Marriage Lies and a Dangerous Obsession novel Chapter 164

Late at night, Cora retreated to her room to rest.

Ian stepped into the master bedroom.

Chloe lay flat on the bed, not even batting an eye when lan walked in.

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He stood frozen by the bedside, his gaze fixed on Chloe. Every part of him wanted to go to her, to pull her into his arms.

But it was as if his feet had turned to stone, too heavy to take a single step.

Chloe stared at Ian, her face expressionless. “So, Ian, are we really getting a divorce or not?”

lan swallowed hard and forced the corners of his mouth up.

His eyes were bloodshot as he said, “I’m not divorcing you.”

Chloe picked up her phone and warned Ian, “If you won’t divorce me, don’t blame me when everyone finds out the truth about your so–called son.”

Ian moved to the bed and caught Chloe by the wrist, pleading, “Chloe, please, just give me one more chance.”

Chloe fixed Ian with a steely glare and pressed him, “Divorce me, or I’ll spill the truth about Clint to Edward. It’s your choice–I’ll let you pick first.”

They stared each other down, faces just inches apart, neither of them willing to budge.

Ian met Chloe’s gaze and said, “Chloe, I know how much you’ve been hurt. As long as you don’t leave me, I’ll never get in your way–do whatever you want.”

As soon as Ian finished speaking, Chloe dialed Miranda’s number.

Right in front of lan, Chloe told Miranda over the phone that Andrea’s child wasn’t biologically lan’s, and that she herself had aborted lan’s baby.

After the call ended, both of them fell silent.

The air in the massive bedroom was so thick and heavy that it felt like they could barely breathe.

Jan’s eyes burned red as he held back every ounce of emotion, carefully pulling the blanket up over Chloe’s shoulders.

Chloe looked at Jan, her eyes cold and distant. “Tan, 1-”

Ian cut her off, his voice firm. “If you’re thinking about suggesting we live apart, just don’t.”

Ian caught Chloe’s frown.

Ian said, “I’ll sleep in the study.”

Chloe fixed her gaze on lan for what felt like ages, then asked quietly, “You’ve gone above and beyond for Andrea and Clint, yet you still refuse to divorce me. Why are you putting yourself through all this?”

Ian gripped Chloe’s hand, voice unwavering. “I know I was wrong before. I swear I’ll come clean to everyone about Andrea and Clint. Just give me one more chance, Chloe–trust me this time.”

He’d overestimated Chloe’s feelings for him, too certain that she loved him and would never walk away.

He thought he had total control over their marriage, that he could handle anything life threw at them.

That was why he’d felt untouchable, so sure nothing could go wrong–that’s what made it so easy to go along when Andrea asked him to acknowledge Clint as his own child.

But he was wrong.

He’d left Chloe completely heartbroken, and in the end, it was him who ended the life of his own flesh and blood with his own hands.

Chloe’s face was cold as ice as she snatched her hand away.

She said, “lan, you’re not worth my forgiveness–and you’re not worth my trust.”

She’d been overestimating her place in Ian’s heart, thinking she mattered to him more than she actually did.

Yeah, the Irvine family had gone under–she didn’t have the proud family background she once did.

Still, she was beautiful, had a great figure, was well–educated with a good job. She kept her circle drama–free. was kind, always outgoing, played the violin, could handle a race car, spoke several languages, and even knew chess and calligraphy.

She didn’t think she was the absolute best, but she sure wasn’t lacking, either.

That’s why she’d always thought Clint was Ian and Andrea’s love child.

She always figured Ian’s favoritism toward Andrea and Clint was at least partly because they had a child together.

But it never even crossed her mind that the kid lan went so far to protect–betraying their marriage, even hurting her–was really Andrea’s son with her ex–husband.

For the sake of Andrea’s son with her ex, her own husband broke her apart, leaving her utterly shattered and defeated.

How was she supposed to live with that?

Chloe rolled onto her side, turning her back to lan, and squeezed her eyes shut in pain.

lan sat at the edge of the bed, silent and motionless, staying right there without saying a word or leaving

Chapter 164

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He waited until he was sure Chloe had drifted into a deep sleep before he finally shifted, slowly moving closer

to her side.

Ian planted a gentle kiss in Chloe’s hair, his eyes unexpectedly wet with tears, red–rimmed and heartbreakingly intense.

He held her through the blanket, but carefully–too afraid to squeeze her tightly, almost as if he might break

her.

Curled up next to Chloe, his voice raw and shaky, lan whispered, “Chloe, I’m sorry.”

Early the next morning, the urgent ringing of the doorbell snapped Chloe out of her sleep.

The first thing she saw was lan huddled at the foot of the bed, arms loosely wrapped around her calf through the blanket. Chloe couldn’t help but frown at the sight.

With a frosty glare, Chloe kicked Ian, and he shot awake immediately.

Hearing the commotion outside, Ian jumped out of bed. “I’ll go see what’s happening.”

By the time lan stepped out, Cora had already opened the door.

When he saw Miranda and Mia walk in, Ian lowered his gaze.

Miranda and Mia brushed past Ian without a word and headed straight for the master bedroom.

The sound of crying echoing from the master bedroom stung Ian’s eyes with unshed tears. Unable to face it, he made his way quietly to the study.

More than ten minutes later, Miranda stepped out of the master bedroom.

She turned to Cora and demanded, “Where’s that bastard?”

Cora pointed toward the study, and Miranda stormed in on her heels.

The moment the study door shut behind her, Miranda swung her hand and sent two sharp slaps right across Jan’s face–loud and fast.

Lan just stood his ground, taking the blows square on without even blinking, not budging at all.

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