After His Cheating, A Guy Begs to Marry Me

Chapter 3

Scarlett lifted her chin and stood her ground against him. "She disrespected me. I was unhappy, so I slapped her to teach her a lesson."

Cassie hid in his arms, not wailing loudly, only sobbing quietly—exactly the sort of thing that stoked a man's protective instinct.

Rage flared up suddenly in Eric's eyes. Gritting his teeth, he spoke each word slowly and distinctly. "Scarlett, I've spoiled you too much all these years. Do you really think you're completely safe? What I've given you, I can just as easily give to another woman."

Even though Scarlett had told herself she would not get hurt anymore, her heart still ached a little at his words.

She quickly pulled herself together, then let out a cold sneer. "If you want to get even for Cassie, you can hit me back. But if you m**m me or ruin my face..."

Scarlett fixed Cassie with a meaningfully loaded stare. "Whatever damage you deal me, I'll give it right back to her, measure for measure."

Who would ever dare threaten Eric, the privileged man of Havenbrook's high society?

Eric actually laughed out of sheer anger. "How could I bear to hit you? A slow, grinding torment suits you far better."

Cassie, still in his arms, had not said a word this whole time, but her eyes were blazing, and she kept darting provocative looks at Scarlett when Eric wasn't looking.

Scarlett was tired, fed up. She had endured so many of Cassie's provocations already. Even if Cassie was willing to let it go, Scarlett was planning to leave Eric anyway. But before she left, she would make Cassie suffer a little.

Scarlett clenched her fist imperceptibly. "The first time you cheated, I fought with you, and you warned me then that there was nothing you hated more than women squabbling over petty jealousies. I could only put on the mask of a virtuous wife."

Tear after tear rolled down her cheeks, leaving glistening tracks on her fair, beautiful face. "You have so many women, and they've all walked all over me. That's why I finally dared to fight back. When I kept quiet and didn't fight for anything, how much did you give those other women? I don't ask for anything else. I only ask you to stay by my side. I beg you for a scrap of pity, so I have some branch left to cling to. What more do you want from me?"

This outpouring of grief and complaint was the first time she had ever shown this side of herself to Eric, but there was not a single trace of genuine emotion in it.

Playing the innocent, tear-stained b***h—how hard could it be?

For seven years, she had played the role of the docile, unassuming partner. Now that she was showing this vulnerable side, and given that Eric had always had a soft spot for women who acted vulnerable, he would surely lean toward her at least a little.

Sure enough, the moment Eric saw her tears, his attitude softened immediately.

Seeing this, Cassie grew visibly anxious. "Eric, my face hurts."

Eric glanced down at her, suddenly feeling irritable. "I'm not a doctor."

Cassie lowered her head, her eyes sharp with malice.

Suddenly, she knelt in front of Scarlett. "Mrs. Harris, this is all my fault. I didn't know my place."

No sooner had she spoken than she raised her hand and started slapping her own face, each slap harder than the one before.

She had only slapped herself a few times when Eric grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms. "Stop."

He rarely let his true feelings show so clearly on his face. He cast a harried, distracted glance at Scarlett and said, "Don't overthink this. No one can threaten your position. There's no need to get worked up over Cassie."

After saying this, Eric wrapped his arm around Cassie's waist and left.

The room fell silent in an instant, and Scarlett's heart felt hollow.

Eric, the thorn lodged crosswise in her flesh, should have been pulled out long ago. She should never have dragged it out until now.

Only when the phone in her pocket suddenly rang did she come back to her senses. She saw that a new contact named "Arthur Wright" had been added to her phone at some point she couldn't remember.

Arthur: Honey, are you feeling okay?

Arthur: It seems I still don't have a place in your heart, Scarlett.

Arthur: But I know you don't want to stay there for another single minute.