Chapter 3

Matthew's POV

"Do you really think that someone as two-faced as you deserves my affection?" Julia sneered.

I felt as if a hole had been punched in my heart, allowing freezing winds to billow in. I stared at her in disbelief, hoping to find a trace of anything that suggested she was lying. I refused to believe the love we'd shared for the past year had been completely fake.

However, I could only make out discontent and deep hatred on her face, which told me she truly loathed me with every fiber of her being.

But it seemed that Julia wasn't done tormenting me yet. A cruel smile stretched across her lips as she asked, "Aren't you curious about why I came home so late tonight?"

I didn't understand what she meant, so I nodded, and her smile widened.

"I came home so late tonight because I got an abortion. Someone like you doesn't deserve to have a child with me, Matthew."

I felt as if I had been struck by lightning. I couldn't believe that she hated me so much that she was willing to end the life of our child as well. How could she do that?

A long time passed before I said in a shaky voice, "I've never done anything to Bradley. Mom and Dad wouldn't do anything either. How could you make such an arbitrary decision and kill our child? Don't you have any faith in me?"

I loved Julia, but I wasn't despicable enough to stab someone else in the back just for a woman's sake. If she had told me from the start that she loved someone else, I never would have agreed to get together with her.

A real man would never stoop so low and would be willing to let go if the other party wasn't interested. Dad had drilled these principles into me since I was a child.

However, Julia refused to listen to my explanations. She cruelly shoved me aside and left without sparing me a single glance.

Our relationship became strained from that day on.

I decided to divorce Julia, but I had a few things to take care of first.

…

I hailed a cab and made my way to the company the next morning. They were going to announce the new head of the planning department that day. I didn't want to miss it.

Julia and I established the company together after we got married. After our families became related through marriage, our two companies slowly merged into one too.

Julia was more career-driven than I was, so I let her become CEO even though we had the same number of shares. Besides, I liked planning, which prompted me to start as a regular employee in the planning department.

The previous head of the planning department retired a few days ago. Everyone was certain that the new head would be me and no one else. I felt the same way.

To prove that I wasn't just a useless second-generation heir to Julia, I sacrificed countless nights of sleep and endured countless hardships. There was once when I threw up blood because I drank too much alcohol while entertaining a client to secure a contract.

My stomach likely started deteriorating then. It was also why I was confident that I would be named the new head of the department.

I ran into one of my colleagues in the hallway. He smiled brightly and said, "Don't forget to treat me to a nice meal when you get your promotion later, Matthew."

"Maybe they won't promote me," I replied with a faint smile.

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and exclaimed, "It's definitely going to be you! Everyone knows how much you've contributed to the planning department in the last few years."

Julia was already inside when we entered the meeting room. The corners of her lips curled up into a mocking smile when she spotted me.

I knew that she was ridiculing me. She still believed that I was lying when I called her to ask her to drop by the hospital because I was diagnosed with cancer the day before.

I looked down and didn't explain myself. I didn't have many days left to live. I didn't want to waste what little time I had left on her.

It didn't take long for everyone to enter the meeting room. Julia cleared her throat, then explained the purpose of the meeting. As everyone waited with bated breath for her to call my name, I heard a different but familiar name slip through her lips instead.

"Bradley Holton."

A few seconds later, a familiar figure entered the meeting room.