He Gave Her Strawberries, Gave Me Hives (Ford and Sylvia) novel Chapter 156

Dante froze at her words, seeming not to understand what she meant, frowning as he asked: “What do you mean?”

velyn didn’t answer anymore, just looked at him deeply with such hollow eyes that his heart inexplicably tightened.

hen she slowly closed the door, shutting herself off from his world.

‘rom inside the room came her muffled, pained gasps as she tended to her wounds.

few days later, it was Seraphina’s birthday.

Dante threw a lively birthday party for her in the base housing compound.

he courtyard was decorated with lights and colorful banners, quite a few people came, and there was constant laughter and chatter.

velyn stood silently in a corner, watching Dante bustle around for Seraphina, watching him publicly present her with an expensive, exquisite ladies‘ watch vhile Seraphina’s face glowed with radiant happiness, surrounded by envious congratulations.

velyn’s heart felt like it was being repeatedly pierced by tiny needles.

n all their years of marriage, Dante had never given her a single gift, couldn’t even remember her birthday!

he’d once thought he was naturally cold, didn’t understand romance or gestures.

urns out, he just wasn’t willing to put any effort into her.

All his romance and tenderness were reserved for the woman named Seraphina.

ust when the party atmosphere was at its peak, an accident happened.

nearby unused basketball hoop somehow came loose and came crashing straight down toward Seraphina as she was cutting her cake!

Seraphina, look out!” Dante shouted, lunging forward with incredible speed to shield her with his body!

RASH!

he heavy basketball hoop slammed down hard on Dante’s back!

le groaned, his face turning paper–white.

Dante!” Seraphina screamed in terror.

he scene erupted in chaos.

veryone rushed forward frantically, struggling to lift the basketball hoop and rescue Dante.

lis back was a bloody mess, the injury severe.

Quick! Get him to a hospital!” someone shouted.

velyn, as his spouse, went pale and followed to the hospital.

Watching him being wheeled into the emergency room, she signed the surgical consent form with trembling hands.

lours later, the surgery was over and Dante was moved to a room, having narrowly escaped death

When he woke up, the first thing he saw was Seraphina by his bedside, crying like a broken–hearted beauty.

Chapter 9

He weakly raised his hand to gently wipe away her tears, his voice hoarse but tender: “Don’t cry… I’m fine… did I scare you…7”

After comforting Seraphina, his expression suddenly darkened as he spoke coldly to the aide standing guard outside: “Investigate! All the sports equipment in the housing compound gets regular weekly maintenance. The last inspection showed no problems–how could the basketball hoop suddenly collapse? Did someone tamper with it?”

Evelyn’s heart plummeted, a strong sense of foreboding instantly gripping her.

Sure enough, before long, the aide returned with his report, speaking quietly but loud enough for everyone in the room to hear: “Colonel, we examined it arefully. The basketball hoop’s bolts… show signs of being deliberately loosened. Also… someone reported seeing… seeing your wife lingering around the basketball hoop for a long time yesterday afternoon…”

Jante’s gaze immediately shot toward Evelyn like an ice blade, filled with towering rage and disbelieving disappointment. “Evelyn! I knew it was you! You’ve urt Seraphina over and over again, and this time you actually tried to kill her?! You’re absolutely vicious!”

Evelyn opened her mouth but found her throat blocked–she couldn’t make a sound.

Explain what? The “evidence” was solid, he’d already decided her guilt.

Any defense would just sound like pathetic excuses to him.

he just felt so tired, so powerless, completely overwhelmed by despair.

Seeing her silence, Dante was even more convinced of her guilt, his fury blazing hotter: “Nothing to say?”

He ordered his aide: “Take her back! Execute twenty lashes in front of everyone in the housing compound! Let everyone see what happens when you try to arm a crucial national scientist!”

Evelyn didn’t struggle, letting the soldiers drag her away.

Only as she was being dragged out of the hospital room did she look back at Dante one last time.

n that look, there was no longer any of the love, hope, pain, or even resentment from before–just complete deathly emptiness, as if she were looking at a omplete stranger with whom she had no connection.

Dante’s heart was inexplicably gripped by that gaze, stirring an odd unease and sharp pain, but he quickly suppressed the feeling and looked away.

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