Ch. 181..190
Chapter 181
Nathan searched every possible place Suzanne could be in.
T
Shovale, her mother’s house, her rented place–there wasn’t a hint of her presence. She had disappeared without
a trace.
It’d only been a day, but he’d grown a lot wearier. The heart -wrenching pain he felt when he first left the country ten years ago had resurfaced with even greater intensity.
At noon, an uninvited guest appeared at the Morrison Residence. A female lawyer had come as Suzanne’s representative to settle matters regarding the divorce.
In the study, the sun outside shone bright, and the room was airy. However, the atmosphere inside was depressing and suffocating.
The lawyer, Lana Scott, placed a bank card and the divorce settlement agreement in front of him. “My client has already signed her name on the agreement. This bank card is yours, Mr. Morrison. She’ll pay back the money she’d spent in installments.”
Nathan’s expression was cold as he stared grimly at the document on the table. At the moment, his heart felt like it was being torn apart. It was agonizing to even breathe.
Suzanne had promised to let him know if anything upset.
her, and she wouldn’t resort to divorce so easily. Was she going back on her word so soon?
Did she not want to see him that badly to have directly sent her attorney over?
He exhaled uncomfortably. He then lifted his eyes from the document to look at Lana.
“Where is she? I want to see her,” he asked, his voice
detached.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Morrison, Ms. York doesn’t want to meet
with you at the moment. Once you agree to the divorce and the paperwork is all settled, she’ll see you naturally when it’s time to pick up the divorce certificate,” Lana explained.
The corner of his lips curved up before he proceeded to pick up the document. He then ripped it in half without even glancing at it.
Flabbergasted, Lana froze.
Nathan threw the pieces of paper into the bin and said, ”
Tell her to talk to me directly if she wants a divorce.”
Lana got up and stood her ground as well. “If you refuse to sign the agreement, Mr. Morrison, Ms. York will opt for litigation.”
2:5
Nathan’s icy gaze darkened, and he clenched his fist slightly. The air around him felt dangerous, and the room Immediately turned frosty.
She swallowed nervously. Then, she nodded politely at him to bid goodbye and turned to leave.
After a few steps, his domineering and deep voice rag out from behind her. “There’s not a single person I can’t find in
Norvania.”
Lana froze and panicked inexplicably. Upon finding out the opposite party was Nathan Morrison when she was first handed this case, she’d already started to become nervous.
She was still able to maintain her professionalism as she left the residence, forcing herself to stay calm.
An hour later, she called and informed Suzanne of the failed discussion, as well as the agreement being torn up. Once she finished explaining, Suzanne began discussing the details of the litigation.
After ending the call, Suzanne slumped against the sofa. She felt worn out.
On the coffee table in the cozy living room, there were two plates of mac and cheese with bacon bits and a bowl of fruit, along with a few books.
Sienna walked over with a jar of pickles and took a seat beside her. “Are you really filing for divorce?”
Suzanne pursed her lips bitterly. “Yeah, I’ve made up my
mind.”
The only issue was the 500 thousand dollars she withdrew from Nathan’s card and loaned to Sienna. She couldnay it back at the moment, so it’ll be slightly inconvenient.
Sienna lifted up her plate of mac and cheese, stirring it to mix the bacon bits with the mac and cheese. She had a spoonful to see how it tasted.
She chewed on her food and asked slightly incoherently, Is your husband really the General Morrison of the Norvanian Military?”
Suzanne slipped down from the sofa onto the floor. She scooped up a spoonful of mac and cheese and said, “Mhm.”
“Does he agree to the divorce?” Sienna sat with her legs crossed, eating with her head lowered.
Suzanne blew on her spoonful lazily to let it cool before she ate it. “He doesn’t,” she replied blankly.
Sienna froze. “Does he love you very much?”
There was a throbbing pain in Suzanne’s heart.
That question caught her off guard. She felt too pained to reply and merely shook her head before eating her mac and cheese with her head lowered.
Chapter 182
Chapter 182
“Why won’t he divorce you if he doesn’t love you?”
Suzanne was hungry, but the food tasted like nothing to her.
“His grandmother likes me a lot,” she mumbled.
“Oh, he’s quite the model grandson.”
The pair continued eating their mac and cheese in silence.
A while later, Sienna picked up an apple and began peeling the fruit.
“I think, no matter how fiery the relationship is, people are always madly in love before they get married. After
marriage, everything changes.”
She continued, “In a marriage, there’s no love. There’s only duty and companionship. It doesn’t matter if he loves you or not as long as he’s willing to spend on you.”
Suzanne smiled bitterly at her and said, “Why are you so pessimistic when you’re not even married yet?”
Sienna laughed. “I’ve seen too many unfortunate
circumstances in married life to ever want to get married. Besides, it’s not that bad being on my own.”
“I want to be like you, too,” Suzanne agreed. “After I get divorced, I’ll never get married again. I’ll spend the rest of my life alone like you.
וו
“How am I supposed to be alone if you’re with me?” Sienna laughed.
Suzanne pursed her lips and nodded.
Sienna handed a slice of apple to her and asked curiously, It’s been two days since you left your home. Do you think your husband will come looking for you here?”
Suzanne took the apple slice and replied, “He doesn’t know you’re my friend. He won’t show up here.”
“But he’s Nathan Morrison! The general of the Norvanian Military! Aren’t you aware that he develops national defense weapons?
“It shouldn’t be difficult to locate you if he’s capable of dealing with such advanced weapons, no?”
Suzanne froze as she was about to bite the apple slice. She suddenly felt a bit anxious–Sienna had a point.
Right at that moment, the doorbell rang.
Sienna wiped her hands on a tissue and stood up. “That
must be my parcel. I’ll go open the door.”
Feeling gloomy, Suzanne took a bite of the apple slice and sighed deeply.
At the door, Sienna was dumbfounded. She stood frozen in place as she stared at the tall and muscular man in front of
her.
The man was handsome and looked intimidating. There was a cold, domineering air around him as well.
He donned a cool black outfit. Behind him were two subordinates who looked equally intimidating. Sienna was stunned speechless by the sight.
Nathan exchanged eye contact with her for a brief moment. Then he said, “I’m looking for Suzanne York.”
He didn’t just look good, even his voice sounded magnetic. She forgot to ask him who he was or why he was looking for Suzanne, let alone if he was a good or bad person.
One word from him, and she proceeded to open the door
dazedly.
“Suzanne is inside.”
Upon hearing Nathan’s voice, Suzanne’s heart trembled violently. She shoved the entire apple slice into her mouth out of fear and immediately got up and tried to hide.
She just got up and walked out of the room when the man
walked in.
The living room was small–there was little distance between the pair.
With nowhere to hide, she put on a calm demeanor and
looked at him.
Her cheeks were round and stuffed with food. Nathan
looked at how adorable she was and felt his heart soften
while also feeling pained and resigned.
It had been two days, and he missed her like crazy. His gaze swept across the mac and cheese on the table, and felt another pang in his heart.
Sienna invited the other men in as well. However, they rejected her offer and stood guard outside. Hence, she
closed the door and walked toward Nathan.
“Excuse me, sir, who are you? What business do you have with Suzanne?”
Nathan’s gaze was fixed on his wife’s indifferent
expression. “Her husband. Please leave us. I have
something I’d like to say to her.”
Sienna was flabbergasted. Nathan had told her to leave her own house?
She stared at him in disbelief and wanted to say something in return. In the end, she obediently picked up her plate and or behind her. left the living room gloomily, shutting t
Suzanne hung her head low. She chewed the apple in her mouth and slowly swallowed it. Standing there nervously, she was unsure of what to do.
Chapter 183
Chapter 183
Chapter 183
"Let's talk." Nathan's tone was soft, and his gaze was laced with gentleness.
Suzanne lowered her head. "My lawyer already informed you clearly. There's nothing to talk about between us," she replied.
His fist tightened, and his voice hardened slightly. "You promised me," he said. "You said you wouldn't threaten to divorce again."
She lifted her head and looked at him before replying angrily, "You also promised me you'd cut ties with Sally Hoffis."
"I haven't been in contact with her at all," he clarified firmly.
Upset, she clenched her fists. Her eyes instantly welled up with tears. So, he was still so in love with her despite no longer being in contact?
Nathan was all she could think about when she was on the brink of death. Yet, this man chose to save his unattainable crush, who could swim, and abandoned her.
It pained her every time she recalled the memory.
"Without Oliver, I'd be your dead wife by now," she choked out.
Nathan grew panicked. "Without Oliver, I'd save both."
Suzanne held back her tears and forced a stiff smile on her face. She then said coldly, "Thank you, but Sally knows how to swim. How concerned were you that she'd drown?"
He approached her with a heavy heart. "She used to be aquaphobic and didn't know how to swim," he replied. "I don't know when she got over her phobia and even picked up swimming."
She trudged backward while furiously declaring, "Don't you dare take another step. Stay away from me."
"Please give me a chance to explain, Suzy." He was almost begging at this point.
What good would an explanation do? It wouldn't change a thing. He'd hurt her over and over again because of Sally Hoffis.
It didn't matter anymore. You could take a horse to the water, but you can't make it drink. She didn't want to force an outcome.
Besides, she wasn't Suzanne York to begin with. Even if they insisted on continuing this marriage, it would all become void once her true identity was revealed.
"I don't want to take this to court, Nathan. Let's just agree to settle." Her voice was strained as she stared at him with tear-filled eyes.
Nathan's chest felt so constricted it hurt. Upon seeing how adamant Suzanne was with the divorce, his eyes reddened as he growled, "I won't agree to the divorce."
Suzanne felt physically unwell from the rage she felt. She tightened her fists and warned him in mild fury, "Don't push it, Nathan Morrison. We're married on paper, but we're not a legitimate couple."
"Then let's become one. As long as you want to, I'd do it anytime," he replied.
She lowered her head, and her tears fell to the floor. Her arms stiffened, and her hands clenched tightly into trembling fists.
"I don't want to," she softly choked out, repeating those words, "I don't want to. I don't want to."
Suzanne started sobbing, the words never leaving her mouth. Her shoulders were shaking as well. Her heart felt like it was being ripped into two.
Nathan loved Sally so much. A woman he had loved for more than 20 years constantly hovering around them—it'd soon drive her mad.
She wouldn't have cared if she didn't love the man so deeply. It was as Sienna said—love wasn't needed in a marriage as long as companionship, duty and money existed.
However, Suzanne couldn't do it. She loved Nathan too much to allow another woman to be in his life.
Nathan approached her and pulled her into his tight embrace. He lightly parted his lips and drew a deep breath. It felt as though someone was slicing into his heart, and it hurt so much he couldn't muster the strength to explain.
Chapter 184
Chapter 184
Suzanne’s body stiffened. Then, she tried to push him away
in frustration.
However, the more she resisted, the tighter Nathan held
her. He hugged her tightly and buried his face her hair.
As he took in the light scent on her body, he said with a pained voice, “Let’s not get divorced, Suzy. Please?”
Fighting back tears in his embrace, Suzanne still shook her
head in refusal.
Nathan gradually closed his moist and bloodshot eyes. He
couldn’t calm himself at all.
First, it was Sally’s departure. Now, it’s Suzanne wanting a
divorce. The pain was endless.
He’d been stabbed and shot before, but physical pains were nothing compared to the pain he’d received in the form of
heartache.
He never wanted to fall in love ever again.
Nathan held Suzanne tightly. He eased the discomfort in his heart and suppressed his emotions before asking, “We’ve been married for almost half a year. Have you ever liked me?
She liked him and even loved him, but her heart had been broken too many times in the past six months. Each
heartbreak felt worse and more painful than the last.
She didn’t want to stoop so low as to love a man who didn’t love her back anymore. Besides, with how deeply in love he was with Sally, there would never be room for in his
heart.
Suzanne sniffled and straightened her body slightly.”
Never,” she said coldly.
It was as if a sharp blade had pierced through Nathan’s chest and into his heart. The excruciating pain he felt gradually intensified.
He didn’t say anything else. He drew a deep breath and failed to ease the pain in his heart. Slowly, he released
Suzanne from his embrace and took a step back.
His eyes were bloodshot, but his voice remained still and calm. “Have you thought it through?”
She lowered her head and affirmed coldly, “I have. I’ve
made up my mind, and this time I won’t waver.”
He tightened his fists, and his breathing grew heavier. He stared fixedly at her emotionless expression and asked, ”
Where is the document?”
Suzanne was startled. Understanding what he meant, she turned and headed toward her room. She then returned
with a new divorce agreement and a pen, placing them on
the table.
From Nathan’s point of view, love had never been all there was to life.
He used to love Sally to the point where he was physically
unwell when they broke up. He’d recovered from that despite being in pain for years.
It’s just a divorce. What is there to be afraid of?
He picked up the pen and leaned over the table. Then, he
signed his name on the paper without any hesitation.
After putting down the pen, he turned to leave indifferently.
Suzanne stood frozen in place. A wave of sadness washed over her the minute she watched him sign the document.
The divorce was her idea, but all the mental preparation she made was useless. The heartbreak she felt wasn’t
diminished in the slightest. If anything, it was a hundred times worse than’she’d imagined.
She stood there quietly and unmoving. Tears blurred her vision and dampened her cheeks. She didn’t cry. She just
couldn’t control her tear ducts or suppress the pain in her
heart.
Sienna walked in. She noticed the signed divorce agreement on the table and immediately understood. Pulling her friend into an embrace, she rubbed her back sympathetically.
“It’s okay to cry if you feel like it,” she said gem
Suzanne shut her eyes and leaned listlessly against her shoulder. Her heart ached, but she couldn’t bring herself to
cry.
When utterly heartbroken, sometimes there was no energy left to even cry. All that remained was the broken and
hollow shell of a person.
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Chapter 185
Nathan walked out of the small apartment with a gloomy expression. A cold and chilling gush of air was felt when he walked past Cole and Gilbert.
The two had never seen him with such a desolate demeanor before. They thought they’d freeze to death
n walking
behind him and didn’t even dare to breathe audibly.
They obediently followed him downstairs, and after getting in the car, they drove away.
In the backseat of the car, Nathan’s expression grew colder every passing minute. He leaned against the seat and shut his eyes without saying a word.
The atmosphere within the car became oppressive and icy— it was suffocating.
The sound of a ringing phone cut through the silence.
Cole felt like his phone was a hot coal in his pocket. Hastily, he fished it out of his pocket and answered the call for fear of disturbing Nathan at the back.
A while later, he hung up and turned toward Nathan
hesitantly.
He wanted to make a report, but he was also afraid of provoking Nathan. After being conflicted for quite a bit of time, he asked timidly, “General Morrison, they finished looking into Ms. Hoffis. Would you like the report now?”
“Speak,” he replied steely and curtly.
“Sunterland doesn’t support dual international identities, General, so Sally Hoffis no longer exists. The.
with such a name in Norvania.”
no one
Nathan abruptly opened his eyes. His gaze was dull, but his tone grew heavier. “Sally changed nationalities?”
Cole nodded. “Yes, she’s not Norvanian, and she’s not
called Sally Hoffis either. Her name in Sunterland is Wanda
Hoffis.”
The man’s expression soured. “Continue.”
Cole followed with a detailed report.
“Wanda Hoffis was admitted into Sunterland’s most
famous school at the age of 14. However, she didn’t live on campus and rarely showed up there. Barely anyone in her
batch knew about her.
“But she always placed first in her exams for all her subjects. She’d receive numerous awards. She even
published five academic papers when she was in university,
all of which were published by the most internationally
renowned academic journals.
“She graduated smoothly but was too busy to even attend her graduation ceremony. She’s the talk of the entire school.
“After graduating from university at the age of 18, she was
assigned to work at a research center. Her work was
extremely confidential. She only had 60 days
per year.”
“Sally’s parents and uncle didn’t know about the particulars of her job or its location. They could only meet during her off days. They weren’t allowed to contact or see her otherwise,” he explained.
“Three years ago, a month before she returned to Norvanía,
their family of three often appeared together when they made video calls to her grandparents.
“Afterward, her parents passed away. We only found death
certificates and two graves. There was no record of
cremation.”
Cole continued, “Since then, Mr. Hoffis Senior brought her back to Norvania. She’s been living here as Sally Hoffis, but
she’s never participated in any work.”
Nathan furrowed his brow, lost in thought.
She changed nationalities? Sally Hoffis doesn’t exist
anymore?
The situation was becoming increasingly puzzling. Nathan fell silent for a moment before he spoke again. “Is it
possible to get a video recording of their calls?” His tone grew more serious.
Cole replied, “We’ve already had software engineers hack into Mr. Hoffis Senior’s phone and computer neral. There were no copies or recordings of their video calls.”
He fell silent again.
Lucas, who was driving, realized something was amiss.
“General, do you suspect that the current Sally Hoffis isn’t who she says she is?”
GOIN BUNDLE: get more free bonus
Chapter 186
Chapter 186
Nathan didn’t reply to Lucas‘ question. Instead, he said, ” Thoroughly look into the death of her parents. Without a record of cremation, they might still be alive.”
“Are we still looking into Ms. Hoffis as well?”
“Keep investigating.”
“Yes, sir!” Cole replied respectfully.
Nathan asked again, “Where is the research paper she published?”
Cole took out his phone and pulled up the document before handing it to him.
Taking the phone, Nathan studied the paper and fell into
immense confusion.
“Core Analysis and Research on Derivative Nanotechnology of Copper, Iron, Steel and Cyanide in a Redox Reaction.”
“Synthesis of Molecular Metal Re–Separation and Its Chemical Application.”
He continued scrolling down. Although he couldn’t understand the contents, he knew they were all related to chemistry.
Resting his elbow on the edge of the window, Nathan rubbed his forehead with his fingers. “Find a way to
retrieve DNA samples of Sally and Mr. Hoffis Senior, but do it discreetly.”
Cole and Lucas cast each other a glance. They understood
what was on Nathan’s mind.
“Yes, sir,” they replied in unison.
The next morning, Suzanne was woken up by the persistent ringing of her phone. She had trouble falling asleep the entire night and was only able to get some rest in the early hours of the morning.
She reached for her phone tiredly and placed it next to her
ear. Her mother–in–law’s tense and irritated voice sounded
from the other end.
“Who on earth did your dear brother tick off, Suzanne?”
Suzanne immediately sat up, more alert. “What’s wrong,
Florence?”
“A bunch of hooligans showed up at the house this morning claiming your brother owes them money. They said you’ve
vouched for him too. They caused a scene, demanding we pay off his debt.”
Suzanne’s face turned white from rage. She hurriedly lifted the covers and got out of bed.
As she frantically flipped through her drawer for clothes, she said, “No one is vouching for him in the family,
Florence. You don’t need to care about those people. Just call the police if they try anything. I’m rushing back to take
care of it now.”
Florence sighed. “You don’t need to rush back, it’s settled.”
Suzanne halted and asked, surprised, “Settled?”
“Yeah, I paid your brother’s debt and had them on their way.
11 Her voice sounded extremely displeased.
After all, who was willing to have in–laws like these?
Suzanne completely understood why she was unhappy.
“I’m sorry, Florence. I’ll pay you back as soon as possible,” she said as she slumped on the edge of the bed. She lowered
her head and felt extremely upset.
Florence sighed again and said, “No need to thank me. We’re family, after all. I don’t need you to pay me back, either. I just hope incidents like this won’t happen again..
“Ask your brother to get his act together. Stop going around getting into debt and dragging the Morrison family down
with him.”
Suzanne felt increasingly guilty, and she felt angrier the more she thought about her family’s shameless behavior. All she could do was apologize profusely.
Nathan had signed the divorce papers. Soon, they would no longer be a family.
She kept apologizing.
After the call ended, she immediately phoned Samuel York.
A moment later, his gleeful voice was heard. “Why did you think of calling me today, Suzanne?”
She drew a deep breath and suppressed her anger as she demanded, “Why did you have your debt collectors disturb the Morrison family? Have you gone mad over money? Do you have any morals at all?”
Chapter 187
Chapter 187
Samuel shot her a cold laugh. “I had no choice. You didn’t want to help me pay anything, and they were rushing me for the money.
“I had no choice but to tell them my dear sister is the wife of a wealthy family. A bit of spare change from them was more than enough for me to pay off my debts.”
He continued, “This method worked wonders! Your in–laws are so generous. They helped me with half of what I owed in
a snap.
“Your husband is quite the character too. All I had to do was mention my brother–in–law is General Morrison of the Norvanian Military, and you would vouch for me. Then, everyone was willing to lend me any amount I desired.”
Samuel sounded ecstatic. “Your husband’s name really carries weight! No one dares to mess with me anymore. If they do, I’ll have my brother–in–law deal with them.”
Suzanne clenched her fists tightly. She was shaking with
rage.
Her face was steely as she warned him, “Samuel York, you
bastard. If you continue using Nathan’s name to scam people for money, I won’t let it slide.”
.ne at me, Samuel laughed condescendingly. “Don’t ju Suzanne. Dad also goes around telling his drinking buddies that his son–in–law is Nathan Morrison. He gloats about his daughter marrying into a
wealthy family.”
He continued, “But Mom is worse. She called your husband the other day and easily got herself a hundred thousand dollars. How generous of him.”
He basked in self–satisfaction on the other end of the
phone.
Meanwhile, Suzanne’s eyes were already bloodshot and brimming with tears from sheer fury.
This family was like parasites that lived in the sewers. All they did was latch on to others and leech off of them. You couldn’t shake them off even if you wanted to. How
disgusting.
“I’ve already divorced him,” Suzanne growled. “So please stop looking for him and stop causing trouble for the
Morrison family.”
Samuel scoffed. “What kind of joke is this? Divorce? Only a fool would believe you. You couldn’t run into a family like this in a million lifetimes. Why would you willingly let it go when you’re so materialistic?
“Save it, Suzanne. I know my limits. I won
out loans
for gambling anymore. Go ask your husband to arrange a position for me in the military. I want an office position…”
She couldn’t bear to listen anymore. She hung up on him and gradually shut her eyes while taking a deep breath. Her
chest felt so constricted.
Her head was aching from how angry she was. Her entire body was aching.
She couldn’t understand. What did she do to deserve such a family? It felt worse than death to be stuck with them.
She tossed her phone aside and dragged her exhausted body into the bathroom to wash up.
Half an hour later, Suzanne emerged from her room.
Sienna sat with her legs crossed in front of the coffee table. She had her glasses on and was furiously typing on her
computer.
“Morning, Sienna,” Suzanne greeted, approaching her lethargically. Then, she slumped listlessly on the sofa.
Sienna had her eyes glued to the computer screen as her fingers flew across the keyboard. She cast her a quick glance.
“Morning. Did you not sleep well yesterday ay do you look so worn out?” she asked.
Suzanne leaned her head against the sofa and shut her eyes. “I only fell asleep at the brink of dawn, and I was ticked off by a disgusting leech of a family.”
“Who?”
“Suzanne York’s parents and brother.”
“Aren’t those your parents and brother?” Sienna laughed.
“No,” she replied coldly.
Sienna quickly picked up on what was happening. “Oh, right. They’re not your biological family. Let me tell you, since I grew up with Suzanne. Her father is a real piece of work. You should be careful.”
“Careful of what?” she asked lightly.
Sienna stopped typing and slowly turned to look at her friend. She took off her glasses and had a grim expression. Her eyes were brimming with contempt as she said in a low voice, “He touched her when she was younger.”
Suzanne froze. An indescribable wave of disgust washed
over her.
Chapter 188
Chapter 188
At that moment, a wave of emotions washed over Suzanne. She was angry and upset. She understood that a girl didn’t fall from grace and go down the wrong path over nothing.
Everything had a cause and correlation.
“Why didn’t you report him?” She gritted her teeth. She’d like nothing more than to rip that bastard into shreds.
Sienna shook her head in resignation and shot her a bitter smile. “Her mother was useless. She couldn’t protect her own children and was good for nothing except gambling.”
She put her glasses back on and continued typing. “You have a wonderful personality and are willing to make a living for your parents. Plus, you have such a rich and powerful husband. Even without blood relations, they’ll surely cling to you for the rest of their lives.”
Suzanne said nothing. She shut her eyes and took deep
breaths.
She’d already been through enough. Now, the Morrison family was also caught up in their mess. She couldn’t tell them about her identity now, either. At this rate, she was
bound to go mad.
19
At that moment, a wave of emotions washed over Suzanne. She was angry and upset. She understood that a girl didn’t fall from grace and go down the wrong path over nothing.
Everything had a cause and correlation.
“Why didn’t you report him?” She gritted her teeth. She’d like nothing more than to rip that bastard into shreds.
Sienna shook her head in resignation and shot her a bitter smile. ” Her mother was useless. She couldn’t protect her own children and was good for nothing except gambling.”
She put her glasses back on and continued typing. “You have a wonderful personality and are willing to make a living for your parents. Plus, you have such a rich and powerful husband. Even without blood relations, they’ll surely cling to you for the rest of
their lives.”
Suzanne said nothing. She shut her eyes and took deep breaths.
She’d already been through enough. Now, the Morrison family was also caught up in their mess. She couldn’t tell them about her identity now, either. At this rate, she was bound to go mad.
She needed to get that divorce finalized as soon as possible. Then, she needed to figure out who she was. That was the only way to get rid of those leeches.
After a moment of silence, she asked curiously, “What are you writing, Sienna?”
“A part–time job. I’m ghostwriting for some extra income so we can pay off your debt sooner.”
She lifted her gaze toward her screen and saw walls of text. ” What’s a ghostwriter?”
“I help people write novels. I just got a completely crappy book. It’s hastily put together, but as long as I type fast enough, I’ll be able to earn more.”
Suzanne felt a pang in her heart. “You don’t need to push yourself so hard. You can take your time to return the money to me.”
“But you told me you also loaned this money from someone else. Don’t you need to pay them back too?”
Suzanne was left speechless. A moment later, she sat next to Sienna. Hugging her knees, she leaned on Sienna’s shoulder, watching her type.
“Sienna, could you get me a job too?” she asked softly.
“What skills do you have? What can you do?” she asked as her fingers continued typing speedily without pause.
Suzanne pursed her lips and thought for a moment before replying, “I‘, fluent in eight languages. I can play the piano. I know a bit of chemistry. I can draw, but I can’t make a living with that.
“I used to paint for charity before I lost my memories, so I don’t want to go against my initial wishes–I will only paint for charity.. That’s all I have at the moment. I’m not sure if I have any other
skills.”
Sienna’s hands froze, and her eyes widened as she friend. It took a while for her to recover from her shock.
“Unless you’re bluffing, you’re a genius,” she blurted.
Suzanne smiled awkwardly.
ed at her
“Eight languages is absurd,” Sienna said skeptically. “It’s not just basic knowledge, right?”
“I don’t think so.”
“You could translate for corporate businesses in person and help publishing companies translate works online. That would be lucrative.”
She thought about it seriously and said, “Okay. Thank you, Sienna.
=
She returned to her room and took out her laptop. Then, her phone
rang.
Nathan’s private number was displayed on the screen.
She took a deep breath and answered it, feeling oddly nervous. Hello?” she said timidly after putting the phone next to her ear.
Nathan’s cold, indifferent voice sounded from the other end. “2: 00 pm, City Hall. Bring your documents to finalize the divorce.”
With that, he hung up without any hesitation.
Suzanne sat at the edge of her bed and stared at her phone with her head hung low. She was overcome with indescribable grief.
The pain pooled at the tip of her heart bit by bit. The
tears, and she couldn’t cry either, but it hurt so much. It h
she couldn’t move, and her chest felt too constricted for h breathe.
Chapter 189
Chapter 189
At noon, Suzanne was about to get changed when Sienna came in holding a dress. She handed it over to her and said, “Wear this.”
“I’m getting divorced, not getting married. Why would I put on something so nice?” Suzanne smiled resignedly while pushing the dress away.
Sienna declared in full seriousness. “Exactly. That’s why you
should wear something pretty and pair it with a gorgeous makeup look so that you can sweep your husband off his feet. Make him regret it.”
She pushed back. “But I’m the one who’s asking for the divorce. I’m the one that doesn’t want anything to do with him anymore.”
“You might be the one that brought it up, but you only did it because he doesn’t love you, no?”
Suzanne was at a loss for words, feeling a stabbing pain in her heart.
Sienna held the dress and advised solemnly, “Men are visual
creatures. You look too plain most of the time, so it’s difficult to stun him that way. Just doll yourself up for today. I promise you he’ll be bewitched and beg you not to divorce him.”
Suzanne thought her friend’s way of
a was na
and
adorable. She took another glance at the dress in her hands—it was very sexy and didn’t fit her image at all.
However, she didn’t have the heart to reject her sincere offer. So,
he changed into the dress and put on some makeup.
At two in the afternoon, a luxurious black car was parked in front of the City Hall.
Nathan leaned against the car door with his hands in his pockets. He stared at his shoes with his head lowered.
His shoulders looked heavy, and there was an oppressive air around him. Despite the burning sun overhead, the atmosphere around him was frosty.
Suddenly, a pair of crystal white heels stepped into his vision.
He was slightly startled and looked up. The woman’s legs were slim, and her skin was pale. The white dress she wore was short and showed off her attractive legs.
She had a slim figure and appeared to be sophisticated and elegant.
Nathan looked up and froze when he caught a clear glimpse of the woman before him.
Suzanne looked beautiful. Her eyes were bright and clear. Her smooth, dark hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall.
Today, she looked radiant and charming. Nathan couldn’t take hist eyes off of her.
It was his first time seeing her so dolled up after six months of being married. However, the pair were here to get a divorce.
Suzanne’s heart started to skip under his gaze. Her body grew hot, and she tried to maintain her cool.
“Sorry for making you wait,” she said.
Nathan was as calm as usual. “It’s 2:00 pm, you’re
“Let’s head in.”
on time.”
He straightened himself and asked, “Have you brought everything?
She nodded in reply.
Nathan’s eyes were dark. His intense gaze was fixed on her adorable face for a few seconds before he forced himself to turn
and head toward the City Hall.
Suzane followed behind him, clutching her bag.
She was slightly disappointed. It felt like a waste to spare so much effort in dressing up for him.
In his view, it didn’t matter what she wore or how pretty she looked–it was all the same to him. It didn’t catch his attention at
all.
The pair just reached the door when Nathan’s phone rang. He took it out and answered. All of a sudden, he halted in his tracks.
Suzanne stopped along with him.
“Alright, I’ll be right there.” His voice sounded solemn. He hung up the call and turned, freezing when he was facing her.
After a moment of thought, he said, “I have an urgent matter to take care of. Can you wait for me for two hours? I’ll be back after I’m done.”
Suzanne frowned and cast a quick look at her surroundings. “Wait here for two hours?”
“If not, let’s reschedule?” Nathan looked slightly anxious.
“No, let’s do it today. I’ll wait,” Suzanne declared determinedly.
Chapter 190
Chapter 190
“Up to you.” Nathan’s eyes turned subtly darker as he moved past her and headed toward the driver’s seat. He pulled the door open
and entered the vehicle.
A wave of anger abruptly washed over him when he saw the back of Suzanne’s dress.
Her dress looked innocent from the front, but the back was a sexy open–back cut. Her pale, naked back was exposed from underneath her long hair.
How inappropriate!
Nathan walked back toward her and grabbed her wrist before leading her toward the passenger’s seat.
“What are you doing?”
“Wait for me in the car.” He pushed her into the seat and shut the
door.
Then, he circled around the front of the car and sat in the driver’s
seat.
“Buckle up.”
Suzanne wanted to get off. “Go ahead with your business. I’ll find a coffee shop to wait in. Just let me know when you’re done.”
Nathan leaned over and fastened the seatbelt for her.
Their sudden proximity startled her. Her back pressed against the
seat, trying to put enough distance between them. She didn’t breathe and blinked nervously at him.
He could smell the light scent on her body–it tugged on his heartstrings. He tried to appear calm despite his quickening heartbeat and focused all his attention on driving.
Thirty minutes later, the car stopped in front of the hospital. Nathan unbuckled his seatbelt and told her to wait
“Who’s in the hospital?” she asked worriedly.
“Lucas, he’s injured.”
him.
Suzanne also unbuckled her seatbelt. “How is he? I want to see him too,” she said, concerned.
“It’s okay. Stay in the car. I’ll inform you if anything happens.” His tone was gentle but firm.
Since he didn’t want her to go inside, she didn’t insist further.
After he left the car, she sat waiting in the passenger seat for a very long time. The sun shone brightly through the windshield. It was hot despite the air conditioning.
She got off and went to sit in the back instead.
Bored, she lay down in the backseat of the car and closed her eyes to rest. Unknowingly, she drifted off to sleep. She was out cold
from three in the afternoon till night time.
Suzanne woke up in a daze and felt like the car was moving. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up.
In the driver’s seat, Cole was focused on the road when a ghost of a woman appeared in the rearview mirror. Her thick and unruly hair scared him to bits, and he started yelling in fear.
His abrupt yelling scared Suzanne equally. She huddled in the corner, clutching her chest. “Who are you?”
He recognized the voice and calmed down. He took a deep breath to regain his composure before asking, “Is that you,.
Morrison?”
The woman in question recognized his voice as well. She peeked out quizzically and asked, “Cole?”
He instantly came to a realization. “So you’ve been asleep at the back, Mrs. Morrison. I thought you left.”
“What?”
General Morrison asked me to send you back before heading to the military to deal with some business,” he explained. “I didn’t see you anywhere when I left the hospital, so I thought you left on your own.”
She just noticed that the sky was dark. Leaning against the glass, she looked at the densely packed forest and asked, “Where are we?
“The border, heading back to the Norvanian Military,” he replied respectfully.
Stunned, she slumped in her seat.
Where is Nathan? Weren’t they getting a divorce? How did she end
up at the border?
Suzanne was speechless.
Cole looked awkward. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Morrison. This is my fault. I’ll get you on a flight back to Phoenicia first thing in the morning.