The Billion-Dollar Divorce (Ian and Chloe) novel Chapter 230

When lan board Patrick say Chloe was playing mahjong at Rowe Estate, his mood instantly hit rock bottom.

I got hurt like this just to save her, and she’s actually in the mood to play mahjong? fan thought, feeling a wave of bitterness.

Tan lay on his back in the hospital bed, a dull ache throbbing deep in his chest.

Patrick stood up and threw on his coat. “Chloe messaged me again. I gotta hurry over–she’s never won a single round when she’s teamed up with Arthur”

lan just stared at the ceiling, silent.

Seeing lan doing his best impression of a corpse on the hospital bed, Patrick let out a sigh. “Don’t mope, Ian. Sooner or later, you’ll get used to Chloe not being around.”

lan lay motionless on the hospital bed, listening to the door open and close, before slowly opening his eyes.

He’d been married to Chloe for three years, but between chasing his career, endless business dinners, and a million other commitments, he was always somewhere else.

Day or night, Chloe was always lett waiting for him. It was always her, sitting alone, hoping he’d come home.

After Andrea Sherman and her son returned, whatever little time lan used to spare for Chloe became even

rarer.

Because of Andrea and her kid, Chloe had cried, thrown fits, broken down, gone numb, and their fights turned cold and silent… Until things got so bad, divorce was the only ending left.

And him? He was always the one pushing down her feelings, silencing her temper, and shutting down every time she tried to stand up for herself.

lan drew his knees up closer, his body curling in on itself with the ache of regret.

Only now did he realize just how tough it was, waiting and suffocating in loneliness all that time.

He finally realized just how much it hurt to be ignored, treated coldly, and kept down by the one person you cared about most.

When Miranda entered the hospital room, she found her son lying alone in bed, completely isolated from the world.

Her heart twinged with genuine pain for a moment. Setting down the dinner tray, she took a seat beside his bed. ‘Sit up and eat a little with me, let’s talk things through

Gradually, the emptiness in lan’s gaze gave way to something more focused.

He glanced at Miranda by his side, his voice rough and low “Mom, I’m not hungry.”

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Chapter 230

Ian dropped his eyes after speaking, trying to mask the turmoil swirling beneath them.

Miranda said quietly, “Ian, after all you’ve been through… do you realize what you did wrong?”

She knew her son wasn’t just not hungry–he simply couldn’t force himself to eat.

Ian slowly shut his eyes, a hint of wetness pooling at the corners.

After a long, heavy silence, he finally rasped out, “I messed up… in every way.”

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He was wrong for never setting clear boundaries with Andrea, always wavering and never fully committing to his marriage.

He was wrong for secretly accepting Andrea’s son behind Chloe’s back, and acting like it was his job alone to take care of Andrea and her kid.

He was wrong for always shutting Chloe out and trying to control everything.

He was wrong for always doing things his own way and never stopping to listen to what Chloe needed.

He was wrong for ignoring his mom’s advice and ruining his own marriage all by himself.

He was utterly, unforgivably wrong.

Miranda tried to comfort him, “Chloe’s doing great now. You need to stop holding on–just let her go.”

Ian choked up, struggling for a long time before finally getting the words out.

He finally managed, “Mom, I know I messed up and I swear I’ll change. But giving her up? I just… I can’t do it.”

Just imagining a life where he’d never cross paths with Chloe again made him feel sick inside.

Faced with a son this stubborn, Miranda could only sigh inwardly–there was really nothing she could do.

In the days that followed, Ian just lay around in his hospital bed, drained and defeated, lost in that empty room as he nursed his wounds.

Every single day, his eyes were glued to the doorway, wishing–no, praying–that Chloe might finally walk in.

But not once did she come to see him. Not even a glimpse.

Time flew by, and just like that, the day Ian was finally allowed to leave the hospital had arrived.

By the curb outside the hospital, lan saw Chloe from afar. She wore a white dress, holding Simon’s hand as they stood beside Philip’s sleek black Maybach.

Chloe had one hand braced on the car door, while Philip was down on one knee in front of her, carefully helping her switch into a new pair of shoes.

“Hey, what are you guys doing?” Jan demanded, his tone tinged with disbelief.

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She shoved lan aside, her voice cool and firm. “Ian, we’ve been divorced for ages. So get it straight–and mind your tone when you talk to me.”

Chloe stepped right up to lan, her voice dropping to a warning hiss. “Mr. Hamilton, let me remind you one last time–we’re divorced. Even if you catch me screwing another guy, just keep your cool and walk away. Stay out of my sex life.”

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Chapter 230

Without another word, Chloe turned and got into the passenger seat of Philip’s car.

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Ian stood frozen, bloodshot eyes locked on Chloe as she drove off with Philip. At his sides, his fists were clenched so hard his knuckles went bone–white.

Not far off. Patrick had Mia’s little chain purse slung over his shoulder. The two of them tilted their heads in opposite directions, mirroring each other’s disapproval as they stared at Ian.

Mia said. “Patrick, do you think my brother’s lost his mind or something?”

She continued. “There was that time when Chloe and I went shopping and we actually caught him buying shoes for Andrea—and even putting them on her.”

“I still remember every detail–Chloe definitely hasn’t forgotten either. And now he has the nerve to go over there and question her? Seriously, has his brain just frozen over or what?” Mia added, shaking her head in disbelief.

Patrick snorted, “I swear, your brother’s brain must’ve frozen over.”

Patrick elbowed Mia. “Go get your brother in the car.”

Mia didn’t move an inch. “You do it.”

Patrick shot back, “He’s your brother, not mine.”

Mia retorted, “You’re my real brother, not him.”

Patrick stared at Mia for a few seconds, then let out a defeated sigh. “Fine, I’ll go.”

–

At two in the afternoon, the butler from Hamilton Manor knocked on Chloe’s office door. “Chloe-”

But after catching Chloe’s warning look, the butler quickly switched it up. “Dr. Irvine, Edward would like to

see you.

About ten minutes later, Chloe strolled into the café near the hospital, cool and unfazed, and sat herself down right across from Edward.

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