He Asked Me To Divorce, I Said Yes Chapter 06
It wasn’t an identity anyone could be proud of, but I never blamed my mother.
She knew nothing about the life he had hidden from her. My father had lied his way into a relationship with her while she was in college, and she became pregnant.
After I was born, she pressured him to marry her, only to discover that the man she loved already had a wife and child.
Unable to bear the shock, she threw herself from an upper floor of the hospital, leaving me alone in the world.
She had done nothing wrong, yet she paid with her life.
I had done nothing wrong either, yet I was mistreated throughout my childhood and endured endless contempt and stigma.
Meanwhile, my father—the only person truly at fault—watched his business grow and eventually retired with his reputation intact.
If I had this baby, would they grow up facing the same cruelty and humiliation I had?
Would Julian protect them?
The answer was obvious.
I closed my eyes. “Go ahead,” I said softly. “He wouldn’t have a happy life if he were born.”
The procedure was scheduled for the next day.
—
After it was over, I spent some time in recovery. Pale and weak, I headed for the exit and came face-to-face with Julian.
I pretended not to know him and tried to slip past, but he caught my wrist.
The sudden pull threw me off balance, and I stumbled into his chest.
A nurse rushed past behind me, pushing a gurney toward the ER. Julian instinctively wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me out of the way.
His familiar cedarwood scent surrounded me. Once, it would have made me feel safe. Now it only made me nauseous.
I shoved him away and put as much distance between us as I could. I wanted nothing to do with him.
Julian’s cold expression shifted, a hint of helplessness softening his features as he tried to coax me. He stepped closer as though he hadn’t noticed me pulling away.
“Why are you at the hospital? Are you sick?”
I didn’t want to answer him.
“It’s none of your business.”
His brow furrowed. Then, without warning, he said, “I’m sorry.”
I froze.
He continued, “I looked into what happened at the office. Audrey was at fault. I’m apologizing on her behalf.”
—
A bitter ache rose in my chest.
I nodded. “Fine. I understand. I don’t blame her, and I don’t blame you. I only want both of you to stay away from me.”
Julian’s frown deepened. He looked like he wanted to say more, but Audrey called to him from down the hall.
“Julian, my parents want to thank you in person!”
Only then did I realize Julian had come to the hospital with Audrey to visit her parents.
I suddenly remembered one night during our marriage when I developed appendicitis and asked him to take me to the hospital.
He had replied coldly, “I still have work to do. My driver can take you.”
I spent a week in the hospital afterward. He never visited once.
Even the prenatal appointment before the divorce had only happened because I had begged him repeatedly to come with me.
The difference between being loved and not being loved couldn’t have been clearer.
Audrey spotted me too. She hurried over, watching me with suspicion.
“Were you following Julian?”
I couldn’t be bothered to defend myself and turned to leave.
Audrey tried to come after me, but Julian held out an arm to stop her.
I didn’t look back. In the reflection of the hospital’s glass facade,
—
however, I saw the undisguised hatred on Audrey’s face.
I couldn’t understand why she hated me so much.
Then Mia sent me a file on her.