Chapter 26 

Never meant to divorce her? Cherise felt sick just hearing about it. 

“You are a sick bastard, Hudson,” she spat out. 

Hudson was perplexed by his own admission, but when he heard Cherise’s words, his temper flared up again. 

Hudson 

“I dare you to say that again, snapped and clenched his fists tightly to stop punching something. No one had ever dared to say those words to him. 

“Are you not?” Cherise asked with her head held high. She knew Hudson was angry, but she wouldn’t succumb and showed any fear. 

“You treated me as a toy, a gold digger, and a wife who didn’t even deserve to get your love and affection,” she continued bitterly. How many times must she say it? How many times must he remind her of the hellish life she had when they were married? 

“I never!” Hudson defended himself. 

Cherise scoffed, feeling there really was something with Hudson’s brain. 

“You NEVER?” she asked and reminded him again, “Forget about the three years you ignored me. What about during your brother’s funeral? Not only did you disrespect me, but you trampled on my dignity, and you still dared to say you did NOT toy with me? I am a HUMAN, Hudson! I have 

emotions, too!” 

Cherise’s words felt like a dagger to Hudson’s heart, and he didn’t know why. He did see Cherise as 

v Emely’s side a gold digger, and yes, someone like her didn’t deserve his love. He even sta during Luis‘ funeral, causing everyone to look at Cherise in pity, and some e….ooked down on her. And it was because of him. 

Everything she said was true, but why did it pain him to hear it straight from her mouth? 

“Cherise, I-” He reached out his hand for what he didn’t know. He just felt the need to defend himself. 

“Enough, Hudson!” Cherise cut him off, stepping back further away from her ex–husband, her b*dy shaking with anger. “I’m sick of you. You might not want to divorce me, but I wanted to divorce 

you, 

and it’s a done deal. There is nothing between us anymore.” 

“Cherise..” Still, Hudson stepped forward, feeling like he was going to lose something important if he didn’t explain. But what could he explain now? Could he open up his traumas to her when he couldn’t even tell it to his best friend, Keith? 

“Stop it, Hudson!” Cherise had had enough of Hudson’s antics and turned around to get away from him, but she hit a mass of muscle, and two strong arms immediately circled around her slender 

waist. 

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“Hey, sweetheart,” the man whispered gently. 

Cherise looked up to see her brother and let out a breath of relief. At least now she could act with her brother and didn’t need to talk to Hudson anymore. 

“Hey, when did you arrive?” Cherise asked with the same gentle tone and buried her face in Julian’s chest. 

“Just enough to hear how he tried to explain himself,” Julian said as he k*ssed the top of her head. “Paula said you went to the bathroom and haven’t come back in a while. It turned out you encountered a pest here.” 

Cherise tilted her head back to see her brother’s handsome face, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Nothing I couldn’t handle. I managed to punch him right in the gut.” 

Julian furrowed his brows and released his hold on Cherise’s waist. Taking her tiny hands in his big ones, he inspected them and said. “Do they hurt? You should’ve asked someone else to do the dirty work.” 

Cherise laughed out loud and teased. “It’s been so long since I had an exercise. It turns out I’m still capable, even if only slightly worse.” 

“Still, I don’t want you to hurt any part of your b*dy,” Julian said as he rubbed the back of Cherise’s hands and added with a voice full of finality. “I’m going to have b*dyguards following you.” 

Feeling that it was too much and that it would attract too much attention to herself, Cherise pouted and sighed. “Julian, you know why I don’t want a b*dyguard following me.” 

Julian’s frown deepened. He knew Cherise didn’t want to attract attention to herself, at least not until she wanted to divulge her identity as the heiress of the Alster family. 

In the end, he relented because he couldn’t say no to his sister. He sighed and pinched the tip of her nose. “You really know how to make me obey you.” 

Grinning, Cherise replied, “It’s because you love me so much.” 

Julian chuckled and ruffled her hair. “That, you are right.” 

Hudson, who felt a pang of pain before, now felt his blood boil at the public display of affection between Julian and Cherise. 

They called him a pest? Julian didn’t want Cherise to get hurt while punching him? He was the one who was injured, dammit! And Julian wanted to place b*dyguards around Cherise? 

He felt so stupid for feeling guilty just a while ago. It was apparent that Julian cared about his ex- wife a lot, and, as before, he did not know why, but it irked him a lot. He didn’t like seeing the love between the two of them. 

And the worst part? They acted like he wasn’t even there like he was an insignificant person who didn’t exist in the hallway. 

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He snorted to gain their attention. “Alster, you are spoiling her a bit too much.” 

Finally, Julian acknowledged his presence as he looked at Hudson. “I love her, so I’m spoiling her,” he replied with a faint smile. “Is that a problem for you, Amery?” 

“You love her?” Hudson sneered at the incredulous idea of Julian loving his wicked ex–wife. “She will bleed you dry before you know it.” 

Julian laughed out loud. How stupid of Hudson to think that way. He purposely wrapped his arm around Cherise’s shoulder and, drew her as close to him as possible and said, “I don’t mind her bleeding me dry, though she could try. My wealth is beyond what you imagine, Amery.” 

Cherise, hearing how Julian was allowing her to use his money, let out a giggle. She didn’t need Julian’s money as she was wealthy herself, but the thought of spending Julian’s money was still great. She could save her money instead! 

“Are you sure you’ll let me spend your money? I might really bleed you dry,” she teased her brother. 

“If you could finish spending all my money, I’ll salute you,” Julian winked at her. 

Seeing how deep into his act, Cherise couldn’t stop herself from laughing and k*ssing him on the cheek. “You are simply the best!” 

“Anything for you, sweetie,” Julain smiled gently and k*ssed her temple. 

Hudson, who kept being ignored, laughed in anger. “Do you think your grandfather will allow you to marry her?” 

“To be honest, Amery, our family is unlike yours. We always married for le reasons,” Julian’s blue eyes stared right into Hudson’s dark eyes. 

nd not for other 

“You are crazy to think that way,” Hudson scoffed. Who would want to marry someone who wouldn’t bring any advantages to their families? Only a fool would do that, he thought. 

“I love her,” Julian proclaimed. “And there is nothing or no one who could stop me from marrying 

whomever I want.” 

Well, technically, it was true. He didn’t say he would marry Cherise but a woman he loved, and his 

grandfather would be delighted if he could bring a girlfriend home. God knew how much his grandfather had nagged him about it to the point that he thought of just having a contract relationship with some actresses. 

“You love her?” Hudson asked through gritted teeth. 

“I’m not like you who judge a person based on their background. So what if she comes from the countryside? Is that a sin?” Julian asked with a raised brow. “Could you choose who your parents are? Could you choose the family you were born to?” 

“Of course, someone in our positions has to marry-” Hudson stopped his sentence and frowned. 

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No, if he were to marry someone from his social class, his grandmother wouldn’t allow him to marry Cherise. 

“Have you realized it, Amery?” Julian asked with a faint smile, knowing that he had gotten his point across. Hudson should know the truth by now if he was to open his mind. His beloved sister was a great woman that even the matriarch of the Amery family approved of, regardless of her fake background. 

“Let’s go, Julian,” Cherise suddenly said. She didn’t care about what Hudson thought of her anymore. She was sick and tired of being in his presence as it would always lead to the same thing- him belittling her.. 

“Alright, let’s go, sweetie,” Julian stirred her toward their table, leaving Hudson alone as he pondered about his thoughts. 

Too deep in his thoughts, Hudson let them go. Would his grandmother really not mind if he married someone he loved? But what about Emely? His grandma didn’t approve of her relationship with Luis. But then his grandparents married for love. Everyone in his family married for love 

t for his parents 

He had never thought of marrying for love. Even when he promised Emely that he would marry her, it was just because of his promise to Luis. In reality, he just wanted to make his business event more successful as he was now their CEO. He always felt a marriage of convenience was the best for 

1. it. 

But… Was Julian right? Could someone in their position marry for love? Wouldn’t people look down on them? But then… He was the CEO of the most influential group in the country. He shouldn’t care about what people say about him. No, a marriage of convention would still be the best for him, he thought. With it, his wife would bring advantages to his business, and she would know how to behave properly during social engagements. 

That thought of Julian really in love with Cherise to the point that he willingly would spoil her didn’t sit well with him, thogh. 

He didn’t like the way Cherise beamed and looked at Julian with love and gratitude. She should have only looked at him in that way and no other men! 

Hudson slammed his fist against the wall out of frustration. Dammit! What was wrong with him? Why did he keep thinking of Cherise after their divorce? Why was she able to stir up his emotions. like no one else could? She was his ex–wife, and as she had said, they had nothing to do with each other anymore. But why couldn’t he get her out of his mind? 

Needing to calm down, he went to the balcony again to take a smoke. He needed to take a breather, to find a way to forget her. He shouldn’t care about her anymore. 

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