Chapter 11

A heavy silence hung in the air after Julian spoke.When Yvonne finally replied, her voice had lost all warmth."Anything?"

Hearing that,Julian's frown deepened. He wasn't used to her icy tone and responded with even less emotion,"Tell me where you are."

"It doesn't concern you. I'm busy, and I'd rather not be bothered," Yvonne said,her reply sharp. She ended the call before he could say another word.

Julian stared at the phone, stunned by what had just happened.He barely managed to keep his composure."She actually hung up on me?"

Paula looked at him nervously. "Did you do something to upset her, Mr. Powell? Maybe you should do something special to make it up to Mrs. Powell."

Julian didn't answer right away, his features clouded as he tried to piece everything together.

His thoughts drifted back to that night Yvonne begged him to stay when Rita's discomfort drove him to visit her. Explaining something so minor never appealed to him,yet if Yvonne kept pressing, it would only shatter the calm he enjoyed now.

Now that Rodger was finally getting better, the last thing Julian wanted was to let his grandfather stress over things between him and Yvonne.

"You should really talk to her, Mr. Powell. Most women just want to feel appreciated. A small surprise goes a long way." From the side, Paula tried to encourage him.

That suggestion sparked a memory. Yvonne had recently posted a picture of a puppy on Instagram,gushing about how adorable it was. She clearly loved little animals.

Hiding any hint of his frustration, Julian reached for his phone and called his assistant, Morton Perry. His voice was firm. "Track down Yvonne's location."

He paused for a moment, then cleared his throat before saying, "There's an auction coming up in a few days. A purebred poodle's on the list. I want you to win it for me."

Morton responded right away, "Understood, sir."

A surge of irritation washed over Julian as he ended the call. An uneasy sensation settled in as he took a slow look around the empty villa.

A question nagged at him-for the past three years,had Yvonne been waiting alone in this cold house for him to come home from work every day?

Usually, Julian didn't dwell on the past, but today,every corner seemed to whisper her name.

He wandered into the bedroom, where the perfectly made bed greeted him. His expression grew darker.

Memories surfaced, he and Yvonne had once shared their first intimacy on that very bed, just like any married couple would.

The more he dwelled on the details of that night, the more restless he felt, A dry, uneasy feeling crept over him, and he headed straight for a cold shower.

When morning broke, Julian woke at six, heading to the home gym as usual.

Finishing a round of exercises, he glanced at the empty spot beside him. He remembered the days when Yvonne would linger there, watching him with adoring eyes while he worked out at home.

That emptiness left him unsettled long before the day had even started.

After wiping the sweat from his brow, he walked out of the gym and into the dining room, where a plate of plain toast and a glass of milk waited on the table.

Yvonne always went out of her way to cook a bowl of warm porridge for him, knowing how sensitive his stomach was. She'd serve it with fresh, light side dishes, nothing like the bland breakfast the staff had set out today.

A rush of frustration made his fists clench, his stare icy.

Ignoring the meal, he grabbed his phone and used a different number to text Yvonne. "Come home, let's talk things over."

This time, his message didn't get blocked.

Then, thinking he sounded too harsh, he worried Yvonne might dig in her heels even more. He followed up with a softer note. "I bought a puppy for you. It's adorable. Come see it."

That message bounced back, she'd blocked this number as well.

He sat there, lost for words.

Just then, Paula walked in with a stack of packages and set an envelope on the table.

She glanced his way. "You have a letter, Mr. Powell.Looks urgent, seems to be from Mrs. Powell." The icy mask Julian wore faded for a split second, and a small,self-satisfied smile tugged at his lips. He tried to act like it didn't matter, but he tore the letter open the moment Paula dropped it.

However, when he got a full understanding of the content, his smile vanished at once.

Inside the envelope was a divorce agreement.