Chapter 455 Rain and Roses at the Gate
John, you weirdo–can’t you stop being such a constant, vile nuisance?
Take your roses and get lost. <b>Don’t </b>dirty the road outsitle the vi,
It’s raining–why can’t a downpour just finish off a filthy cucumber like you?
Lily had thought of countless ways to curse John out.
She really believed she’d be able to unleash them this time
– <b>Colos </b>
But just as she opened her mouth, James’s hands suddenly tightened. Si the words out, producing only strange, muffled sounds..
helplessly, unable to get
“Mmph..”
“Lily”
Outside the vi gates, John’s face turned ashen, like it had been smeared with ayer of cold dust.
His voice cracked in pain, as though it had been ground beneath a car tire. “What are you doing? What is James doing to you?”
Now Lily understood perfectly–James was doing it on purpose!
Realizing she couldn’t get a single proper insult out, she refused to waste another second listening to John’s nonsense. She hung up immediately and blocked the number.
“Lily!”
Staring at the ck screen of his phone, John was on the verge of copsing into madness.
He stabbed at the doorbell over and over, like a desperate beast ramming itself against a cage, as if he could smash the gate open with sheer flesh and bone.
No one answered.
In fact, James must have set it up so that when John pressed the bell again, it didn’t even make <b>a </b>sound.
Thinking about the breathless noises he’d heard from Lily on the phone, John felt like a thousand knives were stabbing straight into his chest. Ile bent forward sharply, gasping.
“Don’t let James touch you… don’t let him <b>touch </b>you…”
His voice grew hoarser and more ragged with each repetition, but he still shouted, “James, I forbid you to touch her! Don’t touch her. Lily, I’m not lying, it’s really raining! I’m getting soaked out here..”
The only answer was the sound of the rain, falling heavier and heavier, each drop striking his <b>skin </b>with <b>a </b>sting-
The <b>roses </b>in his arms were already battered and torn apart by the wind and rain, petals scattered like blood on <b>the </b>wet ground<b>.. </b>
<b>13 </b>
10:58 Mon, 18 Aug
Chapter 455 Rain and Roses at the Gate
But he clung to them stubbornly, straightening his back as if possessed, calling Lily’s name again <b>and </b>again.
He knew Lily was utterly disappointed in him–knew she didn’t want him anymore.
But he still refused to believe that all their years together meant less than the few short months she’d spent with James.
He refused to believe that the woman who had once loved him wholly, who had once seen no one else. could see him drenched to the bone and feel nothing–not a flicker of concern.
“Lily, you said you’d never leave me you can’t go back on your word I w you, shouldn’t have doubted you. I’ll kneel right here and beg you, just de
Clutching the ruined roses tighter, he sank to his knees in the storm.
John had been to rock bottom before. <ol><li>ng. I shouldn’t have hurt </li></ol>
alone..”
Even in his hardest, most bitter moments, he had clung to his pride, unwilling to bow to anyone.
He was used to Lily being the one to soften after a fight, to coax him back to her.
But <b>now </b>he had a deep, gnawing certainty–if he kept hiding behind that so–called pride, if he didn’t bow his head to her, she really would be gone for good.
And in every path he had imagined for his future, she <b>had </b>always been there beside him. He couldn’t bear the thought of her walking away from his life.
“Lily, I’m begging you, just look at me one more time. Don’t throw me away..”
The wind and rain roared louder, and with the windows shut tight, Lily couldn’t hear <b>a </b>word.
Even if she <b>had</b>, she wouldn’t have cared–wouldn’t have felt the slightest pang of sympathy. At most, she’d have been disgusted.
When James finally released her, she <b>was </b><b>as </b>soft and unsteady as water, her clothes inplete disarray. checks flushed like spring blossoms, her delicate waist and graceful frame yielding against the bed. Her pale skin glowed with tempting warmth, every line of her body a vision of beauty.
The sight made James’s throat go dry all over again.
Afraid that his self–control might snap and he’d lose all restraint, he forced himself to tear his gaze <b>away</b>.
He’d thought about helping her bathe.
But he <b>knew </b>all too well–if he carried her into that bathroom, there would be nothing pure about it His voice was hoarse. T’ll go shower in the other room. You.. you can use this one after you rest a bit.”
Even without looking back at the exquisite vision on the bed, just hearing the faint rhythm of her breathing kept the heat rising under his <b>skin</b>.
He didn’t dare linger another second. With <b>long</b>, decisive strides, he left the room almost like <b>a </b>man fleeing a fire.
TU:58 Mon, 18 Aug
Chapter 455 Rain and Roses at the Gate
That kiss just now <b>had </b>been far too long–far too consuming-
And those hands of his, for all their long–fingered elegance and coolposure, had been anything but
restrained.
Even though she was pregnant and he’d been careful not to go too far, she still felt as though she’d been through a fierce battle–drained, limp, with no strength left at all.
10:58 Mon, 18 Aug