The Billion-Dollar Divorce (Ian and Chloe) novel Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Patrick was speechless.

He reminded Andrea, “No matter who’s right or wrong, you’re the other woman.”

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He cut right to the chase. “Neither the Hamiltons nor lan have acknowledged you or that kid of yours. He still hasn’t divorced Chloe for you. Haven’t you figured it out yet?”

Patrick’s words hit a nerve.

“Patrick,” she said, her tone sharp, “you can’t predict matters of the heart. Isn’t it a bit early for you to be making judgments?”

Patrick pursed his lips. “I think you’ve been reading too many of those cheesy billionaire romance novels.”

Andrea’s face fell. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Patrick scoffed. “Isn’t that the favorite fantasy for ambitious women like you? Plain, no family connections, no education to speak of, and zero real skills.

“Fantasizing that the billionaire falls for the girl from a third–rate college.

“Fantasizing that the billionaire falls for the nanny.

“Fantasizing that the billionaire falls for the single mom.

“Fantasizing that the billionaire falls for the divorcée with a kid.

“Fantasizing that the billionaire falls for you when you’re menopausal.

“Fantasizing that the billionaire falls for you when you’re collecting social security.”

Andrea stood before him, feeling like a complete fool.

Her nails dug into her palms as she forced herself to speak. “Patrick, lan and I are different. We have a real

connection.”

No matter how she dressed or acted, she always felt inferior around lan’s friends.

She hated it.

Patrick offered a “friendly” tip. “Let me be honest, Andrea, and don’t get mad. Back when lan was kidnapped, you got hurt saving him. So many women were after him, but he agreed to date you. You know why? Because he was looking at you through a hero filter.”

Andrea’s eyes darted around.

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She managed a weak, tight–lipped smile but couldn’t get a word out.

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Seeing her silence, Patrick pressed on. “He even considered marrying you and fought for it. But be honest. Did he ever even sleep with you?”

Andrea turned her head, avoiding his gaze. “That’s crossing a line, Patrick! Even if you are his best friend.”

Back then, lan had agreed to date her. He’d even bought a ring, ready to propose.

But every time she had initiated anything physical, he’d made an excuse and pulled away. He had never touched her.

“We’re all adults here,” Patrick said. “You were his first official girlfriend. If he was really that into you, how could he have possibly kept his hands off?”

Andrea stared at the ground, her heart pounding with panic. “What happens between Ian and me is none of your business.”

Patrick didn’t bother calling her bluff. “Think about it, Andrea. If he really loves you, why won’t he divorce Chloe and make it official?”

He didn’t give her a chance to process.

“Because in his eyes, you and Chloe aren’t even in the same league. You can’t compare to her.”

“I may have a humble background, but the Irvine family is bankrupt!” Andrea retorted, unwilling to accept it. “Ian was the one who paid off their massive debts. She’s been married to him for three years and has done nothing but be a housewife, leeching off of him. How am I not better than her?”

Patrick cleaned his ear with his pinky. “The Irvines may have gone bankrupt, but Chloe went to top schools her whole life. She’s more educated than you, has more interests than you, has a broader worldview than you, and has connections to people and resources you can’t even imagine.”

Patrick said, “When she found out about you, she handled it with class, tolerating you and your son’s existence. That’s a level of grace you’ll never have.”

Even through the screen, Chloe could feel Andrea’s blissful happiness.

It still hurt, a deep, aching pain, but she could control her emotions now. That was progress.

She scrolled down and saw a message from Ian. A bitter smile touched her lips.

Tossing her phone onto the bed, Chloe went into the bathroom.

Time was moving forward, and so was she. She was sure that one day, she would finally be able to rip lan out of her heart, roots and all.

The next morning, Chloe had just arrived at the hospital when Eric Jordan called her into his office.

Eric handed her a file. “Take a look at this special case. I want you to handle the consult in a bit.”

Chloe flipped through the patient’s file and looked up, concerned. “Eric, I don’t think I’m qualified to handle a case like this.”

Eric gave her a reassuring look. “Your private research into treating sleep disorders has already shown promising results in clinical trials. I’ve discussed it with my brother, and when you return home at the end of the year, the hospital is prepared to give you your own department to lead. We can even offer you a stake in the profits.”

Eric’s confidence was a huge boost for Chloe.

Chapter 66

She didn’t hesitate. “Thank you for your help, Eric. I’ll do my best

Because she needed the money.

She had to earn a lot of it to buy back her mother’s jewelry,

“Come on, Eric said. Tll introduce you to the patient

Chloe suggested, “Eric, maybe we should bring Mr. West with us?

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Eric seemed unconcerned. “This patient is extremely picky. He’s got a bad temper and is a sucker for good looks

Eric added, “He rejected Mr. West because the guy is losing his hair and doesn’t have a six–pack. Not only that, he demanded the hospital compensate him for having to look at him.”