Chapter 4

"Who said you could go through my things?" Jenson snatched the notebook back. Visible anger surfaced on his face for the first time.

I set the evaluation form right in front of him. "So when you proposed to me, it was never about love."

"Marriage requires rational choices."

"If Aleena got a perfect score, why didn't you choose her?" I asked.

His fingers paused for a fraction of a second. "She isn't suitable for my family."

I understood immediately.

Aleena came from an ordinary background, and her father was heavily in debt, meaning she couldn't offer any help to the Clarke family.

On the other hand, my father's remaining connections and my 50% stake in the company were just enough to cover that missing one point.

"What about me then? Was I just suitable?"

Jenson fell silent for a moment before arriving at his conclusion on my behalf. "Obviously."

The aching pain in my abdomen grew sharper.

I gripped the edge of the desk, barely holding myself upright. "You spent three years pursuing me, waited for me outside the translation academy, and stayed by my mom's side during her final treatments. Was all of that just part of your evaluation, too?"

"Getting to know a potential spouse is a necessary part of the process," Jenson replied.

"What about when you told me I didn't need a perfect score?"

"That was to lower your guard."

"On the day you proposed, you said I was the only choice you'd ever make."

He frowned. "Eve, people say what's appropriate for the occasion. Why dissect every single word?"

I nodded slowly. It turned out that every phrase I held dear was nothing more than a standardized answer he used to complete his process.

Just then, his phone rang. It was Aleena, sobbing over the line. "Jenson, people online are claiming I stole the manuscript. The publishing house wants to cancel the launch. Can you come over?"

Jenson grabbed his jacket.

I stepped in front of the door to block his way. "I'm the one who contacted the publisher."

"Drop the claim," he ordered.

"Not a chance."

"Aleena already promised to keep your mom's name on it. What more do you want?"

I replied, "She altered the manuscript and deleted the note my mom left specifically for me."

"That single line doesn't affect the overall content."

With that, he brushed past me.

I reached out and caught his sleeve. "Jenson, what if I need you right now?"

"Stop competing for attention like this."

"I'm not competing."

The pain radiated through my lower belly, making my voice tremble. "I'm only asking you this once. Can you stay today?"

He glanced at my pale face, his gaze lingering for a fraction of a second.

Aleena's cries echoed from the phone once again. "Jenson, reporters are crowding outside. I'm really scared."

Jenson pried my hand off his sleeve. "Aleena's launch event directly affects the company's reputation. Go rest in your room. I'll be back as soon as I handle this."

Before the door closed, he left me with one final sentence. "Have the authorization form signed by the time I get back. And I'm giving you a 60 for your performance today."

I listened to the car engine fade into the distance and slowly sank to the floor.

Blood seeped from beneath my skirt, dripping onto the floor.

I pulled out my phone and dialed emergency services.

On the way to the hospital, the nurse asked where my family was.

I stared at Jenson's contact number but never hit call. "I don't have family."

The baby couldn't be saved.

The doctor handed me a small box containing a blood-stained lab result and a blurry ultrasound image. "The fetus was already eight weeks along. Didn't your husband know?"

I shook my head.

I tucked the box into my bag and handled the discharge procedures entirely on my own.

As I walked out of the hospital, Aleena sent me a video of the launch event filmed by the publisher.

Jenson stood in front of Aleena, promising reporters that the company would take full responsibility for all disputes.

Someone asked him who mattered more—me or Aleena.

He answered calmly, "Eve is my wife, so she understands the bigger picture. Aleena is the project lead, and I won't let her suffer any unfair treatment."

Below the video, a message from Aleena popped up. "Want to guess if he's coming home to stay with you tonight? Eve, Mrs. Clarke is just a role. I'm the exception."

I didn't reply.

Once back home, I signed two documents.

The first was the revocation of his voting proxy for my shares. The second was a divorce agreement.

I packed the wedding ring, the ultrasound picture, and that scoring notebook into a single box, then laid the silver fountain pen right on top.

On the back of the premarital evaluation form, I wrote a single line. "The baby was never born, so there's no need for your score."

At 3:00 am, I rolled my suitcase out the door.

A message from Jenson arrived. "The launch event is over. The authorization form is in the study. I expect your signature on it tomorrow morning."

He still assumed I would be waiting at home, just like I always had.

I didn't block him. I simply sent back two final words. "It's signed."

Then, I turned off my phone and handed my boarding pass for Norlandia to the airport staff.

At the same time, my lawyer, Dylan Sutton, delivered a copy of the share revocation document bearing my signature to the company's board of directors.