Everything was a deal until divorce novel Chapter 55

Chapter 55 You Really Want a Divorce?

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After dinner, Dorian headed upstairs to his office to catch up on work. Arden stayed behind, playing chess with Elias and Gideon.

By nine, Eugenia and Theresa started nagging her to shower and get to bed. She stuck around a little longer to watch TV with them, finally heading up around ten.

The bedroom was empty. She let out a quiet sigh of relief, grabbed her pajamas, and went straight into the bathroom.

After her shower and skincare routine, she stepped out and noticed the office light was still on. She crept over for a peek. Dorian was seated at his desk, laser–focused on his laptop. No chance he’d be done anytime soon.

She lingered by the stairs, glancing down at the living room below. Sure enough, only Eugenia was still up.

Arden walked downstairs and sat beside her. “You’re still awake, Grandma?”

“I am,” Eugenia smiled. “The older I get, the less sleep I seem to need. But you, sweetheart, you shouldn’t be staying up this late. It’s not good for young women.”

Arden sat up straight. “Grandma, there’s something I want to talk to you about.”

The moment she heard that tone, Eugenia’s mind flashed back to the message she got from Caleb–something about Arden wanting a divorce. Her heart sank, but she kept a calm face.

“What is it, dear? Talk to me. Is someone giving you a hard time?”

“No, nothing like that,” Arden said, turning to face her. “Grandma, I want a divorce.”

Hearing the words come directly from Arden’s mouth still stung. Eugenia gently stroked her hair. “I knew marrying that boy was unfair to you, Can you tell me why?”

She already had a pretty good guess. With how cold and distant her grandson had been lately- and everything that had happened–it didn’t take a genius.

“He doesn’t love me. And forcing this marriage on him… it’s like I ruined his life. His future.”

“Is this about Vivienne?”

Arden smiled bitterly. “Grandma, with his looks and his status, even without Vivienne, there’d still be a line of women waiting for him.”

At the top of the stairs, Dorian stood silently, listening.

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Chapter 55 You Really Want a Divorce?

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His gaze grew darker with every word. She was really saying this, telling Eugenia she wanted to leave him.

She was sitting with her back to him, so he couldn’t see her face–only the long, silky hair falling over her shoulders.

His expression hardened. “My mom saw that video of Vivienne and me… she got so upset she fainted. She saw how I was being treated, how Dorian defended someone else instead of me. She doesn’t want me to keep pushing for a marriage like this.”

Eugenia sat up straighter. “Elise fainted? Is she okay now?”

“She’s better. She’s home.”

Eugenia connected the dots. “So that’s why you went back to your parents‘ place a few days ago?”

Arden nodded. “Yeah.”

“That damn boy. I’m going to beat him.” Eugenia shot to her feet, ready to grab her cane–or

worse.

“Grandma, no, please don’t.”

“He’s treated you like this and you’re still defending him?”

“He resents me for forcing him into this marriage. I don’t blame him. I just want us to end things peacefully. I don’t want to be tied to him anymore.”

Eugenia reached out and gently pulled her back down. “I won’t agree to that. Your family’s in no place right now to protect you.”

Footsteps echoed from upstairs. They both looked up.

Dorian was walking down with his hands in his pockets, looking casual. But when his eyes landed on Arden, there was a sharpness to them. “What are you two chatting about?”

Eugenia glared at him. Arden stood. “I’m heading to bed, Grandma.”

Without even glancing at Dorian, she brushed past him and climbed the stairs. Once she wa out of sight, Eugenia grabbed a throw pillow and chucked it at him.

“Take her home to visit her parents sometime, you hear me?”

Dorian caught the pillow and sank onto the couch. For once, he didn’t argue. He got up, poured himself a glass of ice water, and downed it in one go.

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“You heard me?”

“Yeah.”

He looked over at Eugenia. “It’s late. Why are you still up?”

She waved him off and walked away, too annoyed to respond. Upstairs, Arden was already digging through the closet for a spare blanket.

Dorian stepped into the room just in time to see her clutching the blanket and heading for the couch.

He glanced at the bed. Then at the couch. Then back at her.

His eyes darkened. “What, we’re sleeping separately now?”

“Yeah,” Arden said without pausing, already bending down to make the couch. “You take the bed. I’ll sleep here.”

Her cotton pajamas moved with her, and as she bent over, the soft fabric clung to her narrow waist and pale legs.

“I give you permission for that?”

Arden shot him a confused look. “You don’t even like me. What’s the problem? This both happy. I don’t want to sleep next to you either.”

“Then who do you want to sleep next to?”

“I want to sleep alone.”

way,

we’re

He walked over, closing the distance between them, voice low and threatening. “We’re legally married. There’s no reason for separate beds.”

Then, without warning, he snatched the blanket out of her hands and shoved it back in the closet. Arden didn’t move, just stared at him.

As he reached up, his shirt rode up, revealing the lean lines of his waist.

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