His Hidden Family My Ruined Marriage (Liana) novel Chapter 108

His Hidden Family, My Ruined Marriage

Chapter 108 The Reason for the Divorce

The car moved smoothly through the midday traffic.

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The spacious interior was unnervingly quiet until Liana’s phone, still inside the bag Elian held, began to ring.

Liana instinctively looked toward his lap. Elian acted as if he hadn’t heard a thing.

Both the driver and Anya in the front seat heard it too, but neither dared to speak.

Lucas felt the bizarre tension thickening. He wasn’t even sure where he was supposed to go and just kept driving.

Having Anya in the car today was a special kind of torture, especially after overhearing the activity from the backseat last night.

“It might be the school,” Liana said, deciding not to call him out on the lie about her phone and focusing on the practical matter.

“Is a call from the school really that important now?” Elian finally spoke, his tone flat.

Confused, Liana explained patiently, “Of course a call from work is important.”

“Didn’t you already submit your application for the study abroad program?”

His demeanor remained detached, as if drawing a clear line between them, yet their coats were crumpled together in the confined space.

Liana was startled that he knew about that, but given his resources, it wasn’t surprising.

Someone had probably reported it to him without him even asking.

“I did. But I haven’t received a decision yet.”

The persistent ringing grated on her nerves. She reached for the bag.

“Liana, do you really think I can’t do anything about you?” Elian’s voice dropped dangerously low as he instantly seized her wrist, pinning her back against the seat.

His sudden aggression startled her, but she forced herself to remain calm. “Please control yourself, Mr. Locke.”

“Control myself?” he scoffed, his breath hot against her face. “I don’t think I will.”

His mouth crashed down on hers.

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Chapter 108 The Reason for the Divorce

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The moment his lips sealed over hers, her mind went blank, oxygen-starved. Her body instinctively twisted, trying to fight him off.

Elian, as was his habit when kissing her, let his hands roam. Liana couldn’t suppress a muffled gasp of protest.

They weren’t alone. Not only could the driver hear, but Anya was sitting right there.

Liana was horrified. He was kissing her, touching her, right in front of Anya.

When she felt the button of her trousers being undone, a violent shiver of fear ran through her.

Elian felt it. He abruptly broke the fierce kiss, burying his face in the curve of her neck, his breathing ragged with restraint.

“Damn it. I should just end you.”

Liana couldn’t speak. She turned her face toward the window, her vision blurring.

Out of the four people in the car, only one felt no shame.

Anya clenched her palms tight and stared out her window, humiliated.

Lucas, gripping the wheel, ventured a cautious question into the heavy silence. “Mr. Locke, where are we headed?”

“To the courthouse. They’re getting a divorce,” Anya blurted out before either Elian or Liana could respond.

She was desperate to get them there. She wanted to see which clerk would dare not process Elian’s divorce immediately.

They should’ve divorced last time. Later…

Yes, she’d called in favors and made a fuss.

The idea of the head of the Locke Group being held up by red tape for a divorce was ludicrous.

This time, she vowed, they would walk out with the decree in minutes.

Elian, however, remained partially draped over Liana. He lifted his head to look at her. “Is that right, Mrs. Locke? Are we going to the courthouse?”

“Yes.”

Liana kept her gaze on the passing buildings, her voice barely audible.

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Chapter 108 The Reason for the Divorce

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“If Mrs. Locke says so, then we are.”

He rested his head lightly on her shoulder again. His long fingers sought hers, lacing them together in a tight clasp.

Liana tried to pull away, but he held on so fiercely that each finger ached.

“But what’s the reason for the divorce? Husband’s infidelity? Or… wife’s domestic violence?” he inquired leisurely, as if discussing the weather.

The atmosphere in the car grew more surreal by the second.

Lucas was indeed heading toward the courthouse, but it felt nothing like a trip to finalize a divorce.

A lump formed in Liana’s throat, making speech impossible.

Facing the finality of divorce was like being half-dead. All the resentment, all the fight, had drained away.

She just wanted it to be over.

Elian watched the faint sheen of moisture gathering in her eyes. He then shifted his gaze to the front passenger seat. “What do you think, Miss Forrest?”

Anya was caught off guard by the sudden question, flustered.

But she quickly found an answer.

“Irreconcilable differences.”

She recalled that was the reason listed on her own father’s divorce papers from his first wife.

It was the most dignified, universally accepted excuse.

“But we never really took the time to understand each other’s personalities, did we?” Elian turned his attention back to Liana.

Hearing him say they’d never truly known each other, Liana’s gaze stretched further into the distance outside.

What was the point of saying such things now? The outcome-divorce-was all that mattered.

“For those two years we were married, I was always away on business. You were always caring for your mother. Liana, we never had the chance to really get to know each other.”

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