Chapter 1207
The Substitute Wife: My Poor Husband Is A Billionaire
Chapter 1207 Ill-treatment Of Daughter-in -law
âGarrett Harding! How dare you talk to me like that?â
Leoâs anger boiled over as he thrust a f*inger in Garrettâs direction, his voice echoing through the room
as he bellowed, âI am your father! And Iâll always be your father! You want to sever ties with me? Thatâs
preposterous!â
Leo seethed with anger, his legs threatening to buckle beneath him. In a swift gesture of support, Vera
moved to his side, tenderly placing a hand on his back and massaging away the tension that had built
up within him. As Vera comforted Leo, her eyes flashed with anger as she turned her gaze towards
Garrett With a scowl etched on her face, she admonished him in a stern tone, âWhat kind of spell has
Laney put on you that you would turn your back on your own flesh and blood? Look at what youâve
done to your father! Apologize to him right now!â
Garrettâs demeanor shifted as he leaned nonchalantly against the door, his arms crossed in front of
him. With a cold smile playing at the corners of his lips, he declared, âThis is my own decision, and it
has nothing to do with Laney. Itâs time for you both to leave now.â
The words were like daggers, cutting through the already-tense atmosphere of the room. Veraâs fury
boiled over as she glared at Garrett with a fierce intensity, her voice trembling with anger. âI should
have never allowed you to marry that woman. She used her own daughter as a pawn to coax you away
from the Harding family. She has no sense of decorum or breeding whatsoever!â
Vera was convinced that Laney was the root cause of Garrettâs current behavior, her belief unwavering
in the face of his defiance.
Laney was the spark that ignited Garrettâs rebellion; without her, he would have remained compliant.
As Vera ruminated on the situation, her discontent with Laney grew. She couldnât help but think that if
she had selected a daughter-in -law from a more affluent background, things would have turned out
differently.
Vera s criticism of Laney sparked a sudden surge of anger in Garrett. He jabbed a f*inger towards the
hallway and snarled, âGet out! Both of you, just leave!â
Under no circumstances would he tolerate any disrespect towards Laney! Not even his own parents.
Garrettâs abrupt burst of fury startled both his father and mother. Witnessing the intensity in his gaze,
they didnât dare utter another word and could only storm out, seething with displeasure.
âYou must devise a solution as soon as possible!â
During their journey back, Vera was extremely restless, persistently grumbling and nagging at Leo.
âNow, word has spread through our social circles that Garrett is refusing to take his wife back home.
Everyone is talking about how we are mistreating her. Our reputation has been completely tarnished.â
Leo lamented to Vera as he said, âFor a while, you should stay at home and limit your outings. Itâs best
to refrain from attending any gatherings.â
In spite of her pledge to stay at home, Vera couldnât resist the allure and soon found herself indulging in
afternoon tea with other affluent ladies at an upscale restaurant. âMrs. Harding, I heard that your son
has been hesitant to return home lately. Whatâs the matter?â
Their conversation had barely started when one of the women steered the discussion towards Vera.
âThe recent events involving the Harding family had caused a commotion in their social circle. Although
the other affluent women were also curious, they were too proud to inquire directly. Now that someone
had taken the initiative to inquire, the other ladies no longer had any reservations about discussing the
matter. I heard that youâre not even allowed to see your granddaughter, is that true?â
âIs it really that bad?â
âWhat happened? Why donât you tell us about it? Maybe we can offer some suggestions/ they prodded.
The women swarmed around Vera, gossiping incessantly and bombarding her with questions. Vera
was caught off guard and didnât know how to respond.
âWhat else could it be? They treated their daughter-in-law poorly, and now she doesnât want to return,â
Mrs. Lee, who had never held a fondness for Vera, remarked sarcastically. Veraâs composed visage
suddenly flushed bright red.
âMrs. Lee, you have put Mrs. Harding in the wrong,â a graceful voice suddenly interjected Kailee strode
over with her bag in hand and stated, âMrs. Harding talks about her daughter-in-law and granddaughter
to me every day, but itâs a shame that they donât seem to appreciate it and wonât let Mrs. Harding see
them. Mrs. Harding also feels sad about that.â Kaileeâs words diffused the tension and alleviated Veraâs
embarrassment. The affluent women felt it was no longer appropriate to discuss the topic and
redirected the conversation to other matters.
Vera didnât have much to say and quickly found an excuse to depart with Kailee.
Veraâs enthusiasm for afternoon teas dissipated entirely.
Kailee wore a deliberately innocent expression as they made their way back, and asked, âMrs. Harding,
whatâs happening between you and Laney? There are all sorts of rumors circulating outside.â
Feeling overwhelmed and oppressed as of late, Vera let out a long sigh and confided in Kailee, who
appeared understanding and composed on the surface.
âLaney has brought chaos and turmoil into our household ever since she married into the Harding
family. And now, sheâs even trying to sow discord and prevent my son from bringing his child home.
She has brought shame and disgrace to our familyâs reputation and honor.â