CHAPTER 3: CHAPTER 3: LEAVING HOME AND MOVING FORWARD WITHOUT LOOKING BACK

Julian Fordham sat behind the large desk, while standing opposite him was a woman, none other than the third-tier actress Rachel Hayes who had recently caused a scandal.

When Victoria Monroe left the industry, she was still doing extras on the lowest tier.

And now she appeared in Julian Fordham’s office.

Upon seeing her, Julian Fordham’s eyes clearly flashed with panic, instinctively trying to remove the report from the table.

Victoria Monroe sensed something was wrong and stopped him: "Don’t move."

She strode forward, and Rachel Hayes cautiously called out, "Victoria, don’t misunderstand, I just..."

Victoria Monroe ignored her expression and directly picked up the sheet of paper on the table.

It was a pregnancy test report.

Rachel Hayes, seven weeks pregnant, fetal heartbeat detected.

A rush of details inundated Victoria Monroe’s mind.

The blurry silhouette in that photo, and his words of mistake last night.

At this moment, Victoria Monroe felt her body plunge into an ice cellar, pinning her to the spot.

She clenched the report tightly, looking up to meet Julian Fordham’s unfathomable black eyes, her voice trembling as she asked, "Is this child yours?"

At this moment, she desperately hoped she was overthinking it, Julian Fordham loved her so much, how could he do something so outrageous?

Before Julian Fordham could speak, Rachel Hayes jumped to respond, "Victoria, blame me, don’t blame Julian..."

Before she could finish, Victoria Monroe raised her hand and slapped her across the face.

Tears welled in Victoria Monroe’s eyes but did not fall, she forced down the lump in her throat, "You knowingly became the third party knowing he was my husband, you deserved that slap."

Julian Fordham showed no intention of protecting her, he stood up and glanced at Rachel Hayes, "You should leave now."

Victoria Monroe was not one to be unreasonable; though a mistress is detestable, it takes two to tango, she did not continue to make things difficult for Rachel Hayes.

Her gaze fell on Julian Fordham’s handsome face, the two grew up together in the slums, he was a top student both in character and academics, while she rose to fame in the entertainment industry thanks to her looks.

She risked everything to take roles in support of his dreams, even though her uterus was injured, Julian Fordham proposed to her the moment she woke up.

Later she became wildly successful, while his company thrived.

Victoria Monroe retired from the industry the day she won the best actress award, willingly becoming the woman behind the scenes of their hidden marriage.

She believed the two were in harmony, their love overcoming all odds.

But after gaining wealth and status, she found out he had cheated.

Turns out, he too was not above worldly temptations.

Tears slowly rolled down Victoria Monroe’s cheeks, blurred vision absorbing Julian Fordham pulling out a contract from a drawer and handing it over, explaining:

"Victoria, the child is mine, but I haven’t touched her, you’ll understand after you read it."

The contract clearly stated that Rachel Hayes would receive two million and promotional resources for bearing him a child.

Julian Fordham explained: "Victoria, I only provided a sperm sample for her to undergo IVF, the reason I chose her is because she bears a resemblance to you, around fifty percent similar."

"I did consider using your egg cells, but your health is poor and the egg retrieval process is painful, your uterus was injured at the time, not to mention the risk of the embryo failing to implant, even if implantation was successful, there’d be a chance of miscarriage. You’d go through the hardship and still potentially lose the baby, I can’t bear to see you go through that pain."

Saying this, Julian Fordham took Victoria Monroe’s hand gently and said, "Victoria, my relationship with her is purely transactional, according to the agreement, after she gives birth she’ll completely disappear, and we’ll raise the child, we’ll live as we did before, okay?"

"Smack!"

Victoria Monroe slapped him in the face, "Julian Fordham, do you think I can be magnanimous enough to accept the child between you and another woman as my own?"

"When we started dating, I told you that if you fall for someone else, you must tell me. My love can be fiery and intense, or gentle and enduring, but I cannot tolerate infidelity."

Julian Fordham’s sharp eyebrows carried a trace of urgency, desperate to explain to her: "I haven’t been unfaithful, you are the only one in my heart all along. Visiting the set last time wasn’t my intention, she said her stomach hurt and I went to check on her."

Victoria Monroe’s lips curled into a sarcastic smile, "So, in these nine months, anytime she needed anything, one call and you’d go, right?"

"I promise there won’t be a next time, Victoria, I just want a child so much."

How could Victoria Monroe not know how much he loves children? That’s why she gave up everything, only to conceive the fruit of their union.

Now her child is here, yet he also has a child with someone else.

Fate played a huge joke on her.

Seeing her shut-eyed teary face, Julian Fordham painfully embraced her, "Victoria, I really never touched her, my body, my heart is yours, will you forgive me?"

Victoria Monroe’s eyes opened, she asked, "What if I want you to terminate the pregnancy?"

Julian Fordham was stunned, silent, without answering.

"If you truly love me and want to maintain our marriage, end this pregnancy, and I’ll act like today never happened."

She loved him, not wanting to disregard their eighteen years together, from friendship to love, to today’s kinship.

She felt someone who made a mistake should have a chance to correct it.

As long as he cleaned up everything outside, she would tell him she was also pregnant with his child.

But Julian Fordham spoke firmly, "Victoria, this child is very important to me."

Victoria Monroe chuckled, tears still on her face.

She broke free from his embrace, despite being pampered for these years, her proud spirit never broke.

Victoria Monroe wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, "Julian Fordham, you can’t have both fish and bear paw, I cannot tolerate your betrayal, you refuse to give up this child, so I choose to step aside for you, let’s divorce."

Julian Fordham grabbed her hand, "Impossible, I’ll never divorce you, I..."

Victoria Monroe pried his fingers off one by one, lowering her head, her voice was light yet heavy.

"Julian Fordham, I gave you a chance."

She threw Rachel Hayes’ pregnancy test report at his face, the sharp edge leaving a bloodstain on his cheek.

She didn’t spare him another glance, turned and left.

Julian Fordham followed her home, Victoria Monroe directly went to the bedroom to pack her things.

Her gaze swept across every detail of the home, her heart uncontrollably aching.

This place held their beautiful memories together, she slowly took off her wedding ring, tears soaking into the black velvet box.

Julian Fordham held her hand, "Wife, must it come to this? I didn’t cheat, I didn’t change my feelings, you know how much I love you."

Victoria Monroe looked up and saw bloodshot eyes in his eyes.

Actually, she truly wished he was worse, then she could leave with no qualms, not like now feeling heartbroken.

She had to bury her deep feelings herself, stabbing her most vulnerable point again and again.

Victoria Monroe’s voice was hoarse, "Julian Fordham, those who make mistakes should be punished."

She packed only a few everyday clothes, dragging a suitcase to leave in this late autumn.

Julian Fordham blocked her at the car, "If you don’t want to see me, I’ll go, where are you going alone?"

Staying in that place full of beautiful memories of them was agony every moment.

She feared she might remember his kindness, feared she might soften.

"Rest assured, I’m not a child anymore, I won’t do anything foolish."

She pried his fingers off, "Julian Fordham, let’s calm down."

Saying this she got in the car, shut the door, started the engine.

The tall man stood by the road, deep love in his eyes brimming with pain, he spoke, "Victoria, you said you wouldn’t leave me."

If it were before, she would have rushed up and hugged him.

Victoria Monroe didn’t stop, the moment she couldn’t see Julian Fordham, her tears burst uncontrollably, streaming down her face.

Her fingernails dug deeply into the steering wheel cover, she repeatedly told herself, "Move forward, don’t look back..."