Chapter 2Seven Years of Waiting, Never His Home

I turned to leave.

But Maya’s words were like a thorn, piercing my mind, causing pain at every turn.

In seven years of marriage, I had never checked Julian Goldsberry’s phone.

His wallpaper was me; I had always known that.

But I never imagined that a woman would live with such a mindset, believing that being young and pretty justified intruding on someone else’s marriage, and saying it so calmly.

I felt it wasn’t worth it for her, nor for myself.

And even less for the tiny life forming in my belly.

As I started the car, my mind was filled with all of Julian Goldsberry’s good qualities.

All those good things I thought were unique, belonging only to me.

I didn’t sleep well, so he would warm milk for me before bed—a habit he kept for seven years.

His phone also had a recipe app.

It was full of my favorite dishes, like when to add sugar to sweet and sour pork ribs, and how many minutes to steam crabs.

He would also collect movie ticket stubs we’d seen together, like a teenager.

How could such a man not love me?

But he did the same things for someone else.

He delivered meals to Maya, remembered her class schedule to meet her, went shopping with her, and gave her identical gifts to make her happy.

I blinked, swallowing the stinging tears back into my eyes.

Three days later, Julian Goldsberry returned.

Kisses rained down on my face, trailing downwards.

“Sweetheart, I missed you so much.”

His lips pressed against the hollow of my neck. “Why are you so thin? Were you missing me too much to eat properly?”

Who would have thought that the stern man at the company would be like this at home?

“I brought you a gift.”

He proudly produced a bottle of red wine. “It’s your favorite brand. I went out of my way to pick it up.”

“Shall we have some tonight?”

I looked at the bottle of wine.

Every time he went on a business trip, he would bring back a thoughtful gift for me.

I used to ask him how he knew what I liked.

Once, he brought back a bracelet, saying he’d overheard me mentioning it casually on the phone with Chloe.

He had kept it in mind.

But after seeing all those “matching surprises” at Maya’s place, I started to find this bottle of red wine an eyesore.

At this very moment, would a bottle also appear simultaneously at that girl’s apartment?

Just then, my phone rang.

Julian Goldsberry glanced at it, then quickly pressed ignore.

It rang again, and he pressed ignore again.

When it rang for the third time, I silently brushed his hand away and walked towards the dining table.

Julian Goldsberry answered the phone and walked to the balcony. In less than a minute, he returned, offering an explanation.

“Company matters, an intern, always causing problems.”

I nodded. “Sit down and eat first.”

I was ready to confront him.

After all, the fate of the baby in my belly needed a decision, right?

But just as I was about to speak, his phone vibrated again.

This time it was a text message.

He looked down at it, his face instantly changed, and he shot up from his chair.

“What’s wrong?”

Julian Goldsberry’s voice was urgent. “Something urgent came up at the company. I need to go out.”

With that, he was already putting on his coat, fumbling for his car keys.

I looked at his retreating figure and suddenly spoke, “Let Leo go with you. It’s late, and it’s not convenient to drive alone.”

Julian Goldsberry nodded, not refusing.

After the door closed, I sat at the dining table and smiled faintly.

Leo was my confidant.

I also wanted to know what kind of trouble Maya Vance was really brewing, causing such a frantic rush in the middle of the night.

“Shay, that girl is pregnant.”

Leo called, his tone serious. “Mr. Goldsberry went because of that. They met at the hospital last night and are now eating at a private restaurant.”

“Shay, are you okay?”

I relaxed my fingers, which had been digging into my palm, and let out a forced sigh of relief.

“Where is that private restaurant?”

When I arrived, they were still in the private room.

The door was ajar, and Maya’s voice drifted out.

“Mr. Goldsberry, do you really love your wife that much?”

“Her belly hasn’t shown any movement for so long. Have you… have you considered divorce?”

A few seconds of silence passed inside.

I stood at the doorway, my hand clutching my bag strap.

“Mr. Goldsberry, what if you don’t divorce, and she doesn’t accept the baby in my belly? I’m serious. I want to keep this child.”

Julian Goldsberry’s voice was filled with exhaustion. “Maya, stop it.”

“I’m not making a fuss.”

She sounded deeply wronged. “I just don’t understand, what is it about her that you can’t let go of? Didn’t you say she had been with someone else back then? If you despise her so much, why not divorce her?”

My whole body stiffened.

“Don’t you feel disgusted when you lie beside her?”

“Maya.”

“Alright, alright, I won’t say it anymore. So, are you going to divorce her or not?”

“Not now.”

“Then when?”

Another stretch of silence.

I stood at the doorway, utterly cold.