My nose tingled. My hand involuntarily lifted, unsure whether I wanted to hug him back or push him away. Suddenly, someone rushed over from behind and pulled Jasper away, shouting a string of angry words.
“Do you know Adeline is my wife?! What right do you have to touch her?!”
The onlookers couldn’t understand our language, but that didn’t stop them from giving me disdainful looks. In a love triangle, the woman is always seen as the villain.
! scoffed, “Asher, did you lose your mind on your birthday? I’ve told you many times, you’re just my ex–husband. Even if I kiss someone else on the street, what does it have to do with you?”
Asher’s eyes dodged. “Adeline, listen to me. Beatrix was lying. I never wronged you.”
I thought of that disgusting thing in her hand and frowned. “What do you mean?”
Asher rushed to explain, “That thing was placed by Cora. I was drunk and didn’t know what she did. Cora just asked me to help her with a drink; I had no idea she was trying to provoke you.”
I was expressionless. He might as well not explain, or I wouldn’t be angry all over again.
Asher obviously didn’t expect me to remain unmoved. His eyes were full of shock. “Adeline, aren’t you happy? I still love you. Wouldn’t you be happy to start over with me?”
Of course not. I wondered where his confidence came from.
“You got drunk with Beatrix, had a close encounter, and claim you love me. When danger came, you protected Beatrix and left me behind, and still say you love me. Asher, am I foolish enough to be so easily deceived?”
His face turned as pale as it could get. Asher is used to meditating at home, his skin is pale from lack of sunlight. I never thought his face could turn this white, like someone on the brink of collapse.
He still couldn’t believe it. “Adeline, you’ve loved me for so long, how could you possibly leave me?”
12:08 PM
<
He still couldn’t believe it, “Adeline, you’ve loved me for so long, how could you possibly leave me?”
I thought he was really pitiful. “Nothing is impossible. Asher, my love for you vanished long ago. Even if you ask me a thousand times, ten thousand times, it won’t change.”
Jasper was not pleased. He asked, “Why don’t you just say I’m your boyfriend? Then he wouldn’t bother you anymore.”
I smacked his head lightly. “I see you as a person, don’t sell yourself short.”
Yes, I never thought of using Jasper as a shield. If I agree to Jasper’s pursuit, it will be because I also like him, not because I need him as a
boyfriend for some deal.
After Asher, I learned love is precious. Being cherished is precious too. I don’t want to give anyone unrealistic hope when there’s no result.
I never expected Beatrix to contact me. She somehow got my contact information and asked for money.
“Adeline, I know you can’t let go of Asher. Let’s make a deal. You give me nine million, and I’ll leave Asher for nine years. Those nine years are your chance, whether you can seize it is up to you.”
I almost laughed. This is the funniest joke I’ve ever heard.
“Asher is worth nine million? Even if he offered me nine billion, I wouldn’t want him. If you love picking up trash, hurry up and take him back.”
I don’t know if Beatrix knows that Asher is acting like a desperate puppy for me now. And he’s barking for attention, but I won’t even glance at
him.
Beatrix freaked out, screaming how I’d never get Asher and I’d always be her defeated opponent. I treated it as a joke and recorded it for Jasper to hear.
Jasper quickly investigated. Asher used the influence of the old Carter family to impose a ban on Beatrix. Not taking her life, but ensuring that none of the family’s businesses or partners would offer her any service or job.
The second–generation rich kids of the Beijing Circie love watching the drama. When Beatrix used Asher’s connections to get what she wanted, she offended many of them. So they all followed suit.
Without money, Beatrix couldn’t even get bubble tea. Working as a janitor, she was exploited for three days as free labor and was dismissed after the trial period. So she thought of me as an easy target.
Asher also found out Beatrix was bothering me. Using the excuse of making amends, he came to ask for reconciliation. “I’ve dealt with Beatrix, Adeline, please forgive me. I promise from now on, you’ll be the only one in my heart.”
I raised my eyebrows and gave him one last chance. If he could return the Prayer Beads I gave him, forgiving him might be possible.
i
Asher believed it. He found many similar strings, begged restaurants for lost beads, and finally pieced together a comparable one. I was a bit emotional, “At a glance, you really can’t tell the difference.”
Asher’s eyes lit up. But before he could speak, I pulled out the two Prayer Beads I picked up from my pocket. His face turned ashen.
“You can’t fix broken Prayer Beads.” I had said many times. Asher had taken the most opportunities from me but gave me the greatest hurt. I’d be crazy to get entangled with him again.
So I tossed the two Rosewood Beads into the Thames River in front of him. And I never believed Asher loved me. He was just used to me being good to him and couldn’t accept my sudden absence.
