The Billionaire Ex-Wife and the Beggar He Became novel Chapter 137

Julian's punch sent Yves Prescott staggering backward—he nearly lost his footing and crashed to the floor.

The entire room fell silent in shock.

Everyone in Greenwood City knew about the fierce rivalry between Julian and Yves Prescott. But they also knew that, compared to Yves, Julian was the picture of refinement and integrity. He was the one who played by the rules, kept his word, and treated friend and foe with the same brand of gentlemanly respect.

When Yves Prescott crossed the line, no one batted an eye—it was just Yves being Yves. But Julian? He never lost control, especially not in public.

So what had gotten into him today?

Was a patch of land really worth losing his composure over?

This wasn't Julian's style at all. Even at the height of their toughest battles—when millions of dollars and entire reputations were on the line—Julian would simply shrug off a loss with a faint, wry smile. He'd never let business get personal.

So what was so special about this particular piece of property?

No one watching could figure it out. Except Felicity.

She could guess well enough—Yves must have used Winona to provoke Julian. The realization weighed heavily on Felicity's heart. She felt anxious, unsettled, and—more than anything—consumed by jealousy.

Their divorce was scheduled for that afternoon. What was Winona up to now?

At the same moment, both Felicity and Winona rushed toward Julian and Yves.

"Julian, calm down! What's going on?" Felicity tried to reason with him, her tone steady and rational.

But Julian didn't seem to hear a word.

He'd landed one brutal punch already—Yves hadn't even tried to fight back. Instead, Yves just laughed, a wild, taunting sound. "What's the matter, Mr. Nicholson? Losing your cool?"

She'd never thought much of him before, truth be told. Their partnership was one of necessity, not choice. But just moments ago, as Yves went toe-to-toe with Julian in the bidding war, he'd turned to her and asked, "Do you want this land? Last time, I didn't help you get that statue you wanted. But if you want this, I'll buy it for you—no matter what it costs me."

Winona had scoffed. "Please, Yves, don't pretend this isn't about you. That land, combined with my project, is a guaranteed win. You're not doing this for me."

He looked at her, suddenly serious. "You said yourself—this is a retirement complex. It's not about profit, just reputation. I might be unpredictable, but I know one thing: you don't gamble money out of spite."

For a moment, Winona was speechless.

She knew Yves was ruthless and impossible to read, but he was also a genius in business. He never lost his cool. That was why he and Julian were such evenly matched rivals in Greenwood City.

"But if you want this land," he repeated, "I'll buy it for you—even if it bankrupts me."

Winona could only stare at him, the noise of the crowd fading as she tried to make sense of everything unraveling before her eyes.