Chapter 2 · He Cheated 42 Times, So I Hired A Young Boyfriend

Over the years, I'd thrown my share of tantrums, but I never once mentioned divorce.

I kept convincing myself Kael would come back.

But the truth was, I was just fooling myself.

Xavier paused, his eyes flashing with disbelief, before a cold smirk curled on his lips.

"Claire, looks like you've really learned some tricks, huh? You used to threaten suicide to get my attention, now you're running around with other guys just to piss me off, and now you're throwing divorce in my face?" he scoffed.

He stepped closer, his voice edged with irritation.

He said, "I've told you over and over, those women mean nothing, and none of them could ever threaten your place as my wife. Why can't you just trust me?"

Before he could finish, his phone rang. The custom ringtone for his forty-second mistress.

He quickly masked his emotions and turned away on reflex, but I spoke up, my tone cool.

"Go ahead, answer it right here."

He glanced at me in surprise, a hint of hesitation in his eyes, but he still answered the call.

On the other end of the line, I heard delicate sobs, and he comforted her in a low, soothing voice.

He said, "Sweetheart, don't cry. I'll come keep you company soon."

His tenderness left me feeling dazed.

Back when we first got married, he had to travel abroad for work.

I woke up in the middle of the night, shaken from a nightmare, and called him in tears.

He talked to me in that same gentle voice.

He said, "Baby, don't cry. I'll be home soon to hold you."

To keep me from getting scared, Xavier kept the line open so I could hear him working on the other end.

Every so often, he'd quietly ask, "Baby, are you asleep yet?"

The next morning, he showed up at our doorstep, travel-worn and weary.

I was stunned.

His assistant was standing there with his suitcase, looking like he hadn't slept in days.

He blurted out, "Mrs. Chandler, as soon as Mr. Chandler got your call, he barely took a breath before signing the contract and heading straight for the airport. He hasn't closed his eyes in more than twenty hours.

"Mr. Chandler really treats you like you're his whole world."

But now, he was watching me like a hawk, bracing himself, afraid I'd lunge for his phone and lose it, smashing stuff like I'd done so many times over the past four years.

But this time, I just stood there, totally calm, not making a move.

He said, "You messed up Celia's birthday party, so I'm heading over to be with her now."

He said it like it was the most normal thing in the world.

I simply nodded

Xavier frowned, a look of confusion on his face.

"You're really not mad this time?" he asked.

I stopped caring about all that two months ago.

I could count on one hand the times I'd seen him these past few months.

He still thought I was the Claire who used to go crazy over him.

I handed him the divorce papers again.

I said, "Sign this, and after that, you can chase after number forty-three, forty-four, a hundred, a thousand, doesn't matter to me anymore."

His face turned stormy, his eyes glued to the big, bold letters on the divorce papers.

I figured he thought I was asking for too much with the 30 million.

I said, "Not happy with 30 million? How about 25 million, then?"

He finally looked up at me, his words coming out through gritted teeth.

"In your dreams," he snapped.

I frowned, annoyed, "Xavier, you're worth tens of billions. You can't even cough up 25 million?"

He snatched the papers and ripped them to pieces, his face turning so dark it was scary as hell.

"Divorce? In your dreams.

"Claire, you'd better not cause any more trouble. Stop using divorce and running after other guys to get my attention.

"Otherwise, I won't think twice about locking you up in the mental hospital again," he snapped.

With that, he stormed out without looking back.

Watching his back as he left, I lowered my eyes and smirked coldly.

He was the one cheating, and he was also the one who wouldn't let me go.

He wouldn't give me a divorce.

Then he couldn't blame me for blowing his money on male escorts.

I pulled out my phone and dialed, my voice carrying a newfound cheerfulness.

I said, "Line up eighteen male escorts for me. Right now."

Chapter 2

Over the years, I'd thrown my share of tantrums, but I never once mentioned divorce.

I kept convincing myself Kael would come back.

But the truth was, I was just fooling myself.

Xavier paused, his eyes flashing with disbelief, before a cold smirk curled on his lips.

He stepped closer, his voice edged with irritation.

He said, "I've told you over and over, those women mean nothing, and none of them could ever threaten your place as my wife. Why can't you just trust me?"

Before he could finish, his phone rang. The custom ringtone for his forty-second mistress.

He quickly masked his emotions and turned away on reflex, but I spoke up, my tone cool.

"Go ahead, answer it right here."

He glanced at me in surprise, a hint of hesitation in his eyes, but he still answered the call.

On the other end of the line, I heard delicate sobs, and he comforted her in a low, soothing voice.

He said, "Sweetheart, don't cry. I'll come keep you company soon."

His tenderness left me feeling dazed.

Back when we first got married, he had to travel abroad for work.

I woke up in the middle of the night, shaken from a nightmare, and called him in tears.

He talked to me in that same gentle voice.

He said, "Baby, don't cry. I'll be home soon to hold you."

To keep me from getting scared, Xavier kept the line open so I could hear him working on the other end.

Every so often, he'd quietly ask, "Baby, are you asleep yet?"

The next morning, he showed up at our doorstep, travel-worn and weary.

I was stunned.

His assistant was standing there with his suitcase, looking like he hadn't slept in days.

"Mr. Chandler really treats you like you're his whole world."

But now, he was watching me like a hawk, bracing himself, afraid I'd lunge for his phone and lose it, smashing stuff like I'd done so many times over the past four years.

But this time, I just stood there, totally calm, not making a move.

He said, "You messed up Celia's birthday party, so I'm heading over to be with her now."

He said it like it was the most normal thing in the world.

I simply nodded

Xavier frowned, a look of confusion on his face.

"You're really not mad this time?" he asked.

I stopped caring about all that two months ago.

I could count on one hand the times I'd seen him these past few months.

He still thought I was the Claire who used to go crazy over him.

I handed him the divorce papers again.

I said, "Sign this, and after that, you can chase after number forty-three, forty-four, a hundred, a thousand, doesn't matter to me anymore."

His face turned stormy, his eyes glued to the big, bold letters on the divorce papers.

I figured he thought I was asking for too much with the 30 million.

I said, "Not happy with 30 million? How about 25 million, then?"

He finally looked up at me, his words coming out through gritted teeth.

"In your dreams," he snapped.

I frowned, annoyed, "Xavier, you're worth tens of billions. You can't even cough up 25 million?"

He snatched the papers and ripped them to pieces, his face turning so dark it was scary as hell.

"Divorce? In your dreams.

"Claire, you'd better not cause any more trouble. Stop using divorce and running after other guys to get my attention.

"Otherwise, I won't think twice about locking you up in the mental hospital again," he snapped.

With that, he stormed out without looking back.

Watching his back as he left, I lowered my eyes and smirked coldly.

He was the one cheating, and he was also the one who wouldn't let me go.

He wouldn't give me a divorce.

Then he couldn't blame me for blowing his money on male escorts.

I pulled out my phone and dialed, my voice carrying a newfound cheerfulness.

I said, "Line up eighteen male escorts for me. Right now."