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Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Yvonne and Steven had once had an unborn baby, too. It arrived and left quietly, causing them heartbreaking pain.
It was on a rainy night. Yvonne went out to pick up Steven, who was drunk after a social event. They had an accident halfway; the car plunged into the water.
She was submerged for a long time, lost the baby, and suffered injuries that made it difficult to conceive again.
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Steven held her and cried for a long time, and since then, he never mentioned children around her. Now, he was about to be a father.
Yvonne sat at the dining table as the calendar turned to a new page. She silently watched the clock hands go round and round, and by the twelfth round, she heard a noise outside the door.
Steven finally opened the door and came in, looking slightly annoyed. “Did you hit her yesterday?”
Yvonne chuckled. “Feeling sorry for her?”
Steven looked at her, took a slow breath, and said, “Honey, how long are you going to keep this up? I told you, she won’t threaten your position as Mrs. Chapin.”
Yvonne just gave a soft smile and said, “Have a seat.”
Steven frowned and sat across from her. Yvonne quietly looked at him and asked, “Do you know what day it is today?” Steven thought it over, going through all the birthdays and anniversaries but couldn’t find the answer. “What’s today?” Yvonne’s eyes grew distant as if she was diving into deep memories. She slowly said, “Steven, we met when I was 12. When I was 16, my family fell apart–my dad jumped off a building, and it was just my mom and me.
“Those were the hardest days of my life. Every day, I was thinking about how to hide from the creditors.”
She paused, lowering her eyes.
Steven knew about her past. Hearing her bring it up again made him feel a bit nostalgic. He reached out, almost wanting to hold Yvonne’s hand to comfort her, but then he pulled back in hesitation. “That’s all behind us now.”
“Yeah, it’s all in the past,” Yvonne chuckled lightly. Then she added, “When I was 17, you bravely picked up a brick and saved me from those guys, ending up all injured yourself.
“You know what? If you hadn’t saved me, they were going to sell me. That day, you became my beacon.”
Steven smiled proudly, a nostalgic look crossing his face as if he was back in those passionate and reckless teenage years. “Of course. Back then, I was determined to get you out of there no matter what.”
A gentle smile appeared on Yvonne’s face, filled with a bit of nostalgia and warmth. “You were impulsive and brave back then. I was really scared when I saw you charging in with a brick; you seemed like a hero to me.”
She sighed softly and went on, “Later, when you were covered in injuries, I was worried and afraid, but you just kept and comforting me, saying it didn’t hurt at all.”
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Her gaze became a little dreamy as if she was back in that moment. “Later, it was your family that helped me bury my mom, and Albert took me into the Chapin residence, giving me a place to shelter from the storm.”
“Yeah, after that, we were never apart,” Steven said, his face softening.
Yvonne continued, “Today, ten years ago, you confessed your love to me for the second time. Do you remember what
Chapter 10
happened then?”
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Steven frowned a bit, thought for a moment, and said, somewhat unsure, “I don’t remember it too clearly
Yvonne let out a soft sigh and continued, “The first time you confessed to me, I turned you down. The second time was by Albert’s hospital bed.
“He held my hand and said the Chapins had saved my life, helped me bury my mom, and taken me in. He wanted me to stay in the family for ten years in return. If I wanted to leave after ten years, I could.”
Hearing that, Steven felt something was wrong as if something was being pulled away from him. He instinctively wanted to stop Yvonne from speaking further, but suddenly, his throat seemed blocked, and he couldn’t make a sound.
“That day was July 18th. It’s been exactly ten years since then,” Yvonne said calmly, yet her voice carried an endless weariness.
Suddenly, Steven stood up, put his hands on his hips, and paced the room back and forth, looking visibly restless.
Then he put his hands on the dining table, eyes filled with anger, and shouted, “So what, Yvonne? Are you telling me that after ten years, you still haven’t fallen in love with me? I knew you never loved me.”
“No, Steven, I once loved you,” Yvonne said quietly.
Her words took Steven by surprise, and a joyful look spread across his face as his eyes lit up. He eagerly asked, “Really, honey? You love me?”
However, Yvonne’s next words were like a bucket of cold water, putting out his joy completely. “How could I have married you if I didn’t love you? But that’s all. All my love faded away when you first cheated on me three years ago.”
The joy on Steven’s face froze instantly, and he asked in disbelief, “Faded away?”
Yvonne’s face was calm, but there was a hint of irony in her eyes as she looked at the glass in her hand. “You cheated over and over, and just over a year ago, you even kept that girl in a house under your name.
“You’ve hurt me so many times. Why do you think I’d keep loving you without regrets?”
As she spoke, she took out a document from her handbag and pushed it toward Steven. “Steven, let’s get a divorce. I made a promise ten years ago, and I kept my word. I hope you will do the same.”
Steven looked down and saw the big letters “Divorce Agreement” glaring at him. He jerked his head up, staring intensely at Yvonne with anger. “Yvonne, you want to divorce me? Do you know what you’re doing?”
“Yes, I do.” Yvonne’s reply was short but full of determination.
Steven’s expression grew darker. “The company’s going public soon. Do you know what that means? Are you sure you want to give up a life of comfort and divorce me?”
Yvonne stood up with a smile, but it quickly disappeared, replaced by a determined look. “Steven, I’ve heard that marital problems can affect the IPO results. You wouldn’t want me to make a scene, would you?”
Steven clenched his teeth, a flash of anger in his eyes. “Are you threatening me?”
Yvonne replied, “Think of it that way. The Chapin family took care of me for three years. After Albert passed away, your mom started treating me like a servant.
Td been grateful to your family, thus staying with you guys without complaints. During your toughest years, I worked hard and supported you. I believe I’ve paid back what I owed to your family.”
“You haven’t paid back anything!” Steven was completely furious and with a wave of his hand, he knocked the glass off the table. It shattered on the floor with a loud crack, water splashing and glass pieces scattering everywhere.
Chapter 10
Steven’s eyes were red, and he shouted, “Divorce? No way!
Yvonne paused, she didn’t expect such a strong reaction from him.
Panting heavily, Steven moved forward and grabbed Yvonne’s shoulders. “Yvonne, have you really forgotten all the tough times we went through together, the days we worked hard side by sides
“We’re just about to enjoy the fruits of our labor. Are you truly ready to walk away now?”
Yvonne looked at him coolly. “Aren’t you the one who forgot those days?”
Steven was stunned for a moment, then suddenly turned around and flipped the dining table over, making a mess.
Just then, his phone rang and the sudden sound filled the room.
Steven, breathing hard, had a flicker of annoyance in his angry eyes. He quickly pulled the phone out of his pocket and, without looking, yelled into it, “Who’s that? Don’t freaking annoy me now?
“Whoa, someone’s got a temper,” a cool voice came from the other end of the line.
The voice made Steven freeze immediately like a bucket of ice water had just been dumped on his head. His anger melted away, replaced by a flicker of panic.
He hurriedly said in a low voice, “Reid, sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
“Alright, come over. I’ll introduce you to a few people tonight.” Reid’s voice was still calm and emotionless.
“Reid, can we do it another day? I-”
“That’s a bit unfortunate. These guys are looking to buy some electronic chips, a contract worth about 30 million dollars.”
Steven’s hesitation was palpable. 30 million was a huge deal for the company, especially with the IPO just around the corner. Money was everything right now.
He gritted his teeth as if he was making a tough decision. “Reid, I’ll be right there.”
“Yvonne, think it over. We’ll talk another day,” he said, walking out with big strides.
Yvonne sneered, went to the living room, and pulled out the suitcase where she had put her belongings.
She knew the divorce wouldn’t be sorted in one go, but she wasn’t in a rush. Not only did she want a divorce, but she also planned to take her share from him.
As soon as she opened the front door, she was face to face with Reid, who looked like he was in a hurry. His face showed worry as he quickly looked over Yvonne. “Did that jerk hit you?”
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