The Billion-Dollar Divorce (Ian and Chloe) novel Chapter 284

Chapter 284

Ian stood in the middle of the living room, looking a bit worn out.

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He paused for a moment, then said, “The wedding is postponed for now, and an engagement is out of the question.”

His voice was quiet, but his tone was resolute.

Miranda asked anxiously, “Ian, you’re the one getting married. Everything for the wedding is already set, and now you suddenly say it’s not happening? At least give us a proper reason

Shane demanded sharply. “There are only three days left until the wedding. Is the Irvine family trying to ask for more money?”

Ian’s brows were deeply furrowed. “The Irvine family isn’t asking for anything. I just haven’t figured things out yet.”

Miranda looked worried, but she held back what she wanted to say.

But Shane was about to explode with anger.

He pointed at Ian, frustrated and disappointed. “You say you want to get married, and now you say you don’t? Do you even have any sense of responsibility?”

Shane jabbed a finger at Ian. “Don’t forget. You’re the Hamilton Heir. You need to put the family’s interests first!”

Ian shot back, “What does putting the family first even mean? Am I supposed to give up my own marriage and happiness for the rest of my life, just to serve the family’s interests?”

Ian’s words hit Shane so hard that he was left speechless, his face darkening with rage.

Shane and Ian were at each other’s throats, neither willing to back down.

Edward, who’d been quiet all this time, finally spoke up.

His tone was absolute. “There’s no backing out now. The venue’s set, and the guests have their invites. This isn’t your call anymore!”

Edward continued, “If you can’t give us a good enough answer today, I’ll step in myself on the wedding day and announce a business deal with the Goodwin family. You and Margaret will be engaged!”

With both Edward and Shane pressuring him, Ian remained remarkably calm.

He replied, unhurried and firm, “Grandpa, even if you go through with it, I still won’t recognize this marriage.”

Seeing his son openly defy his elders, Shane barked at the butler. Thomas, “Go get the family punishment ready!”

He just couldn’t accept it. He couldn’t wrap his head around how his usually model son had suddenly become so defiant.

Thomas didn’t dare delay. With the staff following behind, he hurried to prepare the family punishment.

Shane jabbed a finger at Ian and snapped, “Come over!”

Ian didn’t say a word. He shrugged off his jacket and came to his dad.

He was the one who pushed for the wedding in the first place.

Now that he was pulling the plug, he had to handle all the fallout himself.

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16:38 Mon, May

Chapter 284

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Ian also had to calm down his family’s fury.

Miranda stepped forward to stop him. “Can’t we just talk this out Why do you always have to bring out the family discipline? Is this how a father should act?”

Shane jabbed a finger at Miranda and snapped, “Too much codding from a mother just ruins the kids. You’re the one who spoiled both of them!”

He added, “I’m teaching him what it takes to be a real Hamilton Heir!”

At Shane’s command, Thomas brought the whip down hard on an’s back, showing no mercy.

After just a few lashes, Ian’s white shirt was already marked with angry red welts.

Shane raised his hand, and Thomas immediately stopped.

Shane pressed him, “Let me ask you one last time. Are you going through with the wedding, or are you settling for an engagement?”

Ian shot back, “I’m not getting married, and I refuse to get engaged ever!”

With that, Ian slowly rose to his feet.

His eyes flicked between his grandfather and his father.

He said, “I’m not the only one you can choose for the Hamilton Heir. If you think I’m not the right guy, go ahead and pick someone else!”

The whole room went dead silent, faces turning pale.

Shane, furious, marched up and slapped Ian hard across the face “Say that again, I dare you!”

Ian’s head snapped to the side, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

Ian wiped the blood from his mouth, slow and deliberate, refusing to show any weakness.

He stared at his father and said, “I could say it ten times, a hundred times; it doesn’t change the facts!”

Ian met his father’s furious gaze, his words clear and unyielding You don’t just have one son.

“If you keep interfering in my marriage and blaming the Irvine family for this mess, I’ll step down as the Hamilton Heir and let your other son have it!”

With that, Ian bent down, picked up his jacket, and walked out of the Hamilton Manor without looking back.

Edward was so furious that he just lay back on the sofa, rigid with rage.

Shane was fuming, anxious, and helpless. “That damn fool!”

Miranda was worried, but she kept quiet.

Shane stomped around the room, his anger barely contained. “Three days left till the wedding, and that stubborn idiot won’t get married or even agree to an engagement. Now what the hellre we supposed to do?”

Miranda spoke up, “Ian’s been running the company for years. He’s weathered every storm. If you trusted him enough to let him take over, then you should trust him to handle this. Let him deal with it his own way.”

She’d endured years of patience, all for this moment; the day the Hamilton family and her own family would finally be united.

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16:38 Mon, May 11 o

Chapter 284

Everything the Hamilton family owned was meant for her two kids, and nobody else.

Edward finally managed to pull himself together.

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He turned to Thomas and ordered, “Go investigate Andrea. If she steps out of line, you know exactly what needs to be done.”

Edward gave Thomas a sharp, warning glare.

Thomas accepted the order and hurried out of the room.

Edward turned to Shane and said, “She was never a match for lam to begin with. His calling off the wedding isn’t the worst thing. Get the PR team to draft a statement and call off the whole thing.”

Hearing Edward’s decision, Miranda turned away, her face unreadable.

All Edward saw was the Hamilton Group and profit; nothing else mattered to him.

The only reason he was willing to compromise was that no one could replace Ian as the heir.

Miranda gave a derisive snort and went back to her room.

The next morning. Chloe was having breakfast with her family.

As they sat around the table, chatting about buying a new house they caught Ian on TV, being interviewed by reporters.

Ian announced that due to the tight schedule of the Eeasriwe project, the wedding originally set for the end of the month had been postponed.

When reporters kept pressing him about his bride-to-be, Ian confessed his feelings on live TV, saying he was truly in love with his flancée and their relationship was strong and steady.

He also said he wouldn’t reveal his flancée’s identity before the wedding.

Chloe grabbed the remote and switched off the TV.

The four of them looked at each other, everyone finally relaxing with a sigh of relief.

Jill shot her daughter a look. “Ian’s such a catch. Seriously, I have no idea what goes on in that head of yours.”

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