Her Revenge Was His Regret (Shirley and Gilbert) novel Chapter 4

Gilbert drove away, his mind elsewhere.

Wendy just put some stickers in the car without asking Sherry. So what? She's young and doesn't know better. Should Sherry really be making such a big deal out of this?

His phone rang. It was Wendy, her voice sweet as honey.

"Gilbert, Jean already told me everything. Please don't be angry with her. She was just thinking of me. Just... just smash the car, okay? If it makes Sherry happy, I won't go out anymore."

After hearing that, how could he possibly get rid of the car? Besides, it really was just a car.

"Don't worry. I won't touch the car."

A small smile touched Wendy's lips.

Does that bitch Sherry think she can win by making a scene? Too bad for her. All I have to do is call Gilbert's name softly, and he feels sorry for me.

"From now on, I'll arrange a driver for you," Gilbert said.

The smile vanished from Wendy's face. She went pale. "Did... did Sherry talk trash about me? I didn't do anything! If she doesn't like all my things in your car, she can throw them. She can treat me however she wants. But I only trust your driving. I'm only hogging one car seat, that's all. And now... now Sherry wants to take even that away from me?"

Gilbert felt a twist of discomfort in his chest. "Sherry has never been that kind of person."

Wendy's expression tightened, though her voice remained fragile. "I'm sorry. I'm just... I'm scared of losing you, Gilbert. You're all I have here."

The discomfort in Gilbert faded. He softened his voice. "Don't worry. I'll always take care of you."

Then he hung up.

Wendy gripped her phone, her eyes flashing with something dark.

That little slut. How dare she fight back! I'll make sure Gilbert is mine, and I'll make Sherry beg and cry.

*****

Gilbert kept trampling over her feelings, again and again. It was a good thing she already knew he would never choose her over that car.

But seeing Jean's smug face still made her blood boil.

Humiliating her in public like that—it was clear he'd never really seen her as his wife.

It was almost funny now, how she'd once believed that given enough time, they could be happy together.

Now it seemed like it had been nothing but a waste of her own time—totally meaningless.

Sherry let out a bitter laugh.

When she got back to her rented apartment, she found her belongings dumped outside.

"What are you doing?"

This time, it was Gilbert's right-hand man, Scott Wood.

"Mrs. Bode," Scott said, "Mr. Bode ordered us to move your things back."

Move them back?

Thinking of what had just happened, a cold smile curved her lips.

"Stop!" she snapped at the movers. "Tell him that I'm not coming back unless he's ready to sign the divorce papers."

Scott saw the anger in her eyes. It seemed that this runaway from home wasn't just a trick.

But he still didn't believe she would really leave Gilbert. Everyone knew how deeply she loved him.

"This is Mr. Bode's order," Scott said firmly. "I can't disobey him."

They outnumbered her. There was no way she could stop them by force.

"Fine," Sherry said. "Take them all back. Consider them gifts from me." She grabbed her purse and ID and turned to leave.

Scott was stunned.

That was when Teresa won everyone over. And then Claire didn't feel guilty at all.

Teresa quietly fed them the idea that Sherry wasn't really sick—she was just making herself miserable and dragging the whole family down with her.

At first, everyone focused on Sherry. Then, slowly, they started taking Teresa's side. Next to Teresa's sweet and caring act, Sherry looked like a spoiled, difficult girl.

Mental illness? All an act.

So "willful," "nasty," "ungrateful," and "scheming" became the labels they stuck on her.

Teresa, a girl from a mountain village, acted more like a lady than Sherry ever did. All the family's resources and attention poured onto Teresa.

Sherry became the one they cast aside.

Already struggling, she sank deeper into despair—until Gilbert pulled her out with one sentence. "You Campbell folks don't deserve to be Sherry's family."

After that, they were at least careful around her, at least on the surface.

Back then, she had been so happy. Finally, someone was on her side, no questions asked.

Gilbert had told her, "No matter what happens, you have me. If they don't love you, you don't have to go back."

Then Wendy appeared and shattered everything.

And today, he had sent her right back into this hell with his own hands.

Gilbert knew exactly how her family would treat her, and he did it anyway.

Sherry's head buzzed. Her nose should have stung with tears, but all she smelled was metal.

Blood poured out, hot and fast.

It splashed onto the expensive carpet of the Campbell Villa.