Chapter 8: The Desperate Ex-Wife
Author: FJ Writes
last update2026-09-26 19:55:33

The quiet hum of the heart monitor pulsed rhythmically inside Room 502.

Caleb sat beside the sterile hospital bed, holding Lily’s small, pale hand in his own. Her breath was soft and steady, her face far less sunken than it had been just a few days ago. On the tray beside her sat specialized supplements and advanced monitoring equipment—all prepped by the top pediatric specialists in the region.

A soft knock at the door broke the silence. Dr. Bradley stepped in quietly, holding an electronic clipboard.

"Mr. Vance," Dr. Bradley said, keeping his voice respectful and low. "Dr. Montgomery’s private jet has just landed. He and his surgical team are en route to St. Jude’s right now. The preliminary prep for Lily’s operation will begin at two this afternoon."

Caleb nodded, a weight lifting off his chest. "Thank you, Doctor. Ensure she has the absolute best care available. Cost is no longer an object."

"Of course, Mr. Vance. You have our full priority," Dr. Bradley bowed slightly and stepped back into the hallway, closing the door softly.

Caleb ran a hand through his hair, looking down at his sister. For three long years, he had been forced to endure endless humiliation, swallow his pride, and live like a dog under the Vance family's heel just to pay for her daily medicine. Now, with fifty million dollars securing her future and Dr. Montgomery on the case, she was finally safe.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. Caleb pulled it out and looked at the screen.

Chloe Vance.

He let it ring out. Three seconds later, another call popped up from an unlisted number, followed by a flurry of frantic text messages:

Caleb, please answer me! I'm outside the hospital! My father’s company is going bankrupt! The banks are freezing everything! Please, Caleb, give me five minutes! I know I made a mistake!

A cold, razor-sharp smile touched Caleb’s lips. The collapse of the Vance Group was happening even faster than he anticipated. Without the backing of Cole Logistics and with their credit lines frozen by his direct orders, Arthur Vance’s shell empire was crumbling like a house of cards.

Caleb stood up, gently tucking Lily’s blanket around her shoulders, and walked out of the room.

When Caleb stepped out through the grand glass doors of St. Jude’s main lobby, the bright noon sun caught the sleek, matte-black finish of his Mercedes-AMG G-63 parked in the executive slot.

Standing near the vehicle, looking pale and thoroughly disheveled, was Chloe Vance.

She no longer looked like the proud, arrogant heiress who had tossed divorce papers in his face twelve hours ago. Her high heels were scuffed, her mascara was slightly smeared around her eyes, and her hands trembled as she clutched a designer handbag.

As soon as she saw Caleb walking down the steps, her eyes lit up with a mixture of desperation and awe.

"Caleb!" Chloe cried out, running toward him.

She reached out to grab his sleeve, but Caleb casually shifted his weight, letting her hand grasp empty air. Chloe stumbled slightly on her heels before catching her balance, looking up at him with tear-filled eyes.

"Caleb, please... you have to listen to me," she whimpered, her voice trembling. "My father... he's having a heart attack at the office right now! The banks came and sealed the Vance Group headquarters! They're taking our house, our cars... everything!"

[Ding!] [Desperate Agony & Panic Detected from Target: Chloe Vance.] [Converting Emotional Disruption into System Points...] [Received: +3,500 System Points!]

Caleb looked at her coldly, his face completely devoid of emotion. "And what does that have to do with me, Chloe? You signed the dissolution papers. I am no longer part of your family."

"I was forced into it!" Chloe sobbed, taking a step closer, her hands clasped together in a pleading gesture. "My mother... she pressured me! Julian threatened to pull his family's investments if I didn't divorce you! I never wanted to hurt you, Caleb! I still love you!"

"You love me?" Caleb let out a short, mocking laugh that cut through the warm afternoon air like a knife. "Chloe, twelve hours ago, you stood by while Julian threw fifty dollars at my face. You watched your mother pour scalding soup over my feet and drive me out into a freezing downpour. You didn't care if I froze to death on the street."

"I was confused! I made a mistake!" Tears streamed down Chloe’s cheeks as she looked from Caleb to the magnificent $280,000 armored G-Wagon sitting behind him.

She had seen the news circulating among the city's elite circles over the last hour: Cole Logistics had been acquired, rebranded as Vance Global Enterprises, and its primary shareholder was a mysterious young billionaire named Caleb Vance.

The man she had treated like a penniless dog for three years was actually a titan capable of crushing whole corporations with a single phone call.

"Caleb... look at us," Chloe begged, her voice dropping into a soft, alluring whisper as she tried to reach for his hand again. "We were married for three years! I know I was awful, but I can change! Tear up the divorce papers. We can start over! I'll be the wife you always wanted... I'll never look at Julian or anyone else again!"

[Ding!] [Shameless Greed & Regret Detected from Target: Chloe Vance.] [Received: +2,000 System Points!]

Caleb looked at her outstretched hand, then looked directly into her eyes with a gaze so cold it made Chloe shiver despite the midday heat.

"You don't love me, Chloe," Caleb said softly, every word heavy with absolute finality. "You love the money. You love the G-Wagon. You love the fifty million dollars sitting in my account. If I were still the penniless boy begging for my sister's medical fees, you wouldn't even look at me on the street."

"No! That's not true!" Chloe shrieked, breaking down into heavy, ugly sobs.

Caleb pulled out his key fob and pressed the unlock button. The heavy locks of the G-63 clicked open, and the daytime running lights flashed brightly.

"Three years ago, I gave you my loyalty, and you treated it like trash," Caleb said as he opened the driver's side door and climbed into the leather interior. "Now, you're going to watch me build an empire from the front row—while you and your family learn what it truly means to have nothing."

"Caleb! No! Don't leave me!" Chloe screamed, rushing forward to grab the door handle.

Caleb slammed the heavy door shut, locking it instantly. He started the twin-turbo V8, the deep engine roar drowning out her hysterical screaming.

Without giving her a single glance back, Caleb stepped on the gas. The black beast surged forward, leaving Chloe crying hysterically in the dust of the VIP parking lot.

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