Chapter 88 A Slap
Over the next few days, Arthur would find time to visit Sophie at the hospital, rarely going home and seeing much less of Aria.
Aria noticed this too. Every time she and Arthur met and exchanged a few words, Sophie would call right on cue, as if she had installed some kind of tracking device on Arthur.
Aria didn't say anything about it. After all, Arthur would always choose that woman without hesitation. There wasn't much for her to say.
Saying more would just be a waste of her energy.
That day, Lance happened to ask Aria to meet about a project. He picked her up and then drove her back home.
The two were saying goodbye at the door when Arthur was just about to leave. The three ran into each other again.
Lance could feel the tension coming from Arthur. His eyes flickered as he glanced at Aria, then stepped forward to greet Arthur.
"Mr. Grant, heading out?"
"Mr. Gray came to the house without letting me know. Won't you come in and sit for a bit?"
Arthur glanced at Aria, then turned his gaze to Lance, his tone carrying a hint of mockery.
Lance could clearly hear the implication in Arthur's words. He smiled lightly, "I just happened to be working on a project with Ms. Hall. Now that we've finished our discussion, I won't bother you any longer."
Lance's words were also meant to explain things for Aria.
Arthur paused slightly at this, glanced at him, and said coolly, "In that case, I won't keep you. Take care."
Arthur showed Lance no courtesy whatsoever. Aria could sense the tension between the two men. She frowned slightly and looked at Lance apologetically, "Thanks for your trouble. You should head back."
Lance nodded gently, "Alright, I'll be going."
After Lance left, Arthur's expression immediately turned ugly. His eyes burned into Aria as he said in an icy tone, "Do you really like being around that man so much? You're together every other day. Am I not enough to satisfy you?"
Hearing Arthur's angry questioning, Aria's expression changed, and her attitude turned cold too.
"Arthur, I've told you not to keep using your dirty thoughts to define my relationship with Lance. He and I are completely innocent. We're not as good at playing games as you are."
This Arthur was simply unreasonable, questioning her relationship with Lance again and again. Even jealousy should have its limits!
Arthur was furious and spoke without thinking, "You're so good at covering for him? Can you honestly say you haven't spent more time with him than with me lately?"
In his view, Aria was covering for Lance. What did she take him for? Did she really think he had no temper?
Aria just found it laughable. Arthur was actually saying this to her?
"So what? Haven't you been spending these past few days with Sophie? Do you need me to time how long you've been together?"
These past few days, Sophie had been calling him almost every day. With just one phone call from her, he would rush to her side without hesitation. Had she said anything about it?
Why was it okay for him to do it but not for her?!
Besides, if we're talking about impropriety, he and Sophie were the most improper ones!
For once, Arthur was at a loss for words. Meeting Aria's cold eyes, he frowned and took a deep breath, "She's injured, and it's because of me. I can't just ignore it."
Ha...
Aria laughed coldly to herself. Yes, Sophie was injured for him, but hadn't she been injured for him too?
Sophie's injuries mattered, but hers didn't?
It was just that he didn't care.
"So what? What does that have to do with me?"
Arthur seemed surprised by Aria's reaction. He looked at her in astonishment, unusually speechless.
Aria took in Arthur's changing expression, her face calm, as if what she'd just said was completely trivial.
"If you don't have anything else, I'm going inside."
Aria didn't want to keep arguing with Arthur. In her view, continuing to argue would just be a waste of time and completely unnecessary.
"Aria, do you really not care at all?"
Arthur didn't respond to that. He just looked at Aria deeply and spoke softly.
Aria paused slightly, met Arthur's deep gaze, and smiled faintly, "Should I care? Have you ever cared about me? Arthur, don't be ridiculous. You're just being possessive right now. I've also said I can help you make a choice—we can get divorced. But you're the one who won't agree!"
Arthur wanted to have it all, wanted everything, but he should know that trying to have everything would only result in having nothing!
Watching Aria's indifferent attitude, Arthur felt a bitter pang in his heart, as if something was being carved out of him, causing him pain.
"You want a divorce that badly?"
"Yes!"
"You just want to leave me and be with Lance, don't you?"
Arthur suddenly pulled Aria into his arms and kissed her forcefully, as if trying to prove something through this action!
Aria hadn't expected Arthur to do this. Caught off guard by the kiss, just as Arthur was about to go further, she found the strength from somewhere to push him away and snapped coldly, "Arthur, have you lost your mind!"
"Lost my mind? Yes! I have lost my mind. Is it crazy for me to kiss my own wife? But it's not crazy when someone else kisses you? Who do you want to kiss you if not me? Lance? Do you want him to fuck you too?"
Arthur's eyes were bloodshot as he looked at Aria and said word by word, "Have you two already slept together?"
"Slap!"
As soon as Arthur finished speaking, he felt a sharp pain on his face. He saw Aria staring at him with red eyes, her hand flushed red, her eyes full of disbelief and humiliation.
Arthur's rationality returned at that moment. Realizing his thoughtless words, regret flashed in his eyes. He wanted to explain, but then Aria slapped him again.
His pride prevented him from opening his mouth to explain. He could only leave with clenched teeth.
Aria didn't look at him. Behind her, she heard the sound of a car door opening and closing. Even as the car drove away, she remained motionless, just staring down at her hand, a bitter smile on her lips. In his eyes, she and Lance were that improper!
He wouldn't give her even a bit of trust!
Ha!
Aria stayed in the courtyard to calm her emotions. Only when her mind had settled did she slowly walk into the house.
As soon as she entered, Elizabeth came up to her, looking at her with some concern, "What happened? Did you two fight?"
The commotion outside had been quite loud. Elizabeth had seen it from inside the house, but she knew some things should be handled by young people themselves, so she hadn't gone out.
She also knew that her son could be quite awful sometimes.
For Aria to get angry enough to slap him, he must have said something excessive.
Elizabeth's concern made Aria's emotions collapse all at once...