Chapter 4 Corpus Luteum Rupture

Julian's voice exploded across the lobby.

"Sir, this is a hospital-" a passing nurse began to intervene.

Before she could finish, Julian's hand came down hard across my face.

The nurse froze, clearly startled, standing there unsure what to do.

More and more people gathered. She hesitated for a moment, then turned to call security.

A burning pain spread across my cheek. My ears rang, as if something had exploded inside my head.

The noise around us suddenly fell silent the moment the slap landed.

Dozens of eyes turned toward us at once.

I slowly raised my hand, my fingertips trembling as they brushed my cheek. I sucked in a sharp breath.

It hurt.

In four years of marriage, this was the first time Julian had touched me with such force.

And it was to hit me.

The thought almost made me laugh.

I looked up at Julian. He was staring down at me, his face dark, his eyes filled with disgust.

As if the person before him wasn't his wife of four years, but something filthy he couldn't stand to look at.

"Evelyn." He lowered his voice. "Are you done making a scene?"

I didn't respond.

The pain in my cheek kept pulsing.

Whispers had already started spreading through the lobby.

Being watched like this made my entire body go cold.

Vanessa seemed startled by the slap, letting out a soft gasp.

But she quickly recovered and reached out to hold Julian's arm.

"Julian, don't," she said softly. "Everyone's watching."

She frowned slightly as she spoke, as if she were pleading on my behalf.

But the look she gave me couldn't hide her satisfaction.

Julian patted her hand lightly, still looking at me with cold indifference.

"Vanessa is here today for a corpus luteum rupture check." He spoke each word deliberately, anger clear in his tone. "Do you really have to slander her in front of everyone like this?"

Corpus luteum rupture.

Hearing those words, the video from last night flashed through my mind.

The woman straddling him, her voice soft.

His hand gripping her waist, head tilted back, eyes closed, his expression lost in pleasure.

The thought made me let out a quiet laugh.

Julian frowned at me. "What are you laughing at?"

I lifted my head and looked at Vanessa.

The pain in my cheek was still there, but suddenly, it didn't feel as important.

"So that's how it is.

So my husband showed off his strength..." I paused. "And that's what caused Miss Whitmore's corpus luteum rupture?"

Vanessa's expression changed instantly.

"Evelyn!" Julian's face darkened. "You still dare to talk nonsense?"

As he spoke, his hand lifted again.

The last trace of hurt inside me twisted into a surge of anger I could no longer suppress.

"What?" My voice came out sharp and cutting. "Going to hit me again?"

Julian clearly hadn't expected me to question him back. He froze for a moment.

His raised hand hung suspended in midair.

I stared at him, the pain in my face only making me more clear-headed.

"You have the nerve to cheat," I let out a cold laugh, "but not the guts to admit it?"

"Evelyn!" Julian slowly lowered his hand, his teeth clenched. "Don't start spreading lies here!"

He lowered his voice.

"This is defamation!"

I held his gaze and spoke slowly. "Defamation? But I have evidence."

Julian's expression changed instantly.

He glanced around instinctively.

More and more people gathered, murmurs beginning to ripple through the crowd.

Julian moved behind me and reached out to push my wheelchair, clearly trying to take me away. "Evelyn, don't make a scene here. Whatever it is, we'll talk about it at home."

Home.

I let out a mocking laugh when I heard those words.

Back to that empty house, so I could keep playing the fool who knew nothing?

I twisted around with effort, prying at his hand.

His fingers were hooked over the armrest. I yanked hard.

Julian clearly hadn't expected me to resist. His hand was knocked away.

The wheelchair jerked backward.

He lost his footing and stumbled back two steps.

"No need to go home." I looked at the man in front of me, my voice so calm it felt unfamiliar even to myself. "If you don't want me to present the evidence right here, then you only need to meet one condition."

Julian frowned. "What condition?"

I stared at him and spoke word by word. "I want ten percent of the shares in your company."

With his beloved standing right here provoking me, divorce was only a matter of time. Asking for shares now was just an early division of assets.

Vanessa was the first to react. "What? No way! Evelyn, have you lost your mind?"

Perhaps out of sheer agitation, her face twisted, completely unlike her usual gentle demeanor.

Everyone around immediately turned to look.

Even Julian turned to her in surprise.

Vanessa clearly realized she had overreacted. She quickly composed herself, lowered her voice, and grabbed Julian's arm. "Julian, you can't agree to this."

Her tone softened again. "This is a critical time... If you really give her shares, your position in the Crawford family will become even more unstable. We can give her money, but shares... that's too much."

Julian fell silent for a moment.

His expression gradually turned cold, and the look he gave me grew increasingly mocking.

"Evelyn." You don't have any evidence. In the end, you're just trying to get money out of me." He let out a cold laugh and continued, "I didn't expect you to be this kind of gold-digging woman. It's disgusting."

I didn't respond. I took my phone out of my bag.

Julian frowned. "What are you doing?"

I lowered my head, unlocked the screen, and opened the video.

But instead of handing it to him, I raised the phone high toward the crowd.

"Is that so?" I smiled faintly at them, then looked at the onlookers. "Then I suppose I'll just show the evidence to everyone."