Chapter 193 Misunderstanding Resolved
"Forget it?" Tristan gave a bitter laugh. "Harriet, how can you say that so casually?"
"Then what was last night?"
"Your body clearly likes me. Can you really fool yourself?"
"Yes," Harriet admitted frankly. "When it comes to sex, you do make me feel good, but that's not all there is to marriage. Just consider last night my final goodbye to you."
Tristan's heart trembled.
"No wonder you were so proactive last night—you were saying goodbye to me?" Tristan's expression instantly turned cold. "Harriet, you're really too much."
Harriet curved her lips slightly and said calmly, "I'm very grateful for everything you did for me back in my hometown, but... I'm sorry."
Tristan slowly released her hand and stood up.
He looked down at her, his handsome face covered in coldness.
He thought he should say something, but at this moment, every word would just be pathetic.
Tristan let out a cold laugh and turned to leave.
Harriet closed her eyes as tears slid down her cheeks.
She raised her hand to wipe away the tears and forced a smile.
This is it then.
If she doesn't love, she won't feel heartbroken anymore.
At that moment, Finnegan's flight had just landed at Emberfall Airport.
As soon as he turned on his phone, he received a call from Tristan.
"Come to Opulence Club."
Finnegan didn't even go home first. He told the driver to go straight to Opulence Club.
In the top-floor private room, Tristan was drinking alone.
"I mean, do you have to exploit people like this?" Finnegan walked over and sat down wearily on the sofa. "I work for you, and right after getting off the plane I have to come drink with you. What am I, a bar hostess?"
"Stop flattering yourself." Tristan bit on his cigarette, feeling irritated and angry.
Finnegan called the server to bring him some food. After the server left, he drank some red wine to wet his throat before speaking. "Didn't you say you were with Harriet at her hometown a couple days ago? What happened, you two didn't make up?"
Tristan irritably poured himself more drinks. "She clearly knows the truth, and she clearly didn't refuse to be intimate with me, but she still doesn't want me. Didn't you say there was nothing between her and Griffin!"
"As far as I know, although Griffin has visited Harriet every month or two over these past two years, he's never been intimate with her or established a relationship." Finnegan analyzed. "But Harriet has always been a very traditional woman. Maybe because you two haven't officially divorced yet, they haven't established a relationship or crossed that final line?"
Tristan gave a bitter laugh. "She loves Griffin that much, so she can respect him like that. But me, the substitute—I've already been kicked out, right?"
Finnegan took a sip of wine. "Since you're out, why force it?"
Over the past two years, Tristan hadn't actively asked about Harriet's situation.
His personality had grown colder and colder, and he worked like crazy.
Apex Global Group's development was even faster than they'd planned, and he'd suppressed the Lancaster Group until it could barely breathe.
But Finnegan knew very well that the more Tristan avoided asking about Harriet, the more he couldn't let her go.
So as soon as Harriet came back, Tristan lost control.
Tristan's two years of avoidance was like a joke.
Finnegan looked at him. "Tristan, I know you haven't had a single happy day these past two years because Harriet wasn't here."
"But Harriet is a very independent person. She knows what she wants and what she doesn't want. Since she's already decided, don't force her. Let her go, and let yourself go, too."
Tristan said nothing, just kept pouring himself drink after drink.
Finnegan didn't expect to see Harriet so soon.
The next afternoon, Harriet called him to meet at a coffee shop.
Finnegan had work to do, so they agreed to meet after work.
When he arrived at the coffee shop, Harriet was sitting by the window drinking coffee.
Harriet had grown her hair long with slightly curled ends. Compared to two years ago, she looked even more charming.
Two years had passed, and not only had she not become bitter from losing her marriage and child, she had become even more radiant and attractive.
Sitting there, quiet and beautiful, she looked like a masterpiece painting.
Finnegan suddenly understood why Tristan couldn't forget her.
Harriet's face was truly unforgettable.
"Harriet." Finnegan sat down across from her. "Sorry, I'm late."
"No, I arrived a bit early." Harriet smiled. "What would you like to drink?"
"Same as you."
Harriet called the server to order a coffee and said, "I called your office before, and they said you were on a business trip and would be back yesterday."
"Yeah, I just got back last night." Finnegan asked, "You were looking for me urgently. What's up?"
"Yes." Harriet got straight to the point. "Tristan and I have been separated for two years. I'd like you to help me with the process to finalize our divorce."
Finnegan frowned. "You want me to help you divorce Tristan?"
Harriet's slender, elegant hand held a small spoon, stirring her coffee. "Yes, I don't want to drag this out anymore."
The server came to deliver the order.
Finnegan thanked them, picked up the delicate cup and took a sip of the warm coffee, then said, "Harriet, why do I feel like the more urgently you want to divorce him, the more afraid you are of falling back in?"
Harriet froze, then said firmly, "I won't. Over these two years, the most successful thing I've done is learn to let go, and to avoid getting hurt."
Finnegan sighed. "I can understand your pain from having Tristan send you to the operating table to abort your child, but Harriet, Tristan had his reasons."
"I know." Harriet smiled faintly. "The pain of losing a child fades with time, but what can't fade is the heartbreak from that day. I don't understand—even if it was to protect me, why couldn't he discuss it with me properly? Why did he have to use such an extreme and cruel method to destroy all my hopes and dreams about marriage and love?"
"Do you really not know why?" Finnegan frowned. "Actually, Tristan really does love you. If his love for you wasn't that deep, he would never have given up the child for you."
"He loves me?" Harriet laughed as if she'd heard a joke. "He's possessive of me, you could even say he likes me a little, but he couldn't possibly love me."
Finnegan looked at her. "Tristan is indeed extremely possessive. He minded your past with Griffin, but he convinced himself to let it go again and again."
"His pride is so strong, yet you treated him as Griffin's substitute. Do you know how much pain and torment he was in?"
"But he loved you desperately. He didn't even dare confront you about it, afraid that once he broke through that calm surface, you would abandon him and go back to Griffin."
"Later when you got pregnant, you can't imagine how happy he was. He looked forward so much to your child being born. He was even willing to tolerate you meeting with Griffin."
"But Harriet, because of your past with Griffin, your child with Tristan was affected. How could you expect Tristan to forgive or accept that?"
Finnegan's expression darkened slightly. "If it were the Tristan I know, he would have made you give birth to the child regardless of whether you lived or died, then made you and Griffin suffer worse than death."
"He did think about it. I heard he had already arranged a medical team and was planning to take you to a private island abroad to have the baby."
"But after one night, he regretted it. He hated you, but he loved you more. He couldn't bear to see your body damaged, so he personally pushed you onto the operating table."
"Harriet, even I didn't expect Tristan would love you this much."