Chapter 8

Scarlet did want Rowan to divorce Natalie, but she would never say such a thing in front of Matilda. Natalie gestured for Sarah to sit properly and then walked toward the couch. "If you want me to help her, then let her lie down on the couch," she said to Rowan. Rowan was about to set Imogen down, but she clutched his clothes tightly and shook her head frantically, refusing to let him go. "Take me… to the hospital…" Imogen said with difficulty. At that moment, Lucian walked over to the couch and said, "Rowan, saving a life comes first. Don't let her die here." Every time Lucian addressed him in that tone, Rowan felt an indescribable sense of discomfort. They were clearly the same age, but Lucian, by family hierarchy, was considered a generation above and always carried himself as Rowan's elder. Rowan forcefully pried Imogen's hand away and laid her down on the couch. Suddenly, Natalie reached out and gripped Imogen's throat. "Natalie, what are you doing?" Rowan shouted in shock as he tried to push her away. "Let her treat her!" Matilda said sternly, slamming her hand on the dining table. "If that woman really dies here, I'll take responsibility." Matilda was born into an aristocratic family, so schemes and power plays in elite families were nothing new to her. She had seen them all her life. Whether Imogen was truly choking on a fish bone or merely putting on a performance, her sharp eyes could tell immediately. Lucian stretched out his arm, blocking Rowan and keeping him from reaching the couch. Imogen coughed violently, struggling to catch her ragged breaths. She thrashed violently, striking Natalie's arms over and over until she rolled onto the floor, finally breaking free from Natalie's grip around her throat. "You vicious woman!" Rowan shouted, shoving Lucian aside and knocking Natalie back at the same time. He then helped Imogen to her feet from the floor, his rage barely contained as he shouted at Natalie, "Were you trying to kill Imogen?" Natalie's back slammed against the wall, and sharp pain shot down her arm. "I'm vicious?" Natalie gasped from the pain, then let out a cold laugh. "Weren't you the one begging me to help?" Imogen was still coughing. "See how skilled I am? Look, she's fine now?" Natalie said mockingly, staring at Imogen. Although Imogen's face looked contorted with pain and her eyes were red, whether she was truly choking on a fish bone was something Natalie could tell at a glance. The last time Sarah had a fish bone stuck in her throat, tears had poured endlessly from her eyes, and the veins in her neck had bulged, clearly showing her agony. Rowan had been completely blinded by Imogen's act. Only someone as foolish as him could have been deceived so easily. Lucian instinctively reached out to steady Natalie, but with so many people around, he quietly withdrew his hand. "Imogen, are you okay now?" Rowan asked, his tone protective as he held her gently. "Rowan… I almost died…" Imogen sobbed, her face streaked with tears. The meal ended in chaos. Matilda was deeply distressed by how tensions had spiraled between Rowan and Natalie. She called Natalie into her room and spoke to her in private. "I heard from Scarlet… that you want to divorce Rowan?" Matilda asked, holding Natalie's hand, her concern sincere. "Yes," Natalie replied without denying it. Scarlet was practically itching for Natalie to file for divorce from Rowan immediately. In front of Matilda, she would openly claim it was Natalie's idea, and Natalie wouldn't be the least bit surprised. Scarlet had always feared Matilda's authority, so she dared not push Natalie to divorce Rowan openly. "Is Rowan pressuring you because of that marriage contract?" Matilda asked again. "Grandma, Rowan never agreed to this marriage in the first place," Natalie said calmly. "We were forced together for seven years, and now that Imogen is back, he despises me even more. Instead of resenting each other forever, divorce is better for both of us." She had once believed that as long as she loved him sincerely and devoted herself silently, someday he would see her worth. Unfortunately, Rowan's heart was as cold as stone, and no matter how hard she tried, she could never melt it. The so-called unrequited love—no matter how passionate it had been—had been mercilessly worn down by time. "Can't you reconsider for Roger and Sarah?" Matilda said, tears streaming down her face. "Could you just endure it a little longer?" "It's precisely because of the children that we have to divorce," Natalie replied calmly. What she was enduring now wasn't just a small sacrifice. It was endless suffering. Roger was her own flesh and blood, yet he had long since begun treating Imogen as his mother. If this continued, Natalie feared that even Sarah would one day call Imogen "Mommy". … Rowan didn't get home until almost 10:00 pm that night, and Natalie had to settle things with him tonight, so she stayed up waiting for him. "I'm exhausted today. Go sleep in Sarah's room," Rowan said, irritation flashing across his face when he saw her. "Don't worry, I'm not sleeping here," Natalie said, handing him a divorce agreement. "Read it, and if everything's fine, just sign it." They hadn't shared a bed in years, and under these circumstances, it was impossible to sleep together. "I'll look at it tomorrow," Rowan said, grabbing the divorce agreement and tossing it onto the nightstand. "You'll read it now," Natalie said coldly. "Natalie, I already told you I'm tired. Don't test my patience!" Rowan snapped, irritated by her stubbornness. "Of course you're tired. You're tired the moment you come back to this house, yet you're more than willing to bend over backward for Imogen," Natalie shot back, her temper flaring. She added, "No, this isn't a home at all. It's just the tiniest, most insignificant hideout in all of your many secret retreats." "Have you lost your mind?" Rowan sat upright, staring at her in disbelief. "How dare you speak to me like that?" He couldn't understand what had come over her today. In their seven years of marriage, Natalie had always been submissive and deferential, meek and compliant. Her usual weak nature never allowed her to contradict him, yet tonight she actually shouted at him. "Truth is always unpleasant to hear," Natalie replied. "I'm not your subordinate, so what kind of attitude do you expect?" Seeing the determination in her eyes, Rowan recalled the events earlier that day at the Payne residence. He assumed she was jealous and deliberately lashing out at him. "You teamed up with Lucian to target Roger and Imogen, and I haven't even settled that score with you yet," Rowan accused. "Lucian bullied our son, and as his mother, you didn't even help. Do you even deserve to call yourself Roger's mother?" "Rowan, if you have a problem, take it out on me and don't drag innocent people into it. Roger needed discipline, and since you didn't teach him, Lucian—being part of the Payne family—handled it for you. You should be grateful." This was her problem alone, and she had no intention of dragging Lucian into it. Rowan clenched the blanket tightly, his eyes darkening with rage. He suddenly threw the covers aside and strode toward Natalie. "Did you really get involved with Lucian?" he demanded angrily.