Chapter 3

Jennifer looked at him in a panic, choking out, "Hear me out. Yesterday I—"

"Enough," Maxwell cut her off, his gaze falling on the hickeys on her neckline. It was unmistakably the aftermath of a liaison.

His tone remained calm and indifferent as he continued, "It's partly my fault for ignoring you these two years. I don't blame you for what you did. But, Jennifer, the Lance family can't accept a tainted woman as the lady of the house."

Jennifer's mind went blank. All her explanations now seemed futile. Anyway, why would he listen to her when the truth was right before his eyes?

Besides, even if she could prove that she had been framed by Bridget and Jocelyn, it was still a fact that she was tainted.

Jennifer smiled bitterly. "So, are you asking for a divorce?"

Maxwell nodded. "I hope you will make it clear to Grandpa that you're the one asking for a divorce. I can offer you a bit of dignity by keeping him in the dark about your infidelity."

Jennifer felt her eyes sting with tears, but she desperately held them back. After a long while, she inhaled deeply and asked, "Can you... answer a question?"

"Go ahead." Maxwell's eyes betrayed no emotion.

Staring at him, Jennifer quavered, "Are you seeing someone else? In these two years of marriage, have you felt anything for me? If it weren't for her, would you have liked me?"

Maxwell's gaze softened slightly, and he replied casually, "Sorry. As I told you on the day we got married, all I can offer you is the position of Mrs. Lance."

Although he wasn't answering her question, Jennifer, being a woman, had an intuition that he had long harbored feelings for another woman.

"In the next few days, I'll have my lawyer draw up the divorce agreement. You only need to sign it and then explain things to Grandpa."

Maxwell spoke of divorce with such casualness, as if he were discussing what to have for dinner. After saying that, he left the master bedroom without hesitation.

Jennifer felt cold. Despite it being a hot summer day, she felt like she was trapped in ice.

What made her hopeless was not Maxwell's proposal for divorce, but the fact that he believed she had an affair and yet remained so composed.

She knew that his calmness was not due to his manners and upbringing, but because he simply didn't love her.

Jennifer was in a daze. She had always known their marriage would eventually end like this.

But now that day had truly arrived, she found herself unable to bear it. She was unwilling to let go.

Taking out her phone, she dialed her best friend's number.

"Laura, have you finished work? I... I..." Jennifer's voice choked up. She felt so aggrieved that she couldn't speak.

Sensing her distress, Laura said troubledly, "Jennifer, I have to conduct an interview tonight, and it might take a while. How about I send you the address and you come to find me? We can talk after I finish the interview, okay?"

"Okay." After Jennifer agreed, she immediately set out. According to the address Laura gave her, she arrived at a dance studio and parked her car downstairs.

The studio was holding its grand opening, and the owner wanted to make a splash by arranging an interview with the local TV station in Haven City.

When Laura heard that Jennifer had arrived, she ran downstairs and got into her car.

"The studio owner is so unreliable. The ribbon-cutting and opening were supposed to be in the morning. I could have finished work early today. But because she changed the time, I had to stay here and work overtime for the interview. I mean, who schedules a grand opening in the evening?"

Laura started complaining as soon as she saw Jennifer. Jennifer could only comfort her. "This is Haven Tower. Every inch of space is precious. The rich can be capricious."

As the two were talking, Laura received a call from her colleague asking her to go up.

"Go ahead, I'll wait here," said Jennifer as she felt too exhausted to tag along.

After Laura left, Jennifer's gaze fell on the street not far away. The next second, her eyes widened in shock. That was because she had inadvertently spotted Maxwell get out of a Bentley.

He was holding a bouquet of red roses. The bright red color was as glaring as blood.

Jennifer's hand on the steering wheel trembled. This man had talked to her about divorce not long ago. And now, he was here with roses that she had never received before.

Maxwell headed into Haven Tower. Immediately, Jennifer got out of the car and followed from a distance.

At the entrance of the dance studio, the lights were on and the atmosphere was lively.

Laura was interviewing the studio's owner, a knowledgeable and beautiful woman. The latter spoke with a warm and friendly smile. In her hands were the roses Maxwell had just given her.

Jennifer felt a buzzing in her ears, and her eyes fell on Maxwell. Nonetheless, he didn't see her as all his focus was on that woman. Even the gentle smile on his lips was one she had never seen before.

Jennifer clenched her fists tightly, willing herself not to rush over to confront them.

…

After the opening ceremony, Rachel and Maxwell went to the lounge alone.

"Max, did you really bring up the divorce with your wife?" Rachel leaned in his arms, looking aggrieved. "Your grandfather won't blame you, will he? I'm afraid you'll offend him because of me."

Maxwell comforted her softly, "You're the woman I cherish the most. If I can't have you as my wife, I'd rather not lay my hands on you. I've felt guilty for letting you follow me in obscurity all these years. Since I took your virginity last night, I will take responsibility."

A scheming glint flashed in Rachel's eyes, but she quickly resumed her pitiful expression. "I'm lucky to be your woman. I've never regretted it."

Rachel then held her chest and said meaningfully, "Thank goodness your assistant told me that you were drugged. Otherwise, if another woman had entered that room, I... I really wouldn't be able to take it. Max, I don't want to share you with anyone else."

Amid their affectionate moment, Maxwell's phone rang. He was surprised to see that it was a call from Jennifer. Why would she call him?

"What do you want?" he answered somewhat indifferently.

Jennifer said, "Maxwell, I regret the divorce."

Maxwell paused. "What do you mean?"

"Come home. I think we need to talk."

Jennifer hung up the phone after that.

Meanwhile, Rachel's expression had changed too. She had vaguely heard that Maxwell's wife didn't want a divorce anymore.

"Rach, I need to go home for a bit." Maxwell explained truthfully, "There may be some changes regarding the divorce."