Chapter 78 Those Who Truly Cheat Won't Announce It to the World
I had a gut feeling Anne might pull something else, but for now, I had no proof. Still, she gave me a wake-up call. 'Bring it on,' I thought, watching her walk away, silently declaring war.
Right now, I couldn't waste time on Anne. I had bigger fish to fry. I needed to meet Eric to see how he felt about Alice wanting a divorce. Our first meeting had been awkward, so I decided to go without any bodyguards.
I set up the meeting with Eric at the same gazebo where I had met Alice before. It was visible from Alice's hospital room. When I saw Eric again, he looked rough. His hair was a mess, his eyes were sunken with dark circles, and he looked exhausted.
He had been waiting for me at the gazebo for a while. When he saw me, he forced a smile, "Ms. Cooper, thanks for not calling the cops on me."
I waved him off, "I'm not here as a lawyer today. I'm here as Alice's friend. Call me Diana."
When I mentioned Alice, a spark of hope lit up in Eric's eyes. "How is she?" he asked, worried.
Last time Eric came after me, Edward had taken him down. Alice had rushed over too. I figured Nolan hadn't let them talk. Remembering Alice's request not to mention her illness to Eric, so I said lightly, "She's happy with that guy."
"Ms. Cooper, no, Diana," Eric said nervously, "I don't believe Alice would cheat. We've known each other for 20 years. I know her too well. No matter what the rumors say, I don't buy it."
Eric clenched his fists, lightly pounding his knees, getting more agitated. "I have proof our relationship isn't broken. If you're taking this case, you need to know the truth. You can't just defend her for cheating because she paid you."
This was an interesting twist. Alice wanted to divorce Eric, but she was accusing herself of cheating. Yet, Eric refused to agree to the divorce.
"Eric, Alice doesn't really want to fight a divorce case with you." Hearing this, a flicker of hope crossed Eric's face, only to be dashed by my next words. "You two have millions of followers online and are pretty famous influencers. If you start slandering each other, it'll hurt both your reputations, right? So, Alice wants to reach a divorce agreement with you."
I paused, "She promises that after the divorce, all her assets and account resources will go to you. Your studio and kids will be yours too. Her only request is to leave with nothing and be with that guy."
"Haha, that's not happening," Eric suddenly laughed, "Diana, you're married too. A real cheater wouldn't announce it to the world. Don't think I don't know what she's up to. I won't agree to the divorce."
"A real cheater wouldn't announce it to the world." Eric's words hit me. So, Edward and Anne were definitely having an affair, but neither wanted to go public, afraid their families would find out.
I smiled, "Alright, maybe I don't know Alice that well. But do you really know her? You think your relationship is great, but you're busy with your live streams every day. You've got tons of people chatting with you, loving the spotlight. But do you know how lonely Alice is at home, doing laundry, cooking, and taking care of the kids?" I was getting a bit heated.
"Ms. Cooper, what are you getting at? We're influencers. People like me because they enjoy our love story, not just me. I haven't cheated," Eric quickly defended himself.
"Of course, I know you haven't cheated, and Alice knows that too. That's why she wants a divorce agreement without ruining your public image. Isn't her entire fortune and good social standing important to you? Why drag this to court?" I tried to reason with him.
"Divorce agreement," Eric muttered, "Isn't that only possible if both parties agree? I'm not trying to fight a divorce case; I just don't agree to divorce her. I love her. Only I know what she needs."
I couldn't help but feel pity for Alice, 'Love her? Know what Alice needs? Yet you don't know her life is ticking away.' She truly loved Eric and even planned every step of his future. But how much did Eric genuinely care for her? I couldn't be sure. Seeing his stubbornness, I decided to drop it.
I planned to go to the hospital to tell Alice about today's meeting with Eric. I was still puzzled by Anne's words. "Even if you become a lawyer, you can't separate me and Edward."
I stood up to say goodbye to Eric. As I walked towards the hospital, Eric suddenly caught up with me and called out, "Ms. Cooper, I'll be posting our conversation today on my account."
Since he was an influencer, I didn't question it, but I never imagined it would so drastically affect my life.
When I arrived at the hospital, Alice had just finished a treatment. She looked a bit pale, but her eyes shone with resilience. Alice leaned quietly against the headboard, her body weak but trying to sit up straight. When she saw me enter, she lifted her head slightly and gave a faint smile. Though tired, her smile was warm.
"Ms. Cooper, you're here." Her voice was hoarse but gentle. Seeing her like this, I felt both heartache and admiration.
I quickly walked up and held Alice's hands, "How are you feeling?"
Alice moved her fingers slightly and held my hand back. "Don't worry, I feel like I can still hold on." Her eyes occasionally glanced out the window as if longing for the future. I was deeply moved and silently vowed to stay by her side, giving her support and encouragement. I would stand by her through this legal battle.
I sat by Alice's bed, gently tidying her hair, and said softly, "You need to get better soon. We still have to go to court together." Hearing this, Alice's lips trembled slightly, "He, he did't accept it, did he?" I shook my head.
Without needing to say more, Alice understood completely. She turned her head away and began to sob quietly. I felt sorrow for this woman who was so devoted to love. Wasn't I also a woman foolishly in love, just like Edward said?
The court trial date was set for a week later.
Alice had planned this long ago; it had to be the best move she could think of. All I could do was gather every piece of evidence for her and present it to the judge. Whether they could truly get divorced depended on the judge. That day was Alice's second radiation therapy session. She couldn't attend the trial, so I had to attend on her behalf.
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