I Took Off The Dress And Took Back My Life Chapter 07
“I checked.”Â
Three days later, Julian’s voice on the phone sounded like it was crawling out of an iceÂ
cellar.Â
“Scarlett isn’t pregnant. The pregnancy test was bought online. She went to the OB–GYN last month, not for a checkup–but for aÂ
medical abortion.”Â
He paused.Â
“The child wasn’t mine. The timing doesn’tÂ
line up.”Â
I was silent for a few seconds.Â
“From start to finish. The brother’s accidentÂ
was fake, the settlement was fake, and being pregnant with your child was also fake.”Â
“Yes.”Â
His throat sounded like it was being scraped.Â
by sandpaper when he said that word.Â
“Did you get the six million back?”Â
“Nine hundred thousand. The one pointÂ
eight million at the casino can’t beÂ
recovered, the stocks lost most of theirÂ
value, and Jax sold the car and the money isÂ
gone.‘Â
Six million out, nine hundred thousand back.Â
“Your problems don’t end there. The bankÂ
has already referred the forgery case.”Â
“Audrey, promise me–”Â
“I haven’t promised you anything.”Â
He was silent for a long time.Â
“Audrey, I deserve this. But can you give meÂ
one more chance? Signing, paying back,Â
apologizing–I’ll do whatever you say.‘Â
“How are you going to pay the money back?”Â
“I… can sell my company shares.”Â
“Did you know two of your company’s investors pulled out today?”Â
He didn’t speak.Â
“Your biggest partnership was introduced by my father during your first year in theÂ
industry. The contract expires this month.Â
and hasn’t been renewed.”Â
“Your father?”Â
“I didn’t tell him about us. He’s retired; nobody is maintaining that relationship forÂ
you anymore.”Â
This was the truth. The effect was the same.Â
Without that channel, his company’s business volume was cut by thirty percent.Â
“Audrey…”Â
“It’s not that I want to destroy you. It’s thatÂ
you handed all your chips to Scarlett.Â
yourself. Your hand is revealed, and you have nothing left.”Â
“Then what do you want?”Â
“I want my five–hundred–thousand–dollarÂ
down payment. The three months ofÂ
mortgage I covered. You sign a statement. confirming the wedding house equity has nothing to do with me and the debt is your personal responsibility.”Â
“And then?”Â
“And then we’re even.”Â
He let out a soft laugh on the other end, fullÂ
of bitterness.Â
“Audrey, did you ever love me at all? To beÂ
able to walk away so cleanly.”Â
Three months ago, those words might haveÂ
made me soften.Â
Not anymore.Â
“Julian, I did love you. But you packaged my love and my money together and sent themÂ
to Scarlett. If you want to blame anyone,Â
blame yourself for not being able to tell whoÂ
truly cared for you.”Â
I hung up.Â
An hour later, Julian’s mother came.Â
Her tone was completely different fromÂ
before.Â
“Audrey, I apologize. What I said before wasÂ
wrong; I shouldn’t have called you petty.”Â
“Mrs. Sterling-”Â
“Don’t be in a hurry. Julian told meÂ
everything, and I’ve looked into Scarlett’sÂ
background myself.”Â
“Mrs. Sterling, this isn’t just about Scarlett.Â
anymore-”Â
“I know, Julian was stupid. I’m apologizingÂ
on his behalf.”Â
She paused, her voice dropping.Â
“But Audrey… can you not go to the police? IfÂ
he gets a criminal record, his life is over.”Â
“Mrs. Sterling, the bank’s process isn’tÂ
something I can withdraw.”Â
“Then go talk to them! Tell them it was aÂ
misunderstanding-”Â
“It wasn’t a misunderstanding.”Â
A half–minute of silence.Â
Then Mrs. Sterling’s voice changed. No longer pleading, it became a suppressedÂ
hatred.Â
“Audrey, did you have this planned all along? Using this chance to dump my son.”Â
“Mrs. Sterling, what are you saying-”Â
“Should I thank Scarlett? If it wasn’t for her,Â
you’d still be pretending, wouldn’t you? You never really had much sincerity for my son,Â
did you? You even want to settle theÂ
five–hundred–thousand–dollar downÂ
payment with him-”Â
I hung up the phone.Â
Some people don’t know how to apologize.Â
They only know how to turn an apology intoÂ
a new blade.
