Married To My Ex-Husband’s Rival by Jobet GraySon

Chapter Twenty Two

Richard's POV

| sat still before my

my parents, bracing myself for the storm that was about to hit me. My mother,

Martha, looked atwith disbelief in her eyes before letting out a heavy sigh. She spoke, and the

disappointment was evident in her voice. “Richard, | always wanted you to find a nice woman and start a family

of your own. But | never imagined you would choose to marry someone who is divorced, and

worse, someone who has ties to the Black family.”

Her words didn’t affect me, as | stared at her with an emotionless expression. | had anticipated their resistance

and their disapproval, but | still wished that they had simply accepted my marriage without asking too many

questions.

| took a deep breath and tried to explain, “Mother, | understand your concerns. But you have to trustwhen |

say that Amber is not like them. She has been hurt by the Black family as well, and she

holds no loyalty to them.”

Martha hissed, her voice filled with venom as she spat out her words, “Why couldn’t you have fallen

in love with someone from a normal background? Someone who didn’t marry into that wretched family

that we've always known as our enemies?”

I sighed in response, knowing that this would be a difficult conversation. Deep down, | had always

expected their resistance to Amber, not just because she was divorced but mostly because of her association

with the Black family. Our families had a long-standing feud, and it was ingrained in us to despise them.

“I understand your concerns, Mother. You know better than anyone that | share your feelings towards the Black

family. But | can’t let that cloud my judgment when it comes to Amber,” | explained, trying to convey the depth

of my conviction.

My father, Raymond, who had been silent for a while, spoke up. His voice was measured, holding a tone of

concern as he addressed me: “Richard, it's not about Amber's loyalty or lack thereof. It's about

the fact that she is divorced. This will undoubtedly hurt our family’s reputation. Everyone in this country knows

about the animosity between our family and the Blacks. By marrying the ex-daughter-in-law of that family, it

will only seem like we're trying to be petty, plotting. something against them.”

With a tired look, | met my father’s gaze. “Father, | understand the consequences this might have on our family’s

reputation. But love cannot be confined by petty feuds. Amber is not the enemy. She is a

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Chapter Twenty Two

victim, just like us.”

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The fact that he didn’t seem like they were having it at all madefeel a little confused because |

didn’t want to have to go the extra mile to convince them.

Sure, | understood their reason for not wantingto marry Amber, but since they didn’t know that

the marriage was fake and that | had my own malicious intents, | needed to make sure that | convinced

them so that | wouldn't end up having any issues with my parents just because of my revenge.

As my father let out a defeated sigh, | could see the concern etched on his face. He spoke honestly,

his voice filled with a mix of resignation and uncertainty: “Richard, | don’t know if you're making

the right decision here. Marrying Amber, especially in light of her past association with the Black

family, is a choice that will have consequences.”

| took a deep breath and looked my father in the eye. “Dad, | understand your worries, but | truly

believe that marrying Amber is not going to be a problem. She’s been hurt by the Blacks just as we

have. She holds no loyalty to them, and | personally do not care what people have to say. So you both

should stop worrying so much.”

My mother, never one to hold back, interjected. “Don’t expectnot to worry, Richard. You're my

son, and it’s only natural forto be concerned about your choices. | need to see for myself if this woman is

truly worth all the trouble.”

| was taken aback by her request. “Mother, you don’t need to meet Amber right away. We can arrange

for a meeting later, after everything settles down.”

Martha frowned, her voice laced with determination. “Why should we wait? Are you planning on introducing us to

her only after you've married her? | want to meet her now, Richard. | want to see if she is as good as you claim

she is.”

| scrambled for an excuse, my mind racing to find a way to delay their meeting. | didn’t know if allowing Amber

to meet my family so soon was going to work out well, and | wanted to avoid the risk

of getting caught.

“It's not that | don’t want you to meet Amber, Mother,” | began, trying to choose my words carefully. It's just that

she’s a bit apprehensive about meeting you so soon. She’s worried about making a good impression, especially

considering our family’s reputation.”

Martha scoffed, her skepticism apparent. “Nonsense! If she truly loves you, Richard, she should be willing to face

anything, including meeting her future in-laws. | won't give my approval until | meet her until | see for myself

that she is as worthy as you believe her to be.”

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Chapter Twenty Two

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Her words struck a chord in me. My mother’s skepticism, combined with her determination to meet Amber, made