Chapter 44 Okay, I'll Stay
After a long moment, Alex slowly turned his head, his voice terrifyingly low. "Divorce? For Matthew Moore?"
He let out a cold laugh, full of mockery.
Emily's whole body shook. She looked at him in disbelief, then laughed coldly. Tears still hung on her lashes, but her eyes now held no warmth at all. "Alex, is this really what you think of me?"
"What else?" Alex stepped forward, his tone full of sarcasm. "Out all night, meeting another man by the beach in secret, and as soon as you come back you want a divorce. If it's not for him, then what is it for?"
Meeting in secret?
Emily trembled with anger, so furious she laughed. "Alex, not everyone is as shameless as you!"
"No matter how bad I am, I would never be like you—enjoying the respectability that marriage brings while fooling around with other women!"
"And what right do you have to question me? You even brought Grace to our alma mater event. Since you two get along so well, why don't you just marry her? Why are you still clinging to me?"
Her words were sharp, almost aggressive.
Alex had never known that the usually gentle and graceful Emily could be so sharp-tongued.
Talking about last night, Alex's eyes grew even darker. "I just didn't think it was worth arguing with them. Why do you have to keep bringing it up?"
"Not worth it," how convenient.
Emily took a deep breath. "Whatever you say."
Then she turned to leave, but the man grabbed her wrist tightly. "You dare say there's nothing between you and Matthew?"
Emily shouted. "What more do you want from me? Matthew is my childhood friend. Our relationship is like family! A dirty mind sees dirt in everything—stop judging others by your own twisted thoughts."
"You!"
Their argument grew louder and louder, drawing Susan from downstairs.
Susan's face was full of worry, but she didn't dare step forward to intervene, afraid of making things worse between them.
Upstairs, Emily's chest heaved as she tried to calm down for the baby's sake.It's okay... She forced down the humiliation and anger in her heart, grabbed a coat with a cold expression. "There's no point talking more. The divorce papers are already signed. We just need to go through the process."
With that, she walked past Alex and headed straight back to the bedroom.
Alex watched her determined back, his eyes churning with complex emotions.
Anger, unwillingness, and a trace of panic he hadn't even noticed himself.
He was the one who wanted the divorce at first—how come now he couldn't let go?
Alex irritably loosened his tie and slammed the study door shut.
Meanwhile, Emily returned to the bedroom and started packing right away.
When she first agreed to the old lady's request to move back to the old house, she hadn't brought much. Now she couldn't even fill one suitcase.
Besides a few clothes, there were just design drafts and notebooks.
She moved efficiently, not dragging her feet at all.
She couldn't wait to leave this place!
Seeing the battle upstairs had calmed down, Susan hurried up.
But as soon as she entered, she saw Emily packing. She was shocked. "Mrs. Baker, what are you doing? Please don't act rashly."
"Did you and Alex have some kind of misunderstanding? What married couple doesn't fight? Just talk it out. Why do you have to..."
Suddenly, Emily stopped what she was doing.
When she looked at Susan, her cool face showed complete exhaustion. "Grandma wasn't really sick, was she?"
It was just to trick her into coming back.
Susan froze. "Well... the old lady was just trying to help you and Alex. What problem can't be solved?"
Emily didn't want to explain anymore. "Susan, please take good care of Grandma. What's between him and me isn't a misunderstanding. You don't need to try to convince me."
Susan watched her determined expression and could only sigh helplessly before leaving.
A few minutes later.
The sound of a suitcase being dragged came from upstairs.
Emily had just opened the bedroom door when she met Alex's cold, dark eyes.
"You're really leaving?" Alex's expression was gloomy.
But Emily had already looked away. "What else? Should I stay here and get in the way of you and Grace living happily together?"
That one sentence made the atmosphere freeze completely.
Seeing her about to leave, Alex stepped forward and grabbed her wrist hard. "I don't agree to the divorce!"
His words were so cold they could almost form icicles.
"Alex, let go of me! We have nothing to do with each other anymore. Don't you think this is ridiculous?"
Alex slowly narrowed his eyes and moved closer, pinning her against the door. "You can leave, but what about the Johnson family?"
Emily's whole body stiffened.
She looked up in disbelief. "You're threatening me?"
"You forced me to." Alex's eyes were ice cold. "I'm giving you two choices. Either stay and be a good Mrs. Baker, or..."
Emily looked at him and suddenly laughed, laughed until tears came out.
She finally understood—this marriage had been a transaction from the start.
Back then, for the Baker family company, Alex had no choice but to marry her.
Now, it was for her father.
This three-year marriage had been meaningless all along.
"Fine, I'll stay." Emily's voice was terrifyingly calm.
For the Johnson family and her father, she couldn't leave for now.
But she would find the right opportunity eventually.
Emily put down her suitcase and started packing Alex's things instead.
Clothes, personal items... she threw them all out like garbage.
"Emily, what are you doing?" Alex's face darkened.
Emily's tone showed no emotion. She casually threw out his pillow too. "This is my room. From today on, you sleep in the guest room."
After a pause, she added. "Since we're only husband and wife in name, we should keep our distance."
Alex actually laughed in anger. "Fine. Just don't come begging me to come back."
With that, he returned to the study.
Alex sat irritably at his desk, Emily's cold eyes flashing through his mind as he glanced at his phone and sneered, "Says she doesn't care, huh."
He immediately made a call.
"Alex?" Grace's voice carried a hint of surprise and grievance. "You finally called me. Yesterday you..."
"I'm coming to see you now." Alex cut her off.
Grace was both surprised and delighted. "Okay, I'll wait for you!"
Alex had just hung up when Susan came up with a fruit plate. "Alex, are you going out?"
Alex glanced at the tightly closed bedroom door. "Yeah, Grace is waiting for me."
His gentle tone was completely different from before. He deliberately slowed his steps, but even after he went downstairs, there was no sound from the bedroom.
Emily wasn't jealous at all?
Alex's face grew even colder as he strode out with long steps.