Chapter 2: After Months of Disappearance, She’s Back
“What did you just say?” Caleb froze mid–step, thinking he had misheard.
“See you at the courthouse tomorrow at 9 a.m. I’m leaving with nothing.”
Pearl spoke calmly, then closed her eyes for a brief moment.
Four years. That was enough.
She stood up, straightened her clothes, and cast one last deep glance at Caleb before walking away.
This time, Caleb was completely stunned.
Pearl wanted a divorce? No way. A woman like her greedy and shameless–had worked so hard to marry into the Rhodes family. Why would she give it up so easily?
She was just playing games, trying to squeeze more out of him.
Fine. He’d play along and see what tricks she had up her sleeve.
The Next Day
Caleb went to the courthouse.
Pearl was already there.
From filling out the paperwork to receiving the divorce certificate, she never said a single word to him. She didn’t
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even make any demands.
As they stepped out of the courthouse, she finally spoke.
“Thank you.”
Then, without another glance at him, she hailed a cab and left.
The wind brushed against her face, but she never turned back.
That “thank you” was not for the years they had spent together–it was for helping her see just how laughable their marriage had been.
She would never be that foolish again.
Pearl was really gone.
It wasn’t until Caleb held the divorce certificate in his hands–something real and final–that he realized there had been no scheme, no ulterior motive.
She had truly made up her mind to leave.
He had always thought he despised her, yet now, as the reality sank in–that she was out of his life for good–he felt an inexplicable emptiness.
He must be losing his mind.
Shaking his head, Caleb pushed the thought aside and walked away.
Three Months Later
“Pearl, are you sure about this? Maybe I should send someone else to Radoca?”
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B
Early in the morning, Logan Cooper and Hazel Cooper hovered around their daughter, their eyes filled with love and concern.
“It’s fine.” Pearl held Logan’s hand with one hand and Hazel’s with the other, shaking her head casually. “I’ve moved on.”
After the divorce, she had returned home to Salipki.
She was never just an ordinary woman.
Her father, Logan Cooper, was the wealthiest man in Salipki. Her mother, Hazel, was the daughter of a high–ranking government official. Her background was beyond distinguished.
Back then, when she insisted on marrying Caleb, Logan and Hazel had fiercely opposed it.
But she had been stubborn. She had gone behind their backs and married him anyway.
Logan had raised his daughter like a princess, even naming her Pearl–his most treasured gem.
Yet, she had defied him, broken his heart, and in his anger, he had cut off all contact with her.
Even though Pearl had never spoken much about her marriage after the divorce, Logan knew–if it hadn’t been painful, she wouldn’t have left.
That was why he was so uneasy about her returning to Radoca.
But Pearl was going back for work.
Henry Cavill, the head of the Storm Corp branch office, was about to step down.
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As the rightful heir to Storm Corp, it was time for her to take over his position and handle company affairs.
“If she’s confident, we should trust her.” Hazel,
surprisingly, wasn’t as worried. She even helped persuade Logan to let their daughter go.
Logan finally relented, though he couldn’t resist nagging Pearl with last–minute reminders.
The Next Day
Pearl boarded a flight to Radoca.
The moment she stepped out of the airport, she saw a sleek Porsche Cayenne parked nearby.
“Hey! Pearl!”
Sophia Brown leaned out of the driver’s seat, waving enthusiastically.
Pearl smiled and walked toward the car.
Unbeknownst to her, Caleb had just stepped out of the airport as well.
His gaze landed on the familiar silhouette ahead, and for a moment, he hesitated.
Was that… her?
Had Pearl really come back after disappearing for months?
But when he saw Sophia–and heard her call out “Pearl“– he shook his head.
Sophia Brown was one of Radoca’s elite socialites. There was no way someone like Pearl could be associated with
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her.
And more importantly–why was he even thinking about a woman who was no longer part of his life?
Without another glance, he turned and walked in the opposite direction.
Inside the Car
Pearl fastened her seatbelt with ease.
Sophia shot her a look, raising a perfectly arched brow. “The last few designs sold like crazy. I don’t care how busy you are–you must make time to create more.”
Pearl rolled her eyes playfully but still nodded.
Once upon a time, she and Sophia had started a fashion company together–Pearl designed, Sophia handled sales. They had built their brand from scratch using their allowance money, turning it into a recognized name.
Then, Pearl had gone to Radoca. and she had thrown everything away just to marry Caleb.
To support her, Sophia had even moved the company to Radoca. But Pearl had been so consumed with playing the perfect wife that she hadn’t drawn a single design since.
Instead, Sophia had spent those years angry, heartbroken, and frustrated on Pearl’s behalf. If Pearl hadn’t stopped her, who knew how many times Sophia would’ve stormed over to the Rhodes estate to cause trouble?
“By the way,” Sophia changed the subject, tossing a brochure onto Pearl’s lap. “The final round of the Radoca Design Competition is tomorrow. They’ve been begging me to ask you to be a judge–I already agreed.”
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Pearl glanced at the brochure.
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With Storm Corp keeping her busier than ever, she wouldn’t have much time to help Sophia anymore. This was the perfect opportunity to find a few promising designers for her.
“Sounds good.” She nodded.
The Next Day – Storm Corp Branch Office
“Uncle Henry.”
Seeing Henry Cavill, Pearl greeted him respectfully.
Henry had been Logan’s business partner from the very beginning. He had watched Pearl grow up like a second father.
His warm gaze landed on her, full of pride. “In the blink of an eye, my little Pearl has grown up.”
Henry had never known about her past marriage. Logan had kept it from everyone, and the Rhodes family had never let her appear in public.
Pearl gave a small, embarrassed smile and chatted with him for a while.
Then, Henry patted her shoulder. “Starting today, you’ll be working alongside me. If you have any questions, just ask.”
He had always cared for her like his own child. He w
Pearl’s expression turned serious.
“Uncle Henry, I want to start from the ground up.”
“Uncle Henry, I want to start from the grou
