, raising it high above his head as if to strike.

​"Leon," Veyra called out sharply.

​Leon paused his step, standing his ground without lifting a hand.

​Veyra stood up from her chair immediately, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade.

​"Xander," she said, her eyes cold. "Put that cane down right now."

​Xander’s wild eyes darted over to her, his teeth gritted. "He just openly disrespected me in front of my own men!"

​"He called you a clown only after you spent ten minutes insulting him and insulting his employer," she pointed out smoothly.

​Xander’s jaw locked tight. "He is nothing more than a hired bodyguard!"

​"He is my assigned person," Veyra said, her voice turning to pure ice. "And trying to assault him right in front of me is deeply disrespectful to me. Lower the cane."

​Xander stared at her, his chest still heaving, the heavy wooden cane held high in the air and his knuckles white around the grip.

​Slowly, reluctantly, he lowered the cane back to the floor.

​The room remained thick with heavy, uncomfortable tension.

​Xander was breathing heavily through his nose, his grip still tight on the cane while Leon stood completely unbothered a few feet away, his expression calm and his stance steady.

​Veyra stepped slightly toward the center of the room, keeping her voice firm and grounded.

​"If you feel the need to throw your weight around, that is your business," she said. "But do not attempt to strike anyone while they are actively working to protect me."

​Xander’s voice came out low and bitter. "He insulted my authority."

​"He reacted to your insults," she corrected flatly. "We came here today to finalize a commercial shop contract, not to engage in foolish street brawls."

​Right on cue, the sliding door clicked open.

​A restaurant staff member stepped inside, holding a crisp leather folder in his hands. He maintained a polite, professional expression, entirely oblivious to the violent tension that had just filled the room.

​"Mr. Hale," the employee said politely. "The legal team has finished printing the lease contract."

​The thick silence finally broke.

​Xander let out a long, heavy breath, reaching down to smooth out the lapels of his dark suit jacket before turning back to the table.

​"Perfect timing," he grumbled, turning his gaze to Veyra. "Examine the paperwork and make sure every detail meets your standards."

​Veyra gave a single, firm nod. She sat back down in her chair and turned toward her partner.

​Mia’s hands were trembling slightly as she reached out, her voice shaky. "I will read through the terms right away."

​She pulled the leather folder toward her, opened the cover, and began carefully reading the first page. Then she moved to the second, and finally the third.

​Though her face was still pale from the earlier near-fight, her eyes grew sharp and focused.

​She immediately locked into her professional role, checking every clause.

​Xander slid back into his seat across from them. He reached into his inner pocket, pulled out a fresh cigar, and lit it up without asking.

​Heavy gray smoke quickly curled into the air, filling the private room with a thick, acrid scent.

​Veyra’s nose wrinkled instantly as her stomach churned from the harsh smell.

​Without saying a word, she stood up from the table, walked across the room to the traditional window, and pushed it wide open.

​A crisp, cool breeze instantly rushed into the room, sweeping the heavy smoke out into the courtyard.

​Xander watched her every move with narrowed, brooding eyes.

​He didn’t offer an apology for the smoke this time, remaining silent as he puffed on his cigar.

​The quiet inside the room stretched out for several long minutes.

​Mia remained fully absorbed in the contract text, her lips moving silently as her finger carefully traced each line of terms, rates, and lease obligations.

​Xander’s low voice suddenly broke through the silence once more.

​"Are you truly certain about this, Mrs. Thorne?" he asked, his tone heavy.

​Veyra kept her gaze fixed on the quiet courtyard outside the open window before slowly turning back to face him. "Certain about what?"

​"About choosing to suffer alongside a low-level bodyguard," Xander said, his voice dropping low as he looked at her. "When you could easily step into a comfortable, powerful life with me instead."

​Veyra kept her lips closed, offering no reply to his continuous pressing.

​Xander leaned forward, his dark eyes locked onto her face. "I am giving you a very clear choice right now. Him or me."

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!