Chapter 317 Just Like We Were +8 Pearls

That one line—"Just like we did back then"—dragged Paul back into a flood of memories with Yunice.

He looked at the pile of gifts in Elsie’s hands and suddenly remembered all those years with Yunice. It seemed like he had never given her anything.

Back then, he treated Yunice like his live-in mistress, assuming it was only natural for her to follow him around and enjoy everything he had, without needing him to actually spend anything on her. So, even when they broke up, broke off the engagement, there hadn’t been any financial settlement.

Now that he thought about it, he really had owed Yunice a lot over the years.

Owen turned to look at Yunice. He hadn’t expected her to show up and actually help Elsie stand up for herself.

He couldn’t help but think that maybe Yunice’s bark was worse than her bite. Maybe she still stood with the Saunders family deep down. Otherwise, why would she bother getting involved at all?

Paul looked at the things Elsie was holding and said, “I really do love Elsie, but divorcing Taylor… that’s something I can’t do.”

The moment he said that, Owen nearly rushed forward and punched him. “Then break up with Elsie! And don’t you dare bother her again!”

Paul tried to smooth things over. “Keep the gifts. I’m not the type of man who takes back what I’ve given. You can have them.”

Elsie relaxed, thinking she’d just managed to hold on to her fortune.

But Yunice laughed coldly. “Mr. Paul, so from the beginning, you planned to keep Ms. Elsie as your mistress, didn’t you?”

Paul frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Yunice said, “Only a mistress needs financial compensation. Otherwise, why didn’t you and I ever have money involved between us back then?”

Hearing that, Elsie snapped, “Yunice! I won’t let you insult my relationship with Paul! You spend Wyatt’s money all the time—does that make you his plaything too?”

Yunice’s eyes sparkled as she smiled. “Do you know the difference between a wife and a mistress? A wife spending her husband’s money—that’s her right. But when a mistress spends a man’s money, the wife has every right to take it back. Got it?”

Yunice said "mistress" again and again, pushing Elsie to the brink of tears. Owen felt uncomfortable hearing it too and muttered under his breath, "Yunice, watch your words."

Yunice answered, "She started the comparison."

Paul interrupted them, “Elsie’s been through a lot with me. All those things, I gave them willingly. Just think of them as compensation.”

Yunice’s smile disappeared. She turned to Paul with a cold stare. “She’s been through a lot with you? And what about me?”

Her words made everyone in the room stiffen.

Owen scolded her, “Yunice! You’re already married—why bring up the past? Don’t say things that make people think you haven’t moved on!”

But Yunice ignored him. She kept her eyes locked on Paul and asked again, slowly, “The years I spent with you… were those years of suffering?”

He remembered those years. The things Yunice had done for him… and the things he had done to her. Then he looked back at Elsie, holding those gifts with red-rimmed eyes.

His heart felt complicated. He knew Yunice wasn’t doing this for fun. He knew he really had owed her.

But he said, “Even if you feel wronged, that was my fault. It had nothing to do with Elsie.”

Paul looked at Yunice. “Don’t take out your resentment on her just because you haven’t let go.”

The fury in Yunice’s eyes faded, slowly cooling into a sharp chill.

She finally understood—Paul didn’t feel guilty. He didn’t feel any remorse for how he’d treated her all those years.

+8 Pearls

Owen shot Yunice a glance. At first, he’d thought she was here to help. Now, he was convinced she’d only come to stir up trouble.

Owen turned to Paul. “Fine. If you’re giving the gifts willingly, then put it in writing. Say you’ll never come after Elsie over this again, and we’ll leave it alone.”

In other words, they’d take the money—but also make sure the relationship was finished for good.

Yunice watched them deliberate. She had wanted to cut off Elsie’s access to money, but clearly, that wasn’t going to happen.

Paul was a jerk, sure—but he cared too much about appearances. In front of an audience, he’d never take back a gift. He had to maintain his image as a romantic and generous man.

Just as she expected, Paul pulled out his phone and said, “I’ll have my lawyer draft up a contract. That good enough?”

Owen and Elsie both looked relieved.

Elsie was glad she’d saved her assets.

Owen too. He wasn’t some saint who saw money as dirt. He just wanted to keep it with dignity.

Paul agreeing to make it official was perfect. If they took nothing, it would’ve felt like Elsie had suffered for nothing all these years.

Only Oscar stood coldly to the side, his glare so sharp it looked like he wanted to strangle Paul with his bare hands.