Chapter 409

Chapter 409

When Robert cried over her that year, terrified she wouldn't be resuscitated in time—had those tears been genuine?

Emily couldn't tell anymore.

She couldn't accept that the person she'd once truly loved was a monster capable of murdering three people in cold blood.

It made her sick. Not just Robert—but the version of herself who'd loved him.

Emily pressed a hand to her chest. Right now, the sharp cramping in her stomach couldn't even mask the pain in her heart.

She looked up at the doorway and stood without hesitation, walking out.

When Sawyer rushed back to the living room with the stomach medicine, all he found was an empty couch. "Emily? Emily?"

He quickly pulled out his phone to check the home security footage. Emily had slipped out while he was getting her medication. He nearly tripped as he ran outside to find her.

……

After yesterday's betrayal by Sophia, Robert had holed up in the lounge attached to his office, chain-smoking. The thought of being unable to go home, stuck at the company instead, infuriated him. Though physically present, he had no energy to run things. Meetings were canceled. Work that could be delegated to his secretary was delegated. He just stayed in that lounge.

When he heard the door lock turn, Robert whipped around. He'd been so consumed by Sophia's backstabbing that he'd forgotten to barricade the door. Who was opening it now? Alice?

He immediately threw down his cigarette and lunged for the door, trying to block the intruder with his body before "Alice" could get in. But his reaction came too late.

Far too late.

Robert had barely moved when the door swung open.

He trembled with fear—until he saw it was Emily standing before him. The terror rising from deep within morphed into stunned confusion.

Maybe he was so scared he was seeing things. Maybe he'd mistaken Alice for Emily to comfort himself.

Then Emily coughed from the smoke filling the room, and Robert recognized her voice. It really was Emily.

Emily covered her nose and mouth as she turned on the air purifier by the door.

Robert pressed his lips together and sat back down on the bed.

He was full of resentment right now, but he didn't dare unleash it on Emily. So he chose to ignore her instead.

Emily waited until the air cleared enough to breathe properly.

Then she walked up to Robert and slapped him across the face.

The blow left Robert dazed. Once he recovered, he shot to his feet, glaring at her. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Murderer!" Emily grabbed Robert by the collar. "You murderer!"

Robert shoved Emily away. "What murderer? James is alive and well! You think I actually wanted to kidnap my own son? If Alice hadn't pushed me this far, would I have done something like that? No—you all drove me to this!"

Emily stumbled back two steps, barely keeping her balance. Fighting back tears, she accused him, "I'm not talking about James. I'm talking about Wren's family."

Robert's face went rigid.

But he hadn't killed them! He'd only taken the fall. Not that he could explain that to Emily now.

He played dumb. "What Wren? I don't even know who you're talking about. Are you losing it? Pinning some murder charge on me out of nowhere?"

"You're still pretending?"

Emily's eyes reddened. The thought that she'd once truly loved this man filled her with despair. If not for her two children holding her together, she would've wanted to drag Robert off this building with her right now. End it all.

"Sawyer went looking for them, and you'd already called them. Then the whole family disappeared. Next thing I heard, they were dead. Robert, how could you be this ruthless? You actually killed people? What wouldn't you do? If Alice hadn't come back, would you have killed James and me too?"

"That's ridiculous!"

Robert bristled. "If Alice hadn't come back, the Baker family wouldn't be in this mess!"

Emily looked at this hopeless man and closed her eyes in despair.

"The Robert I knew died a long time ago. Robert, let's get divorced."

Emily made her decision.

In the past, she'd refused to divorce despite Robert's harassment because she wanted to secure her children's position in the Baker family. It was her own fault, really—she'd believed Robert's sweet talk back then and become a full-time housewife.

She'd worried that after a divorce, James would gradually be pushed out of the family because of his disability. Plus, she needed money to search for Alice. So she'd endured Robert's affairs, Ava's provocations. She thought as long as she stopped caring about Robert, a marriage in name only would be fine.

As long as the children were okay.

But she never imagined Robert had gone so insane he'd actually murder people. She couldn't maintain a marriage with someone like that—not even a surface-level one.

Robert's mind first latched onto the word 'divorce.' He considered what Emily's motive might be.

Was Alice planning to finish him off? So she had Emily file for divorce first to distance herself before killing him?

That had to be it. Alice was definitely planning this!

Can't divorce. Absolutely cannot divorce!

This conviction crystallized in Robert's mind.

He blurted out, "No divorce. I won't divorce you!"

Robert stepped forward, reaching for Emily's arm to plead with her. Emily dodged him. Looking at him now was like looking at a disgusting maggot—she didn't want him touching her.

Robert stared at his empty palm. Remembering how Emily had just been reminiscing about the old him, an idea formed.

He dropped to his knees before Emily. "Emily, I know I've wronged you all these years. Wronged James and the kids too. But people can only make amends if they're alive. Please, ask Alice to spare me. For the sake of how I supported you when you were at your lowest—give me a way out!"