For him, the only thing that mattered right now was securing those company shares.
If he didn't secure his inheritance, the fallout would be far more agonizing than a momentary blow to his pride.
But he would never let her see the cold calculation behind his actions.
All she saw was a man laying his soul bare.
Just as he had predicted, her reaction mirrored his exact expectations. He maintained his composed facade, his eyes locked on her face.
He took the initiative to break the heavy silence.
"It's true that our marriage originally happened because Grandpa believed our union would bring him luck in his final days," his deep, magnetic voice hummed smoothly in the quiet room. "But I haven't forgotten everything you've done for me over the years, or how much you've loved me."
His words were like a masterful melody, plucking perfectly at her heartstrings.
It was impossible for her to remain completely unaffected.
Yet the sheer trauma of the past few months made it impossible for her to just let it all go.
His rich, emotional voice continued to fill the space between them.
"I've known Janetta for ten years, and I won't deny that I cared for her. But because of my sudden marriage to you, she was unfairly cast as the other woman. I felt incredibly guilty about that, which is why I couldn't just abandon her," he confessed, laying his history with Janetta out in the open.
It was the first time he had ever spoken so frankly about his relationship with the other woman.
Her fingers curled slightly, still resting against his arm, but she remained perfectly still.
She was listening.
This was the open wound in their marriage; she couldn't afford not to listen.
"And now that she's pregnant, I definitely can't just turn a blind eye," he continued reasonably. "But we've been married for seven years. It's impossible for there to be zero feelings between us. If I felt nothing for you, I would have never touched you. Besides, you're pregnant now. Are you really going to risk the baby's life over this? When Grandpa was alive, his biggest wish was to see you have a child to solidify our marriage. You don't want to let him down, do you?"
He knew exactly where to strike.
Grandpa was her ultimate weakness. In the entire Hayes family, Grandpa was the only one who had truly loved and protected her.


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