Chapter 66 Can Help You Cover
The room suddenly fell silent, with only the sound of two people's heavy breathing rising and falling.
Aria turned over and sat up, her chest still heaving violently.
"Arthur, if you're horny, go find Sophie. Don't use me as your outlet!" Her voice was trembling. "Don't worry, I won't tell your mom. Tomorrow morning, I'll pretend nothing happened and keep playing along with you."
"But please—" She took a deep breath. "Stay away from me."
Arthur ran his tongue over where he'd been hit. That side of his face felt numb and hot—clearly Aria had put all her strength into it. He looked at her, and the irritation in his heart suddenly turned to anger.
"You're talking about acting?" He sneered. "In your eyes, is that all that's left between us? Just acting?"
"What else?" Aria looked at him mockingly. "Don't tell me you're planning to break up with Sophie and actually live a proper life with me?"
"Have you forgotten what you promised her? Arthur, I'm not that pathetic—providing you with sexual services right before our divorce!"
Arthur stared at her, speechless.
Aria didn't want to stay with him anymore either. Afraid he might force himself on her in the middle of the night, she took this opportunity to throw off the covers and get out of bed.
"I'm sleeping in the guest room tonight. But don't worry, I'll come back tomorrow morning on time and keep playing your good wife. Of course, if you really need to take care of things tonight, feel free to find Sophie. I'm sure she'd be more than happy."
"I'll cover for you, don't worry."
With that, she walked out of the room without looking back.
The door closed.
Arthur stood by the bed, looking at the now half-empty bed and the marks left on the pillow. He let out a scoff and gave a self-mocking smile.
"I'll cover for you, don't worry."
She said it so calmly, so matter-of-factly, so indifferently... He lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to the slight sounds from the next room—probably Aria making the bed. After a while, everything went quiet.
Arthur closed his eyes, suddenly remembering the first year of their marriage when he rarely came home.
On the occasional times he did return, it was always late at night, but Aria would always wait for him, no matter how late.
A few times when he came home drunk, she would help him to bed, wipe his face, change his clothes. In his daze, he'd grab her hand and mumble "don't go," and she really wouldn't leave—she'd sit by the bed all night.
Back then, he found her annoying, thought she was deliberately trying to please him.
Looking back now, she was just... in love with him.
But the person who loved him like that—he'd lost her himself.
Arthur stared at the ceiling, sleepless all night.The next morning, Arthur went to the office as usual. Before leaving, Aria stopped him. "Wait."
Arthur's heart skipped a beat. "What is it?"
Aria's expression was neutral as she took a band-aid from her bag and handed it to him. "Your lip is split. Put this on—it doesn't look good."
Arthur took it in a daze. His lip was indeed split—from when she bit him last night.
"...Thanks."
"No need to thank me." Aria turned and went back to the living room.
Arthur stared at her back for a few seconds before turning to leave.
It was already nine o'clock when he got to the office. As soon as Arthur entered the elevator, he saw Sophie standing inside.
"Arthur!" Sophie's eyes lit up. "You're here."
"Yeah." Arthur responded and pressed the floor button.
There were only the two of them in the elevator. Sophie moved closer to him, trying to link her arm through his. Arthur's arm muscles tensed, but he didn't dodge.
But with Sophie's understanding of him, how could she not feel his stiffness and reluctance?
The elevator arrived and the doors opened. Arthur was about to step out when Sophie suddenly grabbed his hand. "Wait."
"What is it?"
Sophie stared at his lips, where a band-aid was stuck.
Her eyes darkened, but she quickly smiled again. "Nothing, I just wanted to ask—let's have lunch together today? I booked your favorite restaurant."
"I have a meeting at noon," Arthur said.
"What about tonight?"
"I'm busy tonight too."
Sophie's smile faded, and hurt crept into her eyes. "Arthur, are you avoiding me? You never used to turn me down."
Arthur said nothing.
As they stood in awkward silence, footsteps came from outside the elevator, and several employees walked over.
Sophie's eyes darted around, then she suddenly said loudly. "Arthur, you promised me! You said you'd take me to meet your mom by the end of this month! You can't go back on your word!"
Her voice was loud enough for those employees to hear.
Arthur's expression changed. "Sophie, you..."
"What's wrong? Did you forget?" Sophie linked her arm through his and leaned in close. "Last night you even said you'd take me to buy a ring today."
Those employees exchanged glances, their eyes gleaming with gossip.
Arthur knew Sophie was doing this deliberately in front of the company employees so she wouldn't be laughed at anymore at the office.
He let it go—after all, it was something he'd promised her anyway.
Sure enough, after the morning incident, the whole company spent practically the entire day spreading gossip about the two of them.
"Did you hear? Director Smith said Mr. Grant promised to take her to meet his family by the end of the month!"
"Really? What about Mrs. Grant?"
"What else? Divorce, obviously. They've been planning to divorce anyway. I think Mr. Grant's heart is still with Director Smith—otherwise why would he buy her such an expensive crown?"
"True, but I saw Mr. Grant looking pretty bad this morning, and his lip was split. You think maybe..."
The gossipers lowered their voices, said something, then laughed quietly together.
Arthur heard some of these rumors but didn't pay much attention. He didn't care anyway, and Aria wouldn't come to his office.
-
Aria hadn't been feeling well since early morning—she wasn't sure if it was pregnancy symptoms.
There wasn't much going on at the studio, so she didn't go in. Instead, she stayed home to keep Elizabeth company.
After spending time together recently, she found that she and Elizabeth got along quite well and had good conversations.
In the afternoon sunshine, the two sat in wicker chairs in the garden drinking tea.
"Aria, you and Arthur..." Elizabeth suddenly brought this up.
Aria's heart tightened, but she kept her face calm. "Mom, we're fine."
"Really?" Elizabeth looked at her. "That day when Sophie came to the house and said all those things, I heard some of it. The more I heard, the more confused I got, and the more worried I became about you two."
"If there are any misunderstandings between husband and wife, you should clear them up early. Don't drag it out, and don't let outsiders take advantage."
Aria lowered her eyes, watching the tea leaves float and sink in her cup.
Misunderstandings? Between her and Arthur, where were there any misunderstandings? They'd already laid everything out clearly—he chose Sophie, and she chose to let go.
No matter what, the divorce was set in stone.
"Mom, don't overthink it," she said softly. "Arthur and I will handle our own affairs."
Elizabeth sighed and held her hand. "You're a good girl. I know you must have suffered. That boy Arthur is sometimes too stubborn and too confused, but he has feelings for you—I can see it."
Aria smiled but didn't respond.
Feelings for her? Maybe he did.
But compared to his promises and sense of responsibility toward Sophie, what did those feelings amount to?