Chapter<b>23</b>
Selenasaid,“I’mjustsoangry.”
Avelinesighedsoftly.“Yourangeronlybringssufferingforbothofus.”
Selenachoked,afewtracesofguiltappearing<b>on</b>herdelicateface.“IknowIwaswrong.”
“Alright,weren’twegoingtohavedinnertogether?Thismealisonyou,”Avelinesaid.
“Noproblem!”
-Selenacheerfullyagreed,linkingherarmwithAveline’sasthey
walkedtotheroadside.
Bythetimetheyfinishedtheirmeal,itwasalreadyevening.
SelenawantedtogohomewithAveline,but Avelinerefused.
“You’vebeentakingcareofmeinthehospitalforsolong.Gohomeandrestwell,orelseyouwon’tbeprettyanymore,”Avelinesaid.
Selenaimmediatelycoveredherface.“Really?AmInotprettyanymore?That’suneptable.Ineedtogohomeandtakecareofmyself.Bye,Avedarling.<b>”</b>
Watchingherleave,Aveline’ssmilecarriedatouchofhelplessness.
ReturningdirectlytoherapartmentintheWaterfrontDistrict,shewentupstairs.Thelightonherfloorhadgoneoutatsomepoint,leavingthehallwayshroudedindarkness.
Shetookoutherkeytounlockthedoor.Assheenteredandtried
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toclosethedoorbehindher,aforcepreventedherfromdoingso.
“Who?”
AvelineeximedinsurpriseandturnedaroundtoseeLucas‘handsomeface.
Hehadbeenhidingsomewhere,seeminglywaitingforalongtime<b>,</b><b>as</b>hisbodycarriedaslightchill.
Avelinepushedhim.“Getout.You’renotweein myhouse.”
Sherememberedthehumiliationhecausedhertoday.Whatdidhewantnow?
Lucasgrabbedherwristfirmly,hisvoicelow.“Aluxuriousapartment,sixmillion.Don’tyouwantitanymore?”
Avelinepaused.“Youcansendthedeedandthecheckdirectlytome.There’s<b>no</b>needforyoutotroubleyourself.”
Lucastightenedhisgriponherwrist.
Avelookadeepbreath.“Whatareyougoingcrazy
for?”
Lucaswalkedin,closingthedoorbehindhim.
Heturnedonthelights,andtheroomwassuddenlybright.
Avelinepressedherlipstogether,lookingathim.Shepulledherhandaway,hercleareyesfilledwithahintofmockery.“What?Wasmyapologytodaynotsincereenough?ShouldIapologizeagain?Tellme,howwouldyoulikeit?”
“Aveline,”Lucasinterruptedher,“whydoyouhavetobesosarcastic?<b>”</b>
Avelinealmosughedinanger.“Listentoyourself.Isthathowapersontalks?Wasn’tityouwhomadethingsdifficultforme
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first?”
to
Assoonasshevoicedherusation,hereyesturnedred.Sheimmediatelyturnedherheadandtookadeepbreath.“Lucas,whathappenedtodaymademefeellikeIdidsomethingwrongyou.Butthetruthis,theonewhodidsomethingwrongisyou.Theonewhoshouldapologizeisyou!”
Hervoicetrembledslightly.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.
Shetriedhardtocontrolheremotions,buthispresencemadeitdifficult.Whenhewasn’taround,itwaseasiertokeep
everythingincheck,butonceheappeared,heremotionsbrokefree.
Howcouldhetreatherlikethat?
Shehadn’tdoneanythingwrong.NeitherhadSelena.EverythinghappenedbecausetheywereperceivedasathreattoSophia’ssafety.
Shegaveabittersmile.“Wehavenothingmoretosay.Bringthedeedandthecheck,andwe’llfilefordivorceimmediately.”
Shedidn’twanttostayinthismarriageforanotherday.
Lucaslookeddeeplyather,hislipspressedintoaline,aheavyatmospheresurroundinghim.Hewalkedovertothesofaandsatdown.
“Ave,mywoundhurts,”hesaidinahoarsevoice.
Avelinewasreallyinfuriatedtothepointoughter.
“Lucas,doyouhavenoshame?”
Howcouldhesayhiswoundhurtaftereverythingshejustsaid,withoutevenachangeinhisexpression?