His Hidden Family My Ruined Marriage (Liana) novel Chapter 44

Chapter 44 The Final Straw

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Liana tried to pull her hand free. His grip only tightened, making her wince, her eyes watering with pain and anger.

Seeing the tears gathering, he instantly loosened his hold, remorse flashing across his features.

Liana yanked her hand back and scrambled to her feet, rushing for the door just as it suddenly rattled.

She froze.

The door opened. Liana looked up, stunned.

It was Anya.

She was still in her hospital gown, a cardigan thrown over her shoulders. She looked pale but managed a gentle smile. “Hi, Liana. You’re here.”

He gave Anya the passcode to our home?

What kind of man does that?

Liana turned her head, sending a glacial look toward the man still in the living room, then turned on her heel and walked out.

A man gives the code to his own home to another woman—what does that say?

She forced herself to stay calm. The elevator opened; she stepped in and left without a second thought.

Elian, go to hell.

Disappointment had reached its peak. All her lingering attachment to him dissolved, leaving behind a cold, clear resolve.

The window in her apartment still hadn’t been fixed, letting in a chilly autumn draft.

The phrase “when it rains, it pours” came to mind, but right now, having a roof over her head felt like enough.

Lily came over in the evening with groceries. “You’ve been craving sour stuff, right? I got lemons. I’ll make a lemon chicken pasta.”

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12:00 Thu, Feb 12

Chapter 44 The Final Straw

“Just give me a slice first.”

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Her craving for anything tart was intense lately; she’d even taken to sipping balsamic vinegar straight from the bottle.

Lily sliced a lemon and handed her a thin wedge.

Liana sucked on it, the sharp, clean acidity finally cutting through the suffocating bitterness that had filled her chest all afternoon.

“If Elian knew you were carrying his child, I wonder if he’d regret setting up that little love nest for Anya in Westhaven,” Lily mused, stirring the pasta.

She thought Elian had basically buried his happy marriage with his own hands.

“This is better. I’ll finalize the divorce before I start showing. This baby will be mine alone.”

Liana kept her tone light, as if it didn’t matter.

Lily sighed, seeing the unshed tears in her friend’s eyes. “You say that, but I know you’re hurting.”

Liana stopped sucking on the lemon, her gaze distant. “I’ll make the sauce,” she said quietly.

The two ate dinner together, slept together, and planned to head to work together the next day.

They hadn’t expected the doorbell to ring while they were just brushing their teeth.

Liana told Lily to keep at it and went to open the door herself.

Anya stood there.

“I came to apologize.”

Anya lifted the breakfast she’d prepped ahead of time as a show of goodwill.

“You apologize every time we meet. Your attitude is great, Ms. Forrest, but you seem to make an awful lot of mistakes.”

Liana blocked the doorway, not inviting her in.

“Fine, I’ll be honest. I came to ask you to finalize the divorce with Elian. I want to give Theo a proper, complete family.”

Anya dropped the pretense, her expression shifting to one of shameless determination.

“I’ll be honest too. The one holding up the divorce isn’t me.”

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12:00 Thu, Feb 12

Chapter 44 The Final Straw

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Liana moved to shut the door.

Anya’s hand shot out to stop it. “I know. Elian told me. He said he can’t divorce you so soon after your mother’s passing. That would make him look faithless.”

He told Anya that? Liana almost laughed.

Anya kept going.

“He’s always been a man of his word. But Theo is growing up. He needs a father. And given that we’re half-sisters, I hope you’ll do the right thing and push him to finalize it.”

Liana just stared at her coldly. She was done wasting words.

This was Anya’s not-so-subtle way of reminding her that she was the one who shared a child with Elian.

Seeing Liana wouldn’t budge, Anya’s eyes gleamed with a new tactic. “There’s something you don’t know. The glass in your bedroom-I sent someone to smash it. Elian already knows, but I bet he didn’t tell you, right? He promised to keep it secret for me.”

Liana’s mind went blank with a deafening hum.

“I’m not telling you this to flaunt my place in his heart. I just want you to see the reality. You grew up without a father. You know how hard that is. Be decent. Don’t force my Theo to grow up in the same kind of broken home.”

Having delivered her blow, Anya turned to leave, then paused, holding up the bag. “Want it?”

Liana didn’t answer. She simply closed the door.

Anya, rebuffed, walked away with a faint, satisfied smile. But her triumph was short-lived.

At the bottom of the stairs, her steps faltered.

Elian’s black Bentley was parked next to her car. He leaned casually against the hood, a cigarette between his fingers. His sharp, penetrating gaze was fixed on her.

Anya walked over, her voice suddenly small. “Elian, how long have you been here?”

“Hand in your resignation today.” His voice was calm, his eyes narrowed as he watched her.

Anya stiffened. Seeing the cold distance in his eyes, she quickly said, “I came to apologize to Liana for yesterday. I even brought her breakfast, made by our housekeeper.”

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