The Billion-Dollar Divorce (Ian and Chloe) novel Chapter 101

Chapter 101

Just as dawn broke the next morning, lan returned home.

Cora hurried over. “Mr. Hamilton, you’re finally back.”

lan glanced toward the master bedroom, worry etched on his face. “Is she any better?”

Cora sighed. “Since yesterday afternoon, Chloe hasn’t had a single drop of water, except for taking her medicine.”

Ian frowned, tension building between his brows. “The pill?”

Seeing Ian’s uneasy reaction, Cora asked softly, “Sir, weren’t you the one who reminded Chloe to take the morning–after pill?”

Ian’s hands tightened unconsciously at his sides. “That’s all, you may go for now.”

Cora stayed where she was, hesitating. “Ian, I’m just the housekeeper, but I’ve been with your family for so many years and watched you and Chloe grow up together. Taking those pills too often is really bad for her- no matter how young Chloe is, her body isn’t built to endure so much. Please don’t let her go through this again.”

She said softly, “I’ve made some porridge for Chloe and left it in the dining room. Please be sure to persuade her to have at least a few bites–she really needs something to eat.”

After Cora left, Ian just stood there, looking blank, then finally closed his eyes, bone–tired.

Chloe had always had a soft spot for kids.

After their marriage, she’d even gone out of her way, trying little schemes to get pregnant.

Back then, Ian had worried she was still too young and too carefree, so he’d asked her to take the morning- after pill that one time.

And ever since, whenever they got intimate, Ian always made sure to take precautions.

Yesterday morning, caught up in the heat of the moment, Ian had thrown caution to the wind and didn’t bother with any protection.

Chloe was furious with him and had zero desire to get pregnant with his child, so she took the morning–after pill on her own.

Ian stood there for a long moment before finally pushing open the bedroom door.

The bedroom was completely neat and tidy, and Chloe was lying on the bed, strangely quiet.

Ian walked up to the side of the bed.

Chloe had her back to him, curled up under the blanket.

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Chapter 101

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Ian unbuttoned his suit jacket and sat down beside her on the bed.

With one lying down and the other sitting at the edge of the bed, both with their backs turned, the huge bedroom was filled with a suffocating silence.

Finally, lan spoke first.

He said, “Cora made you some porridge. Just try to eat a little, okay?”

Her eyelashes trembled, but Chloe stubbornly kept her eyes shut. She had no intention of answering him

Ian stood up, then dropped to one knee at the side of the bed, carefully coaxing Chloe’s body to face him.

Her nightgown strap slid off her shoulder, leaving her skin exposed–mottled with bruises, some dark and others faint.

The sight of those bruises stopped Ian cold.

Yesterday morning, faced with Chloe’s cold rejection, Ian had completely lost control.

He never imagined they would end up like this.

He never thought he would ever force himself on a woman–let alone his childhood sweetheart and wife.

Ian’s eyes grew red at the corners as he quickly looked away.

He stayed on one knee by the bed for a long moment, trying hard not to lose it.

He gently pulled Chloe’s nightgown strap back up and carefully helped her sit up.

He put his jacket around her shoulders and said, “Chloe, I know you’re still awake. Open your eyes.”

From now on, he wasn’t going to let her have her way anymore.

Chloe leaned weakly against Ian’s chest, barely able to hold herself up, and with great effort, managed to open her eyes.

But after just a quick glance, she shut her eyes again, unable to look at him for long.

Seeing this, Ian bent down and scooped her up into his arms, carrying her straight into the dining room.

He set her down in a chair, and Chloe slumped weakly against the backrest, forcing her eyes to open once

more.

But with the entire table laid out for breakfast, Chloe couldn’t even bring herself to take a single bite.

Ian checked if the porridge was warm enough, then tried to feed Chloe a spoonful, gently bringing it close to her lips.

But Chloe turned her face away, lips pressed tightly together, refusing to eat. Ian set the spoon aside, placing the bowl of porridge in front of her with a silent sigh.

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Ian didn’t let Chloe’s tears stop him; he just kept feeding her, making sure she finished every last spoonful of porridge.

When he finished, he set the bowl aside and reached for a napkin to gently wipe the corner of Chloe’s mouth.

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6 Youshers

Chloe pushed to get up and leave, but lan seized her and pulled her tightly into his arms, his strong fingers running through her hair–firm, almost possessive.

His voice was quiet but brooked no argument. “Section 19 of our prenup–if I want a child during our marriage, or if one happens by accident, the decision to keep it or not is mine alone.

Chloe’s voice rasped, each word costing her. “If I don’t give you a child, then it’ll give your kid with Andrea the chance to be recognized as your legitimate one, won’t it?”

Their eyes met, and for a split second, something flickered in Ian’s deep gaze–an emotion he quickly masked.

He nodded. “Yeah, you have a point.”

Before Chloe could say anything else, he added, “But next time you even think about taking those pills, you tell me first. If I don’t say yes, you don’t take them. That’s how it’s gonna be.”

‘With things so tense between him and Chloe right now, Ian thought, ‘trying for a kid would be a disaster- this is definitely not the time!‘

Chloe summoned every ounce of strength she had left and finally managed to break free from Ian’s arms.

She thought her heart, already so battered and bruised, couldn’t possibly hurt anymore.

But hearing the way Ian challenged her, so cold and direct, still made her heart ache as if a knife was twisting deep inside.

Stumbling through everything just to get closer to Ian, she realized every painful step had been a harsh lesson, showing her exactly how much she’d given up.

Her pride was gone, and now, she was practically a stranger to herself.

She’d gone all the way from childish to grown–up, from pure to jaded, from not caring about anything to always being on guard.

She couldn’t help but feel sorry for the person she used to be, was sick and tired of the person she was now, and worried about what she’d end up becoming in the future.

Steadying herself on the back of the chair, Chloe managed to take just one step before everything suddenly spun around her. Her legs gave out and she toppled headfirst toward the dining room door.

“Chloe!” Ian called out in alarm.

Ian reacted instantly, rushing over to catch her right before she could hit the ground,

Chloe felt dizzy and weak, her voice soft and fragile. “Ian, I really… regret everything…”

No matter how quietly she spoke, Ian caught every word–like he’d been waiting to hear it.

Right by the dining room door, Ian’s heart contracted painfully as he wrapped Chloe tightly in his arms.

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Chapter 101

With reddened eyes, lan gazed at her and spoke in a low, determined voice, Chloe, I won’t allow you to times. this.”