Chapter 2

A confident, knowing smirk played on Julian's lips.

"Still mad?"

"Alright, alright. I'm here now, aren't I?"

"Babe, stop being childish."

His tone was dripping with patronizing affection. He honestly thought I was just playing hard to get to punish him.

Just like he used to, he stepped forward and reached out to pull me into his arms.

I took another step back, my expression freezing over.

"Control yourself, Mr. Gray."

His hands froze in mid-air. The gentle, mock-tender look in his eyes never wavered from my face.

"Did I really make you that mad this time?"

"Just tell me what you want, and I'll buy it for you. Anything to make it up to you."

He was still so utterly convinced that a few sweet words and a credit card could fix the wreckage he left behind.

As he spoke, he took another step toward me.

For every step he took forward, I took one back.

The look in his eyes shifted, darkening with a sudden urge to conquer, to force me to submit.

"Julian, three years is a long time. It's enough to change everything."

He nodded, seemingly agreeing. "True."

I backed up until my shoulders hit the cold brick wall. There was nowhere left to run.

He slammed both hands on the wall on either side of my head, trapping me in his space. It was the same old wall-pinning trick he used when we were dating.

Back then, he loved trapping me in corners under the moonlight just to kiss me breathless.

"So, did you give me a son or a daughter?"

He murmured, reaching out to gently stroke my cheek.

At the mention of the child, a sharp, stabbing pain flared in my chest.

Three years ago, he knew damn well I was pregnant. Yet, after losing a stupid game, he still divorced me just to please his precious Serena.

And for three years, he completely vanished. Not a single text, not a single phone call.

Yet here he was, standing before me with the sheer audacity to assume I had quietly given birth to his child and waited around like a loyal dog for his return!

A mocking laugh escaped my lips. Before I could tell him that I had aborted that pregnancy, Julian's phone started buzzing.

He pulled it out.

The caller ID flashed with the name: *My Princess*.

That was his contact name for Serena.

I had seen it countless times during our marriage. I remembered how he used to pat her head and tell everyone that she had been his little princess since they were kids.

He never cared about how I, his actual wife, felt.

And just like before, he answered her call instantly.

"Julian, you need to come quick... my cramps are so bad, my stomach hurts so much..."

Serena's whiny, tearful voice echoed through the speaker.

Panic instantly flooded Julian's eyes.

"Don't worry, I'm coming right now."

He hung up.

He reached out and hastily patted the top of my head, like he was soothing a harmless pet.

"I have to go check on Serena first. I'll come back to find you later tonight."

Before the words had even fully left his mouth, he was already running down the street.