Maybe it was the wee hours of the morning, and Dorothy wasn''t fully awake yet, which is why the words just slipped out of her mouth. The anxiety in her tone nearly made Everett back offpletely. He couldn''t even bring himself to look into Dorothy''s eyes.


    "I said I need some space, can''t you understand that?"


    "It''s just space, not leaving us, right?" Dorothy insisted on this answer, relentlessly gazing at him.


    Everett frowned, "What''s the point of asking that?"


    "I need to know." Dorothy approached again, trying to touch him.


    But he dodged, just as he dodged other women.


    "If I had known you''d be like this, I wouldn''t havee back."


    "Everett, then I''ll stop, I won''t ask anymore. Please don''t go, don''t stay somewhere else! Bay Residence has a guest room; I can move there. You cane back to rest whenever you''re tired." Dorothy could give him the space to think, but the idea of living apart was terrifying!


    Back when Maxton and Be''s marriage faced troubles, it began with living apart. It signified that one party was no longer interested in continuing the rtionship as it was, merely transitioning, adjusting. "I''m swamped with work; I''ll just sleep at the office."


    "What about the kids?" Dorothy finally yed herst card, bringing up Abigail and Langston, herst shred of hope, "They''ll miss their dad."


    Everett''s back tensed, but he didn''t respond.


    Dorothy hurriedly continued her plea, "I know you must miss the kids, it''s just me you don''t want to see, that''s okay! I can stay at Karen''s apartment, so you won''t have to see me when youe back!"


    "Everett, I don''t want my children to live without their father suddenly."


    The impact of these words was immense. Even as Everett clenched his fists, he couldn''t harden his heart.


    "I''lle back."


    Only when he relented did Dorothy finally smile.


    "Then I''ll go to the guest room right now!"


    As she got up to leave, Everett, with a furrowed brow, grabbed her wrist.


    "Not tonight."


    "Then you..."


    "Let''s just sleep tonight. I''m too tired to argue."


    Dorothy nodded vigorously, "Okay!"


    Sharing the same bed with Everett again, Dorothy couldn''t bring herself to close her eyes. Even though he was turned away from her, and the bedroom was dark, not clearly seeing his figure, just a vague silhouette, Dorothy kept watching.


    It felt like if she diverted her gaze for even a second, it would be a second wasted.


    Time slowly passed, and only when


    Dorothy heard Everett''s steady


    breathing did she dare to carefully inch@loser, gently draping her arm over his waist.


    They had slept in this position countless times before. Embracing in sleep, cuddling each other.


    Now, she had to cherish it. Because Dorothy didn''t know when the next time would be.


    How long would it take for Everett to ovee the pain of losing his mother and return to this family? And...


    Outside of their rtionship, there was Quincy, watching like a hawk.


    Quincy.


    Just thinking of her made Dorothy''s


    brows furrow involuntarily. She never dreamed that Quincy would one day be her rival. Dorothy remembered her as gentle and graceful, always smiling,


    encouraging her and Everett to get along and avoid arguments.


    But now...N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    She wanted to take Dorothy''s ce by Everett''s side.


    "Everett... would you ept her?"