But incredibly, the French beauty managed to persuade Toni there
had been NO affair. The smug mistress later bragged how Terry's
wife of three years had swallowed her story - and Terry's - that
the pair were nothing more than close friends.
Our insider said: "John and Vanessa have been extremely cocky.
They're desperately denying everything to Toni. "They know they're
walking on a knife-edge, but somehow at the moment, they think
they've managed to convince her it isn't true."
Full back Bridge, 29 - now with Manchester City - finally split
with Vanessa after they both holidayed with pals Ashley and Cheryl
Cole in the south of France last June.
That was six months after he moved from Chelsea to City and
three months before the affair began. Bridge called Vanessa two
weeks ago when rumours began circulating the Premier League, asking
if it was true. But she said it wasn't.
But Terry's wife Toni was even more determined to get to the
truth and had a screaming phone conversation with the model after
the gagging injunction was lifted - demanding to know if she'd been
sleeping with her husband.
A source in the camp said: "It was a real shouting match between
the two of them. They were both ranting and swearing down the
phone. But Vanessa just denied there was an affair."
She is sticking to her story that they are just good friends -
and that she kept the "friendship" between her and Terry secret to
prevent any suspicions.
Our source added: "When rumours first circulated Vanessa seemed
worried. But as the lawyers seemed confident of gaining an
injunction she changed her tune. She boasted that no-one could say
anything about the affair." Early last week the brazen brunette
even attended a crisis meeting at Chelsea to discuss the pair's
next move - to the surprise of staff.
One club insider told us: "She drove up to the gate to the car
park, but was refused entry. "Parking is really strict, so she
called Terry on his mobile and passed the phone to an attendant.
"And then she points up to this window, and Terry's standing there
waving, with his shirt off. The car park worker couldn't believe
it. Obviously she was let in super-quick." Once inside Vanessa
disappeared for a meeting, before bumping into the
players.
A source said: "Everyone was really polite, but they all know
Vanessa and what's going on. Terry's the club captain, so no-one's
going to say anything."
Terry also scored in yesterday's Chelsea win at Burnley - but
the lifting of the injunction has now got him sweating over the
damage the affair could do to his sponsorship deals. His Chelsea
pay packet gives him a yearly wage of £8.32 million, while deals
with sportswear firms like England kit firm Umbro are said to be
worth up to an extra £2 million a year.
He's also appeared in adverts for phone firm Samsung, Nationwide
and King of Shaves. A source close to Terry told us he also fears
Toni will now divorce him - which could cost him a huge chunk of
his fortune. The couple have been together for 12 years.
The pal said: "She's told him if it's true, she's had enough.
He's genuinely worried. "Both he and Vanessa have been hoping they
can deny everything. But those hopes must have all but faded."
By Carole Malone, News of the World columnist
IT goes without saying that John Terry is a five-star
scumbag-a liar, a cheat, an adulterer and a man who thought nothing
of betraying his friend and teammate by having an affair with the
mother of his son.
This is a man who believes that because he earns £160,000 a week
doesn't have to live by the rules that apply to the rest of us,
hence the brawling, the urinating in public and the sex in the back
of cars with starstruck young girls.
But worst of all, John Terry is a snivelling coward who hired
top lawyers to help him hide his debauchery and treachery using
human rights laws-laws designed to protect the vulnerable and the
weak, not the reputations of louts like him.
The only thing that matters to John Terry is money and his
precious sponsorships, which is why he and his big shot lawyers
used laws supposed to protect people to protect his bank
balance.
But coward that he is, Terry pretended this was some noble fight
for his family and their privacy-that same family he has all but
destroyed.
The only good thing to come out of all this is that
impressionable young fans will now see this vile man for what he
is-just a heartless, gutless cheat.
By Tracey Cox, our Good Sex Guru
True, Bridge is no longer involved with Vanessa. But we all feel
a sense of ownership about our exes and few friendships survive if
a close friend ends up dating someone we once had a serious
relationship with.
Even more humiliating for Toni is the fact she was Vanessa's
pal.
The couples were firm friends and spent time together and the
affair throws up all sorts of doubts.
The innocent partners-Bridge and Toni-are left feeling foolish,
humiliated and wondering if it had been going on all along, under
their very noses.
The reigning Father Of The Year hasn't just lost the respect and
trust of his wife and teammates.
He has lost a friend who deserved to be treated with respect.
Bridge once loved Vanessa. She was a friend to his wife.
This was always doomed to disaster and now everyone involved
will be paying the price.
