Chapter 188 You Got Divorced
Stuart looked up. "Any news about her?"
Robin frowned. "No. How much did you drink? Look at yourself."
It had only been a few days since they last met, but Stuart had lost a lot of weight.
"I heard you haven't been sleeping well," Robin said. "Seen a doctor? Is work crazy?"
"No." Stuart pushed the glass away, annoyed. "You wouldn't get it."
Robin eyed him. "Is it about feelings? Josephine? You really like her?"
Stuart stayed silent for a few seconds, then nodded.
"Well..." Robin wasn't surprised. Josephine's charm was obvious. Stuart had been blind to it for three years, so it made sense he'd see it now. "You know, the harder something is to get, the more you want it."
He couldn't stop Stuart from liking Josephine, but he tried to influence him, sometimes even badmouthing her.
He'd been doing this for three years.
Robin played a big part in the lack of progress in Stuart and Josephine's relationship during their marriage. Even now, he was still at it.
He used Stuart's annoyance with Josephine's closeness to Liam to his advantage.
Whenever Stuart and Josephine's relationship seemed to improve, Robin would casually mention Liam.
"Liam met Josephine again."
"I saw them having dinner."
"I saw them shopping."
Whether true or not, it didn't matter. Stuart was too proud to question Josephine, giving Robin a lot of leeway.
Robin knew he was taking a risk, so he mixed truth with lies. No one suspected him.
Especially since Stuart was quite helpful.
First Doris, then Donna; Robin reaped the benefits of their divorces with little effort.
But recent developments surprised Robin. He didn't expect Stuart to wake up so quickly.
He also didn't expect Stuart's feelings for Josephine to be so deep.
Now, all he could do was try to confuse Stuart's feelings. But it wasn't working much anymore.
"It's not like that." Stuart covered his eyes with his hand. "You change girlfriends every month; you wouldn't understand."
Robin quickly said, "Actually, I do know what it's like to truly like someone."
Stuart looked at him. "You truly liked someone?"
Robin muttered, "I once did..."
Stuart thought for a moment, then asked, "That girl from high school? Josephine's friend?"
Robin vaguely nodded.
Stuart frowned. "You haven't forgotten her after all these years?"
"So you see, truly liking someone can withstand time," Robin said. "I have felt the same way you do now. However, I truly liked her. You might just be upset because you can't have her, not because you truly love her."
Stuart shook his head.
Robin continued, "Love at first sight isn't just about looks. It's a deep connection. You and Josephine didn't have that. You've been together for over three years, and now you realize you love her?"
"It's not sudden," Stuart frowned. "Even before we got married, I cared about her opinion. Looking back, I liked her then, but my pride wouldn't let me admit it."
"People involved can't see clearly," Robin said. "Calm down for a few days and think it over. If you truly like her, what about Angela? She saved your life."
Stuart replied, "I think I only feel grateful to her. I even said I liked her to provoke Josephine."
"Really?" Robin said. "I don't think that's the case. You're not sleeping well, and it's making you overthink. I know a traditional medicine that’s great for health."
"I'm fine," Stuart interrupted. "I'm not overthinking. If you have no news, then forget it. Let's drink."
Robin wanted to say more, "But, Josephine..."
Stuart stared at him. "She's my wife."
Robin calmly stated, "You two are divorced."
Stuart looked up, his gaze icy.
Robin knew Stuart too well. The warning in his eyes was clear.
Robin had to shut up. "Alright, let's drink."
When drinking with a close friend, a thousand cups weren't enough; but if there was no common topic, even half a sentence was too much.
Once, Stuart thought Robin was his close friend.
The Bailey family had risen from obscurity to being second only to the Haustia family, thanks largely to Stuart.
His bond with Robin wasn't fake. But now, for some reason, Stuart felt uneasy.
Halfway through drinking, he got up and left with a casual remark.
The expensive wine was left for Robin to enjoy.
Whether it was to vent frustration or because he was troubled, Stuart left, and Robin got drunk.
The next day, Stuart was back at the company.
It had been a week since he had recklessly completed the company's plans ahead of schedule.
The staff had just started to relax, recovering from the exhaustion.
Stuart was back.
But they soon realized their worries were unfounded.
Stuart wasn't torturing his subordinates with the same intense work attitude as before.
He just returned to his usual work efficiency.
Even so, it was still too much for most people.
Everyone thought he was back to normal, but only he knew his life was severely affected. His diet, sleep, even his health were deteriorating.
Andrew couldn't see it at home, but Ronald saw it clearly.
But as Stuart's most capable assistant, Ronald wasn't good at helping Stuart maintain a healthy lifestyle, like eating and sleeping well.
He could only watch as Stuart grew thinner by the day.
Just when he worried Stuart might collapse, Stuart finally passed out from unbearable stomach pain.
