She Approved Our Marriage, She Approved Our Divorce Chapter 09

She Approved Our Marriage, She Approved Our Divorce Chapter 09

[Why is Maya panicking?)

[Because Ella has receipts.]

[She kept records of everything. No wonder she became Mercer Group’s top closer.]

[With that sales record, she could name her price anywhere.]

[Ella, when are you going back to work? My company is hiring.]

I smiled.

“Thank you, but I’ve already accepted an offer.

“Like Maya, I went livestreaming today because I wanted everyone to see who I really am.”

[Maya took credit for all of this? How shameless can one person be?]

[Ella earned her own job and paid for Nathan’s treatment. Maya will claim anything if it makes her look important.]

I stopped reading the live comments and ended the livestream.

Across town, Nathan stared at the words Livestream Ended on his phone.

The room was dark. He sat alone without turning on a light and released a long breath.

“How did I forget?”

For years, he had told everyone that Maya was the one who pulled him out of the darkest period of

his life.

But had Maya truly healed him?

How could asking permission for every decision have cured his trauma?

It had been my savings, dollar by dollar, that paid for the treatment that made him well.

Yet he had always handed Maya the credit.

Had he honestly forgotten how he recovered?

No.

He had chosen the explanation that suited him best. It gave him a respectable excuse to continue

his private little ritual with Maya while expecting me to look the other way.

After all, he had always told himself I was generous and I would understand.

Pretending not to notice had been so much easier for everyone.

Everyone except me.

Only now did Nathan understand that he could not bear the pain of losing me.

He covered his face with both hands as tears slipped between his fingers.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

When Nathan and I met again, it was to replace the contested divorce with a settlement.

“Let’s make it uncontested,” he said. He looked much thinner than before. “You can have the house and the marital assets. I won’t fight you for anything.”

I accepted. Money was useful, and he owed me at least that much.

“Good. I’ll be starting at Grant Holdings soon anyway.”

Nathan looked at me with reddened eyes.

“Are you and Julian together?”

“I’m waiting for Ella to say yes.”

Julian appeared behind me and took the seat at my side as if it belonged to him.

Nathan fixed him with a dark stare.

“Ella says she isn’t ready for another relationship, so I’ll wait.”

Julian smiled at him as he spoke.

“She won’t choose you,” Nathan said.

“We’ll see.”

Julian’s smile turned mocking,

“Mr. Mercer and I are very different men, after all.”

Nathan’s clenched fist trembled beneath the table.

I slid the settlement agreement toward him.

“If everything looks right, sign it.”

Nathan studied my face, then finally signed his name.

As he turned to leave, I spoke again.

“When I chose you, Julian and I made a bet.”

Nathan stopped.

“If I could spend ten years with you without regretting my choice, he would stop pursuing me.

“At first, I was determined to win. Every time you and Maya crossed another line, I forced myself to

endure it.

“Eventually, winning stopped mattering.”

Nathan stood rigidly in place.

After a long silence, his voice shook.

“I’m sorry.”

I did not answer.

On the way back with Julian, he smiled.

“I always knew I’d win. I just didn’t expect my prize for winning to be your decision to join Grant

Holdings.”

“Isn’t that enough?”

“I thought you might agree to be with me.”

Julian laughed softly.

“I could have made that the condition, but I’d rather wait until you choose me freely.”

I smiled.

Perhaps he would not have to wait very long.