《Farewell To My Endless Love》 Chapter 1 Back For Divorce Chapter 1 Back For Divorce Scarlett''s POV: I checked the time again and sighed. It had been one and a half hours since I flew in, and I had lost count of the times I had nced at my watch. My husband, Charles Moore, was nowhere to be found. He was supposed to pick me up from the airport. But he must be with his girlfriend right now. I shook my head and smiled bitterly at the thought, stood up, and dragged myself and my luggage out of the airport. I married Charles three years ago. But shortly after our wedding, I received some good news from my dream university abroad. I was epted to one of their programs, so I left to study there. Charles and I had not seen each other for three years. While I was away, he was spending all his time with the woman he truly loved. Now, I was finally finished with my studies and I came back home. I wanted to end our nominal marriage. I decided it was time for me to stop hoping for things that would never happen. On my way home in a cab, I sent Charles a message that read, "We need to talk." Before long, I was standing inside our empty house. I set my luggage aside and headed to the living room. I sat on the sofa and waited. The house looked and smelled like no one had lived in it for years. Our wedding photo was still hanging on the wall. It offended and saddened me at the same time. I nced at my phone. Charles still had not replied. I guessed that maybe he would not be home tonight. But I just sat there for a long time and immersed myself in my thoughts. Then, I heard a car pull over outside. I shot up from my seat, feeling my heart break into a gallop. Did I still expect anything of my stone-hearted husband? Maybe. Maybe not. But at thest moment, I gnashed my teeth together and sped my trembling hands. I reminded myself, ''I''m here to end this.'' The doorknob turned, and the door swung open. Charles turned on the lights, and they cast a tall shadow of him down the hall. He walked in. He was d in a charcoal ck suit and immacte white shirt. His expression showed exhaustion, but it did nothing to overshadow his angr face and prominent cheekbones. Everything was still the same. He still exuded that icy aura that I could feel from a few feet away. As he walked closer, my heart beat faster, and my breath starteding in short bursts. I could not believe I forgot how handsome he was. He was like a god who did not belong in the mortal world. He had the kind of charm that just made people surrender. Time had made him into a more mature-looking, head-turning man. I averted my gaze as I felt my cheeks burn. He walked to the sofa and sat down. I took the seat across from him. Then, he stared at me with his cold, sharp eyes. My first thought was to lower my head and avoid looking directly at him, but I forced my chin up. I saw my reflection in his dark eyes. "You''re back." He spoke in his usual monotone, which would have made me bristle had I not known it sopletely. "Yes," I answered, keeping my voice as nonchnt as his. "Mywyer just sent you an email." As Charles spoke, he loosened his tie. His muscr chest poked through his shirt. "Okay, let me check." I swallowed and schooled my features into neutrality. I took out my phone and pulled up my email, and the subject line of thetest email in my inbox jumped right at me¡ªdivorce agreement. Although I was expecting it, I still felt like somebody drove a knife through my chest. The pain was swift and startling, and the only reason I was thankful for it was that it blinded me from Charles''s charm for a second. "All right. I''ll sign it." I put my phone away and looked back at my soon-to-be ex-husband. Soon, he would no longer belong to me. I had a good run pretending to be Mrs. Moore. But it had toe to an end now, and I had to kick Mr. Moore out of my world. "Don''t you want to read the agreement first?" "No need. I''m sure Mr. Moore will treat his ex-wife well." I forced a smile. Ex-wife. I was going to be his ex-wife pretty soon, but I was not sure I was okay with such a blunt term. "You will get this Garden Street house. And the apartment downtown..." "When?" I interrupted Charles. "What?" He frowned and looked at me with probing eyes. "When are we signing the papers?" I asked softly. "I''ll make an appointment with mywyer," Charles replied, slightly dipping his chin. "Very well. I''ll wait for your call." After a moment of silence, he looked up at me again. "Rita is not in good health. I just want to fulfill herst wish," he exined. I clenched my fist as I swallowed the lump in my throat. Fulfill herst wish? What a great man. But did he have to do it at my expense? Well, I supposed I had no right to be hurt here. After all, I was just a fake Mrs. Moore. A substitute. "I understand." I just nodded, even though deep inside, I was brimming with so many things I wanted to say to his face. "If you need anything else, I''ll have mywyer put it in the agreement." "No, I''m good. Whatever''s in there, it''s enough." Once again, I curled my lips into a weak smile. "Come see Rita tomorrow." Charles stood up and started pacing in front of me. He said hisst remark firmly. He was not asking me toe see his girlfriend. He was commanding me. What did he think of me? And why should I go meet that woman? Did he just want to rub salt into my wound? "And why would I do that?" I asked him with a straight face. "I don''t want her to feel guilty about our divorce. Tell her that you''re in love with someone else. Assure her that our decision to end our marriage has nothing to do with her." He stopped in front of me and looked into my eyes once again. "Fine." I wanted to refuse. But for some reason, I had always found it difficult to say no to him. All he had to do was look me in the eyes and ask, and I''d just give in without a fight. "Thank you. I''ll pick you up tomorrow." "Don''t bother. Just text me the address, and I''ll be there." Charles took onest look at me and then walked away. I watched his receding figure as tears welled up in my eyes. We had been hiding our marriage during the past three years. No one knew about it except our family and close friends. A few months ago, the media reported news of Charles and Rita''s engagement. Photos of Rita trying on wedding dresses were also published and got circted all over the Inte. What a perfect match! I spent some long nights staring at those photos, and each and every time, my eyes automatically darted to Charles. At that time, I thought that I should not lose hope in us. I believed that as long as I stayed married to him, there was still a chance that he could fall in love with me and then our rtionship would be real. I loved him, and as long as I did, that was enough. I did not realize until muchter that I also needed him to love me back and not just for a bit. I wanted him to love me as much as I loved him. I spent thest three years waiting for him. I tried and tried my best to show him my affection and concern despite the distance between us, but I got nothing in return. One day, I woke up and allowed the truth to beat me to a pulp. That day, the clingy, needy Scarlett died a painful death, and from her corpse rose a new one, a Scarlett d in an armor so thick, no sword or spear could pierce it. I went up to my room with my suitcases and unpacked my clothes. Then, I took a shower and changed into a nightgown. The room looked like nobody had touched it since I left. There was not a knickknack out of ce or even a wrinkle on the sheets. It was obvious that Charles had not used it in thest three years because he was probably living somece else with Rita. The thought made me wince. I went to the balcony to breathe some fresh air. To my surprise, I saw Charles''s car still parked in the driveway. Why was he still here? Should he not be rushing back to his beloved Rita? While I was nkly staring at his car, my phone rang. It was my best friend, Tiana. I answered her call. "Hey, Tiana!" "Bitch! Wee back!" "Thank you." "I''m still on a business trip. I''m so sorry I couldn''t pick you up at the airport today." "It''s okay. Workes first." "Are you back for good or are you going to leave again the first chance you get?" "I think I''ll be staying for now." "Great! Come work in our TV station then. I mean, you''re perfect for the job. You majored in media, your voice is pleasant to hear, and you''re gorgeous. People are going to love you. You''ll fit right in. What do you say?" "Okay." "Have you talked to Charles?" Tiana''s voice suddenly became low as if she wanted to feel out something. "Yes." I looked at Charles''s car in the driveway again. "Did he tell you about his little girlfriend?" "Yes." "What a shameless jerk! How dare he mention her to you?" "It''s all right, Tiana. He asked me toe see Rita tomorrow, and I said yes." "What? You agreed to meet that bitch who stole your husband? Are you out of your damn mind, Scarlett? That woman seduced Charles and encouraged him to divorce you. I honestly don''t know why she''s wasting her energy. The Moore family didn''t approve of her for Charles three years ago. What makes her think they''ve somehow changed their minds now?" Tiana was practically roaring from the other end of the line. "All''s said and done. At this point, I just want to let bygones be bygones." I smiled lightly. "Bygones? Scarlett, you still love him, don''t you?" I did not answer. Of course I still loved him. I had never stopped loving him. "Scarlett!" Tiana''s yell snapped me right back to reality. "I''m tired, Tiana. I''ll call you tomorrow, okay? See you soon." I hung up the phone before Tiana could protest and took a deep breath. Charles''s car was still there, and it didn''t look like he nned to leave anytime soon. But what did I care? All of a sudden, exhaustion finally weighed down on me. I went back to my room and crawled into bed. Iid on my back, stared at the ceiling, and waited for sleep toe. A few momentster, I heard someone knocking on the door. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Rubbing the sleep off my eyes, I slid out of bed and opened the door. I found Charles standing outside. Chapter 2 Sick Feeling Chapter 2 Sick Feeling Scarlett''s POV: "Anything else?" I asked in disbelief. "We have to get up early to see Rita tomorrow," Charles replied coldly. "Okay." I was confused. I could not help but wonder if he returned just to make a point. "I''ll sleep here tonight," he added. I came to my senses the instant I heard what he had said. I wanted to ask him if it was really okay for him to stay here, but I decided to swallow my words instead. "I''m afraid you''ll oversleep because of the jetg," he exined. He must have seen the confusion on my face. "Oh. Okay. I''d better clean the guestroom now." As soon as I finished speaking, I turned around and walked over to my suitcase, ready to leave with it. But then, Charles walked up to me and blocked my way. "Why are you avoiding me?" I looked back into his cold eyes and reminded him, "I''m just doing what you want. Didn''t you ask me three years ago to keep a distance from you?" As soon as I said those words, he slowly walked towards me, a hint of anger in his eyes. "You stay here." His words made me lose my grip on my suitcase, making it fall to the ground. He then walked closer, and my heart beat faster and faster... To my surprise, he just walked past me and then sat on the sofa. There he unbuttoned his shirt and made himselffortable. "I''ll sleep on the sofa," he said tly. I could not help but hit my head and scold myself for being imaginative. A dirty thought crossed my mind just now! Without another word, I picked up my suitcase and put it aside. I turned my back on Charles and heard him take his clothes off and open the closet to get fresh ones. A momentter, he finally entered the bathroom. It had been three years since we got married. The man of my dreams, my legal husband, was now only a few feet away from me. Even though he had gone to the bathroom, his scent still lingered in the air. It smelled so good, and it made me feel butterflies in my stomach. I walked to the bedside andy down on the bed. Iy on my side with my body curled up and listened to the sound of running water from the bathroom. When the sound finally stopped, I quickly closed my eyes and pretended to be fast asleep. I even slowed down my breathing, so he would not notice I was just feigning sleep. There were so many guest rooms. Why did he insist on sharing a room with me? Perhaps it was because we had not seen each other for three years. Nevertheless, this man was getting more and more unpredictable. A deafening silence filled the air after a long while. I secretly opened my eyes and looked at Charles. He was lying on the sofa with his back to me. As I gazed at his figure, my body finally rxed. I had known that nothing would happen tonight. Even so, I still could not help but be disappointed deep inside. ****** Charles was already gone when I woke up the next morning. I checked the time on my phone, and my eyes widened in shock. It was already ten o''clock in the morning! I jumped off the bed and washed up as fast as I could. When I walked out of the room, I saw Charles reading a book on the sofa in the living room. "Why didn''t you wake me up?!" I asked, my voice slightly louder in panic. "I did. In fact, I almost sshed cold water on you just to wake you up." Charles did not even take his eyes off the book when he spoke. There was no emotion in his tone either. "Sorry. I was a little tired yesterday. Let''s go now," I said awkwardly with my eyes lowered to the floor. It seemed that I slept so soundlyst night. "Eat something first." "What? Then Ri¡ª" "There''s no need to hurry. We''ll meetter at lunch." His words took me aback. Did he not say that I was supposed to get up early? Did I hear it wrong? Perhaps he said that only to trick me. Anyway, I did as I had been told. I ate a light breakfast and then urged him to leave afterwards. It was not because I was in a hurry to see Rita. It was just that I wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. I was silent on the way to the restaurant. Charles did not say a word either. We had been married for three years. But for some reason, we were like strangers to each other. To make this worse, I was currently apanying my husband to his fiancee. The car stopped at Rainbow Dream, a Michelin three-star restaurant. This was the most luxurious restaurant in the city. Truth be told, I had never been here before. Even after bing Mrs. Moore, Charles never took me to this ce. The instant we entered the restaurant, a waiter approached and greeted us. "Mr. Moore, Miss Lively is waiting for you on the second floor." Judging from the waiter''s greeting, it seemed that Charles was a frequent guest here. Without a word, I followed Charles into the elevator. "Smile when you see Rita and don''t pull a long face," Charles ordered coldly. I forced a smile and reassured him, "I will." Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! "Scarlett, long time no see!" Rita greeted us with a wide smile the moment we entered the private room. It appeared that she had not aged after all these years. She must be paying an exorbitant amount of money to maintain her youthful face. Impressively, her face was exactly as that in the movies. She did not look like a patient who had been ill for a long time. "Long time no see," I greeted back with a gentle smile. "Have you gotten over the jetg? I was worried that you wouldn''t be able to get up in the morning today, so I set the time at noon." "Yes, thank you. I slept soundlyst night. This is my hometown, after all." "You''ve suffered a lot in the past three years. It''s all my fault. Good thing Charles is here. I feel so much better now than I did in the past." Rita coughed as soon as she finished speaking. As if on cue, Charles handed her a ss of water. When he saw Rita today, it felt as though the ice in his body melted, and he changed into a completely different person in an instant. His attitude towards Rita was different than the way he treated me. Today''s main course was steak. Charles carefully cut the steak on Rita''s te. It was unusual to see him like this¡ªso gentle and considerate. "I''m fine. Don''t worry. I''m doing great. Actually, I just got my diploma." I smiled at Rita as I struggled with the steak with the knife and fork. "You stayed in France for three years. Do you have a boyfriend? We''re going to spend our honeymoon in France during the Cannes Film Festival this year." Boyfriend? As a dutiful Mrs. Moore, I had never considered being with another man while I was still married. For some reason, I still had a glimmer of hope for Charles. "Uh... yes, actually. I met a guy there. He''s an artist." I immediately thought of a guy whom I could show to her. As Charles had said yesterday, I should make Rita rest assured. I saw him from the corner of my eye. He was cutting the steak. He stiffened for a second. "Do you have any photos of him?" Rita asked inquisitively. Her curiosity caught me off guard. I looked at Charles in hopes that he would help me. Sadly, he did not even nce at me. "Well, we''re not together yet, so I didn''t save his picture on my phone," I reasoned out and then continued cutting my steak. "Does he have Facebook? Maybe he posts photos there. I want to see him," Rita urged. It seemed that she had no ns of dropping the topic until she saw the man herself. "Let me check." As I spoke, I took out my phone and thought about which ssmate I should pretend to be my pursuer for a while. The first person that came into my mind was Pierre. He and I had a good rtionship, so my n could work. I visited his Facebook page and immediately saw a picture of him in front of the Eiffel Tower. He had long wild hair and a young and handsome face. Pierre and Charles were pr opposites. The former was artistic and went with the flow, while the latter was cold and reserved. I handed my phone to Rita with Pierre''s photo on the screen. Her eyes beamed with happiness upon seeing the picture. "Oh my! He looks just like an artistic and carefree Parisian guy. I''m so happy for you, Scarlett. After all, Charles and I... I''m sorry." She then showed the photo to Charles. He just nced at it for a second. "You two are a perfect match," he coldly remarked. Rita finally returned my phone. "Will hee to America to visit you?" she asked excitedly. "He''s still in Europe. He''s holding an art exhibition in Lyon. He''lle here next month to establish his career, though." I lied. Everything that came out of my mouth was nothing but fiction. It did not matter, though. The most important thing for me right now was to make Rita happy. Besides, I might not see her again after I signed the divorce agreement. Otherwise, I would have to think about how to make Pierree here. "Do you love him?" Rita asked, her eyes twinkling in anticipation. I was stunned. "Of course." I tried my best to keep calm andposed, so she would not see right through me. "That''s great! Charles, it seems that we don''t need to worry about Scarlett at all. Let''s wish Scarlett happiness!" Rita excitedly raised her ss. Charles also raised his. "Scarlett, promise me that you''ll be happy." Rita looked at me in the eye when she spoke. But then, I knew very well that this was all a facade. Underneath her gentle mask was an ugly evil heart. "Of course. You too." We drank up the wine in our sses as a sign of promise. When I put down my ss, my hands suddenly trembled. Not only that, but I also felt sick to my stomach. I wished that this meal would be over soon. I did not want to see this hypocrite anymore. "Sorry, I have to go to the bathroom." I excused myself, unable to take it anymore. I wanted to go outside and breathe the fresh air to ease the sickening feeling in my stomach. When I returned to the table a few momentster, Charles was already helping Rita put on her coat. "Rita doesn''t feel well. I''ll drive her home. Later, I will¡ª" "It''s okay. I can go home on my own," I reassured. I watched helplessly as Charles walked out of the restaurant with Rita in his arms. All of a sudden, the tense muscles all over my body loosened up. Chapter 3 Unexpected Visitors Chapter 3 Unexpected Visitors Charles''s POV: After sending Rita home, I went back to the office to deal with some business matters.- In the evening, I received a message from Spencer. It read, "Charles, would you like to join us? Everyone is here." I replied, "Okay. I''ll be there soon." I typed as I walked out of the office. Spencer owned the Mint Bar. It was one of the most popr bars in the city, and tonight, it was particrly crowded. As soon as I walked in, I saw Spencer and David. We all had been friends since we were little boys. "Have you seen Scarlett?" Spencer asked as soon as I was in front of him. "Yes," I answered and then asked the bartender to serve me a ss of whiskey. "Are you really divorcing her?" Spencer pressed,ing closer to me. "Yes," I answered impatiently and lit a cigarette. "How could you, man? Scarlett''s, like, our girl. We grew up with her. You and Rita are being cruel to her." R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only I blew a puff of smoke in the air as the bartender set my drink in front of me. I decided not to answer Spencer and just drank my whiskey. But what he said was true. Truth be told, I was nervous when I spoke to Scarlettst night about the divorce. Meanwhile, she just sat there the entire time, looking all calm and collected. I could not decide whether it bothered or impressed me. We had not seen each other for three years. She was no longer the sweet little girl who wore her heart on her sleeve. She had grown a lot. Seeing her again in that cool disposition upset me a little. "Did she agree?" David asked curiously. "Yes, she did." At this time, I was regretting my decision toe out and meet my friends. I just wanted to have a drink with them, and here they were grilling me with all these questions. "So you''re really marrying Rita?" "Yes." "Are you serious? Are you really going to sacrifice your happiness just because she saved you?" David got quite emotional at my answer. He identally spilled his wine on my clothes. "Fuck!" I cursed angrily. "Oh, my. I''m so sorry, man," David immediately apologized. Since I did not want to sit there looking like a total mess, I excused myself and went home to change my clothes. I left the bar and called for a transport service. I had nned on going home, but as soon as I got in the car, I found myself stopping to think. Then, I asked the driver to take me to Garden Street instead. When I arrived, the house was brightly lit, and I could hear bursts ofughtering through the open windows. A familiar Mercedes was parked in the garage. It seemed that my mother and grandmother hade to visit. I walked quickly to the door, but before I could input the password, someone had already opened the door from the inside. "Where were you? Why weren''t you answering my calls?" My mom trotted over and scolded me. "I was in a meeting, Mom." "And why do you reek of alcohol? Did you drink? Oh my God, you''re a mess. Go get changed." She wrinkled her nose and ushered me in. I entered the house and saw Grandma and Scarlett sitting in the living room, talking andughing. There were fruits and even an apple pie on the coffee table. "Hi, Grandma." I went over to say hello and picked up a slice of apple pie, but my grandma pped my hand away. "Hands off. That''s not for you. That''s for Scarlett." "Charles, what happened to you? Come, let''s get you some fresh clothes." Scarlett stood up and walked toward me. "You''ve been married for a long time. Why do you still call Charles by his first name?" Grandma asked Scarlett and then looked at me suspiciously. "Is there anything wrong with the way I address him?" Scarlett stopped and asked. "Don''t young married couples such as yourselves call their spouses honey or babe or something?" Scarlett froze and seemed to think for a while. Then, she cleared her throat. "Come, honey. Let me help you change." She helped me take off my suit jacket and shed me a sincere smile. "That''s more like it," Grandma beamed, her tone filled with satisfaction. She loved Scarlett very much. While Scarlett was abroad during the past few years, Grandma often asked me about her. I just replied perfunctorily every time. Before long, Grandma started a new topic. "Charles, I''ve made an appointment with the doctor for you this week. Don''t drink until then. I want you to go get yourself checked out." I was stunned. "But I''ve just had a physical examination, Grandma. I''m very healthy." "I don''t want you to have another physical examination. It''s a more specialized check-up. It''s been several years. Where are my great grandchildren? And I definitely think it''s not Scarlett''s fault. It''s yours." Scarlett pursed her lips and looked at me. A muscle flickered in her jaw. She looked as if she was trying not to burst intoughter. Before I could defend myself, my phone rang, and I heaved a sigh of relief. Scarlett, who was holding my jacket, took my phone out of the breast pocket and saw the name of the caller on the screen. I could tell that it was Rita by the way her face suddenly changed. "Is it that woman? Oh, for crying out loud!" my mother eximed. I took my phone from Scarlett and rejected the call. "Is it Rita? You''re a married man now, Charles. Why are you still involved with that woman? You should be loyal to Scarlett. And what were those photos of Rita trying on wedding dresses I saw on the news? What''s going on?" Grandma nagged. "It''s not what you think, Grandma." "Then why did you decline her call? Is there anything that you two have to talk about that you don''t want us to hear?" I did not know how to answer. I could lie to others but not to my grandma. She always saw through me. Grandma was so angry that she trembled. Scarlett quickly poured her a ss of water. "Charles will be more than happy to answer your question, Grandma, but let me take him to change his clothes first," Scarlett said, pushing me upstairs and into the bedroom. "I have a couple of white shirts in the third cab." As Scarlett went to get me a clean shirt, I took off the one that David stained with his wine. It was already ruined. Damn it. I really would not spare David next time. Then, I felt a palpable silence behind me. I turned around. Scarlett was standing there and staring at me with one of my shirts in her hand. She dipped her chin, trying to hide the furious blushing in her cheeks. "How long have you been standing there?" She did not reply. She just quickly closed her eyes. I walked up to her. This time, I was able to see more of the new her. She was no longer the little girl she used to be. Her past three years in France had changed her from a mere bud to a delicate rose. Her long eyshes were trembling. Her lips were pressed together in a thin line as if she was suppressing something. Her face grew redder and redder with each passing minute. I took the shirt from her hand and quickly put it on. After I changed into a fresh shirt, we went back to the living room together. "I don''t have many years left, Charles. Why couldn''t you just live a peaceful life with Scarlett? Why are you always trying to piss me off, huh?" Grandma was still ming me. "Grandma, next time you want toe here, you can call me and I''lle pick you up, okay?" I still did not know how to answer her, so I just decided to change the subject. "No, thanks. You''re always so busy. I don''t want to inconvenience you. I just want to see if you''re treating your wife right." "Grandma, I''m fine," Scarlett chimed in. "Very well then. By the way, don''t forget the 60th anniversary party of the Moore Group tomorrow. Charles, I expect you to buy Scarlett a beautiful evening dress for the party. I want everyone to see how lucky you are tond someone like her. Don''t you make me unhappy again, you hear me, young man?" "Of course, Grandma." After chatting with my grandma and my mom for a long time, I was finally able to convince them to call it a night and saw them off. Under the circumstances, there was no way I could mention the divorce to them without unleashing one hell of an uproar. Chapter 4 A Greedy Man Chapter 4 A Greedy Man Scarlett''s POV: After I said goodbye to Charles and Rita at Rainbow Dream, Charles''s mother, Alice, called me. She told me that she and Christine--Charles '' grandmother wereing to see us. It had been a long time since Ist saw them. I was so excited by Alice''s call that I practically screamed my agreement at her over the phone. I could not wait to see them both, especially Grandma Christine. I had missed her and her delicious apple pies.- They had always been very kind to me and made me feel like I was family. If they found out that Charles and I were nning to get divorced, they would be heartbroken. So Charles and I tried our best and acted like a normal loving married couple until Alice and Christine decided to go home. It just was not the right time to tell them. We had to be really careful as well because Christine was unusually perceptive. She could sense lies and deception from a mile away like a shark smelling a drop of blood in the water. I was not expecting Charles home, but as soon as I saw him, I acted like a caring wife to him. I honestly thought I deserved an Oscar Award for my performance. Thinking about how Grandma Christine scolded Charles earlier like he was a naughty, restless little boy, I had to bite down myughter. "What''s so funny?" "What? Nothing," I mumbled. I needed to find a ce in the house to be alone for a while. Since Charles and I talked about the divorce, I had been finding it a little difficult to stay in the same room as he was. "Where are you going?" "The kitchen." "Can you run me a bath, please?" Charles ordered with a cold face. "Okay." I turned on my heels and went upstairs to the bathroom. I stared at the huge white porcin double bathtub and realized that I had never used it. Suddenly, I was imagining Charles taking a bath in it. It took all of three heartbeats before my imagination blew the Charles-in-the-bathtub scene out of proportion and sent me reeling. ''What the hell, Scarlett? Stop with the inappropriate thoughts about your husband already!'' I shook my head and turned on the tap. After adjusting the water temperature, I waited for the bathtub to fill up. I sat on the edge of the bathtub and thought about the dinner party tomorrow night. Shall I go with Charles? If I were being honest, going with Charles to the party would make me a bit ufortable, but I had not seen or spoken to his family in a long time. I would really love to see Alice and Grandma Christine again and also Lawrence. I had known them since I was a little girl, and I truly think of them as my family. While I was immersed in my reverie, the bathroom door suddenly swung open. I instinctively turned around to look, but I was not able to retain my bnce. Next thing I knew, I was falling into the bathtub. Fortunately, the bathtub was almost full. It was so big that I felt as if I had fallen into a swimming pool. Scared to death that I was going to down, I iled around instinctively. Then, I remembered that I was in a bathtub and stopped. The bathroom suddenly fell eerily silent except for the sound of running water from the tap. "I''m sorry... I''m so sorry," I quickly got out of the bathtub. I scattered water everywhere as I stepped out. "Why are you apologizing?" Charles frowned and looked at me. I was sopping wet, and all I could see was my bra peeking through my white shirt and my skirt clinging to my legs. Even though I was fully clothed, I felt like I was naked. I tried to wring some of the water out of my shirt, but I just felt like I was wringing my dignity''s neck. Why did I have to sit on the edge of the bathtub? I could have just stood there as I waited for it to fill up. "I''ll change the water." I quickly turned off the tap and opened the bathtub''s drain. "No, I got it. You go change." Charles coughed, threw me his bath towel, and turned around. I wrapped the towel around my body and ran to my room to change into clean, dry clothes. After changing into fresh clothes, I grabbed another bath towel for Charles to use and went back to the bathroom. I found Charles standing there half-naked. From where I stood, I only saw one side of his body. He was not that heavily muscled, but he was taut and slender. He looked like a well-chiseled statue of a male Roman deity, and it made me catch my breath. I wanted to turn around and leave, but my eyes seemed to have a mind of their own. I could not help staring him down. His side view allowed me a peek of half of his eight-pack abs and his Adonis belt that extended into his trousers. I swallowed as my cheeks started to grow hot. Charles was about to take off his pants, but suddenly, he stopped and turned to look at me. Then, he started walking toward me, giving me a full view of his gorgeous torso. My eyes darted to the scar on his chest. I looked at it carefully. Since when did he have that scar? "May I have my towel, please?" I had no idea how long I had been staring. If it were not for Charles''s question, I would not have woken up from my fixation on his scar. "Oh. Yes. I''m sorry," I muttered. I lowered my head and handed the towel to him with both hands. After a rustling sound, the towel was reced by a pair of trousers and a shirt. After that, I rushed out of the bathroom and tossed his clothes into the washing machine. Before long, Charles''s phone started ringing again, and Rita''s name appeared on the screen. The sudden pang of pain startled me so much that I found myself grabbing on to the sheets. I sat there in bed, thinking about how my own husband never really belonged to me. After a while, Charles walked out of the bathroom in a bathrobe. He was drying his hair with a towel. Damn, he looked so sexy. But I forced myself to look away. "Rita called you just now," I told him. He just nodded and quickly picked up his phone. He nced at me and then went to the balcony to call Rita. I could hear some of their conversation from where I was sitting. "Okay. Now don''t cry. Drink some water first. I''ll call Jenny and ask her toe over to your ce. You need to get plenty of rest." I scoffed. Rita''s performance would be insufferable even if it were in a movie. I did not understand why she had to torment everyone in real life as well, especially Charles. After hanging up with Rita, Charles came back in, walked to the wardrobe, and changed into a charcoal ck suit. At this moment, I was no longer in the mood to watch him. The more I saw of him, the more heartache I had to endure. "I''m going out. Don''t wait up for me. Call me if there''s anything urgent," Charles told me as if he was reading off a manual. "You''ve had some drinks. Don''t drive." Even if it broke my heart to think that he was running off to Rita, I still cared about his safety. I did not want him to get hurt. Charles appeared to be stunned. "I''ll call the driver over." Then, he made a phone call. Not long after, a car arrived at the vi. From Charles''s POV: I got in the car and was about to go to Rita''s ce, but the disappointment in Scarlett''s eyes bothered the hell out of me. I suddenly felt fidgety, and after a few moments, I finally told my driver, Burton, my destination. "The Mint Bar, please," I blurted out. I had already asked Jenny, Rita''s doctor, toe see Rita. Rita would be fine if I did not show up at her ce tonight. "Yes, Mr. Moore." When I walked into the bar, everything was still the same. The neon lights were still shing, the music was still ring, and the crowd seemed to have not thinned out since I was here earlier. "Charles! There you are! I knew you''eback!" Spencer came up and punched me yfully in the chest. "Fuck off!" David poured me a ss of whiskey. I drank it all up in one gulp. "Wow, easy there, Mr. Moore. What''s the matter? You look upset. Oh, I know. Let me tell you why you''re upset, Charles. It''s because you''re too greedy. You want too much all at once. Let me tell you something¡ªyou can''t have two women at the same time. Just give it up, man." "Will you shut the hell up for once, Spencer?" David chimed in and pushed Spencer away. He threw a cue to me. "Let''s just y. It''ll take your mind off things." "Sure. Why not?" I caught the cue, and David started setting the pool table. He let me break. Watching the billiard balls rolling on the table calmed me down for a second. "But seriously, Charles, do you mind if someone else pursues Scarlett? After you two are officially divorced, of course." Hearing this, I approached Spencer with the cue in my hand. "No, no, you misunderstand. I''m not talking about myself. Scarlett''s like a sister to me. I just think that it''s only fair that she also has someone special in her life, you know? You and Rita have been living like an old married couple since Scarlett left three years ago. Don''t you think it''s about time that Scarlett went back to the dating pool? After all, she''s single and ready to mingle now. She deserves to be happy, too." I took a shot at a ball near the side pocket, but I did not get it in. "Rita and I are not an old married couple." "Do you mean that you''ve been sleeping with her regrly during thest three years?" Rita had always been in poor health. Every time I was with her, we did everything but be intimate. Even if I wanted to, I could not put her through such a strenuous activity in her condition. "Oh, my. Buddy, don''t tell me you haven''t gotten her." Spencer shook his head. Before I could retort, my phone rang again. It was Rita. I rejected the call and turned off my phone. But on second thought, Scarlett was alone in the vi. If anything happened to her and my phone was turned off, she would not be able to find me. I turned my phone on again. "What''s wrong? Was that Rita? Why didn''t you answer?" Spencer asked in confusion. "It''s none of your business, Spencer." "Charles, you can''t waver between two women like this. It''s unfair to both of them. Since you want to divorce Scarlett, you should treat Rita well." Somehow, the words "divorce Scarlett" sounded like nails on a chalkboard to me. "Scarlett and I haven''t gone through the divorce formalities yet. We''re still married."Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 5 The Brightest Girl Chapter 5 The Brightest Girl Scarlett''s POV: I looked at myself in the mirror. I wore a long white evening dress, a pair of Prada high-heeled shoes, and a pair of pearl stud earrings. I tied my hair up into a tight, clean bun. But I still thought that there was something missing. Then I put on my ck choker ne with the small turquoise on it and smiled. My father gave it as a gift to my mother, and my mother handed it down to me. "Are you done? Come on, Scarlett, let me see. Can''t you raise your phone so that I can see you?" Tiana and I were on video call while I was getting dressed. While I got ready for the party, she was protesting loudly on the other end of the line. "I only have two hands, Tiana. Calm down. I''m almost done." Atst, I put on my favorite pink lipstick and pouted my lips to check the color. "Turn around. Let me have a look." I looked at myself in the mirror and still felt uneasy. I picked up my phone and angled the front camera toward myself. Tiana covered her mouth and stopped moving. The picture had frozen. Was it because of a bad signal? "Tiana, are you still there?" "Oh, my God, girl! You look absolutely stunning! Oh, Charles is going to be stupefied by how gorgeous you look tonight! In fact, all the men at the party will be stupefied!" "Mrs. Moore, if we don''t set out now, we''ll have to take the helicopter," Burton, the driver, called at me from the driveway. "Thanks for the over-the-toppliment per usual, Tiana. I have to go. I''m already runningte." Then, I hung up. I lifted my dress and went downstairs carefully. "You look beautiful, Mrs. Moore. You''ll be a sensation at the party tonight." Burton opened the door for me. "Thank you, Burton. Let''s go." I was not that much into attending formal events, but I was looking forward to this party. "Will we make it?" "We will, Mrs. Moore. Trust me." After saying that, Burton stepped on the elerator and drove toward the Ritz Carlton Hotel. Before I knew it, I was at the hotel''s drop-off area. I got off the car and felt the cold evening wind on my arms and face. Fortunately, it should be warm indoors. I entered the banquet hall, and many heads turned toward my direction. All the attention made me feel a little tense and wonder if I had somehow gone overboard with my outfit. "Scarlett! You''re finally here." I heaved a sigh of relief as Christine approached me. "Hi, Grandma. Sorry I''mte." "Our little princess is finally here." I beamed as Alice and her husband Lawrence also walked toward me. "Dad, mom. Oh, I''m so d to see you both. I deeply apologize for arrivingte." "Don''t worry about it, dear. The best is always thest one to show up anyway," Alice assured me with a smile. At this time, many people in the banquet hall had taken notice of me. One of them was a young man who waved at me and smiled. It was Spencer. I swept my eyes over the buzzing crowd and finally met a pair of cold, dark eyes. It was Charles, and he was staring right back at me. Other than the usual detached look, there was something else in his eyes tonight that I could not quite figure out. "Who is she?" "I think that''s the girl Lawrence and Christine adopted. Don''t you think she''s magnificent?" "Yes, she is breathtaking. She is even more attractive than Rita." Everyone began to whisper among themselves. "Look, our little Scarlett has be a charming young woman!" Spencer came over with a smile on his face. David was right on his heels. "Long time no see." I extended my hand toward them, and they kissed it. When Spencer hugged me, I caught a glimpse of Charles. He was standing by the stage and watching me. He still looked at me with those icy, unreadable eyes. This time, I caught a glimpse of anger on his face. "Ladies and gentlemen, before we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Moore Group tonight, let us first please wee our dear CEO, Mr. Charles Moore, for his opening remarks." Charles went onto the stage, smiled at the emcee, and shook hands with him. The cold look on his face was gone, and he started giving his speech in a warm tone that I had not heard him use. He nced at me from time to time, and I returned his gaze. A few reporters were invited to the party tonight. After Charles''s speech, they were allowed to ask him a few questions. "Mr. Moore, there''s a rumor going around that you and Miss Rita Lively are engaged. Is that true?" "Were you with her when she was photographed trying on wedding dresses?" I was not surprised by the questions they threw right at Charles. The Moore Group had always been in the spotlight, and Rita was an actress whose career fueled the rumor mill. Financial reporters could sometimes be gossipy. I turned to look at Alice, Christine, and Lawrence. They were not liking what was happening. "I think my personal life is the least of everyone''s concerns tonight. And with that, let me wee you to tonight''s festivities. On behalf of the Moore Group, thank you for joining us and have a wonderful evening." Charles handled that quite well, and it was expected. He had been in the game long enough to learn how to deal with nosy people. After Charles ended his speech, the band resumed the music, drowning out the reporters '' follow-up questions. Soon, the guests began to fill the dance floor. "Scarlett, may I have this dance?" Spencer walked over to me and offered me his hand. I beamed as he gracefully bowed to me like a real gentleman. I found it a little amusing, considering Spencer was a bit of adies'' man back in high school. No amount of gentlemanly demeanor could ever cover up the trail of broken hearts he left in his wake. "Well, why not?" I took his hand and let him tow me to the dance floor. He put one hand around my waist and held my hand in the air with the other. I rested my other hand on his shoulder. "Hold me tighter, you coward. Are you afraid of getting beaten by Charles or something?" I whispered to Spencer. Spencer grinned and shook his head slightly. Then, he held me closer. We began to dance. After a few moments, I suddenly felt uneasy. I felt as if someone was watching me. I immediately dismissed the feeling. Maybe I was just thinking too much or maybe I just put on my choker too tightly. "Take your hand off her." A familiar voice suddenly interrupted my train of thoughts. Someone had yanked Spencer''s hand off my waist. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! I had no choice but to stop. I turned around sulkily and found Charles standing right behind me with that confusing expression on his face. I could not tell if he was angry or in pain. "What''s the matter, Charles? I''m just dancing with our friend," I snapped. He looked stunned. He obviously was not expecting such a reaction from me. But he did not say anything. He just turned around and stomped away like a little boy whose parents did not allow him to y outside. At this time, a waiter passed by, and I took a ss of champagne from his tray and downed it in one gulp. I was not in the mood to dance anymore. "Why does he always swoop in and ruin everyone''s fun?" Iined to Spencer. "Force of habit. Don''t worry, Scarlett. Your good days are on the way." Good days? Did he mean the days after the divorce? I was not sure about that. Soon enough, the revelry in the banquet hall proved too much for me, and I had to get out to get some fresh air. I took off my choker as I made my way to the balcony. The cold night air felt so nice against my face. Spencer and David did not follow me, and I appreciated it. I needed some time alone to calm down and realign myself. Los Angeles was a different kind of beautifulpared to Paris where I spent thest three years to study. But even though Paris would always have a special ce in my heart, Los Angeles would always be my home. But since I came home, I had felt a little lonely. I missed Tiana. I could not wait for her to return from her business trip. It was now suddenly urring to me that I had spent thest three years of my life with just my European friends. Now I missed Tiana even more. A breeze blew, and my arms prickled with goose bumps. I took a deep breath and weed the difort. Somehow, it helped ease my nerves. Next thing I knew, someone was covering me up with a suit jacket. I instantly recognized the scent off the fabric. I turned around. In the dim light, I was able to make out the contours of a handsome face. I met the gaze of the man standing behind me, and the river of emotions inside me that I had just calmed ran into raging rapids once again. "It''s freezing out here. You''re going to catch a cold." It amazed me sometimes how my husband turned from an uncaring man to a concerned one. It was like he had a switch somewhere that he flipped whenever he wanted. But why? Why did he do that? Why did he give me the cold shoulder and then turn around and mess with my head? I already said yes to the divorce. He was no longer obligated to care about me. "Aren''t you cold?" I looked up at Charles. "No, I''m all right." At this time, my phone beeped. It was a message from Tiana. She said that she had already found a ce for me to live. "I''m going to move out in a few days." "Why?" "Because divorced couples usually don''t go on living under the same roof." "I haven''t signed the papers yet." "The ce is close to the office where I''m going to work. It''ll be much more convenient for me." "Where you''re going to work? You found yourself a job? I could''ve arranged that for you." Hearing that, I smiled bitterly in my heart. I suddenly realized that Charles had been arranging many things for me, the most notable of which was him arranging for me to grow into a woman worthy of his name. I had been living a life that he directed, and I had been flowing with his current like dead fish. "No, thanks. I''m good. I''ve already spoken to their human resources department." "Listen, Scarlett..." "Why should I listen to anything thates from you anymore?" I snapped once again. I started taking off the suit jacket, but Charles stopped me. "Are you trying to catch a cold so that you can make me take care of you? Or would you like me to go inside right now and get Grandma so that she can scold you?" he said with a half-smile. I rolled my eyes and put the suit jacket back on. "Take this." Charles put a bank card in my hand and then turned around to leave. "When shall we go through the divorce formalities?" I asked. "Why are you in such a hurry to divorce me? Is it because of that French artist? What''s his name again? Piero? Pierre?" he asked sharply. I did not know what to say. I fixed my eyes on him for a few moments. Then, I turned on my heels and left. If he thought that I had answered yes to his question, then I guess he had just misunderstand me. Chapter 6 A Toothless Tiger Chapter 6 A Toothless Tiger Scarlett''s POV: Charles did not show up days after the Moore Group''s anniversary party. I was busy preparing for the job interview at that time, so I did not notice his absence very much. One day, Tiana and I arranged to meet after being away with each other for years. So now, I stood by the street, waiting for my dearest friend toe. All of a sudden, a young woman with red hair ran from a distance. It was not until she got closer that I recognized who it was. It was Tiana. "Tiana, why is your hair dyed red?" I asked in disbelief. Tiana had always wanted to dye her hair red ever since she was in primary school. Now, she had finally done it. I was really surprised when I saw her. After all, her hair was still in its natural color thest time we had a video chat. "Bitch, it''s supposed to be a surprise! You didn''te home for three years to see your best friend. Of course, I had to do something to punish you." The two of us were like sisters who had been separated for many years. We hugged each other and excitedly jumped in glee at the entrance of the cafe. Yes, we video chatted with each other often, but it still would not rece the joy of being with my friend in person. We could only hug each other in delight. "Well, tell me everything. When will you move in with me? Oh, I know! I''ll call other friends of ours. We can have a sleepover party!" "I honestly have no idea, but it''ll be soon." Tiana led me into the cafe as we talked. We ordered two slices of tiramisu and enjoyed it while we continued our chat. "Charles still wouldn''t let you go? Haven''t you heard? There are rumors about that bitch Rita spreading around recently." "I don''t care about them. When Charles and I divorce, I will have nothing to do with them anymore." "That''s great then. We can be roommates again soon." Tiana and I had a great chat. We shared the same sentiments regarding the matter. No matter what happened, I knew that she would always be on my side. I was grateful to have such a friend with whom I could share my feelings without worries. "Remember the job that I mentioned to youst time? Well, I told my boss about you and gave him your resume. He''s pleased with you. In fact, he wants me to bring you to ourpany by all means, even if it means kidnapping you." "You must be kidding me." I chuckled and took a bite of the cake. "I''m not. Get ready to be a famous TV host! Let that man regret letting you go." N?velDrama.Org is the owner. I went to Tiana''s residence after spending almost the entire morning with her. She lent me a formal suit before I went to herpany, Insight Media, for the job interview. At that moment, Tiana patted me on the shoulder and smiled at me reassuringly. "Don''t be nervous. You look perfect." ****** In the interview meeting room. "Miss Scarlett Riley, why do you want to join mypany? We''ve read your resume. Based on your qualifications, you could''ve applied somewhere better. Why here?" the bald and kind interviewer asked with a smile. "Presenting the audience what they are interested in is the real reason why I chose this field. The role of the media is to open the eyes of the public and make them see the reality, not deceive them. I believe that Insight Media has the courage to speak the truth and take responsibility for it." The interviewer looked through my resume again and asked a few more questions. He then whispered a few words to the interviewer next to him. I looked at him anxiously when he finally turned to face me. "Congrattions, Miss Riley. Wee to Insight Media." As soon as I walked out of the building, I called Tiana and told her the good news. I then booked an Uber and returned to Garden Street. I did not bring a lot here. In fact, I only brought one suitcase. Maybe I could pack and move out today. When I got home, I found Charles''s car in the driveway, and the lights in the vi were on. He must be home. This was a perfect opportunity to clear things up once and for all. I pushed the door opened, and my eyes widened in shock at what I saw. Charles was lying on the sofa and clutching his stomach with a pained look on his face. When he looked at me, he was not cold and indifferent as usual. Instead, he stretched out his hand to me as if grasping thest life-saving straw. He looked vulnerable and in pain. "What... what''s wrong with you?" I asked, bbergasted. "My stomach... hurts... so bad..." he replied in a strained manner. I rushed to the medicine drawer at once and took a pill for his stomachache. I had known that Charles''s stomach hurt sometimes. I then poured him a ss of water to help him take medicine faster. To my surprise, he opened his mouth to me like a bird waiting to be fed. Did he want me to feed him? Three years ago... Didn''t he ask me to keep a distance from him? "Give me your hand," I cautiously said. I did not want him to resent me again. Without waiting for his response, I put the pill in his hand and handed him the ss of water. Charles took the medicine. Then, with his eyes closed, he leaned back on the sofa, grabbed a pillow, and hugged it. Indeed, nobody was made of iron. Even Charles, who was always as cold as ice, was as docile as a toothless tiger when he was sick. I could not help but take a few nces at him. I must admit, I like this side of him better than his usual arrogant and domineering side. At that moment, I went to my room and got him a nket. As I put it over him, he merely nced at me and did not even say thanks. I supposed that I could clear things up with him while he was at his weakest. At that moment, I took a deep breath and mustered my courage. "I''m going to move out," I said firmly. The toothless tiger stood up all of a sudden and threw the nket on the floor in surprise. "What did you say?" Charles asked while staring at me with a burning gaze. "I said I''m going to move out and live with Tiana," I repeated. But as I looked at his face that was red in anger, I lost the confidence that I had just mustered. "No way!" Charles refused sternly. But as soon as he finished speaking, he winced in pain, clutched his stomach, andy down again. "We''ll go through the divorce proceedings when you''re okay." I bent down to pick up the nket on the floor. However, Charles covered his nose and did not take it. "Why do you smell so funny?" He faced the other way and added, "Let''s talkter. Go and take a shower first." I could not help but scoff at his words. It seemed that the medicine had already taken effect as he was already picking a fight with me. Even so, I still smelled myself. I did not smell funny. What was he talking about? Nevertheless, I went upstairs and took a shower, just as he asked. All of a sudden, his words crossed my mind. What did he mean when he said ''no way?'' Did I need his permission to move out? The divorce agreement had already been sent to me via e-mail the moment I came back from abroad. What else did he want? I finished taking a shower not long after. As I dried myself with the bath towel, I realized that I had forgotten to bring my clothes to the bathroom in a hurry. Charles should still be downstairs. I could sneak out to get a fresh change of clothes without a problem. But just as I was about to walk out of the bathroom bare naked, I heard footsteps outside the door. From the sound of it, Charles was walking upstairs. It seemed that his stomachache was recovering quicker than I had anticipated. I walked back to the bathroom, just in time before the door of the bedroom opened. "Aren''t you done yet?" Charles asked with a frown. "I forgot to bring my clothes," I replied awkwardly inside the bathroom. The room was quiet for a while. But then, I heard my suitcase being opened. A thought suddenly urred to me. A picture of Charles rummaging in my suitcase for underwear came to my mind, and my face turned beet red. But for some reason, I was more curious about his expression. "Your clothes are on the bed," Charles said calmly. With that, he walked out and closed the door behind him. I rushed out of the bathroom and got dressed as soon as I could. Once I was done, I walked downstairs and saw Charles still lying on the sofa and groaning in pain. "What''s wrong?" I asked with my eyebrows furrowed. "It still hurts," he answered weakly. Seriously? Hadn''t he just taken the medicine and even had the strength to go upstairs? How could he suddenly be sick again? I eyed him with suspicion. "Do you want to take another pill?" "Too much drug for one day. Do you want to poison me?" "Just lie down then." Without another word, I went upstairs to pack my luggage. Even if I could not leave tonight, I could pack up now, so tomorrow, I could just grab my stuff and leave. I stood frozen to the spot the moment I entered the bedroom. My suitcase was open, and my clothes were scattered everywhere. All he had to do was find me a set of clothes. Did he really have to take everything out and scatter them around? While I was deep into thought, a loud and pitiful groan came from downstairs. I ran downstairs at once and found Charles beaded with cold sweat and was in excruciating pain. "Should I call an ambnce?" "No, I''m fine. I feel hot. Just give me a ss of ice water." "I''m afraid I can''t. Your stomach hurts. You can''t drink cold water, or the pain will only get worse." I fetched a wet towel instead and then put it on his forehead to absorb his sweat. I could not leave him alone like this. As there was nothing I could do, I resigned myself to my fate and just sat next to him. Charles fell asleep a few momentster. I pulled the nket over him out of consideration. I had decided to watch over him tonight. But before I knew it, I had already drifted to sleep. Chapter 7 I Want To Move Chapter 7 I Want To Move Out____ Scarlett''s POV: I knew that I was dreaming. I was at a wedding, and I was the bride. I was standing right before my groom, but I could not make out his face. "Achoo!" My own sneeze woke me up. I found myself lying in bed. I did not know how I got upstairs. Thest thing I remembered was that I was with Charles downstairs. After that, nothing. Why was I feeling so dizzy? I also felt like I was on fire. I tossed the quilt away and tried to get up. "Don''t move," a stern voicemanded from the door. I turned my head and saw Charles standing there. He was wearing an apron. I had never seen him like that, so I could not help chuckling. "You caught a cold. Are you hungry? Breakfast will be ready soon." After saying that, he turned around and went downstairs again. I struggled to get on my feet and went to the bathroom. After washing up, I felt like my head was going to explode and my knees were going to give out. I dragged myself back to bed. Charles came back before I could curl up under the covers. He brought me a bowl of piping hot porridge with beef and shrimp. The porridge smelled heavenly, but all I wanted was to sleep. "I have no appetite. I don''t want to eat." "No, you have to. Come on, get up." As he spoke, Charles grabbed a pillow and fluffed it on the headboard for me to lean on. As I tried to prop myself up, my throat itched like hell, and I started coughing violently. He wiped my mouth with some tissues. "Here. Eat," he said and scooped up some porridge to feed me. I stared at him in mixed confusion and disbelief. He had never treated me so gently before. What happened? Did he take the wrong medicinest night, so he was not his usual self today? I had to stop and check if I was still dreaming. After deciding that I was already wide awake, I just opened my mouth and let my husband feed me. Suddenly, my phone rang. It was Christine calling. "Hi, Grandma." "Oh, good, you''re up. Hello, dear. I''m calling to invite you and Charles over for dinner tonight. I''ll cook for you." "Grandma, I..." Before I could exin, I started coughing again. "Scarlett? What''s wrong?" "I''m feeling a bit under the weather, Grandma." "You''re sick? Where''s Charles? Is he taking care of you right now? Wait for me, dear. I''ll be right there." I looked up at Charles and whispered. "Grandma''sing over right now." "All right. Have breakfast first." He fed me some more porridge. After finishing my breakfast, I got up, rinsed my mouth, went downstairs, and waited for Christine in the living room. I curled up in the sofa. Soon, Alice and Christine arrived. "Charles, what happened to Scarlett? You can manage a big group worth hundreds of millions of dors, yet you can''t take good care of your own wife?" "Grandma, I had a stomachache yesterday. Scarlett took care of me, but she fell asleep on the sofa and caught a cold," Charles exined as he ushered his mother and grandmother in. "How''s your stomach?" "Much better." "Then take good care of Scarlett. Take her upstairs. If she''s not feeling well, then she should rest in bed." Hearing Charles''s conversation with Christine, I could not help feeling touched. So I did fall asleep downstairs. Obviously, Charles carried me to the bedroom. I just could not remember. And now Christine was asking him to carry me upstairs again. "It''s okay, Grandma. I can go upstairs on my own." Christine turned a deaf ear to me and looked at Charles. Then, Charles effortlessly scooped me up in his arms. I had no choice but to wrap my arms around his strong, broad shoulders. He still stared at me coldly, but as soon as our bodies touched, I felt electricity course through my skin and bones. This was the first time that Charles had held me this close while I was sober. I lowered my head and gritted my teeth. I felt hot all over, but somehow, my cheeks felt hotter. Alice and Christine went upstairs with us and saw all my unpacked clothes. "What''s going on? Why are all your clothes out of the closet, Scarlett?" "Grandma, I... I''m going to move out. I''ve found a job." I dodged Christine''s eyes. Christine cast a sharp nce at Charles. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "Is this because of Rita?" "No, Grandma. I just want to go to work. The ce I''m moving into is close to my new office," I hurriedly exined. "If that''s the reason, then you don''t have to get your own ce. We have so many houses. One of them is bound to be close to your office. Then, we can live together, and Charles will go back to live with us. The whole family should be together." There was a hint of anxiety in Christine''s tone. "If Charles is not treating you like he''s supposed to, just tell me, honey," Alice told me and held my hand. "Grandma, Mom, I appreciate your kindness. But I..." Before I could finish my sentence, Christine interrupted me. "We can talk about this another time, Scarlett. For now, you need to get some rest. We''ll leave now. I''ll send someone to bring the dinner here. I will make you your favorite apple pie." I originally thought that it would be easy for me to move out, but I was wrong. As it turned out, there were many twists and turns I had to go through. Charles then drove Alice and Christine home. I crawled into bed and instantly fell asleep. Charles''s POV: "Charles, the most important thing for you to do now is to make Scarlett happy so that you two can prepare to have a baby. Your grandfather, your father, your mother, and I will help you with the company''s affairs." "Yes, dear. You''re not getting any younger. You should think about starting your own family." As I drove them home, my mother and grandmother bombarded me with reminders. I knew that the longer I waited to tell them about the divorce, the higher their expectations would be, and that would only make the situation even worse. "Grandma, Scarlett and I are not meant for each other. We''ve already talked about it. We''re getting a divorce." The confession just rolled off my tongue. I did not expect that it would be so easy to speak up about something that I had been letting stew inside me for a while. "What? What did you just say, Charles Moore?" "You have got to be kidding." And there it was. Every time my mother and my grandmother got angry with me, they called me by my full name. Now I was realizing it was a bad idea telling them on a moving vehicle that I was driving. This was not a great ce for Grandma to have a heart attack. "Stop the car! I want to get off! I''m telling you, young man! If you divorce Scarlett, I will ask your grandfather to modify his will!" Christine screamed. "I''ll call Burton and ask him to pick us up," Alice muttered. I had no choice but to pull over on the side of the road and endure another round of verbal assault from my mother and grandmother. They were both seething with rage. "You want to divorce your wife because of that Rita woman, don''t you? I knew it. That scheming bitch! I knew she was a terrible person from all those crappy movies she''d starred in! And she used to date men even older than your grandfather! Are you out of your damn mind, Charles? No. You can''t be with Rita. Over my dead body!" Christine gasped as she spoke. I quickly grabbed a bottle of water and handed it to her. "I second that! What do you think you''re doing, son? Scarlett is the best wife any man can ever wish for, and you''re going to toss her aside for some low-rent actress?" I just sat there and kept silent. I did not bother defending myself. I just let them scold me for a long time until their anger subsided. "Rita''s got cancer," I finally blurted out. At first, I wanted to divorce Scarlett and marry Rita because I wanted to make Rita''sst days happy. Mom and Grandma were stunned by my revtion. "I''m very sorry to hear that, but all the same, Scarlett shouldn''t be the victim in this scenario. Scarlett is our family, Charles. We''ve known her since she was a little girl. She''s your wife. She shoulde first." After a while, Burton arrived and picked up my mother and grandmother. "Rethink your decision, Charles." After Burton took Mom and Grandma home, I sat in the car for a long time before returning to the vi. When I got home, the house was as quiet as a tomb. I went upstairs and gently pushed the bedroom door open. Scarlett was still in bed. Her hair was a little messy, and her eyebrows were slightly knitted together. She pouted her lips, which I found a little cute. Looking at her this close now, I realized that I had never properly appreciated her beauty. I married her three years ago, but I had never touched her. But now, watching her sleep, I had a strange feeling. She actually told my mother and grandmother upfront earlier that she wanted to move out. But no, I would not allow it. I would not let her leave my life and detach herself from my world. Because deep in my heart, I did not feel like I could live in a world where she and I were not somehow tethered. Suddenly, Scarlett rolled over and opened her mouth slightly as if she was mumbling something. Except for that one quick smack at our wedding, I had not kissed her yet. And now, staring at her lips, I found myself wondering what it would feel like to kiss her deeply and passionately. Had Pierre kissed her? Damn it! Next thing I knew, I was leaning toward her until we were close enough to share breath. Then, all of a sudden, Scarlett''s eyelids fluttered open. She stared at me with big, wide eyes like a deer caught in the headlights. I looked deeply into her eyes, and time and the world stood still. Chapter 8 The Right As A Chapter 8 The Right As A Husband Charles''s POV: I did not want to retreat. In fact, I wanted to get even closer. As Scarlett and I stared into each other''s eyes, I felt an overwhelming desire to hold her. But before I could, she pressed her hand against my chest and pushed me away. She opened her mouth. She looked like she wanted to say something but decided against it. Suddenly, the thought of her fanatic French pursuer crossed my mind, and it pissed me off. Did she also push him away when he tried to hold her? Or was it only me that she did not want close? All these thoughts shoved me to the brink of my sanity, and the more I looked at Scarlett, the more I wanted to grab her, kiss her, and take her. I wanted to own her as a husband should his wife. But then, as if the universe were conspiring against me, my phone rang. I cursed under my breath. I wanted to reject the call, but seeing Rita''s name, I picked up. Only then did I realize how ridiculous I was being just now. I loved Rita. What the hell was I thinking wanting Scarlett like that? "Hello?" I loosened my tie and walked away from the bed. I took a few deep, steadying breaths before answering Rita''s call. "Hi, Charles. I''m not feeling so well today. I feel so exhausted that I can''t even walk. I''m scared, Charles. I feel like I''m about to die. Am I going to die?" "It''s all right, Rita. You''ll be fine. You just need to rest." "I don''t want to be home alone. Will youe keep mepany, please?" As I listened to Rita choke her pleas to me over the phone, I turned my head to look at Scarlett. She had gotten up from bed and was now tidying up her clothes. She caught a coldst night and had been burning up since this morning, but I had never heard her comin. She moved about and did what she had to do like she was not sick. It made me wonder how she and Rita could be so different when they were both women. "I have something important to deal with at the office today, and I don''t think I can get out of it. Just don''t think too much, okay? Get some rest. You''ll feel better after you take a nap." I tried my best tofort Rita. I felt guilty about noting to her, but at the same time, I did not want to see her today. There was only too much of her sobbing and worrying that I could take. I did not want to spend my free time absorbing her negative energy. I hung up the phone and looked at Scarlett. "Are you feeling better?" "What?" She was so stunned by my question that she dropped some other clothes on the way to her suitcase. "I''m asking if you''re feeling better," I repeated myself, which I did not normally do. Still, I tried convincing myself that I was not making concessions for Scarlett out of romantic love. She was still my family. I still cared about her. Scarlett''s POV: "Are you feeling better?" Charles asked. I failed to respond immediately because I was not expecting the question. I dropped some of my clothes that I was packing and hurriedly picked them up. Rita just called him. He should be running off to her right now instead of asking about how I felt. After all, I was just a woman who was destined to be a tiny speck in his past. I was nothing but a mere passer-by in his infinite world. "I''m fine." I nodded and forced a smile. Charles watched me put away my clothes for a while and did not say anything. Then, he finally turned around to leave. I did not know if it was the throbbing headache that got me all fired up, but after I put all my clothes away, I called after him and boldly asked, "Aren''t you tired of popping in and out on me and Rita like this?" Charles stopped but did not answer. "You love her, don''t you? Then go to her and stay with her. Let''s just make this easy on all three of us." I had been married to Charles for three years, but not once had I regarded myself as his real wife. I was just a bump in the road toward his true destiny¡ªRita. I did not understand why he was still trying to dy the inevitable, and it was starting to frustrate me. I loved him, but I did not appreciate being strung along like this. "Why are you in such a rush to go through the divorce formalities?" Charles turned around and shed me a disdainful frown. My heart leapt to my throat, but I refused to back down. I straightened my back and retorted, "A divorce is what you want, isn''t it?" N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "Yes, but I don''t want things to end between us without me fulfilling my duties as a husband first," Charles replied abruptly. What did he mean by that? As an ufortable silence hung in the air between us, I racked my brain for some possible answers. Did he want us to officially consummate our marriage? I immediately dismissed the thought. Maybe I had misunderstood what he was trying to say. Before I could say anything else, Charles spoke again in haste. "Getting a divorce is more complicated than you think, Scarlett. Besides, Grandpa keeps our marriage certificate. Even if we both sign the papers right now, it won''t be official instantly. It will take a long time to go through due process." Hearing that, I could not help feeling disappointed and then angry. I understood that our divorce was meant to go through due process. What I did not understand was why he was dying turning the signed papers in to start the process. I felt like he was trying to manipte me. Was he trying to keep me in his life for as long as he could because he knew that I loved him enough to cater to his every whim? I gnashed my teeth together and kept my furious gaze fixed on him. I looked desperately for a hint of mockery in his eyes, but I did not see it. "Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?" Once again, he was acting like he truly cared about me. At this moment, he must be doing it out of guilt. I refused directly and looked away. "No, I''m fine. Just go see Rita. She''s the one you should be worried about right now." "I haven''t signed the divorce agreement yet. We''re still married. I''m still obliged to take care of you while you''re sick," Charles said impatiently. "But you don''t love me, do you? I don''t need your pity, Charles. We''ll be back to being strangers again soon. The best way for us to get along with each other is to not disturb each other. You understand, don''t you?" I loved him but not enough to put myself through unspeakable pain. I still had my pride. I did not need Charles to feel sorry for me, and if this were the only kind of rtionship I could have with him, then I would rather be on my own. "I wish you and Rita all the happiness in the world." I looked at him and gave him my sincerest well wishes. "That''s incredibly kind of you, Scarlett." I saw brief shes of pain, anger, and grief in Charles''s eyes. His tone sounded a bit sarcastic, but I thought that it was just because a lot of people had been telling him what to dotely and he was sick of it. After all, he was a domineering man, and he did not like relinquishing control, especially of his personal affairs. "I''m going back to bed. I''m tired. You should go to Rita." Without waiting for Charles''s reply, I crawled back under the covers and closed my eyes. Chapter 9 Love Without Knowing Chapter 9 Love Without Knowing Scarlett''s POV: I recovered quickly from my cold, and finally, my first day at the TV station came. At ten o''clock in the morning, I walked into the studio and reported for work. I was nervous to be in front of the camera, but before long, we started shooting. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. The show''s guest today was a very lively and dynamic entrepreneur. Charles was also an entrepreneur, but unlike my interviewee, he was a cold, taciturn man. Damn! Why was I thinking of Charles while I was at work? Realizing that I was being unprofessional, I shoved Charles out of my mind and concentrated on doing my job well. Half an hourter, the shoot was over. The director and staff were pleased with my performance. They even said that I was a very promising host for their channel and that as long as I worked hard, I would have a bright future. Then, they invited me to lunch as their way of weing me to thepany. But I politely refused. It was just my first day working at the TV station, and I did not want my colleagues to think that I was being given special treatment. So at lunch time, I decided to eat alone at a nearby restaurant. A few minutes after I sat down, I saw Rita enter the establishment. She had a few bodyguards following her. And to my surprise and displeasure, she took the seat across from mine without asking me first. "Scarlett! Fancy seeing you here!" "Hi, Rita. Are you here alone? Where''s Charles?" I did not want to exchange pleasantries with her, but I had no choice. I did not want to be rude to her in public. "Oh, Charles wanted to apany me, but I refused. He has too much work to do. I didn''t want to bother him and tire him out," Rita chirped like she was the happiest woman alive. I gritted my teeth and forced a smile. Thest time I overheard the two of them talk on the phone, she was practically begging Charles toe over to keep herpany. Now she was telling me the opposite under the guise of concern. Clearly, this woman was just trying to make me think that Charles cared about her more than he cared about me. I could tell her that I could see through her bold -faced lies, but I found it pointless to embarrass her. Charles had no idea that Rita was manipting him, and if I told him, he would just use me of being jealous. So I found it better to just keep my silence. Truth be told, I thought that the only reason that Charles believed Rita when she was acting all weak and fragile was that he had feelings for her. On the other hand, I, who did not care about her at all, thought that when she was acting like a damsel in distress, she was just trying to get attention, which I found disgusting. Right after Rita finished her sentence, a waiter approached us and took our orders. I went ahead and said, "A medium well filet mignon and a ss of orange juice, please. Thank you." "I''ll have the same," Rita ordered after I did. "All right. Coming right up." Then, the waiter took our menus and walked away. Not wanting to initiate small talk with Rita, I fixed my gaze outside and watched the city''s bustling lunchtime scenery. However, Rita did not seem to know how to read a person''s bodynguage. "Charles is so considerate. I just wanted to leave the hospital for a bit and go outside to get some fresh air, but he refused to let me go without his bodyguards to protect me. He also always tells me to call him as soon as I feel ufortable or whenever I need him." "That''s nice." She was starting to upset me, but I decided to keep my cool. I thought about what she said. The hospital was far away from here, and she could have picked a restaurant that was nearby. Instead, she decided to hop across town to eat at a restaurant near my workce. This woman might have painted herself a weakling, but she was a scheming one, and that was the worst kind. "Scarlett, can you divorce Charles as soon as possible? My health is getting worse and worse, and I''m afraid I won''t be able to see the day that Charles and I get married. He''s the man of my dreams, and it''s my dying wish to marry him. You''re a kind and considerate person, aren''t you? Please don''t let me leave this earth with regret." Rita reached out for my hand and squeezed it. She shed me a beseeching expression that made my stomach flip. At that moment, I thought that for an actress, she had terriblyughable acting skills. "Grandpa keeps our marriage certificate. After I get it, I will officially divorce Charles." I gently withdrew my hand from her grip, careful not to make sudden movements. I did not want us to attract the wrong kind of attention. "You didn''t have toe all the way here to persuade me, Rita. Charles and I have talked about it. He''ll be all yours soon." After that, I spent my entire lunchtime pushing my food around my te. Rita''s little guilt trip spoiled my appetite and my mood. Charles''s POV: Scarlett had been pushing me to get on with the divorcetely, and it upset me. So I decided to spend some time with Spencer and David after work to cool off. They invited me for dinner tonight at a nearby restaurant, and I agreed without hesitation. As soon as we sat down, my eyes darted to the TV on the wall. It was showing the program hosted by Scarlett. "Charles, isn''t that Scarlett?" David pointed at the TV, looking excited. I had known Scarlett to prefer dressing casually andfortably. This was one of the rare times that I had seen her in a formal outfit. She looked even more stunning, and it was impossible for anyone to keep their eyes off of her. "Beautiful girls like Scarlett are popr among men. You don''tknowhow lucky you are, Charles." David picked up his ss and swirled the wine inside. He stared at Scarlett on the TV and sighed. "Come on, David. Charles only has Rita in his heart. Even though Scarlett is as beautiful as a fairy, he won''t really care." Spencer put his hand on David''s shoulder and spoke in a voice dripping with sarcasm. He nced at me from time to time as if he was looking at a fool. They were always like this whenever Scarlett became the topic of our conversation. I was starting to get sick of it. But at the same time, when they stared at Scarlett with so much admiration and adoration, I could not help feeling betrayed, like they were coveting something that I owned. Also,tely, whenever someone mentioned Scarlett''s name, my mind went in shambles. It was a bit frustrating. "But seriously, Charles, don''t you have feelings for Scarlett?" David really could not read social cues at all. How did my silence tell him that I wanted to talk about Scarlett? "Oh, give it up, David. When a rich old man snags Scarlett, I''m sure Charles will be happy to tell you then how he really feels about her." Spencer stopped David from prodding. When I heard thatst remark about Scarlett being wooed by a rich old man, I could not keep my mouth shut any longer. "What did you just say?" "I said that Scarlett is a knockout and that there must be a lot of men out there who''d love to keep her. Does that bother you? Bro, you''re divorcing her soon. Whether she gets a new boyfriend or bes some rich old dude''s mistress, it''ll have nothing to do with you." "We grew up together. Even if we don''t end up together, we''re still family." I quickly realized that I overreacted, so I exined. I thought I had made a convincing excuse, but Spencer overturned it the next second. "Family? When she was abroad studying in thest three years, you didn''t even call her once. Is that how you treat your family?" I was silenced by his words. He was right. In the three years that Scarlett was abroad, I never bothered to pick up the phone to call her or fly over there to see her. I only saw her again when she came home after her graduation. After that, the three of us fell silent. Spencer started ying on his phone. David was afraid that seeing Scarlett on TV would stress me out even more, so he found the remote control and put on a different channel. But Spencer''sment about Scarlett possibly bing some old rich guy''s mistress lingered in my mind and took root in my heart. I downed one drink after another to drown my dejection. "Hey!" After a long time, Spencer waved his phone in front of me, indicating me to look at his chat history. I was not interested in it at all. I was about to look away, but I caught a glimpse of Scarlett''s Facebook profile picture out of the corner of my eye. I took Spencer''s phone and was about to click on her updates. But when I thought of her fanatic French pursuer, I hesitated. Girls liked to post pictures of themselves with their boyfriends. Scarlett would not be an exception, would she? "What? Don''t you want to see it? If you have no interest in it, give my phone back." Seeing that I was hesitating, Spencer reached out his hand to grab his phone. I leaned back on my seat to avoid his hand and then directly clicked on Scarlett''s updates. I checked the photos in her posts one by one, but I did not find any of the so-called French admirer. I only saw some photos of her daily life. "When did you two start chatting with each other?" I breathed a sigh of relief and gave the phone back to Spencer. Only then did I realize that they had been contacting each other privately. "It''s none of your business, isn''t it? Besides, you''re not the only one who grew up with Scarlett. She''s also my friend, and we''re allowed to talk to each other." "You better not let me find out that you''re making a move on her, or I won''t let you go." I warned Spencer because he was a yboy who liked to mess with women. I was afraid that he would pursue Scarlett and then hurt her like he did with all his past girlfriends. "Wow! Wow! I''m so scared!" Spencer said mockingly and continued, "Seriously, man, what the hell is wrong with you? You served your wife divorce papers, yet you still keep her on a tight rein. You obviously don''t want to let her go. I think you''re in love with her, dude. You either don''t know it yet or you already do but don''t want to admit it. As for Rita, you''re just with her because you feel sorry for her." "How is that possible?" I asked sardonically. But as the words left my lips, I realized that Spencer might be on to something. Was he right about me? At this point, I did not even know. Chapter 10 Have Dinner Together Chapter 10 Have Dinner Together Scarlett''s POV: After a day''s work, I walked home in the afterglow of the setting sun. I was both physically and mentally exhausted. All I wanted right now was to go home, take a warm shower, and sleep. While I was on my way home, a Bentley pulled over next to me. A middle-aged man with a big belly then got out and approached me. "Hello, Miss Riley," he greeted with a friendly smile. "Hello. Uh... who are you?" I racked my brains to try and figure out who he was. "It doesn''t matter who I am. What matters is that you, Miss Riley, are free now. Our boss is inviting you to dinner," the man exined. I took a look at the ck Bentley in bewilderment. The car window was rolled down. Inside the car, a handsome man about 30 years old was looking at me with a gentle smile. He seemed to be a powerful man and had a strong background. I could not help but wonder why he had suddenly came to a small potato like me. He must have reasons for doing this. "Hello," I greeted back. Just as I was about to decline him, I heard a familiar voicee from behind me. "Hello, Mr. Walker." I turned around and saw Rita and Charles standing a few feet away from me. She was wearing a yellow V-neck dress and was holding Charles''s right arm. In all honesty, she looked like ady whoN?velDrama.Org owns all content. was happily in love. Meanwhile, Charles was wearing a ck suit, which exuded nobility and elegance. He had an imposing manner as usual, and his frigid expression seemed as though it was telling everyone to stay away from him. As I gazed at him, I found that he was also looking at me. When I saw him, I did not feel anything, even longing or regret. Perhaps it was because I had already given up on him. Mr. Walker looked at Rita and Charles. "What a coincidence, Miss Lively. I didn''t expect to see you here." Judging from his words, he and Rita knew each other very well. "Mr. Walker, this is Charles, my fiance. Actually, we were just about to invite Scarlett to dinner. Is that okay with you?" Although the man seemed reluctant, he answered, "Of course." With that, he beckoned the driver to get in the car and drive off. I watched in awe as the ck Bentley sped away. All I could think about was how unlucky I was to get entangled by these people on my first day of work. I just wanted to work hard. Why was it so hard? All of a sudden, Rita let go of Charles''s hand and then held mine. "Hey, Scarlett! Today is your first day to work, isn''t it? Well, Charles and I wanted to celebrate such a wonderful asion. Shall we go now?" "No, thanks. I want to go home now. You and Charles can go instead." I declined politely while getting rid of her hand. I did not want to see them disy their affection. To me, it was offensive to the eye. "Scarlett, people ought to eat something. You''re going to eatter anyway. Why not join us now?" Rita was still unwilling to give up. "No, 100" Abner Todd, the department leader in the TV station, walked up to me just as I was about to refuse Rita''s invitation yet again. "Hey, Scarlett. No wonder I didn''t see you in thepany. You must''ve left in a hurry." "I wanted to go home early, so I left as soon as I could," I exined with a smile. I did not want to show my true emotions so openly in front of other people, especially them. "I see." Abner looked at Charles and Rita and added, "Are these your friends?" "This is Rita Lively, and this is her fiance, Charles Moore. This is Mr. Abner Todd, a colleague of mine at the TV station." I introduced them to each other. As soon as I finished speaking, Rita stepped forward and shook hands with Abner. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Todd. By the way, did our Scarlett do well in thepany? I hope she didn''t cause you any trouble." "Actually, Scarlett is an excellent host. Everyone in the department likes her. As soon as she came to thepany, she undertook a difficult task on her own. She has been really helpful. How could she cause us any trouble?" "That''s good to hear. I was worried that she hasn''t settled in thepany yet. Mr. Todd, she''s new in this industry and please do forgive her if she makes a mistake in the future." Rita was pretending to be worried that I would cause trouble to thepany on my first day. How pretentious. People who did not know us would think we had a good rtionship. "Scarlett, I envy you for having such a caring friend," Abner said to me with a smile. All of a sudden, his face lit up as though he had just recalled something. "By the way, since today is your first day to work, as the leader of our department, I''d like to invite you for a congrattory dinner tonight. Would you like toe?" "I appreciate your kindness, but I don''t want to take up your time with your family," I declined politely. "There''s nothing to worry about. Besides, I''m single, and I don''t really have any family topany at the moment." The atmosphere became ambiguous the instant Abner dered that he was single. A single man had asked a woman out for dinner. What an excellent topic for an after-dinner conversation. For sure, rumors that I hooked up with my boss as soon as I came to the TV station would spread like wildfire. Well, I did not want to get into any trouble, so I would have to turn him down. Unfortunately, I could note up with a good excuse to decline his invitation. "Scarlett, are you going to eat with us or with him?" Charles unexpectedly asked. His tone was domineering, and he sounded as though he was forcing me to quickly make up my mind. At that moment, I lowered my eyes and thought hard of how I would decline both sides. "If that''s the case, why don''t we just eat together? We all want to celebrate Scarlett''s first day at work, anyway," Rita suggested with a sly look in her eyes. Was this woman ying tricks again? Well, it did not matter. Whether she was ying tricks or not, I could not say no anymore. If I offended the leader of the TV station, I would have a difficult time working there in the future. So, in the end, the four of us went to dinner together. We went to a high-end restaurant. Rita and Charles sat next to each other while Abner and I sat opposite them. The sunset outside the French window dyed the surrounding scenery red. It was breathtaking. Not long after we sat down, Rita took out her phone and showed a picture to me. "Scarlett, what do you think of this wedding dress?" she asked, all puffed up. I nced at the photo and casually replied, "Not bad." "Not bad? It''s too expensive, isn''t it? Honestly, I don''t think it''s worth spending one hundred thousand dors on a wedding dress that I can only wear once in my life," Rita said hesitantly. I looked at Charles and reassured her, "As long as you like it, Charles will buy it for you." As soon as I said that, he looked at me, not a hint of emotion on his face. Rita wrapped her arms around his neck like a snake and kissed him on the cheek. "Charles, really? Can I buy this wedding dress?" she asked with puppy eyes. Charles nodded at her with a smile. At that moment, Rita smiled at me triumphantly in secret. My wedding with Charles was small and private. On the other hand, Rita''s wedding dress alone cost a hundred thousand dors. Of course, she feltpelled to show off in front of me. No wonder she was adamant in inviting me to dinner. She wanted to rub that into my face. The dishes were served a few minutester. Abner and I focused on our food and just ignored Rita, who was touchy-feely the entire time. Just as I picked up my knife and fork, Abner turned to me and asked, "Scarlett, what do you think of your new job?" I nodded with a smile. "It''s good." "If you ever feel at a loss, don''t be shy to ask me for help. I''ll help you anytime; otherwise, others will say that I don''t care about my subordinates." "I won''t stand on ceremony then," I reassured. Abner Todd was a great leader. Unlike other bosses, he was not out of touch with his subordinates and was willing to lend a hand. Because of this, I immediately got along with him. We had a great chat about work during the meal. Except for Charles''s murderous eyes, it was an otherwise perfect meal. The dinner came to an end after a long while. Just as Abner was about to offer me a ride home, Charles stood up and coldly said to me, "Scarlett, I''d like to talk to you outside." I saw from the corner of my eye that Rita held her phone tighter and was staring daggers at me. She must be going crazy. I could not me her, though. Charles wanted to talk to me in private. I guessed she had been suspecting for a long time that we had something to hide from her. If Charles did not want to include Rita in the conversation, she would keep suspecting us, and their rtionship might end up in peril. I did not want to go at first. However, I realized that it would make Rita unhappy if I agreed to Charles''s request. "Scarlett..." Abner called worriedly as he just saw Charles go out with a grim expression on his face. I smiled reassuringly at him. "Don''t worry. I''ll be back soon." Charles was standing under a maple tree outside the restaurant. The afterglow of the setting sun fell on him through the leaves, which made him seem more mysterious. I doubted that anyone could read his thoughts right now. His handsome face could captivate any woman. No wonder I fell in love with him back then. Sadly, he just broke my heart without remorse. I stopped a few feet away from him and asked, "What''s the matter?" "Quit your job." Charles turned around and looked at me with an intense gaze. The look on his face told me that he would not take no for an answer. Chapter 11 The Alimony Chapter 11 The Alimony Scarlett''s POV: "What?!" I looked at Charles, appalled. "I don''t like your job," he replied curtly without even giving me an exnation. He put his hands in his pockets and looked at me as though he were a king looking at his people. "No!" I refused straightforwardly. "How dare you oppose me?" Charles narrowed his eyes and red at me. He then slowly approached me, which sent chills down to my back. I was frightened by the aura he was giving off that I took a few steps back. Unfortunately for me, there happened to be a tree behind me. So when my back hit the tree trunk, there was nothing I could do but watch him walk closer to me. To my surprise, Charles raised his hand and leaned against the tree trunk, cornering me. The atmosphere between us suddenly became ambiguous. Was this what people called ''Kabe-don?'' "Charles, we''ll be divorced soon. You have no right to impose yourself on me." I could not help but clench my hands into fists, and anger rose in my heart. Back then, I loved him wholeheartedly, but his mind was upied with another woman. Now, when I had agreed to do what they wanted, he started hitting on me. How ironic. What was this for? Charles must have noticed that I would not budge, so he sighed and offered, "If you want to work, I can arrange another job for you." "No! I only like this job, this TV station," I refused with a determined look on my face. "I''ll buy it then and make you the boss." "Charles, there''s no need for you to do this. We''ll be divorced soon." I was bbergasted by his words. "You really won''t do as I say?" "I will not, and there''s nothing you can do to convince me otherwise." I turned around to leave. Just as Charles opened his mouth to speak, Rita''s voice suddenly came from a distance. "Charles, are you two done talking? Mr. Todd has been waiting for a while now. It seems that he has to talk to Scarlett about work." I was so absorbed in arguing with Charles that I jumped out when I heard Rita''s voice all of a sudden. Startled, I unconsciously threw myself into Charles''s arms. It was summer now, so I was wearing thin clothes. At this moment, I could feel Charles''s warmth through my thin clothes. His warm body and cold breath surrounded me. It was electrifying, which made me want to get away from him even more. "Charles, let''s go. Scarlett and Mr. Todd have to discuss work. We shouldn''t disturb them." At that moment, Rita''s face changed the instant she saw I was leaning in Charles''s arms. She walked over at an amazing speed and skillfully separated us. "Yes, we''re done." Charles narrowed his eyes and returned to his usual cold demeanor as if nothing had just happened. Abner also came out. "Scarlett, have you two finished talking?" I lowered my gaze and nodded. "Yes." "Let me drive you home." For some reason, Abner looked at Charles inquisitively when he spoke. As I sat in Abner''s car on the way home, I took my phone out and texted Charles. ''Let''s not be alone next time. Rita might misunderstand us.'' I stared at the screen for a few minutes and waited for his reply. However, it never came. I had no idea if he had seen the message or he just refused to text me back. With a sigh, I put my phone back into my bag and forced myself to stop thinking about this matter. While I was in deep thought, Abner looked at me and asked, "Is there a problem in your rtionship?" "No. It''s just that I''m a little troubled about something recently, but I''m good now." Abner did not delve into the topic anymore. We arrived at my residence a few momentster. Like a gentleman, he bade farewell to me and told me to have a good rest. He was so caring to me than Charles ever did. Once Abner was gone, I turned around and walked into the vi. I then sat on the sofa in the living room and prepared for tomorrow''s work. All of a sudden, my phone rang. It was Charles. What had happened at the restaurant crossed my mind. At the thought of this, I decided not to answer the call and just threw my phone aside, ignoring the relentless ringtone. The phone only stopped ringing after five minutes. But then, a knock sounded at the door. Just as I opened it, Charles squeezed in through the gap with a glum expression. Like a husband who had been away from home, he looked around the house and checked if there was another man here. Once he made sure there was not, he breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Why didn''t you answer your phone?" "I didn''t hear it ring. I was busy preparing for tomorrow''s work," I lied. I then closed the door and followed him to the living room, where he sat on the sofa. Charles nced at the neatly folded drafts on the sofa. His face softened a little when he saw that my excuse seemed true. He crossed his long legs and looked at me like a boss looking at his subordinates. Without a word, he took out a document from his leather bag and handed it to me. "I asked mywyer to make changes to the agreement and add a use regarding the alimony." "Didn''t you give me this house already?" I asked, perplexed. I was not interested in what he had to say. I had known from the very beginning that my marriage with him was only a deal. And now, we had already taken what we needed. An amicable parting was what everyone wanted for us. But now, it seemed that he was giving mepensation for something he had owed me. I must say, it waspletely unnecessary. "You don''t have to do this. I can support myself." I turned around and sat on the armchair not far from him, nning to continue reading the draft. "I''m doing this, so you won''t be so hard up after our divorce. Technically, you''ve been my wife, even just in name. It will disgrace me if you have to tter your boss to earn a living." "In short, you wanted to keep me as your mistress to save face. Shame on you!" I scoffed in disdain. Was I, Scarlett Riley, ipetent in his eyes? Did he think that I needed to rely on men to survive? "We may be divorcing soon, but you''re still young. Don''t take the wrong path, or you''ll regret it for the rest of your life," Charles advised, even though I never asked for it. I could not help but clutch the draft in my hand tightly in anger until my knuckles turned white. "Charles Moore, have you forgotten that I''m an adult? Stop treating me like a child who knows nothing!" "I know you''re an adult, but you''re inexperienced. You don''t know^0" "You''re wrong. I know everything now. Can''t you see? I''m no longer the Scarlett I used to be!" I interjected. Charles stared at me coldly for rudely interrupting him. "Charles, you should go to the hospital and apany Rita instead of worrying about my future in the middle of the night. Aren''t you afraid that what you''re doing will drive her mad? After all, no woman can ept that her fiance still has an ambiguous rtionship with his ex-wife." We would be strangers to each other after the divorce. Why did Charles still want to meddle with my life? "Oh,e on. I''m discussing an important matter that concerns both of us," Charles reasoned out with a helpless look on his face as though he were coaxing a child. "What? I can''t mention Rita? You two are going to get married soon. When people see you in the future, even when you''re alone, they''ll ask about your celebrity wife. You should get used to it by now. It''s inevitable." Charles massaged his forehead with his thumb and index finger. He looked as though he was trying his best to hold back his anger. I started pushing him to the door. But then, he suddenly broke away from me and let out an enraged roar. "Can you stop mentioning her?!" "If you don''t want me to mention her, then leave. The door is over there." I showed him the way out, my eyes red in anger.N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Chapter 12 Sleeping In The Same Bed Chapter 12 Sleeping In The Same Bed Scarlett''s POV: "Calm down, Scarlett." Charles still tried to persuade me. I walked to the door, opened it, and shed him an angry, frustrated look. "Okay, I''lle back tomorrow." He sighed and walked toward the door. The next moment, thunder pped outside, apanied by a sh of lightning, and a violent flurry of rain started pattering against the windows. The rainstorm came so suddenly that it caught us both off guard. Charles stopped and looked out in the rain. I was not sure if I had just imagined it, but I saw a faint smile on his face. When I looked closely to confirm, it was gone. "I''ll leave after the rain stops. Is that okay?" Charles looked at me and asked. "Whatever." I was finally able to calm down after being so furious. Charles went to the bedroom while I headed to the living room and settled on the sofa to continue reading my script and recite my lines for work. I was still a little riled up, but I tried my best to control my emotions and concentrate. However, the rain outside was not helping. Lightning shed and thunder rumbled like clockwork. The noise made me unable to focus. I did not have that many lines, but because of theck of peace and quiet, it was not until ten o''clock in the evening that I managed to recite them perfectly. After finishing with my lines, I went to the bathroom to take a shower. I wanted to have a good night''s sleep so that I would be rested and energetic for tomorrow''s work. After getting ready for bed, I went into the bedroom and found Charles curled up on the sofa. He was already fast asleep. He was covered with a thin blue nket. Because of his height, he barely fit in the sofa. His legs were halfway bent toward his chest. He must feel ufortable sleeping in such a position. But it had nothing to do with me. I should not care about him anymore. I crawled under the covers andid down. I let my mind wander, and eventually, my eyelids started to grow heavy. But before sleep could get to me, I felt someone approach the bed. Then, I heard the mattress groan. Someone had just climbed into bed beside me. I opened my eyes and turned to the person lying next to me. "What are you doing?" I pulled the nket up to my chest and red at Charles. "Don''t worry. I won''t touch you even if you take off all your clothes." Charles sneered and then exined, "The sofa is too cold. I''m going to catch a cold if I sleep on it." The night was indeed colder than usual because of the rainstorm, and the thin nket that he was using was no help at all. When he said that he would not touch me, I believed him. Charles was in love with Rita. He always had been. He would definitely have no desire for another woman, especially the one his family forced him to marry. Thinking of this, I felt relieved, so I scooted aside to give him some space. But Charles was not satisfied with that. As soon as heid down next to me, he grabbed the nket that was tightly wrapped around my body. I was okay with us sharing a bed but not a nket. I red at him and pulled the nket back. "This is my nket. Can''t you go find another one that you can use?" "I don''t have another thick nket. Do you really think that I want to share a nket with you? I just don''t have a choice." "Then just use the thin one." "Why are you picking a fight with me right now? It''s just a nket. Why are you acting like you feel so vited?" Charles sat up and put the whole nket on him. "You..." I was so angry with him that I gritted my teeth and tried to grab the nket back, but he was too strong for me. I was no match for him at all. I had no other choice but to give up. I sat up and was about to slide out of bed to sleep in another room. Unexpectedly, Charles pressed his arm over me and forced me to lie down. And then he ordered, "Sleep." I reminded him through clenched teeth, "Charles, we''re going to divorce soon. Don''t you think it''s a little inappropriate for us to sleep in the same bed?" Charles only kept pressing his arm down on me as if he had not heard anything I said. Then, he covered us both with the thick nket. I turned my head to face him and shot daggers toward him with my eyes. He justid there with his eyes closed as if nothing in the world bothered him. Then, he suddenly opened his eyes and shed me a triumphant smile. I was so pissed off that I considered pping him in the forehead. A few momentster, a harsh sound broke the silence. Charles''s phone rang. It must be Rita. She was the only person who would call Charles in the middle of the night. For sure she would tell Charles right now that she was in pain, and Charles would rush to the hospital to apany her despite the raging storm. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. It had been going on like that for a while, and I had memorized the routine. As I expected, Charles jumped out of bed and went to answer his phone. I was not able to overhear their conversation. He hung up the phone quickly, put on his coat, and left without looking back. It all happened as if I was not in the room at all. After Charles left, my world became quiet once again. The storm outside had stopped, and Iid there with my eyes closed until sleep finally found me and whisked me away. The next day, I got up early and got ready for work. When I was about to leave, I received Alice''s call. "Hello, Scarlett. How are you doing?" "Hey, Mom. I''m fine. I''m on my way to work now." "Can you and Charlese over tonight after work? Your grandfather is back. He wants the whole family to have dinner together." "Grandpa''s back?" "Yes. Can youe to dinner?" "Of course." I was so excited by Grandpa''s return. With him home, the divorce could be put on the agenda. Thinking that I could finally force Charles to get on with the divorce, I was in a good mood the whole day, and my work went smoothly. Abner praised me for being professional. He said that at the TV station, I was the host with the most potential. After I got off work and ran into him, he even teased, "You''re so capable, Scarlett. I''m afraid I''ll lose my position to you soon." "Oh, please. I''m thest person you''ll lose your job to." Abner and I walked out of the office, talking andughing. "Scarlett Riley!" A cold voice called my name. I turned around and saw Charles standing at the gate with a livid face. I immediately swept my eyes around for any signs of Rita, but she was not with him. He obviously came here for me. The only reason that Charles woulde here to pick me up was probably that Alice and Christine told him to. He was unhappy because his family had once again forced him to be a husband to me and leave his beloved Rita behind. I could understand why he was in such a foul mood. "I''ll leave you to your friend then, Scarlett. See you tomorrow." Abner quickly said goodbye to me the moment heid eyes on Charles. "Okay. See you tomorrow." I waved at him with a smile. Before I could put down my hand, Charles had already grabbed my arm and dragged me toward his car. "What are you doing? Charles!" And just like that, my happy, carefree day got spoiled. Charles was getting more and more overbearing, and I was pretty sure that he had no right to be. It was not like we were a real married couple. "Get in the car!" With a long face, Charles yanked the car door open. I turned around and rolled my eyes at him. He pushed me into the car and mmed the door shut. Then, he marched around the hood and got into the driver''s seat. I chose to keep silent. Whatever was making himsh out at me was none of my business. Also, it was pointless arguing with him. I was just happy that I would not have to endure him much longer. Grandpa was back. After I got our marriage certificate from him and filed our divorce, I would finally be free. I would not take Charles''s mind games anymore. Chapter 13 Get The Marriage Certificate Chapter 13 Get The Marriage Certificate Scarlett''s POV: The atmosphere in the car was depressing, and the expression on Charles''s face was so horribly icy. I avoided his gaze the entire time and just looked out the window. The surroundings outside blurred past us, showing me how fast he was driving. Without really thinking about it, I grabbed on to the handrail on my door. Suddenly, the car came to a screeching halt on the side of the road. The force threw me so strongly forward that I felt the seat belt bruise my shoulder. I screamed and turned to re at Charles. "What''s wrong with you? I didn''t ask you to pick me up. You should''ve just stayed with Rita if you wanted to. Why couldn''t you leave me out of it?" I said crossly. "We''re still married, Scarlett. Why are you already flirting with another man?" Charles muttered in a harsh, usatory tone. "What?" It took me some time to understand what he was talking about, but after a few moments, I finally got what he meant. I looked him dead in the eye and backfired, "I wasn''t flirting. I was talking to a colleague. Honestly, I''ve had enough of your overreactions. We''re as good as broken up. We''re getting a divorce." "You know we haven''t gone through the formalities yet," Charles emphasized. "What''s the difference? Besides, you''re not in love with me. You''re in love with Rita. It''s pointless for you to try and fence me in." "It has nothing to do with love. No man wants his wife to talk andugh with other men." "Then that''s your problem. I have the right to socialize as I please." After saying that, I kept my eyes fixed out the window and ignored Charles''s murderous stares. None of us spoke for a while until Charles just gave up and gunned the engine again. This time, he drove even faster. "If you want your Rita to die without anyone taking care of her, then be my guest and drive your car like you stole it," I reminded him sarcastically as I tightened my seat belt. Charles shed me a death re, his eyes narrowing into slits. After a few heartbeats, he eased off the gas and slowed the car down. If I had known that mentioning Rita''s name would stop him from acting like a lunatic, I would have uttered it sooner. It seemed that Rita was really the only woman who easily affected him. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. When we arrived at the mansion, the butler was at the door to greet us and immediately caught Charles''s sour mood. He couldn''t help but whisper to me, "Miss Scarlett, is Mr. Charles okay? What''s wrong with him?" "He''ll be fine. Let''s just leave him alone." I smiled at the butler. The butler simply nodded in understanding and turned to close the front door. When we entered the living room, the elders cheerfully weed us. I greeted them with a smile. "You''re finally here. Wee. Let''s start dinner. You must be hungry after a whole day''s work." Michael Moore, Charles''s grandfather, shed me a kind smile like he always did and ushered us to the dining room. Michael took the seat at the head of the table. Charles and I sat down to his right while Alice, Lawrence, and Christine took the seats to his left. Soon, dinner was served, and we started eating. Like every patriarch in a prominent family, Michael was the most venerable man among the Moores. Everybody equally feared and respected him, but he had always been gentle to me, and he honored me as much as I honored him. Thinking about how Charles''s family had treated me so well over the years, I suddenly got cold feet about bringing up the divorce. But when I thought about Rita and Charles going shopping for wedding dresses together while Charles was still married to me, I managed to summon enough courage to open my mouth. "I''m sorry to ask this of you, Grandpa, but I would like to have Charles and I''s marriage certificate, please. We''ve decided to get a divorce." Everyone stopped and turned to look at me. "We can talk about that another day, dear. Let''s just enjoy our family dinner tonight. We haven''t been able to sit and have a meal together in a long time," Michael replied gently but firmly. I could tell from his expression that he wanted to avoid the subject. More than Alice and Christine combined, Michael did not want me and Charles to get divorced. "Grandpa, I appreciate everything that you and this family have done for me, and I''m not trying to be ungrateful or anything. I just want to make this decision on my own." I looked at him with as much resolve as I could muster. "Scarlett, are you in love with somebody else? You can tell us, honey." Seeing that I was determined to get a divorce, Christine looked at me and asked the important question. "Where is thising from, you two? If there''s anything wrong, you can discuss it with us. Let us help you make your marriage work. Don''t act on impulse," Alice added before I could answer. "I know that our Charles hasn''t been a great husband to you, but marriage is a big deal. You can''t just drop it like a hot potato." "Mom, Grandma, I''m not in love with anybody right now. If I were, I would''ve already brought him home and introduced him to you. Charles and I have reached a consensus. We will break up amicably." The Moore family had been taking care of me since they took me in. They protected me like their own flesh and blood. I understood that they only wanted to make me stay, but the more they did, the more I did not want to hurt them. They raised me and gave me a home I could call my own. Before them, I was an orphan and alone in the world. I owed them my life, and I had always believed that the only way for me to repay them was to give them my lifepletely and unconditionally. Truth be told, I did not want to let go of Charles, but I did not want to stand in the way of his happiness either. If Rita was the love of his life, then I would dly leave the picture and let them be happy. "Look what you''ve done, Charles! You''ve hurt your wife so much that she wants to leave you!" Seeing that I insisted on the divorce, Lawrence growled at his son. Charles only averted his gaze. He just sat there and did not say anything. "This is our fault. We shouldn''t have forced you two to get married in the first ce," Christine muttered. "No, Mom. This is my fault. I should''ve taught my son better about treating his wife well," Alice chimed in,forting Christine and giving Charles a stern look. The next moment, Charles''s phone rang, making all the heads turn toward him. An eerie silence followed. Everyone just waited for Charles to pick up his phone. Rita really had a knack for calling in the most inconvenient of times. Michael''s serene expression turned into one of indignation. He narrowed his eyes at Charles and commanded, "Let''s eat. Thatphone call can wait." "Rita is not in good health. I should be with her, or she will be scared and worried sick," Charles calmly dered as if he was not at all afraid of his grandfather''s possible reaction. Then, he picked up his phone and walked out. "If you leave right now, young man, don''t bothering back. That woman may be ill, but she''s not in immediate danger. All she''s doing is keeping you away from your wife and your family. She''s turning you into a puppy dog that she can summon whenever she needsfort. Have you no dignity?" Michael said all of that in one single furious breath. "Leave him be, Michael. Charles doesn''t know how to cherish the right person, and he will sorely regret it soon enough. No need to stress yourself out because of him." Christine gently patted her husband on the shoulder and calmed him down. I just sat there and kept quiet until I heard Charles''s car speed away. After a while, Michael spoke again. "Christine, will you please go upstairs and get Charles and Scarlett''s marriage certificate?" "What? I thought you wanted to talk about this another day," Christine said in shock. "Scarlett is a good girl. We''ve already stolen three years of her life by marrying her to our stupid grandson. She deserves to be happy and free, and even if she doesn''t end up with Charles, she''ll always be a part of our family." "Very well." Christine shed me a reluctant look, and then a weak smile curled her lips. She slowly rose from her seat and went upstairs to get our marriage certificate. Ten minutester, I left the mansion with the piece of paper I hade for. I should be ted, but I was not. Our elders had been worried about us, and I knew that they never wanted our marriage to crumble like this. But the inevitability of it all sent all of our worlds into a standstill tonight, and now we had to wait for time to take the edge off our sadness and grief. As soon as I was left alone with my thoughts again, I wondered if I had made the right decision agreeing to divorce my nominal husband. Chapter 14 A Sleepless Night Chapter 14 A Sleepless Night Charles''s POV: I called it. Whenever I set foot in our family''s mansion, I got unresolved issues thrown at my face and then I ended up leaving in the worst of moods. There had been no single instance where I had left with a smile. I sat on the edge of Rita''s bed and recalled what happened just now. I felt so upset that I considered smashing something. A few momentster, my phone beeped. It was a message from Scarlett. "I''ve got our marriage certificate." I had to read the message thrice to make sure that I was not imagining it. It was the most offensive text message I had ever received to date. I clicked on the photo that followed the message. It was taken on the day of Scarlett and I''s wedding. In the photo, we were standing very close to each other. While Scarlett had on one of those cute, squinty smiles that she put on whenever she was delighted about something, I was frowning like a boy who had been dragged into some activity that he did not want to do. She must be very happy that day when she married me. I gently ran my thumb over her face in the photo and found myself falling in a vortex of mixed feelings. How could a cheerful little daisy like Scarlett suddenly turn into a thorny rose? I was not prepared to see her so determined to get out of my life. "Did you quarrel with your family again?" Sensing the negative energy with which I must be bombarding her, Rita opened her eyes and spoke in a weak voice. "Yes," I replied. "I''m sorry. It''s all my fault. I''m the reason you''re always fighting with your family. If it weren''t for me, you''d be at peace with them. I''m a burden to you." Rita covered her face with her hands and started sobbing. "No. Of course it''s not your fault. Don''t think too much. It''s just that Scarlett asked Grandpa for our marriage certificate earlier." I put away my phone and held her hand in mine. "Did she get it then?" Her eyes instantly lit up. "Yes," I answered. But the happy and excited look on Rita''s face did not make me feel good at all. It only reminded me of the unshakable resolve in Scarlett''s eyes when she asked my grandfather for our marriage certificate. At that moment, I realized how she would do anything to break away from me. I had two women in my life. One of them yearned to divorce me while the other was desperate to marry me. But what about me? What did I want? I suddenly came to the horrible realization that I had no idea what I wanted. Everyone else seemed to be sure of their choices while I mindlessly drifted in a sea of mine. But I understood that I was at that point where whatever choice I made would not serve my own agenda. I promised Rita that I would marry her after I divorced Scarlett. It was the least I could do for her, to fulfill her dying wish and put a perfect ending to her short life. However, it was not a choice that put me in high spirits. After Rita fell asleep, I left the hospital and went for a ride. I drove my white Maybach like a drunk, heartbroken teenager who felt lost and confused. I cruised around aimlessly for a while. Then, I found myself pulling up in front of the vi where Scarlett lived. I rolled down my window and stared at the light in her bedroom. What was she doing at this time? She must already be asleep with a satisfied smile on her face because she finally got our marriage certificate. Otherwise, she would not have sent me a message that soon. She was overjoyed because it was only a matter of time before she could finally divorce me. The idea annoyed me so much that I lit up a cigarette and took a deep drag. It was the only way left to help me calm down. Scarlett''s POV: I don''t have to work that morning, so instead of rushing to thepany, I decided I would go to the nearby breakfast ce from the vi and grab a bite to eat. I was extra cheery because I had finally gotten our marriage certificate. A little more time and this would all be over. But before I could go far, a familiar white Maybach caught my attention. "What are you doing here?" I walked over to check on Charles and noticed the pile of cigarette butts scattered beside the car. Judging from the number of cigarette butts, I had guessed that he had been sitting there all night. I looked at him with wide eyes. He was still wearing the clothes he wore yesterday, and the stubble on his face and his bloodshot eyes told me that he had not gotten any sleep. "I just got here. Those cigarette butts aren''t mine," he exined nonchntly. "Okay." All I could think about at that moment was that my soon-to-be ex-husband was so excited to divorce me that he camped out in his car all night just to drag me to thewyer''s office at first light. "Do you mind if I go get some breakfast first before we go to thewyer''s office?" I pointed to the breakfast ce not far away. I thought he could at least let me eat before formally wrecking our marriage. "Get in the car," Charles looked up at me and said firmly. I hesitated for a while. He did not really answer my question, so I had no idea if we were getting breakfast or heading to thewyer''s office. Finally, I gave up and just got in the car. As we passed by the breakfast ce, I caught a whiff of the delicious food they served there. I looked out the window and saw the owner handing a cup of coffee to a customer. Charles did not stop, so I guessed there was no breakfast for me. "You always buy breakfast at that ce?" Charles suddenly asked. "Yes." "Why don''t you just make it yourself?" "I don''t know how." I was an orphan and then an adopted daughter of the Moore family. I grew up in a sheltered household where everything was done for me. Life skills were not a priority to learn. Charles did not say anything more after that and just focused on driving. But he did not take me to thewyer''s office to file our divorce. Instead, he took me to his apartment. "I thought we''re going to file our divorce right now. Why are we at your ce?" I swept my eyes over the luxury apartment district where Charles lived. It was so fancy that ordinary people could not afford even the bathrooms here. "Let me make you some breakfast first," Charles answered perfunctorily. He got out of the car and went to open my door for me. I watched his face carefully. He seemed to be walking on air today, and once again, it confused me. Well, maybe he was just feeling as on a high as I was. After all, he could finally legally dump me today and marry the woman of his dreams. "Is making me breakfast your way of buttering me up before divorcing me?" I asked with a smile. "Think whatever you want," Charles replied, a shadow passing over his face. I kept silent after that and just followed him into the gatedmunity. The valet at the entrance bowed to Charles and greeted him, took his car keys, and went to park the car. We went up to Charles''s apartment. I sat on the sofa while Charles headed to the kitchen and started making breakfast. I watched him as he cooked and thought that Rita was a very lucky woman. She was going to marry a good man. He had an impressive family background and excellent upbringing. He was easy to the eyes, and he could cook. What more could a woman ask for? N?velDrama.Org is the owner. No wonder Rita went to great lengths to be with him. Before long, Charles was setting the table. He made a delicious-looking ham and egg sandwich that smelled divine. My mouth instantly watered the moment Iid eyes on it. For a moment, I forgot all about the fact that I would no longer be his wife soon. That was probably the difference between letting go and not letting go. Charles lowered his head and focused on eating his breakfast. Then, he suddenly said, "If you really want to work, you cane work in mypany." "You want your ex-wife toe work for you? Aren''t you afraid of being the topic of office gossip?" I thought we were finally having a peaceful moment, but when Charles brought up the idea of us working together in the same office, I almostpletely lost my appetite. "I don''t care about that. Just consider it, will you?" Charles looked straight into my eyes. He still looked so exhausted. I almost felt sorry for him. "I like my job, Charles. I appreciate your offer, but I want to stay where I am now. And don''t forget that we''re getting divorced soon. I think it''ll be easier for both of us if we stop interfering in each other''s affairs as early as now," I exined as calmly as I could. "Can you stop bringing up the divorce every chance you get?" Charles put down his sandwich and then looked up at me with a sullen expression. "Can you stop interfering with my life?" I met his gaze. I was asking sincerely. I was not trying to challenge him. Charles averted his eyes and took a deep breath. We sat there in silence as the tension that hung above us grew. I was not sure what he would do next, but knowing Charles, I was certain that he would not give up control without a bloodbath of a fight. I was honestly surprised that he had not lashed out on me yet. But it was obvious that he was desperately holding on to thest slivers of his patience, which I could easily snap with the right words and tone. Before Charles could do anything, the doorbell rang. "Could it be Rita?" She was the first person that I thought of. She was the only one who would show up at Charles''s apartment at this hour. Chapter 15 A Kiss Chapter 15 A Kiss Scarlett''s POV: "Rita is in the hospital." Charles obviously did not intend to open the door. The doorbell rang again as if it would never stop unless the door was opened. It seemed that the unexpected visitor was a stubborn person. If it were not Rita, then who else could it be? Charles turned his head toward the door and frowned. He seemed to already know who was standing outside. "Okay. I''m not sticking around to find out who that is. I''m going to hide out somewhere." I stood up and tried to find a ce to hide. Even though Charles and I were only having breakfast and had not done anything that crossed the line, I still did not want to cause any trouble. Charles looked at me with aplicated look in his eyes. Then, he walked toward the door. He strode over so fast that I was not able to hide. "Hi, Charles." The first thing Rita did after Charles opened the door was look over his shoulder into the living room. She spotted me right away by the dining table. They were not married yet, but I was already regarding them as a couple, and I was the outsider who should not be in Charles''s apartment at this time of day. That was how I felt whenever I was around them. Charles stood at the door as if he was blocking Rita''s passage. Rita said lightly, "Charles, why are you standing in my way like that? Are you hiding another woman in there that you don''t want me to meet?"N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. "Only Scarlett is here," Charles said calmly and then moved aside to let Rita in. Rita came in and asked me with a smile, "Hello, Scarlett. What are you doing here so early? Is there a problem?" "Why don''t you ask Charles?" Rita was asking a question that she already knew the answer to, and I was not going to fall for it. I really could not stand the pretentious air that she put on, so I diverted the question to Charles and let him deal with it. Charles fixed his eyes on Rita''s white highheeled shoes and muttered, "We''re discussing going to thew firmter to file the divorce." "And?" Rita seemed to think of something. Then, she turned to me and said in a sickeningly sweet voice, "Scarlett, we have known each other for a long time. If you need anything, don''t hesitate to ask me. I will do anything in my power to help you." Her tone and bodynguage gave her away. She was marking her territory. She was telling me not to meet with her future husband behind her back. "Thanks for the offer, but I can file my own divorce, thank you very much," I retorted, reining in my annoyance. I did not want to stay any longer, so I grabbed my purse and headed for the door. When I passed by Rita, she held my hand and shed me her best puppy dog face. "I mean it, Scarlett. You''re like family to me, and I''m really sorry you and Charles didn''t work out. But you have to understand that love can''t be forced. Love should be mutual in order for it to be real. The more you hold on to what''s not meant for you, the more you dy what is. You don''t want to waste your time on someone who''s in love with somebody else, do you?" "Don''t worry, Rita. After Charles and I divorce, he''s all yours. I''m not going to try and chase after him." Rita truly fancied herself a great actress, but I was not in the mood to be in one of her scenes. "Oh, sweetie, that''s not what I meant. I truly want you to be happy." Rita looked at me as if I were the one who wronged her. "Well, thanks. Have a nice life, too." I felt so disgusted that I wanted to throw up. "I apologize if I touched a sore spot. I won''t speak of it anymore, but if you need help with anything, my door is always open. Please remember that." Rita spoke to me as if I were one of her closest friends from way back, but in truth, she was just establishing her dominance. In Charles''s home, she was the queen, and I was the enemy that she wanted to keep close. She was acting like Charles''s dainty little girlfriend, but with the right motivation, she would sink her ws into him and chain him to her side. She thought that I could not see through her schemes, but I could smell them from a mile away. Having had enough of her little show, I marched out of Charles''s apartment and never looked back. As I saw myself out, I heard Charles bark at Rita, "Stay here and wait for me toe back." It was a stern order that Charles uttered in a voice I had never heard him use before. But then again, I did not have to care anymore. I walked to the elevator and waited for it to arrive. When I heard footsteps approaching me, I pumped the down button anxiously. All I could think about was how much I wanted to get out of there. My tolerance for Charles and Rita today had already run out. Thanks to my bad luck, Charles caught up with me before the elevator arrived. Before he could say anything, I muttered, "I''m going home to get the marriage certificate. I forgot to bring it with me." Charles did not say anything for a long time. After what felt like an eternity, he finally said, "Rita''s never been here before. I''ve never told her about this ce." If that were true, then that meant Rita was stalking her own boyfriend, which I found pathetic. Then, I remembered that she bumped into me at the restaurant near the TV station on my first day at work. What if she were following me that day, too? What a crafty woman! She had been shadowing me and Charles all along. But I did not understand why Charles would keep a secret from Rita. Why did he not tell her about this ce when he was supposed to be head-over-heels in love with her and was desperate to marry her? I turned around and watched him carefully. "The apartment is under your name. It''s written in the agreement," Charles said. So that was it? He did not tell Rita about this ce because it belonged to me? "Oh, I see." So Charles was not trying to keep secrets from Rita after all. The next moment, the elevator doors whirred open. I was about to walk in when Charles suddenly grabbed my hand. He pushed me into the elevator and trapped me in a corner. My heart leapt to my throat as he held me by the jaw and crashed his lips into mine. He kissed me so deeply that I gasped for air. I braced my hands on his chest and tried to push him away, but the more I tried to break free from his grasp, the more he pushed his body against mine. I kept my eyes wide open, and I watched pain, guilt, and passion twist the fine contours of his face. I was practically punching him away, but all my efforts ended up in vain. He did not stop until my phone rang. He let go of me, caught his breath, and apologized, "I''m so sorry, Scarlett. I couldn''t fight it anymore." As my eyes burned with tears, I shoved him away and pped him across the face. I pointed a finger at him and screamed, "Screw you, Charles!" He was the one who served me with divorce papers my first day back home. What the hell was he doing trapping me in an elevator and then kissing me? What did he think of me? Some bimbo he could have fun with whenever he grew tired of his sick girlfriend? Before the elevator doors closed, Charles stepped out. He stood there and looked at me with such a dejected expression. I hurriedly wiped my tears away as they fell. I closed the elevator doors as Charles ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. As the elevator went down, I fished my phone out of my purse and checked my call log. Then, I wiped my mouth on the back of my hand. I got a missed call from Abner and a text message. "It''s raining today. I can pick you up if you need a ride to workter." "No, thanks. I can manage." I refused directly. Now I nned to get back home, get our marriage certificate, and file for divorce. I was done being caught up between Charles and Rita. Time to break free. Chapter 16 Stand Her Up Chapter 16 Stand Her Up Charles''s POV: I stood in front of the elevator for a long time. I could still feel the warmth of Scarlett''s mouth against my lips. Kissing her for real felt better than I had imagined. I stared nkly at the closed elevator doors and reyed what just happened in my mind over and over. I was not a man of strong desires. Although I had been with Rita for so many years, I had never felt the urge to touch her. But it was different with Scarlett. I really could not exin it. When she pped me after I kissed her, I did not even feel it. The pain only registered to me when she started crying. It broke my heart into splinters. "Charles?" Rita called from behind me. I turned and saw her standing there. I averted my gaze. I did not want her to suspect anything, and my face would give me away for sure. "Let''s go back to the apartment." I walked into the living room with Rita following me closely. "I''m so happy that you''re finally getting divorced, Charles. Now my wish will finally be fulfilled before I die." "Stop cursing yourself, Rita," I backfired without looking at her. I felt annoyed. Why did she always have to talk about death? "Have you spoken with my doctor? You should know the state of my health better than anyone." After she said that, she began to sob. In the past, whenever Rita spoke in a weak voice and then started weeping, I immediately took pity on her and felt extremelypelled to protect her. But one day, I did not know exactly when, I realized that I was getting a little tired of all of it^^the tears, the self-pity, and the sadness. They all just became too much to take. Whenever I had to deal with Rita, my mind automatically flew off to Scarlett, and I was not even sorry. "You''re fine. Don''t worry too much. The stress will just get you down." I restrained myself and tried tofort Rita with all the patience I could muster. "Charles, am I starting to trouble you too much?" Rita looked at me nervously. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only "No." I walked to the sofa and sat down. I massaged my forehead so that I would not have to look her in the eyes. "So you and Scarlett will really file for divorce today?" Rita walked to me and asked cautiously. "Yes." "May Ie with you?" "Fine." Rita, who had been obedient and considerate, was suddenly turning into a paranoid, nitpicking girlfriend. I could not help frowning. Ten minutester, Rita waited at the gate of themunity while I went to the basement to get the car. As soon as I got in the car, I called my assistant. "Gather all the senior executives. I want to meet with them in ten minutes." "Is there a problem, Mr. Moore?" Judging from my tone, my assistant probably thought that there was some kind of big incident that needed handling. Instead of answering her, I hung up the phone. Scarlett''s POV: At the entrance of thew office, I paced back and forth with our marriage certificate in my hand. I nced at my watch from time to time, waiting anxiously for Charles to show up. I only had half an hour before my show began. If Charles stood me up, then the divorce would be postponed again. "What happened? Why is Charles not here yet?" After waiting for what felt like forever, I decided to call his assistant to ask what was taking so long. "I''m sorry, Mrs. Moore. Mr. Moore just called an urgent meeting. I don''t think he can spare some time to see you today." Charles''s assistant spoke in a low voice, and I could hear some chatter in the background. She probably answered the phone in the middle of the urgent meeting she said Charles suddenly convened. I hung up the phone and stared at the bustling city scene in front of thew office. I heaved a sigh and shook my head. I had no idea how much more dys I could take. I just wanted it all to end. I looked at my watch again. I only had fifteen minutes before I had to be at the studio for my show. I stared at our marriage certificate and grunted. Then, I left thew office and hailed a taxi to work. Fifteen minutes should be more than enough time to get me to the station before my program started. After I entered the studio, I put all my personal worries aside and focused on my job. Per usual, Abner and the director praised me many times for a job well done. They said that I was not only excellent at what I do but also had an impressive work ethic. After a whole afternoon''s work, I was finally able to clock out and go home. It had been sunny all afternoon, but now all of a sudden, it was raining heavily. Little bean-sized raindrops fell down violently, pummeling the pavement and releasing the day''s warmth into the night air. I did not bring an umbre with me, so I just stood at the gate of the TV station and waited for the rain to stop. A few momentster, I glimpsed a pair of shiny ck shoes beside me, and the dim nearby light was blocked by something big and ck. It was Abner and his umbre. "Come on. I''ll give you a ride home." He smiled down at me and offered to drive me home. Ever since I joined the TV station as a program host, Abner had been nice to me. He always went out of his way to chat me up and ask about my experience so far on the job. I did not know whether or not it was just coincidence or something, but I always seemed to run into him. At the gate, in the studio, during lunchtime, you name it. But I did not mind. I feltfortable around him, and he made me feel like an important part of the team. "No, it''s okay. I''m just waiting for a taxi," I refused politely. "A taxi in this rain? You''re going to be here until morning. Come on. Your ce is on the way anyway. I just want to make sure you get home safely." As he spoke, he pulled me to his car, completely ignoring my refusal. He kept his umbre above me the entire time, and by the time we were inside his car, he was soaking wet on one side. I tried to pull him under his own umbre, but before I could seed, I was already on his passenger seat and he was on the driver''s seat. I took out a tissue from my bag and offered it to Abner to wipe his face, but he declined and insisted that he was okay. I wanted to help him wipe his face and his arm, but I dismissed the intention. There were just the two of us in the car now. I could not risk the gesture being misinterpreted by anyone who could have spotted us. I did not want to send Abner the wrong message either. Soon, Abner gunned the engine and drove out of the gates. Then, he started conversing with me about my daily life. He seemed worried that I might grow bored of the city and fly back to France. When we passed a supermarket, my phone rang. It was Christine. Abner stopped talking and signaled me to answer the phone. I nodded sheepishly at him and picked up. "Hello, dear. Are you home yet? Can youe over for dinner tonight? I made your favorite apple pie." "Oh, Grandma, that''s very nice of you, but I already had dinner." Two days ago, Charles and I almost made Michael faint with anger. I was not exactly in a hurry to see him again. Thest thing I wanted to do now was upset him. I thought I had already done enough when I boldly asked him for Charles andl''s marriage certificate. "But I already sent the car to your ce to pick you up," Christine said in a begging tone, which virtually made me feel guiltier than I already was. "How could I ever say no to you, Grandma? Okay, I''ming over. Wait for me." I had considered making up a more convincing excuse, but in the end, I just gave up and said yes. Soon, Abner and I were in front of my house. Charles''s car was also there, which struck a nerve in me. After standing me up at thew firm today, he had the nerve to show up now. What an inconsiderate jerk. After thanking Abner, I tried to open my door, but it did not budge. I looked over at Abner in confusion. He looked like he wanted to say something but did not know how to put it into words. I just stared at him and waited for him to speak up. Finally, he met my gaze and said nervously, "Scarlett, there''s something that I''d like to ask you. Since I first saw you at the office, I''ve found you amazing and cool, and I was wondering..." "Bang, bang, bang!" Before Abner could get to his question, we were interrupted by three loud raps on the passenger - side window. Abner and I looked up at the same time to see who was knocking. Charles was standing outside in the rain with a ck umbre. There was enough light for me to see the menacing look in his eyes that sent a chill down my spine. With a click, the passenger-side door opened, and Charles grabbed my wrist and yanked me out. He dragged me out with so much force that I missed a step and he caught me in his arms. It all happened in the blink of an eye. Next thing I knew, Abner was getting out of the car and into the pouring rain. As Charles towed me away, I heard Abner scream, ''Will you go out with me, Scarlett?" I turned around and stared at him with wide eyes. Did he just ask me out? "I like you! Let''s go out!" Abner seemed to be concerned that I did not hear him through the heavy rain. He rushed over to me and took my hand in his. "I just want to make sure that you heard me. May I take you out on a date some time?" Chapter 17 Being Forced To Compromise Chapter 17 Being Forced To Compromise Scarlett''s POV: Abner''s hair was usually slicked back and neatly parted. Right now, it was a wet mess. I had not had the chance to look at him for a long time until now, and I realized that he was actually quite attractive. I found it a little funny that I did not notice that until I saw him drenched in the pouring rain. I struggled to find the right words to say to him. Before I could tell Abner my answer, Charles put his coat on me and dragged me away, forcing Abner to let go of my hand. Charles led me to his car as I kept looking back at Abner. Abner stayed on his spot and watched Charles force me into his car. The disappointed look on his face made me feel a horrible pang of guilt. I had time to give him a decent answer. I should have just blurted it out before Charles could tow me away. With one hand holding his umbre, Charles opened the car door for me. His face darkened even more when he saw me still looking over at Abner. "Get in the car, Scarlett." I took a look at him, gritted my teeth, and got in the car. After turning the ignition and making the engine hum to life, Charles drove away like he was running from the police. We did not speak the entire trip. We just sat there in ufortable silence, which was beginning to be a routine for us. Of course Charles''s reaction earlier bothered me, but at the moment, I was more worried about facing Abner tomorrow at work after leaving him hanging like that. Soon, we arrived at the mansion. Charles walked into the house first, and I followed him. "Hello, dear." As soon as I entered the living room, Christine greeted me warmly, but before she could start a conversation with me, Charles grabbed my hand and dragged me upstairs. He moved so abruptly that everyone immediately followed us. They must have thought that he was going to beat me up or something. "Charles, what are you doing? Where are you taking me?" "Son, if there''s any problem, just say it. You don''t have to hurt your wife." "What are you doing, Charles? Let go of Scarlett!" Charles ignored Christine and Alice who were shouting at him from downstairs. He shoved me into the upstairs bathroom and kicked the door shut before his mother and grandmother could catch up with us. He turned on the tap and turned me to face the sink. He stood behind me, grabbed my wrists, and put my hands under the running water. He rubbed my hands as if he intended to slough the skin off. "What are you doing? You''re starting to hurt my hands," I snapped at him, but he did not even slow down. Was he trying to wash Abner''s touch off my hands? But why? I really did not understand why he even cared. Our marriage would end soon. I would no longer be his wife, and he would no longer be my husband. Why was he still acting like he was holding my reins? "You''re still my wife. You''re still a married woman. You should behave like one," Charles replied through clenched teeth. "All right, enough of this," I muttered and broke free from his grip. I turned off the tap, grabbed a clean towel off the rack, and started drying my hands. Charles put his hands on his hips and stared me down. "You know what, Charles, if you hadn''t stood me up today, you wouldn''t have had to deal with me tonight. We would''ve been out of each other''s hair," I said, keeping my voice as level as I could. "I didn''t mean to stand you up. I had something urgent to deal with," Charles exined. "Something more urgent than our divorce?" "Something came up in the office, and I had to take care of it." "I don''t believe that. Nothing is more important to you than granting the final wish of Rita''s life." With that, Charles instantly stopped talking. I pressed, "Well, since you were not free today, how about tomorrow? Or the day after tomorrow? Just put a date on it already. You can''t possibly be unavable all the time." "Enough, Scarlett!" Charles suddenly yelled. His sudden outburst startled me, but I refused to end our conversation without getting a definite answer. "Just tell me when you''re nning to get this over with, Charles! You want a divorce, don''t you? And I already agreed. You''re the one causing all the dys now, and you have the nerve to get angry with me? Whatever game you''re trying to y here, I''m not interested. Just set a damn date!" I did not bother to rein in my emotions anymore. All the waiting and stalling was starting to drive me insane. On top of that, I had to deal with Charles''s overreaction to everything and also his attempts to control my life. I could not take any of it anymore. Charles fell silent once again and shed me a pained expression that could have broken my heart if I had not been so furious at him. My old self would have lowered her voice and consoled him right then and there, but things were different now. Just because I held a special ce for him in my heart did not mean that he could trash it whenever he wanted. We were at an impasse. Neither of us was willing topromise. After a while, just when I was about to give in, he suddenly sighed and said, "Tomorrow. Let''s do it tomorrow." I breathed a sigh of relief and set the towel on the sink. "Thank you," I muttered. Charles was a tough guy to deal with. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only But at the moment, I was just happy to get amitment from him. Not uttering another word, Charles turned around and opened the door. Christine, Alice, Michael, and Lawrence were standing outside and looking at us with mixed anticipation and concern. They quickly stepped aside to let Charles pass. I kept silent for a while and carefully nned my next words in my head. I had no idea if they heard everything Charles and I talked about. While Michael and Lawrence turned on their heels and followed Charles, Christine and Alice walked into the bathroom and startedforting me. "I''m so sorry about Charles, dear. You deserve better." "Your grandma is right, honey. You do deserve better. Don''t worry, we will help find you a perfect match." Christine and Alice walked me out of the bathroom. I forced a smile to assure them that I was all right. Charles''s POV: I walked out of the bathroom feeling like my head was going to explode. Everything Iid eyes on pissed the hell out of me. I went to the balcony to try and calm down. "Are you really going through with the divorce?" Grandpa''s voice came from behind me. I turned around and saw him walking over to me. My father was right on his heels. "Didn''t you hear her earlier? She wants it done already." Saying that, I felt like my heart was being wrapped in barbed wire. I thought about Scarlett and I''s confrontation in the bathroom just now. "And what about you?" Grandpa stood beside me and looked into my eyes. "Do you want it? And are you really going to marry that actress once you end your marriage to Scarlett?" "Grandpa..." I did not like the ugly emphasis Grandpa put on the word "actress" to describe Rita. He sounded like he was mocking her. "Rita doesn''t have much time left." "If that''s your decision, then I respect it. But I''m allowed to be worried that Rita''s just manipting you. You may be all grown up, Charles, but I''m still your grandfather. I still want the best for you. But if you don''t want to heed my warning, then it''s up to you." Grandpa heaved a deep sigh, gently patted me on the shoulder, and then left. Even though my father just stood there and listened the entire time, I could tell from the look in his eyes that he thought the same thing as Grandpa. "By the way, Christine and Alice are setting up a blind date for Scarlett." Before he disappeared downstairs, Grandpa turned around to leave onest remark. "Right." It did not surprise me. My mother and grandmother had always been obsessed with giving Scarlett the best of everything. Since they struck out with me, they of course would restart their quest to find her a husband that she deserved. "That''s all you have to say to that?" Grandpa prodded, unsatisfied with my reaction. I looked up at him and shed him the calmest expression I could muster. We locked eyes for a few moments, and then Grandpa sighed, shook his head, and went downstairs. My father still did not say anything. He just stood there and stared at me, but his gaze was enough to make me feel like the biggest disappointment in the family by far. After Grandpa and Dad left, I grabbed myptop and locked myself in the study. I worked and worked until I was numb andpletely distracted. Thest thing I needed right now was to be thinking about Scarlett''s blind date. Chapter 18 Have A Fever Chapter 18 Have A Fever Scarlett''s POV: It was pouring outside while we were having dinner. Because of this, I could not help but be worried about how I would go home. I would rather not take Charles''s car. Christine must have sensed my apprehension. She looked outside the window and asked with a smile, "Dear Scarlett, would you like to stay for the night?" "I have work tomorrow, Grandma," I replied with an apologetic smile. "It''s okay. I''ll ask the driver to drive you to thepany tomorrow morning, so you won''t bete." Charles cast a nce at us. Seeing this, Christine red at him and said sharply, "What are you looking at? I don''t care whether you want to stay or not. But I hope Scarlett stays with me, even just for the night." Christine held my hand and looked at me expectantly. "Okay." I could not refuse her, so I just agreed. Christine''s face lit up. Meanwhile, Alice, Lawrence, and Michael were also delighted. Only Charles seemed indifferent. He just continued eating and did not even spare us a nce. Christine had reserved a room for Charles and me in the mansion. But because the two of us were getting a divorce, it was inappropriate for us to sleep together. Therefore, Christine decided to arrange the guestroom solely for Charles. Thetter did not say anything when Christine made the arrangement. Without a word, he went to the guestroom to rest. But when everyone was already asleep, he went to my door and knocked. As I opened the door, I saw him standing outside in pajamas. His pajamas were white with slim blue piping. The style was ordinary, but on him, the pajamas looked expensive and custom-fitted. I immediately blocked the door and showed no intention of letting him in. "What''s up?" I asked crossly. Charles pushed the door open and walked straight to the bed. "I can''t sleep. There''s a strange smell in the guestroom." "I''ll sleep there instead then." I walked out of the room as soon as I finished speaking. "What do you mean? Do you think that I''m interested in scrawny women like you?" Charles looked me up and down as he spoke. My blood boiled in anger. Me? Scrawny? Humph! I was in good shape! On second thought, I understand what he meant. As the saying went, "Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder." Besides, how could he be interested in me when he already had someone in his heart? My being defensive was unnecessary. But in that case, what was the matter with him in the elevator this morning? Could it be that he was driven by desire? I eyed Charles with suspicion, and he looked back at me. But instead of offering apromise, he lay on the bed and upied half of it. "Since you insist on staying here, you sleep on the sofa. I''ll sleep on the bed as usual," I said sternly. I did not want to make too much noise and wake Christine and the others up. But since he would not budge, I decided to let him be. Maybe sleeping on the sofa was not so bad, after all. "What are you doing? Did I say you could sleep there?" Charles stood up and pulled me to the bedside. "Just sleep next to me. Don''t make me tie you up and throw you on the bed." I struggled to get out of his grasp, but he was too strong for me. He pulled me to the bedside and pushed me onto the bed. I could not hold back my anger anymore. "Charles, how dare you do this to me?!" I yelled angrily. "Just go to sleep and stop shouting!" Charles pulled the quilt over me and held me tightly in his arms, not giving me the chance to leave. He had been clear from the very beginning that he would never be interested in me. Even so, I did not dare to struggle in his arms in fear of turning him on. I justy still for a long time. I had no idea what time I had fallen asleep. Thest thing I remembered was that he was holding me in his arms. The next day. The golden ray of sunshine made its way through the bedroom window, and it was dazzling. I struggled to open my eyes, only to find that the person next to me when I slept was no longer there when I woke up. I suddenly remembered that we were supposed to go to thew office today to sign the divorce papers. With that, I quickly got up to look for him downstairs. Just as I walked to the door, a hoarse voice came from behind. "You''re up," Charles said weakly. I turned around and saw him on the sofa, curled up in pain. Unlike his usual demeanor, he looked pitiful. It overturned my impression of him. I rushed to his aid and asked with concern, "What''s wrong?" "I''m burning with fever." "Have you taken medicine already?" Charles did not speak and just leaned against the sofa. The listless look on his face was enough to answer my question. "Hang on. I''ll get you medicine." I walked out of the room and asked Christine for antipyretics. But before she handed me the medicine bottle, she asked what had happened to Charles first. Once I got the bottle, I returned to the room and took two capsules from it. "Give me your hand," I ordered to Charles. Charles was taken aback for a second but still did as told. I could not help but notice how slender and fair his hands were. They looked nice, unlike the hands of most men. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. I ced the capsules in his hand. But for some reason, Charles only stared at them with a frown. "Hurry up and take them. That way, we can go through the divorceprocedure without problems," I urged. "I''ll feel worse if I go out at this time." Charles lifted his head and looked at me. His flushed face concealed his cold temperament. Right now, he looked like a patient who just wanted to be taken care of. But instead of feeling sorry, I felt an urge to yell at him. Was it because he had been with Rita for a long time that he had learned how to put on act? While I was in deep thought, my phone suddenly rang. I nced at him and walked to the window to answer the phone. Suddenly, Abner''s voice came from the other end of the line. "Scarlett, I just passed by your house. Would you like me to give you a ride?" His voice was the same as it usually was. It seemed that he was unaffected by what had happened yesterday. I guessed he had not given up yet. "Abner, I appreciate your offer. Unfortunately, I have something important to do today. I won''t go to thepanyter." I declined apologetically. All I wanted right now was to get the divorce over with. I could not wait any longer. "I see. See you at the TV station then." "See you." After saying goodbye to Abner, I hung up the phone and watched Charles take medicine. But for some reason, he was just staring at the capsules in his hand in a daze. "Why haven''t you taken them yet? Don''t tell me that you need to be coaxed like a child first." All of a sudden, he looked up at me and asked in a low and icy cold tone, "Are you dating that man?" "It''s none of your business. Take the medicine now." The truth was, I nned on rejecting Abner. It was just that I did not want to tell Charles about it. What did it have to do with him anyway? "Of course, it''s my business. As long as we haven''t divorced, we''re still a couple. How can you hook up with another man behind my back?! What? Is he better than me?" Charles scoffed. "If you really want to know, yes, he is. He''s gentler and more considerate than you," I answered with a sneer. Well, I only said those words to piss Charles off. Would it not be nice if he divorced me out of rage? In a fit of anger, Charles stood up abruptly and threw the capsules on the floor. "Scarlett, do you want to die?!" he bellowed. "I think you''re the one who wants to die. You don''t want to take medicine when you''re clearly sick!" I fired back. I must be out of my mind. We were about to be divorced. Why did I still care if he took medicine or not? He was not a pitiful man who needed my care anyway. I did not have to be concerned about him. From what I saw, he was not that difficult to deal with whenever he was with Rita. He must be gentle to her. Maybe she was special in his eyes. Nevertheless, I did not want to waste my time on him anymore. So, without another word, I left for work. Just as I arrived at the TV station, Mr. Walker, the man who wanted to ask me out for dinnerst time, appeared in front of me again. Chapter 19 The Scandal Chapter 19 The Scandal Scarlett''s POV: Mr. Walker''s middle-aged driver got off the car and walked up to me. "Good day, Miss Riley. May I have a moment?" "Hi. Sure," I replied politely. "Are you free at lunchtime? My boss is wondering if he could buy you lunch today?" "Oh, I''m sorry. I have an appointment at that time," I directly refused and chanced a nce at the luxury car behind him. "What a pity." He did not insist. "Well, maybe next time then. Have a great day, Miss Riley." Then, he turned around and got back in the car. I stood at the gate of the TV station and watched as Mr. Walker''s car sped away. I did not leave my spot until the car disappeared from my view. I took a few deep breaths before heading inside the station. I thought the invitations would stop after I refused that man twice. But it was just the beginning of a roller coaster ride of dramas. I found out that it had started rolling when I ran into one of the studio assistants in the bathroom in the afternoon. She showed me some photos and news articles on her phone. "Scarlett, look! Someone took a photo of you standing next to a luxury car and talking to a man this morning. There are manyments that said..." The assistant did not finish her sentence. Thements must be bad. I took her phone and checked the news. The headline jumped right at my face. "Rookie TV host gets dropped off to work by rich mystery man," the article''s title read. I could not help shaking my head. Right below the headline, there was a photo of me and Mr. Walker''s driver right by Mr. Walker''s luxury car. The angle of the camera only captured my profile while the face of the driver was fully shown. We were smiling at each other, but it was only because we were having a polite conversation. I looked closer at the photo and found that Mr. Walker''s outline through the window was highlighted. Reading the article, I discovered that the writer had pointed out that the man I was talking to was the driver of the man inside the car, allegedly my rich mystery man. The article was released by a well-known news site. Theizens would definitely believe it. I scrolled through some of thements. Most of them were about me being a shameless seductress. "How do I get rid of this?" I was a public figure now, and stupid gossip like this could tarnish my image and ruin the reputation of the TV station I worked for. That was thest thing I wanted. The assistant looked embarrassed. "If you delete this news, won''t you look guilty?" "So I''m just supposed to leave it?" "Well, people will forget about this soon enough. Thousands of things are happening all at once, and social media is always updated with new stuff." "I suppose you''re right. Thanks for telling me about this." The assistant left the bathroom after that. I stared at myself in the mirror and considered my next move. I could not believe I was already extremely stressed out. But what the assistant said made sense. I would be old news by tomorrow. There was no point worrying about that presumptuous article, so I took many steadying breaths and went back to work. At the end of the day, I met with Rita. This woman was really starting to get on my nerves. When I got off work, she was right outside the TV station. I did not understand why she could not leave me alone. We went to a nearby cafe to talk. We sat in a private area, and as soon as we were settled, she asked right away, "Do you know why I came to see you?" "To bug me about the divorce. It''s not my fault, you know. Charles cancelled again because he''s sick." Since she was so straightforward, I decided to be blunt as well. "If you really wanted to divorce Charles, you would''ve already filed for divorce even if he was absent. You should be more determined to push through with this, Scarlett. You know, Charles is possessive. You are beautiful and young. If you don''t make a move while he''s stalling, he''ll think that you''re unwilling to let him go." "Why are you pushing me and not him?" I could not believe the gall of this woman to shift the me on me. "I can''t afford to stress him out. You can. He''s your soon-to-be ex-husband. You don''t have to care about his feelings. And don''t you also want this over and done with? We both know that Charles doesn''t, has never been, and will never be in love with you. So why are you letting him waste your time? And speaking of time, it''s not something that I have much of. I just want to be Mrs. Moore before I bite the dust. I''m begging you, Scarlett. Just cut ties with Charles." "Thank you so much for making me realize how much time I''m wasting." Rita was about to cry, and I could not help feeling amused. Was she so desperate to marry Charles that she would beg me like this? It was pathetic. "Here. There''s one million dors in this ount. I know you''ve juste home from abroad, and you''re starting fresh. I want to help you financially. Consider it a gift." To my astonishment, she took out a bank card and set it on the table in front of me. "Are you bribing me to expedite my divorce?" I sneered. "If that''s how you want to see it, then I can''t do anything about it," Rita replied nonchntly. "Do you think I agreed to divorce Charles for money?" Mirthlessughter escaped my throat. Then, I continued, "Rita, I need you to understand something about me. I''m not stupid. If all I really wanted was money, then I would''ve chained Charles to my side and fought you off with a stick." "No, Scarlett. Listen to me. I wasn''t trying to humiliate you..." "Oh, stop with the acting already! I see you, Rita. I know what you''re trying to do. Don''t pretend to be some poor dying woman whose only wish is to marry the love of her life. You''re not all what you seem to be. So screw you and your money!" Rita always put herself in a weak position to win people''s sympathy and achieve her true goals. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only I had seen enough of those schemes, and I was sick of it. "Scarlett..." Rita looked at me with wide eyes. She obviously was not expecting me to react the way I did. I did not want to hear another word from her, so I rose from my seat and left the cafe. On my way out, I took out my phone and called Charles. "I''m filing without you, Charles." Charles picked up, but there was only dead silence on his end of the line. I was about to speak again, but he suddenly hung up. Reining in my annoyance, I put away my phone and walked out of the cafe into the sidewalk. I was surprised to see Mr. Walker''s luxury car again. Had he been waiting for me toe out? "Good evening, Miss Riley. Could my boss take you out for dinner and drinks tonight?" The driver rolled down his window, poked his head out of the car, and spoke kindly to me. "Well, I..." I was about to refuse, but then I caught a glimpse of some paparazzi not far away. They were taking photos again that I was sure would fuel tomorrow''s rumor mill. I thought for a second. Charles ignored me just now. Maybe the badly titled gossip articles and paparazzi photos would get his attention and make him realize how dead serious I was about the divorce. I took a deep breath and smiled. "Okay," I agreed. The driver looked stunned. He probably expected me to decline again, but all the same, he jumped out of the car and opened the door for me. Chapter 20 Drinking Chapter 20 Drinking Scarlett''s POV: Mr. Walker''s driver took me to a high-end bar not far from the cafe. He ushered me inside and led the way to a long corridor of lush private rooms. Before long, he stopped in front of one and knocked on the door. "Come in." A deep, attractive male voice called from the inside. The driver opened the door and gestured to me to go in. I nodded at him and walked into the private room. The room was dimly lit, but it exuded a cozy ambiance. It was also fair in size. Most of the space was taken up byrge, nicely upholstered seats and a small table. Mr. Walker was sitting on the sofa and swirling the contents of his ss. The rust- colored liquid, which I assumed was whiskey, glinted in the light. "Have a seat, please." I saw a sh of amazement in his eyes the moment he looked at me. He gestured me to take the sofa opposite him. "Thank you." I sat down. Then, he said bluntly, "One million dors a year plus birthday and holiday gifts." He spoke as if he was pitching a business proposal. My go-to reaction was a tentative chuckle. "You''ll have to exin what''s happening here, Mr. Walker. I''m not sure I understand," I said directly, "I watch your show. You look pure." He looked at me up and down. "But I don''t believe anything I see on a screen. Not right away at least. I had to see it in person first. Many stars look pure through a TV set but not all of them really are." I was starting to get a sense of what he wanted to happen, and I immediately thought of stopping it before it turned into something that could not be undone. After a few moments, Mr. Walker began to hesitate. He looked at me with scrutinizing eyes as if he was trying to read my every move. When he was about to speak again, we heard a bigmotion outside. Someone was trying to enter our private room. The driver outside tried to stop that person. But obviously, he did not seed. The door swung open violently, and Spencer, who was a little out of breath, rushed over to me. "Scarlett, you''ve got toe with me. You''ve got to stop Charles. He''s drinking himself to death right now." "What? Where?" I jumped up from the sofa. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only "David and I have been trying to stop him, but he won''t listen. You know how he is. He''s as stubborn as a mule. He won''t listen to either of us." "Take me to him." Spencer and I were only halfway to the door when I suddenly stopped. "No. Call Rita. She should be the one to talk to him." Charles listened to Rita, not me. I could not even get him to take some medications for his fever this morning. "But Scarlett..." Spencer protested, but I was already walking back to my seat. I ignored him until he gave up and left. Charles''s POV: Earlier this evening, Scarlett phoned me and told me that she was going to file for divorce even without me. I got so upset that I was able to power through my fever and dragged myself to the bar. To my relief, Spencer and David were also there. I went through three rounds of shots without blinking, and as soon as I started slurring my words, Spencer and David stopped the drinks from pouring in. They tried to stop me from drowning my sorrows, but they failed. Finally, they decided to call Rita. "Charles, you''re burning up. You''re not well. You can''t drink anymore." Rita walked over to me, sat down beside me, and grabbed my ss. I leaned back on the sofa, shut my eyes, and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Hey, Rita, we''ll leave him to you, all right? We''ll just step outside for a bit. Don''t worry. We won''t come in unless you call us." Spencer''s words implied something. Did he really think that I would have sex with Rita in such a dirty private room in a bar? I shot Spencer a warning look. He got it so quickly that he grabbed David''s arm and started dragging him out. I started yelling. "No! Stay here, both of you!" "But we want to give you and Rita some privacy." Spencer grinned cheekily at me. I wanted to punch him in the face. I shed him a menacing look. Then, his throat bobbed, and he let go of David''s arm. He settled back on his seat. "Fine." I got a new ss, filled it with wine, and started drinking again. "Slow down." Spencer and David winced as I downed the contents of my ss. They urged Rita with their eyes to stop me. Rita reached out and attempted to take away my ss again, but this time, I was able to dodge. "Please, Charles. Enough already." She reached out for my ss again. She did it over and over even if she failed and failed. I was starting to get extremely annoyed. Suddenly, I was not in the mood to drink anymore. I tossed my empty ss to the floor, and it rolled on the carpet. "Are you done?" Spencer asked. I red at him. "Then it''s time to go home. Come on." Rita heaved a sigh of relief and held my arm to help me up. But I shook off her hand. I climbed to my feet and went straight for the door. I walked out of our private room and staggered through the corridor. Then, I saw Scarlett talking and laughing with a man outside another private room. I instantly recognized the man she was with. It was Mr. Walker who had asked her out before. Scarlett looked gorgeous today. She was wearing a blue dress, and per usual, she carried herself with dignity and grace. She seemed to be enjoying her conversation with Mr. Walker. In fact, she wasughing at something that he said. I stood there as my heart cracked and rage seethed out of it. The thought of her dressing up for another man made me want to drag her away from that pompous Mr. Walker. Scarlett''s POV: "Scarlett!" Mr. Walker and I were outside of our private room and saying our goodbyes when I heard someone yell my name. I turned my head and saw Charles standing outside another private room a few feet away. The warm light cast terrifying shadows on his gloomy face. He looked poised for a fight. "Spencer, David, take Rita back to the hospital." I kept my eyes fixed on him. He spoke to somebody inside the private room, but I did not catch what he said. Then, Spencer and David walked out. Rita followed suit. Charles started speaking to Spencer and David. He appeared to be giving them instructions, and then Rita started protesting. Charles must be asking his friends to take Rita home because the next second, Rita shed me a vicious look. Right then, I thought that I had to get out of there. Surely, Charles was going to make trouble for me again. He was obviously angry for God knew what, and he was ready to take it out on me. But I was too slow. Next thing I knew, Charles was dragging me by the arm toward the private room he, his friends, and Rita had just vacated. He mmed the door shut, grabbed my neck, and pinned me against the wall. "Charles!" Rita screamed and pounded on the door. "Come on, Rita. Let''s go," Spencer coaxed her. "No! I''m not leaving here until theye out!" Rita half-sobbed. "Take her away, Spencer!" Charles shouted. I gasped as I tried to pry Charles''s strong hand from my neck. I felt like I was trying to bend a steel pipe with my bare hands. "What the hell are you doing, Charles? Let go of me!" I struggled to finish my sentence. "All this time, I thought highly of you, Scarlett. But maybe I shouldn''t have. What are you doing having drinks with an old man? Are you hoping to get some new sexual experience or something?" What was he talking about? Mr. Walker was only around thirty years old. He was not old at all. And even if he was and I was trying to sleep with him, what did Charles care? The reason I agreed to see Mr. Walker was that Charles was being difficult with the divorce. "It''s none of your business!" "I''m still your husband. If you want sex, just ask me for it. Don''t be so depraved that you''re willing to hook up with a disgusting geezer." The anger in Charles''s eyes was unlike anything I had ever seen before. He tightened his grip around my neck, and I dug my nails in his hand, but he did not seem to notice. "I don''t want anything from you." "Okay. So Pierre wasn''t enough, huh? Now you want some older lover? Why are you acting like you''re running out of men to sleep with?" "It has nothing to do with you." "It has everything to do with me! Grandpa is not in good health. Do you think your scandalous private life will help him sleep well at night? What do you want, Scarlett? Do you want many different men? I''ll give them to you! How about Spencer and David? Would you like to sleep with them, too? Fine! Go! Have at them!" "Don''t talk to me like I''m the one acting out since the beginning. You''re the one who asked me for a divorce. Why can''t you just man up and make it happen?" Chapter 21 Fainting Chapter 21 Fainting Scarlett''s POV: Charles finally loosened his grip. "Grandma and Grandpa''s health is declining because of what''s happening between us. It''s not my intention to postpone our divorce," he exined in a low voice. My knees buckled, and I felt my body copse as he finally let go of me. I slid down the door and unconsciously touched my painful neck while coughing relentlessly. "You can pretend to be with Spencer. If Grandpa and Grandma see that you''re happy, they won''t be worried about our divorce." My brain was still muddy because of theck of oxygen. I did not answer him as I was appalled about what he had just done. However, something suddenly urred to me. Every time I went to the Moore family''s mansion, Michael and Christine would treat me warmly. I felt a pang in my heart at the thought of this. The two old couple had been treating me as their own granddaughter ever since I lost my parents. If something happened to them because of me, I would not be able to expiate my guilt, even if I died a hundred times. "Spencer grew up with me. I know him very well. He''s better than those men you''ve met outside," Charles stated, his voice gentle and pleasant for some reason. "Are you saying that I can divorce you as long as I listen to you?" I asked inquisitively while looking into his eyes. My neck felt less painful now than it was a while ago. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "Be with Spencer for a while. We''ll finalize our divorce once Grandpa and Grandma are no longer worried." Charles saw the eagerness in his eyes. He nced at me with an inexplicable look on his face and then looked away. "Fine. I''ll do as you say," I answered. "Spencer will pick you up after work from tomorrow." "Okay." We had finally reached a consensus. With that, I stood up to leave, but my legs were too weak. Charles reached out his hand to help me. I took it, but the next second, we fell to the floor together. His body pressed against mine. I could feel his warm body through my thin clothes. Even his breath was hot. He was still burning with fever. With all my remaining strength, I pushed him as hard as I could. "Charles, what-what are you doing?" "Hmm..." Charles looked at me with dazed eyes. To my surprise, he angled my head and kissed me. He pressed his soft lips onto mine, and his hot tongue made its way into my mouth. He was very gentle yet overwhelming. One second ago, he tried to kill me. But now, he was kissing me fervently. However, the only thing I could feel was anger. Charles''s lips kept moving, gently sucking mine. I, however, did not resist, nor did I kiss him back. I knew that when a man kissed a woman, getting no reaction was humiliating. It was only after a moment that Charles realized what I had been doing. He heaved a heavy sigh and got up. "Let me drive you home," he offered. I leaned against the door and tried my best to stand up. I could still feel his warmth on my lips, but I did not feel anything towards him, even lust. I had made up my mind that we should no longer be entangled with one another. Charles and I would never have a future, after all. Without a word, I opened the door and left. Charles followed me shortly. I walked to the elevator and waited for the doors to open. While doing so, he suddenly draped his coat on my shoulders. "Don''t wear revealing clothes again," he advised. Charles was right next to me. After putting on his coat, his smell became stronger and overpowering. In all honesty, I found it upsetting more than comforting. I could not help but clutch the hem of my clothes in dismay and forced myself not to turn around to look at him. We did not say a word on our way back, let alone mention the kiss. Ironically, Charles was in a better mood. He even drove slowly on purpose to appreciate the scenery outside the window. The skyscrapers glinted in the light. It was breathtaking. It seemed that the world had never changed because of mishaps. Only people did. We arrived at the destination not long after. Charles parked the car at the gate of themunity. I immediately unfastened the seatbelt to get away from him as soon as I could. Unfortunately, it was stuck. "What''s wrong? Don''t you want to get off?" Charles asked teasingly. "It''s stuck," I curtly answered. "Really? Let me have a look at it." Charles leaned over to check the seatbelt. His face was inches away from mine that I felt his warm breath on my face. It made my heart flutter in my chest. It was a little disconcerting, so I stopped him at once. "I can do it myself." I impatiently tried to unfasten my seatbelt, only to end up touching his hand. I fell stunned. His fever had gotten worse. Crack. The seatbelt was finally unfastened while I was in a daze. Charles raised his head to look at me. We were so close that I could even see my reflection in his eyes. Charles smiled at me. "It''s alright now." "Okay." It was only then that I came to my senses. I quickly opened the door and got out of the car. I wanted to get out of his sight as fast as I could. After taking a few steps, I realized that I was still wearing his coat. Although I did not want to see him anymore, I had no choice but toe back. I handed his coat through the window and said, "Here''s your coat. Remember to take medicine once you get home. You''re burning with fever." Charles took the coat from me and answered in an unusually tender tone, "I will. Good night." I stood there in a daze until he drove away. After Charles got angry at me and kissed me at the bar, he became kind and considerate. He introduced Spencer to me, but at the same time, entangled himself with me. He was confusing. It was impossible to see through him. But here I was, foolishly trying toprehend him. ''Scarlett, could you stop being weak? Don''t fall into his trap! You two are going to divorce soon. He doesn''t belong to you. He belongs to someone else!'' I shook my head and walked home. I tried my best to calm down and not get carried away by Charles''s advances. I did not go into themunity until I was no longer affected by him. The next day. I checked my phone the moment I got up. I found that there was no news about me. Even the previous ones were gone. Could it be that Charles had taken care of it? He deleted the news in fear that his grandparents would be anxious when they saw it? While I was in deep thought, a knock sounded at the door. I opened the door and saw Rita holding two food bags in her hand. "Hey, Scarlett! Well, I was worried that you hadn''t had breakfast yet, so I bought you some on the way here." Rita waved the food bags and smiled brightly as if she really came here out of concern. "Come in." I took a step back and let her in. I could not help but take a look at the logo on the bags in her hand. They did note from the breakfast shop I was familiar with. They looked expensive. "Wait for me. I''m going to set the table. You go wash up first and get ready for breakfast." Rita put the takeaways on the table and went to the kitchen. The moment she came in, she acted as though this was her home. I was not a neat freak. Still, I was unhappy because the person I hated the most touched my things without even bothering to ask. I stood by the table and watched as Rita put the food on the te. She made it into a heartshaped pattern. It was pretty, but it made me lose my appetite. "Scarlett, I''m so sorry for what happenedst night. The doctor said that my illness was getting worse. Charles must''ve been hurt by the news, so he did that to you. Please forgive him." Rita put a fork on the te in front of me and looked at me expectantly. I stared back at her coldly and asked, "What did he do to me?" Her words made me ufortable. "I should be the one who''s asking that question. What happened to you twost night? Did he hurt you?" Rita asked, her eyes wide open in curiosity. Her affectation disgusted me. "You''d better ask Charles that." I checked the time on my watch and expressed my impatience. "Forget it. Let''s just eat, shall we?" Rita pointed to a chair and beckoned me to sit down. "I''m afraid I have to go to work now. If you don''t have anything else to say, you can go back to the hospital." I did not want to sit down and eat the breakfast she had bought, so I just drove her away. I could no longer stand her pretension. "I won''t hold you up then. Your work is more important." Rita looked at the breakfast on the table and sighed heavily. With a pitiful look on her face, she walked towards the door. All of a sudden, she stopped in her tracks as though she remembered something. Sure enough, she turned around and said, "Mr. Walker is an excellent man. I can see that he likes you very much. If you want to have someone who''ll take care of you here, he''s your best choice." I did not say anything in response and just looked at her, wondering what else she would say next. Knowing her, she must have a reason why she hade all the way here. "The only problem with him is that a lot of women have been involved with him. I heard that many stars used to be his lovers. Don''t worry. He''s generous and treats women well," Rita advised as if she knew Mr. Walker very well. I crossed my arms and asked crossly, "Rita, what are you doing? Are you worried about my love life?" "I''m not..." Rita immediately opened her mouth to exin herself. But before she could finish her words, she fainted. Chapter 22 Pretend To Be In Chapter 22 Pretend To Be In A Rtionship Charles''s POV: I received a call from Scarlett, saying that Rita had fainted. Because of that, I put the meeting of the senior executives on hold and raced to the hospital. The second I entered the room, Rita hurriedly exined, "Charles, listen to me! Scarlett had no idea that my health is dwindling. If she knew that, she wouldn''t have done what she did. Please, don''t me her for this. I think she must''ve realized her fault by now." "I didn''t do anything, Rita. One second you were perfectly fine, and the next you just fainted. Don''t make it sound like I did something to hurt you on purpose. Because I didn''t!" Scarlett snapped. "Why are you yelling at me? I''m defending you from Charles..." Rita started sobbing. Scarlett rolled her eyes and turned to me. "Can you believe this woman?" I did not say anything because I had no idea which of them was telling the truth. Rita cried even more bitterly. Scarlett looked at me with disappointment. "Look, it doesn''t matter whether you believe me or not, but you have to make it clear to her right now that you''re the one dying the divorce." "Do you think I don''t want a divorce? I''m just worried about what it will do to Grandma and Grandpa." My patience finally ran out. I just did not like it when Scarlett was being aggressive like this. "Okay, I know what I should do now. I''ll go out with Spencer so that Grandma and Grandpa can rx. But at the same time, you should also get your woman under control and tell her not to mess with me." Scarlett''s eyes were full of disappointment and contempt, and she spoke with the kind of finality that I had never heard in her voice before. I watched her leave as I swallowed the words I meant to say. She walked away without looking back. I stayed with Rita in the hospital for a while and then went home. To be honest, I did not believe that Scarlett would harm Rita. She was not that kind of person. More importantly, she had no motivation. She wanted to move things along with our divorce. She wanted me out of her life as soon as possible. Why would she bother making things difficult for Rita if she did not want me? But if Scarlett did not do anything, then it meant that Rita was lying. After thinking it over, I decided to ask my assistant, Danny, to investigate it. "Go check what Rita has been up totely. Remember not to miss anything." Scarlett''s POV: Because of what happened to Rita this morning, I was a little distracted all day long at work. My colleagues kept asking me if I was okay. I could only nod sheepishly and force a smile to assure them that I was all right. I struggled to keep a light air and concentrate at work, but I managed. Finally, the day ended, and I decided to go out after work with my colleagues to unwind. As soon as we walked out of the building, a white BMW pulled up in front of us. "Hey, Scarlett!" The driver-side window rolled down, revealing Spencer''s handsome, smiling face. Upon seeing Spencer, my colleagues immediately whispered and giggled among themselves. "Is he your friend, Scarlett? He''s cute!" "Oh, Scarlett! Why are you constantly surrounded by hot, rich men?" I just smiled and did not say anything. Charles proposed yesterday that I should date Spencer. Now Spencer was here. Obviously, he hade to fulfill one of the most basic obligations of a boyfriend ¡ªto pick up his girlfriend from work. What was next? Were we going to start behaving like a real couple? To do something that lovers would do? "Come on. Get in the car." Spencer got off the car, walked around the hood, and opened the passenger-side door for me like a true gentleman. He even covered my head with his hand to prevent me from bumping into the roof of the car. "I have to go, guys. I''ll join you for drinks next time. See you tomorrow," I said to my colleagues. "I have to go, guys. I''ll join you for drinks next time. See you tomorrow," They waved at me as Spencer drove away. I settled in my seat and fastened my seat belt. Although I had known Spencer since I was a child, I still felt a bit ufortable being alone with him, and it did not help that we were supposed to be dating now. I just sat there quietly and kept my face neutral. "Let''s go shopping first, okay?" Spencer turned to look at me and beamed. "Okay. Whatever you want." I decided to go along with what he wanted to do. "We''ll buy some clothes and then meet Christer for dinner." "Sure." "Good girl." Spencer flicked my chin with his finger and spoke in a doting tone as if he was coaxing a child. I was not used to being intimate with him, so without really thinking about it, I dodged his touch and had a mini heart attack when I saw Charles sitting quietly in the back seat and watching us with cold eyes. I gasped and put a hand over my chest. "Oh, yeah. Charles wanted toe along to monitor us like a glorified chaperone. Just pretend he isn''t there," Spencer chuckled and reached for my hair. I was going to avoid his touch again, but knowing that Charles was watching, I decided otherwise. I let Spencer hold my head as he drove. "Okay," I smiled and nodded. Soon, we arrived at the boutique. As soon as we entered the shop, the saleswoman shut the door and hung a closed sign on it. Judging from her skilled movements and professional demeanor, I could say that this was not the first time that she catered to a couple of filthy rich VIP shoppers. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "Surprised? Get used to it. You''re my girlfriend now, and from now on, you''ll only be treated like a queen," Spencer said as he twined his fingers with mine. Spencer was not as wealthy as Charles, but both of them ran in the same circles. Surely, every upscale shop in the city was willing to treat either of them and theirpanions like royalty. With a livid face, Charles followed us into the store. "Sirs, miss, this way, please." The saleswoman shed us a weing smile and ushered us in. "I want to see all the pieces from yourtest collection, please," Spencer requested gracefully. The saleswoman bowed slightly, left, and then returned with all the clothes Spencer asked for. "Here you go, sir. These are new. In fact, we haven''t gotten around to putting them on disy yet." Spencer nodded and began to look at the clothes one by one. I caught a glimpse of some of the price tags. The lowest I saw by far was around forty thousand dors. "Try this one on, Scarlett." Spencer picked a white dress off the rack the saleswoman brought and asked me to try it on. I hesitated at first, but seeing the bitter look on Charles''s face, I took the dress, smiled at Spencer, and headed to the fitting rooms. I could not let Charles see through my uneasiness. I had to pretend to be happy andfortable. Otherwise, he would just have more reasons to dy our divorce. In fairness, I liked the style of the dress, and the fabric felt good against my skin. It fit me perfectly from my shoulders down to my knees, and it entuated my body shape. I thought I looked sexy. I had to admit that Spencer had very good eye and taste in fashion. I stood in front of the mirror and stared at my reflection. Just then, I overheard Spencer and Charles talking outside. Chapter 23 In A Mess Chapter 23 In A Mess Scarlett''s POV: "Charles, are you sure about that? Are you really going to let me date Scarlett?" Spencer asked excitedly. "Yes," Charles answered firmly. "Then you''d better remember that I''m a man with needs. Scarlett is beautiful. If something happens between us, I hope you won''t regret your decision." "I have told you that you two will just pretend to be in a rtionship! You''re not allowed to touch her!" "If I date a girl but never touch her, then what''s the point of dating her? For killing time?" "Cut the crap. I''m telling you, don''t you darey a finger on her!" Charles warned. He was stubborn and did not want to reason with Spencer, and thetter sounded displeased. At that very moment, I walked out of the fitting room. Spencer turned to look at me. "Beautiful!" he eximed. He walked over, circled around me, and then looked at me from head to toe. "I won''t dare to take you out wearing like this, or else other men will try to steal you from me." Hispliment was an exaggeration, but I let him be. I did not say anything in response. Instead, I just lowered my head and avoided eye contact with Charles. He showed up uninvited, but his face was frigid as though he did not want to be here. What the hell was his problem? Spencer bought the dress for me. As he handed his card to the saleswoman for payment, I whispered in his ear, "I''ll pay you back when I get my sry." Truth be told, I was grateful that Spencer was willing to put on an act with me. He had been so kind to me from the very beginning, so I would rather not spend his money. It was too much. As for his conversation with Charles, I just shrugged it off. The reason why I had decided to divorce Charles was that I wanted to stay away from him. In this case, how could I really be with his friend? Once we walked out of the boutique, we headed to the restaurant Christine had suggested. At the dinner table, Spencer put one hand on my shoulder and assured the olddy, "Christine, I like Scarlett very much. You can rest assured that I will make her happy." "You''re so reliable," Christine remarked. She then nced at Charles, and her face suddenly changed. "Unlike someone here who only loves that dying bitch," she scoffed. Charles did not respond. All his attention was on the steak on his te, and it seemed that he could not be bothered. "Thank you, Christine." Spencer took my te and began cutting my steak like a true gentleman. He gently pushed it in front of me once he was done. Just as I was about to eat, Charles snatched the knife and fork in my hands and threw them into the trash can. Seeing that we were appalled by what he had just done, he exined, "They''re dirty." "Are you crazy?! How could they be dirty?" Spencer asked with apparent annoyance. "You took them," Charles retorted without even lifting his gaze. Spencer was too angry to say a word, and I, too, was speechless. Why was Charles making trouble for no reason? Could it be that he was trying to catch our attention? If Spencer did not take my knife and fork, how could he cut the steak for me? Christine could not stand it anymore. She rolled her eyes at Charles and said to Spencer and me, "Leave him alone. He''s out of his mind." She then called the waiter and asked for a new set of cutlery for me. If it were someone else, Charles would have been furious. However, Christine was his grandmother. He had no choice but to hold back his temper. I began to eat once I had a new set of cutlery. While I was eating, I saw a dish being ced near my hand. I looked up and found that it was Charles who pushed it to me. "Your favorite food," Charles said with a straight face. "Sorry, I don''t like it anymore." I pushed the dish back to him regardless of his sullen face. We finished dinner not long after. While we were walking out of the restaurant, Christine asked me something about my work. Of course, I did not want her to worry, so I told her something interesting about my new job. Christine was pleased. She said she would like to have dinner with Spencer and me again. But then, she looked at Charles with a scowl and added, "As for someone here, don''te. You spoil the fun." N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Charles was in a bad mood during the dinner. But when he heard Christine''s words, his face became gloomier. All of a sudden, he grabbed my hand and dragged me into his car. "Spencer, drive Grandma home," he hurriedly said before getting into the car. "Charles, what the hell are you doing?!" Spencer bellowed. He took a step forward to try and stop Charles, but thetter had already closed the door. Even Christine was infuriated. She stood by the car window and shouted, "Charles, what''s gotten into you?! Why are you getting in between a couple for no reason?" "Go," Charles ordered the driver without even looking at his grandmother. The car sped away at once. There was nothing I could do but wave goodbye to the two who were left behind. Once they werepletely out of our sight, Charles massaged his forehead with his thumb and index finger and cautioned, "Don''t get too close to Spencer. He''s not a good person." I could not help but sneer upon hearing his words. "They''re right. You really are insane. Weren''t you the one who introduced him to me? You said it would set Grandma''s mind at rest. But now, you''re telling me that he''s not a good man? What the fuck is wrong with you?!" I rolled my eyes in disdain. I did not know what to do with him anymore. "He''s a good friend to me of course. But you... you''re a woman. He has other intentions to you." Charles sighed heavily as though he now regretted his decision. "Don''t we all? Everyone has some things in mind when they''re in a rtionship. You know what? I think you''re reading too much into it. Didn''t you say that Grandma and Grandpa will only rest assured when she sees that I''m happy with Spencer? You saw with your own eyes that Grandma likes Spencer for me." Charles did not say anything, but the air about him turned cold and terrifying. "By the way, don''t try to be the third wheel again. I''ll try to get along well with Spencer, and I don''t want you to get between us," I added. Wrong move. As soon as I finished speaking, Charles leaned over and kissed me fervently. I put my hands on his chest and tried pushing him away with all my strength. However, he grabbed my body, rendering me unable to move. "Hmm!" I groaned in protest. He did not let go of me, and his lips continued pressing against mine for a long while. Our bodies were so close to each other. I must admit, my heart skipped a beat, and I felt a little exhrated. I had no idea how long the kiss went on. Time seemed to slow down. It was only when we had run out of breath did he let go of me. We panted and gasped for air. I did not want him to see that my face was red and warm to touch, so I lowered my head and averted my gaze. Once I got ahold of myself, I shouted, "Stop the car!" My mind was in a mess, but I knew I could not stay with Charles in the car any longer. It was only then that I found that the partition of the car was raised. The driver must have no idea what had happened in the backseat just now. The car came to a halt. I jumped out as fast as I could and ran home without looking back. I touched my lips, and the scene of our kiss reyed in my mind. I had mixed feelings. I did not know how to describe them. Even when I got home, I could still feel Charles''s breath on my lips. I shook my head and tried to forget what had happened in the car. But at that moment, I happened to see Charles''s car outside. Did he follow me? Why did hee here again? Shouldn''t he be with his beloved woman in the hospital? Chapter 24 Stay Overnight Again Chapter 24 Stay Overnight Again Scarlett''s POV: When the doorbell rang, my first thought was that the person outside the door was Charles. But when I opened the door, the door opposite to mine opened almost at the same time. A handsome man walked out of the room and warmly hugged the woman who had just arrived. The woman noticed that I was standing there and looking at them, so she gently pushed the man and smiled at me awkwardly. "Sorry. I rang the wrong doorbell." I forced a smile and replied, "It''s okay." With that, I closed the door and leaned my back against it in a daze. It was a good thing that it was not Charles. That meant I would have a peaceful night. To my surprise, the doorbell rang again. Could it be him this time? With my fingers clenched, I opened the door. At that moment, Charles''s tall figure came into my sight. He entered my home as if it was his own and went to the living room. I closed the door and nervously followed him. Charles sat on the sofa and looked up at me. "You left your new dress at my car. You can go to my ce and get it some other day." "Got it," I replied while eyeing him warily. Did hee all the way here just to tell me that? I doubted it. Besides, why couldn''t he just bring the dress to me with him? "Why are you still standing there? Shouldn''t you make coffee for your guest?" Charles reminded me as he saw that I was just standing there and staring at him. I did not have a habit of drinking coffee at night. But I must admit, I liked making coffee at home. "Hang on." Just as he had requested, I went to the kitchen and made him a cup of coffee. I had just dried the mug and was about to pour coffee when I noticed that Charles was standing behind me. How long had he been standing there? Startled, I gasped sharply and took a step back. Unfortunately for me, I tripped on my slippers and lost bnce. I would have fallen backward and spilled coffee all over me. Fortunately, Charles reached out and held my waist just in time. Time seemed to have stopped. Our bodies pressed against each other, and we could feel each other''s heartbeat. We stared into each other''s eyes for God knows how long. It took me a while before I came to my senses. I realized that we were so close. Without meeting his gaze, I pushed him away and turned around to leave. "Are you done?" he asked in an unusually gentle tone. "Yes," I replied in a barely audible voice. With that, Charles left with the mug of coffee. I left the kitchen with a flustered expression. Charles, on the other hand, was calm andposed as though nothing had just happened. This made my blood boil. Why should I be the only one bothered? It was unfair! With a scowl, I walked up to Charles and coldly said, "Drink it quickly and leave. I have to sleep early. I have work tomorrow." Charles frowned and put down the coffee. To my surprise, he walked up to me with a grim expression. "Has Rita been followingyou these past few days?" I took a step back and kept a distance from him. "Does it matter?" I scoffed. Charles did not say anything anymore. He must have realized that it was futile to talk to me about that woman, so he turned around and sat down on the sofa leisurely. He then lightly drummed on the armrest with his fingers and looked at me up and down. "The water is off in my apartment. It''s bothersome," he exined when he saw that I was looking at him impatiently. "You want to stay here for the night?" I looked at him in disbelief. In all honesty, I was unconvinced by his reason. I had lost count of the number of times he had made excuses to stay here. "I can''t take a shower there. It''s unbearable," Charles reasoned out. I had known him enough to know that that was true. However, it was also unbearable for him to share a bathroom with someone, was it not? Charles''s behavior was suspiciously different these past few days. I could not help but even think that he had fallen in love with me. But when I thought of his woman in the hospital, I overturned this conjecture. I must be imagining things. It was apparent that Charles did not want to leave, so there was no point in driving him away. He used to live in this ce before I returned anyway. Perhaps he wanted to stay here because this was his former home. With a heavy sigh, I decided to let him be. I sat on the sofa, watched TV, and paid him no attention. Because I did not chase him away anymore, he finally went to the bathroom to take a shower. The bathroom was close to the living room. So as I sat on the sofa, I could hear the sound of running water. I could not help but think of what had happened between us in the bathroomst time. Charles already had a good figure since he was an adolescent and maintained it over the years. So now, he not only became fitter but stronger as well. His muscles were toned, especially his chest and abdominal muscles. These made him look strong, tall, and powerful. I saw those muscles myself when I ran him a bathst time. As I stared at his silhouette on the bathroom door, I imagined him raising his head, putting his hands into his hair, and rubbing it gently. His sexy Adam''s apple moved along with his movements from time to time. It was alluring. "Do you want to do the same?" Charles asked with a hint of mischievousness in his eyes. His voice snapped me back to reality. I was so immersed in my imagination that I did not notice he had alreadye out of the bathroom. I looked at him and saw that he was looking at the TV, a sly smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Perplexed, I looked at the TV as well. The leading man anddy in the romance movie I had been watching were kissing passionately. Charles must have thought that I was fantasizing about that.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Before I could react, he bent over and held me in his arms. Charles was half-naked. Now, I could clearly see his toned muscles that felt harder than stones. He looked strong and, at the same time, dangerous. We were so close that I could smell the body wash on his body. My body wash. My eyes widened as I saw that his face was inching towards mine. I thought he was going to kiss me again, so I covered my mouth at once. "What are you doing?" I asked incredulously. Charles smirked and teased, "You''re blushing. You were looking forward to it, weren''t you?" My face turned even redder. But it was not because of disappointment but because of his flirtation. I could not help but look away in embarrassment. "Don''t be nervous. Your kiss doesn''t even taste good," Charles muttered. He said he disliked me, but his actions said otherwise. At that moment, he gently peeled my hands off my face and stroked my lips as though he missed our kiss a while ago. Before I knew it, we were kissing passionately. His soft and warm touch emptied my thoughts and self-restraint. I could not think straight, so I just let him kiss me. The kiss deepened and became more intense. But then, he began wanting more. He put his hand behind my back and started unzipping my dress. It did not take a genius to notice his intention. He wanted me to have sex with him. Chapter 25 I Dont Love Him____ Chapter 25 I Don''t Love Him____ Scarlett''s POV: As I heard my dress being unzipped, I came to my senses in an instant. "Charles, stop!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. Charles, whose eyes were burning with lust, was stunned. In fear that he would force me, I immediately exined to him, "I''m on my period." "What?" Charles looked at me confusedly as though trying to figure out if I was telling the truth or not. While he was distracted, I pushed him with all my strength and ran to the bedroom. I also locked the door, so he would not be able to follow me in. I then leaned my back against it and calmed myself down. Once I was sure I was in the right mind, I warned myself inwardly. ''Scarlett, you two are going to divorce! Why do you easily fall for him? You should be firm so that you won''t get hurt because of him again!'' I kept forcing myself to get a grip, but it seemed to have little to no effect. My mind was in a mess. That evening, I tossed and turned in bed and did not fall asleep until the latter half of the night. The next day, I woke up at the sound of the doorbell. With sleepy eyes, I got up and opened the door of the bedroom. I surmised that Charles was sleeping in the living room, so I decided to change my lingerie first. It took me a while to get dressed. Even so, the doorbell had not stopped ringing since. The person outside the door was quite stubborn, which made me think that it was Rita. However, the visitor was not ringing the doorbell as impatiently as she did, so I figured that it must be someone else. I finally opened the door a few momentster. I was right. It was not Rita but Spencer. For some reason, he was all dressed up. "I saw Charles''s car downstairs," he said lightly. He stepped inside, and his gaze fell on the sofa, where Charles was sleeping. Spencer pointed at Charles, who was looking at him with a gloomy face, and asked in disbelief, "Did he sleep herest night?" Charles'' POV: I was sleeping soundly when the doorbell rang relentlessly. It was so annoying. Who woulde to see Scarlett early in the morning anyway? If it were a man, I would not let her leave with him. Anyway, I pretended not to hear the relentless ringing of the doorbell and continued to sleep. I thought that if nobody answered the door, the person who hade would eventually leave. To my surprise, Scarlett opened the door. "I saw Charles''s car downstairs," the visitor said. As he spoke, he walked inside, and his eyes widened upon seeing me lying on the sofa. He pointed at me and asked, "Did he sleep herest night?" It was Spencer. What the hell was he doing here early in the morning? I immediately sat up and red at him. "What are you doing here?" "What else? I came here to pick my girlfriend for work. My dear Scarlett, I''m a good boyfriend, am I not?" Spencer put his arm around Scarlett''s shoulders as if dering sovereignty. "She''s not your girlfriend yet. She hasn''t said yes to you," I reminded him with a frown. But then, Scarlett wrapped her arms around Spencer''s waist and leaned against his chest. "Who said that I hadn''t agreed yet? Spencer is my type. I''m d to have him as my boyfriend." "I feel the same way, honey." Spencer gazed at Scarlett''s sweet smile and loudly kissed her on the forehead. "It''s all thanks to your ex-husband. If it weren''t for him, we wouldn''t be together, and we''d still be friends." Scarlett smiled at me, and what she said next rang in my ears. "Thank you, my ex-husband." I was reminded of who I was to her, and I felt as though a fishbone had gotten stuck in my throat. I clenched my hands into fists so tightly that I could almost hear the cracking sound of my joints. However, it suddenly urred to me that I was the one who pushed her away. I could only hold back my temper at the thought of this. "It''ste in the morning now. Why haven''t you made breakfast yet?" I asked crossly. "Charles, you''re being an asshole right now. You not only spent the night at my girlfriend''s ce but are also treating her as a servant. People who don''t know her might think that she''s cheating on me!" Spencer roared. "We haven''t divorced yet," I retorted. "Still, you can''t continue being like this; otherwise, how can Scarlett and I be together? Besides, how can you two divorce amicably when you''re being unreasonable?" Get a divorce and surrender Scarlett''s soft lips to him? My mouth curled into a sneer at the thought of this. I was fuming with anger, but there was nothing I could say to refute his words. It was my fault, anyway. I was the one who brought up this stupid n. But even though I regretted doing this, I had no choice but to bear the consequences of my stupidity. I could not stay here any longer. Without another word, I stormed out and mmed the door shut. Scarlett caught up with me in the hallway. "Charles, don''te here again. I don''t want to be called a slut. I have a boyfriend now. I shouldn''tbe entangled with you, my ex-husband, anymore," she said loudly. I stopped in my tracks. Slowly, I turned around and stared at her dangerously. "Scarlett, don''t challenge me. I''m warning you, you wouldn''t be able to bear it." Scarlett was dumbfounded. Without waiting for her response, I walked towards the elevator and waited for it to open. As the elevator was near her apartment, I happened to overhear her and Spencer talking. "Do you still love him? If you''re still in love with him¡ª" "No. My love for him vanished the moment he asked me for divorce." Scarlett''s answer brought a pang to my heart. She was so cruel and heartless. She was able to give up her love and affection to me at will. But if she was able to give up so easily, how could it be love? I was disconcerted on the way out. It irked me that things were getting out of hand. It was only now that I realized both Scarlett and Spencer were beyond my control. I stood in the cold wind by the entrance of Scarlett''s apartment for a while. And instead of going home or thepany, I decided to go to the bar to drink alone. I drowned myself with alcohol. However, I still could not get the scene of Scarlett and Spencer being intimate out of my mind. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. I could not understand how things ended up like this. The two of them had known each other for twenty years. They had never shown interest in each other; that was until now. I just proposed to them to act like lovers in front of Grandma. But now, they were acting as though they were a real couple. Damn it! The more I thought about it, the more restless I became. I came here to make myself feel better, but it was not working. While I was being miserable, Spencer showed up uninvited. I felt even more frustrated to see him here. As I saw the wide smile on his face, I felt an urge to beat him right then and there. But, of course, I was not stupid. Instead of beating him up, I persuaded him not to take Scarlett seriously. "Don''t promise her anything, or she''ll get attached. She''ll give her heart to whoever fulfills her requests. You''re not the right person for her. You''d better think things through, so you won''t get hurt in the end," I cautioned without making myself sound desperate. "You know what? I''ll follow your advice... but only if we''re just acting. I''ve changed my mind." Spencer sat down on the sofa opposite me and poured himself a ss of wine. "What do you mean?" I asked, rmed. "I assured you back then that I''d put on an act with her so that Christine will rest assured, didn''t I? But now, it seems that we''ve fallen for each other. Didn''t you hear what she said? She said I was her type." Spencer put down his ss and shrugged. "Well, it''s not my fault I''m charming," he added with a helpless look on his face. My urge to punch him grew even stronger when I saw the smug look on his face. "Spencer, are you betraying me? You can''t possibly have the hots for Scarlett!" "When you decided to ask me to pretend to be her boyfriend, you should''ve known this could happen. You can keep your virginity while juggling two women, but I can''t. I''m not like you. I''m a man with needs." "Don''t touch her!" I bellowed. His words made my blood run cold. "Charles, tell me the truth. Are you in love with Scarlett?" Spencer suddenly asked with a meaningful look on his face. I did not answer him and just snorted in response. Chapter 26 Wedding Dress Chapter 26 Wedding Dress Charles'' POV: "It''s none of your business. Just drink your wine." Since when did Spencer be so nosy? ''He''s so annoying.'' Feeling irritated, I leaned against the sofa, pinching between my eyes. "Charles, why can''t you just admit it? You love Scarlett. But Rita, well, you''re just grateful to her for saving your ass in the past. Besides, she is sick now. You''re doing all this for her just because of your gratitude and sympathy towards her." Looking at the red wine in my ss, I was stunned. When I thought of the way I had been behaving lately, I was speechless. After a long moment, I argued, "No." "Then why haven''t you had sex with Rita yet?" "She''s not in good health, and I am not a monster!" "Is that so?" Spencer sneered, "If you are holding back your most primal urge in front of the woman you love, then man, you really are a saint! Anyway, I don''t want to waste time with you. If that''s how you really feel, then let go of Scarlett. She has suffered enough with you and Rita over the years. If you even have the slightest bit of humanity in your heart, then you would let her go." Spencer''s words made me feel extremely dejected, and all of a sudden, I felt like I could not breathe. I loosened my tie irritably as I nced him coldly. "That''s all I wanted to say. If you regret this in the future, then don''t me me for not reminding you." Noticing that I was angry, Spencer finished his wine and left. Scarlett''s POV: When I woke up, a ray of sunshine shone on my bed. I cozied up in myfortable nket as I looked up at the bear rm clock on the bedside table. It was nine o''clock. My program today started at eleven o''clock. I would not be toote if I just freshened up and rushed to thepany at once. My phone started ringing all of a sudden, next to the rm clock. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. With sleepy eyes, I lifted the nket off me and got out of bed. I walked to the living room while answering the phone. "I have a package deliveryter. Please sign it for me. And remember to check it before you sign it." "Sure," I said casually before I hung up the phone. Just when I was about to put the phone down, I nced at the screen and was stunned. ''Charles? Did he really just ask me to sign for his package? I Realizing that it was Charles'' on the phone, my heart began to race. I couldn''t help but think of the coldness in his eyes when he had left the previous day. We had just parted in discord the day before, and now, he was calmly asking me to sign his package. If he continued to be that way, then when would we even end our rtionship? The delivery guy knocked on my door at exactly half-past nine. There was a well-packed box in his hand, which he handed over to me. "Ma''am, please sign for the package." "Okay, let me take a look at it first." I put the package on the shoe cab near the door before I opened it with a pair of scissors. It was a white wedding dress that was embroidered and embellished with pearls. There was a beautiful lace cor attached to it, which made it look exquisite. I froze when I saw it. The whole thing was starting to make me feel breathless. Unwilling to let me go, Charles was even trying various means to provoke me. He even asked me to sign for the wedding dress he ordered for another woman. And he specifically asked me to look inside first. When did he learn to y tricks like Rita? "Ma''am, it looks like you are going to get married. Congrattions." The delivery man handed me the receipt with a warm smile. His words startled me. It took me a moment to pull myself together and reply, "It''s not for me. It''s someone else''s." After he left, I put the box on the tea table and sat on the sofa, staring at the gown in front of me in a daze. Charles was going to be someone else''s soon. And Rita was going to get what she wanted. ''Scarlett, you have to control yourself from now on. You can''t be involved with a married man, or people will misunderstand you. There are many remarkable men in the world, and it is not just Charles Moore. You can''t give up the whole forest because of one tree. You should let him go and move on with your life.'' About ten minutester, the doorbell rang again. I walked to the door to open it, and I did not have to look at the person''s face to know who it was. I could tell just by their scent. "I have checked the package. It''s on the tea table." Saying that, I turned around and went straight to my room. Just when I was about to reach the door, Charles exined, "I didn''t know it was a wedding dress." "Alright," I replied, took a deep breath, and faked a smile. "Congrattions, you''re finally getting what you want." "Scarlett, listen to me. I really didn''t know that it was a wedding dress." Charles strode towards me, grabbed my arm, and exined in an anxious tone. When I saw him like that, I felt like he was being ridiculous. Since Charles liked Rita, he should be with her. I had never stopped him, so why was he doing such a thing to me? He was the one who kept putting away the divorce, after all. Why did he have to provoke me with a wedding dress now? "Let''s get a divorce. We are free now, right?" I said in a calm voice as I tried to hold back the anger in my heart. "Not yet." Charles lowered his head and looked away. "Then when can we get a divorce? When I''ve had sex with Spencer or when I''m pregnant with his child? If that''s the only way in which I can make you let go of me, then I''ll do that." Charles looked at me in shock. There was a fierce look in his eyes, which made it clear that he was furious with me. After a long moment of silence, he said, "If that''s the only way in which you can understand me, then so be it." "Okay, I will try my best," I said, looking at him with a smile. Charles clenched his fists and closed his eyes, as though he was trying to restrain his emotions. A few minutester, he turned around and left, taking the wedding dress with him. I stood still and watched him disappear from my sight. My bitter smile felt more painful than shedding tears. But I had already decided to let go of him. So why was he continuing to torture me like that? I had just fallen for the wrong man. Did I really have to end one mistake with another? And if I did, then would it be fair to me and Spencer? Charles did not show up for the next few days. Cherishing the peace, I decided to focus on my work. Lately, the program I hosted was gaining a lot of poprity. My superiors took advantage of the audience''s enthusiasm and nned for me to host a new program. I had to interview celebrities with huge followers on social media and talk about some hot topics for the new program, in order to increase our TV channel''s ratings. It was not too difficult, but it was not a cake walk to do it well. "Miss Riley, there is hot news all over the Inte about Miss Rita Lively''s wedding dress. What do you think about it?" the guest asked all of a sudden as she sat from across me, elegantly. The program was not over yet. "Mr. Moore and Miss Lively are a perfect couple. It''s great that they are getting married. In fact, I wish they have a long wonderful happy life together." "It looks like you''re quite familiar with the couple." "Sure. Mr. Moore and Miss Lively are both famous. How could I not know them?" I said those words with a kind smile, but deep in my heart, only I knew how much it hurt me to say that. Why did I have to talk about it? Why were those two popping up no matter where I went? And why wasn''t I able to avoid them even though I badly wanted to? After the program was over, I went out for some fresh air during my lunchtime, in an attempt to temporarily forget my troubles. But as soon as I walked out of the TV station, Rita came to me with a thermal pot in her hand. "Scarlett, it''s so great to see you here. I thought that I would need to get inside the TV station to meet you." Rita ran up to me as she said those kind words. "What''s up?" "It''s nothing. I was just worried that you might be overworking yourself, so I brought some chicken soup to help nourish your body." Rita pointed at the thermal pot in her hand, hesitated for a second before she continued, "Besides, I wanted to ask you to be my bridesmaid." Chapter 27 Blessing Chapter 27 Blessing Scarlett''s POV: "I can''t promise you right now." ''Inviting her fiance''s ex-wife to be her bridesmaid? Only Rita could come up with something like that!'' After all, she had always considered me as an obstacle in her rtionship with Charles. And she obviously wanted to show off that she was victorious right on the most important day of her life. My colleagues stepping out of the TV station for their lunch break, saw me talking to Rita, and began whispering among themselves. "Scarlett seems to know Miss Lively pretty well. Is she familiar with members of such wealthy families?" "The Riley, Moore, and Lively family had been well-known families in the city for more than decades now. I heard that they were on good terms, but I don''t know what happenedter. The Riley family declined, and the Moore family adopted a child from the Riley family." "Scarlett''s surname is Riley. Are you saying that she might be the child that the Moore family adopted?" Several of my colleagues looked at me in shock. They might have guessed what had happened to me over the years, so there was a hint of sympathy in their eyes. "Scarlett." One of them waved to me. I walked up to them with the chicken soup in my hand. They pulled me aside and asked, "Scarlett, what''s your rtionship with that woman?" "She''s just an acquaintance," I answered with a smile. "She is obviously not a good person. You need to be more careful around her." "It''s alright. She can''t do anything to me." After making sure that I was not in any kind of trouble, my colleagues were relieved and invited me to have lunch. Rita also seemed to be busy, so she nodded and smiled at my colleagues before she left in a hurry. After work, Spencer appeared at the TV station as usual while I was walking out of the building with Nina, who was my colleague. Spencer was dressed in a white suit. His handsome face was a sight for sore eyes. He got off the car and walked towards me. "Spencer, this is Nina. Nina, this is Spencer," I introduced them to each other. "Hello, Nina." Spencer greeted Nina like a gentleman. "Hello," Nina also greeted him enthusiastically and then turned to me with a smile. "Scarlett, looks like we have to postpone our ns." Nina was the host of financial news. Before we got off work, we had nned to have dinner together over a nice chat. But since Spencer was there, we had to change our ns. "Alright," I said with a nod. "Since you two already made ns, why don''t we all have dinner together?" Spencer suggested with a smile. "Would that really be okay?" "It would be alright." Looking at me, Nina nodded with a smile. We walked towards Spencer''s car, talking and giggling. When I was not expecting it, a white Maybach suddenly came into my view. Stunned, I realized that it was Charles'' car. Seeing that, I immediately help Spencer''s arm. To be honest, I didn''t want Charles to be there. He always came with us whenever I was with Spencer. He probably did not feel relieved until he saw that I was with Spencer. However, he would always have a gloomy look in his eyes when he saw us dating. Soon, we arrived at the restaurant. And Charles got out of the car with a poker face. "You are asking me for help, but you don''t trust me. Don''t you know that your frosty face will only spoil the fun?" Spencer said crossly. Without saying a word, Charles pushed open the revolving door. "Charles." As soon as the door was open, someone pushed open the door of a private room from the inside. Rita walked over to us in a sexy red dress. Seeing his beloved woman, Charles didn''t show any joy. In fact, he frowned subconsciously. Rita held his hand. "We are leaving." I didn''t want to stay there with Charles and Rita. "Why don''t we all eat together?" "What?" ''What''se over Charles all of a sudden? Isn''t his rtionship with another woman hurting enough already? He even wants me to bear witness?'' I wanted to refuse, but before I could say anything, he grabbed my hand as he led me to the private dining room. I sat between Spencer and Nina while Charles and Rita sat together. They were sitting very close, like an intimate couple. "Nina, I often watch financial programs hosted by you. I really like your style. I''m truly honored to meet you today," Rita spoke first. "Thank you, Miss Lively. I didn''t think someone could be more beautiful in person than they were on TV until I saw you." Nina''s words were obviously perfunctory as she did not seem like she liked Rita. "Thank you, I am ttered. And please, just call me Rita." At that moment, the waiter walked in with a bottle of expensive wine and Rita pushed her ss forward. Just when the waiter was about to fill her ss, Charles pushed her ss away. "You''re not supposed to drink," he reminded her. "It''s fine. The doctor said that I can drink a little. Alright, I will listen to you because I am not well now." Charles had only said one sentence to her but she was putting on a show. It was obvious that she was trying to provoke me. "Cheers!" Spencer didn''t like the intimacy between Charles and Rita either, so he raised his ss to Nina and me. "Cheers." After taking a sip of the wine, I frowned. Nina seemed to be good at drinking, so she was able to finish her wine in one gulp. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Looking at my wine ss, she pretended to be disappointed. "Scarlett, why don''t you finish it? Aren''t you good at drinking? This is not good. Adults are always going to have to drink at social engagements, and if you''re bad at drinking, then you might be in trouble." "But I am a lightweight." "Then you should practice now. We''re all friends here, right? Even if you get wasted here, it will be alright." "Okay." I was terrible at handling my alcohol, and after drinking just two sses of wine, I was already feeling dizzy. My vision was blurry. While I was studying in France, I seldom drank, which exined my low alcohol tolerance. However, since Nina and Spencer were both urging to me to drink, I had one more ss, unable to refuse them. "I would like to propose a toast to me and Charles. We are getting married!" Rita said, raising her ss. As soon as she finished speaking, the private room suddenly fell quiet. For a moment, Spencer and Nina looked at Rita before they turned to me with an obvious look of pity in their eyes. Spencer had always known about theplicated rtionship between us, and now, Nina had also figured it out over just one dinner. I had to admit that women''s intuition was rather terrible. But pity was thest thing I needed at that time. I could live happy even without Charles. "We have to drink to it." I filled the ss with wine and stood up. "Let''s bless the new couple. There may be eternal love in their lives!" I was so drunk that I was a little unsteady, so Spencer offered me his hand to help me stand up. "Scarlett, you are drunk. Let me take you home," he said. "Are you okay?" Nina asked me with concern. I shook my head as I looked at Charles'' gloomy eyes, raised my ss, and said, "I wish that you get what you want." "Scarlett, thank you for give us your blessing. You know, I''ve always thought of you as a sister, and I''ll treat you the same in the future. I want to take this opportunity to formally acknowledge you as my sister." Rita stood up and raised her ss, which was filled with water. Chapter 28 Drunk Chapter 28 Drunk Scarlett''s POV: "Thank you for your appreciation," I said to Rita with an insincere smile. I must say, she was so into acting. Did she n on treating her husband''s ex-wife as a sister just so she could show other people how good-natured she was? Perhaps she wanted to earn the reputation of being kind? "Scarlett, I am a public figure. You won''t suffer a loss if you take me as your elder sister. Besides, if anyone wants to give you a hard time in the future, they''ll have to think twice. They have to make sure first if they can offend the people behind your back," Rita said with a smug look on her face. "Are you saying that I can take advantage of you?" I forced a smile at her. What she had just suggested was actually the contrary of what I wanted. After the divorce, I nned to stay away from them and disappear from their lives. "I wouldn''t put it that way. It''s just that Charles and I have watched you grow up into a finedy. We can''t help that you''re still our little sister in our eyes." Rita turned to Charles and added, "Am I right, Charles?" "Yes," Charles''s answered in a barely audible tone. His hands were clenched into fists under the table. Although he seemed to be in a foul mood, he still answered Rita''s question. "If that''s the case, thank you, my dear sister and brother-inw." I drank up the wine in my ss. It was bitter, but it became tasteless when it reached my mouth. As soon as I said the word "brother-inw," Charles raised his head and looked into my eyes with an icy cold gaze. For some reason, he never touched the ss of wine in front of him. All of a sudden, Rita pointed at Nina and Spencer and half-jokingly said, "You, two, listen carefully. From now on, Scarlett is my sister. If you dare to coax her into drinking just like what you''ve just done, I''ll be the one who''ll settle ounts with you." Neither Nina nor Spencer said anything. They just watched Rita''s acting disinterestedly. Under the influence of alcohol, I decided to act as well. "Well, it seems that I shouldn''t have made my elder sister worry about me. Don''t worry. I''ll be a good girl in the future so that you won''t have to come to the TV station to check on me again and again." The smile on Rita''s face froze, and her face turned pale in an instant. Maybe she was worried that Charles might understand what I meant. But then again, she was an actress. She quickly regained herposure and put on a considerate look on her face. "It''s just that you''ve only started working for a couple of days. As your elder sister, it''s natural for me to be concerned about you. You shouldn''t take it to heart. Am I right, Charles?" As soon as Rita finished speaking, she looked at Charles expectantly. However, he merely looked back at her, his face as cold as ice. I was certain that Charles understood what I meant. It did not take a genius to figure out that Rita had been stalking and harassing me while he was away. His piercing gaze flustered Rita. To our astonishment, she suddenly held her head with one hand and copsed. She fell directly into Charles''s arms. How convenient. "Charles, I''m not feeling well," Rita weakly said. She sounded as though she was dying. To be perfectly honest, her acting was awful. I found it amusing and hrious, but Charles seemed to believe it. He got fooled by her yet again. His stone-cold expression softened. Without a word, he stood up and helped Rita up. I could not help sigh as I watched them leave. Rita must know Charles very well to know how she could make him feel sorry for her. Not only that, but she could also handle his anger effectively. Nina watched as Charles and Rita left. "What''s wrong with her? She just copse like that?" she asked once the two were out of our sight. "She has advanced stage liver cancer," Spencer exined. "Can patients that sick hop around like that?" Nina asked again without thinking. Spencer frowned at her words as though he was unsure if she was joking or not. Me? Well, I did not read too much into it. I was too drunk to think and care about them. We left the restaurant not long after. Nina hailed a taxi and left by herself. Spencer, on the other hand, drove me home. Along the way, I looked outside of the window and admired the lights in a daze. We arrived at my apartment a few momentster. Gentleman as he was, Spencer helped me get off the car. "Are you okay? How about I buy you some hangover pills?" he asked while looking at me with concern. "You don''t have to. I''m fine." I left him behind and staggered towards the elevator. Spencer seemed to respect my decision. He did not insist and just let me be. "Okay. But call me if you feel sick or something." My head hurt so much. I leaned against the wall of the elevator and massaged my temples to somehow relieve my headache. "I feel terrible. I won''t drink anymore," I muttered to myself. All of a sudden, the elevator door opened, and a vague yet familiar figure stepped out of it. "Charles?" I asked with uncertainty. Charles'' POV: "Do you now know how it feels to get drunk?" I asked sternly the moment I saw Scarlett. When Rita said that she was not feeling well, I rushed her to the hospital at once. But then, I left as soon as I handed her to the doctor. It was not that I did not care about her. It was just that it wouldn''t be any different if I waited up. Upon arriving at the apartment, I saw Scarlett leaning against the elevator and pressing her temples. I felt a pang in my heart when I saw her in pain. Damn it! Was Spencer out of his mind? How could he make Scarlett drink so much?! "Wow! You have three heads! You look funny." The drunk Scarlett was bolder than when she was sober. I pulled her into my arms. But as soon as I did so, she cupped my face and sighed heavily. "You''re not allowed to drink anymore." I shook off her hands and walked forward with my arms around her waist. At that moment, the doors of the elevator opened again. This time, it was Spencer. Just after walking a few steps, he stopped in his tracks when he saw Scarlett in my arms. "Didn''t you leave with your sickly beauty? What are you doing here?" "I came here to take care of Scarlett. You can go now." It was apparent in my tone that I did not want to talk to him. However, Spencer seemed reluctant to leave. He looked at Scarlett and asked me, "Are you sure you won''t be called away again?" I stared daggers at him. "If I see you make her drink again, I won''t spare you," I warned. "Did you really have to bring that up this time? Fine. I''ll leave if that''s what you want." Spencer still wanted to protest but decided against it when he saw I was in a bad mood. He must know that I would not budge, so he finally left. "You double-faced man. Everyone can see how much you care about her. Why can''t you admit it frankly?" he mumbled. With my arm around Scarlett''s waist, I pressed the password to her apartment. She was restless, probably because of the alcohol. She kept stroking my chest amorously, which subsequently aroused my lust. Even though I did not want it, it stimted me. Argh! Did she not know how difficult it was to restrain myself from these past few days? "You smell familiar. It''s strange. Why do you smell like Charles? You can''t have the same smell as him..." I must admit, Scarlett was amusing, especially now when she was inebriated. With a sly smile, I grabbed her hand that was pounding on my chest and teased, "How does he smell?" "Hmm. He smells good. I love his scent. Gah! He smells so good." Scarlett seemed to be intoxicated by my scent rather than the alcohol. She then rubbed her head on my chest, indulging herself in her favorite smell. I rested my chin on her head. The fragrance of her hair was so alluring. If only I could, I would beguile her so that she would only belong to me from now on. The door opened a few secondster, and I walked in with her. I kicked the door shut and suddenly felt an urge to press her body against the door. Slowly, I moved my head to hers until we were only inches apart. However, she suddenly covered her mouth and protested, "No! This is Charles''s. You can''t kiss me on the lips." What a silly girl. She was so drunk that she could not even tell who the person in front of her was. "Look at me closely. Do you recognize me?" I asked amusedly. To my surprise, Scarlett shook his head, and mncholy could be seen all over her face. "You''re not him. He doesn''t love me. He loves Rita. He''s in the hospital right now with his woman. He doesn''t love me. He can''t possibly be here. Charles..." She cried bitterly as she spoke. As soon as she mentioned my name, she leaned against my shoulder and broke down. I felt sorry to see her like this. But I must admit, I was happy as well. It turned out that the girl who said she no longer loved me still did. I thought she had already removed me from her heart, but I was wrong. I was still in her heart all along. "Charles doesn''t love me. He sent me a divorce agreement as if I never mattered to him. But for some reason, he keeps refusing to proceed with the divorce. He''s so confusing. Charles, I hate you. I hate you with all my heart! You''re the worst man in the world. I hate you!" Scarlett could not stop crying in my tight embrace. Guilt washed over me as I listened to her sobs. It was driving me crazy. I wanted her to stop crying at once. She did not deserve this. She should be happy all the time. "I hate... hmm..." Her sobs broke my heart. I held her tightly and lowered my head. She struggled to get out of my grasp, but I held her even tighter. Finally, I leaned over and kissed her. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. The moment our lips touched, she stopped struggling and then looked at me with tearful eyes. I closed my eyes and expressed my affection to her through a deep kiss. It was only when we ran out of breath that I let go of her. But, of course, that did not mean that it was all over. If anything, the kiss made me want more. I wanted to have a taste of her and not lose out on her. Arm in arm, we walked from the living room to the bedroom. We hugged and stroked each other along the way. It was a long night tonight. We had all the time in the world to explore each other''s bodies. However, I still had dilemmas to ovee before I could go to thest step. Chapter 29 What Happened Last Night Chapter 29 What Happened Last Night Scarlett''s POV: As the first ray of sunshine shone in the room, I felt its warmth on my skin, and I stretched, rubbed my eyes before I sat up slowly. My mouth feltpletely dry, and I had a splitting headache. The nket slipped off my body when I sat up, exposing the bruises on my body. I immediately recalled a novel plot where the heroine woke up after having sex with the hero. I tried my best to recall what had happened the night before, but I couldn''t remember anything. Besides, I was almost going crazy because of the headache caused by the hangover. I massaged my head as I frowned in pain. I did not want to think about it until my hangover was cured and my headache was gone, but suddenly, I heard a familiar voice from beside me. "Now you know the pain of a hangover. Why did you drink so muchst night?" It was Charles! Why was he here? I was shocked to find him standing by the bed, dressed in a white shirt and ck pants. "How long are you nning to stay in bed? I''ve made porridge." When he saw that I was not getting up, he looked at me with a frown. "Why are you here?" I couldn''t remember anything until now, but I did seem very certain that something had happened between us. Otherwise, how could those suspicious-looking bruises appear all over my body? "I didn''t want to stay the night, but you kept holding me," Charles exined tly. "That shouldn''t be..." "Shouldn''t be what? You think that I did something to you? What do you think about all day long?" Charles interrupted. "But..." "No buts. I''m not interested in your shriveled body, and if I remember correctly, this is not the first time I am mentioning it to you." He then walked out of the room as though nothing had happened between us. However, there was evidence all over my body to prove otherwise. I hurriedly took out a coat from the wardrobe and put it on. I tried to catch up to him and confront him, but I was surprised to find that I wasn''t wearing any underwear. Two small dark red spots could be seen through the white silk pajamas that I was wearing. Realizing that I had been in the same room with Charles, dressed in such sexy pajamas, I was so depressed and embarrassed that I wanted to bury my head in the ground till he left. Not long after, there was a knock on the door. "It''s time for breakfast." "Right," I answered as I stood behind the door, feeling nervous. Then I heard him walk away. I braced myself as I walked out of the room. As I entered the dining room, I noticed Charles arranging the tableware. A ray of sunshine shone from the window of the living room, painting the room in a golden hue. It was like looking at a scene from a movie, which made me feel at peace all of a sudden. Wasn''t it exactly what I had been longing for all this time? Wasn''t it the thing that I had never dared to dream of?N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "Why are you still standing there? Hurry, go wash up ande have breakfast." "Okay." Charles noticed that I was staring at him nkly, so he reminded me. As soon as I came to my senses, I rushed to the bathroom to wash my face with a guilty conscience. Once I felt refreshed, Charles and I sat opposite to each other at the dining table. While I fiddled with the fried eggs on my te, I asked tentatively, "Were you the one that took off my underwear last night?" "No." "Are you saying that I''m the one that did it, then?" "If it wasn''t you, then who did it? Me? Did you forget what I just told you?" Charles frowned, with an obvious hint of displeasure in his eyes. "But... Forget it." I wanted to ask more, but I refrained myself and continued to eat my breakfast. For some reason, I still felt like it was strange, so I went to my room to check. My bed sheet and nket were white. If there were any traces of sex left, then I would be able to see them if I just lifted the nket up. Standing near the end of the bed, I lifted the nket, and checked carefully. The bed sheet was indeed wrinkled, but there were no stains on it. Only after I saw that was I able to heave a sigh of relief. "What are you looking for?" Charles'' sudden question from my door startled me. "It''s nothing." "Then why are you panicking?" "I wasn''t... By the way, why did you stay herest night?" I changed the subject in haste. "Didn''t I tell you already? Don''t you remember anything? You acted like a rogue, forced me to stay last night, kissed me, and touched me," Charles stated seriously. When I heard that, I was so embarrassed that I could feel my face burning from shame. How could I do that to him? We were going to divorce. I should know to put a distance between us. Needless to say, Charles must think that I was a horny slut and that my usual serious appearance was all pretentious. I lowered my head in silence. I was so embarrassed that I wanted to dig a hole and bury myself. That moment, Charles'' phone rang. He took it out from his pocket and nced at the caller ID. Instead of answering it, he muted it. Just when he was about to put his phone back in his pocket, he noticed me craning my neck and trying to catch a glimpse at the screen. Caught peeping, I tried to avoid his gaze, feeling ashamed. Why was he looking at me like that? ''There''s no prizes for guessing the caller ID, okay?'' I thought to myself, despising the fact that I was too curious about the person who had called him just now. "You don''t have to work today. Do you have any other ns?" Fortunately for me, Charles did not care about what I just did and wanted to know about my ns for the day. "No, I don''t. Let''s get a divorce." Chapter 30 My Price Chapter 30 My Price Scarlett''s POV: I''m going to apany Rita for the check-up. As soon as I mentioned divorce, Charles'' voice became cold. He then ran out of the room as though he was afraid that his sweetheart was going to die if he wasted another moment. Looking at his receding figure, I sighed with a heavy heart. Deep down, I felt like Rita would immediately feel much better if he showed her our divorce papers. But the door mmed shut, and he was gone. I walked to the sofa and looked at the clean table. Thinking of that Charles was preparing breakfast in the kitchen, I fell in a daze. Rita''s wedding dress was ready. It was very likely that what just happened a while ago would probably never happen again. I was in a trance that entire day. And in the evening, I received a call from Nina. I went to the bar to meet her. Scarlett, what''s the rtionship between the three of you? Why did I sense a weird awkwardness in your rtionship that day? Nina had been curiously eyeing me ever since I walked into the bar, and now, she could not help but ask. It''s a love triangle, but it''s moreplicated. Since she seemed to have already noticed that something was wrong, I had to admit it. So you guys... She was truly shocked. I can''t tell you more for now. Honey. I''m sorry, I interrupted her with a smile. Nina hesitated for a moment before she smiled back. She then changed the subject and said, "By the way, what''s your rtionship with Spencer? You two look cute together." We are just pretending to be dating. We''re not lovers. Can I pursue him, then? Nina asked cautiously, but her eyes were twinkling. Of course, you can. Ever since Spencer and I decided to follow Charles'' advice and pretend to be in a rtionship, we had been feeling very ufortable to be around each other. And now, Nina wanted to pursue Spencer. So I could take her with me when I went on a date with him in the future. As long as they were dating, I would just be following them around, and it was not too far off from Charles'' original n, anyway. It was the best of both worlds. Tell me more about Spencer. I''m curious. Nina couldn''t hide her true feelings at all. As soon as she heard that I had no objection, she seemed to be very excited. But I didn''t know much about Spencer, so I could only tell her what I knew. Nina listened carefully as I provided as much as details I could. We had a good conversation, and we bonded over that. While we were happily talking, I received a text message from Rita. It was a photo of her and Charles where she was wearing a wedding dress. She asked me if she looked good. I wanted to say something perfunctory to her, but when I thought of the fact that she was so difficult to handle, I gave up on the idea. All of a sudden, an idea urred to me, and I forwarded the photo to Charles with the following message, "This is a good one. It hasn''t been exposed yet, right? How much will the paparazzi give me if I sell this? After all, this is first-hand information, which is very valuable." Charles replied with just a question mark. I nced at it and had no interest in continuing the conversation, so I locked my phone screen. Two hourster, Nina went to the bathroom. While I was looking around the bar in my seat, a middle-aged man walked up to me. He was dressed in a ck suit. Miss Riley, my boss would like to have a word with you. Upon hearing his words, I looked at him in a daze. His "boss" was no doubt the next Mr. Walker. Umm, okay. I stood up. Miss Riley, this way please. The man led me outside. There was a Bentley waiting at the entrance. As the windows rolled down, I saw a man''s ugly face in front of me. He looked at me, but for some reason, his gaze disgusted me. It almost made me feel like I was some kind of amodity, and not a person. Miss Riley, I already know about your situation, so I won''t beat around the bush. I think you already know what I am about to say. Don''t worry, I am not a stingy man. He was indeed another Mr. Walker. However, I liked that he got to the point quickly without beating around the bush. Thank you for your appreciation, but I don''t have any ns of that sort yet, I refused politely, standing by the car door as I looked at him. It''s just a matter of money. In fact, I am even willing to let you name your price. But I would suggest that you reconsider before you turn me down. Thank you for your suggestion. Though I was cursing him deep in my heart, I did not want to offend him in haste, so I had to maintain a polite attitude towards him. This is my business card. Call me if you change your mind. Perhaps, it was my good attitude that left him feel satisfied with my answer. He nodded and handed me his card. After I took it, he motioned his driver to start the car. Charles'' POV: My friends asked me to join them for a drink, but as soon as I arrived at the bar, I saw Scarlett talking to someone, who was in a Bentley. I parked the car not too far away from them and asked someone to find out who owned the Bentley. Soon, I got a text on my phone. The owner''s background and his disgusting love history was right before me. After reading the message, I clenched my phone, feeling depressed. Scarlett was like an irresistible sweet treat for men. Thepany leader first, then that Mr. Walker, and now, there was another man. I could already guess that countless men would be looking to woo her in the future. Before long, the Bentley drove away. Do they all think that you are single? I asked as I walked towards Scarlett. Who knows what they think? Scarlett answered perfunctorily before she headed towards the bar. She was dressed in a white dress. The hemline flowed with the wind, revealing her slim legs. Her perfect back glistened under the sea of lights. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. I followed her, trying to block the breeze. All of a sudden, she turned to me and asked with a smile, "Charles, these people are bidding to keep me as their mistress. I wonder how much you think I am worth." When I heard that, I was stunned. Never mind me. I am just being silly. I am sure I must be real cheap to you. Since I did not answer, she looked away,ughing at herself. Seeing her like that, my heart ached, because to me, she was not someone that money could buy. Otherwise, I would not be dying the divorce until now. Suddenly, I felt curious to know what price she thought I would mark her for, so I asked, "Well, what do you have in mind?" Scarlett turned around. A gust of wind fumbled through her long hair, and a strand of her hair fell on my face. It made me feel soft and numb. My heart skipped a beat when I smelled her unique scent. A few dimes, probably. Scarlett tucked her hair behind her ear, revealing her perfect profile. Seeing that, my heart raced even faster. Even the smallest things she did would affect me greatly and distract me. I opened my mouth, but I did not know what to say to her, and it took a while before I managed to utter, "You shouldn''tbelittle yourself like that." She simply smiled and asked, "How is Rita?" The same as before. I thought of the doctor''s words. He had said that Rita didn''t have much time left. If she had any wishes, then it was time we helped her fulfil them so that she could pass without any regrets. Wish? Did she really have to get married so that she could pass without regrets?'' Scarlett looked at me in silence. Out of curiosity, I asked, "How much do you think I''m worth?" Chapter 31 You Are Priceless Chapter 31 You Are Priceless Scarlett''s POV: When Charles asked me how much he was worth to me, he was standing really close, and I could feel his warm breath on my ear. It was incredibly ambiguous. I looked down at my toes, and whispered, "You are priceless." Since he got the answer he wanted, he chuckled in my ear. "But that was in the past," I added, looking into his eyes. His smile froze as he turned around and forced me to face him. "And now?" His grip was so tight that his fingers were digging into my flesh. I frowned. It was too windy and I couldn''t open my eyes. However, my mind was particrly clear as I said the following words. "You are not worth a cent." Charles'' expression darkened as he finally eased his grip on my arm. "I want to be the priceless one. Now, and forever!" "Charles, do you even hear yourself? Don''t you think it''s ridiculous for a man who is about to divorce his wife to want her to consider him as a priceless treasure?" Shocked, I looked at him in disbelief, but deep down, I was alsoughing at the absurd idea. How could he be so greedy? ''He already has a lover, and yet he wants to be important to me?'' "I am not drunk, if that''s what you''re thinking. I know exactly what I''m talking about," he retorted with a serious look in his eyes. "If you are sober, then why do you keep shuttling between two women? You are going to marry your sweetheart, and yet, you can''t seem to cut off ties with me, either... Hmm..." I was furious, but before I could finish my words, my lips were sealed with his as he kissed me forcibly. Stunned, I did not know how to react, and when I saw a man passing by, I came to my senses and pushed him away. "What the hell do you want from me, Charles? You asked me toe back to get a divorce, but you''re also dragging me along and flirting with me. Are you still the same Charles Moore?" "It is me! What? Don''t act like this is the first day you know me!" Charles'' eyes were still filled with passion, but he seemed to be enraged because I had pushed him away. "You''re crazy!" I was so angry that I could not even bring myself to fight with him. I turned around and was about to leave, but then... "Yes! I''m crazy!" Charles took a step forward and grabbed my hand. "What are you doing, Charles?" I red at him, unable to break free. Without answering me, he pulled me towards his car with great strength. He was obviously livid. But so was I. I grabbed the car door with my hand, refusing to get in. "Give me a reason to get in the car," I demanded. "I left my jacket at your ce. I''ll drive you home and take my jacket from there. Is that good enough?" Charles was trying his best to restrain his emotions. "It''s just a jacket. You don''t need to wear that particr one." R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only "It''s my favorite jacket." As far as I knew, Charles rarely ever wore the same clothes again, so his reason did not seem believable to me. I stood next to the car door with no intention of getting in. "I won''te in. You can get it and give it to me." Charles looked at me helplessly before he finally decided topromise. I looked at the cars passing by not far away and all the people around us. I felt that it was not good for us to keep standing there like that, so I agreed to his request and called Nina to apologize to her. "You can''t go back on your word." I was still a little worried. "Sure," Charles answered readily. After getting in the car, he leaned against the seat, but his eyes were fixed on me. He looked like a child that was so happy after getting a toy by throwing a tantrum. I turned to look out of the window, ignoring him. Soon we arrived at themunity. Charles got off the car and opened the door for me like a gentleman while I ignored him and walked straight to the elevator. With his hands in his pockets, he followed me. As soon as he entered the elevator, he leaned against the wall with a yful look in his eyes. He kept ying with my hair and didn''t stop until I turned around, ring at him. The elevator door opened, and Charles could not wait to get off it, which made it pretty obvious what he wanted to do. "Don''t forget what you said." I had to remind him. He stopped and looked at me, obviously trying to hide the excitement in his heart. As I went to open the door he leaned against the wall, looking at me. Seeing that the door was open, he could not wait anymore. He touched his nose and said, "Well... I''m a little thirsty." Ignoring him, I walked straight into the room, fetched his jacket, and threw it to him. Just when he was about to squeeze in, I shut the door. mming the door on his face brought me joy. I could not help but think of his cold expression as he stood outside the door. Charles'' POV: In the club, I casually tossed my jacket away as I sat on the sofa, feeling pretty depressed. "What''s the matter? Did you just meet Rita?" Spencer took out a clean ss and poured some red wine for me. "No." I pinched between my eyes, not wanting to say more. "Looks like it was my dear baby Scarlett, who gave you the cold shoulder." Spencer put the ss of wine in front of me andughed. It was as though he was always looking for an opportunity to mock me. Confused, David looked at him with a puzzled expression. "What''s going on? When did Scarlett be so close to you? And why are you calling her''dear'' ?" "You won''t understand. It''s a secret between the three of us." Spencer looked at him mysteriously. "I will understand if you tell me. How can you still be my friend if you have secrets that I don''t know about?" David''s expression changed when he felt like we were excluding him. "Do you really want to know?" Spencer asked, looking at him. "Of course, I do!" "Then ask him." Spencer raised his chin as he pointed at me. However, I was not in the mood to exin to him now. I could not get my mind off the fact that Spencer had called Scarlett so endearingly. ''Dear? Baby? Do people really think that they can call others whatever they want now?'' "Don''t call her like that from now on," I warned Spencer with a long face. "Like what?" He tried to y dumb with me. "Dear! Baby!" Enraged, I began gritting my teeth. "Wow! You are such a meddlesome ex-husband, aren''t you? What''s so wrong with me calling my girl ''dear''?" "I asked you to act, not to make it a real thing!" I picked up the ss and took a sip. "Are you asking me not to be dedicated? That doesn''t sound like your style! Charles, do you really love Rita?" Spencer asked. "There''s no need to ask. He doesn''t look like he loves her at all!" David swirled the wine in his ss as though he was watching a y. Obviously, he understood what was going on from the conversation between Spencer and me. "But it looks like Scarlett is giving him the cold shoulder now." "It seems that someone is going suffer a lot! Cheers!" After saying that, Spencer viciously tried to clink his ss with David, but he ignored him. When I thought of what Scarlett had said to me outside the bar an hour ago, I suddenly became excited and wanted to show off. "Scarlett said that I was priceless to her." "Well, you''re just making things up at this point. Scarlett is such a smart girl. How could she say something like that to someone who is going to divorce her any day now?" Spencer looked at me in disbelief. "You can ask her yourself." "I am not joking around. I am really going to call her now." Spencer took out his phone and unlocked the screen. Seeing that I was sitting on the sofa and drinking leisurely, he gave up and said, "Forget it. It''s your business, anyway. If I call Scarlett and ask her about it, she will think that I''m a nosy bitch, and that would ruin my image." "Charles, are you still going to divorce her?" David asked. "I don''t think that he wanted to divorce her at all. Maybe he is just thinking about how to consummate their marriage!" Spencer crossed his legs on the sofa, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "We are a couple. Is it wrong to want that?" I asked. "Shame on you!" When they both heard what I said, they looked at me with disdain and disgust in their eyes. Spencer was really angry. But I didn''t care. I just felt proud of myself and my decision. Chapter 32 Act Like A Shrew Chapter 32 Act Like A Shrew Scarlett''s POV: After my program ended in the morning, a colleague of mine informed me that someone was looking for me outside the studio. Rita hade to see me at the station several times, so when I heard that someone wanted to see me, she was the first person that I thought of. While I debated with myself whether or not to step out and meet her, I heard an angry voice. When I looked up, I saw Susan, Rita''s mother. This time, it was the mother and not the daughter that hade for me. "I''m looking for Scarlett! Where is she? Hey, don''t touch me!" "Madam, this is the studio. You can''t come in here." "Then tell Scarlett toe out here and face me!" Susan marched angrily inside the studio like she was going to tear the ce down. Two female assistants could not stop her at all. From where I stood, I saw everything that was happening. "Go ahead with your work. I''ll talk to her," I told my colleagues and went over to Susan. The two assistants who were trying to stop her stepped aside when I nodded at them. As soon as her path cleared, Susan rushed over to me and pped me across the face. I held my cheek and stared at her with wide eyes. I did not expect that she would do that, so I was extremely startled. My face burned after the impact, and for a few moments, my ears rang. Seeing this, my colleagues hurried and surrounded us again. "You bitch! How dare you seduce my daughter''s man? Did you think that you could get away with it? You better leave him now, or you will suffer the consequences!" Susan pointed at me and threatened me. Looking at her, I guessed that she was around 50 years old. She was a heavyset woman, and her face was now contorted in fury. If I did not know her, I would not have guessed that she and Rita were mother and daughter. Well, I supposed that was to be expected on ount of Rita''s multiple stic surgeries. "You can make trouble here all you want, but I''m not afraid of you, Susan." After taking a moment to recover from Susan''s p, I approached her and spoke to her calmly. My remark only made her even angrier, and she charged at me again. But I was prepared for it this time. Before she could hit me again, I was able to catch her wrist and throw her aside. She staggered and almost fell to the ground. "What''s going on here?" The next moment, Abner came over to see what themotion was all about. He probably heard Susan yelling. Per usual, he was in a neat, crisp suit and looking all powerful and elegant. Anyone would recognize him as the guy who ran the ce. Seeing Abner, Susan stepped forward, pointed at me, and shouted, "Did you know that your precious rising star TV host had a morally questionable lifestyle?" Abner narrowed his eyes at Susan and nced at me. "This is a professional working environment, ma''am. If you have an issue with one of my people, then take it up with me in my office." "I didn''t mean to make a scene, but Scarlett is so shameless. She seduced the man my daughter was supposed to marry. Now my daughter''s alone and heartbroken. As her mother, I had to do something." Susan red at me. I did not even flinch. "Oh, my God! Is that true? Did Scarlett really break up an engaged couple?" "Who knows if it''s entirely Scarlett''s fault? Maybe the fiance of that woman''s daughter is more attracted to Scarlett." "It''s hard to say." "I just find it hard to believe that an excellent and magnificent woman like Scarlett would settle for being the other woman. She''s theplete package. Many single, eligible men are probably hurling themselves at her." "Maybe the guy''s filthy rich, and that''s what roped in Scarlett." Hearing Susan''s usations, my colleagues began whispering among themselves as if I was not standing right there. "All right, everyone. Back to work," Abner announced. He knitted his brows and shed me an apologetic look after hearing everyone''sments. Everybody scuttled back to what they were doing, but as they went, they kept looking back as if they were expecting something else to happen. "Are you okay, Scarlett? Your face is swollen. Do you need to see a doctor?" After everyone was gone, Abner approached me. "I''m fine. No need for a doctor." I shed him a weak smile. Then, he ushered me back to my station. "Where are you going? We''re not done here! What? You just wreck my daughter''s engagement and not face the bacsh? Shame on you! We''re not finished here until you promise to leave Charles!" As Abner led me away, Susan stepped forward and tried to grab me. But Abner immediately stood in her way. "Ma''am, please. I already told you that I will speak to you in my office. I can''t let you hurt and humiliate one of my people in my building. You need to calm down." "How could you defend her? She''s a wicked woman, and she deserves the humiliation. If you''re not going to deal with her, then I will tell every media person in this city about what she did to my daughter. She will be exposed for what she truly is, and your TV station''s reputation will be ruined because of her." Susan figured from Abner''s tone that he was partial to me, and she only got even more furious. "Ma''am, we''re not going to be able to solve anything if you''re angry and not thinking clearly." After Abner tried and failed to calm Susan down, the TV station''s make-up artist stepped up and attempted to soothe her. After a few moments of speaking with the make -up artist, Susan finally lowered her voice. "I don''t want to make trouble either, but Scarlett has gone too far. I''m only trying to make things right for my daughter." "I understand. Well, our boss''s doors are open if you have anything toin about Scarlett, and he will help you get to the bottom of the problem. But right now, I have to get Scarlett ready. I have to fix her make-up for her program''s shoot." "Okay." Susan shed Abner a suspicious look and reluctantly nodded. Then, she followed him to his office. After that, the make-up artist took me to the dressing room. Sitting in front of the mirror, I looked at my swollen face and thought about what just happened. Based on Susan''s behavior earlier and what I already knew about Rita, I could onlye up with one conclusion. They feared the strong and bullied the weak. Between me and Charles, I was the weak one and easier to intimidate. Charles did not want to marry Rita, and that was his own decision. I did not have anything to do with it, and I should not take the me. The more I thought about it, the more I got annoyed. I shook my head and stopped the make -up artist who was about to set my makeup with powder. "Sorry. I have to go talk to Susan." N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "Don''t worry about her, Scarlett. Abner can handle her." The make-up artist tried to stop me, but I was not about to let Abner get dragged into something that did not involve him. "I should face her myself," I told the make-up artist. Before she could stop me again, I was already walking out of the dressing room. I went straight to Abner''s office. The door was left open, and from where I stood, I could see Susan sitting in front of Abner''s desk with a ss of water in her hand. I came just in time to hear the middle of her exaggerated story about how I destroyed her poor daughter''s life. I could not help rolling my eyes. Obviously, Abner did not want to listen to her, but he had to deal with her. "Abner, may I speak with Susan in private, please?" I knocked on the ss door of his office. Abner shed me a worried look and then nced at Susan as if he was afraid that I would suffer again if I faced her alone. But he did not say anything. He just nodded, stepped out of his office, and shut the door behind him. "How would you like to lose your job if you don''t leave Charles, Scarlett? Your boss just said that he would handle it." Susan raised her chin in smug satisfaction. I almostughed at the emptiness of her threat. "Oh, did he? Did you tell him that I''m still Charles''s legal wife?" I backfired, cocking my head to the side. Susan was rendered speechless by what I said. Her previous aggressiveness suddenly vanished into thin air. I struck while the iron was hot. "I meant it when I said I wasn''t afraid of you, Susan, because at the rate you''re going, everyone will eventually find out that Charles and I are still legally married. How do you think that will y out for Rita? That''s right. She''ll look like a desperate celebrity trying to lock down a wealthy married man by bullying his poor wife." I watched horror, defeat, and fury dance in Susan''s twisted face. I had to admit that I felt vindicated seeing here to the realization that she hade to a gunfight with a knife. Obviously, she hade here guns zing hoping that she would frighten me into submission. I almost felt sorry for her that her little n did not work. So, even though she came at the station today to assault me, she was the one who ended up crawling back home. Because if there was anyone in the world who would kill to keep my marriage to Charles under wraps, it was Susan herself. Chapter 33 Its You Chapter 33 It''s You Scarlett''s POV: After work, I walked out of the TV station with Zora, the make-up artist who helped me out this morning when Susan, Rita''s mother, came storming into the studio and started wreaking havoc. Before we could make it to the gates, Abner caught up with us and invited us to dinner. As soon as we sat down at the restaurant, Zora turned to me. "So, how did you deal with that hysterical woman who made trouble for you today?" I almost chuckled a reply. Zora was one of the most serious, professional people I knew at work. I found it startling and a little amusing to see her transform into amon gossiper. "I told her that if she everes after me like that again, I will expose her family''s atrocities," I replied with a smile. "Atrocities? Oh, my. Tell me more." Zora''s eyes glinted with excitement and anticipation. I just beamed at her but did not answer. Seeing that I did not intend to reveal more than I already had, Zora stopped asking, but she still shed me some curious looks the entire meal. While Abner, Zora, and I enjoyed our dinner, a familiar man strode into the restaurant with a group of men whose swagger screamed opulence. My eyes darted to one of them whose name was Walker. I would never forget him as he had casually asked me to be his mistress over drinks before. Abner instantly recognized Charles. He nced at the door and then said to me, "The reason for your bad luck today ising over." It took all of two heartbeats for Charles to reach our table, his entourage falling into step behind him. "Hey, what are you doing here?" I said by way of greeting. "Dinner with some friends." I swept my gaze over the men Charles referred to as his friends. They greeted me with a smile, but I could tell from their curious stares that they were guessing the kind of rtionship I had with their dear friend. "I see you''vee here for dinner, too. I''ll get the check. It''s my treat tonight. Enjoy yourselves." Charles nodded to Abner and Zora. "Oh, thank you, Mr. Moore." Abner did not move. Zora stood up, shook Charles''s hand, and thanked him. Although a little surprised by Zora''s gesture, Charles returned the handshake and grinned. Then, he shot me a look as if he was waiting for my expression of gratitude. "That''s very kind of you, Mr. Moore. Thank you," I finally blurted out. Charles answered my remark with a rare, gleeful chortle. "You''re annoyingly cute when you try to be formal with me, Miss Riley. I wish you''d just call me honey." My heart leapt to my throat. Why the hell would he say that in front of people? Was I not in enough trouble? Charles shed me his smug smile that he knew very well peeved me. I could only stare at him as he walked away with his friends to their table. He seemed to be in a good mood, and it made me a little nervous. "What just happened, Scarlett? Did one of the richest, most eligible bachelors in the city just flirt with you in front of God and everybody? Are you guys dating?" Zora looked at Charles''s receding figure with wide eyes and then bombarded me with questions in an excited, gasping voice. "No. It''s not what you think," I said perfunctorily. "What is it then?" "It''splicated." Again, Zora stopped asking since she could not get any decent answer. I heaved a sigh of relief. After dinner, Abner, Zora, and I left the restaurant together, but before we could walk out the door, Charles''s assistant rushed over to us. "Miss Riley, Mr. Moore wants you to stay and wait for him." "Fine." I did not want to wait for Charles, but his assistant was just doing his job. I did not want to make things difficult for him. Seeing that I agreed, he nodded and shuffled back to their table. "Scarlett, do you really want to sit around here and wait for him? You could''ve refused." Abner immediately noticed my unwillingness. "It''s okay. I have something to discuss with him anyway." I shook my head. "Are you really going to be okay?" Abner watched me carefully. If I told him the truth, he would not leave. "Yes. Don''t worry. Go home. I''ll see you at work tomorrow." "All right." I said goodbye to Abner and Zora at the door. As soon as the two of them left, Charles and his friends rose from their seats and started heading out of the restaurant. I stood at the door and waited for them. "Come." Charles snaked his arm around my waist and ushered me out of the restaurant. The doting look in his eyes got me all confused and a little anxious. I did not resist. I just let him guide me out. Thest thing I needed right now was the attention of the entire world around us. I did not want to embarrass him or myself. "Ease up. You''re with me and my friends. You''re safe." Outside the restaurant, Charles stood in front of his friends, wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and held me close. "My friends, I heard that one of you once attempted to pursue my dear Scarlett. Well, he can''t be med though. For having a good taste," Charlesmented in a voice dripping with sarcasm. His friends simply looked at him and did not say anything. They all tensed up like they knew they were going to pay for coveting what belonged to one of the members of the Moore family. Of course, Walker was the most nervous. After all, he was the one Charles was talking about. The others might just look guilty because they had thought about making a move on me but never really acted on it. "Scarlett is the apple of my grandparents'' eye. She''s very precious to them. No man in his right mind would risk the wrath of Michael and Christine Moore just to steal Scarlett away." None of them moved a muscle, but all of them avoided making eye contact with me and with Charles. I supposed they might be wealthy, but none of them was powerful enough to challenge the might of the Moore family. I just stood there and bore witness. I thought this little charade of Charles''s was beneficial to me. If I let him threaten his friends passive aggressively, then none of them would daree after me anymore, and I would be able to live in peace. "Well, I guess you also share fault in this, Scarlett. You keep such a low profile. You should make it known that you''re part of the Moore family." Charles stared at me with adoring eyes and tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear. Remembering the mark that Susan''s hand left on my face, I dipped my chin and turned my face away from Charles''s view. But I was a little toote. Charles saw what I was trying to hide, and his calm, delighted face suddenly turned dark as if someone had just flipped a switch. "What happened to you?" I tried to cover up my cheek with my hair, but he stopped me and held my hand tightly. "Tell me what happened." "Nothing." I tried to struggle, but it did not work. Charles was incredibly strong. "For thest time, what happened?" "I said it''s nothing, Charles. Calm down. People are watching." Charles''s expression only became colder. Realizing that he would not get a straight answer from me in public, he grabbed my hand and dragged me toward his car. Next thing I knew, we were sitting in the backseat. "Is it Rita?" Charles asked through gritted teeth. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only "No, it''s you!" I eximed. He made a promise to Rita, but he did not keep it. He was the reason Susan marched to the TV station and humiliated me in front of my colleagues. If he had just married Rita like he said he would, we would not be here right now. "What?" Charles looked at me with a frown. Then, he appeared to think of something and suddenly said, "You look much better than usual when you''re angry. You''re more like a real human being now." "You''re insane!" How was this the perfect time to be joking? And how could he switch moods from angry to amused in a matter of seconds? I honestly did not know anymore. I pushed him away and reached for the door. He reached over me and shut the door immediately after I opened it. "Do you have a first aid kit at home?" "Why?" "To treat your face." "No." "Then we''ll go to my ce. I have all sorts of creams there that''ll make you feel better." "No, thanks. I''m fine." "No, you''re not. Drive!" That was thest word that he uttered before he settled in his seat. Next thing I knew, the driver was gunning the engine and driving to Garden Street. Twenty minutester, we arrived at our destination. I refused to get off the car. Why should I do whatever he asked? He did not own me. When Charles finally lost his patience, he yanked me out of the car and stuck me into the house. "Be a good girl. When you get hurt, you need to treat your injury immediately. Otherwise, it will take you longer than you need to recover." "I know, but do I have to treat my injury here?" "No. I just want you here." I was speechless for a while. What did he mean by that? We were going to divorce. Why should I listen to him? But Charles was so strong. I was helpless against him. Chapter 34 Applying Ointment Chapter 34 Applying Ointment Scarlett''s POV: Charles forcibly took me to his house. "Go remove your makeup, so I can apply ointment on your face." He pushed me towards the bathroom and urged me to take off my makeup. "No." I stood still and turned to refuse him again. "Do you really think the ointment is going to work if I apply it on top of your makeup?" Charles frowned and continued in a domineering tone, "Hurry up! I''m going to get the first aid kit." Without resisting again, I walked straight into the bathroom. It was because I wanted him to finish applying the soon, so that I can leave the ce. I removed my makeup and walked out of the bathroom. As soon as I wiped my face dry, Charles pushed me down on the couch. He leaned close to me, and I was able to feel his warm breath against my ear. He smelled good, but the intimacy between us was making me feel ufortable. "What is this all about?" Why did he have to be in such an intimate position with me just to apply ointment? I was really starting to doubt if he was doing it on purpose. "I can see better this way." Charles then dipped a cotton swab in the ointment and applied it on my face gently. But it hurt, and I wanted to stop him as I gasped and trembled. Then, I realized that he was not going to let me go until he was done applying ointment for me, so I gave up the idea of protesting and endured the pain, biting my lip. "Does it hurt?" Charles asked, looking into my eyes. We were so close, andpared with the pain, his heartbeat made me feel more uneasy, so I shook my head and tried to push him away. But he grabbed my hands like it was nothing. I looked at him in confusion. Was he only applying ointment to my face? Or was he taking advantage of me? He put down the cotton swab in his hand and gently massaged my lips with his thumb. "It''s not a good habit. If you continue to do that, then I can''t keep myself in control." "What?" I stared at Charles, not knowing what he was talking about. When I was not expecting him to, he leaned over and kissed me. The moment his lips clung to mine, he tried to push his tongue into my mouth as he breathed on my face. I stared at him nkly andpletely forgot to struggle. I didn''t resist his kiss, and in the end, I couldn''t help but respond to him. The sound of us sucking each other''s lips echoed in the living room, making it seem insanely erotic. I had no idea for how long we''d been kissing when we heard his phone ring. He stood up with a frown and went to answer the phone while I sat up and tidied my clothes. "I have already told you not to call me again," Charles said in a serious tone over the phone. I looked up at him and saw him toss the phone on the tea table irritably before he turned to me. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. The phone screen was still on, and I noticed that it was Rita who had called him. It was the second time I was seeing him react so strongly to Rita''s call. The first time, he had put his phone on mute, but now, he told her not to call him again. What was Charles doing? When I looked at him, a bold thought shed through my mind. It was because of his reaction that Rita had felt like she was in a crisis and that was why she was trying to force him to marry her soon. "What should I do? Scarlett, tell me what I should do." Charles lowered his head. He looked like he was going crazy as he hugged me, asking for help. My heart ached to see him in such a miserable condition, so I patted his back tofort him. "She is the one you love, and she has been the one you have loved for so many years. You two are finally going to get married, and you can''t back down now. It is herst wish. It''s also your wish. You made a deal with me just for today, didn''t you? You should be happy at now, not sad. Listen to me, we will get a divorce tomorrow. It''ll be good for all of us." "Do you really want to get a divorce?" Charles asked reluctantly. "Yes." As soon as I said those words, a sense of emptiness conquered my heart. However, I had a clear mind. We had expected Charles and Rita to get married from the start, and we had agreed our marriage was just to prevent our families from urging us to get married to other people. So we married each other so that I could live my life and he could continue to be with Rita. We had not gotten married for the sake of love, so our motive was not pure. Now Rita was dying, and she wanted to get married soon. It was the perfect time to put an end to our phony rtionship. "But I..." Charles looked at me affectionately, which made my heart sink. "No buts. You should be more determined. Rita doesn''t have much time left. You have to marry her before it''s toote, or you will end up regretting it for the rest of your life. Cheer up! We''ll get divorced tomorrow!" As I said those words calmly, I forced myself not to look into his eyes. "Okay." Seeing that I had made up my mind, Charles gave me a bitter smile and closed his eyes. I let him lean in my arms while I waited for him to turn into the strong and decisive Charles again. "What are you going to do after we divorce?" he asked after a long time. "Work, eat, sleep, and hang out with my friends." "Will you start dating other people?" "Nope." I did not think that I should even be dreaming of a luxury like love. But if I met someone I liked, then I would probably let nature take its course. I couldn''t tell Charles that, because I was afraid that he was going to cause trouble again. I nced at the living room clock and noticed that the time was around 12 in the night. I looked at Charles, who was holding me tightly in his arms. Gently, I tried to move away from his embrace. He was now like an insecure child. If I moved even a little, he would hold me more tightly. I would not be able to get rid of him at all. The next day. I was sleeping soundly when I heard the sound of high heels tapping on the floor, waking me up. When I came to my senses, I remembered that I had been sleeping on the sofa with Charles. All of a sudden, I noticed someone pushing the door open from the outside. I was stunned when I looked up. ''Why did Alicee here?'' She seemed to be really excited and had forgotten to close the door when she walked in. She was staring at us in shock. After a long while, she finally said, "You two can continue to sleep. I''m leaving now." I quickly straightened myself up, but I was so nervous that I was unable to button up my shirt. "Mom, it''s not like you think. You misunderstood us!" But she did not listen to me at all. She even took out her phone and started taking pictures of us. "Charles! Charles! Mom is here!" I shook him, trying to wake him up. He slowly got up, and his beautiful sleepy eyes gradually brightened. "What''s the matter?" Alice could not hide her smile when she saw him. "I have already selected a fine young man to introduce to Scarlett. When can they meet?" She asked deliberately. Charles looked at her and answered briefly, "She is busy." "Then, are you two still nning to divorce? Scarlett will always be my daughter-inw, won''t she?" Alice''s eyes lit up as she hoped to get a positive answer from her son. Chapter 35 Critical Condition Notice Chapter 35 Critical Condition Notice Scarlett''s POV: A slight frown appeared on Charles''s face as though Alice had already asked too many questions. "Fine. I won''t ask you anymore. As for the divorce, I suggest you think it through again. But, you know, it''ll be great if Scarlett gets pregnant while you''re at it," Alice hurriedly said with a shrug. "Alice, I just came here to get my face treated. It''s not what you think," I quickly exined, not wanting Alice to misunderstand me more. After fighting with the buttons for a long time, I finally buttoned them up. "You don''t have to exin. I''m the one who should apologize. I didn''t know you both returned here last night. But, you don''t have to be shy about it. That''s normal for a man and woman, after all. Besides, you two are a legal couple. You''re free to do anything you want." Alice admitted her faults but still did not let the matter go. Truth be told, I felt an urge to cry when I heard what she had said. Charles and I had already made up our minds about the divorce. But now, Alice misunderstood what was happening between us again. What should I do now? Anxious, I grabbed Charles''s hand and asked him, "Please tell mom that we''ve already agreed to divorce yesterday." However, Charles merely withdrew his hand and rested his head on it. He then looked at me nkly and acted as if this was none of his business. This made my blood boil. I wanted to beat him right then and there, but there was nothing else I could do but hold my anger. Flustered, I turned my face away from him. It was then that Alice caught sight of the palm print on my face. "Scarlett, what happened to your face? Oh my God! Charles, did you beat her? You jerk! How could you do that?!" Alice was fuming with anger as she thought that it was Charles who pped me on the face. "It wasn''t me, but I''ve already taken care of it." Charles held my chin and gently turned my head to face him. His high spirits did not seem to change at all. At that moment, he opened the medical kit on the tea table and applied ointment to my face again. My face no longer hurt as much as it didst night. However, I was still angry and resentful, so I tried to keep him at arm''s length. As Alice saw that Charles and I did not fight, she did not ask any more questions. She just left without a word and even closed the door for us. Judging from her brisk pace, she must be eager to share with Michael and Christine what she had just seen. "Why didn''t you exin to her everything? We agreed that we''d divorce today, didn''t we?" I asked Charles once his mother was gone. "Mom has already misunderstood everything. If we told her that we would still divorce, she''d beat me. You know how violent she can be," Charles exined patiently while applying the ointment on my face with a cotton swab. "Then why didn''t you let me gost night?" "I didn''t stop you," he retorted with an innocent look on his face. I was speechless. Yes, he did not stop me, but he held me tightly in his arms. I had to sleep in his warm embrace all night long. This was all his fault. Alice would not have seen us like that if he had not done that in the first ce. "Never mind. But I''m telling you, don''t try to dy the divorce again. You promised me," I reminded him. However, his mouth remained shut about the matter. This maddened me, so I pulled down his hand and advised, "I''ll make an appointment with thewyerter. I won''t leave until youe. I''ll wait for you no matter what. Don''t postpone it anymore. It''s unlike you." With that, I left, leaving him in a daze. Charles'' POV: In the hospital. Two hours ago, I received a notice that Rita was in critical condition. I rushed to the hospital at once. As soon as I arrived, Susan, Rita''s mother, grabbed my arm and broke into tears. "Charles, please fulfill Rita''s wish. She can''t hold on any longer. Please, we''re begging you! Rita is our only daughter. I can''t bear to see her suffer like this. I... I wish it were me who''s dying instead. I''m begging you, Charles. Her health is deteriorating. She can''t hold on any longer." "I''ll talk with Rita." I walked away from Susan as a dreadful feeling washed over me. "Charles, you can''t tell Rita about this. Her condition is getting worse. She won''t be able to bear the news. If you really love her and don''t want her to leave with regret, you should marry her as soon as possible." Just as I was about to walk towards Rita''s ward, Susan took a step forward and deftly grabbed my arm. "To tell you the truth, we don''t expect her to make it. We just hope that she''ll have no regrets when she leaves this world. Please stop messing with Scarlett and marry Rita as soon as possible. My daughter is dying." I turned around and looked at her coldly. "Is that why you went to the TV station for Scarlett?" Susan froze. She suddenly stopped crying and lowered her head with a guilty look on her face. Although tempting, I figured that it was not the right time to settle ounts with her, so I shrugged off her hand and went straight to Rita''s ward. But before I could touch the doorknob, I stiffened in my spot. It suddenly urred to me what Scarlett had told me this morning. She said she would call awyer and wait for me no matter what. I was at a loss. For a moment, I felt as though my body had a mind of its own. Before I knew it, I turned around and left. Through the ss panel on the door of the ward, I saw a familiar figure get up from bed and sprint towards the door. She did not seem like a patient in a critical condition at all. Scarlett''s POV: I stood at the entrance of thew office and watched people walk in and out of the building. Unfortunately, the person I was waiting for was nowhere to be seen. This morning, I excused myself from the TV station, so I could go through the divorce formalities. However, it seemed that I excused myself for nothing. But then, I suddenly remembered that I had told Charles I would not leave until he came. Because of this, I decided to wait for him nevertheless. Finally in the afternoon, just as I was about to give up, a familiar ck car came to a halt in front of the building. It was Charles. As he got off the car, I noticed that he was wearing a nice, crisp suit. It seemed that he came here prepared. "Here you are. Hurry up. They''ll be closing soon." I urged. To my surprise, the passenger door opened, and Rita, who was still in a blue and white hospital gown, got out of the car. Charles brought that woman here before we could even get through the divorce formalities. She did not even change her clothes! It appeared that she could no longer wait to marry him. I felt a sharp pain in my heart, but the smile on my face never faltered. I did not want to give Rita a sense of satisfaction. Not only that, but I also did not want Charles to think that I did not want to leave him. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I''m not in good health, so we took our time on the way," Rita exined with an apologetic look on her face. In my eyes, it was disgusting. "I don''t mind as long as hees." I walked away and entered thew office before they could respond. Charles and Rita followed me. The divorce formalities started a few momentster. Thewyer printed out a copy of the divorce agreement and looked at us across the table. Meanwhile, Rita stood outside the door, watching us. "Have you two made up your mind?" thewyer seriously asked. "I have," I replied calmly. I then looked at Charles and waited for him to answer. For some reason, he did not. With his fingers crossed, he lowered his head and said nothing. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "Mr. Moore? I asked if you two have made up your mind." Thewyer called Charles''s attention. Charles still made no answer and just looked at me coldly. Thewyer put his hand on the divorce agreement and smiled gently at me. "Mrs. Moore, your husband doesn''t seem willing to proceed with the divorce. Why don''t you two go home first and discuss it?" "Sir, we''ve already reached an agreement beforeing here. Besides, someone here can''t wait any longer." I beckoned thewyer to look outside the window. He followed my gaze and saw Rita anxiously watching us. Thewyer immediately understood what I meant, but he still persuaded me. "Divorce is a matter based on the will of both parties as husband and wife. Anyone else''s opinion doesn''t matter." "They''ve been in love with each other for so many years, and they still do. I don''t want to be the bad guy here. The third party. I believe it would be best if I fulfill their wish." "Youpromise because they love each other. What about you? Have you ever loved him?" Without missing a beat, I answered, "No," I said I did not love him, but my heart said otherwise. Chapter 36 Christine Chapter 36 Christine Fainted Scarlett''s POV: Then sign it. Thewyer sighed and pushed the divorce agreement to me. I picked up the fountain pen, turned to thest page, and signed my name. Then, I pushed the divorce agreement to Charles, looked into his bloodshot eyes, and said, "It''s your turn." You seem pretty eager to get rid of me, don''t you? Charles asked through gritted teeth. I don''t see why we should dy it any longer. I put the pen in his hand. Charles clicked his teeth and mmed the pen on the table. But I don''t like to be dominated by others! I stared at him with wide eyes. What did he mean? Was he insane? He was the one who proposed the divorce. How was he the dominated one in this scenario? Was I wrong to go along with his dying tactics all this time? Charles, we don''t have all day, and we''re not the only ones with business here. Other people are waiting outside. Just sign the damn papers. Next thing I knew, Rita was walking over to us and handing Charles the pen. Judging from the anxious expression on her face, I could tell that among the three of us, she was the one suffering the most at the moment. Charles clenched his fists and refused to take the pen. He did not even raise his head to look at Rita. He just fixed his cold eyes on me. Thewyer swept his gaze on the three of us and then smiled meaningfully as if he understood what was happening. Charles, please... Rita begged in a broken voice. I bet she would give anything right now to be able to sign the papers for Charles. Then, my phone rang and broke the silence. It was Alice calling. At the same time, Charles''s phone rang. Michael was calling him. What was going on? Why were Alice and Michael calling us? As a million bad things raced through my head, my heart burst into a full gallop. I picked up. Hello, mom? What''s up? What? Grandma was rushed to the hospital? I''ll be right there. Charles and I hung up almost at the same time. Then, he grabbed my hand and towed me out of thew office. Charles! Rita ran after us. Charles stopped, turned around, and walked to Rita with a long face. He pulled her out of the office without saying a word. If she had not screamed his name, I doubt that he would have remembered her presence. Before leaving thew office, he turned to me and said, "Meet me outside. We''ll go to the hospital together." Outside thew office, I saw Charles push Rita into his car and m the door. Go!All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Charles''s snappiness scared Rita to tears. The engine hummed to life, and as the driver pulled into traffic, Rita rolled down her window and watched Charles rush toward me. Once again, rage and grief twisted her weary face. The flickering muscle in her jaw told me that she was not happy about what happened in thew office. For a patient with cancer in the advanced stages, Rita seemed way too energetic to me. She must really have godly endurance to be able to go around pushing Charles''s divorce. Let''s go. Charles took me to the roadside to hail a taxi. He grabbed my hand. I tried to shake off his grip, but I found that the harder I struggled, the tighter he held on. Eventually, I just gave up and let him nervously hold my hand. To be honest, I needed thefort, too. After all, the life of a woman that mattered to us both might be in danger. It was not the time to be squabbling. Soon, we arrived at the hospital. We raced to Christine''s ward. As soon as we arrived at the door, we heard Christine''s lively voice. Through the door''s ss window, I saw Michael feeding her some watermelon. There was a big smile on her face. She did not look like someone who had just lost consciousness spontaneously. The watermelon tastes good. She chewed and beamed like it was the first time that she ever tasted a fruit. Slowly but surely, all the pieces started falling into ce. Were Alice, Michael, and Christine in on this? Did they stage this little show to prevent us from going through with the divorce formalities? If that were the case, then I supposed I was out of luck. I shed Charles an annoyed look. Charles smiled faintly as if saying, "Hey, I don''t have anything to do with this." Then, he pushed the door open and walked in. Grandma? I greeted Christine with a smile. Oh! My dear Scarlett is here! When she saw me, she got so excited that she opened her arms and beckoned me to give her a hug. I could not decide whether tough or cry. Christine did not seem to be sick at all. In fact, she was her usual happy self. Seeing my reaction, Michael quickly tugged the hem of Christine''s hospital gown and gave her a look. It took a few moments before Christine registered what Michael was trying to tell her. Finally, she groaned and held her head with both hands. It took all my might not to cross my arms over my chest. Ouch! My head is aching again. I have to lie down for a while. Are you okay? Christine acted so hard that it made me want to pretend that I was really clueless. Michael helped Christine lie down, and I tucked her in. Scarlett, your grandma has been so worried about you and Charlestely that it made her sick. Michael looked at Christine with concern and nced at me and Charles. If he wanted to make me feel guilty, he seeded. What can we do? Charles asked with a smile, leaning against the door. Of course the one causing the problems has the nerve to ask. I''ve had it with the both of you. Enough with the foolishness. Scarlett, hand over your marriage certificate. It''s the only way to stop your grandma from worrying, Michael dered. Good gracious! How miserable my life is! I''m getting old. I just want to have a great grandchild before I die, but with my grandson and granddaughter-inw getting a divorce, I have no hope. Christine pushed her performance. Compared to Rita''s acting, Christine''s was even more exaggerated, but somehow, I did not hate it. I was even afraid to show any holes in my pretend gullibility. I wanted her to feel a sense of achievement even if it was at the expense of my long-overdue divorce. However, I did not want to hand over our marriage certificate. Grandma, I... What are you doing? Hey! When I was about to refuse, Charles suddenly strode over and grabbed my purse. He took out our marriage certificate and handed it to Christine. The moment Christine saw the marriage certificate, she practically sprung out of bed. She sat up and snapped the certified, holding it to her chest. She heaved a deep, steadying sigh, and her eyes glinted with the kind of glee that spelled triumph. I thought you''re having a splitting headache, Grandma. Christine was so happy that she ignored myment and just held on to our marriage certificate like it was some sort of a long-lost, legendary treasure map. Well, I''m cured, thanks to this. I could only shake my head. I had been working so hard to get Charles to sign the divorce papers. I came so close today, but Christine swooped in and took the opportunity away. With our marriage certificate in her hands, I was back to square one. I had no idea what move to make next. At this point, I was wondering whether or not Charles and I could ever get divorced. I did not want to be in this situation, but mentioning the divorce in front of Christine and Michael would not do anything for me at the moment. So I decided to give it up for the time being. Christine might not really be sick right now, but if I started going on and on again about how much I wanted my marriage to Charles to be over, she might take it very badly. Next thing I knew, someone was walking into the ward. At first I thought it was a nurse, but then I looked up and saw Rita. I heard that you were rushed here, Christine, so I came to see you. Rita approached Christine with a fruit basket in her hand. What are you doing here? I don''t want to see you! Get out! Christine snapped the moment she saw Rita. Please don''t be angry. I know you don''t want me to be with Charles because of my illness. If it were up to me, I wouldn''t want to be sick. I want to live a long, happy, and healthy life with Charles. Tears streamed down Rita''s face as she spoke. The pitiful look on her face was so convincing at the moment that it almost made me feel sorry for her. Sadly, nobody in the room bought it. Rita set the fruit basket on the cab beside the bed. Christine angrily tossed it to the ground and pointed to the door. Take your basket and leave, woman! Do you really think that I''m attending this little pity party of yours? I know what you''re doing. You''re just using your poor health to manipte my grandson into marrying you and staying by your side. Well, I don''t buy it! You can fool everybody else with your act but not me! Get out of my sight, you scheming witch! Chapter 37 I Wont Sign It Chapter 37 I Won''t Sign It Scarlett''s POV: "Christine, why do you think of me like that? Charles and I really love each other. Is it wrong for us to want to be together?" Rita burst into tears. People who didn''t know the truth might misunderstand that Christine was trying to break up two love birds unreasonably. "Christine, calm down. You need to take care of yourself." Michael looked at her with concern in his eyes. Christine took the watermelon slice from his hand and threw it at Rita''s face. "Love? Do you really believe that? It''s just an excuse you found to separate them! Do you even deserve to talk about love? You shameless woman! Do you even know what kind of a feeling that is?" "Why don''t I deserve love? Is it because I''m sick?" Rita burst into tears, her whole body trembling. The watermelon juice mixed with her tears as it trickled down her face. "I respect you, because you are Charles'' grandma, and an elder. But you can''t humiliate me like this!" "You ruined their marriage. I have been polite enough until now. If it were someone else, they would have stripped you naked, and thrown you on the streets. And when that happens, people would see how shameless you truly are!" Christine was so furious to see Rita looking at her innocently that she was almost out of breath. She patted her chest to calm down before she pointed at Rita and continued, "How can you speak with such confidence after you ruined their marriage? Charles has really spoiled you. Just get this shameless bitch away from my face!" "Ma''am, please." The nurse walked up to Rita and asked her to leave. "Don''t be angry. You should take care of yourself. If you lose your temper, then you will only suffer later," Michaelforted Christine, patting her on the back to help her breathe. Rita looked at Charles as though she was asking for help, but hepletely ignored her. He was only concerned about his grandmother. "Charles, tell Christine that we really love each other," Rita pleaded with him. "You should leave, Rita. Grandma is still sick. Don''t make her suffer." "Charles..." "Ma''am?" The nurse asked Rita to leave again. Seeing that Charles had no intention of helping her, she had no choice but to leave. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. After she left, Christine finally calmed down, held our marriage certificate, and smiled warmly. Looking at her in such a state, I couldn''t help murmuring. "You pretended to faint on purpose to stop us from getting divorced." My voice was not loud, but both the elders had very sharp hearing. Christine began to groan as soon as I uttered those words. "Michael, I feel dizzy. What''s wrong with me?" "Don''t worry. The doctor said that you will be fine once you''ve rested. Maybe it was the noise that made you feel ufortable. Just rest for some time," Michael said at once. He then looked at me and Charles, obviously asking us to step outside. "Alright, Grandpa. Please take good care of Grandma. I have something important to do, so I''m leaving." In fact, Charles was the one who had something to do, but he asked me to go with him. "The marriage certificate is still in Grandma''s hand," I said right before we walked into the elevator, unwilling to give up. "I have an important matter to deal with and it can''t be dyed." "Then why didn''t you sign it when we were in thewyer''s office?" Divorce was just one step away, but my hope was shattered once again. Now that I had lost the marriage certificate, it would be impossible for me to divorce him. "Scarlett, is this the way you treat your family? Didn''t you see Grandma fainting just because we mentioned about the divorce?" Charles looked sideways as he cast a cold nce at me as though I was a selfish bitch who did not care about my own family. "But she is just pretending..." I exined guiltily. Charles was even more furious now. He walked up to me and forced me to the corner of the elevator. "Scarlett, how could you say that Grandma, who has always loved you, is pretending to faint and lying to you? How sad would she be if she heard what you just said?" he roared, ring at me. I stared back at him. I didn''t believe that he did not notice Christine acting. How could he lie through his teeth so confidently? However, I couldn''t argue with him about it now. "This is all your fault. Why didn''t you sign it earlier?" "I could not have. It was not possible for me to do it then." Charles dialed down his aggressiveness as he leaned against the wall with his hands in his pockets. He seemed to be in a good mood. He did not seem like someone who lost his temper just a moment ago. "What?" "I said I won''t sign it because if I did, then Grandpa would kill me!" "Why didn''t I know that you were such a coward?" "It''s called being smart." I gave Charles a disdainful look. As soon as the elevator door opened, I walked out first. "Tell me, what side of me do you like?" Charles asked as he caught up with me and grabbed my hand. I pouted and kept quiet. ring at him, I thought to myself that no matter what, I would never get back with him. Unexpectedly, Charles caressed my lips softly and teased, "You seem to be asking for a kiss from me. Unfortunately, we are in a hospital and there are so many people around us, so I can''t fulfill your wish right now." "When did I ask you for a kiss?" I became so furious that I had an urge to beat him up right there. He had always been so cold to everyone except for Rita, so why was he suddenly smooth-talking to me? The image I had of him in my mind changed all of a sudden. "Alright, I won''t tease you anymore. Does your face still hurt?" Charles looked at my cheek where Susan had pped me. I was not feeling any pain. I just felt like it was not appropriate for us to be so close to each other at the moment. "Don''t try to dodge." I tilted my head to the side, but he forced me to face him. He tucked a strand of my hair behind my ears and observed carefully. "It''s healing. It won''t be visible if you wear makeup." "Can you let go of me now?" "Sure." He let go of my face and then held my hand. "Don''t get me wrong, but I am taking part in a program at your TV station, so I wanted to drop you off." "You don''t have to, right? People will easily misunderstand it." After all, the media had just reported that Charles and Rita were going to get married. Moreover, Rita''s wedding dress photo was also leaked to the public. And Susan had caused a scene about it at the TV station. If he showed up with me to the TV station, then it would just be the evidence that people needed to use me of being the third-wheel in their rtionship. "Let them misunderstand us." Charles would not listen to me, no matter what I said. He pulled me out of the hospital and pushed me into his car. After getting in the car, he leaned over to fasten the seat belt for me. When I didn''t cooperate, he gave me a death re. The driver was right in front of us, so I did not want to fight with him. I just hoped to get to the TV station quickly, so that I could be rid of him. Soon, we arrived. Charles and I got off the car. I quickened my pace, trying to keep distance from him to avoid gossip. "Scarlett!" But the next second, I heard him calling my name loudly. When I turned around and saw Charles standing by his car dressed in his signature suit, I could only think of one word... Noble. However, when I recalled the way he had behaved in the hospital, I felt like I was an idiot to associate him with such a quality. "What''s wrong?" I asked him. "You forgot something," he said with a smile. I looked at him suspiciously as I approached him and asked, "What is it?" "It''s right here. Come closer." As soon as I walked up to him, he suddenly kissed me. By the time I realized what had happened, he had already turned around and left. I could tell from his brisk steps that he was very happy. But I was so angry. At the same time, Nina and Abner walked towards me. Nina pointed at me in shock then pointed at Charles. "Scarlett, did you just..." Abner''s expression darkened. Looking at them, my heart started racing. ''Damn it! What a jerk he is! Why did he have to kiss me here in public?'' Chapter 38 Buying Flowers Chapter 38 Buying Flowers Christine''s POV: Alice, Michael, and Lawrence were all in the hospital with me. While having lunch, we watched the TV program that Scarlett was hosting. "Our Scarlett is much better than the other hosts in their TV station. She speaks clearly and graciously!" Michael eximed while watching TV. Lawrence and Alice nodded in agreement. That moment, I noticed that Scarlett''s right cheek had not healed yet, which made me angry. "That mother and daughter duo has hurt our sweetheart. We can''t just let them go easily, or they''re going to think that the Moore family is so easy to bully!" "Shall we fight back, then?" Alice blurted out. "We should. After all, that Susan is a bitch. She hit Scarlett first, and then, she caused a scene at the hospital and forced my grandson to marry her daughter. They are both so annoying. If we don''t teach them a lesson, then they''ll get too cocky," I said, agreeing with Alice. "I don''t think that would be a good idea. If things go out of control, then not only will their reputation get damaged, Scarlett might lose her job. I just don''t think that it''ll end well," Michael said as he put down his fork and sighed. I thought for a while and said in agreement, "Then we''d better think if there is a better way to handle this." Alice''s eyes lit up when she saw Scarlett on TV. "How about we tip the media about Scarlett and Charles'' marriage?" "Do you want to expose their marriage?" Alice and I had the same idea. "That way, Rita, will not be Charles'' fiancee, but an outsider who is trying to destroy the others'' marriage." "That''s a good idea. With the public''s opinion, everyone will take Scarlett''s side, even the Inte crowd, and they will help us punish Rita and her mom." Michael also could not help but agree with us. Lawrence didn''tment, but since the majority was on my side, the matter was settled. Scarlett''s POV: After work, when Nina and I walked out of the TV station, we noticed Charles'' caring towards us. "This is so annoying! Our dinner is going to be dyed now, but your lover is more important, so let''s have dinner some other time," Nina protested in disappointment before she waved goodbye to me. "Alright, then." I watched her leave, smiling. Charles got off his car and walked up to me. "Hurry! Grandma is still waiting." "The hospital is not too far from the TV station. I can walk there by myself." With that, I walked forward, wanting to avoid my colleagues seeing me talking to him. "It will take a long time to get there on foot." With an impatient look in his eyes, Charles stepped forward, grabbed my hand, and pulled me to his car. I tried to get rid of him, but then I noticed that some of my colleagues seemed to have noticed the commotion between us, so I stopped and red at him. "Let me go!" I hissed as I stopped struggling. "No! Unless you agree to go to the hospital with me, your colleagues will witness the pushing and pulling between us. And when that happens, you won''t be able to exin things to them no matter what you say." I was so furious that I felt my blood was boil under my skin. Seeing that more and more people were watching us, I had no choice but to get in his car. As soon as I sat in his car, I got a call from Nina. "Oh my God! Charles is secretly married!" "What?" "It''s the trending topic! The trending topic, Scarlett! As a media person, don''t you pay attention to what''s going on around you?" I hungup the phone and typed Charles'' name on Google. The search results were all news about his secret marriage. "Who did this?" Charles grabbed the phone from my hand in surprise. However, there were no traces of anger in his eyes. "So it was not you?" "How could that be possible? If I wanted to leak the news, then do you really think that I would wait until now to do it? It was not me," he exined seriously. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. I didn''t expect such news toe out now. Feeling nervous, I racked my brains and came up with an idea. "How about we divorce right away, and then, you can get a marriage certificate with Rita? That way, you will be able to announce your marriage to the media." If that happened, then no one would be able to find out that Charles and I were married. "But the marriage certificate is not with me, so we simply can''t get divorced." Charles gave me my phone, looked deep into my eyes before he turned to look outside the window. When I recalled that Christine had pretended to be sick to take away our marriage certificate, my head ached. I was almost certain now that I would not be able to get the certificate back from her. Feeling desperate, I came up with another idea. "Aren''t you very powerful? Can''t you use your influence to get divorced without a marriage certificate?" Charles sneered as he turned to look at me. "Thank you for your appreciation, but why would I take the risk and do an illegal thing like that?" His words left me speechless. We were about to arrive at the hospital. There was a flower shop next to the hospital. Thinking that I should prepare something to show them that I cared, I asked the driver to pull over. I walked to the flower shop and Charles followed me. "Can I get a bouquet of lilies?" Christine had always liked lilies, and I have known that since I was a kid. The owner of the shop was a friendly-looking middle-aged woman. She put down the scissors in her hand and walked up to us. "Hold on for just a moment." "Okay." Since the shop was close to the hospital, they had good business. In order to prevent the shop from getting too crowded, they had a lot of premade bouquets too. The owner then took a bunch of lilies with one hand, and a red rose from the flower rack with her other hand. "You two look like a perfect couple. If a couplees to buy flowers, we are giving them a rose as a promotional gift," thedy said kindly. "But we are not a couple." Looking at the rose that she was holding out to me, I refused to take it. Stunned by my reaction, she looked at us in confusion. "But you two look like a perfect couple..." "This gentleman has a sweetheart," I exined with a smile. Hearing that, she apologized with an awkward smile. "I''m sorry. It doesn''t matter if you are not a couple... It''s just a flower..." "We''ll take it." Charles took the rose from her as he nced at me coldly, like he was warning me. The woman looked at us for a moment and smiled, trying to figure us out. She was obviously thinking that we were a couple that was having a fight. I was not in the mood to exin to her again. After all, she was just a stranger, and I did not care about what she thought of us. With that, I took out some cash to pay the lilies. However, when thedy was about to take the money, Charles handed me a credit card. "Use this." I stopped and looked at him, and our eyes met for a moment. "The pin is your birthdate." "Here you go, ma''am." I turned around, ignoring him, as I handed thedy the money and left with the flowers. Charles sighed and followed me. He then gave me the rose. "Here you go." "Thank you." I took it from him and put it in the bouquet that I bought for Christine. Looking at the red rose among the white lilies, Charles frowned slightly. He wanted to say something, but then, he chose to be silent. The flower shop was not far from the hospital, so we decided to walk the rest of the way. However, as soon as we arrived at the hospital, Charles and I got the feeling that someone was following us. Chapter 39 I Dont Hate You Chapter 39 I Don''t Hate You Scarlett''s POV: I wanted to turn around, but Charles put his arm around my shoulders and did not let me look back. "Forget it." "I feel that someone has been following metely." "Don''t worry. As long as you''re with me, everything will be fine." "Does it have anything to do with our marriage? How about you get your assistant on it to find out?" I felt a little uneasy, so I wanted to shed light on things. "Let''s talk about it after visiting Grandma." Charles did not seem to want to take it seriously. "We can''t stall any longer, Charles. Everything will only get moreplicated once Rita sees the news." I knew Rita well enough to believe that she was going toe after me again. I was exhausted of being caught up in the mess. I just wanted it to be over. Charles suddenly stopped walking and turned me to face him. He stared at me deeply with his dark eyes. I had no idea what set him off again. He stepped forward, and I retreated until I was backed against a wall. "Charles..." I muttered, but he did not say anything. He just looked into my eyes as if he was trying to find something there. As I swallowed and my cheeks burned, he braced one hand against the wall beside my head and brushed my hair off my face with the other. "Scarlett, didn''t I tell you not to mention her in front of me?" My heart started racing. I leaned against the wall to avoid his touch. When he got close enough for us to share breath, I panicked and ran toward the direction of Christine''s ward. "Do you really want a divorce?" Charles screamed after me. I stopped, took a deep breath, and squared my shoulders. I turned on my heel and shed him a determined look. "Yes! I do! I want it!" The affectionate look on his face quickly melted away like snow in the noonday sun. I stood my ground as he started shooting daggers at me with his eyes. "It''s you who have been making excuses since the beginning. I don''t want to do this anymore, okay? Both Rita and I want the divorce to happen, so let''s just get it over with." As a lump lodged itself in my throat, I turned around. Then, I ran to Christine''s ward. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only As I entered the ward, I overheard Christine and Alice''s discussion about announcing Charles and I''s marriage to the public. "We should just tell the world that Charles and Scarlett are married. I think that''s the only way to shut down the rumor mill." "I think that''s a great idea." My chest tightened, and I protested immediately. "No!" "Why?" Alice shed me a confused look. Before I could reply, Charles walked in. I looked at him and silently begged him for help, hoping he would exin. But he just stood there, crossed his arms over his chest, and leaned against the wall. "Scarlett, dear, why do you still want a divorce? You and Charles have already slept together. What if..." Alice did not finish her sentence, but everyone present understood what she meant to say. Christine turned her head toward me and looked at me as if Alice had just announced that I really was pregnant. I sighed helplessly and started exining again. "Mon, Grandma, we just slept in the same couch, but nothing happened. Besides, Charles has someone he loves, someone that he wants to marry..." "Ouch! Oh, my head! It hurts!" Before I could finish my exnation, Christine held her head with both hands and whimpered. Alice rushed over, helped her lie down, and then looked at me with reproachful eyes. "Scarlett, Grandma is not feeling well. She can''t stand hearing about that awful woman. If you want her to live for much longer, stop bringing up Rita." I stood by Christine''s bed, looked at her, and sighed. She, Michael, Lawrence, and Alice had agreed to let me and Charles get a divorce, but now they were all working together to keep us from going through the formalities. Once again, my hands were tied. I stood there and watched Christine close her eyes. Then, Charles walked over, grabbed my hand, and towed me out of the ward. Next thing I knew, we were sitting at the backseat of his car parked at the hospital''s gates. "We''re never getting divorced now, are we?" I turned to Charles and spoke to him in an usatory tone. I did not bother to rein in my emotions anymore. "Grandma and Grandpa are not in good health. I can''t upset them." Charles frowned and looked out the window. "But what about us? We had the perfect opportunity to end it when Grandpa folded and gave me our marriage certificate. Why didn''t you pull the plug with me then? We talked about this properly, Charles. We agreed on a clean break, but you stalled at every turn, and now here we are going in the opposite direction and growing more hateful of each other with each passing day. We should be at peace with our own different paths by now, but we''re only getting more and more entangled. Aren''t you tired of all of it?" "I don''t hate you, Scarlett." Charles turned to me and looked straight into my eyes. "Well, it''s not reason enough to drag this out, Charles. Rita doesn''t have all the time in the world. The longer you stay married to me, the shorter the time you''ll ever have with her. Do you really have it in you to break a dying woman''s heart?" "Wow, I really underestimated your ability to piss me off." Charles gnashed his teeth together in anger. "What? I was just telling the truth," I backfired. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, and then he screamed in a voice that I had never heard before. "Get out!" As the driver and I struggled to calm down after being so startled by Charles''s sudden outburst, the lock on the doors clicked. I got out of the car, and Charles snapped at the driver to leave immediately. I stood there until the car disappeared from my view. My heart was still pounding against my ribcage. I really, really infuriated Charles this time. And it was all for nothing. We were still not getting divorced. Charles''s POV: As the car lurched forward, I watched Scarlett''s figure shrink and shrink through the rearview mirror. I was so angry at what she said that I seriously considered shattering one of my car windows with my fist. The more I thought about it, the more irked and depressed I became. Scarlett always put things I did not want to face in front of me and forced me to confront them. I picked up my phone, called David, and invited him to drink with me. Half an hourter, David finally arrived at the bar. I had already finished an entire bottle of wine, and the waiter was helping me open a second one. "What''s up? Are you unhappy because your marriage has been exposed?" David casually asked as soon as he sat down. "No, I am not." "Then why are you drinking like a fish again?" I tapped my fingers on the table and shot him a death re. "I don''t want a divorce." "What? What about Rita? You promised to marry her and give her the happily ever after of her life." David looked at me in shock. "She will have her own future." I lowered my eyes and looked at my ss as the waiter refilled it. Chapter 40 Be Splashed With Paint Chapter 40 Be Sshed With Paint Scarlett''s POV: That evening, just when I was about to go to bed, I got a call from Abner. "Scarlett, guess what I just saw? Rita was alone in the bar, drinking. She did not seem like she had terminal cancer at all!" "Maybe the doctor had forbidden her from eating delicious food or drinking wine for a long time now, and that''s probably the reason she was at the bar, having a binge." I didn''t think too much of it. "But she doesn''t look like someone who has cancer," Abner said after a moment''s pause. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "Since she is a star, she always wears makeup, which is probably why she doesn''t look all that sick." Charles was the one who had found Rita''s doctor. If there was something fishy going on, then he would be the first one to know. Besides, he was smart, so how could he get fooled easily? "Well, maybe I''m just overthinking things." Disappointed, Abner hung up the phone. I quickly put the phone on the bedside table and began to sleep. The following days were the weekend. When I was sitting on the couch, watching TV, I heard someone knocking on my door. I put down the remote and went to open the door. A man wearing a ck mask and a ck baseball cap was standing in front of me. "Sir, what... Ah!" Just when I was about to ask him if he needed something, he picked up a bucket and pointed it towards me. Realizing the danger, I screamed and quickly hid. With a sshing sound, the red paint fell all over the floor, some of it stained my feet. The man was not willing to ept his failure. In a fit of rage, he picked up the bucket again and was about to dump it on my head. Suddenly, I heard him screaming as though someone had hit him, and the next second, I heard the bucket falling to the ground. A familiar figure appeared in front of me, but before I could even get a clear look at him, he held me in his arms. Still in a state of shock, the man red at Charles before he ran away from my house. "You''re safe now." Looking at the paint tracks on the floor that the man had left before he rushed to the elevator, Charles stroked my hair tofort me. My body was still shaking from the fear. I couldn''t hear him at all. Charles wiped away the paint from my body with his hands and forced me to look at him. "Scarlett, look at me." I looked at him, and when I saw my reflection in his clear blue eyes, I was able to see how messed up I was. "Why are you here?" My voice was hoarse. Without answering me, Charles gazed into my eyes before he pulled me into a hug, ignoring the paint on my body. He then closed the apartment door shut and took me to the elevator. "Now is not a good time to discuss this. You are not safe here, so I am taking you to my ce." My feet felt so weak that I could barely support myself by holding onto his arms. When we entered the elevator, I tried my best not to look at my reflection in the mirror. I kept my head down and wondered, Who on earth did I offend for them to hate me so much that they sent someone to my house to pour a bucket of paint on me?'' However, I had no clue even after Charles took me to his house. "Go take a shower." Saying that, he took out a set of his pajamas and handed it to me. But I was still in a trance. "What are you still thinking about? Isn''t all that paint making you feel ufortable?" he asked with a disdainful look as he put the clothes in my hand. Thirty minutester, I walked out of the bathroom. Sitting on the sofa, he motioned to me. "Come here," he said. "What?" I slowly walked up to him. When I got close to him, he pressed me down on the sofa, and made me lie down on hisp. I was not used to being so intimate with him, so I tried to get up. But Charles did not let me move at all. "Don''t move. I''m just going to dry your hair." Drying a woman''s hair was something that her lover could only do. It was not appropriate for Charles to do it for me. However, he was being too bossy that he did not even allow me to show him resistance. "Let me do it on my own." "Don''t move. It''ll be done soon." When I tried to get up again, he took the hair dryer and started blowing the warm air on my head. His slender and warm fingers separated my locks and massaged my scalp. He was so gentle, like he was taking care of a priceless treasure. Although I was indeed feeling very upset, my infatuation with his tenderness was beyond description. I enjoyed it so much that I was about to fall asleep. Only when the hair dryer stopped whirring and his gentle voice sounded in my ears did Ie back to my senses. I quickly got up from hisp and moved away. "Your ce is not safe, so you can stay here from now on." Saying that, Charles put the hair dryer on the tea table. "It''s not like someone is going to attack me every day." Though I said that, whenever I thought of what had happened at my apartment, I was still a little scared. But I also did not want to live in the same house with him because I found that to be too embarrassing. "Besides, I have somewhere else where I can stay. Or I can stay at a hotel and move back to my apartment after a period of time." "Are you seriously trying to say that you would rather stay at a hotel than to stay here? Scarlett, you''re saying it on purpose, right?" Charles furrowed his eyebrows, looking displeased. "What do you mean?" I asked in confusion. "Do you think the elders will let us divorce after they know about what happened?" "What are you even talking about?" "The fact that someone sshed paint on you, or the fact that you want to stay in a hotel..." "But I can''t live here." My anger died down a little when he mentioned the elders. "This house is under your name. How is it not okay for you to live in your own house?" Charles was taking the situation for granted. "But we haven''t divorced yet, so the house is technically not mine," I retorted. "Since we are a couple, we both share equal rights over the house." Charles'' tone became more and more domineering. I didn''t say more because I did not know what to say. Besides, he was making it impossible for me to refute. "I''ve changed the password of the door to our wedding date." His tone softened when he saw that I was not arguing with him. "We are going to divorce. We should keep some distance between us." I tried to remind him. But his frown deepened and his tone became more sullen as he asked, "Do you really want a divorce?" Chapter 41 Making Breakfast Chapter 41 Making Breakfast Scarlett''s POV: "You''re the one who proposed the divorce. You served me the papers the day I flew in home, remember?" I corrected Charles. "Yes. I just don''t want you to bring it up every chance you get. What if you regret divorcing me one day?" Once again, he was trying to sound all cool about the issue, but I thought he was just making an excuse. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "That''s not going to happen," I answered firmly. "Why are you so sure? Have you gotten a new boyfriend?" Charles asked, his voice taking on a sharp edge. "As a matter of fact, I have. He''s intelligent, wealthy, and powerful, and we love each other very much. So, yes, I''m sure I''ll never regret divorcing you," I said like a winner. "Scarlett!" Charles shouted angrily. Then, his phone on the tea table rang. As expected, the caller was his sweetheart, Rita. The anger on Charles''s face suddenly disappeared. He nced at his ringing phone and then looked at me. He hesitated for a long time before picking up his phone and putting it on speaker. "Hi, Charles. I didn''t mean to make Christine angryst time. Can you take me to her today? I want to apologize," Rita said in a soft voice. "I don''t think that''s a good idea. She hasn''t fully recovered yet. I don''t want to stress her out. Let''s just wait for her to get better, okay?" Charles replied without any expression on his face. "Very well. Can youe apany me today? I''m lonely, and I miss you very much." If I had not known Rita, I would not have recognized her voice over the phone. I found it hard to believe that she could speak in such a sincere tone. I did not want to eavesdrop on their conversation anymore, so I put on my shoes and walked toward the door. But when I realized that I was still in Charles''s pajamas, I halted. "I''ll swingby if I have time, all right? Goodbye." Rita tried to stop Charles from hanging up on her, but she did not seed. Before she could say anything more, he already cut the line. Charles tossed his phone to the tea table and looked up at me. "Grandma wants us toe see her at the hospital." "Okay, but I have to go home first to change." Taking a look at his pajamas that I was wearing, Charles picked up his phone again and called his assistant. "Send me a set of women''s clothes." I took that as a no on my going home to change and headed to the living room. I sat on the sofa and waited for Charles''s assistant to arrive. About half an hourter, someone rang the doorbell. I stood up and answered the door. Charles''s assistant was standing outside with a shopping bag. "Hello, Mrs. Moore. Here are your clothes." The words "Mrs. Moore" threw me off for a second. In the past, Charles''s staff addressed me as Miss Riley. I did not understand the sudden change. I was so startled that I could only choke my reply. Thankfully, after handing me the bag, Charles''s assistant just slightly bowed and left, sparing me the humiliation. I closed the door and took the clothes to the living room. I started rummaging through the contents of the bag, and I found myself blushing. "Why did you ask your assistant to buy me this kind of clothes?" I was expecting a change of clothes in the bag but not underwear. I felt even more embarrassed imagining Charles''s male assistant buying some women''s underwear at the store. "Don''t you want them? I can go to the store myself and buy you another pair if you like," Charles teased. I rolled my eyes so hard that they ached. Would I ever let him buy me a set of underwear? I would rather wear the one his assistant bought. I went to the bedroom to change my clothes. To my surprise, Charles''s assistant was not only considerate but also had good taste in clothes. The pieces he picked for me fit very well and looked amazing. I loved the blue dress with a defined waist. It hugged my body like it was tailor-made for me. After changing my clothes, I went out of the bedroom, and Charles shed me a satisfied smile. I walked over to him, took out my phone, and pulled up my banking app. I said casually, "Thank you for the clothes. I''ll wire you the money right now to pay for them." "Don''t bother. They''re just clothes. Consider them a gift." Charles frowned when I told him I wanted to pay him back. "Well, the clothes were not cheap." While I was changing earlier, I paid special attention to the price tag on each article of clothing. I estimated the whole set to cost around tens of thousands of dors. It was not a small sum of money. And as early as now, even if we were not yet officially divorced, I wanted to exercise my own financial independence, and that started with not spending his money. Charles red at me. Once again, he was unhappy. "How about you thank me in a different way?" I shed him a confused look. He did not say anything for a while, but just when I thought he was going to make some excessive request, he stood up and walked toward the fridge. "You haven''t had breakfast yet. I''m making a sandwich. Do you want one?" I followed him to the kitchen. "How about I make breakfast for you to thank you?" "Can you cook?" Charles stopped and looked at me doubtfully. "I''d like to try." I did not know how to cook, but maybe I could try making some sandwiches. They might not be as good as the ones Charles made, but I was sure they would not be that bad. Charles tilted his head and motioned for me toe forward. I walked over, opened the fridge, and took out some ingredients. Charles stood aside and watched me intently. After making sure that I got the right stuff, he let me begin. I took a pan and put it on the stove on medium heat. Charles liked his eggs over easy, bread without too much butter, and he always cut his chicken breasts into thin slices. I moved around the kitchen as if I were on autopilot and kept in mind Charles''s food preferences. He just stood there and watched me with a smile on his face. "Wow, I didn''t expect that you knew how I liked my food." "Is this how you like your sandwich? I just did it without really thinking about it." I did not want to admit that he was right about me knowing how he liked his food. Charles simply beamed. Soon, I served him the best sandwich I could make. He looked long and hard at it and thought for a long time before finally saying something. "Stay." "What?" I looked at Charles in surprise. "I''m asking you to stay." Charles looked deeply into my eyes. I was a bit taken aback by the abrupt sincerity in his voice. I put my sandwich down and stared back at him. "I don''t understand." "Which part?" "All of it. I mean, we''re going to divorce..." "That''s not what I meant, Scarlett. I just don''t want Grandma and Grandpa to worry about you, so please consider staying. You don''t have to do it for me. Do it for them. After all, you''re family, and they''ll always want the best for you. They''ll be more at peace if they know you''re living a good life." Chapter 42 The Truth Chapter 42 The Truth Charles'' POV: I was bing more and more impressed with my own eloquence. I could always find some reason or excuse that Scarlett couldn''t refute. I was so happy to see that she was rendered speechless. "Okay, I will just think of it as your concern for me because of the elders. Now that I''m fine, shouldn''t you go and see Rita? Even if it''s just a headache or a cold, the doctor would forbid the patient from drinking. She has advanced liver cancer, and she secretly went to drink yesterday. Did she do it because you did not give her much caretely? Was she drinking to relieve her sorrows, perhaps?" Scarlett said after a moment of silence. My expression darkened all of a sudden, and I could not believe what I had just heard. "Are you sure?" "Abner saw it with his own eyes yesterday. How could it not be true?" "Do you have any evidence?" I couldn''t believe her because Rita''s condition did not allow her to consume alcohol. Moreover, I believed that she would not risk her own life for a drink. "Do you want me to show you photos as evidence? I''m not that jobless, and I am not like Rita to spy on people. Abner just happened to see her there and he called me out of concern. But if you really want the truth, then you can ask your sweetheart or run an investigation yourself. I believe that it will be a cakewalk for you to find out the truth." I did not talk about it anymore, but I had already made up my mind to look into it. Rita''s POV: At around three in the afternoon at the hospital, I woke up and saw Charles walking into the room as he pushed the door open. I had been looking forward to seeing him so much that when he came, my joy knew no bounds. ''Charles still loves me!'' "Charles!" I realized that something was wrong the moment I called out his name. He was approaching me with a deep look in his eyes, which indicated that he had onlye there to question me. Subconsciously, I tightly grasped the nket, began to panic, and felt like something bad was about to happen. ''Did he find out something? No! No, that can''t be possible. I was very discreet, and he could not have found out about it so soon! I "Did you secretly go out to drink?" Charles got straight to the point as he stood next to my bed. "What?" Startled, I understood that he must have found out that I had been drinking. Just when I was about to exin to him, my mom walked in with a bowl of fruit and stood before me. "Charles, did you hear something from others? Rita is in poor health. Why would she drink secretly in her condition?" "I want to listen to her exnation!" Charles suddenly yelled as he looked at me coldly. Startled by his reaction, I had no choice but to use the oldest trick in the book, which was to cry. "Charles, I did it all because of you. Don''t you know that?" "You did it because of me?" "Yeah, I did it because you made me lose hope. You''re the one that makes me feel like I will never have a wedding before I am dead. Charles, I''m tired. I''m really tired of seeing you shuttling between two women. I am so exhausted that I don''t even want to go on like this... I just don''t..." Looking at him, I cried like a damsel in distress. "You''d better pray that I don''t find out that you lied." Though Charles seemed to be slightly moved now, it was clear that he still did not believe me. "Do you really think that I am lying to you? At the cost of my own life? Since when do you not believe my words? You won''t trust me till I die, right?" I cried out, pretending to be aggrieved. Charles was making me feel very desperate. Back then, he was different. He used to be so gentle and caring, but now, he would not even believe my words. Though he was standing right in front of me, I felt like his heart had drifted farther away from mine. It almost felt like he was going to leave me at any time now. Charles stood still and nced at me like an emotionless cold-blooded animal. He then turned around and left without saying anything. "Charles, are you going to marry me or not?" When I saw that, I moved the nket away and ran up to him, hugging him from behind. However, he did not answer me at all. "Charles, what''s happening to us? Didn''t you promise that you will marry me? Why is everything changed all of a sudden? I''m really scared, because I may not be able to wait for too long. Charles, tell me, what can I do to make you change your mind? Please... Just tell me..." With teary eyes, I looked up at him and asked. I prayed that he would look at me too, even if it was just a nce. It was the only way in which I would not end up feeling like a fool. "Rita... Don''t be that way! The doctor says that you can''t have any more stress now. If anything happens to you, then what am I to do?" Noticing Charles'' indifference, my mom walked up to me to help me. She knelt on the ground, held onto his legs and pleaded, "Charles, show mercy to Rita, okay? The doctor said that she should not be sad, so please just promise her. I am begging you! She can''t keep holding on like this... Please have mercy on apoormotherandfulfillherdaughter''stwish..." My mother burst into tears. I held Charles'' arm tighter and tighter as though I was afraid that I was going to lose him for good. That was when I realized that my pitiful act was not helping at all. Charles'' heart had been drifting towards Scarlett for a while now, and I could not even feel his love anymore. Everything was going out of control, which was too bad for me. "We''ll talk after you decide whether you''re really going to marry me or now." As expected, Charles shook off my hand and left the ward without looking back. I was in a daze. Looking at his receding back, my mother shouted at me angrily, "Rita, why did you go to the bar? If anyone finds out that..." Her fear did not let her finish what she wanted to say. If Charles knew that I had recovered, he would not feel guilty and would feel more determined to leave me. And if that happened, I would losepletely. "Are you crazy? How can you go out to drink now? What if he finds out the truth?" Mom made sure that no one was around before she hissed at me and pped me. "If he never marries me, then do I have to keep eating this shitty health food for the rest of my life? Mom, I can''t stand it. I can''t do this anymore. I''m going crazy..." Unwilling to give up, I burst into tears, but there was nothing that I could do now. The helplessness was so maddening. I didn''t understand. Scarlett had juste back for a few months, and she had managed to shake Charles'' love for me. He had been promising to marry me, but ever since she came, he had changed his mind. How could I even call it love if that was all it took to destroy it? Seeing that I was crying bitterly, my mom wailed louder. She held me in her arms, gently patted my back, andforted me, "Don''t worry. Things won''t go that way. We have done so much. We will get what we want. Just promise me that what happened today won''t happen again." "I won''t be reckless anymore. I promise," I said to her firmly.N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Chapter 43 Be Spanked Chapter 43 Be Spanked Charles''s POV: At half past five, I drove to the TV station to pick up Scarlett so that we could go to the hospital together to visit Grandma. I had been waiting for twenty minutes, but she still had note out. Thankfully, I saw one of her colleagues, Nina. I asked her where Scarlett was, and she told me that Scarlett left a long time ago. I took out my phone and tried to call Scarlett, but she did not answer. Then, Grandma called. "Where are you? Scarlett hasn''t had dinner yet. Come to the hospital and take her out to eat." After hanging up the phone, I pinched the bridge of my nose and heaved a sigh. Scarlett avoided me on purpose. This morning, I had told her that I would pick her up after work and then we woulde to see Grandma together. Obviously, she turned a deaf ear to me and went to visit Grandma on her own. On my way to the hospital, all I could think about was venting my anger on her. But when I arrived at the ward, I could not believe what I saw. Scarlett was gone. "I don''t understand why you won''t just listen to me, Charles. Now you have to suffer the consequences," Grandma said sarcastically, looking at my disappointed face. I stood beside her bed, struggling to school my features into neutrality. I was so angry at Scarlett that I thought about all the ways I could punish her. But I was afraid to show Grandma how I really felt because she would definitelyugh at me. "Why didn''t you make her stay, Grandma?" I whined, and I instantly regretted it. "She insisted on leaving when she heard that you wereing. Did you expect me to tackle her and pin her down?" Grandma backfired. I could tell that she wanted to tell me off about Scarlett again, but this time, she bit down her tongue. "Someone threatened her yesterday by trashing her ce with paint. I think she could be in real danger." "Then get out of here and find her. No. Call her first. Find out where she is." After I told her that Scarlett could be in danger, Grandma immediately urged me to call her and locate her. I hesitated. I had already called her many times when I was waiting for her at the TV station and on my way to the hospital earlier. She had not answered any of my calls. I dialed again now, and the result was the same. I wanted to be furious, but dejectedness got to me first. Seeing that I was not getting through, Grandma picked up her phone and tried calling Scarlett herself. Scarlett answered on the first ring, which pissed me off and saddened me at the same time. Obviously, Scarlett did not want to talk to me. ncing at me with disdainful eyes, Grandma put her phone on speaker and spoke gently. "Scarlett, dear, where are you? Are you okay? I''m worried." "I''m all right, Grandma. I''m home. I want to clean the mess up while I have time." As soon as I heard that she was at home, I turned around and left. I did not bother to look back and check if Grandma was ring at me. Twenty minutester, I arrived at the ce where Scarlett lived. The smell of paint in the air was not completely gone, which made me wrinkle my nose. I covered my mouth and nose with my forearm and pushed the doorbell. I had to ring several times because no one wasing to answer the door. Scarlett must still be pretty shaken from the attack. "Scarlett! It''s me! Open the door!" I yelled to assure her that I was not a threat. After a few moments, the door swung open, and the strong smell of paint hit me in the face like a brick. The ce was a mess, almost like a colorful garbage dump. Scarlett stood at the door and stared me down. She was wearing an apron and rubber gloves, and she was all sweaty and panting. She must have been cleaning for a long time. "Let''s go," I ordered with a frown. "What? Where?" She looked at me in confusion. "You''re not going to live here anymore. You''re moving into my house." "No. I want to live here. This is my home." She stepped back and looked at me warily as if she was afraid that I would drag her out and away. Seeing this, I decided to y my cards a different way. Maybe being gentle and patient would convince her to leave. "Scarlett, look at this ce. It''s ruined, and it smells toxic. It''s not safe for you to live here." Scarlett''s POV: I was in the middle of cleaning my house when Charles showed up. Seeing him standing at the door, I immediately thought that he hade to forcibly remove me from my home like I was a wanted fugitive or something. "Well, I think your home isn''t safe for me either," I snapped. In the blink of an eye, Charles put on that frosty expression with which he liked to scare people. "Do you think I will do something to you?" I was too annoyed to dignify that with a response, so I turned on my heel and went back to cleaning. Charles followed me in and shut the door behind him. His eyes were starting to water from the fumes and smell. "It''s awful in here. Juste home with me." "I didn''t ask you toe here, Charles. Just leave. This is none of your business anyway." "Don''t you dare say that again!" Charles threatened. I ignored him and continued cleaning up the house. Next thing I knew, my vision was turning upside down. Charles had grabbed me by the legs and heaved me up on his shoulder like a sack of rice. As my feet dangled in the air, I struggled to hold on to something to keep my bnce. But before I could grab on to Charles''s shirt, he pped me on the buttocks.N?velDrama.Org is the owner. My mind instantly went nk. It took me a long time to process what just happened, and when I finally realized it, I felt my cheeks burn with utter embarrassment. It was the first time that I had been spanked by a man and in such a posture! How embarrassed! I could not believe Charles just did that. How could he carry me on his shoulder and then spank me like I was a misbehaved child? He carried me like that to his car, and I wished that the ground had split and swallowed us both. "You left me no choice. You were being so difficult, so I had to treat you like a hardheaded little girl." After he shoved me into his car, he shed me that annoying smug smile of his. I could only gnash my teeth together in anger. Before long, I was assaulting him with my words. "Can you exin something to me, Charles? Why are you always getting out of your way to be with me? Wherever I am, you''re always there. It''s like you''re so in love with me that you can''t be apart from me." "I''m so in love with you?" Charles scoffed and then continued solemnly, "Scarlett, it''s a good thing to be confident, but your confidence can sometimes be a little too much." "Then why are you constantly interfering with my life?" I screamed in frustration. "Do you think I want to interfere? I only came here because Grandma was worried about you. She''s ill. I don''t want her stressing herself out because of you." The smugness had gone from Charles''s face before he could finish hisst remark. He stared at me with furious eyes, and I stared right back. Next thing I knew, the locks on the doors were clicking, and I realized that I had missed my chance to break out of the car and go back to cleaning my messed-up house. Soon, we pulled up at Charles''s ce. I fought and fought Charles, but he still seeded in heaving me over his shoulder once again and carrying me to the bathroom like an oversized, squirmy pet. He threw me into the half-full bathtub fully clothed and then went in after me. The bathtub was big enough to amodate two people, and there was plenty of room for me to swat off Charles''s hands as he attempted to undress me. With one swift movement, he was able to pin me down on the sloped edge of the tub. He started unbuttoning my shirt. Fear began to cloud my judgment, and I iled around like I was drowning just to keep his hands off of me. But Charles was too strong. I was no match for him. I stifled my sobs as I kept fighting him off. "Charles!" I screamed helplessly as tears rolled down the side of my face and into my ears. Hearing my broken voice, he suddenly stopped. He looked like he just snapped out of a trance. He let me go and slowly backed away. I read chagrin in his eyes before he stood up and stepped out of the bathtub. He looked down at me as he wrung some of the water out of his shirt. "Do you dare to challenge me next time?" Iid still in the bathtub and tried to catch my breath. I just shook my head as a response to his question, scared to death that he would jump on me again and rip off my clothes. "Clean yourself up now. Can you do it yourself or do you want me to help you?" Charles swept his eyes over me, and I pretended not to notice. Chapter 44 The Warm Scene Chapter 44 The Warm Scene Charles''s POV: It was crazy. I wanted to strip Scarlett naked and take her right in the bathtub. I had been finding myself in this kind of situationtely, and I had been finding it harder and harder to control myself. I definitely frightened Scarlett with my sudden moves, and I hated myself for it. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only "I can take a shower by myself. I don''t need your help." With both her hands clutching her shirt shut at the cor, she red at me. The heating in the bathroom painted her cheeks a pretty shade of red. Her chest heaved up and down. She was still trying to catch her breath. Her cleavage was slightly exposed, and I could not bring myself to avert my eyes. Indeed, Scarlett was no longer the little girl who used to chase me around and beg me for candy. During the three years she spent abroad, she had grown into a full-fledged young woman. I could not help wondering about the lucky man who would get to be with her. Could it be Spencer or Abner? I dismissed the thought, for it only pissed me off. Scarlett started rubbing the paint off her hands and arms. I watched her and then frowned. "The paint is not easy to remove. Are you sure you don''t need my help?" I bent over and whispered in her ear. "No, thanks." I smiled as I saw her ears turn red. But then she stood up and started shoving me toward the bathroom door. Before I reached the door, I turned and saw her red ears again. I could not help teasing her. "Maybe we should take a shower together. I also got some paint on me. And it''d be a great way to conserve water," I suggested smugly and leaned against the door. I expected to see panic and nervousness in Scarlett''s eyes, but she just shed me an uninterested expression. After rolling her eyes and heaving a bored sigh, she finally spoke. "Like you care about conserving anything at all. Again, no, thanks, Charles. And save your sexual jokes for Rita. I''m sure she''ll be thrilled to hear them." The sheer coldness on Scarlett''s face almost made me choke. Why was she bringing up Rita again? Every time I tried to flirt with her, she always ruined the fun. "Why is Ritaing up in our conversation again? I would never crack a dirty joke in front of her," I snapped as I fell out of the mood to tease Scarlett. "Of course you wouldn''t. She''s your ever dearest Rita. Unlike me, you''ll never disrespect her by making such inappropriate suggestions," Scarlett backfired through clenched teeth. "That''s not what I meant. I''m sorry, okay? I''ll leave you to clean yourself up." With a sigh, I reached out and brushed my thumb against her cheek. She slightly turned away, but I was still able to touch her face. I felt the heat of her anger in my finger. I usually enjoyed watching Scarlett throw a temper tantrum, but when she got furious like that and used such loaded words, thest thing I wanted was to piss her off even more. Scarlett''s POV: Charles finally walked out of the bathroom. I stayed in the bathroom for more than half an hour. Having to stay with Charles only annoyed me more and more. I did not leave the bathroom until the delicious smell of food wafted in. Swallowing my pride, I put on Charles''s clean clothes that he let me borrow and went to the kitchen. I was still in the living room when the heavenly smell of roasted beef and baked potato with cheese hit my nostrils. Charles cooked those dishes well, and it had been a long time since Ist saw him prepare a meal. When we were going to school, he made time to cook, but when we started working, he barely had the space in his schedule. I approached slowly and quietly. The scent of the dishes reminded me so much of the time when we were still students. At that time, I was home with Charles, and Rita was not in the picture. Everything was so simple and happy. It was one of the best times of my life. "What are you waiting for? Wash your hands ande join me for dinner." Charles was wearing an apron, and the dishes in his hands were steaming. I could not decide whether it was the soft lighting or the smile on his face that made him look gentle and loving. At the moment, he looked like the perfect husband that I had always dreamed of having. The warm scene in front of me almost moved me, but then I suddenly imagined Rita''s face and wrecked everything. Rita was now Charles''s fiancee, and I was but a closed chapter in his story. "No, thanks. I''m going home. Thanks for the shower and the clothes. I''llunder them and get them right back to you as soon as I can." I put on a polite smile and headed to the front door. "Wait! Scarlett, stop!" Charles called after me, but I pretended not to hear him and kept walking. Before I could get my hands on the doorknob, Charles was already grabbing me by the wrist and turning me to face him. Past his shoulder, I could see the table was already set. There were even candles lit. "Please just let me go, Charles. I want to go home. We can''t keep spending time like this together. Don''t you understand? You''re just making things harder than they have to be. You''re engaged to Rita and about to divorce me. We have to keep our distance from each other," I reasoned. I was sick and tired of being spun around in Charles''s web. I tried hard to break away from his grasp, but he was just too strong for me. He held on to me so tightly that my wrist began turning red. "I''ll drive you home after dinner. It''s dark out. It''s not safe for you to go home by yourself," Charles said tly and looked out the window. Indeed, night had descended, and there were not any lights outside except for the faint glow of streetmps. Charles took advantage of my moments of hesitation, eased his grip on my wrist, and took my hand. He towed me to the dining table. "Are you going to stare at me the entire meal? I won''t run away." I had noticed that Charles had been staring at me like he was scrutinizing me. What was he looking at? And what was that affectionate look in his eyes? It was driving me insane. "Well, then good. Otherwise, I''ll be forced to tie you to my bed." Once again, Charles leaned in and whispered to my ear. As I gnashed my teeth together to rein in my emotions, he let go of my hand and sat opposite me. Deep inside, I cursed myself for blushing in front of him. Until today, Charles had never uttered sexual innuendos to me. He had never been driven with desire in front of me except for that one time that he kissed me in the elevator. Now that we were alone in his home, he might actually try to sleep with me, and I found that a little unsettling. "Why are you lowering your head? Are you scared? You know me. I do as I say." Charles shed me a smile that I could only liken to an arrow piercing through my heart. Seeing that I did not respond, he continued, "Don''t worry. I just want you to join me for dinner. That''s all." Then, he started piling some food onto my te. Afraid that he would heave me over his shoulder again and do God knew what, I just nodded and let him serve me. I chewed and swallowed my food fast. Even though dinner was going great, I still wanted to go home as soon as I could. Meanwhile, Charles ate at a cial pace and kept his eyes fixed on me. If he was trying to give me indigestion by watching me intently like a suspect under surveince, he was seeding. "Can you stop staring at me?" I bit my lip and whined. There must be something wrong with Charles today. I felt ufortable under his gaze. "Fuck! You finish your dinner. I''ll go take a cold shower." All of a sudden, Charles''s ears turned red. He put down his knife and fork, rose from his seat, and started walking away. Before he could leave the dining room, he turned around and walked right back to me. He stared at me, and he looked like he was trying to find the right words to say. "Don''t bite your lip like that in front of any man ever again, do you understand? Now, stay here, eat your food, and wait for me to get back. If you leave before I get out of the shower, I will drag you right back here, tie you up, and have my way with you," Charles threatened me fiercely. It was not easy to hail a taxi in the evening, so I was really counting on Charles to drive me home. "Fine. I won''t leave," I promised. Having heard my response, Charles finally went upstairs, visibly satisfied. Chapter 45 Male Problems Chapter 45 Male Problems Scarlett''s POV: Charles did note down after a long time. I was starting to get worried. What if he went back on his words and no longer wanted to let me go? I had better run away now. He said that he would tie me up to the bed and have his way with me if I ran away. How could I take that seriously? I must be out of my mind. There was no way he would actually do that. For all I knew, he loved Rita with all his heart. He would not betray her and sleep with me, would he? After pondering for a moment, I decided to leave now. A taxi should still be avable at this time. The night was getting darker, so I had to go. But just as I reached for the door, the doorbell unexpectedly rang. I frowned. Who woulde here thiste at night? The first person I thought of was Rita. But just when I was about to scurry for cover, a familiar voice sounded outside the door. "Charles, open the door! It''s me." It was Alice, Charles''s mother. It was already deep into the night. What was Alice doing here? I was perplexed. With a confused look on my face, I opened the door and beckoned her to the living room to sit down. "Come in, Mom. Charles is taking a shower upstairs. He''ll be here shortly." Now, it was even more difficult for me to leave. Alice sat down and took my hand. "Christine told me that someone went to your apartment to spray paint. I figured that Charles would bring you here, so I came here to see you," she said with a motherly smile. Alice must havee here to talk to me about the divorce. Well, I could not be rude to her nor say something inappropriate. She had always treated me as if I was her own child, after all. "It''s all right, Mom. Don''t worry. I''m fine. But I have to go now. I have to go back early to recite the draft." As soon as I finished speaking, I stood up and turned to leave. This way, I could talk to her perfunctorily without sounding rude. If Charles came down now, I would not be able to leave easily. "I know you''ve suffered a lot for years. I''m telling you, that bitch was fooling my son. He''s blinded by her, so he can''t tell the good from bad. I''ve watched you two grow up. I know for myself that you two have the best rtionship. You can''t divorce. Charles has liked you since you were young. Do you still remember that time when you were in high school? Some hooligans from the other school stopped you and asked you to go with them for a drink? Charles was so furious that he beat those bastards up all by himself. From what I see, he''s just being stubborn right now," Alice earnestly said. It was obvious that she was unwilling to let me go. However, what she had just said to me was ridiculous. At that time, Charles just treated me as his toy. For all I knew, it was not because he had feelings for me but because he was possessive and controlling. He made sure that only he had me. If he really liked me back then, how could he bear not to show his concern to me while I was abroad for three years? He did not even call or text me! That could only mean one thing. He did not love me. I waited for him for a long time, only to end up disappointed. I had had enough of it. "Mom, Charles likes someone else. It''s Rita. Your son is a grown man. He knows what he wants. Why don''t you look at it on the bright side? When Charles and I are finally divorced, he could finally be with his true love and live a happier life in the future. We should be happy for him, shouldn''t we?" I felt my chest tighten as I spoke. Yes, I loathed Rita to the core. She was a scheming, hypocritical, and maniptive woman. Even so, Charles was fond of her, and there was nothing I could do about it. What Grandma said to usst time was true. Charles was not young anymore. In fact, some men his age already had children. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "Please help me persuade Grandma when she finally gets better," I asked. "I''m telling you, you can''t get divorced. I know Charles. He won''t sleep with a girl he doesn''t like." Alice seemed to realize that I had already made up my mind. Her tone became anxious and apprehensive. But this was nothing but a huge misunderstanding. When did I ever sleep with Charles? "Sorry to break it to you, Mom. But even though Charles and I are married, we''ve never had sex," I admitted frankly. Charles would never betray Rita. He loved her so much. In ourplicated rtionship, I was the bad guy. The third party. "How is that possible? Scarlett, stop lying. I have evidence." Alice took out her phone from her bag and scrolled through her gallery. She then showed me a picture. In the photo, Charles and I were in each other''s tight embrace as we slept. "This photo isn''t enough to prove your statement. I just fell asleep at that time, and nothing happened between us. I''m... I''m still a virgin until now." I knew that Alice would not give up until I told the truth. She had suspected us once in the hospital, after all. I was aware that it was humiliating to admit that I was still a virgin after three years of marriage. But, I had no choice to do so. Alice was bbergasted. "But you''ve been married for three years! Could it be that Charles have... you know... a disease of some sort?" I lowered my head and did not answer her question. How could I know if he was ill? She should ask Rita instead. While we were talking, Charles finally went downstairs. He had a bath towel on his shoulder, and he looked fresh from the bath. Charles took a bottle of water from the fridge and asked, "Mom, what brings you here?" "Charles, are you free tomorrow? Let''s go to the hospital," Alice replied. Charles looked at me confusedly. "I''m fine. Why do I need to go to the hospital?" I lowered my head to hide the guilt in my eyes. I did not say anything. How could things turn out like this? "There''s a renowned urologist in the city. Don''t worry. We''ll go there in secret and make sure that we won''t be discovered by the media," Alice reassured. "What? A urologist? Scarlett, what did you say to Mom?" Charles asked with a scowl. I lowered my head in embarrassment. Meanwhile, Alice seemed to be disappointed at her son for raising a tone at me. "Why are you shouting? Are you trying to scare Scarlett? She has nothing to do with this! You bastard! I just guessed that you have male problems. You''ve been married for years, and yet you still don''t have a child." Charles stared daggers at me, and an awkward silence filled the air. He did not take his eyes off me. His piercing gaze made my hair stand on end. This was a bad sign. "Mom, it''s alreadyte. You should go home now. I''ll see the doctor on my own when I''m free." Charles led his mother to the door as he spoke. I followed Alice, intending to slip away without being noticed. Unfortunately, Charles pulled me back into the house before the door closed. To my surprise, he locked the door and held me in his arms. "What did you say to Mom? What made her say something like that?" Charles asked sharply. It seemed that he had already figured out everything. "Mom took a picture of us when we slept on the sofa the other day. She assumed that we had sex, so I exined to her that nothing had happened between us and that I am still a virgin. For some reason, she thought that there''s something wrong with you," I briefly exined. "What? You''re still a virgin?" Charles seemed to be taken aback by thest sentence. For a split second, a gleam of light shed through his eyes. Why did he seem so shocked anyway? Did he think I was a dissolute girl who would sleep with just any men? The thought of this made me feel sick to the stomach. "It''s not ridiculous, okay? I''m a conservative," I said proudly. Unlike me, Rita was probably not a virgin anymore when she was in high school. To my surprise, Charles stared at me with a sly smile. His blue eyes reflected my image, and I could see myself trembling in fear. Then, he lowered his head and approached me little by little. He whispered my name, which sent chills down my spine. "Scarlett..." "You bastard, stay away from me!" I pushed him away with all my might. Perhaps he was doing this to make fun of me again. But then, Charles grabbed my wrists and raised them. His body was so close to mine that my heart pounded in my chest. The smile on his face grew even wider. As he noticed that my body was trembling, he lowered his head and whispered something in my ear. "My little virgin, do you need my help popping your cherry?" Chapter 46 Maybe He Doesnt Want To Divorc... Chapter 46 Maybe He Doesn''t Want To Divorc... Scarlett''s POV: Charles had just taken a shower, and his fresh, minty fragrance enveloped me. The pleasant smell coming off his skin was rendering my mind in shambles. He rubbed his nose against my neck. Every time he touched me, I felt like my bloodstream turned into white water. The excitement was getting more and more difficult for me to hide. He suckled on my neck and then ran his teeth gently on it. As I heaved a nervous breath, he buried his face on my shoulder, and I felt him smile. "What the hell are you doing, Charles? Why are you treating me like this? We shouldn''t be ying these kinds of games." I covered my face to hide my shame. It was so typical of him to treat me like some ything. When we were younger, he used to pull pranks on me and make me cry on Halloween and April Fools'' Day, and then he wouldugh in a low voice as he did now. What on earth was so damn funny? I did not get it at all. "All right. I''m sorry. I won''t make fun of you anymore. Please stop crying. Your aggrieved look is already driving me insane." Charles wiped away the tears from my eyes and then lowered his head to kiss my chin and cheek. ''Oh, please, stop,'' I begged in my heart. I covered my face again. I wanted to start sobbing, but I held it in. Why was he being like this? Did he not know that he was just leading me on with such sweet and gentle actions? Seeing that I was about to start crying again, Charles stopped kissing me and then leaned against the door with me in his arms. He twirled my hair in his finger like he was so fascinated by it. "If you really want to have sex, then just go to Rita and stop pestering me." I wiped my tears and tried to get rid of Charles. "Rita is not in good health. It''s not appropriate," Charles replied seriously and kissed my hair. "But it''s okay to do it with me? You''re really lowering my opinion of you. Have you no shame? Sleeping with two people at the same time is disgusting." I cast a cold nce at Charles. I felt so wronged. He was really making me feel cheap. Did I not have some self-respect? Did he think that I was a streetwalker who would take off my clothes and open my legs for 20 dors? Charles did not say anything more. He just hugged me in silence. After a long time, I heard him sigh. "You win, Scarlett. Now, you can either go to bed upstairs alone or stay here with me." He loosened his grip. I immediately pushed him away, ran to the bedroom without looking back, and locked the door. I leaned against the door and took many deep breaths. My heart was racing like crazy. While I was in his arms earlier, giving in crossed my mind many times. A small part of me wanted to be with him, but it was not strong enough to overpower the part of me that desperately wanted to break away. After finally calming down and sorting out my thoughts, I went to bed. I had made up my mind. As soon as we finalized our divorce, I would leave here and cut off all my connections to the city. The next day, I woke up to the morning sunshine on my face. I slid out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash up. Charles did not bother me the entire night. He slept on the sofa in the living room like a real gentleman. The sun shone on his handsome face. It would have been a perfect, dreamy scene if not for the cigarette butts that were scattered all over the coffee table and the floor. When did he be so reliant on cigarettes? When we were in high school, he was a model student who kept his grades up and yed sports. I was a little stunned. I seemed to have missed a lot of things in the three years that we were apart. I supposed he was upset because he could not stay with his beloved Rita, or maybe he regretted marrying me and wasting three years of his life. I lowered my eyes and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for Charles. After cleaning up, I left. I had to go home and get some work done on my program''s script. As soon as I got home, I received a call from Charles. "The breakfast was delicious. Thank you." His voice was a little hoarse. It seemed that he had just woken up. "You''re wee. Thank you for letting me stay the night." I expressed my gratitude. Although he did force me to spend the night in his ce at first, I was still thankful that I did not have to stay in my house that still smelled toxic because of the paint. "We don''t have to be strangers to each other, Scarlett. I remember that you''re not like this before." Charles did not sound good to me. I could picture him sitting on the sofa with a lit cigarette in his mouth and frowning. "Well, a lot has changed, Charles. We''re not exactly on good terms. We''re getting a divorce. If we were good, we wouldn''t be breaking up in the first ce." Charles''s remark hit a nerve, and I found myself too annoyed to deal with him. We used to quarrel a lot in high school, and when we grew up, we did not really exert that much effort to be close to each other. Truth be told, Charles and I were like parallel lines that would never meet. It was only because of my childish persistence and infatuation in the past that things had be so difficult andplicated. "I hired someone to get rid of the paint and clean your house. She will arrive around ten o''clock," Charles replied in a defeated tone. He obviously sensed the displeasure in my voice and decided to change the subject. "You didn''t have to do that, but I appreciate it," I thanked him politely. After telling Charles that I had to go and get ready for work, I hung up. When I was about to enter my house, I saw a familiar figure standing in the corridor. It was of a tall man d in all ck. It was Abner. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. He turned around and saw me standing not far away. I approached him. "Where have you been, Scarlett?" "What are you doing here?" I was surprised to see him at my ce this early. "I heard from Nina that someone trashed your ce with paint. I decided to swing by to make sure you''re all right. I brought you breakfast." Abner touched his nose and handed me a small brown paper bag and a paper cup. Whatever was in the cup, it had gone cold. Abner must have been waiting for a long time. "Thank you, Abner. You didn''t have toe here. You could''ve just called or texted. My ce is out of the way from your house and the station." I knew that Abner meant well, and truthfully, I felt a little sad for drawing a line in the sand between us. I could not give him what he wanted. At least not now. He was a young, wealthy, and aplished man. There were so many girls in and out of the station who admired him, and he deserved better than me. "It''s fine. I''m just worried about you. I rang the doorbell several times, but no one answered. I thought you had already gone to work. Do you need me to help you clean up your ce?" Abner forced a smile and looked at me. "No, thanks. I can manage. I just need to buy some special cleaning tools. My house is still a raging mess, and I don''t want you going in there and messing up your clothes or something," I answered awkwardly. "Did you stay in a hotelst night?" Abner asked tentatively. I had a feeling that he already knew the answer. He just wanted to hear it from me. "No, I slept at Charles''s housest night," I said frankly. I did not see the point of hiding it from him. Abner fell silent. I watched as jealousy, disappointment, and helplessness took turns twisting his handsome features. It broke my heart a little. "Thank you for bringing me breakfast. I have to go get ready for work." I dodged Abner''s gaze. We were colleagues and friends. I did not want to mess up the already flimsy rtionship we had. "Aren''t you guys getting divorced? Or are you getting back together?" Abner asked from behind me as I tried to open my front door. "Charles and I are over. We just haven''t gotten around to finalizing the divorce." Charles had never been in love with me. I was the only one between us who wanted us to be together. "You two have been at this for a long time now. Don''t you think the dy is already getting ridiculous?" Abner pressed. "It''s just because of some family issues. Charles''s family doesn''t want us to divorce. We''re taking care of it." "Don''t you think Charles is only making that an excuse? He''s rich and powerful. If he wants to divorce his wife, even God won''t be able to stop him. Scarlett, have you ever thought that maybe Charles doesn''t want to divorce you?" Abner went straight to the point. Chapter 47 The Revelation Chapter 47 The Revtion Scarlett''s POV: In my opinion, what Abner said was ridiculous. He was just an outsider and had no idea that Charles felt nothing but dissatisfaction towards me. Charles and I had been living together since childhood. I could tell that I was not his cup of tea. He loved Rita. He even married me for her sake. "When we got the marriage certificate and were about to finish the divorce formalities, Charles''s grandmother fainted all of a sudden. That was why we were unable to finalize the divorce. Once Grandma gets better, I''ll get the marriage certificate and go through the divorce formalities again," I exined. "I''ve told you that those reasons are just lousy excuses. If Charles wants to divorce you, he would''ve done that already. Do you think he''s a procrastinator?" Abner insisted. "Charles had always made fun of me since high school. He liked seeing me pathetic. You''re wrong. He doesn''t have feelings for me." I stood on my ground. I might have considered that if it was in the past. After all, Charles seemed reluctant to leave me. However, I was in the right mind now. Charles had always treated me as a ything. He would y with me whenever he was bored and then leave when he had gotten tired. Rita was the woman he loved. He respected her, took care of her, and most importantly, loved her. "I guess Charles was just stubborn and maybe a little bit chauvinistic. Now, even though the situation has reached the point of divorce, he''s still too proud to apologize. You know, men from rich families are more or less chauvinists. You can''t expect them to confess that they''ve fallen in love with someone," Abner stated confidently. I sighed. "Abner, Charles is with the woman he likes. They''re going to be engaged soon. I bet one hundred dors that they''ll be happy once I''m out of the picture." This argument would note to an end. After all, Abner and I were both steadfast and had enough evidence to prove our statement. Abner shook his head and smiled at me. "I bet one hundred dors that they''ll be on edge when they get married. The woman you''re talking about is Rita. She''ll cheat on Charles, possibly ckmail him, and torture him to death." He just made the serious subject humorous. No wonder he was popr with the youngdies in the company. Truth be told, I would pay to see Charles suffer. With a smile, I checked the time on my watch. I was going to miss breakfast if I did not start eating now. "Are we going to continue the subject? I haven''t had breakfast yet." "You can go in now. I''ll wait for you down there." With a bitter smile, Abner went downstairs. I opened the door to my apartment. But before I stepped inside, I turned around and looked at him. "Abner, you''re a good man. I think we''ll be good friends." "I can be your friend at the moment, but I''m not sure in the future. Scarlett, I tend to be stubborn when I like someone. Even if I know that it''s impossible to be with the woman I like, I still want to get close to her and be by her side." Abner looked me in the eye, and I could see his sincerity in his eyes. Charles was different from Abner. He always hid his emotions, so I never had the chance to understand him. After I changed my clothes and had breakfast with Abner, we finally went to the TV station. Rita''s POV: Since our quarrelst time, Charles had note to see me. He did not even return my calls. What was more, he would not respond whenever I asked him about our wedding. I could not help but panic. I could feel that he was changing his mind. This was all because of Scarlett. Why did she have toe back? Couldn''t she just finish the divorce formalities via e-mail? The more I thought about it, the angrier I felt. I could not just sit still and wait for death toe. I had to let Charles know that Scarlett was actually a whore. "You''ve been following Scarlett for a long time. Have you taken any useful photos of her?" I asked Richard, my bodyguard, unhappily. I had ordered him to follow Scarlett and dig up dirt on her. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Richard slowly zoomed in on a set of photos in the camera and showed them to me. In the photos, Scarlett and Abner were chatting happily at the door of the former''s apartment. Another photo showed them walking out of the building together. Not only that, but Richard also took a picture of them having breakfast at a restaurant. They looked like a sweet couple from afar. "Well done. Send these photos to the media today. Give them more money to exaggerate their rtionship. It would be better if they brought up the news that a rich man housed Scarlett some time ago," I ordered with a smug look on my face. Scarlett was not as good as she seemed. I could not understand why the Moores all liked her. That family hated ill-mannered people the most. And yet, Charles''s legal wife was flirting with all kinds of men. How could they me me for being easy but turn a blind eye on that bitch? "Why are you still here? I said, send these photos to the media now," I snapped. I had to make sure that the wedding would happen soon. The longer it was dyed, the more anxious I felt. "Honey, it''s not as easy as you think. Ever since Scarlett started working in the TV station, Charles hasmunication with major media outlets. Any rumors about her have to go through him before anyone else. If we expose it rashly, Charles will find out who did it," Richard said hesitantly. Charles was the one who hired Richard to be my bodyguard. As Richard worked for Charles before, he knew very well what his former boss was capable of. "What?! Why didn''t you tell me before?" I asked in horror. Now, Charles was paying more attention to Scarlett''s affairs. What happened? Had he found out something? No. It was impossible. Nobody knew about what I had done. "Send the photos to this paparazzo. I knew about him when I was still acting. He won''t give us away as long as you give him enough money." I then slid the paparazzo''s phone number to Richard. This was the perfect opportunity to deal with Scarlett. I couldn''t just let that bitch go easily. However, Richard still seemed hesitant. I could see in his eyes that he feared Charles. "What are you so afraid of? I''ve told you, Charles won''t find out about us. He only believes what he sees. For sure, he''ll be too disappointed to investigate." I wanted everyone to see Scarlett''s true colors. The more Charles thought that Scarlett was pure and innocent, the more I wanted to break his fantasy. "No, honey. You don''t know how smart Charles is. He may even find out our rtionship as well," Richard whispered in my ear. I should not have slept with this imbecile. "I didn''t ask you to send this photo in person. Just hire someone else to do the job. Why do you think you should do it yourself?" I rolled my eyes at him. My patience was wearing thin. Richard was lucky that he was still of use to me. I would have kicked him out of my way if he was not. "By the way, since you''re afraid that Charles will find out about our rtionship, stop calling me honey in public. If someone overhears it, he''ll find out about us, and we''ll be dead meat," I warned through gritted teeth. I hoped this idiot would at least be a little smarter. "Fine. I''ll go now." Richard finally walked out of the ward with the pictures. Now, the only thing I had to do was to lie on the bed and wait for the news toe out. I would then call Charles as soon as it did. Chapter 48 Photos Chapter 48 Photos Charles'' POV: "Charles, we received some photos of Scarlett. A paparazzo gave us these pictures and asked us to post them on the front page of today''s newspaper," one of my contacts from one of the media outlets called with the news. I was having lunch with my friends when I received the call. I had told them before that anything rted to Scarlett must have my approval first before being released. "From which TV station is the paparazzo? Withhold the photos for the time being," I ordered. I could not help but frown when I received the news. This had happened before. "It''s not a paparazzo from any TV station. The pictures must''ve been taken privately. This happens all the time, but it''s rare for the paparazzi to target a news anchor like this, especially when she isn''t that famous yet. By the way, should I send the photos to you now?" "Okay. Send the photos to Abby Restaurant now." I hung up the phone and returned to the table. All of a sudden, Spencer leaned over and smiled mockingly at me. "Why do you look so worried? Is your dear Rita not feeling well again? Did she ask you to go to her now?" he teased. David, who was cutting steak, also raised his head. "You should also care about Scarlett when you have time. She''s been our friend since we were little," he said with a hint of hesitation in his voice. He seldom meddled in other people''s business. Today was an exception. "Charles, instead of caring about Scarlett, you should divorce her as soon as possible. Set her free. She''s young and beautiful. For sure, she''ll find an excellent man for her," Spencer advised while looking at me with an inexplicable look on his face. I massaged my forehead with my thumb and index finger in annoyance. "Since when did you be so nosy? I''ll deal with this matter by myself as soon as possible." David looked at me in bewilderment. "Charles, you never dy anything. It''s not your style," "David, tell me, why are you in such a hurry to see me get a divorce? Don''t tell me you also like Scarlett," I grumbled. I knew he only regarded Scarlett as a sister. It was just that I was unhappy that he was siding with her. David did not answer my question and just rolled his eyes at me. The man I had contacted from the media a while ago arrived soon. Without further ado, he took out the photos from his bag and put them on the table. In the photos, Scarlett was having breakfast with Abner. These photos did not mean anything, but they would affect her reputation, especially if such a thing happened repeatedly. I took the photos and looked at them carefully. "Do you remember the person who sent these?" Someone must have taken these photos for the sole purpose of ruining Scarlett''s reputation. They did not even take a clear picture of her face in fear of being discovered. "They said that the man who gave these photos was in a ck suit and sunsses. He said that someone had asked him to release the photos anonymously. I think this man knows that anything rted to Scarlett must have your approval, so he doesn''t want to risk giving himself away," the man from the media thoughtfully said. I nodded and gestured for him to leave. Once the man was gone, David pointed at the photos and inferred, "Scarlett isn''t that famous. I doubt any paparazzi would follow such a gossip that doesn''t gain that much attention. Scarlett must''ve offended someone." "I bet it''s Rita," I nonchntly said while stirring my coffee. "Why do you think so?" David and Spencer asked almost at the same time. "Rita and Scarlett were at odds before." I knew Rita could order her bodyguard to help her. They had an affair, after all. But for some reason, I was neither jealous nor sad when I found out about them. All of a sudden, Spencer stood up and mmed the table. "What does Rita want to do to Scarlett? When she hooked up with those old men, I''ve warned you that she wasn''t a good woman. Aren''t you going to do something this time? If you''re going to cover up for her again, I''ll go to that whore and settle ounts with her myself." I ignored Spencer and instead asked him and David an intriguing question. "If your fiancee slept with someone else, would you still marry her?" Rita saved my life. I should at least fulfill herst wish, shouldn''t I? The two of them fell silent. It was David who first regained hisposure. "Let me ask you something. What if Scarlett has had sex with another man abroad? Will you still want her?" Scarlett had told me before that she was still a virgin. I knew her. She was not promiscuous. Even when I kissed her, she trembled like a leaf like she had never been kissed by a man. "You know Scarlett. She''s different." I averted my gaze as I spoke. I could not bring myself to think that Scarlett had slept with another man. What would I do anyway? Well, frankly speaking, I might kill that man. Scarlett''s POV: Getting off work is undoubtedly the most rxing moment of the day. I had not had such a pleasure for a long time. As soon as I walked out of the gate of the TV station, I saw Charles standing by his car. He was wearing a ck suit and had a cigarette in his mouth. His tall figure cast a shadow over me. He turned his head and saw me standing a few meters away from him. He then leisurely blew a smoke ring, walked up to me, and stroked my hair. "What are you waiting for? Get in the car. Let''s go to the hospital and visit Grandma." Charles opened the door and pulled me in without waiting for my reply. My heart skipped a beat. Back when I was in high school, Charles often stroked my hair and asked me to go home with him just like he just did. It was a pity that we could no longer go back to the way it was. Charles loved someone else, and we were going to divorce soon. At the thought of this, I came to my senses and refused him. "I can take a taxi." "Scarlett, I came here to pick you up. Stop being so stubborn." Charles seemed to have seen through everything that he insisted on pulling me into the car. Once we were inside, Charles handed me a paper bag. "Look at what''s inside." I opened the paper bag while eyeing him with suspicion. It had pictures of Abner and me having breakfast together this morning. There was even a photo of him walking out of my apartment. What was the meaning of this? Did Charles order someone to take these photos to grill me? How dare he? I was upset and disappointed in him. "If you''re wondering who took those pictures, it wasn''t me. I don''t have time to ask the paparazzi to tail you and take photos of you. Someone must want to ruin your reputation. Don''t worry. I''ve made sure that these photos won''t be released," Charles exined when he saw the resentment on my face. I lowered my eyes in guilt. "I see. Thank you." Charles never cared about me. But, how did he find out that someone was watching me and taking pictures of me in secret? Anyway, the fact that I was thinking about this... I must be out of my mind. "I don''t ept thank yous. They''re meaningless. Why don''t you make me breakfast for a week instead?" Charles looked at me expectantly as he drove. "It''s fine by me as long as you don''t mind my poor cooking." I epted his request without a second thought. I did not want to owe him anything, after all. We arrived at the hospital a few momentster. As if we were lovers, Charles held my hand and pulled me into the elevator. But when we were inside, I went to the corner and stayed as far as I could from him. What he had donest time weakened my resolve. I must not let that happen again. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "Don''t worry. I won''t be rude to you anymore," Charles reassured. He must have seen through me at a nce. I did not say a word and just nodded in response. The elevator door opened a few momentster. To my surprise, Rita was standing at the door of the ward. The moment she saw us, she walked up to us and clung to Charles''s arm with a sweet smile. I could not help but lower my head in resentment. I felt like I was a toy that had been abandoned once again. Chapter 49 Cake Chapter 49 Cake Charles'' POV: Scarlett stayed as far as she could away from me. She was cramming herself in the farthest corner of the elevator, a helpless look on her face. I would not hurt her. Why did she seem so scared of me? Did she resent me? As soon as I stepped out of the elevator, Rita rushed over and clung to my arm. "Charles, I''ve been waiting for you for a long time. Why did you onlye here now? Is Grandma getting better? I want to visit her with you." Rita rubbed her chest against my arm as she spoke. Instead of being thrilled, I was disgusted, so I immediately withdrew my arm from her grasp. "Grandma isn''t in good health. I''ll take you to her once she recovers," I reasoned out while trying my best to be patient. "Are you still mad about what happenedst time? I''m sorry, okay? I promise I won''t go out to drink again. Charles, you don''t know how much I miss you," Rita coaxed me in a sweet voice. I used to buy it. But now, it only smothered me. How I hope I could hear something like that from Scarlett. However, she would never do that. All she wanted was to make a clean break with me. "I was busy recently. I had to deal with a lot of things at thepany. I''ll visit you at the hospital when I''m free. Anyway, you should go back to your room and have a rest. You haven''tpletely recovered yet," I urged perfunctorily. If Rita stayed here, she would disturb Grandma in her ward. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only "But I really want to visit Grandma," Rita insisted. I frowned and sighed in exasperation. "Grandma doesn''t like you. You should be very clear about that by now. You''ll only put her under stress." As I did not agree, Rita turned to Scarlett and begged for her sympathy. "Scarlett, can you go inside and plead with Grandma for me?" Rita implored while sobbing pitifully. Scarlett nced at me, probably to see how I would react. Then, she turned to look at Rita and shook her head. "I''m afraid I can''t. It''s your problem. I''m merely an outsider." "Why won''t you help me? I know I was wrong. I just want to apologize to Grandma in person." Rita wiped her tears, but she would not stop sobbing. Grandma''s health was at stake here, so I did not give in much lesspromise. I knew it would only cause more trouble if I helped Rita. She liked making trouble, after all. Without a word, I left with Scarlett. But then, Rita decided to follow us. "Rita!" I stopped in my tracks and looked around. I saw Richard, her bodyguard, a few yards away from us. "Take Rita back to her ward and make sure she doesn''t go out. Otherwise, you don''t have toe to work next month," I ordered sternly. Scarlett''s POV: I was bewildered when I saw that Charles''s attitude changed towards Rita. As soon as he finished speaking, he took me to Grandma''s ward. At that moment, Grandma was lying on the bed andughing heartily as she watched TV. "Finally, you''re here! I''ve been waiting for you two to visit me for a long time." Grandma waved at me and added, "Scarlett,e and sit next to me." "Grandma, have you been feeling better?" I asked with a smile. I wished Grandma would recover soon. In that way, she could finally give me our marriage certificate once she was discharged from the hospital. Was I unscrupulous to wish for my own selfish desire? "Yes. I feel better now than before. But, sometimes, my head would hurt so badly. I may have to stay in the hospital for a few more months," Grandma replied with a smile. She seemed to have seen through what I was thinking. "Don''t worry about me. Anyway, let''s see what Grandma is keeping for you." Grandma pinched my cheek and then opened the cupboard. My eyes widened in surprise when I saw what she was handing to me. "It''s Cadecake! Didn''t the owner of this cake shop move back to his hometown?" I asked in surprise. Nevertheless, I was beaming with happiness. I used to eat their cakes when I was a child. Unfortunately, the owner of this cake shop moved away when I was in high school. I had not had such a tasty cake since then. "I asked Charles to buy it. At first, he thought it was troublesome. But when he heard that it was your favorite, he went there in person without hesitation. I heard that there was even a rainstorm when he went to the countryside. Well, at least, he protected your cake well." Grandma blinked and looked at me expectantly. In awe, I turned to look at Charles. It was only then that I noticed that his hair was slightly unkempt, and his trousers were a little damp. Charles was also looking at me. There was a faint smile in his eyes, and he did not seem as cold as he usually was. Instead, he seemed gentle and at ease. It suddenly urred to me that he smiled like this when he kissed me. At the thought of this, my face turned red. "Stop looking at me. I won''t give you some. It''s all mine." I let out a snort and turned my head away as though I was not moved by what he had done. "I''m not gonna ask for some anyway. It''s just like in the past, don''t you think so? I always gave my share to you when we were kids. Charles smiled and pulled a chair next to me. That was true. He treated me well sometimes. "Grandma, look at Scarlett. She''s bullying me," Charlesined to Grandma with a feigned hurt expression. "Oh, shut up. Who would dare to bully you? I knew you made fun of Scarlett and bullied her when you were little. I just wish you wouldn''t bully her anymore." Grandma cupped my face and smiled. But as she did so, she happened to lift my hair, and her face froze all of a sudden. She turned to look at Charles meaningfully. For some reason, she seemed to be holding back her glee, and she kept blinking her eyes at him as though expressing her appreciation. I immediately realized what was wrong. She must have seen the hickey on my neck. I fixed my hair at once and lowered my gaze, too embarrassed to look at them. Charles probably saw that my face was beet red. He stroked my hair and chuckled. "Well, I''m going to take a rest. You can go back now." Grandma noticed that something must be going on between Charles and me, so she smiled ambiguously and drove us out. I followed Charles into the elevator. I could not stop smiling like an idiot as I stared at the delicate cake in my hands. Honestly, I had no idea why I was smiling from ear to ear. Perhaps it was because I imagined how embarrassing Charles looked like when he was drenched in heavy rain. He must have been in a mess at that time. At the thought of this, I nced at him and saw he was staring at me with his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes, for some reason, were filled with lust. He looked like a wolf in a rut, eager to vent his sexual desire. I could not help but bite my lips, anxious that he would suddenly lean over and kiss me. "I''ll take a taxiter. You don''t have to drive me home," I immediately said the instant the elevator door opened. I was worried Charles would offer to send me home. Knowing him, he would not take no for an answer. "You like ttering yourself, don''t you? I don''t have time to send you home. I have to go see Rita." Charles snorted and looked at me sideways. His demeanor changed from what it was a while ago. Now, his tone was as mean as it usually was. "I hope so. By the way, thank you for the cake. You idiot could''ve caught a cold in the heavy rain," I retorted. I refused to admit to being inferior. It was just like in the past. We could not get along with each other. And when we were together, we would not stop quarreling until we both got hurt. With that, I hailed a taxi and waved goodbye at Charles with a smile. "Bye, Mr. Moore." Charles gritted his teeth and red at me with a sneer. He then mmed the door shut behind me. A few momentster, the car disappeared at the corner of the street. As soon as I arrived home, I received a message from Charles. "Little virgin, don''t forget to make breakfast for me for a week." I was going on a business trip next week, so I could only return the favor from Charles when I returned. "Let''s talk about it when I''m back from my business trip." "Come back early." Chapter 50 Getting Sick Chapter 50 Getting Sick Scarlett''s POV: Abner and I, along with some crew, were tasked to go to Seattle, Washington to conduct an interview with a certain famous personality. Seattle was beautiful, and its weather was not in the extremes all year round. Abner loved it there and evenmented that he would want to settle down there someday. The interviewsted for two days and came to an end soon. The interviewee was William, an outstanding and elegant entrepreneur. Even at his age ofte 30s, he was still the object of many women''s admiration. The night before our flight back home, William invited me, Abner, and the staff to dinner at a fancy restaurant. "Scarlett, I heard that you''ve interviewed a lot of celebrities in the past. Is Rita Lively one of them?" William asked me with great interest while cutting his steak. As if right on cue, all the heads at our table turned to me. My colleagues were familiar with Rita. They once saw her at the TV station looking for me. "No, but I know Rita. One of my friends is very close to her." I decided to tell him the truth. "How is she now by the way? Is she getting better?" William continued to ask. "She should be out of danger now." After all, Rita went to bars at nights now and got drunk. "Is she married?" "No, not yet, but many people like her." I lowered my head and tried to focus on my sd. My remark barely sparked interest from anyone at the table. I supposed they did not know about Rita and Charles''s engagement. "Rita does have a lot of pursuers, but I remember her saying that there''s already someone that she''ll marry after she fully recovers," William said in a voice tinged faintly with disappointment. "I think Rita will get what she wants." After Charles and I divorced officially, he and Rita would be able to be together openly. "Really? Then I should start preparing her wedding gift," William said tly and took a sip of his wine. He seemed to be very familiar with Rita. I hated to admit it, but I was actually impressed that Rita knew such an icon in the business world. I wanted to ask William how he knew Rita, but looking around and seeing my colleagues, I decided against it. I did not want to seem gossipy. Thest thing I needed right now was for something to go wrong again. I shoved down my curiosity and changed the subject. The dinnersted till veryte. After saying goodbye to William and thanking him, Abner proposed that we and the team go for drinks and dancing to celebrate the sess of the interview. Nina made me drink a lot. At the end of the night, Nina practically carried me to my hotel room, and I passed out drunk on the sofa. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only The next morning, I heard Nina calling me for breakfast, but my head and my whole body felt so heavy and hot that I could just grunt a response. Then, my surroundings suddenly rang with many voices that felt like they were right in my ears. I opened my eyes and tried to see what was happening, but my vision was still hazy. Then, someone scooped me up and carried me out of the room. I did not know who it was. All I knew is that his chest felt strong and warm. Could it be Charles? No. How could it be Charles? He should be with Rita right now. They would get married soon after our divorce. After a long time, I finally regained the strength to open my eyes. I saw white walls and smelled disinfectant. Abner was sitting by my bed, and on the bedside table was a stainless steel tray of pills. "Where am I?" I rubbed my aching forehead. "The hospital. This morning, Nina swung by your room to invite you for breakfast, but she didn''t get any response from you. So she asked the hotel manager to unlock your door, and we found you unconscious on the sofa and burning up with fever." Abner poured me a ss of water and handed me the pills. "Thank you. I didn''t make drunken ramblings, did I?" I usually thered when I was hopelessly wasted. Abner just raised his eyebrows. That was enough answer for me. Obviously, I did say something that I should not have said. "When I picked you up to rush you here, you kept mumbling Charles''s name. You''ve mistaken me for him. Scarlett, if you still have feelings for Charles, why don''t you just tell him? You two are not getting any younger. You shouldn''t be ying petty mind games." Abner''s words were blunt and honest and something that only mature men would say. "I don''t have feelings for him anymore," I replied instinctively. After that, an ufortable silence hung in the air above us. I felt ridiculous the moment the words left my lips. I thought I had grown ustomed to lying to myself when it came to Charles. As it turned out, I had not. And now I was making myself look like a fool in front of Abner. "And even if I still do, I will never tell Charles. He already thinks that I''m still in love with him. If I confirm his assumptions, he will just use them to ridicule and then reject me. That''s his style. He thinks that not having feelings makes him the winner," I added, clenching the sheets. Since Charles and I agreed to file a divorce, I had been trying really hard to stick to my pride and principle. I respected Charles''s decision to leave me for Rita, but all this time, he seemed hesitant to finalize that decision. He had been stringing me and Rita along, and it was not the kind of rtionship that I wanted. I want a husband whose only choice was me, not someone who could not make up his own damn mind. "I see. If you need anything, just tell me. I will help you anytime." Abner seemed to have sensed my uneasiness and instantly dropped the subject. "I want to fly home now." I lowered my head and regretted my little outburst. I might feelfortable around Abner, but every time I revealed a part of myself to him that I still had not sorted out, I felt embarrassed. "You haven''t fully recovered. And if we go home now, will there be anyone to take care of you?" It annoyed me a little every time Abner looked at me with worry that bordered on pity. "I can take care of myself, Abner. I''m not an invalid. Let''s just go home, please," I insisted. Abner could just sigh and then took care of my discharge from the hospital. Next thing I knew, we were on a flight back home. "Are you sure you''re going to be okay on your own? I can take you to a hospital right now and then drive you back here tomorrow." Abner pulled over in front of my house. He got out of the car and took out my suitcase from the trunk. "I''m fine now. I don''t need to go to the hospital," I turned him down as politely as I could. "Very well. Don''t forget to take your pills before bed. The doctor said to finish your round of antibiotics even if your fever is already gone." Abner gave me the rest of my medications and kept reminding me about them like a worried father. I smiled. "Abner, don''t you have more important things to worry about than me?" I teased. I just got sick because of a very bad hangover, and he was fussing over me like I had been diagnosed with a terminal illness. "I''m serious. The doctor said spiking a fever frequently is not a good thing. Your face is still red." Abner frowned and then reached out to feel my forehead. "Scarlett!" Charles''s cold voice interrupted us. Abner turned his head to look at Charles who was just getting out of his car. Abner handed me my suitcase. "Take care of yourself, okay? I''ll see you at work," Abner said by way of goodbye. Then, he turned around and got in his car. He just walked past Charles as if he did not even see him. I spoke before Charles could. "Whatever brought you here, I don''t want to talk about it right now. I''m exhausted. I want to sleep." I took my suitcase and made my way to my front door. Charles was right on my heels. "Looks like you had a great time with Abner during thest few days. Have you enjoyed working with him so much that you don''t even want to talk to me?" Charles started in a tone that I resented. I wanted to snap back, but I was too tired to do so. All I wanted was to crawl into bed and sleep for a long time. "Stop pulling conflict out of thin air and go home, Charles." I just wanted to get some rest after days of hard work. I did not understand why Charles always had to show up when thest thing I wanted to do was to deal with his crap. "Why do you have a bottle of pills in your hand? What are those for?" Charles noticed the medications in my hand and grabbed them from me. He checked thebel. "I caught a cold when we were wrapping up in Seattle," I replied and leaned against my door. Charles knitted his brows and then took my suitcase. "What are you doing? Didn''t you hear me? I want to rest. Leave me alone," I yelled. Charles held my wrist and forcibly grabbed my suitcase. Per usual, he could not just turn around and leave when I asked him to. Chapter 51 Out Of Control Chapter 51 Out Of Control Scarlett''s POV: Charles pulled me into the elevator, ignoring my rejection of his advances. He did not press a floor number immediately. He reached out and felt my forehead. He was standing close enough for me to smell that cool fragrance he was fond of wearing. "What happened? Why do you have a fever again?" Charles asked in a slightly annoyed tone. He eyed me carefully, and I turned away. I really did not want to exin myself to him. So what if I was sick? Rita was also sick, but she was not getting this kind of badgering from him. "Answer me." Charles grabbed my arms and forced me to face him. "I drank and had a little too much fun in a different city." I looked straight into his mesmerizing eyes and continued, "Seattle had amazing views, and I was with a very nice man." A muscle flickered in Charles''s jaw after I made a reference to Abner. He narrowed his eyes at me and pinched my chin a bit harder than usual. "You are still married to me. You should''ve asked for my permission first before you went out partying." The moment he yed the husband card, I felt even more exhausted. I just wanted to get inside my house and pass out on my bed. I shook off his hand and jabbed the elevator button to my floor. "I didn''t need your permission. My work life is none of your business." After saying that, I kept silent. I just watched Charles from the corner of my eye. He had put on that frosty expression that he wore whenever he was provoked, and I felt inexplicably happy about it. I walked out and dragged my suitcase behind me the moment the elevator reached my floor and its doors opened. I ignored Charlespletely and strode away as if he was not there to begin with. He was on my heels as I made my way to my ce. While I dug for my keys in my purse, he said, "I don''t like the way Abner looks at you. Why did you go out and have a drink with him? Aren''tyou afraid that he''ll take advantage of you?" The jealousy in his voice rang so loudly in my ears. He spoke as if he was the only man who was right for me, and it made me stop. I turned my head and looked up at him. He was wearing an all-ck suit with the top two buttons of his shirt undone, revealing a bit of his chest. He looked handsome and elegant as usual. There were still times when I found myself catching my breath whenever I looked at him. "First of all, Abner is a decent, respectful man. He''ll never take advantage of anyone. Second, he and I went out with the whole team to unwind. It wasn''t just the two of us. Third and most importantly, are you jealous?" I asked pointedly. Charles looked at me for a few seconds. I could tell that he was caught off guard by my question because a little color rushed to his cheeks. "You think too much. I''m just worried about our family''s honor and reputation. You''re still bound to me and the Moore family. You''re still expected to behave well while you''re still my wife," Charles answered coldly. "Of course I am." I lowered my head and went back to digging for my keys. I could not help feeling a little disappointed. Why did I expect my soon-to-be ex-husband to tell me that he was indeed jealous? Of course he was not. What was I thinking letting my wishful thinking set me up for yet another self-humiliation? I did not face Charles the entire time I was looking for my keys and even after I opened my door and got in. I was afraid that I would break down in front of him. After dragging my suitcase into my house, I stopped Charles at the door and said, "You should go now. Thanks for helping me with my luggage." "I''m not here to help you with your luggage," Charles said and stopped me from closing the door on him. "Then why are you here?" I backfired. Was it appropriate for him to keep pestering the woman who was going to be his ex-wife? "Did you go on a business trip or an out-of-town date with Abner?" Charles asked with a frown. Even when his face was twisted by negative emotions and his words cut me like a knife, I still found him unbelievably charming, which was ridiculous. I was getting more and more unwilling to talk to him, especially on the subject of Abner. "It''s a simple question." Seeing that I had no intention of replying, Charles squeezed through my door and then shut it behind him. I took two steps backward and snapped at him, "Why do you always insist on wasting your time on me? Rita''s the one who needs you." I was getting a little tired of his pattern. He always showed up for me at the right ce and time and then strung me along. And just when I thought that he truly cared about me, he would turn around and run back to Rita. Charles did not say anything and just stared at me. After a few moments, he started walking toward me and then snaked his arm around my waist. He pulled me close and then whispered in my ear, "Can we talk like normal adults now?" Suddenly, he was speaking in a gentle, almost pleading tone. "But answer my question first." He looked down at me and leaned closer. The tips of our noses were almost touching. "Hmm? Was it a business trip or an out-of-town date?" I could feel his warm breath on my lips, and I smelled a hint of spearmint. And right then, my pride and will to resist were extinguished like a candle in the wind. I backed away, shook off his grip, and avoided his gaze. "It was a business trip. Can you please leave now?" Before I could push Charles far enough away, my back was already against the wall. He braced one hand on the wall beside my head and leaned in until our breaths mingled. He said in a hoarse voice, "Why did you go out drinking with Abner? You know you can''t handle your liquor." His tone was now tinged with anger. "How could you go out with someone you were not familiar with?" He put a resentful emphasis on the words "not familiar". Since I could not get rid of him, I just decided to exin, "I already told you, it was a team celebration, and I didn''t drink to get wasted. I drank with my colleagues to celebrate the sess of our work. And Nina was there to take care of me when I had a little too much to drink. She helped me get back to my hotel room." "And where was Abner that entire time?" Charles asked and then added, "Did he swingby your hotel room after Nina was gone?" "No, but he didn''t want to let me fly home without getting checked by a doctor first. He was kind enough to bring me to the hospital to make sure I was okay. And then we flew home together and he gave me a ride here." After that whole lot of exnation, I started coughing. I was getting dizzy. I really needed to get some rest, but Charles just would not leave me alone. After listening to my exnation, Charles''s face softened a lot. Tenderness slowly reced the coldness in his eyes. He leaned in closer and touched the tip of his nose with mine. My heart leapt to my throat, and I swallowed to shove it back down. My scalp tingled as I breathed the air he exhaled. "Back away, Charles," I blurted out, desperately trying to keep my voice steady. But he just drank up my refusal like a bee slurping up nectar. "Scarlett..." After uttering my name, Charles crashed his lips against mine. My mind instantly imploded. I tried pushing him away, but the more I resisted, the tighter he held on. I found the warmth of his mouth against mine a bit surprising. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "Are you crazy?" I managed to murmur during a brief moment of separation. I was caught so completely in the perfect harmony of his gentleness and strength that my brain could not process anything else anymore. "Scarlett..." Charles let go and called out my name again. Then, he pecked at the corner of my lips and whispered, "I''m not crazy." I made the fatal mistake of looking into this dark eyes that were framed with thick, luscious eyshes. Next thing I knew, he was kissing me again and more passionately this time. After a while, Charles grabbed my thighs and picked me up without his lips leaving mine. He started taking me to my bedroom. I tried everything I could to break free from his kiss, but his tongue empowered the small part of me that did not want to let him go. When we stopped to catch our breaths, Charles patted me on the buttocks. "Be a good girl." Then, he started kissing me again. Slowly but surely, my defenses melted down like butter on a hot pan. Charles''s deep, urgent kisses turned me into an animal that had fallen into a trap. Next thing I knew, I was on my back on my bed with my shirt unbuttoned and bra unfastened. My bra straps were hanging off my shoulders, and my skirt was pushed up to my hips, revealing my underwear. Charles was on top of me, and the moment he kissed me again and pressed his body against mine, blood rushed to my cheeks, and I started throbbing in sensitive ces. I was completely turned on. But then, I thought of Rita. Was Charles this aggressive with her? Or did he handle her more mindfully and carefully? As Charles worshiped me with his mouth, I realized that even if I had him now, he would never truly belong to me. He belonged to Rita, and I was just a chapter waiting to be finished. I braced my hands on Charles''s chest and pushed him away with all my might. Beads of sweat rolled down the side of his face to his Adam''s apple. The wildness in his eyes was unmistakable. He wanted something to happen between us. Once again, he ignored my objection and sealed my lips with another hungry kiss. He gently spread my legs and started rubbing against me. "No, Charles. Stop it." Tears started streaming down my face. I choked out, "I beg you. Please stop. We can''t do this." Hearing my stifled sobs, Charles paused and then wiped my tears with his thumb. He narrowed his eyes and whispered, "Don''t you love me anymore?" His eyes were brimming with affection, and once more, I found myself crumbling beneath him. No woman could resist that kind of look. Chapter 52 Dream Or Reality Chapter 52 Dream Or Reality Scarlett''s POV: I pulled up the quilt and covered my upper body. Sniffing, I lowered my head and calmly reminded Charles, "What''s the point of asking this? Charles, don''t forget you''re Rita''s fiance." Charles seemed to be annoyed by what I had said. Suddenly, he pulled the quilt like a child throwing tantrums and angrily said, "Don''t mention that woman. It''s just you and me now." "Even if I don''t mention her, we''ll be divorced soon," I snapped back. I pretended that I did not care, but I felt stuffy in my chest. Annoyed, Charles looked at me with narrowed eyes. Unfortunately for him, there was nothing he could do to me. I realized that even without Rita, we would still have problems between us. At that moment, my phone rang in the living room. I avoided his hand and propped myself up to get out of bed. "Excuse me." However, he pinned me to the bed and kissed my neck lustfully. "Say you love me," hemanded in a stern yet gentle voice. His gentle demeanor changed in an instant, and he kept kissing me on the lips. A feeling of an electric current ran through my body. Meanwhile, my phone rang relentlessly in the living room. "Let me answer the call," I protested weakly. Charles pretended not to hear my plea and just continued what he was doing. As he saw that my eyes glistened with tears, he raised his hand and touched my lips affectionately. "Admit it, Scarlett. You love me from the very beginning." Without missing a beat, I looked into his eyes and said, "I''ve never loved you, and I will never do." In reality, the one who fell in love first was doomed to lose this game of love. Well, I had long been defeated. Nheless, I could not admit that in front of Charles. I wouldn''t give him the pleasure of knowing that he had me wrapped around his finger. When he saw that I was being stubborn, he chuckled and pinched my cheek. "You''re right. It wasn''t you who sent me lunch every day in high school. And every time a girl approached me, you weren''t the one who got angry. Also0^" "Shut up! The old Scarlett is dead." I covered his mouth with my hand, my face beet red in embarrassment. Now that he was rubbing in my face the silly things I had done in the past, I realized how stupid I was. "If you say so." Charles smiled and nodded in agreement. I was annoyed at him, but I had no idea what to say. As Charles saw that I was at a loss for words, he shamelessly licked my palm. I withdrew my hand instinctively. "You^0" Before I could finish my words, he kissed my lips again. I clenched my jaws shut. But he was like a patient hunter, wandering outside and waiting for his prey to open the door. I was pissed off at him. He already had Rita, and yet he was flirting with me. As revenge, I bit his lip hard. Charles groaned in pain but did not flinch, much less backed down. Instead, he slipped his tongue into my mouth when he had the chance. The desire inside me was like a blooming poppy flower. It was beautiful yet deadly. And just like that, Ipletely fell into Charles''s trap. For some reason, my consciousness was slowly cking out, and my eyesight was spinning. Before I knew it, everything turned ck. In my dream, I felt as though I was stepping on clouds. On the other side was Charles, smiling at me. He was as warm as the winter sun next to the Seine River. Only in my dream, hepletely belonged to me. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. I called his name in a trance, and my heart was filled with joy. I was as happy and carefree, like a child. I wanted to give him all the candies in my pocket and tell him how much I loved him. But when I called his name, his face darkened. He warned me not to say his name, or else he would pin me down to the bed and do everything a husband would do to his wife. Even in my dream, he was still hateful. Without a word, I punched him in the face, breaking his phantom. Then everything faded into darkness again. The next day, I woke up with pain all over my body. Although my symptoms had mostly subsided, I still felt quite weak. The curtains in the bedroom were drawn shut, and not a ray of sunshine made its way to the room. The memory ofst night came flooding into my mind. Unsure if it was a dream or reality, I lifted the quilt and looked at myself. Sure enough, I was wearing a clean pair of pajamas. I could vaguely remember that Charles had helped me in the shower and even dressed me. I was disappointed in myself. I had promised myself that I would make a clean break from him. But now, we were getting more and more entangled with each other. "What are you thinking?" Charles asked while leaning against the door frame. He was wearing casual clothes, and he let his hair, which was usually brushed up, fall on his forehead. In a word, he looked harmless, yet still helplessly handsome. I stared daggers at him and asked, "Why did you help me take a shower?" Now that I was in the right mind, I could not figure out why he cared so much. Charles raised his eyebrows at me. He seemed to be in an unusually good mood. Without a word, he walked to the bedside and touched my forehead. "Poor you. You sweated a lot yesterday. I thought you might feel ufortable, so I helped you take a shower and change clothes. You should thank me." I raised my head indignantly, wanting to question him again. However, I suddenly noticed a tiny bruise at the corner of his mouth. Charles must have noticed what I was looking at. He grinned and teasingly asked, "What? Don''t you remember what you didst night? Well, someone here kept calling my name. She couldn''t stop crying while she described how much she loved me. I asked her not to call my name, but she suddenly flew into a rage and punched me." Oh my God! So my dreamst night was actually true. I was ashamed of myself. Charles must be so proud of himself now. Judging from the look on his face, I must have said something humiliating. But even though I was aware I was in the wrong, I looked at him in the eyes and said in a straight face, "We''re going to divorce soon. I hope both of us can keep a distance from each other. You helped me take a shower and change my clothes without my consent, and I punched you by ident. We''re even." Charles snorted. "Keep a proper distance? Do you mean kissing and hugging? We''ve done everything a married couple should do. And now, you''re asking me to keep a distance from you? How bold of you to say that. If I remembered it right, you enjoyed it very muchst night." "What do you mean by we''ve done everything a married couple should do?! Stop talking nonsense!" "Well, not everything, to be precise. We didn''t really have sex if that''s what you''re worried about. But we were so intimate that it didn''t make much difference. Look at yourself. You have my marks all over your body. Mrs. Moore, perhaps you''re just saying that out of embarrassment?" Charles calmly asked with his hands in his pockets. I could not refute his words, so I decided to just get out of bed. But just as I stood up, I felt so dizzy that I thought I was going to copse. Charles rushed to my aid, but I pushed him away. "Go away. Don''t you dare shed crocodile tears. It disgusts me," I said in a low voice. "Are you also like this whenever Abner hugs you?" Charles scoffed. Regardless of my protest, he held me in his arms. "Did he ever behave ambiguously like you?" I retorted. "He''d better not. I''m warningyou. Stay away from him." Charles seemed as though he was taking this opportunity to hold me in his arms. Sadly, there was nothing I could do whenever he was like this. That was why I decided to draw a line between us once and for all. "From now on, we have three rules." "What are they? Tell me about it." "Don''t touch me without my permission, nor should you lose your temper before you find out what''s really going on," I said sternly. "What about the third one?" "I haven''t decided yet. I''ll tell you as soon as I''vee up with something." As I spoke, I pushed his hand, indicating him to let go of me. "You''ve been huggingme for quite a while. Let me go now." "I should''ve had sex with youst night. That would stop you from talking nonsense with me now," he grumbled. I could tell that he was not taking my words seriously. He was horrible as ever. "You''re awful!" All of a sudden, the doorbell rang. But then, Charles lowered his head and whispered in my ear, "If you dare to open the door, I''ll kiss you." "Are you crazy?" I pushed his head away. He was getting more and more childishly absurd as time went by. The moment I escaped from his embrace, I hurriedly went to the door to open it. Chapter 53 Vow Chapter 53 Vow Charles''s POV: Standing outside the door was the annoying Abner. He had been pestering Scarlett all day long. I tried to bite down my annoyance, but it surged out from the bottom of my heart. The moment Scarlett opened the door and I saw Abner, I took Scarlett''s hand and turned her to me. I kissed her deeply in front of Abner. Her lips tasted so sweet. They were like some sort of drug that I was totally addicted to. I still could not believe how infatuated I was with her. All of a sudden, Scarlett bit my lower lip. Startled, I instantly let go. She stared at me with sharp, furious eyes, like a wild animal ready to fight. Even though I knew that she was trying to threaten me, I could not help smiling. The more she tried to push me away, the more I wanted her. I wanted her so much that I wanted to hide her from the rest of the world so that no other man could see her. "Why are you in such a hurry, honey? You''ve just recovered. Abner can wait. Right, Abner?" I held Scarlett in my arms and smirked at Abner. Scarlett shook off my grip and snapped, "Stop it, Charles!" I ran my thumb through her cheek and cooed, "You''re so cute." Then, I added deliberately, "You bit me so hardst night, too. Be gentle next time, or your dear husband will die young." Scarlett bit my lipst night as well. It was not a big deal, but I was sure that it would piss off Abner, so I brought it up. "Shut up!" Scarlett rolled her eyes at me. "What? I don''t need to be so serious in front of my wife, do I?" I shed her a grave look. Ignoring me, Scarlett turned to Abner and said, "I''m sorry. Will you give me a few minutes? I just need to change." Then, she turned around and stepped on my foot, but it did not hurt at all. I shrugged at Abner as Scarlett walked away. Abner looked like he was trying really hard to keep his opinions to himself, which almost made meugh out loud. He was wearing a white shirt, and his hair wasbed up neatly. After Scarlett was gone, he finally shed me a polite smile and said good morning by way of greeting. But I was not in the mood to exchange pleasantries with him. I folded my arms across my chest and looked at him up and down. He was obviously trying to woo Scarlett bying so early in the morning and bringing some little brown paper bag of breakfast. I sneered, "Scarlett only eats breakfast that I make. Don''t bother buying her breakfast next time." "Why? Because you''ll be here cooking breakfast for her? That''s odd, considering she''s divorcing you soon. But don''t worry. Once you''re gone, I''ll be there for Scarlett when she needs a friend. And you? Well, you''ll be her ex-husband, and once you''re her ex, she won''t want anything to do with you for the rest of her life." Abner''s polite smile slowly faded away. I stepped forward and looked down at him. It was then that I realized that he was half a head shorter than I was. I flicked his cor and said casually, "But we''re not yet divorced, aren''t we? She still belongs to me. I''m still her husband. So you have no businessing here and picking up the pieces of her heart before it''s even broken. She''s still mine, and you should back off." Abner''s jaw instantly tightened, and the civil look on his face melted away. Fury twisted his face, but he still kept his cool, which I found admirable. He said through clenched teeth, "Scarlett is a good woman, Charles. She deserves to spend the rest of her life with a man who''s loyal to her." "And you think you''re that man? Please. You''re not good enough for her," I leered. After that, Abner did not say anything more. He just turned around and left. Who did he think he was? Did he think that he could just waltz in here and take my woman away? A few moments after Abner walked away, Scarlett returned. She had changed into a simple white dress, which made her look gentle and lovely. Abner was in white, and now so was she. Did she dress like that on purpose? Did she want herself and Abner to look like they were a couple wearing matching clothes? I stopped her and dragged her back. "Change into something else. I don''t like white." "Let go of me, Charles! Where is Abner? Did you drive him away? Why are you being such a jerk?" Scarlett punched me in the arm twice, her cheeks bulging with anger. "I didn''t drive him away. He left by himself. I was kind enough not to ask him to fuck off," I backfired. Why should I be civil to someone who was trying to steal my wife? Scarlett stopped struggling all of a sudden and stared at me with wide eyes. "You''re making trouble out of thin air. Here''s a new rule for you. Respect my friends, or..." "Or what? You''re angry with me now because of some other guy? And since when is Abner your friend? When did you lower yourself to make friends with someone like him? I forbid you to go out with him anymore." My eyelids twitched. I really did not believe that friendship was all Abner wanted with Scarlett. I was still Scarlett''s husband. I was still obligated to protect her from men like Abner. Scarlett snapped, "Keep your nose out of my business, Charles! Just go to your Rita and take care of her! Leave me alone!" After that, she grabbed her handbag from the sofa and marched toward the door. I frowned and reached out to stop her. "I made breakfast for you. Eat first." "You just pissed me off and now you want me to eat your food? Forget it!" After saying that, Scarlett stormed out. But after a few steps, she turned around and said, "I promised Grandma that I would pick her up from the hospital. Don''t follow me." She left after that, and I just stood there by the door. Once again, she abandoned me, and no matter how many times she did that, I would never get used to it. After hesitating for a while, I decided to follow her, and on the way, all I could think about was how to punish her for leaving me. When I arrived downstairs, Abner was opening the car door for Scarlett. She got into his car with a big smile on her face. Dissatisfaction coursed and burned through my veins like venom. It seemed that the punishment I doledst night was too light. Scarlett''s POV: Sitting in Abner''s car, I felt a little embarrassed. I did not know what exactly Charles told him earlier while I was changing, but I was sure that it could not be good. I took a bite of the toast Abner gave me, which was smeared with mango and hazelnut spread. Then, I took a sip of the hottte. Abner focused on driving at first but finally broke the silence. "Are you feeling better today?" "Yes, much better, thanks." I cleared my throat and added, "About Charles... I didn''t know he would be like that today. I''m so sorry." Abner''s mouth twitched, but he kept his eyes on the road. "I understand." "And I apologize if he was rude to you while I was gone." Abner half-smiled and turned to look at me. "Charles cares about you a lot. Would you like to know what he said to me earlier?" "What did he say?" I asked, a little bit nervous to find out the answer. Charles was such a proud man. How could he care about me? Abner touched his nose and said, "He said that you belonged to him, that no one could take you away from him." I was stunned for a moment. When I came back to my senses, I felt humiliated and a little enraged. "I''m an independent individual. I don''t belong to anyone." Even as the words left my lips, I did not believe them. Whatever I said only got crushed under the weight of Charles''s domineering behavior. Abner just nodded with a smile and did not say anything more. When we arrived at the gate of the hospital and were about to get out of the car, Abner looked at me and asked, "Didn''t you like the mango spread? Do you prefer blueberry?" I looked at him with wide eyes and then darted my eyes on the small paper bag that contained the breakfast that he brought me. With one hand on the steering wheel, Abner said, "You only had one bite of the toast." I pursed my lips and swallowed. "If I eat too much mangoes, I will get an allergic reaction." "Oh. I didn''t know that. Thanks for letting me know. Consider it noted." Hearing that, Abner shed me a regretful expression and immediately handed me a box of cooling patches. "I wish you a fast and consistent recovery." "Thank you, Abner. I really appreciate it." After saying goodbye to Abner, I walked into the hospital and made my way to the elevator. On the way, I thought of ways to deal with Charles and our divorce, but I was all out of ideas. "Miss Riley." As soon as I walked out of the elevator, a burly figure stopped me. I instantly recognized him. His name was Richard, and he was one of Rita''s bodyguards. I eyed him carefully and thought to myself, ''Rita is truly unlike any other critically ill patient. For someone who''s terminal, she has a lot of energy to waste on looking for me this early in the day.'' "Yes?" "Miss Lively wants to see you." As expected, Rita wanted to stir things up with me again. "And if I don''t want toe see her?" I questioned. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "Please juste. Don''t make this difficult for either of us." Richard looked tough and strong. In fact, he looked like he would heave me up over his shoulder and take me to Rita''s ward if I refused toe with him peacefully. So I was surprised to hear him talk to me in a civil tone. I pressed my lips together and nodded. "Fine. Lead the way." Soon, we were outside Rita''s ward. Before opening the door, Richard turned to me and started, "Miss Riley..." "What''s wrong?" He hesitated and avoided eye contact with me. "Would you like to cover the hickey on your neck first?" I touched my neck and felt my cheeks burn. I suddenly remembered what Charles did yesterday. "I have nothing to cover it with." Chapter 54 His Concealment Chapter 54 His Concealment Rita''s POV: In the ward, I greeted Scarlett with the sweetest smile I could muster. She, however, just looked at me warily as if wondering what tricks I had up my sleeve. I then poured her a ss of water, held her hand, and looked at her up and down. "How have you been these past few days?" I asked with concern. "What do you want?" Scarlett coldly replied. I could not help but notice that her tone was simr to Charles''s. Just as I was about to pull her to a chair, I saw that there were hickeys on her neck. My eyes glinted in anger, but I quickly adjusted my mood. Instead, I gave her the ss and timidly said, "We haven''t seen each other for a long time. I just want us to have a little chat." Scarlett''s eyes narrowed, probably in disdain, but no emotion could be seen on her face. I smoothed my long hair and decided to go straight to the point. "I was the one who had ordered someone to throw paint on you." It was only then that she reacted. However, her reaction was far from what I had anticipated. She looked at me and calmly replied, "Yeah, I figured." "You figured? Didn''t Charles tell you that? Oh no. I''m so stupid!" I eximed with feigned guilt. "Scarlett, please don''t be mad at Charles. He only did that to protect me. Please forgive me. It''s just that jealousy got the best of me. Don''t worry. Everything will be fine once Charles and I get married. We''ll have your blessing, right?" I asked with doe eyes. "Are you done?" Scarlett put the ss on the table and left without waiting for my reply. With a triumphant smile, I picked up the ss of water and slowly watered the flowers. ''How do you think you''ll win against me? By your beauty? Or perhaps your ce in Charles''s heart? Oh, please. You will never win.'' Once Scarlett was gone, Richard walked up to me and draped a thin coat over my shoulders. "Honey, why did you let Scarlett go so easily?" he asked with a frown. "Don''t worry. Sometimes, just one word is enough to win a battle." I rolled my eyes at him. This is why I detested Richard. He would easily lose hisposure. How pathetic. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. At that moment, I turned around and touched his face with the tip of my fingers. But in my mind, it was Charles, who was in front of me. "Now, Scarlett knows that Charles hid the truth from her. I''m sure that that would be herst straw. Her beloved man always defends another woman. She must be very sad." Meanwhile, Richard swallowed hard. Unable to resist my flirtation, he lowered his head and kissed me on the neck. All of a sudden, Scarlett''s hickeys crossed my mind. Disgusted, I pushed Richard away from me, clenched the ss in my hand, and bellowed, "Bitch! Charles has never kissed me. Humph! That bitch must''ve enjoyed it!" ''Why is it that Scarlett gets whatever she wants without breaking a sweat while I can''t? Even though I''ve done so much for Charles, he still doesn''t love me.'' Jealousy fogged my mind. The next thing I knew, I had smashed the ss on the floor, where it broke into a million pieces. I clenched my hands into fists, and my carefully manicured nails dug into my palm. "Why is Scarlett still alive? I wish she were dead!" Scarlett''s POV: I ran out of the hospital as fast as I could as if a beast was chasing after me. I did not stop until I had run out of breath. ''Rita had insulted me, and yet Charles still defended her. How much does she mean to him? I knew it. I should''ve just given up. What was I expecting?'' Rita''s words were like a bucket of cold water pouring all over me. It woke me up in an instant. My body could not stop trembling. And somehow, it was difficult for me to breathe. I had never been humiliated like this before. My mind was in a mess. I wanted to flee, but I had no idea where to go. After pondering for a moment, my gaze fell on the convenience store not far away. Without thinking, I bought two bottles of wine for myself. Today was a sunny day, but my world was overcast. Even the cold and strong breeze could not blow away my dejection. I sat on the curb and drank by myself. Meanwhile, a homeless man a few yards away strummed his guitar and sang Yesterday Once More. "When they got to the part where he''s breaking her heart, it can really make me cry..." As the man hummed quietly, I broke into tears. I was immersed in my thoughts. The lyrics in that song just summed up my life. Before I knew it, tears were welling up in my eyes. "Miss, are you okay?" the homeless man asked. I was so sad that I did not notice he had stopped singing. I shook my head and handed him the other bottle of wine. "Sir, you sang well," I praised with a forced smile. "Thank you! God bless you!" The homeless man seemed happy with the little gift I had given to him. He took the bottle of wine and sang another ssic song. The sun shone on him. And for a fleeting moment, I felt his joy. It was gettingte now. Grandma must be waiting for me in the hospital. With that, I threw the empty bottle into the trash bin and returned to the hospital. The moment I reached the entrance, I happened to see Charles helping Christine out. Grandma''s face lit up in delight when she saw me. She waved at me and asked Charles to pick me up across the road. He obediently did as told. He jogged towards me and held my hand when he got close. I wanted to push him away. Unfortunately, I could not do that in front of Grandma. As Charles saw that I was rather obedient, he gently squeezed my hand with a smile. He seemed to be in a good mood. Little did he know that I was ring at him from the corner of my eye. In order to stay away from him, I walked into the car first and sat beside Grandma. "Grandma, I miss you so much." I leaned on Grandma''s shoulder and acted like a spoiled child. Only when I was with her did I feel at ease. Grandma patted my hand and said, "Good girl, I miss you too." "Sit on the passenger seat," Charles ordered while standing by the door of the car. "I want to sit beside Grandma," I groaned. I looked around and noticed that the driver did note today. It seemed that Charles was the one who drove. "Grandma needs to rest. You''ll just disturb her," he reasoned out. I could not refute that. Albeit reluctant, I had no choice but to sit on the passenger seat. While I was fastening my seatbelt, Charles leaned over and took a whiff of me. "Did you drink?" he asked with a frown. Damn Charles! I wish I could beat him up right then and there. I turned my head away and admitted, "Just a little." "Why did drink so early in the day? Drinking is bad for your health. Don''t drink again, please?" Grandma persuaded. "Okay, Grandma. If you say so. I won''t drink anymore," I reassured. Grandma would only rest assured if I guaranteed to do what she asked. Charles raised his eyebrows and eyed me with suspicion. But I did not want to talk to him anymore, so I lowered my head and mumbled, "Dogs indeed have a keen sense of smell." We arrived at the vi not long after. Grandma got out of the car first with the help of the housekeeper. While I was unbuckling my seatbelt, I suddenly heard a sharp click. It turned out that Charles had locked the door. I looked at him with a frown. "What the hell are you doing? We don''t need to talk about the details of the divorce procedure again." I put my bag on my knees, ready to argue. I could not figure out what Charles was thinking. He was more unpredictable than ever. Without a word, he unbuckled his seatbelt and, to my surprise, loosened the top button of his shirt, revealing his well-sculpted corbone. How could he make such a simple action appear so attractive? "What... what do you want to do? Just say it. There''s no need to unbutton your clothes," I stammered. Charles ignored my words. All of a sudden, he grabbed my wrist and stared at me with his deep eyes. His intense gaze stupefied me. Nervous, I clenched my fists and stared back at him. Our argument had not yet begun, but my defense had already started to crumble. Chapter 55 Feed Me Chapter 55 Feed Me Scarlett''s POV: "Let me go," I said and bit my lip. "You''ve been telling me that a lottely," Charles backfired and flicked me on the forehead with his finger. "Ouch! That hurt!" I whined. It really did hurt. He had used a lot of strength. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "As it should. If it didn''t, you wouldn''t learn your lesson at all. I take my eye off you for half a day, and you take up day drinking. You haven''t even fully recovered from yourst bad hangover, and you''re already messing around. What''s wrong with you?" Charles flicked me again, venting his annoyance. This time, he only exerted a little strength. His fingers touched my forehead gently like a feather. "What do you care?" I murmured as the back of my eyes stung. Rita''s words kept echoing in my mind, and they sank my heart deeper and deeper. "You''re not a child anymore, but you''re acting like some rebellious brat who always makes me worry." Charles pinched my cheek and squinted at me. "This is yourst warning, Scarlett. No more drinking, you hear me?" Once again, I was stunned by the look of genuine concern in Charles''s face despite the pointedness of his words. "Then promise me one thing first," I started and raised my head to meet his gaze. "No. You don''t get to bargain here," Charles replied without hesitation. The soft, gentle expression he just wore moments ago was suddenly reced by that annoying smirk that made me want to beat the hell out of him. I shot him a furious nce. What was wrong with him? Why was he so supercilious? What was worse, I did not hate him at all. Damn it! There was nobody in the world that I despised more than myself for that. Seeing that I fell silent, Charles loosened his grip on my hand and said, "Fine. What do you want? Maybe I''ll agree to it if I feel like it." After thinking for a while, I lowered my head and straightened my dress. "Let''s be brother and sister from now on. I''ll be a good sister to you, and you''ll be a good brother to me." "I beg your pardon?" Charles asked, gloom suddenly twisting his handsome face. I stole a nce at him and pressed, "I think it will be good for both of us to have that kind of rtionship. That way, we''ll still be in each other''s lives without theplications." "That''s the worst idea I''ve ever heard," Charlesughed mirthlessly. Then, he added, "You better not mention that in front of Grandma, or we will have a whole new thing to fight about." After that, Charles got out of the car. He mmed the door shut on me. "Hey! Wait for me!" I screamed after him and jumped out of the car. I ran after him, hoping to catch him before he entered the mansion. He was going to marry another woman. The only way I could stay in his life without messing everything up was to be a sister to him. I panted as I struggled to fall into step beside Charles. Those long, slender legs of his made him move like a gazelle. Looking at him now, I thought that my idea of us being siblings to each other was a stroke of brilliance. "Hello, Mrs. Moore. Wee back." The mansion''s middle-aged gardener put down his gardening shears and greeted me when we passed by him. "Good afternoon," I replied with a smile. At the moment, I felt extremely happy. I felt like I finally won against Charles this time, and I did not care if our little fight was pointless and silly. The rose bushes in the mansion''s garden were in full bloom, and I thought that they were the most beautiful flowers I had ever seen nted in someone''s residence. In the living room, Christine was cutting and arranging some flowers on a small table. They were champagne roses, which were just air freighted from Germany, and they exuded a fresh and clean fragrance. Charles sat on the sofa on the other side and drank the coffee that one of the servants brought him. Seeing mee in, he shot me a cold stare. I narrowed my eyes at him. It did not matter whether or not he was in a good mood. I walked into the room leisurely. "Hello, dear. Come sit with me," Christine said, smiling at me, and patted the chair beside her. I walked over and took the seat. Then, I said, "Grandma, Charles and I have just made a decision." "You have just made a decision. I didn''t agree to it," Charles interjected. I ignored him and held Christine''s hand. "I will take Charles as my brother. That way, I''ll still be your granddaughter." "Okay," Christine nodded. Then, she put down the roses and poured a cup of tea for me from the ceramic teapot. There was a meaningful look on her benign face. She winked at me and seemed to understand what I meant. Charles snorted derisively. There went his superior aura again. No wonder his employees were terrified of him. But I was not because Christine was here to back me up. Charles would never show his dissatisfaction in front of his grandmother. "Right, Charles? My dear brother?" I raised my voice on purpose and smirked at Charles. It felt so good to provoke an arrogant man like him. "Scarlett! What happened to your neck? Is that a mosquito bite?" Grandma suddenly eximed and looked closely at my neck. I almost rose from my seat in a fit of panic. I was so focused on wanting to piss off Charles that I had been careless. Before entering the mansion''s front door, I coiled up my hair and forgot all about the hickey on my neck. "But this looks like a little reddish bruise. Are you all right? Does it hurt?" Christine asked and then gestured to one of the servants to bring a healing ointment. "I''m okay, Grandma. It''s nothing. It''s just a little scratch. No need for ointments or anything like that. It''ll clear up in a few days," I exined as blood rushed to my face. I looked at Charles and saw him enjoying my little mishap that I had to wriggle out of with an unimpressive lie. I red at him. The hickey was his doing, and I was the one paying for it. At this time, a servant brought a te of cherries from the kitchen. To take away the attention from my neck, I took the te and brought it to Christine. "Would you like some cherries, Grandma?" I offered, desperate to change the subject. "No, thank you, dear. I''m still full. Why don''t you give some to Charles?" Grandma patted me on the arm and went back to her flower arranging. After hesitating for a bit, I rose from my seat and sat beside Charles on the sofa. "Cherries?" "Really? Is that how you offer your ''dear brother'' some cherries?" Charles said without looking up from his phone. "My dear brother, would you like some cherries?" I let my voice drip with sarcasm as I put the te of cherries in front of him. ''Take it or leave it!'' I thought to myself. "Feed me." He put down his phone and turned to look at me. "Have you no shame?" I tried my best to keep my voice down so that Christine would not hear me. However, Charles did not seem to hear what I just said. He folded his arms over his chest and shed me a challenging stare. "Feed me," he repeated, raising his eyebrows defiantly. He knew that with Christine here, I would not dare to make a scene. Before I knew it, I was backed into a corner. I sighed in exasperation, picked up a partly rotten cherry, and put it into his mouth. The warmth of his lips felt so nice against my fingertips. I quickly withdrew my hand before he got the wrong idea. "Do you want more, my dear brother?" I asked through gritted teeth, trying my best to stay calm. "Yes, please." As soon as he finished speaking, Charles grabbed my wrist and sat me on hisp. He nted a soft kiss on my lips, which made my entire world spin. Then, he pushed the cherry that I just fed him into my mouth, and its sweetness and fragrance instantly washed over my tongue. He kissed me passionately for a few moments after that and then nibbled on my lower lip. Finally, he let go and looked straight into my eyes. "So, so sweet." "You..." Stunned, I covered my mouth. There I was again, helpless under his spell that almost always caught me off guard. Others would definitely not think that we were brother and sister. "Eat the cherry, my dear sister," Charles said and pressed me on the sofa. He added, "What''s the matter? Don''t you like it when I call you dear sister? Isn''t that what you want?" I red at him and kept the cherry in my mouth. "Stop looking at me like that, Scarlett. You''re only making me want to kiss you again and never let go," Charles whispered and blew gently on my face. "You little..." I was so angry that I almost bit my tongue. Enraged and rmed, I raised my hands and shoved him away. Chapter 56 Reliable Chapter 56 Reliable Charles'' POV: Scarlett pushed me away with all her strength and then rushed to the bathroom. She was like a deer fleeing for safety. For some reason, I found that really cute and could not take my eyes off her. "Charles, why do you always bully her? Scarlett isn''t as cheeky as you are." Grandma red at me. I pretended not to hear what she had said and just stared at the cherry meaningfully. "Have you ever seen anyone call her husband ''brother''? I just wanted to punish her." "What do you expect? You''re the one who proposed the divorce, but you keep on dying it," Grandma reminded in a serious tone. I did not expect her to bring up the divorce again. Well, I could not me them. After all, all my family knew was that my rtionship with Scarlett was justplicated. All of a sudden, the air in the room became stuffy. For a moment, I was at a loss. I did not know how to answer Grandma''s question. She was right, after all. "I''ve watched Scarlett grow up with my own eyes. We all know she likes you. She may have said that she regards you as her brother, but I don''t think she meant it. You should reflect on yourself. Scarlett is a nice girl. You shouldn''t treat her like this," Grandma advised. "Grandma..." I did not want to talk about it anymore. "Charles, if you like Scarlett, then tell her the truth. Stop being a coward, and man up. Scarlett will change her mind sooner orter, and you''ll regret it when that timees." At that moment, the door of the bathroom opened. Grandma immediately stopped talking and continued trimming her roses. Her words hit my heart like a heavy hammer. Did Scarlett still love me like she did before? Or had she already moved on? I did not dare to think about it. While I was in deep thought, Scarlett walked over. She bit her lip in disdain and stared daggers at me. She must have been dissatisfied with what I had done just now. However, my attention was drawn to her lips, and only one thought came to my mind: I wanted to kiss her. It took me a moment before I realized I had been staring at her absentmindedly. With that, I quickly looked away. "Grandma, what were you talking about just now? I think I heard you say ''regret''. What about it?" Scarlett sat down again. But this time, she sat next to Grandma. "Nothing. I just gave Charles an earful. He always bullies you. He doesn''t seem like a brother at all!" Grandma replied with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. I could see that she got a little emotional. "But Charles does seem like an elder brother to me. He takes care of me all the time." Scarlett patted Grandma on the backfortingly. When she spoke, her tone was gentle as though she were coaxing a child. She must still be mad at me that she did not even nce at me. Since when did I treat her as a sister? All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. How could she say that? Annoyed at her attitude, I stood up from my seat and looked at her with a burning gaze. "I have no idea when I''ve ever treated you as my sister." I turned around and went upstairs without even giving Scarlett and Grandma a chance to speak. When I reached the second flight of stairs, I took a look at Scarlett downstairs. She was chatting andughing with Grandma, and she seemed to be unaffected that I had walked out. Scarlett''s POV: As usual, I had no idea how I had offended Charles. But I was used to this, so I did not take it seriously. However, Grandma looked at me with a guilty expression. She probably thought that I was hurt because of Charles''s attitude. Because of this, I gave her a reassuring smile. At that moment, I heard footstepsing from the gate. A few secondster, I saw Alice striding towards us. "Honey, when you went on a business trip for the programst time, did you interview an old entrepreneur in Washington? Someone named Henry?" she asked, a hint of anxiety in her tone. Her words perplexed me. I racked my brains to figure out what she was talking about. I realized that Alice must be referring to the celebrity interview program I had hosted in Seattle. We flew there to mainly interview a sessful entrepreneur, and his name was actually William. But there was indeed a Henry that we had also talked to during the interview. Henry Woodson. Another business man in town. At that moment, I nodded at Alice in response. "Honey, did he do anything to you?" she worriedly asked again while staring right into my eyes. "We talked about the program. That''s all. He''s very popr." I could not figure out why Alice had suddenly asked me about that man. "Oh my God!" Alice eximed. She then handed her phone to me, and a news report was being disyed on the screen. I took a nce at it. Apparently, Henry Woodson had taken advantage of his position and sexually assaulted a young girl. I was surprised that he did such a thing. He was such a gentleman when we met. "Scarlett, tell me the truth. Did he do anything to you?" Grandma asked with concern. Before I could say anything, Alice interjected, "Our Scarlett is so pretty. We can''t let anyone who bullies her get away!" I shook my head and reassured Grandma that nothing had happened to me. Even so, Alice was still fuming in anger. For some reason, she believed that the news about Henry Woodson was a bad omen. The matter went on even during dinner. "Scarlett, you''re young and naive. There are many bad men in the world. You have to be careful. I can''t promise anything. But I''m sure that Charles is stronger than that old geezer. He''s trustworthy and reliable," Grandma earnestly said to me. I never thought that she would say something like that to me. Upon hearing what she had said, my face turned beet red. What was Grandma thinking about? And how did our conversation lead to this? Charles happened toe downstairs at that very moment. "What ''reliable''?" he asked while looking at me. My face turned even redder. I did not know where to put myself. Chapter 57 Not On Speaking Terms Chapter 57 Not On Speaking Terms Scarlett''s POV: I left with Charles after dinner. However, I walked slowly and kept a distance from him. "Hurry up. Why so slow?" Charles grumbled in annoyance "You don''t have to do this. I can just take a taxi," I replied. The truth was, I was nervous, especially since we were alone. I would rather take a taxi alone or keep a distance from him than be with him. Upon hearing that, Charles strode over and grabbed my wrist. Then, he quickly walked to the front of the car and pushed me into the passenger seat without giving me a chance to resist. Unable to do anything, I touched my nose and sulked. "Put your bag away," Charles ordered. He then leaned over, and I caught a whiff of a pleasant scent of pines. I looked at him confusedly. Charles sighed helplessly. Then, he put my bag on the backseat, pulled the seatbelt beside me, and fastened it. "Thank you," I said in a barely audible voice in embarrassment. It was already dark when we left the vi, and the streetlights had been turned on. While we were stuck in heavy traffic, Charles nced at me and asked, "Did you meet with Rita?" I sneered and looked at him with amusement. "Why? Did she tell you that I bullied her again? Don''t worry. I didn''t do anything to your dear Rita. In fact, I think she''s beaming with happiness." Rita used the same trick every single time. She would meet with me and thenin to Charles about my attitude. Her trick was getting old, and I was getting sick of her. Charles did not say anything in response. He only spoke just as a deafening silence filled the air. "Nothing. I''m just worried you''ll misunderstand me." "I don''t think there''d be any misunderstanding," I retorted. My rtionship with Charles wasplicated. Even I could not understand it at times. Charles seemed to be displeased with my response. He cast a scornful nce at me and scoffed, "So you don''t care?" "Rita was the one who had ordered to pour paint in my apartment," I replied crossly while twiddling with the seat belt. The more I thought about it, the more aggrieved I felt. Before he could open his mouth to speak, I added, "And you... you''ve known it all along." N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Charles nodded in response. It seemed that he did not intend in hiding anything from me. Unfortunately, it was toote for him. My anger rose in an instant, and I could feel my blood boiling in my veins. Now that I knew the truth, my chest tightened in resentment. I opened the window to get some fresh air. "Why didn''t you tell me sooner? Were you afraid I''d make trouble for her? If that''s what you think, you''re wrong. I''m not the kind of person who seeks revenge for something petty. Besides, I don''t care about your affairs anymore." I could not bring myself to look at Charles, so I just looked out of the window when I spoke. To my surprise, I calmed down sooner than I had expected. All of a sudden, Charles turned a corner and pulled over on an empty road. "What are you doing?" I asked, bewildered. Did I say something wrong? Well, I might have. Rita was Charles''s weakness, after all. "I pulled over so we could talk." Charles looked at me with a frown. Judging from the look on his face, he disagreed with what I had said. "About what? Are you going to tell me that even if Rita did that, I have to cut her some ck because she must have reasons for doing that?" I sneered and averted my gaze. I tried my best to suppress the worries and scruples in my heart. "I''ve already sent someone to teach Rita''s bodyguards and the person who had sshed the paint a lesson. I won''t let go of those who dared to bully you." Charles paused for a second and continued, "As your husband, it''s my job to help you. Is there anything wrong with that?" "What about Rita? Did you teach her a lesson?" Charles fell silent. Seeing this, I folded my arms in front of my chest and snickered. "You''re doing this to defend Rita, aren''t you? In the end, you''re just afraid that I''d take my anger out on her. If you really care about me, you shouldn''t have kept me in the dark in the first ce." "She''s ill!" Charles bellowed. I closed my eyes. Suddenly, a scene of Charles and Rita hand-in-hand shed through my mind. He was dazzling, and Rita was gorgeous. They looked like they were walking out of a painting. They were indeed a perfect match. I suppressed the bitterness in my heart and asked. "Can a patient do whatever she wants? Forget it. Just do your job and protect Rita at all costs. After all, if she calls you in the dead of night, you''ll juste running to her, won''tyou?" "Don''t mention her anymore," Charles warned. "Then what else do you want to talk about? Do you want to talk about our rtionship? There''s not much to say." I pursed my lips and looked at Charles coldly. "Scarlett, I will never be your brother, nor will I ever follow your stupid rules. You''d better stop thinking about it. You can only be my wife," Charles said in an icy cold tone. I blinked my eyes, incredulous with what he had just said. I raised my chin confidently and looked him in the eye. "I won''t ept a man who has affairs with another woman. Charles, just ept it. Our rtionship is over." "Rita and I have only hugged and held hands. Nothing more," Charles reasoned out as if saying that would make a difference. "But I didn''t hug and hold hands with anyone except you," I fired back. Just as I was about to say something more, Charles leaned over and kissed me. His breath was shallow and quick, and the way he kissed me was not gentle but passionate. He only let go of me until he had run out of breath. For some reason, his eyes were dark and unfathomable. "I''ve never kissed Rita like that. Scarlett, do you believe me now?" Like a sweet, loving couple, he then rubbed his nose against mine. My body trembled like a leaf, but I forced myself to get a grip. Then, I wiped my lips in front of him with apparent disgust. "You have no right to kiss me." "Who has the right to kiss you then? Abner?" Charles asked while pinching my chin. "It''s none of your business." I lowered my head and did not look at him anymore. "I beg to disagree. If you dare to do this, I''ll lock you up and make sure you won''t be able to go anywhere." As soon as Charles finished speaking, he started the engine and sped away, even faster than the speed limit. I clutched my seatbelt tightly as though holding for my death life and pleaded, "Charles, you''re crazy! Slow down!" Charles did not stop until he heard that I broke down into tears because of fear. "Yes. I''m crazy," he mumbled to himself. I did not notice the inexplicable look on his face. All I wanted at the moment was to get the hell away from him. When I arrived home, I hurriedly got out of the car and mmed the door behind me. "Don''t show up in front of me again!" I said through gritted teeth. For a second, I felt an urge to bite him out of anger. Charles ignored my explosion and just drove away without saying a word. In the following week, he and I did not see each other. We were not on speaking terms. Nevertheless, I still knew about his whereabouts. After all, all his movements were posted on the Inte. There was even a picture of him that took the Inte by storm. It was a picture of him picking Rita up from the hospital. Many writers took it as an inspiration and wrote romance novels. Meanwhile, theizens all called for them to get married as soon as possible. Me? Well, I paid no attention to it and instead buried myself in work. One day, I happened to bump into Abner while I was walking out of the studio. He was wearing a silver gray suit. He looked handsome and elegant. I greeted him with a smile. "There''ll be an important dinner party tonight. You have to go." Abner invited me. "No problem. What time should we go there?" I agreed without a second thought. I had nothing to do at home anyway. I had better put my worries aside and focus on my career. Abner looked at me apologetically. "I''m afraid I can''t go with you. I have another appointment tonight. You would go with Linda instead. Be careful, okay? Call me if anything happens." "I will. Thank you," I replied with a smile. I appreciated his concern and kind gestures. It was undeniable that Abner was a great man. Sadly, we could only be friends. Chapter 58 Work Party Chapter 58 Work Party Scarlett''s POV: Just like Abner had advised, I went to the party with Linda. I had been to this kind of gathering before. But until now, I was still not used to it. I did not like drinking either. After all, alcohol was the mostmon excuse people used after making a mistake. The first thing I saw when I entered the private room were several men with bulging bellies and empty wine bottles. It appeared that they had been drinking longbefore Linda and I had arrived. A fat, bald man waved at me and said, "You''rete. Miss Riley, why don''t you sit next to me? I have something to tell you." He then nced at the young blonde woman who was sitting next to him. As if on cue, the woman, probably his secretary, stood up and offered her seat to me. "This is Mr. Valdez, the CEO of Valdez Group," Linda whispered in my ear before I walked over to him. I immediately understood what she meant by that. That man was someone I could not afford to offend. He had invited me enthusiastically. It would be disrespectful to decline. As I slowly made my way to him, I unconsciously tugged the hem of my dress, lengthening it for an inch or two. I sat next to Mr. Valdez and forced a smile. "Scarlett, you''re more beautiful than I thought. When I first saw you on TV, I thought your legs under your skirt must be smooth and enticing." Mr. Valdez looked at me with a lecherous gaze and even put his hand on my thigh. I felt that the smile on my face must be stiff. "You must be more beautiful in bed. Scarlett, ady like you should wear short skirts often, so you can make more men think with their dicks." Mr. Valdez continued to make lewd and sexist remarks, and the men he was withughed heartily at his jokes. I felt humiliated and indignant. I felt an urge to kick him on the part where it hurt the most. But, of course, I could not do that. Unable to do anything, I took a deep breath and restrained myself. "If you say so, Mr. Valdez. I will consider your suggestion," I replied with a forced smile. It was obviously a lie. If only I could, I would tell him to go fuck himself. Sadly, saying that would cost me my job. Mr. Valdez lit a cigarette and turned to Linda. "Linda, you have an obedient subordinate here. But she''s still a newbie. You should teach her more." "I will, Mr. Valdez." Linda agreed with a smile. Just as I thought that verbal sexual abuse was the worst part of the drinking culture, the guests began to take turns to propose a toast to Mr. Valdez. When it was my turn, everyone looked at me expectantly. I looked at Linda unconsciously and noticed that she was also cheering for me. Only then did I realize that at work parties, young girls were always at a disadvantage. Stifling my distaste, I raised my ss and clinked it with Mr. Valdez''s. He smiled happily and drank the wine in one gulp. Not wanting to put myself in a bad light, I plucked up the courage and did the same thing. I thought thatpromising was enough, so this dreadful experience would soon be over. But it turned out that the worse was yet toe. Mr. Valdez began filling my ss with alcohol again and again. As I did not want to offend him, I had no choice but to drink it every time. My mind became fuzzy not long after, and it continued until the rest of the party. God. I had never drunk so much in my life. Once the party was over, Linda told me she would wait for me at the gate. She just had to see other guests off first. My head was spinning so badly that I had to lean against the wall when I walked. With my remaining consciousness, I contemted whether to call someone or just hold out, hoping I would not end up sleeping on the streets for the night. The first choice seemed more logical. But on second thought, I had no idea who to call. With that, I supported myself on the wall and continued walking. "Here you are, Scarlett. You''re drunk. Do you want to go upstairs and take a rest?" A creepy and ominous voice came from behind. It was that old geezer, Mr. Valdez. When he spoke, he put his hands on my waist and fumbled around. His touch made me feel sick to the stomach. But thanks to this, my foggy mind became clear in an instant. "No, thank you, Mr. Valdez. I should go home now, or my family will be worried sick." While resisting the impulse to beat him, I shook off his hand and walked forward. Fortunately, there were guests in the corridor, so he did not insist. I immediately saw Linda when I arrived at the entrance. She walked up to me and supported my body. "Honey, you look tired. Let me call a Uber for you." "No need. I''ll drive her home," a familiar voice said. I turned around and saw Abner marching towards me and Linda with a fierce look on his face. He yanked me away from Linda''s hand, and my face bumped into his chest. "Linda, I asked you to take care of Scarlett, didn''t I? Why did you push her to Mr. Valdez? Scarlett isn''t that kind of girl. I hope this incident won''t happen again!" Abner ordered. Judging from the tone of this voice, he was furious. He held me in his arms and solemnly said, "Scarlett, I''m sorry I''mte." I could tell from the pain in his voice that he was guilty. I appreciated his help, but I did not have the strength to respond. My eyes closed slowly. And before I knew it, I had fallen asleep. The next morning, I was awakened by a loud noise. "You bastard! Where did you take herst night?" a familiar voice bellowed. It was Charles. My eyes fluttered open, and I ran to the living room as fast as I could. In the living room, I saw Charles beating the hell out of Abner on the floor. A few steps away from them, a vasey in pieces. The veins on Charles''s forehead bulged in anger. What was more, his eyes were so fierce as though he was going to kill Abner. I was terrified of what would happen next. So, without thinking, I rushed over and stopped Charles. "Charles, what are you doing? Stop it!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. Unfortunately, my words had no effect on Charles, and he just pushed me away. If it were not for the sofa behind me, I would have fallen on the floor and got hurt. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "Charles, what the hell are you doing?" Abner pushed Charles away and rushed to my aid. Charles also stood up and looked at me nkly as if he could not believe what he had done. "Charles, why did you hit him?" I angrily asked. There were far more important things to worry about than myself. For instance, Abner was beaten ck and blue. Instead of answering my question, Charles asked back, "He took you to the work party, didn''t he?" "He didn''t! I went there myself! Social engagements are necessary for work," I fired back. To my surprise, what I had said angered Charles even more. He pushed Abner out of his way and grabbed my hand. "Scarlett, I can give you the whole world. Just tell me. Don''t do this to yourself. And, for fuck''s sake, don''t torture me like this!" Charles closed his eyes and frowned deeply as if repressing pain. I opened my eyes wide, incredulous with what I had heard. I even thought that I was only hallucinating. Charles was once my whole world, but not anymore. Bitterness shed through my heart at the thought of this. "Scarlett, don''t attend those kinds of social engagements anymore. Where did that jerk touch you? Go, take a shower." Charles grabbed my hand and dragged me to the bathroom. I shook off his hand. "You''re worried that someone might have touched me. Is it because you''re scared that I''d cheat on you?" "That''s not what I mean." Charles hoisted me up over his shoulder and walked to the bathroom. "Charles, you jerk! Put me down!" I roared angrily. "No way!" Charles retorted. The two of us yelled at each other,pletely forgetting that Abner was still in the living room. Chapter 59 Im Sorry Chapter 59 I''m Sorry Scarlett''s POV: Bang! Charles mmed the bathroom door shut. The next moment, he was making me stand under the showerhead. "What the hell do you think you''re doing?" I took a few steps back and looked at him warily. I tried my best to stay as far as I could from this dangerous man in front of me. Charles put his hands around my waist and forced me to the corner. "You promised me you wouldn''t drink anymore. Didn''t you take my words seriously? You''re so defiant. I should start thinking how I''d punish you so you''d learn," he said through gritted teeth. For some reason, he sounded as though he was restraining something inside him. "I never promised you anything," I retorted. At the thought of him and Rita, my heart sank yet again. Why did hee back to me again? I was fine without him. "Are you still not convinced?" Charles scoffed. I straightened up and perfunctorily replied, "No." I was still exhausted fromst night that I did not have the strength to argue with him. "Don''t move." Charles suddenly hit me on my behind, but his face remained stern. I frowned in annoyance. "Don''t spank me! How many times have I told you not to spank me?!" "You don''t allow me to kiss you either." Charles suddenly lowered his head and kissed me on the cheek. As he saw that I was maddened by what he had done, he asked smugly, "What? I spanked you and kissed you. What are you gonna do? Beat me?" "You rascal!" I pushed him with all my strength, but he did not even budge. This man was getting more and more shameless as time went by. And now, he was acting like a pervert. Charles merely ignored my outburst and lectured me. "Listen. Don''t attend that kind of work party anymore. If you disobey me, I''ll be sure to punish you," he warned in a low voice. "It was work! Nothing happened, is there?" I exined in a hurry. I hated it whenever he meddled with my work life. "Work? You almost got molested! Are you sure that''s part of your work?" Charles coldly asked while staring at me with an intense gaze. "Don''t stretch me to the limit, Scarlett. I allowed you to go to work because I wanted you to be happy. But just so you know, if you keep doing this, I can take your job away." None of his words seemed to have an effect on me. He sighed to calm himself down and compromised. "I can give you everything you want. But I don''t want this to happen again. I''m worried about you." It was only then that I looked at him. For a second, I felt my heart warmed up. I could not say anything harsh to him, especially when he just wanted me to be safe, could I? Ever so slowly, Charles reached out his hand and gently touched my face. He then stared at me intently with his blue eyes. They seemed as mysterious as the vast sea. I could not bring myself to look away. They were tempting to look at. All of a sudden, I felt a cool sensation on my lips. I was so engrossed in my thoughts that the next thing I knew, Charles had kissed me. I struggled to get out of his grasp, but he only held me tighter. He held my waist and lifted me up, not allowing be to break free. Like a ko hugging a tree, I put my legs around his hips so I would not fall to the cold bathroom floor. Charles nibbled the top of my tongue and gently asked, "Will you be a good girl now?" The kiss turned my mind in disarray, and I could hardly breathe. I could not think straight, so I just nodded. However, Charles did not seem satisfied with my answer. He sucked on my lips harder and asked me again in a hoarse voice, "Answer me. Will you be a good girl?" All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Yes." The most important thing at the moment was to satisfy Charles in his demands. "Good girl." Charles finally let go of me after getting the answer he wanted. He returned to his usual noble temperament and even helped me run the bath. "Thank you." I rolled my eyes at him in annoyance. I had now returned to my senses and remembered that Charles was a jerk. My hangover subsided, and I instantly felt better after taking a shower. A few momentster, I sat on the edge of the bed and wiped my hair with a towel. But then, I could not help but think of Charles. What on earth was he up to? His behavior these past few days perplexed me. Was it only an illusion? I patted my head, unable to comprehend what he was thinking. At that moment, Charles came in with a tray in his hand. As he saw that I was in deep thought and patting my head, he teasingly asked, "Have you realized what you did wrong?" I looked at him and forced a smile. "Yes. Under the guidance of the great Mr. Moore, I have deeply reflected on my behavior. I realized that I was wrong. I should''ve just stayed in France, so I wouldn''t suffer," I retorted. Charles put down the tray and chuckled. "But you returned. Now that you''re here, you can only be my Mrs. Moore." He walked towards me and touched my damp hair. "Why aren''t you drying your hair? You might catch a cold." Without waiting for my response, he went to fetch the hairdryer. "I made you pasta. Eat it while it''s still hot," Charles said while helping me dry my hair. On the tray were two tes of pasta. No matter what Charles did, he always did his best. Even though he was not really that good at cooking, the food he cooked still looked like the ones served in restaurants. My stomach growled, but I did not want to admit defeat. "I''m not hungry," I refused him tly. I should practice not giving in easily. "Don''t starve yourself. I put shrimp in the pasta. It''s your favorite, right?" Charles sighed and made a concession, seeing that I was stubborn. "Look. I''m sorry. I promise I''ll consider your feelings more in the future." I looked up at him incredulously, unable to believe that an arrogant man like him would apologize. I must still have a hangover. "Next time, I''ll ask for your permission before I kiss you. Well, I''ll still kiss you even if you say no." What the hell? What a cheeky devil! I was angry and, at the same time, ashamed. I raised my hand to hit his chest, but he grabbed my wrist in the blink of an eye. "Baby, let''s eat something first so that you can have the strength to hit me," he said with a smirk. I had no choice but to eat the food he had cooked. I was starving, after all. Once we were done eating, I took the tray back to the kitchen. Charles was drinking coffee on the sofa when, all of a sudden, I remembered something. "You drove Abner away again. He''s my friend. Why are you so rude to him?" "Abner isn''t trustworthy. He let you drink with those filthy men, and you almost got hurt. I should''ve beat him harder." Charles seemed dissatisfied that I defended Abner after what had happened. As soon as he said that, he put down his cup of coffee and went to the kitchen. "But nothing happened, didn''t it?" I reasoned out even though I knew I was in the wrong. All of a sudden, Charles grabbed my hand and bellowed, "Scarlett, how could you not care about your own safety?! Have you ever considered the feelings of those who care about you?" "I will protect myself in the future. Don''t tell me what to do and what not to do," I fired back. "Then don''t agree to my face and then do the contrary. I know your tricks." He sounded as though he knew me well when, in fact, he did not. I shook off his hand in annoyance. "There are times when I can''t refuse because of my job!" "You''re my wife. Nobody dares to make things difficult for you," Charles scoffed. His eyebrows were furrowed, and anger could be seen in his eyes. "Have you forgotten that our marriage is a secret?" "Then let''s make our rtionship public!" It seemed that Charles intended to make use of this situation to do what he wanted. But, had he forgotten that he had Rita and that the major media regarded the two of them as a couple? "There''s no need to do that. We''re going to divorce anyway." Bringing up the divorce was something that could not be avoided. Every time that was mentioned, the two of us would break up in discord. Charles left a few momentster, and I went to work. For some reason, it felt that something was up as soon as I entered thepany building. People around me gave me weird looks and whispered to one another. It was not until I saw a familiar figure by the door of the office that I realized what was wrong. It was because of Rita. What tricks did she have up her sleeve again? Stressed, my temples started throbbing. Suddenly, Rita rushed towards me and pulled the hem of my dress. "It''s all my fault. Scarlett, please forgive me. I know I was wrong. I''m so sorry!" she cried out. Her doing that was ridiculous. People would just think that she was the victim when she was actually a perpetrator. I did not say anything in response and just looked at her coldly. Because of this, she sobbed harder to gain sympathy from me and the people around me. "You must hate me now because of Charles. It''s not our fault he and I love each other so much. Please forgive me. Think about our friendship for so many years." The employees started whispering to each other. I could not me them. Anything about Charles was good gossip. "How can I not forgive a dying woman?" I scoffed with feigned pity. Rita stopped crying at once and raised her head in surprise. It seemed that she never expected I would say something like that. The first person to lose his temper was Rita''s bodyguard. He cursed at me and strode forward, possibly to beat me. Fortunately, my colleagues were quick to their feet, and they stopped him in time. The scene was chaotic. Meanwhile, Rita knelt on the ground and continued acting. "I''ll kneel here until you forgive me." "Rita, I really don''t have time for this. If you want to kneel, just do it." As soon as I finished speaking, I entered the studio with my colleagues and did not even look back. Chapter 60 Rumors Chapter 60 Rumors Scarlett''s POV: As soon as I left the studio, I heard a female voice call my name. "Scarlett, I didn''t expect you to be so capable!" I turned around and the person I found made my jaw drop. Fiona, one of my colleagues, was walking toward me, her high heels clicking against the floor. "Stop pretending to be innocent. You''re having an affair with Rita''s man. Poor Rita." Fiona raised her voice by several notches. She stood in front of me like a hungry lioness that was about to scratch my face off with her ws and then gut me. She and I were just ordinary colleagues. We were not friends or in good terms in any way. Ever since we met, I had always felt like she hated me, and that feeling had been supported by her behavior toward me. When she heard the rumors going around, she was one of the first people to mock me with them. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. It was ridiculous that she and everybody else thought I was Charles''s mistress. "I''m not having an affair with anyone, Fiona. I''m not desperate, and I have some self-respect. I would never date a married man just so that I wouldn''t be single," I retorted, holding my head high. After that, I walked away. I had more important things to do than engage in pointless arguments with judgmental people. Just as I was preparing for my next interview, Nina trotted over to me, her anxious voice filling my ears. "Scarlett! Have you read the news?" She waved her phone at me. "They''re saying that you stole Rita''s husband! Oh, my God! I can''t believe that woman is ndering you for publicity! It''s such a desperate and pathetic move!" Nina was so angry that I could see smokeing out of her ears, but I had gotten used to it. "I thought she was supposed to be critically ill. How does she have the energy to go around and make a scene all the time? Is she just pretending to be sick so that she can get attention?" Nina surmised in a low voice. Although I was a little stunned by her question, I just shook my head. "She''s sick, Nina. And if she wasn''t, she wouldn''t be able to hide it from Charles." "Scarlett! Why do you trust Charles so much?" Nina looked at me in disbelief. "Because I know him well." I had never doubted Charles''s love for Rita. "Well, I still think that Rita is hiding something. You should look into her. Just because you trust Charles doesn''t mean you have to trust Rita, too." Nina kept shaking her head and looking at me as if I was being a colossal idiot. I just nodded perfunctorily. I did not have the time to think about the matter. I had work to do. Time quickly passed. Finally, it was time to get off work. As soon as I walked out of the building, I saw Burton driving toward me. "Mrs. Moore asked me to pick you up and drive you to the family vi." I got in the car and instantly felt nervous. There was a good chance that Charles would be at the vi as well, and I did not want to face him. I did not care about what the news said about me, but Charles would not let it go easily. Burton drove all the way to the vi. When we arrived, I got out of the car and looked around. I heaved a sigh of relief after confirming that Charles''s car was nowhere to be found. When I entered the house, I found everyone waiting for me in the living room. Christine was the one to approach me first and gave me a hug. "My dear Scarlett, are you okay? Just ignore those good-for-nothing tabloids. They have nothing better to write about than attention seekers like Rita." I was surprised to hear Christine bring up the news before I did. I shed her a weak smile and helped her to the sofa. Before I could reply to her, I heard the front door swing open. "Grandma." Hearing Charles''s voice made my heart leap to my throat. Christine pressed her lips together in a thin line and eyed her grandson with so much disappointment in her face. Seeing that look on Christine''s face and recalling what the news said about me, I felt dejected. I just sat beside Christine in silence. "What have you done, Scarlett? Why did you force Rita to kneel down like that?" Charles asked impatiently, which upset me. "I didn''t force her to do anything. She knelt down herself to get people''s sympathy. It was all an act, and only idiots like you believed it," I backfired. "Charles! Do you have to talk to Scarlett like that as soon as you set foot in the house?" Alice red at Charles. Suddenly, the atmosphere in the living room became cold and strained. "s... Things couldn''t go on like this. Charles, Scarlett, I think it''s better if you two get a divorce." Christine finally broke the long silence. I whipped my head at her and looked at her with wide eyes. The first time Charles and I told Christine that we were getting a divorce, she got so furious that she fell ill and got hospitalized. But now, it seemed like she was finally giving us her blessing. And I knew that she was only doing it for my sake. I wrinkled my nose as a pang of guilt pierced my heart like a wooden stake. "What do you think, Michael?" Christine turned to ask Michael who was watering some flowers in one corner of the living room. "I''ll allow it as long as it''s okay with Scarlett. Scarlett, have you found another man to spend your life with?" Michael left his flowers at once, trotted over to me, and sat beside me. "I think Spencer is a great guy," I lied through my teeth. "He most definitely is not! He''s a yboy!" Michael protested immediately. "Grandpa, Charles thinks that Spencer and I are a perfect match. In fact, he has been trying to set us up," I said lightly. All I wanted was to divorce Charles and make him disappear from my life as soon as I could. Lying about Spencer''s track record with women was a small price to pay for that. All of a sudden, everyone turned to look at Charles. "Yes. I think Spencer will be good for Scarlett," Charles agreed. "I beg your pardon?" Michael almost sprang to his feet. "I don''t mean to judge your friend, Charles. But I think we all know what kind of a man Spencer really is. You can''t do this to Scarlett," Alice muttered, rolling her eyes at her son. "I think David is more reliable. We have discussed before that he is a good young man," Lawrence, who had been silent since I arrived, suddenly suggested. He darted his gaze at me, and I saw a shadow of guilt in his eyes. I did not expect him to vouch for David. So they had thought about fixing me up with David? But why was Charles pushing Spencer? I chanced a nce at Charles, but he averted his eyes. Charles''s POV: I did not expect that my lies would be exposed. "Very well. Charles,e to the study with me." Grandpa looked at me sternly and went upstairs. Keeping my eyes away from Scarlett, I followed him in silence. As soon as I entered the study, Grandpa turned to me. "Go on. What do you have to say for yourself?" "I don''t want to divorce Scarlett, Grandpa. I want to take good care of her," I answered seriously. At present, that was the only truth I could tell. "Then sever your ties with Rita. You should announce to the public that you''ve been married to Scarlett for three years now." Grandpa spoke without looking at me. Instead, he began rummaging in one of his desk drawers. I had nothing to say to hisst remark. I had promised to marry Rita and give her a perfect wedding. My silence apparently irritated Grandpa. He was probably thinking that I was trying to arrive at a situation wherein I could be with Scarlett and Rita at the same time. "You really disappoint me, Charles. Take your marriage certificate. Don''t use me and your grandmother as an excuse anymore." After saying that, Grandpa pushed me out of his study and mmed the door behind me. I went downstairs with our marriage certificate in hand and my mind in shambles. "Charles, you''ve got the marriage certificate, haven''t you?" I was surprised to find Scarlett waiting for me at the bottom of the staircase. Instinctively, I shoved our marriage certificate in my back pocket. She looked at me expectantly with her big, charming eyes, and my heart ached. Why was she so eager to get rid of me? I did not answer her. Seeing that I did not say anything, Scarlett grabbed my wrist, shoved me into the bathroom, and shut the door. "Have you got our marriage certificate or not?" she asked in a low voice. "No." I shook my head. "Why else would Grandpa talk to you in the study? Don''t lie to me." "If you don''t believe me, you can frisk me," I replied in a provocative tone. As I expected, a muscle flickered in Scarlett''s jaw. She was annoyed, but she still reached out with trembling hands to search me. Chapter 61 Sugar Daddy Chapter 61 Sugar Daddy Charles''s POV: Scarlett reached out her hand, but hesitation could still be seen on her face. Just as she thought I was going to stand still and let her search me, I pulled her into my arms. "Do you want me to teach you how to frisk me?" I whispered in her ear. Scarlett shrank back like a frightened rabbit. But because I was holding her hand, she could not escape me. "Charles, I promise I won''t frisk you anymore. You said you didn''t have it. I believe you. Just please, let me go," Scarlett pleaded, her ears red in embarrassment. She looked so adorable whenever she was like this. Her shy demeanor was making me go crazy. "Toote," I retorted with a smirk. "Charles, what... what are you gonna do?" Scarlett pushed me away as hard as she could. But as she was petite, the force sent her stumbling backwards. To make things worse, the bathroom floor was slippery. She would fall and get hurt! Without missing a beat, I reached out to catch her. However, I miscalcted, and we ended up falling into the bathtub on top of each other. I caught her in my arms just in time, and wended on my back. She should be fine. "Charles, let me go," Scarlett asked in a barely audible voice. I spread out my hands and pretended to be innocent. "You''re free to get off me. I''m not holding you. Look." Upon realizing something, Scarlett stared daggers at me and hoisted herself by grabbing the edge of the bathtub. Then, with a red face, she stood up. "Scarlett, it''s you who refused to frisk me. Just make sure to remember that if we ever need to bring up this moment in the future." I stood up from the bathtub as well. Our intimate physical contact just now and the look on her face cheered me up. Scarlett pushed the door open and grumbled, "You always have a reason to shut me up." I strode over and stopped her from leaving. "If you want, I can shut you up right now in yet another different way." "Charles, stop being a rascal!" "Don''t forget; you still owe me a week''s meal." I brought up her promise that she had forgotten. "It''s just breakfast for a week!" Scarlett reasoned out. "I have to charge you an interest for dying it for too long. It''s a week''s meal." I was pushing my luck. Knowing her, she did not want to be indebted to anyone. "Fine. I''ll do it. Just let me out." Scarlett pushed me out of her way. I had gotten the answer that I wanted, so I just stepped aside and made way for her. I was literally beaming with happiness for the next few minutes. The next morning, just as Scarlett had promised, she came to my house to make me breakfast. While I was drinking water in the kitchen, she entered the kitchen, a bag of ingredients in her hand. "What do you want to eat?" she asked without even greeting me. I could not help but notice the white dress she was wearing. She looked elegant and charming today. "It doesn''t matter. I''ll eat whatever you cook for me." Scarlett rolled her eyes at me. "Whatever. Get out of the way. I don''t like being disturbed when I''m cooking." She motioned me to get out of her way and then walked to the sink to wash the ingredients. I shrugged my shoulders and stood a few feet away from her. My presence must be making her nervous. I figured that that might be the case as she shrieked all of a sudden. It turned out that she had opened the tap a little too much, so water sshed all over her clothes. Without a word, I went to my room and fetched her a shirt. "Put this on for the meantime, or you might catch a cold," I advised as I handed her my white shirt. Scarlett looked at her white dress and went to the bathroom to change. Once done, she returned to the kitchen and continued cooking. However, I could not take my eyes off her. My shirt was too big for her, so the neckline was slightly plunging and I could almost see her chest. My gaze fell on her breasts, and I felt my throat dry up all of a sudden. Her wearing my clothes made me feel as though I was touching her, albeit indirectly. My mind was in a mess because of this. Scarlett finished making my breakfast after a while. But even when my breakfast was ready, my mind was still in the clouds. In order to restrain myself, I did not look at her again until my assistant delivered a new set of clothes for her to my apartment. Scarlett''s POV: I breathed a sigh of relief the instant I stepped out of Charles''s house. But now, I was runningte, so I had to rush to thepany. I saw Abner as soon as I arrived at the office. For some reason, worry and apprehension were written all over his face, which perplexed me. "Scarlett, the CEO of Lively Group is here. He''s waiting for you in the reception room," he whispered to me, a sense of urgency in his tone. I must admit, I was shock. The CEO of Lively Group? That was Rita''s father! What was he doing here? To me, the Livelys were not exactly good people. Rita''s father and mine used to be good friends. But when my father was in trouble, Rita''s father did nothing. I had no idea what he was here for. But it seemed that whether I liked it or not, I had no choice but to meet with him. "Here you are, Scarlett! I haven''t seen you for a long time. You''ve be more beautiful!" The moment I stepped into the reception room, a middle-aged man, who had been sitting on the leather sofa, stood up and greeted me enthusiastically. "Hello, Mr. Nate Lively. Long time no see," I greeted back with a smile. I then turned around and poured him a ss of water out of courtesy. "Why are you so cold to me? Is it because of what happened in the past? Scarlett, I didn''t have much choice at that time. You''re a grown woman now. Don''t hold onto the past, alright?" Nate put his hand on my arm as he spoke. He had just crossed my personal space. Because of this, I instinctively took a step back and red at him. "Why are you so sensitive? Come on! A little bird like you needs a sugar daddy who will protect you, right? I can give you everything you want," he continued in an ambiguous tone while fiddling with his Rolex watch. I looked at him in disbelief. How dare hee to my workce just to ask me to be his mistress?! "Is that why you came here? I''ll tell you what. I don''t need anyone to protect me, let alone a sugar daddy. You need help. You''re sick." N?velDrama.Org is the owner. I walked to the door and pushed it open. Just as I was about to head out, I turned around and coldly said, "Mr. Lively, I''m very busy. I''m afraid I can''t see you off." "Sweetie, if you ever change your mind, feel free toe to me at any time," Nate said with a shrug. Without waiting for my response, he left. The news that I had met with Rita''s father reached Charles shortly. In the afternoon, while I was discussing work with my colleagues, he suddenly appeared in front of me. As if on cue, my colleagues left knowingly. Charles then sat down on the main seat and crossed his legs leisurely. With his hands on the desk, he asked in a serious tone, "Scarlett, what did he say to you?" "Nothing. It''s just about my father." I was surprised that Charles seemed to care about me. "Scarlett, no matter what he says, don''t believe it. He used to take advantage of your father''s business," he cautioned, his eyes narrowed in apprehension. For some reason, my heart pounded in my chest. I could not look at him, unable to believe what I had just heard. I abruptly stood up and eximed, "That''s impossible!" "Calm down, Scarlett. You''re a strong girl. Don''t worry. I''ll find out the truth for you. Anyway, is that everything he told you?" My face turned red all of a sudden. That disgusting old man even implied that he wanted to keep me as his mistress. It was an insult to my dignity. How could I say that to Charles? As Charles saw that I seemed troubled, he moved close to me and held my hand reassuringly. The warmth of his hand made me feel at ease. I lifted my gaze and looked into his eyes. They were as blue as the sea, and looking at them made me feel like drowning. What was more, the feelings that I had long suppressed felt as though they were about to burst out of my body. "Scarlett, you need to rx. How about we y tennis this weekend?" Charles asked with a gentle smile. I hated it whenever he was like this. I would get so weak, and my heart would get the best of me Chapter 62 Played Tennis Chapter 62 yed Tennis Spencer''s POV: David and I had been at the tennis courts for a long time when Charles and Scarlett finally arrived. "Hey, buddy. It seems that you''ve been very busytely. The only time I get to see you is when I turn on the news." I patted Charles on the shoulder and winked and smiled at Scarlett. Charles pulled me away immediately and scowled, "Don''t you wink and smile at her like that." "Jeez, Charles. Take it easy!" I chuckled and raised my hands in feigned surrender. Then, I pressed, "You''re the one who''s trying to set me up with Scarlett. Why do you get mad when I try to be nice to her? I don''t know where to put myself around you, honestly." Scarlett put on an embarrassed look. Even when she was not smiling, she looked a hundred times cuter than Rita. I still did not understand why Charles chose Rita over Scarlett. We both knew that Scarlett was better. "Quit being a smart mouth, Spencer. Save your energy for trying to beat me in the courtter," Charles said in an unfriendly tone, casting a sidelong nce at me. I shut up at his threat. The tennis courts covered arge area and belonged to a five-star hotel. The hotel was one of the many properties of the Moore family. Charles and I used to y tennis here when we were still students. "Scarlett will y against David. Spencer, you''ll y against me," Charles ordered. "But I want to y with Scarlett!" I mored beside Charles, dissatisfied with his arrangement. However, since I just pissed him off by making beautiful eyes at his wife, I did not expect him to be considerate. As expected, my pouting was useless. Before I could make my case, Charles was already dragging me to our court. We yed several games. My knees were already threatening to buckle while Charles did not even look like he was panting. I forgot how he could be sopetitive that ying a simple game with him could mean participating in a death march. Like Charles, I did exercise regrly, but I was no match for him in tennis or in anypetitive sports for that matter. "Admit it. Your skills are not as good as mine." Charles looked at me coldly and pulled me up from the floor a few moments after I sat down to catch my breath. "Well, I just took a few more nces at your wife." I retorted in betweenbored breaths and added, "I came here for a friendly game of tennis, not topete in the Australian Open. Seriously, man, you need to calm down and save your pent-up rage for sex, not take it out on your friends." At this time, Scarlett and David were also done with their game and walking toward Charles and me. Scarlett seemed to catch myst remark and lowered her head, but I still managed to catch a glimpse of her blushing cheeks. "Watch your damn mouth." Charles shed me an expressionless nce and then towed Scarlett away. They sat on some nearby benches and rested. I observed their interaction and found it interesting. I could tell that Charles truly cared about Scarlett. "What are you looking at?" David asked. Following my gaze, he saw that Charles was wiping the sweat off Scarlett''s forehead. He opened his eyes wide in surprise andmented, "What? When did Charles be so sweet and romantic?" "You see it, too, don''t you? He turns into a mushy gentleman when ites to Scarlett. That''s why I don''t believe at all that he has no feelings for her." I narrowed my eyes at them and thought that there was no way that I could be wrong. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "But aren''t they going to divorce? I don''t get it. They''re obviously in love." David did not understand. He had been hoping for a happily ever after for Charles and Scarlett. But real rtionships were moreplicated than that. "One of them isn''t," I corrected David''s words. "There wouldn''t be a problem if it weren''t for Rita. She saved Charles''s life, so she has him by the neck. Honestly, I''m not even convinced that she''s really sick," David remarked indignantly. "Judging from her lively appearance, I don''t think she''s a terminally ill patient. I even heard that she''s having an affair with one of her bodyguards. What a depraved woman. Do you think Charles knows about that?" "Since you do, then it''s safe to say that Charles also does. He must have quelled the rumors to protect Rita. You know how he is." I patted David on the shoulder and said with a knowing smile, "Let''s go help our dear Charles realize his feelings for his own wife and stop this madness, shall we?" After leaving the tennis courts, David and I followed Charles to his car. "We sent our drivers home," I told Charles with my head held high. I shed him a cheeky smile. I was actually impressed at how ballsy I was to provoke him. "And we''re starving," David chimed in, putting on a cunning smile. "So?" Charles challenged. He looked like he was trying to bite down his anger. I almost burst into teary-eyedughter. David and I did not often see Charles backed into a corner, and now that we had him in such a predicament, I could not help feeling extremely satisfied. "We would like Scarlett to cook for us. And sharing a meal with her will be a great opportunity for us to get to know each other better," I said casually and shrugged. "What''s that supposed to mean?" Charles sneered. "Oh,e on, Charles. Get your head out of the gutter. I just meant eating together would be a good bonding session for all of us. I wasn''t trying to imply something inappropriate." After saying that, I urged Charles to drive. I was just teasing him, and as expected, he threatened to explode on me like boiling magma inside an active volcano. The entire trip to his ce, Charles kept silent, so David and I tacitly shifted the conversation toward Scarlett. "Scarlett, if you''re having any difficulties in your current job, please know that you can alwayse to me. Mypany will always wee you." "She already has me. She doesn''t need your help. Stop talking nonsense, or I''ll kick you out of my car," Charles growled. David and I immediately stopped talking and exchanged amused nces. We would have high fived if Charles was not there to see it. When we walked out of the elevator and arrived at Charles''s apartment, I put my hand on Scarlett''s shoulder. "I can''t wait to taste what you''re going to cook for us, Scarlett." Scarlett simply smiled at me and said nothing. "Get your hand off her," Charles barked at me. "Oh, for heaven''s sake, Charles, rx. I''m just being nice," I snapped and smirked at Charles. I came today to challenge him at every turn, and so far, I had not failed. Before I could react, Charles removed my hand from Scarlett''s shoulder. "Will you two stop it already?" Scarlett muttered and then put in the password to open the door. "Scarlett, how do you know the password to Charles''s door? I don''t even know it," David asked curiously. "I..." Scarlett stammered. She obviously did not know how to answer the question. "Of course she knows the code to Charles''s door, David. She''s his wife, and she muste here often," I answered for Charles who did not show any sort of reaction. "Enough with your stupid questions, you two," Charles groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose as if he was getting a migraine. It would be ill-advised to keep making fun of Charles and Scarlett, so David and I decided to zip our lips for now. When we entered Charles''s apartment, Scarlett went directly to the kitchen to cook while David and I proceeded to the living room and made ourselvesfortable. "I really need you two to leave now," Charles said in exasperation and looked down at us. We had gone through a lot of trouble to get here. We were not stupid enough to leave without a fight. I rose from my seat and yelled toward the direction of the kitchen, "Scarlett! Cha..." "Shut up! Or I''ll break your fucking jaw!" Charles interrupted me before I could finish my words. I imitated his tone and snickered. Then, I sat back down on the sofa, crossed my legs, and shed him acent look. It seemed that I had found the weakness of the great and almighty Charles Moore, and it was his wife and secret love, Scarlett. I thought it quite amusing that he had not realized that fact himself. "Are you and Scarlett at a good ce in your marriage, Charles?" David asked directly and leaned against the sofa. Charles hesitated for a moment and then answered seriously, "My grandma wants us to be." I had been Charles''s friend for many, many years. I knew when he was spewing bullshit, and right now was one of those times. I could tell that he desperately wanted to be with Scarlett and that he would make that happen with or without his grandmother''s approval. At this time, the doorbell rang. Charles promptly turned around to open the door. I whipped my head toward Charles''s front door. It was gettingte. Did he invite someone else to come over? Chapter 63 Confession Chapter 63 Confession Scarlett''s POV: I could hear Rita''s coquettish voice even from the kitchen. "How can you let an anchorwoman cook, Charles?" she teased. She might be using a gentle voice, but she was still enjoying finding fault in me. "Scarlett was willing to cook, and I didn''t think there was anything wrong with that," Charles replied calmly. He sat on the sofa and paged through the magazine in his hand. Uninterested in their conversation, I just kept my head down and concentrated on cooking. However, Rita was unwilling to be ignored. She sat down next to Charles and chatted with David and Spencer. I nced at her and saw the face of her father, a man who would be forever etched in my memory. No woman would ever forget the man who once asked her to be his mistress. I was still upset about that encounter as if it just happened yesterday. I walked out of the kitchen. I decided I would continue cooking after Rita was done making a scene here. "Where are you going, Scarlett?" Charles put down the magazine and stood up when he saw me leaving. I was about to tell him that I was just stepping out for some fresh air, but then Rita put her hand over her chest and copsed on the floor. I did not buy her act the moment I saw it. The timing was suspiciously impable, the damsel in distress dramatically falling in front of the hero. I almost rolled my eyes. My eyes darted to Charles. He was immediately beside Rita and asking her if she was okay. "Rita? Rita!" Charles called her name several times, but Rita closed her eyes and did not respond. "Scarlett, give me my phone. I need to call the doctor," Charles snapped. I went to get his phone and handed it to him. He was now holding the unconscious Rita in his arms. Charles called a doctor named Addison as he carried Rita out of the apartment. His tone was full of concern and anxiety. As I followed him out, I felt as if my heart was snapping like dried twigs. Once again, he was abandoning me for Rita. Charles put Rita on the backseat of his car and then slid into the driver''s seat. Then, he turned to look at me. "Pleasee with me," he pleaded, which instantly burned through my defenses. My mind screamed at me to refuse, but my body did otherwise. I opened the car door and sat in the backseat with Rita. I carefully set her head on myp and covered her with Charles''s jacket. When we arrived at the hospital, Charles rushed out of the car and grabbed Rita with calcted haste. "Scarlett, please bring my phone," he asked. After saying that, he raced to the emergency room and met with the hospital staff. They quickly put Rita on a gurney and wheeled her in. I took Charles''s phone and followed him to the emergency room. David and Spencer arrived just in time to fall into step beside me. We found Charles sitting in the waiting room, looking worried and weary. "I''m sorry, Spencer and David. This is not a big deal. You don''t have to stay. Scarlett and I can wait here." "No. We''ll wait until there''s news about Rita," Spencer replied. Charles just nodded and did not say anything more. He sat there quietly and stared at the door to the emergency room. Looking at everything in front of me, I did not know how to react. David gently patted me on the shoulder and said, "You must be freaked out, Scarlett. Don''t worry. Charles will take care of everything." I manufactured a smile and put it on my face. Just then, the doors to the emergency room swung open, and a doctor in green scrubs with a stethoscope around his neck emerged. Charles sprang to his feet. Before he could ask, the doctor spoke. "The patient is stable and out of danger. You can rest easy now." Soon, Rita was transferred to the general ward. David, Spencer, and I stood in the corridor and felt relieved to see her. "It''s gettingte, Scarlett, and you have to go to work tomorrow. Let me take you home," David offered. I dipped my chin in acknowledgement. I did not need to be here. Charles could apany Rita, and Rita most certainly did not need me. "Don''t go, Scarlett. I need you." I whipped my head toward Charles and stared at him with wide eyes. Before I could say anything, he strode toward me and stood close enough for us to share breath. My heart began beating madly against my ribcage. "If Charles needs you here, then you should stay, Scarlett." I did not know if it was Spencer or David who left thatst remark because they were gone before I could turn my head to them. s, there was only Charles and I in the quiet, deserted hospital corridor. We kept silent for a long while. We just listened to each other inhale and exhale. I could have said something had I known what. The thought of Rita lying in the ward nearby rendered me speechless. "Are you cold? You''re shaking," Charles asked as he took my hand. I was startled by his sudden movement. I hurriedly turned my face away and tried to withdraw my hand. "No, I''m not cold." But Charles held on to my hand tightly. "Scarlett... Please listen to me. I''m sorry for how I reacted when Rita..." Charles said slowly with determination in his eyes. "But it''s not because I''m in love with her. I simply want to repay her kindness. I''m in love with you. I want to be with you." I blinked twice after Charles finished his words. I thought I was dreaming. I looked at him in disbelief. What was he talking about? Did he really just say that he was in love with me? That was impossible! He must be ying tricks on me again! My mind went nk. After a few heartbeats, I broke his grip, turned around, and walked away. "Scarlett!" Charles called my name many times, but all I did was quicken my pace. Charles''s POV: Rita was still in aa. I stayed with her at the hospital the whole night. But all I could see in my mind''s eye was Scarlett walking away. It was not until the next morning that Richard arrived. "Take good care of her. I''ll go home first ande backter." Then, I left. I drove straight to Garden Street. After ourst conversation, I did not think that Scarlett would be in the mood to make me breakfast at my apartment today. I stood by her front door and hesitated to knock. ''You''re such a damn coward, Charles,'' I cursed myself. But no matter the result, I should bravely face what was in front of me. So I raised my hand and knocked on Scarlett''s door. However, after knocking three times, no one came to answer. After a while, I decided to take out my key and open the door. Scarlett was nowhere to be found.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She was not home. The guilt and anxiety in my heart just got stronger. I just stood there in the middle of her house, unsure what to do next. Then, my phone beeped. I took it out and read the message absentmindedly. Then I saw it was from Scarlett. "Breakfast is ready." It was a simple sentence that I stared at for a long time. Then, my head teemed with a whole new tangle of emotions. Chapter 64 Sponsorship Chapter 64 Sponsorship Scarlett''s POV: As soon as I arrived at the office, I received a call from Nate. "Have you made up your mind, honey?" he asked in a lewd, disgusting tone. "I will make up my damn mind when I go out of it," I snapped. Then, I hung up the phone and blocked his number. I did not want to waste my breath because I was in a bad mood. Although my reason told me again and again that Charles only said those words to poke fun at me, my heart still hoped that they came from a ce of truth. His words lingered in my ears as if he were uttering them to me. "I''m in love with you! I want to be with you, Scarlett." That scene yed over and over in my head like a broken record, and it was starting to disrupt my concentration at work. I needed a break to calm down and realign myself, so I stood up and made my way to the lounge. But before I could push the door open, I overheard people talking about me inside. Judging from the voices, they were female colleagues of mine, but I was not close to any one of them. "Don''t you think it''s shameful for Scarlett to do that in the meeting room yesterday?" "They stayed there for at least an hour. That handsome man she was with must be very energetic." "I think it''s because Scarlett was sexually unsatisfied..." I could not stand it anymore. I stormed in. The threedies sitting at the round table all looked embarrassed when they saw me. "Aren''t youdies supposed to be working and not gossiping in here?" They exchanged nervous nces and hurriedly left. None of them dared to make eye contact with me. I sighed and made a cup of coffee after they left, but before I could take a sip, Linda walked in and approached me in haste. Thinking of what happenedst time, I had guessed what she hade to tell me. "Scarlett, Mr. Valdez wants you toe have lunch with him today," Linda said directly. "Oh, Linda, do I have to? There has to be a better way to get a sponsorship." Thinking of that fat, depraved man, I frowned in disgust. The media industry should not operate in this way. I did not believe that there was no way to change the way things went. "I know, sweetie. Believe me, I get it. No woman relishes to deal with the likes of Mr. Valdez," Linda agreed in a low voice. "Well, it''s not that we don''t have a choice. In fact, I think Mr. Moore is a great option. You two seem to get along quite well. I mean, he was just here for you yesterday. With him as your backer, Mr. Valdez won''t be able toy a finger on you." Linda''s words were full of hints. As soon as I heard Charles''s name, my skin bristled as if I were a cornered porcupine raising its barbed quills. "Charles may be like a brother to me, but I don''t want his charity. Besides, I don''t like owing people favors. It''s just like buying a weakness," I said stiffly. Thest person I wanted to depend on was Charles. "Okay. So is that a yes to the luncheon meeting with Mr. Valdez?" Linda eyed me carefully. She looked like she wanted to say something more but decided against it. "No, Linda. I''m sorry." Thinking of what happened that day, I felt my stomach flip. "Very well. All right. Let me treat you to dinner then. Please?" "To that I''ll say yes. See you after work." The work day passed by quickly. In the evening, Linda booked us a VIP lounge at a great restaurant. When I entered the room, I immediately thought I was dreaming. I saw not only Linda but also Mr. Valdez and Charles. Charles was sitting at the head of the table, and he smiled at me the moment I walked in. Thinking of what I said to Linda this morning, I got nervous. Had she said anything to Charles about our conversation? Worried that she might have, I rushed over to Charles and grabbed his hand. "What are you doing here?" I asked as calmly as I could. Charles did not show any surprise at my feigned gentleness. He just squeezed my hand. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "Linda and I were schoolmates back in the day. I came here as a favor to her." I nodded perfunctorily, feeling a little surprised that Linda and Charles actually knew each other. Then, I managed to give Mr. Valdez a friendly smile and chose a seat far away from him. "Sit next to me, Scarlett," Charles ordered. He pulled up a chair next to him and then casually leaned on his like a king waiting for his jester to entertain him. I smiled awkwardly and took the seat beside him. I did not want to embarrass him in front of Linda and Mr. Valdez. Unexpectedly, as soon as I sat down, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. "You may not know this, but Scarlett is my woman," Charles suddenly announced to no particr person in the room. My heart immediately started racing after he finished his sentence, and my eyes darted around the room to spot the nearest exits. I could not believe he just called me his woman. "But isn''t Miss Lively your girlfriend, Mr. Moore?" Mr. Valdez asked. The moment Charles said that I was his woman, the cocky smile on Mr. Valdez''s plump face disappeared. "Can''t I have two women at the same time?" Charles asked in reply, his face remaining neutral. Mr. Valdez averted his gaze and cleared his throat. He could only muster an awkward smile. I carefully took a breath beside Charles. I knew that Charles was trying to help me. If he told Mr. Valdez that he and I were involved, Mr. Valdez would not dare to even breathe wrong in my direction. He did not have to do it, but he did, and I wondered why. Was he not afraid of Rita finding out? All of a sudden, I recalled what Charles said to me at the hospital the night we rushed Rita to the emergency room. He said that he loved me and that he just regarded Rita as someone whose kindness he wanted to reciprocate. God. What the hell was he doing ying this game again? Yes, I still thought that Charles was not being serious. This was his pattern. He came on to me and then turned around and left me. I could not fall into his vicious cycle again. I just could not. As a stampede of assumptions ravaged my head, I happened to nce at Linda and found that she was winking at me. I shed her a nk look, and then she turned to look at Mr. Valdez. "Please," she mouthed at me. Only then did I realize that she wanted me to break the ufortable silence. I was not used to dealing with this kind of situation, but on second thought, Charles''s business might suffer if he offended Mr. Valdez like this. So I gritted my teeth and decided to apologize to Mr. Valdez. But before I could, Charles rose from his seat. "Well, your silence was loud enough tomunicate your judgment, Mr. Valdez. I do not appreciate it, but I also do not care for it. I live my life without validation from others." Charles swept his cold gaze around the room like a monarch sizing up his court. Obviously, Linda did not expect him to react so strongly to Mr. Valdez''s non-response. She stood up with a nervous smile on her face. "Charles, nobody''s judging you here. I''m being a terrible hostess. I apologize. How about I have dinner served and we all share a lovely meal?" Charles still stood there. He looked back at me with tenderness in his eyes. "Do you want to eat?" I looked at him nkly and did not answer. "Then let''s go. I don''t like this dirty ce." Charles nced indifferently at Linda and Mr. Valdez, grabbed my hand, and towed me out. However, as we walked toward the door, it swung open, and thest person I wanted to see swaggered inside like he owned the ce¡ªNate Lively. I gasped. What was he doing here? Did he follow me here? "Scarlett! Are you leaving already? But I just got here." Nate nced at my hand, which Charles was holding. He shed me a crooked smile. I lowered my head in embarrassment and tried to shake off Charles''s grip, but Charles just held on tighter. "It''s good that you''re here. I have something to tell you," Charles muttered and shot daggers at Nate with his eyes. Chapter 65 Protect Chapter 65 Protect Scarlett''s POV: "Charles, what do you want to say to me? Well, whatever it is, we can talk about it inside." Nate rubbed his hands. "It''s about Rita." After saying that, Charles grabbed my hand and escorted me out of the room. And Nate followed us closely. His hair was neatlybed and he was wearing frameless sses, which made it obvious that he was a shrewd businessman. "Mr. Lively, it''s been a while, right?" There was a hint of elegance in the way Charles stood casually with one hand in his trouser pocket. Normally, he would be cold and aloof in front of outsiders. I secretly poked his palm. Without looking at me, he pinched my palm softly in order to make me feel comforted. "Yes. What''s the matter with Rita?" With a kind smile on his lips, Rita''s father took out a cigarette and handed it to Charles. Instead of taking the cigarette from him, Charles gave him a cold nce and said in a serious tone, "I will take care of the problem between me and Rita. I hope you stay out of it. You should just enjoy your life and not worry about us. Our lives are for us to worry about." "Why are you saying such things? I am only worried that you might not be able to handle it." Embarrassed, Nate withdrew the cigarette, but he continued to smile, unbothered by Charles 1 indifference. "Just leave it to me, Mr. Lively." Saying that, Charles pursed his lips, his eyes filled with coldness. "And please, don''t pester Scarlett again. She has juste to Los Angeles and does not know a lot of things here, so if you need anything, then I suggest youe to me." Nate squinted his eyes at him, preparing to light his cigarette. After hearing Charles'' words, he turned to me in confusion. "Scarlett, what did you say to him? Why is he saying such a thing to me? Is it wrong for me to care about you youngsters as an elder?" Hearing his words, I felt sickened by his hypocrisy. Even though he knew that he was an elder, he had so brazenly asked me to be his mistress before. Turning away from him, I whispered to Charles, "Let''s go." Just when he was about to take me away from there, Nate stopped him. The smile on Nate''s lips disappeared as he looked at me with maliciousness in his eyes and asked, "Scarlett, you haven''t answered my question yet. Can''t I look after you as an elder? Do you look down on me and the Lively family?" Deliberately exaggerating the facts, Nate was trying to use me of being arrogant. His shamelessness left me speechless and stunned. Rita and her father were birds of a feather. "Mr. Lively, I respect you because you are an elder, so don''t try to push your luck. Please take good care of your family. I don''t think you will be able to bear the consequences if the Lively family copses. Scarlett is my wife, and you need to keep that in mind," Charles hissed, standing in front of me. No one would dare to provoke Charles, not only because he had the Moore family backing him up, but also because he was a really powerful man. After only several years of his management, the Moore Group was now flourishing very well. More importantly, Charles was a ruthless business tycoon. Nate''s eyes showed a hint of panic when he faced Charles'' wrath, and he had no choice but to keep silent. Ignoring him, Charles took me away from there with a snort. Looking at his back, I was having mixed feelings. Everything that he just said kept echoing in my mind. I never expected Charles to protect me like a guardian angel. My heart was full of bittersweet emotions, and tears streamed down my cheeks uncontrobly. "Let''s go home," he said to me. "Alright," I replied him in a low voice, sniffling. Charles suddenly stopped walking, and I bumped into his back. "What''s the matter? Are you crying?" He turned around and held my face in his hands, observing my eyes lovingly. "No." I tried to avoid eye contact with him as I did not want to admit that his words had moved me, and I was now crying because of it. I was actually embarrassed to admit that even though it was true. However, my red eyes betrayed me, and he looked at me with a sense of pride in his heart. "Are you enchanted by me? You can just marry me." I snorted, "You wish!" "Well, yes... I actually forgot that we''re already married." With a faint nod, Charles stroked my head dotingly. And that very instant, my heart melted into a puddle. He stopped once we reached his house. I looked at him hesitantly, wondering, ''Is he not going to send me back home?'' "Don''t look at me like I kidnapped you! I''m just hungry, so I want to eat the food that you cook," Charles said righteously as though he could read my mind. "What would you like to eat?" Since I had not eaten much at dinner, I also felt hungry when I heard him mention that. However, instead of answering my question, he held my hand and kissed it. My fingertips felt soft, and I shrank back. "Don''t kiss me like that for no reason!" Charles chuckled and kissed the back of my hand again before letting me go. He then unfastened my seat belt, leaned closer, and whispered softly, "I will soon be eating you." And the confidence in his tone made me feel extremely nervous. "Go away!" I shouted, pretending like I was calm. "Sure, Your Highness." With a smile on his lips, Charles saluted to me as he got off the car. Due to his flirtatious moves, my mind was a mess now. When I got home, I walked straight to the kitchen, trying to calm myself down. However, I could not get him off my mind. Since I was distracted by him, I identally added an extra spoonful of vinegar into the soup. I tried to redeem it in a hurry, but it ended up tasting weird. After multiple failed attempts to fix the soup, I gave up and tried to focus on making the next dish. I heard a sounding from the living room. Charles seemed to havee down after taking a shower. As soon as I turned around, I saw him walking towards the kitchen. His hair was damp, and the drop of water that was clinging to a strand of hand above his forehead, make him look more affectionate. I lowered my head to avoid looking into his eyes. "Dinner will be ready soon." I tried to ignore his intense gaze on my back and sped up the pace. Soon, dinner was ready. Just when I was going to take the food to the dining table, he stopped me. I didn''t want to look at him, so I stood still with my head down. He seemed to be a little upset and grabbed the te from my hand. "Does the floor have any gold on it? Why aren''t you looking at me?" Even though he was trying to make conversation, I still could not face his eyes, so I walked to the kitchen again to get the tableware. At the dinner table, Charles slowly sliced the beef on his te with a fork and a knife. His fingers were elegantly moving as he sliced through the steak with a knife. It was as though he was a royal, who looked elegant even when eating. "Why are you only eating the vegetables? Here, have some soup." Putting his knife and fork down, he looked at me with a frown. His words pulled me back to reality, but before I could even say anything, he had already filled up my soup bowl. The moment I tasted the soup, my whole face shrunk. "Is it too hot?" Charles asked with concern. I faked a smile as I shook my head and gently pushed the bowl in front of him. "It''s so delicious, Charles. Why don''t you taste it?" He did not suspect anything at all. Taking a sip of the hot soup, he said in a calm voice, "It really is quite delicious!" "Isn''t it too sour for you?" I blinked in confusion as I wondered if there was something wrong with my taste buds. I took another sip to make sure that I was not wrong, and it indeed tasted sour! It was both sour and salty. Amused, Charles put away the soup bowl and served me a slice of the beef. After dinner, I washed the dishes quickly, wanting to go back home as soon as I could. "What''s the rush?" Charles asked casually as he took the clean dishes from my hand and arranged them in the cupboard. "I am a famous anchorwoman, so my time is very precious." Just when I was about to leave, he stopped me. "It''s sote, and you have toe here tomorrow morning, anyway, so why do you have to go home tonight? Not to mention, I will be extremely worried if you went back alone at this hour." "Then you send me back," I suggested. "But I''m so tired." Charles yawned, pretending to be exhausted. The corners of my mouth twitched. "Then I''ll go home on my own." "Stay here. I''ll sleep in the guest room. Don''t worry. I am not going to do anything to you." Charles held my hand tightly, as if he was worried that I would try to run away. "I''m not worried. You''re just overthinking things. Besides, I want to go home because I am used to sleeping in my own bed, and I can''t fall asleep here on a new bed, so don''t impose your strange ideas on me. And how long do you expect me to ustom myself to such a life?" "For the rest of your life!" Charles said in a firm voice, pressing his lips into a thin line. I was so furious that I was at a loss for words. I just wanted to make him let go of my hand. However, his grip was so tight that I could not move at all. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Staying the night here is not a big deal. Are you worried that you might not be able to control yourself?" "Fine, I''ll stay." Unwilling to argue with him any longer, I had no choice but topromise. Before going to bed, Charles asked me to take his bed. The pillows wereced with his scent, which was pleasantly refreshing. I tossed and turned on the bed, determined to draw a clear line between us starting tomorrow. Chapter 66 Granddaughter -in-law Chapter 66 Granddaughter -inw Scarlett''s POV: I got up early. The door of the guest room was closed, so I guessed that Charles had not gotten up yet. I took some bread and eggs out of the fridge and made breakfast for us. After finishing my meal, I left Charles''s on the table. Charles''s apartment was located in the heart of the business district, surrounded by skyscrapers and many establishments. The location of his home was ideal. The only disadvantage was the traffic jam. I had to leave his ce early if I wanted to make it to work on time. As soon as I arrived at the office, I was as busy as a bee. I was thankful for all the work because it allowed me to forget about Charles. At noon, Abner walked up to me and handed me a cup of coffee. "I have good news, Scarlett. Thepany will choose two employees to send abroad to study. If you''re interested, I can talk you up." "Really? Buthowlongwilllbe away if I''m picked?" "A year." Abner paused and then continued, "This is an amazing opportunity. You could learn many things that would help advance your career. I really hope you seize it." I was a little hesitant. A lot could change in a year. "I''ll think about it and give you an answer as soon as possible." "I suppose Charles is the main reason for your hesitation." Once again, Abner hit the nail on the head. I averted my gaze and took a sip of my coffee. "No, I''m just worried about my family." "Onlookers see more clearly. I know you''re indecisive because you can''t let go of some things, but I sincerely hope that this time around, you''ll put yourself first." After that, Abner left. Abner was a very rational man. And he was right. When it came to Charles, I still deceived myself. As soon as Abner left, Linda walked over to me. She took my hand, pulled me into an empty meeting room, and shut the door. "What happened to Charles and Rita''s fatherst night?" she asked curiously. I thought for a while and then told her that I did not know. There was no need to exin that matter to outsiders. It was simply one of the things that were better left unsaid. Linda seemed a little disappointed that she could not get the information she wanted, so she changed the subject. "What about you and Charles? Are you two really together? "Charles and I..." "You know what, forget it. It doesn''t matter. Mr. Valdez regrets the advances he made toward you. He said that if he had known that you and Charles were a thing, he wouldn''t have made a move on you. He wants to apologize to you." Linda waved her hand and continued, "Well, let''s just let bygones be bygones. I don''t want to hold onto what happenedst night anymore. I''m sorry for the trouble I have caused you." I was stunned. I did not expect the course our conversation took. To some extent, Charles had helped me solve the problem. Because of him, I did not need to wine and dine with the business partners anymore to get a sponsorship. I smiled at Linda. I understood her helplessness. After leaving the meeting room, I went to the studio. After the show, one of my colleagues told me that an olddy was waiting for me in the reception room. The olddy said that she wanted to see her granddaughter-inw. I immediately realized that it was Christine. I thanked my colleague before rushing to the reception room with my phone in my hand. As soon as I arrived there, Christine''s heartyughter filled my ears. She was sitting there surrounded by many of the station''s staff who were serving her some tea and snacks. Everyone around the office was hospitable, and Christine was a ray of sunshine that drew people. I politely dispersed the crowd, closed the door of the reception room, and sat beside Christine. "What are you doing here, Grandma?" She smiled and gently patted me on the hand. "I''m here to tell everyone that you''re Charles''s wife. I don''t want to see you get bullied again." I choked on my words for a bit. I did not want to blurt them out in a way that would hurt one of the most important women in my life. "I appreciate your concern, Grandma, but I can take care of myself. Besides, Charles and I are getting divorced soon." "But you haven''t yet. You''re still my granddaughter-inw. And even if you and Charles get divorced, I still won''t allow anyone to give you a hard time," Christine replied with conviction. I felt moved and helpless at the same time. "Grandma, I may no longer be your granddaughter-in- law soon, but I will always be your granddaughter, right?" "I suppose we''ll always be family. A marriage certificate can''t change that." Christine shed me a perfunctory smile. I took her hands in mine and squeezed them. "Thank you, Grandma. I think the divorce will be good for me and for Charles, but no matter what happens between us, I will always be your granddaughter." "All right, my dear." Christine smiled back at me and squeezed my hands as well. Then, she cocked her head to the side and asked, "Do you really only have familial affection for Charles? I remember when you told him you wanted him to be your brother. He pouted so much that I thought he was going to break his face." Thinking of Charles''s boyish, angry look, Christine and I burst intoughter. Only the members of the Moore family and the people closest to them knew of Charles''s childish side. "I just want to focus on my career now, Grandma. I don''t want to think about other things for the time being." "Your career will only affect your marriage and rtionships if you let it." I kept silent for a few seconds and then said softly, "We want to divorce not only because of personal reasons but also because of Rita." "That damn woman! She really is desperate to marry into the Moore family! Well, she can forget it!" Christine always got angry every time Rita was mentioned. She put down her teacup and put on a serious face. She was also a big shot in the business world during her prime. When she was serious, she exuded an intimidating aura. I immediatelyforted her, "I''m sure Charles will try his best to do right by our family. We just have to let him make his own decisions, and one of them is us getting a divorce. Please don''t tell everyone that I am your granddaughter-inw from now on. I don''t want the embarrassment when Charles and I finally finish the process." I looked into Christine''s eyes, hoping she would grant my small request. Slowly but surely, her eyes softened, and a sympathetic smile curled her lips. She leaned over and gave me a hug. "Okay, dear. I''ll take back what I said to everyone." Christine had always been a decisive person. As soon as she finished her words, she rose from her seat and walked toward the door, but I stopped her before she could reach for the doorknob. "You don''t need to exin anything to my colleagues now, Grandma. Just stop telling them about me being your granddaughter-inw. By the way, there''s a great coffee shop nearby. How about we go there? I have no work to do this afternoon. I can have coffee with you and go shopping with you if you like." Christine dly agreed to my suggestion. As we made our way out of the reception room, everyone turned to look at us with curiosity in their eyes. "Scarlett is not my granddaughter-inw. Stop staring at her. You''re making her self-conscious," Christine blurted out without hesitation. She even turned around and winked at me like she was asking for some credit. I kept my gaze ahead and led her out of the station. As I expected, things got worse after she cleared things up about our rtionship. The coffee shop was not that far from the station. It was well-decorated, and it offered many different kinds of coffee. It was always filled with people because it was so weing and cozy. It was a great ce for both those who wanted to enjoy some time withpany and those who wanted some time alone with their thoughts. Christine and I sat there and enjoyed our cups of coffee. We talked like we had not seen each other in a long time. Finally, Christine nced at her watch and gasped, "Oh, my, look at the time. We''ve been talking forever. I have to get home now, dear. Your grandfather must already be looking for me. We''ll go shopping next time, okay?" N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "Okay, Grandma. Let''s take a rain check for now." "Good girl. The coffee here is really good. I''ll bring a cup home to your grandfather." Christine nodded and called the waiter over. Hearing her mention Michael, I could not help sighing, "You and Grandpa really love each other so much, don''t you?" She teased me with a smile, "You and Charles are perfectly capable of doing the same." As soon as she finished her words, Charles walked into the coffee shop. Speaking of the devil. "Why are you popping up wherever I am like a mushroom?" I could not help sniping at him. He had no business showing up here because this coffee shop was too far away from his office. Charles did not answer my question. Instead, he walked up to me. He was wearing his usual all-ck suit jacket, and heads turned toward him as he made his way to me. "Damn, why does he always have to look this good?" I cursed under my breath. He raised his eyebrows as if he heard what I just mumbled. Then, he leaned in and nted a soft kiss on my cheek. "I''ve missed you today, my dear wife. I swung by your office to pick you up, and one of your colleagues told me that you left a long time ago with a woman who referred to you as her granddaughter-inw. Hi, Grandma." "Would you keep your voice down?" I snapped at him in a low voice. When I heard the words "wife" and "granddaughter-inw", I felt my cheeks and ears burn. I had no doubt that I had just turned as red as a tomato. "What? Why should picking my wife up from work be a secret? Anyway, let''s give Grandma a ride home first," Charles replied as he held Christine''s arm. "Oh, no. I won''t be the third wheel here. I''ll ask the driver to pick me up," Christine beamed and shook her head. Chapter 67 Ambiguous Relationship Chapter 67 Ambiguous Rtionship Charles'' POV: After saying goodbye to my grandma, I took Scarlett home. Scarlett was silent throughout our way back home. With my hands on the steering wheel, I could not help but tease her, "I''m afraid that all the employees at thepany know that you are my wife now." Upon hearing that, Scarlett turned around, ring at me. There seemed to be a hint ofint in her eyes as she asked, "Oh my God! Why do you have to mention that?" "We are a couple, and I don''t see why we should hide that from them," I replied casually. "Stop kidding! You know we are not." It was obviously not something that I wanted to hear, but I took a deep breath and stopped talking about it. I couldn''t be too anxious, after all. I was the one who sinned first. I wanted to make it up to her. I wanted her to believe me and ept me. As soon as we got home, Scarlett washed her hands, and rushed into the kitchen, trying to avoid me. I walked into the kitchen, leaned against the wall, and watched as she cooked. She slightly leaned over the counter and began to chop the vegetables with a knife. Although her knife skills were not as remarkable as those chefs'' on the cooking shows, there was an elegance in her style of holding the knife. And I believed that Muse could not be more attractive than Scarlett in the kitchen. While she was absorbed in her cooking, the apron around her blue dress swayed, making her look quite charming. "Scarlett, you look so adorable when you cook that even someone like Narcissus will be fascinated with you." "You''re unctuous!" She did not turn around, but I could clearly see that her ears were red. Seeing that, I could not help but smile. I felt rxed whenever she was around. I really hoped to have such days with her in the future. While I was immersed in admiring her, my phone rang. I saw the caller ID on the screen, and nced at Scarlett. She seemed to be quite busy and did not want to talk to me at all. So I walked to the living room, answering the call quietly. "What''s up, Rita?" I was on the verge of losing my patience with Rita. Time and again, she would cry and beg for me to understand her, even though she would never consider my feelings. "Charles! I can''t believe what you did! How could you talk to my father like that?" Usually, Rita would start our calls with a crying voice, but it was different now. It was evident that her father did not take my words seriously at all. In fact, he had quickly comined to his daughter, thinking that I had offended him. "He has been harassing Scarlett, Rita. And I am just getting started. If you had not saved me, I would not have let him go so easily," I said in a calm voice. "No, no, Charles... Didn''t you say that you were divorcing Scarlett? My father is your future father-in- law. How could you disrespect him so blindly?" Rita''s voice was choked with sobs. I could almost imagine the tears in her eyes, because I had already seen them a million times by now. However, I found it strange that I did not feel pity for her as I had before. "Yes, I was," I said coldly. "Charles? What do you mean by that? Why do you keep defending your ex-wife so much?" Rita raised her voice. Annoyed, I just hung up the phone. I did not expect her to be so insatiable. Looking at the phone screen, I couldn''t help but frown. I had not thought that she would have such a side to her. It was obviously her father who was in the wrong, but instead of feeling guilty, she was taking his side. Thinking that I had been trusting the wrong person all along made me sick to my guts, like I had swallowed a fly. "What''s the matter, Charles?" Scarlett asked, taking off her apron. "Rita called andined that I shouldn''t have spoken to her father like that," I exined, trying my best to keep my emotions in check. I was afraid that Scarlett might get angry again knowing that Rita called. "Oh, hasn''t she always been like that? Don''t provoke her, okay? She is not in good health right now." To my surprise, Scarlett was a lot calmer than I had expected. She took her apron and hung it on the wall. "Okay. Is dinner ready? Let''s eat! I can''t wait to eat the food you made," I said softly, holding her hand. Scarlett had prepared a sumptuous dinner of cream of mushroom soup,mb chops with ck pepper, and bacon sd. Although the ingredients were pretty basic, I felt like it was better than the food served at Michelin restaurants. Moreover, Scarlett had specially cooked it for me. Thinking of that, I realized that her food was particrly delicious to me. Scarlett sat from across me at the dinner table, quietly enjoying her sd. Even though she was not eating her food with elegance like Rita always did, her mannerisms stimted my appetite. "Scarlett, I wish I could eat your food every single day." Even my meaningfulpliment did not inspire her to pay attention to me. I was staring at her when her phone rang all of a sudden. Scarlett kept looking at her phone asionally and would also reply to the messages. With a frown, I walked over to her, and grabbed her phone. I noticed that she was messaging Nina. I felt relieved when I thought that she was not texting some man that I did not know about. "Honey, are you secretly in a rtionship with Charles?" I did not hesitate as I sat down next to Scarlett, held her waist to stop her from taking her phone back, as I replied to the message. "We are actually a couple." I then loosened my grip on her waist so that she could take her phone back. "Charles, why did you do that? Don''t talk nonsense!" Scarlett cried out as soon as she saw the message. She withdrew the message, ring at me. "Aren''t we a couple now?" I was indifferent to her shyness and her anger as I moved closer to her. Scarlett was so furious that she raised her hand, and tried to push me away, but she was too weak for my strength. I grabbed her hand and pulled her into my arms. Scarlett''s soft breasts clung to my chest, and I could smell a faint hint of peppermint perfume from her body. Although I had always considered myself to be a man with good self-control, even I could not help but admit that I was so fascinated by her at that moment. If only it had been the right time for such things, I would have taken her right then and there. "Let go of me, Charles. I have to go. I have to meet Nina at the bar." Trembling, Scarlett pushed me away crossly. Even if I could not do what I wanted to now, I was not going to let her go so easily. "I haven''t finished yet. You must have dinner with me," I whispered in her ear. "You are not a child. You don''t need an adult to apany you while you eat your food. Besides, I only promised to cook for you; I never said anything about having dinner with you." Scarlett''s eyes were cold as she looked at me. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "What if I tell you that I can''t eat without you?" I asked slowly and sensually, looking into her eyes. "Please, just promise that you will have dinner with me, and after that I will take you wherever you need to go." Gradually her cheeks began to turn red. Now, I knew for certain that she would not leave me alone. "Okay, fine, but just this once." She looked at me helplessly, but I found her reluctance to be rather adorable. Chapter 68 The Lawsuit Chapter 68 The Lawsuit Scarlett''s POV: I swore that I was not a person of weak will. But when such a perfect man like Charles pouted and acted like a spoiled brat, I did not think any woman could refuse him. So that I could leave as soon as I could, I promised him that I would finish dinner with him and then go meet Nina. I was absentminded during the entire meal because I was not that hungry. Also, Charles had been watching me and shing me yful smiles, which made me uneasy. I only felt relieved when dinner was finally done. Charles kept his word and drove me to the bar. However, after opening the car door for me and letting me out, he stood in my way. "Scarlett, drinking is bad for your health, and it''s easy to get into trouble when you''ve had too much of it. Don''t drink more than three sses of wine, and don''t stay for more than half an hour inside. I''ll wait for you here," Charles dered as he looked down at me. I rolled my eyes and heaved a frustrated sigh. "Charles, I''m an adult. I know how to conduct myself in a bar. I don''t need you to tell me how much alcohol I should drink or how much time I should spend with my friend. Honestly, do you really see me as some girl who doesn''t know her limits?" My snapping apparently intimidated Charles. He raised both his hands in surrender and stepped back. "Very well. I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have said so much. I''m just worried about you, okay?" he said. I grabbed my purse, walked past him, and headed straight to the bar. "Stay as long as you want. I''ll wait for you here," he yelled after me. I kept walking. "Go home, Charles. I can take care of myself." As soon as I entered the bar, I saw Nina waving at me. I smiled, walked over to her, and sat down. "Hey, Nina. How did you know about this ce? It''s really nice and buzzing. I love the decoration." "This is Spencer''s new bar. I thought you knew about it. He told me I could swing by whenever I wanted and put my bill on his tab." Nina put on a charming smile and flipped her curly hair. "Since when did you and Spencer get so close?" I asked curiously. She giggled and poked me with her elbow. "Oh, please. We''re not here to talk about me and Spencer. We''re here to talk about you and Charles. So what''s your deal? I saw the message before you withdrew it. Are you really a couple? I mean, he''s beening to the office to see you and everything." Nina leaned in and stared at me with great interest. I felt a little embarrassed under her probing gaze. "No, we''re not a couple." "Honey, I just said I saw the message. Don''t tell me you just happened to type the wrong word. Aren''t we good friends? Why can''t you tell me the truth?" Nina refused to give up. Looking at her, I knew I could not hide anymore. She had always been kind to me, and I had known her to be the kind of person that I could trust. Finally deciding to tell her the truth, I took a deep, steadying breath. "As you know, the president of the Lively Group came to the office to see me a few days ago. He''s actually Rita''s father. When my father was alive, he had been involved in awsuit with him." I weighed my words carefully and left out the part where Nate expressed his depraved desire to keep me as his mistress. Then, I continued, "Charles found out about it and came to the station to ask me about it. He wanted to know what Rita''s father had said to me. And yes, we''re indeed a couple. We''ve been married for a few years." I felt a little sheepish telling Nina about my secret marriage. It was like I was back in high school and telling my best friend about the forbidden rtionship I was having with the school bad boy. I had never felt sillier in my entire life. "Oh, my God, Scarlett! I can''t believe you''re only telling me this now!" Nina cried out, drawing the attention of the people in closest proximity to us. I did not see any trace of anger or disappointment in her face though, which made me feel relieved. "I didn''t mean to hide it from you. It''s just something that I don''t want to bring up in casual conversations." I reached out for her hand and squeezed it. "Well, thank you for finally telling me. At least I''m sure now that you regard me as a real friend. And you can trust me, you know?" She shed me a crooked smile, squeezed my hand back, and then proceeded to yfully pinch my face. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "Now, now, Mrs. Moore, don''t be sad. Charles will be heartbroken if he sees you frowning." The moment the words "Mrs. Moore" rolled off Nina''s tongue, I instinctively covered her mouth with my hand. I knew she was just teasing, but the fact that I was married to Charles was still not something I wanted announced in a public ce. "Would you keep it down? We''re not really the happily-ever-after married couple you think." "But you''re still married, aren''t you?" Nina grinned and raised her eyebrows at me. "Yes, but again, it''s not what you think," I whispered, still leaving out the part that our marriage was basically a business deal. It was aplicated arrangement, and I did not want to drag Nina into all of it. After a little catch-up and joking around, Nina ordered two cocktails for us and asked, "You said that your father was involved in awsuit when he was alive. Do you know much about it?" "No, not really. It was many years ago. All I know is that something big happened to the Riley Group and that my father was left devastated." "Wait, the Riley Group? Why does that name sound familiar? Oh! Yes! My father handled that case!" Nina suddenly shouted. I almost fell out of my seat in shock. "What do you mean?" At this time, our waiter brought us our cocktails, and Nina took a sip from hers. She collected herself and started exining excitedly. "My father is awyer. He used to work for the Riley Group''s legal team." I could not believe my ears. How could the world be this small? Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine Nina and myself to be connected this way. Nina''s father used to be my father''swyer. "Your father''s case was actually sensational. The media followed it closely back in the day. My father had been very busy at that time. I watched him work the entire case, so I know about it," Nina said, biting on her straw and staring into space as if she was recalling a half-forgotten memory. Listening to her, my heart started racing. I suddenly thought of my father. He had taken good care of me, but ultimately, we were forced to part ways. I could still remember his haggard face when he was being interrogated like a criminal. It was one of the scenes in my life that I would erase from my mind in a heartbeat if I could. I picked up my cocktail and took a sip. The cold, sweet liquid burned a line down my throat. The alcohol was supposed to be a downer, something to blunt the edges of pain, but tonight, its sting felt like salt against an open wound. I lowered my head and shook the awful images off my mind. "My father still thinks that your father was innocent. I''m sorry, Scarlett. We shouldn''t be talking about this, but if it makes you feel any better, as long as you don''t give up, I''m sure you''ll find a way to wash away your father''s grievances." Nina held my hand and looked at me seriously. I appreciated her encouragement. I was grateful to her and her father. Besides myself, they were the other people who believed in my father. Once again, I squeezed Nina''s hand. I had a lot to say to her, but I did not know where to start. "Wait, is that Rita? What is she doing here?" Nina suddenly asked in a low voice, looking past my shoulder. Her words toppled my thoughts like a baseball crashing into a pyramid of milk bottles. I turned to look at the entrance of the bar. Charles and Rita walked in arm in arm with Spencer following behind them. "Oh, my God! Is she following you or something?" Nina mumbled unhappily. I straightened my back the moment Iid eyes on Rita. I hastily rose from my seat and kept my head down, hoping that Charles had not noticed me. "Excuse me. I need to go to the bathroom," I told Nina. My breath starteding in short bursts when I saw Rita cling to Charles. It was thest thing I wanted to see and certainly not something I would love to stick around and watch. Chapter 69 Encounter Chapter 69 Encounter Rita''s POV: Charles had been getting more and more indifferent toward metely, which left me feeling all flustered and restless. Did I do something wrong? At this time, Richard walked in with a bunch of roses in his hand. What was wrong with this man? "Where have you been? Did you find anything?" I had sent him to keep an eye on Scarlett, but he had returned with no useful information. "I haven''t found anything unusual, babe." Richard put the roses in the vase, turned around, and looked at me fawningly. "Oh, you worthless goon! Have you really been keeping an eye on Scarlett like I told you to? Charles has been giving me the cold shoulder! It has to be her fault!" I rushed up to him, grabbed the vase, and shattered it on the floor. Richard did not even flinch. He had been guarding me for so long that he had gotten used to my mood swings and erratic behavior. Without saying a word, he just went ahead and started cleaning up the mess I made. "I asked you a question, Richard!" I could not stand it when he answered me with the silent treatment. "Spencer has opened a new bar. Maybe we can ask him what''s going on with Charles and Scarlett," he finally suggested. That lit up a bulb in my head. Spencer was Charles''s good friend. Why had I never thought of asking him? "Thank you. That''s a great idea." With a smile, I tiptoed and kissed Richard''s Adam''s apple. The dejection on his face disappeared in an instant, and he hadpletely sumbed to my charm. He stretched out his arms and attempted to wrap them around me. I knew he wanted more. But I did not let him seed. I pushed him away and said, "You stay here. I''ll change and go to Spencer''s new bar." Spencer''s family was mainly engaged in the entertainment industry, and they had almostplete monopoly over Los Angeles'' bar scene. Even though Charles and Spencer had been friends since they were little boys, they werepletely different. Charles did not mess around with women while Spencer was a frivolous flirt. I flicked my wavy hair and practiced my charming smile, hoping to get something helpful out of Spencer. When I arrived at Spencer''s new bar, I bumped into the person I really wanted to see but was not expecting to. Leaning against the door of his silver Phantom, Charles took a drag from his cigarette. His perfectly sculpted profile was facing me like a bust of a Greek god. He was in all ck but without the suit jacket, and the two topmost buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing a little of his chest. I could not help smiling from ear to ear. Only a woman out of her damn mind would let go of such a handsome, rich man. I clenched my fists and started walking toward him, my insides burning with sheer excitement. "Charles!" I called his attention. He turned around and raised his eyebrows. He seemed surprised to see me. "What are you doing here, Rita? You''re unwell. A bar is no ce for you. Go home." He wanted me away the moment he saw me. I was not going to make it easy for him. I softened my features, slumped my shoulders, and started speaking in a gentle tone. "But I haven''te out for a long time. I''m feeling better today, so I decided to go out and have some fun. I heard that Spencer has opened a new bar, so I came to see it. Will you apany me?" "No, Rita. Please go home. You can''t strain yourself. It''ll be more troublesome for you and the people who have to take care of you if your conditions get worse," Charles replied in a neutral tone and then took another drag from his cigarette. He seemed to be unmoved by my begging. But luck made us meet here. I was not about to leave and waste the opportunity. Knowing that Charles would not dare stop me, I stepped up, took his hand, and dragged him into the bar. He kneaded his nose, tossed his half-finished cigarette, and let me tow him. I feltcent that he still cared about me. Otherwise, he would have forced me into his car and drove me home against my wishes. Spencer was also surprised at my arrival. Uponying eyes on me, he looked like he wanted to say something but decided not to say it. If I had to guess, I thought it would fall along the lines of me not being wee in his new bar. I did not appreciate it, but I just shed him my best sweet smile. I almost blew up my own act when I saw Scarlett''s presence. It seemed that Charles was outside waiting for her. Ever since we walked in, Charles''s eyes had been glued to Scarlett. I forced a smile and held on tightly to him. "Let''s go to a private room, Charles." Ignoring my request, Charles turned to Spencer and said, "Will you get Rita a private room?" Then, he left. I pressed my lips together in a thin line as I watched Charles walk away. The back of my eyes started to burn, but I immediately shoved down the emotions that started bubbling to the surface. "Come, Rita. Let''s get you a VIP room," Spencer said. "No, thanks. I have to go get Charles." Not even ncing at Spencer''s general direction, I followed Charles. When I caught up with him, I saw him making out with Scarlett near the bathrooms. My heart leapt to my throat, and I had to grab the nearest wall to support myself as my knees buckled. Was it really Charles? Why was he so obsessed with Scarlett? It was the first time I had ever seen him acting like that. It was not only because he was kissing Scarlett. He was touching and holding her as if it would kill him if he ever let her go. As it turned out, he had some sexual desires, but he only showed them to Scarlett. In the middle of my trance, a strong hand grabbed my arm, led me into a private room, and shut the door. "Give up, Rita. If Charles really wants to marry you, no one can stop him. However, he hasn''t divorced yet, and it''s not because he can''t. It''s because he doesn''t want to," Spencer told me and folded his arms over his chest. "You don''t know that," I retorted. I had done so much for Charles. I was unwilling to give up. It was Scarlett who should give up. "You just saw him kissing his wife. Why are you so desperate to marry him anyway? I mean, you already have your boy toy Richard. Yes, we know that you two are sleeping together. We''re not idiots." "I don''t know what you''re talking about. There''s nothing going on between me and Richard. You can''t hurl a horrendous usation like that at me!" I was flustered. How did they know that I had slept with Richard? Damn it! "You have always been so high-profile. It''s difficult for you to keep anything in your life a secret," Spencer sneered. "You..." I tried to bite down the hint of embarrassment in my voice, but I failed. "Just stop, Rita. You''re not doing yourself any favors here. If you keep going on like this, any gratitude Charles has left for you will disappear. Once his vision clears and he realizes that you''ve been trying to fool him, he''ll make your life a living hell. You know that," Spencer said ruthlessly. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Charles has hurt my feelings. He promised to marry me, but all he seems to want to do these days is to be with Scarlett. He''s been jerking me around, and I won''t have it!" I snapped. The gloom and distress in my chest lodged a lump in my throat. Scarlett had always been a darling to everyone around her, and it was unfair! "All right. Don''t say I didn''t try talking some sense into you, Rita. I''m out. I just hope to God you don''t do anything stupid." Seeing that I was beginning to get emotional, Spencer did not want to say anything more and ended our conversation. Once again, my eyes burned with anger. I took out my phone from my purse and dialed Charles, but he did not answer. Scarlett''s POV: "Go apany your Rita, and don''t bother me." I pushed Charles away. I could not believe he just pinned me against the wall and kissed me in such a public ce. Even though the feeling of his lips was still fresh against mine, the image of him and Rita holding hands was still clear as day in my head. I took many deep breaths to keep myself fromshing out. "Scarlett..." "Don''t call me that!" I snapped, shoved him back, and returned to my and Nina''s table. He knew clearly that I had an aversion to Rita, but he still kept her close. The moment I sat down, I emptied my ss, hoping my drink would drown my sorrows. "May I sit here?" It was Charles''s annoying voice again. "What are you doing here, Mr. Moore?" Nina raised her head and asked. "Just waiting for my wife to finish having a good time so that I can take her home," Charles replied shamelessly. "Your wife is not here," I retorted without raising my head and then gulped down a mouthful of wine. Nina had ordered a bottle while I was gone. "Slow down, Scarlett," Nina reminded me in a low voice and tugged at my clothes. "It''s okay. Let her drink. If she gets drunk tonight, I''ll take good care of her in bed." Charles grinned and poured more wine for me. I saw him wink at Nina, and I rolled my eyes. I snatched the bottle of wine from his hand and set it on the table. I looked him dead in the eyes and grunted, "Dream on, jerk." "Well, it looks like you two are good here. I don''t want to be a third wheel," Nina said sheepishly, preparing to leave me behind. "No, we''re not good here, Nina," I said, trying to stop her. "It''s okay, honey. Just know that I would like to be your future baby''s godmother, all right?" Nina picked up her purse and beamed at me. Then, she turned to Charles and said, "Mr. Moore, would you be willing to sit with me on an interview?" "It depends on Scarlett. As long as she agrees, I''ll be fine with it," Charles saidzily and then nced at me. "Then I''ll take that as a yes." Nina was very happy to receive a satisfactory reply. Before she left, she gave me onest pinch on the cheek. Chapter 70 Fallen In Love Chapter 70 Fallen In Love Scarlett''s POV: "Wait for me, Nina. I''ll go with you!" After seeing Nina leave, I quickly picked up my bag, and was about to follow her. I was unwilling to be alone with Charles because I was afraid that it might be too much of a risk. "You are not going anywhere!" Charles stopped me forcefully and pressed me down on the couch. "Let me go! What do you want?" "Isn''t it obvious? I want to continue our kiss," he answered brazenly before he pinned me down with one hand and kissed me passionately. I was gasping for breath, like a fish out of water. I could not breathe as I felt like he had sucked up my soul. Charles kissed me fiercely, and I felt helpless, so I patted him on the arm weakly. "Don''t refuse me, babe." He continued to flirt with me while our tongues were entwined. My ears were red as I was feeling really embarrassed, but he did not let me move as he parted my lips with his strong tongue. Charles then started a new round of attack. Fortunately, it was a rtively secluded ce, so no one could notice us. Unable to think straight, I was in a trance. After a while, Charles withdrew from the kiss helped me straighten my wrinkled dress. Although I knew that he was not going to be intimidated by me, I red at him from the corner of my eyes. He smiled as he kissed the back of my hand and carried me out of the bar. I buried my face in his shoulder. I was so embarrassed that I wanted to bury myself. How could he look so cool? Wasn''t he embarrassed with all the people looking at us? Spencer and the others are certainly going to make fun of us now. Carrying me in his arms, Charles walked to the car, and gently put me in the backseat. He then got in the car with me. Feeling that something was wrong, I sat up at once, but it was toote by then. Charles held me and made me sit on hisp. While struggling, I identally touched his muscr abdomen. Biting my lip shyly, I blushed. "Rita is waiting for you inside. And I want to go home, so put me down already!" I tried to remind him that he should be caring about Rita and not me. "Spencer is with her, so the only thing I need to worry about right now is to take really good care of you." Charles looked at me with a deep gaze. His shirt cor was a little messed up which highlighted his chiseled jaw. There was a shallow mark on his vicle, which was caused by my fingernails digging into his skin during my struggle. "You''d better take care of her," I said with a gulp as I forced myself not to look into his eyes. "Like this?" Saying that, he quickly slid his hand into my clothes and unhooked my bra sp. My eyes went wide with shock. "You... Rogue! Shame on you!" I tried to weep, but I could not, and Charles was getting greedier and hungrier by the minute. "What if I am? You are my wife, after all! There is nothing to be ashamed of wanting to be with my own wife." He smiled mischievously as he continued to trace his fingers all over my body. Burning with rage, I pulled his hand away. "We are going to divorce soon, and people might misunderstand us if you do such things, so please, just behave yourself! Soon, I won''t be your wife anymore, so you must be insane if you really want to do such things with me." Clearly, my head was a mess. "Don''t mention the divorce anymore, and if you do, I will announce to the media that you are my wife. When that happens, you will end up being a "Moore" for the rest of your life. No matter how hard you try to, there is no way for you to escape this," Charles warned me with a long face. I knew that he was quite capable of doing such a despicable thing. His words made me restrain my anger and remain silent as I tried to ignore him. Charles sighed helplessly and said in a low voice, "Scarlett, please understand me. I just want to be with the woman I love, just like any normal guy." "Stop it," I shouted. ''What does he even mean by that? Is he trying to push his luck?'' "Don''t you feel the same way about me? Didn''t you feel anything when I kissed you?" Charles leaned closer and continued to whisper in my ear, "I promise that we won''t divorce. I''ll deal with Rita. You are the only woman for me, okay?" His breath was soft, tickling my cheeks. My ears felt numb under his warm breath. I had no clue if he was being truthful or not. Rita''s final wish was to marry Charles before she passed. Was he really willing to break his promise to the woman who had saved his life? All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. I looked into his eyes, trying to find even a sliver of dishonesty in them. He kissed my eyes softly and said, "I know that you don''t believe me now, but give me some time, and I will prove it to you that I am being honest." "There is no need for you to prove anything to me. We are fine just the way we are now." There was still an aversion towards Rita in my heart, which prevented me from being with him. "No, I will make you mine, and it will only be you." After saying that, Charles kissed me passionately, ignoring my objection. Without even wasting a moment, he reached into my clothes and began caressing my waist. I should have pushed him away, but I didn''t. There was a charm in him that made it impossible for me to resist him. cing my hands on his shoulders, I tilted my head to receive his kiss affectionately. Perhaps, it was the alcohol that pushed me to let loose. "Take a breath. We''ve kissed numerous times by now, and yet, you don''t know when to take a breath." Taking a step back, Charles looked at me with a smile. "Do you really think that everyone is an experienced kisser like you are?" Out of breath, I covered my mouth with my hand, fearing that he might pounce on me again. "Well, that''s only because I''m a fast learner. I was only able to improve my kissing skills after practicing with you for a few times, so you should also practice your kissing with me," he said. ''What does he mean by that? Does he mean to say that he hasn''t kissed anyone before?'' Before I could continue to ponder over it, he kissed me again. The air in the car was getting hotter by the minute and I gradually immersed myself in his kiss. In fact, I wanted more, but I jolted back to reality the moment his phone rang. However, Charles did not stop until I gave him a soft push. He kissed the corner of my lips before he sat up. He answered the phone impatiently and turned on the speaker. It was a call from Spencer. "You''d better have something important to talk about," Charles said in a gloomy voice. "Charles,e back at once. Rita wants to drink, and I can''t stop her. If she has a rpse in the barter, then it will be bad," Spencer said exaggeratedly. He was trying to urge Charles to go back to the bar. "Call her bodyguards, then," Charles replied coldly, before he ended the call and put his phone on silent mode. Seeing that, I was confused. In the past, he would rush to Rita''s side as soon as she called him, but now, he did not seem to want to stop her, even though she was causing a fuss, ignoring her own health condition. Recalling everything that Charles had done for metely, I could not help but wonder if he really loved me. Shaking my head, I tried to deny such thoughts as I knew that I should not have such unrealistic expectations, if I did not want to be disappointedter. "Shall we continue?" Charles whispered in my ear. "Let''s go home," I said, punching his chest. With a smile, he took me to the passenger seat and helped me sit down before he sat down in the driver''s seat and started the car. Feeling exhausted from our passion, I gradually fell asleep. When I woke up, I saw Charles smoking quietly with the window down. He looked indifferent, like he was lost in thought. "How long have I slept? And why didn''t you wake me up?" I asked, rubbing my forehead, still feeling sleepy. "Just a while, and you were sleeping soundly. That''s why I didn''t have the heart to wake you up." Charles quickly stubbed the cigarette and turned to me. I nodded and said goodbye to him. I wanted to go home and sleep on my bed. "A goodnight kiss." Grabbing my hand, he looked at mezily. My heart softened, and before I realized what I was doing, I had already kissed him on the lips. It was only a peck, and our lips parted quickly. However, Charles'' eyes were filled with happiness, like a little boy who finally got the candies he wanted. He then gently kissed my forehead and said, "Goodnight, Scarlett." Chapter 71 Pressed Under Chapter 71 Pressed Under Charles'' POV: For the whole day, my mood would instantly get better every time I thought of the submissive look on Scarlett''s facest night. I decided to go for a run after dinner. But when I opened the door, I saw an uninvited guest at the doorstep. "Wow. It''s unusual to see you so happy, Moore. Are you happy to see me?" Spencer''s voice jolted me back to reality. With that, I put on a serious look in an instant. "What''s up?" I asked, ignoring his senseless remark. Judging from the look on his face, this yboy seemed to be up to no good. Spencer walked past me and went into the living room as though this was his home. He then sat down on the sofa with his legs crossed and asked, "Tell me the truth. Did you have sex with Scarlett in the carst night?" His tone was suggestive, and he even winked at me. I frowned and did not answer his question. At that moment, what had happened in the carst night crossed my mind. I could not take my eyes off Scarlett''s pretty face. It was like I was addicted to her. With a mischievous smile on his face, Spencer elbowed me and asked, "So, did you have sexst night?" I heaved a heavy sigh and replied gloomily, "No, we did not. She didn''t want to." My patience was wearing thin because of Spencer''s boring and annoying questions. Over the years, countless women had thrown themselves at me. As a matter of fact, I had never been turned down by one, except for Scarlett. At the thought of this, my hackles rose all of a sudden. That ungrateful and arrogant woman! "Many women are crazy about you, but Scarlett broke your heart. What a shame," Spencer said with feigned pity. He always mocked me whenever he had the chance. "Is that why you came here?" I asked crossly. "No. Actually, I heard from Nina that several employees from Scarlett''s TV station would be given a chance to study abroad. Do you know that?" "No. What does that have to do with me?" "Don''t say I didn''t warn you. Rita''s family has been pressuring Scarlett. They''re getting impatient. They want you two to divorce as soon as possible. Unfortunately, your dear Scarlett doesn''t want to sleep with you. If she takes this opportunity and leaves..." "Shut the fuck up!" I interjected. "If you have nothing else to do, just focus on running your new bar. Get out of here. I don''t want to see your face." Spencer shrugged and stood up to leave. But before he walked out of the door, he took several bottles of wine from my wine cab. But I did not care. What I had just heard was buzzing in my mind. Scarlett might go abroad, and I might lose her for the second time. I could not believe it. Last night, she did not refuse my kiss and even kissed me back. That must mean something. However, what Spencer said was true. Scarlett might leave me behind. With this thought in mind, I took my phone and called her. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "Scarlett." I could not wait to call her name the instant she answered the call "Charles, what''s up?" Scarlett asked confusedly. It was quite noisy on the other end of the line. It seemed that she hadpany. "Where are you?" "I''m at home. What''s wrong?" "Okay. I''ll be right there." I hang up the call at once and drove to Scarlett''s apartment. I needed to talk to her now. If not, I might be a little toote. I arrived at her apartment not long after. I immediately rang the doorbell, and Scarlett opened the door with a look of bewilderment on her face. "Charles, why did youe here all of a sudden? What''s the matter?" Before I could answer, I heard a man''s voice inside her apartment. My eyes twitched, and I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. Without another word, I walked past her and saw two guests sitting at the dinner table. They were Scarlett''s colleagues¡ªNina and Abner. Thetter liked Scarlett. All of a sudden, I felt a fire of jealousy burning in my chest. Scarlett invited another man for dinner at home. It irked me that she did not even invite me, much less tell me about it. "Why are you always avoiding me? And why didn''t you tell me about this little dinner party of yours?" I asked through gritted teeth. Before Scarlett could answer my question, Nina came over. "Wow. Scarlett, did you invite Charles? Charles,e. Have a taste of Scarlett''s bacon. She''s so good at cooking," she remarked lightly, oblivious of my anger. "Yes. Scarlett made it especially for tonight," Abner chimed in with a sardonic smile. When he spoke, he stressed the word ''especially'' as though he were implying something. I must admit, it got into me. "Enjoy your dinner. Don''t forget to lock the door when you leave." I then grabbed Scarlett''s hand and led her to her room. "What are you doing? Let me go." Scarlett tried to break free from my grasp, but I only held her hand tighter. Her resistance vexed me even more. In a fit of anger, I carried her on my shoulder and marched to the bedroom. "Wait. Should we leave and give you guys some privacy?" Nina asked behind me. I did not answer, but I heard the door open and close after a moment. I looked back and found that the two had left. Now that they were gone, I pushed Scarlett and pressed her on the dining table. "Are you going to study abroad? Answer me!" I queried without beating around the bush. Spencer''s words echoed in my mind, and it was driving me crazy. "What are you talking about? Oh. Are you pertaining to thepany''s program, which some of us will have the opportunity to study abroad? How did you know about that?" Scarlett''s ears were red, and she could not look into my eyes in embarrassment. "You didn''t answer my question," I insisted. She must be feeling guilty right now for keeping me in the dark. "There''s nothing to say. Besides, I''m just a rookie. I don''t think I even stand a chance," Scarlett replied with a sigh. "As if. Admit it. You can''t wait to leave, right?" I scoffed. I was suppressing my anger with all my might. Truth be told, that was not what I wanted to ask. I meant, ''You can''t wait to leave me, right?'' "What I''ve said is true, Charles. They''ll probably give this opportunity to the anchorwoman of the entertainment channel. Everyone says so." I calmed down a little upon hearing this. "Anyway, you''re not allowed to have another man over, let alone make him dinner." "He''s just a colleague. He happened to be there when I invited Nina, so I invited him too." Scarlett struggled to make me get off her, but I was too strong for her. "Charles, let go of me. Do we have to talk like this?" Instead of letting her go, I moved closer to her and whispered in her ear, "From now on, you can only cook for me." Scarlett looked at me with an amused expression. "Can''t you just hire a chef?" I was disgruntled with her reaction. What she had just said proved that she deserved a good punishment tonight. I could not control myself anymore. The next second, I found myself kissing her soft lips and unbuttoning her shirt. "Let me go... Hmm..." Scarlett could not finish her sentence. She tried with all her strength to push me away, but to no avail. I kissed her fervently on the lips and made my way down to her neck. Conquering her was the only thought I had in my mind. And soon, I allowed my desire to becloud my reasoning. My lust for Scarlett was burning as my body was pressing hers. "Don''t... Charles, stop. I don''t want to have a hickey. I have live programs to do." Breathing heavily, Scarlett raised her hand and covered her neck. Her pleas brought me back to my senses and even made me feel sorry for her. Without a word, I picked her up and walked into the bedroom. The dim bedroom light added an air of romance to the night. Ever so slowly, I put Scarlett on the bed. She buried her head in the crook of my neck, not letting me see her face. Because of this, I crawled on the bed and pinned her on the bed, forcing her to look at me. I smoothed her long hair and nibbled her ear. Meanwhile, I spread her legs with my knees. "Scarlett, you''re not allowed to sleep with other men on this bed. Do you hear me?" I warned in a threatening tone. Chapter 72 The News Chapter 72 The News Scarlett''s POV: Charles'' touchpletely distracted me. I knew that he wanted to sleep with me. I was madly in love with him, so I was unable to resist his touch at all. In fact, in my head, I had imagined us having sex so many times by now. However, now I felt like I was not ready. And fortunately for me, he was not so crazy as to do it. Only when I saw him leave did I finally breathe a sigh of relief. Upon hearing the sound of water running in the bathroom, I figured that he was going to take a shower before he continued our romance. I quickly got up from the bed, tidied up my dress, and sneaked out of the house. I decided to stay in a hotel for the night, thinking that he would leave on his own if he could not find me in the room when he got out of the bathroom. I felt like it was ridiculous for me to run away from my own house in order to avoid sleeping with a man. And yet, I still did not know how to face him. As soon as I left the building, I heard a familiar voiceing from behind me. "Where are you going, Scarlett?" I turned around in a hurry, and saw Charles walking towards me. "How... How could you wash up so fast?" I stammered in nervousness. "I can guess what you were thinking about. You ran away from home trying to avoid me, didn''t you?" Charles bantered with me. The closer he got to me, the weaker my knees felt. I could not help taking a step back, trying to avoid his masculine scent. "No, I didn''t run away. That''s my home! Why would I do such a thing? I just came out to buy some groceries." I raised my head, in an attempt to look and sound more confident. "Okay, then. I''ll go with you," Charles said tly. Whenever I was with him, I would always end up putting myself in a sticky situation. Although I was angry, I could not show it. All I could do was pretend like I was calm as I walked to the nearby supermarket. And Charles followed me closely. His tall and handsome appearance caught a lot of attention. However, I had no choice but to ignore him. Before entering the supermarket, a gust of cold wind blew, which caused me to shiver and put my hands in my pockets. "Use my hand, instead." When I was not expecting it, he pulled my hand out from my pocket and held it. His hands were dry and warm as theypletely wrapped my palm. "Charles! Don''t do this to me! Are you seriously that eager to sleep with me?" I couldn''t stand it anymore, and my heart was racing. "Yes, I am," he replied in a very calm voice. I felt like I had really underestimated his shamelessness. Completely embarrassed, I tried to withdraw my hand from his. "But I don''t want to sleep with you. So can you let go of me?" Even after trying for a while, I could not get rid of his hand that was gripping mine tightly. "It''s fine. I am not a monster, and I am not going to force you." Saying that, he gave me a graceful smile. But I thought that he was doing it on purpose, which infuriated me more. "Aren''t you a monster in a human form? How many times have you sneaked a kiss in the past few days? You even touched my chest. And you..." I would not have been able to speak of such things openly on a normal day, but now, I was angry, so I did not care. "You are so cute, Scarlett!" Charles only chuckled and kissed my lips again, stopping me from comining any further. ''No, I can''t always let him be so insatiable.'' Annoyed and embarrassed, I bit my lip and tried to fight back. "A very special kiss, indeed." With smiling eyes, he finally let go of me. Feeling powerless, I gave up on arguing with him. After all, I could never be as shameless as he was. When we arrived at the supermarket, I randomly picked up some snacks and was about to pay, but... "By the way, I think we might also need this, so how about we get it too?" Charles said all of a sudden, standing in front of a shelf that was not too far away. I followed his gaze and noticed that it was a shelf full of condoms of different kinds. He took a box from it and pretended to put it in my shopping basket. Seeing that, my face burned with rage. "Charles!" Annoyed and irritable, I stomped my foot on the ground, but he did not seem to care at all. "You can use it by yourself." Saying that, I strode away, without even looking at him. "Scarlett, don''t be angry now." I walked out of the supermarket, but he caught up with me soon after and followed me back home. I felt helpless, but he insisted on staying over at my house, and promised that he would not touch me again. And since I could not say no to him, I had no choice but to agree. Fortunately, Charles didn''t break his promise, and our night was a peaceful one. After a good night''s sleep, I rubbed my eyes, and got up to make breakfast. I also turned on the TV to watch the news. It was a part of my morning routine as I was also a TV show host. But I was shocked when I heard the news. A picture of me and Charles kissing in public was on TV. I never thought that we were photographed. I ran to the guest room in a hurry, and pushed open the door without even knocking first. "Charles, a picture of you kissing me has been exposed!" "Yes, my secretary has informed me." Saying that, he looked at me with calmness in his eyes. He was neatly dressed, and was wearing a tie. I was stunned when I saw him like that. "You... Don''t you n on doing something about it? If Rita sees the picture, she will misunderstand us." "So what if she sees it? I was only kissing my wife on the street. It''s not like I did something against thew." Charles adjusted his tie, raising his eyebrows at me. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. I was rendered speechless. I suddenly remembered what he had said to me at the hospital. He had told me that he loved me. However, I had not been able to believe it then, or now, for that matter. I looked at him, not knowing what to say. "Scarlett, we are a couple. It''s only right for the public to know about it," Charles said softly and held my hand. But I still could not find my voice. That moment, I heard the doorbell ring. I seized the opportunity to run out of the guest room. Since Charles was there with me, I opened the door without hesitation. There was a strange man standing in front of me. "Hello, Miss Riley. I''m Mr. Lively''s driver." The man took off his hat and greeted me with a kind smile. "Hello." Deep in my heart, I had a bad feeling. He quickly handed me a well-wrapped satin box. "Here is a gift from Mr. Lively." I sneered. It was that filthy man again. "What''s wrong?" Before I could refuse him, Charles walked up to me from behind. He nced at the gift box in the driver''s hand and took it. The driver probably knew him, so he repeated his words. "Did Mr. Lively say anything else?" Charles asked. And the driver shook his head in response. Since I did not want anything to do with Nate, I grabbed the gift box, and threw it at the driver''s face before I mmed the door on him. "Don''t ept his gift for me, Charles." "Why not?" Charles asked in confusion. "It''s because my rtionship with him is not good enough to be exchanging gifts." I made up an excuse as I did not want to tell Charles that Nate was trying to keep me as his mistress. Chapter 73 The Diamond Chapter 73 The Diamond Scarlett''s POV: After we had our breakfast, Charles drove me to work. Soon, we arrived at the TV station, but just when I was about to get off the car, he stopped me. "I want to stay at your house tonight." "Okay," I agreed without hesitation. "You agree?" Charles seemed surprised. "You''d better not ask again, or I might change my mind." "Why are you being so cooperative all of a sudden? Did my kiss really satisfy you that much?" Instead of answering him, I gave him a punch as I got off the car and left without looking back. I didn''t want to think about why I was willing topromise. Perhaps, it was because of what he said to me earlier in the morning, or perhaps, it was because the photo of our kiss was now made public. I really could not tell which one was it. The moment I stepped out of the elevator, I ran into Nina. She gave me a wink. "Scarlett, Mr. Lively is waiting for you in the reception room." Upon hearing that, I was really annoyed as I did not expect Nate toe to me again. After saying goodbye to her, I walked into the reception room. Since I did not know what tricks he had up his sleeve this time, I figured that I had to be vignt. Nate greeted me as soon as I entered the reception room. With a smile on his lips, he took out the exact gift box that I had thrown at his driver''s face earlier that morning. "This is a gift for you. I hope you ept it, Scarlett." Shaking my head, I replied coldly, "Mr. Lively, there is no need for you to give me such things, or anything for that matter. After all, we have nothing to do with each other." However, Nate smiled as he opened the box and showed it to me. Inside the box was a beautiful diamond. "I remember that when you were a child, you used to like such shiny things." I thought of the shiny brooches that my father had given me while he was still alive, and I subconsciously nodded with a smile. "Scarlett, do you know how stunning you look when you smile?" With the diamond in his hand, Nate walked towards me to grab my hand. "Stay away from me!" I roared and took a few steps back. However, Nate continued to approach me without giving up. "Mr. Nate Lively, please behave yourself!" As I uttered those words, I kept telling myself to stay calm. I passed by the table and walked towards the door. I decided that if he continued to approach me against my wishes, then I would just leave. "Honey, you are such a greedy one! You don''t like this diamond because you feel that it is too small to catch your eye, don''t you?" Nate asked, faking a brilliant smile. "Mr. Lively, oh, you think I have no idea what''s going on here? You just want me to leave Charles. In fact, I know that you''re not interested in me at all!" I also gave him my best fake cold smile. I would be a joke if I had not read his mind yet. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. His attempts to make me his mistress were actually an effort to clear out the obstacle for his daughter. If I had agreed, then it would only ruin my own reputation and Rita would end up with Charles. That way, he would be killing two birds with one stone. ''What a good n! It''s no wonder he was able to defeat my dad!'' "No, no. you''re very beautiful, indeed, Scarlett, and you really fascinate me." "You might be speaking the truth here, but I don''t find you attractive at all, Mr. Lively," I said coldly. "I know that you like Charles, but there''s just no way for you to be with him." Nate''s smile vanished as he said those words. While we both were in a stalemate, someone knocked on the door. I opened the door at once. Nina and Abner were outside. "The meeting is about to begin, so it''s time for us to go now, Scarlett," Nina said to me as she dragged me out of the reception room while giving a polite smile to Nate. I could tell that the meeting was just an excuse to get me away from Nate. We came to Abner''s office to talk so that Nate would not be able to see through our made-up story. Since I was able to get rid of him with their help, I heaved a sigh of relief and kept thanking them. "Did he do something bad to you?" Abner asked with concern. I told them that Nate gifted me a diamond. "Oh my God! He is such a despicable man! Are you going to tell Charles about it?" Nina asked with a worried expression. I shook my head. I didn''t want Charles to know about it. "But if Charles doesn''t interfere, then Nate will only keep making trouble for you, right?" There was a hint of anxiousness in Nina''s voice as she held my hand. "I won''t let others do such a thing to me." I smiled tofort them. In fact, I soon realized that I had underestimated Rita and Nate''s resolve to break my rtionship with Charles. That noon, when I walked out of the studio, Rita approached me. "Can you go out with me if you''re not too busy, Scarlett dear?" Under everyone''s watchful gaze, Rita gave me a pitiful nce as she held my hand. After thinking for a moment, I agreed. There were two reasons for that. One was that I did not want to irritate her, and the other was that I wanted to see what she was trying to pull off this time. I thought that she was going to take me to somece fancy to show off. But she did not. She drove to a familiar road. I was stunned when I looked out of the window. Rita was taking me to the house where I had lived many years ago. "How do you feel, Scarlett? It''s still the same here, isn''t it?" After getting out of the car, Rita took a graceful stroll inside themunity and turned back to look at me. She gave me a sweet smile, which would enchant any man, but I was not one. I stared at the old buildings and the house I had lived in, lost in thought. My father had jumped down from there. The ce carried a lot of happy memories of my family. But Dad and Mom were gone now, leaving me alone. The house was also taken away because of my father''s case. An emptiness engulfed my heart as I thought about it. "Don''t just stand there, Scarlett. Let''s go and have lunch. I promise that you''re going to love the ce I am going to take you to." A whileter, Rita walked to me and held my arm gently, as though we were friends. Seeing that, I could not help but doubt the credibility of her words. I was obviously not expecting her to take me to a restaurant that my family used to go to when I was a kid. After getting off the car, countless memories flooded my mind as I looked at the restaurant, which was just like how I remembered it to be. Leaving her behind, I walked in and found that even the restaurant''s decor was the same. I felt as though I had traveled back in time. However, Rita didn''t care about my neglect at all. When I heard herughter, I figured that she had entered the restaurant as well. She seemed to be greeting everyone loudly, as if she was afraid that I might not hear her. I didn''t really care what she was talking about, so I deliberately avoided her as I walked to the corner of the restaurant to look at some old paintings. "Oh my God! Look who is here!" All of a sudden, I heard a loud voiceing from behind me. I turned around and found a middle - aged man, who was talking to Rita, looked at me with a smile. I was in a trance for a second before I recognized him. ''Isn''t he Victor, the owner of this ce?'' I had always like him and respected him. He had shown me great hospitality in the past, and his wife, Sherry, had also cared for me. "Scarlett, I haven''t seen you in a long time! Hold on a minute, I''ll be right back!" Saying that, Victor walked to a room behind the counter. "I am sure he is going to find Sherry. Whenever Charles brings me to this ce, Sherry keeps talking about you." Although I never asked her, Rita felt like she needed to exin it to me. In other words, she was implying that Charles often brought her to the restaurant. ''Does she really think that I care?'' I ignored her. Soon, Sherry showed up and gave me a big hug. I hadn''t seen her for so many years, so I held her hand and looked at her carefully. She was still as beautiful, gentle, and enthusiastic as I remembered her to be. We sat in a table and talked about how much we missed each other. After a while, Victor and Sherry said that they would like us to stay for lunch. I didn''t want to bother them, but Rita agreed to stay before I could politely refuse them. Seeing her innocent expression, I frowned as I forced myself to keep calm. Once the food was served, Rita and I were let alone at the table as the couple had to take care other guests in the restaurant. "Scarlett, you know what? I''m going to marry Charles!" Rita held my hand and added briskly, "And I want you to be my bridesmaid." Chapter 74 Tried On The Wedding Dress Chapter 74 Tried On The Wedding Dress Scarlett''s POV: "I''m not suitable for that, so you''d better find someone else," I reminded Rita with a frown as I withdrew my hand. "You are the perfect one for the job, Scarlett. You are the one who knows how much Charles and I are in love, and only with your blessing, I can live happily," Rita said with a pout as she looked at me pitifully. I was silent for a moment. I felt helpless when I thought that she was only trying to make me look like a fool at her wedding. Tears welled up in her eyes when she saw that I was silent. "Can''t you help me realize this one small dream of mine? Do you really despise me that much, Scarlett? I know that we had some misunderstandings between us because of Charles, but apart from that, I really consider you as my close friend." "Okay, then. I can be your bridesmaid." My head started to ache as I looked at her. I wondered how she was able to put on such an act and cry so easily. Only after hearing that I agreed, she held back her tears and smiled. "I know you are the best. I want us to go to the store and try on the wedding dress and the bridesmaid dress together. I really hope the wedding happens soon. I want to be the most beautiful bride in the world." I gave her a faint nod as my mind was flooded with all kinds of emotions. Rita sat next to me and kept talking about how nice Charles was to her, and how well he treated her. We headed to the wedding dress store after lunch. As soon as we arrived at the destination, I got off the car, trying to put as much distance as possible between us. She was so talkative and annoying that she could have be a stand-upedian. "Charles!" Rita eximed in surprise. When I looked up, I saw Charles handsomely dressed in a stunning suit as he stood near the door. A manager, who was standing next to him, bowed to him respectfully. He seemed to have seen me too because he stared at me for a few seconds, but I turned away from him. "Honey, I knew you woulde." Rita trotted over to Charles and clung to his arm. However, he pulled his hand away and pointed at the store manager as he said, "From now on, he will be responsible for your wedding dress." "I see. It looks like you have arranged everything for me. Thanks, honey." Rita snuggled up to Charles, looking at him affectionately. "Scarlett,e here," Rita urged me when she saw that I was not trying to get close to him. I walked towards them reluctantly. I was actually afraid of knowing how much Charles and Rita loved each other, because that would certainly make me look like a fool. "Were you with Scarlett all this while?" Charles asked Rita. He had a in expression as he kept gazing at me. I lowered my head in embarrassment, while Rita held my hand. "Yes, I took Scarlett to visit Victor today. By the way, I have good news for you. Scarlett has promised to be my bridesmaid." Rita covered her mouth, smiling shyly. The happiest one in the spot should always be her. I didn''t say a word, but when I looked into Charles'' eyes, I felt like a huge boulder was pressing on my chest, making me feel suffocating. The manager seemed to have sensed the awkwardness in the room, so he interrupted us and said that he would help us choose the wedding dress. It was arge studio, and they only had designer wedding gowns, so they only catered to celebrities. "Scarlett, which one do you think suits me the best?" Rita pointed at two white wedding dresses. Since I was not in the mood to y along, I just randomly pointed at one of the dresses. "I''ll try this one first, then. Scarlett, you should also pick a bridesmaid dress." "Are you two sisters? You are both stunning, and we have some dresses over here which would look perfect on bridesmaids. You can try them on, ma''am." Saying that, the staff member walked to me with a dress. I gave them a cold gaze as I was not interested in their suggestion. I just wanted to end this farce as soon as possible. "Scarlett, go and try it on, will you? Now that you''re here, there is no reason not to try it, right? I''ve never seen you in a formal dress. You can join Richardter, and we can all take pictures. We don''t want to waste this beautiful memory, right?" Pretending to be generous, Rita pushed me, but her words were clearly filled with sarcasm. "I have to go back to work. You should try the wedding dress on your own." I couldn''t stand her hypocrisy any longer, so I picked up my bag, and was about to leave. "Scarlett, don''t go! Did I make you upset? If I did something wrong, then please tell me, so that I can be more careful about what I say in the future." It seemed like Rita was about to cry. She grabbed my bag, refusing to let me go, as she winked at Richard, signaling him to stop me. Even though I had seen right through her act, I held back my anger. I turned to look at Charles, who was looking at his phone. His indifference made me want to pounce on him and hit him hard. "No, thanks. I''m not the one getting married, so there is no need for me to be involved," I said bluntly. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "Ma''am, are you not satisfied with the dress? I can help you select a different one if you like. What kind of a dress are you looking for? A strapless one or a camisole dress? Do you prefer it long or short?" the staff member asked patiently. I didn''t want to be rude to her after seeing how excited she was. So I had no choice but to tone down my attitude a bit and agree to try on the dress. "Charles, can youe in, and help me with the zippers? My hair got stuck in the zipper!" While I was walking towards the dressing room, I heard Rita''s voice. I stopped in my tracks, my heart sinking in mixed feelings. "Ma''am, this way, please," the staff member said to me in a low voice. She saw me standing in front of the dressing room in a daze. I could not help but twitch the corners of my mouth as I walked in. The staff member seemed to want to say something to me, but she was hesitating for a long time before she finally asked curiously, "Ma''am, may I ask you a question?" "What is it?" I raised my head in confusion. "Which of the two men outside is your brother-in w?" she asked cautiously. "The one sitting on the sofa," I answered frankly. She then looked at me in shock, keeping silent for a long time. "What''s the matter?" "No, it''s just that I feel like the handsome man and you look more like a couple. As for the other gentleman, he..." She hesitated for a moment before she continued, "Well, he seems to be very attentive to your sister." "He is her bodyguard," I exined. All of a sudden, the curtain was drew open and Charles was standing there quietly. "You go out," he said to the staff member. I put down the dress in my hand silently, unwilling to try it on. "What are you doing here? Aren''t you supposed to be helping Rita with her zippers?" I hissed. The cool white light in the dressing room was starting to make my eyes hurt. "Richard is helping her," Charles said in a low voice as he took a step forward and put his hands around my waist. I lowered my head, and he asked, "Have you been home?" For an entire day, I had been holding back my emotions, so the moment I heard his words, tears streamed down my cheeks uncontrobly. I wiped the tears away with the back of my hand and forced a smile. "The light is so bright that it''s hurting my eyes." Charles''s heart ached. He gently wiped off my tears with his fingers and said in a hoarse voice, "If you don''t want to see Rita, then don''t force yourself. I''ll take you away." He then held my hand and was about to take me away, but I held his hand and sniffled. "You still have to take wedding photos with her, so I''ll go on my own." With that, I walked out of the dressing room. By then, Rita had changed into her wedding dress and was waiting outside. Her face paled when she saw me and Charles walking out of the same dressing room. I didn''t feel like exining myself. Besides, if she was going to misunderstand us or not was beyond me. "I''m leaving," I said coldly and left without looking back. "Richard, please go see Scarlett off," Rita ordered. I sneered in my heart because it was obvious that she was sending Richard away just so that she could be alone with Charles. Chapter 75 The Remark Of Her Number Chapter 75 The Remark Of Her Number Charles'' POV: Scarlett''s grievance caused me so much heartache that I felt like a swarm of wasps were stinging my heart. After she left, I walked to Rita with a cold nce in my eyes. "Why did you go to see Scarlett? If you could not take care of things on your own, then I would have helped you." "Charles, what are you even talking about? I don''t understand. I consider her as a part of my family." Rita looked flustered, but it was obvious that she knew what I meant. She was a smart woman, but her cleverness was used for the wrong things. "Since when did you be so close to Scarlett? You did not treat her like family when you caused trouble for her, did you?" I sneered. "I... I have realized that I was wrong before. I was blinded by jealousy, but now, I understand that Scarlett is a good person, so I wanted to invite her to our wedding..." "That''s unnecessary." I interrupted her with a frown. The way she nagged people all the time disgusted me. "What... What do you mean by that?" Rita stammered as she held onto my sleeve. I pulled my arm away, lit a cigarette, and slowly took a drag. "The wedding is canceled as of now, and as for yourst wish, I canpensate you in other ways." "Charles!" Rita snapped in disbelief. Looking at her shocked expression through the screen of smoke, I felt very calm. "Rita, thank you for saving me back then, and I will try my best to satisfy you marily. But if it''s a rtionship you want from me, then I am sorry. I can''t give you that. I''m a selfish person, and you have already trampled on my bottom line." "No! It''s not like that. Charles, please don''t call off the wedding. I apologize, and I swear I won''t piss you off ever again." Shaking her head, she pleaded me with tears in her eyes. "Enough, Rita. Don''t embarrass yourself." I pulled away coldly. "It''s all Scarlett''s fault. That bitch! If she hadn''t intervened in our rtionship, then you wouldn''t have changed your mind. She is the one to me! She is the third party!" Rita suddenly became hysterical. She almost seemed like she was going to eat Scarlett alive. "Rita Lively, I don''t want to hear this ever again. Scarlett and I are a real couple, and you have been cheating on me for a long time now. Do you really think that I don''t know what happened between you and Richard?" I warned her with a sneer. "I... I can exin. Richard and I are not like that. I am sure it was just someone spreading groundless rumors about us. Someone must have wanted to nder me." "I don''t want to hear another word from you." Disgusted with her, I stubbed the unfinished cigarette and left. Scarlett''s POV: As soon as I got home, I received a call from Nina, asking me to join her for dinner at her house. I wasn''t in the mood and I wanted to refuse her, but after her continuous persuasion, I finally agreed. Nina was from a wealthy family. The same year that she had started working, her parents had bought her a duplex apartment. Moreover, she was a hard-worker, which had financially helped her live the life she wanted over the time. Nina was the one that prepared the dinner that evening, and it was a sumptuous, fancy French dinner. Feeling full from all the delicious food, I was happy, so I volunteered to help her with the dishes. "Honey, stay here tonight, okay? Let''s have a girl''s night and chat like the good friends we are," Nina suggested while feeding her pet in the living room. I washed the dishes and hesitated for a while, but thinking that Charles woulde to my house, I instantly agreed to her proposal. After a while, Nina walked in with my phone in her hand. "Honey, your phone is ringing. It seems to be an unknown caller." "Answer it for me, please." I raised my hands which were covered in soap foam, indicating that I would not be able to answer the call. Nina nodded and put my phone on speaker. A cool and pleasant male voice came from the other end of the line. "Hello, honey." "Oh, wait! It''s Nina here, and Scarlett is washing the dishes. Hold on, I''ll hand the phone to her." Nina was startled when she heard Charles'' voice, and quickly handed me the phone. I wiped my hands awkwardly and took the phone from her. Nina, on the other hand, ran out of the kitchen, rubbing her palms as if she was afraid of hearing something that she should not be hearing. "Why didn''t you save your husband''s number?" she muttered. "Why aren''t you home?" Charlesined. "Nina invited me to her house for dinner. Well, I have to go. I''m doing the dishes." "I miss you, honey." His low voice was so seductive that it made me freeze. I quickly said, "I am hanging up now." "I''ll pick you upter," he said to me in a decisive manner. It looked like he was done coaxing Rita, and wasing over to coax me now. ''Is he really that bored?'' Ignoring his words, I hung up, and told Nina not to open the door for him if he showed up. However, the moment Charles was at her door, Nina betrayed me. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Nina pushed me out and closed the door with a bang, ruthlessly locking me outside. Under the cold night breeze, I stood in front of Charles, shivering as I cursed Nina for being so heartless to me. "Why haven''t you saved my number?" Charles asked. "Why bother, anyway? Besides, what if people get the wrong idea?" I pouted indifferently. "What kind of wrong idea could they possibly get? Isn''t it only normal?" he asked angrily as he pulled his tie a bit, feeling annoyed. I smoothed the wrinkles on my dress, and whispered, "It''s obviously not normal at all!" "Why is it not normal?" Charles asked again. I curled my lip. It was meaningless to argue with him as I had no chances of winning. "We are a couple, so there''s nothing to hide," he added. "What about you? Have you saved my number as ''Honey''?" I retorted, annoyed. Charles snorted as he took out his phone from his pocket and showed me his contacts screen. My number was indeed saved as Honey. I widened my eyes in surprise. When he saw that I fell silent, he smiled with satisfaction and said, "Do you believe me now? I saved your number, so why didn''t you do the same? Don''t you have any conscience?" "You must have saved it right before you rang the doorbell. I didn''t expect you to y such dirty tricks just to triumph," I said stubbornly, turning to face away. "What do you mean by that? If you think that we''re ying some kind of a game here, then I''ll admit defeat right away. I am willing to lose to you." I could not get used to him being so affectionate all of a sudden. Taking a deep breath, I changed the topic. "What are you doing here?" "I came to take you back home." Saying that, Charles reached out his hand. I ignored him and tried to run away from him, but he lifted me, carrying me over his shoulder. I patted him on the back as I struggled. "You are being so unreasonable!" "Will you be obedient if I''m reasonable?" he asked. "I... I''ll think about it." I cleared my throat and decided to fool him. "I''ll reason with you once you''ve decided." "No, no. I haven''t taken my bag yet." I wanted to use the excuse to sneak away from him. Unexpectedly, Nina opened the door, and handed me my bag. "Nina, you showed up just at the right time. Were you peeping at us this whole time?" I became listless in an instant. I couldn''t help but suspect that Nina was actually on Charles'' side. Chapter 76 Cut Off Chapter 76 Cut Off Scarlett''s POV: "I wish you a happy night," Nina said with a meaningful look on her face. She then closed the door behind her, leaving me and Charles alone. At that moment, Charles jolted me on his shoulder and advised in an evil tone, "Nobody can save you now, so be good." "Charles, I swear if you don''t put me down this instant, I will cut off my rtionship with you!" I warned through gritted teeth. "Wow. The little kitten has turned into a ferocious tiger." Charles chuckled, and I felt his chest vibrate. My anger subsided all of a sudden. I licked my lips and scoffed, "Are you scared?" "You''re going to cut off ties with me. How can I not be scared?" Charles grumbled. Nevertheless, he did not put me down and carried me to the car. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "I can go home by myself. You don''t have to drive me home." I recalled that Charles mentioned he wanted to stay overnight in my ce. I suddenly felt an urge to flee at the thought of this. Charles must have sensed what I was thinking. He put his hands on my shoulders and threatened, "If you run away, we''ll do ''it''." I stiffened and stopped struggling at once. "I won''t run. Just don''t do it," I pleaded in a low voice. As soon as I finished speaking, I realized that I was being ridiculous for talking to him like that. I should have snapped back at him and expressed my displeasure. Besides, it was vulgar to mention sex all the time. At the thought of this, I raised my head and stared daggers at him. I wanted to tell him with my eyes that I would never let him sleep with me all his life. However, Charles did not seem to care. Without even looking at me, he kissed me on the forehead and went to the driver''s seat. "I''m tellingyou.whatyou''re thinking won''twork." I reminded him that he could never sleep with me, but he did not seem to hear me. Annoyed, I punched him on the shoulder. "Did you hear me?" All of a sudden, Charles moved close to me that his face was only an inch away from mine. "What-what are you doing?" I stammered. "Nothing. I''m just helping you buckle up your seatbelt," Charles answered with a yful smile. A few secondster, I heard an audible click on my side. My face turned beet red. I averted my gaze in embarrassment, but I had no idea where to look. In a fit of panic, I pushed him away. "It''s alright now. Thank you." Neither of us said a word the entire ride. I just looked out of the window and ignored his presence. I hated to admit it, but I couldn''t help but feel that Charles had affected me the way no one had done before. Beep. My phone beeped, indicating that I had received a message. I took my phone out of my bag and saw that it was a message from Nina. "Honey, I can guarantee that Charles loves you." I stared at her message for a few seconds. My mind was in a mess because of it. How could Charles love me? He never cared about anyone except Rita. Even if he really was interested in me, perhaps he was just attracted to my body. The sudden realization hit me that the one you couldn''t have was always the best. Once Charles had me, he would soon lose his interest in me and be attracted to someone else, for sure. He would just throw me away like a used doll by then. At that moment, Charles noticed that I was troubled about something. "What''s wrong?" he asked with a frown. I put my phone back in my bag and lied, "Nothing. I just read a joke." Fortunately, Charles did not ask another question. We arrived at my apartment thirty minutester. Just as I was about to get off the car, Charles locked the door of the passenger seat. I looked at him warily, wondering what he was up to. "What do you want?" "I forgot to tell you something." Charles rested his chin on his hand and looked at me with amusement. "If I want to do something, do you really think you can stop me?" I instinctively put my arms on my chest. "What do you mean? You know what? Just go home. You should sleep early. It''s good for your health. You''re wasting your time with me here." Charles snorted. "Is it really?" He then unbuckled his seatbelt, and his face turned serious all of a sudden. "I bought the house you used to live in before." "What?" My jaw dropped at what he had said, and I looked at him in awe. "It''s under your name now." "Why did you do that?" I asked Charles in confusion. Did he really spend a fortune just so he could sleep with me? "The house was taken away after your father''s case. Anyway, I believed he was wronged. And that ce belongs to you, so I bought it back. You''re my wife. You deserve it." Charles paused for a second and added, "Just like I''ve always told you, I''ll give you everything you want. You don''t have to burden yourself." "How''s that possible? We''re just married by contract, remember?" I reminded. I swore to myself I would not be indebted to Charles, be it a favor or money. However, I seemed to owe him more and more as time went by. "If you don''t want to be burdened..." Charles moved closer to me with a mysterious smile, held a lock of my hair, and smelled it. "You can always pay me back with your body." "You wish!" I pushed him away as hard as I could. I wanted to get away from him, but the door was still locked. Unable to do anything, I bit my lower lip and red at him. "Open the door! You bought the house without my knowledge. I won''t sleep with you just because you did that. Just let me out. I don''t want to listen to your nonsense anymore!" Charles leaned against his seat and nodded as though he were in deep thought. "You''re right. I shouldn''t have threatened you to sleep with me." "Then why don''t you open the door?" I was bbergasted. Unexpectedly, my phone rang. I looked at it to see who was calling and found that it was Nate. I took a deep breath and hung up the call at once. Charles raised his eyebrows and looked at me confusedly. "Why didn''t you answer it? Who is it?" Before I could say anything, my phone rang again. Annoyed, I picked it up, and Nate''s greasy voice came from the other end of the line. "Scarlett, have you decided? I promise that you won''t suffer any losses if you be my mistress." I resisted the urge to curse him right there and then. "I''m gonna have to decline your offer. Please find someone else to bother." I hung up the call before he could even reply. Just like his daughter, Nate was always bothering me. "Is it Rita or Nate?" Charles asked with a frown. I forced a smile at him. He had always had a keen eye. He just guessed correctly that it was Nate. But what was the point of telling him about it? He was going to marry Rita soon anyway. "It''s just an insurance agent." All of a sudden, I remembered something. I lowered my head and said in a muffled voice, "Bring the marriage certificate tomorrow. Let''s go through the divorce formalities." "It''s lost." I looked up at him, wide-eyed. "Lost? Where did you lose it? Charles, are you kidding me? How can we divorce without that?" I did not believe him. I had known Charles for so long that I knew he was not irresponsible. He should have it hidden somewhere. He did not answer my question. Instead, he got out of the car and walked to the door of the passenger seat. My heart pounded in my chest. Was he going to force himself on me? "Hey! What are you doing? Stop carrying me on your shoulder! Charles, you''ve gone too far!" Regardless of my protests, Charles picked me up and carried me on his shoulder like a sack. He then carried me upstairs in one breath. Although I was displeased with his behavior, the path was so bumpy I could not speak. A few momentster, I saw him input the code to my apartment as if it were his, and I felt even more hopeless. Could I really be able to cut off my rtionship with him someday? Chapter 77 Seduction Chapter 77 Seduction Scarlett''s POV: "Are you crazy?!" I bellowed while kneading my wrist and ring at him as he had just thrown me onto the sofa. "Be mindful of your actions." Charles yanked off his tie and threw it on the floor. Then, he unbuttoned several buttons of his shirt, knelt on the sofa on one knee, and bent over to me. "Don''t you dare run away while I shower, or else you won''t be able to get out of bed tomorrow," he warned in a barely audible tone, which made my hair stand on its end. "Fine. But stay at least ten foot away from me. You''re not allowed to kiss or hug me either." I put forward a request, dissatisfied with his domineering attitude. Charles snorted and pinched my face. "You wish, Scarlett. Stop dreaming that you can challenge my authority." I rolled my eyes and threw a pillow at him as I watched him leave. While Charles was taking a shower, I sat on the sofa and thought of ways on how to get rid of him. All of a sudden, Nate called. I nced at the closed bathroom door and heaved a heavy sigh before I answered the call. "Is Charles at your ce?" Nate asked in his usual greasy voice. "It''s none of your business. Leave me alone, and stop calling me." I refuted Nate without a second thought. I was tired of him bothering me all the time. However, he seemed rather amused. "Oh, stop ying hard to get, Scarlett. Just so you know, I can satisfy you in bed." "You wish. You''re nothingpared to Charles. He''s strong and athletic, unlike you, dirty old man. If you want to describe yourself, you should be realistic," I retorted sarcastically. I had known that Nate was full of himself, but I did not know that he was this shameless. "But I''m more experienced than he is. Charles is still young. He still has a long way to go, don''t you think?" Nate seemed proud of himself for sleeping with many women. But instead of feeling impressed, I was disgusted. It was ufortable talking to him, but I endured it. Suddenly, an idea urred to me. With my phone in his hand, I walked to the bathroom and gently asked, "Charles, do you want me to select your pajamas?" "Sure," Charles answered with the sound of running water in the background. Now that I had gotten the answer that I wanted, I sneered and hung up the call. If Nate was smart enough, he would not call me so brazenly again. Charles came out of the bathroom after a while. He was not wearing anything except for the bath towel that was hung loosely on his hips. I could also see his well-toned abs even from afar. "Where are my pajamas?" Charles looked around and frowned in confusion when he saw that his pajamas were nowhere in sight. I turned around and muttered, "Find it yourself." I was still in a bad mood because of Nate. Without a word, Charles picked up my phone and input the password. I could not help but look at him gloomily. He knew everything about me, did he not? Unfortunately for him, I had already deleted the call log. As Charles could not find anything, he just chucked my phone aside disappointedly. To my surprise, he held up my face and looked into my eyes as though he were trying to retrieve information from them. His intense gaze brought a bitter feeling to my heart. I lowered my eyes and mumbled, "Don''t look at me like that." All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Charles never listened to my words. Regardless of my plea, he did not take his eyes off me. He pinched my chin harder, forcing me to look up at him. The ambiguous atmosphere now turned romantic. Unable to stand his gaze, my face turned red again. "What''s wrong? Unhappy?" Charles moved close to me that I could feel his warm breath on my face. I was so nervous that I instinctively held my breath. At that moment, I cleared my throat to ease the awkwardness between us. "Stop. Don''t get too close to me." Charles snickered. "Beg me." I swallowed hard and averted my gaze. "Charles, stop seducing me!" "I''m not seducing you. You''re a woman with strong willpower, aren''t you? I don''t have the ability to challenge your self-restraint, do I?" Charles blinked, and his thick eyshes fluttered like two little fans. Impressively, they made him appear more innocent. "If you''re not seducing me, then why are in front of me, half-naked?" I asked in a low voice. I turned my face away and did not dare to look at him. Charles held my hand and chuckled. "Didn''t you say you''d select my pajamas? I don''t see them. Without pajamas, I can only be naked. Perhaps you actually don''t want me to wear anything, so you keep muttering excuses." "Of course not!" Embarrassed, I raised my head and looked at him. However, the sight of his beautiful smile stunned me. It was as bright and warm as the sun during winter. I rarely saw him smile like this. But before I coulde to my senses, everything turned ck. It turned out that Charles had leaned over and kissed me with lust and desire burning inside him. Unlike before, his kiss was fervent and wild, and it seemed as though he was going to swallow my whole tongue. I struggled to squirm free from his arms but to no avail. So, I leaned my head back slightly and whispered, "Don''t push your luck." "You should learn to embrace what you truly feel." Charles held me tighter and did not allow me to get out of his embrace. With one hand on my waist and the other on the back of my head, he kissed me passionately once again. His kiss rendered me speechless, and I could only hit his back to express my dissatisfaction. "Focus." Charles held my hands and looked at me with eyes filled with desire. Unable to do anything, I followed his lead and allowed myself to indulge in his wonderful kiss. It was not until the phone rang that I came to my senses and was able to get out of his arms. Charles'' POV: I only let go of Scarlett when my phone rang for the third time. I could not help but curse inwardly. Why was it that every time I got a moment with Scarlett, someone would call and ruin everything? As I saw Scarlett staring at me with her doe eyes, I feltpelled to kiss her on the lips again. She pushed me and urged, "Answer the call." I sighed and kissed her forehead. With my arms around her, I answered the call and put it on speaker. "Let go of me," Scarlett whispered while struggling to get out of my arms. I took a deep breath and, without warning, bit her on the neck. It was unwise of her to move like that in the arms of a man, who had been holding back his desire for a long time. At that moment, I suppressed my lust and cast a warning look at her. Scarlett seemed to understand what I meant. She wrinkled her nose in displeasure but stopped moving. "Charles, can you hear me?" Rita asked at the other end of the line. I frowned and waited for her to continue. She was silent for a moment as though she did not expect I would be so cold to her. "Charles, can youe to my house? I feel lonely today. Can you apany me?" "Rita, I have already made myself clear to you. I won''t go there anymore. Why don''t you ask Richard to keep youpany?" While I was talking, the bath towel on my waist loosened and fell to the floor. "Ah!" Scarlett screamed in surprise and covered her eyes with her hands. Her face turned even redder than before. My mood turned better in an instant. "Scarlett, go and take a shower first." Upon hearing this, Scarlett ran away like a rabbit. I could not help butugh at her reaction. "Oh my God. Charles, are you with Scarlett? Did you sleep with her?" Rita asked sharply. "Do you have anything else to say?" I asked back. This woman was getting more ungrateful, and it was wearing my patience thin." "I... I want to prove my innocence. Charles, nothing happened between Richard and me. I promise I''ll behave myself in the future. Can you break up with Scarlett and give me one more chance? Let''s start over. Please." Rita begged for forgiveness regardless of her image. Unfortunately for her, I was tired of her tant lying. "What happened in the past has been imprinted on my mind. How can we start over and pretend that nothing happened? I''m grateful for what you''ve done for me, but that''s it. Don''t ruin myst shred of mercy for you. One more thing. I honestly don''t care if you and Richard are in a rtionship." Chapter 78 Divorce Chapter 78 Divorce Scarlett''s POV: When I stepped out of the bathroom, I found that Charles was not in the bedroom. I heaved a sigh of relief. He must have gone to Rita''s ce. Before I could get him out of my mind, the door swung open. My heart leapt to my throat the moment Charles walked in. "Why... Why are you still here? I thought you went to see Rita," I asked in a trembling voice. "If I leave, my wife will be unhappy," he shrugged and started walking toward me. I scoffed. "What do you mean? We''re a married couple, remember?" Charles narrowed his eyes. I shook my head. "We have never been a real married couple. Have you forgotten that our marriage is fake from the very beginning?" I tried keeping the words in, but standing in front of Charles now, I could not help blurting them out in an usatory tone. If it were not for him wanting a divorce, I would not havee home from overseas. Charles furrowed his brows, and his eyes glinted with a dangerous light. He reached out and grabbed my wrist. "What about now? I want us to be a real couple, Scarlett. I love you." As he spoke, he approached me step by step, forcing me to retreat. In a few heartbeats, I found myself backed in a corner. The wall felt cold against my back, and it was aplete contrast to Charles''s warm torso that was a hair''s breadth away from mine. "Do you still think I''m not being serious? I mean it. I want to be with you." I looked at Charles''s face, gnashed my teeth together, and shook my head. Charles lifted my wrist that he was holding and pressed my hand against his chest. I felt his heartbeat on my palm. "Scarlett... Please tell me you want to be with me, too." My mind went in shambles as my eyes threatened to burn with frustrated tears. I kept silent for a long time, trying to sort out the mixed feelings that my nominal husband once again had stirred up. I once loved him so deeply, but all he did was hurt me over and over again. He broke my heart for Rita every chance he got, and now he was telling me that I was the love of his life. How was I supposed to believe him? "No, Charles, I don''t want to be with you. We can''t be together," I refused coldly. "I don''t love you anymore, okay? Have you forgotten all the things you''ve done to me for Rita''s sake? I can''t be with someone who treats me like an option. I deserve to be a priority. And you can''t make me take you back with a mere ''I love you''. Quit being so indecisive, will you? Seriously. I''m about to lose all respect for you." A muscle flickered in Charles''s jaw as he stared at me in silence. I put my hand down from his chest and waited for him to speak. After a few moments, he lowered his head and finally stepped back. "You will regret saying that sooner orter," he said in a low voice. I could not perceive any emotion in his tone. Then, he turned around andid down on the sofa. I went to bed and turned my back to him. The next day, I went to work as usual, but I still felt a little depressed. I went to get myself a cup of coffee, hoping that it would refresh me and help me focus. "You look awful. Is everything all right?" Nina came over to my desk and asked with concern. "Yeah. I just didn''t get that much sleepst night," I replied, taking another sip of my coffee. "That''s rough. How about we go grab dinner and some drinks after work? We can discuss what''s bothering you or just have a good time until you forget your troubles. What do you say?" "Sounds like a n." I knew she meant well, so I did not refuse. I was thinking about finding a ce to be alone and rest for a while, but maybepany was what I needed this time. And Nina was kind enough to offer it. After we got off work, Nina took me to a nice restaurant. "Oh, cheer up, Scarlett. The food here is divine. You''re going to love it." After cing our orders, Nina reached out and held my hand. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. I nodded and forced a smile. "Thank you, Nina. I can''t wait to eat and feel better." "Is Charles the reason you''re so down?" Nina asked while arranging her te and cutlery. I frowned. I was not expecting her to mention Charles''s name, and hearing it annoyed me. "Tell me the truth. Are you so listless because there''s something wrong with your sex life? Is Charles''s sexual appetite too intense?" Nina asked again. "No. In fact, we haven''t slept with each other ever," I retorted. "What? No way! You''ve been married for years. How is it possible you two haven''t slept together yet?" Nina lowered her voice, but I could tell that she was extremely shocked. "It''s true. He and I have never lived together like a normal couple, and now we''re getting a divorce," I answered firmly. "But... But he seems to care about you very much now," Nina stammered. "Men will always prefer the new over the old. It will be stupid of me to fall for any of his thoughtful gestures now. I''ve learned my lesson. He''s hurt me enough," I replied calmly while cutting my steak with my knife. "Wow. I''m so sorry. You must have suffered a lot because of him," Nina frowned. "Speaking of divorce, do you know how to expedite one?" I blurted out mindlessly as the heartbroken look on Charles''s face from yesterday shed before my eyes. Nina shook her head. "Well, I don''t know the details of speeding up the process, but I do know that getting a divorce on the grounds of infidelity is quite easy," I murmured to myself. "What?" Nina stared at me with wide eyes. Before we could continue, a man from the table next to ours coughed loudly as if he was trying to get our attention. I sneaked a peek out of the corner of my eye and was surprised to find Spencer and Charles sitting there opposite each other. I froze with my hand still holding my fork near my mouth. The piece of steak that I was about to eat almost fell off my fork. It was very likely that they had overheard our conversation. I lowered my head and pretended not to notice them. "What''s wrong, Scarlett? You look like you''re in pain." Nina handed me a piece of tissue. I shook my head. "Nothing. I just thought about something at work." I tried to conceal my uneasiness from Nina by putting on another fake smile. I went back to my food and tried to concentrate, hoping that Charles would note over and bother us. I ate the rest of my food while keeping the conversation as far away from the topic of Charles as possible. After dinner, Nina went to the parking lot to get her car. I stood on the sidewalk outside the restaurant and waited for her. A few moments after Nina left to get her car, I heard a familiar and annoying voice from behind me. "Oh, my God. Scarlett? Fancy seeing you here." I turned around and saw Nate standing behind me with a big, smug smile on his face. He looked like an old-fashioned, respectable gentleman. Who would have thought that there was a filthy mind under all that old-timey elegance? Chapter 79 Charles Was Drunk Chapter 79 Charles Was Drunk Scarlett''s POV: Nate had not stopped pestering me, which was so annoying. There was even a point where I suspected that he was following me. I stared at him coldly. "I wasn''t expecting to see you here. I''m meeting a friend at this restaurant." He seemed to have read my mind from the way I looked at him. He immediately held up his hands in surrender and exined. He was undressing me with his eyes again, and it filled me with disgust. "Really? What a coincidence." "Sweetie, have you thought about what I proposedst time? If you agree right now, I''ll have ten million dors wired to your ount immediately," Nate said smugly. I stood my ground. Even if he gave me everything he had, it would never be enough to pay for my freedom and dignity. Nate reached out and attempted to grab my wrist. I dodged his advance. "Mr. Lively, as an elder, you should conduct yourself appropriately, and I don''t think you''re doing that by trying to touch me without my consent." After that, I turned around and walked toward the parking lot to look for Nina. But Nate did not heed my warning. He caught up with me, grabbed my shoulder, and turned me around. Then, he dragged me toward a big tree shading one secluded area of the parking lot. Even if he was significantly older than I was, he was still stronger, and the more I struggled to break free, the tighter he held on. "Let go of me, Nate! This is harassment! I''ll call the police!" "All this resisting is useless, Scarlett, and you know it. Give in now, or suffer the consequences," Nate scoffed. Before I could respond, I heard a familiar pleasing voice. "Good evening, Mr. Lively. Is there a problem here?" Spencer said as he walked toward us. Nate was stunned to see Spencer. He obviously was not expecting anyone toe over and interrupt him as he tried to manhandle me. He let go of me and faced Spencer. I took the opportunity to rush over to Spencer''s side. "Are you all right? Did he hurt you?" Spencer looked at me with worried eyes, which I deeply appreciated. I shook my head. Spencer turned to look at Nate, raised his chin, and said, "We haven''t seen each other in a while, Mr. Lively. I see you''re as energetic as ever." "I''m ttered." Nate curled his lips in an amused smile. He did not seem to be threatened by Spencer''s presence at all. "Charles and I just grabbed dinner nearby. What are the odds of us running into you?" Spencer continued to talk casually, but as soon as he mentioned Charles, Nate''s face changed. "Well, fate is indeed a funny thing. I''m meeting a friend for dinner, too. I should get going. You two have a good night. See you around," Nate said by way of goodbye, forced a smile, and started walking away. Spencer and I just stared after him. "That man is trouble, Scarlett. You should stay away from him," Spencer said when Nate was out of earshot. He shook his head and shoved his hands into his pockets. I nodded my reply. That was when I realized that I was shaking a bit. That encounter with Nate truly scared me. "I will. Thank you." "Spencer? Hey! What are you doing here?" At this time, Nina pulled over beside us and rolled down the passenger-side window. She was overjoyed to see Spencer. "I had dinner with a friend at a nearby restaurant. I heard the food there was amazing." Spencer also smiled at the sight of Nina. That was when I started feeling a little ufortable. Since Spencer was here, it meant that Charles was also... Before I could finish that thought, Charles showed up. He walked over to us with a facial expression as cold as the night. "Let''s go, Spencer." Spencer pursed his lips and whispered in my ear, "You should go andfort him, Scarlett. He won''t say it, but I can tell that he''s pretty upset. When you and Nina were talking earlier about speeding up a divorce, we overheard your conversation. Charles has been in a foul mood since." "That''s not my problem, Spencer. He''s the one who asked me for a divorce, and I''ve had it with his dying tactics. He''s the one who''s leaving me with no choice," I backfired without hesitation. Then, I got into Nina''s car without looking at Charles. Seeing me get in the car, Nina immediately shifted to drive. As she drove away and watched Spencer and Charles through her rearview mirror, I fastened my seatbelt and shoved the thought of Charles out of my mind. Charles''s POV: Scarlett left just like that. She acted as if she did not even notice that I was there. She did not even look in my general direction. I felt heartbroken. I did not expect that she was capable of treating me that way. At the restaurant, she even said that she would cheat on me to get our divorce finalized as quickly as possible. "They''re gone, Charles. Let''s go," Spencer shrugged. I did not say anything and just stood there. "Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. Nate was here earlier and bothering Scarlett. I arrived just in time to rescue her from that dirty old man. I mean, I get it if he''s attracted to her because she''s beautiful and all, but he looks at her like she''s a piece of meat. I don''t like it. You should watch out for that geezer," Spencer exined, breaking the long silence. I whipped my head toward him and stared at him with wide eyes. I could not believe such a thing happened just now. But why did Scarlett not tell me? I suddenly remembered that one time when Nate sent a driver to bring Scarlett a gift. I balled my hands into fists as rage threatened to burn a hole through my chest. How could she keep me in the dark about Nate? Did she not tell me because she did not believe that I would help her? My heart suddenly felt so heavy that I started gasping for air. "What''s wrong? Are you okay, buddy?" Spencer asked, patting me on the shoulder. "I need a drink," I blurted out. I did not like drinking, but now I felt like alcohol was the only thing that could numb my pain. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "Really? Sweet. Me, too. Let''s go," Spencer snickered. When we arrived at the bar, we sat at the counter and told the bartender to keep the drinks flowing. "What on earth does Nate want with Scarlett anyway?" I shook my ss, watched the liquor swirl inside, and then gulped it down. "Oh, please. You know what every man wants with Scarlett. She''s magnificent." Spencer ordered a ss of martini and sipped it leisurely. "Yes, but... I bet he has an ulterior motive." I downed another ss and began to feel dizzy. "Well, whether or not that old man has some scheme up his sleeve, you still have to keep an eye on Scarlett. Or just sleep with her already to make your marriage official, whichever is easier for you." It might be the alcohol taking over my better judgment, but to me, Spencer had begun spewing nonsense once again. We drank a lot and almost closed up shop ourselves. By the end of the night, my mind was left a wastnd of Scarlett''s images and memories. I took a taxi and told the driver to go to Garden Street. Soon, I arrived at Scarlett''s house. I dragged my feet to her front door, careful not to bump into anything and then pass out. I entered the password to her door and had to budge it open with my entire body. My vision was spinning, but I managed to make my way through the darkness and into Scarlett''s bedroom. I found her lying there on her side with her back to me and covered with a nket. I climbed into bed beside her andid on my back. All I could think about was wanting to sleep with her. After a few moments, I felt her stir beside me. And then there was a small scream, and then her bedsidemp went on. "Charles? What the hell are you doing in my bed? Oh, my God, you reek of alcohol!" Scarlett''s voice rang in my ears. Panicked as she was, she still sounded enchanting to me. I rolled to my side and brushed my thumb over her cheek. My movement forced her to lie on her back. "Don''t leave me, Scarlett," I murmured. "You should go home or go to Rita." She tried to back away from my touch. I felt unhappy. "No. I don''t want to go home or go to Rita. I want to be with you." Before she could protest again, I pressed my body onto hers and silenced her with a hungry kiss. Chapter 80 Unexpected News Chapter 80 Unexpected News Scarlett''s POV: As I woke up, I stretched my arms and rubbed the sleep off my eyes. Just like I always did the moment I woke up, I took my phone from the bedside table and checked the time. However, what I saw unexpectedly jolted me awake. "Famous actress Rita Lively and the CEO of the Moore Group are getting married!" the headline of the news read. I had mixed feelings. I had no idea how many people had already seen the news. I could not help but think that I might be thest one to know about this. While I was in a deep thought, Nina suddenly called. "Scarlett, have you seen the news?! Charles is going to marry Rita! It''s ridiculous! A few days ago, he acted as if he loved you with all his heart. But now, news of him marrying someone else is trending on the Inte. He''s so confusing!" Nina went straight to the point as soon as I answered the call. "That''s what I''ve been telling you, Nina," I replied calmly as though the news did not affect me in any way. "Oh my God! I can''t believe it!" Nina sounded so disgruntled by the news. At that moment, I felt something move under the quilt. It startled me and made me hang up the call in fright. I took a deep breath and looked at the quilt. It was arched, and it seemed that a person was underneath it. My heart pounded in my chest. I slowly approached the quilt, and my eyes widened in surprise when I saw Charles''s face under it. He was fast asleep next to me. His angr face was like a sculpture¡ªsharp and well-defined. His unkempt hair made him look a little wild and carefree, unlike his usual demeanor, which was reserved and astute. My eyes trailed from his face down to his body. I could not help but swallow hard as I gazed at his well-toned deltoids and abs. It was not until then that I remembered that Charles hade overst night, drunk as a skunk. Unlike when he was sober, he acted all childish and annoyingst night. I stared at him, lost in thought. For some reason, I could not take my eyes off him. Charles must have sensed my burning gaze as he slowly opened his eyes after a moment. "Who''s going to get married?" he asked in a hoarse voice, and it made him sound sexier. "You are. You and Rita are going married. It''s written on the news." I turned my face away and got out of bed as soon as I finished speaking. I did not want Charles to think that I cared about it. However, he suddenly grabbed my hand, wrapped his arms around my waist, and pulled me into his arms. As a result, I fell backward on his warm chest. "Charles, let go of me. Why don''t you go and hug your Rita instead?" I was annoyed by his aggressiveness. I knew that struggling would not take me anywhere, so I grabbed my phone on the pillow and showed him the news. Charles took my phone and stared at it for a moment. Then, without a word, he handed it back to me and took his own phone to confirm what he had just read. Iid under the quilt and did not say anything. My chest felt stuffy, and I find it a little hard to breathe. I must admit, the news of Rita and Charles getting married broke my heart. "I won''t marry her." Charles quickly put on his shirt and tie as he spoke. Once again, he became the cold CEO he had always been. Iy on the bed with my arms around my knees and ignored him. The news of their marriage was written all over the Inte. Compared to it, his words meant nothing. Charles was going to marry Rita, and we could finally be divorced. That was what I wanted, was it not? But why was I unhappy? "Scarlett, let''s announce our marriage to the public," Charles casually said. Nevertheless, his words were like an atomic bomb. Shocked by what he had said, I sat up and looked at him. At that moment, I felt that the pain I had bottled up in the bottom of my heart could no longer be suppressed and would burst anytime soon. My eyes stung, and a few secondster, tears streamed down my face uncontrobly. "I didn''t ask anyone to post this news." Charles sat on the bedside and wiped my tears. Although his fingers were rough, his movements were soforting that I could not bring myself to push him away. This sensuous feeling washed over my body. ''Just enjoy yourself for a while,1 I told myself inwardly and then allowed Charles''s warm embrace to calm me down. I buried my head in his chest and closed my eyes, greedily enjoying the tenderness he was giving me at the moment. A few momentster, my phone suddenly rang. The loud and unexpected ringtone brought me back to reality. I pushed Charles away and courteously answered the phone. "Hello. Is this Scarlett? It''s William. We''ve met on your program." A gentle voice of a man came from the other end of the line. I immediately remembered the person I was talking to. I had interviewed William before. "I''m in Los Angeles for work. Would you like to have lunch with me?" William politely asked like a gentleman. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Sure," I agreed without a second thought. I had a good impression of him, after all. I figured that I would probably see him again at work, so it was only necessary to maintain a good rtionship with him. We exchanged a few pleasantries afterward, and then I finally hung up the call. I recalled what William had said thest time we met. He asked me about Rita and told me that she would marry the man of her dreams once she recovered. Her wish was going toe true now. She and Charles would get married soon. While I was in a daze, Charles hugged me from behind. "Who was that?" he curiously asked. Instead of answering his question, I pleaded, "Let me go." Our position was intimate, and it felt awkward. "I don''t want to." Charles turned me around and kissed me. Before I knew it, he had put his hands on my waist, picked me up, and pushed me onto the bed. I was powerless, so I just kissed him back and followed his lead. He even touched me amorously, and my body trembled at his every touch. "Don''t see other men," Charles ordered in between kisses. "That''s my friend," I protested straightforwardly. "You''re my woman. I won''t let anyone else have you." Charles tightened his grasp on my waist and kissed me harder as he spoke. His tongue then forcefully entered my mouth and explored it. His unique masculine musk enveloped me. And because of his kiss, my legs were weak and trembling. I must say, I was starting to like it that I felt an urge to indulge myself in his burning desire. However, I knew at the back of my head that I could not let things go on like this. "You''re wrong. I''m not yours." Ashamed of what I was feeling, I tried my best to keep my head clear. The fire in Charles''s eyes dimmed. To my surprise, he stood up and began unbuttoning his belt. What was he doing? Was he going to force himself on me? In a fit of panic, I gritted my teeth and rushed out of the bedroom. I wanted to run away as far as I could. There was no way I could ept this man, especially when he already belonged to someone else. But when I ran to the door, I realized that I was only dressed in a camisole nightie and that I had left my phone on the bed. Even if I could run away, where would I go anyway? With shame and anger in my heart, I stood in a daze as Charles made his way towards me. I did not look at him, and he did not say anything either. He just handed me my phone and kindly put a night robe on me. "I won''t force you. I''ll try my best to restrain myself. But you can''t make me wait too long," Charles solemnly said. I clutched my phone tighter and did not say a word. My face was still flushed because of what had just happened. Charles moved closer to me and whispered something in my ear. "Did you hear me, honey?" His low and husky voice sounded like a dangerous signal. It made my hair stand on its end and made me take a step back instinctively. Without warning, Charles lifted me up yet again. "Don''t go anywhere this morning. Just stay with me here." Chapter 81 The Omnipresent Rita Chapter 81 The Omnipresent Rita Scarlett''s POV: It was because of Charles'' strong request that I decided topromise for the time being. I did not know what he would do if I had notpromised. That whole morning, I was watching a movie with him. At first, I was worried that he might use the movie as an excuse to make a move on me, butter I found that he didn''t break his promise at all. He just watched the movie with me while holding me in his arms. We were watching the Titanic. When Leonardo Dicaprio''s handsome face appeared on the screen, I couldn''t help but look at Charles. Under the soft light, he was also extremely handsome, just like a movie star. Fortunately, I looked away right before he noticed the flush on my cheeks. The peaceful timested till noon. Standing in front of the wardrobe, I thought for a while before I chose my new ck backless dress for that lunch appointment. Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I was very satisfied, so I took my handbag and was about to go out to meet William. To my surprise, just when I put on my shoes, Charles, who was sitting on the sofa scrolling through his phone, suddenly stood up, frowned at me, and said, "No, Scarlett. Your dress is too revealing. Change it." ''Too revealing? This dress only reveals half of my back. Most evening gowns reveal way more than this one, right?'' "Don''t be silly, Charles. The dress is fine." I quickly put on my high heels and was about to open the door. "No!" Charles strode over to me, grabbed my wrist, and took me to the bedroom. Before I could even react, he dragged me to the bedroom, and I did not know what he was nning to do, so I kept struggling. Charles took me to the closet. He browsed through the clothes, chose a blue dress, took it off the hanger, and handed it to me. "Wear this." Saying that, he continued to look at me. "Why? I just bought this ck dress audit''s nice." I was still quite unwilling to make apromise. The blue dress that he chose was a bit too formal, and I only wore it to work. Since I was just meeting a friend, I naturally wanted to dress up a little. "If you don''t change it on your own, then I will do it for you." Charles was unwilling to change his mind either as he whispered those words to me. I red at him, but his eyes swept over my body. Subconsciously, I covered my chest with my hands, fearing that he might actually try to take off my clothes. Feeling helpless, I did not want to waste time at all, so I took the blue dress from his hands and got changed. Only after seeing me wearing the blue dress did he finally let me go. As soon as I walked out of the building, I hailed a taxi, and rushed to the restaurant where William and I had nned to meet. And indeed, it was a high-end restaurant. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Once I arrived, the doorman escorted me to the private dining room. I saw William as soon as I walked in. But then, before I could even greet him, I noticed someone unexpected sitting next to him, which made my eyes twitch. It was Rita, dressed in an elegant white dress with minimal makeup, which made her look dignified. I ignored her and greeted William as I sat down from across them. I asked with a smile, "Long time no see, William. How have you been?" "Thank you for your concern, Scarlett. I''m doing fine." William gave me a nod and a natural smile. Just when I was about to say something more to him, a familiar voice came from behind, interrupting me. "What a coincidence! Scarlett, you are here too!" My smile froze. It was Charles! I immediately turned around and saw him leisurely leaning against the door with a smile as he raised his eyebrows at me. He had changed his clothes in the short time that we were apart. The customized suit was a perfect fit for him, which made him look more handsome. I was staring at him nkly, and before I could even say anything, he sat down next to me. "Hello, William. I''m Charles Moore. It''s nice to meet you..." Before Charles could even finish speaking, Rita interrupted him, "William, Charles is the man I''m going to marry. He''s very handsome, isn''t he?" Although her smile seemed to be a sweet one, her words were not. I thought that it was funny, but I did not say anything to her as I did not want to meddle in their affairs. Without saying anything, Charles also put his arm around my shoulder and acted intimately. And immediately, I was embarrassed. What was he trying to do in front of Rita? William also looked at us closely. "Mr. Moore, are you really going to marry Rita?" he asked in a doubtful tone. "That''s just a rumor which has no credibility to it," Charles denied without even looking at Rita. I nced at her from the corner of my eye. It was obvious that his words were a big blow to her as I saw her biting her lips grimly. "You don''t seem like you like Rita, but there are obvious rumors spreading about your marriage. Moreover, you seem to be quite close to Scarlett." With a frown, William was trying to figure out the rtionship between us. His gaze made me feel embarrassed as though I was a third wheel in Charles'' rtionship with Rita. "Don''t misunderstand us. Charles and I are like brother and sister. We grew up together," I exined when I got a chance. Although our marriage was a fake one, his family had indeed adopted me and we had grown up together, so I was not entirely lying. Charles looked at me with a yful smile, but fortunately for me, he didn''t deny it. "Yes, they''re like siblings," Rita said in a hurry. There was a long depressing silent moment at the table. I put my hands on my knees, feeling like I was the one that caused all the awkwardness. It was supposed to be a pleasant meal, and now, it had turned into something awkward because of theplicated rtionship between Rita, Charles, and I. Feeling sorry for William, I tried to lighten the mood by changing the subject. "William, how do you know Rita?" I asked casually. But to my surprise, Rita''s face paled and William frowned upon hearing my question. "Oh well, we met because William saved me once. I... I was unconscious at that time. It was very dangerous," Rita exined in a hurry. However, I quickly guessed that there was something fishy going on between them. When they looked at each other, one of them was doubtful while the other seemed to be quietly pleading. I didn''t say anything, but I felt that their reaction was rather strange. Chapter 82 Pregnancy Chapter 82 Pregnancy William''s POV: The four of us sat at the table in awkward silence. Finally, I decided to chase away the tension in the air and picked up my ss. "Scarlett, I was impressed by your professionalism and performance in the interviewst time. I watched the program, and I was very satisfied with it. Here''s to you." Before Scarlett could raise her ss, Charles interjected. "Scarlett hasn''t been drinkingtely. But I''ll drink on her behalf." I raised my eyebrows and looked at Scarlett. Somehow, I felt that there was something off and unnatural about her today. I shrugged and emptied my wine ss. I took a nce at Rita again. She seemed restless, and her face was pale. Feeling sorry for her, I could not help saying, "Charles, maybe you and I should exchange seats so that you could keep a closer eye on Rita." "No." "Yes." Charles and Scarlett answered at the same time. It was Charles who did not agree to my suggestion. He narrowed his eyes at me as if telling me to mind my own business. I cleared my throat, smiled awkwardly, and said nothing. At this time, Rita raised her hand and put it over her chest. A muscle flickered in her jaw, and she furrowed her brows. The look of pain on her face was terrible to watch. I instantly got nervous. "Rita? What''s wrong? Are you okay? Do you need a doctor?" Rita pushed away my hand and bit her bloodless lip. She shed Charles a pitiful look. "Charles, can you take me to the hospital? I don''t feel well." Seeing Rita beg like that made my heart ache. She did not have to beg anyone to take care of her. She was a wonderful person. She deserved to be taken care of. I was extremely disappointed by Charles''s attitude toward Rita, but I was in no position to tell him off about it. Ignoring Rita''s sincere request, Charles rose from his seat and stepped out to make a phone call. When he returned to the table, he started serving Scarlett food as if nothing happened. I was confused by everyone''s behavior. Less than ten minutester, a strong-looking, well-built man stormed in. He was panting, and beads of sweat covered his forehead. He looked like he ran all the way here. He looked more like Rita''s fiance than Charles did. Rita''s facial expression changed from pained to unhappy when she saw the neer. She lowered her head as the man approached our table, and before he could say anything, Rita snapped, "I''m fine. You can leave now." Then, she started to eat without even looking at him. Suddenly, she retched. I was startled. "Rita, are you really okay? Maybe we should take you to the hospital." Rita shook her head and retched again. Then, she rushed to the bathroom. The brawny man followed her. Charles, Scarlett, and I were left at the table. I refilled my ss with wine, took a sip, and carefully calcted the next words that I was going to say. I finally went with, "Rita''s pregnant, isn''t she?" Not even a shadow of a reaction passed over Charles''s face. I could not decide if that was impressive or wildly insensitive. "You should go check on Rita, Charles," Scarlett urged, but she looked a little disappointed. "Even you think the baby in Rita''s belly is mine?" Charles muttered. Lowering her head, Scarlett replied, "Isn''t it yours?" Charles scoffed and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. I eyed the two of them carefully for a few moments and then asked Charles, "So what''s your rtionship with Rita?" "Rita and I have no rtionship," Charles answered. There was a trace of anger in his tone. Intrigued by his reaction, I prodded, "Okay. How about you and Scarlett? What are you to each other? And that man who just walked in and Rita. What''s up with them? And aren''t you supposed to marry Rita, Charles?" "No," Charles said through gritted teeth. I stared at him with wide eyes. Did he just say that he was not going to marry Rita? Then why was the news filled with stories about them being engaged? "Charles! How could you say that? You just got Rita pregnant, and now you''re not only denying that you''re the father but also saying that you''re not going to marry her? Are you really this heartless?" Scarlett stood up and started yelling angrily at Charles. Charles just sat there in silence, but it was obvious that he was trying to rein in his emotions. After a few moments, he rose and walked out. After Charles left, Scarlett slumped onto her seat and heaved a frustrated sigh. Her lips were pressed together in a thin line as if she was keeping herself from bursting into tears. "Scarlett, are you all right?" I asked with concern, vaguely realizing the rtionship between her and Charles. "I''m fine, William, but I have to go. I''m sorry," Scarlett said by way of goodbye, forced a smile, and then left. After she left, I went to the bathroom to find Rita. I was worried about her. As I approached the bathroom, I overheard two people arguing. "I will have an abortion." I heard through the closed door. It was Rita. Her voice sounded a little strained. I was about toe in when I heard a man''s voice. "Rita, this is also my child. You can''t make this decision without my agreement. If you don''t want our baby, then I will raise it on my own. Just don''t abort it." Scarlett''s POV: Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. I called Charles twice after leaving the restaurant, but he did not answer. I did not understand why he just left me like that at the restaurant. Thinking of the way he kissed me and the fact that Rita was pregnant, I felt like my head was going to explode. When I got home, Charles was not there. I waited and waited until I could not sit still anymore. So I went out and made my way to the tennis courts. Maybe I would find him there. It was Sunday, and the tennis courts were teeming with people who were looking to work out. But I easily spotted Charles among the crowd. He was ying with Spencer. "Ma''am, I''m sorry, but I can''t let you in. Mr. Moore instructed me to not let anyone bother him while he was ying." One of the staff stopped me at the entrance. "Let me in. I need to talk to him." I tried to force myself in, but the staff member stood like a brick wall in my way and fulfilled his duty. "Charles! You and I need to talk right now!" I yelled angrily. Spencer turned his head toward my direction, stopped ying, and walked over to me. He nodded to the staff, and then I was let in. "Hey, Scarlett. What''s wrong? You look upset." "I need to talk to Charles, Spencer. This has to stop. I want a divorce right now," I said firmly. "Well, not today. Charles is in a really bad mood, and you know there''s just no talking to him when he''s irate," Spencer replied. "Rita''s pregnant," I blurted out. Charles and Rita were having a baby, and I had no business now more than evering between them. It was time to wise up and leave. "And you think it''s Charles''s? Have you asked him if the baby is his? Scarlett, do you even know Charles at all? Do you really think he''ll betray you like that?" It was obvious that Spencer did not believe that Rita''s child could be Charles''s. Before I could retort, he pressed, "Charles is in love with you, and thest thing he wants to do is get Rita pregnant. He''ll never hurt you like that." I turned a deaf ear to Spencer''s words because if I allowed them to settle in my mind, I would make another round of mindless decisions. Enough was enough. I needed to get divorced and leave Los Angeles forever. "Charles''s time has been divided between me and Rita. Now that Rita''s pregnant, it just proves that Charles has chosen her. It''s time for me to go." I paused and took a deep breath. "If Charles doesn''t agree to our divorce, I''ll tell Michael and Christine that Rita is pregnant with his child." After I tried and failed to speak to him at the tennis courts, I did not see Charles for the next few days. He was like an eel in my grasp, slipping away whenever I got my hands on him. But since I had made up my mind to divorce him, I would not give up. I would not stop until his signature was on the divorce papers. Chapter 83 Dispute Chapter 83 Dispute Scarlett''s POV: I headed over to Charles''s office after work, but the receptionist would not let me in and told me that I needed to schedule an appointment to meet with Charles. I stood my ground and insisted on waiting. I might not have acquaintances or friends in Charles''s company that I could sweet talk into letting me see Charles, but I refused to let that stop me. Charles might avoid me, but I would not stop following him like a shadow if that was what it took to get him to agree to the divorce. "Please have a seat, ma''am. I''ll get you a cup of coffee," the receptionist said kindly. I had been coming here for a few days, so I was no longer a stranger to them. The hall was bustling with people, and I felt a little embarrassed to stand there in their midst, so I took a seat in the waiting area, hoping that Charles would suddenly show up. "Scarlett? Is that you, my dear?" I turned around and was surprised at the sight of Alice. "Mom? What are you doing here?" I quickly got up and walked over to her. "Oh, I came to bring Charles some food." She raised the lunch box she was holding at me and shed me a happy smile. Then, she held my arm and asked, "Why are you sitting here by yourself? If you''re here for Charles, you can go to him directly." I mustered an awkward smile, unsure of how to respond. Alice rubbed my arm and said, "Oh, dear. You''ve always been a shy one, haven''t you? Come. I''ll take you to Charles. He''d be very happy to see you." I instantly imagined the dissatisfied look on Charles''s face. He would be many things when he saw me, but happy was not one of them. I followed Alice into the private elevator to Charles''s office. "Did you know that Charles set the password of this elevator to the date of your wedding anniversary? Isn''t that sweet?" she said and shed me an adorable squinty smile. Then, she added, "Charles values his family and friends a lot. He''s been like that since he was a little boy. He''s just not used to expressing his feelings openly, but he cares a lot about those he loves, especially you, dear. In fact, all his passwords are rted to you." "Rita''s pregnant with Charles''s baby, Mom," I said abruptly. I could not take Alice''s praises of Charles anymore. He was not the affectionate man she thought he was. "What? Are you serious?" The happy smile on Alice''s face vanished into thin air. I swallowed the lump that lodged itself in my throat and replied in a broken voice, "Yes, Mom. I found out a few days ago." All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Alice hugged me and startedforting me, "Oh, sweetie, I''m so sorry. But are you sure? Have you heard Charles''s side of the story? Maybe he can exin all this." "No need, Mom. This is it. I''m done. I want a divorce. This time, I won''t let anything stop me," I told her in between small sobs. My rtionship with Charles had not only hurt me in unspeakable ways but also robbed me of my pride and dignity. I did not want it anymore. "Let''s not be hasty, Scarlett. You and Charles need to talk this through," Alice sighed after hesitating for a while. Eventually, the elevator reached Charles''s office, and the doors whirred open. Charles''s assistant was out in hall waiting for us. "Mr. Moore is in a meeting right now, but he sent me to usher you into his office to wait." "No, thanks. We''ll wait here. You may carry on with your work." Alice waved her hand and sent Charles''s assistant away. Then, she pulled me aside and said, "Calm yourself, dear. Things may not be as bad as you think. I know my son very well. Before you make some permanent decisions, you should open a dialogue with him first. I''m sure there''s a reasonable exnation for all this. I didn''t raise my son to treat his wife like this." Alice''s words made me feel a bit better, so I reached out and gave her a hug. "Thank you, Mom. No matter what happens between me and Charles, you''ll always be my mother." As soon as I finished my words, Charles walked out of the meeting room. He nced at us, pulled a long face, and walked straight into his office. Alice rushed over to him, and I followed suit. "Is it true, Charles? Is Rita pregnant with your child?" Alice asked immediately after I closed the door behind us. "I''m not the father of Rita''s baby, Mom," Charles backfired. He sat on the sofa and crossed his legs. He closed his eyes and kneaded the bridge of his nose. There were obvious dark circles under his eyes. He looked exhausted. "Are you sure? You''ve been seeing that woman even after Scarlett came home from overseas." "Nothing''s going on between me and Rita. I''m only trying to show her some gratitude." "Then why did you express your desire to marry Rita and divorce Scarlett? And now that Rita''s pregnant, you won''t take responsibility? Is that how I raised you?" Alice reprimanded. "I''m willing to do anything to prove that Rita''s child isn''t mine. I''ve never touched her." Charles fished out his cigarette case from his jacket pocket. He was about to light up when he paused, put the cigarette back in the case, and shoved the case back into his jacket pocket. "Are you saying that you want a paternity test? I can''t believe you. When did you turn into such a coward?" I looked at him coldly. "I''m not being a coward. Since neither of you believe me, then I need to produce some sort of proof," Charles retorted in a tone that I could tell he was desperately trying to keep neutral. I had the chance to stare at him more closely. He looked like he had lost some weight in the days that we had not seen each other. I averted my gaze and muttered, "You got her pregnant. You don''t get to walk away from the responsibility of raising your child." "But it''s not my child, so it''s not my responsibility. Even if you tell me over and over that I''m the father of Rita''s baby, it won''t change the fact that I''m not because I never climbed into bed with her." "And you expect me to believe that? Come on, Charles. Be a man." I looked at him with disappointment. Alice, who had been standing there and watching us argue, suddenly exploded with emotions. "Enough! You better be right about you not being the father of Rita''s unborn baby, Charles, or I swear the rest of your life will be filled with nothing but regret." "I''m very busy right now, Mom. I don''t have time for this. I''ve already exined myself. If you don''t want to believe me, then there''s nothing else I can do." With a cold face, Charles asked his assistant to show us out. Alice set down the lunch box on the coffee table and said, "I brought you some food. I hope your conscience doesn''t bother you so much that you won''t be able to enjoy it." Before leaving, I remembered why I came to see Charles in the first ce. I raised my chin, put the papers down in front of him, and said, "Let''s get divorced. No more dys. I want it done as soon as possible." "No!" Completely infuriated, Charles swept the papers off the coffee table and rose from his seat. He ran his fingers through his hair, and a little growl escaped his throat. His assistant walked over to me and led me out. "You''d better leave now. Mr. Moore is in a bad mood," she said to me in a low voice. I nodded and left with Alice. "Is Rita really pregnant with Charles''s child? What if Charles was telling the truth about him not going to bed with Rita? What if Rita is pregnant with another man''s child and is using it to force Charles to marry her?" Alice wondered out loud. "But who else could father Rita''s child?" I asked in a dispirited tone. To be honest, I was hoping in my heart that Charles was indeed telling the truth. But Rita was so desperately in love with Charles. Thest thing that she would do was to be unfaithful to him and sleep with another man. She would never ruin her chances of marrying him. "I''ve known Charles to be an honorable young man. He doesn''t lie, and he has always been responsible. If he really got Rita pregnant, he would own up to it without hesitation. Besides, he told us that he wanted to build a life and a family with you." Alice held my hand and shed me a look at shattered my heart. The back of my eyes instantly burned, but I bit back the tears. Sometimes, I could notprehend how fate could be so merciless to its subjects. I once imagined a perfect life with Charles, a life that we would happily spend together surrounded by our children. But now, it did not look like it would ever turn into a reality, and it left a bitter taste in my mouth and a giant wound in my heart. Chapter 84 Amnesia Chapter 84 Amnesia Alice¡¯s POV: I rushed home the moment I parted with Scarlett in Charles''spany. "Alice, slow down. Keep your elegant image." Christine advised while enjoying her tea time in the garden. She could not help but make fun of me when she saw me rushing over with a frantic expression. "Mom, I have something important to tell you." I sat down opposite Christine, not caring about my manners. Christine put down her cup of tea and looked at me curiously. "What happened?" All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. I took a deep breath and tried my best to keep a straight face. "Rita is pregnant." After hearing what I said, Christine was no longer in the mood for tea. She waved her hand, signaling to the butler to take the tea and desserts away. She looked serious. I could not figure out what she was thinking at the moment. "Mom, what do you think?" I asked inquisitively. Christine pondered for a moment. "Are you sure Charles is the father?" "I... I think so." The truth was, I was unsure. But now that I thought of it, what Scarlett had said made sense. If the father was not Charles, who else would it be? Rita had been keen on marrying into the Moore family. She would not do anything stupid, would she? While I was in deep thought, my phone rang. I looked at the caller ID, and my face turned white as a sheet. Christine must have noticed the look on my face that she asked, "Is it Susan?" I nodded in response. Susan''s voice then came from the other end of the line, and it was aggressive like a shrew. "Rita is pregnant. Charles must be responsible for it." I forced a smile and replied, "We''ll be sure to take responsibility if the baby is indeed Charles'' s." "Whatever. The wedding should be held as soon as possible." Susan hung up the call without even waiting for my response. "They''re definitely a family. All of them are bad -tempered." My head was throbbing because of what just happened. While I was massaging my temples, I decided to call Charles. I had to talk to him tonight. No matter who the father of Rita''s child was, this matter must be solved immediately. Charles'' POV: When I entered the yard, the butler opened his mouth to speak but stopped on second thought. I raised my eyebrows and casually walked into the living room. Just as I had anticipated, everyone was gathered there except the person I wanted to see the most. "What''s going on? It''s so ceremonious." I asked knowingly and sat on the couchzily with my legs crossed. My father snorted and grumbled, "Stop ying dumb." "Wow. Thest time you were this stern was when I chose to go tow school regardless of your objection," I retorted. "Stop changing the topic. Susan called today and asked you to marry Rita as soon as possible," he said with a straight face. "Why does no one believe me when I say that the baby is not mine?" I was dissatisfied and helpless that nobody believed my words. "That''s not the point. Back then, you were the one who took the initiative to buy the wedding dress for Rita. Sometimeter, the news of your engagement was broadcast. Everyone knows that you two are getting married. Charles, I''m telling you, you have to clean up this mess without discrediting the Moore family." Mom came straight to the point. "I''ll take care of it. Don''t worry." I did not want to defend myself anymore. They would not believe me anyway. Without waiting for their response, I got up and left. When I left the vi, I did not know where to go, so I drove around aimlessly. All I could think about at that moment was Scarlett. I missed her so much. It was driving me crazy that I could not see her. But, she must hate me now. With nowhere to go, I decided to go to the bar with Spencer. "Charles, stop smoking." David snatched the cigarette from my hand and looked at me worriedly. I had been smoking for quite a while now that the ashtray was filled with cigarette butts. Spencer patted me on the shoulder. "He''s right. You asked us out for a drink. How could you smoke in a corner alone?" I forced a smile at them, but it came out bitter and unconvincing. Neither cigarette nor alcohol could dispel my dejection right now. All I wanted at the moment was to see Scarlett. I even hoped she would call me, but that would be wishful thinking. I just wished I could hear her voice right now. David heaved a heavy sigh and tried to ease the atmosphere with his senseless monologue. "As I see you heartbroken, I now believe the theory the wise never falls in love easily." I took a swig of alcohol and chuckled. "I''ll wait for the day you eat your words." "Charles is right. He used to be cold and heartless. But now, he''s suffering because of love. In my opinion, theories are destined to be overturned." Spencer clinked his ss with mine to show solidarity with me. But then, he shook his head and added, "Charles, you''d better make everything clear to Scarlett. I think there are too many misunderstandings between you two that it''s confusing her." "Scarlett doesn''t believe me. In my eyes, I''m a scum," I replied glumly. "Then why don''t you just have sex with her? When you two have a real rtionship, she won''t leave you anymore." As I did not say anything, Spencer winked at David and teasingly asked, "What the hell are you talking about? You know what kind of person Scarlett is. She''s smart and rational. Don''t act rashly, and make sure that the gains outweigh the losses." "What else can we do then? How about I ask someone to send Rita abroad and make sure she neveres back?" David suggested. "David, stop it." Spencer red at David and then looked at me. "Charles, listen to me. The only way to solve this problem is to clearly exin to Scarlett what you truly feel." I did not say anything, but I knew that Spencer and David were doing this for my own good. Nevertheless, there were some things that could not be exined in a few words. Anyway, all I could do at the moment was drown myself in alcohol. Scarlett''s POV: I had been restless ever since I returned from Charles''spany. Everything seemed to be off track. Iy in the bathtub and stared at the ceiling nkly as I recalled everything that happened between Charles and me. I did not get out of the bathtub and walk out of the bathroom until the water turned unbearably cold. Now, Iy on the bed, wide awake. I kept tossing and turning, but I still could not fall asleep. Exasperated, I picked up my phone and typed on the search bar, "How to divorce in a short time?" Dozens of search results came out. After reading theizen''s suggestions, one answer caught my eye. I decided to sue for divorce. I immediately called Nina and told her my n. At first, she did not support what I was nning to do. "Scarlett, I think you should think it over. Charles is an excellent man. It''s hard to find someone like him again," Nina advised with a hint of hesitation. "It doesn''t matter how excellent of a man he is. Rita is pregnant with his child. I should stop clinging to him and do the right thing," I exined calmly. "Wait. What did you just say? That woman is pregnant?! If that''s the case, why wouldn''t Charles leave you alone? What a jerk!" Nina was bbergasted by the news and became sympathetic to me. Now that she knew the truth, she promised she would help me with the divorce process as much as she could. At that very moment, the doorbell rang. I hung up the call at once and went to answer the door. It was Spencer, David, and Charles. It seemed that they had been drinking as thetter was passed out drunk. "Scarlett, let us in. Charles is so heavy," Spencer pleaded while gritting his teeth. He looked exhausted, probably from carrying Charles all the way here. I got out of the way and let him take Charles inside. But then, something urred to me. In the past, Spencer alone could take Charles back with ease. Why did he say he couldn''t handle Charles even with David''s help now? At that moment, the two put Charles on my bed. Spencer wiped the sweat on his forehead and helplessly said, "Charles is drunk as a skunk. David and I can''t handle him anymore. We nned on sending him back to his own ce, but Charles went crazy all the way and insisted oning to your ce. Anyway, he''s here now. Please take care of him." "You''d better send Charles away. It''s bothersome to let him stay here." I refused disdainfully. I did not want to be entangled with Charles anymore, especially after what I had just found out. However, Spencer just patted me on the shoulder and ignored my refusal. "Thank you, Scarlett. David,e on!" With that, he and David left my apartment. I looked at the drunkard on the bed, at a loss for words. I poked Charles on the waist, but he made no reaction. It appeared that he was fast asleep. Charles''s usually cold face was gentle when he was asleep. Even though I was trying so hard to suppress my feelings for him, I could not stop myself from caressing his face. I smoothed his hair and found that his forehead was red and swollen. He must have bumped it while he was out drinking. I could not deny, I was concerned about him. So, I took some ice cubes from the fridge, wrapped them in a towel, and put thepress on his forehead to reduce the swelling. I also wiped his face with a warm towel in hopes that he would feel better when he woke up. It was already deep into the night when I finished caring for him. As he was sleeping on my bed, I went to the guestroom and slept there. When I woke up the next morning, the sun was already shining brightly outside. I rubbed the sleep off my eyes. For some reason, I was a little light-headed. I must have not slept wellst night. It did not matter, anyway. With that, I got out of bed and sneaked into the next room. The room was dim as the curtains were closed. To my surprise, Charles had not woken up yet. It was odd, considering that he usually woke up early in the morning. Worried that he had a hangover, I put my hand on his forehead to check his temperature. I was relieved to know that it was normal. Just as I was about to withdraw my hand, Charles grabbed it, and his eyes fluttered open. He did not seem like he had just woken up. In fact, he looked very sober. "You were just feigning sleep," I grumbled. "Why is your hand so cold?" Charles frowned and pulled me closer to him. "Does your head hurt?" I raised my head to look at him. He had small stubble already, for just not shaving for one day. Charles lowered his gaze and solemnly said, "Scarlett, I don''t remember anything except you." My eyes widened in rm. "What''s wrong? Is it because you drank too muchst night?" "Just kidding." Charles burst intoughter. He then kissed me on the forehead and whispered in a loving voice, "You were scared, weren''t you?" Chapter 85 Have A Fever Chapter 85 Have A Fever Scarlett''s POV: When I realized that Charles had fooled me, I was very upset. Just when I was about to push him away, he raised his hand and touched my forehead as he said in a nervous voice, "Scarlett, you seem to be burning up. Do you have a fever?" "Really? I don''t know." Thinking that I was only feeling weak because Charles had scared me, I touched my forehead. He gently put me on the bed and covered me with the nket as he said, "Hold on a minute." He then quickly walked to the living room, found a thermometer, and handed it to me. "Check your temperature." Taking the thermometer from him, I pouted. Charles nced at me, and said, "You are an adult. Don''t you know it when you are sick?" I got up in a hurry and defended myself, "I thought that it was because ofck of sleep. I should be fine if I just rest for a while. Besides, you scared me with your inexplicable words this morning, so it''s your fault." Seeing that I was wronged, his expression softened. He reached out and rubbed my nose with a helpless look in his eyes as he said, "It''s my fault, yes. Lie down and rest like a good girl." Five minutester, Charles took the thermometer, and his expression darkened when he saw the reading. "It''s 102 degrees, Scarlett! How can you not take care of yourself?" I cleared my throat and hinted, "Maybe, I have been too worriedtely, and that''s what caused me to crack. If you want me to recover quickly, then you must cooperate with me. Like finding time to sign some documents." "Just give it up. Since you are sick, I will take good care of you. As for the documents you want me to sign..." After a pause, Charles leaned closer and added, "Don''t even think about it." Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "How do you know what documents I am talking about?" I asked, looking at him innocently. "It must be the divorce agreement, I am sure," Charles saidzily and stood up. Frustrated, I closed my eyes, not wanting to talk to him anymore. Charles tucked me in and seemed a little unhappy. He said to himself, "It''s me who got hurt on my forehead, but no one takes care of me. On the contrary, I have to take care of you." I slowly opened my eyes and cast a nce at him. "This is a punishment for your neglect." "That''s nonsense," Charles retorted helplessly. He then covered my eyes with his palm and continued in a soft voice, "Get some rest. I''m going to prepare breakfast." Feeling the warmth of his hand, I said dryly, "You can go to work now. I''m fine on my own." "Don''t keep trying to drive me away. Right now, the only priority I have is to take care of my wife. Nothing is more important to me than you." There was a hint of flirtation in his voice. "Shame on you." I could not help but blush at his words. "I like it better when you''re on me," he added, continuing to be the cheeky devil. I pursed my lips and closed my eyes, ignoring him. While Charles went to the kitchen, I sat up, and called Nina, asking her toe over. I was not sure how long I waited for her to show up, and just when my eyelids started to feel heavy, I heard the doorbell. I got out of bed and was about to open the door for Nina, but Charles got to it before I could. "Hi, Charles. What a surprise! You are here too." Nina gave him an awkward greeting as she was also not expecting him to be there. Charles raised his eyebrows and nced at me with a meaningful look in his eyes. I gave him a stiff smile. Did he find out about my ns once again? After entering my bedroom, Ninained, "Scarlett, why didn''t you tell me that Charles is here? If I had known, I would not havee." "Nina, can you do me a favor? I don''t want to stay alone with him in the same room, so could you please help me send him away?" I asked her expectantly. "This is your private matter, and it won''t be appropriate for me to get involved between you two. Moreover, it is not my principle to break up lovers. If only you and Charles could just admit it and be together." Nina sounded hesitant. "Please, help me just this once, okay? I can''t be with him. It is impossible! I already exined the reason to youst night, right?" I continued to plead with her and asked her to help me. "Although your reason is indeed quite valid, I am still scared. Charles is the man who can make the whole business world shake with just a cough. How can I dare to provoke someone like him? You''re probably the only one who would dare to go up against him," Nina said hesitantly. "If you can help me, then I can arrange an interview with him for you." Using my trump card, I gave her a smile. "If that''s the case, then okay." Nina made apromise and added, "Don''t forget what you promised, though." I gave her a nod of assurance as I pushed her out. "Hurry up! I am counting on you." Once she stepped out of the room, I hid behind the door as I watched what was going on in the living room. Charles had finished cooking, and he had arranged all the food on the dining table. Surprised, Nina eximed, "Oh my God, Charles, you are such a good cook." "Would you like to stay for breakfast?" he offered her. "Sure. It would be an honor, Charles," Nina readily agreed. She was so excited that shepletely forgot about the task that I had given her as she took out her phone to click some pictures of the breakfast. I walked out of the room, intending to remind her not to forget the n. "Nina..." I said, winking at her. "What''s the matter, Scarlett?" Nina nced at me for a second before she turned to focus on her phone again. "I am going to take a few photos and upload them to Instagram. I need to show off that I had the honor of tasting Charles '' cooking, right?" I understood that I could not count on her anymore, so I pulled up a chair and sat down next to her. "Scarlett, taste the fried chicken." She handed me a piece of the fried chicken excitedly. "Thank you." Gritting my teeth, I smiled at her, and winked again. However, she seemed to be oblivious to my hints. ''What a careless woman!'' "That''s for you, Nina. Scarlett has a fever, and she can''t eat that," Charles said all of a sudden as he took away the piece of fried chicken from me and pushed forward a bowl of hot chicken broth towards me. I noticed that there were chopped onions in the soup, and frowned. "I don''t want it." Nina seemed to have suddenly remembered the task I gave her and cut in, "Scarlett doesn''t want it because her appetite is very low whenever you''re around." Charles blinked his eyes but he gave me an understanding look as he said, "Since Nina is here to take care of you, I will take my leave. Don''t forget to take your medicine after you eat." I was not expecting him to leave so quickly. Looking at his back, I sort of felt sad. After breakfast, Nina washed the dishes for me while muttering, "Charles is such a good man. Are you really going to divorce him? There are not a lot of men who are willing to cook and take care of their wives, you know? I am sure that he really loves you. There must be some kind of misunderstanding between you two." "Charles is not faithful. He is good to me, but so is he to Rita. What I want is a dedicated lover. Shouldn''t love be something that only two of us share?" I blurted out while I kept telling myself that divorcing him was really the right thing to do. "Well... It is indeed a pity that you two can''t be together, but as your friend, I will support you, no matter what you decide." Nina sighed regretfully. After cleaning up, she left while I took the medicine and rested the whole day. The evening came, but my fever still was not down. I had no strength to get up, so I continued to sleep. While I was in a trance, I felt a warm hand touching my forehead. I struggled to open my eyes and saw that it was Charles. "Charles? Why are you here again?" I asked in a hoarse voice, confused. Chapter 86 Bitterness Chapter 86 Bitterness Charles''s POV: Looking at Scarlett''s confused face, I could not help softening my voice. "I don''t want to leave you alone. I''ll just end up worrying about you." However, after hearing what I said, she looked me dead in the eyes. Her eyes suddenly became sharp. She was like an angry kitten that was pretending to be a fierce lioness. "If you dy the divorce again, I will sue you," she muttered. "I won''t divorce you even if it kills me!" Looking at her pale face, I felt sorry for her. I held her in my arms and shook my head. "But Rita''s pregnant with your baby..." Scarlett whispered, sounding aggrieved. I tried tofort her, "The baby''s not mine. It''s Richard''s." Scarlett raised her head and looked at me in surprise. "How could you say that? You''re really going to burden others with your responsibility? My God, Charles. I''m so disappointed in you. Get out. I don''t want to see you or talk to you. You''re upsetting me." As she spoke, she pushed me away. All I could do was take the hit. After all, it was my fault. I was the reason for her distrust. I walked out of the bedroom without looking back. The moment I walked into the living room, I regretted leaving. Scarlett was still sick. Thest thing I should do was leave her alone. I turned around and went back to her room without hesitation. When I entered the bedroom, I found Scarlett staring at me with wide eyes. She obviously did not expect me to return. Before she could say anything, I climbed into bed beside her and crashed my lips onto hers. She struggled against me, but I did not let go. I slid my hand under her jaw and kissed her slowly and carefully. After a few heartbeats, she stopped resisting. It instantly got me worried that her condition was getting worse. I let go and took a look at her. "Why did you stop? Are you okay?" "It''s pointless to fight you. I can''t beat you anyway." There was no expression on her face, and she did not meet my gaze at all. I could not decide whether to feel hurt or guilty. But when I saw the unmistakable absence of light in her eyes, I felt like she just stabbed me through the heart with a dagger. "Has Rita really destroyed your trust in me?" I asked in a cold voice. Scarlett darted her eyes at me and stared at me quietly for a few seconds. Then, she answered in a heartless tone I had never heard her use, "Yes." I found myself gnashing my teeth together and shoving down the emotions that threatened to make me explode like a volcano. Just then, my phone rang. I impatiently took it out and answered it. Soon, Rita''s voice came from the other end of the line. "Hi, Charles. I just want to let you know that I will get an abortion," Rita said. I could tell that she was trying to keep her voice steady because I was still able to hear her anxiety. I did not say anything for fear that I would snap at her. I was fed up with all her drama and her constant efforts to keep me away from Scarlett, but I was not going to tell her off right this minute. She said when I did not respond, "Charles? Charles, are you there? Did you hear what I just said? Say something!" Thinking of everything she had done, I could not help feeling incredibly annoyed. Instead of talking to Rita, I raised my voice on purpose and said something ambiguous to Scarlett. "Hold me tight, Scarlett." "Charles, who... Who are you with? Who are you talking to?" Rita became agitated right away. I asked her, "Who else can it be? Don''t bother me anymore, Rita. Scarlett doesn''t like it when you call me all the time." Then, I hung up the phone and looked at Scarlett who kept silent the entire time I was on the phone. I lowered my head and continued to kiss her affectionately. "Be with me, Scarlett. I will give you anything¡ªmy body, my heart, my possessions, anything you want." "I want a divorce." Her voice was as hard and cold as a stone. "No." As I spoke, I continued to kiss her from her lips down to her corbone. I stared at her fondly, the woman I loved with all my heart. She took a deep breath as her eyes glinted with tears. "We can''t go on like this, Charles," she said in a soft voice and pulled my arm. "We should just get this over with. Please, I''m begging you." I got off her, sat up, and stared into her eyes, and the determination that I saw despite the sadness poised to burn a hole through my chest. I could not help feeling enraged. She really wanted to divorce me at all costs. "Why don''t you just sue me and let the world know about our marriage''s bitter end?" I asked through gritted teeth. Damn it! I did not mean to say that, but my reason just could not stop my fury. Scarlett gently took my hand. "No, I don''t want that, Charles. Let''s divorce peacefully, okay? There''s no need to put ourselves and our family through such a painful ordeal." Once again, she was begging me. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. And it broke my heart beyond imagination. I wanted to make her understand just how badly I longed to be with her, but without her trust, I could do nothing, and it just made me even angrier. I smiled bitterly and withdrew my hand. "I can never get you to trust me again even if I sacrifice my life or everything I have, can''t I?" After I pulled away from her grasp, she lowered her head and said nothing. Her face grew even paler, making her look like a fragile porcin doll in the dim light. I had made up my mind not to give Scarlett a way out, but it was only driving her further and further away from me. Maybe it was time for me to let her go so that she could take some time to figure out her true feelings. But could I really bear to let go and carry on without her? Impossible. We were silent for a long time. Iid beside her and turned my back to her. The longer she kept quiet, the more bitter I felt in my heart. Did she really have nothing to say to me? "Don''t you have anything to say?" I could not help breaking the silence. Scarlett did not respond. I turned around and found her asleep, but her eyes were only halfclosed. I did not know whether to cry or tough. As it turned out, I was the only one having our fight. I carefully took her hand and kissed it, and my heart was filled with affection. There was no need to argue with her. As long as she was happy, it was enough. As for all the other troubles, I would resolve them and prevent them from ever hurting her again. Chapter 87 The Call From Nate Chapter 87 The Call From Nate Charles''s POV: "Scarlett, I''m going to get you some soup, okay? You should have some so that you can take your medication. Then, you can go back to sleep," I whispered in her ear. "But I want to sleep," Scarlett pouted and said in a daze. "You can sleep after you''ve taken your pills." I stroked her hair and then went to the kitchen to get her some soup. When I came back to the bedroom, Scarlett had already gotten up. She was leaning against the headboard and staring into space. "Let me feed you," I said and carefully picked up the bowl. She narrowed her eyes at me and retorted, "I can feed myself." "No. You''re still weak. You''ll just spill this hot soup all over yourself and get hurt," I backfired and avoided her touch. "Fine," she mumbled and finally let me feed her. After Scarlett finished the soup, I helped her take her medication. I could not help smiling while watching her trying to down her pills. She had always hated taking any sort of medication since we were children. Apparently, she had not outgrown it. "Are you going to sue me with the help of Nina''s father?" I tried to get some useful information from her. Scarlett took a sip of water and nced at me with clear eyes. She pursed her lips and did not say anything. It seemed that she would never tell me anything no matter how hard I tried. "Forget it. I''m not that curious." I heaved a sigh and then asked her, "Where do I sleep tonight?" "You sleep here, and I will sleep in the guestroom," Scarlett answered. "Very well, but don''t me me if I sleepwalk to the guest room tonight," I chuckled, and she shot me a death re. She looked particrly cute when she was annoyed by my little quips. She rolled her eyes, slid out of bed, and walked to the wardrobe. She muttered, "His woman''s pregnant and he wants to sleepwalk into another woman''s bedroom." "Can you speak up? I won''t be mad at whatever it is you''re saying." She turned her head and squinted at me like a threatened cat. She repeated in a loud voice, "Your woman is pregnant and you want to sleepwalk into another woman''s bedroom. Can you be more shameless and inconsiderate? Honestly, Charles, you''ve already got Rita. Why are you still pestering me?" "Like I already told you, Rita''s pregnancy has nothing to do with me. I''ve been denying it since it came up. Why can''t you believe me?" I exined to her again. To be honest, I was getting a little tired of telling her my side of the story. It was like she had not heard anything I had been saying. "Then who else could''ve gotten her pregnant? Everyone knows that you and Rita are a couple, and I''m the nuisance that''s standing in the way of your dream life. Just let me go already so that you can live happily ever after with the mother of your child," Scarlett snapped, her eyes reddening with frustration. "Well, it is possible that Rita has been sleeping with another man because I''ve been ignoring her. I''ve told you that I''ve never climbed into bed with her. You''re the only one in my heart. Can''t you see how insane I''m going because I love you so damn much? In fact, I''lle out tomorrow and announce our marriage." All the pent-up rage and frustration that I had been keeping a lid on for the past few days finally burst out of me like water out of a broken pipe. "Enough! You''re not going anywhere and announcing anything." With a fresh pair of pajamas in hand, Scarlett shed me a panicked look. I approached her and reached out to touch her, but she backed away, went into the bathroom, and shut the door behind her. I took a deep, steadying breath. I regretted scaring her. Overtaken by my emotions, I fumbled in my pocket for my cigarette case. Then, I remembered that I had given up smoking for Scarlett. Just as the sound of running water from the bathroom filled the air, Scarlett''s phone rang. I wondered who would call her at thiste hour. I walked to the bedside table and nced at the caller ID. It was an unknown phone number. After a few moments of internal debate, I decided to answer the call. I was a little surprised to hear Nate''s voice. "Hello, Scarlett. I wasn''t expecting you to pick up thiste. Why are you still up? Are you lonely? Would you like to join me for a drink?" I held the phone tightly and did not make a sound. My eyes threatened to well up with tears as I desperately tried to shove down my rage. I remembered what Spencer told me in the past about Nate harassing Scarlett. If I could strangle the old man through the phone, I would. "Scarlett, sweetheart? Are you there? Why aren''t you saying anything? If you want, I cane over right now and satisfy you. I''ll do what Charles can''t." It was then that I finally understood what was going on. What a shameless old man! Nate continued, "And whatever Rita has, you will have, too. All you need to do is agree to my offer, and I''ll make you the happiest woman in the world." "This is Charles," I finally snapped. Nate paused for a few seconds and thenughed awkwardly. "Oh, I''m sorry, Charles. I thought I was speaking to Scarlett." "You dare seduce my woman?" I asked in a cold voice. "No, of course not. This is just a misunderstanding. I didn''t get my message across very well." Nate faltered over the phone. His tone drastically changed from perverted and confident to guilty and scared. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "What''s there to misunderstand? You called my wife in the middle of the night to sexually harass her. Are you bored or something, Mr. Lively? Because if you are, I can give you something to be excited about and teach you a lesson at the same time." I let my voice drip with menace. "I just want to express how much I care for the younger generation. After all, I''ve watched Scarlett grow up." I was a little disappointed with the excuse that he went with. I expected more from someone like Nate Lively. "I wasn''t born yesterday, Nate. I know exactly the kind of care that you want to express to my Scarlett. Since you have the guts to covet my woman, then facing the consequences shouldn''t be a problem for you. It''s funny that you think you can make Scarlett the happiest woman in the world by waving your money in her face. She''s not like that. It''s going to take more than money and worldly things to get her and keep her. She''s special, she''s mine, and if you want her, you can pry her off my dead fingers." After that, I hung up, deleted the call log, and blocked Nate''s number. At this time, Scarlett came out of the bathroom. Seeing her cell phone in my hand, she was confused. "Why are you holding my phone? Did anyone call me?" "No. I was just about to charge it for you." I did not want to tell her the truth. If I did not let her know about Nate''s disgusting call, I would have better chances of keeping that old, sleazy bastard away from her. "You''re lying. Whenever you hide something from me, you avoid my eyes. Besides, my phone''s fully charged. I plugged it in before I slept." Scarlett looked at me and tilted her head to the side. "I''m not trying to keep anything from you, okay? I''m just trying to protect you from being stressed out. You haven''t fully recovered," I replied, taking two steps toward her. I still had not gotten over the fact that she did not tell me about Nate and that I had to hear it from Spencer. Nate''s call just now was the confirmation I needed. "What are you talking about? I don''t understand." Scarlett looked at me in confusion. "Never mind. Go to sleep." I did not want to say anything more. I was afraid of rousing her suspicions. She had always been a sensitive person. "You''re so weird," Scarlett muttered, turned around, and headed to the guest room. I tossed and turned in bed until the wee hours of the night. I could not fall asleep, so I poured myself a ss of red wine and sat on the balcony. I thought about all the ways I could put an end to all the miseries guing me and Scarlett. Chapter 88 Probing Chapter 88 Probing Scarlett''s POV: When I woke up, Charles was already gone, but he made breakfast for me and left it on the table. He seemed to be distracted by somethingst night, which worried me a little. Before I could get sucked into the Charles rabbit hole again, I knocked myself over the head. I had more important things to think about than him. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Los Angeles was always buzzing with life, especially in the mornings. Traffic was extra terrible today, and it actually took half an hour longer for me to reach the office. "Scarlett, sweetie, how are you? Are you feeling better?" As soon as I entered the office, Nina walked over and gave me a big hug. She was wearing a red business suit today, and her hair was neatly rolled up behind her head. She looked bright and stunning. "Yes, thank you. I just needed a ton of sleep," I replied and put down my bag in the lounge. I went to get myself a cup of coffee. Nina followed suit. "My dad''s home by the way. Would you like to have dinner this weekend at my house? We can talk about your divorce ns," Nina cut to the chase. Her father was a famouswyer in Los Angeles. Last time, I asked her to ask her father to help me sue for divorce. I did not expect that things would go so fast. But I supposed I was thankful for the timing. Charles intended to keep me hanging, and I certainly did not want to still be married to him when Rita''s baby was born. So I epted Nina''s invitation readily. Charles did not want to go about things the peaceful way. He left me no choice. "Wow. That was quick." Nina was a little surprised. "It''s already long overdue. I want it to be over before I leave Los Angeles." "Leave Los Angeles? Scarlett, are you sure you don''t want to stay? I mean, you have a stable job here now, and things are going great for you," Nina asked. I shook my head and handed her the cup of coffee I made for her. "I have too many bad memories here. I don''t think I can start over here. I need a change of scenery and soon." Hearing my response, Nina did not say anything more. We shook on our dinner date this weekend and then went our separate ways to work. At noon, I went out to meet William for lunch. I was a little startled when I saw him. He looked a little haggard. It seemed that he was not used to living in Los Angeles. "Are you all right, William? You look exhausted," I asked. After all, he was my friend, and I was worried about him. "I''m fine. I''ve just been having a little difficulty sleeping, that''s all." He looked distressed. His hair was a bit disheveled, and the dark circles under his eyes could almost pass for bruises. "When I can''t sleep, I drink a special kind of tea. It''s very effective. I can send you some if you want," I said with concern. "I''d love that. I hope it helps me sleep, too. Thank you so much, Scarlett. You''re an angel." And just like that, the gloom on his face was chased away. "You''re wee," I smiled and refocused on my food. "Didn''t you study in France before? Why did you return to Los Angeles?" William asked. "Why do you ask?" I was confused by the abruptness of his question. "I''m just curious why you didn''t stay abroad. I mean, you''re pretty excellent at what you do, and if you had stayed in France, you would''ve found better career prospects," William replied and set down his fork. "I suppose I just have different ambitions." I did not want to tell him that I came home because my husband asked for a divorce. "What do you think of Rita and Charles?" William suddenly changed the subject. "I''m not that familiar with Rita, so I can''t make an evaluation of her. As for Charles..." I paused and took a breath, "He''s a good man." William raised his eyebrows and said, "But Rita told me once that you were her good friend. In fact, she mentions you a lot to me." I almost dropped my cutlery on my te. Since when was I her good friend? Every time our paths crossed, she always looked like she wanted to choke the life out of me. "Well, was she telling the truth?" Since I did not say anything for a long time, William asked again. I had no choice but to respond, "I suppose she''s a good person as well. As someone who has been suffering from cancer for so many years, she''s quite the fighter. I actually admire her more than I feel sorry for her." William was shocked to hear what I just said. "Yes, Rita had cancer, but she''s been in full remission for some time now. She does have some kind of heart disease, though, but it''s not severe enough to interfere with her daily life." I could not believe what I just heard. Everyone knew that Rita had cancer, and she had the medical records to prove that it was not in remission. "No, Rita still has cancer," I protested. "How is that possible?" William was stunned. He wiped his face and said, "You know what, forget it. I''ll get back to you after I figure it out." "You must have made a mistake, William." I smiled and dismissed the conversation about whatever was ailing Rita. Whether she had cancer or heart disease, she was still pregnant with Charles''s child, and that was a fact. "Let''s talk about something else. I''ve been in Los Angeles for a couple of days, but I haven''t gotten the chance to visit some tourist spots. Do you have time to wander around with me this afternoon?" William asked. "Okay. I happen to have no work this afternoon." "Do I need to pay a guide''s fee or something? I don''t want to cheap out on you, Miss Riley," he teased with a smile. I could not help feeling amused. For the first time, I found that William had a humorous side. "No need for fees. It''ll be my honor to be your guide." "You really look amazing when you smile, Scarlett. You should smile often." William suddenly looked at me seriously, "When you smile, you remind me of one of my dearest friends." Feeling a little embarrassed under his probing gaze, I cleared my throat and said, "Really? And who might that be?" "I''ll tell you some other time," William beamed. I could not help rolling my eyes. It wasughably typical of William to withhold such a trivial piece of information so that he could look mysterious. After lunch, I took William sightseeing around Los Angeles. William was a perfect gentleman and an outstanding conversationalist. No matter what turn our talks took, he always steered them into something informative and interesting. He was a great friend to have, but we could not be close. When we ran out of things to talk about, he brought up Rita and Charles once again. I sensed that he wanted to know something, but I could not figure out what. I had always felt that William and Rita had a somewhat close rtionship. When I broached the subject, William digressed and started a whole new conversation. At nightfall, I apanied William back to his hotel. "Thank you so much for a wonderful day, Scarlett. I had a lot of fun. Let''s have dinner next time, okay?" The lines that made him look weary were now gone, but I still could not decide whether or not it was just because of the absence of natural light. "You''re wee," I said casually, not acknowledging his dinner invitation. Reason told me to keep my distance from him. More drama was thest thing I wanted. When I was about to leave, I saw Charles walk into the hotel lobby. Behind him were several men in suits. It seemed that they had just finished a meeting. It suddenly urred to me that this five-star hotel that William was staying in was also owned by Charles. "Scarlett!" Charles shouted after me with an unhappy look on his face. He obviously was not thrilled to see me and William in the same room. I ignored him and headed for the exit without looking back. Once again, he was in a bad mood, and I did not want to stick around so that he could take out his frustrations on me. Before I could make it out, his hand was already around my wrist. I curled my lips and said, "Let go of me, Charles. I want to go home." "Let me drive you home." Ignoring my struggle, Charles towed me toward William who just watched as we approached him. "Are you interested in my wife?" Charles asked directly. William looked at him with wide eyes. "Scarlett''s your wife?" "Yes, so stay away from her," Charles snapped, red at William, and then dragged me away. Before William could react, Charles already put me in his car. Chapter 89 Setup Chapter 89 Setup After sending me home, Charles returned to thepany for a meeting. His schedule was hectic. I could not understand why he insisted on watching me go upstairs when he had other things to do and somece to be. Before I could put down my bag, the director of the TV station called and invited Nina and me to dinner. It seemed we two got the chance to study abroad, and this was probably a send-off sort of thing. I must say, I was a little surprised. The director seldom made time for these things. If there was anything he wanted to say, he would always just tell us through his assistant. Nevertheless, I did not think too much about it. I figured he was only trying to be nice for once. With that, I changed my clothes and went to the restaurant. I was the first one to arrive at the private room. I had been waiting for a few minutes when I got a call from Nina. "Scarlett, I''m sorry. I won''t be able to make it to the dinner. There''s something wrong with the program, and I''m trying to fix it," she anxiously said. Without waiting for my reply, she hung up the call. I felt a little uneasy when I realized that I would be alone with the directorter. Just as I was thinking about what I would sayter, the door of the private room opened, and two men, who I did not expect to see, came in. It was Nate and Mr. Valdez. I was stunned. Did the director also invite them? These people were evil. To think, they showed up at the same time. They must have ulterior motives. While I was contemting if I should leave or not, the director of the TV station called me, saying that something hade up. Since Nate and my father were old friends, he decided to ask Nate to apany me to dinner on his behalf. After hanging up the phone, I realized that this was a setup. Nina was meticulous and thorough. How could something go wrong in the program? The director must have made trouble for her, so I woulde here alone. My blood was boiling in anger. All I wanted at the moment was to stand up and leave. All of a sudden, Nate put his hand on my shoulder and smiled slyly at me. "Scarlett, aren''t you gonna say ''hello'' to us? You used to be a polite girl. Have you forgotten all the manners your father taught you?" I raised my head and stared daggers at him. He was a man who was not worthy of respect. What qualifications did he have to lecture me about manners? "I''m not in the mood for bullshit," I fired back. I wanted to leave, but Nate was pressing on my shoulder, stopping me from standing up. "Scarlett, long time no see. You haven''t changed. You''re still as beautiful as thest time I saw you. Since you''re already here, stay for dinner, will you?" Mr. Valdez invited, acting chummy with me. "Aren''t you afraid Charles will know about this?" I asked through gritted teeth. In the past, Nate would, at least, disguise himself and keep his filthy intention hidden. But now, it seemed that he did not care anymore. "So what if Charles finds out about this? There''s nothing he can do about it anyway. Besides, your father and I are old friends. Am I not allowed to invite you to dinner and have a chat with you?" As soon as Nate said these words, he ordered the waiter to serve the wine. He did not seem to take my words seriously. He even turned to Mr. Valdez and jokingly said, "Valdez my friend, don''t covet Scarlett in the future, okay? She''s my good friend''s daughter." Mr. Valdez nodded and bowed his head in agreement. "Yes, yes. I promise I won''t." The performance of these two made me sick to my stomach. I clenched my fists, and my mind went nk in anger. "Now that Valdez has promised he would behave himself, Scarlett, I''d like to propose a toast to him. Let bygones be bygones." Nate picked up the ss and gave it to me, asking me to drink it. "I won''t drink it," I firmly said. How I wished those two would disappear from my sight this instant. "Fine. I''ll make you drink it myself." Nate held the back of my head and forcefully made me drink the wine regardless of my protests. "Mr. Lively, behave yourself!" I shouted at the top of my lungs and shook off the wine ss in his hand at the same time. Nate was taken aback, and I took the opportunity to bolt to the door. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Nate''s face was dark and gloomy as he stared at the shattered wine ss on the floor. "Scarlett, you''d better learn to be polite when I show respect to you." Nate sounded like the devil from hell¡ªvicious and terrifying. However, I just ignored his threat and marched out of the door. But just as I was about to touch the doorknob, Nate pulled me back into the room. He even locked the door, so I would not escape. I was starting to panic, but I tried my best to calm myself down. "If you hurt me, Charles won''t let you go," I warned. "Ha-ha! You silly girl, are you threatening me?" Nate slowly approached me with a smirk, which highlighted his wrinkles and made him look more repulsive than ever. I was forced to retreat to the table. Unfortunately, I tripped over a chair, and it sent me stumbling to the floor. I happened tond on a piece of broken ss, which dug into my palm and made it bleed. Before I could react, Nate pulled me up again, threw me aside, and stared into my eyes. "I didn''ty a finger on you for the sake of the Moore family. You''d better not do anything stupid." My waist hit the corner of the table, and it sent a sharp pain to my side. I rubbed it to ease the pain and just turned a deaf ear to his empty threat. "Nate, calm down. Let''s have dinner first. I believe Scarlett won''t do anything stupid now," Mr. Valdez urged. "Stop pretending that you''re a good man. Both of you are filthy," I said with a sneer. "Since you keep misbehaving, I should let you know how cruel the world really is." Nate reached out his hands to me. I could see malice in his eyes, and I shuddered at the sight of it. Unexpectedly, a knock sounded on the door. The waiter hade to serve the dishes. I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw an opportunity to escape again. Nate must have seen through me that he pressed me down the seat and warned, "Don''t you dare y any tricks, or else..." When he opened the door, he did not once take his eyes off me. The waiter who was serving the dishes did not seem to notice anything unusual. Anxious, I tried to stand up and run away, but Nate pressed my injured hand on the table harder. The broken ss stabbed deeper into my palm. It was excruciating, but there was nothing I could do but grit my teeth and endure the pain. The waiter left the private room once all the dishes were served. Nate pressed me down on my seat the entire time. As a result, I did not find a chance to escape. At that moment, he put on a concerned look on his face and asked, "Scarlett, let me see your hand," He then reached out to grab my hand, but I moved it to the other side. "Disgusting," I muttered under my breath. Nate''s smile disappeared. He pointed at my nose and cursed at me. "You bitch, I''m not always this kind. Do you want to be beaten?" "Sure. I''ll show everyone how horrible the CEO of the Lively Group is." With a sneer, I took out my phone from my bag to do a live broadcast of the scene. "How dare you?!" In a fit of anger, Nate yanked my phone from my hand and tossed it away. Then, he pped me across the face. The sound of his palm hitting my face echoed across the small private room. As if it was not enough, he punched me square in the head. My head tilted sideways, and I felt a ringing in my ears. What was more, I caught a whiff of blood at the corners of my mouth. At that moment, my phone on the floor rang. It was Charles. I wanted to pick it up, but Nate stepped on it into pieces. A few secondster, the phone stopped ringing, and the screen went off. Now, my last hope was extinguished, and all that was left of me was despair. Meanwhile, Nate was fuming with anger. His eyes were bloodshot, and his expression was terrifying. Suddenly, he grabbed my neck and asked with a sneer, "Do you want to die? I can fulfill your wish." "Let me go." I pped his arm with all my remaining strength, but he only strangled me harder. I could not breathe, and the ringing in my ears grew even louder. "Nate, forget it. It''s not a big deal," Valdez persuaded Nate into letting me go. "No. This bitch deserves to be punished." Nate did not heed to Mr. Valdez''s persuasion and choked me harder. He looked like a blood-thirsty vampire that was about to devour his first victim for the night. His grip on my neck was increasing by the second. I was as helpless as an animal that got caught in a hunter''s trap. No matter how hard I struggled, I could not break free. My eyesight was starting to get blurry. Just as I felt that I was on the verge of death, Charles''s figure appeared before my eyes. Of all times, how I wish I could see him right now. God must have heard my pleas. I suddenly heard his voice, and I could attest it was real. Chapter 90 Savior Chapter 90 Savior Charles'' POV: I kicked the door open. What I saw next made my blood boil. Without thinking, I strode over and threw a chair at Nate. His eyes widened, and he scampered at the sight of me. However, I grabbed his cor and kicked him many times on his vital parts, which sent him curled up in pain. Nate stumbled to the floor and tried to stand up, but I did not let him get away. I punched him several times more and hit his head on the floor. "I have warned you before," I reminded in a cold and menacing tone. He was in so much pain that he could not fight back, much less move. One of his teeth had fallen, and blood oozed out of the corner of his mouth. "Sp... spare me," he implored. "This is just the beginning." I warned as I kicked him again and again. "Charles... help me..." Scarlett called weakly. I snapped back to reality when I heard her voice. I immediately let go of Nate, rushed to Scarlett''s aid, and carried her in my arms. Half of her face had been beaten ck and blue, and there was a strangtion mark on her neck. My heart broke as I gazed at her curled up in my arms. Seeing that the woman that I loved so much was treated like this, I kicked Nate hard again on the way out. The driver who was waiting outside the restaurant was mortified to see Scarlett like this. He immediately opened the door for us, no questions asked. Once we were in the car, the driver turned to me and asked, "Mr. Moore, shall we go to the hospital?" "Go to the Empire Hotel and call a female doctor," I ordered in a low voice. I took Scarlett to the presidential suite of the hotel. She must be in excruciating pain that she kept groaning all the way. I wanted to undress her to see if she had other injuries aside from what I had seen earlier, but she stopped me. "Honey, let me check if you''re okay," I whispered reassuringly. Scarlett''s eyes fluttered open. The instant she saw me, she shrank back and moved her hand away. I touched her neck gently. "Why did you go out to see Nate?" "Do you think I want to see him?" Scarlett retorted in an aggrieved tone. She then paused for a second and, all of a sudden, broke into tears. "I wanted to leave!" For a second, I felt like boiling water was being poured over my heart, but the pain radiated to my body. It was then that I realized how helpless and terrified Scarlett must have been. I held up her face and kissed her forehead lovingly to somehow ease her distress. "This will never happen again. But Scarlett... why didn''t you call me in advance?" Speaking of which, my grievance became annoyance. Scarlett had always been stubborn and willful. She never relied on me, even if her safety was at stake. "It was toote," Scarlett glumly replied. "Scarlett, from now on, I want you to tell me every time you go see someone." Iid Scarlett down on the hotel bed and started unbuttoning her pants. "No, you can''t do this." Scarlett pushed my hand away and bit her lips. Her face was also red, probably from shame. "Don''t look at me." I snorted. "But you''re hurt." My eyes fell on her bruises on her waist and neck, and my heart ached yet again. With a sigh, I decided to put back her clothes. I then moved closer to her and gently asked, "Where else did you get hurt?" Scarlett was hesitant for a moment. But in the end, she decided to show her hand. Her palm was bloody, and tiny pieces of ss were protruding from her skin. I could not help but curse inwardly. How I wish I could go back to the restaurant and kill Nate right now. "It seems that I owe you something again," Scarlett mumbled with a heavy sigh. I must admit, what she had said made my hackles rise. Thest thing I wanted to see was her being polite and distant to me. Exasperated, I grasped her wrist and said through gritted teeth, "I don''t want to hear that from you again. You don''t owe me anything because we''re a couple, and it''s only right for me to take care of you. You shouldn''t feel guilty." Scarlett struggled to get out of my grasp. "Let go of me. If my wrist gets injured, I won''t be able to cook for you anymore." "I am notcking a cook," I replied crossly. At that moment, a knock sounded at the door. I let go of Scarlett''s wrist and answered the door. Standing outside was the female doctor whom I had requested. She also had a bulky medical box in her hand. Without a word, I stood aside and let her in. She examined Scarlett''s injuries thoroughly. When she saw the wound on Scarlett''s hand, she took out tweezers and gently plucked the broken ss one by one. Cold sweat broke out of Scarlett''s forehead because of the pain, but she did not say a word. When I noticed her apprehensiveness, I could not help but shout at the doctor, "Can you be any gentler?!" The doctor got startled. "Sorry. Yes, I will," she anxiously answered. It took her more than ten minutes to remove all the ss fragments from Scarlett''s palm. "You can leave now. I''ll do the rest." With a stone-cold expression, I took the bandage from the doctor and drove her away. She seemed relieved that she could finally get out of here. With that, she hurriedly instructed me how to apply medicine and left the room afterward. "You scared her," Scarlett helplessly said. I lowered my head and wrapped her hand with a bandage. "Am I that terrifying?" "Come on. You stood there with a long face and shouted at her while she was doing her job. I would''ve been scared of you too." Scarlett pouted her lips. She now looked livelier than she was a while ago. "I was just worried you''d get hurt because of her." Once I was done bandaging her hand, I stood up and took the ointment for bruises. "Lift up your shirt." "What... what are you going to do?" Scarlett quickly pulled the hem of her clothes and looked at me warily. "I''m going to treat your bruises." Regardless of her objection, I gently moved her hands away and lifted her shirt, revealing her waist. Her skin was as white as milk, and her waist was slim. She looked so fragile as if she would easily bend and break. I looked at her with dissatisfaction. "Haven''t you been eating well?" "I didn''t mean to lose weight. It''s just that I''ve been too busy recently that I sometimes forget to eat," Scarlett exined with her lips curled into a pout. Like a child reasoning out with her parents, she could not look at me in the eye as she spoke. I paused for a second upon hearing her response. I thought that she had lost weight because she could not sleep or eat because of me. I could not help butugh at myself for being hopelessly romantic. With a sardonic smile, I tightened my grip as if to punish her.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 91 Announce Chapter 91 Announce Charles'' POV: "Ankle''s done too. Are you hurt anywhere else?" I asked, looking at Scarlett. "No," Scarlett said in a low voice. Strands other hair fell on both sides of her face, which made her look youthful and charming. I pretended to be cold and serious as I retorted, "I don''t believe you. I need to do a general check - up just to be sure." "I am not lying to you! I am not hurt anywhere else." Flustered, Scarlett stopped me, fearing that I might lift up her shirt again. I couldn''t help butugh as I held her hand. "I was just kidding. But if you feel ufortable, then please let me know. After all, we have been married for a long time, so there is no need for you to feel so shy around me." "Who''s married to you for a long time? Charles! You always say the weirdest things," Scarlett comined like a spoiled child, blushing. "Okay, I won''t say such things anymore." With a chuckle, I stopped teasing her. After I was done treating her wounds, Scarlett wanted to leave. Being alone with her was clearly taking a toll on me, and since I could not let her go so easily, I took her back to the bed. "Ouch!" Scarlett winced. Startled by her reaction, I checked her wound nervously. "Where does it hurt? Does your wounds hurt here?" "Gotcha! Ha-ha!" Scarlett smiled slyly, looking a littlecent. "You dare lie to me now, but wait and see how I punish you for it." I smiled slightly and approached her, pretending to lean in for a kiss. "Don''t do that, Charles. I''m sorry." She ced her hand on my chest and pushed me away gently. Seeing Scarlett in a lively mood, joy and love filled up in my heart, and I kissed her uninjured cheek loudly. She was stunned by my sudden kiss, and after a long time, she said, "We''re not meant for each other, so don''t kiss me like that again." "Believe me, we are meant to be. Besides, I am going to hold a press conference tomorrow to announce that you are my wife," I said indifferently as I put one of my legs over hers intimately. Scarlett hesitated for a while and said, "Don''t do that." Even though she was refusing my proposal, I was feeling happy because she was not refusing me as firmly as she had before. And her hesitation was proof that she still cared for me. "Your opinion is invalid, anyway." I touched her nose and carried her into the bathroom before she could refuse me again. "Charles, you did not ask if you could carry me! My feet are fine, and I can walk on my own," Scarlett protested indignantly. I ignored herint. After she finished washing up, I made her sleep. A whileter, I saw that she was fast asleep. I nted a kiss on her forehead, stood up, and walked out of the room. My assistant, who was waiting in the living room, saw me and asked cautiously, "Mr. Moore, should we take action?" "Yes, go ahead and arrange everything," I said to him. Scarlett was in danger now, and I needed to take the initiative to protect her. "Okay." After my assistant left, I called someone to terminate the contract with Nate. And I was just getting started. I was determined to make everyone who hurt Scarlett pay a steep price. Scarlett''s POV: I was woken up by a phone call the next morning. Yawning, I answered it. "Scarlett! Why aren''t you up yet? The entire Intemunity is buzzing over the news of your marriage with Charles!" Nina''s excited voice came from the other end of the line. "What did you just say?" I asked in shock, certain that I must have been in a daze when I heard her. Nina repeated herself so loudly that I almost felt my eardrum tearing. I rubbed my ears and hung up the phone in a hurry before I started to browse the news. I saw my marriage certificate with Charles on the front page of a website, and I was smiling happily in the photo. Startled, I felt like my head was about to explode. Charles had said that he would make our marriage public just the night before, and I had woken up to him sleeping right beside me. "Honey, let''s sleep a little longer," Charles mumbled in a low voice as he put his arm around my waist. I pinched his cheeks with both hands, feeling angry that he had made the decision without even discussing it with me first. "Why did you announce our marriage to the public without my consent? You even released our marriage certificate! I looked like an idiot in that picture, and you released it!" "Honey, you are the most beautiful woman in the world," Charles answered calmly with his eyes closed. ''Is he even listening to me? That''s not the point!'' I was rendered speechless. Charles'' phone rang, and I figured that it must be a call from Rita. After all, she was bound to have a lot of questions about what happened. I pushed Charles to answer the phone. "Honey, just lie down with me. I''ll solve everything after I wake up." He ignored the call, buried his face in my chest, and continued to sleep. "Really?" I was in disbelief, but he continued to be silent. At that moment, my phone rang. Charles irritably opened his eyes and muted my phone. "It''s our time now, and we mustn''t let anyone disturb us," Charles said overbearingly. "I have to go back to work." "No. The director was the reason behind what happenedst night. How dare you talk about going back to work?" Charles was a little angry. He reached out and held me tightly, stopping me from moving. I sighed and softened my tone as I asked, "Then can I go home now?" "There are reporters all around your home now. If you want to go somewhere, then you cane back to my ce." Charles gave me a cold look of disagreement. "I don''t want to go to your house. I want to stay in Nina''s house. There won''t be reporters around her house." I continued to be in a stalemate with him. "Isn''t being with your husband better than being with your friend? Don''t keep pushing me away. I''m the person who is closest to you," Charles said with a pout. Speechless, I hung my head down, sulking. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "The only person you can rely on is me, your husband. You can act like a spoiled child and do whatever you want. But no matter what happens, I am always going to love you, so just try and rely on me, okay?" he said again, kissing my ear. I pushed him away shyly. "You promised me to keep a distance from me, and yet, you keep going back on your word. Why is that?" "I never agreed to this unreasonable request," Charles said in a low voice and continued to kiss me. His tongue slid into my mouth and brushed lightly against the roof of my mouth. Feeling his tender touch, I lost all my strength, and bore it in silence. I couldn''t help but gasp when his hands kept caressing my waist. He tried to take off my clothes, so I grabbed his hands in an attempt to stop him. Chapter 92 Unexpected News Chapter 92 Unexpected News Scarlett''s POV: Charles bit my lips discontentedly, "Let go of your hand," he said with a low and intoxicating voice. However, what I did was quite the opposite. I held his hand tighter and replied, "No." Helpless, Charles took a deep breath and buried his head in the crook of my neck. "Don''t you trust me?" His words brought me to reality and woke me up from my sexual fantasies. I stared at the ceiling and did not say a word for a long time. I felt like my heart was drifting in the endless sea, unable to get ashore. "Scarlett? Answer my question. Are you now willing to give yourself to me?" Charles''s hands made his way up again. He kissed me on the neck, and his breathing became deep and heavy. I knew he was about to lose control of himself. "You''ve changed," I remarked. Charles stopped kissing me and stared at me confusedly with his lustful eyes as if the answer was on my face. I suppressed the overwhelming feelings in my heart and exined, "Let me remind you, Charles. You already have Rita. Stop messing with me anymore. I don''t want to be caught up in your love affair." "You''ve never trusted me, have you?" Charles let go of me as soon as he finished speaking. For some reason, he looked hurt. I straightened my clothes and looked at him seriously. "You''d better pay more attention to her. She''s pregnant and terminally ill. She needs you." I was aware my words would do nothing but enrage him. But, I had no choice but to say it. I had to make things clear for him once and for all. "Is there anything else you want to say? Say it now," Charles ordered with a sneer. I was hesitant at first. But, I figured that this was a perfect opportunity for me to tell him what had been troubling me. "Charles, let''s divorce. Don''t dy it anymore. Let me leave with dignity." "Scarlett..." Charlesughed bitterly and looked at me with disappointment. "You really are heartless." I was at a loss for words. I wanted to cry my heart out. I would rather him be angry with me than disappointed. Without another word, Charles stood up and put on his clothes. Just as he was about to walk out of the door, he turned around to face me. "You''d better give up. I will never agree to the divorce." His tone was resolute, and he sounded like there was no chance he would change his mind. With that, he strode out of the room without even waiting for my response. I was dumbfounded and, at the same time, a little helpless because of his refusal. If Charles did not agree with the divorce, things would eventually be out of hand. Rita''s baby bump was going to show, and soon, it would be impossible to hide. If that happened, not only the three of us would be affected, but also the reputation of the Moore family. I went straight home from the hotel. I even bought a mask on the way as a disguise, so the reporters would not be able to recognize me. To my astonishment, there were no reporters at my door, waiting for me. My uneasiness finally subsided. Charles must have dealt with them for me. He might be stubborn, but he was kind and considerate. Even though he was cold to me when we were at the hotel, he still made sure to take care of everything for me. I was in a dilemma. On the one hand, Charles was treating me well as if he were in love with me. But on the other, he had gotten Rita pregnant. Of course, I knew very well what I should do: I had to divorce Charles one way or another. The more considerate he was to me, the more difficult it was for me to stick to my principles. In all honesty, I was afraid that I would fall for him because of how caring he was and that I would be unable to extricate myself from him. I was engrossed in thought the whole day. To make things worse for me, Charles did not contact me, nor did hee back in the evening. I had no appetite to eat. I only had a bite of food for dinner, so I would not sleep on an empty stomach. As Iy on the bed, I could not stop myself from checking my phone to see if Charles was calling. But if he did call me, I had no idea what to say. I turned over and heaved a heavy sigh. Every time we met, bringing up about the divorce was inevitable, and we always ended up being at odds. Bute to think of it. He had no right to be mad at me. He had knocked Rita up. And now, she was pregnant with his child. In a fit of anger, I blocked his number on my phone. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. But just a few minutes after doing that, I picked up my phone again and unblocked him. I hated this. I hated myself for being weak when it came to him. With a heavy sigh, I threw my phone aside and stared at the window in a daze. I tried my best not to think of him. But, I knew at the back of my head that I was longing for him. If only I could hear his voice right now... ****** The next day. Because of what had happened in the past two days, I decided to ditch work and stay at home instead. After breakfast, I took out the coffee beans Nina had given to me and made myself a cup of coffee. The sun was shining outside, and the aromatic smell of coffee wafted in the air. I was in high spirits; that was until two uninvited guests showed up at my house. It was the director of the TV station and his wife. But instead of feeling angry for what had happened to me because of the former, I was calm andposed. The director gave me a ttering smile. Then, he took out a tissue from his pocket and wiped the sweat off his forehead. I could see that he was nervous. "I didn''t expect you and Mr. Moore were a couple," he initiated with a wry smile. "Yes. I must say, you two are a perfect match," his wife echoed. I forced a smile at them but did not say anything in response. I was not in the mood for pleasantries and small talk. Besides, my desperation when I fought against Nate still haunted me to this day. At that moment, the director cleared his throat loudly and asked, "Nate... He knows your rtionship with Mr. Moore, doesn''t he?" His question perplexed me. Was he passing the buck? I did not answer his question and waited for him to continue. "I... I just asked. I didn''t intend to imply something," the director exined when he saw that I was indifferent. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his wife furtively pull his sleeve and wink at him. The director wiped his sweat again. All of a sudden, his expression turned solemn. It seemed that he was finally going to say what he hade here for. "Scarlett, I came here to apologize to you. I had no idea that Nate had the hots for you. I thought he just treated you as a junior. He''s an old friend of your father, after all. I never expected him to be so... filthy." "Yes, Miss Riley¡ªI mean, Mrs. Moore. I''m deeply sorry for what happened. My husband had no idea. Had he known, he wouldn''t have entrusted you to that man. Please forgive him." As much as I wanted to avenge myself, I knew that Nate was the only one who should be med for what happened. He only used the director as a stepping stone. I took a deep breath and pondered for a while. After a moment of silence, I finally opened my mouth to speak. "I ept your apology. I won''t take action regarding this matter." The director of the TV station breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Scarlett. But, Mr. Moore has ordered me to resign and take the me. Please put in a good word for me to Mr. Moore. Scarlett, please help me." To my surprise, the director''s wife got down on her knees and begged, "Please ask Mr. Moore to let us go." She looked haggard as if she had aged ten years in just a few minutes. Truth be told, I was dumbfounded. Charles had the ability to force the director of the TV station to resign. What else could he not do? Meanwhile, tears streamed down the cheeks of the director''s wife. I kept asking her to stand up, but she refused to do so unless I agreed to their plea. I decided to call Charles in the end. However, he would not answer. I looked at them and shrugged my shoulders helplessly. "Maybe he''s busy at the moment. Could you call him again?" the director''s wife implored. I sighed and called Charles again. The line kept ringing, and it took a while before the call was answered. "Charles¡ª" "Scarlett, this is Spencer. Charles got into a car identst night. His arm was severely injured, and he''s in aa. He''s in the hospital right now." Spencer''s words were an unexpected blow to me. The world quieted down in an instant, but the news of the ident rang to my ears. In a fit of panic, I hung up the phone and rushed to the door, leaving the two visitors confused. I even lost a slipper along the way, but I did not bother to retrieve it. All I wanted was to see Charles right away. Chapter 93 Car Accident Chapter 93 Car ident Charles'' POV: Iy on the bed with my eyes closed in the VIP ward of the hospital as I listened to Spencer answering a phone call for me. He was exaggerating so much that I could not help but frown. His words could not fool anyone but that silly woman. Once he hung up the phone, he threw the phone to me, and said with a mischievous smile, "Dude, don''t pretend to be asleep. We know how excited you get over Scarlett''s calls." I opened my eyes and looked at him expressionlessly. "You are being too noisy." "Hey! How can you say something like that to the one who is helping you?" Spencerined loudly as he slumped on the couch like an angry child. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "What did she say?" I asked, suppressing my impatience. He sat cross-legged, humming a song as if he didn''t hear me. I looked at him in disbelief and was about to drive him out. Noticing my anger, Spencer stopped pretending and approached me with a smile. "As for Scarlett''s reaction, she is naturally very anxious." I could not help but sneer at Scarlett''s selfdeception. She had always cared a lot about me while pretending to be indifferent. "Scarlett likes you," Spencer added. "She doesn''t believe me, though," I said crossly. Scarlett has always tried to push me away as if she hadbeled me as someone that she needed to keep away from. "It would only be strange if Scarlett believes you. Think of what you did before, and the thing about Rita. I feel that you need to sort things out as soon as you can," Spencer said in a sincere tone. All of a sudden, there was a knock on the door. "Hurry! It must be Scarlett! Close your eyes." Urging me to pretend like I was sleeping weakly, Spencer walked to the door. I had no choice but to close my eyes in order to cooperate with his performance. As soon as the door was opened, I heard Scarlett''s voice. She seemed to be panting, so I guessed that she must have run upstairs. "How is Charles?" she asked anxiously. Spencer sighed as he replied, "He''s not in a good condition. Please take good care of Charles, Scarlett." Although she did not say anything, I could sense how depressed she was. Joy filled up in my heard when I realized that she felt sad for me. After all, it was proof that she still cared for me. Spencer said a few more words to her before he walked out of the ward. Scarlett walked towards my bed slowly and I tried my best to hold back my emotions as I kept my eyes closed. "Charles," Scarlett called me softly as she tucked me in. I continued to pretend like I was asleep. Holding my hand, she murmured to herself, "Charles, don''t scare me. Even though we are nning to get divorced, I still can''t bear to see you hurt or in danger. When I heard that you met with a car ident, I realized that I still have some feelings for you. I used to love you so much that I was even willing to die for you. But you kept leaving me again and again for Rita. I used to wish that you would take a look at me, but you never stopped for me. I''m tired, Charles, and I don''t want to wait for you anymore. It''s a hopeless path for me to walk on, and I can''t trust you with my heart once again. I hope you understand." Her words made me so anxious and flustered. What did she mean by she was tired, and that she could never trust me again? Since I could not afford to let her even think about leaving me, I opened my eyes. With tears in her eyes, she smiled at me, which indicated that she was happy to see that I was awake. "How did you know that I was hurt? Who told you toe here?" I asked her, pretending to be surprised. "Spencer told me, and it is good that you''re alright." Mumbling that, she sighed, so I could not clearly hear her words. She poked my arm and looked at me nervously. "Can you feel this?" I looked at her in silence, unable to understand what was on her mind. Why was she still insisting on divorcing me if she really cared about me? "How did the car ident happen?" Scarlett asked, looking at me in a daze. "Are you asking because you still care for me?" I asked her directly in an attempt to force her to reveal her true feelings. "Of course, I do." Scarlett nodded without hesitation. "Even if we are going to divorce, we used to be married. Or at the very least, we grew up like siblings." "If that''s what you want to say, then you can leave now." I gritted my teeth. I was so furious that I almost choked on my breath. "I am not going to leave," Scarlett muttered in a low voice like a spoiled brat. Ignoring her, I closed my eyes as I thought, ''If it''s out of sight, then it''s out of mind.'' Without saying anything, she kept herself busy that whole morning. She tucked me in, closed the window, and even watered the nts in the ward. "Enough!" I couldn''t help but ask her to stop. "So you weren''t sleeping," Scarlett said in surprise, looking at me. "What would you like for lunch? I''m going to order something to eat." "I don''t want to eat. You can leave now." I tried to drive her out coldly, not wanting to ept her kindness. The kindness that she was showing me now would make it easier for her to leave me in the future because she would have no burden in her heart then. "Charles, don''t be like that. I understand that you are emotionally unstable now. But you need to eat or else your wounds won''t heal quickly," she said to me softly. She seldom acted this gentle and patient in front of me. Licking my dry lips, I remained silent. She seemed to be very happy when she saw that I was not showing resistance anymore. She kept mumbling about all the foods that I should avoid while she ordered something for us to eat. Scarlett then poured me a ss of water, but theisant look in her eyes made me doubt her motivation. I took the ss from her, drank a sip of water, and looked at her coldly. "Why don''t you leave? Are you really so kind as to stay here and take care of me?" "Of course, I am going to stay here to take care of you." There was a gentleness in her tone, and the next second, she patted herself on the forehead and added, "Oh, I almost forgot." I raised my eyebrows. It was obvious that she had something to ask me. "Charles, it''s about the director of the TV station." She seemed to be troubled, like she was at a loss for words. "I know what you are going to say. You have to understand that if it weren''t for him, then you wouldn''t have gone to that dinner, so the director is still the cause of this problem. The clueless ones may not be entirely innocent. And in my opinion, there is no difference between a murderer and his aplice." The fact that Scarlett was so forgiving to everyone except for me made me feel ufortable. Even after she was harassed by those people, she was still standing up for them. "But they have already knelt down and asked for forgiveness, so please, try giving them a second chance." Scarlett pulled my sleeve with an embarrassed look in her eyes. "If I knelt down now and begged you not to divorce me, then will you give me a second chance too?" I was keeping a tough attitude as I did not want to give in. After all, I believed that they must pay the price for bullying my beloved woman. Scarlett gave me an aggrieved look before she hung her head in silence. My heart softened again and I tried to ask her in a gentle tone, "Tell me first, why did your director invite you to dinner? And why did you ept his invitation?" "It''s... the study abroad thing," Scarlett murmured, grabbing onto my sleeve. I could tell that she was nervous because whenever she felt nervous, she would grab onto something. "Why didn''t you tell me? Were you afraid that I might make you lose your chance to go abroad? Or are you that eager to leave me?" I asked coldly as my heart sank deeper and deeper. "No, since we were going to divorce, I thought that there was no need for me to discuss it with you." Scarlett seemed to be at a loss as she slowly looked at me. It was certainly not what I wanted to hear from her. "Are you done now? If you are, then please get out." I was angry, but I knew that I did not deserve to make her stay for me because everything that I had done until now was worthless in her eyes. "And as for the director, I hope you can let him go," Scarlett said again, not caring about my attitude or feelings. Seeing that, I couldn''t help but feel discouraged. "Scarlett, you don''t care about me at all." While I was in a stalemate with Scarlett, Rita walked into the room. Chapter 94 The Visit Chapter 94 The Visit Scarlett''s POV: Rita was not wee, so it was a big shock when she came in Charles''s ward. The instant she saw Charles lying on the bed, she ran to him and cried out, "Charles, what happened to you? Does it hurt?" I rolled my eyes andined in my heart, ''Of course, it hurt. Why don''t you get yourself into an ident and see for yourself?'' But I must admit, Rita''s acting was getting better. I would have been convinced by her performance if I did not know her better. "Oh my God! I can''t believe it! I wish I were the one who got into the car ident instead." Tears streamed down Rita''s face as she spoke. However, Charles seemed rather annoyed. He moved his hand away in disgust and said exasperatedly, "Rita, you''re so noisy. You''re giving a headache." Rita was taken aback by what he had said. She opened her mouth to speak, but words stuck in her throat. I did not want to stay here anymore because of her. With that, I turned around to leave. But before I walked out of the door, I turned to Charles and reminded him, "Don''t forget what I''ve asked you to do." I marched out of the room as soon as I said those words when, all of sudden, Rita stopped me. "Scarlett, aren''t you gonna say hello to me?" She had always been arrogant to me. Like a rooster, she had endless energy and an unceasing fighting spirit. She would devote a significant amount of time justpeting for men''s attention. How pathetic. With a deadpan expression, I turned around and greeted her, "Good afternoon, Miss Lively. It''s nice to see you." I was like a robot. Not a hint of expression could be seen on my face. Without waiting for Rita''s response, I closed the door behind me. I was worried she would make trouble again, and I would not have the patience to stand her. Meanwhile, Richard, Rita''s bodyguard, was smoking outside the door. He nodded at me when he saw me. He seemed to be troubled about something. He was bearded, and his hair was unkempt. Not only that, but he was also wearing a wrinkled suit. He looked as though he did not care about anything anymore. Why did Richard seem troubled by girls? I was perplexed. "Miss Riley, let me walk you out," Richard offered. As I was in a bad mood, I nodded and epted his offer. Before we entered the elevator, Richard threw the cigarette butt into the trash can and turned to look at me. "Miss Riley, can I ask why you didn''t stay with Mr. Moore?" The way he asked me was somehow clever. I could not figure out if he was on Rita''s side or if he really wanted me to stay with Charles. Instead of answering his question, I looked at him in the eye and asked, "Richard, are you in love with Rita?" Richard was taken aback by my question. But judging from his reaction, I could say that I was right. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. I did not ask any more questions. Fortunately, the doors of the elevator opened. I stepped in and pressed the button to go down. I could not stop thinking about what Charles had told me¡ªRita''s child was not his. I used to think that nobody would dare to touch Rita. But as Charles had said, why could she not be the one who had taken the initiative to seduce others? Besides, if she did not give Richard hope in the first ce, how would he fall in love with her? There must be something that I had not known yet. I had a vague feeling that this matter was beyond my comprehension. No matter how hard I thought about it, I could not figure out the answer. Before I knew it, I had arrived at the entrance of the hospital. While I was in deep thought, Christine''s voice rang in my ears, bringing me back to my senses. I looked around and saw Alice not far away, holding Christine''s hand. "Scarlett, what are you thinking about? We called you several times, but you didn''t seem to hear us." Christine cupped her face and pretended to be sad. I hurried forward and took the food box from Alice''s hand. "Sorry, I didn''t see you there. I was just thinking about work." "You don''t have to apologize. Your grandma was just kidding. It seems that you have something on your mind. Penny for your thoughts? We''re here for you, you know?" Alice smoothed my hair with a smile. I smiled back at her and apanied them to Charles'' ward. "How is Charles? I don''t have a great-grandchild yet. He''d better take care of himself," Christine said straightforwardly. "He''s okay now. He should be fine after resting for a while," I reassured. Suddenly, something urred to me, and I added, "Rita is pregnant. You will have a great-grandchild soon." Christine fell stunned. But as soon as she regained herposure, she sighed and shook her head. "Actually, I don''t believe that Charles is the father of Rita''s child. He''s not the kind of person who would walk away from his responsibilities. He''s my son. I know what kind of person he is," Alice conferred. Her words made me rethink my standpoint. Of course, I did not believe that Charles was irresponsible, especially that the matter was serious. But sometimes, what people see was not the truth. We arrived at the door of the Charles''s ward a few minutester. I noticed that Alice''s face darkened when she saw Richard. "Scarlett, take good care of your grandma. I''m going to see that bitch Rita." Alice stormed into the ward without even waiting for our response. Holding Christine''s hand, I then followed Alice inside. The moment we entered the door, we saw Rita sitting by the bed morosely. She seemed to be mortified at the sight of the two elders. The orange in her hand fell to the floor, and she looked at us with a pitiful expression. We had not said anything yet, but she already looked as though she was bullied. She was indeed a cunning woman. With a sneer, Alice walked over to her and asked crossly, "Why are you here? You''re not wee here. You can leave now." "Alice, I... I just came here to see Charles. I''m worried about him," Rita stammered with tears rolling down her cheeks. I must say, her acting was impressive. "My son doesn''t need your concern. Leave now, or else I''ll call someone to kick you out." Alice warned with a serious expression. Meanwhile, Rita tried to win sympathy with tears, but Alice did not buy it. Rita just stood there and refused to leave. She kept ncing at Charles with pleading eyes, but he just ignored her and continued reading his book. In the end, she left dejectedly. She marched out of the ward briskly. She did not seem like a terminal patient who was weak and dying. Grandma patted my hand and queried, "Look at her. Is she really sick?" "She should be..." The truth was, I was not sure either. Charles was the one who hired Rita''s doctor. There was no way she could fake it. But then again, Rita did not look ill. The doubts in my mind grew at the thought of this. "Forget it. Just ignore her. I need to teach Charles a lesson." Christine walked towards Charles''s bed and began scolding him. "Charles, you brat! Look at what you''ve done to yourself. You need to give me a great-grandchild before you die," she said loudly. Her voice was so loud that I was not sure if the people outside could hear her. Annoyed, Charles pulled the quilt over his head. "Don''t think that I''ll let you go if you don''t say anything. How could you mess around and ignore your own safety?!" Christine gave Charles an earful. The more she talked, the angrier she became. "Your grandmother is right. Also, why are you covering yourself with the quilt? Are you ashamed, huh? Can''t we hold you ountable anymore?" Alice raised her hand as if to hit Charles, but I reached out and stopped her. "Mom, Charles''s arm is injured. Please don''t be mad at him anymore. Nobody wants to get into a car ident and put their life in danger." "Scarlett, Charles hasn''t been nice to you, but you''re still defending him. Why don''t you just break up with him?" Alice scoffed. Chapter 95 Promise Chapter 95 Promise Charles''s POV: I pulled off the quilt, feeling amused and annoyed at the same time. I said, "Are you really my mother? Why do you have to say something like that?" "If you don''t want to hear something like that, then give me a great-grandchild with Scarlett as soon as possible. Stop wasting my time," Grandma backfired. I chanced a nce at Scarlett. As expected, her cheeks turned bright red at Grandma''s words. She immediately lowered her head and avoided eye contact with me. "Grandma, I promise there will be a greatgrandchild for you, but for now, I want to get some rest. You and Mom should go home," I replied. Hearing what I said, Grandma began to pretend to shed tears. "That sounds nice and all. But Scarlett''s belly is still t. I don''t have much time left. There''s a good chance that I won''t be able to see my great-grandchild." "Oh, don''t say that, Grandma. You''re still very-strong and healthy. You''ll live a long life." Hearing our conversation, Scarlett hurried tofort Grandma, "The great-grandchild that you want is already on the way, Grandma." "I don''t want a great-grandchild from that Rita woman! I don''t and will never consider her family!" Grandma''s face darkened, and she turned around to leave. She walked out of the ward quickly. "Grandma!" Scarlett attempted to run after my grandmother, but my mother stopped her. "Don''t worry about her, Scarlett. Stay here and take care of Charles, okay?" Then, my mother left. The ward finally quieted down, and the headache that I got from all themotion finally eased. I rubbed my temples and heaved a sigh. Women were really difficult to deal with, and the most difficult one of them all was standing at the door in a daze. "Why are you still standing there?" I said crossly. Scarlett closed the door, turned around, and walked toward me reluctantly. She pursed her lips and knitted her brows. She looked a little aggrieved. I knew that she wanted to leave. She had been unhappy since Rita showed up. She was not only difficult to deal with but also a jealous girl. "Have you ordered the food?" I asked, trying to get her to focus on me. She looked up at me, smacked herself in the head, and said, "Oh, right. The food." I could not help frowning. When did she get into the habit of knocking herself over the head? It made her look silly and childish. But when I thought about it, it did not matter if she looked like a confused, panicked little girl as long as I got to be with her for the rest of my life. Soon, there was a knock on the door. It was the manager of the restaurant who sent the food. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Scarlett not only ordered all my favorite dishes but also made sure that they were healthful and nutritious. It seemed that she was not as cold and ruthless as she would like to project herself to be. She still remembered what I liked. I felt so happy that I wanted to smile, but I decided to suppress the urge. I did not want the love of my life to think that I was having the best time with her. Scarlett''s POV: After lunch, Charles and I went about our own businesses. While I was busy reading on the sofa, Charles was busy with his work. The afternoon sunshine bathed the room in its warm,forting glow, making everything feel weing despite the smell of disinfectant that hung in the air. Looking up at the busy Charles, I slowly got lost in thought. If he and I were a normal couple, would our daily life be like this? Would we be in the same room doingpletely different things and not talking but still feeling at ease? Would we have a lovely child who would suddenlye running into the room, breaking the silence, and bringing us joy? "Scarlett," Charles suddenly called to me. "Hmm?" I instantly snapped back to my senses. "Your phone is ringing," he answered, tilting his head to the side. I immediately fumbled for my phone as my cheeks burned with shame. Charles must have realized that I was staring at him. "Your phone is over here," he said and pointed at the bedside table. "Why is it there?" I giggled nervously and answered the call. It was the wife of the TV station''s director. She sounded a little anxious and asked about the news. I peeked at Charles and found that he was not paying attention to me. I told my boss''s wife in a low voice that I would call her backter. I hung up after that. If Charles knew who I was just talking to, he would definitely not be thrilled. Charles continued dealing with his emails without saying a word to me. I looked at his face and tried to figure out his mood. It looked like he had been cheery since eating his hearty lunch. I poured him a ss of water. "Here, Charles, drink some water." Without raising his head, he grabbed the ss, took a sip, and handed it back to me. "Would you like an apple?" I asked. "No, thanks," he replied, still tapping away on his keyboard. "How are you feeling now?" I eyed him carefully. Then, he finally looked up at me and then went back to answering his emails without saying anything. I could not figure out what that gesture meant for a while. After hesitating for a long time, I plucked up the courage to ask him, "My boss says that if you''re willing to give him a chance, you can put forward any conditions." "I just have one¡ªthat you don''t go abroad." Charles closed hisptop and stared at me. I was stunned. I did not expect that he would propose such a condition. "What? Is it too difficult a condition for you? If it puts you in a dilemma, then just forget it," he said in an unfriendly tone. "No, no. I promise you I won''t go abroad," I pressed immediately for fear that he would change his mind. "And if you go back on your word? You always go back on your word, Scarlett. I want coteral this time. I don''t want to suffer double penalties anymore." Charles wanted me to make a promise. I put on an awkward smile. I had a n in mind, but I did not expect him to be so difficult to fool this time around. "I promise I won''t go abroad. If I don''t put up my end of the bargain, then I will ept whatever punishment you decide." A wicked grin slowly spread across Charles''s face. "You mean it? The punishment is up to me? Very well, my good girl. Now, we just have to record our agreement." "Don''t you trust me? Why don''t people trust one another these days? I already gave you my word. I will do as I say." Honestly, I felt wronged. "Well, you don''t trust me either. Trust is a two-way street," Charles retorted. He took out his phone and pulled up the voice recorder app. "Go ahead." I suddenly remembered the expression "every dog had its day". This was it for Charles. And I suspected that he did it on purpose. In order toplete the task that the director asked me to do, I had to repeat my promise while Charles recorded it. After getting what he wanted, he rubbed my headcently. I was so angry that I shook him off and walked away. I sat back on the sofa, intent on ignoring him indefinitely. But Charles was not done pushing my buttons. He yed the recording in front of me again and again no matter how many death res I threw in his direction. Then, I reached a point where I wished the ground would split so that I could hurl myself into the fissure. That was how much I did not want to look at Charles''s smug face. I rolled my eyes at him. But he did not seem affected at all by my annoyance. What annoyed me even more was the fact that he shed me a sincere smile, the kind of smile that made me want to forget how awful he was being to me. My anger was dispelled in an instant, and I hated myself for it. "Get over here and kiss me," Charles ordered. Damn it! What did he just say? I pretended not to hear him and focused on what I was reading. "Did you hear me? Do you want your director to keep his position?" Charles said in a menacing tone. "I already agreed to your condition. I don''t have to get over there and kiss you," I said through clenched teeth. Although I did ask him for help, I did not have to cater to his every need. He did not own me. "Fine. I won''t force you. And let''s just forget about our agreement," Charles said indifferently. Chapter 96 The Game Between The Two Sides Chapter 96 The Game Between The Two Sides Scarlett''s POV: I raised my head and snapped, "You''re asking for too much! You''re being unreasonable!" Charles did not even flinch when I raised my voice. He just hit me with his cold stare. Suddenly, the warm,forting vibe in the room turned icy like it was sh frozen by an invisible entity. I took a deep breath to calm myself down. I realized that if we did not talk to each other like mature people, we would only violently argue and achieve nothing. So I stood up, walked to his bed, and softened my attitude. "Okay, I''m sorry. I don''t want to fight. Let''s talk, please." "I wasn''t trying to pick a fight with you," Charles muttered. "I know. I realize that. I''m sorry I yelled at you," I apologized as sincerely as I could. Charles only nced at me and did not say anything. "Fine. Put forward some other conditions," I broke the silence and then quickly added, "Ask for something that I can do." "Take off your clothes and lie on my bed," Charles replied coldly, "Other than that, I can''t think of anything I really want." "Why are you making things difficult for me?" I groaned. Charles knew that I wanted to draw a clear line with him, but he just resisted my every effort to do so. He insisted on breaking down every wall I tried to put up. To be honest, I was getting tired of it. "You''re the one who offered that I put forward another condition," Charles retorted. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. After thinking for a while, I decided that my line in the sand was more important than his help. I raised my chin and dered, "You know what, if you don''t want to help, then forget it. I''ll find another way." "Who are you going to ask for help then? Who else are you willing to beg other than me?" Charles growled. "Anyone who''s willing to help me without taking advantage of me!" I backfired and picked up my phone, which Charles grabbed before I could hit the call button. He shed me a fierce look. Then, next thing I knew, I was lying beside him, and he was prying my mouth open with his tongue and plundering my breath. My mind went nk, and I froze. It took me a few heartbeats to return to my senses. When I was about to push him away, he let go and stared deeply into my eyes. He whispered, "Don''t ask anybody else for help." I looked at him with wide eyes. "Does that mean you''re going to help me?" Charles grinned, pinched my cheek, and said, "Get up." "Answer me." I refused to oblige until he gave me a definitive answer. "Just remember what you promised me," he replied. Then, he lowered his head and nted a soft kiss on my lips. I took that as a yes. Suddenly, I was in a sunny mood. I smiled at Charles. It still amazed me how stunned I got whenever I looked carefully at his handsome face. "Then I have to call back the director''s wife." "No," Charles stopped me and added, "Call her back after two days." "Why?" I asked, confused. "People don''t cherish anything they get easily. I want to teach them how to value things this time," he exined. I nodded by way of acknowledgement. I thought what he said made sense. I should take this opportunity to make my boss and his wife grateful to me and Charles. Otherwise, they would just take our kindness for granted. "Well, I''ve reinstated our agreement. Where''s my reward?" Charles asked, held my hand, and then twined his fingers with mine. "What reward?" I looked at him in a daze. I honestly did not understand what he meant. Charles shed me a crooked smile and kissed me passionately once again. He locked me in a tight embrace, making my resistance impossible without ripping his wound open. After a few moments of internal debate, I finally decided to give in. I began kissing him back. After a very long time, Charles let go and looked straight into my eyes. He licked his lips like he had just finished a delicious dinner. I felt my cheeks burn. Before either of us could say anything, his phone rang. I took the chance to push him away, slide out of bed, and then hide in the bathroom. I could not believe the mess I saw in the mirror. My hair was disheveled, and my lips were slightly swollen. My heart was still pounding against my ribcage, and my mind was still screaming at me. I should not be indulging Charles like I just did. If we went on like this, our chances of getting divorced would just get slimmer and slimmer. I could hear Charles''s deep voice through the closed bathroom door. The more I listened to him, the more I wanted to go back out there and kiss him some more. I pointed at myself in the mirror and said, "Get it together, Scarlett! Don''t let him change your mind! You''ll still divorce him no matter what!" I felt a little pathetic that I had to give myself a pep talk while my soon-to-be ex-husband was right outside being all gorgeous and seductive. Before I walked out of the bathroom, I decided that I would not utter a single word to Charles. I had to keep my distance. I could not let him breach my walls anymore. "Your lips look like they hurt. I''m sorry. I''ll kiss you carefully next time," Charles beamed while setting a bowl of soup in front of me. Without looking at him, I pushed the bowl back to him and said, "Don''t talk to me. From now on, we''re strangers." "Okay, I can y that game." After that, Charles did not say anything more. Although I had made up my mind not to talk to him, he was still a patient. I did not have it in my heart to just abandon him, so I stayed in the hospital overnight to look after him. "Aren''t we supposed to be strangers? Why are you staying the night?" Charles said coldly. I rolled my eyes at him, turned my back on him, and continued to chat with Nina on WhatsApp. Maybe it was because the room was too quiet that I fell asleep without realizing it. Charles''s POV: I did not expect that Scarlett would be so kind to stay the night and apany me in the hospital. Her presence made me happy, and because I was in a good mood, I was able to work more efficiently. After I was done with my work, I found that Scarlett had fallen asleep on the sofa. She looked so beautiful and peaceful, and her chest was moving up and down steadily with every breath. I got up, grabbed a nket, and covered her with it. Then, I bent over and kissed her on the forehead. As my lips touched her skin, I felt a ripple of affection in my heart. If only she could stay by my side forever. I picked up Scarlett''s phone that she dropped on the floor and set it on the coffee table. Before I could go back to bed, her phone vibrated twice. There was a new message from Nina, which read, "Scarlett, do you still want to sue for divorce?" In less than two seconds, Nina sent another message. This time, it read, "Charles cares about you very much. My father actually suggested that you reconsider your decision to sue." I smiled bitterly. Everyone could see that I really loved Scarlett, but Scarlett did not want to believe me. The next day, after checkup, the doctor cleared me and discharged me from the hospital and instructed me to continue to rest at home. Although Scarlett still was not talking to me, she still looked after me and did not let me exert myself too much. If she cared about me so much, then what on earth was she being so stubborn for? I was starting to get a headache from all the silent treatment Scarlett was giving me, but at the same time, I could not help smiling to myself. Indeed, a man in love found silly things cute. Scarlett apanied me home, settled me down and then prepared to leave. As a man who did not let opportunities slip through his fingers, of course, I would not let her leave easily. Honestly, I was afraid that she might not take the initiative toe to me again. So I gave the ss on my bedside table a little push until it fell and broke on the floor. A few heartbeatster, Scarlett was rushing into the room, rmed by the sound of breaking ss. I almost smiled at the panicked look on her face. I shoved down my guilt and said in a strained voice, "I''m sorry. I was just trying to get myself some water, but the ss slipped and fell." "Did you hurt your hand?" Scarlett hurriedly walked over and checked my hand. "So you''re finally talking to me?" I lowered my head and half-smiled. "Did you hurt your hand, Charles?" Scarlett asked again, ignoring myment and emphasizing my name. "I don''t think so, but it hurts. I can''t move it properly," I replied, surprised that the lie just easily rolled off my tongue. "In that case, I''ll stay. You need someone to take care of you," Scarlett said without hesitation. "Oh, that''s so kind of you, honey," I muttered, pretending to be calm, but in fact, I was barely able to contain my delight. Scarlett was really a rare treasure. In the afternoon, my assistant came over with some documents for me and gifts for Scarlett from some of our business partners. "Hello, Mrs. Moore. Thepany''s partners want you to have these gifts," my assistant said to Scarlett respectfully. "''For Mrs. Moore?"'' Scarlett read the card on one of the gifts and shed my assistant a confused look. "Yes." "How did they know that I was..." Scarlett paused, her face blushing. She was obviously not yet used to being addressed as Mrs. Moore. "Our partners aren''t the only ones who are aware of your identity, Mrs. Moore. The whole world already knows as well," my assistant exined. Scarlett''s jaw dropped to the floor in shock. She whipped her head toward me, and I shrugged at her to tell her that there was nothing I could do to make her existence unknown again. And even if I could make it happen, I did not want to. I wanted everyone in the world to know that Scarlett was my wife so that no one would dare covet her. After my assistant left, Scarlett walked up to me and started berating me, "Aren''t you going to rify it?" "rify what?" I pretended that I did not understand her and shed her an innocent look. If she wanted to draw a line between us, then I would mark her with my name. "This isn''t funny, Charles. You need to do something about it," Scarlett raised her voice. Chapter 97 The Ring Chapter 97 The Ring Scarlett''s POV: All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "Do something about what?" Charles asked casually, grabbed a magazine, and started flipping through it. I snatched the magazine from his hand and said, "The entire world doesn''t need to know about our marriage." "Well, you heard my assistant. The entire world already does. What do you expect me to do about it?" Charles dipped his chin and eyed me carefully as if he was seriously considering what I wanted to happen. Feeling that there was still a chance to ameliorate the situation, I set down the magazine and started strategizing with him. "Now is a good time to issue an official statement. Netizens don''t know what to believe right now because you haven''t confirmed or denied anything about our rtionship. Once you speak up, everything will be okay." "But I don''t want to lie about us." Charles furrowed his brows and looked very upset. "Fine. Then I''ll issue a statement. That way, you won''t be the one lying," Ipromised again. I could not believe the stream of excuses he had flowing. "You''re so smart, honey." With a faint smile on his face, Charles said, "Go do whatever you want." I blinked at him twice. I did not expect that he would just agree to my suggestion without a fight. "If you want, I''ll call someone right now to help you write an official statement," he added and then continued, "I mean, we don''t want to worsen the situation with a badly written press release, do we?" I froze and then darted my eyes to my phone. I took a moment to consider what he just said. Charles did make a lot of sense. A clumsy denial might result in self-exposure. If I failed to exin everything clearly, theizens would probably even doubt me for trying to hide something, and all my efforts would be in vain. "What? Do you want to make the phone call?" Charles cast a cold nce at me. I pursed my lips and put down my phone. "I want to rethink releasing an official statement." What if I just left it? Was it really such a bad idea that everyone knew about me and Charles now? I decided to forget about it and drop the idea of making a statement. "Very well. Like I said, you can do whatever you want," Charles beamed and pointed at the gift boxes. "Open them." "No. I don''t want to ept those gifts. It''s not appropriate for me to open them." I folded my arms over my chest. The gifts were for Mrs. Moore. If I epted them, then that would mean I was admitting to being Charles''s legal wife. "Well, they''re yours anyway. Just open one, will you?" Charles said to mezily. If I refused one more time, Charles would just badger me until I gave in, so I decided to save myself from the pestering. The gifts the partners sent obviously came from a ce of sincerity. They were not only in delicate boxes but also wrapped in shiny, expensive-looking wrapping paper that exuded a signature fragrance. I opened one box that contained a pair of gorgeous couple rings. "Are those couple rings? Give them to me," Charles ordered and crossed his legs. "Get them yourself," I replied and rolled my eyes. "But my hand hurts," Charles pouted and rubbed his hand. "But your legs are functional, aren''t they?" He was really starting to piss me off with his barefaced lies. "I thought you decided to stay to help me. Why are you being mean to me now? You know what, forget it. Just leave me alone so I can curl up in my bed and die," Charles murmured to himself, implicating that I was cold, heartless, and without a conscience. I could not decide whether to be irked or amused. In the end, I just shook my head, picked up the rings, and brought them to him. "Here you go. Stop sulking." "Put one on me," Charles grinned. "Oh, for crying out loud, Charles. Don''t push it," I said through gritted teeth. "I can''t do it. Like I said, my hand hurts. I''m really feeling useless right now, okay? I don''t appreciate your being snippy toward me. You should be kind to injured people," Charles began pouting again. Once again, I rolled my eyes and then picked up the bigger ring. "Give me your hand." I had to admit that Charles''s hands were the best-looking hands I had ever seen in my life. They were always clean and supple, and his fingers were long and slender. When I slid the ring onto his finger, it fit perfectly like it was tailor-made for him. I curled my lips and murmured, "Wow. It looks great on you." Charles did not respond. Instead, he picked up the other ring and said, "Now give me your hand." "What? Why?" I shot him a suspicious look. What was this guy up to? "I''ll put this on you," Charles answered, looking up at me. "Oh, no. We can''t wear couple rings," I refused outright. Charles chuckled a little but did not force me. He put the ring back into the box and darted his eyes straight at mine. "Why not? Are you nning on dating other men?" "I''m nothaving this conversation with you again." Not wanting to engage in yet another pointless argument, I got up and went to the kitchen to prepare some food. I did not bother looking back to check on Charles''s reaction. He could feel whatever he wanted. In the evening, after cleaning up, I went to the guest room, got ready for bed, and went to sleep. When I woke up in the morning, the first thing I saw was the other half of the couple rings on my finger. The second thing I saw was Charles''s sleeping face right next to my head. I rubbed my eyes and thought hard about whether or not I forgot to lock my door before I fell asleepst night. "Hey! Wake up! What are you doing in my bed? How did you even get in?" I poked his arm. Keeping his eyes closed, Charles grabbed my hand, pinned it down, and said, "It''s too early, honey. Let''s sleep a little longer." From the little dark circles under his eyes, I had guessed that he might have worked until reallyte against night and somehow staggered into my room and passed out beside me. I could not help staring at him while he slept. He looked like a different person when he was asleep. He seemed warm and kind, which was the pr opposite of his awake self. I reached out to touch his eyshes. They were so long and upturned. I brushed my thumb over his cheek and gave it a little pinch, which strangely felt good. I could not help pinching him several more times. "Scarlett, if you don''t want to go back to sleep, we can do something interesting." All of a sudden, Charles opened his eyes and wrapped his arms around my waist. He stared deeply into my eyes. I was so startled that I withdrew my hand immediately. "Were you awake the entire time?" "Were you pinching me because you found me irresistible?" Charles asked in a hoarse voice that tripped all the rms in my head. I quickly lifted off the quilt and rolled out of bed. "I''ll go make us some breakfast," I said in a voice that I desperately tried to keep level. I was out of the room before Charles could grab me again. That was close. Good thing I had reacted fast enough. Otherwise, I would still be in bed and doing something I would definitely regret with the man I vowed to cut loose from my life. I really should be careful around Charles especially when he was sleep-deprived because that was when he wasing up with interesting things to do to wake himself up. As soon as I entered the kitchen, the doorbell rang. When I went to answer the door, I found Rita standing outside. She was a bit overdressed for a morning visit. The moment she saw me, she narrowed her eyes, raised her hand, and attempted to p me. How could I let her seed? I raised my right hand in time to grab her wrist and hold it tight. The ring that Charles put on my third finger glinted in the morning light. "Oh, Rita. Don''t you know that angry is the new ugly?" Rita did not appreciate my thinly veiled insult and shook off my hand. "You bitch! Have you no shame?" "What do I have to be ashamed about? Last time I checked, Charles and I are still married. You''re the one who''s showing up at a married man''s house so early in the morning. I think you should answer your own question. But if you want my opinion, yes, I do think you have no shame," I exined smugly, crossing my arms over my chest. People should not tolerate people like Rita, or she would be more aggressive. A muscle flickered in Rita''s jaw as she fell silent. She was so furious that her face began to look distorted. She shoved me out of her way and said, "Be a good guard dog and get out of my way!" I raised my eyebrows and watched her march into Charles''s home. I did not try to stop her by use of force. She might be an infuriating woman, but she was still sick and pregnant. I could not have her death on my conscience just because I felt that she should not be ambushing my husband in the early hours of the day. It was only then that I realized that Rita did note alone. "Aren''t you going to follow her, Richard?" I asked Rita''s bodyguard who was standing outside like a statue. He shook his head and put on a gloomy expression. "You better take good care of Mr. Moore, Miss Riley." "How do you feel about Rita now?" "I''m in love with her. I don''t want to leave her," Richard said in a low voice. "You''re already in love with her?" I could not help sighing. I was looking at a big, hulking tower of a man in love''s merciless shackles. If Richard stayed in love with Rita, he would be destined to end up a poor, broken man. At this time, the sound of breaking ss came from upstairs. Thinking that Charles was hurt, I immediately rushed to him with Richard closely on my heels. I found Charles standing in the corridor on top of the staircase. There was a broken vase on the floor. Rita was on her knees in front of him and hugging his thighs. She was sobbing and begging, "Please, Charles. Give me one more chance." There was no expression in Charles''s face. When he saw me, his eyes moved slightly. I frowned and thought that he was being cruel. After all, Rita was pregnant. Chapter 98 A Farce Chapter 98 A Farce Scarlett''s POV: Ever since that dramatic morning, Grandma had sent a servant to take care of Charles. Hence, I left Charles'' house and returned to my normal life. However, after I was done with my TV program one day, I found arge bouquet of white roses on my work station. Confused, I picked up the card that was inside it, and read Charles'' writing, "May thewsuit be sessful." Startled, I wondered, ''How does he know that I am suing for a divorce? Nina obviously would not have told him, so did I bber about it in my sleep?'' While I was in a daze, Rita called, and looking at my phone screen, I felt a headache. "This is Rita." Her voice was domineering. "What do you want?" I asked coldly. "I''ve invited some reporters, and I want you to rify in front of them that you and Charles have nothing to do with each other." I could not help but think that she was being ridiculous. After all, Charles and I were still married, so she was in no position to quarrel with me at all. "Charles doesn''t love you anymore, Rita, so wake up, will you?" "Whether he loves me or not is none of your business. You just need to rify that you have nothing to do with him. Leave Charles to me. I will win him back," Rita said confidently. I felt sorry for her because she was still lying to herself. Since I could not bear to listen to her nonsensical conversation any longer, I hung up. Once it was time to get off work, I walked out of the When I got home, I didn''t get off the car immediately. Instead, I turned to the driver and asked, "Is Charles here?" "I just came to pick you up, following Mrs. Moore''s order, so I don''t know about other things," the driver replied respectfully. I pursed my lips. I certainly did not want to see Charles there. Before I was able to figure out how to handle my rtionship with him, I would always feel ufortable whenever I saw him. I didn''t make things any more difficult for the driver, though. I opened the door and got out of the car. From the corner of my eye, I saw a familiar limousine. It was Nate''s. Why was he there? I frowned. When I walked to the house, I heard someone shouting, and immediately recognized Nate''s voice. He was just like his daughter, and they both liked to cause a scene in other people''s houses. "You must give me an exnation today! I was trying to teach Scarlett a lesson as an elder, and now, Charles has asked someone to ruin my business. Is that how he treats his elders?" I was a little stunned when I heard those words. Did Charles punish Nate for what he did to me? Since Nate was Rita''s dad, I thought that Charles would let him go for the sake of his rtionship with Rita. Once I entered the living room, I looked around. Except for Charles, everyone else was present there. All of a sudden, I felt a little indescribable sense of loss in my heart. Ignoring Nate, Grandma walked to me and greeted me. She grabbed my hand and said with an unhappy look in her eyes, "Scarlett, you are increasingly distancing yourself from me with each passing day. You''ve even hidden the fact that Nate has bullied you from me." Although her usation was a bit severe, I knew that Grandma cared a lot about me. Hence, I coaxed her in a soft voice, "Grandma, I did not want to tell you, because I was afraid that you will worry about me. Besides, I''m doing just fine. I am just surprised to see Mr. Lively here." "I am only here because of what you and Charles did! I was trying to teach you a lesson, but you turned a molehill into a mountain!" Nate scolded me, pointing at my nose. "You were trying to teach me a lesson? Can you even dare to tell them about the real reason you hit me?" I retorted coldly, disgusted by how he could shamelessly distort the right and the wrong. "What? Nate hit you? I thought he was just being mean to you," Grandma said angrily. "Is it not because of Rita? Or is there some other reason? Why don''t you dare to let us know?" Alice stood up in shock. She was also furious when she heard that Nate had hit me. I looked at Nate coldly and noticed his face turning pale as he panicked. "Tell us, Mr. Lively. Why aren''t you telling us your reason? Is it too shameful?" I sneered. "Scarlett! Don''t talk nonsense to ruin my reputation." Nate''s eyes turned red with rage. "You gave me a diamond, but I didn''t take it, and that''s why you are so annoyed," I blurted out. I thought that Nate would still have some sense of shame, but it was evident that I had overestimated him. Grandma immediately pulled me behind her as she faced Nate and roared, "Nate Lively! How could even have such vulgar thoughts for Scarlett? She is the daughter-inw of the Moore family. You are not only insulting Scarlett, you are also insulting the Moore family!" Everyone in the room red at Nate in disbelief and disgust. "I just want Scarlett to leave Charles at the earliest so that Rita''sst wish can be fulfilled." Nate was still trying his best to defend himself. "Even if Rita is on the verge of death, we would still not allow her to marry into our family. Both you and your daughter are disgusting." Grandpa was also bewildered as he spoke in his deep, strong voice, showing off his prestige. However, his words worried me. ''Will the elders allow me to divorce Charles after this farce?'' I wondered. Deep down, something told me that they would not allow me to do such a thing. "Don''t think that we don''t know what your promiscuous daughter is up to. And don''t think that we will let her marry Charles just because she''s pregnant. We''ll never ept and raise her child. God knows who the father is!" Alice was also very strong with her words as she mocked Rita''s messy private life. "Alice! Don''t sling mud at Rita! Since you said that my daughter is indecent, show me some proof, or I will have to sue you for ndering her." Nate red at Alice. "Don''t worry. I will show you the proof, and I hope you keep up your strong front when you see that." Alice snorted. "You are not wee in the Moore residence anymore, so you''d better get out." Grandma didn''t want to talk to Nate anymore, so she motioned him to leave. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. The butler stepped forward and said to Nate, "Sir, this way please." Nate was indeed enraged, but he couldn''t argue with them because he was in the wrong. He could only clench his fists and grit his teeth as he hissed, "Let''s wait and see." With that, he left in dejection. As soon as he was out of sight, Grandma made me sit on the couch and asked, "Did that old bastard touch you?" I shook my head. "Pleasee to us if anything like it happens again," Alice alsoforted me. However, the longer she thought about it, the angrier she became. "How dare he tries to hurt you? He must pay a steep price for what he did!" With a sigh, Grandma patted my hand and said, "You must tell us if something happens to you or we will continue to be in the dark about such matters." "Yes, Scarlett. Why are you distancing yourself from us? After all, we are the strongest pirs you can lean on." Grandpa, who was sitting on the opposite couch also advised me. I was deeply touched by the elders'' concern, so I promised them that such things would not happen again, and that if such a thing did happen, then I would let them know immediately. Only after hearing my promise did they let me go. "Charles, when did youe?" Alice suddenly asked in surprise. My heart jolted. I turned around and saw Charles standing at the door. I did not know for how long he had been standing there. Seeing that everyone finally noticed him, Charles slowly walked up to us, and said, "Scarlett, you''re really something. You''re going to divorce me, and yet, you get everyone''s support." He was mocking me, and I was left with no choice but to look at him helplessly. Chapter 99 The Questioning Of The Elders Chapter 99 The Questioning Of The Elders Charles'' POV: "Charles, what are you even talking about? Scarlett is family. If we don''t support her, who will? Besides, Nate came to our house to make trouble. If we keep silent, then how was that fair to Scarlett?" Grandma scolded me. "Yes, Scarlett is your wife. Even if you don''t help her, you shouldn''t make such sarcastic remarks!" My mom also red at me. I rubbed my temples irritably as I argued, "Who is the heir of this family? Why aren''t you defending me?" "It is because you are the heir that we have to discipline you. Men in the Moore family have always loved their wives. You are the only weirdo here." Grandma picked up the teacup and snorted. ''But I do love my wife! She''s the one that doesn''t take my feelings seriously.'' Since I could not defend myself now, I had no choice but to keep quiet. "Scarlett is such a good girl. If you don''t cherish her now, then you will regret itter. But if you can''t change yourself, then you should at least be a decent man and divorce her." My mom continued to nag me. "But if you do choose to divorce her, then the doors of this house will not open for you again, Charles," Grandma threatened. I cast a resentful nce at the culprit, only to find that she was also looking at me. She seemed to be very happy to see me being targeted by my family, because she was smiling brightly. I looked away, but my heart was racing and I could not calm down even after a long time. I was not in the mood to listen to Grandma and my mom''s nagging anymore. Scarlett''s smile was the only thing on my mind. All of a sudden, I felt like the entire room was silent, and when I came back to my senses, I noticed the elders staring at me. I touched my nose and sat up straight. I was so lost in thought that I didn''t even notice what they were talking about. "Why did you stop? Please, continue. Don''t keep staring at me. Is there something on my face?" I cleared my throat and broke the silence. "Try to be serious and don''t turn a deaf ear to our words." After a moment''s nce at me, Grandma ignored me. I didn''t say anything to defend myself because I knew that it would be of no use at the moment. Besides, I was already a sinner in their eyes. To them, I was an unfaithful lover who must be nailed to the pir of humiliation. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "When are you going to end your rtionship with Rita? I don''t believe that the child Rita is carrying is yours. Just sort out the mess quickly. Rita and her family are like chewing gum stuck to the shoe, gross and disgusting." My mother gave me a calm nce as she wanted to get a clear answer from me. Indeed, I had put off the matter for far too long, which was giving Rita and her family a chance to show their viinous sides. Without replying to them immediately, I was silent for a moment before I turned to Scarlett. I noticed that she was also staring at me with her bright eyes, as though she wasining that Icked a sense of responsibility. All of a sudden, a helpless feeling clouded my heart. She was still not believing me. And every time Rita was mentioned, Scarlett would be vignt. I withdrew my gaze and turned to the others. "Why did you ask me toe back today?" "Nate said that you ruined his business, and he came here today to ask for an exnation," my father, who was silent until now finally spoke up. "I didn''t do any such thing." I leaned against the sofa, ying with my ring. "I too believe that Charles would not have done such a thing." Scarlett spoke up for me hurriedly before she added in whispers, "Besides, he won''t do such a thing for me." Although her voice was very low, I still heard what she said. I felt disheartened, because no matter how many times I had exined it to her, she still did not believe that Rita''s child was not mine. And now, she also thought that I would not have punished Nate for what he had done to her. I could not understand her at all. "I don''t believe it. Although the Lively family is not as powerful as they were before, they are not to be trifled with. There are only a handful who would dare to provoke him in public. Moreover, the matter was handled very decisively and efficiently this time, and I believe that Charles is the only one who can pull that off," Grandpa said in a calm voice. Although he was not an active part of the business world anymore, I was certain that he knew about the workings of it all. "Charles, admit it. You did it, didn''t you?" my dad asked. "I have no reason to do so." I did not want to admit it because I did not want to give Scarlett the idea that she was indebted to me once again, and I did not want her to say something that I would not want to hear. Besides, she might suspect that I had some kind of an ulterior motive. My heart ached when I thought of the fact that no matter what I did for her, Scarlett was not moved at all. "What other reason could you possibly need? Scarlett is the reason." My mother was taking things for granted. "Scarlett doesn''t regard herself as my wife at all. In her eyes, we are never a couple. In fact, she wishes that she would never see me again," I sneered with displeasure. Everyone knew that I loved Scarlett, but she didn''t believe it. She pretended to be deaf and blind to my confessions, and kept trying to push me away. "What nonsense are you even talking about? It is all your fault. Why did you even start messing around with Rita?" Grandma was furious. She picked up a magazine and threw it on me. I reached out my left hand to grab the magazine, feeling helpless about her anger. However, I knew that she was right. Everything did start because of the promise I made to Rita. I had only wanted to repay her at that time, and I had never expected that I would be hurting the most important person in my heart. "Grandma, calm down. Don''t be angry. Charles '' right hand hasn''t recovered yet," Scarlett comforted her in a nervous tone when she saw Grandma hitting me. She seemed to be worried about me, and seeing that, my heart softened instantly, like butter on a hot day. "Scarlett." Grandma sighed and then continued, "Can you withdraw the indictment and not divorce Charles?" Before Scarlett could reply, I said, "Even if there is such an indictment, I promise that you won''t be able to divorce me." Grandma immediately red at me. "Shut up." "Rita is pregnant. What can I do? Leaving him seems like the only solution we have now," Scarlett comined to Grandma with a gloomy expression. "Are you jealous, Scarlett?" Alice teased. I raised my eyebrows, looking at Scarlett as I wondered what she was thinking about. Scarlett exined in a hurry, "I''m not jealous... I just don''t want to put everyone in a dilemma." "You keep saying that you''re not jealous, and yet, every time we mention Rita, you seem unhappy. Besides, we are not in a dilemma at all. We''re happy as long as you and Charles are happy. You just need to follow your heart, and nothing else will matter." My mother disagreed with Scarlett. I gloated at Scarlett. She blushed, but she continued to be stubborn as she exined that she was not jealous at all. I was d that someone finally forced her to face her true feelings. "It''s not a shame to be jealous," I said coldly. Scarlett red at me, signaling me to shut up. Chapter 100 Staying Overnight Chapter 100 Staying Overnight Scarlett''s POV: No matter how much I exined, everyone kept misunderstanding me, thinking that I was jealous. Hence, I had no choice but to shut up. "You won''t divorce Charles as long as we prove that the child is not his, right?" Christine asked me. I was stunned for a moment, as that thought had never urred to me before. If Charles was not the father of that child, then the problems would be a lot lessplicated. However, I was still in a daze, like a leaf blown by the wind which was unable to fall. "But if Charles really is the father of that child, then I will make him divorce you myself." Christine assured me. "Yes, just give him a chance to prove himself. If Charles really turns out to be the father of that child, then I will ask him to give you an exnation," Michael echoed. My mind was a mess and I couldn''t refuse them after listening to their words. Charles was also staring at me, waiting for my response. Avoiding his gaze, I turned to look out the window. ncing at the rainy skies that were as gloomy as my mood, I could not help but sigh. "It''s raining outside," Charles murmured, following my gaze. By then, everyone else also noticed that it was dark outside. The conversation hadsted longer than intended. "Tonight, you both can stay here," Christine suggested. I shook my head and replied, "I have to go back to the station. There is still something that I need to do." "How dare the TV station director make you work overtime?" Charles asked sullenly. "Give me his phone number. I will talk to him," he added, holding his phone in his hand. I quickly grabbed his phone. "It''s not like that. I have nothing to do now anyway, so why can''t I get some work done?" ''I wouldn''t be thinking too much about this if I was busy,'' I thought to myself. I needed something to keep me distracted, and if I am immersed in my work, then I would not have to dwell on such painful thoughts. "Work is important, but not at the cost of your well-being. Look,tely, you have lost a lot of weight." While caressing my hair, Christine red at Charles. "It''s all your fault." "Why are you ming me, Grandma?" Charles felt aggrieved with a look of disbelief in his eyes. "If you got along with her, then she wouldn''t need to go to work, would she?" Christine scolded Charles. "Grandma, Charles cannot be med for me wanting to work," I exined to Christine in a hurry, afraid that Charles might get annoyedter and forbid me from going to work, which would also be exactly what he wanted. Charles snorted, "I''d like for her to depend on me, but will she agree to that?" His words made me blush. What did he mean? Was our rtionship really that deep in his eyes? Not daring to look at him, I lowered my head and held Christine''s hand, acting like a spoiled kid. "Grandma, you are the best. Please let me go back to the TV station. I have already agreed to meet with a colleague." I gave an eager look at Christine.N?velDrama.Org content rights. "No, I am sure that your colleague will understand. Besides, it''s pouring outside. I can''t let you go," Christine refused, pretending to be sad. "You rarely evere here, and after staying for just a little while, you already want to leave. Why are you in such a hurry? Do you really find me that annoying?" "Grandma, it''s not like I find you annoying. In fact, I am also reluctant to leave you." I was in a real jam as I tried tofort Christine. I had no choice but topromise in the end. It was a hearty and warm dinner with everyone talking so freely at the table. Actually, aside from my rtionship with Charles, everything else about the Moore family was warm andforting. After dinner, everyone left, leaving Charles and I alone in the living room. "Which room are you going to sleep in tonight?" Charles asked me, taking the coffee from the servant. I ignored him, pretending to watch the TV. I knew why he was asking me that question. I could sleep in any room as long as it wasn''t with him. "Since you''ve applied for a divorce, don''t expect me to share a bed with you," he said in a noble tone, as he sipped on his coffee. I rolled my eyes at him. "You wish." ''What a narcissist!'' Sometimes, the things that Charles said could really make people angry. I wouldn''t sleep with him even if he begged me to! "You can sleep in my room, then. I will find another room to sleep in," he said. With a look of suspicion in my eyes, I inquired, "Why are you being so kind all of a sudden?" "Well, if I am not being a gentleman to you, then Grandma will me me." Charles rubbed his chin with an unreadable look in his eyes. I pouted as I turned to look at the TV again. "Whatever you want." Without saying more, Charles stood up from the sofa. "Excuse me, please let me pass." He wanted to walk past me, so I moved my leg to one side and looked at him crossly. "You can go the other way." "It''s too far from the stairs," heined with a t expression. ''Nonsense!'' It was obviously closer to the stairs, and he was just deliberately trying to disturb me. But before I could say anything, he squeezed past me with his hands in his pockets, looking childish. Since all the elders and Charles were gone, I was alone in the living room with just the sound from the TV. As Iy on the sofa, my body gradually rxed, and I fell asleep after the long day. Charles'' BOV: I could not stop thinking about Scarlett even after I got out of the shower. She was just downstairs, and yet I could not help missing her. I was thinking of how beautiful she was, regardless of whether she was angry or shy. She was as stunning as an indescribable work of art. I could not resist the restlessness in my heart, so I made up an excuse to get myself some water and walk downstairs. I just wanted to see her. The TV was still on, but Scarlett was fast asleep. I covered her with a nket. Like a little puppy, she nestled her face against the soft nket. I could not help but reach out and stroke her long smooth hair as I felt the love in my heart overflow. I took her hand and kissed it gently. I then looked at her intently, unwilling to blink. The image of her was carved so deep into my heart, which caused me to love her more and more. I really hoped that time would slow down so that I could watch her sleep quietly forever. Although I was just watching her sleep, my heart was filled with joy and satisfaction. I tucked her hands inside the nket and leaned forward to kiss her marble-like forehead. However, that was far from enough. I wanted to lean in and kiss her lips too. But Scarlett rolled over with her back to me, making me lose the chance to kiss her. With a helpless smile, I decided not to disturb her sleep anymore. I turned off the lights and the TV before I got into the nket and held her. She was still deep asleep as she ced her hands on my waist, her cheeks slightly flushed. I lowered my head and kissed her on the lips. Thinking of how much I loved her, I could not help but sigh in my heart. The next morning. By the time I was awake, it was still early in the morning. I continued to hold Scarlett for a long time before I finally let go of her. However, I reluctantly went back upstairs before she woke up. Or else, she would feel really embarrassed and use me for taking advantage of her while she was asleep. Chapter 101 The Attitude Of The Elders Chapter 101 The Attitude Of The Elders Scarlett''s POV: I was alone on the sofa when I woke up. But I got the sense that Charles slept next to mest night. Maybe it was a dream, but I could not be sure. "Good morning, Mrs. Moore. Mr. Moore just went upstairs," the servant who was cleaning said to me. I took a deep breath and nodded. I kept my face neutral, but deep inside, I felt ashamed and flustered. "He told me to tell you as soon as you wake up to go upstairs and take a shower," the servant added. I did not understand why Charles always had to use such ambiguous words that easily gave other people the wrong idea. As blood rushed to my cheeks, I lowered my gaze and made my way upstairs. I ran into Charles just as he was stepping out of the bathroom. He was drying his hair with a towel. He was naked from the waist up. The muscles on his torso were well-defined, and his corbone, for some reason, looked sexy and inviting. When he raised his head, his Adam''s apple slightly bobbed. I averted my eyes and swallowed. "Will you please put a shirt on?" "No. It''s hot." Charles put down the towel and nced at me. "Why is your face so red?" "It''s stuffy downstairs," I snapped, feeling a bit embarrassed by how defensive I sounded. "Why aren''t you looking at me?" Charles asked, confused and a bit annoyed. He pinched my chin and forced me to look at him. Standing close to him now, I could see that his skin was still slick, and for reasons I could never fathom, he looked a hundred times more handsome to me when he was fresh out of the shower. We looked into each other''s eyes for a long time. In the end, I lost the little staring contest and shook off his grip on my chin. I suddenly remembered that his arm had not recovered yet, so I walked past him and grabbed the hairdryer from one of the drawers in the bathroom. "Let me help you dry your hair." Charles beamed and nodded. "Sit down. I can''t reach your head." He was way taller than I was. I could only reach up to his shoulder. He sat on a chair obediently, and I started to blow -dry his hair, which was short and soft. It was the first time that I helped him dry his hair. It felt a little unnatural to me. From time to time, I grazed the back of his ear with my fingers, and when I did, I felt some sort of tingle. I clenched my jaw and shoved down my emotions until I was done. "There. You''re all good," I said after making sure his hair was all dry. Charles stood up and raised his eyebrows at me. "How should I thank you?" "No need for gestures of gratitude. You''re always wee. We should help each other and build a harmonious future," I joked, but at the back of my mind, I wished that our rtionship could be much, much simpler. "Well, I don''t want to owe you anything," Charles pressed. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Why did I get the feeling that he had used that tone with me before? I knitted my brows. "How about I repay you with a kiss?" Charles suggested smugly. I pushed him away, feeling repulsed by his behavior. "I said there''s no need for you to thank me." "No, I insist. I have to pay back what I owe you. That''s what you do with me. And didn''t you say we''re strangers? A kiss shouldn''t be an issue with us, should it?" he teased. I raised my head and red at him. I resented that he was using my own words to get me to do what he wanted. "Rx. I''m kidding," Charlesughed after a brief pause and then looked into my eyes. I heaved a sigh of relief, but next thing I knew, his lips were a hair''s breadth away from mine, and before I could draw another breath, he was already kissing me. He sucked on my lower lip and then traced my teeth with the tip of his tongue. For once, he was not being aggressive. He was being so gentle that I considered kissing him back despite my mind''s objections. Before I couldpletely get lost in his intoxicating kiss, I raised my hand, put it on his chest, and pushed him away. My knees threatened to buckle as he let go but put a finger under my chin and tipped my head up. He gave me two soft pecks on the lips before shing me a satisfied smile. I cursed myself as my face burned. He seeded again. I allowed him to seed again. "You''re getting redder and redder, my dear. Maybe a shower will help get rid of some of that heat," Charles smiled and brushed his thumb over my cheek. I backed away from him, walked into the bathroom, and shut the door, and his lingering scent greeted me. When I went upstairs, I told myself to keep my guard up and keep Charles at arm''s length. I did not want to wait for a man who did not love me, so I had to end whatever was going on between me and Charles. But it was easier said than done. Whenever I was around him, I felt like I was no longer in control of myself. My attraction to him was too strong for me to fight. Frustrated, I shook my head and took off my clothes. I decided to put all my troubles behind me for the time being. Right now, I really needed a long, hot bath. Maybe it would help me figure out my next move. Alice had prepared quite a selection of clothes for me. After taking a bath, I dried myself off, changed into an off-shoulder light purple dress, and went downstairs. I found the whole family sitting in the living room. Alice''s eyes lit up as soon as she saw me. "Oh, Scarlett, sweetheart, you look so beautiful in that dress! If I were a man, I would be fascinated by you right now." Alice''spliment made me blush. I took her hand and said, "It''s because you have good taste in clothes, Mom. Thank you." "Oh, please! You make the dress look good! Don''t you think so, Charles?" Alice turned her head toward Charles who was sipping his coffee silently. "She''s not that bad," Charles muttered, taking a nce at me. It took all my strength to keep my face neutral. I did not understand why he was being cold and distant again. What changed since he kissed me earlier? "Well, I also had some suits made for you, dear. You can wear them to work or to important asions in the future," Alice turned to me and said with a smile. I got a warm feeling in my heart. Alice had always been nice to me and treated me like her own daughter. I smiled at her sweetly and said, "That''s very kind of you, Mom. I really appreciate it. I love you so much. I really can''t imagine my life without this family." "You don''t have to worry about life without us. You''ll always be our family. You''ll always be with us," Alice replied and squeezed my hand. She pulled me to sit on the sofa and then red at Charles. "Charles, you should be the one doing these things for your wife, you know? You should take good care of Scarlett." I sat there awkwardly and considered defending Charles. Charles turned his head toward Alice, dissatisfaction so obvious on his face. "Mom, I''ve bought Scarlett hundreds of clothes. She never wears them." "I have my own clothes, Mom," I interjected. Alice just rolled her eyes and shook her head as if she was done with the conversation about my wardrobe. After breakfast, Charles and I prepared to leave. On our way out, Christine pulled me aside. "Remember what you promised me, dear. If we confirm that Rita''s child isn''t Charles''s, you won''t divorce him. I don''t want you to leave this family. Anyone with half a brain can see that Charles cares about you very much. You should give him a chance." I pursed my lips and said nothing. I did not know how to respond. Charles and I''s problems were not only about Rita''s unborn baby. "What are you worried about, Scarlett?" Christine asked. "I need more time to think, Grandma. I..." "What else do you need to think about? Charles loves you, and you love Charles. You love each other, so be together. Don''t worry about Rita. I''ll take care of her," Christine butt in. I knew that she was doing this for me and Charles, so I decided not to argue anymore. So far, I had no choice but to let nature take its course. After our short conversation, Christine let me go. "What did Grandma say to you?" Charles fell into step beside me and asked nonchntly. "It''s a secret between women. You don''t have to know," I answered casually. As I spoke, I quickened my pace and left Charles behind. I could not help ming him in my heart. If he had not entangled himself with Rita for so long, I would not be in such a dilemma now. Chapter 102 Confusion Chapter 102 Confusion Scarlett''s POV: As soon as I walked out of the door, Charles grabbed my wrist. He peremptorily opened my palm, ced his hand over mine, and walked forward entwining his fingers with mine. "What are you doing?" I tried to shake off his hand, but couldn''t. "I am just holding your hand. Can''t you see? You should tightly hold your husband''s hand from now on, just like this." Saying that, Charles shook our hands slightly. I looked at him speechlessly. There were strange feelings in my heart, but since I could not get rid of him, I could only let him do what he wanted. He took me to the private garage, where many limited-edition luxury cars were parked. I watched him get on the driver''s seat. I couldn''t help but ask in confusion, "Didn''t you ask the driver to take us?" "I will drive you to work. Get in the car," Charles urged. I got into the car slowly but I was still a little doubtful. "Can you even drive?" I knew that he was good at driving, but I was a little worried about the injury on his arm. "I''ll prove it to you with actions and not words." Charles turned the steering wheel and drove the car out of the garage. "If you feel any pain or difort in your arm, then you must tell me. Don''t force yourself." Worried, I kept looking at his injured arm. Charles was racing the car so fast that I gripped the seatbelt, feeling like I was really risking my life for him. "What? If it was really that dangerous to ride with me, then you wouldn''t be here, would you?" Charles retorted, ncing at me. "Eyes on the road!" I shouted nervously. My heart rose up to my throat when I noticed him looking at me while he was trying to overtake another vehicle on the road. "You haven''t answered my question yet," he said, slowing down the car a bit. "Of course, I will." I pouted and continued, "After all, it''s not easy to get a taxi around here." "Well, you can shut up now." My words darkened his expression all of a sudden. He drove me to the TV station, but he was quiet along the way. I curled my lips, thinking of how narrow-minded he was. I unfastened the seat belt and cleared my throat before I said, "Be careful on the way." With a long face, Charles threw a thin suit jacket at me, and said, "Put this on." "Why?" I asked in a low voice. His behavior was really confusing. Men were indeed more unpredictable than women. Often times, I found Charles to be like an iprehensible math problem that could make me scratch my head. "You are not allowed to wear such strapless dresses to work anymore," Charles said, sulking. When he saw that I was not taking the jacket, he helped me put it on. "Is that why you were so unhappy this morning?" I guessed boldly. But my heart was racing. Charles snorted, "It''s good that you are able to realize your mistake. I won''t me you this time, but from now on, you''re only allowed to wear such dresses in front of me." I tried my best to restrain my smile as I looked at him with a calm expression. "Well, that''s not your call." "Try me, then," Charles threatened, looking at me. I knew that he could do anything he wanted, so I didn''t contradict him. "Ask yourwyer to handle the case as soon as possible," I reminded him in a low voice. With that, I got off the car. I was gradually bing better at handling him. "Are you really in such a hurry to divorce me?" Charles'' eyes were as cold as ice as he stared at me. "Drive carefully." Without answering his question, I waved goodbye to him with a big smile. He seemed to be so furious, because he drove off without even saying goodbye to me. Once he was gone, I heaved a sigh of relief. How could I not be in a hurry to divorce? I was afraid that my heart would soften again soon if things continued to be the same way. I found myself gradually relying on him. In fact, I did not even want to leave him. After I finished hosting the TV show that morning, I received flowers from Charles again. The card on it read, "It''s not that easy to divorce me." The vigorous handwriting on it was as domineering as his voice. While I was staring at the card, a hand reached out and grabbed the card from me. The woman read out the words on the card loudly. There seemed to be a hint of tease in her clear voice as she said, "I didn''t expect Charles to be so loyal to you." I helplessly looked at the woman, who had delicate makeup on. "Nina, this is not loyalty. He''s just not reconciled about losing me." N?velDrama.Org content rights. Nina put down the card and winked at me. "Scarlett, you are lying to yourself! And honestly, I think that you already know of the feelings in his heart. You''re just afraid of facing the facts." "Why would I be afraid?" I smoothed my hair awkwardly. "You are afraid of getting hurt again, and that''s why you''ve closed the door to your heart," Nina said earnestly, sighing heavily. I was stunned by her words as I was not expecting her to pierce through the truth with just a single pertinent remark. Actually, I was indeed a coward. I was eager for Charles'' love, but I kept pushing him away because I was afraid. "Even my father believes that it won''t be easy for you to divorce him," Nina added. I forced a smile. I was at a loss for words when I recalled what Grandma had told me the night before. "Last night, the elders asked me to withdraw thewsuit." After a pause, I turned and opened up the window behind me before I continued, "They wanted to investigate whether Charles is really the father of Rita''s child, so they want me to wait for the result." "I''m sorry that I can''t help you in this matter," Nina said apologetically. I turned to her, shaking my head. "It''s not your fault, Nina. Now that the elders are also involved in this matter, I know that the divorce won''t happen anytime soon. Thank you all the same." "Don''t be upset, Scarlett. Try to look on the bright side of things. Maybe your journey with Charles shouldn''t stop here," Ninaforted when she noticed my long face. "They are just procrastinating it," I replied with a helpless smile. Everyone had a good intention, indeed, but regardless of what the result might be, someone was bound to get hurt in the end. "What''s your n now?" Nina asked all of a sudden. "I n to take things slow for now. Grandpa''s birthday ising soon, and I don''t want to upset him." I felt uncertain about the future. Charles was very determined not to divorce. Would I really be able to make it? "Honey, I think you care too much about the elders'' opinions." Nina rubbed her forehead helplessly and continued, "I feel that you should think more about yourself. If you really feel unhappy about your marriage to Charles, then don''t force yourself to stay." "No, I am not forcing myself to do anything!" I replied straightforwardly. As for the elders, I knew my position very well. "They have helped me a lot and I don''t want to hurt them. No matter what happens to me and Charles, I will repay them," I exined. "As a good friend, I will support you in whatever decision you make." Nina stopped persuading me and smiled brightly. "Would you like me to apany you to the birthday party?" "No, thanks. I won''t be staying at the party for long, anyway," I refused her kindness. "Why?" she asked, looking at me in confusion. I sighed as I sat back in the chair. "I think Rita will alsoe, even if no one invites her." ''Grandpa''s birthday party must be grand.'' I knew that there would be a lot of VIPs attending the party. After all, the party was not just to celebrate Grandpa''s birthday, it was also an opportunity for important people to talk about business with each other. A woman like Rita, who was racking her brains to marry into the Moore family, would never let go of such an opportunity to get acquainted with powerful people. "How can she have the nerve to show up at his party? After all, she still hasn''t married into their family yet. Even if you consider the Lively family''s status, they are not qualified to attend Mr. Michael Moore''s birthday party. Am I right?" Nina pouted, trying to defend me. "I am certain that Rita wille. She has a special rtionship with Charles, after all!" I said in low spirits. The thought of seeing Rita and Charles together at the party made my heart ache. "Are you jealous? Have you ever considered the possibility that Charles might only be treating Rita well out of gratitude?" Nina teased as she gave me a mischievous look. "I don''t believe that''s the case." I sighed and exined, "Although Charles said he just wants to repay her, his previous actions prove that his motives are not just repaying his debt to her." "I understand, dear." Nina seemed to be enlightened all of a sudden. "What?" Amused by her reaction, I turned to her. "You two need to sit down and have an open talk," she concluded. "Maybe." Thinking about what she said, I realized that she was right. Charles and I had not talked peacefully because of Rita''s existence. We would often give each other silent treatment or quarrel most of the time. However, the situation had gotten much bettertely. Charles would kiss me as soon as he heard something that made him unhappy,pletely ignoring my feelings, though. "Why are you blushing now?" Nina interrupted my thoughts. "It''s nothing. You go on, please," I said with a wry smile as I pushed her jokingly. I couldn''t let Nina know what I was thinking, or she would certainly ask me to describe how I felt when Charles kissed me. "Let me tell you something." Nina leaned closer with a mysterious look in her eyes. "What is it?" I asked in a daze. "Spencer said that Charles is still a virgin." Nina''s voice was barely a whisper as she said those words to me with a sly smile. My cheeks were flushed and I stammered, "R... Really?" "You don''t believe me? Well, you can ask Charles to prove it to you when you get the chance." Nina''s words were gettingincreasingly ridiculous. How could such a thing be proved? I quickly covered her mouth and said, "Stop it, Nina!" "Why are you so shy about it? Charles is such a good man. You''re the one at loss for not sleeping with him. Anyway, you should find an opportunity to sleep with him before the divorce, or it would be a pity!" Nina said casually, pulling off my hand from her mouth. She kept encouraging me. Just then, Abner knocked on the door. When he saw Nina and I giggling and talking so secretively, he asked, raising his eyebrows, "What are you two talking about? And why are you so happy?" "Nothing." I stopped smiling, straightened my clothes, and pretended like nothing happened. "We were just talking about..." Nina looked at me with a snicker. "We are just talking about work." I interrupted her, red at her, and reminded her not to say such things. I then turned to Abner and asked, "What''s up?" "The special guest for the interviewter is Spencer Patel, and he said he would like to reveal something about Charles'' marriage," Abner said to me seriously. Chapter 103 Spencers Interview Chapter 103 Spencer''s Interview Scarlett''s POV: All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. As Abner had said, I received the formal notice that Spencer would take part in the program this afternoon. I was expecting that someone would take my ce and interview Spencer. But in the end, I had to bite the bullet and do it myself. While I was preparing for the interview questions, I saw that many of them were about Charles''s marriage. Of course, I skipped over them and only included questions about Spencer. I could not help but wonder how gossipy the person who had prepared this interview outline was. This was Spencer''s interview in the first ce. Why were there so many questions about Charles? Jokes on them, I had no intention of broadcasting my private life to the public. The interview segment had finallymenced. I was on tenterhooks the whole time. I hoped Spencer would get my hint and not put me in the limelight. Everything went well at the beginning of the program. I avoided talking about Charles, and Spencer had been understanding. He talked about his own experience with fervor and assurance. But before I could bepletely relieved, what I had been dreading happened. I asked about Spencer''s close friends. Among all people, he specifically mentioned Charles. "In addition to him, I believe you have other interesting friends as well," I said, averting the topic. I did not want to talk about Charles, especially when a lot of people were watching. "I have few friends who grew up with me. Charles is one of them." Spencer made no response to my conversational gambits. "By the way, I''m sure many of our audience is curious about Charles''s marriage," he added with a smirk. Oh my God! Just when I thought that things were going well, Spencer would y by the fire. "How about we talk about your current rtionship status? Do you have a girlfriend?" I tried to change the topic again. Spencer ignored my question and smiled ambiguously. "Compared with my rtionship status, everyone is probably more interested in Charles''s." He paused for a second and winked at the camera. "I''ve prepared a photo of Charles''s partner that you''ve never seen before. The audience is lucky today." I took a deep breath and bit my tongue in suspense. The crew of the program did not tell me about the photo in advance. I was so nervous that I felt that my throat became dry. Unfortunately for me, it would be rude to cut Spencer abruptly. Besides, this interview was being broadcast live. A few secondster, the photo Spencer was talking about was disyed on the big screen behind us. It was a photo of a little girl in a light pink princess dress. Her long hair was braided, and she looked cute. Fortunately, nobody could recognize her as she had her back to the camera. "Scarlett, does she look familiar?" Spencer asked with a cunning smile. How could it not look familiar? This was a photo of me when I was a child. I was at a loss for words, but I kept smiling. "Miss Lively was also very cute when she was a child," I remarked sarcastically. Spencer smiled and did not say anything more, which I believe would leave people more room for imagination. The program ended not long after. I went straight to the lounge, and Spencer followed suit. "Scarlett, how''s my performance? Did I leave enough suspense for the audience?" Spencer teasingly asked. I turned around and red at him. "You colluded with Charles, didn''t you?" "How could you say that? I did that for the audience rating of your TV station. It wasn''t that hard considering that I''m also very handsome," Spencer replied casually. I rolled my eyes at him. "I''m not stupid. You''re just cashing in on Charles''s poprity." "It doesn''t matter. It''s true that I''m handsome, though." Spencer smirked at me. Surely, birds of a feather flock together. "There was no need for you to do that. Charles cane to the program and be interviewed if he wants." Spencer nodded in agreement. "Good idea. For sure, a couple can do a much better job when they''re together. Your show will probably be a sensation if that happens." Nonsense! Had these people been bribed by Charles? They were all pushing Charles to me. I gritted my teeth in exasperation. "I''m busy. Please see yourself off." With that, I went back to my workstation, took my bag, and got off work. When I got home, I found that Charles was in my apartment again. "Why are you here?" I asked crossly while watching him work in the kitchen. Charles turned around and raised his eyebrows at me. "Am I not allowed toe here?" My eyes fell on the blue apron he was wearing. It made him look like a family man, different from the domineering CEO he really was. I was used to his lofty and noble look that I was taken aback when I saw him dressed like this. I lowered my gaze and mumbled discontentedly, "Whatever. As if there''s something I can do about you here." "Stop muttering. I came here because you said you wanted to eat pumpkin pie." Charles turned down the heat on the stove as he spoke. "Don''t you think you''re being strange recently?" I asked. His presence made my hackles rise. "Isn''t that good?" "Don''t you have anything else to do? Can you just leave me alone? Stop showering me with you affection. It won''t work." I acted cold and indifferent in front of him in hopes that he eventually would leave me alone. Charles snorted and walked over to me imposingly. "You sue and lie in the show, but you don''t let me do anything to you." He then stared into my eyes and whispered, "Scarlett, don''t you think you''re being unfair?" We were so close that I caught a whiff of the scent of pine on his body. It was intoxicating, so I took two steps back to get away from him. "Love is not fair, and it will never be." "But you have to give me your answer, don''t you?" Charles slowly approached me. I backed and did not let him get too close to me. "Is that why you''ve been trying to get close to me? So you can have your revenge?" I stopped and looked at him with a resolute expression. Charles was a vengeful man, yet I kept testing his patience again and again. It must have taken his willpower to endure me for a long time. "Whatever you say, you have to understand one thing. I did all these because I love you." As soon as he finished speaking, Charles tapped the tip of my nose. My ears turned red in embarrassment. His words were too straightforward for my taste. I pushed him away and averted the topic. "What are you talking about? I don''t understand what you''re saying." Charles stood straight and lowered his head to look at me. "I''ve asked the crew to cut off the part where you said that Miss Lively was cute when she was a child." "That''s a live broadcast. It''s useless to cut that part off." I curled my lips and looked at him with furrowed brows. What he had done waspletely unnecessary. Someone would catch me saying that nevertheless. "I''m sure someone will watch the rebroadcast at some point," Charles exined impatiently. "What about the pumpkin pie? Why are you so kind to me?" I asked, perplexed. "I put something in it. When you finish it, I''ll throw you on the bed and do as I like," Charles retorted with a smirk. I looked at him warily and wondered if what he had said was true. "Nah, I''m just messing with you. Go wash your hands. Let''s have dinner together." As Charles saw that I was eyeing him with suspicion, he smiled and ruffled my hair yfully. He then turned around and returned to the kitchen. Instead of doing as he had said, I just stood there. I had a feeling that a friend of mine had betrayed me. Only Abner and Nina knew that I wanted to eat pumpkin pie. I randomly mentioned it while we were having a meal together. Could it be Nina? I would ask herter. Charles walked out of the kitchen with a bowl of soup in his hands. When he saw that I was just staring at him, he put the soup down on the table and pulled me into the bathroom. "I can wash my hands myself." I tried to get rid of Charles''s grasp, but he was too strong for me. "You''re taking too long. The dishes will be cold soon." Regardless of my refusal, Charles helped me wash my hands, and we finished in no time. At the dining table, he even helped me with the food. I was touched by his gestures, but I did not let him see it. I must admit that Charles''s cooking skills were getting better. While we were eating, he suddenly put down his fork and looked at me seriously. "Mom has asked us to hold Grandpa''s birthday party. We have to n for itter." His gaze made my heart pound wildly in my chest. I gulped down the food in my mouth and recalled, "Mom used to arrange Grandpa''s birthday parties herself." "Don''t eat so fast, or you''ll choke," Charles cautioned with discontent. He then changed his tone and exined, "Mom assigned the task to us since you''ve returned. I have to warn you, though. You have to be ready to suffer." I put down the half-eaten pumpkin pie and looked up at him. "Our rtionship isplicated now. Other people will definitely talk about us." "I don''t care." Charles leaned back in his chair and added, "It seems that you''re the one who doesn''t understand your situation. Let me remind you again. You must be the bride of our wedding next year. Everyone, including the media, knows about it." Chapter 104 The Guest List Chapter 104 The Guest List Scarlett''s POV: I stood up abruptly and eximed, "You''re horrible! Did you even consider my feelings when you decided that?" My grievances surged up in my heart. Whether it be the divorce or wedding, Charles only informed me of his decision. Not once did he bother to ask my opinion, even if the matter concerned me. "Scarlett, if you haven''t noticed, I''ve been making concessions. If I''ve never considered your feelings, I would''ve already forced myself into you. Besides, do you think I would allow you to live here alone if I didn''t care about what you feel?" Charles looked at me with a burning gaze, unmoved by myint. "Should I thank you for being considerate?" I cried out. What kind of concession was that? If he had not been entangled with Rita, I would have just let him shower me with his affection without any guilt or shame. Charles was taken aback when I suddenly let out a sob. His expression softened, and he asked with concern, "Why are you crying? I didn''t say anything harsh." I stifled a sob and argued, "I''m not crying. You''re just being annoying." "Yes, yes. You''re not crying. I''m sorry." Charles held my hand and coaxed me, "Honey, sit down. Would you like some pumpkin pie?" In a fit of anger, I stood up, pushed the chair away, and scoffed, "Pumpkin pie? Ha! Help yourself!" My blood boiled in anger. He never took my words seriously, and he only cared about himself. Charles also stood up and warned, "If you leave, don''t me me for being rude." I was so mad at him that his warning was thest thing I cared about. "Do you want a fight? Come on! I''m not scared of you!" I fired back. Without waiting for his response, I picked up my coat on the sofa and turned around to leave. I wanted to get out of this suffocating ce and get away from Charles. But before I could take another step, he held me by the waist, kicked the door of the bedroom open, and threw me onto the bed. "Let go of me! You are so unreasonable!" I red at him with tearful eyes. However, he just grabbed my hands regardless of the look of resentment on my face. I was so mad that I felt like my world was spinning around. I struggled with all my might to get out of his grasp. But, of course, I made sure not to overdo it. I might be furious at him, but I cared about him enough not to exacerbate the injury on his right arm. He must have known that I would be considerate to him, so he tantly showed his shamelessness. The more I thought about it, the more aggrieved I felt. I knew I would not win against him, so I eventually gave up. "You''re bullying me," I choked. Charles stiffened for a second and then wiped my tears away. I must say, the concern in his eyes softened my heart. "How can I bear to bully you? I love you," he said in an aggrieved yet caring tone. "Then why are you so inconsiderate? Can''t you make apromise for me from time to time?" "If I do, you''ll run away." Charles lowered his head and moved his face close to mine. Just as our lips touched, I turned my head away and dodged his attempt. "No," I said crossly. Charles seemed dissatisfied with what I had done. He bit my lip hard and pulled it. I could not help but groan in pain. "This is your punishment," he whispered. He then sucked my tongue, and it made an ambiguous sound when he licked it. I could not breathe, not when he was being amorous. I pushed his shoulder with all my strength, but he would not budge. His eyes were with lust, and his breath came in short and heavy. He finally let go of my lips, but he started to work his way down. "Stop..." I protested weakly as Charles kissed my neck, but he did not seem to hear me. He kissed my corbone, and his hands slipped under my clothes and wandered on my body. I could not help but panic when I felt something hard against my lower abdomen. "Charles, calm down. I... I want to eat the pumpkin pie." I was panting from the intensity of the moment. But before something could happen, I cut him off, afraid that I would be unable to resist him if this went on. "Shh. Be quiet," Charlesined in a low and hoarse voice. He kissed me again. But this time, it was deep and fervent. It went on for a long while before he finally decided to let go of me. We returned to the dining room to eat. When we were seated at the table, I lowered my head and did not once raise my head to look at him. My face was still red after what happened, and it remained flushed for a long time. Sitting next to me, Charles just handed me another slice of the pumpkin pie casually as if nothing had just happened. "Eat slowly. Nobody will grab it from you," he joked. His voice rang in my ears as he was sitting right next to me. I could hardly maintain myposure. I tried my best to ignore him and finish the food on my te so that I could go back to my room as soon as possible. But Charles did not let me get away from him. He held my hand and forced me to finish all the food. In the end, I ate too much more than I intended to eat. So I would not have indigestion, I volunteered to wash the dishes. It was probably because of Charles''s gaze that I could not focus on my task. Two tes identally slipped from my hand. Exasperated, I sighed and turned around to face him. "Don''t you have work to do? If you''re bored, why don''t you read books instead of watching me?" His presence was making me nervous. "I''m keeping an eye on you." With a smile, Charles squatted down and picked up the shattered tes. My lips curled into a pout, but I did not say anything in response. I just took a step back so that he would be able to reach the trash with ease. Now that he had thrown the broken pieces, Charles kissed the corner of my mouth and offered, "Let me help you." "You should have done that a while ago," I grumbled. Suddenly, something urred to me. I looked up at him and asked, "Do you have any idea in mind for Grandpa''s birthday party?" Charles took the te in my hand and wiped it dry. "Let''s have dinner at the hotel tomorrow night and then confirm the preparations with the hotel manager afterward." "Okay." I lowered my head and rinsed the soap in my hands. I had nothing else to say anyway. For some reason, Charles looked rather perplexed. "Why are you so obedient?" he asked with a frown. "Why? Are you expecting me to be nosy and unreasonable?" I retorted. "It''s not that. I just expected you to ignore me or change the topic just like you always do." Charles stroked my face as he spoke. I would not have minded it, except that his hands had bubbles from the dishwashing soap. I wiped the bubbles off my face with the back of my hand and red at him. "It might not be obvious, but I can be focused when ites to important things." "Yeah, right. Just not when ites to me," Charles said sulkily. "That''s because you''ve wronged me so many times before," I snorted. Despite what I just said, my heart softened when I saw the disappointment on his face. Charles shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "I promise I''ll make it up to you. Just don''t push me away again." I did not say anything in response. I was now used to him being shameless anyway. Whether his words were true or not, there was no guarantee that he would not push me away when he finally got tired of me. Charles finished washing the dishes not long after. Even so, he still did not stop pestering me. "Let''s go sit on the sofa and talk." Although this sounded like an invitation, Charles held my hand and pulled me to the living room, leaving no chance for me to refuse. I suddenly remembered what Nina had told me ¡ªwe had to talk to each other without shouting and everything. At the thought of this, I heaved a heavy sigh and followed him. Charles sat down on the sofa and left a space beside him for me. I did not sit down, though. I just stood still and looked at him. Seeing this, Charles raised his eyebrows and sarcastically asked, "What? Do you want me to make you sit down myself?" As I did not want to sit next to him, I walked past the tea table and sat on the small sofa beside where he was sitting. "You know, you can''t stop me if I really want to do something to you," he said in an annoyed tone. "Whatever. What do you want to talk about?" I ignored his mockery and went straight to the point. Charles crossed his legs and looked at me with a serious expression. "First off, I would like to ask, do you eat on time every day?" "Why do you ask?" I asked, confused. Honestly, when I saw the seriousness of his face, I expected him to talk about Rita. Charles dipped his chin and said with a hint of jest, "Nothing. I''m just worried you''ll break your bones if I throw you onto the bed again." I rolled my eyes at him, speechless. Who would have thought that Mr. Moore, a cold and merciless CEO, was actually indecent in private? "Am I wrong?" he asked with a straight face. As he spoke, he moved towards me while staring at me with his tantalizing gaze. "Is there anything else you want to say?" I turned my face away and avoided his gaze. I wanted to end the conversation as soon as possible. I could not bear to be with him for another second. N?velDrama.Org content rights. "The guest list has been prepared." Charles put the guest list on the tea table. "So soon?" I was impressed by his efficiency. No wonder he was the CEO of the Moore Group. Charles raised his eyebrows and beckoned me to look through the list. "Check if there''s anyone missing." It had numerous names, some of which were our rtives and acquaintances. However, it perplexed me when I did not see Rita''s name. I checked it again, but her name was nowhere to be found. It seemed that she and the whole Lively family were not invited. I was ted, but I did not let my smile show. It did not matter if Charles was the one who had prepared the list or not. As long as I would not see Rita at the birthday party, I would be happy. Nobody would stop her from doing something crazy, so it was only necessary not to invite her. I did not want Grandpa''s birthday to be ruined. "What are you thinking about? You seem pretty absorbed." Charles curiously asked. His voice brought me to my senses. Startled, I looked up at him and found that his face was only inches away from mine. As I did not want to be in a predicament, I stood up to sit on the other side of the sofa. However, Charles grabbed my waist and pulled me down to hisp. "Let go of me." I pulled his hand away, but he tightened his grip. "Honey..." Charles called affectionately. He then buried his head in the crook of my neck and took a deep breath. "Did you like the flowers I sent you?" His voice, coupled with our intimate position, made my heart pound wildly in my chest. "You... Let go of me first," I pleaded. "I heard that you kept all the flowers I had given you in your office." Charles rested his chin on my shoulder, and it gave me butterflies in my stomach. In the past few days, he had been giving me exquisite bouquets. I must admit, his gestures made me happy. The glee I felt whenever he was sweet was like poison. It was slowly making me addicted to it. Just give it a little time, and it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to extricate myself from him. "Honey, answer me." Charles tightened his embrace and pulled me closer to him. I bit my lips in dilemma. Should I admit the truth? I was inches away from telling what I truly felt. But in the end, I blurted out, "Don''t send me flowers anymore. They''re just a waste of money." "You''re being stubborn and in denial again," Charles snorted. He did not take my words seriously yet again. Although I had told him not to send me flowers again, I still received a bouquet as usual. He also gave me one the next day, the day after that, and every day for the rest of the week. Chapter 105 Prepare For The Birthday Party Chapter 105 Prepare For The Birthday Party Scarlett''s POV: The next few nights, I went to the hotel after work to prepare for Grandpa''s birthday party. With Charles there, I did not actually need to do anything as he would arrange everything on his own. However, I still needed to confirm the process and the details. As soon as I walked out of the office that evening, I saw the driver waiting outside the TV station as usual. But then, I saw that Charles was not in the car. And just when I was about to ask the driver about it, I got a call from Charles. "Honey, I got tied up in a long meeting, so I won''t be able to make it tonight." Upon hearing the background noise on his end, I realized that he was in a room full of people who were arguing. It did not take me long to figure out that he must have called me from the conference room. But then, ofte, he had been calling me endearingly regardless of where he was. "Okay. I''m in the car. And I am on my way to the hotel now." "Don''t worry, honey. Mom will help you out." "It''s alright. Don''t bother her. I can handle this by myself," I said in a hurry. Alice had entrusted Charles and I to n the party. I did not want others to think that I was too dependent on Charles, or that I could not do it without his help. "I don''t want you to tire yourself too much. It''s not worth it. Besides, Mom wants to see the progress of our preparations." "All right, then. You carry on with your work." The hotel that was owned by the Moore group was where the party was decided to be held. Although it was a weekday, it was still quite crowded. Perhaps, it was because I did not pray before I stepped out my house that morning that I stumbled upon someone that I was not looking forward to meeting as soon as I entered the lobby. I turned around and was about to take another elevator, but it was toote. "Scarlett." A familiar voice called out to me from behind. Feeling the surging pain in my head, I tried to close my eyes. Rita really was everywhere. Couldn''t she just leave me alone for a few days? I turned around and noticed her walking elegantly towards me in her high-heels. She was wearing a red mermaid dress with thin spaghetti straps hanging on her shoulders, which exposed her cleavage a little. I was afraid that her breasts might break free from her tight dress if she took another step forward. "What''s the matter?" I asked coldly. "You''ve been very happytely, haven''t you?" she asked in a voice that was filled with sarcasm. She was wearing a thick ck winged liner, which almost made her look like the evil queen from a fairy tale. I could not understand why she was suddenly changing her make-up, though. I felt that the innocent look suited her better. Did Ignoring her, Alice turned to look at me, and said, "You must be tired after a long day''s work, right? I''ll treat you to a sumptuous dinnerter." I smiled and nodded at her as I said jokingly, "Alright, boss!" Noticing that Alice ignored her, Rita offered, "Auntie, please let me know if you need any help with preparing for the birthday party. I would be happy to assist you." "No, thanks." Alice raised her hand, signaling Rita to stop. "You''re not close to our family, Miss Lively, and I hope that you have a clear estimation of your situation. Oh, and don''te to the party. Your name is not on the guest list." Alice''s harsh words caused Rita''s face to pale. "I have always considered you as a mother to me ever since Charles and I got together, Auntie," Rita said with a look of grievance. She even looked at me for a moment as though she was trying to see a hint of disappointment in my eyes. However, since I had long seen her tricks, I kept calm. I didn''t take her words seriously at all. "Don''t push your luck, Rita! I am just being polite to you, and it is certainly not because I like you, so don''t tter yourself!" Alice was furious. ncing at the security guards nearby, she ordered, "Get this woman out of here, please." A group of security guards immediately approached Rita. But then, Richard stepped forward to stop them. "Rita is not in good health. So let me take her back." Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "Whatever. I''m good as long as she gets out of my sight at once," Alice said mercilessly. Rita did not want to give up, though. Right before she left, she turned to me and said with a smug smile, "Charles did not let me prepare for the party because he did not want me to overexert myself." Upon hearing that, I was on the verge of bursting intoughter. Was she insane? Her fight was a meaningless one, and no one was taking her seriously. "Shame on you!" Alice mumbled. I did not let the short encounter with Rita affect my mood as I spent the rest of the day with Alice. It was almost ten o''clock at night by the time we finished our discussion. Alice stood by the hotel entrance, insisting that she send me home first. But my ce was on the other side of town from where the Moore residence was. "Mom, I''m not a kid anymore. I can take a cab, so don''t worry about me. You must be tired. Why don''t you go home and rest?" I held Alice''s arm, acting like a spoiled child as I tried to persuade her. "Okay, but you have to call me once you get home safely." Alice had no choice but topromise. Once she left, I stood on the side of a road, trying to hail a cab. At that moment, a ck limousine stopped in front of me. The window rolled down slowly, and I saw Rita ring at me. ''Why hasn''t she left yet?'' Feeling speechless, I grabbed onto my phone. "Let me drive you home," Rita said to me arrogantly as she adjusted herrge sunsses. ''Is she crazy? Why is she wearing sunsses at night?'' "No, thanks. I''ll take a cab," I refused. "I have something to tell you. If you''re not going to get in, then I will wait outside your house for you," she threatened. I could probably guess what she was going to say to me. She was likely to use her rtionship with Charles to make me feel bad. I did not want her to go to my home, so I got in the car with her. The strong fragrance in the car was just like Rita,pletely unbearable and suffocating, so I had to roll down the window on my side to help me breathe. "Don''t attend the birthday party," she ordered me arrogantly. Turning a deaf ear to her, I continued to sit with an indifferent look. "Charles will be very busy that night, and I will take good care of him. Your presence won''t be needed there." She was even taking things for granted now. "You have always regarded me as a thorn in your flesh, right? Then why are you so unconfident?" I sneered, turning to look at her. After listening to that, Rita was bewildered once again. Ignoring her, I read the message I got from Charles, "Have you gone home yet?" I increased the brightness of my phone screen and deliberately turned it towards Rita so that she could read the message. I then urged the driver, "Please drive faster. Charles is worried that I am still outside at this hour." I noticed Rita''s face turn red with rage from the corner of my eye. She clenched her fists, but she could not do anything to me. And that made me happy. I got off the car in a pleasant mood as soon as we arrived at the neighborhood. I even turned to Rita and said with a smile, "Goodbye, Rita." "I will certainly get Charles back," she swore with a fierce look in her eyes. Paying no attention to her attitude, I said, "Take care of yourself." "You!" She was so enraged that her face was almost as white as a sheet of paper now. Since I had no more patience to continue talking to her, I turned around and left. Chapter 106 Christmas Eve Chapter 106 Christmas Eve Scarlett''s POV: My phone rang the moment I stepped into my apartment. It was Charles. "Why aren''t you replying to my messages?" heined. "For one, I was chatting with Rita, your woman, and I just got home," I answered straightforwardly. "Rita is not mine," Charles corrected, a hint of annoyance in his voice. He then sighed heavily and changed the subject. "Anyway, I''ve been told in the meeting that there''s something wrong with the project I''m working on. I''m leaving for Besceinga for a business trip." "Oh. Okay," I replied tly, not knowing what to say. But I must admit, hearing his voice made me want to see him. "I won''t be back until the birthday party. Don''t worry. I''ll send an assistant to help you with the preparations in the following days," Charles patiently exined. It somehow upset me that he was leaving, but I did not show it. "When are you leaving?" Charles paused for a moment and answered, "I''m already at the airport." "I see. I''ll... I''ll hang up now." I thought I would be able to see him again before he left. I did not expect that he would leave all of a sudden. "Wait." Charles stopped me from hanging up the call and added, "I miss you, Scarlett." For a moment, the sound of his voice was the only thing I could hear. The house had never felt so empty, that was until now. When Charles lived here with me, despite the endless bickering, it was not lonely. "I heard that there''s a big white rose garden in Besceinga. I''ll take you there sometime," Charles said, probably to make up for his absence, An inexplicable feeling surged into my heart. All I wanted right now was to be wrapped in his tight embrace. "Charles..." I took a deep breath and continued, "Have a safe flight." With that, I hung up the call without waiting for his response. I gazed at his number on my screen and fell into deep thought. My heart and soul left with him when he said he missed me. I had been restless since Charles had gone on a business trip. I could not focus on my work, nor could I eat or sleep well. Time quickly passed by. Before I knew it, it was already Christmas Eve. Thepany was on a holiday today. So even though I had nothing to do, I had no choice but to stay at home. I did everything to upy myself. But I could not run away from the deste feeling whenever I had a minute to spare. I held my phone and debated whether I should call Charles or not. It had been a week since west talked. He had not called nor messaged me since he left. ''It''s Christmas Eve today. Should I message him first?'' I bit my lips and hesitated. Just then, a notification popped up. Charles had sent me a voice message. I clicked on it, and his pleasant voice rang into my ears. "Honey, happy Christmas Eve. I love you." My heart pounded wildly in my chest. I could not help but giggle and roll on the bed as I listened to his deep and sonorous voice over and over again. It was only at this moment that I felt at ease. I pondered hard on how I would reply to his sweet message. In the end, I decided to just send him a smiley emoji. I waited for his response, but none came. In the evening, Abner and Nina came over to celebrate Christmas Eve with me. They even brought a bottle of red wine for us to drink. That bottle did notst long, though. We drank it all up in just an hour. Meanwhile, Nina did not seem satisfied with it. She slumped on the sofa and kept asking us to go to the bar. However, it was already deep into the night. It was already toote for us to book an appointment in the bar. All of a sudden, it urred to me that Charles had taken home a bottle of wine. With that, I staggered to my feet and made my way towards the wine cab. "Let me help you." Abner also stood up and stretched out his hand, so I would not stumble on the way. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. I ignored his outstretched hand and staggered to the wine cab. Charles liked putting his stuff here. As a result, my home was now filled with his belongings. There were all kinds of expensive liquors in the wine cab. I must have drunk too much that the world seemed to be spinning around. I shook my head to see clearly, but I still could not find the bottle of wine Charles had brought recently. "Which one do you want? Let me get it for you," a familiar voice behind me said. "I don''t need your help, Charles," I replied crossly. As I did not see what I was looking for, I just randomly selected a bottle and returned to the living room. "You''re drunk. Let me help you," the man offered. Since when did Charles be a gentleman? I tried my best to open my eyes and then turned to look at him. It was only then that I realized it was Abner. Although I was moved by his kindness, I refused it. If Charles found out about this, he would be jealous again. The thought of him made my heart ache. I missed him so much. I could not stop thinking of him. The alcohol was making me more emotional. Right now, Charles was all I could think about. Dizzy, I stumbled a few steps back. For a moment, I could not even remember where I was or what I was doing. Suddenly, I lost my bnce. Fortunately, just as I was about to fall, someone caught me. "Charles, you didn''t have to do that. Your arm hasn''t recovered yet," Iined. "What are you talking about? Charles isn''t here. That''s Abner!" Nina shouted whileughing at me. Charles''s POV: I finished two days'' worth of work in a day so that I would be able to get home earlier and surprise Scarlett. I must admit, I was a little tired. But I could no longer bear being away from the woman I loved. At this moment, I stood in front of her door with a suitcase full of gifts. But as I opened the door, Scarlett surprised me first. Abner was holding her arm intimately. Even from afar, I could see that she was as drunk as a skunk. I had no idea how much she had drunk. But judging from her flushed face, it must have been a lot. "What happened?" I asked with a scowl. It seemed that Scarlett had been fooling around while I was away. "Eh? If Charles isn''t here, why do I hear his voice?" Scarlett looked around, trying to find where my voice hade from. I was right in front of her, and yet she could not see me! I could not help but stare daggers at her. She was so drunk that she had not realized that I had arrived. Abner looked at me. But instead of letting Scarlett go at once, he took his time and helped Scarlett onto the sofa. "Charles, Abner and I came here to keep Scarlettpany. She''s too lonely to be alone on Christmas Eve," Nina exined when she noticed my long face. I nodded in response, not in the mood to say anything more. All I wanted right now was to teach Scarlett a lesson. Without a word, I walked over and put my gifts and the bouquet of white roses on the tea table. "Charles, you''re so romantic!" Nina eximed. She then picked up the bouquet and gazed at it with appreciation. Well, it was obvious she just wanted to lighten the mood. At that moment, Scarlett leaned forward to me. Her eyes were closed, and her nostrils were ring as though she was smelling me. "This is Charles''s smell," Scarlett mumbled. "What smell?" "The smell of cold blood," she answered with a chuckle. I looked at her sourly, unable to believe how ungrateful she was. I worked so hard just to see her on Christmas Eve. But what did she do? She liquored up and even told me I was cold-blooded. Scarlett put her hands on her hips, looked at me discontentedly. "This is my home. Why did youe in without my permission?" she asked, her lips curled into a pout. "This is our home," I corrected. On second thought, I realized that it was futile to argue with a drunk person. Scarlett ignored my words and instead ordered Abner, "Abner, open the bottle." Nina seemed to be the only sensible person among them. She winked at Abner and tried to smooth things over. "Why don''t we call it a day? It''s gettingte. I think me and Abner should now leave." "I don''t want this to happen again," I warned. My mood had now reached its lowest point. Scarlett staggered to her feet and protested, "Charles, how dare you threaten my friends?! I still want to drink!" I rubbed my temples in exasperation. Scarlett''s stubbornness was giving me a headache. But then again, arguing with a drunk person was like talking to the wall. With that, I opened the bottle of wine on the tea table, poured three sses, and took one. "I''ll drink this on behalf of Scarlett." "Let''s end this Christmas Eve party with this ss of wine," Nina said to us with a smile. After drinking it all up, she grabbed Abner''s hand and urged him to leave. However, he seemed to have something else to say. I raised my eyebrows at him. "Anything else?" "You should also leave," Abner said firmly. A sneer tugged at the corners of my mouth. "I own this house. I am Scarlett''s husband, and I will soon be the father of her child," I replied with a mocking smile. "Abner, stop it. Let''s go." Nina''s tugged at Abner''s sleeve. "If we don''t leave now, you two will fight to the death!" Abnerughed scornfully but left in the end. Once the two were gone, I returned to the sofa and looked at Scarlett. "Didn''t you see my message?" Scarlett tilted her head and pondered for a moment. "Hmm. I saw your message." "Then why didn''t you reply?" I was getting frustrated with her. It irked me that she was treating me as if I was indispensable to her. "What are you saying? I replied to you," Scarlett defensively said. Her words were slurring because of the alcohol. There was also a pitiful look on her face as she spoke. "I didn''t think that was a reply. A smiley? What does that even mean? So rude," I scoffed. I felt helpless. We had not talked for days, and that was the only thing she had said to me. "Don''t be mad. I''ll reply to you again." Scarlett rummaged in her pocket in search of her phone. All of a sudden, I remembered that she got drunk in front of Abner today. I could not help but feel jealous. I grabbed her hand and reminded her, "I told you not to get drunk around men. What if they take advantage of you?" "Everything will be fine as long as it''s not Rita." I never expected that Scarlett''s tongue was sharper when she was drunk. What she just said ticked me off. I lost my mind. Before I knew it, I was kissing her hard like there was no tomorrow. However, Scarlett bit my lips hard, which made me withdraw in pain. "You want me, don''t you?" she whispered, her eyes brimmed with tears. "Yes," I answered frankly. It was not something that should be hidden. I wanted her more than she could imagine, and it was driving me crazy. To my surprise, tears streamed down her face, and she began undressing in front of me. "I''ll make love to you, but promise me you''ll disappear from my life forever after that." Chapter 107 After Getting Drunk Chapter 107 After Getting Drunk Charles''s POV: "Do you know what you''re talking about?" I stared into Scarlett''s eyes. If I did note home tonight, would she stand in front of another man like this? She hupped and then blushed. She squinted at me with misty eyes and pursed her red lips. She looked so sweet and innocent that I felt my blood boil with desire and rush to the sensitive parts of my body. She was still unbuttoning her shirt. I reached out and stopped her. "Stop it, or you will regret it." My voice was hoarse. I could not resist such a sexy Scarlett. But she kept provoking me. I took a deep, steadying breath, desperately trying to hold on to what was left of my reason. "No," Scarlett muttered as she pushed my hand away. She took off her shirt and tossed it aside. Then, she held my face with both hands and asked, "What? Don''t you want to? Didn''t you always want me?" I looked down at her painfully inviting lips as she pulled my face closer and closer to hers. I swallowed. Eventually, we were close enough to share breath. I felt hers on my face, and it faintly smelled like wine. "I''ll give you what you want, but after tonight, I want us to never see each other again," Scarlett said, suddenly taking a step back. Since she wanted to y, I was willing to y with her. I looked at her and ordered, "To the bedroom then." Without hesitation, Scarlett went to the bedroom andy down on the bed. I followed her closely. As I walked, I took off my tie and my shirt. Then, I joined her in bed and climbed on top of her. She did not say anything. Her eyes were closed, and her mouth was slightly open. She looked like a ripe fruit waiting to be tasted. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. I patted her knees and said, "Since you want to do it, be proactive." She opened her eyes, bit her lip, and bent her knees slowly. Watching her willingly submit to me, I lost control. I parted her legs and pressed my body in between them. Then, I began kissing her fiercely. As I enjoyed the sweet taste of her lips, I felt her defenses gradually melt down under my touch. She slipped small gasps and moans in between our hot, wild kisses, and it only made me mad with lust. I slid my hand under her lower back, and she arched her back in response. Then, she ran her fingers through my hair. I reached down and unzipped her pants. When I was about to slip off her pants, she grabbed my hand. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Her eyshes trembled, and beads of sweat broke out of her forehead. "My prey has willingly flitted into my snare. I''d be a fool not to indulge." After saying that, I proceeded to sink my face in between her soft breasts and kissed the delicate skin of her chest. All I could think about at the moment was making her utterly andpletely mine. Hearing what I said, Scarlett loosened her grip. I took advantage of the opportunity to pull off her pants, wrap her legs around my waist, and rub my enraged manhood against her. I kissed her lips, neck, and every other part of her body as if she was going to disappear suddenly in a puff of smoke. I wanted to mark every part of her. However, Scarlett stopped responding to my moves. She justy there and nkly stared at the chandelier. I paused and then nted a soft kiss on her lips. "If you want to have a good time, you have to cooperate with me." She did not say a word. After a few moments, tears started streaming down her face. And just like that, my raging lust was half-extinguished, and I felt like my heart had just been ripped out of my chest and then tossed into a pot of boiling oil. I gently ran my thumb over her cheek and said, "I love you, Scarlett Riley. Please don''t cry." I could never stand seeing Scarlett cry. Whenever she shed tears in front of me, I med myself for making her do so. "Let''s just get this over with because it will never happen again," Scarlett said stubbornly, wiping her tears. I felt angry and distressed. I pinched her chin and asked, "Why are you being so aggrieved? Did you know how happy I was when you came on to me just now? I thought I was finally getting a favorable response from you. And now, with the way you''re acting, I feel like you just dumped a bucket of cold water on me. It''s extremely disappointing." "Cut the crap. Do you want to do this or not?" Scarlett snapped and then sniffed. "I didn''te home early today to see you sulk like this while we''re trying to be intimate. I''ve been busy in Besceinga these days. All I want is toe home and see you and enjoy the warmth of yourpany. Is that too much to ask? Do you even miss me when I''m gone? Do you at least feel sorry for me?" Looking at her unmoved face, I felt like a fool with my wishful thinking. But still, I could not help wanting her. I loved her, and she was the only woman I yearned to be with. "I didn''t ask you toe home early," Scarlett blurted out. That statement annoyed me so much that I grabbed her hand and put it to my lips. "What on earth is your heart made of?" She kept silent and tried to withdraw her hand. "Wait!" I pulled her hand and examined it. "Where''s the ring I put on you? Why aren''t you wearing it? I didn''t ask you to take it off." "I took it off because it''s not appropriate for me to wear," Scarlett said expressionlessly as if she was talking about the weather. I let go of her hand. Did she want to disassociate herself from me this much? It was then that I realized that even if I got her body, I would not get her heart. If I forced her to sleep with me tonight, she would just hate me more and push me even further away. I got off her and sat on the edge of the bed. I buried my face in my palms and let despair ravage my half-broken heart. All of a sudden, Scarlett''s hand flew to her mouth, and then she quickly got up and made a run for the bathroom. Soon, her retching broke the silence. I sighed and then went to the kitchen. I took out the bottle of honey from the cupboard and poured a ss of warm water. I grabbed a spoon and mixed some honey into the water. Then, I set the ss on the dining table. I sat at the table and waited for Scarlett toe out. I let myself get lost in my thoughts. Every encounter I had with Scarlett seemed to always end at an impasse, and it had always left me uneasy. She was like a kite that I was flying on a dangerously taut string. If I kept holding on to her like this, she would eventually snap free, and there would be nothing I could do to get her back. Before long, Scarlett walked out of the bathroom with a pale face. She looked like she had just gone through hell, but it was the best way to teach her to drink responsibly. "Come here and drink some water." I tapped on the table. Scarlett stayed put and stared toward my direction in a daze. I followed her gaze and realized that she was looking at the gift I brought home for her on the table. "It''s a Christmas gift for you." I picked up the ss of water and slowly walked over to her. She would never know how much I wanted to give her the best things in the world. I supposed that was one of the reasons why she really never showed any sort of appreciation. Scarlett picked up the bouquet and whispered, "The roses..." "I bought the White Rose Manor in Besceinga. I haven''t been able to show you yet because I''ve been busy. So I decided to bring you this bouquet of their roses first." I put down the ss on the tea table, held her free hand, and kissed it. She looked at me in disbelief. "You bought the manor?" "Yes. You love white roses, don''t you? So I bought the manor. You can now go there whenever you wish." I lowered my head and twined my fingers with hers. As long as she would allow me, I would give her anything she wanted. Scarlett just stood there in stunned silence. It seemed that she had notpletely sobered up yet. I let go of her hand and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Open the gift box." Scarlett took the box and sat on the sofa. She set the box on herp and then opened it. Inside was a diamond ne. I took it out and put it on her. Her smooth, fair skin made the diamonds look more sparkly. "I just knew it would look magnificent on you," I said with satisfaction. I could not help kissing her on the forehead. "Wear it to Grandpa''s birthday party tomorrow night, okay?" Chapter 108 The Air Ticket Chapter 108 The Air Ticket Scarlett''s POV: Pushing Charles away, I said, "I''ll be there as a guest tomorrow night." I then took off the ne and added, "And there is no reason for me to ept such a precious gift." "What do you mean by that? You are my wife, and you deserve the best." Charles'' face paled as he held my wrist. "Soon, I won''t be your wife. We''re going to divorce, remember?" I said in a firm voice. I was forcing myself to be cold to him because I did not want him to sway my heart away. I knew that it would be more painful if I let him into my heart once again. "Scarlett!" Charles called out my name, gritting his teeth Although I knew that he was angry, I continued to provoke him. "Would you like to go on? Bring it on! I am ready." Charles snorted and shook off my hand. "You are so disgusting." I shrugged, pretending not to care. "Whatever. You don''t seem to want to continue, so why don''t you just leave?" Charles sat down on the sofa and said coldly, "This is my home too and I am willing to stay right here." I ignored his words. After what just happened, I became sober. I was finally able to sense the awful smell of alcohol on my body, and wanted to take a shower to get rid of it. I finished the hot cup of honey water before I turned around and walked to the bathroom. "Wait! Take your gift with you. Or you won''t be able to sleep tonight," Charles warned. I did not want to be tangled with him again, so I red at him as I picked up the gift box and the bouquet of white roses and threw them in the study room. I felt like if it was out of my sight, then I wouldn''t think about it. Only after I was done taking a shower did Ipletely sober up. After wiping my wet hair with a towel, I went to the living room to drink some water. To my surprise, Charles was alone there, drinking. I curled my lips, resisted the impulse to talk to him, and passed by him without looking at him. He did not say anything to me, either. He continued to stare at the ss in his hand, looking a little lonely. I drank a full ss of water before I returned to my room. I mmed the door behind me with a bang, feeling depressed. Why was he pretending to be so despondent? He was acting as though I was the bad guy in the rtionship who lied to him about love and hurt him deeply. As I slowly dried my hair, I sat down on the bed gloomily. However, I could not stop worrying about him. Was he still drinking? Thinking of that, I could not resist myself anymore. I got out of bed, and opened the door slightly, looking at him through the crack. The lights in the living room were off, and there was no sound. I took off my slippers, walked to the living room stealthily, and noticed Charles fast asleep on the sofa. Next to him, there were several empty alcohol bottles. "You should be more careful or you will die from alcohol poisoning!" I couldn''t help but grumble. Seeing that he was not taking good care of himself, I could not help but get angry. Feeling helpless, I covered him with a thin nket. The next morning, I woke up with a splitting headache. Alcohol was really a bad thing, at least for me. Yawningzily, I walked out of my room and saw that Charles had already left. However, there was breakfast on the table, and the roses that he had gotten for me the night before were neatly ced in a vase that was filled with water. As I gently touched the flowers, I thought of what he had said to me the night before, and my heart softened. While I was eating breakfast, Alice called me. "Scarlett, I miss you so much. When will you get off work today? I''ll ask the driver to pick you up." There was a lot of enthusiasm, and humor in her voice, just like always. "Mom, I miss you too. But I''m not sure when I''ll get off work today. Once I am done with work, I will go to the hotel on my own. Don''t trouble the driver on my behalf," I said to her with a smile, influenced by her cheerful mood. I chatted with her for a while longer before I hung up, gulped down the rest of my breakfast, and rushed to the TV station. "Hey, Scarlett, why are you in such a hurry?" I saw Nina walking towards me with a mug in her hand as soon as I arrived at work. "I was caught up in a traffic jam." Sitting on the chair, I tried to catch my breath. "Charles did not drop you off at work today?" Nina seemed to be a little surprised as she asked me that question. I shook my head and replied, "Well, we had a fight." Moreover, it did not seem like we would patch things up anytime soon. Although it was something that I had always wanted, for some reason, I could not help but feel depressed about getting it. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Damn it! Things were going so wellst night. How could you two fight?" Nina looked at me in disbelief. Disappointed, she put down the coffee mug and turned to me. "Nothing happened between you two?" Thinking of what happenedst night, I smiled awkwardly. "We shouted at each other. Does that count?" "I''m speechless! Are you two stupid?" Nina held her head between her hands. I guessed that she was trying to push Charles and me to have sex. "We are not in love," I retorted, clearing my throat awkwardly, but my response sounded feeble and weak. "You really did not sleep with him, then?" she asked again. Shaking my head, I wondered why she was so concerned about the progress of my rtionship with Charles. "Forget it." Nina really seemed to be disappointed with me. She took out a ticket from the folder and handed it to me as she said, "Here is the flight ticket. The ne leaves at seven tomorrow morning." I took the ticket from her and looked at the date, without saying anything. I did not think that time would fly by so quickly. It all felt like a dream now. "Don''t think too much. Everything would have been sorted by the time youe back next year," Ninaforted me softly. I smiled at her but did not say anything. Sometimes, time was not enough to change or prove anything. I had left for three years in the past, but my rtionship with Charles only became more complicated after I returned. "Spencer mentioned to me that Charles has been living alone for three years now." Nina carefully observed my expression before she continued, "Is it possible that Rita has deceived everyone with her pitiful look?" I shook my head. "Is she even that smart to fool everyone FBesides .Charles'' attitudetowardsRita..." I paused, finding it difficult to continue. "It''s obvious that he is willing to go up against his own family for her sake." Charles'' POV: It was the day of Grandpa''s birthday. I went to thepany early in the morning, so that I could finish my work as soon as I could and go to the hotel earlier to get ready for the party. Spencer came to my office in the noon to have lunch with me. "Bro, there is a problem with your love life, and it''s pretty obvious." Saying that, Spencer ate a piece of the beef, chewing it fiercely. "Really?" I looked up at him, picked up the pepper and salt, and sprinkled it on my te. "Come on! Even now, you''re wearing a long face." Spencer put on an exaggerated expression as he grabbed the salt and pepper from me. "Stop it, or the food will be too salty." I put down the knife and fork irritably, pushed the te aside, and signaled the waiter to take it away. That moment, my phone rang. "What''s up?" I asked impatiently, answering it. "Mr. Moore, it''s me." It was the director of the TV station. He informed me that Scarlett was going to leave Los Angeles by air at seven on the following morning. I hung up and put the phone on the table with a long face. "How dare she lie to me?" Hearing that, Spencer looked at me in confusion. "What happened?" "Scarlett is going abroad for a one-year training program, and she is leaving tomorrow morning," I muttered. I felt like I should not believe her words because she was trying to keep me in the dark about it the whole time. "Do you want her to stay?" Spencer asked, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Of course! I''ll make her mine tonight," I answered firmly. Not only did I want to make her stay, I wanted to make her stay wholeheartedly. If she wanted to fly away from me, then I would break her wings apart. After having lunch, Spencer walked to me with a cigarette in his hand and said with a smile, "Do you really not want to have a smoke?" "No, I quit smoking." I pushed the door open and walked out. "You really are something. You have been a smoker for years, but you''ve quit for Scarlett''s sake. I genuinely admire the effect she has on you." Spencer blew out some smoke rings as he quickened his pace to catch up with me. Just when I was about to say something, a little girl bumped into me. I held her up at once and asked, "Are you okay?" "I''m fine, sir." Saying that, the little girl ran back to her mother. Looking at the back of that lovely little girl, I could not help but think of my future. "Who do you think is going to be a dad first between the two of us, Spencer?" "Do you really want to be a father?" Spencer looked at me as though he had seen a ghost. I nodded and looked away. "Yes, and I want my kid to look like Scarlett." With a chuckle, Spencer patted me on the shoulder. "Bro, you are still a virgin, but I admire your ambition!" Chapter 109 The Birthday Party Chapter 109 The Birthday Party Scarlett''s POV: As I walked out of the gate of thepany, I saw Charles''s car parked on the side of the road. I debated whether or not to go to him. But in the end, I decided to go to him. We were not on speaking terms these past few days. But since he was here, I might as well talk to him. That reminded me¡ªI could mock at him now that he was the one who conceded first and came to me. A man got out of the car while I was making my way to it. To my surprise, it was not Charles, but Spencer. I could not hide my disappointment. I thought Charles hade for me. "Spencer, why are you here?" I asked while walking towards him. "Charles is busy right now. He couldn''te here, so he asked me to pick you up." As soon as Spencer finished speaking, a makeup artist got out of the car with an exquisite dress in her hand. I had no choice but to dress up. If I resisted, Spencer would mention Michael and guilt-trip me. There was nothing I could do but sit there and let them doll me up. For some reason, I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. It was as if something bad would happen, but I had no idea what it was. We left for the hotel after they got me ready. There I saw Alice and the others greeting the guests by the entrance. The whole hotel had been cleared since yesterday. Those who were not invited to the party were allowed to check in. Everyone here was rich and powerful. The parking lot outside seemed more like a showroom because of the luxury cars that were parked there. "Scarlett, my dear,e!" Alice greeted enthusiastically. She seemed ted to see me. "Go ahead." Spencer lifted the train of my gown as I walked up to Alice. "Darling, you look stunning!" Alice remarked with a smile. She then held my hand and led me to Charles. "You stay with Charles first." I nodded obediently stood beside him without a word. Although I felt a little helpless about Alice''s arrangement, it was Michael''s birthday. I did not want anyone to be disappointed because of me. "Why didn''t you protest?" Charles asked in a low voice. I just smiled in response. It was hard to figure out what he really wanted. Whenever I was being obedient and submissive, he was skeptical. But when I disagreed, he would pull a long face. It was very difficult, if not impossible, to please him. "Hold my arm," Charles whispered in my ear. His warm breath and hoarse voice tickled my ears. I covered them with my hands and stared daggers at him. Charles looked at me from head to toe and snapped, "Hurry up. They''re watching us." It was only then that I noticed that everyone was looking at the two of us with interest. Charles and I were so close that the guests who were just passing by could not help but cast a nce at us. I cleared my throat, embarrassed as the guests were looking at me. Albeit unwillingly, I held his arm and forced myself to rx. "Behave yourself. Don''t touch me without my permission," I reminded him through gritted teeth. "How can you still be shy when we''ve been married for years?" Charles muttered in a barely audible tone but loud enough for me to hear. "Watch your words." I pinched his arm with the same sardonic smile. At that moment, an elegantly dresseddy came over and greeted Alice. "Alice, long time no see! I missed you so much!" Alice''s face lit up upon seeing her old acquaintance. She held thedy''s hand and chatted with her for a while. The woman nudged Alice''s arm and looked at me up and down as if she was guessing who I was. "Oh, wow. Who''s that beautifuldy holding Charles''s arm?" "Well, that''s¡ª" Before Alice could answer, Rita suddenly appeared. She was wearing a long ck spangly gown with a huge emerald ne around her neck. Her make-up was exquisite, but her smokey eyes somewhat aged her. Susan and Nate came to the party as well. What was more, a dozen bodyguards were following them. Did theye here to ruin the party? "People who don''t know the situation might think that it''s her birthday party and not your grandfather''s," Spencer joked. I could not help but chuckle at his words. He was right, after all. But then, I noticed that Charles was looking at me, so I quickly straightened up. Both Spencer and Nina were good-looking and funny. They were a perfect match. However, my good mood onlysted for a couple of seconds as I saw Rita rushing towards us. She grabbed Charles''s other arm without a hint of shame. I withdrew my hand from Charles''s arm awkwardly, but he stopped me. He held my hand tighter on one hand and shook off Rita''s with the other. "Spencer, take her in," he ordered in an icy cold voice. "No, I don''t want to. I want to be by your side!" Rita pouted and acted like a spoiled brat. Her voice might sound cute and sweet in other people''s ears. But to me, it was like nails on a chalkboard. It sent shivers down my spine, and I shuddered at the sound of it. All I wanted right now was to get out of this suffocating ce and away from that presumptuous woman. I tried to withdraw my hand from Charles''s arm yet again. However, I immediately stopped as he cast a warning gaze at me out of the corner of his eye. Helpless, I tugged on Charles''s sleeve and suggested, "How about I go upstairs now with Spencer?" "No." Alice walked up to us and looked at Rita with disdain. "You''re the one who should go upstairs. Just to remind you, you''re not invited here. But since today is my father-inw''s birthday, I''ll let you stay. You should thank me. At least I have the decency not to humiliate you in front of so many people. But if you continue to misbehave, don''t me me for being rude." Rita feared Alice, so she did not dare to make a scene after hearing thetter''s warning. But before she left, she did not forget to ruffle my feathers. "I''m ill, and I can''t stand up for a long time. I''m afraid you''ll have to help me entertain the guests." I did not say anything in response and just watched Spencer take her away. Rita reminded me that no matter what happened, everyone would sympathize with the weak, and in the end, I would get the short end of the stick. After all, everyone knew she was dying. People like her always got sympathy andpassion. My heart ached at this realization. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. "Alice, I''m confused. Which one is your daughter -inw?" one of Alice''s acquaintances asked. "Me too. But I like thedy over there who''s standing next to your son now," another chimed in. "I agree. The one who just went upstairs seems hard to deal with. I heard she''s Mr. Lively''s daughter." Thedies kept asking Alice about us in fusion. Embarrassed, I lowered my head and twiddled with my fingers. This was what I had been dreading since the party preparations. And now, what I had feared the most had be true. Alice cleared her throat and exined loudly, "Of course, my daughter-inw is thedy next to Charles. Anyway, there will be a spectacr showter. Please wait patiently." With a smile, she beckoned her friends to go upstairs to the banquet hall. When thedies were gone, Charles looked at me and noticed that I was in a bad mood. He stretched out his hands to hold me, but I took a step back away from him. How dare he touch me after getting me into trouble? Charles, you wish! I was so mad at him that I did not talk to him for the rest of the party and kept a safe distance from him. Once the reception was over, Charles and I went upstairs with the elders. I must say, they were beaming with happiness. They finally saw their old friends after a long time. Alice sighed and said, "It looks like I''ll have to entertain guests again soon. But this time, it''ll be Charles and Scarlett''s wedding. I can''t wait." "Yes. It''ll happen soon. I''m sure the ceremony will be grand and more people wille," Lawrence echoed. "We should familiarize the guests with Scarlett then." Alice turned around and winked at me meaningfully. Not wanting to disappoint them on such an asion, I just smiled and said nothing. The smile on my face faltered the moment I entered the banquet hall. A loud and distinct female voice inside echoed in our ears. It was Susan''s. "Charles is concerned about Rita. He doesn''t want her to get tired. Thedy he''s with downstairs is just his sister. Do you still remember the Riley family? The girl j? the daughter of the man who had committed suicide. The Moore family adopted her out of pity." "Fucking hell. I''ll tear that bitch''s mouth apart!" Alice was infuriated with what she had heard. Just as she was about to shut Susan up, I grabbed her hand and smiled reassuringly at her. With a sardonic smile, I walked up to Susan and loudly asked, "If I remember it right, the Livelys weren''t given an invitation, were you? I never expected I''d see you three here." Chapter 110 The Announcement Chapter 110 The Announcement Scarlett''s POV: "How are you doingtely, Scarlett?" Nate came over and greeted me. "I''m good. And you? How''s business?" I replied, eyeing him carefully. As soon as I finished my question, Nate''s face darkened. The change was so obvious that it almost made me chuckle. Hearing this, Alice burst intoughter. Nate maintained the fake smile on his face despite the palpable awkwardness that suddenly descended. "It''s not bad, thank you for asking," Nate finally answered. I was about to say something else when somebody linked arms with me. "Thank you for helping me entertain the guests, Scarlett." Rita shed me her best toothy smile and gently patted my arm. I knew that she was only acting chummy with me because she wanted to show everyone what a good person she was, which she was not. She might not be bright in aspects that matter, but she was cunning, and I respected that as much as I hated to admit it. "It''s my pleasure," I smiled back at her and slowly withdrew my arm. "Everyone, let''s have a seat and chat." Rita kept on her decent smile and greeted everyone as if she was running for local office. I just stood there and watched her bend over backwards trying to keep everyone entertained. Then, Charles walked up to me, snaked his arm around my waist, and ushered me toward his parents. The gesture looked so intimate that some heads turned to our direction. "Where are your grandparents? Why aren''t they here yet? I''m a little worried about them. Maybe they''re having trouble finding the venue. Will you two step out and fetch them?" Alice said worriedly, ncing at the door. She looked restless and agitated. "Okay, we''ll go get them. Don''t worry," I said, patting the back of her hand. Then, Charles and I headed out to find Michael and Christine. "Charles? Where are you going?" Rita asked, hurrying over to stand in our way. "You stay here," Charles muttered, casting a cold nce at her. "I''ming with you," Rita mumbled and tried to hold Charles''s hand, but he dodged. "If you don''t want to get thrown out of here, don''t make me repeat myself," Charles snapped and then looked at me and took my hand. "Let''s go find Grandma and Grandpa." After saying that, he towed me out of the banquet hall without looking back. I chanced a nce at Rita. She was standing right where we left her. Her eyes screamed bloody murder at me, but through the resentment, I could see pure, undiluted pain. Despite all the trouble she had caused me, I could not help feeling sorry for her. As soon as we walked out of the banquet hall, we ran into one of Charles''s business partners. Charles stopped and introduced us. "Hello, Mr. Thompson. I hope you''re having a great evening. This is my wife, Scarlett. Scarlett, this is Mr. Thompson." After greeting Mr. Thompson, I stood quietly beside Charles, held his arm, and listened to their conversation. "Wow. I didn''t know you were married. Why didn''t you tell me about your beautiful wife before?" Mr. Thompson asked, yfully punching Charles in the chest. "Well, I prefer to keep her to myself. By the way, she''s a huge fan of the nuts yourpany makes," Charles responded politely. "Is that so? Well, she has great taste. Are you sure she is your wife?" With that, Charles and Mr. Thompson shared a goodugh. I could not help giggling at the joke, too. Then, Charles finally replied, "Yes, she is." He turned to look at me and shed me a sincere smile. I almost choked. "I suppose I can''t me you for not wanting to parade her around. She''s ravishing, and you''re one lucky young man." Then, Mr. Thompson seemed to think of something suddenly. He turned to me and said, "Mrs. Moore, I''m sure your husband has informed you that he wants to purchase my shares for you." "And has he seeded?" I asked Mr. Thompson with a smile. "You know, Charles here can do anything he puts his mind to. He''s such a brilliant young businessman, and it''s a pleasure to work with him," Mr. Thompson answered and patted Charles on the shoulder. I whipped my head toward Charles. He turned to look at me affectionately. There was something about his stare that pierced through my soul and made me feel so many things at once that I had to avert my gaze and catch my breath. I was so moved. I did not expect that he had done so much for me without me even knowing. Charles and Mr. Thompson chatted for a while and then finally said goodbye. "Grandma, Grandpa." As soon as we turned the corridor, I saw Michael and Christine walking toward us. I walked up to them and gave each of them a kiss. I gently held Christine''s arm and swept my eyes over her. "Oh, my gosh, Grandma, you look amazing tonight." "Thank you, my dear," Christine shed me a big, happy smile and squeezed my hand. "I''m sure you''ll be the belle of the ball tonight. All eyes will be on you," I said proudly and raised my chin. "Oh, aren''t you sweet? But I''m old and don''t want to be the center of attention anymore. I just want to see you in the limelight," Christine replied. "You''re not that old. You''re the most beautiful woman in the world," I insisted with a smile. "Well, thank you, Scarlett. I appreciate it. Let''s go inside. Your grandfather has something important to announce." Christine patted the back of my hand and stared at me dotingly. "What is it?" I could not help asking when I saw that her expression had turned a little serious. "You''ll find out soon enough, dear," Christine smiled and proceeded to the banquet hall. I did not ask any more questions after that and just ushered her to the party. I walked by Christine''s side while Charles walked by Michael''s side. None of us stopped or talked until we made it to the banquet hall and all the guests looked in our direction. "All right. Enjoy the party, Grandma and Grandpa." As I spoke, I stepped back and let them walk in. Michael and Christine made their entrance arm -in-arm. Charles took a look at me and then attempted to put his hand on the small of my back. I dodged his touch, walked away, and entered the banquet from the side door by myself. Next thing I knew, Michael was onstage and giving a speech. The guests listened carefully. I found a corner with only a few people and walked over there. "Thank you foring to the party tonight. I hate to ruin the festivities, but I have to make something clear. First of all, my grandson, Charles Moore, is not romantically involved with Rita Lively. They''re neither engaged nor in a rtionship. All the rumors circting about them were untrue and baseless, and I hope that from now on, none of you will be misled by those false ims. Second, my grandson has been married for three years. We have kept his marriage under wraps for the sake of my granddaughter-inw. We didn''t want her to be hurt. But we eventually realized that keeping her identity a secret would only cause her and our family more unnecessary pain. So tonight, we would like to introduce her to all of you formally. For that, I give you Scarlett Riley, the real and legal wife of my grandson Charles Moore. I sincerely hope that this formal announcement will put an end to all the gossip surrounding my grandson''s love life. Scarlett is his legal wife, and she''s the only Mrs. Moore that our family recognizes. Thank you." Michael''s authoritative voice rang all throughout the hall. As soon as he finished speaking, Christine showed the crowd Charles and I''s marriage certificate, permanently dispelling everyone''s doubt. The guests were so shocked that they fell silent enough for a pin drop to be heard. So was I. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "What''s going on?" I looked at Charles, who was standing behind me all of a sudden, and questioned him. Was that the announcement that Christine mentioned earlier? Charles must have known about it, but why did he not tell me? "I''ll exinter." After saying that, Charles reached out to hold my hand, but I shook him off. "Charles, will you and Scarlett please join us here onstage? You have kept your rtionship a secret for so long. It''s time for both of you to step into the light and let the world know of your love and care for each other." Christine''s calm voice jolted me back to reality. Charles beamed and nodded with enthusiasm. Ignoring my struggles, he wrapped his arm around my waist and brought me onstage. Chapter 111 Jealousy Chapter 111 Jealousy Rita''s POV: Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Their move caught me by surprise. I never would have thought that the Moore family would announce Charles and Scarlett''s rtionship to the public straightforwardly. The faces of my family turned sour upon hearing what Charles''s grandfather had said. Infuriated, my mother argued, "But the baby in my daughter''s womb¡ª" "Mom, stop it! That''s enough?" I interrupted her in a fit of panic. "You''re being stupid! Don''t you have any idea what they''re doing? Now that Scarlett and Charles''s rtionship has been made public, you no longer have the chance to win Charles over!" my mother fired back while looking at me in bewilderment. "I have a n," I reassured. I looked at Scarlett, who was standing proudly next to Charles and his grandparents and silently challenging me. Although I was fuming in anger, I tried my best to hold back my anger and maintain myposure. "You have a n? What is it?" my mother asked, bbergasted. I did not answer. I was aware I had brought shame to my family. What had happened today turned us into a laughingstock. But, I was not at all worried. I swore to myself I would give Scarlett the taste of her medicine. Once everyone had gotten off the stage, my father walked up to Charles and questioned him, "What did you mean by that?" "What are you talking about? You were there at our wedding," Charles answered with a straight face. Not a hint of emotion could be seen on his face. "I won''t let you go for what you''ve done to my daughter. Mark my words," my father warned, his hands clenched into fists. However, Charles did not even bat an eye. Without a word, he turned to Scarlett and led her away like a good boyfriend. Enraged, my father went as white as a sheet. Meanwhile, a sinking feeling emerged in the pit of my stomach. I knew this feeling very well. Every time I see Scarlett and Charles disy affection, I would feel a sharp pain in my heart as if it was pricked by a needle. I was burning with anger, and yet I could not vent it out. There was nothing I could do but watch them walk away from me and swallow my humiliation. All of this was supposed to be mine, but Scarlett stole everything from me. At that moment, I took a deep breath and tried my best to remain calm andposed. Even though anger was surging in my veins, I could not lose my temper. I knew that bitch Scarlett would only be amused to see me out of control. Like a majestic queen, I turned around to leave. But before I left, I cast a meaningful nce at the person beside me, who then nodded in understanding. A sneer tugged at the corners of my mouth. ''Charles will be mine tonight!'' I thought to myself with a sinister smile. Scarlett''s POV: I spent the entire night with Charles. His grandparents'' announcement made Charles and me the focus of attention. Many guests even walked up to us to propose a toast. "Charles, you two are a perfect match!" one of the guests remarked. I blushed when I first heard this. But after hearing it many times, I was starting to get used to it. "Thank you," Charles replied with a faint smile. He and I raised our sses and clinked sses with the guests. While I was taking a sip of the wine, a guest suddenly asked something, which almost made me spit out my drink. "You''ve been married for three years. When are you going to have a child?" "I''ll try my best. Maybe she''ll give birth to our firstborn in two years," Charles replied while gently patting my back. "You have to work hard then." The guest nced at me and then burst intoughter. All of a sudden, I felt my ears get hot, and the feeling spread to my face. Embarrassed, I pinched Charles on the waist. He grabbed my hand and smirked at me. When the guest was gone, Charles leaned over and whispered in my ear, "What? Do you think two years is too long?" I said nothing and just stared daggers at him. Charles seemed rather amused by my expression. He suddenly pinched my cheek with a doting smile. He was in a good mood the whole night. This was the first time I had seen him this happy. Was it because today was Michael''s birthday? Or perhaps it was because our rtionship had been officially made public? I wanted to ask him, but I was afraid the the answer would only disappoint me. As the night fell, the guests finally left one after another. The banquet hall, which was crowded with people a few hours ago, had quieted down. We drank too much tonight. The alcohol must already be kicking in as I was starting to feel dizzy. Charles held me by the waist and whispered, "Let me take you to the suite upstairs so you can now rest," I shook my head and patted my face to get ahold of myself. When my eyesight had be slightly clearer, I looked at him and answered, "I''m good. I can go upstairs on my own. You should stay here and take care of the guests." "But I''m worried about you." Charles held my hand as he spoke and then led me to the elevator. I struggled to get out of his grasp. But since I was drunk, there was nothing much I could do, so I just let him hold me. Just as we were about to leave, I suddenly heard Nina''s voice. "Scarlett, are you okay?" she asked with concern. "Yes." I turned to Charles and said to him, "Charles, you should do what you have to do. Nina can apany me upstairs. Besides, many guests have not left yet. It''s not appropriate for you to leave just like that." Charles looked into my eyes and queried, "Are you sure you''re okay?" "I''m okay, Charles. Don''t worry." "Okay then. You may go upstairs now. I''ll go to you once I''ve sent off thest guest." Charles turned to Nina and handed her the room card. "Thank you, Nina," he solemnly said. "Don''t worry. I''ll take good care of her," Nina reassured while helping me to the elevator. Once were inside the elevator, she turned to me and smirked. "Congrattions! Your rtionship with Charles has been officially made public!" However, I was not in the mood to celebrate. My head was spinning around so hard that I did not know what to say. I just smiled at her bitterly in response. We arrived at our room a few momentster. Nina supported me on the shoulder as I staggers towards the bed. Then, she tucked me in like a mother would to her child. I was so drunk that my brain was befuddled, and everything seemed to be in a blur. Although I was disoriented, Nina, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, kept chattering. She complimented Charles for loving me with all his heart and cursed Rita for being in the way of our love story. Nina''s voice was like a luby to me. Ever so slowly, I drifted to sleep. Chapter 112 A Real Couple Chapter 112 A Real Couple Charles'' POV: Worried that Scarlett might feel ufortable from the drinking, I wanted to go upstairs to take care of her. I quickly escorted the guests outside the hotel as soon as possible. "Charles, I think you have the perfect opportunity tonight. Your rtionship with Scarlett is public now. Since both of you are drunk, why don''t you take this opportunity..." Spencer and David said mysteriously, pulling me aside right before they left. "You''d better leave. You don''t need to worry about me." Feeling helpless, I looked at them. "Alright, let''s go. You take care of yourself. But I really think tonight is a good opportunity for you. It is true that she has refused you before, but you should not just take no for an answer. Just seize the opportunity to take the initiative to do something about it. I am telling you, when a woman says no in bed, it actually means yes." Spencer was still trying to persuade me, unwilling to give up. "All right, all right. I know that you know a lot about women. Now go." Exhausted, I massaged my forehead. After seeing all the guests off, I quickly walked to the 35th floor. "Nina, thank you for taking care of Scarlett." "It''s nothing. I leave the rest to you." With that, Nina left. I walked into the room. Scarlett was sound asleep on the king sized bed, her breath as light as a feather. The soft moonlight fell on her delicate face, and the cool breeze from the balcony window refreshed the room. As I continued to stare at her beautiful face, I felt a fire in my lower body, which caused me to feel hot all over. I took a cold shower to calm myself down, but I knew that I could not calm down as long as Scarlett was right beside me. I theny down next to her. Turning over in her sleep, Scarlett ced her hand on my chest. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. She muttered something, but I could not hear it clearly. "Scarlett, what did you say?" I whispered in her ear lovingly as I tucked in a strand of her messy hair behind her ear. "Charles, you bastard!" Scarlett cursed in a low voice. "Why am I a bastard?" I was confused. She stopped talking and continued to sleep, nestling her head on my chest. "What''s that? Something poked me," she mumbled discontentedly, rubbing her thigh against my lower body before she reached down to grab me. I let out a gasp as I turned over and pressed her under my body. "What... What''s wrong?" My abrupt action awoke her. Her misty eyes were filled with a sense of confusion. She could not have known how sexy she was at that moment, with her clothes partly undone. "Who am I?" I asked her seriously, lowering my voice. "Charles..." After looking at me seriously for a while, she slowly answered. Her obedience made it impossible for me to resist. Perhaps, it was the drunkenness that was making her seem more innocent and lovely than before. Upon hearing her softly calling my name, I could not help but kiss her. "Open your mouth," I said to her in a hoarse voice. Subconsciously, she parted her lips, and I inserted my tongue in her mouth, ying with hers. The room was getting hotter and the air in the room was getting increasingly romantic. I let go of Scarlett to let her catch her breath. "You... What are you going to do?" Scarlett looked at me in a daze as shey beneath me. "Don''t you think that two years is too long? Let''s put the baby on the agenda today," I said with a smile as I took off my clothes. Scarlett blushed and turned away to avoid eye contact with me. I reached out and gently pinched her chin, forcing her to look at me. Our breaths were now one, and the room was filled with romance and passion. I sniffed her neck and exhaled deeply. "You smell so good," I praised with a sincere look in my eyes. She was like a docile kitten in my arms. I kissed her neck, leaving a hickey. She let out a low moan, but I could not tell if it was out of pain or pleasure. "Did I hurt you?" I asked in a low voice, kissing the hickey on her neck devoutly. "No," she answered softly, seeming to be shy. I could not help but find her to be adorable. Since she did not resist my advances, I leaned closer and kissed her lips. Wrapping her arms around my neck, Scarlett responded to my kiss passionately. I tore off her clothes, and began to enjoy her beautiful body. The desire in my body intensified as I moved down, and kissed her soft breasts, making her groan with pleasure. My hands traveled down to her slender and marble-like waist. I waspletely in love with every inch of her body. Only when I waspletely inside of her did I feel that everything that I had felt until now was real. "Scarlett... Scarlett..." I couldn''t stop calling her name. Once she adapted herself to my movements, I increased my strength, and thrust harder into her. Scarlett''s POV: That morning, a cold gust of wind that blew from the windows, brushed past my face. I woke up in a daze and turned over. I felt as though my body was in shreds, especially my waist. The romantic night kept shing through my mind as soon as I woke up. Thinking of what happened the night before, my face turned red. Struggling to sit up, I looked around, and found that I was the only one in the room. I nced at my phone and saw that it was already 10 in the morning. I had missed my flight! Putting aside my worries, I washed myself, and rushed out of the room. As soon as I opened the door, I found Amy, Charles''s assistant, standing outside. She scared the living crap out of me! "Mrs. Moore, Mr. Moore said that I couldn''t disturb your sleep. As for your training program, Mr. Moore has arranged a private ne to send you abroad," she said to me in a respectful tone. "And all your luggage has already been taken to the ne. These are clothes that Mr. Moore arranged for you, so please change into them." Saying that, Amy handed a dress and an overcoat to me. "Where is Charles?" I asked with a frown. "He is on a business trip." It looked like she did not dare to discuss anything further with me. I knew that it was not my ce to ask more questions about it, but I still felt a little sad. Why did Charles leave just like that? Shouldn''t he take responsibility for me after what happenedst night? Thinking of that, I took the clothes from her, and went inside to change. I was in a daze as I followed Amy out of the hotel. And to my surprise, it was snowing outside. I reached out and caught a snowke. In a sh, it melted away in my hand, disappearing without a trace. Remembering my departure from three years ago, I could not help but feel a little depressed. Chapter 113 Separation Chapter 113 Separation Rita''s POV: I couldn''t control my anger anymore, so I picked up the vase from the table and smashed it next to Richard''s feet. He respectfully stood still and kept silent, as if he was prepared to let me vent my anger. Noticing his submissiveness, I could not help but get furious, so I ran to him and pped him. "You are such a loser. Why are you always groveling before me?" "Calm down. You should take care of our baby," he said slowly, staring into my eyes. "Shut up!" I was so enraged that I pped him again. "Are you going to keep reminding me of that dirty fact?" I roared with a sense of humiliation in my heart which felt like it was going to eat me from the inside. "No. I am only telling you that you are the mother of my child, and I can tolerate everything you do," Richard said in a serious tone. "Shut up! I feel sick whenever you talk to me!" I picked up a cup and threw it at his head. As the ss broke and cut his forehead, a stream of blood oozed out, running down to his cheek. However, I was not feeling any sympathy towards him because I felt like he was an obsequious coward. "I asked you to send Charles to my roomst night. So why didn''t he show up? He must have had sex with Scarlett, and it''s all your fault!" I couldn''t help but feel jealous at the thought of Scarlett and Charles sleeping with each other.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. It was so unfair, because Charles belonged to me, and I am the only one who could be his woman. But now, everyone knew that Scarlett was his wife. Scarlett had changed her fate by marrying into the Moore family, when she did not even deserve Charles. "If he could be so easily tricked, then he would not even be the CEO of the Moore Group," Richard reminded me in a patient manner, ignoring his swollen face and bleeding forehead. "Do I even need you to tell me that? It only proves that you are useless!" I screamed as I kicked his belly. "Charles asked his people to send Scarlett away this morning," Richard said in a low voice with his hands over his belly. When I heard those words, my joy knew no bounds. I wondered if it was true. I told myself that Charles would not have sent her away if he really liked her. "Great! I still have a chance to get him back, then." Feeling happy, I fixed my messy hair. I knew that I would have a chance with Charles as long as Scarlett was out of the picture. Without that annoying bitch, my rtionship with Charles would certainly be restored. I could not help but imagine my future with him, feeling excited. "Stop deceiving yourself, okay? Charles doesn''t love you anymore. He loves Scarlett. But I''m willing to take care of you for the rest of my life," Richard said in a firm voice, looking into my eyes. "Who told you that? Does she even deserve him? Charles is mine. I am the only one who deserves him!" I warned him, grabbing him by the cor. "And you don''t deserve to take care of me at all. It''s like a toad wishing to be kissed by a princess and marry her. You are craving for something that you are not worthy of. Did you really think that your fate would be changed after you slept with me? Perish that thought, because it''s not going to help you change the fact that you will only remain an ugly toad forever." A scornful smile appeared on my lips as I red at him. Looking at the cowardly Richard, I regretted having been impulsive at that time. I had not been able to resist my desire and ended up having a one night stand with him. Even a gigolo would be better than him. "Rita, I really love you. Trust me. I can take good care of you and our child," Richard pleaded, holding me. "Don''t kid yourself! You''d better look at yourself in the mirror before you make such ridiculous promises," I said sarcastically, pushing him away without hesitation. "Get out! And don''t ruin my good mood!" I sneered and turned away, because I felt like if I took another look at him, I would feel sick. Charles'' POV: Sitting in my office, I watched the news on the Inte. Many people were cursing me and Rita, because they pitied Scarlett. "Mr. Moore, Mrs. Moore has left," Amy said respectfully as soon as she entered my office. "Did she have any message for me?" I asked, unconsciously clenching my fists. "No," Amy replied with her head down. My heart ached as a hint of inexplicable sadness enveloped me. I suddenly felt like I had done something ridiculous. "Thank you, Amy. You may leave now." I was trying my best not to sound indifferent. "Do you need help with the news on the Inte?" she asked cautiously. "No, thanks." I was still as cold as usual, pretending like I did not care about what was going on. After Amy left, I looked out of the window at the falling snow and pped myself in the face. I was lost in deep thought about what happenedst night. Since I had been aware of Rita''s n, I had not walked into her trap. However, I managed to sleep with Scarlett while she was drunk. I could not help but feel quite upset and regretful about what I had done. I was afraid that Scarlett would me me for taking advantage of her drunken state at that time. My mind was in a mess that whole morning. I didn''t dare to face Scarlett, and that was the reason I had left early in the morning. I couldn''t imagine what she would think of me once she found out what I had done to her. I was afraid that she might end up resenting me for it, and not want to see me anymore. I still could not think of a way to handle things even until now, and my mind was in a mess. I wanted to calm down and sort things out as soon as possible, but whenever Scarlett appeared in my mind, it was impossible for me to calm down. The news about us had been spreading for almost a week now, and the situation was only getting worse. I hadn''t been home in a week, so Grandma called me back one day. As soon as I walked into the house, I heard Grandma talking on the phone. With her smile, it was not hard to guess whom she was talking to. She cast a stern nce at me before she continued over the phone, "Scarlett, my dear, don''t force yourself to stay there if you are not used to it. You could alwayse back. The Moore family will support you." Once she hung up, things got awkward. She gave me a cold re and said nothing while I hung my head, feeling guilty, and did not dare to cause trouble. "What an irresponsible man you are!" Grandma said in an unhappy tone, looking at me coldly. I was shocked when I heard that. ''Does she know whathappenestnight?DidScarletttellonme?'' "What? You think Scarlett told on you?" Grandma asked coldly, noticing that I was silent. But instead of answering her, I continued to be silent. "I might be old, but I''m not stupid. I was also young at one time, so I know what happened between you two," she said sarcastically. Upon hearing that, I felt a little sad. It was my fault, after all. But I still didn''t have the courage to face Scarlett. And I hated myself for being so cowardly. Chapter 114 Miss Chapter 114 Miss Charles'' POV: " You''d better not handle this matter indifferently, or Scarlett will only distance herself from you," Grandma warned me coldly. "In fact, I can tell that she does care for you, but you just keep disappointing her and you have no sense of propriety. You always make her mad." With that, she looked at me with disappointment and helplessness in her eyes. I continued to remain silent. The only reason I sent Scarlett abroad on my private ne was because I wanted to make her journey afortable one. After all, it would be very exhausting to catch a ne early in the morning. Moreover, the ticket that she had bought was for the economy ss. More importantly, I didn''t want to stop Scarlett from realizing her dream. "Scarlett seems to be sick, so take the initiative to go and see her," my mother ordered coldly. I remained silent as I wondered what reason could I use to make it seem like I did not go there to specifically see her. "Did you even hear what I just said?" Annoyed by my long silence, Grandma red at me. "I know. You guys should rest. I will go to see her." After saying goodbye to my family, I left the house. As soon as I was outside, I called Amy. "Dy all my schedules. I am going abroad tomorrow." After that, I asked Spencer and David to meet me. "Do you know where Scarlett is staying abroad?" I asked. "I haven''t contacted her in a long time. She is your wife. Why are you asking me for her address?" Spencer seemed to be astonished by my words. "What about you? Did you contact her?" I asked David, ignoring the sarcasm in Spencer''s tone. David also gave me the same response, which made me sigh helplessly. "If you haven''t contacted Scarlett, then you must have contacted Nina, at least, right?" Massaging my temples, I looked at Spencer. "No," Spencer replied. I thought he must be lying. Staring at him, I said slowly, "You were intimate with Nina before, and now you''re saying that you don''t even talk to her? Are you really going to shirk your responsibility after sleeping with her?" "I can sue you for ndering me like that, you know? Believe it or not, nothing happened between us! Forget it. Since we are friends, I have some news for you. They''re both unustomed to the climate there, and are sick now," Spencer said, scrolling through his phone. "Here, take a look." Saying that, he handed his phone to me. It was Nina''s Facebook page. There was a picture of her and Scarlett, posted recently. They were both clearly unwell in the picture. I could not help but feel upset when I noticed how pale Scarlett was in the photo. "If you''re that concerned about Scarlett, then why don''t you go see her?" Spencer suggested, noticing my horrified expression. I nced at him, and did not say a word, but I had already made up my mind. "I''m telling you, a woman like Scarlett can get many men abroad. If you don''t take the initiative now, then she might end up with another man, and when that happens, don''te crying to us." Spencer was clearly annoying. "Shut up." I gave him a cold re, but deep down, I was upset. "I only said it because I am concerned about your marriage, you ungrateful man!" Spencer looked at me with a pout as though he had been wronged. "Please get him out of my sight." I looked at David, pleading for help. "Alright, fine! I''ll go by myself. Just think about it, though." After patting me on the shoulder, Spencer and David left. The noisy world around me instantly fell silent. I looked out of the window at the neon lights, unable to process how Scarlett might react if she saw me. Perhaps, she would be mad and refuse to see me. I felt so nervous that entire night. The next morning, I took an early flight abroad to see Scarlett. As soon as Inded, Spencer texted me Nina''s address. And I couldn''t wait to go to there. Once I got there, I took a deep breath before I knocked on the door. The thought of seeing Scarlett again made me feel nervous. I was thinking about how I should greet her when I saw her. Before I was even ready, the door was pushed open. However, Nina didn''t seem surprised to see me at all. "I''m on a business trip," I blurted out. "What? Mr. Moore, don''t try so hard covering it up, because the more you try, the more you end up exposing yourself." Nina snickered. I cleared my throat and coughed, in an attempt to hide my embarrassment. "Come in, please." Nina turned around and led me into the house. When I saw that Scarlett was not inside, a hint of disappointment crashed into my heart. ''Where did she go off to so early in the morning?'' "Scarlett has returned home. A celebrity has specifically asked for her to host the interview program," Nina exined. "I am sorry to bother you." "You got here right after she left. You guys just..." Nina said with an apologetic nce. "I have something to do now. I''ll see youter." With that, I turned around and left. I walked alone on the lonely streets. Thinking of what I had done, I felt sad and ironic. I came there to see her, but she was gone. She didn''t tell me when she woulde back. It felt like she did not want to see me at all. Although I hated her in my heart for constantly running around even when she was ill, I could not help but feel sorry for her. She must still be mad at me about what happened that night. After all, it was all my fault. I felt like I needed to exin it to her in person. So I took out my phone, wanting to call her. I nced at her number for a long time, but in the end, I couldn''t find the courage to call her. Scarlett''s POV: After getting off the ne, I turned on my phone, and saw Nina''s message. I clicked on it and saw a picture of Charles'' back. Why was he there? Did he go there on a business trip and stopped by for a visit? Or did he go there just to see me? "Did he say anything to you?" I asked Nina over text. A whileter, she called me. "He said that he was on a business trip." As soon as I heard her answer, I sighed with relief, but I also felt a little ufortable. Nina continued, "But I don''t think that he came here on a business trip at all. He looked worn out. His hair was in a mess and his clothes were wrinkled. Charles is the kind of man who pays a lot of attention to his image, and I don''t think that he would really show up looking like a mess if he was really here on a business trip. I think that he is just using the business trip as an excuse to see you." "That''s impossible!" I said firmly. "Why so?" Nina asked helplessly. "I don''t think he''lle to me. I got to go to thepany now, so bye!" I was not in the mood to talk about him anymore, so I hung up. However, Nina''s call left me feeling restless all day long. After work, I went straight home, but I was surprised to see Rita and Richard outside my door. I decided to ignore them after ncing at them for just a second. Passing by them, I opened the door. Rita followed me closely with a hypocritical smile. "Scarlett, how are you doing abroad? I haven''t seen you in a long time. Are you used to living here? Have you adapted yourself to the new ce yet? If you have any difficulties, then please, let me know and I will do my best to help you. And..." After greeting me intimately, she tried to hold my hand. I dodged and interrupted her. "Don''t beat around the bush, and get to the point, will you?" I said to her coldly with an indifferent look in my eyes. "I drugged Charles'' wine at Michael''s birthday party," Rita said casually as she sat down on the couch. I was shocked at first, but soon I pulled myself together. My rtionship with Charles had been made public that day, and Rita was certainly not the type to give up so easily. "I was trying to get Charles to go to my room, but he went to your room by ident." Rita was fuming with rage as she uttered those words. "So, are you here to apologize to me now?" "I want you to know that Charles only slept with you that night because he was drugged, and not because he loves you," Rita said to me earnestly, taking a deep breath. "Oh..." I gave her an uninterested nce, because I did not care about it at all. "I don''t care about what happened. I still want to be with Charles. I love him more than anything in the world," she confessed with a smile. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. "If you are going to confess your love, then don''t do it to me. Don''t say such disgusting words in front of me. And perhaps, you''re the only one who knows if you''re speaking the truth or not." My tone was indifferent as I looked at her clenched fists. I recalled that night. Charles had not seemed to be drugged at all. In fact, he had been more sober than me. "By the way, Charles was sober that night." Out of the kindness in my heart, I told Rita the truth. "That''s impossible! How could Charles have been sober? He just lost his senses under the effect of the drug. There''s no way he''ll touch you otherwise. He hates you!" Rita shouted at me in panic. Chapter 115 Anger Chapter 115 Anger Scarlett''s POV: "It has already happened. No matter how angry you feel right now, it can''t be undone," I said casually with a shrug of my shoulders. In fact, I didn''t care about her reaction at all. "No! Charles only came to you because he was mad at me for sleeping with Richard. Otherwise, he wouldn''t even look at you!" Rita shouted. I was stunned upon hearing that. "Is that baby actually Richard''s, then?" I couldn''t help but ask. "No." Rita denied it at once as though she was trying to cover up her guilt. She looked at me fiercely and added, "Leave Charles alone. He is mine." "You have already lost Charles, though." I waspletely indifferent and unfazed as I told her the truth. "Don''t think that you have a chance with Charles just because he slept with you. He doesn''t love you! He loves me, and he''s only doing things to get back at me. Once I apologize to him, he is going toe back to me, and you will get kicked out, just like what happened three years ago. You will always be just a substitute, a tool he uses to keep his family calm!" Rita shouted, seeming to be out of control. She then mmed the door and left with Richard. The noisy room instantly fell quiet. Sitting on the sofa, I could not help butugh, thinking of Rita''s entanglement with Charles over the past few years. I never thought that she would sleep with Richard, though. Even Charles had once told me that the child she was carrying was not his. ''Was he telling the truth at that time?'' I thought of what had happened that night, and I realized that Charles had indeed been a little clumsy when he had sex with me. Feeling that I was making an excuse for Charles, I patted my head to stop thinking of him. The day after the program, Abner sent me to the airport. "Be careful, and send me a text once you arrive." Abner seemed to be worried as he reminded me. "Okay, you should go back now." After saying goodbye to him, I turned around and left. From the corner of my eye, I saw a familiar figure. I stopped and looked at the man, who was standing not too far away from me, and noticed that he was also looking at me. It was Charles. We didn''t walk towards each other, though. We just stood there, looking at each other through the crowd. All of a sudden, I noticed that he was about to lift his foot and walk towards me, when the boarding announcement was heard. I withdrew my sight and prepared to board. When I looked back again, Charles wasn''t there anymore. I despised myself, but at the same time, I also felt a little pathetic. I seemed to be expecting too much of him. Actually, there was no need for me to feel lost at all. After getting on the ne, I could not help but recall the three years I had spent abroad, studying. Thinking of that time, I felt that I had been too humble back then. I was tired, and I did not want to be the weak one in our unfair rtionship. I didn''t want to continue loving him so humbly. As soon as I arrived at the residence, Nina asked me excitedly, "Did you meet Charles?" There was a look of curiosity in her eyes. "I met him at the airport," I answered honestly. However, whenever I mentioned him, my heart ached. "If you met him at the airport, why did youe back so soon? I thought you would stay there for a few days." Nina frowned in confusion. "He didn''t speak to me, so I also kept silent. We just nced at each other, and then I boarded the ne." I sighed, feeling exhausted, physically and mentally. "He didn''t ask you to stay? He didn''t even talk to you?" Nina''s eyes went wide with surprise. "No, he said nothing." With a bitter smile on my lips, I nced out of the window with tears in my eyes. "He came all the way to see you, so I thought he would have a lot to say. I''ve never seen Charles being such a mess before." Nina sighed with regret. "After we divorce, I want to have a real romantic rtionship!" The bitter smile did not leave my lips as I tried to wipe away my tears. "Really? Looks like you''ve finally figured it out. I''ll find you a handsome man, don''t worry." Feeling happy again, Nina began to browse her contacts for her male friends. I could not help but feel helpless when I saw her like that, but deep down, I knew that it was probably the right choice to make. I had to divorce Charles, and I could not let him be the center of my universe again. I was going to start a new life, so it would be helpful for me to have some new friends. "Don''t frown. I will take you to a bar to help you rx a little, okay?" Nina proposed excitedly. After thinking for a while, I nodded. Charles'' POV: "Celebrity hostess is having fun abroad!" "Mrs. Moore can''t seem to stand loneliness. She is partying with a gigolo in the bar!" Reading click-bait headlines and looking at the pictures of Scarlett and Nina having fun in a bar, I couldn''t help but feel angry. I mmed my phone on the table, forcing myself not to pay attention to any news about Scarlett. However, I could not help myself. Recalling Scarlett''s cold gaze when I met her at the airport the other day, I felt like someone had stabbed my heart with a knife, and I was also furious. Was I really that unendurable in her eyes that she even didn''t have the desire to talk to me? She had turned around and left as soon as she had seen me that day. Did she really hate me that much? The exhaustion of travel, and the anger from being ignored by her was tormenting me, slowly eating my brains away. I massaged my temples, trying to calm myself down. However, I realized that whenever it was about Scarlett, I was not able to calm down at all. Leaning against the chair, I tried to rest my eyes for a bit. Not long after, Amy called the inte line and told me that Spencer hade to see me. As soon as I straightened myself up, Spencer pushed the door open and entered my office. "I''m going abroad. Would you like me to bring you something when Ie back or would you like me to give Scarlett a message?" "No!" I said in a cold voice, looking at him. "You look so depressed. Do you break up with your girlfriend?" I red at him. "Sorry, it was a slip of the tongue. I know that you two are not in love. Oh, no! Did Scarlett abandon you? What a poor guy!" He was really annoying. "Fuck off!" I snapped, ring at him before I ignored him. "I think you''re angry because deep down you''re embarrassed, because I''m telling the truth." Spencer was bing more unscrupulous instead of restraining himself. "Mr. Moore, your signature is required." Amy walked in with a document in her hand. I took it from her and studied it. However, I could not stop thinking about Scarlett at all, which upset me. I looked down and noticed that I signed Scarlett''s name on the document instead of mine own. "I must tell Scarlett that someone was absentminded when working and signed her name on the document," Spencer said with a smile when he noticed her name on the document. "If you dare to say anything more, then I would not mind letting you rot abroad for a much longer time," I threatened him coldly. "Fine, I won''t tell her. I don''t want to leave you. I''m going now. You keep missing Scarlett. I don''t want to disturb you." Spencer waved to me with a smile and left my office. "Print another copy of this for me," I ordered Amy indifferently. "Okay." She left after giving me a respectful nod. Looking at Scarlett''s name on the document, I traced my fingers over it. "Scarlett... Scarlett..." I mumbled to myself. Every time I thought of her, my heart ached. At that moment, my phone rang. It was a call from Richard. I hesitated for a while before I answered it. "Rita wants to see you." Richard''s voice came from the other end of the line. "I am not going to see her." I was in a bad mood, and I did not want to deal with them. But just a momentter, I heard Rita crying over the phone. "Could you pleasee and see her?" Richard pleaded. "I already told you that I won''t see her. If she still doesn''t give up, then I will publicly announce who the real father of her child is," I said bluntly, leaving no room for negotiation. "I''m going to have an abortion!" Rita roared over the phone as soon as I said those words. "Rita, don''t be impulsive. You are too emotional now, and it is not good for the baby." Richard stopped her, coaxing her in a gentle voice. However, Rita continued to shout, unlike the person I remembered her to be. "Keep Rita under control. I will repay her kindness since I owe her, but if she continues to pester me, I won''t show mercy to her!" I said coldly and hung up the phone.N?velDrama.Org content rights. Chapter 116 Dazed And Confused Chapter 116 Dazed And Confused Rita''s POV: "How dare you stop me?!" I bellowed while ring at Richard. My blood was boiling in anger, but I tried my best to suppress it. "That''s my child too. If you''re going to have an abortion, I have the right to stop you!" Richard argued while looking at me firmly. "Shut up! Now that Charles knows that the baby is yours, there''s no need for me to keep it!" I turned around to leave, but Richard grabbed my arm tightly. "Let me go!" I struggled to get out of his grasp but to no avail. "That''s my child. You can''t abort it without my consent!" Richard insisted while looking at me coldly. It was as if he was giving an order that I could not disobey. But I remained unfazed. I took a deep breath and, all of a sudden, kicked his crotch while he was distracted. Richard let go of me and stumbled back in pain. But by the time he let go of me, his grip had already left a bruise on my arm. "What do you think Charles will do if he finds out that you''ve recovered?" Richard asked, half squatting on the ground. His voice trembled in pain, but the gravity of his words turned me by degrees. I was just about to smash a vase onto his head, but his words had me frozen in the spot. N?velDrama.Org content rights. It was then that I got ahold of myself. I must admit, what Richard had said scared the shit out of me. Charles''s attitude towards me hadpletely changed. Had he found out about my condition? At the thought of this, I grabbed Richard''s arm and begged, "Richard, you have to help me." Instead of getting angry for what I had done, Richard looked at me with a sneer. Judging from the look on his face, he would not help me. With that, I pushed him away and began to think of a n. "I saved Charles''s life. Yes, I saved Charles'' life." I kept repeating this sentence. Not long after, my flustered heart finally calmed down, and a sneer tugged at the corners of my mouth. Richard must have sensed what I was thinking as he bellowed, "Shame on you! Scarlett is innocent. She is the one who suffers from this mess you create!" I was taken aback by this. Richard was supposed to be my ally, not Scarlett''s. What he had said infuriated me and made me hate her even more. "How dare you speak for that bitch? Do you like her too?" She had taken Charles away from me. And now, even Richard thought highly of her. If only she had died when she was abroad, things would not have turned out this way. "Don''t think everyone is as disgusting as you are." Richard limped away as soon as he finished speaking. Anger surged in my heart as I watched him walk away. ''Scarlett, since you like stealing what''s mine, don''t me me for being rude!'' Scarlett''s POV: I was heading to the restaurant for breakfast. While I was waiting for the traffic light at the intersection to go green, my phone suddenly rang. It was a call from Charles. I was surprised to see his name on the screen. It should be midnight at home. Why was he calling me at this time? Nevertheless, I decided to answer the call. "What''s up?" I asked indifferently. "Are you okay?" Charles asked back, a hint of panic in his voice. "I''m fine." My voice softened when I felt his concern. But I must admit, I was confused as to why he called out of the blue. Charles breathed a sigh of relief. "That''s good. I just had a nightmare, so I called to check up on you." For some reason, something felt off. I could sense the lingering fear in his tone. He seldom talked to me like this. "I''m fine. Don''t worry," I said lightly. Charles did not speak anymore. I did not say anything more either. As neither of us spoke for a long time, he finally hung up the call. My phone screen went off as the call ended. But I just stood there, dazed and confused. Charles sounded flustered and anxious. Was he worried about me? My mouth twisted into a bitter smile. Charles did not even want to talk to me in the first ce. How could he care about me? But then, why did he call all of a sudden? I racked my brain to figure out the answer, but I could not. While I was in deep thought, a car sped in my direction. My life shed before my eyes. Fortunately, I jumped out of the way in time. I would have been seriously injured if I was not quick to my feet. At that moment, the car hit the protective railing at the side of the road and stalled. I fell to the ground and grazed my palms and knees. My wounds kinda hurt, but it was better than being dead. I looked at the car, wide-eyed. The driver did not even get off to check on me, much less apologize. He just started the engine and drove away. Just then, Spencer and Nina rushed to me. "Oh, my God! Scarlett, are you okay?" Nina rushed to my aid and helped me to my feet. I gave her a reassuring smile, not wanting her to worry about me. Although my hands and knees hurt, my injuries were not that serious. "I''m fine," I said in a low voice. Nina breathed a sigh of relief. She held my hand and led me to the restaurant opposite the street. The two of us sat at the round table. Spencer ran after the car that almost hit me and only joined us after a long while. "There''s something fishy about what happened just now," Spencer said to Nina and me in a serious tone. The truth was, I had a feeling that the car had targeted me. But for what it was worth, there was no point in making my friends worry about me. "Maybe it''s just a coincidence," I reasoned out. "I remember the te number and the direction he left. Excuse me. I''ll have to make a phone call." Spencer stood up with his phone in his hand. Nina looked at Spencer, who was about to go out of the restaurant, and then turned to me. "He must be calling Charles." I sighed. "Let him be." "Do you really think what happened just now was a coincidence?" Nina queried with a serious look on her face. "I''m new here. I don''t think anyone knows me here in the first ce," I joked with a rxed smile. "You''re right. Maybe I''m just overthinking." It was only then was Nina reassured. I patted her on the shoulderfortingly. "Yes, I''m alright. Don''t worry." ****** The next day, Spencer called me early in the morning. "I''m ready to go home. Take good care of yourself here. Tell me when you''re going back home. I''ll pick you up at the airport," Spencer offered earnestly. I nodded in agreement. "I will. You too. Be careful on your way home." Three dayster, I came back home for work. Many recognized me at the airport, and my fans even greeted me warmly. I took a group photo and video with them. They asked for my permission if they could upload the video online, to which I agreed without a second thought. After work, Abner came to my workstation. "You''re Inte''s darling now. Your video has gone viral," he said teasingly. But then, he put on a straight face and solemnly asked, "Would you like to have dinner with me tonight? You came and left in a hurryst time. I didn''t have the chance to ask you out after that." "I''m sorry. I promised Grandma I''d have dinner with them tonight. Maybe next time." I refused Abner''s invitation politely. "It''s okay. The elders are more important. Go home now. Let''s just have dinner next time." Abner waved goodbye at me and then turned around to leave. As soon as I stepped out of thepany, I saw the driver waiting for me at the side of the road. I got into the car, and the driver sped away at once. With nothing to do, I looked outside the window and gazed at the receding scenery. "Was everything okay when you were abroad?" the driver asked when he saw that I was bored. "Everything was fine. By the way, are Grandpa and Grandma all right?" It had been several days since Ist called Grandma. I knew them like the back of my hand. They would not call, even if they were not feeling well. "They''re all fine. It''s Mr. Moore who doesn''t seem to be doing well." The driver looked at me through the rearview mirror. He opened his mouth to say more but stopped on second thought. "What''s wrong with Charles?" I casually asked, but I was a little worried about him. "Well, Mr. Moore often goes to the bar and gets himself drunk these past few days. He has also lost a lot of weight," the driver answered with a heavy sigh. "Is he under too much pressure at work?" I asked, bewildered. I had been with Charles long enough to know that he was not an alcoholic. Why did he suddenly feel an urge to drink? "It''s because you were away from him. He couldn''t stand it, so he drowned his sorrows in alcohol," the driver exined with a helpless sigh. "How could he be like that because of me? It must be because of work," I argued while looking in the distance. The driver looked as though he wanted to say something more. However, he decided not to when he saw that I did not want to talk about Charles anymore. We arrived at the destination not long after. Just as I was about to enter the house, a sports car stopped in front of me. I could not help but take a step back at the sight of it. Chapter 117 Great Grandchild Chapter 117 Great Grandchild Scarlett''s POV: Looking at Charles, who was getting off the sports car, I became nervous subconsciously. Noticing that he was also looking at me, I immediately lowered my head and entered the room without greeting him. After all, I despised myself for running away. As soon as I stepped inside, I felt someone grab the bowknot in the back of my coat, and froze. I knew that it was Charles, which only made me more nervous. "The knot was loose." Charles'' low voice came from behind me. I raised my hand subconsciously in an attempt to fasten it again, but he stopped me. "Let me help you!" he said. I was tense, hearing the faint sound of his slender fingers touching the fabric. When I realized that he was so attentively tying the knot for me, my heart began to race. I was just standing there like a piece of wood that was frozen. "All right." Only when I heard his voice again did Ie back to my senses. I was struggling whether I should thank him for a long time. And without saying anything to him in the end, I walked into the room. When I saw Christine sitting on the sofa, I went straight to her and said, "I''m back!" As soon as I sat down next to her, she held my hand, andined, "Scarlett, my dear, didn''t you miss me? Why didn''t youe to see me more often?" Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "I''m sorry, Grandma. I''ve been very busy recently. As a token of my apology, I brought you a small gift. So please forgive me." Holding her hand, I acted like a spoiled child as I handed her the box. "Smart girl, are you bribing me?" Christine rubbed my nose dotingly with a helpless smile. "Yes, so will you ept my gift?" I snuggled up to her with a smile. "Of course, I''ll ept it." She returned my smile kindly. I took out the brooch that I had bought for her, and helped her wear it. That moment, Alice entered the room. "This brooch is so beautiful. Scarlett, you have such a good taste," Alice praised me with a smile. "Yeah, I think so, too." With a child-like smile, Christine showed off her brooch to Alice. "Well, you are elegant and graceful, so I knew that the brooch would match your temperament perfectly," I replied with a smile. I then took out another gift box and handed it to Alice. "Mom, this is for you." Taking the box from me, Alice praised me again. I took out the gifts that I had bought for Michael and Lawrence, and ced them on the tea table. "I''m still here. Is it really appropriate for you to ignore me?" Charlesined all of a sudden. That was the moment I realized that I was indeed ignoring him. And as for his gift, I did not prepare one at all! Alice nced at him coldly while intimately holding my hand. "Scarlett, take off your coat. It''s warm in the room. You might end up sweating if you continue to wear it." Her tone was gentle, unlike the way she talked to Charles. I quickly took off my coat and handed it to the servant. "The clothes are wrinkled. Would you like me to send them for dry cleaning?" the servant asked, looking at my wrinkled coat. "No, thanks!" "Yes!" Alice and I blurted out at the same moment, making it awkward. "Your clothes are wrinkled, and if you wear them like that, people mightugh at you," Alice said in a gentle yet firm voice. "If you wear such clothes, then people might think that we''re mistreating you," Charles chimed in all of a sudden. ncing at him, I stayed silent. "What do you know? Scarlett is frugal." Upon hearing his words, Christine cast a reproachful nce at him. Charles raised his hands in surrender, indicating that he wouldn''t interrupt us anymore. "You should dry clean it. It''s wrinkled." Holding my hand, Alice continued to convince me. "She''s right. Besides, it''s not such a big deal," Christine said. I felt like if I continued to resist, then they might think that I am being rude. Hence, I had no choice but to nod in agreement. But then, I was worried about what could I wear when I go back if my clothes were sent away for dry cleaning. "Scarlett, you are so sweet. I just love you so much." Christine''s tone was affectionate and loving as she held my hand. "Unlike you, Charles always makes me angry." She then turned to Charles with a fierce look in her eyes. Charles sighed helplessly, but did not say anything. "Scarlett, my dear, could you do me a favor?" Christine asked in an awkward tone. "Please tell me, and I will do my best to help you, Grandma," I said firmly. The next moment, she escorted me to the couch. "Scarlett, you have been married to Charles for years now. Since you had your own problems to deal with, we didn''t force you before, but I am growing older with each passing day, and I might die before..." she suddenly seemed to be sentimental. For a moment, I didn''t understand what she was going to say. "What are you talking about, Grandma? You are going to live a long and happy life," I tried to comfort her. "I don''t want to live a long life, Scarlett. I only have one wish. Can you help me realize it?" Christine wiped her tears away, looking at me with eagerness in her eyes. "Sure," I answered with a firm nod. "Then I want you give birth to a great-grandchild for me. I have already have one foot in the grave. I want to see my great-grandchildren, but I don''t think I can live that long..." She was in tears again when she mentioned that. I was not expecting her to talk about it, so I was feeling a little awkward. "Grandma, I might..." Just when I was about to refuse her politely, she interrupted me. "I know that you are busy with your work, and that you are pursing your dream. But don''t worry, having a baby will not affect that at all. I might be old now, but I can be of help. Besides, Alice can also help to take care of your child." Saying that, Christine and Alice exchanged nces. "Yes, you can continue pursuing your dreams even after the baby is born. We will take care of the baby. Scarlett, as you know, Grandpa and Grandma are getting old. Their greatest wish is to see your babye to this world, and if you can help them make that happen, they will be really happy." Alice was also persuading me earnestly. Michael was about to say something, but he stopped on second thought. I knew that if I opened my mouth now, they would try to persuade me again, so I shut up and looked at Charles, silently asking for help. He nced at me before he lowered his head and yed with the lighter in his hand. He didn''t seem to want to say anything. "Scarlett... Your grandma is right. Give birth to a great-grandchild for us while we are still alive." Michael also tried to convince me, just as I expected. Feeling their pressure, I could only give them an awkward smile. I looked at Charles again, hoping that he would say something to help me. He also looked up at me, but he only raised his eyebrows at me, and did not help me out at all. "Scarlett, please listen to us. I really want a great -grandchild." "Yes, I also want to see who your child is going to look like..." Michael and Christine were still persuading me, but I didn''t have the heart to say no to them. I could only smile at them awkwardly, hoping that they would end the topic as soon as possible. Chapter 118 Explanation Chapter 118 Exnation Scarlett''s POV: After everyone had dinner, the family sat down in the living room to watch my TV show. Once it was over, everyone left the room one by one, leaving only me with Charles. That moment, his phone rang, and he answered it immediately. "Scarlett is back, so I want to be at home with her. Let''s meet some other day." With that, he hung up. I looked at him subconsciously, only to find him staring at me. "What''s up?" Charles asked indifferently. "Nothing," I replied, shaking my head. I then lowered my head and twiddled with my hand nervously. My heart would race and I would feel so nervous whenever I was with him. I thought that I had moved on, but my heart would always melt into a puddle whenever I looked at him. Noticing that Charles was staring at my clenched hands, I felt a little nervous. The moment I got up to leave, he grabbed my hand. "Why are you sweating?" He rubbed my palm with a faint smile. Struggling, I tried to withdraw my hand. He suddenly pulled me so hard that I fell into his arms like a weak kitten. "What are you doing?" I asked as I struggled to get out of his arms, but I was no match for him. His cologne was so distracting. I couldn''t help but think of the night we had sex. He had kissed me gently while calling my name over and over that night. I was so lost in thought that I did not notice that he was getting closer and closer to me until I felt his lips meet mine. When I came to my senses, I tried to push him away by cing my hands on his chest, but failed. Charles kissed my lips overbearingly. He quickly pressed me onto the couch in one swift move, gasping for breath. I was able to feel his erection poking my skin. His hands wandered through my body, and when I realized that he was about to reach inside my clothes, I quickly grabbed his hand. "Stop it!" I was supposed to be ming him, but I sounded like a spoiled child, who was ying hard to get. "The bedroom or the living room? You choose." He continued to press his body on mine as he whispered those words in my ear seductively. Feeling his hot breath against my skin, my heart trembled. My body tensed instantly and I was so nervous that I could not even bring myself to speak. "Then... Let''s do it here," Charles said with a sly smile, kissing my neck. His lips continued to travel every inch of my skin, starting a fire with each kiss. I was worried that I might burst into mes if he continued to do it. "Wait!" I shouted anxiously just when he was about to slide his hand into my dress. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "Have you decided yet?" he asked, kissing my lips lovingly. "Bedroom, the bedroom..." I had no choice but to choose one of the options, as I was afraid that people might walk in on us. Charles seemed to be determined, so I had no choice but to give him an answer, panicking. He immediately stopped his movements, picked me up, and carried me into the bedroom. He then rudely threw me on the bed. Feeling a little scared, I shrank back. "We were both drunk that night," I said in a serious tone, looking into his eyes. But without even saying anything, he took off his shirt. "What''s your point?" Charles said, staring at me. "We are not drunk tonight, so... I don''t want to have sex with you, and we shouldn''t do it, anyway," I blurted out with a sigh. Charles grabbed my ankle, pulled me to his side, and pressed himself onto me. He leaned in, and tried to kiss me, but I dodged him. However, without getting angry, he began kissing my neck. "Didn''t you just choose to do it in the bedroom?" His voice was very gentle, as if he was coaxing me. But he didn''t know how seductive his low voice was when it wasced with a hint of lust. I felt a ball of fire engulfing my heart, and I had nowhere I could escape to. Moreover, the arsonist was only trying to make the fire burn more vigorously. "But I remember you taking the initiative to kiss me that night. You even held me and acted like a spoiled child, saying that I was a bastard..." He held my hands over my head as our lips locked. His flirting caused me to blush uncontrobly. Upon listening to his description, memories of our lustful night shed through my mind. "You look so cute when you are shy..." Charlesplemented me in a sincere tone, stroking my face tenderly before he kissed my lips again. I was ashamed and angry, but I suddenly felt his hand sliding through the hem of my dress. Feeling his faintly cold fingertips against my skin, my body tensed up. "I know the reason why you slept with me that night," I said lightly, sensing what he was about to do to me. Charles stopped and looked at me with calmness in his eyes. "Last time I came back, I met Rita. And she told me about what happened between her and Richard. So I think that you''re only doing all this to get your revenge on her," I said after making a careful analysis, but then I saw Charles ncing at me coldly as he put his clothes back on. "You are my wife!" Standing by the bed, he gritted his teeth and looked at me. Looking into his eyes, I was stunned for a moment before I got up from the bed, and said to him with a smile, "I don''t deny our rtionship." I straightened up my wrinkled clothes. Taking a look at the shoes on the floor, I bent down, picked them up, and was ready to put them on. "I have the right to make love to you!" Charles said in a cold voice, suddenly pulling me to him. Shocked, I gazed deep into his eyes. "Charles, calm down. You never nned on marrying me in the first ce. You have been wanting to marry Rita from the start. But you''re suddenly acting like you want me. What other reason could you possibly have if not for taking revenge on her?" I said in a calm voice, analyzing. Charles'' brows furrowed and he kissed me as though he was punishing me. He even bit my lips rudely as if he was going to swallow me whole. I knew that my lips must be swollen. He continued to kiss me harder and harder until I was left breathless. I tried to push him away, but failed again. He did not let go of me until he vented all his anger on me. "You are so cruel, Scarlett. Can''t you feel my love at all?" Charles asked in a depressed tone, resting his head on my shoulder. "How can I make you understand my feelings? Tell me, what should I do..." His voice was filled with exhaustion. "Charles, I think you need some time to calm down." With a sigh, I tried to break free, but he was so strong that I couldn''t even move an inch. "I''m very calm now." Although he seemed calm, there were still clear sparks of burning desire in his eyes. "What should I do to make you believe that I love you?" Asking that, he buried his head in my neck as though he had lost all of his strength. Chapter 119 Confession Chapter 119 Confession Scarlett''s POV: I was shocked by Charles'' usation. "You never take me seriously..." Lowering my head, I felt his racing heartbeat. However, I could not help but sob when I spoke. "When did I not take you seriously? Did I really lose your trust because of that one mistake I made?" "We can''t be together anymore..." Before I could even finish my words, Charles lifted me up, and carried me to the bathroom. He then pressed me against the wall and turned on the shower head, causing the warm water to rain on the floor. Soon, the bathroom was covered in a thick cloud of steam. Feeling the cold wall against my back, I could not help but shiver. Charles seemed to have noticed my difort as he quickly embraced me. "Scarlett, please don''t refuse me. I really love you." While saying those affectionate words, he leaned forward and kissed me. How could I refuse him? Even thinking of him made my heart ache. Whenever it came to matters about him, I always ended up feeling helpless and powerless. I kissed him back. Excited by my kiss, he kissed me harder and more passionately. While kissing, we walked over to the shower head, letting the warm water flow down from our heads. "Take off your clothes; they''re wet..." Saying that, Charles began undressing me without any hesitation. Before I could even say anything, he started kissing me again. I was so immersed in his deep kiss that I could not even tell if it was real or if it was just an illusion. My heart was burning from the mes that he ignited. "Scarlett... Scarlett... I love you. I love you so much." Charles wrapped his arms around me and continued thrusting himself inside me as he kept telling me that he loved me. I knew that men often say such sweet words during sex because they were excited in the moment. However, I couldn''t help but be infatuated with his tenderness, and whenever he looked at me with his gently loving gaze, I felt so helpless. It was gettingte. And Charles was right beside me, panting from our passionate sex. I was addicted to his tenderness as it made me feel alive with pleasure. The next morning, a gust of cold wind blew on my face, and I woke up from my sleep. When I opened my eyes, I saw Charles sleeping next to me with scratches all over his body, as though he had been attacked by a cat. N?velDrama.Org content rights. My face turned red as soon as I recalled what happenedst night. While I was lost in thought, Charles'' hoarse voice dragged me back to reality. "You are awake..." He looked at me in a daze as he reached out to hug me, chuckling. "Let go of me! I have to get up." I felt his hard, erect penis poking me when I was struggling to get away from him awkwardly. "Didn''t you like it very muchst night? I''m sure you will like it today." Charles kissed my earlobe and slipped his hand inside my nightgown. I could not help but moan as he toyed with my breasts harder and harder. "Be gentle. It hurts!" Iined with a frown. However, he kept handling me in a rough way. "It won''t hurt. You''ll only feel betterter," he said with a smile as he kissed me and started to soften his touch a little. The pain in my body was suddenly reced with a stinging yet numbing feeling. I tried my best to stifle my groan. Charles lifted up my top and sucked my nipples. The cool breeze caused me to have goose-bumps. A strange sensation rose in my heart when he took the softest part of my body into his mouth. "You are so wet..." He reached down, and touched me while looking up at me with a snicker. I once again could not do anything but surrender. After breakfast, he took me to work. He kept sighing from time to time on our way. Seeing him like that, I could not help but wonder if I had taken things too far. "What''s the matter?" I asked. "You''ve been looking at me all morning like you''re looking at something awful," Charles said dejectedly, scratching his head. "Yes, I feel very ufortable, so I want to get off the car now!" I blurted out. But just when I was about to get off the car, Charles locked the door. "Didn''t I exin it to youst night?" he asked, looking at me with a frown. "You don''t have to lie to me, and you don''t have to sacrifice yourself for me," I said lightly. "Will you only be obedient in bed?" ring at me, Charles started the car irritably. I immediately understood his threat and stopped talking. Soon, we arrived at the television station. I was about to unfasten my seat belt and get out of the car. However, Charles suddenly pinned me against the seat. "You... Hmm..." Before I could finish my words, he kissed me. He did not let go of me until I was almost out of breath. In a daze, I got off the car. Seeing Abner, I stood still. "Honey, after the show, I''ll pick you up and take you to the airport!" Charles'' smug voice came from behind. I turned around and noticed him smiling at me. ''Why can''t he drop the act already?'' I couldn''t help but curse him in my heart as I gave Abner an awkward nce. "What are you waiting for? Let''s go inside," Abner said to me with a smile. As soon as I entered the office, I sent a text to Charles, asking him not to pick me up. However, I saw a car outside the TV station as soon as the program was over. "This way, please!" the driver said in a respectful tone as he walked up to me. I got in the car reluctantly and tried to keep my distance from Charles. "Sit next to me. Are you scared that I might eat you?" Charles ordered as soon as the door was closed. I nced at him and did not move. He frowned, but he did not continue to persuade me. My mind was a mess as I looked out of the window with a dull heart. The driver hit the brake all of a sudden, and Charles pulled me into his arms. I tried to free myself in vain. I red at him to show that I was not pleased with him for what he just did. "I told you to eat more. You really think you can match my strength in your condition?" Charles kissed me on the cheek. It was evident that he just couldn''t keep his hands to himself as they began to wander over my body. I continued to struggle, trying to get his hands off me. "Don''t resist. Or I''ll fuck you in the car!" Charles whispered in my ear vulgarly. I had no choice but to give in because I knew that he was not just making empty threats. "Don''t lie to me anymore and I will also be honest with you, okay?" He kept staring at me and holding me in his arms on our way to the airport. Upon hearing that, I had no choice but to shut up. "Try to ept me, okay?" he added. After looking at him carefully for a moment, I turned away and shook my head. "I''ve already exined everything to you, and I won''t do it again. But I will prove myself with actions," Charles said firmly. He then sighed helplessly. He was well-behaved for the rest of the car ride. After we arrived at the airport, I heaved a sigh of relief. I wanted to get off the car, but he held my hand tightly. "It''s almost time. If I don''t go in now, I''ll miss the ne." I looked at him with a frown, not knowing what he was trying to do. He did not even take my words seriously and continued to caress my hand tenderly. Just when I was about to say something, he gazed deep into my eyes. "You have to cooperate with me." I was in a daze as I did not know what he wanted me to cooperate for. "To give Grandpa and Grandma a greatgrandchild." That was impossible! I refused without hesitation in my heart, but I did not express out at all. Chapter 120 Encounter Chapter 120 Encounter Scarlett''s POV: As soon as Charles let go of me, my heart sank and I ran away. Not long after, I got a call from him. "If I didn''t let you go, you wouldn''t be able to run away from me," he said in a voice that wandered between smug and sad. I froze but kept my gaze ahead. "You''re wearing high-heeled shoes. Be careful. I don''t want you to hurt yourself, okay?" he sighed helplessly and reminded me with concern. I knew that he was still looking at me because he had not hung up yet. I resisted the urge to look back and left without a second thought. I had been busy with the training program every day sincending abroad. Charles sent me messages from time to time about his family''s affairs. Time passed by quickly, and the first wave of training sessions ended soon. I had a few days off, but I did not want to go home. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. "Scarlett, are you really not spending your time off back home?" Nina asked me again while preparing for her trip back home. "No, and please don''t tell Charles that I have some free time. If he asks, tell him I''m still stuck with work here," I answered firmly. "Fine." Nina sighed and shed me a worried look. "Are you really going to be okay here alone? I''m worried about you, and to tell you the truth, I think you''re just dying the inevitable." I did not know how to respond to that. Just then, my phone vibrated. It was a message from Charles. "When will youe home?" Looking at the words on the screen, I could picture Charles''s expression in my mind. I took onest nce at the message and decided to ignore it. "Charles will call you sooner orter," Nina muttered. As soon as she finished her words, my phone rang. I was so startled that I almost jumped out of my skin. Just like Nina said, it was Charles, but instead of answering the phone, I hit the mute button. I looked up at Nina and said, "Are you a psychic or something?" Nina chuckled, tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and replied, "You know he''s just going to keep calling until you answer. Just talk to him already." I pouted and did not say anything. The next moment, I heard someone honking from outside. I walked over to the window and looked. Nina''s cab had arrived. I picked up her luggage and rushed out. "Your ride''s here. Hurry up." "Come home with me, Scarlett. I really don''t want to leave you here by yourself," Nina tried to convince me onest time. "I''ll be fine. You don''t have to worry about me. Have a safe trip," I refused again. "Very well. Take care of yourself, okay? Call me if anything happens." Seeing that there was no changing my mind, Nina finally conceded. After seeing Nina out, I received a series of messages from Charles. I checked all of them, but I did not reply to any one of them. Instead, I put my phone in flight mode. The next day, I woke up in a daze and saw a message from Nina. "You have gotten me into trouble." "Why? What happened?" "Your husband was waiting for you at the airport. He stopped me. His depressed face seriously scared the hell out of me. I made a narrow escape in the end. When I got home, my father asked me what happened. I told him that Mr. Moore ambushed me at the airport and tried to kill me. Guess what my father said. He said, ''Well, I couldn''t have helped, dear. You should''ve been more careful.'' What father says that to his daughter?" I sent her aughing face emoji. "He is indeed your father. Just like you, he likes to make fun of other people." "Speaking of my father, he asked if you wanted to withdraw thewsuit. There seems to be no progress. Your husband must have used his connections to slow the process down." "No, I don''t want to withdraw thewsuit. Let me rethink my strategy." What a bastard Charles was! He was not above using his influence to stick obstacles in my way. To be honest, I wanted to go home and see Christine and the others. I just did not want to face Charles. After lunch, I went out to buy gifts for my family. To my surprise, I bumped into Abner at the mall. "Abner? What are you doing here?" I looked at him with wide eyes. "I''m on a business trip. Fancy seeing you here, Scarlett." Abner also looked shocked to see me, but there was genuine delight in his eyes. "Are you going shopping?" he asked, pointing at the stores all around us. "Yes. I want to buy some gifts for my family," I replied with a smile. "Then let me take the gifts home for you and send them to your family. I''ming home soon anyway." I did not expect that Abner would offer to help me. I was grateful, but I still felt a little ufortable taking advantage of his kindness. "I appreciate the offer, Abner, but no, thank you. I''ll just send the gifts home by post. Besides, I don''t want to hassle you by making you carry too many things on your flight home," I said and smoothed my hair awkwardly. "All right. You don''t have to be so polite and formal to me. How about I go shopping with you? At least let me help you carry the shopping bags." After saying that, Abner turned around and walked toward one of the shops. I did not really feelpletely at ease with the idea of spending an entire day with Abner getting gifts for my family. But feeling too embarrassed to refuse him again, I had no choice but to follow him. I had already decided the kind of gifts I wanted to buy, so we quickly finished shopping. Abner insisted on driving me home because of all the shopping bags I had to carry. I truly did not want him to go out of his way for me, but he was just so difficult to turn down. When we arrived at the ce where I was staying, Abner helped me with the bags, said goodbye, and then left. Once I was alone in the house, a gust of cold wind blew in through the window. I shivered. "That''s strange. I closed all the windows when I left for the mall. Why is it open now?" I murmured, looking at the open window. When I went to close it, someone rushed toward me and stuck a knife against my throat. I froze. "Don''t move." The person holding the knife to my neck was a man with a deep, husky voice. He inched the de closer. Soon, I felt the cold edge scratching my skin. One tiny move on my part would end with one of my veins cleanly sliced. I started trembling violently. Chapter 121 Being Attacked Chapter 121 Being Attacked Abner''s POV: After sending Scarlett home safely, I should have left, but I did not want to. Sitting in the car, I kept looking towards her room. I suddenly sensed that something was wrong. She should have entered the room, so why were the lights not turned on? Thinking of that, I got off the car and walked towards her home. Looking at the locked door, I hesitated for a while before I reached out to knock. Even after a few minutes of waiting, she did not open the door. Worried, I sensed that something must have happened to her because she did not open the door for a long time. Taking a look at the door in front of me, I kicked it open without much thought. Although the light in the room was very dim, I was able to make out what was going on. Scarlett was being kidnapped. "Calm down. What do you want? Money?" My heart jumped to my throat when I saw the man put a dagger to her throat. He was wearing a mask and a hat with only his eyes revealed. I tried to take a step forward, but he red at me, tightening his grip on Scarlett while moving the dagger closer to her neck. "I won''t move. Don''t hurt her." I stepped back at once, not daring to take another step. Scarlett winked at me, and I continued to speak, trying to distract the gangster. As soon as he was a little distracted, she stomped on his foot, causing him to bow down in pain. She then took the opportunity to break free and run away from him. At the same time, I threw my briefcase at his face. Seeing that his attempt had failed, he also escaped. Scarlett copsed on the ground, gasping for air. "Are you okay?" I asked worriedly, holding her in my arms. "I am fine." "I''ll turn on the light first." I patted Scarlett tofort her before I walked to the door, and turned on the light. Light filled the room. I helped Scarlett sit on the sofa. While nursing the wound on her neck, I suggested, "This house is not safe. You should stay in a hotel tonight." Scarlett nodded in shock, and it was clear that she was terrified. I sent her to a hotel after treating her wound. "You should be safe here. If anything happens, call me, and alert the hotel staff." "Thank you, Abner." Her lips were a little pale, because she still had not recovered from the shock. When I saw that she was trying to be strong, I wanted to give her a hug, but after thinking about it, I decided not to. "Go to bed early, then. I''lle to you tomorrow." "Thank you. Be careful on your way back. I''ll see you tomorrow." Scarlett forced a smile while she bid goodbye to me. I could not help but sigh as I despised myself for being such a coward. I had the urge to be with her, but I did not dare to. Scarlett''s POV: Wiping my wet hair with a towel, I kept thinking about what just happened. I could have died, if Abner had not been there to save me. ''Who on earth would want me dead? Could it be... Rita? That''s not possible, because even though she despises me, she would not be so cruel as to kill me.'' I tossed and turned the whole night, unable to figure out who held a grudge against me. The next morning, Abner came to pick me up and we had breakfast together. "Do you want to know who is trying to hurt me?" Seeing him hesitate, I asked before he said anything. Abner looked at me and nodded with a sigh. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "I suspect that it''s Rita." I was being honest about my suspicion. Abner tightened his grip on the knife and fork with coldness in his eyes. "Once we''ve had breakfast, let''s call the police, and check the local surveince video." "Okay..." I epted his suggestion after a moment''s hesitation. I must investigate the issue. Since they had not seeded in their attempt, they were certainly bound to try again. I would be at a disadvantage if the enemy continued to stay in the dark. However, we didn''t find anything that entire morning. The situation was worse than we expected. "It looks like... They are very cautious," I said in a serious tone, massaging my temples. "Since they chose to attack you, they must have been fully prepared." Abner also seemed to be at a loss. He nced at me and asked hesitantly, "Scarlett, if I say that Rita''s no longer ill, then will you believe it?" "What... What do you mean?" I couldn''t believe that at all. My head was buzzing. Abner exined, "I don''t have conclusive evidence now, so it''s just an assumption. Don''t take it too seriously." Thinking about it, I gave him a nod. I knew that he would not have mentioned it without a reason, so it was possible that he knew something. Abner looked at his watch and said in a serious tone, "I have to go back now. You be careful. Don''t trust anyone easily." "Don''t worry. I''ll be careful. Have a good trip." I smiled to reassure him, but that did not seem to work well at all. Abner looked at me and scratched his head irritably. "If you''re in trouble, don''t try to handle it by yourself." "It''s okay. I''ll be careful. Besides, Nina will be back in a few days, so don''t worry about me." I patted him on the shoulder to reassure him. "Okay, I''m leaving now, but you must remember what I said," Abner said helplessly with a worried look in his eyes. "Well, have a nice trip." Watching him leave, I stood in the cold wind, thinking about what he had just told me. Since my previous house did not seem safe anymore because of the attack, I found a new house and moved in. Just when I was finishing tidying up the room, Nina called me. "Scarlett, am I not your friend? Why didn''t you tell me that you were attacked?" Nina asked as soon as I answered her call. "Oh, I was scared, and I did note to my senses until you called me. I was just about to call you, too. Don''t we have a telepathic connection?" Since I did not want to worry her, I joked. "How can you joke so casually? I was almost scared to death when I heard what happened, you know?" Nina only got more anxious instead of feeling relieved. "I''m not hurt, so don''t worry. Besides, Abner helped me when that happened," I said with a smile. "Why were you attacked all of a sudden? Has that guy been caught yet?" Nina asked with concern in a softened tone. "Not yet, but the police are still investigating." I said helplessly, taking a sip of water. "Okay, be careful. Don''t go out alone. And remember to close the door and all the windows, even when you''re home, okay? Don''t forget to call me if anything happens." Nina sounded like a worried mother over the phone. "I know. Don''t worry. I''m fine," I promised to her again. Although I was touched by her concern for me, I didn''t want to burden others. Chapter 122 Video Call With Christine Chapter 122 Video Call With Christine Scarlett''s POV: When the call ended, I continued to clean the house. I had nothing else to do anyway. While I was busy working, the doorbell unexpectedly rang. I had no idea who woulde at this time. With that, I put down the rag in my hand and answered the door. I peeked through the peephole to see who it was. To my surprise, it was Charles. Did Nina tell him that someone had attacked me and I almost died on the spot? Why else did he come all of a sudden? With a helpless sigh, I took the scarf that was hanging on the banister and wrapped it around my neck. With that, I finally opened the door. "You don''t seem very happy to see me, do you?" Charles asked with a long face while leaning on the doorframe. I opened my mouth to speak. But on second thought, I decided to keep my mouth shut. "Why didn''t you call or reply to my texts? Do you hate me that much?" Charles asked again. His tone became intive as I did not respond to his questions. Judging from his reaction, it seemed that he did not know that someone had attacked me. At that moment, I pursed my lips and shook my head in response. "You''re hiding from me on purpose, aren''t you? Fine. If you really hate me that much, I''ll leave." Charles kicked the door irritably and turned around to leave. "Wait!" I blurted out when I saw that he was about to leave. Tears suddenly welled up in my eyes. I almost died in a foreign country. How could he be so cold to me? Charles stopped in his tracks but did not turn around. "Have you booked the air ticket?" I asked with a trembling voice. "I can book it now," Charles retorted. I tried my best to calm myself down. Once I finally got ahold of myself, I stepped aside and let him in. "Come in first." Without a word, Charles entered my house and sat on the sofa. "I''ll get you a ss of water," I offered. I then went to the kitchen to get it. When I returned to the living room, I noticed that Charles''s ears were red because of the cold. Did hee a long way to see me? But it was so cold outside. It must take him a long time to get my new address. I did not tell him I had moved, after all. Seeing Charles like this, I could not help but feel sorry for him. "How did you know that I moved here?" I asked casually. But in fact, I was on pins and needles. I could not help but fiddle with my hair in anxiety. Charles cast a nce at me and then looked away. "I don''t want to talk about it," he curtly replied. "Why did you suddenlye here?" "Are you going to spend Valentine''s Day cleaning the house?" he asked back instead of answering my question. It was then that I realized what day it was. I smiled at Charles meaningfully. "Should I hang out with someone to celebrate?" Charles clenched his fists and moved close to me. "Don''t provoke me," he warned in an icy cold tone. His face was only an inch away from mine. As he I felt his breath on my face, which made me instinctively move back. I averted my gaze and shifted the topic. "Are you on a business trip?" He looked at me from the corner of his eye and grumbled, "What else?" I could not look at him. So, I lowered my head and changed the subject. "How are Grandpa and Grandma?" "Huh? You still have them in your heart? How strange," he said in a voice dripping with sarcasm. His crass remark made me feel even more uneasy. The grievance caused by the attack two days ago and Charles''s indifferent attitude made my chest feel stuffy. I felt like bawling my eyes out. But then, I did not want to cry in front of him, so I wiped my eyes and held back my tears. "I... I''m here for you." Charles helplessly said, his tone softer than a while ago. I looked up at him as his gentle and pleasant voice rang in my ears. However, the grievances that I had been bottling exploded in my heart, and I burst into tears. Charles looked a little flustered when I started crying. "You don''t want me here? Is that why you''re crying?" I wiped my tears and shook my head in response. How could I not want him here? I was happier than ever now that he was here with me. Charles walked up to me and wiped my tears as gently as he could. Just then, his phone rang. Charles held up his phone and said, "It''s a video call from Grandma." Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. I sat beside him and forced a smile as he answered the iing call. "Scarlett, how are you doing there?" Christine asked with concern over the phone. "I''m fine, Grandma," I replied with a reassuring smile. "Wait a minute. Why are your eyes red? Did Charles hurt you again?" "No, Grandma. I just woke up, and my eyes were a little puffy, so I rubbed them," I reasoned out. "I see. Tell me if Charles hurts you, okay? I''ll teach that brat a lesson!" Grandma assured. But, I sensed in her voice that she was not convinced by my exnation. "I promise, Grandma. Charles didn''t do anything to me. By the way, Happy Valentine''s Day." A bright smile appeared on Christine''s face when I greeted her. "Oh, darling. I''m too old to celebrate Valentine''s Day. Only young people like it." She looked at me meaningfully. I felt my face burning in embarrassment, but I forced myself to calm down. "Grandma, take care of yourself. I''lle to see you soon." Meanwhile, Charles snorted when he saw the smile on my face. "I will. Don''t worry. Take care of yourself too, my dear Scarlett." Christine then shifted her attention to Charles. In an instant, her smile disappeared, reced by a look of utter disdain. "As for you, Charles, don''t think that I can''t teach you a lesson just because you''re out of the country." Michael, who was sitting beside Christine, also warned Charles "Charles, if I find out that you''re bullying Scarlett, I will break your legs!" But as Michael saw that Charles was unmoved by his warning, he continued, "Scarlett is a good girl. You should treat her well and be content with what you have. I may be getting old, but I still have the strength to hit you with my cane!" "Didn''t you hear what your grandparents said? Why aren''t you answering?" Alice chimed in. I turned to look at Charles. I felt sorry for him as his family kept on reprimanding him for something he did not do. Atst, Charles sighed exasperatedly and answered, "I didn''t hurt her or bully her." "Very well." Christine looked at me with a smile and reminded me, "Scarlett, take care of yourself, okay? Grandma will always be here for you." I wanted tough as I noticed the difference in her attitude towards me and Charles. But of course, I bit my tongue to stop myself from bursting intoughter. "I will, Grandma. Don''t worry." "Alright then. We''ll leave you two alone now. Happy Valentine''s Day!" Without waiting for our response, Christine hung up the video call. Chapter 123 Valentines Day Chapter 123 Valentine''s Day Scarlett''s POV: When the video call ended, I burst intoughter as I remembered how Charles was "bullied" by his family members. "You''re not that happy when you see me, your own husband," Charlesined with a frown. My smile faltered when I noticed the unrestrained joy on my face. Embarrassed, I straightened my scarf and turned my face away. Charles touched my scarf and asked, "Why are still wearing a scarf at home?" "What are you doing?" I took a step back and looked at him warily. Charles withdrew his hand and shrugged his shoulders. "Why are you wrapped so tightly at home? I''ve seen you naked, you know." "Well, my neck hurts." I shielded my scarf with my hands and took a step back vigntly. "If you want, I can stay here overnight. I''ll give you a massage in return." Charles reached out to pull the scarf off my neck again. "No, I don''t want to!" I protested firmly, hoping he would not insist. "I''ll stay overnight for free then. I don''t mind spending the night here. I can make do with it." Charles spread out his hands and sighed helplessly. However, I knew him better than anyone else. I''m sure he was just trying to make me feel sorry for him. I nced at him. "No, you can''t. I''ll book a hotel room for you," I protested in an icy cold tone. With that, I took out my phone to call the hotel and book a room for Charles. But before I could hit the call button, Charles grabbed my hand pulled me outside of my house. I struggled to get out of his grasp but to no avail. "Where-where are you taking me?" "Somewhere nice to celebrate Valentine''s Day, of course," Charles answered calmly. He then pulled me into his car, and he left me no chance to escape. Today was Valentine''s Day. Because of this, a lot of people were on the streets. Most of them were couples. They were all beaming with happiness. Thanks to the festive atmosphere, my anger gradually dissipated. I could literally feel the saying that "love is in the air." The car was stuck in a traffic jam for a few minutes. Thankfully, the cars started moving not long after. Soon, our car came to a halt in front of a sophisticated restaurant. I looked around and thought that this ce was not suitable for the two of us. However, I did not want to upset Charles, so I did not say out loud what was on my mind. "When did you make a reservation in this restaurant?" I curiously asked. Charles looked at me and smiled. "Just before we came here." My eyes widened in awe. "It''s not easy to book a table in such a restaurant on Valentine''s Day." Charles nced at mezily and answered, "Of course, money." I suddenly remembered that there were indeed a lot of things in the world that could be bought with money. But... not me! He could not buy me. The moment we walked into the restaurant, the waiter warmly weed us and led us to our table. "Sir, Madam, should we serve the dishes now? Do you need anything else besides the ones you''ve ordered?" the waiter asked with a smile while looking at me. "Just serve the ones that were ordered. Thank you," I replied with a smile. "Please wait a moment. The dinner will be ready shortly." The waiter turned around and left as soon as he finished speaking. A few momentster, the waiter returned with the dishes. He deftly served each dish one after another. And soon, the food was finally ready. Charles and I gazed at the scrumptious feast before us. Without further ado, we dug into the food and ate in silence. We did not say a word and just enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere around us. While we were eating, fireworks were set off outside, illuminating the night sky and breaking the silence between the two of us. I looked outside the window and gasped in shock as I saw the colorful fireworks. "It''s so beautiful!" I remarked in a daze. "Yes, it is," Charles replied in a dreamy voice. I turned to look at him. To my surprise, he was not looking at the fireworks but at me. Was he talking about the fireworks or me? Hispliment made me feel hot in my ears. I lowered my head and continued eating. Although I was touched, I bit my tongue to stop myself from smiling like an idiot. It was already deep into the night when we finished eating dinner. Once we were ready to go, Charles stood up and took his coat. "Will you be staying in a hotel or your apartment?" I hesitated for a moment, wondering if it was a trick question. But then, I answered, "You stay in the hotel, and I''ll go home." "I can''t book a hotel room now, so your suggestion won''t work," Charles retorted with a meaningful smile. I looked at him but quickly looked away when our eyes met. I did not believe what he had said. As I just stood there and did not move an inch, Charles urged, "Let''s go home." Without waiting for my response, he turned around and walked out of the restaurant. I could not help but sigh helplessly as I watched his receding figure. In the end, I decided to follow him. We arrived at my apartment after a while. Neither of us spoke as we took the elevator. I could smell Charles''s masculine perfume, and my heart fluttered in my chest. I looked at him out of the corner of my eye and furtively took a step away from him. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. However, Charles suddenly approached me and tried to remove my scarf again. I clutched my scarf tightly and looked at him in horror. "Hey! What are you doing?" As Charles saw that I reacted so strongly, he held up his hand in surrender, took a step back, and kept a distance from me. "Is there anything on your neck?" Charles curiously asked while staring at my neck. "You think too much. My neck just hurt these past few days," I reasoned out. If he found out that something had happened to me here, I doubted he would allow me to attend the second training session. So, I had better hide my injury from him until it healed. "What does that have to do with wearing a scarf?" Charles asked while eyeing me with suspicion. "Well, the doctor advised that I should keep my neck warm, so it helps ease the pain." I turned my face to one side and averted my gaze as I spoke. "Do you really think I''ll believe that?" Charles smirked. Fortunately, he gave up trying to take off my scarf. It waste at night when we finally got home. These past few days, I had been busy moving my belongings. Now, I was exhausted. At that moment, I yawned tiredly and instructed Charles, "You sleep in the room, and I''ll sleep on the sofa." Charles nced at me and said nothing. However, I could tell from his eyes that he had other intentions. As he did not say anything, I turned around and entered the bedroom. When I returned to the bedroom with an extra quilt, I saw Charles lying on the sofa. It seemed that he had volunteered to sleep on the couch tonight. That was good then. That meant I would be comfortable in my bed. However, it did not take long before I proved myself wrong. When he saw me, he patted the narrow space beside him and looked at me with a mischievous smile. "Come on. Let''s sleep on the sofa together." I clutched the quilt and firmly shook my head in refusal. "No." Knowing Charles, he would not take no for an answer. He stood up from the sofa and started to make his way to me. I took several steps back until I backed into the wall. Without a word, Charles held me in his tight embrace. With a cunning smile, he touched my lips and whispered, "There''s nothing you can do about it. Wherever you sleep, I''ll sleep next to you." I could hear my heart pounding wildly in my chest. On the contrary, the culprit just looked at me calmly. "Tell me, where do you want to sleep tonight?" Charles asked with a sly smile. "You choose first." I turned my head away and avoided eye contact with him. I could feel myself hyperventting, but I forced myself to calm down. However, Charles made things difficult for me yet again. Instead of restraining himself, he moved closer to me. His breath tickled my ear, and it made my heart beat faster. "I said I want to sleep with you," he whispered, turning a deaf ear to my refusal. I stared daggers at him and snarkily asked, "So you traveled across the sea just to sleep with me?" Chapter 124 Knew The Truth Chapter 124 Knew The Truth Scarlett''s POV: "Yes, I am just here to sleep with you." Saying that, Charles picked me up with the quilt still in my arms and walked into the room slowly. In the dimly lit room, he held me so close that I felt his warm breath caressing my skin. He gently stroked my face helplessly, sighing, as he asked, "What should I do to make you believe that I love you deeply?" Since the lights were off, I could only vaguely see his tender, affectionate eyes. My heart began to race again. I kept my head down, not daring to look at him. "Scarlett, I miss you so much every day, you know? I didn''t want to let you go at all, but I couldn''t bear to see you cry. I really wish I could have kept you by my side forever. What should I do with you?" Charles asked softly. His gentle tone made my body go limp. I grabbed my hand, forcing myself to think straight. ''I must stay rational. And I can''t allow myself to be bewitched by his words again,'' I thought to myself. Taking a deep breath, I pushed Charles away, afraid that I might not be able to control myself if we continued to stay so close to each other. However, he held me again, and said in a firm voice, "I don''t think that you can turn me down so resolutely. And I don''t believe it when you say that you don''t love me. I can still feel your love for me whenever we''re together. You can also feel my love for you, isn''t that right? You just don''t seem to want to admit it." "Whether you believe it or not is..." Before I could finish my words, Charles'' gentle kiss stopped me. My head was a mess, and my brain could no longer decide what to do. Embracing each other warmly, we fell on the bed. The atmosphere in the room suddenly became passionate and romantic. However, my phone rang on the bedside table, jolting us back to reality. I turned to look at Charles, who was still kissing me. Just when I was about to push him away and answer the call, he grabbed both my hands and pressed them over my head. "The phone..." Before I could say another word, Charles kissed me again, more passionately than before. I felt as though he was punishing me, but his domineering and possessive behavior was fatally attractive in my eyes. Under his flirtation, my brain shut down once again. All of a sudden, I head a click sound. Charles unfastened his belt. "Guess who is calling?" he asked me in a hoarse voice, which was seductive and charming. "I..." Before I could say more, I felt a chill. And Charles took off my shirt in one swift move. I covered my face in embarrassment, and was no longer in the mood to guess who was calling. "Abner has an improper desire towards a married woman. You can''t be friends with him." Charles kissed me, his tone filled with jealousy. His lips moved from my lips to my neck, and then to my corbone. Soon, I was aroused, and I could not resist him anymore. I felt a sudden chill on my neck. Charles took off my scarf, and feeling the chill, I immediately covered my neck with my hands. "Move your hands." He continued to kiss me, but I shook my head and shrank back a little. Seeing that, Charles grabbed my leg and dragged me, pressing himself on top of me. As soon as he turned on the bedsidemp, I noticed the look of fury in his eyes. He raised my hands high while he studied my neck. "What happened here?" he asked coldly, pointing to the scar on my neck. "I identally got scratched by a branch," I exined guiltily as I turned away, not daring to look at him. Charles looked at me andughed. "Do you really think that I am going to buy that? You''d better confess!" I kept silent, not knowing what to say. "Well, just let it go, okay?" I looked at him pleadingly, but he frowned, unwilling to give up.Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "Are you going to tell me or not?" With a helpless sigh, I dropped my hands feebly. "Someone broke into my apartment with a knife, and I got cut a little." I still could not bring myself to lie to him. He remained silent for a long time, gritting his teeth while looking at me. "Why didn''t you tell me sooner?" "We were far away from each other, and there was no point in telling you about it." The next second, the bedroom fell silent with only the sound of our breaths that was heard. "I shouldn''t have allowed you to go abroad." Charles was clearly furious. I continued to stay silent, and he let go of my hand. He moved away from me with disappointment in his eyes. I sat up, trying to cover my neck with the scarf, but he took it away forcefully. "Did you call the police?" He nced at me indifferently while irritably scratching his messy head. "I called the police on the next day, but they didn''t find anything," I said lightly as I straightened up my clothes awkwardly. "You didn''t told me that you almost got hit by a carst time, and now this. Good for you, Scarlett. You don''t seem to want to tell me anything at all." Charles gritted his teeth with a helpless look in his eyes. Thinking of the car ident, and what happened that night, I whispered, "I might... I might have offended someone, but I haven''t found any evidence yet." "Do you suspect anyone?" Charles asked tly. Seeing that, I thought of Rita, and could not help but feel ironic. If I told him that I suspected her, then he might think that I am trying to nder her. With a frown, he looked at me and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?" I nced at him before I looked away and shook my head. "Nothing. Let''s wait for the police investigation results first. After all, they haven''t caught that person yet." "If you had told me earlier, then I might have caught that person," Charles said fiercely as he picked up his phone. He seemed to be about to text someone. I looked out of the window at the night sky, feeling a little depressed. "Don''t worry. I have asked someone to investigate it." Charles stroked my hair gently. I could not help but be stunned because deep down, I knew that I would not be able to resist the considerate and thoughtful Charles. "I won''t let you get hurt." He smiled faintly, noticing that I was in a daze. "That''s none of your business," I said tly, shaking off his hand. "You are my wife. How can I leave you to handle such matters on your own? I sounded mean because I was worried about you. Honey, don''t be mad at me." A myriad of thoughts crowded my mind at that moment, and I fell silent. What would Charles do if Rita was really the one behind it? I was worried that he might choose to trust her and stand by her without even considering otherwise. I was being ridiculous. I knew the answer, and yet, I kept deceiving myself with various excuses. Chapter 125 Perfect Match Chapter 125 Perfect Match Charles'' POV: "Why are you silent? What are you thinking about?" I could not help but ask when I saw Scarlett with her head down. "Charles, we are not meant for each other." Saying that with a sigh, she looked at me. I held her in my arms and whispered, "After we have sex a few more times, you will realize that we are perfect for each other." Upon hearing my flirtatious words, Scarlett was stunned. I could not contain the joy in my heart when I saw how cute and adorable she was. Before she could start to resist again, I pressed her under my body. I wanted to toy with her some more when I looked at her flustered expression. I hugged her and kissed her. Seeing her alive with pleasure, I touched her face, and smiled. "Don''t you agree that we are perfect for each other now?" "Shut up!" Scarlett was so shy and angry at the same time that she raised her hand to hit me, but I grabbed her hands and pressed them over her head. "How am I supposed to please you if I shut my mouth now?" I asked with a cheeky smile before I took off her underwear and sucked on her soft breasts. I felt her body stiffen under me and noticed her blushing. I licked her harder, enjoying the way she curled up and trembled under my touch. She looked so beautiful that I did not want to share her with anyone else. Feeling Scarlett''s body turning limp and numb, I held her hand as I guided her all the way down. I felt like I was on cloud nine when I felt her soft palm hold my hard penis. The mes in my chest began to grow wild as I felt her delicate fingers rubbing against my shaft. When I sensed that she was ready, I thrust in her without even a moment''s hesitation. We hugged each other as we groaned with pleasure. Seeing that she spread her legs wider, enjoying herself, I could not help but thrust myself in her slowly and sensually. After the climax, Scarlett curled up under my body. I smoothed her soft long hair with a smile of satisfaction. "Were you scared at that time?" I asked in a concerned voice while stroking her cheek lovingly. The very thought of her facing that gangster alone made me shiver. "Abner saved me," Scarlett blurted out. As soon as I heard those words, my good mood vanished at once. "Looks like you are very close to him," I said through gritted teeth and bit her neck until my teeth marks were imprinted on her skin. Scarlett cast a reproachful nce at me and sighed. "I ran into Abner by chance. He was there on a business trip, and since it was toote at night, he offered to drop me off. I would have died if it had not been for him. I really appreciate his help. After scaring the gangster away, he drove me to a hotel and apanied me to the police station on the next morning." I pinched her chin, forced her look at me, and ordered, "Say you love me!" But Scarlett nced at me indifferently, refusing to oblige. I snuggled up to her neck and pleaded, "Say it!" "No," Scarlett said indifferently, trying to push me away. "Don''t regret it, then!" I said through gritted teeth and bit her breast. My penis which was still inside of her became hard again. Hearing her soft groan, I could not help but continue to thrust myself inside her. "You... Slow down, please," she pleaded in a low voice, letting out sobs. But her plea only made me more excited. I spread her legs wider and thrust deeper and faster until she reached her climax. But that was not enough for me. I leaned closer to her ear and chuckled. "Baby, don''t you know that talking to me so submissively will only arouse me more? For me, your voice works better than any aphrodisiac in the world." After I finished, Scarlett covered her mouth to stop herself from making any sound, ncing at me with reproachful eyes. "Don''t seduce me," I said with a smile as I picked her up. I wanted her to like being on top of me when we were having sex. When I heard her gasping and panting for breath, it made me feel like I was not lonely in the long, dull night. Scarlett''s POV: When I turned, I felt a strong pain all over my body, which woke me up in an instant. Thinking ofst night, I felt ashamed and angry. Looking at the blue and purple marks on my body, I felt like biting Charles to death. He was not gentle at all, and he kept bullying me for a long time. Enduring the pain, I walked downstairs and as soon as I entered the living room, I saw Charles. Coincidentally, an advertisement for birth control pills showed on the TV. Seeing that, my body stiffened. I made eye-contact with Charles for just a second before I quickly turned the other way. The atmosphere suddenly became awkward. "Come and have breakfast." Charles broke the silence. Blushing, I walked over to him awkwardly. "Did you celebrate Valentine''s Day alone while you were studying abroad?" he asked casually during our meal. Swallowing the food in my mouth, I said lightly, "I would usually spend Valentine''s Day with my friends." "Boys or girls?" he asked, holding the milk jug in his hand tightly. "Both. We would just hang out and have a meal together." As soon as I said those words, I heard him sigh with relief. "When your father was in trouble, your family was worried about you, so they didn''t allow you to go back. It''s not like I didn''t want you to go back..." Charles exined all of a sudden, and I looked at him, not knowing if it was true or not. However, it did not matter now. After breakfast, I was so bored that I sat on the sofa, checking my Facebook. Unexpectedly, he pulled me into his arms and kissed the corners of my lips. "Did you cry with the knife against your neck?" Charles aasked in a rxed tone while caressing my hair. I nced at him and said lightly, "My legs went limp, but I didn''t cry." He suddenly fell silent, and things were awkward again. His hands began to wander around my waist, so I grabbed them and asked, "Haven''t you hugged me enough?" "No!" Charles gazed into my eyes and held me tighter. "You even allowed Abner to carry you in his arms to the hotel. Did you enjoy it a lot?" "He didn''t carry me in his arms. I could perfectly walk on my own," I retorted helplessly, rolling my eyes at him. "Didn''t you just say that your legs went limp?" Charles was really acting like an unreasonable child. "He just held my arm to support me. He didn''t have to carry me!" I exined helplessly, touching my forehead. Charles immediately tightened his grip around my waist and asked in a low voice, "Can''t youe back home with me?" N?velDrama.Org content rights. "No!" I refused without hesitation. "Why not?" Charles frowned, looking at me in a daze. "No particr reason. I just don''t want to," I said firmly, looking away from him. With a helpless sigh, he said in a softer tone, "You have no one to rely on here, and you may be in danger at any time. So why are you so keen about staying here?" "I think it''s good here." "Are you really not going back?" Charles asked again. I shook my head firmly. "No, I am not!" "I''ll ask you onest time, Scarlett. Will youe back or not?" he asked in a threatening voice, suddenly grabbing my waist. Chapter 126 Sadness Chapter 126 Sadness Scarlett''s POV: Holding my waist, Charles looked into my eyes. He then grabbed me tightly, his fingers rubbing the skin on my waist, tickling me. I took a deep breath, but I shook my head firmly. "Then I won''t let you get away from me today." Gritting his teeth, he pressed me under his body. Noticing the burning mes of lust deep in his eyes, I subconsciously wanted to escape. But then he held my hands over my head, making my struggles futile. "What are you going to lose if you just go back with me?" Charles asked helplessly while kissing the corner of my mouth gently. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. I tried to struggle, but he pressed me harder. "Don''t move," he said domineeringly as he gently and skillfully stroked every sensitive part of my body. I kept reminding myself to be rational, but the moment I looked into his eyes, a strong sense of desire conquered my heart and my body. We kissed each other, allowing our lust to becloud our reasoning. Before I could react, he stripped me. Our heavy rapid gasps were heard from the living room to the bedroom. Charles caressed my face lovingly. There was a fierce look in his eyes when he began to thrust himself inside of me, as though he was venting his dissatisfaction. Noticing his sweaty hair, I lowered my head shyly and saw hickeys all over my body. "No... Please stop," I begged as Iy on the bed, looking at Charles, who was ring at me. "Stop? I''m still angry, baby. You have to work hard to please me first," he said with a smile before he switched positions with me and I was on top of him. I groaned in pain. My waist was sore and painful, but there was also an unspeakable pleasure in my heart and my body, engulfing my soul. I cried and begged him for a long time until I was exhausted. Only then did he let me go. Iy on the bed for a long time with no strength left in me. I couldn''t even lift my hands. However, Charles was on a video conference in the room, looking unusually happy. I heard his low, seductive voice. I was growing less resistant towards him after each time we had sex. In fact, I could not help but feel like the sex was getting better. I immediately recalled his words that night. He had told me that I would realize what a perfect match we were after making love a few more times. I pushed my worries aside, wanting to get dressed, so I was about to go to the bathroom. "Did I allow you to leave?" Charles asked slowly, seeing that I was about to get out of bed. "I need to go to the bathroom." Since I knew that he was angry, I carefully weighed my words in order not to offend him or piss him off. I knew that I would not be able to get out of bed if we made love a few more times. Without saying anything, Charles stood up, and walked over to me. Staring at me, he took a night robe from the closet and handed it to me. I nced at him, hoping that he would leave the room, but he crossed his arms over his chest and said indifferently, "Well, do you want me to help you put it on?" He then walked towards me. "No, I can do it myself!" I blurted out, in an attempt to stop him. Charles stopped, but he didn''t turn around. I sighed helplessly, trying to stifle the sense of shame in my heart as I got dressed in front of him. As soon as my feet touched the soft carpet, my legs went limp and gave away. The next thing I knew, I found myself on the floor. He immediately rushed to me and carried me in his arms. "Are your feet feeling limp? Weren''t you acting tough just a second ago?" he asked tly. I nestled in his arms quietly, feeling a little embarrassed. He gently put me down after we were in the bathroom. "Do you need my help?" Charles asked seriously. Shame engulfed my heart as I bit my lower lip and said lightly, "I can do it myself." "I''ll wait for you outside, then." My waist was sore, and my body was drained off strength. Supporting myself along the wall, I walked out of the bathroom and saw that Charles was waiting by the door. "Why are you being so stubborn?" he asked in an angry voice that was alsoced with a sense of amusement as he looked at me. I ignored him and walked to the bed with difficulty. But just then Charles suddenly lifted me up. I struggled subconsciously, thinking that he was going to have sex with me again. But he gently put me down on the bed andy beside me. I was nervous, but he didn''t do anything. He buried his head in my neck and breathed gently. "I''m going back tomorrow. Are you really not going back with me?" Charles asked helplessly, with a hint of love in his tone. I hesitated for a moment before I said firmly, "I''m going to start the second session of my training program tomorrow." "Then I''ll find someone to take care of you." "I can take care of myself," I said sharply, looking at him. "If you need anything, just tell me, at least, okay? I will do anything for you." "I wish you a good trip." As soon as I finished speaking, he looked at me with loving eyes. I wanted to pull the nket to cover my face, but he pulled it away. "It''s cold!" Iined and grabbed the nket when I felt the cold breeze brushing against my skin, causing me to shudder. Charles tucked me in and looked at me with eagerness in his eyes. "Can you at least apany me to the airport tomorrow?" "I have to attend the ss tomorrow, so I won''t have time to see you off." Upon hearing what I said, Charles held me tighter. "I don''t know when we will meet again. So you have to make it up to me." "What do you want?" Caressing my cheek, he said with a serious look, "You are the best gift for me." Upon hearing that, I subconsciously shrank back, fearing that he might lose control again. Charles looked at me helplessly. "You think I''m a heartless beast?" "Aren''t you?" I blurted out, but a secondter, I regretted it. I observed his expression carefully while worrying if I made him angry. After a long moment of silence, I was about to say something when Charles looked at me with tenderness in his eyes, and said, "You are too tired, so kisses will be enough. Since I won''t be able to see you for a long time, I have to kiss you enough today." With that, he began kissing me softly, but passionately. He held me and kissed me that whole night. I felt my lips swell. I fell asleep after a long time. The next morning, I vaguely felt someone kissing my forehead as they whispered, "Honey, I am leaving now. I wille see you as soon as I can, okay?" I pretended to be asleep until I heard the door close, and after that I opened my eyes. I walked to the window and watched Charles '' car drive away, feeling a little sad. However, I pushed that feeling aside as I felt like he had been impacting my mood a lottely, and that I had to calm down. Chapter 127 I Miss You Chapter 127 I Miss You Charles'' POV: As soon as I got off the ne, I saw the news broadcast, which mentioned that I had celebrated Valentine''s Day with Scarlett. Looking at our backs in the photo, I felt that we were perfect together and was satisfied. Hence, I was in a good mood on my way back to the house. "Grandma, I''m back," I greeted and hugged her warmly. "Didn''t Scarlette with you?" Grandma asked with dissatisfaction, looking behind me. "She will study aboard for a year, but she will asionallye back for important TV shows," I exined to her in a hurry, unable to stand her being disappointed. "asionally? You are so useless, Charles! How can you let she live alone there?" Grandma clearly pitied Scarlett and was displeased with me. "Grandma, please try to understand her." Hearing herint, I did not know whether I should cry orugh. As Scarlett''s husband, I could not even dare toin to her... Seeing that, Grandma sighed helplessly. And I helped her into the room. "Forget it. Scarlett has her own ns, so just let her do whatever she wants." "Grandma, thank you for being so sensible and understanding," I praised her. "You glib boy." Grandma punched me gently with a smile. "Hey, did you use protections when you were with Scarlett?" she asked tentatively after hesitating for a moment. I was stunned to hear that because I was not expecting her to ask me such a question. "Why are you so nervous and shy? Just tell me." Her voice was cold now. With a helpless sigh, I said, "No, we didn''t..." Noticing her strange expression, I couldn''t help but add, "Grandma, can you stop asking such awkward and embarrassing questions?" "It''s your fault that I always have to worry about your rtionship with Scarlett," she retorted in a disappointed voice while pounding my chest anxiously. After giving her repeated nods of agreement and an apology, she finally stopped nagging me. "Grandma, I''m a little tired now, so I''ll go back to my room and rest." Saying that, I ran back to my room. As soon as I sat down in my room, I couldn''t help missing Scarlett. It felt like it had been ages since Ist saw her face. I called her, but she did not answer. Looking at my phone with annoyance, I gritted my teeth. ''How can she dare to ignore my call right after I came back? I must teach her a lessonter.'' I called her several times, but there was no answer. I checked Nina''s address and visited her. "Charles? Why are you here?" Nina asked in surprise when she saw me. Wasn''t that obvious? Why else would Ie to see her? "Please call Scarlett. She is not answering my calls," I pleaded. "Is something wrong?" Nina asked worriedly, but she called Scarlett after seeing how agitated I was. "Hello, Nina? Shouldn''t you be home enjoying your vacation now? Why are you calling me?" Scarlett askedzily as soon as the call was connected. "Why do you think?" I asked lightly, taking the phone from her. "Why are you there?" Scarlett was indeed surprised. Upon hearing her question, I gritted my teeth and sneered. "What? Do you think that you can get away from me while you''re working abroad? Why didn''t you answer my calls?" "I''m still in ss, so bye," Scarlett said quickly and disconnected the call. Seeing that, I made up my mind to not go easy on her the next time I see her. I looked at Nina and begged, "Could you please go back sooner? I''ll pay for the ticket." I knew that I would go crazy if I could not get in touch with Scarlett. "You two... Fine." After hesitating for a long time, Nina finally agreed. Scarlett''s POV: Just when I was about to go out for grocery shopping, I saw Nina outside the apartment building. "Why did youe back so soon?" I asked, looking at her in surprise. There were still a few days left before her ss began, so I thought that she would not be back for a few more days. With a helpless sigh, Nina nced at the car that brought her there. Looking at the luxury car, I immediately understood what happened. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "You must answer Charles'' calls immediately in the future," Nina said helplessly as she carried her luggage and walked towards the elevator. As soon as she settled down in our new ce and took a sip of water, she beganining. "You don''t know how scary it was when Charles suddenly appeared at my door yesterday. Although he was smiling at me, I felt like I was doomed." "Come on, you are exaggerating." Shaking my head, I could not help butugh. Nina stood up from the sofa and said vividly, "Well, you didn''t see how he looked when he asked me toe back sooner. I still feel like if I had dared to refuse him, he would have asked someone to tie me up and throw me on the ne." "I am sorry, Nina. I spoiled your n." After knowing the reason she came back early, I could not help but feel guilty. "It''s alright. Don''t forget to answer his call next time, though." With a smile, Nina patted me on the shoulder. "Block Charles'' number so that he won''t disturb you again," I suggested, still feeling a little guilty. "I don''t have the guts to do such a thing!" Nina said, looking at me in disbelief. "What are you so afraid of? He is not going to eat you." I gave her a helpless smile seeing her strong reaction. "I''m not so sure about that." With a smile, Nina held my hand and added, "Scarlett, I actually think that Charles really likes you. He was clearly so worried when he was not able to get through to you yesterday, so I can tell that he really cares about you. Why don''t you try to ept him?" "Let''s drop it," I interrupted her impatiently. "Scarlett, what''s wrong with you? You look so pale and haggard," she asked worriedly. "It''s nothing. Maybe I''m a just little tired because I''ve been really busytely," I said weakly, massaging my eyebrows. I did not know the reason I had been feeling so exhausted in the past few days, and I also felt sleepy all the time, like I had not slept well enough. "Have a rest," Nina said to me in a concerned voice, and stopped persuading me. "It''s alright. You havee a long way, so you take rest. I need to clear my head." I put on a smile to assure Nina. "Well, let me know if you feel ufortable." Nina let out a yawn tiredly, and walked to her room. Sitting on the sofa alone, I began to feel sleepy again. Just then, my phone rang. I answered it and said to Charles angrily, "Don''t make things difficult for Nina anymore." "I didn''t make things difficult for her. She volunteered to go back sooner than nned," Charles retorted, panicking. "Would you have let her go if she had refused you?" I sighed helplessly, feeling that he was not considerate towards other people''s feelings. "Of course, I won''t make things difficult for anyone as long as you answer my calls," Charles said cheekily and brazenly. I softened my tone and tried to convince him, "Charles, don''t waste your time on me. We can''t be together." "Do you even know how hurtful your words are?" "So you..." Before I could finish my words, he interrupted, "No matter what you say, I am not giving up. I have already told you that I am serious about pursuing you, so I won''t give up easily. As long as I get in touch with you and know that you are safe and sound, I will feel at ease." After saying that, he hung up even though I did not respond to him at all. Looking at the ck screen, all kinds of emotions crashed into my heart, flooding it. Chapter 128 A Liar Chapter 128 A Liar Charles'' POV: I was no longer worried when Scarlett and I finally talked over the call. However, my worry turned into dismay. When would she finally be able to let go of our misunderstandings and ept me? In the evening, Spencer invited me out for a drink, to which I agreed. I stared at the tequ shot in front of me. Without much thought, I picked it up and drank it up. I could not wait to numb the pain in my heart with alcohol. For once, I did not want to think about Scarlett. Well, the joke was on me as she was on my mind the entire night. "What happened? You look troubled," Spencer asked with a frown. I merely nced at him. I did not feel like talking, so I just drank in silence. "What? Is it because you haven''t seen her for a long time?" Spencer guessed with a smug look on his face. "We see each other a lot," I corrected before he could make another wild guess. Spencer looked at me in confusion. "If that''s the case, why do you look glum? Cheer up, man." David also looked at me with bewilderment. I sighed exasperatedly and exined, "Scarlett''s apartment is not safe. That day, someone broke into her apartment with a knife." The cheeky smile on Spencer''s face faltered. "Could it be that it was the same person who had almost hit her with a car?" he worriedly asked. "I don''t know yet, but the investigation is underway. Right now, there''s nothing I can do but wait for the result." I kneaded my temples and leaned against the sofa wearily. David patted me on the shoulder for reassurance. "Let''s wait until the result of the investigation comes out. But seriously, can you rest assured while Scarlett is abroad on her own?" I nced at him and heaved a sigh. "Of course, not! I''m worried about her. But, she has her own n, and I trust that she would take care of herself. Besides, I can''t take her back by force, can I?" At that moment, Spencer looked at me with narrowed eyes and eyed me with suspicion. "Tell me the truth. Are you unhappy because Scarlett was attacked, or is it because of something else?" I sighed yet again. His question made me even more irritable. Sometimes, true friends would seem as though they could read your mind. They could see through each other at a nce. "Scarlett told me not to waste my time on her." Spencer and David''s eyes lit up as soon as I finished speaking. It seemed as though they found my dilemma amusing. "Aww. Look at you¡ªso sad and pitiful. Sorry, it''s just that it''s unusual to see you like this. It''s funny." David''s face turned red as he tried to stifle hisughter. I stared daggers at him. "Well, from what I can see, you still have a long way to go before you finally win Scarlett over. Admit it, women are more difficult to deal with than business." I shot Spencer a furious nce and kicked him in the shin. "Are you two really my friends or not?" "Of course, we''re friends. That''s why I hope you win Scarlett''s heart as soon as possible." Spencer and David raised their sses at the same time. Although those two were getting on my nerves, I also raised my ss and clinked it with theirs. All of a sudden, the door opened, and the person I wanted to see the least walked in. "Why is she here again?" Spencer asked while looking at the woman who barged into the room with utter disgust. I did not answer and just stood up to leave. Just as I reached the door, Rita tried to stop me. "Charles, please don''t go!" she implored. "I''m going to have a video call with Scarlett," I replied coldly. Despite Rita''s dissuasion, I went straight out. Rita fell stunned, but she immediately got ahold of herself. "Charles, you''ve always treated Scarlett as a sister," she reminded with a bitter smile, hoping that that would make me rethink my feelings. I looked at her with a deep frown and corrected her, "Scarlett is my wife." "No... Charles, stop being so cruel to me. Please. I... I saved your life, remember? Charles, I''m dying. I want to spend my remaining days happy and without regrets. Can you please stop being cold and distant to me?" Rita looked at me pleadingly. All of a sudden, she threw herself into my arms. She must have expected me to catch her. But... I did not. I dodged her, which made her fall to the cold, hard ground. Her face went beet red in shame and embarrassment. "You''ve made trouble for Scarlett again and again. I''ve forgiven you several times, but you keep on testing my patience. I''m warning you. Don''t challenge my bottom line again, or you''ll regret it." "Still, Scarlett won''t ept you because we were once together." Rita put away the pitiful look on her face and smiled sarcastically. "Nothing happened between us," I reminded in an icy cold tone. "So what? You can''t prove it." With a sneer, Rita got up from the floor and casually dusted her clothes as if nothing had happened. "Scarlett begged for my attention for many years. And now, I will do the same until she epts me. If anyone dares to discredit me to her, I won''t let them go." After expressing my stand, I turned around and left. I arrived home not long after. I must admit, what Rita had said got into me. I decided to video call Scarlett. The rings felt forever as I waited for her to answer. Sadly, she did not. I was right. She did not want to talk to me. But just as I was about to put my phone down, the video call connected all of a sudden. To my surprise, it was Nina, smiling from ear to ear. "You''re wee. You two have a great chat. Bye!" Once Nina was out of the frame, I gazed at Scarlett and felt a deep sense of longing for her. It felt like I had not seen her for a long time. "How have you been these days?" I asked with concern, seeing her ashen face. "I''m fine," she answered indifferently. "You look a little gaunt. Aren''t you eating on time?" "It''s none of your business," Scarlett replied crossly. "I met Rita today," I said without beating around the bush. Scarlett was taken aback but immediately regained herposure. I lowered my head as guilt washed over me. "I know that my rtionship with Rita is a sore spot in your heart." Scarlett raised her head and looked at me sadly. "Good thing you know. I just can''t turn a blind eye to it, can I? That''s why we can''t be together." My heart ached as I gazed into her eyes. "Scarlett, I''m sorry for hurting you. But believe me, nothing happened between Rita and me¡ª" I exined in a hurry, but Scarlett interrupted me. "Whether or not you''ve had a rtionship with her is beyond me. I don''t want to know what happened between you two. Just keep it to yourself." Although Scarlett''s words were full of conviction, she sounded as if she were on the verge of crying. As soon as she finished speaking, she turned her face away and averted her gaze. After a long period of silence, I took a deep breath and admitted the truth. "When we did ''it''... it was my first time too. Believe me, I was very nervous. I was afraid I''d hurt you or that you''d get turned off because I was inexperienced. So, I was extremely careful and gentle that I almost appeared like a clumsy fool." As I spoke, I remembered what had happened the other night, and I despised myself for it. "Scarlett, I regret not cherishing you. Can you give me a chance to make up for you? I promise I''ll love you with all my heart and soul. I''ll apany you wherever you go and take care of you. You''re the one I want to be with for the rest of my life," I sincerely said while looking into her eyes. "Charles, can you stop pretending that you''re sweet and affectionate? I know what kind of person you are," Scarlett replied, unmoved. Her words brought a pang to my heart. "What kind of person am I in your eyes?" Scarlett paused for a moment, and a sneer tugged at the corners of her mouth. "A liar." I was stunned. Suddenly, what had happened in the past crossed my mind, and I felt guiltier than ever. I just realized that the damage I had caused was way deeper than I had imagined. "Scarlett, I''m deeply sorry for leaving such an impression on you. I''ll do my best to change that and prove myself to you," I said apologetically. Scarlett just looked at me in response. I figured that I had better tell her how much I missed her. But when I did, no response came from her. Scarlett had fallen asleep to the sound of my voice. She looked so peaceful. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. As I stared at her face at my phone screen, I took a trip down memoryne. I thought of everything I had ever done to her and felt an overwhelming sense of regret. It must have been difficult for her to move on at that time. And now, she hated me. Fate would sometimes y cruel tricks on people. Now, I finally knew how that felt. But, it did not matter. I swore to myself I would make up for treating her poorly in the past. I would not stop until she saw my perseverance and sincerity. Chapter 129 Returned Home Chapter 129 Returned Home Scarlett''s POV: I felt the breeze tickly my skin like feathers when the sunlight shone on my face. I woke up from my sleep and heard the clock ticking. Instinctively, I picked up my phone, only to find that it was turned off. As soon as I charged my phone, a message from Charles popped up. "Good morning," the text read. Iined to myself thinking that he really knew how to get my attention. All of a sudden, I got a video call from him. I thought for a moment before I answered. "Good morning, baby." Charles'' handsome face popped up on the screen, and he was smiling. It was obvious that he was in a good mood. "Good morning," I answered reluctantly. "I heard you snoring while you were sleeping." He teased me with a smile. "No, I didn''t!" I denied. Seeing that he was still giving me a cheeky smile, I warned, "Don''t make video calls if you have nothing serious to talk about!" I then immediately hung up, without even giving him a chance to speak. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. However, deep down, I felt like I did something wrong. Charles had been affecting my mood a lot lately, and I felt like things would not end well if it continued to be that way. After calming myself down, I got up to wash my face and brush my teeth. When I walked to the living room, I saw that Nina had prepared breakfast for me. "Come and taste this. See if you like it." Nina pulled me to sit down at the table and handed me the milk. "Is it a little too light?" I asked uncertainly, tasting it. Upon hearing my question, she tasted the food with a confused look. "Light? I think it''s just right," she said with a hint of suspicion. I tasted it again, but I still felt that it was too light. Nina suddenly put down her fork and looked at me seriously. "Scarlett, did you take contraceptives?" When I heard those words, my heart jolted for a moment. "Go to the store and buy a pregnancy test strip," she reminded me with a serious look in her eyes. I grabbed the corner of my shirt nervously. It was so sudden, and it was the kind of news that I was not prepared to face at all. "It''s better to check. Maybe you''re not pregnant. Better be sure than sorry, right?" Ninaforted me gently. Pursing my lips, I nodded, but I could not stop feeling uneasy about it. After having breakfast, Nina went out. Alone at home, I felt a little upset as I subconsciously ced my hands on my belly. If I had known about it earlier, then I would have taken contraceptives. Just when I was regretting my actions, the doorbell rang. Thinking that it was Nina, who had left something behind, I quickly opened the door. "Mom, what are you doing here?" I asked in surprise, looking at Alice. "I was traveling, so I came to visit you." Alice held my hand and smiled. I looked at her suspiciously, because it did not seem like she hade there on a trip. "I''ve left all my luggage at the hotel, and mypanions are there. It''s not too far from here, so I''ll head back after checking on you," Alice exined. "Come on in, Mom." I led her into the room and poured her some water before I sat down with her. "Scarlett, are you doing okay? You look a little haggard," Alice asked with concern. Noticing the concern in her eyes, I quickly exined, "The doctor said that I will feel ufortable until I adjust to the climate here." "What a quack that doctor is! You have been here for such a long time. How can you still not be used to the climate here? Why didn''t he just say you''re pregnant, huh?" Alice blurted out and I noticed a hint of surprise in her eyes. However, I froze when I heard those words. "Are you really pregnant? Justst night, I dreamed of bing a grandmother." Seeing that I was silent, she held my hand excitedly and looked at me eagerly. "No, I''m just not ustomed to the climate here," I denied in a hurry as I tried to keep calm. "You should go to the hospital, and get yourself checked again. This is an important matter, okay?" Alice said with disappointment as well as concern. "Yes, I will. Don''t worry." Although I seemed calm on the surface, I was flustered deep in my heart. "I''ll go to the hospital with you tomorrow. I''m worried about you going there alone," she said. "No, Mom. I can go to the hospital by myself. Didn''t youe here on a trip? You should not be apanying me on your vacation." "My travel is not as important as you. Besides, it''s just one day, so it''s no big deal," Alice said casually. "No, I''ll ask Nina to go with me." "Alright, then. But you must let me know as soon as the resultes out, okay?" I was secretly relieved, so I agreed to her request with a smile. She then asked me how I was doing, and told me something about Charles. As soon as she mentioned Charles, my phone rang. "Maybe Lawrence has asked him to call you. Put it on speaker," Alice said indifferently, seeing that it was Charles'' call. I was confused, but I answered his call and put it on speaker. "You answered the phone very quickly today. I was thinking if I would have to call you again." Charles'' deep voice came from the phone. "Careful, Charles. Mom is here," I reminded him, afraid that he might say something improper. "Dad and Mom are fighting, so don''t worry about them. Mom wille back after traveling for a few days, but you have been away from your husband for so long," he blurted out just like I expected. Hearing hisint, I was a little embarrassed, so I lowered my head and kept silent. "People in our family are all loyal and faithful to their significant others," Charles said smugly. I was speechless. ''Could he be more narcissistic?'' "You brat! Don''t you care about your mother?" Alice roared, grabbing the phone from my hand. A secondter, she hung up. "What an ungrateful son!" sheined, holding my phone tightly in her hand. I felt a little awkward, and did not know what to say. Then, my phone rang again. In an annoyed tone, Alice hissed, "It must be Charles again. Looks like he is always pestering you." She then picked up the phone, but when she looked at it, she was rather surprised. "When can youe back and save me from this dark loneliness?" Reading the message from Charles, Alice looked at me suspiciously, and asked, "Is he always like this? You sure have suffered a lot, my dear." With my head down, I rolled my eyes and curled my toes awkwardly. Since it was clear that Alice had note there on a trip, I asked her to stay with me. After my daily sses, I would apany her to go shopping and go on walks with her whenever I was free to help her feel better. A weekter, Alice was watching TV on the sofa when Charles'' dad called me. I answered the phone and put it on speaker. "Christine has hypertension. She is in the hospital now. Scarlett,e back with Alice," he said anxiously as soon as the call was connected. Upon hearing the news, Alice and I quickly packed up our things, and were ready to go back home. She seemed to have temporarily forgotten about her quarrel with her husband. As we were worried about Grandma''s condition, we booked the next flight back home. However, I felt my stomach turn as soon as the flight took off. "Mom, I need to go to the bathroom." Saying that, I stood up in a hurry. "Be careful. Watch your step," Alice reminded me. I vaguely heard her saying, "Why do you seem more pregnant the more I look at you?" I froze when I heard those words, but I pretended like I did not hear a thing as I ran to the bathroom. Once wended, we saw that Lawrence was waiting for us at the airport. Alice nced at him, threw her luggage to him, and left. With a helpless sigh, Lawrence followed her. I was amused to see that, but at the same time, I envied their rtionship. The driver took my luggage from me, and I thanked him with a smile before following them to the car. "Mr. Charles is also here," the driver reminded me calmly and respectfully as soon as we walked out of the airport. Chapter 130 Be Good Chapter 130 Be Good Scarlett''s POV: Feeling a little hesitant, I stood still. Charles'' parents had just reconciled. Thinking that they must have a lot to say to each other, I did not want to disturb them. I nced at Charles'' car and sighed helplessly. Ever since I got in his car, he had been grinning and staring at me. I was a little embarrassed by his gaze, so I pretended to be calm as I checked emails on my phone. "Aren''tyou curious to know where we are going?" He suddenly approached me and I subconsciously shrank back. "To the hospital," I said to him calmly. He smiled at me and sat up straight to keep a distance from me. I was not looking out the window on our way back, and when I suddenly looked up, I found that the car was actually entering Charles '' residence. I gave him a doubtful nce but continued to be silent. "Dad lied to Mom. Grandma is fine," he said with a smile. Speechless, I rolled my eyes at him. "I want to go back to my apartment," I said firmly.N?velDrama.Org content rights. "No way," Charles refused with a smile. As soon as he parked the car, he grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the car. "The decor and furnishings of this house is same as that of your apartment," he added, pointing at the apartment and escorted me in. Surprised, I looked at him, not knowing what to say. "This is your home from now on. You are not going anywhere," Charles added in a domineering manner, holding my hand as we walked. Pursing my lips, I didn''t say anything as I followed him into the apartment. As soon as I entered the house, I found that there were many nts, and some of them were flowering nts. "I specially prepared them for you," he exined. I nodded in response. The next second, he wrapped his arms around me and kissed my neck. Feeling uneasy, I pushed him away. Charles let go of me and said with a smile, "You go and take a bath first. I''ll cook something for you to eat." He then helped me take off my coat. "I don''t want to take a bath," I said, afraid that he was up to no good. "What do you want, then?" After thinking for a minute, I said, "I can eat." "I''m going to make some soup. If you don''t want to take a bath, thene with me." I nodded in agreement. I leaned against the kitchen door, watching him busily preparing food. After a while, he pointed at the orange that he had cut, and said, "I''ve cut some oranges for you. Enjoy." The clean and crisp citrusy aroma of the orange made me want to try it. It was deliciously sweet and sour, instantly soothing the difort in my stomach. "Looks like you''re enjoying it a lot, which makes me also want to try it," Charles said with a smile and opened his mouth, waiting for me to feed him. I subconsciously took a piece of orange and fed it to him. But when I came to my senses, I felt like we were being too intimate and withdrew my hand, panicking. "It''s a little sour," Charlesined with a frown, clueless that I was embarrassed. After watching him head back to the kitchen, I took the oranges to the living room, and sat down on the sofa. I chowed down on more orange slices as I watched TV, and the more I ate, the more delicious it tasted. Charles'' BOV: By the time I was done cooking and walked out of the kitchen, Scarlett was asleep. I carefully walked to her, afraid that I might wake her up. Looking at her sleeping face, I could not help but want to kiss her. Soon after my lips left hers, she woke up in a daze. My heart softened when I saw her like that. "Get up and have some soup," I said to her with a smile and helped her up. She nestled in my arms with an awkward expression. "You will get used to it soon enough," I said with a smile, sensing that she felt a bit nervous. I gently put her down on the chair. However, I couldn''t help but want to kiss her again. Just when I was about to, she ced her hand on my chest and pushed me away. "Are you hungry?" I asked when I noticed that she was staring at the food on the table greedily. "Yes, I am!" Scarlett admitted without hesitation. I thendled some soup into her bowl. "I got my period," she said abruptly. I stopped filling the soup and looked at her in confusion. "I mean, I can''t have sex with you tonight." Saying that, Scarlett took the soup bowl from my hand and began to drink it. I suddenly understood what she meant by that, and felt a little aggrieved. Without saying more, I began to serve her food. After finishing two bowls of soup, she looked at me in confusion, and asked, "Why aren''t you having any soup?" Feeling a little irritable, I stayed silent. "You seem to be in a bad mood. Do you really juste to me to satisfy your selfish desires?" Scarlett muttered, stirring the soup with a spoon. There was a serious look in her eyes, as though she would kill herself if I forced her to have sex with me that night. Seeing her like that, I was both annoyed and depressed. With a sigh, I turned to pour some wine in my ss. As the liquor traveled down my throat, it felt like I was drinking fire. After drinking a few sses of wine, I looked at Scarlett. Although I was a little tipsy, I was still quite steady. "Are you full?" I asked softly. "I''m full. Thank you," she said to me politely and formally, nodding at me. I stood up, carried her to the sofa, and sat down beside her. "Can you cut some more fruit for me?" Blinking her eyes at me innocently, she pleaded. "Okay." After that, I stood up to cut some fruit for her when I suddenly felt that something was strange. She did not have such arge appetite before, so why was she suddenly eating so much? Confused, I turned around, went into the kitchen, cut the fruits, and put them on a te, but just when I was about to take it outside, I heard the sound of the door closing. My heart immediately skipped a beat, and Scarlett was not in the living room when I came back. I realized that she must have been looking for the perfect chance to escape from me. Looking at the cut fruit on the te, I felt ironic. Annoyed, I turned around, walked back to the kitchen, and threw the whole teful into the trash can before I took out my phone and sent a message to Scarlett. "Come back on your own, or I''lle and drag you here." I was in a foul mood when I sent her that text. Just as I expected, she did not reply. I felt more upset, but since I knew that she was getting my text, I sent her more messages. "If I catch you, I will make you regret lying to me." I suddenly felt like I was too mean to her, so I added, "You left all of a sudden, and I''m worried about you. I don''t want to do anything to you. I just want to take good care of you." Even after I sent that message, she did not reply. I was angry and worried. I was lost in thought for a long time before I let out a helpless sigh, thinking that she always left me feeling so powerless. Chapter 131 Isnt This What Couples Do Chapter 131 Isn''t This What Couples Do Scarlett''s POV: After leaving Charles'' house, I went back to my house on Garden Street. As soon as I got home, I took out my phone, and saw the messages he sent me, feeling a little sad. Since I did not know how to face him, I could only hide from him. I changed the lock code of my door and muted my phone. After taking a shower, Iy on the bed, thinking that he might knock on my door at any moment, but there was no sound. As tiredness swept over my body, I could not resist falling asleep. The next day, I was worried that I might stumble upon Charles if I went out, so I decided to order take-out. Not long after, the doorbell rang. And I was stunned to see Charles outside my apartment with a delivery bag in his hand. He was still wearing the same clothes that he had worn the night before. Had he been waiting here all night long? With a guilty conscience, I lowered my head, grabbing the hem of my pajamas nervously. From of the corner of my eye, I saw him staring at me with a sharp gaze, and I clenched my fists. Without saying a word, he walked straight into the living room. I followed him in. Tiredness was written all over his face, and there were bags under his eyes. He unbuttoned his shirt with a long face while looking at me coldly. "Were you outside my door all night long?" I asked hesitantly after a long time. However, instead of answering me, he headed straight to the bathroom. I felt like I was doomed now. He was angry, and he was not going to let it slide easily. I contemted running away while he was in the shower. But then, I thought about it and gave up the idea. After all, he could always find me easily. Where else could I hide?'' My stomach was growling, so I decided to have breakfast first before I thought about it. I ate uneasily, listening to the sound of the running water that came from the bathroom. While I was eating, Charles stepped out of the bathroom and ordered, "Call Amy and ask her to bring me some clothes." He then turned around and walked to the bedroom. Seeing his bloodshot eyes, I pitied him and didn''t have the heart to go up against him. I picked up his phone and was about to call Amy, but when I saw numerous missed calls from Rita shing on the screen, my hands trembled. Enduring the pain in my heart, I called Amy''s number and then headed to the bedroom. Charles was lying down on the bed. Looking at his tired and handsome face, I suddenly felt like throwing my caution to the wind and just living with him for the rest of my life. "Charles, are you hungry?" I asked, trying to hold back my sadness. However, he did not respond. He justy there on the bed and did not move. Thinking that he must be tired, I walked out of the room to have my breakfast and did not say more to disturb him. In the meantime, Rita called him again. Hearing the phone ringing, my heart trembled. I held his phone in my hand as I went to find him. "It''s from Rita," I said as I handed the phone to him. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. With a frown, Charles pulled me to the bed and hugged me. "Don''t you want to answer the phone?" I asked when I saw that the phone was still ringing. "Sleep!" Charles grabbed the phone, tossed it aside, and hugged me tightly. "I don''t want to sleep!" I began to struggle, but he tightened his grip around me, making it difficult for me to breathe. "You''re suffocating me." As soon as I said that, he loosed his grip a little, but he did not let go of me. I leaned against his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat. Wishing that we could always be that way, I could not help but feel satisfied. However, whenever I thought of Rita, my eyes would turn red. "What did I do to make you feel so aggrieved?" Charles asked angrily when he noticed that I was on the verge of tears. "Rita kept calling you, and for some reason, that makes me ufortable." I rubbed my eyes, unable to hide the truth from him. I did not want to cry over such a thing, but every time I thought of it, I would feel tears falling from my eyes. Charles stared at me for a long time before he leaned in and kissed me while holding my arm and cing it around his waist. But the next second, his phone rang again. Charles stopped and turned off his phone irritably. "I haven''t slept all night, so I am very tired now. Please just hold me and sleep with me for a while, okay? Be a good girl," Charles said in a tired voice. Since I could not refuse him, I moved slightly and adjusted myself to afortable sleeping position. "Rest your head on my arm." Charles held his arm out for me. "No. It''ll be heavy." I struggled ufortably. "Lie down. You seem to overestimate your weight," he teased, looking at me. At first, I nned to get up after he fell asleep, but feeling his warm embrace, I also fell asleep with him. When I opened my eyes again, he was ying with my hair. "Are you awake? How was your sleep?" Charles asked with a smile. "Yes. It was good." I never expected to fall asleep sofortably. I tried to get up, but he pulled me back to the bed. He then continued to y with my hair leisurely. I pulled my hair back and rubbed it against his face. "Stop it! It tickles," heined and grabbed my hand. I looked at him, grinning from ear to ear. I did not expect him to be so afraid of itchiness. "Grandma asked us toe home for dinner," he said to me in a gentle voice while stroking my cheek lovingly. I checked the time and found that it was already twelve o''clock. I realized that he had not eaten breakfast in the morning, so I reminded him that he should eat something first. "Alright, then. Let''s have lunch first." Charles and I went out for lunch. And after we ate our fill, he proposed to take me hiking. Strolling in the mountains, we enjoyed the pleasant afternoon. All of a sudden, he held my hand. "What are you doing?" I asked, lowering my head to look at our intertwined hands. "Isn''t this what couples do?" With a smile, he held my hand more tightly. I was a little stunned to hear him refer to us as a couple. I struggled, but he did not let go of my hand at all. Instead, he put my hand in his pocket. When I realized that we were never a couple, I felt a little disheartened, and wanted to withdraw my hand. However, he stubbornly held my hand, unwilling to let go. There were many people climbing the mountain, and most of them were couples. Looking at his profile, I was lost in thought. Deep down, I felt like it would be wonderful if we could live so peacefully every day. Chapter 132 Discussion On Marriage Chapter 132 Discussion On Marriage Scarlett''s POV: By the time we started to go down the mountain, it was already quite dark, and feeling tired, I could not help but yawn as I walked down. Charles stood in front of me and bent over. I was confused. "Aren''t you tired? Come, let me carry you." His voiceced with the cool breeze echoed in my ears. I looked at his broad back, feeling a little hesitant, when he continued, "Do you want me to carry you on my back or would you like me to hold you in my arms? Take your pick." After hesitating for a while, I nced at the passers-by subconsciously, and climbed on his back. Feeling the warmth of his broad back, I felt an unprecedented sense of security, and unconsciously wrapped my arms around his neck. As soon as I got home, I slumped to the sofa, stretching my legs to the armrests. My calf muscles felt sore from the hiking, and I felt like I had overexerted myself. "What''s wrong? Why are you so tired?" Christine asked with concern when she saw that my legs were shaking. "I am fine, Grandma. I probably feel weak because I haven''t walked this far in a long time," I tried to comfort her, seeing that she was worried. "How long did you make her walk? I am going to teach you a lesson today, you brat!" Christine said to Charles. "I only took her hiking to help her rx." Lowering his head, Charles could not even bring himself to look at her. "That''s bullshit! Are you out of your mind? Why can''t you just take her out for shopping? Why did you have to climb the mountain?" Alice also yelled at Charles angrily. "I''m sorry. It is my fault." Charles rarely ever admitted his mistakes. However, I couldn''t bear to see him being scolded. "Grandma, I''m fine. I''m just a little tired." "Don''t speak up for him. He is an adult, but still he doesn''t know how to take care of you at all," Christine said angrily, ring at Charles. "Let me massage your legs." Saying that, Charles began to massage my legs before I could even say anything. "I''m alright..." Although I felt a little awkward, it was undeniable that his massage felt amazing. He used moderate pressure on my legs to make me feelfortable. But all of a sudden, he stopped. With a frown, I looked at him, confused. "Sorry, I forgot that you''re on your period," Charles said in a remorseful tone. "Scarlett is on her period?" Alice asked. My heart skipped a beat, but I soon regained myposure. "Yes, I''m on my period." Alice seemed to be too disappointed to even say anything and just sighed. And I couldn''t bear to see her so depressed. However, I could not understand one thing. I was clearly putting on an act, and even Charles could not see through it. How could she know? All of a sudden, I remembered that I had vomited on our flight back home, and perhaps, that was the reason she seemed so suspicious. "I thought that you were..." Alice murmured with regret in her eyes. I pretended like I did not hear her at all and stayed silent. After the elders left, Charles asked, "What does Mom mean by that? What''s going on with you?" In a fit of panic, I could not help but shake my head. Without asking more questions, Charles bowed down and continued to massage my legs until dinner was ready. "I asked you all toe here to discuss about the wedding." While we were having dinner, Michael, who was sitting in the host seat, spoke up in a serious voice. "I think that it would be best if we made it the first of next month. That way, we will have enough time to prepare for it, and it won''t dy Scarlett''s training program abroad," Alice said excitedly. "I agree. By then, the weather will be much warmer, and Scarlett won''t feel cold in her wedding dress," Christine echoed. "I also think that it''s a great idea. Let''s ask the event nners to handle it. They will do it quickly and efficiently," Lawrence also said. When I heard that, I looked at Charles in confusion. "Scarlett, don''t go abroad now. You can continue your training after the wedding," Alice said, holding my hand. "I don''t want to get married. To be honest, I don''t want a wedding ceremony with Charles," I blurted out, looking at them while I stood up from my seat. As soon as they heard that, they looked at me with disappointment in their eyes. Charles was also stunned as he did not expect me to refuse him so brazenly. "Scarlett, you..." Christine paused and sighed helplessly. Everyone then fell silent. Charles withdrew his gaze, and said indifferently, "Let''s eat first." The originally enthusiastic crowd now ate with a grim look in their eyes. Christine suddenly banged her fists on the table, which shocked us. "I said that the wedding must be held!" she said in a cold voice and with a tough attitude. "Grandma..." I called out to her subconsciously, but she looked away with a snort. "Scarlett, it''s just a wedding, which should have been held three years ago. Do you really not want it?" Alice tried her best to persuade me. "Mom, Charles and I... We..." I looked at her awkwardly, wanting to tell her that I was going to divorce Charles sooner orter, but when I saw how eager she was, I could not bring myself to say it. "Scarlett, is something about Charles making you feel ufortable? Just tell me, and I will educate him." Lawrence persuaded me next. I turned to Charles, hoping that he would say something, but he lowered his head and continued to drink. "There is nothing wrong with him. I just don''t want to..." I said in a low voice, hanging my head. "Let''s eat first." Michael also sighed with disappointment. After dinner, Alice asked me and Charles to stay the night. I looked at Charles pleadingly while I was in the room with him. "Please help me tell Grandma that the wedding..." "What do you want me to tell her?" Charles nced at me and pretended like he was confused. Just when I was about to say something, he added, "I also want this wedding..." "What did you say?" I looked at him in disbelief.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 133 I Wanted This Wedding Chapter 133 I Wanted This Wedding Scarlett''s POV: "I said I want this wedding more than anyone else," Charles repeated himself, looking at me. As I smiled bitterly, a hint of disappointment shed in my eyes. "Don''t you want to be with me?" Charles stood up and slowly walked towards me. "I just want to keep a low profile," I answered, shaking my head. "We are already married. The wedding is just a ceremony." He seemed to be so emotional that his eyes were almost red. "But it''s not something that I want," I said in a firm voice. "But I want the whole world to see you wearing a wedding dress for me," Charles said softly. I hung my head and sat on the edge of the bed without saying anything to him. "I''ll get some water to wash your feet." Saying that with a sigh, Charles left. "Charles, you are going to get tired of me sooner orter." Looking at his back, I could not help but shout. He paused and said in a casual tone, "Even if it means that I would get tired of you in the future, we should still try to build our love first, right?" I was speechless, and did not know what to say. Charles walked out of the bathroom with a bucket in his hand. Helping me soak my feet in the soothing warm water, he was so gentle and focused. "Charles, I don''t want a wedding with you," I repeated firmly. "I know." His attitude rendered me speechless. "You are going to regret marrying someone you don''t love." Saying that, I dropped my hands feebly. "I love you, and I''m certain of it. But as for whether you feel the same about me or not, I think you should ask that to yourself." Charles looked at me with determination in his eyes. I did not know what to say, and I was clearly dumbfounded. Without saying more, Charles wiped my feet dry and walked to the bathroom to empty the bucket. I was lost in thought as Iy on the bed, staring at the ceiling. "You haven''t changed your sanitary pad the entire day." Standing by the bed, Charles looked at me. "So you weren''t on your period at all, were you?" I kept silent, feeling a little upset that Ipletely forgot about it. "Do you find it amusing to lie to me?" I shook my head instinctively. "You are my woman, and you can''t avoid such things. Besides, I am a man with a strong sexual desire," Charles said lightly as he leaned down to kiss my neck. I groaned and tried to resist him. Charles made me lie straight as he looked into my eyes. "Why can''t you try to ept me?" There was a hint of confusion in his tone. I gave a helpless sigh as I said, "I don''t have confidence in you." "But haven''t you loved me ever since you were a kid?" Charles reminded me in a confident tone. "I only did it because I was young and thoughtless." I looked away in embarrassment. "Then you are more thoughtless now!" he sneered. "Do you still want me?" I asked him in an angry tone. "Of course, I do!" Charles continued to exin with a smile, "Men always value the things more when they have to suffer to get it. If you are obedient and submissive, then I might get tired of you before the wedding, and we''ll probably not have to hold a wedding ceremony at all." My heart felt heavy again when I heard those words. "If you would get tired of me so soon... Then how are we supposed to spend the rest of our lives together?" "You want to be with me for the rest of our lives, don''t you?" Charles said with a smile, rubbing my nose yfully. I turned away and ignored him. I knew that he was doing it on purpose. "I was just kidding. Anyway, I won''t let you get away from me again." Saying that, he kissed me on the forehead. N?velDrama.Org content rights. "Can you really do that?" I asked, looking at him with suspicion in my eyes. "I promise, I will," he said, leaning down to kiss me. But without any second thoughts, I immediately pushed him away. He had already hurt me once, and I did not want to let him hurt me again. "Why not?" Charles asked with a frown. "I''m just tired." I massaged my forehead in exhaustion. He looked at me calmly and said, "That''s not good enough, honey." Even after thinking for a while, I still could note up with a convincing excuse. All of a sudden, I felt a chill on my chest and looked down to see that he had unbuttoned my shirt. "Wait!" I grabbed his hands and suddenly thought of an idea. "I have a stomachache." "Really?" he asked, looking at me suspiciously. "Yes!" I pretended to seem very sincere. "Where exactly does it hurt?" His eyes were filled with worry and panic as he ced his hand over my belly. Flustered, I grabbed his hand and ced it on the side of my stomach. "Here." Since I used too much strength, I grimaced from the pain. "Let''s go. I''ll take you to the hospital," he said nervously. When I saw how panicked he was, I could not help but be stunned. Seeing him rummaging through the closet in a hurry, I quickly said, "I''m fine now." He immediately put down the clothes, walked back to the bed, and looked down at me. There was still a hint of worry in his eyes. "What happened really?" "I just don''t want to..." I said in a guilty tone, lowering my head. Charles was clearly angry as he turned around, closed the wardrobe, and looked at me with his hands on his hips. I could not bring myself to look at him, so I turned around andy with my back facing him. I suddenly felt the mattress sink a little and his arms wrap around me. "Come and face me." His tone was imperative, like he was feeling a little awkward. It was so cute. Iy obediently, and he hugged me warmly. Charles kissed me on the forehead before he turned off the bedsidemp. Seeing that, I suddenly felt nervous. "Sleep," he said in a gentle voice. With a sigh of relief, I slowly drifted to sleep. The next day, I woke up with a sore throat. When I opened my eyes, I felt a burning pain in my throat and I felt a little dizzy. After I freshened up, I walked to the living room in low spirits. "Did you get sick?" Alice touched my forehead with a worried look. "I seem to have caught a cold," I replied in a hoarse voice, and immediately felt a sting in my throat again. Alice looked at me lovingly before she turned to Charles and red at him. "It''s all your fault. You insisted on climbing the mountain despite the cold weather, and that''s why Scarlett now has a cold." Charles silently brought me a thermometer and some fever medicines. "Go away. I''ll take care of her. Even looking at you pisses me off!" After driving him away, she walked back to my room with me. Charles'' POV: What was wrong with me? Why did I take Scarlett hiking? I med Spencer for telling me that hiking was a good way for me and Scarlett to build our rtionship. After my mom drove me away, I walked to the study. "Why are you here? Why aren''t you apanying your wife?" My father asked, looking at me in surprise. "Dad, can you do me a favor? Pressure Scarlett and make her agree to the wedding," I asked, ignoring the surprised look in his eyes. My father sighed helplessly. "Even if you have a wedding ceremony, you can''t win Scarlett over, and your marriage might end up being a mess." My heart was teeming with emotions, and I could not say anything. My father stood up and patted me on the shoulder with a smile. "Boy, we should not rush her. Women don''t like it when they being pushed too hard." "Dad, let''s go have breakfast first," I said heavily and walked downstairs with him. After we finished eating, Scarlett insisted that she had to go to the TV station. I could not make her change her mind, so I drove her to work. It was a quiet ride. "I''ve booked an air ticket for this afternoon," Scarlett said to me as soon as we arrived at the TV station. "We''re going to be really busy for a while. Just cancel the air ticket," I said lightly, ncing at her. "Why are we going to be busy?" Scarlett murmured in a low voice. I stared at her for a long time before I finally said, "We have to take wedding photos, decorate the wedding venue, and send invitations. So we''re obviously going to be busy." "You have taken wedding photos with Rita, so I am not going to take photos with you," Scarlett said in a sobbing tone, looking up at me. I could not help but feel that it was all my fault. "If you refuse, then I will stay here just to keep a close eye on you." "Bye!" Scarlett hissed and unbuckled her seat belt. I couldn''t help but caress her soft hair. But she shook off my hand, ring at me. "I won''t try on wedding dresses or take wedding photos," she added resolutely before she got off the car. Without saying anything, I watched her walk into thepany and then drove away. No matter what Scarlett said... I was determined to hold a wedding ceremony for us! Chapter 134 Announced The Marriage Chapter 134 Announced The Marriage Scarlett''s POV: That afternoon, I left through the backdoor of the TV station after I was done with work, but Charles'' driver stopped me. "I''m going to buy something." I excused myself and was about to leave. But he continued to stand in my way with a fake smile. "Mr. Moore asked you toe with me." I frowned, looking at him, but when I saw how embarrassed he was, I didn''t have the heart to make things difficult for him, so I got in the car. As soon as I arrived at Charles'' office, I noticed an extraordinary man sitting on the sofa. With the features of his, I guessed he must be French. "Scarlett, this is Ethan, the wedding dress designer. Ethan, she is my wife," Charles introduced us. Although I felt my heart in my throat, I still greeted Ethan with a smile. "Hello." With an awkward smile, I nced at Charles in silence, but he tried to avoid looking at me. "You are beautiful and you have a good figure," Ethan praised me. Hearing that, Charles red at him. Ethan smiled innocently and said, "Don''t overreact. I''m just telling the truth, as a designer." "Hurry up and start your work. Don''t waste time." Charles frowned. "Okay. Do you have a favorite wedding dress style?" Ethan asked me in a serious tone and stopped laughing at once. "No." I shook my head. My mind was a mess. "Then let''s look at some ssic wedding dress styles first, and then I can customize one for you ordingto your temperament and preferences." Saying that, Ethan took out the tablet PC and showed me some of the designs. I listened to him absent-mindedly, and after talking for a while, he left. I realized that Charles was really serious about the wedding when I saw him seeing Ethan off. I felt like I needed to find an opportunity to escape. As soon as Ethan left, Amy knocked on the door and walked in. "Boss, the reporters are ready," she said. "What on earth do you want?" I asked in confusion, looking at Charles. "Our wedding ceremony must be a grand one!" Charles said to me in a firm voice while looking at me with a serious expression. My mind went nk after seeing how determined he was, and before I knew it, he walked me to the meeting room. I didn''te to my senses until the reporters began asking me questions and the dazzling lights from the cameras kept shing on my face. "Looks like Mr. Moore really loves his wife deeply." The reporters nced at pictures of me and Charles with admiration in their eyes. I sneered in my heart. If I hadn''t shamelessly begged him to take pictures with me at that time, then he might not have been able to show off so much now. This press conferencested for an hour, and once it was over, the reporters immediately went to prepare the news article which said that Charles would be holding his wedding ceremony on the first week of the following month. As soon as the news report was released, it instantly became a trending topic. Charles took me to a cafe after the press conference. Lately, the weather had been quite cold, but he naturally held my hand to keep me warm. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Before long, our peaceful moment was shattered. "Scarlett, how can you shamelessly be the third party in our rtionship?" Rita roared, walking toward us. She did not seem like the elegant woman she had once been. "It was all my idea," Charles said seriously, looking at her with a cold nce. "Are you really going to marry this bitch, who is willing to be the third-wheel?" Rita looked at him in disbelief. "Scarlett is my wife, and you should respect her." Charles frowned coldly. "Do you even know what you are doing?" Rita hissed, pointing at my nose. "Why should I respect her? She''s the one who took you away from me!" "She did not take me away from you. I volunteered to be with her." Charles ignored her wrath. Without saying anything, she looked at him pitifully. However, Charles was not moved by her at all. He continued to keep my hands warm by holding and rubbing them gently. "Rita, let''s go back!" Richard''s voice came from not far away. He hurried over to us, held Rita''s hand, and dragged her out. "Let go of me!" Rita shook off his hand, feeling emotional. "I want to talk to you." Saying that, she walked to me. "No!" Charles resolutely opposed as soon as she said those words. "Sure," I said with a nod. Hearing that, he looked at me with worry and suspicion in his eyes. "It''s okay. I need to settle this once and for all," I said indifferently as I stood up to go outside with Rita. As soon as we were outside, Rita suddenly grabbed my hand. "Make this clear to me!" she roared coldly, not concealing her hatred for me at all. "My story is very simple, and I can easily make it clear to you. But what about you? Can you exin yourself?" I broke free from her grip and stared at her belly. Rita looked at me with resentment in her eyes, and suddenly whispered in my ear, "I''ll let my child die with yours!" I was stunned by her words. Before I could even react, Rita changed her tone and began to cry pitifully, "Scarlett, can you please leave Charles? I really can''t live without him!" She then grabbed my hand again and fell back. I wanted to get rid of her. But it was toote. I looked at her in horror and finally understood what she meant by that. Chapter 135 Miscarriage Chapter 135 Miscarriage Scarlett''s POV: Just when I thought that I was going to fall down the stairs, Charles grabbed my hand and stopped me by holding me back. However, Rita was not that lucky. She fell down the stairs and cried out in pain. Horrified, I watched her grimace as Charles continued to hold me tightly in his arms. Richard immediately ran downstairs, and took Rita to the hospital. I was so frightened that Charles took me to the hospital as well. "We tried our best. We are sorry," the doctor said to Rita in a regretful tone as he stood in front of the bed. "It''s all your fault. You''re the one that murdered my baby. You are such a cruel woman!" Rita shouted at me hysterically. "I didn''t push you at all. You fell down on your own," I said tly, frowning at her. "You pushed me down. How can you lie with a straight face? Aren''t you afraid of being punished in life?" Rita screamed in an emotional tone while tears flowed down her cheeks. Noticing how she was confusing ck with white, I suddenly realized that everything that had happened in the past few months was all her plot. "Charles, Scarlett is a vicious woman. Are you sure you want to marry someone like her?" Rita yelled. It was obvious that she was framing me. I couldn''t let Charles believe her lie. But just when I was about to exin, he said in a calm voice, "There''s a CCTV camera ced right where you were standing." Hearing that, Rita was rendered speechless. I was also surprised as I was not expecting Charles to believe me. Without saying a word, he took me away. But before he paid the bill, I walked back to the ward where Rita was. "How could you stay so calm before the person who killed your child? You really are ipetent!" As soon as I reached the door, I heard Rita scolding Richard. Those words made me freeze. Charles was right. And her baby was not his. I pushed the door open and nced coldly at the pale faced Rita. "Charles and I won''t invite you to our wedding. You will only bring rotten luck!" With that, I turned around and left, ignoring her hysterical screams and curses. "Where did you just go?" Charles asked me curiously as soon as he saw me. "The bathroom." I was clearly cheerful when I lied to him. "Why are you so happy?" Charles found that it was strange. "Thank you for believing in me." Standing on tiptoes, I kissed him on the corner of his lips. He was surprised, but I could feel that he was happy. On our way back, he held my hand, and kept smiling. In the next few days, there was news of our wedding all over the Inte. However, there was not even a single news about Rita''s ident. One day, I was doing the live broadcast. All of a sudden, I felt dizzy and I feel down before I knew it. Hearing my colleagues'' worried cries, I cked out. When I regained consciousness, I saw Abner sitting next to me. "Are you okay? Are you feeling better now?" he asked worriedly. "I''m okay." Shaking my head, I smiled at him. "If you feel ufortable, then ask for a leave. You should not be forcing yourself to work when you''re not well," Abner said with a smile and handed me a document. I took it from his hands with a confused look in my eyes. It was Rita''s medical report. "Rita doesn''t have terminal cancer," he exined calmly. I checked the date on the test report, and found that it had been done almost six months ago. Frowning, I asked, "You already knew about this?" Without answering me, Abner quickly changed the topic. "Charles doesn''t know about your pregnancy yet?" "I can''t hide it from him for too long though," I answered casually with a smile. "Well, it looks like you can''t get divorced after all." Abner smiled back at me. "I finally understand that Charles is trying to change, and Rita''s child is not his. I feel guilty for misunderstanding him." I could not help but me myself. Abner smiled bitterly and said nothing. All of a sudden, I heard hurried footstepsing from outside the ward. I looked at the door subconsciously. Charles appeared in front of me, dressed a formal suit as he looked at me anxiously. "Why are you here?" I was surprised to see him looking so worn out. "How could I continue to work after I saw you faint during your program?" he said in a concerned voice, holding my hand. Realizing that Abner was still in the room with us, I felt a little embarrassed. But Abner stood up and smiled at us. "I''d better go back for work. I''ll take my leave, then." With that, he turned around and was about to leave. "Abner, thank you so much for your help today!" Charles thanked him sincerely. "You''re wee." Abner shrugged his shoulders casually. After thinking for a while, he continued, "If you really want to thank me, then remember that you owe me a favor." Charles nodded in agreement. After that, Abner smiled and left. Charles'' eyes were still filled with concern as he nced at me. "Rita''s miscarriage was her own doing, and it has nothing to do with you, so don''t me yourself, okay?" That was when I understood that Charles misunderstood that I had fainted because I was pressuring myself over Rita''s miscarriage. Before I could finish my words, he suddenly pulled me up, and said, "Let''s go!" "Where are we going?" I asked in a daze. "Let''s go and y tennis. It will help you blow off some steam." Hearing this, I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should take the opportunity to tell him the truth, but then, he continued, "No. You just regained consciousness. You can''t exercise now, so how about you punch me till your stress is relieved?" Seeing how serious he was, I buried my head in his chest and greedily smelled his scent. He hugged me back in silence. All of a sudden, a knock on the door was heard. The doctor walked into the room. "You are fine now. Just get some rest once you''re home," he advised. "She has been really upsettely, and has been facing a loss of appetite. Are you sure that she is okay?" Charles asked the doctor worriedly. Before the doctor could answer, I interrupted him, "I''ll tell him myself." The doctor nodded and said with a smile, "I didn''t expect Mr. Moore to be as clueless as everyone else in this matter." With that, the doctor walked out of the room. Charles looked at me with a suspicious nce. "Let''s go. Let''s go home." I stood up and dragged him out, pulling him out of his daze. Charles took me back to his apartment. After getting off the car, he carried me in his arms as he walked upstairs, steadily and carefully. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Once we were home, he gently put me down on the sofa and said, "Take rest. I will bring you some water." He then turned around and was about to leave. However, he stopped the next second and warned, "Don''t try to run away again." "What are you going to do if I do try to run away?" I joked, unable to control myself. "I will buy an iron chain and lock you up," he threatened in a serious tone. With a helpless smile, I wondered how long he was going to be affectionate to me this time. Chapter 136 Trending News Chapter 136 Trending News Scarlett''s POV: As Iy on the sofa leisurely, Charles walked up to me with a ss of water. He then handed it to me, and I kissed him on the cheek in return. Charles fell stunned. "What? Isn''t it enough?" I asked incredulously. Charles eyed me with suspicion. "Why did you kiss me? Tell me the truth. Are you plotting against me?" I clenched the ss of water tighter, annoyed that he was using me of something I could not possibly do. "What? Weren''t you asking for a kiss? You put your face close to me, so I figured you wanted me to kiss you." Charles frowned and looked me in the eye. I could not help but feel uneasy whenever he stared at me with his tantalizing eyes. To ease the awkwardness around us, I took a sip of water and put the ss near his lips. "Would you like to drink?" "Something''s wrong with you today." Charles put the ss away and held me in his arms. "What is it? There''s nothing wrong with me. You''re just being paranoid." "What happened?" he asked in a low voice. "What are you talking about?" I feigned innocence and acted as if I had no idea what he was talking about. "Stop acting dumb. You know that won''t work against me. You know what? I''ll keep an eye on you. The stranger you are, the more vignt I''ll be." Charles stared at me intently as if he wanted to see a guilty conscience in my eyes. For a moment, we looked into each other''s eyes. Just as I was about to look away, Charles leaned in and kissed me. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. I chuckled inwardly, but I did not object to his passionate kiss. Charles''s hands wandered around my body as we kissed, and his sensuous touch rendered me weak. However, his phone suddenly rang. But knowing Charles, he would not let such a trivial thing ruin our moment. At that moment, he answered the call without letting me go. From the sound of it, Amy was reporting to him about work. While they were in the middle of the conversation, I patted Charles''s hand and signaled him that I needed to go to the restroom. Charles looked at me warily but let me go in the end. I came out of the bathroom not long after. To my surprise, Charles was standing in front of me, blocking my way. He stared at me with narrowed eyes andined, "What took you so long? The call is already finished, but you were still inside." I could not help but chuckle when I sensed the dissatisfaction in his tone. "Rx. I can take care of myself. You should go to work now." "Are you thinking of running away while I''m away?" Charles asked discontentedly. "I won''t run away," I reassured him. Even so, Charles did not seem to believe my words. "Do you think I''ll believe you?" His intense gaze made me feel a little uneasy. Nervous, I licked my lips and did not answer his question. Charles''s eyes darkened, but I pretended not to notice that. After a moment of silence, I looked up at him and asked in a serious tone, "Do you regret marrying me?" "No, I don''t," Charles firmly replied. He then nervously looked at me and asked back, "What about you?" I shook my head in response. Charles breathed a sigh of relief and pulled me into his arms. "Can you forgive me?" "Yes." "I''m sorry," Charles whispered in my ear. I held him in a tight embrace. Hisforting warmth engulfed my heart. I felt secure with him right next to me. What had happened between him and Rita did not bother me anymore. A few momentster, Charles picked me up and carried me to the sofa. "Wait for me here. I''ll prepare our lunch." He went to the kitchen to cook our lunch. But then, he returned to the living room not long after with a te of orange slices for me. After putting down the te, he kissed me on the forehead and went back to the kitchen. I ate the oranges and browsed the news while waiting for him. A piece of news on the trending search caught my eye. A woman who had had a miscarriage ranted on the Inte. The title read, "My little angel was killed, but the murderer can still anchor a TV show!" This sparked controversy amongizens. They tried to guess who the person behind the post was. Some spected that it was Rita. At that moment, I touched my belly unconsciously. If Charles had not caught me in time, my little angel might have died as well. I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach at the thought of this. While I was in a deep thought, Charles''s phone rang, disrupting my thoughts. I decided to take his phone to the kitchen. However, Charles did not even spare a nce and just continued cooking. "It''s Rita," I said somberly. "Answer it for me," Charles asked casually. I immediately did as told. As soon as the call connected, Rita''s anxious voice rang in my ears. "Charles, believe me, it wasn''t me. I hope you don''t misunderstand¡ª" "Oh, there''s no misunderstanding at all. I know it''s you who posted it," I scoffed. "You! Where''s Charles?" Rita asked in disbelief. Obviously, she did not expect that I would be the one who would answer her call. "My husband is busy preparing lunch. Do you have anything else to say?" I walked out of the kitchen as I spoke, not wanting Charles to hear my impudence. "I''m warning you. Your days are numbered. I''ll make sure you pay the price for what you''ve done to me!" Rita yelled at the top of her lungs. "I didn''t push you. You fell on purpose. You killed your own child. If you can''t remember what happened, I can help you check the surveince video for you to see for yourself," I retorted calmly. "Now that my child is dead, yours will be next. Mark my words, you wicked woman. I''ll make you taste your own medicine." I did not take her threats seriously. Instead, Iughed at her as I sensed the desperation in her voice. "You know, when I came back from France, I heard that you only had two months left to live." "What-what do you mean?" Rita queried in confusion. "Nothing. I just wanted to remind you that two months have passed." As soon as I finished speaking, I saw Charles walking towards me, so I hung up the call at once. Charles calmly put another te of orange slices on the table. I met his eyes, and I clenched his phone in dread. Did I speak too loud just now? Did he hear me? Would Charles get mad at me for my bad attitude towards Rita? Surprisingly, he just asked with a straight face, "Did you see the news?" "Yes," I truthfully answered. I wondered how he found out about it, though. "Rx." Charles must have sensed my agitation as he stroked my head and smiled at me reassuringly. "I don''t mind you venting your anger like this." I looked at him in astonishment. If it was in the past, he would defend Rita and not even bother to listen to my side. "Rita has nothing to do with me. I''m just kinda mad that you don''t seem to care about me," Charles exined with a smile. With that, he led me to the dining table to eat. I opened my mouth to speak, but words stuck in my throat. Our lunch was peaceful and harmonious. We did not even mention anything about Rita as we ate. After lunch, Charles pulled me to the living room and showed me the invitation cards. I looked at the cards closely. In the end, I chose the simple but elegant one with red and gold decorations. Charles was taken aback when he saw the invitation card I had chosen. "Didn''t you choose pink and purple for almost everything? Why did you suddenly change your mind?" "It''s true. Pink and purple are my favorite colors. But Grandpa and Grandma like red. I want them to be happy," I exined. Charles did not seem to have any objection to my decision. With a satisfied smile, he pulled me close and made me sit on hisp. "What''s up?" I asked, a little embarrassed about our position. "You deserve a reward for being so considerate," Charles said in a low voice. His hands then wander on my body. I stopped him at once. I nestled my head in the crook of his neck, avoiding his hot breath. Charles kissed me on the forehead affectionately. "Have you thought about having a child with me?" I looked away. "I don''t think it''s the right time to talk about it." Upon hearing my response, Charles pinched my waist with one hand and fondled my breast with the other. He caressed it harder and harder as if he was venting his dissatisfaction. "Don''t..." I begged. Charles did not say a word and started kissing my neck. I could feel his lust and burning desire, so I had no choice but to give in. "I promise I''ll give birth to a great-grandchild for Grandpa and Grandma." "If you take back your words, you know what I''ll do," Charles warned. His lips left my neck, and he kissed me on the lips fervently. When I was running out of breath, I broke the kiss and joked, "I think we''ll need to sleep in separate rooms for a while." My words fueled a new spark in Charles''s heart. He pressed me on the sofa, and his hands once again traveled around my body. "Stop... Charles..." I begged while pushing him away. With deep and hurried breaths, Charles looked me in the eye and asked, "What should you call me after we get married?" I turned my face away and answered, "Honey..." It seemed that Charles could no longer restrain himself. Without a word, he sat up and began unfastening his belt. Chapter 137 Suicide Chapter 137 Suicide Scarlett''s POV: "Honey, what are you doing?" I asked when I noticed what Charles was doing. In silence, he got on top of me and nted a kiss on my lips. Then, he gently kissed my forehead, my brows, and my nose. I could feel the warmth of his breath. "Call me that way again," he demanded while kissing me. "Honey." I couldn''t resist his temptation, so I obliged to his request. Charles smiled with satisfaction. While kissing me, he said, "My dearest wife." His kiss left me flustered. I buried my head in his chest, and let him carry me upstairs. "I wanna do it right now. Is it okay?" Charles ced me on the bed and began to kiss me again. "No, you can''t." I immediately came to my senses. "Why? Don''t you think I''m great in bed?" Charles asked as his face turned stern. "Oh, don''t get me wrong! You''re amazing. It''s just that... I''ve only just gotten out of the hospital, remember?" I chuckled helplessly. After staring at me for a long time, Charles stood up and went to the bathroom. When I heard the sound of running water, I breathed a sigh of relief and subconsciously touched my belly. Each time we would have sex, Charles would be wild. It worried me that the child in my womb could get hurt. Not long after, he came out of the bathroom. He removed the towel around his waist,y beside me, and embraced me. His hands felt cold. I wanted to move away, but he stopped me. "If you keep moving like that, I won''t be able to control myself," Charles murmured. Suddenly, I felt his thick, hard cock poking the back of my waist. I tensed up and dared not move again. "Honey, can we please do it today? I really want you," Charles pleaded, kissing the back of my neck. "We really can''t," I said, determined to refuse his plea. "Perhaps... we can do something else," he said in a husky voice as he guided my hand down to his penis. I sighed and just allowed him to guide my hand in masturbating him. The sounds of his pleasured moans were music to my ears. When my hand felt sore, he finally came as he grunted with pleasure. I was so tired that I fell asleep afterwards. The next morning, I didn''t see Charles when I woke up. I immediately got up to look for him, but he was nowhere to be found. Christine''s maid, Mary, came to bring me breakfast. I asked her to put it on the table, indulged in my thoughts. I was wondering if Charles had gone to see Rita. This morning, there was news about a famous actress who had tried andmitted suicide. I kept on thinking about it, and didn''t realize that I had been sitting at the table and staring nkly into space. "Miss Scarlett, are you okay?" Mary asked as she put down the breakfast on the table. She seemed worried that I was absentminded. "I''m fine," I said, shaking my head. "But, you don''t look okay." Mary was still concerned about me. Later on, my phone began to ring. "Scarlett, Mary told me that you''ve been absentminded the whole morning. Rita didn''tmit suicide because of you. Try not to let it get to your head. There''s no need for you to feel guilty about it," Alice said to me over the phone. "Don''t worry about me, Mom. I''m just wondering what kind of font I should use for the invitations," I said with a chuckle. "Anyway, I''m about to have breakfast. I''ll talk to you next time when I go back. Bye, Mom!" With that, I hung up the phone hurriedly. Truthfully, I wasn''t that worried. I was just curious about what Charles would do next. However, he didn''te home until it was eleven in the morning, so I began to feel uneasy. Just then, the doorbell rang. "I''ll go open the door." I stopped Mary before she could stand up, got up, and trotted towards the door. "Nina? Why are you here?" I asked. I was surprised to see Nina here. "Oh, I just got back this morning!" she replied with a smile. I immediately weed her in. While we were walking, Nina said, "My father wanted to ask me about the withdrawal of thewsuit." Upon hearing this, I paused. "Just withdraw thewsuit. Go ahead." Even while speaking to Nina, I was still thinking about Rita. "Hey, Scarlett? You''re acting weird. Is it because of Rita?" asked Nina. I shook my head and said, "I''m just wondering if I should invite you to be one of the bridesmaids at the wedding." Nina was looking at me with doubtful eyes, but I just smiled at her and said nothing. "Are you really going to marry Charles?" she asked, sounding uncertain. "Yes, I am." I nodded in response. "Why did you suddenly change your mind?" Nina asked tentatively. After a moment of contemtion, I answered, "Back when I was abroad, I was in danger twice. I think being with him is much safer for me." Upon hearing myme excuse, Nina rolled her eyes at me. "You''re clearly marrying Charles because you love him. In fact, even when you were a child, you already loved him!" "We were kids at the time, but now we''re all adults." After a brief pause, I continued, "I don''t have such strong feelings for Charles as I did when I was a young girl." Right after I finished speaking, I sensed a sharp gaze from behind me. When I saw how frightened Nina was, I turned around, only to find that Charles was standing at the door, exuding a daunting presence. "I''m here to ask her about the withdrawal of thewsuit. Oh, by the way, congrattions on your marriage! Anyway, I''ll be goinghome now. Ta-ta!" Nina sprang to her feet and scuttled out of the house. Meanwhile, Charles approached me with a face devoid of emotion. I instinctively grabbed my clothes, feeling a little scared. "Um... weren''t you supposed to be at the hospital?" I lowered my head, averting my gaze from him. And I changed the topic to avoid talking about what I just said. Charles didn''t answer my question. Instead, he forced me to look into his eyes and asked, "What did you mean by ''I don''t have such strong feelings for Charles as I did when I was a young girl''?" I took a deep breath, and decided to answer. "It was true that I used to be madly in love with you." "That just implies you don''t love me as much as you did before," Charles sneered. "That''s right," I answered honestly. I thought he would be angry with me, but to my surprise, he held my hand and said, "I deserve that. I took you for granted back then. But I sincerely believe that you''ll change your opinion of me someday." Once more, the doorbell rang, interrupting our conversation. Mary went to open the door. "Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Moore!" Ethan entered the house along with his assistant. They had brought my wedding dress. When I heard how he addressed me, my heart began to race for some reason. After exchanging pleasantries, we sat down on the living room sofa. "You and Charles look absolutely perfect together! And you know, you two kind of look alike. It must be because you''re in a rtionship," said Ethan. Upon hearing that, I blushed. "Well, many people have said in the past that Charles and I looked like brother and sister. Maybe we do look alike." I smiled, keeping my distance from Charles. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Ethanughed at my remark. "Mrs. Moore, you are hrious." I noticed that Charles was looking at me, so I moved to the side. However, he pulled me closer towards him. Startled, I grabbed his arm by instinct. "Oh,e on, you two! Please consider my feelings. I''m still single, you know!" Ethan remarked, sounding disappointed. I pushed Charles away and told him to let me go. "What''s so wrong about holding my wife?" Charles asked as he nted a kiss on my cheek. Ethan rolled his eyes at us. "Enough with the disy of affection, please!" I pushed Charles away again, this time harder. I was so embarrassed and annoyed that I could feel my face heating up; even my ears were red! Chapter 138 Tried On The Wedding Dress Chapter 138 Tried On The Wedding Dress Charles'' POV: Ignoring Ethan''s words, I took Scarlett''s hand and kissed her again. "Go and try on the wedding dress," I said with a smile before she could lose her temper. Then, Ethan''s assistant escorted Scarlett to the dressing room. "You haven''t convinced Scarlett yet?" Ethan asked me with augh. I cast a nce at him and decided to keep quiet. However, he continued to smile and added in a serious tone, "I can see that Scarlett loves you very much, but it looks like she''s restraining herself. And she must be doing it because she has been badly hurt before." Upon hearing those words, I frowned and fell in deep thought. "If you are the one that hurt her, then you might have to be a lot more patient and tender with her to win her over again. Don''t use a pregnancy to force a woman to stay with you," Ethan said in a sincere tone. "I only remember asking you to design a wedding dress. I don''t remember asking you for marriage counseling." I nced at him irritably and continued, "Anyway, what you said does make sense." Ethan shrugged helplessly with a cheeky smile. Scarlett''s POV: I put on my wedding dress and walked out of the dressing room in my high-heeled shoes. Afraid that I might stumble and fall, I made sure to be cautious about where I step. "You look stunning!" Ethanmented as soon as he saw me. Charles also looked at me in awe. "Do your shoes not fit?" he asked with a frown. I shook my head. Ethan stepped forward, looked at my waist, and said, "It looks like you''ve gained some weight around the waist area." Feeling nervous, I immediately turned to Charles. "Charles, what do you think?" Ethan asked him. Upon hearing that, Charles walked up to me and looked at me closely. Subconsciously, I held my breath and tightened my belly. After staring at my waist for a long time, he finally said calmly, "I don''t see any diffidence." Feeling relieved, I sighed. "When are you two getting married?" Ethan asked with a smile and raised his eyebrows. "I''m afraid that Scarlett might gain weightter, and it would be a pity if this expensive dress goes to waste." "I can watch my weight," I said, panicking. "She has been eating quite a lottely. But if the dress doesn''t fit herter, then you should fix it. That''s what I pay you for. She doesn''t need to lose weight," Charles said, looking at Ethan with a frown. "It won''t be a problem if you can afford it, Charles." Ethan smiled at us. After seeing him off, Charles entered the room and continued to look at me. Seeing him staring at my waist, I nervously whispered, "I will try to get in shape." "Actually, you feel nice to the touch when you have a little fat in your body," Charles said, touching my waist over the wedding dress. "I won''t look good if I get fat," I said in a low voice, hanging my head. "You will look good no matter how much you weigh." Charles smiled at me and continued, "But Ethan has overworked himself to make this dress for you." "This is all your fault. You are so demanding that you tortured that poor designer!" I couldn''t help but comin in a low voice. Charles caressed my waist, and said, "Then I''ll torture my wife from now on." The next second, he began to skillfully move his hands over my body, and I could not resist his touch at all. He then suddenly lifted me up. "I can''t do it now," I reminded at once, looking into his fierce and hungry eyes. Charles paused and said impatiently, "Shut up. It''s just a kiss. We are not going to do it." With that, he carried me to the bedroom. He gently put me down on the bed and started to kiss me. And when he was about to lose control, he was going to take off my wedding dress. "Don''t... Charles, we can''t do it now. It will ruin the wedding dress," I convinced him in a low voice while I kissed the corner of his mouth to please him. Seeing that, he immediately stopped.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. I breathed a sigh of relief as I looked at him with pleading eyes. "I''m hungry." "Kiss me a little longer. If I''m satisfied, then we can go downstairs and eat." Charles looked at me calmly, waiting for me to respond. "You always bully me..." I muttered discontentedly. "Yes, it''s fun." Charles nodded with a smile and leaned closer, waiting for me to kiss him. He had been trying to stifle his desire these past few days. He had not forced me to do anything that I did not want to, so out of pity, I kissed his forehead. "Thank you for your patience. Just put up with it for a little longer." I kissed his forehead again, feeling sorry for him. Charles nced at me and pinched my waist. When I looked into his lustful eyes, I did not have the heart to refuse him, but now was a special time for us, and I had no choice but to make him suffer. Charles stared at me for a long time. He then kissed me and said in a deep, hoarse voice, "Let''s continue after we eat. You should take off your wedding dress first." "You get up first. I''ll change my dress," I said, pushing him away. Reluctantly, Charles got up, and pulled me up from the bed. "Charles, help me." While I was trying to unzip the wedding dress, I could not reach the back of the dress, so I had to ask him for help. "With pleasure," Charles said with a smile. He quickly unzipped the dress for me, but he did not stop there. His hands snaked forward and began to massage my breasts. "I''m hungry." Saying that, I grabbed his hand to remind him. Charles cursed under his breath and loosened his grip irritably. He then gently helped me take off the wedding dress and helped me put on my pajamas. Although he had taken advantage of me many times, the spicy food on the table a whileter instantly brightened up my mood. "Don''t you find it spicy?" Charles was clearly surprised to see me eating spicy food. "No, I think that it''s just right," I said with a smile as I took another bite of the spicy pizza. I was so satisfied to savor the spiciness of the food. "You weren''t that crazy about spicy food before." Charles was a little stunned. "That''s because you weren''t paying attention to me before." I stopped drinking the soup and smiled to ease the awkwardness. However, Charles remained silent. After we finished eating, I sat down on the sofa to read a magazine. Charles poured himself a ss of wine and sat down beside me, ying with my hair leisurely. All of a sudden, his phone rang, and he answered it indifferently while ying with my hair with his other hand. A whileter, he turned serious. I had a hunch that something bad might have happened. As soon as he cut the call, I asked with a worried look in my eyes, "What''s the matter?" "The stock price has plummeted." My heart jolted when I heard that. Was it because of Rita''s suicide attempt? "What should we do now?" I asked subconsciously. "Do you have any suggestions?" Charles asked. After thinking for a while, I said through gritted teeth, "An eye for an eye." Charles'' expression darkened but he didn''t say anything. "You don''t want to hurt Rita?" I asked nervously. "No, I just don''t want you to get hurt." I was moved and felt my heart skip a beat. "Charles, since you are going to announce to the world that I am Mrs. Moore, I will clearly be considered as Rita''s enemy," I said to him firmly as I held his hand. But Charles continued to remain silent. I was worried. Was he still caring about Rita? After a long while, Charles nodded in agreement. "Okay. As long as you don''t vite thew, you''re free to do whatever you want." Hearing that, I was both surprised and relieved. "Where are the couple rings? I want us to put them on." Charles changed the subject. I looked at him with suspicion in my eyes. "It''s at my ce." "Let''s go and get it together, then," he said in a calm voice before he stood up and escorted me outside. "What''s the rush?" I asked while following him out. "Let''s go back to celebrate Grandma''s birthday tonight. I am sure that she would be delighted to see us." I immediately understood what he meant. As soon as we arrived at the neighborhood, Charles got a business phone call and left to answer it, so I walked to my house alone. When I walked closer to the house, I noticed Nate standing by the door. And just like that, my good mood disappeared in an instant. Chapter 139 A Gift Chapter 139 A Gift Scarlett''s POV: "I''m living with Charles," I firmly said while looking at Nate warily. Nate nodded in satisfaction. "That''s good then. But I''m sure you''ll face a lot of trouble because of him." "I don''t care. I''ve already been in a lot of trouble before we even got together," I fired back. "Ritamitted suicide because of you." I looked at him with an icy cold gaze. "It has nothing to do with me." All of a sudden, Nate grabbed me by the arm. "How could you be so cruel? Don''t you feel any remorse? Someone could''ve lost their life, and you''re the reason behind it!" "Let me go!" I tried so hard to get out of his grasp. His touch disgusted me and made my hair stand on end. However, no matter how hard I struggled, I could not shake him off. "Leave Charles," Nate ordered through gritted teeth. His grasp was bing tighter and more painful by the second. "I won''t. Charles and I will get married soon. You''d better be polite to me, or you''ll regret it," I warned. I might look weak and helpless, but my resolution never wavered. His empty threats did not mean anything to me. Nate did not say a word and just stared at me fiercely. While we were at a stalemate, I saw Charles rushing towards us from the corner of my eye. "You don''t want to get beaten, do you?" I said cryptically with a smile. Nate furrowed his brows in confusion. While he was in a daze, Charles kicked him on the leg. He immediately let go of me. Charles''s kick sent him to his knees. But Charles was not done yet. Just as he was about to pounce on Nate and beat him, I grabbed his hand and pulled him into the room. "Charles, don''t get your hands dirty because of him. It''s not worth it." Charles looked at me worriedly. "Are you okay?" I nodded and smiled reassuringly at him. "I''m fine. You came right in time." As soon as I said these words, I turned around and took out the ring from the cab. I walked to Charles and said with a smile, "Give me your hand." Charles did as told. But instead of putting the ring on his finger, I put it on his palm. "Aren''t you gonna help me put it on?" Charles asked with apparent discontent. I shook my head with a chuckle. I wore my own ring and did not help him despite his request. Although annoyed, Charles did not say anything more. "Happy wife, happy life," he murmured to himself. I was amused by his words. Once we were both wearing our rings, Charles held my hand and looked at it. Then, he nodded with satisfaction, which made my heart flutter. "Let''s go buy Grandma''s birthday gift," he said with a dashing smile. Hand in hand, we walked out. As soon as we arrived at the mall, the manager walked up to us with a weing smile. "Hello, Mr. Moore and Mrs. Moore. Are you here to buy wedding rings? Would you like to see the newly arrived limited edition ones? I''m sure you''ll love them. We''ve been keeping them for you," the manager said while leading us inside. "No. We''re buying a gift for our Grandma," I exined. "I see." The manager''s smile faltered. I paid no attention to the look of disappointment on his face and just focused on choosing the best gift for Christine. An agate ne in the ss cab caught my eye. "Do you like this one?" Charles asked in a low voice. I nodded. "Yes. I''m confident Grandma will like it." Charles turned to the sales assistant. To my surprise, he pointed at another ne. "Take that out and let her try it." "No, thanks," I t out refused. Charles ignored me and pointed at the other nes. "Take all of those and let my wife try them on," he repeated. I was too stunned to speak. I could only sigh helplessly when I saw how much everything had cost. Once we got into the car, I nced at the rearview mirror and recognized the car behind us. "Isn''t that Rita''s car?" "Yes," Charles replied indifferently. Without another word, he started the car and sped away. It seemed that he had no intention of dealing with her. Even so, I could not help but keep an eye on her along the way. I watched as her car tailed us to our destination. When we arrived at the mansion, the housekeeper came out and warmly weed us. But then, the housekeeper walked out afterward, which perplexed me. "Aren''tyou gonnae in?" "Mrs. Moore asked me to deliver a message to Miss Lively," the housekeeper answered. I could not help but nce at Charles. "Are you going to let Ritae in?" I worriedly asked, seeing his expressionless face. The atmosphere suddenly became heavy. I looked at Charles nervously, afraid he would nod and say yes. "Tell Rita that no one wants to see her," he coldly said and then led me inside. As soon as we entered the living room, Christine held my hand with a beaming smile. Thanks to her, I forgot what had happened for now. I held her hand and said with a smile, "Grandma, I would like to dress you up today." Christine chuckled. "Oh, dear. I''m too old for that. There''s no need for me to dress up." "But today is your birthday. You should be prettier." Christine eventually agreed, and we went to her room with Alice. I finished Christine''s makeover about an hourter. Alice and I exchanged a nce and nodded in satisfaction. The two of us then helped Christine to the living room for the celebration. At that moment, she happened to see the couple ring on my finger, and she heaved a happy sigh. "It''s been so long since Ist saw you wearing that ring. It''s so pretty," she remarked. With a smile, I took out the gift I had prepared and handed it to Christine. "Grandma, happy birthday!" "Scarlett, I must say, you have exquisite taste. The ne is very beautiful. Hurry. Help me put it on." Grandma beckoned me toe closer and excitedly asked me to put the ne around her neck. "I''m d you like it. The truth is, Charles was the one who paid for it," I truthfully said while putting the ne around Christine''s neck. Meanwhile, Charles looked at me with a long face. "What did you just call me?" N?velDrama.Org content rights. "Uh... I mean, my husband paid for it," I corrected. The glum look on Charles''s face disappeared in an instant. Everyone could not help butugh at how cheesy he was. Now, the atmosphere in the house had be livelier and more harmonious. But then, something came up. The housekeeper walked in with a gloomy face and informed us, "Miss Lively is at the gate. She says she has prepared a gift for you and hopes she can give it to you in person, ma''am." The smile on Alice''s and Christine''s faces disappeared at once. "Tell her I don''t need her gift," Christine snorted with disdain. "I say don''t pay attention to that woman. Get back to work," Grandpa ordered in a deep voice. The housekeeper left respectfully. However, the awkward atmosphere Rita had caused remained for quite a while. After dinner, Charles and I returned to our room. His phone rang all of a sudden. He looked at the caller ID and frowned when he saw it was Richard. He answered the call and put it on speaker. "What is it?" "Charles, could you please see me? I want to give Grandma her birthday gift," Rita implored. "The rtionship between the Moore and Lively family is on the rocks. We won''t ept your gift," Charles coldly said. "How could that be? We almost got married, didn''t we? Our rtionship is perfectly fine," Rita reasoned out. "Stop calling!" Charles snarled. He then hung up the call without even waiting for Rita''s response. I stood frozen in the spot, at a loss for words. Charles turned to look at me, and his expression softened in an instant. "You should go take a shower first." I did as told. Now, I had just finished showering and was in front of the mirror, drying my hair absentmindedly. Truth be told, I was thinking about how I would get rid of Charles tonight. While I was in deep thought, Charles knocked on the door of the bathroom and reminded, "Scarlett, what''s taking you so long? You can''t run away from me, you know. I have keys to all doors in this house." "Honey, I''m not in the mood for sex right now," I argued through the door. "Why? Am I not good?" I rolled my eyes at him. "It''s not that..." "I can''t hear you. Come out now. Let''s talk about it," Charles retorted impatiently. Suddenly, his phone rang yet again. I could not hear who had called or what they were talking about. But then, his voice came through the door after a while. "Spencer wants to have a drink with me. I''ll be back soon. Don''t stay in the bathroom for too long, okay?" I did not answer and just stayed in the bathroom for a while longer. It was not until I heard the door of the bedroom open and close that I finally walked out. I looked around the room and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that Charles had left. But before I could reach the bed, he returned. He strode over and kissed me on the lips. Our kiss made me weak in my knees, and I could barely stand on my feet. Charles looked into my eyes and exhorted, "Have a good rest, okay? Don''t think too much." I did not have the heart to say no to that, so I nodded in response. Charles kissed me on the lips again. With that, he turned around and left. Chapter 140 Upset Chapter 140 Upset Charles'' POV: When I got out of the house, I noticed that Rita''s car was following mine. I didn''t pay that much attention to it, and just went to the bar that Spencer had booked a room in. Upon my arrival, I began drinking in silence. It was clear on my face that I wasn''t very happy. "Dude, you''re about to get married. Why do you look so glum?" asked David. "What is it? Do you feel pressured now that the day hase, and now you want to dump Scarlett?" Spencer asked, staring at the ring on my finger. I looked at him in silence for a moment, before saying, "I''m the one who begged her to marry me. I don''t have the right to dump her." "Then why are you so upset, man?" Spencer was obviously confused. After a moment of hesitation, I looked at them and let out a sigh. "Lately, Scarlett has been refusing to have sex with me, and I have no idea why." Right after I finished my sentence, Spencer and David exchanged nces and burst intoughter. I stared daggers at these two idiots. I knew that they would react like that. ''Why am I even friends with them?'' "God! I never imagined that our Charles, the most powerful man among us, would be refused by a woman in bed." Spencer wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes as he repeatedly patted my shoulder. "I didn''t tell you that, so you idiots couldugh at me. Help me out here!" Once I said that, the two of them stoppedughing. But I could clearly see that they were still on the brink ofughter, which made me want to beat them to a pulp. "Don''t be so down in the dumps, my good man. Allow me to analyze the situation for you, and teach you some moves. Just follow my advice, and Scarlett will be the one begging you to have sex. Is it possible that she doesn''t want to do it with you, because you''re not good at it?" Spencer said as he ced his arm around my shoulder. "I think that might be possible," David concurred with a smile. "If you two are just going to make idiot remarks, just get the fuck out of here!" I expressed my irritation towards them, picked up the bottle of beer in front of me, and drank it up. "Fine, fine. I''ll teach you some of my moves. Always remember that you can''t force a girl to have sex. You need to seduce her, and make her fantasize about your body. By then, even if you don''t take the initiative, she''ll surely want to have sex with you." Spencer appeared to be serious while he was teaching me. "Does that even work?" I asked, sounding doubtful. He patted his chest and said, "It works like a charm, bro! Trust me on this." "Have you ever been in love?" I asked, maintaining eye contact with him. It seemed that my words had rendered him speechless, and his face turned grim. "Even if I don''t have a girlfriend, I can have sex with any woman I want!" He red at me with dissatisfaction. Just before I could ask another thing, the door was pushed open. Rita entered the room. Spencer shot her a nce and said, "Sorry, Rita, but you''ll have toe over some other day. We''re discussing something of great importance right now." "Charles, I need to talk to you," Rita said to me, ignoring him. "It''s over, Rita." I touched the ring on my finger, stood up, and was intent on leaving. However, Rita stood in front of me and began to beg. "Charles, there really is something that I need to tell you!" "We''ve already broken up. What more do you want from me?" "I lost my baby with Richard, and you''ve had sex with Scarlett. That makes us even now, right?" Rita shouted hysterically. Her words caused me to frown at her. I didn''t expect that she would say that. "I have shown you my respect, so that I could repay your kindness. It''s not because I love you." Rita was still standing in my way, so I couldn''t leave. Thus, I decided to push her aside. "How could you be so heartless, Charles?" Rita looked at me with disbelief, clearly disappointed. "You''ve recovered now. The only reason I helped you was because you were about to die." "Did Scarlett say something to you?" asked Rita, visibly surprised. "I saw it with my own eyes," I spat, pushing the door open and leaving. The moment I walked out, I saw Richard standing by the door. I shot him an indifferent nce and said, "If I were you, I wouldn''t let Rita pester another man. Richard just smiled bitterly and said nothing. Scarlett''s POV: Last night, I went to bed really early. And when I woke up, Charles wasn''t by my side. I picked up my phone as usual. The headlines were about him again. As I stared at his pictures with Rita, I felt a little insecure. Not long after, I went to the bathroom to wash up absentmindedly. Meanwhile, Charles was having breakfast in the living room alone. I didn''t even greet him. And I chose the farthest seat from him and sat down. "Those photos aren''t what you think," he said. "Are you saying they were falsified?" I said in a listless voice, pushing my phone towards him. "Look, the pictures are really, but I don''t have any connections to Rita, and I don''t want to be connected to her in any way," he replied. This time, I didn''t say anything. I just finished my breakfast and went to work. I didn''t want Charles to drive me to work, but he insisted and I couldn''t do anything to stop him. When we arrived at thepany building, I unfastened my seatbelt in silence, and was about to get off the car. N?velDrama.Org content rights. "Honey, aren''t you going to kiss me goodbye?" asked Charles. "No." I didn''t want to indulge him, so I just got off the car directly. As soon as I entered the building, my colleague told me that I had a visitor waiting for me in the reception room. Perhaps it was Rita. When I opened the door, I saw her just as I had expected. She had a triumphant smile on her face, and a man''s coat in her hand. "Charles was worried that I might catch a coldst night, so he sent me home and gave me his coat," she said while touching the coat in her hand, deliberately inciting an argument. "That''s not Charles'' coat," I sneered, debunking her lie. "You, bitch! Okay, so what? Charles drove me homest night, and told me that he was worried about me." Rita looked so smug while saying that. "Yes, but at the end of the night, he still slept on my bed," I countered. "If you want to keep living, you''d best get your head straight and leave Charles!" Rita could no longer contain her anger, so she started threatening me. "I see. So, the two assassination attempts on me abroad were arranged by you, huh?" I asked. Rita crossed her arms, wearing a smug smile. "Yep. It was all me. It''s a pity how useless those idiots were. If I had hired some better assassins, you wouldn''t be standing in front of me safe and sound right now." At the end of her sentence, she looked somewhat annoyed. "Sorry, but I have the luck of the devil," I replied, shrugging at her. "I''m warning you to leave Charles at once!" Rita stared daggers at me. "Hell no! He''s mine." Rita grabbed my wrist, gritting her teeth. "Were you the one who told Charles that I''ve recovered?" "Not everyone is as despicable as you are." With that, I shook off her hand and walked away from her. Chapter 141 Slander Chapter 141 nder Rita''s POV: I watched Scarlett leave, unable to believe her words. If she hadn''t told Charles, then how could he know about it? If it had not been for that, then he would not have been so cold to me, so I med Scarlett. While I was thinking of what to do next, my phone rang. "Mom, what''s the matter?" I asked in an unpleasant voice as soon as I answered the call. "Scarlett has bewitched your dad, and he has packed his luggage and moved out!" my motherined in tears. "What?" I asked in shock. "It''s true. He moved out today, saying that he would never return!" she said, choking back her sobs. I stifled my impulse to rush out and get even with Scarlett. Thinking of Charles, I promised to my mother, "Don''t worry. I will make dad change his mind." "You must make hime back, dear." "Don''t worry, Mom, I will." Saying that, I hung up the phone. However, I couldn''t suppress the joy in my heart. I told myself that Scarlett was doomed now. How dare she take away Charles from me? I wanted to see how she was going topete with me now. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. After leaving the TV station, I called Amy. Learning that Charles had gone out for lunch with someone else, I took Richard with me to look for Charles in the restaurants near hispany. Even after searching for a long time, we could not find Charles, so Richard could not help but ask, "Maybe, he is not in the area?" "As far as I know, Charles won''t go too far to have lunch during work hours, so he must be somewhere around here." With a frown, I continued to look for him. "Over there!" Richard suddenly pointed at a restaurant. I looked towards the direction and saw Charles sitting by the window. Seeing him, I could not wait to walk into that restaurant. "Charles, Scarlett has seduced my father." Without hesitating, I got to the point at once. Charles frowned and remained silent. "Rita, don''t talk nonsense," Spencer persuaded me. I looked at him coldly and said in a sarcastic tone, "What? Did Scarlett seduce you too? Why are you speaking up for her?" "You are bing increasingly unreasonable." Spencer frowned unhappily, looking at me. "It''s not that I am being unreasonable; you''re the one that''s guilty here," I retorted, snorting. Spencer shook his head and stopped talking. I turned to Charles again, and said, "Scarlett lied to you. She is a skittish woman. She said that she wanted to hold a wedding with you while seducing my father, which is the reason he has now packed up his things and moved out! She was probably nning to have an affair with my dad when you are not home after you two are married." "Rita, I think that you''re mistaken. Scarlett is not that kind of a person." David also tried to defend Scarlett. "Scarlett is really something! Looks like she has bought you two off!" I nced at David and Spencer with a disappointed look before I turned to Charles and said, "Charles, are you sure you want to marry a shameless woman like her?" "Rita, stop it!" Spencer said indifferently. "She seduced my father! Why shouldn''t I say it? Although a lot of things between us have changed, I can''t watch you get deceived by Scarlett and do nothing, Charles." Saying that, I grabbed Charles'' hand. "Let''s start over, okay? Since Scarlett likes seducing men, let her..." As soon as I said that, I heard a loud noise. Charles smashed the ss on the floor. Frightened, I stood still. I began to gasp in fear. Looking at the broken ss on the floor, I stared at his furious face. "What did you just say? I dare you to say it again!" He looked at me indifferently with his voice as cold as ice. I opened my mouth subconsciously. "Scarlett seduced my father, and now he has moved out. Scarlett is a dissolute woman. She doesn''t deserve you..." "When Spencer reminded me earlier, I thought that he was probably overthinking it." Charles looked at me with disappointment. "What?" I asked. Charles looked at me with his razor sharp gaze that could rip me to shreds. "It was Nate who went to Scarlett. When did she ever seduce him?" he asked coldly. "It''s not like that..." Looking into his eyes, I felt my heart twist into a knot and I could not help but feel nervous. "Did you see Scarlett seducing your father with your own eyes?" Charles asked with a sarcastic smile. "No," I replied, shaking my head. "Did your father tell you that? Or did Scarlett?" Charles continued to question me. "Charles, she has deceived you! She''s not as innocent as she seems. She is a shrew woman, who is good at seducing men..." I exined in a fit of panic, hoping that he would see her true colors. "Rita, you are unbelievable," Charles sneered. "Charles, I''m not..." Met with his indifferent expression, I was flustered. "Scarlett used to tolerate you because of me. But from now on, I''ll side with her and fight back," Charles said before stood up to leave. "Tell your father that he and I are at daggers drawn!" "Scarlett seduced my father because she hates me. She kept pestering you while doing such shameless things. Don''t you understand? She is a slut," I immediately exined, seeing that he was about to leave, I also grabbed his sleeve. Charles shook off my hand coldly and smiled. "It would be great if she really hated you. Ever since I proposed to divorce her, she has never pestered me. I was the one who pestered her and begged her to stay." "Charles, what are you even talking about?" I looked at him in shock. "I love Scarlett, but I did not know how to express my love for her before," Charles said affectionately with a hint of tenderness, which he had never shown me before. "No, that''s not true, right? You are just lying to me, aren''t you?" I asked, grabbing his wrist, unable to believe my own ears. "It''s none of your business. Don''t mess with Scarlett anymore, or I''ll be forced to teach you a lesson. You saved my life, but you also yed tricks on me for so many years. We are even now." Saying that, Charles removed my hand from his and walked away without turning back. No matter how many times I shouted, it was of no use. I copsed to the floor with tears streaming down my face. "Charles hates betrayal and deception the most," Spencer reminded. "I just love him too much. I can''t lose him," I retorted emotionally. "Then why did you sleep with someone else? I really don''t understand you." Spencer looked at me with a hint of sarcasm in his eyes. "It was a mistake," I exined in a hurry. "I don''t care if it was a mistake or not, because it''s none of my business." "I really love him. I can''t live without him!" I could not help but turn to the direction that Charles walked. "Charles said those things to you not only because you lied to him, but also because Nate approached Scarlett with an ulterior motive," David exined slowly. "No way!" I retorted harshly, stunned by his words. "Nate used the head of the TV station to arrange a date with Scarlett and said that he wanted to keep her as a mistress." "That''s impossible! Scarlett must have seduced my father," I said firmly, ignoring his words. "Rita, let go of Charles. You two just can''t be together anymore." "Over my dead body! I know that you are trying to help Scarlett by persuade me," I said stubbornly, resenting Scarlett more than ever. After all, she was the reason my life ended up being so miserable. Chapter 142 Cleared Up The Misunderstanding Chapter 142 Cleared Up The Misunderstanding Scarlett''s POV: Charles suddenly called me and told me that he wanted to take me out to eat. Upon hearing that, Alice cheerfully helped me dress up, saying that I must dress well for a date. I let her help me get dressed after seeing that she was really excited about the idea. As soon as I walked out of the house, the driver drove me to the hotel, where Charles was waiting for me in a private dining room. I was difited by his intense gaze. "Mom helped me choose this outfit," I said in a low voice as I pulled my dress awkwardly. "The dress is too short," Charles said in an unpleasant tone, frowning. "I think it''s beautiful," Spencer praised sincerely. "Thank you," I replied with a sheepish grin. Charles put his coat on me, and said, "Put it on. You''ll catch a cold." Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. He then made me sit beside him. "You''ve seen her wear such beautiful dresses whenever you''re at home with her, and yet you pull a long face when other people see her like that." "Yes, you have so many rules for your wife, but you are not careful enough with your own actions, and you often do things to make her misunderstand you." Spencer and David teased Charles. The more I heard them talk, the more I felt that something was strange. Didn''t Charles just invite me for dinner? "Scarlett, I have something to exin to you on Charles'' behalf," Spencer said. With a frown, I looked at Charles. Why couldn''t he tell me directly? And why did he have to ask his friend for help? "I am sure you know about what happenedst night, but you might have misunderstood Charles because we were with him at that time. I can assure you that there''s nothing going on between him and Rita, and we are witnesses for it." "Yes, Scarlett. The news reports were false. In fact, Charlespletely ignored her and even said some harsh things to her," David exined. "Seeing how angry he was yesterday, even I was a little scared," Spencer said, patting his chest in fear. Then they both exined what had happenedst night. Hearing that, I sighed helplessly. "So that''s why you asked me out today?" I asked calmly, looking at Charles. Charles nodded and began to drink with a fretful look. Spencer poured him another ss of wine when he saw that his ss was empty. "Don''t drink too much. After all, you are nning for a baby now," David said and was about to take away the wine ss, but Spencer stopped him. "Scarlett became sad because of him, so that''s his punishment!" Saying that, Spencer poured Charles another ss of wine. Charles looked at them in silence, acquiescing in what Spencer said. Just then, a waitress knocked on the door, and entered. "Hello, sir. The surveince video has been sent to your phone," she said, bowing her head as she handed the phone to Spencer and left. "Scarlett, take a look," Spencer said, pushing the phone towards me. In the video, Rita kept pulling Charles''s sleeve, but he seemed to be clearly displeased with her, and his long face looked terrible. It was exactly like what Spencer and David said. Watching the video, I had mixed feelings. "David and I are going out to buy some cigarettes." Spencer stood up and put his arm around David''s shoulder, ready to leave. "Do you have to buy cigarettes together?" I teased them, understanding their intention. "Of course, we should! We are good buddies, who are inseparable," David said, putting his arm around Spencer''s shoulder. They both smiled at me and left, leaving me alone with Charles. The atmosphere was a little awkward, and Charles continued to stare at me in silence. Without saying anything to him, I lowered my head and began to eat the fruit. "I want to eat, too," Charles said all of a sudden, still looking at me. Upon hearing that, I quickly fed him a piece of fruit. "I don''t like this." Looking at the piece of orange in my hand, he shook his head. I nced at him before I put the orange into my mouth without saying anything. All of a sudden, he kissed me, and the taste of the orange exploded in my mouth, sweet and fresh with a tinge of bitterness. He kissed me so hard that I felt like I had lost my strength. It was a long time before he finally let go of me, and the orange in my mouth had disappeared, but I could not tell if I ate it or if he did. "I''m sorry. Please don''t be angry. There is nothing going on between Rita and I," Charles said in a maic and gentle voice as he put his head on my shoulder. "I am sorry for misunderstanding you," I said with a sigh. "You don''t have to apologize. I am more than happy to see that you''re not mad at me." With a smile on his lips, he kissed me gently on the forehead. We had a pleasant and rxing dinner. We recalled a lot of things that had happened when we were kids. After dinner, when were about to leave, the staff walked to Spencer in a hurry, and said, "Miss Lively is downstairs. And she''s..." I took a look at Charles subconsciously, and when I saw his indifferent look, I understood that he did not care about Rita at all. The four of us walked out of the private dining room and stood in front of the guardrail, watching what was going on downstairs. Richard was fighting several men. His face was injured since he was outnumbered. Rita, on the other hand, was drinking red wine as though nothing happened. She didn''t seem to care about Richard''s injury at all. I frowned at this scene. I was a little displeased with her for being so cold-blooded, but at the same time, I also pitied Richard. "Should we help?" Spencer asked, looking at Charles. "This is your hotel," Charles replied indifferently. Spencer turned to me, as if he was begging for my opinion. I figured out that he wanted to stop them, but he was also afraid that Charles might not agree with him. "Charles is right. This is indeed your hotel," I said with a shrug. With a sigh, Spencer said to the staff member beside him, "Get them under control. If they break something identally, then I will have to suffer the losses." As soon as the staff member walked downstairs, Spencer pointed at the group of men, and said to the security guard, "Take them to the police station." Richard was badly injured, so he limped to Rita, and grabbed her hand. "Come with me." However, Rita looked at me with a gloomy smile before she shook off his hand and pointed at me, egging him on to fight. "Go and kill her now to avenge your child. As long as you kill her, I will marry you." "Are you crazy? What are you even talking about? You killed the baby yourself. It has nothing to do with others," Richard shouted at her in shock. Spencer walked up to Rita and said in a disappointed tone, "For the sake of our friendship, I won''t report you to the police, so please leave." Rita nced at him indifferently but she did not say anything. She finished the wine in her ss before she walked to me. "Rita, don''t make trouble!" David warned with a frown. Ignoring him, she pointed at me, and asked Charles, "You choose her or me?" "Move your hand aside. Don''t point at my wife," Charles said coldly and pulled me away to leave. "If you leave, then I will jump off this building!" Rita threatened. I stopped, turned around, and reminded her kindly, "If you die, then Charles will be all mine. If you survive, but end up disabled, then we will support you for the rest of your life." "Scarlett, you are such a vicious woman! You will definitely face a miserable end," Rita roared, pointing her finger at me. "You should go first," I said to Charles, ignoring her angry words. "No," Charles refused with a frown, unwilling to leave. "What? Are you afraid that I might hurt her?" I teased him with a smile. He looked at me and said, "I''m afraid that she might hurt you." I looked at him with a smile as I whispered in Rita''s ear, "Charles is my man." "I will take him back by all means." Gritting her teeth, Rita red at me. "Don''t embarrass yourself more than you already do," I reminded her with a smile. Rita slumped to the floor with a pale face. I then took Charles'' arm and left. On our way home, I looked at him and asked, "Is Richard still working for you?" "No, he is a free man now," he replied tly. "So Richard is still with her because he has slept with her, right?" I said. "Yes." "Richard is so loyal and affectionate. He is always on Rita''s side, no matter what happens." I suddenly let out a sigh. "You always praise others, but not me," Charlesined with a cold look in his eyes. "Oh, you are such a faithful and affectionate man. Richard can''t even hold a candle to you. Even God would want to praise you when he sees how deeply you love me," I praised him, knowing that he was jealous. "Since I''m so faithful and you love me so much, can you please reward me?" Charles asked with a smile, looking at me with his lustful eyes. I rolled my eyes helplessly and looked at him in a daze. "Now I''m really curious. How did you deal with your sexual desire when you were single?" "I was not interested in such things before I met you. After having such wonderful sex with you, I can''t help but want more," he said in a serious tone before he leaned in and kissed me passionately. Chapter 143 Confrontation Chapter 143 Confrontation Charles'' POV: Scarlett''s phone rang the moment she stepped inside the bathroom to take a shower. I looked at the caller ID. To my surprise, it was Nate. I picked up her phone and answered it without a second thought. "Scarlett, I knew you''d answer my call. Can we meet right now? I want to apologize for what happenedst time." I wanted tough. What he had said was funny. "Scarlett?" Nate called Scarlett''s name tentatively when he did not hear anything from the other end of the line for a while. "It''s Charles." Nate fell silent. "To show your sincerity properly, I want you to deal with the media outlets by tomorrow morning." I hung up the call as soon as I finished speaking, and a sneer tugged at the corners of my mouth. Sure enough, Nate did as told. The next morning, I handed my phone to Scarlett to let her see the latest trending topic with her own eyes. As I saw the confused look on her face while she read the news, I patiently exined, "It''s an apology letter from Nate." "What happened?" Scarlett asked with a frown. "I think it''s his wedding gift for us," I said in an unusually cheery tone. Scarlett eyed me with suspicion. "Really?" I said nothing in response. I then put my arms around her waist and stroked her belly from time to time. "Why do you keep doing that?" I paused for a moment and asked, "Can''t I?" Without waiting for her answer, I stroked it yet again. "It''s just that you used to caress the upper part," Scarlett teased. I could not help but chuckle at her words. Just as she said, I put my hands on her breasts and fondled them like I always did. "Did your breasts grow bigger?" Scarlett shook off my hands and grumbled coyly, "No..." "Maybe it''s because I''m good at massage." I fondled them harder, and a feeling of satisfaction arose in my heart. Scarlett''s face turned red, and she hid in my arms in embarrassment. "You''re so cheeky." Scarlett''s POV: After breakfast, Alice took out a set of jewelry. Then, with a smile, she beckoned me toe to her. "Scarlett,e here." I recognized the ne in her hand at once. It was the heirloom of the Moore family. I looked at Charles, perplexed. He nodded at me and urged, "Just go." I walked over to Alice, and she helped me put on the ne Once done, she looked at me and gasped in astonishment. "You''re so beautiful," she remarked with a smile. "I knew it would look good on you, Scarlett." Christine praised me as well. I unconsciously touched the ne around my neck and thanked them for their gift and kind words. "Thank you, Grandma. Thank you, Mom." "I was supposed to give it to you earlier, but you and Charles were at odds back then. But it doesn''t matter. What matters is that it is finally yours," Christine solemnly said. I could not help but feel a little guilty. They must have been troubled because of me. I returned to my room not long after. There I took off the ne for safekeeping. "Why did you take it off?" Charles asked confusedly. "This is your family''s heirloom. What if I break it or, worse, lose it? We should keep it somewhere safe." I put the jewelry into the jewelry box as I spoke. "What are you talking about? It''s our heirloom," Charles corrected with a long face. "Oh, sorry. It''s our heirloom." I handed the jewelry box to him, which perplexed him more. "Why are you giving it to me now?" he asked with a frown. I handed the jewelry box to him again. "Please keep it for me." "It''s women''s business." "But you''re the head of the n." A smile appeared on Charles''s face as soon as I said those words. "Just take it. Grandma gave it to you." He chuckled at me, but he remained unmoved. Knowing him, he would not budge. Unable to do anything, I nodded and put the jewelry box away. All of a sudden, he hugged me from behind. "Scarlett, I just need to take good care of you. And you take care of everything we have." "I don''t want to be your housekeeper," I retorted. "You''re won''t be. You''re gonna be my wife." Charles wrapped his arms around my waist and pinned me against my dresser. Ever so slowly, he leaned in to kiss me. But then, I put my arms in front of me to keep his body away from me. "I should probably go to work now," I reminded in a low voice, afraid he would act recklessly. "It''ll be fine. I just want a kiss." With a smile, Charles held my hand and gently kissed my lips. This time, he did what he said. After our kiss, he drove me to thepany himself. We arrived at the TV station not long after. "I''ll pick you up after work," he said once I got off the car. I nodded in response. Without a word, I walked into the building. I saw Rita the moment I stepped inside. I did not want to talk to her, so I ignored her and went straight to the elevator. She was like a ghost, haunting me all the time. Rita seemed displeased that I did not pay her any attention. "Do you think you''ll be happy once you marry Charles? He doesn''t love you. You''ll just end up miserable," she scoffed. I turned around and looked at her with a sardonic smile. "How can you say that he doesn''t love me?" Rita was taken aback. It seemed that she was not expecting that kind of response from me. "Do you really think that Charles loves you?" "Why not? Do you think you''re the one he loves? Wake up," I rejoined. "Of course, he loves me. He''s just confused and overwhelmed. Once he calms down, he''ll leave you for me," Rita fired back with a smug smile. N?velDrama.Org content rights. I shrugged indifferently. "Really? I can''t wait for him to calm down and prove you wrong." Rita snorted indignantly. "Scarlett, don''t be so full of yourself. Disappointment hurts." "Oh, I''m not. I''m just spitting facts." I smiled at Rita in amusement. Her face, however, darkened in displeasure. Infuriated, Rita took a deep breath and clenched her hands into fists. "Stop being a showoff. What you have now belonged to me first!" "Really? Have you ever seen Charles''s abs? I don''t think so. Let me describe them to you. They''re so hard and defined. I get turned on whenever I stroke them," I said with a smirk. Rita gasped in shock, and her face turned red with rage. She pointed at my nose and eximed, "You shameless woman! How can you say that in public?!" "Aren''t you curious about it? Do you want me to tell you something else more interesting?" I asked with my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Shame on you!" Rita bellowed. Her body trembled with fury. "How bold of you to say that. Didn''t you sleep with your bodyguard and trample on his love?" I could not help but feel sorry for Richard as I spoke. "So what? I''ve repeatedly told him that it was only a one-night stand, but that fool took it seriously. He''s the one to me. He''s so fucking stupid and useless!" Rita reasoned out. The more she spoke, the viler she became in my eyes. "You''re so disgusting," I slowly said while looking at her with an icy cold gaze. Rita sneered. "You think you''re so noble, huh? Howe you seduced a married man? Isn''t Charles enough for you?" "I think you''re mistaken. It''s your father who''s trying to seduce a married woman. With a handsome and rich husband like Charles, why would I want to be with an old geezer who''s old enough to be my father? I''m not like you who''s as stupid as a sheep," I said crossly with a sardonic smile. "You..." I raised my hand to shut her up. I did not want to listen to her bbers anymore. "I know you and Charles haven''t made up. But I don''t care. It''s not my fault that I''m so charming that Charles loves me with all his heart. I''m afraid you won''t stand a chance against me." Rita stared daggers at me. "Do really you think I won''t hit you?" "Do it. What are you waiting for?" I moved my face close to her. But seeing that she did not move an inch, I kindly reminded her, "Hurry up so that I can call the police earlier. This is the first andst time I''m going to give you such a wonderful opportunity." Rita just red at me, her body trembling with pent-up rage. With an amused look on my face, I pointed at the surveince cameras around us. "By the way, there are more than fifty cameras watching us, and they''re not cheap. Those cameras can capture everything, even your pimples." "Don''t think that I don''t have the guts to hurt you!" Rita was so furious that she was gritting her teeth and trembling all over. For a second, I was afraid that her teeth would break and fall off. "What? Are you gonna hit me or not? What a coward. I''mleaving. You''rejustwastingmy time." With a smirk, I turned around to leave. "Wait!" Rita rushed over and blocked my way. "Have you made up your mind? Hurry up." I moved my face close to her again, provoking her on purpose. Rita raised her hand and looked at the passersby. She seemed to be contemting whether or not it would be worth it. I opened my mouth to mock her. But just as I was about to say something, I suddenly felt an urge to vomit. Without missing a beat, I looked around, covered my mouth, and ran to the nearest restroom. Chapter 144 Leaving Chapter 144 Leaving Rita''s POV: When I saw Scarlett rush to the bathroom, covering her mouth with her hand, I immediately figured out that she was having morning sickness. But I couldn''t help feeling a little resentful. While I was still in a daze, Richard walked to me with a cup of coffee. "What''s the matter with you?" he asked with concern. "Scarlett''s belly is getting bigger and bigger," I muttered, looking in the direction of the restroom. "We have known that she is pregnant, didn''t we?" "She just returned. How could she be pregnant?" I asked, looking at Richard discontentedly. "It''s normal for a married woman to get pregnant," he said calmly. I didn''t want to talk to him anymore. I couldn''t help but make blind and disorderly conjectures. "Did Charles end uppromising with her because she''s pregnant?" I asked in surprise. The more I thought about it, the more it made me feel like I was finally catching onto the truth. Richard looked at me indifferently and frowned. It seemed like he wanted to say something, but he stopped on second thought. I cast a cold nce at him before I continued, "Yes, Scarlett must have forced Charles using her pregnancy. If that was not the case, then Charles won''t treat me so coldly all of a sudden or yell at me. When did Scarlett get pregnant, though?" "It''s none of your business," Richard interrupted. "You know nothing! And I can''t let Scarlett give birth to the baby. She was lucky that I was not able to push her down the stairs with mest time," I said through gritted teeth, looking at him. "Stop acting so recklessly," Richard said with a frown. "Scarlett is not qualified to give birth to Charles '' child! She doesn''t deserve to be with him." Saying that with a sarcastic smile, I looked at him with emotional eyes. "Scarlett is Charles'' wife. Who are you?" Richard reminded me, casting a firm nce at me. "Charles hired a bodyguard for me. So I am obviously special to him." I gave him a cold re. "Charles has long known that we had sex, and he fired me right after he found out about it." Richard gave me a meaningful look and sighed. "That''s impossible! I am sure that Charles must still be paying you. He cares about me, and that''s why he''s still hiring you." I looked at Richard in disbelief. Taking a deep breath, Richard said, "You''d better not hurt Scarlett. I''m leaving." "You are just a coward. Go quickly, and don''t get in my way." I looked at him coldly, unwilling to continue the conversation with him. Richard frowned at me for a moment before he sighed, turned around, and left. I was so busy thinking of my next move that Ipletely ignored him. I spent the rest of the day wondering how I was going to make Scarlett show her true colors and make Charlese back to me. Aftering up with several ns, I decided to make Richard cooperate with me. However, he was gone, and I couldn''t get through to him at all, which left me feeling irritable. Suddenly, I heard Nate''s voice. "Did you go to see Scarlett today?" "What? Are you worried that I might hurt her?" I asked him in a sarcastic tone. "You have misunderstood me. There is nothing going on between us. You''d better not provoke her, or Charles won''t let it slide so easily," he exined with a frown. "You are really ipetent, and I am sure that was the reason your business was screwed up by Charles." I looked at him with a sneer. "You..." Nate was too furious to even say anything. "I don''t understand why I believed that Scarlett was the one who seduced you at that time. She''s right. She is not the type to fall in love with someone like you unless she''s blind. How can you be so shameless? You''re so old now. How can you still want to have a mistress? Perhaps, your love for her is one-sided." As soon as I finished speaking, Nate''s face flushed and he pped me across my face. "I''m your father! How can you talk to me like that?" he roared coldly. "You did those shameful things first. Why do you care so much about respect now?" I said sarcastically while looking into his eyes as I covered my swollen cheek with my palm. "You would rather believe in rumors than me, is that it?" Nate was clearly disappointed. "Yes, I am so ashamed to have you as a father," I said coldly, ring at him. "Do you really think that you are better than me?" There was an undisguised disgust in his eyes. "No matter how bad a person I am, I''m still much better than you," I retorted. My heart was filled with hatred for him. "Rita, you are truly disappointing." Nate was indeed very disappointed. "Yes, I''m not as good as Scarlett. She is so attractive. Otherwise, how could she have been able to win you over?" I roared at him. "Shut up!" Nate hissed. He then raised his hand to hit me, but I stopped him and sneered. "One should own up to what they did. That''s something that you taught me when I was a child!" Nate''s face was livid with rage, and the entire room was cold as ice. I met his gaze, but I didn''t want to be outdone. While we were in the stalemate, Susan shouted, "Enough! Nate, just tell her the truth." "What truth? The truth that he hooked up with Scarlett?" I turned to Susan with a sarcastic smile. "Tell her what? I don''t have anything to say to her." Nate shook off my hand, unwilling to say more. "Tell her that you loved Scarlett''s mother back then, and the only reason you married me was because you could not marry her," Susan said with self-mockery. "Is she telling the truth?" I asked, staring at him. After a moment''s silence, he said coldly, "The most important thing right now is to appease Charles. I don''t care about anything else." Without answering my question, Nate acquiesced in it, instead. I felt as though a sharp de was piercing through my chest. "Do you want me to help you? Give me fifty percent of thepany''s shares, and I''ll help you get on Charles'' good side." "What did you just say?" Nate frowned. "I''m your daughter, your only child. Anyway, you will have to give thepany to me sooner orter. I want fifty percent of the shares now. Is that too much to ask? Are you perhaps nning on giving your shares to Scarlett in the future?" I asked coldly. "Don''t talk nonsense!" This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "When the Lively Group was at its best, it happened because of my rtionship with Charles. It was all because of me." Nate thought for a moment and said lightly, "I can only give you twenty percent." "Surely, Scarlett has really bewitched you. That bitch has stolen my man and my father from me." I looked at Nate with mockery and resentment. He pped me hard across my face again. And I looked at him in surprise. He had never hit me ever since I was a child. But now, he had already hit me twice. Susan pushed him away angrily, andined tearfully, "Did you fall in love with your own bastard child?" Nate was stunned, and his face turned colder than it was before. "What nonsense are you talking about? I already told you! Scarlett''s mother and I have nothing to do with each other. Nothing happened between us!" With that, he turned around and left. I looked at his back coldly as I listened to Susan sobbing uncontrobly. Chapter 145 Bachelor Party Chapter 145 Bachelor Party Charles'' POV: The wedding ceremony was nned to be held the next day. I had been very busytely with the wedding nning, and as usual, I left home early in the morning. After a long day, I called Scarlett at eight o''clock in the evening. As soon as she picked up the phone, she asked in a soft voice, "Hello. You''ve been very busytely. Are you tired?" "I''m not tired. I think that it would be worth it as long as you''re happy," I said with a smile. "I''m satisfied with everything you prepared. Don''t tire yourself too much." Scarlett''s gentle voice dispelled my exhaustion in an instant. "There will be a bachelor party tonight, and Spencer and David are the ones arranging it." "Shouldn''twehaveabachelorparties separately?" "We are a married couple now. We don''t have to stick to such stereotypes," I answered with a smile. "Okay, I get it. I''ll go dress up now." "I''ll send the driver to pick you up. See youter!" "See youter." Just when I was about to hang up, I heard her voice again. "Wait!" "Honey, what''s the matter?" "I just feel that everything has been so incredible, honey," she said in a low voice before she hung up. Looking at the nk screen, I could not help but smile. I also felt that our happiness was inconceivable. It was something that we had fought for and struggled for. Until that very moment, I was still surprised that I was going to marry her. And whenever I thought of the wedding, I could not help but giggle like a little girl. That evening, the car that I sent to pick up Scarlett appeared at the club on time. I had been waiting for her. She was dressed in a long dark blue gown and an overcoat, just like the elegant dignified woman she was. Seeing her get off the car, I held her waist and praised, "You look stunning, honey." Scarlett lowered her head shyly, blushing. "Hello, Mrs. Moore." As soon as we entered the private room, everyone stood in a line on either sides of us, and greeted her. "How are you feeling?" I whispered in Scarlett''s ear while she was still stunned. "It feels kind of weird. I could not help but think of what happened before," Scarlett said with a pout. Upon hearing that, I thought of the past and felt guilty. "It was all my fault. I promise that I won''t ever make you sad again." Naturally, I med myself. "I''m not angry. Some of my memories have been rekindled, that''s all." Scarlett wore a gentle smile on her lips, and did not seem to be sad. "Hey, this is a bachelor party. Stop showing off your love," Davidined loudly. And the others echoed. The atmosphere in the room was quite convivial, and everyone was cheering us madly. I held Scarlett in my arms and watched them have fun. All of a sudden, the door was pushed open, and Rita walked in, causing the entire room to quiet down instantly. With a frown, I looked at Spencer, feeling displeased. However, he seemed to be clueless. "I bumped into Rita this afternoon, so I invited her," David said tly. Hearing that, I turned to David with a re. "We grew up together, so I''m here to give you my best wishes," Rita said just when things were getting tense. After that, the tension eased for just a moment and Rita took the opportunity to sit down. "Rita can''t drink. What should we do?" Spencer looked at the table full of wine in embarrassment. "I''ll have the same beverage as Scarlett," Rita said with a faint smile, looking at the ss in front of Scarlett. Spencer then asked someone to prepare the same juice for her. "Scarlett, why can''t you drink?" Rita asked with a smile, stirring the juice in her ss. "She can''t handle her alcohol," I exined at once with a frown. "Oh, I see. People who don''t know her might think that she is pregnant," Rita said in a voice that was dripping with sarcasm. "What did you just say?" I hissed. "Nothing. Richard is missing, so I''ll have to take the wedding invitation by myself." She smiled. I nced at Amy, who was sitting next to me and asked her to bring a wedding invitation for Rita. Rita took the invitation, touched it, and said with a smile, "It''s so beautiful. I wonder if I would have the chance to give my own wedding invitation to others someday." Upon hearing that, I sneered in my heart and didn''t want to talk to her. "Rita, are you feeling better now?" the handsome man, who was sitting from across her, asked in a concerned voice. "I''m afraid that my disease is a terminal one..." Choking back her sobs, she turned to me and added, "Charles, are you happy?" Seeing that I was silent, she asked again, "Are you happy to marry Scarlett?" The next second, she burst into tears. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "I''m the happiest man in the world," I said in a casual yet firm tone. As soon as my words were heard by Scarlett, she looked up at me, and our eyes met for a moment. After giving me a smile, she kissed me passionately. The cheers of the crowd came to our ears. Scarlett and I hugged and kissed, ignoring everyone and everything else there. We could only see each other. It was as though we were the only people left on earth. After the kiss, Scarlett leaned on my chest, gasping for breath, and the crowd began to cheer us again. Biting her lower lip, Rita sat there with a pale face. She seemed out of ce at the lively party. "Rita, if you feel ufortable, then you should finish your juice and go back early," David said indifferently. He then looked at a handsome man next to him, and added, "Can you please help her get hometer?" Thetter nodded in agreement, looking at Rita from time to time. Scarlett''s POV: I knew that Rita only came there with an evil intent. Ever since I saw her walk in, I had known that she was up to no good. And just as expected, she got more emotional right after David asked her to leave. "What? Are you afraid that I might cause trouble?" "I am pretty sure that you''re not here to congratte me. You only came here to mess with me, didn''t you?" I sneered. "Mess with you? I am sure you know it better than anyone about the reason I came here today." Rita looked at me sarcastically. "Of course, I do." I smiled coldly. "You..." Rita pointed at me and red at me. The atmosphere became tense at once. "What? Since you came here to congratte us, don''t pretend like you have been deserted," I sneered and mocked. Rita looked at me with a sneer and said lightly, "Do you really think that you are qualified to be a member of the Moore family or to marry Charles? Have you forgotten that your father is a criminal?" Before she could say another word, David interrupted her coldly, "Rita, shut up!" "No, I won''t! I just want everyone to see her true colors. I want to tell you all the real reason Charles married Scarlett," Rita hissed, and everyone turned to look at me. "Why?" someone in the crowd asked. With a curious look in their eyes, they all looked at her. "It''s because Scarlett is pregnant, and that''s why she is forcing Charles to marry her." Saying that, Rita looked at mecently. Even after hearing that, I tried to be calm. She was trying to destroy my rtionship with Charles by all means. But I was not expecting her to tell the truth on such an asion. I was really worried about what Charles might think of me, so I could not even bring myself to look at him. Chapter 146 Are You Still Going To Hold The... Chapter 146 Are You Still Going To Hold The... Charles'' POV: As soon as I heard what Rita said, my mind went nk. I then though of what had happened before and arrived at an answer. "Is it true?" I asked in a serious tone, looking at Scarlett. Although I knew the answer to that question, I still wanted to hear it from her. Crumpling her hem in her hands, Scarlett took a deep breath, and said, "It is." "How long has it been since you got pregnant?" "A few weeks now. It''s that night of Valentine''s day." "Why didn''t you tell me before? Were you afraid that I might not want the baby?" I looked at her, my heart filled with disappointment. She had hidden her pregnancy from me for so long, and she had also refused the wedding. Thinking about it, I could not help but get angry. "I don''t want the baby to affect your decisions." Scarlett continued to keep her head down, looking stubborn and pitiful at the same time. After a long silence, I said to her lightly, "You should go back and rest." Ignoring the surprised look in her eyes, I turned to Spencer and said, "Please send her back home for me, will you?" "Are you mad at me?" Scarlett asked me in a voice that was filled with grievance. "Now that you''re pregnant, you need to rest well." I softened my tone as I stroked her head. Seeing that she had no intention of leaving, I added, "You go back first. I''ll be back after I take care of things here." "Tomorrow... Are we still going to hold a wedding ceremony?" Scarlett looked at me nervously as she tightened her grip on the hemline of her dress. I held her cold hand and said firmly, "Tomorrow, I''ll pick you up early in the morning and marry you." Before she left, Scarlett looked at Rita and said indifferently, "My father made a mistake by trusting his friends too much, and your father is a scumbag. He used his friend to vite thew. He can''t get away with it." Scarlett then turned to me with a nervous look in her eyes. And I gave her a reassuring look before she walked away. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. As soon as she left, Rita sat down next to me, and asked eagerly, "Charles, didn''t you know that Scarlett is pregnant?" I drank alone, without answering her. "Charles has always wanted a daughter. Now, his wish can be fulfilled," David said with a smile. "I can also give you a baby, Charles. You can have as many babies as you want, with me!" Rita whispered in my ear, and it was obvious how anxious she was. I kept silent for a long time before I mmed the ss on the table with a loud bang. "I''m going to be a father," I roared happily, looking at everyone, except Rita. "Charles, I think you still need to find out whether Scarlett''s child is yours or not," Rita reminded me. "Scarlett is nothing like you." I gave her a cold re and moved away. Clearly, I wanted to keep my distance from her. Ipletely despised her now. "Pour me some wine to celebrate this good news! I''m going to be a father." Seeing that I was in a bright and cheerful mood, everyone raised their sses to celebrate the wonderful news. "Charles, as far as I know, Scarlett is having an affair with her colleague. Please calm down and don''t let her deceive you." Rita was still trying to confuse right with wrong, and my good mood was ruined because of her. "You all drink to your heart''s content and enjoy yourselves today. It''s my treat," I said tly before I stood up, about to leave. However, Rita caught up with me and stopped me. "Do you really want to marry Scarlett?" she asked me in tears. "Yes, I am." I nodded without hesitation and warned her, "Don''t follow me anymore. I don''t want Scarlett to misunderstand me." "But Scarlett doesn''t love you at all," Rita screamed hysterically, standing behind me. I stopped in my tracks and retorted coldly, "I can feel her love on my own." Leaving her alone, I strode away from there. Scarlett''s POV: On my way home, I kept thinking about what Charles would think of the baby. Although he promised me that the wedding would be held as scheduled, I still felt uneasy. And I began to regret hiding the truth from him. My mind was lost in various conjectures and fantasies. ''Will he really marry me? Is he going to be angry that I didn''t tell him about the pregnancy? Why did he stay behind in the club? What is he going to do to Rita?'' These doubts haunted my brain. I really wanted to call him and ask him what was on his mind, but I could not because I was afraid that he might give me an answer that I did not want to hear. I thought about it for a long time before I fell asleep. The next morning, the make-up artist came and helped me with my makeup. "Scarlett, you look so stunning today. Obviously, women are the prettiest on their wedding days." Nina couldn''t help praising me as she sat down beside me. "You will also have a wedding of your own in the future," I answered absent-mindedly. "Were you too excitedst night that you didn''t have a good rest? You don''t look too well," she asked with concern. "Nothing. I just feel a little tired. Maybe, it''s because I got up too early." To set her mind at rest, I forced a smile. "Then you''d better rest while you get ready or you will only end up feeling more exhaustedter," Nina said lovingly before she covered me with a nket. I closed my eyes, but I could not stop thinking about Charles and Rita. After my make-up was done, Ethan''s assistant brought me the wedding dress. As soon as I put it on, I felt like the waist part of the dress was a little looser. "I think that the wedding dress is much looser than before. It doesn''t seem like the size we discussedst time," I said to Ethan in confusion. "Your husband called mest night and asked me to widen the waist." Ethan massaged his eyebrows tiredly with a helpless shrug. When I heard those words, I was moved. Charles was indeed considerate. Once everything was ready, Charles came to pick me up. Our wedding ceremony was going to be held on an ind. In order to surprise me, Charles didn''t allow me to see the ind before the wedding. Although I had heard that it was a stunningly beautiful ce, when I first saw it, I was moved as it was beyond my expectation. It was not hard to imagine how much effort he had put into the wedding ceremony. The wedding ceremony began, and I held Lawrence''s hand as I walked towards Charles. I stared at him. He was dressed in a tuxedo with his hair slicked back, which made him look more mature and charming. "You have to love Scarlett with all your heart and your soul. Don''t piss her off anymore. You have to protect her and not let her suffer any grievances. You should remember the traditions of our Moore family," Lawrence reminded his son eagerly while holding my hand. Charles looked at me firmly. "I will love her and take care of her for the rest of our lives. I won''t let her suffer even the slightest amount of pain, and I will love her more than I love myself." Upon hearing those words, my eyes instantly turned red and teary. I was deeply touched. Lawrence then put my hand in Charles'' hand with satisfaction. Charles looked at me tenderly. The priest asked, "Do you take this woman to be yourwfully wedded wife?" "I do." Charles interrupted the priest before he could even finish his words. And I found that to be quite funny. "Do you take this man to be yourwfully wedded husband?" the priest asked me. "I do," I interrupted him, just like Charles did. "Oh, it looks like you two can''t wait to get married. You may exchange rings now," the priest said with a smile. Charles and I put a ring on each other''s finger before he lifted my veil and kissed me on the forehead. All the warm blessings and cheers from our close friends and rtives made me tear up again. Chapter 147 Drugged Water Chapter 147 Drugged Water Scarlett''s POV: As the crowd cheered and gave us their blessings, I threw out the bouquet. When I turned around, I noticed that Nina was in Abner''s arms as she caught the bouquet and lost her bnce. Everyone cheered again. Nina''s face turned as red as an apple. "It seems that you two are destined to be together," I bantered. Nina''s face turned even redder. She immediately got out of Abner''s arms, feeling embarrassed. The crowd whistled and hooted at them. The atmosphere felt great, and it could be seen in everyone''s eyes how much they were enjoying. Charles and I exchanged nces and couldn''t help but smile, too. At lunch time, everyone was singing and dancing, and the ambiance was quite convivial. Spencer invited me to dance, and I willingly epted. As I danced with him, he told me so many stupid things that Charles had done during his childhood. I swore, I had neverughed so hard in my life. The moment I turned around, Charles pulled me away. The crowd hooted once more. "Looks like the bridegroom is jealous!" "I''ve been watching you dance since you were a child. Nobody dances better than you. You can dance whenever you want, and I''ll always dance with you," Charles whispered in my ear as he wrapped his arms around my waist. I looked back at him and smiled. It turned out that he remembered that I learned to dance as a child. "Anytime, really? What about the time when we are quarreling?" I asked. "Ah, it''s fine! We''ll patch things up after the dance." Charles looked at me with affection. "What if we break up?" I asked when I saw the happiness in his eyes. "We''re not going to break up. To be precise, we''ll never get divorced. I won''t let you have that opportunity!" Charles retorted. "What happenedst night..." I wanted to say something, but stopped midsentence. "We''ll talk about thatter," he responded as he pinched my nose. The entire day, everyone celebrated our wedding through dancing and singing. Soon, night fell. The moon was riding high in the sky, and it illuminated the night. The crowd didn''t get tired even though it was night. On the contrary, they were even livelier than this morning. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Charles held my hand and took me to the tent that he had prepared. The moment I entered, I noticed that there were all kinds of daily necessities inside it. Surprised, I turned to him for an answer. But he just pursed his lips and kept silent. He took off his tuxedo and unbuttoned the buttons on his sleeves and cor. Feeling nervous, I took a step back and swallowed. Charles and I stood across the bathtub. He stared at my belly and his face became serious. "I''m so fucking stupid," he cursed while looking at me. "You know, I hate being lied to the most. Don''t you have anything to say for yourself?" Upon hearing that, my heart tightened. I looked at him, and said in a flirtatious voice, "Please don''t be mad at me anymore, okay? I told you that I was afraid you''d feel obligated to stay with me because of the baby, so I didn''t tell you." "I don''t think you trust me enough," he said, still wearing a sad face. "It''s not that I don''t trust you; it''s just that I don''t want to affect your judgment," I exined. However, Charles didn''t seem convinced. "My husband is a gracious man, I''m sure. He''s not going to get mad about what I did. So, please, honey... just forgive me. I''ll listen to whatever you say from now on." I did my best to say as many nice words as I could to please him. Soon, his face softened. "Have I passed your test now?" Charles finally broke his silence. I smiled at him and nodded solemnly. He strode over to me and held me in his arm. As punishment, he bit my lip and said, "No matter what I say, you''ll listen to me, okay?" "Of course!" I nodded eagerly. "Since you did something wrong, you should be punished." He chuckled, ced his right hand at the back of my head, and pressed me against the wall. Then, he pulled me towards him and ced his left arm around my waist. Soon, I lost my bnce and fell into his embrace. Charles'' face was inches to mine and he was snickering. I identally kissed him. I red at him, annoyed and embarrassed. A smile appeared on his lips, and he pinched the back of my waist. When I scoffed at him, he took the opportunity to slide his tongue into my mouth. Momentster, Charles whispered to my ear, "Can we do it?" At this point, I was basically panting. All of a sudden, I heard Spencer''s voiceing from outside. "Hey, Charles! Come out here for a drink. You can have sexter. You have all the time in the world." Charles frowned and gritted his teeth. I could tell that he wanted to tear Spencer apart. "Don''t drink too much." I pushed Charles away and chuckled. "I''ll mete out your punishmentter." He nted a kiss on my lips, straightened his clothes, and left. After he left, I turned on the bathtub''s faucet to prepare for a bath. Once I was finish running the bath, the tent opened up. Rita came in with a bottle of water in hand. I frowned at her, wary of what she might do. "How dare you barge into this tent?" I red at her, showing her my vignce. "I''m just here to send you my best wishes and to have a drink with you." Rita poured two sses of water and looked up at me. But I just stood there, silent and observing her. The first thing I noticed was the wound on her wrist. Rita handed me a ss of water, but I just frowned at her and decided not to take it. Instead of getting angry, she clinked the sses of water by herself. Then, she nced at therge bed with rose petals littered over it. "Do you have any idea what I''ve done to win Charles over?" She smiled while ncing at my wedding bed nkly. "I don''t know, and I don''t want to know," I retorted. "I''m willing to sacrifice my life for him. That''s how far I''ll go. Even if everyone thinks I''m cheap, shameless, and downright foolish, I never wavered; not even once! I can do anything and everything, as long as I can win him over." Rita paused for a moment just to look at me with contempt. "What about you? What can you do for him? Are you willing to die for him as well?" "You''ve gone to extremes just so you could have him. I don''t think that''s love." I sneered at her with disdain, offering her no shred of sympathy. "May you two grow old together." Rita chuckled before handing me the ss of water. "Here, have a drink and ept my blessing." "I don''t need your blessing," I responded. "Look, if you drink this ss of water, I will never pester Charles again. I''ll stay as far away from both of you for as long as I live." "Wow! You must have an inted self-esteem, don''t you?" I shook my head, still refusing her offer. "I''m afraid there''s one thing you don''t know. Your mother and my father used to be in a rtionship. That means there''s a small probability that you and I are half-sisters," she answered. "That''s impossible! My parents are each other''s first love. Nate just held an unrequited love for my mother." I tried to stay calm, but in reality, I was fazed by this revtion. "Whether it''s true or not, you won''t even consider taking the water I''m trying to give you. Are you scared of something, Scarlett?" Rita red at me. I looked her dead in the eye, took the ss, and put it away. All of a sudden, she walked towards me. I instinctively covered my belly, and backed away from her. But because of my long gown, I tripped over. Rita took this opportunity to corner me against the wall. "What are you going to do?" I struggled to break free, casting her a stern re. I was starting to panic, because I was scared she would do something to my child. Rita grabbed my hands, and slowly picked up the ss as her face became vicious. "You need to drink this water." It seemed as though she wanted to force me to gulp it down. "Let me go!" I shouted. However, Rita just tightened her grasp on me. "Today is your God damned wedding night! All I want to do is to congratte you. What are you so afraid of?" Rita broke into a maniacalughter while trying to put the ss close to my mouth. I exerted every strength I had to push her away and I managed to do it. This caused the ss to fall to the floor. Rita stumbled due to how strongly I shoved her. I was so scared that I leaned against the wall; practically hyperventting. Suddenly, she rose to her feet and tried to drown me in the bathtub. Chapter 148 Do You Even Deserve My Trust Chapter 148 Do You Even Deserve My Trust Scarlett''s POV: Rita tried to drown me in the bathtub. As a result, my clothes became soaking wet and clung to my body. I tried to get up, but she pinned me down with all her strength. In a fit of panic, I grabbed her leg and clenched it as tightly as I could. Rita groaned in pain and unconsciously loosened her grip on me. While she was distracted, I took the opportunity to turn the tables. "You''re not here to congratte me but to kill me, are you?" I asked with a sneer. I was out of breath after fighting for my life just now. "I want you to die with your child!" Rita admitted without a second thought. While I was tussling with her, I heard Richard''s voice behind me. "What are you doing?" he asked incredulously Flustered, I let go of Rita. She stood up and knelt at my feet, gasping for breath. To my surprise, she grabbed my leg and pleaded weakly, "Scarlett, please don''t do this. I''ll leave now." However, I was unmoved. I raised my foot, intending to kick this hypocrite in front of me. But before I could kick her, Richard went out of the tent and ordered to the people outside, "Go and find Charles." Unexpectedly, Rita grabbed her own neck tightly and did not let go until she almost knocked herself unconscious. She copsed on the edge of the bathtub and looked at me with a cunning smile. A few momentster, Charles entered the tent and looked at me up and down. Then, he put his coat over my shoulders and asked with a frown, "What''s going on?" "Rita broke in," Richard replied with his head lowered to the ground. Charles looked at Rita and pointed at her neck. "Scarlett strangled her?" he asked in disbelief. I looked at Charles with utter disappointment. "She strangled herself," I scoffed. I felt wronged. How could he suspect me of doing such a horrible thing? "Scarlett, you''ve been caught in the act. How could you lie?" Rita looked at me wide-eyed and even forced a cough to make her believable. "You know yourself who''s lying between us," I said through gritted teeth. At that moment, Rita turned to Richard pitifully and asked, "You saw everything, right? Scarlett almost drowned me to death." However, Richard looked into her eyes and replied with a straight face, "I didn''t see anything when I came in." I looked at him in astonishment. When he came in, he definitely saw me pressing Rita down in the bathtub. Richard was defending me! I cast a meaningful nce at him, grateful that he had taken my side. Charles looked at Richard with furrowed brows and ordered, "Take Rita out." "No, I won''t go," Rita protested, "Charles, trust me. I came here to give Scarlett my best wishes. But when she saw me, she suddenly flew into a rage." "Get out!" Charles repeated, unmoved. "I won''t leave. I''ll stay here and seek justice for what that woman has done. I almost died. Are you just going to turn a blind eye to it?" Rita wiped her tears as she spoke. If I had not known her, I would have pitied her. She looked pathetic. Suddenly, Richard stepped forward and dragged her away without a word. "What are you doing? Let go of me! You bastard. How could you betray me? Since when did you join Scarlett''s side? Why did you just stand there and do nothing when she tried to kill me?" As Rita was unwilling to leave, the security guards surrounded her. This shut her up. Now, she had no choice but to follow Richard out. The tent quieted down once Rita was gone. Now, Charles and I were the only ones left in the tent. He looked at my dripping wet clothes and advised with concern, "Change your clothes now, or you''ll catch a cold." Just as he was about to help me take off my clothes, I pped his hands away. "Don''t touch me if you don''t believe me." "I believe you. Let''s talk about itter, okay? Right now, you should change your clothes first. You should think of our child even when you''re mad," Charles persuaded me. "Get out. I don''t want to see you right now." I pushed him out as I spoke when, all of a sudden, he caught sight of the scratch on my arm. Charles pointed at it and asked, "What happened to your arm?" I put my arm behind my back and answered sarcastically, "I did it to myself." Upon hearing this, Charles moved closer and whispered, "You''re so cruel to yourself. Are you going to scratch me like that in the future?" "What''s wrong with you? Now''s not the time to mess around!" I yelled in a fit of anger. "Don''t be mad at me anymore. Does it hurt?" Charles kissed my arm, which took me aback. "What are you doing?" I withdrew my hand, embarrassed. "It won''t hurt anymore if I kiss it. Now, Scarlett, please don''t be mad at me anymore." Charles held me in his arms as soon as he finished speaking. However, I was not in the mood for his sweet talks. I turned my face away and muttered, "You''d rather believe Rita than me. You think I tried to strangle her." "I didn''t. I''ll always be on your side. I was just asking, that''s all." "If I hadn''t fought back, she would''ve drowned me to death!" "Yes. You did a great job for defending yourself. It''s all my fault. I shouldn''t have left you alone here." Although Charles had acknowledged his faults, I was still quite annoyed with him. I pushed him away with my remaining strength and did not let him get near me. But he did not give up. He reached out and tried to pull me into his arms. I pushed him away yet again and turned my face to one side. "Don''t touch me." "You''re mywfully wedded wife. Of course, I can touch you. Scarlett, don''t be mad at me anymore." Charles coaxed me as he unzipped my dress. I felt a chill on my back, so I grabbed my dress to cover my body. But then, he grabbed my hands, and my dress fell to the floor. I shivered with cold, but he wrapped me in his warm embrace. "Are you still cold?" Charles asked with concern. I felt his warm breath in my ears, and it somehow warmed me up. "Let... Let me go," I pleaded in trembling voice. "It''s cold, and you''re naked," Charles reminded. Judging from the tone of his voice, he was feeling sorry for me. But then, his hands began to wander around my body. "Scarlett, please don''t be mad at me anymore. I missed you so much," Charles whispered in my ear and gently kissed the back of my neck. My body tensed up, amusing Charles. "You want it, don''t you?" "I¡ª" Before I could finish my words, Charles gently put his hand on my stomach and put me on the bed. He kissed me on the lips passionately. His mouth then trailed down my corbone and then chest and stomach. But when he reached the lower part of my body, I instinctively grabbed his arm to stop him. Charles looked at me with a gentle smile. "Are you scared?" "Don''t..." N?velDrama.Org content rights. "Scarlett, you only make it harder for me to calm down when you''re looking at me like that." Charles put his hand on his forehead and took a deep breath. I looked down at his crotch. Sure enough, he was as hard as a rock. "I... Let me help you..." "Believe me, Scarlett. I want to have sex with you right now, but I can''t. You''re pregnant. As the father of your child, I have to endure it." Charles kissed my waist as he restrained his burning desire. All of a sudden, something urred to me. I pushed him away and said in serious tone, "Bring Rita here. I think that ss of water was poisoned." "Don''t worry. I''ll send someone to deal with it," Charles reassured in a low voice while kissing me. "I want to deal with it myself," I insisted. Charles stood up and brought me a change of clothes. I immediately put it on. "Do you even deserve my trust?" "We''re married." "You don''t trust me," I retorted when I remembered that he had suspected me. "I''m sorry for what happened just now. I''ll have someone bring Rita in." Chapter 149 The Truth Of Miscarriage Chapter 149 The Truth Of Miscarriage Scarlett''s POV: Not long after, Richard brought Rita in. She focused her attention on the ss of water on the table. "Do you want to drink it?" asked Charles. Rita nodded, ready to take the ss. But I picked it up before she could grab it. "Didn''t you give this to me?" Right after I said that, I smiled at her, and Rita''s face turned grim. "Charles, believe me when I say this; I came here to give you my best wishes. That''s all," said Rita. "Is that so?" Charles ced his phone on the table. As I listened to the sounding from the phone, I realized that it was a video of what happened after Rita broke into our tent. I stared at Charles, shocked by this matter. He actually installed surveince cameras in the tent. Charles looked back at me. I could tell that he had guessed what was on my mind, so he nodded towards the bathtub. I followed his gaze and saw a camera just above the bathtub. A frown appeared on my face as I looked at him. ''Why on earth is a camera above the bathtub? What was he trying to record?'' "It''s for fun,'' Charles mouthed with a naughty wink. I frowned at him to express my dissatisfaction. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. The video showed Rita trying to drown me in the tub. In a fit of panic, she began to defend herself. "Charles, no! You have to believe me. Scarlett wants something more than just to be Mrs. Moore!" "Oh? Then, what else does she want?" asked Charles. "Your heart. Nothing more, nothing less," I responded before Rita could get another word in. I could see the joy in Charles'' eyes when he looked at me. "She''s lying! Scarlett just wants the wealth of the Moore family for herself!" Rita eximed as she nced at me with disdain. "Whatever I want has nothing to do with you," I remarked, ncing back at her with equal contempt. "You created a rift between me and Charles, and yet you say that this has nothing to do with me?" "Your rtionship with him is in the past now. He merely wanted to repay you for saving his life before. Your cheating and betrayal have severely affected our rtionship. Once and for all, we should end things between you and Charles." "What are you nning to do?" Rita asked, swallowing nervously. "Oh, there''s no need to be so agitated, Rita. I just want to figure something out." After pausing for a moment, I asked, "Have you ever slept with Charles?" Upon hearing this, Rita''s eyes widened, but she soon calmed down. "We''ve done things that a couple normally does." "I''m asking you if you''ve slept with him or not. Just answer the damned question!" I growled. "We..." "Have you slept with him or not?" I repeated. I was gradually losing my patience, so I was bing harsher towards her. "No," Rita said through gritted teeth. Then, she looked at Charles with affectionate eyes. "We may not have slept together yet, but I love Charles more than you do, Scarlett!" "That''s enough. I''m done with your tomfoolery!" I raised my hand to interrupt her midsentence. My eyes fell on the water she had offered to me before. "Is there an abortient in this water?" "Of course, not! It''s just an ordinary mineral water." Rita was trying to stay calm. "I see..." I picked up the ss of water and stared at it carefully. "Well, if you don''t believe me, I''ll drink the water," Rita said, ready to grab the ss from my hand. I moved it away from her and smirked. "Cornered beasts will always do something desperate." "You''re the one doubting my integrity! So, to prove my innocence, I''ll drink the water, myself. If nothing happens to me, that just means you''ve wrongfully used me," Rita replied anxiously as she scrambled to get the ss. Just then, someone came in with a medical equipment case. At this point, she was even more agitated than before. Rita moved forward, but I quickly raised my hand to stop her. "What''s the rush? We''ll know what''s in this ss of water after it''s been tested," I said. Afterwards, I gave the ss of water to the person who came in. He drew some liquid from the ss using a syringe, turned around, and left. "Even if there''s something wrong with that ss of water, there''s a good chance that you nted the drug in it just to frame me." Rita''s body was trembling, and her voice wasden with grief. "I have nothing to gain by setting up a loser like that," I replied. "You looked so calm earlier, and you''re clearly trying to hide your guilt. You just don''t want to give birth to Charles'' baby, do you?" she argued. "Well, why don''t you tell me all your crazy theories while we''re waiting?" I cast her a re to express my contempt. "On second thought, I''m sure you wanted to have a baby with Charles, so you''d be able to secure his family''s wealth by using the baby as a leverage," Rita responded. "They why would I want to get rid of the baby by drugging myself since it''s this important for me?" I sneered. "Perhaps part of you still don''t want to have this baby, because you know it''s not Charles''; it''s Abner''s!" Rita''s eyes lit up and she continued telling us about her analysis. "You''re afraid that Charles will one day find out that the child in your womb isn''t his, so you nned to fake a miscarriage and pin the me on me. That way, you''ll be get your revenge on me, and be able to protect your good name as Mrs. Moore. Or maybe" After a pause, she continued, "Maybe Charles will feel so bad about this matter that he''ll treat you even better just to make it up to you." Upon hearing all of her guesses, I apuded her. They all sounded so viable. "You''re one smart woman, Rita. Is this how you killed your own child? This time, I''ll be the one guessing how you lost your baby." As I said that, I paused to look at her and pretended to be surprised. "Did you take an abortient before you came to me?" Rita stood frozen, seemingly befuddled. "You''re right, Scarlett. I found a medicine box in the car," said Richard. I felt so sorry for him. ''Why did he fall in love with a woman like her?'' I wondered. "You''re lying, Richard! None of that happened. Why are you colluding with Scarlett just to set me up?" Rita argued, and then she added, "Why are you taking her side? Did you sleep with her as well?" "You''re insane!" Richard scowled at Rita. "Why do you sound so guilty? Look, Charles, Scarlett isn''t just having an affair with Abner; she''s also hooking up with Richard!" Rita remarked as she looked at Charles. "I''m not blind, nor am I an idiot. That box of abortient in your car was yours," Richard said tly. Rita red at him as her face was distorted by anger. "Why are you so agitated? I was merely guessing. Once the test resultes out, we will know the truth." I looked at her for one more time, invoking her ire. Her face turned pale and her fists were trembling at her sides. Chapter 150 Wedding Night Chapter 150 Wedding Night Scarlett''s POV: I could not hide my amusement when I saw Rita''s panic-stricken face. With a sly smile, I brought the ss of water to her. "You wanted some water, didn''t you? Here. Have a drink," I said while handing it over. Rita pped my hand and got on her knees. "Charles, didn''t you promise you''d marry me? Why are you in denial of your feelings for me?" Rita sobbed while looking at Charles with tearful eyes. "Indeed. I was in denial of my feelings for Scarlett." Charles looked at me guiltily. "What-what did you say?" Rita stuttered in disbelief. Charles did not answer her question. Instead, he sneered and warned her, "You''d better not drug her; otherwise, the Lively Group will fall into crisis." Rita was in utter shock. She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. I could not help but sigh as I gazed at Charles''s stone-cold expression. ''Wow. Rita has crossed my bottom line again and again, but Charles is still on my side.'' With a frown, Charles turned to Richard and pointed at Rita, who was in a daze. "Take her out." Just as Charles had ordered, Richard dragged Rita out right away. Finally, themotion hade to an end. Well, at least for now. Now that only the two of us were left in the room, Charles''s demeanor changed. He held my hand and asked gingerly, "Honey, are you still mad at me?" I lowered my head. "Yes." "Don''t worry, honey. I''ll get justice for you. I won''t let that woman off this time." I raised my head and looked at him. "Humph! Will you wrongly use me like that again?" "I''ve heard that pregnant women are sensitive. Now, I can attest to that. Honey, I didn''t mean that. I just asked. Anyway, it''s my fault for making you unhappy. I''ll make it up to you." Charles coaxed me with sweet words. I must admit, it was working. However, I did not say anything and just pinched his side as hard as I could. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "Honey, you can punish me as you like. But today is our wedding night. Can you forgive me for now? Let''s do what we should do first..." Charles kissed me on the cheek, but his hand wandered around my body. Before I knew it, his hands were on my back, trying to unzip my dress. "Don''t..." I tried to stop him, but my body was slowly giving in. "Honey, I know you''re unhappy because of what has just happened. Let me make it up to you." Charles kissed the back of my neck, and it sent shivers down my spine. I got so weak in my knees, so I grabbed his arms for support. Impressively, Charles managed to unzip my dress. Now that my breasts were exposed, he fondled them lustfully. "You... I think you''re justforting yourself," I muttered while ring at him. Charles raised his head and stared at me with an aggrieved look on his face. "It''s been so long since west made love. Don''t you want it? Well, I know I can''t wait to fuck you right now." My face turned red with embarrassment. The truth was, I wanted it too. But I was worried about our baby. "But... The baby..." "It''ll be fine as long as I''m gentle. Shall we do it, honey?" Charles asked for my consent while kissing me on the neck. I looked at his bright and pitiful eyes, and my heart softened. How could I saw no to that? "Okay. But be gentle." "I will." Charles answered, a hint of excitement in his voice. He scooped me in his arms and carried me to the bed. He then put me down and stripped me off my clothes. All of a sudden, a cold breeze came in. I instinctively covered my chest in the cold. "Are you cold?" Charles pressed me onto the bed and then pulled the quilt over to cover us. "Don''t worry. You''ll be warm soon." He chuckled and kissed me on my forehead. A momentter, the desire in my body was ignited. He was right. I did not feel cold anymore. "Honey, let''s do it sideways so we won''t hurt the baby. I know we won''t be able to enjoy ourselves to the fullest, but I''m willing to sacrifice my pleasure." Charles helped me lie on my side as he spoke. I could feel my face burning because of his dirty talk. "Don''t be shy. You''ll have to get used to this. I''ll flirt with you all the time." Charles seductively kissed my earlobe. Meanwhile, with his free hand, he slowly reached out to mydy parts. My whole body tensed up, and my vagina became wet in anticipation. "Rx. Let me touch it." Charles must have noticed my nervousness. He kissed me on the lips to distract me from what he was doing down there. Although his tone was soft and gentle, the movement of his fingers was quite the opposite. "Ugh... Hurry up," I urged. I had had enough of forey. I wanted him now. "You want it now? What should you say then?" Charles asked with a snicker. He kept drawing circles down there, teasing me to his heart''s content. "Honey, give it to me..." I implored. I could no longer stand being teased. My burning lust was getting the better of me. "If you say so." Charles quickened his movement, his breathing quick yet heavy. "Oh... Honey..." I moaned in pleasure. Charles stopped what he was doing and then looked at me with a burning gaze. His eyes made me feel a little embarrassed. Just as I was about to pull the quilt to cover my face, he inserted his manhood into me. He said he would be gentle. Well, he did as he promised. However, we made love for hours. I was tired and sleepy, but Charles did not stop until midnight. The next morning, I woke up with a backache. To my astonishment, Charles had left. I looked around and saw that he had left a note on the table. "I have to deal with something urgent in thepany. I''lle back as soon as I can." It was a simple note, but I felt a little stuffy in my chest. Something serious must have happened that Charles had to go to thepany and deal with it in person. I went out of the room after washing my face and brushing my teeth. Unexpectedly, I met Nina at the door. "Oh my! Look at your dark circles. Something fun happenedst night, didn''t it?" Nina asked with an obscene smile. "What brings you here?" I asked, shifting the topic. "Let''s go fishing." Nina held my hand and led me to theke without even waiting for my response. I raised my eyebrows at her. "Why are you in such a good mood? Did something happen between you and Abner yesterday?" "Stop talking nonsense. We have nothing to do with each other. Where is Charles, by the way? Why did he leave so early in the morning?" "He went to thepany to deal with something," I answered. Although I looked calm, I was worried about him. "You two have just gotten married. Why isn''t he spending more time with you?" Nina asked again. I just nced at her and did not say anything in response. My mood became worse at the mention of it. Just as Nina was about to say something, someone came out of nowhere and knocked on her head. She turned around with a scowl. "Abner, what are you doing?" she asked in an annoyed tone. "Well, you were in a daze, so I helped youe to your senses," Abner retorted. "I wasn''t! You''re just finding an excuse to take revenge on me for stealing your meat skewerst night!" Nina stroked the back of her head while staring daggers at him. The two of them bickered just like they always did. It seemed that they had forgotten about me. I walked a few yards away from them and enjoyed the scenery. Suddenly, I felt a little disappointed. The view of theke would have been so much better with Charles here. Spencer and David arrived a few momentster. Thetter looked at Abner and Nina, who were arguing, and joked, "I thought Nina was pursuing Spencer." "Don''t talk nonsense." Spencer picked up the fishing rod and handed it to David. For a second, I saw a hint of disappointment in his eyes. We sat by theke as we fished and chatted with one another. It was not every day we got to enjoy our time like this. Everyone was in high spirits. I, however, was thinking about Charles, so I did not say much. "Are you sad because Charles isn''t here?" Spencer asked, noticing my silence. I sighed and forced a smile. "No..." "Don''t worry. Charles just had to deal with something important in thepany. He''ll be back as soon as he can," Spencer reassured. I nodded in response. But I must say, I had lost interest in fishing. At noon, Charles still had note back. Chapter 151 Test Result Chapter 151 Test Result Scarlett''s POV: After we left the ind, the driver took me back to the Moore mansion. As soon as I sat down in the living room, Christine held my hand and persuaded me, "Scarlett, stay for a few more days. There''s no need to rush back to the training." The others nodded in agreement. "You and Charles just got married. You should be with each other, having the time of your lives," Lawrence advised, seeing that I did not say anything in response. Meanwhile, Alice turned to look at me and asked for my opinion. "Scarlett, what do you think?" "I''ll call Charles and discuss it with him," I answered. Without another word, I returned to my room. His absence crossed my mind, and disappointment washed over me. While I was lost in thought, my phone suddenly rang. It was Charles. I could not wait to answer it. "The test result hase out. It''s just water," Charles informed me in a serious tone. I was stunned, unable to believe it. "When will¡ª" Just as I was about to ask him when he woulde back, I heard a noise on the other end of the line. From the sound of it, he was with a lot of people. "Honey, I''ll talk to youter. I have something important to do. I''ll take care of it first." Charles hung up the call without waiting for my reply. I watched in a daze as the screen of my phone automatically turned off. It was only after a minute or so that I came to my senses. Something must be wrong with that ss of water. However, there was no way that Charles would make a mistake. What happened and where was he anyway? I had not discussed with him about the training program yet. I felt a headacheing on at the thought of these things. After pondering for a moment, I decided to go back to the training with Nina. The two of us met at the airport at two o''clock in the afternoon. I had been busy with the training courses in the following week. Charles seemed to be busy as well. We did not talk much, even over the phone. I was worried about him, but at the same time, I was a little aggrieved. We had just gotten married. And yet, we were apart. I came back on the weekend. As soon as I disembarked the ne, I saw Charles waiting for me at the airport. I felt as though I had not seen him for a long time as I gazed at him from a distance. But then, Rita suddenly crossed my mind. I could not help but heave a heavy sigh as I thought of her. The test result showed that the ss of water was not spiked. Would Charles think that I framed Rita on purpose? While I was in deep thought, Charles strode over to me. He took my luggage and exited the airport without a word. We had been away from each other for just a week, but it seemed that we had grown further apart. I followed him closely. The atmosphere was a little awkward, so I thought of a topic to break the silence. "Have you solved thepany''s affairs?" I worriedly asked. "Almost," Charles briefly answered. Unable to take the dreadful atmosphere between us, I stopped in my tracks and scoffed, "What''s wrong with you?" Charles turned around, walked over to me, and held my hand. "Let''s talk about it when we get home." On the way home, I looked at Charles''s stern expression and muttered, "You don''t seem very happy to see me." He nced at me and massaged his forehead wearily. He looked upset for some reason, but he would not tell me. After a long agonizing silence, he finally opened his mouth to speak. "Why didn''t you tell me you had resumed your training?" he asked coldly. "You didn''t tell me when you''de back, so it doesn''t matter if I leave or not." I was infuriated when I recalled that he had left the day after our wedding. To make things worse, he was cold to me right now. Charles frowned and looked at me. Still, he did not say a word. The atmosphere was awkward all the way home. Charles and I were at odds, and I had no idea what was going on in his mind. When we arrived at the Moore mansion, Christine held my hand and asked how I had been abroad. "It was great," I replied with a smile. Then, I stood up and opened my suitcase. "By the way, I''ve brought you something." I took out the gifts I had prepared beforeing here and then gave them to them. While everyone was opening their gifts, Charles suddenly stood up and said to everyone, "I''m not feeling well. I''m going to have a rest." I felt a little anxious, but I followed him nevertheless. In the bedroom, Charles took his change of clothes and went to take a shower. Meanwhile, I waited for him in the bedroom, restless. Charles came out of the bathroom a few minutester. Just as I was about to say something, he asked, "Take the hairdryer and dry my hair, will you?" Was hemanding me? Did he not leave his newly married wife behind first? What right did he have to dictate to me? Despite these questions, I turned around, fetched the hairdryer, and did as told. My mind was in a haze as Ibed through his hair. Charles''s gaze fell on the gift box I had brought. "What''s in the box?" he asked with a frown. "A gift." "For whom?" "I don''t know." I put away the hairdryer in annoyance, turned around, and walked aside. Meanwhile, Charles picked up the gift box and opened it. "Whom is it for?" he asked again. "For a colleague." I snatched the tie clip as I spoke. With a displeased look on his face, Charles reached out to grab it. I dodged his hand. But because he was tall, he was able to take the tie clip from me without breaking a sweat. However, I identally tripped on my foot. I shrieked instinctively. Fortunately, Charles caught me in time. But then, he lost bnce, and we fell on the bed on top of each other. "Whom is it for?" Charles asked again. "It''s none of your business." I tried to take the tie clip back, but he grabbed both of my hands, rendering me helpless. Charles sighed and looked me in the eye. "I had something urgent to deal with that day, so I hung up the phone in a hurry. I''ll answer all of your questions now." I looked at him nkly. For a moment, I did not understand what he was talking about. "Whom is the tie clip for?" Charles asked for the third time. Knowing him, he would not let the matter go. "It''s for you," I answered without missing a beat. "Then why did you say it was for your colleague?" I red at him. "You made me upset. Why can''t I make you feel the same way?" "Naughty girl," Charles called teasingly. A smile finally appeared on his face, but I remained annoyed. "Are you finally gonna tell me about the test result?" This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "Well, ording to the doctor, the water was uncontaminated. There was no problem with it." But then, Charles paused for a moment and continued, "But that''s not the final result. Let''s talk about it later. Now, go take a shower and let''s continue where we''ve left off." "No. Tell me everything now," I insisted. I sounded anxious. Charles, however, was very rxed. "I won''t tell you until you do as I say," he argued like a spoiled child. I would have found this cute on normal days. But right now, it was annoying. I gave up in the end. I stared daggers at him and went to take a shower. When I came out of the bathroom not long after, I saw Charles waving at me with a hairdryer in his hand. Wey on the bed once my hair was dry. My heart fluttered as I listened to Charles''s breathing. "Scarlett, I missed you so much." He wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me on the neck. "What happened in thepany? You suddenly left the day after our wedding," I reminded, a little aggrieved. "Someone died in the construction site." I gasped in shock. Charles must have felt my distress. He held me tighter and reassured me, "Don''t worry. Everything is settled now." I felt sorry for him. I focused only on myself that I did not think about his side. "Sorry. I was too sensitive." I buried myself in his chest with guilt. Charles raised my chin and looked at me. "It''s okay. You can be as sensitive as you want as long as you don''t leave me," he said with a smile. Then, he kissed me like he missed me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and responded enthusiastically. After the kiss, Charles pressed his forehead against mine. His breathing was quick yet heavy in anticipation. "Scarlett, can I?" he asked. I knew right away what he was talking about as I could feel his hard manhood pressing against me. "Answer me first." "There''s indeed abortion drug in the water. Let''s talk about the restter." Charles could not wait to make love to me. "Be gentle..." I asked him in a breathy voice. With that, we made love through the night. Chapter 152 Scheme Chapter 152 Scheme Scarlett''s POV: After a vigorous and wild sex, wey in bed, enjoying the intimate moment. "Did Rita bribe the person who conducted the test?" I nestled in Charles'' embrace and fiddled with his fingers. "She did," he replied nonchntly as he twirled my hair with his fingers. "What a cheater!" I grunted. "But, how did you know that theboratory staff had been bought off?" I asked. "Well, just to be sure, I divided the water test into two parts at the beginning and sent them to different testing agents," Charles exined. Upon hearing his exnation, my eyes lit up as I looked at him with excitement. But shortly afterwards, I felt upset. "That''s a big thing! How could you keep that from me?" After I said that, I was about to get up, but Charles held me tightly within his arms. "I do regret that I didn''t tell you about it sooner, and it caused you to overthink." Having said that, Charles nced at my belly, seemingly annoyed. "If you dare hide something this big from me again, don''t ever expect me to forgive you!" "Charles Moore, I''ll have you know that men and women are equal. If you want me to be honest with you, you have to do the same." "Deal!" At the moment, my heart was filled with happiness. ****** The following morning, I met Rita as soon as I arrived at thepany. "You''re really something, Scarlett. You managed to force me out of the entertainment industry. And now, I have to settle for the second best option and be your colleague in the TV station." Rita eyed me up and down, casting hateful words at me with sarcasm. "I''m not as capable as you are. Killing isn''t even hard for you," I countered, scoffing at her. "The stock price of the Lively Group has been plummeting for the entire week," Rita grunted, clenching her fists. "Is that so? Well, congrattions!" I grinned at her just to infuriate her even more. And I could tell by the look on Rita''s face that it worked. Ignoring her, I checked my phone while waiting for the elevator to arrive. "Good morning, Scarlett." I heard Nina''s voiceing from behind. Thus, I turned around and replied, "Well, good morning to you, too, beautiful!" "Ding!" The elevator door finally opened. I held onto Nina''s arm and entered the elevator with her. Rita followed behind us. Once we were inside, Nina looked at Rita from head to toe, cleared her throat and asked, "Have you finally gotten the test result from that ss of water?" "Oh, yes!" I nodded at once. "The results showed that the water was indeed spiked with abortients." "Scarlett, don''t spout nonsense. Show me a concrete evidence to prove your ims. Otherwise, I''m going to sue you for nder!" Rita cast me a disdainful nce. "Go ahead. Sue me. It''ll save me some energy," I said, not giving a damn about what she said. Based on the look in Rita''s eyes, I could tell that she was panicking. "Do you really think you could fool me with that stupid lie?" Gathering herposure, Rita sneered at me. "Well, you''re a master of lies and deceit. Of course, you''d know about it!" I said, smirking at her. "I''ve already told you time and time again; I didn''t put drugs in the water!" Rita clenched her fists once more. But her exnation was futile. "Ding!" The elevator door opened again. I took Nina''s arm and walked out with her,pletely ignoring Rita. "I''d say we spread the news and make a big deal of it. By then, those who actuallymitted a crime will be punished," Nina suggested in a loud voice. I smiled at her and said nothing. Rita''s BOV: After getting out of the elevator, I hurried to my office and dialed a number. "You imbecile! You can''t even do something so trivial properly," I growled, venting my rage. Afterwards, I hung up the phone and smashed it onto the table. Not long after, Charles crossed my mind. I decided to pick up the phone and call him. "Charles, listen to me. I really have no clue what happened to that ss of water. I swear, I didn''t do anything. Someone must be trying to frame me!" I exined in a hurried voice. "Rita, I want to see you," Charles replied. "Really? Sure!" I answered with glee. ''Charles just asked me out! Has he finally realized that Scarlett isn''t good enough for him? Is he coming back to me? That must be it!'' I eximed inwardly. "Two o''clock in the afternoon, at Stranger Cafe," Charles stated before he hung up the phone momentarily. My bad mood had been swept away in an instant. As I sat in front of the dressing mirror, putting on my makeup, I hummed a song. Suddenly, I thought of Scarlett. Out of the goodness of my heart, I sent her a message and asked her to follow me to bear witness. Around one in the afternoon, I arrived at the cafe that Charles had appointed. I waited in there for almost an hour. Finally, Charles arrived with a face devoid of emotion. "Charles," I muttered in a choked voice. I quickly stood up, looking at him with pleading eyes. Charles sat down before me, cing a stack of photos and a sh drive on the table. I picked up the photos and reviewed them. Not a minuteter, I broke into cold sweat. "These are photos and recordings of how you bribed one of theboratory staff. So, what else do you have to say for yourself?" There was no trace of emotion in Charles'' voice. I grabbed the hem of my clothes, agitated and flustered. "Resign from the TV station. I do not wish for Scarlett to get upset because of your presence." Charles'' words were cold, and deeply hurtful to me. "Charles, I love you. In fact, I love you so damn much that I''m willing to die for you!" I tried to grab his hand, but he frowned at me and dodged. "Have you forgotten? Back when we were together, we..." "There are things that should be left unsaid. And you already know that well, don''t you? So, don''t bother us anymore. I''d rather not embarrass everyone in the end." Charles cast a cold nce at me and interrupted me. "But, Charles, I... I can''t live without you! You''re the only man I could ever love." I began to sob and tried to beg him incessantly, trying to ignite at least a cinder of hope that he still loved me, too. "I already told you to leave the TV station, didn''t I? Frankly, I hope you resign as soon as you get out of here," Charles stated. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "But... you used to say that you didn''t love Scarlett. You won''t be happy with her!" I wiped the tears from my face, staring at him with a forlorn expression. "Like you''ve already said, it''s all in the past." With that, Charles stood up and left. I watched him walk away, feeling despair and sorrow. I could tell that he truly had made up his mind this time. Thus, I sat on the chair alone for a long time. I stared out the window, watching the cars pass by as my heart was filled with sadness. Then, I took out my phone and sent Richard a message. I told him that from now on, I would stay away from Scarlett. I also asked him to trust me once again. It had been a long time since I sent him that message, but there was no response. Gradually, my heart sank to rock bottom. I wondered if Richard would leave me, too. After having sat at the cafe for a long time, I saw Liam''s name in my contact list. After a moment of contemtion, I decided to call him. "Liam, do you have time to meet me?" I said, trying to sound sweet. "Of course. It''ll be my pleasure to go out with you, Miss Lively. Name the time and ce, I''ll be there." The sadness in my heart was swept away, and my mood became lighter. ''Scarlett, you ruined my chance at happiness. I will never forgive you!'' Chapter 153 Being Jealous Chapter 153 Being Jealous Scarlett''s POV: Receiving Rita''s message, I went to the cafe where she asked to meet. But when I got there, I didn''t see Charles, but just Rita sitting by the window in a trance. Walking up to her, I asked her in a calm voice, "What did you ask me here to witness? His ruthlessness towards you?" "One day, Charles is going to be ruthless to you as well." Rita sneered, looking up at me. "Is that so? Well, I hope you''re around to see that happen, if it does happen, that is," I said casually, shrugging my shoulders at her. "You can gloat all you can now." Though she was trembling with anger, she seemed to be reluctant to show her weakness. "You asked me toe here. If I don''t gloat, it would be a waste of the kindness you showed me, wouldn''t it?" I asked coldly, looking down at her. Without saying a word, she red at me with deep resentment in her eyes. "Charles is generous enough to let you go, but I''m not. I like to settle things fair and square," I added indifferently before I turned around. And just when I was about to walk out of there, I noticed Charles standing behind me. I immediately lowered my head guiltily. ''Did he hear everything I just said? Is he going to me me now?'' While I was still in a daze, he held my hand and led me outside. "Where are we going?" I asked subconsciously as I followed him. "I am sending you back to the TV station," Charles said casually without even stopping. "Why did youe back?" I asked, looking at his side face as soon as we were outside the cafe. "I am pretty sure that Rita will call you again, so I had toe back and try my luck," he said in a gentle voice, looking at me. Although I was indeed moved when I heard those words, I was also a little concerned. "Looks like you really care about me." "Isn''t it obvious?" Charles stopped and looked at me with tenderness in his eyes. I hesitated for a moment before I said uneasily, "Do you care about the child or me?" Deep down, I was worried that he might only be showing kindness to me because of the child I was carrying, and not because he loved me. "You sleep with me tonight, and I''ll tell you the answer," Charles whispered seductively in my ear. I was speechless and I felt shy, so I red at him, wondering how he could act like a hooligan whenever he felt like it. Laughing, Charles held my hand and we walked forward. He began to quicken his pace with each step. Feeling strange, I nced back. But I understood why he was doing that when I saw Rita behind us. I got home from work that afternoon, and began to cook. While I was in the kitchen, my phone rang all of a sudden. "Hello, this is Liam. I met you at the party before." I heard a strange man''s voiceing from the other end. I tried to recall him for a long time, but I could not remember anything about him at all. "What can I do for you?" I asked politely, even though I had no clue who he was. "I apologize for not being able to make it to your wedding. I was upied with something at that time. I would like to give you the wedding present tonight. Would you be avable? I want to give it to you myself." I was a little stunned that he was asking me out so directly. "You can just give the present to Charles." As soon as I said that, I heard the door open, so I quickly turned around and said, "Honey, you''re home!" Upon hearing that, Liam immediately hung up. "Yes. What present? Who were you talking to?" N?velDrama.Org content rights. "I don''t know, but he said his name was Liam and we met at some party before." "Why is he looking for you?" Charles asked while picking up my phone. "He asked me to meet him and said that he wanted to give me the wedding present in person." I was being honest with him. Hearing that, Charles called him at once and put the phone on speaker. "What do you want from my wife?" he snapped as soon as the call was connected. "Hello, Mr. Moore. My name is Liam. I just wanted to give her the wedding present, that''s all." Liam''s graceful voice was heard. Upon hearing that, Charles furrowed his brows. "If I remember correctly, yourpany seems to have a case that needs my assistance, right?" Charles said coldly before he ended the call. Tossing the phone aside, he looked into my eyes and leaned in to kiss me without a warning. He seemed to be jealous as his kiss was not a gentle one at all. I enthusiastically wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back tofort him. "Don''t answer his calls again." Charles brushed his forehead against mine as he said those words out of jealousy. "I didn''t know that it was him." Actually, I did not even know who this Liam guy was. "He seems to be hitting on you. Anyway, don''t answer his calls in the future. Saying that in a domineering tone, Charles held me tightly. "Are you jealous?" I could not help but smile as I asked him that. "Yes, I am. Can you ignore him?" Charles asked pleadingly as he rested his chin on my shoulder. Clearly, I was not expecting him to admit it so openly, and I was stunned by his reaction. "Okay, I won''t answer his calls again." "Honey, why do I feel like you''re getting plumper and bouncier?" Charles said with satisfaction as he caressed and toyed with my breasts. "Maybe, it''s just your mind ying tricks on you." Saying that lightly, I patted his hand that was on my breast. "My senses are pretty sharp, you know? It really is much bigger now. I used to be able to hold your breast with just one hand, but now, they''ve outgrown my hand." He was seriously discussing the size of my breasts while ying with them. "Don''t be such a pervert!" I said in a low voice, feeling his hot breath in my ears. "Honey, when are you going to startctating?" Asking that, he picked me up and made me sit on the table while staring deep into my eyes. "I... How would I know?" His eyes lit up when he turned his gaze to my breasts, and I felt my face turn red. "You really don''t know?" Charles asked in surprise and was about to lift up my shirt. "What are you doing?" I asked in panic. "Well, since you don''t know when you''re going toctate, I should check it for you, right?" he said with a smile before he grabbed my hands with one hand while he unhooked my bra with his other hand. He then leaned closer and lifted my shirt up. "They''re so beautiful." Praising my bosom sincerely, he put one of my nipples into his mouth. I didn''t realize that he let go of my hands. I groaned and struggled, trying to push him away, but it was in vain as he suddenly took one of my nipples and sucked it hard. Feeling that, I lost all my strength instantly and unconsciously held his head with my hands. After a long while, Charles looked up at me and said in a serious tone, "I''ve tested it for you, and there''s no milk for the time being. I will continue to check it every day so that you will know when you startctating." "You... I don''t need your help." I felt too embarrassed to even look at him. "Then would you like to suck them yourself?" An evil smile appeared on his lips as he looked at me in surprise. "You pervert!" There was a hint of coquetry in my voice, and my face was as red as a lobster. "Alright, alright. I won''t tease you anymore. Are you hungry?" Charles asked softly, buttoning up my shirt. "Yes, I am starving!" I replied, but I was still too shy to look at him. "I will go and cook something for us. You can rest till I am done." Saying that with a smile, he carried me in his arms again. "Are you sure?" I asked subconsciously when I noticed that he was having an erection. Charles paused for a moment before he asked me with a smile, "I''m afraid I can''t help it. Would Mrs. Moore like to help me, then?" "Your son might not be pleased with that," I answered with a smile as I pointed at my belly, which was visibly bigger now. Charles looked at me for a long time before he finally let out a helpless sigh and put me down on the chair. With a long face, he stared at my belly. I could not help but burst intoughter when I saw his pitiful look. "Go and make dinner. Your son and I are hungry." I pushed him away with a smile. "How can you tell that it''s a boy and not a girl?" Charles asked with a pout. "Would you like to have a daughter?" I asked, looking at him in surprise. "Wouldn''t it be nice if it''s a girl? She will be lovely and beautiful, just like her mom. She will be my little princess!" he said, stroking my belly with joy. "But I wish our child is a boy, because he will be handsome, just like you." Hearing that, the smile on his lips widened. Kissing the corner of my lips, he turned around and walked to the kitchen, but before he disappear behind the door, he turned to me and said with a smile, "I still want a girl, though." I gave him a helpless smile. No matter what the gender of the baby was, it would be our child, and I was looking forward to meeting him or her. Chapter 154 I Care More About You Chapter 154 I Care More About You Scarlett''s POV: Charles''s phone rang while we were having dinner. He put it on speaker and then went to the kitchen to get some soup for me. Spencer''s voice came from the other end of the line. "Charles, let''s go out and have a drink!" "I can''t. Scarlett is pregnant. Why are you asking me to go out for a drink at this hour anyway? Never mind. She''s mad. Bye." Charles hung up the phone as soon as he finished speaking. I looked at him incredulously. Why did he make it seem that I took away his freedom to have fun? Charles must have noticed my bewilderment. He looked up at me and exined, "I have stomach problems. The doctor told me not to drink too much." I put down my spoon and pouted. "Then why did you use me as an excuse?" "Do you want me to drink with them? Didn''t you ask me if I care more about you or the baby? Don''t you want to know the answer to that?" Charles asked back with raised eyebrows. "Then who do you care more about?" "Let''s talk about it when we go to bed." ****** In the evening, I took a shower first before him. While I was waiting for him to finish taking a shower, my phone suddenly rang. Rita had sent me a message. "This is your mother''s. If you want it back,e meet me," the message read. Attached to it was a picture of a familiar earring. A myriad of thoughts crowded into my mind as I stared at the picture. My father had given this to my mother as a love token. How did Rita get this? Knowing her, she would not give the earring to me easily. Even so, I could not help but wonder what the hell she wanted from me. While I was in deep thought, Rita sent me another message. "Don''t you want to take back your mother''s prized possession? You''re scared, aren''t you? If your mother finds out about this, she''ll be disappointed in you." I just stared at her message but did not reply. Just then, Charles came out of the bathroom with only a bath towel around his waist. I could not help but gawk at his toned abs. Damn. He was so sexy. My phone rang yet again, bringing me back to my senses. Sure enough, it was another message from Rita. "Tomorrow night in Spencer''s bar. If you want it,e and get it yourself." I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I did not notice that Charles had sat beside me. He held me in a tight embrace and asked, "Who''s messaging you thiste at night?" "Rita," I answered straightforwardly. With a frown, Charles took my phone from my hand and read Rita''s messages. He looked at the picture carefully and said, "It''s indeed your mother''s." I nodded grimly and put the phone aside. Rita could wait. Now, I had something more important to figure out. I looked up at him and asked in a serious tone, "Who do you care more about? The child or me?" Charles kissed my lips and answered, "Of course, I care more about you." "What about the baby?" "It''s my child, so I care about it as well." "Then..." I was moved by his response. I wanted to ask him more, but I was afraid that it would annoy him. "Then what?" "Then, you''ll be loyal to our marriage, won''t you?" "Yes, I will." I felt warm in my heart. Satisfied with his answer, I nestled in his arms with a sweet smile. Charles held me tighter. Then, he kissed my face, starting with my eyes, to my nose, andstly to my lips. "Honey, I want you," he said in a low and hoarse voice. I nodded. I wanted him too. "Be gentle," I asked, caught up in the heat of the moment. Charles kissed me on the lips and, ever so slowly, took off my pajamas. His lips lingered on my corbone for a moment. Then, his gaze fell on my breasts. "I wonder if you have milk now." He opened his mouth and sucked my nipple amorously. My body went weak in an instant. I could feel my nipple harden as he licked and nibbled on it. It felt so good that I could not help but moan in pleasure. It must have stirred Charles''s excitement as, without further ado, he finally inserted his erect manhood into me. Just as he had promised, he moved gently, making me feel hot all over. It was a quiet night, and only our bodies were making a noise. A momentter, Charles stiffened and gasped while my mind went nk. And together, we climaxed at the same time. I was so tired afterward that my limbs felt weak and heavy. Gentleman as he was, Charles carried me to the bathroom and helped me take a shower. Once we were clean and dry, wey on the bed in each other''s arms. Exhausted, we fell asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillow. The next morning, I told Charles that I wanted to see Rita. "That belongs to my mother. I want to take it back." Charles was silent for a long time. I thought he would disagree. But then, he sighed heavily and said, "It''s your choice if you''ll go. But please, don''t be reckless." I nodded, grateful for his support. Suddenly, the training program came to my mind. I figured that this was the best time to discuss it with him. "I want to continue my training. As you can see, my baby bump isn''t really that visible yet, and I can still move like before." Charles frowned in disapproval. "You can train after you give birth. I''m worried about you being alone abroad." However, I still did not give up. With my lips curled into a pout, I argued, "I''lle back every weekend. The training will be over in a few months anyway." "You''re pregnant. You can''t go back and forth every week." My heart sank. Did he not want to see me? All of a sudden, Charles smiled and added, "I''ll fly there to keep youpany." N?velDrama.Org content rights. I looked at him with a grateful smile. The unhappiness in my heart dissipated in an instant. After breakfast, Charles drove me to the TV station just like he always did. Before getting out of the car, I gave him a peck on the cheek. However, Charles seemed a little dissatisfied. He leaned over to me and said, "You are doing it wrong. Let me show you how to do this." Without waiting for my response, he held up my face and kissed me passionately. The kiss was light, but itsted for a moment. I gently pushed him andined, "You ate up my lipstick!" Charles chuckled. "Well, you''re mine. Why should I still care about your lipstick?" It was only then that I got out of the car. Just as I was about to enter the building of the TV station, I felt that someone was following me. I turned around instinctively, but nobody was there. Fortunately, Abner came out. As soon as he saw me, he walked over to me and asked, "Did you feel that someone was following you? Your instinct was right. A man about forty years old was indeed following you." "How do you know?" "He''s been lurking around the TV station in the past two days." My body tensed up as a foreboding feeling washed over me. Rita''s POV: When I went to Nate''s office, I saw him behind his desk, reading a document. "Dad," I called. "What''s up?" he replied. I sat on the sofa in his office and asked, "The stock price of thepany plummeted recently. Don''t you have any solution to that?" Nate massaged his forehead with his thumb and index finger. "I have done something, but I''m afraid that it didn''t work well as I expect." At that moment, a man entered the office. He nced at me for a second and then walked to my father. "Mr. Lively, Charles has been diligently picking up Scarlett in person recently. Not only that, but she''s often with people, so we can''t find an opportunity to do it." Nate''s face darkened upon hearing the man''s report. "Are you going to do something to Scarlett again ?" I snorted. "It''s none of your business," Nate coldly replied. "Dad, what''s so good about that bitch anyway? Why do you like her?" I really could not understand why that woman was popr among men. Even my father was infatuated with her so much. "Charles will be yours as long as Scarlett is with me," Nate snickered. "You can sleep with any woman, just not Scarlett!" "Why?" "Because she stole my man. How can I ept her as my stepmother? Dad, wake up! There are plenty of fish in the sea. I don''t care if you like young girls, but 1 don''t like her for you. I fucking hate her!" I was enraged. Why did Scarlett alwayse to haunt me? When I got home that day, I turned on the TV and happened to see the news about Charles''s wedding. Apparently, he had bought an ind in which his wedding ceremony had been held and named it after Scarlett. Why was it her again?! Jealousy and resentment washed over me. I could literally feel anger surging in my veins. In a fit of anger, I threw my ss of water to the floor, and it shattered into a million pieces. I swore to myself I would make that bitch lose everything tonight. Chapter 155 I Will Destroy Everything You Love Chapter 155 I Will Destroy Everything You Love Scarlett''s POV: After I got off work, I had dinner with Nina. Then, Charles called me. N?velDrama.Org content rights. "I have an important meeting tonight. Make sure not to go to the bar alone, you hear me? Otherwise, I''m going to be worried about you. Once I''m done with work, I''ll go with you." "Don''t worry about it. I can handle Rita''s devious little trickeries," I said. "I''ll ask Spencer to look after you," said Charles. "Rx, I can protect myself. But I did notice this one guy following me around," I replied, sounding curious. "Are you okay?" Charles asked worriedly. "I am. He was just staring at me in the distance, but I could sense that he''s up to no good." What happened this morning shed through my mind again. "Alright. I''ll have someone look into it. Don''t go out alone for the next few days. I''ll pick you up after work," Charles reminded. "Got it," I answered. Afterwards, Charles gave me a few more reminders before hanging up. Rita''s POV: I arrived at the ce that Scarlett and I had agreed upon. I waited for nearly an hour, but she still hadn''t shown up. Meanwhile, sitting on the sofa across me was Liam. "If something happens to Scarlett, you''re likely to lose everything," he said. I sneered, picked up the ss on the table and swiveled it around. "Just watch the show, Liam. You''ll enjoy it." "I hope so," Liam remarked before gulping down his ss of wine. Then, I noticed Spencer and smiled at him. "Spencer! Come over here and have a drink with me." Upon hearing my voice, he said something to the people around him, and then walked towards me. Spencer frowned and took the ss in my hand. "You shouldn''t drink too much. Otherwise, you might wreck my ce because of inebriation." I pointed at the bottles of wine on the table and suggested, "If you drink all of them, I promise not to drink anymore." Spencer stared at me, seemingly in thought. And sure enough, he gulped down all the liquor on the table. "I''ll ask someone to escort you home." Having said that, Spencer nced at Liam as thetter sat beside me. "Don''t bother. I''m waiting for Scarlett. I''ll leave after my chat with her," I said, politely refusing his kindness. Spencer stared at me in silence for a time before he stood up and sighed. Before he left, he turned around and said, "Don''t cause any trouble." With that, he shook his head, supported himself up using the wall, and staggered away. "What was in that wine?" Liam asked curiously. "Nothing you should worry about. I just wanted to get him out of the way," I answered. "Damn! You''re a bold woman, aren''t you? You even drugged Spencer for this n." Liam chuckled. At this moment, I heard a noiseing from outside. Liam stood up and walked to the door, intending to see what was happening. However, I stopped him. "Don''t move, Liam. Just sit down and enjoy the show." Confused, Liam looked at me, but then he sat back and obliged. Soon, the noise outside had stopped. I stood up and went out. There was a woman lying in a pool of blood. Based on her figure, I believed it to be Scarlett. My heart was filled with excitement at the thought of seeing her lifeless husk. ''Is she finally dead! Is this man-stealer finally dead for real?'' I wondered. I elbowed my way through the crowd and rushed to the woman lying motionless on the ground. Pretending to be worried, I called out Scarlett''s name. "Miss, is she your friend?" asked the medical staff. When I took a closer look, I was disappointed to know that it wasn''t Scarlett. "No," I answered coldly. Thus, I got up and looked around. It was then that I noticed Scarlett standing amidst the crowd and greeting me with a smile. "Are you looking for me, Rita?" she asked. Seeing Scarlett''s annoying smile quickly got on my nerves. I felt a nagging feeling at the back of my head and it gave me a headache. ''This... is impossible! This can''t be happening!'' I cursed inwardly. ''I arranged so many people to ambush her here just to teach this damn woman a lesson! Why on earth is she still standing in front of me, safe and sound? Argh! Fuck! Those fucking pathetic imbeciles! They can''t even deal with a woman!'' "When did you get here?" I asked, casting her a cold nce. "Probably before you got here. Thanks to you, I watched something interesting. I''m curious. You seem concerned about that girl who just got beaten up," Scarlett remarked with a smile. "I didn''t expect you to enjoy watching stuff like that," I answered indirectly. There were police cars arriving not far away. I couldn''t let anyone know that I had arranged those mercenaries, so I quickly turned around and went back into the bar. Scarlett followed me in and stood in front of me. "Give me my mother''s earring." "What earring? Oh, I remember! Sorry, Scarlett, It''s gone." I shed her a grin. Upon seeing how pale Scarlett''s face was, I was over the moon. "By the way, did I ever tell you that I found your mother''s earring in my father''s study? Isn''t that strange? Do you think they were hiding a secret? Is it possible that we''re actually half-sister?" I broke into a gaudyughter. Scarlett picked up the ss of wine on the table and sshed it onto my face. "You''d better watch your mouth, you piece of shit!" I couldn''t avoid it in time, so the wine was sshed all over my face. ''This bitch! How dare she ssh wine on me?'' I eximed inwardly. I wanted to fight back, but I knew it wasn''t the right time. Thus, I just wiped away the liquid on my face and cast her a re. I could tell that Scarlett was furious. And seeing her this angry made me a little happy. "What? Why did you get angry so easily? Did I guess it right? Your mother is a whore! And you deserve to be a whore''s daughter. Your entire family revels in seducing men everywhere!" The more I spoke, the more delight I felt. All of a sudden, I felt a burning sensation on my cheek. Scarlett actually pped me across the face! "Hand over the earring. God damn it!" Scarlett growled at me. "I already threw it away. And I''ll have you know that I''m going to destroy everything you want and love!" I picked up a piece of tissue on the table and used it to wipe my face. As I stared at Scarlett''s furious face distorted by anger, I was even happier. "You''re the one who hired someone to kill me, weren''t you? That car ident?" Scarlett asked tentatively. I raised an eyebrow at her and didn''t answer the question. "Did you also hire someone to sneak into my apartment and have me killed?" she asked again. Despite her insistence, I still didn''t answer. "So, you asked me out tonight just to kill me, didn''t you? Those people who were lurking out there were supposed to kill me, but they mistook that girl for me. If I hadn''t arrived earlier than you did, I would''ve been sent to the hospital on an ambnce right now!" ''Scarlett is telling the truth. But even if she knows about the truth, what can she even do to me?'' "s, you have the devil''s luck. Those useless pricks can''t even handle one simple task. I wasted so much money on those imbeciles! But, since you''re already here, I''m not going to let you walk away safely!" Step by step, I approached Scarlett. She was pregnant right now, so all I had to do was to shove her hard enough, and it would make her lose that baby. And once that stupid baby was gone, Charles would never be with her again! Suddenly, Scarlett grabbed something from her pocket. The next moment, I saw her holding a knife to my throat. The edge of the knife was so close to my skin that I could feel the coldness of its steel, and it rendered me frozen in fear. "Hand over the God damn earring or I''m going to cut your neck open with this knife!" From the sound of Scarlett''s voice, I could tell that she wasn''t joking. Fear quickly consumed me. "Liam, I..." I looked to Liam, pleading for help in a trembling voice. However, he just looked at Scarlett with agitation. And out of the blue, the door opened up at that moment. Chapter 156 Separation Again Chapter 156 Separation Again Charles'' POV: I rushed to the bar as soon as the meeting was over. The moment I walked in, I saw Scarlett holding a fruit knife to Rita''s neck. Looking at me in horror, Rita screamed, "Charles, help me!" I grabbed Scarlett''s hand which was holding the knife, and said softly, "Scarlett, put down the knife. I''ll take care of everything, okay?" Although she still seemed to be angry, she agreed with a nod. Taking the knife from her hand, I pulled her behind me. The next second, Rita fell to the floor, gasping for air as she covered her bleeding neck. "You sent someone to slit Scarlett''s throatst time, and now, she has given you a taste of your own medicine. It''s even now," I said coldly. "But you saved me..." "I only saved you for Scarlett''s sake," I said bluntly, interrupting her. Rita looked at me in disbelief. "So it really doesn''t matter to you whether I live or die, huh? Why do you have to be so cruel to me? You were once mine, and I should be your woman!" Holding Scarlett''s hand warmly, I red at Rita and hissed, "The woman I love is Scarlett!" "I am just making a fool of myself here then, right?" Rita asked with tears rolling down her swollen cheeks. "Yes, you are," I answered without hesitation. "No, that''s not right. It can''t be..." Rita shouted. Richard suddenly walked in and said in a respectful tone, "I have handled the people outside." I gave him a nod and turned to Rita, only to find her expression darken. I then reached out my hand to her, and said, "Give me Scarlett''s mom''s earring." Rita reluctantly took out the earring from her bag and mmed it against the table. "Don''t do such stupid things ever again. I won''t let it slide easily if it happens again," I warned her. With panic and hatred in her eyes, she looked at me before she left. Everyone else also walked out of the room, leaving me and Scarlett alone. "Why did you bring a fruit knife with you?" I asked, holding Scarlett. "Were you worried that I might kill Rita?" she asked in a low voice. "No, I was actually afraid that you might end up hurting yourself by ident," I exined at once. Upon hearing that, Scarlett turned to me with a faint smile on her lips. "I am still not sure about one thing, though. Who is more important to you? Is it Rita or is it me?" "She saved my life back then. Andter, she was diagnosed with cancer. The doctor told me that if she was emotionally stable, she would likely recover sooner. Everything I did back then was to return her favor." With that, I let out a helpless sigh. "But... I only care about you now."Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Scarlett buried her head in my chest and said, "Men are such smooth-talkers, aren''t they?" Just when I was about to say something to her, Spencer walked in, making me angry. "Didn''t I ask you to take good care of Scarlett? Where have you been?" "Rita drugged my wine with some sleeping pill. If you don''t believe me, you can ask Vivian," Spencer exined guiltily, pointing at the woman next to him. "Well, it is true. His blood does contain ingredients that aremonly found in most sleeping pills," Vivian answered with a nod. "Who is she?" Scarlett asked in confusion. "She is Vivian, Spencer''s private doctor. She is specialized in all kinds of knotty and misceneous diseases." After the brief introduction, Scarlett greeted Vivian with a smile. "So is something wrong with Spencer?" Scarlett asked with a smile, looking at me. "He has many problems." Saying that, I red at Spencer before I grabbed Scarlett''s hand and walked out of there. The next morning, Scarlett was going to attend her training course, so I put aside all my work and boarded the flight with her. As soon as we arrived at the apartment that we rented temporarily, I put away the suitcase and asked her to rest. "You''re here with me. What''s going to happen to your work?" Scarlett asked me with a smug smile, even though she knew my answer. I couldn''t help but caress her hair as I said, "To me, my work is never as important as you. Don''t forget to video call me every day, and don''t turn off your phone, or I will be really worried, okay?" With that, I walked to the fridge and ced the food that I bought inside it. All of a sudden, I felt her embracing me warmly from behind, and I stayed silent. I then turned around and held her. "What''s the matter?" "I don''t want you to leave. I hate being away from you," Scarlett said in muffled voice as she rubbed her nose against my chest. "I''lle to see you next weekend, then," I said with a helpless sigh as I hugged her tightly. She nestled in my arms like a little kitten. "Why can''t you go back with me? I''ll miss you a lot if you stay here alone." I traced my fingers over her body while hugging her tightly." Scarlett, look, even my body doesn''t want to be away from yours." I then seductively nibbled on her earlobe, making her tremble. But I stopped teasing her because I knew that she would be exhausted from the long flight. "I''ll take you to bed so you can rest." Hearing that, Scarlett nodded obediently. After tucking her in, Iy down with her and held her in my arms. "I''ll sleep with you. Close your eyes." But then she kept nudging my groin with her butt restlessly, and my penis became hard at once. She was like a siren, who could easily arouse me. I turned over and pressed her under my body. "If you don''t want to sleep, then we can do something we both love." Scarlett immediately raised her hand in surrender. "I''ll go to sleep right now!" Chapter 157 Dont Ask For Trouble Chapter 157 Don''t Ask For Trouble Scarlett''s POV: Charles spent the night with me and went back the following day. Every day, I video called Charles just to tell him how much I missed him. A few dayster, I suddenly received a photo from a colleague back in the country. In the photo, Charles was drinking with a female star named Lily at a bar. During our video call, Charles told me that he was busy, but it turned out that he was just fooling around with a female star. In the afternoon, he gave me a call, but I didn''t answer it. Not long after, Nina came in with her phone in hand. She pointed at the screen and mouthed Charles'' name. I asked Nina to hang up. However, Charles refused to give up. He called me over ten times in a row, so my heart softened. Once the call connected, I heard his worried voice. "Is your phone out of power? Why weren''t you answering your phone?" I just pouted at him and said nothing. "That photo was an ident. I swear, I didn''t touch her at all!" Charles took the initiative to exin about the photo. "Don''t fool around with women while I''m not back at home. Otherwise, I''m not going to answer your calls ever again," I said angrily. "I won''t allow something like that to happen again," Charles answered with glee. Charles'' POV: After I exined the photo to Scarlett, I found out that she was indeed jealous, but I was relieved to know that she eventually chose to trust me. In the evening, Spencer and David asked me to meet them at the club. Spencer approached me and smirked. "So, what happened, dude? Did you wife give you an earful?" he bantered. "Scarlett trusts me," I said, casting him a cold nce. "Oh, really now? Then why didn''t she answer your calls even after you called her more than ten times? You were so anxious that you almost flew abroad overnight!" Spencer continued making fun of me. This time, I red at him. "You know, Spencer, nobody will think you''re dumb if you don''t speak." Spencer looked at me with curiosity. "While we''re on the subject, do you really not know that woman?" "You must really want to die, don''tyou, Spencer?" I said through gritted teeth. Upon seeing how angry I was, Spencer finally mmed up. "That Lily never really rose to fame for years. To be honest, I didn''t expect she''d be so popr just after drinking with you," David said with a chuckle. Right after he said that, a beautiful woman appeared at the entrance of the club. Upon seeing that it was Lily, I was immediately vignt. "Mr. Moore, what a coincidence to see you here!" Lily came over to greet me, but I pretended not to notice her. "You''re Lily, right? Come, have a seat with us." Spencer gestured for her to sit down. I cast him a re but didn''t utter a word. "Do you two think that Lily and Scarlett kind of look alike?" Spencer asked, ncing at me and David. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g "You know what? Their eyes do look simr," Davidmented. "No, Scarlett''s eyes are bigger. They''re rounder and brighter than hers!" I said proudly. There was no way she could even hold a candle to my wife. "Well, yeah. How could I evenpete with Mrs. Moore?" Embarrassed, Lily raised her ss and changed the topic. "Mr. Moore, I''d like to propose a toast to you." "No, thanks. We''re not that close," I refused without a second thought. I took out my phone and texted Scarlett. "Honey, Lily is trying to cotton up to me again." A momentter, Scarlett replied, "I''ll interview a male star some other day." In a fit of rage, I texted back, "Don''t you dare! I''ll hack that stupid male star of yours into pieces and feed him to the dogs!" I was waiting for Scarlett''s response, when I suddenly sensed that someone was approaching. I raised my head and saw that Lily was wearing a long face. "Mr. Moore, I..." "Can you stay away from me? I am a married man and I love my wife," I snorted before standing up and walking away. Spencer''s POV: Charles was no fun. David and I just looked at each other and sighed helplessly. I picked up the ss of wine on the table and took a sip. "I''m not used to seeing Charles like this. He''s so afraid of his wife." "To be honest, I''m quite envious of him. He scares because he cares. It would be nice to have a person like that in your life." After saying that, David stood up, intending to leave. "Oh, are you going to leave already?" I asked in surprise. "Well, it''s boring here, so it''s better to just go home and get some sleep, man." David waved his hand and left. Suddenly, the atmosphere in the private room became tense when only Lily and I were left in the room. I smiled at her and said, "Let''s drink." "Do you mind telling me something about Charles?" she asked. "Are you nning on sleeping with him?" I asked bluntly. The look on Lily''s face changed dramatically. "Huh? What are you trying to say?" she asked, hurriedly taking a sip of wine. I cast her a cold nce and said, "I meant that literally." Seeing that she wasn''t responding, I said, "You''re not the first woman who attempted to sleep with him, and I''m sure you won''t be thest. Do you happen to know Rita Lively?" "I do know her," she replied. "Look at how she ended up, Lily. Don''t try to bite off more than you can chew." This time, I looked her in the eyes. Lily stayed quiet for a long time, until she broke her silence with an exasperated sigh. "Sorry to have bothered you today. I''ll be leaving now," she said. "So, are you still nning on pestering Charles?" "I won''t ask for trouble again," Lily said after a brief pause. Satisfied with her answer, I smiled and said nothing more. Once Lily was gone, I was the only one left in the room. It was then that I noticed a woman singing onstage with a mask on, and her voice sounded so familiar. After the song, she went backstage. Not long after, I got up and followed her. Chapter 158 His Confession Chapter 158 His Confession Spencer''s POV: Inside the backstage dressing room, the woman took off her mask. I was surprised to see a familiar face. "Aren''t you going to exin to me why you''re suddenly singing here for money? Do I not pay you enough?" I asked angrily. Vivian was my private doctor, and not to toot my own horn, I liked to believe that Ipensated her well. After a moment of silence, she smiled at me. "I do it for fun. Why are you so angry about it?" I frowned at her and lowered my voice. "Why don''t you just tell me the truth?" Vivian looked into my eyes and said, "I am telling the truth." "Vivian, don''t make me ask again." I had drunk a lot, and I could feel my head throbbing with pain, so I was on edge. Naturally, one shouldn''t expect that I''d be in the mood to speak kindly. "Fine. You can just think that I need the extra money, and I am making some extra cash here," Vivian said in a rxed tone. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. "What are you trying to say? Speak clearer!" Her words only made me dizzy, and my patience was growing thin. "I just need the money, okay? There''s no other reason." Vivian smiled again, began to pack her stuff, and prepared to leave. I immediately grabbed her wrist. "If you don''t tell me what the real reason is right now, consider yourself fired!" "Oh, you''re going to fire me, huh? How would you like it if I tell everyone that you have feelings for Scarlett?" Vivian didn''t seem afraid of me at all. She even had the guts to ckmail me. "Argh, fine. How much cash do you need? I''ll lend it to you." Vivian raised two fingers. "I need two million dors." "Wait, you''re actually singing in a bar for just million dors? Are you insane?" With that, I turned around and began to walk away. Vivian followed me around and said, "Two million dors may not be a big deal for you, but it''s an unbelievably huge amount for me. So, when are you going to lend me the money?" "I already regret promising that," I growled and went straight to the driver''s seat. "Hey, hey, hey! You''re too intoxicated to drive, you idiot! Just let me do it." Vivian pushed me to the passenger seat and smiled brightly. Once we were in the car, I felt irritable. I wanted to call someone, but when I picked up my phone, I realized that I had no idea who to call. All of a sudden, I saw Scarlett''s name on the contact list. I couldn''t resist to press her number and dial it. Soon, the call connected. "Charles? I''m so sleepy." Judging by herzy voice, Scarlett must indeed be sleepy. "It''s not Charles. This is Spencer," I said. Suddenly, I felt my heart began to beat faster. "Spencer? Why are you calling me at this hour? It''s sote. Did something happen to Charles?" Scarlett asked worriedly. "Charles is fine. I just wanted to tell you that he really cares about you." Truthfully, I was tempted to tell her that I also cared about her a lot. "I know that already." Scarlett yawned. "Anyway, that''s all. Get some rest. Bye!" Scarlett muttered something back to me, but I couldn''t hear it clearly, and she soon hung up on me. I stared at the screen of my phone until it turned off automatically. Then, I asked Vivian to drive me to Charles'' house. Charles'' POV: After I came back from the club, I took a shower and was ready to go to bed. All of a sudden, the doorbell rang. Outside the door, I saw Spencer. He reeked of alcohol. "What are you doing here, man?" I asked, frowning at him. "Hey, Charles, I gotta tell you something, dude. I called Scarlett just now," Spencer stammered. He was so hammered that he could barely keep himself standing while walking. As I helped him in, I asked, "Why did you call her?" "She''s probably sleeping already. When she answered the phone, she called your name in a daze." Spencer seemed like he was dodging my question. Afterwards, I threw him onto the sofa. Sadly, Spencer rolled to the ground from the sofa, and held onto my thighs. "Charles, I''ll be honest. I really like Scarlett. Every time I see her crying over you, I want to take her away, but she loves you so much. No matter how much I want her toe with me, she won''t do it." Annoyed, I gave him a kick. "Do you want to die, Spencer?" "Scarlett, I love you so much," Spencer murmured as he kept holding onto my legs. I really wanted to beat him up. ''How dare he covet my wife?'' In a fit of rage, I grabbed his cor and threw him onto the bed in the guest room. Afterwards, I turned around and marched away. ****** The following morning, while I was having breakfast, Spencer came out of the room with bedhead hair. "God damn it... I was so drunkst night. Did I say anything weird?" he asked nervously. I cast him an indifferent nce and replied, "Come here. Have some breakfast." Spencer seemed agitated when he looked back at me. "Clean up the table once you''re done," I said before heading upstairs with a passive expression. Once I was upstairs, I called Scarlett to ask her if she had really conducted an interview with a male star. "Have you eaten breakfast yet?" Scarlett asked, changing the topic. "I''d enjoy eating you more," I said with a tinge of disappointment. "Bye!" Scarlett pretended to hang up. "No, wait! Don''t hang up, honey. I just really miss you." "Well, I miss you, too." Scarlett smiled. "By the way, Spencer called mest night. What''s wrong with him?" "Nothing. He''s just bored, I guess," I replied. "Did he strike out on a girl or something?" Scarlett couldn''t seem to resist the urge to gossip. I didn''t want to answer that, so I decided to talk about something else. "How''s the baby? Did it make you suffer?" "I had a B Ultrasound at the hospital yesterday. The baby is very healthy, and it hasn''t troubled me one bit," she answered. "It''s almost the weekend. I''lle by to visit you," I responded. "Sounds great!" Scarlett spoke with such glee. Hearing her voice swept away all the things that upset me the whole night, and alleviated my unhappiness. After hanging up, I went downstairs and saw that Spencer was still having breakfast. "Let''s go y tennis this afternoon." "No, thanks. I can never win against you." Spencer looked like he was about to cry. "You''reing whether you like it or not," I answered with a smirk. Afterwards, I ignored him for the rest of the day. During the evening, Spencer and I yed tennis. After ying a few rounds, he was so tired that I could see that sweat was dripping from his hair. I put down my racket and said, "Rest for a while." Right after I said that, Spencer copsed on the chair. Just then, Scarlett video called me. "Why does Spencer look so depressed?" she asked tentatively. I nced at him and scoffed. "He lost a tennis match, and he now doubts the meaning of his existence." "Did he do something wrong? Why are you punishing him like that?" Scarlett looked at me, seemingly annoyed with me. "Are you pleading for his case?" I asked, somewhat triggered. "You shouldn''t bully him." I turned around and gave Spencer a friendly smile. Spencer rushed towards me and put his face in front of the phone''s camera. In horror, he said to Scarlett, "Scarlett, don''t plead for me! The more you try to defend me, the more miserable I will be!" Scarlett looked at me, suspicious of something. "Did you threaten him?" she said to Charles. With a sincere smile, I swore, "As God as my witness, I didn''t do anything to Spencer." "Well, you two should enjoy your bonding. I need to deal with something. Gotta go!" Spencer responded. He smiled awkwardly and took this opportunity to slip away. Chapter 159 Scheme Chapter 159 Scheme Scarlett''s POV: The weekend had finallye. I could not wait to finally see Charles. I asked Amy for Charles''s flight information in secret. Once I found out what time he would arrive, I went to the airport to surprise him. We immediately spotted each other in the crowd. The moment Charles saw me, he strode towards me with a big smile. "Why are you here?" he asked. He was ecstatic but, at the same time, confused. "Surprised?" I asked back with a grin. Charles kissed me on the forehead. "Yes, I am." He took over all the housework after we got home. Sitting on the sofa, I could not help but giggle at the sight of his busy figure in the kitchen. Happiness and contentment surged in my heart. After dinner, we sat next to each other in the living room and watched TV. I used his thighs as my pillow and let his fingers run through my hair. All of a sudden, something crossed my mind. Spencer had called me a few days ago in the middle of the night, which perplexed me. At the thought of this, I looked up at Charles and asked, "Is there anything wrong with Spencer?" "He''s fine. He was just drunk. You don''t have to answer his call in the future, especially in the middle of the night," Charles casually replied. Even so, I sensed the jealousy in his voice, so I could not help but tease him. "Didn''t you try to get me and Spencer together?" "So you agreed at that time because I suggested it?" I pretended not to see the displeasure on his face. "Well, I couldn''t turn down your kindness." Charles fell silent for a moment. "Grandma said she''d introduce you to someone," he glumly reasoned out. "So you asked Spencer to put on an act? What if he and I really got together?" Charles looked down at me and smiled. "That won''t happen. I won''t ever let you go." Satisfied, I rubbed my face in his hand like a kitten. When I awoke the next morning, Charles was nowhere to be seen. I stared at the ceiling for a long time, wondering if what had happenedst night was just a dream. Afraid it was only an illusion, I hurriedly lifted the quilt and ran downstairs. Charles was in the living room. His eyes fell on my bare feet, and a frown appeared on his face at the sight of them. "Why didn''t you put on some slippers when you got out of the bed?" I stood at the top of the stairs for a while, just staring at him. Once I got ahold of myself, I turned around andughed at myself for being paranoid. Now with shoes on my feet, I went downstairs and ate the breakfast Charles had prepared. He even cleaned the dishes after we ate. What a gentleman. "Honey, I''m afraid I have to go back to thepany now. I have some emergency to deal with." I was disheartened when I heard that Charles had to leave so soon. Without a word, I walked into the kitchen and hugged him from behind. "I''ll drive you to the airport," I offered in a muffled voice. Charles turned around and hugged me back. "I can go by myself. You should rest here instead." However, I held his waist tighter and remained stubborn. "But I want to see you off." Charles stared at me for a moment. Then, with a helpless sigh, he nodded. "I''lle back next weekend to see you. Don''t worry. I''ll stay here a little longer. Take good care of yourself while I''m gone, okay?" he gently said while holding me in his arms. "I will." I leaned against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. "Me too, honey. I want to be with you all the time." I kissed him on the chin. "See you next weekend." Dissatisfied, Charles held my chin with his thumb and index finger and kissed me on the lips. I knew he hated not being able to be with me all the time. His kiss exined it all. It was soft yet passionate. I was infatuated with his tenderness. Sadly, Charles had to leave soon. In the airport, we kissed for a moment just before he was about to board the ne. Albeit reluctant, he had no choice but to let me go. I went shopping with Nina in the afternoon. While we were at a men''s boutique, I bumped into someone I least wanted to see. It was Rita. It seemed that she, too, was surprised to see me. Behind her was Lily, a female star and the woman Charles had had an ''affair'' with a few days ago. With a smile, Lily walked over to me and reached out her hand. "Hello, Scarlett!" she greeted. I merely spared her a nce. I did not greet her back, nor did I shake hands with her. "Scarlet, about that matter... It was a just a misunderstanding." "I still haven''t forgotten about it," I replied crossly. Lily''s face darkened. Rita butted in and remarked, "You''re so narrowminded!" Nina stepped forward to defend my honor and sneered, "How dare you say that? Don''t you know that you''re the most narrow-minded woman I''ve ever known?" "You..." Before she could finish her sentence, Rita clutched her chest and looked at Nina and me with a pale face. Then, her eyes rolled backwards, and she fainted right before our eyes. "What happened?" Nina asked, confused. "Just let her be," I coldly said and then pulled Nina''s hand away from the scene without looking back. As soon as I got home, I saw, on the Inte, a photo of Rita fainting. I was also there in the photo, which caused heated discussions online. In a fit of anger, Nina, who was sitting right next to me, smashed her phone on the table. "What the hell is wrong with her? How I wish I could tear that bitch''s disguise and make people see her true color!" "It''s just an old trick of hers," I said with a smile. "Damn it!" Just then, my phone rang. It was Alice, videocalling me. I answered the call at once. "Scarlett, if Rita bullies you, don''t just swallow her insult. Fight back! We''re here for you," she said on the other end of the line. "It''s okay, Mom. Don''t worry. I''ve kept in mind what she has done. I won''t let her go." "I''m going to use public opinion to deal with her. She can''t get away with it this time." Alice comforted me. With that, she hung up the phone without waiting for my response. Just as I put my phone down, it rang yet again. But this time, it was Rita. "What now?" I impatiently asked. "Let''s talk in person regarding the picture circting online. Why don''t we reconcile before things get too ugly?" Rita casually said. Nina and I exchanged a meaningful nce and smiled. "Sure. Send me the time and ce." I hung up the phone as soon as I finished speaking. Beside me, Nina asked with a frown, "What does she want to do now?" "She said she wants to reconcile with me," I said with a shrug. "Reconcile? I don''t think so. Though, I have no idea what trick she has up her sleeve. You know what? I''ll go with you. Who knows what that crazy woman will do?" "Thank you," I thanked her from the bottom of my heart when I saw how worried she was about me. In the evening, I went to the club Rita had said. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Her friends were also there. The private room they had rented was spacious and lively. When I entered the room, everyone fell silent, and all eyes fell on me. "What is she doing here? Is she here to apologize?" someone sarcastically asked. As soon as that person finished speaking, everyoneughed disdainfully at me. "Rita invited me here," I calmly said. However, my ears rang when I heard what Rita said next. "As far as I can remember, I never invited you." I snorted in disdain. How dare she humiliate me like this? Chapter 160 Got Into Trouble Through Clever... Chapter 160 Got Into Trouble Through Clever... Scarlett''s POV: I took a step forward and yed the recording on my phone. Hearing that, Rita blushed with embarrassment. "What? Didn''t you say that you want to reconcile with me?" I asked, looking down on her. Rita cleared her throat and said, "I probably mixed up the time by mistake. Anyway, now that you''re here, let''s talk." She then poured me a ss of water and handed it to me. "Here, have some water. We''ll bury the hatchet and be friends again, okay?" "I don''t feel like drinking water now. My stomach doesn''t feel too good," I replied with a smile. The next second, the crowd began to grumble. "You''re such a narrow-minded woman! Rita has taken the initiative to make peace with you, and yet, you''re being unreasonably mean to her." "Well, that''s just how I am. What can you do about it?" I admitted frankly. All of a sudden, I heard a voice dripping with sarcasm. "Scarlett is not as simple-minded as we thought her to be. She seduced Charles, got pregnant with his child, and forced him to hold a wedding ceremony. She is really..." "Vicious?" I interrupted him, and finished his sentence. Subconsciously, I touched the diamond ring on my finger with a smile. "Is that your wedding ring? It looks so in. Do you remember the ring that Charles bought for Rita? That ring was worth millions of dors, but still he did not take it back from her even after they broke up," someone in the crowd sneered. "Well, that is true. The diamond in Scarlett''s ring is indeed smaller than the one in mine, and itcks in luster," Rita chimed in. "Oh, yes. This simple ring is just like its vicious owner. It looks like Charles did not put so much thoughts when he selected your ring..." a group cried out, and Rita''s words were also bing harsher and harsher as she continued to chime with them. "What a group of bitches!" Nina muttered, standing beside me. "What did you just say? Who is the bitch here?" a red-haired woman asked. "The one who''s talking to me right now," Nina said, showing her middle finger at the woman. "Damn you! You''re courting death!" The red-haired woman stood up angrily, but a person next to her pulled her back. "Stop arguing. Charles might have just randomly picked that ring because he was busy with something else, something more important of course." Rita was trying to act like she was being kind. "Even though you two have broken up, you''re still wearing the ring that he gave you. Aren''t you ashamed of yourself?" Nina asked sarcastically. "I just wanted to wear it because whenever I look at it, I am reminded of the time that Charles and I spent together," Rita said in an aggrieved tone, lowering her head. "I''m afraid you won''t be able to keep it anymore," I said with a smile. Suddenly, someone in the crowd questioned, "Do you want to take the ring back, then?" "Anything that Charles has given Rita has be ourmon property since I am married to him now," I said calmly. "Do you still want to take away theirmon property even though you were just a mistress? But if you''re still not convinced, then we can take this to the court. I am sure that Scarlett will win the case," Nina sneered. "A mistress?" Everyone looked at Rita inquisitively. "I was not a mistress! Even Scarlett knew that Charles wanted to marry me!" Rita exined at once. "You tried to destroy their rtionship even though you knew that Charles was a married man. What do you think that makes you, if not a mistress?" Nina hissed. "What does this mean, Scarlett? I came here to make peace with you, but you brought your friend along to humiliate me?" Rita asked angrily. "She was only stating the fact, right?" I asked casually. "I''ve recorded our conversation, and if you don''t return the ring like I advised you to, then I will post the recording online and expose you as the mistress," Nina warned with a smile. "How dare you!" Rita stomped her foot furiously. "You leave me with no choice, then." Just when we were about to leave, someone rushed over to us and stopped me. "Hand over the recording!" "That''s right. Hand over the recording. Don''t take this too far!" Everyone was ring at me. Nina and I werepletely unmoved as we exchanged nces. Seeing that, everyone rushed towards us to snatch the phone from us.N?velDrama.Org content rights. The red-haired woman grabbed my arm and yanked me back. Nina stepped in front of me to protect me before she pped the woman hard across her face. The woman let out a scream before she took a step back, covering her cheek. "Scarlett is pregnant, and if you still value your life, then you''d better noty a finger on her!" Nina warned the woman, biting her lip with a scarily cold look in her eyes. Rita forced a smile and said, "Scarlett, hand over the recording." "And why would I do that?" I asked sarcastically. Upon hearing that, Rita''s expression darkened. "Go get her!" The moment she gave the order, her friends gathered around me. Nina protected me as we carefully retreated to a corner. She then grabbed the bottle on the table and smashed it on the ground. "If you dare to take another step, then I will end you all!" While everyone was staring at us in shock, several men dressed in ck stormed in. I then saw Charles walking towards me. Rita quickly passed through the crowd and grabbed his hand. "Charles, you''re finally here! Scarlett was trying to take back the ring you gave me, and she even called me a mistress!" "Let go off me." Charles shook off her hand rudely and continued, "I''ve already warned you not to make any trouble for my wife..." "No, Charles. I just wanted to..." Charlespletely ignored her, walked up to me, and asked in a concerned voice, "Which one was it that hurt you?" I pointed at the woman with red hair. With a frown, Charles ordered his bodyguard to break her hand. He then grabbed my hand and escorted me out. "Why are your hands so cold?" he asked coldly. "Well, since you''re here now, I don''t feel cold at all." Hearing that, he quickly took off his coat and put it over my shoulders. I smiled at him as I let him gently rub my hands together. He then held my waist and walked me outside. "Why did youe here all of a sudden?" I asked in surprise. "I saw the news, and I was worried about you. But I still have some work to do at thepany, so I will have to leave soon." Saying that, Charles covered my hands gently. He then added with a frown, "This ce is not safe for you, so I''d have toe here to keep you company." I shook my head and said, "I don''t want to dy your work." After thinking for a few moments, he said, "Then I want you toe back with me." "The training will be over soon. It''s just going to be a little while. I can''t let all the effort I put in until now go to waste, right?" I said, looking into his eyes. "What is more important to you, me or the training?" Charles pouted, looking at me. I held his hand and kissed his chin like a spoiled child. "Of course, you are more important to me. Once I finish the training, I won''t have to go abroad again, but if I go back with you now, then I''ll have toe back here again in the future to finish this training program after all." Charles snorted and kept silent. I was relieved to see that he was not trying to persuade me anymore. Rita''s POV: "Why do you take us as your pawns? We have always considered you as a good friend!" Lisa roared at me. "Yes! We offended Charles because of you. Do you even know what that means? If he decides to take revenge on us, then our families will also be doomed! And it will all be your fault!" "We came here for you, and since you''re the reason things ended so badly for us, aren''t you at least going to try to make it up to us?" My friends started criticizing me the moment Scarlett and Charles left. "Why don''t you give it to us in writing that you were the mastermind behind all of this?" Lisa retorted with a frown. "No!" I refused without hesitation. "You must, or are you nning on continuing to drag us down with you? Do you even think of us as your friends?" As soon as she finished her words, everyone else turned to me with a righteous look in their eyes. "Yes! Hurry up and give it to us in writing that the whole thing had nothing to do with us." "No, I can''t do that," I refused again, shaking my head. My heart was filled with hatred for those artful weathercocks. "You can''t? Fine. Don''t me us for being rudeter, then." Saying that, Lisa gestured for the person next to her to take out her phone and record a video. I tried to grab the phone, but Lisa stopped me. "You have helped Charles before, so he is not going to hurt you. It''s not going to be a big deal for you to give a statement like that." As soon as Lisa uttered those words, everyone turned to me with burning rage in their eyes. I stepped back guiltily and slumped to the sofa. "Write it." Lisa threw a pen and a piece of paper in front of me while looking down at me. After hesitating for a moment, I grabbed the pen. "Hurry up. You don''t need to write a story, just mention the truth," someone urged me, seeing that I was a little hesitant. Gritting my teeth, I wrote what they wanted, and after I was done, they took the paper from me and left with satisfaction. Lily and I were the only ones left behind. She walked to me and sat down next to me. "Actually, I think it''s going to be a piece of cake to make Scarlett suffer," Lily said to me with a smile as she took a sip of the wine. Chapter 161 Gossip Chapter 161 Gossip Scarlett''s POV: A few days had passed since that incident, and while I was enjoying the short span of peace, something happened again. Charles was involved in a scandal again. ording to the news reports, Lily would star in a new film, and Charles''pany was the investor of the film. And people were bing more curious about the rtionship between them because of what happened before. While I was watching the news, the doorbell rang all of a sudden. When I opened the door, I saw Rita standing outside. "What''s up?" I asked coldly. "I already warned you that you will also be facing Charles'' ruthlessness one day. How does it feel to know that your husband is involved with another woman?" Rita said with a smug smile. "Not bad at all," I replied with an indifferent shrug. "Lily slept with Charles," Rita said with a smile, staring at me. "Were you there when it happened?" I asked with a smile. Hearing that, she handed me a photo of Lily and Charles entering a hotel. "If you don''t believe me, then you should take a look at this." I casually nced at it andmented, "It''s a great photo, very high-definition, but I am afraid Charles is not as photogenic as you''d expect him to be." "Crazy bitch!" Rita spat in anger before she turned around and walked out of there. Looking at her receding figure, I frowned. Although I believed my husband, I would be lying if I said that I was not concerned. As the thought lingered in my mind, I decided to book a flight back. Charles'' POV: That afternoon, while David, Spencer, and I were ying tennis, we bumped into Lily. "Would you like to y tennis with me?" she asked with a smile. "No, let''s go." I tossed my racket away and walked out of there at once. Butter that evening when we went to a bar for some drinks, we ran into her again. She was so annoying! "Would you like to have a drink with me?" Asking me with a smile, she was about to sit down next to me. "Fuck off!" I said irritably, looking down at the wine in my ss. However, Lily continued to smile at me as she said awkwardly, "I''m really bored all alone. Can''t you let me have one drink with you?" "If you feel that lonely, then you should go and find yourself a gigolo. Stop pestering me," I retorted coldly before I finished my wine. Stunned by my words, Lily left, holding her winess. "Did you have sex with her or not?" David asked in a curious tone as soon as she walked away. "What do you think?" I asked him tly, ncing at him. "Well, aren''t you worried that Scarlett might misunderstand you?" "A clean hand wants no washing. Besides, Scarlett is not that narrow-minded." That evening, I had a lot to drink, so I felt quite dizzy on my way home. I wanted to talk to my wife over a video call, but she did not answer. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. I could not help but frown when my call was ignored. I figured that she must be busy with her sses as it was daytime in her ce. But I felt a little upset when I thought that she must really consider her training program to be more important than me. And the longer I dwelled on that thought, the more upset it made me feel. I tossed my phone on the table casually and fell asleep on the couch. When I woke up the next morning, a sharp headache because of the hangover jolted me back to reality. I sat up, holding my head between my palms when I noticed a bag on the armchair next to me. It was Scarlett''s bag! Seeing that, I rushed upstairs with joy. Scarlett''s BOV: Charles'' hurried footsteps and the sound of the door opening woke me up. When I opened my eyes, all I could see was his smile. "When did youe back?" he asked, looking at me. "Last night. I thought you''d be home." Clearly, I was a little unhappy. "Well, I dide homest night, but I did not know that you were upstairs, so I slept in the living room," Charles exined at once. "I am still a bit sleepy, so I want to rest a while longer. Can you please go out now?" I tossed over and was about to go back to sleep when Nina called me. "Scarlett, the Inte is in an uproar. Go and check it out," she said in a fit of panic. After I hung up, I checked the news, only to find photos of Charles and Lily at the tennis court and in a bar. Without saying a word, I put my phone in front of him. "I am gonna kill those paparazzi!" Charles roared. With a tender look in his eyes, he turned to me and added, "They''re all wrong! They''ve misunderstood what was going on. I promise to treat you to a nice dinner tonight to apologize, okay?" Ignoring him, I put down my phone, and went back to sleep. After the nap, I felt much better, but deep down, I was contemting how I was going to deal with Charles that night. It was almost dinnertime when he finally called me and said, "I am so sorry. This meeting is taking longer than I expected, so I am afraid that I might not be able to pick you up. So I am sending my driver to pick you up and drive you to the restaurant." "Okay," I replied, sulking. I was obviously still mad at him. When I arrived at the restaurant, Charles was still not there yet, but I happened to meet Abner. "You''re back?" he asked happily. "Well, I came backst night." I smiled at him as I nodded. "Didn''t Charlese with you?" Abner seemed to be confused. "He has a meeting. He should be here soon," I said with a smile. "Then would you like to have a drink with me first?" Abner suggested with a smile. I nodded. After that, we settled on the bar counter and each ordered a drink. He went to the restroom after we chatted for a while, but he did note back for a long time. Seeing that, I was a little worried, so I called him. "Scarlett, well..." I felt that his voice sounded a little strange over the phone. "Abner, are you okay?" I asked in a worried tone. "I''m... Well... I''m fine. You should go and have dinner with Charles first. I... There''s something that I have to deal with." Saying that, he hung up. However, I was still worried about him, so I got up and walked to the bathroom to find him. "Abner, are you there?" I called out to him as I stood outside the bathroom door. The next moment, a hand suddenly reached out and pulled me in. "Abner? Are you all right?" Only when I saw him I was able to breathe a sigh of relief. However, what happened next stunned me. He held my hand and massaged it gently. His eyes seemed to be a bit blurry and his face was flushed. ''Damn it! He''s drugged!'' I tried to go and look for a doctor, but he held my hand tightly and would not let me go. "Abner, let go of me. I''ll go and find you a doctor." I tried take my hand away, but it was all in vain. "Scarlett, I like you so much. I really do," Abner said in a daze before he leaned on me. I immediately came to my senses and was about to push him away when I saw the door being kicked open from the outside. Chapter 162 The Most Important Thing In... Chapter 162 The Most Important Thing In... Scarlett''s POV: A group of people with cameras rushed in. Judging from the cameras in their hands and excitement in their faces, they were reporters. So they would not be able to take pictures of my face, Abner put his hand on my head and held me in his arms. "Why is this gentleman holding Mrs. Moore? Mister, what''s your rtionship with Mrs. Moore? How long have you been together? Does Mr. Moore know about you two?" a reporter asked. "Mrs. Moore, are you here on a date with this gentleman? Does Mr. Moore know about this?" another queried. These people kept asking me malicious questions. In a fit of anger, I broke away from Abner''s arms and stared at them with a fierce gaze. "Stop inventing stories, or else I will sue you for nder!" I bellowed. "Mrs. Moore, are you guilty about something? Could you tell us your rtionship with this gentleman?" The reporters did not seem to care about my warning. I protected my belly with my hands and took a step back away from the mob of reporters. However, they were unwilling to give up. They continued to aim the cameras at my face and took pictures of me without consent. The shing lights were so dazzling that I could not open my eyes or else risk getting blind. While I was at a loss, Abner reached out his hand and pulled me. I raised my head, and my eyes happened to meet Charles''s. He stood out there and pursed his lips tightly. I could not figure out what he was thinking right now. The cameras suddenly shifted from my face to his. The faces of the reporters lit up in excitement as they realized how big this news would be. "Mr. Moore, are you aware that your wife is having a tryst with another man?" Charles did not answer the reporter''s question and just held out his palm to cover the camera. Without a word, he walked to me, grabbed my hand, and looked at the group of reporters with a stone cold expression. "Whoever releases this news will be facing the consequences!" he warned. The reporters fell silent at once. Although reluctant, they had no choice but to put away their cameras and leave. With a frown, Charles pulled me from Abner''s arms. However, I grabbed his wrist and anxiously said, "Charles, wait..." He stopped in his tracks and looked at me expressionlessly. "Can you find a doctor for Abner?" I asked in a low voice. "You really care about him, do you?" Charles let out a snort and added, "Don''t worry. I''ve arranged a doctor for him." Unexpectedly, we bumped into Lily on the way out. "Oh my! Charles, what a coincidence! I didn''t expect you to be here. What happened back there?" Lily asked with a cunning smile. "Fuck off!" Charles roared. His cold voice sent a chill down Lily''s spine. "Fine, fine. I won''t bother you anymore." Lily smiled awkwardly. With that, she turned around to leave. But before she could take a step, I hurried to stop her. "Wait!" Lily froze for a second. Then, she turned around and looked at me with a frown. Charles held my hand and exined to me, "I really have nothing to do with her." However, I did not even spare him a nce. Instead, I looked at Lily in the eye and said in a serious tone, "Let''s talk," Charles did not stop us. We three went to an empty room to talk in private. "What''s the deal with you and Rita?" I calmly asked. "I have no idea what you''re talking about." Lily feigned innocence. "You don''t know who Abner is, do you? Then why would you hurt him for no reason? Did Rita ask you to do that?" I questioned her with a sneer at the corners of my mouth. "Again, I don''t know what you''re saying," Lily insisted. However, I saw a hint of panic shed through her eyes. I cast a nce at her clenched fists and chuckled. "Nervous?" "No... It''s-it''s just the room is a little cold." Lily rubbed her hands together and pretended to be chilly. "Really? Well, the AC is on here." As I spoke, the smile on my face grew wider. Lily''s, on the other hand, faltered. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "I''m-I''m frail," she reasoned out. "I don''t think so. The way I see it, you just don''t want to tell the truth. Why don''t we use a lie detector to detect your bullshit?" I turned to Charles and asked coldly, "Can you find a lie detector machine in thirty minutes?" He nodded. "Sure. No problem." "Alright then. Lily the superstar, please wait for a few minutes while Charles here fetches the lie detector machine. It won''t be a problem if you really have nothing to do with Rita. But if you do... Then don''t me me for being rude!" I warned through gritted teeth. Although Lily was wearing exquisite makeup, it still could not conceal her agitation. "No... Please don''t... I''ll speak! It''s all Rita''s idea. She manipted me into doing it!" Lily slumped into the chair, flustered. Charles and I fell silent. The silence that befell among us was quite unnerving. To our surprise, Lily got down on her knees, grabbed the hem of my dress, and implored, "Please... please let me go. My poprity rose when I was linked with Charlesst time, but it disappeared not long after. Rita promised she could help me, so..." I shook off her hand and dusted off my dress as if her touch made it dirty. "Next time, if you collude with Rita, poprity isn''t the only thing you''ll lose." Lily must have sensed that I would spare her no mercy, so she turned to Charles instead. "Charles, please let me go. I wasn''t thinking straight. Rita threatened me. I-I won''t do it again, I promised." Unfortunately for her, Charles was unmoved. "Wait for mywyer''s letter," he coldly said. With that, he held my hand and pulled me outside. Once we were outside of the private room, I took out my phone and turned off the recording. Charles looked at me with astonishment. "You recorded it?" "You can never be too careful with others," I retorted with a smirk. Impressed, Charles ruffled my hair dotingly. Suddenly, something urred to me. I pped his hand away and asked with narrowed eyes, "What''s going on between you and Lily?" Charles paused for a moment and then exined, "The photos you''ve seen were probably taken at a special location, so we looked intimate on some certain angles." I could not help but sneer in disdain upon realizing something. "Rita has put a lot of effort into making a rift between us." Charles turned to me with a helpless look on his face. "She uses every means to try and ruin our rtionship." I red at him and said nothing. Suddenly, a smirk appeared on Charles''s face. "By the way, what do you think is the most important thing in marriage?" he asked with a smile. I pondered for a moment. Upon realizing what he meant, I lowered my head and slowly answered, "Trust..." "Well, I think the most important thing is to be tolerant." "Infidelity is intolerable," I replied crossly. Charles looked at me with a frown and grumbled, "I didn''t mean that." I felt bad, so I did not say anything anymore. Even though I said we should trust each other, I still could not help but feel upset, especially when I saw how close he and Lily were in the photo. I even rushed back home without thinkingst night. Despite saying that I was fine, the truth was, I was afraid that the rumor would turn out to be true. Chapter 163 Misunderstanding Chapter 163 Misunderstanding Scarlett''s POV: The next day, Charles and I went back to the Moore mansion. "Did you two have a fight?" Christine worriedly asked the moment we entered. I held her hand and shook my head to reassure her. "No, Grandma." "A lot has happened these past few days. But don''t forget to take good care of yourself, okay?" Alice advised with concern. "Yes, I will." I forced a smile and turned to look at Charles. He pursed his lips but said nothing. His expression was terrible. "Charles, you really are something. Just a few days ago, you seemed to have a good rtionship with a celebrity," Christine said with a snort. "The photos were taken at an opportune moment. I didn''t even touch her," Charles replied. He cast a nce at me when he spoke as if implying something. "There''s a hidden meaning in your words, isn''t it? Was it because Scarlett had ''physical contact'' with someone else?" Before Charles could respond, Christine hit him on the head. "Lily framed Scarlett and Abner. In fact, it''s all because of you why that happened. You''re the one to me." Charles looked away. "I didn''t mean that." Christine ignored the glum look on her grandson''s face and even scolded him. "As if Rita isn''t enough, now there''s Lily. Should I praise you for your charm?" Charles let out a heavy sigh. "It''s my fault for making you worry, Grandma. I''ll handle it." However, Christine seemed dissatisfied with what he had said. "What you should do is reassure your wife and be a good husband to her. It has nothing to do with me." She then turned to me, and her expression changed in a blink of an eye. She held my hand and asked me about my condition. I cast a nce at Charles and smiled at Christine reassuringly. "Don''t worry, Grandma. I''m fine." "When will you go back there? Your training should be over soon, right?" Alice asked concernedly. "Tomorrow. And yes, the training is almost over." I nced at Charles after I finished speaking. He was still pulling a long face, and it seemed that he would not cheer up anytime soon. Christine and Alice looked at me with astonishment upon hearing my answer. "Why are you in such a hurry? You can stay here for a few more days. You just arrived." "I know, but I don''t have much to do here. But, the life there will be more fulfilling." All of a sudden, Charles stood up irritably. "I''m going out." With that, he left without an exnation. I felt even more depressed as I watched him walk away. Charles''s POV: I came to the bar. Coincidentally, Spencer and David were there. "You don''t look so well. Do you want somedies to make you feel better?" Spencer proposed with a smirk. "Of course, not. I''m a married man, dude." I picked up the wine ss on the table and drank it up. David looked at me with bewilderment. "What''s the problem anyway? Scarlett came back the instant she heard you had a scandal with Lily. That only means she cares about you very much." "She must care about me," I mumbled with a faint smile. However, the smile on my face soon faltered. I fiddled with the wine ss on the table and added, "But she still doesn''t believe me." "It''s because you haven''t given her enough sense of security. When will she leave?" David asked after a long period of silence. "Tomorrow." I took a long swig of alcohol to try and ease the dejection in my heart. David sighed and stared into the distance for a long time. Judging from the mncholy on his face, I surmised that he must have been dumped. But now, I had no time to care about someone else''s problem. I already had enough on my te. "I think you''re not considerate enough to Scarlett, so she''s constantly worried about losing you," Spencer reckoned. It was only then that he spoke after being silent for a long while. I must admit, his words surprised me. "How would you know whether I''m considerate or not? You and your private doctor Vivian seem to have a special rtionship though," I scoffed. "We don''t. I just hired her," Spencer retorted with a frown. I shrugged my shoulders. "It has nothing to do with me. Anyway, I''m going home now. I have a wife to coax." With that, I stood up and left. ****** Scarlett had already fallen asleep when I got home. I carefully held her in my arms so she would not wake up. Then, I fell asleep next to her. Early the next morning, I woke up to the sound of the rm. When Scarlett woke up, she tried to extricate herself from my arms. "Don''t move." I held her in my arms and buried my head in the crook of her neck. "I have to catch the ne." Scarlett struggled to get up, but I did not let her. "Yes. Catch a ne..." I slipped my hand into her clothes, but I still did not let her go. "I have to get ready now, or I''ll miss the ne..." Scarlett''s voice was trailing off. I could feel that she was slowly giving in. I did not say anything more. Instead, I fondled her breasts and y with her nipples with my fingertips. This made her tremble all over. I kissed her earlobe and whispered, "Honey, you''re so sensitive." "You... Don''t touch me..." she pleaded. On the contrary, I could hear the anticipation in her voice. My hand trailed down to her breast, then to her stomach, and down there. Scarlett uncontrobly moaned in pleasure. "Really? But you''re so wet." I drew circles on her clitoris and watched her expression change in pleasure. She curled up in my arms, her body trembling slightly. "Charles..." A few momentster, she gasped sharply and clutched my hand to stop me. "If you don''t want me to move, then you move." I held her hand instead and wrapped it around my penis, waiting for her to continue. But, of course, she did not. I chuckled and kissed her in her soft, pink lips. At that moment, Scarlett finally let me do what I wanted. "Is it okay?" I gently asked with my forehead against hers. Scarlett looked into my eyes and said, "Be gentle." Although I was excited, I was careful when I inserted my manhood into her hole. We both sighed with satisfaction when our bodies became one. I drove Scarlett to the airport after breakfast. We were silent all the way to our destination. Too many things had happened in the past few days. Even the exhration a while ago did not close the gap between us. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Just before Scarlett boarded the ne, I solemnly removed the wedding ring from my finger and ced it on her palm. "Scarlett, a true husband and wife trust each other. I will not put on our wedding ring until you do. I really hope that one day, you''ll do it for me." Scarlett kept her head down. She just stared at the ring, lost in thought. "I know you''re still upset about the scandal, and I understand. But I promise I''ll prove to you that I sincerely love you. I''ll wait for you until you''re willing to give me your heart." I held her in my arms and sighed. It would take a while before we could finally see each other again. I hoped that we were okay by then. Scarlett did not say a word. When the boarding announcement came, she broke away from my arms and walked away without looking back. I sighed heavily, knowing that she was still troubled because of the matter. Although it was hard, I had to wait for her patiently. It was not until her figure disappeared from my sight that I left the airport. Chapter 164 Grievance Chapter 164 Grievance Nina''s POV: I was sitting in the living room, drinking with Abner when Scarlett returned. I stood up and took her bag from her before I asked, "Why didn''t you call me? I could havee to the airport to pick you up." "I did not want to trouble you. Besides, the airport is far away from here." Scarlett forced a smile, turned to Abner, and asked, "How are you?" Abner greeted her with a smile and she gave him a nod. I could clearly see that she was in low spirits. "Enjoy your time, then. I am going upstairs to rest." For some reason, I noticed that she was feeling lonely. "I''ll go check on her," I said to Abner. With that, I followed Scarlett upstairs. She was sitting on the bed sullenly with an empty look in her eyes. I walked up to her and held her hand. "What''s the matter? Did something happen?" "Rita and Lily worked together to set me up. They drugged Abner and paid the reporters to take pictures of us while we were in the bathroom. Charles ran into us and seemed to be furious. He even took off his wedding ring while he drove me to the airport this morning..." As Scarlett expressed herself, tears rolled down her face. "Is Charles out of his mind? Why does he allow himself to be linked to other women over and over again? Why isn''t he clearing up his name? Moreover, he is also responsible for what happened with Abner. If he had been with you at that time, then how could Lily have had the chance to frame you like this?" When I scolded Charles, Scarlett began to weep harder. "Nina, a lot has happened after we got married, and it has all been weighing heavily on my heart. The sadness and pain is slowly suffocating me..." I patted her on the shoulder and said in a concerned tone, "Scarlett, you should go to bed now. I am sure that you''re really exhausted now." Clearly, she was so tired that she fell asleep while crying. Just when I was about to leave the room, I heard hertearfulvoice. "Charles, don''tleaveme,please..." I looked back and found her talking in her sleep, so I walked to her, wiped her tears away, and left the room. Once I was out, I took out my phone and called Charles. "What were you trying to imply by taking off your ring? That you want a divorce?" Hearing my angry voice, Charles remained silent. "Why aren''t you answering me? Are you feeling guilty? Charles, just because Scarlett loves you, that doesn''t give you the right to do whatever you want." "I don''t..." "Then why do you keep making her cry? And why did you take off your ring and make her think that you''re going to divorce her?" "I don''t want to divorce her," he said firmly. "You should be telling that to her, not me!" Furious, I hung up the phone. When I walked downstairs, I saw that Abner was still there, so I took a deep breath to calm down. "Is she okay?" he asked me in a concerned voice. "She was crying, and now she is sleeping. This is all Charles'' fault!" I said resentfully before I picked up the wine ss and drank it up. No. It''s all my fault." There was a heavy sense of guilt lingering in Abner''s eyes. "What does this have to do with you? Charles is also involved in a scandal, right? Moreover, how can he wear a long face after doing what he did?" I said irritably. I was feeling depressed, thinking about Scarlett. "We are not in a position to say anything, really. They should solve this problem on their own." Saying that, Abner sighed helplessly. "If Charles dares to make Scarlett cry again, then I won''t just sit by and watch." I said in a cold voice before filling up my winess and finishing it. Scarlett''s POV: I was having a really sad dream when the aroma of fresh pancakes woke me up. I was famished that I felt my stomach aching, so I lifted the nked, touched my belly, got off the bed, and walked downstairs. "Scarlett, you''re awake! You must be hungry. Come and have some pancakes. Abner prepared them for you." Nina yawned and added, "I''ve already had some and I''m going upstairs to sleep some more. You can eat all you want." I ate the pancake while I sat on the couch and called Abner. "Are you feeling better now?" His concerned voice came from the other end of the line as soon as the call was connected. "I''m fine." I sounded a little hoarse. There was a moment of awkward silence in the air. "Last time..." "Last time..." Abner and I blurted out in unison after a long minute. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "It was just an ident, so please don''t think too much of it," I said with a smile. "Even though it was an ident, and it happened because of a reason, I still hope that you can forgive me for acting rudely," Abner said, ming himself. "I should be the one apologizing to you. If it had not been for me, you would not have faced such troubles." And I was also ming myself for what happened. "Well, we can forget about it and not mention it anymore," he said with a chuckle. "Okay." I felt more at ease after hearing that, and I sighed. "Nina has a crush on you. What do you think about her?" I added in a brisk tone, now that the awkwardness was gone. "Well... What are you implying? Is it bothering you that I am single?" Abner joked. "A clean hand doesn''t need to be washed. Besides, I''m not bothered, so please don''t think of it like that. I just want the two of you to be happy," I said frankly. "And we will be," Abner said with a smile. We talked for a while longer before we hung up. Several days had passed since, and it was almost the weekend. "This time, I am going to confess my feelings to Abner, and he will soon be my boyfriend!" Nina said with a confident smile. "All the best, Nina. I wish you sess." There was undying support for her in my heart which made me smile. Nina pulled my hand excitedly and suggested, "How about youe with me to witness the legendary moment?" I shook my head with a smile and said, "I can''t go back with you, Nina. It''s too tiring for me to be traveling back and forth." Hearing that, Nina asked tentatively, "Are you and Charles doing okay?" "I haven''t contacted himtely." I was stunned by how indifferent I had been till now. "Well, did he call you, then?" Nina was clearly furious. "No." I forced a wry smile. "Scarlett, why don''t you go back with me and clear things up with him in person?" I could clearly sense the concern in her eyes when she looked at me. However, I still shook my head, wiped away my tears, and said, "Hurry, or you will miss your flight!" "Alright, then. I''m leaving now. Take good care of yourself, and don''t forget to call me if anything happened." With a worried look, she left, and I waved to her with a smile. Looking at the empty house, I could not help but feel sad. That moment, my phone rang. Thinking that it was a call from Charles, I picked up my phone with a smile, but I was a little disappointed to find that it was just a call from Christine. "Scarlett, how have you beentely?" Her amiable voice came from the other end of the line. "I''m fine, Grandma," I answered in a brisk voice, adjusting my breath. "Scarlett, are youing back this weekend?" she asked tentatively. "Why? What happened?" I was subconsciously nervous. "Don''t worry. Charles seems to have taken off his wedding ring, and he needs to be taught a lesson. How about youe back this weekend? I''m sure this is all just a misunderstanding, and it is nothing that a good talk can''t solve. Don''t let these trifles affect your marriage." While she was trying her best to persuade me, I began to cry uncontrobly again. "Grandma, I can''t make it this weekend. There is something that I have to do over here." I tried my best to sound as normal as possible. After I said those words, I quickly ended the call. Holding my knees, I sat down on the couch in tears. Chapter 165 Get The Marriage License At The... Chapter 165 Get The Marriage License At The... Nina''s POV: After I got home, I asked Abner to join me for a drink. "Why did youe back all of a sudden?" Abner asked, sitting from across me. Seeing the dim light that shone on his face, I felt like he looked a bit unpredictable. He was dressed in a navy blue suit with a matching tie, and his neatlybed hair made him look colder than usual. However, the faint smile on his lips perfectly offset his cold look. Resting my chin on my palm, I said in a casual and frivolous tone, "I came back chasing you." Abner was stunned for a second before the smile on his lips grew brighter as he asked, "Are you drunk?" Hearing his low, maic voice, my heart began to race uncontrobly. "I know what I am talking about." After staring at him for a while, I poured myself a ss of wine. Abner lowered his head and said guiltily, "Nina, you know, I..." "To me, it doesn''t matter who you like, because I like you and that''s enough for me." I interrupted him with a smile. After finishing my ss of wine, I looked into his eyes again, and added, "My future husband." Abner raised his head to look at me. The dim light somehow blurred his expression, making it harder for me to read his thoughts. "You don''t need to respond if you don''t want to. But you''re going to be my husband in the future, either way," I said in a stubborn tone before I drank up the wine. "Do you really not mind that I like someone else?" Abner asked with a sigh. "Actually, I really do. But you know what? I''ve always considered Scarlett as a younger sister, and I am more than determined to make you want to be her brother-inw someday, willingly even," I admitted, looking at him. Upon hearing my confident words, a smile appeared on Abner''s lips. "Then I will try to let go of my feelings. I hope you can give me some time to do it." Saying that, he clinked his ss with mine. I raised my eyebrows at him and said confidently, "I can wait." Abner smiled at me and asked, "Do you want to get the marriage registered, then?" I could not help but stop pouring more wine in my ss as I looked at him in surprise. "It will help put your mind at ease. Besides, it will also work as a restraint and a reminder to me. After we register our marriage, you will legally be my wife, so I will have to do whatever it takes to treat you well." With a gentle smile on his lips, Abner looked up at me tenderly. However, I could not find any love for me in his eyes. I smiled bitterly as I lowered my head, stood up, and grabbed my coat before I turned and said, "Let''s go, then." We then headed straight to the city hall to register for our marriage. Later that evening, Abner and I went to Spencer''s bar. I held the marriage certificate in my hand as I raised it up and showed it to Spencer. "Come and see my marriage certificate. I am sure you''re burning with jealousy right now." "Did you really get married?" Spencer asked, looking at us in surprise. I patted him on the shoulder and said, "It''s a sh marriage. Do you know what that means?" "I''m just a little surprised. Anyway, I wish you two a happy married life," he said with a smile before he escorted us in. I turned to him and said, "Call Charles and tell him that I want to meet him." Soon after I finished my words, I saw Charles not too far away from us. I could not help but frown when I saw him. Thinking of how sad Scarlett was before, I felt more disappointed in him. With a smile on his lips, Spencer waved to him. Charles walked towards us. All of a sudden, Lily came out of nowhere. She was wearing a heavy coat of makeup and was smiling brightly. "Charles, long time no see," she said in a fake sweet voice. "Don''t get in my way," Charles said coldly before he walked past her. I could not help but smile in my heart when I saw how pale Lily''s face was. Spencer was also a bit surprised to see Charles there. "What brings you here all of a sudden?" he asked, looking at him. "What? Am I not allowed toe here?" Charles retorted coldly before he cast a nce at Abner. "I asked him to meet me here. I wanted to talk to him about something," Abner exined. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g "Charles, how can you do such a thing to Scarlett? She''s pregnant!" I scolded him without any hesitation. Lily walked over to us and said, "Charles, I hope you''ll hear me out." "You have no right to open your mouth here! Just who do you think you are?" I snapped. I could not stand her pitiful look. "This doesn''t involve you in any way," she said to me coldly. "Really? You seduced my best friend''s husband. And you drugged my husband. How can you say that this has nothing to do with me?" I grabbed a liquor bottle from the table and pointed it at Lily. "You''d better get out of here or you will see the news headlines tomorrow reporting a celebrity shamelessly seducing a married man at a bar. And it would also state how an onlooker helped the wife punish the mistress and how the mistress was severely injured because of the ident." I would have smashed the bottle on her head if Abner had not stopped me in time. "Who is the mistress here?" Lily asked angrily. Looking at her, I hissed, "It''s you, obviously!" "I''m gonna kill you!" Just when Lily was about to pounce on me, Spencer stopped her. "If you don''t want to be a trending topic on the Inte tomorrow, then you''d better not do anything reckless," Spencer said indifferently. With tears in her eyes, Lily turned to Charles again. "Charles, I was used. I swear what happened before has nothing to do with me." However, he ignored her and turned to Spencer. "Do you just let anyone walk into your bar?" "Get her out of here," Spencer immediately ordered his bodyguards. Once Lily was taken away, the bar was a lot more peaceful. With a satisfied smile on my lips, I gently rubbed the ring on Abner''s finger. I cast a nce at Charles before I said to Abner in a serious tone, "You''re not allowed to take off your wedding ring." "Okay." Although Abner was clearly confused, he still nodded in agreement. Looking at Charles, I said, "I don''t know what you were thinking when you took off the ring. The only reason Scarlett doesn''t trust you is because she doesn''t have faith in your rtionship and thinks that you might abandon her again." Charles nced at me, but he remained silent. "She would not have ended up feeling so pessimistically if you had not left her abroad for three years,pletely ignoring her. Think about it, Charles. If a woman you love abandons you just to be with another man, then would you still be able to love her wholeheartedly? If you can''t do it, then how can you expect Scarlett to trust you?" I said in a cold voice before I left the ce with Abner. Charles'' POV: After Nina and Abner left, Spencer walked to me and patted me on the back. I looked up at him indifferently and asked, "What? Do you want to me me too?" Spencer nodded and said, "This is not about who is right and who is wrong. You should just learn to be more tolerant as a man." I cast a nce at him before I lowered my head and began drinking alone. "I have been ignoring Lily from the start, but Scarlett just doesn''t trust me. She was even giving me a hard time about it. She went so far away for her training program without even caring about my feelings, and she has also entangled with Abner..." Spencer sighed and advised, "You should trust me and take the initiative to apologize to her, or else you will only be suffering in the end." "You''d better think of yourself first, you loner!" How dare a single man like him advise me on how I should handle my rtionship with my wife? Annoyed, I stood up and left. Once I was home, I tossed and turned in bed, but I was not able to fall asleep. Scarlett was the only one I could think about. I kept trying to find something to numb the pain of my separation from her in the following days, but it was an undeniable fact that I missed her more than anything in the world. I then decided to apologize to her, and booked the next flight to see her. When I knocked on her door, Nina was surprised to see me there when she opened. "What are you doing here?" she asked. "I came here to apologize to Scarlett," I said bluntly. "But Scarlett went back looking for you," Nina said with a helpless sigh. Since I had no time to waste, I immediately booked the next flight to go back home. Chapter 166 The Wedding Ring He Took Off Chapter 166 The Wedding Ring He Took Off Scarlett''s POV: As soon as I got off the ne, I tried calling Charles, but when I could not get through to him, a sense of depression clouded my heart. I knew that I needed to go to the Moore mansion right away. Maybe I could find him there. "Oh, Scarlett! How did you get here all of a sudden?" Christine was surprised to see me. "Well, I came back to see you, Grandma." With that, I gave her a forced smile. "I''ll call Charles at once. I am sure he''ll be really happy to know that you''re back," Alice said excitedly as she went to grab her phone. A whileter, she frowned at her phone screen. "That''s too bad! Looks like he''s turned off his phone at such a critical moment." "Maybe, his phone is dead. Leave him be. I am sure that Scarlett must be really tired after her long journey." Saying that, Christine held my hand and made me sit down with her. That night, I was in a daze, and I went back to my room as soon as I ate. I took a shower andy on the bed, looking at the familiar chandelier. The cool night breeze blew from the window, disturbing my thoughts. I was asleep when I suddenly felt someone touching me. When I opened my eyes and looked at the man in front of me, my mind wentpletely nk for a moment. I touched Charles'' face and giggled. "I must be dreaming! I was sure that you were not going to visit me in my dreams tonight, though." Upon hearing that, Charles frowned. "Why didn''t you tell me you wereing back?" There was a hint of coldness in his tone. "It''s because I only came back to meet the elders," I mumbled, feeling angry in my heart. "Humph! Even in my dreams, you end up making me mad." With that, I turned over and continued to sleep. The next morning when I woke up, rubbing my eyes, and turned around, I was stunned to see Charles sleeping next to me. He opened his eyes and said in a gentle voice, "Good morning." "Good morning," I replied with a smile. "When did youe back?" "I think I came back at around three in the morning," he whispered in my ear. If he really came back at three in the morning, then I was not dreaming about him. Charles gently ced his hand on my waist and stroked my belly lovingly. "I''m going to wash my face and brush my teeth." Saying that, I pushed his hand away and walked to the bathroom. While I was brushing my teeth, he pushed open the door and walked in, naked. My cheeks turned red as I immediately turned away and mumbled, "Why don''t you have your clothes on?" "Do you shower with your clothes on?" Asking that, he walked behind me and stood in front of the shower before he turned it on. Standing in front of the mirror, I could clearly see his naked body in the reflection. ''Fuck! Why does he have to be so good-looking and sexy?'' I was struggling to force myself not to peep, but I could not resist myself at all. "You cane and watch if you want. I won''t mind," Charles said with a seductive smile. His voice was so alluring, and it almost felt like it could burn me alive. I did not want to stand there any longer, so I quickly washed up and ran out of the bathroom. Charles soon walked out of the bathroom with a towel loosely wrapped around his waist. His sculpted body and his beautiful, sexy abs was making my insides scream. He slowly approached me and asked in a low voice, "Where is my ring? Did you bring it with you?" I was still thinking about his naked body when his words suddenly jolted me back to reality. I moved aside nervously and replied, "No." N?velDrama.Org content rights. All of a sudden, he pulled me into his arms as he asked, "Where is it, then?" "I really haven''t brought it back with me," I said firmly. There was a hint of seriousness in his eyes, and he even seemed to be a little angry. "Is the wedding ring that important to you?" I asked tentatively. Charles nodded and said, "Yes, of course, it''s very important." "Then will you be taking it off again?" Hearing that, he let go of me and reached out his hand to me. "You will see only if you put it on for me." I was still kind of mad at him, so I pouted and said, "If you dare to take it off again, then it might end up in another man''s finger in the future." "How dare you?" Charles pretended to pounce on me. Seeing that he was not joking around, I blurted out, "Undo the first two buttons of my shirt." Confused, he gently unbuttoned my shirt and stared at my exposed neck in amazement. "You put it in a ne and wore it around your neck?" Seeing that, he leaned in, hugging me and kissing me several times. Pretending to be mad at him, I pushed him away and said, "Of course, I have to take care of it. It''s my wedding ring, after all." "Our wedding ring," Charles corrected me at once. "But didn''t you take off your wedding ring and give it back to mest time?" "I didn''t give it back to you. I just asked you to keep it for the time being. I want you to help me put it on again, honey," he said anxiously. "But I think that it looks really good on the ne." I was deliberately stalling for time. "If you really like it, then I will take you to the mall and buy you one just like itter, but for now, just help me put it on first." Saying that, he leaned closer and kissed my lips tteringly. "Did you take off your ring because you stopped caring about me?" I asked with a serious look in my eyes. "No. I just... I really care too much about you." With a tender gaze, Charles held my hand, stroking my cheeks lovingly. Seeing that, I took off his ring from my ne and put it on his finger. "You''re not allowed to take it off at will ever again." "Never." Chapter 167 Scarletts Prenatal Checkups Chapter 167 Scarlett''s Prenatal Checkups Charles'' POV: The moment Scarlett put on the ring for me, my heart skipped a beat. Firmly, I held her hand and promised, "I will never let you down, Scarlett." Upon hearing my statement, she pouted at me. As I held her waist, intending to kiss her, her phone abruptly rang and interrupted us. She picked up the phone and put it on speaker. "Oh, hello, Nina! What''s up?" "Scarlett, what time is your flight today?" Nina asked anxiously. "Why do you ask? Are youing to pick me up?" asked Scarlett. "Nate is here. I think it''s best that you don''te back for the time being," Nina replied sternly. "Nate?" Scarlett seemed rmed by the name. I frowned when I saw her reaction. "Yes, and he brought you a gift," added Nina. Upon hearing this, I grabbed Scarlett''s phone and hung up on Nina. "Do you have any idea why Nate came to you?" I asked. "No. Why?" "He came to borrow money from me, but I refused. That''s why he asked you for help. It''s probably because he thinks you''re more easily to persuade than I am." "Why would Nate borrow money from you?" Scarlett appeared to be shocked by what I said. "If you go back now, you''re just going to be badgered by that man incessantly. Why don''t you just have your ticket refunded and stay for a few more days?" I suggested, nting a kiss on the corner of her lip. It appeared as though Scarlett was still hesitant. "But, I can''t ask for a leave all the time." "Is the date of your antenatal examination approaching?" I decided to change the subject. Scarlett nodded affirmatively. "It is." I rubbed her nose and smiled. "I''ll apany you to your prenatal checkups." Not wanting to give her a chance to refuse, I quickly changed my clothes and urged her into the passenger seat of my car. Scarlett seemed amused by me, so I took the opportunity to kiss her deeply. After the kiss, we caught our breaths. I held her in my arms and asked, "Scarlett, do you love me?" But she didn''t answer me. I gently kissed her lips and fondled with her breasts. "Answer me. Do you love me?" Scarlett gasped for air and moaned with pleasure while nodding. Seeing her response put me in a good mood. I nibbled on her earlobe and asked, "Do you know where I went yesterday?" "Where?" Scarlett was about to ask a question, but I began kissing her again. "I went to see you." I chuckled, covering her eyes while kissing her. She then ced her hands on my chest, reciprocating my passion. As I ced her hand on the seat, I told her, "Scarlett, I think we''ve never had sex in the car before." She was hesitant at first, but she soon gave in to her lust. The space in the car was not big enough, so I had to be extra careful. After adjusting the reclining of the seat to a better position, I turned over and let her mount me. She was wearing a one-piece shirt dress today, and this position was convenient for us. I ced a hand over her head to prevent her from bumping against the window. Then, I unbuttoned her shirt. When her nipples were exposed, I began fondling them with my fingers and my tongue. "Oh..." Scarlett moaned cing her arms around my neck and growing hornier by the second. I nted a kiss beside her lip, down to her corbone, and finally sucking on her tits. Gradually, her skin turned red. And as I sucked on her nipples, I heard her groan with pleasure. I reached down to touch her vagina and felt how wet she was. Amused, I chuckled and said, "You''re so sensitive, honey." "Shut... shut up!" Scarlett red at me, seemingly embarrassed. "How am I going to make you happy if I shut up? Fine. There are other ways," I said, wearing an impish grin. I unzipped my pants and inserted my penis inside her vagina. Scarlett gasped, holding my neck tightly. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g This cowgirl position was incredible. I was worried that I might hurt our baby, so I tried my best to control myself. But every time I was having sex with Scarlett, I couldn''t help but indulge in it. After we were done, she was so exhausted that she leaned against the car window and fell asleep. Meanwhile, I stared at her, caressing her face lovingly. Then, I kissed her forehead with satisfaction. It was then that I decided to dial Amy''s number. "Amy, I need you to postpone all my work for today. I''m taking Scarlett to the hospital." "Yes, sir," she replied. When we arrived at the hospital, we went straight to the VIP examination room. However, my phone rang all of a sudden. I stroked Scarlett''s head and said, "You go have your checkup. I''m just going to take this call." She nodded in response and left. Upon seeing the caller ID, I frowned. "Charles, I''m begging you. Please let go of my father''spany," said Rita. But before I could speak, I heard a noiseing from behind me. "Watch out!" a nurse shouted. When I turned around, I happened to see someone copsing on the ground. Rita''s POV: When I called Charles, I heard something happening at the other end of the line. A woman screamed, "Blood! There''s so much blood! Oh, my God! Is she having a miscarriage?" The call was disconnected abruptly, but I was delighted to hear all of it. ''Scarlett had a miscarriage? Yes! That must be it!'' I eximed inwardly. "What''s the matter with you?" Nate asked me in confusion. "It seems that Scarlett had a miscarriage," I responded. "You don''t want her to give birth to that baby, right? Well, your wish has been fulfilled." Nate nodded affirmatively. "Now that her child is gone, you don''t have to trouble her anymore." "Are you saying that you want me to let her off the hook? Fuck, no!" I broke into a sarcasticughter. "That bitch stole my man. I will never forgive her. Her losing the baby is just the first step of my n! There will be many more toe." "Don''t go too far," said Nate. "What? Are you seriously feeling sorry for her? Do you not have the heart to see her suffer?" I sneered. "I just can''t bear to see her die like this," Nate said with a frown. I scoffed at him and said, "You can''t even protect your ownpany now, and yet you still want to protect Scarlett? Are you daydreaming? Wake the hell up and face reality." Seemingly infuriated, Nate creased his eyebrows at me. "Is that seriously how you''re supposed to speak to your father?" "Why don''t you take a long, hard look at yourself in the mirror? Then, ask yourself if you''re even qualified to be my father. Ugh, you make me feel sick." I didn''t want to waste my time talking to him anymore, so I walked away from him. Chapter 168 A Close Call Chapter 168 A Close Call Charles'' POV: As I stood by the window that evening, lost in thought, I felt my heart still trembling with fear. All of a sudden, I heard the doorbell ring, so I walked to the door. "Is Scarlett okay?" Spencer walked in, looking rather anxious. And David and Vivian followed him inside. "She was scared, but now she''s asleep." Upon hearing that, David asked with a frown, "Was it an ident or a conspiracy?" "It was certainly not an ident," I answered affirmatively. The next second, the doorbell rang again, and Richard walked in. "Mr. Moore, we have already checked the cellphones of those troublemakers, and we have found that the person who contacted them is from this city, but we don''t know their identity yet." I fell silent when I heard that while David questioned in an anxious tone, "Who do you think it might be?" "At first, we thought that it might be Rita, but we had to rule her out because she is abroad now..." I massaged my temples, feeling exhausted. "Take those troublemakers to the police station." Upon hearing my orders, Richard nodded and left. I felt a little annoyed, looking at David, Spencer, and Vivian, who were sitting on my couch, so I asked them to leave. "You three should leave too." Spencer straightened up his clothes, but it seemed like he was unwilling to leave. "We came here to see Scarlett. Isn''t it rude of you to drive us away before we even say hi to her?" I looked at him coldly and said in a low voice, "If you came to visit the patient, then why did you come empty-handed?" Embarrassed, Spencer gave me an awkward smile and justified, "Well... I was too anxious to see her... Anyway, I''ll buy her a giftter." With an indifferent expression, I nced at him and said, "Get out of here." Soon, they left, and the whole house became quiet again. A strange sense of fear rose in my heart when I thought of what happened before. I stood up, walked to the window, and dialed a number on my phone. "Mr. Moore." "Arrange two female bodyguards for me. They should be strong and good at fighting," I said concisely before I hung up, turned around, and walked upstairs. Scarlett''s POV: I didn''t know how long I had slept. I found myself lying on my bed at home when I woke up. I instinctively put my hand on my belly and was relieved to find that my baby was doing okay. Picking up my phone, I browsed the Inte for news. There were articles about my miscarriage Recalling what had happened the day before, I knew that there was someone who did not want me to give birth to the baby. all over the web. Thinking of that, I broke into a cold sweat and my limbs felt like a block of ice. Just before I could have had a panic attack, Charles walked into the room and hugged me. "Are you alright?" he asked in a concerned tone. I leaned into his arms and said weakly, "I''m fine. I just feel a little dizzy." "Would you like to lie down a bit longer, then?" "No. I have already slept for way too long." I put my arms around his neck and continued in a serious tone, "Was it Rita that called you yesterday?" "Yes. If we find out that she''s the one behind all of this, then she is going to be in some serious trouble," Charles said in a deep voice, before he lifted me up and carried me downstairs. Looking at the two strangers in the living room, I could not understand what was going on. "Scarlett, meet J and Tracy. I hired them as your bodyguards." Saying that, Charles gently put me down on the sofa. "You don''t have to be so melodramatic. I am fine," I refused at once. With a helpless sigh, Charles grabbed my hand and tried to persuade me gently, "What if the identthathappened yesterday happens again? I can''t always be with you, and when I am not with you, I want you to be protected. That''s the only way I can be at ease." "But..." "They will protect you, no matter what it takes, and they won''t make you feel ufortable. If you ever get bored, you can talk to them." When I realized that I could not refuse him at all, I could not help but chuckle. After thinking for a while, I said to Charles, "Since you want to arrange bodyguards for me, I want another person too." "Who is it?" Charles asked, as though he was willing to agree to let whoever I want be my bodyguard. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "I want Richard." Upon hearing that, Charles frowned. "Let''s get you someone else. I don''t think that Richard will be good. After all, he slept with Rita." "I want him. I don''t want anyone else," I said like a spoiled child. Charles held my hand and said in an awkward tone, "Honey..." I sighed helplessly and argued, "It''s going to be okay. I don''t care about his past, so why do you?" "All right, then." In the end, Charles had no choice but topromise. After I had breakfast, the doctor came to visit. "How is she now?" Charles asked the doctor nervously. The doctor took off his mask and said to him with a smile, "She is perfectly fine, and the baby is healthy. Just be careful in your daily activities in the future." "Thank you, doctor." With that, Charles saw the doctor off. He walked back into the room a whileter, and was about to sit down when his phone rang all of a sudden. Sitting down beside me, he whispered, "It''s from Rita." "Pick up. And put it on speaker," I said in a hurry. Charles gave me a nod and answered the call in an indifferent tone, "What''s up?" "I saw the news, and I was worried about Scarlett, so I wanted to know how she is doing." Holding Charles'' hand, I hinted at him. He gave me a nod before he said over the phone, "She''s not doing well. I think it might take a while for her to get better." "What a terrible news! I hope she recovers real soon." Upon hearing her tone filled with fake pity, I could not help but sneer in my heart. "If there''s nothing else, then bye." "Charles, can we talk? There is some business that I would like to discuss with you," Rita said at once, in an anxious tone. Without saying anything, Charles disconnected the call. He then held me and asked with a confused look in his eyes, "Why did you want me to tell her that you''re not fine?" "I wanted her to be happy for the time being," I said with a chuckle. Charles leaned closer and kissed the corners of my mouth as he whispered, "Take the bodyguards with you, no matter where you go." "Okay, I got it." I did not want him to worry about me, so I nodded. Chapter 169 What Does She Want To Do Again Chapter 169 What Does She Want To Do Again Rita''s POV: I had never been as happy as I was now when I saw news of Scarlett''s miscarriage all over the Inte. I called Richard before I returned home. "Can you pick me up from the airport?" A long moment of silenceter, he replied in a low voice, "Alright." I was not surprised to see him waiting for me at the exit as soon as I walked out of the airport. I followed him to the car and sat down on the passenger seat. I moved closer to him and gazed into his eyes as I asked, "How have you been doingtely? Did you miss me?" Richard pursed his lips and remained silent as he started the car and drove. Chuckling, I ced my hand on his thigh and gently rubbed it. Instantly, I felt his breaths getting heavier, but he remained expressionless. I slowly slid my hand to his inner thigh and looped my fingertips along the seam of his trouser. Richard grabbed my hand and pushed it away before he said in a cold voice, "Don''t do that." But I ced my hand on his shoulder and gently pinched his earlobe with a smile. "Where are you going?" he asked in a low voice, looking straight at the road. Ignoring his words, I unfastened my seatbelt and began kissing his neck. I could feel his body stiffen immediately, so I provocatively nibbled on his earlobe. Noticing his breaths getting heavier and heavier, I sneered in my heart. He obviously still had feelings for me, and thinking about it made me happy. Just when he was about to push me away, I sat back, and smiled at him. Seeing that there was a red light ahead, Richard immediately turned the car around and sped up, taking a different road. There was a sparsely popted suburban area nearby. What was he nning to do? Soon, he stopped the car, and just when I was about to unfasten my seatbelt and get close to him, he said coldly, "Get off the car." Suspiciously I looked out of the window, and found that we were in the middle of a forest. Was he intending to have sex with me in the wild? After getting off the car, I was about to ask him what he wanted to do when he suddenly threw my bag out of the window, started the car, and drove away. A heavy feeling of shock came to my heart. How could he leave me alone in a ce like that? ''Damn it! He''s crazy!'' N?velDrama.Org content rights. I was furious, so I took out my phone and called him, but he did not answer. In a fit of pique, I kicked a rock on the ground. "Shit!" I finally spotted a car passing by, asked for a lift, and went downtown. Wanting to find Spencer, I went to his bar. "What are you doing here? I still haven''t gotten even with you over those sleeping pills you gave me," Spencer hissed coldly. Looking at him with an innocent expression, I asked, "What sleeping pills are you talking about? I don''t know anything, Spencer. Did you misunderstand something?" But he frowned and said, "If you have nothing to say about it, then leave." I smiled at him and asked him in a concerned voice, "Well, I heard that Scarlett is not in a good condition. I want to know if she''s okay now." "She''s put on bed rest," Spencer said with a long face. "Did she really have a miscarriage?" "I have no idea," he said in an irritable tone before he turned around, intending to leave. Seeing that, I tried to persuade him. "Spencer, Scarlett is now going through a really tough time, and she needs someone like you. You should use this opportunity to try and win her back. She married Charles only for the sake of her baby, and now, the baby is gone. It''s like God is trying to help you." Even after that, he silently left with a frown. Scarlett''s POV: Early that morning, I got a huge package delivered to me. It was a parcel from Rita. Just when I was about to open it, J stopped me. "Don''t get too close. We don''t know what''s in it." Saying that, she took the package outside. A whileter, she walked back into the room and put the package on the ground. "I''ve checked it. There''s no problem." I then took a closer look at its contents and found that it was photos of Rita and Charles. It had a note that read, "Back to the owner". I turned to J and Tracy and said indifferently, "Cut the photos in half, throw the halves with Rita in the trash, and return the halves that have Charles back. Also, make sure to take pictures and send it to the press when you throw it in the trash." Hearing that, they nced at each other and gave me a nod. I then turned to Richard and added, "I want you to take away all the jewelry and the wedding dress that Charles gave her and tell her that they''re going back to their owner as well." "Yes, ma''am," Richard replied respectfully. "Should I tell Mr. Moore about this?" "No, I''ll tell him myself. You know what? Save the dress for Rita, and the rest... you can give them to a charity in my name." After carefully listening to my orders, Richard gave me a nod and left. When I went upstairs after finishing my work, I saw that Charles was still asleep. I walked to him with a chuckle, and he immediately got up and held me in his arms. Nestling in his arms, I let out augh. "I am the one that''s pregnant, so why are you sleeping more than me?" "I haven''t had good sleep in a while," Charles whispered in my ear with his eyes closed. Noticing his under-eye bags, I pitied him. I kissed his chin lovingly and said, "Rita sent me some photos of you two." Charles opened his eyes andined, "What does she want now?" He then stood up and walked downstairs. I followed him and saw J and Tracy cutting the photos like I asked them to. When I noticed him frowning, my heart clenched. Was he not pleased with my decision? While I was lost in thought, he walked to me and kissed the corner of my lips. "Whatever makes you happy." I looked into his eyes and said nervously, "I also asked Richard to take back the jewelry that you gave Rita, but I told him to leave the wedding dress for her." With a helpless gaze, he turned to J and Tracy, and said, "Get it done quickly." Chapter 170 Enemies Were Destined To Meet Chapter 170 Enemies Were Destined To Meet Rita''s POV: I was at home with my mom, enjoying my cup of coffee. My mother seemed to be really concerned when I told her about the filthy thoughts that my father had for Scarlett. Wiping her tears away, she said, "It looks like he is really determined to be with her." Unwilling to talk about Scarlett anymore, I looked out the window, feeling irritable. All of a sudden, I heard the doorbell ring, and when I saw that it was Richard, I could not help but frown. ''How dare hee to me after leaving me alone in the middle of nowhere?'' As soon as I opened the door, Richard barged in with his men, pointed at my room, and said, "Move everything out of that room." Seeing the group of men walking to my room, I immediately stood up and stopped them. "What are you doing?" ncing at me for a moment, Richard pushed me aside and walked straight into my room. I ran to my room, pointed at them, and roared, "Get out of here!" However, Richard ordered his men, "Let''s get this done quickly, gentlemen!" I immediately pushed the men who were trying to take away my jewelry and shouted, "Stop! Those are my things! You''re robbing me." But then, Richard grabbed my hand, pulled me aside, and hissed, "I think you know exactly whether they''re your things or not." He then turned to the others and added, "Leave her be. Let''s go!" "Stop! Put those down. They are mine..." Due to my emotional state, I felt dizzy all of a sudden and lost my bnce. I had to lean against the wall to keep me straight. However, Richardpletely ignored me and said coldly, "You''re going to end up in serious trouble if you don''t take good care of yourself. And this time, you may not be lucky enough to survive." I ran to him and grabbed his cor. "These are all gifts that Charles gave me. How dare you take them away?" "Well, they belong to Scarlett and Charles now. They have every right to take them back." Saying that, Richard peeled my hand off his cor and left with his men. Stumbling, I tried to chase after them. My mom was so worried that she tried to help me, but I coldly shook off her hand and watched as Richard loaded my belongings in the car. "We won''t be taking the wedding dress with us, so you can look at it whenever you miss Charles." Richard red at me with a snort and left. I gripped the door to prevent myself from falling down. Anger was burning within my heart, suffocating me with its mes. All of a sudden, another group of strangers knocked on the door. They were two gorgeous women dressed in tight clothes, who walked to me and threw a big box at me with a in look in their eyes. "Who are you?" I asked coldly. They looked at me and one of them replied tly, "We came here to return these things to its owner." I opened the box and found the photos that I had sent to Scarlett. However, the photos were all cut in half, and I got the side that only had Charles'' picture. Looking at it I became so furious that I felt my head hurting. "As for your photos, if you want to see them, you can search them online," one of the women said. I raised my head and red at her. The other one eyed me with disgust andined, "You look so pretentious in the photos that it makes me sick." With that, they both turned to leave. "Stop!" I shouted at them angrily. But they just left anyway. I kicked the box, took out my phone, and dialed Lily''s number. "Are you free tonight? I have something that I need to talk to you about." "I can make time." It did not take too long for Lily to agree to my request. However, the anger burning within me did not cool down at all. Thinking of thecent smile on Scarlett''s lips, I could not help but want to tear her face apart. That evening, I went to the restaurant where I was supposed to meet Lily, and bumped into Scarlett identally. I saw Richard following her like an obedient little puppy. But then I noticed that Scarlett was looking pretty fine. In fact, her belly looked bigger than it was before. ''Didn''t she just miscarry the baby? What the hell is going on?'' While I was lost in thought, Scarlett nced at me and said slowly, "Why do you look so pale? You should go to the hospital for a check-up. You need to take good care of yourself." "Are you cursing me?" I wanted to p her. It would have been really great if she fell and had a miscarriage. But the next second, Richard grabbed my hand and stopped me. "What does this mean, Richard?" I asked angrily. Wasn''t he in love with me? Why was he going up against me? Scarlett straightened up her clothes slowly, pretending to be nice and gentle. "He is my personal bodyguard now." "Damn you!" I cursed angrily, throwing my bag at Richard''s face. However, someone grabbed my wrist the next second, and a sharp pain surged through my hand. I turned around, and saw that it was one of the women who hade to my house earlier that morning. "Let go of me!" I hissed at her. The moment she loosened her grip on my wrist, I crumbled to the floor, losing my bnce. I looked at her dazzling smile awkwardly as I threw my bag on her face. She dodged my attack effortlessly, and I stood up to p her. I then spat on her face. "You are just a dog who works for Scarlett. How dare you be so arrogant to me?" In a concerned tone, Scarlett asked the woman, "Are you okay, J?" The woman called J puffed up her cheeks and looked at me coldly. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "What? Are you angry now?" I sneered. "Know your ce." I quickly reached out to grab her hair. Since I was not able to do anything to Scarlett, I wanted to hurt her subordinate in front of her to humiliate her. However, the next second, a sharp pain pulsed through my scalp as J grabbed my hair and yanked my head back. "Ah..." While I was crying out in pain, I felt a loud, hard p across my cheek. The second I fell to the ground, there was a short period of darkness when I could not see anything or figure out what was happening. I was in so much pain that I could not help but burst into tears. Looking at Richard, I questioned, "Are you really just going to stand by and watch me get bullied?" Richard looked down at me expressionlessly and stood beside Scarlett. With a sad look in my eyes, I asked him, "Have you forgotten that we had a baby together?" "You have killed our child on your own," he hissed. Lily, who got there a littlete, helped me up and said in an anxious tone, "Let''s get out of here, Rita." "Did you ask Lily to drug Abner?" Scarlett asked me all of a sudden. Lily nced at me before she stepped forward and said to Scarlett, "Don''t sling mud at her! I never said that she was the one who made me do it." "Then it must be a mistake." With a meaningful look, Scarlett turned around and left. Lily exined immediately, "Rita, are you okay? I met an acquaintance of mine coincidentally. That''s why I got here a littlete." I shook off her hand and looked at her in silence. I could sense a hint of panic in her eyes, but she continued to pretend like she was calm as she said, "Scarlett''s only saying that to cause trouble between us. Don''t let her fool you." I looked at her with a fierce re and threatened her, "You''d better not nder me, or I will teach you a lesson." Lily grabbed my hand and promised, "Rita, please just trust me. I really didn''t do such a thing. We''re both in the same boat now, and there is no way that I would go and make trouble for myself." "You''d better keep your promise. You know what I''m capable of, right?" I snapped before I pushed her hand away and walked towards Scarlett''s box. I felt like I needed to find out what was going on with her pregnancy. But then, just when I was about to push the door open, Richard stopped me. "Didn''t Scarlett have miscarriage?" He stood there without saying a word to me, like a log of wood. "Tell me what happened with her." I could not help but ask again. "I have nothing to tell you," Richard replied indifferently. "That''s impossible! How could she have escaped the ident unharmed? She lied to me, didn''t she?" I asked him, grabbing him by the cor. "Let go!" Shaking my hand off, he pushed me away. When I looked up, I saw Charles walking towards me with a frown. Unlike the gentle and tender man in my memories, he seemed rather cold and aloof. Chapter 171 The Truth Comes Out Chapter 171 The Truth Comes Out Rita''s POV: Charles looked sullen as he approached me. Despite that, I put on a smile and walked up to him. "What did you just say?" The sound of his voice was as frigid as the wintry winds. I just kept smiling at him and said, "I''m worried about Scarlett''s health, so I wanted tofort her somehow." Then, I tried to grab his hand, but he dodged my attempt to do it. Charles scoffed at me. "I feel like you were expecting that my wife would have a miscarriage." The way he said it made it seem like he knew something. Though I was flustered, I managed to keep my composure. I was quick-witted enough toe up with an excuse. "Scarlett and I grew up together. Our rtionship became a little unstable because of some misunderstandings in the past. But now that you''re married to her, I sincerely hope that you''ll be happy together. And considering something like this happened to her, it''s only natural for me to worry about her. I''m only concerned for her safety; nothingmore than that." "Both Scarlett and the baby are fine. Don''t even think of ying any tricks. I''d rather not send you to prison one day myself. But believe me when I say this, I won''t hesitate when that day reallyes," Charles stated without even ncing at me. After he said that, he was about to leave. ''Scarlett''s child is still alive? But how is that possible?'' I asked inwardly. I was so angry that I gnashed my teeth. However, I didn''t have much time left, so I immediately rushed forward to stop Charles. "Charles, wait! I need to talk to you about something." "There''s no need for that," he answered frigidly as he continued walking away. Anxiously, I followed him. However, Richard stopped me. I red at Richard and shouted to Charles, "For the sake of the fact that I once saved your life, can''t you please talk to me?" "Nobody forced you to save me," Charles replied before entering the private room. nkly, I stared at his back and shook off Richard''s hand. "Let me go!" And because I was annoyed, I spat on his face. "You are such a dutifulpdog!" Richard looked down at me, frowning as he wiped his face in silence. Just when I was about to yell at him again, my phone rang. Upon seeing the number on the screen, I looked for a quiet corner and answered the call. "Why are you calling me all of a sudden?" "Because I''m worried you''ll try to escape," said the other man at the end of the line. "Didn''t I tell you that I''d call you..." But before I could finish my sentence, someone snatched my phone away. I turned around and saw Richard staring at me with a sullen expression. He trapped me in the corner, shackled me with his hand and listened to the phone. I struggled to get my phone back, but it was all in vain. Based on Richard''s reaction, I had a bad feeling that the jig was up. The following moment, he mmed the phone to the ground, trampled it underfoot, and shot me a cold nce. "That person you were talking to over the phone is asking you to pay him the money. And he mentioned something about a miscarriage. Someone tried to hurt Mrs. Moore while she was at the hospital, and you''re the one pulling the strings behind the scenes, aren''t you? My God! You never learn your lesson, Rita!" Little by little, my heart sank. I stared at Richard''s sullen face and pulled him into a vacant private room beside us. Hurriedly, I closed the door and said in a hushed voice, "Richard, we need to talk." "Talk? There''s nothing to talk." Having said that, Richard began to walk away. In a fit of panic, I grabbed his wrist. "I need your help to keep it a secret. Please, Richard! I''m begging you. If Charles finds out about this, I''m screwed!" After hearing me say that, Richard stood in his spot, putting on a straight face. "I know I did something wrong before, Richard, but we..." I stopped midsentence to nt a kiss beside his lips. Unexpectedly, he pushed me away and responded, "You really will do anything for your personal gain, won''t you?" "Richard, it''s not what you think. Please, just listen to me!" I held onto his wrist, but Richard shook off my hand off again and walked away. This time, he didn''t look back. Feeling desperate and defeated, I copsed on the sofa. Scarlett''s POV: "Hey, Charles! You''ve put on your wedding ring again." Inside the private room, David and Spencer were making fun of Charles. Charles grunted at them and retorted, "You''re both still single and you don''t have any rings at all. What right do either of you have to talk about that?" "Fine, it''s our bad. We shouldn''t have said such nonsensical things." After Spencer said that, he pretended to p himself on the face. "If you really feel bad, p yourself harder. It''ll be better if you can''t speak again." Having heard Charles'' rude remark, Spencer grinned like an imp. "Charles, just forgive me, man. I swear I won''t say anything stupid again!" Having said that, he gave David a kick, implying that the latter should help him. As I watched theiredic interaction, I couldn''t resist the urge tough. This time, David turned to me and asked worriedly, "Are you alright, Scarlett?" Everyone looked at me at the same time. I shook my head and smiled. "As you can see, nothing serious happened to me." Spencer stopped joking around and put on a serious face. "What do you think happened?" "I have a feeling that Rita had something to do with this," said David. Upon hearing his input, everyone fell silent. "Maybe you''re right. What''s even more suspicious is that she came here today, and she asked a lot about Scarlett and the ident. I really don''t believe that it''s just a coincidence," Spencer said. Right after he said that, he turned his attention to me. In response, I shook my head and said, "I don''t have any evidence to prove that Rita did it. Honestly, I''m not really sure about anything right now." Spencer let out a sigh. "Scarlett, you''d best focus on your well-being in the meantime. Don''t just think about the training program." Just then, Richard opened the door and walked in. He seemed serious when he whispered something in Charles'' ear. I couldn''t hear what he said to Charles, but I noticed that Charles'' face became sullen all of a sudden. "What''s wrong?" I asked worriedly. "Scarlett has a flight to catch tomorrow afternoon, so I''ll be taking her home to get some rest." Having said that, Charles stood up and led me out. On the journey home, I nced at his face and asked, "Hey, what happened?" Charles pressed his lips and looked at me. "Rita was the one who hired someone to cause trouble at the hospital." Shocked, I looked back at him and asked, "Do you have any evidence to prove it?" "Richard heard the culprit talking to Rita over the phone and asking her for the money she promised," Charles replied as he looked ahead at the road outside the window. A long silence ensued between us. Momentster, I asked, "So, what are you going to about it?" "Do you have any ideas?" Charles asked in response.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g "Call the police," I said without hesitation. He nodded without hesitation. "Agreed. Let''s leave it to the police." I smiled at him, and felt a little relieved. "I thought you wouldn''t have the heart to call the police on her." "She''s done something horrible, and she needs to face consequences of her actions," Charles answered before nting a kiss next my lips tofort me. zje zje H H H H The following day, Charles drove me to the airport himself. I leaned against his chest, feeling more reluctant to leave him. He fiddled with my long hair and kissed me on the forehead. "It''ll be the weekend in a few days. I''ll fly to you by then." "Sound great," I replied, still feeling reluctant to depart. "Wherever you go, you have to take your bodyguards with you, okay?" Charles had been saying that many times for the past few days. "Yes, I got it. Since when have you be so anal-retentive?" I smiled at him and let out a helpless sigh. As soon as I finished speaking, Charles kissed my lips. As punishment, he bit my lip, causing me to frown because of the pain. I pushed him away, but he bit me again before deciding to let me go. "If you don''t be a good girl and listen, I''m going to punish you right here." The implications of his words made me blush. "We''re at the airport, you pervert." Charles chuckled at my remark. "We''re inside an exclusive VIP room. Only the two of us are here." I could tell that he wouldn''t hesitate to do it. Thus, I shut my mouth and nestled in his arms in silence. I even kissed his cheek to appease him. Chapter 172 Attempted Murder Chapter 172 Attempted Murder Nate''s POV: I was depressed as I watched thepany''s stock prices plummeting that morning. Just when I was lost in thought, the police knocked on my door. I stood up and asked, "Sir, what can I do for you?" All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. A middle-aged police officer walked in and asked in a serious tone, "Is Rita Lively here?" Rita stood up at once and asked, "What''s the matter?" "We suspect you to be involved in an attempted murder case, so pleasee with us to the police station. I suggest you cooperate with the investigation." As soon as the policeman finished his words, another younger police office walked to Rita, holding a pair of handcuffs. I immediately lunged forward intending to stop the policeman. "Sir, is there some kind of a misunderstanding?" "We''ll know that after we investigate the matter," the policeman said before he tried to put the handcuffs on Rita. Rita immediately covered her chest as though she was about to faint. "Mom, I want to go to the hospital. My heart hurts..." She leaned against the sofa weakly with a pale face. Susan immediately held her and said to the policeman, "Sir, my daughter is having a heart attack! Call a doctor." "There is no need for that. Take her to the hospital right away," I said calmly. The policemen nced at each other before they made way for us. Rita kept looking out of the window on our way and asked, "Mom, are the policemen still on our tail?" "I... I don''t know." Susan was clearly frightened. She was trembling. Seeing her like that, I frowned and said in a cold voice, "What are you so afraid of? It''s just the police, and you''re already scared to death!" Hearing that, Susan calmed down and asked Rita, "What happened?" "Charles is probably the one trying to sue me..." Rita replied in a low voice. "Charles wants to sue you?" I asked with a frown. Shaking her head, Rita said in a voice that was filled with hatred, "No. It''s not him. I am sure that bitch, Scarlett, is the one behind all this!" "The police are following us. Let''s get to the hospital first," I said indifferently. Susan looked back and asked in a hurry, "What should we do now?" "What can they do? Scarlett is fine now. Dad, find me a goodwyer." I nodded in reply. It was clear that Rita was going to have to stay in the hospital for the next few days. I left the hospital after that, and went to the Moore Group to meet Charles. I wanted to ask him what happened, but he did not seem to want to see me. Just when I was about to walk out of the door, someone stopped me. "Hello. Are you Mr. Lively?" When I turned around, there was a beautiful young woman in front of me. She was wearing a deep- neck tight dress, which emphasized her beautiful figure. I straightened up my clothes and greeted her, "Hello. Who are you?" "I''m Lily, a friend of your daughter. It''s a pleasure to meet you, sir." "Oh, hi, Lily! Are you free to grab some coffee with me?" Lily smiled at me and nodded in reply. I stared at her while I sat in the cafe, admiring her. She had wless supple skin and beautiful eyes, which made me take a fancy to her at the first sight of her. "How is Rita doing? Well, I heard that she had a conflict with the othersst night," Lily said slowly. "She hasn''t been doing that well." I sighed helplessly. "Really? What happened to her?" "Someone is trying to sue her for attempted murder," I said in a voice that was filled with concern, and Lily looked at me in disbelief. I was moved. She was not just gorgeous, she was also truly kind-hearted. "Rita could never do such a thing. Besides, I trust her." Lily tried tofort me with her kind words. "I know. I only came to the Moore Group to question Charles about it. But I could not meet him, unfortunately." Saying that, I took another sip of coffee. "Well, it looks like we both have the same problem, then. I could not see him, either." "Are you having some kind of trouble?" Lily looked at me with a pitiful nce and said in a helpless tone, "It''s not that big a deal. I just wanted to ask Mr. Moore if he could help me get this acting role." Hearing that, I immediately offered, "I can help you with that." Feeling restless, I could not help but touch her smooth, ss-like hands. "Thank you." She seemed to be a little shy as she withdrew her hand with a look of gratitude in her eyes. Spencer''s POV: While David and I were in the bar, talking, I looked through the French window, and noticed two familiar-looking people sitting in the cafe from across the street. Seeing that, I could not help but look again. With a curious look in his eyes, David turned to me and asked, "Do you see a beautiful woman there? You seem to be so absorbed." I red at him, raised my chin as I nced at the cafe again, and nodded. "Look! It''s Nate and Lily." David stared at them for a few seconds before he said in a voice filled with contempt, "Should we drug them a little to spice things up?" By then, I noticed that Nate was trying to slide his hand under her clothes, but she seemed to be ying hard to get. I withdrew my gaze and smiled sarcastically. "Look at them! They''re so horny that they might end up fucking right in the cafe. These people don''t need drugs at all!" The second after I said that, Lily and Nate became bolder. I took out my phone and said, "It''s going to be real fun to take some pictures and send it to Rita." However, David stopped me. With an amused look, he said, "It might be even more fun if we let her know after they sleep with each other." Agreeing with him, I put away my phone. When I looked at the cafe again, Nate was holding Lily''s waist as though he was ready to leave with her. I immediately sent someone to follow them. There was no way that I was going to miss such an amazing show. All of a sudden, we heard some noise, and David and I both turned in the direction. A girl in a uniform pointed at a man, and said, "You just touched me!" That seemingly wealthy man looked at the girl and said sarcastically, "Don''t sling mud at me! I almost gagged when I saw how t-chested you are! I think you must be trying really hard to get married to a rich guy like me, but even if you get naked and kneel before me, I still wouldn''t look at you. I am not that blind to go for a girl like you, bitch!" "Call some of our guys," David whispered in my ear before he rushed to them. Before I could even react, he punched that man in the face while protecting the girl behind him. Observing the situation, I noticed that David seemed to be really protective of her, so I wondered if he had a crush on her. It was no wonder that he was suddenly acting like a hero, saving the damsel in distress. I called over some of our men. We needed to at least seem aggressive and intimidating. The wealthy man covered his face, ring at David. "Who the hell are you? How dare you meddle in my business?" Without saying a word to him, David raised his leg and kicked him hard in the chest. The wealthy man fell to the ground and was not able to get up. He looked at hispanions and ordered them, "Damn it! Teach this bastard a lesson!" Rubbing my palms excitedly, I kicked my bodyguards'' butt and said, "Go get them!" While the bar was in chaos, I seized the opportunity to step on the wealthy man''s hand, enjoying his painful scream. Just when I was fighting with all I got, I suddenly noticed that two people were missing. Where did David and the girl go? "Damn it! Did they really just run away and leave me to handle this?!" I cursed while I smashed the wine bottle in my hand on their heads to vent my anger. Chapter 173 Lets Get Married Chapter 173 Let''s Get Married David''s POV: I took the opportunity and took Cathy to an empty box nearby. I could see that she was frightened. Her face was pale, and her body was trembling. What was more, her clothes were ruffled, and her beautifully coiled hair was now disheveled over her shoulders. Not only that, fear was written all over her pretty face. I patted her on the headfortingly. "It''s all right now. There''s nothing to be scared of anymore." Cathy pointed at my hand. "Y-you''re bleeding..." she said with a trembling voice. I lowered my gaze to look at my hand and shook my head indifferently as if the wound did not even hurt. I then looked her in the eye and solemnly said, "Let''s get married." Cathy looked at me in astonishment. "I said, let''s get married," I repeated, seeing that she was in a daze. "Is it because we slept together once?" Cathy shook off my hand and continued, "We were both drunk that night. It was an ident." "I don''t care if it was just an ident or not. I have to be responsible for you. So, let''s get married." "I refuse," Cathy said tly. If it were other girls, they would have been ecstatic. She, however, did not seem amused by my proposal. Although I was disappointed with her response, I did not show it. "Give me a reason why we shouldn''t get married. You''d better not tell me ame excuse like you''re poor and I''m rich and that we''re not meant to be together. In my eyes, family background is merely additional decoration to one''s characters. I don''t really care about it." Cathy pondered for a moment and then answered, "You''re too old for me." "Hey! I''m just eight years older than you." I did not know whether tough or cry. I must admit, I was not expecting that answer. "Eight years is big enough an age gap. My mother won''t let me be with someone much older than me." As soon as Cathy finished speaking, she shook off my hand, opened the door, and left. Of course, I hurriedly went out and tried to catch up with her. "Do you propose to every girl you sleep with?" Cathy scoffed when I finally caught up with her. I was dumbfounded. Truth be told, that night was the first time I had had sex. However, being a virgin was not something one should brag about, especially when you were old. How could I tell her that I was a virgin until that night? Cathy was a waitress in the bar, so she knew the ce very well. Although I tried to follow her closely, I eventually lost her. I returned to the box dejectedly. Fortunately, Charles and Spencer arrived not long after to apany me. Spencer looked around as soon as he entered the room. Seeing that I was alone, he looked at me with pity and asked, "Where is she?" "She ran away," I briefly answered, not in the mood for a chat.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Spencer was taken aback. "Ran away? Pfft. It turns out that you''re not as charming as I expected. I thought she''d be grateful for your help and agree to be with you." I sighed helplessly. "She thinks I''m too old for her." For a moment, Spencer was quiet. But, all of a sudden, he burst intoughter. Heughed so hard that he clutched his stomach as his insides hurt. "Damn! I can''t believe that you''re actually robbing the cradle!" I kicked him in annoyance. "Don''t go too far." "Why not? It''s hrious! Let meugh a little longer!" Spencer copsed on the sofa fromughing too hard. I was at a loss for words as I watched himugh and cry at the same time. For a second, I doubted if he was really my friend. Only Charles seemed to notice my wound. He kicked Spencer on the shin and ordered, "Stop it. Deal with his wound first." "Okay, okay. I''ll call Vivian." Spencer did as told, but he still had not stoppedughing. Vivian arrived a few momentster. She poured alcohol all over my wound to disinfect it. My wound stung and I frowned. But strangely... why did I not feel any pain earlier? "Hold on. The wound is a little deep." Vivian carefully treated my wound. Her hands were so light that I could barely feel what she was doing. "Charles, why''d youe sote? You just missed the chance to fight alongside me. Don''t you feel any remorse?" I asked teasingly while enduring the dull pain in my wound. Spencer rested his feet on the table and grumbled, "Cut the crap. You ran away with the girl and left me to fight alone." Sure enough, he looked as though he had just gotten into a fight. His shirt was unbuttoned, and he had several bruises on his body. He looked like a gangster. Meanwhile, Charles took a sip of wine. Unlike the two, he was unscathed. "You two are weak. It''s embarrassing to fight side by side with you. I''d rather video chat with Scarlett than fight with you." I stared daggers at Charles and gritted my teeth in indignation. "You really can''t resist the urge to gloat about your love life any chance you get, can you?" Charles chuckled. "Really? Well, I just can''t find a reason to avoid you. You''re my friends, after all." Spencer was dissatisfied with Charles as well. "Next time you quarrel with Scarlett, I''ll definitely laugh at you in your face. No, that won''t be enough. I''ll post your problem online, so thousands of people willugh at you as well." Charles looked at Spencer with narrowed eyes, "Go ahead. But I''ll be sure to issue a lonely hearts ad for you first." Spencer immediately raised his arms as if to surrender. "You know what? Let''s stop fighting. We''re friends! Anyway,e on. Let''s drink and forget that we''ve just said. I''d like to propose a toast for all of us." The three raised their sses and clinked them with one another. With that, they drank up the alcohol to drown their sorrows. Scarlett''s POV: I got up early today. I was full of excitement as I would finally see Charles after a long time. In fact, I spent thirty minutes just choosing the perfect outfit for today. In the end, I settled with a cotton dress that Charles had bought for me. Ibed up my hair and put on delicate makeup. I wanted to look stunning when I finally got to see Charles. Once I was all dolled up, I sat down on the sofa in the living room and waited for him. However, about an hourter, he still had not arrived. I was starting to get worried. He had never beente to anything. Just then, the doorbell rang. Excited, I stood up at once. Meanwhile, J followed and reminded me, "Mrs. Moore, watch your step." I walked to the door anxiously. Before I opened the door, I took a deep breath and turned to J. "Is my makeup okay? Is my hair fine? Does my lipstick look good and not smudged?" J smiled. "You look stunning." I opened the door excitedly, only to be disappointed in the end. Instead of seeing Charles outside the door, what I saw was a package. I frowned in confusion. I was not expecting any package today. Besides, who would send me that? J stepped out, took the package in, and closed the door behind her. Then, she put the package in front of me and reassured me, "Mr. Moore should be here soon. Would you like to check the package first?" I nodded in response. I opened the box, and my eyes widened in shock with what I saw. Inside the box were several photos in it, including photos of a contract with the signatures of Nate and my father. I put the photos aside, and I noticed that there was also a sh drive in the box. "I''m going upstairs. Call me when Charles arrives." I took sh drive with me and went upstairs. I returned to my room. For a moment, I contemted whether or not I should check the contents of the sh drive. In the end, I decided to do it. I plugged it into myputer and found that it only contained a recording. Without further ado, I put on my headphones and yed the audio. It sounded like two people were talking. One was Nate, and the other voice sounded as if it had been processed. "Wish us sess." That was thest thing I heard. But even when the recording was over, I remained in a daze. It took me a moment before I regained myposure. I stared at theputer screen, lost in thought. I felt as though my heart was torn apart because of what I had just heard. While I was in deep thought, my phone vibrated. I took a look at it and found that Charles was calling. I could not make my mind if I should answer it. In the end, I did not. I stared at myptop and recalled the audio I had just listened to. I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach at the thought of them. If all this was true, how could I face Charles? All of a sudden, a sharp pain shot across my heart and belly. I curled up on the ground in pain. My vision was bing hazy, and I felt that I was spiraling into the darkness little by little. "Scarlett..." I heard someone call my name. It sounded like Charles, and he was anxious. The next second, the darknesspletely devoured me. Chapter 174 Lets Divorce Chapter 174 Let''s Divorce Scarlett''s POV: Struggling to wake up from my nightmare, I stared at the ceiling until I gradually pulled myself together. I heard a sounding from beside me and looked at Charles speechlessly. When I saw his expression, I immediately figured out that he had already looked at those photos and he had heard the audio. "Do you care to exin?" My throat was dry as I said those words, but my heart hurt me more. After a long silence, he asked, "Are you going to believe me if I exin it?" I stared at him for a long time before I finally made up my mind and said, "Let''s get divorced..." I felt like the air around me was freezing cold. It suddenly felt like there was an invisible pair of hands, strangling me. Unable to look at the man in front of me, I lowered my head. "Okay..." Charles said in a low voice after a long time. The entire world around me fell silent at that moment. It felt like Charles and I were in two different worlds. My heart was aching so badly that it almost seemed like someone was stabbing me through the chest, but I knew that divorce was probably the best choice for us now. Three weeks passed, and Charles and I went to thewyer''s office toplete our divorce procedure. Thinking that it might take a really long time, I had set aside the whole day, but I was surprised to find that the procedure was over quickly. Only when I walked out of thewyer''s office, it hit me that Charles and I would have nothing to do with each other anymore. "I''m still the father of our child, so you cane to me whenever you need anything," he whispered in my ear. Without answering him, I looked into his eyes while a sudden cloud of sadness engulfed my heart. Sometimes, fate could really y cruel tricks on people... Time passed quickly, and I was almost nearing the delivery date. Charles had been with me to help me through it. I had been in the hospital for nearly a week now, but the baby was not about toe yet. Seeing that, the doctor told me that if I was not giving birth in the next twenty four hours, then he might have to give me an injection of oxytocin. But that very night, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my belly. "Charles..." I shouted in panic. Charles immediately stood up and asked in a worried tone, "What''s wrong? Does your belly hurt?" I pursed my lips and nodded while he pressed the bell. The next second, a group of medical staff entered the room. He followed me to the delivery room and held my hand to help me cheer up a little. I felt the pain in my belly getting stronger and stronger with each second. Charles seemed to be really agitated and restless. I have never seen him look so worried before. "Scarlett, don''t be afraid. Everything is going to be fine." Although he was clearly panicking, he still tried tofort me. All of a sudden, I felt the worst pain I had ever experienced, and something came out of me. The next moment, a loud cry shook the room, and the doctor said, "The baby is out!" Struggling to look at my baby, I closed my eyes, and fell asleep from the exhaustion. When I opened my eyes again, I saw Charles ying with our sleeping baby with a gently smile. He looked at me and asked in a low voice, "Have you picked out a name for him yet?" "No," I answered in a hoarse voice. Looking at me cautiously, Charles said, "We''ll call him James Moore, then. What do you think?" And I nodded in agreement. After staring at me for a long time, he suddenly asked, "Scarlett, do you still hate me?" I thought about it for a while before I replied, "No." The room fell into silence again. Charles yed with our son while I was on the bed, lost in thought. I went to see Lily as soon as I was discharged. Richard had found out that she had been the one who had sent the package, so I wanted to ask her something directly. However, when I saw her bulging belly, I was a little stunned. "Are you pregnant?" I asked, looking at her pale face. Lily nodded. "It''s Nate''s child." "How could it be..." Her words shocked me. She touched her belly with a smile. "As long as I give birth to the baby, Nate will give me a hundred million dors." I was not really interested to know about that, so I asked, "Why do you hate Charles and Rita so much?" With a smile of mockery, she said, "After Rita found out that I was dating Nate, she sent someone to my house to make trouble. My mother''s blood pressure was unstable at that time, and because of what Rita did, she died of a heart attack. Why would I not hate her? And I did not hate Charles at first, but after my mom passed, I began to hate every single one of those so-called upper ss people. And I despised them because they werepletely ruthless, ying with women like they''re disposable and using their power to get whatever they wanted..." Lily was so emotional that her eyes turned red. Gritting her teeth, she continued, "Since I''m having a hard time, I did not want to let them have a good life. So I continued to seduce Nate while I quietly dealt with my mother''s funeral. I thought that Nate would know a lot of secrets that were enough for me to drive a wedge between you and Charles. But I didn''t expect him to expose such a big one. So I secretly took some photos after he fell asleep that night, and I sent them to you along with the audio that I had secretly recorded before." After hearing that, I gave her a nod and said, "Thank you for letting me know." "Actually, I was so sure that you two are going to divorce. The Moore family did not help your dad when he was in danger, and they are just as cold -blooded as your father''s murderer." "You''d better worry about yourself. I don''t think Rita is going to let you go so easily." I could not help but feel a little upset. Our divorce was not made public, and I was still wearing my wedding ring. But for some reason, I felt like I was deceiving myself. "I''m not afraid of her." It seemed that Lily was not taking Rita seriously at all. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Without saying more, I left. On our way back, I asked J, "How often does Charles expect you to report to him?" "Once every hour," J answered subconsciously. But when she realized that she said something that she should not have, she quickly covered her mouth. Noticing that she was nervous, I smiled and said, "I just saw you looking at your phone from time to time in the cafe." "I''m sorry..." J lowered her head guiltily. "It''s all right. It''s only reasonable for you to follow Charles'' orders since you work for him," I said lightly. After resting at home for a short period of time, I was ready to start working again. As soon as I arrived at my office, Nina said to me with excitement, "Scarlett, they want to give you a promotion! You''re going to be a producer! Congrattions! But there''s a catch. They also say that it is the producer''s job to seek funds. Who are you going to ask? Charles?" After thinking for a long time, I said, "I will try Spencer and David." "Okay, as long as you can get some cash for the funding." Nina seemed to want to say something else too, but she stopped on second thought. "If you got nothing else to say, then you can get back to work." With that, I turned on myputer and began to work. Nina let out a sigh before she turned around and walked out of my office. That evening, I went to Spencer''s bar. The moment he saw me there, he teased, "What brings you here?" "I have a proposal, and I wanted to know if you''re interested to work with me," I replied with a smile. David, who was sitting next to us, also seemed to be surprised. "A proposal? Or did I hear it wrong?" "There is a project at the TV station, and I need sponsorship for it. I think you two are the best for the job." Spencer and David seemed to be a little hesitant when they heard that. Spencer teased, "You''d better ask your husband for help. He''s a lot wealthier than either of us." "He is not my husband anymore. He is my ex-husband now," I corrected him. "Besides, I don''t think that it would be appropriate for me to contact him in the current situation," I added. A secondter, Charles appeared. He frowned in surprise, looking at me. "What are you doing here?" "I wanted to talk to them about something," I said coldly before I stood up, intending to leave. "What''s wrong?" Charles asked again. "Nothing to trouble you with. I''m leaving." Saying that, I left at once before he could ask me more. Charles'' POV: Looking at Scarlett''s receding figure, I nced at Spencer and David as I asked with a frown, "Why did she want to see you guys?" They both exchanged nces and smiled. "Nothing serious. She just wanted to have a drink with us." I looked at them coldly and asked, "Do you want to y tennis?" "Hell, no! I don''t deserve to y tennis with you," Spencer answered with an awkward smile. "What is it?" I was on the verge of losing my patience with them and pulled a long face. "Well... Scarlett came to us about a project that needs sponsorship," David said. ''A Sponsorship? The Moore family has more than enough money. Would she really rather rely on them than relying on me?'' "I want you to let me know at once if shees to you again," I said through gritted teeth. "And what if she doesn''t want me to?" Spencer asked. "Then tell me without her knowledge!" I was trying my best to control my inner urge to strangle him. With a curious look in his eyes, Spencer turned to me and asked, "Did you two really get divorced? She just said that you are her ex-husband." "Don''t even think about it, Spencer. Or you won''t be around to watch the sun rise again!" Hearing my cold words, Spencer wisely decided to shut up. Chapter 175 An Irreparable Chapter 175 An Irreparable Situation Scarlett''s POV: I had been really busy ever since I became the producer. I would send James to the Moore mansion so that Alice could take care of him while I was at work. And I would go there to pick him up as soon as I was done with my work. But whenever I went there, it seemed that Alice wanted to say something to me, but she was hesitant. I could guess what she wanted to talk to me about, but I was not in the mood to talk about it. One day, when I was about to leave with James, she stopped me. "Scarlett, is it really over between you and Charles?" "Mom, do you know how Nate is connected to my mother?" I changed the subject, unwilling to talk about my rtionship with Charles. After a long moment of silence, Alice said with a sigh, "Well, the fact is, Nate loved your mother, but it was one-sided. Your father was the first man that your mother ever loved. Nate fought with your father several times over your mother''s love, and he was really unwilling to give up on her. And after your father passed away, he..." Before Alice could say more, I interrupted her, and said, "I understand. Thanks. I am heading back now." With an anxious look in her eyes, she asked, "Why can''t you stay a bit longer? Charles will be home soon." "James is asleep. And I am tired too, so I want to go home and have an early tonight." With a smile, I walked out of there, holding my son in my arms. I felt like I should leave before Charles returned, because I did not want to see him. However, just when I was about to start the car, he appeared in front of me. He stopped his car right in front of mine, blocking my way. I nced at my son, who was sound asleep, and gave up the idea of honking the horn. After thinking for a second, I got off the car. At the same time, Charles also got off his car. "What do you want?" I asked in a sullen tone. Without answering me, he got in my car, sat in the driver''s seat, stuck his head out of the window, and said, "Let me drive you home." "No, thanks." Saying that, I red at him. Charles nced at James, and said, "Aren''t you worried to let our son sleep alone in the backseat?" I hesitated for a moment before I got in the car with him. Charles then signaled his driver to drive his car away to make way for my car to pass. The drive was a silent one, and as soon as we arrived at my apartment, I tried to get off the car, but Charles locked the door. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Before I could say anything, he said, "I''m James '' father. If you want any help, you shoulde to me first." "There''s no need for that. Open the door. I want to get off," I said uneasily as the things that we had done in the car before kept popping up in my mind. However, Charles sat still as he stared at me. "Open the door, now! James won''t befortable sleepinglike this." Feeling a little low, I tried to urge him. Looking at our son, Charles finallypromised. I quickly got off the car, letting the cool night breeze cool down my heated face. The next day, there was news of Nate''s party for the wealthy all over the Inte. In the photo, Charles was sitting in the center, and there were two women beside him dressed in sultry clothes. "Why is Charles hooking up with them already? He just got divorced," Ninained, watching the news. There was a hint of sadness in my heart as I nced at her. "Scarlett, Charles and the baby are here," a colleague reminded me. Frowning, I got up to go out. Charles was indeed standing there with James in his arms. He smiled at me and said, "Our son can say ''mama'' now. I brought him over so you could hear it." I nced at James, who was sound asleep. Charles also looked at him with a pout, and said, "He was awake just a moment ago." "He is an infant. How can he speak at his age? Do you really think that I am that gullible?" I retorted. "I am not lying. I did hear him say the word!" Charles was really sure about it. Since I did not want to argue with him any longer, I said, "Let''s go." Following me out, he carried James to his car. "You either get in the car, or you can go back alone," Charles said casually, looking at me. Feeling helpless, I red at him before I got in his car. Soon, we arrived, but James started to cry before we got off, so I had to stay and coax him. "Did you change your perfume?" Charles asked me in a low voice. "You only live once, right? I am not going to stop with just changing my perfume, I will also be changing a lot of other things too," I said meaningfully. ''I can change my husband, too!'' I thought to myself. With a sad look, he stared at me. "I am goingto take James inside to breastfeed him," I said, holding my son in my arms. "You can feed him right here," Charles said in a deep, seductive voice. With a frown, I looked at him, but since James was crying uncontrobly, I had no choice but to compromise. I unbuttoned my shirt to feed my son, and warned Charles, "Turn around and don''t look!" Looking out of the car, Charles mumbled, "I was the only one who could suck on them before!" After James finished drinking milk, he fell asleep again. However, Charles continued to keep the car doors locked. It seemed that he was unwilling to let me get off the car. "Open the door!" I hissed, lowering my voice. But he still did not open the door. After a moment, he said, "Recently, Nate and I..." "Your business with him has nothing to do with me," I interrupted him. "I will exin it to youter," he said. I was silent for a long time before I turned to him and said, "There is no need for that. You should do whatever you want." With a cold gaze, he turned to me and asked, "Are you really happy that we divorced?" "That''s none of your business." I was being indifferent and did not even look at him. "But I''m not happy..." he muttered. I nced at him and continued to remain silent. All of a sudden, the atmosphere between us felt depressing, and even James moved uneasily. "Open the door. I want to get off the car," I urged him again. Charles finally unlocked the door, and I quickly got off the car, but before I could grab my bag, he took it. "Let me help." Saying that, he was about to get off the car. "Give me the bag. I can do it myself." Upon hearing my indifferent words, his expression darkened. "Are you trying to keep distancing yourself from me?" he asked coldly. I was stunned for a moment before I replied with a chuckle, "Of course, I am. You are my ex- husband, and we should be keeping our distance." Charles stared at me with a strange look in his eyes for a long time. I could not understand what he was thinking about. "Give me the bag," I repeated. Sighing, he finally handed me my bag. Holding James in my arms, I turned around and left, ignoring my ex-husband. Chapter 176 In Danger Chapter 176 In Danger Charles'' POV: I was in a foul mood as I watched Scarlett disappear from my sight, so I sullenly drove to Spencer''s bar. I drank one ss of wine after another, but I could not stop feeling so upset. "Why are you and Nate so close these days?" Spencer asked, looking at me in confusion. ncing at him, I replied in a low voice, "It''s all his fault that Scarlett divorced me." "Really? How?" Spencer seemed to be really stunned. Without saying anything, I just continued drinking. "You''ve been drinking a lottely. You should take care of yourself." With that, he took away my ss. The room suddenly became depressing as I continued to stay silent. Spencer put his arm around my shoulder andforted me, "I don''t think Scarlett is the kind of person to move on so quickly. You still have a chance, so don''t be depressed yet. But if you really can''t win her over at all, then I will pursue her. We are brothers, after all." All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. I punched his chest. "Do you have a death wish?" Spencer groaned in pain before he let go of me, covered his chest andughed. "Come on, don''t be mad. It was just a joke." "Don''t make such jokes about Scarlett again," I said, ring at him as I continued to drink. "All right, Cheer up, Charles! You are such a remarkable man, I am sure that Scarlett will love you again," Spencerforted me with a smile. "Shut up!" I snapped at him. "Okay, I''ll shut up." With that, he ced his hand on his mouth. All of a sudden, I got a call from Richard. "Boss, I have sent the photos and videos to Rita." His firm voice came from the other end of the line. "Okay," I replied briefly and hung up. With a curious look in his eyes, Spencer approached me and asked, "What happened?" I nced at him and moved away, feeling disgusted to see how interested he was in gossip. "Drink with me," I said and clinked my ss with him. He looked at me suspiciously before he picked up his ss to drink. At around midnight, I left the bar and went back to my apartment. Looking at the empty living room, I could not help but recall the days I had spent with Scarlett here. I finally realized that I was the one that had not been able to move on. I could note to terms with the fact that she had disappeared from my life ever since our divorce, and I was not able to snap out of it. Iughed at myself while I slowly fell asleep on the couch. Rita''s POV: Anger surged through my body when I suddenly received intimate photos of my father and Lily. I wanted to get an exnation from my dad, so I called him immediately. "Hello..." Lily''s raspy voice came through the phone. "Why are you answering the phone?" I questioned. "My dear, why are you calling me in the middle of the night?" Lily chuckled. And just when I was about to retort, she said, "Honey, your daughter is on the line. Come and talk to her." "Why is she calling at such an odd hour? Hang up, honey." I heard my father''s sleepy voice. "She''s waiting. Say something to her," Lily said to him. I could hear their conversation over the phone. How could they be so shameless? "What''s the matter?" Nate asked in a hoarse voice. Without answering, I hung up. I did not hesitate to go and see what they were doing now. By the time I arrived at my father''s vi, it was one in the morning. Soon after I pressed the bell, the door opened. Lily appeared in front of me dressed in a pair of sexy silk pajamas. With a perfunctory smile, she said, "Rita, here you are! Come on in. You must be feeling cold outside." "Get out!" I roared and was about to pull her hair. However, my father suddenly appeared in front of her, protecting her. "Are you okay?" he asked Lily in a concerned voice. Lily leaned weakly in his arms and squeezed some fake tears. "I''m okay. I didn''t expect her to attack me, though." "Drop the act and get out of here!" I red at her and was about to make my move. But my father scolded me coldly, "Stop it! Behave yourself and know your ce!" Pointing at my father''s nose, I hissed, "You think that you have the right to scold me? You already have one foot in the grave, but you''re still screwing a girl who''s my age. Aren''t you ashamed of yourself?" All of a sudden, Lily retched and said to Nate sweetly, "Honey, I haven''t been able to sleep well lately, and I am experiencing loss of appetite. Can youe to the hospital with me tomorrow?" "Okay," Nate replied tenderly. "Are you pregnant?" I asked, looking at Lily in horror. She nodded at me and smiled. "Yes, Rita. You''re going to be a big sister soon. Are you happy?" "No way! I won''t let you give birth!" I scolded her. "What are you saying?" My father roared. Lily leaned on his chest, sobbing. "Honey, didn''t I tell you that she would be unhappy to know that I am pregnant? Even though the baby is still in my belly, Rita hates it so much..." The more Lily talked, the more aggrieved she pretended to be. Seeing that, I could not restrain my anger anymore, but just when I was about to p her, my father stopped me. "Get out! You are not wee here!" he shouted at me angrily. I red at them, clenched my fists, turned around, and walked out of there. The more I thought of it, the angrier I became. I took out my phone and dialed a number. "Keep an eye on Lily, and kill her child when you find an opportunity!" I said coldly before tossing my phone aside. J''s POV: I was sound asleep when I suddenly heard Scarlett''s blood curdling scream, so I immediately rushed to her room. Turning on the bedsidemp, I asked with concern, "What happened, Scarlett? Tell me." Scarlett rubbed her sleepy eyes and said, "I was having a nightmare." She wiped away her tears, and hugged me, but I could feel that she was still trembling with fear. My body stiffened, but I patted on her back tofort her. "It''s all right. You''ll be fine." She let go of me, but she was still shaking. "It''s about time. You should get up and have some breakfast," I said before I walked to the kitchen to make breakfast. After she ate, the Moore family driver came to pick up James. "Mrs. Moore wants you to move back into the Moore family''s house, so that you wouldn''t have to be traveling back and forth," the driver said. "Let''s discuss itter," Scarlett answered perfunctorily. The driver then took James away. "I want you two to go with them to the Moore mansion," she added all of a sudden. "Let Tracy go with them. I''ll stay here with you," I said in a low voice. "I want both of you to go with them. I am feeling a little uneasy today, and I am really worried about James," Scarlett said in a firm voice. Hearing that, I had no choice but to go. "You be careful, and call us immediately if something happens, okay?" Saying that, I got in the car and left with them. On our way, some men suddenly stopped our car. They seemed to be well prepared. "What should we do now?" Tracy asked tly. "Call Richard." I then turned to the driver and added, "You stay in the car and protect James." With that, Tracy and I got off the car. They all seemed to be experienced fighters. At first, Tracy and I were able to take them on, but soon we were outnumbered and were at a disadvantage. Just when we were about to lose hope, Richard came with his men. After getting beaten up by us, those men fled in a hurry. Chapter 177 Terrified Chapter 177 Terrified Charles''s POV: Upon receiving a message from J that James was fine, I felt so much relief. Then, I decided to give Scarlett a call. But when the call connected, the one who answered wasn''t the person I had been longing for. "Oh, Charles! Scarlett is busy right now. Can I take the message?" asked Nina. "James almost got kidnapped. Please tell Scarlett to be extra careful from now on. And tell her I''ll pick her upter," I answered. Worry was apparent in the way I spoke. "What the hell? How did that even happen? Alright, I''ll tell her everything you said." Nina sounded horrified. And her normal cheery voice had be serious. Once I hung up, I drove to the TV station to pick up Scarlett. Upon entering the building, I saw her running towards me. I could see in her eyes just how worried she was. "Charles, how is James? Is he hurt? Oh, my God! This is all my fault. I was feeling something bad might happen earlier, but I didn''t keep himpany." Scarlett was holding my sleeve, and her hurried voice showed just how agitated she was. "There''s no need to me yourself. James is fine. In fact, you''re the reason he''s safe, because you insisted on lettingj and Tracy look after him." I held her in my arms, stroking her hair in an attempt tofort her. I was relieved that Scarlett didn''t push me away this time. With trembling hands, she hold onto my waist as if she were holding onto dear life. "It''s going to be okay," I muttered. Gently, I nted a kiss on her forehead and waited for her to calm down. A few momentster, Scarlett finally stopped trembling. The moment she looked into my eyes, all frailty and hesitation she previously had were gone. "I want to see James," she said. "Come on, then. I''ll take you home," I replied with a nod. Suddenly, Scarlett became tense as though she had realized something. She loosened her grip on my waist and backed away from me. "Sorry, I, urn ... I was really terrified." My heart sank at her remark. Oh, how I''d missed how she always threw herself into my arms whenever she was scared and neededfort. Not long after, I drove Scarlett back to my family''s house. The moment she disembarked from the car, she ran to James'' room at once. I followed her closely and watched as she sat beside James'' crib, caressing his soft cheeks. Our child was sound asleep and he had a lovely smile printed on his face. Later on, Scarlett left the room. Strands of her hair were covering her face, making her look haggard. It was easy to tell that she was absolutely terrified. "Are you okay?" I took a step closer to her, attempting to console her. However, I stopped in my tracks when I saw how she looked at me. I must admit that for a second there, I was scared that she''d push me away again. "I''m fine," she said. "Let''s go downstairs. We haven''t greeted Mom and Dad yet," she added. Scarlett didn''t even look me in the eye when she spoke to me. And after she had said that, she turned around and left. I could sense that she was avoiding being alone with me. I didn''t say anything this time, and just followed her. When we got downstairs, we saw how worried Mom and Dad were. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "Scarlett, you need not worry so much. James is fine now." My mother, Alice, approached Scarlett and gave her a hug. "Indeed. Have faith that we''ll find the culprit behind the kidnapping and send them behind bars," my father dered. He then winked at me furtively. I looked at Scarlett as she hugged my mother, and recalled how agitated she was at the TV station. No matter how strong she might be, she still needed someone dependable to rely on. Knowing that she needed a shoulder to cry on, I gathered my courage to be there for her and tried to ce my arms around her shoulders. But before I could get the chance to do that, she let go of my mother and swerved to avoid me. "Sorry to have made you worry. I got carried away. Anyway, I''ll be going upstairs now to apany my son." Scarlett gave my parents a smile, and went upstairs without even ncing at me. "Charles, what are you waiting for? Go after her andfort her!" my father remarked. However, I just stood there, watching Scarlett disappear from my sight. Scarlett''s POV: I went upstairs and closed the door behind me. Then, I gazed at James, watching him sleep safe and sound. It was then that I felt like the world came crashing down around me. Unable to bear it any longer, I burst into tears. I covered my face, rushing to the bathroom. Now that I was all alone, I let myself be vulnerable and cried myself out. "God, I almost lost James!" I said to myself. And even though he was safe and sound now, I was still heartbroken. If I couldn''t protect my beloved son, then I didn''t deserve to be his mother. All of a sudden, I heard a click, and then the door opened. Confused, I looked at the direction of the door. My vision was blurred by tears, but I could tell who it was just based on the person''s height. Charles held my face and wiped away my tears. He was looking at me with such pity and affection. I did my best to suppress my emotions, but when he held me in his tight embrace, I broke into tears once more. Bitterly, I cried and hugged him back. I didn''t even care that my tears were falling down his broad shoulder. Eventually, I calmed down. Once I had gathered myposure, I felt embarrassed when I realized that I had sullied his clothes with my tears and snot. I grabbed his clothes tightly. Even though I knew it wasn''t right, I couldn''t bring myself to let go. It was then that I wondered why God ever let me meet Charles. We were madly in love with each other, but we couldn''t be together. Now, there was nothing left between us aside from endless pain and heartache. All of a sudden, I received a call from Nina. I forced myself to stop crying and calm down. Once I was a little moreposed, I nudged Charles away and answered the call. After a brief conversation, I hung up and turned my attention back to Charles. "Do you think you can find out who James '' kidnappers were?" I spluttered. My heart was pounding in my chest as I recalled what happened today. "I''ll find out everything today. I promise." Charles looked at me with so much determination that it rendered me silent for a moment. Though I had been trying to distance myself from him, James was dear to his heart as well. "Nina called me for something urgent. I have to go back to the TV station," I said. "I''ll drive you there," he offered. "It''s okay. I have bodyguards, remember? I''ll just ask them to escort me there." Not wanting to be alone with Charles any longer, I decided to leave the room. But before I could take another step, he grabbed my wrist and effortlessly pulled me back into his embrace. I struggled to break free from his grasp, but obviously, I was no match to him in terms of strength. "Your bodyguards are investigating the kidnapping. You won''t be able to leave on your own until we find out who''s behind this. Scarlett, I''ll drive you there. Don''t make me repeat myself," Charles commanded. Albeit reluctant, I decided to take him up on his offer. Not long after, we arrived at the TV station. However, I didn''t get out of the car right away. Instead, I stared at his perfectly chiseled face for a moment. I tried to speak, but I found myself at a loss for words. Charles looked at me with a piercing gaze. "What is it? Do you not want to get out of the car or is it because you don''t want to leave me?" I willed myself to look into his eyes, and tried to stay as calm as possible. "I, uh... just wanted to ask you to tell me who the kidnappers are the second you find out." "Of course." This time, Charles was the one who turned his face away first. Though he was calm, I could sense that he was just as lonely and worried as I was. ****** At noon, Nina and I had lunch together. She was utterly shocked when she learned that James almost got kidnapped. In a fit of rage, she pounded on the table. "Do you even need to conduct an investigation? It''s obviously Rita! She''s the only person I can think of who''s capable of doing something so terrible!" "Charles is already investigating the matter. He said he''ll notify me once he finds out the truth." I poked on my food using a fork, and found that I wasn''t in the mood to eat. "Scarlett, you have Charles. There''s no need for you to worry. I''m a hundred percent sure that he''ll make the kidnapper regret what he did to James!" "We''re divorced," I said in a hushed voice. "Divorced or not, he''s still James'' father, Scarlett. You need to understand and acknowledge that he''ll do whatever it takes to protect you and your son," replied Nina. I stared at my uneaten food and sighed. That night, I returned to the Moore family''s house. Alice was cradlingjames in her arms and ying with him. My heart softened when I heard the baby''s giggling. "Scarlett, you''re back. It feels different to have a child now, doesn''t it? No matter how busy you get, you''ll want to deal with everything else as soon as possible, so that you can go home and take care of your son," Alice remarked as she ced James into my arms. "Indeed. I guess it''s a mother''s intuition, huh?" Imented. A wide grin appeared on my lips. I had to admit that Alice was right. At that moment, James gripped my finger using his small hands, and it made my heart melt. "James should be living here from now on. You don''t need to drop him off in the morning and take him back in the evening everyday anymore. It''ll be better for his safety," said Alice, looking into my eyes. "But I..." Just before I could refuse, Alice added, "Scarlett, you can also stay here after work. I''ll prepare a room for you. After all, we''re still family." "Okay. Thank you, Mom." I decided to just agree with Alice''s generosity. She was right. I had been too busytely that I barely had any time to take care of James. Staying in the Moore mansion would be good for my child''s well-being. And as for me, all I had to do was to avoid Charles as much as I could. Alice smiled at my response, and then we chatted for a while. Afterwards, he took James and urged me to go downstairs for dinner. The moment I arrived downstairs, I saw the butler hurriedly approaching. "Mr. Charles is back," he reported. Thus, I strode towards Charles at once. "Have you found out who the culprit is?" Chapter 178 Sow Discord Chapter 178 Sow Discord Scarlett''s POV: "Trust me. You will get the results today." Saying that, Charles walked back to his bedroom. He seemed to be exhausted. I did not want to disturb him, so I went to the dining room to eat. I sat in at the dining table in a daze even after I was done eating. "Are you done?" I heard Charles'' maic sexy voiceing from behind me. I turned around and saw that he had just stepped out of the shower. His light-colored shirt was tucked in his dark gray suit pants, showing off his firm muscr body. Charles had wide shoulders and a slender waist, which made him look dashingly sexy. "Have you found out the truth yet? Who was it that tried to kidnap James?" I asked before he sat down. "It was Rita." Charles ced his hand on my shoulder and gently pressed it, as though he was trying tofort me. "Aren''t you going to tell the police about it?" When I looked into his reluctant eyes, I felt as though a large pair of hands was squeezing my heart. How could he go to the police? After all, Rita was special to him. "Please wait for a few days." Upon hearing that, I looked down in disappointment. Just as I thought, Charles didn''t want to hurt Rita. "You..." He ate quickly and was about to say something to me when the phone rang all of a sudden, interrupting him. Seeing that, he frowned. "Answer the phone first," I said, ncing at his vibrating phone. It seemed like he really wanted to say something to me, but he was hesitant. In the end, he finally answered his phone, and after saying a few words, he took it, and walked out of the room. After sitting at the table quietly for a while longer, I went upstairs to be with my lovely son. The next morning, as soon as I woke up, I saw the news. It showed photos of Charles and Nate with two beautiful women by their sides. My heart sank as I clicked on it and the photos appeared. Charles was clinking sses with Nate, and next to them were Lily and Rita. Rita was the mastermind that tried to kidnap my son. I clenched the phone in anger until my hands turned pale. How could Charles talk andugh with Rita and Nate after knowing that she tried to hurt our son? How could he do such a thing? Thinking of that, I began to treble with anger. It took a long time for me to calm down. That whole morning, I was in a daze, unable to understand Charles'' reason for doing such a thing. I went to a cafe that afternoon to interview William. "You are more beautiful than thest time we met." Saying that, William pulled out the chair for me like a gentleman. "Thank you for thepliment." I smiled at him and got down to business. "Let''s confirm the details of the interview. These are some questions that I have prepared for you. Please take a look at them first." With that, I handed a document to him. He looked at me with a helpless sigh before he took it from me and said, "Rx. We''re in a cafe, not in front of cameras! It seems like you''re more driven than most men I''ve met." "Well... It is the only way for me to live up to people''s expectations," I said with a smile. William burst intoughter, and the room became more harmonious. Things went smoothly as we continued to discuss the details of the interview. All of a sudden, I heard loud familiar voicesing from upstairs. I immediately recognized that it was Nate and Rita. They were now under Charles'' protection, so why were they still quarrelling with each other? "Sorry, can you give me a second? I think I need to deal with something." I suppressed my emotions and gave William a pleasant smile. "Of course, I''ll wait for you." William was indeed graceful. Just when I was about to go upstairs, a waitress walked to me. "I''m sorry, ma''am. The entire second floor has already been booked by a customer." She seemed to be in a dilemma. "It''s Mr. Lively and his daughter, right? Don''t worry, they invited me." With a serious expression, I lied to her. She then stepped aside to make way for me. The entire second floor was in chaos when I walked up. There were broken cups all over the floor, and drinks sshed everywhere, leaving almost no ce for me to walk on. Were they the ones that booked the entire floor? Thinking of that, I could not help but feel that they were just causing a scene. Nate and Rita were in a stalemate while Lily was hiding behind him. No one even seemed to notice that I was also there. "Ahem!" I cleared my throat, which made them all turn to me with different expressions. "Scarlett?" Nate seemed to be overjoyed to see me, but he stepped on a ss shard and almost tripped. Lily held him just in time, and used the opportunity to hide herself in his arms to avoid eye contacts with me. "What? Did you see Charles drinking with us on the news? Is that why you came here in panic? Unfortunately for you, he doesn''t care about you at all," Rita sneered. I remained calm as I slowly turned on the recording in my phone. "Well... It was all Rita''s idea. She was the one that made me do it..." Upon hearing that, Lily immediately looked up at me in shock. "You asked Lily to drug Abner and stir up trouble between me and Charles, because you were afraid that he loved me too much, right?" I snickered, looking at Rita. I thought that she might try to fight me, but to my surprise, she ran to Lily, instead. "What the hell did you tell her? How can you nder my name for something that you did?" Rita sneered as she grabbed Lily''s arm. "What are you doing? Let go of her!" Nate stood in front of Lily and pushed Rita''s hand away. "Are you really my dad? How can you stand up for this bitch and not your own daughter?" Rita roared. "What are you saying? She is my woman, so you should respect her!" Nate seemed to be really embarrassed, so he pulled a long face, and pushed his daughter away. Rita fell over the couch, staring at her father in shock. And I was not in the mood to watch their silly farce. But judging from Rita''s reaction, I figured out that Lily was not as easy to deal with as someone would think. "Listen. Please behave yourself in public, and don''t let your family disputes trouble others. You are really loud." I gave them a polite nod, turned around, and walked downstairs. However, before I could take another step, someone grabbed my arm. I looked back and saw that it was Rita. "It''s really none of my business, but it was Lily who decided to drug Abner on her own! I just mentioned him to her. I never thought that she would take it that far!" Rita seemed to be more horrified than angry. "You and Lily are the same, and I don''t give a damn, anyway." Shaking off her hand, I turned around, and headed downstairs. I walked to our table and sat down, smiling at William apologetically. "Sorry to have kept you waiting." "It''s no problem. I was enjoying the stunning view here, anyway." Putting down his coffee cup, William stared at me. "I hope you''ll enjoy our cooperation." "I am sure I will. I want to live here for a while, so I bought a house. If I need any help, I will ask you. I hope it won''t annoy you." "Of course, not. It would be a pleasure," I replied with a smile. Once we confirmed the details of the interview, I said goodbye to him. As soon as I walked out of the cafe, J and Tracy were waiting outside for me. "Why aren''t you with James?" I asked, looking at them with a frown. "Mr. Moore said that we should be protecting you as your bodyguards," J answered. Although I felt a little helpless, I knew that the Moore family''s house was quite safe, so I simply nodded and took them with me. After I went back to the TV station, I handed over the interview documents. Just when I was about to get off work, Nina held my hand. "Come on, let''s go out for dinner. It''s our treat today," she said excitedly. "Our... Treat?" I was confused. "Abner and I are treating you! We got married, but we still haven''t invited you over for dinner." "Okay, then! I''ll make sure to order the most expensive dishes on the menu." Holding Nina''s hand, I walked out with her. She winked at me and smiled as she escorted me out of the door. We then got in Abner''s car. Soon, we arrived at a restaurant. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g "I wish you both a happy, loyal, and long married life." I raised my ss to toast. I drank one ss after another, slowly losing my consciousness, but I continued to drink. Nina took the bottle away from me and said in a serious tone, "Scarlett, you''ll pass out if you keep this up. What happened now? I can tell that there''s something troubling you." "Nina..." I called out to her, but I met her eyes filled with concern, I could not say anything. "I''m going to the bathroom." Saying that, Abner stood up and left. "What happened?" Nina asked again, putting down the bottle. I embraced her weakly, resting my head on her shoulder as I said, "He knows that it was Rita who tried to kidnap our son, but he is not dealing with her. Does he still have feelings for her, perhaps?" "That''s nonsense!" Nina pinched my cheek hard. I covered my face, looking at her, confused. "Isn''t it obvious that Charles loves you? You wanted me and Abner to trust each other, but do you even trust Charles?" Nina asked, looking into my eyes, which made it difficult for me to answer her question. ''How could I trust him? And even if I did, it will be useless. We''re not meant to be together, after all.'' By the time we walked out of the restaurant, it was dark outside. Thest ray of sunlight in the sky had disappeared without a trace. Since I was too drunk, I had to take Nina''s help to walk out of the restaurant. Soon, Tracy stopped the car in front of me, and J got off. She then helped me get in. As I leaned against the backseat of the car, I could not help but sense that something was odd about them. "Scarlett." My brain, which was numbed by the alcohol, was suddenly pulled back to reality when I heard a familiar voiceing from beside me. I looked sideways and found that there was someone sitting next to me. "Charles? Why are you here?" Chapter 179 The Ring Was Lost Chapter 179 The Ring Was Lost Scarlett''s POV: I was instantly sobered up, and I shot a cold nce at the man before me. Charles met my frigid gaze, seemingly confused. "Mr. Moore''s car broke down nearby," said J. "Take me back to the apartment first," I said. In all honesty, I''d rather not speak to Charles, so I just closed my eyes and took a nap after giving amand to my bodyguards. It was so quiet inside the car that I had forgotten that Charles was there. Momentster, I felt someone holding my hand, and this person''s hand was warmer than usual. "Do you have a fever?" I asked, frowning at him. However, Charles ignored my question. He just locked his eyes on my hand and gently stroked my fingers. Only then did I realize what he was actually doing. I wanted to withdraw my hand and attempt to hide it, but he had already noticed it. "Where''s your ring?" he asked, sounding calm; but to me his tone was frightening. Instinctively, I covered my fingers, but I identally grabbed his hand instead. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. We locked eyes with each other at the same time. While he was distracted, I quickly withdrew my hand and leaned against the car door. "I lost it," I said perfunctorily. "I see. Where''d you lose it?" he answered. I could tell that Charles was burning with anger based on how he was looking at me as if he would swallow me alive. ''Why is he so mad about the ring? Is it even important now that we''re divorced?'' "If I knew where I lost it, I would''ve went back to search for it already," I said in a voiceced with sarcasm. "Find it," hemanded. "Charles, don''t forget that I''m the one who bought the rings. Now that we''re divorced, the rings have lost their meaning. You should also return your ring to me," I replied. The way I looked at him now disyed just how indifferent I was towards him. And I was emboldened by the fact that I was inebriated. I reached out my hand to him, as if provoking him. "Stop the car!" The moment Charles blurted that out, the driver floored the brakes. J and Tracy, both of whom who swore to protect me all the time, didn''t even look at me. They opened the door and got off the car, leaving me to deal with Charles'' rage. "Scarlett, our rings represent a lifelong promise! How could you lose yours so carelessly?" For some reason, his eyes showed his vulnerability in the way he was looking at me right now. "A lifelong promise, you say? That''s riching from you. You didn''t even hesitate when you took off your ring!" I didn''t want to show him a shred of mercy, so I stared daggers at him. "That''s because you don''t trust me. Scarlett, listen to me. I''m not here to argue with you today. Right now, we''re all in danger. My only wish is for you and James to be safe and sound," Charles said with a bitter smile. I pursed my lips and looked at him in silence. "Whatever happens, don''t get involved in the dealings of Lively Group. Just stay away from their family. I''m taking care of everything already. You just need to trust me on this." Having said that, Charles grabbed my wrist and pulled me into his embrace. "Scarlett, whatever it takes, find that ring and get it back. Otherwise, I will never forgive you," he whispered. The warmth of his breath seeping into my ear made me tremble. "Bang!" After the door was opened and closed again, Charles left without looking back. The cold gust of wind entering the car from the window managed to calm me down. As I watched Charles walk away from inside the car, my heart felt heavy. I was uneasy and sad about how things turned out between us. When the door opened again, J came in and exined, "I called Richard to pick Mr. Moore up. We''ll drive you home." By the time I got home, that conversation I had with Charles earlier still kept resonating in my mind. ''If he''s really dealing with the Lively Group, then that would exin the news spreading all over the Inte. But even if he''s facing them head on, so what?'' I remarked inwardly. The man''s thoughts and ns were so mysterious and I felt really nervous. After gulping down a ss of water, I identally mmed it against my phone while putting it down. I paused for a moment, unlocked my phone, and found his number on my contact list. However, I couldn''t bring myself to call him. ''Just forget it. Let him do what he wants,'' I thought to myself. ''He refused to tell me about it before, so even if I ask him now, he probably won''t tell me the truth.'' ****** Time passed by quickly. Charles appeared to have disappeared without a trace. After thest time we met, I didn''t see him again. I didn''t even hear a single news about him. A weekter. "Scarlett, look at the news I sent you!" Nina said to me over the phone. I had just finished my shower when she called me. While drying my hair, I clicked on her messages. It was a photo. In it, I saw Charles amidst the crowd without even zooming it. His jet ck suit made him look noble and distinguished among everyone else. "Charles went abroad to attend a wedding of some noble family. But that''s not the point of the story! Check the next message!" Truthfully, I couldn''t hear Nina''s voice that clearly over the speaker. For a moment, I was dazed, but I soon regained myposure. The next news article was one about Nate being arrested for suspicion of fraud! In the picture, he looked so disheveled. He was bent over a police car, and his face looked haggard. This harrowing experience made him look a decade older than his usual self. "Did Charles do this?" asked Nina. "Nina, I... I''m not sure," I said. I clicked on the first photo Nina sent me and zoomed in on Charles. When I felt a cold sensation on my shoulder, I realized that I still hadn''t finished drying my hair. Thus, I continued wiping my hair using a towel. "I''m guessing he must''ve done this. But it''s a good thing that evil man finally received his karma. Do you want to celebrate his arrest?" Nina eximed with glee. "Actually, I have an appointment with Williamter. Would you like toe with me, instead?" I offered. "That sounds good, too! See youter!" Nina replied. After hanging up the phone, I sent William a text message. "I''ll be bringing a friend alongter. It''s Nina. You''ve met her before." Not long after, he sent me back a response. "I''m more than delighted to have thepany of two beautifuldies." Once I was dressed, I went to the appointed restaurant along with Nina. After entering the premises of said restaurant, the waiter led us to our table. Along the way, we bumped into two of our acquaintances; Spencer and David. Flustered, I looked around, but I didn''t see Charles. ''He''s probably still abroad right now,'' I remarked inwardly. Spencer waved at us and smiled. "What a coincidence! Would you like to join us?" he suggested. "Maybe next time. We''re actually here to meet someone," I answered. Afterwards, I chatted with them for a few moments before taking Nina''s hand and leaving. But just as we began to walk away, what David said stopped me. "Scarlett, Charles will be here, soon. Let''s have a drink together," he said. I was stunned at first, but then I shook my head and smiled. "You boys enjoy yourselves. We really can''t join you today," I answered. On our way to our designated table, Nina kept on staring at me, and I met her gaze. "What is it?" I asked. "If you really don''t like Charles anymore, you''re free to find another man. Don''t get so upset. It''s been so long since Ist saw you smile," she replied. Nina got close to me, poking my cheek with her fingertips. She seemed worried about me. Just then, the waiter pushed the door open. William entered, wearing a strapping suit and a bright smile. After we greeted each other, we all sat down. Seemingly excited, Nina whispered, "Hey, what do you think about William? He''s handsome and a gentleman. You two would make a perfect match!" I red at her and retorted, "Shut up, Nina! Don''t say stuff like that." "William, are you single right now?" Obviously, Nina didn''t seem to get my hint. She was even looking at William with great interest. "Is that your way of saying you''re interested in me?" There was a smile on William''s face as he gently cut his steak. "Of course, not! Why would you think that?" Nina countered. "Well, Scarlett is married, so why would you ask me such a question? Do you happen to have another friend who is single?" "No, Scarlett is already divorced! Can''t I ask a question on behalf of her?" Nina winked at him. My head began to hurt. I called out to Nina to stop her from ying matchmaker. "I''ve always admired Scarlett, and I think highly of her. What about you, Scarlett? What do you think of me?" asked William. "Sorry about that, William. Let''s not entertain such jokes." I let out an exasperated sigh, grabbing Nina''s wrist under the table to serve as a warning. Nina just shrugged it off and mmed up. "So, William, why did you ask me out tonight?" I decided to change the topic. "Honestly, it''s because I feel lonely eating alone." William raised his ss to me. I felt awkward because of this. All of a sudden, the door was pushed open, and I was shocked to see a familiar face striding towards me. The person who barged into the room was so dashing that he appeared like he came straight out of a painting. His beautiful tailored suit, sharp gaze and intimidating aura captured everyone''s attention. From every angle possible, he looked impable. "Oh, shit! Did he hear what I just said? I''m so screwed!" Nina gasped in astonishment. She grabbed my hand, hoping for the best. Charles swept his gaze across the room, still wearing a stern look. Finally, he walked to my hand, ced one hand on the edge of the table, and the other on the back of my chair. He looked into my eyes and said, "Scarlett, let''s talk after we''re both finished eating dinner." His frigidly intimidating aura almost froze me. I swallowed, feeling too fearful to meet his gaze. "Got it. I''ll send you a message once I''m done." ''Damn it! Why do I feel guilty right now?'' I asked inwardly. Charles leaned close to my ear. The warmth of his breath tickled me. "Drink some more. I''ll take care of you once you''re drunk," he whispered. His face was so close to me, and I knew in that moment that I must be blushing. This man knew that my ears were the most sensitive part of my body, and he was deliberately seducing me. "Anyway, I won''t disturb your lovely dinner anymore." Having said that, Charles went on his way. As I watched him walk away, my head was teeming with a myriad of emotions. Chapter 180 Wanted To Be Chapter 180 Wanted To Be Close_____ Nina''s POV: "You guys go first." Scarlett asked us to leave as soon as we had dinner. "All right, then. Be careful." Shaking my head helplessly, I left with William. "What do you think of Scarlett?" I asked William while I walked out of the restaurant with him. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "Scarlett is a good person, and she kind of resembles a family member of mine, who passed away," William said after a long pause. But I could clearly sense that he had a crush on her. After saying goodbye to him, I went to meet Abner. As soon as I saw my husband I immediately told him everything that happened in the restaurant. He listened to everything with great interest while sipping on his coffee. "Abner, William said that Scarlett resembles his dead rtive. Can you believe that? I think that he has a crush on her." Saying that, I looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to agree with me. "That''s none of your business! Why can''t you care more about your husband?" With that, he finished his coffee, held me in his arms, and kissed me. As the bitter taste of the coffee spread in my mouth, I couldn''t help but indulge in his warm embrace. Charles'' POV: I was waiting for Scarlett''s message. Thirty minutes passed... An hour went by... ''Does it really take this long to have dinner?'' Just when I was about to lose my patience, I got a text from her. "I''ll wait for you at the door." I put my phone back on the table after I read the message. Her text seemed to have dispelled the depression in my heart. However, I was still annoyed that she made me wait for so long while she so daringly ate with another man. "Aren''t you going to Scarlett? Didn''t she text you back? Why are you still here?" Spencer asked, waving his hand in front of my face. "Rx." While pretending to be calm, I raised my hand to check the time on my watch. "Hurry up! I heard that she''s been working overtimetely. I am sure she is really tired by now and wants to go home to rest..." Spencer persuaded me. "She''s been working overtime? Nah, I think she''s having a good time." The thought of Scarlett having dinner with another man continued to linger in my mind. "Hello, sir. I have been keeping an eye on thatdy like you asked me to, but she seems to be leaving now," a waiter said to me politely. ''What? Scarlett is about to leave? Is she really going to leave me behind?'' Thinking of that, I got up at once and ran out. "Wait!" I saw Scarlett getting in the elevator as soon as I entered the restaurant, so I rushed over to her at once. We were alone. I tried to calm down and steady my breath as I contemted what I was going to say to her. "What happened to Nate, does it have anything to do with you?" she asked. "Yes." The moment I uttered those words, the elevator fell silent again. I peeped at Scarlett, who was expressionlessly staring at the elevator doors. Why wasn''t she looking at me? "We''re alone now. Won''t you at least look at me?" I became furious, like a child that had his favorite candy taken away. "Well, no." Scarlett finally spoke up, but her brief reply only made me feel worse. "What? Do you like someone else now? Scarlett, you are really something!" "You probably forgot that we''re divorced." Scarlett stayed silent for a while, and the mention of our divorce jolted me back to reality. Stunned, I felt like there was a wet ball of cotton blocking my throat, making it impossible for me to utter even a single word. Scarlett got off the elevator as soon as it stopped at the first floor. Unwilling to let her go so easily, I rushed out to catch up with her. "Charles, help me!" A familiar sharp voice came to my ears, and I turned around subconsciously, only to find Rita and Liam there. "What''s wrong with Rita?" I asked coldly. "I don''t know. Apparently, she was forced to drink a lot, and that''s the reason I brought her outside. She doesn''t seem to be feeling well. She told me that she needed to go to the hospital," Liam exined. "Didn''t you know that she had gone through a heart transntation? Why did you let her drink so much?" I asked, staring at Liam discontentedly. All of a sudden, Scarlett said, "Not everyone knows her as well as you do!" There was a strong sense of sarcasm in her tone. I thought for a moment, and realized that it was jealousy. A wave of happiness crashed into my heart. "Take Rita to the hospital. Here, use my car." Saying that, I handed Liam my car keys and turned to Scarlett. "Scarlett,e to the hospital with me." "I''m going home." With that, she turned around and left coldly. I tried to catch up to her, but Rita grabbed my sleeve and pleaded, "Charles, please take me to the hospital. I feel like I am about to die." "What are you waiting for? Take her to the hospital," I shouted at Liam impatiently. Rita was so drunk that she kept touching me on our way to the hospital. "Charles, I feel terrible. Can you please hold me and kiss me?" "Liam, keep her under control!" I stifled my disgust as I drove to the hospital. "Take care of Rita. I''ll leave now." I dropped them off at the hospital, turned my car around, and immediately drove to see Scarlett. She was the only one that I could think of. A whileter, I stopped my car in front of her house, turned off the engine, and got down. Even after ringing the doorbell for a long time, she did not answer. Noticing that the lights were still on, I knew that she was inside. I quickly entered the password, and the door opened. I was surprised to see that she had not changed the password. A figure then stood in front of me in the dark hallway. It was Scarlett. "You are not wee here, so please leave." She tried to push me away in a fit of pique, but she could not match up to my strength. I easily walked past her and went straight in. "I''m warning you, trespassing is against thew. Believe it or not, I''ll call the police if you don''t leave now." Standing in front of me, she took out her phone from her pocket. "I just came back from the hospital, so I want to take a shower." "There''s no way I am going to let you do that!" Scarlett said firmly. Seeing her blush, I could not help but burst intoughter. I unbuttoned my shirt, unbuckled my belt, and took off my trousers... Soon I was only wearing my underwear. Scarlett was staring at me with a flustered expression, looking so cute. I pulled my underwear down a little. "Want me to continue?" The moment she heard that, she ran away shyly like a little rabbit. Chapter 181 The Truth Chapter 181 The Truth Scarlett''s POV: Charles stripped his clothes right in front of me until he was naked. He then threw his clothes on the floor, and walked into the bathroom. A whileter, I heard the sound of running water. ''How can he be so shameless? How can he act like he was in his own house? We''re divorced, aren''t we?'' Annoyed, I picked up his clothes from the ground and put them away. I suddenly sensed a unique scent. It was the smell of tobo, alcohol, and perfume,ing from his coat. Was that Rita''s perfume? My heart sank to the depths as I thought of that. No matter how much I tried, I could not control the anxiety that I was feeling in my heart. All of a sudden, I heard the sound of the bathroom door opening, so I quickly threw his coat on the sofa, but it was toote. When I turned around, I saw Charles looking at me with a smile. There was just a towel around his waist. Wiping his hair with another towel, he walked towards me. His strong muscles and his defined abs were making my insides scream. My heart was racing and I could not help but blush. Panicking, I looked away. Charles slightly leaned closer and looked at me seriously. "Don''t misunderstand. I didn''t sleep with Rita. I was just pretending when I was with Rita and Nate in the past few weeks. Don''t worry. I will not let them anywhere near me in the future." "Why were you pretending?" I asked, forcing myself to calm down. "I have always felt that your father''s death was somehow connected to Nate, and I approached them to find hard evidence." Upon hearing that, I was speechless. My father''s death left me emotionally crippled and caused me to divorce Charles. "So you have been trying to avoid themtely? Is that the reason you haven''t been in the city?" I asked. "Yes. They keep looking for me every day, and it is really annoying! I don''t want you to misunderstand me ever again!" "Actually, there is no misunderstanding at all. We''re divorced, so you''re totally free do whatever you want with whomever you want. I..." "Don''t say such things." The next second, Charles pulled me to him. Before I could react, I found myself in his arms. His scent mixed with the fragrance of the bodywash made me want to indulge in his embrace. I fell into a trance because of the familiar smell. "Charles, let go!" However, I came to my senses in just a few seconds and struggled. After all, we were divorced. He had no right to touch me now. Charles seemed to have guessed my thoughts. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. "Scarlett, I only agreed to divorce you because I cared about you and our son. Back then, you were emotionally unstable. The doctor said that you couldn''t be stressed out, or both yours and the baby''s life might be in danger, that''s the reason I was left with no choice..." Saying that, he continued to hold me warmly. I could feel his steamy breath brushing against my ear, and droplets of water fell from his wet hair, wetting my cor. Shivering, I tried to dodge him, but he stopped me in one swift move. My eyes felt a little dry as I said in a hoarse voice, "Let me go." "I only took Rita to the hospital to make you jealous. Because not only did you lost your wedding ring, you also flirted with other men," he seductively whispered in my ear. "It''s none of your business!" With that, I pushed him away. I knew that my heart would jump out of my chest if I continued to be around him. "Scarlett, will you give me another chance if I find out the real cause of your dad''s death?" He suddenly seemed very serious and earnest, unlike his usual yful and cynical self. However, I stayed silent. I didn''t know how to answer his question. He suddenly grabbed my hand, and added, "Just give me some time, and I will find out the truth." I could feel his affection as he stared at me with his tender gaze. There was sincerity in his tone as he waited for my response. "You should leave." Saying that, I turned away from him, unwilling to look at him. "I have felt it, you know?" Instead of leaving, he continued to talk to me in his deep, sexy voice. "What did you feel?" "I feel your love." Upon hearing those words, I felt like I wanted tough and cry at the same time. I was so confident that our time apart would heal my wounds, but that was not the case at all. "That''s your imagination." Denying it, I bit my lip hard. "Scarlett, if you are willing to give me another chance, then I am looking forward to seeing our wedding ring on your finger the next time we meet." Tears filled in my eyes, and I was afraid that I might end up crying in front of him if he stayed there any longer. "I''ll take your silence as a yes. That''s my cue to leave. Well, have a good night, then. Sweet dreams!" I had to bite my lips harder to force myself from shedding tears. And I did not cry until he walked out of the door, and closed it. Rita''s POV: "My darling, you''re finally awake!" The moment I opened my eyes, I felt a splitting headache. The air was filled with a distinct smell of disinfectant. It took me a while to blink the dizziness away and see that the woman in tears in front of me was my mom. "Mom, what happened to me?" I asked, struggling to sit up. "You were suffering from alcohol poisoning. Fortunately for you, Liam brought you to the hospital right on time. The doctor gave you a gastricvage, after which you fell asleep." Wiping her tears away, she held my hand. ''Last night... Some people forced me to drink a lot. Damn it! It must be Lily''s doing.'' Thinking of that, I kicked the edge of the bed angrily. Mom eximed, "You should not be moving now. I am sure you''re starving. Come and have breakfast." With that, she quickly brought me some milk and oatmeal from the table. After I had a few spoonful of food, I felt a little better. "Give me my phone. I want to call Richard." My mother handed me my phone, and I skillfully dialed his number. "Richard,e to the hospital. I have something important to tell you." Before I was done eating, Richard walked into the ward. "What do you want from me?" he asked indifferently. "Richard, you are the only one who can help me now." I tried to use my most pitiful voice to plead with him. I was quite confident that no man would resist my charms. "Yeah, what is it?" However, he spoke to me in a very t way. "I want you to help me find evidence that proves that Lily was the one that set me up yesterday." After I met his cold attitude, I did not want to beat around the bush. "You''d better check your family''s property details first. Nate is over. If Lily seeds in making him write a will in her name beforehand, then you will lose everything." "What?" Both my mom and I were startled. I quickly said, "So what if he makes a will? I''m his daughter while Lily is just an outsider!" "As far as I know, she is pregnant with Nate''s child. Unless..." Richard did not have to say any further for me to understand what he meant. ''Unless Lily miscarries, or the child is proven to be not my father''s, she will get everything.'' "Mom, you can go home. I have to talk to Richard about something." After my mother left, I got out of bed, and approached Richard. "Richard, you still have feelings for me, don''t you? Otherwise,youwouldn''thavetoldmeaboutthis..." "Stop it. If you hadn''t aborted our child, I would have done anything for you. I would''ve even risked my life for you! Now, it''s toote." My heart froze and my face paled when I heard those words. "Take care of yourself," Richard sneered. He then walked out, without even turning back. Only then did I realize that I had lost him for good. Chapter 182 Dont Give Up On Him Chapter 182 Don''t Give Up On Him Nate''s POV: Thewyer helped me get bailed out, but I could not go home as I was afraid of facing Susan and Rita. After wandering the streets for what seemed like hours, I finally plucked up the courage to go to the TV station. Perhaps, Scarlett was the only one who can help me get through it. Knowing that she would not want to see me, I stood outside, waiting for her. After a long time, I finally saw her. Taking a deep breath to gather my strength, I stopped her before she walked into the building. "Scarlett, let''s talk. It''ll only take a couple of minutes. Help me, please!" She seemed to be stunned for a second before she looked at me coldly and said, "I can''t help you, so please leave." "Have you forgotten that our families have been friends for generations? I often visited your family when you were a kid, so try to help me for the sake of my friendship with your dad! Could you really bear to see me go to jail?" Ignoring my pride, I knelt down before her. "I am actually looking forward to seeing a scumbag like you meet his end!" With that, she strode into the TV station. Her cold and ruthless words rendered me desperate. With nowhere else I could turn to, I eventually went home. Susan opened the door and said in a grieving tone, "You''re finally back." Not wanting to talk, I walked past her, sat on the sofa, and took off my coat. "Nate, are you going to leave your money to me and our daughter?" Susan asked as she followed me to the sofa. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. I found it really annoying that she cared more about the money than me. Furious, I instantly sat up. "Susan, I am not dead yet." "Don''t be mad at me! I am your wife, after all. Shouldn''t I know about such things?" "I am going to give you this house, so you won''t have to worry about finding a ce to live in the future. As for my money, I have decided to give it all to Lily!" "What did you just say?" Susan roared. "Lily is pregnant with my child, so I am leaving all my money to her." For some reason, I felt happy when I saw how enraged she was. "But Rita is also your child, isn''t she?" Her eyes were red as she continued to question me. "Rita is really ill, and she might die anytime. My money won''t be of any use to her in her condition." Saying that, I took out a pack of cigarettes from my pants and lit one. "You''ve taken this too far!" Before I could react, Susan grabbed the ss of water from the table and sshed it all over me, extinguishing my cigarette. "Susan, what are you doing?" I was choking and could not stop coughing. "I am trying to wake you up! We still haven''t divorced yet, so Lily is not going to get anything from you! Besides, I advise you to do a DNA test once the baby is born. Do you really think that you can get a woman pregnant at your age?" Her words felt like needles stabbing me. Without even giving me a chance to react, she left the room, mming the door shut behind her. I tried to calm down, but my mind was a mess. However, I could not help but ponder her words. After Rita had been born, I always had unprotected sex with Susan, but she had never gotten pregnant again, so how could Lily get pregnant now? I quickly changed my clothes and headed to Lily''s vi. As soon as I entered the living room, I heard Lily talking on the phone with someone. "Honey, are you going to have dinner with me tonight?" she asked in a sweet voice. Her words immediately made my blood boil. "Bitch, who are you talking to on the phone?" I roared as I rushed forward and pinched her chin. I was like a lion, attacking its prey. Lily immediately ended the call and exined, "It''s... It''s just a friend." Anger rose within me like a tide when I saw how flustered she was. I pped her so hard that she tilted her head and a drop of blood oozed out of her mouth. "Tell me, is the baby in your belly mine?" "It''s yours." She seemed to be in a hurry to exin as she covered the left side of her face with her palm. "Can you swear that it is mine? If you lie, then you''ll be sending yourself to hell!" "I swear!" Lily said in a tearful voice before she kissed me. "Let''s go to the hospital tomorrow for a paternity test," I said coldly. By then, my anger dissipated a little. "Okay, we''ll do it. But honey, it really is your child. I know that Rita must have said something bad about me again. She looks down upon me the most. Before, she wanted to make Charles and Scarlett divorce, so she made friends with me. And in the end, her n failed, so she put all the me on me. Now, she is even trying to separate us..." Seeing her cry bitterly, my heart softened. "Did I hurt you too much?" "I''m fine. I will be okay as long as you don''t misunderstand me. I love you more than anything, you know?" Lily nestled in my arms and gently stroked my chest, arousing me instantly. "How about we go to the mall and get you a new bag tomorrow?" "Aren''t we going to the hospital for a test?" "Silly girl, I know whether it''s my child or not." Scarlett''s POV: As soon as I got off work, I went to the Moore family''s mansion to see James. Alice opened the door and greeted me with a warm smile. "Scarlett, you are here! Come on in. James has been such a lovely kid." I walked into the living room, and when I saw that Charles was not home, I felt a little relieved. Alice carried my son in her arms as she walked to me. I took him from her arms, and teased him a little. When he saw me, he smiled andughed, gurgling cutely. I freshened up and coaxed my son to sleep. He was a very cute and calm baby, so he fell asleep soon, sucking his thumb. Looking at the sleeping James, I could not help but feel that he resembled his father. If we had not divorced, then Charles would have helped me put our son to sleep before we slept together, cuddling warmly. It was sote now. Why wasn''t he back yet? ''Is he at a bar again? Or is he having fun with girls? I am sure that''s what he''s doing!'' Thinking of that, my heart ached and I felt like the distress was making it hard for me to breathe. ''Damn it!'' It was a long night, and I stared at the dark ceiling the entire time, unable to fall asleep. I was thinking about the man who had divorced me. ''Why do I miss him?'' The next morning. James was still sound asleep when I woke up. I got dressed, walked out of the room, and saw Charlesing out of the guest room. "Good morning." All of a sudden I felt so embarrassed. Charles had to sleep in the guest room because I had slept in the master bedroom with James! In other words, he had not been in a bar the night before. Thinking of that, an odd sense of happiness came to my heart. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?" he asked, looking at me with loving eyes. I nodded and went downstairs quickly to avoid him from seeing through me. The family was having breakfast. "Scarlett, wait after you have breakfast. There is something that I want to show you," Christine said to me with a smile. I nodded and smiled back at her. "Okay, Grandma." After I finished eating, I followed her to her room. She opened a delicate wooden box and took out a ring. She then held my palm and gently put the ring in it. "Grandma, whose ring is this?" I asked in confusion. "This is my gift for you." Christine was getting old that sometimes even a simple action made her feel breathless, so I had to free one hand to pat her on the back. "Thank you, Grandma." I looked at the ring carefully. It had a beautiful diamond on it that glowed as bright as the sun. "Charles loves you. Please don''t give up on him so easily, okay?" Saying that, she took the ring from my hand and put it on my finger. Chapter 183 The Heir Of The Lively Group Chapter 183 The Heir Of The Lively Group Scarlett''s POV: "Thank you, Grandma." After Christine put on the ring for me, I was moved. "You''re a good girl, Scarlett. You should head off to work now!" she said. "Okay, Grandma. See you tonight!" When I got downstairs, I found that Charles was still sitting at the table. "J is a little busy today, so I''ll drive you to work instead. Don''t refuse my offer, or else I''ll follow you every day from now on!" Charles '' childish behavior had rendered me speechless. I decided to ignore him and just went straight to the car to open the door. Charles grabbed my hand and stared at the ring. "Did Grandma give you that?" he asked. "Yeah." As I spoke, I shook off his hand. "If you like it, go ahead and wear it. That ring is the heirloom of the Moore family." Charles got in the driver''s seat and started the engine. "Grandma gave me this, so of course, I''ll wear it!" I shot him a cold nce, looking smug. "You don''t even have one!" "What''s yours is mine," he said. With a smile on his face, Charles stepped on the elerator, causing the car to speed away like an arrow out of a bowstring. The moment we arrived at the entrance of the TV station, I noticed a tall man standing at the door from a distance. It was William. I waved at him and smiled. "Why are you so happy to see him?" asked Charles, seemingly annoyed. "Stop specting. William and I have work to talk about." After getting off the car, I mmed the door behind me. But before I could fully walk away, Charles grabbed my hand. When I turned around, I saw him looking at me with knitted brows. I tried to break free from his grasp, but he was too strong that I couldn''t even make him budge. Thus, I decided to stop struggling. "Scarlett, it doesn''t matter if you''ve lost the wedding ring. I''ve already asked someone to make a new pair. For the time being, you can wear the ring that Grandma gave you. But once your new ring is ready, you''ll have to wear that one." While Charles was speaking, I noticed that he seemed to be looking at somewhere behind me. Curious by the reason, I turned around and saw William standing behind me. ''Did Charles say that to me in front of William on purpose? How could he be so childish?'' I eximed inwardly. "Scarlett, I''ll be waiting for you inside." William shed me a smile before he turned around and left. "Well, he''s gone now, so you can drop the act." I withdrew my hand right away. "I''m not pretending or anything. I really am jealous. You''ve be a producer now. Why is the first person you''re introducing in your show William, and not me?" said Charles. At this point, I didn''t know what to tell him. "I hate it when other men try to get close to you. It makes me feel jealous, and I feel like I''ll go insane. So, please, Scarlett, just stay away from him, okay?" he continued. ''What''s the matter with him today? He''s being so unreasonable!'' "This is my job. My rtionship with William is strictly professional," I exined patiently. "Really, now? In that case, let me pick you up after work." Atst, a smile appeared on Charles '' lips. I wanted to tell him no, but he had already driven away before I had the chance. ''How did he manage to slip away so fast?'' I wondered. Rita''s POV: I went to Charles''pany and waited for him downstairs. When I finally saw him enter the building, I approached him at once. "Charles, I want to talk to you. It''s about the Lively Group." "There''s nothing for us to talk about," he said. Charles wouldn''t even dignify me with a nce. He walked on so fast that I had to speed up just to keep up with him. "Charles, please! This is really important to me. I really need your help this time. In return, I''ll do anything you ask of me in the future!" I cried. Finally, he stopped, turned around, and looked me in the eye. "Rita, I don''t need anything from you. You''re worthless to me," he grunted. "But..." "No huts. Just stay away from me, okay?" Having lost his patience, Charles gestured a few of his bodyguards to block me. I never imagined that he would be so cruel to me. ''No! I can''t just give up. I have to find some sort of bargaining chip to make Charles help me willingly!'' I remarked inwardly. ****** Later on, I went to the Lively Group and went straight to my father''s office. Tim, my father''s privatewyer was there, but I didn''t expect that Lily would be there, too. It suddenly urred to me that Richard once mentioned that my father was about to formte his last will and testament. The mere idea of it made me feel uneasy. "Rita, aren''t you supposed to be resting at the hospital? Why are you here? Are you feeling better now?" my father asked as if he really cared about me. Truthfully, I''d rather not look at his hypocritical face. I walked to Tim''s side and grabbed theptop from his hand. And the moment I saw what was on the screen, I found out that this man was actually helping my father draft a will! Nervously, Tim got up from the sofa and attempted to take back hisptop. However, I cast him a stern re to scare him off. "It''s fine, Tim. She deserves to know about it," said my father as he walked towards me. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g I shot him a cold nce. ''To think that I once called this pathetic man ''father'','' I thought to myself. "Rita, Lily has gone to the hospital for a checkup. The child in her womb is a boy. You''re going to have a younger brother soon. I sincerely hope that you try your best to help him manage the Lively Group in the future," he remarked. "Help him? My younger brother? Are you seriously going to hand over the Lively Group to the bastard in Lily''s womb? Are you crazy?" In a fit of rage, I mmed theptop onto the ground. "I know you don''t like me, Rita, but whether you like it or not, this child in my womb is unmistakably your younger brother. How can you say that he''s a bastard? If you refuse to believe me, I''m going to get an abortion!" ''Ugh, Lily is really a great actress when ites to this,'' I remarked inwardly. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she looked so pitiful that anyone would believe that she was wronged. I was amused by her reaction so I burst intoughter. "Lily, there''s no need to be angry. I believe that the child inside you is my child, too." My father embraced Lily and shot me a re. "I''ve made my decision, Rita. You''d best do as I say, or else I''m going to strip you of everything!" Having said that, he left along with Lily and his doofus of awyer. I was the only one left in the office. All of a sudden, I felt weak and copsed to the ground. In my despair, I noticed a safe beside the desk. I was aware that all the valuable documents and important information that my father kept were all in this safe, including information of his illegal businesses. ''My dear father, since you''re so cruel to me, don''t me me for showing you no mercy!'' A smile appeared on my lips again. Chapter 184 Quarrel In The Chapter 184 Quarrel In The Car____ Charles'' POV: Despite running into Rita, it didn''t sully my good mood. I wanted to pick up Scarlett from work on time, so I asked Amy to cram my schedule for me today, so that I wouldn''t have to work overtime. While I was focused on working, I heard a knock on the door. "Come in," I said. Amy pushed the door open and entered the office. "Mr. Moore, Mr. Valdez is here to see you," she said. "Let him in. By the way, Amy. One ck coffee for me, and one with cream for Mr. Valdez," I ordered. "As you wish, sir," said Amy. It was then that Valdez entered the room with a smile on his face. "Ah, Charles! Long time no see, old friend." He was wearing a tailored suit today. His jet-ck diamond watch was particrly eyecatching. "It has been a while, hasn''t it, Valdez?" Soon, Amy brought the coffee in. "Take a gander at this. The coffee was bought from Colombia. This year''s freshly roastedbeans." After taking a sip, Valdez nodded eagerly. "My, my, Charles! This coffee is quite good. But I do imagine that you didn''t ask me here for coffee, did you?" I nodded at him and chuckled. "Actually, I wanted to ask you about something. It''s about Nate." Valdez put down his mug and said, "Ask away. I''ll tell you everything I know." Scarlett''s POV: When I entered thepany, I saw that William was already waiting for me on the sofa. After shing him an awkward smile, I led him to the meeting room. When we passed by the washroom, I heard someone mention my name. "How did that bitch, Scarlett, be a producer?" The topic piqued my curiosity, so I stopped in my tracks. "Did you know that her backer is the CEO of Moore Group? They say that she''s given birth to a boy for him. With a backer like that, I''m sure she can do whatever she pleases." "Indeed! We don''t have any backers, so all we can do are the most basic jobs. s! I''m not sure if I''ll ever have that kind of luck!" "I''m sure we can learn from Scarlett''s example. Give birth to a child for someone wealthy and you''ll get whatever you want!" I asked William to wait for me for a moment, and then I went into the washroom. Those people ndering me were actually my female colleagues! Every time I ran into them, they would always greet me with a smile. I never thought that they were talking behind my back like that! "Why don''t you focus on your own jobs and stop gossiping about others behind their backs?" When they met my gaze, they immediately turned away with a guilty conscience. With that, I walked out of the washroom and said to William, "Sorry to have kept you waiting." He looked at me, seemingly worried. "Aren''t you upset?" "Getting upset won''t do me any good," I said, shrugging at him. Once I was done with my task, it was already lunchtime. William invited me to have lunch together, and I epted. We went to a restaurant near the TV station. During lunch, I picked out all the onions from my food. "Don''t you like onions?" William asked with a smile. I frowned at the question and said, "I''m not very fond of them. I forgot to tell the chef not to put any onions on my dish." "You know, Scarlett, you''re a lot like my sister," he said. "Really? Does she hate onions as well?" I asked tentatively. "Yes, she does. And your eyes look so simr, especially when you''re smiling." Having said that, William took out his phone and showed me a picture of his sister. "I don''t see a resemnce between me and her." I stared at the girl in the photo for a long time, but I still couldn''t find any simrities between us. "Maybe it''s just because I miss her too much," he remarked. William rubbed his nose, smiling sheepishly. "Is that so? Well, I wouldn''t mind letting you treat me as your sister," I said. I put a piece of beef into my mouth. It had been a while since I had such a pleasant lunch. After we finished eating lunch, I bade William farewell and went back to the TV station to get back to work. Time fleeted by, and soon, it was time to get off work. All of a sudden, my phone rang. "Hello?" "It''s me, Rita," said the person on the other end of the line. "What do you want from me?" I asked. "Let''s meet up and talk," Rita said in a hushed voice. "I don''t want to talk to you," I responded in a listless voice. And truthfully, I didn''t want anything to do with her again. "Scarlett, I want to make a deal with you. I''ll help you investigate the truth of your father''s death, and in exchange, I want your help to get the Lively Group." "Sorry, but I''m just a producer at a TV station. I can''t help you with that," I countered. "As long as you ask, Charles will help out. I swear to you, Scarlett, I''m going to do my best to find out the truth of your father''s death." I could hear just how agitated, yet determined Rita was from the sound of her voice, and it made me reconsider for a bit. "Fine. I''ll think about it. Bye." After hanging up the phone,plicated emotions crept into my heart and I was no longer in the mood to continue working. Thus, I packed up and prepared to go home. It suddenly urred to me that Charles mentioned that he''d pick me up after work. After a moment of hesitation, I decided to call J. "J,e pick me up at the TV station''s entrance. No, wait! I''ll meet you at the back door instead," I spluttered. "I''m at the front door already," said J. ''How did she get here so fast?'' I wondered. When I walked out of the building, J''s car was indeed already there. I trotted over to open the door, only to find that Charles was also in the car. "What are you doing in there?" I asked. "My car broke down. So I need a ride," he said cheekily. "Your car hasbeenbreakingdown too frequently," I argued. Charles'' face turned red. I was amused by his reaction. ''Why is he always making up such clumsy excuses?'' I wondered. "I told you that I''d pick you up after work. Why did you have to call J?" he asked, seemingly annoyed. I felt guilty because of this. "Did Ritae to you today?" To ease the tension, I decided to change the topic. "She did," said Charles, nodding. "She called me just moments ago, asking me to help her get the Lively Group. Then, she told me that she''d help me investigate the truth of my father''s death." I decided to tell Charles exactly what Rita told me earlier. "Did you tell her you''d help her out?" asked Charles. "Not yet," I said. "Why? Is it because you don''t want to ask me for help?" Charles leaned over with a smug smile on his face. I sat farther away from him, and said, "I''m worried that Rita might be ying me for a fool." "So, you''re certain that I''ll help you, huh?" Charles asked. He was starting to get on my nerves. ''Does he really have to make me admit it?'' This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Not wanting to talk to him anymore, I turned my attention to view outside the window and ignored him. Chapter 185 Possessiveness Chapter 185 Possessiveness Charles'' POV: Grandma was more than happy to see me and Scarlett return to the Moore family mansion together. She even gave me a wink when she saw us together. Looking at her, I shook my head helplessly. Upon seeing that, her smile faded away, and she muttered, "You really are useless!" What had I done now? Besides, it was really hard for me to figure out what was on Scarlett''s mind. I had already told her a million times that I really loved her, but she kept refusing to believe me. Grandma waved to Scarlett and said, "Scarlett,e have dinner with us." "Okay, Grandma." The dinner spread was indeed quite sumptuous, from simple sandwiches, pies to exquisite steak, andmb chops, everything was prepared to perfection. Looking at me, Grandma motioned for me to sit next to Scarlett. "Where did you have lunch?" I took the initiative to make conversation with Scarlett. "I had lunch with William at a restaurant near the TV station." Scarlett seemed to be deliberately emphasizing the fact that she had lunch with William, just to piss me off. "Didn''t you say that you aren''t that close with him? Why did you have lunch with him, then? It might cause people to misunderstand your rtionship, don''t you agree?" I retorted, feeling a little jealous. "Charles, it''s none of your business!" Scarlett scolded. I wanted to say more, but Grandma walked out of the kitchen with a dish in her hands. "Scarlett, Charles sent me a message mentioning that you areing tonight for dinner, so I specially cooked a few more dishes. Try them and see if you like them." "Thank you, Grandma. I am sure I''ll enjoy them," Scarlett replied happily, which waspletely different from the way she treated me. Grandma seemed to notice that, and said with a smile, "Scarlett, why don''t you stay here with James tonight? Surely, he wants to be with his parents." "That would bepletely pointless, because Scarlett doesn''t want to stay here," I said indignantly. "I''ll be with James in the nursery tonight. After all, Charles and I are divorced, so it won''t be appropriate for us to sleep in the same bed," Scarlett said bluntly. All of a sudden, the air in the room felt unusually cold. Hearing her cruel words, I felt my heart ache. "Grandma, I''m full. I''ll go upstairs to check on James. Enjoy yourselves." With that, Scarlett stood up and left the table. I put down the tableware. Watching her receding figure, I felt powerless. ''Scarlett, what on earth do I have to do to make you forgive me?'' I thought to myself. A whileter, my father''s voice brought me back to reality. "Charles, why are you sitting there in a daze?" "Dad..." I said to him sullenly. "Is Scarlett back?" he asked, sitting down at the table. "Yes, she came to see James." "What''s going on between you two? Did she find out about the fake divorce?" "Dad, how do you know about it?" I was stunned. "Thewyer told me, of course!" "Please keep it a secret for me. I don''t want her to know the truth yet." "Why so?" "I''ve done a lot of hurtful things to her in the past. Consider this as my way of making it up to her. I just hope that she will ept me again someday." This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Without saying more, my father nodded at me. "Don''t tell anyone about it," I added, ncing at the servants. "Understood, sir." The servants understood my warning immediately. "You may leave now. I want to talk to my son in private." There seemed to be something on my father''s mind. "Dad, what''s the matter?" "I heard that Nate is going to hold a banquet at the MC Hotel tonight. Do you know the guests he''s inviting?" My father asked in a low voice. "Dad, don''t worry. There is no one who can save him now. He deserves everything he gets!" I promised him. "That helps put my mind at ease. You should go upstairs. Scarlett and James are waiting for you," he urged me. "Alright, then. Enjoy your dinner, Dad." Saying that, I walked to the master bedroom upstairs, and pushed open the door, but no one was inside. Seeing that, I immediately walked to the nursery. I gently pushed the door open, and saw Scarlett standing beside the crib, ying with our son while he was pulling the buttons on her shirt yfully. "My darling, Mommy loves you." Scarlett leaned over and kissed James'' tender face. I couldn''t help but walk to the crib. Scarlett turned to me and asked, "What are you doing here?" "I came here to see James." With that, I tenderly pinched my son''s face. I nced at Scarlett and reminded, "Your shirt buttons are open." She immediately buttoned up her shirt, blushing. "Get out." "I have the right to stay here with my son." Looking at her blushing face, I had an urge to pull her into my arms and kiss her. "If you don''t leave now, I am going to call the others and tell them that you''re trying to molest me!" Scarlett was standing, but because she was so short, she had to look up at me. I ignored her and asked, "James, tell me, would you like daddy to be with you tonight?" James looked at me nkly. A whileter, he opened his cute mouth and blew out a bubble. While I was caught off guard, Scarlett pinched my face with her left hand. It was the first time that she had done such a bold thing to me ever since we separated. I was stunned for a moment, but a secondter, I felt the pain and hissed, "Woman, do you know what you are doing?" Scarlett let go of my cheek and said, "What? My son and I don''t want yourpany tonight!" She then pushed me out of the room, and closed the door on my face. Feeling reluctant, I walked back to the master bedroom, rubbing my face. Chapter 186 Fake Result Chapter 186 Fake Result Scarlett''s POV: All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. The next morning, I got up and walked downstairs when my son was still asleep. I rubbed my sore eyes and yawned as I walked. When I heard the sound of news on TV, I immediately jolted back to reality. "Scarlett,e here! Look at this. The news says that Nate had something to do with your father''s death!" Christine said in an excited voice, waving at me while she sat on the sofa. I rushed to her side and saw that a reporter was interviewing Nate on TV. "It''s all just rumors. People are trying to nder me. I can swear that I have never done such a thing! And I know that the police and the judge will also agree with me!" Nate swore with his hand in the air, looking righteous and aweinspiring. "What a hypocrite!" I sneered. All of a sudden, I heard a noiseing from behind me, so I turned around and found Charles. Our faces were so close that I could even see my reflection in his shiny eyes. "Don''t worry. No matter how much he tries to justify himself, the truth wille out," Charles said in a serious tone, looking at me. I gave him a nod before I stepped back to put a safe distance between us. Charles'' words seemed to work like magic as they calmed me down instantly. When I looked at Nate, who was acting so righteous on TV again, I felt like he was being ridiculous. He looked like a weak mouse that had been cornered by the cat. After I had breakfast, J drove me to the TV station. Lily''s POV: I was lying down on the sofa in the ss greenhouse at Nate''s vi, resting as I enjoyed the gentle morning sun and a crisp fragrance of the dew. All of a sudden, I heard a loud sound. I immediately sat up, panicking, and found Rita pushing open the door and storming towards me, apanied by many burly-looking men. "Rita! What do you think you''re doing? This is my home!" While attempting to stop her, I identally slipped and fell from the sofa. Rita looked down at me and sneered, "Your home? What? Do you really believe that you''re the hostess of the Lively family now?" "No, don''t get me wrong. Obviously, you are the princess of this family, after all, you are Nate''s daughter..." Knowing that her intentions might not be very nice, I tried to coax her while I quietly reached for my cellphone to call Nate. But to my surprise, Rita saw through it, approached me, and snatched the phone away from me. With a disdainful smile on her lips, she looked at the screen before she turned to her bodyguards and signaled to them. "What a hypocritical bitch! You don''t deserve to give birth to my father''s child at all. Hurry, take her away!" As soon as she gave the order, two bodyguards immediately approached me with an unfriendly look in their eyes. Frightened, I took a step back and screamed in a shrill voice, "Rita! Does your father know about this? He would never allow you to treat me this way!" "I don''t care what he thinks. We''ll see how he reacts when he finds out, won''t we?" Rita cast a cold nce at my belly, making me shiver. "My son is the heir of Lively Group. If you dare to hurt me or him, Nate won''t let you go!" I struggled to free myself from the bodyguards '' grip, but I was no match for their strength. "Let''s go." Rita turned around elegantly, making the hem of her white skirt flow with the wind, like a row of white flower petals. On the outside, she looked beautiful and pure, but on the inside, she was truly a vicious demon! Her bodyguards dragged me to the hospital, and she asked the doctor to do a paternity test for my baby. "Help! Can someone please help me?" I shouted. And the next moment, one of the bodyguards rudely pinned me against the chair and covered my mouth with his rough hands. A long timeter, I saw the doctor handing a report to Rita. Reading it, Rita looked at me with a gloomy expression. "What? I can''t believe that she''s actually carrying my father''s child in her belly!" I shrank back in fear, sensing an ominous premonition. By the time I was sent back to Nate''s vi, it was in the afternoon. I copsed to the floor in a daze, and stayed there for a long time before I finally came to my senses and staggered back to my room. I wanted to pack up and leave as soon as I could. But when I pushed open the door holding the suitcase in my hand, I was stunned to see Rita''s bodyguards standing outside, separating me from my freedom. I immediately shrank back again and felt my legs go soft before I fell to the ground weakly. With a t look in their eyes, the bodyguards nced at me before they reached out to close the door behind them. "You can''t leave without permission." Upon hearing that, I immediately crawled to the bodyguard, held his feet as I looked at him pitifully. "Wait! Please let me go. I''ll pay you twice as much as Rita does!" But my words had no effect at all as the man continued to pick me up, threw me back inside the house, and mmed the door shut. As I slumped to the floor, I looked at the closed doors with a sense of despair in my heart. Rita already had proof that my baby was indeed Nate''s, so what more could she possibly want now? I wanted to call for help, but I suddenly realized that Rita still had my phone. I couldn''t help but tremble as I prayed that she would never find out the secrets in my phone. After a long time, the door made a creaking sound as it was pushed open. Nate was standing at the door. I couldn''t see his expression in the darkness, but I wanted to hug him and pour out the grievances in my heart. To my surprise, I was not greeted with hisforting soft voice, but a hard p against my cheek. It was so loud that it echoed in the vi. Covering my cheek, I looked at the man in front of me in disbelief. "What are you doing? Rita bullied me all morning, and now you''re pping me?" "Rita bullied you?" Looking into his cold eyes, I was immediately reminded of Rita''s indifferent nce from that morning. Their coldness was identical, proving that they were both from the same family, indeed. However, looking at him being so cruel made my heart sink. "Tell me the truth. Who is the father of the bastard in your belly?" Nate roared, approaching me with a furious look. "How can you call our son a bastard? He is our child, after all!" I was on the verge of a breakdown. Rita got the paternity test results! Did she not tell Nate about it? Before I knew, Nate grabbed me by my neck and threw me on the table. "Ah!" I felt like my body was cut in half and let out a painful scream. Subconsciously, I touched my belly. While I was still in a trance, Nate picked up something and threw them on my face, causing me pain. Many photos were scattered on the floor in front of me. I widened my eyes in horror when I saw the photos. They were all pictures of me, naked, with different men. "No! Please trust me, Nate. I have always been on birth control until we met, so it is impossible for me to be pregnant with their child!" I exined at once, understanding his suspicion. However, Nate continued to look at me coldly as he grabbed me by my cor, lifting me up, and pressing my head against the table. "You lying bitch!" he cursed. "I am not the one lying to you! Rita got a paternity test done today, and the result proved that the baby in my belly is indeed yours!" Horrified, I grabbed his hand with tears gushing out of my eyes. Nate''s breath came into short gasps as he red at me fiercely, making my hair stand. "Moreover, I have only slept with you ever since we met, and I haven''t even been in contact with anyone else." I summoned my courage to look into his eyes while I begged for his trust. "Is that so? Look at this!" Sneering, he loosened his grip on my hair and threw a report in front of me. Hesitating for a moment, I opened the report and saw that my child was not rted to Nate at all. "How is this possible?" I was stunned. "What else do you have to say for yourself, bitch?" Nate roared before he threw another punch at me and kicked me. "No, Nate... That report is faked! It''s a fake!" I was really hurting, so I could not hold back my tears at all. "Shut up! I don''t want to hear your lies!" he shouted at me again and kicked me on my belly. Feeling a sharp piercing pain, I instantly lost consciousness, and let the darkness swallow me. Chapter 187 Im Drunk Chapter 187 I''m Drunk Nate''s POV: This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. With a sneer at the corners of my mouth, I looked at Lily, who was unconscious on the floor. Her body was covered with wounds, and her dress was stained with blood. I smiled with satisfaction as I stared at the misery and degradation before my eyes. I heard footstepsing closer. I looked up and saw that it was Rita and Susan. Thetter nced at me, her body trembling like a leaf. Susan looked away from the bloody scene in front of her and clutched Rita''s arm tightly. Rita caressed the back of her mother''s hand and reassured her, "Mom, it''s okay. She deserves it." She helped Susan to a chair. Then, she walked up to me and held up my hand. The sequins on Lily''s dress had scratched the back of my hand, making it bleed. "Why do you have to do it yourself? It''s not worth the trouble. Look at you. You''ve hurt yourself." Rita looked at me with pity. Without another word, she fetched the first aid kit and treated my wound. I could not help but recall the past as I gazed at my daughter, who was bandaging my hand. I often said harsh words to her for Lily''s sake. And now, I regretted it. "Is she dead?" Susan asked, terrified. "I''ll call 911. It''ll only cause us trouble if she dies here." Rita closed the first aid kit and calmly took out her phone to call the emergency hotline. A few momentster, the siren of the ambnce came from outside the vi. The bodyguard then carried Lily, who had been lying on the floor like a ragdoll, out. Rita pulled Susan up and then turned to me. "Mom and I will go to the hospital and keep an eye on Lily. Dad, do you want toe with us and have your wound checked?" I waved my hand in refusal. Once they were gone, the vi fell into dead silence again. I looked at the mess in the room. My eyes fell on the nude photos scattered on the floor, and I felt a headacheing on. She was barely a B-list celebrity. How could she betray me? I unconsciously clenched the armrest of my chair. It aggravated the wound on the back of my hand. Blood oozed out of it, staining the gauze red. Beep. Beep. My phone suddenly rang, breaking the silence. I took out my phone and saw that I had received an email. My eyes widened in shock when I saw the subject. "The DNA result shows that there is a parent- child rtionship." The result of the paternity test was totally different from the one Rita had given me. In a fit of anger, I stood up abruptly. My chair got knocked over, and the sound of it echoed in the house. I was so furious that my anger beclouded my reasoning. "Rita, how dare you lie to me?!" I roared. I picked up the car key, rushed to the garage, and drove to the hospital. Scarlett''s POV: It was now time to get off work. As I walked out of thepany, I saw Charles waiting for me across the street. Although the area was bustling with people, I recognized him at a nce because of his handsome appearance and excellent demeanor. Several women were staring at him not far away. For some reason, I was a little ufortable with the way they were looking at him. At that moment, Charles walked towards me and offered, "Scarlett, let me drive you to the Moore mansion." I shook my head in refusal. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that the women, who had eyes for Charles, turned around and left dejectedly. I felt happy deep inside. But I immediately caught myself. What was I doing? So what if some women had a crush on Charles? "What''s wrong?" Charles worriedly asked, seeing that I was lost in thought. It was only then that I came to my senses. I raised my head and saw that he was leaning over to me and looking at me with concern. We were so close that our breath intertwined with each other. Not only that, the atmosphere between us had suddenly be warm and romantic. I looked away. "I want to go home now." Charles pursed his lips and looked me in the eye. "Don''t you want to go to the Moore mansion and see our son?" Our son? I was stunned. There was "our" in the past. Not anymore now. There was no need for me to get close to him, even if it was because of James. Instead of asking more questions, Charles changed the subject. "I heard that Lily had a miscarriage." "What? How could it be?" I asked, bewildered. "Rita had made trouble between Nate and Lily and manipted Nate into killing the baby," Charles replied in a cold tone. Without waiting for my response, he grabbed my hand and pulled me into the car. "Enough about her. I''ll drive you back to Garden Street." "You don''t need to drive me back yourself. J will drive me home." I withdrew my hand and walked quickly to the parking lot. Charles jogged to catch up with me. Then, he stopped in front of me and asked, "You don''t have to avoid me even if we really divorced." "Even if? We have divorced!" I corrected him. Charles opened his mouth to speak, but his phone suddenly rang. "It seems that you have something to do now. I won''t hold you up any longer." I smiled politely and walked past him. But just after taking a step, he grabbed me with one hand and answered the phone with the other. Charles only said a few words over the phone then hung the call up. Judging from his words, I figured that it must have been Spencer. I took the opportunity to withdraw my hand. "How could you decline your friend''s invitation? Don''t waste your time on me. Go and meet with Spencer. Maybe he has something important to talk to you about." Charles''s eyes darkened. "Aren''t you afraid that something will happen to me when I get drunk?" "Oh,e on. You''ve been drinking a lot with him and David all the time. If something were to happen to you, it would''ve happened already," I retorted. Charles fell into deep thought. After a moment''s silence, he promised, "I know. I will restrain myself from drinking with them in the future." I looked at him in a daze. He did not seem to understand what I had meant. Nowhere in my sentence did I ask him to restrain himself from seeing his friends. "Drinking too much isn''t good for me and our family. Scarlett, have you calcted how many days we can be together in a year?" I forced a smile. "No. I haven''t calcted it, and I don''t think I will. Just go." Charles''s face turned dark and gloomy. He took a step closer to me and asked aggrievedly, "Do you hate me that much?" "Yes," I answered without missing a beat. Fortunately, J had finally arrived. I pushed Charles and opened the door of my car. Once I was seated, I cast a nce at Charles, who was looking at me with a gloomy face, and then ordered J, "Go to the Moore mansion." Charles usually would not go back to the Moore mansion after drinking. I might as well go and see James while Charles was away. Charles''s POV: I stood frozen in the spot as I watched Scarlett''s car drive away. That woman was so cruel. Even though I knew that there was nothing I could do about our situation, I clenched my jaw in exasperation. As I did not have anything else better to do, I decided to meet with Spencer. I arrived at the meeting ce several minutester. Just as I was about to enter the private room, the door opened from the inside and Vivian stormed out with an angry expression. In the private room, Spencer was sitting on a high stool and drinking alone sullenly. With a sigh, I walked over and sat down beside him. "What happened?" Spencer jumped at me excitedly. "You''re finally here! Listen to my story and tell me what you think." I pushed him away in disgust. "If you have something to say, just say it. Don''t touch me." "Vivian said she was short of money, so I immediately lent her some. I didn''t ask her to pay me back right away, but she insisted that she''d make a living through singing in the bar." Confusion was written all over Spencer''s face as he spoke. I leaned back on the sofa and answered casually, "You can fire her if you want. I''ll just hire someone else to be your private doctor." Spencer was silent. His silence amused me. Of course, I knew that he did not want to fire Vivian at all. At that moment, the door opened yet again. This time, it was David who came in. "Charles, didn''t you say you wouldn''te here today?" "I nned to apany Scarlett, but she refused." "You deserve it!" David eximed. "Where is Cathy? Why aren''t you apanying her?" "Well... she threatened me with her resignation if I kept on pestering her." I sighed heavily. No wonder we were friends. We were all miserable when it came to courting a woman. After several rounds of drinks, Spencer and David were still drinking nonstop. I, however, was starting to feel bored. I missed Scarlett. I would rather be with her than be with these idiots. All of a sudden, something urred to me. I put down my ss and asked, "Spencer, call Richard and ask him to pick me up." Spencer looked at me with narrowed eyes. "Why don''t you call him instead?" "How can I? I''m drunk. Also, tell Scarlett that," I said with a sly smile. Spencer was taken aback. He pointed at my nose and remarked, "You''re so cunning! You want to take advantage of Scarlett''s trust in me!" I merely shrugged my shoulders at him. I handed my phone and asked, "Are you gonna call him or not?" Spencer and I stared at each other for a moment. In the end, he conceded. Chapter 188 A Cruel Woman Chapter 188 A Cruel Woman Scarlett''s POV: James waved his hands happily as we both yed with his toy. His sweetughter was like music to my ears, and it brought happiness to my heart. While we were having fun, my phone rang. It was from Spencer. As soon as I answered the call, I heard him speak. "Scarlett, Charles is drunk. I''ve already asked someone to send him home. Is he there yet?" Before Spencer could finish his sentence, the door of the nursery was opened. The following moment, Charles walked in, staggering to the side. Instinctively, I helped him out. When I came to my senses, I found myself in his arms, and the putrid odor of alcohol filled my nose. "Why did you drink so much?" I rebuked him, showing my displeasure. Charles shook his head and embraced me tightly. "Weren''t you the one who asked me to be there? And besides, I only drank three sses of wine. Spencer and David were the ones who urged me to drink more after that." I shoved him, causing him to stagger on the bed beside the crib. I quickly walked towards him to pull him up. "Get up, go back to your own room and get some sleep. You reek of alcohol, Charles. You''re going to make James ufortable." Upon hearing my remark, Charles immediately rolled to the other side of the bed and distanced himself from James. Since I was still grabbing his sleeve, I was pulled over as he rolled. Fortunately, I managed to prevent myself from falling on top of him by using my hands as support. "Scarlett." Charles stared into my eyes, cupping my cheeks. The warmth of his hand startled me, and I quickly sprang to my feet, ready to leave. Just then, there was a knock on the door. "I heard some noise. What happened here?" Alice opened the door and entered the room. Upon seeing Charles, she frowned. "Oh, my God! Charles, what happened to you? You reek of alcohol! How could you go to James'' room after drinking? What were you thinking?" "Because Scarlett is here," Charles murmured. His words flustered me and I felt like my ears were burning. "You know what? Forget it." Alice strode in and picked up James from his crib. "You made James '' room stink of alcohol. It won''t be good for the baby to stay here any longer, so I''m going to take him out for some air." "Thanks, Mom." I felt bad about what happened, and decided to follow Alice out. However, Alice stopped me at the door and smiled. "Look, Scarlett, Charles is obviously drunk. Could you be a doll and look after him tonight?" I was taken by surprise because of her request, but she had already closed the doors before I could react. Thus, I had no choice but to turn around and focus on Charles. The bed in the nursery wasn''t big enough for a grown man like him. He was exceptionally tall, so he had to curl into a ball. I could tell that he was ufortable based on the frown on his face. "Charles, don''t sleep there. Come on. Get up." I tried to nudge him awake, but he didn''t respond. Left with no other choice, I straddled his arm over my shoulder to try and help him up. But even after attempting to get him up for a long time, I couldn''t even move him. Trying to lift him up aplished nothing, and it only left me exhausted. "Charles!" I shouted. Charles opened his eyes just enough to look at me. The way he was looking at me right now was so attractive. Suddenly, he grabbed my hand and pulled me into his arms. His embrace was so tight that I couldn''t get rid of him. Thus, I had to say, "James peed on the bed earlier, and it still hasn''t been cleaned up!" Right after I finished my sentence, Charles bolted away from the bed with me still in his arms. His reaction was so funny that I ended upughing. Charles squinted at me and grunted, "Are you kidding me?" "Were you just pretending to be drunk?" I red back at him, showing no sign of fear. It would be impossible for him to react that fast if he were drunk. Charles scoffed, staring at me in silence. I felt uneasy because of his gaze, and my eyes wandered around the room. It wasn''t until I saw myself in the mirror that I realized that Charles was still holding me. Upon seeing it, I struggled to free myself. "Anyway, go back to your room, Charles! The bed in here is small. It won''t befortable for you to sleep here." I turned my back to him, and began to tidy James'' quilt to hide my embarrassment. "Are you really worried about me or are you just fulfilling my mother''s request?" I could sense that Charles'' lips was getting closer and closer to my neck, and he hugged me from behind. As I held onto the quilt, my mind was left in shambles. Truthfully, I had already noticed it, but I was confused why I didn''t dodge him. "Scarlett?" The sound of Charles'' voice brought me back to reality. I moved away from his arms and pushed him to the door. "Are you going to leave or not? Don''t you think you''ve filled James'' room with the smell of alcohol enough?" While I was pushing Charles to the door, he stopped in his tracks and turned around to look at me. "Get the hell out!" I shouted, ring at him. But to my surprise, he just smiled at me. "Good night, Scarlett." My face felt a little hot. I forced myself to look at him calmly, and to my surprise, my voice was softer than usual. "Good night." After smiling at me onest time, Charles left. With that, I closed the door and touched my face. What is the matter with me? I''ve seen Charles'' face for years on end. Why am I blushing right now?'' All of a sudden, I heard a knock on the door. I was so startled that I almost jumped up. "Who is it?" "What do you want for breakfast tomorrow morning?" asked Charles. "I''ll make breakfast for you." Upon hearing that, my eyes welled up with tears. What woman could resist such affection from a man? "You are so bad," I murmured to myself. Charles'' POV: I got up early, drove the cook out of the kitchen, and personally made breakfast for Scarlett. Meanwhile, my mother was standing outside the kitchen and teasing me. "My, my... are my eyes deceivingme? Is my son really cookingrightnow?" "Are you going to make breakfast for all of us?" My father chimed in. "You wish! Can''t you see that these are all Scarlett''s favorite food?" My mother said as she pulled my father away. Throughout the entire process of preparing a hearty breakfast, I was silent. Later on, the rest of the family sat down at the dining table one after the other, but Scarlett didn''t show up. Upon tasting my cooking, my mother seemed impressed. "Wow, Charles! This is heavenly. I must say, you''re really talented in everything." "I must''ve inherited your cooking talents, Mom," I answered absentmindedly. Based on her reaction, she was amused by my answer. Grandma nced at me and asked, "Why aren''t you eating?" "Because I''m waiting for Scarlett to arrive," I said. "You should stop waiting," my father said. Based on the look on his face, he seemed to have bad news for me. "Scarlett already left. She''s not going to show up no matter how long you wait, boy." Right after he finished his sentence, the atmosphere became tense, and the dining room fell silent. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Panic coursed through my veins, and I felt like I was being suffocated. ''Does Scarlett not love me anymore?'' I wondered. This time, I was no longer in the mood to have breakfast. Suddenly, I felt someone tugging on my hair. I looked up and saw that my mother was standing next to me with James in her arms. James was smiling at me, and grasping the strands of my hair. "James," I muttered. My eyes softened and I smiled back at him. "Come on, hug your son, Charles." My mother handed James to me without demur. The boy pulled my tie and pinched my cheeks as he nestled in my arms. After breakfast, I took James back to his room. But the second I put him in his crib, he began to cry. In a moment of panic, I picked him up and tried to cradle him in my arms to appease him. For the next few minutes, James cried whenever I put him down. My mother noticed that something was wrong. "I think James doesn''t want you to leave. He''s so adorable, isn''t he?" As I held the baby in my arms and looked into his big, innocent eyes, my heart softened. I asked a servant to prepare the things that James needed, for I was nning to take James to work. Along the way, I called J. "Where are you right now?" I asked. "We just arrived at the TV station," she replied in a hushed voice. "Didn''t you go out this early morning?" I asked. After a moment of hesitation, J responded, "Yes, but Mrs. Moore took us out for breakfast before going to work." Annoyed by what I heard, I decided to hang up on her. James was mumbling something that I couldn''t understand. I held his tiny hand and said, "Gosh, you mother can be really cruel sometimes." Chapter 189 Spreading Scandals Chapter 189 Spreading Scandals Scarlett''s POV: When it was almost noon, I was at a meeting when I suddenly received a call from Charles. I just nced at it before hanging up on him. And the second I rejected his call, he called me again. After a moment of hesitation, I walked out of the meeting room to answer the call. "Scarlett, I''m with James right now... I think it''s a fever..." Charles spluttered from the other end of the line. "What? Where are you?" "We''re in the hospital," he said. "Okay. Hold on. I''ll be right there." I told my colleague about the situation and hurried to the hospital. But when I arrived at the hospital, I found out that Charles was actually the one who had a fever. "Why didn''t you make it clear to me?" I asked, visibly infuriated. Weakly, Charles leaned against the bedside and replied, "You hung up before I could finish my sentence." This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Why are you bringing our child with you when you have a fever?" I asked. Charles coughed. The mere sound of his voice made him appear weary. "This morning, just before I could go out, James grabbed my hand; he cried, and wouldn''t let go, so I had to take him to the company." I nced at James, noticing that he was asleep, and gently held him up. "Well, considering that you''re sick right now, it''s bestthatltakejameswithme,lestyouinfecthim." I was about to walk out, but Charles stopped me. "Why did you leave so early this morning?" He stared at me with forlorn eyes. "You know that I have a fever, and yet you still want to just leave. It''s like you don''t even care about me." "I''m busy," I responded listlessly. Instead of looking at Charles, I turned to Richard. "Richard, stay here and look after him." Richard nodded in agreement. Then, I left along with my baby. As soon as I arrived at the hospital hall, I bumped into Lily. I noticed that she looked quite pale. It was then that I remembered that Charles mentioned Lily had a miscarriage just the other day. Lily stood in front of me and said, "Do you think I deserved what happened to me?" I took a few steps back, and held James tighter. "My child may be gone, but I haven''t lost yet. My war with Rita has just begun. No matter the cost, I''m going to make her pay," she continued. "I''m not interested in your business," I told her as I shielded my child away from her. Lily suddenly bent down, covering her belly with her hands. "This is all Rita''s fault, and Nate''s!" Seeing that she was getting more and more agitated, I said to her, "Lily, if you''re not feeling well, you should go see a doctor." Lily was stupefied by my words and she looked at me with a nk stare. Not wanting to talk to her anymore, I left with J and Tracy. Lily''s POV: When I saw the cute baby in Scarlett''s arms, I subconsciously touched my t belly and it made my heart ache. If my child were still alive, he would''ve been just as cute as hers. But now, I had lost everything, all because of Rita and Nate. After I calmed myself down, I went to the doctor''s office. "What symptoms are you currently experiencing? Have you been passing blood? How serious are your stomach pains?" the doctor asked gently. Just before I could answer his questions, a group of reporters suddenly broke in, and they aimed their cameras at my face. When I gathered myposure, I immediately covered my face. The doctor stood up, pointing at the group of reporters. "What the hell do you people think you''re doing here? This is a hospital, for God''s sake! Show yourselves out," he shouted. However, the group of reporters ignored him. "Lily, what are you doing in the gynecology and obstetrics office? Are you pregnant?" "They say that you seduced a married man and got pregnant out of wedlock. Is that true? Who''s the father of your baby?" The barrage of questions overwhelmed me to the point that I began to hyperventte. "Shut up! All of you! Otherwise, I''m going to sue all of you for nder!" I growled. Everyone fell silent for a moment, but then chaos ensued once again. "Are you feeling guilty over what happened, Lily?" "I already told you that I''m not!" I sprang to my feet and mmed my hands onto the table. "Do you intend to hit us?" "No, I... I didn''t mean that," I stammered. The reporters didn''t leave me alone until the hospital''s security came to drive them away. During the afternoon, reports spread all over the city like wildfire. Pregnancy, miscarriage and all sorts of demeaning words were on the headlines. Those reporters must''ve spread rumors about me. And theizens voiced out their self-righteousments online, using me of being a shameless bitch. At the same time, all of my endorsements and advertisements were cancelled, and I even had to pay arge amount of moral damages. In a fit of rage, I destroyed everything I could get a hold of in my room, but even that couldn''t calm me down. ''Who on earth asked those reporters to go to the hospital? And who the fuck revealed my pregnancy and miscarriage to the media?'' It was then that I recalled that I happened to run into Scarlett at the hospital today. ''Did she do it?'' I wondered. I quickly denied the idea. Even though I didn''t like her, I must admit that Scarlett wasn''t that kind of person. ''But if it wasn''t Scarlett, who else could it be? It has to be Rita! Nobody else would be as devious! If she wants to back me into a corner, then I won''t let her have thestugh!'' Then I remembered a person that could probably help me with my problem. I took out my phone and dialed a number. "Honey," I muttered. "What''s the matter, baby?" The sound of Calvin''s voice resonated from the other end of the line. "Honey, I need your help with something. You''re the only person I can rely on now," I cried. "Oh, my poor girl. Don''t cry. Tell me how can I help you?" Calvin sounded like he pitied me. "Can you arrange some people to follow Rita around? I have little conflict with her." Right after I said that, I heard his lewdughter. "No problem! But... what do I get in return?" I felt tense when he mentioned that, but I soon put on a smile. "I''ll be at your disposal," I answered. Chapter 190 Being Alone And Helpless Chapter 190 Being Alone And Helpless Nate''s POV: Rita was nowhere to be found after Lily''s miscarriage. Just when I was trying to look for her again, she showed up in my office. "Did you forge the paternity test results?" I asked her as soon as I saw her. With a surprised expression, she looked at me and asked innocently, "How could that be? Our family doctor was the one who tested Lily. Do you not believe him?" I could not help but sneer as I retorted, "Back then, you even bribed the doctor to hide the fact that your cancer was healed, and you even fooled Charles. How can I know that you''re not trying to trick me in the same way now? Someone has already sent the real paternity test report to my e-mail. What do you have to say about that?" "Dad, I think you misunderstood me, because that really has nothing to do with me." Rita chuckled before she continued, "Lily is a scheming woman. She approached you in order to get control over yourpany. She doesn''t love you at all. If that was not the case, then why would she have gotten pregnant with another man''s child while she was still with you? I am quite certain that she was the one that forged the so-called real paternity test report to make sure that the baby in her belly would be born and inherit yourpany in the future." Rita then handed me a document with a smile. "What''s this?" I asked with a frown. "Please read it," she said with a smile. "And sign the document after you''re done." "A share transfer agreement?" I looked at her sullenly and added, "You want me to give you all the shares of thepany? I am not dead yet, Rita. Just drop that thought, will you?" "Rather than making thepany go bankrupt, I think that it would be better if you transferred all the shares to me and let me run thepany. You don''t want your lifelong efforts to be destroyed completely, do you?" I red at her coldly and said, "I think you should leave now." With a regretful look in her eyes, she closed the file, looked up at me, and said, "Dad, can''t you see reality? This time, you''re going to end up in jail, no matter what you try to prevent it." I continued to re at her in silence. But I knew that she was right. Thewyer had also said that I would definitely lose. I wanted to ask for Charles'' help, but he did not seem to want to see me at all. Who else could I turn to now? Perhaps, I could go to Spencer and David. They were just as powerful as Charles, so they might be able to help me. I immediately stood up, turned to Rita, and said irritably, "Get out of here at once!" "Where are you going?" she asked, with a curious look. "None of your business," I said coldly before I headed out. With a snort, she followed me. I was really annoyed with her. "Don''t follow me!" She shrugged helplessly and said, "Well, this is the only way out of thepany." Leaving her behind, I drove away from there. However, she continued to follow me in her car, and it took a long time before I was finally able to get rid of her. After making sure that she was not following me anymore, I made my way to Spencer''s bar. When I saw Spencer sitting with a beautiful woman, I walked to him with a smile and asked, "Is she your girlfriend? She is so pretty." Spencer looked up at me and said, "She is a staff in the bar, and not my girlfriend." I gave him an awkward smile. "Are all your female staffs as pretty as her? I almost thought that she was a star! Spencer, you''re so lucky to have such beautiful women working for you." Spencer nced at me indifferently and did not say a word. But the woman smiled at me. Feeling a little embarrassed, I continued, "Spencer, I actually came here to..." Before I could say another word, Spencer interrupted me bluntly. "Save it! I am not helping you." My smile froze, but I did not want to give up, so I tried to plead, "At least for the sake of my friendship with your father, please help me. I have no one else I can ask now." Spencer interrupted me again and sneered, "Nate, first I want to know if you did something bad to Scarlett''s father." Why was he suddenly asking me about Scarlett''s father? I put on my best act as I exined, "We were really good friends. Why would I have done anything bad to him?" All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Spencer chuckled and retorted, "You know whether you did it or not." Wiping away the sweat on my forehead, I tried to force a smile. "Is there anything else you want to say to me?" he asked with a smile. "If you''ll excuse me, I''ll take my leave, then." Since he was really unwilling to help me, I had no choice but to turn around and leave. Spencer''s POV: After Nate left, I took out my phone called Charles. "Guess who came to see me today." "Stop beating around the bush," Charles said in a hoarse voice. Why was he sounding so strange? My curiosity was aroused, and I could not help but make fun of him. "What''s the matter with you? Why do you sound so weak and frail? Are you tired from having too much sex?" "I have a fever," Charles replied irritably. I burst intoughter as I continued to mock him so boldly. "Serves you right for pretending to be drunk to deceive Scarlett!" "If you don''t have anything else to say, then I''ll hang up now," Charles retorted in an unpleasant tone. "Don''thangupyet!Natecametoseemejustnow." I sighed. "Nate and Alex used to be really good friends, and if he really betrayed Alex, then I''m afraid I am going to lose all my faith in true friendships." After a long moment of silence, Charles said in a low voice, "David, you, and I are always going to be really best friends." Upon hearing his heartfelt words, I was a little surprised. "Since you''re not feeling too good, you should take care of yourself. Don''t overexert yourself. And don''t worry, even if you end up dying, I will be more than happy to take over thepany and look after your wife and son for you." "Fuck off!" Charles snorted before he hung up. I couldn''t hold back myughter as I stared at the phone screen. "You are so childish!" Vivian looked at me as though she was disgusted with me. "Charles and I are really best friends. What do you know about us?" "And you like your best friend''s wife..." Vivian smiled and added, "Don''t you think that Charles might sever rtions with you because of Scarlett?" "If I wanted to win Scarlett over, then I would have made a move a long time ago." Vivian nced at me, stood up, and patted me on the shoulder. "Don''t be too sad. You don''t deserve her anyway." Taking a deep breath, I gritted my teeth and hissed, "I... I wish I could just bite you to death." Vivian moved her finger in front of me with a smile. "It''s a crime to murder. Moreover, I am sure that your teeth can''t even sink into my thick skin." "If you dare to say even one more word, I am going to bite you to shreds!" I said, staring at her fair neck. "I''m leaving, then. Enjoy yourself." With a warm chuckle, she turned around and left. Watching her receding figure, I could not help but smile to myself. Chapter 191 I Regret It Chapter 191 I Regret It Scarlett''s POV: The moment I came out of the TV station, I saw J and Tracy at the door, but James wasn''t with them. "Where''s James?" I asked anxiously. "He''s in the car," J replied. In a swift pace, I went to the car and opened the door. There was someone else inside. After taking a closer look, I realized that it was Charles. "Aren''t you supposed to be at the hospital receiving an infusion?" "It''s finished. Richard drove me here and Tracy asked me to wait in the car." Charles coughed midsentence in an attempt to look weak. I shot him an indifferent nce, uncertain of how to respond. "Grandma isn''t feeling well. We should go back and visit her," he added. "She was fine before, wasn''t she? What happened to her?" I became worried about Grandma''s health. "She''s getting old. And healthplicationse with growing old," Charles said after a cough. "Anyway, just get in the car." After entering the car, I said to J, "Take Charles to the hospital first, and then drive me and James back to the Moore mansion." "Whoa, hold on! I don''t need to go back to the hospital. I''ll just go home and take some medicine," Charles said in a hurry. "No. You need to go to the hospital," I responded firmly. "Whatifyouendupinfectingjames,huh?" Having said that, I ended the conversation, picked up James, and said, "James, did you miss Mommy?" My little guy was bing more and more nimble by the day. The sight of his tiny hands gripping my fingers were so heartwarming, and his eyes were as bright if not brighter than the stars in the sky. The minute Iid eyes upon my beloved child, all of the sadness and anxiety I felt were swept away. "I missed you," Charles muttered in an aggrieved voice. I moved a few inches away from him, while cradling James in my arms. "Your dad has a fever. It''s best that we stay away from him." "For God''s sake, Scarlett, I''m wearing a mask! He''s not going to get infected," Charles replied, sounding dissatisfied. "Even so, you still have to go to the hospital," I said. I refused to even look at him. This matter was something that I would not negotiate. Throughout the entire journey, Charles didn''t speak anymore. I could sense that he must be in a bad mood. When we arrived at the hospital, he didn''t leave the car. Annoyed, I shot him a nce. "Do I really have to stay the night here?" he asked, appearing to be sad about the matter. "If your fever isn''t treated in time, it could turn into pneumonia; maybe even cerebral hemorrhage, or..." Before I could finish my sentence, Charles opened the door and got out of the car with a long face. After watching him go into the hospital, I told J to drive back to the Moore mansion. Upon our arrival, I saw just how happy Christine was to see me. "Scarlett, my dear! Why are you here so early today?" Based on her glowing, ruddy cheeks, she didn''t seem like she was having any problems with her health. "Everything went well today, so I came back early." I sat down with James in my arms. Christine began to make faces in front of James to make himugh, and then said to me, "Oh, I''m so d that you''re here! I''m getting old, darling. Being here all alone makes me miss you all so much." "I''ll visit you more often when I have more time," I responded. Christine didn''t seem like she was experiencing any difort. This wasn''t the first time that Charles had yed this trick, but I would always fall for it. "I heard that Charles is sick. Is it true?" She asked worriedly. "Yes, it''s true. He never takes care of himself. If only someone could remind him to..." Alice nced at me as she spoke. Ignoring her remark, I said, "I already sent him to the hospital. We have some elderly and a child at home, all of whom don''t have that high of an immunity. We can''t be too careful. That''s why I hope Charles can just stay in the hospital until he''s fully recovered." Christine chuckled at my response. "Well, I guess you''re right. Just let him stay at the hospital for a week, and do not let hime back before he''s fully recovered." "One week might not even be enough! We should let him stay there for at least two weeks," I said lightly. Christine and Alice exchanged nces and smiled. Christine then nodded at me and said, "Well, that means he won''t be able to see his wife, and child for half a month. Let''s see if he''ll be worried!" ****** It waste at night, and James was sleeping soundly in my arms. By now, the elders must''ve gone to bed already. I remembered that Charles was still in the hospital, and truthfully, I was worried about him. After telling J to look after James in my absence, I nned to go to the hospital to check on Charles. Worriedly, J looked at me and asked, "Is it okay for you to go there alone? Maybe you should take Tracy with you?" I shook my head in dismissal. "I can go there myself. And make sure not to tell anyone else, okay? I''ll be back soon." "Be careful," said J. "I will. Don''t worry." I patted her on the shoulder and left quietly. At midnight, there was nobody in the corridor outside Charles'' ward. While the nurse was unaware, I snuck into Charles'' ward. There was no one on the bed. ''It''s sote. Where could Charles have gone?'' I wondered. The light in the ward was dim. While I was looking around the room, I suddenly heard a sound from behind me. "Are you looking for me?" Charles asked. "I was just passing by," I muttered, ready to leave. "Passing by, huh? It''s midnight. You''re supposed to be in bed already, but you just happened to pass by my ward?" Charles slowly made his way towards me. "Why don''t you tell me the real reason you''re here?" "Uh..." I couldn''te up with a good excuse why I was here in the middle of the night, so I just mmed up. "Are you worried about me?" he whispered as he moved even closer towards me. I lowered my head, not wanting to look at him. Slowly, his scent pervaded in the air. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "Answer me." He got so close that I could feel the warmth of his breath on my face. "I regret it," I answered in a trembling voice. "What do you regret?" Charles asked. "Do you regreting here to see me at midnight or do you regret that you were ever reckless enough to love me?" I pursed my lips, looking into his eyes. "It''s both." Suddenly, Charles burst intoughter. He pressed his body against mine and kissed me with his slightly cold lips. Chapter 192 As Long As I Dont Leave Any Marks Chapter 192 As Long As I Don''t Leave Any Marks Scarlett''s POV: My body stiffened when Charles came closer and was about to kiss me. I quickly pushed him away and said, "Let me go! I have to leave." However, he ignored my struggle and continued to caress my neck, making me go weak to his touch. Holding my cheeks, he leaned in and kissed me gently. "You''re the one that took the initiative this time, Scarlett." He smiled as he whispered those words in my ear, his warm breath brushing against my skin. When I looked into his glistening deep eyes, it made me want to just give up. Charles bit my lips gently and said, "Stay focused." I was embarrassed and became instantly annoyed with him. "You''re in the wrong. How can you say such a thing when you''re the one taking advantage of me?" Without answering me, he continued to kiss a trail from my lips to my neck until I felt a slight sting. Feeling that, my heart began to race at once. "Charles! Don''t leave any marks!" Charles chuckled in a low, seductive voice, "Are you saying that I can do anything as long as it doesn''t leave marks?" Upon hearing that, my face flushed a deep red from the embarrassment. "No... Ah!" Before I could say another word, Charles interrupted me by carrying me in his arms. When I turned around, I was stunned to see that he was taking me to the bed. I couldn''t help but feel flustered. Charles put me down on the bed and leaned over. I ced my hands on his chest and reminded him in a loud voice, "Calm down. We''re divorced!" "So what?" Hepletely ignored my words and stared at me with obvious lust in his eyes. Trying to calm down, I red at him and retorted, "Do you always try to have sex with any woman who is single?" "I don''t. And you are not single," he replied in an ambiguous tone. While I was wondering what he meant by that, he grabbed my hands and pressed them against the head of the bed. All of a sudden, a soft ring was heard. I looked up and noticed that I had identally pressed the call bell that was beside the bed. Charles clicked his tongue and immediately turned it off. "Let go of me!" I struggled, my face red with embarrassment. I immediately realized that the nurse must be on her way. I was worried of what she might think of us if she saw us in bed in the hospital ward. "Did you do that on purpose?" Instead of giving up, he lowered his head to bite my lips gently as he muttered with dissatisfaction, "You''re so evil!" Furious, I tried to bite him back, but he dodged my attack with a smile. All of a sudden, the nurse pushed open the door and asked, "Mr. Moore, what can I do for you... Oh! I am sorry for disturbing you." Charles looked at her irritably and said, "Get out." I took the opportunity to push him away, jumped off the bed, opened the door, and ran out. Seeing that, the nurse was in a daze. I could not help but cover my neck in embarrassment. "I will get discharged on my own tomorrow and go home!" Charles shouted from behind me. I walked fast until I arrived at the parking lot. My heart was racing, and I could not feel it slowing down at all. ''Charles... He''s such a bastard!'' That night, I could not sleep well. I even dreamed of being intimate with him. The next morning, I walked into the office, yawning tiredly. "Scarlett, didn''t you get enough rest?" Nina asked as she brought me a cup of coffee. "Thank you." Saying that, I took it from her with a grateful smile before I subconsciously covered my neck. But Nina suddenly came closer and began to examine my neck. "Wow, look at this!" "It''s nothing!" I retorted subconsciously. I had applied a thickyer of concealer over the hickey, so how could she still see it? Nina''s eyes narrowed at me as she asked with an ambiguous smile, "Who was it? Was it William? Or... Charles, perhaps?" "It''s time to work! How can you have time to chat when there is a pile of documents right before you?" In order to avoid answering her question, I pretended to be busy. During lunch break, Nina held my arm tightly as she took me to have lunch with her, leaving no room for me to escape. As soon as she ced our food order, she winked at me and asked, "It''s lunch break. Can we chat now?" I didn''t expect her to be so persistent. In the end, I couldn''t put up with her constant rain of questions, and I had to tell her about everything that happened the previous day. "It is obvious that you two love each other deeply, but because of what happened between you guys in the past, you find it difficult to let go and be with him now." Nina''s words felt like a nail that was hammered into my head. "There''s just too many misunderstandings between us and I don''t know what to do..." I couldn''t help but sigh. "Scarlett, why don''t you try to think of it from a different perspective? Your father was framed, and no one really knew exactly what happened back then. If Charles had stood up and protected your father rashly, then his behavior would bebeled as harboring evildoers. Besides, you two were not in love at that time, so there was no reason for Charles to help your father. It''s actually a bit unfair to hold him responsible for what happened back then..." Nina hesitated for a moment before she continued, "Don''t you think so?" I looked at her nkly while my fingers unconsciously clenched the fork. But deep down, I knew that she was speaking the truth, so I could not refute her. I was in a daze that after noon, and I only came back to my senses when it was time for me to get off work. J came to pick me up. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. After I got in the car, I noticed that she was driving towards Moore mansion, so I immediately stopped her. "J, take me to my house, and not the Moore mansion." I was clearly not ready to face Charles now. However, the moment I arrived at my house, Alice called me and asked, "Scarlett, why aren''t you here yet?" Since I could not tell her that I was avoiding Charles, I had to give her an excuse. "Sorry. I forgot to tell you before. There is a lot of work for me to do, so I am going to have to work overtime." "All right, then. I agree that your work is really important, but you must not forget the fact that you''re also a mom now. James has been crying non-stop. He must really miss you," Alice said earnestly. I felt guilt and remorse cloud my heart as I said, "I''m sorry, I..." "Scarlett, there''s no need for you to apologize. You cane back tomorrow and be with him." After promising her that I woulde there the next day, I hung up. I tossed and turned in my bed. I was extremely exhausted, and yet, I could not fall asleep at all. I could not help but regret when I felt that I should have gone to the Moore mansion to be with James. When my rm rang the next morning, I woke up at once and felt my head hurting due to theck of sleep. Massaging my forehead, I got out of bed. J and Tracy had already prepared breakfast for me, so I quickly freshened up myself and sat down at the table. Tracy ced a cup of hot, mellow coffee in front of me before she said, "When I went to get coffee this morning, I saw Mr. Moore''s car outside." Stunned, I lowered my head to eat some cream cake while masking my expression. J also seemed to be surprised. "Is he still there? He was waiting out therest night, and he told me not to tell you that he''s there." I continued to eat breakfast, pretending like I did not hear them. The cake was truly the best one I''ve had until now. "He seems to know Scarlett''s tastes really well. He is the one that got the cream cake for her," Tracy said with a sigh. I suddenly felt like the cake became very dry in my mouth. After I finished my breakfast, J drove me to work. On our way, I browsed the news on the Inte. The news about the Lively Group was still the most trending topic online. All of a sudden, the car came to a screeching halt, making me almost toss my phone out. Tracy looked at me and asked with concern, "Scarlett, are you okay?" "I''m fine. What happened?" I looked out and saw that there were a group of people ahead, holding cameras and microphones in their hands. Seeing that, I could not help but frown. "Rita is there," J replied. I raised my eyebrows as I tilted my head and looked in front of me. Rita was standing in front of the car, looking quite haggard and sad. She nced into my eyes for a moment before she turned around and walked to the backseat. Like flies, the reporters were swarming beside her, following her. "What does she want now?" Tracy said impatiently. I smiled and said, "I am sure she''s trying to angle for some sympathy." But the next second, I heard a loud screaming from outside the car. Rita fainted. There were many people who saw that, but none of them stepped forward to help her. They seemed to be keener about taking pictures of her. The shlight from their cameras were so dazzling that I had to cover my eyes. One of the reporters banged his fist on my car, seemingly urging me to get off. I immediately understood their motive. If I did not get off the car, then their news report could end up being boring. "Leave them alone. Let''s go." I closed my eyes again, feeling that it if was out of my sight, it would be out of my mind. Upon hearing my words, J stepped on the gas, and the roaring car engine frightened the reporters, forcing them to make way for us. By noon, there was news of Rita fainting in front of a car all over the Inte. Someone found out that the license te of that car belonged to the Moore Group, but I was the one that used the car. There were others who began purposely misleading the public by saying that I was a heartless woman who turned a blind eye to Rita when she fainted before my car. "She was a talented actress, and I think that she should really continue to be an actress," Nina said sarcastically, handing her phone to me. I took it from her and saw Rita''stest Facebook post. "Thank you for all your concerns. I fainted because of my physical weakness, and I am feeling a lot better now. Please don''t cause trouble for Scarlett. She was just passing-by when it happened. She has nothing to do with me falling unconscious." Chapter 193 Crazy Woman Chapter 193 Crazy Woman Lily''s POV: I had been waiting for Scarlett at the gate of the TV station for quite a while now. I wanted to win her over. It was not long before I saw her. While I was walking towards her, I heard footstepsing behind me. The next second, I screamed in pain as someone yanked my hair. "Come here! I caught the bitch!" a man, whom I had never met before, said to his aplice. "Let go of me! Do you know who I am? Fuck you!" I fired back. I put on a brave face as I struggled to get out of the man''s grasp when the truth was, I was terrified. "You''re Lily, right? You''re our target!" another man shouted. He then kicked me to the ground. There was nothing else I could do but curl up on the ground and shield my body from his kicks. "Come on! Beat her!" Three strong men surrounded me. Then, they punched and kicked me while I lay helpless on the ground. "Help!" I cried out at the top of my lungs, but nobody seemed to hear me. A few momentster, the men finally stopped beating me and fled the scene. My body was sore and aching from being beaten to a pulp. I curled up on the ground, unable to move. Just as I abandoned hope, I saw Scarlett making her way towards me. "Scarlett, help me..." I implored. Thankfully, her female bodyguard helped me up. "Scarlett, please help me. Rita is against me. She''s ourmon enemy. We should work together to bring her down." I was like a frog in the mud, humbly begging for the attention of a swan. However, Scarlett heartlessly rejected my proposal. "Lily, the conflict between you and Rita has nothing to do with me. I''m not interested in your private affairs," she coldly replied. "What? Are you serious? Rita has been scheming against you. Wouldn''t it be great if we cooperate and bring her down together?" Scarlett reacted as if she had not heard my words. "Have you called anyone? If not, I''ll call an ambnce for you." Since she did not want to cooperate with me, the least I could do was not act like a coward in front of her. "I''m alright. My driver is waiting for me in the car." I gathered my strength and pushed her bodyguard away. As if nothing had happened, I started walking towards the parking lot. I did not want to give up, but my body was in excruciating pain. My bruises and wounds felt like they were screaming at me, saying that I had to go to the hospital as soon as possible. My driver sent me to the nearest hospital. Iy weakly on the bed after the doctor finished treating my wounds. All of a sudden, the door opened. My eyes fluttered open as a familiar voice rang in my ears. "Lily." Rita walked towards me with a look of contempt in her eyes. "It seems that you haven''t learned your lesson. You even went to Scarlett to ask her to join hands to go against me. Come to think of it. Why would she help you?" "It was you, who sent someone to beat me, wasn''t it?" I asked, my voice trembling in anger. "Isn''t it obvious? It''s your fault. You''re a slut. You use men to get what you want. Sorry to say, but you barked up the wrong tree. You may have fooled my father, but you can''t fool me. If I don''t teach you a lesson, how can you know your ce?" Rita asked with a disdainful smile. "So, you forged the paternity test report? You did it because you want Nate to leave me, didn''t you?" Rita chuckled. Slowly, she bent over and pped me on the cheek provocatively. "Wow. I didn''t know you were smart enough to figure that out. You know what I really want? I wanted to kill your child. The Lively family only needs one heir. And I, Rita Lively, am the only one." Tears welled up in my eyes. This crazy woman! While Rita was having a monologue, a man strode over and pped her across the face so hard that she fell to the floor. Rita screamed in pain. "Why do I have such a vicious daughter as you? You make me sick!" Nate shouted angrily. Unable to take it any longer, I burst into tears. "Nate, she killed our child!" Nate rushed to my aid and held me in his arms. "I''m sorry, Lily. Rita deceived me. I had never expected she would do such a thing!" I buried my head in his arms. I might look weak, but I was not stupid. I had known all along that Rita was evil, and so was Nate. The Lively family were devils in disguise. I suppressed my hatred and looked up at Nate with pitiful eyes. "Nate, why do I feel that we''re not destined to be together in this life? Don''t worry. In the afterlife, I''ll beg God to let me give birth to your child." Nate touched my face lovingly and then turned to look at Rita. "Rita, since you can''t ept a new member of the family, from now on, the Lively family no longer has a ce for you. I''ll hold a press conference and announce that I have cut all ties with you!" Rita grabbed a chair to support herself. Her face was red and swollen, and her lips were stained with blood. Nate was ruthless to her, just like what he did to me the other day. How ironic. I could not help but scoff at his hypocrisy. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Dad, are you out of your mind? Have you gone crazy?!" Rita shouted in astonishment. "No. It''s you who are out of your mind. How dare you hurt Lily and our child?!" Rita strode forward and held Nate''s hand. "I''m the daughter you''ve raised for so many years! This woman is just one of your lovers. Are you sure you want to cut ties with me for her? She has lost the baby, and that is a fact. Besides, have you forgotten about the situation of the Lively Group? Only I can help you manage thepany!" I could sense that Nate was getting a bit hesitant, so I held his hand and looked at him with the most pitiful eyes I could muster. "Nate, you don''t have to do this for me. She''s your daughter. I forgive her. I know that I''m not as important as she is in your life. But know that I love you. I''ll try with all my best to give birth to your child in the future." Of course, I was only putting on an act. I knew very well that a man could never refuse a weak and helpless woman who loved him wholeheartedly. Sure enough, Nate held me in his arms again. "Lily, you''re too kind. You don''t deserve this." All of a sudden, my throat felt itchy. I coughed, and there was a taste of blood in my mouth. I looked down at my palm and found that I had coughed up blood. My eyes widened in terror. "Lily!" Suddenly, I felt the room spin around, and my body went limp. Nate calling my name was thest thing I remembered before everything went ck. Rita''s POV: Nate hurriedly called the doctor the moment Lily fell unconscious. And now, the ward was in chaos. I took the opportunity and slipped out of the ward. I called Richard as I walked out of the hospital. However, he hung up the call without even answering it. "What an asshole!" I eximed. I did not stop calling him until he answered a few momentster. "What the hell do you want?! Stop bothering me!" he bellowed impatiently. "Tell Charles that I have what he wants." I hung up the call without waiting for his response. I was certain that Charles would help me obtain the Lively Group. ****** I browsed the news as soon as I awoke the next morning. There I saw the hottest news at the moment. The headline read: "Rita Lively, the daughter of Nate Lively, has announced that she is no longer in rtion with her father and is now the new CEO of the Lively Group." "As you wish, Dad," I muttered to myself. With that, I stood up and began to get ready for the celebration party of ''my''pany. At the party, Nate''s former underlings all showed respect to me. I enjoyed everyone''spliments. But, in my mind, something was missing. I looked and found that Charles had not arrived yet. I only saw him thirty minutester. With two sses of champagne, I approached him and greeted, "Charles, you''re finally here. Thank you for your help. Without you, I wouldn''t be able to take charge of thepany." "You''re wee," Charles curtly answered. His cold gaze made me shiver. Of course, I knew better than to get close to him. With a smile, I handed him a ss of champagne and said, "Have a drink with me." Charles did not take it from me. Instead, he picked up a ss of wine from the table and raised it perfunctorily. Although he was cold to me, his presence was enough. The celebration party was a sess. When it finally came to an end a few hourster, I saw Charles walking to the parking lot alone. I strode to catch up with him. I could barely keep pace with him. Because of this, I decided to hold the hem of my evening gown to run faster and tried to stop him. "Charles, wait for me!" Charles frownedin displeasure. "Don''tfollow me." When he turned a corner, he bumped into a woman. My jaw dropped, and my face turned dark and gloomy when I saw who the woman was. "Scarlett?" Charles wrapped his arms around her waist. Astonishment was written all over his face as well. Scarlett''s face turned beet red. "Let go of me!" she ordered while ring at him. Charles let her go and stepped back. I saw, with my own eyes, that the way he treated Scarlett was different from the way he treated me. I suppressed my jealousy and forced a smile at her. "Hi, Scarlett." It seemed that it was only then that she noticed me. Her gentle manner disappeared in an instant, reced by disdain. "I saw today''s news. Congrattions!" "I owe it to Charles," I answered, deliberately making her jealous. Just as I had expected, Scarlett cast a contemptuous nce at Charles. I must say, I was pleased. My eyes fell on the ring on her finger, and I noticed that it was not the one that Charles had given her. I felt even happier. I could not help but wonder if something was wrong between her and Charles. "Why are you with him again?" Charles asked in an annoyed tone. His voice drew my attention. I followed his gaze and saw that he was looking at the man behind Scarlett with an apparent dissatisfaction. It was William. He was wearing a crisp suit and leather shoes. "We have to talk about work," Scarlett replied indifferently. Behind her, William smiled meaningfully and chimed in, "Yes. Scarlett and I have something to deal with. We''re leaving now. We don''t want to bother you two." Without another word, he took Scarlett''s hand and left. Before William could take a step, Charles grabbed him by the arm. "Don''t touch her!" he bellowed. His voice was filled with anger. "Sorry. We''re in a hurry." William turned to look at Scarlett, unmoved by Charles''smand. For a moment, Scarlett was stunned. Once she came to her senses, she shook off Charles''s hand and said lightly, "We''re leaving now. You can continue your talk with Rita." Charles stood frozen in the spot as he watched Scarlett walk away with William. I could not help but sigh in my heart. Scarlett was indeed a head-turner. Many excellent men had fallen head over heels for her. "What a perfect match! Both you and William are perfect for her," I remarked with a smirk. I observed Charles''s expression as I spoke. He nced at me sideways and said in an annoyed tone, "Just shut up if you don''t have anything better to say. Don''t ever forget that even though I''ve helped you, I can also take everything away." The smile on my face faltered, and I felt as though a bucket of cold water was poured all over my body. I was petrified. When I came to my senses, Charles had disappeared. While I was making my way to my car, I saw that William''s car was still in the parking lot. I was perplexed. I had just seen him leave with Scarlett. I strode towards his car and knocked on the window of the driver''s seat. William rolled down the window. To my surprise, he was alone. At that moment, he shot an impatient look at me, urging me to say what I wanted to say. "William, I''m not messing with Scarlett anymore," I exined in a low voice. Without a word, William started the car and sped away. Chapter 194 Imprisoned Chapter 194 Imprisoned Scarlett''s POV: Recently, I couldn''t sleep well. Charles and Rita''s family would always appear in my dreams, disturbing the peace of my slumber. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, staring at the dark circles under my eyes. Sighing dejectedly, I covered them with my make-up. After that, I went to sit at the table. The cream cake Charles had brought for me before was there again, and I subconsciously pushed it away. "Don''t buy this cake anymore," I muttered to Tracy. "What? But, I didn''t buy it..." J quickly let out a small cough, interrupting Tracy''s words. Immediately, Tracy fell silent. No doubt, Charles was the one who sent the cake again today. What on earth was he trying to do? He was helping Rita to seize power and showering me with his love at the same time. It was puzzling, to say the least. After breakfast was finished, J and Tracy drove me to work. We passed amercial building, where the huge screen was ying a news broadcast. The anchor reported that the court had sentenced Nate Lively to 10 years in prison. At this, my head shook terribly, feeling like a bell struck violently with a giant hammer. My ears began to buzz. Finally... finally, he was punished! And yet, it was still toote. "Scarlett...? What''s wrong?" J''s faint voice shook me out of my musings. I couldn''te to my senses until she touched me gently on the shoulder. "Are you okay?" J asked again, sounding worried. "I... I''m fine. Just leave me alone." I buried my face into my hands as turbulent emotions surged within me all of a sudden. I couldn''t hold my back straight, and ended up curled up in the back seat of the car. The car soon arrived at my destination, but neither J nor Tracy made a sound. I tried to stifle the emotions swirling uncontrobly in my heart. "Don''t worry. I''m fine." So saying, I got off the car and strode into the TV station. Despite my efforts in restraining my emotions, I spent the whole morning being in a dull trance. Concentrating on work was nearly impossible. I tried to focus on the documents, but in the end, my mind would go nk and I would forget about the contents on them. An hour passed, and I still couldn''t pull myself together. Helpless, I set down the documents and requested for leave. I didn''t ask J and Tracy to pick me up. Instead, I left the TV station alone. It was drizzling outside, but I paid no attention to the weather and wandered around aimlessly. The crowded street was bustling with people, all of whom enjoyed thepany of their friends and families. They were sharing the same umbre, while I was drenched in the rain, all alone. My eyes suddenly grew moist as hot tears poured down my cheeks. I used to have a kind and wonderful father who would give me an umbre during rainy days such as this. He would hold me in his arms to prevent me from getting wet in the rain, but because of that, most of his shoulders and his back got soaked by the rain. But Nate killed him. Just like that, my kind father whom I loved with all my heart disappeared from my life forever. My warm and harmonious family copsed in the blink of an eye. After my father died, my mother rotted away in depression and soon departed the world. And I... I was left all alone in this cold and cruel world. As I recalled my past, all strength in me left and I was too weak to take even a step forward. I squatted on the ground, suddenly feeling so tired. I held my knees and burst into bitter tears, sobbing and crying to myself. The rain grew heavier and heavier. There was only the sound of pouring rain and my bitter tears left in my world. It was as if I was isted from the entire world. After what seemed an eternity, a pair of leather shoes appeared before my blurry eyes. Someone had stopped in front of me. The raindrops that kept hammering on me for so long suddenly vanished. I clenched my hands into fists, my fingernails digging into my palms hard. Barely suppressing my tears, I slowly raised my head and looked up. A tall figure towered over me, blocking my view. He stood in front of me, holding an umbre over me. He was tilting the umbre towards me, shielding me from the downpour while the heavy raindrops pelted him with merciless abandon. His elegant suit became soaked in the blink of an eye. A strange sensation touched my heart. My heart began beating rapidly as unspeakable feelings filled me. My brain was a mess, and I couldn''t decide what I should do. "Charles, you..." I sobbed. The uncontroble emotions crashing into me made it difficult for me to say even aplete sentence. My voice was soon drowned in choked sobs. I lowered my head again, not wanting him to see my tear-streaked face. "I''m here." Charles''s gentle voice was very light and soft, but it sounded particrly clear despite the noisy rain. It reached my ears and dispelled my cloud of depression, just like magic. Without warning, I burst into tears. It was the only way I could let out all the sorrow and sadness in my heart. I cried so much, it almost exhausted me. Tired, I lost my bnce. My body swayed and I fell to one side. "Scarlett!" Charles quickly pulled me into his arms, worry coloring his face. I leaned weakly against his strong chest and raised my head to look at him. His face was as handsome as always, but his eyes were filled with concern. He helped me to stand before asking softly, "Can you still walk...?" His hands were cold from the rain, and his suit was soaking wet. "I''m fine." I quickly broke free of his hold. Though I wanted nothing but to leave, my legs were sore and I could only move at the pace of a tortoise. "Where are you going? I''ll give you a ride." Charles caught up with me easily, putting the umbre over my head again to protect me from the rain. I turned to look at him, but I didn''t say anything to refuse his offer. ******* A weekter, I braved myself to go to the prison in order to see Nate. J apanied me all the way, until we arrived at the door of the meeting room. The solid ss divided the room into two parts. I could see Nate sitting at the other side, behind the ss. I thought I had calmed down enough, but the sight of his face sent me into an emotional mess. He had destroyed my family, and yet, he was sentenced to only ten years of imprisonment. I wished for nothing more than to kill Nate, but I knew that would be impossible. I could never be as despicable and cruel as him. "Long time no see, Scarlett." Nate took the initiative to speak first, but his voice was extremely hoarse. If I hadn''t stood in front of him, I wouldn''t have believed that it was his voice. I stared at him, my face nk and expressionless. "You deserve it. You should''ve gone to hell." "Well, my life right now is worse than hell." "Do you regret it?" Nate stared straight at me with his repulsive eyes. "Of course not. What I can''t get can only be destroyed." My heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?" "Oh, so you don''t know it yet?" Nate grinned, looking sinister. "Your mother should''ve been with me for the rest of her life!" "That''s nonsense! You don''t deserve to say my mother''s name!" My voice hardened as I shot him a furious re. "I''m telling the truth. I went after her first. I was earlier than your father. When she was about to agree to be with me, your father suddenly appeared and took her away from me!" Nate''s face twisted into a horrible expression. Judging from the resentment in his eyes, I could guess that seeing me reminded him of another woman. All the hairs on my body stood on their ends. Nate had been in prison for only a week, but he had already turned like this. Nate suddenly pounced towards me, crashing into the ss. His face was squeezed in a horrifying shape, and his angry roar could be heard through the ss. "You betrayed me! You fell in love with Alex instead of me! Didn''t I treat you right? I gave you everything I had, but you trampled on my heart! You left me and married Alex! Do you seriously think that I''d let you go so easily?! Hah! Perish that thought!" I was shocked and horrified. Nate was mistaking me for my mother! Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Nate took a step back before bursting into maniacalughter. Then, he shot me a resentful gaze. "I found out your schedule and snuck into your home when no one was around. Then, I installed a camera. In your bathroom." "You... you freak!" My scalp tingled at his disgusting words. I couldn''t help but curse. "Yes! You betrayed me and made me a freak! Installing the camera in your bathroom was just the first step of my n. What?! Can''t stand it already?" Gritting his teeth, Nate continued, "That day, I finally stopped Alex at the door of Charles''spany. Can you imagine the look on his face when he saw your and your daughter Scarlett''s nude photos? It was so funny!" My body stiffened, and I stared at Nate in disbelief. "Nude photos? What are you talking about?" "Yes, nude photos! That Alex was such an idiot! I just threatened him a bit with your nude photos, but I didn''t expect him topromise so easily. He actually agreed to do whatever I said!" Nate let out a ferociousugh, cackling non-stop. The look on his face was as awful as could be, like a devil straight out of hell. He had ruined my family, and he actually felt proud of himself. My mind was a tangled mess. I left the prison in a dull trance, unable to think straight. Chapter 195 Never Let Nate Chapter 195 Never Let Nate Leave The Prison Charles'' POV: I was in the meeting room, attending a conference, when my phone vibrated all of a sudden. After taking a look at it, I suspended the meeting and walked out to answer the phone. "What¡¯s the matter?" J immediately replied in an anxious voice, "Ever since Scarlett went to the prison to see Nate, something seems to be bothering her. She didn''t even go to work today, and she has been in bed all day long. I wanted to ask the doctor toe see her, but she forbade me from calling him." Upon hearing that, my heart sank. "Take good care of her. If she''s facing any difort, call the doctor at once. I''ll be home soon." J gave me an affirmative response at once. After hanging up, I ordered my trusted subordinate to preside over the meeting while I took Richard to the prison with me. I was furious when I saw the surveince video of Scarlett and Nate''s meeting. "I want to see Nate immediately." Hearing my order, Richard nodded and walked out of the room. He returned soon after. Nate stood behind him, apanied by the prison guard. His expression changed drastically the moment he saw me. He staggered and was about to fall on the ground. "Mr. Moore, Nate has not been in a stable mental statetely. If you want to talk to him, then you will have to do it in the reception room where there are thick ss windows for protection," the prison guard reminded kindly. "No, thanks. I will talk to him right here. You can go now." I motioned for him to leave the room. He seemed to hesitate for a moment before he walked out, closing the door behind him. "Charles." Leaning against the wall, Charles looked at me in fear. "What are you doing here? I have been sentenced!" "If you can recognize me, then there is nothing wrong with your head. Whatever you said to Scarlett, is it true or not?" My expression was as cold as ice. Nate was stunned. "What do you mean? She left after our very brief conversation!" I leaned against the sofa and called out, "Richard." Richard walked to him and kicked him, mming him against the wall. Nate copsed to the floor with a loud scream, and just when he was about to get up, Richard stepped on him. "I... I really don''t know what you mean!" Nate eximed, crying out in agonizing pain. I looked down in deep thought. Nate had seemed to be a little crazy in the video, so I wondered if he indeed had a mental problem and lost his memory when he was not himself. However, his actions had hurt Scarlett in the end. Thinking of how shocked and helpless she had looked in the surveince video, I immediately regretted letting her see Nate on her own. I clenched my fists so tightly that veins stood out on my arms. "Richard, pummel him good, but don''t overdo it. I need him alive." Upon hearing my orders, Richard nodded. Flustered, Nate crawled towards the door. "No! Help! Someone here is about to kill me... Ah!" His cries for help stopped when Richard punched him hard. I was calmly sitting on the couch, browsing through my emails while listening to his screams and the sound of punches. A whileter, his screams gradually grew weaker. Richard turned to me and said, "He''s fainted." "Wake him, and teach him a lesson that he would never forget in life." When I looked up, I saw Nate lying on the floor, looking rather pale. He was beaten so badly that he was spitting blood, and one of his teeth was on the ground. His prison uniform was dirty and wrinkled. His shirt was lifted a little, revealing the bruises and scars on his skin. It was clear that the other prisoners had already punished him well. After taking my orders, Richard took out a lighter and turned it on. The me scorched Nate''s skin, who screamed, before he retreated to the corner in horror. Richard then grabbed him by the cor and handed him a photo. "Let me show you something nice." Nate stared at the photo with bloodshot eyes, trembling in fear. Richard looked at him and sneered. "Lily may not be as crazy as you, but she is certainly a shrewd woman. After getting you drunk, she sent all the recordings and photos to Scarlett, trying to drive a wedge between her and Mr. Moore." "That bitch!" Nate cursed, but he was having slurred speech as his teeth were broken. After casting a nce at me, Richard continued, "Now, it is toote. You severed ties with your own daughter for the sake of a vicious woman like her. And the funniest thing of all is that it was your daughter who sent you to prison!" Hearing this, Nate grabbed Richard''s arm. "What did you say? Rita? My daughter?" "Yes." I stood up, and slowly walked to Nate coldly. Now that he had caused Scarlett pain, he should know what true pain felt like. "Your daughter has revealed your dirty secret to me. She was the one that asked me to get rid of you by putting you in prison." Nate kept shaking his head in denial as he miserably copsed to the floor. "Why? She... But she is my daughter..." To be honest, seeing him suffer was making me feel amused. "Where is the thing that you threatened Alex with?" Nate was in a daze, and did not react to what I said. I snorted and ordered Richard, "Get him to spill it." I then turned around and walked out of the room, closing the door behind me, while Nate screamed in agony. Soon, Richard walked out of the room and handed me a note. "It''s in his private safe at home, and here''s thebination to open it." Taking the note from his hand, I said to him tly, "Make sure that he never steps foot out of this ce." Nate had been sentenced to only a ten-year imprisonment. But I could not help feeling that it was too less of a punishment for a piece of shit like him.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Chapter 196 The Hard Disk Chapter 196 The Hard Disk Rita''s POV: I had just gotten up this morning when I heard a set of footstepsing from the front door. Thus, I got up and quickly got dressed. Not long after, I heard a loud banging on the door. The moment I opened it, I saw a row of bodyguards in suits. They all looked fierce, and they entered our house before I could even utter a word. I was so scared that I just stood rooted to my spot. In a fit of panic, my mother came over, but she couldn''t say a word when she heard the commotion. After regaining myposure, I gathered my courage and asked, "Who the hell are you people? Don''t you know that trespassing is illegal? Get out of here or I''m going to call the police!" Right after I finished my sentence, the middle-aged man in the lead threw a smartphone at me and shot me a disdainful nce. "Call the police if you have the guts. And don''t sayter that I didn''t give you a chance!" His intimidating presence left me petrified. It was then that my mother came to my side and spluttered, "Stop acting so arrogant! This the Lively family''s house. I''ll have you know that..." "You''re the ones who are trespassing into my house!" When I heard that familiar voice, the group of bodyguards made way for her. Soon, I saw Lily''s proud face as she approached me. "Lily, what the hell? Why did you order all these people to break into my house?" I asked with disdain. "I have in my hand the deed of transfer of ownership of your house. I''m giving you and your mother three hours to pack up and get the hell out of my house!" "No! Nate would never do this to me!" Having said that, my mother grabbed the deed of ownership from Lily''s hand, reading through it carefully. "Stop questioning and go pack your bags while I''m still in a good mood. My patience is thin, so you better get packing now! If not, you''ll soon face my wrath." Lily seemed so proud of herself. This time, I took the document and reviewed it. My father had indeed signed the document. However, there was no way I would let Lily seed without a fight. "There''s something wrong with this document. The seal and signature on it are all fake! Lily, do you seriously think you can kick me and my mother out of this house just because you presented us a forged document? You stupid bitch!" I shouted brazenly. Then, my mother walked up to Lily and gave her a p across the face. Infuriated by my mother''s reaction, Lily covered her face and gnashed her teeth. "Seize them!" The middle-aged man behind her acknowledged the order and immediately tried to restrain my mother. However, I stood in front of my mother and said, "If you try toy a hand on me and my mother, I am going to make your lives a living hell!" Just then, I noticed Richard standing at the door. I ran to his side, grabbing his arm as if holding onto dear life. "Richard, please! I need your help to drive Lily out. She''s trying to kick us out using that forged document!" "Sorry, Rita. I''m just here to grab a few things. I won''t meddle in your affairs." Richard pulled his hand away from me. He didn''t even dignify me with a nce while he was speaking. I felt disheartened to see that. After he said that, Richard stood in the living room while his subordinates went upstairs. Seeing that my mother was trembling in fear, I told her that she should leave first. "Mom, you should go back to your room. Richard and I are here. They won''t dare to do anything." I could tell that my mother was reluctant to go, but she had no choice but to agree with my suggestion. After telling me to be careful, she shot Lily a cold nce before heading upstairs. Now, only Richard, I, Lily and her men were in the living room. I felt that the air around us had be tense. Momentster, Richard nced at Lily and said, "Well, go on with your business." His mere presence in the room was so daunting. Lily was a bit terrified. She turned around and whispered something to her bodyguard. Then, she approached me and said, "Fine. I''m going to be the bigger person and give you two more days. If you don''t move out by then, I''m going to teach you a lesson you''ll never forget!" "Are you kidding me, Lily? You''re seriously threatening me in my own home?" I argued. "It won''t be your house for long!" Having said that, Lily left the premises of my house along with her men. Once she was gone, I held Richard''s arm, trying to curry favor with him. "What are you nning to take from my house?" Instead of responding, Richard just frowned at me. After ncing at me, he quickly looked away. His eyes be sharper, and his face turned grim. Truthfully, his daunting presence was making me feel scared. In a trembling voice, I said, "Richard, please don''t frown at me like that. You''re scaring me." To my surprise, Richard threw my hand away and shot me a disdainful nce. "If you''re so scared of me, then stay the hell away!" "Why have you be so heartless to me, Richard? Back then, you..." "Never mention our past to me again. You make me feel sick!" The sound of his voice made me feel that he loathed me to his very core. I was so hurt by his words that I felt like my heart was shattering. I plucked up the courage to ask a question. "If you hate me so much, then why did you send bodyguards to follow me around some time ago? Were you not trying to protect me?" "It''s my job. What makes you think I care about you beyond that, Miss Lively?" "Your job, huh? Then who gave you that job?" I refused to give up until I heard a satisfactory answer. "Mr. Charles Moore," replied Richard. It was then that I heard a sounding from the stairway. I nced over there and found that Richard''s men hade down. "We got it," said one of them. I saw him holding a transparent box. Richard took the box to examine it carefully. "Let''s go," he said. "Richard!" I wanted to know what was in that box, but he didn''t even give me a chance and left without a second thought. Once Richard had left, I went to the study to look for some clues. Soon, I found that my father''s safe had been opened. Suddenly, I heard a noiseing from the door. It made me think that Richard hade back. I was so startled that I immediately turned my head, only to find that it was my mother. "Mom, what are you doing here? You scared me," I said, holding my chest. "I saw them leave, so I came out. What are you looking for?" she asked. "Richard took a transparent box away a few seconds ago. I didn''t have the courage to grab it back because I was heavily outnumbered. That''s why I''m here in the study to see if there''s anything valuable lying around." Then, I squatted in front of the safe to check inside. I thought that there would be something valuable in it, but I got nothing. Just then, the phone downstairs rang, so I ran downstairs to answer it. "Hello? Is this the Lively residence?" I heard a deep male voiceing from the other end of the line. "Yes, and who is this?" "I am a representative of the federal prison, ma''am. Something has happened to Mr. Nate Lively..." After I hung up on him, my mind went nk. This news couldn''t havee at a worse time. I was aware that my father would have a hard time in prison, but I never expected him to be mistreated so soon. "What''s wrong, Rita? Who called us?" My vision was blurred, and all I could hear was my mother''s anxious voice. When I thought of how cruel my dad was to me before, I gradually calmed down. "Something happened to dad!" "Wait, what? What happened to him?" my mother asked anxiously. "He abandoned us a long time ago, so his business has nothing to do with us anymore," I said, visibly irritated. Charles'' POV: After leaving the prison, Richard went straight to Nate''s vi. His efficiency in work had allowed him toe back soon. "Sir, here''s that thing you wanted." Richard handed me a hard disk. "Well done, Richard. I''ll give you the rest of the day off." After epting the disk, I told him to leave. I used a decryption software to ess the hard disk. There were many nude photos of Scarlett inside it. These indecent pictures of her had made my blood boil and my face turn red with shame. Thinking of how he got these photos angered me even more. No longer able to control myself, and punched the table. I instantly deleted all the files in the hard disk, and then I asked the technical personnel to destroy it. By midnight, I left thepany and went to Scarlett''s house. After inputting the password, I entered the house and tiptoed to the second floor. Quietly, I pushed the door open and stepped into her room. Scarlett had fallen asleep, and by the looks of it, she didn''t seem to be sleeping well. Her forehead was practically covered in sweat, and her breathing was ragged. She must be having a nightmare. I grabbed a tissue and used it to wipe her face. Suddenly, she shouted, "No! I don''t want it! Stop! Nate, you loathsome bastard!" All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. I thought she would wake up, but she didn''t. The way she whimpered made her sound like a trapped animal, desperate and powerless. "I''m so scared. I''m scared!" My heart ached for her. Gently, I held her cold hand and tried tofort her. "Scarlett, you need to move on. Nobody can threaten you ever again. Have faith in me. I''m going to protect you for the rest of my life." Cautiously, I went to bed with her and embraced her. Once I was beside her, I heard her breathing bing steady. And in order to help her sleep morefortably, I adjusted my posture, for fear of waking her up. Under the faint moonlight, Scarlett''s fair skin looked fatally tempting to me. My desire to have her made me want to leave a mark on her skin. I bit my lower lip, holding back my arousal. Then, I just nted a kiss on her cheek. It had been a long time since I had slept beside Scarlett, so I couldn''t let myself sleep too deeply. I wanted to cherish this hard-won heartwarming moment forever. Early the next morning, I reluctantly left Scarlett''s home before she could wake up. Chapter 197 White Rose Chapter 197 White Rose Scarlett''s POV: I woke up from a terrible nightmare that morning, which seemed to havested all night. There was a few hours in between that I felt safe and rxed though. Perhaps, I felt so because I dreamt of Charles in those few hours. After I struggled to get up from the bed, I put on my clothes, and walked downstairs for breakfast. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Just when I was about to head out to work, I noticed that my shoes seemed to have been moved a little. Seeing that, I turned around and asked Tracy, "Did someonee here yesterday?" However, she hung her head silently for a long time. I then turned to J, who faltered. It did not take long for me to understand what had happened. "Charles came herest night, didn''t he?" "I''m sorry, Scarlett. Mr. Moore ordered us not to breathe a word about it to you." "It''s all right. Let''s go." Tracy and J dropped me off at the TV station, and the moment I reached my office, Nina walked to me. "Scarlett, why did youe to work so soon?" She was always like a cheerful bird that chatted and made me smile. "Are you going to support me if I stop working?" I teased her. "You must have gone soft because of Charles 1 charms. Have you made up with him yet?" Nina asked, ignoring my tease. "I no longer hold it against him now, but that doesn''t mean I am going to forgive him." I gave her a gentle smile before I began to sort out some messy files on my desk. "Scarlett, as far as I can tell, he is not going to give up so easily, you know?" There was a sudden hint of firmness in her tone. "Nina, please give me some time, and I promise, I will face my rtionship with him. For now, just get back to work." Wanting to numb my heart with work, I quickly got rid of her. I devoted myself to my work that entire day, without caring about anything else. And I did not even know that it was almost time for us to get off work until a colleague reminded me. The next second, a delicate bunch of white roses wrapped in kraft paper appeared before me. "Surprise!" Charles'' voice came. I raised my head and saw his big, bright smile as he eximed, "I got these roses for you. They''re beautiful, aren''t they?" However, to me, it was not a pleasant surprise at all. Stunned, I did not say anything to him, and nor did I take the bunch of flowers from his hands. Charles continued, "Scarlett, can I ask you out to have dinner with me tonight?" "No, I have to work overtime," I refused without hesitation. "The restaurant I booked tonight is just amazing. Are you sure you don''t want to try?" Charles asked again, unwilling to give up. "I''m not interested," I refused again, bluntly. "Well, I''ll head back, then. Be careful on the way home. Besides, I am not going to give up on you!" Saying that, Charles walked to the door, but he deliberately slowed down his pace, as though he was expecting me to change my mind and ask him to stay. Ignoring it, I began to clean up my desk. I got some more work done before I left the TV station and headed for Garden Street. Remembering that there were some new toys at home, I wanted to pack them up and take them to James, who was growing up so quickly. When I pushed the door open, Charles walked out of the house, startling me. "Charles! What are you doing in my house?" I shouted at him, feeling annoyed. However, he just ignored my question, smiled at me, and left. I was obviously puzzled by the oddity of his behavior. When I entered the living room, I found the bunch of roses that he brought to my office earlier in a vase in my living room. The refreshing faint floral fragrance dissolved my anger little by little. Shaking my head, I forced myself not to think too much of it as I walked upstairs, packed up the toys and headed to the Moore mansion. The Moore family was about to have dinner when I arrived there. Christine quickly asked me to join them with a warm smile. I looked around, and only after making sure that Charles was not there did I feel at ease. "Scarlett, how was your day?" Christine asked, pushing the te of scrumptious roasted beef towards me. "Not bad at all, Grandma. But there is still a lot of things that I need to deal with." "Do you have any guys special at thepany? If that''s the case, then I want to meet him. Wait. What do you think of Spencer?" Alice asked curiously as she sat down beside me. "That''s her business. We should not involve ourselves too much in her choices," Lawrence interrupted her, before I could reply. "I''m just asking. Besides, she''s always alone, and there are not many who care for her, so I am a little concerned about her," Alice said worriedly. It was clear that she did not notice the change in my expression at all. "We can take care of Scarlett. She doesn''t need others. Besides, I think she is the perfect match for my grandson, so I suggest you drop it, Alice," Christine protested. Not knowing what to say, I felt awkward, and lowered my head to focus on eating. Soon, everyone stopped talking about it. After we were done eating, I proposed that I take James back to my apartment for the weekend. To my surprise, Alice objected strongly. "Scarlett, I feel that it is better for James to stay here. You won''t be able to take good care of him on your own. Besides, you''re also busy with work. However, you can alwayse and see him here." Although she was using a very polite tone, I could clearly sense the firmness in her words. "Okay, then. I am going upstairs to see James." Not wanting to argue with her any more, I walked to the second floor. James was sucking his fingers adorably. "Hello, darling. How are you doing today?" I whispered to my son as I held him lovingly. Alice suddenly pushed the door open and walked in. "Scarlett, Charles won''te back tonight. You can sleep in the master bedroom with James. The bed in the nursery is too small for a grownup." While I was contemting, James suddenly uttered a syble, surprising me. "James, what did you just say? Say it again, sweetie." I knew that a baby that was only a couple of months old could not really speak, but still I was very excited. "Papa, Papa." James said something simr to the word Papa. With an excited smile, Alice also walked to us. "Oh my God! My grandson says Papa now! Say it again, James!" But James did not say it after that. Perhaps, it was just a coincidence, but I was jealous that he called his father first, and not me. After Alice left, I held my son in my arms, trying to coax him to sleep and asked again, "James, can you say Mama?" Chapter 198 Ambiguous Chapter 198 Ambiguous Charles'' POV: After leaving Scarlett''s house, I told Spencer I''d meet him at his bar. The moment I entered the bar, the deafening music resonated in my ears. It was so noisy that I frowned with displeasure. If only I could stay with Scarlett at home, I would never go out to drink at a bar. "Come on, man! Let''s drink!" Naturally, Spencer couldn''t read my mind, so he asked me to sit down and drink with him. But before long, I received a message from my mother. "Scarlett is here with James." After having read the message, I sprang to my feet and couldn''t wait to get out of the bar. "Charles, what the hell, man? We just got here. Where are you going?" Spencer asked when he caught up with me. "Scarlett is at home. I wanna go back now. Sorry, dude. I have to cancel on you today," I said with a little bit of regret. "Well, your wife is always more important than your bro! It''s cool. Let me see you off, then!" Spencer responded. "Thanks, Spencer," I replied. Spencer knew me well, so he didn''t get mad at me. Instead, he just followed me to the entrance of the bar. It was then that I saw Vivian at a corner of the bar, speaking to a man. I patted Spencer on the shoulder, asking him to take a look. Quietly, we approached him. And when we were close enough, we were able to hear the man speak. "I''ll see you again next time, babe!" "Fuck off!" Vivian growled. "Spencer, do you think she cuckolded you?" Once the man had left, I couldn''t help but tease Spencer. "That''s impossible!" I could tell that Spencer was infuriated. He hurried to Vivian''s side and asked, "Who was that man?" It seemed like she didn''t expect to run into Spencer here. "He''s one of my friends," she replied. "A friend, huh? Then why did you call you ''babe'' ?" Spencer refused to believe her. "Spencer, that''s enough. I''m too exhausted to deal with your crap." Vivian had no intention of answering and just walked away from him. "Spencer, I gotta go, dude. Go ahead and deal with your problem." Seeing that they were having a fight, I decided to leave them alone. Upon my arrival at home, I changed my shoes at the door and was about to go upstairs. However, I suddenly realized that I reeked of smoke. I knew that Scarlett wouldn''t like it, so I decided to go the bathroom to take a shower first. About a half hourter, I finished cleaning myself and now I smelled great. I put on my pajamas, which were the same style as Scarlett''s. I stared at myself in the mirror. My hair was still damp, and my muscles were well-outlined. Not to toot my own horn, but I was quite proud that my figure was great. Then, I deliberately left the two topmost buttons of my shirt unbuttoned. If I were to seduce Scarlett now, she wouldn''t be able to resist my charms. ''This n is going to work!'' I remarked inwardly. "Scarlett!" I eximed, opening the door of the baby''s room. But I was disappointed to see that only James was sleeping in bed. ''Where on earth is Scarlett?'' Suddenly, I heard a set of footstepsing from behind me. "Charles?" Delighted, I turned around and asked, "Where have you been?" Scarlett raised a ss of water she was holding. "I went to get some water." Then, she looked at me and asked, "Aren''t you going in?" Only then did I realize that I had been standing at the doorway. "Yes, of course. I''m sure James misses me. I want to see him." Scarlett''s mouth twitched. "Then you''d better hurry up. We''re about to sleep." ''We?'' I repeated in my mind. The following second, I realized that she wasn''t referring to me. It made me upset that my woman was going to sleep with another man, even though that man was my son. I tiptoed into the room and walked to James'' crib. Even when he was sleeping, he was still so cute. "James looks a lot like you," Scarlett said all of a sudden. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Really? How so?" "Your eyes, nose, and lips look simr," she replied. A smug smile appeared on my lips. "Ah, so you''ve been observing me carefully, huh?" Scarlett was none too pleased to hear my remark. She red at me and said, "It''s gettingte. Good night." Upon seeing her reaction, I was rendered speechless. Thus, I reluctantly left the nursery. When I returned to the master bedroom, an idea popped into my mind. ''I can just carry her here by force. Besides, it''s not like I haven''t done something simr in the past.'' Then I tried my best to control myself, and calmed myself down. ''No, that would only make Scarlett mad.'' In the end, I kept on tossing and turning in bed, and couldn''t fall asleep. Scarlett''s BOV: Once Charles had left, I was able to sleep soundly. It was rare of me to get a chance to sleep that well. When I woke up the next day, I was shocked to find myself lying alone in the master bedroom. ''What the hell happened? Wasn''t I sleeping in James'' roomst night?'' I looked down and found that two buttons of my pajamas had been undone and half of my breasts were exposed, leaving me flustered. While I was trying to figure out what happened, someone opened the door and came in. It was Charles. "Charles, how did I end up sleeping here? Where''s James?" "You were sleeping so soundlyst night, and you kept calling my name. What''s up with that? Do you still have feelings for me?" Charles didn''t answer my question, and he just stared at me with those taunting eyes. "Nonsense! Do you think I could do something like that?" I argued. Then, I wrapped myself with the nket and red at him. "There''s no need to get mad, Scarlett. I''m just here to tell you that from now on, James and you can sleep in the master''s bedroom, and I''ll sleep in the nursery." Charles suddenly became serious. "No, thanks. Aren''t you going to tell me where James is? You haven''t even answered the question yet!" "Don''t get so worked up. Mom just took him out for some fresh air," he answered. All of a sudden, Charles got closer to me. We were so close to each other that our faces were merely inches apart. His eyes were as deep and unpredictable as the ocean. Somehow, it seemed like there was a storm hiding beneath them. We hadn''t been this close for a long time. Suddenly, the atmosphere became tense and ambiguous. I could feel my heart racing, and I had goosebumps. I felt so nervous that I couldn''t even say a word. After having stared at me for a long time, he chuckled. "You''re adorable." That simple sentence was enough to make me blush. Oh, how I hated myself for losing my composure! Afterposing myself, I said, "Charles, I''m your ex-wife now. You need to distance yourself from me." "And why should I do that? You are James '' mother, and I am his father. Like it or not, we''re a family," Charles answered, getting even closer to me. I pulled up the quilt with both hands, slowly retreating until my back was against the headboard. Soon, I found myself entrapped by him. "Charles, what the hell are you trying to do? Don''te any closer!" "Shh! I just want to do something important before we go downstairs for breakfast," he said. The sound of his deep, bewitching voice made my heart beat even faster. Chapter 199 The Last Chapter 199 The Last Supplication_______ Scarlett''s POV: Charles was drawing nearer and nearer. Even from this close, his face was still wless and impable. All of a sudden, I thought of us having sex in the past. I could still vividly remember the sound of his hoarse groans. The mere thought of it made me blush and my heart beat fast. "What''s the matter, Scarlett? Why are you blushing?" I could see the yfulness in Charles '' eyes, so I quickly turned my head away. After a while, silence ensued and I realized that I had been fooled. When I raised my head, I saw that Charles was standing at the door of the master bedroom and holding back hisughter. "Scarlett, I''m just here to take my phone. I left it beside the pillow after I carried you into the roomst night. There''s no need to be so nervous!" "Fuck off!" I was both ashamed and angry, so I threw a pillow at him. Now that Charles had left, I dawdled for a long time before going downstairs. As I headed downstairs, I prayed that Charles had gone. However, things didn''t go as I had hoped. When I entered the dining room, I saw him smiling at me. The second I sat down, he said to me, "I''ll drive you to work after we finish breakfast." "That won''t be necessary. Besides, it''s out of your way!" The thought of getting fooled by Charles earlier infuriated me. I gritted my teeth, feeling embarrassed once more. "I have something to deal with at a ce near the TV station. If you don''t take my car, I''m going to take yours." Charles'' response took me by surprise, and it left me speechless. "Fine." After a few seconds of silence, I reluctantly agreed to his suggestion. I had lost my appetite, so I only took a few bites of the bread, grabbed my bag, and left the dining room. "Wait for me," Charles said from behind me. I didn''t want to talk to him, so I hurried to the garage. After getting in the car, I took out a stack of documents from my bag and began to read them. Through this, I was able to ignore Charles. "You''re just a producer. Howe you''re busier than I am?" heined. "Well, the new program has just begun, so it''s natural for me to be busy," I replied while reading through the documents. "You do know that you can just quit your job, right? I''m more than capable of supporting you for the rest of your life." Upon hearing his remark, I immediately red at him. "What''s wrong? Have I said something bad?" Charles seemed to have noticed my gaze, so he nced over at me. "I''m an independent modern woman. I don''t need you to support me financially. Besides, who are you to me?" I instantly felt better after saying that. Regardless of how he might react, I returned my focus to the documents. Rita''s POV: Early in the morning, I went to the Moore Group''s parking lot to wait for Charles. Having waited for a long time, I had grown tired, but he still hadn''t shown up yet. I thought that he might note to thepany today, so I decided to give up and leave. But before I could leave, I saw Charles'' car in the distance. Happily, I straightened my clothes and tried to be as decent as possible. When the car parked, I made my way towards it. Charles didn''t get out of the car. He just rolled down the window and shot me a nce. "Charles, something happened to my dad at the prison. Do you have anything to do with that?" "I have no idea what you''re talking about," he said frigidly. "Frankly, I don''t care whether he lives or dies. All I care about is the Lively Group. And for that, I need your help. Please." I had to plead with him, because I didn''t have any other options. "The Lively Group is already yours, isn''t it?" "Yes, it is now legally under my charge, but it''s about to go bankrupt. I don''t want to be the laughingstock of others! Charles, you''re myst hope." I humbled myself before him, and tried to look as pitiful as possible. "Is that so? But you told me that you only want the Lively Group to be yours and that you don''t care what sort of condition it''s in, remember?" The way Charles spoke only stressed me out. I was so speechless that I couldn''t think of a response. "Richard! Send Rita away. I have a meeting to attend, so I''d rather not waste my time here," Charles ordered impatiently. "Charles, wait! Please!" I pleaded. "We''re not that close, Rita. From now on, you should call me Mr. Moore." My heart ached at his remark. He even deprived me of calling him by his first name. "Mr. Moore, I''m begging you! If you want, I can get on my knees and apologize to you." Dignity was meaningless for me now. I would throw it all away just to save the Lively Group. "Miss Lively, pleasee with me." Richard dragged me out of the parking lot without a shred of respect. I stared at Charles '' direction, breaking into tears. This was the saddest moment of my life, for I had been forced into a desperate situation. Now, I realized that I had lost Charles'' trust forever. The pain in my heart was enough to shatter it into a thousand pieces. "There''s no need to drag me! I can walk by myself." While Richard was dragging me out of the parking lot, I tried my best to break free from his grasp and managed to seed. Just then, I received a call from my mother. "Mom? What''s the matter?" "Rita! You need toe home. Quick! Lily brought some men here again. And she threw out all of our clothes!" My mother sounded anxious and helpless. "Mom, are you serious? Why didn''tyou stop them? They had no right, nor reason to throw our belongings away! You know what? Forget it. Let''s talk about this when I get back!" Angrily, I hung up on her, feeling disappointed at my mother''s ipetence. With no other choice, I humbled myself once more and begged Richard for help. "Richard, do you mind lending me two of your men? Lily is causing trouble at my house right now." "Sorry, but I don''t have the right tomand Mr. Moore''s men." "You are so heartless," I said. After ring at Richard, I decided to drive away. I drove so fast that it took mere minutes for me to get home. I found that the door had been left open, and the house was in disarray. There, my mother was crying on the sofa, and the person I hated most, Lily, was looking at me as if she had won. "Rita, you''ve finallye back," she said, trying to goad me. "Damn you all! Even dogs are capable of guarding houses, right? Well, you lot are even worse than dogs!" I ignored Lily and scolded the servants first. "Don''t bother, Rita. These servants won''t be serving you any longer. Anyway, take a gander at this document. I brought Tim with me today. He can prove to you that this document had been signed by your father, Nate Lively, himself." Only then did I notice that my father''s privatewyer, Tim, was also there. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Tim, you ipetent traitor! Lily, I''ll have you know that I will never let you seed!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. "Struggling is useless, Rita. Release the hounds!" Lilymanded. Before I could react, I saw two fierce-looking wolf dogs charging towards me and barking like crazy. I was so scared I thought I would die. "Rita, don''t say I didn''t give you a chance. You still have five minutes. If you don''t leave now, my wolf dogs will show you my wrath!" Having said that, Lily turned around and went upstairs. The sight of the wolf dogs left my mother so scared that she hid herself behind me. "Rita, what should we do?" Through gritted teeth, I said, "For now, I think it''s best that we leave. Sooner orter, we''ll move back into this house." "And how are we going to do that? Will you be asking Charles for help? It''s useless, Rita. Your father has already pleaded with him many times. He won''t help us." My mother''s face was filled with disdain. Firmly, I responded, "Mom, do you know what women are most talented at? We''re incredibly good at ying the victim. One way or another, I''m going to convince Charles to help me make a comeback!" Chapter 200 Its Karma Chapter 200 It''s Karma Christine''s POV: As Charles'' grandmother, I was naturally worried about his rtionship with Scarlett. They already had their own child, and yet they couldn''t make up even after so long. It was like they weren''t even aware that they were parents already! "Mom, they have their own lives to live, and we shouldn''t interfere with that. Just give them some more time. Charles is my son and I know him well. I''m sure he''ll make up with Scarlett in the end." Alice put the peeled orange into my hand and tried tofort me. "I hope you''re right." I let out a deep sigh. The following moment, the butler walked in a hurried pace and bowed to me. "Mrs. Lively is here to see you." "Which Mrs. Lively?" ''Have I be too old for this? Why can''t I remember I have a friend with that last name?'' I wondered. "It''s Susan Lively, Madame. Mr. Nate Lively''s wife," answered the butler. Upon hearing that, Alice and I exchanged nces. We were clearly thinking of the same thing. We were reluctant to meet with Susan. However, I still nodded. "Send her in." After receiving the order, the butler left. "She''s probably here for something evil. Why do you bother meeting with her?" Alice asked, visibly confused. I ate a piece of the orange and said, "Eh, I''ve a long and boring day, dear. I''m sure Susan will provide us with some much needed entertainment to pass the time." Soon, Susan came in. Her clothes were neat and decent, but they were obviously a style from a different era. She had be pale and gloomy, which was worlds different from how she used to be. "Ah, Susan! Long time no see. Why do you look so haggard?" Alice asked politely, gesturing Susan to take a seat. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. After greeting us with a nod, Susan replied, "There have been too many thingstely. Nate is in prison right now, and Lily has beening to my house, causing trouble from time to time. What''s worse is that the Lively Group is in crisis. It''s been a troubling time for me. Each day that I wake up, I have to face so many problems at once." Alice put on a smile. "Maybe it''s karma." Susan was taken aback. Tears welled up in her eyes as she got down on her knees before us. "Believe me when I say this, I really feel guilty for what happened in the past. Please, give us a chance to atone for our sins! Help us!" I leaned against the sofa and snorted, "Do we look like fools to you? Why in the world should we help you? Have you forgotten what you''ve done to Charles and Scarlett?" "We will never do that again! I swear, I won''t let Rita trouble them again!" Susan shook her head, seemingly desperate. Alice scoffed at her. "Nate made the same promise to me, but look at how things turned out!" "Susan, do you really believe that Rita will listen to you? Much like her father, she''s an impenitent little cunt. Back then, Nate tried to rape Scarlett''s mother. Fortunately, we arrived in time to prevent that tragedy from happening!" The more I spoke, the angrier I became. Soon, my chest was heaving up and down. Alice began stroking my back tofort me. "Mom, calm down." "Nate has already been punished! And he has given everything to his lover, Lily. He doesn''t care about me and Rita one bit. You shouldn''t me us for his sins. We''re innocent!" Tears ran down Susan''s cheeks. "Innocent, you say? Rita pretended to have cancer and imed that she didn''t have long to live. She deceived Charles and forced him into situation that he thought he needed to divorce Scarlett. Can you honestly say that she''s innocent? I think she''s the worst of you all! She''ll do any means necessary to achieve her ambitions!" I pounded on the table, standing up with rage. The startling noise made Susan tremble with fear. Defeated, and shamed, Susan cried bitterly. People who had no idea about the truth might think that Alice and I bullied her. "Butler, see our guest out," Alice said. Then, she helped me sit down, and then she poured a ss of water for me. Susan didn''t want to leave, but in the end, the butler forcefully dragged her away. "Didn''t you tell me that you just wanted to watch the show? Why did you get furious? You know, I think we shouldn''t see anyone from the Lively family in the future, lest you get mad," Alice remarked while massaging my shoulders. Until now, I was still boiling with rage. "How dare that stupid womane to our house and pretend like she''s the victim in all this? Shame on her!" Scarlett''s POV: After working for a whole day, I said goodbye to Nina and left thepany. Upon stepping out of the TV station''s gate, I saw Rita and several reporters blocking my way. As soon as she saw me, she knelt on the ground and stared at me with pleading eyes. The reporters immediately encircled us and took photos. Meanwhile, J and Tracy stood in front of me. "Forget it." I patted on their shoulders, turned around, and began walking away from Rita. However, she sprang to her feet and grabbed my hand. "Scarlett, I''m here to ask for your forgiveness. I have wronged you, and for that, I sincerely apologize. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?" I nced at the reporters around us and shook off her hands with a smile. "What do you want me to forgive you for? Is it the fact that you hired someone to kill me? Or for trying to make me miscarry my baby and stage it like an ident?" Right after I said that, the reporters burst into an uproar, looking at Rita in astonishment. Rita froze for a moment, and she almost failed to continue with her acting. But to my surprise, she was able to go on being a hypocrite. "Those are just misunderstandings, Scarlett. Please, have mercy on me and help the Lively Group!" "When you hired someone to kill me, did you show me or my child any mercy?" I was smiling, but my eyes were as frigid as a frozen tundra, and I was staring daggers at Rita. My gaze was enough to leave her trembling with fear as she was about to kowtow before me. "Stop her!" Imanded. J and Tracy grabbed Rita''s arms and lifted her up. Slowly, I walked forward and leaned close to Rita''s ear. Every word that I uttered wasden with hatred. "I hope the Lively Group disappears from the face of the earth. Would you like me to fan the mes and speed up its destruction?" Rita stared at me, dumbfounded. She couldn''t utter a word, so I just walked away. The following day, my name was on the top searches again. I read the news while drinking coffee. The media had reported that I remained unmoved even when Rita had humbled herself before me and apologized. In thements section,izens came up with their own theories, and they left me amazed. It was true that human imagination was boundless. During the afternoon, William came to discuss the modification of the program with me. We had been talking for quite a while now, but we still hadn''t reached the same page. After ncing at his watch, he said, "It''s quitete now. Shall we continue our discussion over dinner?" "Sounds lovely. Perhaps we should ask Nina to join us. Maybe she cane up with some good suggestions regarding the questions we raised," I answered. "Are you scared of being alone with me in private or something?" William asked gently. I was caught off-guard by his remark, but I managed topose myself. "Of course, not. Well, if you mind it, then let''s just go on ahead!" "I''m just kidding, Scarlett. I''ll go get my car. I''ll wait for you two at the entrance." Having said that, William left. I was relieved at how things turned out. Each time I interacted with William, I couldn''t help but think of Charles'' warning. When we arrived at the restaurant, the three of us chatted while eating, and the whole dinner was a delight. During the meal, I went to the bathroom. On my way back to our table, I heard a familiar voiceing from a private room I had just passed. Just then, the waiter opened the door and served the dishes. I identally nced inside the room and saw Rita toasting to a middle-aged man. She happened to nce at the door. Upon seeing me, her face changed dramatically. After saying something to the middle-aged man, she put down her ss and walked towards me. "Scarlett, have you been following me?" she asked, disying her hostility. At first, her words left me confused, and then Iughed at her. "Don''t tter yourself! It''s just a coincidence that I''m here, too. Maybe because you did so many bad things in the past that God directed me here just so I could see how low you have gone." Rita gritted her teeth and said, "Don''t tell anyone about this! You didn''t see me here today, got it? Scarlett, do you understand?" "I will not retaliate unless I''m being attacked. There''s no need to worry. As long as you don''t do anything to offend me, I won''t waste my time on you." With that, I waved my hand in dismissal and walked into my private room. There, I saw an unexpected guest in the room that left me stupefied. "Charles? What are you doing here?" Charles was sitting at my original seat, staring at me. "Am I not allowed to be here?" Before I could say anything, Rita walked past me and entered the room. It seemed that she had followed me here. "What a coincidence! I see that Charles is here, as well. Well, since we''re all here by chance, why don''t we all eat together?" As she spoke, she pulled out the chair next to Charles, intending to sit down. I found it amusing, hrious even, so I leaned against the door of the room, quietly watching her theatrics. Charles reached his hand out to stop Rita. "Sorry, but I lose my appetite whenever I see you." Rita froze for a moment and then she forced a smile. "In that case, I won''t trouble you any longer. My mother and I are having dinner with an important guest. I should go back to them." Dejected, she went out of the room. Instead of closing the door immediately, I shot Charles a nce and asked, "What about you? Why are you still here?" Before Charles could respond, William said, "Charles, since you''re having dinner with a client, we won''t keep you here." Chapter 201 Pestering Chapter 201 Pestering Charles'' POV: "Yes, Charles. Please go ahead." Casting a nce at me from the corner of her eyes, Scarlett was also driving me away, but for some reason I felt that she didn''t really mean it. "Okay, I''m leaving, then." Saying that in a gentle tone, I stood up, and lowered my head to whisper in her ear, "I don''t have a driver to take me home, so please wait for me after you''ve had dinner. I would like you to give me a ride back. Besides, I might get drunk. You know how clients can be, right?" This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Scarlett nodded in response. With a satisfied smile, I gave her a peck on the cheek before I left. I heard her shouting behind me in an angry voice, "You bastard!" Once I was out of the private room, I took out my cellphone and deleted Nina''s text. It was thanks to her message that I was able to manage to rearrange my dinner appointment with my client and meet Scarlett at this restaurant. In fact, I was looking forward to going home with Scarlettter. Perhaps, I could use the excuse of being drunk to hold her in my arms and do something naughty. Although my heart was filled with the excitement of anticipation, the reality of it was a lot crueler. After seeing my clients off, I returned to the private dining room, but to my surprise, only Richard was there. "Why are you here?" "J asked me to pick you up." Richard seemed to be nervous as he stood by the door. "Where is Scarlett?" Looking around the empty room, my expression darkened at once. She lied to me again! "She has already gone back to the Moore mansion," Richard replied. Upon hearing that, my anger dissipated a little. At least I would be able to see her at home. I quickly left the restaurant and went to Scarlett''s favorite dessert shop. My mother was delighted to see the desserts in my hand when I got home, and she held out her hand to me. "What a good boy!" Feeling a little guilty, I subconsciously hid the box of desserts behind my back and said, "I''m sorry, mom. These are for Scarlett. I''ll buy you some next time." "You brat!" She red at me and added impatiently, "Go upstairs. Scarlett is in the nursery." I walked up to her and gave her a hug. "Thanks for understanding, mom." However, she pushed me away coldly. As soon as I went upstairs, I saw that the room to the nursery was closed. It was probably even locked from the inside. "Scarlett?" I tried to knock on the door several times, but there was no response at all. With a frown, I took out a key and tried to open the door, but to my surprise, it did not work, so I could not help but wonder if the lock was broken. I called out to Scarlett, but she did not respond. Frowning, I walked downstairs and asked my mother, "Mom, did you see Scarlett enter the nursery?" "Yes. And I also saw her asking someone to change the lock. I can''t believe that Scarlett is so wary of you. What did you do?" she teased with a smile. Feeling a headache, I massaged my forehead. Clearly, women were reallyplicated things, and they were the most unpredictable ones. The next morning, I woke up early, and waited outside the nursery. Since it was a weekday, I knew that Scarlett would have toe out of the room to go to work. Not long after, she opened the door and walked out. She seemed to be sleepy. Her hair was loosely hanging over her shoulders, contrasting her fair skin. I found it so hard to take my eyes off her and focus. "Scarlett." At first, I wanted to confront her, but after seeing how beautiful she was, I could not help subconsciously softening my tone. Startled, she looked at me and stammered, "Ch... Charles? Why are you up so early?" "Yes, since I did not find you at the restaurant after my dinnerst night, I got up early to wait outside the nursery door to see you." I approached her, and she stepped back until her back was against the door. She was trying to avoid my gaze. "Why did you change the lock?" I questioned her, pinching her chin. She fluttered her eyshes and answered in a loud voice, "Of course, it was to prevent someone from sneaking into the room their ex-wife was sleeping, in the middle of the night." "Ex-wife?" Those words really infuriated me as I pinched her soft cheeks and continued, "Believe it or not, I''ll go to the TV station and put up a banner that says, producer Scarlett ruthlessly abandoned her husband." "How dare you! Quit messing around!" I could tell that she was anxious by the way she shook off my hand. However, I entwined my fingers with hers, unwilling to let go. Stunned by my moves, her face turned red. "Didn''t you promise that you would wait for mest night? Why did you leave before me?" I took her hand and gently bit it. Scarlett tried to take her hand away, but I did not allow it. She struggled for a long time to free herself, but our hands only sped more tightly. Staring at me with a helpless look in her eyes, she asked, "Why should we go home together? You are my ex- husband, so there is no reason for me to wait for you." When I heard those cruel words, I immediately felt like there was a hand, squeezing my heart, draining the life out of it. "You can''t just disassociate yourself from me, Scarlett." I quickly lowered my head and kissed her lips. Although it was just a peck, she was not able to dodge it. As her face turned red again, she stomped on my foot and ran away. "Your favorite dessert is in the fridge," I shouted after her, watching her leave. Scarlett stopped for a moment, and I noticed that her ears were red. She then quickened her pace and walked out of my sight. Scarlett''s POV: Only after arriving at the TV station did I take out my phone. I saw that there were so many missed calls from Charlesst night. I then suddenly remembered him kissing me that morning, and I could not help blushing. "Scarlett!" Nina screamed, frightening me. My hands slipped, and I dropped my phone on the desk. "You scared me," Iined. Clicking her tongue, she poked my cheek. "I have been calling your name for a while now. What are you so busy thinking about? Your face is so red. Were you thinking of something dirty?" "No!" I retorted loudly, attracting the attention of everyone around me. I immediately lowered my voice in embarrassment and continued, "I''m just thinking about the dessert I had for breakfast." "Was it something that Charles bought for you?" I found it very shocking that Nina was able to see right through me just by a nce. After a long pause, I finally asked, "How did you know?" "I know you well enough, my friend." Nina pulled up a chair and sat down beside me before she whispered in my ear, "What''s going on with you and Charles right now?" I thought for a long time before I finally said, "Well, I never even thought that such a thing was possible in the past. And I have never once imagined that he would treat me like this. He was the one who filed for a divorce, and now he''s the one that''s pestering me. I keep trying my best to avoid him, but I can tell that it is not a permanent fix to the problem at all." Nina nodded in agreement. "He can surely find you no matter how much you try to hide, too." Before I could realize, I found myself ncing at my phone. "Scarlett, if you really don''t have feelings for him anymore, then why don''t you take my suggestion from earlier, and find yourself a man?" Nina held my hand and added tentatively, "If he sees that you''re in love with someone else, then maybe it will be easy for him to move on, right?" "Well, knowing the kind of man he is, I am sure he will make my boyfriend move on before he does," I said with a wry smile. Nina thought for a while and smiled awkwardly. "You are right. I''ve run out of ideas. What''s your n? Are you going to let him continue to pester you?" Before I could answer, I suddenly heard someone calling me. I turned around and saw the receptionist walking towards me with a bunch of roses in her arms. All of a sudden, I felt like there was an rm that just went off in my heart. "Scarlett, you are so popr! Your pursuer keeps sending flowers to the TV station." Under everyone''s intense gaze, the receptionist put the bouquet in my hands. Nina raised her eyebrows with a curious expression. My other colleagues also started teasing me. Pretending to be calm, I thanked the receptionist before I narrowed my eyes at my colleagues. "Looks like you''re all free at the moment. How about we have a meeting?" Hearing that, the colleagues immediately scattered. Nina looked at me with eagerness in her eyes as she asked excitedly, "Who sent them?" Who else could it be except Charles? I looked down at the flowers. The roses were as bright as fire, and it reminded me of the irresistible charm of Charles. All of a sudden, my phone rang. But Nina reacted faster than I did. She took the phone and put it in my hand. "It''s a call from Charles. I guess he was the one that sent you the flowers." I pushed the phone back to her and said, "Answer it for me." She shook her head in response, but I blinked my eyes at her, looking so pitiful. "Damn it! It''s not a surprise that Charles can''t give up on you. Your doe eyes make even my heart flutter!" Nina covered her chest exaggeratedly, hesitated for a moment, before she finally answered the phone. Holding the bouquet in my hands, I looked at her without even blinking my eyes. After a few words, Nina hung up and looked at me with dissatisfaction. "When Charles heard my voice, he became as cold as ice." Hearing that, I hugged Nina tofort her. "He''s the one that sent the flowers, and he asked me to tell you that if you don''t like them, you can throw them away," Nina said with a sigh. I was in a dilemma as I stared at the beautiful blossoms in my hand, feeling a little helpless. Chapter 202 Trying To Get A Sponsorship Chapter 202 Trying To Get A Sponsorship Charles'' POV: I finished my work ahead of time, so that I could go to the TV station and wait for Scarlett. Unexpectedly, William showed up in front of me. From the looks of it, he had carefully picked out his attire. He wore a suit and tie, a dandy wristwatch, and cufflinks that suited him well. He also wore a pair of thin-frame sses on, making him look even more debonair. We immediately caught sight of each other, but neither of us turned our gazes away. Suddenly, Scarlett came out, so I averted my eyes from William. I must admit that in her office attire, she had apletely different vibe. She was sharply dressed and elegant to boot. Her charisma alone was enough to make anyone follow her with their gaze. I stared at her, fascinated by her beauty. But to my surprise, she went straight to William. William greeted Scarlett with a smile, and then he shot me a defiant nce. I was so angry that I grunted and red at Scarlett before storming away. But before I could enter my car, I heard a hurried set of footsteps in high heels. ''Scarlett?'' I looked back, hoping that it was her, but I was disappointed to see that it was a woman I didn''t know. The woman was short of breath. She was looking at me with a grin on her face. "Mr. Moore, would you do me the honor of having a drink with you?" "Pass." My face turned grim the moment I saw her face and then I left without hesitation. Secondster, I mmed the door of my car shut. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The chauffeur was staring at me, visibly nervous. I leaned against the backseat, removing my tie in a fit of rage. And then I told the chauffeur to take me to Mint Bar. "Richard, figure out that woman''s identity," I said, pointing at the woman outside. Richard nodded in response and immediately made a phone call. Soon, we received an e-mail with an attached document. The woman''s name was Lucia, one of Scarlett''s colleagues in her department. She oncepeted with Scarlett for a program, but she lost because she wasn''t as good as Scarlett. It wasn''t surprising to me, for I knew that Scarlett was an excellent andpetent individual. I decided to stop thinking about Lucia. After arriving at the private room of the bar, Spencer and I drank away our sorrows. Sadly, we couldn''t enjoy ourselves just yet, because someone knocked on the door and entered the room. It was Lucia. "Who are you looking for, Miss?" Spencer asked, staring at her. "I''m looking for Mr. Moore." I took a sip of my scotch, staring daggers at her. "You followed me? Tell me, what do you want from me?" "I''m terribly sorry if I''ve offended you, sir. That''s not my intention!" Lucia waved her hands, standing at the door of the private room meekly. She then looked into my eyes and said, "I have no intention of getting in the way of your rtionship with Scarlett. I just need your help." I swiveled my ss, letting the ball of ice roll around, and creating a crisp sound. "Listen,dy, Charles isn''t a phnthropist. Why in the world should he help you? And who are you?" Spencer asked in a voiceden with sarcasm. "I''m not asking to be helped for free. I believe that this opportunity will also benefit Mr. Moore." Lucia blushed, seemingly abashed. "I''m a colleague of Scarlett. The program I was supposed to take over was given to her instead. And now, I''m on thin ice. To make up for it, my boss has asked me to find sponsorship for another program. Sadly, I''m just amoner. I don''t have any connections. The only person I could think of that could help is you, Mr. Moore. I''m willing to apany and drink with you if you''re willing to help me." "Who do you think you are? You''re not even qualified to share a drink with Charles, let alone ask him to pay for your sponsorship. Are you doing this because you sensed that Charles and Scarlett are on a rocky rtionship, so you figured you could seize the opportunity to gain a foothold?" Spencer rolled his eyes at her. Then, he mmed the ss onto the table just to show his contempt, regardless that he caused some of his liquor to ssh out. Tears welled up in Lucia''s eyes and she shook her head in response. "Spencer, don''t be so hard on the woman. She just wants to have a drink." I pointed at an empty ss and said, "Give her one." Spencer seemed shocked by my answer, and then I looked at him in silence. "Fine. But she has to leave after drinking this whiskey," he remarked, ncing at Lucia. Spencer looked away, but he still poured a ss of whiskey for the woman. "Don''t try to pull any tricks, got it? Remember, you don''t even deserve to be in Charles'' presence," he added. Lucia took the ss and gulped down her whiskey under Spencer''s gaze. She then nced at me. Now that she had finished her drink, Spencer pushed her away and said, "You''ve had your drink, now leave! Don''t think you can earn money through this ploy of yours. You''re Scarlett''s colleague, notabarmaid." However, Lucia remained silent. She just bit her lip, appearing to be aggrieved. Her helplessness felt quite familiar to me. It reminded me of how I was chasing Scarlett around, but she would always refuse me. "What''s the program?" I asked. Right after I said that, both Spencer and Lucia looked at me in astonishment. It seemed that he couldn''t believe I said that. Lucia, on the other hand, was over the moon and she immediately told me all about the program. By the time she finished her exnation, I had finished my scotch. I stared at the remaining ice in the ss, casually agreeing to help her. "Wait! What? Charles, are you serious, man? Are you drunk? Why did you say yes?" Spencer walked towards me, grabbing the ss from my hand. I turned a blind eye to him, and waved at Lucia. "You may leave now." At first, Lucia was bewildered, but then she thanked me afterwards and left the room at once. "What the hell is the matter with you, Charles? Do you even know what you''re doing?" Spencer roared. I stood up, casting him a stern re. It seemed that he was intimidated by my gaze that he had to take a step back. "Scarlett doesn''t even want my help. Is it not allowed for me to help others instead?" I asked. Spencer seemed confused by what I said. "Did you and Scarlett fight again? And even if you did, that doesn''t mean you can be so nice to other women! If Scarlett finds out about this, your rtionship will be even worse. Try to put yourself in her ce, will you? How would you feel if Scarlett agrees to another man''s request right now?" he asked. I gritted my teeth, visibly displeased. When I thought of how Scarlett came to William right after work, I lost my temper. And with every passing moment, I could feel my anger bing more intense. While Spencer was still chattering, I left the room and mmed the door behind me, unable to stifle my anger any longer. Scarlett''s POV: William had invited me to dinner, saying that he wanted to talk about the show with me while eating. Normally, we would discuss the program in the meeting room, but it was fine with me to have a change of venue. Thus, I epted his invitation without thinking on it too much. In the middle of our conversation, my phone rang. The second I answered the phone, I heard Spencer''s loud voice. "Scarlett, help! I''ve offended Charles defending you!" "Spencer, get a grip! What happened?" I could tell from his reaction that Spencer was filled with indignation. He then told me that Lucia had asked Charles for sponsorship. I acted as though I didn''t care, and I evenforted Spencer for a time. But after hanging up on him, I realized that my hands were trembling. "Scarlett, are you okay?" William sounded worried about me. I put down my phone, ced my hands on myp and smiled at him. "I''ve just received some bad news. I''m going to have a rival." "Scarlett, I''m sure this won''t be a tough nut to crack for someone like you. I believe in you." William seemed sincere with his praises. "But if you ever need my help, I''ll always be on your side." "Thank you, William. You''re a great partner." Having said that, I put some distance between us and said, "I think I can handle these problems by myself. You don''t have to worry about me." Chapter 203 I Miss You Every Day And Night Chapter 203 I Miss You Every Day And Night Scarlett''s POV: After dinner, William and I chatted all the way to the parking lot. While we were walking, my car, which was being driven by J, stopped in front of me. I turned to William to say goodbye, but I saw that his face had turned dark and gloomy. "I forgot to call my driver. I shouldn''t have drunk," he said glumly. "Still, you can call your driver now," I reminded him. William looked at me and sighed. "Actually, I''m meeting someer. I''m afraid I''ll be runningte if I call my driver over now. Would you be so kind as to give me a ride? Our meeting ce isn''t far from here." I was hesitant at first, but I agreed in the end. William got into my car and told J the address. Just as he had said, it was not that far. His eyes were glued to his phone along the way. Neither of us spoke the whole ride. A few momentster, we stopped at a red light, and a brightly lit ice cream parlor caught my attention. I had seen manyizens '' rmendations for this shop. They said that it was a nice ce to hang out. William must have sensed what I was thinking. "Do you want to go there?" he asked with a gentle smile. I shook my head. "I don''t think now''s the right time. You''re meeting someone, remember? Let''s get you there first." William raised his phone and exined, "Well, the person I''m meeting will arrive an hourter. Flight dys. Why don''t we eat ice cream first?" Well, it was not a bad idea, so I nodded in agreement. I turned to look at J and said, "Let''s go to the ice cream store." We sat by the window and chatted while we ate ice cream. William was very knowledgeable. Apparently, he had been to many countries. And now, he was telling me enthusiastically the fascinating things he had encountered abroad. "I envy you. You''ve traveled the world," I said with a sigh. Charles shrugged. "You can do it too." "Sadly, I have lots of things to worry about, so I can''t just go." I took a spoonful of ice cream and put it into my mouth absentmindedly. "Scarlett..." William called me. I looked up and looked into his eyes. "What is it?" "You''re so careless. Look. You have ice cream at the corner of your mouth." Then a hand wiped the melted ice cream off my mouth, and the warmth of his hand brought me back to my senses. My heart fluttered wildly in my chest. I raised my head and saw Charles standing beside me. "Charles, what are you doing here?" I asked, bewildered. As soon as I uttered these words, I realized that I had said them so many times these past few days. Charles was everywhere. "Well, I happened to see you when I passed by." He sat down next to me, took my spoon, and ate my ice cream. His handsome face was very close to mine, and his gaze were tantalizing. "Wow. This is good. If you want, I can buy the whole store for you," he added. Buy it? Was this man out of his mind? Was he that rich that he could buy the whole store just because he liked the product? This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. However, what Spencer had said back then crossed my mind, ruining my mood in an instant. To answer my question: Yes, Charles was that wealthy. He could burn money as he pleased. In fact, he had agreed to sponsor Lucia. A small ice cream store would not make a dent in his wealth. For a moment, we stared into each other''s eyes. His eyes were telling me that I could be the hostess of this shop in a snap of his fingers. While we were looking into each other''s eyes, William''s phone suddenly rang. He answered the phone at once. "You''re here now? Alright. I''ll be right there." As soon as the call ended, William said goodbye to us and then left in a hurry. "Don''t look at him." Charles held my chin with his thumb and index finger and made me look at him. Then, he leaned over and pressed his forehead against mine. "I''m waiting for your answer, but you''re ignoring me," he said in an aggrieved tone. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that the customers were staring at us. Embarrassed, I pushed Charles away from me. "No. I don''t want you to buy this shop for me." "If you say so. By the way, do you have any tissue? My hand is sticky." Charles leaned back and looked at me leisurely. He was calm as usual, but I was not. My ears were red and hot from embarrassment. I rummaged in my handbag, looking for a tissue. Suddenly, Charles pointed at something in my bag and asked, "Didn''t you say you lost that?" It was my wedding ring, shining brightly in my bag. "Well, I thought I had lost it." I closed my bag and put the tissue in front of him. I forced myself to be calm and not let myself be flustered by his overtures. Charles did not say anything anymore. Well, he did not have to. He looked as though he had read my mind, which was annoying. Unable to take it any longer, I stood up from my seat abruptly. "I''m done. Bye." Just as I was about to leave, Charles held my hand. "What is it?" I asked crossly. "I have something to tell you. I''ve agreed to sponsor your colleague, Lucia." He looked intently into my eyes as he spoke. His piercing gaze made me uneasy, but I tried my best to keep my cool. "Whatever. You can do whatever makes you happy." Charles''s eyes narrowed in displeasure. Without a word, he put his hand on my shoulder, forcing me to sit back down. I pped his hand away. "What''s your problem?!" Instead of answering my question, Charles bent over and put his arms around my waist. I struggled to get out of his arms, but he held me tighter. What was more, his towering figure obscured the light overhead, casting a shadow over me. "Do you know why I''ve decided to sponsor Lucia?" I gazed at his wless face with my teeth gritted in anger. Although I did not want to admit it, I could not help but think that he was God''s favorite. He was not only wealthy, but he was also excellent in all aspects. No wonder a lot of women admired him. Even though my heart was pounding in my chest, I suppressed my emotions and only gave him a curt reply. "I don''t care who you''re nice to, my ex -husband." As soon as I said these words, I realized that I should not have said that. The next moment, I found myself sitting on hisp, and his hands were around my waist. The customers gasped in surprise. In an instant, we became the focus of the crowd. "What are you doing? Are you crazy?" I covered my face with one hand and pinched Charles''s waist with the other. He hissed, but he did not let go of me. Instead, he even hugged me tighter. Then, his deep and charismatic voice rang in my ears, rendering me weak. "I''m not crazy. I''ve decided to sponsor Lucia because I want to see you jealous. I didn''t expect that you wouldn''t care." My body stiffened upon hearing this. "Scarlett, I''m sad." He kissed my earlobe and whispered in my ear, "You left with William after work and had a date with him." His warm breath sent a shiver down my spine. I unconsciously turned my face away and reasoned out, "It wasn''t a date. We just talked about busine¡ª" Before I could finish my words, Charles kissed me on the lips. With his strong arms around my waist, he gave me a long, lingering kiss. I tried to push him away, but he would not budge. A momentter, my breath came in quick and heavy. He held the back of my head, forcing me in his deep kiss. Unable to take it any longer, I gave in and kissed him back. I had been holding my breath for quite a while that I felt the surroundings were spinning around. Meanwhile, my heart pounded wildly in my chest. I could not think straight. Our kiss was all I could think about. It was only when we had run out of breath did Charles let go of me. With a gentle smile, he kissed me on the forehead. "Come back to me. I miss you every day and night." I looked at him nkly. Charles sighed heavily and held me in his tight embrace. Time seemed to have stopped. The only thing that I could hear was our breathing. It was as if we were the only one in the world. "Hi. Excuse me." A stranger walked over to us. It was only then that everything dawned on me. Appalled, I jumped out of Charles''s embrace. The stranger got startled by my sudden movement. But, he smiled at me reassuringly and said, "It''s okay. I''m the manager here. You see, our store often holds activities for couples, and we take photos of them as a remembrance. This is for you." He handed me several photos and then left. I looked at the pictures, and my eyes widened in shock. The photos were of me and Charles kissing. "Nice pictures." Charles chuckled, and my heart raced even faster. I turned around and red at him. "Shut up!" "Stop fooling yourself, Scarlett. I know you still love me, and you know it too." His words made my hackles rise. Infuriated, I stepped on his foot and left in a huff. Chapter 204 The Zoo Chapter 204 The Zoo Scarlett''s POV: The morning on a weekend, I was having breakfast when a knock sounded on the door. Curious, I went to open it. Charles stood outside, with baby James in is arms. He pointed at me and said to James, "Look, James, this is your mother. You haven''t seen her for a few days. Do you still remember her?" James gave me a sweet smile and started cooing happily. "Charles...? Why are you here?" "If I don''t bring him here, he might forget you." I hadn''t gone to the Moore Mansion for several days, after Charles forced a kiss on me in the ice cream shop that fateful day. Charles''s style of dress today was quite refreshing, to say the least. Often, he would be d in elegant, finely tailored suits. But today, he only wore a white sweatshirt with a pair of loose blue jeans. His shoes were a pair of simple white sneakers. On his head sat a ck baseball cap. He looked bright, casual, and handsome; and dare I say, incredibly charming. I had to admit, my head began beating rapidly at the sight of him. "Can''t take your eyes off me, can you? Is it because I''m too handsome?" Charles shed me a smug smile, eyes twinkling teasingly, before entering the house with James in his arms. He passed by the dining room. Suddenly, his steps halted and he turned to me. "Scarlett, what did you eat for breakfast?" "Bread. Didn''t you see it?" "You only eat bread in the morning?" "I''m eating alone. Why should I be so particr about food?" I retorted, not bothered to be polite. "I''ll make you a sandwich." So saying, Charles passed James to me. He rolled up his sleeves determinedly and marched into the kitchen. I didn''t say anything more and took James to the sofa in the living room. James stared unblinkingly at me with his big doe eyes while he sucked his thumb, drooling slightly. He was just too adorable. "You''re drooling again, James. Mommy will get you a tissue so we can wipe your mouth." I gazed affectionately at James, my eyes filled with love and doting. "Ma!" Unexpectedly, James let out a loud cry. It took me by surprise. It had only been a few days since I didn''t see him, but never did I imagine that James could say "Ma" now! "You little brat! Get your hands off her." Charles''s annoyed voice suddenly rang from the kitchen. I looked down and discovered that James was trying to pull my cor with his fat, pudgy little hands. My pajamas were low necked, and because of what James had done, my bare breasts nowy exposed for all to see. This brat...! Quickly, I pulled his little hand away gently and fixed my clothes. When I raised my head, I saw Charles staring fixatedly at my now covered chest. My response was a furious re, but he just smiled indifferently at me and said, "He''s almost one year old. Why does he still want to suckle?" I retorted, "Why can''t he suckle even if he''s one year old?" Charles snickered, "You''re right. I''m an adult, but I still want to suckle too!" I grabbed the tissue that I had used to wipe James''s mouth, crumpled it, and then flung it at Charles. This man was vexing! Charles did make a huge sandwich for me, just as he had promised earlier. He ced his handiwork before me and said, "Eat it." "I don''t have any appetite." "If you don''t eat it up, I''ll kiss you!" This man... He was getting more and more overbearing over time. Left with no choice, I took the gigantic sandwich and began to work. After swallowing thest bite with much difficulty, I said, "I''m finished. I want to take James out to y by myself today." "What do you mean, by yourself?" Charles asked, immediately taking a seat next to me. Subconsciously, I moved away from him. "I mean, I won''t take you with us." As soon as I finished speaking, Charles grabbed James from me, stood up, and walked out. "Wait, where are you going?" Anxious, I stood up in a hurry and chased after Charles. "Wanna spend the day with James? Follow me then." Charles said curtly. Then, he left. This man was terrible! After that, I changed my clothes as fast as I could and trotted to catch up with him. Charles ced James in the safety seat at the back of the car before opening the door to the passenger seat. He stared silently at me, but there was a snicker on his lips. I had no other choice. Helpless, I slid into the passenger seat. "Where are you taking us?" "You''ll find out soon." Charles shed me a huge grin and started the car. We soon arrived at the mysterious destination, which turned out to be a zoo. When Charles and I were kids, we frequented this zoo often. I didn''t expect it to still be here even after so many years. Thinking of this, I sighed in my heart, ''How time flies!'' Just then, my phone rang. I nced at Charles, and then walked a few distances away to pick it up. Charles'' POV: "James, your mommy''s on the phone. How about we go see the animals first?" James seemed to understand my words. He waved his fat little fists excitedly at my suggestion, his face shining with eagerness. And so, I took James into the zoo to look at the animals. It was only after a long while that Scarlett came over. "Who called you? Why did you take so long?" I was slightly unhappy. It was a rare chance for all three of us to hang out together, yet she spent such a long time answering her phone. "It''s from the director of the press," Scarlett said, beaming with joy. "Is your book going to be published?" Scarlett nodded, ecstatic. "Is there anything about me in it?" I asked expectantly. "No... The contents of this book focus on parts of my previous interview. I haven''t interviewed you before, so..." All of a sudden, I felt a twinge of displeasure. My unhappiness from before intensified. I held James tightly and strode forward alone, not bothered to wait for Scarlett. James seemed to have noticed my unhappiness. He put his arms around my neck and looked at me with a cute smile, and cooed sweetly, "Ma, ma..." "You brat, are you asking for your mother? Don''t you also think that she''s gone too far?" "Ma, ma..." "Let''s see if your mother''s caught up with us. If she does, I''ll forgive her. Okay?" I stopped and craned my neck to look behind me. Not far away, a petite figure trotted towards us. Seeing Scarlett like that, my stuffy heart softened in an instant. "J, take care of James." I handed James to J, my helper, and then strode towards Scarlett. "Why are you walking so fast?" Scarlettined, shooting me a gloomy gaze. Her hair was now shining with sweat. A twinge of guilt struck me. I took her by the hand and led her to a nearby bench. "Rest here." Scarlett sat down obediently and rubbed her right ankle, which had be sore from running. She pursed her lips and mumbled, "My foot hurts so much. This is all your fault!" I crouched in front of her and lifted her right foot, bringing it to my knee. As expected, her ankle was bright red. The guilt in me grew bigger and I started to massage her ankle gently. My gesture made Scarlett blush. Embarrassed, she tried to pull her leg away from my grasp. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. "W-what are you doing? There are many people here!" "I don''t care. What''s wrong with massaging my wife''s ankle?" I looked at Scarlett, whose face was as red as a ripe apple. She looked so sweet and bashful that I felt a strong urge to kiss her. Chapter 205 A Family Of Three Chapter 205 A Family Of Three Charles'' POV: I leaned in and quickly kissed Scarlett on the lips. "Charles!" she cried out in anger. We were just a few inches apart from each other. Her bright eyes and her beautiful delicate face made me smile. Although her hair was wet with sweat, she still looked stunning. "Scarlett, you should exercise more. How can you get so sweaty after just walking for a while?" Taking a tissue in my hand, I gently and carefully wiped her forehead. "You''re the one that walked too fast without even waiting for me!" Scarlettined and was about to grab the tissue. I squinted my eyes at her and warned, "If you are not going to be obedient, then TH have to kiss you again." Upon hearing that, Scarlett gave up and sat down quietly. Seeing that, I immediatelyughed, gave her a peck on the cheek, and said, "I am sorry. I shouldn''t have walked so fast. From now on, I will wait for you." She covered her face and red at me like an angry kitten. I continued to smile at her as I sat down next to her and held her in my arms. "Do you still remember the things that happened when we were still kids?" Scarlett snorted, but she did not answer. "You had no friends back then and followed me around all day long. And when I was busy reading, you would just sit in a corner and gaze at me." "Who says I don''t have friends? Isn''t Spencer my friend?" "Of course, he is." I stroked her hand softly before I intertwined my fingers with hers. All of a sudden, she gripped my hand tightly, looking at me. "Spencer ignored me at first, butter he told me that someone asked him to take care of me. Was it because..." "Yes, I was the one that asked him to look after you." I looked into Scarlett''s eyes and smiled. There were someplex emotions in her eyes besides just surprise. I gradually moved closer to her and I could even feel her warm breath on my skin. However, Scarlett tilted her face to avoid my lips as she gently took her hand away from mine. Seeing that, I could not help but feel a little disappointed. "We''re in public!" ring at me, she tried to wiggle out of my embrace. I looked up and saw some people starting at us from a distance. The moment they met my eyes, they turned around and left. At noon, we arrived at a hotel for lunch. We heard a knock on the door as soon as we were seated. "Come in, please." The door opened. A gentleman walked in with a bright smile. He spoke in a strong French ent. "Charles? It''s really you!" "Long time no see, Henri." I stood up to greet him. I then held Scarlett''s hand and introduced her, "This is my wife, Scarlett. Honey, this is Mr. Henri Moreau." "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Moore. You look stunning." Henriplimented Scarlett and added, "I''m having lunch with my wife here as well. Mind if we join you?" I turned to Scarlett, who replied to him with a gentle smile, "It would be our pleasure." After giving us a nod, Henri went to find his wife. I caressed Scarlett''s hair. "Well, I am d that you finally admitted that you''re my wife." Shaking off my hand, Scarlett returned to her seat. "Don''t mess up my hair." " Scarlett, can you please put on the weddingring?" Hearing that, she turned to me with a puzzled look. I squatted down in front of her, held her hand, and exined, "I''m developing an important project now and I need topete otherpanies for a piece ofnd. Henri is the one to decide the deal. He loves his wife deeply, and he is the kind of man that values a harmonious familial rtionship." "I thought you two are friends. If this is a business dinner, then I''d better not be here to bother you. If James ends up crying suddenly, it will be really awkward. I''ll take him with me and get another table." With that, Scarlett withdrew her hand, frowning, and was about to pick up our son. However, I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her closer. "J, take James to another room and take care of him." Hearing that, J gently put James in the baby stroller and left the room. Scarlett pushed me away and said, "Charles, there is no need for me to stay here, so let me go, okay?" "If I get this project done, then you will get half of the profits," I said with a meaningful smile. "No need. Fine. Think of it as a favor." With that, Scarlett finally sat down. I took out the wedding ring from her bag, removed the ring Grandma gave her from her finger, and quickly put on the wedding ring for her. When I looked up, I found her staring at me with glistening eyes and blushing. All of a sudden, there was a knock on the door. Henri entered the room with a dignified woman. "This is my wife, Armelle," Henri introduced the woman. After greeting each other briefly, we sat down for dinner. We were all chatting casually, and the atmosphere was really harmonious. "I can see that your wife is great atmunicating. Armelle rarely ever talks to someone she has met for the first time." Henri put down the ss. Even though he was talking to me, his loving gaze was fixed on his wife. I turned around and saw Scarlett and Armelleughing, whispering to each other. "After I have the baby, my life truly revolves around him. It is indeed very tiring to be a parent, but it also makes my heart beam with joy and makes my life feelplete." Saying that, Scarlett shared the photos of James with Armelle. With a hopeful look in her eyes, Armelle held her hand. "James is so cute! It looks like having a baby is really a beautiful thing. We haven''t nned of having a baby yet because I am afraid of pain..." "You might want to reconsider. Even though it is painful to experience childbirth, the moment you see your baby, all your pains will fade away." I approached Scarlett quietly and saw her touching James in the photo. The photo had been taken right after his birth, so he was so tiny and his body was pink. Although he was born after our fake divorce, the mental and physical stress that Scarlett went through because of the divorce .were real Feeling a little heartbroken, I sighed. I then took Scarlett''s hand. She tried to struggle at first, but when she met my eyes, she stopped. I took the opportunity to intertwine our hands. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Can James speak now?" Armelle asked. "That''s the thing that makes me jealous. He can only say ''Papa'' and not ''Mama''." Scarlett turned away, but she was still holding my hand. I now felt like it was on cloud nine. We were not alone right now, but at least, she was not refusing me. After the meal, Henri suggested, "Let''s y tennis together next time." And I could not help but agree immediately. Chapter 206 I Can Promise You Anything Chapter 206 I Can Promise You Anything Scarlett''s POV: After seeing Armelle and Henri leave, I cast a cold nce at Charles and withdrew my hand. "I won''t y tennis with you. Since you''re the one that promised him, you should fix it yourself!" But the next second, Charles grabbed my wrist with a helpless smile. Although I tried to struggle, my efforts were in vain. He moved his face closer to mine and gently cupped my face in his hands as he said to me in a sweet whisper, "Scarlett, help me just one more time. I will owe you a favor once this project is sealed." His words made me excited. ''Well, it is priceless to be owed a favor by him, but I am not good at sports...'' While I was lost in thought, he seemed to have read my mind. He put his arm around my shoulder andforted me gently, "We are not participating in apetition. We just need to have fun and be happy. We can even just talk." However, I could not help feeling a little reluctant as I knew that if I made a fool of myself in the court, it would only embarrass him. "I will give you anything you want as long as you agree to go with me, okay?" His affectionate gaze, his faint smile, and his gentle words made my heart skip a beat. Suppressing the inexplicable excitement in my heart, I stared at him and said, "Really? You can''t go back on your wordster." "Of course, I am being serious. You can ask me for anything, except for not letting me see you." Hearing that, I threw a contemptuous nce at him. "Forget it, then. I have a program to work on, so I''m busy." "What if I help you promote your program?" His soft and seductive voice made me go limp in my knees. "I can promote it for an entire month." I looked away from him and covered my ears to make my smile less noticeable. "Scarlett." I continued to grin until I heard him pleading me again. Pretending to be still hesitant, I said, "Fine. I''ll y tennis with you." Charles'' POV: Holding Scarlett''s hand, I walked out of the private room with a satisfied smile. That moment, J also walked out of the adjacent room, pushing James'' stroller. Upon seeing us, James reached out his arms and smiled. Scarlett immediately let go of my hand and held him in her arms, making him giggle. ''Damn it! This brat ispeting with me again! But it''s fine as long as I can still be around Scarlett.'' Thinking that, I smiled again, and suggested, "How about we take James to the amusement park?" Scarlett shook her head in response. "No. He is too young for that. Amusement park is for kids, not infants!" I clicked my tongue. Even though I adored my son, I felt like he was taking away all her attention from me. All of a sudden, I saw our son yawning, and I quickly said to J, "Take him home, J. He¡¯s tired." "Okay." J took James from Scarlett. I grabbed Scarlett''s hand and walked to the parking lot. "Aren''t we going home?" she asked in confusion. "Let''s go to the amusement park." "What?" I quickly walked to my car, and opened the door for her, but she seemed to be a little reluctant. "Charles, I want to..." Before Scarlett could say another word, I trapped her between my body and the car. Stroking her soft rosy cheeks, I asked with a smile, "Do you still want me to help promote your program for the next thirty days?" Scarlett blinked her eyes and corrected me with a pout, "Thirty days? There are thirty-one days next month." I couldn''t help smiling when I saw how cute she was, and said in a soft voice, "Yeah, you are right." I then lowered my head and got closer to her face. Lily''s POV: Life had been really peacefultely. I had a lot of money to squander, and I did not have to serve that old geezer, Nate. I had dinner with my friend Emma at a restaurant, and was about to leave when I suddenly saw a familiar car in the parking lot. It was a glistening dark luxury car. I immediately remembered that it was Charles '' car. I walked closer to the car and saw Charles holding Scarlett in his arms, kissing her. Blushing, she pushed him away. She then got in the car and mmed the door shut. But Charles did not seem to be unhappy. In fact, he walked to the driver''s seat with a smile. Even if he was being indifferent to me the entire time, I still could not forget him. I finally understood that he was not incapable of tenderness, he had just given all of his love to Scarlett. "Oh my God! Is that Charles?" Emma eximed. I gave her a nod, but I did not want to talk about it, so I pulled her to my car. However, she continued to gossip about Scarlett and Charles. But as soon as she noticed my sullen mood, she immediately changed the topic. "I heard that Charles was the one that helped Rita be the new CEO of the Lively Group. It looks like he likes her. I think he might not really be getting along with his wife." "Don''t just make such assumptions. Think about the Lively Group''s current situation. If Charles really likes Rita, then why would he watch the Lively Group fall?" I frowned as I did not agree with her opinion. "You''re right." "On the surface, it does seem like Charles helped Rita, but he did it just to help her fight Nate. His ultimate goal was probably to take down the Lively Group." I turned my car keys, and drove out of there slowly. With aplicated look in her eyes, Emma remarked, "That''s messed up. But for someone like Charles, there are countless ways of destroying the Lively Group, right? Why did he choose to work with Rita? His wife must be jealous." "Do I look like a psychic to you? How could I know the reason?" I gave Emma a helpless nce, but deep down, I had a hunch. "I heard that Nate is living miserably in prison. He is beat up all the time and he''s be mentally unstable. I am guessing that Rita and Charles made some kind of a deal to get what they each wanted. Anyway, Nate deserves it." I forced a smile as I clenched the steering wheel unconsciously. Scenes of Nate kicking and punching me kept shing through my mind, and whenever I thought of my unborn child, anger rose within my heart like a tide. I wished that I was able to kill Nate by my own hands. But then, why would I let him die an easy death? I hoped that he suffered a miserable life in prison. Only then, my baby''s soul would rest in peace. "Lily! Stop!" Emma screamed. While I was in a trance, I saw a huge shadow in front of me and mmed the brakes. The screeching of the tires pierced my eardrums, instantly awakening me. "Are you okay?" Emma asked, shaking my arm. Looking at the enormous oil-transporting truck in front of me, I was shaking in fear. I quickly held Emma''s hand. "Sorry, I was distracted." Emma gave me a hug and patted me on the back to help me calm down. "It''s my fault. I shouldn''t have talked about the Lively family in front of you. Don''t think too much of the past, okay? The reincarnation of causality will not lead to good results for that family!" Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g "Yes, I know." Tears welled up in my eyes as I buried my head on Emma''s shoulder. "Nate has already been punished. And in order to save the Lively Group, Rita is hooking up with a rich married man. Certainly no good is going toe out of it. These people deserve it! And I... I will live a good life..." Chapter 207 The Password Chapter 207 The Password Scarlett''s POV: In the amusement park... Charles brought me to the roller coaster. It began to move and rose slowly, inching towards the top. Frightened, I subconsciously grabbed Charles''s hand and gripped it tight. "Why are we riding the roller coaster? Have you ever rode on one before?" Charles separated my fingers slowly and sped our hands together. As the roller coaster was about to reach the highest point, he suddenly turned around to stare deeply at me. He spoke to me, and his voice was a seductive whisper. "Isn''t this exciting?" "N-no. Ahhhh...!" The roller coaster jerked and took a sudden sharp turn downward, blowing away my words. I found myself screaming at the top of my lungs. Mercifully, the ride soon ended. After I got off, I felt as if I was floating and walking on air. I didn''t have the strength to care about where Charles was taking me to. "Let''s do this." Charles stopped at a certain spot. I looked up to where he was indicating. Immediately, despair filled me. It was bungee jumping! However, I didn''t let Charles have his way this time. I dragged him away from there and took him to ride bumper cars instead. When the staff asked me if I wanted to drive with my friend or alone, I nced at Charles and chose thetter. The interior of the bumper car was narrow, and I didn''t want to sit shoulder to shoulder with him. The moment I started the car, a huge force banged into me from behind and my car jerked forward violently. I turned around to re behind me, my eyes burning with anger, only to be met with a yful gaze. Charles was grinning cheekily at me, amused. "Charles!" I gave him a warning roar. Charles acted as if he hadn''t heard anything and kept running into my car over and over. My car bounced back and forth, attacked from all sides not just by Charles, but also by other yers in the ring. All the spinning and jerking around made me extremely dizzy. When I finally staggered out of the bumper car, I clutched the railings for dear bnce. It took me a while to recover from the dizziness and return to my senses. "Are you okay?" Charles asked concernedly as he hurried over to me. Annoyed, I pushed him away. "Stay away from me!" I turned around, about to leave, but my legs were so weak that I almost fell down. Charles quickly pulled me into his arms and said gently, "Don''t force yourself." I replied with an angry re, not saying anything. But I was exhausted, so I ended up leaning against his strong and warm chest. I didn''t want to move at all. Charles carried me all the way to his car. He reclined the passenger seat and fastened the seat belt for me. It was sofortable, I couldn''t help but sigh happily. Charles then got in the car and took the driver''s seat. He looked at me, his eyes narrowed slightly and his lips pursed. The expression gave him the impression of a noble but unapproachable man. However, I could sense a hidden danger behind the look on his face. Nervous, I inched close to the door. "W-what''s wrong with you today? Why were you so crazy?" The way he acted earlier in the amusement park was as if he was venting his emotions. What did he need to vent? I pondered about it for a long time, but I couldn''t find any answer to it. After a while, Charles finally looked away. That made me relieved. He drove away from the amusement park and entered the highway. Fewer and fewer cars were present on the road, and soon, Charles sped up. The scenery outside the car blurred rapidly. I looked at the dashboard, only to be startled. The speed had reached 120 miles per hour! "Charles! You''re driving too fast!" Fearing for dear life, I clutched my seat belt tightly and looked at the man beside me uneasily. He had prominent brow ridges, with thick and dashing eyebrows and a pair of deep eyes that seemed to swallow everything. Right now, those deep eyes were looking straight ahead, expressionless. Somehow, I could catch a sh of cruelty in them. "Charles!" I called him again, but he didn''t respond. The car continued to speed along the sparsely popted road. I grabbed the handrail, holding it tightly as I closed my eyes in fear. My heart beat rapidly in my chest, pounding hard against my ribcage. "Scarlett." Charles''s low and hoarse voice took me by surprise. When I opened my eyes, I saw that the car had stopped at an intersection. If I got out of the car and took a right, I would be home. I loosened my grip on the handrail, unfastened the seat belt, and tried to open the door. However, it was still locked. "Open it. I''m getting off the car." ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Not here." His low voice rang once more. The red light in front of us turn green. The car started again, but it went left. "Stop the car!" I tried to stop him in a hurry, but he paid no heed to me. Helpless, I had no choice but to fasten my seat belt again. "Where are we going?" Very soon, I got the answer. Charles finally stopped at the gate of the Moore mansion. I clenched my clothes, recalling Charles''s strange behavior earlier today. A bad premonition rose in my heart. "Let''s go home." Charles unfastened the seatbelt for me and gently took my hand before kissing it. At this moment, my blood froze. There was something obviously wrong with him. "I can''t, I have something else to do today. I want to go back to my own home." Charles smiled and got off the car. Then, he opened the door of the passenger seat for me. "Do you really don''t want toe with me?" "No. You don''t have to send me..." Before I could finish, he bent down and picked me up. "Ah! C- Charles!" Ignoring my pleas, he carried me to the vi. All my struggles were in vain. My legs were tightly locked in front of him. His huge hand spanked my buttocks slyly. "Be good." My cheeks turned bright red as shame and anger filled me. "What are you doing?! Put me down now!" To my surprise, he did put me down. I took a deep breath, about to scold him, but he suddenly closed the distance between us and stood right in front of me. The dim lights outside the vi shone on him, outlining his handsome profile. My heart began to beat quickly as a sense of anticipation rose in me. Charles caught me off guard and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me into his arms. The next second, he grabbed my lips for a fierce kiss. Stunned and shocked, my mind stagnated, and my voice was broken by the kiss. "Charles..." Charles pushed me against the wall, kissing me with ferocious desire. The tip of his tongue pressed against my teeth and soon intertwined with my tongue. He kissed me so violently, the pain made me wince. I wanted to push him away, but he grabbed my hands and pressed them over my head, leaving me no room to resist. He was literally taking my breath away! I gasped and opened my mouth, trying to breathe in more air. Yet, Charles grabbed my jaw and kissed me more ferociously than ever. He only let go of me when he saw that I almost suffocated. Breaking the kiss, he then picked me up again and made his way to the door. "Charles, I won''t go in." I still had a shred of reason remaining. His desire for me was so strong, I couldn''t imagine what would happen after we entered the house. "Then, we can do it here..." Charles whispered, his voice deep and hoarse with desire. So shocked I was, my body stiffened. Charles leaned against my back suggestively. Suddenly, the air between us turned ambiguous. I watched nervously as he entered the lock password. A small beep followed, and I was stunned. The password turned out to be the date of our wedding. Back then, whenever I came here, it was always the butler who opened the door for me. I never expected the lock password of the Moore mansion to be our wedding date. My heart began to waver as mixed feelings surged in me. Chapter 208 Im Sorry Chapter 208 I''m Sorry Charles''s POV: I opened the door without letting go of Scarlett. Then, I closed the door behind me, and the Moore mansion fell into silence. The only light source was the dim yellowmp on the side. My piercing gaze became softer the longer I stared at her. Her red and plump lips looked so alluring to me. At this moment, there was nothing in the world that I wanted more than to kiss her. Although I did not drink, I felt like I was intoxicated. Without thinking, I lowered my head and kissed her. Our lips intertwined with each other. And when we touched, I felt a strong urge to get more of her. Scarlett tried to push me away. "Stop... Grandma and the others might see us," she said breathlessly. "Don''t worry. They took James to the park." I held her by the waist with one hand and held the back of her head with the other. Once again, I indulged myself in her lips. I could smell the scent of her body as we kissed, and excitement washed over me. At this moment, I took a look at her. I was disappointed to see that while I was enjoying myself, she was just staring at me with her eyes wide open. "Close your eyes when we kiss," I grumbled. Scarlett mumbled something in response, but I did not hear what she had said because of my fervent kiss. I could not seem to get enough of her. But then, I suddenly let her go. I was afraid that I would not be able to control myself if this went on. "I''m hungry," Scarlettined. I was stunned. But then, an idea urred to me. With a sly smile, I moved closer to her and whispered in her ear, "Do you want to have dinner or have sex with me first?" Her eyes widened in shock. Our faces were only an inch away from each other. I could hear her breathing. But for some reason, she was holding her breath. A deafening silence fell between us. A few momentster, Scarlett looked away and said, "I... I don''t want to eat. Get off of me." Albeit reluctant, I decided to let her go. But just as I did so, she ran away from me. Her actions piqued my annoyance, so I trapped her against the wall. "Charles, I want some warm water. The roller coaster and everything still made me feel sick," she asked while looking at me her doe eyes. However, her eyes betrayed her. I pressed my forehead against hers and looked into her eyes. "I don''t believe you. You just want to run away from me, do you?" Her face turned redder. All of a sudden, I felt an urge to kiss her again. Just as I was getting closer and closer to her, she suddenly looked behind me and screamed in horror. "AH! Charles, there''s a big spider on the wall! Look!" "A spider? Are you sure?" I asked in disbelief. How could a spider enter my house? "Yes! Quick! It''s crawling towards us. Hurry up, and kill it!"? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. The terror on Scarlett''s face was convincing. Thinking that what she had said might be true, I turned around to look at the said spider. But the moment I looked away, she pushed me. Before I could process what had just happened, she had already run to the door. I did not know whether tough or cry. But no matter what tricks she yed, I would not let her get away from me. With that, I strode forward and pulled her into my arms, like an eagle catching its prey. "Where''s the spider? Are you thinking of escaping again?" Scarlettughed awkwardly and reasoned out, "Oh, sorry. I thought it was a spider. You know what? Why don''t we eat dinner now? I''m starving." She tried to talk her way out, but I remained unmoved. Her red face was quite amusing, though. "Really? But you sound like you want to have some fun with me first." I grabbed her waist and carried her on my shoulder. "Charles, what are you doing? Put me down!" Scarlett pounded on my shoulder in protest, but it aroused my sexual desire even more. I carried her all the way to the bedroom. When we reached the door, I kicked it open and then threw her on the bed. She must have realized what would happen next. She crawled to the foot of the bed in an attempt to get away from me. In my eyes, she looked adorable. With a chuckle, I pulled her back and pinned her to the bed. "Scarlett, please... I''ve really missed you..." I whispered in her ear. Scarlett did not struggle anymore. She just looked at me in the eye with her beautiful eyes. Without another word, I lowered my head and kissed her again, leaving her no chance to say no. But this time, I was gentle. I indulged myself and let the fire inside me burn. Even though Scarlett had been trying to push me away, there was no way she could resist me. I held her tightly and kissed her more passionately, giving her no chance to refuse. Before I knew it, my hands had wandered on her body and begun to tear her clothes. All of a sudden, I tasted blood in my mouth. It was not until I felt a strong sense of pain did I let her go. ''Damn it! How could she bite me?!'' I eximed inwardly. With her body trembling slightly, Scarlett looked away and reminded me, "Charles, we''re already divorced..." "Please don''t reject me. You know how much I want you." I looked at her intently, trying to find her true feelings in her eyes. However, she still pushed me away. Although it hurt, I held her in my tight embrace and reassured her, "I''ll take responsibility for you." I kissed her earlobe as I spoke. A few momentster, I felt her body rx, so I finally loosened my grip on her. Unable to take it any longer, I took off my coat and then my trousers. "Hang on." I reached out to the bedside table and took out a condom from the top drawer. We already had James. To me, one child was enough. I did not want to have another child who would only disturb our precious time together. The anticipation was killing me as I tried to tear the condom packet. But no matter how hard I tried, I could not tear the packet. I took a look at Scarlett and found that she had bolted to the door yet again. She had tried to slip away from me every chance she got. Unfortunately for her, I would not let her. I merely took two strides, and I caught her in my arms again. "I won''t let you escape." Scarlett''s face was a little red in embarrassment, but she still looked up at me defiantly. "We''re already divorced! You can''t touch me anymore!" "I don''t care. You''ll always be mine." "You''re wrong!" "I''m not," I argued stubbornly. We were like a child fighting over a toy. The next moment, I gave her a long and lingering kiss again. She tried to punch me, but I nimbly blocked her attacks. She could only twist her body in protest, but her struggles were all in vain. "Scarlett, you''re mine," I announced with a triumphant smile. Perhaps Scarlett had gotten tired. Or maybe, she was moved by my words. She finally stopped punching me. At this moment, I was content. In my eyes, every second with her was worthwhile. While we were immersed in each other''s presence, my phone suddenly rang. I held her in one hand and answered the call with the other. "What is it?" I asked impatiently. "Boss, we''re now at the Moore mansion," J said respectfully. She was implying that the happy time was over. "Got it." I hung up the phone as soon as I finished speaking. My excitement and tion burst at once. "Is James back?" Scarlett asked in a low voice. "Yes." "I see. I''ll bring him here now." "No. Just stay here with me for a while." I did not want to let her go just yet. I wanted her to stay with me a little longer. Scarlett''s POV: Charles was half-naked. His warm body was pressing against mine. I had stopped struggling and just let his hands wander on my body to his heart''s content. But the more intimate we became, the more uneasy I felt. Instead of letting my desire get ahold of me, my mind wandered off. The scene where my father was desperately begging Charles before he died crossed my mind. It still bugged me to this day, especially when I recalled how heartless Charles was at that time. At the thought of this, I pushed Charles away with all my might. The bewilderment on his face brought a pang to my heart, but I had already made up my mind. "We should keep a distance from each other." "What are you saying?" Charles asked in a hurt tone. "I''m sorry." I wanted to remind him that we were already divorced, but I stopped myself when I saw his dejection. Even if I did not tell him, I was sure he knew what I was talking about. After a long period of silence, Charles finally let go of me. "I''m going to take a shower." I was in a daze as I watched him let go of me and go to the bathroom. I unconsciously touched my sore lips, and my eyes fell on the condom packet on the bed. Perhaps Charles and I should not see each other in the future. We would only torment each other in the end. It took me a while before I got ahold of myself. And when I did, I hurriedly put on my clothes and went downstairs at once. Chapter 209 He Would Keep The Ring Chapter 209 He Would Keep The Ring Charles'' POV: Standing by the window quietly, I watched Scarlett leave. I could tell that she was still mad at me because I had not helped her father. Thinking about it, I found myself drowning in regret. Why hadn''t I helped him back then? If I hadn''t turned a blind eye to her father''s dilemma, then there would not have been as many obstacles in my rtionship with her. Clenching my fists tightly, I made up my mind. I was determined to make here back to me one day. Scarlett''s POV: I got home, but I could not fall asleep at all, despite the fact that I was tired. Whenever I closed my eyes, I ended up thinking of Charles. The next day, I went to the TV station, but I was absent-minded all day long, and when someone suddenly bumped into me from behind, I almost tripped and fell. Nina, who was standing beside me, caught me right in time as she looked at me with a frown, feeling worried. "Scarlett, are you okay?" I nodded in reply. I then saw a woman rushing away, stomping her foot as though she was enraged. "Who is she?" I asked Nina. After looking at the woman for a while, Nina replied, "It''s Emily." "What happened to her?" "She was supposed to host a program with Lucia, but..." Nina clicked her tongue and hesitated for a moment before she continued, "I don''t know what tricks Lucia yed to get the sponsorship from Charles. Ever since she did that, Emily has been cast aside." Her words felt like heavy stones pressing on my heart. Although money was not omnipotent, it was indeed impossible to do anything without it. It could easily change things for people who are trying to climb their careerdder. Money made it easier for some people and harder for others. Emily''s case was a good example of how money could affect one''s career. The thing that seemed more ridiculous was the fact that it was Charles, who sponsored Lucia. Several days passed since. Charles seemed to have disappeared because he had not contacted me since then. He only sent me a text a day before he was supposed to y tennis with Henri, reminding me of the time and ce. However, his words felt a little cold and brief. So, I didn''t reply to him. But since I had already promised him, I did not want to go back on my word. The next morning, I woke up earlier than usual and freshened up. I put on my wedding ring right before I left my house. The diamond glowed in the sun, dazzling me. Charles was waiting outside for me. He was dressed casually, which made him look youthful, and handsome. The rising sun cast a golden glow on the horizon, but Charles looked more dazzling than the sun. After getting in the car, neither of us said a word. The gap between us wouldn''t disappear so easily. Besides, there was no point in talking too much. The car stopped at the tennis courts, and wanting to catch a breath of fresh air, I quickly got off. "Scarlett." I turned around, and saw Armelle and Henri walking towards me. They were dressed in sportswear. They already seemed to have finished warming up, and their foreheads had tiny beads of sweat. But they smiled and were quite active. Charles and I, on the other hand, were not as energetic as them. Suddenly, Charles intertwined his fingers with mine, and I looked into his eyes, surprised. At first, my heart skipped a beat, but then it began to race so fast. "You came so early!" Holding my hand, Charles walked to them to greet them. "Let''s y doubles." Henri seemed to be very enthusiastic. He picked up the racket and took Armelle to the court, leaving no chance for me to refuse. Charles looked at me and said in a seemingly considerate yet cold tone, "You don''t want to be my partner? If that''s the case, then I can y on my own." I was stunned for a second, but I picked up the racket. "I can y doubles with you." Now we were on the court, ready to begin the match. Although I made many mistakes, there was an inexplicable strange feeling in my heart. At least for now, Charles and I were together, as a team. We worked hard for themon goal, made up for each other, and fought together. Thinking of that, tears welled up in my eyes. It was undeniable that I really wanted to be happy with him, but it was harder than it seemed. And for some reason, I was a little distracted. When I finally came back to my senses, I saw the ball flying towards me. Just when I was frozen, I felt a tall figure appear in front of me. It was Charles! With a wave of his hand, he hit the ball with his racket. He then dropped his racket to the ground, grabbed me by the shoulder, and examined me nervously. "Scarlett, are you okay?" I looked at him nkly. My throat waspletely parched. "I... I''m fine." Henri and Armelle also rushed to my side, looking worried. "I''m sorry that you almost got hit by the ball. I was so excited that I identally used too much force when I hit the ball," Henri said guiltily, looking at me. "Thank God, Charles was there to protect her just in time!" Armelle said as she pinched Henri''s arm. Henri looked at her with a grin. "Ouch! Baby, please be gentle!" "It was not your fault. I was the one that was distracted," Iforted Henri. "Take a rest." Saying that, Charles dragged me away from the court and made me sit on a bench. He then continued to y with Henri, while Armelle sat down with me and talked. Time passed quickly, and soon, it was noon. Armelle held my hand all of a sudden. "It''s too early to go home. My friend is hosting an art exhibition. Why don''t we go there this afternoon?" We all agreed, so after having lunch, we went to the art exhibition. Armelle was holding her husband''s arm intimately and talking to him sweetly while we were at the exhibition. I looked down at my hand and saw that Charles was holding my hand tightly, but since my palms were a little sweaty, I pulled my hand out, feeling a little uneasy. "My hand is sweaty," I exined. Hearing that, his expression turned cold and he pursed his lips. There was a strange coldness between us. After we were done watching the art exhibit, I let out a sigh of relief. We all had dinner together, and Charles drank a lot. On our way back, I turned to the driver and said, "Go to the Garden Street." Charles nced at me and remained silent. Soon, we arrived at the destination. I opened the door and got out of the car, but the next second, he pulled me back inside. I turned to look at him in confusion. "Anything else?" Charles lowered his head and touched my hand softly, his slender fingers scratching my skin. His fingers brushed over my wedding ring. "Are you going to take off your ring after you get home?" I don''t know why he asked that, but I nodded in reply. Seeing that, he took off the wedding ring from my finger. "What are you doing?" I asked in surprise. Charles looked at me with a deep gaze that made my heart ache. "I will be keeping the ring from now on." Upon hearing that, I did not know what to say, so I looked at him in silence. Actually, the ring was not too expensive. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g I had purchased our wedding rings from a small independent brand back then, and even though it was not from a luxury brand, Charles seemed to cherish our rings a lot. While I was lost in thought, he leaned in and kissed me on the lips. He put his arms around my waist and pulled me closer with great force as though he was trying to embed me into his body, but his kiss was very gentle. He then licked my lips before he finally let me go. Even though I did not drink a lot, I still felt drunk after that. And if he had not hugged me like that, I would have fallen down to the floor. Somehow, tears rolled down my cheeks. Charles narrowed his eyes at me, tempting me and pulling me into a dark abyss. I suddenly felt like the whole world had gone silent, and the sound of our kiss was the only thing that could be heard. Charles pressed his forehead against mine with a cold look in his eyes. "Scarlett, you will regret your decision, sooner orter." "You are drunk." "If I was drunk, then I would have carried you upstairs to have sex," Charles sneered and loosened his grip on me. I took two steps back and saw him turn around. He got in the car, and mmed the door shut loudly, making me shudder. Confusion filled my heart as I watched him leave. It was indeed hard for me to read Charles'' mind now. Chapter 210 Sending A Bunch of Red Roses Chapter 210 Sending A Bunch of Red Roses Scarlett''s POV: After what happenedst night, I thought Charles wouldn''t want us to get back together anymore. Because I kept refusing him again and again, I assumed that perhaps, he hadpletely given up on me. But when I woke up this morning, I saw a bunch of red roses in a vase on the table. The roses were disyed prominently, looking bright and warm. "Good morning, Scarlett." Tracy ced breakfast on the table. I sat down to eat, though I didn''t say a word about those roses. Tracy faked a cough and tried to attract my attention. She asked, "Aren''t the roses lovely?" I threw her an indifferent look and replied on purpose, "Didn''t you put them here a few days ago?" "What? There were no red roses before! Mr. Moore brought them here this morning." "You don''t have to give the credit to Charles, Tracy." bbergasted, Tracy tried to exin the situation to me in a hurry. "You have to believe me, Scarlett! Mr. Moore put the roses in the vase when you were asleep. He went to the rose garden before dawn to pick them, all by himself. If he finds out that you think I''m the one who gave you the roses, he''ll fire me..." I turned to look at the roses, somewhat dazed. Yesterday, Charles told me that I woulde to regret my decision one day. Yet today, he sent me roses. What was he thinking? I couldn''t understand him at all. After I was finished with breakfast, I went to work and arrived at the TV station on time. The moment I got past the gate, I noticed Lucia walking towards me from afar. Her well-done makeup was stunningly gorgeous, entuating her beauty. "Hi, Scarlett!" she greeted me with a wide smile. She suddenly turned around and clung to my arm, as if we were the most intimate of friends. "I really wanted to thank you. Thanks to Charles''s sponsorship, I''m back on TV! I''m at the center of attention again!" This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Then you should go thank Charles. You don''t need toe to me." I pulled my arm slowly out of her grasp. "Well, you two are a couple! I thought I should ask for your opinion first beforeing to him. You won''t misunderstand me, will you? I know that there are rumors about me and Charles in the workce recently. Some people even said that they saw Charles with me yesterday!" Lucia''s face lit up as she spoke. I knew she was doing this on purpose. At this, I couldn''t help butugh. "He went to the art exhibition with me yesterday. I don''t think he had any time to see you." In that instant, she froze. She quickly changed her expression and gazed at me with a pitiful look. "There''s really nothing between Charles and me! He won''te to see me anyway. Trust me, Scarlett. The only reason he agreed to sponsor my program was because he thought I was pitiful." Lucia''s fake airs annoyed me. I didn''t say much and left. I thought that was the end of it. Contrary to my expectations, Lucia appeared in front of me frequently. Whenever we met, she kept mentioning Charles. She pretended to apologize sincerely to me, but in truth, she wanted to imply to me that she and Charles had a close rtionship. Finally, I reached the limits of patience. I mmed the script on the table and turned coldly to her. "Since you''ve apologized so many times, I assume this sponsorship must have caused you a lot of trouble. So much, that you feel indebted to us. I have a way to help you solve this little problem of yours for good. Do you want to hear it?" Lucia''s face paled in nervousness. She looked at me warily, and stammered, "What... what?" I slowly took out my phone and looked up Charles''s number in my contacts list. "I''ll call Charles right now and ask him to withdraw the sponsorship for your show. Then, you don''t have to apologize to me humbly again and again." So saying, I dialed the number right before her eyes. "N-no! Wait!" Lucia got nervous at once. Her shrill voice pierced my eardrums, making them ache. She grabbed my phone in a hurry and hung up the call immediately. Then, she turned back to me with a ttering smile and handed my phone back to me. "I''m sorry, Scarlett. If you don''t want to see me, I promise, I won''t show up and apologize anymore." "Good. Next time, use your brain before you do anything." I picked up my phone and the script, and left without sparing another nce at her. Without Lucia''s persistent interruption, my work went smoothly. After I finished work, William called and asked me out for dinner. He said he got some problems and could use a friendly listener. From the tone of his voice, I could tell that he was frustrated. I hesitated for a while, but in the end, I epted his invitation. When I arrived at the appointed restaurant, William was already there. He was standing at the entrance, waiting for me. He opened the door for me like a gentleman. I got out of the car, thanking him politely for the gesture. I entered the restaurant with him, but I didn''t expect to meet an acquaintance. It was none other than Spencer, who was walking towards us with a frown. William greeted him. Spencer then looked at me, as if he wanted to say something to me. "What''s wrong? You don''t have money to pay the bill?" I joked. "No!" Spencer sighed and immediately told me the truth. "Charles is having dinner in room 808. Lucia''s also there with him." At this, my brows rose. So Charles sent me roses in the morning, and then had dinner with another woman in the evening? I tried my best to control my facial expression, pretending not to care the slightest. "Really? The dishes in this restaurant must be very good." "You seriously still have the mood to eat?" Spencer pushed me to the elevator in a hurry, snarling angrily all the while, "Lucia''s well dressed and looks really sexy. She obviously wants to seduce Charles! If you don''t go to him now, you''ll regret it in the future!" "We''re divorced. He has freedom to love anyone he likes. Why should I interfere in his personal life?" I exined to Spencer coldly, stopping in my tracks. But the words were also for me, so that I could remind myself to remain sober and in control of my feelings. Spencer shed me a bitter smile. "Divorce? Scarlett, you better go talk to yourwyer to confirm that." "Wait, what do you mean?" I was bewildered. "I never said anything!" Spencer waved his hand, sighed, and then left. I stared dumbly after his receding back, frowning deeply. "Didn''t you already got a divorce?" William was just as confused. I shook my head and said, "I have no clue. I''m sure I went to thewyer''s office with Charles to complete the divorce procedures. How could we ?¡ãt get divorced?" Yet, Spencer''s mannerisms were so odd. He wouldn''t say things like that for no reason. What was the real truth? Chapter 211 Divorced Or Not Chapter 211 Divorced Or Not Scarlett''s POV: Could the divorce be fake...? Thinking of this, suspicion grew within me. I asked William to order food for us first. After that, and I took the elevator upstairs to where Charles and Lucia were. In my haste, I had forgotten to knock on the door of Room 808 and directly pushed it open. Unexpectedly, I was met with a steamy sight. Lucia was dangerously close to Charles, a coquettish smile on her dolled-up face. She leaned forward seductively and raised a ss of wine. Her full chest almost touched Charles''s arm. Charles didn''t refuse Lucia''s approach. He leaned back on his chair in a rxed manner and clinked sses with Lucia casually. There was even a faint smile on his lips, as if he was taking delight in her attention. He seemed to be enjoying the moment very much. When he met my eyes, his face suddenly changed and his rxed look morphed into shock. "Scarlett...!" By now, my face was as cold as ice. "What a coincidence." Lucia turned and saw me as well. She hurriedly put down her ss, panic coloring her face, and burst into a nervous exnation. "Don''t get me wrong, Scarlett! Nothing happened between Charles and me. I was just making a toast. The reason I invited him to dinner was because I wanted to thank him for the sponsorship..." "Don''t worry. Scarlett won''t care who I drink with." Charles drank without a care in the world, as if no one was around. He rubbed his thumb against the ss in his handzily. With his sharp and good-looking features, he looked extremely handsome. He had drunk a little too hastily just now, and a small spot of red wine remained at the corner of his mouth. It gave him the impression of a vampire who had just satiated his thirst with blood. He looked ruthless and condescending, attractively so. Anger, depression, suspicion, and countless other emotions filled me,bining into arge lump that blocked my windpipe. Suddenly, I found it difficult to breathe. Just like that, I was no longer in the mood to question whether the divorce was true or false. When I took another look at Charles, difort crept on me. "I entered the wrong room. Sorry to bother you. Have a good time." I put on a fake smile and bade them goodbye as calmly as I could, but in reality, my mind was in a mess. The moment I turned around to leave, I ran into Spencer, who had juste back. He quickly stopped me and demanded, "Scarlett, are you going to leave just like that?" I patted him on the arm andforted him, "William''s waiting for me downstairs. Don''t worry about me." Then, I walked past him and headed downstairs. I returned to the private room I booked with William. All kinds of tasty dishes filled the table, but I had no appetite. William poured me a ss of red wine, which I picked up and drowned in an instant. "Scarlett?" William looked at me, surprised. A frown colored his face and he advised, "Don''t torture yourself because of anger. You''re more likely to get drunk if you drink too fast." "I''m not angry at all." That was a lie. William seemed to see through me with just one nce. He swapped the red wine in front of me with non-alcoholic juice. "Every man would act ording to the circumstances. You have to learn to distinguish between what''s real and what isn''t. Don''t take things seriously easily and anger yourself for no reason." I had no choice but to nod. "Yes, I know, Mr. William. Can I have a ss of wine now?" William poured me some wine in a ss, but was soon interrupted by a knock on the door. Right after that, who shoulde in but Lucia. She pushed the door open and marched in, then took to staring at us with an unreadable look. "Am I interrupting you?" "What''s the matter?" I put down my wine ss, shooting her a cold butposed stare. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g "Scarlett." Lucia looked slightly drunk. She staggered to me and mumbled pitifully, "You can''t be angry. There''s really nothing going on between Charles and me." I was annoyed. "You''ve already exined things to me just now. It''s meaningless to repeat it." "How could it be meaningless?!" Lucia ignored my annoyed look, going as far as to sit next to me. She shed me a dazzling smile that was almost blinding. "I heard Abner used to be infatuated with you. But what happened after that? Now, he''s be Nina''s husband!" William pulled a rare, uncharacteristic long face at this. He cast a sharp re at Lucia, his eyes narrowed in warning. "Stop it! You are not wee here. Please leave now." "What? Looks like Scarlett''s new lover doesn''t wee me! Do you want me to leave too, Scarlett?" Lucia inched closer and closer to me, overwhelming me with the stink of alcohol. I frowned, growing more annoyed. I pushed her away, and she staggered back to her seat. Her face was slightly red, but her eyes were very clear and sober. I sneered derisively at her. She was probably just pretending to apologize, but I knew that her real purpose was to show off to me. "Lucia, are you trying to say that Charles is just like Abner? That even if he was once loyal to me, he''d eventually leave me and choose you?" "No, no, no! You''re thinking too much. Do you really think Charles will lose his affection for you and abandon you sooner orter, too?" Lucia drawled as she crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes full of provocation. She was trying to get a rise out of me, no doubt. "No, I just wanted to remind you that there''s a differencebetween a dream and wishful thinking." I stared coldly into her eyes, not backing down. Sparks flew as our gazes met. The next moment, William stood between us, separating her from me. With him shielding me from Lucia, I could only see his broad shoulders and back. He warned in a severe tone, "Miss, do you need me to call the security for you to leave?" Lucia shot me a scornful look before leaving haughtily. The second she stepped out, William closed the door and turned to me. Unable to help myself, I shed him a bitter smile. "Even a woman like her dares to show off to me now." William tried tofort me during our entire meal, but I didn''t listen to him. After our meal, we went out of the private room together. From the corners of my eyes, I noticed Charles standing by the elevator. When our eyes met, I looked away quickly and held William''s arm tight. "I''m feeling too full. Let''s go for a quick stroll." While William and I were walking, Charles kept ringing me. I ignored himpletely and muted my phone. William teased me with a smile, "You''re cute when you''re jealous." "I''m not jealous. We''re divorced." "But your friend just asked you to talk to yourwyer, right? Are you really sure the divorce procedures have beenpleted?" William asked tentatively, worried for me. I carefully traced my memories for a while before muttering vaguely, "Maybe." "Maybe...?" I shook my head. "I''m not sure. I was about to give birth at that time, so I didn''t have the energy to ask about it." "I think there is something wrong." William''s words kept ringing in my ears. I returned to the Moore mansion and then coaxed James to sleep. As I did so, my mind pondered over his words. Had I really divorced Charles? Chapter 212 Kiss Me Chapter 212 Kiss Me Scarlett''s POV: It waste at night, but try as I might, I still couldn''t fall asleep. I tossed and turned restlessly in bed, feeling very conflicted. A gust of wind suddenly blew over. I looked up by instinct and realized that the door of the nursery wasn''t closed properly. I stood up and walked over to close the door. All of a sudden, a dark figure appeared outside, scaring the wits out of me. "You...?" Before I could react, the dark figure suddenly took me in his arms. In that instant, a familiar unique scent entered my nose. It was Charles''s smell. "Charles...? You''re back?" He did not reply to me. Instead, he took me by the hand and entered the room. "Don''t wake James up," I said in a low whisper. "I''m here to see my wife." Charles let go of my hand and took a seat on the sofa in the nursery. He threw something in his hand aside, which I found to be a bag with a rope in it. Why... why did Charles bring a rope? "Charles, you''re drunk. You need to go back to the master bedroom and sleep." "Scarlett, you''re so gentle. Are you smiling at me?" To my surprise, Charles reached out his hand to stroke my face gently. "Exactly how much did you drink tonight? Did you drink with Lucia?" I couldn''t stop myself from asking that question. Envisioning how intimate Charles and Lucia could have been when they fed each other wine with their lips was enough to drive me insane. "Who''s Lucia? I... I don''t know her. Scarlett... your face is so smooth." Charles continued to touch my face, ignoring my question. "Lucia''s the woman you insisted on sponsoring!" I didn''t want him to change the topic. "I don''t care about other women. I just want you." With that, Charles grabbed my hand and pulled me to the sofa. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g "I drank with Spencer tonight. He said he''d get me drunk. But look, I''m still sober." He then put my hand on his chest, letting me feel his heartbeat. "Okay, okay. You''re the best." My voice softened, despite myself. "I can drink more!" Charles muttered defiantly. "You are already drunk. You can''t drink anymore." I tried to stand up and walk away, but he stopped me. The next second, I stumbled and fell on hisp. I turned to Charles and asked in a hushed voice, annoyed, "Charles, what are you doing?" He smiled at me and said softly, "Kiss me." That stunned me. "Kiss me," Charles repeated stubbornly, after seeing that I didn''t reply. ''This drunkard is really shameless!'' I straightened up and rose from hisp, and gave him a gentle peck on the lips. It was just a peck, yet, it caused my heart to ripple with strange emotions. "Again." Hismand took me by surprise. Helpless, I gave him another peck. Then I blinked my confused eyes and asked, "Is that enough?" "One more kiss," Charles demanded bossily. I kissed him again, but this time, he didn''t let me go. He held the back of my head before pushing me into a deep kiss. It was so possessive, it took away my breath in an instant. I struggled, but that made him kiss me even harder. Because I was afraid of waking James up, I had to endure it. His mouth carried a strong scent of alcohol that consumed me, making me drunk as well. After a long while, he finally let go of me. "Scarlett, I want to drink with you. Okay?" I replied helplessly, "I''ll go downstairs to get some wine. Wait for me in the master bedroom." Of course, I wouldn''t bring him any more wine. Instead, I brought two sses of water with honey that could alleviate his hangover. Charles sat on the edge of the bed in the master bedroom as he waited for me. I handed a ss to him, which he stared at for a while. "Honey, do you n to get me drunk and then have your way with me?" "Will you drink or not?" I handed the ss to him. He drank it all in one breath before cing the ss on the bedside table. Then he burst unhappily, "This wine''s not as sweet as you." Immediately after, he pulled me into his arms possessively. "Honey." His voice rang softly from above my head. "I''m not your honey. We''re divorced." "No, you''re my wife. That will never change, not in my entire life." "So, the divorce is a bluff? We didn''t really get divorced?" I finally made up my mind and braved myself to ask. "You''ve found out?" I looked up to see him smilingcently, as though he had seeded in pulling somebody''s leg. "Answer me directly, Charles. We haven''t really divorced, right?" I asked. "Yes." "You really are something!" Mypliment was dripping with sarcasm, but it didn''t seem to get through him. He continued holding me in his arms, and then kissed me hard. "It''s impossible for me to divorce you, Scarlett. I said it, didn''t I? That I''d love you more and more..." Charles tried to kiss me again, but I cleverly dodged his lips. "I''ll get you a ss of water with honey to make you feel better." "Alright. My wife is so kind to me!" Finally, he let go of me. Released from his grasp, I tiptoed my way to the kitchen. I never expected that we really didn''t divorce. Charles lied to me! How dare he! Fury burned me. Suddenly, a brilliant idea came to my mind. "Is my honey water ready yet?" Charles''s voice suddenly came from behind me. He pulled me into a hug, and his warm breath made me tremble. "Yes, yes. Drink it." I spun around and handed the ss to him. "Feed me." "Okay." I brought the ss to his lips. "Call me honey, or I won''t drink it." Charles started to act like a spoiled child. "Honey, please drink this." Left with no choice, I was forced to deal with him obediently. "That''s it." Charles opened his mouth obediently and drank everything. "Let''s go upstairs after this. We shouldn''t wake Grandma and the others up." "It doesn''t matter. The rooms are all soundproof. They can''t hear us." Charles picked me up and whispered in my ear, "Let''s go upstairs." He then carried me into the master bedroom and gently put me on the bed. He also got on the bed andy beside me, and then caressed my face affectionately. His hands moved downwards, but I quickly stopped their descent. "What''s wrong?" Charles muttered discontentedly, like a child who had lost his candy. "Charles, let me do it today." Charles didn''t expect me to take the initiative and stopped speaking immediately. I got up and straddled over him. Then, I bent down and kissed him again and again. Charles returned my kisses, though he was more aggressive about it. After a while, he finally couldn''t hold it anymore and fell fast asleep. I patted Charles on the face several times to make sure he was truly asleep. When I had confirmed it, I removed myself from him and stood back up. I went to the nursery, and took the rope that Charles had brought back to the master bedroom. Then, I got on the bed and began to work. "How dare you lie to me? How dare you bring the rope back? You wanted to tie me up? Well, let''s see who''s going to be tied up." I worked hard for quite a long time until I finally got it done. Satisfied, I retreated to the nursery. Tonight, I could finally enjoy a good sleep. Chapter 213 An Intimate Quarrel Chapter 213 An Intimate Quarrel Charles'' POV: When I woke up the next morning, my body felt so sore. I heard some noise, so I opened my eyes, staring at the direction the noise wasing from. J appeared to be frightened. She took a step back, raising her hands. "It''s me, J." I frowned, wanting to sit up, but then I found myself having difficulties moving a muscle. I looked down, realizing that I had been tied up. "What the hell happened?" I asked through gritted teeth. In a trembling voice, J replied, "I found the door of your room wide open. When I came in to check, I saw you tied up. Do you not remember anything that happened?" The intimate scenes fromst night popped up in my head one after another. I recalled how Scarlett got on top of me and kissed me passionately. She was so patientst night. It was as if she was waiting for an opportunity or something. "Go and ask Scarlett toe here. Now!" I grunted. "Tracy has already gone to Scarlett''s room to wake her up. Allow me to untie you first," she said. "No." I refused, and then stared at the door. "The one who tied me up should do it." Momentster, another person walked into the room. "Mr. Moore, I can''t seem to wake Scarlett up. She''s in too deep of a sleep," Tracy said, visibly apprehensive. I was so angry that I broke into a manicughter. Scarlett had bound me for an entire night, but she was sleeping like a log. J looked at me, curious to know what I was thinking. "Sir, I think it''s best that we untie you. Do you mind?" I gnashed my teeth and finally agreed. J and Tracy removed the ropes from me. I moved my aching joints and clenched my fists. "Tracy, J, take James out to the park or something. Make sure not toe back before lunch." J and Tracy exchanged nces in silence before they left the room to carry out my order. Meanwhile, I changed into a fresh set of clothes and tidied up before going downstairs. Both my mother and grandmother were already drinking tea and chatting in the garden. As usual, I greeted them a good morning, and then I made a request. "Hello, my beautifuldies! Are you in the mood to go shopping today? I''ve prepared a surprise for Scarlett, so I''m going to need some time with her alone today." They readily agreed to my request, and were happy to hear about my surprise for Scarlett. Before leaving, Grandma held my hand and said, "Charles, it''s good that you''re paying more attention to Scarlett. With time and effort, she''ll forget all about the unpleasant things that went on between you two." I promised to do as she had told me, and watched their car leave before going to the nursery. "Now, let''s see if you can escape me!" Scarlett''s POV: I was sleeping soundly until I was awakened by the sound of running water from the bathroom. "J? Is that you? What''s going on?" I opened my eyes, still a little drowsy. "Were you having a nice dream? Is that why you didn''t want to get up?" It was then that I heard Charles'' voice. Startled, I bolted upright only to find him half-naked in front of me. Charles had only a bath towel on to cover his lower body, and his bare upper body was still damp. His broad chest and well-toned abs were a sight to behold. There were still some driblets of water on his skin, running down his body and passing through his muscles until they disappeared into the edge of the bath towel. My heart felt like it was about to leap from my chest, and I could feel that my ears were burning up. By the time I got ahold of myself, Charles was already on the bed. "Are you so enticed that you can''t take your eyes off me?" he bantered. Hurriedly, I got up to try and escape. Unfortunately for me, he was quick to press me down on the bed. "Where do you think you''re going, Scarlett?" Charles leaned over, looking at me from above. His eyebrows were raised and there was an impish grin printed on his lips. The mere sight of him made my heart race and my face blush. I pinched my fingers, trying to calm down. "Charles, get a hold of yourself!" But before I could finish my sentence, Charles stopped me from talking by kissing me. He pinched my chin in order to force me to ept his kiss. Perhaps this was some sort of punishment. He then nibbled on my earlobe, and nted a hickey on my neck. I could feel my body heating up, and I was starting to get aroused. Within less than a minute, he had crawled under the sheets with me and clung to my skin. Suddenly, he removed the bath towel. I was so shocked that I couldn''t avert my gaze from him. He looked into my eyes while running his fingertips along my neck. Then, he slipped into the quilt. I grabbed his hands and tried to warn him. "Charles, stop! We''re in the nursery!" "Oh, don''t worry about that. I told J and Tracy to take James out for some fun." He leaned even closer to me. The distance was enough for me to feel the warmth of his breath. "What did you add to the honey water you gave me yesterday? Scarlett, you''ve be a naughty girl now." I was surprised to know that he caught on, but I still feigned ignorance. "Well, I added some honey into the water," I replied. "Yes, but besides the honey, what else did you add?" he asked again. "Nothing," I muttered. "Then why can''t you look me in the eye? You''re lying!" Charles grabbed my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes. "Believe it or not, I''m telling the truth!" I didn''t want to admit to what I didst night. Charles scoffed at me and shot me a cold nce. "I''ve been so tolerant of youtely. How could you still be so cruel to me?" When I saw that he was about to kiss me again, I immediately tried to avoid him. "Charles, stop! We''ve already..." "We''re not divorced yet." Charles'' resolute voice canceled out my excuse. Gently, he pinched my cheek and chuckled. "Don''t even think for a second that I was drunk enough to forget what happenedst night." I pped his hand away. "Then why did you do that? Even Spencer, an outsider, knew that the divorce was fake. Only I, the person involved, was foolishly kept in the dark! Charles, do you enjoy making a fool of me or something?" As soon as I said those words, tears fell down my cheeks. Secondster, Charles kissed my cheek. He looked guilty, but he didn''t seem regretful. "Like I said last night, you''re going to be my wife forever. And you belong to me forever." Having said that, he held my face and kissed me. Different from the aggressive kiss he nted on my cheek just now, his kiss felt tender and gentle this time. The feeling was like an electric current that coursed through my veins, making me feel numb in an instant. Perhaps it was because of his kiss, or maybe his words, but either way, I felt like something in my mind had snapped. I decided to stop thinking and just epted his physical form of love. However, when I felt that Charles was unbuttoning my clothes, I grabbed his hands to stop him. "No," I said, shaking my head. "Scarlett, you didn''t refuse mest night," Charles replied, creasing his eyebrows at me. "But then you drugged me and interrupted our intimate moment. Shouldn''t you try to make it up to me?" I was surprised that he actually knew about it! As I looked into his eyes, I retorted, "If that''s how you want to y it, then let''s dig up all the things that happened earlier, shall we? You faked our divorce and even threatened to tie me upst night!" "I never threatened you. I bought that rope for you. Did you enjoy using itst night?" asked Charles, wearing a devilish grin. "Do you want me to fetch it so I could use it again?" I was so anxious that tears rolled down my cheeks again. Charles was taken aback. He immediately dialed back his flirtation and patiently tried to appease me. "God, I''m so sorry, Scarlett. Don''t cry. It was all my fault." Unbeknownst to him, his affection made it all the more difficult for me to control myself. My emotions surged and I could no longer stop myself from crying. His pleasured moans came along with his soft kisses. "I''m not asking for too much, Scarlett. I just want to be with you. I won''t allow us to get divorced." I nestled in his embrace, indulging in his tenderness. In the end, I agreed to him and sobbed. Overjoyed, Charles began to kiss me harder. The sound of his voice almost dispelled the intimate atmosphere. "I love you so much, Scarlett." I couldn''t resist the urge to smile after hearing that. The following moment, the smile on my face disappeared as I saw his face. He gnashed his teeth at me and said, "How could you drug me and leave me tied up for a whole night? If something had gone wrong..." At once, I said, "How is that possible? I didn''t put that much sleeping pills into the water. It was just a normal dose for insomnia patients. Besides, I even tucked you in before I left to make sure that you wouldn''t catch a cold. Don''t try to use that scenario to threaten me! You deserved it." I shot him a fierce re, but it didn''t work. On the contrary, Charles just chuckled. "You''re right. I did deserve it. I shouldn''t have provide you the tools and the opportunity to tie me up. I just never imagined you to be into BDSM, you know!" "Shut up!" My face was as red as an apple. I turned over, got on top of Charles, and covered his mouth with my hands. He pulled my hand down to his naked chest and grinned. "Touch me," he muttered. "All the way down," he added. I grabbed a pillow and used it to hit him. "Haha!" Charles broke intoughter, and then he pounced on me again. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g After a while, we heard a sound that caught our attentions. I looked at the direction it wasing from, only to find that the bottle of sleeping pills that had been hidden under the pillow had rolled down to the floor. Charles picked up the bottle, raised an eyebrow and looked at me. "Did you prepare this just for me?" I took the bottle from his hand, and stashed it into the drawer of the bedside table. "Don''t be ridiculous!" ''Doesn''t he even know why I dosed him with sleeping pills? It''s because he''s been testing my patience again and again!'' I looked back at him and put on a straight face. "Charles, what annoys me the most is that you keep lying to me!" Chapter 214 We Both Need To Vent Our Emotions Chapter 214 We Both Need To Vent Our Emotions Scarlett''s POV: Charles fixed his eyes on me for a long time, but not a word fell out of his lips. Gradually, I lost my patience and got out of bed to put on my shoes. However, a strong force pulled me back and I found myself in Charles''s arms. He hugged me so tightly, I couldn''t even move a muscle to look up at his face. Then, he whispered in a low and hoarse voice, "I''m sorry, Scarlett. At that time, I was just too afraid of losing you. I knew that no exnation could change your mind, so I came up with this. Please don''t leave me again, okay?" I brought my teeth down on his shoulder and bit as hard as I could. He trembled all over from the pain, but didn''t move at all. A long time passed, and he touched my head affectionately. "Have you stopped being angry?" I didn''t answer. Instead, I traced my teeth marks on his shoulder. "Scarlett, why are there sleeping pills in our house?" His question stunned me for a moment. After a while, I finally answered in a low voice, "I bought them for myself." Charles''s grip on me tightened considerably. Looking at him, I saw that he was staring quietly at me, his lips pursed into a deep frown. Flustered, I exined hurriedly, "Don''t get me wrong. I didn''t buy sleeping pills to hurt myself. I was always sleepless. Even when I could fall asleep, I couldn''t sleep well. As time went by, I was always in a trance. I was so tired, I couldn''t deal with anything. In the end, I had no choice but to buy some sleeping pills to help me sleep." "It''s bad for your health in the long run to take sleeping pills so frequently, Scarlett." "I know. Well, recently, I haven''t been taking them as frequently as I used to." At this, Charles asked sternly, "You used to take them frequently?" "Yeah. I was under a lot of stress and had to deal with a lot of things, so..." Thinking of the past, I couldn''t help but sigh dejectedly. "I often stayed upte at night. I tried hard to squeeze in some time to sleep, but when I did, I found that I couldn''t fall asleep at all. There''s nothing more painful than that. I didn''t like it, but only sleeping pills could help me." Charles gazed at me sorrowfully, his eyes filled with pity. After hesitating for a while, he asked carefully, "Since when? Was it... was it because of me?" This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "No... It''s not." Charles'' POV: It was rare for Scarlett to stay so quiet in my arms. When she spoke, her voice was soft and whisper-like. "It was a long time ago." I looked down at her, unspeaking. Our little tangle moments ago had disheveled her clothes. Her beautiful neckline wasid bare, revealing her fair skin and her cleavage. The hem of her nightgown was lifted slightly, and her long slender legs were crossed against mine. The stimtion instantly threw my mind into a mess. "You''re really torturing me..." Unable to stop myself, I bit Scarlett''s ear. Scarlett lowered her head shyly and hid in my arms. I held her tight, lost in thoughts. Ever since she returned, she had mostly been with me and I never saw her use drugs. Plus, she wouldn''t dare take any sleeping pills when pregnant. Then... It must have happened in the three years she studied abroad. Thinking of this, gloom and depression filled me. Suddenly, the air in the room seemed to have run out, making me suffocating. During those three years, Scarlett waspletely out of my sight. What on earth had happened to her that made her so upset, to the point she needed to rely on medicine to sleep? "I''m sorry," I murmured, apologizing from the bottom of my heart. Scarlett turned around to give me a look of astonishment. "Why are you suddenly apologizing?" "I should''ve fallen in love with you earlier, Scarlett..." My voice faded away as I ced my lips on her and pulled her into a loving kiss. Then I spoke to her, my voice sporadic and my words vague, "Maybe... we both need to vent our bottled emotions." Scarlett stared at me with a nk look, her eyes unreadable. Her pretty long eyshes were drooping slightly over a pair of crystalline eyes. The delicate and charming expression hidden in them intoxicated me, igniting my desire for her. Feeling excited, I soon found it hard to suppress my desire. I deepened our kiss and took off her clothes eagerly, sliding my palm down to her waist to feel her smooth, supple skin. s, my phone rang and cut short my moment of ecstasy. Scarlett shivered, and shrank backward. "Charles, it''s your phone." I held her hands tightly and mumbled in a hoarse voice, "Ignore it." "But... Ah!" I grabbed her slender waist and pulled her up suddenly. Grasping her body firmly, I kissed her hard on her delectable red lips. Scarlett gradually lost her strength in face of my aggressive kiss. She linked her arms around my neck and clung to me tightly. A whileter, she took the initiative to respond to me and even beg in a hoarse voice, "Charles, hurry..." Her pants filled me with a strange thirst. Sweat dripped from my forehead. After a while, her moans of pleasure echoed in the room... Later, I held Scarlett in my arms, satisfied. Happy, I teased her, "Don''t you feel more rxed after venting your emotions?" "Hurry up and check your phone!" Scarlett kicked me, face red with anger. I simply burst intoughter. Scarlett was just too adorable. I took out my phone, and realized that the caller was Amy. When I called her back, Amy briefly told me that there were several urgent problems with the project that I needed to deal with personally in thepany. I hung up and turned around, seeing Scarlett leaning against the bedzily. She was looking at me, not bothered to hide her gaze. I approached her and stroked her delicate neck. "Do you want more?" "Aren''t you going to thepany?" Scarlett retorted, ring at me. "So if I''m not going, you want more?" Scarlett''s face flushed a cute red from my flirting around. Embarrassed, she yelled, "No! Just get out of here!" Her reaction make me chuckle. Happy, I kissed her on the forehead before picking up the bath towel. "From now on, don''t stay alone in your apartment anymore. It''s unsafe. Besides, isn''t it more enjoyable to sleep on the same bed with me here, just like what we''re doing now?" Scarlett''s face turned redder, but she was silent and didn''t rise to my taunt. I wrapped myself with the bath towel and went back to my bedroom to put on my clothes. Then, I fished out a delicate box from the drawer. When I returned to the nursery, Scarlett had juste out of the bathroom. She looked at me in surprise. "Why haven''t you left yet? Didn''t Amy say it was an emergency?" "Yes, but you''re the top priority in my heart." I held her hand and took out our wedding ring, right before her confused eyes. Just as I was about to put it on her finger, Scarlett pulled away resolutely. Her soft, warm eyes suddenly turned freezing cold, and the tone in her voice was severe. "Charles, I don''t want to wear that." "We haven''t divorced. How can a married couple not wear their wedding rings?" I stepped forward, gazing at her gently. "But, we..." "Scarlett," I whispered in a lowered voice, my eyes dead serious. "I know you have a grudge against me because of your father, but we weren''t together at that time. If I had another chance, I would definitely protect him, even if I had to go to jail." Scarlett blinked her pretty eyes and bit her lips. Through it all, she remained silent and unmoved. Noticing that she was no longer resisting, I slowly took her hand and slipped the wedding ring on her ring finger gently. "Scarlett... I love you." Satisfied, I smiled and kissed her ring finger. "I''ll never give you a chance to take off this ring." Chapter 215 Self-inflicted Retribution Chapter 215 Self-inflicted Retribution Scarlett''s POV: Charles''s lips brushed my fingers in a soft kiss, before pulling away slowly. Then, he stood up to look affectionately at me, his eyes filled with love and warmth. "I''ve taken off my ring once, and you''ve also taken off yours once. Now, we''re even." I felt helpless, but I couldn''t say anything to retort. Left with no choice, I pushed him to the door disgruntledly. "Go to yourpany now. You have work to do, Mr. Moore!" Charles let go of my hand obediently. He gave me another kiss to bid me farewell, and soon left. I watched his receding figure, my sight gradually blurring after a while. "I really... can''t escape from you." I turned my sights to the ring on my finger. Without realizing it, tear drops fell from my eyes and on the ring. After lunch, Charles''s grandmother and mother came back, their handsden with a lot of bags. Obviously, they had gone on a terrific shopping spree. J and Tracy also returned with James. It was obvious who had sent all of them away at the same time. Later that afternoon, J drove me to the TV station. "Scarlett?" I looked up to see the person who had called for me, and discovered it was none other than Linda. She had a high position, and her words held sway over the entire TV station. We barely had any interactions with each other, especially in recent times. I found it a little strange for her toe to me so suddenly. "Hey, Linda. What''s up?" Linda sighed sadly and looked at me, guilt written all over her face. "I heard that Lucia did something terrible and offended you yesterday. I''d like to apologize on her behalf. I''ll ask her to apologize to you in person when I see herter." That left me confused. As soon as Linda left, Nina''s voice rang next to me. "Why did Lindae here all of a sudden? Is she making trouble for you?" "Say, Nina. Does Linda have anything to do with Lucia?" "What, you don''t know? Lucia''s her niece." Nina furrowed her brows with righteous indignation. "Was she here to back Lucia up? How dare she!" "No, no. Actually, she was here to apologize for Lucia," I replied, trying to calm down the agitated Nina. However, my words puzzled Nina, whose indignant expression morphed into a look of suspicion. "Apologize? No way. I don''t believe it." A thought urred to me. If Lucia really was Linda''s niece, why would Lucia go and ask for Charles''s help? That led to only one possibility. Lucia''s aim was not sponsorship, but something else. "Forget it. Just ignore her! By the way, more than one hundred audience and guests have been invited to the studio for the program this afternoon. You have to personally keep watch there." I nodded. "No problem." The programter that afternoon was sessfully recorded, with all of the guests having performed well. So much, the audience was unwilling to leave. After that, I informed the director to do the tail-in work. I intended to leave first, but was stopped at the sight of Lucia walking towards me. Lucia looked me in the eye, her gaze rather sinister, and threw me a challenging smile. Then, she picked up a microphone on the stage and turned it on. "Lucia? What are you doing?" I stared at her, dumbfounded. Lucia brought the microphone to her lips and said, her voice magnified in volume, "Don''t be anxious, Scarlett! I''m here to apologize to you, aren''t I? I''m really sorry. I drank too much yesterday." I frowned, annoyance stabbing into me like tiny pinpricks. This was no apology. Lucia''s malicious voice resounded through the microphone in the whole studio, just as she had nned. "Oh, dear! I identally interrupted your date with your interviewee! Please convey my sincerest apologies to William, Scarlett. I really didn''t mean to disturb your intimate moment with him!" As soon as her words trailed away, the remaining audience and staff who hadn''t left the studio all turned to me with curious stares. I shot a cold look at Lucia. "Linda''s your aunt, right? She came to apologize to me at noon, and wanted me to spare you." "Apologize?" Lucia let out a grim cackle before ring icily at me, haughtiness exuding out of her every pore. "I didn''t do anything wrong! Why should I apologize to you? Is it because I drank with Charles? I just went to see him for business, but Charles liked me. He wanted to hug me and drink with me, so of course I couldn''t refuse him!" Her usually delicate and pitiful voice was distorted by the equipment, sounding like sparks falling on cotton. Just like that, my anger was ignited. All of a sudden, there was amotion at the door. Curious, I looked at the direction of the noise and saw the door of the studio swing open. Charles strode in, dressed sharply in a handsome suit. His eyes bore into mine meaningfully the instant he entered the studio. I spun around to nce at Lucia. With Charles here, her face grew as pale as a sheet. I made my way to Charles and greeted him with a warm smile, "Honey, you''re here." Charles walked toward me and took my hand. "Call me honey again." My response to this was to roll my eyes to the high heavens. Just then, a loud noise crash resounded. Startled, I shrank in fear and hid in Charles'' arms. Charles wrapped his arm around my waist protectively and said, "Don''t be afraid." When I looked aside, I saw that Lucia was sitting on the stage, looking incredibly embarrassed. She was holding her ankle with one hand, seemingly in pain. It seemed the loud noise was a result of her falling, and she had sprained her ankle in the process. Lucia reached out to Charles, sporting an anguished look that attracted pity. "I... I didn''t mean to say that just now! It was Scarlett who forced me..." Charles took a step back, still shielding me in his arms with ferocious protectiveness. "Filth." This one single word from him turned Lucia''s face deathly pale. Her whole body shook. I was quick to expose her clumsy lie and snarled coldly, "I asked you to say that my husband liked you and wanted to hug you in front of so many people? You may be insane, but I''m not." "I... I...!" Lucia hemmed and hawed, fumbling in panic. Flustered, she was unable to utter even a complete sentence. Her eyes turned red and she burst into tears. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Charles'' POV: I held Scarlett tighter, pulling her into my protective arms. For a long time, I had been waiting for her to call me honey. It was just an ordinary word, yet to me, it carried a magical energy that made me fall in love with her all over again. "I was just joking, Charles! You''ve helped me a lot. How could I ever make things difficult for you? You know me..." Lucia''s voice buzzed in my ears like a cumbersome fly I longed to swat. I tilted my head to the side to look at Scarlett. She was leaning against my chest, busy fiddling with a cufflink on my suit. She looked quite bored. "Let''s go home, okay?" I suggested warmly. Scarlett tore her eyes away from the cufflink and stared at me, anger shing in her gaze. "Didn''t you hear that? Lucia said you knew her. So, what is it that you know about her?" "That''s not true. I''m not familiar with her at all." "Why did you sponsor her program if you''re not familiar with her?" Scarlett red at me, but I couldn''t help smiling at that. She was obviously jealous. I held back the urge to kiss her as we were in public. Pressing the corners of my mouth, I exined seriously, "I sponsored the program for the sake of business and mutual interests." Scarlett''s face softened when she heard my reply. "Lucia has always said that you sponsored the program for her sake. I guess I''ve misunderstood you." "For her sake? No, she''s wrong. She doesn''t deserve my money." "Did you hear that?" Scarlett cast a brief nce at Lucia. Lucia copsed weakly on the stage once more. "Let''s go home. I''m a little tired." Scarlett did look quite exhausted. I was about to leave with her in my arms, until I saw Nina waving at her from a distance to grab her attention. "I need to go there for a bit." "I''ll wait for you here." I watched Scarlett leave, and then took out my phone to dial a number. As I was dialing, Lucia''s voice came from behind me. "Charles...? I''m sorry I made Scarlett angry. Please don''t me me, okay?" I turned around and looked at her expressionlessly. My eyes were devoid of any emotion. Immediately, tears sprang into Lucia''s eyes. She stared at me with her teary eyes, willing me to take pity on her, but I only looked back coldly. Oddly enough, she then shed me a bashful expression and tried to grab my clothes." Charles... You know, I''m still a virgin..." I took two steps back, avoiding her hands, and said on the phone, "Did you hear that, sir?" Chapter 216 An Exciting Ending Chapter 216 An Exciting Ending Lucia''s POV: The moment I found out that our director was the one who was speaking with Charles over the phone, I grew so frightened that my whole body shook uncontrobly. "Charles, I''m so sorry! I never meant to offend you. Please forgive me this time! It was all my fault. You can punish me and do as you like to me, but please let me keep my job!" "You''re the one who asked for it, Lucia." Charles showed me no pity. He sneered, then spun on his heel and strode out. He didn''t bother sparing me a single nce even as he left. A deep sense of despair overwhelmed me, pushing me into darkness. I copsed andy on the floor, panting anxiously, feeling like my soul had flown out of my body. However, I had no time to dwell on my loss. The next instant, the phone in my pocket buzzed. The sound startled me. My fear intensified, and I didn''t have the courage to pick up the call. I nced at the number and instantly knew it was the personnel manager. A horrible feeling rose inside me. "Lucia, you''re fired! Please pack up your belongings and leave the TV station right away. We will complete the rest of the procedures in three days." "No, no! I''m sorry! I apologize for everything I''ve done! I''ll ept any punishment, but please don''t fire me...!" But before I could finish, the personnel manager hung up immediately. My body froze as an icy sensation spread throughout me. I felt cold physically and mentally, like I had fallen into freezing waters. I knew I was in desperate circumstances. All of a sudden, I thought of someone who could help me. With this small ray of hope, I struggled to get up from the ground. My ankle ached terribly, but I had no time to care about the pain. I limped to a chair and quickly dialed Linda''s number. "Aunt Linda, you have to help me! The personnel manager fired me!" "What''s going on? How did that happen?" "I... I offended Charles." "What? Idiot girl!" "Stop swearing and just help me! You''re my aunt, aren''t you?!" "Alright. Go and find Spencer. He''s Charles'' best friend, and he''s still single." "What of it?" "I heard that he''s fond of beautiful women. You might be able to attract his attention and gain his favor. He should be able to help you then." At Linda''s suggestion, I decided to go to see Spencer that very night. I went home and took a shower. I dolled up my face withyers uponyers of make-up, ensuring that my face looked perfect. I carefully curled up my hair and put on a short, tight skirt. My feet were still in pain from my fall before, but I endured it and wore high heels toplete my look. ''You won''t be able to resist me, Spencer!'' Scarlett''s POV: After the debacle was over, I exited the TV station with Charles. He held my hand tenderly and said, "Scarlett, why don''t we go to the Mint Bar tonight? Just the two of us." In view of Charles''s good behavior today, I nodded in agreement. Later that evening, J drove us to the bar. As soon as Charles and I got out of the car, I noticed a familiar-looking woman standing at the entrance. Her skimpy short skirt was particrly eye-catching, sticking to her curves sensually. Is that... Lucia? She had cried so bitterly earlier during the day, but now, she had already dolled up and was going to spend her time in a bar. It was all very strange to me. I tore my eyes off her and ignored her, and entered the bar with Charles. There was no need to concern myself over her. It was very noisy inside, the ambience resembling a loud carnival. Men and women were on the dance floor, shaking their heads and twisting their bodies to the booming music. People shouted and screamed in manic joy as the DJ yed the beats, the sound growing louder and louder by the minute. Charles promptly took me to the dance floor. I couldn''t stand the noise, which was threatening to make my eardrums bleed from how loud it was. After dancing for a while, I took Charles to the second floor to find Spencer''s private room. Vivian was standing at the door. When she saw us, she greeted us. "Hi, Vivian. Why aren''t you going inside?" I was confused as to why she was standing out here. "Apparently, Spencer''s talking with a woman called Lucia inside." Immediately, I frowned. Why was Luciaing for Spencer? And why was she dressed so unnecessarily promiscuously? As I wondered, the door suddenly swung open and interrupted my thoughts. Spencer popped out and grabbed Vivian''s arm, and promptly dragged her into the room. Curious, I poked my head inside the room for a peek. My eyes fell on Lucia, who for some reason had unbuttoned her blouse. One could easily see her full cleavage and ck bra. Spencer swung his arm around Vivian''s shoulder and sneered at Lucia, "This is Vivian. She''s more beautiful than you, isn''t she? But I don''t even care for her, let alone a woman like you who''s trying so hard to seduce me. I like beautiful women, but I''ll have you know that I''m also picky about them!" Lucia''s face was scrunched up withplicated emotions. From her unsightly expression alone, I could tell that she was feeling pathetic, doubtful, and ashamed. Just then, our gazes met. Instantly, shame colored her ashen face. She hurriedly buttoned up her top, grabbed her bag, and limped away. Spencer turned to look at Charles and me. Smiling sardonically, he asked, "Are you two here to watch a show?" He was still as flirtatious as ever. Charles and I ignored him, and went straight into the room. Vivian, meanwhile, struggled to free herself from Spencer''s vice grip. "Well, she''s gone and the show''s over. Can you let go of me now?" "Can''t you be my date for a while longer? Look, they''re a couple, but I''m all alone." Spencer continued to hold Vivian in his arms, flirting shamelessly. However, Vivian didn''t buy it at all. She hissed in a low voice, "Let go of me!" "Why should I? I need to let those stupid girls see the kind of woman who truly deserves my love." "Didn''t you just say you didn''t even care for me?" "That was a lie. I said that to her because I wanted her to know how difficult it is to win me over." Seeing that he wouldn'' t budge, Vivian jabbed him viciously with her elbow. "Ouch!" Pained, Spencer was forced to release Vivian. He then looked at me with a cheeky smile and pleaded mournfully, "Scarlett, help me! I''m injured." Spencer stretched out his hand to me, but Charles kicked him to the ground before he could reach me. "Argh!" Spencer raised his head to re at Charles and shouted grumpily, "Why did you kick me? What''s the deal?" Charles replied calmly, "No reason. I just wanted to tell you that we''d like to change rooms. Scarlett doesn''t want to stay in the same room Lucia was in." "Then just say it! You don''t need to kick me!" Spencer''s voice was full of grievance, which amused me. I was close toughing out loud. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Take your time. I''m leaving," Vivian said, about to leave. Immediately, I took her hand and stopped her. "Don''t leave yet. I have something to ask you." I led her to the next room and sat down in a corner. Then, I whispered something in her ear. A few momentster, Charles and Spencer entered. "What are you two talking about?" Charles asked, curious. "Scarlett wants to buy some medicine that turns men impotent," Vivian told him loudly, without an ounce of hesitation. All of a sudden, silence filled the room. The whole world seemed to have stopped turning, and all sounds had disappeared. Chapter 217 Go Home With Her Chapter 217 Go Home With Her Charles'' POV: Vivian''s words sparked my fury. Immediately, I red at Scarlett and dragged her forcefully out of the bar. "Charles..." Scarlett muttered fearfully and shrank her neck, like a timid rabbit that had been caught by the predator. I was about to say something, but I saw J and Tracy walking towards us with James. "What happened?" J looked at us, confused. James was in her arms, smiling sweetly at Scarlett and me. He looked so cute and innocent. Poor little baby! He didn''t know what his mother wanted to do to his father. I waved my hand in annoyance and told J and Tracy to wait for us outside. Then, I opened door and let Scarlett go into the car. I followed her in and mmed the door shut. Scarlett blushed, trying her best to stay away from me. Seeing that her head was about to hit the window, I quickly reached out to protect her head. However, my hand ended up hitting the window, putting me in a world of pain. Scarlett, stunned by this, hurried to touch my hand, albeit very awkwardly. "D-does it hurt?" "If you care about my manhood as much as you care about my hand now, I''ll be happier." I caressed her cheek, shing her a sarcastic smile. "I just wanted to consult Vivian. I don''t mean anything else." Scarlett lowered her voice, looking away. She looked extremely cute when she felt guilty. Without her noticing, her blouse had unbuttoned itself. Her breasts could be easily seen from this angle, looking incredibly seductive and erotic in my eyes. Eager, I leaned over to her neck, and then licked her skin as punishment. "Scarlett... Whenever I look at you, I can''t control myself. Don''t you like me treating you this way?" The mood in the car suddenly turned erotic. Without waiting, I kissed Scarlett. Being so close to her, I could hear her breathing. I ced my hand into her cor, and touched her body slowly. In response, Scarlett let out a low moan of delight. She was obviously turned on. I was excited to know that I could still sate her lust with ease. But as I was about to take further action, Scarlett suddenly changed her attitude and gave me the cold shoulder. It was baffling. "Do you treat other women the same way, Charles? Lucia told me that you hugged her when she drank with you that day, no? Was it also because you couldn''t control yourself?" Damn it! I cursed under my breath. Why did she have to mention that woman now? "What does Lucia have to do with me? Even if she got raped and thrown into the mountains, it has nothing to do with me!" The topic made me fly into a rage. Why couldn''t Scarlett understand? She was the only woman who mattered to me. I had zero interest in other women''s affairs. None! However, my response caused Scarlett''s face to turn pale. She bit her lips and asked quietly, "When my father was desperate and helpless and begged you for help, you treated him just as indifferently, didn''t you?" Her question left me stunned. I sat there, frozen. I couldn''t fathom how she managed to associate Lucia''s affair with Alex''s. "Honey, you''re too sensitive. Don''t overthink, okay? When you''re with me, can''t you stop talking about other people?" I gently touched her ear, trying to get her back in the mood. "Let me go, Charles!" Much to my disappointment, Scarlett refused my caress. She kicked violently, swinging her legs and hitting my knees without mercy. The pain in my knees made me automatically loosen my grip on her. Scarlett took the opportunity to push the door before bursting out in a hurry. I got up to chase after her, only to quickly find that she was limping as she ran. "What''s wrong with your foot?" Worried, I squatted down to check her right foot. As I had expected, her ankle was red and swollen. Scarlett, upset, tried to get rid of me. I ignored her efforts and insisted coldly, "You''re hurt, Scarlett. Calm down." In response, Scarlett red at me as if ming me for her injury. She endured the agony, and then took James from J''s arms. "I want to go home." She raised her voice on purpose and emphasized, "Right now!" At her behest, J immediately went to start the car. Meanwhile, I returned to my own car gloomily. I still couldn''t understand why Scarlett was suddenly so angry at me. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. Seeing her car leaving, I pushed down the clutch and followed it as fast as I could. J realized that I was chasing her, so she drove faster and faster, doing her best to leave me biting the dust. Scarlett probably ordered her to do so. I wasn''t about to give up, and continued to follow stubbornly. Along the way, my car and hers kept racing. It came to the point that I reached a speed of 200 miles per hour. Our childish game only ended when we finally approached Scarlett''s house. Scarlett''s POV: I was amused to see Charles'' car running stubbornly after mine, determined to follow me. Despite everything, he was still so childish and domineering. "J, stop the car. You take James back to the Moore mansion. I''ll spend the night here." I handed James to Tracy, and then got out of the car alone. Almost at the same time, I saw Charles park his car and march towards my house. I stopped short of opening the door, and turned around to face him with a cold re. "Charles, this is my house. You''re not wee." I didn''t bother to hide my hostility. "Go back to your own house!" This man could always make me lose my senses with ease, and lead me into making irrational judgments. "Are you afraid of staying with me alone? Why is that?" Charles looked at me with a smug half-smile. He was so tall, his impressive height towering over me, so much that I felt a lot pressure just by standing near him. He leaned against the door with one hand, and approached me slowly. Whenever he spoke, I could feel his breath blowing hotly against my nose. "No matter what you say, I won''t leave. I''m going to stay here with my wife." Charles was unwilling to yield, as he stared into my eyes determinedly. I let out a small, helpless sigh. "Whatever. But first of all, don''t touch me." I knew how stubborn Charles could be. If I didn''t let him in, I probably wouldn''t get any rest tonight. I pushed the door open, went inside, and took my pajamas as I walked to the bathroom. "Why are you so angry, Scarlett?" I heard Charles'' voice from behind. He sounded calm, but he was in fact very aggrieved. Why...? I didn''t know how to answer that question. Maybe it was a mistake for me to be with him from the very beginning. Even if we had James, there was no way we could still to be together. I didn''t reply, and simply left him hanging. After taking a rxing shower, I felt less tired. I looked around, but I couldn''t find Charles anywhere. Had he gone home? Somehow, this left me quite disheartened. With that, I went to bed alone and soon fell into a deep sleep. The next morning, as Iy between a state of half-sleep and half-wakefulness, I found myself hugged tight to a startlingly warm chest. A man''s hot breath brushed my ears, making me tremble. I could feel his lower region poking me. It was Charles! As it so happened, he never left. Instead, he slept with me the entire night! "Honey..." Charles mumbled subconsciously in his sleep, calling for me. My heart began to beat faster than ever. I closed my eyes, not daring to make a single sound. "Why do you still pretend to be asleep when you''re already up?" Charles''s voice was filled with desire. "Or do you want me to wake you up this way?" He put his eager hands into my pajamas and touched my body from top to bottom, gently and skillfully. "Charles, please don''t..." I couldn''t stop myself from crying out. "I know you like it, Scarlett." Charles proceeded to kissing my earlobe gently and affectionately, luring me into throwing away my sense of self and indulge in a banquet of lust with him. Every time I wanted to reject Charles, no matter how firm I was at the beginning, I always ended up falling straight into his honey trap. But I had made up my mind! I shouldn''t get close to him anymore! ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. After several moments of painful internal struggle, I pushed Charles away decisively. "Let go of me! What are you trying to do?" Chapter 218 Nothing To Lose Chapter 218 Nothing To Lose Charles''s POV: Instead of getting angry, Iughed and held Scarlett tighter. "I want to do something fun with you," I whispered in her ear. Embarrassed and annoyed, Scarlett twisted her petite body in protest. "But you promised you wouldn''t touch me!" "Think it over. Did I promise you that before I entered the house yesterday?" "You''re so shameless!" Scarlett was too mad to refute my words. I could not help but chuckle at her reaction. Well, I never said I would not touch her. I had kept my word. Besides, I was just following my heart. It was not a secret that I wanted Scarlett for myself all the time. But, of course, I also had to take her feelings into consideration. I would only do what I wanted if I had her consent. At this moment, I put on a straight face and looked into her eyes. "Scarlett, I''m sorry for what happenedst night." I recalled her hurt expressionst night when she brought up the topic of her father. I felt that I really owed her an apology. "You know I can never be cruel to you. This I promise you." "I don''t need your promise. In fact, I don''t care about any of it, Scarlett replied indifferently. "You don''t care?" Iughed as if she had just said a funny joke. "Then why are you resisting me again and again? Tell me. What''s on your mind?" Scarlett was lying. I could see in her eyes that she cared about me. However, I could not understand why she was always insecure. Every time a rumor arose, the first thing she would do was get away from me. Scarlett did not answer my question. She just lowered her head, lost in thought. After a moment of deafening silence, she sighed heavily and replied, "Charles, you''re a good man. I don''t deserve you." I noticed that her hands were sped too tightly that her fingertips had be pale. It seemed that it took her a lot of courage to say that. Scarlett raised her head and looked at me with eyes brimming with tears. "I don''t deserve you," she repeated. My heart ached upon hearing that. There was no woman in the world more worthy for me than Scarlett. I needed her in my life. And yet, she could not see how important she was to me. She was a fool for thinking that she did not deserve me. But what was ridiculous was that I kept pushing myself to her. "Stop it." I lowered my head, kissed her forehead, and wiped her tears away. "You''re the only one for me." Scarlett was stunned. It seemed that she never expected that I would still want to be with her after what she just said. The look on her face made me want to prove to her more that we were perfect for each other. But before I could do so, she prised my arms and got out of my tight embrace. "I have to go to work," Scarlett mumbled. "Okay." I let her go. But just as she thought that she would finally get away from me, I pulled her back and pinned her to the bed. "Then let''s finish it as soon as possible," I added. I kissed Scarlett passionately. Then, I licked her earlobes, which sent shivers down her spine. My lips then trailed to her neck and then down to her breasts. I yed with her nipple and sucked on the other. Scarlett gasped and trembled in anticipation. Her moans added fuel to the fire on my body. Before I knew it, I had inserted my manhood into her beaver. The lust that I had suppressed for a long time finally burst out. God knew how hard it was last night to resist the desire to touch Scarlett. Because she was responding to me warmly, I thrust my hips harder. When we were done, Scarlett curled up under me, panting. I tucked her hair behind her ears lovingly. Then, I checked the time on the bedside table and figured that I should get moving. "I''ll make you breakfast," I said as I got up the bed. ****** Once Scarlett''s breakfast was ready, I asked her toe downstairs to eat. Then, I returned to the kitchen to make mine. When I went to the dining room with my food, I saw Scarlett, eating fried eggs and sandwiches. As she ate, her cheeks bulged like a cute squirrel. For a second, I was stunned. "Your appetite is good today. Are you perhaps pregnant again?" I jokingly asked. Scarlett choked upon hearing what I said. I quickly handed her a ss of water and continued, "Well, it looks like my cooking is just that good." Scarlett and I went out after breakfast. J and Tracy brought James over. My mood improved the moment I saw my son''s cute smile. With a smile, I reached out to hold him. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. I lowered my head and teased James in a low voice, "Do you want to go to work with Dad today?" James grinned and said, "Papa." "Take good care of James, okay?" Scarlett did not object to me bringing our son to work. With a smile, she leaned over and kissed James''s head. "Be a good boy when you go to thepany with Dad, okay?" After bidding goodbye to Scarlett, I finally went to thepany with my son. At about noon, James, who had been quiet and behaved, suddenly burst into tears. I immediately put all my work aside and walked up to him to coax him. James looked at me with eyes brimming with tears and lips trembling. For some reason, he looked sad and pitiful. And even when I was by his side, he did not stop crying. I tried every means to make him happy but to no avail. "Mama... ma..." he cried out. It did not take a genius to know that he missed his mother. Without further ado, I picked up my phone to call Scarlett. But before I could dial her number, Amy came in with a stack of documents. "You''re a good father," she remarked with a sigh. Scarlett''s POV: I had spent my entire morning doing work. Thankfully, it was all done. I did a little stretching to ease my fatigued limbs and then got up to go to the bathroom. There I saw Lucia standing in front of the sink and staring at herself in the mirror. Her makeup was ruined. Her smudged mascara told me that she had been crying. At this moment, she looked like she had aged ten years older. "Are you happy now? I''m here toplete the resignation procedure. I''m going to be kicked out of the TV station today!" Lucia scoffed. "Happy resignation then. I hope you find a great job somewhere else," I retorted. Truth be told, I felt sorry for what happened to Lucia. However, this was not my fault. She brought this upon herself. I turned around to leave. But, Lucia strode over and backed me into the corner. "Charles could''ve saved me!" she said through gritted teeth. Her voice was sharp, and her eyes were bloodshot. "You''re the reason why he didn''t." I leaned against the cold wall, helpless as Lucia had forced me into the corner. She looked terrible, almost like a ghost crawling back from hell. She looked like she would pounce on me and kill me the next second. All of a sudden, something dawned on me. She did not ''look'' like she would kill me. She probably would. With that in mind, I furtively put my hand into my pocket and dialed my emergency contact. When James was almost kidnappedst time, I listed Charles as my contact in case of emergency. I did not expect that I would soon use this for myself. Lucia''s madness state continued. "Scarlett, you bitch! What''s happening to me is all because of you! If it weren''t for you, Charles would''ve epted me. He was kind to me! But as soon as you appeared, he changed..." She roared in between sobs. I knew very well what was about to happen. She was about to lose control. "Lucia, calm down. We''re in thepany''s washroom, remember? Besides, there are cameras outside. Don''t do anything that you''llter regret." Unfortunately for me, there was nothing else I could do but try to calm her down and hope that Charles would answer my call before it was toote. "I lost my job and got raped. But you... you ended up with Charles and are having the time of your life. It''s unfair! It''s so fucking unfair!" Lucia paused for a moment and looked into my eyes. "Scarlett, I have lost everything. And now, I have nothing to lose," she added with a devilish smile tugging at her lips. "What? You were raped? What happened?" I changed the subject to try and buy some time. But the next second, a light shed in front of my eyes. It turned out that Lucia had been holding a sharp knife the whole time. She raised it, and my life shed before my eyes. I could only watch as the knife pierced into my abdomen. Suddenly, a sharp and excruciating pain swept over my body. Chapter 219 No Will To Survive Chapter 219 No Will To Survive Scarlett''s POV: ''It hurts...'' I endured the scathing paining from my abdomen and applied pressure on the wound. Warm, thick blood oozed out from my wound, and it dyed my clothes red through the gap between my fingers. Charles'' face kept shing through my mind. ''Charles... Is this going to be the end of us?'' I could feel my life slipping from my fingers. My consciousness was gradually fading, and my vision was starting to blur. Everything in front of me was slowly being covered by a faintyer of shadow. All I could see now was Lucia''s bloodstained hands and her fiendish face inching closer towards me. All of a sudden, someone kicked the door of the bathroom open. J arrived just in time to save me, and she kicked Lucia, knocking her down. The loud bang caused by Lucia hitting the wall made it seem like she was just a piece of garbage being thrown away. Not long after, the sharp knife in her hand fell to the ground. Panicking, Tracy ran to my side. "Scarlett, hold on! We''ve already called 911!" ''I''m safe...'' As the thought emerged in my mind, I gradually felt relieved. My vision soon faded and I lost my consciousness. Charles'' POV: Upon receiving Scarlett''s urgent call for help, I felt like all the blood in my body froze over. Panic overwhelmed me like a tide. I was so scared that I would never see my beloved Scarlett again. I floored the elerator, speeding the car to its maximum speed. The car was so fast that it felt like I was flying. Everyone else along the road was frightened by the speed I was going that they moved aside or hid away. The other drivers rolled down their windows and cursed at me, but I didn''t care. I didn''t even bother to wait for the traffic lights at the intersection to turn green and just ran the red light. Finally, I arrived at the door of the ward. There, J and Tracy had been waiting for me with worry painted on their faces. "What the hell happened? How Lucia get the chance to hurt Scarlett? Were you even watching over Scarlett like I told you to?" I vented all my anger at them, for I was practically boiling already when I got here. "Mr. Moore, we got there as soon as we received your call. But even then, we were still toote," J said with her head down, appearing to be apologetic. I could tell that J and Tracy had indeed tried their best. Moreover, this wasn''t the right time to me anyone. What we needed to focus on was Scarlett''s safety. "Go to the elevator and stand guard. Whatever happens, don''t let any reporters in," Imanded. With that, I cautiously opened the door and walked to Scarlett''s bedside. She was lying on the bed with her eyes closed. Her face was so pale that it almost looked like she was a ghost. Her long eyshes were trembling along with her feeble breath. And it seemed like the only evidence that proved she was still alive. Gently, I touched Scarlett''s face. Her face used to be full of life and held countless emotions, but now, there was only rigid calmness. It was the kind of calmness that was frightening. She hadpletely lost her former vitality. Oh, how I wished she would regain her former vigorous self. Even if she would just goad me, ignore me, or even get angry with me. I wouldn''t care. All of those were so much better than to see her lying on the bed, practically lifeless. "This is how you''re punishing me, right?" Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. I said, moving closer to her with a bitter smile on my face. "Scarlett, I''ll do anything you want as long as you wake up." I remembered how James cried nonstop earlier for no apparent reason. Perhaps he knew that his mother was in danger, and it was some sort of telepathicmunication between mother and child. "So, James was trying to warn me at the time, huh? Damn it. I was too foolish understand his meaning," I said, mocking myself. "James is waiting for you right now, my love. Are you really going to let him lose his mother?" I stared at Scarlett and nted a kiss on her forehead. "Please... wake up and look at me!" But no matter how hard I tried, she wouldn''t respond. Only my voice could be heard inside the empty ward. I felt as though my heart was being torn apart. Feebly, I stumbled out of the ward and went to the office of her attending doctor. "How''s Scarlett doing right now?" I asked, burning with anxiety. "I will speak frankly, Mr. Moore. The patient is in bad shape. She''s lost too much blood and has fallen into aatose state. The worst part is that she seems to have no will to survive. You need to encourage her somehow. Otherwise, nobody can save her," said the doctor. His words were like an invisible hand, strangling my neck and suffocating me. I was so disheartened that I could barely breathe. ''Why would Scarlett want to die? Isn''t there anything in this world that she''ll miss? How could she want to leave me and James behind? No! I won''t ept this! Scarlett is my wife. She''s not allowed to die without my permission!'' As I went back to the ward with a heavy heart, I saw a familiar figure inside the room. My mother was standing in front of Scarlett''s bed, visibly worried. Upon seeing mee in, she grabbed my hand at once. "Charles, what happened? What did the doctor say? How in the world could something this horrible happen in the TV station? In broad daylight no less!" While my mother was speaking, her chest was heaving violently. I was scared that she might have a heart attack or something because of anger, so I hurriedlyforted her. "Scarlett will be fine, and the person who hurt her has already been taken to the police station. I''ll stay here until she wakes up. Mom, you should go home and take good care of James. Otherwise, Scarlett will worry the second she wakes up." Thankfully, my words were enough to appease my mother. "God, please... wake my dear Scarlett up! She''s a good girl. She doesn''t deserve this," she prayed with tears. Once she had left, Nina and Abner came in. Nina''s eyes were red and there were traces of tears on her face. I inferred that she must''ve cried on her way here. With reckless abandon, she tried to rush into Scarlett''s ward. "Scarlett needs all the rest she can get right now," I said, standing in front of the ward. Nina was so furious at me that she grabbed my cor. Her eyes red up with anger, and it looked like she was ready to burn me at the stake. "Charles, where were you when it happened? Why didn''t you protect Scarlett?" she growled. My heart felt like it had been hit by a spear. I looked down, clenching my hands into fists. Nina was right. I failed to protect Scarlett. If I had been more careful and didn''t let Scarlett out of my sight, something this tragic never would''ve happened. I would give anything just so I could be the one lying on that bed, wounded, instead of my Scarlett. "Calm down, Nina. Nobody expected this to happen. It''s not entirely Charles'' fault." Abner embraced Nina from behind and pulled her away from me. Chapter 220 She Finally Woke Up Chapter 220 She Finally Woke Up Lucia''s POV: When I stabbed that bitch, Scarlett, with my knife, I felt so happy that Iughed maniacally. But soon, the police arrived. They took me back and locked me up. In the corner of the same room, there was a tall man and shorter man. The moment they saw me being thrown into the cell, they eyed me up and down with obscene eyes. Slowly, they inched closer towards me. Disgusted by their appearances and putrid odor, I backed away. When I saw their faces clearly, a terrible memory flooded into my mind. ''I can''t believe it. It''s them!'' That night after I left Mint Bar, it was these two bastards who dragged me to a dark alley and raped me. They tore my clothes apart and treated me like a toy. The thought of what happened that night made my legs go limp, and I wanted to throw up. "Help! Don''t lock me up with these rapists! Let me out of here!" I shouted and banged on the iron door of my holding cell. "Don''t pretend like you''re some innocent virgin!" The short man spat on the ground. "Hey, little missy, you were moaning with much more excitement that night." The tall man smacked his lips, looking even more perverted. "Why are you here at the police station? Have youe to solicit business here? You''re really something, aren''t you?" "Shut the fuck up! I''m not a prostitute, you assholes! I''m a good woman. You bastards raped me that day!" I was so humiliated and angry that tears were about to burst from my eyes. I begged the police to give me the justice that I deserved. The policeman walked over, only to shoot me a frigid nce. "Howe a good person would be locked up for murder? Now behave yourself! And shut the fuck up!" "Did she kill someone?" Upon hearing what the police said, the two men were startled. "No, I didn''t. Scarlett is still alive!" I said, attempting to defend myself. I merely stabbed Scarlett. She was still alive when her bodyguards came to her. "You should count yourself lucky that she''s still alive. Otherwise, you''ll be given a life sentence for first degree murder." The policeman took out his baton and used it to hit the iron fence heavily. ''No, Scarlett isn''t dead! I''m not going to let my life be ruined because of her; absolutely not!'' I cursed inwardly. Trembling, I squatted down and found that my hands were still stained with Scarlett''s blood, and that they couldn''t be wiped clean. I had no idea for how long I had been waiting in the holding cell. All of a sudden, I saw Linda appear before me. "Aunt Linda, please help me!" My eyes lit up with hope. Surely, she must have some way to get me out of here. Linda red at me before she walked towards the policeman on guard. They were standing far enough that I couldn''t hear what they were talking about. But in my heart, I believed that Linda must be doing something to save me. After their brief conversation, she walked towards me. It seemed as though I managed to escape imprisonment by the skin of my teeth. "Aunt Linda, please. Take me away. I want to leave here," I pleaded. "The police told me that the evidence was damning, and bailment isn''t allowed." The news was so shocking that I gritted my teeth and roared, "What the fuck? Why am I not allowed to be bailed out?" "Enough! Don''t be stupid! Who the fuck told you to kill Scarlett, huh? Crying won''t do you any good now. Save the rest of your energy. I''ve already thought of someone who might be able to help you. He has some connections with Charles." After giving me an earful, my aunt left without even offering me some words offort. As I watched her walk away, I felt my legs go numb, and soon I dropped to my knees and fell to the floor. Not long after, the two disgusting rapists surrounded me. "You tried to kill Scarlett? Isn''t she Charles Moore''s woman? Jesus Christ, how did you have the fucking audacity to hurt her? I thought you were just some random whore, but it turns out you''re insane!" said the short man. "I think she has no idea what it means to offend Charles Moore. I heard that the Lively family got on his bad side, and now the entire Lively Group has gone bankrupt," the tall man added. "Just wait, you bitch. Charles is going to teach you a lesson you''ll never forget!" They were both staring at me as though I were dead to them. Trembling with fear, Ipletely lost control of my body. I didn''t even notice that I had pissed myself. Within seconds, the putrid smell of my pee pervaded in the air of the holding cell. The two rapists broke into a weirdughter. "I can''t believe she got so scared that she peed herself!" As I stood on the messy floor, I began to suffer from dizzy spells. Scarlett''s POV: All I could see before me was a vast, unending span of darkness. I could hear someone uttering my name affectionately. It was Charles. His gentle voice was like a glimmer of light in the dark night, slowly guiding me and helping me regain my consciousness bit by bit. "Charles..." I muttered in a hoarse voice. At longst, I managed to open my eyes, albeit with difficult. Secondster, a blurry figure rushed to my side. "Scarlett, how are you feeling?" Charles asked with concern. However, I couldn''t see his face clearly. At this moment, my hands felt like they weighed a ton, and it was too difficult for me to even raise them. Just before I gave up, Charles held my hand and ced it on his face. "Scarlett, there''s no need to be afraid. I''m here." When I touched his warm face, I finally felt that I hade back to life. Gradually, Charles'' face became clearer to me. Through feeble movements, I brushed my fingertips against the stubble on his chin. Upon gazing into his eyes, I gathered that he had been worried sick about me. He must really care about me. It was then that I felt a strong sense of security. Sadly, exhaustion and pain came to me again. As I closed my eyes again, all the fear and doubt I had been feeling had all but dissipated. "Scarlett? Scarlett!" Before I lost consciousness again, I heard Charles '' anxious voice. Soon, I drifted into slumber. Every memory I had of him reyed in my mind. Some of the memories we shared were bitter; most of them were sweet. I remembered our wedding ceremony, and the first night I had with Charles. I also recalled countless disputes and how we slowly drifted apart. And then... James was born. I could never forget how it felt to hug my baby for the first time. He was so small and cute. I had suffered and endured astronomical pain just to give birth to him. ''No! James won''t be able to live without me. I must hold on for the sake of my child!'' I thought to myself. After a long time, I finally regained consciousness once more. Upon opening my eyes, I saw Charles sleeping beside the bed. Even though he was asleep, he was still holding my hand. I tried to pull my hand out of his, but he frowned and held me even tighter. He was still asleep while doing that. Even in his dreams, Charles was still as bossy as ever. In an attempt to wake him up, I pinched his fingers. Just as I had expected, he opened his eyes almost immediately. "Scarlett, you''re awake!" He was still half-asleep, but the joy on his face was evident. "Where is James? Is he okay?" My utmost concern was my little angel. "Mom is looking after him. Don''t worry." "Can I see James tomorrow?" I asked in a soft voice. "Sure!" Gently, Charles fed me some water. "I''ll do anything for you as long as you''re fine." I had no idea what sort of experience he had during mya, but he had suddenly be so sweet and considerate of me. Dazed, I stared at Charles'' face. There were dark circles under his deep-set eyes, and his face was pale. He looked a little haggard, but he was still quite dashing. This was the first time I had seen him so disheveled. ''Why is he still wearing the suit he had on during the morning I was stabbed? How long had Charles been apanying me? A day or two? Is it possible that he never left my side while I was in aa?'' I wondered. "Didn''t you sleep well?" My heart ached when I saw him at his current state. "I''m fine," Charles replied, touching my head. "For how long have I been unconscious?" I asked. "Over twenty hours. I was so worried about you," he responded. Then, Charles nted a kiss on my forehead. "Where are J and Tracy? Are they okay?" I recalled the horrific fight that ensued in the bathroom. Just thinking about it made my heart race. "I fired them," Charles said; his face turning grim. "They didn''t protect you well enough." "Wait, what? Why did you fire them? You shouldn''t have done that, Charles! If it weren''t for them, Lucia would''ve killed me already!" I was so agitated by his news. Suddenly, I felt a dull pain in my lower abdomen. It was as if the wound was popped open, and I had to stop talking. "Fine, fine. I''ll do as you say. Just don''t move, okay?" Charles panicked. "Then get them back! Now!" Enduring the pain, I squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth. "You know, when ites to you, I''m always powerless." Charles'' shoulders drooped, making him look helpless. He then went to the balcony to make a phone call. Not long after, J and Tracy entered the ward. "Thank you for saving my life," I said to them as I looked them in the eye. "Don''t worry, girls. Charles isn''t going to fire you. I won''t let him." Both J and Tracy still looked guilty and remorseful. Before I couldfort them, Charles cut me off. "Well, you can go out now. If something like that happens again, you already know the consequences." J and Tracy nodded and left the ward in a hurry. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Now, only Charles and I were left in the room. Not long after, he tucked me in. "Scarlett, I can''t bear to lose you again. From now on, I''m going to protect you my way, and I''m never going to let anyone hurt you again!" Chapter 221 Good Night, My Dear Scarlett Chapter 221 Good Night, My Dear Scarlett Scarlett''s POV: The following morning, when I woke up, Charles was working on some files right beside the bed. Gently, I called his attention. "Charles." He immediately stopped working, rushed to my side, and took care of me. He was so cautious in taking care of me that it made me think I was paralyzed or something. At noon, I heard a knock on the door. It was Nina. She came in with a bouquet of flowers in hand. "Hi, Scarlett," she muttered. "Nina," I greeted her with a smile. Nina approached the bedside. Her eyes were filled with tears, and she could barely speak, for she was on the brink of sobbing. "How are you feeling now? Yesterday, you were covered in blood. I was so scared!" cried Nina. "There''s no need to worry anymore. I''m fine." I held her hand, gently patting it in an attempt to comfort her. "I was really scared that you might never wake up, and that you..." My heart sank when she said that. I held Nina''s hand tightly, and shook my head at her. "Stop it, Nina." I nced over at Charles and saw him sitting on the sofa. He was still reading through some documents, but he looked awfully gloomy. Nina looked at Charles as well and spoke in a hushed voice. "You don''t want him to worry about you?" she asked. I winked at her, shing an innocent smile. Nina sighed at my non-verbal response. "When I opened that door, I was so scared to see Charles first that I almost turned around and just left," she said. "Why are you so afraid of him?" I asked, visibly confused. With guilt written on her face, Nina whispered to my ear, "Yesterday, after you got stabbed, I was so agitated that I almost had a fight with Charles." Her words warmed my heart and it put a smile on my face. "Oh, Nina... It''s okay. I''m sure he knows you''re just worried about me like he is," I responded. Nina breathed a sigh of relief and decided to change the topic. "I saw your bodyguards catch Linda yesterday, but before long, Charles let her go. He''s probably worried that his actions might affect your career in the TV station. But I do wonder... how did Charles know that Linda had no prior knowledge of whathappened yesterday?" Upon hearing Nina''s question, I was lost in thought. "Considering how Linda got to where she is right now, I''m sure she''s not an idiot. Had she known that Lucia wanted to murder me, she wouldn''t have allowed her tomit the crime inside the TV station," I answered. Nina nodded in agreement. "Hmm... that does make sense." I couldn''t help but nce over at Charles again. He was still focused on reading his documents. ''He looks so serious. He has a charm that''s enough to make people fall in love with him at first sight. To top it off, he''s so considerate of me. He''s always thinking of what''s best for me,'' I thought to myself. There was no denying that he once hurt me deeply in the past, but it was also true that once he had fallen in love with someone, he would make sure that the woman he fell in love with would be the happiest woman on earth. "You are so smitten by him!" Nina teased. Shyly, I looked away and did my best to maintain myposure. "No, I''m not! Don''t spout nonsense, Nina." "Oh, shut it! Nobody''s going to buy that act," Nina snorted in a catty voice. To be honest, her tone amused me. She told me that she still had work to do, so after chatting with me for a while, she left. At this time, Charles put down the documents he was reading, closed his eyes, and rubbed between his brows before walking towards me. "How is it? Is the problem at work too difficult to deal with?" I asked. It was rare for me to see him so spent. Charles shook his head, sat on the edge of the bed, and embraced me. "I heard you already caught Linda, but you let her go right away. Why''d you do that?" I asked again. "I did it for my sake," he said. His words left me confused. Charles smiled and kissed me on the cheek. "Linda failed to educate Lucia well, and that was her fault. I initially wanted her to experience all the pain you''ve suffered, but I was worried that you''d think I was being too ruthless," he answered. The unexpected answer stunned me. "However, Linda did promise to resign from the TV station. From now on, she''ll never trouble you again," Charles continued as he gently brushed my hair. "She agreed to resign?" "I''ve got some dirt on her. Whether she likes it or not, she has to agree," he said. I nodded and leaned against Charles'' chest in silence. All of a sudden, my phone rang. The second I answered the phone, I heard William''s worried voice. "Scarlett, I heard that something happened to you. Are you feeling better now?" I nced at Charles and said, "Much better, actually. Don''t worry, Charles is here to take care of me." "Charles? I don''t think he wants to see me right now. I''ll visit you after you get discharged from the hospital. Anyway, call me if you need anything!" "Okay, thank you, William." After my phone call, Charles stared at me and asked, "Do you have some sort of personal rtionship with William? Why is he always contacting you whenever it''s outside of working hours?" After a moment of pondering, I answered, "We don''t really contact each other that much. He just called me because he heard I was injured, and he wanted to express his concern. That''s all." "There''s one thing I haven''t told you yet, but I think you should know," said Charles. "What is it?" "It''s true that you look a lot like William''s sister. However, his sister donated her organs after her death, and her heart was transnted to Rita." Upon hearing what Charles said, I froze. "Is that true?" "Absolutely. Don''t you think it''s strange? So many TV stations have contacted William, but why did he choose to work with you of all people? He''s aware that you''re acquainted with Rita, but he''s keeping you in the dark about the heart transnt." Charles'' voice was frigid, and it made my body tremble. As I recalled all the details of my interactions with William, I realized how creepy they were. "You shouldn''t think about him anymore." Charles held my face with his warm hands. Once I had gathered myposure, I saw his face inches away from my. Then, his lips formed a frown. "It makes me jealous," he added. I was amused by that statement. It was then that Charles stood up, picked up the food and fed me a spoonful of soup. "Since you''re a patient right now, you should behave yourself and eat more," he said. I obliged to hismand. For a whole week, Charles almost never left my ward. He would work beside me in the daytime, and he''d sleep on the sofa at night. ording to the weather forecast, it would rain heavily tonight. Thus, I asked the nurse to bring over a thick nket and put it on the sofa. "You are so sweet, Scarlett," Charles said, appearing to be touched by my gesture. Slowly, I closed my eyes and smiled as I shrank into myforter. "Turn off the light, Charles. Good night." With a flick of the switch, the light was turned off. Now, only the sound of pouring rain outside the window could be heard. Suddenly, a part of the bed sank. I soon realized that Charles hady beside me on the bed with his arms around me. "Charles?" I didn''t anticipate that he''d suddenly get on the bed and hold me in his arms. I didn''t know what to do about it. Charles didn''t respond to my call. I could hear his steady heartbeat from this distance. "Charles, what are you doing? I''m a patient, remember?" I said, sounding quite nervous. The sound of Charles'' hushedughter made me feel uneasy. "I know, Scarlett. I''m not going to do anything to you. What are you even thinking about?" He was always teasing me with such words, and they never failed to make me blush. Subconsciously, I looked at his face. "I wasn''t thinking of anything! Go back to the sofa! I''ve already prepared a thick nket for you!" Gradually, my eyes adapted to the darkness. Charles'' countenance was a bit blurry, but I could see him staring right at me with fascinated eyes in the pitch ck room. "Please, just once." Charles'' words were vague, but it didn''t fail to make me fantasize of obscene things. "No," I replied. "Scarlett, I don''t want to lose you." Charles inched even closer towards me. We were so close to each other that I could feel his breath on me. Neither of us spoke for a few moments. Charles was the first one to break his silence, as though he could no longer stifle his lust. Soon, I felt him kissing me. But shortly afterwards, he restrained himself and just gently rubbed his lips with mine. His voice was hoarse and tantalizing. "I''ve been taking care of you for so many days, but you won''t even allow me to sleep on the same bed with you. You''re so cruel!" I bit his lower lip and took the opportunity to move away. "Go ahead and ask the hospital staff to rece the sofa with a bed," I argued. Obviously, my answer didn''t satisfy Charles. He clicked his tongue, pinched my chin and kissed me once more. Suddenly, he plunged his tongue into my mouth and intertwined it with mine. Within the blink of an eye, I became so immersed in our passionate kiss that I almost felt like the faint sound of pouring rain had disappeared. Instinctively, my body clung to him as if I was longing for more. His lips moved down to my corbone, sending a tingle down my spine. The darkness of the room heightened my senses. I suppressed my moan, tightening my grip on Charles'' neck. I could feel his lips and tongue traveling down my body. The following moment, he suddenly stopped what he was doing. Charles tidied up my clothes and embraced me once more. The sound of his voice was particrly enchanting this time. "I think it''s time for you to sleep," he said. I creased my eyebrows at him and pinched his waist as hard as I could. Effortlessly, Charles restrained my hand and kissed it. "Good night, my dear Scarlett," he muttered. I scoffed at him and replied, "Good night." As I leaned against Charles'' chest, listening to his heartbeat, I didn''t feel sleepy at all. I thought of Lucia''s psychotic face that day, and soon, my mind wandered. Her behavior was so irrational and extreme. And I would even say it was abnormal. Or maybe it was just because I didn''t Lucia that well. Just like I didn''t know my parents well. Our family used to be warm and harmonious, but it turned out that my life was beautiful, just because my parents were protecting me. They used themselves as shields to protect me from the darkness of reality. I loved them with all my heart, but I didn''t know them very well. I still couldn''t understand why my father chose to jump off the building when Nate ckmailed him with some nude photos. There were still many other solutions, but my dad used his tragic death to protect us for onest time. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. And after that, my family was torn apart. My mother soon passed away, leaving me all alone in this cold, cruel world. Even until now, I still couldn''t figure out the reason all of this was happening to me. Chapter 222 Spending Time With Her Chapter 222 Spending Time With Her Scarlett''s POV: I was unsure as to when I fell asleepst night. When I woke up again, the pouring rain outside had stopped. However, the sky hadn''t brightened yet. Oddly, Charles was nowhere to be seen. Only J was there, leaning against the sofa as she rested. As soon as I sat up, J stood up as well and approached me. "It''s still early. Don''t you want to sleep a little longer?" I shook my head and asked, "Where''s Charles?" J shed me a clueless look, just as puzzled as I was. "He told me toe here, and then went out. He didn''t say where he was going." Her reply made my spirits sink and I immediately felt depressed. I switched on my phone, and saw that Spencer and Nina had sent me their birthday wishes around midnight. Apparently, today was my birthday! "I''ve forgotten itpletely." Sighing, I smiled to myself and replied to the wishes one by one. Just then, a knock on the door grabbed my attention. J swiftly went to open the door. "Scarlett, are you awake?" The door opened to reveal Tracy, who walked in with a paper bag which she raised for me to see. "Breakfast is ready." ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. I took the bag from her and opened it. Inside was another dry sandwich. I slumped back on my bed, disappointment coursing through my veins. For some reason, I was suddenly craving milk and cereal. Tracy studied my reaction and asked carefully, "You don''t like it? What do you want to eat? I''ll buy it for you now." "It''s fine." I shook my head, feeling listless. I didn''t intend to make Tracy go out again. After a while, I sat up from the bed and grabbed the sandwich. "Why are you eating this?" Charles''s voice could be heard, surprising me and everyone in the room. Startled, I turned to look at the direction of his voice. Charles stood before me, with a thermos bottle and a box in his hands. He walked towards me and immediately snatched the sandwich away from my hand. Then, he leveled a displeased frown at J and Tracy. "Who bought it?" Tracy stood frozen, nervous, her face filled with panic. "I did." "Do you think it''s appropriate for a patient who hasn''t recovered to have a sandwich for breakfast? Take it away now!" Charles''s voice was as cold as a freezing tundra. At hismand, Tracy hurriedly stuffed the sandwich back into the bag, and then scurried out of the room with J quickly. "You''re being too fierce..." I furrowed my brows at Charles, disapproving. I didn''t like the callous way he treated them. In return, Charles red at me and pinched my cheek lightly. "And you''re too lenient. They have a sry, so they have to do their job well." I was about to p Charles''s hand away from me, but he dodged with ease. Since I had failed, I could only re sulkily at him. "Stop pinching my face all the time!" Charles nodded, smiling, unperturbed by my angry outburst. He opened the thermos bottle, and as he did so, a soothing fragrance seeped into my nose and caught my attention. "Warm milk?" I was pleasantly surprised. Charles poured the milk into the bowl of breakfast cereal before handing it to me carefully. "Have a taste." I took the bowl of warm milk and cereal and held it in my hands happily, and asked, "How did you know that I wanted to eat this? Do you read people''s mind?" Charles raised his eyebrows at me, and smiled brightly. "I thought you might like it, so I steamed the milk and grabbed a box of your favorite breakfast cereal." Charles'' POV: Scarlett stared at me, dazed and confused. Her surprised expression was adorable. I ced a spoon in her hand, and then gently rubbed her nose. "Eat it quickly before it gets cold." Scarlett nodded, and immediately lowered her head to take a mouthful of her breakfast. "It''s delicious! You''re a really good cook, Mr. Moore." "Of course." I epted her praise smugly, feeling proud of myself. When I saw how much she enjoyed the breakfast I had prepared for her, I felt that it was all worth it. "Scarlett..." I wanted to take this opportunity to wish her happy birthday. "What is it?" Scarlett looked at me in confusion. She stuck out her pink tongue, and licked the corner of her lips. Her innocent action drove my lower body into excitement. All of a sudden, my throat suddenly went dry. I wanted to speak, but I couldn''t manage to say anything. I hurriedly calmed myself down and rose from my seat to take another box, in which there were assorted fruit slices. "I prepared this myself." Scarlett stared at me again, as though she couldn''t believe her eyes. "Thank you. It''s so thoughtful of you to prepare all these for me!" My hand fell gently beside the wound in her abdomen. "Does it still hurt?" "Of course it hurts!" Instantly, Scarlett cast a warning re at me. "So don''t touch me." Recalling what happenedst night, I felt wronged. "But... I just hugged you and kissed you. I didn''t do anything else." Just as I spoke, a small cough came from the door. "I didn''t expect Mr. Moore to be so considerate," the doctor at the door joked with a smile, looking at the two of us warmly. Scarlett greeted the doctor and nurses with a smile of her own. "It''s my duty to take care of my wife," I replied politely. Scarlett shed the doctor and the nurses a sheepish grin, rather shy. Then she turned to me, gnashing her teeth at me in annoyance. "Shut up already!" The doctor performed several check-ups on Scarlett before announcing, "She''s recovering very well. She could be discharged in a few more days if nothing goes wrong." After that was done, the doctor left. Scarlett whipped out her phone, her face shimmering with excitement. "I have to tell Nina about this!" She dialed Nina, and the two chatted happily for an hour. After she hung up, I took a seat next to her and held her in my arms. "Do you like to chat with Nina that much?" "Well, we''re friends." Having finished her chat, Scarlett was in high spirits. I shed her a sulky look, feeling rather down. "We''re a couple. You can talk to me." Scarlett was stunned at my response. "Aren''t you busy? The doctor said that I''m doing fine. You don''t have to stay with me all the time. You should get back to work." Her words made me even more upset. "Are you driving me out? Is it so that Nina can apany you? Or... Are there other men who would apany you?" "Don''t be ridiculous!" Scarlett retorted, rolling her eyes. "I won''t leave until you''re fully discharged from the hospital." Chapter 223 A Birthday Gift I Dare Not Accept Chapter 223 A Birthday Gift I Dare Not ept Charles'' POV: "Charles, you''ve apanied me for a long time. You really don''t have to do this." Scarlett frowned at me, looking hesitant. Her difort was obvious. "Besides, I can get out of bed and walk unaided. I don''t need too much care anymore." Despite her words, I pressed her down to the bed and tucked her in patiently. Scarlett replied to my gesture with a nk look. I studied her gaze affectionately, and gave her a gentle kiss on her cheek. "Scarlett, I don''t want to be separated from you anymore." Scarlett opened her lips to reply, but in the end, she didn''t make a sound. Then, she shed me a sweet smile that melted my heart. "You sleep for a while, alright? I''m going for a smoke." As soon as I exited the ward, J approached me quickly and said in a low voice, "Rita''s here, but Richard stopped her. He didn''t allow her to get close to the ward." Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. She pointed to the elevator right after. My eyes turned to the direction she pointed at. What I saw next startled me. Before, Rita often dressed herself in the image of a pure and virginal girl, innocent and untainted. Today, however, her face was caked with heavy makeup, and she wore skin-tight clothes that left little to the imagination, giving me the impression of a cheap call girl. "Charles!" Rita waved coyly at me, sending me a ttering smile. "I''m not here to bother you, really! Linda was the one who asked me to see you on her behalf." Richard was standing in front of Rita, a wary look on his face. I nced at him, to which he immediately nodded and made way for me. Without sparing a nce at Rita, I spun on my heel and made way to the French window at the end of the corridor. I refused to let Scarlett to be affected by Rita, not even the slightest. With a flick of the switch, the lighter in my hands lit up the cigarette mped between my lips. "So... How''s Scarlett?" Rita''s voice came from behind me. I took a brief drag, and then blew out the smoke. Only then did I reply icily, "That has nothing to do with you." "Look, Linda''s innocent. She was dragged down by her stupid niece. But I know you''ll never be soft on them, just like how you treated me." Rita''s voice grew louder as she inched closer to me. Her tone became soft and coquettish, repulsively so. "Actually... I just came up with an excuse to see you today. Haven''t you ever missed me these days, Charles?" I stood and watched quietly as Rita stretched out her hands towards me, about to wrap them around my waist. Just as she almost touched me, I flicked the cigarette butt. Instantly, the ash and sparks fell on her arm and burned her skin slightly. Rita hissed from the pain. rmed, she staggered back immediately. "Stay away from me." I shot her an icy re that could freeze hell over. I could no longer restrain the disgust growing inside me. Seeing her face alone made me close to retching violently. "The Lively Group is over. Keep making trouble, Rita, and no one will be able to protect you." Rita covered her scalded arm, trembling, her eyes filled with fear and horror. She was so frightened, she couldn''t say anything. "Tell Linda to behave herself if she wants to stay in this city." I was no longer in the mood to smoke, so I stubbed out the cigarette on the trash can and then dumped it inside. "You''d better stop making trouble in the future. If there''s something wrong with your heart, you''ll really end up dead." "Charles, I..." My warnings weren''t enough, as it seemed, for Rita still refused to give up. Impatient, I shot her another re. "Leave now, or I''ll have the bodyguards throw you out of the hospital." With that, Rita stopped abruptly and left in a hurry, fleeing like a frightened rat. I was standing in a draught, and let the wind blow off the smell of smoke on my body before returning to Scarlett''s ward. Scarletty on the bed, her eyes were closed, her curly hair falling loose on the pillow. Her face was so fair and beautiful, it mesmerized me. But it was obvious that she wasn''t asleep, and that her eyeballs were still rolling around under her eyelids. I couldn''t help but smile. Amused, I bent over to kiss her. I asked her vaguely, "Are you Sleeping Beauty?" Sleeping Beauty snapped her eyes open, startled, and quickly pushed me away. "You''re the one who told me to get some sleep. Why are you bothering me again?" "Sorry, I can''t help it." "Charles!" But Scarlett''s angry outburst faded away when someone knocked on the door. J entered, with arge bouquet of bright roses in her arms. She handed the bouquet to Scarlett. "Scarlett, someone sent you the flowers." "Who is it?" Scarlett looked at me, puzzled. "I don''t know." J shook her head, before exiting, leaving Scarlett and I alone in the ward. I pulled a long face and asked Scarlett seriously, "You really don''t know which admirer of yours sent you these flowers?" Scarlett shed me an innocent, clueless look. She took out a folded card from the bouquet and handed it to me. "I really don''t. Help me check it." I said nothing, and stared at her for a long time. Scarlett blinked her long and thick eyshes, still clueless, but the nervousness in her was evident. However, it seemed she was sincere when she told me she didn''t know. "Let me have a look." I suppressed my smile, and unfolded the card. When I saw the contents, I frowned. "You deal with the flowers," Scarlett said casually, and shrank back into the quilt. "Don''t you want to know who sent it?" "No, I don''t." However, I kept insisting, and put the card in front of her to see. "Have a look first." Scarlett, disgruntled, relented and slowly unfolded the card. Her uneasy eyes were soon filled with anger. I immediately picked up the roses as my shield. "Charles! Are you kidding me? You''re the one who sent the flowers! How dare you make fun of me?" Her voice became choked with angry sobs. "You... you bastard!" She quickly snatched the roses away from me, fuming. As she did so, I could see her face clearly. She was frowning angrily, but there were tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. "I''m sorry, Scarlett. I asked Amy to book the flowers a few days ago. I only remembered just now. So I decided to just tease you a little." I immediately apologized and hurriedly wiped her tears with a tissue. "If you don''t like it, I''ll throw it away right now." "No way!" Scarlett was defiant and protected the roses from me, holding them tightly. "So, do you like it?" At this, she snorted and rolled her eyes at me. "Find a vase for me." That made me so happy, I called Richard and told him to send several vases to the ward. There were so many roses that all the vases were full. The flowers'' warm color was reminiscent of a burning fire, making Scarlett''s face glow. She looked much more energetic. Scarlett requested that I ce the roses at every corner of the ward. When I was done, the atmosphere in the ward seemed much warmer and more cheerful. "There are only flowers... Don''t you have any other gifts for me?" Scarlett asked expectantly. Scarlett''s POV: When I asked this, Charles fell into silence. I clenched the quilt and bit my lips subconsciously. His warm fingers suddenly touched my lips. That startled me, so I looked up in astonishment and met his deep-set eyes. "Don''t bite yourself. Don''t you feel pain?" "It doesn''t hurt at all." I turned sideways, upset. "Also, it''s none of your business." Charles said with an affectionate smile, "How could I not prepare you a gift? But, I''m actually afraid you won''t ept this gift." His vague words made me curious. I stared at him nkly and asked, "What is it? What is it that I wouldn''t dare to ept?" Charles approached me slowly, his thick eyebrows dashing, his eyes sparkling like a starry sky. Standing so close to me, his handsome features were even more prominent. His slightly rough fingers touched my face along the neck line, and he slowly uttered in my ear, "Me. The gift is me. I''ll be yours forever." I felt like my face was being scalded by his heat, and immediately turned limp and numb. This strange feeling rushed up inside me with violent momentum, but on the outside, I tried to look just calm. Embarrassed, I grabbed the quilt and tried to control my emotions. However, Charles didn''t give me a chance to hide and pressed his lips on mine. Our kiss was so passionate, messy saliva drooled out from the corner of our lips. Our loving gazes met, and the temperature in the room seemed to rise. My body grew warm. However, the feeling vanished as someone knocked on the door. "Mr. Moore." Richard''s voice came from outside the ward, interrupting us. Charles let go of me, but even as he was no longer holding me, I didn''t move. Charles raised his eyebrows, desire coloring his eyes. "Scarlett, could it be that you''re unwilling to let me go? Do you want to continue?" Startled, I immediately loosened my grip. I hurriedly lied, "No! Go and do your job!" Charles sent me a charming smiled and kissed me softly on my lips. "Wait for me." After Charles left, the ward fell into silence. ''Why is Richard looking for Charles?'' Immediately, I found myself feeling nervous. Chapter 224 Happy Birthday, Honey Chapter 224 Happy Birthday, Honey Charles'' POV: I walked out of the ward. Richard took me to the elevator and whispered something in my ear. I listened to him intently, then pondered for a moment and ordered him, "Give that person my regards when you meet again." "Yes, sir." "Also, just send me a message when this kind of thing happens in the future. I don''t want to arouse Scarlett''s suspicion." This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Got it." After that, Richard left in a hurry. ***** Later that evening, as Scarlett was about to go to bed, Iy beside her. As I approached her, her body trembled slightly and she immediately moved aside. Her little head shrank into the quilt, frightened. She was as cute as a little hamster. Amused, I lifted the quilt a little, exposing part of her lovely face. I reached out and took her into my arms effortlessly, and ced a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Scarlett, did you ever think of me when you were stabbed?" Silence filled the ward, and it was so quiet that we could only hear each other''s breathing. After a long while, Scarlett finally found her tongue and answered decisively, "No." That made me tighten my hold on her. "When I drove to the hospital, I was going so fast that I almost hit others. At that time, all I could think about was you." Upon hearing what I said, Scarlett''s body shook slightly. I hugged her and continued, "At that time, I was wondering what you''d do if I died. Would you feel sorry for me?" "Don''t say something like that, Charles. It''s bad luck! You''ll definitely live a long life." "I mean, if." "There is no such thing as ''if''. Let''s drop it." Scarlett shoved away my arms and turned her back huffily to me, seemingly very upset. "Well, I don''t really want to die. I can''t possibly leave you alone, so I''ll try my best to hold on. Unless..." "Unless, what?" "Unless you die with me, Scarlett." I emphasized every word as I pulled her to me and hugged her from behind. Her faint fragrance wafted to my nose. I closed my eyes and gently rubbed my cheek against her back, enjoying her sweet scent. All I wanted was to be closer to her. I was eager to win over her heart once more. Scarlett''s body stiffened from the contact, but she didn''t push me away. That alone made me satisfied. "If you want to die, Charles, then just die alone. I have to be by James''s side and watch him grow up." Only after a long period of silence did Scarlett finally found her tongue again. But when she spoke, her voice was nasally. I knew that she was crying. I got up and switched on the lights, and tried to find a tissue to wipe her tears. She finally turned around to look at me, but her eyes were moist and tears had streaked her pale cheeks. The heartbreaking sight caused my heart to ache severely. It was as if it had been smashed by a heavy hammer repeatedly, until it shattered into tiny pieces. I hurriedly grabbed two pieces of tissue from the bedside table and wiped her tears. "Scarlett, don''t run away from me anymore. You are my woman, no matter what happens! Even if I go to hell, you have toe with me!" "Quit being so bossy, Charles." Tears welled up in her eyes, shimmering like broken stars. They looked beautiful but tragic at the same time. "I''m d you understood. When you wereatose, the doctor said that you had no desire to hold on anymore. Do you know how much I hated you at that time? I hated you for leaving me behind!" I gritted my teeth, heartbroken. I was unwilling to give in. I wouldn''t! I had lost Scarlett once, and I didn''t want to bear such pain anymore. This time, I wouldn''t allow her to leave me again. Even if we would torture each other till eternity and she would hate me to the core, I would never let her go! Death itself couldn''t take her away from me! "Charles... You''re a devil! You''re a bastard I can''t ever forgive!" Driven to irritation, Scarlett was so angry that she burst into tears again. She tried hard to push me away, but even so, my arms held her tightly. "I don''t care if you call me a devil. I''ll still say it! If you dare to die, Scarlett, I''ll never let go of your son or everything about you!" Before she could react, I lowered my head and quickly kissed her hard on the lips. She did her best to struggle and get rid of me, but I kept holding her tight. I was so rough, she lost her breath and began pounding on my chest. "It hurts, Charles!" she cried, her voice weak. I quickly let go of her hand, feeling slightly remorseful. Maybe I had agitated her wound by ident. "Did I touch your wound?" "No!" Her tears fell down, unstopping, like broken beads. "Don''t move! Let me have a look." I wanted to lift up her clothes to check on her body, but as I did so, she shouted again, "That hurts!" Panicked, I immediately stopped what I was doing. I stammered, "I''m sorry. I''ll call the doctor right now." "No! The wound''s fine." She halted me from ringing the bell, before asking me in a low whisper, "Charles, tell me... What should I do to make you let me go?" Let her go...? How could I ever live without her? Scarlett had no idea that she had already be an inseparable part of my life. "Switch off the lights, please. I''m tired," Scarlett grumbled. I turned off the light obediently, and the ward fell intoplete darkness. Scarlett then huddled herself up, her back facing mine. She was still upset. I held her tightly and whispered in her ear, "Happy birthday, honey. Don''t leave me." Chapter 225 The Person I Thought Of At The Critic... Chapter 225 The Person I Thought Of At The Critic... Charles''s POV: Ever since Scarlett''s ident, I had been sleeping lightly. I woke up early in the morning today, right after the crack of dawn. I studied Scarlett''s sleeping face, and reached out to touch her soft hair. What happened between us? Only when Scarlett was asleep would she stay with me obediently and stop saying such hurtful words, or insist on how much she wanted to leave me. My phone rang, interrupting my train of thoughts. I picked it up and answered the call, and then headed to the ward downstairs. Inside, I was greeted with the sight of Spencer lying weakly on the bed. His face was pale and bloodless, all color gone. His right foot was covered in a ster, unable to move at all. David and Vivian were in the ward as well, apanying him. "What on earth happened?" I frowned, my brows furrowed slightly. "The patient downed a whole bottle of wine and then insisted on having a car race. Sadly, he crashed before he managed to drive out of the parking lot. The result is as you see." Vivian spread out her hands casually as she exined the situation at hand, her face filled with mockery. "Hey! I was on the road at the gate of the parking lot! Strictly speaking, I''ve already driven out of the parking lot when it happened!" Spencer was still loud and talkative despite his injured foot. "Well, you should feel lucky that you crashed into the gate of the parking lot. If you really made it to the main road, you''d be a corpse right now." Vivian shot him a disapproving nce, her eyes cold. "Don''t curse me like that, woman!" I was slightly puzzled. What was wrong with Spencer, exactly? Did he end up like this because he found out that something happened to Scarlett? "Didn''t you say you''ve prepared a birthday gift for Scarlett yesterday? Where is it?" I chimed in, interrupting the quarrel between the two. "Oh, no! It''s still in the car!" Spencer came to his senses immediately after I asked. He looked regretful. "Darn it! What bad luck!" "Why on earth did you go for a race after drinking? That''s dangerous, and illegal. Are you aware of what you''ve done?" David was confused, curious as to why Spencer had done something so foolhardy. Everyone in the ward, including myself, fixed our eyes on Spencer. He turned his head sideways, looking somewhat uneasy, and then shot an awkward nce at Vivian. "I... I confessed my love to himst night," Vivian finally muttered quietly. I could hear a slight bitterness in her tone. She confessed her love for Spencer? This revtion made me smug. To think Spencer would encounter such a girl problem! This went beyond my expectations. "You know, Spencer. Since Vivian has taken the initiative to exin... How about you man up and say something? Do you have feelings for her as well?" David couldn''t help but ask, still uncertain. Spencer, however, didn''t say a word. He simply lowered his head, as if it was his head rather than his foot that was injured. His reaction turned Vivian''s face pale. She bit her lips, depressed, but quickly forced a smile on her face a secondter. "Well, you guys take care of him. I''m leaving." So saying, Vivian rose from her seat and strode out of the hospital, disappearing soon after. "Okay, she''s gone. Now, can you tell us the truth?" David reached to pat Spencer on the back. He was quite rough with his movements, and caused Spencer to scream in pain. "Hey, man! I''m a patient now!" Spencer protested, trying to squeeze out pity from us. He let out a dejected sigh before he started to confide to us. "To tell you the truth, when my car crashed at the parking lot... All I could think about was one person." He raised his eyes timidly, and an inexplicable heat rose, coloring his pale face red. "It... it was Vivian. At that critical moment, I could only think of her. After I was injured, I immediately called her." "God, you''re such an idiot." David shook his head, aggravated. He was annoyed that Spencer didn''t live up to his expectations. He raised his hand to hit Spencer, but in the end, he thought against it. "Isn''t it obvious? You''ve fallen in love with Vivian! Look, don''t keep her in suspense anymore. Tell her how you feel." David''s words pushed Spencer into heavy silence. Spencer kept mum, saying nothing. "Why are you still hesitating?" I said lightly, gazing at Spencer. "If you really love her, go and confess your love to her as soon as possible." If he let Vivian go, I was certain he would regret it immensely. Scarlett''s POV: My wound suddenly stung with slight itchiness. The difort awoke me, and I rose from my slumber grumpily. I had a strong urge to scratch my wound. But after thinking it through, I withdrew my hand and held back that urge. I opened my eyes and looked around my ward, only to realize that Charles wasn''t by my side. Without him around, my spirits rose. I rxed, feeling calm. Last night was so frustrating. I couldn''t give Charles the answer he wanted, and he was unwilling to give up. It felt like we were both hedgehogs. Though we were eager to embrace each other... Once we got close, our spikes would stab each other and we both ended up getting hurt. Despite that, we were still greedy for each other''s warmth. Fortunately, Charles wasn''t with me now and I could let my guard down. I could enjoy my breakfast in a rxed mood. Later when I had finished eating, Tracy appeared to clean up the dishes. While she bustled about, she delivered some shocking news new to me. "What? Spencer got into a car ident, and Charles went downstairs to visit him early in the morning?" What was going on? How did Spencer get into a car ident out of the blue? Concerned for him, I made my way downstairs in a hurry to see him. As soon as I reached downstairs, I ran into Vivian, who was about to leave the hospital. She looked tired and worn out, and seemed preupied with something. She didn''t even notice me nearby. "Vivian! Are you okay?" I asked worriedly, rushing forward and stopping her. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Vivian stopped and turned around. When she saw me, she forced a bitter smile. "I''m fine, Scarlett. Spencer''s the one who got into the ident. He wanted to race cars after drinking, and ended up with a broken leg. He''s lying on the bed now." True, Spencer was the one who got injured from the ident. But now that I saw how awful Vivian looked, I was more worried about her. But before I could question her any further, she left in a hurry. Left with no choice, I moved away and entered Spencer''s ward. Sure enough, Charles was here. David was also in the ward. "Hello, Scarlett. Looks like you''ve got better." David walked up to me and narrowed his eyes as he observed me carefully from head to toe. Finally, a relieved look appeared on his face. "I was really worried when I heard that you were attacked." "Me too!" Spencer added. "That Lucia! She actually dared tomit murder in broad daylight. She deserves to be locked up in prison for the rest of her life!" I couldn''t help butugh. Listening to Spencer''s energetic voice, I knew he was fine. "Happy birthday, Scarlett." Seeing my smile, Spencer continued, "It''s just, my birthday gift for you is still in the car. I don''t know if it''s damaged or not." David smiled at Spencer''s words, amused. "I''m still here, Scarlett?" Charles, who had been neglected all this while, suddenly opened his mouth to speak. He was gritting his teeth, his annoyance obvious. The atmosphere in the ward suddenly dropped a few degrees colder. It was so typical of Charles! He was the one who came here to visit a patient, but of course, he just had to make sure that all the attention was on him. My eyes swept pass Charles as I ignored his sulky outburst, resting on David. "It''s great that you''re here, David. I actually wanted to invite you to be a guest for our next show. What do you think?" David said politely, smiling, "It''s my honor, Scarlett." Spencer chimed in excitedly, "I want to go too! Even if I have to sit on a wheelchair, I still want to go!" At this point, Charles''s face was now covered with ayer of frost. His sharp, hawk-like eyes fell on David. David understood the hint. He smiled and added, "How about all three of us go to your show?" "There''s no need for Charles to be in the show." I shook my head deliberately. "He''s not a sponsor. It''s inappropriate for him to appear in my show with you two. Besides, I think you and Spencer are will be just perfect." This only served to intensify Charles''s burning anger. He rubbed his hair irritably, like a lion whose food had been snatched away forcefully. Seeing him so angry filled me with satisfaction. "But you see, Scarlett. Charles is the most outstanding young man in our generation," David commented gently, trying to smooth things over. "Then he''ll have to wait until next year. We already have enough guests for this year," I said casually, waiting eagerly for Charles''s next response. "I don''t care!" Charles, unable to stand it anymore, exploded in anger. He stood up, furious, and stormed out of the ward in that instant. His tantrum almost made me burst intoughter. Chapter 226 Valuable Chapter 226 Valuable Spencer''s POV: Soon, everyone left the ward. After they were gone and I was left alone, I pondered over what Charles had said to me earlier. What he said had enlightened me. If I truly loved Vivian, I shouldn''t let her wait any longer. At the very least, I should show her my love. With that in mind, I grabbed my phone and dialed her number. It didn''t take long for her to answer the call. "What?" From the phone, I could sense her cold, unfriendly attitude. But from how quickly she answered when I rang, it proved that she still cared dearly for me. "Vivian, it''s my leg! It hurts so much... Argh!" I whine pitifully, putting on an exaggerated act to try and gain her sympathy. "Aren''t your buddies in the ward with you? Tell them to find a doctor for you." Though Vivian sounded like the she didn''t care, there was a trace of doubt in her seemingly aloof tone. "They just left. Ouch! It really hurts... Oh forget it. I think I''ll be fine. You don''t need toe back..." I deliberately pulled the phone far away, and then blew out a deep, pained sigh into it. Before she could react, I immediately hung up. Within five minutes, rapid footsteps could be heard from outside. Vivian immediately burst in, panting. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "There was something wrong with the elevator, so I ran upstairs." Sweat bathed her shiny forehead, and her beautiful face was full of concern. She was genuinely worried for me. "Does it hurt?" She walked up to me and touched my injured foot carefully, her movements gentle. "Are you in pain anywhere else?" She scanned my whole body nervously, trying to see if anything was hurting me. It was as if she wanted to give me a thorough check-up with her eyes. Smart as she was, she actually believed my silly lie. The fact rendered me amused, but at the same time, I was deeply moved. My heart skipped a happy beat. I reached out and took her hand, and ced it on my chest. "Here. It hurts here," I whispered to her quietly. Her hand was soft and smooth to the touch, and her skin was as tender as a baby''s. She was cute, lovely, and everything wonderful in this world. "You bastard! There''s nothing wrong with you at all!" A stunned Vivian, annoyed by my trick, quickly shook off my hand, acting as if she had been scalded. "I shouldn''t have believed your nonsense!" The realization that she had fallen hook, line and sinker for my little white lie turned her cheeks a deep red. Embarrassment colored her indignant face. "Don''t you know it''s immoral to pretend to be injured and lie to the doctor?!" "But we''re not doctor and patient." Vivian was so infuriated that she turned around at that very moment, about to leave. My leg couldn''t move, but I subconsciously wrapped my arms around her waist to stop her from leaving. Because of how my abrupt movements, I almost slipped and fell down from the bed. It was then that I bumped into my injured foot by ident. This time, it was no act! I cried out in agony, sweating, unable to withstand the sudden bout of pain. Vivian immediately responded to this. She screamed as she turned around, and quickly hugged me to soothe my pain. Then, she bent down and tried to get me back to the bed. As she did so, the distance between was nonexistent. The posture was so intimate, I could feel her sweet breath spreading all over my face. Her soft body clung to my chest, so warm and wonderful. I could hear her flustered heartbeat clearly in my ear, and the sound was distracting. "Let''s talk, okay?" I held Vivian''s hand, cing it gently around my waist. She struggled for a while, but in the end, she relented and finally gave up. "Alright. But, you can''t lie to me anymore." I was about to say something, when I suddenly felt my lower body had grown stiff from my excitement. Knowing that this was not an appropriate time, I tried to hold back my desire and restrained myself. "Well... It''s nothing serious. Uh, how about we talk about it another day?" I was so embarrassed by my state, I stammered subconsciously. Unfortunately, the expectation in Vivian''s eyes turned into disappointment. "So you have nothing to say to me except lies. You''re really something, Spencer," Vivian said sarcastically before standing up, huffing. But as she got up, her soft body brushed against my bulging trousers by ident. In an instant, the air froze. Vivian''s eyes fell on my lower body. "Is this what you wanted to talk about?" A bright smile appeared on her face as she stared teasingly at me. "Well, this kind of thing can''t be solved by words, can it?" I raised my eyebrows. "How about we try some other approaches, since words wouldn''t work." "You seem to still remember that I''m an expert in male diseases, Spencer. So tell me, what method do you want me to use to help you?" Not to be outdone, Vivian made a snipping gesture with her fingers, like a pair of scissors, and then pointed at my lower body. This woman was just too cruel! Anxious, I quickly changed the topic. "I hit myself just now. My foot really hurt. I mean it!" "Well, I''ll call the doctor for you." Vivian shed me a faint smile, amused. Before she could make her exit, the door of the ward was suddenly pushed open. It was none other than Gemma, my mother, who hade to the hospital in a hurry. The moment she saw Vivian, however, her anxious face turned ice-cold. "Vivian! Why are you staying with Spencer all day long? Who do you think you are? You even incited him to drink and race in the middle of the night!" My mother''s exploding anger was akin to a machine gun that was going off at Vivian point nk, for absolutely no reason. Vivian hung her head low, her face gloomy. "Mom, Vivian''s my doctor. It''s her job to take care of me." I exined anxiously, wanting to smooth things over. "You''re not sick every day! Why do you always ask your doctor to follow you around? Now, everyone in the city thinks she''s your girlfriend! Whenever I tried to introduce someone to you, they''d tell me that my son has already has a girlfriend!" My mother went on angrily, jabbering non- stop. While I could see her lips p open, I couldn''t hear a single thing that she said. All my attention was currently on Vivian. My mother''s words seemed to hurt her deeply, and the happy mood between us just now was gradually disappearing. My mother nagged and nagged, and it was a long time when she finally stopped. Before she left, she insisted on taking Vivian away with her. I wanted to follow them, but my injured leg prevented me from doing so. I could only look at their receding figures. Nervous, I shouted, "Mom, don''t make things difficult for Vivian!" Unfortunately for me, the two women didn''t bother turning around and paid no heed to my words. So depressed I was, I could only wait quietly in the ward. Several times, I wanted to call Vivian to ask about the situation. But I was afraid of my mother noticing my phone calls. If she did, she''d have a better reason to attack Vivian. All of a sudden, I received a voice message from my mother. I clicked it to listen. Lo and behold, it was Vivian''s voice. "Look, Gemma. As long as you give me money... I''ll cooperate with you, no matter what you want Spencer to do." What was it that my mother wanted me to do? I couldn''t believe my ears. There was no way that Vivian was willing to help my mother trick me, all for the sake of money. I was still dwelling in my shock, when Vivian entered my ward. Seeing her, I immediately yed the recording for her to listen to. I snarled angrily, "Seems I''m only something with a price tag in your eyes." Vivian was beside herself with shock, but she quickly regained herposure. She smiled bitterly at me and said, "Actually, that amount''s not enough. After all, I just agree to help you to find a girlfriend too. Had I known earlier, I would''ve asked for more!" Fury welled up in me. I was so angry that I wanted to throw my phone on the spot. What was wrong with Vivian? To think she was willing to find me another woman, just for money! "I can earn a lot from you and your mother. A deal as profitable as this is really rare!" Vivian grinned brightly. She was smiling happily, but for some reason, it seemed different than her sincere smile from before. I couldn''t fathom what was on her mind, nor the meaning behind her smile. The only thing I was aware of was the anger flooding in me. "Then, you should seize this opportunity!" I red back at her, my eyes full of hatred. Chapter 227 An Unavoidable Love Crisis Chapter 227 An Unavoidable Love Crisis Charles'' POV: It was fortunate that Scarlett recovered soon, and was set to be discharged from the hospital today. Upon my arrival at the hospital, I saw her slowly walking out of the ward with J''s help. I walked over to her side at once. J took one look at me, and stepped back immediately. Without J''s help, Scarlett lost her bnce and leaned towards me for support. I used this opportunity to carry her in my arms. I also didn''t forget to avoid touching her wounded abdomen. "Charles, what are you doing? We''re at the hospital!" Scarlett began to blush. "Put me down! I can walk just fine." "No," I said bluntly. Along the corridor of the hospital, nurses and patients passing by were all looking at us. "Wow! Mr. and Mrs. Moore are so romantic," they said. "I''m sure the Mrs. Moore is the happiest woman in the world," said another. I didn''t mind showing off how much I loved Scarlett in front of the public, for I believed that our happiness was something others should see. "Put me down, please," Scarlett whispered in my ear. I stood in ce and replied, "If you keep nagging me, I won''t leave this ce." Upon hearing my response, Scarlett mmed up and buried her face in my chest. She then wrapped her arms around my neck. As I carried her out of the hospital, the sun shone down on us. It felt warm and energizing. Soon, the car arrived at the Moore mansion and slowly pulled over. When I saw how Scarlett looked out the window, I couldn''t help but chuckle. "Scarlett, try not to sneak away whenever I''m not at home, okay?" I remarked. Scarlett looked at me, visibly surprised. "That thought didn''t even cross my mind. You''re so paranoid!" she remarked. "Well, I hope you''re telling the truth." I shot her a cold nce. "But even if you do think of escaping, the house is now equipped with electronic locks, and I can control them remotely." Scarlett forced a smile as her mouth twitched. "Oh... that''s quite convenient," she said. I nodded at her and smirked. Then, she stared at me and opened the door, ready to disembark from the car. When I saw her having difficulties getting off the car, my heart ached. In order to assist her, I immediately got off the car and went to her side to support her. "Why are you in such a hurry?" I asked. Barely had she taken a few steps, beads of sweat already formed on Scarlett''s forehead, and some strands of hair stuck to her forehead. Her face was pale and looked particrly frail. She was like a porcin doll that would break apart at the slightest touch. A frown appeared on my lips as I carried her in my arms. "Ah!" Startled, Scarlett wrapped her arms around my neck and her eyes widened. "What do you think you''re doing? I can walk just fine!" "It''ll be sun down before you get to your room at that pace," I said. Ignoring herint, I strode into the Moore mansion. "Ugh! Stop exaggerating. That''s not what will happen," Scarlett retorted, sounding displeased as she pinched my cheek. I turned my head towards her, casting her a stern re. But even though I was practically staring daggers at her, Scarlett was unfazed. She sped my face with both hands and began to pull it upwards and downwards like she was toying with me. It was then that she began to defend herself so eloquently. "Don''t look at me like that. You pinch my face all the time! This is just payback, you know!" "If you want to pinch me so badly, why don''t you grab some other part of my body?" Clearly infuriated by my remark, Scarlett gnashed her teeth and covered her mouth. "What the hell are you talking about? Shut up, Charles!" I raised an eyebrow at her and let out an exasperated sigh. Upon our arrival at the bedroom, I gently ced Scarlett on the bed. "Do you want me to bring James here, so you''ll havepany?" I asked. "Yes, please." When I mentioned James, her face softened at once. I took this opportunity to approach her, and I looked into her eyes. "Scarlett, as long as you''re willing to stay in the Moore mansion, you can be with James every single day, and witness every moment of his growth." Scarlett was lost in thought. Her eyshes quivered, and her eyes glinted under the light. I couldn''t resist the urge to try and kiss her. However, she shrank back, staring at me vigntly the moment before our lips touched.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "You know, that attitude really stings." I faked being annoyed and shot her a cold nce. "I forgot how obsessed James has been with the new toys that his Grandma bought for him recently. I don''t think he''ll be in the mood to apany you," I added. Scarlett''s POV: Charles'' words got me anxious, so I immediately held his hand. "Someone should keep an eye on him while he''s ying with his toys. I can watch over him, and he can keep mepany in the meanwhile." Charles didn''t respond. He just looked at me with a knowing smile on his face. I was displeased to see his reaction. "What the hell, Charles? Are you trying to trick me again?" He still didn''t answer me. Instead, he suddenly approached me. And before I could react, I was already overwhelmed by his kiss. He held my nape and continued to kiss me. As our lips intertwined, my heart began to race. Charles was like a predator that had finally captured its prey. Regardless of how much I resisted, he did not stop kissing me and nibbling on my lips. I could feel his palm on the back of my neck, gradually moving up and sping my hair. Then, he pressed my face against his, deepening our kiss. I wanted to escape, but the tenderness of this intimate moment was far too tempting. To me, it felt like even my very soul was trembling with pleasure. Slowly, my stiff body rxed as I clung to his arms with every ounce of strength I had. After a long time, he moved away and pressed his forehead against mine, catching his breath. The warmth of his breath seeped into my skin, and the sound of his husky voice was music to my ears. "You know what, Scarlett? I can only feel at peace when you''re in this household. I can''t live without you anymore." Silence engulfed the room. I could feel my ears buzzing and I struggled topose myself. It was undeniable that whenever he was this blunt about his feelings for me, my heart would flutter and I could feel butterflies in the pit of my stomach. It suddenly urred to me that Nina once told me I could never get away from Charles. I knew that it would bring me as much pain as joy to fall in love with Charles, but I couldn''t help myself. It did seem like I would never be able to escape him for the rest of my life. With courage, I looked into his eyes. I was smitten by his deep-set, affectionate eyes that were brimming with sincerity. "Charles, I..." Before I could finish my sentence, a knock on the door interrupted me. Then, we heard Alice''s voice. "Charles, have you taken Scarlett back?" Frowning, Charles sighed and touched my cheek lovingly. "Don''t move," he said. I nodded and smiled at him. Charles got up and walked away. I could hear him mutteringints under his breath. "Mom is always ruining my ns!" It was rare to hear him speak like that, and I found it particrly adorable. When the door was opened, I lifted the quilt off me and sat on the edge of the bed. But before my feet could even touch the ground, Charles had already returned and told me to stop moving. "Scarlett, don''t get out of bed! Didn''t I tell you not to move?" Alice entered the room with James in her arms, looking at me with concern. "He''s right, Scarlett. You haven''t fully recovered yet, so lie back down, okay?" When I was about to respond, Charles walked up to me. Then, he carried me to the middle of the bed and tucked me in. "Charles has been so worried about you, Scarlett." Alice went to the bedside and sat beside me. There was a warm smile on her face. Meanwhile, James was reaching his arm out to me and he had a big grin on his face as he sat in Alice''s arms. In a gentle, soothing voice, Charles said, "It looks like James missed his mother, too!" I smiled at my beloved little angel, and held James'' hand. After a few pleasantries, Alice cast Charles a sidelong nce. "We wanted to go to the hospital to see you, but Charles didn''t want us to n go- Surprised by Alice''s statement, I looked at Charles in confusion. "Why did you tell them not to go?" "Mom, Scarlett needed to rest properly. It wouldn''t be good for you guys to disturb her while she''s at the hospital. It''ll be tiring for her to keep up idle chatter with others," Charles rebuked. "Nonsense! Didn''t you talk to Scarlett while she was there? And doesn''t that mean she wasted some of her energy on you?" Alice argued. "I''m her husband. I''m supposed to have more privileges than others." Charles looked at me with loving eyes. I averted my gaze and saw James staring at me with his bright eyes. I felt like my heart was melting as I instinctively reached my hand out to him. "Mom, let me hold James," I requested. "Sure, honey. Here," said Alice. "No way!" Charles answered at the same time. He grabbed my hand before it could reach James. "Scarlett, you''re still too weak. What if your wound reopens while you''re holding the baby?" "Charles is right. Sorry. I should''ve thought about it earlier," Alice concurred. I was disappointed to hear that. "Am I not even allowed to be close to my own son?" "I''ll hold him, so that Scarlett can be close to the baby." Charles sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Alice. Alice nodded in response, carefully cing James in his arms. A smile appeared on my lips as I moved over and leaned against Charles, so that I could interact with my little angel. "Scarlett, I never got the chance to ask, but... What happened? How did you get injured?" Alice sounded worried. I raised my head and saw the concern in her eyes. "Actually..." Charles interrupted me before I could finish my words. "It''s all my fault. I failed to protect Scarlett well." It was then that I looked at Charles. His expression defined his emotions well, and his eyebrows were creased. I could see a trace of guilt in his eyes. Suddenly, I felt that the clothes on my chest were being pulled. James had grabbed the buttons on my shirt, pulling them back and forth and making babbling sounds. Alice smiled at me and said, "It looks like James is hungry." "I''ll go make him some milk." Charles left the room and took James with him. "He looks more of a father now, doesn''t he?" Alice sighed. I smiled once again and watched Charles disappear from my sight. When I looked back, I saw Alice looking right at me. For some reason, she kind of looked agitated. "Scarlett, tell me the truth. Have you and Charles finally reconciled?" I paused for a moment and nodded. "We have." Alice breathed a sigh of relief as she held my hand earnestly. "I''ve been so scared that you won''t be able to patch things up. If you couldn''t make up, it''ll have an impact on James. But now that you''ve made up, you should live a good life with Charles from now on. You should both support each other and have faith in the other person." "We will, Mom. Don''t worry," I responded. Alice really doted on me. She treated me like her real daughter, and Charles'' grandmother was just as affectionate towards me. In all honesty, I lived a truly happy life within this family. Chapter 228 Ten Years In Prison Chapter 228 Ten Years In Prison Charles''s POV: When James was first born, I didn''t have a clue how to take care of him. But now, I could prepare milk for him with skillful ease. James tried to grab the bottle with his small hands, eager to drink the milk. But I held the bottle steady for him, in case he drank too fast and choked himself. "Charles." My mother suddenly called me, pulling me out of my thoughts. "What did you say to Scarlett that took you so long?" "That''s a secret." My mother approached James and caressed his little face lovingly. When James looked up, his soft, happy smile melted my heart. "Don''t say that I didn''t remind you. You should pay more attention to how you behave. It doesn''t matter if you are cold to outsiders, but... You can''t act the same way to Scarlett. She''ll feel insecure." "I know, and I''m trying my best." Her warning left me feeling helpless. I saw the obvious distrust in her eyes, and quickly suggested, "Why don''t you and Dad can go out and enjoy yourselves today? Take Granma with you. James and I will stay at home with Scarlett." "Why, do you think we''re in your way?" At this, I nodded without hesitation. My mother red at me and gave me a p on the shoulder, annoyed. "Fine, but be careful. And keep an eye on James," she reminded me cautiously. Her eyes then fell on James, and she looked obviously nervous. When their eyes met, James immediately put on a lovely smile for her. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. That melted my mother''s heart, and she smiled too. "You should express your love to Scarlett today. Tell her that you love her. Every woman likes to hear those three words." I gave her a vague grunt of assent and urged her to leave. "Remember what I said, Charles! Say ''I love you'' to her more often!" My mother kept nagging me, and only left satisfied after receiving my affirmation. As her figure disappeared at the corner, I felt something poking my chin. Looking down, I saw that James was trying to stuff his bottle teat in my mouth. I couldn''t help butugh, and then gently put the teat into his mouth. "I actually prefer something else, my dear." When it was almost noon, I told J to take care of James. Then, I went to the kitchen and personally prepared lunch for Scarlett. After I was done, I made my way to the bedroom. There, I was greeted with a warm scene. Scarlett was ying toys with James, who was waving andughing merrily, his face the epitome of joy. J sat quietly beside them, watching tenderly. "Scarlett, it''s time for lunch," I said as I walked towards her. Meanwhile, J set up a small table on the bed and helped me serve the dishes. Scarlett, who was now holding James in her arms, eximed in surprise, "Did you cook all these dishes, Charles?" I nodded, proud of myself. "I''m going to have a meeting in thepany after this, but I''ll still cook dinner for you tonight. You..." Scarlett seemed to have read my mind and promised sincerely, "Don''t worry. I won''t slip away." We enjoyed a pleasant lunch together. After that, I changed my clothes, bid goodbye to her, and started my way to work. On my way to thepany, I called Scarlett. "Charles? What is it?" I told her gently, "I''ll be back soon, Scarlett." Scarlett''s POV: After lunch, I became slightly drowsy. I was in my room when a knock on the door startled me. "Come in." Tracy was at the door. "Scarlett, Nina and William are here to visit you." That left me confused. "Why is William here?" "Nina said he lived near the Moore mansion, and that she bumped into him on the way here," Tracy exined patiently. I frowned. After a moment''s hesitation, I climbed out of bed. James, who was by my side, grabbed my sleeve the second I moved away. He began to kick his legs anxiously, not wanting me to leave. "James is so clingy," Tracy teased with a warm smile. I had no choice but to have Tracy hold James for me. Then, we went downstairs together. My body hadn''t fully recovered yet, so I was careful to walk very slowly. "Scarlett!" Nina''s voice rang in my ears. Upon seeing me, she quickly walked up to me. She held my arm gently and helped me walk downstairs. William, who was standing not very far away, greeted me politely. All of us took our seats in the living room. Nina was in a talkative mood, eager to share everything in life with me, especially since we hadn''t seen each other for quite a long time. However, I noticed that William only responded with a few words from time to time. In fact, his eyes were fixated on James, who was next to me. Nina noticed this as well and waved her hand in front of William. "William, looks like you can''t take your eyes off James at all. Do you want to hug him?" "Is that okay?" William turned to me for permission, looking at me with a gentle smile. "Of course." I signaled Tracy to bring James over, and carefully taught William how to hold the baby properly. William was stiff and clumsy, but he held James with a steady and careful grip. His eyes were filled with gentleness as he looked at James. James waved his chubby little hand happily and suddenly said, "Papa!" For a brief moment, the atmosphere suddenly turned awkward. I rubbed my forehead helplessly and hurriedly exined, "I''m sorry, William. James is used to asking for his father when he''s hungry." Nina, on the other hand, was doing her best to suppress herughter. Smiling, she said, "He''s so considerate of you. What an angel! I guess you don''t have to tire yourself too much in the future. If James is hungry, you can just ask Charles to feed him!" I smiled along, and told Tracy to take James to the nursery for some milk. "James has your eyes," William suddenly said, staring intently at me. It then urred to me that Charles had told me that William''s sister and I were very simr. My eyes met William''s, and my heart skipped a beat. "Honestly, I think James is more like Charles. Well, except for his expression. Charles always wears a long face, but James smiles a lot, and it is just so sweet!" Nina''s cheerful voice dispelled my gloom. After a while, the topic of our conversation shifted to Lucia. "She''s been sentenced to ten years in prison." Nina sighed, but right after that, she winked meaningfully at me. "Maybe your husband..." "Pardon me, but do you need more tea?" J suddenly interrupted Nina in a loud voice, cutting off Nina''s words. Feeling a little mystified, I looked at J with a confused expression. J didn''t say anything to me. She simply lowered her head, took the pot, and filled the cups with water one by one. "I heard you were in aa in the operating room, and you almost couldn''t make it." William sighed mournfully. "Ten years in prison isn''t a long sentence, but she deserves it." I frowned, but I said nothing. Chapter 229 I Am Even More Horrible Chapter 229 I Am Even More Horrible Nina''s POV: Scarlett, William, and I enjoyed a pleasant conversation in Moore mansion. When I noticed that Scarlett was getting tired, I offered to say goodbye. "Let me walk you out," Scarlett said, standing up. However, I stopped her immediately. "You''d better go back and have a rest. I don''t dare to tire you, in case Charles tries to get even with me!" Scarlett didn''t know whether tough or cry at my statement, but she didn''t insist and instead asked J to see us out. When we walked out of the door, J walked up to me and whispered, "Nina, could you do me a favor?" Seeing how mysterious she was acting, I leaned over and lowered my voice as well. "Go ahead." "Scarlett and Charles are finally getting along well with each other. I hope you can be more careful with your words when talking with them. Please don''t say anything that might affect their rtionship." "Ah, I get it. You refilled the tea for me just now to interrupt me, right? ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "That''s correct." "Alright. Don''t worry, I''ll mind my words in the future." I promised earnestly, patting my chest. "More than anyone, I don''t want any more ups and downs in their rtionship. Scarlett''s gone through a lot. God should bless her." J nodded, but she said nothing. However, I could feel her care and affection for Scarlett. I hooked J''s arm intimately, but my gesture took her by surprise. She stiffened, and looked at me with slightly widened eyes. I smiled at her, "We''re both Scarlett''s friends, so that makes us friends too. Let''s not be so distant with each other." At this, J smiled as well. "Okay." I soon bade goodbye to J and left the mansion, and quickly caught up with William. William smiled at me, amused. "You''re so popr." I smiled back cheekily, and changed the subject. "Charles is really hard to deal with. He''s so cunning, tsk!" "Well, which big shot in this world wouldn''t be cunning?" William''s mellowughter rang, pleasant to the ears. "And what about you?" As we walked, we happened to pass by a tree. The sunlight poured through the leaves of the trees and fell on William''s face. In the contrasting light and dark etched by the shadows, his usual tenderness faded away and revealed a rather frightening expression. "Me? I''m even more horrible." He grinned, looking so much different than his usual gentle appearance. I couldn''t help butugh. "Well, well! I didn''t expect you to be so humorous." We soon got out of the shade from the tree, and the shadows left William''s face as sunshine enveloped his entire being once again. His usual gentle smile returned. "I gave it a try, and I found that it wasn''t very difficult." William didn''t leave until he walked me to my car. He was quite the talkative man, as well as incredibly gentle and tender. Simply put, he was wless in all aspects. If Scarlett hadn''t reconciled with Charles, I would''ve tried to bring them together. Afterward, I got in the car and called Abner. "Hey, honey. How''s everything going?" "Scarlett''s fine and dandy. She just needs some rest." "That''s great." I started the car. As the engine ignited, I asked, "Say, Abner, why do you care so much about Scarlett? Are you still in love her?" "Please. I''m obviously concerned about you! Anyway, I just bought some ingredients to make you dinner. We''re having steak tonight. What do you think?" Abner was quick to change the topic. I snorted, and didn''t bother asking him anymore. Scarlett''s POV: After saying goodbye to Nina and William, I headed straight to the baby''s room. Just as I picked James up, my phone rang. I had to put him back in the cradle. I reminded Tracy to watch over him while I picked up my call. After that, I exited the room and answered my phone. "Hi, Scarlett." "Hi, William. What''s the matter?" "Did Charles ever tell you that my sister''s heart was transnted into Rita?" His words took me by surprise. I didn''t expect him to be aware of the fact that I knew about the heart. I thought I had put on a good enough act in front of him just now. A brief pauseter, and I admitted it frankly. There was no point in hiding it. "Yes." "I''m sorry I didn''t tell you this before, Scarlett. I just don''t want you to misunderstand and think that I have something to do with Rita," William exined sincerely. "She may have my sister''s heart, but we are not friends in the slightest." "Okay," I replied lightly, trying to make my voice sound casual. In all honesty, I didn''t want to talk about Rita anymore. After a few words with him, I hung up. When I finally returned to the baby''s room, I saw that James had fallen asleep. I called Tracy and J to the corridor. "I hope you can keep this a secret for me. Don''t tell Charles what I talked about with Nina and William," I said, looking at them sincerely. They exchanged confused nces, silent. I held their hands and added, "If Charles asks, you can just tell him that we were just chatting." They looked back at me, and much to my relief, nodded in agreement. Chapter 230 The Most Expected Three Words Chapter 230 The Most Expected Three Words Charles''s POV: After I was done with work, I returned home. On the way, I dropped by the hospital to visit Spencer. As soon as I approached his ward, I could hear a loud argument brewing from inside. "Spencer, this is just an arranged marriage for mutual benefits! After we get married, we can still date whoever we want. When everything''s smoothed over, we can get a divorce at any time!" "Arranged marriage? Like I''d buy that. Get the hell out!" Spencer''s voice wasced with irritation, and his anger was evident. I hesitated, wondering whether I should enter the ward or leave. As I considered my options, a familiar voice called me from behind. "Charles, are you here to visit Spencer? Unfortunately, he''s on a blind date now." I turned around and saw Vivian approaching me, holding a big bag of fruits. Right at that moment, the door of the ward burst open and a young woman stormed out angrily. She nced at me, and then at Vivian. Fuming, she yelled at Vivian, "Who the hell is the guy you''re trying to pair with me? He''s aplete lunatic!" Vivian looked at the girl and shrugged casually. "You''re right. He really is a lunatic." Vivian''s nonchnt answer startled the young woman, who became speechless. At a loss for words, she simply red daggers at Vivian before stomping away in anger. "I guess this isn''t the right time for me to visit him. You better go in andfort him." I shot Vivian a meaningful look. She blinked at me, silent, and pushed the door open. I didn''t leave at once. Instead, I waited outside the ward to see how things would unfold. I mean, how could I miss such a good show? After Vivian entered, I heard Spencer''s angry snarl, "That woman you introduced to me today is crazier than those previous ones! Where have you been? Why did youe back sote?!" "I just went to buy some fruits." "Hah?! Why would you go buying fruits whenever those women arrived? What are you trying to do?" "Well, shouldn''t I entertain the guests?" "Aren''t you afraid they''ll snap and end up killing me?" Spencer''s voice wasden with fury. So angry he sounded, I could even imagine the look on his face when he said that. "You''re in a hospital, and they''re all delicate young maidens. What can they possibly do to you? You''re just overthinking." Vivian''s voice, however, was as calm as ever. She was his stark opposite. "Bah! They are all for my money!" "Don''t you like any of them? That Lilith girl seems to like you very much. She even praised you when she left just now." "Quit being so sarcastic. How much did you take from my mother? Whatever the amount, I''ll give you double, okay?" "Not much. She just gave me three thousand dors, actually." All the while I listened to their bickering, I was close to splitting my sides from sheerughter. These two are an entire circus! "Vivian! Are you telling me that you betrayed me for just three thousand dors?!" "Don''t be angry. Three thousand dors is just for introducing girls to you. If you end up dating with any of the girls, your mother will give me an additional thirty thousand dors." The conversation shifted to the topic of money. Though I couldn''t see Vivian''s face, from the tone of her voice, I could sense that she was smiling. She sounded exactly like a miser. "What?!" Spencer''s voice instantly grew half an octave higher. His voice was probably louder than an actual loudspeaker. "If you get married, I''ll get three million dors. If the girl gets pregnant, I''ll get thirty million dors. And if you have a second child..." Vivian giggled, the sound quite sinister. It seemed that she was truly immersed in her dream of being rich. "Shut up! So all this time, you just take me as a tool to make money! Do I still have human rights to you, Vivian?" When Spencer mentioned Vivian''s name, he specifically deepened his tone to emphasize it. I could guess that he was grinding his teeth in anger. I never expected the day he would act like this would actuallye. "Ha, ha, ha! Not anymore!" "Fine! I''ll give you three hundred thousand dors if you drive all those women away." "No way, that''s too little." "Argh! How much do you want? Do you want me to give you all of my bank cards?! Is that it, Vivian?" "Oh my god, Spencer! Just eat your oranges!" Seeing as the two were busy flirting in the ward, albeit in a very amusing manner, I didn''t think it was necessary for me to stay anymore. Vivian was both a stubborn and soft-hearted woman. No doubt, she would take good care of Spencer. Besides, Scarlett was waiting for me at home. Thinking of her, my heart melted, feeling as sweet as honey. I quickened my pace home, eager to see her as soon as possible. On my way home, I specifically stopped at Scarlett''s favorite cake shop to get the tiramisu I had ordered earlier. While I was waiting for the saleswoman to pack the cake, I received a call from Spencer. "You jerk! I heard you dropped by to see me! Why didn''t youe in the ward?" "Well, you have a beautifuldy apanying you. Why do you care if Ie in or not?" "Shut up! That woman''s...!" "Stop. As long as you''re happy, you don''t need to tell me the details. I''m in a hurry to go home to apany my lovely wife. You''re a bachelor, so you''ll never understand." I purposefully said that to make fun of Spencer. "Humph! That''s just temporary!" As I had expected, Spencer blew his top. "Don''t be so picky. When you get married, I''ll get you a big gift." Before Spencer could answer, I hung up and took the cake from the saleswoman with my other hand. Then, I exited the cake shop and drove home directly without making any more stops. When I arrived home, I saw J and Tracy ying with James in the living room. I put the cake on the table and asked, "Where is Scarlett?" "She''s sleeping upstairs," J replied. "Okay. Put the cake in the fridge. I''ll go upstairs to see her." I went upstairs, happy, and gently pushed open the door of the master bedroom. Then, I quietly approached the bed. I stared at the sleeping Scarlett silently. Her skin was as bright as the moonlight. The contrast of her fair skin made her eyshes look even darker and thicker, as if they had been carefully painted into existence with ink. Her beauty took my breath away. I leaned in, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and gently rubbed her lips with my fingers. They were so soft to the touch, I got a strong urge to kiss her. But just as I was about to do so, her eyshes trembled slightly and she opened her eyes. She didn''t seem surprised to see me at the bedside, nor did she say anything. She just blinked at me quietly, dazed. She gave me the impression of a cute little fairy in the forest. "What''s wrong?" Since Scarlett wasn''t saying anything, I took the initiative to ask. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Did you have a lot of work to do today?" She finally opened her mouth and spoke. Her slightly hoarse voice held a fatal temptation to me. I couldn''t help kissing her. Her lips were indeed delicate and soft, just as I had imagined them to be. To my surprise, she didn''t avoid my intimate gesture. Encouraged, I kissed her more passionately. I didn''t let go of her lips until a long time passed. Finally, I looked at her gently and asked, "Why didn''t you avoid me this time?" She sighed helplessly, and her eyes shimmered as brightly as the stars. Her face flushed as her cheeks grew slightly red. She mumbled disgruntledly, "I can''t avoid it anyway." From the tone of her voice, she sounded like she doted on me a lot. That delighted me to no end. My spirits rose. I took off my coat and theny beside her. She moved a little to the side to give me some space. I quickly put my arm around her shoulder, so that I could keep her close to me. "I went to the hospital to see Spencer today. He''s on a blind date with another girl." As we lied on the bed together, I took the initiative to share what had happened today. "A blind date in the hospital?" "Yes. Vivian was also there." "But Spencer likes Vivian, doesn''t he?" Scarlett blinked at me with her big watery eyes, confused at my words. "Maybe he hasn''t realized his true feelings yet." Subconsciously, I held Scarlett tighter, and then looked straight into her eyes. "I think Vivian likes Spencer too. Isn''t it too cruel for her to watch Spencer go on a blind date?" Scarlett puffed up her cheeks angrily, defending Vivian staunchly. I sighed, "I also have to endure the fact that a man came to our house this afternoon. And you actually let him hold James!" "How did you find out?" Scarlett lowered her head and rubbed her nose with her fingers, looking guilty. She quickly hid herself under the quilt, like a child who had been caught doing something naughty. Her guilty conscience was obvious. "The mansion has surveince cameras installed. Or have you forgotten?" Her guilty appearance was quite adorable, though. "Oh..." Scarlett blinked sheepishly at me, trying to hide her embarrassment. I tightened my hold on her, squeezing her. We snuggled together, our faces close to one another. "So, do you have anything to share with me?" "Um, such as...?" "Such as... Let''s see. Aren''t you curious as to why I didn''t divorce you?" Deep inside, I hoped she would ask me the reason, so that I could say those three words to her naturally. Thinking of this, my heart began to beat violently, as if it would jump out of my throat at any second. "I already know." Upon hearing her answer, my heart returned to its original position and stopped beating so frantically. Why wasn''t she ying ording to the script? "Huh? What''s wrong with you, Charles? Why''s your expression so strange all of a sudden?" Noticing that there was something wrong with my expression, Scarlett touched my forehead gently to check if I had caught a fever. "No, it''s nothing. I''m going downstairs to see if they have prepared dinner." I stood up from the bed and left in a hurry. I didn''t realize that I had forgotten to put on my slippers until I reached the door. It was embarrassing, but I had no choice but to go back. "When you went out for work earlier, you told me you''d prepare dinner yourself." Scarlett stared at me, confused. I kept mum and didn''t reply, and instead rushed downstairs like a bolt of lightning. During dinner time, I didn''t say a word. I was still thinking about the three words that I didn''t tell her just now. They were just simple, sweet words. So why couldn''t I say them out loud? Chapter 231 Ask Me If I Chapter 231 Ask Me If I Love You______ Scarlett''s POV: Seeing that Charles appeared to be lost in thought, I wondered what left him so confused. I decided to break our silence. "Charles, where are the others?" "They''re at a restaurant having a big meal." Having said that, Charles lowered his gaze and chuckled. This time, I was the one who was confused. He looked into my eyes and exined, "Don''t you understand? They''re giving us some privacy, so that we can do whatever we want." I immediately understood what he meant, and it made my ears turn red. Then, I flipped my hair to hide my burning ears. "Why aren''tyou saying anything?" asked Charles. After finishing my dinner, I cast him a stern re before going upstairs to escape his gaze. And as soon as I got to the bedroom, I washed my face with cold water to soothe my nerves. But when I looked at the mirror again, I saw that I was still blushing. "Ugh, you''re pathetic!" I said to myself as I poked my image in the mirror. Then, I took off my clothes, went to the shower and opened the faucet, letting the water wash over me. The sound of the running water was loud enough to drown out any other sound. I had no idea when Charles came into the room, but when I looked back, I saw him slowly unbuttoning his shirt. His chest was already half-exposed. Startled, I covered my breasts and red at him. "Charles! What are you doing in here?" "Your wound is still fresh. Try not to get it wet." Charles nced at my body, and I saw the lust in his eyes. I pointed at my bandaged wound and gritted my teeth. "I already covered it with a waterproof film. Anyway... get the hell out of here!" "Really? Let me have a look." Having said that, Charles took off his shirt and threw it away, and made his way towards me. Embarrassed and annoyed, I was forced to retreat to a corner. Charles'' body gradually got wet. There were streams of water rolling down his chest, making him look incredibly sexy. Resisting the temptation, I pushed him away. "Can you please leave?" However, Charles stood firm. His towering figure exuded a daunting pressure. "I''m already wet. Let''s just take a shower together, shall we?" Soon, he unbuckled his belt. Embarrassed I grabbed his pants before he could take it off. "No! I want to shower by myself!" The following moment, Charles grabbed my wrist and ced my hand on his thick, hard cock. I heard his deep, pleasured moan as I stroked his penis. "Hurry, let''s take a shower. They wille home soon." Slowly, my entire body felt hot. The thought that Grandma and the others might see us doing this together in the bathroom made me feel even more light-headed. In the end, I decided to pull my hand back andpromise. "Fine. Let''s just hurry up and finish this shower!" "It''s a little difficult," he said. "Then get out already!" I grunted. A cunning smile appeared on Charles'' lips. "Alright, alright. Let''s just take a shower." After we finished taking a shower, he grabbed a bath towel and wrapped it around me. I already had a bad feeling about this. "What are you doing?" I asked. Charles picked me up and strode out of the bathroom. "Now that you''ve finished your shower, we can move on to the next phase." I instantly figured out what he meant and began to struggle. Sadly, I failed to escape Charles '' grasp. Consequently, the bath towel wrapped around my body went loose, causing me toy naked in his arms. My body tensed up as I raised my head to look up at him. And just as I had expected, he was staring at me with lustful eyes. I decided to leave things to luck this time. "My towel fell," I said. Sadly, Charles turned a deaf ear to my remark. He didn''t respond until he had ced me on the bed. "You''re not gonna need it." He then reached out his arm and turned off the light. Suddenly, the room became dim, and all I could feel was the warmth of his breath on my face. I wanted to hide beneath the quilt, but he pulled me back the second he noticed me retreating. His slightly cold fingertips stroked my skin, and I felt that my body had been longing for his touch. In that instance, my body involuntarily responded to his caress and my breathing became rapid. The lust was so overwhelming. Soon, a pleasured moan escaped my throat. The following second, Charles kissed me and stuck his tongue into my mouth. His warm palm brushed across my waist andnded on my breasts. Gently, he began to fondle them and yed with my nipples. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. My entire body trembled with pleasure. Momentster, he moved his lips down to my breasts and began to lick my nipples. Afterwards, he started sucking them, one at a time. The anticipation for pleasurepelled me to arch my body just so I could get even closer to him. "Charles," I moaned. Charles held me tighter as he nibbled on my earlobe. "Scarlett, did you think of me when Lucia attacked you? Even for a moment?" he asked. Atst, I had taken off my disguise and gave into the pleasure of his touch. "I... The only person I thought of before I lost consciousness was you, Charles," I said. He kissed my lips once more. "You do love me." The sound of his voice was faint, yet firm. I didn''t correct him. "Why don''t you ask me?" Charles asked in a hushed voice. "What do you want me to ask you?" I replied. "Ask me if I love you," he said. I curled up in his embrace and tried to say something. But I found that I couldn''t utter a word. Eventually, I let out a sigh. "Charles, bring James in here," I told him. "Do we really have to sleep with him?" The sound of Charles'' voice wasced with displeasure. "You agreed that all three of us would sleep together," I nagged. After a moment of silence, he loosened his grip on me, put on his clothes, and left the bedroom. Charles'' POV: I took the sleeping James back to our bedroom. Upon my return, the light inside the room had been turned on. Scarlett was already in her pajamas, covering her beautiful body. "Don''t you want me?" I asked, implying something. Scarlett cast me a stern re before taking James from me. "James will sleep between us today." Displeased by this, I frowned andy at the edge of the bed in silence. I was tossing and turning, and I couldn''t fall asleep. After a long time, I heard Scarlett''s steady breathing. It was then that I got up, carefully picked James up, and put him back into his crib. Then, Iy beside Scarlett and embraced her. It was sofortable to sleep next to my wife! Scarlett opened her drowsy eyes, staring at me with confusion. "What''s wrong?" "Nothing. Good night!" I nted a kiss on her forehead. After that, Scarlett closed her eyes and nestled in my arms. I stared at her sleeping face and breathed a sigh of relief. Today, I still wasn''t able to tell her just how much I loved her. Chapter 232 He Was Unique Chapter 232 He Was Unique Charles'' POV: The sound of my son''s crying jolted me awake. Upon opening my eyes, I saw James, the source of the noise, staring at me with his innocent eyes. He was looking at me through the fence of the crib. To be honest, he looked like a miniature version of me. The only difference was that his eyes were simr to Scarlett''s. They were like quietkes that pulled people in with just one stare. "Where is your mommy? Why are you on your own, little man? Hush now, stop crying." I looked around, but Scarlett was nowhere to be found. "Ma!" James began to suck on his thumb as tears ran down his eyes. "Mama... Ma!" ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Fine, fine... I''ll take you to your mother." I picked James up and brought him downstairs. There, I saw Scarlett talking over the phone. When she turned around, her eyes met mine. Instantly, she tensed up, acting a little strange. "Who are you talking to? And what were you talking about? You didn''t even notice me going downstairs." I approached her with James still in my arms. Scarlett finally hung up the phone. "Something''s wrong with the press. I''ll have to go on a business trip once I''m fully recovered," she said, cautiously waiting for my response. "I see," I replied. I lowered my head and began to y with James. "Aren''t you going to ask me any details about it?" Scarlett appeared to be surprised. "If I ask you questions, will it stop you from going?" I walked towards Scarlett with James still in my arms. James was staring at her with his beady, innocent eyes. Her face softened and it became iparably gentle. "No." Scarlett nted a kiss on James'' forehead and looked up at me. "But I can promise you that I''ll call you every day." I was pleasantly surprised to see her being quite obedient today, and there was a glimmer of joy in her beautiful eyes. My heart skipped a beat as I raised my eyebrows. "I want a kiss, too." I wanted her to seal her promise with a kiss. "Go wash up. James is getting hungry." Scarlett pretended not to hear me, intending to take the baby from me as soon as possible. I had no choice but to pass James onto her, and I pretended to leave. But when Scarlett wasn''t looking, I took the opportunity to lean in and kiss her on the lips. She was taken aback by what I did. "Charles, stop it!" "Dop! Dop!" said James. His eyes wandered between me and Scarlett. And he pped his hands, mimicking the words that he didn''t even understand. Both Scarlett and I were so amused that we broke intoughter. It was a wonderful morning. Spencer''s POV: At longst, I was discharged from the hospital. For the past month, I had been lying in bed, feeling extremely bored because of my injured leg. The most annoying thing was that Vivian had reached an agreement with my mother, while I was incapacitated. She would take some strange women into my ward from time to time. After going through the discharge formalities, I stepped out of the hospital. Somewhere nearby, there was a gorgeous, sexydy with heavy makeup on. She was waving at me from in front of a luxurious car. "Spencer!" she shouted. It was Lilith. "Surprise! I''m here to pick you up." Lilith walked closer towards me and said, "Get in the car. Where would you like to celebrate your discharge from the hospital?" I took a step back, feeling incredibly disappointed. ''Even Lilith knows that I''ve been discharged from the hospital. Where is the woman who should be here today?'' I asked in my mind. "Who are you waiting for?" asked Lilith. As I looked around, I saw a familiar car pulling over in front of me. It was Vivian! She rolled down the window of her car, staring at me in silence. "Are you here to pick me up?" I pretended to be cool andposed. Before Vivian could answer, Lilith clung to me and held my arm. "Didn''t I tell you that I''d be the one to pick you up today? You can''t run off with someone else!" After ncing at us, Vivian rolled up her window. And before I could shake off Lilith''s hands, Vivian had already driven away and soon disappeared from my sight. ''Oh, fuck! She probably got jealous.'' With no other choice, I reluctantly got into Lilith''s car. "Take me to Mint Bar." Lilith started the car and kept on talking throughout the entire journey. All I could think of was the bitter smile on Vivian''s face when she left. ''Damn it! She''s the one who pushed me to another woman. What right does she have to react like that?'' "Spencer, did you even hear me?" Lilith pouted with dissatisfaction. "I told you that I want a membership card of Mint Bar." "Fine, fine. I''ll get one for you," I replied perfunctorily. After getting out of the car, I asked one of my staff to take Lilith away and take her through the formalities. I went to Vivian''s room there to wait for her, but she didn''t show up the entire afternoon. Sadness and anger tortured me, and I didn''t even realize that it was already nine in the evening. Fortunately, David arrived to apany me. As soon as we sat in the private room, the bar manager opened the door and came in. "Boss, Vivian is here. But there''s some handsome guy with her," he said. Almost everyone in the bar knew that I''d been waiting for her for practically the entire day, and yet she had the audacity to bring a date with her here. "Tell her toe here at once. I want to see her!" I was so pissed off. "Spencer, are you jealous?" David bantered. "You know, considering that you''re Vivian''s boss, I figured it would be easy for you to win her over. Boy, was I wrong!" I let out an exasperated sigh. "Work and love are two separate things." It was already midnight when Vivian finally came to my room. When she saw me drinking, her face changed dramatically. "Why the hell are you drinking? You''ve only just got discharged! Do you want to die or something?" I swiveled the ss of wine in my hand. "Why isn''t that man with you?" "Weren''t you the one who asked me to meet you here?" "I didn''t!" I was so angry that I wanted to smash the ss into pieces. David nudged me. It was then that I noticed that Vivian''s eyes seemed a little red. "I just want to ask you why you left me behind at the entrance of the hospital earlier today," I comined. "Because I didn''t want to be a third wheel," said Vivian, crossing her arms. "You took my mother''s money. That''s why you introduced Lilith to me, didn''t you?" "If you already know the answer, why do you have to ask?" Vivian grabbed a bottle of wine, poured a ss for herself, and clinked her ss with mine. "Congrattions. You''re finally discharged from the hospital. I will never disturb you again." Having said that, she turned around and was about to leave. I hurriedly tried to catch up with her, but my leg was still not fully recovered. Seeing that Vivian was about to run away, I shouted, "Ack! My leg!" Just as I had expected, she stopped and came back to help me. Her face disyed just how worried she was about me. "Are you okay?" she asked. I took advantage of this opportunity and ced my arm on her shoulder. Then, I shifted some of my weight on her, bellowing in pain. "Quick, help me up! I''m falling!" Vivian held onto my waist with both hands to help me stand. I smiledcently, knowing that my n had worked. ''This woman can be stubborn, but she''s still a softie,'' I remarked inwardly. She was about to help me back to the private room, but then I saw a familiar face in the corner of the bar. It was someone I hadn''t seen for a long time. It was Rita. She was drinking with another woman. "Is something the matter?" Vivian stopped as well, following my gaze. "Take a picture of them and send it to Scarlett. That woman right there talking to Rita, I think that''s one of Scarlett''s workmates. They might be scheming against Scarlett!" I nudged Vivian and she did as I said. Scarlett received our message quickly. "Thanks for the warning," she replied. Vivian sent her a voice message. "You''re wee. Spencer asked me to do it. He really cares about you." "Why did you have to mention me to her?" I frowned with displeasure. "Did I say anything wrong? It''s true that you care about her, right?" Vivian thought that she had seen right through me. "If you''re so smart, can you see who I really care about?" I maintained eye contact with Vivian. After a brief pause, she replied, "I don''t want to know." Chapter 233 Blue Sand Chapter 233 Blue Sand Scarlett''s POV: Now that my wound hadpletely healed, I decided that it was high time to get back to work. I went on a business trip to another city, following the suggestion of the press I was working with. During the break, I received a message from Vivian. It was a photo. Rita and Linda, both of whom hadn''t been showing uptely, were sitting at the same table and drinking together. Needless to say, I figured that something bad was bound to happen. However, I decided not to focus all my attention on this matter. Vivian immediately sent me a voice message after the photo she sent. She told me that Spencer was the one who asked her to take the photo. Upon hearing it, I broke intoughter. "Scarlett, why are you so happy?" J asked curiously. "Spencer has found his match!" The joy I felt was beyond words. Considering how Vivian obeyed Spencer''s suggestion, I gathered that something must be going on between them. Actually, I had already noticed several signs that they had feelings for each other. Today, Vivian''s message convinced me even more that things were about to heat up between them. "Sounds like you and Spencer are on good terms, huh?" Tracy looked like she had been influenced by my glee. "I''ve always thought of Spencer as my brother. He''s like a guardian angel or something. He always appears exactly when I need him." I remembered that Spencer had been taking care of me ever since we were kids. In my memories, he was always smiling at me, and it felt so warm that it could dispel my sadness and inhibitions. Vivian was a smart, tough, and courageous woman. In my honest opinion, she and Spencer were a perfect match. "What about Charles?" asked J. ''Charles...'' His iparably handsome face appeared in my mind. Clearly, he was different from Spencer. Charles was aloof and withdrawn most of the time, and it was rare to see a smile on his face. But beneath his seemingly cold exterior, he had a child-like sincerity and forthrightness. His entire personality was a paradox. At times, I couldn''t even tell which one was the real Charles. But I must admit that even if he wasn''t doing anything, he could easily affect my emotions. His mere existence had a huge impact on me. "Charles is special." This was the only answer I could think of. And he was indeed unique and special in my heart. Just then, my phone rang. It was Charles, requesting a video call with me. Charles'' POV: Today was the second day of Scarlett''s supposed business trip. I had been holding back my urge to call her for a long time. But now, I could no longer resist the urge to do that, so I video called her. Scarlett answered my call, seemingly flustered. Her reaction made me wonder if she was doing something bad just now. "Are you not happy to see me, honey?" "Charles, can''t you put on some clothes before you call me?" I looked down at my bare chest, thinking that there wasn''t anything wrong with being half-naked in front of my wife. "You''ve already touched every inch of it. Why are you so flustered to see it now?" "Just get James on the phone, please?" Scarlett requested, visibly blushing. "He''s asleep right now. Why don''t you just look at me instead?" I suggested. "Ugh! Charles, if you keep doing shameless things like that, I''m going to hang up on you," she replied. "Wait!" With no other choice, I picked James up at once. "Don''t hang up, okay? Here''s James!" Scarlett''s bad temper cooled down, and she greeted our son with glee. "Mama!" In my arms, James reached out his arms, touching the screen curiously. It was as if he was wondering why his mother had been trapped inside my phone. "Did you go somewhere tonight?" I asked. I noticed that Scarlett was all dressed up, and she was even wearing makeup. "I had an appointment," she replied listlessly. "Did you drink? How much did you drink? Did some guy try to flirt with you?" Anxiously, I barraged her with several questions. "Yep, I drank, but just a little bit. And who on earth would try to flirt with the wife of the fearsome Charles Moore?" I must admit that her answer was satisfying to hear. Scarlett had finally realized that she was indeed my woman. Even when I wasn''t with her, she could protect herself solely on her identity as my wife. James kept on touching the screen, fiddling with the phone for a while until he got tired. Soon, he buried his face in my chest. "Let him sleep," Scarlett remarked in a gentle voice. "And it''s high time you get some rest, too." "I''m not tired yet. Just so we could video call you, I refused Spencer when he asked me to drink with him tonight." It was because I wanted to see Scarlett, even if it was just for a little longer. She had only left for two days, but it already felt like I hadn''t seen her for a whole week. "How are Spencer and Vivian doing? Are they starting to get serious with each other?" This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. As Scarlett spoke of Spencer and Vivian, her face lit up with excitement. Seeing her like this made her even lovelier than ever. "Oh, you noticed that as well, huh? Sooner or later, they''re gonna get together. I''m betting on it." There were some things that onlookers saw more clearly than people involved. Just as Scarlett and I were destined to be together, the same could be said for Vivian and Spencer. Meanwhile, James was murmuring in his sleep. I looked down and saw that my boy was giggling. He must be having a good dream right now. "Is he asleep?" asked Scarlett. "He''s dreaming," I said. After tucking James in, I looked at my phone again, only to find that Scarlett wasn''t on the screen. "Let me show you something." I could hear her voice outside the camera. The window behind Scarlett was left open, and the breeze of the sea was blowing the curtains open. She had gone on a business trip to a small seaside town. The window of her room was facing the beach. Circassian blue waves were surging one after another, dying the long coastline in a pale blue color. Beneath the quiet night sky, the sea reflected the light of the stars in the sky. They were like colorful fireworks blooming before my very eyes. "It''s blue sand." Along with the sea breeze, I heard Scarlett''s voice on the other end of the line. "It''s so breath taking here, Charles. I wish you were here too." It was so quiet around that I could hear the excitement from my heartbeat. "I wish I was there, too," I said. "Let''s go there together when we''re both free," I suggested. I had heard that loving someone meant that you had to give all the beauty in the world to that person. At the very least, in this moment, Scarlett and I were infinitely close to what defined love. Chapter 234 Retribution Chapter 234 Retribution Scarlett''s POV: After my business trip, my new show officially went on the air. And my first book was set to be sold on bookstores. In today''s book signing session, the ce was teeming with people. After signing the veryst book, my wrists felt so sore and numb that it felt like they didn''t belong to me anymore. "Scarlett! Congrattions on the huge sess!" My colleagues gathered around me and hugged me with glee. Affected by their enthusiasm, I also jumped for joy. My first book had been published! "Scarlett, you''ll definitely be a huge sess in your career!" Nina eximed. She nted a long, lingering kiss on my cheek. The sound of her loud kiss attracted everyone''s attention, and then they burst intoughter. They all began to make fun of me and wanted to kiss me as well. When I saw that they wereing for me, I ran away with Nina. "Stop it!" I shouted. "Calm down, everyone! Abner, help! Stop these crazy people," Nina eximed. Momentster, the farce ended and everyone went to the restaurant we booked to attend the celebration banquet. Hand in hand, Nina and I walked towards Abner''s car. But before we got on the car, I heard William''s voice from nearby. "Scarlett," he said. William walked towards us, holding arge bouquet of flowers. He looked so debonair. He then presented the flowers to me with sincerity in his eyes. "Congrattions! You''ve achieved something truly great in your career," he said. "Thank you." I happily epted the flowers from him. In a polite manner, Abner suggested, "We''re on our way to the celebration party. Would you like to come with us, William?" William nodded in response and smiled. "It''ll be my honor," he answered. Upon our arrival at the private room of the restaurant, Nina and I went to the bathroom together. On our way to the bathroom, the door of the next private room happened to open. Then, someone flew out of the door and fell to the floor heavily. "Argh!" the person bellowed. I took a closer look and saw that it was a young girl. She propped her body up, looking at the room, humbled and defeated. I followed her gaze and saw a familiar face. It was Rita. At this time, she was kneeling on the floor, lying before a man, seemingly trying to please him. "Oh, my God! How did she end up like that?" Nina said, holding my hand in shock. I was also shocked, and I shook my head nkly. "What''s that look?" said the man. His voice disyed his arrogant and bluntness. As he spoke, he gently kicked Rita''s chest with his leather shoe. Meanwhile, Rita clenched her fists, trembling all over. "Miss Lively, you''re the one who''s asking for my help. That attitude isn''t what someone asking for help should have. If you don''t cooperate, who''d be willing to help you out? I''m going to say this one last time. If you lick the wine off my shoes, I''ll help you. Otherwise, there''ll be no more need for us to talk about your problem." The man was casually sitting on the sofa; his leather shoe, rubbing against Rita''s cleavage. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Karma is a bitch." Nina sighed as she pulled my arm. "Let''s go. I have to go to the..." I said. "Mrs. Moore." A trembling voice interrupted me. I followed the voice and saw that it was the girl who had been thrown out of the room. She appeared to be young, and her eyes disyed how unnerved she was. However, I didn''t know this person. Frowning, I pulled her up from the floor. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. The girl winced in pain as she leaned against the wall. One of her legs were limping. It seemed that she had gotten injured. But she didn''t seem to mind it at all. She just thanked me over and over. I waved my hand, took Nina''s hand, and intended to leave. However, the man inside the room went outside and stared at me, seemingly trying to curry favor with me. "Mrs. Moore? Ah, what a coincidence! I never thought I''d run into you here of all ces!" In silence, I looked back at him. Nina pulled me back. The man chuckled awkwardly before he turned to the girl and began to scold her. "Why are you still here? Didn''t you understand what I said? Get the fuck out of here!" The girl looked down, limping away. I creased my eyebrows, staring at the man unhappily. "Sorry, but you''re in my way," I said. The man took a step back. His apologetic and panicked appearance waspletely different from the ferocious, wicked face he had on just now. "Sorry, ma''am. It''s my bad. I was just teaching these disobedient women a lesson. They were making too much noise and they ended up disturbing you and your friend, Mrs. Moore. As a token of my apology, I''d like to invite you two beautifuldies for a meal. It''s my treat!" "No, thanks," I refused resolutely. Then, I left with Nina. Soon, I heard a scream from behind us. Nina sneered. "Humph! That bitch deserves it." The sound of a man cursing the woman begging for mercy resonated throughout the corridor. But this time, I didn''t turn around. By the time we came out of the bathroom, I saw a girl sitting by the door and sobbing. It was the same girl that had been thrown out of the room earlier. Nina approached the girl, squatted in front of her, and said in a gentle voice, "Little girl, what are you still doing here?" The girl was choked with sobs as she stammered, "I... I haven''t earned enough money to pay for the medical fees. I can''t go back yet." Her words left me shocked. ''Medical fees?'' I asked inwardly. "What happened?" asked Nina. "My... my name is Jasmine. My mom is receiving treatment at the hospital, and she needs a lot of money every day. Unfortunately, I''m still a student and I don''t have any money at all." Jasmine''s pitiful eyes wandered between me and Nina. "Miss Lively spoke to me and told me that I could get some money as long as I went to drink with men, but none of those bosses seem to like me. Can you help me? Or you can at least introduce me to a rich businessman." "Nina, let''s go back." I cut the girl off, and went straight to our private room. As Nina caught up with me, she poked my arm and asked tentatively, "Don''t you want to help her?" I let out a long sigh. "I''d rather not meddle in her affairs. It''s her choice, her life," I replied. Even when we were already in the room, I was still wearing a long face. "What happened?" asked Abner. I shook my head and said nothing. Nina let out a sigh before telling everyone else in the room the story about Jasmine. Upon hearing the story, everyone else fell silent. Abner crossed his arms, lost in thought. "Recently, some paparazzi have been contacting me. They showed me photos of Rita bringing different girls to the club frequently. Most of the girls looked very young. It''s highly possible that they''re all students." "Rita might be targeting girls who don''t have any financial resources. After all, just a little bit of money can buy them off." William shook his head, smiling wryly. It looked like he disdained Rita''s methods as well. My colleagues began to specte, condemning Rita for what she had done. I concentrated on eating and just listened silently. I had no intention of interrupting their discussion. After that brief episode, my colleagues shifted the topic to something else, and the heavy atmosphere gradually dissipated. Once we were finished with the meal, we all walked to the entrance of the restaurant. Gently, William looked at me and offered, "Scarlett, let me drive you home." But before I could respond, J went to my side and stood between me and William. "We appreciate your kindness, Mr. Stevens, but Tracy has already gone to the parking lot to get our car. She and I will drive Scarlett home. You don''t need to go through that trouble." At first, William fell silent. Then, he put on a smile. "I must say, your bodyguards are quite vignt," he said. I smiled and let out a helpless sigh. At this time, a luxury car pulled over nearby. The driver''s door opened, and a tall person came into view. Charles made his way towards me. His handsome face and affectionate gaze caught my attention. At this moment, there was only one person I could see, and everything else seemed to have been blurred out. I could hear the sound of my heartbeat getting faster and faster. By the time I regained myposure, Charles had already wrapped his arms around me. "Scarlett, I''ll be taking my leave then," said William. Chapter 235 A Jealous Man Chapter 235 A Jealous Man Charles''s POV: I leveled an irritated re at William and replied coldly, "Goodbye." Right after that, I left with Scarlett in my arms. On the way back, Scarlett drowsily leaned against the seat. When we arrived at Garden Street, I unfastened my seat belt and leaned over towards her. Her beautiful eyshes trembled slightly, and it was obvious that she wasn''t asleep. "We''re arrived, Scarlett." I ced my tongue near her ear and deliberately licked her earlobe. Scarlett shivered at that, her eyes snapping open immediately. The moment she opened her eyes, our gazes crossed. She looked out of the window uneasily, and then asked in surprise, "Why aren''t we back at Moore mansion?" "Didn''t you alwayse here before? Why are you unhappy to be here now?" I gave her no opportunity to react, and instantly pulled her out of the car. Scarlett looked at me, her brows furrowed in confusion. Then, she asked tentatively, "Are you unhappy?" "You found out so quickly this time." I narrowed my eyes at her. "Charles..." "So, did you have a good time at the celebration party?" I wrapped my hand around Scarlett''s waist possessively with one hand and caressed her hair with the other, staring at her quietly all the while. Scarlett shed me a helpless look, and replied exasperatedly, "It was a celebration party with my colleagues, and we just had dinner together. Nothing special." "Oh? Why was William also there?" My eyes narrowed further, showing my discontent. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Scarlett nced at me, blinking a few times in astonishment, before bursting into amusedughter. "Oh, Charles! You''re so cute when you''re jealous." I frowned at her reaction. "After the book signing session, William came to congratte me. Abner invited him to the celebration party out of politeness, but unexpectedly, he agreed." Scarlett spread out her hands, still amused, blinking innocently. "I don''t care!" I snorted in disbelief, but held her tightly all the same. "When can you spare some time for me?" Recently, Scarlett was getting busier and busier. She was in charge of making new shows, held a signing session, and was involved in more and more social engagements. "Aren''t we together every day, though?" Scarlett asked, puzzled. "When you''re home, I''m already asleep. And when I''m about to go to work, you''re still sleeping." My tone grew fierce as I blurted out my discontent, and I bit her earlobe gently. "And you have the audacity to say we''re together every day?" Scarlett whimpered when I bit her ear. She hurriedly covered her ear and stared at me innocently, as if she had done nothing wrong. My heart softened immediately at her expression, but on the outside, my face was still calm. I raised my hand and ced it on her chest, feeling her heartbeat. "Scarlett, I feel that we''re gradually drifting apart. Deep in your heart, do you still care about me?" Scarlett was stunned once more, and took to staring at me in a daze. I took her by the arm, and opened the door. "Forget it. Drink with me." Scarlett''s lips instantly made a displeased pout. "Why don''t you look for Spencer if you want to drink?" I didn''t want to say anything more, and pushed her into the room wordlessly. Scarlett''s POV: Charles pushed me into the room, and darkness greeted me. As I was about to switch on the lights, he suddenly grabbed me by the waist, turned me around, and pressed me against the door. He raised my chin with one hand, and crashed his lips on me. His kiss caught me off guard, so I had no time to react. His soft tongue had already slid into my mouth before I coulde to my senses. My heart beat faster as he deepened the kiss eagerly. Suddenly, all my strength was exhausted, and my body grew limp and numb. The overbearing power of a mature man filled his strong, passionate kiss. In an instant, waves of pleasure swept all over me. Unable to stop myself, I began indulging myself in his tender, insistent possessiveness. As our lips locked tightly together, he pressed me against the door. He breathed a mischievous chuckle and said, "Do you still want me to go to the bar now?" I gasped for breath, feeling suffocated. Before I could answer, my lips were covered again. He nibbled my lips softly, and the tip of his tongue swept past my lips. Then he sucked my tongue, biting and licking it gently in his mouth. My eyes closed involuntarily, and I could only hear his desire-filled pants. A strange heat slowly washed over me, making my heartbeat rise frantically. This strange feeling made me groan with pleasure. Charles''s kiss suddenly became more passionate. I knew what it meant. My remaining sanity made me turn my face sideways. "Scarlett..." His voice was full of desire. I knew he wanted me. I quickly gave him a soft peck on the cheek to calm him down. "Fine, you don''t have to go to the bar. You can drink at home if you want," I said. "Will you drink with me?" His hot breath sprayed my face, and his low and hoarse voice was full of temptation. "Fine, I''ll take a shower and then drink with you." "Okay." Charles released his grip on me and took a step back, satisfied. I switched on the lights, but I didn''t dare to look into his eyes. Then, I picked up my clothes in a hurry and rushed to the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror, and my red face greeted me. Embarrassed, I cupped my blushing face. Why oh why couldn''t I resist his temptation? After I finished with my shower, I opened the door, and was greeted with the sight a familiar tall figure standing by the door. "Isn''t it gorgeous?" Charles stretched out his arms, showing off his pajamas proudly. They were the same style as mine, making us look like a couple wearing matching pajamas now. Chapter 236 Longing For Each Other Chapter 236 Longing For Each Other Charles''s POV: Scarlett looked me up and down, raising her eyebrows at my pajamas. However, she said nothing about them. Her face was pure and innocent, her eyes exceedingly enchanting and charming. Even though I was with her almost every day, her beauty still fascinated me. I approached her and closed one arm around her soft waist, while the other hand snuck on her full chest. I said meaningfully to her in a low whisper, "I''ve taken a shower next door, Scarlett." However, Scarlett shoved my hands away and grabbed my arms instead, as if she was clueless to my hints. She suggested, "Let''s go downstairs to drink. We can eat something along the way." Her words made me froze, and I stood rooted to the spot. Scarlett, who had taken a step forward, was forced to stop in her tracks. She turned around and shot a sharp nce at me, annoyed. "What are you doing, Charles? Didn''t you ask me to drink with you at home? I agreed, but why are you still unhappy?" I hugged her and mumbled softly, "No, I''m not unhappy. I''m fine" I didn''t want to just drink at such precious time... I stared at her, my eyes filled with affection and eagerness. But the moment Scarlett''s gaze fell on me, I immediately put on an innocent look. "Let''s go downstairs." I warned myself again and again to take things slow and be patient. Otherwise, I might scare Scarlett away and render all my previous efforts vain. If I wanted to win her over, I needed a lot of patience. When we reached downstairs, Scarlett grabbed some red wine and goblets, and ced them on the table. Seeing her busying herself, I couldn''t help smiling. Then, I turned around and brought out the cream cake I had bought previously. "When did you buy that?" Scarlett asked, surprised. I put the cake on the table and took a seat beside her. "Before I picked you up, Tracy told me that you liked the cream cake I bought before." Scarlett red at me, though she looked quite flirtatious. "You have the nerve to say that!" I knew she was referring to the conflict we had back then. "I didn''t mean to upset you at that time. I promise I won''t do that again." I closed our distance, and licked her tender red lips gently. Scarlett blushed instantly, her appearance so cute and adorable. I saw that she was going to be angry again, so I quickly let go of her and stood up. "Let me cut the cake for you." I grabbed a knife and cut the cake into neat pieces. Then, I put one piece in front of Scarlett and handed her a dessert fork. Scarlett took the fork eagerly and scooped one bite of the cake. Her eyes curved like crescent moons as she relished in the taste. "Yummy!" "Let me have a taste." I leaned over to grab a small bit of the remaining cake that was still on her fork. Looking up, I realized that there was still some cream on the corner of Scarlett''s mouth. She was staring at me dazedly, stunned by my actions. Unable to help myself, I let out a smallugh before kissing her lips. As I did so, the cream on the tip of my tongue melted. I whispered in a hoarse voice, "So sweet." Scarlett''s ears turned red instantly. She pushed me away, embarrassed, and yelled, "Just drink your wine!" "Okay." I sat back calmly, grabbed some wine, and clinked sses with her. Scarlett nced at me briefly before looking away immediately and gulping down the wine in her ss. I raised my eyebrows and snickered to myself. I had no intention to stop her at all. "We won''t go back to Moore mansion today. What about James?" Scarlett poured more wine into her ss, but she didn''t let go of the wine bottle. Instead, she looked at me questioningly with her head tilted slightly. "Don''t worry. Mom and Grandma are there," Iforted her softly, hoping to reassure her. However, she replied with a frown. I had no choice but to take out my phone. I opened an app before giving it to her. "This is the real time surveince video of the nursery. Do you want to see it? See? James is sleeping." "Wow! I can''t believe you can check that on your phone!" Astonished, Scarlett took my phone and glued her eyes on the screen with a happy smile. "Oh my god! My son is so cute even when he''s sleeping!" "That''s because he inherited the best genes from us." This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "God, you''re so smug." Scarlett shed me a small smile and held my hand, trying to please me. "Let''s go backter. I can''t sleep well if I don''t hug James before going to bed." I turned her hand over and slowly separated her fingers, and then interlocked my fingers with hers lovingly. "Okay." Though I agreed on the outside, deep inside my heart, I was unwilling to go home. Every time we returned to the mansion, James would sleep between Scarlett and me. I could never be intimate with Scarlett. Only when Scarlett was fast asleep could I put James back to the crib and sleep with Scarlett in my arms. If Scarlett couldn''t fall asleep without James, then I couldn''t fall asleep without Scarlett. But at the sight of her expectant expression, my heart softened and I found myself agreeing automatically. After several rounds of drinking, the wine in the bottle was almost finished. I poured the rest of the red wine into my ss and gulped it down in one fell swoop. "Scarlett, I''m done. We should do somethingelse." I stared at Scarlett deeply, my eyes brimming with affection. She blushed automatically, and staggered to her feet, the cream cake in hand. "Careful!" Worried that she would fall down, I went to her and held her in my arms. However, Scarlett pushed me away, looking hesitant. She then walked to a cab and stored the cream cake in it. She muttered, "We have to hide the treasure." I burst outughing. She was drunk! I approached her gently and held her hand. "It''s time to sleep." Scarlett stared at me for a while, her eyes dazed from the wine. Suddenly, she pulled me to the cab and tried to stuff me inside it. She murmured again, "We have to hide the treasure." Stunned by this unexpected gesture, I took to staring at Scarlett like a fool. After a long time, I finally found my tongue. However, my voice was extremely hoarse. "Scarlett, am I your treasure too?" "What?" Scarlett looked at me in confusion, her hands still tugging me. Unable to stand it anymore, I picked her up and marched eagerly to the bedroom. Scarlett''s POV: My mind was in a mess, and I couldn''t think straight. I could only see Charles''s handsome face, inches away from me. Bang! It sounded as if the door of the bedroom was kicked open hastily. When I looked back, my head hazy with confusion, Charles put me on the bed and started kissing me. The sudden kiss snapped my eyes wide open, but I was too numbed by alcohol and had no strength to resist. I slowly closed my eyes, and meekly reached out to him before wrapping my arms around his neck. Charles tightened his arms around my waist, as if wanting our bodies to be one. He soon let go of my lips, and exhaled a puff of hot air. "Scarlett... Let''s have a good time." I didn''t answer, but raised my head and kissed him instead. Charles responded fiercely, and the kiss gradually went out of control. The tip of his tongue pressed against my teeth, overbearing and aggressive, invading my mouth inch by inch. His passionate kiss almost took away all the air in my mouth, pushing me to the verge of suffocation. "C-Charles..." When I reopened my eyes, I realized that Charles had taken off our pajamas and had thrown them away. We hugged each other tightly with our bare bodies. His lips went down along my neck, and his tongue licked my skin and breasts. The blood in his body boiled and burned like hot fire. Excited, I couldn''t help but touch his hot skin. He locked me in his embrace, forcing us to stay close to each other. The scorching heat instantly merged with the mes in my body, and I let out a soft moan of pleasure. My moans ignited the fire in him more fiercely. He suddenly lifted up my waist, and pressed hard against me. In an instant, the weight of his body was shifted on mepletely. Charles gasped for breath, the sound highly stimting. He bit and sucked my tender breasts, arousing my desires. I couldn''t help but respond, and neared my lips to his. For a long time, the whole room was filled with our sensual gasps... Chapter 237 Beating Chapter 237 Beating Charles''s POV: After that, I sat up and leaned against the headboard of the bed as I watched Scarlett lying on the bed motionlessly. She seemed tired and sleepy. It was amusing to see her this way. I reached out and stroked her hair fondly. "Charles, let''s take a shower first before going back to Moore mansion to see James," she said weakly, her exhaustion apparent. My hand, which was caressing her hair, froze for a moment. I grew slightly jealous. Even at this moment, all she thought about was her son. Didn''t I work hard enough just now? "It''s already sote. James has probably fallen asleep. Let''s go there tomorrow." I bent over and kissed her forehead gently. "But it''s not even nine o''clock yet. I miss him. And you promised me we''d go there just now," she grumbled, shing me a disgruntled stare. Her face was still quite red. "I regret saying that." Her incessantints were souring my mood, so I kissed her lips to put a stop to her resistance. Our affectionate kisssted for quite a while. Scarlett''s hot breath blew in my face. She opened her eyes and tried to get rid of me, but I was fascinated by the tenderness in them. I let go of her and whispered in a hoarse voice, "Scarlett, how about we make love again?" "No way." "I promise it''ll be thest time today!" She was silent, but didn''t disagree. Once we drowned into the vortex of lust, we would never be able to escape. ******* Since the delightful night, I was on cloud nine. My good moodsted for several days. Even when I was dealing with mind-numbing documents, Scarlett''s lovely face from that night would pop in my mind and cheer me up. I handed the signed document to Amy. Looking at her, I saw that she was staring at me strangely. "Ask whatever you want to ask." "Mr. Moore... is Mrs. Moore pregnant again?" "Why do you say so?" Her question wiped the smile out of my face. "You seem to be in a very good mood these days, so I wondered if there are any good news in your family." "...You may leave." "Yes, sir." Amy scurried out of my office with the document in hand. After she was gone, I was lost in my thoughts. To be honest, I didn''t want Scarlett to have a second child so soon. For that reason, I had been using contraceptives. James''s existence alone was enough to make me jealous. I didn''t dare to imagine what would happen if we had one more child. The consequences would be unimaginable! My thoughts were interrupted when my phone rang. I shook my silly thoughts away and answered it quickly. Spencer was calling me. "What''s the matter?" "Are you busy, Charles? Do you want to have lunch together?" "Okay." After all, I had refused Spencer''s invitations far too many times. If I refused again now, I feared he would be so infuriated to the point he broke off our friendship. At noon, I made my way to our appointed meeting ce, Mint Bar. Entering the exclusive private room Spencer booked, I was greeted with the sight of a smoke -filled room. Spencer and David were sitting on the sofa leisurely, smoking. The ashtray was already filled with cigarette butts by the time I arrived. Walking in, I saw that both of them looked distressed, reminiscent of two abandoned and resentful wives. "Put out the cigarette." I frowned, annoyed. "You''re getting along well with your wife. How can you understand our pain?" Spencer put out the cigarette as told, and cast me a resentful re. It was quite funny how these two resembled dogs soaked wet in the rain, pitiful and miserable. I raised my eyebrows, curious. "If you have something to say, just say it. If you have nothing to say, I''ll go away right now." "Are you seriously our friend? We finally got you toe so that you can listen to ourints. How could you leave before we say anything?" David put out the cigarette as well, and then swiped a kick at me rudely. His brows were furrowed in distaste. "What happened? Come on, tell me." I sat down, loosening my tie. "It''s Vivian. She bullies me every day!" Spencerined, the first to speak. "She bullies you? You seem to enjoy it very much, though. What about you, David?" "Icey''s going way too far!" She moved to my apartment with the excuse that she''s my fiancee, and she''s always wandering about in sexy nightgowns right before my eyes. She''s doing it on purpose!" David followed hisint with a grieving sigh, as if he was blowing out his own soul. "So... you were raped by her?" "What? No!" David hurriedly denied, bbergasted. "I heard Icey could get any man she wants," I teased him with a snicker, grinning wickedly. "So, I should feel lucky?" David smiled awkwardly. "Well, you won''t lose anything!" Spencer chimed in leisurely. "Let''s have some food, and then y tennis. My treat," I said to them, swiftly ending the topic. Then, I rose from my seat and urged them to leave the room with me. As soon as we exited the bar, we were suddenly stopped by a group of middle-aged women. The disgusting stink of inferior perfume wafted to my nose, and my brows furrowed. Upon closer inspection, these women were surrounding a lone woman. One of them even pressed the woman to the ground, pulled her hair, punched, and kicked her without remorse. All the while, the woman kept screaming in pain. Before I could see who it was, Spencer, who was beside me, blurted out in surprise, "Rita?" Rita let out a faint cry, "Help me!" However, the women around her didn''t stop beating her. She covered her face and shook her head as she tried to dodge. Tears kept falling down her face. "Stop it! Stop! It hurts..." But I simply watched as Rita took the beatings, not bothered to stand up for her. Spencer, however, took two steps forward, wanting to help her. I quickly stopped him. I cast a brief nce at him, indicating him not to act rashly. "You shameless bitch! How dare you seduce my man? I''ll beat you to death!" "I should''ve taught you a good lesson long ago. You''re just a shameless tramp! You seduce men everywhere you go, you slut!" "She sleeps with any man for money! Let''s just beat her till she drops dead!" The infuriated women cursed loudly as they beat Rita together, pulling absolutely no punches. After being cursed and beaten thoroughly, a heavily injured Ritay on the ground like a dead fish. There were tears all over her face, and she was trembling all over. She stammered pitifully, "Don''t... Don''t hit me..." Rita stretched out her hand at me and begged desperately, "Charles, please help me..." When the women saw this, they stopped and turned around. Their gazes met my face, and their ferocious expressions faded slightly. "C-Charles!" Rita called my name again, desperate to get my attention. Then, unable to hold in her pain any longer, she fainted dead on the spot. "Mr. Moore, this woman must be pretending!" ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Yes, she was very strong just now! She even scratched my hand!" The women hurried to exin to me, one after another. Scarlett''s POV: When I walked out of the private room with Diana, my interviewee, I saw a group of people at the door. Unexpectedly, I saw Charles standing amid the crowd. He was gifted with a natural charisma, as his presence alone eclipsed everything around him. I was happy to see him, but then I noticed the severe expression on his grim face. Following his line of sight, I saw Rita lying unconscious on the ground. To my shock, her face was covered with blood and tears. "Spencer, call an ambnce." So saying, Charles turned around and looked at me. He had noticed I was there too. I grabbed Diana''s arm and whispered, "There are too many people here. Let''s go back to the private room and wait for a while longer." But as soon as I sat down there, the door of the private room was pushed open. Chapter 238 Not My Type At All Chapter 238 Not My Type At All Charles''s POV: I pushed the door to the private room open and walked inside. "Scarlett, why are you here?" Unexpectedly, Scarlett cast a cold re at me and snapped, "Why do you ask? Did I interrupt you and Rita while you two were talking about the good old days?" Why was she acting like this? "If you don''t have anything else to say, please leave. I have to talk with Diana about work." I didn''t question her any further and left the private room as told. Scarlett ended up not contacting me at all the entire day. Except for some messages about work, my phone remained deathly quiet, as if it was broken. I couldn''t hold myself back anymore and was about to call Scarlett, when a news notification popped on my phone and caught my attention. It was gossip news, the tabloid. The author of the article described how I stood by and did nothing when my first love, Miss Rita Lively, had been beaten, weaving the whole narrative in a dramatic and exaggerated tone. Despite her being so near to me at the time of the incident, I didn''t raise a hand to help her at all. All of this, the article emphasized, was because I feared my wife. The author also spent a lot of effort making up how evil and horrific Scarlett was. The article made it seem like Scarlett controlled every aspect of my life, from what I eat to what I wear, and how I should carry myself. She was also said to be the one who forbade me from helping Rita. As I went through every word, fury surged in me. I was so angry that Iughed. There was not a single speck of truth in this so-called news article. More importantly, what would Scarlett think when she saw this? She was already furious with me. Would she be even angrier? The thought depressed me to no end. I had nowhere to vent my misery, but then, David rang and invited me for a game of tennis. At the tennis court, I directed of all my wrath on the innocent tennis racket, swinging and hitting the ball with all of my might. For the first few rounds, David was able to deal with me. Very soon, he was unable to defend against my hits. He stopped, and began protesting angrily. "Charles, did I offend you in some way or other?" I weighed the tennis racket, not caring about his outburst. "You''re just awful at tennis." "I should''ve asked the guy who pissed you off to y with you instead." David shook his head helplessly, exasperated. He fought against me for another half an hour before finally sumbing and losing the battle. By now, he was out of breath. "I can''t take it anymore. Charles, I want a break!" "No. You''re getting weaker recently." I was sweating all over, but I still felt that I hadn''t had enough. David immediately surrendered, not in the mood to y. He called several professional tennis coaches to y with me before leaving the court, exhausted and dejected. "Come on!" I wiped my sweat, and confronted my new opponents. Spencer''s POV: Charles''s frenzied outburst scared David away. Fortunately, I didn''t y with Charles today, so I wasn''t delegated as the cannon fodder. Otherwise, I would''ve ended up much worse than David. Just as I was mourning for David''s miserable fate, Vivian called me. "Remember, you have a blind date at seven o''clock tonight. This time, I found a girl that suits your tastes perfectly." Again?! This was insane! "Vivian... How many more are there? Why don''t you just let theme together?" I snapped crossly, my temples aching in annoyance. "Well, there are lots more. Spencer, the amount of women your mother found you could form an army. If theye together, I''m afraid you won''t be able to handle it," Vivian drawled in a gloating tone. She was taking delight in my misery. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. At this moment, I genuinely wondered if she had any feelings for me at all. She was acting like a complete outsider. "Fine, I got it. I''ll be there on time," I answered simply. There was no point in extending our conversation. "What kind of girl is it this time?" David asked. It seemed he had been eavesdropping on me for a while. I sighed dejectedly, "I don''t know. Vivian said the girl suits my tastes." "I thought you like girls like Vivian?" David''s words were like a knife that stabbed deep inside me. Yes, I liked her. I liked her, yet she found me blind dates instead! Damn it! How much did this woman love money? So much so that she would actually betray me for money? * Later that evening... I arrived at Mint Bar for my blind date, as promised. The lighting tonight in the bar was especially soft. The colors from the lights shone on the various wine sses arranged on the tables. The singer performing that night chose a ssic song. Its slow, soothing melody filled the air. The atmosphere was perfect. "I arranged for all this. Are you satisfied?" Vivian''s voice suddenly came from behind me. I turned around to look at her. She was dressed in a short, lovely apricot yellow dress, her long hair cascading down her shoulders. Her skin look tender and fair, more than usual. She looked completely different from how she usually wear when she was working. So much, that I thought she was here to date me in person. But my hopes were crushed when she said, "Rose is already here. Enjoy your date." Just like that, I was thrown from heaven to hell in an instant. I ignored her and turned away, and walked to the reserved table. Miss Rose, my date for the night, was already sitting there. I greeted her politely. "Hello, Spencer," Rose said softly, her voice gentle. To be honest, she was a beautiful woman. She had a faint bookish but elegant aura. Some way or other, she didn''t seem to fit the mood in the bar. But... she wasn''t my type at all. Why was Vivian so sure that I''m into girls like Rose? Or was Vivian simply doing as my mother had instructed her? A hint of joy suddenly spread within my heart. Vivian''s unprofessional behavior tonight was unusual. I tried to search some clues from her arrangements, to see if she actually liked me. The wine that night didn''t taste good at all. I even suspected that there was something amiss with the bartender. During the entire date, I didn''t listen to a word Rose had said. My eyes wandered aimlessly around the bar, searching for Vivian. Finally, the date came to an end. Not long after Rose left, I received a call from my mother. My mother''s voice was full of joy. She said that Rose was satisfied with me, and wanted to see me more often. I was speechless. I couldn''t fathom why Rose was interested in an absentminded man that didn''t entertain her the slightest during the date. Before I could figure out the reason, Vivian finally appeared in my line of sight. I approached her, but soon discovered a tall and handsome man sitting next to her. "Who''s that man sitting next to Vivian?" I asked a waiter, trying to sound casual. "Harris. He''se here with Miss Vivian several times," the waiter replied calmly, having recognized the man at a nce. I fixed my gaze on Harris, my brows furrowed. Harries then took out a ck card from his pocket and handed it to Vivian. At this moment, Vivian turned around and locked eyes with me. She shed me a fake smile, and then took the ck card from Harris. I wasn''t that stupid. I had been deceived once, but I wouldn''t be deceived a second time. Perhaps Vivian was being too enthusiastic all of a sudden, Harris also turned around and noticed me. The moment our gazes crossed, thunder and fire collided with horrific intensity. It was an aggressive re, unique to men when they fought over a woman. The horn for a war was sounded, and my heart was filled with rm. Even if Vivian was just acting, she was so smart and wonderful that it was inevitable the actor would genuinely want to be with her. The two of them continued acting in front of me for a long time, as if on purpose. My eyes stung as I looked on. I let out a long sigh before walking forward, only to realize that the ck card, an important prop for their act tonight, was left on the table. Great! They screwed up! I''d like to see how Vivian would wriggle her way out of this. I picked up the ck card, feeling contented, and marched straight to the room Vivian was in. Chapter 239 Cold-blooded Or Not Chapter 239 Cold-blooded Or Not Spencer''s POV: I walked swiftly into Vivian''s private room, eager. Inside, I proudly raised the ck card in front of Vivian, as if I had found something of incredible importance. "How could you forget such an important thing?" Vivian stared at the ck card, her face turning red steadily. She immediately reached out to grab the card from me, but I deliberately raised it high up, away from her reach. Vivian jumped several times, swiping her hands for the card, but the difference in our height rendered her efforts vain. "What''s going on? Do you want to destroy the evidence?" I lowered my head and shot a challenging stare at Vivian, my face iparably smug. At this moment, Vivian jumped up once more and grabbed my hand. The distance between us was immediately shortened, and the tip of my nose almost touched hers. Vivian''s long, curly eyshes fluttered gently in front of me, like a butterfly pping its wings. The sight made my heart itch with longing. "Do you want it that much? Then I''ll give it to you." Vivian let go of my hand and took two steps back, suddenly looking embarrassed. "Spencer, can you please leave now? I''m still working." I responded by throwing the card into the trash can right in front of her eyes. Then, ignoring everything, I sat down and remain unmoved. "You seem to have forgotten something, Vivian. I''m your boss. I have the right to supervise my employee''s work." My words were too powerful for her to retort. Vivian was rendered speechless, too angry to speak. "Wow, you''re such a responsible boss." She bit her lips and rolled her eyes, and tried her best to pretend I wasn''t there. Never had I imagined that it would be this entertaining to make fun of her. It was so fun, I almost burst intoughter. The entire time, I just sat there and watched Vivian work quietly. She deliberately turned to theputer on the desk, which covered her frame and shielded her from my eyes, as if she didn''t want me to see her at all. Unfortunately, as her concentration grew, she gradually rxed her vignce. I watched silently, appreciating the concentration she put in for her work. When Vivian didn''t smile, she looked elegant, like a lone white swan that stood out proudly from her peers. Yet, for some reason, she had a mncholy look to her. I wished I could turn into the files in herputer, so that she would concentrate on me the same way she concentrated on her work. About half an hourter, Vivian finally rose from her seat, about to get some water. Standing up, she noticed that I was still sitting on the sofa. "Dear boss, don''t you feel this is enough? Have you realized that I work hard and your money isn''t wasted on me?" Though she spoke casually, there was a trace of anger in her voice. "I''ll pay you more money if I can keep watching." But then I raised my hands in surrender, and hurried out of the private room as fast as my legs could carry me. If I continued to stay here, I''d really piss her off! I didn''t want that. ***** The air in Mint Bar was very hot during the middle of the night, as usual. Wanting to get a ss of wine to quench my thirst, I went to the bar counter. When I arrived there, a particrly eye-catching woman on the dance floor caught my attention. She had a perfect figure and danced with incredible grace, bing one with the music. Her steps were akin to dancing keys, giving the dynamic rhythm a soft bounce, but without any sense of frivolity. She was no doubt the most beautiful woman in the bar tonight. The men around her knew how to appreciate beauty, just like me, and stared fawningly at her. They stayed for a long time, refusing to leave, their eyes never straying away from the beautiful dancing woman. From time to time, they would approach her and flirt with her. As the light fell on the woman, her face was revealed to me. Immediately, I grew livid. The woman was none other than Vivian! What was wrong with this woman? Why was she so cold only to me? Why was she dancing with so many men passionately? Even though she might be acting, I couldn''t stand it anymore. "Is she insane...?" I mmed my wine ss on the table, seething. The bartender at the bar counter was taken aback by my sudden outburst of anger. He agreed with my sentiment and said, "Vivian''s a little crazy in the first ce. No one can read her mind." I didn''t even drink my wine and returned swiftly to my private room. I wanted to check my phone and find something to relieve my boredom. To my surprise, the topic of the news was a gossip iming that Charles Moore was afraid of his wife, so much that he didn''t help his first love, Rita. Thements below all condemned Charles''s coldness, and started making stories on how tough Scarlett could be to tame Charles in such a way. Reading thements, a myriad of thoughts raced through my mind. True, Charles was indeed cold-hearted. He only showed tender affection to Scarlett. Once he confirmed his feelings, he would show no mercy to those he didn''t love and gave them the cold shoulder. Rita''s biggest regret was probably the fact she lied to Charles about having cancer, so that he would be with her. All of a sudden, my curiosity reared its head. I wondered if Charles would feel regret if Rita really died because no one helped her. Charles''s POV: Night fell, plunging Moore mansion into pin-drop silence. When I walked out of the bathroom after my shower, Scarlett had already coaxed James to sleep. "Let him sleep by himself. Men should learn to grow up." I picked James up from the bed. "James is just a child." Scarlett pouted and protested defiantly, "I haven''t seen enough of him as a baby." This was, of course, a veryme excuse. Still, I couldn''t stand seeing Scarlett''s energy getting sapped by her heavy work and our child. At least, for tonight, I wouldn''t allow anyone topete with me for her. Despite her protests, I brought James back to the nursery. When I returned to our bedroom, Scarlett was already lying in bed, deliberately showing her back to me. The wide quilt was covering her petite body. Nheless, Iy beside her and hugged her from behind. Although Scarlett''s eyes were closed, she was obviously holding her breath when I closed in on her. She was pretending to be asleep again, so that she could avoid talking to me. "Why didn''t you tell me that you were going to Mint Bar today?" My fingertips gently traced her corbone, and my breath brushed past her earlobe. Scarlett took a deep breath, seemingly giving up struggling. "I went there for work. There was no need to report my schedule to you, was there?" Though her body was soft and warm to the touch, her voice was cold. There was even a hint of anger in it. Was she still furious at me? Just then, my phone on the bedside table suddenly buzzed. I picked it up, and realized that it was a message from Spencer. He was actually asking me if I would feel any regret should Rita die today. My reply was simple. "No." Scarlett''s curious face was lit up by the light from my phone screen. Unable to reel in her curiosity, she turned to me. Without hesitation, I showed her the phone. "It''s Spencer. He asked me a boring question." Scarlett nced at the message, and frowned. "Scarlett, do you think I''m cold-blooded?" I reached out my hand to smooth the frown on her lips. "No, I don''t. I never will. Kindness should only be used on someone worthy," she replied simply. "Do you know the way they''re describing you on the Inte now?" I searched for thements under the gossip news and disyed them for Scarlett to see. "They''re all saying that you''re a terrible woman, a wicked witch who manipted my mind." Scarlett read a fewments and giggled. She was so amused, she almost burst into tears of laughter. "Is it that funny?" I took my phone back. I didn''t expect showing her the news to be so effective. Scarlett wiped the corner of her eyes. Unexpectedly, she actually took the initiative to press herself against me. A few strands of her dark hair fell on my face. Her full cleavage reminded me of her soft breasts, hidden under the thin nightgown. They were close to popping out of her dress... ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Watch out! The wicked witch ising for you!" Scarlett made several threatening gestures at me, and pretended to be fierce. She opened her mouth and shed her pearly-white teeth at me mischievously, intending to bite my neck. The moment she reached me, her feigned viciousness turned into an affectionate kiss. She even used the tip of her tongue to lick my chin. "Are you scared?" She looked up at me, so cute and charming. "Are you hungry? Do you want to eat me up?" I pinched her chin gently, and rubbed her wet lips with my finger. "Why, I''ve never seen such an anxious witch." Her soft tongue tip swept over my finger, and she licked it slyly. "You know, Charles, I think you have gotten worse in bed. If it were in the past, you would''ve..." But before Scarlett could finish her words, I drowned her with my deep kiss. It would be a long night. I had plenty of time to correct her cute misunderstanding of me. Chapter 240 Vivians Distress Signal Chapter 240 Vivian''s Distress Signal Scarlett''s POV: Charles pressed me under him, and took off his top in a hurry. He stared at me, his eyes bright and clear. I looked away in panic, but I couldn''t avoid his perfect jaw line and well-built figure. Oh my god! My chest was burning, and my entire body felt hot. "I have to show you how great I actually am in bed today." Charles''s hoarse voice rang in my ears, making me tremble all over. "Charles, I''m sorry. Please, put on your clothes..." I tried my best to shrink away, regretting my words. In the first ce, I shouldn''t have provoked this man, whom I knew had a strong desire to win. "No." Charles lowered his head and kissed me on the lips. At the same time, he hugged me tightly in his arms. He quickly got the initiative in kiss, hooking my tongue and sucking it into his mouth, as if he was trying to take control of my everything. His hands didn''t stop, either. He slid one into my nightgown and began to caress my breasts, with the other hand carefully protecting my head. I couldn''t help but indulge myself in his forey. His movements were so wonderful, my eyes blurred and my body went limp and numb. I had no strength left in me, unable to resist anymore. His overwhelming male hormones surged over me, lingering everywhere on my body. After a moment of indulgence, Charles quickly took off my nightgown and unhooked bra, and then my panties. He was enthusiastic and passionate. My body softened, and I could not resist his advances. His warm tongue made me limp and numb, and finally, I gave up all forms of resistance. I followed my heart and let my instincts guide me. Soon, I groaned with pleasure and panted breathlessly. "I have to satisfy my wife today." Charles pressed me against his chest, rubbed his erection against my wet privates, looking at me affectionately all the while. He then went straight in, opened the private ce that I had closed for a long time, and thrust into me enthusiastically. "Hmm..." I let out a happy moan. His hotness slid in me, and all the nerves and cells in my body felt like they were burning. I was in pleasure, but my body was numb and I couldn''t move. I stretched out my hands and wrapped them around Charles'' neck, moaning happily under him. After the sweet love-making, I closed my eyes and snuggled up in his arms. For some reason, I wanted to cry. I never wanted to shed tears, but he could always "bully" me into crying. It seemed I had be addicted to Charles again. ********* The next morning, after breakfast, I took James out to bask in the sun. J and Tracy walked beside me, as per usual. As soon as we exited the mansion, James began to swing his little fists excitedly, wriggling hard in my arms. He was so cute! "Let''s take a walk at the park." Seeing that James was in high spirits, I proposed to go to the park across the road. That park had many more entertainment facilities and nts. "Yes, Mrs. Moore." Just as I just crossed the road... I heard someone a familiar voice callingme from behind." Scarlett!" I turned around, and saw that it was Vivian. "Hi, Vivian. What a coincidence!" She was in a car while she waved at me. Then, she got out and walked towards me. "So, is this your son? He looks just like Charles." Vivian looked at James in surprise, and stroked his round and adorable head. "So cute!" "Yes, his name is James." I looked to the car she had been in. The driver inside turned his head away at once, which was odd. What on earth was he hiding from? This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Where''s Spencer? Didn''t hee with you?" "Nah." I turned my attention back to Vivian, who was ying happily with James. I wanted to see if there was anything strange in her expression, but I found nothing. Then, she suddenly looked up at me, a bright smile on her face. "I''ll treat you and Charles to dinner at Mint Bar tonight. See you there." Before I could say anything in reply, she lowered her head and looked at James in my arms. Then she said hurriedly in a low voice, as if she didn''t want to be heard, "If you don''t see me at Mint Bar by then, tell Spencer to look for me at the Johnson residence." Wait, the Johnson residence...? I wasn''t sure why Vivian said so, but I still replied loudly, "Okay, see you tonight." "Right. See you tonight, Scarlett." Vivian pinched James''s face again before returning to the car. When the car left, I turned to Tracy and J, and asked, "Did you see the driver in that car?" "Yes. He looks like a hitman. I''ve memorized the license te number. I''ll investigate itter," Tracy said firmly. "If he''s really a hitman, then Richard may know something about him." J''s eyes brightened. "Go ask him immediately." "Yes, Mrs. Moore." I walked to a few pots of flowers, with James in my arms. I picked up a leaf and put it on his small palm. James seemed liked it very much. He immediately cooed joyfully, and bubbles began to form in his mouth. "Richard said that the driver might be Justin. He''s been working for the Johnsons," Tracy replied after she finished looking up the information. "But I can''t find any information about this person on the Inte. It''s as if everything''s deleted on purpose." J''s words aroused my suspicion. "Let''s send James back first. After that, you''ll follow me to Mint Bar to look for Spencer." ******* Mint Bar. When I found Spencer, he looked a little listless. "Scarlett? Why are you here so early?" I didn''t intend to beat around the bush, and told J to inform him of my encounter with Vivian earlier this morning. "Are you sure Vivian''s referring to the notorious Johnson family?" Spencer furrowed his brows as he listened the story. He couldn''t believe his ears. "Vivian said that if she didn''t show up at Mint Bar at eight o''clock tonight, you need to go to the Johnson residence and save her right away. I think it''s a distress signal from her," I said to Spencer, my tone grim. At this, Spencer took out his phone in a hurry. "Charles, I need to borrow Richard from you. Vivian might be in trouble. By the way,e to Mint Bar when you finish your work. Your wife''s also here." After Spencer hung up, I rolled my eyes at him. "If I had known it earlier, I would''ve gone straight to Charles." "Of course. In terms of tactics, no one could beat your husband!" "Are you still joking around?" Spencer was as nervous as an ant on a hot brick, but still pretended to be calm. It was quite amusing. "I-I''m not worried about her!" The stubborn expression on his face was ridiculous. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that he cared about Vivian very much. Perhaps he was the only one who didn''t know that. We waited at Mint Bar for about an hour. Just then, Charles and Richard rushed over. Richard said quickly, "I''ve sent someone to investigate that man Tracy enquired." "So, what happened? Tell me!" Spencer rushed towards Richard, his agitation obvious. "Justin did take Vivian to the Johnson residence." Chapter 241 The Hero Saved The Beauty Chapter 241 The Hero Saved The Beauty Spencer''s POV: "Are you certain?" I asked, looking at Richard with confusion. He nodded in response. "It''s all true." Upon hearing his answer, I creased my eyebrows and felt a splitting headache. "I don''t get it, man. Why did Justin take Vivian to the Johnson residence?" Charles turned his attention towards me. "Spencer, I think Vivian looks like someone we know." I was perplexed as to why he brought that up all of a sudden. "And who could that be?" I asked. "The hostess of the Johnson family, Emily Johnson," he answered. "Wait a second. You mean Ethan''s stepmother, Emily Johnson?" Charles patted me on the shoulder. "I seem to recall that Emily had a daughter with her ex-husband before she married into the Johnson family." I understood what he meant, and I looked at him with a wide-eyed gaze. "Are you saying that Vivian might be Emily''s daughter?" Vivian had never told me about her true identity before. And I never once thought that she''d have anything to do with the Johnson family. That family''s business was currently in big trouble. And it worried me that it might affect Vivian, too. "Scarlett, when did Vivian get picked up?" Charles'' voice jolted me back to reality. After a brief silence, Scarlett answered, "Around nine in the morning, I think." With a straight face, Charles shot me a nce. "Spencer, we need to hurry. The longer we wait, the more likely it is that Vivian will be in danger." I turned to the door, but I couldn''t bring myself to move towards it, for I was feeling conflicted. "Vivian was willing to get in the car, right? Maybe she did it for the money. If I go there, I might end up spoiling her n," I said. All of a sudden, I felt someone hit me on the back heavily. When I turned to look at who did it, I saw that it was Scarlett. She was ring at me and her nostrils were practically ring. "You idiot!" she shouted. "If Vivian went into the car willingly, would she have asked me for help? And if you keep on hesitating like that, you''re gonna regret it for the rest of your miserable life!" Before I could respond, I saw that Scarlett was intending to hit me again. Fortunately, Charles came to stop her. In a soft voice, he said, "Hey, Scarlett, be careful not to hurt your hand." I was staring at them in a daze, but in my mind, images of Vivian''s face kept shing. ''If something happens to her, I can never forgive myself.'' I didn''t dare to think of what might happen to her, and decided to run out of the ce at once. Soon, I arrived at the Johnson family''s mansion along with numerous bodyguards. "What are you people doing here? Go away!" The guard was vigntly looking at us through the iron gate. With a stern face, I issued themand. My men carried out my order and rushed forward. They easily scaled the gate and subdued the guard. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. And while the guard was screaming, my men managed to open the gate. Once we were on the other side of the gate, I entered the house and rushed into the livingroom. Meanwhile, my men scattered throughout the premises of the Johnson residence to look for Vivian. The servants of the Johnson household screamed and ran away in fear of us. Momentster, I found Vivian''s phone on the stairway. Quickly, I went up the stairs. Upstairs, I heard a familiar and faint voiceing from behind a half- closed room. "Help me," the voice groaned. My heart skipped a beat as I kicked the door open. The loud noise startled the person on the bed, causing him to bolt upright, followed by his angry voice. "Do you want to die? How dare you disturb me?" It was Ethan, the eldest son of the Johnson family. I shot the man a cold nce. His upper body was naked, and his trousers were already half-open. The exposed underwear beneath the pants were bulging up, and it made me feel sick to see it. Most importantly, the woman half-naked on the bed and visibly in pain was Vivian. She was lying weakly on the bed, with tears in her barely opened eyes. "Spencer... help me," she muttered. All the remaining rationality I had disappeared without a trace. I roared at the top of my lungs, charged forward, and kicked Ethan''s chest with all my might. "Argh!" Ethan bellowed as he flung towards the wall and then fell to the floor. Upon impact, he wheezed and whined like a wounded dog. Showing no mercy, I mounted him and began pounding on his ugly face. "Ethan, you piece of shit! Go to hell!" "Fuck!" Ethan cursed. He had barely gotten the curse out of his mouth when I pummeled him with my fists, and the words turned into muffled screaming. With reckless abandon, I vented all my anger on Ethan by beating the crap out of him. And with every hit, my rage only became more intense. I didn''t stop until I realized that Ethan had lost consciousness. It was then that I went to Vivian''s side. "Vivian, I''m so sorry. Forgive me... I should''vee earlier..." My body trembled as I stood at the bedside, having no courage to even look her in the eye. "I''m so d that you''re here." The sound of Vivian''s voice was choked by her sobbing. My heart felt so painful that I could hardly keep myself standing. I did my best to stifle my emotions, wrapped Vivian in a nket, and carefully lifted her up. "I''m taking you out of here this instant." Then, I nted a kiss on her cheek, identally kissing some of her tears. They tasted bitter on my tongue. Vivian didn''t respond, and her head drooped as she lost consciousness. Startled, I gently ced her down to examine her breathing. Once I was certain that she just fainted, I breathed a sigh of relief. However, my heart was still racing. When I walked out of the room with Vivian in my arms, I saw a beautiful woman heading towards me. Her face looked so much like Vivian''s. As her eyes met mine, anger appeared on her face and she began marching towards me, seemingly ready for a confrontation. "Who the hell are you? And how dare you break into the Johnson family''s household? Put Vivian down!" My face turned grim, and my voice became cold. "Vivian is my woman. Who do you think you are to question me like that?" "I am her mother!" she countered. "Prove it," I sneered. While Emily was stunned, I walked past her. "How could a mother hurt her own daughter? You''re probably lying!" "Stop!" Emily shouted from behind me. I turned a deaf ear to her and just kept on walking downstairs. But as soon as I got to the door, I found that all my men had been subdued by the guards of the Johnson household. "Let go of Vivian! Otherwise, none of you will be able to leave here alive!" Emily''s voice was drawing closer and closer, and it was even more arrogant than before. As soon as I turned around, she was taken aback by my daunting expression. "You there! Come over here and protect me," shemanded. However, the only response she got were screams of horror. Following the harrowing sound, I turned around and saw that Richard had stormed the ce with a group of men. They had incapacitated all of the guards there. After straightening his cor, Richard said, "Mr. Moore was worried that you might not be able to handle things over here yourself, so he asked me to bring some men over to help out." "Thanks," I said, giving him a nod. I ignored Emily despite her incessant screaming and left the Johnson mansion, still carrying Vivian in my arms. Soon, the car arrived at the bar. I took Vivian back to the room, gently cing her on the bed. The nket identally slipped down, revealing her delicate corbone. I asked one of the waitresses to help Vivian change her clothes, and then I went out to call Charles. "So, what happened, man?" he asked. "I''ve brought Vivian back to the bar. Thanks for the help, Charles," I answered. I really meant that. If Richard hand brought his people to help me, they would''ve subdued me already, and kept me and Vivian in the house. "No problem, man. Scarlett is the one you should thank. She was worried you might not be able to handle it on your own. After all, the Johnson family probably has a lot of men on their payroll." "Scarlett is so considerate. Please thank her for me." Charles scoffed and said, "My wife should be considerate towards me, and me alone." "It''s because you''re too pathetic that Scarlett has to worry about you." Upon hearing his remark, I furrowed my brows. "Charles, can you stop being so jealous, dude?" Before I could even finish my sentence, the call was already over. When I heard he hang up, I let out an exasperated sigh. "Ever since he made up with Scarlett, he''s be more narrow-minded than ever. He even got jealous that I wanted to thank Scarlett, jeez!" Soon, the door opened and the waitress came out quietly. "Sir, I''ve finished changing her clothes," she said. "Thanks. I''ll give you a bonus this month." After that, the waitress thanked me with glee in her eyes, and left at once. I stared at the door, hesitating to go in. I even had to deceive myself by making up an excuse to go in. Once I had gathered enough courage, I opened the door and entered. "I have to check if the waitress actually put on her clothes probably," I told myself. Chapter 242 We Wouldnt Have Another Baby In... Chapter 242 We Wouldn''t Have Another Baby In... Charles''s POV: After hanging up on Spencer, I put my phone away and went back to the living room. There, Scarlett was in the midst of ying chess with my grandmother. I sat next to Scarlett, held her waist, and then whispered in her ear, "Spencer and Vivian are fine." My affirmation made Scarlett rx. She leaned against my chest and heaved a sigh of relief, happy for the two. "That''s good. I was so restless just now!" "Everything''s fine now." I kissed her on the cheek. Looking up, I saw my grandmother and mother''s mischievous gazes on Scarlett and me. I ignored them and asked calmly, "So, you''re ying chess?" Scarlett immediately shoved me away, disgruntled. "Grandma said she wants to y chess with me." "Are you two betting on anything?" Grandma rolled her eyes exasperatedly at me and said, "What''s with that look? Are you afraid that I''ll eat your wife alive just by ying chess?" Her words confused me, and I automatically touched my face. I didn''t think there was anything wrong with my current expression. "If I lose, I''ll promise Scarlett one thing." Grandma mmed down a chess piece with great strength, the sound deafening. "But if Scarlett loses, she has to give me a granddaughter!" I frowned instantly, and nced at Scarlett. "Did you agree to that?" Scarlett clenched the chess piece in her hand and pursed her lips, but said nothing. "Oh, Charles. Why are you so angry? Even if Scarlett does agree, your Grandma might not win." My mother''s gentle voice coaxed me, trying to smooth down my rising anger. It was enough proof that Scarlett had indeed agreed to my grandmother''s bet. I fixed a stern re at my grandmother and mother, my lips a thin line. "We don''t want another child. At least not in three years." At this, Grandma pounded the table with great displeasure. Her face was scrunched in horrible discontent, and she red at me crossly. "What nonsense are you bbering, Charles?!" My mother hurriedly went to my grandmother''s side andforted the old woman. Then she shook her head disapprovingly at me and muttered in a low voice, ''Stop it.'' "Charles..." Scarlett took my hand and squeezed it, trying to calm me down. I held her hands tightly, but my attitude did not soften. I was unwilling to yield, no matter what. "I won''t interfere with your bet, Grandma. But even if Scarlett loses, we won''t have a child anytime soon. That''s final." Grandma was so angry, her eyebrows rose and disappeared behind her hairline. She pointed at me with trembling fingers for a long time, speechless with fury. Suddenly, the anger on her face morphed into a look of pain. "Oh! I feel so dizzy..." "Is it the hypertension? Where''s the medicine?!" My mother got so anxious that she immediately stood up. She held my grandmother''s hands steadily as her eyes swept around nervously. Scarlett quickly rose from her seat and went to find the medicine. The initially peaceful living room had instantly fallen into chaos. I held Grandma''s hand, concerned for her health, but she shook me off angrily. The pain on her face intensified, and she looked like she was in agony. Seeing this, I didn''t dare to approach her again. I watched silently as she took her medicine, and then asked a servant to take her to bed so she could rest. Gradually, Grandma''s condition stabilized. My mother sighed in relief. Then she pushed me out of the room, shooing me away. "Hurry up and get out first. Don''t upset your Grandma again." Left with no choice, I walked out and took Scarlett back to our bedroom. I closed the door. Once inside, Scarlett rained down a barrage of heavy criticisms on me. "Grandma''s old and has high blood pressure! Even if you object to whatever she says, you can''t just contradict her openly and make her angry!" I was scolded repeatedly, and I bore her harsh words silently. With a long face, I took Scarlett in my arms and held her. My voice was soft as I said sulkily, "They''re all my family, so I don''t want to lie to them. Is it wrong to tell them the truth?" Scarlett''s tense body softened in my arms, and her harsh voice grew gentler. "It''s okay to be honest, but you should''ve been more tactful." "But I''ve always been straightforward." "Charles!" Scarlett pushed me away and moved back. Her anger returned, and she red at me. She looked so cute whenever she acted this way. I couldn''t stop myself from pinching her chin, and I bent over to get close to her. "I''m on my period now," Scarlett dered confidently, fearless. My eyes narrowed slightly as I looked at her with a wicked stare. Not to be outdone, she stared back at me with bold eyes. "Don''t even think about it!" I kissed her hard and held the back of her head with one hand, cutting off her unfinished words. My blood boiled and surged all over my body as our lips locked tightly. I picked up the struggling Scarlett, and threw her to the bed. I pressed her body, sucking her wet, hot lips and tongue. I explored deeply and greedily, eager for her breath. Scarlett''s slim body clung to me. I could feel her tremble slightly. I caressed her slender waist and breasts through her clothes, eager. Scarlett''s low groan soon reached my ears. She gasped and swallowed, her chest heaving violently. I ended the kiss reluctantly, and put my forehead against hers. With a deep voice, I threatened, "Get ready. When your period is over, I''ll get it all back." Scarlett grinned back defiantly. "Let''s talk about thatter. Anyway, you have to endure it now!" "Bad girl." I bit her neck, and then hugged her tightly. Scarlett whispered in annoyance, "You''re holding me too tightly! Let go." "No." I let out a long sigh, disappointed. Scarlett chuckled, and said, "Charles, look at me." "What''s wrong?" Confused, I propped up and looked at her. Her pretty long hair was wrapped around my fingertips, and her eyes looked particrly charming. She raised her hands, and wrapped them around my neck seductively. "Scarlett, don''t tempt me like that." I warned her seriously, my eyes burning with lust. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Scarlett shed me a coquettish smile. She pulled my neck closer to her, and then gave me a kiss. She licked and bit my lips gently, and our tongues intertwined. Soon, she retreated. However, I didn''t give her a chance to end the kiss. I hugged her and pressed on her hard, deepening the kiss. She screamed in protest, but I ignored it. I didn''t let go of Scarlett until she was finally out of breath. I gritted my teeth and pretended to threaten her, "Do you want to tempt me again?" "No, I don''t!" Scarlett turned her face away awkwardly as she pushed me away, and leaned against the bed. "I''m going to take a shower." I pulled Scarlett into my arms, gave her buttocks a brief squeeze, and then jumped out of bed. "Charles!" Scarlett blushed, embarrassed, but her legs remained tightly wrapped around my waist. "I''ll take you to the bathroom." Seeing Scarlett''s relieved face, I added slowly, "How about we take a shower together?" Scarlett snorted and retorted loudly, "No!" "Fine..." I replied curtly, but I grabbed her nheless and took her to the bathroom, closing the door in our wake. Chapter 243 Good Night, Hubby_____ Chapter 243 Good Night, Hubby_____ Spencer''s POV: I sat on the edge of the bed and held Vivian''s hand. I could not help but admire her quiet sleeping face. She looked so beautiful. But when I touched her, she frowned slightly and tightened her grip on my hand. It appeared that her sleep was not as deep as it seemed. "Vivian," I called her name worriedly. Her eyes fluttered open when she heard my voice. She looked at me with sleepy eyes. But then, she turned over and continued to sleep. I could not help but sigh. When it came to her, I always end up feeling so helpless. "What a careless girl you are!" Vivian suddenly sat up. My words seemed to have startled her. Her gaze then fell on our intertwined hands, and panic shed across her eyes. Slowly, her eyes trailed from our hands to my face. For a moment, the air seemed to be frozen. It was me who first regainedposure. I let go of her hand and saidfortingly, "Vivian, you''re safe now. You''re in my bar." Vivian withdrew her hand and hugged herself. I must admit, her action brought a pang in my heart. All of a sudden, her phone rang, breaking the awkward silence between us. I handed her phone to her and asked, "Do you want to answer the call?" Vivian just looked at me. Then, without a word, she slowly reached out and took her phone. She answered the call in a hoarse voice. While she was on the phone, I draped a coat over her shoulders. Then, I sat next to her and waited for her. The call ended shortly after. She put her phone down and wrapped herself tightly with the coat. "Vivian, what happened today?" In the end, I could not stop myself from asking the question that had been bothering me for the longest time. But instead of answering my question, Vivian lowered her head and asked back, "Why did you do that to Ethan?" "Because he was hurting you!" I bellowed without thinking. I could not control my emotions when I recalled what Ethan had done to her. "Do you seriously think I wouldn''t do anything after seeing him hurt you? What I did to him wasn''t enough. How I wish I could beat him to death!" Vivian seemed to be frightened by my reaction that she looked at me with wide eyes full of panic. I took a deep breath to calm myself down. "Vivian, why did you get in Justin''s car? You knew he''d take you to the Johnsons. Why did you still go with him?" Vivian averted her gaze and replied perfunctorily, "Thank you for saving me." I looked at her in confusion as she deliberately-avoided my question. Did she not know that Emily was up to no good? "Vivian, don''t you have anything else to say to me?" Vivian hugged her knees and answered, "None." I stared at her in bewilderment. Truth be told, I had a lot of things to say to her. However, they all turned into a helpless sigh. "Get some rest." It was apparent that Vivian had no ns of telling me the truth. That could only mean one thing: She did not trust me. Without waiting for her response, I turned around and left without looking back. Scarlett''s POV: Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. James only fell asleep at about midnight. And when I returned to my room, Charles was still doing work. A few momentster, he stood up, pulled me into his arms, and kissed me. "I just finished my work. Let''s sleep together." rmed, I immediately reminded him, "Wait! I have¡ª" "I didn''t forget that. I just want to sleep on the same bed as you. That''s all," Charles grumbled. I was happy deep inside. Just as Iy down on the bed, my phone beeped. I fumbled for my phone and saw that Vivian had messaged me. "Scarlett, can youe to the bar tomorrow night? I have a gift for you," the message read. "Who is it?" Charles asked in a low and hoarse voice. His warm breath tickled my ear and sent a shiver down my spine. I thrust the phone in his hand and pushed him away. "See for yourself." After reading the message, Charles threw my phone aside and wrapped his arms around my waist. "What kind of gift will she give you? Why did you have to go to the bar?" I spread out my hands. "I have no idea. Vivian is an andrologist, so maybe¡ª" Charles moved closer to me and whispered in my ear, "Maybe you''re conspiring with her to murder your husband." As soon as he said these words, he licked and bit my earlobe. I could not stand it anymore. I turned my head and covered his mouth. "Behave yourself, and I won''t do anything to you." With my hand on his mouth, Charles looked at me sharply. I could not help but chuckle. The look on his face was priceless. With a smirk, I slowly stroked his eyes and eyebrows and raised his chin coquettishly. I was seducing him, more like provoking him, for the fun of it. "Be good, Charles." In a blink of an eye, he grabbed my hand and wrapped his arm around my waist. "I can''t help but notice that you like to provoke me when you have your period," he said through gritting teeth. I chuckled and said with a hint of sarcasm. "How did you know that? You''re so smart!" Charles always made me exhausted in bed and only let me rest when I was on my period. So during those days, I would vent my anger on him and torture him. How could I not seize such an opportunity to make fun of him? Suddenly, he let out a snort, and my hair stood on end. Uh oh. For some reason, I could feel that I was wrong on something. "Scarlett, do you honestly think that I can''t do anything to you?" Charles asked with malice. I struggled to get out of his arms but to no avail. His arms were like steel. He did not even budge even when I was using all my strength to get away from him. At this moment, Charles ced his hands on my waist and tickled me. "AH! NO! LET ME GO! STOP!" I eximed at the top of my lungs. I wriggled like a worm as he tickled me. Ironically, the more I tried to get away from him, the deeper I sank into his arms. There was no escape. I stopped trying to break free and instead shouted for mercy. "Charles, stop! Please stop!" But Charles remained unmoved and just continued tickling me. Iughed and cried, iling and twisting like crazy. "Fine! I was just kidding! Hubby! HUBBY!" When I said those words, Charles stopped, and the room quieted down in an instant. He looked at me incredulously. With his eyebrows furrowed, he gently held my chin up with his thumb and index fingers and stroked my lips. "What did you just call me?" Only then did I realize that my body was hot, almost as if I was burning with fever. Oh my God! How I wish I could hide in a hole right now. How could I say that word out loud? I kept my mouth shut and did not respond. Charles moved closer to me and put his forehead against mine. "Scarlett, call me that again." I could see clearly the tion and longing in his eyes. His eyes were bewitching. When we looked into each other''s eyes, I felt like an electric current was flowing throughout my body. I felt so weak in my knees. And yet, my heart was beating wildly in my chest. But then, I closed my eyes and stubbornly refused him. "No!" Charles did not say anything more and kissed me. I opened my eyes in surprise. Charles''s eyes were closed, and his curled eyshes fluttered slightly. I let myself get immersed in his tenderness. As we kissed, I could feel his tongue force its way into my mouth. His lust and longing were obvious in his every move, forcing me to sumb to his needs. The temperature in the room seemed to rise by a notch as our bodies rubbed against each other. A few momentster, he finally let go of my lips, though his lips were still touching mine. "Do you want it?" I red at him to show my refusal. But, it did not prove much as my legs were intertwined with his. "No way." Charlesughed maniacally. With a mischievous grin, he bit my lips and added, "Call me hubby again, or else I''ll make you crave for more and leave you hanging." I was bbergasted, but I had no choice but to do as he said. I rolled my eyes at him and mumbled, "Hubby." "I''m here." Charles was smiling from ear to ear. Obviously, he enjoyed being called that. I drew a deep breath in annoyance. "I''m tired," Iined. "Go to sleep, honey. Good night." Hey down with me in his arms and kissed me on the cheek. But instead of closing his eyes to sleep, he looked at me expectantly. I knew very well what he was waiting for me to do. However, I was afraid of his cruel tactics. So, although reluctant, I said what he wanted to hear. "Good night, hubby." Chapter 244 Unprecedented Trouble__ Chapter 244 Unprecedented Trouble__ Scarlett''s POV: In the morning, I opened my drowsy eyes and reached out my arms to embrace Charles. But then, I realized that he wasn''t beside me. The cold touch of the bed sheet jolted me awake. I still remembered how sweet we werest night. I wondered if it was just a dream. Still dazed, I went downstairs. There, I saw Christine and Alice sitting at the dining table and eating breakfast. When they heard me go downstairs, they both turned to look at me. "Good morning, Scarlett. Did you sleep wellst night?" Christine asked, smiling at me. "Sure did, Grandma," I answered listlessly. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Come and have breakfast with us, dear! I specially made your favorite apple pie today. Charles had to go out early because something urgent needed to be dealt with in thepany. But before he left, he made this heart-shaped fried egg, and told us that nobody is allowed to touch it, because it''s for his beloved wife." Alice grinned as she said that. I felt ashamed and annoyed by how foolish I had been. It caught me off-guard that I didn''t know since when I had been so easily swayed by Charles'' every move. This dawning realization made me panic. It worried me that this current happiness was but a fleeting dream. But, there was a voice in my heart that said I wanted to be with Charles and that I wanted to have the happiness I once dreamed of. There was a variety of breakfast food on the table; fresh milk, fruits, pastries, and an apple pie that Christine carefully prepared. They all smelled so good, and mouth-watering. Compared to these delicious foods, the heartshaped fried egg that Charles made wasn''t even worth a nce. But even so, I still savored every bite of it. While we were having breakfast, none of us mentioned the dispute yesterday about having a second child. But I knew that the issue wasn''t over. And sure enough, after breakfast, Christine brought me to her room. She then held my hand and said earnestly, "My dear Scarlett, I''m getting old. The future of the Moore family depends on your shoulders and Charles'' now. I don''t really care about his opinion that much, but I want you to give us an answer. Can I expect a great-granddaughter anytime soon?" The sight of her expectant eyes made me reluctant to say no. "Of course, Grandma." "Great! I knew that you''d share the same opinion as I do, my dear!" Christine nodded with relief, still holding my hand. At this time, Alice also came in. Apparently she had heard what I said just now. "Scarlett, are you really willing to do that?" It sounded like she couldn''t believe it yet. "Of course." As soon as I said that, Alice rushed towards me and hugged me with excitement on her face. "Oh, Scarlett! You truly are the best. Once my granddaughter is born, I''m going to give you big gift!" The promise I made to these two women made them very happy, and it might''ve dispelled an oing storm in the family. However, I had no idea what might happen in the future. Now that I hadforted them, I could finally go to work. Not long after I sat down, Nina rushed into my office. "Scarlett, do you have a moment? I''ve pondered about this for a long time, and I figured that it''s necessary for me to tell you about this matter." Her eyes lit up. "Is something the matter, Nina?" I was really confused. "It''s not really that big of a deal. Do you remember that poor girl we met at the barst time? The one goes by the name Jasmine." Upon hearing the name, I remembered the girl''s tearful pretty face. "You mean that girl who wanted to make money to pay for her mother''s medical fees, but was forced by Rita to please those rich guys?" I asked. "Yes, exactly. Actually, she came to see you just now. She said that her mother was dying, and she''s pleading to you for help. However, J and Tracy drove her away," said Nina. After a moment of hesitation, she asked, "Scarlett, do you think you could help her out?" In all honesty, I was surprised. I had only met Jasmine once, so howe she knew that she should go to the TV station in order to ask me for help? It all sounded so suspicious. After all, she had once been in contact with Rita. It worried me that this girl was just a way for Rita to lure me into one of her traps again. But at the same time, I thought of how helpless and desperate Jasmine looked. It was hard not to sympathize with her. I knew that only those who had fallen into the deepest pits of desperation would have such deste eyes. ''Was my father like her in his moment of desperation? If someone had helped him back then, would his end be less tragic?'' It was this thought that made me reconsider. I decided to help Jasmine out. I felt that this could make up for my regrets. "Nina, you know that I don''t want to get involved with anything even remotely rted to Rita. But this time, it''s a matter of life and death, so I''m willing to make an exception. But know this, I won''t do it again," I sighed. "Sorry to have imposed this on you, Scarlett. I should''ve stayed out of it. I''m really sorry for bringing you this big trouble." Nina apologize to me and then she promise that she wouldn''t do it again. "It''s not your fault, Nina." Though I had made up my mind to help Jasmine, I still felt uneasy about the whole thing. Thus, I decided to tell Charles about it. "Honey, why are you calling me at this time of the day? Do you miss me?" Charles'' mellow voice came from the other end of the line. "I need your help on something, Charles. Are you freeter?" "Well, you''d nevere to me unless you need a favor. Nevertheless, since you''ve asked me for help, I''m willing to free up my schedule. See you at mypanyter, my love." It was fortunate that Charles agreed so readily. "Okay, see you then." With that, I hung up the phone. ****** Upon my arrival at the Moore Group, Amy was waiting for me downstairs. It was then that she let me to Charles'' office. When he saw me enter his office, Charles immediately approached me and held my hand. "Honey, you''re here." The sound of his voice was so gentle andforting. But as soon as he turned his head to Amy, his expression changed. "You may leave now," he said calmly. "Yes, Mr. Moore." Without hesitation, Amy left the office. Charles led me to his desk, sat me on the chair, and kissed me. Blushing, I stood up and turned my face away from him. "Stop it, Charles. I''m here for something serious. Don''t be such a flirt!" I noticed the disappointment on his face. Charles leaned back again his desk, and held me in his arms. "Alright, Scarlett. Let''s talk business." It was then that I told him what happened today. Charles raised an eyebrow at me, seemingly surprised. "Scarlett, why do you want to help aplete stranger?" "Just think of it as my better nature; a good deed, perhaps," I answered. "Scarlett, do you believe that it''s entirely a coincidence? What if Rita is just using Jasmine to hurt you?" he asked. "That''s why I''m here to speak with you. With your resources, it''ll be easy for you run aplete background check on this girl, right?" I asked. Charles nted a kiss on my lips and smiled. "As long as you want my help, it''s a piece of cake." Chapter 245 Put On An Act Chapter 245 Put On An Act Charles''s POV: I held Scarlett tightly in my arms, pulling her close to me. Suddenly, Scarlett''s stomach rumbled and a loud sound filled the air around us. I lowered my head to stare at her. Scarlett immediately buried her head in my arms, just like an ostrich, blushing hard. "A-ahem! I came here in a hurry, so I haven''t had lunch yet," Scarlett muttered, her head hanging low, cheeks red from embarrassment. "Let''s go." I reached out and caressed her belly affectionately. "Come to the staff canteen downstairs with me." "I don''t want to go to the staff canteen. Can we go somewhere else?" The happy smile on Scarlett''s face froze stiff at the mention the staff canteen. Her good mood quickly dropped and her spirits soured. My heart instantly ached at the sudden change. It then urred to me that in the past, Rita had made things difficult for Scarlett there several times. Thus, the staff canteen was probably a ce full of bad memories for Scarlett. "What about Elegant Time? The western restaurant near thepany?" I took Scarlett''s hand, caressing it, and asked tentatively, "What do you think?" Relief shed across Scarlett''s face and her mood soared. She nodded joyfully. "Let''s go now!" But then, Scarlett stopped me. "Charles, wait. What I just told you..." "Don''t worry, honey." Right in front of her, I took out my phone and dialed Richard. The line soon connected. "Richard, I have a task for you. Investigate a girl named Jasmine. I''ll sent you the details. I want all the information about her." After hanging up, I looked at Scarlett with a smile. "Alright." Scarlett nodded contentedly, satisfied, and held my arm sweetly. "Let''s go." Before we entered the elevator, I told Amy to cancel all my appointments in the afternoon. "What are you going to do this afternoon?" "I''ll keep youpany." Scarlett stared at me in disbelief and said, "But I have work to do this afternoon." "Then I''ll be with you in your office." "Charles. If you keep doing this, I''m not going to have lunch with you!" In a fit of anger, Scarlett spun on her heel defiantly and ran into the elevator. It was rare for her to act like a spoiled little girl, but in all honesty, she was more charming whenever she did that. I casually followed her into the elevator. "Scarlett, you have to eat something. Look at your empty stomach! I''ll feel sorry for you." "Well then, let''s have another child together. Then my belly will bulge!" Scarlett retorted, shooting me a defiant re. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Her words silenced me immediately. When the elevator arrived at the first floor, the doors slid open and arge group of people rushed in. I grabbed Scarlett''s hand instinctively to protect her. I thought she would get rid of me, but she held my hand instead. That surprised me somewhat, but I didn''t mind it. "Oh my! Mr. Moore and Mrs. Moore love each other so much." "I''m so envious!" Listening to the praises of the people around us, Scarlett turned red in delight and embarrassment. Despite the crowd in the elevator, she had no intention of letting go of my hand. I was both happy and surprised by her show of intimacy, my heart filled with warmth. As soon as we walked out of the building, however, Scarlett tried to shake off my hand. "Ugh, Charles. You are so childish!" Scarlettined, though her voice was coquettish and she was blushing pink. There was no anger in her tone. Smiling, I pulled her into a hug. "Seems someone''s really cooperative and submissive today." "Bah! What on earth are you talking about?" Scarlett pretended to be clueless, and tried to struggle out of my arms. "If you keep struggling, I''ll kiss you in public. I mean it," I threatened jokingly, and pretended that I was about to kiss her. At that, Scarlett froze in my arms and stayed still. Scarlett''s POV: Charles and I soon arrived at the western restaurant Elegant Time. To my surprise, Lily, who I hadn''t seen for a long time, was also there. When she noticed our presence, she approached us and greeted politely, "Good afternoon, Mr. Moore and Mrs. Moore. What a coincidence! I didn''t expect you two to have lunch here." I replied to her greeting with a smile, nodding. Charles put on a confused appearance and asked with a surprised tone, "Honey, who''s this? Do you know her?" "This is Lily. Don''t you remember her? You''ve met each other before," I answered, trying to hold back myughter. "Oh? Do I...?" Charles raised his eyebrows, still feigning surprise and uncertainty. His Oscar-worthy acting skills amused me greatly. He was truly number one when it came to mocking people. "It doesn''t matter, Mr. Moore. It''s expected that you don''t remember me, since you''re such a busy man. I won''t disturb you anymore. I''m looking forward to our next meeting. Goodbye for now." Charles''s sarcasm had no effect on Lily, who didn''t seem to mind it. She left calmly, asposed as the still surface of ake. I watched her receding figure, and I couldn''t help but admire her in my heart. She wasn''t very popr in the entertainment circle, but I had to say, she could definitely be called an amazing actress in some aspects. She was good at putting an act in my presence. Despite Charles''s ruthless teasing, she was able to leave without the slightest change in her expression. No wonder she was able topete with Rita for Lively Group! Chapter 246 I Would Give My Life To You Chapter 246 I Would Give My Life To You Lily''s POV: I made my way back to my seat upstairs, but my eyes still lingered on Charles and Scarlett. "Charles and his wife are really good at pretending to be innocent." I couldn''t help but sneer derisively. Emma, who was beside me, shook her head. "Honestly, I think Charles is like a wolf in sheep''s clothing. He''s intimidating even when he smiles. He may seem calm and collected, but the second the opportunity rises, he''d strike the enemy without hesitation and tear them into pieces, still with that smile." As Emma spoke, her voice was full of admiration and yearning. Indeed, Charles was an attractive man, charming and powerful. Unfortunately, there was only one woman who could be with him, and that was Scarlett. This was the conclusion that countless idiotic women was forced to swallow after going through great pains to win over Charles, only to fail. "Say, Lily. I heard you''ve slept with Charles?" Emma asked tentatively, eager for gossip. "I don''t know where you heard that from, but it''s not true." I cast a cold nce at her and said, "Charles doesn''t even like Rita, much less an unknown actress like me! How could I possibly have an affair with him?" Emma was quite surprised at my reply. "What happened to you? Why are you suddenly talking like that?" The expectation brimming in Emma''s face faded away, reced with disappointment and surprise. "What, haven''t I suffered enough?" I sneered again, my eyes burning with hate. "It''s all because of Rita. All I want to do right now is take over Lively Group and make herpletely broke!" "You say that, but there''s nothing left in Lively Group now..." Emma grumbled in a low voice, annoyed. "Why do you have to fight with a loser?" "A starving camel is better than a horse. Besides, I deserve this." I clenched my hands into angry fists, and my long nails almost dug into my palms. Lively Group was the reason I lost my son! He used to be the flesh and blood resting in my womb, waiting toe out to the world for me to see. I was full of expectations. I wanted to meet him so badly. After I lost him, I couldn''t fall asleep. I stood awake for many nights, wallowing in misery. Whenever I closed my eyes, I dreamed of his miserable and bloody appearance as he called for me, saying ''Mother''... At that time, I swore. I would make Rita pay for everything, even if it was thest thing I do! "Karma''s a bitch. Have you read the gossip news about Rita recently? She got beaten up so badly in the streets, but Charles just stood by and did nothing! Ha, ha, ha!" Emma gloated, deeply amused. When she mentioned Charles''s name, however, her face was filled with yearning once more. "Rumor has it that Charles refused to save Rita because he was afraid of his wife. That''s so ridiculous! Charles doesn''t take Rita seriously at all," I exined calmly. I couldn''t help but remind her and added carefully, "Emma, let me give you some advice. Whatever you''re thinking about Charles, stop it." After that, I said nothing more. "Of course I''ll listen to your advice!" Emma then hooked my arm with hers in a ttering manner. "Obviously, everyone in the city can see that! If anyone dares to destroy the rtionship between Mr. and Mrs. Moore, he or she will end up just like Rita! It''s practically suicide." With that, she removed her arm from mine and proceeded to browsing the menu card. It seemed that she had given up the idea of seducing Charles, at least for now. Recalling Rita''s tragic fall in the news, delight spread everywhere in me. I was ecstatic! But, this was far from enough. That wretched woman needed to suffer much, much more. Scarlett''s POV: After we had our lunch, Charles insisted on sending me to the TV station. We soon arrived at the gate, but he didn''t have the slightest intention of leaving. Charles crossed his arms in front of his chest, staunch and defiant. His casual ck suit made him look more slender and elegant, giving him a dashing image. "Aren''t you going to work, honey?" Charles urged me gently, a calm smile on his face. He had always been the focus of the crowd wherever he went, and that fact remained even until now. He was only standing at the door of the TV station, but had already attracted the attention of many colleagues passing by. They kept looking back frequently, unable to tear their eyes away from him. "Of course I have to work! Look, Charles. The rules of the TV station permit admittance to staff only." I poked his arm, frustrated, and begged in a hurried whisper, "So you better leave now." "I''m not an outsider here," said Charles, taking my hand. "You don''t have a good memory, Scarlett. Let me help you recall something. I''ve spent a lot of money on this TV station. How about I ask the head of the TV station to prove it?" He gave me a mischievous and cheeky gaze, as if he was certain that I had no reason to drive him away. I drew back my hand angrily, past the limits of my patience. "Fine! Then just stay here, Mr. Sponsor. I don''t have the time to entertain you." With a huff, I turned around and strode into my office. Charles followed me quietly, and then sat obediently on the sofa in front of me. I cast him a cross re, my annoyance rising. Charles took out his phone and shook it at me, as if trying to promise me that he would stay obediently in the office and not disturb anyone. However, there was one thing he didn''t take ount for. He didn''t know it, but to me, staying in the same space as him interfered with my work. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. It was difficult for me to ignore what Charles was doing, even as I tried to concentrate on my job. There was a pile of work in front of me, waiting to be finished, but my mind would involuntarily wander and get attracted to Charles. I wasn''t the only one who was attracted to his charm, however. During tea breaks, I noticed several young women passing by the door of my office frequently. They were eager to drop by and sneak several nces at Charles, wanting to see more of him. As I looked at their shy, excited faces, I couldn''t help but be reminded of my secret love for Charles in the past, and how I used to pursue him. And now, he had really be my man and the father of my child. I found it to be surreal. Everything felt like a lovely dream. ***** Soon, it was time to get off work. One after another, my colleagues left the ce. Charles was still focusing on his phone, showing no signs of impatience. He looked calm and leisurely. Having finished my work, I grabbed my chair and sat down in front of Charles. I poked my head curiously to look at his phone screen. As it turned out, he was browsing at the daily photos I posted on my Facebook. There were pictures of myself and James on my feed. "Instead of managing the millions of businesses you have in yourpany, you wasted a whole day here. You should calcte how much money you''ve lost today, Charles." I shook my head in mock sadness, feigning regret. "Nothing''s more important than apanying you." Charles''s face carried regret as well. He looked sadder than me, in fact. "You didn''t post my photos much on Facebook. I''m so sad..." Charles seldom uttered such sweet nothings. So whenever he said things like this, it was still quite incredible to me. "Am I so important to you? More important than your life?" I took out the pen from the pocket of my shirt and twirled it in my hand casually as I waited for his answer. The next second, I grabbed Charles''s tie and pulled him closer to me. At the same time, I pointed the tip of the pen gently against his neck. "Your wife wants your life. Will you give it to her?" Unexpectedly, Charles replied by wrapping his arms around my waist and forcing me to sit on his lap. The pen on my hand shook from this sudden movement, and I almost poked him by ident. "Be careful!" I eximed in a fit of panic, rmed. However, Charles held my hand and pressed the tip of the pen directly against his artery. "If you want my life, Scarlett, your hands can''t tremble like that." The look on his face was extremely gentle, as if what he intended to give me was merely an unimportant toy. "Before, I would have hesitated. But now, I''ll give you my life without a second thought should you want it." He leveled a deep gaze at me as he spoke. There was no humor in his voice, and he looked dead serious. "I''ll give you whatever you want, Scarlett." This... This crazy man! Immediately, my grip on the pen loosened and it fell to the floor. Chapter 247 Potion Chapter 247 Potion Scarlett''s POV: "Charles, do you even know what you''re talking about?" I looked down to avert my gaze from his passionate eyes. Charles pinched my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes. "Scarlett, I swear on my family''s name. If there''s anyone in this world who could make me willingly hand over my life, it''s just you." "Without hesitations?" I asked. "Certainly." Charles picked up the pen on the floor and handed it to me. Then, he ced his arms around my waist, leaning closer towards me. "You can try." His voice was like music to my ears, and it was bewitching. I furrowed my brows and raised the pen high on purpose, pretending as though I was going to jab his arteries with the pen. In response, Charles closed his eyes leisurely. When it came to rtionships, he was a bold risk taker who didn''t care that much about his own life. But even so, Charles had won the bed. I had lost against him, but that didn''t necessarily made me feel bad. It was then that I threw the pen away, gently cupping Charles'' cheeks with both hands before I nted a kiss on his forehead. "Scarlett, you believe me, don''t you?" His wide-eyed gaze disyed his surprise. I nodded in response to his question. No woman wouldn''t swoon over a man''s promise that he would willinglyy down his life for her. If I had jabbed the pen into Charles'' artery, he would''ve been dead moments ago. I was so moved by his faithfulness and loyalty to me that I hugged him with every bit of affection I could muster. "It may not be that difficult toy down your life," I told him, briefly pausing for suspense. "I''m gonna need you to do something even harder," I continued. "What is it?" asked Charles. "I want you to keep living for me." ***** Charles and I spent the whole day together. When night fell, I suggested that we should visit Vivian. Upon our arrival at Mint Bar, Charles went to look for Spencer. Meanwhile, I went to Vivian''s room alone. "Scarlett, I''m so d to see you here," said Vivian. "Yup! I''ve promised toe and see you," I replied. She looked a lot better than thest time I saw her. On her desk, there were several small bottles of liquid medicine of varying colors. To sate my curiosity, I went to pick up one of the bottles. The one I had picked up was as clear as water. Its contents rippled gently as I swiveled the bottle around. "You picked a good one, Scarlett. You should take that one home and give it a try. It''ll be fun. Trust me." Vivian giggled. "I''m sure you''ll spend a wonderful night with Charles after taking that." The way she was looking at me made me blush. And as I held the medicine bottle in my hand, I felt a little embarrassed. "Charles doesn''t need it," I remarked, putting the bottle down. They were all neatly arranged on the desk. If Charles were to take this drug, I probably wouldn''t be able to get a wink of sleep at night, and he''d probably pester me even during the daytime. Vivian burst intoughter. "Is Charles that great in bed?" "He restrains himself sometimes," I responded, my face blushing even more. It was true that Charles would go crazy on me whenever we had sex, sometimes because I would let him fuck me as much as he wanted. But if I were to refuse him firmly, he would just respect me and my feelings. However, that didn''t mean he wouldn''tin like a child. And then, he''d use it as an excuse to ask me to make it up to him the next time we could have sex again. "Thanks for your help the other day. If it weren''t for you and Spencer, I would''ve been in dire straits." I noticed that Vivian''s shoulders were trembling as she spoke. It looked like she was still terrified of that horrible experience she had that day. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Attempting tofort her, I held her shoulders and said, "You don''t have to thank me. Thank Spencer instead. He really cares about you." That day, Spencer let all hell break loose. He must really care about Vivian. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been so furious. "Does he really care about me?" A bitter smile appeared on Vivian''s lips. "Is everything okay?" I asked. "Spencer hasn''t spoken to me the whole day," she said, still wearing a wry smile. "If he really cared about me, then why is he ignoring me when I''m by his side? Why did he have to be a hero only in my time of need?" I could understand why Vivian was feeling insecure and worried. At times, people could be by your side, and yet they would feel so out of touch. "Maybe it''s still hard for him to process. Just give him some more time, Vivian." I patted her hand and added, "Spencer can be stupid sometimes, but he does care." "I agree with you on that one." A sly smile appeared on Vivian''s pretty face. "But, don''t worry! I have an idea," she continued. I followed her gaze and saw the bottles on the table. ''Wait... is she going to use those on Spencer? My, my. He''s really met his greatest match in love, hasn''t he?'' I raised my ss towards Vivian, and grinned. Her n was indeed wonderful. "Then, here''s to your sess." We clinked our sses together with a tacit understanding. Charles'' POV: I regretted leaving Scarlett. Ever since I met up with Spencer, he had beenining nonstop. "Charles, are you even listening, dude?" He was wearing a pitiful expression. "I think Vivian might''ve cast a curse on me. I''m feeling dizzy today, and I feel really feeble." "You were really strong when you beat the crap out of Ethan that day," I remarked with a chuckle. Out of boredom, I sat on the sofa. I felt as though my ears would explode if I kept on listening to Spencer''s nagging. "That cunt deserved it. He should count himself lucky that I didn''t beat him to death," Spencer said proudly. "Killing him would do you no good, bro. Think about this. Why do you think Emily was willing to marry Vivian off to someone like that?" I asked. Sometimes, Spencer could be too simple-minded. He would always allow his emotions to cloud his rationality. ''What an optimistic fool,'' I remarked inwardly. "Why else? It''s because Emily is a heartless piece of shit! She basically sold Vivian. She doesn''t care about Vivian''s happiness. She only cares about what benefits she can get out of her own daughter!" Spencer sprang to his feet, visibly enraged. He was riled up at this point. Each time that he mentioned anyone that wanted to hurt Vivian, his face would disy just how badly he desired to murder that person. "What about Ethan? Both of them must''ve had a purpose to reach that sort of agreement. There are only two possibilities why Ethan would want to get Vivian through perverse methods. One is that he could benefit a lot if she became his wife. The other is that he just sees her as a piece of meat that he could fuck whenever he wanted." Now that Spencer had brought that up, I dribbled my fingers on the table. "Whatever his purpose may be, do you think Vivian would give in so easily?" I asked. "Of course not," Spencer answered decisively. "She won''t, if she''s still the Vivian I know." The decisiveness of his voice gradually faded. "But do I really know her that well?" Spencer wore a conflicted expression. "Damn it! Sometimes, I really can''t figure out what Vivian wants." This matter was probably not as simple as it seemed. I let out a sigh and attempted tofort my friend. "It''s too early to give up now." No matter how bad a situation might be, I believed that it could be overturned soon. Chapter 248 Dont Be So Chapter 248 Don''t Be So Obnoxious Scarlett''s POV: Vivian was a kindhearted woman. She and I had a lot inmon, and we had a lovely conversation. While we were chatting and drinking wine, we heard a knock on the door. "Who is it?" Vivian asked loudly. Afterwards, the door was pushed open. "Vivian, Harris is waiting for you in the first floor lobby." Having said that, the waitress turned around and left. I raised an eyebrow, staring at Vivian in confusion. "Who is Harris?" "It''s Emily''sckey," she answered. Vivian let out an exasperated sigh as she stood up. She then straightened her clothes and shed me a grin. "I''ll go meet him." As I watched her leave, I felt uneasy about this Harris guy. Thus, I followed her out. As soon as I walked out of the room, I saw two tall men. They were standing before the railing and peering downstairs. "What are you doing?" When I got close to them, Charles grabbed my hand and pulled me into his arms. Just before I could tell him to behave himself in public, I found that Spencer looked upset. He was staring downstairs intently and he wouldn''t even nce at us. Confused, I looked downstairs. There were many people in the hall, but it was still easy to spot Vivian''s petite figure among them. A man grabbed her arm, but she rudely shook it off. She was wearing an unfriendly expression and seemed like she was chastising the guy. It was no wonder that Spencer couldn''t take his eyes off her. "That''s Harris, and he works for Emily," I exined. Upon hearing my remark, Spencer finally averted his gaze from Vivian, looking at me in surprise. "Do you know him?" Suddenly, Charles tightened his grip on my waist and pressed my back against his chest. I could feel the warmth of his body through my clothes. "Scarlett?" I sensed Charles'' vignce when I heard his voice. I wasn''t sure how to react to that, so I pinched the back of his hand as a warning. "I don''t know him, okay? Vivian told me the guy''s name before she went downstairs." Charles loosened his grip on me, rubbing his cheek against mine. It was rare for him to be so clingy. Until now, Spencer was still frowning. In silence, we looked downstairs, only to find that Vivian had picked up a ss of beer and poured it over Harris. Thetter was practically covered in beer, and the passersby gasped in shock. Harris red at Vivian, inching closer towards her. However, the bar staff blocked his path. They immediately stood between Harris and Vivian, and handed the man a towel respectfully. A momentter, one of the waiters escorted Harris to the door. Not long after, Vivian turned around and left, disappearing from my sight. Spencer locked his eyes on the stairway. After a few seconds, Vivian came upstairs. He walked up to her and asked, "Are you hurt?" "No." Vivian shook her head. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Don''t do something stupid like that again," he said. "Why? What''s up?" she asked. "Vivian, if I''m not with you and nobody''s protecting you, it''s only a matter of time until you suffer the consequences." Upon hearing Spencer say that, Vivian red at him. "It''s none of your business. The worst that could happen to me is that I''ll get killed." The moment Spencer looked into her eyes, his daunting aura disappeared without a trace. "But, I..." "What? You feel sorry for me, is that it?" Vivian walked up to Spencer. Her plump chest was almost pressing against him, but he kept on backing away. Charles and I exchanged nces in silence. "I don''t care about you at all!" Right after saying that, Spencer fled into a nearby private room. Vivian stood in ce, resting her hands on her hips and staring at him. "Scarlett, I don''t think it''s a good idea for you to be friends with Vivian," Charles whispered in my ear. I nced at him, shaking my head with disappointment. "I''m not a child anymore, Charles. I know how to choose my friends. Besides, Vivian is capable, and she''s true to herself. She can do so many things that I want to do but I''m too scared to do. I really admire her," I remarked. Charles sighed. "Fine. Have it your way." I scoffed at him, and turned around. Then, I noticed that Vivian was approaching me. "Hey, Scarlett! Wanna get back to drinking?" She winked at me. I nodded in agreement. It was then that I pushed Charles away and walked back to Vivian''s room, hand in hand. Before entering the room, I looked back and found that Charles was still standing there. He was leaning against the railing leisurely, and his eyes disyed his affection towards me. Then, he crooked his finger at me. "Come back here," he said. I couldn''t help but giggle. I made a face at him and dragged Vivian into the room. Charles'' POV: Scarlett left me behind to drink with Vivian until eleven in the evening. By the time we left the bar, Scarlett was drunk. She grabbed my tie and said, "Vivian, remember to lock the door! Don''t let Spencer slip in and eat you alive," she remarked. I was rendered speechless. Scarlett had indeed fallen in with a bad influence. As we stepped out of the bar''s entrance, we found Tracy waiting there for us. She approached and said, "Jeez, you reek of alcohol, Scarlett! How much did you drink?" Scarlett giggled, raising a finger and stuttering, "Just... just one!" Meanwhile, J opened the door of the car and asked, "Gosh, Scarlett is hammered. Should we head back to the Moore mansion today, sir?" I carefully carried Scarlett into the backseat. "Let''s go to Garden Street," I responded. Soon, the car started and the scenery outside the window changed. As she leaned against my chest, Scarlettined, "Ugh, I feel so horrible, Charles. My head is spinning and throbbing. It''s crazy!" "That''s because you''re drunk, honey." I frowned, feeling bad to see her in this state. Slowly, Scarlett raised her head, staring at me with her pitiful eyes. She bit her lower lip, making it look like a crumpled rose petal. She had totally let her guard down beside me. In all honesty, she looked so tempting and charming. I couldn''t take my eyes off her, but I was afraid that I''d indulge in the tenderness of her gaze. I forced myself to look away and said to J, "Drive slower." "Yes, sir." Gently, I pressed Scarlett''s head into my chest while stroking her hair. "Good girl. This way, you won''t feel dizzy after getting off the car. Once we get home, get some rest okay?" Scarlett responded with a nod and nestled in my arms. After a while, the car pulled over. I got off the car with Scarlett, and went inside the house. "I''ll run a bath for you," I told her. Then, I put her on the bed, nted a kiss on her forehead, and went to the bathroom. There, I filled the bathtub with hot water. After turning off the faucet, I heard Scarlett''s voice from outside. I opened the door and went out. When I saw what she was doing, I wasn''t sure how to react. Scarlett was pacing back and forth in the room as if she were looking for something. She shouted, "Hubby! Where on earth is my dear husband? Honey?" "I''m here." I walked to her side with a smile on my face and embraced her. "Are you looking for me, my love?" Scarlett looked at me carefully, as though she was making sure it was really me. It was hard to resist the urge tough at her reaction. "Don''tugh!" She pointed at me, visibly displeased, then leaned back to look at my face carefullyagain. "You... you''re really my husband," she said. "Say that again," I replied. With affection in her eyes, Scarlett said without hesitation, "You''re my husband!" It was then that I kissed her wildly. Now that she was drunk, she was more straightforward and passionate than when she was sober. Perhaps the alcohol had affected Scarlett''s reasoning at this point. She kissed me back passionately. Her arms were wrapped around my neck and her body clung to mine. Thest bits of my rationality forced me to stop the kiss. "No, Scarlett," I told her. Like a spoiled brat, Scarlettined, "Charles, don''t you want to kiss me? Don''t you want to have sex?" "Of course, I do!" I picked her up and brought her into the bathroom. "But right now, you need to take a bath and get some sleep." Scarlett nibbled on my neck and slipped into my arms powerlessly. It seemed that she was really hammered. As I stared at the filled up bathtub, I let out a sigh. Scarlett was the one who was drunk, but I was the one suffering the consequences. Chapter 249 Closed Door Chapter 249 Closed Door Vivian''s POV: It was twelve o''clock at midnight. I took a deep breath, walked to Spencer''s door, and knocked. A few secondster, the door opened, and Spencer''s towering figure loomed over me. "Vivian, what are you doing here? It''ste. Why haven''t you gone to bed yet?" He seemed to be a little surprised to see me. What was more, there was a hint of worry in his eyes. Seeing that he was concerned about me boosted my courage. At this moment, I closed my eyes, swallowed hard, and threw myself into his arms. A deafening silence fell between us. The only thing I could hear was his heart thumping wildly in his chest. "Vivian, what are you doing?" Spencer asked confusedly. I looked up at him. His face, along with his ears, was as red as a lobster. It seemed that what I had done aroused something inside him. The uneasiness in my heart dissipated. I stroked his well-defined chest with my fingers and coquettishly said, "You saved me from the Johnsons. I haven''t officially thanked you yet." Spencer stiffened and took a step away from me. However, I held his waist tightly with my arms and followed him into the room. However, I tripped on something and lost my footing. As a result, we both lost our bnce and fell to the cold hardwood floor. "Are you okay?" Spencer asked worriedly. I opened my eyes and saw that I had fallen on top of him. He propped on his hand to get up, but I rode on him, stopping him from doing so He looked at me in astonishment. Suddenly, an inexplicable look shed across his face. It seemed that it finally dawned on him my purpose ofing here. "Are you nning on sleeping with me to show your gratitude?" "Yes." My fists were clenched as I spoke. For a moment, we just stared into each other''s eyes. His eyes were deep and bright, and I could clearly see my reflection in them. He did not say anything in response. Unable to take the silence any longer, I reached out to take off his clothes. I unbuttoned his shirt with trembling hands. On the third button, his toned pecs were revealed. Just as the atmosphere in the room had be hotter, Spencer suddenly grabbed my hand. "You don''t have to do this, Vivian. This isn''t why I saved you." He looked at me expressionlessly, making me doubt my charm. "Get up," he ordered in a low voice. His words killed the romance between us. My heart sank, and a feeling of shame and anger arose inside me. Ashamed, I strode to the door without looking back. "Since you don''t want me, I''ll arrange someone else for you. Get ready for your blind date tomorrow night at nine o''clock!" Before Spencer could react, I mmed the door shut with a loud bang. The moment I stepped out of the room, I felt exhausted. Feeling weak, I leaned against the door and sighed heavily. I did not sleep well that night. The next morning, I got up listlessly and went to the dining room to have breakfast. However, my day turned even worse as I bumped into a more annoying person. Dressed in expensive clothes, Emily strutted towards me, followed by Justin. "What are you doing here?" I asked coldly. Emily lifted her skirt and sat down gracefully. Then, she looked at me with disdain and retorted, "I''m your mother. Why can''t Ie to your ce? Don''t forget that you still have to pay what you owe me." "How? By selling my body?" I sneered. Displeased with what I had said, Emily pounded on the table. "How dare you talk to me like that, you uneducated hussy?!" "Well, I don''t have parents nor anyone who could teach me how to behave well." "You!" Emily was at a loss for words. Her chest heaved violently in anger. But after a while, she calmed down. She put on a straight face and solemnly said, "Vivian, the truth is, I didn''t want to leave you behind. But your father... he''s a horrible man. You saw the way he beat me. If I stayed in that house, who knew what he''d do to me? I might''ve been killed! You''re an adult now. You should be able to understand where I''m Emily''s words were like ice thorns piercing into my body. They stung and made me feel cold all over. I clenched my trembling hands into fists. Although I was trying my best to calm down, I still failed to suppress the anger in my words. "You''re right. My father is violent. You would''ve been beaten up if you stayed. But what about me? Did you really believe he wouldn''t hurt me?" "You''re his daughter. He won''t kill you," Emily argued. "Wow. That''s so nice of you to care about me!" I stood up abruptly in a fit of anger, and my chair tumbled backwards. My vision turned blurry because of the tears welling up in my eyes. Because of this, Emily looked like a demon, which was ironic because she could pass as one. "That''s all in the past. What matters now is the future. Help me get the property of the Johnson family. Once I have it, we can live happily together again. Isn''t that great?" Emily goaded with a fawning smile. I wiped the tears streaming down my face and stared daggers at her. "No way!" I roared. Emily''s eyes widened in shock. It appeared that she did not expect I would refuse. "Vivian!" I turned my back on her, not wanting to talk to her anymore. But just as I turned around, I saw Spencer at the stairs. My mind was in a mess. I had no idea how much he had heard from my conversation with my so - called mother. Frankly speaking, I did not want him to know about my miserable past. I hated being pitied. On the stairs, Spencer was staring at me. I immediately adjusted my demeanor and walked past him, pretending to be calm. Spencer''s POV: The vulnerability in Vivian''s eyes brought a pang to my heart. I watched as she went upstairs with a morose expression. When she was gone, I marched to Emily with a gloomy face. Emily seemed to have recognized me. She immediately stood up and stepped back. Justin strode forward to protect her. The way he looked at me warily somehow amused me. "Mrs. Johnson, you seem to be very confident in this bodyguard. You think him alone is enough to protect you?" With a frivolous smile, I turned to Justin and patted him on the shoulder. "There are more than one hundred hatchet men in my pub. Do you want to spar with them?" Emily put on an elegant smile and ordered, "Justin, get out of the way." Justin immediately did as told. Emily stepped forward and looked at me with a scrutinizing gaze. "Why are you defending Vivian? Do you want to marry my daughter?" "It''s none of your business," I answered crossly. "Do you think that that''s for you to decide? If the Johnson family doesn''t agree, is there anything you can do about it?" Emily''s tone was disdainful. I could not help but chuckle at her audacity. I sat on the sofa with crossed legs and leisurely asked, "Are you proud of being Mrs. Johnson? If my guess is right, before you married into the Johnson family, they made you sign an agreement, forbidding you from having children. Why else would you send your own daughter to Ethan''s bed?" Emily''s face changed. Then, suddenly, she burst intoughter. "I don''t know what you''re talking about." "Are you sure Ethan will marry Vivian? He just wants to have some fun. Would a young man, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, agree to marry such a poor girl? You''re dreaming." Emily mmed her hand on the table. Her freshly-manicured nails chipped, but that was the least of her concern. "Nonsense!" she shouted in rage. I merely leaned against the sofa, unfazed. "You know very well whether I''m talking nonsense or not." Furious, Emily stamped her feet. But then, a vicious smile appeared on her face. "Spencer, you''re also from a rich family. You also look down upon poor women, don''t you?" "So what I do? Get the hell out of here!" Emily let out a snort and left with Justin. I watched them leave until they disappeared from my sight. For some reason, Emily''sst sentence kept ringing in my head. Something was wrong. I could feel it. Wait a minute. Upon realizing something, I stood up and looked behind me. Just as I expected, Vivian was in the corridor on the second floor. Our eyes met for a second. Before I could react, she turned around and left. I ran as fast as I could. Fortunately, I caught up with her at the door of her room. I grabbed her wrist and called, "Vivian..." She raised her head and forced a smile. However, her lips were trembling, and she appeared to be on the verge of crying. "It turns out that you''re just like them. You know what? You''re right. The gap between family backgrounds is like a chasm. You''re beyond my reach. I don''t deserve a man like you." This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. After saying that, she tried to prise my fingers. "I wasn''t pertaining about you," I exined in a hurry. Of course, I would not let her go. But that did not stop her. She suddenly bit my hand, making me gasp and wince in pain. She seized the opportunity to pull her hand back and push me away. Then, she went back to her room and locked the door behind her. My heart ached as I stared at the closed door. I could not defend myself. And most importantly, I could not show her how much she really meant to me. Chapter 250 Pestered Again Chapter 250 Pestered Again Scarlett''s POV: As dusk approached, the lights outside the window grew dim. The sunset glow tinted the darkening sky a brilliant red. When we arrived at Moore mansion, no one was home. The servants told us that Charles'' family had taken James along to visit their friends. I was a little disappointed, since I hadn''t seen James for the whole day. "Isn''t it good for us to have some quality time alone?" Charles said, grabbing my hand. In return, I red crossly at him. Suddenly, my phone rang. I took out my phone and saw that it was a message was from Vivian. "What do you think of her?" Attached was a photo of a woman. She looked beautiful, but seemed to be vulgar in temperament. I instantly replied to Vivian, "She''s not as pretty as you." "You''re such a sweet talker! I bet you can always make your husband happy, right? Or did Charles get angry because you were drunkst night?" "I don''t think so." After ending our conversation, I put my phone aside and thought about Charles''s behavior when we woke up this morning. He acted the same way as usual. On the contrary, I had a terrible headache because of my hangover. My body was in pain and was sore everywhere. Wait, sore and painful? I immediately stared at Charles. "Charles. Last night, did we...?" "I wish." Charles narrowed his eyes at me, his gaze filled with both desire and dissatisfaction. "But since you have your period, I couldn''t do anything." Embarrassed, I quickly looked away, my cheeks flushing. I didn''t dare to look at him a second longer. As it so happened, I received a call there and then. I took the opportunity to shake off Charles''s hand and answered the phone. It was the leader of the TV station. "Scarlett, you need to go to France for the interview this Friday. I''m sorry, but honestly, I don''t feelfortable about leaving this task to anyone else." I gave my agreement and epted the task withoutint. "Who''s on the phone?" Charles asked, raising his head at me. "My boss requested me to go on a business trip to France on Friday." "Business trip? With whom?" Charles furrowed his beautiful eyebrows, his displeasure evident. "Do you really have to go? How many days will you stay there?" He started shooting questions rapid-fire. I couldn''t helpughing. "It''s just an interview! Don''t worry, it won''t take a long time." Charles gripped my hand with a long face. His lips were pulled into an unhappy frown. "I don''t want you to leave me." "This is my job. You''ve been on business trips before, but I never stopped you." His reaction rendered me helpless. I didn''t know what else to say. "Well, now, I don''t want to leave you," he muttered. My hand was slowly warmed up by his palm, and as he did so, my heart felt warmed as well. I took the initiative to kiss him on the cheek and coaxed him softly in a gentle tone, "I''ll video chat with you every day." "Okay, but you have to turn on your phone 24 hours a day. We can''t lose contact at all, not even for a second!" Charlespromised, looking less gloomy. "No problem," I agreed readily. "And..." Like a child, Charles bombarded me with request upon request. I epted them all patiently, nodding all the while as I cated him. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. After a long while, Charles finally gave his assent. He held me in his arms and murmured, "You have toe back quickly." "Okay." After dinner, I proposed to pick up James, but Charles pulled me to the sofa andid down with me. He rested his head on myp, closing his eyes. "Don''t worry. I''ve sent someone to pick them up." I rxed at that, and proceeded to pinch his soft earlobe in a show of discontent. "And why didn''t you tell me earlier?" "Well, I didn''t want James to disturb us." He stroked my belly slowly, and the warmth in his palm emitted soft heat to me. "Will that make you feel better?" I smiled, amused and touched. "Yes, but my period doesn''t hurt much this time. Don''t worry." Charles then leaned over and gave a soft, affectionate peck on my belly. He whispered meaningfully, "Finish it quickly." I was at a loss, not knowing whether to cry or tough. This man was really full of desire! The next day, I went to work as usual. But just as I was about to get off the car, a group of reporters suddenly rushed towards me. I closed the door right away, mming it shut before they could reach me. "What''s happening?" "They''reing for us!" J eximed, her face darkening. The reporters surrounded my car, swarming around like nosy flies and blocking my path of escape. They pped and smacked the car windows wildly, uncaring of their actions. "Mrs. Moore! Did you really stop Mr. Moore from saving Miss Lively?" "Rumor has it that you''re a jealous woman! Do you have any words on that?" "Why are you so cold-blooded?" Their incessant questions made my head ache. I rubbed my temples in annoyance, disgruntled. "We can''t stay here forever. The reporters will never leave," Tracy grumbled, sighing. J thought of an idea and suggested, "How about we drive to the back door?" "Let''s try that." J immediately started the engine and honked loudly, scaring the reporters. Seeing that the car was about to move, they slowly stepped back to make way for the vehicle. And so, we took the opportunity to leave. Soon, the car stopped at the back door. But just like before, the reporters reappeared and surrounded us again. When J opened the door, two female reporters who were standing next to the door suddenly copsed. rmed, I hurried out of the car to check if they were injured. "Mrs. Moore, did you order your bodyguard to hit the reporters?" One voice questioned. Instantly, all the other reporters pressed the shutters madly at me. Seeing this, I rose my voice and immediatelymanded J, "J, record a video with your phone and send it to Charles. Make sure you have all of their faces." J nodded and whipped out her phone in an instant. At this, all of the reporters stepped back fearfully. Tracy then grabbed the chance to pull me away from the crowd, and we fled from the scene as quickly as we could. As soon as I arrived at the office, my phone rang. It was Charles. I pressed the answer key, and Charles''s worried voice came out. "Scarlett! Are you okay? Were you hurt?" The minute I heard his voice, the uneasiness in my heart dissipated in an instant. A smile graced my lips, and my spirits rose. "I''m fine, Charles." "J said that she had recorded all of the reporters'' faces. The audacity! I will spare none of them!" Charles growled, fury thick in his voice. "Uh, there''s no need to go that far. I was just bluffing." "Me too." But it was clear to me that Charles wasn''t bluffing, and that he meant every single thing he said. Chapter 251 Some Quiet Time Chapter 251 Some Quiet Time Rita''s POV: I dreamt a long, long dream. In my dream, I was still the distinguished and renowned daughter of the Lively family. I was an extraordinary beauty with no peer, and a superior status to match. I was the object of desire for innumerable men of wealth, all whom scrambled for the smallest bit of attention from me. In my dream, my parents were healthy and happy. My family was by my side, filled with joy. Iughed loudly, proudly, with all my strength. I was happy, contented. I was at the top of the world. But... The moment I opened my eyes, the wonderful scenes from that oh so lovely dream vanished in an instant. Waking up, I realized that I was still lying on the hospital bed. Faced with crushing reality, the feeling of helplessness enveloped me. I struggled to get up. Subconsciously, I curled up. However, I had forgotten that I had on a drip. My reckless movement caused the needle to deviate and soon, a lump appeared on the back of my hand. I stared at the lump in dismay, but I didn''t feel any pain at all. Feeling sorry for myself, I hugged myself tightly. The strong loneliness almost suffocated me. It was difficult to breathe. I desperately wanted to cry, but try as I might, I couldn''t shed a single tear. I bet I looked so ridiculous now. I gasped, drawing in sharp breaths, just like a dying fish. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Finally, a glimmer of hope had appeared! Unable to help myself, I said eagerly, "Come in!" Ashley opened the door slowly. She entered, looking back vigntly for a few times before closing the door as silently as she could. Anxious, I asked her, "How did it go...?" "I''m sorry, Rita. Our n failed. Scarlett didn''t bite at all, and we even received a warning letter from our superior." Ashley hung her head low, like a defeated animal. "How could this be?!" I couldn''t believe it! I had so many reporters on my side, but I still couldn''t deal a decisive blow on Scarlett! Frustrated, I clenched the bedsheet tightly. "Rita... How about we just give up? Charles Moore is behind Scarlett. He''s even more terrifying! I''m scared..." Ashley slumped her shoulders in fear, her eyes clouded with uncertainty. "No! We can''t give up! Everyone has an Achilles heel. I''m sure of it! As long as you are willing to spend more time on it..." I sat up defiantly from my bed as I spoke. I dug through my bag and took out a bank card, which I then handed to Ashley. "Here, your reward for this time. Keep an eye on Scarlett like you''ve always done." "Got it." Ashley nodded obediently as she took my bank card enthusiastically. "Inform me if you have any updates. If there''s nothing else, you can leave." Iy back on the bed and waved at her weakly, urging her to get out. When I closed my eyes, I recalled the scene where the old women banded together to beat me up in public. Then, Charles had been right next to me. He could have saved me! He could, and yet...! It was all because of Scarlett! Thathateful wench... I wouldn''t let her off even if I died! The umted hatred in my heart had reached its peak, spreading into every part of me, seeping deep into my blood and bones. Charles''s POV: While I was working in my office, I received an unexpected call from Richard. "Mr. Moore, a reporter named Ashley went to see Rita in secret. She told me that the reporters who swarmed Mrs. Moore were all hired by Rita. Ashley has also promised to keep me updated with Rita''s movements." "Got it." I hung up. Just as the call ended, I mmed my phone on my desk, seething. Rita, that woman! She truly had a death wish! I spent a few minutes calming myself down. After a moment of pondering, I picked up my phone again and dialed a number. "Roy, how''s the Lively Group doing?" "It''s in bad condition. Rita''s been using all kinds of methods to attract investors, but nothing worked. Aside from that, Lily has arranged for some new people to work there. It seems she intends to gnaw away at thepany all at once." "So the Lively Group won''tst long, am I correct?" "I guess so. But Rita has been quite cautious recently. Lily''s people haven''t received any useful information as of yet." "Really...? Well then, you should give her some assistance." I hung up, my expression as fierce as ever. This time, I would not be soft-hearted. I would attack with my all. ****** After I finished work, I headed straight to Garden Street. Scarlett experienced a terrible fright today. What should I do tofort her? I opened the fridge and took out the steak, broli, and potato. They were all Scarlett''s favorite. After that, I processed the ingredients and started cooking a scrumptious dinner. Just as I was about to fry the steak, Scarlett returned home. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Oooh! Are you cooking?" She trotted towards me happily, excited for the food. I studied her face, but I couldn''t find any trace of hurt on it. She seemed perfectly fine. "I was hungry," I said that on purpose, and then carefully added some butter into the frying pan. Soon, the milky fragrance of butter filled the kitchen. "Wow, it smells so good! Give me your hand, Charles. Let me help you roll up your sleeves." Scarlett squinted her eyes as she took a deep sniff of the delicious scent. A satisfied smile appeared on her beaming face. I slid the steak in the pan with one hand, while stretching out the other hand to her. Scarlett rolled up my sleeve with utmost care, her face scrunched up in concentration. I couldn''t stop myself from stealing a peek at her from the corner of my eyes. She looked so adorable when she was serious! I gave her a swift peck on the lips. "Wait for me in the dining room. It''s almost done." "Okay," Scarlett chirped obediently, and left the kitchen soon after. My rapidly beating heart finally calmed down. This woman could seduce me so easily any time she appeared in front of me! The fried steak was soon done, and I served it on the table. "Wait a moment. I''ve also made mashed potatoes to go along with it." "If only James were here! He loves creamy mashed potatoes the most." Scarlett mumbled regretfully, sighing slightly. "But I want to have some quiet time with you." I cut off a small piece of beef and put it gently into her mouth. "Is it delicious?" As she munched it, Scarlett''s face changed dramatically. That made me nervous, and my heart skipped a frightened beat. "Is it bad?" But Scarlett shed me a bright smile before swallowing the beef with a satisfied gulp. "Just kidding! The beef is delicious." Then, she fed me a piece of beef and asked with the same bright smile, "Isn''t it delicious?" I raised my eyebrows, savoring the food, and said proudly, "Wow, I''m really good at cooking." "Say, Charles. Can we go back to the mansion after dinner? I miss James and Grandma." "Let''s eat first." I put the te in front of her. After dinner, I entered the living room with a bottle of wine and two sses in hand. "Why did you take out the wine? Aren''t we going back to the mansion?" "No." I set the wine and the sses on the table. Then, I nestled close to Scarlett and held her in my arms. She stayed in my arms obediently, like a sweet little kitten. I lowered my head to kiss her soft earlobe. "Tonight, I just want to be with you." Chapter 252 Lover Chapter 252 Lover Scarlett''s POV: When I saw the sly snicker on Charles''s face, I knew, I couldn''t escape my fate tonight. Sure enough, Charles picked up the ss and shed me a seductive look. "Honey... If my memory serves me right, your period''s ending today, right?" His words warmed my face, and I shivered involuntarily. I haven''t drank the wine yet, but my face was already flushed. In fact, I myself could no longer stay calm. However, I wouldn''t admit that I also wanted to be intimate with him. I raised my head and drowned all the wine in the ss. As I was about to pour more, a hand suddenly stopped me. "I don''t want to make love to a drunkard." Charles''s deep gaze studied me. I could see a storm brewing in them, threatening to swallow me. Unable to help myself, I indulged myself in his gaze. I felt as if I had fallen into a swamp. I could do nothing but let him kiss me passionately. Charles pushed my body on the soft sofa, and I felt as if I was trapped in a cage. His big, burning hands touched my body over and over again, and his fierce kiss forced me out of breath. I was in a trance. All the while, his voice whispered into my ears, "Scarlett... Do you love me?" He kissed me and asked repeatedly. However, my mind was in a mess. With the remaining trace of reason I had, I struggled to think of an answer. Charles held me, pulling me into a tide of pleasure. And then, the answer surfaced in me. Of course, I love him... We soon finished one heavy round, and I copsed tiredly, panting. Charles was still in high spirits, his eyes bright and eager. "How about we do it again, honey? Let''s go to the bedroom this time!" ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. I licked my dry lips, exhausted. He was still wanting for more action... Damn it! When I came to my senses, I wanted to run away. Unfortunately, I was lifted up before I could protest. "Charles, I''m tired..." "Well, you just need to rx and enjoy yourself..." The rest of our words drowned away as we kissed passionately. Another round of intimacy followed... The result of our indulgence was obvious. When I finally awoke, I was greeted with the sight of Charles packing up for me. It was a warm and beautiful scene that I had only seen in my previous dreams. My phone on the nightstand suddenly rang and I blurted out, "Honey, what are you doing? Why aren''t you answering the phone?" Charles, who was busy packing up, suddenly froze. "Yes, honey." Charles grinned brightly, like a fool. He walked over and answered the phone for me. "Hello. Unfortunately, my wife hasn''t woken up yet. Of course, it was all my fault. Last night..." When I heard this, I was stunned. Ashamed into anger, I picked up a pillow and threw it to the ever comcent man. "Hey, don''t go too far! What the heck are you saying?" Just as I was about to get up, Charles pressed me back to the bed and put his fingers gently on my lips. "Shhh, lie back. Your waist is still sore." What the hell? What on this good earth was he talking about?! I raised my hand to cover his mouth and stop him from speaking once and for all. However, Charles held my hands tightly and continued to speak on the phone as if nothing had happened, "I''m sorry, I wasn''t talking to you just now. Yes, my wife hasn''t freshened up yet. She might need you to wait another half an hour. No, it might take an hour. Yes, goodbye." "C-Charles!" I pounced on Charles, my eyes a livid re. Charles pressed me and said cheekily, "Don''t resist. Otherwise, I fear that an hour might not enough." Hearing his words, I trembled and stopped resisting. Charles kissed me softly on the lips and said, "I''ll help you freshen up." We ended up doing the deed in the bathroom... As Charles had said, one hour was indeed not enough, at least for him. We finally got into the car after a long time. Upset, I couldn''t help butin, "Ugh! This is all because of you! Now, I''m going to bete!" "Next time, I''ll try my best to finish sooner." Charles winked cheekily at me. Helpless, I slumped weakly in my seat. "Lean on my shoulder," Charles said, shifting closer to me. I did as told and leaned my head against his shoulder obediently. Suddenly, I felt very reluctant to part with him. Later, we arrived at the airport. I gave Charles a big hug before whispering tenderly at him, "Wait for me toe back, Charles." The next second, Charles pulled me close and kissed me fiercely on the lips. I could feel his manic tongue in my mouth as our lips locked. His kiss disyed his strong attachment and great reluctance to leave me. We were so immersed, that neither of us wanted to end it. We only came to our senses when my phone rang again. I gasped for breath, and parted from Charles''s arms. "Make a video call every day, or you''ll be punished when youe back!" Charles warned me fiercely. Contrary to his stern tone, his hands were gently tidying up my clothes. What a lovely man he was... I nodded, and then, took ast look at Charles. Then, I turned around and left resolutely. J, Tracy, and Richard immediately followed me as I started to walk. After taking a few steps, I couldn''t help but turn around. Charles was still standing motionlessly at the same spot, looking at me. Chapter 253 Not Enough Chapter 253 Not Enough Scarlett''s POV: He was such a fool! I was so touched, I let go of my suitcase and dashed back to Charles, jumping into his arms. I wrapped my legs around Charles''s waist and put my hands around his neck, like a joyful and clingy ko. Charles was taken aback by my unexpected reaction, but he hugged me tightly all the same. "Scarlett... I thought you wouldn''t look back at me." Even if I didn''t look back, I could sense that Charles had yet to leave. For some odd reason, I felt like he was holding his sincere heart in his hands for me to look at, for fear that I couldn''t see or touch it. "I''ll be back soon. I promise! Don''t think too much, okay?" I lowered my head, and gave Charles a soft, sweet peck on the lips. Charles nodded silently, but it was obvious that he wasn''t satisfied with the kiss. His lips reached mine again, taking my breath away. It was full of passion and affection, and he waspletely ignoring the gazes of the people around us. "Charles..." I mumbled, patting him lightly on the chest to stop him. My cheeks were burning in shame and embarrassment. Charles stopped kissing me, though very reluctantly. "Take care of yourself. I''ll be fine. Don''t you remember? I promised you, didn''t I? My life is yours."This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. I nodded, and then separated myself from Charles. "I didn''t expect Scarlett to have such a side..." "Mr. and Mrs. Moore are truly a perfect match!" My colleagues'' discussion reached my ears, further fueling my embarrassment. I couldn''t imagine how Charles could get used to showing off his love in public. I could only pretend to be calm and put on aposed front, as if I wasn''t their topic of discussion. Right after I got on the ne, I received a message from Vivian. She had sent me a photo. I clicked it open, and was greeted with the image a good-looking youngdy. Her smile was sweet, and there was a hint of innocence in her pretty eyes. "She''s the new blind date I arranged for Spencer. What do you think?" How on earth was Vivian able to continue looking for a girlfriend for Spencer? The woman she found this time was indeed very beautiful, but I didn''t think she would fit Spencer''s preferences. In other words... Even if a goddess was to appear before Spencer, he still wouldn''t bat an eye. All for the simple reason that he already had Vivian firmly in his heart. I replied and typed, "I thought you already conquered Spencer." Vivian replied immediately without hesitation, "I was just teasing him." If I said the same thing to Spencer, he might give the same answer. I let out a long, painful sigh. The two of them were a perfect match, especially when it came to their stubbornness. Vivian''s POV: A rhythmic knock on the door grabbed my attention. "May Ie in?" I knew it was Spencer. But before I could answer, he pushed the door open without waiting for my reply and waltzed in. "Why did you bother knocking on the door? You didn''t get my permission before you came in, did you?" I was displeased. "Well, you didn''t get my permission before you looked for a girlfriend for me," Spencer retorted confidently. "What kind of girl is it this time?" Despite his question, there was no trace of curiosity on his face. He seemed to have epted his fate, however much he resented it. Come on, dating young women was a great thing! Why did he have to look as if he was facing a severe punishment? "She''s a lovely youngdy." I took out my phone, wanting to show Spencer the photo of the new blind date. "Lovely? A youngdy?" Spencer whined, face scrunched with discontent. "Eugh! What kind of monster did you find for me? Those aren''t words that should be used together at all!" His loud voice annoyed me. I just wanted to take back my phone so he would shut up. Just then, a message came in, distracting me. Spencer''s eyes lit up and he stared at the iing message. "Hey! What are you looking at? That''s my privacy!" Immediately, I hid my phone behind me, away from his prying eyes. Spencer chased me closely and went behind me. "You showed it to me yourself! I still haven''t seen the kind of monster you found for me!" "Didn''t you say you wouldn''t look at her?" "Well, I want to see her now!" Despite my protests, Spencer tried to take my phone away, as if he was ying with me. I tried to avoid him, but failed to hold the phone properly. It slipped out of my hand and fell to the floor. Fortunately, I was nimble enough to squat down before him and swiftly picked it up. Spencer was a tad slower, even as he reached out his hand towards me. In a sh, I got my phone back. And then, a strange feeling throbbed at my chest. I looked down, and saw that Spencer''s hand was groping my chest. It was so embarrassing, time suddenly froze for both of us. The two of us were stunned silly, too shocked to react. I tried to diffuse the awkwardness and said jokingly, "Hey, haven''t you had enough?" Spencer loosened his grip immediately, looking as if he had just woken up from a dream. "Do you also act this way to your blind dates?" I teased again. "Stop bbering rubbish, Vivian." Unexpectedly, Spencer didn''t smile at all. "You''re different from them." What did he mean I was different? Was I actually special to him? My heart started racing. But what followed were actually his cold words. "You are my doctor." My heart quickly sank at this. "Well then, dear boss. May I ask for half a day''s leave?" I sat on the sofa and rubbed my chest, pretending to be ufortable. "Doctors can''t diagnose themselves. I think I need to see a doctor, myself." "Huh? Where do you feel ufortable?" Spencer asked, worrycing his tone. He hurried to me and was by my side in seconds. "Here." I pointed at my heart. "It hurts because you''ve hit me." Spencer''s cheeks flushed red. "What''s wrong with your face?" I pretended to act surprised and said, "You see, Spencer, I know someone who''s fallen in love. The thing is, he''s too shy and is unwilling to admit it." "It''s just because my leg hurts!" Spencer quickly turned his head away and refused to look at me. His leg...? "Does it hurt a lot? Let me have a look." I knelt, intending to roll up Spencer''s trousers to inspect his leg. However, Spencer stopped me. I saw the mischievous smile on his face, and immediately realized that I was tricked. But his smile soon vanished. He held my chin and asked in a low voice, "Why are you so worried about me? Why did you kneel down to check on my leg as soon as I told you it hurts? Have you forgiven me, Vivian...?" At this, my face darkened. I knew that Spencer was referring to that morning. However, I also understood that I had no right to me him. It was true that I didn''t deserve him the slightest. I walked up to Spencer with a sweet smile, and ced my arms around his neck. "Spencer... A poor woman doesn''t deserve to be your wife, but I think it''s okay for her to sleep with you, isn''t it?" Spencer frowned immediately. "Why are you talking like this again?!" Chapter 254 Dont Play With Fire Chapter 254 Don''t y With Fire Spencer''s POV: Vivian was staring at me with fiery eyes. Her enthusiasm and frankness were like mes, trying to engulf me and it was intimidated. Suddenly, she sat on myp and pressed me down. A gust of fragrant wind wafted into my nose as she kissed me on the lips out of the blue. I wasn''t sure why, but my brain suddenly went overload. It had almost been paralyzed when Vivian sat on me, and now, my brain waspletely malfunctioning. I stared at her face, which was inches away from mine. I felt as though a fire had been ignited in my heart, and my whole body was burning. For some reason, I was eager to touch her. However, a sudden knock on the door sobered me up. "Sir, Miss Nicole is here to see you," said a voice from outside. Vivian stopped kissing me. She was gasping for air. Her eyes were misty, and her fair face had turned red. There was something strange about her that made my heart beat faster. Vivian stood up and shed me a smile. "You should go meet your date, Spencer." I was so annoyed that I broke intoughter. Vivian was truly a bewitching woman. A few moments ago, she was kissing me as though it would cure cancer, and now she was passing me over to another woman. We stared at each other for a few more seconds before Vivian finally opened the door and left. My mind was in shambles at this point. I didn''t go downstairs until the waiter reminded me again that Nicole was waiting for me. I sat down in front of the stranger named, Nicole. She was smiling while she was talking to me, but I couldn''t bring myself to listen to her at all. Until now, Vivian''s seductive moans were still resonating in my ears. Distracted by thoughts of Vivian, I looked around in search of her. A few secondster, she appeared in my sight. She was leaning against the bar counter nearby, wearing a crop top and sexy shorts. Her exposed long legs and slender waist made me want to hide her. I wanted to hide her even more when I saw how every man within her vicinity were leering at her. Infuriated by this, I clenched my fists. Vivian seemed to have noticed my gaze. She picked up a ss of cocktail, and raised it towards me from afar. She then winked at me and smiled provocatively. I snorted. "Um... Spencer? Did I say something wrong?" said Nicole nervously as she sat in front of me. I turned my gaze towards her and saw that she was looking at me, seemingly bewildered. If Vivian was a cunning, seductive vixen, Nicole was like a meek rabbit. After casting Vivian a nce as she watched my blind date, I smirked and reached for Nicole''s hand. "Can you give me your hand?" After a moment of hesitation, Nicole put her hand in my palm. "Sure, but what''s wrong with my hand?" she asked. I deliberately made sure that my voice was loud enough for other people to hear. "Your hands are so soft. You know, I like it when girls'' hands are soft." "That''s very nice of you to say that, Spencer! You''re also my type." Nicole smiled at me, gazing into my eyes affectionately. I let go of her hand with a wry smile, and changed the topic. "How about we go upstairs to have a drink? It''s too noisy down here," I suggested. "Sounds like a n!" Nicole readily agreed and stood up, carrying her purse. Then, I took her upstairs into a private room. Not a minuteter, I walked out of the private room and looked downstairs. There, I saw that Vivian was happily chatting with some of the other customers. Annoyed, I glowered and went downstairs, immediately pulling her out of the crowd. Vivian was shocked that I appeared. "Spencer? Is your date with Nicole over?" she asked. "No." My face was grim, and the way I spoke was even worse. "The date has just begun. Miss Nicole and I are going out for lunch, and we might have dinner outside, too." I observed Vivian''s reaction, but she looked away and didn''t respond. "Let''s go, Spencer," said Nicole. Vivian looked at her with aplicated expression. I couldn''t seem to read Vivian''s mind. However, I didn''t hesitate to walk up to Nicole and whisper to her, "Do you mind going out first? I just have to deal with something troublesome." "No problem." Nicole shed me a gentle smile before she went on her way. The moment I turned around, I happened to meet Vivian''s gaze. I walked back to her, and raised her chin to confront her. "You seem upset about the fact that I''m going out with Nicole," I said to her. "Oh, I''m actually happy. Very happy, in fact." Vivian took a step back, avoiding my hand. The smile on her face seemed stiff. "I hope you have a good time with her." Having said that, she turned around and left without hesitation. I didn''t even get a chance to respond. I just watched as she walked away, and made sure that she went upstairs. Afterwards, I walked out of the bar. There, I saw Nicole standing quietly by the door with her purse in hand. She was indeed beautiful, but she wasn''t my muse. "Nicole." I approached her, and apologized for the dy. "Sorry, but I don''t think we can go out for lunch. The problem I encountered isn''t as easy as I thought it was. Can we reschedule this date for another day?" I asked. "Um, okay! Do what you have to. I''m sure it''s important." Nicole took a step forward, gazing into my eyes intently. "I really hope that we can go out on another date. I really like you, Spencer." Subconsciously, I backed away and chuckled awkwardly. "Sorry about rescheduling on you." "Then make it up to me," said Nicole. She took out her phone, looking at me expectantly. "It''s not too much for us to exchange contact details, right?" I didn''t refuse her request, but I didn''t tell Nicole my phone number. Instead, we just added each other on Facebook. After she left, I looked at the door of the bar, but I was hesitant to go in. I knew that Vivian would mock me for failing the blind date again, and she''d probably introduce me to another girl. Honestly, this whole thing was starting to give me a migraine. Suddenly, my phone rang. It was Charles. "David and I are at a new bar. Do you want toe over and investigate thepetitor?" he said. I asked for the address at once. If I could avoid seeing Vivian for the time being, I would happily go anywhere. Soon, I arrived at Chronic Bar. Upon entering the private room, I saw several empty bottles in front of Charles and David. I raised my eyebrows and sat beside them. "What the hell are you two doing? Why are you goons drinking at noon?" "Well, Scarlett is on a business trip to France." Charles sighed. It turned out that his wife wasn''t home. "Charles, we''re good friends. Can you please stop bumming us out?" David put down his ss with great strength. The sound of the ssnding on the table was harsh. He pursed his lips, seemingly in pain. "By the way, David, is Icey still staying at your house?" I asked. I thought that things were getting interesting. "Stop making fun of me, asshole. Have you gotten Vivian yet?" I pursed my lips and said, "She''s the one taking the move." "Huh? What does that even mean?" David asked curiously. I didn''t know what to say. Naturally, I couldn''t tell him that Vivian had kissed me first. I just gave him a vague answer, so that we could move on to a new topic. Fortunately, David didn''t probe any further. After eating lunch, we parted. I called a chauffeur to take me back to Mint Bar. Just before I could get off the car, I saw Vivian''s car passing by. There was a man sitting on the passenger seat. "Wait!" I immediately stopped the chauffeur from leaving and asked him to follow Vivian''s car. The chauffeur looked at me in surprise as his eyes lit up. "Sir, was that you wife? Is she cheating on you?" he asked. I shot him a stern re. My daunting gaze was enough to silence him, and then he started the car. We followed Vivian''s car to a mall, and stopped at a respectable distance away from her. She, wearing a very elegant dress, opened the door of her car and got off. Then, she walked into the mall side by side with that man. The chauffeur looked back at me vigntly. "Are you nning to follow them, sir?" "No, I''ll wait here." I wore a long face, staring at the gate of the shopping mall. A few momentster, Vivian and her companion came out and drove away. I told the chauffeur to follow them again. I gnashed my teeth as I watched Vivian go shopping, y golf, and finally dine at a western restaurant with that man. ''Isn''t this the script that I nned to piss her off with today?'' I clutched my chest and took a deep breath. However, my anger was bing more and more intense. "Wait for me here," I said to the driver. Then, I got off the car and strode into the western restaurant. However, I didn''t confront them right away. Instead, I sat at a table where I had a clear view of them. After a while, Vivian stood up and went to the bathroom. I followed her and waited at the door. Soon, she came out of the bathroom. I grabbed her hand and led her into the staircase by the side. The heavy iron door was closed behind us. "What are you doing here, Spencer?" "I should ask you the same question." I was practically snarling at her as I approached her step by step. "Who the hell is that man?" Vivian looked into my eyes and replied, "He''s my blind date. Like you, he''s also from a rich family. His name is Lee. So, what do you think about him? Is he a good fit for me?" "Are you kidding me? You''re on a blind date?" I was so angry that I gritted my teeth. "Who introduced him to you?" Vivian paid no mind to my anger and just shrugged at me indifferently. "Excuse me, but does it have anything to do with you?" she asked. "It has everything to do with me!" I roared. "Aren''t you happy with Nicole? Don''t you have any ns of developing a rtionship with her? You''re here to have dinner with her, right? Well, what a coincidence! We brought our blind dates to the same restaurant." Vivian was smiling frivolously. She was obviously testing my patience. To suppress my anger, I clenched my fists. "Why aren''t you saying anything? Did I hit the nail on the head?" Vivian chuckled as she suddenly took a step forward. Her red lips were merely inches away from mine. The warmth of her breath was tempting every fiber of my being. "Or did you leave Nicole behind just to follow me in secret?" she asked. I averted my gaze from her with difficulty. "Don''t try to change the subject. You haven''t answered my question. Who introduced that blind date to you?" Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. I tried my best to hold my anger, but at this point, my rationality was on the brink of copse. I couldn''t understand why Vivian had such a huge influence on me. She could easily affect my emotions, and render me unable to extricate myself. "Answer me first." Vivian was looking into my eyes with such confidence. I glowered and tried to squeeze out some words through my gritted teeth. "Don''t y with fire, Vivian." Vivian winked at me and didn''t respond. She just leaned over and wrapped her arms around my waist. Chapter 255 I Didnt See Any Other Woman Whe... Chapter 255 I Didn''t See Any Other Woman Whe... Spencer''s POV: As I held Vivian''s soft body in my arms, I fell into a momentary trance. However, her confidence irritated me and quickly yanked me out of my daze. I took her hands into mine, and then pushed her away gently. "Don''t do that. I''m not suitable for you." The smile on her face vanished in an instant, reced with a frown. Discontent, she hissed, "Then why the hell did youe to me?" "I just don''t want you to get hurt, Vivian. If you''re happy with that man, I promise I won''t interfere. I just want you to think things over." I dared not look into her eyes, too nervous to meet her gaze. Having said what I needed to, I spun on my heel and left immediately. Passing the hallway, I caught a glimpse of the man''s face. ''So this is Vivian''s type?'' I thought to myself gloomily. Frustrated, I clenched my fists silently and hurried back to my car. I told the driver to send me back to the bar. On the way, my phone rang. Scarlett''s name popped up on the screen. "Hey, Scarlett. Aren''t you on a business trip?" "Vivian called me just now. She said she''s drinking alone at the seaside. She sounded really weird... Is it convenient for you to check on her now, Spencer? I''m really worried about her." My heart skipped a beat. Anxious, I quickly asked Scarlett for the specific address and demanded the driver to send me there as soon as humanely possible. Worry chewed on my heart, sending me into panic. Along the way, I kept calling Vivian. To my dismay, she didn''t answer at all. So anxious I was, a second seemed like a century. After a long and excruciating wait, the car arrived at the destination. Through the window, I noticed Vivian''s car parked at the roadside. She was really here! Before the car could even stop properly, I unlocked the door and jumped off without hesitation. I didn''t bother to care about the consequences. Seeing this, the driver shouted in panic behind me. I couldn''t care less and didn''t respond to him. My eyes swept around the ce, hunting for Vivian. I paced every nook and cranny, calling her name desperately. Finally, from a distance, I spotted a familiar figure. Vivian was there! She staggered towards me with a bottle of wine in hand. I ran to her immediately, worried. "Vivian! Where have you been?" Vivian squinted and stared at me for a long time, unspeaking. All of a sudden, she shook off my hand and pushed me away. "Don''t touch me, Spencer. I''m not suitable for you!" She was telling me the very same words I had said to her earlier... My heart ached, and I understood her feelings. Vivian staggered a few steps ahead before copsing on the beach, going limp. The wine bottle rolled out of her hand. rmed, I hurried forward and picked her up. It was then that I saw her eyes were closed shut. I soon found Vivian''s car key, so I opened the door and gently put her on the back seat. But the moment I got up to leave, she grabbed my cor and held me in ce. "Stay with me," she whispered in a pleading tone. I didn''t know why, but I heeded her request and sat in the car with her. Vivian leaned on my shoulder, and her erratic breathing gradually became steady. Very soon, she was fast asleep. I watched her sleeping face silently, until a strange light caught my eyes. Raising my head curiously, I realized that it hade from Vivian''s phone. A new message had appeared on the locked screen, but I could not see the specific content. Strangely enough, a strong sense of uneasiness suddenly washed over me. Many questions ran through my head. It was already sote. Who was texting Vivian at such an hour? Was it the man she dated tonight? Was he interested in Vivian? More importantly, would Vivian ept him...? "Spencer..." My train of thoughts died away when I heard Vivian''s sleep talking. I looked down at her, but her eyes were still closed. She was the one who said that she wanted to sleep with me. So why did she go on a blind date with another man? Recalling the hasty kiss and the intimate gasps earlier, my heart beat faster and faster. Every single thing was puzzling. I couldn''t make heads or tails out of it. What on earth were my feelings for Vivian? How did I really feel about her...? The alcohol kicked in, turning me drowsy. My eyelids grew heavy as a strong urge to sleep washed over me. Without realizing it, I passed out. I didn''t know how long I was unconscious, until I felt a movement next to me. Immediately, I jerked awake and subconsciously tightened my arm. Vivian fell into my arms and directed a ferocious re at me, warning me. Faced with her sharp eyes, I let go of her right away. "Why are you here...?" Vivian studied me, confused as to why I was next to her. I rubbed my shoulder, numbed from her leaning on it for a long time, and threw her a sulky look. "My arm''s numb, all because of you." Just then, there was another sound from Vivian''s phone. She picked it up and showed the screen to me. It was a short text. "I was actually prepared to be rejected before I confessed my love for you. I said it because I didn''t want to regretter on. I hope you don''t feel any pressure. We can still be friends. Harris." Wait, so the guy was Harris? How dare Emily''sckey fancy Vivian?! I snorted, derisive. "Why are you snorting?" Vivian smiled at me, helpless. "Hah! That Harris is so shameless. He made a scene and troubled you in the bar. How could you be friends with him?!" I was feeling ufortable all over. I quickly opened the door, about to leave. However, I wasn''t able to move as something grabbed my arm. Frowning, I turned around. Vivian quickly leaned over and kissed me hard on the lips before I could react. "Stop making excuses. You''re just jealous!" Ugh... Damn it! When she saw that I wasn''t replying, she crashed her lips against mine for another kiss. Scarlett''s POV: As soon as I got off the ne, Charles called me. "Did you see the person who came to pick you up?" Surprised, I looked up. Sure enough, I could see someone raising a huge sign with my name on it at the exit. "Yes, I did. You''re so considerate." I spoke with Charles for a while more, smiling happily. After that, I hung up and joined my colleagues. We got into our designated ride and left the airport. When I arrived at DK Hotel, a well-dressed man opened the door for me. "Mrs. Moore, I''m the manager of DK Hotel. Please allow me to walk you to your room." The manager took the luggage from the driver and led us inside politely. To my surprise, we were taken to a presidential suite. This was obviously not the kind of room the TV station would book for us! "Excuse me... Are you sure this is my room?" I turned to the manager, confused and uncertain.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. The manager nodded. "Yes. Mr. Moore arranged this for you. By the way, your colleagues'' rooms are just next door." I smiled and thanked the manager politely, and then closed the door. Once inside and alone, I whipped out my phone and sent a message to Charles. "Charles, how many more things have you done for me without telling me?" Charles''s reply came in an instant. His words were cryptic, however. "Surprises are everywhere." Just as he texted this, there was a knock on the door. My colleague was calling for me. "Scarlett, are you free? There''s something I''m not sure about the script. I''d like to go through it with you, if that''s alright." I put down my phone and started my work. It was a long time until I was finally done. I looked at the window, and saw that it had gone completely dark outside. Just as promised, Charles did a video call. I didn''t answer it until I returned to my bedroom. As I switched on my phone and replied to his call, his figure came into my sight. To my surprise, he was in the midst of getting dressed and was slowly buttoning his shirt. Under the open cory his solid muscles, the sight making my face burn with admiration and embarrassment. Charles raised his head, grinning knowingly. "Do I look good, Scarlett?" I tried to push down my embarrassment and put on a cool front. I said nonchntly, "I guess your figure''s not bad." Charles raised his eyebrows in reply, and undid one of his buttons with a teasing gesture. "Not bad? Just that? Well then, how about I take my clothes off and show it to you?" "No. No, no, no. No need!" My heart beat faster and faster at his flirty suggestion. It was getting harder and harder to keep calm. Facing the naughty Charles, I had no choice but to change the topic. "So, um, did you sleep with Jamesst night?" Charles nodded. He reached for his tie and began to put it on. "I go home on time every night, just to have dinner and sleep with our beloved son. I didn''t do anything improper outside when you''re not at home, too." He sounded as if he was giving me a report, which made me chuckle. "Well done! I''ll give you a reward when I return." Chapter 256 I Wouldnt Let Scarlett Know Chapter 256 I Wouldn''t Let Scarlett Know Scarlett''s POV: I yawned. "It''ste now. Why don''t you take a shower and go to bed?" A shadow of a smile appeared on Charles''s handsome face, his eyes turning sharp. "Okay. Goodbye now." I beamed and poked his face on the screen. "All right then. Let''s hang up the video call." But Charles remained on the line. I raised my eyebrows at him. "What? Do you want to watch me take a shower?" "That''s an incredibly tempting offer." "Oh, you wish!" I red at him and, from his background, found that he was still out and about. "Go back to work." "Don''t stay upte, okay? Good night." After saying that, Charles''s face gradually erged on the screen, and then the screen went dark. He nted a kiss on the camera, and I could not help grinning. "Good night." After hanging up our video call, I picked up my clothes and went to the bathroom. Then, my phone beeped. It was a message from Charles. "I miss you so much," his text read. I slept soundly the entire night. Charles insisted that Richard apanied me to my business trip to France. He told me that he was worried about my safety, and I did not want to fight him about it, so I just agreed. "Scarlett, do you want to have meals with your colleagues or have a table of your own?" Tracy asked. I thought for a while and smiled. "I want to eat with my colleagues. But I think I''m going to attract too much attention if I bring all you three with me. You apany me, Tracy." J frowned. "But what about me? I want to apany you, too." "Well, you can go with Richard and find a table of your own, somece near ours. That way, you can still keep an eye on me. Besides, Tracy likes one of my colleagues. I would like to introduce them." I turned around to look at Tracy who shed me a confused look. I took her hand and pulled her aside. Tracy whispered in my ear. "Scarlett, I don''t remember liking one of your colleagues. Care to fill me in on what''s happening?" "Just go with it. I''ll exinter." I winked at her. I wanted Tracy to apany me because I had noticed some subtle tension between J and Richard. I wanted them to spend some time alone together. Charles''s POV: When I woke up in the morning, the first thing I saw was Scarlett''s good morning text. I let it fill my heart with so much joy that I started smiling like a daydreaming idiot. When I arrived at the office, everyone stared at me like they were witnessing a miracle. I did not care. All I knew was that I was ecstatic. Amy immediately followed me the moment I entered my office. "Sir, Rita has been waiting for you downstairs. She wants to see you." When I heard Rita''s name, the happy smile on my face died. "Tell her to go home. I''m busy." Amy nodded and hurriedly left. I stood in front of the big French windows in my office, picked up my phone, and called Roy. "How''s it going?" Roy cleared his throat. "I''ve found a loophole in the Lively Group for Lily''s people. They''re taking action. It won''t be long before the Lively Group is destroyed." "Time is of the essence. Make something happen and speed things up. I want this problem taken care of as soon as possible, do you understand?" "Yes, sir." When it was time to get off work, I left thepany building and climbed into my car. It had been a long day. I leaned on the backseat and closed my eyes for a bit. Then, the car suddenly screeched to a halt in the middle of the road. I opened my eyes and frowned. My driver looked at me through the rearview mirror. He appeared as startled as I was. "I''m so sorry, Mr. Moore. Someone just stopped us." I looked out and saw a car in front of us, which Rita got out of. She started walking toward us. She rapped on my window. I ignored her and looked at my driver. "Ram her car out of our way." My driver swallowed audibly. "But, sir, it''s in the middle of the road. Innocent people might get hurt if we..." "Then have her car towed away. Right now!" Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Rita was still knocking on my window. I sighed, rolled my window down, and met her eyes with a cold stare. "What do you want?" I snapped. Rita braced her hands on my rolled-down window and looked at me pitifully. "I''m sorry. You left me no choice. You wouldn''t talk to me in your office. I''m begging you, Charles. Please save my company. I can''t let the Lively Group go bankrupt in my hands." I looked away and kept my face neutral. "Only you can help me now. I promise I won''t tell Scarlett about it." I whipped my head toward her again when she mentioned Scarlett''s name. "What''s that supposed to mean?" "I know you''re only refusing to help me because you''re worried that Scarlett will find out. You''re afraid that us talking is going to affect your rtionship. But don''t worry. I won''t let her know." "How do you know that Scarlett is not in the city?" I watched Rita carefully. The moment our eyes met, she shivered. For a moment, she did not know what to say. Then, tears started welling up in her eyes. I could tell that she was going to y the victim again. "You don''t have to be so mean to me, Charles." I shook my head and started rolling up my window. "Wait!" Rita cried out. Her fingers were still gripping the ss. I watched her sad, anxious face through the crack. "What do I have to do to make you help me? Please tell me. I''ll do anything." I lowered the window again a little and said coldly, "Get your hands out of the way, Rita. If you hurt yourself, I won''t take responsibility." As a tear rolled down her cheek, Rita withdrew her hands. A few momentster, the tow truck arrived to get her car out of our way. Let s go. My driver gunned the engine. "No! Don''t let them tow my car! Charles! Please! How can you be so heartless to me? Charles..." I stared ahead and let the wind behind us drown out Rita''s pleas. Chapter 257 The Mysterious Man Chapter 257 The Mysterious Man Rita''s POV: I stood there and watched Charles''s car disappear in the distance. I swallowed the lump in my throat and wiped away my tears. I could not believe the blinding pain being caused by my breaking heart. Charles used to love me so much and spoil me. How could he be so cruel to me now? It seemed that everything we had shared and gone through meant nothing to him. And it was all because of Scarlett! This was all her fault! She must have bewitched Charles into staying away from me. I could not hate her more. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. I gritted my teeth and thought, ''Your day wille, Scarlett. Let''s just wait and see.'' Then, my phone rang, interrupting my thoughts. "Hello?" I answered impatiently. "Hello, Miss Lively. I''m an employee of the Lively Group." The caller was a man with an unfamiliar voice. "And why are you calling me?" "I have a way to save yourpany," the man said firmly, and my heart leapt to my throat. "Is this some kind of joke? Who the hell are you?" "Meet me in booth 502 at the Mint Bar tonight, and I will tell you everything. I can help you." Then, the mysterious man hung up. Conflicting emotions started swirling in my gut. My reason told me that the man was probably a liar, but a small part of me could not help thinking that maybe he was the glimmer of hope that I needed. What if this mysterious man really had a way to save the Lively Group? I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. So I decided to meet him. The Mint Bar was already abuzz with revelry when I arrived. The ce smelled like smoke and wine. The floor was littered with tforms on which gorgeous, half-naked young women danced. As pieces of their clothing flew in the air and kissed the floor, the men watching them howled, mad with excitement and lust. I calmly made my way through the raging crowd on the dance floor and saw the man I was meeting in booth 502. It was a bit dark, but I could tell that he was in his thirties. He was wearing a blue Gi business suit and a Rolex watch. The hair left on his head was covered in mousse, which reflected the bouncing lights. He quickly spotted me in the crowd, and he curled his lips in a smile that reminded me of every single man who ever hit on me. I clicked my tongue but kept my face bereft of emotion. "You said that you have a way to save the Lively Group?" I came straight to the point as soon as I sat down beside him. "Yes, Miss Lively. If you give me a chance, I''ll make sure that yourpany doesn''t sumb to bankruptcy." The man''s face was full of confidence. "So I''m just supposed to take your word for it?" If there was one thing that I learned in business, it was never to trust anybody. The business world was riddled with snakes, and I was not going to let myself get bitten. "Yes. I''m not just any employee, Miss Lively. I went from an entry-level clerk to a middle-level manager in less than six months at the Lively Group." The man was bragging, but he was calm. And I was intrigued. If I were still the over-pampered daughter of the Lively Group''s CEO, I would not have wasted time coming to a bar to meet this mysterious man. But things were different now. I was responsible for the Lively Group, and if this man could help me save it, then I would give him a shot. "Tell me your name," I ordered. "Kevin. My name is Kevin." Aside from the searing self-esteem that shone from his eyes, I saw... Desire. I smiled contemptuously. Men were always soughably predictable. I had met countless men like this one, men who were obsessed with women and who would do anything for the right incentive. "Are you single, Kevin?" Kevin hesitated for a moment and said, "No, I''m married." I was a little disappointed. "At such a young age? Well, I never would''ve guessed." But it did not matter. Charles almost divorced Scarlett because of me. Kevin should not be so hard to crack. I slid closer to him, reached out, and rested my hand on his thigh. To my surprise, he stopped my hand and said, "Miss Lively, I just told you I''m already married. Please, let''s just keep this professional." His tone was serious. "So you''re not offering to help me to get into my pants?" I felt offended by his tant rejection. "Please don''t get me wrong, Miss Lively. You''re as beautiful as the goddess Athena. But I have a wife and a family. Even if I were a single man, I wouldn''t deserve someone like you. You''re way out of my league." What a hypocrite! After we talked, I asked Kevin to drive me home. He agreed without hesitation and put his hand on the small of my back as we left the bar. Vivian''s POV: I saw Rita at the Mint Bar chatting happily with a middle-aged man. What was this bad woman ying at? I called the waiter over and asked him to eavesdrop on their conversation. The waiter told me everything he had heard. I curled my lips. "Wow. That woman is unstoppable. She wasted no time and hooked up with the first man she drank with." Spencer leaned over and asked, "Is she more unstoppable than you?" I rolled my eyes at him. "What do you mean?" "Well, she''s good at hooking up with men. But you... You are good at finding women for me! Where on earth do you find so many girls to set me up with?" "Oh, please. There had only been a few. Why? Are you tired of being adies'' man?" I nced at his body and drew circles on his arm with my finger. "You, you, you..." Spencer did not manage to finish what he was trying to say. He just turned around and left with a red face. I took out my phone, called Scarlett, and told her what I just witnessed. As soon as our conversation ended, I saw Emily walking toward me with Justin on her heels. The moment Iid eyes on her, all the rms in my head went off, and I straightened my back. Emily strode straight to me and held my hand. The hypocritical smile on her face made me want to throw up. "Hi, Vivian. We haven''t seen each other in a long time. How are you doing?" "What are you doing here?" I pushed her hand away and rubbed my hand on my shirt. Her touch made me feel sick. "Ethan have been talking to me about youtely. He wanted to invite you to dinner and apologize for what he didst time." "Really? Well, you can go tell him that I don''t ever want to see him again for the rest of my life." I stared at Emily coldly. "Vivian, just ept Ethan''s invitation and repay my kindness foring here and telling you. After all, I''m still your mother." I scoffed, "I didn''t ask you to give birth to me." "You ungrateful child! You should count yourself lucky that Ethan likes you. How dare you be rude to him? Justin, get her. Tie her up if you have to. I will take her to Ethan myself." As I expected, Emily finally showed her true intentions. At hermand, Justin approached me. Before he couldy a hand on me, I took the syringe from my pocket and jammed it into his wrist. Justin''s face twisted in pain. After a few moments, he began shaking. I shed him a mocking grin. "Do you still want to grab me and tie me up?" "You bitch!" Justin raised his other hand and was about to p me. But then, the bar''s security guards rushed over and hit Justin with a stick, knocking him to the ground. "Are you okay, Miss Vivian?" The guards looked at me worriedly. I took a deep breath, shoved down the surging hatred inside me, and ordered them. "Throw these two out." Chapter 258 Welcome Home Chapter 258 Wee Home Scarlett''s POV: Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. After speaking with Vivian, I frowned and wondered what Rita was plotting again. That woman was always making trouble. While I was lost in thought, Charles sent me a video call request. I beamed and answered. "Honey, with whom were you on the phone just now? I tried calling you many times, but I couldn''t get through. Was it a man or a woman?" That tone of Charles''s always cracked me up. He was trying not to sound jealous and possessive but was failing miserably. "Rx. It was Vivian. How are you?" I wondered if I should tell Charles what Vivian told me. "Did Vivian tell you that Rita was hanging out with a man named Kevin?" My eyes widened in surprise. "Yes. How did you know?" "Kevin is a spy. Lily hired him to approach Rita. They''re working together to destroy the Lively Group." My curiosity was aroused. "And what''s your role in this game?" "My role? An insignificant one. When are youing home? I''m getting a little fed up with this little guy." Charles held James in front of the camera. My little boy was very excited to see his mother since we had not seen each other for a long time. He stretched out his chubby little hand toward me and cooed, "Mama." I put my hand over my chest and sent flying kisses to my little angel. I wished that I could just pack my bags and jump on the first ne home. "Don''t talk nonsense. James is so cute." I got a little annoyed at Charles''sment. "Cute, huh? Does that mean you want another baby?" I was taken aback. When Grandma asked us to have another baby, Charles resolutely opposed. Why was he bringing up having another baby now? I could not help teasing him. "Okay. How about a daughter this time?" "Really? Okay. You must keep your word!" Charles''s POV: On the day of Scarlett''s flight back home, her ne was dyed because of the bad weather. I waited at the airport for four hours before I finally saw her. My days and nights of missing her terribly were over. Scarlett and I looked at each other across the crowd. Seeing her face again, I could not help feeling a little overwhelmed with love and longing. She might be just one woman, but to me, she was the entire universe. I dashed over and locked her in a tight hug. Richard and the others took the hint and gave us some privacy. I crashed my lips onto hers, quenching the thirst in my heart. She struggled under my grip, as if telling me to stop because people were already staring. But I held on. I did not care. I missed her, and I wanted to show her just how much. "Let''s spend the night at Garden Street. We''ll go back to the Moore mansion tomorrow. I want you all to myself tonight." I looked at her pleadingly. I knew that Scarlett must miss James very much since they had not seen each other for so many days. But she did not say anything. She just nodded as blood rushed to her cheeks. We went straight to the bedroom when we arrived at our Garden Street home. I kicked the door shut, and my entire body burned with maddening desire. I had been itching to touch Scarlett since we left the airport, and now that we were alone, she was all mine. We took off all our clothes and explored each other''s bodies like we were doing it for the first time. We both surrendered to our primal urges and sent caution flying out the window. When I thrust into her, I threw my head back and let my return to her paradise consume mepletely. The next day, I woke up with Scarlett in my arms. Her beautiful face was enchanting in the morning light. She looked tired, but she was glowing. She appeared like something out of a dream. I could not take my eyes off of her at all. "What time is it? I think it''s time for us to get up." Scarlett stretched her muscles and opened her eyes in a daze. Her voice was a little hoarse after moaning endlesslyst night. Her sleepy look made me hard again. I swallowed, hoping it would help curb my building desire. "I want another round, honey. Can we do it again?" I held her in my arms and gazed at her affectionately, trying to achieve my goal by bewitching her with my puppy dog eyes. "But I''m still exhausted. And it hurts down there," Scarlett refused bluntly. Absence did make the heart grow fonder. I knew that I might have gone a little too rough with her last night, but I could not help it. I wanted herst night, and I still did. "Really? How bad is it? Come on, let me see." As I spoke, I lifted the quilt and stuck my head under it to take a look at her privates. She panicked so instantly that she swatted me off like a fly and hogged the quilt to cover herselfpletely. She giggled and rolled her eyes at me. "You''re such a naughty, naughty man! Get up and make me some breakfast. I''m starving." Feeling bad for getting her hurt while making love to her, I gave up teasing Scarlett. I smiled, jumped out of bed, and put on some clothes. "All right. Wait here. I''ll make breakfast for you." Before leaving the room, I leaned in and nted a soft kiss on Scarlett''s forehead. She grinned, and I headed to the kitchen. Chapter 259 Fear Of Losing Chapter 259 Fear Of Losing Scarlett''s POV: I tried going back to sleep. But before I couldpletely drift off, my phone rang. I clicked my tongue. Who could possibly call me this early in the day? I didn''t want to answer, so I grabbed the quilt and pulled it over my head. But my phone kept ringing. It seemed that whoever was calling didn''t intend to give up. I groaned and reached for my phone on the bedside table. The call wasing from Vivian. "Hey, Scarlett. I heard that you''re back. Let''s have drinks tonight. I have something to tell you." "I can''t tonight, Vivian. I have something to deal with. How about tomorrow night?" "That works for me. And maybe there will be a good show for us to watch." "All right then. See you." After hanging up with Vivian, I couldn''t fall asleep anymore, so I decided to just get up and wash up. While I was brushing my teeth in the bathroom, the heavenly smell of breakfast wafted in from the kitchen. As a response, my stomach grumbled. After I finished up, I went to the kitchen to see how Charles was doing. He was still cooking when I arrived. He was in boxer shorts and a white shirt, but he still looked regal. Sometimes, his handsomeness still caught me off-guard. I sauntered into the kitchen, sat at the counter, and watched him cook. Charles''s dishes didn''t exactly look exquisite, but given the choice, I would pick his food over those from fancy restaurants. Every time I saw him cooking, I felt like my heart was being engulfed by a sense offorting warmth. Charles turned around and stared at me for a few moments. Then, he waved his hand and said, "Come here." I blinked. "What?" "Come over here," Charles repeated. I stood up and strode toward him. I looked at the hamburger with bacon and egg and the blueberry waffle that he made, and my mouth instantly watered. I said with admiration, "Wow, honey. The food looks amazing. I didn''t know you knew how to make these." "It''s not that hard. I just followed the recipe." He smiled proudly at me. "So why am I standing here?" "Hug me." "Why? You''re cooking. If I hug you, I''ll restrict your room for movement." I eyed him carefully and tilted my head to the side. "Just hug me, Scarlett," Charles ordered in a low voice, trying to sound like a domineering entity. To me, he just sounded like a spoiled little boy. "Fine." I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist. He smelled faintly of perfumeced with a bit of tobo. Charles tore open a package of oatmeal and continued to cook. I held him and, after a few moments, moved my hand to his chest. "Scarlett!" Charles stopped what he was doing and turned to warn me, "Do you want your breakfast ruined?" I saw annoyance and desire mingle in his eyes. Thinking about how he exhausted me in bedst night, I immediately withdrew my hand. "Keep your arms around my waist," Charles barked. When he turned back to what he was doing, I stuck my tongue out at him and then embraced him from behind again. Charles could be so bossy sometimes, but I couldn''t help humoring his overbearing manner. For some reason, I found a bit of tenderness in it. "See? You want to hold me. You just can''t admit it." His teasing smile made me blush. Charles''s POV: After breakfast, I dressed up and went straight to work. I wanted to spend more time with Scarlett, but Amy kept calling me. "Sir, Mr. Patel has been waiting for you in your office for a long time." Amy looked at me carefully. I nodded and pushed the door open. Spencer turned his head to me and said, "What''s with the face, man? I thought Scarlett was home. Why do you look worse than me?" He disturbed my time with Scarlett and still had the gall toment on my appearance. Typical Spencer. "What do you want, Spencer?" "I''m probably going to get married soon." I whipped my head at him. He looked hesitant. "Okay. You don''t look too thrilled about it, though." "I don''t know, Charles. I''ve been feeling left outtely. I mean, you have Scarlett and a kid, and David has a fiancee. I''m the only one who''s still single. Don''t you think that''s a little unfair?" "So you''re going to find someone to marry just so you don''t feel left out?" I stared at him. My intuition told me that he was not going to marry Vivian. "Why don''t you ask me who I''m going to marry?" "Spencer, I''ll be happy for you no matter who you marry. Just make sure that you don''t regret making such a big decision hastily. Scarlett and I have been through a lot of difficulties in the past. Believe me. I know the mess jumping the gun brings about," I warned him seriously. "But you two eventually got together, and everything turned out okay, didn''t it?" "It did, but I still feel that somethinghas changed." "What do you mean?" Spencer looked at me in confusion. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Scarlett used to stick to me like glue. Now, I don''t feel such strong love from her anymore." I touched the ring on my finger, lost in thought. "Charles, Scarlett loves you very much. We all know that. I think this is just in your head." "Since she found out that I refused her father when he came to me for help, a gap sprang out between us. Since then, she has rarely asked me for help with anything. I don''t like the idea of her not needing me." I felt upset. So I quickly opened my desk drawer, took out my cigarette case, and fished out a cigarette. I grabbed my lighter and lit up. I took a long, deliberate drag until my throat and lungs were filled with smoke. As I exhaled, I felt awash with a little sense of calm, but I still didn''t feel better. "Among the three of us, you''ve always been the happiest one. David and I are so envious of you," Spencer sighed, walked toward me, and patted me on the shoulder. After taking a few more drags, I crushed my cigarette on the ashtray on my desk. I turned to Spencer and said, "Heed my advice, Spencer. Sometimes, regret is like a snake in the grass that sneaks up on you when you least expect it. So look carefully and think twice before venturing into a new pasture." Chapter 260 A Fatal Blow Chapter 260 A Fatal Blow Spencer''s POV: Not long after, I left Charles''pany and went back to the bar. Once there, a waiter ran towards me, catching his breath. "Mr. Patel,e with me please. Vivian is drunk inside her car. We thought it wouldn''t be appropriate for us to get close to her, so we decided to lock her in her car for the time being." I frowned at him and asked, "Why the hell did you lock her in there? Couldn''t you have just helped her out?" The waiter appeared to be embarrassed. I didn''t have the patience to wait for his exnation, so I just strode downstairs. Soon, I reached Vivian''s car and opened the back door. It was then that I found that parts of her body were naked. My immediate reaction was to close the door. "Oh, Spencer, it''s you!" Vivian pushed the door open. She was leaning against the backseat, visibly drunk. Her coat and trousers had been casually thrown aside. One of the shoulders of her shirt was falling off, and her breasts were half exposed. I was only a man, so I must admit that they turned me on. The strap of her underwear could be seen faintly under the hem of her clothes. She lifted her long legs, stretching them towards me. While intoxicated, she said to me, "Do something! If you''re not going to make a move, go find me someone else who will." I frowned, pressing her legs back. Then, I bent down to pick up her coat. "Put on your clothes!" "Fuck, no!" Vivian shrank into the car, leaning against the other door. Angrily, I roared, "Vivian,e on! Sober up! You''re not in your bedroom. This is the parking lot!" Vivian blushed, staring at me with her glistening eyes. "That''s just an excuse! Am I not sexy enough for you? Aren''t you aroused by my body at all? Or perhaps you''re just impotent? Just say it, Spencer. I won''tugh at you." She was so drunk that I couldn''t converse with her properly. I sat in the backseat, gently pushing the coat towards her. "Be a good girl and put on some clothes first. Let''s talk about those other thingster, okay?" Vivian grabbed her coat and threw it at me. I instinctively dodged, causing the coat to brush past me and fall outside of the car. In a stern voice, I said, "Vivian." At this time, Vivian leaned against the car door, crossed her legs and rested them on myp. "I don''t want to talk about anything else. I just want to know if you''re capable of having an erection like a normal man. Why don''t you prove it to me?" She was looking at me as if she were challenging me. I was so frustrated that my head ached. As I rubbed my temples, I picked up her trousers and intended to put them on her. However, Vivian kicked me away and withdrew her legs. She scoffed at me while ring at me with those dreamy eyes. "You can''t even prove yourself, Spencer. You''re such a coward! Just go to the bar and find me a real man!" "Now that I''m here, nobody will dare touch you!" I had lost my temperpletely. I wanted to take off my coat and give it to her. But before I could even take my sleeves off, Vivian wrapped her arms around my waist. I lost my bnce and fell on her. My head began to spin. I was on top of Vivian''s body. She was like an octopus, shackling me with all of her limbs. "You..." Before I could finish my sentence, Vivian began to kiss me. She was practically sucking on my tongue, biting my lips, and moaning with anticipation. I tried to push her away, but Vivian suddenly got on top of me. Her hand slid into my clothes, rubbing it against my skin. My breathing quickened as my chest heaved up and down. Slowly, her hands moved down. She unbuckled my belt, reached in, and grabbed my thick, hard cock. I moaned with pleasure, trying to grab her hand. But Vivian seemed to have sensed my intention. She quickly began to masturbate my cock as she French kissed me. Her supple breasts were rubbing against my body. All of my rationality had faded at this moment. I carried Vivian onto the seat, raring to remove all of her clothes. I pressed my body against her with every bit of strength I had, and indulged in the music of her pleasured moans as we kissed. After having sex for a long time, we finally reached the climax. I held Vivian tight within my embrace, closing my eyes as I orgasmed. Even in my dreams, a woman was still caressing me. I grabbed her hand and saw Vivian''s face. All of a sudden, I heard a loud bang. In that moment, Vivian vanished into thin air. It was then that I woke up and opened my eyes. It wasn''t until a momentter that I realized that the loud bang I heard was the car door mming shut. I sat upright and found that Vivian was no longer by my side. After putting on my clothes, I hurried out of the car to chase after her. Vivian must''ve gone back to her room. I wanted to follow her, but I had no idea what to tell her. Thus, I had to go back to my room for now. I wanted to change my clothes, but then, I found woman''s panties inside my pocket. There was a print of Donald Duck on it. ''Is this Vivian''s?'' I wondered. My body felt hot all over, and I immediately threw the underwear into the trash can. But a moment later, I picked it up. I wasn''t sure why, but the Donald Duck print was damned lovely at the moment! Charles'' POV: Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. It was rare for me to have spare time at an afternoon like this one. I set up an appointment with Spencer and David to y tennis with them. After changing into sportswear, we chatted as we walked into the indoor tennis court. Meanwhile, a news was broadcasting on the TV screen on the wall. "The Lively Group is in a terrible financial crisis. Their CEO, Rita Lively, is missing. Thousands of thepany''s employees are demanding payments and are rallying at thepany''s headquarters." A reporter was broadcasting the current situation of the Lively Group on live TV. It was crowded and thepany was in shambles. All the tables, chairs, andputers had been destroyed. Spencer appeared to be confused. "I remember that Rita has found a helper. And they actually met at our bar several times," I snorted. Spencer raised an eyebrow while looking at me. "Charles, did you do this?" I nodded in response, and said, "I won''t be able to rest easy until I destroy the Lively Group completely." "Well done! It''s time for Rita to suffer. She''s done so many bad things, and she deserves what''s coming for her." David grinned from ear to ear. I raised my racket towards him. "Don''t mention her again. It''ll just ruin my mood," I said. "Let''s y tennis!" Spencer ran into the court, seemingly in high spirits. I looked at him in bewilderment. ''Why does Spencer look so excited today?" Chapter 261 Who Was Behind All This Chapter 261 Who Was Behind All This Rita''s POV: The Lively Group had gone bankrupt at my very hands. Defeated and regretful, I drove away from thepany, wandering aimlessly for a long time before going home. But, when my car arrived at the gate, it didn''t open. Frowning, I got off the car. As soon as I approached the iron gate, I saw two ck figures rushing towards me, followed by the sound of fierce barking of dogs. "Ah!" I was so startled that I staggered back and fell awkwardly to the ground, causing me to identally graze my palm. The pain from the minor wound felt like it was burning me. "Damn it! Why are there dogs in my house?" I hobbled to my feet. The two German Shepherds were still barking at me as I looked across the iron gate, scanning the courtyard. On thewn, Lily was bent over, catching her breath as she threw a tennis racket onto the ground. At this time, Kevin ran to her side, wiping the beads of sweat on her forehead. ''What''s Kevin doing with Lily? Have they known each other for a long time?'' Only then did I realize that Kevin was the one who drove the Lively Group to its destruction overnight. It turned out that he and Lily were colluding! "Fuck! That evil bitch!" I was so furious that I sped the iron gate with both hands. Finally, they noticed my presence. Lily held onto Kevin''s arm, leaning against him intimately. There was a bright smile on her face while she was waving at me. At this point, I was hopping mad. "You bitch! This was all your doing! You ruined mypany!" Lily whispered something to Kevin with a smile on her face. Then, she approached me on her own. Soon, she stopped in front of the gate and the dogs disyed affection towards her when they saw her. They were nuzzling their heads against her thighs. With arrogance, Lily looked into my eyes. "You are the dumbest piece of shit I''ve ever met, Rita. Do you really not know who''s behind that whole charade?" she asked. "Of course, I do. It''s you! You''re the one who did it behind my back!" "Me? No, no, no. I''d love nothing more than to see your poor face be humiliated, but I''m not that capable, boo." It was then that a particr person shed through my mind as I looked at Lily in disbelief. "Are you saying that..." "Nope. I''m not saying anything," said Lily. She then pet the dogs, turned around, and left. Scarlett''s face kept shing through my mind. The image was so vivid in my head and I hated it down to my bone! Out of everyone else in this world, Scarlett hated me the most and she had the most reason to not want me to have a good life. "Scarlett, you''re the only one who''d do this to me. You''ve already ruined my happiness and my family, and now you''ve destroyed my career! I am going to make sure you die a miserable death!" Gritting my teeth, I opened the car door and drove away at full speed. Scarlett''s POV: Today, I was supposed to have a drink with Vivian alone, but Charles insisted oning with me. He told me that he''d follow me wherever I went to, because I was his wife. By nine in the evening, we arrived at Mint Bar. When we entered the private room, we saw Spencer, David and his fiancee, Icey. Upon taking my seat, Charles insisted on sitting next to me. "I want to speak with my friend in private. Can''t you just go with your friends to another room?" I protested. "No," Charles refuted. Difited by his intense, I turned my face away and decided to ignore him. However, Charles grabbed my hand and interlocked his fingers with mine. Someone in the room noticed what he did. "That''s enough, you two! Stop showing off your love in front of us!" As Vivian sat across me, she shook her head, and took out a pack of cards. "Let''s just y cards, guys!" "Hold on. What does the winner get?" My hand was starting to feel ticklish. I pulled it out from Charles'' hand and shot him a sidelong nce. This time, he held my waist. Helplessly, I raised my head and happened to meet Vivian''s taunting gaze. "The winner can ask the loser a question, and the loser must answer no matter what," said Vivian. Icey chuckled at that. "Sounds interesting."This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Since nobody objected to the premise of the game, it began right away. Though we were just ying cards, it still tired me out after ying for an hour. I leaned back in Charles'' arms, but I still couldn''t find afortable position. Thus, I tried to adjust my posture. A momentter, he picked me up and ced me on hisp. He was hugging mezily, resting his head on my shoulder. The warmth of his breath sprayed onto my earlobes, causing my ears to feel hot. All of a sudden, he grabbed my ass. With a wide-eyed gaze, I red at this shameless man. Even so, Charles just smiled at me as he looked into my eyes. It was then that he raised his chin and nted a kiss on my lips. Upon seeing what he did, everyone else in the room booed and hissed at him. I, on the other hand, was blushing from embarrassment. "Oh, my God! How could you two be so brazen?" Spencer groaned, sounding annoyed. David added, "Spencer, go ahead and find another room for these two. I don''t wanna look at them anymore." To warn Charles, I pinched his cheeks. Secondster, the game continued. And to my surprise, I won five times in a row! "You''re awesome today, Scarlett! Is it because your husband is by your side?" Vivian shook her head and let out a sigh. "Scarlett, this time, you have to ask Spencer a question," she continued. Upon hearing that, Spencer appeared to be nervous. "Pick a question carefully. Don''t try to pull any tricks on me." "Oh, don''t worry, Spencer. I''m a kindhearted woman. I''m not gonna do that." I smirked at him. Seeing that Spencer was relieved, I asked him, "Spencer, if Vivian marries another man now, what will you do?" He was stunned by the question. Then, he nced at Vivian and asked, "Are you nning to marry someone else?" Vivian looked down and continued staring at her cards without responding. "Vivian, I''m going to take responsibility for you!" Spencer proposed. He appeared to be serious. Raising my eyebrows, I leaned close to Charles and whispered, "What happened between them?" "Things that should have happen a long time before," he replied. Before I could figure out what Charles meant, I heard Vivian speak up. "I don''t need you to take responsibility for me." I turned my gaze towards Vivian, only to find that she had gulped down an entire ss of wine in one breath. She was frowning, but I could see a trace of sadness in her eyes. Then, she changed the subject. "Come on, let''s just keep ying." The next round, I lost. I was feeling nervous, so I nced at David, since he was the one who''d ask me a question. I could feel he was up to no good because of the grin on his face. "Are you brave enough to dere your love for Charles in public, Scarlett?" he asked. At this point, my heart was racing because of how nervous I was. I looked back at Charles, trying to speak, but I found that I couldn''t utter a word. It was then that he held my hand and said, "You don''t have to force yourself to do that." Surprised by his remark, my eyes widened. "Seriously?" I asked. "Well, it''s just a game." His smile gradually turned cheeky. "But everyone should abide by the rules." My mood shifted from glee to despair at once, and I shot him a re. "Did you and David n to ask me this question together?" I grunted. Vivian whistled. "nned or not, rules are rules. Scarlett, you and Charles already have a son together. All you have to do is to express your love for him in public. That''s not a problem for you, right? Don''t be shy!" Everyone began to urge me to do it. At this point, refusing them would be disappointing. While everyone was staring at me, I gathered the courage to speak. "Charles, I..." Suddenly, we heard a deafening sound. The next second, the door was busted open. Startled, I turned around and found that it was Rita. Chapter 262 My Wife Doesnt Like Me Touchin... Chapter 262 My Wife Doesn''t Like Me Touchin... Scarlett''s POV: Unexpectedly, Charles grabbed me by the waist before lifting me off hisp. Then, he stood in front of me. My gaze crossed his shoulder, meeting Rita''s resentful re. Rita demanded angrily, "Scarlett! Were you the one who instigated Lily to destroy the Lively Group?!" "Hey! Who let this crazy woman in? Where are the bodyguards? Drive her out!" Vivian immediately jumped to my defense, and stormed over with the fury of a scorned woman. But Rita suddenly brandished arge knife and began waving it threateningly at Vivian. Her eyes burned with manic ferocity. She seemed to breathe fire as she hissed, "Come at me if you have the guts!" "Vivian, get away from her!" Spencer stepped forward in a sh, holding Vivian protectively in his arms to shield her. Icey screamed, horrified. Rita''s expression was twisted as she aimed the sharp end of the knife at me. She no longer looked sane. "Answer me, Scarlett! Answer me, or else...!" I red back at Rita, my lips a disdainful sneer. "Hey, Rita. Have you ever considered the consequences of your actions?" As I spoke, I felt aforting warmth on the back of my hand. Charles was holding my hand firmly, with his other hand set behind his back. Just like that, a strong sense of security engulfed my heart. I felt fearless. Charles hardened his voice as he ordered, "Rita, put down the knife." Rita''s lips trembled, and she frowned. She stared piteously at him, tears of anguish streaming down her face like a broken faucet. "Charles, do you know what Scarlett had done to me? Do you have any idea?!" "Rita, you need to calm down. You can''t me Scarlett for everything. She''s innocent, and she''s done nothing wrong!" Spencer said earnestly, trying to reason with Rita. Unfortunately, his attempt was in vain. His words infuriated Rita even more, and her hands trembled violently as she gripped her knife. "Liar! Liar, liar, liar! Scarlett''s done so many awful things to me! Why the hell are you all speaking for her?! I''m the one who got hurt! I lost everything! I''m the most innocent person here! You''re all deceived by her. She''s tricked all of you! She deserves to die!" The more Rita spoke, the more emotional she became. She seemed to have no control of herself or her words, screaming at the top of her lungs. She started swinging the knife wildly as she approached me, eager to hurt me. All of a sudden, Charles let go of my hand. Subconsciously, I moved forward, wanting to pull him back to safety. But he went too fast and my fingers only brushed against the hem of his clothes. Without caring for anything else, Charles lunged forward and grabbed the knife in Rita''s hand. The de dug into his flesh, causing a torrent of red to flow out. The gushing blood stung my eyes, filling my heart with horror. "Charles...!" Spencer and David screamed in unison, appalled. Rita stared wide-eyed at Charles''s hand around her knife, astonished. For a moment, she was stunned. Then she let out a shrill scream, withdrew her hand, and retreated in horror. However, Charles remained rooted to the sport, stubbornly keeping his grip on the knife. I was trembling all over, shock and fear reaching into my bones. Unable to stop myself, tears fell from my eyes. How could Charles do such a thing? How could he be so reckless as to grab the knife with his bare hand? My heart ached in dull agony. I rushed to check his hand, which was now badly mutted. The terrible sight sent shivers down my spine. "Vivian! Charles needs help! Hurry!" I shouted, paning my voice. Vivian was quick on the uptake. She grabbed the first aid kit and treated Charles''s wound in record time. I marched angrily toward Rita, my every step filled with burning wrath. Without an ounce of hesitation, I raised my hand and gave Rita''s face the hardest p I could muster. The crisp sound echoed in the air, loud and deafening, soon followed by Rita''s agonized scream. And then, the room fell into pin-drop silence. For a long time, it remained that way. Then, slowly, Charles called me worriedly. "Scarlett..." Memories of his gentleness and coldness from the past flooded my mind like an unstoppable tidal wave. The pain and suffering between us were all caused by Rita! Anger surged in me once more, snatching away my rationale. I lost control of myself and pounced on Rita like a hungry tiger. Grabbing her neck, I screamed myself hoarse, "You deserve it! You had iting! Your lies and schemes almost took away everything I had. Now you''ve lost everything, and it couldn''t happen to a better person! You deserve all this! You were never an innocent victim, Rita! And you never should''ve hurt Charles!" Rita struggled free and stood up breathlessly. Despite that, she still maintained a defiant re at me and snapped stubbornly, "Hah! Scarlett, can you swear that you didn''t n all this in secret? You said you hated me and my father! You wanted to destroy the Lively Group the most, don''t you? I''m right, aren''t I?!" "More than anything, I wanted you and your father to suffer ten thousand times more than I did!" I snarled. I looked down at her, just like how one looked down at an overconfident ant. She was revolting, pathetic, a sore sight that stung my eyes. "Even if you die ten thousand times, Rita, it''s not enough to atone for the sins that you and your evil father hadmitted! If you don''t provoke me anymore, I''ll let you go this time. If you dare to provoke me again in the future, who do you think Charles will protect this time?! Huh?!" Rita was stunned silly, not knowing what to say. Slowly, her eyes fell on Charles. I tried to calm myself and press down my anger, and followed her line of sight. Charles''s wound had been bandaged properly courtesy of Vivian, but the gauze was stained red with blood. The sight still horrified me, even though I knew he was out of danger. Charles looked at me with a warm, loving smile. "Of course I''ll protect my beloved, Scarlett." My heart was touched, and all the fury in me disappeared in an instant, leaving only feelings of tenderness. "I love you too, Charles," I blurted out despite myself. "C-Charles!" Rita shouted in disbelief, her face filled with pain. "I once blocked a knife for you, Charles! I saved your life! How could you be so cruel to me? Why are you doing this to me? Why?!" However, Charles replied to her with a cold re. "I''ve already paid you back for that, Rita. Besides, I already knew that you protected me at that time because you saw that my bodyguards have arrived. You knew it wouldn''t be a lifethreatening situation. That''s why you risked it." His retort rendered Ritapletely speechless. "You''re just a vile and greedy woman," Charles sneered hatefully, disgust oozing out of his every pore. Vivian, who was watching Charles''s wound, furrowed her eyebrows. Frowning, she said to me, "Scarlett, the cut seems quite deep. The wound''s been bandaged, but I still need to treat it properly. We have to go to the infirmary as soon as possible." "Right. Let''s go now." I nodded at her and held Charles''s injured hand carefully. Both of us walked out. Yet, Rita dashed forward and tried to block our path. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. By this point, I didn''t want to waste any more time on her and pushed her away decisively. With one swing of my hand, she fell to the floor andy there in an awkward position. However, no one paid any attention to her. We then hurried to the infirmary. Vivian went to find everything she needed, while I helped Charles lie on the bed. Charles smiled, but his lips were frighteningly pale. "Don''t pull a long face, Scarlett. Smile." "I can''t possibly smile right now..." I looked at him worriedly, concern coloring my gaze. "I want you to apply medicine to my wound." "Me...?" I looked at Vivian for approval. "Sure, you can apply it on him. Open the lid and spray the powder on the wound. It''s easy." Vivian handed me the bottle. "I''ll go out first. Call me if you need anything." I sat down next to Charles, carefully unwrapped the gauze, and applied medical powder to his wound as gently as I could. As I looked at the bloody wound, a single tear fell from my eyes and dropped on the back of my hand. "Don''t cry..." Charles caressed my face with his uninjured hand, wiping my tears gently. "Are you worried about me, Scarlett?" I didn''t want to cry, but before I knew it, my voice was choked with sobs. "What''s wrong with you?! You could''ve grabbed Rita''s hand. Why did you grab the knife instead?" Charles leaned over and kissed myshes. His low and hoarse voice was full of love. "Because... my wife doesn''t like me touching other women''s hands." His words stunned me, and I stopped bandaging his wound. I turned to stare at him in disbelief, but as I did so, I met his sincere eyes. Chapter 263 This Is The Last Time Chapter 263 This Is The Last Time Charles''s POV: "Charles, I''m warning you... If you dare to do something this reckless again and disregard your life, I promise that when you die, I''ll immediately take my son with me and remarry another man. See if you can jump out of the grave and stop me!" Scarlett''s eyes were red and moist. Her words were harsh, but her hands, which were bandaging my wound, became gentler and gentler. Crystal tears fell from her eyes, streaming past her cheeks slowly. "It hurts..." I murmured, pretending to be pitiful. "Humph. You asked for it." Scarlett wasn''t moved. It seemed she was really furious this time. "Scarlett, I swear I won''t do that again! For the sake of you and our child, I will cherish my life." I promised to Scarlett, my voice stern and my eyes serious. Scarlett stared quietly into my eyes. Noticing the sincerity in my gaze, she gradually calmed down. She sighed, helpless, and gently hugged me. "Charles, you have to remember to think carefully before you do anything dangerous. You still have your family. You have me, James, your parents, and your grandparents. We all need you." There was a sob in Scarlett''s tone, and her voice was breaking. I knew she was deeply shaken by today''s unexpected turn of events. I returned her hug, squeezing her lovingly. "This is thest time, okay?" Scarlett cried pleadingly. "Okay. Should it happen next time, may I be impotent!" That amused her. Scarlett smiled through her tears, and the sight of her sweetly upturned lips made me feel better. "Let''s go home, Scarlett." "Okay." Spencer''s POV: I didn''t expect that the party would end up like this, no thanks to Rita. Scarlett helped the injured Charles leave, so did David and his fiancee. That left only Vivian and me in the room. All of a sudden, the atmosphere between us seemed to turn ambiguous. I began to feel warm all over. Ever since I slept with Vivian, I couldn''t stop myself from paying attention to her. Just like right now, my eyes couldn''t move away from her. She had on delicate make-up, and was dressed particrly enchantingly today. The wine-red Chanel strapless dress set her sexy figure off, showing her alluring curves. She leaned on the ck leather sofazily, a ss of cocktail in her slender hand. She looked like the fascinating Siren foretold in old myths. The smell of alcohol mixed with the fragrance unique to a woman crept into my nose. To suppress the desire in my heart, I hurriedly picked up a ss of ice water and gulped it down in one full swing. "Vivian, that dress looks good on you. When did you buy it?" I lowered my eyes as I spoke, trying to hide the amazement in my gaze. "It''s a gift from Emily, actually. I think it''s especially suitable for seducing men." So saying, Vivian flipped her hair nonchntly and threw me a meaningful look. Emily...? Why did Vivian ept clothes from Emily? I had to admit, the dress was so good on her! She looked like the epitome of sex appeal. Suddenly, I felt that something was about to gush out of my nose. I stood up in a hurry, rmed. "Uh, I''m going upstairs. See you tomorrow!" Once again, I fled from my confrontation with Vivian. ****** Later that evening, I was taking a shower when the doorbell suddenly rang. I turned off the faucet and put on a bath towel in a hurry. Then, I headed out of the shower to open the door. Contrary to my expectations, the person who came into view right as I opened the door was a slightly drunk Vivian. As I was still in a daze by her sudden appearance, Vivian strode inside casually. She then turned around and locked the door. "It''s sote. What''s up?" I couldn''t help swallowing a nervous gulp, and my heartbeat was increasing rapidly. Vivian did not answer. Before I could react, she pounced on me and pressed me on the king-sized bed. "Of course, I''m here to meet my physiological needs. Last time, I was too drunk and didn''t perform well. I''d like to experience your skills wholeheartedly this time." Vivian''s slender fingers drew circles on my chest, tempting me further. Try as I might, I couldn''t help but find it distracting. "Vivian, I told you that I''ll be responsible for you, but please don''t act like this." Despite my words, I was struggling to keep my sanity. "Don''t say such disappointing words. We''re both grow-ups. You don''t need to be responsible for it." She pressed a finger against my mouth, silencing me. "But..." "Shh. Every minute of the night is precious. Don''t you want me, Spencer?" Of course I wanted this sexy subus! I wanted her more than anything. However, my reason told me that doing so would be wrong. Soon, I didn''t have time to think about whether it was right or wrong. Vivian began to kiss me on my lips, and slowly moved to my face and neck. When her hot lips kissed my sensitive Adam''s apple, I lost control. My desire was akin to a fierce tiger that had escaped its cage, roaring fiercely, trying to swallow this alluring woman. Instantly, I took the initiative and pressed Vivian on the bed. "You asked for it!" I couldn''t wait to tear the red dress that distracted me so much earlier. I kissed Vivian fiercely, and my hands reached for her voluptuous chest. Meanwhile, she wrapped her arms around my neck obediently and responded eagerly to my kiss. All the obstacles between us disappeared in an instant, and the surging tide of desire drowned us. My scent lingered in Vivian''s body. I ignored her pleas for mercy, again and again, until we finally copsed on the bed, exhausted. The moon hung high in the middle of the night sky, witness to our love. After resting for a while, I wanted to hold Vivian in my arms. However, she pushed me away. She quickly got up from the bed, took my shirt, and put it on. When I saw her bare legs dangling in front of me, the fire of desire began to stir again inside me. Vivian then bent over to give me a soft kiss. "Good night, Spencer. Remember to dream of me!" After saying that, she swung her waist seductively before leaving my sight. I opened my mouth, wanting her to stay, but I quickly realized that I didn''t even have an excuse to do that. After my desire was released, there was only endless emptiness left. I could still smell Vivian''s lingering fragrance, which ignited wild fantasies in my head. Physical reactions wouldn''t lie. Being together with Vivian made me feel unprecedentedly happy, that was fact. This was the happiness my previous partners failed to give me, both physically and mentally. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. I couldn''t help but touch my chest. Had I really fallen in love with her? Chapter 264 A Weird Blind Date Chapter 264 A Weird Blind Date Spencer''s POV: The following day, as soon as I walked out of my room, I saw Vivian in a gorgeous dress. It looked like she had somewhere to be. "Vivian, hang on. Are you going somewhere? And if you are, who are you meeting? Is it a man or a woman?" Naturally, I was upset. "Spencer, this is my life and I don''t have to report everything I do to you. So, don''t interrogate me like a nagging wife." Vivian rolled her eyes and made a face at me. "Who are you calling a nagging wife? Are you talking about me?" I could no longer regte my voice at this point, and I was practically shouting at her. ''Damn it. How is she always on point?'' I wondered. "Whatever, Spencer. I don''t want to fight with you so early in the morning. Your blind date, Nicole will meet with you at ten in the morning. Don''t say I didn''t remind you, okay? Anyway, I''m rooting for you!" Vivian raised an eyebrow at me and smirked before she turned around and began to walk away. ''What is wrong with her? Why is she so happy that I''m going to see another woman? If she wants to leave, tough shit. I won''t let her! '' I remarked inwardly. "Stop!" I grabbed Vivian''s arm and pulled her towards me. "You''re the one who set me up with Nicole, remember? How could you be absent for such an important date?" I asked. The only reason I said that was to piss her off. "Spencer, don''t cross the line!" Vivian''s face turned grim. Now, I was regretting that I said those words. However, I didn''t want to see her leave my sight while she was dressed like that. "If you leave, I''m going to tell my mom that you slept with me! See if she''s going to pay you anymore!" I warned her. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Vivian gritted her teeth, reluctantly agreeing to stay. Somehow, I felt relieved. ****** After breakfast, Nicole came right on time. However, I didn''t expect that my mother woulde with her. ''Is she nning to keep an eye on my blind date?'' "Spencer, take this seriously. I honestly think that Nicole is a good woman." She then gave me a look of encouragement before taking Vivian to another table. Even as I looked at Nicole''s delicate face, I knew that I had no feelings for her. "Nicole, does it bother you that I''ve slept with other women before?" Even though it was impolite to say something like that, I wanted her to know that I had no interest in her. And just as I had expected, Nicole fell silent. ''Well, it seems that this matter has been settled!'' "Spencer, I don''t mind that you''ve had rtionships in the past," Nicole replied firmly. "Do you mind if I ask why?" Honestly, her answer stunned me. "If you want... I can sleep with you." Nicole''s beautiful countenance turned red. She was looking at me with a wide-eyed gaze, as though she was ready and willing to sleep with me whenever I wanted. And no, I was the one who mmed up. "Your mother told me that you''ve been supporting poor children since ten years ago. I believe that an altruistic man like you will be a wonderful husband. Besides, nobody can guarantee that her husband won''t ever cheat on her for the rest of their lives together. Are you of the same mind as I am?" Nicole sounded very sincere. But even so, I still wasn''t moved. I couldn''t resist the urge to nce at Vivian''s direction. There, I saw my mother handing her a bank card, and she took it. Frustration overcame my heart again, and I subconsciously frowned. "Spencer? Are you listening?" Nicole''s voice pulled me back to reality. Ignoring the disappointment in my heart, I braced myself and prepared to deal with the current situation. "You think too highly of me, Nicole. For a family like mine, charity is just tokenism. Allow me to give you a piece of advice. Don''t ever marry a man you barely know." "Please do not belittle yourself like that. In my opinion, your honesty just proves how noble you are, and I''m touched by your bluntness." Nicole''s eyes lit up. It seemed that she really did think of me that way. Hurriedly, I averted my gaze to look at Vivian again. I happened to notice that she was happily putting the bank card into her pocket. ''God damn it!'' I cursed inwardly I red at her in an attempt to make her feel my displeasure. However, she just gave me a defiant smile and pouted at Nicole''s direction. It seemed like she was saying "She''s your date. Why are you looking at me?" Nicole continued to praise me for my kindness. If I was beingpletely honest, I never thought that kindness was a word that would be used to describe me one day. For the rest of the day, she just kept on following me around. It was pretty annoying. Finally, I decided to send Vivian a message. "I don''t care how you do it. Just take this annoying woman away from me! Now!" "Sorry, Spencer. I''m on a date, too, and I don''t have time to deal with your problem. Besides, I''m your private doctor, not your personal assistant," she replied. After reading her response, I almost crushed my phone. Feeling helpless, I decided to send Charles and David a message to invite them to y tennis. I nned to use this as an excuse to get rid of Nicole. David refused me without a shred of mercy. As I wallowed in despair, Charles replied, "Come by mypany''s tennis court." ''Thank God!'' I eximed inwardly. "Sorry, Nicole, but I''ll have to take off. Charles has invited me to y tennis with him. I''ll assign someone to escort you home." I tried my best to hold back myughter as I said those words. "You y tennis? That''s awesome. I love ying tennis! Do you mind if I tag along?" Nicole asked with glee. With no other choice, I had topromise. ****** About an hourter, Nicole and I arrived at the Moore Group''s tennis court. "Spencer, are you going to introduce me to your friend?" Charles appeared to be surprised that Nicole was with me. It was then that I introduced them to each other. "You''re on a blind date, huh?" Charles shot me a knowing nce while teasing me. I began to feel uneasy. He knew about my messy rtionship with Vivian. And now, I had brought a blind date along to our tennis game. This only made me look even guiltier. Nicole didn''t notice my eye contact with Charles, for she was really excited to meet him. To be fair, very few women could remain calm upon seeing his handsome face. After changing into her sportswear, Nicole volunteered to y a match against Charles. Naturally, I didn''t stop her. I knew that he wouldn''t show her any mercy just because she was a woman. And sure enough, she could barely score against him. After losing miserably, Nicole''s face became gloomy. "Just give up, Nicole. You''re no match for him. Allow me to show you how it''s done." I took the tennis racket from her. Nicole nodded in response before standing quietly by the side while taking pictures of me and Charles. When it was time for dinner, I suggested, "Charles, let''s have dinner together." "Pass. I''d rather go home and have dinner with my wife," he said. Then, Charles walked away without even ncing back. ''Fuck! He''s choosing his wife over his best friend. That asshole!'' Chapter 265 A Romantic Night Chapter 265 A Romantic Night Spencer''s POV: After Charles left me for dead, I turned to Nicole, feeling helpless. She didn''t look like she had any intention of leaving. And she was looking at me with the same hopeful gaze as she did this morning. "Let''s go have dinner," I said. She had been with me for an entire day. Out of politeness, I decided to invite her to dinner before sending her home. "Sounds great!" Nicole nodded readily. Not long after, I drove her to a pizza restaurant. We sat a table in the corner. "Mr. Moore kind of seemed standoffish. Are all CEOs like him?" Nicole asked tentatively. "What made you say that?" I was honestly curious of how people viewed Charles. "When he was looking at me earlier, his eyes were so cold and intimidating. Honestly, I was scared!" Nicole said as she drew back her neck. I nodded at her and said, "Well, he''s like that to everyone." "I heard that he''s very protective of his wife, so it made me think that he''s a passionate man." Nicole took a sip of orange juice and continued, "I once saw his wife on TV. She''s so beautiful and elegant. She must be really good at hiding her true self." "What does that mean?" I paused from chewing my pizza as I looked at her. She looked around before leaning close to me. "Don''t you know? Some people say that her father was a criminal and hemitted suicide by jumping off a building. Her mother, on the other hand, had an affair with another man. A woman from such aplicated family must be conniving." As I looked at Nicole''s face, I kind of felt scared of her. Even though she looked harmless, her words were sharper than knives. At first, I thought that Nicole''s pure temperament was simr to that of Scarlett''s. But now, I realized that she was nothing like Scarlett. Scarlett would never speak ill of anyone behind their backs. "Do you agree, Spencer?" Nicole shed me a grin, appearing to be sweet and innocent. But to her chagrin, I just felt disgusted of her fake kindness. Abruptly, I put down my pizza. "You probably don''t know how I''m rted to Charles and Scarlett." "How are you rted to them?" asked Nicole. "We all grew up together. So, don''t ever speak ill of them in front of me. You''re not just insulting them, you''re insulting me, too. And I don''t like it." Right after I said those words, Nicole was too dumbfounded to utter another word. Soon, we finished eating and left the restaurant at once. On our way to her house, Nicole kept silent. She just sat in the passenger seat, looking down. When the car finally stopped, she whispered to me, "Sorry for what I did earlier, Spencer. I shouldn''t have spoken ill of your friends behind their backs." "I hope you keep in mind that gossips are worse than poison," I said. "I understand." Nicole nodded before getting out of the car. Once she was gone, I drove away immediately. Charles'' POV: After picking up Scarlett, we went back to the Moore mansion. "Whyis there ababy''scribinthemasterbedroom?" Scarlett asked in confusion. "I prepared it for James," I replied. "But the bed in the master bedroom is big enough for the three of us. Is it even necessary to put in a baby''s crib? Besides, autumn ising, so it''ll be colder at nights. I want to sleep with James in my arms." Scarlett gazed at me intently. Her pajamas were quite thin, and they entuated her vivacious figure. I put my arm around her shoulder. "Someone else will warm up your son''s bed in the future. That''s not your duty. You, however, can only be mine!" Every time that I saw how much Scarlett cared about James, it made me feel jealous. Scarlett red at me. I nted a kiss on her cheek and said, "I''m going to take a shower first. Do you mind preparing James'' crib?" "No problem." Even though Scarlett was initially against it, she decided to agree to my proposal. By the time I got out of the bathroom, James was already asleep in his crib. Scarlett was lying on her side of the bed. Her pajamas were slightly unveiled, revealing her smooth, fair shoulder. I couldn''t resist the urge to embrace her and kiss her neck. Within an instant, her face was as red as an apple. In a charming voice, she said, "Let go of me." But I held her even tighter. "We should''ve let James sleep in the crib earlier." "Are you really so jealous of your own son?" Scarlett looked up at me, visibly annoyed. "You''re the only one I can love with all my heart." I stared at her exposed snow-white skin and began to kiss her again. Slowly, I went from her chest to her neck, going up to her cheeks, and finally stopping at her lips. "James is here. Let''s do this in another room." Scarlett pushed me away and ran to the door, panting slightly. "No. This is our room, and I wanna do it here." Without hesitation, I lifted her up and threw her back to the bed. The soft mattress sank when shended on it. I removed my pajamas and went to bed with her. "Since you don''t want to go to another room, you should at least turn off the lights," suggested Scarlett. After turning off the lights, I slid my hands into Scarlett''s clothes to fondle her round breasts. I could see that she was trembling with pleasure, even though she was muttering "no". I didn''t want to stop what I was doing, and even left love bites on Scarlett''s corbone and shoulder. Feeling that she was no longer resisting, I pressed her body against mine as I fucked her. I could feel how fast her heart was beating. "Do you want more?" Gently, I blew into her ear, making her tremble once more. Scarlett giggled at me. "Don''t do that! It tickles!" Even though it was aint, her voice sounded so bewitching. "Allow me to satisfy you," I said. Just before I could get on top of her, I heard James crying in the crib next to the bed. Even though I didn''t want to, I knew I had to stop. "Turn on the light. Our son is awake," Scarlett muttered as she sat up on the bed. Impatiently, I turned on the light, looking at James with resentment in my eyes. ''Is he trying to cause trouble on purpose?'' I wondered. Scarlett nestled the boy in her arms, lightly shaking him. Soon, James stopped crying. "I think he did that on purpose!" Upon seeing how the boy reacted, I became angry and suspicious of him. "Why are you getting mad at our child? Just shush, Charles." Scarlett continued coaxing James. And just as she was about to put him back to his crib, he began to cry again. Thus, she had to cradle James again. At this point, my desire was about to die down. "We should just ignore him next time," I remarked with disdain. Scarlett red at me. I got out of bed, still half-naked. Then, I hugged her from behind, gently rubbing my penis against her. "Don''t do that..." Scarlett groaned. "Then, put James back on the crib," I said through gritted teeth. "But he''s not asleep yet," she said.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Hang on. I''m gonna grab something." Having said that, I left the master bedroom and went to the baby''s room. There, I picked up a turtle plushie from James'' pile of toys and went back to the master bedroom. I showed Scarlett the turtle and said, "James will sleep with this turtle, and you''ll sleep with me." I put James in his crib, and ced the turtle into his arms. I let out a deep sigh of relief when I saw him drift into sleep. It was then that I held Scarlett''s hand and led her back to the bed at once. "I think it''s fine if we do it now." "I''m still kind of worried." Scarlett wanted to get up, but I locked her in my embrace, making her sat on top of me. "You''ve been so used to lying below me. Does it feel good whenever you''re riding me?" "Charles, you pervert!" "Shush, honey. Just focus." Afterwards, I helped her take her clothes off and began to kiss her again. Chapter 266 Being Touched Again Chapter 266 Being Touched Again Scarlett''s POV: Yesterday, Charles didn''t stop fucking me until it was midnight, so it was difficult for me to get up on time today. After turning off the rm clock, I turned over, still half-asleep. "Scarlett," Charles muttered before he kissed me. "You''ll bete if you keep lying around in bed. Come on, get up! I''m heading downstairs to make breakfast," he added. "Got it." Despite my reluctant, I got up. After washing my face and brushing my teeth, I heard James babbling. I hurried to his crib to check on him. In the crib, he was looking at me with bright eyes, reaching his hands out to me. "Ma! Momma," he mumbled. My heart melted at how cute he was. Gently, I held my little angel''s hand. "Do you want a hug, James?" James shed me a bright smile, babbling with excitement. "You''re so adorable!" I cradled James in my arms, coaxing him. He appeared to be sleepy, and he soon fell asleep. All of a sudden, I heard a knock on the door. It was Tracy. She came up here to tell me that it was time to go downstairs and have breakfast. As I looked at my baby in my arms, I was reluctant to leave him. "I''ll take care of James for you." Tracy volunteered to help me, and carefully took James from my arms. With that, I went downstairs to the dining room after exhorting her to be careful. In the dining room, Charles was serving breakfast on the table. The way he looked so attentive was so tempting to me. Beneath his rolled-up shirt sleeves, his long arms and slender hands were exposed. Even though they weren''t that muscr, I knew that they were strong. Realizing that my mind was wandering, I blushed. Afterposing myself, I went to the table to sit down. Charles was looking at me expectantly, and his expression made me giggle. "It''s really good. Thank you for breakfast, Charles." "It''s all worth it as long as you enjoy the food, my love." It was then that Charles sat down and ate with satisfaction. After a while, he suggested, "Hey, Scarlett. If you''re not too busy, do you want to y tennis together this afternoon?" "Oh, too bad. I''m a little busytely because of the new program. I can''t go," I responded, looking at him with regret. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. "Oh," Charles replied casually. But I noticed the faint sadness from his eyes. I moved my chair closer to his and held his hand. Charles smiled at me, and asked, "What''s the theme of the new program?" "It''s about a mother''s postpartum journey," I answered. "Sounds meaningful," he said. "Certainly. Mothers face many challenges even after giving birth. I just want everyone to see the life of a mother postpartum, and hope that they can learn how to be more tolerant and understanding of mothers." After saying that, I let out a sigh. I recalled the time when I just gave birth. So many things happened, and I barely got any time to breathe. That kind of life was difficult and exhausting. Charles nodded in agreement. "It''s a great idea, Scarlett. But you should know that the theme of your program is too ideal. Thew of the jungle is thew of our society. Instead of tackling how others should react towards postpartum mothers, I think you should focus more on the mentality and ability of the mothers themselves after they gave birth." His remark left me stunned, and there was nothing I could say against it. After a moment of pondering, I held Charles '' hand and asked, "Can you do me a favor?" "Lay it on me." Charles interlocked his fingers with mine. "Yourpany is an industry giant. I''m sure there''s a lot of moms in yourpany, right? Do you mind if I get in touch with some of them to get some materials for my program?" I asked expectantly. Upon seeing Charles frown, I immediately added, "If you can''t help me out, I''ll go ask Spencer." When he heard me say that, he shot me a cold nce. "I didn''t say no. Don''t ask Spencer for help. Otherwise, I''m going to give him hell on the tennis court." I chuckled, leaning on his shoulder. "Well, that''s settled then." Charles hugged me, chuckling helplessly. After eating breakfast, I went to the TV station to work. When my morning meeting finished, I received a call from Nina. "Why aren''t you here yet? The food is ready," she said. "I''ll be there in a bit," I answered. About twenty minutester, I arrived at the restaurant. "Sorry for beingte," I remarked. Nina smirked at me and bantered, "What a busy woman! It seems like we won''t be able to have lunch together in the future." I giggled at her remark and sat across her. "Oh, stop it, you! As long as it''s a work day, I''ll always have lunch with you. Besides, I''m rarelyte for our lunch dates!" "Um... Scarlett? I might not be able to have lunch with you all the time." Nina suddenly sounded serious. I looked at her with a smirk on my face and asked, "Is it because your husband thinks that I''m taking up too much of your time? Don''t worry about it. You can meet up with him during lunch breaks, if you want. I''ll just eat alone." "That''s not it. I''m nning to resign. I want to offer legal aid to the less fortunate." "Really?" I was surprised. Nina nodded in response before she let out a sigh. "Lately, I''ve been in contact with a lot of vulnerable groups who are having a hard time getting help from anyone. I just woke up one day, overwhelmed by sympathy, and I wanted to do something to help them. It just so happens that I''ll be able to use what I learned to help more people in need. That''s why I came to this conclusion." "So, you''re really going to leave the TV station?" I asked. Nervously, Nina looked into my eyes and asked, "Do you think I''m being impulsive and irrational?" I shook my head at her and smiled. "Not at all! I''m with you one hundred percent, Nina. If you say that this is something you want to do, just do it! And if there''s anything I can do to help, you can call me anytime." Moved by my words, Nina hugged me earnestly. "I knew you''d understand me!" "Of course!" I caressed her back and waited until she calmed down from the excitement before saying, "Let''s eat." After a while, Abner appeared. After greeting me, he sat down next to Nina and took away the fruit wine beside her. "Why are you drinking alcohol, Nina?" Abner asked disapprovingly. At once, Nina exined, "I ordered one for Scarlett, but the waiter also poured a ss for me. I didn''t even touch mine. I swear!" Abner''s face softened. "Why can''t Nina have that?" I asked, visibly confused. This particr fruit wine contained very little alcohol, and it was one of Nina''s favorite beverages. Abner held Nina in his arms as they intimately gazed into each other''s eyes. "We''re preparing to have a baby. During this period of time, we decided to stay away from alcohol." I smiled at them and expressed my sincerest congrattions. When lunch almost over, I received a message from Charles. "Honey, what did you have for lunch?" I turned on my phone''s camera and took a picture of the food for him. Unexpectedly, Charles called me. The way he questioned me sounded so unfriendly. "Who are you having lunch with?" "Nina and Abner," I said. "Scarlett, you should keep your distance from married men." Charles sounded so jealous. I wasn''t sure why, so I went back to the chat box to take a look at the photo again. It was then that I noticed that I had identally captured Abner''s hand in the photo. No wonder Charles got jealous all of a sudden! I wasn''t sure how to react to his jealousy. "Abner is loyal to Nina. Don''t overthink it," I exined. "You sound envious. I''m also loyal to you, aren''t I?" "Oh, please, Charles! The whole world knows about your love history," I said. After a moment of silence, Charles said in a serious tone, "Yes, but now... you''re the only woman I love. There is nobody else in this world who loves you more than I do." The sound of his mellow voice was music to my ears. It was so pleasant to hear that my heart sang. "You''re so narcissistic," I joked, hiding my glee. "So, what? I don''t care about anyone else, as long as you cherish me. You will cherish me, won''t you?" asked Charles. Upon raising my head, I happened to meet Nina''s gossipy eyes. Embarrassed, I cleared my throat. "Scarlett? Why aren''t you answering me?" Charles sounded like he was threatening me somehow. At this point, I felt helpless. "There''s no doubt that I''ll cherish you," I replied. "I''ll keep that in mind," he said. It wasn''t easy to pacify Charles. By the time I finished with the phone call, Nina had already paid for the bill. Soon, we went back to the TV station for work. During the afternoon, I continued the meeting with the crew of the program. It took us so much time to determine the content and form of the program. At longst, the name of the new program was decided before the end of the meeting; "The Great New Mothers". Once the meeting had concluded, everyone left the meeting room one after another. One of my colleagues got left behind and walked beside me. "Scarlett, are you going to be in charge of the sponsorship this time?" I smiled at her and said, "Yup! I''ll take care of it. Don''t worry." My colleague was overjoyed to hear me say that. After work, I walked out of the TV station and I saw Charles at a nce. He was leaning against the front of the car, staring at his phone. His slender figure and perfect face made him the focus of passersby. "What are you doing here?" I approached Charles and threw myself into his arms. He nted a kiss on my cheek as his eyes lit up. "Because I missed you." Even though we were intimate on a daily basis, he still never failed to make me blush. It was kind of amazing how every interaction with Charles made my heart race like I was a teenage girl who had fallen in love for the first time. Tracy winked at me. "Mr. Moore has been here for over an hour," she said. I stared at Charles, visibly concerned. "Why didn''t you call me? The meeting dragged on for a little longer than usual today. If you''d have told me earlier, I would''ve finished it sooner." Chapter 267 Baby, This Chapter 267 Baby, This Will Be The Last Time Charles'' POV: Scarlett frowned as she stared at me. Her bright, beautiful eyes bewitched me. And it rendered me unable to resist the urge to lean close to her. Scarlett seemed a little nervous. To my surprise, she closed her eyes and pecked me on the lips. I was stunned by her initiative. After taking a step back, she stared me with coquettish eyes. "Let''s go back to the mansion tonight, okay?" "Sure." I licked my lips, feeling unsatisfied. Then, I locked my eyes on Scarlett. Confused, she asked, "What...?" Before she could finish speaking, I held the back of her head, bent over, and kissed her. Then, I jammed my tongue into her mouth and gave her a French kiss. Tracy yelped for a second, but she soon quieted down and averted her gaze from us. Meanwhile, Scarlett whimpered and resisted. I embraced her tightly and kissed her more passionately. Secondster, she indulged herself in our kiss. She wrapped her arms around my neck and began to kiss me back. After a long time, I finally let go of her. I pressed my forehead against her and suggested, "Maybe we shouldn''t go back to the mansion today." Scarlett red at me, blushing. "But I want to go back!" "Well, I guess it would still work as long as we do it quietly," I said. "Charles!" Scarlett eximed. Seeing that she was about to get pissed, I mmed up. But the smile on my face didn''t disappear. Upon our arrival at the Moore mansion, dinner was already served. We greeted the elders and sat beside them. Grandpa exhorted Scarlett. "You shouldn''t spend all of your time working. You should spend more time with your child whenever possible." Scarlett wasdling a bowl of soup for Grandma when she heard that. "I will, Grandpa," she answered. Grandpa nodded with satisfaction before turning to look at me. "Charles, is yourpanycking in manpower? My friend has a granddaughter named Nancy Wood. She just graduated this month. Do you mind checking if there''s a suitable position for her?" Honestly, mypany was never short on manpower, but Grandpa rarely ever asked for favors. I held him in high regard, so I wanted to do him this favor. Thus, I agreed to his request readily. "I''ll ask my assistant to contact her." After dinner, I wanted to stroll in the garden with Scarlett. However, Grandma took her first. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. I had no choice but to follow them around. Grandma seemed to be in high spirits, and she asked Scarlett to y chess with her. But after losing several games in a row, Grandma began to act shamelessly. "No, no, no. My eyesight is poor now, so I moved the wrong piece. I''m going to redo my move!" Scarlett just let Grandma redid her move and just smiled at her. "Grandma, take a good look at the pieces before you make a move this time." Grandpa shook his head, sighed, and held Grandma''s hand. "How could you still be so childish at our age? You''re making Scarlett coax you!" Grandma red at him and asked, "Am I not allowed to do so?" "Fine, fine. Do whatever you want." Grandpa immediately conceded and just mmed up beside Grandma. We spent time together until eleven in the evening. Seeing that Grandma was getting sleepy, I asked one of the servants to help the elders go upstairs and put them to bed. "Grandma is so adorable. She''s like a child sometimes," Scarlett remarked as she put the chess pieces into the box. Even her eyes were smiling. She looked so beautiful. Meanwhile, I just gazed at her in silence. Scarlett looked back at me, visibly confused. Soon, she leaned back, wary of me. "What''s the matter with you?" I held her hand, pulled her towards me, and sat her on myp. Then, I ced my arms around her waist, rubbed my cheeks against hers, and said, "It''ste. We should go to bed." "Charles, stop it." Scarlett''s face gradually became red. It was then that I kissed her affectionately. "I... I''m gonna take a shower!" Blushing, she pushed me away, sprang to her feet, and ran upstairs. I chuckled as I followed behind her. Inside the bedroom, Scarlett was taking her pajamas to the bathroom. But before she could even open the bathroom door, I held her hand and embraced her from behind. "Scarlett," I whispered. "What... what are you doing?" Scarlett stammered. ''She''s so adorable!'' I remarked inwardly. I kissed her earlobe and said, "Let''s take a shower together." Scarlett tensed up and didn''t respond. As I held her in my embrace, it was hard to resist the urge to breathe her presence in. I could feel my Adam''s apple bobbing up and down. Gently, I turned her towards me, so that we would stand face to face. I kissed her lips and asked, "Is it okay?" Scarlett nodded affirmatively. I opened the door behind her and entered the bathroom while kissing her. Scarlett''s BOV: After we finished showering, Iy on the bed as though I had lost my very soul. At this time, my phone vibrated on the bedside table. Upon checking it, I saw that I had received a message from Alice. "Scarlett, am I going to have a granddaughter soon?" Before I could even respond, Charlesy down beside me and embraced me. I could feel his pecs against my back. Not long after, I heard his bewitching voice. "Tell Mom not to be so hasty. If she wants to have a granddaughter, she''ll have to wait a few more years." I rolled my eyes at him. "You peeped at my messages again." "I didn''t mean to look at it. I saw it by ident," Charles replied while kissing me. I scoffed at him and saw that another message had popped up. It was from Vivian. "Scarlett, what would you do if your man''s mother doesn''t like you? Will you leave him or insist on staying by his side?" I frowned when I read the message. "I''m afraid Gemma is getting involved with Spencer and Vivian''s rtionship," I said to Charles. "Just leave them alone," he replied. His response was followed by a slightly cold touch on my waist. He slid his hands into my pajamas and gently caressed my skin. I held his hand and said, "But..." Obviously, Charles wasn''t in the mood to discuss this matter. Not wanting me to say another word, he kissed me, pulled my hand, and ced it on his chest. I could feel his heart racing. "Baby, I promise this will be thest time today." Charles was looking at me with a burning desire in his eyes. My heart seemed to have stopped beating all of a sudden. I couldn''t take my eyes off him, and I slowly gave into my desire to have sex with him. Chapter 268 Do You Really Want To Marry Me Chapter 268 Do You Really Want To Marry Me Spencer''s POV: I had been looking for Vivian in the bar for a long time, but I couldn''t find her anywhere. With every passing second, I was getting even more upset. Thus, I pulled one of the waiters and asked, "Have you seen Vivian?" The waiter shook his head nkly. "Find her," Imanded. Having said that, I turned around and went to Vivian''s room, but there was nobody inside. Momentster, the waiter rushed into the room and stammered, "Sir, I... I called Vivian." Impatiently, I asked, "And then? Tell me!" The waiter was startled by the sudden rise of my voice. Realizing that I was losing control, I took a deep breath. "Sorry about that." Given that the waiter was frightened, he hurriedly answered my question. "A man answered Vivian''s phone, saying that she was singing." "Did he say where she is?" I asked. The waiter said with uncertainty, "He didn''t say, but it sounds like she''s at a club." I stared at him with unblinking eyes and stood rooted to my spot. "Hang on. I''ll go check again, sir!" The waiter trembled and ran away. I was bing more and more frustrated. To alleviate my frustration, I sshed some cold water onto my face, but it still didn''t work. A few minutester, the waiter returned. "She''s at the Havana Club, sir." Without wasting another second, I grabbed my car keys and drove there at once. Soon, I arrived at Havana Club. The second I entered the door, Vivian appeared in my sight and took my breath away. There was dim lighting on the stage, and she was practically sparkling beneath the spotlight. It looked like she was immersed in her performance, sweeping her eyes across the audience in a charming way. I could hear my heart beating like a drum as I looked at her. But when I saw Lee in front of the stage, all the feelings I had in my heart disappeared. I clicked my tongue, grabbed one of the waiters and said, "Once thedy finishes her performance, take her backstage." The waiter was startled and he stared at me for a long time. It appeared as though he was trying to figure out who I was. Not wanting to give him a chance to refuse, I added, "Hurry the fuck up!" "Ah! Yes, sir. Right away!" The waiter seemed to be frightened. He staggered away and rushed to the stage''s waiting area. I shot Lee a cold nce before making a detour to the back of the stage. A few minutester, the singing stopped and the lights were turned back on. Soon, Vivian arrived at the back of the stage. She seemed surprised to see me here, but she quicklyposed herself, and greeted me politely. I only caught a glimpse of her when I entered the club, so I just now realized that she was wearing a long slim dress and exquisite high-heeled shoes. Admittedly, Vivian looked enchantingly beautiful, but I was too angry to dwell on that. ''Does she value Lee that much? Why did she dress up this well knowing that she''s going out with him? She never even dressed like that for me!'' I remarked inwardly. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. "Vivian, what are you trying to do?" I asked through gritted teeth. Confused, Vivian said, "I''m here to sing with my friends for fun. Is there something wrong with that?" "For fun? Seriously? Is that how you view our rtionship?" I growled. Raising an eyebrow, Vivian strutted towards me. Her every move was enough to charm me. Not a minuteter, she stood face to face with me, looking directly into my eyes. "Or what? Are you really going to marry me?" Now that her face was inches away from mine, I must say that even her makeup was beautiful. But I got even angrier. "Do you have a crush on the rich young man out there, so you wanna date him?" Vivian didn''t seem fazed by my reaction. "If Lee actually likes me, it''ll be my honor to date him," she snorted. My remaining rationality was almost burned out by my anger. Fortunately, I was able to suppress my anger long enough to leave before I could lose my temper in front of Vivian. Vivian''s POV: I should be happy that Spencer left, but when I watched him storm away, my heart was filled with sadness. A few secondster, I turned around and went back to my original seat, lost in thought. Suddenly, someone grabbed my wrist. I stumbled and fell directly into someone''s warm embrace. "Spencer?" I looked up at him, shocked that he was still here. "Come with me." Spencer gazed into my eyes and dragged me out. As I stared at him, I felt the urge to cry. In all honesty, I was over the moon that he came back for me. Spencer looked like he was on the brink of losing control. After pulling me into his car, he drove all the way back to his bar at full speed. I got carsick and felt dizzy because of that. But before I could get a chance to recover, he pulled me out of the car and led me into the bar. I staggered forward to hold Spencer''s arm, and bumped into him on purpose. I pouted at him and said, "Spencer, my heels are too high for me to walk properly. Help me." Spencer paused for a second and then wrapped his arms around my waist. The fabric of my dress was thin, so I could feel his palm on my skin. His palm was warmer than most others I had felt. When our eyes met, it seemed like time had stopped. I couldn''t resist the urge to touch his handsome face. Then, I gently stroked his earlobes and pinched it. Spencer trembled at what I did, and soon, his ears turned red. As he looked at me in astonishment, he grabbed my hand. "What are you doing?" "I wanted to see how you''ll react," I replied. I shed him a grin, leaned against his chest, and listened to his powerful heartbeat. But then, I heard Spencer''s cold voice. "What reaction did you want me to have? You have a crush on Lee, don''t you?" Just when I was about to answer, I saw a familiar face outside the door. I left Spencer''s embrace and straightened his cor. Seeing that he was ring at me, I leaned close to him and whispered, "Nicole is here. You''re supposed to go on a date, remember?" I could see Spencer''s eyes burning with fury. Pretending to be calm, I clenched my fists and tried to cheer him up. Then, before Nicole could reach us, I left right away. Despite the fact that I was pushing Spencer towards her, I felt only bitterness whenever they were together. ''How long am I going to pretend like I don''t like him?'' I felt like I was on the verge of breaking down. Chapter 269 Resignation Chapter 269 Resignation Spencer''s POV: Nicole had brought along with herrge group of youngdy friends to Mint Bar. Vivian, being the heartless woman she was, left me in Nicole''s mercy and strode upstairs without a word. But just before she disappeared at the end of the staircase, she shed me an encouraging look that roused my fury. "I''m sorry, Spencer. Do forgive me foring over without telling you in advance. These are my friends. All of them wanted to see you, so..." She trailed away, gazing at me with quiet enthusiasm and blushing red. Her voice grew lower and lower as she spoke, and she sounded like a timid little rabbit. Why was she here again?! This had gone far enough! I pulled my lips into a frown, giving off the impression that no one was allowed toe close to me. Sadly, these girls were too young to be sensible. They didn''t sense my displeasure and surrounded me instantly. They kept asking me questions over and over in their high-pitched voices, like a bunch of nosy flies. "Spencer, so you''re Nicole''s boyfriend?" "How did you know Nicole, Spencer? Do tell us!" "Spencer..." One by one, they shot foolish questions that gave me goosebumps. I tried to push down my annoyance and keep calm throughout it all. Unfortunately, I couldn''t get rid of them at all. In fact, my mind was full of Vivian and Lee. I wasn''t in the mood to deal with these giggly little girls. "I''m sorry, but I need to go to the washroom." I found an excuse to leave. Once I managed to escape the crowd of annoying girls, I whipped out my phone and sent a message to Vivian. "I''lle to youter. If you don''t exin what happened before, I''m not letting you sleep tonight!" I waited in the washroom for her reply, but nothing came. Vivian was silent. Damn it! I would definitely punish herter! Reluctantly, I returned to Nicole and her friends. Immediately, the girls from before pounced on me and continued their barrage of stupid questions. So much, I was drowning in them! Being around the girls was a test of my patience. Suddenly, I spotted Lee in the crowd from the corner of my eyes. Looking closely, he was holding ady''s bag in his hand. My eyes automatically zeroed in on Lee''s figure, and I realized that he was walking to Vivian''s room. What day was it today? A gathering day for blind dates?! Argh! Then, the door was opened and Vivian popped out. She greeted Lee with a sweet smile before pulling him inside and closing the door shut. Just like that, thest vestiges of my reasoning vanished. Anger surged in me, prompting me to stand up abruptly. I said to the girls, "Excuse me. I have something urgent to deal with." As soon as I said that, I turned around, about to leave. "Spencer? Where are you going?" Nicole wanted to stop me from leaving. However, I turned around and threw her an icy re. I could no longer suppress my anger and hissed, "Nicole, you crossed the line." My curt warning frightened her into tears. She stood still, frozen on the spot, her eyes brimming with tears that threatened to fall. Everyone fell dead silent. Under the surprised and shocked looks of everyone inside, I hurried out of the room. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. As I stormed upstairs, the image of Vivian and Lee embracing intimately appeared in my mind. My heart ached, as if it was being torn to pieces. Were they doing the deed? With that in mind, I increased my pace and sprinted to Vivian''s room. I kicked the door open immediately. "Vivian! You...!" My furious outburst came to a sudden halt. To my surprise, Lee was nowhere to be found. In fact, there was only an alluring beauty in lingerie. Maybe Vivian had just taken a shower. She wore a skimpy silk nightdress that showed her generous cleavage. It was so short, it couldn''t cover her snow-white, slender legs. She looked charminglyzy, tempting men into approaching her. Seeing her in such a state, the question I yearned to ask got stuck in my throat. I couldn''t take my eyes off Vivian. "What''s wrong, Spencer?" Vivian approached me step by step and looked at me with a teasing gaze. "If you''re here to catch the adultery in the act, I''m afraid I''ve let you down. Lee just came to give me the bag I left in the club and left right after. Why are you so flustered?" I kept stepping back, breathing hard, until the door touched my back. This woman was just like a mind reader! She could see through my thoughts so easily. Then, Vivian burst into amusedughter. She retreated away from me and sat back on the edge of the bed. She leaned against the head of the bed, bending her body into a seductive gesture. She patted the bed and said, "Come and sit here, Spencer." What was she up to...? I swallowed hard, not daring to move. "What? Are you afraid of me?" Her eyes shed with contempt and teasing. I wasn''t afraid of anything! Thinking so, I braced myself and quickly sat down next to Vivian. I sat still, but I still didn''t have the courage to look at her. I was afraid that I would be seduced by this tempting woman again. "You know, Spencer, how about I resign?" Vivian asked softly, popping out an unexpected question. As if struck by lightning, I sprang up from the bed in shock. "That''s not funny, Vivian!" "Well, you won''t be angry anymore if I leave," Vivian said casually, but she was looking at me with a sincere gaze. Only then did I realize that Vivian was dead serious. She really wanted to leave me! All of a sudden, unprecedented panic engulfed my entire being. Even if she angered me to death every day, I never actually wanted to let her go. I was so anxious, my palms began to sweat and my mind turned into a mess. Before I could say anything, a pair of soft red lips caught mine in a deep kiss. Before I could react, I fell on the soft bed. Vivian pressed on top of me and whispered softly, "This is thest time, Spencer." As I looked at her beautiful face, a surge of mad desire flooded in me. The fire of lust burned us whole as we embraced... Vivian''s BOV: After a long bout of desire, I was exhausted. I turned to Spencer disgruntledly and kicked his butt. "You can go back to your room now." But Spencer pulled me into his arms instead, and wrapped his arms and legs around me like a clingy little octopus. He murmured childishly, "No, I won''t go." I could feel the warmth in his chest radiating into me. Turbulent emotions stirred my heart, and I wasn''t sure what to feel. A few seconds ago, I was wondering about how to stay away from this man. But in the next second, as he held me dearly in his arms, my heart started beating at a rapid pace. Try as I might, I really couldn''t do anything about it! I sighed silently in my heart, the irritation my heart left with nowhere to go. "Spencer, I can''t fall asleep. Let''s talk." "It''s already sote. You should sleep now." Spencer''s voice was slightly muffled from unspoken desire. "No. I want to talk." I struggled in his embrace, discontent. "Okay, okay. Whatever you want." Helpless, Spencer released me from his hug. "Alright. What do you want to talk about?" "I''ve arranged for so many blind dates for you. Don''t you have feelings for any of the girls?" "No." Spencer''s reply was immediate. He red at me, displeased. "Fine, then tell me what kind of girl you like." I nestled coyly in his arms, acting like a spoiled child. Spencer yed with my long hair and replied indifferently, "You already know." An amusing thought popped in my mind. I asked tentatively, "Is it someone like Scarlett?" Spencer instantly stopped ying with my hair and frowned. "Why do you ask so many questions?" He sounded very flustered. All of a sudden, my heart sank to my stomach. I looked up at him, and saw that he was also looking at me. We looked at each other silently for about a minute, not uttering a single word. Finally, Spencer gave in. "Why are you thinking so much? Come on, let''s do it again." Spencer kissed me passionately, his big hands touching me everywhere. Since we had just done it, I couldn''t resist his temptation. Soon, I fell into the vortex of desire again. He waspletely right. Why should I think so much? After all, we were just having fun while we could. Chapter 270 Played Tricks Chapter 270 yed Tricks Vivian''s POV: When I woke up, Spencer was already gone. ''When did Spencer leave?" I wondered. Gemma called me and urged me to continue finding girls for her son. Thus, I had no choice but to call Spencer. "Boss, where are you?" I asked. "What''s up?" "Oh, it''s not that big of a deal. But you''ll have toe back and meet your date today." "Did my mother call you again?" Spencer asked sharply. I didn''t respond to that, and I just rolled my eyes at him. He already knew the answer, and yet he was still asking me. "I''m not going on a blind date," he said. "No, you can''t refuse, Spencer! Otherwise I have no idea how I''m going to exin it to your mother," I said. "Ugh... fine. Ask Nicole to wait for me in the bar tonight," he responded. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. After hanging up, I felt the bitterness ovee my heart. Clearly, Gemma didn''t like me. But I couldn''t figure out what Spencer really wanted. Disappointed, I let out an exasperated sigh. ''Forget it! Even if I don''t have a boyfriend, I still have my bestie!'' After a moment of pondering, I decided to go look for Scarlett. ''God, I''m so sick of men!'' I cursed inwardly. ****** Upon arriving at the cafe, I saw that Scarlett and Nina were already there waiting for me. It turned out that they''d been waiting for me for a long time. At a nce, I saw James lying in his stroller and sucking on his thumb. I hadn''t seen him for a long time, but he still remembered who I was. He reached out his stubby little arms to me, smiling like an angel. ''Aww! James is so adorable!'' My heart melted at the sight of him. I couldn''t wait to hold him. "Come here, my little angel. Let me hug you!" The little guy had be a lot heavier than thest time I held him. He leaned his chubby little face towards me and nted a kiss on my cheek. "Aww. You''re so sweet!" James'' innocent eyes and unadulterated positivity cheered me up. To show him just how much I adored him, I embraced him in my arms. After a while, a waiter came over with a tray. "Sorry to bother you,dies. I''m just here to serve you your coffees and orange juice. Please, enjoy yourselves." "Thank you," said Nina. She took the two cups of coffee and put them in front of me and Scarlett, and then she picked up the ss of orange juice and took a sip. I was surprised that Nina wasn''t drinking atte. The ones they served at this cafe was quite famous in town, so I wondered why she opted for an orange juice instead. "Nina, why aren''t you drinking coffee?" I asked. Suddenly, Nina blushed. "It''s not a big deal. Abner and I have been nning to have a child, so we''ve stopped drinking coffee altogether," she stammered. As she held the orange juice in her hands, her eyes were brimming with joy. ''A child, huh?'' I didn''t expect that she and Abner would try to have a child so soon. "In that case, congrattions!" I greeted. "Thanks, Vivian." Nina smiled meekly at me. Love was so magical. Nina used to be so perky and forthright, but now she looked so different. ''A baby...'' I put James back into the stroller, and then picked up my cup of coffee in a daze. Suddenly, it urred to me that I didn''t use any contraception when I had sex with Spencer. With hope in my heart, I put down my cup and gently stroked my t stomach. ''Perhaps a seed has taken root and is growing inside my womb,'' I thought. Before I had time to think any further, Gemma''s face shed through my mind. And as I cringed at her image, all the beautiful scenes in my head disappeared in an instant. A bitter smile appeared on my lips. ''Even if I have a child with Spencer, what good would it do? Will it change where I came from? Will Gemma start to ept me because of the child?'' When those thoughts crossed my mind, I figured it was best to give up on the idea. Once more, I picked up the cup of coffee. The strong bitterness of the coffee seemed to have seeped into my very limbs and bones. ''Ugh, the coffee tastes so bitter. I''ll nevere back here again.'' It was a pity that my well-deserved rxation time was ruined by an unexpected guest. Somewhere nearby, Emily was walking towards us along with her new bodyguard. "Why is she always haunting you like a ghost? I wonder if she''s got some sort of tracking device installed on you. It''s like she knows where you are wherever you go!" Nina sounded annoyed. "What are you doing here?" I asked bluntly. The fake smile on Emily''s face froze. "I''ve grown tired of shopping, so I figured it would be nice to sit down and rx. Can''t I have a cup of coffee and say hello to my daughter?" "God, stop reminding me that you''re my mother. You should know by now that I''d rather not talk to you even if we meet," I responded. Knowing that I didn''t buy her exnation, Emily cut the crap. "Vivian, you''re just deceiving yourself. Whether you like it or not, I am your mother and we share the same blood. There''s nothing you can do about that." Trembling with anger, I clenched my fists and asked, "What the hell do you want this time?" "I wish to speak to you alone," said Emily, sounding determined. Moreover, her bodyguard was standing right in front of me, silent yet daunting. "Vivian..." Scarlett stopped midsentence. At the same time, she signaled for Tracy and J to come over. It was fortunate that they were nearby and following Scarlett around. "It seems like talking to you today is unavoidable." I gave Scarlett a reassuring nce, while finishing thest bits of my coffee. "Fine, let''s go," I said to Emily. Unhurriedly, I stood up and walked to the corner of the shopping mall along with Emily. "Vivian, have you thought about marrying Ethan?" she asked bluntly. I knew that she was still thinking of selling me to that bastard, so I didn''t hesitate to refuse her suggestion. "Fuck that. I''m not going to marry that freak, Ethan." "Well, if you''re not going to marry him, who will you marry? Spencer? Bah! He''s way out of your league!" Emily growled. "That is none of your business!" I pped back. All of the hair on my body stood on end because of how angry I was. "I am your mother. Do you really think that I can''t see through you? You went to see Ethan on purpose, didn''t you? And you did it because you wanted to infuriate Spencer. Well, now that you''ve got what you want, you''re just going to discard me?" Emily sneered. "You really are my daughter! You''re incredibly talented at seducing men!" "Shut the fuck up!" The darkest part of my heart was revealed. It was as if I had been stripped naked and cut open, revealing the rotten flesh inside. Though it pained me to admit it, she was right. I did use Ethan to annoy Spencer, just so he could realize how important I was to him. I almost lost my virginity in that tragic incident. The heavy makeup on Emily''s face wasn''t enough to disguise her intentions of scheming. Upon seeing her reaction, I suddenly remembered what Gemma told me. "Like mother, like daughter," she said. I felt sick to my core and began retching. ''Was she right?'' I wondered. Perhaps there might not be any differences between me and my deviant mother. It made me wonder if I would be so despicable someday. "Now that you have a new goal, as your mother, I do hope you get what you want," said Emily with a sneer. To my eyes, her blessing was more like a curse, and it filled me with even deeper fear. Dazed and confused, I went back to my seat. Abner had already picked up Nina, and only Scarlett was there, anxiously waiting for me. "Scarlett, do you think I''ll be happy if I use a trick to win him over?" I blurted out the question that had been troubling me for the longest time. "Never mind. I don''t wanna know the answer." Truthfully, I was worried that I''d get a negative answer from Scarlett. "Vivian, love at first sight isn''t a thing. If a man can pursue a woman, it gives us, women, every right to pursue our happiness too. It''s not a trick. When ites to love, it''s hard to distinguish between right and wrong. If you''re in love with each other, I''m sure it will be fine. We shouldn''t deny someone''s feelings just because of a ''trick''." Scarlett''s words were like a beacon of hope shining down on me. It was then that I poured my heart out and told her everything. I told her just how much I loved Spencer, how his mother, Gemma disliked me, and that my mother was only interested in earning money. All the while, Scarlett listened intently to my ramblings, quietly holding my hand. "Vivian, love isn''t thatplicated. As long as you and Spencer love each other, everything will be fine," she said. "You don''t understand, Scarlett. That''s the problem. I don''t even know if Spencer loves me back." I smiled bitterly. This time, Scarlett didn''t say anything and silence ensued between us. Chapter 271 Inexplicable Possessiveness Chapter 271 Inexplicable Possessiveness Scarlett''s POV: After listening to Vivian''s words, I knew that anyfort would be useless. Wanting to cheer her up, I proposed, "How about we go shopping? The best way to make ourselves happy is to spend money!" "Okay," Vivian replied, smiling softly. And so, we went on shopping spree. Just like that, the matter from beforepletely vanished from our minds. Tracy and J followed us obediently, with James in the stroller. James seemed to enjoy the shopping mall very much, cooing happily at the sights and sounds there. His doe eyes looked around excitedly, the curiosity in them evident. At noon, we had lunch at a restaurant. I ordered some eggs for James. I crushed them into fine bits before feeding them to him. As I was feeding him, my phone vibrated. It was a message from Charles. "Where are you? I''ll pick you up." I replied by sending him the location of the restaurant. A whileter, I spotted Charles standing at the door of the restaurant. He was wearing a simple white shirt, but he looked dashing all the same. Happily, I waved at him and called, "Charles, here." To my surprise, he was followed by two people. Spencer and David were there as well, walking casually behind him. "Spencer, David. You''re here too." "Hi, Scarlett. Oh, is this baby James? He really looks like Charles!" David approached James for a closer look at him, and then caressed his little face gently. "I don''t know, I think he looks more like Scarlett. Especially his eyes," Spencer disagreed. "James inherited all of mine and Scarlett''s best genes." Charles slipped in and joined the conversation. His tone was light, but there was a distinct smugness in them. He couldn''t help brag about his son, apparently. "You''re right. James is the fruit of your love, isn''t he?" Vivian echoed with a smile. "There, Vivian is hot and smart. Spencer, you better marry her as soon as possible." Spencer was stunned, unable to reply. Vivian took advantage of his silence and teased, "Don''t make things difficult for him, now. He doesn''t even like me. Besides, our families aren''t equal in social status. We''re not right for each other." "Oh...? Turns out that you''re pretty old-fashioned when ites to rtionship and marriage." Charles sized Spencer up and down, showing a rare expression of disgust. His eyes were narrowed in disapproval. Spencer was rendered speechless a second time. After a moment of silence, he relented and mumbled, "Fine, I admit defeat." James, the curious little thing he was, looked around and blinked innocently. Suddenly, he let out a happy giggle. Then, he stretched and spread out his chubby hands towards Charles. Charles smiled at me, and then took James from me. He held James with one hand and held my hand tightly with the other. Then, we made our way towards the parking lot. "We''re leaving now, everyone. See you next time." I turned around and waved goodbye to Spencer and the rest, and walked away with Charles. Spencer''s POV: After Charles left, David bade goodbye and made his leave as well. Now, only Vivian and I were left. I was about to ask her where she wanted to go, but then her phone rang and cut off my attempt. She picked up the call and said in an exaggerated tone, "Of course I''m free this afternoon. Where do you want to go?" "How about horseback riding?" From where I sat, I could clearly hear a man''s voice from her phone. In an instant, jealousy burned me whole. ''Horseback riding? Oh yeah? Well, your face looks like a horse!'' I couldn''t help but curse inwardly, seething. "Fine, let''s go horseback riding. Send me the address. See youter!" Vivian hung up the phone. Then, she stood up to leave, not even sparing me another nce. "Stop!" So infuriated I was, I followed her without thinking. "What on earth are you doing, Spencer? I''m going on a date. Don''t follow me!" Vivian stopped in her tracks and spun around to re at me. "Well, I want to go horseback riding too!" "Then ask someone else out, for crying out loud! Don''t follow me." I soon caught up with Vivian and pressed her forcefully against the wall. My body pressed against hers deliberately, and my chest almost touched her own. I whispered heatedly in her ear, "What''s wrong with me? Am I in your way?" Vivian''s eyes met mine. Though she was trapped between my arms in such an intimate posture, there was not a trace of difort on her face at all. If anything, she remained cool andposed. "Who I''m asking out is none of your business. You and I have never been serious, have we?" "Are you ying with my feelings?" "Of course. Didn''t you have a good time yesterday?" Damn it! She actually had the audacity to ask me if I had a good time yesterday? She threw herself at me and slept with me yesterday! And today, she was going horseback riding with another man... When I imagined Vivian spending time with that man, whoever he was, my insides burned with jealous wrath. "Vivian, are you just stringing me along? Or are you serious about me?" I approached her again, closing our distance. We were so close that I could see every expression on her face clearly. "If I said I''m serious, do you have the guts to date me?" Vivian stared straight into my eyes, fearless. Her unyielding gaze suddenly made me feel a little uneasy, and I quickly looked away. Seeing this, she pushed me and broke free from my arms. "If you don''t like me, or have no intentions to be with me... Then it''s none of your business which man I''m dating!" "You...! Vivian!" My mind was a puzzled mess. I desperately wanted to lock her in my arms again, but I knew I had no right to do that. "Spencer... Do you like me?" Vivian asked seriously. There was no yfulness in her voice. "I... I''ll be upset if you go horseback riding with that man," I muttered after hesitating for a long time. However, my reply made her face darken in an instant. "I see. I thought you were jealous and cared about me, but I didn''t expect that it was just because of your so-called possessiveness. I guess I was just overthinking." "What possessiveness? What''s that supposed to mean?" "You don''t like me, but you won''t allow me to date anyone else. I''m not your exclusive item, Spencer. Get that through your thick skull." Vivian continued harshly, "I don''t want to talk to you anymore. I''ll bete for my date. See you around." Vivian left, but as she did so, she walked very slowly. It was as if she was waiting for me to ask her to stay. But... I had no right to do that. I could only watch her receding figure silently until she finally disappeared at the end of the corridor. After she left, I closed my eyes and saw Vivian''s sad and stubborn face when she retorted. My temples throbbed. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Was I really a terrible man...? Before I could figure it out, my phone rang and snapped me out of my thoughts. Impatient, I answered it begrudgingly, "Hello?" "Spencer, we''ll be having dinner with the Browns tonight. Book a table." It was my mother. "Huh? Why are we having dinner together?" "We need to settle things between you and Nicole as soon as possible. She''s quite happy with you. I also heard that you have a good impression of her." "When did I ever say that?" "You took Nicole to y tennis and to see your best friend, Charles. Doesn''t that mean you like her too?" "What? No, I don''t like her. We''re just normal friends!" I was speechless from her conjecture. How did shee to that conclusion? "I don''t care! Book a room for me, and then send me a message. That''s it." Regardless of my objections, my mother ignored me and hung up as soon as she said that. I sighed, feeling helpless. I couldn''t do anything. Was marriage really that good...? Why would my mother force me to marry every day if it wasn''t? ***** Later that evening, at my mother''s insistence, I booked a private room in a hotel and invited the Brown family for dinner. Nicole sat right next to me. She was dressed her best, and her perfume smelled much stronger than it usually did. However, I didn''t spare her a nce at all throughout dinner. I wasn''t in the mood to compliment on how well she was dressed tonight, or how good she smelled. I couldn''t put my heart on anyone else, not even the slightest. All I could think about the entire time was Vivian''s unruly face. I took a swig of wine, wondering what was wrong with me. "Spencer, don''t just drink alone. Propose a toast to your future father-inw." My mother approached me, tugging the hem of my clothes secretly as she whispered this to me. She sounded impatient. Future father-inw...? I snapped, having reached the limits of my patience. I couldn''t stand this anymore! I stood up, and then shed a perfunctory smile at Mr. and Mrs. Brown that did not reach my eyes. "I''m sorry, but I need to go to the washroom for a moment." It was not until I arrived at the washroom that I could breathe a sigh of relief. I took out my phone and checked the time. It was already nine. I went through my contacts and dialed the bar staff. "Has Vivian returned to Mint Bar?" "Yes, she''s back. She''s dancing with a really handsome man!" "What?!" Chapter 272 The Balance Of Love Chapter 272 The Bnce Of Love Spencer''s POV: When I heard this, anger shot straight into my veins. I was so livid, I couldn''t think straight. "Yes, Vivian''s on the dance floor. Let me send you a video." "Hurry and do that." I hung up, seething with rage. Momentster, I received a one-minute video. When I clicked the it, I and saw that Vivian really was dancing with a handsome man. The two were so intimate and sticking so close together, people would have mistaken them as a sweet couple. To top it off, she was dressed in a skimpy miniskirt. Her shoulders were exposed,id bare for anyone to see. That crazy woman! Unable to stop my surging fury, I called the staff again and barked, "I don''t how! But go stop Vivian and lock her in her room! Now!" "Yes, sir." After that, I hung up again and left the washroom. Unexpectedly, Nicole was standing outside, probably waiting for me toe out. When she saw me, she looked at me worriedly. "Spencer, what''s wrong? Are you alright?" "Come with me." Annoyed and discontent, I grabbed Nicole''s wrist and walked back. I had no feelings for Nicole, none whatsoever. I couldn''t be with her, and I didn''t want her to stand between me and Vivian. It was time to make things clear. I took Nicole to her parents. There, I braced myself and announced solemnly, "I''m sorry, but I won''t marry Nicole. From now on, we''ll just be ordinary friends." Without waiting for anyone to react, I spun on my heel and left the room as quickly as I could. I hopped into my car, stepped on the pedal, and drove to Mint Bar with the speed of lightning. When I arrived at Mint Bar, I went straight to Vivian''s room. Outside, two bodyguards stood guard. "Where is she?" "She''s inside, sir." Without hesitation, I pushed the door open. What I saw next was that Vivian was lying on the bed, wearing earphones while she listened to music. She hadn''t bothered changing her clothes. If she bent down even just a little, her underwear could be seen. I took a deep breath, and hurriedly blocked the view of the two bodyguards with my body. I tried to suppress my anger and hissed at them, "You two may go now." "Yes, sir." As soon as the two of them left, I locked the door and made my way towards Vivian. She was still acting as if nothing had happened, and even spread her legs wider as if to challenge me. Her boldness seemed to know no limits. I took off Vivian''s earphones. "What do you want?" She looked up at me and asked casually, "You came back so early. Is everything going well?" "Yes, everything went well!" I replied crossly, scowling. "Really? A congrattions is in order, then!" "Oh, yeah? How are you going to congratte me?" I took another step closer and grabbed her chin. She wanted to dodge, but toote. I had already turned her face to look at me. Somehow, there seemed to be something magical in her eyes. Looking into them, I found myself lost in their powerful gaze. "How do you want me congratte you?" Sheughed teasingly, but she didn''t dare to look at me and struggled to pull her eyes away from mine. "Vivian. If you want me to marry you, just say it. Since we''ve done it, I promise I''ll be responsible for you." "Oh? You meant that night? Was I the one who seduced you that night? I mean, I took the initiative to sleep with you." At the mention of this topic, Vivian''s interest was piqued and she finally looked at me. I was stunned, surprised by her words. For a long time, she didn''t say anything more. But I knew she was deliberately provoking me, so I didn''t get angry at all. She thought she outsmarted me, but I was already aware that she approached me on purpose. She was the serpent that had lured me into taking a bite out of the forbidden fruit. Despite myself, I couldn''t stop the excitement growing in me. I soon let go of Vivian. This time, she sat up on the bed and said to me seriously, "Spencer, answer me this. If I turn out to be the same as my mother Emily, who''d do anything to achieve her goals, would you still desire me?" "Do you take me for a fool?" I bent over and kissed Vivian softly. As I did so, I removed her coat with hands. She didn''t resist at all, and instead blinked her eyes twice. "No, you''re a smart man." Her bright eyes curved slightly, and her body exuded an irresistible charm. This woman managed to sessfully aroused my desire. Her clothes were revealing. I quickly took off her coat and saw her plump breasts. I bent over and sucked one of them with my lips. She couldn''t bear the stimtion and groaned with pleasure. I sucked her breast for a while before letting go of her reluctantly. My eyes were full of lust. I kissed her again and said hoarsely, "Vivian, I want it." "What? What do you mean, Spencer?" Vivian was in a daze,pletely different from her arrogant and aggressive self just now. It aroused me more. She stopped struggling, and wrapped her hands around my neck and kissed me back. After the deep kiss, Vivian seemed to lust after me, which made her more charming. I slid my hand into her dress, and touched her thighs. Then, I lifted her dress up. Slowly, I pushed her. She was soon pressed under me. I unzipped her short skirt and quickly took it off, revealing her white and tender waist. My breath grew heavier and heavier. Vivian wanted to grab my hand to stop me, but I lowered my head and kissed her. "Be good." Under her gaze, I lowered my head and licked her breasts. My tongue drew circles on her nipples. Then, I opened my mouth slightly and sucked her breasts, as if I was sucking milk. I held her in my arms and pushed into her. I entered her bodypletely. Vivian blushed and bit her lips, but did not say anything. "Vivian, look at me." I coaxed her, my voice deep and sexy. Then, I straightened up and thrust deeply in her vagina. I was surprised to find that her body hadpletely opened for me. After the sex, I looked at Vivian, who was exhausted, and whispered, "Don''t contact Nicole anymore. Don''t arrange me any more blind dates, and don''t listen to my mother." Then, I added, "Also, you''re not allowed to sing and dance with other men. I don''t like that at all. Do you understand me?" "Don''t think you can order me like that just because we''ve slept. No way." Vivian stood up and headed to the bathroom, naked. Soon, the sound of water came from the bathroom. It seemed that I had yet to conquer this woman in bed. Well, I don''t mind another round! Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Thinking that, I pushed the door open and went into the bathroom. Vivian turned around and saw me there. She shouted angrily, "Get out!" Of course I wouldn''t listen to her. I simply ignored her and grabbed the shower head from her hand. "Spencer, what the hell are you doing?" Her angry face aroused me even more. "Nothing. I just wanted to take a shower with you." "Fuck off!" Vivian lifted her foot, about to kick me, but she was held tightly in my arms the next second. She couldn''t move, so she was forced to take a shower with me. I was very satisfied. After that, Vivian quickly shooed me away. "I''m going to sleep. You can leave now." "That''s great. Let''s sleep together!" Iy on her bed again, actingpletely shameless. "You!" Vivian pulled and dragged me for a while, but I still refused to move. Helpless, she had no choice but to let me sleep here. ***** The next day, Vivian and I went downstairs to have breakfast, acting as if nothing had happened. A staff rushed over, panicky. "Boss, Nicole''s here!" "What did you say?!" I was so surprised that I almost bit my tongue. "Nicole''s here." "Don''t be so nervous. She probably just wants to marry you," Vivian patted me on the shoulder andforted me hypocritically, her tone mocking. I red at her, annoyed. Had she forgotten what I said yesterday so quickly? "Spencer...!" Just then, Nicole burst in. She saw Vivian and said in a sweet voice, "Oh? Vivian''s also here." "Would you like to have breakfast with us?" Vivian invited warmly, treating Nicole like a good friend. I couldn''t help but frown, wondering if this woman was secretly nning something again. She was definitely up to no good. "No, I''ve already had breakfast. Enjoy yourselves." Nicole waved carelessly at us, rejecting the offer. "What do you want? I promised to y tennis with my friends. If you have something to say, just say it." Seeing Nicole annoyed me. "Oh. Are you going to y tennis with Mr. Moore? Can you take me along?" "No, I can''t." I refused firmly, without hesitation. "Fine. Actually, I''m here for Vivian." "Me...?" Vivian was understandably confused. "You''re with Spencer every day. I''m sure you know the woman he loves, right?" In an instant, my brain went nk. The sandwich I was chewing got stuck in the middle of my throat, choking me to tears and snot. I coughed loudly. Vivian immediately stopped watching the drama between me and Nicole. She hurriedly grabbed a tissue and wiped the corner of my mouth, andined, "Calm down! No one''s going to snatch the food away from you." Chapter 273 Birthday Party Chapter 273 Birthday Party Spencer''s POV: I held Vivian''s hand and gripped it gently in my own. Her skin was smooth and delicate to the touch. It felt good to hold, and I couldn''t stop myself from gently caressing it. Vivian was briefly stunned by my gesture. When she came back to her senses, she hurriedly pulled her hand away. "Spencer..." Nicole''s voice drew my attention back to her. She pouted sulkily as she cast an unhappy nce at Vivian. "Every time Ie to the bar, I always see you with Vivian. Do you have a good rtionship? Do you two have dinner together often?" Nicole''s whiny tone was testing my patience. The sound was grating my ears, so very annoying. I wanted nothing more than to tell her that not only do Vivian and I had dinner together often, we had also slept together! But then, Vivian''s warning gaze fell on me. I held my tongue and drew back. Then, I looked coldly into Nicole''s eyes. "Why do you want to know?" Nicole shivered at my tone, instantly lowering her head in fear. "I... I just..." "Now, now, Spencer. How can you be so mean to ady?" Vivian interrupted with a smile. I stared at her helplessly, but she was grinning at me. Happy that Vivian was siding her, Nicole regained her cheer and said fawningly, "Vivian, Spencer''s got someone in his heart, right? Do you know who she is?" Vivian shrugged, feigning ignorance. "I''m afraid you asked the wrong person, Nicole. Only Spencer knows who he likes." I was a little disappointed by Vivian''s answer, but that was to be expected. As for me, I didn''t n to hide my feelings. "It''s true, Nicole. I do have a woman I like." "Really? Who is she?" Nicole asked anxiously, grabbing my arm in a hurry. I quickly drew my hand back in distaste and took a step back, distancing myself from her. "She''s..." But I wasn''t able to finish my sentence, because something kicked my foot hard and silenced me immediately. I cast an aggrieved re at Vivian, but she replied with a warning look. The expression was gone by the next second as she turned to smile gently at Nicole. "I''m done eating. Please, do help yourself." Vivian then stood up and left amiably. I hesitated for a moment, wanting to follow her. In the end, my rationale won and I remained where I was. I told Nicole sincerely, "Nicole, don''te to me again. You are still a student, and I''m the boss of a nightclub. I''m definitely not a good match for you. Besides, there''s a big age gap between us. Why are you so attached to me?" My words were rather straightforward and somewhat painful. However, they didn''t faze Nicole, who still wore a bright smile on her face. "I don''t think that''ll prevent us from being together! Spencer, I promise I''ll be a generous wife. It doesn''t matter to me if you have other women. As long as you don''t take them home, I won''t interfere with whatever you do outside the house." Listening to her words, I was on the verge of breaking down. This woman was too difficult to deal with! If I wasn''t direct, she wouldn''t give up. And so, I sized Nicole up and down with a frivolous leer. "Nicole, the woman I like knows all kinds of postures in bed. What about you? What postures do you know?" That stunned her. She stared at me open-mouthed, dazed. I sighed and shrugged, helpless. "Look, we really can''t see eye to eye. I''m not expecting to have a wife like you. Be careful when you go back, Nicole. Bye." Without waiting for her response, I turned around and headed upstairs. Vivian was standing outside the room, phone in hand. "Vivian." I walked up to her with a big smile, but she only nced coldly at me. "What nonsense did you just say to Nicole?" Vivian barked, her tone unfriendly. I gave her an innocent stare and replied simply, "Nothing." Vivian shook her phone, annoyed. "Nicole just called and told me something. Turns out that you like the kind of woman who knows many postures in bed." Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. What?! How did Nicole tell on me so soon? I grabbed Vivian''s hand and pulled her into my arms. Then, I whispered ambiguously in her ear, "Isn''t that true?" "You bastard!" Vivian shoved me away and ran into her room, and then mmed the door. In less than ten seconds, the door opened again. Vivian''s bright eyes stared into mine through the crack. "Spencer, what if your mother finds out that we''ve slept together?" That didn''t matter to me. I said carelessly, "So? What''s the big deal?" "It doesn''t matter to you, but it is a big deal to me!" Vivian yelled at me angrily before mming the door again. I blinked, my face nk. I was stupefied. I wasn''t sure how I managed to irritate her again. I gently knocked on the door, trying to coax her. Yet, I received no response. I leaned against the wall and thought for a long time, trying to find an answer. However, I reached a dead end. In the end, I called Charles toin about the injustice of it all. Soon, the line connected and Charles''s cold voice reached my ears. "What is it?" The moment I heard him, I nned to start from the very beginning of the story. "You see, I slept with Vivian..." Charles interrupted me at once. "I''m in a meeting." But I turned a deaf ear to his words and continued as if he never said anything, "I can see that Vivian likes me too, and wants to be with me. But she refused to admit it. Why do you think she''s doing this?" Beep, beep, beep. A busy signal. Charles had hung up mercilessly, not bothered to lend a kindly ear to my plight. I stared at my phone, incredulous, and then at the door of Vivian''s room. Sighing, I returned to my room dejectedly. Everyone''s being really mean to me... Charles''s POV: When I was finished with my work, it was already dark outside. I exited my office and drove to the TV station in a hurry. It so happened that Scarlett had juste out of the gate when I arrived. I parked the car slowly in front of her. I got off the car and walked towards her. She was surprised and delighted to see me, and promptly threw herself into my arms. "It''d be great if you''re also this enthusiastic in bed." I whispered teasingly in her ear. Scarlett shot me a coquettish stare in return. "Didn''t you say that you had to work overtime? Why are you here?" "I did, but I didn''t expect that you''d work harder and even longer than me." I led her to the car and opened the door for her. Scarlett slid in and fastened her seat belt. "Are we going back to the mansion today, Charles?" "No, we''re going to the hotel for a birthday party." I handed her a list of guests before starting the car. "Whose birthday is it?" "A business partner. His background can''t be underestimated." "But Charles, I didn''t prepare an evening dress. How can I go like this?" I shed her aforting smile. "Don''t worry, Scarlett. I''ve had it all covered." Scarlett breathed a sigh of relief and then returned to the list to browse the names. "I can''t believe that the Johnsons will also attend. Isn''t Daniel Johnson bedridden? Who wille on his behalf?" "In such a public asion, Ethan Johnson will attend with his stepmother, Emily. At least, on the surface, the Johnson family seems very harmonious." Scarlett didn''t say anything more, and continued to go through the list. "Spencer''s also invited. Do you think Vivian wille with him?" "Why? Do you want to leave me and drink with Vivian?" I cast her a cold look. "No, I don''t. I''m just asking." Scarlett smiled brightly, taking my breath away. She was probably hoping to distract me. I snorted, and shook my head. "Forget it. Vivian won''te. Spencer''s mother dislikes Vivian. Mark my words, she won''t allow Spencer to bring Vivian to the party." Scarlett sighed dejectedly. When we arrived at the hotel, we saw Spencer standing by the door. Nicole, the girl who yed tennis with him the other day, was next to him. Chapter 274 Explosion Chapter 274 Explosion Charles''s POV: I stroked Scarlett''s hand gently, feeling its soft and tender skin. Smiling, I whispered in her ear, "Aren''t I right?" Scarlett pouted unhappily, looking sulky. She muttered defiantly, "I think Vivian''s far more suitable for Spencer!" At that, I pinched her little hand lightly and said, "Just like how you''re suitable for me, right?" Scarlett finally smiled. She mirrored my gesture and gently pinched my face. "You''re getting more and more narcissistic, Charles." "Hey, I''m just telling the truth." The birthday party was about to start, so I led Scarlett to the elevator. "Wait, isn''t the birthday party held on the first floor?" "Let''s get changed in the hotel room first. We''ll go to the banquet hallter." Scarlett nodded obediently. One side of the elevator was made of transparent ss. As the elevator went up, we were rewarded with a beautiful view of the endless sea. Its dark surface seemed to glint mysteriously in the light. "It''s so beautiful..." Scarlett''s graceful figure was outlined by the light. She looked back at me with a soft smile, as beautiful as a goddess from heaven. Mesmerized, I stepped forward and put my arms around her waist. I craned my neck downward and kissed her gently on the lips. "Very beautiful, indeed." Scarlett blushed, cheeks going pink in an instant. "Why did you work overtime today, by the way?" I asked as I caressed Scarlett''s hair, running my fingers through her smooth locks. Scarlett sighed dejectedly and leaned back in my arms. "Since Independence Day ising, our TV station''s going to hold a celebration party. My supervisor told me to perform a show." "Oh? What performance do you have in mind? I can help you." My suggestion filled her with joy, and she beamed at me. "I''m going to dance and sing at the party. I''ll be hoisted on wires during the performance!" She sounded excited at the very thought, but I subconsciously frowned. "That''s dangerous..." "Well, it''s good for impact." Scarlett turned around and pulled me into a hug. Her voice was so tender and sweet, it rendered me limp and numb. Suddenly, a loud sound pierced our ears. Scarlett screamed in horror, rmed, and immediately cowered into my arms. "I''m here. Don''t be afraid!" I hurriedly caressed the back of her head to calm her down. There was a small tinkling sound, and then, the elevator stopped. I quickly left the elevator with Scarlett in my arms. Though the sound was no longer there, she still a little uneasy. "What was that sound just now? It didn''t sound like fireworks." "It''s probably an explosion." I looked at Scarlett and said tenderly, "Don''t worry. I''ll have Richard investigate it as soon as possible." Scarlett nodded, relieved at my assurance. She held my hand and gripped it tightly. ****** After the birthday party was over, we bumped into Spencer as we were heading out. Safe to say, he looked pretty distressed. "God! I finally got rid of Nicole. She''s so difficult to deal with!" "Hey, you brought her here yourself." Scarlett red at Spencer, her face filled with disapproval. "I didn''t want to in the first ce! It was all my mother''s idea. I had no choice," Spencerined with a long face, hurt by the injustice of Scarlett''s usation. Just then, Richard approached me quickly. "I''ve looked into it. The explosion happened in the Lively family''s residence. The cause was gas leakage. The rescue team rescued Kevin and Lily, but both of them were seriously injured. That, and Lily had a miscarriage." "What didyou say ? Lily had another miscarriage?!" Scarlett''s voice was full of shock. Her eyes were wide open, horrified. Richard nodded mournfully. Spencer let out a helpless sigh. "Could it be Rita''s doing...?" "Who knows?" I replied carelessly. I couldn''t care less about that woman. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. In the distance, a sweet female voice called, "Spencer..." Spencer shivered instantly and waved at us at once, readying to escape. "Crap, Nicole''sing! I have to go. If she asks, tell her that you haven''t seen me!" Before we could say anything, he had already slipped away and disappeared into the crowd. It was as if he was never here at all. Scarlett watched him disappear, and then turned to me with a meaningful smile. "What''s wrong?" I was confused. Why was she smiling like that? "I suddenly remembered my childhood. I used to look for you everywhere like what Nicole''s doing right now." Scarlett raised her head to look at me with sparkling eyes. She seemed more charming than ever. My heart melting, I pinched her delicate nose lightly. "I''m different from Spencer. You''re the only one in my heart." Scarlett smiled, but didn''t say anything. Noticing that she was in low spirits, I took her upstairs to rest in the hotel room. Richard''s POV: Charles and Scarlett soon went to the hotel room to rest. I arranged several bodyguards to guard the door. After that was done, I headed to the underground garage. I called Rita, but to my dismay, she didn''t answer. Restlessness gnawed at my heart. I was furious. Idiot woman! Why couldn''t she behave herself? If she really was the one who had plotted the explosion, she''d have to spend the rest of her life in prison. With this in mind, I rushed to Rita''s apartment and rang the doorbell impatiently. Unexpectedly, the one who opened the door was Susan, Rita''s mother. "Is Rita at home?" I asked anxiously. Susan was surprised to see me, but she replied to me all the same and shook her head. "Rita isn''t here anymore. She''s already moved out." "Honey..." An unknown male voice could be heard from the living room. Right after, a middle -aged man walked out. Upon seeing me, he shot me a wary nce and asked Susan, "What''s going on?" Susan shook her head, indicating that it was nothing important. Seeing that these two were on such intimate terms, I could understand why Rita moved out. But where would she go now...? ''That''s it! The hospital!'' Rita hated Kevin and Lily more than anything in the world. She would want to see them suffer. I left the ce and drove to the hospital. But just as the hospital entered my view, I suddenly braked and stopped my car. Oh my God! Was I crazy? What was wrong with me? I covered my head in dismay, and rested it on the steering wheel. Rita had nothing to do with me any longer. Why on earth should I be worried about her? I shouldn''t have cared about what she had done, or whether she would be jailed! Gritting my teeth, I turned the car around and drove away. Chapter 275 Revenge Chapter 275 Revenge Rita''s POV: The harrowing sound of the explosion was like the prologue of my sweet revenge. At the moment of the explosion, I trembled with excitement. Not long after, I slipped into the hospital and found Lily in the ICU. It was a pity that she didn''t get blown up during the st. Nevertheless, she was still lying on the bed. Her entire body was practically covered in bandages, and she was surrounded by various medical equipment. Her pathetic, miserable sight sparked joy in my heart! Just as I had known, Lily was no match for me! I would pay her back the pain she dealt me a hundred times over! Suddenly, I heart a faint set of footstepsing in from the corridor. Hurriedly, I slipped away from the hospital without getting caught. By the time I got back home, I saw that my mother was at home on her own. She was watering the flowers right now. Upon seeing me, she was surprised. "What a coincidence! Richard came to see you, but he just left. I lied to him and said that you''ve moved out." "What was he doing here?" I asked, visibly confused. "I''m not sure, either. By the way, where did you go? "That''s none of your business. Just do as I say." Ignoringher gaze, I went straight to the bathroom. I turned on the shower, and soon, the cold water streamed down on me. It managed to calm me down a little. This was just the beginning of my ns. I had to calm down and ensure that my next moves would be calcted and free of mistakes. After showering, I felt refreshed. I opened the bottom drawer of my dresser and took out a stack of photos. I had hired a private detective to follow Scarlett and Charles in secret and to take photos of them when they took their child to the zoo. They looked so happy together, and normally, it was a heartwarming sight to see a happy family together. But to me, these photos were like knives, jabbing into my eyes and making me iparably miserable. "Argh! Howe you get to be so happy, Scarlett? You don''t even deserve it!" I growled. Then, I leafed through the photos one by one. And as I turned the photos faster and faster, my anger red up. Upon seeing thest picture, I was stupefied. It was a picture of me and Charles back when we were younger. This specific picture looked ridiculous inparison to the others. Bitterly, Iughed at myself as tears fell down my eyes and my nose twitched. The girl in the photo was smiling brightly, while the boy looked awkward and reluctant. Charles didn''t want to take a picture with me, but he was so happy each time he took a photo with Scarlett. "Why? Why?" I repeated the question through gritted teeth as though I had be mad. Then, I crumpled up Scarlett''s photo into a ball. I threw all the photos against the wall. And for a moment, the photos flew all over the room. Their smiles, the way they looked at each other, and how warmly they hugged each other appeared everywhere. "Scarlett! Get the fuck out of my way! Charles is mine! He is mine!" I growled, desperately waving my hands to clear out the flying photos. Soon, the photos scattered across the ground. Somehow, it looked as though Charles was staring at me andughing. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. As I fell to the ground on my knees, I covered my face and broke into tears. Scarlett''s POV: "Scarlett!" I heard a vicious voice that sounded like it came from hell. When I looked back, I saw Rita charging towards me with a sinister smile on her face. After tackling me to the ground, she began stabbing me with a knife like a madman. Screaming in pain, I struggled to break free from her grasp in desperation. Unfortunately, Rita had mounted me and I couldn''t get rid of her. My body began to feel cold because of the massive blood loss. Rita raised her head, bursting intoughter. Her face was covered in blood, and it made her look like a bloodthirsty demon. "Go to hell!" she roared, raising the knife high, and stabbing it towards my face. My heart began to race. And I suddenly woke up, sitting upright in horror. I was relieved to know that Rita wasn''t there. There was no blood, nor knife. James was sleeping in his crib, and Charles was sleeping soundly beside me. It turned out that I was just having a nightmare. As fear lingered in my heart, I covered my face and gasped for air. After a while, I slowlyy down, cowering in Charles'' arms and thinking that the warmth of his body could dispel my fears. Gradually, I calmed down. I had been thinking that the explosion must''ve been orchestrated by Rita. And I had been worrying that she''d do something crazy again. Fear crept into my heart again, and I couldn''t help but embrace Charles tightly. Suddenly, he wrapped his arm around my waist and nted a kiss on my cheek. "Did you have a nightmare?" The sound of his voice was hoarse. He probably woke up because of me. "There''s no need to fear, my love. I''ll always stay right by your side," he said. "Then hold me tighter," I muttered. It was then that he embraced me and gave me a passionate kiss. Rita''s POV: Two dayster, I learned that Lily was out of danger and she had been transferred to a general ward from the ICU. ''Lucky bitch. But I''m not going to let her off easily!'' I remarked inwardly. I dressed up and went to the hospital. After opening the door to a ward, I saw Lily lying in bed, wrapped in bandages like a mummy. Her eyes widened with horror upon seeing me enter the room. "What... what are you doing here?" she asked. Slowly, I walked to her bed and held her bandaged face up. "Look at your face. What a pity! Lily, you''ve long believed that you can do whatever you want as long as you''re beautiful. But now that your face is ruined, you must be very sad." Lily looked at me with resentment. "Were you the one behind it?" she roared. "What are you talking about?" I shed her an innocent grin. Then, I took out a mirror from my bag, and adjusted it to a suitable angle, so that Lily could see her face. "Look! I brought you a gift. You''re in great need of a mirror right now, right?" Lily looked straight into the mirror. She was so furious that her eyes were almost popping out of their sockets. Soon, blood seeped into her bandages. "My face... my face!" She held the mirror with trembling hands. A momentter, she screamed and threw the mirror away with great force. "Gosh, why are you so careless?" With a grin on my face, I picked up the mirror and examined it. "No wonder this thing was so expensive. This mirror is quite strong!" I handed the mirror back to Lily again. Crying hysterically, she pped the mirror away from my hand. "Jeez, calm down, Lily. Being emotional won''t be good for your baby." I covered my mouth midsentence, staring at Lily and pretending to feel guilty. "Sorry, I forgot that you had a miscarriage again. It seems that you''re destined to be childless." I clicked my tongue and continued, "You should just give up on the idea of being a mother." Lily was so angry that she was snarling at me like she wanted to devour me alive. "Rita! You evil witch!" I simply smiled back at her. Chapter 276 Not Reconciled Chapter 276 Not Reconciled Rita''s POV: My heart was filled with joy when I saw Lily dying in bed. Revenge sure was sweet! "Lily, if it weren''t for me, you''d still be that stupid girl living in a dark basement and you''d never be able to make a fortune! See what happens when you betray me?" For the time being, Lily was unable to move a muscle. All she could do was stare at me with her hateful eyes. But that wasn''t enough to scare me. Slowly, I approached the bed, leaned close to her ear, and said, "You''re just a dog that I kept as a pet. How dare you bite the hand that feeds you? You''re overestimating yourself!" Lily''s face was overcame by hatred. All of a sudden, her pupils dted, and her face disyed just how much she loathed me. I noticed that there was a urine bag hanging beside her bed. Yellow liquid was steadily flowing into the urine bag through a tube connected in Lily''s lower body. Chuckling, I asked, "Why did you pee, Lily? God, you look so hrious right now!" Lily began to pound on the bed with both hands, breathing faster and faster. I locked my eyes with grim intent. "Even if you do know that I''m the one who did it, it won''t do you any good. Never forget that I still have some dirt on you." Having said that, I pressed the call button and the nurse came in at once. "Yes, Miss Lively?" "Nurse, please take good care of this patient." I shot the nurse a knowing nce. I had already bribed this nurse to do my bidding. ''I''m sure Lily will enjoy theing days,1 I thought to myself. After leaving the hospital, I drove to the seaside in a hurry. The afterglow of the setting sun shone down on the sparkling sea, and the sun was gradually verging downward on the horizon. It was then that I noticed the tall man standing on the coastline with his back to me. Just as I was hesitating, he turned around. When he shot me a nce, fear crept into my heart. After taking a deep breath, I clenched my fists, thinking that it could give me a sense of security. "What can I do for you, William?" "Miss Lively, I''ve just read the news. And it seems to me that you''ve finished your private affairs, yes?" Though William was smiling at me, his gaze felt frigid. I couldn''t help but tremble slightly. "Give me another two weeks. Just two more weeks. Please." I was eager to buy more time to enact my ns. All of a sudden, I felt a powerful set of hands strangle my neck. With eyes widened in horror, I stared at him. Soon, I felt suffocated and my brain was slowly being ovee by theck of oxygen. I couldn''t make a sound and my vision was starting to blur. My survival instinctspelled me to do my best to get rid of William''s hands, but I was far too weak to even nudge him. ''No! I didn''t want to die here!'' I eximed inwardly. Suddenly, he let go of my neck. I copsed to the ground, gagging and coughing violently. It felt like my internal organs were about to implode. I looked up at him, fearful of what he might do next. It was then that he squatted down in front of me, staring at me with a smirk on his face. I was so scared of him that I couldn''t move a muscle. "Don''t try to pull any tricks on me. Why do you need another two weeks? Who are you nning to attack this time?" Then, he clutched my chest and said, "You don''t want me to take this heart from you, do you?" I shook my head repeatedly, fearing that this madman would tear my chest open with his bare hands. "William, there''s no need to worry. I understand your conditions. I won''t try to hurt Scarlett. As long as you give me two more weeks to deal with the Lively Group''s problems, I''ll disappear immediately. I promise! And if I break that promise, you can take my heart back!" Just so I could make him believe me, I swore on my life. "Good. Remember what you told me, Rita. If you try to harm even a single hair on Scarlett''s head, I''ll make your life a living hell!" ''Scarlett... Once again, you are my undoing! Why is everyone trying to protect you?'' I cursed in my heart. "William, why do you care so much about Scarlett?" I refused to ept the fact. "You don''t deserve to know." William stood up, and then he took out a handkerchief to wipe his hands in disgust. "Anyway, I need to go. Don''t forget what you promised me." As I watched William disappear from my sight, fear still lingered in my heart. I was unable to gather myposure for a long time. ''Why? Why is every man so in love with Scarlett? Charles is already madly in love with her, and now William is, too? Fuck! Sooner orter, I''m going to make Scarlett suffer ten times worse that I have suffered. I am going to make her life a living hell!'' Scarlett''s POV: During the evening, after taking a shower, I watched the news while cradling James in my arms, enjoying my mother-son time with him. "James, it''s time for bed." Charles approached, intending to take James from my arms. "Charles, wait. He''s not sleepy yet," I responded. As James nestled in my arms, he shouted at Charles, "No!" Then, he wrapped his hands around my neck and said, "Mama!" "No. Daddy is going to sleep with Mommy, and James will be sleeping in his crib." Charles refused to back down. James pursed his lips; his big round eyes were starting to tear up. It seemed as though he was about to cry. But before he could, Charles lifted him up and shook him up and down. The little angel instantly forgot that he was upset and began to giggle. His silveryughter resonated in the room. "Scarlett, you should go to bed first. I''ll take care of James and tuck him in once he''s asleep," said Charles. I was a bit reluctant to leave. "Mom said that she''ll be taking James out for a few days. We won''t get to see him for a few days. Is it okay if we sleep with him tonight?" Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Objection!" Charles eximed. "Objection overruled," I countered. In the end, the three of usy in bed together. Still unwilling to give up, Charles took James back to his crib at midnight. ''Ugh! What an inconsiderate man! How could he be jealous of his son?'' I cursed inwardly. As soon as Charles went back to bed, he held me and I nestled in his arms obediently. "Is he asleep?" "Yup. But he almost woke up when I tucked him in his crib just now. You know, James is a lot like you. Back when you were a child, you would do the same thing. You couldn''t stay quiet for even thirty seconds, and you would cause trouble all day long." The sound of Charles'' deep voice made me reminisce about the old days. I had loved him ever since we were children, so I always followed him around. However, Charles would often ignore me. But the more he ignored me, the more I badgered him. When that thought crossed my mind, I was so angry that I punched him lightly on the chest. "It''s all your fault! If I weren''t pining for your attention, I never would''ve been so annoying. Why did you always have to ignore me?" Women like me would often dig up the past at random times. "You''ve misjudged me this time. Back then, you were so cute that I get distracted easily. Every time I see you, I could barely do anything well. That''s why I tried to ignore you as best as I could." Charles stared at me with all the affection he could muster. I was bewitched by the love in his eyes, and I couldn''t look away. Then, he gave me a passionate kiss. "Scarlett, can we stop chatting and do it already?" Chapter 277 As Annoying As A Fly Chapter 277 As Annoying As A Fly Charles'' POV: It took me a while before I finally managed to put James to sleep. I had nned to have sex with Scarlett all night long. Unfortunately, she put her hand to my face to stop me from taking off her pajamas. "Hold on. What did you mean when you said that you deliberately ignored me back when we were kids because you''re too distracted whenever you see me?" Scarlett was ring at me as though she would melt me with her gaze. "Whenever boys develop feelings for someone, they usually bottle it up," I replied. "I think you were just being a stubborn little dweeb!" Scarlett pouted at me. I could see the comcency in her eyes though. "Fine. I admit it. I had fallen in love with you ever since we were kids. Are you happy now?" As I held Scarlett in my embrace, I felt a burning desire. ''Who in their right mind would be able to suppress their desire whenever their loved one is in their arms?'' Slowly, I slid my hands into Scarlett''s pajamas and began to fondle her breasts. Then, I slid my hand down her underwear, gently stroking her clitoris. Soon, she began to pant. Upon seeing her blushing, delicate face, a dirty idea came to my mind. "Honey, let''s do something different today, okay?" I seduced Scarlett just like the greedy serpent who tempted Eve to pick the forbidden fruit. "What? Don''t go too far..." The sound of her pleasured moans aroused me and made my mouth feel dry. I lifted Scarlett up and kicked the bathroom door open. Her every moan and plea for mercy was music to my ears. About an hourter, I carried Scarlett back to the bed. She was still so tired that she could barely open her eyes. But even though she was exhausted, she still remembered that it was time to change James'' diapers. And since she couldn''t do it, I had to do it myself. By the time I returned to Scarlett''s side, she had already fallen asleep. Gently, I crept into the quilt and held her in my arms as though I was embracing the whole world. ****** The following day, I went to work in high spirits. The girl named Nancy Wood was supposed to start working for mypany today. Grandpa had told me in advance that I should arrange a suitable position for her. Amy took her to my office directly. Nancy was a pretty girl, wearing a white dress and a ssic Chanel pink coat. Her light makeup made her like vibrant. "Do you remember me, Charles? It''s me, Nancy! We used to ride horses together when we were children." The girl was staring at me with hopeful eyes, eager to get closer to me. "Sorry, I can''t remember," I replied listlessly. "Besides, we''re in mypany. Here, I am your boss and you''re one of my employees. From now on, you''ll have to address me as Mr. Moore and I will not tolerate otherwise. Amy, take her away." Soon, Amy returned. She told me that Nancy had been assigned to be the new assistant of the sales manager. I nodded casually in response. To be honest, I couldn''t care less what department Nancy was assigned to. There was something else that I was concerned of. "Next time, don''t bring just anyone to my office without my permission, Amy," I remarked sternly. "For this blunder, I''m going to deduct half of your year-end bonus. Make the same mistake, and I''m going to fire you on the spot. Do you hear me?" "Yes, Mr. Moore. I promise not to make the same mistake again." Beads of sweat formed on Amy''s temples as she stood uneasily. "Good. Now get out." My warning worked. That afternoon, Amy came by my office again. "Mr. Moore, Nancy spoke to me earlier this noon. She wanted to give me a gift, but I didn''t take it." I shot her a cold nce in response. "Oh, I see, sir. I don''t have to report this kind of thing to you in the future." Having said that, Amy ran away. Scarlett''s POV: Vivian asked me out to dinner after work. I brought James along. Once he was full, I handed him to J. "J, can you take him to the children''s y area for a while?" "Got it." With that, she left along with James. While Vivian and I were happily chatting, my phone rang. "Is that a call from your husband again? He is so clingy!" Vivian bantered. Honestly, it warmed my heart to know that my husband was so sweet. Upon answering Charles'' call, I heard a woman screaming. At once, I turned around and happened to see that Rita had been knocked down by Tracy. "Jeez! Say what you will about Rita, but that woman is persistent!" Vivian sneered. Seeing Rita made me upset. This woman was as annoying as a fly; perhaps even worse. Not long after, I came up with an idea. I deliberately spoke to Charles in a sweet voice. "Charles, I know you miss me, but let''s keep this kind of talk in bed, okay? Oh, by the way, Rita''s here. I''ll call youter. I love you, honey. Buh-bye!" I noticed through Rita''s eyes that she was burning with anger and resentment. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Then, I put on a contemptuous smile, staring at Rita and pretending to be shocked. "What happened to you, Rita? Did you stumble?" Rita gritted her teeth and said nothing. This time, I turned to Tracy. "Tracy, how could you be so rude to ady?" Everyone could tell that I was being sarcastic, and they probably also noticed that I was actually praising Tracy. "Sorry, ma''am. I won''t do it again," Tracy replied, pretending to be sorry. "You should be d that J wasn''t the one who kicked you. Otherwise, you would''ve died. Or at the very least, we will have to call you an ambnce," I said, shrugging. At this time, Vivian was drinking water. When she heard my remark, she almost spat out her water. Then, she gave me a thumbs up. "Scarlett, I just wanted to say hello. Why did you have to be so hostile towards me?" Rita struggled to get up from the ground, and then she walked towards me with a sullen expression. But before she could reach me, Richard came over and stood in front of me. "Richard, just ask the security to drive her away. There''s no need to sully your hands," I commanded. "What are we? Enemies? Why are you doing this to me?" Rita roared. I scoffed at her and said, "If hatred can be graded, I think our mutual hatred for each other is at the highest level." "Scarlett, you''re crossing a line. It was all your fault anyway!" I couldn''t believe that Rita was still audacious enough to pin the me on me. "Damn, Rita! You''re the most shameless person I''ve ever seen since I was born," Vivian remarked with a sneer. Suddenly, a creepy smile appeared on Rita''s lips. "Scarlett, just wait and see. Our battle is far from over!" After the bitch left, the uneasiness I felt still lingered in my heart. "Scarlett, are you okay?" Vivian asked, looking at me with concern. "It pains me to admit this, but I''m still afraid of her sometimes," I responded. Rita was like a serpent, lurking in the dark and ready to attack me at any moment to deal a fatal blow. "There''s no need for you to worry so much. You have bodyguards protecting you almost every hour of the day. Now that the Lively Group has gone bankrupt, Rita is nothing but a fangless beast. At most, she can talk big, but that''s all. She won''t be able to stir up any trouble again." Vivian attempted to appease me when she saw that I was in low spirits. "Let''s hope you''re right, Vivian." I forced a smile and felt conflicted. Even though I said that, I was still rmed. Chapter 278 A Kind Reminder Chapter 278 A Kind Reminder Charles''s POV: I was just done talking about cooperation with Nichs Wood when I called Scarlet. On the other end of the line, Scarlett was acting like a spoiled child,pletely unlike her usual self. I was really curious as to what was going on. When I arrived at the restaurant where Scarlett and Vivian was having dinner, James spotted me at once. "Daddy, daddy!" The little boy spread his hands to me excitedly, calling me with his tiny little voice. I took him lovingly into my arms. "Did my little James have a good time today?" I pinched my son''s chubby face lightly, and he giggled happily. From time to time, I eyed the door. Soon, Scarlett and Vivian appeared at the door. I waved at them for attention. Vivian didn''t stay. She bade goodbye to me before leaving alone. I handed James to Tracy, then took off my coat and gently put it on Scarlett. Then, I hugged her and held her protectively in my arms. "Are you okay...?" Tracy had told me that Rita had yet again appeared to harass Scarlett. "I''m fine. I won''t let myself suffer anything because of her!" Scarlett dered, determined. I smiled at her fondly and pinched her nose. Right then, Scarlett craned her neck to look behind me. "Hmm? Who''s this?" "This is Nichs Wood, one of our Grandpa''s old friends'' grandson." "Nick, this is Scarlett, my wife." Upon his introduction, Nichs stepped forward and held Scarlett''s hand like a gentleman. He shed her a bright smile and said amiably, "Hello, Scarlett. Nice to meet you. You''re just as beautiful as the rumor says." "Nice to meet you, too. Nichs." Scarlett returned his smile with her own bright one, pleased by his mannerisms. The sight spurred a small hint of jealousy in me. Damn it, I shouldn''t have let hime with me! I pulled Scarlett''s hand back gently and held it tightly, as if dering my ownership. "Nick, I apologize, but I have to take my wife and child home first. I hope we can have a chance to talk about our cooperation in the future." Of course, the implication was that he should leave as soon as possible. I made it all too obvious. Nichs gave me a knowing smile and left. ***** When we arrived home, Scarlett and James had fallen asleep in the car. I opened the car door carefully, not wanting to jerk either awake from their happy slumber. The sleeping Scarlett looked soft and sweet, a little different from her usual appearance. Seeing her like this, my heart softened. I felt warm all over, as if I was basking in the sun of the early summer. I couldn''t help but take her hand and interlock our fingers together, enjoying her soft skin and delightful warmth. But at this moment, James suddenly made a sound and startled Scarlett awake at once. "Charles, go and check if James peed again." I nuzzled Scarlett''s nose affectionately and said, "Don''t worry. He''s wearing a diaper." After we got home and settled James down, I nned to go back to our room and enjoy the night with Scarlett. To my horror, when I opened the drawer, all the condoms were gone. The realization was akin to feeling a basin of cold water poured on my head. I froze, dismayed. I didn''t want Scarlett to get pregnant again! It seemed I need to take a long, cold shower to get rid of the desire burning in me. It took me half an hour to douse the heat in me. Being under the cold shower head for so long, I was freezing all over. The second I went to bed, I instinctively sought a source of heat and held Scarlett tightly in my arms. Her warmth soothed the cold from my long shower. "Ugh... Charles, stay away from me. It''s too cold! I can''t fall asleep," Scarlett grumbled, pushing me. I had a sudden impulse to tease her and said slyly, "How about I try something that could make both of us warm?" I pretended to take off her clothes, but Scarlett shot back teasingly, "You know, Charles, the moon''s shining brightly tonight. How about we make a baby?" Before I could react, she quickly reached into my trousers and grabbed my crotch wickedly. My body stiffened for a brief second as horror filled me. I hurriedly shoved her hand away and rushed to the bathroom. "I think I need another shower. Be back soon!" Scarlett cackled like a cunning fox, amused. Scarlett''s BOV: When I got up on the next day, Charles and James were still fast asleep. I went downstairs and made breakfast. Alice was going to take James out today. I found it a little upsetting, and I was worried if anything dangerous would happen. What Rita said yesterday alerted me to the possibility of danger, causing me to panic slightly. I told J that she must protect Alice and James to the best of her abilities. Alice took my hand andforted me, "Oh, Scarlett. Don''t worry too much." I nodded, but I still couldn''t get rid of my uneasiness. As soon as I walked out of the mansion, I came across William. Seeing him here was an unexpected surprise. He approached me, his face grim. "Scarlett, I''m here to remind you to be on guard against Rita." I was stunned. "Why do you say that, William?" William sighed, his lips a grimace. "I''m sure you''ve seen the news about Lily. Rita''s blinded by her hatred, and you''re the person she hates the most. She won''t let you off easily." "William... do you know something that I don''t?" I eyed him with a suspicious re. William shook his head and looked at me, his eyes dead serious. "I''ve warned her, but I don''t know what she''ll do. I''m leaving for New York for an important meeting, and I won''t be back until a month later. I can''t keep an eye on her during this period. Please be careful, Scarlett. Don''t ever let your guard down." "Thank you, William." "Scarlett, you and my sister are really alike. I''ve lost her, and I don''t want to lose you too. I don''t want to see you in danger." William studied me, his face full of concern for me. I thought for a while and finally said, "I promise, I''ll be careful." "Say, Scarlett. Are you willing to take me as your brother?" William''s question took me by surprise. He looked at me expectantly, eyes shining eagerly. That made me silent. I didn''t know what to say, and so I kept mum. My reaction disappointed William somewhat, but he quickly smiled and said, "I''m leaving now." Tracy approached me and stared warily after William''s back as he walked away. "Scarlett, I think William is hiding something." Indeed, William was always so mysterious. Why did he bother helping me? Was it simply because I looked like his sister? "Tracy, I know what you''re worried about. I won''t im to know William''s real intentions, but I''m sure he won''t be our enemy."Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Chapter 279 Jealous Chapter 279 Jealous Charles''s POV: Scarlett and I arrived at the airport at three o''clock in the afternoon to see my parents and James off. Nestled in Mom''s arms, James was wearing a leather jacket, a baseball cap, and a small schoolbag. The little boy did not know yet that he would be separated from his parents. The moment he saw Scarlett and me, he smiled from ear to ear and greeted us excitedly. "Dad, Mom, go!" Scarlett''s eyes brimmed with tears. When Mom was about to enter the lounge with James, my son suddenly burst into tears. "Mommy, Daddy!" he cried. His face turned red, and tears welled up in James''s eyes. He tried to break free from Mom''s arms but to no avail. Sadly, he could only reach out his little arms to Scarlett. A mother and son indeed had a special bond. All of a sudden, Scarlett rushed to James and held him in her arms for thest time. The two hugged each other and cried bitterly. It was as if they were not going to see each other again for the rest of their lives. It took us great efforts to coax James that they almost missed their flight. Scarlett was restless on the way back from the airport. "Charles, will it be okay to leave James with them alone?" she worriedly asked. I held her hand and assured her, "It''s okay, honey. It''s just a trip. Besides, they have bodyguards around them 24 hours a day. I assure you, nothing will happen." "Still... How about I fly to them in a few days?" "No. If you leave, then what about me? The Independence Day is in a few days. You have to ''apany'' me." It was not every day we got to be alone for a few days. I would not let such a good opportunity go to waste. When I said the word ''apany'', I paused for a moment and nced at Scarlett from head to toe with a mischievous smile. "You rascal!" Scarlett red at me, her face red in embarrassment. In my eyes, she looked so cute when she was not calm andposed like she usually was. "What do you say, Honey?" "Whatever. You know, I don''t know what to do with you sometimes." ****** To celebrate my hard-won prize, I brought Scarlett to the Rose Hotel in the evening. However, my excitement did notst for a long time. Why was it that whenever the two of us were alone, someone woulde along and be the third wheel? Spencer called out of the blue and asked if he coulde to dinner with us. Before I could refuse, Scarlett told him to take Vivian with him. Now, our date had turned into a double date About an hourter, the four of us were seated at the table in the restaurant. Nobody spoke a word, and an awkward silence filled the air. It was Spencer who broke the ice. He put down his chopsticks and looked at me helplessly. "Charles, stop pulling on a long face, will you? You''re killing the mood." I forced a smile and asked sarcastically, "Did I?" "You can do better than that. Everyone can see that you''re unhappy." All of a sudden, the door of the private room opened. I could not help but frown when I saw Nancy come in. What was she doing here anyway? "Charles, what a coincidence! I happened to have dinner here, so I came by to say hello. I hope I didn''t interrupt anything." Meanwhile, Scarlett cast a confused look at me. "This is Nancy Wood, Nichs''s sister," I whispered in her ear. Nancy greeted everyone with a warm smile. However, Spencer looked at her with an unfriendly gaze and asked rudely, "Who are you?" "My name is Nancy Wood. I''m working in Charles''spany. Who''s thatdy next to you?" Nancy looked at Vivian with a curious gaze. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. "Oh, her name is Vivian. She''s my girlfriend," Spencer replied without hesitation. Vivian was stunned. She did not expect him to be so straightforward. Nancy nodded. With that, she left the private room without another word. Once she was gone, everyone looked at me. "Charles, what did she mean when she said she had juste by to say hello? Obviously, that woman hade for you," Vivian reckoned. As an onlooker, she did not mind making a big thing out of it. "I don''t think so. Did you see the way she looked at Spencer?" I pinned the me to her boyfriend. "But she said she you were the reason why she came here," Scarlett chimed in with a meaningful smile. I was nervous. I did not know if Scarlett was mad or just making fun of me. Meanwhile, Spencer seemed pleased to see me suffer and even added fuel to the fire. "Scarlett, I admire your objectiveness. You''re not partial to Charles, even though he''s your husband." Damn it! How could they join forces against me and back me into the corner? "Charles, you''re so charming," Scarlett remarked. That was supposed to be apliment. But why did feel I nervous when she said that? "I agree, Charles. Wherever you go, you attract women''s attention," Spencer added. It seemed that he was still not satisfied, so he continued to stir up trouble. I was embarrassed but, at the same time, happy. It was apparent that Scarlett was jealous. At the thought of this, my depressed mood lightened up. Even Spencer, who ruined our date, seemed less annoying. Spencer and Vivian left together after dinner. I was pleased that the two of them were finally gone. Now, I could have Scarlett for myself. With that, I took her hand and walked to the elevator. "Where are we going?" Scarlett asked confusedly. "We''ll stay here for the night." Scarlett''s POV: I knew that Charles had ulterior motives when he asked me toe to Rose Hotel. It turned out that he had booked a presidential suite in advance for us. I could not stop thinking about Nancy''s face as Iy on the bed after taking a shower. I knew very well what the look on her face meant. I had seen that look a lot since I was a child. It meant that they admired Charles and that they wanted to win his heart. I was so immersed in my thoughts that I did not notice that Charles had already walked out of the bathroom. He wrapped me in his tight embrace. It was not until the scent of his bath lotion came to my nose did Ie to my senses. Right now, he seemed gentler and more charming than ever. Suddenly, my grievances and insecurity swept over me. "Charles, Nancy likes you." Charles looked at me with a gentle smile. "Are you jealous?" "A little." Charles seemed happier when he heard that I was jealous. He wrapped his arms around my neck and gave me a gentle and lingering kiss. My mind went nk. It was not until we ran out of breath that we let go of each other. "There may be many women who like me, but you''re the only one I see," Charles whispered in my ear. I gazed at his affectionate eyes. But instead of being reassured, anxiety suddenly surged up from the bottom of my heart. "Charles, what if you meet someone better than me? Will you think that I don''t deserve you?" Truth be told, I was insecure about myself. That question had been bugging me for quite some time already. "In my eyes, you''re the best woman in the world." Lying in Charles''s arms, I listened as he enumerated my traits and idiosyncrasies. Touched, I raised my head and kissed Charles on the forehead. At this moment, I was willing to open my heart to him. "I''m afraid of losing you," I solemnly said. "I will always be yours," Charles sincerely replied while staring into my eyes. Embarrassed, I faced the other way and changed the topic. "I miss our son. I want to see him soon." Charles turned me around and said, "Okay. Let''s go together. Scarlett, I love you." I was deeply touched by Charles''s love confession. He kissed me yet again, and his hands wandered on my body at the same time. His lips then trailed to my neck and down to my chest. On this night, we opened our hearts to each other. I rxed my body and let his manhood enter my body. Atst, our bodies became one as we sumbed to our fervent love and desire. Chapter 280 The Disturbing Omen Chapter 280 The Disturbing Omen Charles''s POV: Early in the morning, I was woken up by a vibrating phone. I picked it up and realized that it was Scarlett''s. My mom was sending a video call request. I turned to look at Scarlett. She was still fast asleep. So I took her phone, carefully slid out of bed, and went downstairs. Then, I pushed the answer button. "Charles? Where is Scarlett?" Mom asked me with little James in her arms. "She''s still sleeping." I noticed that my little boy was crying and sniffing. I couldn''t help frowning. "Little James has been crying since he woke up this morning. No matter how much I coax him, it''s useless. I don''t know why. He''s never been like this before." As soon as Mom finished her words, James burst into tears again. I felt like someone drove a stake through my heart. "Is he sick?" "The doctor checked him out and said he''s okay. Maybe the little guy just misses his mother." Continuing to coax James, Mom put on a worried face. "Dad..." James cried. I felt sorry for him, but at the same time, I thought he was too clingy. I made a mental note to send him to a boarding school when he grew up. He needed to learn how to be independent. "I''ll go take him outside for a walk. Maybe a change of scenery would calm him down," Mom said. "Okay. Remember to take bodyguards with you." "I will." After the video chat, I tiptoed back into the bedroom. Scarlett was still sleeping. The morning sun shone through the window, making her face look more delicate. My eyes fell on her beckoning lips. Next thing I knew, I was leaning in and giving her a soft kiss on the mouth. Scarlett slowly opened her eyes and kissed me back. Then, she seemed to think of something suddenly and asked in a panic, "What time is it?" "It''s nine o''clock." I nced at the clock on the bedside table. "What? Why didn''t you wake me up earlier? I have a rehearsal to get to at the TV station today," Scarlett grumbled, jumped out of bed, and ran toward the bathroom. I sat back in bed and watched her go all crazy. I couldn''t help smiling. "Mom made a video call to you just now and I answered. She asked if she could switch James''s baby form brand to a different one." "Really? And what did you tell her?" Scarlett walked out of the bathroom, her toothbrush sticking out of her mouth. Toothpaste foam flew out of her mouth as she spoke. "I told her she could decide." "Just as well. Mom has more experience raising children that I do." She nodded and walked into the bathroom again. She looked so cute. I went downstairs to prepare some breakfast for her. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. When she came downstairs, I put a ss of warm milk and a sandwich on the table. "Come and eat. I''ll drive you to work after breakfast." "All right." She took a seat and grabbed the sandwich. After taking a bite, she looked up at me and beamed. "Oh, this is heavenly, honey. Thank you." "There''s more if you finish that one. You can take some to work, too, so you''ll have food when you get hungry." I grinned as I watched her enjoy the breakfast I made for her. After breakfast, I drove Scarlett to work. Soon, we arrived at the TV station. Scarlett carefully got out of the car. She was wearing a ck suit, a white shirt, and a pair of high-heeled shoes. I would never understand how she was able to walk around all day in those. I reminded her, "Watch your step, honey." She looked back at me and waved with a smile, telling me not to worry. But the next second, she fell on the ground. I quickly got out of the car and rushed over to her. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" "No, I''m fine. Don''t worry." Scarlett stood up slowly and dusted herself off. She was still smiling at me. "Let me have a look." I squatted down and carefully rolled up her cks. Her knees were red, but there was no broken skin. I frowned and murmured, "You''re so clumsy." After I helped Scarlett get back on her feet, I felt her lips against mine. Although it was just a quick peck, it still took my breath away. "I''m okay, Mr. Moore. Now scram. I have to go to work." While my brain was still processing the kiss that she just stole from me, Scarlett took the opportunity to walk into the TV station. "Call me if you need anything." I shook my head helplessly and watched her disappear into the TV station. When she was out of my sight, I turned to J and Tracy and said, "J, go buy some coldpress. Tracy, keep an eye on Scarlett." "Yes, sir." Scarlett''s POV: I had a very busy morning rehearsing. It was already half-past twelve when I was finally able to stagger back to my office and take a breath. I took a seat and instantly felt the pain in my knees. At this time, my office door swung open and Tracy came in. "Hey, Scarlett. I got you something to apply to your knees. Mr. Moore asked J to get it for you earlier," Tracy said and squatted down. "Okay. Thanks." Charles''s consideration warmed my heart and made me feelfortable. Tracy opened the package, applied the ointment on my inmed knees, and rubbed it in with her fingers. It felt cool and rxing. After applying the medicine, Tracy handed me several ice packs. "If you still feel a little difort, you can put these on your knees." "Okay. Thanks again." The door swung open again. This time, it was J, and she came in with a lunch box. "Time for lunch." While having lunch, I somehow felt a little uneasy. My heart beat faster than normal, and I didn''t know why. Then, my phone rang. It''s a call from Charles. "Hi, honey. Just calling to let you know that I''m going out tonight. I''m taking some clients to dinner." "Okay. Don''t drink too much." "What if my clients insist?" "Then tell them you can''t because we''re trying to get pregnant again." "I can''t always use that excuse. They might wonder why I haven''t knocked up my wife again in a long time." "Well, either you tell them that or I tell them that you can''t perform when you''re drunk." "I can perform with or without alcohol in my body, and I will show you tonight." "Charles!" I shrieked, a bit embarrassed. After hanging up with Charles, I suddenly thought of James. I hadn''t seen my little angel today, so I decided to give Alice a call. The ringing went on for a long time, but no one answered. My heart beat faster and faster. I really got a bad feeling. After many, many attempts, Jane finally picked up. "Sorry, but Mrs. Moore took little James out for a little sun. She forgot to bring her phone." I heaved a sigh of relief. "I see. How is he? Is he okay?" "Yes, he''s okay. He''s been extra fussy this morning, but nothing to worry about." "Oh, good. Thank you, Jane. I''m just checking in. Give my baby a kiss for me and extend my thanks to Alice. I really appreciate her looking after my little James." After hanging up the phone, I still couldn''t shake the sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach. I looked at all the delicious food in front of me, but my appetite was gone. I walked to the window to breathe some fresh air. All of a sudden, I remembered what William told me the other day. I turned around and asked Richard, "Have you seen Ritately?" "No." I nodded, but I decided not to ignore the anxiety that I felt. "Richard, after you finish your lunch, please find Rita and keep an eye on her. I''m worried that she''s going to do something." "You got it." Rita was by no means a good person. While she was around, I had to be on guard all the time. Chapter 281 Janet Is My Chapter 281 J Is My Treasure Rita¡¯s POV: Today, an unexpected guest came to my house. I was so happy to see him that tears welled up in my eyes. "Richard!" I eximed, looking at him with affection. Richard stood at the door, wearing a gentle expression that I hadn''t seen for a long time. "May I come in?" he asked. "Of course!" I immediately ushered him into the living room. Richard walked past me after I said that. He was dressed in a ck suit, making him look competent and charming. As I recalled all the good times we spent together, my heart felt warm. I knew that Richard still hadn''t forgotten me. After closing the door, I approached him, step by step and hugged him from behind. I pressed my cheek against his muscr back. "Are youing back to me?" Richard tensed up at once. Not a secondter, he removed my hands from his waist and turned to look at me. "Rita, we''ve broken up a long time ago. Please, behave yourself." Confused, I looked him in the eye and asked, "Then why are you at my house? Aren''t you worried about me at all? Did you not miss me even once?" As Richard walked aside uneasily, he asked, "Did your mother get married again?" I was secretly pleased to hear him ask that. ''He still cares about me. What a stubborn man!'' Putting on a smile, I approached him. "Nope. That man is just her new boyfriend," I said. The moment I walked closer to him, he took a step back. All of a sudden, the atmosphere became tense. "She told me that you''ve moved out." Richard nced around the living room, and then his eyes fell on the door of my room. The pendant he once gave me was hanging on the door. "She was lying," I said. Gently, I held his hand and led him to my room. "She thinks that we''ve broken up a long time ago. So, even if you came to see me, she probably thought that you were here to hurt me. That''s probably why she didn''t tell you the truth," I remarked. Richard nodded knowingly. Then, I opened the door and showed him my room. Upon seeing my underwear on the bed, Richard appeared to be embarrassed He cleared his throat, turned around, and was about to leave. "Richard, since when did you be so shy? You''ve touched every inch of my body before. But now, you''re already so embarrassed to see my underwear? Oh,e on!" I grabbed his hand and threw myself into his arms. Then, I stood on tiptoe, nibbling on his earlobe. "Shall I help you recall the past?" All of a sudden, Richard grabbed my shoulders and pushed me away. "You need to stop that, Rita." "Stop what?" I pulled his hand and ced it on my big breasts. Afterwards, I rubbed my breasts against his palm, letting out a pleasured moan. "Rita!" At this point, Richard was infuriated to the point that he shoved me away. He then took out a piece of tissue and used it to wipe his hands as though he had touched something dirty. My face turned grim when I saw his reaction. "Why are you reacting like that?" "Have I not told you from the beginning that we are over? Can''t you behave yourself for once? Why are you always trying to seduce every guy you see?" Atst, Richard looked into my eyes. I thought that I''d see affection in them, but I was wrong. There was only disgust in his eyes. I clenched my fists, staring back at him in disbelief. "You''re nothing but a ything of those perverted men, while J is my treasure!" Richard''s words were cold as he stared daggers at me. After throwing away the tissue, he strode away without hesitation. Not long after, the door mmed shut, and I was all alone in the house again. "Haha!" Iughed, mocking myself and trembling uncontrobly. ''Richard, you bastard! How dare youe to my house just to scorn me?'' I stared at the tissue Richard threw on the ground and realized that something was wrong. He would never do anything without good reason. This meant that he had a purpose in mind! ''If he didn''te here to rekindle our rtionship, then he''s probably here because Scarlett asked him to,'' I thought to myself. I remembered that he walked around the house after he came in earlier. Thus, I immediately examined every corner of the house, especially to spot where Richard had been close to. Just as I had expected, I found that he had nted bugs in my ce! Once I''d gathered all of them, I crushed them within my palm. I gritted my teeth and roared, "Scarlett, you bitch! How dare you send Richard to spy on me?" Scarlett''s POV: When the night fell, I finally got off work. My knees were still hurting, so I had to slow down my pace. Before I walked out of the TV station''s entrance, I saw Charlesing towards me. He still looked as calm andposed as ever, but for some reason, he looked a little worried. Once he was right in front of me, he got down on one knee and held my hand. I was stunned by what he did, and I felt my heart beating like a snare drum. Soon, I realized that I was mistaken. Charles just bent over to check the wound on my knees. He then stood up, frowning. "Do your knees still hurt?" I grinned, held his arm, and leaned against his broad shoulder. "What are you doing here? Aren''t you supposed to be at a dinner party?" "Well, yeah. But, I was really worried about you. That''s why I decided to pick you up first." Charles'' gentle voice warmed my heart. Before I couldpose myself, he suddenly carried me. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around his neck. It was then that he strode out while carrying me in his arms.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. I caught a glimpse of my colleagues staring at me. Embarrassed, I buried my face in Charles'' neck. "Charles! There are so many people watchingus!" "Yeah, so?" Charles didn''t seem to care that people were staring at us. I had no choice but to let him carry me into the car even though everyone was watching us. Given the fact that I was with Charles now, I had to ovee my timidity. Otherwise, I might not be able to survive a day, because he had no shred of shame in his body. Momentster, the driver started the car. I held his arm and asked, "Will the dinner party end really late?" "I''m afraid so." Charles nodded, rubbing my nose affectionately. "I mighte homete, so you don''t need to wait up. Just go to bed early. If I remember correctly, your show starts at ten tomorrow morning, right?" "That''s right." I let out a sigh, leaned against Charles, squeezing his arm and holding onto his waist. He embraced me back. When I felt the warmth of his body, I finally felt relieved. The thought of having to go to bed alone aftering home made me feel sad. Frowning, I asked him, "Can you take me to where your dinner party will happen instead? I can wait for you at somece nearby and I won''t disturb you." Charles seemed to be surprised by my request. He smiled at me and replied, "It''s rare for you to be so clingy. How could I refuse my lovely wife''s request?" He told the driver to turn the car around, and headed straight to the hotel where the dinner party would be held. Upon our arrival at the hotel, Charles got off the car and ced his arm around my waist. I leaned against his chest, staring at his angr face in silence. Meanwhile, Richard followed us closely and said, "I''ve booked a room on the top floor. You can go there already." Charles nodded at Richard, and then he smiled at me. "Do you mind waiting for me in the room?" "Sure. That''s fine with me." Not a minuteter, we took the elevator to the top floor. Charles took me in and carefully sat me down on the sofa. Then, he knelt down in front of me and rubbed the same ointment on my knees. "Try to be more careful in the future. I feel bad for you whenever you get hurt, my love." Charles sighed, ncing at me with disappointment. I was amused by his childish reaction, and then I promised him that I''d be more careful in the future. All of a sudden, Charles'' phone rang. He nced at it, but he didn''t answer right away. "Is the dinner party starting?" I asked. It was then that Charles stood up and kissed me. He licked my lips with the tip of his tongue, making me blush. "Be a good girl, okay? Call me if anything happens," he said. I nodded at his reminder. Afterwards, he reluctantly left the room. Meanwhile, I curled up on the sofa, checking my Facebook. Soon, I began to feel bored, so I went outside the room for a stroll. As I strolled around the hotel, Richard followed me behind. Along the way, I happened to pass by a dessert bar. I walked in, greatly interested in the pastries disyed. After deciding what to buy, I ordered some macaroons for Charles. After wandering around for a while, Richard said, "Mrs. Moore, your knees are still injured. Mr. Moore said that I should remind you not to walk for too long, just in case your knees start to hurt again." I was kind of disappointed that Richard was acting as Charles'' mouthpiece, but I had to concede. Thus, we took the elevator and went back to the top floor. Once there, I checked the time on my phone. It was already ten in the evening. ''Is Charles still busy?'' I wondered. Richard opened the door for me. And as I read through the message on my phone, I walked inside. After I walked in, the door closed and the room fell into darkness. Just when I was about to turn on the lights, someone grabbed my waist and I smelled a familiar refreshing scent. Chapter 282 Macaroon Chapter 282 Macaroon Scarlett''s POV: I was startled by a burst of familiarughter. His tempting voice and the warmth of his breath made me feel limp. I pressed the switch on the wall and the room instantly lit up, revealing the handsome man who was holding me. "Charles!" I said, staring at him coquettishly. "God, you scared me!" I added. "Sorry about that, babe." Having said that, Charles sat on the sofa with his arms around my waist. "Where have you been?" he asked. "Didn''t Richard tell you?" I asked back, squinting at him. "Well, he told me that you went out for a walk, but he didn''t delve into details," said Charles. I raised an eyebrow at him, putting on a cunning smile. "I''m gonna keep that a secret for the time being. I''ll let you know tomorrow morning." "Okay. Let''s talk about it tomorrow then. But right now, I want you," Charles ced his hand on my waist, loosening up my belt as though he was unwrapping a gift box. I could see in his eyes just how much he wanted me. I stared back at him as my heart began beating like a drum. After taking a deep breath, I replied, "I want you, too." All of a sudden, Charles held my face and started kissing me. He nted a kiss on my ear down to my neck. He didn''t ignore a single inch of my skin. After taking off my coat, he reached into my shirt and grabbed my breasts. His gentle caress siphoned my strength. Out of impulse, I let out a moan. It was then that Charlesid me down on the sofa, kissing me passionately. He fondled my breasts ever so gently. And within an instant, the pleasure coursed through my body like a surge of electric current, rendering me weak all over. "Charles," I muttered, begging for mercy. Suddenly, he tightened his grasp on me. He then tore apart the rest of my clothes and fondled every inch of my body. The warmth his hands made me feel hot. As I trembled with pleasure, I felt all the blood in my body surge towards my head. Gradually, my consciousness were being drawn away and all my rationality became drowned in lust. An hourter, he embraced me, catching his breath. I soon nestled in his arms peacefully. But my body still felt hot; both inside and outside. Charles hugged me and kissed my cheek. In retaliation, I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. And as I listened to the sound of his steady heartbeat, I let out a sigh. "Charles, I''ve been feeling restlesstely. I''m worried about James." Gently, Charles stroked my hair. "James is safe. He has bodyguards watching over him twenty-four hours of the day. If you''re still worried about him, we can go to New York to see him. Say, the day after tomorrow?" "Sounds great!" I grinned from ear to ear and rewarded him with a kiss. But when I wanted to pull away from him, Charles pressed the back of my head. I felt his tongue intruding my mouth, giving me a French kiss. I decided to stop struggling and just immersed in the pleasure of lust. By the time I woke up, the first ray of sunlight was just shining through the window. The rm clock on the bedside table told me that it was six in the morning. I stared at the handsome man beside me, lost in thought. "Good morning, Charles." I nted a kiss on his lips before I got up from the bed. All of a sudden, he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me towards him. Not a second later, I found myself in his embrace. And as he held me from behind, he kissed me on the back of my neck. "Where are you going?" The sound of his voice was husky and seductive. The way he kissed the back of my neck made me tremble. I quickly turned around to face him. After giving him a peck on the cheek, I said, "I''ve got something to deal with, but I''ll be back soon." Charles nodded and then he closed his eyes while kissing me. I could feel his grasp on my waist bing tighter and tighter. Seeing that things were about to escte, I pushed him away. "Alright, that''s enough." Slowly, Charles opened his drowsy eyes. Right now, he just looked like an innocent young boy to me. My heart was beating like a drum. "Come back soon, okay?" Charles remarked, loosening his grip on me. After gathering myposure, I covered my blushing face and hurriedly got out of bed. Then, I went to the bathroom to wash up, and changed my clothes. Even when I''d left the room, my face was still as red as an apple. "We basically did it all night long, but I still couldn''t control myself around him. Charles is really something," I murmured to myself. "Something what?" Tracy asked in confusion. I looked up and saw that J and Tracy were waiting for me at the door. Thinking that they heard me, I was so embarrassed. "Nothing! I''m heading downstairs." They both nodded and followed me to the dessert bar. The clerk confirmed my reservation and asked me to wait for a moment. Soon, a woman came over to greet me with a smile. "Mrs. Moore, I''m a pastry chef of this dessert bar, Gail." "Hello, Gail. It''s nice to meet you," I replied. "I''m sorry that the customized macaroons you ordered yesterday tasted a little ky. It may take some time to make a new batch." Gail looked into my eyes, visibly uneasy. Suddenly, an idea dawned on me. "How about I bake it myself?" Gail was surprised by my suggestion. Obviously, she didn''t expect that I''d say that. I realized that the idea was too whimsical, so I chuckled awkwardly and asked, "Oh, I''m sorry. Will it disturb your work? If it''s not convenient for you, just forget it. I was just making a casual suggestion." Gail shook her head and grinned. "Not at all, ma''am! I''ll be d to have you in the kitchen as long as you''re willing." I was pleasantly surprised by her answer. Soon, I followed Gail into the kitchen. The other pastry chefs in the kitchen were all looking at me and greeting me kindly. Gail took me to an open work station, gave me a brief discussion regarding the ingredients and taught me how to use the equipment. I had made macaroons before, so I began making them right away. While Gail was watching me, she asked tentatively, "Mrs. Moore, I never thought you could bake. Did you learn how to, so you could cook for your husband?" I smiled at her and replied, "Well, yeah. I believe that cooking for him myself is more thoughtful." Gail eximed, "Wow! Mr. Moore is so lucky to have a wife like you. I heard that he can be standoffish. Is it difficult to get along with him in private?" "Not at all. Charles is a gentleman, and he treats me well," I responded. Gail seemed shocked by my answer, and so were the other pastry chefs around us. "It''s difficult to picture Mr. Moore being gentle," she said. "Actually, there are times that he acts like a spoiled brat," I remarked, exposing Charles'' true nature. The pastry chefs let out a sigh of disbelief. They started to gossip and asked me what kind of person Charles was behind closed curtains. I couldn''t resist their enthusiasm, so I skimmed over the important parts and just told them funny stories of me and Charles back when we were young. To my surprise, I enjoyed chatting with the pastry chefs. When the macaroons were finally ready, they were still reluctant to see me go. After bidding them farewell, I went back to the top floor with my handmade macaroon. I nced at the clock and saw that it was already eight in the morning. Thus, I hurried into the bedroom. The morning sun peered through the curtains, lighting therge bed. Charles'' wless face was as majestic as an angel''s. He was leaning against the headboard. His upper body was naked, revealing his muscr physique. His bright eyes seemed to be full of life, but at this moment, he was squinting at me, making me feel like I was in trouble. All of a sudden, I saw what was in his hand. It was my cellphone! I was still half-asleep when I went out just now and I forgot to bring it along. Charles furrowed his brows. "Didn''t you say you would be back soon?" he said. Startle, I hid the box of macaroon behind my back. I stared directly at him, and asked in a sweet voice, "Since you''re already awake, why don''t you get up already? Why are you staying in bed like a child?" "Because I''m waiting for you to bring me breakfast." Charles put down my phone and locked his eyes on me. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Seeing that I couldn''t hide it anymore, I decided to hand him the box of macaroon. "Here''s your breakfast." Charles eyes lit up as he slowly opened the bowknot on the box. As I watched him untie the bowknot, I remembered how he untied my beltst night. He also did it with so much expectation in his eyes. "Mmm... it looks great!" Charles took out the macaroon and then he stared at the empty box. "Why is there only one?" "Well, I made several macaroons, but this is the most special one." I sat on the bed and leaned against him. Charles stared at the heart-shaped macaroon and smiled brightly. Then, he nted a kiss on my cheek. "Honey, you are so good to me. Thank you!" I was infected by his lovely smile. It was then that Charles divided the macaroon by half and gave me the other half. Upon seeing him try the macaroon, I also took a bite. It was sweet and creamy. "Is it sweet?" asked Charles. His question stunned me. "Is it too sweet for you? I can make a sugar-free macaroon for you next time if you want." "As long as you''re the one who made it, I''ll love it no matter how sweet it is." Charles gazed into my eyes, holding me affectionately. "Scarlett, promise me you''ll stay with me forever." I smiled back, wrapped my arms around his naked waist, feeling his warmth. "I have no reason to leave you." I used to be so angry with Charles because he didn''t do anything when my father got in trouble, but later I realized that there was nothing he could do against thew. When I thought of how obsessed I was over my father''s case, I felt sorry for Charles. I was so blinded by my rage that I lost my mind. And it was for the same reason that I left him. We embraced each other, basking in the morning sunshine. Time seemed to stop at this wonderful moment. When I saw the phone on the bedside table, I was confused. "Charles, why did you check my phone just now? Was there anyone calling me?" I asked. "Nah. I just wanted to check what time it was." Having said that, he reached for my waist, and slid his hand upward, stroking my sensitive skin. "Charles." I held his restless hand, ring at him. "I''m not full yet," Charles murmured before he kissed me. Then, he gently nibbled on my tongue and sucked it. When I was finally out of breath, I pushed him away. "Stop it..." "But I want you, Scarlett. I won''t be able to see you untilter tonight. I can''t wait for that long, my love." Charles bit my lip as though he was punishing me. It hurt a little bit. While he was kissing me, he began taking off my clothes. He held my waist with one hand and kneaded my breast with the other. I wanted to push him away, but when I touched his skin, my hand instinctively caressed him. Then, I put my arms around his neck and catered to his carnal need. Charles lips went down along my neck and lingered on my cor bone for a while. Momentster, he began sucking on my nipples and gently bit them. A burst of arousing sensation made my entire body burn with desire. I instinctively arched my chest, letting my nipple go deeper into his mouth. "Charles," I moaned. Chapter 283 I Wont Go Anywhere Tonight Chapter 283 I Won''t Go Anywhere Tonight Scarlett''s POV: It was still morning, and yet I already felt out of energy because of Charles. Sadly, I did not have time to rest as I had a rehearsal at the TV station. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. At ten o''clock in the evening, the Independence Day party, which the TV station was holding, finally commenced. I was set to perform in the second half of the party. But for some reason, while I was waiting backstage for my turn, I was anxious and fidgety. All of a sudden, J walked over with a phone in her hand and said, "Scarlett, it''s a call from Alice." My stomach was in knots as I answered the call. "Mom, what''s wrong?" I asked with a sense of trepidation. "Scarlett, why aren''t you answering my call? Anyway, I''m so sorry. I failed to take good care of James..." Alice said dejectedly. My heart raced when I heard that something had happened to my son. Although I felt like my heart was going to jump out of my throat, I forced myself to remain calm. "Mom, take your time. Tell me, what happened to James?" "James has been burning with fever since the morning. We couldn''t bring it down. We''re in the hospital right now," Alice anxiously answered. "I see. I''ll book a flight right away." "Okay. Travel safe, Scarlett." I felt even more restless after hanging up the phone. Just as I handed the phone back to J, a staff walked over and informed me, "Scarlett, it''s your turn soon. Get ready." "Coming." I asked J to book the air ticket for me. Then, I lifted the hem of my dress and followed the staff. On the stage, the dim light gradually lit up. There I was, dangling about a dozen meters above the ground. As the intro of the music yed, I was brought down from the top of the stage by wires that were strapped into my costume. My dress fluttered as I got down. I probably looked like an angel coming down from heaven. I started singing my lines a few momentster. My voice resounded across the hall and gave a heartfelt feeling to the audience. However, I suddenly lost my bnce and began to plummet to the stage. The audience let out a collective gasp, and some eximed in horror. "Oh my God!" I was more than ten meters high. If I hit the ground, I would be either disabled or, worse, dead. My life shed before my eyes. But before I hit the ground, I felt a sharp pain around my waist as a wire suddenly pulled me up. I tried my best to regain my bearings. Once I got ahold of myself, I danced to the apaniment of drums and continued my performance as if nothing had happened. The audience was in awe during my performance. Once the song was over, they burst into apuse. I took a bow and shed them a huge smile. My legs were weak as I walked off the stage. I would have stumbled and fallen had J not caught me in time. Tracy also rushed over to support me. "Scarlett, are you okay?" "The wire just pressed on my ribs, but I''m fine," I reassured while rubbing my side. The staff also came over. With a guilty expression, he asked what had happened and med himself repeatedly. "We inspected the wires again before the show started. I really don''t know how it happened. Luckily, you didn''t get hurt. We sincerely apologize for that." I nodded in response. I was not in the mood to talk to them as I was worried about my son. I turned to look at Tracy and asked, "Is Charles here?" "He''s outside waiting for you." Not wanting to waste any second, I ran out of the TV station without even removing my makeup and changing my attire. When I caught sight of Charles from afar, the uneasiness in my heart disappeared in an instant. Charles was staring at me. His intense gaze made my ears turn hot and red. I walked up to him and covered his eyes with my hand. "Why were you looking at me like that?" "Because I''m proud that my wife is gorgeous." Charles took my hand and pulled me into his arms. He gave me a long and lingering kiss. He licked and bit my lips without even caring about the passersby. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw several figures nearby who had cameras in their hands. I immediately pushed Charles away. "Charles, there are reporters! Let''s get in the car first!" Charles kissed my earlobe and asked, "Why are you so afraid of them? They''re just gonna report how affectionate we are in tomorrow''s news. It''s no big deal." I hit him on the chest and stared daggers at him. With a chuckle, Charles carried me in his arms and went to the car. We arrived at Garden Street not long after. I was so exhausted that I went straight to the bathroom. I could not wait to take off my heavy costume and remove my makeup. But for some reason, Charles followed me closely. I stopped in my tracks and asked him, "Are you gonna use the bathroom?" "No. I want to help you take off your costume. It''s heavy, and it looks like you need my help." Charles looked at me passionately. I felt hot all over as I knew what he was up to. With a red face, I opened the bathroom door and hurriedly went inside. "I can do it myself!" I insisted. But before I could close the door, Charles pushed it open. Because I was weakpared to him, there was nothing I could do but let him. "Really? Well, I really think you need help." Charles squeezed into the gap of the bathroom door. Once inside, he wrapped his arms around my waist. I could only look at him with a helpless expression. Suddenly, a sly smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He slowly unbuttoned my clothes and took off my costume piece by piece. Atst, only my undershirt was left. I now felt so much better than a while ago. Charles took the opportunity and slid his hand into my undershirt. His warm touch sent a chill down my spine. He bent over to kiss me. But instead of returning the favor, I held his hand and stared into his eyes. "Charles, you received Mom''s call this morning, didn''t you? Why didn''t you tell me that James is sick?" Charles fell stunned. "Mom called you?" he asked in bewilderment. I pushed him away with all my strength. I felt chilly the instant his warm touch left my skin. "How could you not tell me such an important thing?" Charles lowered his head and answered, "I didn''t want you to worry too much." I could not help but scoff. I felt betrayed. Unable to take it any longer, I turned my face away from him. Charles held my hand and expressed regret. "Scarlett, I''m sorry. I promise it won''t happen again. Please don''t be mad at me anymore." I could not help but heave a heavy sigh. How could I have the heart to refuse such a cold and domineering CEO when he was acting like a spoiled child? I pretended to be angry and sternly said, "Just this once." "Okay." The smile on Charles''s face returned. Just like he had promised, he helped me take off my clothes and remove my makeup. Then, he ran me a bath and carried me into the bathtub. I was naked. But for once, he did not make a move on me. "Scarlett, you''ve lost weight. Please don''t tire yourself too much." "It''s good to lose some weight. I want to be slender," I retorted. Being nestled in his arms, along with the warm bath, brought joy and contentment to my heart. Charles, on the other hand, seemed dissatisfied. He pinched my waist and whispered in my ear, "I don''t think so. I hope you gain weight, even a little. It''ll feel so much better when you''re fleshy." I could not help but wonder if he would die if he did not flirt with me for a moment. With my eyes narrowed in annoyance, I reached out to pinch his waist too as revenge. However, his muscles were so hard and strong that I failed miserably. I sighed in exasperation. Suddenly, I remembered something. "By the way, I''ve asked J to book me a flight to New York at six o''clock tomorrow morning. You cane when you''re done with your work." "Can''t you wait for me for just one day so we can go together?" "I can, but James can''t. For sure, he wants to see his mother as soon as possible." "All right then. But you should make it up to me tonight." "What? Why?" I asked confusedly. "Because I have to sleep alone tomorrow night." Without warning, Charles lifted me up and walked out of the bathroom with me in his arms. He gentlyid me on the bed and kissed me as if his life depended on it. A few momentster, I felt his tongue force its way into my mouth. I responded to his kisses with the same enthusiasm. My mind was nk, and my desire was all that mattered to me at the moment. His lips trailed down to my neck, where he licked and sucked on it. I trembled and moaned in pleasure. Charles chuckled and kissed me even harder. Before I knew it, his hand was on mydy parts, stimting it. Suddenly, he inserted his finger in my hole, making me wet and aroused. "Charles..." I grabbed his arm, not knowing if I should push him away or pull him closer. As a response, Charles became even more passionate in his kiss. At this moment, he put my legs on his shoulders, lowered his hips, and rubbed his manhood into my beaver. My body quivered in excitement. I unconsciously wrapped my arms around his neck. My body language was screaming that I wanted him now. All of a sudden, Charles''s phone rang, bringing us to our senses and breaking the air of romance in the room. Charles turned a deaf ear to it, but I pushed him away. With lust in his eyes, he bit my lower lip as punishment and got up to answer the phone. I vaguely heard Spencer''s voice on the other end of the line. Upon hearing this, I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness it wasn''t James. With a dark and gloomy face, Charles shouted over the phone, "I won''t go anywhere tonight!" Chapter 284 I Want To Quit Chapter 284 I Want To Quit Spencer''s POV: Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. After Charles hung up the phone ruthlessly, I looked out of the car nkly, not knowing where to go. My mother''s nagging words felt like a spell that was giving me a headache, so I had no choice but to head outside for some quiet time. I called Charles and David, asking them to meet me for a drink, but they both chose their lovers over their poor friend and refused me. After thinking for a while, I felt a little helpless, so I started the car and drove back to the bar. I walked into the bar and asked the waiter, "Where is Vivian?" "I haven''t seen her today, but I am guessing that she should be in her room." I immediately strode upstairs and knocked on Vivian''s door. Vivian quickly opened the door, but she seemed a little confused to see me there. "Weren''t you going on a blind date?" "Well, you know what my mom''s arrangements are like, right?" Gritting my teeth, I stared at her. Vivian gave me an awkward smile. "I was just guessing. Anyway, if there''s nothing else, then you can leave. I want to rest now." "You''ve already spent your entire day off in your room. Is that not enough? Let''s go for a drive. It''s a beautiful full moon night." Saying that, I approached her slowly. However, Vivian walked to the window and looked into the distance. "I can see the moon right from here. Why bother going out?" With a frown, I grabbed her hand and dragged her out. "Spencer, let go of me." She tried to resist, but she was not strong enough to free herself from my grip. Ignoring her protests, and everyone else''s surprised gazes, I pushed her into my sports car and started it. Sheined for a bit before the beautiful view outside attracted her attention. I pressed the button, and the sunroof slowly retracted. The night wind blew on our faces, and as we gazed at the sparkly night sky, we felt as though there was a nket of stars over our heads. Vivian stretched out her arms and gave an intoxicating smile. "I really like starry nights." "Weren''t you just refusing toe out?" I teased. Vivian snorted and stopped talking. I drove for a while before I stopped the car in front of an old building. Under her confused gaze, I held her hand, pushed the door open, and walked upstairs with her. By the time we reached the top floor, she was gasping for breath. "Why are you taking me to exercise here..." While she was talking, she stopped all of a sudden. From the terrace of the building we were able to see a lot more stars in the sky, sparkling like jewels. It was more stunning than the view from the car. It felt like we could easily reach out and grab them. They shone beautifully like a river of diamonds. I took out two bottles of beer from a cab in the corner, opened them, and handed one to Vivian. "Looks like this is your secret spot," Vivian said as she raised her brows at me and took the bottle. "I used toe here often as a kid." I sat down on the bench while she carefully sat down on the swing beside it. Seeing her look so clumsy, I was a little confused. "Have you never sat on a swing before?" "Of course, I have, but that was when I was a kid, and it was a long time ago." Vivian kicked the ground and began to swing. As the night breeze caressed her hair and the stars became her background, I was impressed by how stunning she was. I only came to my senses when I saw her looking at me and I immediately let out an awkward cough. "We used to watch the moon from here when we were kids. It''s really beautiful from up here." Upon hearing that, Vivian took a sip of the beer and asked, "We? Do you mean you and Scarlett?" "Charles and David, too, it was the four of us." "Swings are not something that guys like. Was it for Scarlett?" Vivian asked as she nced at me. I could sense a hint of unhappiness in her tone, but I could not tell why she was like that. "You can say that. But Charles always stopped her from using the swing." The next second she put her foot down on the ground, stopping the swing. "What''s the matter?" I was confused. Without answering me, she walked to my side, sat down beside me, and rested her head on myp. My body instantly stiffened. "Spencer, I want to quit." Her soft voice came to my ears. I looked at her in surprise. "Why?" "I feel like I am cheap. Like I am your mistress..." She stared at me, stroked my chest softly, touched my face, and wiped my lips with her slender fingers. My heart began to race under her touch. "That''s another thing." I grabbed her hand, lifted her up, and kissed her. I held Vivian''s waist tightly, making it impossible for her to escape. The tip of my tongue swept past her teeth and wrapped around her tongue, sucking in her moans. A romantic memory was awakened, and our suppressed desires were soothed. All of a sudden, I felt a burst of joy and passion in my heart which almost rendered my body numb. Vivian''s eyes grew misty from the desire in her heart. Her soft lips and her flushed face were tugging on my heartstrings. Gasping for breath, I fumbled my hands along the edge of her top until I held herrge breasts in my hands. Vivian''s body trembled under my touch. "Spencer..." She arched her back a little. I kissed her and caressed her breasts gently. With a frown, she let out a passionate moan. Feeling the cold night breeze against my skin, I came back to my senses and reluctantly withdrew my hand. She let out a chuckle and whispered in my ear seductively, "Can I sleep in your room tonight?" "It would be my honor." Hearing that, Vivian smiled, stood up, and left my arms. She quickly straightened her ruffled clothes before she picked up the bottle. "I haven''t finished my beer yet." Hearing that, I picked up another bottle of beer and clinked it with her. As soon as our bottles were empty, she stood on her toes and held my chin with her finger, flirting with me. "Let''s go back to sleep." She walked to the stairs like a sexy kitten and I followed her with a smile. Scarlett''s POV: Charles was still sound asleep when I woke up that morning. After washing my face and brushing my teeth, I went downstairs, but I was a little startled when I saw Richard standing in the living room like a statue. Thinking of the recent events, I couldn''t help but ask him, "Has Rita done anything unusualtely?" With a serious look, he replied, "Rita hasn''t even been outtely. Although the surveince cameras I installed in her house have been removed, I have asked someone to keep an eye on her. And his information is reliable." "That''s good. I am probably being too suspicious, then." I gave him a nod while I tried to suppress the uneasy feeling in my heart. Richard looked at me and said, "Rita is a cunning woman, so it is highly likely that she is secretly plotting something. We need to be careful." I frowned and said, "Please stay and keep an eye on her. Tracy will being with me to New York." Hearing that, Richard nodded. "Scarlett," Charles called me. I looked back and saw him walking towards me. His shirt was unbuttoned, and there was a faint bite mark on his corbone. I immediately blushed and buttoned up his shirt. "Put on your clothes properly." Charles smiled in reply before he said, "Okay, I''ll drive you to the airport." Chapter 285 James Went Missing Chapter 285 James Went Missing Charles'' POV: Once we were at the airport, I escorted Scarlett to the security checkpoint, but I was reluctant to let her go. She let out a sigh when she realized I didn''t want to let go of her hand. "Charles, if I don''t go in now, I''m going to miss the flight." "But, I don''t want you to leave," I replied, embracing her. "We''re only going to be apart for a day." Scarlett wrapped her arms around my neck and pecked my lips. In response, I cupped her cheeks and kissed her. At longst, I reluctantly let Scarlett go and watched her walk into the security checkpoint. It wasn''t until she disappeared from my sight that I withdrew my gaze and turned to Richard and J as they stood beside me. "Why are you two here?" "She did ask us to keep an eye on Rita''s movements," said Richard. After a brief moment of hesitation, he asked, "Shall we go to thepany now, sir?" I shook my head and walked aside towards the big LED screen, staring at Scarlett''s fright information. About ten minutester, the info on the LED screen disyed that the flight to New York had taken off. I sighed and walked towards the airport''s exit. People wereing and going around me, and most of them walked in groups. I saw many men and women embracing each other. The smiles on their faces were beautifully sincere. Somehow, it made me feel like my heart was melting. Soon, I stopped at the exit. "Is something the matter?" Richard asked as he walked up to me. I chuckled at his question, staring back at him. "Book the next flight to New York for me." At first, Richard was surprised by mymand, but he quickly gathered hisposure. "Yes, sir!" Right after that, I called Amy and told her to cancel my schedule for the next few days. Scarlett''s POV: After getting off the ne, Tracy and I went straight to the hospital. We noticed that the security checks at the entrance of the hospital were particrly strict. They required everyone to show their ID. "What do you think happened?" I murmured. I had a bad feeling about this. Tracy appeared to be serious. "Generally speaking, hospitals don''t usually set up security checks that strict. Unless..." We exchanged nces, and rushed to James '' ward after going through the security checks. But upon our arrival, we saw that the ward was empty, and only a nurse cleaning up the bed was left. I grabbed my wrist to prevent myself from trembling. "Excuse me, was the patient here a boy? Where is he right now?" Stunned, the nurse looked at me vigntly. "And you are...?" "I''m the mother of that child, Scarlett Moore. His names is James Moore, right?" "Yes, ma''am, it is. But he, uh..." The nurse was hesitant to continue. I strode forward, grabbing her hand. "What happened to my boy? Please, don''t scare me like that." My voice was trembling as I spoke. Unable to bear it any longer, the nurse replied, "He''s missing. We have no idea who took him away. At the moment, the entire hospital is under martialw, but we haven''t heard anything yet." I staggered backwards, refusing to believe what had happened. "Scarlett!" Tracy held me up just in time. As I held onto her hand, I tried to calm myself down. "Tracy, call Charles. Now!" Having heard mymand, Tracy frowned and called Charles. "I can''t get through to him. It seems that he''s turned off his phone." After taking a deep breath, I decided to call Alice. As soon as the call connected, I anxiously asked, "Have you found James?" After a moment of silence, Alice replied, "We''ve already contacted the police, but right now, we still haven''t found him. I''m sorry, Scarlett. I was too careless..." I bit my lower lip, and soon tasted blood. Afterforting Alice, it dawned on me that William was in New York, too. Thus, I immediately dialed his number. "Scarlett? You rarely ever contact me. What'' sup?" William sounded surprised. Right now, I wasn''t in the mood to chitchat, so I went straight to the point. "Sorry about springing this onto you, but could you do me a favor? I need your help to find James. He''s... he''s missing." I began to break into tears. This time, William sounded serious. "Tell me what happened, Scarlett. What can I do to help?" After I told him everything I knew, William agreed to help at once. I expressed my gratitude and hung up. Soon, Alice and Lawrence rushed back to the ward. There was a frown on Lawrence''s face. And as soon as Alice saw me, she held me and broke down. "We''ll find James, my dear. We''ll get him back safe and sound. Who on earth took our precious little angel away? Whoever it was, why did they take James away?" My heart felt like it was being clenched, and I couldn''t breathe for a moment. ''Who would take my little angel away?'' It was then that a particr name came to my mind. And the more I thought about it, the more flustered I became. While anxiously waiting for any news, we kept on contacting people to help in the search for James. When the phone rang, I was over the moon. However, the name that appeared on the screen was Rita''s. "Why is she calling?" Alice frowned, visibly upset. My heart was racing at this point. I tried not to think of the worst and just answered the phone. "Scarlett, are you okay?" Rita teased. I clenched my phone and gritted my teeth. "You''re the one who did it, didn''t you, Rita?" Right after I said that, I heard herughing over the phone. "When did you be so stupid? You didn''t figure it out until just now? Do you know how long I''ve been waiting for your call? God, I even had to contact you myself!" Anger rose from the pit of my heart, and it almost burned out my rationality. "You are a fucking lunatic! If you want your revenge,e at me! Why did you have to involve my child? He''s innocent!" Suddenly, Lawrence put a hand on my shoulder. He gazed into my eyes and shook his head. It was then that I realized that Rita was manipting my emotions, so I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. Not a minuteter, I heard Rita swiping at me with harsh remarks. It seemed that she was testing my patience. "Yes, I am crazy. And you''re the one who drove me to insanity! Because of you, I lost everything. And I''m going to make you feel just how horrible it feels to lose your one true love! That seems fair. Am I right, James?" I heard a familiar voice on the other end of the line. "Momma! Momma!" James was whimpering and he burst into tears. The sound of his cries over the phone almost shattered my will. "James!" At this point, I could no longerpose myself. "Scarlett,e to the seaside vi in thirty minutes. I''ll send you the address. Remember,e here alone and don''t contact the police. Otherwise, I can''t guarantee your boy''s safety," Rita warned. After scoffing at me, she hung up the phone ruthlessly. While I was still dazed and uncertain of what to do, Alice grabbed my hand. "What''s going on? Is James okay? What does that witch, Rita, want? We''ll give her whatever she wants!" This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Attempting tofort her, Lawrence hugged Alice. "Calm down, honey." Chapter 286 A Living Hell Chapter 286 A Living Hell Rita''s POV: After hanging up on Scarlett, hatred coursed through every nerve in my body. This time, I wasn''t going to let her go. I would let her know just how horrible it felt to be heartbroken! "Stop crying!" The baby''s crying was starting to upset me, so I grabbed the tape from the table, ready to seal the boy''s mouth. However, my mother stopped me. "Are you crazy? Doing that will suffocate him to death! If that boy dies, it won''t do you any good. Remember, your target is Scarlett." "But I want to kill them all!" I growled through gritted teeth. "Rita, calm down. If you kill the boy, Charles will never forgive you. That''s enough!" My mother held my hand, trying her best to stop me. ''She wants me to stop?'' I sneered. ''It''s impossible for me to stop now. Scarlett has ruined my life! Howe she gets to live a good life, while I''m living like a sewer rat? There''s no turning back for me this time. I won''t stop until vengeance is mine!'' I shook off my mother''s hand and sealed James '' lips with some tape. The sight of Scarlett''s child gradually losing oxygen satisfied me. "You''ve gone crazy!" My mother rushed to the boy''s side, and tore off the tape from his mouth. "If he dies, you won''t have any bargaining chip to ckmail Scarlett with!" "Fine! For the time being, I''m going to leave the boy alive. But once Scarlett arrives, I''m going to let them die together!" Scarlett''s POV: I was already panicking at this point, and I was practically on the verge of breaking down. ''No matter what, I must save James! He''s waiting for me!'' "Scarlett, I can''t let you go there alone. Take me with you!" Tracy pleaded as she held my hand. "I can''t take you, Tracy. If Rita finds out that someone is following me, she''s going to hurt James. Just give me the car keys. Please." I snatched the car keys away from Tracy. "Scarlett, I''ve already contacted the police. They''ll send someone to follow you. But for the sake of James'' safety, they''re going to keep a respectable distance away from you. Promise me that you''ll be careful, okay? Remember to protect yourself," Lawrence said to me sincerely. "I promise, Dad. Anyway, I''ll be leaving now." I nodded at him. Truthfully, I didn''t hear most of what he said. Right now, my mind was elsewhere and all I could think of was James crying and shouting for me to save him. Along the way, I floored the elerator, speeding across the highway. ''James, please hold on. Mommy ising!'' I prayed in my heart, hoping that God would hear me. At longst, I arrived at the beach. I parked my car somewhere inconspicuous, got out of it, and nned to slowly approach the vi. Suddenly, Rita called me again. I could hear just how comcent she was over the phone. "I''ve already seen you, Scarlett. Come to the room on the north side of the second floor. And hurry the fuck up! I''m getting impatient!" Hurriedly, I ran towards the vi. But the second I stepped foot inside the house, I got hit on my right shoulder. "Argh!" Tears flowed out of my eyes when I felt the sharp pain, and I could smell the strong odor of blood when I took a breath. My body trembled as I fell to my knees. With difficulty, I looked up and saw a man standing in front of me. He had a face devoid of emotion. "Rita asked me to tell you that if you can''t make it to the room in ten minutes, your son will die." Upon hearing that, I struggled to get up. My shoulder felt like it was burning from the pain, and my blood fell to the floor, creating a dripping sound. As I took a deep breath, I felt like my lungs were imploding from the pain. The only thing that kept me going was the fact that James was waiting for me. No matter how hard it could be, I had to hold on! Just as I had walked to the corner of the staircase, another blownded on me; this time, it hit my left shoulder. Susan appeared before me and spoke in a trembling voice. "This is for my daughter!" I looked her dead in the eye, but the pain was too unbearable for me to say anything back. All I could do was to continue staggering up the stairs. Atst, I had reached the second floor. It was then that a knife jabbed into my right ankle. Unable to bear the pain any longer, I fell to my knees once more. A momentter, I saw a pair of leather shoes in front of me. The man squatted down to look me in the eye, ruthlessly pulling out the knife from my ankle. I screamed at the top of my lungs. The pain was spreading from my ankle and shoulders down to every corner of my body; inch by inch. I was almost losing my breath. "Rita said that it''s a small punishmentpared to what her father had suffered in prison," the man remarked. "He deserved it!" I said through gritted teeth. The man pinched my chin with his rough fingers, forcing me to look at him. His eyes showed nothing but bloodlust and there was a devilish grin on his lips. "You''re pretty, but you''re too headstrong." As I trembled all over, I said in a hoarse voice, "Don''t touch me!" Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. My voice was too weak at this point. Truthfully, I barely had the strength to speak. I was starting to lose my consciousness because of all the pain. "Stop being so arrogant! You have no right to threaten us now!" "You''re going to pay for this!" I was so angry that I spat out a mouthful of blood. I could feel myself gradually drifting to the brink of death, and my sanity was slowly being drawn out of my body. The man stopped making trouble for me. I struggled to get up, but my right leg was too weak to move now. I tried to prop myself up by using my left leg, but not even a secondter, I fell to the ground again. At this time, I seemed to hear my baby''s criesing from the room at the very end of the second floor hall. With every ounce of strength I had left, I crawled towards the room. All the pain from my shoulders and ankle were starting to overwhelm me, and my body was trembling violently. My eyebrows were tightly knit, and both sweat and blood streamed down my face. For some reason, I remembered what Charles told mest time. "Scarlett, don''t try to escape from me. You''re mine even if you die! And even if I end up in hell, you''reing with me!" I dragged my bleeding body, crawling to the end of the second floor with all my strength until a person blocked my path. "Hahaha! Scarlett, I never imagined you''d be reduced to this pathetic state one day!" It was Rita. She broke into a maniacalughter. To me, she looked like a blossoming yet poisonous corn poppy. "Rita... give me back... my child! Now!" I growled. I raised my head, ring at her. I could no longer contain my rage at this point, and the pain was overwhelming me. Every cell in my body and every inch of my skin were roaring in pain. I felt as though I was in a living hell! Rita squatted down to look me dead in the eye. And when she saw that I was in pain, she said, "Scarlett, do you honestly think that I''ll hand you back your baby just like that? From now on, you''re going to do everything that I tell you. Or else!" "Or else what?" "Or else, I''ll throw your son into the sea and feed him to the sharks!" Having said that, Rita stood up and walked towards the end of the corridor. Chapter 287 Falling Into The Sea Chapter 287 Falling Into The Sea Scarlett''s POV: "Crawl! Hurry the fuck up! Otherwise, your son will be thrown into the sea!" The shrill voice of a woman along with the faint crying of my child wasing from upstairs. ''Hurry up! Scarlett, move!'' I told myself. I crawled even faster despite the pain. My whole body was aching so much that I felt like I was being torn apart, and my feet were gradually feeling numb. At longst, I saw my little angel. "James!" James'' head was covered by a ck cloth, and a man was holding him as he struggled feebly in midair. Rita stared at me, wearing an obscene smile. She then turned to the man holding James. The man immediately understood her point, and he hanged James out of the window with his hand. Desperately, I tried to run towards my child. But sadly, the severe pain from my ankle made me fall to the ground heavily. "No!" I gasped for air as tears streamed down my face. Then, I struggled to reach James, but Rita trampled me underfoot. "How does it feel, Scarlett? Are you scared?" As she stepped on my chin, I saw how twisted and insane she had be. "Rita, you''re a fucking psychopath! If you''re angry at me, then deal with me! Let James go. He''s innocent!" Rita mmed my head against the ground. Because of all the blood and the fact that I was in pain, I couldn''t see anything. Beads of sweat rolled down my forehead as I bit my lip tightly, trying not to shriek from the pain. "Innocent? He is not innocent. He is a fucking bastard! You and Charles gave birth to him, but he shouldn''t have survived!" Rita trampled on my face even more aggressively. I was biting on my pale lips so hard that they started bleeding, and I did my best not to give out. "Scarlett, you ruined my path to happiness, so I''m going to ruin your life, too!" I was far too weak to argue with her now. All I wanted at the moment was for my baby to be safe. "What can I do to convince you to let James go? Please, I''ll do anything!" I pleaded. A sinister smile appeared on Rita''s lips. "Are you sure about that?" Blood, sweat and tears blurred my vision. As I stared at the man holding James out of the window, I knew that I had no other choice. "As long as you let James go, I''ll do as you say." I closed my eyes, epting that this was my fate. Rita looked down at me with a devilish grin on her face. "I want you to announce to the whole world that you''ve never loved Charles, admit that you''re a whore, and tell everyone that this child isn''t Charles'' son. So, what do you say?" "I''ll do it!" I shouted through gritted teeth. Rita shot me a look as if to tell me that I was the one who "asked for it". I could see the malice in her eyes, and it gave me a bad feeling. "You! Come here." Rita pointed at the man who hit me on the shoulder. "Lion, I order you to fuck that woman!" All of a sudden, I raised my head, staring at Rita in disbelief. "What? Are you scared?" Rita scoffed at me. She turned to look at the man who was holding James, clearly threatening me. "No, no, no! I''ll do it. Please! I''ll do that right now. But you have to promise me that you''ll let my baby go first." This was my bottom line. "Sure, if you have sex with Lion, I''ll let you and that little bastard go home," said Rita. "Your word isn''t a guarantee. How can I be sure that you won''t go back on your words?" I asked. "What do you want?" she asked back. "I want you to call Charles right now and tell him our location. Otherwise, I won''t follow your order." "Fuck you. I won''t do that. Scarlett, you''re in no position to bargain with me right now!" It seemed that my attitude infuriated Rita. Rita nced at Lion, and the man approached me with a perverse smile on his lips. I could see in his eyes that he had some truly disgusting ideas in his head. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. With no other choice, I had to crawl forward, one inch at a time. However, Lion grabbed my hair and dragged me back. Rita burst into a maniacalughter once more. "Scarlett, I never thought you''d be so disgraceful! Look at yourself. You''re no better than a dog right now!" Lion tore my clothes apart, pressing me onto the floor. Then, he began fondling my body with his rough hands. I could even smell the foul stench of his mouth. I struggled to break free from his grasp, but my injured shoulder prevented me from doing so. At this moment, I was like a butterfly that had been caught in a spider web. The more I struggled, the worse I got stuck. The following moment, I heard my pants being torn apart, and it sent me spiraling into despair. "No! Stop!" It was then that Rita began tough like a God forsaken lunatic. I loathed her with every fiber of my being. "Rita! Rita!" Rita''s POV: Oh, how I enjoyed watching Scarlett despair and wail like a banshee. The sight of her blood and tears on the ground brought joy to my heart. At longst, I had paid her back for the humiliation she put me through! "Lion, strip her naked!" Just as I was enjoying Scarlett''s humiliation, an underling ran up the stairs from the first floor and reported to me, "Miss Lively, bad news! Someone''s here to raid the ce!" Upon hearing that, I went to the balcony and saw William. ''Damn it! How did he find this ce so soon?'' In order to vent my frustration, I kicked the dying Scarlett''s stomach. Then, I said to the underling, "You! Come here and tie this bitch up!" Afterwards, I told the man to give me the child and then I went to the open-air balcony on the top floor. The little boy was struggling with all his might, and I almost lost control of him. "Don''t move! If you don''t stop moving, I''m going to throw you into the sea, you little bastard!" But the child ignored my warning. "No, Rita! Don''t be impulsive. Please, stop!" Scarlett pleaded in a barely audible voice. "You''ve finally learned how to beg for my mercy! But it''s toote!" I sneered. I lifted the boy up and stood at the edge of the balcony. From here, I could see the waves surging up. "The child isn''t Charles''. I''ve never loved Charles. So, please, let James go!" Scarlett pleaded. "Even if I let him go, William won''t show me any mercy. I''ve already made up my mind to die along with you. I''m going to drag you all to hell with me!" "Rita, calm down. Put James down!" It was Charles. When I turned around, I saw that William and Charles were already here. They were fighting against my men, and it seemed like my men were no match for them. What pissed me off the most was that useless idiot, Lion. He let go of Scarlett and ran away at the first sign of trouble. Since I no longer held Scarlett hostage, I had to use the boy to my advantage. "Save James! Save him!" Scarlett pleaded while she was in Charles'' arms. He then looked me in the eye. His firm gaze made me feel like I was being pulled into the depths of the abyss. "You''re finally here, Charles." The moment I saw him, my heart melted. While I was entranced by his beauty, I loosened my grip on the boy. All of a sudden, the little boy fell down into the dark sea. Chapter 288 Despair Chapter 288 Despair Scarlett''s POV: "No!" As James fell into the boundless sea, my entire world copsed around me. "James! My beloved James!" A mouthful of blood came out of my mouth. As Iy weakly in Charles'' arms, I grasped his clothes with every ounce of strength I had left. There was only one thing going through my mind right now; I wanted to save my beloved son so bad. William suddenly rushed over, kicking Rita to the floor. Afterwards, he bent over the railing of the balcony, staring down for a long time. "I''m so sorry, Scarlett," he said, pitying me. "Sorry? Why are you apologizing?" I struggled to stand up, but my body wouldn''t listen to me. All I could do was to hold onto Charles'' hand as though my life depended on it. "No! Our James isn''t dead yet, right? Right?!" "Scarlett, I''m sorry... I''m really sorry!" Right now, I felt like a prisoner on death row. And the sound of gunshot announcing my demise had finally resounded through my head. I couldn''t move a muscle. It was as if my body had been riddled by bullets and tattered into pieces. "I don''t want your apology! I want my James back! I want him alive and well!" Blood came out of my mouth again, staining Charles'' white shirt. His face disyed his uneasiness and his eyes were filled with nothing but pain. His hands trembled as he stroked my lips, as though he was trying to block out the blood from flowing out. "Scarlett, don''t do this!" I couldn''t hear anything. James was dead, and with him, my soul had been spirited away and buried into the deepest pits of the sea. Momentster, the sound of the police siren resonated from afar. Gradually, I came back to my senses. It was then that I realized that the murderer who ughtered my child was still alive. My dying heart was reignited with fury and desire for vengeance. "I''m going to kill her! Give me Rita. I''ll kill her myself!" I pushed Charles away, and grabbed the dagger from the floor. However, he stopped me from moving. "Scarlett, you shouldn''t kill her. The police will be here soon, and I promise you, Rita will get the punishment she deserves." Upon hearing that, I loosened my grip on the dagger, and it fell to the floor. I stared at Charles, dazed as a bitter smile appeared on my lips. Tears welled up in my eyes and my heart was broken into a million pieces. "So, until now you still don''t have the heart to hurt her, huh?" This sentiment made me feel like aughing stock. "No, it''s not like that, Scarlett. Let me exin." Charles embraced me. "Enough, Charles! Since you don''t want to do it, I will!" William picked up the dagger from the floor, walking towards Rita, step by step. "Stay away from me!" Rita crawled back in fear. But William grabbed her neck and lifted her up without mercy. "Didn''t I warn you already? I told you never to harm Scarlett. And it looks like you don''t take my words seriously at all!" "I don''t care if you all love her! I am going to make her suffer a fate more miserable than death!" Rita''s face turned red from being strangled. Not a secondter, the dagger pierced into her lower abdomen, and blood oozed out from it. Her eyes widened in horror as she fell to the floor. "Take her away." William''s men took Rita''s unconscious body away before the police could arrive. He then walked up to me and said, "Don''t worry, Scarlett. If you want her dead, I will not allow her to live." Even if that horrible woman were to die, my little angel, James, would nevere back again. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. At this point, I was hopelessly apathetic. "William, take me away," I said. But Charles held me tighter in his arms. "You can''t take her away!" "Charles, you just watched Rita kill Scarlett''s child, and you did nothing to avenge him! What makes you think you still have the right to be by her side?" Soon, I fell into William''s arms and passed out. ****** I saw a faint dazzling light the moment I opened my eyes, and heard mechanical sounds around me. At this moment, scenes of the past shed through my mind. I had once promised Charles that no matter what might happen in my life, I would be strong and live on. But without my son, I no longer had the fervor to continue living. This was all my fault. I should not have been with Charles. If I had left him earlier, James might not have been killed by Rita. Charles'' BOV: I waited at the door of the operating room. The police were still searching for my son''s dead body, and my beloved wife was still in mortal danger. ''God, please save Scarlett! I''ve already lost James. I can''t lose her, too!'' It seemed that God had heard my sincere prayer. The light of the operating room went out, and a doctor covered in blood came out. "The patient is out of fatal danger, but she''s still far too weak and needs to be hospitalized for careful observation for a period of time." Upon hearing the doctor''s words, all the tension in my body eased up, and I slumped onto the bench weakly. "And there''s one more thing. When the patient woke up, she asked us to tell you that she doesn''t want to see you ever again, Mr. Moore." ''She doesn''t want to see me again?'' I thought to myself. ''That''s right... I don''t have any right to see her again.'' "Is she all right?" I asked. "The patient''s ankle was badly injured. Even though she''s been treated, she may have to live with a disability from now on," replied the doctor. "How could this be?" "The worst isn''t her physical injuries. Both the patient''s mind and body are badly damaged, and she''s lost the desire to live. Even if she could survive, her body will have manyplications in the future. You must prepare yourself for that, sir." The doctor''s words devastated me. This was all my fault. ''Why did I have to bete? And the bastard who did this to us is Rita!'' "William, give me Rita." All I could do now was to do as Scarlett wished and kill that horrible woman. William shot me a nce and said, "I''m sorry, but Rita has my sister''s heart right now. I can''t give her to you." Suddenly, the atmosphere became tense. At this time, Scarlett was pushed out of the operating room. When I tried to get close to her, William pushed me away. "Didn''t you hear what the doctor told you? She doesn''t want to see you again, Mr. Moore!" I clenched my fists and looked at Tracy behind me. "Tracy, stay with Scarlett and protect her." Tracy looked back at me, visibly concerned. "Mr. Moore, are you going back to LA?" I shook my head, and buried my face in my hands, feeling helpless and desperate. Chapter 289 I Heard That She Lived Together With... Chapter 289 I Heard That She Lived Together With... Spencer''s POV: Today was David and Icey''s wedding. I watched as they exchanged vows and put their wedding bands on each other''s finger. Then, David lifted Icey''s veil and kissed her gently. The guests apuded and cheered and gave the newlyweds their sincerest wishes. As the maid of honor and the best man, Vivian and I fulfilled our wedding tasks and were happy to see off David and Icey officially as husband and wife. Charles was standing right next to me. As usual, he looked attractive and dignified in a suit, but his eyes were colder than usual, like they were attached to a lifeless machine. I sighed and patted him on the shoulder. Among the three of us, Charles used to be the happiest one. But when James passed away and Scarlett left a year ago, he was suddenly plunged into a bottomless pit of despair. James''s death was difficult on everyone, especially the elders of the Moore family. I heard that Alice had tried to contact Scarlett but hadn''t been able to. As the days passed, Charles just isted himself more and more. He refused to spend time with me and David, and he only worked day and night. Suddenly, Charles stood up and left. I frowned and followed him. He headed to the garden, approached the swing set, and stood there like a statue. I walked to him and fiddled with the swing''s chains. Then, I pushed the swing even if there was no one on it. Charles grabbed the chain and held the swing still. "I brought their wedding gift. Will you tell David later?" I didn''t say anything right away. Charles raised his head and shed me an icy look that made me shiver. "I want to be alone for a while, Spencer." I sighed, nodded, and left the garden. On my way back to the church, I ran into Vivian who seemed to be headed to the garden. "No. Don''t go out there. Let''s take a walk somece else." Vivian was confused. "Why?" I took her hand and towed her away without answering her question. "Have you broken up with your boyfriend yet?" In the past year, Vivian and I had ended our sexual, no-strings-attached rtionship. She was in a rtionship now, just not with me. Vivian withdrew her hand and squinted at me. "Why do you care?" "Maybe we can try being together." "Nice try, Spencer. I haven''t broken up with my boyfriend. In fact, things are going great between us." Vivian chuckled and walked past me. I wanted to run after her, but somebody stopped me. I turned around and saw the dashing groom, David. He asked, "Where''s Charles?" "In the garden, moping around," I sighed. "I don''t know what to do with him anymore. He''s so depressed, and I''m not sure if I can be of any help." David pursed his lips, inhaled, and then exhaled loudly. "I saw his gift. It''s the sports car I''ve always wanted. But..." I knitted my eyebrows in confusion. David handed me a card. It was a gift card. The wedding wishes were brief and to the point. At the bottom were Charles''s and Scarlett''s names. My heart ached. I couldn''t help cursing, "Charles is such an idiot!" David ran his fingers through his hair. "They used to love each other so much. How could he forget? But I heard that Scarlett and William were living together now. Spencer, what should Charles do?" Charles''s BOV: After David''s wedding, I went back to Garden Street. I pushed the door open, half-expecting to find my family inside, but it was still empty. It had been a year, and even though I hadn''t seen Scarlett for that long now, I still felt like she was still around. I went into the living room and approached our wedding photo on the wall. In the photo, Scarlett was wearing a beautiful white dress and leaning against my chest. On her wless face was the happiest smile I''d ever seen. I raised my hand and brushed my fingers on the photo from the hemline of her wedding dress to her lovely smiling face. "Scarlett... My Scarlett..." Her name was like razor des through my throat. The coldness of her photo against my fingers was a reminder that she had abandoned me. I sat on the sofa and stared past the photo that once promised us a bright future. "Charles..." My mother called from behind, choking with sobs. "Why are you here again? Come home to the Moore mansion with me. Everyone is waiting for you." I stood up straight but didn''t move my eyes. "Are Grandma and Grandpa doing okay?" "Yes. They miss you very much. You haven''te to see them for a while." I lied, "I''ve just been working overtime a lottely. There''s so much to be done. I can''te to the mansion today." Grandma and Grandpa had spent more time with James than I did. They loved my little boy dearly and always said that he was a carbon copy of me. If I came to see them, I would only remind them of the precious great-grandson that they had lost. I was still alive, but James was gone. James, the bundle of joy that lit up their lives, was nevering back. "Your work''s always your excuse. I know what you''re worried about, son, but you can''t refuse to see your grandparents because of James forever. They''ve already lost their great-grandson. Do you want them to lose their grandson, too?" My mother desperately tried to stifle her sobs. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. I walked up to her and gave her a hug. "I didn''t mean that, Mom. I just don''t want them to be sadder than they already are." "It was all my fault. I didn''t take good care of James." "No, Mom. It wasn''t your fault. It was mine. I should''ve done a better job protecting my wife and my son." My heart cracked and splintered like concrete shaken by an earthquake, but I kept my face neutral. I put my arm on my mother''s shoulder, walked her out of the house, and asked the driver to take her back to the Moore mansion. As I turned around and walked back into the house, I heard my mother burst into tears. Back in the living room, I stared at our wedding photo once again. I tried to match Scarlett''s smile on the photo, but as I did, tears started streaming down my face. Chapter 290 She Takes Me As Her Husband Chapter 290 She Takes Me As Her Husband Charles'' POV: When I arrived at thepany it was still pretty early in the morning. While I was sitting alone in my office, my mother''s call broke the silence. "Charles, I still want to talk to Scarlett. You two are a couple. There is no need for you to end up like this, and it was not because of you that James..." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Don''t go." I interrupted her coldly. "Don''t you want to patch up with her? Well, why don''t you try to talk to her?" "Mom, stop talking about it, will you? Listen to me, and don''t call Scarlett." Although my head felt like it was about to explode from the pain, I had to suppress my emotions and persuade my mother. In the end, she finally gave in and hung up with a heavy sigh. I tried to ease my pain by massaging my temples, but it did not help. All of a sudden, there was a knock on the door, and Amy walked in. Before she could say anything, I frowned, and ordered, "Postpone the meeting for twenty minutes." She seemed to want to say something, but eventually she left quietly. Later that evening, I went to the Mint Bar. I hadn''t been there in a long time. Spencer poured me a ss of wine in the private room before he shook his head and sighed. "Since you have stoppeding to my bar, I am going to have to think that you''ve given up drinking." "I''m too busy with my work." I lowered my head and continued to drink coldly. "I am going to open a new branch of the bar in Kitsap next week. Would you like toe?" "I''m busy next week. I''m afraid I won''t be avable." Spencer nudged me with his elbow, raised his eyebrows at me, and said tentatively, "I also invited William and I asked him to bring a date along. Maybe, you can see Scarlett..." All of a sudden, a sharp noise filled the room. I crushed the wine ss until the liquid spilled all over the floor. "Ah! Charles!" Spencer screamed and prized my fingers from the broken ss. My brain seemed to be numb. I looked at the ss fragments and scratches in my palm, but I didn''t feel any pain. "Fortunately, it''s just a few scratches." Spencer carefully removed the debris. I noticed that my palm wasn''t badly injured. He rolled his eyes at me, disinfected the wound, and put a Band-Aid on it. "Can you stop scaring me?" "I''m sorry. I don''t think I can attend the opening of your new bar. If you see Scarlett, then please don''t mention me." I subconsciously clenched my fists as I looked at him seriously. My heart ached at the thought of Scarlett being another man''s date. It felt like someone was suffocating me with a stic bag. However, I knew that I had no right to take her back now. With aplex expression, Spencer turned to me. "Okay, I understand." "Thank you." He poured me another ss of wine and put it in front of me. "What if Scarlett asks for you?" "There''s just no way that''s gonna happen. I am certain that she won''t even mention me." With a bitter smile on my lips, I finished the wine in my ss. Spencer drank with me in silence, and after a long time, I felt like I was in a trance. I was so drunk that I poured the wine directly on the table. Spencer took the bottle away from me, put it down aside, and walked me out. "You''ve had enough. I don''t want to wake up to the news channels talking about how Mr. Moore was suffering from alcoholism in his friend''s bar." I was carried into the car and driven to the Moore mansion. "Charles, why did you drink so much?" A sweet voice came, tugging at my heart strings. I forced myself to open my eyes and I saw Scarlett. She was wearing pajamas and her long hair hung loosely over her shoulders. She seemed to be glowing that I found it hard to see her face clearly. I staggered towards her and held her in my arms. "Scarlett, I miss you so much." That moment, the phone rang sharply. I tightened my grip, but when I opened my eyes, I saw that it was not Scarlett in my arms, it was just a nket. It was just a dream. Spencer''s POV: A weekter, I invited Vivian toe with me to Kitsap. The driver started the car and I slowly leaned against the backseat of the car as I closed my eyes to rest. Vivian turned to me and asked, "Spencer, do you think Scarlett is going toe? I haven''t seen her in a long time and I really miss her." "I have no idea, but Charles seems to believe that she won''t being." I could not help but sigh. "What a pity!" I saw her lowering her head in disappointment when I turned around. I immediately blurted out, "Actually, William has epted my invitation. When I reminded him to bring Scarlett with him, he did not say no." Vivian looked at me in surprise, but there was a hint of bitterness in her eyes. "That''s so ridiculous! Now we can''t see Scarlett unless we invite William." "Yeah, I didn''t expect that to be the case, either." Back then Scarlett and Charles would always be together. They were really sweet and happy. That evening, I invited William to dinner. He showed up on time, but Scarlett was not with him. I proposed a toast to him and asked in a curious tone, "Didn''t I ask you to bring a date? Why didn''t Scarlette?" William smiled like a real gentleman. "Scarlett has not been feeling welltely, and that''s why she did not want toe." "Didn''t you tell her that I was the one that invited you two?" I frowned, looking at him seriously. William was calm and let out a faint sigh. "There''s something that you don''t know. Scarlett has lost her memory." I was so shocked that I let my wine ss slip from my hand and fall to the floor, shattering it into pieces. I did note to my senses until someone pulled me back a little to prevent me from stepping on the broken ss. "Are you okay?" Vivian looked at me, and before I could even reply, she turned to William and bombarded him with questions. "How could Scarlett lose her memory? Did she get into an ident? How is she now?" "She is recovering gradually, but..." William stopped all of a sudden. There seemed to be a hint of embarrassment in his eyes. "But what? Tell me!" I urged him anxiously. With a helpless smile, William caressed the ring on his finger. "After Scarlett lost her memory, she mistook me for her... husband." "What the fuck?" I was so shocked that my brain almost could not process what was going on. Vivian couldn''t believe her ears either. She gave a wry smile and asked, "How could that be possible? Scarlett and Charles haven''t divorced yet! I think that you should exin it to her." "I tried to, but whenever I mentioned Charles '' name, she began to scream hysterically. So I did not dare to mention his name again, and nor did I dare to rify our rtionship. I had no choice but to y along as her husband." Upon hearing that, Vivian asked tentatively, "So, do you two sleep together?" However William just smiled as though she had just asked him a really stupid question. His smile infuriated me. I quickly grabbed his cor and said through gritted teeth, "Say something! Do you dare not to answer me?" William looked down at my hand before he pushed me away with a calm smile. "Yes, we do sleep together." "Oh my God! How can you do that?" Vivian gasped in horror and covered her mouth in shock. "But Scarlett haspletely forgotten about Charles. In her eyes, I am her husband. She will get suspicious if we don''t sleep together." Taking things for granted, William carefully observed our expressions before he continued in a polite tone, "I thought that Charles would be here today, and I was nning to talk to him about it." The moment I heard those words, I felt as if my head was going to explode. I felt that it was a good thing that Charles had turned down my invitation. If he was here, he would have certainly killed William by now. After calming down a little, I looked at William and asked in a cold voice, "You took Rita away, didn''t you? How did you deal with her? Is she dead?" The smile on William''s lips finally disappeared, and a strange coldness clouded his eyes. "I''m going to dig Rita''s grave soon." Hearing that, Vivian gasped in shock. "What do you mean? Why do you want to dig her grave?" "I had asked the doctor to take back my sister''s heart from Rita''s body." I could not help but shiver subconsciously as I looked at the man in front of me in disbelief. "But I recently found that there was something strange about the doctor. I hadn''t actually seen him do the surgery at that time, so I am a little worried and I want to confirm it." Vivian and I fell into silence. Who would have thought that a gentleman like William could be such a ruthless monster? It was now evident to me that I had underestimated him all along. Chapter 291 The Same Ring Chapter 291 The Same Ring Spencer''s POV: I noticed William''s little movement. Every time he spoke, he touched the ring on his finger. I took a closer look, and I was shocked. "William, is that Charles''s ring on your finger?" William raised his hand. The ring was exactly the same as Charles''s! He smiled and said calmly, "No, it''s not. Scarlett keeps asking me why I''m not wearing a wedding ring. I was afraid that she would grow suspicious, so I asked someone to make a wedding band for me." As my insides froze like ake in winter, I forced a smile. Perhaps being gentle and kind was just William''s disguise. It was only a way for him to hide how terrible he really was. Today was supposed to be a day of celebration, but I was no longer in the mood. I could only entertain my guests absentmindedly. Soon, the guests bid goodbye and left one by one. After seeing off a group of people, I went back to my seat. Only Vivian, William, and I were left at the table. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. William happened to meet my eyes. His smile was sincere, but it made me tremble for some reason. "I''ve been trying to decide whether or not I should tell you about one thing. After much, much internal debate, I thought that I should let you know. After all, you''re Scarlett''s friends." Vivian and I made no response. We just stared at him silently. William took our silence as an agreement for him to proceed. He stood up and raised his wine ss to us. "I''m honored to be here to help Spencer celebrate the opening of another one of his bars. I also hope that you will bless me. I have recently be a father." I felt like I just plunged headfirst into a pool of ice-cold water. William drank up his wine while Vivian and I looked at him with wide eyes. Vivian cleared her throat, but a broken voice still came out. "You... You have a child now?" "Children. They''re twins." "That''s why you didn''t bring Scarlett..." I murmured. "Yes. She just gave birth, and she needs some rest." With a doting look on his face, William suggested, "You can tell Charles about it if you want." In a fit of rage, I pounded my fist on the table and red at him. "You bastard! How could you take advantage of Scarlett''s perilous state? When she regains her memory, she won''t forgive you!" I picked up my ss and smashed it in front of William. Broken sses and wine flew in all directions, but William remained calm and fixed his gentle gaze on me. He was still smiling like nothing happened. I was furious, but I couldn''t do anything to him. I turned around and started walking away. I just opened a new bar. I didn''t want to stain it with some prick''s blood. "Spencer!" Before I could put considerable distance between myself and our table, Vivian grabbed my arm. I looked back at her and then red at William once more. "Find some time and arrange a meeting between us and Scarlett." William nodded with a smile. "Okay. As long as there''s a suitable opportunity, I will make it happen." Hisposure just made me angrier, but I couldn''t vent my rage in my new bar. After William left, I stepped outside and lit a cigarette. It was drizzling, and only the eaves were there to protect me from the rain. The cool air had helped me calm down, but I was still a bit upset. Vivian approached me and rubbed my arm. "None of us wanted this to happen. If we only knew, we wouldn''t have let Scarlett leave with William a year ago. What are you going to do next? Are you going to tell Charles?" I shook off Vivian''s hand and staggered into the rain. I couldn''t help screaming at her, "How am I supposed to tell Charles, Vivian? How? Tell me!" Vivian frowned and eyed me for a while. Then, she suddenly stepped forward, grabbed my hand, and shoved me into a nearby car. "Why the hell are you screaming? Do you want the whole world to know?" Vivian scolded me and then softened her tone. "Spencer, this matter is between Charles and William. We''d better stay out of it and don''t tell anyone else." I didn''t say anything. I just took a deep drag on my cigarette. "Will you stop smoking?" Vivian rolled down the window, grabbed my cigarette, and tossed it out. I was going to snap at her, but before I could, my phone rang. Charles was calling. Vivian and I exchanged nces. Well, this was exactly what I needed. After hesitating for a while, I pushed the answer button and held the phone against my ear. "Hey, Spencer. How was the opening of your new bar?" Charles''s voice was as calm and indifferent as usual. I smiled awkwardly. "It went very well, thanks for asking." Charles didn''t speak after that. After a moment of silence, I tried my best to speak in aposed manner, but I just tripped all over my words. "Scar... Scarlett didn''t show up." Charles gave me a brief reply and then hung up soon after. I put down my phone and heaved a sigh of relief. Vivian clicked her tongue. "Why are you acting like you''re the one who knocked up Scarlett under false pretenses?" "Because I''m worried about my friend. I can only imagine how the news will affect Charles. If I''m this unnerved about it, then it will definitely destroy him." I was so distressed that I tossed my phone away. Itnded beside Vivian''s handbag. Vivian folded her arms over her chest. "You''re going to have to tell him sooner orter. You can''t wait for the twins to grow up before telling Charles about them. The longer you keep him in the dark, the more devastated he''s going to be when he finds out." Imagining how Charles would react, I felt like some huge invisible hand was squeezing the air out of my lungs. Suddenly, my phone rang again. I took away Vivian''s bag and fumbled for it. To my surprise, it wasn''t mine. Her phone, which was the one that was ringing, fell out of her purse. I caught a glimpse of the caller ID. Steven was calling. "Oh, it''s my boyfriend." Vivian reached for her phone. Before she could get it, I snatched it away, pressed the answer button, and put the call on speaker. A strange male voice came at once, "Hi, honey." Vivian red at me. I took the phone, held it in front of my face, and leaned back. I opened my mouth as if I was going to say something. Vivian immediately careened in and covered my mouth with her hand. Then, she smiled and said to Steven, "Hi, babe. I''m so d you called. Missing me?" "All the time. I''m done with work. I cane to Kitsap tomorrow to see you." "Really? Oh, that''s great! I can''t wait!" Vivian said happily. I shed her a resentful look. She turned her face away, said a few more words to Steven, and then ended the call. I pulled a long face. "Are you going on a date tomorrow?" Vivian didn''t even look at me. She grabbed her phone back and stuffed it into her bag. "Yes, which means I have to buy a new dress. I want to be all dolled up for Steven." I leaned close to her and grabbed her wrist. "Don''t go." "We''re not having sex anymore, Spencer. You can no longer tell me what to do and what not to do." Vivian shook off my hand. I was stunned. I could only stare at her quietly. Vivian pushed me away, sat properly, and changed the subject. "I have a hunch. If Scarlett really lost her memory, then William must''ve lied to her. She never would''ve taken William willingly as her husband. William must''ve told Scarlett that they''ve always been a couple, and then he got her pregnant with twins." My heart sank. It was possible, and it was more terrible than what William was letting on. I wouldn''t have believed something like that in the past, but after sensing William''s sinister side today, it was the only thing now that made sense. I frowned and thought for a while. Then, I said, "There is another possibility. Scarlett hasn''t lost her memory. William just won''t let her get in touch with us." Vivian''s eyes gradually widened as the horror of the idea sank in. "Yes, that works, too. And if that''s the case, then Charles should know as soon as possible. We need to find a way for him and William to meet." I hesitated for a second and then picked up my phone. I was about to call Charles when Vivian pushed the door open. I grabbed her hand. She pulled away, but I held on tighter. "Spencer, if you ever touch me again, I will tell my boyfriend and have him beat you to a pulp." I refused to let go. As I stroked her soft skin, I warned her, "Don''t provoke me, Vivian. I know you still like me." Chapter 292 You Are Too Young To Play Games Wi... Chapter 292 You Are Too Young To y Games Wi... Spencer''s POV: Vivian was stunned for a moment. Then, she shut the door, leaned toward me, and looked into my eyes. "Spencer, do you not take me seriously because you''re sure that I have feelings for you?" Her eyes glinted with affection, which made it difficult for me to maintain a neutral expression. I loosened my grip on her and leaned back. I cleared my throat, hoping that she wouldn''t see through the cool facade I was trying to keep up. "Please help mee up with a n to get Charles here." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "You and Charles have been friends for so long. If anybody can get him here, it''s you," Vivian replied, opened the door, and got out. It was still raining outside. When I was about to get out of the car and catch up with her, she had already rushed into the bar and made a gesture of contempt at me. I couldn''t helpughing and mumbling, "So childish." A beeping phone stopped me before I could venture out into the rain, but it wasn''t mine. I looked around and found Vivian''s phone wedged between my leg and the seat. She must''ve dropped it on her way out. There was a new message from Steven. I picked up the phone and stared at the message notification, jealousy gnawing at my insides like a hungry rat. Damn it! I wanted to block Steven from Vivian''s phone, but her phone was locked and I didn''t know how to unlock it. "Spencer? What are you doing? Give me back my phone," Vivian called from outside the car. I got out of the car and walked over to her. She tried to share her umbre with me, but the rain just pounded us both ruthlessly. "Wow. Can''t you hold an umbre properly?" I teased and took the umbre from her. I put my arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to my body. Vivian looked up at me but didn''t say anything. The moment we were out of the rain and under the bar''s eaves, she shook off my arm. She didn''t look angry. She just looked like an annoyed spoiled brat. "You didn''t need to hug me like that, you know? And I''m not single anymore, okay? What, do you want to be the other guy?" She asked the question loudly enough to embarrass me in front of whoever was within earshot. "Vivian!" Vivian was not afraid of me at all. She just rolled her eyes at me and walked into the bar. I folded the umbre and left it at the door. I followed her and asked, "Don''t you want your phone?" Vivian stopped immediately, faced me, and extended her hand. I took out her phone and handed it to her, but when she was about to get it, I suddenly withdrew my hand. Vivian knitted her brows. I smiled wickedly. "I won''t give it to you." "Spencer! You are so childish!" Vivian pounced on me and began trying to get her phone back by force. "Give me back my phone! What if my boyfriend calls? I need to be able to answer him!" Hearing this, I gritted my teeth and put Vivian''s phone further away from her reach. I strode back to my room with Vivian on my heels. When I was about to close the door, she stuck her hand through the crack and grabbed my sleeve. Worried that I might hurt her, I let go of the door and let her squeeze in. I grinned at her, hoping it was enough to hide the crippling jealousy that I was feeling. "Weren''t you afraid of hurting your hand? Is your boyfriend really that important?" "It''s none of your damn business!" Vivian raised her chin, reached out her hand, and aggressively tried to grab her phone from me. I stepped back quickly, but I slipped and fell on the bed. Before I could regain footing, Vivian hurled herself at me, straddled my hips, and tried to get her phone. I stretched out my arm far above my head to keep her from reaching it. After a few moments, Vivian started panting. She was starting to wear herself out. "Spencer!" she growled and stared at me. The next moment, our gazes met. I saw surprise in Vivian''s eyes. Then, I felt the annoyance and anger drain away from her slowly. I sat up, and Vivian adjusted her position to get on my thighs. We were close enough to share breath, and the sweet smell of her hair tingled my senses and caused my heart to break into a full gallop. Color blossomed in Vivian''s cheeks as I tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. I refused to make another move. I was scared to death to wake up and find that it was only a dream. Finally, Vivian leaned in and kissed me. When our lips touched, the fragrance of her body engulfed me. She wrapped her arms around my neck and went deeper and deeper, stripping me of any sort of control over my body and my thoughts. Gradually, her kiss moved along my jawline and then to my ear. She gently nibbled on my earlobe, and I almost went insane with ecstasy. As I immersed myself in the incredible feeling, I heard Vivian speak in that sexy voice that could make me do anything. "Hold me, Spencer." I wrapped an arm around her waist and held the back of her head with my free hand. I kissed her back with equal hunger and passion, and I enjoyed every moan she made against my mouth. I traced her lower lip with my tongue and then sucked it hard. And then suddenly, Vivian stopped and made a small sound that registered to me as a sob. She pushed me away and jumped off the bed. I followed her with my eyes as I tried to catch my breath. Her face was red, and her eyes were watery. She looked as if she had just been ravished, which only made my desire grow stronger. Vivian smiled slyly and waved at me with her phone in her hand. I honestly couldn''t remember when she was able to get her phone back. "You are too young to y games with me." I stood up and approached her. "What are you talking about?" Vivian ran to the door before I could reach her, her face full of undisguised mockery. "I''m talking about yourughable tendency to fall into the honey trap. God, you''re so easy. Bye." Then, she shut the door and left. Realizing what just happened, I sat back on the bed and buried my face in my hands. I thought we were finally acknowledging our feelings for each other, but as it turned out, Vivian just wanted her phone back. But I could swear that while we were kissing, I felt something there. But if she still had feelings for me, how could she fall for someone else? I tossed and turned in bed all night. The next morning, I knocked on Vivian''s door, only to find that she wasn''t in the room at all. I took out my phone and called her. After waiting for a long time, the line was finally connected and Vivian''s voice came through. "Spencer? What''s the matter?" "Where are you?" "I''m out shopping with my boyfriend. Talk to youter," Vivian said sweetly and then hung up. I held my phone tightly until my knuckles turned white and my palm trembled. "Vivian..." Bitterness was starting to fray thest of my sanity. Suddenly, my phone rang. I was overjoyed, but when I saw Charles''s name on the screen, I felt like a balloon that just got popped with a needle. "Hey, Spencer. When are youing back?" I tried to hide my disappointment, but I couldn''t help sighing. "Maybe a week from now." "What''s wrong? You sound unhappy," Charles asked with concern, which startled me a little. He rarely showed that he cared about others. Setting aside my issues with Vivian and thinking about what was best for Charles, I closed my eyes and said as evenly as I could, "Charles, you need toe to Kitsap. You have to meet William." Chapter 293 Williams Purpose Chapter 293 William''s Purpose Charles'' POV: "William? Why?" I asked. Spencer fell silent for a moment. Then, he said, "William said that he wanted to see you." Hearing that only infuriated me. William had already taken Scarlett away. Did he still want to show off in front of me? "He wants to see me, huh? Did he mention why?" "He didn''t say anything in particr. He just wanted to talk to you about Scarlett," Spencer stammered. My heart skipped a beat. ''What happened to Scarlett?'' "William told me that he and Scarlett are getting along well with each other," Spencer continued. Suddenly, my heart felt like it was being cut open by a knife and the pain overwhelmed me. As I held my phone in my trembling hand, all my strength was being drawn out of my body. While I was still mourning over the loss of my son, James, Scarlett had begun a new life. A bitter smile appeared on my lips. All sorts ofplicated emotions gued my heart; sadness and jealousy among them. And I felt so conflicted. I didn''t want to ept that this was truly happening. "William is lucky that he can have the best woman in the world. He''s obviously trying to provoke you, Charles. Why don''t you ept his challenge?" asked Spencer. "I think you''re the one who''s trying to provoke me, Spencer." After hanging up on him, I sensed that something ominous wasing. ''What is William''s purpose? Is he just trying to show off? Is this his way of iming sovereignty? Or is he... trying to persuade me to divorce Scarlett?'' I went back to the Moore mansion with a heavy heart. As soon as I entered the house, I saw my grandmother on the sofa, sobbing. She had aged a lot ever since James fell to the depths of the sea. Upon seeing me enter the living room, she wiped away her tears and stood up, albeit with difficulty. She then walked over to me and held my hand. "Charles, I''ve been having dreams about Jamestely. Do you think he''s still alive? The police never found his body. Is it possible he can still be saved?" My heart ached when I saw the hope in her eyes. "Perhaps," I muttered, looking down, fearful of staring into her eyes. "Charles, I want to see Scarlett. Can you get her back? Please." Grandma held my hand tightly. And for a moment, I didn''t know what to tell her. After pondering on it, I said bitterly, "Grandma, let''s not disturb her new life." Tears streamed down her eyes again, and she looked even sadder now. "I just want to know if Scarlett is doing well." Once more, I failed to give an answer. I had no idea that my mother had been eavesdropping outside the door. At this moment, she walked in and said, "Perhaps I should visit Scarlett instead. I''m an elder. William wouldn''t be heartless enough as to kick me out, would he?" "No. Never bring this up again," I said before I turned around and walked away. "Charles, are you really okay with never seeing Scarlett again for the rest of your life?" my mother asked the second she caught up to me. "Don''t you get it, Mom? Scarlett doesn''t want to see us again!" "She''s not that cruel," she replied. "So? Does that mean it''s okay for you to take advantage of her kindness and keep pestering her?" My mother was rendered wordless. "If we show up in front of her, it''ll only remind her of James and the pain of losing her son!" My mother didn''t know what to say at this point. In the end, she just let out a sigh. "Well, what about you, Charles? Don''t you love her anymore?" "I''m not sure." Later that night, I sat in front of the window with a ss of red wine in my hand. The faint moonlight shone on the floor through the window. For the past year, I had been sleepless for countless of nights. Every time I went back to the Moore mansion, it reminded me of my fondest memories of Scarlett. Back then, we were so in love with each other. We baked together, had fun, and we had such wonderful sex together. But every time these beautiful memories appeared in my mind, the painful ones followed. The following morning, while I was waiting for the elevator to arrive, I heard a woman''s voice from behind me. "Mr. Moore! Mr. Moore!" Nancy hade to badger me again. Today, she was wearing a beige Prada dress, a white coat, and delicate makeup. I could smell the faint aroma of her body, and it put a frown on my face. "Don''t you remember who I am, Mr. Moore? I''m Nancy, Nichs'' younger sister." She had her hands behind her back, making her look timid. She couldn''t dare to look into my eyes. I stared at the hands behind her back. All of a sudden, Scarlett''s face appeared in my head. Whenever she was nervous, she would always put her hands behind her back just like that. Now, I was in a bad mood. "Mr. Moore?" Nancy seemed confused. I ignored her and went into the elevator at once. Once I was in my office, Amy brought me my schedule for the day. When I saw the word "Kitsap" on the schedule, I was stunned. "Mr. Moore, there''s a notable summit happening in Kitsap. I''m afraid you may have to attend it." Amy stood in front of my desk, speaking to me with respect. Calmly, I put down the schedule and replied, "Ask Peter to go in my stead." "Understood, sir." With that, Amy left without another word. My mind began to wonder. Momentster, I heard a knock on the door. "Come in," I said. It was Peter. "My apologies, Mr. Moore, but I can''t attend the summit on your behalf." "Why not?" "My wife is giving birth in a few days. That''s why I''m here to ask you for a few days of leave. My wife said that if I don''t apany her for theing days, she''s going to dump me. You wouldn''t want to see my family break up, would you, sir?" ''Is this the will of God?'' I wondered. I kept silent for a long time. "Fine. Go ahead. Take good care of your wife and child. Never let them down. Otherwise, you''re going to regret it for the rest of your life." Seeing that I agreed so readily, Peter scratched his head, visibly surprised. "Thank you, Mr. Moore! Anyway, I''ll be going to go back to work now." I nodded in response. The office returned to silence once again. I opened the drawer of my desk and saw a picture frame inside it. The picture in the frame was of me and Scarlett. We were so intimate at the time. I held her in my arms and she was smiling as bright as the sun. As I held up our photo, the past shed through my mind like scenes out of a movie. I was unable to prevent myself from yearning for her. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. I couldn''t help but murmur to myself, "Scarlett, how have you been doing?" Chapter 294 He Finally Came Chapter 294 He Finally Came Nancy''s POV: After I got off work, I waited anxiously at the gate of thepany, hoping toe across Charles again. Not long after, Amy came out of the gate. I approached her, looking behind her and trying to find the man that I had been thinking of day and night. "Nancy? Are you waiting for Mr. Moore?" I shed Amy a meek smile. "If you''re already off duty, Amy, what about him" "He already left hours ago," she replied. "I see..." I was saddened by this, and by the time I gathered myposure, Amy had already left. Disappointed, I let out a sigh. Then, I decided to call Nick. "Nick, I didn''t get to see Charles today," I comined. "I''ve already told you many times. Waiting for him in such an idiotic way won''t do you any good! Just listen to me, Nancy. Give up on Charles. The healthy thing for you to do is to move on." "Shut up, Nick!" I roared through gritted teeth. "Anyway, I''ve got something else to do now. Bye!" My brother''s indifference was disappointing. Still, I wasn''t going to give up on Charles. Especially now that Scarlett was gone. This would be the perfect time for me to get Charles. A bold n took shape in my mind. Since I couldn''t find him in thepany, I figured it would be better to wait for him at his house. ''If I could rent a house near his, I would see him more often!'' Spencer''s POV: Today my new bar, Swarms of Stars, officially opened in Kitsap. Around eight in the evening, William arrived at the bar as scheduled. "Spencer, is Charles here?" William asked me at once. I lit a cigar, ncing at the riled up crowd downstairs through the smoke. Right now, my face disyed how sullen I was. "William, Charles isn''ting. He doesn''t want to disturb Scarlett anymore." "Is that so?" William chuckled. Seeing himugh like that made me angry. "William, please do not forget that even Scarlett is with you now, Charles is still her legal husband." "Is that the reason he''s scared to meet with me?" he retorted. "What are you trying to say?" I furrowed my brows. "He must''ve guessed why I wanted to talk to him. I want to convince him to divorce Scarlett," said William. This time, I was rendered speechless. ''Charles would never agree to a divorce,'' I remarked inwardly. "He said that he''d set Scarlett free, but it looks like he doesn''t want to make a clean break with her. Is this what he calls ''never bothering her again?" William also took out a cigarette from the table and lit it. Then, we stared at each other in silence. "Is it true that Scarlett has lost her memory?" "It is." Now, I was staring at the crowd with a conflicted expression. "If a person forgets all her sadness and even her past source of happiness, do you think it''s a good thing or a pity?" William didn''t offer me a response. All of a sudden, my phone rang. Upon taking it out, I saw that Charles was the one who was calling me. "Charles, what''s up?" I said. "Spencer, tell William to stay," he replied. "Huh? Why?" Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Do not let him leave." As soon as he finished speaking, he hung up the phone. ''This is great! Just as I''ve expected, Charles is a real man! He''d never back down when ites to his beloved woman.'' This made me admire Charles. "William, Charles told me to tell you not to leave," I said with a smug smile. "Oh? Then, I shall wait for him to arrive," he replied. I raised my eyebrows, picked up a ss, poured liquor into it, and leaned against the sofa. "It seems that you''re unaware that Charles is not just a good businessman; he''s also a fierce combatant." I shot William a nce, disying my confidence in Charles'' capabilities. William sneered at me with eyes filled with disdain. "A fiercebatant? Are you kidding me? He couldn''t even protect his wife and son!" ''Did this mane here to look for trouble?'' I wondered. "Correct me if I''m wrong, but thatdy downstairs is your woman, right?" William looked at me dead in the eye before he nced downstairs, indicating that I follow his gaze. When I did so, I saw Vivian walking into the bar with a man. They seemed quite intimate. Vivian was holding the man''s arm intimately and leaning against his chest with a bright smile on her face. The man held her waist, looking into her eyes as they spoke to each other. They embraced each other as though there was no one else around them. Then, they joined the dance floor. Along the way, Vivian looked up and waved at me as though she was goading me. I felt like I was being cuckolded by my own wife. It made me so angry that I lost my mind in an instant. I put down my ss of wine, rushed downstairs into the crowd, and grabbed Vivian''s hand. "Come with me!" ''I''m going to punish this damned woman!'' "Spencer, are you crazy? Let go of me!" Vivian was so infuriated that she struggled to break free from my grasp. "Sir, please let my girlfriend go. You''re hurting her," said Vivian''spanion. ''This bastard is even trying to stop me! The audacity of this man!'' "Who do you think you are?" I held my head high, ring at him. "Spencer, stop being so rude to my boyfriend. You are my boss; nothing more, nothing less. So, watch your mouth!" Vivian seemed unaware of the severity of the situation. "Did you say he''s your boyfriend? In that case, why don''t you kiss him in front of me?" I said, deliberately provoking her. "Are youpletely insane? Why would I kiss him in front of you?" At this point, Vivian was angry with me. "As I thought, you wouldn''t do it," I replied, looking at her dead in the eye. All of a sudden, Vivian broke intoughter. "Steven, darling..." The moment I saw her touch the man''s face and kissed him, all of my rationality left me. My heart red up with anger. I pulled Vivian back and punched the man with every ounce of strength in my body without even giving a warning. Chapter 295 A Relationship For The Purpose Of... Chapter 295 A Rtionship For The Purpose Of... William''s POV: Spencer punched the man, and thetter almost staggered backwards to the ground. ''Is this what a love triangle is? Well, I must say ... this is amusing.'' My phone vibrated in my pocket, so I took it out. "Try not to drink too much, okay? Ande home early." Her kind reminder warmed my heart and put a smile on my face. "Okay," I replied. Today, when I left home, I told Scarlett that I was just having a business dinner. I didn''t mention who I was meeting with. Music was sting in the background, but the crowd suddenly quieted down. Out of curiosity, I put my phone away and looked downstairs. A man in a tailored ck suit appeared. The light was shining down on his face, entuating his already impable facial features. Because of his noble, yet standoffish presence, people were too afraid to look directly at him. His long, narrow eyes were as cold as ice. There was no doubt about it. It was Charles. The second he looked up, he immediately saw me. Not long after, he went upstairs. Inside a private room on the second floor, we sat face to face. Neither of us took the initiative to speak. As Charles sat beneath the light, I saw the aggression in his deep, dark eyes. "I thought you''re noting today," I said, breaking the silence. " Spencer told me that you wanted to speak tome." Charles didn''t beat around the bush. "That''s right. Because I think it''s necessary to tell you the truth," I replied. Spencer''s POV: Steven wasn''t fast enough to avoid my punch, and I was able to bash his face in. At once, he covered his face and screamed in pain. "Spencer, are you crazy?" Vivian eximed. She stood in front of Steven, spreading her arms wide and ring at me. "Fight back if you can!" I yelled at Steven. "Shut the fuck up, Spencer!" Having said that, Vivian turned her attention to Steven and examined his injury while whispering something in his ear. Not long after, Steven nced at me before he left. I wanted to tackle him down and hit him one more time, but Vivian stopped me. "Spencer, what do you want? Are you trying to prove something?" "It''s nothing. I just don''t like him, okay?" "You''re a psychopath!" Vivian cursed me while striking me with her fists. I didn''t attempt to avoid her attack, and as a result, I took several blows to my chest. It was a little painful, but I was willing to endure it. "Stop it," I said. "Be quiet." A momentter, I grabbed Vivian''s arm and led her to a corner. I pointed to a private room upstairs and said, "Charles is in there, negotiating with William." "Really? That''s not going to stop me from beating you up!" Vivian attempted to hit me again, but this time, I caught her hand and held it firmly. "That''s enough. Let''s go to my room." Still holding her hand, I dragged her upstairs. Upon our arrival in my room, I closed the door. Vivian shook off my hand immediately. "Don''t you dare hit me again," I warned. "And why not?" she asked, raising her fist once more. As I looked her beautiful face, my heart melted. "If you want to beat me up, do it here. I won''t try to dodge your punches." I was willing topromise, because after all, she was a woman and her punches barely fazed me. To my surprise, her eyes welled up with tears. She then turned her back to me and said, "I don''t want to hit you anymore." "Why not?" When I heard her sobbing, my heart ached. I walked up to her, and turned her towards me. Vivian looked down and pushed me away. "Don''t get so close to me!" "Why are you crying? Do you feel sorry for that man? Are you getting serious with him?" I asked through gritted teeth. My anger was ignited at once. I pinched her chin, forcing her to look me in the eye. Her eyes were filled with tears, and seeing her like this made my heart ache once more. "Yes. I''m heartbroken for him." I couldn''t stand to hear her words, for every word that came out of her mouth was like a dagger jabbing into my heart. "Heartbroken?" I was furious at this point. ''How could she say that she''s heartbroken for that man? This is humiliating for me!'' I eximed inwardly. "Steven is my boyfriend. Am I not allowed to feel sorry for him?" The angrier I appeared, the more she became unwilling to back down. She was staring at me with determination. "You take back your words," I said. Anger slowly overcame my heart. At this moment, my mind was filled with a crazy idea; I wanted to take Vivian home, and lock her up, so that no other man would be able to touch her for the rest of her life. ''Vivian belongs to me. Whoever tries to touch her deserves death!'' I was ring at Vivian, but she was smiling at me. "Why on earth would I take back those words? I''m going to marry Steven as soon as I leave this room. Oh, don''t worry. I''ll invite you to our wedding." Now, thest bits of rationality in my mind was broken. Enraged, I kissed her violently, sealing her lips with mine. With eyes widened in horror, Vivian struggled to push me away. "Stop moving and just let me kiss you!" I wrapped one of my arms behind her neck, held her fists with my other hand, and continued kissing her. In such close proximity, I could feel the warmth of her breath on my face. Vivian struggled to break free from my grip, but I refused to let her go. "Move again and I''ll bite you," I warned. But my warning didn''t work. She just kept on trying to escape me. I bit her tongue with minimal strength, but she still groaned in pain. The sound of her voice was so bewitching that I couldn''t stop myself anymore. Lust overcame me as I pushed Vivian to the bed. "Vivian, do you love me?" I asked seriously. "No." She turned her face away from me. "Are you sure?" I asked again, a little disappointed by her answer. "I once loved you, but now that spark is gone." Even until now, she wouldn''t look at me. I felt so jealous that I kissed her again and practically pinned her to the bed. She was unable to stop me and escape, so she just gave up on struggling. However, she turned her head to the side again, unwilling topromise. Displeased, I turned her face to me. I stared into her eyes and said, "Vivian, look at me. I want to be with you." "Will it be a serious rtionship for the purpose of marriage?" she asked back. "It will be," I muttered. Vivian''s eyes lit up with glee. "In that case, let''s try dating for three months first. After that time and you realize that you don''t want to marry me, we can just break up," she suggested. "Sounds like a n," I replied. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Upon hearing my response, Vivian finally rxed. I chuckled at her and bantered, "Why have I not realized that you can be so troublesome?" "Is that so? Then let me go!" "Not a chance," I said. I bent over and continued, "I''m already horny, but you''re asking me to let you go. It seems that you really don''t know men very well." Our anger turned to lust. Soon, our bodies intertwined and we indulged ourselves in pleasure. "Spencer!" she moaned. "I''ming." My breath became heavier. I unzipped her dress and pulled off her coat. I could feel my temperature rising from seeing her exposed body. I was just like any other man; unable to escape a woman''s charm. While we were making out and fondling each other, one of us identally bumped into the light switch, causing the room to turn dark. At the same time, Vivian let out a pleasured moan. The sound of her moan made me wild. There was no doubt about it; Vivian and I werepatible when it came to sex. It was another crazy night. Chapter 296 Good News Chapter 296 Good News Charles''s POV: In the private room, I picked up my ss and smiled at William sardonically. "Just say it." "Rx. Why are you in such a hurry? Anyway, I have something to show you." William unhurriedly fished out his phone from his pocket with his slender fingers and added, "It''s time to put an end to your delusion." An end? What did he mean by that? Perplexed, I looked into William''s eyes for a moment and then grabbed his phone. A photo of two newborn babies was disyed on the screen. They were sleeping peacefully, and their tiny bodies were snuggling up to each other. Because of the camera angle, their red lips and rosy cheeks looked a hundred times more charming. "These twins are my children with Scarlett. They''re adorable, aren''t they?" William''s words struck me like thunder. "What did you say?" I asked, bbergasted. "Scarlett lost her memory and is regarding me as her husband. And as you can see, we have children now, so..." William looked straight into my eyes and continued, "Divorce her." My mind went nk. When William said thest sentence, I felt as though a thousand arrows pierced through my heart all at once. Truth be told, I had mentally prepared myself when I entered the room and saw the ring on William''s finger. However, I did not expect that the reality was far crueler than I had imagined. "I want to see her," I replied. That was all I wanted right now and the only thought I had in mind. William frowned in disapproval. "Again, Scarlett lost her memory. She can''t even remember her name. What''s the point of seeing her?" "William, do you know the saying ''seeing is believing''?" I asked with a sneer. What a joke! How could I believe this bastard? Scarlett loved me with all her heart. How could she forget about me and have children with another man just like that? "I''m afraid you can''t see her. She has just given birth, so she''s still very weak. I will take her out once she recovers, but I want you out of her sight." William spoke so resolutely as if there was no way his words could be bent. I clenched the ss in my hand in anger and frustration. "The doctor said that Scarlett has selective amnesia because of a traumatic event that happened to her. She didn''t want to remember the past. Needless to say, she doesn''t remember you, the whole Moore family, and even James''s death. Charles, don''t you understand? You will only bring her pain and despair." William''s words brought an excruciating pain all over my body. "Charles, that''s all I want to say. I hope you keep your promise. Don''t disturb her life. Please set her free. That will be a relief for the three of us." William drank up the wine in his ss and then stood up to bid farewell. "I''ve gotta go. Scarlett doesn''t know I''ve gone to meet you. She thinks that it''s just an ordinary dinner party, and she advised me not to drink too much." After saying that, he took out his phone and showed me her message. After William left, a deafening silence fell in the room. The message I had just seen kept shing through my mind. I was heartbroken that I could hardly breathe. Scarlett used to tell me not to drink too much. Sadly, her tenderness and concern now belonged to another man. All of a sudden, I tasted blood in my throat. I clenched my ss tighter and tried hard to suppress the difort in my stomach. I wanted to drown myself in alcohol to ease the pain. But when I raised my ss to my mouth, I suddenly copsed. My stomach churned as guilt and regret swept over me. I put down the ss and ran out of the private room. But just after taking a few steps, my vision began to blur, and I coughed up blood. The next thing I knew, I had fallen to the cold, hard floor. For a moment, I felt as if I had traveled through time. I saw two helpless figures in front of me. One was covered in blood, and I could only watch as the other fell into the sea. They were my wife and son. If only I did not hold back and killed Rita, would things end up differently? Would my Scarlett and James be saved? With that, everything turned ck. ****** I awoke the next day. I looked around to see where I was and realized that I was lying in the hospital. A storm was brewing, and the strong wind was blowing violently outside the window. A few momentster, heavy rain poured down. Seeing that I was finally awake, Spencer leaned against the window and asked, "Charles, why don''t we take Scarlett back by force?" "Take her back? For what? To hurt her more?" I retorted. "But Scarlett doesn''t remember anything, does she? You can just take her back and make it up to her for the rest of your life." I struggled to sit up. Suddenly, the memory of when I held Scarlett in my arms crossed my mind. I could never forget the look of disappointment on her face when she looked me in the eye. I closed my eyes and said with all my might, "I don''t deserve her anymore." Scarlett must have hated me so much to the point that she had chosen to forget all of us. I had lost the right to be with her. Spencer opened his mouth to refute my words, but it seemed that words stuck in his throat. He was silent for a while, before he finally found the words to say. "Charles, Vivian said that William might be lying. Scarlett having amnesia might not be true, and the children you''ve seen might not exist." A sneer tugged at the corners of my mouth, but I said nothing. I could tell that William loved Scarlett. A man would do anything to make his beloved woman his. I knew it very well because I was like that. If Scarlett really lost her memory, William would take advantage of the opportunity to make love with her. Because, if she gave birth to his child, she would belong to William forever. "Charles, think about it. It''s just been a year since... well, William said Scarlett had just given birth. You do the math. She was badly injured at that time. How could William have sex with her? If he did, wouldn''t he be worse than a beast? The way I look at it, William is just deceiving you so that you''d divorce Scarlett." The word "divorce" brought a pang to my heart again. But... Spencer might be right. What if what William had said was only a lie? At this realization, I finally got the courage to fight. "Spencer, I want you to find a person for me." Spencer''s POV: I drove to William''s vi and parked my car in an inconspicuous location. After a long while, a ck SUV drove out. I followed it at once. The SUV arrived at the underground parking lot of the hospital where Charles was. Tracy got out, followed by a thin woman in a beige windbreaker and a beret. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Wait a minute. Was that Scarlett? Didn''t William say that she was very weak? If that was the case, what was she doing here? The woman said something to Tracy, and then the two entered the elevator. After staring at the woman for a moment, I was certain that it was Scarlett. I could not be wrong. The way the woman walked was exactly like hers. With that, I got out of the car and followed the two women. But before I got close, my phone rang. The sound alerted the women. They looked in my direction warily, so I immediately hid behind a pir before they could see me. My heart almost leaped out of my throat. "Fuck! Why did you have to call me right now?!" "What the hell is wrong with you?" Vivian askedzily. "I saw Scarlett just now." "What?!" "Yes. I''m sure it''s her." "Where are you now?" "I''m at the hospital where Charles is admitted." The call ended as soon as I finished speaking, but I remained in a daze. Could it be that Scarlett had found out that Charles was ill, so she came to visit him? Yes. That woman must be Scarlett. She loved Charles so much. It was impossible that she would not care about him. So when she found out that he fainted, she went to the hospital as fast as she could. This just proved that she still loved him. I had to call Charles right now and tell him about the good news. Chapter 297 She Came Here Chapter 297 She Came Here Charles''s POV: "Charles, I just saw Scarlett. She''s in this hospital right now. She took the elevator to the tenth floor." Hearing this, I instantly sprang up from bed. I took a deep breath, willing myself to calm down. Scarlett was here! She came here! But... the tenth floor? That wasn''t where I was. Hadn''t shee to see me? A sense of loss surged up in my heart, but the next moment, I was drowned in worry. Why had shee to the hospital? Was she hurt? Had she not yet recovered from her leg injury? The image of her bloodstained legs shed in my mind. I shook my head, jumped out of bed, and yanked out the infusion needle. I ran to the tenth floor, and by the time I got there, I was out of breath. Spencer rushed over to me. "Where is she?" "I have no idea." We looked around but didn''t find any signs of Scarlett. In the end, Spencer decided to ask the receptionist. "Hello, have you seen two womene up just now?" "No, sir. I''m sorry. Several women had passed by here. Who are you looking for?" the receptionist answered, eyeing the women standing nearby. Spencer followed her gaze. "Not those women. The one we''re looking for is very beautiful," he blurted out with a serious look on his face. The women nearby heard him and shed him a hostile look. I felt so embarrassed for him that I wanted to disappear. But despite our efforts, we weren''t able to find Scarlett. "I''m sorry I lost her, Charles," Spencer apologized. "Are you sure you saw her? Maybe it wasn''t her that you saw." I said that not only tofort my friend but also tofort myself. "No, I''m sure it was her. I really saw her. I followed her all the way from William''s vi. Although she has lost a lot of weight, her behavior is still the same. I''d recognize her anywhere. Also, Tracy was with her. It had to be Scarlett." Hearing Spencer''s words, I felt my heart break into a million pieces. I walked toward the elevator with my head down. "Let''s just go back." Scarlett''s POV: It was pitch ck outside. The rain was pouring violently and apanied by howling winds. A typhoon wasing. I was sitting in a hospital lobby, waiting for my X-ray results toe back. My phone suddenly rang, shattering the deafening silence. William was calling. "Hello, William." "Are you on your way home yet, Scarlett? There''s a typhooning. Pleasee home as soon as you can. The kids are waiting for you." "Okay, I will." After hanging up the phone, I looked at the quiet corridor and felt gloom settle in my heart. Soon, Tracy came over with my report. "I got the results, Scarlett. Let''s go." On our way back to the vi, we happened to pass by the seaside. I saw a group of people anxiously fumbling with all kinds of filming equipment under the torrential rain. They must be reporters or journalists. Only they would be required to work in such bad weather conditions. A strong gust of wind blew, and a nearby billboard snapped out of its bolts, soared into the sky, and then fell on one of the media people. I could only scream. "Stop the car!" Tracy pulled over immediately and turned to look at me in confusion, "What is it, Scarlett? We can''t stay here. It''s dangerous. We have to keep going back to the vi." "Someone''s hurt. I have to go help." Despite Tracy''s dissuasion, I got out of the car and ran toward the reporters. None of them were hurt too badly, but one of them did sustain a wound to the leg that was bleeding profusely. "You''re losing too much blood. We need to get you to a hospital," someone eximed. "But I have to do a live broadcast." "Tell the TV station to send someone else to take your ce." "It''s toote. The live broadcast is about to begin." Chaos ensued all around us. I overheard their discussion and asked tentatively, "What if I do the live broadcast for you?" Charles''s POV: Because of the wind and rain, it was a bit difficult to see the face of the reporter on TV. But even if the picture was distorted, I could still tell that it was Scarlett. Her face was pale, and even though the raincoat she was wearing practically swallowed her, it did very little to protect her from the harsh weather. She was drenched like a wildflower in a storm, but she was still reporting what was happening around her like the excellent reporter that she was. "Is that Scarlett?" Spencer pointed at the TV excitedly. I ignored him and just stared at the screen. I hadn''t seen Scarlett for a year. She seemed to be thinner, and she looked so weak and fragile. Damn! Didn''t William take good care of her? "Look at her, Charles! Do you think Scarlett really has lost her memory? I bet William''s just ying us." Spencer spoke in an exciting voice. But I wasn''t able to process what he just said. I was too busy staring at the brave woman on my TV screen. Something that resembled hope sparked in my heart, and it produced a single ember that started a wildfire inside of me. Scarlett still remembered how much she loved her career. If that was the case, would she remember how much she loved me? I half-smiled at the idea, and the fire inside me just grew and grew. The typhoon came and went quickly. I was worried about Scarlett, so I invited Tracy to Swarms of Stars. "Hey, boss." I looked up at her. She didn''t change much in the past year. She was still so formal and cautious in front of me. "Am I still your boss?" Tracy lowered her head and didn''t answer. "Does Scarlett know that you''re here to see me?" Tracy looked up at me and pressed her lips together in a thin line. She bit her lip and replied, "No, she doesn''t." I stood up and walked to the window. Looking at the scenery outside, I couldn''t help sighing. "Is she all right?" "She has almost recovered. We went to the hospital yesterday for a reexamination. The doctor said that she was on the right track to full recuperation and that she would be fine as long as she followed up every six months." Hearing this, I felt relieved. "Has she mentioned me during the past year?" I looked forward to Tracy''s answer like a child yearning for some sweet treats. "No, she hasn''t," Tracy muttered, keeping her head down. I was stunned for a moment, but I decided that I wasn''t hurt by her reply. I turned around, approached her slowly, and stared at her. "Look at me, Tracy." Hearing this, Tracy raised her head and looked at me timidly. "William said that Scarlett had lost her memory. Is that true?" Tracy took one step back and nodded. "Ye-yes, that''s um... that''s true. Scarlett really has lost her memory."N?velDrama.Org ? content. Then, she lowered her head and nervously continued, "Scarlett and William have been together for a year now, and they''re new parents to the twins. Scarlett seems happy and content." I didn''t say anything. I just looked at Tracy. Her words might say one thing, but the nervous look on her face told an entirely different story. Even though she assured me again and again that Scarlett was with William, my intuition told me that she was lying. Chapter 298 A Familiar Figure Chapter 298 A Familiar Figure Spencer''s POV: I leaned against the wall of the corridor and took a drag on my cigarette. When I was done smoking, I saw Tracy walk out of the room. "Finished?" I asked, straightening up. "Yes," Tracy muttered and went downstairs in a hurry. She seemed a bit flustered. I didn''t stop her. I just took a peek inside and saw Charles standing quietly by the window. He probably didn''t get what he wanted to know from Tracy. I was about to go inside tofort him, but I heard a noise behind me. I turned around and found Vivian staring at me. She was wearing a crop top and a short skirt, which were enough to derail my train of thought. She looked so sexy that I had to shake my head to keep the naughty images away. "I saw Tracy on my way here. She seemed upset and in a rush. What happened?" she asked. I pointed at Charles, hinting at Vivian to keep her voice down. She immediately stopped talking and looked inside. Then, she whispered, "What did Charles find out? Anything game-changing?" "Game-changing? What do you mean?" I asked curiously. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Someone''s lie is about to be ripped apart. Want to bet?" Vivian muttered with a wild glint in her eye. She really knew how to keep me on the edge. "Bet on what? I need more context. Stop teasing," I backfired. She said firmly, "I bet Scarlett didn''t lose her memory at all." "Then you already lost the bet before it even started. She''d already given birth to the twins, remember?" I countered and folded my arms over my chest. "Then let''s bet who the father of the babies is," Vivian insisted. "Do you even understand how a bet works, Vivian? We already know that William is the father," I scoffed, getting a little tired of the pointless charade. Though I didn''t want to believe it either, I just couldn''t prove that William was lying about it. "Spencer, you''ve known me for a long time. How can you still think I''m being silly about something serious?" Vivian groaned and hit me hard on the head. I winced in pain and then rolled my eyes at her. "Fine. Context, please." "Like I said, Scarlett didn''t really lose her memory, and if she still remembers everything from her past life, then there''s no way she''d have slept with William. We both know she''s only in love with one man. Therefore, the twins are really Charles''s." As Vivian spoke, her eyes shone with the kind of passion and excitement that drew me to her. She looked even more attractive when she was pumped up, and I was obsessed. "You''re right. That''s entirely possible. She must''ve been pregnant already when they split up," I conceded. All of a sudden, I was filled with joy and hope. If Vivian was right about Scarlett not losing her memories to begin with, then Charles could get back together with her and be happy again. That was great. I was prepared to give anything to chase away that cloud of depression that had been following Charles around since Scarlett left. "But even if the twins are Charles''s, it''s still going to be hard for them to get back together," Vivian sighed heavily and added, "Scarlett may still be grieving James''s loss. Even if she makes up with Charles, it''ll still take a lot of time and work to get over the untimely demise of their firstborn. We better not celebrate too early. We have a long way to go." Vivian''s words sobered me up. The spirit of joy and hope that had just engulfed me vanished into thin air, leaving me with a feeling of dread and exhaustion. Vivian gently patted me on the shoulder and said, "Life is full of surprises. Maybe we just need to let fate run its course for now and hope for the best. Maybe the tides will turn in our favor." "You''re right. Life is indeed full of surprises. With that being said, do you think we should seize the day today?" I thought out loud. I looked at Vivian affectionately and waited for her response. "Is that a weird sort of proposal, Spencer?" Vivian chuckled, but her littleugh wasn''t able to conceal the nervousness in her voice. I walked over to her and whispered in her ear, "Let''s get married. How about that?" "Are you serious?" Vivian beamed, stood on tiptoe, and wrapped her arms around my neck. "I have never been more serious about anything in my entire life," I replied, wrapped my arms around her waist, and pulled her close. "Okay. I''m in. Let''s get hitched," she said with an excited and determined look in her eyes. "About time," someone interjected. I turned and saw Charles behind us. "How long have you been standing there?" I asked, a bit embarrassed. I let go of Vivian and lowered my head, refusing to meet Charles''s gaze. "A while. You two should really learn to keep your voices down," Charles replied and then went downstairs. I felt my face turn red hot as he left. William''s POV: I was reading the paper in the living room. Tracy returned alone, her eyes darting everywhere and her face white as bone. Did she have something to hide from me? I waved at her and asked her to go upstairs with me. In my study, I eyed her carefully and asked, "Are you justing home from somewhere?" "Yes." "Did you meet with Charles?" "Yes, sir, I did," Tracy said directly, which told me that she was being honest. "What did he want?" I asked. I wanted to understand Charles''s motivations. "He... He wanted to know something about Scarlett," Tracy answered, nced at me, and then lowered her head immediately afterward. "What did he want to know?" I pressed. "He asked about Scarlett''s memory loss and her new babies. I told him everything you taught me to say," Tracy exined with a hint of impatience in her tone. As usual, although it was obvious that she didn''t like me, she wasn''t hostile toward me. "If you told him what I told you to tell him, then why are you acting all guilty?" "I... I''m not acting all guilty," she began to stammer. "You must have revealed something else to Charles." "No, I didn''t," Tracy said defensively and took two steps back. She shook her head and stubbornly stood her ground. "Go downstairs and practice the story I told you to tell in front of the mirror. I want you to be careful not to let out the truth in front of anyone." "Yes, sir." With that, Tracy turned around and left the study. I came to the nursery to see the twins. I found them awake in their cribs and quietly sucking on their thumbs. It had been two months since they were born. Their little faces were soft, pink, and dimpled. Sometimes, I couldn''t believe how cute they were. I walked to their cribs, looked at them dotingly, and said, "Hello, Jerry and Jason. That man has come to Kitsap. Do you think I should tell your mother?" The twins looked at me, put their thumbs out of their mouths, and cooed. I returned their adorable smiles. "It seems that it''s unnecessary to tell Scarlett about Charles''s arrival," I mused. The babies didn''t seem to disagree. Later, I took Scarlett shopping. After hopping from store to store for a while, we entered a shoe shop. Scarlett picked up a pair of pink baby shoes and beamed, "Look at these, William. Don''t you think they''re so cute?" "Yes, they''re cute, but you have two sons," I reminded her. "But I really like this pair of shoes. Can I buy it?" Scarlett insisted, staring dotingly at the baby shoes. She obviously liked them very much. "All right. Go ahead," I folded. I found it extremely difficult to say no to her. I looked at her affectionately, but she turned her head and avoided my gaze. I supposed she still couldn''t ept me. I sighed and looked away, only to see a familiar figure. "Take your time. Buy whatever you want, okay? I''ll just step outside for a minute," I told Scarlett. "Okay." I walked out of the store quickly and looked around, but I didn''t see the familiar figure again. Did I make a mistake? "Honey!" I suddenly heard Scarlett''s voice from behind. She sounded affectionate, which was unusual for me, but it still stirred up ripples in my heart. Was she calling me? Chapter 299 Seeing Her Again After A Long... Chapter 299 Seeing Her Again After A Long... Charles''s POV: I could see Scarlett from where I was standing. "Honey!" she called. I knew that tone so well that I almost blurted my usual response out loud. But the call wasn''t for me anymore. It was now for the man whose arm she grabbed with one hand while holding a beautiful gift box in the other. She was not calling me. She was calling William. In the blink of an eye, I felt empty inside. For a moment, I considered rushing up to Scarlett and asking her if she had really forgotten me. I hadn''t seen her in a long time. She had lost a lot of weight. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail with a white silk ribbon. The ribbon was intertwined with her dark hair in a loose braid that sat atop her shoulders. Under her curly eyshes, her beautiful eyes shone as brightly as stars against a midnight sky. My heart skipped a beat. "What are you going to buy? Let mee with you," Scarlett said. She seemed to be very happy as shown by the tender smile on her face and the sweet timbre of her voice. William took her hand, returned her smile, and said, "I''m going to buy some essentials for couples if you know what I mean." The intimacy between them was like vinegar to my tongue. Scarlett burst intoughter, suddenly realizing what William meant. She yfully smacked him in the chest and muttered, "You are so naughty." If she hadn''t said that, I would''ve forgotten one thing. A long time ago, I hugged her and said something simr, and she said the same words in the same flirtatious tone. Hearing her speak that way to another man, I felt like a huge invisible hand just mped around my throat. William giggled with her and then towed her to the store he wanted to visit. Scarlett was still limping a little. It was obvious that she hadn''t fully recovered from her injury. Their bodies were so close that it made me ball my hands into fists and look away. I couldn''t watch another second of their romantic bliss. I didn''t expect that a myriad of feelings would attack me this way upon seeing Scarlett again a year after our separation. I couldn''t decide how I truly feel at the moment. Everything was just welling up inside me all at once. It took all my physical strength to fight my urge to grab her and take her home. I knew I didn''t deserve her. Her gentle smile and kind heart no longer belonged to me. Did she really lose her memory? I thought it was possible. Otherwise, how could she take William as her husband? But when I saw her in that news segment, she behaved normally. Also, when I talked to Tracy the other day, I could tell that she was hiding something from me. I allowed myself to get lost in my reverie. "Hi, sir. How may I help you today?" a sales clerk approached me and asked. "No, thanks. I''m fine," I said quickly and took another look in Scarlett and William''s direction. I took a deep breath and decided to follow them. Scarlett''s POV: William took me to a lingerie store that had an ambiance that resembled a cozy coffee shop. Pretty mini crystal chandeliers lined the ceiling and scattered warm yellow light all over the ce, making the products look enticing. I looked around and saw all kinds of beautiful, sexy, and daring underwear. "Pick the ones you like, honey. I''ll buy them, and then you can show them to me at home," William whispered in my ear. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "What?" "You heard me. Go shop." I grabbed a shopping trolley from nearby and started checking out the store''s stuff. For some certain reason, I couldn''t help looking outside. "Are you ready?" William asked, walking up to me. "I think so," I answered, whipping my head back to him. He was smiling mischievously at me. "What''s wrong?" "Are you sure you want to show me these?" I quickly looked down and found that the items in my trolley were several extremely sexy bras and nightgowns. I swallowed, and my face instantly flushed like a cooked shrimp. I felt like my parents just caught me watching porn in my room. I was so embarrassed that I prayed for the floor to split and swallow me. Looking at the sales clerk who was watching me with an ambiguous grin, I said in a trembling voice, "I''ll take these, please." "You have excellent taste, miss. These are our best-selling lingerie," the sales clerk beamed, took over the shopping trolley, and led me to the checkout counter. After paying the bill, I felt someone hold me from behind. I turned my head and caught a glimpse of William''s smiling face. We were so close together, and it made me feel a lot of confusing emotions. "Are your new lingerie paid for?" "Yes," I nodded. "Good. Then let''s go home. I want to see you in them," William whispered. "Stop it. We''re in a public ce," I murmured, ncing at the sales clerk who was watching us but pretending she wasn''t. "So what? Am I not allowed to be sweet to my wife in a public ce?" William challenged and didn''t let go of me. I could feel his hot breath on my neck, but my heartbeat kept its steady pace. "Okay. I hope you''re ready to perform when we get home," I said, turned around, and shed William a crooked smile. "Ready to perform?" William backfired, paused for a moment, and added, "You know damn well that I''m always ready." All of a sudden, scenes that should''ve been blurry images in my brain shed through my mind in high definition. I shook my head, and they disappeared in an instant. The next moment, I wasn''t in the mood anymore to act all lovey-dovey with William. "I just gave birth to twins. You''re going to have to hold your horses, Mr. Always Ready." "But I''ve already held my horses for months," William whined, still enjoying the acting. The sales clerk packed my purchases in a glossy paper bag, handed it to me, andmented with admiration, "You two are so sweet. Actually, you only need to wait forty days after delivery to resume your sex life." "But I had a Cesarean section." "Oh? Well, in that case, you should take at least three months to fully recover." Looking at the concerned and gossipy expression on the sales clerk''s face, I could only think about leaving the store as soon as I could. Unfortunately, that wasn''t the end of the conversation. William whipped his head at me and comined, "Three months? I still have a month left to suffer?" "Don''t talk nonsense. We''re done here. Let''s go," I snapped and nudged William to leave. "My wife is a shy person," William smiled at the sales clerk, put his hand on the small of my back, and walked me out of the lingerie shop. "What are we having for dinner tonight?" I changed the subject on purpose. "Do I have the final say?" William looked down at me with a smile on his face. "Fine. I''ll allow it." "Really? I can decide?" "Sure." "Will you be my woman?" "Okay." As soon as I finished speaking, I suddenly realized what just happened. "William!" He tricked me! I tried to break away from his arms, but he just held on more tightly. Williamughed. "You already said yes. No backing out now. You have to keep your word." I snapped at him, "Stop messing around!" "I''m not messing around. Why? Don''t you want to be my woman?" As he spoke, he lowered his head and attempted to kiss me. I suppressed the impulse to push him away. Instead, I just turned away. "I already told you. This is a public ce. Let''s just go home first." William''s face turned a little gloomy, but he quickly pulled himself together. "Very well. I''m really looking forward to tonight." Not long after we walked out of the shop, William suddenly swept me off my feet and carried me in his arms. I was so startled that I almost full-on screamed. Good thing I was able to cover my mouth. "What are you doing? Put me down." "You''re not yet fully healed. You can''t be on your feet for too long," William said, refusing to set me down. Feeling helpless, I wrapped my arms around his neck and whispered, "That''s enough. You can stop acting now." William didn''t say a word. He just smiled and continued to walk out of the mall with me in his arms. Chapter 300 A Special Guest Chapter 300 A Special Guest Charles'' POV: As I watched Scarlett and William be intimate, I realized that it was more difficult to ept than I had ever imagined. The following day, I went back to Los Angeles, frustrated and defeated. "Charles, have you seen Scarlett?" my mother asked while we were having dinner. I paused and acted as though nothing had happened. "No." "No? Then why did you go to Kitsap?" "I attended a summit there, and I also went to Spencer''s new bar, Swarm of Stars, for its opening ceremony." While I was speaking, I cut my steak into bite-sized pieces, slowly putting them into my mouth one after the other. But for some reason, I could barely taste them. My mother frowned at me. Obviously, she wasn''t pleased to hear my answer. She took away my te and asked, "Your father said that he saw a female reporter who was reporting a typhoon on live TV. She looked exactly like Scarlett, and she''s in Kitsap. Didn''t you even think of seeing her?" After a moment of silence, I put down my cutleries and stared back at her. "Mon, Scarlett is suffering from amnesia. She''s forgotten about all of us." "What? Amnesia?" My mother''s eyes widened in horror. The te in her hand fell to the ground, shattering into pieces, and the pieces of steak were scattered all over the floor. Some of the sauce sshed onto my white shirt, leaving a tough stain. Hurriedly, she pulled out the chair beside me, and sat down. "Charles, what happened to Scarlett? How and why did she lose her memory?" "Well, ording to the doctor, the experience was so traumatizing for her that she chose to forget the painful experience subconsciously," I replied. "How... how could it be?" My mother stared at me in disbelief. "Mom, never mention her again. And don''t disturb her life anymore. She''s fine now and she doesn''t need us to ruin her peaceful life." Having said that, I stood up and went to the kitchen to grab myself another piece of steak. Then, I went back to my seat, picked up my knife and fork, and continued eating. The steak had grown cold. When I cut it, I could see some blood along with the meat''s juices. I tried my hardest to suppress my disgust, and chewed the piece of steak in my mouth. Consequently, my stomach churned seconds after I swallowed it. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Charles, are you okay?" My mother grabbed my hand, visibly concerned. It was then that she noticed something on the back of my hand. "Charles, why is there a pinhole on the back of your hand? Did you get an infusion? Are you sick?" "It''s nothing serious. I''m just having some minor stomachaches." I withdrew my hand, looking at her leisurely. "There''s nothing to worry about, mom. I just want to eat in peace, okay?" She wanted to say something, but bit back her words. In the end, she just let out a sigh. "Okay. I won''t bother you anymore." Spencer''s POV: During the evening, I had a special guest, whom I invited to one of the bar''s private rooms. "Mrs. Moore, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Beads of sweat formed on my temple as I looked at Alice. She patted the spot on the sofa beside her. "Spencer,e and have a seat next to me. I have something to ask of you." I obliged to her request and sat down beside her, putting my hands on my knees. For some reason, I was feeling flustered by her presence here. ''What is she going to ask me? Oh, my God! Is it going to about Charles and Scarlett?'' "There''s no need to be so nervous, Spencer. This isn''t that big of a deal. I just want to ask you if Scarlett attended the opening ceremony of your new bar in Kitsap the other day." "Scarlett? I heard she''s sick. Perhaps that''s why she didn''t show up." Alice sat upright and asked, "What happened to her?" After a moment of hesitation, I answered, "She has amnesia." I was trying to avoid eye contact with Alice. "Well, if you didn''t see her, who told you that Scarlett had lost her memory?" "William did," I replied. Upon hearing William''s name, Alice sprang to her feet. "How could you believe that knave''s words? He just wants to have Scarlett for himself!" "Whoa! Mrs. Moore, calm down. We don''t fully believe his words, either," I responded, trying to appease her. Alice was breathing heavily. Clearly, she was infuriated. "Spencer, give me William''s phone number. I shall speak to him myself!" "Huh?" "Since he doesn''t want us to see Scarlett, I''ll pay him a visit," she replied. I couldn''te up with an excuse, so I had to give William''s phone number to Alice. Fearing that I had caused trouble, I called Charles immediately after. Unfortunately, he wasn''t answering my calls. Once Alice had left, Iy down on the sofa, staring nkly at the ceiling. "Spencer? Are you okay? Why do you look so terrible?" Vivian asked as she entered the room. She sat on myp, wrapping her arms around my neck. "Ever since I was a child, I''ve been afraid of Alice. She''s even sterner than my own mother!" Iined to Vivian as I held her tight within my embrace. "Is that so? Looks like I''ll have to ask Alice to teach me how to manipte you." Vivian drew circles on my chest with her fingertips. "You''re more than capable of doing that already! You''ve tamed me, haven''t you? Aren''t you satisfied with that yet?" I pressed her onto the sofa and started tickling her. Vivian wriggled back and forth on the sofa, disheveling her clothes and revealing her fair skin. She smiled at me and said, "Of course, not!" "It''s not enough, huh? What else do you want me to do?" Unable to resist, I nibbled on her cheek, leaving a faint bite mark on it. "Spencer, don''t forget that Gemma doesn''t know that we''ve decided to get married," she said. "You''re the one who''s stopping me from telling her!" I retorted. All of a sudden, Vivian put her arms around my neck and whispered something in my ear. The moment I heard it, my heart began to beat like a snare drum. "Are you serious?" "Of course. Gemma has always wanted to be a grandmother, hasn''t she?" Vivian blew on my ear as if to seduce me. "Let''s not waste any time and just have sex already!" As if a switch turned on in my body, I got on top of Vivian on the sofa, taking all of her clothes off immediately. All of a sudden, my phone rang. To be honest, I didn''t want to get off Vivian. However, she kicked my lightly, implying that I should answer the phone. Thus, I grabbed her phone and picked up the call. It was from Charles. "Charles, your mom came to me earlier. She asked me about Scarlett''s amnesia, and she asked for William''s phone number from me. You''d better be careful, bud!" "I see. Thanks for the heads up," he replied. Chapter 301 Like A Walking Dead Chapter 301 Like A Walking Dead Charles'' POV: After hanging up the phone, I threw it on the bed. The moonlight peered through the window, slightly illuminating the dark, quiet room. Right now, my room was like a cold cage. I turned around, staring out the window. There were many lights surrounding me, and yet I felt so lonely. On the ss window pane, a blurry figure was reflected. To me, my very image had be pitiful and deste. I couldn''t bear to stare at my reflection anymore, so I stood up and closed the curtains. Now, the moonlight was gone and so was my reflection. Iy back on the cold bed with a bitter smile on my lips. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "I am like a soulless walking dead," I murmured to myself. Like reflex, I reached for the other half of the bed and soon found that it was empty. My beloved wife used to sleep right here, but now she had begun a new life with another man. Once again, my heart ached. Only in this endless darkness could I tear off my disguise, and let myself feel the painful wound in my heart. I curled up in bed, holding Scarlett''s pillow as tightly as I could, sniffing thest bits of her scent left on it. Then, I buried my face on the pillow. The sense of suffocation slowly made me feel dizzy and a little drowsy. During the second half of the night, I began to dream. I dreamed of the woman whom I had longed for day and night. She was lying in another man''s arms, speaking to him with a bright smile on her face. "Honey, hug me." The man lowered his head and I saw that it was William. He was sleeping in the spot where I once slept in, holding the woman I loved, and kissing her in my stead. "Sure, honey!" ****** The following day, I woke up with a splitting headache. The dream I hadst night tortured me. Even now that I was awake, it still tore my heart apart. Listlessly, I went downstairs and saw J in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. "Good morning, Mr. Moore. Oh, my... what''s wrong, sir? You look troubled." J came over, intending to touch my forehead. However, I avoided her hand and responded, "I''m fine. You may go now." "But you look really terrible. You''d better take your temperature just to make sure." Not long after, I went to the sofa and sat down, feeling light-headed. I touched my forehead and it indeed felt hot. I did have a fever. J fetched the thermometer and took my temperature for me, anxiously waiting for the results to show up. "102 degrees?! You''re burning up! Mr. Moore, we need to get you to a hospital right this instant!" J was panicking as she held the thermometer in her hand. Truthfully, aside from feeling a little dizzy, I didn''t feel anything that bad. "Take it easy. Just get me a ss of water, please," I said. "Right away, sir!" she replied. After taking the ss of water from J, I took a sip. She was standing next to me, visibly worried. "Mr. Moore, I really think you need to go to a hospital," she remarked. "It''s not that serious," I answered. "But..." "Do not make me repeat myself," I said sternly. J didn''t dare to say another word after that. At longst, the room quieted down. I put down the ss of water, closing my eyes to rest. But the second I closed my eyes, Scarlett''s and James'' faces appeared in my mind again. A bitter smile appeared on my lips. ''I really don''t deserve a moment of peace.1 J''s POV: Mr. Moore was having a fever, but he wouldn''t take it seriously. He just sat on the sofa with no intention of having himself checked up at the hospital. With no other choice, I decided to call Alice for help while looking for some medicine for the boss. "Madame, Mr. Moore is burning up. I need your help," I said over the phone. "What? Charles has a fever?" Alice sounded really worried. "Take him to the hospital the soonest that you can!" "I''ve been telling him to go to the hospital, but he insists that he doesn''t need treatment. That''s why I called you, ma''am; to see if you can persuade him." A long silence ensued on the other end of the line. All of a sudden, I heard a deep sigh, riddled with pity. "His illness is caused by stress. There is only one way we can fix things. It seems that it''s time for me to pay Scarlett a visit," said Alice. "Madame, have you decided on what to say once you meet her?" I asked. "I can only act ording to the circumstances. If I don''t do anything now, I''m afraid Charles might be terminally ill. I''ve already lost a grandson. I can''t lose my only son as well!" ''I pity her...'' I remarked inwardly. When I heard Alice''s hoarse voice, tears welled up in my eyes. "I understand, ma''am. Is there anything else I can do to help?" "You''re a good girl, J. I know you''re really good friends with Tracy. Can you get in touch with her and find out what she thinks about this whole situation?" "Understood, ma''am!" I agreed to Alice''s request without hesitation. After hanging up the phone, I asked Spencer for the address of William''s vi in Kitsap and drove all the way there. Once I was there, I waited outside the vi for a while. After William''s car had left, I rang the doorbell. "Who is it?" Tracy''s voice resonated from the monitor. My eyes turned red and I almost burst into tears. "It''s me, J," I cried. A brief silence ensued. Soon, the door opened and I saw Tracy''s face appear before me. Her eyes were widened in surprise and she was covering her mouth with her hands. I took the initiative to give her a big hug. "Long time no see, Tracy!" "Long time no see, J," Tracy said as she sobbed. Both of our faces were covered in tears. "Gosh, I missed you so much!" "Yeah, me too," she replied. ****** Tracy and I went to a cafe nearby. Even after we had sat at a table, she was still weeping. I handed her a tissue while chuckling. "Hey, hey, it''s okay. There''s no need to cry anymore. We met again, didn''t we?" "It''s been far too long!" Tracy cried even louder. ''Yeah... it''s been a year since west saw each other,'' I replied in my heart. "Where is Scarlett? How is she doing?" I asked. "Scarlett is doing much better, and she has babies now!" "Babies?" "Yes, she... urn..." Tracy was about to say something, but she stopped midsentence. "What happened to her?" "Scarlett... she''s with William now," said Tracy. "How is that possible?" I looked at Tracy, visibly shocked. "Scarlett has lost her memory. All she remembers is that she was once married and there was only one man in front of her during that time, and it was William. So, she mistook William as her husband." Tracy was saying the same things William said before. But for some reason, something about this whole thing sounded fishy. "Tracy, look at me." "Huh?" Tracy panicked and averted her gaze from me. "Tracy, if what you''ve said is true, then Mr. Moore and Scarlett can never be together again. Do you understand that?" I gazed into her eyes and asked, "So, are you telling the truth?" "Why would you think that I''m lying?" Tracy red up with anger. "J, do you honestly believe that they can still go back to how they used to be?" Like a deted balloon, I lost all my will in an instant. ''Tracy is right. The truth doesn''t even matter anymore. They can''t go back to the past,'' I remarked inwardly. "This is all our fault. We failed to protect James. If he were still alive, Mr. Moore and Scarlett wouldn''t have ended up like this." As I thought of the past again, tears streamed down my cheeks, and my heart was drowned by regret. Tracy mmed her fist on the table. "No! It''s all that bitch, Rita''s fault! She''s the one who killed James!" "You''re right... that woman deserves to die!" It suddenly urred to me that William was the one who took Rita away. "Tracy, did William really kill that lunatic bitch?" "He did. I followed William in secret that day, and I personally saw him order the doctor to dig out Rita''s heart. How could a person survive without a heart?" I breathed a sigh of relief. "It''s better for her to die. That way, she won''t be able to harm anyone ever again." I talked to Tracy for over two hours before I went back to report my findings to Alice. Chapter 302 The Moon Was So Beautiful Tonight Chapter 302 The Moon Was So Beautiful Tonight Scarlett''s POV: At night, in my room, I soaked my feet in warm water, which helped ease the difort. I groaned as relief washed over me. During the past year, the injury on my ankle seemed to have gotten much better, but it still had a way to go to full recovery. The pain still tortured me from time to time. After a few moments, Tracy walked into the room. "I''ve done what you said, Scarlett." I looked up at her. Her eyes seemed to be swollen, and her face was full of grievance. Had she been crying? I smiled and said, "Thank you, Tracy." "Scarlett, is it really impossible for you and Mr. Moore to get back together?" I whipped my head toward her after hearing the question. After a long silence, I said with a bitter smile, "I''m with William now, and I''d never see two men at the same time." "But..." "No buts. Look, Tracy. If you''re not happy here, you can go back and stay with J." I meant to set Tracy free, but hearing my words, she started crying. "Are you driving me away?" "No, Tracy. Not at all. That''s not what I meant." I looked her in the eye and added, "You separated from J because of me, and I don''t want you to be miserable because of me. I''m offering you your freedom." "I don''t want my freedom. I want to stay by your side." Tracy wiped her tears away and shook her head hard. She and I had been keeping each otherpany for the past year. She was there when I lost James and had been patient with me in my bad days when grief took over. If it weren''t for her, I wouldn''t have been able to survive the worst ordeal of my life. I was about to say something when my phone rang. It was William. "Hello, William." "Hi, Scarlett. I have an appointment tonight, and I may have to stay outte. Don''t wait up for me, okay?" "All right then. Take care. I''ll see you when you get home." William''s POV: After hanging up with Scarlett, I came to Paradise Hotel. I headed to the private room to meet someone, and when I got there, Alice was already sitting there, looking like she had been waiting for a long time. We hadn''t even spoken, and I already knew our meeting wasn''t going to end well. "Hello, Mrs. Moore. I''m sorry I''mte." "Please have a seat, William." I pulled out a chair and sat down leisurely. I knew Alice was up to no good, so I decided to strike first. "As I suppose you already know, Scarlett and I are living together now and recently became parents to twins. I hope you can persuade your son to divorce Scarlett as soon as possible. It''ll be good for everyone." Alice jumped up from her seat and pounded a fist on the table. "No way! Scarlett will never have a baby with you! You must be lying!" "That may be true in the past, Mrs. Moore, but she has lost her memory," I reminded her with a smile. Alice sneered. "What? Do you think I''m a fool? Am I so gullible in your eyes?" Alice''s anger was within my expectation, and I had prepared for it. I slowly picked up the ss of water in front of me and took a sip. "Have you ever thought about it from another perspective? Regardless of Scarlett''s capacity to remember, the death of her firstborn child will still hang over her and Charles like a looming storm. They can try to get back together, but it will never be the same. James''s loss has broken them both." "My son''s and Scarlett''s fate after my grandson''s demise isn''t yours to decide. I suspect that you''re so desperate to hold on to Scarlett that you''re limiting her personal freedom. Hand her over, or I will involve the police and destroy you." I shrugged. I could tell that she was just bluffing. "Involve the police? That would be a mistake, Mrs. Moore. You see, it was Scarlett who asked me to take her away, and at that time, your son Charles acquiesced in it. If you don''t believe me, you can ask Charles for confirmation." I looked seriously at Alice''s furious face and continued, "You know what kind of person Scarlett is. No one can force her to do what she doesn''t want to do. Believe it or not, she did lose her memory. And we are indeed together and have two children." "I won''t believe you until I talk to Scarlett myself." Alice calmed down and sat back in her seat. She picked up her ss of water and drank. She tried hard to hide it, but she was shaking. I just wasn''t sure if it was due to fear or anger. I scoffed, "What will talking to Scarlett do for you? If you do see her, you will only remind her that James died because of Charles." "What nonsense are you talking about?" Alice hissed. "If it weren''t for Charles''s carelessness in handling his rtionship with Rita, Rita wouldn''t have vented her anger on James." Alice stared at me with wide eyes, and then her shoulders slowly drooped. She looked like a deting balloon. I reached for my ss again and downed its contents. Then, I uttered my parting words. "That''s all I have to say to you, Mrs. Moore. Scarlett and the kids are waiting for me at home. I hope you can consider my suggestion and persuade Charles to divorce her at the soonest possible time. I should get going. Goodbye for now." Then, I rose from my seat and left. In this battle between me and Alice, I knew I had won. On my way out of the hotel, I saw J standing at the door, waiting anxiously. When she saw me come out, disappointment twisted her face. I frowned and blurted out the first thing that crossed my mind. "Did youe to my house today, J?" J''s expression went from disappointment to sheer panic. I found the sudden change a bit amusing. It seemed that the answer to my question was yes. I smiled knowingly. But in the end, I decided not to make things difficult for her, so I just nodded at her and strode away. I didn''t look back at J, but I could tell that she watched me until I disappeared from her sight. At ten o''clock in the evening, I arrived home. My gleaming vi stood in the midst of the dark night, like a beacon to guide the lost back home. I loved how its lights banished some of the ckness that surrounded it, and the thought of finding Scarlett and the twins inside warmed my heart. The moment I got out of the car, I rushed to the front door. Then, I went straight to the study. As soon as I opened the door, I saw Scarlett sitting at my desk. She was wearing a beige nightgown and a matching satin robe. She had on a pair of reading sses. She was going over some documents under the light of the deskmp. The warm yellow light cast a shadow on Scarlett''s beautiful face. Looking at her, I thought she was like an angel that fell into the mortal world, so pure and beautiful. My heart broke into a sprint. "Scarlett," I called to her gently. "Oh. You''re back. Wee home. I''ve asked the cook to prepare some hot soup for you. It''s in the kitchen." "I''m not in the mood for soup right now." Scarlett looked up at me. I smiled at her and walked slowly to her. "It''s sote. Why aren''t you in bed?" "I haven''t finished reading these documents." I stood behind Scarlett, put my hands on her shoulder, and gently massaged her. "You should go to bed early. Didn''t you say before that you should take care of yourself for the sake of the children?" I bent down and tried to get closer to her, but Scarlett suddenly stood up. She avoided my touch. "Okay, I''ll go back to my room now. You should also go to bed and get some rest." I rested my hands on the back of the chair Scarlett just vacated and smiled bitterly. "Good night, Scarlett." "Good night." Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Scarlett quickly tidied up the papers she was reading and turned off theputer. Then, she left without looking back. Watching Scarlett''s receding figure, I clenched my hands. Manyplex feelings surged into my heart and then forced a sigh out of my throat. I turned around and looked out the window. The moon was high in the night sky and looking exceptionally bright. The moon was so beautiful tonight. Why couldn''t Scarlett stay with me even just for a moment? Chapter 303 He Deserves It Chapter 303 He Deserves It Scarlett''s POV: Every time I was alone with William, I felt ufortable. I knew that he loved me, but I just couldn''t love him back. And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn''t force myself to ept his love. When I went back to my room, my two babies were sleeping in their crib. Every night, before going to bed, I would check their condition several times. Looking at their pure, innocent faces reminded me of James. The three of them looked exactly like each other. Each time looked at the twins, I felt as though I was looking at James'' face as an infant, and it broke my heart. And this awful pain reminded me that James '' death was an unforgivable sin that Charles and I committed together. "Mom! Mom, I''m scared! Help! Help me, please!" ''It''s James! That''s his voice!'' I remarked inwardly. I fell into an unprecedented panic. "James? Is that you?" I cried. "Don''t be afraid, my love! Where are you? Mommy''sing! I''ll be right there!" Desperately, I ran into the depths of the fog. But for some reason, my little angel''s voice was drifting further and further away. I looked around, anxious to find him. But sadly, he was nowhere to be found. All of a sudden, I felt a scathing pain in my ankle, and then I fell into a vast sea. The turbulent tides drowned me and I kept struggling underwater. Gradually, the water filled my lungs, and theck of oxygen began to blur my vision. In a trance, I hallucinated about James. His little body was motionless, drifting into the cold tides. And slowly, he sank to the boundless sea before me. With every ounce of strength I had in my body, I desperately reached for my baby boy and shouted in my heart. ''Somebody save him! God! Please... save my boy!'' "No!" I couldn''t remember just how many times I had woken up from a nightmare simr to this one. As I gasped for air, tears and sweat rolled down my face at the same time. With trembling hands, I fumbled to turn on the bedsidemp, looking around in a fit of panic. It wasn''t until I saw my twins sleeping soundly in their crib that my overwhelmed heart gradually calmed down. Now, I was wide awake, so I opened the drawer of the bedside table and took out myptop to begin working. At present, I was working for a magazine. I didn''t make much money, but it was enough to keep myself busy. When I turned on theputer, the icon for Facebook began to sh. Upon clicking it, I found a message from Nina. "Scarlett, why are you still up? Were you having a nightmare again?" "It''s because you''ve assigned so much work to me. I barely have the time to sleep," I bantered. Previously, Nina found me through the periodical office I worked for. She said that she had opened a smallpany of her own, and was doing some legal aid work. She hoped that I could help her out. I began writing some articles for her. And through this, we maintained contact with each other again. "Well, you''re a mother of two now. Just consider it as saving for their college fees." After chatting with me briefly, Nina went offline. She now had a family, so it was understandable that she had to focus on them. If we were to continue talking, it would only impose on the time she should be spending with Abner. The next morning, while I was ying with the twins in the dining room and feeding them, William went downstairs. He approached me, bent down, and gently picked up one of the twins. "You''re so cute!" Due to being picked up so suddenly, the boy thought it was a game and he giggled happily. "Goo, goo, gaa, gaa." "Is he trying to speak?" William looked at me and chuckled. "Maybe he''s just trying to say that he''s hungry." I chuckled as well and took the child from him. As I held the baby in my arms, I couldn''t help but reminisce the past. Charles would also do the same thing back then. Whenever James made babbling noises, Charles would insist that James was trying to speak. When that thought crossed my mind, my heart ached because of the familiar pain. I took a deep breath, barely suppressing it. After eating breakfast, I saw Tracy standing at the door in a daze. I approached her, smiled at her and asked, "Tracy, what''s up?" Tracy looked back at me, and for some reason she looked hesitant. "Scarlett, Alice said she wanted to see you." The smile on my face disappeared at once. "Tracy, I don''t remember Alice anymore, and I don''t want to see her. I''ve lost my memory. Is that clear?" Having said that, I turned around and walked away. In the afternoon, I was writing in the study on the second floor when I suddenly heard a knock on the window. Vigntly, I walked over to the window and saw J the moment I opened it. She was clinging to the windowsill, staring at me with tears in her eyes. "Scarlett, I''m here to see you!" "Oh, my God!" How did you get there, J? It''s too dangerous!" I was so scared for her safety that I grabbed J''s hand and pulled her into the study. "Scarlett, don''t be afraid. I just really wanted to see you. How are your injuries? How have you been doing this past year?" J eyed me up and down, especially focusing on my feet. It had been over a year since Ist saw her. She had grown more mature. And as I looked at her tearful eyes, my heart was filled with joy. I walked up to her, embraced her, and wiped away her tears. "You''re still as reckless as ever. I''m doing fine, J. How about you?" "I''m fine, too; for the most part, at least." J nodded happily, but then she was saddened by something again. "Scarlett, this is all my fault! I failed to protect James!" Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. I stopped caressing her back and sighed. "It''s all in the past now. It''s alright, J." J wiped her eyes carelessly. "Scarlett, I''m here to deliver a message from Mrs. Moore. She said that she wishes to apologize to you on behalf of the entire Moore family." I let go of her and stared outside the window. "Stop it. They don''t need to apologize to me. Honestly, I think this is fate." In reality, I believed that this whole twisted nightmare that happened was my fault, because I failed to protect my son. Losing James was God''s punishment for me. "Please tell Alice that I don''t remember anything, and I sincerely hope that she won''t me herself anymore." "Ever since James'' death, Christine has been in poor health. She''s been on bed rest most of the time and she always misses you." Upon hearing about Christine''s recent condition, I fell silent. It seemed that James'' death was also devastating for her. My heart ached for her. "Scarlett, why don''t you drop by and pay them a visit? Ever since Mr. Moore lost you and James, he''s been having a difficult time. He''s no longer the man he used to be." J looked at me with hopeful eyes. "Really?" I recalled the day when I saw Charles in the mall, and it made me a little upset. ''Is he really having a hard time?'' I wondered. "In the past year, he''s been numbing himself with alcohol." J looked worried when she said that, but all I could feel was anger. "He deserves it, doesn''t he?" I stared at J with a sardonic smile. "If it weren''t for him, something that horrible wouldn''t have happened to James!" I shouted, bursting with fury. Tears streamed down my face. It had been over a year, yet I still couldn''t let go of my hatred for Charles. My tears seemed to have worried J. "Sorry, Scarlett... I won''t mention him again," she said. After trying to calm myself down, I said in a gentle voice, "J, you should go now. I can never be together with Charles again since the moment James died. Please tell them that I''ve lost my memory, and now I have twin babies with William. Tell them they''re not even a month old yet." "But, I..." J wanted to speak, but I interrupted her, visibly dejected. "J, please... do this for me. All I want is to live a peaceful life now." As she looked into my eyes nkly, she finally nodded, albeit reluctantly. Chapter 304 The Effects Of Alcohol Chapter 304 The Effects Of Alcohol Charles'' POV: My mother had been in Kitsap for several days, yet she still didn''t want toe home. Meanwhile, I was at home, sitting on the sofa when I decided to give her a call. "Mom, why haven''t youe back yet?" "I haven''t seen Scarlett yet. I won''te home until I do." She sounded really disappointed. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. "Mom, it won''t do you good to be there. Juste home, okay?" I suggested, rubbing my temples in frustration. Suddenly, my heart was overcame with stress. "Let me just wait a little longer. Please," she replied. "Her leg hasn''t recovered yet. I don''t think she''ll go out anytime soon. You won''t have a chance to see her," I replied, attempting to persuade her. "Fine. I''ll be home soon." My mother sounded like she was down in the dumps. But once I heard her agree, I hung up the phone and went to the tennis court. Lately, I''d been dealing with lots of problems, and I really needed some time to rx. David and Spencer were already there, waiting for me. I approached them and said, "Spencer, y with me first." "Sure, buddy." Spencer went to the opposite side of the court and shouted, "Charles, go easy on me, okay?" I didn''t heed his request. I went to the service area, stretching my limbs. Then, I threw the ball high into the air, and smashed it downwards in a swift yet decisive manner. "Charles, take it easy! I haven''t even warmed up yet!" Spencer shouted. Right after he finished the sentence, the next ball was already hurtling towards him at a fierce momentum. Spencer barely rallied it back, and I easily returned the ball. Within just three rounds, he admitted defeat. "That''s it! I''m done. I need a break. David, I''m tagging out. You y with him instead!" We both turned our attention to David, only to find a girl in a short skirt standing beside him and waving at us. "Spencer!" the girl shouted. "Nicole? What are you doing here?" Spencer strode out of the court and headed to the rest area. I followed him out. "I''m ying tennis with my friends over there. I noticed you were here, too, so I came to say hello." "Oh, I see. Well, go back to your game then," Spencer replied impatiently. Obviously, he wanted Nicole to get out of here at once. "Are you free tonight? Wanna have drink with me?" But Nicole refused to give up. "Sorry, but I have an appointment tonight," replied Spencer. "Do you mind if Ie with you?" I couldn''t help but look at Nicole from head to toe after hearing that response. What a dense girl she was! "I do mind. And I''ll have you know that I''m a married man now. My wife doesn''t like it when I hang out with other women," Spencer responded, visibly annoyed. "Wait, you''re married?" Nicole was surprised, and so was I. "Yes, and you know her. It''s Vivian." "What? How is that possible? I don''t believe it! You''re lying to me, aren''t you?" Nicole''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Well, believe it or not, I don''t care." Spencer shrugged. "How could this be?" Nicole bit her lower lip as tears welled up in her eyes. It looked like she was about to break into tears. "Don''t cry. You look ugly when you cry." Even after seeing her so disheartened, Spencer remained tough. Upon hearing that, Nicole red at us and stormed away without another word. After she had left, David and I approached spencer. "Since when did you get married?" I asked. "Two days ago," Spencer said casually. "What the hell, man? Getting married is big thing! Why didn''t you tell me and David about it?" I asked. "Well, we''ve been busy with our own affairs recently. Besides, I don''t think it''s toote to announce it tonight, is it?" Spencer shed me a smile. I grinned back at Spencer. Honestly, I was delighted to know that my best friend could marry the woman he loved. "Anyway... no more talking, Charles. Break time is over! Let''s get back to ying tennis, shall we?" "Alright." After ying tennis for quite some time, we decided to go to Mint Bar. And as soon as we sat down, Spencer said, "Order whatever you want. It''s my treat. Oh, by the way, Vivian will be here too." "Sounds great!" David picked up the menu and began to order. Meanwhile, I took out a cigarette and lit it. "You''ve been smoking more often recently." David put the menu aside and continued, "You weren''tlike thisbefore, Charles. Whathappened?" Instead of responding, I just continued smoking. Spencer chuckled at David and remarked, "Only Scarlett can make him this upset." At the mention of her name, I frowned and took a deep drag on my cigarette. "That''s none of your business." Spencer realized that he had made a gaffe, so he mmed up. "You shouldn''t smoke so much. It''s not good for your health," David said with a smile, trying to ease this awkward tension. "You''re no better than me." I turned to David, asking him if he would like to have a cigarette. He waved his hands at me and replied, "I''ve quit smoking." "You''ve quit smoking? Are you and Icey preparing for pregnancy?" I asked. Dead silence ensued in the room again. After taking a drag on the cigarette, I fell into contemtion. It wasn''t until I felt the cinder of the cigarette reach my fingers that I came to my senses. Not a secondter, I put out the cigarette butt on the ashtray. Ever since Scarlett left, I had been depressed. I was smoking all the time, and I felt like I was going to break down. "Fine. I''ll have one." After a long time, David broke the silence. "I implore you not to smoke, dude. You shouldn''t smoke if you and your wife are preparing for pregnancy," I replied, trying to dissuade him. "Have you ordered the wine?" I asked. I put the cigarette aside, thinking that it wouldn''t help me. "Yup. Oh, by the way, didn''t Alice go to Kitsap? Did she manage to see Scarlett?" "Nope. And even if she did, it''s useless. Scarlett doesn''t remember us anymore," I said listlessly. But inside, my heart ached. David and Spencer lowered their gazes and fell silent until the waiter brought in our liquor. "Forget that. Let''s just drink, shall we?" Spencer opened the bottle and poured us each a ss. I raised my ss and gulped the whole thing down. The burning sensation in my stomach coursed through my body, but even then, alcohol couldn''t paralyze my heartache. ''This must be true suffering,'' I thought to myself. "Charles, don''t drink so fast," Spencer remarked. I turned a deaf ear to his reminder. I wanted to get drunk and to lose my mind. But even as I drowned myself in alcohol, it did not stop my heart from feeling pain. "I saw someone that day," David continued. "And who might it be?" asked Spencer. "Susan." David put on a straight face. Surprised, Spencer asked, "Susan? You mean Rita''s mother? What about her?" Their conversation piqued my interest, so I gave David my attention. "She''s now the mistress of a private hospital''s director," he remarked. "Hang on. How did she be a mistress at such an old age? Man, whoever that guy is, he''s got pretty low standards," said Spencer. All of a sudden, my phone rang. When I saw that it was William, I didn''t want to answer it. "William? Why is that asshole calling you again?" Spencer leaned over and appeared to be pissed off. Still, I didn''t answer the phone. Unable to remain calm, Spencer answered the call for me and put it on speaker mode. "Hey, what the hell do you want this time, William?" he shouted. "Oh, hey, Spencer! Could you kindly remind Charles to file a divorce already?" said William. "That''s none of your damn business," said Spencer. "If he''s deliberately dying the divorce, I''m afraid we won''t be able to keep the news from the children anymore," said William. Annoyed by William''s sarcasm, Spencer growled, "I''m warning you, William. Stop this nonsense!" "I''m not talking nonsense. Scarlett and I have two kids now. I''m actually doing this for his own good. Anyway, just tell Charles to think it over. Bye." William sounded calm and collected throughout the phone call. "Hey, hey, hey! Who do you think you are?" Spencer was about to lose his cool. He immediately grabbed my phone and started hurling curses at William. "That''s enough, Spencer," I responded. "Charles, are we seriously just going to let this happen?" Spencer seemed unreconciled. "William has gone too far!" David echoed. "Now is not the time for that. Sit down and drink," I remarked, trying to calm them down. All of a sudden, someone pounded on the door of the private room from outside. Chapter 305 James May Still Be Alive Chapter 305 James May Still Be Alive Spencer''s POV: "Who is it?!" I asked angrily. The knocking stopped, and the door suddenly opened and closed. For a moment, I was stunned at the sight of the person who entered. "What are you doing here?" "If I hadn''te, you''d only stir up more trouble!" Gemma, my mother, reckoned with her face as white as a sheet. "What... What''s the matter?" I knew very well why she hade here, but I feigned ignorance. "Did you marry Vivian behind my back?" My mother asked without beating around the bush. "Yes, I did," I answered frankly. When it came to Vivian, I was honest and upfront. "You bastard!" My mother pped me across the face. The pain radiated from my cheek to my entire face, but I remained unfazed. "If pping me will make you feel better, go on. p me again. I promise I won''t dodge." Being pped was nothing. I would endure it as long as my mother would not make things difficult for my wife. "Spencer, why are you so stubborn? That woman doesn''t deserve you!" My mother spat while pointing at my nose and looking at me with utter disappointment. "Who says I don''t deserve him?" a familiar voice chimed in. Vivian had pushed the door open and walked into the room gracefully. She was wearing a suit, and a thin chain hung around her neck. Moreover, her long hair was tied up in a tight and neat bun. She had light and delicate makeup, which made her look capable yet, at the same time, charming. My mother became even more enraged when she saw Vivian. "Spencer, if you look closely, you''ll see that some people are uneducated and ill-bred. They even eavesdrop on other people''s conversation!" "Why would I do that?" Vivian walked up to me and caressed the part of my face that my mother had pped. "Does it hurt?" I shook my head, pulled her to my side, and wrapped my arms around her waist. "You woman, stop being pretentious!" My mother bellowed, infuriated. "If you think that you''ve seeded in your n, think again. You may have my son wrapped around your finger so that you can take advantage of our wealth and property, but you can''t fool me." Vivian snuggled up to me and replied, "I don''t care about your property. Spencer and I really love each other." My mother raised her hand to p Vivian, but I quickly grabbed her wrist. "Mom, aren''t you satisfied yet? You just hit your son. And now, you want to hit your daughter-inw?" My mother shook off my hand, her chest heaving violently. She stared at me with a fierce gaze and said with a hint of regret, "How could I have such a disappointing son like you?" "I just want to be with the woman I love." "She''s just an ordinary woman! After spending some time with her, you''ll eventually realize your worth. I''m telling you, you can''t be with her. She''ll only lower your level." I remained unmoved and just continued to turn a deaf ear to her dissatisfaction. "That''s none of your business." "Fine. You leave me with no choice. Divorce Vivian, or forget that I''m your mother." My mother gave me an ultimatum. Without waiting for my response, she left in a huff and mmed the door behind her. Once my mother was gone, I hugged Vivian tightly and reassured her, "Don''t let my mother''s words get into you. I will never divorce you." Vivian smiled sweetly at me. "I trust you." At this moment, Charles suddenly stood up from his seat and rushed out. Before he could step out, I grabbed his arm and asked, "Charles, what''s wrong?" "James may still be alive," he whispered. Scarlett''s POV: "James, James!" I jolted awake. My forehead was beaded with sweat, and I was short of breath. I had a nightmare again. I dreamed of the ident that had happened over a year ago. In my dream, I was running desperately away from Rita. She looked horrible, and the malice in her eyes brought a shiver down my spine. While she was chasing me, she shouted, "Scarlett, if you want your child to live, you should atone for your sins!" Meanwhile, James was in her hands, crying. "Mom, Mom!" Tears streamed down my face. I tightly clutched the bedsheet and wondered when my nightmares woulde to an end. I turned my head and looked at the crib next to me. Jerry and Jason were sleeping soundly. Their angel-like faces somehow eased my anguish. Their existence was like a faint light in the darkness. When I felt that I could no longer hold on anymore, they made me push forward, regardless of my exhausted body and soul. But what about little James? His soul was probably drifting across the deep sea¡ªlonely and helpless. N?velDrama.Org ? content. He must be terrified. At the thought of this, my sleepiness vanished in an instant, and tears fell down my cheeks one after another like pearls with a broken thread. Sadly, I could only cry in silence. Once I got ahold of myself, I got out and went to the kitchen. The darkness felt like a tidal wave that was about to engulf me. A sense of helplessness surged into my heart again. I squatted in the corner of the kitchen, held my knees, and quietly sobbed until I almost ran out of breath. A year had passed since the incident. But every time I remembered James''s death, it still hurt the same. It felt like a sword pierced my heart over and over again. It took me a while before I felt that I had no tears left to cry. I supported myself on the kitchen counter, tried my best to stand up, and wiped the tears off my face. When I made it back to my room, I passed by William''s room and saw a light through the crack of the door. Had he returned? I hoped he did not see me crying just now. Over the past year, his love and care weighed me down with guilt. And he always took me by surprise with some sweet gestures, which I just couldn''t bring myself to ept however hard I tried. I went back to bed and stared at the dark ceiling in a daze. Although I was weak and exhausted, I was not sleepy. Fragments of memories shed through my mind one after another. Before I knew it, I had drifted to sleep. The next morning, I went downstairs to have breakfast as if nothing had happened. William was waiting for me in the dining room. "Did you sleep wellst night?" he asked while looking at me gently. "Not bad. How about you? What time did you get home yesterday?" I deliberately changed the subject, not wanting to be seen through by him. "I got homete. I had a lot of things to deal with at thepany. Let''s eat, shall we?" It seemed that he did not see me in the kitchenst night. I breathed a sigh of relief and sat down to eat. After breakfast, William turned to me and asked, "The weather is good today. How about we go to the mall?" "Have you forgotten? We had just gone to the mall a few days ago," I reminded him with a smile. The truth was, I was refusing him euphemistically. I did not feel like going out today. "I think you should go out for a walk every day. You''ll get sick if you always stay at home. How about we take the twins out? They can enjoy the sunshine." William brought up the two children as an excuse. Judging from his insistence, he had no intention of giving up. "I don''t mind staying at home. Besides, the balcony is spacious. I can tell them stories while basking in the sun," I insisted. "If you say so. By the way, I''m gonna go out for a while. Call me if you need anything." William gave up in the end. As soon as he finished speaking, he stood up and left. Just as I was about to clean up the table, Tracy came running down the stairs with my phone in her hand. "Scarlett, your phone keeps ringing." "Who is it?" I asked with a frown. For some reason, Tracy looked a little flustered and refused to answer me. She just handed me the phone without a word. I took a look at the caller ID and saw that Charles kept calling. Why was he calling me? An inexplicable sense of agitation arose in my heart. I handed the phone back to Tracy and said in a serious tone, "Don''t ever answer this person''s call." Chapter 306 The Confrontation Between... Chapter 306 The Confrontation Between... Spencer''s POV: "Vivian, do you think James is still alive? Is it possible?" I put down my cutlery and stared at Vivian. Suddenly, I was no longer in the mood to eat. "I sincerely hope so. I just couldn''t understand the whole thing. Who sent the message to Charles anyway?" Vivian leaned against the back of her seat and tapped her slender fingers on the table. "I don''t know. Charles said the message was from a number he didn''t recognize. He''s still trying to track down the message''s origin." Back then, Rita took James away and tossed him into the ocean in front of Charles and Scarlett. There was no way that he could''ve survived. But could someone have intervened and saved James? Who could that person be? Was it the same one who sent Charles the message? What could he or she possibly want with Charles after keeping James hidden for a whole year? These questions were like puzzles that Vivian and I couldn''t wait to solve. "We should start with some acquaintances," Vivian murmured. "Acquaintances? Who do you mean?" I looked at her in confusion. Vivian rolled her eyes at me and retorted, "Those who have schemed against Scarlett before." That was when it all started making sense to me. I nodded and fished my phone out of my pocket. I dialed Charles''s number. "Charles, start investigating those who hurt Scarlett before. They''re the most suspicious." There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, and then it went dead. Charles had hung up. He must have understood what I meant right away. I breathed a sigh of relief. When I turned around and saw Vivian''s charming face, I couldn''t help holding her face and giving her a big kiss on the cheek. "You are such a smart woman. Charles didn''t say anything when I told him to check out those who wronged Scarlett before, but I''m sure he''s already hired someone to investigate. We should get updates soon." Vivian shook off my hands, wrinkled her nose, and wiped her cheek with her hand. "Compliments are easy. Why don''t you give me some real rewards to show your appreciation?" Vivian smiled and extended her palm. I took her hand and pulled her into my arms. Then, I whispered in her ear. "Don''t worry. I will reward you in bed tonight." "What? No! I''m talking about money! Give me some money!" Vivian moaned and pushed me away. Her eyes gleamed with the kind of mischief that amused and worried me at the same time. Whenever money was mentioned, Vivian got all riled up like a hungry little mouse that just sniffed out cheese. "Fine. I will give you money, you little miser. Your husband has nothing but that." I yfully pinched Vivian''s nose, kissed her again, and held her in my arms. "But seriously, though, I really hope James is still alive." Vivian turned somber all of a sudden. "Me, too. He''s the only chance for Charles and Scarlett to get back together and start over." After those words left my lips, my heart swelled with infinite expectations. Vivian''s POV: At the restaurant, Spencer and I felt happy and content in each other''s arms. Suddenly, my phone rang. Gemma was calling. I showed Spencer my phone and chuckled. "Look, someone''s rushing to give me money." Spencerughed and pinched my cheek. "What''s that supposed to mean?" "Trust me. Your mother''s calling me right now to tell me this," I started, put on a serious expression, and imitated the way Gemma spoke, "You material girl, here''s some money. Take it and leave my son alone. He''s not someone you can even dream of." My excellent performance made Spencerugh so hard, he almost fell out of his chair. I picked up the phone and spoke in a voice dripping with sarcasm. "Hi, Mom. So, so d you called. How are you?" "Mom? How dare you address me like that?" "Well, I''m married to your son, which makes me your daughter-inw and you my mother-inw. I''m just trying to be respectful." We weren''t even two minutes into the phone call, and Gemma was already letting out her exasperated sighs. "Whatever. Meet me at Queen''s Cafe this morning, ten o''clock. We need to talk." "Okay. I''d love to bond with you, Mom. I''ll be there on time. See you. Bye." After hanging up the phone, I turned around and saw Spencer sitting next to me and eating like he didn''t have a care in the world. He was quite rxed. All of a sudden, I felt depressed. "Aren''t you afraid that your mother will really hand me a big, fat check and thenmand me to leave you?" "Are you going to take the money and leave me?" Spencer looked up at me. "What if I am?" I challenged and looked him dead in the eye. He just stared at me and continued chewing his food. We let the question just hang there awkwardly, like a mistletoe in June. At ten o''clock sharp, I walked through Queen''s Cafe''s doors. Gemma was already inside and sitting at a table. "How dare you make me, an elder, wait for you? Have you forgotten all your family education?" Gemma said contemptuously, eyeing me with way more intensity than necessary. "I''m sorry. I grew up in an orphanage. Nobody gave me family education. You''ll have to forgive me." Her authoritarian manner didn''t bother me in the slightest. I pulled out the chair opposite her and sat down. Gemma clicked her tongue and drove straight to the point. "How much money is it going to take for you to leave my son?" "Leave your son? Why should I leave my husband? We haven''t even had our honeymoon yet." I said that on purpose to piss Gemma off. As expected, she was immediately wound up. She smashed her cup on the table, and coffee sshed everywhere. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. I waved to the waiter unhurriedly. "Hi. My mother-inw spilled some coffee. Can you clean it up, please? Also, I''d like a ss of water. Thank you." Gemma stared at me fiercely as if she was going to p me the moment the waiter stepped away. "I don''t believe that you and my son are happy together and deeply in love. Just cut the crap and name your damn price." I wiped the mocking expression off my face and stared straight into my mother-inw''s eyes. "I don''t want money. I just want to be with Spencer." "Nonsense! Who do you think you are? What makes you think you''re worthy of someone like Spencer?" "Spencer is in love with me, and I''m the only one he wants. You can''t separate us. I understand that our marriage is difficult for you to ept, but we would really appreciate your blessing." Gemma scoffed. "I have never met a woman as shameless as you." "Well,pared to you, I still have a lot to learn." "You little..." The waiter came back with my ss of water and inadvertently cut off Gemma midsentence. Suddenly, I was back in the mood to mess with her. I smirked and asked, "Do you want to know why I didn''t get my caffeine fix today?" Gemma frowned. "Because I haven''t been feeling all that welltely. I think I may be pregnant," I said calmly. Gemma''s face turned white as bone. She stared at me with wide eyes. She looked like she was going to faint any minute. "But I''m not sure yet. I haven''t taken a pregnancy test. I suffered a miscarriage once before, and I broke up with your son over it. When I started dating another man, he got so jealous that he proposed to me. Sometimes, I still can''t believe that we really went for it and tied the knot. We haven''t been able to keep our hands off each other since we got hitched. Spencer''s sexual appetite can be overwhelming sometimes. That''s why I think it''s really likely that I''m already carrying our first child." "Shut up!" Gemma rose from her seat and shot me a death re. I believed that if she hadn''t spilled her coffee earlier, she would''ve thrown it in my face. "Okay. We''ll just have to wait and see." In this confrontation, Gemma lost and I won. Chapter 307 Dig A Grave Chapter 307 Dig A Grave After Gemma left in a hurry, I paid for the bill before leaving the cafe. And just as I walked out the door, I ran into Susan. Seemingly ignoring me, she walked past me and entered Queen''s Cafe. Obviously, she didn''t recognize who I was. I stopped in my tracks and stared at her back. A thought dawned on me. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ''Susan is Rita''s mother. Does she have anything to do with James'' death? If James is really still alive, maybe she''s the one who hid James in secret?'' My gut was telling me that this guess was correct, so I decided to follow Susan. Perhaps I might be able to find some useful clues. Soon, she came out of the cafe. A ck Santana stopped in front of her and she got in. I started my car and followed her secretly. After a while, the ck Santana drove into amunity. I got off my car, intending to follow her in. However, the security guard stopped me, so all I could do was follow Susan''s car with my gaze until it disappeared from my sight. "Sir, can''t you make an exception just this once? That was my aunt who came in just now." "Sorry, ma''am. But nobody is allowed to enter the premises of this neighborhood aside from its residents." In the end, I decided to leave. And when I got back to my car, another unexpected person showed up. "Richard, what are you doing here?" I asked. I was surprised that he showed up here all of a sudden. He approached me and asked, "Were you following Susan?" I nodded and replied, "I have a hunch that she had something to do with James'' death." Richard was Charles'' confidant, so I told him my suspicion. "I''ve already surveyed this ce before. There''s nothing special about it. Well, aside from the fact that this is where Susan secretly meets up with her lover, Ellison Blunt." "What happened to thathouse she used to live in?" I asked. "It''s been sold," he responded. "Sold?" "Yes, all of her assets have been disposed of." Confused, I asked, "Why did she liquidate all her assets? Is she short on cash? The Lively Group might''ve gone bankrupt, but I''m sure Susan still has a lot of cash in hand." I couldn''t understand the information I had just been told. "You''re right to be dubious. I''ve been following Susan around, and she''s frequenting upscale ces as ofte. It''s not like she''s short on cash. It really is suspicious that she disposed all her assets in a hurry," Richard murmured. "Richard, I have a bad feeling about this. You need to keep a close eye on Susan. I suspect that" Richard''s POV: Before Vivian could finish her sentence, a horrible thought shed through my mind. ''Is it possible that Rita is still alive?'' ****** In the evening, I knocked on J''s door. Upon seeing me, she was surprised. "Richard, what brings you here?" she asked. "Come with me. I''m taking you somewhere," I answered. "Where are we going?" she responded. "To the cemetery," I said. "Wait, what? Why there?" "We''re going to dig a grave." "Shit!" J''s eyes widened in horror as she looked around, visibly panicking. "Have you gone mad?" "I have a hunch, and I need to verify it myself," I said. "Is it that important?" "Yes. Very important," I answered. J fell silent for a while. She then looked me in the eye, seemingly having made up her mind. "Let''s go then," she said. ****** It was eerily quiet in the cemetery at night. I entered its premises along with J. There were numerous tombstones on the ground, casting ominous shadows beneath the moonlight. Aside from the bats hanging on the branches and exuding creepy gazes with their eyes, only J and I were in the cemetery. J looked around in fear with a sh light in hand. identally, she bumped into my back and shrieked. "AHHHHHH!" "Be careful." I rubbed my back, alleviating the pain. J nodded at me; her face had turned pale. This was the first time I had seen someone as fearless as her this scared. Through the help of a shlight, I soon found Rita''s grave. Then, I handed J a shovel. "Let''s start digging," I said. "You want to dig Rita''s grave?" J eximed. "What''s up? Are you scared?" I shot her a nce, trying to goad her. "I am not afraid of anything! You''ve slept with her before. And since you''re willing to defile her grave by digging it up, I shouldn''t be scared, either!" Having said that, J lifted her shovel with eyes brimming with determination. I couldn''t resist the urge tough at her. And when she saw how I reacted, she red at me. "Anyway, let''s get started," I said, putting on a straight face. After slowly digging it up, we finally finished excavating Rita''s tomb. And at the very bottom, we saw a coffin. I swallowed before opening the coffin''s lid. Inside it, there was a ck dress lying in silence. However, there wasn''t any corpse. "My hunch was right," I remarked. "What on earth is going on? Where is Rita''s body ?" J covered her mouth in surprise. "Is Rita still alive?" I stood up and dusted myself. "Something interesting is about to happen. William has promised Scarlett that he''s not going to let Rita live. That''s why Scarlett was willing to leave with him. But now..." J and I exchanged nces and saw the anger in each other''s eyes. We just left right away, and didn''t even bother to put the coffin back to where it was. The following morning, I told Charles about it. Even after hearing the news, he didn''t seem surprised. He just looked at me and J, expressionless like always. "Is the coffin really empty?" "Yes, sir," I answered respectfully. "Good job finding that out. Now, figure out who hid James as soon as possible!" Charles commanded. "Right away, sir!" J and I answered at the same time. We then went to look for James together. All of a sudden, I remembered Vivian''s words and felt that it was necessary to tell her about our discovery. Thus, I took out my phone and sent her a message. "Rita''s grave is empty. It''s very likely that she''s still alive." Inside the car, J leaned over and said to me, "I just told Tracy about what we found out, and asked her to inform Scarlett." J looked very proud of herself. "William kept something this big from Scarlett. I want to see how he''s going to exin this whole farce!" she added. I nodded in agreement. "You''re right. It''s worth digging the tomb at midnight. Now, that asshole, William is screwed!" Chapter 308 Investigation Chapter 308 Investigation Scarlett''s POV: When I came out of the bathroom, I found Tracy staring at her smartphone, eyes wide as saucers. Out of curiosity, I asked, "What are you looking at?" Tracy looked at me; her face had turned pale. "J told me to tell you that she and Richard dug up Rita''s grave at midnight yesterday and found that Rita''s coffin was empty." My heart skipped a beat. ''How is it empty? Is that damned murderer, Rita, still alive?'' I eximed inwardly. With a nk stare, I looked at Tracy. "So, you''ve beenmunicating with J behind my back, huh?" "Yes. And I''m sorry about that, Scarlett. I forgot to tell you." Tracy put her phone away, lowering her gaze. I could tell she must be feeling guilty. Just then, her phone rang. It sounded particrly ominous amidst our silence. Tracy looked at me, too afraid to nce at her phone. "Just go ahead and read it," I said calmly. She then took out her phone from her pocket and read the contents of the message. The following second, her eyes almost popped out of their sockets. Upon seeing her reaction, I asked, "What''s wrong?" With trembling lips, she said, "Scarlett, J told me that someone sent a message to Charles, saying that James is still alive." My heart skipped a beat and my ears began to buzz. Right now, all I could think of was that James was still alive. The sentence echoed throughout my mind repeatedly. "Show it to me!" I grabbed Tracy''s phone and read J''s message over and over. ''My little angel is still alive!'' Joy overwhelmed my heart, and I was unable to restrain my emotions any longer. But at the back of my mind, I thought that what J said was merely a beautiful bubble, and it would soon be broken the second I touch it. My heart was racing so fast, and my chest was heaving up and down. "Tracy, I need to make a phone call. Do you mind going out first?" Once Tracy had left, I closed the door and immediately called J. "J, I heard from Tracy that someone sent Charles a message, saying that James is still alive. Is this true?" "It is," she replied. Upon hearing her confirm the news, I could no longer bottle up my excitement. "Have you figured out who sent it?" I asked anxiously. "Not yet, but Mr. Moore has a n already," she answered. "What''s his n?" "He''s investigating everyone who has a grudge against you. And I believe we''ll be hearing good news soon. Scarlett, I''m gonna need you to calm down, okay?" "Okay, I get it. Call me as soon as you hear any news." I nodded repeatedly as tears of joy rolled down my cheeks. "Of course. Oh, by the way... you need to be wary of William. It''s very likely that Rita is still alive," J remarked. "Got it." With that, I ended the phone call. My heart was beating faster and faster by the second as though it would leap from my chest. At longst, I had the courage to recall the day that James was killed. And now that I was looking back at it, I never fully confirmed if the child was actually James or not. ''Maybe it wasn''t James!'' When that thought crossed my mind, I felt much better. Even though that child was innocent, I was d that my baby was still alive. I used to think that I''d be depressed for the rest of my life, but this news was like a miracle; injecting new vitality into my lifeless world. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Suddenly, I heard a gentle knock on the door. William opened it and came in. The second Iid eyes upon him, I remembered J''s warning, so Iposed myself and acted as though nothing had happened. "What''s up?" I asked. "Breakfast is ready. Let''s go downstairs and eat," he said. William''s smile was as gentle as ever. But now, seeing it was giving me the creeps. Though he had been looking after me this past year because I was injured andter found pregnant, it was clear to both of us that we didn''t fully trust each other. And now that I had heard that Rita was likely to be alive, I was even more certain that the man in front of me was hiding something from me. "Scarlett, are you okay? You seem to be thinking about something." William waved his hand in front of me, trying to catch my attention. "I''m fine. Let''s just have breakfast." Having said that, I walked out of the door. I had only taken a few steps outside the room when I felt like I needed to make things clear to him. Somehow, I wanted to believe that he wasn''t that kind of person. Thus, I told him, "William, I just heard something funny." "Oh, really? Tell me!" William replied, visibly amused. "Someone told me that Rita is still alive," I responded. The smile on his face disappeared. William''s POV: When Scarlett told me that Rita was still alive, I was stupefied. "Why aren''t you saying anything? I want to hear your exnation," Scarlett asked after a few moments of silence. Gradually, I gathered myposure. "Tracy should''ve told you already that I asked someone to take out the heart that originally belonged to my sister from Rita''s body. She can''t still be alive after that, can she?" Scarlett nodded and said, "Even so, what guarantee do I have that you didn''t arrange a new heart for Rita?" "You are assuming too much! Do you really think that it''s easy to get a heart transnt?" he responded. At this point, I was starting to get emotional. "To an ordinary person, it might be difficult. But for someone like you? It''s possible!" Scarlett locked her eyes on me. Her gaze somehow frightened me, so I looked down to avert my eyes from her. Unfortunately, she had figured out some of the secrets that I dared not tell anyone. All this time, I thought that if I stayed with her long enough to dispel her worries, I could make her ept me. But I didn''t expect that in the end, everything I had done would backfire. ''Charles must''ve done this! What did that imbecile tell Scarlett?'' As that thought crossed my mind, I met Scarlett''s gaze and said in a firm voice, "I swear to you that if I arranged for another heart transnt for Rita, I''m willing to lose everything I have now!" Scarlett just looked at me intently, unresponsive. "Please, believe me. I would never lie to you!" "I see. Let''s go then." With a faint smile on her face, Scarlett turned around and went downstairs. I knew that she still had doubts about me, but I shouldn''t push her too hard. Otherwise, things could spiral out of control for me. And so, after breakfast, I excused myself. I told her that I had something to deal with in the company and left the vi right away. Along the way, I received a call from Tom, the housekeeper. "What is it?" I asked. "Sir, after you left, I saw Scarlett whispering something to Tracy. But they avoided me, so I couldn''t hear anything they said," answered Tom. "Just keep an eye on them. And call me if anything happens." After hanging up the phone, I punched the steering wheel heavily. "Fuck!" Chapter 309 Susans Secret Chapter 309 Susan''s Secret Richard''s POV: I had been following Susan these past few days. She stayed home all day every day and only went out for grocery shopping. So far, I had gotten nothing useful. Feeling a bit defeated and useless, I reported to Charles. Charles ordered, "Find a way to sneak into Susan''s house tonight and look for more clues." "Yes, sir." I decided to get someone to help, so I called J. "J, I need your help with something. I''ll pick you up at ten o''clock tonight." "What''s up?" "We''ll do something big tonight." "All right then. I''ll see you tonight." After hanging up with J, I went home to get some rest so that I would be fully charged for tonight''s mission. At ten o''clock, I arrived at J''s doorstep. She was waiting for me at the door. Her long ck hair was tied up into a ponytail. She was dressed in simple clothes and a pair of ck boots. She was looking around vigntly with her beautiful eyes. Seeing my car, she walked toward me. When I got off the car, she asked me, "Are we going to raid somebody''s tomb again tonight?" "No. We''re going to break into Susan''s house. I promise you will be safe," I replied and patted her gently on the shoulder. "Okay. I''m good as long as you don''t take me to a cemetery," she chuckled and heaved a sigh of relief. She looked like she had just taken a shower. I could smell the fragrance of her body lotion, and it turned me on a little bit. I wrapped my arm around her waist and leaned in to give her a kiss. After kissing for a few minutes, I let go. J was blushing. She pushed me away yfully and got in the car. I jumped in the driver''s seat and gunned the engine. While I drove, J looked out the passenger- side window. I gave her a peck on the cheek while she wasn''t looking. She smelled so good, it was driving me insane. "Focus on driving, please." "Yes, ma''am." I refocused on the road while taking J''s hand in mine. Suddenly, all the annoyance and disappointment of the past few days vanished into thin air. Half an hourter, we arrived near Susan''s house. Using some high-powered binocrs, I observed what was going on in her home. Susan was alone in the living room. "Do you see her? What''s she doing?" J asked. "Yes. She''s in the living room. Let''s wait until she falls asleep. Then we''ll break in," I replied and put down the binocrs. Then, I made myselffortable in my seat and gripped the steering wheel. We were going to be here for a while. "So, what should we do now? What about we chat for a bit?" J started, seeming a little uneasy. I turned to her and said, "Sure." "How about we start with you and Rita?" J broached curiously. "I don''t want to talk about her," I snapped and knitted my brows. "Please," J insisted. "J, Rita is in the past. Don''t mention her anymore. You''re my present and future," I promised her solemnly. "Very well then. I won''t mention her anymore." "I think I''m going to have to punish you for bringing her up," I smirked and stuck a finger under J''s chin. She stared at me as I got closer and closer to her. Then, our lips locked once again. When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw were J''s dark eyes that said more than her mouth ever could. I bit my lip. Sometimes, I just couldn''t believe how addicted I was to her. I wanted to kiss her again, but she stopped me. "Control yourself, Richard. We''re working." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. I exhaled loudly and decided to give up. Ten minutester, the light in Susan''s bedroom finally went out. We waited for a while before we made our move. Once we were inside the house, I took out some gloves and handed a pair to J. We searched the living room thoroughly but didn''t find anything useful. I gestured at J to check out Susan''s room on the second floor. We went upstairs and carefully cracked Susan''s bedroom door. After observing for a few minutes, I found that Susan was deep in slumber and possibly entangled in a nightmare. While asleep, she kept saying, "Rita, where are you? I miss you so much." J and I waited a few more moments before entering Susan''s room. I pointed at the cab beside Susan''s bed and asked J to check it out. Between the two of us, she was the one who could go in and out of Susan''s room without making any sort of noise. J red at me, entered the room unnaturally quietly, and opened the drawer. Then, she waved at me. At this time, Susan rolled over. Startled, J hugged the floor and didn''t dare to get up until she was sure that it was safe. I struggled to hold back myughter. After making sure that Susan was stillpletely out, I got J out of there. When we walked out of Susan''s room, I found another room on the second floor. It should be the study. J and I raided it for quite a while. All we found that was interesting was a ck phone. "Let''s go. We''ve got something now," I whispered and quickly led J out of the house. When we were safe and sound inside the car, J put her hand over her chest and heaved a big sigh of relief. "Thank goodness we didn''t get caught." I wanted to check the phone, but it wouldn''t turn on. I supposed it was out of power. I connected the phone to a charger, and after a few minutes, its screen finally lit up. However, my hopes got immediately squashed the moment the phone asked for a password. J clicked her tongue and said, "We''ve hit a wall. How could we possibly know the password?" "Let me think," I muttered. After thinking for a while, I input a string of numbers and was able to unlock the phone. "What did you enter? Rita''s birthday? You actually remember her birthday?" J looked at me curiously. "Yes. But it doesn''t mean anything. Don''t think too much," I hurried tofort her. "I know, but I''m still a little unhappy," she admitted and curled her lips. I held her hand and said softly, "Don''t be like that. Your birthday is my phone''s password." J rolled her eyes and pulled her hand away. Before she could turn away, I caught a glimpse of a smile on her lips. Shaking my head, I pulled up the phone''s recent messages. The inbox was empty. Then, I took out my phone and dialed the number that messaged Charles before. The ck phone in my hand didn''t ring. After that, I checked out the phone''s photos and finally got something. Most of the pictures were taken in awkward and unusual angles, and the subjects were a man and a woman I didn''t recognize. I handed the phone to J. She shook her head and said, "I''ve never seen those two people in my life. I can tell that they may be a couple or something, but other than that, nothing jumps out." "I''ll get someone to look into it," I said and sent the photos to a friend of mine who specialized in IT. I asked him if he could find a way to identify the man and the woman in the photos. "There. Now we''ll just have to wait for my friend to get back to us." "Okay." At this time, I noticed that J was a little down. I gently touched her hair and asked, "Are you okay? What''s wrong?" "I hope we find James alive and well soon. I''m getting a little tired of watching Scarlett cry." I stretched out my arm and put it around her shoulder. "You''re a good friend for sticking around for Scarlett. Don''t worry, we will find James, and Charles and Scarlett will get their happy ending." "Okay," J nodded and shed me a weak smile. After a few moments, my phone vibrated. I got a new message. Charles''s POV: It waste at night. I was sitting in the living room of the Moore mansion and drinking alone. Then, Richard walked in. "I got some information." "Lay it on me." "We found a mobile phone in Susan''s house, and it''s full of photos that look like they were taken secretly. I asked someone to identify the people in the photos. The woman in the photos is Ava Blunt, Ellison Blunt''s wife. The same Ellison that Susan is having an affair with. The man in the photo is Ava''s lover. Ava once had a child with the said man." I put down my ss, raised my eyebrows, and repeated, "Once had a child?" "Yes. That little boy has been missing for a long time. He disappeared around the same time James went missing." I leaned against the sofa and said thoughtfully, "That''s ambiguous. I want to be sure. Find out the specific time that boy went missing and then report to me." "Yes, sir." After Richard left, I was once again lost in thought. If James was still alive, would Scarlett and I be able to get back together? Chapter 310 Reunion Chapter 310 Reunion Ellison''s POV: I called Susan and asked her to meet me at the cafe today. I had been waiting for her for quite a while now, but she still had not arrived. Just when I was about to dial her number, the door of the cafe opened. Susan walked in with an inexplicable expression. Her hair was in a mess, and she looked a little panicky. She strode over to me the instant she saw me. "What happened?" I asked with concern. "Someone broke into my house yesterday," Susan answered with heavy breaths. It seem that she was still in a state of shock. "What? Who was it?" A dreadful feeling washed over me upon hearing her response. "I don''t know. I have no cameras in my house. When I woke up this morning, I found that many things in my house had been moved. That person must have rummaged through my house while I was sleeping. I was scared shitless." "Is there anything missing?" "Only my old phone. Still, I''m scared. What if it happens again and, this time, they''ll do something worse?" Susan patted her chest in trepidation. "Don''t worry. I''ll send someone to install surveince cameras and anti-theft locks in your house later." "Thank you. I really want to know who that person was, though." "Maybe it''s Ava. She has long wanted to find fault with me." I clenched my fists in disdain. Good thing I did not go to Susan''s house yesterday, or else Ava would have found evidence of my affair. "Will you two really divorce?" Susan queried. She felt a little better at the mention of the divorce. I reached out and held her handfortingly. "Yes, honey. I will divorce Ava, and that''s final. But that''s not the only thing I''ll do. I''ll also make sure that she leaves without a penny." I was not stupid. I knew very well what Ava had done behind my back in the past few years. She even had a child with another man. The audacity of that woman! Of course, I would not let her take my property away. Susan caressed the back of my hand and assured me, "Honey, I won''t leave you." I took her hand and nted a kiss on it. "Thank you for always being by my side." A few momentster, Susan and I went to her house. I went upstairs and checked every corner. I would have someone install surveince cameras here first thing tomorrow. All of a sudden, I heard violent knocks on the door downstairs. I had a bad feeling that something was about to happen. I rushed out of the room and ran to the second flight of the stairs. But before I could walk down the stairs, Susan was already at the door. "Susan, don''t open the door!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. However, it was toote. Susan''s scream rang in my ears, and she vanished into thin air. My heart missed a beat, and my blood ran cold. Without wasting any second, I took out my phone and dialed 911. I reported what had happened the instant the call connected. "Hello. My friend was kidnapped. The location is..." I figured that I should not stay here. But just as I pushed the door open, several tall men who were standing outside looked at me with a cunning smile. My intuition told me that something worse was yet toe. Just as I was about to call for help, a man suddenly covered my mouth with one hand and strangled me with the other. I could not breathe, and I was starting to feel lightheaded. The next thing I knew, everything went ck. Scarlett''s POV: While I was working on the draft in the study, someone knocked on the door. I turned around and saw William enter. "What''s the matter?" "Scarlett, I want to take you somewhere," William answered. Judging from his solemn expression, I had a rough idea about what was about to happen. Tears welled up in my eyes at the thought of this. William drove me to a ce I had never been before. Although I was not familiar with the scenery along the way, I already knew where he was taking me. The car stopped beside a vi. William opened the door and helped me get off. "I have been keeping you in the dark before. I said I had something important to deal with in thepany. In fact, I came here all the time." William took me to the gate of the vi. When he opened the door, I saw the one whom I had been missing day and night. I ran into the room quickly, andplex emotions surged up in my heart. I cried again. But this time it was not because of the guilt and self-me after the nightmare, but the tears of joy after our reunion. "James, Mommy is here." James was sitting on a kid''s chair. When he heard my voice, he raised his head and looked at me. He had changed since thest time I saw him. Right now, he was wearing a red coat with golden fur on the hem. He looked as handsome and cute as how I remembered him. At first, he just blinked in confusion. But then, his eyes slowly widened when he recognized me. "Mommy!" I held him tightly in my arms. "James, I missed you so much," I sobbed, my eyes brimming with tears. "Mommy, don''t cry." James reached out and wiped the tears off my face. "I''m not crying." All of a sudden, my phone rang. With James in one hand, I took out my phone with the other. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. It was Charles. I hung up on him without a second thought. But after two seconds, he called me again. I was hesitant at first, but I decided to answer him in the end. I signaled William to take care of James, and then I walked to the corner to answer the call. "Scarlett, James is still alive. I''m certain William is hiding him. Be careful, Scarlett. I''m on my way to Kitsap." "Who are you? I don''t understand what you''re talking about." I tried my best to be cold to Charles, but tears were steaming down my face. "Scarlett, please don''t do this to me. James is still alive. Isn''t that great news?" "Sorry. You dialed the wrong number." I hung up the phone as soon as I finished speaking. I was afraid that I would not be able to put up an act anymore if Charles said one more word. His voice made me want to rush to him and cry in his arms. William walked over with James and asked with concern, "Did Charles call you just now?" I turned around and wiped my tears away. "Yes," I answered in a low voice. I could not let James see the pitiful look on my face. "So... what are you going to do?" "Wiliiam, nothing will change. I won''tme you," I answered while looking into his eyes. I had made up my mind. "Thank you." William looked a little surprised. It seemed that he did not expect something like this from me. "James, let''s go home!" I took my son over and pressed my cheek against his chubby little face. For me, all that mattered was that I was with my little angel again. As for the other things, I did not want to think about them anymore, nor would I let them bother me again. Chapter 311 Take Them Away Chapter 311 Take Them Away J''s POV: Richard and I managed to catch Ava. "Ava''s child is just the same age as James. When James disappeared, someone took her child away as well. Chances are, the child who fell into the sea wasn''t James!" I grabbed Richard''s hand, hopeful that this would be the case. He nodded at me and replied, "Ellison has also admitted that he conspired with Susan to kill Ava''s child." At longst, the truth hade to light. James was still very much alive. Richard and I both heaved a sigh of relief. But right now, Charles was probably the happiest of all. Now that he was certain James was still alive, a storm seemed to be brewing in his eyes and an unfathomable emotion appeared on his face. Ever since his child died and Scarlett left, he had been living like a soulless puppet. It was only in this moment that he finally returned to his old self. "Richard, tell the elders in my family that James is still alive," said Charles. "Yes, sir! But what about you? What are you going to do?" asked Richard. "I''m going to Kitsap to bring James and Scarlett back with me." His former decisive and vigorous personality had returned. He was like a general who had been reborn, swearing to regain his lost territory. The wind blew against his coat, causing it to flutter along with the wind and making him look like a king. ****** Richard and I went back to the Moore mansion. There, we found that everyone was gathered in the living room. Alice was sitting on the sofa with a heavy heart, while Lawrence was walking back and forth in the living room. Meanwhile, Michael and Christine were anxiously sitting on the other end of the sofa, agitated. The moment I walked in, everyone looked at me. Their eyes disyed just how hopeful they were to hear of any good news. N?velDrama.Org ? content. After taking a deep breath, I said, "James is still alive." The room fell silent for a moment. Lawrence''s knees went weak, causing him to stagger backwards and fall onto a chair. His reaction was followed by Alice''s whimpering. Christine struggled to get up, staring into my eyes. "Wait... did you just say that my dearest great- grandson is still alive? Are you serious?" "Mom, did you hear that? James is still alive. Thank God!" Alice cried. Christine wept with joy as she asked me and Richard, "How is James doing now? Where on earth is he? Has Charles found him already?" "Don''t worry, Madame. Our boss is already on his way to Kitsap to look for James. I''m positive that he''ll be able to find the boy soon," I said. "Great! Charles is already on the case. It''s only a matter of time until we find James!" Even Michael couldn''t hide his joy. He was earnestly nodding affirmatively. "But what about Scarlett? Does she know that James is still alive?" Christine asked, looking at me expectantly. "Perhaps the boss will call her and tell her the good news in person," I responded. "Oh, thank God! Our little angel is still alive! Perhaps this is a sign that they can be together again, and give James aplete and happy family," replied Christine. "Of course. Scarlett loves James so much. Even if it''s just for the sake of the child, I''m sure she''ll come back," I added. All of a sudden, the excitement on Alice''s face disappeared. She appeared to be thinking of something. And then, she looked up at me. "J, you said that Scarlett has given birth to twins, right?" I wasn''t sure how I should answer the question, for I was conflicted if I should tell them the truth. "Have you seen them with your own eyes?" Alice asked tentatively. "I haven''t." I shook my head, letting out a sigh. I kept my promise to Scarlett, and decided not to tell them that she didn''t really lose her memory. "Then, what did Scarlett say? Tell me!" said Alice. "All Scarlett has told me is that she has twins now and that they''re less than a month old," I responded. "They''re less than a month old? That''s odd. So she really got pregnant after she left?" Christine murmured. "Does she really lose her memory and be with William?" I just now realized that they were suspecting that the twins were actually my boss'' children. Truthfully, I didn''t get to see Scarlett''s kids when I met with her. I wasn''t sure how old the babies were. "Let''s try not to worry about other things for now. We''re fortunate that James is still alive, and the important thing is that we get him back," suggested Michael. Upon hearing his words, nobody dared to bring up the topic again, and the whole family was excited about the good news again. I was really happy for them, but I was still worried about Scarlett. After walking out of the vi, I called Tracy. "Hello, Tracy. Where is Scarlett? Is she aware that James is still alive?" I asked. "Wait, what? James is still alive?" I heard Tracy''s shocked voice over the phone. Her question left me confused. ''Why hasn''t the boss told Scarlett?'' I wondered. "You don''t know it yet? The boss should''ve informed you already," I responded. "I''m not sure if he has spoken to Scarlett. She went out with William earlier this morning," said Tracy. "She went out?" I had a bad feeling about this. ''Shit! Did William take action before my boss could? No! I have to tell him right away!'' Charles'' POV: After finding out that James was still alive, I hurried to Kitsap and set an appointment with William at once. Inside a private room, I sat across him. "Charles, are you here to tell me that you''ll agree to divorce Scarlett?" William was so arrogant. His provocations didn''t faze me, and I said nothing. I just poured him a ss of wine. The scarlet liquid slowly flowed into the crystal ss, and my sullen face was reflected on it. "Why are you pouring wine for me? Are you nning to poison me?" William picked up the ss and took a sip. He gave me a nod, and then he mocked me with that smug face of his. "If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn''t need to poison you." "Oh, that''s right. The impervious Mr. Moore has always been a straitced andw-abiding man. You''re even indifferent to the death of your own son." His words were like a knife, jabbing into my heart. This pain was something that I would never forget. "Rita is still alive, isn''t she?" The sardonic smile on William''s face disappeared. Then, he nodded in response. "Yes, I''ve heard about that, too. But even if her body isn''t in the coffin, that doesn''t mean she''s still alive. Her heart has been taken away. There''s no way she''s still alive." "If she can undergo and survive a heart transnt once, chances are, it can happen again. William, is Scarlett aware that you''ve struck a deal with Susan?" I swiveled my ss, staring at the swirling red wine inside. William fell silent, wearing a smirk. It was then that something dawned on me. "So, have you told Scarlett everything?" William raised his eyebrows and said noting. Gradually, my heart sank. I had thought that I would win the battle this time, for I had enough evidence to prove that William had betrayed Scarlett. I was really confident that I could get her back. After all, she really hated deception and betrayal above all else. ''If he''s already told Scarlett the truth, what kind of rtionship do they have now?'' I couldn''t seem to figure it out. "Why would I tell her anything? Have you forgotten that Scarlett has lost all her memory?" William''s words had struck a nerve in me. I wasn''t sure if Scarlett had really lost her memories, and that was why I was so conflicted right now. "Did Scarlett really lose her memory?" "Of course! Otherwise, why would she have children with me?" "Is that so? You''re a sly dog, William. You managed to take Susan away before I could take action, but there''s one thing you failed to take into ount. Her lover, Ellison, knows everything." William''s hand holding the ss had been frozen in midair. He put down the ss and crossed his arms. At this moment, I was certain that I had won. "This time, I''m here to take Scarlett and James home." "Do you really believe she''ll agree to go with you? She and I have children together. She''s not going to leave our kids behind!" William looked at me dead in the eye. "Children? Do you mean the twins? I''ve never even seen them in person. What makes you think I''ll believe your crap?" Silence ensued in the room. Momentster, I gave him an ultimatum. "William, I''m going to say this just once. If you hand over my wife and son, I''m willing to let bygones be bygones." "Hell no," William refused firmly. "I''ve already given you a warning. I implore you to choose wisely." I gulped down the wine in my ss, stood up, and walked away. ''If he refuses to hand them over, I''m going to take them away by force!'' Chapter 312 Put On An Act Chapter 312 Put On An Act Scarlett''s POV: I was lulling my babies to sleep when, suddenly, my phone rang. In fear that the sound would wake the kids up, I immediately reached out to check it. Someone had messaged me on Facebook. I clicked on the notification to see who it was, but it was anonymous. However, I knew that it was Charles. He did not even change his screen name and profile picture. I turned my phone off without even answering his message and then turned around to lie in bed. The twins were sleeping soundly in the crib next to me. They were almost holding hands, and their round faces were flushed. The sight of them made my heart melt. But the more I gazed at them, the more I saw that they resembled someone. That person was the most outstanding work of God. His dashing eyebrows and starry eyes looked very simr, if not identical, to the twins''. ****** The next morning, I awoke to William gently nudging me. "Scarlett, I have an appointment with Charlester this day. I''m afraid you have to cooperate with me to make him believe that you''ve really lost your memory." I thought for a while and then nodded in agreement. Although I did not want to see Charles again, I knew very well that he would not let me go if I did not disappoint him. At the thought of this, I got up and started dressing up. I wore a beautiful dress, put on delicate makeup, and forced a smile. I would do what it took to make Charles believe I was happy without him. William and I went to a restaurant for dinner. While I was sitting in the private room, I heard footsteps approaching from outside. It was now time to put on an act. I leaned against William and acted like a spoiled woman. "Honey, I don''t want to see a man I don''t even know." "Rx, darling. It''s just a meal." "Still. Why should I have dinner with another man? I''m your wife." William pulled me closer by my waist and held my hand. "Honey, Mr. Moore thinks that you have an uncanny resemnce with his wife. In fact, he insists that you''re his wife. Just have dinner with him, and he''ll eventually realize you''re not her. Then, everything will be over, and he''ll stop bothering you. I''m sorry to put you through this. I promise I''ll make it up to you when we get home." "Fine. Just make sure you behave well at home, especially in bed," I retorted with a sweet smile. The footsteps outside stopped. A few secondster, a knock sounded at the door. "Come in." Charles pushed the door open and walked in. When he saw that William and I were very close, he stiffened and reckoned, "It seems that I came at the wrong time." He was wearing a ck Armani shirt, and attached to it was thetest Cartier rose brooch. What was more, his hair was sleek. We had not seen each other for a year. And yet, he was still as neat and handsome as thest time. He reminded me of Apollo, the God of the Sun in Roman mythology. However, it appeared that he had be thinner and tanned. He used to be energetic, but he now seemed glum and depressed. In the past, I could read his thoughts, but not anymore. My heart, which I presumed dead for more than a year, started beating once again. As I tried my best to suppress the perturbation in my heart, the smile on my face disappeared. "Darling, is this the man you were talking about?" I asked William. I then turned to look at Charles from head to toe with feigned disgust. Charles, however, did not seem to care about my attitude. He even walked towards me and asked with a yful smile, "You can get closer to me. That way, you can see me more clearly." He moved closer to me, and I unconsciously leaned back. I clung to William''s arm in bewilderment. "Stay away from me. I don''t want to have dinner with you," I said crossly. William patted my handfortingly. "Darling, that''s rude. Don''t worry. I''m here with you. I won''t leave you." I nodded reluctantly. "Are you not mad anymore? Come on. Let''s eat now. I don''t want to starve you. Charles did not say a word and just stared at William and me with a piercing gaze. I stood up, and, to my surprise, he walked over and pulled up the chair for me. "I don''t want to sit on the chair you touched. I want my husband to pull it up for me." Charles''s hands, which were on the back of the chair, froze. He then stared at me with his deep eyes, which terrified me. Fortunately, William helped me out just in time. "Let me do that for you, darling. Now, sit down." While holding William''s arm, I stared daggers at Charles before proceeding to sit on the chair. This was just the beginning. I knew it would not be easy to convince Charles that I had lost my memory. Charles''s POV: Scarlett and William sat close to each other as if no one was around. I could onlyfort myself silently. I was certain that this was a show to make me give up. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Of course, that would never happen. At this moment, I tried to be as objective as I could so that I would find clues that would prove that Scarlett did not lose her memory. But when I heard her call another man ''honey'', I almost lost control of myself. I was green with envy. The waiter served the dishes shortly after. A scrumptious feast was in front of me, yet I had no appetite to eat. "Darling, have some of this cherry foie gras. It''s their signature dish." William scooped a spoonful of the said dish and brought it to Scarlett''s mouth. "Aww. Honey, you''re so sweet." She opened her mouth and took a bite. Her cheeks bulged up as she chewed like an adorable squirrel. And when she had swallowed the food, she smiled with satisfaction. I fell into a trance. Scarlett was a reserved person when I met her. She never showed such a rich expression with other people. It was as if the Scarlett in front of me was a different person. Could memory loss change a personpletely? Scarlett kept talking while we ate. Sometimes, she would ask William to pick up some food for her. Other times, she would ask him to help her wipe her mouth. It was like she had forgotten I was sitting next to her. But then, I noticed something strange. Scarlett only looked at William and never at me. It seemed that she was averting her gaze on purpose. At this moment, she forked a slice of steak and brought it to William''s mouth. "Honey, here, have this steak. It''s so delicious!" "There''s someone here," William replied with an awkward smile. Scarlett turned to look at me and saw that I had not touched my food. "Don''t you like the food I ordered?" she asked with a frown. "I like it." "Then why aren''t you eating?" I did not know what to say, so I took a few bites of food to appease her. Nevertheless, Scarlett appeared dissatisfied. She pouted at William andined in a hushed voice, "He''s not a little boy. Why does he need to be reminded to eat? Our babies can do better than him." Her words brought a pang to my heart. At the thought of James, my chest tightened, and I felt a lump in my throat. I could not swallow, and I felt like I was going to choke on the meat. I endured it. When I had finally managed to swallow, I wiped my mouth with a napkin. "May I ask when you two have had babies?" I asked, hoping to catch them in the act. William smiled and tucked Scarlett''s hair behind her ear. "To be honest, we didn''t n on having kids this soon. We wanted to wait until shepletely recovered. But, damn. She''s so attractive that I couldn''t help myself. I actually feel guilty about that matter. Her pregnancy must''ve been very difficult." "It''s okay, honey. Look at us. We have two lovely children. They make me happy and content." Scarlett nestled in William''s arms as she spoke. Anyone who could see them would think that they were a happy couple. I held my ss of wine tighter and tighter. God knew how hard it was to stop myself from pulling Scarlett away from William''s arms. "I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have made love with you when you were still weak," William said while looking into Scarlett''s eyes guiltily. Scarlett brought her index finger to his lips, hushing him. "You''re my husband. I would love to satisfy your needs. Or maybe... are you saying that you should''ve asked someone to help you with that?" "Of course not. You''re the only one I want." They gazed into each other''s eyes and smiled as if nothing else mattered. As if their lingering gaze was not enough to torture me, Scarlett said something to rub salt into my wound. "Honey, I''m done. Let''s go home now," she coquettishly said in William''s arms. William turned to me and said, "We''re going now." "But I''m not done yet." I took a bite of my food leisurely to buy some time. "Ah!" Scarlett suddenly screamed and stood up. "I''m sorry. I have to go to the restroom." With her hands on her chest, she ran out of the room. What was wrong with her? I stood up as well to follow her. But before I could take a step, William stopped me. "Don''t follow her. She''s going to pump some milk. Do you understand?" Understand? Of course, I did. I was a father. It just meant that it was time to breastfeed her kids... My throat tightened at the thought of this. I refused to believe that Scarlett had had babies with William. Despite his warning, I followed her out of the room. Chapter 313 Escape Chapter 313 Escape Scarlett''s POV: I was wiping my clothes nkly beside the sink, thinking of how to escape from this ce as soon as possible. All of a sudden, I saw Charles walking towards me from the mirror. Frightened, I turned around and stammered, "This is thedies'' room. Please... leave." Ignoring me, Charles walked closer towards me with a faint smile on his lips. "Thedies'' room is inside. This is just a shared sink for people to wash their hands." "What do you think you''re doing here? I''m warning you not to do something stupid. Behave yourself!" His sudden appearance here did not even cross my mind, and it made me panic. Seemingly having sensed my intention to escape, Charles blocked my path. "Scarlett, I just want to talk to you properly." "I have nothing to say to a stranger. Sorry, but my husband is still waiting for me." I wanted to walk past him, but he wouldn''t give me a chance and he forced me into a corner. Seeing that I couldn''t get rid of him, I was forced to shout at him. "Why are you always badgering me?" "Because you are my wife." Charles leaned over, intending to kiss me. In a moment of desperation, I blurted out, "Is your wife dead or something? Why are you mistaking a stranger for your wife?" Charles was left stupefied when he heard what I said. And to be honest, I regretted saying those words. "She''s not dead, and she has no intention of dying. Especially because our son is still alive. If she knew that our little angel is still alive, she would never want to die!" He then stared at me for a long time before looking away. Even though he wasn''t looking at me right now, I could tell that he was talking to me. My heart was overcame with guilt, and I almost broke into tears. ''Don''t you get it, Charles? Everything has changed now,'' I thought to myself bitterly. "I''m going home." I held back my tears and tried to push him away. But still, he wouldn''t budge, and even held my arm tightly. Trying my best to restrain my ring emotions, I said through gritted teeth, "Let go of me!" Charles'' face had turned grim. He refused to let me go. "I will not!" he said, tightening his grip on my arm. "I''m warning you just this once; let me go, or else I''m going to call for help." Heughed at my response. "Go ahead! Call for help if you want to. You''re my legal wife. Nobody would dare to meddle in our affair!" I bit my lower lip, pushing him away with all of my strength. "I said, let me go!" Completely losing his patience, Charles pulled me towards him and raised his voice. "Scarlett, that''s enough!" I was really angry as well, but mostly saddened. I didn''t want to waste my time on him anymore, so I desperately tried to get away from him. At this point, tears were streaming down my cheeks. "There''s no need to cry," said Charles, embracing me tightly. He still wore the same cologne as before, mixed with the faint scent of tobo. This smell was familiar and pleasant to me. Now, I could no longer hold back my tears. I pinched my thigh in an attempt to regain my rationality. "For thest time, let me go! I need to go back and find my husband!" Charles raised his chin proudly. "I am your husband!" "Look, sir, I don''t know you! How many times am I going to say this? William? William, help! There''s a lunatic here!" I began hitting him as I cried, just so I could force him to let me go. "Scarlett, I''m begging you. Look at me. It''s me, Charles. I know you hate me now, but I will never give up. No matter how long it takes, I''m willing to wait until you find it in your heart to forgive me." Atst, he let go of me, only to wipe my tears away. However, I quickly turned around, grabbed a tissue by the sink, and used it to wipe my face. Then, I looked at him again and said, "I really don''t know who you are. William is my husband. He and I have lovely twins together." This time, I could see the pain in Charles'' eyes when he looked at me. Never had I once seen him act this way before. His once steely gaze was now filled with sadness. "I''m going home to feed my kids. Please get out of my way." While Charles was dazed, I quickly moved past him and ran towards the room. The moment I saw William, I rushed to his side. "Let''s go home, William." He then wiped the tears on my face and nodded. "Sure, my love. Let''s go home." I dared not dy anymore, so I took his hand and left the restaurant at once. When we got to the car, I let go of William''s hand and turned around. Seeing that Charles didn''t follow us out, I felt relieved. Soon, William started the car. I looked outside the window, unable to calm my nerves for a long time. "Are you okay?" asked William. "Yeah. I''m okay." "Um... what happened to that?" William pointed at my chest. "Oh, this? I did this on purpose," I said, putting on a smile. I just wanted to escape from Charles as soon as possible. "Do you think he bought it?" "It doesn''t matter if he bought it or not. I''ll never see him again, anyway." Right after I said that, I felt my heart ache. I was so scared that Charles would take James away from me. I had already lost my little boy once. I wasn''t going to allow anyone to take him away from me again. Momentster, I said, "William, I wanna leave here as soon as possible." "Why?" William slowed the car down, staring at me in disbelief. "It frightens me that Charles is getting suspicious of us." I was certain that Charles already had his suspicions. "But, we don''t have to leave the city, right? You and James can just live at another house," William replied, speeding the car up again. This time, I didn''t say anything. Truthfully, I was already nning to go to a more remote ce. That way, Charles wouldn''t find us so easily. Upon our arrival at home, I saw how James left Tracy''s arms and ran towards us. While running, he repeatedly shouted, "Mom! Dad!" This past year, James had thought of William as his father. "Come here, James. Let me hug you," William said as he picked up James. James nestled in his arms obediently. As he touched William''s face, he asked, "Dad, where did you and Mom go?" "Well, Daddy took Mommy out for dinner. I''ll be sure to take you with us next time. I promise." "Okay!" James answered in a sweet voice. Upon hearing that, I felt sad, because I couldn''t bring myself to tell him that William wasn''t his dad. It was then that I took James from William''s arms. "Come here, my love. Let me hug you." William kindly reminded me, "Be careful, honey. Your shoulder hasn''tpletely healed yet." "Got it. I''ll be careful. Thanks for taking care of me all the time, William." "So, are you still nning to leave?" he asked. "Yes. If I don''t leave now, I might be toote." I stared at Tracy and saw the confusion in her eyes. "Pack up our stuff. We need to go right now." "Where are we going?" "To France! And soon!" I eximed. William stopped me. "Scarlett, if you''re really determined to leave, I''ming with you." Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. "Not necessary," I replied. "How are you supposed to take care of all three kids alone? Okay, here''s an idea. I''ll apany you to France first. If you want me there with you, I''ll stay. But if you decide against it, I''ll go home immediately." William''s words moved me, so I decided not to reject his kind offer. At this moment, I heard a familiar cold voiceing from behind me. "Sorry, but I can''t let you take my son away!" Chapter 314 A Father And Sons Reunion Chapter 314 A Father And Son''s Reunion Charles'' POV: At a nce, I recognized the little boy in Scarlett''s arms. It was my dear son, James. A year had passed, and he had grown up a bit. He looked a lot like me now. Some part of me thought that I''d never see my son again, but I didn''t expect that God would be kind enough to bring him back to me. Sadly, the woman I loved so much, the mother of my child, wanted to take James away from me. What kind of cruel twist of fate was this? I stared at Scarlett with a fierce gaze, waiting for her exnation. However, she just covered James'' face in a fit of panic, and averting her gaze from me. I felt as though my heart was being torn from inside, and the pain made my hands tremble. "James wille with me. And you, Scarlett, I''m giving you two choices. You can eithere back to me or stay here with William. Make your choice. Now." I suppressed my heartache and pretended to be calm. Even though I was the one who gave her such a cruel choice, I was secretly hoping that she would choose toe home with me and James. But sadly, she let me down again. "Charles, don''t force me to do this!" Scarlett roared. Once again, my heart was shattered. "Charles, why do you have to make everyone feel bad?" William stood in front of Scarlett, acting like a knight who was merely guarding a princess, while I was the dragon attempting to whisk the princess away. Anger flowed through my veins, and all my rationality was slowly being torn from my body. "That''s a ridiculous question. I am James '' biological father, and I will not let anyone take my son away from me!" I stared into Scarlett''s eyes and said, "Make your choice, Scarlett. Do you want to go back with me and James or give up the baby and stay here with him? I''m giving you a minute to think about it." As I spoke, I stared at my wristwatch and added, "Your time starts now." Tears welled up in Scarlett''s eyes. She held James tightly while staring at me bitterly. "Charles, you don''t really love James," she said. ''That''s ridiculous!'' I eximed inwardly. She imed that I didn''t love my son, but the day I lost him, my entire world copsed around me. For countless nights, I woke up screaming because of the same recurring nightmare. As long as I could have him back, I was willing to do just about anything. ''She has no right to doubt my love for James!'' "Scarlett, stop trying to buy time. No matter what you say, James is my son and he''s the heir of the Moore family. I must take him home!" Scarlett turned around, intending to escape along with James. However, I wasn''t going to let her get what she wanted. "Stop her!" As soon as I issued themanded, several of my men surrounded her, leaving Scarlett no way to escape. "Tracy, bring James to me." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Tracy was left stupefied. She was hesitant to do as I asked of her, and in the end, she decided against it. "Do you really have to do this?" asked Scarlett. I could see the resentment in her eyes when she said those words. "I''ve already told you that if you don''t want to be apart from James, you can go home with us." With a face devoid of emotion, I stared at Scarlett, clenching my fists. This was the second time I had given her a chance to decide. My palms were sweating as I silently prayed that she''d choose to compromise for the sake of our child. But to my chagrin, she didn''t say anything. She just red at me, holding James tightly. With every passing second, my patience was wearing thin. Annoyed, I shouted at Tracy, "Did you not hear me, Tracy? I said bring me my child!" "Mr. Moore, Scarlett has just reunited with James. Are you really going to be so heartless as to separate them?" Tracy stammered. ''Scarlett just reunited with James?'' I asked inwardly. It turned out that William had only told Scarlett the truth not long ago. He had been hiding James for a year, and he had been lying to her for the same amount of time. ''The truth hase to light, and yet she doesn''t hate William? Didn''t she hate deception and betrayal the most? He betrayed her trust, and yet she still chooses to be with him? She''s even willing to give James up for him! Has Scarlett really fallen in love with William?'' I wondered. She was willing to give up everything we had for many years for a person who had been lying to her. ''What was I to her?'' I thought bitterly. I felt as though I had fallen into the frozen tundra of the Arctic Ocean. The cold prated deep into my flesh and bones, and it froze my very soul and beating heart. I shot Tracy a cold nce once more. "If you don''t bring James to me, I will banish J from the country. Make your choice!" Tracy looked at me in disbelief. "Mr. Moore, you I! ? ? ? "I said make your damn choice!" My gaze did not waver as I waited for her to make a decision. Atst, Tracy looked down and decided to concede. "Yes, Mr. Moore." She walked towards Scarlett, step by step. James sensed the tense atmosphere and he held onto Scarlett tightly. "Mom," he whispered uneasily. "Can''t you wait until James has fallen asleep before you take him away?" Scarlett asked, looking at me with hopeful eyes. I didn''t want to let myself feel pity for her, so I said, "No." "Scarlett, I''m so sorry." Tracy''s voice was choked by her sobbing. "Take good care of James." Scarlett handed James to Tracy. Thetter nodded, and embraced the child with pity in her eyes. The moment he was handed to Tracy, the boy struggled to break free from her grasp. "Mommy! Mommy!" The little boy broke into tears. At this point, Scarlett was trembling. In the end, she had to let go of James'' hand, albeit reluctantly. "Let''s go," I said. William embraced Scarlett as she trembled in his arms. Then, he turned his attention towards me. "Charles, you''ll regret this one day." ''Regret? I will never regret over someone that doesn''t deserve it.'' Tracy came over to my side, carrying James. Then, I took him from her as my arms trembled slightly. James'' body felt warm to the touch, and it was enough to bring me somefort. Just now, he was crying desperately, but now that I was holding him, he had quieted down. And as I held him tightly, I began to walk away. It was then that I heard someone crying from behind. The sound of her cries were like a knife, cutting my heart open. As Tracy followed behind me, she looked back from time to time. "Mr. Moore, are you really going to take James away from Scarlett?" "What do you mean ''take him away''? James is my son. She''s the one who wanted to take him from me!" Having said that, I looked at my son as he nestled in my arms. It had been a year, but I had finally gotten my dearest son back. This time, I wasn''t going to let anyone take him from me again. "But Scarlett can''t live without James as well," Tracy protested. "Fine," I said, interrupting Tracy''s plea. "If you feel pity for her and want to stay with her, go ahead. I won''t stop you. But you have to remember who your real boss is." Tracy fell into silence. Not waiting for her to respond, I got into the car with James. Let s go. Slowly, my car drove away and I was moving further and further away from Scarlett. As I looked at the passing scenery outside the window, sadness overcame my heart. Perhaps she and I would be strangers forever from now on. Now, only James was left with me. Meanwhile, the boy sat quietly in my arms. I stroked his hair and asked in a trembling voice, "Do you remember who I am, James?" I stared at my son intently. Some said that children weren''t able to remember too many things. I was scared that my son had forgotten me, his ipetent father. James looked at me nkly for a long time, before he replied with uncertainty, "Dad?" Within an instant, tears welled up in my eyes. "Say that again, my boy." "Dad," James said in a sobbing tone. "Oh, my beloved son! Dad is here with you and we''ll never be apart again!" Chapter 315 Scarlett And I Are Over Chapter 315 Scarlett And I Are Over Charles''s POV: I took James back to the Moore mansion. The moment we got out of the car, Grandma walked over to wee us. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. She rushed to James and hugged him with eyes brimming with tears. "My dear James, you''re finally back! Let me have a closer look at you." James froze in Grandma''s arms. It seemed that he did not know what to do, so he looked at me for help. "Dad..." My heart ached to see James wary of his own great-grandmother. So with a gentle smile, I stroked his hair. "James, this is your greatgrandma. Do you remember her now?" Upon hearing this, James turned around and threw himself into Grandma''s arms. "You''re such a precious little boy. I''m so happy that you''re back." Grandma burst into tears now that her great-grandson was in her arms once again. Meanwhile, Grandpa, who was standing behind Grandma, patted James on the head and tearfully said, "I, too, am happy that you''re back." Grandma gazed at my son with longing. "This child grows quite fast. I haven''t seen him for a year, but he has grown up." At this time, my mother rushed over with red and teary eyes. She took James from Grandma''s arms and coaxed him for a while. "James, I''m your grandma. Do you still remember me? You were still a baby when you left us. My dear child, can you call me Grandma?" James stared at my mother for a long time. Everyone held their breaths as they waited if he would call her "Grandma" or not. To their astonishment, the little boy suddenlyughed and shouted, "Mom!" All of a sudden, the world seemed to have quieted down, and all I could hear was James shouting "Mom!" in the background. My heart began to ache again. Although this reunion should bring joy to me, I did not feel anything but destion. "Mom, please take care of James. I need to rest." With that, I went upstairs with heavy steps and heart. The moment I entered my room, I copsed on the bed, both physically and mentally exhausted. This very same room was filled with good memories with Scarlett. But now, it was empty and lonely. I massaged my forehead as I felt a headacheing on. My mind was buzzing because of what I had seen earlier. The memory of when Scarlett nestled in William''s arms kept crossing my mind over and over again. Later that night, a knock came at the door. It was my mother. She hade to my room to bring my dinner. "Charles, are you alright?" "I''m fine. Just a little tired," I answered in a hoarse voice. She ced the tray of food on the table. But instead of turning around to leave, she stared at me for a moment and then asked, "Charles, is Scarlett really with William?" "Yes. Scarlett and I are over." A deafening silence filled the air. A few momentster, my mother sighed and said, "Maybe this is what they call ''fate''. You and Scarlett are not destined to be together. Charles, for the sake of your sanity, don''t force her toe back anymore. It''s best if you two live your own separate lives in the future." Her words echoed in my ears. It was not until this moment that I realized that my rtionship with Scarlett was really over. ****** The next few days went by in a blur. I was like a zombie¡ªbarely getting by. I just did my routine just like I always had. I would go to work in the morning as the CEO of the Moore Group ande home in the evening as James''s father. Nothing changed in my daily life. That was until I saw Nancy loitering around my car one day. She was wearing a white chiffon dress, and her long dark hair was tied up with a greence hairband. The hemline of her dress danced in the wind, making her look like a blooming little white flower. "Come here," I ordered. The moment Nancy saw me, her eyes lit up, and she quickly walked up to me. "Charles, you''re off duty!" she eximed. There was undisguised admiration in her eyes as she looked at me. Ironically, the woman whom I had just known for a short time would wait for me no matter how long. On the other hand, the one whom I had devoted my heart to had chosen to abandon our child and me. She must be in his new man''s arms right now. In that case, why should I restrain myself? I looked at Nancy and asked with a faint smile, "Are you waiting for me?" She blushed and lowered her head shyly. "Yes." "Alright then. Get in the car." I opened the door for her. However, she just looked at me with eyes wide in shock. "Don''t you want toe with me?" I asked in confusion. "Of course! I would love to." Nancy nodded violently. Without further ado, she sat on the passenger seat with a beaming smile. Nancy did not stop talking the whole ride. I could smell her strong, pungent perfume in the driver''s seat, which made my head hurt. I did not speak in the car and tried my best to be patient. However, my veins stood out on the back of my hands, betraying me. I took Nancy to Mint Bar. As soon as I walked in, I came across Spencer and Vivian. Surprise was written all over their faces when they saw Nancy and me together. "Someone''s wife has just left for a year, but he couldn''t wait to hook up with another woman. If my memory serves me right, you two haven''t divorce, am I right? Who is thisdy? Is she your mistress? Or perhaps, just a ything?" Vivian asked in a voice dripping with sarcasm. Nancy''s face went white as a sheet. She pursed her lips and stared daggers at Vivian. Without even bothering to defend Nancy, I turned to her and said, "Have a seat somewhere. I''ll come to youter." I went upstairs and walked into a private room. David, who was sitting on the sofa, nodded at me in greeting. Spencer joined us shortly after. "Charles, what have you done? Why did you bring Nancy here?" I took a cigar from David and lit it. "Nothing. She happened to be there when I was bored, so I took her out for fun." David looked at me incredulously. "For fun?! Are you fucking serious?" "Serious? Don''t worry. It''s just a one-night stand at most." I smiled bitterly and took a deep drag on the cigar. I then let all the smoke out in a puff. Both David and Spencer gasped in disbelief. "Charles, calm down. You shouldn''t act on impulse," David advised with a frown. "Calm down? Oh, I''ve been very calm. My friends, life is short. We should enjoy our life as much as we could. Besides, I have needs that need to be sated. You should try it too. It''s good for your health." "Charles, can you even hear yourself? You''ll let Scarlett down!" Spencer bellowed. "Scarlett? She''s busy snuggling in her sweetheart''s arms." "Stop being so reckless and instead restrain yourself. What if Scarlett and William are just acting?" David earnestly advised. "Yeah. You''ll regret it one day," Spencer echoed. Acting? A sneer tugged at the corners of my mouth upon hearing this. I did not see even a hint of hesitance on Scarlett''s face when she called that bastard "honey" in front of me. "That''s enough. From now on, nobody is allowed to mention her name. If one of you does, I won''t hesitate to cut ties with you at once." I snuffed out my cigar in the ashtray and leaned against the sofa as soon as I finished speaking. "You... You''re impossible!" Spencer was so mad that his face had turned red. Enraged, he stood up and left without looking back. David''s gaze shifted from Spencer''s receding figure and then to me. He picked up a ss, poured me a ss of whiskey, and earnestly said, "Charles, I know Scarlett has deeply hurt you. But as your friend, let me remind you that you should think twice before you act. Otherwise, there''s nothing else you can do when you have to redeem yourself." I scoffed. Redeem myself? I would never do that stupid thing again. Spencer''s POV: Charles''s behavior and attitude baffled me. In a fit of anger, I walked out of the private room. I happened to see Nancy sitting in the corner and looking around as if searching for something... or someone. What a shame. I walked over and sat next to her. This was the first time I had a good look at her. Her waist was not slender enough, her breasts were not big enough, and her buttocks were not upturned enough. Most importantly, she was not as beautiful as Scarlett. I wondered why Charles had taken a fancy to her. "Are you waiting for Charles?" Nancy nodded obediently and answered, "Yes." I could not help butugh sardonically. "Men nowadays don''t like women who are too easy. The easier it is to get something, the less they will cherish it." Nancy looked at me confusedly. "All I''m saying is that you should stop pestering Charles. What are you even waiting for? Are you waiting for him to take you home? Do you want to sleep with him? He said himself that what you''ve had is just one-night stand at most." "Charles won''t say such a thing!" Nancy retorted with a red face. "Trust me. Only men know what other men are thinking. Just like your brother Nichs. He brought home different women every night for sex and forget about them the next day. Haven''t you learned something from that? Think about it. If you don''t let Charles get you in just a snap of his fingers, he''ll keep thinking about you. No, he''ll be obsessed with you. And when that happens, it''s safe to say that you''ve won his heart. Isn''t that great?" Nancy was still a young woman. Although she did not fully understand what I had said, she believed it. I could not help but smile in amusement when I saw her face light up in delight. Just as I had expected, my eloquence had once again inveigled someone. Chapter 316 Divorce Agreement Chapter 316 Divorce Agreement Charles'' POV: Around twelve in the evening, I went back to the Moore mansion. It was already midnight, so everyone was asleep by now. I took James out of my parents'' room and went back to the master bedroom. Every night, I slept with him. The second I put him to bed, James woke up. Upon seeing me, he rubbed his eyes and muttered, "Dad?" I figured since he was awake, I could y with him for a little while, so I decided to pick him up. James seemed delighted to y with me. And ying with him had helped relieve my stress. I was so d to have my son back. The day I thought James had fallen to the sea and died, I wished that I was the one who had died instead. "Dad, where is Mom?" he asked, looking around. "She''s, urn... she''s lost somewhere. I''m afraid she won''t be able to see us for the time being," I answered in a calm voice. Deep down, I was suppressing my pain and anger, for I didn''t have the heart to tell James the truth. He was still far too young, and yet he had already gone through so much hardships. Now that he had finallye back home, his mother chose to abandon him just to run away with another man. As Iy on the bed, I stared at the ceiling, restless and unable to fall asleep. Right now, all I could think of was Scarlett. I wondered what she was doing right now. Was she sleeping in William''s arms? Would they be as intimate as we used to be? All this time, I thought that Scarlett would belong to me for the rest of our lives. The thought of her being in the arms of another man was driving me insane. And the pain came to a point that I could barely breathe. The following day, after breakfast, y father asked me to meet him at the study. He asked about my divorce with Scarlett. "I''ll arrange for someone to prepare the divorce agreement, and then send it to Scarlett." I was a bit dazed, so I could only speak perfunctorily. "Try to do it as soon as you can, Charles. Don''t dy it like you did before. It won''t do either of you any good if things go on like this." He gave me a pat on the shoulder tofort me. This time, I didn''t respond. Once I had signed that divorce agreement, my rtionship with Scarlett would be done and over with. The thought of it broke my heart. Later, in thepany, I ran into Nancy again. When I came out of the private roomst night, she had already left the bar. I didn''t really care about that, for I knew that women did that sometimes. "Charles." She quickly approached me and blocked my path with a face that disyed her bewilderment. "Charles, I''m so sorry I left without saying goodbye to youst night. An emergency came up and I had to deal with it," she said. Ignoring her, I went into the CEO''s exclusive elevator. Nancy was left standing outside of the elevator, looking at me as though she was fishing for pity. But it didn''t affect me. I just found her ridiculous. That was how women were. Each time they wanted something, they would be tender and sweet. But once they got what they wanted, they would be ruthless. Once I arrived at my office, I found Nina waiting for me there. I had made an appointment with her before I came to thepany. "You''re asking me to take charge of your divorce case with Scarlett?" "Is there a problem? Aren''t you awyer?" I asked her. "Of course, I am!" Nina retorted. "Well, I trust your professionalism." Having said that, I shed her a smile and said nothing more. Nina''s BOV: Charles'' words left me speechless. I couldn''t understand what his purpose was. He was a man of means. He could hire anywyer he wanted, and it wouldn''t be a problem for him. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. I was sure that he knew that I was close to Scarlett, so I wondered why he asked me to deal with their divorce. While I was pondering, I sat down and read through the agreement he had prepared. And the more I read the divorce agreement, the angrier I felt. ''Charles is a CEO. How could he be so stingy?'' I wondered. "Charles, you''re taking things too far. Based on this divorce agreement, Scarlett won''t get a penny! You''ve been legally married for several years. How can you treat her so cruelly?" I red at Charles, feeling that I was wrong to think highly of him. "She''s with William now. I imagine shecks nothing," Charles replied indifferently. He appeared to be dispirited, and the dark circles beneath his eyelids made him look even more haggard. Obviously, it had been a while since hest had a good night''s sleep. He must''ve been so depressed ever since he found out that Scarlett and William were together. Without another word, I stood up and left Charles''pany. Afterwards, I called Scarlett and told her that Charles had asked me to handle their divorce case. "Scarlett, is there anything that you want? I''ll try my best to help you." As Scarlett''s friend, I hoped that I could help her achieve her best interests. "Honestly, I don''t want anything. All I want is visitation rights for James." The way Scarlett spoke sounded like she was hopeful. Upon hearing that, I felt conflicted. Charles had made it clear that he would never let Scarlett see James ever again. "I''m afraid that might be a little difficult," I said. After a moment of silence, Scarlett replied, "Let him do what he wants." She sounded surprisingly calm. I was well aware that she loved James with every fiber of her being. I could tell that she was just stifling the pain in her heart right now. After hanging up on Scarlett, I called Charles next. "Charles, Scarlett has agreed to your terms. As soon as you sign the divorce papers, you can go through with the divorce." I still wanted to negotiate the visitation rights, but he had already ended the call. I was so angry that I cursed Charles in my head. ''Bah! What a narrow-minded asshole! He deserves to be abandoned by Scarlett!'' During the evening, while I was ying games with my baby Vincent at home, I heard the doorbell ring all of a sudden. Thus, I put Vincent down and went to the door to open it. "Scarlett, what a pleasant surprise! Come on in!" The moment I saw her at the door, I pulled her in. "Vincent looks a lot like Abner," Scarlett remarked. When she sat on the sofa, she stared at Vincent with a smile on her face. "Your twins look like Charles, too," I said. And when I let those words out of my mouth, I realized that I had made a gaff. ''Why the hell did I say that?'' I asked inwardly. Scarlett mmed up. Worried that things would get awkward, I decided to change the topic. "Someone saw Charles and a woman named Nancy at a barst night. Do you know anything about that?" "We''re about to be divorced. I don''t care who he goes to bars with." Scarlett pretended as though it didn''t affect her at all. Truthfully, I wasn''t sure if she really didn''t care. "By the way, Charles asked you to meet him at the ground floor of the Moore Group''s building tomorrow. He said he wanted to go through the divorce formalities together." "Tell him I''ll be there on time," said Scarlett. "So, what are you going to do after you divorce Charles? Will you be marrying William?" I asked. If Scarlett hadn''t met Charles, William would be a good fit for her. Her rtionship with Charles had exhausted her both mentally and spiritually. They had been on and off several times. And just when their rtionship got better, Rita showed up again and again to ruin things between them. Unfortunately, they still ended up wanting to get divorced. "No, I won''t. I''m nning to move to France with my twins." Scarlett shook her head. "Why do you have to go abroad?" I couldn''t understand what my friend was thinking. "Being here is too painful for me. I don''t want to remain in this country any longer." Scarlett held her ss of water, gently rubbing her fingers on it. It seemed that she really wanted to move on. Perhaps she wished to leave this ce that had brought her countless happy and painful memories, so that she could move to a more peaceful ce to start a new life. The love she experienced in this city brought her more pain than happiness. And since Scarlett appeared to have adamantly decided on this matter, I figured it was best to change the topic again. We talked for a while and none of us mentioned Charles again. Chapter 317 Visiting James In The Moore Mansion Chapter 317 Visiting James In The Moore Mansion Scarlett''s POV: After walking me to my car, Nina left. Just as I was about to get in the car, someone stopped me. "Scarlett." I turned around, surprised to see Alice standing behind me. She appeared stressed out and haggard. "Scarlett, I heard from Charles that you were badly injured before. How are you feeling now?" Alice held my hand, staring at me with worried eyes. "Well, I''m feeling a lot better now." I wanted to take her hand off me. Because I was about to divorce Charles, I didn''t want to have anything to do with the members of the Moore family anymore. "Scarlett, Charles is just trying to act tough. In reality, he still loves you very much. If you want, you cane visit James at the Moore mansion whenever you want," said Alice. I knew that she just wanted me and Charles to get back together. And honestly, I was afraid of letting her down. "Thank you," I said with a smile. "Scarlett, whether you and Charles get back together or not, I still watched you grow up and I will always love you as my own daughter. I want you to know that you can still call me "Mom ", just like before. Nothing has to change between us." Alice seemed to have sensed that I was alienating myself from her, and she appeared to be hurt by this. "Charles and I are about to get divorced. It won''t be good for us to maintain contact." I ignored the sadness in her eyes. "You are James'' biological mother. Nobody can stop you from ever visiting your son. Come home with me, okay? James is waiting for you." Her words left me conflicted. Truthfully, I wanted to see James, but I was afraid of running into Charles if I were to go back to the Moore mansion. At this point, seeing James would only make me sad. And besides, Charles didn''t want me to see my son. "Charles isn''ting home tonight. I won''t tell him that you''ll drop by. Don''t worry." Alice patted me on the shoulder and held my hand. After hearing her say that, I felt relieved. And soon, the thought of seeing my beloved son excited me. I wasn''t sure if James had even missed me. "Scarlett, I''m sorry that I failed to take good care of James, and ended up making you go through hell." On our way to the Moore mansion, Alice looked at me with guilt on her face. It seemed that she was ming herself for what happened. "None of this is your fault. This all happened because of Rita''s grudge against me and Charles. And besides, it''s partly my fault." I shook my head, attempting tofort Alice with a smile on my face. I should''ve stayed by James'' side all the time. In doing so, Rita would never have had the chance to kidnap him. "Is Rita still alive?" At the mention of Rita, Alice was enraged. "She''s still very much alive. Rita''s heart belongs to William''s sister. He wanted to take the heart back, but Susan spoke to him." "What?" Alice appeared to be surprised. It seemed that Charles didn''t tell her about any of this. "Susan was seeing someone back then. The man''s wife was cheating on him and even had a boy with her lover. The same boy thatter died in the sea. Anyway, Susan took James away and struck a deal with William. And her condition was to keep Rita alive," I exined. "I see." Alice nodded. "After that, William raised James in a different house. I didn''t find out about it until recently," I replied. "Scarlett, don''t you hate William? He hid James from you and lied to you that your son is dead. He kept you from your son for a long time!" Anger was written all over Alice''s face. In response, I shook my head. Instead of hating him or feeling resentment of any kind, I was actually grateful to him. I was thankful that he made that deal with Susan. And I was grateful that he didn''t do anything that could harm James. "James is alive, and that''s enough for me," I remarked. "You''re right. That''s a lot better than anything else," said Alice. She nodded in agreement, feeling thankful how things turned out. Just before we could arrive at the Moore mansion, she suddenly asked, "Scarlett, are the twins really your children?" I nodded in response to her question. My little twins were the only spiritual support I had left now that I had lost James. The day I thought that James fell into the sea, my heart was shattered into pieces. In that moment, I wished that I could jump into the sea and die with him. It was those two kids that gave me the courage to live on. Alice looked like she wanted to ask more questions, but she bit them back upon seeing that I didn''t look well. The moment I stepped foot into the Moore mansion again, I had mixed feelings. Grandpa and Grandma were sitting in the living room. I greeted them politely, but they didn''t respond. Clearly, they still resented me because of what happened before. "Mommy!" While I was debating with myself whether to say something or not, I suddenly heard James'' voice. "James!" Upon seeing him, tears fell down from my eyes, and I felt an indescribably pain overwhelm my heart. I held my son and kissed his cheeks tenderly. When James saw me crying, he said, "Don''t cry, Mommy." Then, he wiped away my tears. "Scarlett, whenever you miss James, you cane here to visit him anytime." Alice approached me, patted my shoulder, and attempted tofort me. "Thank you," I replied sincerely. Her words were a greatfort to me. As I held my son tighter, tears streamed down my cheeks again. Before I saw him now, I tried my best to convince myself that I should never see him again. I didn''t realize just how much I''d missed him until the moment Iid eyes on him again. When I finally calmed down, Christine began to ask me about my amnesia. Her words silenced me. I couldn''t answer them. "Scarlett, do you me Alice for failing to take care of James?" asked Christine. "No, Grandma," I said. Rita had nned to kidnap James for a long time. Even if Alice had stayed by his side all the time, she would''ve been able toe up with different ways to achieve her goal. "Scarlett, are you really going to divorce Charles? Now that James has returned, I think it''s high time that you clear out your misunderstandings with Charles. Can''t you find it in your heart to forgive him?" Christine was doing her best to bring me and Charles back together. It seemed that she really didn''t want us to get divorced. I wasn''t sure how to answer her questions. Putting things into perspective, it was Charles and I who failed to deal with our problems with Rita. If it weren''t for us, James wouldn''t have suffered so much. I couldn''t forgive Charles, and it was even harder for me to forgive myself. "Scarlett, please stay with James even just for tonight. He''s been looking for you these days. He really misses you," said Lawrence. "I''m sorry, but I can''t. I''ll just visit him some other day," I replied firmly. Upon hearing my answer, Grandpa and Grandma didn''t insist on persuading me to stay. After ying with James for a while, he began to feel sleepy. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Thus, I took him upstairs and put him on the bed. The decor in the baby''s room remained almost the same as before. All of my fondest memories of this room shed through my mind like scenes out of a movie. Flustered, I cursed myself for being so pathetic. I had already decided to divorce Charles. From then on, we would never meet again. I shouldn''t be thinking of the past. Suddenly, I noticed a picture frame on the bedside table. I remembered that the picture in this frame used to be of me and James, but now, it had been reced by that of Charles and James. ''Does Charles want James topletely forget me?'' I wondered. I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at James as he slept soundly. My heart ached when I thought that my son would eventually forget me. I leaned over, nting a kiss on James'' forehead as tears ran down my cheeks. It wasn''t until midnight that I finally steeled my heart and left the Moore mansion, albeit reluctantly. Chapter 318 An Unexpected Car Accident Chapter 318 An Unexpected Car ident Scarlett''s POV: The sky was quite cloudy when I woke up and opened the window the next morning. Soon, it began to rain. After taking a shower, I put on some makeup and a very refreshing subtle perfume. I also straightened my clothes and brushed my hair. I would be going through the divorce formalities with Charles. We had agreed to meet at the Moore Group at nine o''clock. Even though I knew that I should be happy about it, there was something that was weighing my heart down. After arriving at the Moore Group, I waited beside the flower beds. As the rain continued to stter over the flower bed, soon the ground became muddy. Time passed, but Charles was not there yet, which made me a little anxious. He had always been punctual. What could possibly have caused him to bete? All of a sudden, I heard someone''s footstepsing from behind me. ''Charles is here!'' Thinking that, I quickly adjusted my expression before I turned around. "You..." To my surprise, it was Richard, not Charles. Swallowing my words, I looked at him in surprise. "Why are you here? And where is Charles?" "Mr. Moore can''te." Richard answered in a gloomy voice. I then got in his car. He immediately stepped on the gas and raced along the road. Soon, we arrived at the hospital. Richard hit the brakes so hard that the car came to a screeching halt. Unfastening my seat-belt, I rushed out of the car at once. The cold wind felt like a knife cutting my skin, and even though I stepped on a rock that made my injured ankle ache, I still ran towards the hospital. ''Charles will be fine. He is going to be fine,'' I kept thinking to myself as I ran. Charles was unconscious as hey in the ICU. He looked pale and lifeless. Although we were just a few meters apart, it felt like we were in different worlds. Did we meet and fall in love just to end up getting ourselves hurt in the end? Was it a mistake from the very beginning? "Don''t worry. Mr. Moore is going to be fine," Richardforted me. "When did this happen?" "He drank with Mr. Patelst night, and instead of asking the driver to pick him up, he drove back home on his own, and ended up meeting with an ident on his way." ''How can he drive after getting drunk? Is he crazy?'' I looked at him through the ss window as I muttered to myself, "Charles, wake up! You owe me too much and you can''t just leave withoutpensating me." "Scarlett, so you are here." I suddenly heard an unfriendly voiceing from behind me, so I quickly turned around and saw Nancy walking towards me with a faint smile on her lips, dressed in a hospital gown. ''Why is she here?'' I nced at Richard, who lowered his head guiltily. Seeing that, I figured that Nancy must have been with Charles the night before. That moment, the doctor walked in. "Which one of you is the patient''s family member?" he asked, holding a document in his hand. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. "I''m..." Before I could even finish my words, Nancy interrupted me. "What''s the matter, doctor?" "I want the signature of the person who is the patient''s family, so which one of you is it?" "I''m Mr. Moore''s wife. Give it to me." Taking the document from his hand, I quickly signed it. "I didn''t expect to be bothered to sign for Charles just before your divorce. Thanks, Scarlett," Nancy said defiantly. "Miss Wood, even if I have divorced him, it is still not your turn to sign for him." "What did you just say?" It was clear that Nancy was not expecting me to fight back as she turned to me in shock. "Nothing. You take good care of Charles." With a faint smile, I turned to Richard and added, "Since Charles is going to be fine, I have to go. Let me know once he''s discharged from the hospital." "But he is still unconscious and needs someone to take care of him, so please stay here," Richard said. "There''s no need for that. Miss Wood is here, and I am sure that she will take great care of him." I nced at Charles before I turned around and walked away. By the time I was out of the hospital, the rain had already stopped. I felt hurried footstepsing from behind me, so I turned around and saw Richard running towards me. "Scarlett, don''t mistake Mr. Moore. He has nothing to do with that girl." "Why would it matter to me?" I did not want to hear anyone defend Charles now because I had already seen the truth with my own eyes, so what was the point in telling me otherwise? "It was not because of Nancy that he got into an identst night," Richard exined. "So what? We are separating and have to move on, anyway. Since you could gradually forget about Rita and start a new life, I think Charles and I should also do that. So stop pestering me and let me go." I then hailed a cab and said to the driver, "Please take me to the airport." William and the kids were waiting for me, so I really could not waste another moment there. The taxi driver immediately started the car. Just when I was about to arrive at the airport, Alice called me. "Scarlett,e home quickly. James has been crying all morning, and I can''t get him to stop!" When I heard my son crying over the phone, I was flustered. "I''ll be right there." As soon as I hung up, I turned to the driver and said in an apologetic tone, "Sir, please forgive me for asking, but I need to go to a different ce..." The second I arrived at the Moore mansion, I rushed to the living room. James was still crying, so I quickly took him from Alice''s hands. Alice exined worriedly, "I don''t know what''s the matter with him. He''s been crying since morning, and none of us were able tofort him." "Okay. You must be tired, so please take a rest. I will handle him." I then motioned for Alice to sit down. James was crying pitifully like an abandoned puppy. I tried to wipe away his tears while I coaxed him in a low voice, "Please don''t cry, James. Mommy is here with you." "Mommy, don''t go." James finally stopped crying, but there still seemed to be an unimaginable amount of grievance in his tone, which was different from his usual naughtiness. Feeling sorry for him, Iforted him softly, "I am not going anywhere. I will always be with you." Chapter 319 Empty Chapter 319 Empty Scarlett''s POV: After coaxing him for a while, James eventually stopped crying and fell asleep in my arms. He looked so adorable when he was sleeping. His curled eyshes fluttered from time to time, and I could not resist stroking his skin that was as fair as a doll''s. While I was admiring my son, Alice walked over and said, "The little boy is finally quiet. Sure enough, only the mother couldfort her son." What Alice had said made me happy. I bent over to kiss my son''s little face. However, I felt that his temperature was a little too high. "James is a little hot. Could you get the thermometer for me?" "How could that be? Don''t worry. I''ll get it for you right away." Alice went to get the thermometer just like she said and returned shortly after. "I measured James''s temperature this morning. He had a low fever, so I wiped his body with warm water," she said with a guilty look on her face. I put the thermometer under James''s armpit and replied, "Maybe James isn''t in the mood because it''s raining." "You''re right. Children are quite sensitive. They can also sense things like whether their parents love each other or not." Alice was implying something. I did not say anything and just patted James gently on the back. Five minutester, I took out the thermometer and checked his temperature. It was 110 degrees. I felt sorry for my son as he was burning with fever. "Please get the antipyretic paste and medicine. I''ll give James medicine in case his fever goes any higher."Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Okay. I''ll be right back." Alice left the room at once and returned a few momentster with the medicine. I put the antipyretic paste on James''s forehead. I would change it into a new one after a few hours. Then, I gave him the medicine. James twisted and turned in my arms, making me worry even more. I observed his condition for a while and saw that his face was still red. Not only that, his fever had not gone down yet, so I decided not toy him on the cot for the time being. James asked for water, so I immediately fetched him a bottle and helped him drink. But even though his thirst had been satiated, he still did not feel well. He groaned every now and then, and it took him an hour before he finally fell asleep. I took him downstairs in the evening. Thankfully, his fever had been brought down, and he finally felt so much better now. He opened his eyes and said in a sleepy voice, "Mom, I''m awake." "Are you hungry?" He pointed in the direction of the dining room and answered, "Yes. I want dinner." I gestured for J toe over and ordered, "Could you prepare James''s form? Thanks." "Okay, Scarlett." J immediately did as told. Just as she handed James''s milk to me, my phone rang. I asked her to watch over my son for a moment and then walked aside to answer the call. It was not until this moment that I felt that my shoulder was sore and a little painful. "Hello." "Scarlett, where are you now? Jerry and Jason are waiting for you." William went straight to the point. "I know, but I can''t go back today. James is sick." "But Jerry and Jason also need you. You just don''t want to leave, do you? Admit it. You still haven''t forgotten Charles," William retorted, a hint of disappointment in his voice. "This has nothing to do with him. Just please take care of the twins for me." I hung up as soon as I finished speaking. I did not want to talk to William anymore, especially when he was just going to press me into saying something I did not want to say. I returned to the dining room and took James over. "Let me feed him." "Scarlett, your shoulder isn''tpletely healed yet. Be careful," J advised with a worried look on her face. "It''s okay. I''ll be sitting when I feed him." Once James was full, I wiped his mouth with a napkin and picked him up again. He was still weak, but his fever had subsided. After ying with me for a while, he fell asleep yet again. I carried him upstairs andid him on the cot. Jus then, Alice walked in and asked in a hushed voice, "Is James sleeping?" "Yes," I answered. Alice bent down and gingerly stroked James''s face. "I don''t know what''s going on in with Charles. I''ve been calling him the whole day, but he''s not returning my calls." It turned out that she did not know that something had happened to her son. "Amy said that something came up in thepany, so Charles went on a business trip. He should be on the ne now." I lied in order not to make Alice worry. "I see. Scarlett, I''d like to ask you something. You haven''t signed the divorce papers yet, have you?" "Not yet. Anyway, you should take a rest now. I can take care of James." I shifted the topic, not wanting Alice to ask me more questions. "Okay then. Take care of yourself. I''m leaving." One Alice was gone, I heaved a sigh of relief. Then, I leaned on James''s cot to take a nap. But I could not sleep. I was worried James''s fever would recur, so I checked his temperature from time to time. James cried in the middle of the night. Although my shoulder was aching, I held him in my arms and lulled him back to sleep. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain on my lips. I touched them with my fingers and found that they were cracked and bleeding. Only then did I remember that I did not drink much water today. I gentlyid James on the cot. I suddenly remembered that there was an ointment for dry lips in the drawer of the master bedroom. With that, I went to the said room. But when I reached the door, I did note in right away. I just stood there with my heart pounding in my chest. Atst, I took a deep breath and pushed the door open. A familiar scent came to my senses, and the memories of the past came flooding back to me. The furnishings in the master bedroom had changed a little. However, the photo of me and Charles on the bedside table was gone. A myriad of feelings swept all over me. But at the same time, I felt empty. It was as if I had lost something valuable to me. My nose twitched, and tears welled up in my eyes. As I made my way inside, I touched the empty wall of the bedroom. In the past, this very wall was filled with photos of Charles, James, and me. But now, not a single picture was hung there anymore. It appeared that Charles was now trying to forget about me and move on with his life. Like him, I should start letting go of the past now. But, now was not the right time to be sentimental about the past. I had better get what I hade here for. With that, I went to the bedside table, opened the drawer, and took the ointment that I needed. But then, my gaze fell upon the door of the bathroom. What had happened in the bedroom happened in the bathroom as well. All my skincare products and toiletries were gone. I looked at myself in the mirror and saw how haggard I was. My cheekbones bulged, and there were dark circles under my eyes. What was more, my face, which used to be rosy and full of energy, was gaunt and pale. As I applied ointment to my dry and cracked lips, bitterness surged in my heart. At this moment, I vaguely heard that James was crying in the baby''s room. I rushed to his aid and found that he had woken up. "Mom, pee-pee..." He spread his arms open the moment he saw me. "Okay. I''ll take you to the bathroom right now." I put James in thevatory and changed his diaper. He distracted himself by ying with the things that he could hold. "Daddy''s toothbrush!" he shouted happily. He picked it up and waved it on my face. All of a sudden, he threw it, and it went straight into the toilet. James giggled and eximed, "No brush! Toilet!" But the next second, he seemed to have forgotten what had just happened. He picked up the toothpaste and yed with it. "James, good job!" I gave my son a thumbs up. For some reason, an inexplicable sense of joy rose in my heart. Chapter 320 Its Over Chapter 320 It''s Over Scarlett''s POV: I picked up the toothbrush from the toilet. And upon seeing water drip down from it, I imagined how Charles would put this into his mouth; and that thought alone brought me toughter. "James, can we meet secretly every month from now on?" I whispered to my son. "No!" James held my neck, shaking his head. I hugged him and caressed his cheeks. "James, you''re my baby. Why won''t you agree to such a small request? This makes Mommy so sad." I covered my eyes, pretending to cry. Seemingly nonplussed, James touched my face with his little hand. "Don''t cry, Mommy." "So, will you agree to my request?" I asked. James buried his face in my arms, nodding reluctantly. I touched his head lovingly and said, "Promise me that you won''t cry when you can''t see me in the future." James looked up at me and replied, "Okay, Mommy." "You''re so awesome, my love! Now, give Mommy a kiss." I nted a kiss on my son''s cheek, and it made him blush. After washing up, I went downstairs with James in my arms. The living room was a mess. Alice picked up her purse and was about to go out. Upon seeing me come down, she asked anxiously, "Scarlett, didn''t you say that Charles was on a business trip?" It appeared that Alice already found out that Charles had been in a car ident. "Don''t worry, Mom. Charles is okay." "Gosh, the people around him are so reckless! How could they not tell us something this big?" Alice remarked, visibly panicking. "Maybe they''re afraid that you''ll worry too much," I replied. "Nonsense! How could a mother be indifferent to her child''s plight? If something had really happened to Charles... No! I have to go and see him for myself right away." The more she spoke, the more anxious Alice became. She hurriedly put on her shoes and was ready to leave. "Aren''t you going toe with me, Scarlett?" she asked. Her question left me stunned. "Uh, sorry, but no. I''m leaving today." Now that I had decided to break off all ties with Charles, I wanted to avoid having too much contact with him. Alice sighed, "If you don''t want to go, that''s fine. Just give me James, please. I''ll take him to his father." Having said that, she took James from me. I was reluctant to say goodbye to him, but I had to. I could only watch their car drive away. "Scarlett, do you really not want to see how Charles is doing? I''m sure he would love to see you." I had no idea that Christine was already behind me, and she was staring at me with hopeful eyes. For a moment, I paused. Then, I said with a straight face, "Grandma, too many things have happened between me and Charles. We can''t get back together anymore. It''s better to break up completely than to continue torturing each other." Christine gave me a pat on the shoulder, staring at me with forlorn eyes. "You have your own lives to live. My only wish is for the both of you to be happy." Tears blurred my vision. She had finally agreed to let me divorce Charles. I spread my arms and hugged Christine. "Thank you, Grandma. Thank you so much." I was thanking her for taking care of me and loving me ever since I was a little girl. And I also thanked her for understanding me and supporting me all this time. Gently, Christine wiped away my tears. "Don''t cry, dear." Meanwhile, Nina drove the car over. "I should go now, Grandma." I didn''t take away the ring that Christine had given me. It was the Moore family''s heirloom, and it should belong to the next Mrs. Moore. On my way to the airport, I stared out the window, watching the passing scenery. My heart began to ache. This time, I was determined to leave. At the airport, Nina looked into my eyes and said, "Scarlett, I think you should go to the hospital to see Charles." I smiled but said nothing. "Forget it. You have your reasons, so I won''t force you." Nina waved her hand, giving up on persuading me. Afterwards, we hugged each other. "I wish you all the best, Scarlett," she said. "And I wish the same for you," I replied. Charles'' POV: I was lying in bed, staring at the empty white ceiling. My body felt like it had been beaten to a pulp. All of a sudden, the door of the ward opened up. My mother walked in along with James. "Charles, how are you feeling? Are you okay?" She put James beside me, held my hand, and stared at me up and down while trying to hold back her tears. Meanwhile, I touched my son''s face. "Don''t worry, Mom. I''m fine." N?velDrama.Org ? content. "Scarlett, she..." Upon hearing the name, my heart ached, and it put a frown on my face. "Mom, please don''t mention her to me again." "Fine. I won''t mention her again. I''ll find you a better woman in the future." She wiped away her tears. ''A better woman?'' I wondered. ''Is there any other woman better than Scarlett in this world?'' With that in mind, I averted my gaze. "You''re an adult, Charles. Why aren''t you taking care of yourself properly? If something happens to you, what am I supposed to do? James is still so young. Do you want him to lose his father?" My mother sat next to me, nagging my ears off. Frowning, I exined, "Mom, take it easy! It was just an ident." Suddenly, she put on a serious face and brought up another topic. "Charles, I heard that Nancy was in your car during the ident. Are you really with her?" I neither denied nor admitted it. "Honestly, Nancy is quite a looker, but I get this feeling that she''s not as simple as she appears to be." Speak of the devil and she''de. Nancy soon came into the ward. She was wearing a hospital gown and light makeup. She had a bouquet of lilies in hand, looking as fresh and beautiful as the flowers in her hands. "Hello, Mrs. Moore. I''m here to visit Charles," she said shyly. "Nancy, I heard that you got injured as well. You should get some more rest. You can visit Charles once you''re feeling better," said my mother. "It''s alright, Mrs. Moore. I just really care about Charles'' health. But don''t worry! I''ll try not to disturb him," Nancy exined anxiously. This time, my mother frowned and said nothing more. She turned around and picked up James. "Well, since you''re doing fine, Charles, I should go. I hope you can ponder on what we discussed." Having said that, she nced at Nancy knowingly before leaving the ward. I could tell that my mother disliked Nancy. She probably didn''t like anyone aside from Scarlett. ****** The following day, during the afternoon, Iy on my bed as I dealt with work. There was entertainment rted news ying on the TV, and I vaguely heard Scarlett''s name. Upon raising my head, I happened to see her face. She was being cornered by a group of reporters at the airport. One of them shouted, "Mrs. Moore, some say that you''ve been having an affair during your marriage, and that you dumped your husband. Is this true?" ''An affair?'' I sneered. ''Paper really could never hold fire,'' I thought. Chapter 321 Forgive Her And Yourself Chapter 321 Forgive Her And Yourself Charles'' POV: I wanted to see how Scarlett would answer. "What are you doing? Why are you making things difficult for a woman?" asked William. He appeared from amidst the crowd, holding Scarlett in his arms. The reporters shifted their attention towards him immediately. "Sir, what is the nature of your rtionship with Mrs. Moore?" asked a reporter. "Are you her lover?" asked another reporter. "Enough!" William shot them a stern re and said, "Scarlett and I are good friends; nothing more, nothing less. Stop making wild assumptions, because it will affect her rtionship with her husband!" While protecting Scarlett, he led her out of the encirclement of reporters. The news program began to broadcast the next piece of news, but I was still thinking of how William held Scarlett while she was panicking. ''They''ve be so brazen now, huh?'' I stared at my ring finger. It still had a faint trace of where the ring used to be, caused by wearing a ring for a long time. But sadly, the ring was no longer there. Richard noticed the look on my face, so he took out the ring from his pocket and handed it to me. "Mr. Moore, the paramedics took the ring off while giving you emergency treatments, so I kept it safe for you. Now, I''m giving it back to you." I stared at the ring in his palm, and it made me think of a simr ring on William''s fingers. The thought of it alone felt like I took a punch to the gut, and the feeling of humiliation lingered in my mind. "I have no need for that anymore. Throw the thing away," I scoffed. Richard held the ring with a nk stare, uncertain of what to do. Silence ensued in the ward for a time. The following moment, Nancy entered carrying a small basket of fruits. "Hi, Charles! How are you feeling? I''m here to visit you and bring you some fruits." Having said that, she sat on the edge of my bed and began to peel an apple using a fruit knife. Upon ncing at her hand, I noticed that she had bruises on it. "Put that down. You don''t need to do this for me." Nancy hid her injured hand behind her back, visibly startled. "I''m fine. That whole thing was my fault. If it weren''t for me, you wouldn''t have been in a car ident," she said. Tears began to well up in her eyes. I stared at her, feeling deeply annoyed and insulted at the same time. I had already seen through Nancy''s poor theatrics. She was merely pretending to be a young woman in love. But so what? At the very least, she was doing this because she loved me. Scarlett, on the other hand, didn''t even bother to pretend like she cared about me. She even used the cruelest possible way to get me out of her sight. Love and hatred intertwined, creating a bottle of deadly, poisonous wine. But in this game involving two people, only I was left intoxicated and unable to wake up from the nightmare that had taken shape. ****** The day that I was discharged from the hospital, I took Nancy with me to the car. There, I saw just how surprised Richard and J were to see her. "Mr. Moore, there''s going to be a lot of reporters taking pictures of us. Do you..." Richard wanted to voice out his concern, but he stopped midsentence. "I already know," I said, chuckling bitterly. Now that Scarlett and William practically announced to the public that they were dating, it would only be fair for me to be with another woman. Scarlett was intent on leaving me. Thus, I wanted to show her that I didn''t need her at all! Not to brag, but hundreds, if not thousands of women would fall head over heels just to gain my affection. Upon our arrival at the Moore mansion, Nancy got out of the car with me. At this time, Tracy was ying with James in the front yard. When my son saw meing, he immediately ran towards me. "Daddy! You''re home!" I bent down, picked him up, and nted an affectionate kiss on his cheek. "Did you miss me, James?" "Yes, I did! So much!" James replied. "Hello, James. I''m Nancy Wood, a friend of your dad," Nancy greeted James as she stood behind me. James took one nce at her and shrank in my arms with fear. "Mr. Moore, why is she here?" Tracy asked, sounding upset. Silently, Nancy hid behind me, feeling as though she was being persecuted. I shot Tracy a cold nce and asked, "Is she not allowed to be here?" Upon hearing the question, she nced down and dared not speak. With that resolved, I touched James'' head and carried him into the vi, while Nancy followed me behind. The moment my father and grandmother saw that I had taken Nancy home, they both looked unhappy. They sat in the living room for a few minutes, but they went back upstairs not long after. And before long, Grandma asked a servant to take me to her room. "Charles, I know that you and Scarlett are having problems, but you haven''t even gone through the divorce process yet. It''s not appropriate for you to bring another woman home so openly! Besides, I''ve already observed that girl, and you''re way out of her league. She''s not a good fit for you." "Oh, she isn''t, huh? Then who do you think is suitable for me? Scarlett?" I asked.N?velDrama.Org ? content. Ever since Scarlett was a little girl, my family had believed that she was the only one fit to be my wife. But now, I realized that it was a ridiculous assumption. Grandma let out a deep sigh. "Don''t me Scarlett for what happened. She''s hurting just as much as you are." I lowered my gaze and said nothing. Right now, I knew just how much hatred my eyes possessed. ''She''s hurting? She abandoned me time and time again. Am I not hurting as well? I won''t forgive her for the rest of my life! I just can''t.'' Grandma held my hand, staring into my eyes. "Don''t you get it, Charles? She''s actually miserable." "Are you sure? Whenever she''s flirting with another man, she has that bright smile on her face." I could no longer hide my grievances at this point. Every time I thought of William held Scarlett in his arms, it felt like my heart was being torn into pieces. "Maybe you''re just not meant for each other. You need to let her go, my child. After all, Scarlett has left James to us." Tears welled up in Grandma''s eyes. "How are you so sure that she didn''t want to abandon James, huh?" Each word that came out of my mouth was like a knife, jabbing into my heart. ''How could she be so cruel as to abandon our son for another man?'' I wondered. "Charles, you''ll never understand how a mother feels when losing her child. She''s really hurting over it. I''m sure," said Grandma. "Why are you always taking her side? This is all Scarlett''s fault. She chose to abandon me!" Right after I said that, I chuckled with self-mockery. "But you''ve also hurt Scarlett, haven''t you? Charles, you''re a grown man. You should learn to forgive her, and you need to forgive yourself." I could see my ferocious face in my grandmother''s eyes. And her soft gaze slowlyforted me. The sound of her voice lingered in my mind, and I found that I couldn''t refute her. At this point, my mind was in shambles. Suddenly, James'' cries pulled me back to reality. I hurried out to check on him. There, I saw the servant and Alice coaxingjames while he cried in the hall. Meanwhile, Nancy was standing aside, seemingly bewildered. "What happened?" I asked sternly. "I was ying with James, when all of a sudden, he cried. I... I don''t know what happened," Nancy exined incoherently. As I looked at my son''s face covered in tears, I felt really sorry for him. Annoyed, I shouted at Nancy, "Get out!" Nancy stood rooted to her spot as tears streamed down her face. "But, Charles..." "Didn''t you hear me? I just told you to g?^ ??? my house!" Chapter 322 You Dont Love Me Chapter 322 You Don''t Love Me Nancy''s POV: My heart raced in my chest in panic when I looked back in Charles''s icy cold gaze. It turned out that he cared about James more than I thought. A sense of crisis swept over me at this sudden realization. James was his child with Scarlett. Since Charles cared about his son so much, did that mean that he still had not moved on from that woman? At the thought of Scarlett, my heart was filled with anguish and resentment. Why could I notpete with her? I had done so much for Charles, but he only cared about Scarlett. Sometimes, I even felt that he could not see what I had done for him. From now on, I swore to myself I would win Charles over. I would not stop until I became his woman. At this moment, I called my brother and asked him to pick me up at the Moore mansion. He arrived about thirty minutester and drove me to the seaside. There, I had a heartfelt conversation with him. But first, he asked me about Charles. "Nancy, are you in love with Charles?" he asked while looking at me with concern. I knew very well what he was worried about. Charles was the heir of the Moore family. It did not take a genius to see that he was way out of my league. I just looked at Nick in response. ''Do I love Charles? Maybe,'' I answered, but I only kept it to myself. Could I me myself? He was handsome and endearing. Any woman would fall in love with him. "I will win Charles over. I''m not only talking about his body but also his heart," I said with sheer determination. As I spoke, there was a crazy look in my eyes that even I did not notice. If there was one thing I was sure about, it was that I would not give up on Charles without putting up a fight. One day, I was certain he would realize that I was more suitable for him than Scarlett. "Nancy, it''s good for us if you manage to hook up with Charles. But stop being delusional. He will never fall in love with you. Scarlett is the only woman he has ever loved in his life." "You''re wrong, Nicky. Charles will fall in love with me," I insisted. I was confident in my charm. Charles would eventually see how good I was. "Nancy, don''t be rash. Charles''s love for Scarlett may be beyond yourprehension. Think about it. If Scarlett really betrayed him, there''s a chance that he might never love again." Nick had known that it was useless to stop me once I had put my heart into it. Because of this, he decided to tell me the cruelest truth once and for all. It was effective, though. His words rendered me speechless. Besides, I knew from the back of my head that what he had said was true. If Scarlett had betrayed Charles, even I would not have the chance to get close to him. All of a sudden, his icy cold gaze crossed my mind. I lowered my head as a feeling of dread washed over me. But then again, just the thought of losing Charles dismayed me. Scarlett might be irreceable in his heart, my resolution was unwavering. I would make sure to Charles over, no matter what it took. Scarlett''s POV: In the afternoon, Tracy suddenly came to me while I was typing something on myputer. "Tracy, what brings you here?" I asked in surprise. Tracy should be taking care of James at the Moore mansion at this moment. What was she doing in my house? "Mr. Moore took Nancy home yesterday. I couldn''t control myself and said something harsh. And then, he fired me." Tracyined with her head down. My heart ached when I heard that Charles had taken Nancy in the mansion. "Mr. Moore has brought another woman home before you two divorce. He doesn''t seem to care about your feelings," Tracy added. The more she spoke, the more wronged she felt on my behalf. I must admit, even though I was the one who chose to leave, I still had notpletely let go of Charles. All of a sudden, Tracy walked over and held my hand, bringing me back to my senses. "Scarlett, I have nowhere else to go. Please take me with you." I was a little hesitant. I had nned to go to France once Charles and I were officially divorced. That was my way of having closure with all the people I had known from the past. I wanted nothing to do with them in the future. "Please let me stay with you," Tracy pleaded again. It seemed that she had made up her mind to stick with me until the end. "Fine. You can stay here." She had been by my side for a long time and had protected me dutifully. I would be on my conscience if I did not help her after, especially when Charles had fired her for speaking for me. After everything she had said and done, there was no way I would leave Tracy behind. Just then, my phone rang. I picked up my phone and looked to see who it was. Speaking of the devil, it was Charles. He had not called for a long time. It was Nina who had been rying my messages to him. That got me thinking¡ªwhy did he take the initiative to call me right now? Anxious, I took a deep breath and answered the call. "Scarlett, I''ll wait for you at the gate of Moore Group at nine o''clock tomorrow morning. Let''s go through the divorce procedure once and for all," Charles said in a matter-of-fact tone. Then, without waiting for my response, he hung up the call. His cold and emotionless tone saddened me. That was on me, though. Leaving him was my decision. Tomorrow, I would leave everything behind and start anew. At the thought of this, I concealed my sadness and forced a smile. "Tracy, book a ticket for me to France tomorrow." Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Once the divorce had been finalized, I would leave the country with my two children and start a new life. "Are you sure? Are you really going to leave James behind?" Tracy asked with confusion written all over her face. "I don''t think Charles wants me to see James again," I answered with a bitter smile. The scene of James hugging me and calling me "Mom" suddenly shed through my mind. The thought that I would have to leave him brought a pang to my heart. Of course, I did not want to do that, but I had no choice but to do so. It was for the betterment of the two of us. When William came back in the evening, I told him straight away that I would leave the country tomorrow. "William, I appreciate everything you''ve done for me. But, I want to let you know that I''m leaving. I''ve already asked Tracy to book a flight. I''ll leave with the twins once Charles and I have divorced," I said indifferently as if my decision was not a big deal. I did not want anything to do with Charles or William anymore. William seemed to disagree with what I had said. He stepped forward, grabbed my shoulders, and shook them. "Scarlett, we agreed that we''d leave together, didn''t we? How can you leave me alone?" I shook off his hand and took a step back away from him. "That was all in the past. Things have changed now." "Scarlett, how can you leave me behind just like that?" William asked in a hurt voice. He could not ept my decision, so he tried to persuade me to change my mind. However, I just smiled at him in response. What had happened between us traumatized me. I knew to myself that we would never be together. William abruptly stood up. "Scarlett, I like you. I know you still haven''t let go of Charles, but I will wait until you do." I looked at him in the eye and said with conviction, "William, it''s impossible for us to be together. I hope you meet a woman, who''ll genuinely love you. But that woman isn''t me." However, William did not seem to hear what I had just said. He proceeded to tell me how much he loved me in hopes that that would change anything. "William!" I snapped. I was starting to get impatient, so I reminded him, "Just so you know, I still haven''t forgiven you for hiding James, and I''m not sure if I ever will. You knew how hurt I''d be if I lost my son, but you still lied to me. You made me believe that he was dead. You''re so selfish." I resented him from the moment I found out that he had lied to me. We were doomed to be together, and I was sure of it. I turned around to leave. But before I could take a step, William grabbed me by my arm. "Give me one more chance. I promise I won''t lie to you again." "William, you don''t love me. You just want to conquer me," I scoffed. I then heartlessly shook off his arm in disgust. Although I could hear him begging behind me, I went upstairs without looking back. Chapter 323 Say Goodbye Chapter 323 Say Goodbye Scarlett''s POV: After parting with William, I began to pack my things. During the middle of the night, Tracy and I quietly went downstairs with the twins. Upon our arrival downstairs, I found that William was already at the car, waiting by the door. "Ha-ha, I knew you''d leave at midnight. At least let me give you a ride." William took the kids from me, staring at me with sincere eyes. I fell silent for a moment, and I didn''t object. " Sorry that I''m troubling you again but thank you." I spoke in a polite and formal manner. William''s face appeared sullen. "Scarlett, you don''t need to thank me." I just smiled at him and said nothing. As William carried the kids into the car, Tracy and I sat in the backseats. "Can''t we at least be friends in the future?" William asked with a bitter smile. "Of course! I''ll always be your friend." I really meant what I said. William had saved James, and I''d never forget his kindness. "Really? Don''t hate me when I stick to you like glue, okay?" William remarked with a chuckle. Having heard what he said, a memory popped up in my head. "I''m cooking. Can you not hug me from behind just like that?" "But why not? You''re my wife, right? Am I not allowed to hug my wife?" "Since when did you be so clingy, Charles?" "Don''t you like it?" "You..." Back when I was still with Charles, he would always stick by me. I oftenined to him that he was too clingy. Even though I wasining, I actually liked it. All of the sweet words he said to me resonated in my mind. But sadly, things had changed between us. Silence ensued in the car as I turned my gaze towards the window and tears fell from my eyes. ****** The second morning, I dressed up carefully and took a taxi to the Moore group. In the morning, I settled the kids and dressed myself before heading to the Moore Group. On my way to meet Charles, I felt a little bored, so I stared outside the car window, watching the passing scenery. It was still early, so most of the shops along the street hadn''t opened. I happened to notice a hair salon that was open, and an idea crossed my mind. "Please stop the car." After paying the cab driver, I got out of the car and walked to the door of the hair salon. A faint ray of sunshine fell on the board of the hair salon. The signage of the hair salon read, "Say Goodbye". Despite how simple those words were, they struck my very soul. For a long time, I just stood at the door of the hair salon until the owner of the establishment came out to greet me. "Madame, do you want a haircut?" Coming to my senses, I shed him a smile and said, "The name of your hair salon is beautiful." Upon entering the ce, I saw the brightly lit salon''s spacious interior. There were words written on the wall, and they read, "Say goodbye to the past and embrace the future. Say goodbye." It was time for me to say goodbye. I sat on the chair, and the man put an apron on me. "What kind of style do you prefer, ma''am." Ibed my long hair that went down to my waist, and then I put my hand on my chin. "Cut it at chin level for me. I want a neat and simple hairstyle." "Got it." Slowly, the man cut my long hair with the scissors. I had kept it this way for many years, but it was now falling bit by bit. And with every strand of hair that fell, I felt as though the bad memories and all the pain disappeared with them. "Madame, it''s done," said the man. I stared at the short-haired woman in the mirror, barely recognizing myself. The heavy, painful memories that weighed me down seemed to have disappeared without a trace. Now, all I wanted was to embrace the new future that belonged to me, and me alone. At nine in the morning, I arrived at the Moore Group right on time. Charles was already waiting for me at the door. He was wearing an Armani ck suit, a ck tie and ck shoes today. It was as if he was going to attend a funeral. But wearing all ck was fitting. After all, today was the death of our marriage and it was officially going to be buried. I stared at him from across the road. My heart was weighed down by grief and sadness, gradually sinking deeper and deeper. As I walked up to him, I suddenly realized that I didn''t know what to tell him. Right now, it was hard for me to y it cool and exchange the usual pleasantries. One more look at him, and I knew that my heart would be torn apart. "Why did you suddenly cut your hair short?" Charles asked, breaking the silence. "Nothing. I just want to try something new," I answered nonchntly, touching my chinlength hair. Then, I turned sideways and said, "Let''s go." But Charles stood rooted to his spot. "Charles, it''s time to go," I said, urging him to move. It was only then that he finally moved. When he took his hands out of his pockets, I happened to notice that his ring was no longer on his finger. ''Did he take off the ring?'' I wondered. My heart ached. I clenched my fists and felt my nails digging into my palms. It felt so painful. "Let''s go. Thewyer is waiting for us." Just as I turned around and was about to walk on, I heard Charles'' deep voice from behind me. "Scarlett, take off that ring. You don''t deserve it." I turned around, staring at him. "What did you say?" Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. "I said you don''t deserve it." Anger suddenly overcame my heart. "I''m the one who bought this ring. I decide whether I deserve to wear it or not!" I answered. Charles took out a wad of cash from his wallet, staring at me with a sardonic gaze. "In that case, I''ll buy it from you. Is this enough?" I was so enraged that I trembled all over. I pulled the ring from my finger, clenching it in my palm. "Is one hundred thousand dors enough? I seem to recall that you didn''t spend much money on that ring." Charles took out his checkbook this time and wrote something down. "As for the rest, just consider it as payment for sleeping with me after all these years." He stared at me as though he was looking at a prostitute from a night club. His gaze was filled with contempt. My eyes widened with rage. This man, whom I had loved since I was but a little girl, was now saying such horrible words to me. It had been said that when people were extremely angry, they would break intoughter. And right now, I was so angry that I wanted to tear him apart. I couldn''t help butugh bitterly. "In that case, I should be the one to pay you!" I opened my purse and took out a stack of bills from my wallet, which I handed to Charles. Then, I raised my chin and said, "This is payment for your service after all these years. Sadly, your service is unsatisfactory. You''re quite unprofessional as well." Charles'' face turned grim as he moved towards me. "What did you say? I dare you to say it again!" His threat meant nothing to him. I took the check from his hand, putting it into my purse. I wanted to add fuel to the fire, and I wanted to provoke him even more. "You want the ring, huh? Here. I''ll give it back to you!" Having said that, I threw the ring away. Within an instant, the symbol that had carried all my youth and love in the past had disappeared into a sea of people. "Great. Well done!" Charles sneered as wrath filled his eyes. "Are you going to divorce me or not, Charles?" I said through gritted teeth. "What''s happening here, Scarlett?" Before Charles could finish his sentence, someone suddenly chimed in. Charles and I looked at the man at the same time, and we saw William getting out of a car across the road and waving at us. Upon seeing him, my heart skipped a beat. ''What on earth is he doing here?'' Chapter 324 I Wouldnt Divorce You Chapter 324 I Wouldn''t Divorce You Scarlett''s POV: "You just couldn''t wait, could you? You had to bring your lover with you even when you''re here to get divorced. Are you nning on getting married right after the divorce?" Charles sneered coldly. I also became furious when I saw his disdainful look. "You are right about that, Mr. Moore. Would you like to give your ex-wife a wedding gift?" Hearing that, Charles red at me so seriously that it felt like his eyes were an abyss waiting to suck me in and destroy me. I reflexively took a step back and fell into William''s arms. William put his hands around my waist intimately and raised his hand to stroke my hair gently. "Baby, you look stunning with that new haircut of yours! Were you annoyed because the twins always ended up grabbing your hair?" I was silent as I looked at him in a daze. I had already made things clear to himst night. Later he did swear with a rational expression that he only wanted to be my friend. If that was really the case, then what was he doing there now? William lowered his head and looked at me affectionately. "I did not want you toe alone. You will be mine after today." He then tried to touch my face, but I dodged him by turning my head aside. However, he continued to hold me in his arms without giving up. "Honey, don''t be shy." My mind was a mess. What was he even trying to do? "Scarlett, go through the formalities and don''t make Charles wait too long." I nced at Charles, who was clearly furious. All of a sudden, I understood what William was trying to do. My anger for Charles made me almost forget the real reason I was there. "You two can''t wait any longer, can you?" Charles teased with a scoff, raising his eyebrows at us. "I have no choice. Scarlett and I can wait, but our children can''t. They need a father." William put away his yful smile and looked at Charles seriously. I snuggled up in his arms and acquiesced in his words. All of a sudden, Charles burst intoughter, making me have goose-bumps. He then walked a few steps forward as William and I stared at him in confusion. Soon, he stopped in his tracks, turned around, and red at me. "Scarlett." I looked up at him. "Do you really want to get a divorce?" There was a heavy trace of temptation and seduction in his voice that made him sound like the serpent that lured Adam and Eve to the forbidden fruit. I suddenly had a bad feeling and did not dare to say anything. "If that''s what you want, then I won''t let you have it. I won''t divorce you!" His words made me stand rooted to the spot. He then passed by William and made his way to his Maybach. The next second, William came to his senses and stopped him. "Charles, how can you call yourself a man if you break your promise like this?" William questioned him. "Didn''t you say that you only think of her as your friend? Do you really think that a real man would sleep with his friend?" "I..." William was rendered speechless. Charles cast a malicious nce at me before he turned around and left. I quickly came to my senses, pushed William away, caught up with Charles, and held his hand. "What do you mean?" "What do you mean by bringing your lover here to spite me?" Looking at the unmistakable hatred in his eyes, I knew that he had already made up his mind. I grabbed his hand tightly to stop him from leaving. "You promised me." "Yes, Charles. You promised her that you would go through the divorce procedures with her today." Saying that, William stood behind me. "I am not going to divorce you. Besides, there is no way that you can live happily with a guy like him! From now on, I am going to focus only on stopping you from getting what you want." Charles shook off my hand and continued in a loud voice, "Let go!" "No!" "I said let go!" I immediately grabbed his arm tightly with both of my hands. Since he could not move his left hand, Charles stretched out his right hand and pinched my wrist. "I said I won''t let you get what you want." I felt a sharp, crushing pain in my wrist, which made me feel like he was going to break my bones. After being with Charles for so many years, I knew the kind of person he was. He was the kind of man who would not let anyone get what they wanted as long as he did not get what he wanted. He was overbearing in love. "Charles, I will never marry William as long as you agree to divorce me," I blurted out. Just as expected, he stopped in his tracks, nced at me before he turned to William, who was behind me. "How can I trust your words after everything you''ve done?" "As long as you agree to divorce, I will give it to you in writing that I will never marry any man." "So you won''t get married for the rest of your life?" "Yes." I looked at Charles in hopes that he would be a bit more soft-hearted. "Do I look like a toddler to you? Did you seriously think that I would fall for something as ridiculous as that?" "What do you even want then?" I asked through gritted teeth. "Scarlett, just give up, okay? I am never going to trust you again. I just want to see you live miserably." Charles sneered. The minute I heard those words, all my hopes crumbled under my feet. I immediately felt weak in my knees and took a step back while loosening my grip on his hand. I felt like I was sinking to the bottom of the ocean. My fear was engulfing me from within and I was too powerless to even fight back. William held me just in time and said, "Charles, you have hurt her deeply. What can I do to make you let her go?" "You have no right to judge me. This is between me and her." Charles red at William with his sharp eyes. "Do you really think that your refusal to divorce her will stop me from being with her? That''s ridiculous! A divorce agreement is just a piece of paper and I don''t give a damn." Charles clenched his fists. Just when I was expecting him to punch William, he turned around and left. Were things between us really meant to end that way? Was I really supposed to be trapped with him without any freedom or happiness in life? No! I broke away from William''s arms and ran after Charles. "Scarlett!" William grabbed my hand. "William, please don''te after me. I beg you." William stopped in his tracks and slowly let go of my hand. I rushed out without hesitation and stopped Charles right before he got in the car. I grabbed the car door with both hands and looked at him firmly. "Divorce me." "Get out of my way." "No, I won''t." I stubbornly blocked the door with my body. "Don''t push me. If it weren''t for James, do you think that I will let you and William go so easily? Don''t ever test me." Charles grabbed my shoulders and was about to push me away. "Do you really love James?" I questioned him. The next second, a powerful force pushed me to the ground. It was Charles.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. "Just wait and see. I will prove to you whether I love James or not." Charles shot me a ferocious look, opened the door, and left. I stared in the direction his car drove as I sat on the ground, enduring the piercing pain in my ankle. What did he mean by that? An ominous feeling enveloped my heart. William quickly walked up to me and bent down to pick me up. "Scarlett, let''s go. We''ll find another way. Tracy and the kids are waiting for you at the airport." I leaned against William''s chest, feeling desperate. Was I never going to be rid of Charles? Chapter 325 Die In Front Of Me Chapter 325 Die In Front Of Me Scarlett''s POV: William continued to hold me as he carried me to the car. I let go of his hand and got in the car. "Go to the airport." When we arrived at the airport, I saw amotion in the VIP lounge not far away. What was going on? I felt a chill freezing my heart as a bad feeling took over my mind. Charles'' words shed through my mind. William and I looked at each other and said in unison, "Jerry and Jason!" It was clear that he also sensed that something was wrong. I quickened my pace and ran to the lounge. There was a woman lying unconscious on the ground. It was Tracy! Jerry and Jason seemed to have already disappeared. All of a sudden, I cked out and almost fainted. Thankfully, William held me. Charles! It must be him! And it was all my fault. But now was not the right time to think about it. The safety of the twins was the first thing. Thinking of that, I turned around and ran out of the airport without looking back. All I wanted was to find Jerry and Jason as soon as possible. "Scarlett, wait for me!" I vaguely heard William calling me from behind, but I just could not afford to care. As soon as I ran out of the airport, I hailed a taxi. "Sir, please take me to the Moore Group." After getting in the car, I kept calling Charles, but he was either talking to someone else or did not want to answer my calls. When he finally picked up, I could not wait to ask, "Charles, what the hell do you want?" "I am only trying to give you a taste of your own medicine." Charles'' cold voice came from the other end of the line. "Charles, I am begging you. Please give my children back. I don''t want anything else." "You have no right to be negotiating with me," Charles sneered unwilling to make apromise. I gritted my teeth and promised, "As long as you give the children back to me, I will do anything you ask of me." "Scarlett, William hid James away for a year. It''s only fair that I pay him back for what he did to me, right?" His voice was so cold that it felt like someone was striking me with a block of ice. "Charles, do you really despise me that much? Can we talk in person?" I pleaded. "You want to talk? You are acting a little too self -righteous, don''t you think?" Charles hung up. My heart sank as I felt a chill rise up my spine. Clearly, the twins were with him. I needed to bring them back no matter what happened. Soon, I arrived at the first floor lobby area of Moore Group. While I waited for the elevator, two bodyguards appeared by my side. They gave me a curt nod and said, "Sorry, you can''t go upstairs without the CEO''s permission." "Get out of my way." "Scarlett, please don''t make things difficult for us." The bodyguards did not want to leave my side. I figured that Charles must have ordered them to do it. Did he really resent me that much? Just when I was standing there lost in thought, I heard a familiar voiceing from behind me. "Scarlett?" I turned around and saw Spencer. He was like a savior sent by God. I was overjoyed to see him. "Spencer, can you take me upstairs? I have to talk to Charles about something urgent!" "They did not let you go upstairs?" he asked, pointing at the bodyguards, and I nodded in reply. "Fuck you! Don''t you recognize her?" The two bodyguards lowered their heads and took a step back. Spencer then walked me to the elevator. "Thank you." "You''re wee." Just when he was about to swipe his ess card for the elevator, the door opened automatically. Spencer turned around and smiled at me. "Charles is really stubborn, but he is soft-hearted. Your face recognition information is still in thepany system." "Really?" I smiled palely as I was not in the mood to think about it. After entering the elevator, Spencer pressed the button and said, "Scarlett, you seem to have lost a lot of weight. Weren''t you happy with William?" "It has nothing to do with him. Spencer, can I meet Charles alone?" "Of course, you can. In fact, Charles cares a lot about you. He''s the kind of guy who doesn''t know how to express himself. He ends up saying harsh things when he means something else altogether. Besides, if he''s really angry, then you just need to say something sweet to cheer him up." Spencer was trying his best to persuade me. Knowing that he was only trying to help me, I did not argue. "I understand. I will try my best." "After you finish your conversation, let''s go to the Mint Bar. Vivian misses you a lot." "How is she? Now that you mention it, I miss her a lot." "We got married, but something upsetting happened quite recently. Anyway, she will be very happy to see you." "Okay, I''lle if I have time." I nodded. While we were still talking, the elevator reached the top floor. My heart began to race uncontrobly. "Go and find him. I''ll talk to Amy." Spencer waved to me as he walked out of the elevator. I knocked on the door once before I pushed it open, but I was shocked to see a man and a woman being intimate. I felt my heart stop for a second. It was like someone had doused me with a bucket of ice cold water. Stunned by what I saw, I took a step back subconsciously.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Charles was sitting on his chair while Nancy was snuggling up to him. Although I was heartbroken, that feeling was quickly reced by my worry for the twins. I had not forgotten the reason I hade there, and I would get the twins back. Charles seemed to be in a foul mood as he looked at me and asked coldly, "What are you doing here?" I dug my nails into my palm to force myself to calm down. "Charles, I want to talk to you alone." Charles'' eyes were filled with disgust. "And why should I?" "Scarlett, can''t you see that we''re in the middle of something important here?" Nancy interrupted me with acent look in her eyes. Charles raised her chin and said in a low hoarse voice while keeping his sharp gaze fixed on me, "Don''t get mad. You won''t be as pretty if you''re mad. If she doesn''t want to leave, then she can stay and watch us have fun. That would be a little kinky but also exciting, don''t you think?" I knew that Charles was deliberately trying to provoke me, but I was determined not to fall for it as I was more concerned about getting the kids back. "Charles, if you just give the kids back to me, I will do anything, okay?" "You can save those words and say them to me a yearter." Charles stroked Nancy''s hair. He used to be so gentle only to me. My heart ached, and the exhaustion from the past few days finally caught up with me. I couldn''t help but shout, "What the hell do you want, Charles?" Hearing that, Charles let go of Nancy and walked towards me. He pinched my chin and looked at me with sarcasm in his eyes. "Are you really willing to do anything?" I nodded with difficulty. Heughed, as though he heard a funny joke, but there was a maliciousness in his eyes. "Okay, if you say so. Since you''re begging me, I want you to end your life in front of me!" Charles'' voice was as vicious as that of a demon from hell. I stared at him in disbelief. Chapter 326 Begging Charles To Let Go Of The... Chapter 326 Begging Charles To Let Go Of The... Scarlett''s POV: I could not believe my ears when I heard Charles '' words. I knew that he resented me for leaving him and James behind, but I never imagined that he hated me enough to want me dead. My heart felt like a knife was piercing through it whenever I met his cold gaze. "I can''t do that. Think of something else." I walked to him with a pleading look. I couldn''t die! What would happen to my children if I died? "Nancy, you go out first." Charles patted on Nancy''s shoulder affectionately. His tone was very gentle,pletely different from how it sounded when he talked to me. Looking at them being so intimate with each other, I figured that they must be together already. "Charles, I''lle to youter." Nancy let go of his hand and winked at him before she stood up. "Scarlett, take your time with him. I''ll be heading out now." There was a smug smile on her lips, and it was clear that she was showing off her intimacy with Charles. I found it ridiculous, but I did not react. All I wanted now was to get my children back. I was not interested in Charles. But Nancy obviously thought of me as her rival in love. "Scarlett, do you really want the twins back?" After she left, Charles approached me with a cold gaze. "Yes. Please give my children back to me." "Scarlett, tell me, who is more important to you, James or the twins?" Charles ignored my pleas and looked at me expectantly as though he was really eager to know my answer. "They are all equally important to me," I answered honestly. James and the twins were all my kids, after all. "Scarlett, don''t y tricks. You have to choose." Charles was clearly dissatisfied with my answer. He approached me with a serious look in his eyes. I took a step back, not wanting to talk about it anymore. As a mother, all my kids were equally important to me. I could never choose between them. "Charles, what should I do to get my children back?" Irritation and fear filled up in my heart. Charles obviously hated me for abandoning James, but if the twins continued to be under his custody, then I could not even imagine what might happen to them. He smiled sarcastically when he saw that I was not interested in answering his question. Looking into his eyes, I understood that he thought that I considered the twins to be more important in my heart than James was. Although I wanted to tell him that he was wrong, I knew that he was not going to believe me no matter what I told him. "When William hid James away, did he ever expect that he would also experience the pain of losing his kids one day?" Charles sounded really happy, as though he was seeing William in misery and grief. His words felt like a knife, tearing through my soul. I had indeed experienced the pain of losing a child, and I had been overwhelmed with grief when that had happened. Suppressing the sorrow in my heart, I walked up to Charles. "Charles, you already have James. Why are you taking the twins away from me? Don''t be too greedy!" I approached him, grabbed his sleeves, and begged him to let go of my kids. I had already given James to him, so why was he still after my other kids? "Scarlett, do you really care aboutjames'' feelings? If you really cared about him, then you would not have abandoned him for a man!" Upon mentioning James, Charles became furious and red at me. When I looked into his eyes, I suddenly thought of James. I knew that he must really hate me now, and that I was not qualified to be his mother. N?velDrama.Org ? content. "Get your hands off me! Filthy woman!" Charles shook off my hands and looked at me with disgust. "Charles, you''re the one that took James away from me! I never abandoned him!" Charles pushed me to the ground, but I endured the pain as I looked at him with tears in my eyes. He had taken James away from me back then and had warned me never to see him again. James was my son. How could I ever abandon him? "Scarlett, you had sex with another man and gave birth to his children. Can you still say that you love James? How do you think James will feel if he finds out that his mother abandoned him for another man and had kids with him?" Fury rose in Charles'' heart every time he mentioned my rtionship with William. "Charles, there has not been a single day when I did not think of James!" I retorted, suppressing the pain in my heart. Only God knew how hurt I was when I heard that James had died. "I think that you were eager to have another baby after finding out that our son died!" Charles stood up from the sofa, grabbed my chin, and stared at me with resentment. I shook my head desperately to deny his usations. No one could rece James. The twins and James were all equal to me, but I loved them all for different reasons. "Charles, what should I do to make you let the kids go?" I knelt down on the ground and begged with tears rolling down my cheeks as despair clouded my heart. "There are many things that I want you to do, but I am never going to let you see those bastards again!" Charles loosened his grip on my jaw before he mercilessly pushed me to the ground. My heart ached to hear him call my children bastards. I was overwhelmed by the pain and I could hardly breathe. I knew I got pregnant on the Independence Day... Thest time that I had sex with Charles. He was calling his own sons bastards. However, I could not bring myself to tell him the truth. I felt that if he knew that the children were his, then he would definitely try to take them away from me, just like he had done before with James. After losing James, I could not bear the loss of another child. "Charles, what should I do to make you let them go?" Wiping away my tears, I looked at him. I was willing to do anything as long as he let my sons go. "I want you to die!" Charles roared with an unmistakable hatred in his eyes. I knew that he was not joking. "Do you really think that I want to live in a world like this? You think that I won''t dare to kill myself?" There was a heavy trace of grief in my eyes as I looked at him. It suddenly urred to me that when I thought James was gone, I had been struck by so much grief that I had wanted to die at that very moment. And it had been the twins who had given me hope during that desperate time. I would have died a long time ago if it had not been for them. Charles sneered. He seemed quite confident that I would not dare to kill myself. "Don''t you want to see the twins? Do it. And maybe I can let you see them for onest time before you die," he said sarcastically. He then tossed me a knife and waited for me to pick it up. Chapter 327 Break The Promise Chapter 327 Break The Promise Scarlett''s POV: I felt cold when I looked down at the knife that was on the ground. It was evident that Charles hated me enough to really want me dead. "Will you keep your promise? If I die, then will you take good care of the twins for me?" I asked, looking at him expectantly. However, Charles just looked at me coldly without even saying a word. It seemed as though he was certain that I would not dare to pick up the knife. But there was something that he did not know. It was the fact that a mother would do anything for her children. She would even die to keep her babies safe. With a bitter smile, I picked up the fruit knife, and pointed it at my wrist. Just when I was about to slit my wrist, Charles rushed to my side and held my hand. "Scarlett, aren''t you afraid of death? Are you crazy enough to sacrifice your life for the kids? William''s kids? Do you really think that I would make your wishe true after you die in front of me?" He was livid with rage as he grabbed my chin and red at me with an imperceptible hint of panic in his eyes. I did not say a word. "I will never let you see those kids! Scarlett, just give up whatever foolish ideas you have in your head!" Charles pushed me away in disgust before he slumped back on the sofa. Shocked, I looked at him, wondering why he was breaking his promise all of a sudden. Feeling helpless, I put down the fruit knife. Just when I was rambling my brains toe up with an idea to make him give up, something struck my mind. Richard and J must have taken my kids away. If that had not been the case, then Tracy would not have been knocked out so easily. Thinking of that, I figured that Richard must know where the two kids were. Charles resented me so much that there was no way that he was going to willingly give me my kids, and all I could do now was to rely on myself. I stood up from the ground and was about to ask Richard where the kids were. However, before I could even take a step, Charles figured out what I was nning. "Scarlett, don''t try to get any clues from Richard or J. I am the one that hid your kids away, and I will never make it so easy for you to find them!" he threatened me as he stood up from the couch and slowly walked to me. I stopped and red at him. That glimmer of hope in my heart disappeared in just a moment and I was rendered powerless again. "Scarlett, I am warning you, if you try to annoy me one more time, you will only be seeing the kids'' corpses!" Charles hissed, ignoring the fact that I was just as furious as him. I looked into his cold eyes in disbelief. I never thought of him as someone who would harm my kids. "Do you really wish to see me die? If you stop me from seeing my kids, then I will die right in front of you!" Saying that, I picked up the fruit knife and pointed it at my neck. However, Charles gave me an indifferent look as though he did not care whether I lived or died. I put down the knife in despair, not knowing how to make himpromise. "Charles, have you ever seen the twins?" I walked up to him and held his hand. I knew that if he had even seen them once, he would know how adorable they were. After all, he was their father, and he would certainly love them. "Scarlett, you are so disgusting. I am not going to see those bastards or have mercy on another man''s children! Just give up already!" Clearly, he misunderstood me. He probably thought that I was interceding on behalf of the kids. He pushed me away again with a disdainful look. The force made me reel backwards until I hit my back against the armrest of the couch, almost falling to the ground. Seeing the cold and disgusted look in his eyes, I was desperate and at a loss. "The stupidest thing I ever did was to believe that you would love me wholeheartedly. If I had known that you would be so disgusting, I would not even have touched you!" Hatred was burning in his eyes as he continued to deny that we shared a sweet past together. "Charles, you can vent your anger on me. But I am begging you, please, let me see the kids." I did not mind being humiliated by him as long as he cooled down. I just wished that he would not take out his anger on my babies. Charles red at me, and it seemed like he did not want to say anything more. He seemed to be leaving, but when he was about to pass by me, he stopped. With a gentle smile on his lips, he asked, "What do you think of Nancy? I would like her to be James'' stepmom and take care of him." Thinking that he must be joking, I looked up at him in disbelief. "Shouldn''t James live in the Moore mansion and be taken care of by the elders? Why should Nancy have anything to do with him?" The thought of Nancy being my son''s stepmom panicked and disgusted me. If Charles really married her, then they would have their own child. And when that happened, would they still take good care of James? "Nancy is a gentle woman and I''m willing to let her look after James. We will live a happy life in the future as a family," Charles said with a sneer. His words irritated me, so I shouted at him angrily, "Charles, you are truly shameless! You are not fit to be James'' father at all! Give my children back to me, including James! He is also my son, and I will never allow you to treat him like this!" "Not going to happen!" Charles shook off my hand resolutely and threatened, "Scarlett, I don''t want to see you ever again. If you dare to show up in front of me again, then I swear I will kill those twins! I mean it!" His words seemed to squeeze the life out of my heart. I stared at him in anger when I tasted the blood in my throat. "Charles, are you even human? How can you say such a thing?" I was afraid that he might really kill my children, and the anxiety caused me to spit out blood. Seeing that, he stopped and immediately reached out to hold me with a hint of panic in his eyes.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. I could feel a stabbing pain in my chest, which made me think that I was about to die. I felt helpless and flustered. Looking at his handsome face, I remembered the sweet past between us. "Charles, have you ever loved me?" I raised my trembling hand to touch his face as I looked at him expectantly. I was eager to get an answer from him. Chapter 328 The Heartbreaking Truth Chapter 328 The Heartbreaking Truth Charles¡¯ POV: "Charles, have you ever loved me?" Every word that came out of Scarlett''s mouth was like a needle pricking my heart. All of the memories we shared together came flooding back, and I was overwhelmed by sorrow and pain. "I¡¯ve never loved you, Scarlett. Not even for a second," I said resolutely. All of sudden, she fainted. "Scarlett? Scarlett!" I panicked the moment she fell. I carried her to the parking lot and put her in the backseat of my car. "Scarlett, wake up! Don''t close your eyes. I won''t allow you to do this!" While I was driving over the speed limit, I kept on talking to her. "Scarlett, open your eyes! Do not let yourself fall asleep. I''m taking you to the hospital. We''re almost there. Hold on! God... don''t do this to me, Scarlett. You hear me? You''re not allowed to leave me like this! Open your eyes, damn it!" Upon our arrival at the hospital, they took Scarlett to the operating room. I wanted to follow her in, but the doctor stopped me. "Sir, this is the operating room. I''m afraid we can''t let you in." With no other choice, I waited outside the operating room, staring at the red light just above the emergency room''s door. An hour had passed by, but to me, it felt like an eternity. Waiting for that long almost killed me. By now, my eyes had turned red. It was then that Tracy arrived, seemingly out of breath. "Is Scarlett okay?" In response, I just pointed at the operating room in silence. After quite some time, the door finally opened. Several nurses pushed Scarlett out. Shey on the bed with her eyes closed, and her face had turned pale. There was a needle on the back of her hand, and she was injected with an IV drip. "How is she?" I asked, approaching them. "She''s safe now, but she needs all the rest she can get. You can wait outside until she wakes up." As I breathed a sigh of relief, I felt the urge to go outside and smoke. However, Tracy stopped me. "Mr. Moore, did you know that the twins are actually your children? Why do you keep on hurting Scarlett?" "What did you just say?" I stared at Tracy''s face, suspended in disbelief because of what I had heard. "A while after that we believed James was really gone, Scarlett wanted tomit suicide. Fortunately, I found her in time and brought her to a hospital. When the doctor ran a physical examination on her, he told me that she was pregnant." Tracy couldn''t stop from crying while she spoke. And in that moment, I realized how stupid I had been. I pushed the woman I loved to the edge of insanity. "Damn it! Why didn''t you tell me sooner?" Right now, I was overwhelmed by regret, anger, and sorrow altogether. "Scarlett wouldn''t allow me to tell you the truth. She said she wanted to raise the twins on her own. Besides, when William took her away, you never asked her to stay. But, sir, I can prove to you that Scarlett and William were never in a rtionship," she said. "Enough!" Suddenly, I felt like I had lost all my strength. The doctor walked up to me and handed me a report. "Mr. Moore, your wife is in an unstable condition. She''s very weak and showing signs of depression. Clearly, she''s been under a lot of stresstely." I almost dropped the paper as I looked through the report. "The patient will need to be taken care of for a long recovery period," the doctor added. "For how long?" I asked. The doctor answered, "Based on her physiological and psychological condition, she''ll need to recover for at least a year or two. Moreover, she has underlying health conditions." "The doctor is right. Scarlett has been bedridden for most of the time duringst year," Tracy cried. "What? Is that true?" I asked. Every word that Tracy said was like a knife, cutting my heart into pieces. Right now, I wished that I was the one lying in the hospital bed instead of Scarlett. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Mr. Moore, try not to worry too much. Your wife will be fine as long as she gets enough rest," the doctor remarked, attempting tofort me. Then, he added, "Would you like toe with me to see the patient?" I couldn''t bring myself to move. For the first time in my life, I just wanted to walk away and escape. I didn''t have the courage to face Scarlett right now. A part of me believed that I was the one that caused her current predicament. "Tracy, go inside with the doctor." Richard helped me out and whispered to my ear, "I just received word that William is outside the hospital, and he wants to enter the ward." "Go and tell him that Scarlett is fine," Imanded. "Yes, sir!" Once Richard had left, I stood outside the ward for a time. When Tracy said that Scarlett had woken up, I couldn''t wait to open the door. And when Tracy and the doctor saw me, they left the ward. Scarlett, on the other hand, turned her back against me and said nothing. A dead silence ensued in the ward. I wanted to speak to her, but I didn''t know where to start. I really wanted to be near her, but my legs felt so heavy that I couldn''t take a step. The world before my eyes seemed to be copsing, and a vast distance appeared between us. At this time, it began to rain cats and dogs outside. Raindrops were falling on the windowpane. The resonating sound of dripping rain made me feel like they were raining down on my heart. I walked towards the window, watching the heavy downpour of rain. A thought dawned on me, compelling me to rush out of the ward. Upon my arrival at the first floor, I bumped into Richard. He stopped me and said, "Sir, it''s raining heavily outside. Bring an umbre with you." "I don''t need it. Take good care of Scarlett." I rushed into the rain, got on my car, and drove all the way to the Moore Group. Spencer''s POV: Vivian and I held an umbre as we got out of the car. Upon hearing a loud car engine from behind me, I turned around. "What''s wrong?" asked Vivian. "That looks like Charles'' car," I replied. "Really? Shouldn''t he be with Scarlett at the hospital right now?" Vivian responded. "Maybe you''re right," I said, nodding affirmatively. As soon as we entered the hospital, I put away the umbre and saw Richard. "Richard, where''s Charles?" I asked. "He went out for something," answered Richard. "He left Scarlett alone in the ward? Why was he in such a hurry?" This was all a little surprising for me. "I have no clue. He didn''t allow me to follow him," Richard replied. "Has Charles gone mad?" Vivian grumbled as she held my hand. "Let''s go upstairs and see how Scarlett is doing." Even though I didn''t say anything else, I was also dissatisfied by what Charles did. Chapter 329 Put The Ring Back Chapter 329 Put The Ring Back Scarlett''s POV: As Iy on the bed, recalling everything that had happened, I felt my heart ache. I felt like a fool for hurting myself for a man. Just then, Spencer and Vivian walked into the ward, looking anxious. But their appearance made me really happy. Charles had ordered Richard to guard the ward so that I would not try to escape. I felt like a bird that was trapped in a cage. Sitting up from the bed, I greeted them with a smile. "Scarlett, how are you doing? It''s only been a while since Ist saw you, but you look so pale!" Vivian was really anxious as she held my hand. "Don''t worry. I''m feeling much better now," I replied with a faint smile, hiding the truth. Although I did everything I could to make her not worry, she seemed to have figured it out. "Scarlett, you should take care of yourself." With a worried expression, she patted me on the shoulder tofort me. Feeling the bitterness in my heart, I could not help but shake my head and cry. I was the only one who knew that as long as I continued to stay with Charles, I would never be happy. Vivian reached out and wiped my tears away with a pitiful look. "You have suffered a lot! Would you like me to call some friends to teach Charles a lesson? I swear that he would get beaten to a pulp!" Vivian clenched her fist in anger as she said those words. Although Spencer remained silent, it was obvious that he was acquiescing in her suggestion. When I saw how they were all riled up to avenge me, I could not help but chuckle. "Charles has gone too far! How could he treat you so badly? Scarlett, don''t feel sad because of him. He doesn''t deserve your love." Seeing how worried I was, Vivian thought that I was still not able to let go of Charles, and that was the reason she was trying tofort me. Shaking my head with a bitter smile, I exined, "It''s not that I cannot live without him. It''s just that he is not willing to let go of me." I could not help but feel desperate when I thought of the way Charles treated me. "Spencer, can you step outside for a bit? I want to talk to her alone." Hearing Vivian''s words, Spencer nodded and left. Vivian grabbed my hand and said, "Scarlett, pull yourself together. You have three children, and you need to think about them. What do you think will happen to them if you''re not around?" I felt worse at the mention of my children. Tracy had informed me that Charles had already found out that he was the twins'' father. He would certainly try to take them away from me, just like he had done with James. Now, I had nothing, and there was no meaning to my life. As soon as Vivian helped me lie down on the bed, tears began to roll down my cheeks. Noticing that I was feeling depressed, she let out a sigh and changed the topic. I gradually calmed down and fell asleep. By the time I woke up again, it was dark outside. And I saw Charles leaning against the window. Seeing that I was awake, he walked up to me. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see him. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. A few momentster, I suddenly felt a ring on my finger. Needless to say, Charles must have put it on my finger while I was asleep. I remembered that I had thrown the ring away that day. How did he find it? Looking at the ring, I suddenly recalled him telling me that he had never loved me. As I suppressed the pain in my heart, I felt the urge to take off the ring. "Scarlett, don''t take off the ring!" Charles stopped me. I struggled, but he held me tightly. "Charles, what do you want?" I could not understand why he was insisting that I wear the ring when he already told me that he had never loved me. However, it was also clear to me that he was unwilling to let go. I had no choice but to give up and cry after seeing how stubborn he was. "Scarlett, I don''t like it when you bite your lip. It feels like you''re inviting me to kiss you." When he saw me crying, he suddenly grabbed my face and kissed my lips. His lips were as soft and warm as I remembered, but instead of the joy I always felt from his kisses, I could only feel sad now. Using all my strength, I pushed him away, and pped him. "Don''t touch me again!" Charles took a few steps back. He seemed to be broken-hearted. "Please get out! I don''t want to see you ever again!" I roared. "Scarlett, please let me take care of you. I promise that I won''t touch you again." Charles softened his tone as he took a step towards me. "Get out! I don''t ever want to see you again! And take the ring back! It means nothing to me!" With that, I took off the ring and threw it at him. It hit him in the forehead before it fell to the ground. He bent down and picked it up with a painful look in his eyes. "I..." He seemed to want to say something, but I was not willing to listen to him at all, so I covered my ears and buried my face in my knees. Charles and I could not go back to the way we had been in the past. Did he really think that he could pretend like nothing happened as long as he put the ring back on my finger? Charles'' POV: I walked out of the ward with a heavy heart, gripping the ring tightly in my hand. I did not expect Scarlett to resist my touch so fiercely. Recalling her cold gaze, I could not help but feel sad. I smiled bitterly, and said something to Richard before I drove to the Moore mansion. As soon as I walked in, I immediately approached the twins. Since they were seeing me for the first time, they seemed to be very curious about me. They resembled me a lot, and looking at their cute faces, I could not help but feel guilty. I hated myself for not trusting Scarlett, and for asking someone to kidnap the children, which ruined her hopes to live. I caressed the kids affectionately and yed with them for a while. "Charles, we already know that you are the twins '' father." My mother patted me on the shoulder, pitying me. "Charles, do you know their names?" She looked at the kids affectionately as she yed with them. "Their names are Jerry and Jason," I said. "But which one is Jerry? And which one is Jason?" She was curious. Looking at the kids in front of me, I felt a little frustrated. Although I was their father, I could not tell them apart. "He is Jerry! The kids are wearing small bracelets with their names engraved," Grandma reminded me when she saw that I was not able to answer my mother''s question. "So you are Jerry." I quickly raised the baby''s hand, observed carefully, and found that his name was indeed carved on his bracelet. I read the children''s name gently, feeling a wave of mixed feelings in my heart. Chapter 330 Slap Me Chapter 330 p Me Scarlett''s POV: I felt better thanst night when I awoke in the morning. I was a little hungry, so I decided to call Tracy to bring me breakfast. But before I could reach for my phone, Charles pushed the door open, a delicious food box in his hand. He walked toward me and put the box on the small table by the bed. "It''s time for breakfast." But I did not want to talk to him, and I refused to eat whatever he had brought me. Despite the look of derision on my face, Charles did not seem to be discouraged. He took out the food from the box one by one, unperturbed. Now, I could see that he had brought fried eggs, bacon, sandwiches, and even a bowl of corn soup. The familiar fragrance greeted me in an instant. "Mom made it for you. Try have some," Charles urged, looking a little uneasy. I knew what the look on his face meant. He was lying. The truth was, his mother, Alice, could not cook. It must be him who had prepared the food. But so what? I had changed. I would no longer be touched just because he had made me breakfast. Although the table in front of me was full of my favorite dishes, I remained unmoved. To spite Charles, I picked up the milk the hospital had provided and drank it. He frowned and moved the breakfast closer to me. "Eat the food I''ve brought. Hospital food is not as nutritious as you think it is." I looked up at him and snorted. "Who are you? Didn''t you say I''m filthy? You should stay away from me then, or else you''ll get yourself dirty." Charles stiffened and looked at me with an inexplicable look on his face. "Jerry and Jason are waiting for you at home. Are you sure you want to continue talking to me like this?" A sneer tugged at my mouth upon hearing this. How dare this bastard threaten me with my own children? Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. I looked into his eyes unyieldingly, but his face showed that he would not make apromise. For a moment, we stared into each other''s eyes. Neither of us seemed willing to concede. But in the end, I lost. I hated his overbearingness. Exasperated, I put down the milk and leaned against the pillow sulkily. "Are you implying that I should feed you?" Charles asked with a cunning look on his face. I only looked at him in response. Then, I pressed the call bell, and a young nurse came running to me the next second. "What''s wrong, ma''am?" "Nurse, this man broke into my ward without my permission and disturbed my rest. Can you please kick him out?" "Well..." Not knowing what to do, the nurse sped her awkwardly and looked back and forth between Charles and me. Charles looked at the nurse and ordered, "You can leave now." The nurse breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, sir." A deafening silence fell in the ward the instant the nurse left. Charles sat on the edge of my bed, scooped a spoonful of soup, and brought it to my mouth. "It looks like you really want me to feed you," he said with a smirk. What the fuck? He really was serious! With that, I sat up straight, grabbed the spoon from his hand, and gulped down the soup. "Ahem!" I must have drunk it too fast that I choked on it. Not only that, but I also felt that I was going to throw up. I covered my mouth with my hands and ran to the bathroom. But as soon as I stood up, I felt a sharp, intense pain in my ankle. I lost my bnce and fell to the ground. But instead of hitting the cold, hard ground, I fell onto something warm. It turned out that Charles had caught me just in time. He thenid me on the bed as gentle as he could. At this moment, I still had not stopped coughing. Charles did not let go of me and even gently patted me on the back. With his free hand, he pressed on the call bell and then took a tissue to wipe my mouth. Of course, I would not let him touch me. I snatched the tissue from him and wiped my own mouth. "Scarlett, I''m sorry for making you suffer again," Charles solemnly said. To be perfectly honest, I thought that the pain in my ankle was making me hear things. I wanted to push him away, but his warm embrace felt like it was the strongest cage in the world. He got me trapped in his arms, and I could not break away from him. His embrace was so tight that it was hard to breathe. But then, I realized that it was not because of his arms but his presence. My heart ached because of him, and I was on the verge of breaking down. He had known I would suffer. Why did he still do the things that would hurt me? This man was cruel, and I would never understand him. "Scarlett, how about you beat me up? Do anything to me¡ªpunch me, kick me, p me. You can do anything to me as long as it makes you feel better." Remorse was written all over Charles''s face. Seeing that I did not move, he took my hand and pped himself. The mes of anger burned my reason to ashes. Fine. Charles had asked me to beat him up. I would do what he wanted. I pped him across the face. But this time, he was not holding my hand anymore. His face tilted sideways due to the impact, and a red palm print appeared on his cheek. He was stunned for a second. But just like he had promised, he did not get angry and instead smiled at me. "Do you feel better? You can p me again if you''re still not satisfied." Charles closed his eyes and moved his face closer to me. I gritted my teeth in anger. I raised my hand to p him again, but I could not bring myself to do it again. While we were at a stalemate, the doctor came in to examine me. Charles immediately stood up and made a beeline to the doctor. "Doctor, my wife sprained her ankle. Please help her." The doctor came over and touched my swollen ankle. His mere touch hurt so much that I withdrew my foot. "Has the patient hurt her ankle before?" I did not answer and just shot daggers at Charles. The doctor noticed my gaze, and he cast a reproachful nce at Charles. "Sir, we need to take an X-ray of your wife''s ankle to know the extent of her injury. If this has happened before, I''m afraid she may need more extensive treatment." Charles''s face turned dark and gloomy. The temperature in the ward seemed to have dropped a few degrees due to his temperament. Not long after, a nurse wheeled in a wheelchair into the ward. Charles nced at it and, to everyone''s surprise, picked me up. "You don''t need a wheelchair. I would carry you wherever you want to go," he said in a familiar affectionate tone. I did not answer and just lowered my head. His word was thew. There was nothing I could do once he had said so. Charles''s POV: I carried Scarlett all the way to the Radiologic department. The X-ray was done within an hour. While Scarlett was being sent back to the ward to take a rest, I followed the doctor into his office with the X-ray result. "Mr. Moore, your wife''s condition is not very good. I''m afraid that her recurrent ankle sprains have led to joint instability. The treatment for her injury may take some time and be very demanding." My heart sank upon hearing Scarlett''s diagnosis. Guilt and regret washed over me that I felt an urge to beat myself up. It was because of me that Scarlett had been injured again. Although I was morose, I forced myself to cheer up as I made my way back to the ward. As I walked to the door, I heard J and Tracy''s voices inside. "Don''t worry, Scarlett. Jerry and Jason are being taken good care of, and James is having a good time with them." "That''s good," Scarlett replied weakly. I just stood there in front of the door and did note in until they finished talking. When J and Tracy saw me, they stood up from the bed and left the room respectfully. Scarlett, on the other hand, turned her back to me. She did not even spare me a nce. Bitterness filled my mouth. I quietly walked to the bedside and stared at her back. "Do you miss the kids? How about I take them here to see you?" I asked, hoping that that would be enough to appease Scarlett. It worked just as I had expected. When I mentioned the kids, she turned around to face me. However, she did not speak and just stared at me with distrust. Her wariness of me brought a pang to my heart. I unconsciously fumbled with the ring on my finger to somehow distract myself and relieve the pain. "Eat right and cooperate with the treatment, and I will bring them here to see you. Deal?" I persuaded. All of a sudden, Scarlett''s eyes turned red, and she turned her back to me again. "Scarlett..." I heaved a sigh. Without another word, Iy next to her and held her from behind. "Trust me, Scarlett. If that''s too much for you, fine. Just talk to me, and I''ll call the kids over." I waited for her response, full of hope. I would give her everything she wanted as long as she asked. But in the end, the only thing she gave me was silence and defiance. Chapter 331 No One Can Take Her Away From Me Chapter 331 No One Can Take Her Away From Me Charles'' POV: s, I could not get Scarlett to talk to me. Disappointed, I walked out of the ward and met Spencer, David, and Icey, who came to meet Scarlett. Icey walked into the ward to keep Scarlettpany while the rest of us stood outside and talked. "Charles, look at Scarlett. Do you even take care of her? Why does she keep growing weaker by the day?" Spencerined. David nodded in agreement. "I think Spencer is right. You have to persuade Scarlett to forgive you this time. If you fail to do so, then your rtionship is definitely doomed for good." "Do you guys really think that I am not trying? I''ve tried everything. I have let her beat me to vent her anger, and I have also tried to tempt her with the kids, but she doesn''t even want to budge. As long as she is willing to forgive me, I will even kneel before her and beg, but she just wants to take the kids and leave. What am I supposed to do?" I held my head dejectedly, the feeling of powerlessness engulfing my heart. Why did things be so miserable? Perhaps, Tracy had been right, and if I had not let William take Scarlett away back then, then maybe things would not havee to such aplicated state. For the sake of the children, she might not have focused on hating me. Perhaps, there would have been a chance for us to turn things around. But unfortunately, I missed it. "Charles, I have to remind you about one thing. If Scarlett continues to be so stressed, then it will only bring more harm to her than good." My heart was a mess and I could not find a solution, so I fell silent. "By the way, what happened to you that day? I heard that you used a knife?" Spencer asked in a cold voice. Recalling that day, I felt a sharp pain in my heart. I realized how crazy I must have been that day. If I had been sane, I would not have done such a horrible thing to her. I had asked her to kill herself, and I had told her that I had never loved her. It was no wonder that she would not forgive me no matter how hard I tried now. I only had myself to me. I closed my eyes with a bitter smile to cover up the despair that was about to ooze out of my heart. "I really don''t understand why a couple that''s in love would hate each other so much! What is even going on between the two of you?" There was a hint of regret and confusion in Spencer''s tone. I did not know how to answer his question, but there was one thought in my mind. "I just know that I am not going to let her leave me again." "Remember not to pressure her too much. Just take care other, okay?" "I will." Spencer sneered, "Charles, remember what you said today. If Scarlett gets hurt again, then I will try my best to take her away from you." I grabbed his cor and hissed, "How dare you!" "We''ll see about that." Spencer and I fought like beasts, unwilling to give in. He had never been good at fighting ever since he was a kid, not to mention that I was his opponent now. I enjoyed the overwhelming superiority, and soon beat him to a pulp. "Charles, don''t push it!" Spencer covered his bruised face and said, "And you, David! Why aren''t you helping me? Are you even my friend?" David leaned against the wall, shrugged his shoulders, and said helplessly, "Spencer, just ept the truth. Even with my help, you can''t beat Charles." "Fuck!" I straightened my wrinkled clothes and red at them. "If anyone ever dares to threaten me about taking Scarlett away from me, then I will kill that person, for sure!" With that, I turned around and left. Spencer''s angry roar echoed behind me. "But you don''t love her at all!" "You have no right to judge that." Anyone who dared to offend me should be aware of the consequences. I would not let anyone take Scarlett away from me. Scarlett''s POV: I was depressed as Iy in the ward, listening to the men fighting outside. However, Icey, who was sitting beside me, was not worried at all. She held my hand intimately with a bright smile. "Well, it''s their business, and they have to sort it out on their own. There is no need for us to worry." Forcing a smile, I told myself not to be concerned with what was going on outside. "Scarlett, you have given birth to three kids, and I haven''t even got pregnant yet." Icey and David had been married for a while, but they hadn''t had children yet. "Actually, I don''t know how I got pregnant. I remember that we always used protections." I felt a little upset thinking about it. "Perhaps, it was fated." "No. It''s probably because the condom was of a poor quality," I denied with a straight face. Icey burst intoughter. "Do you really think that Mr. Moore is the kind of man who would use a cheap product?" Although I was smiling on the outside, I was not happy. Maybe, it was fate. I had thought that James was dead at that time, which meant that the only connection between me and Charles had been broken, but I had not expected that I had actually been pregnant with the twins. It seemed like Charles and I were destined to be entangled for the rest of our lives. "Are you and David nning to have a baby?" I changed the topic at once. "No. My family''s problem hasn''t been solved yet, so I don''t think having a child now would be a good idea. I''ve discussed the same with David. I would like to be a mom when I''m 35 years old," Icey said casually. I couldn''t help but look at her with envy. She had her own ns for life, and she had a husband who truly loved her. Unlike Charles, David was willing to discuss everything with his wife andpromise for her sake. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. After looking at me for a while, Icey asked with concern, "Scarlett, tell me honestly, what did Charles actually do to you? Did he hurt you?" Upon hearing that, Charles throwing a knife at me shed through my mind. Although he had not hurt me physically that day, he did something worse, and the piercing pain kept reminding me of how ruthless and fierce he was. "No, we just had a fight," I answered calmly. "Then how did you end up in the hospital?" I shook my head, and said, "I''m fine. It''s just that my old injury hasn''t healed yet." "Alright. Don''t worry about anything else and just take good care of yourself. Although the kids are very young, Charles'' family can take care of them. You need to take care of yourself now. Only then will you have the strength to handle bigger matters." There was a hint of mystery in her tone. I looked at her curiously and asked, "What do you mean?" Icey blinked at me and said, "Only when you''re healthy can you win the battle, right?" "The battle?" "Haven''t you always wanted to leave Charles? If the queen is not healthy, then how will she have the strength to defeat the dragon and save her little princes?" Icey''s words struck me like thunder, breaking up the clouds in my head. I realized that I could not continue to live such a muddled life anymore. I had to recover soon and take my children away from this ce, away from Charles. Thinking of that, I smiled genuinely for the first time in a while. Chapter 332 I Wont Let You Go Chapter 332 I Won''t Let You Go Scarlett''s POV: Icey''s suggestion sparked a glimmer of hope in my heart. If I refused to take care of myself properly, it would only give Charles a reason to keep me in the hospital, leaving me no chance to object. "Thanks for telling me that, Icey. Now I know what to do," I replied with a smile. "Look, Scarlett, I know you have ideas in mind, but you need to keep in mind that Charles is not a man to be trifled with. You''ll have a hard time going up against him. But always remember that you must follow your heart, and you must figure out what exactly it is you want to do." Icey smiled back at me, patting the back of my hand. I was lost in thought. ''I want to leave this ce with my children. And I want to get away from Charles, and live a peaceful life. But I know that Charles and his family would never allow me to take me kids away.'' When I thought of my kids, I closed my eyes, feeling sad and defeated. Icey and I chatted for a while, before she finally stood up and was about to leave. "Scarlett, I have a meeting to attendter, so I have to go now. Get some good rest, okay? And if you ever want someone to talk to, just call me anytime." Icey smiled at me once more, and told me not to let my emotions get the best of me. I said goodbye to her, and thanked her onest time. After speaking to her, I felt so much better. Once Icey was gone, it urred to me that I hadn''t seen my phone during these past few days. Needless to say, Charles must''ve taken it away. The thought of being locked up in this ward by that man and being deprived of the right to make phone calls annoyed me. ''I can''t understand why Charles has to do such a thing! Isn''t he satisfied with what he did to me?'' About half an hourter, I heard a knock on the door. Soon, Charles came in. He nced at me before going to the bathroom without even uttering a word. ''What the hell is the matter with him?'' I wondered. Five minutester, Charles came out of the bathroom. He touched his bruised chin while walking to the bedside. The sight of his frustrated face brought joy to my heart. It was then that I took out a piece of paper and handed it to Charles. On the paper, it read, "Please give me back my phone. Moreover, I''ll only eat the food provided by the hospital from now on. I won''t eat anything you bring for me." I''d rather not speak to him, so I wrote down what I wanted to say to him on the piece of paper. Charles frowned upon reading it. "Sorry, but I can''t give you back your phone. You need to focus on your recover. If you prefer the food provided by the hospital, so be it. I won''t cook for you again." From the look on his face, I could tell just how frustrated he was. Moreover, I wasn''t expecting that I would be able to get my phone back easily. Upon hearing his answer, I just turned my back to him and didn''t even bother to speak to him. Charles'' POV: I was really upset when I saw that Scarlett had no intention of speaking to me. I had already nned to do my best to follow her wishes and help her recover as soon as possible, but seeing as she was being so cold and ruthless towards me, my patience grew thin. Annoyed and frustrated, I walked up to Scarlett and forced her to face me. "Do you still wish to leave me, Scarlett?" ''Why can''t she just stay with me obediently? And why would she rather give up her kids than to stay with me?'' I wondered. Scarlett didn''t answer me, and she just stared back at me calmly. The indifference of her gaze made me panic. "Don''t even think about taking my children away and fooling around with William again, Scarlett. I swear, if you try to escape again, I won''t mind locking you in a cage and taking away your freedom!" I raised Scarlett''s chin as I gave her a stern warning. ''I''m never going to give her a chance to leave me again, nor would I allow her to be involved with another man! Scarlett belongs to me, and me alone!'' "Charles, what can I do to convince you to let me go?" Upon hearing my warning, Scarlett burst into tears, ring back at me. "I will never let you go for the rest of my life! You don''t have a choice, so just ept your fate," I answered. Then, I wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes. Seeing her cry like this made my heart ache. But even so, I steeled my heart, for I didn''t want to give her an opportunity to leave me. The ward fell silent, and the light in Scarlett''s eyes gradually disappeared. When I saw her nk gaze, I was clueless of what to do. Suddenly, I realized that I was still grabbing her shoulders, so I quickly let her go. I could see her lips trembling from fear and anger. Unable to resist the desire to kiss her, I leaned over and attempted to nt a kiss on her lips. Scarlett seemed to have guessed what I was about to do, so she quickly turned her face away in an attempt to reject my kiss. I wanted to hold her hand, but then she clenched her fists just so I wouldn''t be able to hold them. Once more, I forced her to look me in the eye. Scarlett let out a muffled grunt, struggling to get rid of my hand. This time, I took the opportunity to kiss her lips. All of a sudden, the door was pushed open. I nced at the door and saw Nina. When she saw us, she quickly apologized and closed the door with great force. Just as I was about to kiss Scarlett again, I heard someone knock on the door. "Mr. Moore, Nina and Abner have brought the child here. They want Mrs. Moore to see the baby," Richard said from outside the door. Upon hearing that, I stopped trying to kiss Scarlett and just looked into her eyes, only to see resentment in them. Thus, I covered her eyes and kissed her again. Only when kissing her lips could I feel that she still belonged to me. Scarlett struggled to break free from my grasp. She tried to push me away with both of her hands, but she was far too weak to do it. "Scarlett, if you don''t let me do what I want, I''m going to tie you up!" Having said that, I held her hands over her head. This time, she stopped struggling and just shot me a stern re. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. "I''ll let you see our children if you beg," I remarked, softening my tone just to get on her good side. Scarlett sprang to her feet with difficulty, trying to reach the door. The sight of her stubborn face only stressed me out and annoyed me even more. Gently, I pushed Scarlett back to the bed, despite the fact that she had just sat up. I pressed her under my body, caressed her face, and sighed. ''Scarlett, what am I going to do with you?1 I wondered. ''Why is she so headstrong? Can''t she just do as I say? As long as sheplies with my conditions, even if she wants my life, I will die for her without hesitation!'' "Are you done? We''reing in." While Scarlett and I were caught in a stalemate, Nina spoke from the other side of the door. She pushed the door open and walked in with James in her arms. I stood up, albeit reluctantly. "Scarlett, are you okay?" Nina asked worriedly. Scarlett shook her head, saying that she was fine. Her eyes were locked on the child in Nina''s arms. "James!" "Mommy!" replied James. Scarlett was so excited that she spread out her arms to the boy. "Are you sure you''re strong enough to carry James right now, Scarlett?" Nina was concerned, because James was much heavier than he used to be. "Of course!" Scarlett embraced her son, too excited to say anything else. As I watched her hold our child with tears on her face, I felt envious. Scarlett was willing to embrace our baby and cry for him, and she was capable of being nice to others. But to me, she was so cold, and she''d do anything just to avoid me. Chapter 333 Tit For Tat Chapter 333 Tit For Tat Scarlett''s POV: "Scarlett, I''m so sorry. I couldn''t get through to you before. Nina and I thought that you had already boarded the ne. Fortunately, she was cautious enough to find out that something was wrong and called Spencer. Only then did we find out that you are in the hospital." Abner looked at me with guilt in his eyes. "It''s alright, Abner. I''m very happy that you came to see me." Tears rolled down my cheeks as I held James in my arms. James looked at me and whispered, "Mom." I smiled brightly and said, "James, you''re such a good boy! I missed you a lot." "Mom, please don''t cry." He then raised his hand and wiped away my tears. I was touched by his soft and kind gesture. I had feared that I might never see him again. And that desperate feeling had made me feel like I was a zombie walking the earth lifelessly. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. However, God showed mercy on my by letting Nina bring my son to see me. A hint of satisfaction filled my empty heart as I held James. "Scarlett, get better soon. Everyone at the TV station is waiting for you toe back to the show." Abner''s eyes were red, but he pretended to be calm. The show? I was in a trance for a moment. Thinking of my work and my dreams, I felt as though a century had passed since Ist thought of them. I was silent for a while before I wiped away my tears, trying to pull myself together. "I''m sorry, Abner, but I am afraid that I won''t be able to go back to that life anymore." "What are you even talking about? You''re the one that came up with the program, so you are more than qualified to continue it," he insisted. Without saying more, I lowered my head quietly. "Scarlett, you have toe back. While you were gone, a lot of negative news about pregnant women has been exposed. The purpose of our program is to show more people the hardships of pregnant women. Not all pregnant women are pampered and fragile. Some are quite independent and powerful. And I believe that you need to set an example for the rest of us." Nina''s words pierced through my heart like a sharp dagger. The dreams I had were rekindled again, and I felt the urge to continue my work. "I get what you mean and I will think about it." I know that they persuade me to get back to work so that I could get out of my toxic rtionship. "Why did you bring the kid here?" Charles asked coldly. "What? Are you angry, Mr. Moore? And is it really because we brought him to his mother? Don''t worry. Alice has sent eight bodyguards to protect him, so no one is going to be able to kidnap him," Ninained in a cold and disdainful voice. "How could I be angry? Even if you had not brought him here, I would have found time to bring him to see Scarlett," Charles exined with a frown. I sneered in my heart. There was no way for me to believe anything that he said. If he really cared about my feelings, then he would not have cruelly taken the twins away from me. He was only saying such words in front of Nina and Abner to make himself seem like the perfect husband and father. "Then Mr. Moore, you and I feel the same way," Nina sneered. Charles didn''t retort this time, and ignoring him, Nina raised her hand to stroke my hair. "Scarlett, summer is almost over now. Your exposed neck will make you vulnerable to cold. Why did you cut your hair short?" I was stunned for a moment before I said with a smile, "I just wanted to try a new hairstyle. It''s okay. I''ll pay attention to my health and keep myself warm." "Mr. Moore, do you still remember that Scarlett got beat up and almost ended up bing disabled last year?" All of a sudden, Charles''s pupils shrank and he frowned. He red at Nina, who did not look away at all. "It doesn''t matter if you don''t remember, Mr. Moore. It''s understandable that a noble rich man like you intends to forget such a trifle considering your busy life. However, you seem to have taken Nancy back to the Moore mansion. Are you nning on divorcing Scarlett?" I sometimes really admired Nina''s courage for having the guts to provoke a devil like Charles. "No, I won''t," Charles said indifferently. "Since you''re not nning on divorcing her, do you think that she will continue to have her freedom after she is discharged from the hospital?" Nina questioned. "Of course." "If that''s the case, then why was I not able to get through to her before? I had to break into the ward with James." Upon hearing that, Charles frowned and became noticeably impatient. "Scarlett needs to rest quietly right now." "Rest quietly?" Nina sneered. "Do you really want Scarlett to rest quietly or do you want to control her? I think that you''re that only one who knows that. But I have to remind you, Mr. Moore. As long as Scarlett tells me that she wants a divorce, as her good friend, I will support her. At the same time, as awyer, I will appeal for her and fight for the custody of the children." "What do you mean?" "It''s just a kind reminder. Mr. Moore, I know that you have threatened Scarlett before, and I know that you even said that she would never be able to see James if she divorced you. But let me tell you something, when a child is not even two years old, the court will generally let the mother have custody over the child when the parents divorce." "Ahem..." Abner coughed awkwardly. Ignoring him, Nina sneered, "With Mr. Moore''s power, I might seem like I am trying to hit a stone with an egg, but how will I know that my efforts are futile if I don''t even try?" Charles stared at Nina with anger burning in his eyes. "I only said that because I was angry at that time." Crossing her arms over her chest, Nina looked at him. "You know how cruel you have been to Scarlett. And there''s no guarantee that you will be good to her in the future." "She is my wife, so I am obviously going to love her with all my heart and soul," Charles said firmly. Watching them argue so fiercely, Abner and I broke into a cold sweat. "Nina, you have to appear in court this afternoon. Since Scarlett is fine, let''s go first. I also have a business appointment at noon," Abner chimed in, interrupting them in time. Nina red at him before she turned to Charles and said, "Mr. Moore, may I talk to Scarlett in private?" Although Charles obviously seemed to be reluctant, he gave me a meaningful nce before he stepped out with James. "Wait a minute. Let James be here." I touched Nina''s elbow. She quickly understood what I meant and took James from him. Charles walked out of the ward alone in silence. Thirty minutester, Nina and I were done talking, so she left. Once she was gone, Charles walked in with the twins. The twins stayed in his arms quietly as they looked around the room curiously. "Jerry, Jason,e to Mommy," I called out excitedly. Charles put them on my bed and turned to get some water. Holding them gently in my arms, I felt like I could not get enough of them. We hadn''t seen each other in a long time, so they kept smiling at me. Jerry suddenly tried to grab my hair and failed. Looking at their cute faces, my heart melted. James was also attracted by their cuteness and kept looking at his brothers. I stroked his head with a smile. "James, you are an elder brother now. You should be nice to your younger brothers, okay?" "Yes." James nodded obediently and reached out to touch the bracelet on Jerry''s hand. It was evident that he was a little jealous. Feeling a little down, I lowered my head, kissed him on the forehead, and said in a gentle voice, "James, I have one for you as well. It''s in my bag. I will help you put it on once we''re back home, okay?" "Okay! Thank you, Mommy." James blushed and kissed me. "What are you talking about? Do I have one?" Charles walked over to me with a ss of water, his eyes filled with expectation. My eyes turned cold all of a sudden, but since I did not want to be angry with him in front of the kids, I lowered my head and said to James, "We''ll y on the couch, okay? Let them sleep on the bed for a while." James nced at Charles. Holding his hand, I walked past Charles. Chapter 334 An Agreement Chapter 334 An Agreement Scarlett''s POV: James and I were happily ying on the sofa. He really seemed to like my hair a lot and he kept trying to grab it but he couldn''t. All he could do was wrap his arms around my neck and giggled. "Do you like my new haircut?" Holding him in my arms, I pinched his cheek. "Yes, Mommy. You are beautiful." Looking at me with his bright eyes, my son kissed me. His sweetness melted my heart and I felt as though I had just drank a bottle of honey. "James, how can you just give kisses to your Mommy? What about Daddy?" Charles was so annoying. He walked up to James, asking him to kiss him too. James immediately buried his face in my arms. Pouting, he said, "No! No kiss Daddy." With a frown, Charles stared at James with a hint of dissatisfaction in his eyes. They kept staring at each other, unwilling topromise "Come here," Charles ordered with a serious look in his eyes. He then stretched out his arms to James. Although James was stunned for a moment, he obediently went to his father, pouting. "James, be a good boy and go home with your brotherster. Your mother needs some rest," Charles said in a patient voice, looking at our son, However, James give me a reluctant look. Since I also did not want the kids to leave, I couldn''t help but say, "I''m fine. Let them stay." "I am not saying it because I don''t want you to spend time with them. Once you are feeling better, and you''re home, you are going to be with them all day. Right now, you are not strong enough to be holding them for too long." Charles denied my request irrefutably after ncing at me for a moment. I curled my lips in response. Just when I was about to argue with him, I heard his phone ring. "Hello, Mom. What''s up? Okay, I understand." As soon as he disconnected the call, he turned to me and said "Mom will pick up the kids in the afternoon. So they''ll be with you until then." Those words were music to my ears. Charles'' POV: The twins woke pretty soon, but they didn''t cry at all. They justy next to each other, ying. Looking at their cute faces, my heart melted at once, and I could not help but feel a little upset. I regretted putting them in trouble. If the twins had gotten hurt because of me, then I would never be able to forgive myself. And the longer I looked at them, the more I felt like they resembled me, and I couldn''t help but want to show them off. I picked up Jerry and carried him in my arms. Turning to Scarlett, I asked, "Don''t you think that Jerry looks just like me? Or do you think that he looks more like you?" Scarlett nced at me, lowered her head, and began peeling an orange for James, without saying a word. Even after seeing that, I was unwilling to give up, so I asked the bodyguards toe in. "Do you think he looks like me or Scarlett?" In order to help them arrive at a fair conclusion, I raised Jerry in my arms, who smiled and gurgled. The bodyguards nced at each other, but they didn''t say anything. "What? Did I ask you a difficult question?" I retorted with a frown. "I think that he looks more like Mrs. Moore," Richard said. I told myself that Richard probably didn''t have a good eye. It was clear that the twins looked just like me. "Oh, really? Well, his lips do look like Scarlett''s," I answered perfunctorily. "I think that he is more like you," J said. I could tell that she indeed had a good eye. And Tracy nodded in agreement. I red at her. Every time I looked at her, I couldn''t help but get angry. After all, she knew that the twins were my kids, and yet she cooperated with William to deceive me. Noticing my murderous gaze, she immediately lowered her head in fear. "I''ll settle scores with youter for what you did." I then gently put Jerry back on the bed and said, "I still think that the kid resembles me. He is not as gentle as Scarlett." As soon as Jerry was put on the bed, he began to y with Jason. I nced at the bracelets on their hands. I suddenly remembered that James had not gotten his bracelet yet. "Richard, bring Scarlett''s bag here. It''s in my office." "Yes, sir." Richard left with J and Tracy. I turned to Scarlett and asked in a low voice, "Do you also think that the children resemble me?" Holding James in her hand, she continued to remain silent. "Why are you so afraid of letting me spend time with them, then?" Looking at her, I felt all the suppressed emotions in my heart gushing out uncontrobly. Her silence was making my sanity copse little by little. "Sometimes, I really don''t understand what is on your mind. How can you hide such a big secret from me? Didn''t it ur to you that I will see them one day? And I''ll know the truth when that happens, right? There was a hint of anger in my voice, and I really hoped that she would give me an answer. However, she continued to remain silent. Seeing that, I could not help but sneer, "Scarlett, even if you don''t bring the kids out, I swear I will break into William''s house, and take you and our kids back one day!" Even after hearing that, she did not even look at me. I couldn''t help but pinch her chin, forcing her to look at me. "There is no concealing the truth, and you know it better than anyone else." Scarlett looked at me calmly and expressionlessly, making me feel like I was a joke. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. I felt like I was being sucked deeper and deeper into the abyss while she was free to retreat at any moment. It was really unfair! "Are you going to keep silent for the rest of your life?" I asked, looking at her with amusement. "If you keep silent forever, then I will let you go, but if you even say a single word to me, then I will kiss you right then as punishment. Do you understand?" Scarlett trembled as she looked at me, with her eyes wide open as though she was looking at an unforgivable sinner. I tried my best to endure my heartache while I continued to stare into her eyes. Even James, who was next to us, could feel the tension between us. He gently tugged at the corner of my clothes and looked at me with wet eyes. "Don''tbully Mommy." "James, I am only ying a game with your mother. I''m waiting for her to agree." James looked at me curiously, and just when I was about to say something, Scarlett pulled my hand. She finally reacted! She turned around, grabbed a piece of paper from the table, wrote something on it, and handed it to me. "Okay, deal! But if I keep silent, then you are not allowed to touch me." Chapter 335 Want A Divorce Chapter 335 Want A Divorce Charles'' POV: Disappointment instantly filled up in my heart as soon as I read that sentence. "Okay." Although I was a little reluctant, I forced a smile and continued, "If you need anything, just write me a note." Seeing Scarlett''s expressions soften a little, I felt happy, thinking that I had found a way to please her. I thought that it won''t take long for her to start trusting me again. I then approached the bed again and looked at the twins. "When did Scarlett get pregnant with them?" I had always been careful when we had sex, and I used protection every time. I hadn''t wanted to get Scarlett pregnant again, because I wanted to spend some quality time with her. But God had nned something else for us altogether. Looking at the twins'' sleeping faces, I couldn''t help but adore them. All of a sudden, my phone rang, and I cut the call at once. I wouldn''t let anyone spoil my time with my family. However, to my surprise that person kept calling me. "You''d better answer. It''s not easy to get Jerry and Jason to sleep, so don''t wake them up," Scarlett reminded me, and I had no choice but to answer the phone. "What is it?" "Mr. Moore, about tonight''s business dinner..." "Stop calling me. Just call Amy if you have any doubts." With that, I hung up the phone rudely and turned to my wife and sons. Staring at her, I felt as though there was a pulse of electricity passing through my body. My gaze fell on her lips and neck. Everything about her was a fatal temptation and I suddenly felt the urge to kiss her. Just when I was about to approach her, James, who was ying with his toys until that moment, suddenly shouted, "Daddy, y with me!" I was about to say no, but then an idea urred to me. Pretending to be gentle, I turned to my son, and said, "James, how about we y a new game?" "Okay! I love games!" James pped his hands excitedly. "Good! Now cover your eyes and don''t open them until I say you can, okay?" "Is it hide and seek?" "Sort of." Upon hearing my answer, James covered his eyes with hands, and the room became quiet again. I quietly walked two steps forward and held Scarlett''s waist tightly. "What are you doing? Help!" she whispered. Lowering my head, I said in a hoarse voice, "You''re killing me, aren''t you?" Before she could say another word, I held her waist, tilted her head softly, leaned in, and kissed her. Scarlett''s POV: Charles kissed me passionately. Afraid that James might open his eyes, I did not dare to move. I could only stand still and let Charles kiss me. N?velDrama.Org ? content. After a long time, my tongue was numb and I could hardly breathe. Only then did Charles let go of my lips, but he continued to hold me. We were being intimate with each other after a very long time, which made me feel like my heart was about to jump out of my chest. I leaned on his chest,pletely forgetting to push him away. "Daddy, what''s the game?" James'' childish question flustered me and I struggled to break free from Charles'' embrace. He looked at me with a snicker, embarrassing me even more. I reached out my hand, wanting to hit him. However, he tightly held my hand and said in a low voice, "You can hit me as much as you want once the kids leave." "You!" Furious, I withdrew my hand, not wanting to look at him or talk to him anymore. "You broke the rule first. You just spoke! And that''s why I kissed you as a punishment." Charles'' mellow voiceing from behind me was like a fatal temptation, causing my heart to race. That afternoon, Alice and Christine came to the hospital to see me. "Scarlett, how are you feeling now?" Sitting on the edge of my bed, Christine seemed to be really worried. "I feel much better now," I replied, holding her hand. "This is all Charles'' fault. I will help you teach him a lesson," she said, ring at Charles. "Kneel down and apologize to Scarlett!" I immediately said, "No, its fine." However, Charles obediently got down on one knee, and said, "I''m sorry." He was a very decisive man in the corporate world, and seeing him kneeling down in front of me with his head lowered made my heart ache, and I couldn''t speak for a while. Christine pped him on the shoulder repeatedly, scolding him, "You bastard, don''t always bully Scarlett. She gave birth to your children and she has suffered a lot because of you. You must be good to her, do you understand?" "I do." Charles was still kneeling down on the ground. "Have you ever sincerely apologized to Scarlett?" Alice asked, all of a sudden, interrupting them. "Honey, I am sorry. Please forgive me. I will be good to you from now on, so don''t be mad at me." Charles'' tone was extremely gentle. He stood up slowly and walked up to me. Looking at him, I recalled the cruel words that he had said to me right before I fainted that day. And suddenly, the idea of acting like we were reconciled in front of the elders vanished from my mind. Hence, I didn''t answer him. However, Christine continued to mediate, "If you are angry, just vent it on him. I will support you." Pursing my lips, I made up my mind. "I want a divorce. Can you help me with that, Grandma?" Christine fell silent for a long time. It was clear that she wasn''t expecting me to say that. A momentter, she turned to Charles, who was looking pale, and questioned, "What on earth did you do to her? Why does she want a divorce so badly? What''s going to happen to the kids if you two divorce?" "I will never divorce her," Charles said to Christine before he turned to me and added calmly, "Divorce has never even urred to me ever since the day we got married." I couldn''t figure out what was on his mind because his expression and his tone was so calm as though he was talking about the weather. I turned to Christine, and said, "Grandma, please allow me to divorce Charles and take the children away." "How could I let that happen?" Christine frowned, looking at me in disbelief. Alice also echoed, "I can''t live without my grandkids." "Yes. Besides, how will you manage to live on your own with three kids? We are not going to let you go anywhere. Alice and I will help you take care of the babies. You can focus on your career if you want." Christine was trying her best to persuade me. "Grandma, I''ve already made up my mind. I want to get a divorce and leave with my children." "No, I can''t listen to this any longer. My head hurts!" As soon as Christine said that, she covered her forehead with hand and Alice rushed to her to support her. "Grandma, are you okay?" I also got out of bed and tried to help her up. Christine pushed my hand away and said, "I''m fine. I''ll go home and rest. Alice, take the kids with us. Let Scarlett and Charles talk things through." "Okay." Alice helped Christine walk out of the ward before she turned to Tracy and J, ordering them to take the kids away. Feeling helpless, I let them leave the ward. The room fell silent once again. When I turned around, I saw Charles ring at me. Chapter 336 Do You Want To Leave Here Chapter 336 Do You Want To Leave Here Charles'' POV: My heart ached when I saw how determined Scarlett was when she asked for a divorce. I walked up to her, held her chin, and forced her to look me in the eye. "Scarlett, do you really want to divorce me?" I grunted. The thought that she couldn''t wait to get away from me only served to sadden me further. I was so dejected over that I could hardly breathe. Scarlett didn''t respond. She just stared at me with a cold gaze. "I''ve already told you that I will never divorce you unless I die, Scarlett!" I growled. The way she looked back at me annoyed me. Frustrated, I scoffed at her and forced her to get closer to me. I would willingly do anything for her aside from getting divorced. Never would I give her an opportunity to leave me! "Charles, I just want to be away from you! I don''t want to have anything to do with you ever again. Besides, you already have Nancy. It''s not like you can''t live without me. Why can''t you just set me free?" Scarlett shook her head bitterly. I could see despair in her eyes. "Just forget it, Scarlett. I will never agree to a divorce. I won''t let you leave me, nor will I let you go back to William!" I warned. Scarlett struggled to push me away and then shey on her side with her back to me. She was starting to get on my nerves, so I left the ward. Around four in the afternoon, Richard and I had just finished ying tennis. Just as I was about to take a shower, I received a call from Amy. "Mr. Moore, during the lunch party this noon, one of the clients offended Nancy and she ended up pping him across the face." "Did negotiations fall through?" I asked impatiently. Nancy was merely a means for me to infuriate Scarlett. Now that Scarlett had returned to me, Nancy was no longer useful. "Yes, sir. The client left right after," Amy answered. "Tell Nancy that if she wishes to keep her job, she has to do her duty. And if she wants to quit, then she can fuck off! Thepany will not tolerate anyone who gets easily offended by the littlest things!" I was already frustrated because Scarlett kept insisting on divorcing me. And finding out that the cooperation was ruined only served to fuel my anger, so I took it all out on Nancy. Annoyed, I hung up on Amy and walked back to the court. "Let''s keep ying!" I picked up my racket and vented all my frustrations and anger by ying tennis. I didn''t stop until Richard raised his arms in surrender and tried hard to catch his breath. But even until now, I was still too upset. Now that we were done ying, I grabbed a towel and wiped away my sweat. Afterwards, I took a quick shower and drove to the bar. Perhaps right now, only alcohol could make me temporarily forget my pain and ease my boredom. Scarlett''s POV: As Iy on the bed, staring at the ceiling, I recalled Charles'' warning and felt desperate. It would appear that he had no intention of letting me go. Thus, I must figure out another way to escape. The moment J knocked on the door and came in, a glimmer of hope sparked in my heart. "J, how did you scale the wall in Kitsapst time?" "Scarlett, are you still plotting to escape?" J asked directly. But I didn''t answer the question, fearing that she''d tell Charles about it. If he were to find out that I''d been nning to run away, he''d certainly double the number of guards around me. "Scarlett, just give it up. Mr. Moore has stationed countless bodyguards in the hospital. Honestly, not even Richard, Tracy, and I know the exact number of the guards around here." It seemed that J was intent on persuading me to give up. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. I looked down, feeling like I was trapped. "Has William been here, J?" "Unfortunately not." J shook her head. With that, I nodded and said nothing more. I wasn''t surprised because William was a calm and collected man. He probably wouldn''t break in with reckless abandon. Later that night, just as I was about to go to bed, the door of my ward was opened from outside. I thought it was Charles, so I hid myself beneath the quilt. But it turned out that it wasn''t Charles. It was actually a man in a doctor''s coat. Even though the man was wearing a mask, I was able to recognize him right away. It was William! I was so excited that I felt the urge to call his name. But he quickly made a gesture of silence. He then closed the door, quietly walking to my bedside. Upon seeing my pathetic state, he looked worried. "Are you feeling better now, Scarlett? Did Charles hurt you?" William eyed me up and down; his eyes filled with worry and guilt. I shook my head, chuckling wryly. To be honest, aside from not giving me my freedom, Charles had actually provided me with everything that I needed. "What are you doing in here, William? How did you even get in?" I asked, staring at him curiously. J told me that Charles had stationed countless bodyguards throughout the hospital. I never thought that William would be able to sneak in without getting caught. "That''s not important. Did Charles hide your phone? I couldn''t get in touch with you these past few days." "He did. Charles won''t allow me to leave the hospital, and he won''t even let me contact anyone from the outside world using my own damn phone!" The thought of Charles alone enraged me. "Well, here you go, Scarlett. Use it whenever it''s necessary." William took out a new phone and handed it to me. I epted the phone and nodded gratefully. "Do you want to leave here, Scarlett?" he asked, staring at me with concerned eyes. "Do you have a n to break me out of here? I want to take my children with me." As I spoke, I looked at William with hope in my eyes. While I was here, I had been thinking of countless ways to escape this God forsaken ce, but Charles had assigned people to guard me during every hour of the day. There was nothing I could do to escape. "As long as you''re willing to trust me with this, I''ll figure out a way to help you break out!" William put on a straight face, waiting for my answer. "Yes, William. I really want to leave. The sooner the better." Tears fell from my eyes as I looked at him, eager to get out. His appearance ignited a glimmer of hope in my desperate heart. "Okay. Let''s keep in touch." Upon hearing my response, William turned around and was about to leave. But before he left, he nced at my hair, letting out a wry smile. "You know what? I just couldn''t seem to get used to your new haircut." "Just hurry up and go! Charles will be back sometime soon." I didn''t answer the question. I just wanted him to leave, fearing that Charles might catch him. Chapter 337 Hugging And Sleeping Together Chapter 337 Hugging And Sleeping Together Charles'' POV: I went straight to the hospital aftering out of the bar, and just when I was about to enter, I saw a doctor walking out of Scarlett''s ward. Without thinking too much, I entered the ward. Scarlett was on the bed with her eyes closed. I walked to the bedside, stared at her face for a moment before I leaned in and kissed her forehead. Scarlett did not open her eyes, but I noticed her eyshes quivering. However, I pretended like I did not notice it and continued to kiss her. "Charles, you''re pushing it! Stay away from me!" Just when I was about to kiss her lips, she put her hand on my chest, stopping me from getting any closer. "I know that you are pretending to be asleep. I saw the doctor just a second ago. Did he say anything?" I held her hand. She looked at me in silence, but she was not willing to talk to me at all. Knowing that she still hated me, I did not expect her to respond. But her coldness still made me feel powerless. Sighing heavily, I let go of her hand, and walked to the bathroom to freshen up. Scarlett''s POV: I heaved sigh of relief after I saw Charles walk into the bathroom. No matter how coldly I treated him, he kept approaching me relentlessly. His persistence only made me feel uneasy and upset, and I just wanted to run away from him. A whileter Charles walked out of the bathroom. He theny on the bed and hugged me tightly from behind. "Good night, Scarlett." There was a hint of tiredness in his voice. And I was clearly annoyed with his behavior. Hadn''t he promised that he wouldn''t touch me as long as I did not speak to him? I wondered if I should continue to pretend to sleep, or if I should remind him of our agreement. "Scarlett, thank you for giving birth to the twins even in that difficult situation." Saying that all of a sudden, Charles held me even tighter. But I didn''t respond to him. I squirmed in his arms uneasily. Noticing that, he moved even closer to me. And now, our bodies were stuck together. Charles'' breath brushed against my ears, and my heart began race uncontrobly. Just when I was about to say something, Charles suddenly pressed his hand against my heart. "Scarlett, your heart seems to be racing. Is it because of my touch? You said you didn''t want me, but your body seems to be disagreeing with your mind." There seemed to be a hint ofcency in his tone and he seemed to be quite happy with my body''s honest reaction. I blushed in embarrassment and hurried to pull his hands off my body. "Scarlett, why did you stop pretending to be asleep?" Charles held my hand and suddenly turned me over to face him. He was smiling. I tried to remain indifferent and silent as I wanted to continue to resist his approach. However, instead of giving up, he leaned in and kissed me. I immediately turned away to avoid his kiss. "Scarlett, I miss the feeling of your touch, and I don''t care even if you do it to refuse me. So there''s no point in resisting. I want you," Charles whispered in my ear. He gently pinched my chin and kissed my lips. It was so gentle and irresistible that I was taken back to our sweet past. In the end, I could only give up on struggling and let him kiss me. Noticing that I was not resisting him any longer, he kissed me more passionately. Holding me in his arms, he ran his hands under my clothes, fondling and caressing my body. My heart began to beat wildly. I was jolted back to reality, and groaned in pain. "Scarlett, did I hurt you?" Charles stopped at once with a worried look in his eyes. Looking at his concerned expression, I couldn''t help but scold myself for being such a disappointment. Even after being hurt so many times, I still couldn''t help but love him.N?velDrama.Org ? content. I wanted to turn my back to Charles, but he held me tightly, stopping me. "Scarlett, don''t move." Noticing the change in my mood, he quickly pulled me into his arms. I tried to get away from him, but he only tightened his arms around me. "Scarlett, the doctor said that you must protect yourself against the cold. You will feel warmer if I hold you," Charles said in a gentle tone. "I can put on more clothes to stay warm. I don''t need you! And I can''t fall asleep if you keep holding me like this!" I retorted. However, he ignored my wordspletely and held me in his arms. I had no choice but to give up the idea of struggling because he was so stubborn. I thought that I would be staying awake all night long, but I fell asleep quite soon. The next morning, when I woke up, Charles was not in the room, so I thought that he must''ve left. It was only a moment of happiness before he walked in with a nurse, who was a physiotherapist. He stood aside, carefully learning all the massaging techniques from the nurse. When his hand touched my body, our intimate moment from the night before sh through my mind, and I immediately flushed. Fortunately, the nurse was in the ward, so I knew that Charles would not do anything inappropriate in front of her. That moment, someone knocked on the door. "Mr. Moore, Miss Wood and Mr. Wood are here to see Mrs. Moore." It was J outside the door. When I heard Nancy was there, I could not help but feel angry and red at Charles. How could he ask her toe over when he clearly knew that I did not like her? Was he trying to show off their intimacy again? "I didn''t ask them toe," Charles exined in a hurry when he saw how angry I was. I continued to stare at him, not wanting to believe a word he said. Nancy and Nichs walked in, surprised to see Charles there. "Scarlett, are you feeling better now?" Nichs put down the gift box on the table and greeted me with a polite smile. Looking at Nancy, I suddenly remembered the embarrassing scene from the bar, and I was annoyed. I smiled at Nichs, but didn''t say anything. He seemed to have foreseen my attitude, so he did not speak more. "Now that you''ve seen her, please leave. She needs to rest." Charles stood up and poured a ss of water for me before telling them to leave. I was surprised by the sudden change in his attitude towards Nancy. Just a few days ago, he had said that he would marry her and make her James'' stepmother. Why was he being so indifferent to her now? "Scarlett, have a good rest. We''lle to see you another day," Nichs said politely before walking to the door. But Nancy stopped him and walked towards me. "Scarlett, please help me." She then looked at me with pleading eyes. I was surprised by the dramatic change in her attitude towards me, and turned to Charles in a daze. He was also surprised, but he frowned and did not say anything. "Scarlett is still sick. What do you want?" Nichs gave his sister a disapproving look. "I identally offended a client yesterday, and now Charles wants to fire me! Scarlett, please put in a good word for me. He always listens to you! I really can''t afford to lose this job!" Nancy begged me pitifully, her voice filled with despair. Chapter 338 I Cant Help You Chapter 338 I Can''t Help You Scarlett''s POV: "Sorry, I don''t know the Charles you''re talking about. And I can''t help you," I said and looked at Nancy. I refused her request without hesitation. Nancy was stunned and didn''t seem to understand what I meant. "Drink some water first, Scarlett," Charles offered and smiled. He handed me a ss of water and stared at me as if he didn''t notice Nancy there, desperately begging for mercy. "Charles, are you the man that Nancy mentioned just now?" I asked Charles deliberately in front of Nancy while taking the ss of water from him. "No, I''m not. I have nothing to do with her," Charles denied immediately. "Then who are you?" I asked Charles again. "I''m your husband, Scarlett," Charles replied, holding my hand and looking at me affectionately. I saw tears in Nancy''s eyes as she stared at Charles in disbelief. "How couldyou say something like that, Charles?" "Who allowed you to call my name?" Charles snapped at Nancy. Frightened by his cold eyes, Nancy''s face turned pale, and she lowered her head in grievance. "Nichs, please get Nancy out of here. My wife needs to rest. I don''t want anyone disturbing her," Charles urged Nichs impatiently. "Of course. Nancy,e on. Scarlett needs some rest," Nichs said while shing me an apologetic look. He gently took Nancy''s arm, but Nancy didn''t want to leave. Unwilling to give up, Nancy shook off Nichs '' grip and addressed me once again. "Please help me, Scarlett! I''ve been working hard all this time. You have no idea about the kind of hell I had to go through just to get where I am. I can''t lose this job!" Nancy pleaded, practically kneeling by my bedside. Looking at the desperate expression on her face, I kept silent. As a woman, I didn''t think Nancy had done anything wrong. If I were in her shoes, I definitely would''ve made the same choice. But I still didn''t understand why Nancy was asking me of all people for help. After all, our rtionship was not that good. All of a sudden, what Charles said a few days ago urred to me. He said that he wanted Nancy to be James''s stepmother, which made me feel extremely disgusted. I looked at Nancy coldly. "Are you really unwilling to help me, Scarlett?" Nancy pressed. "Nancy, you made thepany lose an important client, and you didn''t engage in introspection. What else can I say? Besides, I don''t think it''s my obligation to help you," I retorted, feeling a little taken aback by the sheer entitlement in Nancy''s tone. Did she think that I had to help her just because she sobbed and wailed in front of me? "It''s not my fault at all. Any woman would resist being sexually harassed. You''re also a woman, Scarlett. You should take my side," Nancy said, trying to arouse my empathy. "If it were Charles who sexually harassed you that day, would you have resisted?" I asked Nancy with a sneer. Finally, Nancy was rendered speechless. She clearly wasn''t expecting me to ask that question. Her reaction was enough of an answer for me. Since Nancy liked Charles so much, she must be eager to have more physical contact with him. "Please leave. I''m tired. I want to rest," I finally said and looked away. "I''m so sorry, Scarlett. Nancy''s spoiled and doesn''t know when to quit. Don''t worry. I''ll take her home right now," Nichs apologized and put his arm around Nancy''s shoulder. He hurriedly steered her out of the room before she could start a whole new conversation. After they left, both Charles and I kept silent. I picked up the magazine on my bedside table and began to read it. I had almostpletely recovered during the past two days. I was expecting to be discharged from the hospital as soon as possible. I had no freedom here. I hated this ce, and I hated Charles. He just wouldn''t let me go. If I got discharged from the hospital today, Charles would surely take me back to the house in Garden Street or to the Moore mansion. Thinking of Charles''s overbearing attitude, I felt a little annoyed. Nancy''s POV: After walking out of the hospital, Nichs put his arm around my shoulder and sighed, "I wouldn''t havee with you if I''d known that you only wanted to see Scarlett to broach the matter to her." "Do you think Scarlett is beautiful, Nick? Who is more beautiful, me or her?" Nichs looked at me in confusion as if he didn''t understand what I just asked. After a while, he answered, "Of course you''re more beautiful than Scarlett." N?velDrama.Org ? content. "Be serious! Do you really think I''m more beautiful than Scarlett?" I nagged, refusing to believe his answer. If what he said was true, then why couldn''t I everpare with Scarlett in Charles''s heart? Every time I thought about Charles being gentle and considerate to Scarlett, I felt like I was going to die of jealousy. What spell did Scarlett cast on him? Why was he so head over heels for her? There had to be an exnation! "Nancy, Scarlett is not a woman we can just judge," Nichs said after a long silence. Hearing this, I put on a disdainful smile. "I admit that she used to be very beautiful, but now she''s extremely ugly. She doesn''t deserve to be compared with me!" Scarlett looked horrible now. Her skin was sallow and lifeless. Charles would dislike her one day! "Nancy, if Charles and Scarlett were divorced, I wouldn''t stop you from pursuing Charles. But they''re still married. You shouldn''t be pestering a married man. I don''t want you to end up like Rita," Nichs told me with genuine concern. "What does Rita have to do with Charles and Scarlett?" I asked, shing Nichs a confused look. I honestly didn''t understand why he was bringing up Rita all of a sudden. "More than a year ago, Rita suddenly disappeared. At that time, Charles and Scarlett also began to drift apart. Back then, a rumor went around that the reason for Charles and Scarlett''s separation was the death of their child, which the gossipmongers attributed to Rita. Now no one knows whether Rita is alive or dead. That''s why I don''t want you to end up like her. I don''t want you to just vanish into thin air someday," Nichs said, looking at me worriedly. "Why do you say that? Has Rita''s body not been found?" I asked, starting to feel scared by Nichs'' words. "With Rita''s temper, if she was still alive, she definitely wouldn''t let Charles and Scarlett live a peaceful life." "Do you mean Rita''s dead?" I shivered unconsciously. "Probably," Nichs replied. I suddenly felt lucky upon hearing his words. If Rita was really dead, then I''d have one less rival in love. A ruthless rival in love like Rita was terrifying. "Nancy, if Charles has already made up his mind about firing you, you cane work in my company," Nichs offered. "No, I want to stay in the Moore Group," I refused decisively. "Fine. If you want to stay, you have to solve the problem by yourself. Don''t ask Charles or Scarlett for help again," Nichs conceded. "I will," I agreed and left the hospital with him. Chapter 339 Want To Run Away Chapter 339 Want To Run Away Scarlett''s POV: I wasn''t sure if it was because of seeing Nancy during the day, but I had a nightmare around midnight. In my dream, she took away my kids, and even mocked and humiliated me in front of Charles. To make matters worse, Charles asked my three kids to call Nancy their mother. When I woke up screaming, he was awakened. He immediately got up to turn on the light. Then, he embraced me from behind and attempted to comfort me. "Were you having a nightmare, Scarlett? There''s no need to be afraid. I''m right here." The sound of his voice was soothing to my ears, and I could feel just how worried he was for me. Sadly, it wasn''t enough to appease my apprehension. It only made me feel more terrified. As I recalled what happened in my dream, tears fell from my eyes. By the time Iposed myself, I found myself holding onto Charles. I quickly let go of his hands. "Hey, hey... are you alright, Scarlett? How do you feel?" Charles was staring at me with worried eyes. I shot him a re and turned my back to him. If I ever get the chance to leave this ce, I would certainly take all my kids away! N?velDrama.Org ? content. Never would I allow my kids to call Nancy their mother. Not long after, Charles turned off the lights again, and embraced me once more. "There''s no need to be afraid, honey. I''ll always be by your side." As he hugged me from behind, he wiped away the tears from the corner of my eyes. His embrace was warm, but my entire body felt cold. "Charles, stop calling me that. We can''t get back together!" I tried to shake his arms off me, but he held me even tighter. "If you keep moving your arms like that Scarlett, I can''t guarantee that I won''t do something to you!" Charles warned. His words were enough to scare me. Fearing that he would actually try to escte this into something sexual, I decided to give up on struggling. The following morning, Charles told me that he had to go to a meeting at thepany. Once he was gone, I took out the phone that William gave mest time. The only thing on my mind right now was to leave here as soon as possible, and get the hell away from Charles. Nervously, I turned on my phone, only to find that there was no signal. It turned out that I couldn''t even send out a text message. Charles must''ve nted a signal jammer in the room somehow. He was leaving me no chance to contact the outside world. Thest glimmer of hope in my heart was extinguished. Despair overwhelmed me, and tears fell from my eyes. ''What am I supposed to do to escape this ce?'' I wondered. I sat on the edge of the bed for a long time, holding the phone. This ward seemed ordinary, but it was actually heavily guarded. The thought of it alone was enough to make me feel suffocated to the point that I could hardly breathe. For me, this wasn''t a ward; it was a cage. I opened the door, and there I saw three guards waiting outside. J and Tracy walked up to me when they saw me at the door. "Scarlett, is there something I can do for you?" asked Tracy. "I feel stuffy inside the room. I wanna go downstairs to breathe some fresh air," I answered. J and Tracy exchanged awkward nces. At this time, Richard approached me and said, "Mrs. Moore, you''re allowed to go outside, but please allow the three of us to apany you." After a moment of hesitation, I figured Tracy would be the best one to apany me. "Can you just let Tracy follow me around? It''s too eye -catching if all of youe with me." "Please don''t make things difficult for us. Mr. Moore has tasked us to follow you wherever you go. If anything bad happens to you, he''s going to punish us for it," Richard responded, seemingly having read my mind. Because of that, I had no choice but to agree. This had been the first time I would leave the ward and go downstairs since I was hospitalized. However, I wasn''t in the mood to appreciate the scenery. I was looking around at all the peopleing and going. Finally, Iid eyes on an old woman sitting on a chair and fiddling with her mobile phone. As I stared at the phone in her hand, hope returned to my heart. Calmly, I approached her. "Hello, ma''am. Do you mind if I sit with you?" I asked politely. The old woman nodded. I stifled my excitement and sat next to her. While I was talking to her, I thought of how I could borrow her phone. As our conversation kept going, I noticed that she was afraid when she saw Richard and the others behind me. This was when I realized that an opportunity hade. "Can you guys give us some space? You''re scaring her," I remarked. "J, stay here and watch over Mrs. Moore." I could tell that Richard was concerned about leaving me alone. After a moment of hesitation, he left J here with me. A frown appeared on my face, for I was dissatisfied with his decision. Seemingly noticing my displeasure, Richard exined to the old woman, "I''m really sorry about this, ma''am. But Mrs. Moore is in poor health, and we can''t leave her on her own. I hope you can understand." Once Richard and Tracy were far away, I scoffed at J and asked, "Did Charles order you to spy on me?" "We''re not spying on you, Scarlett. We''re looking after you." J frowned back, immediately correcting my assumption. This time, I didn''t say anything. Clearly, this ruse of "looking after me" was just a term for monitoring me. "You haven''t been married for long, have you? It sounds like your husband cares about you very much," said the old woman. A bitter smile appeared on my face. J kept on staring at me the whole time, and for that reason, I couldn''t ask the old woman if I could borrow her phone. Even when I was back at the ward, I still didn''t want to give up. I came up with an excuse to go downstairs again, but then I ran into Charles. He had just returned from thepany. I sat on one of the benches, feeling desperate. "Would you like to sit there a little longer, Scarlett?" Charles walked towards me and sat down. Ignoring him, I lowered my gaze. After a moment of silence, he held my hands. His hands felt warm to the touch,pletely enveloping my own. The thought of being imprisoned and monitored by this man for these past few days made me feel so disgusted by him that I wanted to escape from him. Sadly, I failed at every turn. "Don''t move. Your hands feel cold. Let me warm them up for you," Charles remarked, holding my hands tighter. "I don''t need you to do that for me!" I growled, struggling even harder. He knitted his brows, pulling me into his arms. "I know what you''re up to, Scarlett. But mark my words; I won''t let you go. Ever. Just give up on whatever you''re nning," Charles whispered as he leaned close to my ear. Upon hearing that, I felt tense. I didn''t expect that he''d figure out my n so soon. I felt even more desperate now. Once again, I began to struggle away from him in silence. Charles exerted more strength to embrace me tight. And soon, I was running out of energy. Desperate and afraid, I asked, "Charles, what can I do to make you let me go?" "Nothing. I will never agree to that." Even as we spoke, he still wouldn''t stop hugging me. The stern manner in which he spoke brought despair to my heart. This time, I gave up on struggling and just let my tears fall down. Charles was holding me as though he feared that I''d run away if he let go for even a second. Silence ensued between us. He didn''t take me back to the ward until it was nightfall. Chapter 340 Youre Evil Chapter 340 You''re Evil Scarlett''s POV: Iy weakly in Charles''s arms, barely breathing and surrounded by despair. He gentlyid me on the bed and held my hand. "I''ll arrange another physical therapy session for youter. Take a rest first." For a moment, I felt like my heart was being pierced by a knife. I used to love the man in front of me with all my heart. But now, all I wanted was to get away from him as far as I could. "I slept with William," I said out of nowhere. It was a lie. After years of entanglement with Charles, I knew very well how to break his heart. To my surprise, he did not go hysterical. Rather, he just calmly stared at me with his deep, emotionless eyes "Didn''t you hear what I said? I had sex with William!" I repeated with more conviction. When I spoke, my chin was raised, and I looked at him with defiance. "Scarlett, don''t lie to me," Charles warned through gritted teeth. We were staring into each other''s eyes when, suddenly, a sharp pain shot across my arm. He had tightened his grip on my wrist, and I froze because of the pain. "There''s no point in hiding the truth anymore. The kids may be yours, but I indeed slept with William." I endured the pain and continued to rub salt into his wound. "Why do you have to do this?" Charles asked coldly. "Do you want to hear more about it?" I looked into his eyes with a smirk and made a story up. "It was raining heavily that night. I went to his room¡ª" "Enough!" Charles roared. His veins stood out on his forehead, and he clenched my shoulder tightly in rage. "I loathed you to the core. Just so you know, I slept with William because that was the fastest and the most direct way to take revenge on you." My mouth automatically uttered those words to spite him. I could not even feel pain in my shoulder at all. "Do you hate me that much? To think, you''re even willing to use your body as a tool for revenge. I don''t believe you." Charles''s eyes said otherwise. Pain and disappointment were written all over his face. He looked as though he was on the verge of breaking down. "Trust me. I can do more than that. Do you really think we can get back together as long as you keep me by your side? Charles, I don''t know if you''re too naive or just stupid. Can''t you see that I''m trying to make a clean break with you? I don''t want to see your face again! You sicken me." I could not control my surging emotions anymore. Charles slowly loosened his grip on my shoulder and stood up. I thought that he had given up. Boy, was I wrong. "Do you think I will believe you just because you say so? Sad to say, but if you really have slept with William, then that''s all the more reason why you can''t leave me." A sinking feeling emerged in the pit of my stomach. "What did you just say? Do you really believe that we can just live together and pretend to be a happy couple for the rest of our lives?" A sneer tugged at the corners of my mouth. "Why not? You can do whatever you want. It''s up to you if you want our children to be unhappy. But I have to remind you. Even if you get discharged, you can''t escape from my watch. Do you really think you can leave me? Unfortunately, you''ll have to wait until the day I die." Charles''s words hit me like a hammer. Ever so slowly, my heart sank into the abyss of despair. "Charles, you''re out of your mind!" Instead of being angry because of what I had said, he put on a smile. "When our children grow up, will they find out that their parents'' marriage, as they know it, is just a show?" Why don''t you exin to them by then that you cheated on me and gave your heart and body to another man?" Charles was being aggressive in spitting what he thought were facts. How could I show any weakness? "How dare you threaten me?! Do you think you''re any better? Should I tell James that you remained indifferent when he had just died miserably in front of you? Or perhaps, should I tell him that you never loved me and that you cared more about the person who tried to murder him?" "Scarlett!" Charles pushed me onto the bed and pinned me with his body. Then, with his one hand, he held my hands above my head and pinched my chin with the other, rendering me unable to move. "Listen to me carefully. Back then, Rita had no way of escaping. Killing her was easy, but what was the point of that? Her death wouldn''t bring James back to us. And at that very moment, you were in my arms, dying. I wanted to save you. I had lost James. I couldn''t lose you too!" Charles stared into my eyes. As he spoke, his eyes were red, and his voice was choked with sobs. He then eventually released his grip on my hands. Without another word, he cupped my chin and stroked my cheeks over and over again. "How could you say that I didn''t love my son? Haven''t you seen how much I loved him since the moment he was born?" With tears streaming down my face, Iy on the bed in despair, my heart numb in pain. In all honesty, I knew that he loved James. But the thing was, he was entangled with the woman who had almost killed my son. Of course, I could not pretend that that did not bother me. "Scarlett, I''m begging you, don''t let our rtionship go to waste just because of one thing," Charles pleaded. I turned a deaf ear to his plea and murmured, "Let me go," I did not care about who was right and who was wrong anymore. All I wanted right now was to get away from him. "I won''t. I will also make sure that you won''t leave my side," Charles said in a matter-of-fact tone, ignoring what I felt. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. With a sneer, I turned to look at him and said, "Then I will die in front of you." Charles had crossed the line. Unfortunately, it seemed that death was the only way out of this hell. "Die in front of me? Huh! Don''t you want to watch our kids grow up? And when they do, do you want them to know that their mother had a mental breakdown because of a problem in marriage and then committed suicide? Is that what you want them to see?" My mind went nk all of a sudden. "If that''s what you want, go ahead. But from then on, I''m afraid that they won''t believe in love anymore. Do you want them to end up alone and lonely? I don''t think so." "You... You''re impossible!" Charles had struck me in the Achilles'' heel. My children were the only ones I could never let go of. How could I bear to make them suffer? "I don''t care if you''re going to cuss me out for the rest of our lives. If being good means that I''ll have to let you leave and let our children grow up in a broken family, then I would rather be despicable." "Get off your high horse. You''re just .manipting me." "You''re right. I''m manipting you to do the right thing for our children. You can''t escape from me, Scarlett." I stared at Charles''s face, hoping to see even a trace of pity. However, the only thing I saw was his cold-heartedness and desperation. "You..." Before I could finish my sentence, my chest tightened, and my body convulsed. I also coughed uncontrobly as I felt that something woulde out of my throat. Without wasting another second, Charles sat up, held me in his arms, and pressed the call bell. "Scarlett, what''s going on? What''s wrong?" "Get... get away from me! Get away..." At this moment, a group of doctors and nurses rushed into my ward and went to my aid. "Mr. Moore, your wife is emotionally unstable. Please go out for now," a nurse said. Although reluctant, Charles let go of me and retreated to the door. One of the doctors injected something in me, and I gradually calmed down. "Mr. Moore, you''d better leave now," the nurse reminded him again. "I have a few words to say to my wife." A momentter, the doctors and nurses left the room. Once they were gone, Charles walked over to me again. "Aboutwhathappenedbetweenyouand William... don''t say that again. I knew he had disguised himself as a doctor and gave you a phone that night. Why else do you think he didn''t send you any message in the past two days?" A feeling of dread washed over me. "Charles, what did you do to William?" How the hell did he find out about it? I felt as if a bucket of cold water was poured over me. I could not begin to imagine what crazy things this man would do to assert his dominance. "Don''t expect William toe and save you. He could barely save his own ass. He did not only hide my wife and son for a whole year, but he also tried to take you away from me. After everything he has done, do you think I will let him off easily?" Charles whispered in my ear. "I hope you die a horrible death!" If I had not been sedated, I would have jumped up, strangled him, and brought him down with me. "Scarlett, don''t challenge my bottom line. You should know by now that I have no patience when it comes to you." A chill ran down my spine as Charles stared at me with affection and, at the same time, malice. Truth be told, I was terrified. For the first time in my life, I feared the man I once loved. "Charles, you''re evil." Chapter 341 Agreement Charles''s POV: "No matter what you say, I won''t let you leave!" "Have I upset you in any way, Charles? Why are you being so cruel to me?" Scarlett asked and stared at me with red eyes. "We don''t need to be hostile to each other. You''re still my wife, Scarlett. I''m willing topromise as long as you''re willing to make a concession." "Your wife? You''re treating me like I''m your prisoner! You torment me, and you seem to get off on it. But I won''t give in. You better perish your foolish ideas now." "How did we end up like this?" I asked her. I reached out and pulled my cor impatiently. "You have changed. You used to be gentle and considerate, and you took good care of me. But somehow you''ve turned into a real devil!" Scarlett yelled, her voice trembling. "Enough!" I snapped. I really didn''t understand how Scarlett and I got into a bitter argument. Scarlett stopped talking, but she still stared at me. Her hands were shaking. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself down. Then, I turned around, walked to her, took her phone, and left the ward. The next day, I finished lunch at noon, and I was on my way back to the hospital when I saw Nina from a distance. She was also headed to the hospital. I rushed over to her and caught up with her before she could jump into the elevator. "What''s up?" Nina said coldly. "Can we talk?" "Sure." We went to a cafe near the hospital and sat down. I told her what happened before me and Scarletttely, especially our argumentst night. After hearing me out, Nina looked at me with wide eyes and in ck-jawed amazement. She said, "You shouldfor Scarlett instead of saying harsh words to her all the time, Charles. You''re only upsetting her with your behavior." "So she''s being reasonable by using William to irritate me?" I backfired, tightening my grip on my coffee cup. "Well, haven''t you provoked and hurt her by being intimate with Rita?" "At this point, I don''t mind being the viin in the story as long as I can make herpletely give up on William," I replied, evading Nina''s question. "With all due respect, Charles, you''re being a massive jerk," Nina muttered and shook her head. I didn''t say anything. I just drank up the rest of my coffee and let the bitterness ravage what was left of my heart. "You know what, when I first met you, I thought you were a real gentleman. I even felt jealous of Scarlett fornding such a wonderful partner. I used to admire you for being so kind and loving toward your wife, but now I''m finding that maybe you don''t know Scarlett at all. Maybe you should let her go," Nina added. "No way." "If you want my advice, Charles, here it is: Set your damn pride down and ease off Scarlett. If you continue down this path, you''re only going to make her drift further away from you." Before I could reply, Nina stood up and left the cafe. Scarlett''s POV: I stayed in my bed the whole morning as I stared at the scenery outside the window, and its beauty wasn''t enough to cheer me up. There was a gentle knock on the door. Thinking that Charles hade back, I covered myself with the quilt. "Scarlett, may Ie in?" Nina''s voice came from outside. I breathed a sigh of relief. "Come in!" I called and quickly sat up. Nina walked in with a big smile on her face. She said, "Hi, Scarlett. How are you doing?" Nina''s arrival made me feel ecstatic. "Oh, I''m so happy to see you, Nina. I''m doing well, thanks for asking. Why are you here?" "I have a bit of free time during lunch break, so I thought I''de visit you. I''ve missed you." "I''ve missed you, too. So how have you been?" I asked and beckoned Nina to sit on the edge of my bed. She looked at me for a while and said, "I''m good. Wow, you look terrible. Did Charles pick a fight with you again?" Tears started to well up in my eyes. I averted my gaze and stifled by sobs. I replied, "I''m fine." "I have an idea that will allow you to be with the kids every day and avoid Charles," Nina started and patted me on the shoulder. I held her hand excitedly and asked, "Really? Well, let''s hear it." "You go back to Garden Street. I''ve already spoken with Charles. As long as you don''t leave there, he won''te and bother you." "But I don''t trust him now. Do you know what he''s done to William?" "William is fine. I just talked to him on the phone this morning. If you don''t believe me, you can check," Nina said, took out her phone, and showed me her call log. "Then why hasn''t he contacted me?" "He has work to deal with. He wille see you when he''s less busier." "I see," I muttered, feeling hugely relieved. "So, do you want to go ahead with my n?" "Let me think about it first," I answered, unsure what to do. I trusted Nina, but I didn''t trust Charles anymore. "Scarlett, listen. You can''t leave with your children on your own. Remember the day I brought James here to see you? On my way here, I saw eight bodyguards trailing me like I''m some politician with a mountain of death threats. Charles is going overboard with his idea of protecting you. If you return to Garden Street, you can have some peace of mind while spending time with your kids. Plus, you can regroup and make another n." "But I''m still afraid..." "Don''t be. This is the best option you have right now. If you try to leave with your kids, they will be taken. away from you, and you may not be able to see them again for the rest of your life. Is that what you want?" The thought of my children being taken from me made me shiver and broke my heart. If I didn''t see them again, I would die. "No, that''s not what I want. But are you sure that Charles won''t bother me if I return to Garden Street?" I asked and looked up at Nina. "Yes, I am, and I''ll make sure he keeps up his end of the bargain," Nina assured me and looked straight into my eyes. As I breathed another sigh of relief, tears streamed down my face. Nina quickly took out a tissue and wiped off my tears. Sheforted me in a soft voice, "Oh, honey, it''s okay. Don''t cry. That jerk isn''t worth crying over. I''ll always be here for you." "I just feel a little frustrated," I confessed in between sobs. "I know. Come on, cheer up. Let''s talk about something else." "Okay. What do you have in mind?" "Abner hopes that you cane back to work at the TV station as soon as possible. Before you left, you nned a program, and it really doesn''t make sense to hand that program to another host. You should do it. After all, money is essential, and you need it to raise your kids." "That actually sounds like a terrific n. I miss being on the job, and I can''t wait to return to work." After a few hours of catching up with Nina, I felt a lot better. In the evening, Charles had dinner with me in the ward. I had a lot of things in my mind, so I wasn''t really in the mood for some spaghetti. Charles remained silent as usual. After dinner, he said, "As long as you return to Garden Street and stay there, I will keep my promise and let you live there in peace. I won''te and disturb you." "Fine." "But I want to reserve the right to visit the children," he added.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "Of course you cane see them once a week. Just inform me in advance." "Okay. Thank you," Charles said and then turned around and left. Chapter 342 Miss The Kids Alice''s POV: I felt very lonely after the kids were taken away. I would wake up every day, missing the kids, but when I couldn''t see them, my heart felt empty. And after about a weekter, I just couldn''t take it anymore. I approached Christine, and suggested that we go to see the kids. "No, I don''t want to go there. I am sure that if I did go there, Scarlett will only pester me to convince Charles to divorce her!" Christine rejected my suggestion instantly. "In the worst case scenario, you just might have to continue to pretend to have a headache! The kids haven''t seen you in such a long time and I am sure that they miss you a lot!" I continued to persuade her. "Do you really think Scarlett doesn''t know that I''m just pretending to be ill? And I am really embarrassed to put up this act! So I am not going! If you want, you can go on your own!" Christine snorted, it was evident that she was not moved by my words at all. "Charles started a mess with his wife, and now he is expecting us to clean up after him! How can he make us elders worry about him?" I couldn''t help butin. "Scarlett is also not that easy to be swayed away. She is really a smart woman!" Christine frowned, and she was really dissatisfied with Charles for getting ridiculed. "Forget it. I''ll go on my own, then." I didn''t want to persuade her anymore. After taking a bottle of tonic with me, I left the house in a hurry. Just when I was about to reach Garden Street, I called Charles and informed him that I was going to see the kids. "Why are you telling me when you are only going to see your own grandsons?" Charles asked in reply. "This is all your fault. You couldn''t even handle Scarlett, and you''re the reason I was separated from my grandkids!" I med him. "I wasn''t nning on letting the kids live in the Moore mansion for the rest of their lives, anyway. You were going to be separated from them sooner orter. As for Scarlett, I will handle her. You don''t have to worry." After arriving at Garden Street, I did not knock on the door, because Charles had already given me the password. However, I was surprised to find that the door did not open even after I entered the password. With a frown I figured that I must have entered the wrong number, so I quickly tried again. But the door continued to remain locked. Seeing that, I realized that something must be wrong. The password was the wedding date of Scarlett and Charles. How could I have entered that wrong? Just when I was about to try it again, the door suddenly opened from the inside. "Mrs. Moore, you are here." J seemed to be a little nervous to see me. "Did Scarlett change the password?" I asked her in a daze. "Yes, she changed it a few days ago," J replied. That made me feel a little ufortable, but I did not say anything to her. As soon as I walked in, I saw James ying with his toys, alone. The moment he saw me, he ran to me with a smile. "James, my baby! I haven''t seen you in such a long time. Did you miss me? Did you have fun here?" I then bent down to pick him up. "Where are Jerry and Jason?" I asked with a worried expression, noticing that the twins were not around. "They are sleeping in their room," J answered. "Is Scarlett upstairs, then?" "Yes. She needs to go back to the TV station, so she is getting ready upstairs. Tracy has gone up to inform her." After giving her a nod, I continued to y with James. Scarlett''s POV: By the time I walked downstairs, I saw Alice and James ying with Lego blocks. "Mom." I hurried over to greet her. Alice quickly held my hand, and we both sat down on the sofa. "Scarlett, are you going to work now?" I smiled and replied with a faint nod. "I guess that''s good. Once you start living a normal life, you won''t be making blind or disorderly conjectures. By the way, do you have e any clue of where Charles is living now? He has note home in a while Our house is really big, so even if you don''t want to share bed With him, you can at least sleep in separate rooms. The kids might not be very happy to see that their father is not around," Alice said in a concerned voice. I couldn''t say anything to her, so I lowered my head in silence. "Scarlett, your father passed away when you were very young, right? I am sure you will be able to understand the feeling of not having your father around. If the kids don''t get their father''s love because of you, then they might end up ming you once they grow up." Alice''s words felt like thorns pricking my heart. Sadness clouded my heart when I realized that it was my choice that was causing my kids to have an iplete family. "Scarlett, Christine also misses the kids a lot, so if you don''t mind, I would like to take them back to the Moore mansion for a few days." Alice quickly changed the topic after seeing that I was quiet. However, I did not want to agree to her request. It had only been a week since I brought my kids home, and now she was trying to take them away again. "Scarlett, if you are really worried about them, then you can alsoe and live with us. You focus on your work during the day, anyway. So you don''t really have time to be with the kids during the day. Why don''t you let me take care of them during the day and you cane back to the Moore mansion in the night toExclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. spend time with them?" Alice added. "I have not been that busytely, so I can very well take care of the kids on my own." Honestly, I did not want to bear the pain of being parted from my kids again. It had taken a long time for them toe back to me, so I did not want to let anyone take them away from me. "Scarlett, how about I take the kids back to the Moore Mansion today and bring them back the day after tomorrow? You will also have some free time to hang out with your friends. I promise I will take good care of them." Alice was very persistent on taking the kids away. Suppressing the anger and dissatisfaction in my heart, I tried my best toe up with a way to politely refuse her. All of a sudden, the doorbell rang. I hurried to open the door. Seeing Charles outside my door, I was a little stunned. Didn''t we not agree that he would only visit the kids once a week? He had onlye to my ce three days ago, so why was he back now? "Why did you..." Before I could finish my words, Charles exined, "Mom wanted to see the kids, and she asked me toe with her." "Scarlett, I am the one who asked him toe," Alice echoed. Hearing that, I red that Charles, but I did not say anything. "Where are the twins?" Charles asked at once after seeing that the twins were not in the living room. "They are sleeping upstairs. Don''t disturb them." Alice reminded him, worried that the kids might wake up. Charles nodded in reply, and took James from her arms. I couldn''t help but feel a little upset, looking at the unexpected visitors in front of me. Only three days ago when I had finished washing up and was about to go to bed, Charles had suddenlye here, saying that he wanted to see the kids. After I had driven him away, I was worried that he might show up again, and that was the reason I had changed the password to my door. "Mom, do you want to take the children back to the Moore mansion?" Noticing that I was upset, Charles seemed to have guessed the reason Alice was there. "Yes, I miss the kids very much. I want to take them back to Moore mansion for a few days." Saying that, Alice give him a nod. "Mom, you cane backter for that." Charles kept silent for a while before he started to persuade her. Surprised by his gesture, I felt a little moved. I actually thought that he would made me to let Alice take the kids. I was not expecting him to help me at all. "Charles, I must take them back to the Moore mansion! You don''t know how much it hurts me when I am not with them!" Alice gave us a stubborn look. "Mom, Scarlett can''t live without her children. She needs theirpany more than you do." Charles also felt helpless. "I also need to be with the kids, and your father and grandparents also miss them a lot." Alice frowned and was about to persuade again, but Charles interrupted her in a serious tone, "You have to wait!" Just when I was about to give in, I was surprised to see his tough attitude. "You are so bossy! How can you yell at me?" Alice snorted with displeasure before she headed upstairs to see the twins. Chapter 343 Have Dinner Together Charles''s POV: "James, go y with your mother." After my mother left, I put James down. James ran toward Scarlett. "Have you had dinner?" I turned around and headed to the kitchen. "Charles, don''t..." Scarlett suddenly stopped me. Confused, I turned around and saw her striding toward me. She walked in a hurry. When I abruptly turned around to face her, she took a step back. Noticing that James was following his mother closely, I grabbed Scarlett and pulled her into my arms. I looked down and saw Scarlett ring at me. "Let go of me, Charles!" "James is behind you. I was just worried that you would knock him down because you didn''t see him," I exined earnestly. The expression on Scarlett''s face told me that she couldn''t wait to break free from my grip, and it broke my heart. Scarlett turned around and saw James standing behind her. She cooled down at once. Seeing that we were hugging each other, James naughtily stuck out his tongue at me. Scarlett shook off my hand. It wasn''t easy for me anymore to hold my own wife, and when I did, she wouldn''t allow me much time to enjoy the feeling. I reluctantly let her go. "Daddy, you hugged Mommy!" James pointed out happily while covering his mouth and snickering. I put on a weak smile, turned around, and proceeded to the kitchen. "I don''t need you to cook for us, Charles," Scarlett said tly. "I want to cook for my children," I snapped. I could understand why Scarlett was keeping her guard up around me, but she didn''t need to be hostile. It was starting to annoy me. I just wanted to be a good father to my sons. Why was she trying to stop me? Scarlett was rendered speechless. I entered the kitchen and started preparing dinner for my kids. Scarlett''s POV: At dinner time, I sat at the table with James in my arms and asked J to go upstairs to invite Alice to dinner. "Mrs. Moore has left," J reported. I just nodded and said nothing. At this time, Charles came out of the kitchen with a dish and was about to sit opposite me. "You can leave now. There''s no need for us to have dinner together," I said and frowned. "Can''t I have dinner with my children? Seriously, Scarlett. Just let me spend some more time with them. They''re my kids, too," Charles replied, pulled out a chair, and sat down. His tone was full of impatience. "Charles, we have an agreement. You''re only allowed to visit the kids once a week. You''ve alreadye to see them twice in three days," I retorted and red at Charles, dissatisfied that he didn''t keep his end of the bargain. "Yes, I''vee here twice in three days, but those three days are right in the middle of two separate weeks, so I''m not viting anything," Charles reasoned and put on a smug smile. He was obviously pretty pleased with himself that he found a technicality that he could milk. I rolled my eyes, mostly because he was right. I found myself out of ways to drive him away. Seeing that I didn''t say anything more, Charles grinned. "James, how''s the food Daddy made for you? Is it good?" James held his bowl happily and replied, "It''s so yummy, Daddy!" Smiling, Charles stroked James''s head and filled his bowl with more soup. Seeing that James was enjoying spending time with his father, I kept silent. I just hoped that Charles would leave as soon as dinner was over. However, Charles didn''t leave at once after dinner. Instead, he held James in his arms and refused to go. "Scarlett, I want to sleep beside James tonight." James chimed in, "I want to sleep with Mommy and Daddy!" Hearing James''s request, I didn''t know what to say. Allowing Charles to stay overnight here? No way! "James, you have to ask for Mommy''s permission first. Only when Mommy agrees can Daddy stay with you," Charles said and rubbed James''s little head. "Mommy, can I sleep with you and Daddy tonight?" James asked expectantly. James''s ba question made me feel a corner. I swallowed, palms tingle. I felt like ebut. weeping, but no tears came "Scarlett, can James sleep with his Mommy and Daddy tonight?" Charles rephrased James''s question and looked at me with a smile. I kept my mouth shut, fearing that would start screaming at Charles if I tried speaking. Reading my silence correctly, Charles finally quito pestering me. "You know what, buddy, we can bunk together tonight since we''re gentlemen. Mommy is ady. She''ll sleep in her own bed," Charles told James while staring at me with affectionate eyes. He seemed to tell me with his eyes that we could all have a family sleepover party next time. I felt relieved. Charles took James upstairs to get him ready for bed. I went upstairs after cleaning up in the dining room and in the kitchen. As I walked to the babies'' room, I overheard Charles telling stories to James. Charles spoke in a low, gentle, and patient voice. Standing at the door, I thought of the past and suddenly felt a little sad. Charles and I couldn''t get back together anymore. Then, Charles suddenly came out. Seeing me standing outside the door, he smiled and asked, "Scarlett? What are you doing? Are you waiting for me?" His voice snapped me back to my senses. I red at him and said crossly, "I''m waiting for you to leave." Charles seemed to have expected that. He nodded and closed the door gently. "Well..." I pressed when Charles didn''t make a move to leave. "I also want to see the twins. I haven''t seen them today. Are they in the master bedroom? I''ll get going after I see them." Seeing that I didn''t say anything, Charles turned around and was about to go to the master bedroom. "Charles!" I hurriedly stopped him. I didn''t want him to enter my room. "Scarlett, I just canceled an important appointment and rushed here to stop my mother from taking the kids away. Can''t I just see them? I''m their father after all," Charles scowled. "You promised me that you wouldn''te here without my permission!" Charles stopped and kept silent for a long time. Just when I thought he was going to make a run for the master bedroom, he suddenly turned around and went downstairs. Seeing him finally leaving, I felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest. I followed him downstairs because I was afraid that he would suddenlye up with a new set of excuses to stay. "Can I spend more time with the kids next week?" Charles asked when we arrived at the door. "Whatever," I groaned. I just wanted him to leave as soon as possible, so I agreed without hesitation. "You have to keep your word," Charles pressed, looked at me, and beamed. "Just go already, Charles. It''ste," I whined and started practically shoving him out the door. "Okay, okay," Charles muttered but still didn''t move. "Why are you still here?" I red at him impatiently.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "I want to watch you close the door." I cursed him in my heart and quickly shut the door. But Charles suddenly put his hand against it. Through the narrow crack, I saw his eyes that said more than all the words we had said to each other tonight. "Good night, Scarlett," Charles said in a tender voice. I shut the door in his face without saying anything. Sitting at the same table as Charles tonight, I didn''t eat much. Now that he finally left, I could go find something to eat. Chapter 344 The Party Plan Charles''s POV: I went to the Mint Bar in a bad mood and headed straight for one of the VIP rooms. I started drinking like there was no tomorrow as soon as I sat down. After a few moments, Spencer came in. "So, it''s really you. I thought I mistook somebody else for you. Aren''t you supposed to be at a dinner party? Why are you here?" "I didn''t go," I muttered and gulped down another ss of whiskey. Spencer came over and sat next to me. After pouring himself a drink, he began to tease me. "Did you go see Scarlett and the kids?" I paused at the question. Damn, was I that obvious? "No." "Don''t be stubborn." "Don''t be nosy," I backfired and continued to drown my sorrows in alcohol. "I heard Nina helped you keep Scarlett," Spencermented, raising his eyebrows. "Scarlett couldn''t leave anyway, so technically, Nina had nothing to do with her staying. She just calmed her down." Spencer yed with his ss and stared at me solemnly. "Charles, as your friend, I have to remind you not to becent with your arrangement with Scarlett. She''s still a flight risk, and if she seeds on running away with the children one day, then you''ll be left alone, maybe even for the rest of your life." "Running away with the children?" I sneered. "And where would she go?" "Don''t forget that William is still obsessed with her," Spencer reminded me. William. That wife-stealing bastard. I scoffed and downed another drink. "By the way, why is there no news about Williamtely? Didn''t he use to appear wherever Scarlett was before?" Spencer asked curiously. "I don''t know, and I don''t care," I shrugged and then nced at Spencer. "Oh, my God! Did you do something to him?" Spencer raised his voice and looked at me with wide eyes. "What do you think?" I asked Spencer in reply. He was right. I did do something to William. If he was indeed thinking about taking my wife and children away from me, then he was dreaming! Spencer set his ss on the table and excitedly gave me a thumbs up. "Way to go, buddy! You should''ve taught that jerk a lesson a long time ago, let him know that he can''t mess with you and your family and get away with it." "What are you so excited about, Spencer?" David pushed the door open and walked in. "David? Why are you here?" "Charles called me," David pouted at me. "This better be important, Charles, because I canceled a potentially wonderful night with my Icey just to be here." David walked to the sofa and sat down. He stared at me intently as if telling me to get on with what I was going to tell him. "I''m going to hold a big party for Jerry and Jason and officially announce their identities to the public." "A party for the twins? That sounds like fun," David said, stroked his chin, and then asked, "But what about Scarlett? Is she okay with the idea?" "Scarlett wants to take the kids and run far, far away from Charles. Do you think she''ll want a big baby debut that''ll tie her and her children to Charles forever?" Spencer smirked. "I need your help," I blurted out at the expense of my precious pride. "That''s why I asked you toe, David." Spencer and David were rendered speechless for a few seconds. "Fine. You''re like a brother to me, man. Of course I''ll help you convince Scarlett," David sighed, rubbed his forehead, and looked at Spencer. Spencer nodded awkwardly and put his hands up as if in surrender. "Okay, okay, I''m in." After confirming my friends'' cooperation, I left the bar with a smile on my face and hope in my heart. Unconsciously, I drove to Garden Street again. Scarlett''s POV: I was writing articles in the study when the doorbell suddenly rang. I walked to the door and saw Vivian and Icey through the peephole. As soon as I opened the door, Vivian gave me a big hug. "Hello, Scarlett! Oh, I''ve missed you!" Vivian raised her hand and touched my hair. "Honey, this hairstyle makes you look like a teenager. You better grow it out, or you''ll make men feel guilty when they make love to you." "Easy on the lovemakingments, Vivian," I muttered, feeling blood rush to my cheeks. "She''s right, Scarlett. I also think you''re more beautiful with long hair," Icey seconded. "Let''s talk about my hairter. What brings you two here?" I changed the topic and ushered them in. My intuition told me that they must have an important agenda. "Where are Jerry and Jason? I haven''t seen them in a long time. Have them brought out so we can greet the little angels," Vivian said and handed the toys she bought to the nanny. I smiled and asked the nanny to bring the twins out. Vivian held Jason while Icey held Jerry. I could only beam as I watched Vivian and Icey y with my little boys. "I don''t think we''ve held a party for these little cuties since they were born. Am I right, Scarlett? We should throw a party for them," Icey suggested and cooed at Jerry. "Yes, yes, we must hold a grand party for them." Vivian rubbed Jason''s chubby face and lowered her head to tease him. "What do you think, Jason? It''s an awesome idea, isn''t it?" "But I''ve already held a birthday party for them in Kitsap," I smiled casually. "That shouldn''t count. None of your best friends were there," Icey frowned. "What is up with you two today? Why do you insist on throwing a party for the twins?" I looked at them in confusion. "Nothing. I just want to find an excuse to gather everyone together and have fun. Besides, I want to tell everyone that the beautiful Scarlett is back," Vivian said with a grin. "Well, we can have fun anytime. There''s no need to throw a big party for the twins," I retorted, shaking my head. "Oh, don''t be such a killjoy, Scarlett. If you don''t want the party to be for the twins, then we''ll throw it for me. I''ve suffered and survived a lot this year, you know? I was set up, had a miscarriage, and almost went through a divorce. I''m the only one here who deserves a party just as much as these two little bundles of joy here," Vivian said like a spoiled child asking for candy. She had a miscarriage? I looked at Vivian in shock. "You remember Ethan? I fought with him and lost the baby," she smiled and said lightly after reading my surprised reaction.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Looking into Vivian''s sincere eyes, I couldn''t say no. "Don''t worry. We won''t invite the elders. The party is just for us," Icey beamed and winked at me. I was caught in a dilemma. I couldn''t refuse, but I didn''t want to agree either. After Vivian and Icey left, I sat on the sofa and thought quietly. I already guessed that they were helping Charles to persuade me to throw the party. But why did he want a party for the twins all of sudden? I couldn''t help sighing. I could never guess what that man was thinking. When I went upstairs, I found J ying with the twins. I walked over, picked up one of them, and whispered, "Do you want a party, sweetie?" "What''s wrong, Scarlett? Are you all right?" J asked with genuine concern. "My friends want to hold a party for the twins, but I can''t make up my mind about it." "I think it''s a great idea. It''s an opportunity for you to take more photos and videos of Jerry and Jason. I''m sure they''ll enjoy seeing lots of their childhood memories in photos and in film when they grow up." s?novel Really? I lowered my head and looked at the twins, lost in thought. The next day, I still hadn''t made up my mind. In the afternoon, J and I went to the supermarket to do some grocery shopping. I was surprised to bump into Nancy there. "Hi, Scarlett," Nancy greeted me. She didn''t change at all. She still looked as sweet and innocent as before. "I''m not sure if you already knew, but I recently moved to Garden Street. I live in the building behind your house. Guess we''re neighbors now." Nancy excitedly pointed out the direction of her house, but I kept my face neutral. Ruthless ambition was written all over this girl''s face. When Charles had a car identst time, she tantly behaved as if she wanted to rece me. I stared at her and thought for a second. Since we were neighbors now, I might as well make use of her to get what I wanted. "Really? That''s great. Well, since we live near each other now, we should exchange phone numbers. You know, just in case we need each other''s help," I suggested with a smile. "Oh, yes, of course." Looking at Nancy''s phone number in my contact list, I felt an inexplicable emotion surge through my heart. A party for the twins? I''d like to see what he was nning to do. Chapter 345 The Party Scarlett''s POV: As soon as we got home, I sent a text to Charles, telling him that I agreed to attend the party. Soon, he replied, "Okay, then. We will host one on the 10th of next month." Putting down my phone, I took a deep breath. I knew that I would have to fight a battle soon. Time passed quickly, and it was the day of the party. As soon as I walked out of the TV station, I saw a ck Rolls-Royce next to the gate, and Richard was standing beside it. "Mrs. Moore, we are out of time! The kids have already gone to the party. Please get in." Saying that, Richard respectfully opened the door for me. Once I sat down, I noticed a huge ck gift box in the back seat. I gently opened it, and saw a custom-designed Valentino dress, which was simple yet elegant. The white velvet dress was covered in ayer of white organza fabric, and the skirt was made from acey material. I could imagine how it would enhance my slender waist. There were countless rhinestones and crystals on the dress, which made it look like the glimmering sky. I admired its beauty in silence for a long time before I finally put the lid back. "Is there a problem with the dress?" Richard asked nervously. "No, it''s beautiful, but I don''t think it would be suitable for me." Turning around, I looked out of the window. We fell silent again. I figured out that Charles must have arranged the dress, and I could read his mind just by ncing at it. It was so much like a... a wedding dress. And because of that, I was obviously hesitant to wear it. The Rolls-Royce slowly arrived at the hotel. The moment I got off the car, I regretted it. At least a dozen reporters were waiting at the hotel entrance. ''Oh my God! What did Charles do behind my back?'' Looking at my blue business suit, I frowned, thinking that I was going to make a fool out of myself.N?velDrama.Org ? content. Even the reporters seemed to be stunned to see me show up like that. "Mrs. Moore, you look so special today." "That''s right, Mrs. Moore. This party is such a grand event. Aren''t you going to change into a fancy dress?" I felt so embarrassed that I wanted to run away from there at once. "There is no need for my wife to get changed. She looks perfect no matter what she wears." Charles walked up to me slowly and put his hand on my waist. He was dressed in a customized ck Armani suit, which had a vintage double buckle design, and a shiny red rose brooch, which seemed to be carved from a precious crystal. It was exquisite and bright, making him look seductive. It was his handsome appearance that led countless women to throw themselves at him, like moths darting into the fire, just like I had done in the past. Charles walked me to the banquet hall. Although I was mentally prepared to face a huge crowd, the party was bigger than my imagination. Everyone''s gaze fell on us the moment we walked in. "Oh my God! Who is that woman? And why is she dressed like that to Mr. Moore''s dinnerparty?" "She is apparently Mrs. Moore." "Really?" Upon hearing that chatter, I felt ufortable to be the center of attention. However, Charles quietly held my hand as he escorted me into the banquet hall. "Scarlett, why are you dressed like that?" Icey, who was dressed in a ck and white suit, walked up to me in surprise. I gave her a bitter smile. No one had told me that the party would be such a grand one. "She looks good," Charles said casually. He then took off his coat, and put it on me. I refused subconsciously, "No, thanks. I already have a coat." "Put it on. It''s cold here, and my coat is thicker than yours. It will help you stay warm." Charles continued to persuade me. I had no choice but to ept it. After all, everyone was looking at us, and if I fought with him now, then I would surely be in the headlines of gossip magazines. That moment, Vivian, who was wearing a long wine dress and ck high heels, walked over holding Spencer''s arm. "Scarlett, here you are," Spencer greeted me excitedly. I nodded to greet him as I stared at Vivian with reproachful eyes. ''Is this the ''small'' party you mentioned before?'' Vivian looked away guiltily. While we were talking, the nanny took James'' hand and brought, Jerry and Jason over. I instantly forgot all the displeasure, walked up to them, kissed them, and touched James'' head lovingly. "How''s your day, sweetie? Do you have fun here, James?" "Yes." James looked up at me with his bright eyes and smiled. Vivian took Jerry in her arms and tickled him, making him burst intoughter. "Scarlett, the kids like me so much.. Can I would be e great! Then I wo. That et 35 their godmother?" " their godfather!" Spencer choed. I smiled and handed Jason to Spencer. With a big smile, Charles lifted James in his arms and joked, "It looks like our James is be out of favor." Content belo "That won''t be a problem, because I will always spoil him." I grabbed James from him and hugged him. "Then I will spoil him too." Competing with me, Charles took James away from me. Charles'' POV: While Scarlett and I werepeting with each other, I heard a familiar voice. "Charles, Scarlett." Nichs and Nancy were walking towards us. ''Why are they here?'' I had not invited them. "Charles, Scarlett invited us," Nichs exined in a hurry. "Yes," Scarlett admitted. I stared at her with dissatisfaction. What was she nning now? Soon, I got the answer. The party began, and it was time for the opening dance. I was looking for Scarlett when I suddenly saw Nancy walking towards me. "Charles, I..." I didn''t stop and just walked forward. "Where is Scarlett?" I asked a servant. "I think she just went upstairs," she answered respectfully. I immediately understood Scarlett was avoiding me again. I looked up before I turned to David. "You preside over the party for me. I''m going to find Scarlett." "Okay, but you bettere back soon." After giving me a nod, he walked onto the stage. The moment I took a step forward, Nancy approached me again. "Charles, the opening dance is about to begin. Since Scarlett is not around, let me help you." There was a hint of shyness in her eyes, but I was already bored with her. "I don''t dance." Saying that coldly, I left. That moment, J walked downstairs. "J, where is Scarlett?" "She is ying with the kids in the presidential suite upstairs." Hearing that, I immediately rushed to the presidential suite and saw Scarlett on the bed, ying with the kids. Suddenly, her phone rang, and she sat up. Our eyes met, but she nced at me coldly and continued to answer the phone. "Who''s on the phone?" I had drunk a little more than usual since the party started, so my voice sounded a lot louder than usual. "It''s none of your business. You should go now." Scarlett red at me. I grabbed her arm and asked angrily, "Do you really hate me that much?" We were like the beasts fighting in the Colosseum, unwilling to give in to each other. Chapter 346 Charles, I Dont Love You Anymore Scarlett''s POV: "Yes," I blurted out without thinking. At the same time, I was a little dissatisfied. Why didn''t Nancy keep him downstairs? Charles''s face darkened. "You didn''t have to answer the question so bluntly." "You''re not a kid. You''re a grown man. You don''t need me to sugarcoat things for you," I retorted. Charles was rendered speechless. He raised his hand and rubbed the bridge of his nose. After a while, he asked, "Why did you call Nancy here?" "I want you two to be together so that I can get rid of you." As the words left my lips, a surge of bitterness almost stopped my heart dead. "Do you know what you''re talking about?" Charles asked through gritted teeth. Some painful memories shed in my mind. I took a deep breath and let the harsh words flow out of my mouth. "Yes, I know what I''m talking about. It''s time for you to move on to a new partner. I''m no longer the pretty Scarlett you once loved. Can''t you see how much I''ve changed since giving birth to the twins? Just leave, Charles." I tried to walk past Charles, but he blocked my way. "Scarlett, no woman canpare with you." I couldn''t believe his words anymore. I scoffed and tried to walk away. Unexpectedly, he held me into his arms and said, "You''re the only woman I''m capable of loving, do you understand? And it''ll take more than just changes in your body for me to leave you." Although his honeyed words were pleasant to hear, the past was still vivid in my mind. I shook my head and tried to break free from his grip. "I don''t want to hear any more, Charles. Please, just go." He looked into my eyes and said, "Listen to me, Scarlett." He held on to me. "I''m begging you, Charles. Please. Just leave," I sobbed. Thinking of the pain he had caused me, I couldn''t help trembling. "I just want a simple and ordinary life. Please let me go with the children..." Before I could finish my sentence, Charles crashed his lips onto mine. I pushed him away with all my strength and hissed, "Stop it! Enough!" Tears started streaming down my face. The next second, Charles pulled me into his arms again. "I won''t leave you."N?velDrama.Org ? content. I tried my best to struggle but to no avail. Charles was much, much stronger than I, and he held me like he wanted to embed my body into his. I could smell the alcohol in his breath. I pleaded once more, "Let me go, Charles." Charles rested his chin on my shoulder. I felt his hot breath on my neck. He repeated softly, "I won''t leave you. I won''t let you go. I''ll hold you in my arms forever." All of a sudden, his phone rang, but he didn''t pick it up. Afraid of waking up the children, I urged him to answer the phone, "Pick it up. The children are sleeping. The noise will wake them up." Charles took out his phone and answered it, but he wrapped his arm around my waist, refusing to let me go. I caught a glimpse of the caller ID. It was Nancy. "Hello?" he groaned. "Charles, I won first ce. Thank you for your gift," I heard Nancy say sweetly. "I have no idea what you''re talking about." While Charles was busy speaking to Nancy, I took the opportunity to shake off his grip and go downstairs. I felt somewhat unhappy. I went to the first floor, found an empty room, and called William. I didn''t know exactly why I wanted to speak to William, but Charles was definitely part of the reason. I felt lost and confused. I needed someone to talk to. "Hi, William. How are you?" "Hey. Good to hear from you. I''m fine. I just ran into a little trouble. I''m handling it." "That''s good." I felt relieved. "I heard from Nina that you went back to work. Have you decided to stay this time?" "I''m d to know you''re safe. Let''s limit our contact from now on." I didn''t answer his question directly. Charles was alert. I couldn''t put William in danger. "If I find a way to get you and the children out of here, will youe with me?" "I..." I was surprised by the question and didn''t know how to reply. "As soon as you make up your mind, I''ll take you away. Just give me a few days," William promised. "Can I trust you?" I asked. I felt a chill down my spine every time I thought about William''s disappearance. "Of course. I won''t break my promise this time." "Okay." "Keep your phone on you. Wait for my call." "All right." After hanging up the phone, I left the room only to be greeted by Charles''s cold gaze. "Were you on the phone with William just now?" "Yes, I was," I replied without hesitation and stuffed my phone into my pocket. "If he dares to call you again, ry a message to him for me." "What message?" "A woman is going to give birth to his son," Charles said and smiled contemptuously, which made me feel incredibly nervous. "What''s that supposed to mean?" "I arranged that woman for William." Last time, in the ward, Nina told me that something happened to William''spany, so he lost contact with me. It seemed that he was only lying to us. Thinking of this, I suddenly felt a little relieved Although I indeed considered to leave with him, I knew that it wasn''t a good choice. If I had other options, I wouldn''t have allowed myself to get entangled with William. After all, I didn''t have feelings for him and I didn''t want to owe him anything. "Why are you so quiet all of a sudden? Are you scared?" Charles asked. "No. I just think you did a good job," I smiled faintly and went to go upstairs. But Charles didn''t want to let me go. He grabbed my hand and asked me ecstatically, "You really think so?" "Yes. Will you leave now?" I didn''t want to be in Charles''s presence anymore, but he held me tightly in his arms again. "Scarlett," he called my name in a low, husky voice, put his arm around my waist, and lowered his head to kiss me. His eyes were red. As we got close enough to share breath, I felt my cheeks burn. I was so nervous that I closed my eyes. The next second, when I felt his breath on my lips, I quickly turned away, and his lips only grazed my cheek. "Enough, Charles. Please leave. Now." "I don''t want to leave," he whispered in a strained, pleading voice, which made my heart break into a gallop. "If you don''t go, then I''ll go." "Please don''t." "I don''t love you anymore, Charles. Don''t you get it?" "Since when?" Charles challenged. I felt his body stiffen. I gritted my teeth and answered, "Since my father passed away. The more you hurt me, the more I hate you. That''s all I feel for you now. All the love and affection I once had for you went to the grave with my dad." I Charles was silent, but he tightened his grip. "Does hurting me over and over again bring you happiness?" I finally raised my head and looked straight at Charles. He looked back at me, his blue eyes full of sadness. "I don''t want to leave. I want to give our children aplete family." "Why are you saying this to me after telling me that you don''t love me?" After a long while, Charles said in a low voice, "What if I told you that I never stopped loving you?" "I wouldn''t believe you. Enough, Charles." I felt crushed. Chapter 347 His Heart Softened Scarlett''s POV: As I stared into Charles'' affectionate eyes, I remembered how I had lost myself in his eyes countless of times in the past. Even until now, it seemed that I couldn''t free myself from his gaze. But in the end, he broke my heart. And now, I had learned my lesson. I would never be so foolish ever again. "Have you forgotten what you told me before? You said you never loved me," I said in a calm voice. I deliberately tore open my wound to remind myself of its pain, and to tell myself never to be addicted to his love again. "Scarlett, those words were said in the spur of the moment. I never meant them!" Charles held my shoulders, visibly anxious. "Is that so?" Even though I had warned myself of this moment so many times, tears still welled up in my eyes andpletely blurred my vision. Each time that he said something to hurt me, he would always im that he merely said those words because he was angry. It was like I was his ything. Whenever he wanted me, he would shackle me to his side at all times. And once he didn''t want me anymore, he would get rid of me just as easily. I had had enough of it. His love for me was always fickle. The day he told me that he never loved me, I died inside. In the dim room, I ran my hand along his face, down to his angr chin and his Adam''s apple. This face that had been engraved into my very soul was something that I could never forget for the rest of my life. But I was exhausted. I didn''t want to love him anymore. "If you really love me, Charles, please set me free. I''ll take my kids to a ce that no one ever knows and I''ll raise them on my own." I held his face as tears fell from my eyes. "What about me?" Charles asked in a hoarse voice. "You''ve got so many other choices, don''t you? You have Rita and Nancy. There are countless women obsessed with you. They''re gentler, more considerate, and more obedient than me." "But they''re not you! Scarlett, I can no longer live without you. You can''t just be selfish and run away like this," Charles grunted as he cupped my cheeks. Tears streamed down my eyes. My mind waspletely chaotic right now. "Hush now... don''t cry." Gently, he wiped my tears away and embraced me. "Please, let me go," I pleaded. Charles didn''t respond. He just hugged me like a dragon guarding his most prized treasure. ****** After that night, he disappeared. It seemed like he had vanished from the surface of the earth. I had no idea if Charles had gone softhearted, but his departure gradually helped me put my life back on track. One day, on my way to work, I identally saw William in a cafe outside the TV station. It had been so long since Ist saw him. "Long time no see, Scarlett," he greeted while approaching. "You''re right. It has been a long time, hasn''t it?" William seemed to have lost weight, and he looked disheveled. We then sat in the cafe in silence. Too many things had happenedtely, and we both needed some time to process it. "Are you really going to stay? How did he persuade you?" William asked after taking a sip of his coffee. "Charles said that he''s going to another city to handle a new project and wouldn''te back in a few years, which means he won''t be troubling me for the time being." As I held the cup of coffee in my hand, I smelled the aroma of the coffee. "Oh? What kind of project would need Charles to personally handle it?" William said sarcastically. I looked into his eyes and frowned. Somehow, he looked kind of neurotic now. "I think it''s best that we don''t see each other again, William." "But why not?" William was visibly surprised. "The only reason you came to this city was because your sister''s heart was in Rita''s body. Now that you''ve gotten it back, there''s no more reason for you to be here. Besides, you career isn''t here." I stared at him, weighing the pros and cons for him. "And besides, I don''t have any extra energy to hang out with friends right now. Between work and my kids, I barely have any time for myself." "Did he tell you to say that? Has he agreed to divorce you only under the condition that you cut off ties with me?" asked William. For some reason, he seemed riled up. "Look, my decision has nothing to do with Charles. I just think it''s time for both of us to start a new chapter of our own lives." As a matter of fact, William and I had been stuck in the past. I figured it was time for us to move on. D "Scarlett, starting over a new life is a lie. You''re just deceiving yourself. All I know is that the woman I love is sitting right in front of me. I can''t just lie to myself by moving on and living as though nothing had happened. Can''t you understand that? The sun shone down on William''s face through the ss window as he stared at me with his firm yet gentle gaze. I wasn''t sure how I could persuade him from this. "Look, it''s fine. Whenever you feel unhappy and want to leave this city, you can contact me anytime. I''ll help you unconditionally," he said. Once William had left, I sat in the cafe on my own for a long time. When my colleague finally called to urge me to go back, I let out a deep sigh and went back to the TV station. ****** A monthter, the program about postpartum mothers had begun shooting. My first guest was Mary Jones, a great mother who managed to raise three sons by selling homemade pizza. Mary seemed restless in the studio, so I brought her a cup of hot cocoa to soothe her nerves. "Don''t be anxious, Mary. Just think of it as chitchat," I said. She took the cup from my hand and took a sip. Gradually, she appeared more rxed. "Mary, why were you so determined to work during your pregnancy?" I asked. "What other reason could it be other than money? I was really poor back then," Mary said in a bleak voice. Not long after, a smile appeared on her lips. "Honestly, being poor isn''t that terrible. Over the years, my husband and I have been supporting each other. We have three sons, and we both work hard to support our family. And now, we''re living a much better life than before. I''m very proud of what we''ve aplished. The smile on her face disyed a realistic beauty that had ovee years of adversity. Somehow, I envied her. Even though her life wasn''t as good as she hoped it would be, she still had the fervor and courage to push forward. By the time the show was over, it was alreadyte, so I drove home in a hurry. As soon as I opened the door, I saw James ying on the carpet as little toysy beside him. "Hello, my dear! I''m home."Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. James immediately looked at my direction, threw away his toy car to the ground, and rushed to hug me. "Mommy!" All the exhaustion I had felt throughout the day seemed to have disappeared at this moment. "Mommy, can you y with me, please?" I caressed James'' soft hair as he looked up at me expectantly. "Mommy, where''s Daddy?" he asked. My hand froze upon hearing the question. "Do you miss your dad, James?" "Yes, I do. It''s been so long since Ist saw him." James looked a little disappointed. I hugged him lovingly and said, "Dad is on a business trip. That''s why he hasn''te to visit you. But when hees back, we''ll see him right away, okay?" "Okay..." James leaned against my chest listlessly. Suddenly, he pointed at the phone in my hand and eximed, "We can call Daddy!" Upon hearing the suggestion, I let out a sigh. Even though I''d rather not see Charles, I couldn''t deprive my child of the right to see his father. At this time, Tracy came over, and it gave me a brilliant idea. "Tracy, do you mind using your phone to video call Charles?" I asked. Tracy''s body trembled and her face turned pale. "What now?" "James wants to see his father." I was confused. I couldn''t understand why she was so scared. "I, um... I''m here to pick up Jerry and Jason. It''s time for them to eat." She then grabbed the twins and ran out. I didn''t even have enough time to stop her. "Mommy..." The way James looked at me made him look so pitiful. ''Fine. Calling him isn''t a big deal!'' I said to myself. Finally, I picked up my phone and video called Charles. Chapter 348 My Son And I Are Both Neat Freaks Charles'' POV: After working for a whole day, I went back to the hotel,pletely exhausted. Just as I was about to take a shower, I received a call. I nced at the phone''s screen and froze. It was a video call from Scarlett. It made me wonder if I was hallucinating. ''Why is this heartless woman calling me?'' The phone kept on ringing and the word "honey" continuously shed on the screen. ''Damn! It''s really Scarlett calling me!'' I rushed into the bathroom and stared at myself in the mirror. I looked disheveled, haggard, and unpresentable. These days, I hadn''t been paying attention to my appearance, and I hadn''t even shaved my beard. I wanted to answer the video call, but I hesitated because of how I looked. ''I can''t really show myself to her looking like this! I need to look damn near perfect in front of her, ''I thought. Thus, I washed up quickly. After taking a quick shower, I dried my hair, shaved my beard, and put on some night wear. Once I was sure that everything was perfect, I called Scarlett back. While I was waiting for her to answer the call, my heart was racing. "Hi, Daddy!" James'' adorable face appeared on the screen. ''Wait... why isn''t Scarlett on the phone?'' "Oh! Hi, James. Did you miss Daddy?" I forced an awkward smile. "Yes, I did. Daddy, you haven''t visited me in so long!" said my son. "Daddyisbustely. Anyway, where''syourmom?" With the phone in his hands, James looked around and jumped into a particr direction. "Mommy!" "James, watch out!" I eximed. Fortunately, a pair of delicate hands caught him. Soon, I saw Scarlett''s beautiful face. Within an instant, the surge of yearning broke through my defenses that I had worked so hard to build. It had been only a few weeks since Ist saw her, but I had been longing for her already. "Why did you call me all of a sudden?" I asked nonchntly. "James misses you," she answered listlessly. "Oh... he misses me, huh?" I spoke in lilting sybles on purpose. And just as I had expected, Scarlett was flustered. "Baby, now that we''ve seen your dad, can we go y with your little brothers now?" Scarlett said to James. "But I haven''t finished talking with Daddy yet." James shook his head. ''Good job, my boy! You deserve to be my son!'' "Daddy, when will you being back?" asked James. "Around three days or so. Sorry if it is taking so long, son."This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. "Okay. Come back soon. I miss you, and Jerry and Jason miss you as well," the boy replied. Suddenly, the boy''s face turned red. "And Mommy misses you too." "James, don''t say such nonsensical things!" Scarlett grunted. The smile on James'' lips disappeared and he looked at me in bewilderment. "Scarlett, don''t get mad at him. He''s still young and he has no idea what happened between us," I said crossly. Scarlett didn''t argue with me. She just squatted down next to James and touched the boy''s face lovingly. "I''m sorry, my love. Dad has been very busy recently. Let''s not disturb him anymore, okay?" "Okay. Daddy, I really miss you, but you have work. Bye, Daddy. I love you!" James kissed the phone screen and waved his hand at me goodbye. "I miss you and I love you too, son. I''ll be back in a few days. Bye!" I waved back at him. Scarlett took the phone and hung up before I could even take another look at her. It seemed that she really didn''t want to see me. After the video chat, Iy in bed, staring at the ceiling nkly for a long time. Scarlett''s gentle, loving appearance shed through my mind and her soft voice resonated in my ears. I began to feel hot all over. The uncontroble longing aroused my desire. Scenes of us having sex over and over shed through my mind like clips out of a movie, arousing me even further. How I wished I could tie up this gorgeous woman and fuck her as much as I wanted. I was getting horny, so I started to masturbate. But then, my phone rang again. I thought that it was another call from Scarlett. But unfortunately, it was just Nichs. Disappointed, I picked up the call and asked, "What''s up?" "Charles, when will you being back?" "In a few days. Why do you ask?" "Two days from now, it''ll be my birthday. Aren''t you going toe to my birthday party?" asked Nichs. I fell silent for a while. I wanted to refuse, but I figured he might invite Scarlett as well. Thus, I said, "If I manage to finish up on my work here early, I''ll attend. But don''t expect anything, alright?" Nancy''s POV: I asked Nichs to call Charles and invite him to the party. After hanging up, Nichs shook his head and said, "He''s busy. I don''t think he''lle." I nodded in response, feeling aggrieved. My heart was filled with sadness. "Nancy, you are a member of the Wood family must remind you not to provoke Charles. Our family cannotpete with the Moore family. Do not let our family suffer the consequences of your willful love. Understand?" Nichs remark was particrly harsh. I was fed up by this, so I replied, "If anything happens, I''ll draw a clear line with you won''t implicate the Wood family because of my actions, Nick sighed and tried to persuade me; gentler this time My silly sister, I am your brother ft''s natural for me to support you in your pursuit of happiness. But Charles Moore isn''t a man you can tame. I''m afraid you''ll just lose the bait along with the fish." Even though I knew he was just worried about me, I still felt uneasy about hisment. ''Why can''t I win Charles'' heart? I''ve been trying to win him over for a year, but he still hasn''t given me a shred of hope. I cannot ept this!'' ***** Two dayster, my brother''s birthday party was held at Mint Bar. I made sure to dress up well for the day. I wore a customized blue fishtail skirt from Givenchy. My hair was permed into exquisite curly waves, and I even wore thetest ne from Cartier. S As I held Nichs'' hand and waited in the hall, Charles soon appeared in my sight. He had a boy in his arms. "Hi, Charles. I''m here too!" I greeted him eagerly. Charles approached us and handed a gift to Nichs. He didn''t even bother to nce at me. "Happy birthday, my friend." "Charles, it''s good to see that you''re here! You didn''t have to bring me a gift, bro." Nichs grinned from ear to ear. "My assistant bought it." Charles paused for a second and added, "That birthday gift is from me and my wife." "Ah, then I should thank Mrs. Moore as well." Nichs forced a smile. I pursed my lips, annoyed by Nick''s remark. ''Why does he still address Scarlett as Mrs. Moore? They''re about to get divorced, alright?'' Unwilling to be ignored, I took the initiative to speak to him. "Charles, why did you bring your child here?" Charles nced down at his son and his face softened. "He''s rather clingy. I don''t have a choice," he said. "He''s so adorable! Can I hug him?" I reached out to take the child from him, but he moved back right away. "Sorry, but my son is a neat freak just like me. He doesn''t like it when strangers touch him," said Charles. "Oh... I see." I withdrew my hand, feeling awkward and kind of hurt. ''Don''t give up, Nancy! It''s not easy to meet with Charles. Do not miss this opportunity!'' I told myself, trying to cheer myself up. "I apologize if I''ve offended you just now, Charles. Anyway, thank you foring to my brother''s birthday party! I''d like to propose a toast to you." I picked up a wine ss, gently clinking my ss with his as I fawningly muttered his name. I wanted everyone to know that Charles was here to see me. "I''ve already told you that both my son and I are neat freaks. I do not appreciate strangers trying to touch my stuff. Did you not hear me the first time?" Charles shot me a cold nce before throwing his wine ss at the table in disgust. Suddenly, the tension in the room turned awkward. I could feel that everyone around me was looking at me with contempt. This humiliation brought tears to my eyes. Chapter 349 Misunderstanding Scarlett''s POV: Vivian asked me to join her for a drink at the Mint Bar, so I headed there after work. Once I arrived there, I walked into the private room, and sat down between Vivian and Icey. "I can''t stay here for too long. I have to leave in a few minutes. I''m worried about the children." "Ever since you gave birth to your kids, you don''t even have time to have dinner with your friends. When I see you like this, I don''t even want to have kids in the future," Icey grumbled. "I don''t want a baby now, either." Seeing us talk about kids, Vivian suddenly became sad. Noticing that they were so against the idea of having kids, I teased them with a smile, "You won''t think the same way once you find out that you''re pregnant." Pregnant women only cared about their baby, and would do everything in their power to bring their babies into the world safely and healthily. "Scarlett, it''s really you! I almost couldn''t recognize you because of your new haircut!" Spencer walked in with a surprised look. I gave him a faint smile. He sat down at our table, but he was not sitting next to Vivian. "Vivian, did you and Spencer have a fight? Why is he sitting so far away from you?" Icey whispered curiously in Vivian''s ear. "Hey! Don''t try to sow dissension between us! Vivian and I are still on good terms!" Spencer red at Icey, pouting. "Spencer, did youe here to see Vivian?" I asked. "Didn''t you know? Nichs Wood is holding a birthday party here. So Charles is also here. And he has brought Jerry with him too!" "What?" I frowned, looking at him in surprise. "Jerry is less than a year old. Why would Charles bring him to a birthday party? What would an infant eat here?" Both Vivian and Icey were also stunned. "Sorry, but I have to go now." Sensing the awkward atmosphere at the table, Spencer came up with an excuse to leave. I felt a little uneasy. Charles had told me that he would only be back the next night, so why did hee in advance? He even brought Jerry to Nichs'' birthday party. Recalling what Charles had told me before, tears welled up in my eyes. He had said that he wanted Nancy to be the stepmother of my kids. I stepped out to ask the waiter where Nichs'' birthday party was being held. As soon as I opened the door, I saw Nancy coaxing Jerry at a distance. Seeing that, my heart ached. "Excuse me." I knocked on the door, staring at her. The moment she saw me, she held Jerry tightly in her arms. And her sudden reaction caused Jerry to burst into tears. Seeing that, Charles snapped, "Let go of him! Who allowed you to touch him?" "Nancy didn''t mean to hurt Jerry. She was just ying with him. Please don''t take it to heart," Nichs exined at once. When I looked into Nancy''s tearful eyes, I found it a bit ridiculous. I saw what she was just trying to do, and I did not believe that she was doing it as a joke. "Get out of my way!" I walked up to her immediately. Seeing her pretending to be weak and innocent, I felt disgusted. I took Jerry in my arms and coaxed him softly, "Baby, don''t cry. It''s all right." Jerry began to sob as hey in my arms. I pitied him and felt angry. "Nancy, if you like kids, then you should have your own. You have no right to touch mine!" Nancy seemed to want to argue with me, but she looked a little scared. "Scarlett, it is really just a misunderstanding. Nancy never meant to hurt him." Standing in front of Nancy, Nichs defended her. "That doesn''t matter. As an adult, she should know better. Do you really think that your sister deserves to have everything good in the world for herself?" I sneered before walked out of there, holding my son. Charles'' POV: When I saw Scarlett leave with Jerry, I knew that she was angry, so I immediately stood up and followed her. "Keep your if youer under control. And , then don''t me me being ruthless!" I warned Nichs with a sneer before I Pout. "Charles, I..." Just when he was about to exin something, I interrupted him coldly. "I am here because someone told me that Scarlett would be here tonight. I didn''te here for Nancy! Do you understand?" And I only brought Jerry with me, because I wanted to use him as an excuse to go back home with Scarlett. So I never thought that she would misunderstand me. Recalling the cold look in her eyes, I couldn''t help but feel regretful and anxious. By then, Scarlett had already got in the car with Jerry, and was about to leave. I hurried over to stop them. J stopped the car quickly, and I motioned her to get off. "Let me drive you home first. This is not the right ce to quarrel," I pleaded. Scarlett''s eyes were still cold, but I was d that she did not refuse me. Breathing a sigh of relief, I hurried over to the driver''s seat. Soon, we arrived at Garden Street. But the second I parked the car, Scarlett got off the car, holding Jerry in her arms. Before I even closed the door, I ran after them. "Scarlett, please give me a chance to exin." "There is no need for you to exin anything." After saying those cold words to me, she continued to walk with Jerry. I grabbed her wrist.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. "Mr. and Mrs. Moore, Jerry will catch a cold if he stays outside for a long time, so let me take him inside first." J stepped forward. Feeling helpless, Scarlett gave the baby to her. Once we were alone, I held Scarlett. She struggled hard to break free from my embrace, but she couldn''t. "Charles, can you let go of me?" Afraid that I might annoy her, I loosened my grip at once. "Scarlett, I didn''t go to the party for Nancy." "Why are you saying this to me? Is it even necessary for me to know?" Her coldness was making my heart ache. "I just don''t want you to misunderstand me again," I exined patiently. "How is it going to make things any different? We are separated after all," Scarlett said indifferently, lowering her head. Her words made me feel like she had really removed me from her world. "Scarlett, your words are really hurting me, you know?" I smiled bitterly. For some reason, I kept feeling like the distance between us was growing bigger and bigger. "Scarlett, I didn''t go there to find a stepmother for our sons." "Charles, you don''t have to exin anything to me. You just need to remember what you promised me." Scarlett smiled casually. And just before I was about to leave, she added, "Since you have already seen the kids this week, you don''t have toe tomorrow." "Scarlett, I haven''t seen the other two though!" I hurried to habitually grab her wrist. Chapter 350 Take A Photo Charles'' POV: "Let go of me. I have to go!" Scarlett gave a muffled grunt as she tried to withdraw her hand. She probably did not notice that she was acting like a spoiled child. It was hard for me to see her like that. How could I let go when she was being so cute? But since she was struggling so hard, I had no choice but to rx my grip on her wrist. "How about you let me stay over tonight, and in return, I will note to see the kids tomorrow like you asked?" I tentatively said. She frowned and sensed that something was wrong. "If you stay tonight, then how would you not see the kids tomorrow? Or would you rather see them tomorrow as well, and give up seeing them for the next two weeks?" Scarlett was so smart that it did not take her long to figure out my n. When I saw that she was unwilling to suffer any loss, I couldn''t help butugh. I had not seen her cute yet cunning side for a long time. "My feet are cold. Can I go in now?" Scarlett asked, stomping her feet. Cold? I squatted down and put my hand into her sock, holding her ankle with my palm. "Charles, what are you doing?" Startled by my sudden action, Scarlett blushed. She wanted to step back subconsciously, but since I was holding her ankle, she couldn''t move. "You are wearing such thick socks. How can your feet still feel cold?" "Charles, someone ising. Let go!" she reminded me in a low voice before she pushed my shoulder away. I helped her put on her socks before I stood up. "Scarlett, can I take you to the hospital for a reexamination tomorrow?" "I know my body well. Besides, it is none of your business! Anyway, I''m leaving!" ring at me, she left in a hurry. After that, I took out my phone and called Richard. "Richard, has Scarlett been taking a foot bath regrly?" A momentter, Richard replied, "Yes." "Got it." I quickly hung up and breathed a sigh of relief, but I still couldn''t stop worrying about her. I was standing down stairs for a long time before I finally walked to the next building. I had bought an apartment in the building, so that I could be closer to Scarlet and the kids. And I did not want to know about it for the time being, because she had made it clear that she wanted to stay as far away from me as possible. Scarlett''s POV: Only after I was home was I able to take a deep breath. Leaning against the door, I kept thinking of the way Charles held my ankle just moments ago. He was the one who had handed me a knife and asked me to kill myself, and now he was pretending like he care about me. What on earth did he want from me? Why wouldn''t he let me go? Although I felt a little sad, I was trying my best to hold back my tears. "Scarlett, the foot bath is ready. Would you like to soak your feet now?" J walked out of the bathroom, holding a pedicure tub. "Sure, thanks. You can rest now." I was moved by how thoughtful she was towards me. "By the way, why did youe back so soon? You haven''t hung out with your friends in a long time, right?" J tried to make conversation. She was being very calm, trying to make herself seem natural, but I sensed that something was wrong. Frowning, I carefully observed her expression. "You thought that I wouldn''te back so early, and that''s why you let Charles take Jerry away, didn''t you?" I questioned her coldly. J seemed to be guilty. "Do you often do things like this behind my back?" I asked with a sneer. "No, no! It is the first time..." Stunned, she tried to deny in panic. But I could tell from just a nce that she was lying. Whenever she was nervous or lying, her expression would be stiff and she would stutter. "That''s right. After all, Charles is the one paying you. So it is only understandable that you would only listen to him." I lowered my gaze and sighed.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "Scarlett, please don''t say such things! You are the hostess!" J looked at me apologetically. "Have you ever seen a hostess being monitored all day long? Are you also reporting everything about me to Charles, including how much water I drank how many times I went to the washroom, and whom I met during the day?" I felt a little ironic to hear her call me the hostess. Gripping her phone tightly, J frowned in embarrassment. "I know that Charles has a strong desire to control everything around him." I lowered my head in sadness. I was on the verge of tears. J seemed to be frightened by my reaction, so she quickly denied, "Scarlett, please don''t think that way! It''s just that Mr. Moore cares a lot about you!" "He cares about me? You think so because you don''t know that he threw a knife at me and asked me to kill myself." Iughed with selfmockery. "What?" J was shocked. "You can go to bed now. I want to be alone for a while." ncing at her found that my words had worked, so I pretended to wipe away my tears as I sent her away. J nodded subconsciously and walked to the door before she turned around and came back. "Scarlett, how about I stay with you for a while?" She was rubbing her phone in embarrassment. I watched her and did not say anything. I sensed that she was acting a little strange, but I did not know what she was nning to do. J walked up to me, ncing at the foot bath asionally. To my surprise, she suddenly took out her phone and clicked a photo of my feet. "Why are you taking a photo?" With a serious look in her eyes, she replied, "I''m going to send it to the doctor to check how your feet have been recovering." ''Can the doctor even make a judgment based on a mere photo?'' Frowning, I wondered what she was trying to pull now. Chapter 351 What A Good Man Charles'' POV: J sent me a photo of Scarlett''s foot bath. The doctor had advised her to soak her injured foot in hot water every day to speed up the healing process. However, I was told that Scarlett was not taking his advice seriously, and often forgot to do it. Since J reminded her from time to time, I finally felt a little relieved. That moment, my phone vibrated, and when I saw that it was a call from Nancy, I cut the call at once. I then called Richard. "It has been getting really coldtely, so ask the others to take good care of Mrs. Moore. Don''t let her fall sick." "I understand, Mr. Moore." The next morning, I took Grandma to Garden Street when Scarlett and the kids were still asleep. She was sitting in the living room, rxing, while I walked to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for everyone. "Grandma, what are you doing here?" As soon as Scarlett walked out of her room, she was surprised to see the olddy there. "Grandma was really missing you and the kids a lot, so I brought her along." Saying that, I walked out of the kitchen with the breakfast tray. I knew that Scarlett was not pleased to see me, but I ignored her displeasure as I sat down across her. "Grandma, I''ve missed you so much." "I missed you too." Seeing them hugging so intimately, I felt like I was the only outsider there. "Grandma, I''m sorry for being rude to youst time. I feel really bad about it." Scarlett''s eyes turned red at the mention of it. "Silly girl, I don''t me you at all. I know that Charles must have made you suffer a lot, and that''s the reason you''re so determined to leave. I feel really sorry for you." Grandma reached out her hand and stroked Scarlett''s short hair. With a pitiful look in her eyes, she continued, "Look at you! Why do you look so weak? You should eat well. Your health is more important than anything else." "Okay, I will." Scarlett smiled through tears. "But I think that I will look better if I lose some weight." She smiled sweetly, acting like a spoiled child in front of my grandma. "Nonsense! You are the most beautiful girl. Look at you. The size of Charles'' arms is twice as much as yours," Grandma mumbled. "Yes, he is too fat," Scarlettined with a pout. I fell into a trance, looking at her adorable expression. Thest time she had acted like a spoiled child in front of me felt like something that had happened a lifetime ago. Scarlett was a calm woman, who rarely ever behaved like that, but once she started to talk sweetly, her face would turn red. I suddenly felt the urge to hold her and wished that I could switch ces with my grandma. Grandma then held her hand tightly and asked, "By the way, how is your ankle now? I know a very famous doctor, and I want you to consult with him. Let me take you to his hospital another day, okay?" "But I''ve been really busytely, so I don''t have time for such things." Scarlett was a little embarrassed. I winked at my grandma secretly. "When do you have time, then? How about next week?" "Okay, we can discuss it next week. Don''t worry too much, though. A well-known doctor is treating my injury, and I am recovering quite well," Scarlettforted her. Grandma frowned. "Really? What''s the doctor''s name?" Scarlett thought for a while and shook her head. "I can''t remember his first name, but I think that his surname is White." "Scarlett, your doctor''s name is Herman White," Tracy reminded her in a low voice. "I''ve heard a lot about his remarkable medical skills." Grandma gave me a wink. I felt inexplicably upset. When I had been absent from Scarlett''s life, William had not only been with her, but he had also gotten a famous doctor to treat her. He hadpletely reced my role in her life. Feeling dejected, I stood up and walked upstairs to see my sons. James was ying with his younger brothers in the room, and the moment he saw me, he ran over to me. "Daddy!" I picked him up and looked at him. "It has only been a few days since west saw each other, and you''ve already grown taller, my dear!" With a firm nod, James straightened his back to prove that he had indeed grown taller. I smiled and said, "Your mom and greatgrandma are talking downstairs. Do you want to see great-grandma?" James nced at me, put his arms around my neck, and rested his head on my shoulder. "Okay." I carried him downstairs and said to Grandma, "Look who''s here!" "Oh, my sweetheart! Give me a hug." Grandma stood up excitedly, reaching out her arms to James. I put him down and said encouragingly, "Go ahead." ncing at Scarlett, James walked up to Grandma slowly and greeted her politely, "Hello, great-grandma." Grandma held James in her arms and kissed him lovingly, making him blush. Scarlett was drinking water and smiling as she admired them. I quickly walked to her and took the ss from her hand. Our eyes met for a moment, but neither of us said a word. After breakfast, Grandma was about to leave when Scarlett suddenly turned to me and said, "You saw Jerry yesterday, and James today. If you haven''t seen Jason yet, then you can go upstairs and see him now." Stunned, I wondered what she meant by that. "I''lle backter to see him. I have to send Grandma back first." That way, I coulde back again. It was a brilliant idea! Thinking of it, I was a little proud of myself. Scarlett''s POV: Charles was really shameless. Was he nning to see only one of his sons at a time so that he coulde to my house three times a week? I red at him in dissatisfaction. And the more I thought about his n, the more I felt that there was something wrong with it. I felt the urge to say no to him, but I did not want to be rude in front of Christine. After Charles left, I sent him a text, telling him that he should stop using the kids as an excuse to stay at my ce. Then I left for work. But he didn''t reply that whole morning. I invited Abner for lunch that noon during our lunch break to discuss about the program. As soon as we entered the dinner, I heard someone mentioning my name. "Is that handsome man Scarlett''s husband? He is so handsome and he can take care of the children. What a good husband!" While I was in a daze, a colleague showed me his phone. "This photo was taken by our colleague at the park that''s next to our TV station. Is the man in the photo your husband?" It was a photo of Charles and the boys, happily ying on thewn at the park. It was such a warm picture. "Yes," I admitted reluctantly. "Wow! Scarlett, you''re so lucky. You''re working while your husband is taking care of the kids all by himself." ''By himself?'' What did they mean by that? Could they not see the nannies and the bodyguards beside them? I secretly rolled my eyes and said nothing. "Looks like your rtionship is doing very well now," Abner teased. I shook my head helplessly. "That''sExclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. not true." Scarlett, don''t be so stubborn. ording to me, Charles is the kind of guy who can do anything if he wants to," Abner said to me with a meaningful nce. I continued to remain silent while smiling bitterly. With Charles'' power, there was no one who could stop him from doing anything. Chapter 352 His Power Scarlett''s POV: After lunch, Abner told me that he needed to talk to me about something. "What''s wrong?" I asked, visibly confused. ''Did something happen to the program?'' I wondered. "Scarlett, I just got an interim notice that a certain someone will be joining the program," Abner replied, looking at me awkwardly. I breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing his response. "It''s fine. Do you know who it is?" "Your husband." Abner appeared to be conflicted. "What? Are you serious?" My eyes widened in disbelief. Abner scratched his nose and sighed. "It was the director''s order. After all, your husband is the sponsor of our TV station." Anger red up in my heart as I sneered. "Does he think he can do whatever he wants just because he has money?" "Scarlett, calm down! Don''t let your emotions affect your work," Abner reminded me kindly. For a moment, I fell silent. I was like a deted ball. "Look, I get that, but I need to have a serious discussion with him about this." "What are you going to talk to him about?" asked Abner. "This is an all-female program. Why does he want to be a part of it? Is he also a strong independent mother?" I gritted my teeth because of how angry I was. This was so ridiculous! "Well, I don''t want to get involved in whatever you two have going on. You should solve that dispute by yourselves." Abner sat on a chair wearily. "Sorry to have dragged you into this," I said. This program was the fruit of many people''s painstaking efforts, but now, it was likely to be ruined by Charles, and it was all because of me. ''What on earth does he want to do?'' During the afternoon, I rushed home, angry and determined to have a talk with him. I sat on the living room sofa, waiting for Charles toe home. It was getting dark, but he was still nowhere to be seen. Unable to wait any longer, I decided to call him. Just as I picked up my phone, I heard someone inputting the passcode of the door. Soon, the door opened and Charles walked in along with the three kids. ''Wait a second... How did he know my new password? Did someone tell him again?'' I thought. I felt like I wasing down with a migraine. "Mom!" James threw himself into my arms. "Did you enjoy your day with Dad?" I asked, forcing a smile. "Yup! Dad took us to the park and fed the doves with us!" James was staring at me, blushing and excited. I touched his head and whispered, "James, be a good boy and go upstairs, okay? I just need to talk to your dad." "Okay, Mommy." James nodded obediently. "Why are you home so early?" Charles handed the twins to the servants and greeted me. "Stop pretending like you don''t know! You already know the reason I came home this early, don''t you?" I shot him a cold nce. If my eyes could shoot arrows, Charles would''ve been riddled with holes by now. He shot me a faint nce without giving me an exnation. "I''m going to bathe James for now. Let''s talk about thister. Anyway, where are my clothes?" asked Charles.N?velDrama.Org ? content. Afterwards, he caught up with James and went upstairs with the boy. ''Wait... he wants to take a shower? In my house? Does he intend to stay here?'' I wondered. "Hold on a second! Who said you could take a shower here?" I shouted as he walked away. Charles stopped in his tracks for a moment, but then he continued going upstairs without even looking at me. I nced over at Tracy and asked, "Did you tell him the new passcode of our door?" She shook her head, trembling in fear. "Of course, not!" "Oh, really? Then how did he know the new passcode?" I asked, staring at Tracy suspiciously. "You used the twins'' birthday as the pass code. Honestly, it was easy to guess," Tracy responded, feeling attacked. "Charles wouldn''t have known about that! I didn''t tell him the specific date of their birthday," I said. It was then that I paused to think. ''I might not have told him, but he could''ve conducted a thorough investigation. God, why didn''t I realize that I couldn''t hide anything from him? Damn it, Charles!'' I sat back on the sofa, annoyed. I grabbed a pillow, imagining it was Charles. Afterwards, I hit it with all my might just to vent my frustrations at him. After a while, Charles came downstairs. He walked towards the sofa, and sat across me, enjoying a cigarette. His brazen act of behaving like he was right at home really got on my nerves. "Why are you still here?" I asked impatiently. "Because you haven''t thrown my clothes away yet," he answered. "Huh?" I couldn''t understand what he met. "Why haven''t you thrown my clothes away?" he asked. I was stunned by the question. ''Yeah... why didn''t I?'' "I must''ve forgotten to do it. I''ll ask them to throw those shit away tomorrow!" Charles stared at me, clearly displeased. The moment our eyes met, my heart began to race. Fazed by his gaze, I looked away. "Charles, it''s time for you to leave," I remarked. Besides, you''ve already seen the kids twice this month. You''re not allowed to visit them next month anymore," I added. "Okay," Charles responded readily. "But the next Ie back, it''ll be Christmas time. By the way, do you still remember Grandpa''s birthday?" "Yeah. It''s on Christmas. How could I forget?" I asked, visibly annoyed. "You have toe," he said sternly. "Fine. You should go now." The way Charles was looking at me made me feel ufortable. "Can''t you at least wait for me to finish my cigarette?" Charles was holding a cigarette between his fingers, but he didn''t take a drag. He was just letting it slowly burn away. I could tell that he was justing up with excuses to remain here. I didn''t want to say anything else, so the room fell into silence. "Have you watched the news today?" he asked. Upon hearing the question, I realized that I was so focused on trying to drive him away that I almost forgot the business. "Let''s not talk about the news for now. I heard from Abner that you want to be a part of my show?" I asked. "Yup. What about it?" Charles nodded passively. "I don''t want you there!" I blurted out. "What? Why? Wasn''t your director the one who invited me to be a part of your show?" Charles frownedatmyremark. "Ican''texactlyref ''Wait... what? The director asked him to be there?'' I stared at Charles, doubtful of how true his words were. He was smoking leisurely, and he didn''t seem to be lying. "Why did our director invite you? It''s an allfemale program!" "Yeah, and what makes you think I''d want to be part of an all-female program?" Charles looked at me, raising his eyebrows. I thought that he would tell me that he wanted to be there simply because of me. An awkward tension pervaded in the air, and his gaze made me feel even more uneasy. At this time, my stomach growled, causing Charles to look at it. ''Oh, my God! This is so embarrassing!'' Blushing, I turned around without uttering a word. When Charles sprang to his feet all of a sudden, I was startled. "What are you nning to do?" "I''m going to the kitchen to check if there''s anything to eat. I''m really hungry." Having said that, Charles put out his cigarette and walked towards the kitchen. Once he was gone, I breathed a sigh of relief. I was really worried that he was just trying to buy time to stay here, so I followed him into the kitchen. Inside the kitchen, I found Charles cooking steak. As I stared at him was at a loss for words. I wanted to say something, but I didn''t know what to say, so in the end, I just left in silence. Soon, dinner was ready. Charles and I sat at the dining table in awkward silence. I lowered my head, having no intention of speaking to him. But I could feel him staring right at me. As I raised my head and sighed, "Aren''t you hungry?" "Scarlett, why did you give my rights to another man?" Charles'' question was puzzling to me. I was so shocked that I almost choked on the beef in my mouth. "What''s the matter with you now?" "As yourwfully wedded husband, when you''re pregnant, I should be the one by your side. Why did you give that privilege to William?" he asked. "I don''t understand what you are talking about," I replied. Charles leaned closer and closer towards me. Frightened, I leaned backwards, but he got even closer. As soon as I looked into his eyes, I was lost in his deep gaze, which rendered me even more confused. Chapter 353 Cared About Charles''s POV: "Didn''t you understand what I''ve just said?" I snapped. I was starting to get impatient as Scarlett kept dodging my touch like a caged animal. Frustrated, I held her chin with my thumb and index finger and forced her to look at me. "No, I didn''t!" Scarlett fired back. She was violently panting under me. As she spoke, she looked me in the eye, her eyes red and lips pursed. I should be the one who was by her side when she was pregnant. However, she gave that right to William, and that infuriated me. But then, my eyes fell on her soft, pink lips, and my anger dissipated in an instant, reced by a burning desire to make her mine. I wanted her her love and body. The only thing I was thinking right now was to punish her in bed. Ridiculous as it might seem, I wished I could eat her so that she would always belong to me. I followed my desire and kissed her like I missed her. However, my phone suddenly rang. I stiffened for a second, and Scarlett took this opportunity to turn her face away. She pushed me away with all her strength and reminded me, "Charles, your phone is ringing." Who would care about that damn call right now?! But instead of answering the call, I continued what I was doing. I reached out my hand and caressed Scarlett''s face. Her body was hot, and I noticed her eyelids tremble in anticipation. Moreover, her body fragrance wafted into my nose, which made her even more irresistible. I could not help but rub my face on her neck, obsessed with her distinct, pleasant smell. "Charles!" Scarlett eximed, bringing me back to my senses.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. I looked at her and saw that she was ring at me with eyes brimming with tears. She seemed angry and frightened but she refused to cry. Was I really annoying in her eyes? "Suit yourself," I coldly said. Disappointment flooded me like a tide. Unable to take it any longer. I let go of her, got up, and slowly walked out of the door without looking back. Scarlett''s POV: A feeling of sadness loomed over me as I stared at Charles''s receding figure. I had already made a clean break with him, had I not? One second he was fooling around with me. But the next second, he just left without a word. I was fuming, but I could not find a way to vent my anger. Then I saw the dishes Charles had cooked on the table, and I lost my appetite to eat. I picked up the tes and poured all the food into the trash can. As I stared at the discarded leftovers, I could not help but think how wonderful it would be when I had finally kicked Charles out of my life. How I wish it were easy, like throwing garbage. In the evening, just as I got out of the shower and was about to soak my feet with warm water, I saw Je in with her phone. "Are you going to take photos again?" J nodded. "Yes." I sighed in exasperation. "There''s no need for that. Your boss and I had just had a fight. I don''t think he wants to see any update about me." Feeling awkward, J lowered her head and did not look at me anymore. + jjc After that incident, Charles did not show up in front of me again. From then on, my life was peaceful day after day. Christmas was around the corner. So after work, I asked Nina to go with me to buy a birthday gift for Michael. I knew that he liked ying golf, so I brought Nina to a golf equipment store. The store was breathtaking. Golf clubs of various sizes were neatly arranged on the shelves, and the other equipment looked exquisite as well. "Are you still nning on leaving Charles?" Nina asked me out of the blue. I nced at J and Tracy not far away, and a helpless feeling washed over me. "How can I manage that? There are bodyguards watching me around the clock." Nina''s hand, which was holding a golf club, froze. With an inexplicable look on her face, she put the club down, clung to my arm, and whispered in my ear, "Rx. Since you can''t leave Charles, why don''t you drain him instead?" Drain him? My face turned beet red upon hearing this. With Charles''s strength and stamina, I would be exhausted to death before I could even tire him in bed. "Since he doesn''t want to let you and the babies go, you can splurge on his money. Don''t worry. I''m awyer. I''ll help you," Nina offered. Judging from the look on her face, she was itching to have a try. My face turned red again but, this time, because of embarrassment. It turned out that she was pertaining to Charles''s money. I could not help but look away when I realized that I was thinking the wrong thing. Nina noticed that I was in a deep thought, so she waved her hand in front of my face and asked, "Scarlett, are you listening? Please think it over." "I will," I answered perfunctorily. The conversation hade to an end. With that, began to choose my gift for Michael. A few momentster, a silver custom-made golf club caught my attention. I picked it up to have a closer look. Sure enough, it was the perfect gift for Michael. However, I could not help but frown when I saw the price tag. Given my current financial situation, it would take a while before I could fully pay it. Nina came over and took a look at the price tag as well. Like me, she gasped sharply when she saw how expensive the golf club was. "What the hell Rich people really do have expensive hobbies. Well, if you can''t afford it, why don''t you ask Charles to pay for it? I''m sure it won''t make a dent in his wealth." I shook my head in refusal. "No, thanks. I''ve decided to make a clean break with him, so I would rather not be indebted to him. Besides, I have a job. I can pay for this myself." "In my opinion, you don''t have to work so hard. You know, it''s easier to ask for money from Charles." Nina nudged me with her elbow and raised her eyebrows at me meaningfully. "Why don''t you take my advice?" She brought up her n of draining Charles''s money again, but I immediately shut it down and shifted the topic. "Do you think there''s a chance that Nancy and Charles will be together?" I asked with a straight face. Nina pped me on the back as if I had just said something ridiculous. "Are you crazy?! Are you seriously thinking of pushing Charles to another woman?" "Well, I can''t get rid of him, so I think it''ll be easier for me if he keeps himself busy with another woman." Nina rolled her eyes and looked at me as if I was a freak. "Scarlett, you''ve gone nuts." Of course, I did not take Nina''s disapproval to heart. Without another word, I turned around and called the sales assistant. "Hello. Please pack this golf club for me," I said with a smile and then paid for the item with my credit card. "You''re just asking for trouble. As you can see, Charles doesn''t want to divorce you, so you two are still a married couple. Scarlett, there''s no need for you to draw a line between you and him because, in the end, you''ll be the one to suffer," Nina earnestly advised. "Why do I have to ask for his money? It''s not like I can''t support myself and my children. I''m a strong independent woman, you know." People who did not know about me and Charles believed that I was Cindere and Charles was my prince charming. Little did they know, Charles was not a prince, and I did not want to be a damsel in distress. I could support myself and my children without his help. I did not need him. Besides, I was confident that, with my children, I would get by just fine. "Silly girl, you should also n for the future. Look at yourself. You have a weak shoulder, and your ankle hasn''t healed yet. Not to mention, you''re also suffering from tendinitis. You maybe young right now. But when you get old, you might have to sit in a wheelchair. If you don''t save up enough money, what do you think will happen to you in the future?" Nina poked me hard on the forehead in disappointment. With an annoyed look on my face, I rubbed my aching forehead. I did not know whether tough or cry at her advice. But then again, even though Nina scolded me, I felt warm in my heart. It felt good to be cared about. Chapter 354 Lubricant Scarlett''s POV: "Calm down. If you suddenly had a heart attack because of me, how the hell would I exin that to Abner? Don''t worry. I''ve been soaking my feet with hot water. Besides, as soon as the filming is over, I change into thick clothes right away. I''ll get better soon," I assured Nina. My assurance, however, did not dispel Nina''s disappointment. "You''re an idiot. Charles is your husband, not an ornament." "Nina, I live in his house, and he pays for the children''s expenses. How else do you think I can afford this golf club?" "Really?" "Yes! Charles even pays for the kids'' and my meal every day." Nina smiled with satisfaction. "Very good. You should spend his money!" I breathed a sigh of relief. Atst, Nina had finally stopped goading me into spending Charles''s wealth. But just when I thought that conversation about Charles was over, she asked me another question about him again. "By the way, Scarlett, have you talked to Charles recently?" "No," I briefly answered. Charles and I had not talked nor seen each other since he leftst time. Nina''s eyes widened in disbelief. "No? Shouldn''t married couples talk with each other? Aren''t the kids supposed to be a lubricant in their parent''s rtionship?" "A lubricant? What do you mean?" "Doesn''t Charles video chat with them? You know, this is the best time to make amends and improve your rtionship!" "We don''t need to video chat. The bodyguards live with me. If Charles wants to know what I''m doing, he can just ask them." All of a sudden, Nina''s mouth fell open as something dawned on her. "Wait a minute. Did you two have a fight?" The memory of Charles walking away without a word crossed my mind. Even so, I shook my head to deny the truth. "No." Who knew what was Charles was thinking at that time? He was just fooling around with me when, suddenly, he left. At this moment, his strange question before we parted that night popped into my mind. It was only now that I understood what he meant. He must be pertaining to the time when I was in Kitsap. How could I have informed him of my pregnancy? I resented him at that time. On my way back to the TV station, I was lost in thought. I could not help but reminisce about the moments when Charles and I were happy. But now, we were miserable. Did he ever love me? Did he love our children? If so, how much did he love us? ****** "Scarlett, Nancy is here." We had just reached home when I heard J''s caution. I immediately looked out of the car. Sure enough, Nancy was by the entrance, seemingly waiting for someone. At this moment, Nancy walked over and greeted me. "Hi, Scarlett." She even reached out to support me as I got out of the car. Although I clearly saw her outstretched hand, I deliberately left it hanging. "Miss Wood, what brings you here at this hour?" I asked with a faint smile. Nancy nced at the bodyguards behind me. "Scarlett, can we talk alone?" I nodded in response. Then, with Nancy at my heels, I walked a little further away from the bodyguards. Meanwhile, she looked at me with a grateful expression. Once we were out of earshot, I went straight to the point. "What is it that you want to tell me?" In all honesty, I did not want to be with Nancy. I could not stand her. But then again, I could not avoid her forever. "Scarlett, I know you''ve been itching to divorce Charles. But now... have you given up?" "I suppose so," I answered ambiguously. I could feel that Nancy loved Charles with all her heart. However, my blood boiled when I recalled the time when she forcefully picked up Jerry and made him cry. "But why?" Nancy asked again. She went as white as a sheet and kept fumbling with the hemline of her dress in apprehension. "It''s probably because I haven''t found someone who''s more suitable for me." I noticed the slight change in Nancy''s expression and felt pleased with myself. "Scarlett, I admire you very much. Can we be friends? If you''re still mad because ofst time... could you me me? Jerry was so cute. I couldn''t resist hugging him. Don''t worry I wasn''t nning on taking him away from you." Nancy shifted the topic and reminded me of what had happenedst time. "Nancy, let me clear things up for you. I don''t care if you want to chase after Charles. Just leave my sons alone," I warned. My children were my everything. I would never let Nancyy a finger on them, much less get close to them again. As soon as I finished speaking, I turned around to leave. But before I could take another step, Nancy ran in front of me and blocked my way. "Scarlett, when Charles and I be together in the future, I swear I won''t ask your children to call me ''Mom''." "Get out of my way. We''re not friends. Didn''t I just tell you that I don''t care if you chase after Charles? Just keep your fucking hands off my sons." "Don''t worry. I won''t take them away from you. If I want a baby, I can have my own." When Nancy spoke, her eyes were red and brimming with tears. I looked at her with narrowed eyes. And, without a word, I turned around and left. As if Nancy had not pestered me enough, she jogged to catch up with me. Fortunately, J stopped her, or else I might not have been able to restrain my anger. "Miss Wood, Mr. and Mrs. Moore are El.ne not going to divorce. Please stop asking for trouble. If you don''t stop, I''m gonna have to teach you a lesson, Mind you, I don''t care if you''re a frail woman. I''ll hit you." J put on a fighting posture to intimidate and force Nancy back. My phone beeped the moment I reached the door. I looked at it to see who had messaged me and saw that it was Nancy. What an annoying woman. "Scarlett, rest assured that I won''t take your sons away from you. You''ll always be your mother, after all." I could not help but sigh helplessly after reading the message. Nancy was so obsessed with Charles. I locked myself in the study when I got home. I must admit, I felt a little uneasy as I recalled what Nancy had said. After I long while, I decided to take the initiative to do something to protect my kids. I figured it was better to do this now than when Charles came back and hooked up with Nancy. At about nine o''clock in the evening, just as I had gotten out of the bathroom, Charles video called me. I stared at the screen for a moment, debating whether or not I should answer his call. Albeit reluctant, I pressed the answer button a few momentster. "What is it?" I asked with a frown. "Can I see James?" "Sure." I took James to the bed and said to him, "James, your father wants to video chat with you. Come." James had not seen Charles for a long time. So when he heard that his father wanted to video chat with him, he was thrilled. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. I handed James the phone, and he took it from me excitedly. "Dad!" "Hey, buddy. Have you been a good boy?" Charles asked with a smile. As always, his voice was gentle and patient whenever he was talking to our son. "Yes, I have! Dad, when will youe back home?" "In a couple of days. Does James miss Dad?" "Yes! Mommy and my brothers miss Daddy too!" When I heard what James had said, I felt awkward. I never said that I missed Charles. Just as I was about to refute James''s words, he suddenly threw the phone at me. Because I had just taken a shower, I was wearing a loose cotton bathrobe. My phone happened to get caught in my cor. As a result, it went through my bathrobe. It was a little difficult to take it out from the top, so I took it out from the bottom. To my surprise, the call had not been hung up yet. All of a sudden, my mind went nk, and my face began to burn when I realized that Charles might have seen ''everything''. Did Charles see it? Embarrassed, I decided to change the topic. "Do you want to talk to James again?" "What... just happened?" Charles asked in a hoarse voice. Instead of answering his question, I handed the phone back to James. "Is there anything else you want to say to your dad? If not, we''re going to bed now." James held the phone and excitedly said to Charles, "Dad,e home soon!" It seemed that he did not realize that something had happened when he threw the phone. On the other end of the line, Charles ignored James and asked me again, "I said, what happened?" "What else could itbe? Didn''tyou see everything?" I scoffed. Charles had known me enough to know how embarrassed I was right now. And yet, he kept on asking me what had just happened. He must be annoying me on purpose! With a red face, I hung up the phone without even saying goodbye. Chapter 355 Call His Dad By Name Scarlett''s POV: After hanging up the phone, I pondered on the matter. And the more I thought about it, the angrier I became. Because James kept on talking about his dad, I grumbled, "Do you really want your dad toe home and apany you? I don''t even think he missed you! You shouldn''t call him ''Dad'' anymore. Call him Charles from now on!" James looked at me, wondering why I was suddenly so angry. At this time, my phone rang again. It was another call from Charles. I was getting more and more upset. ''Haven''t we finished talking already? Why is he calling me again?'' I wanted to hang up, but James picked up the phone and put it on speaker mode. "Hello, Charles!" eximed the boy. Charles fell silent for a moment, and so did I. I didn''t expect that James would actually do what I said and he even brazenly did it to Charles right away. "Charles?" James called out again. "What did you just call me, James?" Charles asked, sounding confused. "I called you Charles. Mom asked me to call Dad ''Charles'' from now on. She said not to call you ''Dad"!" I nced over atjames, ck-jawed and shocked. ''Ugh, this brat betrayed me! This actually stings!'' I eximed inwardly. Charles fell silent for a moment, letting out a sigh. "Is your mother with you?" "She is!" James handed my phone back to me. "Scarlett, exin to me why my son is calling me by my name," Charlesmanded. The way he spoke left me silenced. When I saw how upset he was, I couldn''t resist the urge to chuckle. I wasn''t afraid of the consequences, because Charles wouldn''t be able toe over here and hit me right away. With that in mind, I became more confident. "Daddy looks angry, and Mommy looks scared," James whispered. After a short pause, Charles said, "Forget it. For our son''s sake, I won''t waste my time arguing with you." Upon hearing that, I was relieved. "Scarlett, James is growing up. You shouldn''t be wearing those thin clothes when you''re sleeping next to him," said Charles. I rolled my eyes at him, displeased. ''James is a two-year-old boy! Besides, whatever I wear has nothing to do with you, Charles. Why do you have to poke your stupid nose into my business all the time?'' I responded inwardly. "Why are you even calling again?" I grunted. "Because I wanted to talk to James again. But you know, what you did is also a serious problem. Do you want me to take the kids back to the Moore mansion and let the elders raise them, Scarlett?" Charles warned sternly. "Whatever. I''m done talking to you." Annoyed, I hung up the phone. Charles knew that taking the kids away from me was the only thing I couldn''t ept, and he would always use it to threaten me. If things were to go on like this, that man would eventually drive me crazy. As I stared at James'' innocent face, I got furious. "James, how could you betray me? You sleep in my arms every day!" When the boy heard what I said, he put on a straight face. I pinched his cheeks and said, "If you betray me again, Charles will take you away, and then you won''t be able to see me ever again." James nodded in response. I scoffed at him, took out a rtively conservative pajama from the wardrobe, and changed into it in the bathroom. By the time I came out, James had already fallen asleep on the bed. I tucked him in and nted a kiss on his cheek. The sight of his sleeping face warmed my heart. Indeed, James had grown up. He was even brave enough to call his father by name today. It seemed that I must pay more attention to the words that I would say around him in the future. Charles'' POV: The day before Christmas Eve, I returned to Los Angeles. As soon as I got off the ne, I called Richard. "Is Scarlett still at the TV station?" "Yes, sir. She''s currently recording the program." After hanging up, I pondered for a moment and decided to go back to the Moore mansion to see my kids first. Grandpa''s birthday was near, so Scarlett sent the kids back to the mansion. "Charles!" Just as I walked out of the airport hall, Nancy ran towards me. "Charles, the chauffeur is busy with something, so I came to here to help him pick you up." Nancy was so insistent on badgering me. The mere sight of her made me frown in disgust. "Nancy, you''re fired," I said sternly. The way I spoke was so cold. I didn''t even nce at her as I walked on. But Nancy refused to give up. She followed me and asked, "Wait... why? Did I do something wrong?" "Because you are crossing the line." Having said that, I quickened my pace. Upon walking out of the airport, I found Richard waiting for me there. Once he saw me, he hurried to greet me. "Mr. Moore, wee back." "Yeah, sure." I handed my suitcase to Richard and got into the car. Nancy soon caught up with me, catching her breath. She pped the car''s window repeatedly, refusing to give up. "Charles! I just wanted to see you. I wasn''t nning to do something!" "Just go," I said to Richard. Afterwards, I withdrew my gaze from Nancy. On the way to the Moore mansion, Richard seemed nervous. "Mr. Moore, Miss Wood asked for my help, but I refused her. I didn''t expect that she''d actually go to the airport herself," he exined. "Okay." I stared at my phone and said nothing else. The GPS showed that Scarlett was indeed at the TV station. ''Will she go to the Moore mansion tonight? Will we be able to meet? She''s probably happy while I''ve been away these days...'' I let out a sigh, feeling powerless. Upon my arrival at the Moore mansion, I learned from the servants that James was taking a video ss, and the twins were in their room. I didn''t want to bother them, so I went back to my room and took a shower. Aftering out of the bathroom, nted put dozens of clothes on the bed and began to ponder which one l should wear. To be precise, I to look my best in front of Scarlett. At this time, my father knocked on the door and came in. "Charles, what are you doing?" Upon seeing all the clothes on the bed, he was confused. "Nothing in particr. Just thinking about what to wear for tonight," I said. He stared at me and frowned. "Do you have a date tonight or something? Are you going to get divorced and marry another woman? Is that it?" I nced over at him, flummoxed. ''Do I look like I have any intention of divorcing Scarlett?'' "Have you met a woman you like during your business trip? Did you take her back with you?" asked he. I frowned at him and said, "What are you even talking about? I''m just going to a dinner party tonight." "Scarlett gave birth to three kids for you. Is it really appropriate for you to abandon her like this?" He seemed intent on persuading me. "Dad, I wasn''t-" Just as I was about to exin my side, he cut me off. "Charles, if you abandon Scarlett, I will be very disappointed in you!" I was rendered speechless. He wanted to say something more, but then my phone rang all of a sudden. Right after pressed the answer key, Nancy''s voice resonated from the other end of the line. She sounded really upset. "Charles, please don''t fire me. I know what I did wrong. I won''t bother you again!" Annoyed, I frowned at her in disgust and hung up. "Was that Nancy?" asked my father. "Yeah." I threw my phone onto the bed, not wanting to talk about this anymore. I wanted to draw a clear line between us right away. I''d rather not cause any misunderstanding between me and Scarlett again. Otherwise, our rtionship would be irreparable. My father sighed and left. I stared at him as he walked away, confused as to why he reacted like that. ''Did he misunderstand something?'' After a while, Spencer called me.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "Charles, you''re back from your business trip, right? Come over tonight. We''ll have a party to wee you back!" "There''s no need to do that, dude!" I disconnected from the call because I was really annoyed. Chapter 356 The Kiss Scarlett''s POV: I did not return to the Moore mansion until it was around eight o''clock in the evening. Alice happened toe out of the children''s room when I arrived. "The twins are asleep. James is in the master bedroom." "Thank you. I''ll still go in and check on them." I went to see the twins first. When I saw that they were sleeping soundly, I proceeded to the master bedroom. Just as I was about to open the door, I suddenly realized that Charles might be inside. On second thought, he should be on a business trip right now. He would note home so soon, would he? I tried tofort myself. But the moment I opened the door, I froze on the spot. Charles hade back earlier than I had anticipated. Did he not say he would be back on Christmas? Why did he alwayse back early? In the room, James, who was sitting on the bed, turned his head when he heard the door open. "Mommy!" he shouted excitedly. Then, he crawled toward me as fast as he could. He must have missed me so much. But before he could get to me, Charles bent over and scooped James up. "What? Aren''t you going to greet your husband and son?" he asked with a cunning smile. As he spoke, he sat on the bed, revealing his long legs underneath his nightgown. Embarrassed, I looked away with a red face. "When did youe back?" "In the afternoon," Charles replied while staring at me with a smile. As I just stood there, James tried to get out of Charles''s arms to go to me instead. When he realized that that would not work, he opened his arms to me. "Mommy! Daddy, let go of me!" he cried out. How could I refuse my son''s imploring eyes? So even though I was reluctant, I walked into the room and took James over. But as I did so, I identally touched Charles''s arm. My face turned red when I felt his skin that was hot to the touch. I looked up at Charles, and sure enough, his eyes were burning with lust. Before he even thought of making a move, I hurriedly held James and kept a distance from Charles. "James, did you miss Mom? Come on. Kiss Mommy." "I missed Mommy so much!" James threw himself in my arms and kissed me several times on the face endearingly. When he saw how happy his kisses made me, he kissed me a few more times. I hugged James tighter, and the fatigue and exhaustion in my body after a whole day''s work disappeared in an instant. "Don''t move!" Charles suddenly stood up and wiped my face with a tissue. I frowned and took a step back in displeasure. "What are you doing?" Why did he touch me all of a sudden? "The saliva is full of bacteria. I''m just helping you clean your face." I was at a loss for words. Nevertheless, I leaned back and avoided his hand. "I''ll sleep with James in another room." Charles threw the tissue into the trash can and impatiently asked, "Which room?" "Of course, the children''s room." With a snort, I turned around to leave the room with James. I did not want to stay another second in the same room as Charles. "James sleeps with me tonight." Charles took James out of my arms with a frown. He looked so serious and adamant about staying with James. Well, he was on a business trip for quite a while, so he must have missed his child very much. With that, I let go of James and nodded in agreement. "Okay then. I''ll sleep in the guest room." But before I could take another step, Charles suddenly stopped me. "Scarlett, let''s talk." "Scarlett!" James echoed when he heard Charles call my name. I was stunned. Meanwhile, a frown tugged at Charles''s mouth. At this moment, he put James on the bed so we could talk. But then, the little boy called Charles something that made his hackles rise. "Charles, bad guy!" With his teeth gritted in anger, Charles turned to look at me and asked, "Scarlett, do you often speak ill of me in front of the kids?" The anger in his eyes terrified me, so I immediately answered, "Of course, not!" Charles sneered. It did not take a genius to know that he did not believe what I said. Feeling a little guilty, I avoided his gaze and retorted, "James also called me by my name just now. Did you speak ill of me in front of him?" Charles stared daggers at me. "Do you seriously think I''m that kind of person?" I felt even guiltier at his question, so I did not dare to look at him anymore. Right now, there seemed to be one thing left to do-leave. But before I could do so, Charles grabbed my wrist. The weather was freezing as it was winter. On the contrary, Charles''s palms were so warm. For a second, I felt the urge to let his warmth engulf me. However, I only felt it for a fleeting moment before I realized that this should not happen. I shook off his hand. "Let me go." "Scarlett, I want to talk to you." Charles did not loosen his grip and instead tightened it. "Talk about what? James is here," I reminded him. James, who was sitting on the bed alone, looked at Charles and me with a curious gaze and then pped his hands excitedly. "Kiss! Daddy and Mommy, kiss!" I looked at my son in disbelief. What a naughty boy! Charles moved closer to me and whispered in my ear, "Scarlett, our son is asking us to kiss. Shouldn''t we fulfill his wish?" "Shut up!" I snapped. But as soon as I finished speaking, Charles pulled me closer, put his hand on the back of my neck, and kissed me. Our kiss was passionate yet gentle. I was in a daze for a moment, and it took me a while before I got ahold of myself. "Why did you kiss me? I didn''t say yes!" "Should I have let James down? If he sees that our marriage is actually broken, he''ll have a void in his heart." Charles''s words rendered me speechless. As I could not refute his words, I just shot daggers at him and then turned around and left. He always used the kids as an excuse, which infuriated me. Sadly, even though he was driving me nuts, there was nothing I could do about it. Fortunately, my anger dissipated after taking a shower. But when I walked out of the bathroom, I saw Charles standing outside the door. He had his back towards me. When he heard the door of the bathroom open and heard my footsteps, he turned around to face me. I gasped in surprise and hurriedly reached out to cover my chest with my hands. My clothes and pajamas were in the master bedroom. The only thing that was covering my body was a bath towel. Charles looked at me with a piercing gaze but turned his head away at once. I breathed a sigh of relief. As if nothing had just happened, I shifted my attention to the children''s books atop the cab. Charles did not seem to get the hint as he just stood there in front of me, not intending to leave. "Why are you still here?" I asked coldly. "We have to talk. Grandpa''s birthday ising," Charles reminded me. I thought for a moment and nodded. "Oh, right." The Moore family regarded Grandpa Michael''s birthday as a big event, so it was imperative for us to discuss the preparations in advance. All of a sudden, my eyes widened in shock when I saw Charles unfastening his nightgown. I took two steps back and looked at him in horror. "Charles, what-what are you doing?" Charles stopped what he was doing and exined, "What? I was just fixing my nightgown. What did you think I was gonna do?" I did not answer and just stared at him warily. "Scarlett, why are you still standing there? Do you want to catch a cold so that you won''t have to take care of our children?" Charles asked with a sneer while fastening his nightgown. Just when I thought that my anger had subsided, it came surging into my veins once more. He had threatened me with my sons again. I was enraged, but I could not say no to that. Atst, I crawled into the quilt to warm myself up. However, it was still chilly. "Charles, can you get me a pair of pajamas in the master bedroom?" I asked in a low voice. It was not warm enough in this room. To make things worse, I was naked. If I slept in this room, I might really catch a cold. Charles sighed. "You can sleep in the master bedroom. I''ll sleep here instead." I lowered my head in guilt. Would it be unfair to him if he slept in the children''s room? A deafening silence filled the air, and the atmosphere in the room became a little awkward. "Scarlett, why did you suddenly send the kids back to the Moore mansion?" Charles slowly asked. "The Moore mansion is a little far from Garden Street. It''d be troublesome for the elders if they decided to visit the kids there. Besides, you don''t want to divo me for now, and I can''t take them away," I answered without beating around the bush. I looked into Charles''s eyes and wondered, ''If he remarries in the future and has had another child, will he leave my children to me? If he have a child with his new wife, will he still care about his children with his ex-wife?'' N?velDrama.Org ? content. "Not in a million years," Charles answered firmly. I lowered my head and said nothing. In all honesty, I did not believe his words. I was certain that he would eventually grow tired of me and divorce me. That being said, it was useless to refute his words now. At this moment, I just nodded silently in response, even though my heart said otherwise. Chapter 357 Put The Ring Back On Scarlett''s POV: The room fell into silence once more. Just as I was thinking of what to say, Charles spoke up. "I''ll pick you up after work for Grandpa''s birthday." "Huh?" I looked at him, visibly surprised. Before I could refuse, he exined, "There will be lots of reporters for the event. If you don''t go to the party with me, people will assume that we''re not getting along." Shocked by the exnation, my eyes widened as I tried toe up with an excuse to refuse his suggestion. ''A few days ago, Grandpa said that he only wanted to a small celebration at home. Why did he suddenly invite the media?'' "Grandpa is happy that he''s gotten two more great grandchildren this year. The party this year isn''t just to celebrate his birthday." Charles smirked. "But we''ve already held a party for the twins, haven''t we?" I asked. "The elders weren''t at that party. Grandpa thought it was necessary to hold an official one," he retorted. Somehow, I sensed that things weren''t as simple as he said they were, but I still calmly agreed to his suggestion. "You should sleep in the master bedroom. It''s warmer there," Charles said in a gentle voice. I lifted the quilt, intending to get up. But the second I moved, the bath towel around my body came loose by ident. Blushing, I hurried back to bed. "No, it''s okay. I''ll sleep here. This bed is too small for you. You should go to the master bedroom now." "Do you really care about me?" he asked. Charles knitted his brows, visibly surprised. "I do. You can leave now," I answered. I wrapped myself in the nket, lowering my head to hide my embarrassment. Charles fell silent for a moment and then he scoffed at me. "Scarlett, since I''ve been away, have you been enjoying yourself?" I wanted to admit that I had been enjoying the fact that he was away, but then I remembered what hellish consequences there were in provoking him, so I just didn''t answer the question. Cautiously, I looked him in the eye and replied, "I''m feeling sleepy." Charles seemed annoyed. He stared at me for a long time before he finally decided to walk away. Breathing a sigh of relief, I picked up the bath towel and wrapped it around myself again. Fearing that he''de back, I bolted to the door, intending to lock it as soon as possible. But because I moved so fast, I identally sprained my ankle. I gasped in pain, limping towards the door before finally managing to lock it. "Scarlett, why did you lock the door?" Charles asked from the other side of the door, sounding really annoyed. "What are you doing here again?" I was startled by the sound of his voice and I leaned against the door nervously. "I brought you a nightgown." I breathed a sigh of relief before opening the door swiftly. Outside the door, Charles stood with a nightgown in hand. I frowned upon seeing him, feeling conflicted. The nightgown he had was a silk slip dress, which was his favorite style of dress. But it was winter right now and the children''s room wasn''t warm. "Don''t you want it?" he asked. "I do." I gritted my teeth and took the nightgown, albeit reluctantly. It was better to wear something than nothing! Charles'' POV: After taking the nightgown, I noticed that Scarlett was about to close the door. Seeing her so vignt against me was starting to get on my nerves. "Who were you so wary of when you locked the door just now?" I asked. Scarlett gazed down in silence. At this point, I lost my temper and snapped at her. "Get out of the way!" "I''m not being wary of you. It''s just that there are so many people at home, and I''m practically naked here," Scarlett cried. Her eyes welled up with tears and she sounded sincerely upset about it. When I saw that she was about to break down, I remembered how she cried because she was afraid of me thest time. My heart softened because I didn''t have the heart to force her into submission again. "Scarlett, just go to bed. Good night," I said. "Good night." Scarlett nodded in response. In truth, I didn''t want to leave things like this. But as soon as I took a step back, I found that Scarlett had already closed the door. When I heard her lock it, my heart sank. I didn''t want to let things go on like this. As I leaned against the door, my mind was filled with images of Scarlett''s body. Her fair skin and beautiful curves that appeared right after the bath towel fell from her. I wanted to exercise my right as her husband. And I wanted to kiss her, and have her just as I did before. ***** On Grandpa''s birthday, I asked Richard to park the car at the gate of the TV station. After work, Scarlett walked out of the TV station. All she was wearing was a suit, and she didn''t even have a coat on. Annoyed, I frowned before getting out of the car and striding over to her side just to put my coat on her. Scarlett thanked me politely and then moved aside. The fact that she was so eager to distance herself from me was annoying and disheartening. "Take us to Ethan''s studio," I said to Richard. "Isn''t that the studio that designed my wedding dress?" Scarlett asked, sounding confused. "Yeah. We''ll drop by there to pick an evening dress for you for the party tonight," I remarked. Scarlett nodded in silence. She then lowered her head and fiddled with her fingers. When I noticed what she was doing, I felt even more dejected. I wanted to tell her something important today, and I really needed her cooperation. But I was afraid that she would just refuse my request. I touched the ring on my finger and turned my gaze towards the passing scenery outside the window. Upon our arrival at the studio, Ethan took out the evening dress that he had prepared in advance. Then, he took Scarlett to the fitting room to change. When Scarlett came out of the fitting room, I was so amazed by her. I had seen her wear many different styles of evening dresses, but the one she was wearing right now was a cut above the rest. Tempted by her ethereal beauty, I hurried to her side; my eyes were glued to her. Scarlett blushed while covering her chest. Her shoulders were slightly trembling, perhaps because it was cold. "Is it too revealing?" she asked. "A bit," I replied. I nced over at Ethan and asked him to bring us a shawl. I stared at Scarlett''s bare back, breathing heavily. Even though the dress was beautiful, her entire back was exposed. It was indeed a little too sexy. The moment she would enter the banquet hall, I was certain that she''d be the center of attention. The thought of countless men staring at Scarlett infuriated me. Ethan approached me and handed a shawl that matched the dress. "Put it on for your wife." Before leaving, he shot me a yful nce. I kind of felt like he was making fun of me. Casting that thought aside, I put the shawl on Scarlett and rested my hands on her shoulders. She felt uneasy about my hand, so she took a step back to avoid it. However, I exerted more force with my hands and said in a gentle voice, "It''s cold outside. It''ll be warmer to lean against me." After a moment of hesitation, Scarlett nodded obediently. Back in the car, I timorously took out the wedding ring from my pocket and held her hand. Scarlett frowned in disgust when she saw the diamond ring. I could tell that she was aching to withdraw her hand. My heart ached when she did pull her hand away. "Scarlett, I just need you to put up with it for the night. Just think of it as theatrics. Once the party is over, you can take it off. I promise," I pleaded. Having heard my request, Scarlett finally stopped resisting. I put the ring on her finger and breathed a sigh of relief. Even though I intended to give her the wedding ring tonight, I was still worried that she would resist me strongly. I didn''t want to quarrel with her over this matter again. "Can you let go of me now?" Scarlett asked, trying to get rid of my hand. Reluctantly, I obliged to her request and put my hands back on myp, clenching my fists. It seemed that it was the only way I could feel the warmth of her hands for a little while longer. But at the back of my mind, I believed that someday, I would be able to hold her hand again for as long as wanted.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 358 Windfall Scarlett''s POV: The car soon arrived at the hotel. Charles was the first to disembark from the car. Meanwhile, I was sitting in the backseat, staring out the window and looking at the gate surrounded by media personnel. And as I looked at them all, I felt reluctant to leave the car. Most of the guests today were celebrities, some of whom I''d only seem on the news before. I wondered if I could actually handle being at an asion such as this one. The following moment, the car''s door opened up and a hand reached out to me from outside. Seeing it made my heart skip a beat. "Come, hold my hand and be careful on your way out." Charles was standing right in front of me with his back towards the light. His hand was suspended in midair, and he wore a stoic expression. Reporters and paparazzi were squeezing their way past each other, and moving in on us like hounds. Fortunately, the bodyguards stopped them before they could get any closer. The only thing visible in Charles'' eyes from the start until the very end was my reflection. ''This is a show... It''s just theatrics.'' Gradually, I calmed down and held Charles'' hand. He gripped my hand the moment I touched his, and shielded my head with his other hand. While I was holding his hand, I showed up in front of everyone wearing a bright smile, and I nodded at the media personnel as a greeting. "Charles, Scarlett, you''re finally here. I''ve been standing her for too long that my legs have started to hurt. Come on! Help me greet our guests. Lawrence and I will go inside and say hello to the other guests." Alice waved at us and weed us warmly. Upon our arrival at the gate, she held Lawrence''s arm and they walked into the hall, leaving me and Charles staring at each other. "Please, do her this favor. After all, it''s Grandpa''s birthday. As part of the younger generation, it''s our duty to wee the guests," Charles whispered in my ear. Indeed, it was my duty to wee guests for Michael. I didn''t object to the task at hand and stayed outside in the cold breeze along with Charles to greet the guests. But I soon regretted this decision. As time went by, more and more guests arrived. I was merely nodding and smiling at them, but those were enough to exhaust me. My shoulders had grown numb, and my legs became stiff because of how cold it was. Spencer and Vivian arrivedte. She was wearing a dark blue strapless evening dress, which matched his blue velvet suit quite well. "Honey, we''re here!" Vivian greeted me. "Spencer, bro,e here." Charles beckoned Spencer toe closer, visibly upset. "Why on earth are youte?" "Uh... well... Bro, I can''t get into specifics, but it''s something between couples." Spencer elbowed Charles gently; his face turning red. I noticed that the veins on Charles'' temple were about to pop. "Scarlett won''t be able to stand out here for too long. Help me entertain the guests," Charlesmanded Spencer. Afterwards, he took off his suit jacket and draped it over me before putting his hand on my waist. The coat he put on me smelled of sandalwood. The scent wafted into my nose and it made me feel dizzy. His arm on my waist felt powerful. I couldn''t break free from his grasp, so I had to walk on with him. When we entered the banquet hall, I finally felt warmer. Charles led me through the crowded hall and into the presidential suite upstairs. There, I sat on the sofa wearily, letting out a sigh of relief. Suddenly, he took off my high-heeled shoes. When his warm fingers touched my cold ankles, I quickly retracted my feet as though they had been scalded by hot water. "What are you doing?" I asked, visibly flummoxed. Charles took out a pair of sneakers from the shoe cab. "It won''t be good for your ankles to wear high heels for too long. Change into these shoes. They''re morefortable," he said. "What? Absolutely not!" ''Evening dress and sneakers? Who would wear like that at the party like tonight? I don''t want to look like a fool in public!'' "Just hurry up! The elders will be here soon to urge us to go downstairs." Charles held the sneakers towards me while looking directly into my eyes. I curled up on the sofa, refusing him in silence. "Your ankles must feel numb from the cold. It''s gonna hurt and you won''t be able to sleep for the rest of the night." Charles'' face turned grim. "I don''t care! I''m not going to wear those," I retorted, crossing my legs. "Since you''re not willing to wear them yourself, I''ll have to help you." Charles got down on one knee, grabbed my ankle, and straightened out my leg. "No! Charles, let me go!" The paining from my ankle made me want to struggle. "Stop moving! If you keep moving, I''m going to kiss you," he warned. "How dare you?" I shot him a re. "Oh, you think I won''t do it? Resist again and I''ll do something even worse. Try me!" ''God, this hoodlum! He''s impossible!'' I remarked inwardly. Charles had always been a man of his word, so I dared not act rashly again. My only choice was to let him put the sneakers on for me. I remained seated on the sofa, feeling so resentful that I wanted to throw my high-heeled shoes at his face. Finally, Charles was done putting on the sneakers for me, and he even put some warm patches on my legs. At this moment, I was wearing his ck coat, a gorgeous evening dress, a pair of sneakers, and several warm patches on my leg. I braced myself in preparation to go downstairs with him. In the hall, Grandpa was already giving a speech onstage. The moment he saw me and Charlesing down, his eyes lit up. "Thank you all foring to my birthday party today. Originally, I didn''t want to host such a grand party. But recently, the Moore family. has gained two new members, so I felt the need to invite you all to this party to share with my joy." While he was giving an impassioned speech onstage, Grandpa waved at me and said, "Scarlett,e here, darling. You''ve made such great contributions to our family!" All of a sudden, all eyes were on me. I pinched the corner of my coat, feeling awkward. ''This is all Charles'' fault! I probably look really awful right now.'' Faced with everyone''s surprised gazes, Charles put his arm around my waist and walked with me towards Grandpa. "My granddaughter-inw, Scarlett, is the only reason why the Moore family is able to have new members. Thus, I''ve decided to give her the real estate project the Moore Group is about to develop in the South as a gift." The audience burst into an uproar and thunderous apuse. Everyone was so amazed by the incredibly generous gift that Michael bestowed upon me. They cast envious gazes at me. Meanwhile, I was still trying to process what was going on. "Charles, what did Grandpa mean by that?" I asked Charles in confusion. Calmly, he looked into my eyes and whispered to my ear, "It''s just a gift from the elders. Nothing to be worked up about." "Did you know about this?" "Of course, I did. This is the project that I''ve been recently working on," he responded. "Are you crazy?" I was ck-jawed in awe. Icey once told me that the new project Charles was handling was worth at least ten billion dors. "Scarlett, the Moore family isn''tcking in money," he said. His casual tone made me feel like he didn''t give a multi-billion dor project as a gift, and instead just gave out a dor to a beggar on the roadside. It was a windfall worth ten billion dors. Anyone would be confused and amazed at the same time. I clutched my purse and remembered that there was a document inside that still needed Charles'' signature.N?velDrama.Org ? content. Chapter 359 She Doesnt Love You At All Scarlett''s POV: "If you''re feeling guilty, just consider it as a gift to your kids. You can ept it on their behalf, and give it back to them once they''ve grown up," Charles remarked in a soft voice. ''If that''s the case, why won''t he just give it to the kids directly?'' I thought. Just as I was about to rebuke Charles, Grandma brought the three kids onto the stage. James was being led by Grandma, and the twins were carried onto the stage by their nannies. Today, James was wearing a ck suit. The twins wore simr tailor-made clothes as well. When they were next to Charles, people saw at a nce that they were wearing parent-child clothing. "Ladies and gentlemen! Allow me to formally introduce these kids to all of you. They are the heirs of the Moore family. I''m here to announce that I''ll give them each a vi and one hundred million dors'' worth of money!" I still hadn''t recovered from the shock of receiving a surprise gift worth of ten billion dors, and the Moore family had left me ck-jawed in awe again. ''My kids are still far too young. Why did the Moore family give them so much money? If all of my kids aren''t wearing famous brands every day in the future, others might think that I''m embezzling the money the Moore family gave the kids. I cannot allow this to happen!'' I was about to refuse, but James had already epted the gift happily. "Thank you, Great Grandmother, Great Grandfather. I wish you good health and happiness every day." ''Who taught James to say those words?'' I wondered. I nced over at Charles, suspecting that he was the culprit behind this. "Did you teach him to say that?" Charles shrugged and acquiesced. No matter how awkward I felt right now, these two things were set in stone. It was supposed to be Grandpa''s birthday party, but now, the three kids had be the stars of the show. "Michael and Christine''s gifts are reasonable. If you ever divorce Charles in the future, you won''t have to worry about money ever again!" Icey remarked, joining in on the fun. David pinched her hand weakly. He nced over at Charles and remarked, "Don''t say such nonsensical things." "What''s the big deal? You men are so petty! What? I''m not even allowed to mention the word divorce now? Surely Charles won''t behave like you, will he?" Icey rolled her eyes at David, ncing at Charles provocatively. "Sadly, I''m no exception," said Charles. Now, Icey was rendered speechless. David, on the other hand, was giggling beside her. "Since you won''t allow us to mention the divorce, you need to be nicer to Scarlett from now on. Is that too much to ask?" Nina chimed in, staring at Charles sternly. "She''s right, Charles! If you ever try to bully Scarlett again, we''ll help her escape from you. She deserves better than a jerk," Vivian added. Because he was being criticized by these women, Charles sighed helplessly. "Aren''t they a bit overprotected?" he asked me. "Are they?" I was really touched that my best friends were willing and ready to protect me. It turned out that I was never truly alone, and that they were always so considerate of me. "In that case, I would like to thank you for your concern for my wife on her behalf. As for the other things you mentioned, we''ll see how things y out." Charles picked up his wine ss, proposed a toast, and drank it. "Please, enjoy yourselves. Scarlett and I need to entertain some other guests now. Excuse us." Charles took me away from my friends forcibly. I stayed beside him like a personal attendant, watching him toast and drink with guests after guests. I couldn''t stand the fact that he was drinking too much so I reached out my hand to stop him and whispered, "That''senough. Don''tdrinktoomuch." "Are you worried about me?" Charles stared into my eyes as his own lit up. Feeling awkward, I turned around. "I''m just worried that my sons could lose their father early on in their lives." He broke into a heartyughter. He thenbed my hair back and said, "There''s no need to worry. I promise you that my sons won''t lose their father, and you won''t lose your husband either." I frowned at his response. ''How did I be the subject of the topic?'' Charles didn''t heed my advice and just continued drinking. And the more he drank, the more worried I became. "Mrs. Moore, I''d like to propose a toast to you," said a guest, raising his ss towards me. "Sorry, but my wife isn''t feeling well today. I''ll drink it for her." Having said that, Charles gulped down the entire ss of champagne.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ''Damn... if he keeps drinking like that, he''s definitely going to suffer from alcohol poisoning.'' I was about to walk away, but he pulled me back to his side and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Where do you think you''re going?" Charles asked, staring right at me; his eyes had turned red. I red at him and stopped a waiter passing by. "Please prepare some hangover pills for Mr. Moore. Thank you." "Yes, ma''am." As I watched the waiter walk away, I sighed deeply, hoping that nothing would go wrong with my n for the night. The party was about to conclude. J came over and said to me, "The children have already fallen asleep upstairs." I nced at my watch and saw that it was almost midnight. "Got it." "Honey, it''s time for bed," Charles said to me. His face had turned red from all the alcohol he had drunk, and his vision was blurred. The strong odor of alcohol his body exuded was enough for me to infer that he was already hammered. "What about our guests?" I asked. Charles put his arm around my shoulder, leaned against me, and led me to Spencer. "Help me... see the guests off." His speech was already slurred. "Okay. We''ll take care of it. You should go to bed, man," Spencer responded. With that, Charles and I left. I couldn''t stand the smell of alcohol on him, so I wanted to push him away. "Don''t move. Let''s go to the bedroom. I''m about to faint," he said. The paleness of his face didn''t seem fake. At this moment, I no longer cared about my difort. All I wanted was to help him leave the banquet hall. Just as we walked towards the door, we ran into Nancy. "Charles, are you drunk?" she asked. "Did you ask her toe here?" Charles tightened his grip on me and his face turned grim. I was just as surprised as he was. I didn''t invite Nancy. ''Why did shee here without an invitation?'' I wondered. "Charles, you''re clearly drunk. Scarlett, allow me to take him to the guest room." Nancy approached and tried to take Charles from me, but he quickly shook off her hand. His reaction took her aback. "Scarlett, are you still trying to push me to another woman?" Charles gripped my shoulders, staring at me with anger in his eyes. I nced at Nancy and saw that she was acting like she had been wronged. Then, I frowned at Charles and exined, "I didn''t invite her here!" "If you didn''t invite her, whet else could''ve invited her? She has no invitation. How did she get in here?" Charles was drunk and annoyed, and his voice was getting louder with every other word. I lost my temper and didn''t bother to exin myself to him anymore. "If you don''t believe me, I don''t care. Do you still want to go upstairs?" Charles held my face, wearing an insidious expression. "Of course, I do." s?novel He drew the outline of my body using his fingers and said in a hoarse voice, "I''m going to eat you up." I sensed that he was nning something ominous, so I wanted to run away. As a n took shape in my mind, I grabbed my purse. In the end, I suppressed my instinct to run and stood rooted to my spot. Nancy continued badgering him. "Charles, what happened to you?" "Get the fuck out! Don''te any closer!" Charles turned around just to shout at her. Nancy was frightened to the point of trembling. Her eyes disyed just how horrified she was. As she looked at him, tears streamed down her cheeks, making her look even more pitiful. Unfortunately, Charles was heartless towards her. He held me in his arms and walked past Nancy without even ncing at her. "You''re a fool, Charles! Scarlett doesn''t love you at all!" Chapter 360 I Want You Scarlett''s POV: After helping Charles walk into the room, I pushed him onto the couch. He was drunk. Massaging my sore shoulder, I was about to go and check on my sons when Charles suddenly grabbed me. I fell into his arms. "Charles, what are you doing? Let me go!" However, Charles ignored my words and pressed me under his body. "Honey, I feel so hot," he whispered in my ear seductively. "Then you should go and take a shower. Why are you holding me? I have to check on the kids. Let me go." "I want you." Charles'' eyes were filled with lust as he looked at me. He looked like a predator that was about to devour me whole. My heart was racing so fast that I felt like it was going to jump out of my throat any moment. I felt that it was too dangerous to be with him now, and I knew that I had to run away. "Let go of me. Jerry is awake." I tried my best to push him away in panic. "Jerry... Who named my sons? Was it you? Or William? Do you really hate me enough to even deprive me of my right as their dad? Or do I have to kill Rita to get your forgiveness?" Charles asked, gritting his teeth. "Charles, you''re drunk." My heart was caught in a whirlpool of emotions. I med him for being ruthless while he med me for being so cold towards him. It felt as though we were caught in a stalemate. The next second, Charles kissed me, his breath smelling like alcohol, and I immediately turned away. He was irritated by my reaction that he suddenly grabbed my jaw so tightly that it felt like he was about to crush it. "Why don''t you let me kiss you? Would you rather have someone else kiss you?" "Charles, what are you..." Before I could even finish my words, he sealed my lips with a passionate kiss, making it impossible for me to move. Like a fierce lion, he bit my lips, and stuck his tongue into my mouth. That deep kiss rendered me breathless and made me feel hazy. I was about to suffocate from it when he suddenly withdrew his lips from mine and began to kiss my neck and my chest. "Scarlett, I feel so hot. Help me," Charles whispered in my ear, his hot breath making me blush. I suddenly felt his erection pressing against my vagina, ready to attack me. "Can you feel it? It misses you too," Charles said in an ambiguous tone. Feeling his strong lust, I was at a loss. All of a sudden, I vaguely heard a rustling sounding from the door. ''Great! Tracy must havee to check on me!'' "Tracy... Ah!" Before I could say another word, he ripped my dress apart, stripping me naked. "What are you trying to do?" I yelled. "Fuck you, of course." He quickly took off his clothes and pounced on me. It had been longer than a year since we stood in front of each other, naked. I could see sweat dripping from his tan body and his sculpted abs. I felt my skin burn the moment his body touched me. I immediately felt that something was wrong. Charles'' body was extremely hot to the touch and there was an abnormal flush on his face. "Charles, you''re sick. Get up! I''ll get the doctor to check you." Saying that, I struggled to get up. "You are the only doctor for me." He pressed me under his body and began to fondle my naked breasts vigorously. I struggled to push him away, but it was of no use. He grabbed my legs and wrapped them around his waist while his finger slowly prated my vagina. I felt both joy and fear t from the sudden stimtion. I enjoyed the pleasure, even though my brain was screaming at me to push him away. Charles then pushed another finger into my vagina. His slender fingers teased and toyed with my sensitive areas until I felt a stream of fluid shamefully gushing out of me. "Ah..." The pleasure caused my body to grow extremely hot until I waspletely wet. Charles suddenly pulled out his dripping wet fingers from my vagina. "Do you want it?" By then, I had lost my mindpletely into the vortex of desire that he had created. "Yes..." "I want you more." He immediately prated me with In his penis. We both let out a moan before he began to thrust deeper inside of me, making it hard for me to breathe. My tight vagina waspletely consumed with his thick and long penis. Pleasure was surging through my body, and I could not help but let out an irresistible happy scream every time he thrust himself deeper and deeper. I couldn''t refuse the barbaric pleasure could only passively lie under him, undting my waist.. Soon, our nasty bodily fluids were all over each other''s bodies, but he did not stop until he was satisfied. After the sex, Charlesy on the sofa, hugging me. I nced at my handbag which was on the floor. Hearing my phone ring, I was about to pick it up, but Charles held me tighter. "Let go of me. I want to go to the bathroom." I red at him. Charles finally let go of me, and I quickly picked up my bag as I staggered to the bathroom. When I looked at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, I noticed that my face was red and shiny. Anyone who saw me like that could tell that I just had sex. I quickly washed my face with cold water and forced myself to calm down before I opened the handbag and nced at the document inside. I reminded myself that I must break up with Charles for good. All of a sudden, there was a knock on the door. "Honey, open the door. I want to use the bathroom as well." Charles was still knocking on the door, so I quickly put the document back into my bag. "Honey, if you don''t open the door, I am going toe in." Determined, I opened the door, and fell into Charles'' arms. "Honey, don''t go. Let''s go out togetherter." Was he a beast? How could he not be exhausted? I felt sparks of electricity in my body and my vagina waspletely sore. "Didn''t you want to use the bathroom? I''ll wait outside for you." Just when I was about to walk out, Charles held me tightly again. I wanted to struggle, but I waspletely exhausted. "No, you will try to escape." Charles stared at me with his deep eyes full of scrutiny. "Don''t worry. I won''t run away. Besides, I have a document here that I need you to sign," I said patiently. "No." My patience was running out as time passed, and I could not help but nce at the roof.N?velDrama.Org ? content. If things went ording to my n, then there should be a helicopter waiting for me and my sons on the roof. Chapter 361 Escape Charles'' POV: As I leisurely washed my hands, only the sound of running water could be heard in the bathroom. I could see Scarlett''s upset face reflected in the mirror. Perhaps she hadn''t noticed that she was pouting. Somehow, she reminded me of the sweet memories of the past. Back when she was younger, she liked staying with me. And oftentimes, she would pout at me when something annoyed her. While I stared at the water, I remembered how Scarlett used to y with water with me back when we were kids. I wanted to do that again, so I sshed water on her. Startled, Scarlett stepped back. "What are you doing?" "Didn''t you used to enjoy sshing water on me like this when we were younger?" A smile appeared on my face as I thought of the distant past.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "I''m an adult already, okay? I haven''t yed with water for a long time!" I paid her words no mind and kept on sshing water at her. "Stop it, Charles!" Scarlett wiped away the water on her face, visibly enraged. Feeling a little disappointed, I decided to stop. She was no longer the little girl who always pestered me before. Now, she was either annoyed or bored with everything I did. Scarlett sighed and said, "Let''s just go out." "But honey, I still feel hot," I murmured. "What are you talking about?" Scarlett stood rooted to her spot, dumbfounded. At this point, I could no longer repress my desire to have sex with her. Slowly, I approached her and pressed her against the bathroom door. Her natural scent tempted me as it wafted into my nose. I caressed her face and whispered, "We haven''t had sex for so long. Don''t you want me anymore?" "Charles, you bastard!" Tears welled up in Scarlett''s eyes. Her face, which was as fresh as a rose bud, turned red. The sight of her blushing face only made me want her more. I desired her so much that my dick grew hard. It was a natural physiological reaction. There was nothing I could do to stop it. I was aware that Nancy had added something into my winest night, but I still drank it. Fortunately, Scarlett didn''t whore that woman off to me. I pulled Scarlett into my arms, walked towards the bathtub, and put her inside the tub filled with warm water. "You jerk! Let go of " I kissed her before she could finish her sentence. While I was kissing her, I took off her bathrobe, lifted her up, and slid my penis into her vagina. Soon, my cock felt the warm of her insides. Her body was so alluring, and it felt so good inside her. I felt like I was in heaven. When I was satisfied, I finally let Scarlett go. She didn''t have any strength left to move. Gently, I held her in my arms and nted kisses on her cheek and neck. "Honey, please don''t leave me," I pleaded. Scarlett''s POV: While Charles was holding me in his arms, I remained still. When I heard his sweet words, I was not moved. Instead, I was confused. ''He doesn''t love me. Why is he saying those words to me? He acts as though he loved me, and me alone, but that''s just not true! His so-called love has hurt me time and time again. I don''t think that''s what love is,'' I told myself. I nced at my purse at the door of the bathroom. Inside, there was a waiver of custody. I was certain that he''d be drunk tonight, so I nned to persuade him into signing the waiver while he was inebriated and barely conscious. That way, I could take my kids away in secret. But something unexpected happened. He had sex with me over and over, leaving me no chance to take the bag. It seemed that I must give up on having the waiver signed for the time being. Weakly, I leaned against Charles'' chest, thinking of what to do next. Satisfied, Charles smiled and didn''t bother me anymore. Afterwards, he carried me back to the bed andy down beside me. After a while, I heard the sound of his steady breathing. As I stared at the innocence of his sleeping face, I was caught in a dilemma. These past few weeks, I did my best to make Charles believe that I wanted to stay. But in truth, I just wanted to gain his trust. Now that I''d done that, it was time to leave. ''Goodbye, Charles,'' I muttered silently. Carefully, I removed his hand from my waist. However, he put it back where it was on my waist again. I was startled at first, but I yed it cool. "Honey, I''m going to the bathroom. I''ll be back soon." With that, Charles let go of me. I let out a sigh of relief and got out of bed. Then, I opened the door and snuck into the kids'' room. I put the twins into the stroller and picked up James as he slept soundly. Afterwards, I sluggishly carried all three of them into the elevator. Fortunately, the elevator was going up quickly. I felt at ease knowing that it was nearing the top floor. I knew that everything would be settled this time. The kids and I were really about to leave this ce. Soon, the elevator arrived at the top floor. When the elevator opened, I saw a helicopter in the distance. Quickly, William rushed towards me. "Scarlett, I thought you wouldn''te!" "We''ll talkter. Let''s just get on the helicopter!" The closer I was to escaping, the more uneasy I felt. "Okay, hurry up." William took the stroller and wheeled it forward. I held James in my arms, following William closely. Because of the startling noiseing from the helicopter, James woke up. He rubbed his eyes, staring at me in confusion. "Mom, where are we going?" "Don''t be afraid, my love. I''m taking you to a beautiful ce," I replied. "But what about Dad? Isn''t he coming with us?" As I stared at James'' innocent lovely face, tears welled up in my eyes. "Dad has something to deal with right now. He won''t be able to be with us for the time being. But once he''s done with his work, he''lle see us said while sobbing. Perhaps there really was a connection between a father and a son. James immediately sensed that something was wrong and threw a tantrum. "No! I want to wait for Dad," he cried. "James, my love... don''t cry." Seeing my son struggling violently made me uncertain of what to do. William came over and carried James, visibly anxious. "I''ll take him to the helicopter first." At this time, the boy struggled even more violently in William''s arms. "Mommy! I want my mommy and my daddy!" James whined. My heart bled for my son. I took him from William''s arms and attempted tofort him. "Everything''s going to be okay, James. Mom is right here with you. I''ll be right beside you." "Scarlett, you won''t be able to handle him on your own. Just give him to me. Let''s not waste another moment." I decided to go with William''s suggestion and gave James to him. Afterwards, he carried the boy onto the helicopter. Soon, he came down to pick up the twins. Inside the stroller, Jerry and Jason were sleeping soundly. They had no idea that their mother was about to take them away from their biological father for good. ''Will they hate me when they grow up?'' I wondered. For a moment, I hesitated on going through with this n. William grabbed my shoulders and told me, "Scarlett, don''t give up now. Otherwise, all of your efforts will be in vain." He was right. I shouldn''t give up now. While William picked up Jason and walked ahead. I gritted my teeth and picked up Jerry. For some reason, my heart was aching. The endless pain almost drowned me. I crouched down beside the stroller as tears streamed down my face. "Do you regret it already?" William sounded really disappointed. As tears welled up in my eyes, I shook my head. Right now, my heart was torn in two. Half of me was excited that I was about to regain my freedom, but the other half was in pain because of the separation. Chapter 362 The Plan Of Escape Failed Scarlett''s POV: "What if the kids miss their dad?" I was at a loss for words as I looked at William. "They are young, and once they see that I am good to them, they will soon forget their biological father," Williamforted me softly. I smiled bitterly and shook my head, tears streaming down my face. "Let''s go." William walked up to me and held my hand. Although I should have left, I did not want to move. Ever since my dad passed away, I had been dreaming about him, and I would even cry in my sleep sometimes. Was I really going to let my children also suffer like I did? "William, I''m sorry but I don''t want to leave." I looked at him apologetically. I could never let my children experience the same pain. All of a sudden, we heard the sound of footsteps. I turned around and found a dozen men in ck suits, surrounding the area. Charles and Richard walked out of the elevator. When I looked into Charles'' cold eyes, I could not help but panic. "Take the kids away," he ordered coldly. Within a moment, all the bodyguards stepped forward, and took my children away. My legs began to tremble. A great sense of panic struck me, leaving me short of breath. William held me right before I copsed to the ground andforted me in a low voice, "Never mind. I''ll take you away and start a new life." ''A new life?1 Feeling desperate, I burst into tears. I could never live a life without my kids. "Scarlett, you can leave if you want, but you must remember that if you leave, then you will never be able to see the kids again," Charles said coldly. Under the dim light, I could not see his face clearly, but I could feel his anger like the zing hot air from a campfire. "I can even allow you the freedom of finding a man you like, but not with my sons," he added. "Scarlett, let''s go." William put his arm around my shoulder and continued, "We can have our own children in the future!" He was trying to take me away by force. However, I stood still as I looked at Charles pleadingly. I couldn''t lose my children. They were all I had! William was so anxious that he carried me with all his strength. I finally came to my senses. "William, put me down!" With a helpless look, heplied. "I don''t want to leave." I couldn''t leave my children behind, and I could not be separated from them! "You won''t live a good life if you stay. Charles won''t let go of you easily!" William reminded me coldly. "But if I leave without my children, I will still not live a good life." There was no one who knew better than me that it was painful to be separated from my kids. I couldn''t bear to lose them again. "Scarlett, why are you being so silly? Charles is not the only man in the world!" William hissed. "It''s not because of him!" I retorted with a bitter smile. Couldn''t he see that I was doing it for my kids and not Charles? "Then youe with me, and I will find a chanceter to bring the kids to you, okay?" William pleaded, holding my hand. "You can''t!" I retorted feebly. The moment Charles appeared, I knew that I had no other choice. William was about to continue his persuasion when he was suddenly interrupted by a cold voice. "At least, I let her decide her own fate, William. Can''t you even let her make her own choices?" William remained silent. He looked at me for a while before he finally gave up and got on the helicopter alone. After he left, Charles and I looked at each other in silence. I lowered my head, clenched my fists nervously as I walked towards Charles. "Since you chose to stay, no matter what happens in the future, you have to bear it," he reminded me coldly. I lowered my head in silence. As long as I was with my children, I was willing to bear anything. Charles gave me a sneer and turned around. I followed him desperately as I prepared for the worst. After going downstairs, I searched every room, but I couldn''t find the kids. There were no maids or bodyguards in the suite either. "Charles, where are the kids? Where did you take them?" I questioned him in despair as I stood before him. With a cold gaze, Charles was sitting on the sofa, smoking. Seeing him like that, my heart sank. Charles'' POV: "Charles, where on earth did you hide the kids?" Scarlett asked in tears. She was still wearing the wedding ring wing wet Still put on her while she elope with another man, my sons with her. S set ''How cruel!'' After a long time, she squatted down before me, grabbed my arm, and pleaded, "Where are our kids? Please, I want to know, okay?" My heart softened for a second when I saw her pleading so humbly. But the moment I remembered the stupid things that she had done, I could not help but get angry. Sneering, I pushed her arm away as I looked at her disgustedly. I had long nown that she would try to leave, but I thought that she would stay for the sake of as I begged her l.ne However, I had forgotten that her heart was as cold as a stone on a winter night. She would not hesitate to kick me out of her life and run away with the kid the first chance she got. I lit another cigarette. "Scarlett, why didn''t you go with William?" "I will be wherever my kids are." Scarlett lowered her head feebly. "Scarlett, do you really think that you are even qualified to see them now?" I sneered with mockery. "I''m their mother. How can I not be qualified?" Scarlett raised her head and red at me. "Well, you did try to elope with William, right? You have no right to see them ever again!" I reminded her coldly. "No, I..." "You are free now, Scarlett Just like you always wanted. Go and pursue your happiness. I truly wish @happy life." With that, I put out the cigarette.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 363 Please Me Charles'' POV: "Charles, I am sorry. Can''t you forgive me? At least tell me where the kids are." Scarlett gripped my wrist tightly as though she was holding onto herst straw of hope. I knew that I should feel happy to see her suffer like that, but that was not the case at all. "If you can take them away from their father, why can''t I take them away from their mother? Oh, yeah, they will have a mom. I can always marry someone else." I could not help but be cruel towards her now. "Charles, you can''t do that!" Shaking her head desperately, she pleaded with me. "Why not? You gave up the kids on your own, didn''t you?" In a fit of pique, I pinched her chin hard. Scarlett broke free from my grip, stood up, and threatened coldly, "If you dare to separate me from the kids, then I will kill myself right before your eyes!" "You can try," I sneered with mockery in my eyes. Did she really think that I would go soft on her just because she threatened me with suicide? Wiping away her tears, she bolted to the door. Her stubbornness to leave hurt me deeply. All of a sudden, I remembered that day when she was holding the fruit knife in her hand, willing tomit suicide, Thinking of that, my heart skipped a beat. "Scarlett!" I hurried forward and held her. I heaved a sigh of relief when I felt her warmth. "I should have fucked you to death!" I roared, gritting my teeth as I squeezed her tightly. "Charles." A long timeter, Scarlett finally managed to call out my name before she feebly slipped out of my arms. I picked her up, walked to the master bedroom, and threw her on the bed. She was still wearing my coat. It was clearly too big for her. How could she dare to run away with another man while wearing my coat? I stepped forward and rudely took off my coat from her. "Scarlett, how could you let that man hug you while you were wearing my coat?" I threw my coat on the ground. Jealousy was eating up my soul from within and I could no longer control myself. "Charles, what are you doing?" Scarlett questioned angrily. "I am obviously going to do whatever the fuck I want!" I sneered as I hastily removed my tie. I then unbuttoned my shirt and pressed her under my body. "Charles, don''t touch me!" Scarlett struggled desperately. She kept patting me on the shoulder. "Scarlett, if you dare to move one more time, I will make sure that you never see your kids. And I mean it!" I grabbed her wrists and pressed them over her head. Scarlett calmed down and gradually gave up. Her intense cry turned into a low sob, but it sounded quite helpless. I was inexplicably irritated as I ordered coldly, "Don''t cry!" Scarlett''s shoulders trembled violently as though she was frightened by my loud voice. She then burst into tears. Her eyes were red and tears continued to stream down her face. I was upset to see her in such a pitiful state, so I gently held her face. "Stop crying, okay?" I coaxed her. "Charles, let me see the kids," she pleaded again, holding my hand. "No!" I refused without hesitation. Hearing that, she began to wail again. "Scarlett, stop crying already!" Annoyed, I bit her neck. Scarlett groaned in pain and stopped sobbing. When I looked into her aggrieved and stubborn eyes, my heart suddenly softened. "Charles, what should I do to make you let me see the kids?" Scarlett asked, choking back her sobs. "Please me." When she heard those words, her eyes widened in surprise. "If you want to see them in the future, then you have to please me first." Scarlett was stunned. She could not believe her ears. "If I am happy, then I will bring them to see you," I added. Scarlett''s eyes widened in shock. My fingers fondled her delicate skin. And just when I was about to take off her bra, she suddenly grabbed my wrist. "Charles, I can do it, but you have to promise me something, okay?" Scarlett tried to negotiate with me, pretending to be calm. However, she had no idea that her shaky voice had already made it obvious that she was panicking. I couldn''t help but chuckle when I saw that. After all, she still had not changed. "What do you want? But whether I agree to it or not, depends on how I feel." I lowered my head and looked at Scarlett''s delicate body greedily. Nancy had added a lot of aphrodisiacs into the ss of wine, so that one sex session was not enough to vent the desire in my body, but since I was worried that Scarlett might not be able to handle it, had been trying my best to control my desires. I was surprised to see that she still had the energy to escape even after I fucked her ruthlessly. Thinking of that, I suddenly realized that she did not deserve to be pitied at all. "Charles!" Scarlett red at me, trying to avoid my touch. "You don''t agree to it?" I stopped what I was doing and raised my eyebrows at her. I reminded myself that I would not let her see the kids again if she did not ept my terms. I was sure that she also thought of the same. Clenching her fists, she began to bargain with me again. "Charles, first you have to promise me that you won''t let Nancy or any of your girlfriends touch my children!" "If you''re allowed to let another man touch my kids, then why can''t I do the same?" I asked in reply. "But I didn''t take them away from you, did I?" Scarlett reminded me angrily. "That was only because I asked my men to stop you in time! Scarlett since you don''t want to be my wife, we are just partners from now on, I but will be Party A, and I have the final say!" Scarlett''s POV: As Charles spoke, he held my hand bit my ring finger. I frowned, trying to withdraw my hand, but he held it tightly. "In fact, you don''t deserve to wear this ring anymore." Charles stared at the ring on my finger coldly.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. I stared at him in silence, not knowing what to do. Did he want me to take off the ring? That was what I wanted too! "What do you think?" Charles asked, looking at me. "You are right. Take it off!" I said, nodding in agreement. We had originally agreed to take it off after Grandpa''s birthday party. "Take it off yourself." Charles'' voice suddenly turned cold. I did not even hesitate as I reached out to take off the ring. However, Charles suddenly held my hand and stopped me. "I''ve changed my mind. From now on, you are not allowed to take You have to be a the doff the stage.offet wife, belongs to Co on Chapter 364 This Is Compensation Scarlett''s POV: "I''m going to take a shower now, and in the meantime, you can think about my suggestion." After saying those cold words, Charles walked into the bathroom. Looking at his receding back, my heart sank. I knew that he had be the ruler since the moment I chose to escape from him. And since I could not resist anymore, I had no choice but to face the consequences. I smiled bitterly as a sense of despair crashed into my heart. I wanted to get out of bed, but just before I could stand up, I heard Charles'' voiceing from the bathroom. "Scarlett,e and join me for a shower." Frowning, I wanted to say no, but Charles suddenly walked out of the bathroom, picked me up, and carried me to the shower. "Charles, you..." I immediately grabbed his clothes in fear. "This is apensation." "Compensation for what exactly?" I was confused. "You almost made me lose my kids to another man, and you have to pay for it," Charles sneered as he turned on the shower head. Soon, the water poured down, drenching mepletely. The lights were off, so the bathroom waspletely dark. I subconsciously tried to escape, but he held my waist tightly. He then ripped my clothes off and began to kiss me everywhere. However, he was not being gentle at all, and it seemed like he was using me like a tool to vent his desires. When I woke up on the next day, it was already noon. I felt sore as Iy on the bed. My head was pounding from the pain, and my skin felt like it was on fire. I put my hand on my forehead. Sensing the extremely high temperature, I realized that I was having a fever. I wanted to call someone for help, but I could not even bring myself to shout, so I had to lie in despair. A long timeter, J opened the door and walked in. Touching my forehead, she shouted, "Tracy, Scarlett has a fever! Let''s take her to the hospital!" She was also panicking. By the time I woke up again, I saw that J and Tracy were standing by my bed. "Scarlett, you''re finally awake!" they cried out in unison with a worried look in their eyes. "Where are the kids?" I asked in a hoarse voice. I looked at them expectantly, but they fell silent at my question. "Are they okay?" With a bitter smile, I changed my question. Seeing that I was not asking about my kids'' whereabouts, they heaved a sigh of relief. J nodded and said, "Scarlett, don''t worry. They are fine." I felt at ease after hearing those words. Charles did not show up for the next two days. I could only ask J and Tracy about the kids. On the third night, my phone rang all of a sudden, surprising me. It was a call from Charles. I grabbed my phone and stared at the screen for a long time before I finally answered it. "Hello?" "Is your fever gone?" I heard Charles'' cold voiceing from the other end. "Yes," I murmured. "James wants to talk to you. Say something to him." "Mom?" Hearing my son''s soft voice, I could not help but cry. "Mom?" Seeing that I was not saying anything, James called out to me again. "I''m right here, honey. Did you miss me?" I asked, choking back my sobs. "Yes! Why haven''t youe home yet? Pleasee home, Mom! Jerry, Jason, Daddy, and I miss you a lot." James was clearly perplexed. "Okay." I could not help but cover my mouth to force myself not to cry. "We''re at Garden Street," Charles said coldly. "Okay." I was stunned to hear that. After hanging up, I immediately got off the bed and washed up. I carefully put on some makeup to not appear so gaunt in front of my kids. "Let''s go back to Garden Street." I quickly changed my clothes and hurried out. J and Tracy followed me. As soon as we arrived, I opened the door, and got off the car. "Scarlett, be careful!" J seemed to be concerned. However, at that moment, the only thing that I could think of was to see my kids. "Scarlett." I suddenly heard someone calling my name. I turned around and saw Nancy and Nichs. Nancy was standing in front of me, smiling. "What''s up?" I stopped in my tracks and looked at her coldly. "Scarlett, I didn''t expect to see you here. What a coincidence! Did youe here to see Charles? Can youe with you?" Nancy asked expectantly. "No," I refused coldly. I did not want to waste my time talking to her. "Why not? just want to say hello to Charles! Are you really that afraid that I might take him away from you? Didn''t you want to divorce him? Nancy asked, staring at me vigntly. "No, I don''t," I blurted out without even hesitating.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Thinking of Charles mentioning that he would make her my kids'' stepmother, I felt disgusted by her. "You don''t want a divorce?" Her eyes widened in surprise. "Miss Wood, Mrs. Moore will never divorce Mr. Moore. So please stay away from them! If you ever try to get in between them again, then will have to settle things in my way!" J and Tracy red at Nancy, raising their fists. Frightened, Nancy took a step back with a pale face. I cast a cold nce at her before I walked past her. "Scarlett, you don''t deserve Charles at all!" I heard her roaring loudly, but I did not have the time or the energy to care about it. The moment I tried opening the door, I realized that the password had been changed, so all I could do was to stand there and knock. Charles opened the door and stared at me coldly. "Who said you cane here?" Looking at him with a nk expression, I suddenly remembered our phone conversation. He had only told me that they were at Garden Street. He never said that I coulde. My heart twisted as I looked at him with a bitter smile. "Charles, can I please see my sons?" "No!" Charles refused decisively. "Just for a little while," I begged in a low voice. It had been days since I hadst seen them and I was missing them a lot. "I said no," Charles repeated coldly and was about to close the door. "Charles, please." I grabbed his sleeve and pleaded desperately. He stopped and nced at my hand that was holding his shirt. "Charles, I promise I''ll leave as soon as I see them!" I continued to plead with him, bowing my head down. "Do you even deserve to see them?" he asked in a low voice. "Why don''t I deserve to see them? I''m their mother!" I retorted angrily. ?? "If I feel like you don''t deserve to see them, then you don''t! I''m not happy now, and I don''t want to see you." Sneering coldly, he shook off my arm, turned around, and was about to m the door on my face. ''Happy?'' An idea came to me. "Charles, I''ll make you happy. Can you let me see the babies now?" I stared at him expectantly. "You''re going to make me happy? Can you even do that?" Charles asked with a sneer. "I can!" I answered with a firm nod. I was determined to do anything to make him let me see my babies. Chapter 365 Please Him Scarlett''s POV: "Mom! Mom!" James suddenly appeared at the door. The instant he saw me, he ran towards me as fast as he could. I squatted down and waited for him with open arms. With a beaming smile, James ran into my arms and hugged me tight. "Mommy, you''re back!" "Yes, Mommy is back." I hugged James back. Tears were welling up in my eyes as I held him. Only God knew how excited I was for this moment. However, this happy moment did notst long. Charles bent down and took James out of my arms. He rubbed the little boy''s head and coaxed him, "James, your mother has something important to do. Why don''t you go to your brothers first?" "Okay..." James looked at me reluctantly. I could see in his eyes how he wanted to stay with me a little longer. But in the end, he had no choice but to do as told. "Mom, pleasee back soon." I could only watch as James walked away from me. All of a sudden, I felt an impulse to rush over and hug up. But I knew that I could not. At this moment, Charles locked the door and passed by me, and then he walked to the house across the street and opened the door. "Come in." I looked at him in confusion. "I bought it," Charles briefly exined in a low voice. Then, he walked into the house without even waiting for my response. Although I was unsure of what was waiting for me, I followed him still. Charles sat on the sofa and looked at me with disdain. "Scarlett, you haven''t forgotten what you''ve said, have you?" I looked at him with a confused expression. It took me a moment to realize what he was talking about. I lowered my head and smiled bitterly. "No." I was at a loss as I looked at Charles, who was sitting on the sofa expectantly. I wanted to run away from him, but I held that thought in an instant. I could not leave. Only by pleasing Charles could I see my beloved children. At the thought of this, I gritted my teeth and walked over to him. Charles''s legs were crossed, and his arms were spread out on the back of the sofa. And the way he was looking at me brought a chill down my spine. It felt as though he was teasing a pet. I swallowed my shame and sat on hisp. Then, I put my hands on his shoulders and leaned over to kiss him on the lips. To my surprise, Charles dodged in disgust and said "I don''t feel your enthusiasm." "What do you mean?" I asked confusedly. "You''re good at seducing men, aren''t you? Why are you acting like you''re not? Do you want me to teach you?" I lowered my gaze and did not answer. My heart felt like it was being cut open by a sharp knife as Charles mocked and humiliated me. "Forget it. It looks like you''re insincere anyway." Charles pushed me off hisp and was about to stand up. I Seeing that he was about to leave, a feeling of panic washed over me. Just as he propped himself up, I quickly held his face and kissed him. I forced my tongue into Charles''s mouth and unbuttoned his shirt at the same time. Charles suddenly grabbed my hand and looked at me with narrowed eyes. "Did I say you could kiss me?" I did not want to argue with him, so I just continued kissing him. Suddenly, Charles grabbed me by my behind and threw me into the sofa. "Strip off your clothes." I felt a little dizzy because of the impact, but I obediently did as told. Charles stared at my body with burning lust. Once I waspletely naked, he sped both of my wrists with one hand and kissed my neck. His kisses trailed down my neck, shoulder, and breasts. He also left deep red hickeys along the way as if to say I was his. I justy weak on the sofa the whole time as I let him ravage me. He must have sensed that my mind was wandering, so he bit my nipple hard as a punishment. "Ugh. Charles, be gentle..." I begged in a low voice. Charles snickered and ignored my plea. The way he handled me told me that I was not in the position to bargain. This went on for a moment, but it felt like forever. All of a sudden, he sped me by the waist and turned me over. Without warning, he inserted his manhood into me. We did not even have forey as he just went straight to the home run. The sex was rough. There was no pleasure at all. I just felt like I was being punished in a way that brought pleasure to Charles but not me. Charles left afterward and did not even ask how I was. But before he walked out of the door, he reminded me, "You cane and see the children tomorrow night." I curled up weakly on the sofa and asked in a hoarse voice, "Why tomorrow night?" "Don''t you want it? How about the day after tomorrow? Or next month?" Charles asked in a threatening tone. I lowered my gaze and did not speak anymore. Atst, Charles walked out and mmed the door behind him. I covered myself with the coat and huddled up on the sofa. A sense of despair swept over me as I thought of Charles, who had just left heartlessly. This was what was dreading from the very beginning. I had known that this woulde. Now, in his eyes was like &''s sex doll that he could use anytime to satisfy his needs. And once he had gotten tired of me, he would discard me. Unfortunately for me, I had no right to say no. My eyelids started to feel a little heavy after a long while. Just then, I heard the door open. "James?" I called. I tried hard to open my eyes and looked in the direction of the door.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. My hope was shattered when I saw who it was. It was not my son, but J and Tracy. I could not help butugh with self-mockery. After what had happened, why was I still hoping that Charles would bring the children to see me? Tracy handed me a clean set of clothes and asked with concern, "Scarlett, are you okay?" "Just a little dizzy," I answered. In the evening, I soaked my feet with hot water as usual. Tracy saw my morose expression, so she decided tofort me. "Scarlett, Mr. Moore loves you; or he wouldn''t ask us to check on you. He''s just not good at expressing himself. Please give him more time." I leaned against the back of the sofa and smiled bitterly. Charles brought me nothing but pain. If it were not for the children, I would have not entangled myself with him again. In the middle of the night, I broke into a high fever again. I did not know what had happened for the rest of the night. But when I woke up the next morning, I was still a little dizzy and lightheaded. When Tracy saw that I was finally awake, she walked over to me and eximed, "Scarlett, you''re awake!" "Tracy..." I called in a hoarse voice. "You scared me to death. You were burning with feverst night." "What time is it now?" "It''s half-past eleven o''clock. Just rest. I''ve already called in sick on your behalf." Tracy nced at me tentatively and added, "Also... Mr. Moore was here this morning." I was surprised. Why did Charlese here? He must have been pleased when he saw that was sick and in pain. All of a sudden, what had happenedst night shed in my mind, and Kcould not help butugh scornfully at myself. "Where are the kids?" I asked in a low voice, suppressing the expectation in my heart. Charles should be at thepany right now. Did he leave the kids alone at home? Could I see them? Tracy wanted to say something but decided not to on second thought. After hesitating for a moment, she finally told me the truth. "Mr. Moore took the kids to thepany." My heart sank upon hearing this. I recovered a weekter. Atst, I could finally go to work again. While I was at thepany, I received a call from Charles, in which he firmly ordered, "Come here tonight." I mumbled a reply and hung up the call. Charles had taken the children to another city, and they stayed there for a week. Fortunately, they were back now. As soon as I finished my work, I hurriedly packed my things, so I could get off work early. I could not wait to go to Garden Street and see my children. "Mommy!" James called the moment he saw me. He was having dinner at the moment. I stepped forward to hug him, but Charles stopped me. "Take off your coat first. Don''t let the dirty things from outside touch my son." Although I was a little ufortable, I took off my coat just like he said. "James, I miss you so much! Do you miss me?" I walked quickly to James and bent over to pick him up. "Yes! Mom, where have you been? I miss you so much!" James wrapped his arms around my neck and kissed me on the cheek. Now that my son was in my arms, my empty heart was filled with joy. I yfully messed James''s hair and asked, "James, are you full now? Do you want Mommy to feed you?" "Yes!" James nodded excitedly and opened his mouth. Charles, however, seemed displeased. "Don''t spoil him. It''s not like you can see him every day," he spat. Chapter 366 Not Enough Charles'' POV: "It doesn''t matter I feed him once in a while." Scarlett forced a smile after being stunned for a moment.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. She then carefully picked up the fork and fed the spaghetti to James. He was obediently sitting on the chair, looking at her with his big eyes, waiting for her to feed him another mouthful. Looking at them being so close with each other, I felt like aplete outsider. Soon, James was done eating and he let out a satisfied burp. He patted his belly and said, "Mom, I''m full." Scarlett smiled as she reached out to lift him up. "Nanny, you can take James away," I ordered impatiently. "Yes, Mr. Moore." The nanny immediately came forward and took James away from Scarlett. "Mom!" But James did not want to leave his mother. "It''s alright, baby. I''lle to you soon." "Okay." Only after hearing herforting words did James go with the nanny, leaving me and Scarlett alone in the dining room. "Come and have dinner," I ordered. "I don''t want to eat. I just want to go upstairs to see Jerry and Jason." "You don''t want to eat? Are you sure?" I stared at her meaningfully and saw her blushing. "Fine." She reluctantly walked to the table and I served her arge slice of beef steak, which she began to cut with her knife and fork. "Drink some soup first," I reminded her with a frown. Scarlett stopped immediately and looked at me in confusion. "Why are you looking at me like that? You don''t think I am caring for you, do you? I am just worried that you might end up with a stomach problemter, and if you have issues like that when we''re having sex, then it will ruin my mood." Hearing that, Scarlett quietly began to drink the soup. I nced at her from the corner of my eye as though I did not care about her. She seemed to have lost some weight and was looking more haggard than before. ''Damn it! Are Tracy and J even taking good care of her? Why does she looked worse than she did on Christmas?'' She seemed to be wearing makeup, though. And she was looking gorgeous, which made me wonder if she did it to please me. Distracted, I shook the ss in my hand unconsciously. Time passed quietly, and I did note back to my senses until I heard her putting down her knife and fork. I took out my phone and saw that more than an hour had passed. I could not believe that I had just sat there for an hour watching her eat, which made me chuckle helplessly. Scarlett wiped her mouth, ring at me. I turned to her and asked coldly, "Why are you staring at me like that? Don''t you know that you''ve been eating for an hour now? It was just a steak and some soup. Why did it take you so long to finish it?" I was about to burst intoughter, looking at her angry and aggrieved expression. "Are you done now? Go and take a bath, just so that you don''t smell like another man," I said on purpose. "You!" Scarlett stared at me angrily for a few more seconds before she gave up and walked to the bathroom. The moment she stepped into the bathroom, her phone rang. I unzipped her bag and took out her phone. When I saw that it was a call from William, my heart burned with anger. I answered the phone coldly with a sneer, "Hello, William. Why are you calling my wife''s phone at this hour?" "Why are you answering the phone? And where is Scarlett?" "Are you still not done bothering another man''s wife? I think you should worry about yourself first," I hissed. "Charles, what the hell do you want?" Upon hearing his exasperated voice, I smiled. "I am warning you, don''t you dare to call my wife again, or you will never see that woman." "Charles..." Before William could curse me, I hung up. He deserved to be treated like trash for seducing my wife. When I was putting her phone back in her bag, I noticed a document inside. I took it out and saw that it was a document that was meant to dere the waiver of custody. Looking at it, I figured that Scarlett must have arranged it right before Christmas. Why was she still holding onto it? A weird feeling filled up in my chest. I could not help but wonder if she would have coaxed me to sign it that night if I had been just drunk. It would have given her the right to take my kids and elope with William. ''I will not let it happen!'' I unconsciously tightened my hand, crumpling the document in my hand. That moment, the bathroom door opened. Dressed in a white bathrobe, Scarlett walked towards me slowly. Her delicate face was flushed from the hot bath, which was enough to make me thirsty for her body. I was immediately turned on. "Do you want to take a bath? I''ve filled the bathtub for you." As I silently looked at her, I felt a storm surging from the bottom of my heart. "What''s wrong?" Scarlett awkwardly tugged the corner of her bathrobe. "I don''t feel like taking a bath." Looking deep into her eyes, I ordered, "Go to bed." Scarlett''s eyes widened in an instant, and unable to hide her panic, she blurted out at once, "No." "Would you rather talk about this document with me first, then?" I waved the document in front of her eyes, and she turned pale, biting her lip. "You should be d that I am not in the mood to discuss such depressing things now. And you should know what to do if you''re really smart enough." My deep voice was filled with great anger and desire. I mmed the agreement on the table and turned to the bathroom. "Change into something else. I want the sexiest lingerie you have," I reminded her. When I walked out of the bathroom, I saw Scarlett lying on the bed, dressed in a sexy ck silk slip dress. The silk fabric wrapped around her body like a second skin, and the cut-outce design exposed just the right amount of skin to make me go crazy. There was a long slit on one side of the dress, which revealed her beautiful long legs. She was so fucking sexy. Looking at her like that, I was almost about to have a nosebleed, like a virgin boy. I walked up to her and found that she was still talking to Nina about work. With a frown, I grabbed the phone from her hand and tossed it aside. "Not the right time for that." I looked at her with dissatisfaction in my eyes. "You... I didn''t know that you were done." Scarlett turned away to avoid meeting my eyes and moved back a little. I stared at her and said in a sarcastic tone, "What? Are you going to please me by lying still?" "I''ve torn up the waiver," Scarlett exined immediately. ncing at the trash can beside the bed I noticed that it was indeed full of torn up pieces of paper. Looking at it, the anger in my heart seemed to dissipate a little. But I was not satisfied at all. I looked at her coldly and asked, "Do you really think that I can pretend like you did not want to me sign it just because you tore it to shreds?" Chapter 367 What The Hell Do You Want Scarlett''s POV: "What the hell do you want, then?" I asked Charles in a shaky voice. "What do you think I want?" He approached me with a sullen look in his eyes. My heart sank, but I knew how furious he would be once he found out about the waiver of custody when I had prepared it. Tearing the document into pieces was not enough to satisfy him, so I could only appease his anger by making love to him. After all, he would only let me see my kids if I pleased him well. And I was already prepared to sacrifice anything for their sakes. I closed my eyes for a moment to pull myself together before I put my arms around his neck, gazing into his eyes. However, Charles said coldly, "What? Is that all you got?" "I can obviously do a lot more, but will you let me sleep with the kids after you''re satisfied?" Gritting my teeth, I tried to negotiate with him. I was missing my kids a lot, and if it was possible, I would do anything to spend time with them. "Do you still want to sleep with the kids? Do you really think that you will have the strength to get out of bed after I am done with you?" Charles asked in an ambiguous tone, looking at me with his hungry eyes. He then began to kiss me without any warning, and I could only smell his sandalwood perfume. I felt so nervous as though I was waiting for a beast to devour me, and I subconsciously dodged. "Why do you look so humiliated?" Charles stopped kissing me all of a sudden, and ordered, "Smile." ''What does he think of me? Do I seem like a prostitute from a nightclub?'' Thinking of that, I red at him, not willing topromise at all. "What? You got a problem with that?" Charles raised his eyebrows at me. I shrunk like a deted ball under the pressure of his domineering question. I knew that I had no choice but topromise for the sake of my children. "Okay. As long as you allow me to apany the children," I said, clenching my teeth. "Do you really think that you''re qualified to negotiate with me?" There was a contemptuous look in his eyes, which made me feel like a ything that he was going to use to satisfy his desires. It was true that I was not qualified to negotiate with him about it, but what else was I supposed to do? I couldn''t help but smile bitterly, thinking about it. "Scarlett, you''d better not be demanding. I''ve already been very kind to you by letting you see the kids, so don''t try to push you luck." I was their mother, but I was forbidden to see them, which made my heart sink deep into the abyss. How pathetic my life was! Charles'' POV: Scarlett loosened her arms around my neck, looking ghostly pale. It seemed as though she had lost all hopes. Seeing her like that, I felt a little ufortable. "Scarlett, how are you going to please me with that long face?" Without saying anything, she turned away. ''She doesn''t even want to please me, does she?'' I looked away, and my gaze fell upon her sexy cleavage and I felt my breath getting heavier. "Scarlett, if you put on a long face again, I will..." Before I could even finish my words, I felt her soft lips on mine. Scarlett closed her eyes as she kissed me. Her face was so close to mine that I could see her eyelids quivering. However, she boldly used her tongue to pry into my mouth and twirled it. But it did not feel like a passionate kiss at all. It felt more like a baby beast learning to chew with new teeth. Although I wasining in my heart, I couldn''t help but indulge myself in her unskillful kiss, which was making my heart race. ''How can this be counted as a kiss?'' We had kissed countless times before. How could she still be a novice? ''Silly girl!'' I had no choice but to take control. I pushed Scarlett onto the bed, wrapping one hand around her waist while holding her head with the other. I instantly took charge, sucked her tongue, trapping it between my lips and teeth. I then bit her tender lips, sucking her saliva until I felt her gasping for breath and pushing me away. I was holding back my desire a lot as I leaned backwards a little and saw that her face was red as a sun-kissed tomato. She quickly put her arms around my neck shyly, trying to kiss me again, but I dodged deliberately. "Did I allow you to kiss me? You are not allowed to kiss me. Do you understand?" Scarlett pursed her lips and put down her arms. "Okay."Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Her lips were red and swollen by my kiss, like a ripe cherry. The moment she gently pressed her lips together, my mind went crazy for more and I could not wait to turn off the lights. ''What a temptress.'' Holding her in my arms, I kissed and sucked on every part of her body, except for her lips while indulging myself in her soft moans. The intense sex made me temporarily forget the love-hate rtionship between us, and it felt like we were the only two people in the universe. After the sex, Iy on bed, holding Scarlett in my arms, enjoying the aftertaste. I sensed that she was trying to escape while I was half-asleep. ''Isn''t she exhausted? Where is she trying to go now?'' I pulled her back into my arms, displeased. "Where are you going? Sleep here tonight." "I want to see Jerry and Jason." Her voice was weak and sore. "The nanny will take care of them. You don''t have to worry." "But I want to be with them," Scarlett insisted. Was she really that eager to be rid of me? I wrapped my arms around her waist tightly and said firmly, "Sleep now." After that, Scarlett finally gave up. The next morning when I woke up, I felt the bed, and saw that she was not there. Where did she go? I immediately felt awake and sat up. I could tell that she was not in the room. ''Where has that woman gone now?'' I quickly got out of the bed and walked out at once, without even putting on my clothes. As soon as I opened the door, I saw Scarlett walking out of the kids'' room holding Jerry in her arms. "Why are you here?" "Why don''t you go and put some clothes on?" We spoke at the same time, but I forgot to lower my voice, which frightened Jerry. Pouting his lips, it seemed like he was about to cry, so Scarlett coaxed him, "Honey, it was Mom and Dad''s fault. We''re sorry for scaring you." Seeing how gentle she was with the kids, I could not help but get furious. She did not care about me at all, and only valued her kids. She would not hesitate to abandon me at any time. Holding back my anger, I walked to the master bedroom, but just before I closed the door, I shouted at her, "Give Jerry to the nanny, ande with me!" Scarlett reluctantly handed the baby to the nanny and slowly walked into the bedroom. "Who allowed you to see the baby?" Scarlett''s face turned deathly pale. She leaned against the door, afraid to even step forward. "Charles, what more do you want?" Chapter 368 Deal Scarlett''s POV: I was clearly furious when I saw that Charles was trying to go back on his words, but there was nothing that I could do to fight him now. "Didn''t you say that you would let me see the kids if I pleased you?" I muttered in a low voice, hanging my head. Charles walked up to me, lowered his head, leaned closer, and asked, "What did I say? I want you to tell me very clearly." His deep seductive voice, and his hot breath made me feel numb all over. Although he was only casually standing in front of me, it was enough to make me lose myposure. I couldn''t let things continue to be that way. Gazing at his bare feet, I reminded him in a low voice, "You forget to wear your slippers. They''re beside the bed." I was clearly trying to evade the topic. "I know where they are. You don''t have to remind me." Just when I was expecting him to turn around and grab his slippers, he pressed his arms against the door, trapping me. "Scarlett, you haven''t answered my question yet. What did I say?" I could feel his sharp gaze piercing through me, and I did not dare to look up. Why did he have to make me say it? "You told me that I have nothing to worry about, and that as long as I please you in bed, you will allow me to see the kids." Closing my eyes, I threw away my sense of shame to the wind. "And do you think you havepleted your task?" I looked up at him subconsciously, and saw that there was still only coldness in his eyes. "As you can see, you have not made me happy yet, so why were you holding my son?" His face was barely an inch away from mine, and his tone was very domineering. "Anyway, you can''t see the kids without my permission. Do you understand?" "Charles, don''t push it!" ording to him, as long as he did not allow me to see the kids, I could never see them. It was so unreasonable, and I felt like he was bullying me. "Yes, I am bullying you, oppressing you, and even humiliating you. If you don''t want to take it, you can always walk away. No one will try to stop you," Charles said in a mean tone. He was confident that I would do anything for the sake of the kids, and he was not wrong. I really could not afford to take the risk. Until now, I had been concealing the pain in my heart. It was the only way in which I could bring myself to survive. However, there was a sharp knife that was piercing through the protective barrier that I had put up around my heart. Grievance took over me like a wave, and my eyes were wet with tears. "If you dare to even shed a single drop of tear in front of me, I will not let you see the kids for a month as punishment," Charles threatened me with a frown. "Charles, you are such a jerk!" Furious, I could not think about anything else and I pushed him away hard. Surely, I was just making a rash attempt. He grabbed my hands so tightly that I began to cry instantly from the pain. "Is it really that hard for you to please me? We''ve been together for years. Don''t you know what I like?" he questioned me aggressively. I obviously knew what would make him happy, but I could not bring myself to do what he wanted. "Why are you crying so much now? Isn''t there anything that you can do apart from crying? I just want you to please me, and not to..." "Charles, how can you so tantly say that you were not happyst night? When you were on top of me..." Thinking of our wild sex from the night before, the words got stuck in my throat and I could not speak. "What did I do lying on top of you?" Charles asked knowingly as he moved his face closer to mine. I resented him so much now that I could not help but grit my teeth. If only I had been stronger, I would have punched him in his handsome face. I red at him for several seconds before I turned away in silence. All of a sudden, I felt a sharp pain in my jaw that was caused by Charles forcing me to look at him. "Scarlett, look at me! It is an order." I stubbornly lowered my eyes, not wanting to obey. The next second, Charles raised my chin, and said, "If you don''t look at me now, you will never be allowed to see the kids." My children were always my weakness. I had no choice but to look at him now. "You look really delicious when you''re angry. How about we continue in bed?" Charles suddenly said with a mischievous smile. I blushed instantly. He was an animal! My body was still hurt from ourst night''s wild sex. How could he still want to continue? Thinking of our fierce sex from the previous night, I trembled subconsciously. "Why do you look so scared? I don''t want to have sex now. However, you have to promise to be on call from now on, and once I am done with you, I want you to go to the othe room to sleep. I do not want to sleep in the same bed with a woman who always thinks about leaving me. Do you understand?" When I heard those heartless words, my heart froze like it had been thrown into a bottomless ice river. Clearly, he was asking me to be a sex ve for him, but I did not care about that now. All I wanted to know was if he would let me see my kids. "When can I see the babies?" I asked numbly. Charles raised his eyebrows at me and asked, "Didn''t you just see Jerry?" "That''s what you promised me." Tears welled up in my eyes again. "I will let you see them every day, if I am satisfied with your performance in bed, but I am not sure if you''re cut out for it." "I am, and I will do it." "Are you sure?"Content ? N?velDrama.Org. He looked at me ambiguously, making me feel as though I was stripped naked in front of him, which made me blush at once. "Let''s see. Don''t be like the way you werest night, or I might feel like I am fucking a dead fish." ''A dead fish?'' If that was true, then why was he holding this ''dead fish'' so excitedly and refusing to let go the whole night? "Deal!" I hissed through clenched teeth. That week Charles called me to bed every night, torturing me with sex as he dragged me into an abyss of desire. And once he was done fucking me, he would coldly say, "You can get out now." Whenever I heard those words, I would obediently tidy myself up and run to the children''s room. All my grievances would fade away when I saw the lovely sleeping faces of my Babies. They were the only reason I was able to endure Charles'' verbal and physical tortures every day. And I continued to be his sex ve for a long time until the day he had to leave on a business trip. That was the day I felt like I had a moment of freedom. Chapter 369 Plane Crash Scarlett''s POV: The first night after Charles had left, I tossed and turned in bed all night long. Our argument a few days ago was still fresh in my memory as if it had just happened yesterday. Restless, I sat up and picked up my phone to check the time. It was already four o''clock in the morning, yet here I was, still wide awake. While I was scrolling through my newsfeed, a headline caught my attention. I read through it and found that the ne N873GK bound for BL had crashed at one o''clock this morning. The rescue team had confirmed that thirty-five people had died in the crash. My phone slipped from my hand upon reading this. My mind went nk for a moment, and I felt as though I had been struck by lightning. Wasn''t N873GK the flight Charles had taken? It couldn''t be. It was impossible! A sinking feeling emerged in my heart. Well, thanks to this, I snapped back to reality. Where was the remote control? There must have been a mistake! I jumped out of bed and fumbled for the remote control with trembling hands. It was on the sofa. As soon as I saw it, I picked it up and turned the TV on. The news anchor was broadcasting the tragedy with a heavy heart. As she spoke, the number of deaths increased by the minute. And now, the death toll had climbed to 105. Shell-shocked, I sat motionless on the sofa while staring at the TV screen with lifeless eyes. The rising death toll numbed my heart. But what I was worried about the most was that God would pronounce Charles''s death the next second. If that moment came, my heart and soul would die with him. I lived like a walking dead in the following week. There was still no news about Charles until now. We had no idea if he was still alive. My reason told me that there was no hope that he would return, but I forced myself to believe in the minuscule possibility that he was just out there. I saw with my own eyes that the Moore family had turned upside down overnight. When Grandpa and Grandma heard that Charles''s ne had crashed, their blood pressure spiked, which caused them to faint Fortunately, they were rushed to the hospital in time. Alice''s face bathed in tears every day, and there were deep and dark circles under her eyes. Only Lawrence managed to remain calm andposed among the whole family. A few dayster, I decided to move back to the Moore mansion with the kids. One day, Richard came back atst. I immediately walked up to him and eagerly asked, "How''s the investigation going?" "I''m sorry, Mrs. Moore. I still haven''t got any news about Mr. Moore." All of a sudden, a loud noise came from the door. I looked in the direction of the sound and saw a young and beautiful woman. "Scarlett, you''re a fucking bane. You''re the one who should have died!" I stood petrified on the spot as a huge Hermes bag closed in on me, along with an array of insults. Before I could even react, Richard strode in front of me at a lightning speed and protected me from being hit by the bag. It was only then that I saw the woman''s face. She looked like Charles, but her features were softer and feminine. She was like a thorny rose, fierce yet delicate. "Chloe?" I uttered in surprise. This woman was Charles''s sister, the only daughter of the Moore family, Chloe Moore. "Shut up! You don''t deserve to call my name! If it weren''t for you, our family wouldn''t have gotten into trouble one after another!" The more Chloe spoke, the more enraged she became. In a fit of anger, she rushed over to hit me, but Richard jumped to his feet and grabbed her hand. "Miss Moore, please calm down," he urged. "Who are you? How dare you stop me?! Go away!" Chloe bellowed while ring at Richard. However, Richard remained unmoved. He just stood in front of me like a loyal knight and calmly exined, "Before Mr. Moore went on a business trip, he ordered me not to let anyone hurt Mrs. Moore. I''m just following his order." Chloe looked at him from head to toe with utter disdain and sneered. "You should know that this woman got Charles killed. You should kill her instead of defending her! This woman brings nothing but misfortune. Not only her own parents died because of her, but she also brought disaster to our family. I want her to pay for my brother''s life!" Her vicious words echoed in the living room, and all I could do was stand there in a daze. Was I really a bane? Did I really cause those misfortunes? Remorse washed over me because of what Chloe had just said. "Miss Moore, the search and rescue haven''t stopped yet. Mr. Moore can still be alive," Richard reminded. "Bullshit! If Charles is still alive, where is he? Answer me! Where is my brother?" Chloe fired back with tears streaming down her face. I heaved a heavy sigh and said in a low and weak voice, "Let her go, Richard." Richard looked at me worriedly, but he did not question my order. The moment he released Chloe''s hand, she rushed to me and pped me. "Mrs. Moore!" Richard eximed. Before I knew it, there was a searing pain on one side of my face. Chloe had pped me. And judging from the pain, she did not hold back. My face must be red and swollen right now. Chloe raised her hand again to p me for the second time, but Richard stopped her. "Enough!" She shook off his hand and took two steps back.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "Scarlett, let''s wait and see. If anything happens to my brother, I will make you pay," she warned through gritted teeth. I just looked at Chloe, who was hysterical and fuming with anger, and said nothing. It was time for me to leave. Without a word, I turned around and went upstairs to pack my things. I finished packing about an hourter. When I went down, I saw Alice and Chloe on the sofa, hugging each other. They both had tears in their eyes, most probably from grieving for their lost loved one. S When Alice saw me, she stood up and asked, "Scarlett, why are you leaving?" "I... I want to move back to Garden Street for the time being. Please let me know if you get any news about Charles." "Scarlett, you don''t have to-" "Mom, don''t ask her to stay," Chloe interjected. "She''d better get out of here. And don''t let her take the kids. They belong to the Moore family Alice looked at Chloe with a §Ö§ä disapproving look. "Chloe, don''t be so rude to Scarlett..." "Mom, don''t you think she has done enough harm to our family?" Chloe pouted and acted like a spoiled child. Meanwhile, Alice avoided eye contact with me in embarrassment. I endured the pain and forced a smile. "It''s okay. I won''t bring the kids. Just please let me know if they cry and call for me." With tearful eyes, Alice nodded understanding^. "Thank you, Scarlett." Just as I was about to go out with my luggage in tow, J followed me. "You should go back, J," I said before I walked out of the door. "Scarlett..." J protested. "Please? Just think that you''re looking after the children for me." J''s eyes turned red. As she saw that I would not budge, she lowered her head and finally agreed. "Okay." J''s POV: After Scarlett left, I kept my promise and took good care of her three children. But without their mother, they would cry for a long time before they fell asleep. James was a little older, so he was sensible. Jerry and Jason, however, were not. They were still babies, after all. My heart ached every time I saw them in the swaddle, crying until their voices became hoarse. I had made up my mind. One day, when I saw Lawrence walk into the study, I followed him and blocked his way. "Mr. Moore, please let me take the kids to see Scarlett. They haven''t seen their mother for a long time. They wouldn''t stop crying every night." I looked at Lawrence expectantly, hopeful that he would agree for the sake of the children. Just as I had anticipated, Lawrence sighed and nodded in agreement. "You''re right. Kids shouldn''t be separated from their mothers for too long." I was ecstatic that he had agreed to my request. "Thank you very much. Scarlett and the kids will appreciate it," I replied, too excited to speak with utmost politeness. Lawrence waved his hand in response and added, "Please tell Scarlett that if she needs anything, she cane to me at any time." Without a word, I looked into his deep and wise eyes, bowed deeply, and turned to leave. Chapter 370 If The Moore Family Doesnt Want Vo... Scarlett''s POV: A few days had passed, and there was still no news about Charles. Sitting on the sofa dejectedly, I turned around, hugged Tracy, and cried bitterly. "There, there. Don''t cry." Holding me softly, sheforted me. "Okay." After a while, I sniffled, and wiped away my tears. I couldn''t cry now. I should cheer up and wait for Charles toe back. While I was talking to her, I heard my phone ring. I nced at the caller ID and saw that it was from William. After hesitating for a while, I answered the phone. "Scarlett, are you okay?" I heard his deep voice from the other end of the line, and he seemed to be a bit worried. "I''m fine," I replied with a faint smile. "You still have not heard any news about Charles?" At the mention of Charles'' name, I began to cry again. It had been a long time since the ident, and there was still no news of him. But for some reason, I firmly believed that he was still alive. "No news is good news, right? He''ll be fine," Williamforted me in a low voice. "He can''t die yet! We still have a lot to solve!" I said in a firm voice, gripping my phone in my hand tightly. "Charles and I also have a lot to sort out," William echoed in a low voice. Lowering my head, I fell silent. After all, William had offended Charles many times because of me. Thinking of the past, I felt pain engulfing my heart. "Anyway, I am d to hear that you''re doing okay. I was worried that you might be depressed like thest time when Rita hurt James," William said in a low voice after a long moment of silence. "Thank you for your concern. I can take care of myself." With a grateful smile, I hung up. That moment, the doorbell rang, and I immediately stood up to open the door. J and Richard were outside the door, holding my kids. They both seemed to be concerned. My eyes turned red with excitement the moment I saw the kids. "J, Richard! How do you bring the kids back?" "Scarlett, we brought them over to keep youpany. They miss you very much." J smiled gently as she handed me the baby. I was moved when I saw how worried they were. I smiled with satisfaction that night when I saw the kids sound asleep on the bed. After kissing them on their foreheads gently, I walked out of the room, and locked myself in the study. Curling up on the sofa, I read thest text that Charles had sent me before the ident. He had mentioned that he wanted to talk to me about something after he returned. Looking at it, tears streamed down my cheeks. Hourster, I fell asleep. I saw Charles motionlessly lying on an iceberg in my dream. The ice cold wind, and the snow kept raging over his skin, but he did not wake up. "Charles, wake up! Please wake up..." I rushed to him and kept calling out to him, but it did nothing at all. I had dreamed that dream for many nights. The next day was family gathering day. Michael sent a car to pick us up. So I took the kids to the Moore mansion. However, when we arrived there, Chloe blocked me outside.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. "You don''t have toe in. Just leave the kids." She raised her head, looking at me arrogantly. "Fine, then. Please tell them that I will pick up the kids tomorrow." Her contemptuousness was indeed annoying me. But since I was not in the mood to argue with her, I had no choice but topromise. By the time I got home, I saw J and Tracy preparing dinner, and Richard was helping them. An indescribable sense of bitterness filled my heart when I looked at the table that was filled with a variety of delicious food. That moment, my phone in my coat pocket rang. Wiping away my tears, I took it out. A hint of surprise shed through my eyes when I saw William''s name on the screen. "Hello?" I answered. "Scarlett, were you driven out of the Moore mansion?" His voice was full of anger. "How do you know about that?" I asked in surprise. "Do you mind if I join you? I''m right outside your door." Although I was a little startled to hear that, I quickly walked across the living room to open the door. William was indeed standing outside the door. He was well-dressed, but there was a hint of dejection in his eyes. "Why are you looking at me like that? Do I look like a stray dog to you?" He looked down at himself with a smile of self-mockery. "Why are you here?" I asked in confusion. William followed me with a helpless sigh and said, "I''m a stranger to this city, so there''s no difference for me no matter where I spend the night. I took the liberty toe here because I believe we''re friends, and I hope you don''t mind it." He then sat down beside us and watched us prepare dinner. After a long time, he looked at me seriously, and said, "Scarlett, if the Moore family doesn''t want you, then let me have you." J and Tracy suddenly looked up and stared at him vigntly. "Don''t make things worse." Shaking my head helplessly, I refused politely. "Scarlett, I''m being serious. We still don''t know if Charles is dead or alive, and the Moore family is already trying to kick you out. What would be your stand in his family if he already died?" William frowned with concern. "Miss Moore was the only one who was cold to Scarlett. The others did not hurt her in any way," Tracy exined anxiously. "Scarlett is Charles''s wife and the mother of his children. Why is she at home on family gathering day with her bodyguards instead of with her family at the Moore mansion?" William asked coldly. The bodyguards lowered their heads in silence. Looking at them, William could not help but sneer. "Can''t defend the Moores anymore, right? Scarlett, now is the best time for you to leave. And I will help you with that if you want," he said in a sincere tone, looking at me. "Mr. Moore has not been found yet, and it is not wise to be making hasty decisions now," Richard said coldly as he walked out of the kitchen with a dish in his hand. "And what if you''re never able to find him?" "William, if you''re going to keep talking nonsense, then I suggest you get out!" I scolded him seriously. His words were like a sharp knife, stabbing my heart, making me burst into tears. He opened his mouth and was about to defend himself, but after a moment, he remained silent. There was an awkward silence in the room. A long timeter, he stood up from the sofa. "Where are you going?" I asked hurriedly. "I am going where I should have been. Take care, Scarlett. See you." With a faint smile, he picked up his coat and was about to leave. "William." I stopped him. Hearing that, he turned to look at me. "I wish you a happy life." William looked down in disappointment, smiling bitterly. He waved to me and left without turning back. After he left, I looked around the house. It was a ce filled with sweet memories of me and Charles. We used to snuggle up to each other in the living room, whispering in each other''s ears... As I curled up on the couch, tears began to stream down my cheeks again. Chapter 371 Memory Loss Scarlett''s POV: As the sweet-bitter memories between me and Charles shed through my mind, I could not help but burst into tears, which blurred my sight. I didn''t know how long I''ve been drowning in my sorrow. In a trance, I heard Charles'' voice, and he seemed to be calling my name. "Scarlett?" Was I imagining it? I curled up on the couch listlessly. "Scarlett?" Sensing his voice sounding so close to my ear, I raised my head and saw the eyes of the man I would never forget. Charles was standing by the door as he took off his coat, put on his slippers, and walked up to me slowly. I could almost hear my heart pounding, but it made me happy. My heart that was dying until a moment ago felt alive all of a sudden. Charles walked straight to me and sat down on the sofa from across me. I stared at him nkly, unable to figure out whether he was really in front of me or if I was just dreaming. I prayed to God that if I was dreaming, I hope to never wake up from it. "Scarlett? Why are you looking at me like that?" Charles asked, looking away. ''It''s him! It is really him!'' Staggering to my feet, I stumbled over to him, and held his face with my trembling hands. "Charles, is it really you?" With a frown, he pulled my hands away and asked, "What do you want?" The moment I felt Charles'' warm touch on my skin, I could not control the emotions surging in my heart. I threw myself into his arms, bursting into tears as I held him tightly. "Charles, I knew that you were still alive. This is great!" "Scarlett, calm down." Charles grabbed my hands and pushed me away with a cold look in his eyes. I felt a strange sensation in my heart when I saw how indifferent he was towards me now. "Now sit down calmly so that I can talk to you about the following things." "The following things?" I looked at him in a daze and was forced back to my original position. Staring at my hair, he frowned and asked, "When did you return from France? And why did you cut your hair so short?" What was he talking about? Why couldn''t I understand anything he said? Feeling a little flustered, I jumped up from the sofa. "Charles, do you know where did youe back from?" "I had a small ident and I just came back from the hospital. Do you already know about your mother''s situation?" ''My mother?'' I was more confused. "Don''t worry. I will make sure that she gets treatment from the best doctor in the world. She will certainly recover soon," heforted me. All of a sudden, I felt dizzy and couldn''t see straight. "My mother has been dead for many years now..."Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Charles looked at me in disbelief while I hurriedly called Richard. "Richard, inform the elders that Charles hase back alive. And get the car ready. We need to take him to the hospital." Even after I hung up, I could still feel my heart pounding. Charles clearly seemed to have lost a big part of his memory. I was not sure how much of his memories he had lost, though. Considering the fact that he mentioned about my mother''s illness, I realized that it was something that had happened six years ago. Did he lose memory of the past six years? "Scarlett, what happened?" Charles asked, staring at me suspiciously. I grabbed his hand and said firmly, "I can''t exin to you now. I need you to go to the hospital with me first." In the car, Charles and I sat in the backseat, while Richard drove. "Richard? Didn''t I ask you to take care of Rita? Why are you taking orders from Scarlett all of a sudden?" Charles snapped with a frown. Richard looked back at me in fear. I thought that it was ridiculous. Even though Charles had lost his memories, he still remembered Rita. Charles sneered with a sarcastic look. "Scarlett, I didn''t expect you to poach Richard from Rita. I seem to have really underestimated you." His words shattered my heart in pieces. "Richard, call Rita right now and inform her that I''m fine," he ordered peremptorily. "Rita is missing," I said in a calm voice. Charles turned around and red at me sharply. "What did you say?" I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. "Charles, I know that you don''t believe me now, but you may have lost your memories, so let''s talk about it after we get you checked at the hospital first." Hearing my words, Charles fell silent. Soon, we arrived at the hospital, and I took Charles straight to an authoritative doctor''s office. After the CT scan and X-rays were taken, the doctor looked at me seriously. He pointed at the scan and said ording to the report, am assuming that Mr. Moore''s brain has been injured, and because of that, some of the functional areas are oppressed, causing h experience temporary memory loss." "If he has lost his memories, then how does he still remember everything that happened six years ago?" I was in a daze. The doctor adjusted his gold-rimmed sses and said, "It''s called selective amnesia." "Selective amnesia?" I repeated his words, and found that Charles had changed his clothes. "Yes. After being through emotional breakdowns or getting hurt in the head, the patient may forget something that they don''t want to remember or something that they''re trying to escape from. Generally, if a person was strongly stimted and if that stimtion was uneptable to them, then they would subconsciously choose to forget it." Charles sat down across the doctor and asked, "Doctor, what''s wrong with me?" The doctor swayed brain scan result in his hand and answered in a serious tone, "Your problem is a little tricky. You should be hospitalized for a while for observation." Charles took the result from his hand. "I feel good now, and I don''t think I need to be hospitalized." I gave up the idea of persuading him, turned to the doctor, and asked, "Can he go home in his current state?" "Yes, but you have to be careful. The moment he starts to feel ufortable, you have to bring him back to the hospital." The doctor nodded. "Thank you." I stood up and looked at Richard, who was waiting aside. "Get the car ready first." I then turned to Charles and smiled. "Let''s go." Although Charles had forgotten a lot of things, I was d to see that he was still alive. Chapter 372 My Children With Scarlett Charles''s POV:Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. As soon as Scarlett and I walked out of the elevator, several people ran toward us. With tears welling up in her eyes, Chloe rushed over and hugged me tightly. "Oh my God! Charles, is that really you?! I can''t believe it! I''m d that you''re alive." "Chloe, when did youe back?" I asked with a frown. Shouldn''t she be studying abroad now? "Mom told me that something happened to you, so I came here as soon as I could. We were worried sick about you. Thank God you''re fine," Chloe cried out. I could sense from her voice how anxious she had been while I was away. I patted my sister on the shoulder to calm her down. "I just had a small ident. I''m not dead, okay? Don''t be sad anymore." Mom wiped her tears and grumbled, "Stop saying that D-word." "Don''t worry, Mom. I''m fine now." I noticed that my mother had been stressed out, so I quickly pulled her into a tight embrace. Suddenly, Chloe stopped crying and snapped at Scarlett, "Why are you still here? Stay away from my brother from now on!" "Chloe, don''t be so rude. Can''t you talk nicely?" I reprimanded her. "Charles, believe me, this woman is a jinx! You should divorce her right now!" I did not understand why my sister hated Scarlett so much. But I just shrugged her outburst off as I thought that what mattered right now was that we were all together. I smiled at Chloe and yfully ruffled her hair. "Don''t worry. We''ve already nned the divorce. If it makes you feel better, you can attend my wedding and be Rita''s bridesmaid." Scarlett''s POV: As soon as Charles finished speaking, everyone looked at us with utter shock. I took a deep breath and tried my hardest to remain calm. "Charles hit his head, which made him lose some of his memory," I exined. "Charles, does your head still hurt? Let me have a look." Alice rushed forward and checked the wound on his head. His grandparents also gathered around him to check on him. "I''m fine. I''m sorry for making you worry," Charles said to everyone guiltily. As I stood aside and looked at them, I felt like I was an outsider. Charles once swore to me that he had never loved Rita and that he was only showing his gratitude to her. But now, he could not seem to remember what we had gone through. Thest thing he remembered was that he was going to marry Rita. My heart wept. I could hardly breathe, and the tears, which I was trying so hard to control, streamed down my face. I immediately turned around and wiped my tears before anyone could see. Lawrence looked at me and asked, "Scarlett, did the doctor say that Charles can go home?" I ryed what the doctor had said. "Yes. Also, the doctor has advised that if Charles is not feeling well, you should send him to the hospital right away." "We''ve been so worried about you. But since you''re back, let''s go home now." Chloe clung to Charles''s arm and pulled him away. But before she walked away, she cast a disdainful look at me. Charles did not stop her and instead agreed with her. "Sounds good to me. I need to take a shower. I reek." "Aren''t you a neat freak?" Chloe teased. "You know me. So don''t touch me, or I will have to throw you away." Charles nced at her hand with feigned disgust. Chloe shrugged and let go of him. Meanwhile, I just stood aside and watched the warm scene in front of me. I was d that Charles was finally reunited with his family. But then, they started walking away, and I suddenly felt like I had been abandoned. I did not know if I should follow them, so I just stayed there. All of a sudden, Alice stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at me. "Scarlett,e with us. The kids miss you so much." "Yes," Christine echoed. "No, she can''t! She''s a jinx! She shouldn''t be even allowed to enter our house," Chloe bellowed. She did not even bother to conceal her hatred towards me. I felt a bitter taste on my tongue, but I remained silent. "Scarlett, you''re gonna receive divorce papers very soon. You''remot qualified to have custody of the kids. They''re members of our Moore family. You don''t deserve to raise them!" Chloe added while ring at me. s?novel I looked at Charles''s grandparents and parents in hopes that they would at least try to make her tone down her words. But they did not. Their silence meant that they acquiesced to her words. It was at this moment that I realized how naive and ridiculous I had been. "I see. What can I expect from a powerful family like yours?" I scoffed. I could feel their eyes on me, but I just walked past them. If Charles wanted to divorce me, I would fight for the children''s custody no matter what it took. My children meant everything to me. I would never let anyone take them from me. Charles''s BOV: As I stared at Scarlett''s receding figure, an inexplicable feeling washed over me. But before I could figure out what it was, the feeling had already disappeared. "Hey, you gotta stop arranging bodyguards for that woman. She doesn''t deserve your kindness and concern!" I looked at Chloe with apparent in discontent. She had not changed She was still spoiled and rude. Something then crossed my mind. What custody were they talking about? s?novel Scarlett had given birth to my children? How could that be? All I could remember was that I was going to marry Rita soon. How could I have children with Scarlett? Also, why was she so cold and distant earlier? It did not suit her. Thest time I had seen Scarlett, she was still an innocent little girl. I felt like I was missing something very important. But no matter how hard I racked my brain to try and remember what I was missing, my mind was shrouded in mists. I saw my three children in the evening. As I gazed at their faces that were somewhat simr to mine, I was both amazed and in awe. Were they really my and Scarlett''s children?" While I was in deep thought, my father stood beside me and sighed. "They have an uncanny resemnce with Scarlett, don''t they?" I just pursed my lips and said nothing. The children looked so adorable. They looked as though my features and Scarlett''s were integrated into one. These children were the proof that I had a close rtionship with Scarlett. At the thought of this, I felt a little flustered. "In the past six years, Scarlett suffered a lot because of you. When she heard that the ne you had taken crashed, she fainted in distress." Scarlett''s haggard face suddenly shed through my mind. I was too shocked to say a word. "Go to Garden Street and find her. You two need to talk." Without waiting for my response, my father stood up and left. Chapter 373 Pregnancy And Miscarriage Scarlett''s POV: After I returned to Garden Street, I tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep. My mind was filled with an overwhelming amount of thoughts, making me feel like my brain was about to explode like a balloon at any moment. Getting out of the bed, I went to pour myself a ss of whiskey and gulped it down. As the liquid went down my throat, I felt a tingling sensation. Soon, I began to feel a little dizzy. The drunkenness made me eager to talk to others. So I subconsciously took out my phone and called my friends. First, I called David, then Spencer, and then Vivian. "Vivian, you know what? Charles is back. He is back! And it feels like a dream," I murmured. "Scarlett, isn''t that good news? Why do you sound so unhappy?" My heart was filled with a painful bitterness as I stroked the empty ss in my hand. "I am not unhappy. I am just a little excited." When I had seen Charles standing before me, unharmed, I felt an emotion that could not be described at all. I had felt as though my soul was redeemed at that moment. However, God pranked me again, and Charles had forgotten me and our past together. He had chosen to forget all the love and hatred between us, but he still remembered Rita. He even remembered his promise to marry her. What an irony! I had really wanted to leave him, and I had kept telling myself that I truly loathed him. But the moment I found out that he hadpletely forgotten about our time together, my heart ached. I tried my best to hold back my tears and said goodbye to Vivian in a calm tone, "It''s gettingte, so I''d better leave you in peace. Let''s talk tomorrow." I then called Nina. "Scarlett, are you okay? I heard that Charles is back. Is it true? Is he really alive?" I could see that Nina was very excited. I thought for a while and decided not to tell her that Charles had lost his memory. Considering her short temper, she might really storm into the Moore mansion and beat him up for forgetting me. "Yes, he''s back." "I knew that Charles won''t die that easily." After briefly exining the situation to her, I hung up. Feeling ufortable, I massaged my forehead. My visions were a little hazy when I suddenly saw Charles walk in. Was I seeing things again? "Scarlett, I have something to talk to you about. I''m going to take a shower, so you wait here for me, okay?" Hearing his deep voice echoing in my ears, I sat still. Thirty minutester, Charles walked out of the bathroom and sat down from across me. "Scarlett, don''t you have anything to say to me?" His deep gaze made it clear that there was a storm brewing in his heart. "What do you want me to say?" I asked. Charles looked at me sullenly for a moment before he stood up and poured himself a ss of wine. Shaking the ruby liquid in the ss gently, he asked, "Don''t you want to talk to me about what happened between us in the past six years? Like... The kids, for example?" He got to the key point. Charles must havee to me after seeing the kids in the Moore mansion. Even if he forgot everything that happened in the past six years, he could not make the only thing that held us together, our kids, disappear. Lowering my head, the vivid past shed in my mind, and I did not know where to start. A lot had happened, and I had felt loved and heartbroken, so whenever I thought of it, I felt devastated. I had prayed that I would be happy as long as Charles came back home safely. Although he had returned safely now, he did not remember our rtionship at all. He only remembered Rita. After everything that we had been through, we were back on square one now. Even if I told him the truth, what difference did it make? What was I to him now? I grabbed the wine from his hand and drank it up. Looking at him with tears in my eyes, I asked, "Charles, how much of our past together do you remember?" Now, he fell silent. Seeing that, I couldn''t help but sneer, "Charles, what do you want to hear? Do you want me to say that we were in love for the past six years, and that we had three sons together? Or, do you want me to tell you that everything is a misunderstanding, and I conspired with some people to force you to stay by my side? Or would you like me to tell you that the kids are not yours so that you can go back to Rita without feeling any guilt?" As my emotions burst out of my heart, I covered my face with my hands, tears rolling down them. "Charles, what on earth do you want?" My heart was hurting so bad that I wondered if it would be less painful if I just dug it out of my body. I picked up the ss again and poured myself another ss of wine. However, before I could drink it, my stomach began to churn and I was feeling extremely nauseous. The moment I stood up, my mind went nk, and I fell back, unconscious. When I finally woke up, I saw the familiar white hospital walls surrounding me. A doctor was standing by the bed with a serious look in his eyes as he leaned over to check up on me. "Ma''am, I have good news and bad news for you." The doctor paused for a moment before he continued, "The good news is that you are three months pregnant." I was pregnant again? I touched my belly subconsciously, but before I could feel the joy, the doctor''s words shocked me. "The bad news is that you are in poor health, so the fetus has not e developed well at all. I am afraid that it might not be safe for you to keep the baby." His words felt like a blow to my head, making my mind go nk instantly.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "How could that be possible? Why can''t I keep this baby?" I asked in confusion, trembling. "I''m sorry, ma''am." The doctor shook his head regretfully. "Have you told my husband about it?" "Not yet. Would you like me to tell him?" "No. I will tell him myself." After the doctor left, Iy on the bed, unwilling to move my hands away from my belly. A baby... I was pregnant with another baby. However, I would not be able to give birth to it. Tears fell from the corners of my eyes. Why was God punishing me? That moment, Charles walked into the ward. I wondered if I should tell him that I was pregnant. "Charles..." When I was about to say something, a woman entered the ward, and stood beside him with a bright smile. I was looking at the woman I despised from the bottom of my heart, Rita. She was still alive. Charles was also a little surprised. "Rita? What are you doing here?" "Charles, I''ve been looking for you for a long time now." Saying that, she threw herself into Charles'' arms. I struggled to get up, but I was shocked to see that he was not stopping her. He looked at her tenderly. Rita leaned closer, trying to kiss him on the cheek. My heart stopped beating for a second, and I could only feel coldness everywhere. Charles nced at me for a second before Rita grabbed his arm and walked out of the ward with him. The coldness prated my skin and seeped into my soul, making me tremble. How did Rita survive? And why did shee there now? I was not in the mood to think about it now, but I knew something very well. Whether it was in the past or present, Charles would always choose Rita over me. All of a sudden, I felt something leaking from my body and sat up in panic. ''My baby...'' I fell unconscious again. Chapter 374 Biological Father Scarlett''s POV: I slept for a long time. Charles left me resolutely in my dream.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. And Rita was back. He looked at me before he left with her happily. They were hugging and kissing each other like a couple who had not seen each other in a long time. I cried out his name desperately in hopes that he would turn back and look at me. However, he walked in holding Rita''s hand. Leaning against Charles'' chest, she said proudly, "Scarlett, Charles really loves me. You were just a ything for him to kill time when he is bored." Charles held her in his arms adoringly. "Charles, have you ever loved me?" I asked, clinging to the faint glimmer of hope in my heart. "Never." His cold words shook me. Pain and hatred rose in my heart like a tide, drowning me in emotions. The next second, I opened my eyes and gasped. By the time I came to my senses, I found myself in a strange room. The decor was ssy and magnificent. Struggling to sit up from the bed, I carefully looked around. Where was I? Wasn''t I in the hospital? I recalled what happened right before I passed out and my heart twisted into a knot. Suddenly, the door was pushed open. A middle-aged man walked in with another man, who seemed to be a doctor. They both seemed to be overjoyed to find that I was awake. The doctor examined me carefully, while the middle-aged man stood by the bed. "It''s all right now, but you are still too weak. You should try and get some rest," the doctor said in a low voice. "Doctor, how about the baby?" "I am sorry, but the baby is gone," he replied. Although I knew that I would not be able to keep the baby, his words still left me heartbroken. Lowering my gaze, I touched my t belly in tears. ''Baby, I''m sorry. It''s my fault that I didn''t protect you well.'' After offering me a fewforting words, the doctor left with his medical kit. I was alone with the middle-aged man. He looked at me with aplex expression. Confused, I frowned and asked, "Did you save me? Where am I?" "Scarlett, I''m your biological father, Edward Wilson," he exined. My eyes widened in shock. And it took me what felt like hours toe back to my senses. I was familiar with the name Edward Wilson because I was a journalist. He was the CEO of the Wilson Group, a multinationalpany. "Are you sure you''re not mistaken?" I asked tentatively. Edward walked to the bedside and sat down. There was a hint of guilt and love in his eyes. "Scarlett, I was so obsessed with my career that I didn''t know your mother was pregnant when I left her." Edward''s eyes were filled with regret. I could not believe him because everyone had told me that my parents had loved each other deeply. "I have already done the DNA tests, and you are indeed my biological daughter." Edward took out the DNA test report from his pocket and handed it to me. Looking at the document, aplicated emotion surged in my heart. "Scarlett, do you still love Charles? If you still want to be with him, then I can help you get rid of the obstacles," Edward said in a deep voice. Looking at his cold and serious expression, I suddenly thought of what happened right before I fainted. "No! I hate him! And Rita! I hate them both!" Thinking of my miscarriage, hatred rose in my heart. Edward turned on the TV, showing photos and videos of my children. Charles and Rita were standing by the kids, smiling. It was such a warm picture, just like... Like they were a family. ''No! They were my children!'' Tears streamed down my face. "As far as I know, the woman beside Charles is called Raina Hill." Edward''s voice was cold. ''Raina? I''ve never heard this name before. Why does she look exactly like Rita? Is she really using her resemnce to Rita to marry Charles and be my kids'' stepmom? I wouldn''t allow it!'' "Scarlett, your fate is never in the hands of someone else. But you need to stay strong first," Edward reminded me in a low voice. "Strong..." I murmured, lowering my eyes. After a long while, I looked up at Edward and pleaded, "I want to take back my children. Please help me." "I will arrange a mentor to teach you how to run and manage apany. Once you recover, you can work in Wilson Group. I will announce your identity to the whole world. From now on, you''re Caroline Wilson You''re my daughter, and to make up for all the years that I wasn''t there for you, I''ll help you get whatever you want." Edward stood up, poured a ss of water, and handed it to me. I took the ss and downed its contents. "Thank you. I''ll get my ducks in a row and get even with everyone who wronged me." Charles'' POV: Rita whispered in my ear, "Charles, I want to tell you a secret. Come with me." Thinking that she was going to tell me what had happened in the past six years, I left the ward with her. We walked to a quiet corner. "Charles, I''m not Rita. I''m her twin sister, Raina. I was adopted when I was a child." Her words shocked me. After all, she looked exactly like Rita. However, after taking a closer look at her, I figured that her eyes were slightly bigger than Rita''s. "Why are you here?" "It''s because..." Raina whispered in my ear, "I killed Rita. I know that she almost killed your son, so you should thank me." My eyes widened in horror. The thing that I found horrifying was not that she had killed her own sister, but that Rita had tried to kill my son. What the hell had happened in the past six years? I figured that I must talk to Scarlett. But by the time I returned to the ward, Scarlett was gone. Looking around the empty ward, I suddenly felt an unprecedented panic in my heart. The bodyguards searched the whole hospital, but they couldn''t find Scarlett. It seemed as though she disappeared into thin air. I immediately decided to go back to the Moore mansion. "Richard, what happened between me and Scarlett?" I lowered my eyes as I raised my hand to touch my heart. Richard nced at me through the rearview mirror. He seemed to want to say something, but he stopped on second thought. "I love Scarlett, right?" I asked in a particrly determined tone. "Yes, Mr. Moore," Richard replied. "Mrs. Moore has suffered a lot in the past few years. Do you really not remember it at all?" I pursed my lips and kept silent. Richard then narrated everything from the time when Scarlett returned from France. He told me everything that had happened in the past six years. He was my most capable subordinate, and I knew that he would never lie to me. So... Had I really hurt Scarlett so much in the past? All of a sudden, Scarlett''s gaunt face shed through my mind, causing me so much pain that I almost felt like someone was strangling me. A few dayster, awyer came to me and handed me the divorce papers. "Mr. Moore, Miss Riley has asked me to give you this divorce agreement. She wants you to sign it as soon as possible." Looking at the document in my hand, I was stunned. My heart began to ache. "Where is Scarlett? Why isn''t she here?" I asked in confusion. "Miss Riley said she doesn''t want to see you again," thewyer answered with a polite smile. I kept silent for a long time before I finally signed the paper. I would rather set her free if our marriage only brought her pain and despair. After I signed the divorce agreement, an emptiness clouded my making me feel as though I had lost important thing in my life. the most important thinnent, Ever since she left me, I had not been able to fall asleep at all, and my head would hurt so bad every night that I felt like killing myself. Every time I closed my eyes, I would see her cold and desperate eyes. I moved to Garden Street to see the traces that she left behind. I began to drink on my own. Gradually, I became so drunk that I felt really dizzy. When I raised my head, I saw Scarlett walking towards me with a big smile. "Scarlett, you''re back!" I ran to her in a hurry and held her in my arms. But when I looked down, I saw that she was not there. Looking at the empty house, my heart sank. Chapter 375 The New President Scarlett''s POV: One yearter, I returned to my home country. "Have you prepared a birthday gift for Raina?" I asked, looking at my bodyguard, Elena, who was standing behind me. I had just gotten off the ne. "Yes, Miss Wilson. It''s already in the car." Elena said in a respectful tone. I gave her a satisfied nod. That moment, my phone rang. Looking at it, I saw Nina''s name shing on the screen, and immediately answered it. "Hello, Scarlett?" "What''s the matter? Just spill it. I''m in a hurry," I said with a smile. "Charles has been looking for you ever since you left. He''s very serious about getting back together with you," Nina informed. At the mention of his name, I could not help but sneer in my heart. "If he is willing to spend one hundred million dors for an appointment, then I might consider meeting him." But I would never get back together with him! Moreover, Charles already had a new girlfriend, Raina. I heard that they were very intimate and often showed their affection in public. "Scarlett, do you even have a principle in life? How can you give in so easily for money? Charles is your ex-husband!" Ninained. "Men are uselesspared to money. And you already said it-ex-husband. As far as I''m concerned, he''s no longer important. By the way, please call me Caroline Wilson from now on." During the past year, I had learned a lot about business and management from Edward, and I had found great pleasure in making money. I''d rather win more clients for thepany than to get involved with my ex-husband. The moment I finished speaking, I lifted my head, and I was shocked to see Charles walk into the airport, surrounded by a group of people. My heart almost skipped a beat when I saw his handsome face. He seemed to have noticed me too, and was a little surprised. We looked at each other through the crowd. I quickly nced at him. We hadn''t seen each other for a year, and in that time, he had lost a lot of weight, so he looked rather haggard now. However, he was still just as handsome as I remembered, even though he seemed to be more mature and stable. I snorted and walked out of the airport, pretending like I did not see him at all. But before I took another step, I felt someone grabbing my wrist. "Scarlett, is that really you?" Charles was trembling and out of breath. Looking into his eyes, I sensed that he was feeling a tangle of emotions. Yearning, guilt, pain... All those emotions were mixed up. I withdrew my hand without any hesitation and turned away. "Sir, do I know you?" I asked coldly. Charles looked at me intensely before he took off my sunsses. Looking at me, he said in a serious and determined tone, "Scarlett, you are my wife. I can always recognize you!" I snorted and pped him. ''Wife? How ridiculous! Why didn''t he remember that when he left with Raina the day I miscarried the baby?'' Charles covered his face in astonishment. His bodyguards immediately stepped forward to protect him. Looking at his red face, I suddenly felt satisfied. I had been too weak in the past to fight him, and even when I had been humiliated, I had never dared to resist. But the p I gave him now was in the name of the unborn child. "I''m fine." Charles waved his hand, indicating the bodyguards to leave us alone. "I''m not fine," I said sarcastically. I gently rubbed my aching wrist, sneering at him. "Looks like the men here are getting shittier and shittier." I cast a cold nce at Charles whileining to Nina over the phone. "Scarlett, where have you been in the past year? I''ve been looking for you everywhere." Charles stood in front of me, staring deep into my eyes. "Elena, call the police," I ordered in a low voice.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Elena red at Charles before she called the airport police to report sexual harassment. The police officer immediately rushed over and stopped Charles. With a frown, Charles exined, "She is my wife. We just had a minor conflict." "Lady, is he telling the truth?" the police officer asked me in confusion. "I don''t know this man at all. He suddenly walked to me, grabbed my hand, and said that I am his wife!" A smile of satisfaction appeared on my lips when I saw how embarrassed Charles was. "Scarlett, have you really forgotten me? Or are you just pretending like you don''t know me?" Charles asked anxiously. There was a hint of grievance and helplessness in his voice. I shook my head with a sneer, put my sunsses on, turned around, and left. Several luxury cars were lined up on the road outside the airport. Standing by the cars, the drivers bowed to me respectfully. "Wee home, Miss Wilson." And everyone at the airport turned to me with a curious look in their eyes. I could not help but smile awkwardly. It was obvious that Edward had arranged it. It was his unique way of showing his paternal love for me. Elena put my suitcase in the trunk and followed me to the car. Looking at the familiar surroundings, I suddenly felt a little dazed. Nothing seemed to have changed in the city, and everything that had happened there was still so vivid in my mind. That was when I heard the radio broadcast. "News sh, Miss Raina Hill will be holding her birthday party at the Pce Hotel. The party will be held in the form of a charity dinner, and all the money raised will go to the Hill Charity Foundation for the deaf and autistic children. It is also said that Miss Lively will be announcing her engagement with Mr. Charles Moore at the party..." I sneered. Since Charles was holding a party for Raina at the Pce Hotel, and wanted to announce their engagement, it was quite obvious that he really cared about her. "Ma''am, do you want to go home first or do you want to go straight to the birthday party?" Elena asked. "Let''s go to thepany." Elena looked at her watch before she reminded me in a low voice, "The senior executives of thepany should be holding a meeting right now to discuss ways to make you retreat from difficulties." "Then let''s go and see what ns they came up with." I looked out of the window with a faint smile, expectantly. Twenty minutester, the car stopped in front of a building. It was the branchpany of the Wilson Group that Edward specially established for me to run. Surrounded by my bodyguards, I walked to the conference room and pushed the door open. "Hello, everyone. I''m Caroline Wilson, the new president of this branch of the Wilson Group. Pleasure to meet all of you." I looked around the meeting room, greeting all the senior executives with a smile. Everyone seemed to be shocked by my sudden appearance. And I already expected that, so I got straight to the point with a smile. "I came back for the ecological park project on the west coast and I am hoping that you will all cooperate with me. If the project gets completed within the due date will be rewarded. If not, then you will all be fired." "Why? That''s so unfair." Someone opposed in a loud voice, banging on the desk. "The ecological park on the west coast is an extremely important project. Why are you taking over it as soon as youe back from nowhere?" "It''s because I''m the daughter of the Wilson family! If you are going to be bitter and jealous, then keep it to yourselves, because I don''t give a damn!" I sneered with a cold re. The conference room instantly fell as silent as a grave. Chapter 376 Looking For Her Charles'' POV: "Have you found out where she is? Where has she gone?" I anxiously asked Richard. After checking the surveince cameras, I found that a bunch of luxury cars had picked up Scarlett. "Sir, she is heading to the west coast," Richard replied respectfully. "Get me the surveince video of the west coast at once." "Sir, the road there is under construction, so the surveince cameras in the area have been turned off," Richard answered with an embarrassed look. "Then where was shest seen?" "Thest surveince picture of her was taken near the west coast''s ecological park, which is not far from the Moore Group''s subsidiarypany." "Richard, we''ll head there at once." Unable to contain my excitement, I stood up, ready to find her. I had finally found her after a year. "But sir... Today is Miss Hill''s birthday. Didn''t you promise her that you would attend her birthday party at the Pce Hotel?" Looking at my cold eyes, Richard''s voice became lower. "Okay, sir. I''ll go and get the car now." While we were on our way in my sports car, my phone kept buzzing. I saw that it was a call from Raina, but I did not have the slightest interest to answer it. Gazing at the beautiful view outside, I could not help but think of the woman I had missed in the past year. Scarlett had been the only one on my mind in the past year. Although I had forgotten the details of our rtionship, I still remembered how it felt. Ever since the day she left me, my heart had been aching, and knew that even though I had lost my memories, I still loved her deeply. I was determined to win her back. I could never forgive myself if I lost her again. Suddenly, the car came to a screeching halt. I frowned and asked, "What''s wrong?" "Sir, the construction is going on. We can''t pass. Our only option now is to turn back and make a detour." The whole road was blocked, and I saw many construction workers handling excavators. Soon, Richard started the car again and turned back. ''Damn it! This cannot be happening!'' "Stop the car," I shouted. "What''s the matter, sir?" After stopping the car, he turned to me with a confused look. I opened the door, got out of the car, and ran towards the construction site. "Sir, it''s dangerous. Come back!" Richard shouted in panic. "Young man, what are you doing? Stop!" the workers shouted at me. Ignoring their words, I ran forward recklessly, thinking only about Scarlett. I rushed into the construction site. The road was pitted; there were rocks and sand everywhere, and a huge excavator was before me. But I had to stop when I reached the tall iron fence. The workers surrounded me, and their boss walked over to me, pointed at me, and yelled, "What are you doing? Do you have a death wish? How can you just run into a construction site without thinking?" "Shit!" I pulled my tie, and red at him. Seeing my fierce expression, they immediately steppedback. "You..." "Sorry, everyone. My boss had something urgent to deal with, and that''s why he rushed over," Richard rushed over and exined to them. "You''re ridiculous. Get out of here right now! I don''t care how anxious your boss is, but he can''t be risking his life so carelessly." "Okay, okay." Richard bowed to them before he looked at me in embarrassment. "Sir, let''s go back now. Perhaps, we can still make it." Looking at the road ahead gloomily, I felt like there was really no path in front of me. I turned around and strode back to the car, the helpless feeling crippling my heart. That moment, I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. I took it out, and saw that it was a call from Amy.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "Hey, what''s up?" I asked coldly. "Well... Sir, Miss Hill just called. And she wanted to know when you will arrive at her birthday party." "Fuck! Who the hell does she think she is! I have something important to deal with. Tell her not to bother me." I hung up irritably. I had no choice but to vent the anger in my heart. I lifted my leg and kicked the door, causing a huge dent in the car. "Damn it!" Richard stood aside quietly. I tried my best to calm down after that. ''What should I do now?'' All of a sudden, something urred to me. "Richard, was it a bunch of luxury cars that picked up Scarlett from the airport?" Richard nodded in reply. "Check the license te numbers of those cars, and find out who the owner is in a day." "Yes, sir." I turned around and looked at the ecological park with determination in my eyes. Raina''s POV: My birthday party was about to begin, and Charles was not there yet. I called him, but he did not pickup, so I called his secretary, and even then there was no response. My heart was filled with uneasiness as I stood outside the Pce Hotel anxiously. I told myself that Charles would not stand me up on purpose, and that he must have something important to deal with. "Happy birthday, Raina. Why are you still here? Come on in. We are all waiting for you." My friends walked to me and held my hand, trying to drag me inside. I squeezed a smile and said, "Charles isn''t here yet, so I want to wait for him." "Oh, I get it now. You are waiting for your boyfriend." "Raina, you are so lucky to be Mr. Moore''s girlfriend. He must have et spent a fortune on your birthday party. He''s booked the whole hotel for your birthday party." "Yes, Raina, you must be the happiest woman on the. Mr. Moore is rich, handsome, and he treats you well. I really envy you." My friends''pliments cheered me up. "Raina, don''t worry. Maybe something urgent came up back in thepany. My brother will be here soon," Chloeforted me after walking to me. I immediately lowered my head and pretended to be sensible. I shook my head and said, "It''s all right. I don''t me him at all." As expected, Chloe patted my hand lovingly. "Nheless, how can he bete for his girlfriend''s birthday? I''ll talk to him about itter." I smiled shyly. "Happy birthday, Raina." A middle-aged man dressed in a gray suit and leather shoes walked in gracefully. "Dad." I weed him with joy, turned around, and introduced him to everyone. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is my father, Gary Hill, the president of the Hill Group." The crowd became lively again, making me the center of their attention, and just when I was enjoying the moment, a cold voice came. "Is there anyone here? Why didn''t anyonee out to wee me? Is this the way the Hill Group entertains their guests?" I turned towards the voice and saw a woman dressed in a crimson Givenchy gown standing by the door. She had full red lips. Her long curly hairzily draped around her waist, and she was wearing a stunning diamond ne, which made her glow like the star in the sky. S All of a sudden, the crowd burst into a roar of admiration. My face turned pale and I froze. It was Scarlett! How could she be there? Chapter 377 I Slapped Him, So What Scarlett''s POV: "Scarlett, you''re... you''re back?" Raina stammered in disbelief. When she saw me, her face went white as a sheet. She looked as though she had just seen a ghost. At this moment, Elena stepped forward and introduced me to Raina. "This is Miss Wilson." With her eyes wide in shock, Raina pointed at me and asked incredulously, "What? Miss Wilson? She can''t be Miss Wilson!" "It''s true. She''s Caroline Wilson, the only child of Mr. Edward Wilson," Elena proudly announced my identity to everyone. As soon as she finished speaking, the crowd burst into an uproar. "Oh my God! I can''t believe that she''s the child of the legendary president of the Wilson Group. This is the first time she has shown up in public!" "I never expected Miss Wilson to be this beautiful." "Are you all blind? She''s obviously Scarlett Riley. How could she be the daughter of the president of the Wilson Group?" "What?! She''s Scarlett? Then that would mean she''s Mr. Moore''s ex-wife." I said nothing. I just stood there calmly and let the crowd scrutinize me. "Don''t be fooled by her. She''s not Mr. Wilson''s only child. She''s Scarlett Riley, a vicious woman who abandoned her husband and children," Raina loudly said for everyone to hear. In an instant, the entire hall fell into dead silence. "Yes! She''s a liar. She''s not a member of the Wilson family at all," Chloe echoed. She then pointed at me and cussed me out. "You bitch, you should get the hell out of here. How dare you steal a richdy''s identity to attend Raina''s party? Have you no shame?" "Don''t worry. I''m not as shameless as you are," I retorted with a sneer at the corners of my mouth. "You!" Chloe uttered, dismayed that I had the nerve to talk back to her. "I have no idea what you''re talking about. Did I offend you in any way? How could you say that I''m a ''vicious woman'' when you don''t even know me?" I asked with feigned confusion and innocence. Raina took two steps forward and stood side by side with Chloe. "Stop being pretentious. You''re the reason why Charles lost his memoryst year. As if that wasn''t enough, you even abandoned your three children. Only a heartless and vicious woman could do that." I must say, Raina''s spection was convincing. With just a few sentences, she managed to make the crowd burst into an uproar for the second time. "What? Isn''t it true? If it''s not, why aren''t you defending yourself?" Raina added. "I hate to break it to you, but the woman you''re talking about probably just looks like me. Surely, there are many people in the world who look alike. How could you be so sure that that woman is me?" I bantered. "Is that the best exnation you''ve got? You look exactly like her." "Raina, why are you so obsessed with the way I look?" I took a closer look at her face and sighed. "If that woman looks like me, she must be prettier than you. Don''t tell me you''re ndering me because you''re jealous that you''re not as beautiful as me?" "What the hell are you talking about?!" Raina bellowed. Bingo. It seemed that my words had gotten into her.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "I''m telling the truth! Why are you stopping me from telling the whole world how heartless you really are?" I smiled at her sarcastically. Suddenly, I gasped and acted as if I had realized something. "I see. You want to make it seem that you''ve mistaken me for someone when, in reality, you just want to give your ego boost. And you can only do that by belittling me. What''s the matter with you? How could you humiliate yourself on purpose?" "You..." Raina gasped. If it were not for the fact that everyone was watching her, she would have rushed forward and fought with me like a shrew. I, however, remained calm andposed. Like a noble swan, I raised my neck and passed by Raina without a word. I did not have to say a word to make her look pathetic. "Raina, what''s going on?" All of a sudden, a deep voice of a man came from my behind. I looked back and saw a dignified man walking toward us. "Dad!" Raina eximed. Her face lit up when she thought that she had found someone to back her up. With an aggrieved look on her face, she bit her lips and ran toward the man, presumably her father. To her surprise, he ignored her and instead went straight to me. He reached out his hand and said, "You must be Miss Wilson. I''m Gary Hill. I''m sorry for my daughter''s havior. It''s my fault. I spoiled her too much. Please forgive her." "Of course. Don''t worry. I won''t hold it against her," I answered politely. I looked up, and I happened to see Charles standing by the handrail on the second floor. Our eyes met, and I almost lost my mind. For a moment, I felt like I was a drop of water that had fallen into a hot oil pot. ever, my identity could not be exposed. So, I tried, with all my might, to suppress the hatred and resentment I had bottled up in my heart. At this moment, I pointed at Charles and calmly asked Gary, "Who is that man?" "You mean Charles Moore? He''s my daughter''s fiance," Gary stressed the word ''fiance'' as he spoke. And for some reason, his eyes darkened in contempt when he looked at Charles. Meanwhile, Charles walked down the stairs, and Raina''s face lit up with joy. She lifted the hem of her dress like a princess and ran to him with a sweet smile. "Charles, why are youte? I''ve been waiting for you for a long time." Now that Charles was here, her arrogant attitude changed, and she started acting like a spoileddy. I could not help but roll my eyes. What a hypocrite. Unfortunately for Raina, Charles ignored her and instead went straight to me. He looked at me from head to toe with a myriad of emotions in his eyes. I did not want to know what emotions he had, though. "Hello, Mr. Moore," I greeted stiffly as if this was the first time we had met. Raina remained unfazed. She walked up to Charles and clung to his arm. "This is Charles, my fiance," she proudly said. There was acent look on her face as if she was showing off her most prized possession. But then, Charles shook off her hand. "I don''t like it when others touch me." Raina was taken aback, but she quickly got ahold of herself. She put down her hand as if nothing had just happened. "Hello... Miss Wilson?" Doubt and confusion could be heard in Charles''s tone. He stared at me with his intense gaze, and I looked back at him with the same intensity. As if the humiliation was not enough, Raina still had not given up. She leaned against his shoulder to show off her affection for Charles. Because of this, she noticed that something was wrong with him. "Oh my God! Charles, what happened to your face? Who pped you?!" The left side of his face was red, and my handprint was still visible. It did not take a genius to know that someone had pped him. I was pleased. He deserved it. The only regret I had was not pping him harder. Raina reached out to touch Charles''s face, but he dodged her hand. At this moment, everyone''s attention was drawn to him. "Oh my God! Someone pped Mr. Moore?" "Who could it be? Does that person have a death wish?" While everyone was talking to one another about what had happened, I smiled and said, "I pped him, so what?" Chapter 378 I Already Have A Wife Scarlett''s POV: "What? You pped him?" Raina looked at me with wide eyes and continued, "Why did you hit my fiance?" "I''m sorry. I didn''t know he was your fiance when I pped him." I cast a yful nce at Charles and shed him a mocking smile. "I thought he was a rogue at that time. I didn''t know he was the famous Mr. Moore. I''m so sorry." Charles didn''t say anything. He just stared at me silently. Raina''s face darkened. "What are you talking about? How could you mistake Charles for a rogue?" "At that time..." I started narrating what had happened. "Mr. Moore suddenly grabbed my hand and refused to let me go. I actually thought he was harassing me. Nowe and think about it, he''d probably mistaken me for that Scarlett woman you''re talking about." I smiled apologetically at Charles and shrugged. "I totally misunderstood you. So did you stop me at the airport to get even with the woman you were looking for?" I paused for a second and sighed, "But I heard that Scarlett, the woman you mentioned, died a year ago. I also heard that she was pregnant when she passed away." After hearing my words, Charles instantly turned deathly pale, and his usually icy demeanor turned even colder. "What did you say?" Charles asked. Seeing the sheer panic in Charles''s eyes, I felt relieved and content. Raina interrupted me, "Today is my birthday, Miss Wilson. If you''re here to mess things up, then please leave." "Don''t be childish, Raina. How could you talk to Miss Wilson in such an impolite manner?" Gary immediately interjected. I waved my hand and said calmly, "It''s okay, Mr. Hill. Raina''s right. It is her birthday. The birthday girl is the boss." I turned around and nodded at Elena. Understanding what I wanted her to do, she nodded back and handed Raina an exquisite red gift box. "Here''s my gift to you, Raina. Happy birthday. Go ahead, open it," I encouraged her to open the box. I could tell that everyone present was curious about the gift. Raina hesitantly opened the red gift box. Inside the box was a doll with golden hair and blue eyes. It had a sweet smile on its face, and it was wearing a white dress made of gauze. "Ah!" Raina screamed and dropped the box on the floor. The doll rolled out and stopped with its big, blue eyes staring directly at Raina. "It is an Annabelle doll." The crowd erupted into gasps and stifled shouts. Staring at the creepy-looking doll on the ground, I couldn''t help smiling broader and broader. "What''s the matter, Raina? Don''t you like my gift? What a pity! I chose her especially for you." "You..." Raina was about to lose her temper when Gary red at her. "Yes... Yes, of course I like it." Raina gritted her teeth. Her face contorted, and she forced her lips to curl into a smile that just turned out to be awful. She grabbed on to her dress so tightly that she almost ripped the fabric apart. "Really? Oh, good. I''m d. I really hope that you and Mr. Moore will have a baby soon." Raina picked up the doll with trembling hands, and the doll fell to the floor again. This time, the doll''s head broke off and rolled toward Charles''s feet. All of a sudden, there was dead silence. I looked at Charles indifferently and said with a smile, "Oh, I''m sorry. I almost forgot. You two aren''t married. Silly me. It''s too early to wish that you have a child together. For now, I wish you a happy and healthy rtionship tost a lifetime. Please don''t forget to send me an invitation to your wedding. I''d love toe and witness you two exchange wedding vows." Then, I turned around and gave Raina a cold smile. "Happy birthday again, Raina. Unfortunately, I have to go. Thank you for inviting me. Goodbye." After that, I strode out of the banquet hall. Charles''s POV: Looking at Scarlett''s back, I squatted down, picked up the doll, put the head back on its neck, and put it back into the box. Scarlett''s cold stare and alienating words filled my mind. She looked nothing like my Scarlett. Was she really Caroline Wilson like she imed? But I didn''t want to believe it. I would never mistake Scarlett for anyone else. But why did she say that Scarlett was dead? More importantly, why did she say that Scarlett died with a child in her womb? What was going on? I tightened my grip on the gift box as if it were a lifeline that could save me from the panic that was beginning to drown my heart. I had to know the truth. "Let''s go, Charles. The party is about to begin," Raina said and pulled on my sleeve. I turned to look at her, and all I saw were reminders of how I once felt about Rita. I didn''t feel pity for Raina anymore, just disgust. I moved my arm and shook off her touch. Then, I turned around and chased after Scarlett. "Scarlett!" I ran to the gate and shouted at the top of my lungs, hoping I''d get Scarlett''s attention. "Please behave yourself, Mr. Moore," A woman, Scarlett''s bodyguard, stopped me. "It''s okay, Elena. Let him approach," Scarlett nced at me indifferently. Elena put down her hand and watched me carefully as I walked toward Scarlett. The closer I got to her, the harder my heart beat against my chest.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. A whole year had passed. In thest twelve months, I''d imagined our encounter many times. I had a lot to say to her, but I felt as if a giant invisible hand was choking me. I tried my best to blurt out the words. "Scarlett..." Scarlett narrowed her eyes at me and slightly tilted her head. There was no spark of recognition in her eyes. "Mr. Moore, please don''t mistake me for another person We''re not familiar with each other. I''d insist that you address me as Miss Wilson out of respect," Scarlett said tly. Her words, albeit reasonable, drove a stake through my heart. I bit down on the sorrow that surged from the pit of my stomach. "Okay... Miss Wilson," I muttered, facing her apathy. "What''s wrong? It''s your fiancee''s birthday party. Shouldn''t you be with her? Aren''t you afraid that she''ll get jealous when she finds out that you ran out after me?" "She is not my fiancee. I have already had a wife," I answered through gritted teeth. I looked right into Scarlett''s eyes and waited for any indication at all that she understood what I was talking about. Standing right in front of her, I was dying to call her my wife and tell her how much I still loved her. "I see." A hint of surprise shed across Scarlett''s face. "But if you already have a wife, Mr. Moore, then why are you with Raina? I have to remind you that it''s against thew to marry someone else while you still have a legal wife." "I''m not with Raina. There''s only one woman I love, and her name is Scarlett." I knew it was already a little toote for me to be telling Scarlett all this, but I didn''t care. I just needed her to know that it had always been her, and it would always be her. She was the only woman I wanted to marry in my life. Chapter 379 I Never Loved You Scarlett''s POV: If it was in the past, I would have been moved by Charles''s sweet words.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. But now, the only thing I felt was disgust. I suppressed the hatred in my eyes and scoffed, "Oh, I see. You''re the husband of the woman who abandoned her husband and children. No wonder she divorced you. It must''ve been a pain in the ass to be your wife." Dejection shed across Charles''s face, but I pretended not to see it. "It''s amazing to see that you have a new girlfriend when you''ve just divorced." I leaned against the car and looked at him with mockery. Charles''s face went white as a sheet. "Scarlett, Raina and I aren''t really in a rtionship¡ª" "Mr. Moore, you don''t have to exin anything to me. It''s your personal life, after all. It has nothing to do with me. I just happened to hear that your ex-wife looked like me, so I couldn''t help but ask about her. You don''t mind, do you? Anyway, I have important things to do. See you around." Charles''s face turned gloomier, and this pleased me. At this moment, I turned to Elena and said, "Elena, let''s go." Elena immediately opened the car door for me. The instant I got into the car, the smile on my face vanished. The game had just begun. Would Charles be able to handle it? Well, he should. I just got started, and I didn''t n to stop anytime soon. All of a sudden, Charles ran beside my window and grabbed my wrist. "Scarlett, can we talk?" he pleaded in a low voice. I could not help but sneer when I saw the misery on his face. When we were still together, he was the dictator of our rtionship. At that time, I had no choice but to obey him. But now, the tables had turned. "I have nothing to say to you. I detest men who are unfaithful to their partners. I don''t even want to say a word to you," I coldly said. I had had enough of Charles''s pestering that I did not bother to treat him with courtesy. I yanked his hand from my wrist and wiped my hand with a tissue. It was as if I had touched something disgusting. Charles looked at me in dismay. He must have not expected that I would treat him like garbage. I lifted my gaze and said with a sarcastic smile, "From now on, stay away from me. I don''t want to see your face ever again." Without waiting for his response, I closed the window and ordered the driver to drive on. He stepped on the gas at once. As the car sped away, I fell into deep thought. If Charles and Raina got married, she would not treat my children well. I was sure of it. A frown appeared on my face at the thought of this. It was at this moment that I decided that I would find a way to see my children as soon as possible. I would never let that bitch bully them. Raina''s POV: I was dumbfounded when I saw Charles chase after Caroline Wilson. That woman looked exactly like Scarlett. No, Caroline and Scarlett were the same person. People believed that Charles and I loved each other. Little did they know, he still loved his ex-wife. Of course, I would never let that woman ruin my rtionship with him. We had been together for almost a year. Why did she have toe back and ruin everything? I ran out, and there I saw that Charles was getting in the car to chase after Scarlett. Fortunately, I reached him in time. I grabbed his clothes and stopped him from leaving. "Charles, the birthday party is about to start. Where are you going?" "I have something important to deal with." Charles shook off my hand and turned around to get in the car. I rushed forward and blocked his way. "No way! I won''t let you go. Charles, we didn''t see each other for a long time! Besides, have you forgotten that we''re going to announce our engagement? If you don''t attend, I will be aughingstock!" I let out a sob to make Charles feel sorry for me and moved closer to lean against his chest. However, he took a step back and avoided me. Because of what he had done, I almost fell to the ground. I looked at him in disbelief. But then, our eyes met, and a chill ran down my spine. He was staring right at me with apparent disgust. "Raina, I have told you that I will never marry you. I only have one wife, and that is Scarlett," Charles said in a matter-of-fact tone. His words were like knives that were cutting my heart apart. I grabbed Charles''s arm and reminded him, "Charles, you and Scarlett have divorced! Besides, I''ve told the media that we''re going to announce our engagement tonight. They''re giving us their blessing!" "Raina, I never wanted to marry you. I''ve told you a lot of times before that I never loved you or Rita. Wake up." Charles shook off my hand and finally got into the car. As I stood there helplessly, his cold voice came from the car. "Richard, hurry up and follow the car in front of us." My heart was filled with grievances, but I could only watch as the car drove away. "Charles,e back! Are you seriously going to leave me for that bitch? She doesn''t deserve you!" I hurried to catch up with him in hopes he would change his mind. But because I was wearing stilettos, I did not make it that far. As if I could not get any unluckier, I tripped over the hem of my gown and fell into the mud pit on the side of the road. I was in a mess. When I looked up, Charles''s car had disappeared into the night. I thumped the ground and sobbed in frustration. "Scarlett, you bitch. I''ve given you a hard time once. I can do it again." Scarlett''s POV: I looked outside the window and gazed at the scenery. Although I looked calm on the surface, my heart was racing in my chest. My eyes were brimming with tears, so I clenched my fists to try and hold them back. I hated myself for being too soft-hearted. I thought I had moved on. But when I saw Charles for the first time in months, my heart broke into pieces again. Until now, everything he did still affected me. A sneer tugged at the corners of my mouth as I thought of Kama''s face, which was exactly like Rita''s. Charles had the same taste as before. Even his new fiancee had to have an uncanny resemnce to Rita. I lowered my head, opened my phone, and stared at my wallpaper. It was a photo of my children ying together. I had asked someone to take this photo in secret. This was thest time I had seen them. How I wished I could hold them in my arms. Sadly, I could only touch the screen with my trembling fingers. God, I missed my children so much. I wondered if they still remembered me. Noticing my mncholy, Elena patted me on the shoulder andforted me, "Caroline, let bygones be bygones. Everything will be alright soon." "Yes. Everything will be alright." I forced a smile and turned off my phone. But then, the smile on my face faltered when I heard what the driver said. "Miss Wilson, there''s a car following us." I turned my head and looked out of the window. Just as I had expected, a familiar car was tailing us not far away. Chapter 380 Its Just A Waist Pain Scarlett''s POV: "Speed up and lose the car behind us," I barked at the driver. The driver was very experienced. He sped up, but he was still able to ensure that the car ran steadily. Halfway to our destination, the driver said, "Miss Wilson, the car behind us is gone. It seems it suddenly turned a corner." I looked back. Sure enough, no one was following us anymore. I breathed a sigh of relief, but deep in my heart, I couldn''t help feeling a bit disappointed. Suddenly, I felt an acute pain in my waist. I gasped. Elena looked at me and quickly asked, "Are you okay, Caroline? You just turned white as paper." "I''m fine. It''s just a little difort in my waist area. It happens all the time. Don''t worry." I had been suffering from the pain since my miscarriage. The doctor said that it was a sequ of the miscarriage and that I had to rest whenever I could and not push myself too hard. Every time I felt the pain, I hated Charles and Raina more. My hatred for them was what had been keeping me going. "Do you want to go to the hospital?" Elena asked me worriedly and gently massaged my waist. "No, thanks. Even doctors have no way to ease my pain. I''ll be fine after I get some rest," I replied, forcing a smile. As soon as I finished speaking, the pain became sharper. I gritted my teeth to keep myself from screaming, but I trembled so badly that Elena cringed and panicked. Then, I began to feel cold. I curled up in a fetal position, hoping that hugging my legs would give me a little warmth. "That''s it, Caroline. We''re going to the hospital." Elena hurriedly told the driver to turn around and rush to the hospital. When we arrived at the hospital, one of the doctors gave me a routine examination. Elena apanied me and stayed with me the entire time.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "Here, take some painkillers," Elena said and handed me some pills and a ss of water. I took the medicine and chased it down with water. I sat on the bench in the corridor for a long time before the pain finally subsided. When we were about to leave the hospital, I saw Charles rushing by. What was he doing here? Were the kids sick? I said to Elena, "Elena, you go ahead and wait for me in the car. I just have something that I need to do." "I''lle with you," Elena offered. "No need. I''m okay on my own. I''ll meet you in the car." I gestured to Elena to let me go. She hesitated to leave at first, but when she finally went ahead to the car, I went to follow Charles secretly. When Charles walked into the waiting room of the Department of Neurosurgery, he suddenly held his head with both hands. He shook slightly. Richard hurried to his side, ready to catch him if he ever copsed. After a while, Vivian came out of the ward. "Are you okay, Charles? Why do you look so pale?" Vivian''s eyes were full of concern. "I''m fine. I''m just having a little headache, as usual," Charles answered in a low, hoarse voice, waving his hand. I frowned in confusion. When did Charles begin to suffer from headaches? Did God finally hear my prayers and punish him? Looking at Charles''s bone-white face, I cursed in my heart, ''You deserve it.'' "How''s Grandma?" Charles asked and pinched the bridge of his nose. "The doctor said that the tumor in Christine''s head has begun to grow. An operation needs to be arranged for her as soon as possible," Vivian replied seriously. Hearing Vivian''s words, my heart sank. When did Christine get a tumor in her head? I desperately wanted to know more about Christine''s condition. But after thinking for a while, I dismissed the idea. I didn''t have the courage to approach Charles or Vivian and ask. At this time, Amy rushed over and handed a bottle of pills to Charles. "Here, boss. This should help with your headache." Charles nodded at Amy and took the medicine. Soon, his pallid face regained some vigor. "Charles, didn''t you go abroad to look for Hugo? What happened with your search? Did you get in touch with him?" Vivian asked. Charles shook his head helplessly, looking dispirited. "I guess Christine''s illness was most likely caused by Scarlett''s sudden departure. Christine loved Scarlett so much and treated her like her own granddaughter. I suppose Christine took it really hard when Scarlett left. I don''t mean to pile on to your headache, Charles, but you really didn''t treat Scarlett well enough. If you had been good to her, we wouldn''t be here." "Scarlett''s back," Charles muttered without looking at Vivian. "What?" Vivian said, whipping her head at Charles. "She''s back. She was just at Raina''s party. I saw her with my own eyes." Charles briefly told Vivian what had happened earlier tonight. He took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it up, and took a deep drag. The smoke made him look like he was shrouded in loneliness. I leaned against the wall of the corner I was hiding in. I put my hand over my chest. As echoes of Charles''s pained voice created cracks in my heart, my eyes filled with tears. Charles''s POV: "Are you serious? Are you sure it was her? Are you absolutely sure?" Vivian stood up from the bench in the corridor and yelled at me in surprise. "Yes, but she doesn''t remember me," I muttered and lowered my head in disappointment. Pain and sadness lodged a lump in my throat, and I swallowed it. "Maybe she just doesn''t want to recognize me." I took another deep drag on my cigarette, hoping that the smoke would help ease the despair in my heart. I leaned against the wall and felt a brand-new headacheing on. This time, it felt like it came back toyplete waste on my nerves. I started having headaches a year ago. The doctor said that it was caused by memory loss. It was a kind of pain that wasparable to the pain of a gunshot wound, and taking oral painkillers could do very little to blunt it. Only IV analgesic injections could help with the pain. When I was to have the injection that day, I asked the doctor, "Which one is more painful, this kind of headache or the pain of childbirth?" "They''re both painful, but if you''re asking about degree and risk, nothingpares to the pain and danger a woman goes through when she gives birth. When a woman has a baby, she''s actually risking her own life," the doctor exined. "Then I don''t want the injection." I turned around and left the hospital. I just couldn''t imagine the pain Scarlett had to go through. She must be physically and mentally exhausted when she gave birth to the twins. I braced my elbows on my knees and covered my face with my hands. I finally gave up and let the tears roll down my face and onto the smooth, tiled floor. Experiencing this agonizing pain on my own made me realize the kind of torment Scarlett went through when she pushed our children out into this world. And what did I do to her? All I brought her were endless heartaches. And now I should pay the price. I was willing to suffer fate''s retribution for how badly I treated Scarlett as long as there was a glimmer of hope that she wasing back to me. Chapter 381 Unfriendly Visitors Scarlett''s POV: The paining from my waist gradually disappeared, but I still looked haggard. I nced at Christine''s ward number before leaving the hospital in silence. In the car, I called Edward. "Dad, can you tell Hugo that I want his help right now? I heard that Christine isn''t feeling well." As I leaned against the seat, I felt powerless. Even though I hated Charles with every fiber of my being, I could never ignore the fact that Christine was ill. She had always treated me as though I was her own granddaughter. Thus, when I heard she was ill, I felt anxious. My sudden departure must''ve been hard for Christine, but I had no choice at the time. Elena could tell what was on my mind, so she patted my shoulder in an attempt tofort me. "Christine is a good person. You said that she''s always been kind to you, right? God will bless her. She''ll recover soon." "I agree. Christine is a strong and gentle woman," I concurred, putting on a smile. Christine''s loving appearance appeared in my mind, and it brought a sliver of warmth to my heart. "Caroline, you are also strong and kind," Elena replied. "I''m strong, but I am not kind; at least not anymore. Some say that good people are often taken advantage of by bad ones. If that saying is true, then I''d rather be one of the bad ones. I''ll be more evil than any one of them. I''ll trample them underfoot and make them eat their own shit!" A wry smile appeared on my lips, and my eyes were filled with sadness, hatred, and resentment for all who had wronged me. Elena frowned, visibly disgusted. I was amused by her reaction. "Do you feel sick because of what I said? What those people did to me was beyond disgusting. Their ck hearts are dirtier than the shiftiest mires in existence." The smile on my face gradually disappeared, and my face turned cold. I could never forget how Charles used my children to ckmail me just to satisfy his carnal desire. He loved Rita, a devil woman who almost killed James. And now, he was going to marry Raina. All of these things were incredibly disgusting. Now that I had returned, I was determined to put a stop to certain people''s good days. ''As long as I''m alive, I will haunt them to ends of the earth!'' I promised myself. Soon, we arrived at West Bank Manor. This was the vi that Edward bought for me. It was the best property avable along the west coast. There were many guards stationed within and outside the vi, so it was well-secured. The second I got out of the car, I saw Nancy. I hadn''t seen this bitch in a long time. She was wearing a white dress, stomping her way towards me with a snarl on her ugly mug. "Scarlett, is that really you? You''re really back?" Nancy stood before me, eyeing me up and down before scoffing at my face. "You suddenly disappeared a year ago. I thought you were dead! What a pity! You must''ve heard that Charles is going to marry Raina now. If I can''t have him, neither can you!" "At the very least, Charles and I used to be married. But what about you? Even though he and I are no longer in a rtionship, you still have a rival in love, and it''s now Raina." It was so funny for me to see Nancy acting as though she was shrewd. She shot me a re, raising her hand and intending to p my face. But before she could even do that, Elena came just in time to grab her wrist. Nancy struggled to break free from Elena''s grasp, and in the end, she identally pped herself. Nancy was stupefied. Not a secondter, a red palm print on her face was seen. I leaned against the car, crossing my arms. "My dear Miss Wood, why did you just p yourself? Is this some sort of new greeting?" There was a triumphant smile on my face as I said those words to her. "How dare you hit me, Scarlett? Don''t you know who I am now?" Enraged, Nancy covered her face. "Miss Wood, you are ming me for something I didn''t do! I''ve been standing here the whole time. Weren''t you the one who hit yourself earlier? mean, just look at your own hand it''s as red as your face. That''s called an equal opposite reaction. Have you not learned physics in high school?" I retorted, scoffing at her. As I looked at her arrogant face, my heart sank when I realized something.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ''How cowardly was I to let myself be bullied by this stupid bitch?'' "You bitch!" Nancy was rendered speechless and her face turned red with rage. I could sense her hatred from the way she was looking at me. "If you want to cause trouble for me, you should go home and read some more books first," Having said that, I began to walk away. "Scarlett, why did you even return? Just because you''re back, that doesn''t mean Charles will want you again. He and Raina are in love! You''re the other woman now!" Nancy shouted from behind me. I could tell that she was irked by my attitude. I walked onward without looking back. ''The other woman? Me? This is just ridiculous! Did she forget how she tried to seduce Charles while we were still married? How dare she use me of being the other woman of my marriage with my husband?'' I remarked inwardly. Raina''s POV: During the evening, a heavy downpour of rain began pouring. Because of that, many of the guests were stranded on the road. The banquet couldn''t go on any longer with Charles being there, so we had to conclude the party earlier than scheduled. In my attempt to catch up with Charles, I identally sprained my ankle and had to limp -walk home. The second my feet entered the premises of the house, I began shouting curses. "This is all that Scarlett''s fault! She ruined my birthday party! Why didn''t she die?" "Hey, Raina! Keep your voice down, will you? You shouldn''t speak ill of Miss Wilson in public. I''m sure you understand the consequences of doing so, right?" My father warned sternly. "Miss Wilson, you say? She''s a fraud!" I countered. When I thought of how Charles pushed me away and chose Scarlett, I felt resentful. "Raina, are you sure you didn''t mistake Miss Wilson for someone else?" my mother asked with a frowned, seemingly conflicted. "Well, of course! Even if I made a mistake, Charles never would. They''ve been married for so many years. He''ll be able recognize her from a mile away!" I retorted angrily. "If what you''re saying is true, then this is a tough nut to crack," said my father. "Do you think we''ll get into trouble? Why are you so afraid of Scarlett?" I really couldn''t understand why he seemed apprehensive. "I''m not scared of her. I''m scared of her backer, the Wilson family. Scarlett returned so suddenly, as the daughter of the Wilson family even. I''m sure that she came here with lof bad intentions in mind." My father sighed, visibly concerned. S Confused, I frowned and asked, "Do you think she''sing for us?" "You should not have offended her. Because of the Wilson''s Group ambition to conquer the business world, they have set up a branch in Los Angeles in a short span of time. I''m afraid we''ll be having a hard time in the future." Chapter 382 Three Hundred Million Dollars Charles''s POV: The sky was overcast, and a thunderstorm was brewing. I stood in front of the window and lit a cigarette. The smell of nicotine calmed my nerves and alleviated my searing headache. All of a sudden, my phone rang. I immediately picked it up and answered the call. "How is it going? Have you found anything?" I asked Richard without beating around the bush. "Sir, Miss Wilson''s identity is indeed suspicious," Richard answered at once. My heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. "Send me the information. I''ll read it myself. Then, I want you to look into what happened to Scarlett when she ''died''. Examine her medical records if you must," I ordered sternly. As soon as I finished speaking, I hung up the call without waiting for Richard''s reply. I put my phone aside and then checked my email to carefully read the file Richard had sent. ording to his investigation, Caroline was Edward Wilson''s only child. She was arrogant and domineering, the exact opposite of Scarlett. Apparently, Caroline had lived with Edward since she was a child. The more I read, the more depressed I felt. For a moment, I suppressed my anger and frustration and sent Richard a message. "Is this all?" "Wilson''s family is too mysterious. Aside from that, I''ve only found out that Mr. Wilson has a secret affair with a rising star named Olivia. It is said that she and Miss Wilson don''t get along," Richard quickly replied. I tried my best to remain calm. But deep inside, I was on the verge of breaking down. I was dying to know everything about what happened to Scarlett. I wanted to know why she suddenly disappeared a year ago and why she did not even deal with the divorce procedures herself. I wondered where she had been the past year. Was she living a good life? A few momentster, Richard sent another message in which he asked, "Sir, I''m curious about Miss Wilson and Mrs. Moore''s rtionship. Are they twins?" "No. They''re the same person. You''ve known Scarlett for years. Don''t you feel a sense of familiarity with Miss Wilson?" "Then why is she pretending that she doesn''t know us? Does she have an unspeakable reason for doing that?" Annoyed, I turned the phone off and closed my eyes. My head ached once again. It was excruciating as if something was desperately tearing my nerves over and over again. The corners of my mouth twitched at Richard''s question. How could Scarlett have any unspeakable reason? I bet she just did not want to have anything to do with me anymore. Perhaps she hade back to take revenge on me. I could live with that. That would mean she hade for me. As long as I could see her, I was happy no matter what price I had to pay. While I was in deep thought, my phone rang yet again. "Hello?" "Sir, there''s news from the hospital. Dr. Neame has asked someone to pick up your grandmother''s case." I stood up from the sofa excitedly. "Has Hugo finally agreed to save my Grandma?" "Yes, but ites with a price." "I don''t care how much he wants. I''ll give him the money." It did not matter to me how much he wanted as long as he could save Grandma. "He wants three hundred million dors," Amy said in a hushed voice. "I don''t care how much I''ll have to pay as long as Grandma can be cured." "By the way, I forgot to tell you that I saw your wife in the hospital the other day." "Where?" I asked at once. "At the end of the corridor of the Department of Neurosurgery. You were sitting by the door of the ward when she passed by. But at that time, you had a terrible headache, so I was unable to tell you," Amy replied in a low voice. I was astonished. When I heard that Scarlett was in the area, my heart pounded wildly in my chest. "Not long after Mrs. Moore left the hospital, they informed me that Dr. Neame is interested in your grandmother''s case." I frowned. It was too coincidental to be a coincidence. "Mrs. Moore was in France for several years. Does she happen to know Dr. Neame? If so, what a coincidence!" "Maybe," I replied in a low voice. I agreed with Amy''s spection. It seemed that Scarlett still cared about my family. She had not changed. She was still softhearted, just like before. For the first time, a glimmer of hope lit up my heart. "Scarlett, I will find you, and I will get you back." Scarlett''s POV: It was raining heavily outside the window. I stayed in the room and looked through Christine''s medical records. While I was busy reading, Nina suddenly called. I picked up the phone and answered the call. "Hello." "Caroline, how is everything going?" Nina asked with a chuckle. I smiled mysteriously. "Guess what." "Are you sure that your ex-husband will give you three hundred million dors?" Nina asked in disbelief. "If he doesn''t, I won''t save his Grandma." I chuckled with feigned indifference. Truth be told, I had carefully studied Christine''s case. Hugo had written detailed notes on the files, which could be easily read and understood, even if a person had little medical knowledge. After a moment''s silence, I reminded her, "Nina, don''t tell anyone that I''m back," "Don''t worry. I won''t," Nina sincerely promised. After hanging up the phone, put the records on the desk and turned around to leave. But then, I identally knocked over a picture frame. It was a family photo. I was with Charles and was holding my children with a bright and innocent smile. My gaze shifted to Charles''s face, which I had crossed out in anger. All of a sudden, my mood darkened as I recalled the past. At this moment, a knock came at the door, interrupting my thoughts. "Come in." I put the picture frame back to its ce and turned to look at the door. Elena came in with a tray in her hand. "Caroline, would you like some sandwiches?" she asked with a smile. I stood up and walked over to her. My irritable mood disappeared in an instant when I saw what she was holding. "They look so delicious. Thank you, Elena." Elena scratched her head shyly and handed me a sandwich. I immediately took a bite of it, and the taste of its filling burst in my mouth. "Hmm! This is so delicious. Elena, your cooking skills are getting better." "Mr. Edward has just called and said that he has something important to tell you. It''s urgent." "I returned for the ecological park project on the west coast. I''ll check it out in a few days. Tell him to rest assured. Since I''m the one who proposed that project, I''ll be responsible for it until the end "Actually, he''s not really concerned about that. But what he said has something to do with the project." I looked at Elena in confusion. "Mr. Edward is happy that you''ve taken over this project. But Mr. Adam..." Elena continued. "Adam doesn''t want me to take charge of this project, does he?" Elena sighed heavily. "He got into a heated argument with Mr. Edward this morning. He said that you were too young to shoulder such a heavy responsibility."This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. "Adam has been throwing into a fit recently. Just reassure my dad for the time being. I''ll deal with Adam myself." I leaned against the chair, and my lips curled into a sly smile. Chapter 383 You Really Got The Wrong Person Scarlett''s POV: I workedte into the night to check and verify the information and updates on the west coast project. I was poring over some data when Elena rushed into the room. "Caroline, I''ve found out which school James is going to." In an instant, my mind went nk, and I dropped the documents I was holding. "Really?" I asked in a trembling voice. "Yes. He goes to Chadwick Kindergarten. That''s great news, isn''t it? You cane see him there tomorrow." Elena''s face lit up with excitement. "Finally, I can see my little boy." I couldn''t help raising my hands and covering my face. My eyes burned with tears of joy. Early morning the next day, I jumped out of bed, washed up, and got dressed in an awful hurry. I couldn''t wait to see James. On the way to his school, I was both happy and nervous. "It''s been a year since I saw himst, Elena. Do you think he''ll remember me?" I asked, miserably failing to mask the worry in my voice. "Of course he will. James is your son. He won''t forget you. Don''t worry," Elenaforted me. Before long, I was in front of the school gate. It was at least fifteen minutes before sses began, so there were many parents saying goodbye to their kids at the gate. In the crowd, Charles''s handsome face jumped at me, and without meaning to, I locked eyes with him. Damn it! What was he doing here? This wasn''t the best time for the world to turn small on us! Charles walked through the crowd and headed straight for me. My mind immediately went into shambles. If I tried to run now, he''d know that I was only pretending not to recognize him. Charles stopped one meter away from me. He stared at me and asked in a hoarse voice, "Are you here to see James?" No, I couldn''t expose myself. I gritted my teeth and answered, "You misunderstand, Mr. Moore. I''msimplypassingby." "I drive James to school myself every day now," Charles started and then continued, "In the past, I had promised my wife that I would take good care of her and our children, but I had broken that promise over and over because of my job. It''s such a shame that she''s not here anymore to see me keep my promises now." A wave of sadness surged in my heart. Charles used to be very busy. Most of the time, either I or the servants drove James to school and picked him up at the end of the day. Now, Charles was finally acting like a real father. But what was the point? It was a little toote now for me to be moved by such a change. "Really? Well, that is a shame, Mr. Moore. Next time, maybe you can try not to make promises that you can''t keep. That way, you won''t waste time regretting," I said indifferently. After a pause, I added, "Late affection is worthless, Mr. Moore. Don''tyouunderstandthat?" Charles''s face turned pale instantly, and his bright eyes suddenly dimmed. The pleasure of vengeance welled up in my heart. No one should cry over spilled milk, especially those who purposely tipped the ss. Casting a cold nce at the absentminded Charles, I turned around and prepared to leave. Suddenly, Charles grabbed my wrist and pulled me back. "Do you really hate me this much, Scarlett?" Charles''s eyes were full of sadness and remorse, an emotionalbination that I had never seen in his face before. His eyes used to deceive me so easily, but looking into them now, even with them brimming with heartbreaking sorrow, all I could think about was the bitterness in my tongue. "Mr. Moore, I''ve already told you. I''m not Scarlett. Please let me go." Charles only tightened his grip on me, and I couldn''t get rid of his hand. I waspletely annoyed and struggled hard. "I said let go of me! Haven''t I made it clear to youst time? Or are you just too obsessed with your dead wife?" Charles frowned and pursed his lips, but he still didn''t loosen his grasp. "No. You''re Scarlett, aren''tyou? Tell me the truth! Scarlett, Scarlett..." The dejection on Charles''s face suddenly got reced by a crazed look that scared me. He grabbed onto my shoulders and kept calling me Scarlett. Finally, I couldn''t stand the drama anymore. "Fuck off! I''ve told you a million times that I''m not Scarlett. Are you deaf?" I red at Charles. His eyes had turned red, and his hands had begun to tremble. Then, my phone suddenly rang. I snapped back to my senses and pushed him away. "Stop pestering me!" After saying that, I walked away.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org I was in such a hurry to get rid of Charles that I bumped into a warm embrace. "Scarlett?" Hearing the familiar voice, I looked up and saw Spencer''s beaming face. Spencer excitedly grabbed my shoulders. "Oh, my God! Scarlett! Is that you?" Seeing an old friend again, I had mixed feelings, but I had to pretend to be indifferent. I was no longer Scarlett. "I''m sorry, sir. You got the wrong person." "What? But how could that be? You''re Scarlett. It''s me, Spencer. Don''t you remember me?" I pushed Spencer away and said, "No. You really got the wrong person. Excuse me." Then, I fled and mixed in with the crowd. "Caroline, over here. I''ll take you to the back gate to see James." Elena ran to me and held my hand. We sneaked to the school''s back gate. Through the gap in the fence, I saw James ying with other kids. A year had passed. James had grown a little taller, and he was beginning to look more and more like Charles. I just kept watching him from a distance, and didn''t want to leave until he was out of my sight. After a long white, Elena told me, "It''s time to go came back to my senses. I couldn''t stay. I still had a lot of things to attend to. Taking ast look at James, I forced myself to turn around and leave. I swore to myself that I would get my children back one day. Charles''s POV: "Did you see that, Charles? That''s Scarlett, right? She''s really back," Spencer said and looked at me in shock. Scarlett had already disappeared in the crowd. "Why didn''t she talk to me? Didn''t she recognize my handsome face just now?" Spencer pressed. "She just didn''t want to talk to you." "Why? I didn''t wrong her in any way. You''re the one who divorced her, remember?" Spencer looked a little offended. "Just be happy that you saw her and she didn''t curse you in the face." I cast a cold nce at him, shoved down my disappointment, and asked, "What are you doing here anyway?" "Oh, right. I almost forgot. Raina has been looking for youtely. Because she can''t find you anywhere, she barges into my bar and harasses me," Spencerined. I lost my interest at once. "If shees to you again, just ignore her." "Yeah, because I totally haven''t tried that already. Also, I heard that she went to the hospital today to visit Christine." "What? Why didn''t you lead with that? Let''s go!" I grabbed Spencer and headed straight to the hospital. When we arrived at the ward, we found Raina standing beside Grandma''s bed. I couldn''t read Grandma''s mood from her face. "Charles. There you are." Raina walked briskly toward me with a surprised look on her face. "Who allowed you toe here? Come on, let''s talk outside." I red at Raina and towed her out of the ward. "From now on, you are not allowed to visit my grandma here without my permission," I told her bluntly. With an embarrassed look on her face, Raina sobbed, "But why? Charles, just care about Christine''s health. I''ve asked one of my friends to find a doctor that can helpher, and she found one." "No, thanks. Grandma already has a doctor. We don''t need your help." "Do you mean that doctor named Hugo Neame? I heard he''s asking for three hundred million. He''s insane. He''s obviously trying to scam you," Raina eximed. It turned out that she just cared about the money. I shed Raina a mocking stare. My disgust for her just reached a whole new height. "I can afford my grandmother''s hospital bills on my own. I''m not asking you to get involved financially, so you don''t get to make thements." Chapter 384 How Did Things Get So Bad Charles''s POV: Under my gaze, Raina lowered her head in guilt. "Charles, Hugo is asking for three hundred million dors. He''s obviously trying to rip you off," Raina reminded me over and over again. "How aboutyoutreatmy Grandma yourself then?" I asked sardonically with a sneer at the corners of my mouth. Raina fell stunned, but she regained herposure a few secondster. "I''m... I''m not a doctor." "Then shut the fuck up and leave." Without waiting for her response, I turned around to go to the ward. Raina wanted to follow me in. But before she could take another step, Spencer stopped her. "Why are you still here? Don''t you feel any shame? If you want to make yourself useful, go to Hugo and negotiate with him. I will admire you if you manage to persuade him to give us a discount or something." He mmed the door in her face, not in the mood to talk to her anymore. Now that he had gotten rid of Raina, Spencer sped his hands and sighed in relief. "Atst, it''s quiet now." I did not bother to see Raina''s reaction when Spencer gave her an idea. She would not be able to do it anyway. At this moment, I sat on the chair by Grandma''s bed and worriedly asked, "Grandma, are you feeling better? Don''t worry. I won''t let Raina bother you again." "I heard that Scarlett hase back. Can you... can you bring her to see me?" Grandma asked weakly. As she spoke, her eyes were full of warmth and hope. I was stunned, and bitterness filled my heart as I recalled what was going on between Scarlett and me. But of course, I smiled at Grandma reassuringly and answered, "I will." Scarlett''s POV: After checking on James, I went to follow the progress of the project I was working on on the west coast. The scenery outside the car window passed by in a blur. All of a sudden, Charles''s mncholic expression when I left crossed my mind, and the memories of our past consumed me once again. When we were married, my heart was overflowing with my love for him. He, however, only cared about Rita. Brokenhearted, I stayed in France for three years. But when I finally decided to let go and divorce him, he kept pestering me. I thought he was sincere this time, so I figured I could give him another chance. Wrong move. Just as I thought that things would get better between us, he broke me into pieces again. Over the years, I suffered because of him. Not only did my health deteriorate, but I also got separated from my three children. As if that was not painful enough, I lost one of them forever. My happy memories were swept by the wind. How did we end up like this? "Caroline, it seems that the road ahead is under repair. We can''t get through." Elena''s voice brought me back to reality. "Stop the car. I''ll get off and have a look at it." I opened the door and got out of the car. The road was bumpy and muddy. There were workers to and fro, and several people were arguing loudly about something. I frowned at the sight of the scene in front of me. Meanwhile, Elena walked up to one of the workers and asked, "Who''s the person in charge here?" A middle-aged man with a big belly walked over to us. "Who are you? Why are you looking for me?" I took out my business card and handed it to him. "I''m the person in charge of the Wilson Group. I''m here to ask why there''s no progress in the project you''re responsible for." The man read the business card, and a fawning look suddenly appeared on his face. "Miss Wilson, I''m happy you''ve finallye. The thing is, we didn''t dy the construction on purpose. It''s just that this project can''t go on. There''s a problem with the project funds. We couldn''t order the construction materials, and the workers weren''t getting paid. That is why they go on strike. Because of all these things, how can the project go on smoothly?" "That''s a serious problem. Didn''t you tell thepany about this?" "Of course, I did. I''ve talked to the superior several times, but the responses I get are ambiguous. They promised they''d handle it, but nothing happened," the manined. How could this be? My intuition told me that something far more serious was behind this. Without another word, I took out my phone and called my father. "Dad, do you know why the project funds of the west coast ecological park always get cut off?" I asked without beating around the bush. "What else could it be? Those parasites in thepany always gnaw at the funds. Those greedy bastards!" he eximed in rage. "Are you referring to Adam and his men?" I teasingly asked. "You''re so smart." "As far as I know, thepany still has working capital. But the problem is that Adam has his hands on it. He''s obsessed with horses. Just recently, he wants to bid for a piece ofndon the east bank so he Could build arge racecourse there. A lot ofpanies arepeting with him for thend. He must be strung out right now." Dad snorted. "That bastard sets aside the betterment of thepany for his own interest. Such a person shouldn''t even be in that position." "Don''t worry, Dad. I know a way to make him spit the money out." I had been itching to give Adam the taste of his medicine. He had been impressively dodging my attacks. Unfortunately for him, he happened to be in the line of fire this time. "But if Adames to me, you have to protect me," I said with a jest to ease the atmosphere. "Ha-ha! You better handle him yourself. I don''t want to get myself involved." The call ended shortly after. Just as I put away my phone, I got a call from the hospital. "Ady named Raina Hill came to the hospital. She said she wants to talk to Doctor Neame." I sneered in disdain. "Raina? Does she think she deserves to see Hugo? Dismiss her." I hung up the phone as soon as I finished speaking. Raina''s POV: I sat in the hospital director''s office anxiously. I had asked him to bring Hugo over. To me, that Hugo was nobody but a greedy man. How dare he ask for three hundred million dors for a mere surgery? To impress Charles, I would do whatever it took to make Hugo lower his price. A few momentster, the call between the director and Hugo ended. "What did he say?" I asked eagerly. "Doctor Neame said you''re not worthy enough to see him," the director replied with a look of embarrassment. I mmed the teacup on the table in a fit of anger. "How could that be? He''s just a doctor. Why is he so full of himself? Isn''t he afraid of offending the Hill family?" "I don''t think so," the director answered euphemistically. I could no longer restrain my anger anymore. "I don''t care what he says. I have to talk to him!" "What happened here?" The door suddenly opened, and Charles and Spencer came in. What were they doing here? The moment I saw Charles, I poured out my grievances to him. "Charles, Hugo has gone too far. I wanted to talk to him, but he said I wasn''t worthy enough to see him." Charles turned to look at me, and his icy cold gaze brought a chill down my spine. It felt like a sharp arrow going right at me. All of a sudden, my brain went nk, and words got stuck in my throat. Meanwhile, Spencer sat on the sofa leisurely and whistled arrogantly. "That''s too bad. It turns out that you can''t even see him. I''m disappointed but not surprised. Well, what can i expect from someone who disrespects Miss Hill? I''m curious about this Hugo. He seems to be a cool guy." I gritted my teeth to hold back my anger, but I could not take it anymore. "Spencer, do you really have to be sarcastic to me all the time? Besides, what''s the big deal about that Hugo? He''s just a doctor. Why don''t you just find someone else?" The more I spoke, the more enraged I felt. I was even on the verge of breaking down. "Didn''t you hear what the doctors said? The tumor in Christine''s brain is located in a tricky location.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Removing it will be extremely risky. Even the experts in neurosurgery don''t dare to operate on her. Just the slightest mistake during the surgery will cause permanent and significant brain damage. And even if they finish the surgery, there''s a chance that Charles''s grandmother will be disabled for the rest of her life. In a word, the surgery must only be performed by the best among the best. Hugo Hearne happens to be that person. Now, do you still think that he''s just another doctor?" Spencer asked with a sneer tugging at the corners of his mouth. My heart skipped a beat upon hearing his words. I took a look at Charles and saw that his face had turned gloomier. Damn it! Why did I even say those words? What if I got on Charles''s nerves again? At the thought of this, I walked over to him and tried to talk my way out. "Charles, I didn''t mean that. I¡ª" "Enough!" Charles interjected, "I''ve told you many times before that we have nothing to do with each other. You don''t have to worry about my money. Just get the hell out of here." I stared at him in disbelief. "How could we have nothing to do with each other? We will get married eventually." "No, we won''t. I will never marry you. I only have one wife in my life, and that is Scarlett. You and I are nothing but business partners. Don''t you ever forget your ce." Charles stared at me, not a hint of affection in his eyes. How did things get so bad? Chapter 385 Arrange The Operation Charles''s POV: I cast a cold nce at Raina, turned around, and left the office. Raina hurried to catch up with me and yelled after me, "Charles, whether or not that woman is really Scarlett, it''s obvious that she doesn''t want to have anything to do with you anymore. Why can''t you just forget about her?" Raina''s words felt like daggers in my heart. I suddenly turned around and shot her a death re. She was so frightened that she took a step back. Her eyes glistened with panic, but she still said stubbornly, "I... I''m just telling the truth." "How could you mention Scarlett in front of Charles, Raina? Do you have a death wish or something?" Spencermented and pushed her away. "Why can''t I mention her? She divorced Charles and left. It''s been a year. I don''t understand why Charles is still hung up on her. Why can''t he just be with me?" Rainained in tears.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "You really don''t know Charles at all. He hates being forced into doing anything. And are you serious, Raina? Your sister hurt Scarlett and almost killed James. How could you expect Charles to be with you? You''re delusional," Spencer sneered. "I didn''t hurt Scarlett or her child. It was Rita. Why do I have to suffer for my sister''s transgressions?" Raina reasoned, looking up at me. "I know what you''re up to, Raina. If you keep pestering me, I''ll have the guards throw you out," I scolded her, restraining my impatience. Raina''s eyes were full of resentment and unwillingness, but she didn''t dare to say anything more. When I returned to the ward, I saw Grandma packing up her things. I hurried in and asked, "Grandma, what are you doing?" "I don''t want to stay here anymore. Let''s go home. If I sit around in this ward for one more day with all the restrictions and the pills, I''m going to explode. I want to go home and be with my three great- grandchildren. I miss them so much," Grandma chattered while packing up. She managed to fold all her clothes and stuff them in her bag, but soon, she began to feel tired. I hurried to help her sit on the edge of the bed andforted her, "Grandma, I have contacted the internationally renowned neurosurgeon, Hugo Hearne. He''s a capable doctor. He can perform the operation on you and cure you." "Is the operation risky? What happens if I refuse it?" Grandma asked worriedly. "Grandma, please undergo the surgery. I''ll bring Scarlett to see you if you do, alright?" I persuaded her, desperately keeping my voice steady. "Really?" Grandma murmured and held my hand. Her eyes suddenly lit up. I nodded seriously, suppressing my bitterness and guilt. I had to convince my grandmother to go under the knife, but I didn''t have the heart to tell her that even though Scarlett was back, she wasn''t the same Scarlett that had once been our family. Not anymore. Scarlett''s cold eyes shed in my mind. I wasn''t sure if I could convince her to show herself to Grandma. After calming Grandma down, I walked out of the ward and breathed a sigh of relief. I contacted Hugo''s people and transferred the money to the designated ount for the surgery. With a funny look on his face, Spencer put his hand over his chest and teased, "I must see this Hugo. He must be quite sensational if he''s charging three hundred million dors for one surgery. If he were a woman, I''d be bending over backward to win his heart." "Did you really think that he''d pay attention to you if he were a woman? And why would you even try to court someone else? You have Vivian," I backfired and nced at him in disdain. "We''re getting a divorce," Spencer faltered and hurriedly changed the subject, "How old is Hugo supposed to be? Fifty? I''m turning thirty this Then I will suffer a great loss! I guess this foreign doctor just wants to make a fortune from this operation and then retire right after!" I pressed my lips together and kept silent. After transferring the money to the designated ount, Hugo''s medical team informed me that they were going to arrive at the hospital tomorrow afternoon, and they did right on schedule. Grandma grabbed my hand before one of the nurses rolled her into the operation room. "Charles, where is my dear Scarlett?" Her voice was weak, but her eyes were full of expectation. I didn''t know how to answer. My heart ached so much that I could hardly breathe. "Christine, Scarlett can''t make it today. But after you recover from your operation, I''ll take you to see her, okay?" Spencer stepped forward and rescued me from my predicament. Grandma nodded. Then, the nurse wheeled her into the operating room. As the doors of the operating room swung shut, fear and anxiety began to swallow me from the inside out. Spencer patted me on the shoulder tofort me. At this time, my father and my grandfather rushed over. They were both obviously in a state of disquiet. "Has Mom gone in?" "Yes," I answered and then asked with a frown, "Where''s Mom? Didn''t shee with you?" "She stayed at home to watch over the kids," Dad exined. I nodded and turned around. Seeing that Spencer was leaning against the door of the operating room and looking inside, I was confused. "What are you doing, Spencer?" I asked, knitting my brows. "I want to see this Hugo person. Why is he so mysterious?" Indeed, Hugo was a mysterious character. He never showed himself in public. Even the hospital could only contact him through a middleman. I was also curious about who he was. I especially sent Richard to investigate him before, but Richard wasn''t able to glean anything apart from the well-known fact that Hugo was French. Trying not to worry too much, I sat on the bench in the corridor outside the operating room. I struggled to sit still and not to let my mind wander too far. As the minutes ticked by, I only became more and more flustered. ''Grandma will get through this. She''s a fighter,'' I told myself. Dad and Grandpa began to pace back and forth in front of the operating room. My heart raced wildly, and I got butterflies in my stomach. All the waiting drove me to the edge of my sanity, and soon, my head started aching. If only Scarlett were here with me now. I forced a bitter smile. Chapter 386 The Operation Was Successful Charles''s POV: Five hourster, the light of the operating room finally went out. Dad eximed, "Charles, get up! Your Grandma ising out!" After sitting for five hours, I could hardly stand. My legs had fallen asleep, and I had to brace one hand against the wall for support. The doors of the operating room swung open. Grandma was still unconscious on the bed when the nurse wheeled her out. Dad, Grandpa, and I rushed over to her bedside. "How''d she do?" Grandpa anxiously asked the nurse. The nurse beamed, "She did very well. The operation is a raging sess. The patient''s tumor has been removedpletely." "Oh, that''s great. Thank goodness," Grandpa heaved a sigh of relief. While Grandpa spoke to the nurse, I whipped my head toward the operating room and saw a slender figure through the gap between the doors. But before I could make out a face, the doors closed. But why did that woman feel so familiar to me? Who was she? "What are you looking at, Charles? Come on, let''s go," Dad patted me on the shoulder. I snapped back to my senses and shook my head. The nurse took Grandma to the intensive care unit, and we followed. After telling us the dos and don''ts, the nurse turned to leave. I reached out to stop her. "This is going to sound like a strange request, but will it be possible for me to meet Doctor Neame? He saved my grandmother. I want to thank him face to face." "My son is right. Our family owes him, and we must thank him properly for saving one of ours," Dad echoed. "I''m sorry, but Doctor Neame has left the building," the nurse told us regretfully. "What? Already?" I was surprised. "He really is mysterious," Grandpa sighed. I left Dad and Grandpa to watch over Grandma while I went to the hospital director to talk about Grandma''s follow-up treatment. When I passed by the nurses'' station, I heard the nurses whispering. "Did you see that beautifuldy with Doctor Neame today? Who was she?" "I heard that she was his trantor. He doesn''t speak English." That familiar figure appeared in my mind again and lingered. Could it be her? All of a sudden, my heart started racing. I immediately took out my phone and sent a message to Richard. "Have you found out anything about Caroline Wilson?" He replied quickly, "I''ve gotten some pieces of important information." Scarlett''s POV: When I got home from the hospital, I was so tired that I copsed on the sofa. But I was d to see with my own eyes that Christine''s surgery went amazingly well. I couldn''t help sending a message to Hugo to express my gratitude. "Thank you for saving a very important person in my life." Hugo replied a few momentster. "It''s a doctor''s sworn duty to save lives and heal the afflicted, Scarlett. But I''m a little curious. Charles hurt you in the past. Why did you still help him this time?" After a short pause, I replied, "I didn''t do it for him. I did it for Christine. She''s a good person. She treated me like her own granddaughter and showered my children with unconditional love. I owed her." "I see. You are very kind indeed. If you need anything else, you know how to reach me." I put down my phone and took a deep breath. It was time to focus on my business. Early morning the next day, I went to the east bank with Elena. I wanted to see thend that Adam was interested in. There was no traffic on the way, so we arrived at the east bank in almost no time. Elena and I got out of the car and looked around. The ce was deserted, and there wasn''t a soul to be seen. When we turned a corner, we came across a group of people. Charles easily jumped out of that group, and my eyes instantly darted to him. His eyes shed with joy. "Miss Wilson, what a coincidence. What are you doing here?" "Well, since this ce isn''t owned by the Moore family, I figured I''d pay it a visit and have a look around. Is that okay?" I backfired, letting my voice drip with undisguised sarcasm. "Oh, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean that you''re not allowed toe here. I just meant what a small world, don''t you think? Of all ces that we could run into each other, it had to be here," Charles said with a smile. I bit down the curses that threatened to leave my lips. Small world? Perhaps he was right. The world was getting too small for us, and I wasn''t relishing it. "Would you like to explore the ce with our boss, Miss Wilson?" Amy offered. I refused directly, "No, thanks. I can''t stay anyway. I have other things to attend to. I should go-" After saying that, I turned around and left with Elena, but Charles rushed after me. When did he be so annoyingly persistent? He wasn''t this shameless before. "Are you also interested in thisnd, Miss Wilson?" Charles asked, starting the conversation. Without looking at him, I replied calmly, "No, I''m not." "Oh? But I heard that Mr. Adam Wilson had been scoping out this ce for something. I thought it was a family decision," Charles said meaningfully. I stopped and squinted at him. "What else do you know?" "Well, I heard that Mr.Wilson wanted to buy thisnd to build a racecourse. But to be honest, considering the soil moisture and the surrounding environment, this isn''t a good ce to turn into a racecourse. It''s a bad investment, and you stand to lose tons of money." I shrugged. "Okay. Then why are you interested in thisnd?" I asked. "The Moore Group wants to expand its hotel business. Thisnd meets our requirements." As Charles spoke, he stared at meExclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. with tenderness in his eyes. "But if you''re really interested in turning this ce into something profitable, why don''t we agree on a cooperation?" "Mr. Moore, I appreciate your offer to do business with me, but I''m very picky when ites to people I work with. Character matters to me. And I don''t mean to be blunt, but the first time I saw you, I knew that you were not the kind of person with whom I''d want to initiate a business cooperation." I looked straight into Charles''s eyes and politely expressed my dislike toward him. Charles frowned, and his face darkened. He opened his mouth to say something. But all of a sudden, his phone rang. Charles fished his phone out of his pocket, nced at the screen, and rejected the call. From where I was standing, I could see his phone''s screensaver. It was a photo of us taken a long time ago, In the photo, I had my arms around his neck, and our faces were pressed cheek-to-cheek as we smiled at the camera. overs I was stunned. Why did he still have that photo as his screensaver? My icy heart melted a little. ''We''re divorced. We''re no longer in each other''s lives. What is that photo still doing in his phone? And why is it his screensaver? Isn''t he afraid that Raina will see it and get jealous?'' A tidal wave of thoughts flooded my mind. Charles''s phone rang again. This time, I clearly saw Raina''s name. At that moment, I felt like someone dumped cold water over my head, instantly extinguishing the warm feelings and taking me back to a frozen wastnd of hate. Chapter 387 You Have To Believe Me Charles''s POV: I finally got a chance to talk to Scarlett, but Raina kept calling me, which annoyed me out of my wits. When I hungup on Raina again, Scarlett snapped. "Is your fiancee calling to check on you?" She looked at me coldly, and I instantly panicked. "A good man always answers his fiancee''s calls, Mr. Moore. You should talk to Miss Hill. She must be worried about you. I''m leaving now." The moment Scarlett turned around, my passion trumped my reason, and before my brain could sound off the rms, my body had already moved. I reached out and grabbed Scarlett''s wrist. There was only one thought in my mind. ''I can''t let her leave me again.'' "Scarlett... Please don''t go." In a fit of desperation, I lost all control. Scarlett groaned, "Let go of me!" It was not until then that I realized what I had done, and I loosened my grip at once. "Oh, my. I''m sorry. Please listen to me, Scarlett. I have nothing to do with Raina. You have to believe me." Scarlett raised her head and looked at me with mockery in her eyes. "You want others to believe you, but tell me, have you ever trusted anyone?" ? It ?