Chapter 98 Live Broadcast Revealing Maria's Scandal
Their eyes met, and Gloria seemed drawn by those deep eyes. In a daze, she stretched out her leg.
The moisture on her body had dried. When Caspian's fingers touched her, she instinctively pulled back.
"Don't be afraid." Caspian gently soothed her.
He caught her slender ankle again, his thumb rubbing and kneading gently. At first Gloria felt some pain, but gradually he worked out the knots, easing her discomfort bit by bit.
Only then did Gloria realize that Caspian was kneeling on one knee by the bed, with her foot resting gently on his thigh.
Though she didn't dare press down too hard, she could clearly feel Caspian's firm, strong muscles beneath the fabric.
The hard touch reminded Gloria that he was far from harmless.
Gloria found this scene somewhat unreal - he was the heir of the Rivers family, yet he would lower himself to do these things for her.
Actually, he was very much like when he was young, always maintaining his gentlemanly manner and good upbringing, without a trace of arrogance.
A man like this, when he got married in the future, would probably respect his wife too, and wouldn't treat her the way James did.
Thinking of James, Gloria felt a sharp pain in her heart.
"Caspian, I'm fine now, it doesn't hurt that much anymore." She withdrew her leg, embarrassed.
Caspian slowly stood up and brought a hairdryer from the bathroom. Gloria waved her hands repeatedly, "Really, you don't have to, I can do it myself."
"It's no trouble."
Caspian had already plugged it into the bedside socket and turned on the hairdryer. Gloria had no way to refuse.
James used to do these things for her.
Gloria looked at the heavy snow flying outside the window, her thoughts drifting away.
As a child, Caspian had seen his father styling his mother's hair, drawing her eyebrows, applying her lipstick.
He had seen how powerful that broad hand was when it held the reins while teaching him to ride, and how decisive it was when making decisions in executive meetings.
But he had never seen his stern father be so gentle in front of his mother.
When his fingertips ran through her hair, he could feel the damp, slightly cool sensation at the ends.
After the moisture evaporated, Gloria's hair became soft and fluffy, sliding gently through his fingers.
At this moment, he understood his father.
So serving the woman you love brings a sense of comfort and fulfillment that cleanses the soul.
Gloria's mind was full of thoughts about James. Even though she had clearly drawn boundaries with him and was prepared to never see him again, after eighteen years together, how long would it take her to move on?
Perhaps for a long time to come, a song or a falling leaf would remind her of him.
People who once loved each other so much had become ex-spouses in less than a month.
Caspian turned off the hairdryer and looked down to see Gloria with red-rimmed eyes.
"It's late, get some rest. I won't disturb you anymore." He didn't know what to say to comfort her.
When it came to matters of the heart, nothing he said would help.
The only thing he could do was let Gloria slowly process it herself and move on.
Gloria looked at his back and reminded him, "Grandma's room is empty, you can use her room to wash up."
"Okay, don't worry about me, get some good rest."
Caspian closed her door and went to the master bedroom's bathroom.
Urgent footsteps sounded on the wooden floor of the corridor, followed by knocking.
"Gloria, it's me." James's somewhat anxious voice came from outside.
Gloria straightened her clothes and opened the door. Snow was falling heavily behind James.
His hair and shoulders still had snowflakes that hadn't melted yet. His handsome face was full of anxiety, in stark contrast to the calmness on Gloria's face.
"Gloria, I actually arranged for Maria to have an abortion a long time ago."
Gloria frowned slightly, "Whether she has an abortion or not means nothing to me anymore. James, I've said everything I needed to say tonight. I need to rest, please leave and stop making noise."
James grabbed her hand. His emotions seemed somewhat broken, completely lacking his usual composure, more like that night.
This James made Gloria feel a bit scared. She frowned coldly, "Let go!"
"Gloria, you once said that as long as I made Maria abort the child, you could let bygones be bygones."
He explained frantically, as if grasping at his last straw: "I really arranged it, but right when the surgery was scheduled, my sister woke up, so I..."
"James, when I said that, I just wanted to see whether the child or I mattered more to you. If you had firmly chosen me then, I would have forgiven you."
Gloria continued calmly, "But you didn't. You blocked my comeback, tried to force me back to be kept by you. You can't have your cake and eat it too. The moment you thought the child and I could coexist, I lost, and you lost me too."
"I gave you a chance, you didn't cherish it. Now whatever happens between you and that Maria has nothing to do with me."
She tried to pull her hand away, but James held on tightly.
"Gloria, I'll make her abort the child, and I'll clarify that you're my wife. Trust me, please, trust me one more time."
The obsession in his eyes grew more and more crazy. James gave her the feeling of a fierce beast bound by chains - once the chains broke, he would lose all reason.
How did the once cool and collected James become like this?
But his affairs had nothing to do with her anymore.
"If you keep pestering me, I'll do a live stream too and expose your dirty business with Maria. Now that the assets are divided, I have nothing to worry about."
Gloria threatened coldly, "You know my temper, I do what I say. Let go and leave, that's what you should do."
Not only did James not let go, he forcefully pulled Gloria into his arms.
The cold air from his body invaded her, making Gloria shiver.
"James, you bastard, we already agreed, you—!"
James's chin pressed against her neck, his arms crossed to hold her firmly in his embrace. "Gloria, it's impossible, I won't let go, unless I—"
Before he could say the word "die," a cold male voice came from behind: "Let her go."
Hearing this voice, James was startled. He looked up and saw Caspian walking out of the room with moisture still on him.