Sweet Divorce

My Wife

“Kiss scene?”

Murmuring, Liam echoed, his eyesight cast on Rita again.

“Right.”

Rita lowered her head to finish her meal after replying Liam and took no notice of the coldness creeping up in his eyes.

Kiss?

Vexed, Liam clenched his hand at the thought of Rita kissing other man.

No, that can’t happen.

If anyone dared to kiss Rita, then he will kill him.

“Cancel the…”

“The kiss scene could help squash the gossip more smoothly.”

Rita interrupted Liam as he tried to tell her to cancel the shooting.

Her explanation soothed away the coldness inside him in an instant.

It’s just to squash the scandal. Liam was relieved.

The explanation was like a spring breeze, melting the ice in his heart which now turns into a creek. And he no longer scowled. “OK, you decide.”

Then he picked up a piece of lamb with chopsticks and put it in her bowl.

Staring at the mutton, Rita paused for a second.

She still remembered how much Liam used to hate her because of Joey’s death.

Even though he was forced to marry her later, he barely came back home in the first year of their marriage, let alone having dinner with her.

She used to try whatever she could to pleas him whenever Liam came home.

Now it seemed Liam was doing what she used to do.

His attitude towards her changed dramatically ever since he knew she was the one who stayed by his bed and took good care of him. He have changed a lot rather than that cold-hearted man she used to know.

He feels guilty now that he knows the truth. Rita thought. That’s why he’s been doing all this, he’s trying to make it up to me.

She wouldn’t ask him to make it up, but she wouldn’t refuse if he did.

If this could make him feel less guilt, then be it. Maybe in this way things would actually end between them.

After chewing carefully, she swallowed down the mutton as she mused and Liam smiled at the sight of that.

Rita went back to the room for a shower after the dinner.

Having rinsed fatigue and the smell of hotpot off her, she put on her pajamas and placed her quilt and mat on the floor.

Then she heard footsteps coming from behind and found the door was pushed open.

Why does he come to the bedroom so early, he doesn’t have business to deal tonight?

Surprised though she was, Rita said nothing but just kept preparing for her sleep.

His being in the room or not made little difference to her. They didn't talk so much anyway.

“From now on, you can sleep on the bed.”

Suddenly, Liam blurted. Rita raised her head abruptly and looked at Liam in astonishment.

Then she lowered her head back, calmly, she said. “No, we had a deal. You sleep on the bed and I crash on the floor.”

“It’s raining tonight…” apprehensively, Liam looked at her left leg. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

He didn’t finish, but Rita understood what he was going to say.

He’s probably worrying that humidity would irritate the pain of her leg. That’s really thoughtful of him, Rita had to admit.

But the way he cared for her made her uncomfortable.

She took his care as a manifestation of his guilt at the beginning. But now she’s not sure about that.

She feared that she would lose herself again if this continued.

She feared that his sporadic care would ruin everything she had built.

She refused his offer after deliberation. “It’s doesn’t hurt anymore. The pills you gave me worked very well. I think I’ll sleep on the floor.”

“It doesn’t hurt?” Liam frowned in disbelief.

He looked at her sharply. Rita averted her eyes and nodded, “it doesn’t…”

But she couldn’t finish because Liam grabbed at her chin the next second.

He lifted her head, said aggressively, “I give you two options. You go up there yourself, or I’ll hug you up there.

Options? It was rather suppression then option.

She did not flinch and thrust him away. “I said I don’t want the bed, I’ll sleep here on the floor, you… Ah!!”

Abruptly, Liam held her up and she shrieked in panic.

“Hold tight if you don’t want to fall.” Liam demanded.

Rita’s brain was all blank at the moment. Subconsciously, she wrapped her hands tightly around Liam’s neck.

Liam lowered her eyes to peer at the girl in her arms, his eyes glittering shrewdly.

“Liam!” Rita came back to herself as they got closer to the bed. She hit Liam angrily. “Let go of me!”

But Liam acted like he didn’t hear her at all ad laid her down on the bed.

Rita tried to get off the bed soon as Liam put her down. But the next second, she felt strength at her waist and she was pulled close to Liam.

She felt warmth around her ear. “Nobody changes my decision, you know that.”

His voice was low but powerful. And suddenly, Rita’s face became pale.

Right, she knew, she knew how unreasonable and stubborn this man was.

She remembered how in the previous life she tried to change him so that he would love her, but she was rewarded with death instead of his love.

Tough as she was, tears still welled up in her eyes in those memories.

She raised her head to stare at the ceiling, trying to hold back the tears. She said coldly. “Liam. Why do you change? Why are you being so nice to me now?”

Liam froze at her question. Staring at Rita, he wondered how to explain that he had mistaken Joey for her.

But turned her face at him and challenged him. “Is it a question that is difficult to answer? Or you don’t want to answer it?”

“Alright, let me help you answer it.” Rita went ahead, “It’s because you wronged me before and you feel guilty about it. And now you just want to make it up.”

She gazed at him, waiting for his answer.

Liam was in shock when he heard her reasoning, but Rita took that as an implied agreement.

She said evenly. “I loved you before, so all the pain you gave me, I bore willingly. You don’t have to blame yourself, you don’t owe me anything, so don’t have to make up.”

All she wanted was to leave him, nothing more.

Frozen, Liam stood still. Rita shoved him aside and get off the bed. “So long as the agreement is still valid, everything stays the same. That’s the best for the both of us.”

A hint of frustration flashed through Liam’s eyes as he watched her walk pass him.

She thought it was guilt that made him change?

Maybe it’s because he didn't show his feelings clear enough for her to see.

Then manifest his feelings he would do in the future.

He grabbed her, pulled her back to him, leaned forward and kissed her. “That’s not the reason.”

Rita’s pupils dilated in shock.

She froze, brain blank. It all happened too fast for her to grasp. She lost, for the moment, she couldn’t even think of what Liam meant.

Liam left a peck at her lips again while she was still stunned. “Listen to me, sleep in the bed tonight.”

He then disentangled her.

As he took his leave, he warned her. “I better find you in bed when I come from the company later. Otherwise, I don’t mind one more night sleep holding you.”

Then he shut the door.

The sound threw Rita back to herself.

What happened just then was as unrealistic as a dream to her.

She would think that she just had an illusion if not for the smell of cigarette still lingering on her lips.

Lying in bed, she kept thinking about his kissing and what he said to her.

But it was not until years later that she understood Liam’s intention.

Maybe Liam’s threat worked, she slept in the bed that night as Liam told her to.

She fell asleep in the bed so soundly that she didn’t notice Liam laid down beside her at midnight.

Next day.

Rita didn’t have class today, so she went to the company with Liam.

“Get off.”

Standing by the car, Liam peered at Rita and demanded.

Rita did as he said after hesitating for a moment.

Keeping her head low, she waited for Liam to leave as he had always done. But for a long while, Liam took no motion.

She looked to Liam in confusion.

“Ready?” Liam asked her gently.

“For what?” Rita asked back, puzzled. Did he tell to prepare for anything before?

Liam didn’t reply but smiled, and took Rita into the company wrapping his hand around her.

Rita followed him in all astonishment.

In the company, there were a dozen people waiting at the counter to punch in.

The staff was surprised when they spied Liam and Rita walking in together.

“Holy shit, Mr. Liam brings a woman with him. Is she his wife?”

“She can’t be. It was never Mr. Liam’s choice to marry her, don’t you know that? He doesn’t like her at all. They have been married for a year but he barely goes home once. Why would he take his so-called wife here to his company if he doesn’t love her at all?”

The staff kept muttering, jealousy burning in their eyes.

Rita felt a sting at her heart when she heard all the gossips.

She lowered her head and smiled grimly. You see? Everyone knew that you wouldn’t love me.

He reached his hand out and pulled her back, asked her gently. “Are you mad?”

“No.” Who was she to be mad? She just wanted to save herself some dignity.

Liam mussed up her hair fondly. And without warning, he left a peck on her lips.

“Yeah, that’s right. My wife can’t be the petty.”

Intentionally, he raised his voice when he said “wife” so that everyone could hear it.

The staff gaped. And the faces of those who had said negative comments about Rita all became pale.

This is Mr. Liam’s wife.

Didn't rumor say that they were on the outs?

It wasn’t just the staff who was shocked but also Rita.

In astonishment, she raised her eyes abruptly to look at Liam. Didn’t he hate telling people about their relationship in public before?