Chapter 1856


    Yulia''s struggle to break free from Nathan''s grip was futile. She was incensed, nearly losing her


    mind.


    How could he bring up Anya out of the blue?


    Her mind was a nk te, her only thought was to deny everything.


    Ronald simply stared at Nathan, a bruise marring his otherwise handsome face, and his faint smirk


    was unbearably irritating. "It was a sham marriage from the start. Thanks for ying house, but it''s


    time she came back to me."


    Yulia''s entire body trembled. "Shut up, Ronald. Just shut up!"


    In the next moment, she stumbled, and before she could regain her footing, Nathan had dragged


    her through the lobby of the apartmentplex without further discussion.d2


    "Nathan!" Yulia had no clue what he was nning, but a sense of dread overwhelmed her.


    Throwing Yulia into the elevator, Nathan frantically jabbed the close button before Ronald could


    catch up. The elevator, holding just the two of them, was charged with tension, their rapid breathing


    the only sound.


    Pressed against the cold metal walls, Yulia pursed her lips, her face ashen, barely daring to breathe


    too loudly. She was on high alert, watching Nathan for any sudden moves, terrified of the darkness


    she saw in him. Her wrist, gripped tightly in his hand, throbbed painfully, as if her blood flow had


    been cut off.


    "So, Anya isn''t your sister, huh?" Nathan''s voice, cold and harsh, made her flinch.


    It was a statement, not a question.


    "No, Anya is my sister..."


    Nathan let out a bitterugh, turning to her with a menacing look. "Yulia, do you really think DNA


    can''t tell the difference between sisters and a mother-daughter pair?"


    Her fingertips trembled, and after a fleeting panic in her eyes, despair took over.


    The elevator doors slid open, and Nathan yanked her out. They burst into the apartment where


    Carly was looking after Anya. Hearing themotion, Carly barely had time to rise before Nathan


    stormed in with Yulia stumbling behind, looking disheveled.


    Startled, Carly quickly covered Anya''s eyes and stayed silent. There was no time for greetings


    before the pair ascended the stairs.


    Yulia was flung onto the bed. Nathan loomed over her, his legs pinning her down.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Her voice shook. "Nathan..."


    He pressed down on her shoulders, leaning in to meet her gaze.


    Apart from his angry eyes, he made no move.


    Despite her fear, Yulia could still see the unmistakable disdain in Nathan''s eyes. She suddenly felt


    calm. Of course. How could she forget? He was a Harper, with any woman at his beck and call.


    Clean, docile, a dime a dozen, just like histest fling, that was what he preferred. Not someone like


    her, who schemed her way up, dirty and calcting, willing to sell herself for gain, and now, even


    had a child with another man.


    He had every right to loathe her.


    Nathan didn''t touch her. He rolled off and stood by the bed, looking down at her. "Are you going to


    come clean, or should I take Anya to the hospital myself?"


    Yulia tensed once more. She sat up, meeting his gaze. "Whether she''s my sister or my daughter, it''s


    none of your business. You''ve been wanting a divorce, right? I''ll agree to it."


    Silence fell like death.


    Yulia bit her lip. "I appreciate your patience these past days. I''ve been content. I''ve dragged the


    divorce out too long, and it''s time it ended."


    "Is it time, or have you found a surefire escape and think I''m of no further use to you?"


    Yulia fell silent, then said slowly, "Think what you want. As long as you''re satisfied, that''s all that


    matters to me."


    She was ustomed to his disdain and insults. What more could she not endure? It was her fault,


    after all.


    Her eptance only fueled Nathan''s scorn. "Yulia, you''re unbelievable. You shamelessly schemed


    into marriage, and now you''re shamelessly seeking a way out. Well, your dignity isn''t worth much.


    Seems like you''ve put a price on yours, and I doubt anyone''s dignity is worth more than yours."


    Yulia bit her lip harder, enduring Nathan''s insults in silence.


    "But are you really content? After being tossed aside without a second thought, you''re still eager to


    crawl back? Tell me, Yulia, have you always been this desperate, or do you think you can''t survive


    without a man?"


    Yulia swallowed hard, feeling a painful dryness in her throat. "You''re right, I have no shame, and


    you''ve known that from day one."


    Her confession made Nathan feel like he was about to explode.


    "I can''t even imagine what Anya will turn into under your guidance."


    "It doesn''t concern you!"


    Yulia, who had been rtivelyposed, suddenly changed at the mention of Anya. She became


    defensive, her suppressed sharpness now fully evident.


    Nathan paused, staring down at her, taken aback by her sudden shift.


    Yulia''s eyes flickered but avoided his gaze. She clumsily got up from the bed. "It really has nothing


    to do with you. We’re going to divorce. No matter if Anya is my sister or my daughter, and no matter


    what she turns into, it has nothing to do with you. I''m ready to handle the divorce anytime. I... I need


    to pack. I''ll move out tomorrow."


    In that moment, all she wanted was to be away from Nathan. Being near him any longer, she feared


    she might give herself away. She was never fooled by Nathan''s wild and reckless fa?ade. Nathan


    possessed the wisdom and presence expected of anyone bearing the Harper legacy. His insights


    were keen, provided he deemed a matter worthy of his attention.


    Yulia was afraid, terrified that he could see right through her. She was eager to leave, but Nathan''s


    grip on her wrist pulled her back. His fingers tilted her chin upward, forcing her to meet his gaze. His


    gazes, at such close range, seemed endlessly dark.


    He studied her for a long moment before his eyes narrowed slightly and he spoke. "What are you so


    afraid of?"


    Yulia''s body tensed, and the pressure on her wrist increased ever so slightly.


    "Yulia, are you keeping something from me?"


    "No..."


    She twisted her neck, trying to break free from his hold. She didn''t seed, but she managed to


    avoid his probing eyes.


    "Look, I admit I have no connection to Anya, but why are you so on edge about it?" Nathan paused


    and then ventured, "Are you afraid I''ll fight you for Anya?"


    Her worst fear, so abruptly voiced, left Yulia utterly stunned. Frozen in Nathan''s embrace, she had


    no clue what to say.


    Nathan''s gaze tightened on her. "Even if she''s your daughter, what right do I have to fight you for


    her? Yulia, unless Anya isn''t really your and Ronald''s daughter, is she?"


    Yulia felt her head might explode. Anya was involved, and Yulia couldn''t remain indifferent, not even


    pretend to.


    Yet Nathan kept pressing, adding, "Or is it possible that Anya is actually..."


    Yulia''s temples throbbed as if they might burst. "Nathan, Anya is my life. No one can speak of her


    lightly. She belongs to me and me alone. I just want to protect her, to ensure she grows up healthy,


    without a care in the world. Whether she''s my sister or my daughter, it makes no difference to me.


    That''s her story. But..."


    She paused, then slowly lifted her gaze to Nathan. "Ronald shouldn''t have mentioned Anya, and


    you... what you''re doing... You might disregard my feelings, but what about Anya? Do you realize


    how many people are pointing fingers at her now. I won''t allow anything to hurt Anya."


    Nathan fell silent, Yulia''s words hitting him with sudden rity. He hadn''t thought it all through at


    first. He hadn''t considered the impact the rumors might have on Anya.


    Whether Anya was Yulia''s sister or daughter, both identities were endlessly scrutinized by the


    public.


    His grip on Yulia''s hand rxed slightly. "So, is Anya actually your daughter?"


    Yulia bit her lip and remained silent.


    "Do I need to take a trip to the hospital?"


    Yulia shrank back slightly. She had hidden this secret for so long, thinking she had fooled everyone,


    believing she could keep it hidden until she and Nathan went their separate ways. But as Ronald


    had pointed out, Nathan''s actions had thrust Anya into the spotlight.


    She had thought the worst oue was to break ties with Nathan before he discovered the truth,


    but she had not anticipated Ronald''s urgency, his rush to force a divorce as quickly as possible.


    The thought of Ronald filled Yulia with rage. If it weren''t for him, Anya would always be just her


    sister in Nathan''s eyes.


    "Will you talk or not?" Nathan''s tone carried a hint of threat.


    Yulia hesitated. "What if she is?"


    Nathan''s breath caught, then he let out a coldugh. "If she is, then you marry me with Anya, and


    she bes our child. You want a divorce, fine, but Anya stays with me."


    Yulia turned pale. "Anya is my child. She has nothing to do with you."


    Nathan scoffed, "From the moment you married me with her, I became her father."


    "There''s no blood rtion. Even in court, it wouldn''t be granted to you."


    Nathan released her and leaned against the dresser beside the bed, hisughter cold. "If I want to


    fight, I''ll make sure I win."


    "That''s impossible!"


    "Would the court still grant her to you if youcked the means to care for her?"


    Yulia shook her head, "I won''tck the means. And even if I did, Ronald would never give up Anya''s


    custody."


    "Huh." Nathanughed mockingly, full of scorn. "You have it now, but that doesn''t mean you will in


    the future. Ronald? You''d better tell him if he wants to fight for Anya, he better be ready to go


    bankrupt. Ask him if he''s willing. Even if he is, after bankruptcy, what will he have left to support you


    and Anya?"


    Yulia''s head finally exploded. "What are you going to do?"


    "Of course, I want Anya. I want to see how determined Ronald is. Is he willing to go bankrupt for


    that?"


    Studying Yulia''s pale face, Nathan pursed his lips before speaking again, "As a man, I think he can


    afford to sh with me for your sake. But to go bankrupt? He can''t do that. In the end, a man''s pride


    is built on money and status. Without that, what dignity does he have left in front of you?"


    "Don''t even think about sticking with him through thick and thin." Nathan stood up, looking at her


    with a smirk. "Because I won''t give you the chance. You''ve angered me, and I''ll either be in a good


    mood and let it slide, or I''ll crush you into the abyss. I’ll make your deaths quick. Me witnessing your


    ''deep love''? I have neither the patience nor the time to watch you struggle and suffer before me."