Chapter 250: Fake Divorce

Chapter 250: Fake Divorce

George didn't even hesitate before refusing outright.

"Absolutely not."

He stared at Jennifer, his eyes cold as ice.

"I will never marry you. Not in this lifetime."

Jennifer leaned back in her chair with a cold laugh.

"Won't marry me?"

"Fine."

She picked up her champagne glass, her gaze dripping with undisguised malice.

"That's not my problem."

"I'll just release all the remaining drafts to the media, get a few media accounts to spin the narrative properly, and Charlotte will be torn apart by public opinion."

"I'd love to see if Charlotte, the internationally renowned designer, can still survive in the design world after being proven a plagiarist."

"Tell me—do you think those international luxury brands will still dare to use a copycat's designs?"

Charlotte sat in her seat, silent.

Her fingers traced the rim of her glass absently, eyes downcast, thoughts unreadable.

She was wondering whether Jennifer had noticed the marks she'd left on each and every draft.

George glanced over at her.

Seeing her sitting there with lowered eyes, expression blank and distant, unease crept into his chest.

He thought Charlotte was angry.

And who could blame her?

A designer, publicly accused of plagiarism—even if she could clear her name eventually, the damage from the initial accusation would be irreversible.

Those internet users who'd cursed her out wouldn't just forget everything because of some flimsy clarification.

No matter what she designed in the future, someone would always pop up to mock her, claim she'd copied it.

It was career suicide.

George's heart felt like it was being pricked by a thousand tiny needles.

He reached out under the table and quietly took Charlotte's hand in his.

Her hand was cold.

He squeezed it firmly, wrapping her fingers in the warmth of his palm, trying to offer some comfort.

Jennifer watched them both sit there in silence, and her mood soared.

She knew it. Using this threat, there was no way they wouldn't cave.

She rolled her shoulders and settled into a more comfortable position against the chair back.

"Of course, I'm not unreasonable. I won't force you to decide right this second."

"I can give you time to think it over."

"Three days."

She held up three fingers, waving them in front of their faces.

"I'm giving you three days to think it through carefully."

"If I don't get a satisfactory answer after three days, I'll release the evidence immediately."

"And don't blame me for being ruthless when that happens."

With that, she stood up and smoothed down her dress.

"I won't interrupt your little discussion any longer."

"Remember—only three days."

She gave them one last smug smile, eyes gleaming with victory.

The door to the private room clicked shut softly.

Only the two of them remained in the space.

George immediately moved closer to Charlotte, watching her anxiously.

"Charlotte, please don't be upset."

"I promise I won't let her get away with this. I absolutely will not marry her, and I absolutely will not let her slander you like this."

"What were you thinking about just now? Talk to me, okay? Don't keep it all bottled up inside."

Charlotte frowned and shook her head.

"It's nothing."

George hesitated for a moment, as if steeling himself for something monumental, then bit his lip.

"What if—"

"We get a fake divorce."

"I'll go through with a fake wedding ceremony with Jennifer, just to keep her satisfied for now."

"Once she hands over all the drafts and issues a public clarification, once all the negative publicity dies down, we'll remarry immediately. How does that sound?"

The more he thought about it, the more feasible the plan seemed.

It was just going through the motions anyway—not like he'd actually be living with Jennifer as husband and wife.

First priority was to appease Jennifer, get the drafts back, and put this whole mess to rest.

The moment the words left his mouth—

He felt the temperature around him plummet several degrees.

Charlotte slowly turned her head. Her eyes were cold as shards of ice, piercing straight through him.

George jolted, a violent shiver running down his spine.

Cold sweat instantly beaded across his back.

What happened?

What did he say wrong?

Why was Charlotte looking at him like that?

Charlotte stared at him, the corner of her mouth lifting into a faint, mocking smile.

"Fake divorce?"

"No need to make it so complicated."

She stood up, grabbed her bag from the table, and turned toward the door.

"If we're divorcing, let's make it real."

"We can go right now. The courthouse should still be open before closing time."

With that, she headed straight for the exit.

George's soul nearly left his body.

He scrambled out of his chair and threw himself at Charlotte from behind, locking his arms desperately around her waist.

"No!"

"I won't allow it!"

He held her so tightly his arms trembled, terrified that the moment he let go, Charlotte would vanish.

"I won't divorce you! I'd rather die than divorce you!"

Charlotte struggled twice but couldn't break free.

"George, let go of me!"

"I won't!" George buried his face in the curve of her neck, his voice cracking with tears.

Like a big dog abandoned by its owner.

"I won't let go! If I let go, you'll leave!"

Charlotte was torn between exasperation and amusement.

"Didn't you say you wanted to have a wedding with Jennifer?"

"You're going to marry her and have a ceremony with her, yet here you are holding onto me? Let go."

George froze.

A wedding?

Realization slowly dawned on him, and his entire body went rigid.

He'd said he wanted to have a wedding with Jennifer?

But he and Charlotte—they'd never even had a wedding ceremony.

They'd been married all this time, their child was already so big, and he'd never given Charlotte a proper wedding.

And now he'd just suggested having a wedding with another woman first?

George wanted to slap himself across the face.

How could he have come up with such a stupidly ridiculous idea!

"No, Charlotte, listen to me, let me explain!"

He rushed to speak, voice frantic with urgency, terrified that Charlotte had actually misunderstood.

"It was just a temporary measure! Really, just temporary!"

"I don't want to have any wedding with her at all—I don't even want to look at her! I was just thinking of keeping her placated temporarily, getting the drafts back, and stopping her from slandering you online!"

"You're the only one in my heart. You're the only one I love. I've never loved Jennifer—not before, not now, not ever!"

"I was doing all of this for you!"

The more he spoke, the more aggrieved he felt, his voice muffled and pitiful.

"I was willing to sacrifice this much just to protect your reputation, to keep you from being torn apart by public opinion, and you still won't appreciate it."

"You still want to divorce me. Do you not want me anymore?"

He held Charlotte tighter and tighter, nuzzling his head against her neck.

Charlotte listened to his pathetically aggrieved tone, looked at his utterly pitiful state, and felt most of her anger dissipate.

She sighed helplessly.

"Fine, I get it. Now let go of me."

"I won't let go." Not only did George not release her, he held on even tighter. "I can't let go."

"Last time I wasn't careful enough, and you ran off to another country for three years."

"If I let go of you this time and you run away again, where am I supposed to find another wife?"

"I won't let go. I'll never let go, not even if it kills me."