Chapter 2
After the little boy ran off, a woman with strikingly similar features approached from the other direction.
“Julian, please don’t be angry. I’ll take Ethan back home tomorrow.”
Julian appeared both furious and exasperated. “Jessica, honestly! It took so much effort to convince Emily to go through with this fake divorce so her parents could help us buy that apartment. And you bring Ethan to her workplace? Are you trying to get us caught?”
Jessica, her eyes welling up with tears, tugged pitifully at Julian’s shirt. “But Ethan was making such a fuss back home, wanting to see you. And I checked the schedule posted at the park; Emily wasn’t supposed to be working today.”
As usual, a woman’s tears seemed to work their magic. Julian sighed and pulled her into a hug.
“Alright, alright. We’ve come this far; we can handle a little longer. When the time is right, I
promise you and Ethan will have a proper family.”
My hand flew to my mouth, stifling a gasp. I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing.
The child looked to be at least five years old. Julian and I had only been married for three. This wasn’t just a simple affair; it felt like a meticulously orchestrated deception.
Fear gripped me, cold and sharp. My hands trembled as I dialed Julian’s number.
He didn’t answer until the last ring, his voice laced with nervous energy.
“Hey, honey, what’s up?”
“Where are you?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
Julian’s voice relaxed as he glanced around, making sure I wasn’t nearby.
“Pulling an all–nighter babe. You wouldn’t believe the mountain of paperwork I have to get through. When I get home, I’m craving one of your amazing sandwiches.”
Okay,” I managed to reply, my mind reeling.
After handing off my tasks to a coworker, I headed home. It was eleven o’clock, and Julian still hadn’t returned.
On the table lay the brochure he’d given me two weeks ago: subsidized housing in the city, available only to residents without property in their name. Not even one spouse could own property to qualify.
I owned an apartment, which was why Julian had proposed the fake divorce. He wanted to buy another apartment under his own name.
た
Initially, I’d been against it, but he’d worn me down with persistent persuasion, even enlisting my parents to plead his case. Under immense pressure, I’d finally agreed.
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