No Divorce? The Billionaire's Love Chase! novel Chapter 220

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"Claudia took several lashes for you and knelt for over an hour to clear the way for your little family, and where were you? Busy taking care of Ann! And you still dare to say you two haven't rekindled things?"

York leaned against the foot of the hospital bed and wiped a trickle of blood from his lip. "The child isn't mine," he said, each word deliberate. "You know this. There is nothing going on between me and Ann. I was just trying to keep my grandfather off her back!"

Peter laughed coldly. "The fact that the child isn't yours makes you even more despicable!

"Ann uses the child as an excuse to get closer to you, and you use the child as an excuse to protect Ann," Peter continued. "You're both going to great lengths for each other. If that isn't love, what is it?

"York, we grew up with Claudia. If I let you continue to abuse her like this, I don't deserve to be the brother she looks up to. You hurt her like this for Ann, for a child that isn't even yours. You don't deserve to be her husband!"

With that, Peter slammed the door and left.

York remained alone in the empty room for a long time.

Six years ago, he had been drawn to Ann. He had even considered marrying her. But six years had passed, and he knew with absolute certainty that he did not love her, nor would he ever be with her. He couldn't accept her, not mentally, not physically. Ann's life had been ruined because of him, and he was merely fulfilling his promise to her. His silence, his protection of her—he knew it had caused Claudia to misunderstand, had hurt her deeply. But he had not betrayed their marriage, and he had never planned on giving up on it. From the moment he decided to marry Claudia, he had been prepared to spend the rest of his life with her. He had fought so hard to get her back by his side; he would never divorce her.

After composing himself, York pushed open the door to Claudia's room.

She was lying quietly on her side, an IV drip in her arm, her eyes closed. The butler had held back, but the whip had still been agonizingly painful. She had almost not been able to endure it.