Chapter 4

Wait.

Always waiting.

I watched the couples walking in and out of the building.

Some of them had red eyes from crying; some had completely blank faces.

I used to cry like that, feeling like my heart was being ripped apart.

And then, his heart would soften, and my "reward" would be not getting divorced.

But today, that wasn't the reward I wanted.

The receptionist called the next number.

I found my lawyer's contact on Snapchat and sent a message:

[Mr. Davis, let's file for a contested divorce. I'll send you the paperwork this afternoon.]

That night, after several urgent calls from Julian's father, I went back to the Vance family estate.

On the way, I kept wondering: how should I explain this to Arthur Vance?

Should I tell him his son got another girl pregnant?

That he forced me into a divorce?

Or that I was already preparing to sue him?

Family obligations are sometimes far more exhausting than lawsuits.

When I arrived, I was alone.

Arthur frowned. "Where is Julian?"

"He's busy," I said quietly.

"Busy?" Arthur slammed his fork onto the table. "What could possibly be more important than his own wife?"

I kept quiet.

Arthur and my father had been brothers-in-arms, risking their lives together when they were young.

He had always wanted our families to be united by marriage.

But Eleanor, Julian's mother, had been completely against it.

It was Julian who had refused to let go back then.

He had even threatened to cut ties with his family to marry me.

When I found out, I had cried my eyes out.

Between us, he was always the brave one running ahead, while I watched his back, feeling insecure and unworthy.

But after that, I made up my mind. I took his hand and said, "I won't hide anymore. If you dare to marry me, I dare to be your wife."

Later, my anxiety and depression actually got better.

The day I willingly went to his family estate with him, Arthur was so happy that he transferred one-third of his company shares to my name.

He said it was to show the rest of the family that I had the backing of the patriarch.

At the time, I thought the biggest obstacle was Julian's mother.

Now I realized that outsiders are never the ones who ruin a marriage.

Just as I was thinking about how to bring up the divorce, the front door pushed open.

Julian walked in with his arm around Vivian. He froze when he saw me.

Arthur's face turned pitch black. "You disgrace! What kind of trash are you bringing into my house?"

Julian guided Vivian to sit down, his tone relaxed. "Dad, it's just a dinner. Is that necessary?"

Then he glanced at me. "Chloe, you should leave first."

Feeling the need to explain, he leaned in and whispered, "I didn't think you'd show up. Today is Vivian's night to meet the family, okay?"

I let out a quiet laugh.

Her night.

He was supporting another woman so proudly that he brought her to meet his parents before we were even legally divorced.