CHAPTER 39: CHAPTER 39: YOU TWO ARE A PAIR—DO YOU REALLY THINK I’M DEAD?

Victoria Monroe frowned slightly, "You..."

Was their divorce not because of that child in Rachel Hayes’s belly?

How did he have the audacity to question her?

Before she could speak, Julian Fordham closed in, his gaze extremely cold: "Victoria, I’ve worked so hard to climb up, just to give you a safe haven."

"Whatever Rhys Hawthorne promised you, I can give you as well. Why betray me?"

Betrayal?

He had the nerve to accuse her first; Victoria Monroe stared at him in disbelief, "Julian Fordham, weren’t you the one who betrayed first? You and Rachel Hayes had a child."

Her body was already pressed against the edge of the washstand, with nowhere to retreat.

Julian Fordham’s hands rested on the washstand, trapping her body within his embrace.

"Victoria, I’ve told you, I’ve never touched Rachel Hayes, not at all. Even if the child is born, it would have nothing to do with her."

Julian Fordham lifted his hand to pinch Victoria Monroe’s chin, "Neither in body nor in heart have I ever betrayed you, but what did you do?"

The mirror reflected clearly Victoria Monroe’s perfect bare back, the diamond chain hanging on her butterfly bone.

She slightly tilted her neck, elegant yet extremely seductive.

Julian Fordham’s thumb gently caressed her chin, his voice was light but extremely cold.

"You went to find Rhys Hawthorne alone, and when you returned, you still had his scent on you. Victoria, tell me, what did you do during those three days in Portoros?"

When Victoria Monroe heard his questioning, she was so angry that her chest heaved violently.

"Julian Fordham, how can you slander me like this?"

"Is it slander or reality, Victoria? These days you wouldn’t let me get close, making me suspect you had an affair with Rhys Hawthorne behind my back."

"Slap!"

Victoria Monroe raised her hand and slapped him across the face; Julian Fordham didn’t dodge, allowing her to hit him, but the cold light in his eyes grew colder.

"Victoria, besides in Portoros, the day you returned, the scent on you was especially strong. If there wasn’t intimate contact, how would you explain having his scent on you?"

Julian Fordham didn’t want to doubt her, but today Rhys Hawthorne had already openly declared his feelings for Victoria Monroe.

"You two were together and even wore matching outfits. Wife, do you really think I’m already dead?"

Facing his cold and indifferent eyes, she never doubted Julian Fordham’s love for her; this man was already on the edge of madness.

She could only explain: "I and he are innocent; it’s not the sordid relationship you think."

"Innocent? Ha, he watched fireworks with you, got you a lawyer, and today specifically brought you to meet Willis to get you an endorsement, paving the way for your comeback. Do you really think he’s doing charity?"

Victoria Monroe was puzzled, "What endorsement are you talking about?"

"Victoria, your acting skills are so good that I can’t tell whether you truly don’t know or you’re pretending not to know. After I sign with Willis, I will invite you to endorse my brand."

Victoria Monroe finally reacted, "Just now, were you discussing an endorsement for me?"

Julian Fordham had to wonder if he had really turned her into a naive fool over the past three years.

During these three years, her living conditions were the best, and Victoria Monroe’s sharpness had been dulled by money.

"Victoria, tell me what kind of deal you made with him?"

"There’s no deal."

Julian Fordham laughed coldly; how could he believe Victoria Monroe would receive such help from Rhys Hawthorne without any cost?

Business people are all profit-driven. He blocked Victoria Monroe’s path, so Rhys Hawthorne took her to break through.

This was a greater favor than directly giving her a car or a house.

Julian Fordham’s fingers stroked her soft cheek, "Victoria, tell me, did he ever touch you off set?"

"No, although you’ve been unfaithful, I’ve never forgotten my identity, Julian Fordham. Your own vision is tainted, so you see everything as dirty, you... mm..."

The man bent down to kiss her, and Victoria Monroe wanted to struggle but was held in his embrace by the waist.

Julian Fordham’s heated palms pressed against her smooth bare back, with no clothing to obstruct, he could roam freely.

"Victoria, you are mine," he whispered against Victoria Monroe’s lips.

Victoria Monroe wanted to push him away, but her strength was as futile as trying to shake a tree.

In desperation, she bit Julian Fordham hard, forcing him to release her.

Victoria Monroe retorted angrily, "Are you insane? What kind of place is this? You..."

"Victoria, I’m sick; the day you asked for a divorce, I became incurable. I can’t tolerate you being close to another man, nor can I ignore the way Rhys Hawthorne looks at you."

"So... Can you just prove to me, please?"

Victoria Monroe pushed him away with a low curse: "Lunatic!"

But was pulled back by the man who seized her wrist, as if a possessive demon, bowing to kiss her neck.

He exerted a little force and placed Victoria Monroe on the clean washstand.

Victoria Monroe, both ashamed and angry, lifted her leg to kick him.

Her alabaster leg revealed through the slit of her dress was caught by Julian Fordham and placed at his hip.

As he spoke, his big hand slowly wandered up her thigh.

His voice was very light: "Wife, if you just prove to me that you still love me, I will let you go."

Victoria Monroe grasped his restless hand; at this moment, she looked like a deity sitting atop a lotus pedestal, her eyes coldly glaring at him.

"Julian Fordham, aren’t you afraid of people discovering our relationship? Your scheming wasn’t just to sign with Willis?"

This statement was like a bucket of cold water on his face, leaving Julian Fordham thoroughly chilled.

She raised her hand and wiped the lipstick from the corner of his mouth.

"Julian Fordham, I said before, you can’t have your cake and eat it too; there’s no such good deal, having both."

After wiping away the last bit, she patted his face lightly.

"Don’t forget, in Willis’s eyes, Rachel Hayes is your wife."

Julian Fordham held her wrist, tone slightly urgent: "Victoria, I will sign with him tomorrow. Can you give me one last chance? Once he leaves, Rachel Hayes and I won’t have to pretend anymore, we can go back to the way we were."

Victoria Monroe smiled softly: "How can people go back to the past?"

There is never a remedy for regret, "Though your and Rachel Hayes’s relationship is fake, the pain you caused me is real, Julian Fordham. You are now so strange it scares me."

She got off the washstand and tidied up her appearance.

Julian Fordham hugged her from behind, "Victoria, as long as you let go, pretend Rachel Hayes never came, we can go back."

Victoria Monroe looked at herself in the mirror, makeup masking the weakness on her face.

If it were the old him, he would have noticed she was unwell long ago.

But now his eyes were full of calculations, power, and ambition, leaving her crowded in an invisible corner.

Victoria Monroe knew well, it wasn’t just about Rachel Hayes between them.

It was he who had changed.

She peeled off Julian Fordham’s fingers one by one, "What I can tell you is, at least within the marriage, I won’t betray you, Rhys Hawthorne and I are innocent, so do your contract signing well, after all, three-quarters of your wealth belongs to me."

Victoria Monroe left first, heaven knows, her legs had already turned to jelly.

Julian Fordham was becoming increasingly hard to deal with.

The banquet continued, and Victoria Monroe had already achieved her purpose.

As for the reason Rhys Hawthorne brought her here, she had never seen it before.

Victoria Monroe sent him a text about her departure, then lifted her dress hem and left through an internal passage.

From the internet, she knew many media outlets had come to try and capture photos of her and Rhys Hawthorne.

Little did they know she slipped out the back door.

At this point, everyone was still attending the event, there was no one at the back door.

The hem of her gown trailed down the steps.

She stood at the entrance, where luxury cars gathered, intending to hail a taxi.

Rhys Hawthorne arrived quickly, "I’ll drive you back."

Thinking about Julian Fordham’s earlier words, at least regarding Rhys Hawthorne, there was some truth to them.

No one would do charity; Rhys Hawthorne’s concern for her far exceeded that of an ordinary friend.

"No need, the event isn’t over yet. You should go back; I’ve already called a cab."

Rhys Hawthorne’s gaze was piercing, seeing through all her pretense at a glance.

"It’s quite late already, taking you back is no trouble at all."

Victoria Monroe hesitated on how to refuse when Julian Fordham’s voice came through: "No need for you to trouble yourself, Mr. Hawthorne, Victoria, I’ll take you home."