Chapter 658
“Why does everyone think I want to live some cold, soulless life of privilege? You know, I grew up with my mom. Her world was the smell of home-cooked meals, and the vegetable patch and orchard she tended in our yard. At harvest, I’d help her pick vegetables, and in the fall, we’d gather fruit together. If I weren’t a Jennings, my life wouldn’t be any different. But because I am, I never really had a choice.” Edward’s eyes were rimmed red as he let it all out.
It was like his words painted a picture of the road he’d traveled–I could almost see his journey laid out before me.
“You’re hurting me,” I said, wincing. He was pressing down so hard, it felt like my bones might crack.
Edward finally let go of my shoulders, stepped back, and leaned against the wall. His gaze was heavy with regret as he looked down at me. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have tried to force my life onto you.”
I covered my face with my hands and sank down by the door, my voice thick with misery. “Edward, I’m not the kind of woman you need. I can’t give you the life you’re looking for.”
“I’ve looked into your marriage with Jared. He ignored your kindness and gentleness. What he wanted was a partner who could fight alongside him in the business world. To him, you were just someone to help out at home–someone he could easily overlook,” Edward said softly, crouching down beside me.
I looked up at him through tear-filled eyes, and in the blur, his face seemed to fade away.
“Why did you dig into all that?” I asked, feeling angry and exposed. It was like he could see right through me.
“I just wanted to know more about you. I even looked up the city where you grew up. I’ve never been this crazy before,” Edward said, a touch of self-mockery in his voice.
I stared at him, totally blank. ‘He calls this crazy? No, this is just twisted,’ I thought.
Edward murmured with a mocking edge, “Jared wanted someone to fight alongside him at work, but I just want someone to share my life with. He married you, and I ended up with the ex-wife of a workaholic. It’s like fate loves messing with us—giving you what you don’t want, and keeping what you really want forever out of reach.”
I blinked, my eyes stinging, then scrambled to my feet to grab a tissue and blow my nose. My cold still hadn’t gone away, and after all this drama and crying, my eyes were puffy and aching.
Feeling weak and exhausted, I turned to Edward and asked, “Do you mind if I lie down for a bit?”
Edward looked surprised for a moment, then nodded. “Sure.”
“Are you really sure you don’t want to?” I asked, my voice laced with a sly edge.
Edward glanced at my partially unbuttoned shirt, then looked away. “Next time.”
“There won’t be a next time. Miss this chance and it’s gone forever,” I teased, wanting to mess with him a little.
Edward suddenly laughed. “You’re not getting away from me.”
His answer instantly killed any wicked thoughts I had. I didn’t feel like arguing with him anymore, so I just collapsed onto the bed, totally spent. Rain or shine outside, it didn’t matter—I was out cold the moment my head hit the pillow. Not a single dream disturbed my sleep. I didn’t wake up until nine the next morning, when I called my advisor and asked for a day off.
Edward crashed on the bedroom couch all night, and when morning came, he just got up and went off to his study. A little while later, an older lady came upstairs and knocked on my door with a warm smile.
“Ms. Murphy, Mr. Hallman asked me to bring you some breakfast. You should eat something,” she said.
“Thanks,” I said, meeting her gaze.
She quickly introduced herself. “Just call me Lynne. I’ve been with Nathan here in the UK for many years now.”
“Thank you, Lynne,” I said politely.
Lynne sized me up a few more times before flashing me a smile and heading downstairs. I set my breakfast down on the couch, then went to the bathroom to freshen up before eating. When I came out, I saw another housekeeper bringing over a set of clothes. “Edward picked these out for you,” she said.
“And here are some ladies‘ essentials,” she added, carefully handing me a shopping bag. I peeked inside and saw it was packed with top luxury brands for women—some of them I’d never even heard of.
‘Did Edward really get all this for me?’ I wondered.
Chapter 659