The Ex and Her Riches

“Ugh…” Whitney endured the pain with a frown. As she barely had any energy left, she couldn’t escape him.

Looking aggrieved, she said, “I’m just your wife in name who’ll be a stranger to you a year later. Yesterday, I made you angry, and you warned me, and today you didn’t come to pick me up. You’re clearly punishing me. Were you expecting me to throw away my pride and call you to drive me home? Is that it? I could’ve returned on my own, but my phone ran out of battery. It’s not like I got myself lost on purpose. You were the one who didn’t want me to rely on you, Charles, and I know I can’t because how else am I supposed to live without you a year later? Sooner or later, I’m going to have to familiarize myself with the route to work. The route will be etched into my mind after I make a few more mistakes.”

The sting on her cheek lingered as she endured the pain Charles inflicted on her by pulling her hair.

Intensely aggrieved, Whitney continued, “Why are you doing this to me, Charles? I know I was wrong. I won’t ask about your past with Gwendolyn again. I know I don’t deserve to learn about your past and that I can’t be compared to her in your heart, but I’m doing my best, too. I pursued you for five years after moving to Chanaea from Tayhaven. It’s not like I’m asking you to like me. I merely want you not to treat me so harshly. This way, I’ll still have a positive image of you in my mind after I leave you in a—”

Without warning, Charles tossed his umbrella away, pressed her head toward him, and kissed her lips.

His kisses were domineering.

Whitney felt as though she had been struck by lightning.

Her mind went blank. Even her breath was almost stolen by that unexpected kiss.

Charles… is kissing me? Is he crazy?

She hammered her fist on his chest, but she was too weak to cause any harm to him.

Charles hugged her tighter, attacking her olfactory senses with his scent.

No pedestrians or vehicles passed them by on the secluded street.

There was only Charles’ luxury car illuminating the two embracing figures.

Even the cold, rainy air seemed to have become sweeter due to the kiss.

passionate kiss lasted for a few minutes until Whitney fainted in his

stared at his pale face, then removed his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders. He carried her into his car and drove back to

is she so pale? Was she kidnapped? Is she hurt? Didn’t you bring an umbrella with you, Charles? Why are you wet

bothered to answer any of her questions. He turned to Manuel and

“Will do, Mr. Newton.”

brought Whitney upstairs and placed her on the bed before unbuttoning her shirt

movements upon realizing something and didn’t move again for

over to check up on

“Help me change her clothes. Her

with a grimace, his

are you so

Bang!

received was

this?” spat

from the closet and helped Whitney

later, the family doctor arrived

was drenched in the rain for hours, she caught a fever, which was unsurprising, and her body was particularly weak because she didn’t

her up to an IV drip with a nutritional solution and fever medicine

room to prevent others from spotting him losing his

to the study and shut the door

still pouring from the sky

into cracks. The atmosphere in the study

the window and

thinking about the kiss he had shared with Whitney on the side of the

still pounding, and

would ever have romantic feelings for a woman