Chapter 76 I Want It, Are You Willing to Give It?
Gloria steadied her emotions and slowly walked into the hospital.
After she and James filed for divorce, James had only transferred a small portion of money to her so far. Their assets hadn't been properly divided yet.
There were still over twenty days left. He wanted to win her back during this time.
Thinking of what Mabel had said, Gloria had been wrong from the very beginning.
His refusal to divorce wasn't entirely about his feelings for Gloria—the cost of divorce was too high.
Even if Gloria didn't ask for two-thirds, marital assets would still have to be split fifty-fifty.
James's main assets had grown rapidly after their marriage.
So it wasn't that he couldn't bear to lose her—he couldn't bear to lose that money.
He was sweet-talking her on one hand while having children with someone else on the other, getting maximum benefits at minimum cost.
How could this not be a shrewd businessman?
She, this fool, had even been thinking about how hard his journey had been, afraid of ruining him, wanting an amicable separation.
Every time she gave an inch, he took a mile.
Thinking it through carefully, how could someone who truly loved her put her in a position where he might lose her?
If he valued her, he wouldn't have played dumb, deceiving her again and again.
Getting Maria pregnant wasn't an unintentional mistake at all—it was a choice he made after weighing various options and their value.
She should have understood earlier that the moment she and Maria's child were placed on the scales, no matter which way the weight tipped, she had already lost.
Women are too emotional. Eighteen years of feelings had blinded her eyes and clouded her heart.
That's what gave him the lowest cost for his mistakes.
Ending up in this situation today—she deserved it!
She looked up and reached out to catch snowflakes, watching them melt in her palm.
Even though a snowflake's life is brief, at least from birth to the day it disappears, it's free.
A cold snowflake fell into her eye, cool and refreshing.
It was as if all her tears had been shed in the underground garage. Her eyes were empty now, the depression in her heart dispersed, leaving only a surge of determination to forge ahead.
To take back everything that belonged to her.
To ruthlessly get revenge on the scumbag and his mistress!
Gloria had already made her decision on the way back.
She would go with the flow and pretend not to know anything, first putting Vivienne at ease, then finding an excuse to send her to a nursing home.
At the same time, she'd make James lower his guard and transfer all the assets over.
Finally, she'd expose Maria's true face to the public.
When James discovered the truth, she'd give him a miscarriage certificate as their divorce gift.
Vivienne originally only had a year or two left to live, and now that she'd had surgery, it might greatly reduce her lifespan. After Vivienne passed away, there would be nothing left in Silverlake Springs for her to miss.
She would leave completely and find a new place to start over.
Years of love would finally come to an end.
James, the man she had given everything to, would also disappear into the river of her memories.
Gloria stood there for a long time, and Caspian watched her the whole time.
He didn't know what she was thinking, but he knew Gloria was ready to be reborn.
He said calmly, "Let's go."
The Maybach disappeared into the snowy night.
Upstairs, James stood at the corridor window. Even though Gloria was wrapped up like a mummy, he recognized her at a glance.
Watching her stand alone in the snow, catching snowflakes like a child, his heart ached faintly.
How long had it been since he'd seen Gloria like this?
In earlier years when he wasn't so busy, Gloria would always pull him to run in the snow, build snowmen, and stuff snowballs down his collar.
She would play around while he laughed.
After she retired from acting, his work got busier and busier, and he spent less and less time with her.
Even when he came home, their main way of communicating was in bed—he had a great need for her.
James used all his time to make love to her, so much so that he hadn't taken her shopping, watched a movie with her, or waited for the first snow with her in a long time.
A few days ago, he had specifically cleared his schedule, wanting to make it up to her and take her around.
But things didn't go as planned. In the end, he could only stay at the hospital with Vivienne.
She would rather freeze outside than come back to face him.
Fate—how ridiculous.
Gloria made a small snowman in the snow and even decorated it with leaves.
She carried the little snowman upstairs.
At the end of the corridor, James leaned against the wall, white smoke curling from the cigarette between his fingers, drifting up along his veiny hand.
He looked toward Gloria, his eyes deep and dark like an ink-stained sky without a single star, gloomy enough to seem dangerous.
Gloria thought about her plan. The more she showed resistance, the less James would let go.
She took the initiative to walk toward James and asked, "How's Grandma doing today?"
James had expected her to ignore him directly again, but surprisingly she actually spoke to him first.
He was somewhat flattered. "Everything's fine."
As Gloria got closer step by step, he caught that faint sandalwood scent on her.
All day today, she'd been with Caspian again!
James raised his hand, wanting to grab her and ask, but their relationship had already hit rock bottom. Intense emotions churned in his heart.
In the end, he did nothing, letting Gloria enter the room while he broke the cigarette in his hand.
Gloria held the little snowman and looked at Vivienne with a smile. "Grandma, look."
A smile crossed Vivienne's aged face. "After all these years, your snowman-making skills still haven't improved."
"When you get better, we'll make one together."
Gloria placed the snowman on the windowsill outside, where the cold wind made the leaves on it sway.
Vivienne said meaningfully, "I'm old, I can't keep you company much longer. From now on, let James keep you company."
"He's too busy, he doesn't have time for me." Gloria actively went along with Vivienne, not letting her or James become suspicious.
James stubbed out his cigarette and walked in. "It's my fault. I'll make more time to be with you from now on."
Gloria didn't respond. Being too enthusiastic would also make him suspicious.
A mix of truth and fiction, real and fake—that was the best strategy.
Vivienne glanced at James. "I'd like some fruit."
"I'll do it."
James sat to the side peeling apples, peeling oranges, washing strawberries, cutting all the fruit into small pieces, preparing portions for both Vivienne and Gloria.
Gloria didn't refuse. Eating some fruit made her less nauseous and put Vivienne at ease.
Seeing her eat the fruit he prepared, James felt a little happy inside.
From past experience, once Gloria started accepting his gestures, forgiveness wasn't far off.
But he didn't know that this time, what awaited him wasn't forgiveness but an abyss of despair.
Once a woman stops being obsessed with love, men become the simplest, most basic creatures in front of them.
Vivienne also breathed a sigh of relief and tentatively said, "Gloria, I can't live alone in my condition. Why don't you find me a caregiver?"
"Grandma, Gloria and I are both here. How could we let you live alone?"
Look at these two singing in harmony, just waiting for her to fall into their trap.
Vivienne looked at Gloria. "If I live with you two, will I be disturbing you?"
All their moves were within Gloria's calculations.
She put on a troubled expression, thought for a moment, as if weighing her options, and finally spoke reluctantly, "Of course not. You're my only family. I should take care of you."
James, seeing she wasn't opposed, felt the flame of hope in his heart grow larger. "After Grandma's observed in the hospital for one more day, we can go home."
Gloria lowered her head and responded sullenly, "Okay."
To them, she seemed to be agreeing reluctantly, but they didn't know that Gloria's lowered lashes hid the complex dark gleam in her eyes.
Deep into the night.
Vivienne was already asleep.
Gloria took a shower and changed into comfortable pajamas.
After sorting through her thoughts, she felt much lighter.
It turned out people really could, in a single moment, burn away all their attachments.
From now on, no matter how heavy the rain, she'd rather get soaked alone than want that umbrella anymore.
She quietly saved a screenshot of Maria's photo.
Since Maria wanted to steal other people's things so badly, she would soon know what it felt like to be shattered to pieces.
She tiptoed out of the room. James hadn't covered himself with a blanket again.
This time, she took the initiative to get a blanket from the cabinet and, drawing on her best actress skills, walked toward James.
She bent down and carefully covered James with the blanket.
She knew James wasn't asleep and was pretending.
Gloria let out a soft sigh, her fingertips gently brushing across James's face.
Then she murmured almost inaudibly, "James."
Just a name, but it made one's heart tighten.
James's lashes trembled slightly. Gloria pretended not to notice and turned to leave.
She wasn't sure how deep James's feelings for Maria were, but she could at least be certain of one thing—James had her in his heart.
That was enough for her to play with.
After Gloria left, James opened his eyes, a trace of heat surging into his cold pupils.
God knows how much he'd wanted to pull Gloria into his arms just then.
He was afraid of scaring her away again.
Gloria's attitude was already softening. She had him in her heart.
He raised his hand to touch the place Gloria had just touched, his heart full of tenderness.
Gloria, I knew it—you still love me.
That night, James slept well.
Early the next morning, before Vivienne had woken up, Gloria was already standing in front of his couch.
James opened his eyes and called out in a hoarse voice, "Gloria."
Gloria kept a straight face. "I need to talk to you."
His sleepiness vanished instantly.
The two sat down at a breakfast shop.
James ordered many things for her. Gloria had no appetite and kept an anti-nausea candy in her mouth.
"What are you planning to do about Grandma?" she asked coldly.
James spoke, "She just had surgery. If she gets upset again because of our divorce, it'll be hard to say what happens next. I know you're still angry with me. For Grandma's sake, will you come back home?"
"Impossible." Gloria rejected it outright. "You want to lock me in the bathroom again?"
"I swear I absolutely won't. I can sleep on the floor, in a separate room—as long as we act like a loving couple in front of Grandma."
Gloria stared at him intently. "How can I trust that you're not setting a trap for me?"
"Gloria, do I have to dig out my heart and show it to you before you'll believe me?"
Gloria changed tack. "Actually, that's not necessary. It's been over a week since we filed for divorce, James. You should fulfill the terms of the divorce agreement. The properties I want, the stock transfers, the asset division."
She placed both hands on the table, pressuring James. "Don't tell me you never actually planned to divorce me and are deliberately making excuses to drag this out? James, so I'm worthless in your eyes."
James's hand covered the back of hers. His hand was warm and heavy, the cold wedding ring pressing against her soft skin, making her uncomfortable.
Gloria tried to pull her hand back, but James gripped it tightly. "Gloria, nothing in this world can compare to your place in my heart."
Gloria gave a contemptuous laugh. "Really? I don't believe you. Unless you transfer the stock rights to me today."
She slowly leaned toward him, using her other free hand to lift James's chin, like a siren from the depths of the sea, speaking with bewitching intent, "James, I want it. Are you willing to give it to me?"