Chapter 205 The Divorce Is Fake
I was stunned for a moment, as if I had been slapped.
I shouldn't have trusted Christopher. I shouldn't have even come here.
Turning to leave, I felt Donald's gaze catch on the photo in my hand. He began to defend Christopher. "Mrs. Valence, don't misunderstand, Mr. Valence went to see her to..."
"Enough! Whether he did it or not, you know better than I do!" My voice was sharp, and I stormed off with determined strides.
Just as I reached the underground parking lot and was about to close the car door, a large hand grabbed the door, stopping me.
Christopher had already changed out of his casual clothes; the tailored suit suited his aura much better. His eyes were cold and serious as he glanced at the photo I had thrown on the passenger seat. "You suspect me just because of a few words from others?"
I mocked, "Am I suspecting you, or did you actually do it?"
Christopher sneered coldly, "What did I do? No matter how much of a jerk I am, I wouldn't play tricks on your background!"
"You better not have!" I tried to slam the door shut, but his strength held firm. "Let go."
Christopher asked, "Do you still not trust me?"
"No!" I replied icily.
He looked down at me with his piercing blue eyes, taunting, "Then who do you trust, Cecil? The photo was given to you by him, right?"
I retorted, "None of your business."
"Hope, as long as it's about you, it is my business."
"We're divorced!"
Christopher gazed at me, and after a moment, he slowly revealed, "Yes, that day at the hospital, our conversation was interrupted, and I forgot to finish what I was saying."
I frowned. "What?"
"The divorce agreement is fake."
I was thunderstruck. "What?"
Christopher said calmly, "I mean what I said."
"You mean we're not divorced?" I murmured, incredulous.
Christopher locked eyes with me. "I never intended to divorce you. The divorce was just a cover."
I couldn't help but question, "And what about me? Christopher, what do you take me for? You said we were getting a divorce, so we got a divorce, and now you tell me it's fake, that you never intended to divorce?"
It was ridiculous.
Christopher spoke softly, "I made this decision on my own. You can get angry with me if you want, but..."
I suppressed my boiling anger, looking at him with a bitter smile. "No buts. Do you think I will be trapped by this marriage like before? Whether it's with Jerry or anyone else, don't think you can restrain me with the title of 'husband'. If I choose to commit bigamy, feel free to call the cops on me—even if it means being laughed at as the Mr. Valence being cheated on!"
On the drive to Maple Valley, I forced myself to remain calm.
Christopher was the head of the RF Group; the longer he dragged this out, the more I stood to gain from the divorce. As long as I had no morals, he couldn't hold me down.
And he still had to give me money.
I kept telling myself this, but in the end, I was so furious that my chest heaved with anger.
Damn Christopher! He was really despicable! He manipulated everyone with his power.
I didn't check into the hotel but went to the hospital. Although Jerry had assured me that Claire's condition was stable, I still felt a pang of worry.
Originally, I was worried about running into Kimberly and her family and getting into another argument. Yet, to my astonishment, when I entered the ward, their worried faces unfurled into smiles—albeit forced and insincere.
Skylar's reaction was particularly peculiar. She immediately teared up, embracing me tightly as she stammered through her tears, "Bella, I was so blind before. Not only did I fail to see you for who you are, but I also kept giving you a hard time. I was wrong."
I frowned and pushed her away. "What kind of performance are you putting on here?"
Skylar's face tensed momentarily as she wiped away her tears. "These past few days, your dad and I have been discussing..."
"Wait." I interrupted calmly, a hint of amusement in my voice. "My dad? Who exactly do you mean by 'my dad'?"
That very day, they had so fervently denied knowing me.
Skylar, ever the picture of flexibility, forced a somewhat awkward smile. "Why do you hold grudges like this? We're all family. It just took us a moment to come to terms with things."
"Exactly, Hope Royston, just take what you can get," Kimberly chimed in dismissively.
"What kind of attitude is that?" Skylar feigned a reprimand, though her voice lacked any real bite. "Aren't you going to say hello?"
Kimberly eyed me reluctantly, then, as if a light bulb went off in her head, she smiled. "Hello, Hope."
The sight of their leisurely act nearly gave me goosebumps. I couldn’t help but wonder what they were plotting.
Skylar nudged Larry. "You too. Aren't you going to say hello to your daughter?"
Larry cleared his throat uneasily, then gestured towards the room's door. "Aren't you here to see Claire? Go ahead."
With that, I opened the door and saw Claire still lying unconscious on the bed, which gave me a sense of helplessness. When Claire would wake up was still anyone's guess.
The trio in the living room were clearly up to something. When I returned, Skylar was still flashing that infuriating smile. "Hope, we are all genuinely relieved you’re back safe and sound. Normally, we would throw a welcome party, but given your grandmother's illness and the family's current troubles..."
Here came the crux of the matter.
I kept silent, locking eyes with Skylar as she delved into the heart of their issue. "The company’s most critical project is facing a massive funding gap. We're in a deadlock with the RF Group, and no one dares to invest. Our only option is to turn to the RF Group. Now that you're part of the family, shouldn’t you step in and help?"
I smiled. "And how exactly am I supposed to help?"
Skylar, unabashedly, suggested, "Make amends with Mr. Valence. He's been good to you, hasn't he? Just settle down and become Mrs. Valence, alright? With the Harris name behind you, nobody will dare mess with you."
"Sure." I agreed enthusiastically. As they began to exhale in relief, I pointed sharply at Kimberly. "First, get her out."
Kimberly's expression darkened. "Hope Royston! Who do you think you are?"
I smirked. "And who do you think you are to expect me to sacrifice my future for the family, just so you can benefit?"
Skylar grew visibly anxious. "Hope, Kimberly has been part of the family since childhood. Even though she's adopted, she’s like a daughter to me."
I allowed a faint smile. "I see. Then let her go ask Christopher. After all, she is his 'ex' fiancée. Perhaps he’ll show her some respect!"
After that, I turned and left the ward.
Just as I opened the door, I saw Jerry striding toward me. Seeing me, he halted, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Come over here."
I approached him with a smile. "How did you know I was at the hospital?"
Jerry looked at me lazily. "I have my sources."
I nodded. "Okay."
"Do you miss me..."
"I have something to say..."
Jerry and I spoke almost simultaneously. He raised an eyebrow. "You first?"
"Alright," I responded.
Even though I had mentally prepared myself, under Jerry's steady gaze, I found it difficult to speak. Sensing the gravity of the moment, Jerry's demeanor became more solemn. "What's going on?"
"Christopher and I..." I began, striving for calmness, "The divorce agreement from last time was fake."
None of the scenarios I had imagined happened.
For a fleeting second, the air between us tensed before Jerry pressed his tongue against his teeth, a mix of amusement and irritation coloring his features. "So, when you marry me, you'll be bringing half of the RF Group's assets with you?"
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