Chapter 224

Chapter 224

Harper didn't answer.

She just stared at the wound on Alaric's arm, at the blood continuously seeping out, and her eyes suddenly reddened.

He was hurt.

Harper stepped forward, gently gently lifted his arm, examining the wound.
The wound was long, stretching from his wrist all the way to his elbow, the torn flesh peeled slightly outward. Blood oozed steadily, soaking his sleeve and dripping onto her hands, staining them bright red.

Her hands were trembling. "Does it hurt?"

Alaric shook his head. "It doesn't hurt."

Harper looked up into his eyes.

In those eyes, there was no pain, only worry.

He was worried about her. Worried if she was hurt, worried if she was afraid, worried if she was frightened.

Yet he was the one injured, the one bleeding.

Harper's tears suddenly fell.

"Alaric, you fool..." Her voice cracked as she traced around the wound with trembling fingers, careful not to touch the exposed flesh. "Why are you so foolish? Why did you rush in? Do you know how dangerous that knife was? Do you know what would have happened if it had stabbed you?"

Alaric met her gaze, soft and steady.

Sweat clung to his forehead, his complexion pale, yet somehow he still managed a faint, reassuring smile.
"Because you were inside," he said, his voice soft but each word crystal clear. "No matter how dangerous, I would come in. It doesn't matter if the knife stabs me, but it can't stab you."

Harper's tears flowed even harder.

"Does it hurt?" she asked again, her voice shaking badly.

Alaric shook his head, using his uninjured hand to gently wipe away the tears on her face.

His fingers were smeared with his own blood, leaving streaks across her cheeks but she didn’t flinch or care.

"It doesn't hurt. Really doesn't hurt. Seeing you're okay, I don't hurt."

Harper looked at him, at those gentle eyes, at his arm bleeding for her, at his disheveled yet yet unyieldingly protective stance. An emotion she'd never felt before surged in her heart.

This man, from beginning to end, had been by her side.

No matter what she encountered, he was always the first to appear.

No matter what she faced, he always stood in front of her.

No matter how strong she was, he always wanted to protect her.

An impulse rose from her heart, and then could no longer be suppressed.

She suddenly stood on her toes and kissed him.

Alaric froze.

In that instant, time seemed to stand still.

Harper closed her eyes, tears still on her face, but her lips pressed against his, tasting of blood, of salty tearsand all the unspoken emotions buried between them.

Alaric stood motionless for a second, then carefully pulled her into his embrace.

He held her lightly, afraid of hurting her, yet held her tightly, like holding the most precious treasure in his life.

He lowered his head and deepened the kiss.

Across the room, Rupert lay sprawled on the ground, unable to move.

Several of his ribs were broken. Each breath brought piercing pain, yet he still stared fixedly at those two people, at them embracing, at them kissing. The hatred in his eyes nearly overflowed.

That was his wife!

Had been his wife.

But now, she was in another man's arms.

Rupert wanted to shout, to curse, to rush up and separate them, but he couldn't move.

He could only lie there, watching helplessly.

In a corner, Elowen crouched on the floor, trembling.

She watched Harper kiss Alaric, watched Alaric reach out to hold her, watched their intimacy as if no one else existed. She was mad with jealousy.

Why?

Why could Harper have all this? Why couldn't she, Elowen? She was Alaric's childhood friend,others even thought she was Alaric's first love!

She was younger than Harper, prettier than Harper, more talented than Harper. How was she inferior to that divorced piece of trash?

The jealousy in her heart was about to overflow, but Elowen wisely didn't dare show even half of it. Even if she had, no one would care.

Harper closed her eyes, feeling Alaric's warmth, hearing his heartbeat so close, feeling the strength of his embrace.

His heartbeat was fast, each beat seeming to tell her how much he cared about her.

Alaric's arms slowly tightened, pulling her even closer.

After who knows how long, they finally separated.

Harper's face was somewhat flushed, her eyes still red, tears still on her face, but she smiled. That smile was as gentle as the first blooming flower of spring. "Alaric, you're mine now."

Alaric nodded without hesitation. "I was before, and I will be in the future."

The two looked at each other and couldn't help but smile.

They didn't care about the two uninvited guests beside them, because outside the door, the police had already arrived.

Officers rushed in, momentarily stunned by the scene, then quickly took control.

Two officers dragged Rupert up from the ground, handcuffs clicking onto his wrists.

Rupert struggled, shouting something, but no one listened. "Don't arrest me, don't arrest me..."

His broken ribs made each movement unbearable, but he still lunged toward Harper as much as his battered body allowed. "Harper! You bitch, you deceived me! You've been plotting against me all along. I won't let you go!"

Two officers held him down firmly, dragging him out.

Two other officers approached Elowen. "Ms. Elowen Forbes, you're suspected of involvement in multiple malicious incidents. Please come with us."

They were taking Elowen for investigation, too. She'd never been to a police station in her life.

Elowen's face was deathly pale.

Her knees buckled as she tried to stand. An officer held her upright as they escorted her out. Just before the door, Elowen turned back.

Harper and Alaric were still holding each other.

Harper leaned in Alaric's embrace. Alaric lowered his head, saying something in her ear.

Her lips curved, light in her eyes.

That light was the light of happiness.

Elowen's nails dug into her palms, drawing blood.

Why?

She'd done so much, put in so much effort, even stooped to cooperating with someone like Rupert, only to end up like this.

Yet Harper, having done nothing, possessed everything.

"Harper!" She suddenly shrieked, completely forgetting to maintain her act in front of Alaric. Her voice was sharp and piercing. "Don't get too proud! I won't let you go! You think you've won? Just wait! I'll let everyone know your true face!"

Harper turned her head slightly and looked at her.

That glance was as calm as looking at an ant.

"Elowen," she said, "you should think about how to explain things to the police. I've already submitted all that evidence. Every single thing you did,you can't escape any of it."

Elowen was dragged out.

Rupert's voice also faded into the distance.

The moment the door closed, the office finally fell quiet.

With no outsiders around, heat crept into Harper’s cheeks. She buried her face in Alaric’s chest. Alaric held her, speaking warmly in her ear. "It's not safe for you to live alone. Move in with me?"