Chapter 38
"I..."
Adeline didn't know how to explain. Truth were told, she regretted the purchase as soon as she made it.
If Edward had insomnia, it wasn't her place to worry about it.
She might very well be the cause of his sleeplessness.
"It's fine, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
Olivia couldn't bear to see her discomfort.
"Olivia..."
"I'm not demanding answers. I'm just worried about you. I'm afraid you're getting pulled back in. Since you started working for Edward, nothing good has happened—you're either sick or injured. I swear you two have incompatible stars or something."
That's why they had missed their chance years ago.
And now, meeting again was just another twist of cruel fate.
The car stopped at the entrance. After they got out, Olivia gave her a gentle hug.
"Adeline, whatever you do, I just want you to protect yourself."
Olivia's embrace wasn't particularly broad, but it was incredibly warm.
"I know. Thank you, Olivia."
Olivia draped an arm around her shoulders, her smile bright and open. "Thanking me? Now you're just being formal. I might get offended."
"Fine, no more thanks. How about I cook something delicious for you instead?"
"Now that's more like it."
-
Olivia stayed the night, sharing a bed with Lily. Tomorrow Lily had a follow-up appointment at the hospital, and since Adeline couldn't get time off, she had to ask Olivia to take her.
Adeline lay alone in bed, staring at the aromatherapy diffuser on the nightstand.
Gave it to him, or not?
What she'd bought wasn't just a diffuser—it was a complication in a box.
Half-asleep, her phone rang.
The moment Anson's voice came through, Adeline was fully awake.
Edward had a business dinner and wanted her to join.
Adeline went, sitting beside him like a good luck charm. When the dinner ended and they returned to the villa, Adeline couldn't hold back anymore.
"Anson, I don't believe I was hired as a personal assistant."
A subtle hint, hoping he'd understand.
Anson did understand, and responded just as subtly, "Ms. Brown, at our company, we don't have many rules—just one principle."
Adeline listened attentively.
"Do what the boss says."
Fair enough.
What could she expect? She was just an employee after all.
Together with Anson, she helped Edward to the hotel room. Anson commented, "Mr. Thomas usually gets headaches after drinking, but last time Mr. Thomas didn't have a headache and was in pretty good spirits."
Adeline gave him a silent look.
"I'll go make some soup for this hangover."
Watching her walk away, Anson quietly wiped away a bead of sweat.
Adeline seemed a bit slow on the uptake.
Turning around, he met Edward's gaze.
"Mr. Thomas, you're awake."
Edward regarded him flatly, not bothering to hide his disdain. "Why are you still here?"
"I'm leaving right now."
Message received. Edward considered him a third wheel.
When Adeline returned with the soup, she found Anson gone, with only Edward remaining in the room.
He didn't give her a hard time, drinking the soup without complaint.
"You rest well. I'm leaving now."
At the door, Adeline inexplicably glanced back.
Edward was leaning against the headboard, massaging his temples.
It was nearly midnight, but he showed no signs of sleep.
Her eyes drifted to the couch.
Her bag sat there, containing the aromatherapy diffuser.
Edward closed his eyes. His body was exhausted, the alcohol taking effect, his head slightly dizzy.
But sleep wouldn't come. Just as he began to drift off, an image flashed in his mind.
"Witness Adeline, were you with Edward on the night of the incident?"
"No."
"Are you certain Edward went out that evening?"
"Yes."
That single word had determined his future.
What followed was three years of prison torment. A vein throbbed at his temple, a sharp pain lanced through his mind, and his eyes snapped open to find Adeline right in front of him.
In that instant, hatred surged through him like a tidal wave.
She held the diffuser in her hand, a wisp of smoke rising slowly, a gentle fragrance spreading through the room.
His eyes turned icy. "What are you doing? Trying to poison me so you can be free again?"
Adeline was stunned. "That's not what I meant."
Everything had been fine just moments ago.
How had it suddenly...
Faced with his mocking gaze, she could only explain, "I noticed you haven't been sleeping well, so I bought you this aromatherapy diffuser. It helps with sleep and is completely harmless."
Edward's voice turned frosty, "Would I dare use anything from you?"
Adeline felt a stab in her heart as she lowered her gaze to the diffuser.
The slowly rising smoke seemed to mock her presumption.
He hated her.
Hated her enough to reject even the smallest kindness.
After a long silence, she said, "If you don't want it, just throw it away."
She placed the diffuser on the nightstand and turned to leave without another word.
At the door, Edward suddenly spoke.
"Stop."
Adeline froze mid-step.
"Put that thing out."
He didn't trust her at all!
Adeline's fingertips trembled as she defiantly extinguished the diffuser and tossed it in the trash.
Having done this, she turned to leave.
But an arm hooked around her from behind, making her fall backward uncontrollably.
She landed in a firm, familiar embrace.
"You want me to sleep well?"
He lifted her thin chin, his voice emotionless.
Adeline's heart trembled as she nodded. "Yes."
He laughed softly, full of mockery.
"Adeline, you're concerned about me? You care about me?" He gripped the back of her head, bringing his face close, his eyes boring into hers.
As if trying to see through to her soul.
Through her pretense.
"Don't you feel like a hypocrite?"
Adeline bit her lip painfully. "I'm sorry."
That apology came six years too late.
Edward suddenly reached into the trash and retrieved the recently extinguished diffuser.
The residual heat burned his fingertips.
Adeline hurriedly threw it away and grabbed his hand to examine it. "What are you doing? Doesn't that hurt?"
But Edward pulled her beneath him, pinning her wrists to the headboard.
"Do you even know what pain is?"
"Adeline, do you have a heart?"
Adeline stared at him, stunned.
He bit her neck hard, and she gritted her teeth to endure it.
"I'm sorry."
Beyond those words, she didn't know what else to say.
Edward tore at the tender skin of her neck, deliberately causing her pain. "This pain isn't even a fraction of what I felt."
"I know... I know..."
She murmured.
A tear slid from the corner of her eye to his lips.
Cold and bitter.
"If you want me to sleep well, there are better methods." He looked up, meeting her sorrowful eyes.
At that moment, he seemed as if something had scalded him.
The next second, Adeline's world went dark.
He had covered her eyes.
In the darkness, only his warmth remained clear.
With vision obscured, her other senses became heightened.
Whispers against her ears, intimate entanglements.
Just like every night when they were in love, no one had ever been closer than they were.
Suddenly, pressure on the wound on her arm made her hiss in pain.
The movements stopped abruptly.
Only his heavy breathing sounded in her ear. After a moment, he rose and left her. Through the darkness, Adeline saw his silhouette sitting at the edge of the bed.
He methodically rebuttoned his shirt.
"Mood killer."
"Then go find someone else."
At that moment, Adeline abandoned her restraint, suddenly remembering she had a temper too.
Besides, she was afraid of pain.
Edward turned back in surprise, his gaze falling on her face, studying her for a moment.
"So you do talk back."
Adeline retorted, "I'm not a punching bag."
Edward snorted, "I thought you were."
Since they'd met again, she'd been like putty in his hands, moldable any way he wanted.
Adeline thought silently, That's only because it's you.
She climbed off the bed. "The diffuser was quite expensive. You might as well use it."
It had cost her a good chunk of money.
Edward lay back down on the bed, neither accepting nor rejecting.
Adeline cautiously relit the diffuser.
He still didn't react.
She quietly sighed in relief. Noticing a couch in the room, she thought about sleeping there for the night.
But before she could move, Edward irritably spoke up.
"If you want me to sleep well, stop making noise."
Adeline remained silent.
She hadn't even moved yet.
Where was this noise coming from?
Edward was just picking a fight!
In the end, she could only lie down on the other side of the bed, occupying just a small corner, and fell asleep.