Robin shook his head. "I'm telling the truth. It's hard to hear, but if you don't want to listen, forget it."
Stuart's voice was cold. "I'm not divorcing Josephine right now. Don't bring it up again."
Robin was puzzled. "This marriage only benefits the Kalmien family business. You married her because of Andrew. It's been years, and you've done your duty. Why aren't you in a hurry to get divorced? Don't tell me you've fallen for Josephine?"
Stuart was shocked. "No way!"
Robin smiled. "I thought so. You love someone abroad. I get it; she can't come back, and you have needs, right?"
Stuart's gaze grew colder, but he stayed silent. Robin was right.
"Alright," Robin said, "Josephine's only useful for that. No need to get angry over her; she's not worth it. Stuart, women will only get more demanding."
Stuart said flatly, "I know."
Robin suggested, "Let's have a drink. I'll call a girl over, and you can see how I charm women."
Stuart was interested. He had no idea how to charm Josephine.
Stuart nodded. "Okay."
They went to a private room at the club. The girl hadn't arrived yet, and Robin asked, "You and Doris..."
Stuart paused and said, "Give her some money."
"Alright," Robin said, "She's just average. Nothing special about her."
Stuart said, "Enough, it's pointless."
"You don't badmouth people, right?" Robin said, "You're too serious sometimes; women don't like that."
Stuart glanced at him. "Do they like your slick talk? That just means they have no taste."
Robin laughed. "Without your looks and body, with your personality, how many women would run away? Just kidding. Let me check if Ashley is here."
Ashley White arrived soon and was very affectionate with Robin in front of Stuart.
Robin was good at charming people; Ashley clearly enjoyed it, her face full of sweetness.
But Stuart felt he couldn't learn Robin's methods.
The thought of being so obsequious to Josephine disgusted him.
Seeing Robin about to kiss her, Stuart stood up. "You guys have fun. I'm leaving."
After Stuart left, Robin pushed Ashley away.
Ashley was used to it and sat quietly, waiting for Robin to pay her.
After Ashley left, Robin made a call. "Stuart saw you, and he wants to have dinner with you. Remember how to act?"
After hanging up, he sat on the sofa and closed his eyes to rest.
He knew Stuart and Josephine would divorce sooner or later.
He just didn't expect Stuart to want to drag it out for a few more years. But Robin didn't want to wait any longer.
His intense and almost twisted love made him restless every night.
He was determined to have Josephine. But first, she had to divorce Stuart.
Stuart wanting to wait a few more years was impossible.
Robin had a way to push Josephine to leave Stuart immediately.
Stuart didn't know his best friend, Robin, was plotting against him.
On the way home, Stuart thought about Josephine's face and her scars. What should he say when they meet? Apologize?
He couldn't bring himself to do it. Besides, he had already given her gifts; shouldn't she be a bit more understanding?
When he got home, Andrew was already asleep. The house was quiet. Stuart walked up the stairs, hesitating at the bedroom door. He raised his hand to open it, but it opened from the inside.
He quickly stepped back, composing himself, only to see a servant come out.
"Mr. Haustia," the servant said respectfully, "You're back."
Stuart asked, "What are you doing here?"
The servant replied, "Mrs. Haustia asked me to clean the room before she left."
Stuart asked, "Where's Josephine? She's not here?"
The servant said, "Mrs. Haustia went out."
Stuart pushed the door open forcefully; the bedroom was empty. The gifts he had given her were in the corner, still wrapped.
A surge of anger rose within Stuart. She actually ignored the gifts he gave her went out late at night.
He immediately called Josephine, but no one answered. He called several times, but there was no response. Feeling furious, Stuart threw his phone.
Josephine was in the operating room at that moment. There had been a major car accident near the hospital, involving four or five vehicles, one of which was a bus. The number of injured was over twenty. Josephine rushed to the emergency room after receiving the call.
By the time she finished, it was already late at night. She changed clothes and went to the on-call room, picking up her phone to see many missed calls and messages. It was too late to return calls, so she checked the messages and saw one from Robin. It was an audio clip.
She played it and heard Robin and Stuart's conversation.
"Don't tell me you've fallen for Josephine?"
"How could that be?"
"You're a man with needs."
Josephine's hand dropped; she closed her eyes in exhaustion. A sharp pain spread through her heart. She felt like she was going to die from the pain. Physical discomfort was nothing compared to this. The pain in her heart was the most lethal.
She didn't know how long had passed when the on-call room door was pushed open, and Liam rushed in. "Josephine! Josephine!"
Josephine snapped back to reality, feeling the cold sweat on her body.
"What's wrong?" Liam helped her sit down, poured her a glass of warm water, and peeled a candy for her. "Are you too tired? You look as pale as a sheet!"
Josephine didn't want him to worry too much, so she drank half the water and put the candy in her mouth. "I'm just too tired. Why are you here?"
"I was in the operating room next door," Liam said, "Just finished surgery and heard you were here, so I came to check on you. I knocked, but no one answered."
"I fell asleep," Josephine said, "Are the patients all settled?"
"The surgeries are done," Liam said, "The rest are minor issues."
"That's good." Josephine lowered her eyes. "Liam, I need to tell you something."
Liam said, "Go ahead."
Josephine said, "I want a divorce."
Liam was stunned, then said, "I know; you've mentioned it before."
Josephine shook her head. "No, I want to divorce immediately."
Liam said, "But..."
"Listen to me." Josephine looked at him. "After the divorce, I want to go abroad."