After she had been splashed by Kevin, Anne was now standing in front of Cherry with her clothes still dripping.
Kevin's presence loomed over her from behind. Wearing a neat shirt and a pair of casual pants, he had his arms folded in what looked like enjoyment for seeing her embarrassed.
"Why are you all wet?" Cherry's tone was a mixture of surprise and concern. "Quick, go and change your clothes."
The worry and nervousness in her voice made her look like a kind older sister taking care of her sibling.
But Anne knew that she was just pretending.
Cherry's eyes were telling a different story. They didn't care to hide the joy and victory she must have felt.
"I'm here to apologize to you. Then I'll go change my clothes." Although she could see through Cherry's hypocrisy and disguise, Anne kept her expression impassive. She didn't want to expose her.
No matter what she said, there were always people ready to believe in Cherry's deceptions. "I said it wasn't your fault. Why are you apologizing?" Cherry moved her gaze to Kevin, a hint of false accusation in her voice. "You overreacted. It's really nothing to do with Anne. You worry too much about me. People get sick sometimes. How can it be Anne's fault?"
It seemed that she was blaming Kevin instead.
However, in Anne's eyes, this was just her way of showing affection.
All this time, she had been immune to their feelings being displayed openly. No matter how disgusting it was, it wasn't something she hadn't heard of before. She had seen way more repulsive performances.
What she was observing now couldn't affect her in any way.
"I shouldn't have let you wait for the driver in the rain and get wet. It's all my fault. Cherry..." She took an almost imperceptible breath, gathering all her strength. "Please, forgive me." As though someone had just punched her in her stomach, it pained her to utter those words.
She even felt the taste of blood making its way up her throat.
And Cherry seemed to be feeding off Anne's distress. "Please don't say that," she voiced, curling the corners of her mouth in a complacent smirk.
"How am I supposed to forgive you if you didn't do anything wrong? It's all..." In an attempt to show the sincerity of her concern, Cherry sat up and started to get out of bed to hold Anne's hand.
Growing indignant, Kevin rushed forward and pushed Cherry back on the bed. His words came hurried and slightly anxious. "You're still sick. Why would you get up?" With a glare in Anne's direction, he then added, "She deserves it."
Cherry stared at him with a reproachful expression, pretending to blame him.
Kevin knew better than to make her angry, so he quickly pressed his lips to hers.
While Cherry returned the kiss, a contented smile blossomed on her face.
Looking away slowly, Anne felt a cold breeze enveloping her body and penetrating through her very core. She wished she could leave that place at once.
She opened her mouth ready to speak, when Kevin broke in sulkily. "A family dinner will be held at the old house tomorrow at five o'clock." He turned his gaze toward Anne. "You need to go too, to take care of Cherry."
With her mouth still agape, Anne stared at Kevin in surprise, while Cherry blushed shyly.
Without further bothering to look at Anne, Kevin turned his back to her arrogantly. "It was you who made her get sick." His voice was cold and emotionless. "If you don't take care of her, you won't be qualified to enter the old house."
Anne's hands started resolving into angry fists. Access to the old house was only allowed to the people of the Fu Family and their respectable relatives. She was Kevin's wife, the granddaughter in law of the Fu Family. The thought that she could only enter the house if she took care of a mistress was outrageous.
As she glared at Kevin's back, her eyes froze with repulsion. It was as if her heart had been stabbed by a poisonous arrow, its venom slowly paralyzing her body.
"I see." In spite of everything, she maintained her composure. "I'm leaving now, so... Cherry, have a good rest."
"Be off. You have spoiled the air in here." Kevin's words were sharp and stinging like a thousand needles ready to pierce through her body.
But her heart was already peppered with holes created by him. She would have never imagined that such a handsome and noble man could be both a magnificent and a ruthless being able to hurt people in a way that even taking a single breath around him was painful.
She didn't know such men existed, until she married Kevin.
After all, maybe it was true that if someone didn't love you, they could make your life a living hell in a matter of minutes. Anne had learned it the hard way.
'Kevin, I'm a human being too, just like Cherry.'
Taking a deep breath, Anne hurried downstairs, her body swinging wildly. She felt dizzy and immediately fell to the ground on her side.
"Anne!" Seeing her like that, Emily got scared and rushed to hold her.
Pale and feeble, Anne regained consciousness after a few seconds and stood up. As she spoke, she felt weakness wash over her body. "I'm fine.
"You're cold like an icicle. Let me help you get in the car," Emily mouthed, still holding her tight.
Color was draining out of Anne's face and her skin was growing gelid. She didn't look well. Kevin... He was too cruel to her.
In fact, Emily felt sorry for Anne. Helping her take a few steps toward the car, she uttered with a hint of guilt in her voice, "Anne, it's all my fault. I won't let our people get in touch with them next time."
"It's not your fault." Sinking in the seat of the car, Anne closed her eyes drowsily.
Emily knew that Kevin was hurting Anne deliberately. She sympathized with her, but that wasn't enough to make a difference. The only thing she could do to help her was to be kind to her.
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