The Billion-Dollar Divorce (Ian and Chloe) novel Chapter 100

Chapter 100

Chloe’s nonchalant attitude only made lan even more furious.

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He grabbed her wrist, keeping her at the edge of the bed, his face stormy as he demanded, “You were out all night on New Year’s Eve, drinking. Have I been letting you get away with too much lately?”

Chloe shook off his hand and climbed onto the bed, casting an innocent look at lan. “I just went out with some friends to celebrate New Year’s. Is that really something to blow

up over?”

Ian’s temples throbbed with suppressed anger.

He loomed over her, his eyes fixed on Chloe, voice even sharper. “Your phone was off all night, you didn’t come home, and then you turned up wasted in front of my family wearing some random guy’s jacket. You really think that’s just celebrating New Year’s?”

Chloe lowered her gaze.

‘Looks like if I don’t argue it out tonight, I’m not getting any sleep,‘ Chloe thought.

Chloe spoke flatly, no trace of emotion. “Ian, you ditched me on New Year’s Eve to be with the woman you actually care about and your kid. Did I ever give you a hard time about that?”

Ian shot back, “I told you I’d come back as soon as I could.”

Chloe snapped, “That was your decision–but right then and there, you made your choice!”

The air between them was thick with tension.

They both fell silent.

They stared at each other in silence for what felt like an eternity before Ian finally spoke again. He said, “If you cared that much, why did you even tell me to go with them and pretend you were totally fine with it?”

Chloe gave a scornful laugh. “Ian, in your eyes, am I really that low, just someone you can walk all over?”

She went on, “When I found out you’d gotten back with Andrea and had a kid, how many times did I confront you about it–how many times did you end up throwing me aside and breaking my heart?”

Ian’s eyes grew even darker, his gaze stormy and intense.

He stepped forward, grabbed Chloe’s wrist, and yanked her hard. She lost her balance and fell to her knees on the bed.

Ian grabbed the back of Chloe’s neck, slowly leaning in closer. “So all those promises you made, all that passion, all that obedience–was it all just for show? Were you just stringing me along?”

Chloe met Ian’s dangerous gaze without flinching. “What else did you expect? After you betrayed me and hurt me, do you really think I could still love you with all my heart, like I used to?”

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Chapter 100

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Ian kept his eyes locked on Chloe’s, his gaze slowly losing focus, like his mind was drifting somewhere else entirely.

It was as if an invisible hand was squeezing his chest tighter and tighter, each breath harder than the last.

Ian just stood there, stunned for what felt like forever.

He asked her, each word slow and deliberate, “Chloe, I’m giving you one last chance. Are you sure you don’t love me anymore?”

They locked eyes, and Chloe’s gaze was rock solid.

She said, “Ian, I swear, not in this life, not in the next, not in any life after that–you’ll never have my love again!”

Ian let go of her with a calm, unreadable expression.

He straightened up and stepped back, his eyes slowly losing their warmth as he looked at Chloe.

He said, “You know, your love just isn’t that important to me.”

They stared at each other, a wry smile flickering in Chloe’s eyes. “No need to spell it out–I’ve known all along.”

He’s always loved Andrea Sherman.

Why would my love ever matter to him? It never did.

Ian turned around and slammed the marriage contract and a stack of paperwork right in front of Chloe.

His expression was ice cold as he said, “When I drew up this contract, I only wanted to keep our marriage steady–I never meant to lock you down with all these rules. But that’s changed now.”

Ian continued, “Starting today, you’re sticking to every line in here. Your work hours are yours, but every other minute, you’re expected at home. Back by ten, no exceptions, no discussions.”

Chloe flung the contract down and slid off the bed.

Standing barefoot right in front of Ian, she shot back, “Show me where in this marriage agreement it says I’m forced to come home right after work–does it even say that?”

Ian’s eyes burned cold and steady as ever. “Chloe, I call the shots here. You don’t get a say.”

Chloe shot back, her voice rising with anger. “Ian, that’s enough! Stop trying to bulldoze me!”

Ian gave Chloe a cold, cruel smile.

Expressionless, he warned her, “I’ve got countless ways to make you lose your job. Just try me and see.”

“lan, you asshole!” Chloe shouted, furious.

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She gently said, “Chloe, why don’t you take a nice bath and relax for a while? I’ll clean up the mess here.”

Then she added, “Sweetheart, no matter how upset you are, don’t take it out on yourself because of someone

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Chapter 100

else’s mistakes. You’re worth more than that.”

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Chloe struggled to open her eyes, everything blurry and her mind swimming with exhaustion.

Cora gently helped Chloe out of bed, but Chloe’s legs shook so badly it was like she might collapse at any

moment.

She drifted in the bathtub for what felt like forever, the warm water numbing her to everything.

This was the first time lan had ever been truly rough with her, crossing lines he’d never crossed before.

He didn’t hold back–even when Chloe cried out for mercy and begged him to stop, he just kept going, like nothing could reach him.

It was as if she’d done something unforgivable, and this was her punishment.

Cora finished tidying the room, swapped out the sheets, and gently helped Chloe get dressed. But when she caught sight of the brutal bruises covering Chloe’s skin, she was visibly stunned.

Once everything was cleaned up, Chloe lay back down on the bed. “Cora, can you go buy me some birth control?”

Cora hesitated, a little worried. “What if lan finds out…?”

Chloe explained, “lan’s the one who doesn’t want kids. He even reminded me to take them before he left.” That finally gave Cora the nerve to go get it.

After she took the pill, Chloe slipped straight into a hazy, exhausted sleep.

Cora waited anxiously right outside the bedroom door, too worried to leave even for a moment.

lan didn’t come home at all that night.

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