The Bankrupt Heiress, The Cold Husband2 / 3

Chapter 2

Chloe's husband turned out to be an abusive monster.

Three months ago, Garrett began secretly gathering evidence against the man, successfully putting him behind bars.

Seeing Chloe covered in bruises and limping from chronic injuries, Garrett immediately rented a luxury suite nearby to nurse her back to health.

And now, he had brought her straight into our home, preparing to make her his new bride.

When he led her into my room, I was in the middle of packing my belongings.

Back when we first married, my father gave me a massive dowry and endless funds, worried that I might suffer any hardship.

Even though Garrett refused to share a bed with me, I spent a fortune remodeling our master suite into a sleek, minimalist haven according to his aesthetic, naively hoping for the day we would sleep together.

Now, I needed to liquidate everything into cash to pay for my father's legal defense.

Garrett's voice was frosty and demanding.

"Chloe is taking this room from now on."

This master suite had the best natural sunlight in the entire house, complete with a private wrap-around terrace.

Chloe stood timidly behind his broad shoulders, peeking out at the sunlit terrace with sparkling eyes.

For the first time in five years, I refused him.

"No."

"There's a perfectly good guest room right across the hall. Why can't she stay there?"

Garrett's face instantly darkened.

"Because Chloe likes this one."

"Her health is fragile, and she needs plenty of natural sunlight to recover properly."

"Besides, the entire interior design was modeled after her exact taste anyway."

I froze, scanning the muted earth tones and elegant minimalist decor surrounding me.

Chloe smoothed down her blush-pink silk dress and offered me a sweet, timid smile, looking like an innocent maiden stepping out of a painting.

So that was the truth.

Noticing my fixed stare, Garrett stepped forward, shielding Chloe completely from my view.

"This isn't up for debate. Have your things moved out before three this afternoon."

His voice softened by a fraction, carrying an edge of patronizing patience.

"Just be good, all right?"

I lowered my eyes, staring at the floorboards.

"Fine."

With my family ruined, I had lost my only shield.

Garrett no longer needed to pretend to care about my feelings, nor did he need to play the devoted husband.

By two o'clock, I had moved all my luggage into the dark guest room across the hall.

The room had no terrace, and the tall oak trees outside blocked every ray of sunlight, forcing me to keep the overhead lamp on even in broad daylight.

After settling in, I gathered the expensive jewelry Garrett had gifted me over the years, intending to sell them to a high-end pawn broker.

The boutique jeweler in downtown Manhattan recognized me immediately and welcomed me into her private VIP suite with a beaming smile.

I laid the velvet boxes out across the glass counter one by one.

The first piece was a rare black pearl necklace he gave me when he first confessed his feelings.

Back then, he had just earned my father's trust, spending every penny of his early bonuses to buy it for me.

The second piece was the sapphire-and-diamond ring he slipped onto my finger with teary eyes on our wedding day.

He had pulled countless strings in the luxury market just to secure that unique cut.

The third piece was a pair of delicate diamond fawn earrings, gifted as an apology after his drunken outburst.

I used to treasure those earrings dearly, because he once whispered that I was as lively and adorable as a little woodland fawn.

The jeweler examined the collection and sat up straight in shock.

"Mrs. Cole, these are all custom pieces Mr. Cole gifted you over the years. They're practically priceless on the open market. Are you absolutely certain you want to part with them?"

I nodded without hesitation.

"I am."

She inspected every gemstone thoroughly, verified their authenticity, and wired the funds directly to my bank account.

Without bothering to negotiate the final price, I grabbed my handbag and turned to leave.

The moment I stepped out of the private suite, I spotted Garrett holding Chloe's hand near the main showcase.

He was leaning down, listening intently to her soft whispers with his head tilted close to hers.

"Do you like this diamond cuff bracelet?"

Chloe curved her lips into a shy smile and nodded gently.

"It's gorgeous."

Garrett immediately signaled the sales clerk to wrap it up without even checking the price tag.

When he looked up, his eyes collided with mine, a flash of surprise flickering across his features.

His gaze instinctively dropped to my left hand.