When Her "Death" Couldn't Break Him

Chapter 1934 Where Is Your Wife

Allen stood to the side, quietly observing the exchange. An inexplicable unease began to stir in his chest.

Still, he maintained his composure, outwardly relaxed, as Magnus and Chelsea traded contact information.

Once Magnus tucked his phone away, he finally turned to acknowledge Allen. "Well, if it isn't Mr. Leighton."

Allen's lips curved into a polite smile. "You know me?"

"How could I not?" Magnus replied. "I saw you at the last business function with your wife. Strange, she's not here today."

That single remark sent a ripple through Allen's expression. Though fleeting, the shift in his face was unmistakable.

Allen was the type of person who only paid attention to those who could offer him something of value. As for someone like Magnus, who didn't hold any particular importance to him, he usually didn't give him a second thought. Consequently, he had no dirt on Magnus.

Chelsea, standing to the side, looked at Allen with clear surprise. "Mr. Leighton, are you married?"noveldrama

"Allen had initially hoped to allow Chelsea to form her own opinion of him first, establishing a positive impression before revealing his marital status.

But with Magnus' comment cutting through the air, he had no choice but to respond."

"Yes, I'm married," he confessed, his tone a little strained. "However, there are... conflicts between my wife and me. It's unlikely to last. That's why I said I don't have anyone I'm particularly fond of."

Magnus had always thought himself despicable until he met the man standing before him.

He said deliberately, "Mr. Leighton, the last time I saw you was about two months ago, wasn't it? You and your wife seemed rather happy then. What changed so drastically?"

Allen drew in a slow breath. "It was all just for show."

Magnus offered a thin, mocking smile. "Oh, that must be tiring."

The two men volleyed words like blades, tension sharpening with each exchange.

Chelsea stood to the side, listening silently. Whatever faint affection she'd once felt for Allen evaporated completely.

"Mr. Leighton," she interjected at last, her voice steady, "if there's such discord between you and your wife, perhaps you should resolve those issues first."

The implication was clear. If he intended to pursue someone else, he ought to finalize his divorce before doing so.

Allen had heard it too, but his expression hardly changed. He simply laughed and said, "That's why

I asked you to reject me. I want to be with someone I truly love after finalizing my divorce. It's the only way to respect the marriage I once had. I won't play both sides."

With just that one line, he painted himself as entirely blameless.

Chelsea listened, replaying his earlier words and behavior in her mind. They did seem to align with what he was saying now.

Had I misunderstood him? she wondered. But if I hadn't, why didn't he ever clarify his marital status? And if I had, then why did he keep saying those vague, unsettling things to me?

She was puzzled.

"So that's how it is," Magnus went on, voice dripping with irony. "Mr. Leighton, you truly are a man of principle. Still, I've heard your marriage wasn't exactly smooth sailing. Your wife is just a girbfrom an ordinary background, and yet, despite widespread objections, you insisted on marrying her. And now, here you are..."

After their clash over the necklace, Magnus had begun digging into Allen's past.

It wasn't anything formal, just some casual internet sleuthing. But as it turned out, there was plenty to find.

Even someone as composed as Allen began to lose his temper under Magnus' constant needling.

"Tell me, Mr. Smith, are you a journalist?" he snapped.

Magnus froze, momentarily caught off guard by the jab.

Chelsea picked up on the sarcasm and frowned. "Mr. Smith is my cousin-in-law's brother. He was only looking out for me. If his words came off as offensive, I apologize on his behalf."