He Lost Me to His Best Friend novel Chapter 909

At the mention of Scarlett and Julian, a wave of toxic contempt washed over Veronica's eyes.

"Don't let their little media circus fool you. They're just riding a wave of hype, trying to inflate a tiny design studio into a corporate empire with smoke and mirrors."

"At the end of the day, they're just two glorified artists. They don't know the first thing about real corporate warfare. How could they possibly survive against old-money titans like us?"

"Once we're married and our resources are pooled, it won't be long before we completely crush them. We'll grind them into the dirt so deep they'll never see the light of day again."

She looked up at Yardley, her eyes burning with predatory ambition and absolute certainty.

"Tell me you're ready for this, Yardley. Ready to conquer everything, side-by-side with me."

Yardley looked at her, an instinctual wave of repulsion rippling through him.

He had always preferred women who were soft, obedient, and eager to please—women who gave him the intoxicating rush of total control.

Veronica was abrasive, sharp-edged, and radiated the aggressive energy of a ruthless CEO. She lacked the submissive femininity he craved, leaving him feeling more like a business partner than a worshipped patriarch.

But he couldn't deny reality: Veronica held the exact cards he desperately needed to survive.

He was drowning in external pressure, paralyzed by AM Capital's oversight, and bleeding out from the Flynn family's internal civil war. He had no loyal soldiers left.

He desperately needed a heavily armed ally to buy his way out of humiliation and break the siege.

After weighing the pros and cons, Veronica was the only logical choice.

This marriage wasn't just to spite Scarlett; it was a calculated play for survival.

Swallowing his distaste, Yardley wrapped an arm around her waist. His voice was low and pragmatic.

"What I need right now is liquid capital to sever all outside interference."

Veronica smirked, radiating absolute confidence.

In stark contrast, Yardley and Veronica looked jarring.

Yardley was dressed in a dark, overly mature polo shirt, while Veronica wore a bright red dress, bold red lipstick, and heavy, voluminous curls. The clash in aesthetics was aggressive and unrefined.

Standing mere yards away, Yardley instantly felt a humiliating pang of inadequacy. Next to Scarlett and Julian, he and Veronica looked like they were a decade older.

The moment their eyes locked, the air grew dangerously thin. The tension skyrocketed.

Yardley's gaze instinctively locked onto Scarlett. Seeing the absolute bliss in her eyes—a happiness that had nothing to do with him—felt like a physical blow to the chest. A sour, suffocating jealousy clawed at his throat.

"Ugh, look at her. A woman her age trying to play dress-up like a blushing bride. Pathetic."

Veronica, immediately sensing Yardley's distraction, felt a violent surge of jealousy and spat out the insult under her breath.

Noticing them holding their official household registration booklets, Scarlett and Julian immediately put the pieces together.