Caught Him Cheating My Life Restarted (Natalie) novel Chapter 78

“That’s great! As long as I could help, I’m happy.”

Just as Hanley was basking in his victory, a thunderous voice cut through the air.

“Hanley! What was that nonsense you were spouting at the television station? How dare you slander your mother like that!”

Darren was radiating fury. He strode forward and snatched Hanley up by the arm.

The sudden movement terrified Hanley.

“Daddy, you’re scaring me! Put me down!”

“You’re scared now? You should have thought about the consequences before you spewed all that garbage.”

Victoria rushed to intervene, her face a mask of indignation. “What do you think you’re doing? Put that child down this instant! If it weren’t for him, the Cross Group’s stock would be in the toilet. Do you think we could have turned this disaster around without him?”

Marie added, in a calm, measured tone, “Hanley only spoke out to protect the Cross Group. Without his testimony, the company would be on the brink of collapse.”

“It doesn’t matter! You do not lie! Especially… Hanley, when has your mother ever laid a hand on you? You are the most precious thing in the world to her. When you were sick, she stayed up night after night to take care of you. She gave you everything, and in return, you go on national television and paint her as some jealous monster who abuses her own child. You’re a little bastard!”

Darren shoved Hanley away, and the boy stumbled to the ground. Victoria immediately rushed to his side.

Hanley, though his eyes were wide with fear, defiantly pushed himself up. “But if I didn’t say that, the Cross Group would go bankrupt! Mommy shouldn’t have tried to hurt the company. She shouldn’t have hurt Auntie. If she wanted a divorce, she could have just left! Why did she have to try and ruin everyone?”

“Who told you that?” Darren demanded.

Darren ignored her and stared down at his son. “Hanley, I want you to think long and hard. Was what you did to your own mother the right thing to do?”

But as he watched his own mother coddle Hanley, he knew his words were falling on deaf ears.

Darren turned to leave, his jaw tight with anger. Marie quickly moved to block his path. “Darren, where are you going? Are you going to see Natalie?”

“Yes, I am. Because I can’t even begin to imagine the kind of pain she must be in right now, watching her own son assassinate her character in public.”

Marie felt a surge of rage at his words.

“She’s the one who tried to destroy the Cross Group! Why are you still worried about her feelings? She and her father were the ones who trapped you in the first place. You never would have married her otherwise!”