After I Asked for a Divorce, the CEO Regretted It

Chapter 3 The Scent of Roses

When I woke again, my face was wet with tears. I struggled to sit up, nearly collapsing to the floor.

"I told you to come home early and rest. How did you end up like this?"

I looked up and realized Adrian had come back at some point. He carried the faint scent of roses, with a few petals still clinging to his clothes.

He followed my gaze and smiled, unaware of how gentle it looked.

"The roses were flown in from Yvoria this morning for Seraphine's welcome. She was in a playful mood and threw a party. I got caught up in it too."

There was no hint of blame in his tone. Only indulgence.

A wave of nausea rose in me, and I couldn't stop myself from retching.

"What's wrong? You've been on IV all afternoon, and it still didn't help? Why can't you take better care of yourself?" Frowning, he scooped me up and carried me to the bed, laying me down with careful ease.

I held the glass of warm water he poured for me, but from head to toe, all I felt was cold. Even now, the scent of roses lingered at the tip of my nose. It was Seraphine's scent.

I looked at the man in front of me as he shrugged off his jacket and asked softly, "Adrian, I want roses too."

His hand paused at his cuff before he let out a small laugh. "What, isn't the Black Card I gave you enough? Just buy whatever you want. I still have an international meeting. Get some rest."

He didn't notice anything unusual about me. He turned and walked into the study.

I clearly saw that he was holding two rose petals in his hand. Quietly, I slipped out of bed and cracked the door open.

I watched as he left the study without a sound and headed straight to that secret room. The suspicion in my heart was confirmed. But it didn't make it any easier to bear.

I bit down hard on my lip, refusing to let a single sob escape. So, it really was like that. There was no international meeting. He just wanted to relive the time he had spent with Seraphine. Nothing more.

It was one in the morning when Adrian finally returned to the bedroom. He wrapped his arms around me from behind and murmured softly, "I've ordered roses for you. They'll arrive tomorrow morning. Remember to sign for them."

I didn't respond. I kept my eyes closed and pretended to be asleep. Only then did I understand liking and loving were not the same.

Perhaps Adrian liked me, but he certainly didn't love me. In three years of marriage, he had never once given me flowers. And yet, if he had ever asked, he would have known my favorite flowers were peonies, not roses.

Pregnancy made it hard for me to sleep. At night, my legs often ached and cramped. With my eyes closed, I murmured faintly, "It hurts... it really hurts..."

Adrian, already used to it, straightened my leg and rubbed it with massage oil from the private medical center. In the silent room, I heard him sigh.

"Your body is too weak... If it were Seraphine, it wouldn't be like this..."

In that moment, I finally understood. He had never cared about me.