“Everything she has, you have too. And what she doesn’t have, I can give you. Victoria, you shouldn’t be so ungrateful.”
I stared at Julian in shock, unable to believe those words had come out of his mouth.
I still remembered back in high school, when Julian found out his father had cheated. His mother discovered the affair, and the resulting chaos rocked the entire family.
Julian’s father shouted at his mother, “Men in my position are expected to have mistresses. I’m not divorcing you, so stop making a scene.”
At fifteen, Julian had grabbed a baseball bat and shattered a porcelain vase next to his father. Amid the scattered shards, he said coldly, “A man without responsibility doesn’t deserve to be called a man. He might as well be a eunuch.”
At that moment, I thought Julian was the coolest person in the world.
But now, fifteen years later, that once-principled boy had grown into the exact kind of man he had once despised.
The thirty-year-old Julian had become a mirror image of the father he loathed.
The realization made me sick to my stomach.
“Not a chance,” I said, pushing the divorce papers closer to him again. “After the divorce, you can keep as many women as you like.”
Julian stared at me for a long moment before finally picking up the papers between two fingers, his expression unreadable.
“You want a divorce? Fine. But don’t you think it’s time we settle the debt you owe me for all these years?”
I nodded and took out a bank card. “There’s one million dollars in this account. It’s more than enough to cover the cost of my living expenses over the years.”
Julian’s brows furrowed as he looked at the card I had clearly prepared in advance. “One million dollars? Do you think that’s enough?”
“It’s enough.” I met his gaze firmly. “I’ve kept track of every household expense. The records are in the study if you want to verify them. The luxury items and jewelry you bought me are all accounted for as well. The ones I used have already been depreciated and factored into the total.
“Julian Ford, I owe you nothing.”
He was silent for so long that I thought he might refuse. But then, to my surprise, he let out a low chuckle.
“I was planning to take you to a charity gala tomorrow night. But since you don’t need me, let’s forget about it.”
His gaze lingered on my face for a few seconds, as though he were searching for a hint of regret.
But he was destined to be disappointed.
My expression remained calm, devoid of any emotional fluctuation. “We’re in a secret marriage, Julian. The role of Mrs. Ford can be replaced anytime.”
His lips pressed into a thin line before he tossed an invitation onto the table.
“Your name is on it. Come with me tomorrow night, and I’ll agree to the divorce.”
