As soon as Leah Sterling stepped into the dimly lit, neon-streaked private club room, she was greeted by a chorus of whistles and jeers.
“I’m telling you, Adrian is the man!
It’s three in the morning, and with one phone call, his darling wife comes to pick him up.
Who else here could pull that off?”
“Not me.
At this hour, the only person I could call is a hired driver.”
They had all been drinking heavily and spoke without any regard for Leah’s presence.
It was no secret in their circle that the couple had a strained relationship.
Adrian Hawthorne sat in the middle of the sofa.
He tugged at the corners of his lips and said, “How do you know I didn’t pay?
She’s much more expensive than a driver.”
Five years ago, their two families planned to collaborate on a major project.
To solidify the partnership, Leah’s father had proposed a marriage alliance.
In the business world, joining forces between powerful families was nothing new, so Adrian’s father had agreed to the arrangement.
Adrian was in a relationship at the time, but he was ultimately forced into the marriage.
The wealthy young men in the room all knew that their families would bail them out of any trouble, but once they reached a certain age, they were expected to obediently follow their families’ arrangements for marriage and children.
The marriage alliance had led to a highly successful partnership.
However, Mr.
Sterling later developed a gambling addiction.
His business plummeted, and his company went bankrupt.
Debt collectors even tracked down Adrian, who had no choice but to help pay off several of the debts.
On top of that, he frequently had to provide financial support to Mr.
Sterling.
She was indeed much more expensive than a driver.
At his words, the crowd awkwardly lowered their heads and fell silent.
Ian Sloan spoke up with concern.
“He’s had too much to drink, Leah.
Don’t overthink it, and don’t stoop to a drunk’s level.”
Leah looked at Adrian expressionlessly.
“Get up.
We’re going back.”
Adrian raised his eyes, his narrow, cold gaze fixing on her with a mocking smile.
He stood up and looked at the crowd, his voice lazy and casual.
“Wendy Scott is coming back to the country next week.
We should get together then.
Don’t forget.”
Hearing Wendy Scott’s name, Leah instantly understood why Adrian had been so cynical and mocking toward her lately.
His unforgettable first love was returning.
That explained everything.
She thought about Adrian’s recent hostility.
Although they had only ever been a polite, superficial married couple, he rarely acted like this in the past.
Wendy was his first love.
When Adrian and Leah got married, he had been forced to break up with her.
Following that, Wendy chose to go abroad to further her studies.
She held a vital place in his heart.
Over the past few years, he had never forgotten her, and her name was the only one he murmured in his drunken stupors.
The drive home was silent.
Adrian rested with his eyes closed, the car reeking of alcohol.
Leah knew he wasn’t asleep; he simply didn’t want to talk to her.
She thought for a moment before breaking the silence.
“Find some time in the next few days.
I have something I want to discuss with you.”
Adrian opened his eyes a fraction, the corners of his lips curling into a cold smirk.
“What is it?
Did your dad tell you to come drum up business again?”
His words stung, causing her brow to furrow.
Leah pulled the car over to the side of the road and explained, “No, I—”
“Don’t bite off more than you can chew,” Adrian cut her off, his tone freezing.
“Tell your dad to take it easy.
He only has one daughter.
How many times does he plan to sell her?”
He suddenly pinched Leah’s chin.
The pain made her wince.
“With those projects he has right now, the moment I pull my investment, his cash flow breaks, and jumping off a building will be his only option.” Adrian’s expression looked lethargic from the alcohol, but his words were incredibly callous.
“Do you understand?”
Leah’s lips pressed into a tight line, and she nodded.
Only then did Adrian release her chin.
Silence spread between them, lasting until they reached the villa’s entrance.
Adrian got out of the car and walked into the house.
As Leah followed him, he abruptly stopped in his tracks.
She braked hard to avoid crashing headfirst into his back.
“One more thing,” Adrian said lightly.
“What?”
“Move out of The Verdant.
I’m going on a business trip for three days tomorrow.
I expect you to be gone by the time I get back.”
His expression was impassive.
“Wendy is returning next week and might throw a party here at The Verdant.
If you’re around, it’ll be awkward for her.”
Leah couldn’t help the sour pang in her heart.
Even if one rented a house for five years, they would develop some emotional attachment to it.
Besides, Adrian rarely came home, so she was essentially the only one living at The Verdant.
Having lived there for five years, she was quite used to it.
“Tell her not to throw a party at The Verdant, and she won’t have to be awkward,” Leah said evenly.
Adrian shot her a cold glare.
“Leah, I am informing you, not discussing this with you.”
In their five years of marriage, she had been almost entirely obedient.
It was rare for her to be defiant.
Her sudden stubbornness actually amused him slightly.
He gave a cold half-smile.
“What, do I need to consult you about my premarital property?
“However, if you behave, I can have Robert Rhodes follow up on that business your friend wanted investment for.”
With that, Adrian turned and walked deeper into the house without sparing Leah another glance.
Clearly, it was still just an order, leaving no room for negotiation.
Leah stared at his retreating back for a long time before calling her close friend, Charlotte Quinn.
Charlotte quickly drove over to pick her up.
Charlotte was shocked.
“You’re saying what?!
You didn’t tell him about the divorce, and instead managed to score the investment for my project?”
“He didn’t even wait for me to bring up the divorce before rushing me to move out of the villa.
All because Wendy Scott is coming back.” Leah gave a bitter smile.
“Honestly, he doesn’t need to make it so complicated.
Divorcing me will clear the way for her.”
Their marriage had always come with a specific condition: a five-year time limit.
Once it expired, they would divorce immediately.
She wasn’t sure if Adrian had forgotten or simply didn’t care.
Either way, her existence had zero impact on his life.
He might even enjoy the process of bossing her around for his own amusement.
Charlotte looked at her sympathetically.
“Leah, are you okay?”
“I’m fine.
Just a bit tired.
I’ll come over tomorrow to pack my bags and move out.”
“You’re really moving?”
Leah nodded.
“I’m going to sleep for a bit.
Wake me when we get there.”
As Charlotte drove, she eventually couldn’t hold it in any longer and asked hesitantly, “Leah, are you so dead set on divorcing Adrian because you know he’s coming back—”
Her voice abruptly stopped.
She glanced at the passenger seat and saw that Leah had already fallen asleep.
When Adrian woke up the next day, he went downstairs and walked straight into the kitchen.
But he didn’t see the usual hangover soup and breakfast.
He frowned slightly, feeling a bit out of sorts.
He opened the refrigerator, only to find some random fruits and vegetables.
In the past, whenever he came home drunk, there was always hangover soup waiting for him the following morning.
He had impatiently told her before that there was no need to make it.
But Leah was like a robot running on a fixed program.
Displeased, Adrian turned and went to the bathroom to take a shower.
The moment he stepped out, he received a phone call from his executive assistant, Robert Rhodes.
“Mr.
Hawthorne, a Ms.
Quinn says you told me to discuss an investment project with her in detail.”
Adrian frowned.
“Who is Ms.
Quinn?
I don’t recall.”
“She said she’s Mrs.
Hawthorne’s friend.
Since you promised your wife you’d look into the collaboration, she came over first thing this morning to initiate contact.”
Adrian subconsciously furrowed his brow, a sneer forming on his lips.
“That’s Leah for you.
She can’t even wait until the next business day to claim her benefits.”