Chapter 3

At the courthouse, Natalie immediately spotted Jeffrey standing by the entrance. He was dressed in a sharp suit, looking as immaculate as ever. Even after all these years, his face still took her breath away. With his chiseled features, high nose, and cold, commanding eyes, he exuded both strength and authority. He had gone from a young, fresh-faced guy to a confident, successful player in the finance world, and now, he had a new sense of maturity and calm. Holding the documents in his hands, Jeffrey lifted his gaze toward Natalie, who was walking over to him. When he saw her, the furrow in his brow softened just a little. Without a word, he turned and headed straight for the divorce department. Natalie followed behind him. The room was unnervingly quiet as the air conditioning chilled both of them to the core. Soon, the clerk took their documents, asking, "What's the reason for the divorce?" The question hung in the air, leaving both of them silent for a moment. It seemed that neither of them could bring themselves to say the real reason. Finally, Natalie spoke. "We've grown apart." As she spoke, her fingers involuntarily curled into a tight fist. Jeffrey glanced down at her hands and suddenly noticed the red rashes on them. Then, his gaze flicked to her lips, where similar red spots had formed. He hadn't really looked at her all this time, so he only noticed then. Feeling his eyes on her, Natalie lowered her head. He spoke with a hint of scorn in his voice. "Are you trying to play the martyr now?" Natalie's heart skipped. Jeffrey remembered the cake last night. "You're allergic to mangoes, right? Did you think this self-inflicted pain would make me feel sorry for you?" For a moment, she had been touched by his first sentence. He remembered, after all. But then, his second sentence shattered that fleeting hope. She didn't respond to him. Instead, she turned to the clerk, speaking clearly. "We're here to get a divorce." "Right. Come back in a month to finish the procedure." The clerk returned the documents to them. "Understood. Thank you," Natalie replied. She remained so calm and composed that the staff couldn't help but add, "You have such a handsome husband. Are you really going to let him go? Won't you regret it?" Natalie laughed. "I think he'll regret it." He would never meet anyone who loved him the way she did. Jeffrey scoffed under his breath. This was ridiculous. She had lost her mind and was now spouting nonsense! "That's not going to happen," he muttered with a sneer. Regret? It wasn't even a possibility. As they stepped out of the courthouse, the heat outside hit them instantly, melting away the cold from the air-conditioned room. "Where's the divorce agreement?" Jeffrey asked. "Hand it over. I'll sign it now." He was eager to get it over with, not wanting to waste any more time. Natalie's hand reached into her bag, and just as she felt the papers, she froze. She had forgotten something very important. In her rush this morning, she hadn't placed the surgery consent form with the divorce papers! She couldn't possibly bring the consent form separately to him. If she did, he would know about her pregnancy. Jeffrey noticed her pause. "Hm?" "I…" Natalie trailed off before quickly continuing, "I haven't finished writing it up yet. Just give me a little more time." Jeffrey narrowed his eyes, smirking. "Is this your way of delaying the divorce?" "You're overthinking it, Jeffrey. As soon as it's done, I'll bring it to you to sign. It won't be a problem." She turned and walked away, her posture straight as she tried to hold onto her dignity. For years, she had been subservient to him. Now, she was leaving with pride. Jeffrey let out a snort and turned in the opposite direction, walking away. His Maybach and assistant, Ryan Baker, were waiting by the curb. Ryan opened the back door. "Mr. Foster." Jeffrey got in, and the car started moving. Just as they approached the next intersection, they suddenly heard a strange noise, followed by the car coming to an abrupt stop. The sudden jolt caused Jeffrey to lurch forward. "There seems to be an issue with the tire," the driver said nervously. "Mr. Foster, please wait. I'll check it out." Jeffrey, frustrated, pressed his fingers to his forehead and looked out the window. Coincidentally, he spotted Natalie waiting at the bus stop. Suddenly, a black Bentley rolled up beside her, and a man got out, walking straight toward her. Jeffrey recognized him right away. It was Johnson Payton, Natalie's senior from Andby University, and the former student union president. Natalie was the vice-president back then. It hit him hard then. She had been so calm about the divorce because she already had someone else lined up! Anger bubbled up within Jeffrey. Even though he didn't love her and never really wanted to be married to her, it stung. She had been his wife for years, yet here she was, out with another man right after getting a divorce from him. What was he to her? Was this the love Natalie had been talking about all these years? He tugged at his tie, trying to push the feeling down. Meanwhile, standing at the bus stop, Natalie froze when she saw Johnson approaching. "Johnson." Johnson looked at her, his voice low and reassuring. "I heard you got divorced." Natalie blinked. How did he know? She and Jeffrey were the only ones who knew. Sensing her confusion, Johnson said, "I guessed. Abigail is back, and there's no way Jeffrey would stay married to you now." Natalie stayed silent. "Natalie, the promise I made to you the night before your wedding five years ago still stands." Back then, Johnson had told her that one day, when she had made up her mind and gotten a divorce, he would be waiting to marry her. Natalie smiled softly. "Johnson, won't this count as a rebound?" "If Jeffrey can cheat on you while married, why can't you get a rebound?" Natalie shook her head. "It wouldn't be fair to you." She was a divorced woman, and she was pregnant. This wasn't a "buy one free one" deal. Why should Johnson have to take responsibility for her life choices? No man would want to become a father for children that were not his. "I don't want to start another relationship. Love is too painful." She had been treated so unfairly in her relationship with Jeffrey. "But Natalie, once Jeffrey finds out you're carrying his child, even if you're divorced, he'll fight you for custody." Natalie paused, staring at him. He seemed to know everything. Johnson explained, "I've noticed how often you've been going to the hospital lately. Anyone who cares about you would notice." Only Jeffrey didn't care. He didn't keep track of her life. After a momentary pause, Natalie finally said, "He won't want the child." He had made it clear that he hated her and everything related to her, including her children. "Even if he doesn't want the child, the Foster family will," Johnson said. If that happened, raising the child by herself would be nothing more than a pipe dream. Johnson stepped closer. "Natalie, I can be the child's legal father." "Thank you for your kindness, Johnson, but I really don't want to drag you into this." "I'm more than willing to." Just as Natalie was about to respond, a loud honking cut through the air. A Maybach drove up to them, slowing down to a crawl as the rear window rolled down to reveal Jeffrey's sharp side profile.