Unfinished Business with You

Chapter 1351

Chapter 1349 The Threat of Evidence

After speaking, Eugene forcefully pushed him away.

Ace was pushed far away. As Finley and the others closed in, a surge of panic overwhelmed him, and he desperately clung to Jade. "Jade… Jade, please save me!"

However, Jade remained unmoved by his pleas and coldly responded, "You brought this upon yourself. The consequences you face today are the result of your actions." After saying that, she tried to break free from his grasp.

However, Ace stubbornly held onto her and refused to let go. "Jade, we were once bound as husband and wife. You can't simply leave me like this!"

With a fit of unusual anger burning in his eyes, Eugene walked over and delivered a swift kick to Ace. "Since your son is present today, I'll spare you some dignity. But mark my words, Ace Baker—if you ever try to harm them again, I will make sure you're done for!"

Left lying motionless on the ground after the forceful kick, Ace felt a profound sense of despair. "Nathan, are you not going to help me too?" he pleaded.

Standing not far away, Nathan remained silent and looked at his father expressionlessly.

Glancing at Nathan and noting his unwavering stance, Eugene then shifted his gaze to Jade and questioned, "To whom did you give this house when you divorced?"

Jade's response was filled with disdain as she looked at Ace. "To him," she replied.

Fully aware of Ace's persistent nature, Jade had willingly granted him control of every property he was aware of to avoid his interference.

As for herself, she had converted the company into stocks and cash, unconcerned about the possibility of him benefiting slightly from it. Her primary objective was to sever all ties completely, ensuring he wouldn't find any valuable assets to exploit.

Since ten years ago, Eugene had always wanted them to divorce, and now he could only feel a sense of relief for his sister. He nodded in agreement and added, "Pay attention to the news tomorrow before 10.00AM. If there's no public apology from the Snow Family and Ace, I'll hand over the evidence to the police."

His words were clearly directed at Ace and the Snow Family.

Jade quietly acknowledged his instruction in a soft voice.

After they departed, the room erupted with a tumultuous series of banging and crashing sounds.

"Ace Baker, you son of a b*tch! Do you think you can toy with me like a monkey?! If I don't end you today, then it will be the end of me!"

Ace's agonizing screams filled the room. "Argh! Finley, let me explain—don't hit me! Don't hit me! How much money did you lose? I promise to cover all the losses, alright?" he pleaded, desperate to save himself from further harm.

Meanwhile, Eugene, Jade, and Nathan walked out without looking back, especially Eugene, whose footsteps quickened as if he were in a hurry.

Jade observed Nathan closely as he followed Eugene. Throughout the ordeal, he never once turned to look at her. While he seemed more biased toward her than Ace, she couldn't shake the feeling that deep down, he might still hold her responsible.

In just a few swift steps, Eugene reached the car and said, "Nathan, take your mother home. I'll go first."

Nathan nodded in response and opened the car door for Eugene. "Uncle, thank you for today."

Nathan recognized that if it hadn't been for Eugene's intervention, Finley would never have backed down so easily tonight, let alone demand an apology from them.

However, Eugene had them firmly under his control, with the threat of imprisonment if they refused to apologize.

It was truly impressive.

However, Eugene remained unaware of Nathan's thoughts, and his mind was preoccupied with the thought of leaving his wife alone at home.

He missed her dearly.

After mumbling an acknowledgment, he got into the car.

As Eugene's car drove away, Nathan hailed a cab by the side of the road. Having returned the car keys earlier, he had no other option but to take a cab.

Without talking to Jade, he opened the back door of the cab and gestured for her to get in.

Despite having her car, Jade complied and entered the cab.

Inside the cab, Jade felt the urge to speak several times before finally finding her voice. "I'm sorry, Nathan. Don't blame me. My intentions were genuinely for your own good," she mumbled, trying to explain herself.

Nathan remained silent, his gaze focused on the world outside the window.

Jade continued her explanation. "I really didn't know about the issues between your father and the Snow Family. If I had known, I wouldn't have turned a blind eye."

Releasing a deep sigh, Nathan replied, "It's fine. There's no need to explain. I already know, and I support your decision to divorce Ace. Since you've given him the property, let's stay at Muse Peninsula tonight."

Jade's eyes brightened at his words. Muse Peninsula was the residence chosen by Nathan. Is this a sign of his forgiveness?

She replied happily, "Okay."

However, when they returned to Muse Peninsula, Nathan emerged from his room with a packed suitcase in hand, startling her at once. She never expected him to still hold a grudge; compared to Ace, he resented her slightly less, but he didn't forgive her. Her voice trembling, she asked, "Nathan, w- where are you going?"

Nathan paused without looking back at her. "Dad was right about one thing. As long as I'm living with you and spending your money, I have no right to have a say. That's why you two don't care about what I think. This house is yours, so I won't be staying here anymore. Starting from today, I won't spend a single penny of yours."

Freaking out, Jade caught up to him in a few steps and held onto his suitcase. "Nathan, don't scare me, okay? I do care about you. I know that we didn't handle this well, but your dad and I are divorced now. His theories don't affect you anymore. From now on, what's mine is yours. No one will say anything about you."

Nathan looked at her, his eyes blazing with intensity as he questioned, "Aren't you part of his theories as well? If you didn't rely on your sense of superiority, you wouldn't have gone to Halma and said so many cruel things to her! Even if we're just friends for eight years, you shouldn't have treated her like

that, not to mention that she is my girlfriend! She loved me when I was at my lowest. She didn't despise me for not being knowledgeable or having no skills whatsoever, nor did she frown on me for staying in her rented house, sitting around doing nothing. I barely had enough to eat back then, being chased by loan sharks everywhere. I even contemplated ending it all! I was unconscious for three full days, during which she took care of me 24/7. Without her, I wouldn't be who I am today! She loves me with all her heart and did not ask for anything from our family, so how could you point fingers at her?"

This was the first time Jade had heard Nathan talk about these things, and she was deeply shocked. "When did all this happen? Why don't I know about it?"

Nathan knew what he was going to say next. His heart ached with pain, and his eyes reddened instantly. "Of course, you don't know about it! Every day, you were either busy working at your office or stalking Ace Baker like catching a thief. I lived each day like a street child, drinking, gambling, fooling around with girls, and doing drugs all day with friends who were only a little older than me. Without Uncle Eugene's forced discipline, I'd most likely end up in prison! Only you think your son is precious. What's wrong with my girlfriend? She's beautiful, confident, works hard, and managed to study abroad based on her own merits. She started her own magazine without relying on anyone, and her excellence surpasses many others. And now, you've stripped away every ounce of her confidence! Isn't it just because she isn't as loaded as you are? What else is it about her that makes her not good enough for your son?"

Jade looked at him, feeling a lump in her throat. After remaining speechless for a long time, she said, "I'm sorry, I didn't know these truths, and you didn't tell me either. I-I'll apologize to her tomorrow, okay? Please don't move out."

At that, Nathan replied expressionlessly, "You should apologize indeed, but I don't want you to bother her these days. It'd seem insincere and it'll be as if I forced you to do it."

As such, Jade gave in. "Alright, then. I'll apologize to her after some time, okay? As long as you don't move out, that is."

Nathan asserted, "I'm definitely moving out of here. I don't want to live in the shadow of your influence, and I certainly don't want to be unable to stand up for myself when you meddle in my affairs!" With that, he dragged his suitcase, ready to leave.

Jade stopped him once again in a pleading voice. "Where are you going at such a late hour? I just divorced your dad. Can't you spend some time with me?"

Nathan's expression remained indifferent and even had a hint of coldness to it. "You were living alone even before the divorce. Now that you've divorced a sc*mbag like that, you should be celebrating by throwing a party. It's really nothing to be heartbroken about. I'm going to find my girl. She has been upset for so many days and needs someone by her side as well!"

This time, he broke free of her grasp and walked out of the door right away.

Jade stood there blankly, watching the door open and close. Then, she slowly crouched down, covering her face with her hands as tears trickled through her fingers. What a failure my life is! I failed to keep my husband's love for a lifetime, and now, I've even lost my son.

…

Ring!

The doorbell rang unexpectedly, causing Halma to jerk up in bed, wondering if she had misheard it. In reality, she wasn't asleep; she was just lying in bed while letting her imagination run wild. This time, she perked up her ears and listened carefully, and sure enough, the doorbell rang again.

She got out of bed while wondering who would come at such a late hour. It can't be Olivia returning, can it? However, when she saw Nathan through the peephole, she was stunned. What is he doing here so late at night?

After hesitating for a moment, she opened the door, considering his efforts today with the video and the delivery. Perhaps I should listen to Olivia's advice and give him a chance to explain.

Still, Halma was surprised to see him dragging a suitcase in his right hand and holding a laptop in his left, with a canvas bag slung over his arm. Is he planning to move? She pursed her lips, her heart pounding out of control. Some ideas seemed to be trying to burst into her mind, only to be instinctively suppressed at being hurt time after time.

On the other hand, Nathan drew in a sharp breath of distress the moment he saw her. She had always looked refined and presentable on camera, but now, her hair was disheveled, and her eyes were dull and glazed. She was only wearing a white nightgown, which accentuated her pale complexion, making her look so fragile it was as if she had just recovered from a serious illness. Her eyes, in particular, were red and swollen—a clear indication that she had been crying a lot. It's only been a few days since we last saw each other. How did she become so haggard? He dropped the things in his hands and quickly went up to her. He pulled her into his embrace, thereafter apologizing in a low, hoarse voice. "I'm sorry, Halma. I'm sorry that I didn't handle things well."

Tears blurred Halma's eyes before her body could react. She didn't say a word, but the slight trembling of her shoulders proved how aggrieved she was.

Nathan felt his heart ache so much that he could hardly breathe. Cupping the back of her head with his large hand, he kissed her fiercely, which seemed to be the only way to further prove his heartache and remorse at this very moment.

Halma resisted at first, but the man's kiss was somewhat domineering. No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't break free. She stepped back repeatedly, but he pursued her relentlessly until he pressed her against the open door. Whether it was because she couldn't break free of his hold or because her pent-up emotions finally found an outlet, she suddenly felt overwhelmingly aggrieved, and she burst into loud sobs.

Startled and flustered, Nathan raised his hand to wipe her tears. "Don't cry, Halma. It pains me to see you cry. It's all my fault. How about you take it out on me?" he said, grabbing her hand to let her hit him in the face.

Halma didn't budge. Instead, she just buried her head deeper into his chest. After a while, her sobs finally fell away, but the tears still flowed, streaming down her cheeks quietly.

Nathan's kisses landed on her eyes. Her tears were so hot that they made his heart clench. I've made her cry again. Not knowing how to express his apology, he could only turn them into tender kisses, planting them on her eyes and brows and apologizing after each kiss.

At last, Halma gave up resisting and yielded to her heart's desire. Slowly wrapping her arms around the man's waist, she leaned against his chest in exhaustion.

Nathan didn't move either. He held her in the doorway, his large hand gently stroking and combing through her hair. His tender kisses landed on the top of her head. At this moment, his heart, which had been anxious and unsettled all day, finally found a place to rest.

Only after a long while did Halma look up. Looking at the things he brought with him, she asked, "What are you doing?" Her voice was slightly hoarse, perhaps from having cried for so long.

Nathan smiled and tucked her disheveled hair behind her ear. "I have nowhere else to go, my dear girlfriend. Can you please take me in?"