Chapter 135

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Chapter 135 Utterly Absurd

When Riley pushed open the private room door, he guessed something when he saw that only Troy was inside.

He closed the door, stood before the table, glanced at the empty wine bottle, and asked, “Did you have an argument with Imogen?”

Troy didn’t answer. He swayed a bit as he poured wine into the glass in front of him and downed it in one gulp.

When Troy was about to pour another glass, Riley quickly took the wine bottle away.

Troy, reacting slowly, looked at Riley and reached out his hand. “Give me the wine!”

“Did you call me here to watch you drink? I’m not interested. If you wanted to keep drinking, I

would leave now.”

Troy suddenly went limp, his outstretched hand losing its strength, and slapped down on his knee. He slumped onto the sofa, looking like he had lost all his strength.

He looked down, his eyes half–lidded, making it impossible to see his emotions. Dark circles under his eyes revealed his recent exhaustion.

“She wants to divorce me.” Troy suddenly said, and Riley understood.

He p

the wine bottle aside, sat down opposite Troy, and with no hint of surprise, sighed and said, “I expected it.”

Troy looked up sharply.

“When we were together last time, you asked Cedric to apologize to Imogen. Only you and Cedric were acting, but Imogen’s eyes were calm, indifferent.”

Troy was stunned, closed his eyes, and tried hard to recall Imogen’s reaction.

But he couldn’t remember.

“You often say Imogen is understanding and easily gives in to others at her own expense. But once she decides to resist, she’s completely disappointed, and it’s hard to change her mind.”

Troy was silent for a long time before opening his eyes to look at Riley. “Why didn’t you warn me earlier?”

Riley smiled. “I did warn you a long time ago. I told you not to be soft–hearted to women other than your wife. Troy, others may not know you, but I do. Even then, your eyes were filled with hidden meaning when you looked at Imogen.”

Troy’s eyes were misty as if he recalled something.

Had he started to like Imogen that early?

Maybe.

So after Imogen asked for a divorce, he still called her his sister.

How ridiculous.

Who could still be siblings after divorce?

Troy just didn’t want to let go of Imogen.

So when she happily agreed to divorce, he became unhappy.

So when Imogen wanted to resign and go abroad with Liam, Troy vehemently opposed it and tried to persuade her to return, as if he were considering it as an elder brother.

12:14

It was just Troy’s selfishness.

So when they went to the Courthouse to divorce, he knew the documents were left on the hospital table but didn’t remind her, trying to buy time.

So after Troy asked for a divorce, even though they just needed to get a divorce certificate from the Courthouse, they hadn’t managed to divorce for so long.

He didn’t want to divorce deep down.

So when Sarah made several implicit advances, Troy ignored them, fearing his child would be illegitimate like him.

He was just leaving room for himself and Imogen, knowing he couldn’t go back if he took that step.

Now he finally understood his twisted and contradictory actions.

But why did Troy only realize this now?

“Those involved are often blinded, while outsiders can see clearly. Your relationship with Sarah started with her pursuing you, and she was the one who made concessions. It felt like you could take it or leave it. I didn’t expect Sarah to return, let alone that you’d get involved with her again. I thought you’d understand that you’re the only one who owes Sarah. Imogen doesn’t owe Sarah anything, and you shouldn’t make Imogen suffer to make up for Sarah or ask her to repay Sarah with you.”

Listening to Riley’s words, Troy was stunned momentarily and then laughed bitterly. “Why didn’t I understand such a simple truth?”

He remembered the time he and Imogen were in bed, lost in passion, and he got a call from Sarah’s agent saying she was missing, and he insisted on leaving.

Imogen tried to keep him there, but he left.

He was angry at the time and told her she had no empathy.

Now he realized how hurtful that was.

Why should Imogen have sympathy for someone who ruined her marriage?

If someone had told Troy that Liam had gone missing, he would have only clapped and cheered.

“Actually, even if you had owed Sarah, you shouldn’t have indulged her too much. After that incident years ago, everyone was blaming you. But they all forgot that you and Sarah were both adults. You weren’t her guardian. Her running out of school late at night was her problem. Being kidnapped resulted from the kidnapper’s wicked greed, and it had nothing to do with you. Calling the police was the best choice at the time. Otherwise, you alone might not have been able to save her, and you might have even gotten yourself into trouble. I know you feel guilty, and that’s why you’ve been trying to make it up to Sarah.”

“But making it up to her isn’t unconditional. If she asked you to break the law, would you do it? A promise isn’t indefinite. Would you agree when you have children with Imogen, and she wants to return to be with you?”

“Again, Sarah is an adult. She essentially gave up on your promise when she chose to go abroad. She needs to be responsible for her actions. You can yield to Leo in your daily life, but the position of president at Marshall Group was given to you by Henry because he saw your abilities. Leo is not as capable as you, so you shouldn’t feel like you’ve stolen from him. Even without you, there would be your second uncle and your cousin, so the presidency of Marshall Group may not necessarily be Leo’s.”

Chapter 135 Utterly Absurd

“I’ve said my piece. Don’t go against your own heart. Think about what you really want. I believe you can make the right choice.”

Troy closed his eyes, unable to regain his composure for a long time.

In the matter of Sarah, among those who knew, besides Troy’s grandmother, Riley was the only one who said it had nothing to do with Troy.

Troy still remembered the counselor saying, “Your girlfriend ran away. Why didn’t you chase after her? How can you be a boyfriend? If you had gone after her, maybe this wouldn’t have happened. You don’t have any sense of responsibility as a man! What a shame for such a good girl like Sarah…”

The old policeman said, “She’s a girl, and you’re a boy. You should have been more forgiving as a man. Maybe nothing would have happened if you hadn’t argued with her.”

Leo said, “I know you want to find the person who leaked the data and make up for the losses quickly. But without evidence, you can’t accuse your girlfriend. Besides, the kidnapper was after you… This kind of incident might leave a lifelong psychological shadow on a girl. You have to be responsible for her future…”

As he grew up, people intentionally or unintentionally mentioned in his ear. “Is this the child that Thomas brought back from outside? I heard he and his wife were arguing when they died!”

“That’s him! If it hadn’t been for this child, the couple might not have died so young.”

“Who’s to say? Wendy was such a good girl, lovely, always smiling, and had a great relationship with Thomas…”

Wendy was the name of Thomas‘ wife.

“The most pitiable one is Leo. He got an extra brother to compete with for the family estate and lost his parents at such a young age…”

Those sighs were deeply etched into young Troy’s heart.

But no one ever considered that Troy was younger than Leo and had lost his parents earlier.

Maybe it was because Troy was an illegitimate child.

Troy’s existence was wrong from the start.