Chapter 3 You Are Not Qualified

Realizing James thought she wanted the custody for the money and even laid hands on her for that, Emily felt a sharp pain in her chest.

The James standing in front of her was all noble and arrogant, his perfectly tailored black shirt showing off his flawless figure. The warm yellow light hit his face, highlighting his chiseled profile and delicate features.

Every time in bed, he always had this distant and cold vibe, like he was too good for her, yet he still made love to her, which fascinated her.

During the years James was in a coma, it was her who stayed by his side day and night, tirelessly massaging him. Emily had put in so much effort to protect everything he had. She knew James didn't love her, but how could he treat her like this? She'd given James everything she could, why couldn't he care for her just a little?

Thinking about it, Emily cast aside her vulnerability and, for the first time, confronted him head-on. "James, when you were lying in bed all those years, no one was willing to stay with you. It was me who took care of you at all costs, and it was me who gave birth to Michael for you. Where was Olivia then? Why can she take everything from me as soon as she comes back?"

James was silent for a moment, then he crushed the cigarette butt in the ashtray. Facing Emily's bloodshot eyes, he said softly, "Emily, I owe you for those years. But you shouldn't have made things difficult for Olivia abroad with Sophia. Olivia was already suffering alone abroad, and you two even tried to stop her from coming back, almost putting her in danger."

'Sophia and I stopped Olivia from returning home?' Emily thought, finding it all laughable.

Sophia didn't like Olivia, but after James fell into a coma, Sophia also put aside her pride to beg Olivia to come back, to make James wake up. But Olivia didn't send back a single message. Emily's years of companionship couldn't compare to one lie from Olivia.

"I never did those things," Emily said.

"Enough!" James interrupted Emily's explanation. He had already gotten the answers from Olivia and didn't want to hear any more from Emily. "Emily, since we've been married for so long, I'll give you whatever you want, as long as you agree to the divorce."

Emily clutched James's sleeve tightly, her eyes lifting in a heartbroken plea. "You don't love me, but I don't want anything besides Michael, please, James."

James almost felt burned by the pain in Emily's eyes, almost believing that Emily truly loved him. 'No, it isn't true. Emily is clearly just after money, isn't this exactly what she wants now?' he thought.

But seeing Emily's nearly powerless, pleading figure, James couldn't bring himself to say anything harsh. "No way. Emily, you know that only with me can Michael get the best education. Michael will still be the heir of the Smith Family. He won't lose any of the resources he has now. If he stays with you, all of this will be gone. I don't think you want that either."

"He's also my child."

"Emily, are you going to ruin Michael for money? I won't be bound by you anymore. Don't test my limits. Sign the agreement quickly, or the Johnson Family will be erased from Mist Isle City tomorrow!"

Emily stood still, James's cold attitude deeply hurting her. The James Emily had loved for eight years was now threatening her with her family.

Emily felt a sourness in her heart, her whole body losing strength. She bent down, trembling, to pick up the divorce agreement from the floor. "Have you really not loved me for even a moment in these eight years?"

James finally looked directly into Emily's eyes, his expression full of disgust. "Emily, I could never love someone who only has eyes for money."

James's words carried no warmth, each word like a knife, cutting deep into Emily's heart. In James's eyes, she was still a scheming and malicious woman. The realization made her heart ache terribly.

Emily found it hard to breathe, her whole body trembling as she thought, 'All these years, I've endured so much for my love. But it's time to end it. I can't even keep Michael. Forget it, I don't want anything anymore.'

"I've loved you for eight years, James. I admit I lost. I'll sign."

"Daddy!" Michael, who had been hiding behind the door, finally couldn't hold back any longer. He ran out, clinging to James's pant leg, and broke down in tears. "Please don't make Mommy leave."

Michael had just gotten up to use the bathroom and heard Emily and James arguing, which scared him, so he stopped at the door for a while, thinking, 'Why are Mommy and Daddy suddenly getting a divorce? I don't want to leave my mommy; I don't want to be a child without a mother. We used to be so happy and joyful as a family, and I would always brag to my friends about having such wonderful parents. Why is Daddy now making Mommy leave?'

"Michael, don't cry." At the sight of Michael, Emily's eyes reddened, her tears streaming down her face. She wiped away the tears on Michael's face. "Michael, don't be afraid. Even though Mommy won't be able to see you often in the future, whenever there's a chance, Mommy will take you out to play, okay? When Mommy leaves, there will be a very beautiful aunt in the family. She will be good to you just like Daddy and Mommy. So there will be one more person to love our Michael. How about that?"

Hearing this, James couldn't help but look at Emily a few more times. Emily was squatting in front of Michael, clearly very fragile, yet still forcing a smile to comfort him. Seeing the scene, James should have been happy, but he felt a bit choked up.

"No! I just want Mommy!" Michael cried out, choking and almost unable to breathe. "Mommy, please don't leave."

Emily pulled Michael into her arms.

"Michael, come here." James pulled Michael out of Emily's arms. But Michael still struggled to get back to Emily. At the sight of Michael's tear-streaked, flushed face, Emily's heart felt like it was being cut with a knife.

Michael's tears softened James a bit. He lowered his voice and made a final concession. "As long as you sign the divorce agreement, I agree to let you visit Michael regularly. If you keep stalling, I'll change my mind!"

Emily stopped struggling, picked up the pen, and shakily signed her name. As long as she could still see Michael, she was willing to do anything. "Alright, as you wish."

After signing, she took a deep breath and stood up to leave. She loved James, but she had her dignity and would never cling on.

Watching Emily prepare to leave, James was silent for a moment, but couldn't help feeling a pang of pity. "It's raining heavily outside. You can wait until tomorrow to leave."

"No need. Can I kiss you one last time?" Emily tilted her head slightly, making one last plea. This was her farewell to the past eight years.

Without waiting for James to respond, Emily leaned in, tilting her head up to press her lips against his as James's mind went blank, and his heart raced.

They had kissed before, but at this moment, he was aroused by Emily's unskilled kiss. The next moment, James grabbed the back of Emily's head, biting her lips and deepening the kiss. Emily's tongue was fiercely entangled by James's, the two of them biting each other like wild beasts.

In despair, with her last tear falling, Emily resolutely pushed James away, turned, and ran out of the villa, ignoring James's dark and restrained expression behind her.

A flash of lightning split the sky, thick clouds covering it completely, with no light in sight.

The villa was surrounded by emptiness, and the rain poured down, cold and piercing as it hit her body. Emily walked out of the villa barefoot, trembling with each step.

She took nothing with her, letting herself get soaked. The torrential rain drenched her from head to toe, but it couldn't compare to the indescribable pain in her heart. For eight years, she had held on to her love, her persistence for James who didn't love her, and she ended with nothing.