Chapter 828
“Do you still possess the messages and the contact number of this person?” Julio asked, seeking tangible evidence, not merely her account.
Dalores responded, “I lost my phone during my escape, so I don’t have anything left.”
Julio, growing impatient, asked, “Could you draft a statement detailing how you were coerced and threatened to terminate your pregnancy and then forced to leave?” He was clearly quite eager for a divorce.
Yet Dalores was uncertain about getting involved in his personal matters.
“I can pay you a substantial amount once it’s settled,” Julio added.
Without a second thought, Dalores responded, “I don’t want your money.” Throughout this ordeal, money had been a stain on her conscience, bringing her nothing but shame. Julio had often painted her as money-hungry. Hearing the word “money” now sparked a surge of revulsion in her.
“What is it that you want, then?” Julio, his frustration mounting, asked.
“I want to cease all communication permanently,” Dalores declared resolutely. “Let’s cut ties with each other completely.”
Julio fell silent.
Taking a deep breath, Dalores added, “I’ll help you with this matter, but after it’s done, if we cross paths, we’ll treat each other as strangers, not even as acquaintances.”
“Are you doing this because you feel obligated?” Julio’s voice turned scornful. “You owe me a life. What right do you have to negotiate terms here? You—” He was cut off mid-sentence as Emerson, who had been sound asleep, began to stir and cry.
L𝑎t𝑒st ch𝑎pt𝑒rs in gαl𝑛ovels.cøm
Dalores’ hands shook, causing her to drop her phone onto the bed. The baby moved closer to the phone, prompting Dalores to end the call abruptly. She wondered whether Julio had heard the sounds of her son crying.
Cradling Emerson in her arms, she nursed him and let her mind drift.
Suddenly, her phone rang with a new message from Julio, who had sent her the location of a coffee shop. “Meet me there at three this afternoon. Once I’m divorced, you’ll hear from me again.”
Dalores bit her lip. The briefness of the message brought her a small comfort.
There was still ample time until the meeting at three. She chose not to respond to Julio’s message immediately, contemplating whether to attend.
By noon, the housekeeper had put Emerson to bed, giving Dalores a moment to herself. The time for the meeting was drawing closer.
Dalores eventually decided to go to the coffee shop. She made the decision only because she wanted to cut ties with Julio after helping him with his divorce.
At three, the coffee shop was almost empty, bathed in the afternoon sunlight. Dalores was seated by a window, seemingly asleep from waiting.
As Dalores neared, she clutched her bag tighter and intentionally made noise as she sat down across from him. Julio’s eyes snapped open, meeting hers. “You’re ten minutes late,” he said.
Dalores checked her phone, confirming her tardiness. “I was delayed by a traffic jam. Let’s not waste time further. What do you need from me to confirm the matter?”