CHAPTER 13: CHAPTER 13: I CAN’T BE THE WIFE YOU WANT

"The child isn’t mine."

Juliana paused for a moment, then quickly regained her composure.

"Then swear it. Swear that the child Stella miscarried has nothing to do with you. If it does, may your whole family be struck by lightning."

"Juliana!"

This time, Evan was genuinely upset.

"I’ll say it one last time. I didn’t betray our marriage."

Juliana’s lips curled into a mocking smile.

"So you want me to believe that in the days to come, you’ll continue to pamper her and protect her under the guise of responsibility? Even if she needs the warmth of a husband, you’ll offer it without complaint, and yet all this has nothing to do with romance?"

"Evan Grant, are you treating me like a fool?"

Evan’s fingertips suddenly turned cold, "What happened that there’s no trust left between us?"

Juliana tilted her head, earnestly pondering the question.

When did she start distrusting him?

"The cake shop explosion, do you accept the police’s findings?" she asked.

"If you have doubts, we can file for an administrative review."

His expression was calm, not even his breathing frequency changed.

Evan was so deeply hidden, Juliana felt that it started from this moment.

She lowered her voice, "I can’t be your ideal wife. We’re not suited for each other."

Yet Evan laughed softly, grabbing her left hand, holding her ring finger with two fingers.

"The decision to divorce isn’t yours to make. Juliana, from the day you married me, you and I have been bound together. It’s been four years, I thought by now you’d understand the weight of ’Mrs. Grant’."

Feeling a coldness on her finger, Juliana realized the lost wedding ring had returned.

No, the one that sank to the ocean floor, even if he found where the car sank, retrieving it wouldn’t be certain.

Plus, if he knew what happened when he flew to Stella’s side that day and still reacted this way, she could only trust one bloody fact:

Her marriage was a sham, she was just a cover-up and shield for Evan Grant.

Thinking of this, Juliana held back her bitterness, pulled off the ring, and slammed it onto the floor.

"Don’t use responsibility as a pretense. If it’s gone, it’s gone. What does this fake thing represent?"

"Juliana!"

Evan stood up in anger.

The ring she lost, he had specially sought out the artisan who made their wedding bands, found the original design, and had it re-crafted at great expense; yet she didn’t cherish it.

Juliana, unprepared, fell from his lap.

It hurt, but she laughed.

"If I don’t play along with your passionate performance, your true colors show?"

...

Evan went to the study.

Juliana was equally upset.

Mrs. Young heated up dinner for her, but she sat at the dining table with no appetite.

"Mrs., what is a normal married life like?" Juliana asked despondently.

Mrs. Young, awkwardly opened her mouth, and after awhile, replied, "I don’t know. My husband passed away the day after our wedding."

"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to ask about that."

Juliana quickly apologized.

Mrs. Young remained in good spirits.

"It’s okay, ma’am. Though I can’t let him go, I’ve moved on. While I haven’t experienced a normal married life, I grew up with my husband, so I know what a pair of people in love look like."

"What do they look like?" Juliana was curious.

Mrs. Young smiled, "Like you and President Grant, often bickering, but he always lets me win, and I also give him a way out."

Juliana recognized she was trying to console her, and lowered her eyes, not speaking.

Mrs. Young added, "Mrs., if you feel too disturbed, why not travel with President Grant? Go somewhere your relationship won’t be disturbed to strengthen it."

She thought for a moment.

"By the way, the snow scenery in the Southern Hemisphere is beautiful this time of year. How about you and President Grant..."

"I don’t like snow. There’s no chance of us reaching that point."

Juliana didn’t touch the dinner on the table and went back to the bedroom.

At that moment, her phone received a text message.

It was the lawyer she had hired to investigate Evan’s overseas assets.

The person said they were unwell and needed time off, unable to take on her case, and would compensate her per the agreement, followed by a string of apologies.

Juliana knew this was Evan’s doing.

As long as he spoke, no one in Kenton would dare take her case.

Juliana slumped into a chair, feeling as if the air turned into heavy lead pressing on her shoulders, even breathing became difficult.

After sitting alone by the window for a while, she picked up her pajamas to take a shower.

But just as she reached the bathroom door, her lower abdomen suddenly ached.

Juliana, someone who never had cramps during her cycle, had inexplicably felt this pain a few times since being discharged.

She frowned, about to crouch down when Evan supported her from behind.

"What’s wrong?"

His voice was gentle, like in the past.

"Stomach cramps."

Juliana withdrew her hand and stood up by herself.

Evan noticed that since returning from Aldoria, she was remarkably averse to his touch.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"You can’t shower in the study..." Evan paused, "Do you want to go first, or should we shower together?"

Did he think her initiating a divorce asset investigation was a joke?

"You go first, my stomach hurts, I need a moment."

Evan didn’t insist, his gaze lingered on her abdomen for two seconds, then without questioning, closed the bathroom door.

In less than two minutes, the phone he left outside rang.

It was a distinct ringtone.

Juliana didn’t want to get involved in the illicit relationship between him and Stella, so she ignored it.

But the phone rang twice, as if it were urgent.

She hesitated for a moment, then answered it on the third ring.

"Brother, some people came into the hospital room, they..."

"I’m not your brother."

Juliana interrupted her.

The other end was stunned.

Juliana continued, "He’s in the shower; I’ll have him call you when he’s out."

"Oh... okay, thank you."

The caller awkwardly hung up.

Juliana checked the time; it was already past midnight. She must have calculated the time to purposely irritate her.

A while later, Evan came out from the shower.

Though he had taken a bathrobe in, he came out wearing only a towel.

Juliana didn’t dare look at him, "Your sister wants you to call her back."

Evan paused in his steps, put on the bathrobe, picked up his phone, and left the room.

Juliana’s face bore a light mocking expression.

After ten minutes, Evan returned from the phone call, his whole demeanor exuding a cold aura.

"Her presence won’t affect you, why did you drive her out of the hospital?"

"What?" Juliana was baffled.

"She attempted suicide several times, recovered after numerous rescues, her body hasn’t healed, yet you took back the villa’s living rights and drove her out of the hospital. Do you want her dead?"