Thrown to the Dogs: The Fallen Star’s Bloody Revenge Chapter 08

Thrown to the Dogs: The Fallen Star’s Bloody Revenge Chapter 08 They Lost Everything, I Got My Life Back

Through the car window, I let a faint smile curl across my lips. Then I slipped on my sunglasses and drove away.

This was only the beginning. After everything Vivienne had done to me, this didn’t even come close.

Over the next few days, the scandal took over the internet.

People who had once cursed me flooded my Twitter page with apologies.

Nolan, meanwhile, was torn to pieces online. He lost millions of followers overnight, and one dirty secret after another came out. Vivienne hadn’t been the only wealthy person he’d gotten involved with. There had been seven or eight older women, along with several men.

Stories also surfaced about him throwing his weight around on set and even slapping a crew member.

Before long, he was drowning in massive contract penalties and blacklisted by both his agency and the entire entertainment industry. The star who had once looked down on everyone ended up working construction just to get by.

Vivienne lost the baby after Nolan shoved her to the floor, and the scandal dealt a serious blow to her company as well.

Then I stepped in as CEO of Mercer Group. I made it clear across Westbridge that anyone who continued doing business with her would have to answer to me. I also had regulators launch a full audit of Hawthorne Group’s books from the past several years.

What they uncovered was worse than anyone expected. Tax evasion and embezzlement alone involved hundreds of millions of dollars.

The authorities shut the company down immediately, and Vivienne and my son were both taken in for questioning. By the time they finally got out, they’d burned through nearly every cent they’d saved over the years.

With the company gone, they were left buried in debt. Their mansion, cars, and anything else worth money were sold off in court–ordered auctions.

By the time they ended up homeless on the streets, I appeared in front of them impeccably dressed, with a line of bodyguards behind me.

The second Vivienne saw me, her exhausted eyes lit up. My son was even more excited and ran straight toward me.

“Dad! I knew you weren’t dead! Thank God! You scared me to death. I thought I’d lost you forever. I’m so glad you’re alive, or Mom and I would’ve had to keep suffering like this.”

Vivienne’s eyes turned red too.

“Julian, if you’ve been alive this whole time, why are you only showing up now? Do you have any idea what your son and I have been through?

“Take us home right now. My clothes stink, and I haven’t eaten in three days.”

I gave a cold laugh.

“You brought every bit of this on yourselves. What does any of it have to do with me? And why exactly would I take you home? Don’t forget, we’re divorced. As far as I’m concerned, you’re a stranger now.”

Vivienne stared at me, stunned. Then she hurried forward and began pleading.

“Julian, we agreed the divorce was only temporary, remember? That b*stard Nolan’s baby is gone, and I’ve cut him out of my life for good. Let’s get married again. Please. I’ll love you the way I should have from now on, and the three of us can be a family again.”

My son quickly joined in.

“Dad, Mom knows she messed up. Just forgive her. You can’t have any more children, and I’m the only son you’ll ever have. If you refuse to take Mom back, I’ll cut you out of my life.”

I nodded slowly. They mistook that for agreement and immediately got to their feet, ready to follow me.

They hadn’t even taken two steps when I spoke.

“I brought the papers to legally sever our ties. Sign them.

“The moment the two of you had me thrown into that dogfighting ring, poured sulfuric acid over my face, left me disfigured, and let the whole internet tear me apart, I’d already decided I wanted nothing more to do with either of you.

“And everything that came out at that press conference? That was me too.

“I wanted the whole world to see exactly who you really are. And now that I’ve seen the two of you homeless on the street, I couldn’t be happier. So if you want to cut ties with me, that’s exactly what I want.”

With every sentence, more color drained from their faces.

“Honey, I know I was wrong. I really do. Nolan seduced me, and I lost my head. The second you

jumped from that window, I regretted everything. You have no idea how desperately I searched for you.”

Her face crumpled as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Once, seeing her cry would’ve broken my heart. I would’ve pulled her straight into my arms. Now, looking at her only made me sick.

My son tried to comfort her while turning to plead with me.

“Dad, Nolan got in our heads. That’s why we did those horrible things to you. But we know we were wrong now. Please forgive us. Mom and I will spend the rest of our lives making it up to you.”

I didn’t answer. I simply lifted a hand toward the bodyguards behind me.

Two burly men stepped forward at once. They pinned my son down, took hold of his hand, and forced him to sign the disownment papers.

“No! Dad, I’m your son! You can’t do this to me! I know I was wrong! If you can’t forgive Mom, fine, but this wasn’t my fault! Dad, please! Don’t do this!”

No matter how hard he struggled or cried, his signature still ended up on the page.

From that moment on, they were no longer my family.

Whether they lived or died had nothing to do with me anymore.

I picked up the signed papers and turned to leave, but Vivienne threw herself at me and wrapped both arms around my leg.

“Julian, please don’t do this. I can’t live without you. I’m begging you. Just give me one last chance.”

I kicked her off me.

Since they wanted one last chance so badly, fine. I’d give them one.

“Sure. Live through what I lived through, and I’ll forgive you.”

Vivienne looked almost relieved. That relief disappeared the moment she found herself thrown into the same dogfighting ring I’d once been trapped in.

At last, she understood how terrifying it was. She learned what it felt like to have dogs tear into her flesh. More than that, she finally understood what it felt like when the person you loved was the one who put you there.

Too bad she’d understood far too late…

The sight terrified my son so badly that he fled. Before disappearing, he swore he would never come near me again or ask for my forgiveness for as long as he lived.

Vivienne eventually died from her injuries. My son vanished from my life for good, and with that, the most painful chapter of my life was finally over.

A brand–new life was waiting for me.