Urging Him to Get a Divorce (Aveline and Xavier) novel Chapter 741

**TITLE: A Divorce 741**

Xavier felt a wave of irritation wash over him as he faced Leona, whose incessant chatter felt like nails on a chalkboard. With an expression as cold as ice, he rose from his seat, the tension in the air palpable, and made his way upstairs, each step echoing his resolve to distance himself from her madness.

Leona’s voice, sharp and discontented, pierced through the silence, “What kind of attitude is that? After listening to this recording, are you still going to deceive yourself?” Her words hung in the air, heavy with accusation and disbelief.

Xavier chose silence over confrontation, his back turned to her as he continued his ascent. He could feel her eyes boring into him, but he refused to give her the satisfaction of a response.

Turning her gaze to Rupert, Leona’s frustration bubbled over, “Grandpa…”

Rupert, with a voice as cold as a winter’s night, interrupted her, “You won’t be happy until you’ve ruined your brother’s marriage, will you?” His words were like a slap, leaving Leona momentarily speechless.

She gathered her thoughts, her voice rising in defense, “I’m not the one ruining his marriage! His marriage has problems of its own. It’s a marriage built on lies!” The desperation in her tone was unmistakable, as if she were trying to convince herself more than anyone else.

Lauren, sensing the tension escalating, stepped in with a calm but firm tone, “Leona, Xavier is already digging into what happened back then. Please, don’t stir the pot any further.”

Leona scoffed, crossing her arms defiantly. “Hmph! He’s been investigating for ages. What has he uncovered? If he really believed Aveline was innocent, wouldn’t there be some progress by now? The truth is, Xavier just hasn’t found anything that favors Aveline.” Her words dripped with disdain, a bitter cocktail of frustration and resentment.

Rupert, clearly irritated by the exchange, stood up abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor as he made his exit without uttering another word.

Leona watched him leave, surprise etched on her face, while Lauren quickly inquired, “Dad, where are you going?”

“I’m annoyed,” Rupert replied tersely, “I’m going out for a walk.”

Leona exchanged a glance with Lauren, both women at a loss for words, the silence thick with unspoken thoughts.

Lauren, with a sense of urgency, instructed the butler, “Follow him. Make sure he’s alright.”

Once the butler had departed, Leona’s irritation bubbled over again, “What does Grandpa mean by that? Is he implying that I’m annoying?”

Lauren shot her a look, “You’re just being nosy. If the Patriarch truly wanted to help Jacob, he would have done so by now. He doesn’t need you to persuade him.”

Leona’s frustration turned to worry as she exclaimed, “Mom, Aveline is so heartless. Are you really not concerned?”

“What if something happens to Xavier in the future? Will she remain just as heartless?” The thought sent a chill down Lauren’s spine, igniting a flicker of anxiety within her.

She had always sensed an undercurrent between Xavier and Josephine, and it gnawed at her. How could Aveline be indifferent to that? If Xavier found himself in trouble, would Aveline respond with the same coldness she had shown towards her own father?

The evidence of Aveline’s emotional distance was undeniable. It had been far too long since she had visited the Beltran mansion, neglecting her duties as a daughter-in-law. The words she had spoken in the recording were a clear indication of her disdain, a dismissal of the family she had married into.

“Forget it. Let’s not dwell on this. Just teach your sister a lesson, and in a few days, let Marcus move forward with the project,” he said dismissively.

“I want to talk to you about Aveline,” Lauren insisted, her voice softening. “Listening to that recording, she sounds so heartless, always mentioning divorce. What’s really going on between the two of you?”

“Xavier, if she doesn’t have feelings for you anymore, maybe you should just…”

At the mention of Aveline’s potential indifference, Xavier felt a tightness in his chest. “How would you know she has no feelings for me?” he snapped, his expression hardening.

“It’s just from what she said…”

“Those words were just a reaction to Leona bothering her. She was speaking out of anger!” he retorted, frustration bubbling to the surface.

“Just anger? Even if she was upset, she shouldn’t have said something like that,” Lauren countered, her concern evident.

“Besides, it’s been ages since she visited the Beltran mansion. She hasn’t even returned to Parkview Estates. Ever since she got back to the city, she’s only stayed with her maternal grandparents,” he continued, his voice tinged with a mix of sadness and anger.

The weight of their conversation hung heavily in the air, the unspoken truths and unresolved feelings swirling around them like a storm waiting to break.