Chapter 177
Cheryl stepped into the hospital room, then paused, backed out, and checked the number by the door.
After confirming it was the right bed, she walked back in.
“Clayton?” she called tentatively.
He didn’t respond and just shut his eyes, unwilling to deal with her.
“My god, you’ve wasted away!” she exclaimed, walking to the bedside and setting down a bag of bargain fruit she’d picked up downstairs.
She reached for the thermal food jar and noticed it hadn’t been touched.
“You haven’t eaten?”
“Can’t keep anything down,” he said flatly.
She opened the lid, finding it was chicken soup, still warm.
It had been sent by his mother, who, despite claiming to stay out of his affairs, couldn’t help but worry and quietly arranged for nourishing meals to be delivered.
Cheryl, the kind who’d sooner lose money gambling than spend on herself, caught the smell of the soup and felt her stomach rumble.
Without asking, she picked up a spoon and sat down. “Well, I haven’t eaten either. If you’re not going to, I will. I’ll get you something better later.”
Clayton found it pathetic.
She came to “visit,” brought cheap fruit, and now she was helping herself to his food.
He felt both disgust and disdain, but chose silence, eyes still closed, pretending to sleep.
She slurped the soup greedily, not wasting a drop, even licking the spoon before putting it back in the container and snapping on the lid.
“Poor thing… I’ll stay tonight. Keep you company.”
“No need,” Clayton said at once, opening his eyes. “Vally needs you more than I do. Better stay with her.”
Cheryl wiped the soup from the corner of her mouth with her hand.
“Don’t be fooled by how gentle Vally seems. She’s tougher than she looks. But she’s still a woman, and women need care, need love. You married her. That means you step up and treat her right.”
She looked around, didn’t find a napkin, and reached for a tissue on the table, wiping her greasy hands and mouth.
Clayton looked away, repulsed. For all her years married to a government worker, she’d never shed her coarse manner.
The tissue was smeared and soaked by the time she finally tossed it in the trash.
She crossed her legs, folded her hands over her knee, and launched into a lecture.
“When Luna starts living with me, you two can focus on your own life. Marriage isn’t all sunshine. Tongue and teeth will clash, but that’s just part of it. You have to learn to understand each other, to forgive.”
Clayton didn’t just want to shut his eyes again. He wanted to stop hearing her altogether.
If she stayed the night, he’d get no rest at all.
1/3
Chapter 177
White Valerie was discussing commission terms with the Aegis Auctions representatives, the doorbell suddenly rang.
“Is that one of your people?” she asked, glancing toward the door.
The woman from Aegis quickly shook her head. “No, just the two of us.”
The bell rang a few more times, then went silent.
Clayton would never ring the doorbell. Besides, sho something.
alro
“Probably just a mistake. Please, go on,” Valerie said, signalin
“The commission is paid by the buyer, three percent of the fi
woman explained, pulling out records from similar pas
sent Cheryl to keep an eye on him. It was most likely a neighbor coming by to borrow
the woman to continue.
price. If the piece doesn’t sell, the seller still covers one percent of the reserve,” the
“None of these gems were as clear as yours, and they still sold well above estimate.”
Suddenly, there was a rustling noise at the door.
Valerie turned her head, just in time to see it slowly swing open.
All three inside looked up, stunned.
Carson stood in the doorway, momentarily caught off guard. “You’re home? Why didn’t you answer?”
One of the auction staff asked hesitantly, “Is he your husband?”
“No.” Valerie stood abruptly, her tone frosty.
With Clayton absent, she no longer bothered to play the soft–spoken victim. Her posture turned sharp, her voice crisp. “This is my house. I open the door if I want to. Why do you have a key?”
Carson let out a short laugh, stepped aside, and waved his hand. “Bring them in.”
Several workers entered in a line, carrying boxes.
“These are Luna’s learning toys. She doesn’t need me anymore, so I’m dropping them off here.”
He twirled a set of keys around his finger. “Clayton gave me the spare. I saw the lights on and thought he forgot to turn them off. When no one answered, I assumed something was wrong.”
The movers set the boxes down and quickly left.
Carson’s eyes swept across the couple on the couch, then landed on Valerie.
“I’ve contacted the police and child services. Once Luna’s back, they’ll be checking in daily. If I catch even a hint of abuse again, I’ll make sure you end up behind bars.”
With that, he slammed the door behind him.
Outside, after paying the movers, Carson sat in his car for a moment, then sent a message to Clayton.
[Your wife’s at home, with some guy and another woman. No clue what they’re up to, but you’d better watch your back.]
The phone under Clayton’s pillow buzzed softly.
He pulled it out with some effort and frowned at the screen.
Chapter 177
“Cheryl, is Vally doing alright in the hospital?” he asked.
He still thought Valerie had snuck home because she couldn’t stand the hospital conditions.
ale your
“What choice does she have?” Cheryl snapped. “You’ve got terrible taste in women. Your ex–wife, vulgar and violent, hits people like it’s nothing if it weren’t for her, would Vally be suffering like this?”
Clayton pressed the phone to his aching stomach, sweat breaking out on his back.
“Stop…”
“Why should I?” Her voice rose. “If that woman hadn’t been so petty and mean to Vally, she wouldn’t have been forced into marrying you in the first place!”
His stomach twisted, pain making it hard to breathe.
He tried to turn and reach for the call button.
Thinking he was dodging the conversation, Cheryl pushed him back down. “Be honest. Are you trying to divorce Vally and crawl back to that bitch? I’m warning you, my daughter…”
His face had gone completely pale, lips gray and bloodless.
Only then did Cheryl realize something was wrong. She rushed to hit the call button.
A nurse came quickly and called the doctor after a brief check. They learned he hadn’t eaten all day.
“You can’t do this. Excess stomach acid will only make it worse,” the doctor said, turning to Cheryl. “Get him something easy to digest, and make sure he eats in small portions, frequently.”
“Sure,” she said, nodding earnestly.
Once the doctor left, she rolled her eyes and waved him off. “I’ll get you a salad, nutritious and gentle on the stomach.”
Half an hour later, Clayton stared at the unappetizing salad in front of him, his thoughts consumed by Audrey.
Whenever he so much as winced in discomfort, she would immediately notice, hovering anxiously.
But now, she didn’t care and wouldn’t even spare him a glance.
He lowered his head. A bite of salad touched his lips just as a single tear dropped into the bowl.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
