Chapter 4

Although his words were vague, they made his stance clear.

I exhaled in relief.

Over the next few days, I started packing my belongings and handling the necessary paperwork.

I didn’t have much—just one suitcase in total.

I left behind everything Julian had ever bought for me.

It wasn’t because I was virtuous, nor was it because I still had feelings for him.

He had cheated, leaving me utterly broken.

When my world crumbled, my parents died in disgrace, and I became a pariah hounded by those who blamed me for the children’s deaths, it was Julian who saved me.

I didn’t know how he convinced his father, but after that long night kneeling in the rain, he was cast out of the Ford family. At the same time, the relentless attacks against me online suddenly disappeared.

He gave me a new name, a new identity, and a new life.

He truly caught me as I was falling, staying by my side through the darkest of days.

For that alone, I couldn’t bring myself to hate him.

All I wanted now was for us to part on good terms.

After three days of silence, Julian showed up again.

"Have you come to your senses after taking some time to cool off?"

I nodded, calm and collected. "I have."

He misunderstood me, a smug arc lifting his brow.

"Good. That’s more like it, Victoria. Remember your place. If you behave, I’ll take care of you. But if you overstep your boundaries, I’ll make sure you’re left with nothing."

He delivered his threats, but when I stayed silent, his gaze wavered, a hint of confusion flickering in his eyes.

"Are you done talking?" I placed the divorce papers on the table. "If so, just sign them."

Julian’s gaze darkened as he stared at the document. His cold eyes turned even frostier. "Victoria, you’ve known about my relationship with Averil for a long time. Why couldn’t you, like before, just pretend nothing happened? Why not turn a blind eye and continue enjoying the comfort of being Mrs. Ford?

"Everything she has, you have too. And what she doesn’t have, I can give you. Victoria, you shouldn’t be so ungrateful."

I stared at Julian in shock, unable to believe those words had come out of his mouth.

I still remembered back in high school, when Julian found out his father had cheated. His mother discovered the affair, and the resulting chaos rocked the entire family.

Julian’s father shouted at his mother, "Men in my position are expected to have mistresses. I’m not divorcing you, so stop making a scene."

At fifteen, Julian had grabbed a baseball bat and shattered a porcelain vase next to his father. Amid the scattered shards, he said coldly, "A man without responsibility doesn’t deserve to be called a man. He might as well be a eunuch."

At that moment, I thought Julian was the coolest person in the world.

But now, fifteen years later, that once-principled boy had grown into the exact kind of man he had once despised.

The thirty-year-old Julian had become a mirror image of the father he loathed.

The realization made me sick to my stomach.

"Not a chance," I said, pushing the divorce papers closer to him again. "After the divorce, you can keep as many women as you like."

Julian stared at me for a long moment before finally picking up the papers between two fingers, his expression unreadable.

"You want a divorce? Fine. But don’t you think it’s time we settle the debt you owe me for all these years?"

I nodded and took out a bank card. "There’s one million dollars in this account. It’s more than enough to cover the cost of my living expenses over the years."

Julian’s brows furrowed as he looked at the card I had clearly prepared in advance. "One million dollars? Do you think that’s enough?"

"It’s enough." I met his gaze firmly. "I’ve kept track of every household expense. The records are in the study if you want to verify them. The luxury items and jewelry you bought me are all accounted for as well. The ones I used have already been depreciated and factored into the total.

"Julian Ford, I owe you nothing."

He was silent for so long that I thought he might refuse. But then, to my surprise, he let out a low chuckle.

"I was planning to take you to a charity gala tomorrow night. But since you don’t need me, let’s forget about it."

His gaze lingered on my face for a few seconds, as though he were searching for a hint of regret.

But he was destined to be disappointed.

My expression remained calm, devoid of any emotional fluctuation. "We’re in a secret marriage, Julian. The role of Mrs. Ford can be replaced anytime."

His lips pressed into a thin line before he tossed an invitation onto the table.

"Your name is on it. Come with me tomorrow night, and I’ll agree to the divorce."