I loved Julian Thorne for ten years. To marry him, I went to extreme lengths, even driving away the woman he cherished, his first love. For six years of marriage, Julian had affairs with almost every woman he encountered. But no matter how much he hurt me, I never considered leaving. Not until I was heavily pregnant and walked in on him bringing another woman home, right into *our* bed. I was furious, demanding answers. Yet he just stared at me, a mocking smirk playing on his lips: “Avery King, don’t forget what you promised when we got married. You said as long as you could marry me, you wouldn’t interfere with my private life.” “If you feel like you’re missing out, you can go find someone too.” He glanced at my swollen belly with dismissive indifference, humiliating me further: “Just remember to use protection. Don’t let anything dirty the Thorne family child in there.” I completely lost control, lunging at him, but he coldly pushed me away. I tumbled down the stairs, dying, taking my unborn child with me. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on that very day—the day I found him bringing another woman home. This time, I decided to let go of a decade of obsession. I would let Julian Thorne be, and I would finally set myself free.
After a detailed prenatal scan confirmed I was having the daughter I’d always dreamed of, I excitedly went home with a huge haul of pink baby essentials, planning to surprise Julian. It was indeed a grand “surprise.” A faint, almost ethereal perfume scent hung in the air, not overpowering, but undeniably suggestive. It meant another woman was here. My sense of smell had become incredibly sensitive since I got pregnant; I couldn’t stand perfume. I walked up the stairs, step by step, seeing clothes strewn along the way—men’s ties and dress pants, women’s lingerie and slip dresses. They lay tangled together, a suggestive trail leading right to the slightly ajar master bedroom door. The disgusting sounds coming from inside the room twisted a knife in my heart. I took a deep breath, my nails digging into my palms. I looked down, realizing the shopping bags I’d just bought had slipped from my hands at some point, spilling their contents around my feet. They mixed with the discarded clothes on the floor, a heartbreaking mess. The scene before me made me fully realize that I had been reborn. In my previous life, I had impulsively pushed the door open, fought with those despicable people inside, and ultimately died with my child, consumed by hatred. This time, I simply walked back down the stairs, slowly, clinging to the wall, and quietly sat on the sofa to wait. I don’t know how much time passed until Julian finally appeared, wrapped in a bathrobe, reeking of recent intimacy. It was sickening. He watched me dry-heaving, his face utterly blank. “Do you have a guest over?” I wiped my mouth, my voice surprisingly calm, devoid of any emotion. Julian nodded casually, walking towards me, unhurried, step by step. I stood up, holding my belly, and took a step back, asking again, “And this guest is currently in *our* bedroom?” Julian paused, probably surprised that this time I hadn’t completely broken down, despite catching them red-handed, unlike the countless times before. But he still nodded. Just as he was about to speak, a woman descended the stairs barefoot, elegantly, draped in my silk nightgown. I recognized her as Serena Hayes, the lead actress from the historical drama I’d been watching last night. She linked her arm through Julian’s, her eyes fluttering. “Julian, darling, who is this…?” As she spoke, she deliberately flaunted the marks covering a large expanse of skin on her chest. Julian wrapped an arm around Serena, provocatively squeezing that soft expanse. “Her? She’s my wife… oh no, I mean, she’s Mrs. Thorne of Thorne Enterprises.” Serena gasped, covering her mouth with her hand, her innocent-looking eyes widening dramatically, even her voice trembling with feigned shock. “Oh? You’re so naughty, why didn’t you tell me your wife would be back…?” Julian pecked a kiss on her neck, his laugh dripping with lust. “What’s there to be afraid of? Isn’t this more exciting? Besides—” He looked at me with a sneer. “Mrs. Thorne, didn’t we agree long ago that this marriage was purely transactional, and we wouldn’t interfere with each other’s lives?” “These past six years, you haven’t really lost out. The Thorne family has been more than generous to the Kings.” He wasn’t wrong. Without the two hundred million dollars in betrothal gifts, the King family would have gone bankrupt long ago. How else could my parents and brother maintain their lavish lifestyle, relying on the Thorne family’s influence and name? I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly nodded. “I understand. I’m sorry, I seem to have interrupted you.” I walked to the entrance, put on the shoes I’d just taken off, opened the door, and walked out, step by step. It was as if he sensed that I was now walking out of his life forever. “Wait!” Julian called out, his voice shaking. I didn’t look back. I didn’t say goodbye. Julian Thorne, I won’t wait for you anymore.
I walked for a long time, holding my belly, before I finally got out of the gated community and managed to flag down a taxi. Opening the car door, I took one last look back. Perhaps this was the best ending for me. At least I wouldn’t lose my life for a man who never loved me, like in my previous life. I couldn’t go back to my parents’ house, so I returned to my small apartment, the one I owned before marriage. I threw the bedsheets and duvet covers into the washing machine to be washed and dried, then meticulously cleaned the tables and floors, not missing a single corner or crevice. By the time I finished everything, I realized it was already the middle of the night. A dull, cramping pain began in my belly. I curled up in bed, hugging a pillow, and suddenly felt utterly exhausted. My face felt cold and wet; I touched it and realized they were tears. Ten years of painful love, ending so abruptly. My heart ached, regardless. I wrestled with the decision of whether to keep the baby, unable to sleep all night. Meanwhile, Julian was lost in Serena Hayes’s gentle embrace, lingering without a care. The A-list actress had been frequently posting subtle displays of happiness on social media: candlelight dinners, jewelry, designer bags… The backgrounds of the photos and videos were all too familiar—my marital home. There was even one photo where the glass window reflected the tall, distinguished silhouette of a man making a late-night snack in the kitchen. That photo had delighted her fans for a long time. And it had left me lost in thought for a long time. The man who wouldn’t even pour me a glass of water when I had a high fever was now willing to cook for another woman. A week later, on Monday, the day of Thorne Enterprises’ board meeting, I took the opportunity to return to the villa. I quickly packed my bags and grabbed my documents, heading downstairs. But I ran right into Julian, who had rushed back. Seeing the items in my hands, he suddenly sneered, snatched my luggage, and threw it away. I frowned at him. “What are you doing?” “Avery King, I should be asking *you* what you’re doing!” “Are you so childish that you’re still playing the ‘running away from home’ card?” “What’s next? Are you going to threaten me by acting suicidal again, like before?” Julian’s brows furrowed, his face filled with disgust as he reprimanded me. “Why would I kill myself?” I scoffed, gripping the stair railing tightly. The old me was indeed foolish; I’d threatened my life repeatedly to win him back. But after experiencing my previous life, I understood that living was the most important thing. I never wanted to feel that desperation again. Moreover, a heartless man like Julian Thorne wasn’t worth my lingering affection. Julian sneered, his eyes full of disdain. “What new trick is this? I’m busy. I don’t have time for your games.” “Your tactics might work once or twice, but too many times and it’s ‘the boy who cried wolf’.” I looked directly at Julian and explained, “You’re overthinking it. I’m here to pack my things and move out.” “Julian Thorne, let’s get a divorce.” Julian was uncharacteristically stunned for a moment, then looked at me with even greater impatience. “Divorce? You’re carrying a Thorne family child, and you’re asking for a divorce now? Do you think you can use this child as leverage and do whatever you want?” I didn’t respond. I carefully walked downstairs, pulled out the divorce papers I’d prepared in advance from my bag, and handed them to him. “Yes, I want a divorce.” “I don’t want anything from the Thorne family. I just want to separate from you.” Julian and I had been married for six years, but throughout those years, apart from the routine maintenance of this villa, he hadn’t spent any significant money on me. To outsiders, I was the glamorous Mrs. Thorne, but only I knew that every penny I spent was earned through my part-time online novel writing. Since I hadn’t spent Julian Thorne’s money during our marriage, I was even less inclined to have financial entanglements with him now that we were divorcing. Julian quickly scanned the papers, his expression unchanging, and placed them aside. A scoff escaped his throat, the sound like an ice shard piercing my heart. “Leaving with nothing? Avery King, are you really this naive at thirty?” He casually tossed the divorce papers onto the coffee table, then suddenly stood up, closing in on me, his shadow completely enveloping me. “Without the Thorne family’s backing, do you really think your father and brother can stand on their own in the business world?” “After the divorce, how will your family sustain this extravagant, reckless lifestyle?” I leaned back, avoiding his closeness, the emotions swirling beneath my eyelashes freezing into frost as I stubbornly pressed my lips together. “Julian Thorne, even if you use my family as leverage, you can’t keep me trapped anymore.” Seemingly shaken by the resolve in my eyes, Julian stepped back, his brows hardening. “Reason?” He paused, then conceded, “Is it because I brought someone home and made you uncomfortable? I apologize, this time it was my fault. I promise I won’t let them appear before you again.” My nails dug into my palms. For the first time, I smiled with such unbridled honesty. “No need, Julian Thorne.” “For six years, I’ve endured your emotional torment and abuse, and I’ve endured the daily grind of waiting for a man whose heart was never truly mine.” I suddenly ripped off the only beaded bracelet he had ever given me; the round beads scattered with a clatter across the carpet. “Even if it means my entire family has to wait tables and sweep streets, I will never be your puppet again.”
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299281”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #狼人Werewolf #玄幻Fantasy #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn
Leave a Reply