Chapter 98 I stood among the young hikers on McCarthy Mountain , flashing a smile as we gathered for a group photo .
Time was slipping through my fingers just half a month more , and I would finally have my divorce certificate in hand .
The day I walked away from Charles , I booked the first flight to Springfield .
We had once dreamed of settling here , but work had always kept him tethered elsewhere .
I , however , had no such chains .
For a week , I wandered through the city , savoring the freedom , before stumbling upon a mountaineering club online .
The group was full of lively twenty somethings , their energy infectious .
At first , they hesitated , wondering if I could keep up .
But after conquering two mountains together , I was no longer just a newcomer I was one of them .
At times , it felt as if I had stepped back into my twenties , reclaiming a version of myself I had long lost .
The last thing I expected was to find Charles standing at the foot of the mountain .
} ] This wasnt some mere coincidence .
He had come looking for me .
That much was clear .
After bidding my friends goodbye , I led him to a quiet restaurant , the kind that smelled of aged wood and nostalgia .
The mountain air still clung to my skin , a lingering chill that made me crave something cold .
Without a second thought , I ordered an ice cream .
Charles watched , his frown deepening with every bite .
Eating ice cream in this weather isnt good for you , he muttered .
Youre not some twenty year old girl anymore … } He trailed off , realizing too late how his words sounded .
I paused briefly , then simply smiled , letting it slide past me like wind through the trees .
I saw a traditional doctor .
They said my body is still young and strong .
}] Silence stretched between us , thick and unspoken .
I took my time finishing the ice cream , savoring every bite , before finally meeting his gaze .
You came all this way to find me , I said lightly .
What is it ? His jaw tensed , his eyes dark and unreadable .
About what happened when Orion had gastritis … He exhaled , the words heavy with something unspoken .
Im sorry .
}] I smiled , indifferent .
Unmoved .
Its fine .
Thats in the past .
His breath caught , just slightly .
And when he spoke again , there was a quiet tremor in his voice .
And about that sentence … Im sorry .
I didnt mean it .
@ I looked at him , puzzled .
It took a moment before I realized which sentence he was referring to .
I thought for a moment , then pulled out my phone and made a call .
About fifteen minutes later , a little girl with pigtails was led to me by the club leader .
The moment she saw me , her face lit up .
She ran straight into my arms , wrapping her tiny hands around me before pressing a soft kiss to my cheek .
Mommy Natalie , she called sweetly .
Charles stiffened , staring at her in utter disbelief .
} I reached into my bag and pulled out an old , faded photo .
Dust dulled its edges , the image barely capturing the delicate , adorable child standing before him .
Her name is Eliza .
} I held her close , my arms tightening around her small frame as I met his gaze .
} I had adopted her from an orphanage the day after I left .
Back then , she had been frail , her tiny limbs like twigs , her cheeks sunken , her wide eyes dull with hunger .
To be honest , she hadnt been particularly adorable .
Just a small , fragile thing struggling to survive .
But now ? Now , she was soft and round , her chubby cheeks flushed with warmth , her fair skin glowing with health .
It had only been twenty days .
So , Charles , I dont accept what you said .
I may have never given birth , but do you really not know why ? The truth was , I had wanted a child , dreamed of it , even .
But he had shut down that dream without a second thought .
And the reason had been painfully simple .
Eleanor was already pregnant .
He swayed slightly as if the weight of my words had struck him harder than hed expected .
His voice came out uneven , shaken .
You … you knew all along ? } I met his gaze , unflinching , and gave a slow nod .
I had always known about Charles and Eleanors past .
e Lot Me Over A Child That Was Never His I met his gaze , unflinching , and gave a slow nod .
I had always known about Charles and Eleanors past .
I had been the driving force behind the companys success , the one everyone relied on .
Compared to Charles , most employees saw me as the true backbone of the business .
He knew it , too .
That was why he never let me go .

Follow new episodes on the CrushnovelS.Com

But it wasnt just about business .
He still loved me then , even if he feared me in equal measure .
} Trapped between wariness and attachment , he wrestled with his own contradictions .
And that was when Eleanor appeared .
She wasnt particularly capable , just the kind of woman who clung to men to rise like a vine winding itself around a sturdy tree .
And that soft , yielding nature of hers … it was all too familiar .
Because once , I had been just like that .
7:56 AM 0 O So , Charles had willingly kept her a secret from me.§ I found it somewhat amusing .