Chapter 15: Why

The air was thick with tension as Vadal and Lira stood there, their eyes locked onto each other. The distance between them seemed to shrink, and Lira felt a sense of intimacy wash over her. She felt like she was seeing Vadal for the first time, like she was really looking at him and appreciating his beauty and charm.

And about the previous asset I told you I transferred to Laurent's name, I never did that. I didn't transfer any asset to Laurent. I planned it and told you that so you can get angry and divorce me, but you never did.

Vadal's eyes narrowed, his expression skeptical. "What do you mean, I saw the documents, Laurent's name clearly written on it," he said, his voice low and even. Lira shook her head, her eyes welling up with tears as she hugged him tightly. "No, I was the one who forged those documents. Laurent didn't even know about it. If you ask him, he won't understand what you're saying. Do you think that I really transferred those documents? No, I'm not that heartless. I forged it all so that you would lose your patience and divorce me."

Lira's voice was filled with desperation as she tried to explain herself. "Do you think if I really transferred those documents to him, he would remain here asking me to transfer more? No, he would run away with my step-sister and leave me here to suffer the consequences in your hands." She shook her head, her eyes pleading with Vadal to understand. "But you really surprised me that night when you found out. You didn't even bother dealing with me, and you wanted to go straight to Laurent and deal a hell out of him."

Vadal's eyes seemed to glaze over as he remembered the night he saw the documents on Lira's desk. He had come to talk to her, but she was taking a shower, and his eyes had landed on the documents. He had opened them, and his heart had sunk as he saw Laurent's name on the papers. He had felt a wave of anger and betrayal, and he had wanted to confront Laurent immediately.

But now, as he looked at Lira, he realized that it had all been a ruse. She had forged the documents to try and get a rise out of him, to try and get him to divorce her. He felt a mix of emotions: anger, relief, and confusion. He didn't know what to make of Lira's actions, or what to do with the information she had just revealed.

Vadal's eyes snapped back into focus, and he looked at Lira with a newfound intensity. "Why?" he asked, his voice low and even. "Why would you do something like that? " "Why do you hate me so much always trying to get rid of me. Why would you try to manipulate me like that?" He took a step closer to her, his eyes boring into hers. "Tell me, Lira. What were you thinking?"

Lira stuttered, her words tumbling out in a rush. "That's because I have heard so much about you... my step-sister and my best friend keep on brainwashing me with all the evil things you've been doing. Anytime you don't come back, she will send me a picture of you in the club, misbehaving with other girls, and it really irritates me." Vadal's eyes narrowed as he recalled the times he had gone on business trips, only to return to Lira's anger and distance.

Vadal's mind flashed back to the times he had tried to make amends with Lira, only to be met with her coldness and hatred. He remembered how he had tried to give her everything she wanted, but nothing seemed to work. He realized now that Lira's behavior had been influenced by her step-sister and best friend, who had been feeding her lies and half-truths about him.

Lira's voice cracked as she continued. "That's why I always go out to meet Laurent, so you will know how it feels. But this past few days, I checked those pictures again, and I found out it was all fake. It wasn't really you." Vadal's eyes widened in surprise, and he felt a mix of emotions, anger, sadness, and relief.

Vadal's eyes locked onto Lira's, and he saw the tears welling up in her eyes. He felt a sense of betrayal, not just from his sister-in-law and Lira's best friend, but also from Lira herself. He had been trying to make their marriage work, but she always go out meeting with another man, fueled by lies and misconceptions about him.

Vadal's voice was low and even, but laced with a hint of sadness. "Why didn't you trust me, phoenix? Why did you believe them and not me?" From the day we met you never want to be with me, why did you george me like that do I look really bad and loose in your eyes. you never..." He took a step closer to her, his eyes searching for answers. From the day I saw you "I thought we had something real, something in common, something worth fighting for. But I guess I was wrong."

Lira looked up at Vadal, her eyes filled with tears and regret. "I'm sorry, Vadal. I was blind, and I didn't see the truth. But I see it now, and I want to make it right. I want to work on our marriage and rebuild our trust." Vadal's expression softened, and he looked at Lira with a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, they could work through their issues and come out stronger on the other side.

Lira's words hung in the air, and Vadal's expression turned cold. "And Laurent said that you killed his sister and destroyed their family business, wealth, and status, and he wants to revenge, and that's why I..." Vadal's eyes narrowed, and he took a step closer to Lira. "Is that what he told you?" he asked, his voice low and even.

Vadal's face was a mask of calmness, but his eyes betrayed a hint of anger. "I did not kill his sister, Lira. I don't know what kind of lies Laurent has been feeding you, but I assure you, I had nothing to do with her death." He paused, collecting his thoughts before continuing. "As for their family business, I did have a disagreement with his father, but it was a business deal gone sour. I did not destroy their wealth and status, and I certainly did not harm anyone in their family."

Lira's eyes widened as she listened to Vadal's words. She realized that she had been fed a pack of lies by Laurent, and that she had been blinded by her own emotions and biases. She felt a wave of shame and regret wash over her, and she knew that she had to make things right. "I'm so sorry, Vadal," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I was so blind, and I didn't see the truth. I let Laurent manipulate me, and I almost destroyed our marriage because of it."