Chapter 3
Instinctively, my eyes flicked to Hayden, and I wondered if he would snap back at Quinn. Or he had completely forgotten he was still wearing a wedding band!
Joanna quickly stepped in to clarify, her voice tinged with a subtle edge of frustration, “Quinn, don’t talk nonsense. This is Ms. Jackson’s husband”
Quinn’s face went blank, his eyes wide with shock as he turned to look at me.
I ignored him and replied coolly. “Not for long.
Joanna’s eyes bulged, her surprise evident.
Hayden must have felt the shift in me. His eyes held a piercing scrutiny as they bore into mine.
“Yvonne Jackson,” he intoned, his voice a deep rumble, almost a warning
Back in the day, his anger would have sent shivers down my spine. But now? I just smirked. “Il draft the divorce agreement tonight, and you can let your girlfriend take my place.
With that, I turned and strode through the gates, not giving a second glance to Hayden’s reaction.
Though it had been summer for a while, a biting chill rode the wind, stinging my skin. I raised a hand to touch my cheek and realized it was damp. Stepping i into the living room, I found Yosef was engaged in conversation with Sophia, whose gaze was full of hostility the moment it fell on me.
eyes She favored bold makeup that sometimes bordered on garish, yer her
r vivid
Sophia was a striking beauty with high cheekbones and deep–set ey hues seemed to captivate my father’s attention.
I simply greeted them and followed Yosef into his study.
“What? You want
want a divorcer Yosef gaped at me, his expression a m
a mix of disbelief and horr
horror, as if I’d suggested something utterly preposterous.
He continued, “Have you forgotten that our family’s fortune is tied to the Parkers! If you split from Hayden, what are we supposed to do?
“And don’t forget how you pleaded with your grandfather to marry him in the first place. You made a fool of us all, and now you’re talking about ending it!”
His words felt like a sharp knife, slicing through the e tender wounds on my heart, leaving me feeling as if my very lifeblood was draining away
“I made a mistake, and now I’m trying to correct it. Trust me. Oner Hayden and I part ways, he’ll end up with Joanna, and your wealth and status will remain intact, I said, my voice steady.
Joanna? How could she and Hayden Yosef paused, his voice trailing off. Suddenly, a realization hit him, and his eyes widened in disbelief. “They…”
I looked up at him “Shouldn’t you be the one to know! Remember how Sophia took you away from my mom?”
It was like I’d hit a raw nerve.
- e. Yoser’s face clouded over, and he snapped, “What nonsense are you spouting? Sophia and I were just friends–nothing
more!”
“Oh, really?” I scoffed. “You remarried less than a month after my mom passed away. Quite the swift rebound, don’t you think
“Don’t you dare!” Yosef’s hand shot up as if to strike me. But after a long, tense moment, he hesitated, his hand suspended in mid–air. “From now on, you don’t need to reach out. I won’t disturb your family anymore,” I stated firmly, drawing a clear line in the sand
He seemed shocked by my resolve. “You’re not coming back! You mentioned divorce, but where else can you go
I didn’t say a word. Instead, I turned and walked straight out of the study. The world was vast surely, I could carve out a spot for myself.
As I descended the stairs, Sophia and Quinn had vanished, and Hayden was conspicuously absent–perhaps he never even stepped inside.
The only person I encountered was Joanna. Truth be told, I’d never lud a one–on–one conversation with her before
*I didn’t expect your father to be Yosef, Joanna said first, her tone stripped of the deference she showed around Hayden, now tinged with a subtle
Hom
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Dreame–Read Romance Stories
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Chapter 3
“Same with me, considering your mother is Sophia. I replied nonchalantly, and with that, I turned to leave.
Joanna stepped in front of me, blocking my way. “Don’t you have anything to say to me?”
I met her challenge head–on. “What would you like to hear? Should I beg you to leave Hayden and spare my marriage?”
For a moment, Joanna seemed taken aback.
“Or perhaps you’d prefer if I threw a punch as Hayden’s lawful wife? I added, a smirk playing on my lips.
reyes widened in disbelief. “You want to hit me?”
Here
“Nah, that’d mess up my hands, I dismissed with a casual shake of my head.
“Your” Joanna spat, her jaw tight as she glared at me as if she wanted to swallow me whole. “Hayden doesn’t love you at all. He married you because of his grandfather
“I know,” I replied, unfazed. “Are you trying to say this true love is you? Well, I wish you both a long and happy life together, with a house full of kids,”
Joanna looked shocked, probably because she had never met a wife like me before–I wished the other woman good luck in starting a family with my husband
Just then, Sophia sauntered over, her hips swaying. She cast me a sidelong glance and let out a mocking sneer, “Joanna’s definitely expecting soon- unlike someone who’s been married for a year and still doesn’t have any news.
Journa’s spirits lifted. “Mon, 1 heard Hayden hasn’t even laid a hand on her.
In an instant, the mother–daughter dus erupted into peals of laughter.
My jaw clenched tight I couldn’t believe Hayden had shared that with her. Was he trying to show some twisted sense of loyalty? That jerk! What had I ever seen in him in the first place
Taking a deep breath, I turned to Sophia and asked. “So, you married my dad only after you got pregnant with his kid?”
Sophia’s smile broadened as she gently caressed her belly. “Or what else would make your dad so eager to marry me? Your mom couldn’t even give him a son, so why keep her around
I narrowed my eyes, the truth starting to sink in. No wander Yosef had been so eager to marry Sophia. They must have been entangling for a while. Suddenly, a thought struck me, and I scrutinized her. “How can you be so sure it’s a boy? What if it’s a girl
“Shut up! I’m definitely having a boy!” Sophia yelled her gaze sharp as daggers.
I forced a sad smile. She acted all high and mighty, but she saw herself as nothing more than a baby–making machine. Shaking my head, I turned to leave
Sophia trembled with rage. “That little brart just like her mother–so annoying Joanna, how are things going with Hayden? Hurry up and get pregnanc
She believed as long as Joanna had a child, Hayden would definitely divorce Yvonne. After all, Sophia had wormed her way into the Jackson family so fast just because of that little bun in her over
“Mom…” Joannu’s voice faltered, her face clouding with uncertainty, “Hayden’s always got that rosary bracelet on. Everyone knows he’s abstinent. L‘ Sophia couldn’t tolerate joanna’s timidity. She raised her voice abruptly. “What’s got you so scared? I’ve pulled strings to send you overseas close to Hayden, and you’re almost there. Stay focused. With your looks, he won’t stand a chance.”
eds to get
Joanna’s eyes flickered with anxiety, but she didn’t dare to argue. “But Mom, what once woke Hayden from his coma was a piano piece, and he’s asked me about it. The problem is, I can’t play the piano at all
“Then go learn!” Sophia internapted sharply. “Don’t even think about bringing this up again. The one who revived Hayden must be you.”
As twilight descended, I made a brief stop at the law office before heading home. After a discussion with my lawyer about the divorce details, I drafted the agreement. They were just a few flimsy paper, yet they weighed on me like a ton of bricks.
ell
