The next morning, Julia woke up to an empty bed.
Francis never came home.
He really spent the night with Valerie on their wedding anniversary.
Julia reached for her phone, but there was no message, no explanation from him. Instead, a single notification from her professor reminded her of the meeting she had almost forgotten.
When she arrived at the professor’s office, the room was already filled with quiet anticipation.
An older man with silver hair stood beside Valerie.
“This is Professor Andrew Harrington, the former director of our Institute of Archaeology,” her professor introduced. “And this is his granddaughter, Valerie.”
Julia’s gaze barely flickered.
The professor hesitated at her lack of reaction. “Valerie mentioned you two were already acquainted, so I’ll skip introductions. She’s very interested in your research and hopes to collaborate.”
As soon as the professor left, the friendly mask Valerie wore in front of others disappeared.
With slow, deliberate steps, she approached Julia, her smile brimming with malice.
“How does it feel to give up a kidney for Francis?”
Julia said nothing.
Valerie let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head in mock pity. “Did you really think he cared?”
Still, Julia remained silent, her expression unreadable.
Valerie scoffed. “I came here today to tell you the truth.”
She leaned in closer, voice dripping with cruelty.
“Francis never had uremia. And neither did I.”
Julia’s body stiffened.
“I sold your kidney on the black market,” Valerie whispered, delighting in the devastation she expected to see. “And made a fortune off it.”
Then, with exaggerated nonchalance, she pulled a thick stack of cash from her designer purse and tossed it at Julia’s face.
Banknotes fluttered to the floor like discarded scraps.
“I know you love money. Isn’t that why you stayed with Francis? Go ahead, pick it up.”
Julia clenched her fists, her breath steady despite the storm raging inside her.
Not satisfied with her lack of reaction, Valerie pressed on, circling Julia like a predator.
“Did you know that the marriage certificate Francis gave you was fake? I forged it myself.” She smirked, relishing the moment. “Francis never loved you. Next month, he’ll finally marry me legally.”
Valerie reached for Julia’s necklace, yanking it hard. The string snapped, sending pearls scattering to the floor.
“Broken pearls are worthless,” she sneered, grinding them under her heel. “Just like you.”
Something inside Julia snapped.
With a sharp crack, her palm met Valerie’s cheek, leaving a vivid red imprint.
“This was my mother’s,” Julia seethed.
“Who gave you the right to touch it?”
But Valerie wasn’t done. Smirking through the sting, she stomped harder on the pearls, as if grinding Julia’s last bit of hope into dust.
Julia lunged.
With one forceful push, she pinned Valerie against the wall.
Before she could land another hit, the door burst open.
Francis.
His hand grabbed Julia’s wrist and wrenched her back, shoving her to the floor.
Valerie’s whimper was immediate, her voice weak and trembling. “Francis…”
Francis wrapped his arms around her protectively, his expression dark with anger.
“Why did you hit Valerie? She’s still recovering!”
Julia stared up at him from the floor.
The pain in her waist flared violently from the impact, but the ache in her chest was worse.
Francis didn’t care. He didn’t even notice.
His cold gaze was unfamiliar, like he had never known her at all.
Without another word, he lifted Valerie into his arms and carried her out.
Julia watched them go, her body frozen but her mind finally clear.
It was over.
This time, she wouldn’t look back.
