"That''s right, Mr. Sinir. We were going to find you," Wendy chimed in.


    Given the situation, thest thing they wanted was for Ivan to find out they were actually trying to run away with his belongings.


    "Mr. Sinir, after you left the hospital, Mrs. Sinir was worried about you. She called your secretary to check on thepany and found out that something big had happened."


    Wendy suddenly dropped to her knees in front of Ivan, wiping her tears as she pleaded for Julia.


    "Mr. Sinir, even if you don''t believe how loyal Mrs. Sinir is, how could you just believe rumors and p her? She''s never been in great health, yet she still forced herself toe back and help you."


    "Is that so?" Ivan still looked doubtful.


    Not long ago, when he was in his office furious at thetest crisis, he received an anonymous email. He opened it to find only a few photos and two paternity tests.


    One test showed that he had no biological connection to Ruby. He was not her father. The other test confirmed that Sophia was indeed his real daughter.


    As for the photos, they showed Julia being intimate with another man.


    After seeing the photos and the test results, Ivan would have to be a fool not to realize what was going on.


    He also remembered what Noah had said to him at Goodwill Pharmacy. Anger consumed him. He abandoned everything at Sinir Group and rushed home to confront Julia.


    The moment he arrived and saw Julia and Wendy clearly preparing to flee, he was certain she''d betrayed him. That was why he pped her without hesitation.


    But now, hearing Julia sob and cough as she tearfully insisted on her innocence and listening to Wendy''s exnation, Ivan began to wonder if maybe he had been too rash.


    "Honey, aren''t you going to help me up?" Julia coughed a little more, her eyes still filled with tears. She reached out to Ivan, her voice soft and pleading.


    Ivan stepped forward and helped her to her feet.


    "Honey, I know thepany is in trouble, and you''re upset about it. But you can''t just pin everything on me without understanding the situation."


    Julia leaned against him, coughing and looking pitiful. "I''ve gathered all the valuable things you gave me. Take a look and see what you need. I support you no matter what."


    Ivan nced at the scattered gold and jewels on the ground, then at the suitcases in the car. His heart softened.


    "Julia, it''s kind of you to think that way."


    "As long as it helps you, I don''t mind being wronged."


    "Keep these for yourself. Thepany might be in trouble, but I can''t bring myself to take your things," Ivan said, kissing her forehead. "Just put them back insideter."


    "Honey, I want to know who told you such nonsense about me cheating on you," Julia said gently, though rm shed behind her eyes. She had to keep her nerves steady.


    "I''m not scared if you don''t love me. I''m just scared you''ll listen to someone else''s lies and doubt how deeply I love you." She softened her voice, almost stering herself against him.


    Suddenly, her phone began to ring. She turned away and said, "Hold on, honey. Let me take this call."


    "What sort of call can''t you answer in my presence?" Ivan was still a bit suspicious. He saw how she acted and immediately grabbed her phone.


    "It''s just a spam call," she blurted in her panic.


    "Right. A spam call in the middle of the night?" Ivan red and answered it, ignoring her attempts to stop him.


    "Julia, why aren''t you here yet? I''ve been waiting half an hour." A man''s voice came from the other end the moment he picked up.


    "You''re not going back to that old geezer again, are you? I miss you. I think about you every day. Julia, I can''t wait to hug you and kiss you. I want to sleep with you."


    "Don''t say another word!" Julia cried sharply, but it was already toote.


    Ivan struck her across the face again. "You shameless woman! You were just lying


    to me. This time, I have solid proof. Got anything else to say?"


    He was so enraged his chest heaved. He still hadn''t hung up, so he yelled into the phone at the unknown man, "Who the hell are you? Who!"


    The man on the other end hung up immediately.


    "Julia, I almost believed you again." Ivan grabbed her by the hair and pped her across the face over and over. "You''re going to keep lying to me, huh? You liar!"


    "Ah!" Julia screamed. "Stop! Stop hitting me!"


    The more she screamed, the more he hit.


    "You wretch! you ungrateful wretch! I gave you everything and even forced Samantha into the convent because of you! And now you dare im you never betrayed me? That there''s no other man? I swear, I''m going to kill you!"


    "Enough!"


    No one had noticed Wendy picking up a loose brick. She crept behind Ivan and mmed the brick into his head.


    Ivan copsed to the ground. Wendy threw away the brick and hurried to help Julia up.


    Julia kept coughing, her chest tightening as her vision blurred, and she was seeing stars.


    "Come on, Julia. Let''s go." Wendy helped Julia to the car before turning to give Ivan a sharp kick.


    "You old scumbag! Did you really think Julia wanted you for anything other than your money? You''re hideous, and you''re useless in bed. What right do you have to expect her to stay faithful?"


    "You! Guards, get them!" Ivan yelled furiously.


    However, the bodyguards didn''t move to capture Julia and Wendy. Instead, they surrounded him.


    "Ivan, didn''t expect this, did you? We already bribed the guards before you showed up." Wendy spoke with smug arrogance. "Now rot here on your own. Julia, let''s go."


    "Stop! I said stop!" Ivan roared.


    Julia and Wendy got into the car and sped away. After they left, the bodyguards retreated. Soon, they vanished altogether.


    Not far away, Natalie watched the entire scene, clicking her tongue in amusement.


    What a show they put on. One moment, they acted like devoted lovers, and the next, they turned on each other. It was quite something to see.


    She was about to step forward and have a few words with Ivan, but Marcus suddenly grabbed her arm.


    "You''ve seen the show. Let''s go."


    "What?" Natalie didn''t understand. "We''re just leaving?"


    "Yes. Sinir Group is on the verge of copse. Let''s go back and e prepare to take over." He led her to the car and fastened her seat belt. "If you''re tired, take a nap. I''ll wake you when we get there."