Chapter 67
Emily lay on the ground, refusing to move, no matter how hard he pulled her. "I can't leave. If I go, no one will take care of Sarah. What if she has an episode?"
Today was whole mess - she knew William would come to deal with her. It was Sarah's idea to fake being sick and call him over so he'd be too distracted to worry about other things.
But once William showed up, he ignored the supposedly sick Sarah and wouldn't let go of Emily.
William dragged Emily into the car like a dog, completely ignoring the rain outside.
When Ava got back to SilkGrove Estates, she received a call from the Morgan Mansion. Isabella was so anxious that she could barely speak clearly.
"Ava, do you know what Emily did to upset William? Howard has locked her up."
Ava paused, stunned. "I don't know."
"Can you help talk to him? Howard loves you the most."
"Isabella, I wouldn't dare interfere when Grandpa is punishing the younger generation."
Isabella hung up, disappointed.
As soon as the call ended, Ava heard a car pulling up outside.
She grabbed a glass of water and headed upstairs, but still couldn't avoid him.
"Why do you leave whenever I come home?"
"I'm tired."
Ava brushed him off and went to her room with her water glass. Her hand hesitated on the door lock for a few seconds before letting go.
A door couldn't keep him out anyway.
There was only one way to truly get away from him - divorce.
She opened her phone and dialed a number.
"Olivia, I remember your boyfriend is a lawyer. Can you help me get in touch with him? I want to ask about filing for divorce."
"Ava, have you really decided?"
Ava said yes. "Thanks, Olivia."
"Hey, what's there to thank me for? Isn't that what friends do - help each other? Hold on, let me ask him. It'd be best to set up a time for you guys to meet and talk."
The bedroom door was pushed open from the outside. Ava looked up. "Olivia, I've got something to deal with. I'll hang up now. We'll talk another day."
William walked in wearing a black suit - he'd changed somewhere.
He strolled in casually with his long legs and, right in front of her, started taking off his jacket, loosening his tie, then reaching for his pants.
Ava was speechless. He was planning to crash in the guest room.
"Can't you sleep in your own room?"
As she spoke, he'd already pulled off his belt and pushed his pants halfway down.
Ava quickly turned her head away.
"Either we go back to the master bedroom together, or we sleep in the guest room together. You picked this room first, so I had to follow you here."
"Do you have to be like this?"
"Like what? Like this morning?"
Ava didn't know where he got such thick skin. When they'd parted this morning, they were at each other's throats. Now he acted like nothing had happened, his expression completely normal.
Every time they fought, she'd give him the cold shoulder while he seemed to have amnesia. It made Ava wonder if she was being too petty, holding onto one or two things.
"William, let's get divorced."
William tossed aside the pants he'd taken off. "Think it through before you speak. First, consider whether you can live normally without me."
Ava's eyes blurred with tears.
"Even if I starve to death outside, it's none of your business. Can we please get divorced?"
William frowned, slammed the door, and left. Before leaving, he threw out, "Ungrateful."
He still wouldn't agree to a divorce.
Ava sat crying in bed all night.
The next morning, Howard called, asking them both to come back to the Morgan Mansion.
Ava pulled herself together and went downstairs. William was already sitting in the hall, fully dressed and drinking tea.
Their eyes met briefly. By unspoken agreement, neither said anything.
In the car, Ava buckled her seatbelt, but he didn't start the engine.
"Aren't we leaving?"
She asked.
William unhurriedly pulled out a cigarette and held it between his fingers. Before he could light it, Ava unbuckled her seatbelt to get out.
William watched her disgusted expression, feeling somewhat dejected. He used to smoke in front of her all the time, and she'd never looked like this.
He tossed the cigarette aside and pulled the woman who was about to get out back with one hand.
"You really want a divorce?"
Ava couldn't read his thoughts right now, didn't know if he was serious or playing with her.
"Are you willing to divorce me?"
William laughed coldly and went straight for her mouth, kissing her fiercely.
"You can't mention divorce, understand?"
"I'm not allowed to mention divorce, only you can, is that it?"
William saw that this woman was dead set on divorcing him.
"You won't get a penny. Still want to divorce?"
"I told you I never planned to take your money."
William was so angry his insides churned. "Did you really not look at that divorce agreement?"
He'd thought of all the problems she'd face in the future when drafting it - money, house, car, he'd given her everything. And she hadn't even glanced at it.
His kindness was treated like garbage.
"You really don't need to worry about dividing assets. I can leave with nothing."
She was adding fuel to the fire.
William's cigarette craving kicked in again. He desperately needed an outlet. Smoking seemed to briefly empty his mind, let him exhale the resentment in his heart.
He pulled out a new one, paused, then got out of the car and lit it.
Ava leaned back weakly in her seat, watching his figure through the car window as he smoked, her heart a tangled mess.
She desperately needed a sharp knife to cut through all these messy things once and for all.
At the Morgan Mansion, Jeremy had been busy all morning preparing for the couple's return.
The dining table had over a dozen dishes, most of them Ava's favorites. Looking at Howard's kind face, Ava felt terribly guilty.
She'd deceived Howard. Last time at the hospital, she'd promised Howard to give him a chance.
In the end, she still couldn't get past the hurdle in her heart.
A cheating man was like money that fell in dog poop - disgusting to pick up, painful to throw away.
After the meal, the family sat in the living room chatting.
Ava wasn't in high spirits, sitting obediently beside him without speaking. But others were looking at her strangely. Her eyes swept around inadvertently, surprised not to see Emily.
According to her usual habits, seeing Ava, she'd definitely find a chance to mock her a few times to prove her existence.
Isabella was rather cold today, not pulling the couple aside to ask questions. Ava figured it probably had to do with Emily.
A servant from the kitchen brought fruit and asked, "Mr. Howard Morgan, should I send a portion to Miss Emily Morgan?"
Howard's face darkened. "I said starve her for three days. Anyone in this house who dares to secretly send her food is ignoring my words. Might as well punish them together!"
The servant shuddered in fear and quickly retreated.
Ava was wondering what Emily had done to make Howard so furious that he wouldn't even let her eat.
Howard turned back, calmed himself, and instructed her,
"Ava, if anyone wrongs you in the future, come tell me. I'll see who dares bully you. Using such dirty tricks on family members - if there's a next time, they don't need to be part of the Morgan family anymore. They can go hang out with thugs and hooligans."
Ava swallowed and nodded woodenly.
Only now did she understand - Howard must have found out about Emily's failed attempt to harm her, and had even used family discipline because of it.
She glanced at William. His face showed no expression, his hands clasped behind his head, leaning against the sofa back. As if this had nothing to do with him.
Ava knew clearly - he must have been the one who sent Emily to Howard. Not many people knew about this, and it wouldn't have reached Howard in just one day.
This man had a good-looking face but such a difficult personality - proud and silent, never telling her what he was doing, always making her guess.
Thinking of this, her resentment toward him eased a bit.
"Howard, I heard you've been practicing tai chi sword lately. Teach me sometime."
Ava found a lighter topic to move past this matter, and the grandfather and granddaughter chatted happily.
William's phone rang. He answered while walking toward the balcony. Ava chatted with Grandpa, but her attention was on him.
Whatever the person on the other end said, William's expression gradually darkened.