All Chapters of The Men Who Walked Out: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

On the second day after my mother moved Julian Hardman into our home, she called my father and me together for a family meeting.She placed a divorce agreement in front of my dad."Carter, Julian is going through a difficult time right now. You know we're really close, so I have to help him," she said calmly. "The three of us living under the same roof—it wouldn't sound good if word got out."I promise you, this divorce is just a formality. We'll divorce but not separate. It's only to silence outsiders. Don't overthink it."I stared at her in shock and asked in disbelief, "Why should we? If he's in trouble, you can rent him a place—or even buy one. You can afford it. Why does he have to live with us?"My father reached out and grabbed my arm, then shook his head at me.Without hesitation, he picked up the pen and signed the agreement.A smile instantly spread across my mother's face."Honey, believe me. You'll always be the one I love most in this lifetime. Once he gets through

Sophie hurriedly hid her hand behind her back.The very next second, Bruce Hardman reached over and pulled it out again, brazenly holding it up in front of me."Couple bracelets. I bought them," he said with a smirk. "What—got a problem with that, little brother? You're so damn stingy. Am I not even allowed to give her a gift?"The blatant provocation set my anger ablaze. I swung and punched him square in the face.He wasn't weak either. He struck back immediately, his strength even greater than mine, knocking me flat to the ground with a single blow.Seeing this, Sophie rushed over to help me up. "You're brothers. Don't do this, okay? My mom made dinner—come upstairs and eat with us."I shoved her away."Your mom wouldn't even let me through the front door. Eat what—air? Sophie, why did you hide this from me?" I demanded. "Do we not even have the most basic honesty between us anymore? If you don't want to marry me, just say it. I won't hold you back."With that, I got up, cove

After the press conference ended, my mother deliberately called us and said she'd reserved a table at a restaurant so everyone could have a "family reunion" dinner together.I grabbed my father, who was already seething. "Why did you agree? What's the point of having some damn reunion dinner with them?"My dad smiled helplessly. "Forget it, son. Don't make a fuss out of it. She's still your mother. Just think of it as fulfilling her one last wish."When my father and I pushed open the private room door, they were already chatting happily. The dishes had been served, and they'd started eating—clearly with no intention of waiting for us.Sophie was there too, still dressed in that glamorous gown, sitting beside Bruce, looking delicate and affectionate.Compared to them, my father and I, in our plain clothes, looked more like waitstaff."Oh, Carter, you're here. Come, have a seat," Julian said warmly.Bruce had suddenly become exceptionally well-behaved, greeting my father and me p

"If you're still worried," Julian continued, "I have another idea. I've heard several foreign companies are willing to pay a fortune to poach him. Why don't you have him sign a lifetime contract with the company—one that stipulates all his research can only be used by your company? That way, once he leaves, it's the same as being completely shut out of the industry. I believe he'll think twice before leaving you."Outside the door, my fists clenched.Julian was truly vicious—he didn't just want to take everything my mother had. He wanted to bind my father to them for life, squeeze him dry, and leave him with nothing. Despicable beyond words.There was a brief silence inside. Then my mother's voice sounded."You're right. I've actually thought about this for a long time. Even though we've been married for over twenty years, you never really know what's in a person's heart. It's hardest to guard against those closest to you. I should be more cautious with him. If he handed his resear

As Sophie spoke, large tears rolled down her cheeks. She lifted her glass and drained another full cup of red wine.I truly couldn't understand it—since when did love have to be measured in stacks of cash? Did that mean the love of ordinary, working-class people wasn't real love at all?I didn't make much money, but ever since we started dating, I had never let her spend a single cent or suffer even the slightest hardship. I never missed a bouquet of flowers or a gift. Was it really true that only luxury brands could catch her eye?Did she love me—or my money?Based on what I knew of her, she would definitely get drunk tonight.Especially with Bruce, who was eager to beat me, by her side.Not long after, the private investigator sent me photos of Bruce supporting her as they entered a hotel room.…After work the next day, Sophie took the initiative to call me and asked to meet.At the café, her eyes were red and watery."Nick, let's break up. I can't feel your love at all."