Chapter 168
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The last sentence hit Julian like a sledgehammer, striking him off guard and causing a surge of confusion and panic in his heart.
“Julian, if I treated Anya the way you treated Rosalie, Anya would probably divorce me within a day. Rosalie enduring your cold treatment for a whole year is already quite remarkable,” Kaleb said, his words earnest but devastating to Julian.
Until now, Julian had been clinging to a self–deceptive notion that Rosalie’s affection for him meant her recent coldness and indifference were just
tantrum.
23
No one had ever been so blunt and direct with him, laying out the truth and telling him that Rosalie truly didn’t want him anymore.
She had given up on him because of his cold treatment.
“Emotional abuse is also a form of domestic violence. Don’t think you haven’t hurt her,” Kaleb added, delivering another heavy blow.
Without waiting for Julian’s reaction, Kaleb left.
Julian stood there, dazed, watching Kaleb’s retreating figure, the words echoing in his mind and causing a mix of irritation and undeniable anxiety to rise in his chest.
“Mr. Galloway, your cigarettes,” the waiter said, handing Julian a pack of cigarettes and pulling him out of his brooding frustration.
Julian took the cigarettes and returned to their table. Before sitting down, his gaze instinctively shifted toward Rosalie.
Seeing her chatting and laughing with Anya, seemingly unaffected by his presence or the situation, Julian’s heart sank even further.
‘Is it true, as Kaleb said, that she no longer cares about me? So even if we met, she looked indifferent. To her, I am nothing more than a stranger she has once met, Julian wondered.
This realization chilled Julian to the bone.
At that moment, Sean suddenly exclaimed, “Hey, Kaleb, isn’t that Anya and Rosalie over there?”
Sean’s shout caused a ripple of reactions among the group.
Julian, who had already seen Rosalie, didn’t show much surprise but looked a bit displeased at the mention of her.
Kaleb couldn’t hide his delight at the prospect of seeing his wife.
Only Matteo and Roseanne’s faces turned sour.
Matteo glanced at Roseanne, his eyes filled with concern.
They had known each other since childhood. Although Roseanne hadn’t grown up in the same courtyard, she had lived nearby and was considered a childhood friend of Julian’s.
Matteo was closer to Roseanne and knew how much she liked Julian.
When Roseanne’s family moved to Avaloria a few years ago, Julian hadn’t dated anyone since and Matteo was happy for her.
However, a year ago, Julian had been forced by his grandfather to marry Rosalie, and she hadn’t refused.
In Matteo’s eyes, Rosalie had taken Julian away from Roseanne, and he couldn’t help but feel a silent resentment toward her.
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