Divorce and Freedom No More Homemaker for Him novel Chapter 168

Chapter 168 A Dangerous Assumption

Ayla pulled her gaze back, calm and distant.

She turned the wheel, and in the next second, he was no longer in sight.

Max got into his car. His long fingers wrapped around the steering wheel.

Through the window, he looked toward the spot where Draven and Troy had fought.

A flicker of doubt passed through his eyes.

What was Draven doing?

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Max hadn’t even noticed him at first. Draven showed up, Troy left, and then that mysterious man went back to the courthouse again. Max had no idea what he did there.

Then Draven and Ayla left in the same car.

Max didn’t see anything romantic between them. Ayla acted like a regular secretary around Draven–cold, polite, and even more distant than she was with him.

A faint chill slid across Max’s face, wiping away his usual easy smile.

He didn’t know Draven well, but he had heard enough: distant, ruthless, and completely indifferent to people.

He wouldn’t be more shameless than himself, right?

Not the kind of guy who would steal his own brother’s wife?

Nothing seemed obvious yet, so Max pushed the thought aside.

He called Troy. No answer.

But he had a feeling of where Troy might be, so he drove there.

Troy sat alone in a private tea room he often went to. He had been there for a long time.

Then Lincoln called.

Lincoln was the butler who had taken care of Martin for a long time.

“Mr. Troy,” Lincoln said, “last time at the airport, Mr. Martin heard you two were celebrating

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your anniversary. He said you seemed to have a good relationship. His birthday is coming soon; please bring her with you. You’ve been secretly married for three years. It’s time to make it public.”

Troy’s eyes darkened. He stared at the tea in his cup, feeling nothing but bitter irony.

He had told Ayla not to let Martin know they were falling apart. Ayla always listened to him. In front of Martin, she would act sweet, stay close to him, and make their marriage look perfect. So Martin never noticed anything wrong.

As for picking Martin up at the airport, she definitely did that to complain about what happened with Kaleb.

Ayla was very protective of people she cared about.

But in the end, she didn’t complain about him.

Martin still knew nothing.

And now Ayla wanted him to explain the divorce to Martin himself.

If Ayla was so desperate to cut ties with him, why didn’t she just tell Martin directly?

The truth was simple: Ayla didn’t want a clean break.

Troy let out a cold laugh. His voice was calm and unreadable. “Tell Grandpa I’ll bring Ayla with me.”

He hung up.

Troy tossed the phone onto the table.

His thoughts returned to Draven. Even now, he couldn’t believe Draven actually liked Ayla.

Draven always wanted to take what he had, but the things he tried to steal were the things he could never get. Like Ayla’s love.

The more Troy thought about it, the darker his face became.

Even if Draven couldn’t win, Troy still hated that he dared to covet her at all.

Ayla was his woman.

Even imagining it crossed a line Troy would never allow.

When Max walked in, the first thing he saw was Troy’s dark, stormy face.

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Then he noticed the mess Troy was in from the fight. There was even a bruise along his jaw.

In Max’s eyes, Troy had always been the cold, untouchable rich kid. He had never seen him look this disheveled. Max pretended not to notice and asked, “So, did you go finalize a divorce or pick a fight instead?”

Troy looked up at him. Max was dressed like he was on his way to a fashion show–loud, stylish, and impossible to ignore.

Troy frowned right away. “Why are you here?”

Max sat across from him and shot him a glance. “Did the divorce go smoothly?”

As soon as he said it, he spotted the divorce certificate on the table. He let out a soft laugh. “Looks like it went smoothly.”

Then he took a moment to study Troy’s face, trying to read his real reaction, trying to see whether he actually cared about the divorce or not.

Troy suddenly warned him, “No one should bring up this divorce.”

Max was stunned. “Why?”

“My grandpa’s birthday is coming up. I’m taking her with me.”

“Take her? You’re going to announce the divorce there?”

Troy let out a cold laugh. “No. I want everyone to know Ayla is my wife.”

If Draven hadn’t jumped in out of nowhere, the divorce would’ve been simple.

But Draven wanted to steal his woman?

Even if Troy didn’t want Ayla anymore, he would never let her end up with Draven.

Max didn’t respond right away. He lowered his eyes, and a flicker of irritation crossed them.

He glanced at the divorce certificate again. Max asked, “You already finalized the divorce. Why would Ayla play along with you?”

Troy shot back, “Why wouldn’t she?”

Max had no answer.

People always said your first love held a powerful impact on you.

Troy was Ayla’s first love. Even if they divorced, there was no guarantee she wouldn’t soften and

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go back to him.

:

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Max knew very well. If Troy had just lowered his pride a little and treated Ayla better, she wouldn’t have filed for divorce at all.

After the divorce, if Troy suddenly treated her nicely, Ayla might not be able to resist.

Max believed Ayla truly wanted to end the marriage at this moment. But people are complicated. Feelings don’t disappear just because a document says so.

And if Max and Troy were to pursue Ayla at the same time, Troy’s chances would be far too high.

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