âDaddy, I want some cotton candy.â
Melodyâs cute voice broke through the strange atmosphere.
Earl looked down and scooped the little girl into his arms.â Come on, letâs go get some cotton candy.â
Adinaâs gaze was unreadable. âDonât you care about Earley? Why arenât you saddened by his death?â
âHeâs in a better place, why should I be sad about that?â Catherine stared at the back of Earlâs figure, a smile slowly forming on her lips. âMr. Winters seems to enjoy being a father.â
Adina smiled coolly. âA fatherâs love is innate.â
Catherine suppressed a sneer. âA fatherâs love may be innate, but thatâs not the same for the love between a man and a woman. Mr. Winters hasnât spared you a single glance during the whole time Iâve been here.â
Adinaâs expression turned to ice.
If she had been doubtful then, she was absolutely certain at this point that there was something between Catherine and Duke.
But when they met at the bar that day, things got so hostile between them that they were almost at each otherâs throats. How could they have a spark between each other?
The Catherine of that day was even arrogant towards Duke, acting holierâthanâthou while spitting words full of condemnation.
But just a few moments ago, when Catherine spoke she would look at Duke first, as though asking him if she had said the right thingsâ¦
It was like watching a superior and a subordinate.
Adina narrowed her eyes, her gaze focused solely on Catherine.
âYou donât have to give me such a look, Ms. Daugherty, Iâm only sympathizing with you.â Catherine fiddled with her nails as she spoke. âIt hasnât even been a month since you were married and already the internet is buzzing about how your marriage has soured, Mr. Winters even lost his wedding ring. I thought it was nothing at first, but Mr. Winters hasnât looked at you even once since earlier, itâs clear that his feelings have changed. If I were you, Ms. Daugherty, Iâd file for a divorce rather than latch on to him for his statusâ¦â
âSilence!â
When Earl had finished buying the cotton candy, he turned around and overheard everything Catherine had said.
There were fiery sparks in his eyes as he said slowly, âGet out of here.â
Catherine never thought that he would return so quickly. She shrank away in fright and spoke with some difficulty. âI was only joking with Ms. Daugherty, why are you being so serious, I didnât mean anything by itâ¦â
âLeave!â
There was hostility in Earlâs voice.
Catherine looked at him just like how she did the first time they met.
At that time, this man had suddenly appeared before her, his body injured all over. When she went over to ask what had happened, he had roared at her to leave him alone.
In the few encounters she had with him, Catherine would always end up hurt by his hostility.
But she must be some kind of masochist, because the more he yelled at her, the more she fell hopelessly in love with him.
âOkay, Iâll go.â Tears fell from Catherineâs face. âDonât be angry, I wonât do it again.â
She wiped her tears as she said this, and after taking one longing look at the man, she finally turned and left.
Earl lowered his eyes sullenly and pinched the space between his brows hard.
Adina watched the children playing in the distance and said softly, âThe lipstick mark on your collar that day, was it Catherineâs?â
Earlâs hand stiffened, and he blurted out, âNo.â
âYou donât have to lie to me, itâs quite obvious.â Adina chuckled. â Todayâs encounter wasnât a coincidence. She had this planned for some time, hoping that I would divorce you.â
âYouâre imagining things.â Earl frowned. âIâm not close to her at all.â
âRegardless, I only want to know: how far have you r nave you gone with her?â
Adinaâs smile never changed.
If they had not advanced to third base, she could still convince herself that she would try harder for their marriage.