Chapter 7

Edward sat in his wheelchair, leaning against Lucian's desk as he looked down at his phone. "Wait a minute, Lucian. I'm chatting with Giselle."

He looked up to flash a smirk at Lucian before turning his attention back to his phone.

The smugness was practically oozing from Edward's face. Telling a husband that he was talking to his wife was a clear provocation, and Lucian wasn't a good-tempered man. He marched up to Edward and grabbed him by the collar, lifting him right off the wheelchair. "Tell me how you'd like to die."

However, Edward wasn't afraid at all. With an innocent expression, he asked, "What's gotten into you, Lucian? I don't think I've done anything to offend you."

His feigned naivete made Lucian's hands clench, but he didn't do anything just yet. He knew how strong he was and was afraid he'd kill Edward.

After dropping Edward back into the wheelchair, he pointed at the door, commanding icily, "Get the hell out."

Having fallen hard on his butt, Edward started to cough violently.

Annoyed by the theatrics, Lucian kicked the wheelchair, which clanged loudly.

"Get out!" he snapped again.

Edward kept his head lowered. With a sly smile, he swept his gaze across Lucian's desk. There were two photo frames on top of it. One featured a picture of Lucian and Giselle. In it, Giselle was leaning against Lucian, her smile bright. Edward's eyes flashed with jealousy.

But his real target was the other frame.

The slightly yellowed photo depicted a group of over ten people of both genders. Lucian was among them.

It had been taken before Lucian left the orphanage, and he'd cherished it this whole time.

Lucian, who was unaware of Edward's intentions, lost his patience and growled, "I told you to get out! Did you not hear me?"

"Let's just talk calmly, Lucian. I really don't know what I did to upset you. I… I'll just leave."

Edward raised his head, his expression hurt.

Lucian sneered. "Who the hell are you trying to fool with that act, huh? Wipe that revolting look off your face, shut up, and get the hell out."

Edward's expression stiffened. He looked at Lucian as if he wanted to say something. Finally, with his eyes reddening, he lowered his head as if he'd been humiliated. It looked like he was about to leave, but before he did, he straightened his suit.

The suit jacket seemed a little tight, so he stretched his arms.

Alas, he was sitting right in front of Lucian's desk, and his arm just so happened to swing toward the photo frame.

Lucian's expression darkened at once.

"Don't move!" he yelled as he reached out to stop the photo frame from falling, but it was too late.

Edward's arm knocked the frame right off the desk. It fell to the floor, and glass shattered into a million pieces.

He swiftly reacted by putting on a horrified expression. As he bent down to pick up the frame, he stammered, "Lucian, I… I didn't mean to do it. I'll help you pick it up…"

But as he bent down, his elbow knocked over the mug of cold coffee on the desk.

Lucian had to watch as the coffee spilled all over the photo.

"You asked for it!"

By now, Lucian was feeling murderous. He stormed forward and grabbed Edward by the hair. After lifting Edward from the wheelchair, he slammed him onto the floor.

Edward let out an agonized howl.

Lucian couldn't be more certain that Edward had done it on purpose. As he glared at Edward, who was curled up on the floor, he immediately kicked him hard.

With how strong he was, Edward was no match for Lucian, not even if both his legs were still functional. One kick sent Edward sliding over over three feet across the smooth floor before hitting the wall.

After seeing the murderous look in Lucian's eyes, Edward grew terrified. "Help! Somebody save me!"

Edward kept flailing his arms around, but Lucian wasn't letting him off the hook. He started beating up Edward.

Thankfully, he hadn't completely gone berserk. He was able to rein in his strength, but even so, Edward came battered and bruised in no time. It was a horrifying sight.

"Stop… Lucian… Stop… I was wrong… Please stop hitting me…" Edward howled in pain.

He hadn't expected Lucian to be this brutal. It felt as if all the bones in his body had broken.

Without saying anything, Lucian continued to give Edward a good thrashing.

By now, a crowd had gathered outside Lucian's office. With how horrifying Edward's screams were, someone pulled out their phone to call the police.

"Put that phone down!" An icy, commanding voice rang out.

Giselle rushed out of the elevator, looking rather panicked. The crowd instinctively cleared a path for her. She barreled into the office, flung the door open, and froze at the sight.

Edward was lying on the floor, screaming in pain. His head bled so profusely that his forehead was covered in blood. Not only that, but blood was also pouring from his nose. He looked like he was in bad shape.

Most importantly, Lucian still showed no sign of stopping.

"Lucian! Have you lost your mind!"

Giselle's entire body was shaking. She rushed forward without thinking and stood defensively in front of Edward.

"Get out of my way!" Lucian snarled.

The destruction of the photo had lit a fuse in him, igniting all of his anger.

Naturally, Giselle didn't get out of the way. She screamed at the top of her lungs, "What on earth are you doing? You're about to beat Eddie to death right now!"

Edward kept rolling around on the floor, whimpering with a pained expression.

Lucian's eyes were bloodshot. "Even at a time like this, you're still taking his side?"

"I have no idea what the hell has gotten into you right now," Giselle shot back, her teeth clenched. "But I forbid you from hurting Eddie anymore. If you want to hit someone, go ahead and hit me!"

Lucian was so angry that his breaths were heavy. After staring at her for a while, he wordlessly picked up the ruined photo from the floor.

Exhaling in relief, Giselle swiftly turned around and cried out in concern, "Are you alright, Eddie?"

Edward just barely nodded, his voice weak as he replied, "It's… It's all my fault… Don't blame… Lucian…"

Giselle's eyes trembled. Gritting her teeth, she said, "The ambulance will be here soon. Just hang in there. What happened? Why did he attack you like that?"

With great effort, Edward pointed at the pile of broken glass on the floor.

Giselle spun around and saw Lucian cleaning up the pieces. Anger flashed across her face as she snapped, "You injured him so badly just because of a photo?"

Without even looking back at her, Lucian said coolly, "You know how important this photo is to me, and he did it on purpose."

"On purpose?" Startled, Giselle instinctively glanced at Edward.

He frantically shook his head and tried to explain himself, but blood spilled from his mouth, making him look even more pitiful.

Giselle thought for a moment before abruptly standing up and heading toward Lucian's desk.

"If I recall correctly, there's a surveillance camera in your office. We'll be able to see whether he did it on purpose or not," she said as she turned his computer on.