Unspoken Hearts: My Neglected Mute Wife’s Escape

Chapter 48:

The car halted at the villa’s entrance, where Kallie could spot the glow emanating from the French windows. She quickly exited the vehicle and entered, only to discover Jake seated in the dining area, his eyes fixed on her.

A wine glass, half-filled with red wine, stood before Jake, alongside untouched dishes expertly prepared by nutritionists for their evening meal. Kallie paused, memories flooding back of the numerous turns she had waited for Jake to join her for dinner during their marriage. However, Jake rarely returned home and had never witnessed her anticipatory waits.

Now, the tables were turned, and Jake was the one waiting. The reversal stirred an odd feeling within her.

“Out socializing tonight?” Jake initiated the conversation as he noticed Kallie standing still.

Kallie signed, raising her hand in a half-hearted explanation that Jerome had invited her out to dinner and she assumed he was aware.

“You assumed? So just because you assumed I knew, you thought it wasn’t necessary to inform me?” Jake’s voice was laced with sarcasm, and his expression toward Kallie grew icy.

As he made a motion to rise, Kallie instinctively stepped backward. She was not accustomed to returning this late and felt a surge of anxiety. Despite this, Kallie couldn’t help but retort that she didn’t expect him to be home. After all, he seldom came back and was barely concerned whether she had dinner.

At her retort, Jake abruptly stood up, causing his chair to topple over with a resounding crash. “Are you blaming me?” he demanded, his voice tight with tension.noveldrama

Kallie shook her head gently, explaining she was just used to him being away a lot. As she spoke, she closed her eyes, perhaps to hold back tears or to mask the fear that flickered behind them.

Jake, however, did not approach her. Instead, he strode over to the liquor cabinet, retrieved a new bottle, and poured himself a drink, all without a word. Kallie moved a step closer, her lips parting to suggest he drink less, her mind conjuring the idea of fetching him a glass of milk to soothe his stomach. But she hesitated, ultimately bowing her head and stifling the urge. Jake didn’t need her overbearing care. His discontent stemmed merely from her defiance, nothing more.

If making him happy meant remaining the quiet, compliant wife, then that was what she would do, rather than fuss over him with unwanted gestures. With a heavy heart, Kallie turned silently and ascended the stairs.

The following day, instead of heading to the studio, Kallie decided to visit Linsey. Since the bookstore had been burned down, they agreed to meet at a café near Kallie’s home.

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“You’re only allowed to drink mineral water, huh? Other drinks are off-limits. Got it,” Linsey quipped with a mix of amusement and resignation as she ordered an $88 bottle of mineral water for Kallie. “Don’t complain about the price of this water!”

Kallie let out a sigh, expressing that it tasted just like the tap water back home. “So, how have things been with you lately?” Linsey inquired, her curiosity evident as she eyed Kallie.

Kallie gestured there was an opportunity that had come up, but she was not sure if she should take it. She took a deep breath as she shared the whole story of Jerome’s offer for her to be an advisor.

“This is an incredible opportunity! Go for it! Why the hesitation?” Linsey’s enthusiasm was palpable. “This beats working at that bookstore any day! What’s there to even think about?”

Kallie hesitated, her gaze dropping. She warned Linsey against getting emotional upon hearing her following words. Before this conversation, Kallie had kept the worsening state of her relationship with Jake from Linsey, who had believed they were getting better.

Now, Kallie laid it all out, explaining her decision to propose divorce to Jake. “Twenty million? Has he lost his mind?” Upon learning about Jake’s conditions for agreeing to the divorce, Linsey was instantly furious. She jumped to her feet, poised to confront that scoundrel Jake.

Kallie quickly grabbed Linsey’s arm, trying to calm her. “How can I stay calm? My low blood pressure is suddenly the least of my worries! He was unfaithful, and now he wants to walk away with a settlement? Does he have no dignity at all?” Linsey’s voice escalated, capturing the attention of others in the café.

Kallie swiftly guided Linsey back to their table and pushed the chilled coffee toward her, signaling her to sip it and cool off. “That bastard!” Linsey continued, her anger barely contained.

Her eyes downcast, Kallie explained Jake probably wasn’t thrilled when his grandfather chose him to take care of and marry her. She shared her guess that he might be taking it personally when she brought up the divorce. “You’re still defending him? He’s a grown man. No one coerced him. Why should he be compensated just to agree to a divorce? The Reeves Group is vast. Does he really need your twenty million? He’s just trying to make you miserable!” No matter what Linsey said, the reality remained unchanged.

Frowning, Kallie inquired of Linsey about her next step. Once she had calmed down, Linsey too realized they were at an impasse. “I know going to court won’t help. You won’t win. Even if he did cheat, the legal might of the Reeves Group will ensure his victory… My brother could throw in all our family’s resources, but it still wouldn’t be enough,” Linsey admitted with a sigh.

Linsey added, “Here’s an idea. Agree to Jerome’s terms, secure the first ten million once the contract is signed, and I’ll see about gathering another ten million from my family. You can divorce him then. How does that sound? I hate that he would get any money, but your freedom matters more!”

Kallie was taken aback by Linsey’s willingness to help, especially since the market was down and the Brooks family wasn’t flush with funds. Raising ten million wouldn’t be easy for Linsey.

Before Kallie could reply, a familiar voice interrupted them. “Fancy running into you here! Who are you calling a bastard? It’s not Jake, is it?”

Kallie immediately turned around. It was none other than Sarah!

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