# Chapter 22: Relapse
1390 Words
And so, shameless as ever, Adrian followed Willow home...
When they arrived, Mrs. Wright was bustling about in the kitchen. She opened the door and saw...
A wife with a face as dark as charcoal, and... a husband who looked unusually weak?
"Mrs. Wright, I couldn't eat properly while you were gone. My stomach condition's flared up again." Adrian slipped in behind Willow, threw himself onto the sofa with practiced precision, and casually tossed a complaint Mrs. Wright's way.
Mrs. Wright stood frozen in place, spatula in hand, mentally shattering on the spot.
*Fine, fine. Here we go again.*
"I'll start cooking right now, it'll be ready soon!" Mrs. Wright rushed back to the kitchen and resumed her busywork.
Glancing at the wife whose darkened face could rival the bottom of a burnt pot, Mrs. Wright shook her head. Best to stay clear of the crossfire.
Willow sighed helplessly and poured Adrian a glass of warm water.
A man nearly six-foot-three, all cramped up with his legs folded on her small living room sofa because he couldn't stretch out properly. He looked utterly... pitiful and ridiculous at the same time.
Mrs. Wright quickly whipped up three dishes and a soup. After serving them each a bowl, she tactfully removed her apron and made her exit.
"Mr. and Mrs. Ashford, please enjoy your meal. I'll be off now. See you tomorrow."
And just like that, Mrs. Wright left, her achievements and glory hidden behind her.
On her way out, she didn't forget to give Adrian a thumbs-up of encouragement. That's right - a man had to be persistent and refuse to fit no for an answer!
Adrian nodded. He would.
Watching Mrs. Wright bustle off, Willow let out a heavy sigh.
She sat down at the dining table and started on her soup.
Of course, he didn't need to be called. The man very naturally pulled out a chair and sat across from her, eating with deliberate slowness. His appetite was surprisingly good.
He didn't look like someone who hadn't eaten a proper meal in days at all!
But Adrian did appear to have lost some weight.
Was it because he'd been opting care of Olivia at the hospital? Willow wondered to herself.
"What are you thinking about?" Adrian asked, noticing her distant expression.
"I'm thinking about how Olivia isn't dead yet."
"..."
"I haven't been to the hospital these past two days. I've been busy dealing with construction site matters at the company, so I haven't been eating." Heaven finally has eyes - Adrian had actually opened his mouth to explain.
Willow let out a cold humph. She hadn't even asked.
The two of them ate facing each other in silence.
When Adrian was almost done eating, Willow spoke up.
"Are you finished? If you are, then..."
She didn't get to finish her sentence.
"Ah, it hurts. Willow, don't you have any medicine here?" Adrian clutched his stomach, collapsed back onto the sofa again, and looked at her in agony.
Willow felt like crows were flying over her head.
Seeing Adrian's pained expression, she still got up to search her room for stomach medicine.
While she was carefully rummaging through her things, the door clicked shut behind her.
"Parenting books? Why are you reading parenting books?" Adrian's voice came from behind her.
Willow jumped in fright.
"Why are you barging into someone's room and going through their things?" Willow snatched the book back, her whole body tense, heart pounding wildly.
"You still haven't answered me. Why are you reading parenting books?" Adrian looked at her seriously.
"Lucas suggested I open a children's art studio. I wanted to understand kids better first, so he lent me a few books. Is that not allowed?" Willow said, feigning calm.
"You want to open an art studio?" Adrian asked.
Seeing that she'd muddled through, Willow nodded frantically and pushed Adrian toward the door.
"Get out. Don't stay in my bedroom," Willow said.
"Has he been here?" At the thought of Lucas, Adrian couldn't control the jealousy bubbling up inside him.
"What?" Willow was used abut.
"I'm asking if Lucas has been to your bedroom." Adrian blocked the doorway, unwilling to leave.
"He's not just been to my bedroom. He's been in my bed too," Willow sneered, looking at him.
Adrian's jaw tightened, a vein pulsing at his temple.
"Willow, don't provoke me." Adrian pulled Willow into his arms, lowered his head, and kissed her lips fiercely as punishment.
The sudden, forceful kiss startled Willow. She immediately felt something trying to pry open her teeth.
Willow bit down hard, tasting iron.
Adrian hissed and covered his mouth. A trace of blood appeared at the corner of his lips.
"Get out. Get out of my house." Willow pushed Adrian out with all her might.
"Willow, I'm in the wrong. Don't always try to make me angry." The now-calm Adrian turned around, trying to embrace her again.
This time, Willow didn't give him the chance. She dodged his hand and shoved Adrian out of the room.
Seeing that Willow was truly furious, Adrian turned around with perfect timing and collapsed onto the sofa, looking utterly pitiful.
"Willow, where's my medicine?" Adrian hugged a throw pillow and looked at her with grievance.
That pitiful look...
As if the bastard who'd been jealous and taken liberties for no reason just a moment ago wasn't him.
He was just a good boy patiently waiting for his medicine, while Willow was the heartless woman who'd wronged him.
"Go to hell." Willow gritted her teeth, threw the medicine at Adrian, turned around, and locked the bedroom door.
Willow lay on her bed, glaring at the door as if glaring at a certain someone.
*Fine, he can sleep here for one night! I'll kick him out tomorrow!*
Adrian looked at the locked bedroom door and knocked lightly twice.
"Willow, you've locked the door. Where am I supposed to sleep?"
"Guest room. Sofa. Your choice!"
The corner of Adrian's mouth twitched as he glanced at the guest room next door.
*Sigh, this old house is still too big. What's the point of having two rooms? There should only be one room... or better yet, knock down the wall between the two bedrooms and put in one big enough bed...*
Meanwhile, on the other side, after Willow and Adrian had left, Lina Sterling endured the pointing fingers and whispers around her, tucking her tail between her legs and scurrying away.
Thinking about the trouble she'd caused today, Lina Sterling's heart was filled with anxiety. She decided to go straight to the hospital to find Olivia and get some clarity, just to set her mind at ease.
At the hospital, Olivia was leisurely reading a book.
Seeing Lina Sterling arrive unexpectedly, she was somewhat displeased.
"Why are you here? And without a word beforehand?" Olivia pouted.
"Cousin, I happened to be passing by, so I came to see you. Are you feeling better?" Lina Sterling said with a hint of ingratiation.
"Nothing serious," Olivia said.
"Mr. Ashford isn't here keeping you company?" Lina Sterling looked around.
"Is there something you want?" Olivia gave her cousin a sidelong glance.
This cousin of hers had no tact whatsoever. A complete i***t who wore every thought on her face.
"Ah, um." Lina Sterling nodded, thinking about how to tell Olivia what had happened today, how to downplay the important parts and emphasize the trivial ones.
"Ah! Today was our class reunion, and I ran into Willow," Lina Sterling said.
"Is that so?" Olivia was unenthusiastic.
"Willow also told me..." Lina Sterling hesitated.
"Told you what?" Hearing Lina Sterling's evasiveness piqued Olivia's curiosity.
"Willow said she's in the process of negotiating a divorce with Mr. Ashford," Lina Sterling said.
Olivia's whole body came alive, a gleam lighting up her eyes.
"Really?" Olivia grabbed Lina Sterling's hand, brimming with excitement.
"Yes, she said it right there on the spot." Lina Sterling nodded affirmatively.
"Their divorce is because of you and Mr. Ashford..." Lina Sterling looked at Olivia cautiously.
"Of course. Who else? Only I'm worthy of Adrian." Olivia leaned back against the bed, her face full of smugness.
Lina Sterling let out a breath of relief. As long as her cousin hadn't fallen out with Adrian, that was all that mattered.
As for the rest... her cousin didn't need to know.
- Writer
