Chapter 5: I Don't Love You Anymore

"Juliet Shaw..."

Before Herbert Leopold could finish his sentence, the door suddenly burst open, and a pillow was thrown directly at his face.

"Ouch..."

Although being hit by a pillow didn't hurt, it certainly damaged his dignity as the CEO. After all, no one had ever dared to lay a hand on him before.

Herbert Leopold yanked the pillow off his face and growled in anger, "Juliet Shaw, have you lost your mind?"

Seeing Herbert Leopold's furious expression, Juliet Shaw felt a sense of satisfaction. This was more like it; in this awkward relationship, she shouldn't be the only one suffering.

"Herbert Leopold, barging into my room in the middle of the night, you look even more insane," Juliet Shaw said with a cold gaze, her words calm and mocking.

Herbert Leopold glared at the woman in front of him. She looked so gentle and harmless, but her words were always sharp and unyielding.

It wasn't his imagination; she had indeed changed!

"Juliet Shaw, what exactly do you want?"

He had no interest in playing hide-and-seek with her. He had no patience for it.

"If you want something, just say it. No need to beat around the bush," Herbert Leopold added.

I want you dead!

Juliet Shaw looked at him with a sardonic expression.

She remembered that in her previous life, after the Mid-Autumn Festival party, he had started dating Debby Kathleen. Now, he was standing at her door, throwing a tantrum. Could it be that Debby Kathleen had played hard to get, and he was now venting his frustrations on her?

Ha, how incompetent he was.

"I want to sleep."

Her sweet dream had already been disturbed, and now she was wasting time arguing with him. It was a loss for her either way. He had no right to take up her precious sleeping time.

"Hmph!"

Instead of leaving, Herbert Leopold let out a derisive laugh. She was all too familiar with that sound; he used to mock her like this often.

"Juliet Shaw, you're really boring. A woman thinking about such things all day, aren't you ashamed?"

...

So, Herbert Leopold had misunderstood her "sleeping."

Fine, let him misunderstand. She didn't care to explain.

"Not ashamed? I want to sleep with my husband, which is natural and protected by law. But some people, who claim true love and sleep with unsavory women, they are the ones who should be ashamed."

Herbert Leopold's temple throbbed. Who was she talking about?

"A dirty heart sees everyone as dirty. Herbert Leopold, rest assured, I can be foolish once, but not twice. I will never say 'like' to you again."

Juliet Shaw's delicate face held a faint smile, her eyes clear, as if bidding farewell to her past self.

What did she mean?

Juliet Shaw was tired of dealing with him and turned to go back into her room. Herbert Leopold quickly stepped forward and grabbed her wrist.

If pulling, tugging, and grabbing counted as intimacy, then today, Herbert Leopold had been more intimate than in their entire ten years of knowing each other.

Juliet Shaw chuckled. It wasn't that she looked down on Herbert Leopold; it was just that his actions were too shameful. He had coerced her multiple times, like an unsatisfied beast.

In her previous life, their first time was due to a drug, but all the subsequent times were consensual. He claimed he didn't love her, that he despised her, yet in bed, he took her fiercely over and over. When she was distracted, he would get angry.

"Juliet Shaw, open your eyes and see who's doing this to you!"

His rare vulgarity was reserved for their intimate moments.

After he was satisfied, he would say, "Juliet Shaw, we're not a good match."

How despicable.

"What are you laughing at?" Herbert Leopold asked.

Juliet Shaw raised her eyebrows, her pink lips slightly parted. "Herbert Leopold, it's so late, and you're still lingering in my room. Don't tell me you regret sleeping separately?"

Hearing this, Herbert Leopold immediately let go of her hand, as if electrocuted. His hypocritical behavior was truly disgusting.

"Please close the door on your way out."

With that, Juliet Shaw pulled the blanket over herself and lay down, ignoring whether he left or not.

Herbert Leopold, hearing her sarcastic words, found himself at a loss for a retort. In the past, he would talk, and she would listen quietly. Even when upset, she would only look at him with red eyes, saying nothing.

Now, with her sharp tongue, he couldn't keep up.

"Juliet Shaw, as Mrs. Lu, you left the dinner early last night, making Mom handle the guests. That's very disrespectful!"

Only now did Herbert Leopold remember that he came to "educate" her. Her antics almost made him forget his purpose.

However, Juliet Shaw ignored him, treating him like air.

"Juliet Shaw, you must always remember your identity. Whether at home or outside, you are Mrs. Lu!"

Juliet Shaw continued to ignore him. Standing by someone's bed in the middle of the night, ranting, made him look rather foolish.

Seeing no reaction from her, Herbert Leopold huffed and stormed out of the room, deliberately leaving the door open to spite her.

***

Herbert Leopold was seething. All night, he wondered who the "some people" Juliet Shaw mentioned were. He had no interest in her, and he certainly didn't look at other women. Who was she insinuating?

The next morning, Herbert Leopold came to the dining room with a face showing lack of sleep. When he arrived, Song Qingzi was already having breakfast: two steamed buns, a boiled egg, and a glass of milk.

Herbert Leopold sat across from her, staring intently.

But Juliet Shaw, while eating, was replying to messages, not sparing him a glance.

"What's for breakfast, Aunt Wang?" Herbert Leopold asked loudly, clearly annoyed.

No one responded.

Juliet Shaw chewed on half an egg.

"Aunt Wang, Aunt Wang?"

"Aunt Wang was called by Mom yesterday and hasn't returned," Juliet Shaw finally spoke, but without looking at him.

"How come I didn't know?"

Juliet Shaw finished her milk and finally looked at him. "Do you ever pay attention to household matters?"

With that, she stood up.

"I'm hungry. I want a sandwich," Herbert Leopold said, staring at her.

Juliet Shaw walked out without responding.

"Hey, Juliet Shaw, make me breakfast!"

Look at how entitled he sounded. He didn't fulfill any of his duties as a husband but had plenty of demands.

"Do you pay the bills to order me around?" Juliet Shaw retorted coolly.

"Bills... You..." Herbert Leopold was taken aback. "Juliet Shaw, you're a university professor, and you say such crude things."

"People eat and drink, and they also defecate and urinate. These are normal behaviors. Do you find them crude?"

...

Herbert Leopold was left speechless by Juliet Shaw's rebuttal.

"As a reminder, since we're living together, Aunt Wang probably won't be coming back. So, you'll have to take care of your own meals. I eat breakfast at home, lunch at the school cafeteria, and dinner, who knows where."

Herbert Leopold's brows furrowed. "Then make my breakfast too."

"Don't rush. I'm not done. Given our separate lives, you'll need to handle your own meals and laundry."

"Juliet Shaw, don't forget your status!" Herbert Leopold said through gritted teeth.

He never thought there would come a day when Juliet Shaw would hold the upper hand. Since she was fifteen, she had followed him like a shadow, secretly washing his dirty clothes and shoes at night to avoid being discovered by her family.

Now, as his wife, why had she stopped?