NovelEnglish
Chapter 17
Joshua wore pajamas that matched the color of hers. His collar was slightly open, and his hair a bit messy, which gave him an air of disheveled charm, more unrestrained than usual, and the coldness he often exuded was now diminished. For a moment, it felt like the early days of their marriage.
Noticing Cynthia’s dazed expression, Joshua realized there were tears on her face and
lingering teardrops on the lashes of her eyes. Swallowing hard, he furrowed his brow slightly and asked, “Why are you crying?”
“Who’s crying?” Cynthia replied in confusion. However, having just woken up, her mental state was not as sharp as usual, making her retort seem more like an attempt to cover up her own vulnerability.
Assuming she was upset about the divorce, Joshua said, “Well, since we’re both awake, come and sit for a while,”
“No, thank you.” Cynthia wanted only to drink some water and sleep, feeling extremely tired. ” I’m going back to bed.”
However, before she could take a step, Joshua grabbed her hand, took the glass from her, and led her to the dining table.
Cynthia was puzzled,
Placing the glass in front of her, Joshua’s slender, pale hand revealed his distinct knuckles. With a low, gentle voice, he asked, “Why can’t you sleep?”
Cynthia stared at the half–full glass, sipping the water slowly. She did not answer his question.
“Is it because of the divorce tomorrow?” Joshua inquired.
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Cynthia’s drinking motion paused, struggling to keep up with his pace.
“When I proposed to you, I truly intended to spend my life with you.” Joshua took the initiative to bring up the topic, his freshly awakened eyes not as distant as they usually were. I just didn’t realize Jayleen had another reason for leaving me.”
Setting the now–empty glass on the table, Cynthia responded calmly, “I know.”
Before that call from Jayleen, Joshua had been very good to her. He did not arrange a wedding when she did not want one, and he did not announce their relationship to the media to avoid attracting attention. He even took care of her potential insecurities and praised her for the smallest things in their daily life.
If it had not been for that call from Jayleen, she would have thought she had hit the jackpot. Her mother could rest easy.
However, the reality was quite different.
“Cynthia,” Joshua called her name with the same gentleness and concern as before.
Cynthia did not stop him.
Perhaps it was the dream of her mother, reminiscing about their past, or simply the night playing tricks on her mind.
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Chapter 17
She replied as she used to, “Yes?”
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“I’m sorry.” Joshua could not explain it, but seeing the tears on her face made him feel like his heart was being pricked by countless needles.
Cynthia noticed his expression and finally said, “I accept your apology.”
A void formed in Joshua’s heart.
Hearing her emotionally neutral response, the feeling of losing her resurfaced.
Cynthia added, “After the divorce, I hope we can treat each other like strangers. Even if we meet again, we’ll be strangers to each other.”
She knew she would still have to manage the company. The Yates Group was her father’s, which she hated deep down in her heart, but it was also her mother’s hard work Cooperation was inevitable between the two leading domestic enterprises, the Yates Group and the Neal Group. She did not want personal feelings to interfere with future collaborations.
“I can agree to that.” Joshua’s gaze deepened, still somewhat concerned for her. “But to promise me one thing.”
Cynthia prompted, “Go on.”
you have
“If you were to be with someone else later on…” Joshua began but stopped abruptly, unable to say the words ‘remarry‘. The thought of her raising children with someone else and laughing tenderly in someone else’s arms made him feel suffocated.
“What?” Cynthia asked.
“Before you get married to someone else, remember to register for a prenuptial agreement and don’t tell anyone you have a lot of money,” Joshua advised, not wanting her to be deceived.
In his eyes, Cynthia was just an ordinary girl. She would inevitably attract unwanted attention if people found out she was worth billions. That would put her in danger.
“Don’t worry, I know,” Cynthia said sincerely.
Joshua’s mood grew even heavier. During the day, he had been preoccupied with Cynthia’s relationship with Mitchell, but now he was calmly discussing these matters with her. Ultimately, he attributed all of his abnormal behavior to the tears on Cynthia’s face and considered his reaction to be a final act of tenderness before their divorce.
“If there’s nothing else, I’m going to sleep,” Cynthia said, standing up. She was genuinely tired.
“Wait,” Joshua called after her.
Cynthia looked back, her gaze filled with confusion. Before she could wonder what else he wanted to say, Joshua reached out, his thumb gently wiping away the tear from her cheek. In a low, caring voice, he said, “Don’t cry.”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmCynthia touched her other cheek and realized it was wet. She paused, recalling her dream and waking up. Then, she looked into Joshua’s eyes and explained, “I wasn’t crying.”
“You don’t have to pretend to be strong,” Joshua said, his eyes looking intently into hers as he removed his hand from her face. Cynthia’s reflection shone in his eyes.
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Chapter 17
“I really wasn’t crying,” Cynthia insisted, wiping her cheek again. She picked up her glass of water and offered a simple explanation, “The tear you saw might have been a drop of water that splashed on my face when I bumped into you.”
Joshua did not know what to say.
Cynthia looked at his wet clothes. “It’s a bit chilly in these early autumn evenings. You should change before you go to sleep. I’m going to bed now. Sorry about your clothes.”
Cynthia put her glass on the shelf and went upstairs to sleep, leaving Joshua standing in place, dumbfounded. The warm atmosphere was completely ruined by her words.
The chill on Joshua’s body grew, and the thought of all the comforting words he had just said because he thought Cynthia was crying made him feel foolish. Moreover, the way Cynthia looked at him made him increasingly frustrated.
Cynthia probably thought he was an idiot.
After standing in the living room for a while, Joshua returned to his room and sat on the sofa. His mind was filled with the recent events, growing more and more agitated to the point that he could not sleep for the rest of the night.
Early the next day, he had the divorce papers ready and waited in the living room. The two of them did not bring up what had happened during the night, quietly eating breakfast together.
At exactly eight o’clock, they gathered their documents and got in the car.
Mr. Cheyne felt that both his boss and Mrs. Neal were in low spirits. He glanced at the rearview mirror before asking, “Boss, are you really going to divorce Mrs. Neal?“
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