Chapter 2Dead Wife Walking

Caleb's outrageous behavior caused an uproar.

"You ungrateful brat! You're trying to steal your benefactor's wife? Have you no shame?"

"Biting the hand that feeds you... I despise people like you!"

But my friends' accusations only earned an eye-roll from him.

"You all think Julian Thorne is some saint? You've all been duped."

Caleb looked righteous, as if he were exposing a massive conspiracy.

"Julian is just using Ava's money to build his own reputation. He hasn't spent a dime of his own money, but he takes all the credit!"

"He wants to package himself as a good guy to morally blackmail Ava so she can't divorce him."

Caleb's voice rose with emotion.

He looked indignant, as if seeking justice for Ava.

"Ava has to pay to support him, pay for his charity work, and in the end, he won't even give her a child."

"He is the most vicious, immoral person here. Everything I'm doing is to rescue Ava!"

Caleb had successfully painted himself as a hero in his own mind.

But the crowd wasn't buying it.

"Are you insane? Spouting nonsense and wrecking a marriage... being a homewrecker..."

Caleb was visibly triggered.

He grabbed a bowl and hurled it at the person who spoke.

"Homewrecker? I am repaying a debt of gratitude!"

"Once I found out Ava was my true benefactor, I used my young, strong body to repay her."

Everyone was stunned by his shamelessness.

Before I could explain, Caleb noticed Sophia, who was still holding onto me.

His eyes lit up, as if he'd found the smoking gun.

"Well, well, Julian. Not only do you use Ava's money to look good, you use it to keep a mistress."

Sophia frowned, displeased.

"Show some respect. I am Julian's official girlfriend."

Caleb scoffed.

He pointed at Sophia mockingly.

"Julian is an impotent old man. How could he land a young, pretty girl like you?"

"Stop pretending. You're just his sugar baby!"

Caleb gleefully pulled out his phone and started snapping photos of us.

"If you don't divorce her willingly, I'll blow up your affair. You'll leave the marriage with nothing and owe Ava money!"

I looked at my ruined birthday party and sighed.

Maybe the academic pressure had finally cracked Caleb's mind.

I didn't argue. Instead, I patted his shoulder calmly.

"Caleb, calm down and listen to me."

"You're mistaken. I have always been your sponsor. Every cent you received came from me."

I exchanged a wry smile with Sophia.

"Because the Ava Rhodes you're talking about... died in an avalanche three years ago. I was there..."