Valerie was completely caught off guard. She’d been incredibly busy lately and had completely forgotten she was married to Matthew. To be honest, she’d only married him to appease Julian and his wife, and because she needed someone reliable while pregnant. After the ceremony, the reality of the situation had simply slipped her mind. So, when he presented his domestic plans, a wave of guilt washed over her.
“Oops, I was so selfish and completely ignored him,” she thought. He, on the other hand, had bought an apartment and planned to live with her. “He’s a good man… this makes me feel worse,” she mused.
“Well, Mr. Grant,” she began, inhaling deeply, “I wanted to talk to you about this. You don’t have to do this because I won’t be bothering you for long. It would be better if we lived our separate lives. If it bothers you, we can get a divorce in a few months.”
She continued her internal monologue: “I just need support during the pregnancy. Plus, I don’t have to marry the man Mom forced me to marry anymore. I’ve thought this through. When the baby’s due, I’ll divorce him and tell Julian it didn’t work out. He’ll believe it,” she reassured herself.
Upon hearing this, Matthew grabbed her shoulders and leaned in. Valerie was again completely taken aback. His height cast a long shadow over her, making her feel unusually small and fragile.
He leaned close and whispered, his voice cold and authoritative: “Let me make this perfectly clear. We are married, and you are obligated to fulfill your wifely duties. You will not be getting a divorce unless I agree. And even then, you won’t get a dime of what is rightfully mine. This is more complicated than you realize. The world doesn’t always bend to your will.”
Valerie felt devastated. Stunned, she realized she’d underestimated him—and messed with the wrong person. More importantly, Matthew had threatened to take everything in a divorce. Valerie’s face paled. Fearfully, she thought, “Thank God I didn’t tell him about the baby. What if he finds out and tries to take my baby away!”
“Look,” Matthew declared, his eyes narrowing, “I’m not wasting my life with someone I don’t love. If I still feel nothing in six months, I’m divorcing you. But until then, you’d better be a damn good wife. And if I ever catch you cheating, you’ll be sorry.”
In his mind, Matthew was convinced Valerie was a gold digger, biding her time to leave him for a richer man. He loosened his tie, gazing at her absently. He’d never been a good guy, and he hated being threatened. Valerie forcing him into marriage and then blocking him on WhatsApp had only fueled his anger.
“Okay, she’s playing games. Two can play at this. It’s been a while since I’ve had this much fun. I’ll drop the bomb and tell her I’m the president of the Grant Group when she can’t keep up the charade any longer. Can’t wait to see her face,” Matthew thought, a surprising thrill coursing through him.
He expected Valerie to be furious, but to his surprise, she seemed relieved. She thought, “Well, I’m a month pregnant. In six months, the baby will be seven months old. As long as I keep this pregnancy hidden, he’ll never know!”
12:15 PM