Chapter 5<\/p>\n
Lester hesitated and didn\u2019t dare to answer Scarlet.<\/p>\n
William and Scarlet were on bad terms, and people working under them had it the hardest. He wasn\u2019t sure if he should tell her William\u2019s whereabouts.<\/p>\n
William wasn\u2019t someone he could cross, but the lady of the Cooper family was also someone he couldn\u2019t offend. The couple was in an argument now, but who knew when they would make up? When that happened, he would be the one to pay the price.<\/p>\n
After much deliberation, he chose the safest answer possible. \u201cMr. Cooper has been busy with work these past few days.\u201d<\/p>\n
He sure was good at skirting the issue. Scarlet saw through Lester. \u201cSo\u2026 he\u2019s been staying at the company?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUh\u2026 N-No.\u201d Lester nearly broke out in a cold sweat.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll stop putting you on the spot.\u201d Scarlet lowered her head and continued sipping her soup. \u201cYou may go now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lester didn\u2019t waste a second and left.<\/p>\n
\u2026<\/p>\n
Scarlet called William again around noon. Chris answered, as usual. \u201cMrs. Cooper, are you looking for Mr. Cooper?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCan you put William on the line?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Cooper is busy right now,\u201d Chris responded politely. \u201cI\u2019m sure you know he just returned to the country. There are a lot of matters at Bova Capital that need his attention, so he\u2019s been extremely busy lately. If it\u2019s something urgent, I can pass the message for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Divorce wasn\u2019t a topic that could be passed along by an assistant.<\/p>\n
Scarlet\u2019s patience was wearing thin. \u201cIn that case, help me tell him if he keeps working himself to death like this, he\u2019s going to drop dead one day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chris was stumped.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore that happens, tell him to return my call,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
Chris was at a loss for words.<\/p>\n
After the call ended, he looked at the man behind the desk, who was signing his name at the bottom of a document. He wasn\u2019t sure if he should repeat her words verbatim.<\/p>\n
William had been busy the last few days. He was shifting Bova Capital\u2019s focus back home. The headquarters relocated from Wellton Street to Lebavia. Completing paperwork and procedures alone took days.<\/p>\n
After finishing a tall stack of documents, William capped his pen, leaned back in his chair, and took a sip of coffee before asking, \u201cWhat did she say?\u201d<\/p>\n
Chris polished Scarlet\u2019s message a little. \u201cMrs. Cooper told me to remind you to take care of your health and not overwork yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
William cocked his brow before looking out the window. Bova Capital\u2019s new office stood right next to Cooper Group headquarters. Rows of silver-gray skyscrapers stood side by side, forming a vast, modern central business district. Sunlight reflected sharply off the glass facades at noon.<\/p>\n
William let out a low chuckle. He turned his chair 90 degrees to face the floor-to-ceiling window and took another slow sip of coffee. \u201cThat\u2019s new. The sun must have risen from the west today.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2026<\/p>\n
Scarlet had no idea whether Chris had actually passed her message along. Either way, nothing changed. William was still as good as dead to her. He didn\u2019t return her calls, and he didn\u2019t come home.<\/p>\n
While he refused to show up, Justine called to push for progress. \u201cHow did your talk with William go?\u201d<\/p>\n
Scarlet still had patients scheduled for follow-up in the afternoon, and she didn\u2019t even have time for lunch. So, she grabbed some bread to tide herself over. \u201cHe\u2019s been busy lately. We haven\u2019t discussed it yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scarlet could almost picture Justine\u2019s brows knitting together. \u201cAre you deliberately dragging this out, Scarlet?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not,\u201d Scarlet responded.<\/p>\n
Justine snapped, \u201cYou\u2019re only hurting each other by dragging this out. You\u2019re hurting both William and us! Do you hate us that much?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t.\u201d Scarlet sounded drained.<\/p>\n
\u201cHave we ever mistreated you? You practically grew up in front of me. Don\u2019t force me to become the villain in the end. You\u2019re the one who will look bad when that happens!<\/p>\n
\u201cWilliam has already suffered for three years because of you. Do you have any idea what it\u2019s like for me, as his mother, to watch him stay in Amriva year after year and never return home because of you?\u201d Justine questioned.<\/p>\n
Scarlet had never known the reason William had suddenly decided to go to Amriva.<\/p>\n
They claimed that he pursued Nicole Jameson and blamed Scarlet for failing to keep her husband\u2019s heart.<\/p>\n
They claimed he didn\u2019t want to see her and blamed her for being unbearable. In any case, it was all her fault.<\/p>\n
All of the resentment Justine had bottled up over the years spilled out at that moment. \u201cIf his grandmother hadn\u2019t forced him to marry you, I would never have agreed to this marriage. William deserves a better wife!\u201d<\/p>\n
Scarlet felt as though her heart was being carved open over and over. She could no longer feel the pain, only a raw, bloody emptiness.<\/p>\n
Clenching her fists, she said, \u201cI haven\u2019t married into your family out of my own will either. Don\u2019t forget that you were the ones who needed something from me.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was a brief silence on the other end of the line. Justine\u2019s tone softened when she spoke up again, though it was still condescending. \u201cI know that you did help us back then, and you\u2019ll be compensated accordingly. Once you and William divorce, this matter will be settled. You and our family will be quits.\u201d<\/p>\n
So much for being quits. After ending the call, Scarlet slumped back into her chair.<\/p>\n
It was late fall. The leaves in the dawn redwood grove had almost all fallen, leaving only a few withered ones on the bare branches.<\/p>\n
Just then, a new resident knocked on the door. \u201cIt\u2019s almost 1:00 pm, Dr. Benson. Are you ready?\u201d<\/p>\n
Scarlet took a deep breath and straightened up. \u201cYes, I\u2019m ready.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2026<\/p>\n
Before getting off work, Scarlet received a call from Lucy. Lucy could tell something was off and kept pushing until Scarlet told her about the call at noon. Then, she almost exploded.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat old witch actually said that? Quits, my ass! The Coopers owe you a hell of a lot, okay?<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does William even have to complain about? If he\u2019s that miserable, he shouldn\u2019t have touched you in the first place!<\/p>\n
\u201cDamn it. Tell him to ask his dick if it feels miserable!\u201d<\/p>\n
Scarlet almost spat out her water. She hurriedly looked around. Fortunately, no one else was in the pantry.<\/p>\n
She filled her up and walked back to her office. \u201cWatch your language, Ms. Rosen. I\u2019m in a hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo what if you\u2019re in a hospital? We\u2019re all humans. It\u2019s in our DNA!\u201d Lucy wasn\u2019t done just yet. \u201cYou didn\u2019t even complain, yet he had the audacity to feel aggrieved?<\/p>\n
\u201cDidn\u2019t he still do whatever the hell he wanted after you were married? He pursued Nicole until the whole world knew and turned you into a laughingstock!<\/p>\n
\u201cEven a housekeeper dared to walk all over you and humiliate you. You wasted three good years of your life on him, and what did you get? Everyone\u2019s mockery and a relationship where you\u2019re being treated like a fool!\u201d<\/p>\n
Because Lucy was her best friend, she knew exactly where it hurt. \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t mind if I stopped talking to you for, say, 500 years, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, don\u2019t!\u201d Realizing she\u2019d gotten carried away, Lucy hastily backtracked. \u201cI\u2019m off work now. Hang on, I\u2019ll pick you up and treat you to a feast!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour feast usually comes in liquid form,\u201d Scarlet quipped.<\/p>\n
Lucy grinned. \u201cYou know me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucy couldn\u2019t really hold her liquor, but she loved having a drink or two whenever she could. She always called it stress relief. Every time she said she was taking Scarlet to a feast, they ended up at a bar.<\/p>\n
Scarlet had just gotten out of the hospital when the cab Lucy ordered pulled up to the curb. Lucy leaned out of the window and waved at her.<\/p>\n
Scarlet hopped in and pulled out her hand sanitizer out of habit. Lucy immediately held out both grubby hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe new bar that just opened is running a promo today. Couples get 50% off!\u201d<\/p>\n
The word \u201cdiscount\u201d was Lucy\u2019s fatal weakness. A 50% discount was basically a knockout punch. Once she saw it, she couldn\u2019t take her eyes off it.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we\u2019re not a couple,\u201d Scarlet said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re way too honest for your own good.\u201d Lucy wrapped her arms around Scarlet. \u201cNo one will question it if we say we\u2019re a couple. Everyone\u2019s so open-minded these days. Worst case scenario, we kiss!\u201d<\/p>\n
Scarlet responded flatly, \u201cI\u2019ll pass.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cObjection overruled. You\u2019re married, but I\u2019m a pure, innocent pringle. If anything, I\u2019m the one getting the short end of the stick.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was much easier to get into the bar than Scarlet expected. Lucy, on the other hand, lacked a few screws. She wrapped her arm around Scarlet\u2019s waist and lifted her chin at the bouncer. \u201cCan\u2019t you tell? I\u2019m the top!\u201d<\/p>\n
Scarlet was at a loss for words.<\/p>\n
Lucy wanted to cheer her up. So, she ordered a ton of food and even splurged on the expensive drinks she normally wouldn\u2019t touch.<\/p>\n
The bar was upscale, the atmosphere was pleasant, and the snacks were surprisingly good. The only downside was the crowd. The music was deafening, loud, and restless.<\/p>\n
Lucy, who was chronically online, was always ahead of everyone when it came to gossip. \u201cDid your husband really come back to fight over the inheritance?\u201d<\/p>\n
Chapter 5 Lester hesitated and didn\u2019t dare to answer Scarlet. William and Scarlet were on bad terms, and people working […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-113","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-end-of-the-contractstart-of-his-obsession"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=113"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=113"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=113"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=113"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}