Chapter 2 She Always Waited for Him
+5 Free Coins
The car pulled into the villa complex and stopped in front of a three–story house with its own courtyard.
Claudia handed the keys to the housekeeper and walked straight inside. The warmth of the heater enveloped her, quickly dispelling the chill that clung to her.
She didn’t acknowledge the staff who came to greet her. Instead, she headed upstairs and began packing.
The thought of Alan reconnecting with Summer behind her back–bringing their child into it too–made her stomach churn. She felt sick.
She didn’t want to stay here another second.
1
There was a lot to pack, but she only took essentials: underwear, a few winter coats, and her most valuable jewelry. Just enough to fill a large suitcase.
While clearing out her nightstand, her fingers brushed against a credit card.
It was Alan’s supplementary card.
Probably because he always saw their marriage as something forced upon him by family, Alan had always been stingy and guarded with her. He never gave her a cent in living
expenses.
Andy had his own account.
But Claudia? Just that one supplementary card.
Back when she was still hopelessly in love, she once thought him giving her a card of her own was a sign of affection. Later, she realized it was a leash.
Every transaction went straight to Alan’s notifications.
Still, Claudia rarely used it. Even when she did, it was to buy something for the house. Most of the time, she relied on her own salary.
She had found her job on her own, too.
Wanting to be closer to Alan, she once submitted her resume to Moore Corp’s tech department. Her stellar credentials–PhD in computer science from Northwind University- didn’t even land her an interview.
30
|||
O
<
1/5
22:55 Sat, Aug 30 R
Chapter 2 She Always Waited for Him
Only later did she find out it was Alan’s doing.
Moore Corp had orders not to hire her.
What had he said back then?
“You want to be my wife? Then be a wife. Don’t meddle in the company.”
Now, seven years later, looking back, every moment felt like a dagger to the heart.
Had they ever truly lived like husband and wife?
+5 Free Coins
Claudia didn’t take the card. She only gathered her jewelry. There was no desire left to sort through things slowly. She shoved it all in and dragged her suitcase downstairs.
Hearing the commotion, Mandy came out from the kitchen. Seeing the suitcase, she was startled and hurried over. “Ma’am? Are you-?”
“Business trip,” Claudia replied offhandedly, not in the mood to explain.
After so many years of marriage, she knew Alan too well. He was ruthless, vengeful, and never forgot a grudge. Never mind business–he’d kept up a seven–year cold war over an argument before they even got married.
Until she spoke with her lawyer tomorrow and had a clear plan, she wouldn’t show her cards.
Love was gone. It was time to talk money.
She had served this man and his son for seven years. Even if Alan had always been guarded with her, she deserved some form of compensation.
After leaving the villa, Claudia drove near her workplace.
She’d already rented a fully furnished, move–in–ready apartment earlier on the drive over. She had no plans to stay in this city for long,
She worked in the IT department of a bank.
In just three years, she’d risen from junior technician to team lead. But she never liked this job.
She had chosen computer science at Northwind University because it was a lucrative field. She needed the money.
30
30
A
|||
2/5
O
<
22:55 Sat, Aug 30 R.
Chapter 2 She Always Waited for Him
A bachelor’s would have been enough for a career in tech.
Once she made enough, she’d planned to pursue her true passion.
༥ ་ཱ 69%
+5 Free Coins
But then she found out Alan had a deep interest in computers and AI. Hoping to have something in common with him–hoping to be closer–she’d buried her love for art and design and kept going. She’d stayed at Northwind and finished her PhD.
For that, she’d even had a seven–year falling out with her grandaunt, an internationally renowned designer of traditional–style fashion. Her grandaunt believed she was wasting her talent and stopped speaking to her after the wedding.
But none of it had brought her any closer to Alan. The coldness remained.
Looking back now, her desperate efforts must’ve been laughable to him.
Since the divorce was set in motion, she no longer felt the need to stay in tech.
She’d done well enough in the field, but it had never compared to her true passion.
Hopefully, it wasn’t too late to return to it. Thankfully, she hadn’t entirely abandoned design these past years.
First, she needed to hand over her current projects and find someone to take her place.
Then, she could finally throw herself fully into art and design again.
After showering and straightening the sheets, Claudia didn’t bother unpacking. She wasn’t planning to stay long. Drained to the bone, she fell into bed and went to sleep.
At the Moore family villa.
Around ten that night, Alan returned with Andy.
Still holding the game console Summer had given him, Andy sat in the car and didn’t want to get out. He looked at his dad with big, pleading eyes. “Dad…‘
If he brought the console inside, Mom would definitely take it away.
Alan understood immediately. He tapped the steering wheel and said calmly, “Leave it in the car. She won’t look through my things.”
“Yes!” Andy cheered and stuffed the console into the glove compartment.
30
|||
O
315
22:56 Sat, Aug 30
Chapter 2 She Always Waited for Him
69%
+5 Free Coins
As he got out of the car, he asked, “Dad, can I go to your place tomorrow to see Ms. Summer again?”
“No. We’ll be busy,” Alan replied without hesitation.
“Aww…” Andy pouted, then perked up. “Then can you take me to Grandma’s? I finally have winter break, but at home, Mom’s always hovering. It’s so annoying. Not fun at all.”
This time, Alan agreed.
Andy lit up again, bouncing happily back into the house.
Mandy, waiting in the living room, rushed forward with warm ginger tea and helped take their coats.
Alan handed over his coat, frowning. “Where’s Claudia?”
No matter how late he came home, if Claudia was around, she’d always wait in the living room. She usually handled his laundry and wardrobe herself too.
Didn’t she just call earlier to say she’d gotten off work?
Why wasn’t she here?
Mandy blinked, surprised. She thought Claudia had already told him. “You didn’t know? Ma’am left on a business trip.”
A business trip? What kind of business trip did that rinky–dink bank even send her on?
Alan shrugged off the thought. He hadn’t really cared–just asked out of habit. Her being gone was even better.
Andy, meanwhile, let out a relieved sigh. His foxy eyes, so much like his father’s, sparkled as they darted around excitedly.
“Dad, then I’ll take the game console inside to play, okay?”
With Mom gone, he wouldn’t have to run off to Grandma’s. He’d be king of the house with no one to boss him around.
Alan nodded, letting him do as he pleased.
Back in the bedroom, Alan showered and changed into soft silk pajamas. His collar was left casually open, and his damp hair clung to his forehead. His long, narrow eyes were slightly foggy with warmth.
30
4/5
|||
O
22:56 Sat, Aug 30
Chapter 2 She Always Waited for Him
His phone buzzed on the nightstand.
+5 Free Coins
He picked it up, glanced at a message from Summer, and was about to reply when something in his peripheral vision made him freeze.
There was an empty space on the nightstand.
The little red robot with the top hat was gone.
