Rena started playing the piano once again. After finishing one song, she said, “I’m just trying to protect the people who are important to me, Waylen.”

Waylen stared at Rena for a long time.

Then, he began loosening his tie and ascending the stairs.

Waylen and Rena had dinner and put Alexis and Marcus to bed without talking to each other. They lived in the same house, but they treated each other like strangers.

Rena didn’t care anymore.

It was late at night.

Waylen and Rena began retiring to their own respective bedrooms.

In the corridor, Waylen grabbed Rena’s hand and said, “We need to talk.”

After Waylen said that, Rena’s phone rang, and she answered.

It was a call from one of her bodyguards that she sent to watch Mavis. The bodyguard reported hesitantly, “Sorry to bother you this late, ma’am, but the woman we were watching just jumped out of a third-story window. She shattered her legs.”

Jumped out a window.

Rena replied calmly, “Take her to the hospital. And keep your eyes on her.”

Waylen knocked the phone out of Rena’s hand and threw a fit of pique.

“She has already been expelled from school. What more do you want?

Rena… Have you always been this cold-blooded? Do you not trust me, or do you not trust your own decisions?

Is this how our marriage is going to be now?”

He confronted her with so many questions.

Rena was in a trance. Then, a smile tugged on the corners of her mouth.

“Yes. I suppose I have always been cold-blooded when circumstances necessitate it.

I can’t allow that woman to stay in Duefron.

I don’t care where she ends up as long as she’s nowhere near my family.”

Waylen looked at Rena with eyes burning with fury.

He walked to the end of the corridor, dialed a number, and ordered his assistant a series of things.

His assistant was a little startled but still went to do what he was told.

Rena stood under the light in the corridor. She overheard Waylen’s phone conversation with his assistant. He was going to help Mavis get back to school and pay for her medical expenses. ©

He would keep Mavis in Duefron.

At this moment, Rena felt extreme exhaustion, both physically and emotionally.

She felt that she and Waylen weren’t on the same page at all. Waylen didn’t know and would never know the kind of pain and fear through which he was putting her.

The crystal light in the corridor was bright.

Gnashing her teeth together, Rena picked up her phone and sent a message. It read, “Don’t watch her anymore. Leave her alone this instant.”

Waylen turned around after he hung up.

Rena was no longer there. The spring chill was all that was left in the long, luxurious corridor.

Waylen thought of what he had said and felt that he had spoken too strongly.

He didn’t want to have a falling out with Rena. He was willing to coax her and compromise with her. He was willing to put this matter about Mavis to bed.

Waylen knocked on Rena’s bedroom door and said, “Rena, open the door. Please.”

He waited for a few minutes, but no sound came from inside the room.

She obviously didn’t want to speak with him.

Waylen patiently waited for a few more minutes before he said in a low voice, “Please open the door. Let’s talk this over. It’s late. Do you want me making enough noise to wake up my parents? Can you please be reasonable, Rena?”

Still, there was no response.

After standing outside for a long time, Waylen decided to give up and go back to his bedroom.

Their relationship was almost at a breaking point.

It was rare for them to see each other after that night. Rena seldom gave Waylen the chance to spend time with her, and he was too proud to talk to her first.

It was the dead of night, and Waylen couldn’t fall asleep.

All he could think about was Rena. He was still deeply and madly attracted to her, and he still wanted her sobad. ©

Waylen had to attend a social engagement for work one day.

He was in a bad mood, so he drank a little too much at the banquet. After the party, he got in the car tipsy and dizzy.

The chauffeur knew nothing about Waylen’s private life, so he commented while he was opening the car door for his boss, “You’re drunk, Mr. Fowler. Mrs. Fowler won’t be pleased.

Women don’t like their men coming home to them intoxicated.”

Hearing the chauffeur’s remark, Waylen just leaned against the back seat.

He took out a cigarette from his cigarette case and lit it. Exhaling the smoke, he smiled bitterly and asked, “Are you sure she even cares?”

He had been living like he didn’t have a wife. Right now, he and Rena were more like roommates sharing a house.

away from him, her own

hadn’t shared a bed

to

bedroom. It was difficult for Waylen to talk to her, much more sleep with her. Because of the wedge that Rena drove

pain in Waylen’s tone, the chauffeur decided not to say anything more. He shut the car door, walked around the car, and hopped into the driver’s seat. He gunned the engine and

“Mr. Fowler!”

looked out the window

on a crutch

Waylen’s gaze, Mavis looked at her leg with grievance. She explained, “The doctor said my leg should recover

she put on her victimized

visit her more often now that he and Rena were no

he hadn’t shown

matter. If he couldn’t come see her, then she would just

at Mavis and ordered the

toward the main road. Watching the lavish black

dropped her crutch and let herself fall

made sure to appear frail

falling. He frowned and barked, “Stop the

dithered about following Waylen’s

a low voice, “Help her get in the

“Mrs. Fowler isn’t

head, Waylen retorted, “If you don’t tell her, then she won’t find out. Besides, we’re just sending the poor girl home. There’s nothing wrong

logic, the chauffeur had no choice but

sat next to

his seat, and closed his eyes. Meanwhile,

to stare

so sharp and perfect, and he exuded such a

this car

Mavis felt her blood boil with desire. She greedily inhaled the air around Waylen and then imagined what sex with him would

handsome face contort

it made

shirt, she leaned in and planted a soft kiss on his collar, making sure

a light orange lipstick

be able to spot Mavis’ kiss mark on Waylen’s

then opened his eyes. Before he could

hour later, they arrived at Mavis’ apartment, which was

chauffeur helped Mavis get out

and walking Mavis to her door. Mavis bowed to meet his gaze and said in a soft voice, “Thank

face,

out the window

was Elvira’s biological sister, and they had a striking resemblance to each

knew that he would possess her the moment he let

he would have a young and obedient

be Elvira’s

between himself and Mavis earlier was a test he set for

to see how much he cared about

Mavis leaned toward him earlier, he instantly thought of Rena. With his mind’s eye, he saw her playing the piano with such vigor and passion. Then, his heart started racing. The

the pros

time, Waylen chose Rena

the house of the Fowler

up at the house. It was already the middle of the night, so

foyer and ascended the stairs to the

Alexis and Marcus, he opened the door to Rena’s

left unlocked, so he was

on the sofa with a book in her hand. She

like

Waylen liked her body.

in a long time. He didn’t know if it was just the alcohol, but every fiber of his being ached

and then more and more hungrily. He began tracing

Rena didn’t even stir.

way less resistant of him in her

while, Waylen finally gave

what woke

eyes and stared at the big,

mark on the

must’ve left

quietly, but he was still fired up.

of me!” Rena’s face

with him and didn’t want to sleep with him, so he

lay back on the sofa. Her body was alluring and attractive,

Mavis today, didn’t

Waylen was stunned.

looked at her and explained, “Yes, I did, but nothing happened. I just gave her a

her pajamas back

of his

his white shirt stood

said, “I swear we didn’t do anything. You can ask

that Mavis left on him without his consent, he

and looked Rena straight in

to

sat there quietly, her eyes starting to burn with tears. After a few heartbeats, she said calmly, “No, you didn’t do anything unfaithful. You

Waylen. How is that any different from keeping a

to help. I

to

stood up and walked to her bedroom’s French window. Gazing at the blackness outside, she murmured, “You allow her to get close to you. You

have already

been with you today, I bet

coat. You would’ve let her touch you and kiss you. You would’ve taken her as your lover. You would’ve let her replace Elvira

a cigarette and lit it. He was shaking so badly that

he said, “You didn’t have to

quarrel

longer share

ached as

truth was

had too much to drink, Waylen couldn’t stand

Rena’s back and thought arguing tonight

muttered, “Let’s talk

Rena stood still.

the doorknob, she called after him, “Take your shirt. I don’t want

stabbed him in the chest, Waylen turned

help wondering whether or

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