His Hidden Family My Ruined Marriage (Liana) novel Chapter 186

Chapter 186 Whose Fault Is That?

That hard-to-book designer is making wedding dresses for both Anya and me?

So if I don’t show up at the wedding, will Anya just step right in?

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She didn’t know how long she sat there before a cup of hot cocoa appeared in her line of sight. She took it, coming back to herself. “Thank you.”

“You know,” Quentin began, sounding uncertain, “I’ve been thinking maybe my showing up at the hotel that night caused more problems for you than it helped.”

Liana looked up at him. “I’m only worried I’ve caused problems for you.”

“Or maybe,” he said, “he never planned to divorce you at all. And maybe there’s never been anything real with Anya.”

Liana gave a small, humorless smile. “You didn’t see it.”

You didn’t see those moments where he risked everything for her.

“Liana,” Quentin asked gently, “if he never actually betrayed you, would you want to go back to him?”

There was no going back for them.

A marriage without trust was built on sand.

At this point, even talking about going back to him felt like a bad joke to Liana.

He even hired Yann to make a wedding dress for Anya.

And she…

Later, after Quentin left, she sat under a tree, slowly sipping the hot cocoa.

So sweet it was almost sickening. She could only take small sips.

The bell for the next period rang. She stood up, walked to a trash can, and dropped the cup in.

If a drink isn’t right for you, don’t force it down. It’ll just make you sick.

People are the same.

She had an evening class that finished around seven. When she left, a low-key black sedan was parked by the school gate.

A man in a dark suit stood beside it. He approached. “Ms. Keane. Mr. Forrest would like to see you.”

Liana looked past him at the car.

She didn’t know how her mother would feel about her meeting Lawrence, but right now, she didn’t want to see him.

So she didn’t.

Lily’s car happened to pull up just then, and Liana got in.

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Chapter 186 Whose Fault Is That? 7-

“Your dad’s secretary?” Lily guessed.

“Yeah.”

Liana rolled the word “dad” around in her head, and still couldn’t deny that the man was indeed his

secretary.

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“Honestly,” Lily said, pragmatic as ever, “maybe you should just acknowledge him. Not for anything else, but for your own future.”

At the mention of a future, a flicker of something passed through Liana’s eyes.

Her original plan had been simple-take the civil service exam, climb the ranks, and then challenge him from a position of power.

She’d even aimed for a supervisory role, convinced he couldn’t withstand close scrutiny.

But she couldn’t even get past the interview stage.

She couldn’t get in.

Thinking about it, she felt ridiculous-twenty-seven and still that naive.

No, not naive-pathetically foolish.

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She’d always wanted to fight him, to prove that the mother and daughter he’d abandoned weren’t inferior to the family he chose.

Now, it seemed maybe studying abroad was her only real way out.

“Don’t you want to have a father who protects you?” Lily pressed. “Every child wants that. Look at Anya, strutting around Instagram like a proud peacock. That’s all because your dad spoils her.”

“If I acknowledge him,” Liana said flatly, “I become a pawn he can sacrifice anytime.”

She understood this clearly. Lawrence didn’t love her.

At best, he’d use her to keep Elian in check.

At twenty-seven, she finally saw it clearly-in this life, whether she relied on a husband or a father, there was always a price.

If she truly acknowledged Lawrence, the baby she carried would likely end up as a bargaining chip in his games with Elian.

And as for her and Elian, the divorce was supposed to be finalized in a day or two.

Creating complications now held no benefit for her.

No matter how she weighed it, she had no reason to see Lawrence.

Meanwhile, after Liana’s refusal, Lawrence went directly to a discreet private club.

Elian was already there, seated with Xander.

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