Chapter 7

"Arnold, don't be like this. Can't we just talk?" Verda's voice shook a little. She rushed over, trying to grab my arm, but I pulled away without thinking.

She missed and stumbled, her eyes full of pleading. That look killed whatever bit of softness I had left.

"What's there to talk about?" I shot her a cold look, not bothering to hide my annoyance.

She opened her mouth, voice rough and choked with tears. "Arnold, you're really gonna treat me like this, huh? Didn't we promise we'd be together forever?"

I let out a cold laugh, anger flaring all over again. "Don't bring up the past, Verda. Those were just lies you told to fool me. You think I'd still believe you, huh?"

"No, that's not true. Arnold, I—" She tried to explain, but I cut her off.

"Enough!" I looked down at her, my heart frozen over. "After everything that's happened, what else could you possibly say?"

She froze, then blurted, "I'm pregnant. You're going to be a father."

"Verda, could you stop being so shameless? I'm not raising another man's kid!" I shouted.

"If you don't want this baby, I'll get rid of it tomorrow. After that, we can start fresh. We'll have our own kids," she said. "You used to love me so much. Can you really just walk away? Arnold, I can't live without you."

"Do you even hear yourself?" I said, my patience gone. "There's nothing left between us. My feelings for you died a long time ago. For three years, I never even touched you, and now you're pregnant. What man could accept that?"

"I was wrong, Arnold." She started crying again, tears spilling. "It's not what you think. We grew up together, and I always saw you as family. Then my mom suddenly said I should marry you. Back then, you were just family to me, and I couldn't accept sharing a bed with you."

She reached out for me. "But after all this time, I've realized—I've fallen in love with you. Let's share a bed tonight—make up for what we skipped on our wedding night three years ago."

I stepped back. "Verda, get real. Who would stay married three years without ever sleeping together?"

"Arnold, I know I neglected you all these years. But I'm ready now," she said.

"Didn't you say you belonged only to Martin?" I asked.

"Arnold, what are you talking about?" she snapped.

I caught the guilty flicker in her eyes. "Verda, let's just end this clean. I don't want to make things ugly. Your mom's treated me well all these years, and I don't want her embarrassed."

"Arnold, what gives you the right to talk to me like this? Just because I didn't sleep with you, huh? I'm agreeing now—what more do you want?"

"What makes you think I'd still want you? You're filthy to me now," I said without holding back.

"Don't make it sound like I did something wrong."

"What you two did was a lot worse than anything I could say." I let out a cold laugh. "You think I want to waste my breath on you, huh? We're already divorced. You can sleep with him all you want now. I couldn't care less."

Verda's eyes turned cold. After a long pause, her lips curved into a thin, joyless smile. "Fine. Remember you said that, Arnold. Don't regret it."

Then she followed me inside to finish the divorce paperwork.

After I divorced Verda, I threw myself into running the family business.

Back then, I had walked away from the Benson Group just to spend more time with her. I'd been happy to stay home, cooking and taking care of her every need.

Looking back, it was pathetic. I'd given up my career and my future for a woman.

I slapped myself hard. My cheek burned, but it still didn't hurt as much as my chest did right then.