Aurelia’s POV
Eight years into my marriage, I was heavily pregnant and had just secured a forty-million-dollar contract for Callum Ellington. But the moment I returned to the office, I walked in on him making out with his new young secretary.
My whole body trembled as I demanded an explanation. But before he could answer, the girl sneered and mocked me.
“So, you’re that poor scholarship student everyone says Callum sponsored? Look at you, so plain and uncultured. You don’t look like his wife at all. Now that I’m here, do us all a favor. Get an abortion, sign the divorce papers, and get out.”
I slowly turned to look at Callum. He didn’t say a word, but the way he lowered his head already told me everything.
While no one was paying attention, I slipped the freshly signed contract back into my bag. Then I smiled at him and asked, calmly but sharply, “Callum, after all these years as husband and wife, just answer me this. Do you really dare divorce me?”
——
Back when his family was on the brink of bankruptcy, I married into it. For eight long years, over two thousand days and nights, I pulled his family back from the edge. With dozens of patents I earned on my own, I saved their company.
Even his parents treated me with respect. So, I thought Callum understood what that meant.
But, staring at his shoes, he said, “Aurelia, let’s end it.”
His voice wasn’t loud, but there was a firm helplessness in it.
All of a sudden, a sharp ringing buzzed in my ears, the same problem I’d had ever since I got pregnant. Then the baby kicked hard inside my belly.
Ignoring those, I stepped forward and grabbed his tie tightly. “Are you serious? I’m five months pregnant, and you’re divorcing me now?”
He let me pull at his tie, refusing to respond, refusing to even look at me.
My anger burned even hotter at that.
This was how he always dealt with problems—silence and escape.
Just as I was about to speak again, a sharp female voice cut in.
“Enough. Stop acting like some crazy shrew. Callum is only being polite because you’re his wife. When a man asks for a divorce once, that’s more than enough. If you still have any dignity, pack up and leave.”
It was Melina Lancaster, someone who had begged me dozens of times to help her get into this company.
I never thought she’d be the one to cause this mess. At that moment, I made a silent note to make her pay this favor back one day.
She took another step toward me. “What, didn’t you hear me? You hillbilly, fierce like some wild—”
Before she could finish, my hand flew across her face. “That slap is to teach you how to speak to your boss.”
I raised my hand again and added, “And this one is to teach you how to speak to someone’s wife—”
But before my hand landed, a strong grip caught my wrist.
Callum looked at me with a complicated expression. “That’s enough, Aurelia. If you want to hit someone, hit me. It’s my fault. I was drunk that night and got Melina pregnant. She’s young. I have to take responsibility.”
Suddenly, I felt something lodged in my throat. All the anger and heartbreak surged in my chest, but I couldn’t force out a single word.
Callum’s health has never been good. For Melina to get pregnant this quickly, it didn’t feel like an accident. It felt like a plan.
Then I suddenly remembered how he quit smoking out of nowhere, even though he used to go through packs every day.
When I asked him about it, he held me in his arms, his voice soft against my ear. “Aurelia, you’re pregnant. For you, for the baby, and for our future, I have to quit.”
Aurelia’s POV
I once thought this man had finally grown up, that he was ready to take responsibility. Turned out, he only quit smoking so he could prepare to have a baby with this girl.
My stomach twisted violently at that realization, and then I grabbed the wall as waves of nausea hit me.
Callum hurried forward to support me, speaking in a soft, careful tone. “Aurelia, I’m sorry. I know I’m wrong. I’ll give you time to process all this. As long as we finalize the divorce before Melina gives birth, it’ll be fine. I hope you understand. The baby in her stomach can’t grow up without a father.”
His familiar cologne mixed with the cold air and hit my senses, making me gag even harder.
I shoved him away and forced a smile. “What’s there to process? Let’s get divorced now.”
Then I glanced at Melina’s barely noticeable baby bump. “Her child can’t grow up without a father? Funny, mine can’t either. So, hurry up. The sooner we’re done, the sooner I can find a better dad for my son.”
Hearing that, something flickered in Callum’s eyes. “Aurelia…”
Before he could continue, Melina interrupted with a pout, “She already agreed, what are you waiting for? Bring out the divorce papers!”
While he stood there stunned, she quickly handed me a pre-printed divorce agreement.
I skimmed through it and laughed. “Not a single share of the company in my name?”
Callum kept his voice calm. “This company has always belonged to my family. And back when you were still in school, I supported you for eight years. Emotionally and logically, the company’s shares don’t concern you.”
I had always been grateful. Why else would I have married into the family when they were on the brink of bankruptcy?
Over the years, I earned dozens of patents, all of which outside companies were willing to buy for astronomical prices. But I gave every single one to his family for free for eight years.
Nine out of ten of his family’s clients came because of my patents.
And now, during this divorce, he wanted me to walk away with nothing.
“If you’re unwilling, I can give you a small portion of my personal shares—”
“No need. I’ll sign. We’ll divorce now.”
Once the marriage ended and you forgot your shares, his entire family will soon be nothing but an empty shell.
As I signed the last stroke of my name, Melina let out a mocking laugh. “I don’t know what you’re so proud of. You’re just a pregnant country woman. Once you leave Callum, how do you expect to survive?”
She lifted her chin smugly and added, “Unlike you, I have my family supporting us. With their help, Callum will become the richest man in this city in less than a year.”
I suddenly paused and glanced sideways at her. Her face looked familiar, like someone from an influential family I’d heard about, but I couldn’t quite place where.
Brushing that thought off, I tossed the divorce papers onto the table and turned to leave. But the moment I stepped out, Callum called after me.
“Aurelia, did you sign that forty-million contract today?”
I turned back, smiling faintly. “I did. But I just messaged the client and canceled it. Callum, we’re divorced now. I’m done working like a horse for your family. I hope you understand.”
For the first time today, his quiet patience snapped.
“Aurelia, do you really have to go this far?!” He gritted his teeth and yelled, then immediately pulled out his phone to call the client. The second the call connected, his voice switched to a polite, desperate tone.
Aurelia’s POV
“Mr. Ashford… Hello, this is Callum Ellington from Vertex Tech—” Callum introduced.
But before he could continue, Mr. Ashford cut in, “Callum Ellington? Who are you? At Vertex Tech, I only deal with Aurelia.”
And right after that, the line immediately went dead. Callum redialed again and again, but every call was blocked.
In frustration, he slammed his phone down and glared at me, teeth bared. “Aurelia! Do you know how important that forty-million deal was? That’s almost our entire year’s profit!”
I spread my hands. “I know. But what does that have to do with me?”
Seeing him losing control, Melina hurried forward and rubbed his back, speaking in a soothing voice. “Callum, don’t panic. It’s only a forty-million contract. I’ll talk to my grandfather. Hell, make it four hundred million if you want, we can handle it.”
Uninterested in their drama, I kept a faint smile and walked away. But behind me, Callum shouted with rancor, “Aurelia, divorcing you was the right move! How did I not see how cruel you really are? You’re disgusting!”
As his voice trailed off, I called the person who’d gotten Melina into the company.
“Philip, what’s the background on that girl you hired?”
“Ah, she’s the last scion of the dying Lancaster Group,” he said. “Her grandfather begged you for five years but never got to meet you. So, he sent his granddaughter over to cozy up to you and build a connection. Of course, he’s after your patents, thinking if you can save the Ellingtons, maybe you can save the Lancasters too.”
Suddenly, a blurred memory snapped into focus. At several industry summits, I’d seen an older man bowing obsequiously in front of me, and behind him was a girl who wasn’t unattractive at all.
I let out a soft, bitter laugh. So, Callum and Melina were playing a game of mutual manipulation, each thinking they could use the other. How entertaining.
I was now in Philip Rowe’s office, telling him about Melina when his assistant knocked and slipped in, looking tense. He edged up to Philip and opened his mouth, but Philip shoved him aside. “This isn’t a room for outsiders. Say it.”
The assistant swallowed and said, “Sir, reporters have swarmed the company…”
“Swarmed? For what?” Philip frowned.
“They’re asking…they’re demanding an explanation from Ms. Crawford.”
Philip and I both pulled out our phones at the same time. When I saw the notifications, my heart dropped like it was tied to a boulder.
I’d made three of the top ten trending topics. The headlines were in blazing red.
[Betrayal! The Ellingtons’ sponsored student of eight years goes rogue and voids a 40-million contract with a client just to satisfy her own grudge!]
[Mrs. Ellington betrays her husband and is carrying another man’s baby!]
[Aurelia Crawford, a schemer from the start. Her marriage to the Ellingtons was all an elaborate con!]
Messages from clients also poured in.
[Ms. Crawford, can you comment on the news? If not, our company may reconsider working with Mr. Ellington next quarter.]
[Ms. Crawford, we’re going to pause negotiations for now.]
Aside from those, anonymous insults from strangers also flooded me.
[Bitch! If I see you on the street, I’ll curse you every time!]
[Ungrateful, shameless wretch! I hope the baby in your stomach is born with serious health problems!]
I clenched my teeth and smashed my fist on the desk. There was no doubt. Callum and Melina were behind this.
Aurelia’s POV
I had just informed a few clients that I was cutting ties with the Ellingtons, and before the news could even settle, the headlines exploded everywhere.
They wanted to corner me and leave me with no way out.
I grabbed my phone and headed for the door, but Philip caught my arm.
“Aurelia, you’re pregnant. Don’t go out there. I’ll handle it.”
But I pushed his hand away. “I’ve already crawled out of hell once. A little storm doesn’t scare me.”
The moment I stepped outside, I understood why Philip’s assistant had been so panicked.
It wasn’t just reporters.
Lined up at the entrance were several major figures from the city’s business circle—people with influence, the kind who never show up unless something big happens.
And among them were Callum’s parents.
Soon, Mrs. Ellington spotted me from afar, and her face immediately softened into a smile as she hurried toward me. The moment she reached me, she grabbed my hands.
“Aurelia, I don’t know how things escalated like this. It must be because of that forty-million contract, right? Did we upset Mr. Ashford somehow?”
Mr. Ellington chimed in, smiling like nothing was wrong. “She’s right. You can’t just cancel a deal like that and expect no consequences. So, be a good girl. Go apologize, get the contract back, and once the reporters leave, this will all blow over.”
I gently pulled my hands away and smiled. “Mr. Ellington, Mr. Ashford isn’t upset at all. I just signed that contract with his company under a friend’s name. He’s in a great mood, actually.”
I watched as their faces went from red to ghostly pale, and a cold, bitter smile tugged at my lips.
So, they were in on this, too.
All these years, I’d poured my blood and soul into saving their family, only to realize I’d been feeding a pack of ungrateful wolves.
Mrs. Ellington’s smile instantly disappeared. “Aurelia, what are you saying? You signed the deal under someone else’s company? You’re our daughter-in-law. Why are you helping outsiders?!”
I met her gaze, reached into my bag, and pulled out the divorce papers. “Sorry. I’m no longer part of your family.”
I handed them to her and stepped away.
But the crowd of reporters surged forward like a tidal wave.
In eight years, I’d stood in front of the media more times than I could count. So, I knew better than anyone that at moments like this, the more you talked, the more mistakes you made.
Knowing that, I just turned and headed for the back exit.
That was when a sugary, mocking voice called out behind me. “Well, well. Isn’t this the always-so-poised Ms. Crawford? What’s the matter? Feeling guilty, so you’re running away now?”
Melina appeared arm-in-arm with Callum, walking toward me with a smirk.
Even so, I ignored her and kept moving. But I’d barely taken two steps when someone grabbed my wrist.
Aurelia’s POV
She stepped right up to me, pointing a finger in my face. “Listen, Aurelia. Don’t think the Ellingtons can’t live without you. Forty million? Four hundred million? Forty billion? If I say it’s nothing, then it’s nothing!”
Crossing her arms on her chest, she added, “Mrs. Ellington was kind enough to give you a way out, but you ignored her and embarrassed her in public. Get over here and apologize. Now!”
Callum then joined in coldly, “Aurelia, you really crossed the line today. If you don’t apologize to Mom, you’re not leaving.”
The crowd outside kept growing, and I even saw some of our clients’ cars pulling up.
They really went all out for today’s show.
I glanced toward the entrance, calculating my next move, when suddenly, a sharp pain exploded at the back of my head.
It turned out, Melina yanked me by the hair and dragged me toward Mrs. Ellington.
But in the chaos, someone pushed me, and I stumbled, falling hard onto the ground. To make it worse, a nearby reporter also lost his balance and his camera slammed straight into my lower abdomen before he collapsed on top of me.
As a result, a sharp, piercing pain shot through my stomach, and within seconds, I felt warm blood spreading beneath me.
Unknowingly, Mrs. Ellington was already in front of me, but Melina still pulled my hair, dragging me closer as she yelled, “Move! Apologize to Mrs. Ellington right now!”
Mrs. Ellington’s eyes flickered with hesitation when she noticed the blood pooling beneath me. She knew better than anyone that for the past eight years, I had been crucial to their family.
So, she bent down, about to help me up.
But Melina cut her off sharply. “Auntie, you can’t go soft on someone like her. Don’t worry about your family business. Trust me and leave everything to me. I’ve already talked to my grandfather about the four-hundred-million project I mentioned earlier, and the money will be in your account soon!”
Hearing that, Mrs. Ellington’s hesitation vanished instantly. Her eyes lit up, and when she looked at me again, her expression had completely changed into arrogant and condescending.
“Aurelia,” she said coldly, “you’re older than Melina, yet you still don’t act as mature as she does. Out of respect for all these years as mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, just apologize to me and return the clients you took from our family. Do that, and we’ll let this go.”
Melina took a step forward. She glanced at the blood soaking through my clothes, then leaned close to my ear and hissed through gritted teeth, “Aurelia, you’re pathetic. You can’t even hold onto a man, let alone a child.”
She chuckled and then sneered, “Once my grandfather transfers that four hundred million to the Ellingtons, your real suffering will finally begin.”
I clenched my teeth, pushed myself up, and without a second thought, swung my hand across her face with a loud slap.
“Your grandfather will be here any minute,” I said coldly. “When he arrives, we’ll see whose suffering is really about to start.”
Melina’s eyes widened in fury, and she opened her mouth to argue. But before she could speak, a deep, steady elderly voice roared from behind her. “Melina!”
↓ ↓ Download the NovelShort app, Search 【 586185 】reads the whole book. ↓ ↓
NovelShort
