Chapter 3

That night, I took both painkillers and sleeping pills, but I still couldn't sleep.

Lying in bed, I couldn't stop coughing, and my stomach twisted in pain.

In the middle of the night, I suddenly felt like I couldn't breathe. I woke up with a start, and Edward's face was right in front of me.

He was leaning over me, staring intently, and asked, "Why are you sleeping with all that makeup on?"

I didn't want to deal with him. I rolled over and tried to go back to sleep.

But he wouldn't let it go; he hauled me up and dragged me into the bathroom.

"Take off your makeup before you sleep. You used to be so obsessed with your looks, didn't you?" he said.

I stood motionless at the sink.

Then suddenly, he got weird. He tied up my hair, grabbed some makeup remover and a wipe, and started scrubbing my face.

He was pretty rough about it.

I didn't need to glance at the mirror to know how bad I looked right now.

I was so sick. I'd gotten so thin that I was barely recognizable.

Edward stood there, face tight, staring at me for more than a minute.

Then he asked, stunned, "Are you on a diet or something?"

I brushed his fingers away from my face.

"There's a new product launch next month. If I want to look good on camera, I have to be crazy thin in real life," I said flatly.

His hands were shaking with anger as he pushed my head toward the mirror, forcing me to look at myself.

"Are you out of your mind? Look at yourself. Do you really think you look good now?" he shouted.

He was so rough that I couldn't help but cough hard, and the taste of blood started spreading in my throat.

I pushed him away urgently and hurried out.

He grabbed my arm from behind. "I'm talking to you."

I spun around, face dark with anger, and shoved him hard. He stumbled back, but my foot slipped, and I went down.

My head banged against the corner of the sink, and blood oozed from my temple.

I grabbed the sink to steady myself and got to my feet.

Edward looked stunned for a moment and reached out to steady me. "Seriously, you can't stay on your feet now?"

I shoved him away hard. "Get away from me."

He stood there, frozen. I turned and hurried out, a bit shaken.

I went to the guest room.

As soon as I locked the door, I couldn't help but vomit right at the entrance.

A huge splatter of blood instantly turned the beige carpet into an eerie shade of crimson.

I grabbed some tissues and a towel, scrambling to clean it up.

But the harder I tried, the more the bloodstain spread.

I could swear I heard Edward's footsteps outside the door.

Panicking, I pulled the doormat over to hide the bloodstain on the carpet.

I spent the whole night in the guest room, and he never came to check on me.

*****

Early the next morning, I took Jenna Dawson, my assistant, to the Cloverfield Hotel for a business meeting.

As we stepped out of the elevator, we happened to run into Edward coming out of another one.

He was with Emily, carrying a little boy who was probably over a year old. They walked ahead of me.

The boy was acting all cute as he called out to her sweetly, "Mommy."

Then he tilted his head, planted a kiss on Edward's cheek, and chirped, "Daddy."

The document in my hand dropped to the floor out of nowhere.

Suddenly, it dawned on me. Edward had tried to talk me into adopting a child a little over a year ago.

That must've been right around the time when Emily gave birth to her son.

I also remembered a friend telling me that Edward once carried a hurt kid in his arms straight to the hospital.

He even gave his blood right there for the child.

Jenna's face went pale as she crunched down, scrambling to help me pick up the papers.

The people ahead turned at the sound, and I saw a flicker of panic cross Edward's face.

But he quickly pulled himself together.

The boy, sensing my icy stare, tightened his grip around Edward's neck, looking clearly scared. "Daddy."

Edward softened his voice. "Don't be afraid. She's someone Daddy knows."

Emily looked nervous, wringing her hands. "Sarah, please, let me explain—"

Edward cut her off, "Explain what? Isn't it obvious to her already?"