Chapter 47

Frederick paused, clicking his tongue. “Oli no. I’m…shaken. What are you going to do?”

He was always so nonchalant. I doubted much in this world actually fazed him.

Jonathan snorted. “You can mess around all you want, but what about the old man at home? Do you think he’s okay with this?”

Hearing that, Frederick’s face hardened, his eyes flaring with anger. “This is between the two of us, Jonathan. Leave everyone else out of it.”

Jonathan retorted, “Really? Where was that energy when you pulled Alicia into this mess?”

“How is that my fault?” Frederick snapped. “She came at me first. All I did was not give in to her.”

Jonathan’s expression was cold. “She’s already hurt. It’s too late for excuses. Since you really want to cross me, don’t blame me for what happens next.”

At the hospital, Alicia was being treated. I waited outside, wishing I could be anywhere else. I didn’t know why Jonathan insisted I wait. Did I look like a doctor? Was I supposed to stitch Alicia up?

He was taking forever. I was done waiting, so I turned to leave, but was yanked back and slammed into his chest.

I looked up at his cold face and grumbled, “Do you have to keep pulling me like that? It really hurts.”

I still hid the scar on my wrist under long sleeves. I just didn’t want Jonathan to see it. That wound flared up occasionally, the pain shooting into my chest.

I knew it was me at twenty-five, hurting and lost. But I didn’t want to dwell on it anymore. All I wanted was to bury that pain deep in my heart and never let it surface again.

Jonathan glanced at me, his eyes cast down. “She’s getting bandaged. It’s nothing serious, but it might leave a scar.”

I looked him in the eye. “So? Why are you telling me this? It’s not my fault.”

Jonathan suddenly closed in on me. “Why did you give Frederick that bottle of First Love?”

My back hit the wall hard. I looked up at him. “What’s the big deal? I gave it to him because I felt like it. That wine is part of what we own as a couple. It belongs to me, too.”

Jonathan scoffed. “You remember it’s ours. Why didn’t you ask me before giving it away?”

I replied nonchalantly, “If you’ve got a problem with that, go take it back yourself. Didn’t Alicia try to help you with that?”

Jonathan scolded, in a raspy voice, “How long are you planning to keep this up, Elise?”

I shoved him away and took a step back, glaring coldly. “I told you right from the start. I wasn’t here to stir things up. I’m dead serious about the divorce, Jonathan.”

I said every word like I meant it. “If you can’t stand the thought of me giving our things to another man, then quit dragging this out and divorce me.”

With that, I spun around and left without waiting for a reply.

Alicia and I sat side by side in the car. I didn’t expect things to blow up like this. After all, she was the apple of the Zimmer family’s eye. One moment her grandmother was sick, and the next she was out drinking and came back with a head injury. No wonder everyone was so upset.

The Ford family reacted the strongest. Edward was livid and determined to make things right for Alicia. But that was expected. The Fords had always doted on Alicia, including Jonathan.