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

shared a bed in months.

to touch

was normal for a couple to have fights sometimes, but they should be able to resolve their problems and kiss and make up. But Rena chose to move into another bedroom. It was difficult for Waylen to talk to her, much more sleep with her. Because of the wedge that Rena drove between them, they couldn’t tackle

shut the car door, walked around the

“Mr. Fowler!”

out the

was on a crutch and hobbling toward

looked at her leg with grievance. She explained, “The doctor said my leg should recover

saying that, she put on her

now that

hadn’t

matter. If he couldn’t come see her,

just nodded at Mavis and

chauffeur started driving toward the main road. Watching

her crutch and

made sure to appear frail and

to see Mavis falling. He frowned and barked, “Stop the car.”

dithered about

a low voice, “Help her get in the car and give her a

isn’t going to like this, Mr.

tell her, then she won’t find out. Besides, we’re

boss’ logic, the chauffeur had no choice but to get out of

next

rested his head on the back of his seat, and closed his eyes. Meanwhile, Mavis

turned to stare

so sharp and perfect, and he

car was

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

against the mattress? Would his handsome face contort

of it

snow-white shirt, she leaned in and planted a soft kiss on his collar,

a light orange lipstick

be able

and then opened his eyes. Before he could fully wake up, Mavis

Mavis’ apartment, which was located in

helped Mavis get out of

a soft voice, “Thank you for giving me a ride home, Mr. Fowler. If you need me to

face, smiled,

away, Waylen stared out the window and let

sister, and they had a striking resemblance to each other. Such a

her

a young

be

himself and Mavis earlier was a test he set

see how much he

he saw her playing the piano with such

pros and cons

Waylen chose Rena and

of the

already the middle of the night, so most of the lights in the house had

through the foyer and ascended the stairs to

Marcus, he opened the door to

unlocked, so he was

a book in

exposed skin gleamed like

Waylen liked her body.

if it was just the alcohol, but every fiber of his being

then more

Rena didn’t even stir.

less resistant of

kissing her for a while, Waylen finally gave in and began

was what woke up

misty eyes and stared at the

noticed the orange kiss mark on the

left it

he was still fired up.

of me!” Rena’s face turned

didn’t want to sleep with him, so he gently nibbled on

body was alluring and attractive, but her words were

saw Mavis today, didn’t

Waylen was stunned.

I did,

began putting her pajamas

undid two buttons of his shirt and showed him the lipstick

on his white shirt stood out like

his brows and said, “I swear we didn’t do anything.

he took off his shirt and tossed it into the trash

he turned around and looked Rena straight in

even bother to lose

tears. After a few heartbeats, she said calmly, “No, you didn’t do anything unfaithful. You just helped that woman get reinstated in college, rented her a nice apartment, paid for her

me, Waylen. How is that

just trying to help. I don’t

didn’t want to have

window. Gazing at the blackness outside, she murmured, “You allow her to get close to you. You allow her

have already

been with you today, I bet you would’ve pushed your

take your coat. You would’ve let her touch you and kiss you. You would’ve taken her

cigarette and lit it. He was shaking so badly that he almost burned

said, “You didn’t have to say such harsh words,

didn’t quarrel with

Waylen, the only reason we still share a home is that we no longer share a bed. It’s only a matter of time

heart ached as

was indeed

too much to drink, Waylen couldn’t stand his

and thought arguing tonight wouldn’t do

his forehead and muttered, “Let’s talk

Rena stood still.

she heard Waylen turn the doorknob, she called after him, “Take

chest, Waylen turned and

help wondering whether or not

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255