Scarlett's POV:
A slight frown appeared on Charles's face as though Alice had already asked too many questions.
"Fine. I won't ask you anymore. As for the divorce, I suggest you think it through again. But, you know, it'll be great if Scarlett gets pregnant while you're at it," Alice hurriedly said with a shrug.
"Alice, I just came here to get my face treated. It's not what you think," I quickly explained, not wanting Alice to misunderstand me more. After fighting with the buttons for a long time, I finally buttoned them up.
"You don't have to explain. I'm the one who should apologize. I didn't know you both returned here last night. But, you don't have to be shy about it. That's normal for a man and woman, after all. Besides, you two are a legal couple. You're free to do anything you want." Alice admitted her faults but still did not let the matter go.
Truth be told, I felt an urge to cry when I heard what she had said.
Charles and I had already made up our minds about the divorce. But now, Alice misunderstood what was happening between us again. What should I do now?
Anxious, I grabbed Charles's hand and asked him, "Please tell mom that we've already agreed to divorce yesterday."
However, Charles merely withdrew his hand and rested his head on it. He then looked at me blankly and acted as if this was none of his business.
This made my blood boil. I wanted to beat him right then and there, but there was nothing else I could do but hold my anger.
Flustered, I turned my face away from him. It was then that Alice caught sight of the palm print on my face.
"Scarlett, what happened to your face? Oh my God! Charles, did you beat her? You jerk! How could you do that?!"
Alice was fuming with anger as she thought that it was Charles who slapped me on the face.
"It wasn't me, but I've already taken care of it." Charles held my chin and gently turned my head to face him. His high spirits did not seem to change at all. At that moment, he opened the medical kit on the tea table and applied ointment to my face again.
My face no longer hurt as much as it did last night. However, I was still angry and resentful, so I tried to keep him at arm's length.
As Alice saw that Charles and I did not fight, she did not ask any more questions. She just left without a word and even closed the door for us.
Judging from her brisk pace, she must be eager to share with Michael and Christine what she had just seen.
"Why didn't you explain to her everything? We agreed that we'd divorce today, didn't we?" I asked Charles once his mother was gone.
"Mom has already misunderstood everything. If we told her that we would still divorce, she'd beat me. You know how violent she can be," Charles explained patiently while applying the ointment on my face with a cotton swab.
"Then why didn't you let me go last night?"
"I didn't stop you," he retorted with an innocent look on his face.
I was speechless. Yes, he did not stop me, but he held me tightly in his arms. I had to sleep in his warm embrace all night long.
This was all his fault. Alice would not have seen us like that if he had not done that in the first place.
"Never mind. But I'm telling you, don't try to delay the divorce again. You promised me," I reminded him. However, his mouth remained shut about the matter. This maddened me, so I pulled down his hand and advised, "I'll make an appointment with the lawyer later. I won't leave until you come. I'll wait for you no matter what. Don't postpone it anymore. It's unlike you."
With that, I left, leaving him in a daze.
Charles' POV:
In the hospital.
Two hours ago, I received a notice that Rita was in critical condition. I rushed to the hospital at once. As soon as I arrived, Susan, Rita's mother, grabbed my arm and broke into tears.
"Charles, please fulfill Rita's wish. She can't hold on any longer. Please, we're begging you! Rita is our only daughter. I can't bear to see her suffer like this. I... I wish it were me who's dying instead. I'm begging you, Charles. Her health is deteriorating. She can't hold on any longer."
"I'll talk with Rita." I walked away from Susan as a dreadful feeling washed over me.
"Charles, you can't tell Rita about this. Her condition is getting worse. She won't be able to bear the news. If you really love her and don't want her to leave with regret, you should marry her as soon as possible." Just as I was about to walk towards Rita's ward, Susan took a step forward and deftly grabbed my arm. "To tell you the truth, we don't expect her to make it. We just hope that she'll have no regrets when she leaves this world. Please stop messing with Scarlett and marry Rita as soon as possible. My daughter is dying."
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