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Chapter 20
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Second Chance at Love: From Divorcee to the Billionaire's Brideย ย ย Chapter 21
I pursed my lips and said, "I'll take your advice and be more careful."Steven stood up and said, "I'll update you as soon as I have news.""Okay."With swift movements, Steven grabbed his toolbox and left my house. Once he was gone, the room fell silent. I looked up at the bookshelves covering the wall and followed them up to the high ceiling where a skylight let in the morning sunlight, casting dust motes dancing in its beams. Suddenly, my life felt very uncertain.At that moment, Wendy called, asking if I had met with Steven and how our conversation went."He seems trustworthy, but maybe a bit imaginative.""What do you mean?" Wendy asked. "What did he speculate?"I told Wendy about Steven's investigation into Cindy's identity and his speculations.After hearing me out, Wendy asked, "Jen, are you absolutely sure you don't know Cindy? Think carefully. Have you ever encountered her in your life? According to Steven's logic, this woman must harbor intense resentment toward you
Second Chance at Love: From Divorcee to the Billionaire's Brideย ย ย Chapter 22
To avoid any meddling from his overbearing mother, Max decided to purchase a bus ticket for her the following day. He accompanied her to the bus station, bidding her farewell.With the presence of the unpleasant person out of the house, the atmosphere became noticeably more refreshing.Meanwhile, I prepared a cup of warm milk for myself and put on my headphones. I then launched the app that Teacher Wendy had recommended to me, allowing me to discreetly listen in on the device hidden in Max's car.The conversation between Max and his mother during their car ride proved to be quite intriguing. Concerned, Max's mom inquired, "Max, now that I'm leaving, who will keep an eye on that despicable woman? What if she tries something while you're at work?""Don't worry, Mom. I have everything under control. I've installed cameras at home, enabling me to monitor her every move," Max reassured her.He must have shown his mother the live feed from the surveillance cameras on his phone, saying,
Second Chance at Love: From Divorcee to the Billionaire's Brideย ย ย Chapter 23
"Huh?""So, that's why I need to get Jen's inheritance. Then I'll have the confidence to meet Cindy's parents."Ha... using the money my parents left me as a facade to impress the mistress's family? Is that what you're scheming, Max? You shameless jerk! Fat chance!After that, they didn't discuss anything important.Not long after, Steven messaged me a location.It was a place called Asta Residence.A well-known luxury community in Johnsonville, where the average price is a hundred grand. You need either proof of substantial funds or elite status to even be considered for a chance to buy there.Steven sent a photo: Max was helping Annie with her luggage from the basement to the elevator.Steven: They're going to the sixteenth floor. It's one apartment per floor in this community.Me: Got it.Steven: I'll arrange for someone to keep watch, but since you caught Max cheating, he'll probably behave for a while. Miss Jen, don't rush.Me: I'm not rushing. I have plenty of time to
Second Chance at Love: From Divorcee to the Billionaire's Brideย ย ย Chapter 24
Upon hearing Max's explanation, Cindy's disbelief was evident. She smiled and retorted, "Come on, Max, do you think I'm stupid?""Seriously, Cindy, that night I..."Max began to explain, but Cindy interrupted him abruptly, issuing an ultimatum, "Here's the deal, Max. I'll give you a month. If you can't resolve things with Jen within that time, then it's over between us."Max asked solemnly, "Cindy, don't you love me anymore?"Suddenly, it reminded me of that night when he knelt before me, asking in the same tone, "Honey, don't you love me anymore?"I felt nauseated."I don't blame you. I was just a step too late to meet you. I thought after that night, we wouldn't see each other again. But who knew when we met again, you were already someone else's husband. Maybe we just don't have enough fate, Max."After saying this, Cindy hung up the phone.Max repeated "hello" several times, then cursed in frustration, "Damn it."Indeed, with such a grand opportunity within reach, everythi
Second Chance at Love: From Divorcee to the Billionaire's Brideย ย ย Chapter 25
He was using the same trick he used when he proposed to me outside the girls' dormitory. Honestly, I almost couldn't resist rushing into the kitchen to grab a knife and chop his head off. He was insulting my intelligence. Just the thought of how I used to fall for such cheap tricks made me feel incredibly angry.Inside, anger and disgust were boiling within me, but I couldn't let him see that. I had to show reluctance and indecision, because now I was a pitiful woman plagued by marriage and love issues.I watched Max play the guitar mechanically, holding a large bouquet of roses as he approached me. I pinched my thigh hard, tears welling up instantly. I looked at Max through tear-filled eyes, biting my lip hard to stop the tears from falling.Max gazed at me with sincerity and asked, โHoney, do you still remember this song?"Feeling a bit nauseous, yet I had to pretend to be in agony, I replied, "I don't remember."As I turned away, tears stubbornly trickled down my cheeks.Setti
Second Chance at Love: From Divorcee to the Billionaire's Brideย ย ย Chapter 26
The name Luke crossed my mind, and I felt a surge of gratitude.Max didn't seem suspicious. He assumed it was one of my dad's former students paying their respects. After all, my dad had a wide circle of influence from his teaching days.At my parents' graves, Max knelt down first, tearfully apologizing and admitting his mistakes. He even turned to me while on his knees."Honey, in front of your parents today, I beg for your forgiveness... I swear, I'll never betray you again in my life!"Tears streamed down my face as I choked out, "Really?"Max earnestly replied, "Yes, honey, I swear. If I ever betray you again, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!"I wanted to laugh. Max, this scumbag, actually dared to say that.Wasn't he afraid that my parents in heaven would be displeased and send a bolt of lightning to strike him dead?But I had to keep up the act, crying as if heartbroken, pleading, "Max, I've lost my mom and dad. You're the only family I have left in
Second Chance at Love: From Divorcee to the Billionaire's Brideย ย ย Chapter 27
When someone makes a mistake, how can there be no evidence left behind?Steven expressed his determination to work hard on his part. He said, "People will perish for the sake of wealth, birds will die for the sake of food. Even the closest relationships can experience moments of estrangement. The human heart is inherently impure and selfish."At that moment, Steven suddenly realized something and offered a light apology.I smiled, understanding his point. "It's okay, you're not wrong. I used to believe that my relationship with Max was the closest and most unbreakable in the world. But in the end? The person you sleep next to is the one who betrays you. If I still can't comprehend that now, then I deserve it."Steven reminded me, "Miss Middleton, the next step is to find a professional lawyer and start preparing for divorce proceedings."Just then, my phone rang. It was a message from Wendy.I glanced at it and then beamed at Steven. "There you go, Teacher Wendy has arranged ever
Second Chance at Love: From Divorcee to the Billionaire's Brideย ย ย Chapter 28
Stephen's voice had the air of a prominent lawyer, reminiscent of a character fresh off a TV drama: formal, authoritative, with a hint of aloofness.I assumed that Wendy must have briefed him beforehand. Lawyers like him value their time and prefer to get straight to the point. After all, elites in society generally despise wasting time, and top lawyers bill their consultation fees by the minute.Without hesitation, I eagerly replied, "I'm available now, Mr. York."Almost immediately, Stephen called.I answered and politely introduced myself, "Hello, Mr. York, I'm Jen Middleton, and I-""Miss Middleton, I am well aware of your situation," Stephen interrupted before I could finish, asking, "What are your divorce demands?"Getting straight to the point, I said, "I want Max to leave with nothing."Stephen promptly dashed my hopes, "Miss Middleton, there is no such thing as leaving with nothing."I stood my ground, "But he cannot have a penny of the inheritance my parents left me."
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Second Chance at Love: From Divorcee to the Billionaire's Brideย ย ย Chapter 878
We both knew how we felt about each other, but neither of us made the first move to confess.โI gave birth to him in circumstances I couldnโt control,โ Molly said, her hands tightly clutching her cup, fingers unconsciously tracing its edge. โI used to think about fighting back against the people who hurt me, but reality forced me to wake up. I couldnโt afford to lose everything.โShe hesitated, her gaze dropping. โThere are things from back then that I just canโt bring myself to tell him.โWhen I arranged for Luke and Molly to spend some time alone, the two of them mostly sat in silence.โMrs. Walker couldnโt have children for years after her marriage. Luke was just a tool to help her secure her place in the family,โ Molly explained.Mr. Walker was handsome, wealthy, and from a good family. After getting married, women constantly threw themselves at him. According to the information Wendy had dug up, Landon didnโt exactly push them away.In such a situation, Mrs. Walker, Ashleigh
Second Chance at Love: From Divorcee to the Billionaire's Brideย ย ย Chapter 877
Molly poured four glasses of juice and sat across from Luke.She looked like she wanted to say something but didnโt know where to start.I gave Ian a quick look.Ian took a sip of his juice and said, โMiss, the juice is sweet and sourโitโs so good!โโDrink it up, and Iโll pour you some more,โ Molly offered.Luke interjected, โItโs almost time to rest. Donโt drink too much juice.โโIโm sorry, I donโt have experience taking care of kids,โ Molly said, lowering her head. After a pause, she quietly repeated, โIโm sorry.โShe was probably thinking of Luke as a baby.I clutched my stomach, pretending to wince. โExcuse me, Molly. My stomach hurts; I need to head back to my room.โAs I stood, I grabbed Ianโs wrist.Ian caught on quickly. โJen is a girl. Sheโll get scared going back aloneโI have to go with her.โNot giving Luke a chance to respond, I opened the door and said, โMr. Walker, you stay and chat with Molly. Ian and I will be back in a bit.โIn the hallway, Ian looked thoug
Second Chance at Love: From Divorcee to the Billionaire's Brideย ย ย Chapter 876
Molly wasnโt the type to make things difficult for others. She didnโt give the hotel manager a hard time.After the staff left, Molly turned to thank Luke and me. โThank you for staying with me and helping me handle this.โLuke glanced at her but didnโt say anything.The silence grew awkward, so I quickly broke it. โYou donโt have to thank us. We didnโt really do much.โโWould you like to come in and sit for a while?โ Molly invited us into her room.Before either of us could respond, Ian, whoโd been holding back his excitement, eagerly chimed in, โYes, yes! Letโs go!โI sighed internally.Molly finally noticed the little one in Lukeโs arms. โAnd whoโs this?โโIโm Ian Lloyd,โ he introduced himself cheerfully.But the moment he got a good look at Mollyโs face, he let out a small โHuh?โ and then turned to look at Luke.Luke frowned slightly, and their eyes metโa silent understanding passing between them. Ian immediately shut his mouth and swallowed whatever heโd been about to sa
Second Chance at Love: From Divorcee to the Billionaire's Brideย ย ย Chapter 875
Five hours later, we arrived in Sharonville.Before the trip, Luke had everything arranged. After landing, we took a car to the hotel heโd booked in advance.In the hotel lobby, we ran into Molly. She was walking with two middle-aged men in sharp suits, smiling as she chatted with them.When her eyes met Lukeโs, her smile froze for a moment, then slowly softened as she stared at him without blinking.Luke didnโt acknowledge her. He walked right past, brushing by her shoulder as though she wasnโt there. From the corner of my eye, I saw her eyes redden.The two men exchanged glances but didnโt say anything. That night, however, they sent two young, handsome men to Mollyโs room.Our room was on the same floor as Mollyโs. After dinner out, we returned to the hotel and saw her standing at her door with the two young men.Their faces were powdered with heavy makeup, and they looked eager to please, practically glued to her.My thoughts immediately took a less innocent turn.Luke co
Second Chance at Love: From Divorcee to the Billionaire's Brideย ย ย Chapter 874
Amy messaging me at this hour was probably another complaint about other agencies trying to poach her, or how stressed she was about it all.The underlying message? She wanted me to contact Mr. Lloyd to secure better resources for herโa thinly veiled threat, essentially.Since several popular artists left One Entertainment, the companyโs resources had started to dwindle.Mr. Lloydโs return wasnโt just because of his love for acting. He also wanted to support the companyโs artists, giving them more opportunities to shine.Amy had already begun to stand out. If she simply focused on honing her craft and stayed patient, sheโd get her share of the spotlight.When Mr. Lloyd founded the company, his goal was to grow it into a powerhouse that protected its artists. Now, he had adopted a more laid-back approach: if an artist wanted to leave, they just needed to pay the penalty fee.Amyโs tactics wouldnโt change anything.I went back to reading my book.My phone buzzed again, and I ass
Second Chance at Love: From Divorcee to the Billionaire's Brideย ย ย Chapter 873
Mr. Lloyd's words carried a hint of reassurance for me.โJen, Uncle asked me to create a travel itinerary!โLuke had been telling Ian lots of stories about Sharonville, and Ian had also looked up a ton of information online. He now knew every street in the city and how many shops were on each one.Carefully folding his sweaters, Ian placed them neatly into his suitcase, which was decorated with a cheerful Doraemon sticker.โIโm really looking forward to your travel guide, Ian!โโIโve already finished most of it!โ Ian was a serious little worker who never did things half-heartedly. If he said it was nearly done, he was probably putting on the finishing touches.I praised him warmly.โJen, since the three of us are traveling together, we need to consider everyoneโs preferences and suggestions.โโSo, you want to get my input to finalize it?โโExactly.โโWell, wherever you want to go is where I want to go. This trip, Iโll leave the planning to you.โLuke had work to handle in Shar
Second Chance at Love: From Divorcee to the Billionaire's Brideย ย ย Chapter 872
For the past few days, Luke has been picking me up and dropping me off at work.Reporters often linger outside One Entertainment, and it took a lot of effort for rumors about me and Luke to die down. I didnโt want them to resurface.Luke understood my concerns, so he always parked his car a block away from the company. Once he sent me a message, Iโd grab Ian and head over.That evening, Luke prepared another full table of dishes for dinner.Ever since things thawed between us, I hadnโt said much during meals, but the atmosphere was much more relaxed than before.โSheโs already in Sharonville,โ Luke said.โHasnโt she been out of the country for years? Will she be safe there alone?โHe was talking about Molly.The Walker family has been a prominent family in Sharonville for generations, with deep-rooted connections and influence. Mrs. Walker is a respected figure, and many people in Sharonville owe her favors. It wouldnโt be surprising if someone decided to teach Molly a lesson on
Second Chance at Love: From Divorcee to the Billionaire's Brideย ย ย Chapter 871
I watched the behind-the-scenes footage, and Mr. Lloyd looked great. After stepping out of the spotlight for a few years, his demeanor has become even more composed and sophisticated, perfectly matching the calm and collected surgeon he portrays in the show.โHeโs as brilliant as ever,โ Beatrice said, her eyes filled with admiration. โAs long as the co-stars hold their ground, this show is bound to be a hit.โโHe has an exceptional eye for picking scripts,โ she added, her gaze glued to the screen.I didnโt interrupt her. Instead, I got up and went to the kitchen to check on Ianโs progress.For someone so young, Ian took everything seriously. Standing on a small stool to make up for his height, he carefully worked on brewing coffee, his movements precise and methodical.โWaiter Number One, Ian Lloyd, at your service. Your oat latte will be ready soon,โ he announced cheekily.I laughed at his playful tone and played along. โWaiter Number Two will now deliver orange juice to Mr. Ian
Second Chance at Love: From Divorcee to the Billionaire's Brideย ย ย Chapter 870
While Beatrice chatted with Ian, I brought the gifts to the living room."You're too kind, Ms. Middleton.""Ian bought these with his pocket money."I winked at Ian.He caught on quickly, nodding.Beatrice warmly invited me to sit.Fresh fruit and two plates of nuts were on the coffee table.She placed a fruit bowl before me. "Yesterday's blueberries are freshโcrisp and sweet."The large blueberries were covered in bloom. I took one and made space for Beatrice."What would you like? Coffee or juice?""Fresh orange juice for me, and Jen likes oat milk latte," Ian said, playing with a doll, squishing its face into different shapes.Suddenly remembering our earlier conversation, he dropped the doll and ran to the kitchen. "I've learned lots from Jen. I can make juice and coffee!"Beatrice praised him: "How impressive!"She started toward the kitchen, concerned.I held her arm. "Ian's a quick learner. He does everything properly. We can trust him.""He gets along so well wit
