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 place.
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
accusatory tone.
If it were not for him wanting a divorce, I would not have come 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 a complete 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 or later," he said in a low voice.
I could not perceive any emotion in his tone.Then, he turned around and laid 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 sleep last 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 plan."
I knew she meant well, so I did not refuse.I was thinking about finding a place to be alone and rest for a
while, but maybe company 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 placing our orders, Nina reached out and held my hand.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 plate 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 flashed 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 not come 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?
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