Chapter 181 The Missing Marriage Certificate
The next day, at nine o’clock, when Emily arrived at the courthouse, Ethan was already there. His car was parked by the roadside, but he hadn’t gotten out.
He had never been a punctual person, yet today, he kept
his word.
It wasn’t hard to see that he, too, had been waiting for this day.
Ethan was taking a call inside the car. It was from Lucas.
Lucas‘ voice sounded dejected as he said, “Mr. Wilson, we couldn’t save the project.”
Ethan stared at the trees lining the road. His expression darkened abruptly, and he replied in a low voice, “I understand.”
Lucas continued, “They’ve already moved forward with Lessing Holdings. They’ll probably sign the agreement within the next couple of days.”
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Ethan’s expression grew heavy, his tone cooling further. “Alexander stealing our projects isn’t anything new. He’d been keeping a lower profile lately, but I didn’t think he’d ́fall back into old habits so fast.”
Lucas said, “Mr. Wilson, should we also bid on the project Alexander is pushing right now? He’s almost guaranteed to win it, but we’ve been following that bid for a long time. He’s been opposing Wilson Group for years. There’s no reason to let him have such an easy time.”
Ethan instructed calmly, “Do as you suggested. Even if we don’t win it, he should still pay a price.”
It was the kind of move that would hurt both sides.
Alexander had played that game for years. Ethan saw no reason he couldn’t do the same.
For years, Alexander had been competing openly and covertly with Wilson Group. No matter the collaboration, he always wanted to force his way in.
Even if he ended up with nothing, he had seemed perfectly content.
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Despite the heavy losses to himself, he never tired of it.
Ethan had once thought that Alexander simply wanted to replace him as the dominant force in Los Angeles.
But now, he suspected Alexander’s motives might not be that simple.
The bracelet Alexander had paid a fortune for was now on Emily’s wrist. Ethan couldn’t help but read into it.
Yet what exactly about Emily is worth such prolonged opposition?
As his thoughts wandered, someone knocked on the car window.
Ethan turned his head and saw Emily standing outside.
When he lowered the window, her clear, composed face came into view. He heard her calm, restrained voice say, “Let’s go.”
Ethan looked at her and lost focus for a brief moment.
At some point, he didn’t know when, Emily’s eyes had
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gone completely still whenever she looked at him.
She hadn’t been like this before.
After getting out of the car, Ethan lowered his gaze noticed the bracelet on Emily’s wrist.
and
Whether deliberately or not, the question slipped out. “That bracelet you’re wearing, do you like it?”
Emily instinctively moved to cover it.
Ethan and Nancy had both been present the day Alexander bought it at auction.
She didn’t know whether Ethan remembered it, but to avoid unnecessary trouble, she replied evenly, “It’s all right.”
Seeing her gesture, Ethan’s brow creased slightly, but he didn’t pursue the matter.
They were here to get divorced. That was what mattered.
Even so, Ethan felt unsettled.
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The feeling was strange, and he couldn’t quite put a name
to it.
Once inside the courthouse, they went to the service counter. Emily said to the clerk, “Hi, we’re here to file for divorce.”
The clerk looked up at them, her tone calm and procedural. “Do you have your documents with you?”
Emily nodded instinctively and then turned to look at Ethan. “Where are your IDs and the agreement? We also need the marriage certificate.”
Ethan froze visibly. “Isn’t the marriage certificate with you?”
Emily frowned, irritation creeping into her voice. “It’s always been kept at Joy Gardens. You didn’t know that?”
Sensing the shift in atmosphere, the clerk interjected at the right moment, her voice still professional and even. “Just to clarify, in order to file today, we’ll need valid photo IDs, the signed settlement agreement, and a copy of your marriage certificate. If any of those are missing, we won’t be able to proceed.”
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Emily parted her lips, as if she wanted to try again. But the clerk shook her head apologetically. “Those
documents are required. You’ll need to come back once everything is ready.”
Left with no choice, Emily and Ethan exited the courthouse.
Once outside, Emily was clearly frustrated. She let out several sighs in quick succession.
By contrast, Ethan appeared unusually calm, as though none of this had truly affected him.
Watching his composed expression, irritation rose inexplicably in Emily’s chest. But she knew there was no point in saying more.
She suppressed her emotions and said, “I need to go back to the hospital. As for the marriage certificate, go back to Joy Gardens tonight and look for it carefully. Once you find it, we’ll come back tomorrow.”
As Ethan watched her anxiety and impatience over the delayed divorce, a vague and unfamiliar feeling slowly
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took shape in his chest.
Emily, who had once loved him so deeply, was now the one insisting on divorce. He had asked her about it, and she had denied that Alexander had anything to do with it.
But if there was no reason, when their life had still been relatively stable, why would she suddenly go this far?
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