Chapter Forty-SixAs soon as Bella picked up the phone before she could even speak, the voice on the other end spoke first. [Have you received my apology gift? Why haven't you replied to my messages? Are you still angry with me?]"I've already said it, I'm not angry. What our relationship is, don't you understand?" Bella sighed, her mood unsettled, but her mind was clear. She is very aware of the relationship between herself and Levi. The thing that must not be violated is having feelings for the other person. Levi's actions right now are like the two are lovers, but Bella knows clearly that he is just doing so on a whim.Arbitrary people like Levi can easily do actions that make others misunderstand, especially women. It's not natural that Levi is so loved and admired by most women, not only because of his handsome appearance but because of his misleading actions that make others think he is a kind and warm person. Bella only recently realized this, not through a specific moment, bu
Chapter Forty-Seven"It's like you're talking about yourself. Indeed, Max betrayed you and your marriage, but aren't you also having an affair?" Levi spoke bluntly, disliking Bella's apparent inclination to forgive Max.Bella remained unruffled by Levi's frank revelations. Instead, she looked at him and chuckled, "Exactly, I acknowledge my actions were despicable and repulsive. Despite knowing that Max was unfaithful first, I too engaged in infidelity while our marriage was still ongoing."Levi smirked, "So, you feel guilty and remorseful towards your husband? I always knew you were kind, but I didn't expect this level of kindness. It's quite ironic.""No, I don't feel guilty or remorseful towards him; I'm merely curious," Bella clarified.Frowning slightly, Levi found Bella's speech ambiguous and often veiled, making it hard for him to discern her true intentions. However, it also added to her mysterious allure, leaving him curious about her thoughts. "Infidelity is infidelity, what
Chapter Forty-EightBella's vision began unclear and somewhat hazy, with a lingering bitter taste of alcohol in her mouth. She wanted more to drink, but Levi stopped her, supporting her waist as her body leaned entirely on him."Didn't expect to see you like this. I wonder if I should thank Max for missing out on such a woman," Levi signaled a nearby waiter and then carried a drunk Bella upstairs of the bar.Bella was still inebriated, not feeling sleepy, so when Levi lifted her, she struggled uncomfortably, saying, "I still want to drink more, let me go.""There's plenty in the room. Drink as much as you want," Levi chuckled, wondering if Bella's self-restraint stemmed from knowing her own tendencies when drunk. Yet, he found her drunken antics endearing, except for the fact that she wasn't rambling as usual when intoxicated but surprisingly coherent.Bella pushed Levi away forcefully, standing upright, her flushed face the only indicator of her intoxication.“Let me help you.” Levi
Chapter Forty-NineMax noticed Pearl's silence and sighed, "If you understand, don't overthink it. We're in a situation where you need to be clear-headed. Don't let selfishness make everything messy. Alright, I have to go home now. Good night!"Pearl reached out as if to hold onto Max, but then withdrew her hand, feeling confused and uneasy. She turned back to the bed and put on her nightgown lying on the floor. Max had left, and she couldn't muster the mood to sleep anymore, pacing around the bedroom and incessantly biting her nails. Nail-biting seemed to be Pearl's habit whenever she felt stressed and anxious."Damn it! What is Bella up to? Why would Max want to go back to her? It's infuriating!" Pearl vented her anger aloud.But she didn't know what to blame Bella for because Pearl knew very well the nature of her relationship with Max - one that couldn't be public. If Max didn't quickly acquire the company and divorce Bella, then a third party like Pearl could only continue this r
Chapter FiftyBella pale upon hearing Levi speak like that. She was indeed very distressed and bitter to be betrayed by two people she trusted at the same time, but she never thought of taking their lives. She just wanted them to know the pain she had to endure and make them pay for what they did to her."If you're crazy, be crazy alone, don't drag me into it," Bella retorted coldly.Levi seemed somewhat disappointed. "Ha-... I thought you'd do something more exciting. Rest assured, even if you commit murder, I can turn you from a criminal into a victim. Besides, we're in the same boat, as you've reminded us many times. We have a mutually beneficial relationship, so there's no need for you to hesitate in making demands of me."After hearing him speak, Bella's complexion grew even paler, but she didn't show her confusion outwardly, only staring at his smiling face intently. She didn't know what this man was thinking to casually mention "murder" like that.Bella knew he liked to joke, j
Chapter Fifty-OneThe office door slammed shut, and Max infuriated, kicked the nearby chair hard before turning to look at Bella."Spit it out, where were you last night?" He interrogated his wife fiercely in the office.But faced with her husband's attitude, Bella not only didn't feel embarrassed or anxious but instead remained composed as if Max's anger had nothing to do with her. Sitting down calmly, her indifferent demeanor only fueled Max's anger further."Why are you so angry? Didn't I tell you last night that I met an old friend?" Bella spoke gently.However, her response didn't calm Max's anger; he didn't believe what Bella said."I know you're lying, Bella."Bella didn't think Max would catch her lying, so she maintained her attitude and calmly asked, "You think I'm lying? Why would you think that?""Besides Pearl, who else do you have as a friend? It's always been just Pearl as your close friend, who else could tolerate your personality besides her? Lying has its limits, Bel
Chapter Fifty-TwoBella was in a cheerful mood, so she was extremely productive at work. Her colleagues noticed her mood and asked, prompting her to speak with a smile."Nothing special really, just been able to do some interesting things lately, so my mood isn't bad.""What interesting things?" A curious male colleague asked.Bella casually mentioned a few things she couldn't directly say: that Max was her husband and Pearl her close friend, and they were in a complicated relationship, while she, like a scorned wife, was trying to find ways to punish them.Her colleagues, though friendly, were not discreet. They had no qualms about divulging others' secrets within the company. To them, even Bella, the secrets of others were just stories for gossip and discussion.The colleagues who had been eagerly listening were disappointed. They thought they would hear something exciting and interesting from Bella. They then started discussing the company's CEO, Max Cooper, and his secretary, Pear
Chapter Fifty-ThreeAs evening descended, just as Bella was about to close the door behind her in preparation for bed, a foot wedged itself in the doorway, preventing the door from closing completely. Bella furrowed her brows at her husband, who stood outside with a bright smile."Bella, let's sleep together tonight," Max said, his voice gentle as he looked at her.Three years into their marriage, they had shared a bed, but Max had never touched his wife. It was only half a year ago that Bella discovered her husband's affair with her close friend, prompting her decision to stop sharing a bed and separate their sleeping quarters.However, Bella didn't clearly state the reason for their separate bedrooms; she simply cited their busy schedules and the need for personal space to rest. At that time, Max had no objections, for the woman he desired to be beside then was Pearl. But now that Max saw a problem, they had been sleeping separately for half a year."Why the sudden...?" Bella attemp