Chapter 158

Chapter 158
Elena's POV

"Who did this?" His voice dropped to a dangerous growl, like he was ready to tear someone apart.

I couldn't follow his thought process, confused by his sudden anger. "Don't misunderstand, it's just a regular injury. It won't affect my normal activities."

He didn't respond, just gave me an icy glance, then suddenly bent down. Before I could react, he'd scooped me up into his arms.

"Richard!" I gasped, my body instinctively stiffening, completely caught off guard. His lips pressed into a thin line, his expression severe as he strode toward the master bedroom and placed me on the bed.

He turned to retrieve a medicine box, leaving me sitting there, heart racing, both alarmed and confused. This sudden intimate contact had caught me completely unprepared.

"Lift your shirt. I need to see the wound clearly," he commanded when he returned, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

"That's not necessary! I can handle it myself," I refused almost reflexively.

"If you won't let me see it, then go to the hospital," he insisted, his eyes flashing dangerously.

Under his threatening gaze, I had no choice but to comply. I lifted the hem of my shirt. Richard's gaze swept over my torso, covered only by a thin camisole, then fixed on my wound. The skin there was an unnatural purplish-blue.

"Do you realize that if this wound were any deeper, it could have caused internal organ damage?" His voice was cold with anger.

I could see clear fury in his eyes, along with something else I couldn't quite identify.

"I... I wasn't thinking about that at the time. I just wanted... just wanted to find out what was making Lily sick," I stammered.

Richard's eyes darkened again as he took out a special ointment from the medicine box. He warmed it in his palm before applying it to my wound. I let out another low whimper at the sting: "Sss—"

At the same time, I felt the warmth of his palm, and this contact stirred confused feelings within me.

"Does it hurt?" His voice had lost some of its edge.

"Yes..." I admitted quietly, a flush spreading across my cheeks as I avoided his gaze.

The atmosphere in the room suddenly shifted. Richard's eyes grew darker, and his hand began to move beyond the wounded area, as if driven by some instinct.

"Richard, stop!" I warned, quickly backing away and pushing his hand off without hesitation.

His expression instantly darkened. "I'm trying to help you! Don't forget, legally, you're still my wife."

"Richard. I'm injured right now, and besides, our relationship has been over in everything but name," I said, my face paling.

"Is it really because of the injury? Or because you simply don't want me?" he challenged directly, his voice ice-cold.

I had no answer, the wound throbbing painfully with my emotional turmoil. I gripped the edge of my clothing tightly, my throat dry, palms cold.

"Richard, our marriage broke down long ago. Though legally we're still married, we'll eventually divorce. You need a real wife to build a new family with," I said, struggling to find the right words.

The room plunged into silence. The temperature seemed to drop as Richard's anger made the air almost congeal. I regretted my directness and wanted to salvage the situation, but it was too late.

Richard suddenly turned, his eyes flashing with barely controlled fury. He stormed out, slamming the door so hard the entire room seemed to shake with his rage.

I snapped back to reality and jumped off the bed to follow him, but the hallway was already empty. From downstairs came the roar of an engine; through the window, I watched Richard's car speeding away.

I stood there, dazed, stumbling back against the wall for support as the pain in my wound intensified with my emotional distress. I questioned myself: Had I gone too far? Could our relationship really be completely severed?

---

Max's POV

The next morning. I rolled out of bed, tiptoed to the door, and listened carefully for any movement in the hallway. After confirming no one was around, I snuck over to Kathy's room.

Her door wasn't locked. I gently pushed it open to find Kathy already sitting on her bed, gazing out the window. She didn't seem surprised to see me at all.

"Dad and Mom had another fight last night. Did you hear it?" I asked.

Kathy nodded. "Yes, I heard." Her voice was even quieter than usual.

I sighed, unable to hold back my frustration. "Why are they always like this? Can't they just get along like normal parents?" I climbed onto her bed, sitting cross-legged across from her. "Dad's so stubborn—Mom finally comes back, and he can't even control his temper?"

Kathy looked like she wanted to say something but hesitated, her brow slightly furrowed.

"We need to come up with a plan," Kathy suddenly declared, her expression becoming determined.

"What kind of plan?" I immediately perked up, my mind already racing through possibilities.

"I think they need opportunities to do things together," Kathy analyzed slowly. "Parents need shared experiences to rebuild their relationship. We could create those opportunities, get them to work together."

My eyes lit up—this made perfect sense! "You're right! Relationships need shared activities to grow stronger." I'd seen on TV how people become closer when they face difficulties or adventures together. Maybe Mom and Dad needed an "accidental" adventure?

"The school is planning to organize an outdoor field trip," I suggested.

After thinking it over briefly, Kathy nodded in agreement. "That could work. But we need to get Lily involved too. She's the best at acting cute. Mom rarely refuses her."

We reached an agreement and began refining the details of our plan. I felt a surge of excitement—maybe soon we'd have a complete family that doesn't fight anymore.

---

That afternoon, Mom came to pick us up from school. I could tell she wasn't in a good mood, though she tried to hide it, but I could sense her emotions.

I nodded discreetly to Kathy—it was time to put our plan into action. Kathy gently nudged Lily, whom we'd already coached on what to say.

"Mom, the teacher says the school is organizing an outdoor nature field trip!" Lily suddenly announced, her eyes sparkling as she recited what we'd taught her.

Mom frowned, looking skeptical. "A field trip? The semester just started, and they're already organizing something like that?"

Lily explained innocently, "Mom, it's exactly because it's spring! The teacher says she wants to take us to the forest to study spring plants and animals, and teach us how to identify different plants and animal tracks!"

As I watched Mom considering this, I exchanged a secret victorious glance with Kathy.