CHAPTER 26: CHAPTER 26: BABY, YOUR HUSBAND WON’T DIVORCE YOU

"Then take good care of yourself and don’t overthink things."

"I understand, Grandpa."

Master Thompson, still worried, gave a few more instructions before leaving the room.

Josephine lay in bed, suddenly feeling a sense of relief.

Once you let go, you find freedom.

Since she decided to give up.

The heaviness in her heart was also lifted.

"Beep, beep, beep..."

The phone rang.

She glanced at the caller ID; it was Nathaniel Gallagher calling.

She didn’t answer and had no desire to.

Time and again, he would just insist that he and Vivian Shaw were like siblings. Even though there were problems in their marriage, he never intended to resolve them; he just wanted Josephine to accept peacefully coexisting with Vivian Shaw.

Or rather, he was testing her limits. If she compromised now, he would undoubtedly take the next step and brazenly have an affair.

"Josephine, answer the phone. Sometimes I just don’t understand why you have to make such a big deal out of things?"

"Vivian and Mrs. Dixon are both seriously injured, aren’t you satisfied?"

"You can stay with the Thornton Family for a while, and once you’ve calmed down, we can have a proper conversation about our issues."

Josephine didn’t want to look any more, so she turned off her phone.

Right now, she just wanted to clear her mind and think about nothing.

...

The next day.

Lawyer Kane and Lawyer Lynch arrived at the Thornton Family as scheduled.

Lawyer Kane handed over the prepared documents and politely said, "Miss Thompson, as per your request, we’ve prepared the lawsuit petition! Please take a look and see if there’s anything you’d like to add?"

Josephine glanced at the lawsuit, nodded, "No, there’s nothing more to add."

Lawyer Lynch: "However, you should be mentally prepared. If Mr. Gallagher doesn’t agree to the divorce, the first ruling usually doesn’t grant it."

Josephine nodded, "That’s okay, I’m ready for that. If it doesn’t work this time, we’ll keep appealing."

Lawyer Kane adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and said solemnly, "Alright, we will do our utmost to secure your rightful interests."

"Okay, I’ll leave everything to you." Josephine spoke indifferently, unconcerned about alimony or emotional damages.

All she wanted was a divorce, nothing else.

"Very well, if there are no issues, we can submit the lawyer’s letter and lawsuit today."

"Alright."

After a detailed discussion, the two lawyers stood up and left.

If everything goes as expected, Nathaniel Gallagher will soon receive the lawyer’s letter and the court summons.

Over the next few days.

Josephine’s phone remained off, unreachable to anyone.

...

On the seventh day.

Nathaniel Gallagher received the court’s filing summons.

Upon receiving the summons.

He was momentarily surprised, then instructed his legal team to handle it.

That afternoon.

Nathaniel Gallagher drove to Verdant Hill Manor, attempting to force his way in. The people outside, unable to stop him, could only notify Josephine.

The butler was in a panic, "Miss, Mr. Gallagher is here. He’s trying to force his way in, and we really can’t stop him."

Josephine, upon hearing this, felt extremely irritated, "I won’t see him. Tell him to deal directly with my lawyers!"

"I just told him that, but Mr. Gallagher insists on seeing you."

As he spoke, the butler handed over his phone, "Mr. Gallagher wants you to call him."

Josephine frowned, "Hello..."

On the other end, Nathaniel Gallagher took a deep breath, "Josephine, do you really want to go through with this divorce?"

"Yes."

Nathaniel’s heart sank, "Are you sure you’ve thought it through?"

"I’ve thought it through."

Nathaniel was both angry and frustrated, "Josephine, I’ve put in so much effort just to keep our marriage from falling apart. If you’re determined to insist on this, there’s nothing more I can say."

Josephine coldly replied, "Well, then let’s wait for the court date to talk!"

With that, she hung up the phone directly!

"Butler, if he insists on forcing his way in, call the police and charge him with trespassing."

"What?" The butler was terrified, not daring to follow through.

Josephine could afford not to fear Nathaniel Gallagher.

But in Audenburg, no one would dare easily offend Nathaniel Gallagher.

As they were speaking.

A maid rushed in in a panic, scared pale, "Miss, this is bad, President Gallagher broke in."

"President Gallagher looks very angry..."

Josephine glanced out the window at the scene below; Nathaniel Gallagher walked menacingly toward the house.

The guards following him did not dare to forcibly stop him, only trailing behind anxiously pleading.

"Miss, you’d better go downstairs and see President Gallagher!"

"No." With that, Josephine grabbed a car key and exited through a back door on the second floor.

The manor was vast.

Beyond the security systems, there were naturally several secret escape routes.

Five minutes later.

Nathaniel burst angrily into her bedroom, "Where’s Josephine?"

The butler, nervous and stuttering, said, "President Gallagher, I already told you, Miss... Miss is not here."

Nathaniel looked stern, searched around but didn’t see Josephine, leaving with a despondent air.

Josephine exited from the backyard and drove away from the manor.

Halfway through.

Her grandfather called.

"Hello, Grandpa."

On the other end, Master Thompson’s voice was excited, "Josephine, Curator Carter just called me!"

"Oh, does he have something important?"

Master Thompson: "Curator Carter said there’s going to be a cultural relics exhibition in Caldwen next month."

"This exhibition is very important; it will include foreign diplomats, expert groups, as well as domestic cultural relics experts, and several key leaders from Caldwen."

"And these relics, they’re the treasures of the Audenburg Museum. Besides the bronze tripod your grandpa restored, several other precious items were restored by you. Curator Carter wants you to attend the exhibition and serve as the exhibition’s guide."

"But..." Josephine frowned, feeling a bit indecisive!

The court case was going to start next month.

She didn’t want to be distracted now.

"This is a good opportunity; you must attend."

"Grandpa, I’m just about to go through a divorce case. Wouldn’t it be inappropriate for me to go at this time?"

Master Thompson listened, offering kindly advice, "Josephine, Grandpa still suggests you go. Because besides the expert group and officials, this exhibition will also have the archeological titan, Professor Warren."

"I heard Professor Warren is planning to take on two last disciples. If you go, you might be able to become his apprentice."

"..." Upon hearing this, Josephine instinctively stepped on the brake.

Then, she pulled the car over to the side of the road.

"Josephine, aren’t you very interested in the field of archaeology? This is a great opportunity to enhance yourself!"

Josephine no longer hesitated, "Grandpa, I’ll go."

Professor Warren is a leading figure in the archaeological community.

The doctoral students he mentored are renowned at home and abroad, and any of them are giants in the field.

And he rarely takes on students now; this truly was an excellent opportunity for her.

"Great, then grandpa will tell Curator Carter you’ve decided to go."

"Mm-hmm, okay."

After hanging up the phone.

Josephine took a deep breath, and suddenly a spark reignited in her heart.

Since childhood, she had been very interested in archaeology and artifacts.

The ancient relics left from hundreds of years ago were a mysterious veil she longed to explore and study.

Her aspiration was also to become an archaeologist.

But because she married and had children early, she halted the steps toward her dream.

And now...

It seemed the dream could continue again.

"Only 24 years old, nothing is too late!" Josephine looked in the mirror, secretly cheering herself on.

At the age of 24.

She had already experienced marriage and childbirth, and now, was about to go through a divorce.

For the rest of her life, she wanted to do something more meaningful.

Just as she was about to start the car again.

The phone vibrated on the passenger seat; it was a message from Lawyer Kane: [Mr. Gallagher’s lawyer requested a pre-trial mediation, scheduled for next Wednesday at ten in the morning.]

She stared at the words on the screen and calculated the time; the mediation time did not conflict with the exhibition time.

However, she didn’t want mediation, nor did she wish to see Nathaniel Gallagher again.

[I do not accept mediation, everything should go according to normal procedures]

[Okay]

After replying to the message.

Josephine restarted the car, ready to head back to Waterside Pavilion.

"Vroom vroom vroom..."

Just as the car started.

A Maybach sped up from behind, moving very fast.

Josephine panicked, immediately realizing it was Nathaniel Gallagher. She hurriedly started her car, ready to leave.

But it was too late.

"Screech--"

The black Maybach sped past her car, performed a slick drift, and came to a stop in front of her car.

Josephine’s heart sank, and she immediately put the car in reverse, trying to avoid Nathaniel Gallagher.

"Vroom vroom vroom!"

Nathaniel Gallagher didn’t give her a chance, pressing closer step by step until his car completely blocked hers, pushing her car towards the flowerbed at the roadside.

She was completely trapped, unable to retreat.

The engine’s roar abruptly stopped.

"Bang!"

Nathaniel Gallagher swung the car door open abruptly.

He got out of the car with long strides, quickly approaching the driver’s seat.

"Bang bang bang!"

"Open the car door."

Nathaniel Gallagher’s handsome, stern face was filled with anger. His knuckles turned white from force as he banged on the car window fiercely: "Josephine, have you had enough of hiding?"

Josephine gripped the steering wheel tightly, her nails almost digging into her palm.

She tried to reverse, but trapped from both front and back, she couldn’t move an inch.

"Open the car door." Nathaniel Gallagher knocked on the car door again forcefully.

"Go away."

Josephine did not want to face him at all, she immediately took out her phone, ready to call for help.

At the same time, she regretted not bringing a bodyguard when she went out.

Seeing her preparing to make a call, Nathaniel Gallagher guessed she was calling the police, so he immediately took out a small window breaker from his pocket.

Then, he pressed it against the car window glass—a crisp sound "bang."

The car window glass shattered.

Josephine was startled, "Ah—"

"Nathaniel Gallagher, what are you doing?"

Nathaniel Gallagher, with a dark face, domineeringly reached in to manually unlock the door.

"What are you doing, get away."

"Click!"

Nathaniel Gallagher opened the car door, unbuckled her seatbelt, and forcefully dragged her out of the car.

"Ah... let go of me..." Josephine was both panicked and scared, struggling to break free from his control.

Nathaniel Gallagher tightly encircled her waist, forcibly carried her into his car.

Into the back seat.

He pressed her down on the car seat aggressively, his large hand holding her shoulder so she couldn’t resist at all.

Josephine’s heart pounded with fear; it was the first time she found Nathaniel Gallagher so frightening, "Nathaniel Gallagher, what do you want?"

Nathaniel Gallagher frowned, his sharply contoured face covered with a cloud, "That’s what I should be asking you, what do you want?"

Josephine pushed his wrist hard, angrily saying, "Let go of me; if you have something to say, say it. Don’t touch me!"

Unfortunately, the strength of his wrist was immense. No matter how hard she tried, it didn’t budge.

"Josephine, are you serious this time?" His eyes burned with rage, his breath heavy.

Obviously at the verge of an outburst.

He really wanted to punish her without regard.

But she had just gone through a miscarriage recently; he couldn’t bear to hurt her.

Josephine, agitated and chaotic, said, "Nathaniel Gallagher, there’s nothing more to say between us."

"Maybe parting ways peacefully is our best option."

"Huh? Parting peacefully?" Nathaniel Gallagher let out a cold laugh.

He’s always been in control, advising control.

No one could force him to accept passively.

As long as he didn’t want to, no one could make him do anything.

"Uh~ Let go, you’re hurting me."

"Hurts, does it?" Nathaniel Gallagher’s cold smile pressed even lower, his thin lips close to her ear, like a devil’s whisper.

Seeing his cold smile, Josephine felt an inexplicable panic, finding him extremely strange and frightening.

It was the first time she saw such a cold, harsh, and disdainful expression on his face.

"Isn’t this the best choice? Nathaniel Gallagher, we were once husband and wife; I don’t want to make things ugly. I hope we can part amicably."

"Part amicably?"

"Sweetheart, your husband doesn’t want to turn against you or hurt you. You just need to be like before; I can pretend nothing ever happened."

"..." Josephine felt a chill run over her, covered in goosebumps.

His tone was gentle and coaxing, yet it felt like a warning of death’s impending arrival.

Nathaniel Gallagher looked into her eyes, a chilling, unfathomable malice and amusement in his eyes.

He finally stopped pretending.

This was his true self.

"Get up, you’re hurting me."

Nathaniel Gallagher slightly eased his grip, his thin lips gently kissing her chin and earlobe, "Be good and come home with me; you are still Nathaniel Gallagher’s wife."

"Sweetheart, your husband won’t divorce you, only..."

’Widowed’

The two words he held back, didn’t say out loud.

After all, things hadn’t reached that point; he didn’t want to scare her or let his carefully painted image crumble.

Josephine’s heart choked, looking at him coldly, "Only what? What do you want to say? Just say it!"

"Nathaniel Gallagher, we have been married for four years, shared a bond for better or worse. I just want to separate from you, but I have never thought of doing anything to hurt you. Moreover, I have never done anything to disappoint you."

"..." Nathaniel Gallagher was momentarily choked, a hidden pain in his heart.

She was indeed very clever.

Even if he didn’t say it, she still guessed what he wanted to say!