Should it not be viewed in that manner?

Chloe came remarkably close to being driven to a manic laugh by that solitary sentence. Predictably, Eric remained the absolute epitome of his true self; deep within his soul, he genuinely perceived his own conduct as entirely devoid of major fault.

In his estimation, no matter how catastrophic the historical errors had grown, they bore very little correlation to his own character. He had merely been deceived by an erroneous identity, and consequently, she possessed no legitimate right to harbor such intense hatred toward his form—after all, his every maneuver had been executed solely to protect his perceived "savior."

"Eric Vance, the individual whose life was extinguished was not your sole remaining family member who shared your upbringing. Furthermore, you never once positioned that unborn child within the sanctuary of your heart. Because the agonizing pain and profound grief have never touched your own flesh, you possess the capacity to act with such absolute, disgusting righteousness!"

The moment the words left her lips, Chloe rose to her feet, her gaze sweeping coldly across the interior of the apartment. Noting the presence of his personal belongings scattered across the space, she articulated her final mandate: "This residence remains the sacred home of myself and Zack. I am well aware that you never once recognized Zack as a brother. Remove your belongings and vacate the premises immediately; you are entirely unwelcome within this territory!"

Chapter 22: Concluding on Schedule

The atmosphere within the room turned completely stagnant for several seconds as the two individuals locked eyes, an intense aroma of imminent conflict saturating every corner of the space.

Throughout the entirety of his existence, Eric Vance had never once been subjected to the absolute indignity of being driven out of a residence like a common vagrant. A sudden surge of intense fury washed over his features as he rose to his feet in a violent motion: "We remain bound by the sacred laws of matrimony! If I lack the legal right to reside within this property, then who possesses it? Is it that Julian character?"

At the mere mention of Julian, the inferno raging within his chest intensified to an unendurable degree. He harbored no genuine desire to engage in a screaming match with Chloe, yet from the very first instant he witnessed her returning to this neighborhood under Julian’s protection, an exceptionally bitter, toxic sensation had taken root within his soul.

He lacked any understanding as to why Chloe had become so deeply entangled with a man like Julian, yet even with his own immense pride, he was forced to concede the reality that Julian was an exceptionally flawless, formidable male specimen.

The mere realization that his own woman was being actively coveted by an outside force made it entirely impossible for him to maintain his composure.

Chloe let out a sharp, cynical laugh: "The mandatory three-year duration has fully elapsed, ensuring that the marital bond existing between us has reached its absolute dissolution on schedule. I expect you to retain that legal reality within your consciousness. Furthermore, Julian and I have shared an absolute connection for a lifetime; this is by no means the first instance he has resided within my home!"

Eric's mind was utterly consumed by a volatile mixture of intense rage and profound fury, particularly upon processing the phrases dissolution on schedule and by no means the first instance he has resided within my home. A sudden, inexplicable wave of absolute terror rippled through his consciousness.

Throughout the past weeks, the profound horror of losing her permanently rushed back to saturate his mind. In a sudden, violent maneuver, he clamped his hand around her wrist with immense force, driving her backward across the floor until her form collapsed directly onto the living room sofa.

He loomed over her form, pinning her beneath his frame: "I have yet to declare this matter concluded, and consequently, you can entirely abandon any notion of departing from my side for the remainder of your existence!"

A man's internal insecurity and raging fury frequently manifest as a desperate drive for absolute possession and total dominance.

Yet, Chloe offered almost no physical resistance. Instead, she merely trained a remarkably tranquil, piercing gaze directly onto his eyes. Those brilliant, crystal-clear eyes appeared fully capable of slicing through the complex outer layers of a human soul, forcing whatever hideous, corrupted motives lurked within to stand exposed beneath the light.

Locking eyes with that absolute, freezing detachment, the volcanic fury within Eric's chest suddenly dissolved into a cold chill.

Forcing a woman against her absolute will was a degraded course of action he was entirely incapable of executing, yet this total subversion of his own emotional control elicited a distinct tremor of panic deep within his soul.

"Whatever is the matter? The three-year contract has reached its natural conclusion, and is President Vance now prepared to shamelessly violate his own signed agreement?" Chloe’s words were akin to honed blades, driving straight into the absolute softest vulnerability of his ego.

Eric's face flushed with a shifting gradient of intense embarrassment and volatile rage; he had never once encountered an individual who possessed the audacity to address him in such a derogatory register.

In his memory, the historical Chloe had always been the absolute manifestation of gentleness. Throughout their three years of cohabitation, even when subjected to his most freezing indifference, she had never once voiced a single syllable of complaint. Yet at this moment, she was treating him with an entirely antithetical level of hostility.

He was not yet degraded enough to persist in such a shameless display. Rising from her form with an abrupt movement, he snatched his heavy overcoat from the rack and strode directly toward the exit.

Halting briefly upon the threshold, he articulated his final statement in a voice entirely devoid of inflection: "Chloe, whatever debts Eric Vance has incurred, I shall ensure they are repaid in full. Furthermore, do not delude yourself into believing that simply because you have secured Julian’s backing, Lyndsey will turn out to be an easily dismantled adversary."

Slam! The moment the syllables left his lips, the heavy wooden barrier swung shut with immense force, and his presence dissolved into the winter night.

Chloe pushed herself into a seated position upon the sofa, releasing a long, exhaustive breath into the vacant expanse of the living room.

Observing the culinary arrangements upon the table still radiating faint traces of steam, a complex vortex of conflicting emotions swirled through her heart.

After all, this was the exact individual she had loved with absolute devotion for three entire years; to claim that she could instantaneously excise every shred of romantic affection from her soul would be a complete fabrication.

However, just as loving an individual was an easy endeavor, transitioning that devotion into absolute hatred was equally fluid.

From the exact moment she obtained definitive proof that Eric Vance had actively conspired to conceal Lyndsey's murder of her biological brother, whatever love she harbored had been frozen to absolute nothingness.

Since their initial union had been nothing more than a calculated exploitation of her existence, and her unborn child had been entirely destroyed in the process, if she were to persist in her blind infatuation, she would be committing a supreme betrayal against the memory of Zack, and an even greater injustice against her own soul.

Knock, knock, knock— As her thoughts swirled, a rhythmic tapping suddenly resonated from the outer barrier.

Chloe swiftly reeled in her emotional vulnerability, stepping forward to pull the door open. Julian was standing upon the threshold, cradling two packed containers of local noodles within his hands.

Lifting the packages slightly to showcase his bounty, he offered her a warm, soothing smile: "He has departed. I secured two bowls of noodles from Old Mr. Zheng's stall at the intersection of the street. Shall we consume them together?"

A genuine, radiant smile broke through her features as she executed a couple of backward steps to permit his entry: "Absolutely!"

Chapter 23: The Threat

The living room was instantaneously saturated with a rich, familiar aroma. Old Mr. Zheng's noodle stall at the intersection of the thoroughfare had been operational for an eternity; despite the vast expanse of time that had elapsed since her last taste, the flavor profile remained completely identical to her youth.

Julian and Chloe seated themselves directly opposite one another at the table, a steaming bowl of hot noodles positioned before each of them.

Observing Julian navigate the consumption of a common bowl of street noodles with a level of absolute elegance, Chloe found herself momentarily dazed by the sight.

"An absolute eternity has drifted past since my last encounter with this flavor. Consuming it at this moment truly resurrects an intense wave of nostalgia for our youth; we used to frequent his stall back then!" Julian noted after taking an initial bite, a soft sigh escaping his lips.

The light within Chloe’s eyes instantaneously dimmed as her consciousness automatically drifted to the memory of Zack.