While My Father Died, He Chose His Ex

Julian Reed and I had been in a cold war for a year. During this year, he completely vanished from my life, never once reaching out. But nobody knew that during the days my father was in critical condition and passed away, I was entirely on my own. I signed the critical condition forms alone, waited outside the ER alone, and arranged the funeral alone. Meanwhile, Julian was by his first love’s side, taking care of everything after her own father passed away. Later, he returned, trying to play the doting, attentive husband again, hoping to slowly patch up our broken marriage. But he didn’t realize that the moment he abandoned me during the darkest days of my life, we were already over. This time, I didn’t need him anymore. 0 Julian and I had been separated for a year. During this year, he spent almost all his time in Los Angeles, helping Vivian handle the lawsuits and debts left behind after her father’s death. From the hospital to the financial audits, from the lawyers to the funeral home, he did everything himself. People on the outside praised Julian for being a man of great honor and loyalty. They said he even carried his ex-girlfriend’s family burdens all the way to the end. But nobody knew that during that exact same time, my father had also just passed away. The day he left, we had a terrible fight. I had just come back from the funeral home, feeling completely hollowed out, emotionally wrecked, and speaking without filters. “Julian, her dad dies and you rush over there to take care of it.” “But what about my dad?” “My dad just passed away. Why didn’t you think about staying to support me?” Julian’s eyes lost their usual calm and gentle look, narrowing slightly as he stared at me with a chilling coldness. His voice was flat and deep. “Chloe.” “Do you really have to say things like that right now?” I let out a bitter laugh, but tears suddenly spilled over. “And what about you?” “Julian, when you chose her, did you ever once think about me?” He didn’t say another word. That was the last time we saw each other. The very next day, Julian flew to Los Angeles. When Julian finally came back, he acted as if nothing had ever happened, smoothly stepping back into the role of a caring, perfect husband. My friend Elena asked me: “Chloe, Julian has been back for a month now. Are you really going to keep freezing him out like this?” “He’s gorgeous and filthy rich. Plenty of girls are keeping their eyes on him.” Julian was the darling of heaven, born into an incredibly prominent family. There were indeed plenty of women at his company who wanted to slide into his life. But he had been gone for a year, and too much had happened during those twelve months. During the first month of his absence, I actually still hoped he would call or text. But he never did. Afterward, I even felt regret, wondering if the harsh words I said had pushed him away. I let out a dry chuckle, unable to help but complain. “I’m not freezing him out. There’s just literally nothing left for us to talk about.” “And honestly, sharing a room with him is just incredibly awkward.” Elena’s gaze drifted past me, looking right behind my shoulder. Her expression froze, and she started making frantic faces at me. I asked her: “What’s wrong?” “Is there something in your eye?” She blinked even harder. I turned around and saw Julian standing there, tall and still. He was frozen in place, his face turning pale. My lips twitched in awkwardness. His eyes locked onto me, a storm of emotions swirling in his dark pupils. Julian walked over to me, and without a word, he grabbed my wrist. I tried to pull away, but I couldn’t. His grip was too tight. Once we got out of the elevator, he practically shoved me into the passenger seat of his car. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. His expression was incredibly dark. A year ago, our marriage was kept strictly secret. The media had no idea Julian was even married. But they definitely knew about his past romance with Vivian. The moment the car started, the radio turned on, automatically shuffling to an entertainment news channel. “Recently, netizens leaked that Julian Reed, CEO of Nova Tech, was spotted multiple times in Los Angeles over the past year, accompanying a young woman to hospitals, law firms, and funeral homes.” “According to insiders, Julian stayed in LA long-term to help his first love handle the debts and lawsuits left by her late father. The two are suspected to have rekindled their old flame…” Julian immediately cut off the radio. I didn’t demand answers from him like I did a year ago. There was simply no point anymore. 0

A year ago, on a snowy day. I received a call from the hospital saying my dad was in critical condition. On my way running to the hospital, I fell. The ground was too slippery. The snow had started without any warning, and no one was prepared for it. The roads were already starting to freeze over. By the time I finally rushed into the hospital, the critical condition notice had already been issued. The nurse handed me the forms, telling me to sign. I was completely numb, my hands shaking so violently I could barely hold the pen. I tried to call Julian, but I couldn’t get through. My mother was having a total emotional breakdown and couldn’t hold herself together. The doctor was pressing me, so I had no choice but to sign the critical condition papers myself. But they still couldn’t save him. The day my dad passed away, Julian sent me a text. [Out of town for business.] Over the next few days, I was at the funeral home arranging my dad’s service. I dragged my mother through all of it entirely on my own. It wasn’t until the third day, when I went back to the hospital to pick up my dad’s final medical records. In the elevator, I overheard two nurses gossiping: “Who is that gorgeous guy staying in the VIP ward of your department?” One nurse replied: “He’s a big deal. The owner of Nova Tech.” “Julian Reed.” The other nurse asked: “He’s so hot. Did you get his number?” “And he’s so sweet. I see him pushing his girlfriend’s wheelchair in the garden every single day.” The first nurse sighed, “His girlfriend is so incredibly lucky.” My mind went completely blank. As I walked out of the lobby, I saw Julian. Standing next to him were several doctors and his ex-girlfriend, Vivian. Those doctors were all top-tier specialists in the country. The group was heading toward the inpatient building. That was the moment I realized Julian’s “business trip” was nothing but a lie. During the days my father was dying, he had gone completely off the grid just to accompany his ex-girlfriend. The night I returned home from the funeral home, I confronted Julian about why he was with Vivian. His brow furrowed slightly. “Are you tracking my location?” I tried my absolute best to control my shaking voice. “Julian, you lied to me about the business trip, didn’t you?” “I saw you and Vivian at the hospital this morning.” “She’s your ex. Why can’t you keep some decent boundaries?” Julian looked up, his eyes perfectly calm as he stared at me. “Chloe, she is my ex.” “But we aren’t enemies.” He explained to me with chilling rationality. “I was at the hospital because her father just passed away, and she couldn’t take the shock. She had to be hospitalized.” “When you called me, I didn’t see it. I was indeed traveling at the time.” “I didn’t lie to you.” During that entire month, he and Vivian stayed in constant contact. In the middle of the night, I would feel the bed shift as he got up to take phone calls. One night, soft crying sounds drifted from the study. I saw his tall silhouette standing by the window. He was speaking into the phone with an incredibly gentle, comforting tone. “Yeah.” “I’m here, don’t be scared.” “I’ll come over tomorrow.” Julian didn’t come back to the master bedroom for the rest of that night. The moment dawn broke, he left the house. I knew the person on the other end of the line was Vivian. I said to him: “Julian, she’s been contacting you since a month ago.” “You constantly come home in the middle of the night.” “You’ve been spending all your time with her.” “She clearly knows you’re married. Why is she still crossing the line?” “What you two are doing is cheating.” Julian’s eyes went instantly cold. “Chloe.” “Don’t make it sound so disgusting.” His protective stance over Vivian made me completely lose my mind. “Her father just died, and she’s all alone now. Can you stop being so venomous with your words?” My nose stung, and a wave of intense grievance rushed up. My father was in critical condition, fighting for his life until he died, and I had to endure all of it alone. Yet he was spending his time comforting his sad ex-girlfriend. “Julian, that’s her own damn problem.” The moment those harsh words left my mouth, Julian’s face darkened completely, his eyes flashing with a cold anger. He said coldly: “Chloe.” “How can you say something so incredibly malicious?” Julian stopped talking to me, looking at me with a gaze that was distant and utterly detached. I watched his silhouette walk away. After that explosive fight, we entered a cold war that lasted for a whole year. Vivian was in a terrible mental state, so she went abroad to recover. Julian went with her. The day he packed his bags, he looked up and gave me a cold, sharp glance. That look was so empty and cutting. I suddenly realized that whatever we had was completely dead. We said nothing to each other. But once I calmed down, I remembered that Vivian had also lost her father. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt for what I had said. So, I sent Julian a text: [I apologize for what I said. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have lost my temper like that.] He never replied. 0

The media broadcast of Julian and Vivian’s scandal made things even more awkward between us. However, I didn’t dwell on him and Vivian. During his year abroad, I would occasionally come across Vivian’s social media updates on my feed. I knew Julian had helped her contact lawyers, handle her debts, and even traveled with her to clear her mind. Even on New Year’s Eve, he was right by her side. Julian parted his lips slightly, his eyes staring straight at me without any attempt to hide. Being stared at like that made my skin crawl, so I looked away. His deep, low voice broke the silence. “Chloe.” “Vivian’s mental state has stabilized now.” I nodded. “Oh, okay. That’s good.” The car pulled into the underground garage. Julian looked down at me, his eyes dark. “Do you have anything you want to ask me?” “I can explain.” “I don’t want you to misunderstand.” My lips curved up, and I gave him a polite smile. “No.” “I didn’t misunderstand anything.” His eyes darkened even more. Julian’s sudden return completely threw off the rhythm of my life. I had long gotten used to living alone. Normally, after showering at night, I’d leave my hair half-dry, throw my phone on the nightstand, and scatter my work documents and laptop all over the bed. But now, there was another person in the bedroom. The moment I stepped out of the bathroom and saw Julian still sitting on the edge of the bed, my footsteps halted. That feeling of utter discomfort was practically instinctive. I turned around, gathered all the documents on the bed in one swift sweep, and carried them into the study. When I came back out, I took the initiative to bring up sleeping in separate rooms. “Julian, I have to work a lot of overtime lately, leaving early and coming back late. I don’t want to wake you up.” “I’ll sleep in the guest bedroom. I’ve already asked the housekeeper to clean it up.” His brows knit together tightly. After a long pause, he said: “What time do you go to work tomorrow?” “I’ll drive you.” I quickly declined. “No need.” “Our offices aren’t really on the same route.” He stared at me with a heavy gaze. “It is on the way. I have to go to a meeting near your company tomorrow.” I blinked. “But I’m not going straight to the office tomorrow morning.” I made up a random excuse to reject him. I woke up very early. Julian always kept a highly disciplined routine and worked out every week. To avoid him, I either had to leave earlier than him or much later. Since I couldn’t be late today, I got up around six in the morning. But the moment I pushed open the bedroom door, I saw him standing in the kitchen. Hearing the noise, he turned around slightly, his gaze landing on me. “You’re awake?” “Have some breakfast.” He and I hadn’t spent any time alone like this in a very long long time. He had only been back for three days. In the past, we handled our own breakfast and lunch, but we would always have dinner together. But during these past three days, we hadn’t shared a single meal. Just the thought of sitting down to eat alone with him made my head hurt. Algorithms really have a way of precisely targeting the exact things you never want to see. Even though Vivian and I had absolutely no connection and had never even met, her social media posts would still show up on my feed every couple of days. In her photos, Julian’s presence was always subtly there. Sometimes it was a table full of food, sometimes a night view, and sometimes just a random shot of a man’s sleeve. She never said anything explicitly, yet she managed to say everything. During the year Julian was gone, he and I had grown so distant that we had nothing to say to each other. Now, sharing the same space with him, I felt like an intruder who had accidentally wandered into someone else’s life. Even though he and I were the ones who were actually married. Under Julian’s intense gaze, I looked back at him for a second. I casually grabbed a slice of toast and walked straight toward the entryway. I kept my head down as I put on my shoes. He stood right beside me. “Sit down and eat.” I shook my head. “I’m in a rush.” His lips curved up slightly. “I’ll drive…” Before he could finish his sentence, I quickly slipped out the door. 0

Truth was, I wasn’t in a rush at all. I went to the coffee shop just around the corner from our apartment. Julian and I used to be regulars here. I used to think that a man as noble and wealthy as Julian would only eat breakfast served by a housekeeper at a grand dining table, never at a local cafe. But this was the exact place he had brought me to. After Julian left, I always came here alone. The owner had asked me before: “Where’s your husband?” “I haven’t seen you two together in ages.” I made up a lie on the spot. “We’re temporarily separated.” The owner took that as us getting a divorce. Today, the owner suddenly tried to set me up on a blind date. “Since you’re divorced now, right?” “My younger brother is single, and he’s a doctor.” I gave a polite, awkward smile. “Thank you, but I’m not really looking right now.” She kept pushing: “He’s really handsome and tall. Honestly, he doesn’t look any worse than your ex-husband.” Suddenly, a tall shadow blocked the light in front of me. I looked up and locked eyes with Julian’s cold, narrow gaze. My luck lately had been truly terrible. Every single time I talked about him behind his back, he caught me. Julian’s face was incredibly dark. “Hello. She has a husband.” The owner gasped, completely taken aback. “You got back together?” Julian said flatly: “We never divorced.” The owner looked at me in pure embarrassment. “Oh my gosh, I am so sorry.” “I really thought you guys were divorced.” Julian’s expression looked even worse now. When we stepped out of the coffee shop, I still ended up sitting in Julian’s passenger seat. He didn’t hesitate to pop my little bubble. Staring straight at me, his lips curled into a faint, knowing smile. “Chloe, the company your team is pitching to today is mine.” “If I recall correctly, you don’t have any off-site assignments today.” It was him? So when I lied to him earlier, he had just been quietly watching me put on a show. I was instantly choked up, letting out an incredibly awkward laugh. When we arrived at the office, it was peak rush hour. There were colleagues everywhere. I stepped out of his passenger seat, trying to look around discreetly to see if anyone I knew was watching. But from somewhere in the crowd, someone called out, “Mr. Reed.” My spine went instantly stiff. A large group of people was walking straight toward us, including both Julian’s team and people from my own company. Julian walked around the hood of the car and stood right beside me. Five or six pairs of eyes immediately locked onto the two of us. I had no choice but to bite the bullet and walk alongside them toward the elevators. When the elevator doors opened, everyone crowded inside. Julian was surrounded in the center, while I stood in the very back corner. Since it was rush hour, the elevator was packed. Just as the doors were about to close, two more people squeezed in. I lost my footing slightly, my body swaying. In the next second, a firm hand wrapped around my waist to steady me. The entire elevator fell into a sudden, dead silence. Practically by instinct, I immediately shrank away, pushing Julian’s hand off me, and explained with a bright, professional smile: “My heels are just too high, I almost slipped.” “Thanks for the catch, Mr. Reed.” My attempt to keep a distance was so blatant that the smile on Julian’s face instantly vanished, his expression freezing. This collaboration project was indeed with Nova Tech. Julian was the lead investor. The proposal was designed by my department. And the presenter was me. As I stood at the front of the room, I didn’t pay much attention to Julian. Only when our eyes occasionally met would I quickly look away. After the presentation ended, we spent another half hour discussing details. By then, the entire morning had passed. Julian left with his team. The moment he was gone, my colleagues immediately swarmed me for gossip. “Chloe, why did you get out of Mr. Reed’s car this morning?” I blinked innocently. “Oh, we worked together on a project in the past, so we’re somewhat acquainted. I ran into him on my way here, and since he was heading to our company anyway, he gave me a lift.” My colleague nodded in understanding. “Ah, Mr. Reed is surprisingly down-to-earth.” 0

To avoid any further overlap with Julian at work, I withdrew myself from this project. My manager was completely baffled. “You designed this proposal yourself. Are you really going to just hand it over to someone else?” I explained: “I have another project that I’ve been tracking for a long time, and I really can’t balance both right now.” Hearing this, my manager didn’t push any further. Julian sent me a message on Snapchat: [I’ll pick you up tonight. What time do you get off?] I replied without a single second of hesitation: [Thanks, but I’m working late tonight. No need to come.] I actually did need to work overtime; it wasn’t an excuse. It was past nine in the evening when I finally walked out of the office building. Julian was standing at the bottom of the steps, holding a paper bag. Seeing me walk out, he looked up. My footsteps paused. He handed the bag to me. Inside was dinner from a restaurant I used to love, along with a warm drink. “I figured you hadn’t eaten yet.” I frowned slightly but still took the bag. “Julian.” “You really don’t have to do this.” “It’s honestly a lot of trouble.” He stared at me intently, his eyes deep. He said: “It’s no trouble.” I let out a soft sigh. But to me, it felt like an immense burden. Last year, six months after Julian left, I bought an apartment. The renovation was just recently finished. Ever since my dad passed away, I had been wanting to move my mother to a new place. Since the apartment was finally ready, I was planning to move in to keep her company. When I went to inspect the property, I ran right into Julian in the community courtyard. Standing right next to him was a real estate agent and Vivian. We all stood there, staring at one another in awkward silence. His face was filled with utter shock. Neither of us expected to cross paths here. It was incredibly sudden. This was actually my first time facing Vivian head-on. She had a very soft, delicate look. She gave off an aura of fragile innocence. She pressed her lips together and gave me a faint, gentle smile. The real estate agent was still talking: “Miss Vivian, your boyfriend has incredible taste. The lighting and layout of this unit are absolutely perfect.” “We’ve also done our best to adjust all the details according to your boyfriend’s requests.” Julian stared at me, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “What are you doing here?” I told the plain truth. “I’m here to inspect an apartment.” Julian looked confused. “You’re buying an apartment?” “I’ll go with you in a minute.” I shook my head and declined. “I already bought it. I’m just here for the final walkthrough.” I had no intention of keeping it a secret from him; he would find out sooner or later anyway. He was visibly stunned, his eyebrows raising. “You already bought it?” I gave a polite smile. “I’ll head up first.” He walked over to my side, following me. Vivian called out his name in a soft, gentle tone. “Julian, aren’t you going to finish looking at the place with me?” The way she said his name sounded incredibly intimate. Julian looked down at me for a split second, then replied to Vivian: “Let the agent show you around first.” I let out a quiet chuckle, simply finding him ridiculous. I had fully expected him to stay with Vivian. He followed me all the way into my new apartment. I politely invited him in. “Would you like some water?” “Have a seat.” I treated him with the utmost, formal politeness. His expression was complicated as he stood frozen, staring at me. His narrow, dark eyes were incredibly deep. “When did you buy this place? Why didn’t you tell me about something this important?” I mumbled under my breath: “It’s not like I used your money.” His brow furrowed slightly, his voice slow. “That’s not what I meant.” “I mean, why didn’t you let me know?” Why should I have told him? When my dad died and I needed to move, he had no idea. But when Vivian’s dad died, he knew exactly where she was living. I poured him a glass of plain water. I was treating him like an ordinary guest. He reached out and pressed his hand over mine, looking up at me. “We are married.” “Why are you being so polite to me?” I blinked, giving him a small smile without saying a word. When we left my new place and got into the elevator, he suddenly asked: “What’s the passcode to the door?” I kept my head down. “This is my apartment.” I was gently but firmly refusing to give him the code. He quickly changed the subject, trying to explain why he was with Vivian earlier. “After her father passed away, he left behind some complicated property issues and debts.” “The agent brought her here to look at some options, and I was just helping her review the terms.” I nodded, my eyes fixed on the changing numbers on the elevator screen. He added: “Don’t misunderstand.” I nodded again. “I didn’t.” He was explaining himself yet again, begging me not to misunderstand. I silently grumbled in my head about how incredibly slow this elevator was. I answered him: “I really didn’t misunderstand.” A storm of complicated emotions flared up in the depths of his eyes.

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