The Genius Bride He Underestimated Chapter 06

The Genius Bride He Underestimated Chapter 06 Far Out of Her League

Knock, knock, knock.

“Sloane, your dad and brother are back,” Nora called through the door after knocking.

Sloane didn’t think much of it. She set the photo album down, got up, and walked out. The moment she saw the two men coming in, her face lit up. “Dad, Ezra.”

Ezra and Silas Powell both looked at her.

“Sloane, I brought you something. Come see if you like it,” Ezra said, motioning her over.

Sloane hurried toward him, delighted. “What is it?”

Ezra carried in several bags and set them on the coffee table. Then he pulled out a designer jewelry box and handed it to her. “Open it.”

Sloane took it happily. Inside lay a beautifully crafted gold bracelet. “Thank you, Ezra. I love it.”

“Glad you like it.”

Ezra reached out and ruffled Sloane’s hair with easy affection.

He’d also bought Nora a different gold bracelet that suited her, along with skincare sets for both women. For Silas, he brought tea and liquor, plus local specialties.

The atmosphere was warm, easy—the way home should feel.

Only here did Sloane feel like she could finally breathe.

“Sloane, when are you due?” Ezra asked, concern creeping into his voice.

Her belly really did look like someone else’s late-term pregnancy.

“Two more months,” Sloane answered.

“Sloane must be carrying a girl,” Nora said with a smile.

Sloane nodded. “It is a girl.”

“You checked?” Silas asked.

Nora seemed to catch something and tensed up alongside him.

“Yeah. But Wren cares a lot about this baby,” Sloane said.

Silas finally let out a breath. “Good. As long as there’s a child, you and Jaxson will slowly work things out down the road.”

Sloane lowered her eyes. Her chest tightened, heavy and aching, and for a moment she didn’t know how to respond. Jaxson had already brought up divorce.

But she couldn’t hide it forever.

And she’d already decided to move out of Emerald Bay Mansion and come home.

Forget it. She’d tell them after dinner.

Nora prepared an elaborate meal.

Ezra had partnered with a friend to start a tech company. Two years ago, when the business was just getting off the ground, Silas hadn’t hesitated—he’d given Ezra startup capital. The company was doing extremely well now, focusing mainly on AI. This trip had been for a partnership deal, and it had gone smoothly.

Silas, meanwhile, was in the process of selling off his own company.

Before, thanks to the bride price from the Cole family, the company had managed to stay afloat. But the economy was struggling now, and pivoting had proven nearly impossible. The business simply couldn’t survive.

He was getting older, with far less energy than before. He believed strongly in Ezra’s company. Ezra’s company would enter its financing stage by the end of the year, so it was the perfect time to sell his own business and invest everything into Ezra’s.

Then he shared another piece of good news: Silas was going to officially get the marriage license with Nora.

Nora’s eyes immediately welled up.

Years of standing by his side had finally led to this.

Sloane had no objections. She knew her father had held back all these years because, deep down, he still missed her mother.

She’d never understood why her mother had divorced and left a man as good as him.

But now it didn’t matter.

On a day like this—

She couldn’t bear to ruin the mood.

But in the end, she still said it.

“Dad. Aunt Nora. Ezra.” She forced the words out. “Jaxson is planning to divorce me.”

The moment it left her mouth, the dining room went dead silent.

Everyone’s expression turned heavy, especially Silas. He lowered his head, his face tight.

The result wasn’t exactly a shock.

Only the speed of it was.

The Powell family and the Cole family had become in-laws, but there had been no wedding—just a marriage certificate. In the past six months, the two families had had no contact at all.

Jaxson had never once stepped into the Powell family home.

No matter the holidays, the Cole side never sent gifts.

Every time Sloane came home alone, Silas and Nora would prepare holiday gifts and have her deliver them to the Cole family.

When she brought them over, Wren would accept them politely, but Sloane knew she handed them straight to the staff at Cole Estate.

Lyra, on the other hand, had a servant throw them directly into the trash right in front of Sloane, telling her not to let her family send that kind of low-class junk again.

Jaxson only reminded her not to do something so pointless.

In a marriage that unequal, going their separate ways had always been a matter of time.

Sloane pressed her lips together and continued, “But we’ll wait until after the baby is born. And I already agreed to Professor Grant—I’m going to Stanford University for advanced study next February.”

Ezra was the first to break the suffocating silence. “Going for advanced study is good. Sloane, you’re so outstanding. You shouldn’t be trapped in a marriage. No matter what you decide, I’m backing you.”

Sloane smiled and nodded. “Thanks, Ezra.”

Silas sighed—a sigh full of endless helplessness and guilt. “Then divorce. It’s all Dad’s fault. People like us… ordinary folks… we really can’t reach a family like the Coles.”

Sloane’s eyes burned red. All the pain she’d endured lately suddenly felt small compared to this.

She had her family.

They were her shield, her support.

With them behind her, there was no hurdle she couldn’t get over.

Seeing her like that, Nora quickly grabbed a tissue and wiped at Sloane’s reddened eyes, soothing her.

In the end, the family still finished this dinner with smiles.

At the same time.

In the southern suburbs, at Cloud Peak One—an area that had existed for over twenty years, an old-money neighborhood with aging infrastructure.

A Bentley slowly stopped at the gate of Villa 12.

This villa was the one the Powell family had sold.

The car window slid down, revealing a handsome, flawless profile. He looked into the villa. Inside, the lights were blazing.

Warm yellow streetlight fell into his eyes, unable to hide the complexity and loneliness there.

He pulled his gaze back and lit a cigarette.

Then his phone vibrated.

He picked up and answered, his voice gentle. “What’s wrong, Liora?”

Liora’s sweetly complaining voice came through. “Declan, when are you getting here? I’m starving. And Jaxson won’t even let me eat first.”

Right after that, a low, indulgent male voice sounded on the other end. “Who was it that told me to remind her to watch her mouth? Now she’s blaming me?”

Liora huffed.

“If you’re hungry, eat first. I’ll be there soon,” he said.

He hung up.

Declan stubbed out the cigarette. Then, one last time, he looked out the window.

He raised the window and drove away from the villa.