After He Called Me Trouble, I Quit Him

Chapter 2

Hailey sat stunned for a long time.

Only when the snow melted through her clothes and made her shiver did she brace a hand against a tree and struggle upright.

'Bastard,' she cursed inwardly, then limped down the mountain alone.

Mount Alder was so remote that she had to walk a long way before she finally found a cab.

It was late by the time she made it home.

Exhausted, she sank onto the couch, but no matter how tired she was, she couldn't stop seeing Julian and Camille walking away together.

'What's going on between them?'

She searched the fragmented memories of those 10 years for anything about Camille.

Camille had been raised as a proper society daughter. The Mercer family had gone bankrupt 5 years earlier, and her father had died after a serious illness. Julian's father, an old friend of his, had arranged a job for her at Bennett Group.

Julian, who'd always kept women at a distance and refused to employ a female secretary, had made an exception for her.

Thinking back to how differently he'd treated them that day left a bitter taste in Hailey's mouth.

"Mother, you should wash up. And even at home, you really shouldn't be so... careless."

Hailey looked up. Mia stood on the stairs, frowning down at her. Her cold gaze was almost identical to Julian's.

Suddenly, Hailey realized her daughter didn't seem to like her either.

"Mimi." She straightened into a ladylike posture and offered a gentle, motherly smile. "Don't you... like me?"

Mia regarded her coolly. "Mother, as Mrs. Bennett, you really shouldn't be asking questions that personal. And there's something else…"

Her eyes moved to the wet couch cushions. "Father is very fond of this couch Ms. Mercer gave him. You've gotten it dirty. He'll be angry."

She turned and went upstairs.

Hailey's smile froze. She was Julian's wife and Mia's mother, yet she felt no sense of belonging in this house. They were shutting her out. There was no place for her here.

But Hailey had never been someone who quietly accepted whatever she was given.

She liked Julian. They were married, had a daughter, and were supposed to spend their lives together. She wouldn't let their marriage remain this miserable.

She asked the butler to arrange for the couch to be cleaned, then sent Julian a message.

Hailey: Honey, when are you coming home?

He still hadn't replied when she finished washing and lay down in their enormous bed.

He didn't come home for the next 2 days either.

On the third morning, Hailey looked at the unanswered message, then at Mia over breakfast.

"Mimi, your dad hasn't been home for 2 days. Do you know where he is?"

"He's at the office."

Mia answered without interest, then left for school.

Hailey had the housekeeper make some nourishing soup and took it to Bennett Group.

The company occupied an entire 66-story building in the heart of the Hawthorne City business district. Julian's office was on the top floor.

No one stopped her as she took the elevator up. His office door stood open.

She approached and saw him studying documents at his desk. Camille stood beside him, leaning so close that her loose hair nearly brushed his cheek.

'Do they really need to be that close to work?'

Hailey narrowed her eyes, anger rising.

Perhaps feeling the force of her stare, Camille looked up. She straightened and rested a seemingly casual hand on Julian's shoulder.

"Julian, your wife's here."

Then she withdrew her hand and headed out, giving Hailey a small, unmistakably contemptuous nod as she passed.

Hailey clenched her fists.

"Why are you here?" Julian asked abruptly.

Remembering why she'd come, she suppressed her anger and approached. "I brought you some soup."

She unscrewed the insulated container's lid, keeping her voice gentle. "Why didn't you answer my message?"

He looked away. "I don't check my phone while I'm working."

Hailey pressed her lips together. Swallowing her hurt, she tried to sound playfully aggrieved.

"Your prayers matter. Your work matters. So what does that make me?"

Without even looking up, Julian replied coldly, "A nuisance."