Imperfect Marriage: The Billionaire 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 Walters 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 Ashborne 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.

"Get up!"

Darwin pulled back the curtains in the room, allowing the sunlight to pour in. Veronica, who had been sleeping on the sofa, blinked repeatedly as she sat up. Still in her wedding dress, she struggled to gather her scattered thoughts.

"Quick, pack your things!" Darwin commanded; his cold tone unchanged.

"Packing?" Veronica asked hesitantly. It was still early in the morning. Why was she being asked to pack? "Are you trying to kick me out?" There was a hint of worry in her words as she wondered if Darwin was going to evict her or divorce her already. Her father might even have a heart attack if they divorced within 24 hours of the wedding.

"Tsk!" Darwin clicked his tongue. He really didn't want to waste too many words on the woman in front of him. But if he didn't explain, it would be difficult. "We're leaving for the airport in an hour," he replied with a blank expression.

Darwin kept his expression difficult to read. Veronica had thought after last night's events that Darwin would never want to talk to her again.

"The airport?" Veronica repeated. "Where are we going?"

"Goodness. No need to ask so many questions!" Darwin snapped irritably. He detested chatter like this. Moreover, why was it so hard to just follow his instructions? "Hurry and pack. I don't like wasting time waiting for unimportant people like you!"

With that, Darwin simply walked away. Meanwhile, Veronica quickly got up, cleaned herself up, and then began following her husband's order to pack. She was starting to understand that Darwin was the type of temperamental man who disliked having his orders questioned.

Dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, Veronica descended the stairs slowly, carrying a small suitcase in her right hand. Once she reached the living room, she saw Darwin waiting and chatting with someone on his phone.

Noticing that Veronica was ready, Darwin stood up and walked casually toward the car parked in the driveway. They both rushed to the airport, preparing for a long journey.

"Where are we actually going?"

Entering the departure terminal, Veronica mustered the courage to ask Darwin again. She was curious about where he was taking her. She felt entitled to know, right?

"Honeymoon."

Those two words made Veronica's brow furrow. She hadn't misheard, had she? After what happened last night, Darwin was now suggesting a honeymoon? Seriously?

"No need to be confused," Darwin said. He seemed to be able to read Veronica's thoughts. "I assure you; you didn't mishear. Besides, isn't it normal for newlyweds to go on a honeymoon?" He said it with a sardonic look, glancing at her. His eyes were so cynical that Veronica grew even more anxious and a bit frightened.

"But..." This time, Darwin drew closer. He whispered softly. "Don't think that this honeymoon will be like what happy couples usually experience. Don't dream! I'll never let you live happily as long as you're by my side."

Veronica let out a heavy sigh. She tried to convince herself that she would be fine, even though Darwin had threatened and intimidated her repeatedly.

Veronica, you have to be strong. You can get through all of this. You can't give up in the slightest.

She repeated these encouraging words to herself as a way to reassure herself that she couldn't give up. Naive or overly trusting, Veronica believed that her father had chosen what was best for her.

During the flight, Veronica spent her time sleeping or daydreaming. Darwin, on the other hand, seemed busy reading something on his tablet, possibly work-related.

Once they arrived at their destination, Veronica didn't say much. She chose to follow Darwin wherever he led her. Eventually, they arrived at the Edge hotel in Uluwatu, Bali.

"Congratulations on your marriage, Mr. Darwin and Mrs. Veronica," one of the hotel staff members said, specially escorting them to the room that had been prepared. "We hope you both enjoy your time in Bali. If you need anything, feel free to contact me, Keenan, as your guest liaison."

Darwin nodded. Once the hotel staff member left the room, he quickly grabbed his suitcase and left without saying a word, leaving Veronica behind. Veronica had guessed that Darwin wouldn't want to share a room with her.

Not wanting to dwell on it, Veronica decided to unpack her things into the wardrobe. After everything was neatly organized, she lay down on the bed. She closed her eyes momentarily, waiting for dinner time to arrive.

***

Veronica woke up at exactly 6:00 PM when her phone suddenly rang. A bit reluctantly, she picked up the device. She saw Deasy's name on the screen and quickly answered the call. She was sure her friend was anxious, waiting for news.

"Veee, where have you been? Just because your newlyweds, you suddenly disappeared."

Veronica chuckled softly at Deasy's scolding. They had been friends since childhood, and she knew Deasy's nature well. Neither of them could stand silence or not exchanging news or stories for even a day.

"Sorry. I was busy traveling earlier. I just arrived, and I went straight to rest," Veronica explained.

"Where did you go? On your honeymoon?"

"You could say that. I'm in Bali right now. I don't even know when I'll be back in Jakarta."

She didn't even know their return schedule, let alone their destination, which she had only learned after arriving at the airport. Besides, she was reluctant to ask Darwin too many questions. He was too intimidating and uncompromising.

"Is Darwin really taking you on a honeymoon or what?" Deasy sounded unsure. She knew very well that the marriage Veronica was now in was a forced one. That's what worried her from the start. She was afraid Darwin might do things that would hurt Veronica's feelings. "I won't be happy if anything happens to you," she continued.

"Just hope for the best, Des. Either way, my status is now Darwin's wife."

She heard a soft sigh on the other end. Shortly afterward, Deasy's voice sounded enthusiastic again.

"Well, then just enjoy your time in Bali. Don't forget to keep in touch. At least send me a message so I know you're okay. If something happens, make sure to contact me."

"Don't worry. I'll definitely keep you posted."

After the call with Deasy, Veronica decided to freshen up. After dressing neatly, she initially planned to take a stroll while waiting for the sunset. However, as she was about to leave her room, she heard a knock on the door. When she opened it, Keenan was there, probably with something to tell her.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Veronica. I apologize if I'm bothering you. I just wanted to ask if you'd like to have dinner in your room or directly at the restaurant. Our hotel restaurant has many attractive spots, both indoors and outdoors. You can even enjoy dinner while watching the sunset," Keenan explained. His polite demeanor made Veronica feel comfortable being served by someone who might be around the same age as Darwin.

"Well then, let's have dinner directly at the restaurant. And I'd like to take a walk and see the surroundings first."

Keenan nodded and prepared to take his leave.

"In that case, we'll wait for your arrival at the restaurant."

After Keenan left, Veronica wandered around every corner of the hotel. She explored until she decided to take a seat by the edge of the swimming pool, enjoying the sunset view directly.

She spent quite a while there. She even ordered a variety of dishes, both heavy and light, to accompany her as the night grew darker. Then, at exactly 9:30 PM, Veronica got up. She thought she should return to her room now.

However, on her way back to her room, Veronica's eyes clearly caught sight of her husband. But what surprised her was that Darwin wasn't alone. He was entering a resort room with another woman. They even appeared to be embracing each other affectionately.

Curious, Veronica discreetly followed them until she stood right in front of the room Darwin had entered earlier. Gathering all her courage, she attempted to knock on the door. She waited outside for a while until the door finally opened. A stunning woman dressed provocatively smiled at her.

"Looking for someone?"

Veronica was momentarily stunned. In fact, she found herself admiring the beauty of the woman standing right in front of her. With long hair, smooth white skin, and a well-proportioned body, the woman seemed like a perfect creation by God. When she snapped out of her reverie, Veronica quickly answered the question directed at her.

"I'm sorry if I'm bothering you. If I may ask, is Darwin inside?"

"Darwin?" the woman repeated.

However, before Veronica could respond, the person she was looking for suddenly appeared from behind. Approaching Veronica, he shot her a displeased look.

"What do you want coming here?"