“What do you mean by that Yasmin asked directly
Caleb didn’t answer. He descended the stairs slowly, his usual sharpness dulled by exhaustion. His movements were more languid than usual, and even the slight messiness of his hair made him look uncharacteristically approachable.
He set his glass down and stopped right in front of her.
At that moment, memories from the night before flooded Yasmin’s mind. The sparing kiss and the burning heat of his touch–every sensation was still vivid.
She instinctively wanted to step back but forced herself to stay put. Lifting her chin, she met his gaze head–on, refusing to show any hesitation
“Does it still hurt?” Caleb asked, taking her hand to examine the injury.
“You already checked it last night.” Yasmin pulled her hand away, unwilling to let him touch her. “Are you really that interested in the damage you caused?”
Caleb raised an eyebrow. “Ichecked?”
“You don’t remember what you did last night?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.
She had never seen Caleb drunk before. Given his status, he barely needed to sip his drink at social events. No one would dare to pressure him.
Caleb didn’t respond. Instead, he simply studied her casually.
Yasman sighed. “You came looking for me last night. You said we should meet today to discuss the divorce. Do you remember that?
To her surprise, Caleb chuckled. Then, without warning, he reached out and gently squeezed the back of her neck, the way one would tease a cat
“Yasmin, I was drunk–not brain–dead.”
“Then why are you acting like you don’t remember?” Yasmin was livid. She swatted his hand away, her frustration mounting.
She had already brought up the divorce, so why was Caleb still acting so intimate as if none of it mattered?
Yasum decided to focus on the topic and avoid prolonging her stay with him. “Did you tell your grandparents about the divorce? Mrs. Grant Senior called me today. She wants me to attend her birthday banquet next week.”
Caleb didn’t seem surprised. If anything, he looked like he had anticipated this.
“Mm.”
Mm? That was it?
“What do you mean?”
Caleb leaned back against the couch, putting some distance between them. “Given my grandma’s health, she might end up in the hospital that same night if I tell her we’re getting a divorce
Gracie had a weak heart and couldn’t handle emotional shocks. Yasmin knew this. She didn’t want to hurt Gracle either, but dragging things out wasn’t an option. She couldn’t stay married to Caleb just for his grandmother’s sake, could she?
Her fingers curled into a tight fist without her realizing it.
The next moment, a firm hand prind them open. Caleb gently straightened her fingers, one by one, ensuring they weren’t clenched.
“You shouldn’t be putting pressure on your fingers after a burn. Didn’t that whatever senior of yours take you to a doctor? Did they not give you any recovery advice?i
The way he said “that senior of yours” carried an unmistakable hint of mockery.
Yasmin let him hold her hand, then suddenly smiled. “You won’t sign the divorce papers, your personal lawyer is impossible to reach, and now, you’re being all touchy with me. Mr. Grant, you’re making me wonder if you’re reluctant to let me go?”
Caleb paused for a second, then answered with complete ease, “Of course. This divorce was your idea from the start”
She remembered his words from before.
He had said he led her for her body.
Those words stung more than she cared to admit
Yasmin withdrew her hand, crossing her arms in a subconscious act of self–protection “So, you don’t want a divorce?”
Caleb didn’t respond. He didn’t. From the very beginning, he had never agreed to it.
Yasmin found the whole discussion pointless.
She said coolly. “Eine. We won’t get divorced but on one condition. You shall cut all contact with Veronica. If you can do that, I’ll stay as Mrs. Grant.”
Chapter
Chapter 35
1/1
Caleb frowned “Yasmin, making demands isn’t the same as being unreasonable.”
Yasmin let out a scoff. “Men are really something, aren’t they? When we reason with you and set conditions, you call it unreasonable.”
Itis gaze darkened. “With the injuries you caused Veronica back then, she could’ve pressed assault charges. You could’ve faced criminal liability.”
Yasmin clenched her jaw, locking eyes with him stubbornly. If he looked closely, he’d see nothing but resentment and injustice reflected in them.
She shut her eyes tightly. When she reopened them, her expression had regained its composure.
“I didn’t hurt Veronica,” she said slowly in an attempt to convince him.
She paused for a second, waiting for a response, but Caleb remained silent
Then, she chuckled. “I know you won’t believe me. You never believed me when I said I didn’t scheme to marry you three years ago, so why would you believe that I wasn’t the one who hurt the girl you’ve loved since childhood?”
All her w
The more Yasmin thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. All her years of devotion and love were wasted.
Caleb parted his lips slightly, but before he could speak, he caught the faint shimmer of tears in her eyes.
His heart winced slightly
Yasmin said bitterly, “I was wrong three years ago, I shouldn’t have gotten drunk and made that impulsive mistake of sleeping with you. That was my fault. I admit it. I’ll even apologize. I regret it, okay?”
Caleb’s expression darkened. “An impulsive mistake? Yasmin, do you regret it that much? Do you hate the idea of being married to me?”
She replied without hesitation, “Yes. If I had a second chance, I would never have gone looking for you that night. I would’ve picked any other man. At least, I wouldn’t have lost my reputation and destroyed my marriage over one reckless night.”
What was so great about marrying Caleb? Three years together, and he still didn’t love her. Three years later, he still chose Veronica over her.
The burn on her wrist was the price she paid for her one–sided love.
Caleb lowered his gaze and uttered, “Is that so.””
Then, he met her eyes again. “You want a divorce? Fine. Convince my grandmother at her birthday banquet ”
Yasmin’s scent lingered in the air for a fleeting moment before fading entirely. The vast villa was silent once more,
Caleb could hear his breathing yet, for some reason, the action felt difficult. It was uncertain how long he sat there until the ringing of his phone snapped him out of his daze.
“Grandpa,” he answered.
“Are you upset?”
Benjamin had raised Caleb since he was a boy. He knew him well enough to tell that something was wrong with Caleb.
Caleb remained silent for a short while before adjusting his tone. “No.”
Benjamin didn’t press further and got straight to the point. “I heard there’s trouble between you and Yasmin.”
“Who told you that?”
“Doesn’t matter who.
News traveled fast. The incident at the bar had already spread. Even though Caleb had denied it, there were always people eager to stir the pot, ensuring the rumors reached the Grant family.
“Yasmin lost her mother at a young age, and her father favors his second wife. She even spent time in a psychiatric hospital. Her reputation is far from ideal. As the future head of the Grant family, she was never supposed to be your wife.”
Despite his age, Benjamin spoke with a vigor that carried the weight of a man who had once ruled with an iron fist
“Caleb, don’t forget. Three years ago, you told your grandmother and me that you only wanted to marry Yasmin.”
Everyone assumed that Gracie had forced the marriage upon Caleb. But the truth was, Caleb had asked for it himself. “If that’s the case, then stop letting these divorce rumors spread Your grandma doesn’t need that kind of stress.
“I understand. Don’t worry. I have no intention of divorcing her,” Caleb said calmly, “Next week is your grandma’s birthday. You and Yasmin will come home a day early.”
Benjamin added after a short pause, “And your mother is back.”
