Chapter 3
After work, Adrian cornered me at the company entrance.
He was unshaven and looked terrible. He grabbed my arm tightly with his five fingers. "Harper, why are you threatening Bella?"
I scoffed. "I have nothing to say to you."
"Harper..." Adrian's eyes looked exhausted, stubble shadowed his jaw, and his tie was crooked. "Don't be like this."
"Don't be like this?" I sneered. "Adrian, you have every right to chase after your muse, and I have every right to live my own life.
"You gave me hope, but the heartbreak that came after was even worse. If you don't love me, why force it?"
My tone was resolute, like I was laying out all the pain I had suffered these past seven years.
For seven years, I had seen him as the light of my life. Even when Bella came into the picture, I had always maintained my dignity and respect.
When he was sick and in the hospital, I stayed up three nights taking care of him. The first thing he said when he came to was to ask if Bella had been there.
Bella came with a bouquet of flowers, and he was moved to tears, holding her hand tightly.
She saw me, took the apple I had peeled, and said sweetly, "Wow, Adrian said you peel apples perfectly. I finally get to taste one. Unlike me, I'm so clumsy I can't do anything."
Adrian looked at her with so much affection and gently patted her head.
He didn't say a word of thanks to me. Instead, he said to Bella, "If you like it, have Harper peel them for you every day."
The jealousy was real, and so was the humiliation.
He had treated me like an on-call maid.
I never wanted to live like that again.
Adrian froze, his face ashen and his eyes dim. He stared at me, his lips moving, but no words came out.
After a few moments of awkward silence, Bella walked out of the elevator.
"Adrian, you finally came to pick me up," she said in a delicate voice, as if staking her claim.
When Bella saw me, her face darkened immediately. She leaned limply against Adrian's shoulder and wiped her tears pitifully.
She said, "Darling, Harper was so mean today. She said the embroidery you gave me was trash. I'm so upset. It was your hard work."
At the mention of the wedding dress, Adrian suddenly looked up, his eyes softening. "Harper, I..."
In the past, he only called me like that when he wanted something or couldn't pay his bills.
I used to be proud when he did, but now it sounds harsh to me.
Bella was about to stir up more trouble when a red Porsche 911 pulled up to the curb with a low roar.
The passenger window rolled down, and Riley, rocking a pair of sunglasses, shot Bella the finger. "Get in. Hanging around this dump for even a second is bad news."
I hesitated for a moment, then pulled open the door and got in.
With a roar of the engine, the car sped away.
Glancing in the rearview mirror, I saw Bella stamping her foot in place. And Adrian was standing there.
Was he looking at me?
I looked away.
It had been seven years. If he had treated me a little better, it wouldn't have come to this.
He had been cruel to me. Why should I show him mercy?
I wouldn't soften this time.