Chapter 5: Chapter 5



In the past, Joelle would have eagerly headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner for Adrian like a dutiful wife. She had once dragged herself out of bed while suffering from a high fever, determined to cook Adrian a lavish dinner to keep him home when Irene had demanded he come back.

People often say the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. But Joelle had wanted more than just that. She had wanted to become indispensable to him and cater to his every whim.

That evening, Adrian had been in an unusually good mood and patient in bed. Joelle still remembered how her feverish body had almost made him lose control. Looking back, she realized how naive she had been. Before their marriage, she had been the cherished girl, but afterward, she had reduced herself to the role of Adrian’s servant. How pathetic!

“I don’t want to do it,” she declared, rejecting Adrian’s demand for the first time.

Leaning on the second-floor railing, Adrian peered down at her with a mixture of arrogance and pity, as if he thought she was throwing a tantrum. “Are you still upset about Erick?” he asked.

Joelle said nothing, but her silence meant yes.

Adrian disapproved, saying, “Don’t be too harsh. Rebecca isn’t in good health. If you hurt her brother, how do you expect her to manage on her own?” He paused for a brief moment and then added, “Joelle, you’ve lost loved ones too. You should understand how that feels.”

Joelle tensed, locking her eyes on the man descending the stairs. “So you think my brother’s ordeal should just be ignored?”

Adrian stopped in front of her and replied impatiently, “Tomorrow morning, your brother will receive several lucrative project proposals. He’s already moved on, so stop making this a bigger issue than it is.”

Joelle balled her hands into fists, trembling slightly in frustration. Did Adrian believe that a few projects could make up for the damage to Shawn’s health?

In his eyes, Rebecca’s and Erick’s lives held value. But what about Shawn’s? Overwhelmed with anger, Joelle nearly passed out. Her vision blurred, and she had to steady herself against the back of the sofa to keep from collapsing.

Adrian walked past her and settled into the sofa. “Go make dinner.”

He always spoke to her in that authoritative tone and expected her to obey without question. Joelle silently bowed her head and limped toward the kitchen.

Her long hair fell over her face, concealing her emotions. When she stepped into the kitchen, she closed the frosted glass door behind her and slowly slid down against it to compose herself. Once she was sure Adrian couldn’t hear her, she covered her mouth with her hand, muffling her sobs.

Meanwhile, Adrian sat on the sofa, his irritation growing. If it weren’t for the fact that they had to visit his grandmother together tomorrow, he wouldn’t have come back here at all. Everything in this house carried Joelle’s scent. Seeing her only brought back the memory of the morning three years ago when they had woken up together, naked.

Just then, his phone rang. It was Leah, who reported to him, “Sir, I forgot to mention that Mrs. Miller sprained her ankle today. Given her brother’s situation, she probably didn’t have time to address it.”

Adrian ended the call abruptly and turned his icy gaze towards the kitchen. Joelle had been in there for quite some time, yet the kitchen remained suspiciously quiet.

Joelle was still crouched on the floor, trying to pull herself together. Suddenly, the door swung open, flooding the room with light. Adrian stood in the doorway, his expression tense. He first noticed the tear stains on her cheeks, then his eyes lowered to her ankle. “You… Hey!”

Before Joelle could react, Adrian scooped her up into his arms. Joelle was startled at first but soon felt the strength and steadiness of his embrace. His chest was firm and warm against her.

Adrian carried her to the sofa and, without a word, lifted her skirt to inspect her ankle. Joelle winced at the contact.

“Do you not care about your ankle anymore?” Adrian snapped, his voice laced with impatience. It was only then that Joelle realized she might have overreacted.

Adrian applied ointment to her ankle and then let her rest on the sofa while he ordered takeout instead of having her cook.

For a moment, Joelle was disoriented. It was as if she had been transported back to the days when they weren’t married yet, and Adrian was still gentle and patient.

Adrian, too, felt a strange sense of déjà vu. When he had opened the kitchen door and seen Joelle crying on the floor, it felt as though time had turned back. Before their marriage, Adrian had been close with Joelle and Shawn. However, Joelle had greedily tried to use their union to bind their families together.

She had made her bed, and now she was lying in it. But even so, Adrian found it difficult to completely disregard her pain.

After they finished dinner and showered, Joelle picked up her pillow and blanket and prepared to leave the room. Adrian raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Where are you going?”

“I’m sleeping in the next room.”

Adrian smirked. Did Joelle think he would try to stop her? In the past, every time Adrian returned home, Joelle was always right there, eager to be by his side. Now she said she wanted to sleep elsewhere. Adrian was confident it wouldn’t be long before she came back.

Adrian said nothing. The weather report had predicted rain tonight, complete with thunder and lightning. Surely, she would be back soon.

However, as the night progressed, Adrian waited, but she never returned. When he awoke the next morning, the space beside him was still cold and empty. Downstairs, Joelle was already busy in the kitchen.

She was dressed in a white floral dress with a halter apron that accentuated her waist, and her hair was pulled back into a low ponytail. Standing by the stove, she tasted the steaming soup from a spoon.

The soup was hot. She frowned slightly as a few strands of hair slipped from behind her ear. The morning sunlight filtered through the window, casting a soft glow on her hair.

For some reason, Adrian suddenly didn’t feel like arguing with her anymore. Joelle had her flaws, but she had been considerate and gentle over the past three years.

As Adrian sat down at the table, Joelle neatly arranged his utensils in front of him. “We’re going to visit your grandma today,” she reminded him.

Adrian nodded. “Let’s eat first.”

Joelle took a seat across from him, still clad in her apron. With an unreadable expression, she stated, “If you have time today, we should go file for divorce.”

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