The Marriage That Never Existed novel Chapter 16

Chapter 8

I had barely left the banquet hall and hadn’t even gotten home yet when Andrew called me.

“Right after you left, Lewis stormed out too. Victoria chased after him, shouting like a

madwoman. They started arguing, and Lewis shoved her to the ground–no trace of chivalry or

pity for her at all. Good thing you saw him for who he really is.”

I kept my voice calm. “Andrew, how much longer do you think Lewis’s company can last?”

He did a quick estimate.

“Could be a month or two, or maybe a year if he gets lucky. He’s competent, but he’s got awful judgment. Victoria’s one thing, but even his old staff aren’t easy to deal with–way more scheming than Victoria. At least she’s only using him emotionally. The others? They’ll suck him dry of every last penny.”

I nodded silently.

That company was full of people who couldn’t tell right from wrong and only knew how to flatter others. They were bound to drag Lewis down eventually.

On the day of our graduation ceremony, Molly came back to collect her diploma. She looked exhausted–clearly, things hadn’t gone well at Lewis’s company.

She spotted me and tried to say hi. I ignored her.

But she didn’t give up. She stepped right in front of me and said, “I’m sorry, Emily. Please forgive me. I didn’t mean to hurt you back then.”

I sighed.

“I accept your apology, Molly. But going back to the way we were before? That’s not going to happen.”

Her eyes reddened. She got the message.

Still, she told me everything that had happened at Lewis’s company.

“Mr. Lewis’s company just declared bankruptcy. The board dumped all the debt on him. Turns out, they’d already leaked confidential business plans to a rival company months ago–as leverage to get themselves cushy jobs there.

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Now he’s at the end of his rope. And Victoria… she got caught up in a nasty scandal. A group of angry wives stormed the office and beat the crap out of her.”

I was surprised, but also kind of intrigued.

Molly went on.

“They broke her bones. She’s covered in bruises. But instead of laying low, she tried forcing Lewis

to marry her to salvage her reputation.”

I raised a brow. “Let me guess–he refused?”

“Worse,” Molly said. “He released a video online–of Victoria going into a hotel with some sleazy

old guy. She said she only did it to help save the company. He didn’t care. They had a huge blowout. She slapped him. He lost it and smashed a desk in front of everyone.”

I shook my head, half–amused, half–stunned.

“After that, she left the company for good. Lewis took over her projects, started running around begging for help, but it’s hopeless now.”

She sighed.

“I only know the gossip. I got laid off too. No severance. I’ve gotta start job–hunting again.”

I handed her a business card.

“Go see the person on this card and tell him I sent you–he’ll arrange a job for you.”

Molly was so grateful she almost cried.

After we said our goodbyes, I felt oddly contemplative.

Three months. Just three months, and everything had crumbled that fast.

Three months later, it was time to finalize the divorce.

Outside the City Hall, Lewis was waiting for me–wearing a sharp suit, holding a bouquet of flowers, his eyes glistening with tears.

He tried to apologize, said he wanted one more chance.

I ignored him.

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He hadn’t cherished me when I was by his side. And now he pulled this whole dramatic scene like

some tragic lover?

“Emily, I made a mistake. I didn’t know Victoria would come on to me first. I swear, I love only you always have.”

His so–called affection felt cheap. It was so fake it made me sick.

From the day we signed that divorce agreement to now, he hadn’t reached out once. Not a call. Not

a message.

He thought I wouldn’t leave. That I’d crawl back eventually.

He assumed I’d tolerate everything he did—and everything he might do in the future.

Let’s be honest.

If things had worked out between him and Victoria, he’d never be standing here now, pretending

to regret it.

He was the textbook selfish man–always putting himself first.

I took out a business card and handed it to him.

“This is the contact for one of my best girlfriends. Her dad works in the government’s Administrative Office, in charge of construction procurement. That could be useful to you.

She’s eighteen, sweet, and looking for a boyfriend who’s thoughtful and mature. I think you’re her type. Give it a shot.”

His eyes lit up slightly as he took the card.

“You think she’d mind that I’m a little… older?”

I burst out laughing.

His face darkened.

See? One tiny test, and he couldn’t even pass that.

Yet he had the nerve to claim he loved me and only me?

He caught himself and tried to recover.

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“No, that’s not what I meant. I meant – do you still mind being with me? I want to make things right. Let’s not get divorced. Please, Emily-”

“I mind,” I said calmly, cutting him off.

He couldn’t keep up his affectionate act anymore. His mouth hung open for a second, then he clamped it shut, with nothing to say.

I smiled.

“Take it easy. Let’s

Let’s get the divorce done. And hey, cheer me up enough, and I’ll introduce you to more of my rich girlfriends. Sure, they’re a little older, but they’ve got money, good looks, and decent skills in bed. Could do worse, right?”

His face flushed red.

Not sure why he was embarrassed–after everything.

But I think he finally got the message.

We finalized the divorce.

As I walked off, he chased after me asking questions about the girl on the card.

“What’s she into? Hobbies? Favorite food?”

I made something up on the spot.

Told him I was running late and to just call her himself.

As soon as I got in the car, my phone rang.

It was Lewis. Furious.

“Emily! What kind of card did you give me? I called the number and the woman asked if I wanted a partial service or full service! What the hell is three hundred bucks for one time, eight hundred overnight?!”

I blinked.

“Ohhh. That card? No idea. Beats me who stuck it on my windshield. I just grabbed it and handed it to you. Thought you’d like a laugh.

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Don’t be mad–frown lines age you. And, well… in the rich–lady scene, we like men who are mature and charming, not men who look old.”

He kept cursing me out nonstop on the phone. I hung up on him halfway through.

Then blocked him everywhere.

After graduation, I had two options: join the family business or go abroad for further study.

I thought it over and chose the latter–why not? Having fun every day sounds way better.

Let Andrew and Sophia deal with all the trickery and backstabbing in the business world.

I was off to live my life.

While waiting at the airport, I ran into a familiar face.

Victoria.

She wore a facial cover and clung to a wrinkled old man who had to be at least seventy, calling him

“baby.”

She spotted me and, unbelievably, came over.

“You heard from Lewis?” she asked.

I said nothing.

She smirked.

“Well, someone gave that bastard some brilliant advice–he actually weaseled his way into the rich–lady circle. I told him we could just get married and live a stable life. He said I was too poor and went crawling to those old bitches.”

She pulled her sunglasses back down.

“You should thank me, you know. If not for me, that piece of trash might’ve dragged you down for years.”

Then she strutted off.

I raised an eyebrow and looked down at my phone.

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Still playing: a video of Lewis doing a striptease at one of my girlfriends‘ parties.

Tsk. What a lowlife.

I opened the group chat and typed:

[1,000 bucks a drink. Ladies, make sure you break him.]