Prosperous Marriage: Married to My Brother-in-law

Marrying a woman he did not love, sharing a bed with her every day, and pretending to be deeply in love was genuinely exhausting. Were it not for the reminder that it was all for money, for a more stable footing in the company, he thought it would be quite difficult to continue.

At this moment, Julia Bluen's attitude toward him was indifferent and distant. He wouldn't push Diana Powell away without being one hundred percent confident that he could win Julia's heart back. Clinging to Diana Powell was like grasping at straws, at least keeping him afloat on the sea. Without her, he would sink like a stone to the bottom of the ocean.

"I don't think there's anything left to discuss with Mr. Nicholas Coldwell," Julia's face darkened a shade, her tone even colder and more distant than before.

"Julia, I know I've wronged you, but I truly had my reasons. Can you give me a chance to explain? I don't need much time, just give me half an hour, okay? For the sake of the three years we've been in love," Nicholas's voice became softer, pleading. His handsome face was full of sincerity, his eyes tinged with grievance, as if *he* were the one who had suffered a great injustice by abandoning her.

How could this man be so shameless!

In her heart, Julia utterly despised Nicholas. She had once seen him as a smart, capable, ambitious, and considerate man. She never expected all of that to be a facade, revealing his true nature: a shameless man willing to sacrifice his own love and rely on his male charm to achieve his desired status.

For the sake of the three years of love? Julia felt like she had heard the world's biggest joke. He was invoking their three years of affection *now*? When he chose Diana Powell and betrayed her, had he ever considered the three years they had spent together? Even though they hadn't been intimate, she had given him her first kiss, and their relationship had been so sweet. She had truly believed she'd found the man she was looking for, the man she'd been thinking of revealing her true identity to. But in the end, she had misjudged him. The kind of man she had always been looking for? He didn't qualify. Faced with money, status, and power, this man couldn't resist in the slightest.

"I'm sorry, but I must leave." Julia didn't want to give him even a minute. She stood up from the sofa and walked right past him as he stood at her side.

Her expression made it clear she regarded Nicholas as a complete stranger; her beautiful almond eyes showed no trace of lingering affection for him. Even though she was the one who had been dumped, she still had her pride and self-respect. She wasn't the type of person who couldn't live without this man. Not to mention she had married someone countless times better than Nicholas Coldwell; even if she hadn't, she wouldn't spare Nicholas another glance.

After so much time, she even felt that hating Nicholas was a waste of her energy. She had always treasured her time and had no intention of wasting it on him.

"Julia," Nicholas reached out and grabbed her wrist. His large hand immediately slid down to grasp hers. Feeling Julia's still soft and slender hand, his heart clenched. His low, husky voice, betraying his inner pain, stopped her from leaving.

If she left now, meeting her again would be incredibly difficult. Although she was the Second Miss of the Bluen Family, she rarely attended such Wine Parties and had never appeared in business circles due to her extremely low-key nature. If he wanted to see her again, he had two options. The first was to go to the Bluen Family estate to find her—but how could he dare? The second was to go through her best friend, Rachel Bailey. However, Rachel had a sharp tongue, and her scathing insults could infuriate anyone. Rachel's dislike for him was even more intense. Between trying to see Julia through Rachel Bailey and braving the Bluen Family estate, he'd rather choose the latter.

"Nicholas, let go!" Julia's pretty face darkened further as she glared at him coldly. The aura of unfamiliarity emanating from her grew stronger at such close proximity. "If you don't let go right now, I'll scream 'harassment!' This isn't a hospital. Everyone here is distinguished and holds a certain status. You, on the other hand, will have to continue living by currying favor with them. If your image is damaged, have you considered how much you'll lose?" Julia said icily, struggling to pull her hand free. She was determined not to let what happened at the hospital occur again.

Though everyone was preoccupied with their own conversations and few were paying attention to them, the moment she screamed, everyone in the hall would turn to look. Given her status, Nicholas would undoubtedly be the one thrown out.

"Julia, I won't let go. I can't let go," Nicholas tightened his grip, holding her hand desperately. Staring at Julia's lightly made-up face, he said, his voice laced with bitterness, "Julia, I've tried to forget you and live a good life with Diana, telling her every day that I love her. But I realize now that I've always loved you. Did you know? I think about you every single moment. I only married Diana to secure my footing in the company."

Nicholas's face was a portrait of pain and sincerity. He held her hand tightly, his voice low and bitter as he confessed the supposed reasons for his betrayal.

Before Julia could react, a powerful hand came out of nowhere, seizing Nicholas's wrist so firmly that the veins on the back of the hand stood out, indicating the intense anger of the hand's owner.

"OUCH!" Nicholas yelped. The grip was so strong that Nicholas, a grown man, couldn't bear the pain and cried out, heedless of his image.

The moment Nicholas felt pain, he released Julia's hand.

The Wine Party was bustling, with guests chatting animatedly, creating a lively atmosphere reminiscent of a busy market. However, decorum was maintained; no one was shouting or laughing boisterously. Therefore, Nicholas's cry of pain was like an unexpected thunderclap, instantly drawing the attention of everyone at the Wine Party.

All eyes turned toward them, filled with surprise and confusion.

Wasn't that the Horne Family's crown prince?

Why was he being violent toward the Powell Family's son-in-law?

To make the usually composed Horne prince act out, what unacceptable thing had the Powell son-in-law done?

Just now, a few had seen Nicholas approaching Julia, and now they hid in the crowd, watching the show unfold.