OH PLEASE, MY EX-WIFE

"It's nothing," Alice replies plainly.

A deep frown forms between Edward's prominent brows as he hears what she says, he takes a step forward and closes the distance between them. She wants to take a step back but his hand is already touching her face, caressing the wound on her right cheek. As if he is testing how bad the wound is, he presses against the wound slightly, and she grimaces in pain.

"You call this nothing?" The man sounds a bit unhappy.

Alice isn't saying anything, Edward's face darkens, it's only been a few days and she already gets herself in this much trouble. He initially wants to play hard to get and just neglects her for a bit, just so that she realizes how important she is to him. At the same time, he is also throwing a tantrum, because lately, she doesn't take much notice of him.

But in the end, she doesn't really care about him even if he leaves her alone.

He is getting angrier just thinking about it.

Yet looking at her all wounded, the anger he feels turns into sympathy.

"Who did this?" His velvet-smooth voice sends shivers down everybody's spines, all of them immediately know that he is crossed and they are done for.

"It was me, so what, Edward. What are you going to do about it, are you going to hit me back?" Edna is annoyed that Edward's attention is all over Alice the moment he gets here.

She is also very offended. Her wonderful daughter is way better than Alice in every way, but for some reason, Edward likes that wench instead.

Edward turns around and looks at Edna and Joanna for the first time as if he just notices that they are there.

Joanna is feeling wronged as Edward ignores her as he walks past just now, but the moment he looks over, she immediately puts on an act, acting all pitiful while saying, "Edward, she started it. Look at us, we are in a much worse state than her." Edward squints his eyes, Joanna and Edna are indeed more wounded than Alice.

It can only mean that Alice is good at protecting herself, not letting people take advantage of her.

Fernando tries to smooth the matter over, after all the brawl takes place at his art exhibition. The people standing here are VIPs, one a business tycoon that nobody dares to mess with, the other two are someone related to the mayor.

'Mr. Smith, let's each one step backwards, this is just a misunderstanding."

"A misunderstanding?" Edward replies bleakly. Fernando has nothing to say, he glances at Alice trying to ask her to help him resolve the matter and convince Edward to not pursue the matter any further.

He has inkling that if anything happens to Alice today, Edward is going to go against the person even if the person is related to the mayor.

Joanna's face grows pale seeing that Edward ignores her completely, and flushes red out of frustration knowing that Edward is defending Alice. She hates Alice even more now.

"Is it painful?"

Edward's eyes are set on Alice even though there are other people there, the way he is caressing Alice's cheek makes her heart beats faster, "It's not painful at all." "Really?"

Alice is quiet again, Edward continues asking, "Should I help you settle the score?"

"This is none of your business."

The atmosphere immediately frozen over, there is a flash of anger in Edward's eyes, does she want to cut ties with him so badly?

"Is this what you wish for?"

"Thank you for your help, but I wasn't taken advantage of." She is grateful that he offers to help her, but she doesn't want their relationship to become like what it is before, she is relying on him too much. Once bitten, twice shy.

She has more things to worry about now and needs to be stronger to protect the people around her. She cannot go all length and love him the way she does before.

"Sorry for butting in." Edward combs through her messy hair, his gentle mannerism brings her back to the time when they were close to each other.

Alice purses her lips, she notices that he is displeased.

But it will not be a bad thing if he gets mad at her and leaves her.

Though deep down inside she doesn't want that to happen, "Don't worry about it."

Edward is astonished, but he regains his composure quickly. His thin lips form an arch, he smiles plainly and says, "Well, at the very least let me bring you to the hospital for a check-up." "I'm fine, really," Alice repeats herself.

Edward stays quiet and just stares straight into her soul, he has no intention of letting her refuse him.

Alice knows that he will not let this slide, she wants to sigh but she keeps it in as if resigning herself to her fate, she says, "I will go to the hospital, but I will go on my own."

Edward is still staring at Alice, finally, he reacts and nods after Nivea calls out to him.

Alice leaves the place together with Julie, she worries that Edward will follow her out.

But the moment she leaves, Edward turns around and continues to his own destination.

Throughout the whole dispute, not a word is said to Joanna and Edna. Being ignored like this is driving them crazy.

"Look at him, Joanna. You still want to be with someone like that?"

Edna is so enraged that she doesn't intend to let this slide. But Edward is a prominent business mogul, the pride of the city, the Smith family also has a long history and is part of the high society, she must let it go.

Frankly speaking, her husband is only a mayor because of her nouveau-riche family. Even though she is the mayor's wife, she isn't able to integrate into the high society. That's one of the reasons why she aims to marry her daughter into the Smith family, everyone in the Smith family agrees as well, except for Edward!

"Mom, I want him and nothing else!" Joanna squeals heinously, her eyes shine viciously as she thinks about the bothersome Alice.

Alice owns a clinic, she and Julie aren't going to the hospital just because of a few scratches. They help each other disinfect and apply ointment on the wounds, Julie then asks out of curiosity, "Alice, are you... Are you together with Mr. Smith?"

"It is in the past." Alice shakes her head.

Julie quickly understands that Alice has no intention to talk more about it, and so she stops asking. Though she ponders briefly to herself, it seems like the arrogant and unapproachable Edward is very interested in Alice.This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.

Alice is ready to leave after her wounds are treated.

Edward's car is parked at the entrance of her apartment building. He opens the door when he sees her coming, he appears before her, his body long and slender.

He is just standing there but is giving off an overbearing aura.

She bits her lips, and goes up to him, "Thank you for just now."

"You just repeat this sentence, again and again, no matter what I do," Edward replies.

Alice stays silent, her reaction is making him bitter. Though his heart softens as he catches a glimpse at the wounds on her face, "Have you treated your wounds?"

"Yes."

Edward hugs Alice tightly as she is about to go upstairs. She is bewildered, she tries to push him away but his warmth makes her reconsider. She then puts her hand away and lets him hug her.

She thinks to herself, it's not like he hasn't hugged me before.

"Stay by my side."

She isn't answering.

His heart stings, but the person being softly hugged by him isn't pushing him away, she is still by his side and is not going away...00000000000000