While Ben Linden was on his way, Caleb Lawford signed all the contracts that Julian Crestwood had delivered.
He set down his pen.
The only thing left unsigned was the blank space for his signature on the divorce agreement.
When Ben Linden walked in, he found Caleb Lawford staring grimly at a sheet of paper on his desk.
“President Lawford?”
Ben Linden prompted gently.
Caleb Lawford snapped out of it and quickly signed the divorce agreement.
Without a trace of hesitation.
Ben Linden leaned in for a closer look.
His eyes widened when he saw the two words “Divorce Agreement,” and he began to stammer, “Th-th-this… President Lawford… Is this…”
He rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
The two-word signature, “Ruby Grant,” on the final page was even clearer now.
Only when Caleb Lawford tucked the divorce agreement back into the stack of documents did the sharp-eyed Ben Linden see what his boss had written.
Carson Lawford.
Ben Linden: ?
After ruling out the possibility that President Lawford had changed his name, he looked up and met Caleb Lawford’s impassive gaze.
The two of them left the office, one after the other.
Caleb Lawford casually tossed the documents in his hand to Julian Crestwood.
“Leo Crestwood is so considerate of his subordinates, it would be wrong of me to dawdle.”
He curled his lips, but his eyes were void of emotion, dark and deep like a bottomless pool.
For some reason, Julian Crestwood broke out in goosebumps.
President Lawford had always been inscrutable, but this time his gaze held a strange quality that was both intimidating and sent a chill down Julian’s spine.
The heart he had worked so hard to calm began to pound in his chest again.
‘President Lawford… He hasn’t found out, has he?’
Julian Crestwood shot another cautious glance at Caleb Lawford, but he couldn’t read his expression.
He had no choice but to brace himself and accept the documents.
“I’ll be going now, President Lawford.”
As Julian Crestwood turned to leave, Caleb Lawford narrowed his eyes at his back, his expression turning dangerous and sinister.
“Follow him.”
“Find her.”
Julian Crestwood had no idea he was already being followed.
Once he was in his car, he pulled the divorce agreement from the stack of contracts.
He breathed a sigh of relief when he confirmed Caleb Lawford had signed it.
Julian Crestwood’s grip on the divorce agreement tightened.
He started the car and drove back to the old house.
The movie was about to end, so he didn’t bother checking the divorce agreement again.
He just dropped it off at home and hurried to the movie theater.
Worried she’d keep Julian Crestwood waiting, Ruby Grant left the theater early with Ceci in her arms.
“Is Ceci sleepy?”
The swaddled baby’s eyes were closed.
Julian Crestwood deliberately lowered his voice.
Ruby Grant smiled and nodded, getting into the back seat with Ceci in her arms.
The scenery flew past the car window.
By some unspoken agreement, neither of them spoke.
Ruby Grant quietly gazed out the window.
The sky had turned completely dark, and the shadows of sidewalk trees flickered past in rows.
Ceci felt so light.
Ruby Grant gazed down at the swaddled baby with deep affection.
But that one glance down was enough to make her miss the pair of eyes in a luxury car not far away, staring intently at her.
The gaze was like that of a forest wolf that had locked onto its prey—sinister and obsessive.
“President Lawford, that looks like… Mrs.
Lawford?”
Ben Linden began cautiously.
He risked a glance at Caleb Lawford’s grim expression in the rearview mirror before quickly lowering his head.
Caleb Lawford narrowed his eyes, watching Julian Crestwood’s car disappear from view.
He had originally intended to have Ben Linden send someone to follow them, but on some strange impulse, he had gotten into the back seat himself.
‘He wanted to see with his own eyes who she was with, now that she had left him.’
‘Julian Crestwood?’
‘That blockhead lawyer she’d single-handedly promoted?’
An icy aura radiated from Caleb Lawford, making Ben Linden shudder.
“President Lawford, it looks like they’re heading for a residential lane on the outskirts of the city.
Should we follow them?”
Ben Linden asked in a low voice, feeling a knot of anxiety for Ruby Grant.
‘Mrs.
Lawford, really…’
‘When she was released from prison, President Lawford had specifically cleared his schedule to pick her up.
Not only did she not show up, but she went and moved in with another man without so much as a word.’
‘And on top of that, she had someone else deliver divorce papers for him to sign.’
The mere thought sent a shiver of fear through Ben Linden, and he didn’t dare meet Caleb Lawford’s eyes.
“Follow them.”
The moment the order was given, Ben Linden floored the accelerator.
Neither Ruby Grant nor Julian Crestwood noticed the car tailing them.
When their car stopped at the front door, the other vehicle also came to a silent halt a short distance away.
Ruby Grant got out of the car with Ceci in her arms, casting an uneasy glance toward the shadows.
The car’s lights were off, and it was lurking deep in the alley, looking somewhat sinister and menacing.
Ruby Grant furrowed her brow, quickened her pace, and held Ceci a little tighter.
She didn’t know why, but she couldn’t shake the feeling of a pair of eyes on her back, which made her extremely uncomfortable.
It wasn’t until Julian Crestwood switched on the overhead light inside that he noticed Ruby Grant’s face was deathly pale.
“What’s wrong?”
He was startled.
Ruby Grant pressed her lips together, her heart pounding.
“It’s nothing.
I’m just a little tired.”
“Then you should get some rest.”
Julian Crestwood opened the bedroom door for her.
Ruby Grant suppressed her unease and nodded at him.
About half an hour later, the light in Ruby Grant’s room went out.
Julian Crestwood sat in the living room, clutching the signed divorce agreement in his hand.
Making sure Ruby Grant was asleep, he tiptoed to her door, pushed it open, and placed the divorce agreement on her bedside table.
In the pitch-dark room, Julian Crestwood couldn’t help but steal another glance at Ruby Grant, who was fast asleep.
His eyes burned with fervent anticipation.
Baby Ceci was sleeping soundly, snuggled up to her mother.
‘Let this be a surprise for her and the baby,’ he thought.
Julian Crestwood thought to himself, returning to his own bedroom with a sense of satisfaction.
As he walked, he couldn’t help but imagine the look on Ruby Grant’s face tomorrow when she saw the signed divorce agreement.
‘She’ll be so happy!’
The old house was plunged into complete darkness.
But then, a faint sound came from the front door.
“CLICK—”
A tall, slender figure suddenly appeared in the narrow hallway, making the otherwise spacious house feel cramped and small.
Caleb Lawford’s eyes narrowed.
His gaze swept over the simple, plain furnishings before locking onto Ruby Grant’s closed bedroom door.
It was just a simple door, but Caleb’s gaze intensified, as if it could pierce straight through the wood and pin down the person inside.