Chapter 2

The scene inside froze me in my tracks.

Yvonne was lounging with her legs draped across Julian's lap, letting him feed her one bite at a time.

I rubbed my eyes in disbelief, hoping it was just a hallucination.

Julian's freezing voice instantly shattered that illusion.

"Who told you to come in? Get out."

Yvonne patted Julian's hand to soothe him, then sauntered over to take the box from my hands. Her tone was mockingly patronizing:

"Thanks for running the errand, Chloe! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be able to enjoy the famous Four Seasons Deli tonight. I've got the food now, so you should leave before Julian gets angry."

Memories flashed through my mind—all the sweet treats, the delicate pastries, the desserts he had ordered me to pick up over the years. They were all things young women loved.

I had wondered back then why Julian had suddenly developed a sweet tooth.

I hadn't dared to dig deeper. I just obeyed.

Now I knew. Every single trip was for Yvonne.

A suffocating wave of humiliation and ache washed over me.

Seeing that I was still standing there, Julian's voice turned even sharper. "Didn't you hear me? Get out."

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I forced back my tears, turned around, and walked out.

All that rushing, all that frantic worry about him missing his dinner, had been for nothing.

I pulled my lips into a hollow, self-mocking smile.

If three years couldn't thaw a block of ice, it was time to let go.

The next morning.

I had my lawyer, David, draft a divorce agreement, and I took it straight to Julian's office.

After waiting in the lobby for a long time, his assistant finally ushered me in.

I walked up to his desk and quietly set the folder down.

"Look it over. If you have no objections, sign it."

Julian glanced at the bold words "Divorce Agreement" on the cover and casually tossed it aside.

He spoke coolly:

"Don't bring up divorce until you deal with the family elders. I don't need them causing another scene."

I kept my voice steady, pressing forward:

"Since you want this divorce just as much as I do, why won't you come with me to tell them?"

Julian finally looked up, his lips parting into a sneer:

"I'm not like you. I don't have endless free time to waste on nonsense."

My breath caught in my throat.

Free time?

I had put my own career at Vance Enterprises on hold just to stay home and care for his ailing mother, attending to every detail with meticulous care.

In Julian's eyes, that was just "endless free time"?

A bone-deep chill settled over my heart.

Just as I was about to speak, the office door flew open.

Yvonne swept past me like a gust of wind, throwing herself straight into Julian's arms.

She waved a medical report in front of his face, her voice chirping with excitement:

"Julian! We're having a baby!"

Julian froze for a split second, and then an expression of genuine, unbridled joy broke across his face.

He pulled Yvonne tightly against him and pressed a deep kiss to her lips.

They lost themselves in each other, treating me as if I were nothing more than thin air.

Watching them wrapped together, my chest ached so violently it felt like my organs were tearing apart.

That was an intimacy he had never once offered me.

Despite his touch starvation, whenever I had tried to comfort him or initiate physical contact, he had pushed me away with disgust.

I lowered my gaze, breathing through the stinging pain in my nose.

Moments later, they finally broke apart.

Yvonne looked over at me as if she had just noticed my presence, putting on an innocent, startled expression. "Oh, Chloe, I'm so sorry! I didn't realize you were here. You're not mad, are you?"

Julian answered without hesitation, "Why would she be mad?"

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he reached for the divorce papers, flipped to the last page, and grabbed his pen to sign.

"I signed it. Once you add your signature, we'll head to the courthouse tomorrow to file the petition."

The chill in my veins ran ice-cold.

Just moments ago, he refused to even look at the papers. Yet the second he heard Yvonne was pregnant, he signed without a shred of hesitation.