He drew in a deep, stabilizing breath, forcefully suppressing the chaotic emotions raging within his mind, before finally uttering a single sentence with a slight tremor: "It is enough that you have returned. I have prepared a meal; come inside to eat."

The corners of Chloe’s lips curved upward into an expression entirely devoid of mirth. Eric remained the exact same Eric—permanently arrogant, demanding that every living soul bow to his mandates.

Her gaze dropped to his hands resting upon her shoulders, and she gently brushed them away: "Mr. Vance, our marriage has already reached its dissolution through divorce. Furthermore, this residence is my personal property."

As if struck a physical blow by the mention of the word divorce, Eric abruptly seized her wrist in an attempt to pull her across the threshold. Unexpectedly, a silhouette shifted instantly, interposing itself between them to arrest his movement.

Julian was clad in a light blue knit sweater beneath a heavy overcoat, a gentle smile gracing his features. Though he projected an aura of refined elegance, the physical pressure he exerted was by no means weak.

He brushed Eric's hand away from her wrist, shielding Chloe behind his own form as he spoke in a remarkably smooth register: "President Vance, forcing a woman against her will is hardly characteristic of a man of high stature."

Eric's eyes tightened instantly as he recognized the man standing before him: "Julian, this remains an internal matter of the Vance family; it does not fall within your jurisdiction. Furthermore, Chloe, I never affixed my signature to those divorce documents back then. You remain my lawful wife to this day! You are Mrs. Vance!"

In the past, the title of Mrs. Vance had brought Chloe an unprecedented sense of absolute happiness. Yet hearing it uttered at this moment, it sounded incredibly grating and dripping with irony.

She gently tapped Julian’s shoulder, stepping out from behind his protective frame: "That is perfectly fine. I harbor no objections to signing a fresh set of divorce documents. From the exact moment the reality surrounding Zack's incident came to light, we were destined to become nothing more than absolute strangers."

In truth, even without Chloe articulating the reality, Eric understood perfectly well that the deepest, most insurmountable barrier separating their souls was the ghost of Zack.

The harshness within his tone softened significantly, his voice dropping to a gentler register: "Chloe, we require a thorough conversation."

We require... a conversation?

In her memory, this was the very first instance she had ever heard Eric phrase a request around his own underlying needs.

Yet it was true; many matters desperately required absolute clarification.

Chloe turned her form to face Julian, speaking in a warm, soft tone: "Julian, you understand completely that I require an explanation. You likewise desire for me to resolve these matters thoroughly. Grant me a brief window of time, if you will."

Perhaps due to the absolute depth of their mutual understanding, Julian harbored no anxiety whatsoever, merely offering a nod of agreement: "Go ahead."

With those words, Julian executed a tactful about-face, ensuring he placed no awkward strain upon Chloe as he descended the stairs on his own.

Chapter 21: The Truth

The freezing winter wind outside howled incessantly, rattling the window frames until they emitted a harsh, rhythmic clanging sound.

Eric carried the prepared dishes out from the kitchen and positioned them carefully across the tabletop. Observing Chloe sitting before him entirely devoid of emotion, he pulled out a chair and seated himself directly opposite her.

"Have something to eat first," he murmured, scooping a small portion of white rice into a porcelain bowl and placing it gently before her form. His delivery carried a level of softness that had been entirely absent from their past interactions.

The array of culinary delights before her was still radiating thick plumes of steam, eliciting an absolute chaos of unutterable emotions deep within Chloe’s chest.

Yet, her facial features remained entirely wooden. The man sitting before her—the very individual she had loved with every fiber of her being for three entire years—had actively shielded the executioner who destroyed her biological brother. He had callously permitted Lyndsey to terminate the life of her unborn child, never once treating her absolute devotion with a single shred of dignity.

Now that every historical event had spiraled into an irreversible catastrophe, whatever purpose did he hope to achieve by masquerading in such a domestic, repentant manner? He ought to comprehend the fundamental reality that spilled water could never be gathered again, and a shattered mirror could never be made whole.

The tiny fragment of emotional warmth that had briefly surfaced within Chloe’s gaze was instantly blanketed by a layer of absolute ice. She spoke with an unmistakable touch of biting mockery: "I lack the luxury of time to waste on futile posturing with you. Whatever matters you desire to discuss, articulate them directly."

Eric's movements froze instantly. Lifting his gaze to meet the profound coldness written across her features, a wave of stark clarity settled over his consciousness.

He possessed absolute knowledge regarding the historical events of the past three years—the immense hardships, the silent injustices, and the deep reservoir of agony she had been subjected to by his own hand. Consequently, it was entirely within reason for her to project such intense resentment toward him.

He harbored absolutely no anger. Instead, he initiated a conversation regarding the events of four years ago, his tone remarkably calm and level.

"On a particular night four years ago, you executed a rescue operation within the seventh alleyway of South Street, preserving the life of a heavily wounded man. Prior to being loaded into the ambulance, that individual entrusted a specific bracelet into your possession."

Hearing those words, Chloe faltered for a fraction of a second, her mind instinctively traveling backward through time.

In absolute truth, when it came to the occurrences of four years ago, her own recollections had grown remarkably hazy. However, because the local neighbors had committed the heroic act to memory and frequently resurrected it during casual conversations, she still retained a basic impression of the event.

She lacked any understanding as to why Eric would suddenly unearth this specific historical reality, her brow creasing slightly as she replied: "My memory regarding the details is incomplete. However, if my recollection serves me correctly, I misplaced that bracelet shortly after the incident."

Regarding that specific piece of jewelry, Chloe indeed retained a trace of memory. After all, the accessory had appeared remarkably opulent and value-intensive; during the initial period following its disappearance, she had frequently fretted over the possibility of the owner returning to reclaim it, a scenario that would leave her entirely incapable of offering financial compensation.

An intense wave of agony rippled through Eric's eyes. It was truly nothing short of a cruel manifestation of destiny; the individual who had preserved his existence all those years ago was undeniably the woman standing before him, yet because she had misplaced that pivotal token, he had been led down a false path, identifying the wrong person entirely.

His voice dropped to an even lower, more despondent register: "I was the exact individual whose life you preserved on that night. Following my recovery from the medical facility, I immediately mobilized my personnel to locate my savior. However, because I failed to obtain a clear view of your features during my state of delirium, I could only execute my search based upon the unique design of that bracelet. I never anticipated that my efforts would ultimately lead me directly to Lyndsey."

As the narrative unfolded to this juncture, a flash of genuine astonishment manifested across Chloe’s features, yet it endured for a mere fraction of a second before her expression reverted to absolute detachment.

As for the subsequent chain of events, she possessed the capacity to deduce them with relative ease. Lyndsey had successfully stolen her identity as Eric's savior, and driven by a profound sense of lifelong obligation, Eric had consistently deployed his immense corporate power to shield Lyndsey from any legal repercussions, culminating in the current catastrophic reality.

Yet Chloe merely let out a bitter, silent laugh. It was truly a supreme irony of fate; as it turned out, the toxic, agonizing bond she shared with Eric Vance had tracing its origin directly back to the very alleyway outside her door.

Suppressing the emotional turbulence within her chest, she fixed a cold gaze upon his form once more: "Therefore, what of it? What does that reality alter? Because you desired to repay a historical debt of survival, does it imply that my biological brother deserved to be murdered? Does it imply that my unborn child deserved to be destroyed? Simply because you identified the wrong individual, do you truly believe yourself to be entirely innocent in this tragedy?"

Eric's brow furrowed tightly: "Should it not be viewed in that manner? I merely failed to anticipate that Lyndsey would resort to such a deceptive substitution. I have never harbored a single shred of romantic affection toward her; had it not been for the presence of that bracelet, I would have absolutely never extended my protection to her form!"