CHAPTER 10: CHAPTER 10: JULIAN FORDHAM, YOU HURT ME!

The air in the cramped wardrobe was thin, and the temperature suddenly rose.

Victoria Monroe, usually obedient and well-behaved, refused his advances. Whether it was because of her pregnancy or because this man was someone she had loved deeply for years, her futile struggles seemed to him like seasoning for the moment.

In the struggle, she pulled down a cheongsam from the hanger.

The high-quality silk dress fell and covered Julian Fordham’s head, disrupting his breath as he kissed Victoria Monroe’s neck indiscriminately.

Until the woman beneath him made a sound, "Julian Fordham, you’re hurting me."

Only then did Julian come to his senses and move his body away, looking down at the woman he’d messed up completely.

The robe was half removed, loosely draped over her slender arms, her skin exposed and alluring, which made Julian’s eyes burn.

Victoria abruptly pushed him away, her face regaining its coldness, "Get out!"

Julian stepped back a few paces, "I’m sorry."

He was truly out of his mind—how could he force his own wife?

Victoria ignored him. Upon hearing Aunt Xu’s knock on the door outside, she fastened the robe’s belt and went downstairs to eat.

Julian went into the bathroom to wash his hands, using the towel Victoria had just used. This intimacy unique to couples lifted his spirits momentarily.

He reached into the laundry basket and retrieved the high-fashion cheongsam Victoria had changed out of.

Took a photo and sent it to Assistant Prescott.

Soon, he’d find out who that man was.

Victoria descended the stairs, and Aunt Xu was very attentive. Seeing the suggestive marks on Victoria’s neck, she kept advising, "Mrs. Monroe, over the years I’ve seen how much Mr. Fordham loves you. It’s normal for couples to have a few arguments. Fight at the bedside and reconcile at the foot of it; don’t be angry with him."

Reconcile?

There’s a child standing between them; on what basis could they reconcile?

As long as that child exists for one day, she couldn’t cross the divide. She and Julian Fordham had already become an unsolvable deadlock.

After eating, and once Aunt Xu had left, Victoria curled herself up on the sofa, "I want to discuss divorce now that I’m back."

The quiet living room resonated with the sound of nail clippers.

"Snap."

Julian was curled up on the sofa, clipping Ten’s nails, with his head down, as if he hadn’t heard anything.

"Julian Fordham."

Victoria continued talking to herself, "I’ve thought a lot over these past three days. Apart from the hidden child between us, there are many issues, like my love for acting."

The man’s hand, paused, as he was clipping nails. Victoria continued, "But you’ve long since cut off my path. From a few years ago, you were planning to make me leave the industry, first by cutting off my career, my social network. If I succeed in getting pregnant, then you’d bind me with a child for life, right?"

Finishing the last nail, Julian threw the clippings into the trash can and then switched to Victoria’s special nail clippers.

He squatted half-kneeling by the sofa, thoroughly losing the noble and aloof demeanor he often had outside. Like many times before, he placed her foot on his thigh.

"Honey, let me clip your nails."

He avoided discussing the topic of divorce, engrossed in trimming each nail for her.

In his slender hands, her foot seemed exceptionally delicate, her skin as pristine as jade and smooth like satin.

With a heated gaze, he seemed to be appreciating a piece of art, his calloused fingers gently caressing her slender ankle.

This attitude of Julian’s made Victoria somewhat furious, and she withdrew her leg.

"Julian Fordham!"

Seeing her little face flush with embarrassment, her white skin mixed with red made her look even more radiant, like a prickly rose.

Knowing her thorns, he still couldn’t help but want to get close, even if he got himself injured all over, he wouldn’t care.

"Victoria, the nails aren’t finished."

"Don’t waste time anymore. Once the nails are trimmed this time, what about next? Nails will keep growing, you won’t always be at my side, we are bound to part ways sooner or later."

Victoria leaned forward, raising his chin to force his eyes to meet hers, "We’ve known each other for eighteen years. You know very well that I understand the consequence of this, what you want to bet on is my compromise. On the day you gambled our marriage for this child, you’d already lost."

"I’ll give you a month to handle the division of assets. I want three-quarters of your assets. Besides the original shares, I also want ten percent of the stocks."

Her face showed undisguised ambition, "Don’t think I’m greedy. This is what you owe me. After the divorce, whether you give her a home or plan otherwise is none of my business."

At that time, Grandma’s surgery would be done too. The most important thing was she needed time to gradually clear him out of her world.

The man’s face didn’t show any anger at all. Grasping her hand, his eyes revealed an obsessive infatuation.

"Honey, I can transfer all assets to your name, execute property notarization. I don’t want anything, just beg you not to divorce. Is that okay?"

"Impossible."

She replied coldly without a shred of emotion, "From today on we’ll separate. Are you leaving or should I?"

Seeing the resolve in her eyes, he made the concession, "I’ll leave. You don’t need to stay in hotels; Aunt Xu can take care of you here at home."

"Alright, you can go pack now."

He held onto her other foot and continued clipping, patiently trimming each of her nails clean before he stood up.

Victoria added, "Julian Fordham, don’t play tricks anymore. You’re being given a month considering our years of sentiment. If you don’t do as I ask, then don’t blame me for airing dirty laundry at your product launch and causing the company to fall into a negative public opinion, ruining all your efforts."

Upon hearing her threat, the man standing up suddenly leaned down, placing both hands on the sofa cushions, enclosing her in his arms, his gaze somewhat meaningful.

Victoria’s body stiffened, the man got closer and closer, finally stopping by her ear, his voice came word by word: "Victoria, you’re still too soft-hearted towards me."

After speaking, he turned and went upstairs, Victoria only felt her hands and feet grow cold; Julian Fordham seemed a bit different.

She had expected him not to divorce easily, but if she held Rachel Hayes as leverage, she could always file for divorce and just spend a little more time.

She would definitely succeed.

But...why did she feel so uneasy?

Julian Fordham left with a twenty-inch suitcase as per her request.

Before even leaving, he thoughtfully reminded her to sleep early and not stay up late.

Just like many times he went on business trips before, he’d be back in a couple of days.

In the night, Victoria sat on the steps, staring blankly at the disappearing car.

She didn’t understand why two good individuals suddenly turned out like this?

Ten wanted to snuggle to her belly, Victoria gently touched its little head, "Sorry, my dear, there’s a baby in mommy’s belly; I can’t hold you like I used to."

Mentioning the baby made her eyes involuntarily reddened, "But soon it will be gone."

Ten seemed to understand and obediently sat by her side, together watching the Cullinan disappear into the night.

Victoria felt chilled through after just a few minutes but no one would come out to add clothes for her anymore.

She murmured quietly, "Ten, this is the right thing to do, isn’t it? Those who make mistakes deserve to be punished."

She closed the door, walked alone in the large villa—there had been countless times she sent him off, but back then she never felt the villa was so big and cold.

Victoria even dared not return to the bedroom which held many happy memories of them.

She curled up on the cream sofa, turned on her phone, and found the trending topic exploded.

#Fordham Group CEO Visits Airport to Meet President’s Wife# Blowup