CHAPTER 26: CHAPTER 26: SHE LEAVES HIS WORLD WITHOUT A WORD OR A SCENE

Julian Fordham, who was always rational, was in complete chaos.

He saw Dominic Scott stepping out of the business car and realized Victoria Monroe’s purpose for being here.

So the trending news was true; she really did get picked up by Dominic.

Julian’s first reaction wasn’t fear of her causing a scene, but rather the thought that he was about to lose Victoria Monroe.

She had already made plans for a divorce and called in a lawyer.

She also saw Rachel Hayes with him.

He was finished!

Even if he jumped into Ophir this time, he wouldn’t be able to wash this away.

Assistant Woods, who was just about to get out of the car, was stopped by a voice: "Wait."

Assistant Woods looked through the car window and saw that hellscape scene.

Compared to the storm outside, he instinctively glanced at his boss’s reaction.

The dim parking lot lights cast shadows through the car window onto the man, his face half hidden in darkness and half in light.

His expression was obscure, especially those weary dark eyes that revealed nothing of his thoughts.

He didn’t know when, but Julian had completely untied the prayer beads from his hand.

That articulate hand quietly moved the prayer beads, unhurried, forming a stark contrast with the tense atmosphere outside.

Rachel naturally also saw Victoria; her first feeling was nervousness, but she quickly relaxed.

Today’s setting belonged to Julian Fordham; this wasn’t leaked by her.

She carefully observed Julian’s reaction, wondering whether his wife or his business empire was most important.

She even deliberately clung to Julian’s arm, "Julian, shall we go inside?"

Julian’s gaze met Victoria’s, seeing her slightly red eyes and the pain deep within them.

He instinctively withdrew his hand, trying to rush to Victoria, wanting to hold her, comfort her, and tell her this was all a misunderstanding.

Willis’s awkward attempt at speaking Chinese pulled him back, "Julian, what’s wrong?"

Only then did Julian understand where he was, and that there was no turning back.

He withdrew his gaze from Victoria, pulled his arm from Rachel’s grasp, and gestured invitingly, "It’s fine, this way please."

In this silent confrontation, he had made his choice.

He turned and left.

No one knew how conflicted Julian felt inside at that moment; he feared Victoria coming over to slap him, accusing him of infidelity.

But he feared even more that Victoria would ignore him, not causing a scene, and completely exit his world.

He prayed silently: Stop me, Victoria, call me!

He didn’t see at the moment of turning away, Victoria’s tears fell.

Her clear tears dropped onto the cobblestone path, splattering into a flower of tears.

It turned out that the man who had claimed she was the most important in the world had already changed.

Work versus family, power and status versus lover, he chose the former.

Until today, Victoria had still been betting on the odds.

She made excuses for him, tried to cover for him, attempted to use all their beautiful past memories to mask his wrongs, his harm to her.

She even feared hurting his future prospects.

But when did it start that his future no longer included her?

Victoria’s body couldn’t stop trembling; she even lost her most adept skill, managing expressions, leaving Dominic cold on the side.

For a moment, she couldn’t remember why she had come here.

Dominic already knew who the leading man was, clearly having seen the earlier hellscape.

He handed her a tissue, "Ms. Monroe, if you need to calm down, we don’t have to have dinner today. I’ll be in Kenton for a long while, we have plenty of opportunities to meet."

Victoria finally snapped awake, she forced a smile, "Sorry for the spectacle; I’m fine, let’s go."

She was inherently strong, taking the man’s tissue to wipe her tears, not wanting to show her vulnerability in front of outsiders.

But her nervousness betrayed her; as soon as she stepped forward, everything went black, and she fell unexpectedly.

The child!

She looked terrified, trying to save herself, but her body seemed to have been drained of all strength during the earlier confrontation.

Her hands weak and feet as well, she could only watch herself fall helplessly.

"Careful, Ms. Monroe." Dominic’s voice rang in her ears.

A pair of hands promptly grabbed her arm, the contact appropriate, without crossing any boundaries.

Her head lightly bumped against the man’s solid chest, somewhat hard.

The familiar scent of sandalwood and a calm yet cold voice reached her nose, "Are you okay?"

Victoria slowly lifted her head, only seeing the man’s look of pity in his eyes.

She thought, she must look terribly pathetic right now.

Victoria would never know, at this moment, with tears in her eyes, her nose slightly red, looking fragile like paper, enough to evoke the pity of men worldwide.

She slowly began, "Sorry, I felt a bit dizzy just now."

Rhys Hawthorne had released his hold, hearing those words, and touched her arm again.

She hadn’t yet put on a coat, only wearing a thin shirt.

Rhys’s body warmth was contrary to his cool demeanor; holding her arm, he found it thinner and more delicate than expected.

The searing heat from his palm slowly transferred through the fabric to her skin.

Victoria only felt that the place he held seemed to catch fire.

"Are you still dizzy now?" His low voice carried a trace of concern.

"A bit better."

Victoria freed herself from his grasp, offered an apologetic smile, "I’m alright, maybe just low blood sugar, let’s go inside, it’s cold outside."

Dominic’s gaze dropped to her shoulder where Rhys had touched, suppressing his understanding, an official smile on his lips, "Okay."

Victoria led the way in, Rhys synchronizing with her pace, perhaps worried she might faint again.

He had long legs, deliberately slowing his stride.

Dominic, however, followed leisurely half a step behind them.

That half step, as if an insurmountable distance.

Just like Assistant Woods behind them.

At this moment, Victoria’s mind was full of the image of Julian tenderly gazing at Rachel.

The man who had once vowed he would never change his heart had slapped her hard in the face.

Now her heart felt empty, her mind bewildered.

She muddled into the private room.

Entering, she saw two Su embroidery screens, the maid butterfly chase depicted with lifelike realism.

Victoria urged them to sit; Assistant Woods uncorked the wine she had brought, almost like her assistant.

The dishes were prepared early on, like the Buddha jumps over the wall, simmered for a full twenty hours.

Each dish was perfect in color, aroma, and taste, but Victoria and Julian Fordham were equally distracted.

Julian hadn’t waited for Victoria to stop him, his heart was endlessly uneasy.

Even Willis’s words didn’t reach him.

"Julian?"

Rachel gently tugged his clothes under the table, bringing him back.

Listening, his thoughts unavoidably drifted to Victoria.

He found an excuse to leave the table.

Julian knew it wasn’t appropriate, but he felt if he didn’t go find Victoria, he’d go crazy!

Pushing past the attendant outside the private room, he suddenly opened the room’s door.

Yet heard Victoria speaking clearly, "Dominic, I’ve decided, I want to divorce him."

She paused, then firmly added, "As long as we can get the divorce certificate, I don’t mind you using any means, even if it’s cost us both harm, I’m all in!"