Chapter 125
Jonathan was watching her too, his eyes flashing a blatant warning.
Niamh thought, if she asked for a divorce right here and now, Clifford would probably agree. Even if he didn’t want to, he would still respect her choice.
But…
She couldn’t get the words out.
It wasn’t because of Jonathan’s threat earlier. The truth was, Clifford was still in the hospital, recovering, and any emotional shock could be dangerous for him. His heart had always been fragile, and this latest episode most likely had nothing to do with her trending online. Clifford had never been the type to browse the internet
anyway.
He must have found out that Sprague had drawn up divorce papers for her and Jonathan, and the stress had landed him in the hospital.
Niamh couldn’t risk upsetting her grandfather again. If anything happened to him because of her, she’d never forgive herself.
“I want to… resign,” Niamh said solemnly.
Jonathan’s eyes flickered with surprise.
“Resign? That’s wonderful!” Marigold practically clapped with glee. “You shouldn’t be working anyway–the Thomas family can more than afford to take care of you. Once you quit, you can focus on being a good wife and homemaker, just like before… Last time, you lost the baby because you weren’t experienced. Now you’re healthy again, so you should start thinking about having a child.”
“Your mother’s right,” Sprague chimed in. “Now’s the perfect time to leave your job and focus on starting a family,”
Marigold and Sprague went back and forth, their words cutting Niamh like reopened wounds. She realized then that no one in the Thomas family seemed to know the truth–that her miscarriage had been no accident, but Jonathan’s deliberate doing.
If she hadn’t overheard Jonathan back then, she would never have known. He hadn’t just ended their first child on purpose; he’d been so brutal that she was told she might never conceive again.
No child meant she’d never be a mother, never truly the lady of the Thomas family
No child meat
Chapter 125
Just a dutiful, long–suffering housekeeper.
Niamh clenched her hands behind her back, her fists trembling.
“What do you think, Jonathan?” Marigold and Sprague finally remembered to ask for Jonathan’s opinion. Niamh’s thoughts, as usual, didn’t matter. That was how it had always been these past three years.
Jonathan nodded coolly. “Sure, I’ll do my best.”
Niamh watched him lie with a straight face, and her heart turned to ice.
She could expose him, right here and now–tell everyone that Jonathan had caused her miscarriage, that he’d made sure she could never have children.
But what would be the point? If she spoke up, Clifford would never agree to the divorce. He’d see her as a victim, someone who’d lost everything because of the Thomas family, and insist she keep her place as Jonathan’s wife out of guilt or pity.
Niamh didn’t want pity. She was done being the object of anyone’s sympathy.
The divorce would happen, sooner or later. If they lived apart for two years, the court would almost certainly grant it. By then, Clifford’s health would be stable, and she could finally be free without any regrets.
“I’m resigning… because I want to leave The Thomas Group,” she said quietly.
The room fell silent as everyone stared at her.
“But I’m not coming home. I want to find another job.”
At that, Marigold’s face twisted in alarm. “You-”
Before she could finish, Sprague tugged discreetly at her sleeve, shooting her a warning look–Don’t say anything reckless in front of the old man.
Sprague had originally planned for Jonathan and Niamh to divorce. In his eyes, Niamh was never good enough for the Thomas family. With their status, they should have arranged a marriage within high society–someone of equal standing, just as he once had.
Besides, Jonathan had never loved Niamh. Their marriage was only because Clifford had chosen her, otherwise, Jonathan wouldn’t have agreed at all.
