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.

a few minutes until Whitney fainted in

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

carrying Whitney into the house. “What happened to Whitney? Why is she so pale? Was she kidnapped? Is she hurt? Didn’t

any of her questions.

“Will do, Mr. Newton.”

the bed

his impatient movements upon realizing something and didn’t move again for a long

over to check

said, “Help me change her clothes. Her suitcase

the room with a grimace, his long eyelashes concealing the panic in his

Why are you so embarrassed about helping her change her

Bang!

received was the loud slamming of

who treats their wife like this?” spat Jasmine before carrying

from the closet and helped Whitney change

later, the family doctor arrived

caught a fever, which was unsurprising, and her body

a nutritional solution and

to prevent others from spotting

study and shut the

from the sky with no end

windows into cracks. The atmosphere in the study

the window and smoked a cigarette, his face

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

still pounding, and he

kiss her? I never thought I could do something as ridiculous as that. It was like I was possessed. I only wanted to stop her incessant chatter. I never thought I would ever have romantic feelings for a woman other than Gwendolyn. However, at that moment, I really did feel something