Chapter 1855


    With a furrowed brow, he snapped, "What''s up?"


    The woman was perched on the couch, her phone in hand. "Your phone''s dead?"


    Rising from his bed, Nathan looked around, prompted by her question. She pointed at the coffee


    table, then picked up a ck phone, standing to hand it over to him.


    As Nathan took the phone and opened it, she pursed her lips and said, "I thought it was dead. You


    didn''t get a single call or text all night."


    Without a word, Nathan nced at the phone and tossed it aside, the screen going dark. The


    woman asked, "So really no calls or messagesst night?"


    Nathan stood up, intending to find the bathroom. Upon hearing her words, he seemed particrly


    impatient. "What are you trying to say?"d2


    There was a moment of silence before she spoke, "The stuff from the barst night went viral. I


    thought your wife would''ve called to check in."


    Nathan froze, his hungover eyes darkening as he turned to her, his look menacing.


    She recoiled two steps, her face stricken with fear. "Sorry."


    Nathan looked away, a sarcasticugh escaping him after a moment''s thought. He stormed into the


    bathroom, and the door mmed with a resounding thud.


    He emerged from a quick shower, dressed in a bathrobe, and ignored the bewildered woman on the


    sofa. He grabbed his phone and ordered clothes to be delivered.


    While waiting for his clothes, Nathan ordered breakfast. He didn''t neglect the woman. They ate


    together.


    She didn''t eat much, while Nathan ate like a man with a hearty appetite. She''d seen many people,


    men and women, treat meals like a mere formality, barely nibbling, as if that was enough tost the


    day. Now, she had seen what a real man''s appetite looked like.


    But even this was nothingpared to Nathan''s usual intake. After a night of drinking on an empty


    stomach, he was ufortable and headachy. Eating much was out of the question.


    They ate in silence. When the clothes arrived, he tossed an outfit to the woman, gesturing for her to


    change in the bathroom. Sheplied, puzzled, and when she returned, Nathan was transformed.


    Dressed in a crisp suit, his hair casually styled, he exuded an aristocratic charm, a rakish allure.


    "Let''s go," he said emotionlessly, opening the door.


    Her heart racing, she followed him out, pausing to murmur, "We really don''t have to do this."


    He walked on without listening.


    The bar was quiet in the morningpared to the previous night''s revelry. The patrons were


    lethargic, silently preparing to leave, their spirits downcast.


    But as they saw Nathan and the woman leave together, their expressions were oddly knowing.


    Nathan sensed something amiss. "What were you about to say?" he asked her, eyes fixed forward.


    Startled, she whispered back, "You made headlines at the barst night. If it was all an act, you


    seeded. But I''m not sure if this morning turned out how you wanted."


    Outside the bar, they breathed in the fresh air. "What didn''t turn out as I wanted?" he pressed.


    She hesitated to reply, so he turned to her, only to have her phone thrust in his face.


    The headlines red: "Harper family''s second daughter-inw leaves with ex, both head to work."


    "Nathan and his wife, living separate lives."


    "Old me rekindled, Nathan''s wife indifferent to scandal."


    Nathan''s face turned ashen.


    No wonder the woman pitied him.


    No wonder she emphasized his silent phone.


    No wonder those bar patrons looked at him so meaningfully.


    Had Yulia truly left without a word, off to work sweetly with her ex, ignoring the scandal?


    Yulia, well yed.


    His assistant pulled up in the car, and Nathan strode in, leaving the woman behind. Embarrassed


    but relieved, she watched him go.


    Nathan''s first impulse had been to storm into Yulia''s office, but he soon reined himself in. Why


    should he care? Why should he be the one led by the nose?


    He rerouted to his office.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    The news buzzed online. Yulia and Ronald''s lunch further fanned the mes. The Harper Group


    building was tense, the atmosphere thick with unease. Everyone was on edge, and Nathan''s office


    was silent all day. Despite his work, no personal calls came through.


    As night fell, Ronald''s dinner ns with Yulia were rejected. "Anya''s waiting for me at home. I''ll skip


    dinner," said Yulia, her voice casual but with an undercurrent of fatigue.


    Ronald didn''t press the matter. "Bring Anya with you this weekend," he suggested.


    Yulia nced at him as she unbuckled her seat belt. "We''ll see," she replied nomittally.


    "Yulia, I''m really fond of Anya."


    "Yeah."


    With that, Yulia turned to open the car door, but as she did, her movement halted abruptly.


    The streemp outside the apartmentplex cast a bright light, and moths fluttered in its halo on


    the edge of visibility. The parking lot, however, remained dim.


    A tall figure leaned against the front of a car, arms crossed, seemingly watching their direction. Yulia


    felt a tightness in her chest as she squinted to get a better look, but before she could process the


    sight, Ronald''s hand hooked her shoulder, pulling her back with an unexpected kiss on her


    forehead. Yulia''s body stiffened, her eyes blinked in surprise, and before she could react, she


    suddenly tumbled out of the car.


    Ronald reached out to catch her, but he was a step toote. Yulia''s knee scraped the ground as she


    was yanked out of the car, her posture awkward and forced.


    Seeing this, Ronald immediately opened his door and got out of the car.


    As he rounded the vehicle, Nathan''s features became clear. His rugged good looks and tall,


    imposing stature exuded a wild, untamed air,ced with an innate aristocracy. His masculine


    presence was undeniable.


    Compared to his earlier silence, Nathan now resembled a lion that had been stepped on—a raw


    embodiment of territorial infringement.


    Ronald paused for only a moment before stepping forward, his voice steady. "Let her go."


    The man''s fist, driven by fury,nded on Ronald''s face.


    Ronald staggered, his arm bracing against the car''s hood.


    Nathan was well-protected by Damon when he was younger, but after all, being a boy, he also


    developed an interest in some martial arts. Despite Damon being strict, he still learned a few things


    from him.


    Blood trickled from the corner of Ronald''s mouth.


    Yulia, still reeling from being abruptly pulled from the car, was stunned by the sudden violence.


    Nathan advanced on Ronald, gripping his shirt, his expression and tone equally fierce. "Who gave


    you the right to touch her?"


    Ronald sneered, "Nathan, had enough fun with other women and now you''re looking for some


    attention?"


    The words were a p to Nathan''s face—a reminder of the previous night''s escapades at the bar, a


    self-inflicted blow.


    But the truth wasn''t like that. He hadn''t nned to lose control like this. He just knew Yulia hadn''t


    come home that night and found himself irrationally waiting for her here. There was no reason to be


    this impulsive, yet seeing Ronald driving her home ignited a towering inferno within him.


    And then Ronald kissed her. The fury found its vent, erupting with force.


    How did he feel? Still angry, with no relief in sight.


    His suit jacket''s buttons hade undone in the scuffle. Every muscle in his body tensed with the


    impact of his punch. His clenched fists and the muscles straining against his shirt seemed ready to


    burst. Every inch of him was ufortable, but his heart clenched painfully.


    The image of Yulia being kissed shed through his mind, puncturing his heart. He knew he


    shouldn''t have gone to see her this morning, and he shouldn''t have let her draw out his emotions.


    Yet he had lost control. It was all so unclear.


    "You have no shame, do you? She is my wife now."


    "And what is a wife to you? A doll in the house for you to mold as you please?"


    "This is our damn business. What''s it to you?!"


    Ronald''s coldughter cut through the tension. "I love her, does that count?"


    Nathan''s forehead veins bulged, his grip on Ronald''s shirt creaking with tension. That was when


    Yulia finally came to her senses, reaching for Nathan''s clenched hand on Ronald''s shirt. "Nathan,


    what are you doing?! Let him go."


    Nathan looked at her hand trying to pry his away, his gaze shifting to the corner of his eyes, "Let


    go."


    Yulia''s brow furrowed. "Nathan!"


    "Believe me or not, I could kill him."


    Yulia''s eyes flickered, her grip on his hand involuntarily loosening.


    With a coldugh, Nathan''s anger swirled uncontrobly. When she intervened, he was furious.


    When sheplied and let go, he was even more furious.


    "You''re that worried about him?"


    Yulia pressed her lips together, looking up at him. "Nathan, it doesn''t involve anyone else. I actually


    have something I want to discuss with you."


    Nathan''s gaze seemed to be pricked by something, suddenly retracting. "Discuss what?"


    "Let him go first."


    "Will you talk or not?"


    His dominance was unshakable, and Yulia had no choice but topromise after a moment of


    silence. "I know you''ve been reminding me to initiate a divorce. Fine, I agree. Let''s get divorced. So


    you don''t have to make such a big scene, tarnishing your own reputation with headlines, just to hint


    at me."


    Nathan felt as if his scalp was being pricked by countless icy needles. "I hinted for you to initiate a


    divorce?"


    Yulia nodded. "As you wish."


    Nathan watched her for a long moment, then suddenly let out a dry, bitterugh, releasing Ronald


    and turning to Yulia. "What, your ex-boyfriend agreed to give you his shares?"


    Yulia''s lips tightened, and she nced at Ronald, who was now free, without a word.


    "So I''m useless now."


    Her eyes narrowed slightly, with a bitter smile on her face.


    "Nathan." Ronald, wiping the blood from his lip, suddenly called out to him.


    Nathan looked over as Ronald stood tall, sneering.


    "Not only am I willing to give my shares to Yulia unconditionally, but I can also provide her and Anya


    with aplete home."


    Yulia was taken aback, then shouted angrily, "Ronald!"


    Nathan turned slightly, his cold gaze fixed on Ronald. "What do you mean by that?"


    Ronald grinned as he locked eyes with Nathan, his voice casual, "Anya is my daughter."


    "Ronald, what the heck?!"


    Yulia''s mind felt like it had exploded. She never saw iting, Ronald dropping a bombshell like


    that. She could feel the grip on her hand tighten suddenly, almost to the point of crushing her wrist.


    "Anya is mine and Yulia''s daughter. Nathan, you got that?"


    "Shut it, Ronald! What are you on about?!"