《Who's the One Regretting Now?》 Invitation 1 Two incidents happened on the day Macie Smith decided to get a divorce. Firstly, Edward Fowler¡¯s first love, Sharon Emerson, returned to the country. To celebrate the asion, he spent a fortune to rent a cruise, where he spent two wild days and nights with her. The media widely covered the rumors of them potentially getting back together. Secondly, Macie had epted the invitation of a college senior to rejoin thepany they had founded before as a director. She would leave this ce after a month. Naturally, no one cared about her ns. To Edward, she was akin to a maid who had married into the Fowler family. During this time, Macie quietly removed all traces of her in the Fowler residence. She bought a flight ticket out of the city without anyone knowing. In three days, nothing here would concern her anymore. She and Edward would be strangers. ¡­ ¡°I need two portions of soup. Get it delivered now.¡± A text notification popped up on Macie¡¯s phone. She frowned at Edward¡¯s authoritative tone as she clutched her phone tighter. It was 9:40 pm at that moment. Edward was attending a wee-back party he had thrown for Sharon. In the past, Edward had never asked Macie to deliver any food. He¡¯d take his meals at home because he didn¡¯t want to go out with his wife in public out of embarrassment. He refused to acknowledge her existence. If this had happened in the past, Macie would have happily assumed that Edward was acknowledging her. But now, she knew that he had only reached out for Sharon¡¯s sake because he had requested two portions of soup. It turned out that Edward would do anything for his true love, including publicly acknowledging his legal spouse, whom he treated with disdain. With her arms hanging limply at her sides, she made her way to the kitchen to prepare the soup. When she checked the countdown timer on her phone, she realized that she had only 29 days left before her contract with Edward¡¯s grandpa, Yosef Fowler, would end. Once the contract was up, she would be free. In the two years she spent with Edward, she did not manage to win his heart. At the end of the day, she was being delusional. She did not have any strength left within to love him. In her final month with Edward, she¡¯d fulfill her duties as his wife. The soup bubbled in the pot. It was one of her best recipes, as she had made it multiple times for him in thest two years. Her eyes wandered elsewhere. She felt a peaceful sadness in her chest. Half an hourter, Macie carried a thermos container with two portions of soup and took a cab to Hollinger Hotel. She sat quietly in the cab while reading the text from an unknown number in the morning. ¡°May, remember me? It¡¯s Sharon! I¡¯m back in the country. I¡¯m so d I could see you again, even though you¡¯ve taken Edward from me. The rightful source is find[?]ovel ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re still friends. Let¡¯s meet for dinner.¡± Edward had never once mentioned the wee-home party to Macie. She only knew about it because of the text invitation from Sharon. She smirked at Sharon¡¯s fake generosity. She couldn¡¯t believe Sharon dared to use her of snatching Edward. In fact, it was Sharon who took the ten million dors from Yosef in exchange for leaving the country. So, she had no right to use Macie of taking Edward from her. Macie admitted that she was indeed greedy. She had taken the opportunity to be with Edward, but she had never oncee between him and Sharon. As for generosity¡­ The old Macie would have believed that Sharon was kind and harmless. However, Macie hade to understand the truth in high school. By then, it was toote. She had been socially ostracized and bullied, all because of Sharon. Their high school ssmates happened to be at the wee-home party, including some of Macie¡¯s ¡°good friends¡± from the past. She figured that they were undoubtedly on Sharon¡¯s side. Macie had no intention to attend the party because she knew that it¡¯d be a trap. She didn¡¯t want to meet her old ssmates, who disgusted her. She nned to drop off the soup and leave. She braced herself and took a deep breath when she arrived at their private dining room door. Then, she knocked. Someone answered the door in seconds. Macie handed out the thermos container, only to realize that Sharon had opened the door instead of Edward. Sharon was dressed in a white gown. ¡°May, you¡¯re here! Come on in. Everyone¡¯s waiting for you.¡± Sharon shed a wide smile. Her makeup was wless, befitting a princess. Before this, Macie had seen Sharon¡¯s ne¡ªthe Blue Ocean¡ªat home. Edward won it in an auction the day before yesterday. As expected, he had bought it for Sharon. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just here to deliver the soup,¡± Macie replied tly, her face devoid of emotions. ¡°Macie, have we drifted apart after two years of not seeing each other? Didn¡¯t I say that I no longer me you for taking Edward from me?¡± Sharon bit her lips and started ying the victim. Macie had enough of Sharon¡¯s act. She turned aside and tried to ce the soup in the room. But Sharon stopped her by putting a hand on the lid of the container. Sharon¡¯s thumb wiggled a little. Then, she told Macie, ¡°If you really do not want to be at the party, I¡¯ll take this soup to Edward for you.¡± Frowning, Macie was puzzled by Sharon¡¯s decision. Regardless, she handed Sharon the soup since she had no intention of attending the party. During that moment, Sharon failed to secure the soup container, causing it to crash onto the floor. Since the lid was already open, the hot soup spilled everywhere. At the same time, Sharon took a step backward and screamed, ¡°Ouch! It hurts! My leg¡ª¡± Her scream attracted the attention of all the guests in the room. Edward marched over while Sharon started to weep. ¡°Macie, why didn¡¯t you seal the container better? Can¡¯t you even do this right?¡± Edward half-crouched on the floor and took off his jacket. He used it to wipe the soup off Sharon¡¯s shin. At the same time, hembasted Macie for the ¡°mistake¡±. ¡°I¡ª¡± Before Macie could defend herself, Sharon cut her off. ¡°Edward, please don¡¯t me May for the ident. It was my fault for not holding the container right.¡± Edward cast a nce at the container that rested beside them. He picked up the lid and red at Macie. ¡°The lid is in perfect condition. It didn¡¯t even crack. So, was it Sharon who didn¡¯t hold it right, or did you unlock the lid on purpose before handing it over?¡± Macie looked down at the container, stunned. The container was of good quality. Its lid couldn¡¯t have been unlocked just from being dropped onto the floor. But the lid was indeed open without any signs of cracking. ¡°I did not loosen the lid in advance. How would I have otherwise transported it?¡± she argued. ¡°I don¡¯t care! You did it on purpose. What more do you have to say?¡± Edward stared coldly at Macie. In his eyes, Macie was just a woman who¡¯d go to great lengths to marry into wealth. He had no idea how she managed to convince Yosef to agree to the marriage and kick Sharon out of the country. He wondered how Macie had forced him to marry her. Hence, he would never trust her. After throwing out the lid, he turned around to lift Sharon from the floor. It was then that he saw the huge area of burn on the top of Macie¡¯s foot from the corner of his eye. Macie, too, had been scalded by the hot soup. Her injury looked much worse than Sharon¡¯s. Edward furrowed his brows. A fleeting thought shed across his mind, but he eventually stood up without saying a single word. He didn¡¯t care if Macie was hurt more. He felt that she deserved it as karmic retribution for trying to hurt others. When he carried Sharon, she wrapped her arms around his neck, looking shy and concerned. ¡°Edward, May is¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her. She¡¯s not going to die. She¡¯ll get herself to the hospital,¡± Edward said emotionlessly. ¡°But you¡¯re a model. The burn on your leg is a serious matter.¡± Invitation 2 Edward left in great strides, holding Sharon in his arms. When he walked through the door, he identally bumped into Macie¡¯s shoulder, causing her to stumble and fall down beside the door frame. The searing paining from the top of her foot and her shin made her hold on tightly to the door frame. People in the room shot her funny looks. Some looked on with disdain. But that didn¡¯t matter to Macie anymore. She slowly got up and turned around. Holding onto the wall, she inched out of the room with much difficulty. When Macie arrived at the hospital, the nurse who approached to treat her wound inhaled sharply upon seeing the injury on Macie¡¯s foot. She took in the massive and tiny blisters around Macie¡¯s wound, gasping, ¡°Oh my God! How did this happen?¡± Macie clenched her jaw from the excruciating pain. Her cheek muscles were sore, and she struggled to answer the nurse. The nurse sighed while applying the medication. She exined, ¡°Just now, we had a patient with burns. Her boyfriend rushed her to the hospital and insisted that a physician see her. But those burns were so minor that they could have healed on their own.¡± Macie felt bitter and hopeless when she heard that. She guessed that the couple described by the nurse was likely Sharon and Edward. Edward was so concerned about Sharon that the nurse assumed that they were dating. The nurse casually remarked, ¡°That boyfriend would have been so worried if she was as badly hurt as you.¡± Thement prompted Macie to look at the massive blisters on the top of her foot. If Sharon had been injured this badly, Edward might have hired all the medical experts in the city to treat her. Since Macie was the one who got seriously hurt, Edward cast her aside without a second thought. He let her go to the hospital alone without showing any sympathy. His favoritism was tant. At that moment, her phone screen lit up. Edward was calling. Macie thought that he was with Sharon. She wondered why he was calling. Refusing to take his call, Macie put her phone face down. The nurse prepared to pierce thergest blister, needing to release the fluid manually since the body couldn¡¯t absorb it on its own. At that moment, Edward happened to arrive at the emergency department again. Upon seeing Macie in the bed, he immediately confronted her, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you pick up my call?¡± Her head snapped up when she heard his voice. But she wasn¡¯t about to argue with him. She didn¡¯t even bother to speak with him. All she said was, ¡°My phone was on silent mode. I didn¡¯t hear your call.¡± Edward nced at her phone beside her hand. It was facing down. His anger gradually subsided. The nurse turned around to look at Edward and realized that he was the man who had rushed the other woman to the hospital. The nurse inquired, ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship to the patient?¡± Edward was about to answer, but Sharon came up from behind and asked, ¡°Edward, how¡¯s May doing?¡± He turned to Sharon. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to admit that he was Macie¡¯s husband. His lips trembled, but no sound came out. Sensing his hesitation and reluctance, Macie merely smirked and replied to the nurse on his behalf, ¡°We¡¯re unrted.¡± Edward grew incensed when he heard her reply and saw the nonchnce on her face. But he had no idea why he was mad at her. He red at Macie and stated, ¡°This patient here is my wife.¡± Then, he added, ¡°I thought that you were dying to marry me. Why are you refusing to admit to it in public?¡± Macie frowned at him in confusion. The situation felt so ironic. After all, wasn¡¯t Edward the one who refused to acknowledge their rtionship? She had just said his thoughts aloud since he was so hesitant to speak. When Edward admitted that Macie was his wife, Sharon looked shocked and hurt. Then, she shot Macie a venomous look as she dug her fancy nails into her palms. The nurse scanned the three faces with doubt. Having figured out their rtionship, she viewed Edward as a trashy man and snapped at him, ¡°Get out if you¡¯re not rted to her. Don¡¯t mess with my job here.¡± He frowned when the nurse told him off. But at that moment, the nurse moved aside, and he finally saw the wound on the top of Macie¡¯s foot. The scary blisters imprinted themselves onto his eyeballs. The jolt of pain in his heart made him forget what he was about to say. Without thinking, Edward reached out and nudged Sharon out of the door. He, too, moved aside to allow the sunlight to pass through the door. He did not leave the room. Instead, he had his back against the wall and stared at Macie¡¯s legs without looking away once. The burn extended from the top of her foot all the way to her shin. Blisters of various sizes were scattered atop the burn area. The nurse used the needle to poke a hole in the blisters and absorbed the fluids with a sterile cotton cloth. Macie¡¯s foot visibly trembled from the pain. Macie was just a spouse on paper to Edward. She had gone to great lengths to convince Yosef to get Edward to marry her. In the past two years, he ignored her existence. This was the first time he noticed her petite, frail frame. Once the nurse was done draining the fluids, she reminded Macie, ¡°Do not wear shoes in the short term. And don¡¯t move around too much. Apply the medication three times a day.¡± Macie nodded and tried to get up, but the pain from her foot caused her to shake all over. At that moment, Edward dashed forward and scooped her into his arms. She immediately reached for his shoulder as she had lost her bnce. Upon realizing what she had done, she immediately removed her hand and said to him, ¡°Put me down.¡± ¡°Hold on tight. Don¡¯t me me if you fall,¡± Edward replied. Then, he switched to holding her with just one arm. She quickly hung onto his neck to avoid falling off. He picked up her slippers and her phone with his free hand. This update is avable on f?ndnovel Macie watched Edward¡¯s side profile in silence. She pursed her lips and gave up on struggling. She knew well that he wasn¡¯t holding her out of love. It was merely a bted disy of sympathy after he saw her severe injury. Or maybe he just wanted to make it up to her in case Yosef med him after hearing about her injury. He carried Macie out of the room. Sharon forced a smile when she saw them. She asked with concern, ¡°May, are you alright?¡± Macie¡¯s gaze remained cold. She said nothing as she refused to entertain Sharon¡¯s act. Edward replied, ¡°Sharon, I need to carry Macie because she can¡¯t walk with the injury on her foot.¡± Still smiling, Sharon said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin yourself. It¡¯s only normal for you to carry your wife, more so when she¡¯s injured.¡± Invitation 3 Edward paused in surprise and pursed his lips. He stared ahead of him but ultimately said nothing. Macie listened to the conversation between him and Sharon. A mocking smile was yed on her lips. She might be Edward¡¯s legal spouse, but in reality, she felt like the third wheel between Edward and Sharon. Edward walked on while Sharon trotted beside him. Macie did not want to interact with Sharon, but that didn¡¯t stop thetter from stirring up trouble. ¡°May, it must have hurt. I¡¯m so sorry. Edward had sent me to the hospital first because he was worried about the impact on my career. I hope you don¡¯t me him,¡± Sharon said. Smirking, Macie replied tly, ¡°I don¡¯t me you. You¡¯re the most important person to him.¡± Although Macie was speaking the truth, it sounded like she was taking a jab at Edward. Displeased, he fired back, ¡°What¡¯s with that tone? Even if Sharon was the one who lost her grip on the container, you were also responsible for not securing the lid.¡± Macie didn¡¯t bother to argue with him. He wouldn¡¯t believe her anyway. She simply looked at him with vacant eyes. Edward met her calm gaze. For some reason, she seemed rather cold and stubborn. ¡°Alright. It¡¯s all in the past. I¡¯m not that badly hurt, so Edward, don¡¯t me May anymore,¡± Sharon chimed in at the right time, sounding gracious. ¡°May is injured. You shouldn¡¯t be yelling at her.¡± Macie nearly barfed from listening to Sharon¡¯s remarks. She couldn¡¯t believe that Sharon had painted her¡ªthe victim¡ªas the perpetrator. Not only that, but Sharon had benevolently ¡°forgiven¡± her and made such bold statements. ¡°Just be careful in the future,¡± Edward said to Macie. Thetter smirked at the mention of the future. She knew that there wouldn¡¯t be a next time. When they arrived at the side of the street, they heard a yelp. Edward turned around and saw Sharon copsed on the floor. She held her ankle with a grimace. ¡°Sharon!¡± Edward called out to her worriedly. He released Macie without a second thought. She fell onto the floor and inhaled sharply from the sudden pain. Meanwhile, Edward had nervously run toward Sharon. He immediately carried her to the emergency department. This text is hosted at F¦ÉndNovel However, he turned around after running a few steps. He watched as Macie struggled to get up from the floor. He furrowed his brows. At the same time, Sharon started sobbing. ¡°It hurts! I think I twisted my ankle! What do I do? I¡¯m supposed to walk at a show the day after tomorrow!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll get you medical attention right now.¡± With that, Edward tore his gaze from Macie and left without looking back again. After he was gone, Macie helped herself up after much struggling. She couldn¡¯t even stand up straight due to the pain. Nevertheless, she did not look at Edward and Sharon. With tears in her eyes, she hailed a cab. When she entered the cab, she stared at her bleeding toe that had hit a te when she fell. Not only did her foot hurt, but so did the base of her spine. Her elbows were also badly scraped. She wiped the blood away with a napkin as tears fell down her cheeks. She bit her tongue and sobbed without letting out a sound. She thought, ¡°It¡¯s the final month. After this, I¡¯m free.¡± Her phone buzzed from an iing text. It was from the same unknown number. ¡°Sorry, May. Edward is with me to get my leg checked out. He¡¯s dumped you again. This time, he might spend a little more time with me. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± Macie skimmed through the text and ignored it. After two years apart, Edward still couldn¡¯t shake off his feelings for Sharon. As long as she was around, he¡¯d choose her without hesitation. Macie switched to her messaging app and saw the text from Julian Atkins, her college senior. He wanted to know when she would be back in the country. In truth, she had kept her marriage a secret. She told Julian she had moved abroad, though she had lived in Williamford all along. Williamford was not a metropolis, but it wasn¡¯t exactly a town. The public had caught wind of Edward¡¯s marriage, but no one knew the name of his wife, which was what he had requested. In the past two years, Macie had been living her life solely for Edward. She never showed up in public and would only travel between her home and his office. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a month. Please wait while I tie up some loose ends,¡± she texted Julian. She needed to tie up her loose ends with Edward. Julian replied in no time, promising to hire her as a director in hispany. She agreed to join hispany but turned down his offer to be a director. After all, she had married Edward straight out of college and lived as a stay-at-home wife¡ªno, more like a full-time housekeeper. She had to revisit the knowledge she picked up in college, or she might struggle to take up the most basic tasks. ¡°Don¡¯t say that! You¡¯re way too talented even to be a director. Remember how you scored a full-ride schrship every year in college? You led a team on your own in your sophomore year and won gold in an entrepreneurship contest. Macie, you¡¯re amazing.¡± Macie stared at Julian¡¯s text and spaced out. She was transported back to her college times in that instant. She had always been a top student and led her team to win many prizes. It was during that time that she became acquainted with Yosef. She stared at the adjective ¡°amazing¡± and felt like lightning struck her. Macie was indeed amazing. Even if she hadn¡¯t established apany with Julian, she would have ended up in senior management of a prestigiouspany. But what had she done to herself in the past two years? She humbled herself for love, giving up her sense of self and pride. Her current self felt more like a stranger who had no shame. After she replied to Julian, she turned off her phone with the shattered screen and got some shut eye in the cab. Memories shed in her mind. She recalled how Julian had founded a business with her. To attract investors, she reached out to Yosef. Yosef agreed to invest in her startup on the condition that she marry Edward, as Yosef didn¡¯t want Sharon as a granddaughter-inw. Macie saw the offer as a windfall and lost her sense of judgment. She had had a crush on Edward since high school, and her feelings had never changed, even after he started dating Sharon. She realized that she was greedy. She wanted Yosef¡¯s investment and Edward¡¯s love, so she agreed to Yosef¡¯s condition. But now, she regretted her decision to no end. After all, there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world. It turned out that Macie had paid dearly for the seemingly good deal. Invitation 4 It was 11:00 pm when Macie got home. She didn¡¯t keep the lights in the living room on because she knew that Edward might spend the night with Sharon elsewhere. He wouldn¡¯te home. She carried the first-aid kit and hauled her pain-ridden body to her small bedroom. Her two-year marriage was just a sham. Edward saved himself for Sharon and refused to let Macie anywhere near his main bedroom. When she thought back to it, she realized that it wasn¡¯t that bad after all. She¡¯d be disgusted with herself if Edward took her. She quickly disinfected the wounds on her elbow and the back of her feet. When she was done, she was too spent to even store away the first-aid kit. She left it on her bedside table, thinking to put it away the next morning. She changed into her pajamas andy in bed. Pain shot up from the base of her spine as she shifted, forcing her to inhale sharply. She softened her movements. Eyes closed, she shut all the thoughts out of her mind. Soon, she grew drowsy. Meanwhile, Edward sent Sharon back to her hotel as Macie drifted off to sleep. ¡°Edward, will you see me to my room?¡± Sharon cooed and stared at him flirtatiously from the front passenger seat, dropping hints. He acted oblivious to the hints. While driving, his eyes asionally nced at the screen in his car. For some unknown reason, he felt irritated and angered. He had dialed Macie¡¯s number 20 times, but she didn¡¯t pick up. Sharon watched Edward steal asional nces at the screen. The number on it looked familiar. Edward didn¡¯t save it under a name, but she knew that she had seen it somewhere. She pulled out her phone and checked the texts to Macie in her inbox. That number on the car screen was the same as Macie¡¯s. Sharon clenched her jaw as jealousy shed across her eyes. At that moment, they arrived at her hotel. When Edward pulled over, she asked him, ¡°Edward, we haven¡¯t seen each other for two years. Why don¡¯t you walk me to my room?¡± While speaking, she ced her hand on his back and slid her finger into his unbuttoned shirt sleeve. It was a suggestive move that couldn¡¯t have been lost on Edward. However, he only removed her hand and opened the car door for her. Checktest chapters at F¦ÉndNovel ¡°You get back to your room for now. I¡¯m going to look for Macie because she¡¯s not picking up.¡± Sharon got up to leave. She stared into his eyes and bit her lip, her expression full of heartbreak. ¡°Have you fallen in love with May? Why else do you care for her so much? You¡¯ve been calling her since I was at the hospital getting my leg checked out,¡± she confronted Edward with tears in her eyes. Without thinking, Edward denied it. ¡°That¡¯s impossible! I will never fall in love with a woman who has hurt you multiple times! ¡°I¡¯m looking for her so that she doesn¡¯tin to Grandpa! I don¡¯t want Grandpa to cause you any trouble!¡± Edward thought that his exnation made a lot of sense. Sharon stopped crying and smiled when she heard that. It was just as she had thought. Edward was still in love with her. She flirted with him again. ¡°Kiss me, and I¡¯ll believe in you.¡± Edward stared at her. His lips tightened into a line. She wrapped both arms around his neck, ready for a deep and romantic kiss, only for him to give her a peck on her forehead. Dissatisfied, she went for his lips, but he dodged it. ¡°Edward, you¡­¡± Sharon¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears again. ¡°You don¡¯t love me anymore, as expected! Are you still resentful of me for leaving you two years ago? But you knew I was innocent! Your grandpa¡ª¡± Feeling indignant, she tried to exin herself. He cut her off and gently pushed her away. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. We¡¯re outside the hotel, in a public area. I don¡¯t want the paparazzi to take photos that might affect your career.¡± She looked disappointed when he shoved her aside. How could she hold onto him now? And was he really in love with Macie? Edward, who had gotten into his car, noticed Sharon crying once again. He said, ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up for lunch tomorrow. You¡¯ve had a difficult day. Get some rest soon.¡± That put the smile back on her face. She replied with understanding, ¡°Great. Let¡¯s meet tomorrow. Drive safe. Love you.¡± His lips moved, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say ¡°I love you¡± back. He merely gave her a nod before driving away. ¡°Love you too.¡± He had repeatedly said the same words to Sharon, but this time, it was tough for him to say it aloud. He wondered if it was because they had lived apart for two years. Meanwhile, Sharon stood at the same spot, clenching her fist with a vicious and determined look in her eyes. She was determined to get what she wanted. ¡­ Edward dialed Macie¡¯s number again when he was on the road. Frustrated, he stepped on the gas and nearly exceeded the speed limit. After leaving the hospital, he drove around the area but couldn¡¯t spot Macie anywhere. He assumed that she had gone home. Once he entered the garage and parked his car, he jogged over to the elevator and rode it to his unit. He unlocked the door with his biometrics, expecting to see the lights switched on in the living room, only to be greeted by darkness. In the past, Macie always left a light on for him, no matter howte he returned home. If she were drowsy, she would sleep on the couch so that she could serve him some hot soup when he came home. Edward struggled to get used to the dark living room for the first time in two years. The first thought he had was that Macie hadn¡¯te home. He turned on the lights and noticed Macie¡¯s shoes by the door. Her home slippers were missing, which meant that she was home. He wondered why she hadn¡¯t turned the lights on and answered his calls. Enraged, he didn¡¯t even have time to change into his home slippers before he rushed to the guest bedroom. He twisted the door knob, but when he couldn¡¯t open the door, he banged his fists against it and yelled, ¡°Macie Smith, get out now! Have you forgotten your ce after two years of marriage? How dare you snub me!¡± Invitation 5 Macie had almost fallen asleep, but she stirred awake and frowned when Edward banged on the door. She got up and turned on the lights, her brows furrowed. Then, she limped to the door. Edward¡¯s fist hit the air when she opened the door. ¡°Mac¡ª¡± ¡°Why are you home, and why the heck are you banging on my door at midnight?¡± she snapped at him impatiently. Her attitude fueled his anger further. He immediately grabbed her arm and yelled at her, ¡°What¡¯s with that question? Can¡¯t I return to my house?¡± Macie¡¯s impatience immediately vanished. Instead, she lowered her head and looked upset. At first, Edward thought that she had caved in from being intimidated, but she reached out to take his hand off hers. At that moment, he sensed something amiss. He released her hand and spotted blood on his palm. It turned out that he had hurt her wound by squeezing her arm too hard. Macie stared at the man before her through tears. He had caused a scene in the middle of the night. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± He tried to check on her arm, but she moved away. She asked him, ¡°Oh, are you only asking me now? You are the reason behind this, remember?¡± Edward was taken aback. Then, he recalled how he had left her by the road earlier that day. He rested his gaze on her elbow, where she suffered serious scrapes. The wound started bleeding again after he grabbed her arm. His eyes drifted downward, noticing her bandaged toes and the blisters on her heels. Her toes were bleeding as well. He wanted to say something, but Macie was about to turn around and shut the door. This update is avable on Find~Novel ¡°Let go of me,¡± she warned him, frowning, when she failed to shut the door. Unable to apologize, he blurted out, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you pick up? Did you know I¡ª¡± She smirked. It turned out that he banged on her door after midnight just because she didn¡¯t pick up his calls. She couldn¡¯t believe that his behavior was over such an ¡°important¡± reason. She limped over to the bedside table. He watched her with a stuffy feeling in his chest. ¡°My phone shattered after it fell to the ground. It¡¯s broken. I can¡¯t get it to work. Is that an eptable reason?¡± She showed him her phone. He was speechless at the sight of her shattered phone screen. ¡°Macie¡­¡± She shut the door in his face when he spoke, leaving him standing outside the room. A few secondster, he slowly turned around and left. ¡­ Macie, who was awake from her sleep, felt irritable in her bedroom. Edward said that he had called her many times. When she checked her phone, she saw 30 to 40 missed calls from him. She thought, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him? Why is he spamming me with calls after he ditched me for Sharon?¡± After that, she turned her phone off and went to sleep without giving it any further thought. ¡­ Edward took a quick bath and went to bed in the main bedroom. His phone lit up from a text from Sharon. She inquired about Macie¡¯s condition and whether or not he had gotten home safely. She even reminded him not to give Macie a hard time. After reading Sharon¡¯s text, any lingering sorry feelings for Macie vanished. If Macie hadn¡¯t tried to scald Sharon, none of theter events would have happened. He replied, ¡°Don¡¯t bother asking about her. Go to sleep early. Good night.¡± Sharon, who received his text in her hotel room, smiled satisfactorily at his impatience toward Macie. It was past midnight by now. Edward still had to work the next day. He turned off the lights and tried to sleep, but he woke up again from the difort in his stomach. He had suffered from gastric issues since high school. It was Macie who had shown him care by reminding him to take his meals daily. His condition improved when he was in college, but it was triggered again after he started drinking at business events when he started work. Every night, Macie would make him hot soup so that he could sleep through the night. He wandered to the kitchen, assuming she would save some soup for him. However, he found nothing on the stove or fridge. At that moment, he recalled the spilled soup in the private dining room and thought that it was such a pity. At the same time, he was angry at Macie for not preparing more of the soup. His first thought was to wake her up to make some for him, but he paused in his tracks. His lips pursed, and he fell silent for a while before looking for the first-aid kit. However, the kit was nowhere to be found. Frowning, he suddenly recalled seeing it by Macie¡¯s bedside table. The kit was in her bedroom. What remained of his conscience kept him from knocking on her door again. Instead, he searched for the spare key and used it to unlock her door. When he heard the sounds of the handle turning, he held his breath and walked into the room on tiptoe. However, he soon realized how pathetic he was to act like a thief in the house he owned. A mix of light fragrance and medication lingered in the air of the dim bedroom. Maciey in bed, her thin nket barely covering a corner. Edward didn¡¯t look at her too closely. He was ready to grab the first-aid kit and leave. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Macie¡¯s back as he got up, illuminated by the outside light. The hem of Macie¡¯s top was slightly rolled up, revealingrge patches of bruises on the skin that were starkly visible under the warm light. Edward paused briefly, his gaze lingering for two seconds. Ultimately, he got up and left, gently closing the door behind him. He figured that it was just a surface wound and wasn¡¯t anything life-threatening. If Macie hadn¡¯t intentionally scalded her foot out of jealousy toward Sharon, he wouldn¡¯t have carried her¡ªorter let go, causing her injuries. Invitation 6 Edward didn¡¯t sleep well through the night. His stomach had be sensitive, and even medication only provided slight relief. It was far from recovery orfort. He woke up early before the rm rang. As he stepped out of his room, he nearly collided with Macie, who was leaving her room that was just across the corridor. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked instinctively. ¡°Making breakfast,¡± Macie replied tly as she stumbled toward the kitchen. Edward stood frozen in ce. He had always woken up and had breakfast without paying attention to who prepared the meals. It never urred to him that she had been waking up at 5:00 am every morning to cook. Watching her slightly unsteady figure, he said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± Macie stopped in her tracks and turned her head back. For two years, she had attended to Edward. She had to get up and cook even when she had a fever. He had tormented her in every possible way. This was the first time he had told her that she didn¡¯t have to cook. Looking down at her injured foot, she wondered if he had finally grown a conscience after seeing what he had done to her. But he soon added, ¡°You don¡¯t have to prepare dinner either. I¡¯m eating out with Sharon.¡± With that, he walked out the door without looking back. Macie nced at the door and curled her lips in a self-deprecating smile. She inwardly sneered. She wondered if he even had a conscience and thought that she was just being delusional. Not having to cook suited her just fine. She was tired of serving him anyway. She went back to sleep and got up at 8:00 am to change the dressing on her wounds, only to realize that the gastric pills were missing from the first-aid kit. She frowned slightly when she remembered that her door hadn¡¯t been locked this morning when she opened it. Did she forget to lock itst night? Or was the medicine stolen just like thest time? She didn¡¯t dwell on it too much. Instead, she settled down on the living room carpet with herptop. She logged into an online learning tform in the morning to review her university coursework. In the afternoon, she practiced coding and worked on character designs and scene illustrations on her graphics tablet. For two years, she had stayed out of the public eye. Although she had forgotten some advanced concepts, her foundational art skills remained sharp. She had even taken frencemissions asionally, earning extra ie and gathering a small fanbase. Time passed quickly. By sunset, Macie got up to fetch some water and ordered takeout. But just then, the door lock clicked. She looked over. A secondter, the door swung open. Sharon¡¯s beaming face came into view. ¡°May, I came to see you! How¡¯s your injury?¡± Sharon grinned widely as she stepped inside. ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? find?novel Behind her was Edward, carrying groceries. Macie¡¯s expression remained cold as she turned away. Sharon was the reason she had suffered burns on her skin. And now, she had the audacity to show up at her door. Sharon¡¯s actions reminded Macie of a fox pretending to be concerned for a hen. ¡°May¡­¡± Sharon pouted when Macie ignored her. ¡°What kind of attitude is that?¡± Edward scolded Macie, frowning. ¡°Sharon came to check on you and even offered to cook for you. Don¡¯t be ungrateful.¡± Macie turned back, sneering. ¡°Suit yourselves. I don¡¯t have an appetite, so I won¡¯t be having dinner.¡± She went to the coffee table to pack up herptop. Edward looked annoyed, but Sharon clung to his arm and whined, ¡°Edward, May¡¯s injured. Be nicer to her. Let¡¯s go make dinner, and we¡¯ll let her know when it¡¯s ready.¡± Macie acted as if she hadn¡¯t heard Sharon¡¯s sharine voice. She continued gathering her things, ready to head back to her bedroom. Sharon happily carried the groceries to the kitchen. As Macie passed Edward, he frowned. ¡°What are you doing with yourptop?¡± ¡°Watching dramas,¡± Macie replied without looking up. ¡°What about the graphics tablet?¡± he pressed. ¡°It¡¯s a wrist rest.¡± That was a tant lie. After all, a wristrest wouldn¡¯t have a data cable attached to it. Ever since yesterday, Macie had been acting particrly cold toward him. It irritated him for some reason. ¡°Edward,e help me with the vegetables¡­¡± Sharon called sweetly from the kitchen. Edward responded and went inside. He was unaware that Macie, who was now in her bedroom, had heard it all. Sheughed mockingly. She couldn¡¯t believe that Edward would step into a kitchen. She used to prepare Edward¡¯s meals and sometimes even served them directly to him. He had never lifted a finger to help. She once believed that Edward was one of those men who stayed away from the kitchen due to traditional views. But it turned out he would happily cook for the woman he loved. Macie¡¯s room had decent soundproofing, but she could still hear Sharon¡¯s voice loud and clear. It was obvious that Sharon was raising her voice on purpose. There was also a constant tter of utensils. It was almost as if the kitchen was being demolished. Macie didn¡¯t care that an outsider had barged into the house as if they owned the ce. She just found them noisy. She tried to focus on her video tutorial when suddenly, a sharp shriek rang out. Annoyed, she put on her headphones. Then, someone pounded on her door. ¡°Macie,e out,¡± Edward ordered. Macie clenched her fists tightly. She had already given him and Sharon space. She didn¡¯t know what else they wanted. The knocking continued as if it wouldn¡¯t stop until she opened the door. She stood up, took a deep breath, and silently reminded herself, ¡°Only 28 more days to go. Just bear with it¡­¡± She opened the door. The first thing Edward said was, ¡°Go make dinner. Sharon isn¡¯t used to the stove here and broke a ceramic te. She almost got hurt.¡± Macie stared at him in disbelief, thinking, ¡°And what does that have to do with me? She broke my te and almost got hurt. Why do I have to cook?¡± Out loud, she coldly stated, ¡°I¡¯m injured too.¡± Only then did Edward seem to remember. He nced down at her foot. She thought that maybe¡ªjust maybe¡ªhe had a shred of humanity left. Then, he said, ¡°Your hands are fine, though. Just stand still while you cook.¡± Continue to read this book for free Invitation 7 Macie looked up at him, clenching her fists. She scoffed silently. She was heavily injured, yet Edward insisted that she make dinner just to ensure that his beloved could eat. She had underestimated Edward. He was trulypletely heartless. ¡°Can¡¯t you guys order takeout? I¡¯m pretty sure plenty of restaurants do delivery. It¡¯s not like you can¡¯t spare the money,¡± she said. Edward pursed his lips and averted his gaze. He was just about to take his phone out when Sharon spoke up. ¡°May, I came to visit you with the intention to make you dinner. It seems rather insincere of me to order takeout¡­¡± ¡°Then are you making dinner?¡± Macie retorted coldly. ¡°I¡¯m not very familiar with the kitchen. I broke a te earlier. Edward was so worried about me,¡± Sharon said, blinking innocently. ¡°How about this, May? I¡¯ll help you out by setting the table. We¡¯ll consider that as me making dinner, okay?¡± She smiled brightly, but to Macie, it looked incredibly insincere. It looked like Sharon was determined to make her suffer that day by forcing her to cook while injured. ¡°Never mind. I¡¯ll cook for you,¡± Macie said. She figured that Edward and Sharon might as well eat and get lost. Macie did not want to continue dealing with them. ¡°No, no, I¡¯ll help you. We¡¯ll cook together,¡± Sharon said. Then, she began ordering Edward about. ¡°Ed, go set the table. Pour us some juice.¡± She assigned tasks as if she were thedy of the house, while Macie was nothing but the hired cook. In the past, Macie would¡¯ve felt jealous about this. But not now. Her expression remained indifferent. Ever since Sharon returned to the country and Edward ran to her side, Macie hadpletely lost hope in him. Behind her, Sharon and Edward whispered intimately. Macie did not turn back. Obediently, Edward did as Sharon instructed. They set the table together, basking in their romantic moment. Sharon clung to Edward¡¯s arm coquettishly, deliberately putting on a show for Macie. She wanted to show Macie that she was the one Edward truly loved. Edward, however, lowered his gaze and discreetly pulled his arm away. ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? F?nd-Novel ¡°Oh, sorry, Ed. I kept thinking about the time when we were dating, so I instinctively held on to you,¡± Sharon said, biting her lip. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Edward said. He looked toward the kitchen, only to find that Macie hadn¡¯t even turned back. It was as if she hadn¡¯t heard them at all. Sharon wandered into the kitchen next. While cleaning the vegetables, she chatted away, casually reminding Macie of Edward¡¯s food preferences. To Edward, it sounded like Sharon was teaching Macie how to please him. It filled him with irritation. ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me all that,¡± Macie snapped, unable to hold back any longer. ¡°I¡¯ve been cooking for him for two years.¡± How would she not know about Edward¡¯s food preferences? She didn¡¯t need Sharon to tell her all that. Sharon¡¯s so-called kind reminders were nothing more than a veiled way of unting their three-year rtionship. As soon as she said that, Sharon immediately looked hurt. She looked over at Edward and said bitterly, ¡°Sorry, I forgot. Edward must be used to your cooking now¡ª¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Edward cut her off immediately, his voice loud in urgent denial. ¡°The best she can do is make food that won¡¯t kill me. Her cooking tastes like cardboard!¡± Macie tightened her grip on the spat when she heard this. Cardboard. Two years of cooking for him, and this was the only review she¡¯d gotten. She didn¡¯t even want to argue or justify herself. She¡¯d rather just assume that all her cooking had been thrown into the trash all these years. Sharon brightened when she heard what Edward said and continued talking. ¡°Why are you wasting your breath? She¡¯s not worthy of knowing all that,¡± Edward said coldly. ¡°I just wanted to make sure that May takes good care of you in the future,¡± Sharon said, looking back at Edward. She stuck her tongue out at Macie momentarily. Then, she put on a sorrowful expression. ¡°I know I won¡¯t have a chance with you anymore, so I want you to be happy no matter who you¡¯re with.¡± Edward stared at her, feeling indescribably distressed. The woman he had once loved most was standing right in front of him, but he was already married to someone else. ¡°Let¡¯s divorce.¡± Macie turned around suddenly. Her voice was cold. Invitation 8 +15 BONUS Edward froze, staring at her. ¡°If we get divorced, Sharon will have a chance with you. You can be with her forever,¡± Macie said calmly, looking him straight in the eyes. Her cold voice and indifferent expression unsettled Edward. It felt as though he was nothing but a stranger to Macie.. In the past, her eyes had always been full of love for him. No matter how badly he treated her, she would only try harder to please him. But now¡­ ¡°Divorce? Weren¡¯t you the one who had schemed to marry me in the first ce? And now, you think you can leave just like that? Do you think that I am at your beck and call?¡± Edward roared in anger, though he didn¡¯t realize the panic buried within it. Macie leveled a calm look at him and said, ¡°You love Sharon, don¡¯t you? If we divorce, you can marry her.¡± She was originally nning to bring this up in thest few days of the contract, but the opportunity presented itself now. Bringing it up early had its advantages, too. Getting it over as soon as possible would save time for all parties involved. She just hadn¡¯t expected Edward to refuse and be so angry. She didn¡¯t understand why. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about divorce,¡± Edward said viciously, his eyes cold. ¡°You should know this. You¡¯ll die before you can be free of me!¡± Macie bit her lip, deep sorrow welling in her heart. So this was why he wouldn¡¯t divorce her. He just wanted to torment her forever, imprison her, and make her a maid at his side while he openly cheated on her with Sharon. Macie turned away, her eyes burning with unshed tears. Just how much did Edward hate her? They had been married for two years. Even if Edward didn¡¯t like Macie at all, shouldn¡¯t he still be thankful to her for her efforts in maintaining the marriage over the years? How could he hate her this much? Sharon watched the entire exchange from the side. She hadn¡¯t expected Edward to refuse the divorce and explode with anger. Even though his words were cruel, it almost seemed like he didn¡¯t want to let Macie go. She tensed up, a mix of anger and fear making her tremble. She was afraid that Edward had truly fallen in love with Macie. ¡°Ed, don¡¯t be mad. It¡¯s all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have said those things. I never meant toe between you two,¡± she said tearfully, looking at Edward in apology. Sharon¡¯s pitiful demeanor immediately made Edward snap back to his senses. He rushed up to her tofort her. ¡°This has nothing to do with you. Don¡¯t cry,¡± he said. As Sharon sobbed, Edward helped her to the living room and sat her down on the couch. His voice was incredibly tender as he continued coaxing her. Over in the kitchen, Macie listened, the sound grating her ears. Edward had never been so gentle with her before. But she no longer longed for it now. All she wanted to do was leave as soon as she could. Macieposed herself and continued cooking. Divorce was proving to be more difficult than she had imagined. She had thought that Edward would readily sign the papers, but now, she realized that she needed another n. He might not love her, but that didn¡¯t stop him from wanting to torment her with marriage. This was her punishment for her greed two years ago. Meanwhile, in the living room, Edwardforted Sharon for a long time. Sharon leaned against his chest, basking in his affection as if his feelings for her had never changed. She didn¡¯t know why he wouldn¡¯t agree to the divorce if that were the case. After all, Macie had already brought it up herself. Sharon looked up, but ultimately, she did not ask Edward questions. If she did, it would seem too deliberate and might ruin the image she had carefully built. Edward gently stroked Sharon¡¯s back as he held her, but his eyes were distant. He couldn¡¯t believe that Macie had asked for a divorce and with such a cold and indifferent attitude. He felt uneasy as if something was slipping away from him. But then he forced himself to calm down, clenching his fists. He believed that Macie was too in love with him and that she wouldn¡¯t really go through with the divorce. She was just trying to get his attention with this stunt. Half an hourter, when Macie had nearly finished cooking, Sharon came into the kitchen again, btedly offering her help. ¡°Here, I¡¯ll bring this out for you.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Macie said coldly. +15 BUNUS Sharon sneered. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the edge of Edward¡¯s clothes, so she deliberately reached for a te. The rightful source is f¦É?dn¦Ïvel It was a huge te of roast chicken that had juste out of the oven. The te itself was still scalding hot. Sharon reached right past Macie to grab it. Instinctively, Macie stepped back to make room, but the hot te slipped from Sharon¡¯s hands at that moment. The roast chicken fell straight to the floor onto Macie¡¯s foot. Tears instantly sprang to Macie¡¯s eyes from the pain. But before she could make a sound, Sharon screamed, ¡°Ah, I¡¯m bleeding!¡± Edward instantly burst into the kitchen. From his angle, he saw Macie raising her right hand, which was wielding a kitchen knife. She looked like she was about to stab Sharon¡¯s hand with it. ¡°Macie Smith! Murder is illegal! Do you want to go to jail?¡± Edward roared. He shoved her away furiously. Macie was already in excruciating pain from the burn on her foot. Now, with his forceful shove, she crashed into the wall and copsed onto the floor. Her injury on her tailbone hadn¡¯t even healedpletely yet, and this sudden impact made the pain even more unbearable. She cried out in agony. Edward, who had already helped Sharon up and was at the door, looked back at the sound, but all he saw were food scraps covering Macie entirely. ¡°There¡¯s so much blood¡­¡± Sharon sobbed hysterically, pulling Edward¡¯s attention back to her. He helped her over to the couch and hurriedly searched for the first¨Caid kit to help stop the bleeding. When he finally wiped away the blood, the wound turned out to be nothing more than a tiny scratch. It was barely bigger than a fingernail. The bleeding had already stopped on its own. ¡°I¡¯m really scared of pain,¡± Sharon said, sobbing. ¡°You know that, Ed.¡± Edward put a band¨Caid on her wound, then sat beside her and held her in his arms. ¡°I know. I know you¡¯ve been afraid of getting hurt because you were bullied at the orphanage.¡± That had been the darkest time of Sharon¡¯s life. He wished he could go back 20 years and protect her. As Edward and Sharon embraced each other, Macie staggered out of the kitchen, holding onto the doorway for support. She looked over at the couch. More tears blurred her vision. Murder¡­ Edward had actually used her of trying to murder Sharon. Where did he even get that idea? She didn¡¯t even know how Sharon had gotten hurt, yet Edward put the me solely on her. Meanwhile, her own foot had been burned by the roast chicken. More blisters appeared on the same injured foot from the day before. Limping and hunched over in pain, she made her way slowly to the bathroom to clean herself up. Edward looked around when he heard her footsteps. He watched her limp away, but he did not get up. In the bathroom, Macie turned on the shower. She wanted to use warm water to clean herself up, but the water felt scalding to her skin. Biting her lip, she switched to cold water and rinsed off the food residue and grease. The impact of the te had broken most of her blisters. The mixture of grease and water stung her raw skin, sending waves of agonizing pain through her body. But the pain of the flesh did not rival the pain in her heart. Closing her eyes, Macie remembered how Edward had violently pushed her away earlier. She thought that not loving Edward anymore was the worst she could ever feel, but she was wrong. Now, she hated him. She hated him so much. Why did he have to torment her like this? Why did he have to bring Sharon along to torture her even more? Did she really deserve this? Tears streamed down her face, dripping onto the floor as she sobbed in despair. Just then, someone stepped into the bathroom. ¡°You-¡± Before he could finish, Macie turned and screamed, ¡°Get out! Get out of my sight!¡± At the same time, she turned the showerhead on him. Edward raised his hand to block the spray, his anger ring as well. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you? Are you crazy?¡± In response, objects were hurled at him, including the showerhead, a bucket, and even the toilet brush. Edward was finally forced to retreat in frustration. He mmed the door, cursing. ¡°You¡¯re out of your fucking mind!¡± He had onlye to check on her, yet she sprayed him with water and screamed at him. At that moment, he was so angry that he could¡¯ve killed her. Invitation 9 Chapter 9 ¡°Edward, are you okay? How¡¯s May?¡± Sharon asked worriedly, standing outside the bathroom as she watched Edward m the door, soaking wet. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m going to change,¡± Edward said angrily. Sharon pretended to reach for the bathroom door. Edward grabbed her hand, ring at the ss door furiously, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t go in. That crazy woman will spray water at you. I swear that she belongs in a mental hospital. ¡°I¡¯m sure May didn¡¯t mean to do it. Don¡¯t be angry with her¡­¡± Sharon yed the role of the mediator. But all her words did was fuel Edward¡¯s anger. On the other side of the bathroom door, Macie could hear their conversation. She sat on the floor, hugging her knees and clenching her fists. She bit her lip as hatred simmered on the inside. She thought that Edward was detestable and Sharon was equally disgusting. They were the perfect match, made for each other. Both were scumbags who deserved each other through and through! Macie regretted interfering two years ago. She shouldn¡¯t have gone through with her youthful infatuation. Now, she was reaping the bitter consequences. The cold water poured over her wounds, bringing down the temperature. Eyes unfocused, Macie couldn¡¯t stop sobbing, yet all her tears were dried up. Her heart felt numb. While Edward was changing his clothes, the door to his bedroom was pushed open. Sharon entered the room. He turned and quickly finished buttoning up his shirt. Sharon walked toward him gracefully, her gaze warm yet suggestive. There was a wry smile on her face.¡± Why are you being so shy?¡± she softly asked. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it all before.¡± It was true, but Edward still felt slightly embarrassed. He turned away, saying, ¡°Just wait for me outside.¡± Sharon did not answer him. She was already in front of him, reaching out to tie his tie. ¡°I learned how to tie a tie just for you, hoping that I¡¯ll be the one doing it for you every day,¡± she said softly, her voiceced with sadness. Edward looked down at her. Their eyes met. Sharon¡¯s watery gaze was filled with grievance and jealousy. ¡°Has May been doing this for you these past two years?¡± ¡°No. I never let her touch me,¡± Edward blurted out. Then, he added, ¡°I live in this room alone. I don¡¯t even share a bed with her.¡± Sharon smiled and leaned in She had been observing the bedroom since she stepped in. There were no traces of a woman¡¯s presence, which immensely pleased her. When their lips met, Sharon closed her eyes, her fingers brushing against Edward¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple. Her smile deepened when she felt him swallow. Edward simply stood still. He didn¡¯t respond to her kiss but didn¡¯t push her away either. At that moment, he should be thinking only of the woman he loved, yet¡­ Sharon¡¯s perfume filled his senses, but strangely, all he could think of was how Macie never wore any perfume. He recalled the faint, natural fragrance he had smelled in her room the night before. His mind snapped back to reality instantly. He clenched his jaw and cursed himself for going insane. Why was he thinking about that crazy woman right now? Annoyed, he grabbed the back of Sharon¡¯s neck and kissed her back roughly. The kiss was fierce. For Sharon, it was filled with joy and excitement, but for Edward, it was more about venting an anger that he couldn¡¯t exin. When it finally ended, Sharon pulled away, panting slightly. Edward¡¯s breathing was also uneven. Sharon wrapped her arms around his neck. Her other hand slipped under his shirt as she looked at him with unspoken desire. But just as she was about to kiss him again, Edward turned and pushed her away. ¡°You must be hungry. I¡¯ll take you out to eat. I don¡¯t want to stay in the same house as that lunatic.¡± Although she was displeased by the rejection, Sharon did not show it. Instead, she helped him put on his COBL They went out. In the corridor, Edward nced at the bathroom door. It was still closed. ¡°Ed, I want to eat burgers. Can you take me to a ce that serves them?¡± Sharon said at that moment. ¡°Sure. There¡¯s a new burger joint nearby. Let¡¯s try it,¡± Edward said, looking back at her. Then, they left. The front door closed with a soft thud. And then, silence. Not long after, the bathroom door opened. Macie, thoroughly soaked, emerged, her eyes icy as she headed to her room. Chapters first released on fin?novel She dried herself briefly with a towel, changed her clothes, and then limped out of the door toward the hospital The kitchen door was open when she passed by. All five tes of food had already gone cold, sitting untouched on the counter. Macie scoffed in mockery as she left. Those two scumbags had made her cook, but they never took a single bite. They had only wanted to torment her from the start. Taking out her cracked phone, she called for a cleaning service to have someone clean up the kitchen. Then, she hailed a cab and headed to the nearest hospital. When the cleaningdy came and saw the untouched food, she called back and asked, ¡°Ma¡¯am, should we dispose of the cooked food as well?¡± ¡°Yes. If you think it¡¯s a waste, use them to feed the strays,¡± Macie said indifferently before hanging up. She¡¯d rather feed her food to strays than let Edward eat it. Invitation 10 At the hospital, the doctor, Gregory Chase, took one look at Macie¡¯s injuries and began berating her for not taking care of herself. The blisters on her feet had all ruptured. It could be dangerous if they were to get infected. Macie kept her head low, keeping her silence as she stared at her painfully red and battered feet. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t take care of herself. It was just that some people refused to leave her alone. Gregory did more checks and found that her lower back and tailbone were severely bruised. There were injuries on her arms as well, and her eyes were swollen from crying. Throughout the entire examination, she did not say a single word, nor was there anyone apanying her. The doctor could guess what had happened. ¡°You need an X¨Cray of your lower back. Let¡¯s get you hospitalized. You shouldn¡¯t go home for a few days.¡± ¡°Thank you, Dr. Chase,¡± Macie replied hoarsely. One of the nurses helped her handle the hospitalization procedure. Macie couldn¡¯t lie on her back, so she had to lie on her stomach on the hospital bed, with a pillow propping up her shins to ensure that the wounds on the back of her feet did not touch the bed. The nurse also gave her some ointment for her wounds. A cool sensation seeped into her wounded tissue, soothing the burning pain. Macie nced at the time. It was 7:30 pm. She closed her eyes, feeling utterly exhausted. She didn¡¯t want to think about where Edward and Sharon were at that moment or how sweet and affectionate they were with each other. There was only one thought in her mind¨Cat least they wouldn¡¯t be able to find her. She could finally get a good night¡¯s sleep. Meanwhile, at 8:00 pm, Edward and Sharon finished dinner. At 9:00 pm, Edward took Sharon shopping at luxury boutiques and bought her many gifts. At 10:00 pm, Edward rented out the Ferris wheel by the river. When their carriage reached the highest point, fireworks exploded in the night sky while they embraced and kissed each other. The tourists walking along the river witnessed the grand scene, marveling enviously at the romantic deration of love. They wondered which rich man was doing this for his girlfriend. ¡°Ed, we should bring some food home for May. You took me out but left her at home. She must be really upset. I¡¯m worried that she might refuse to eat,¡± Sharon saidter in the passenger seat of Edward¡¯s car, looking worried. ¡°She used to do that when she was upset. I always had to plead with her before she could eat.¡± N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on F?ndNovel Naturally, she didn¡¯t really mean to bring Macie food. She just wanted to follow Edward home so that they could continue what had been cut off earlier in the master bedroom. ¡°She cooked, didn¡¯t she? She¡¯s an adult. She won¡¯t starve,¡± Edward said unhappily. His face darkened at the mention of Macie. ¡°Why are you still worried about that evil woman? She burned you yesterday and tried to stab you today. She could¡¯ve hurt you badly if I hadn¡¯t arrived on time!¡± Sharon was silent for a moment. Then, she said softly, ¡°We grew up together at the orphanage. We only had each other then. No matter how badly she treats me, she¡¯s still the closest thing I have to family.¡± Edward¡¯s heart ached for her when he heard this. He thought that Sharon was such a kind person. Macie had hurt her countless times, yet Sharon still considered her family. ¡°She doesn¡¯t deserve to be your family. From now on, I am your family,¡± he blurted out in a fit of protectiveness. Hearing this, Sharon turned to look at him, joy and excitement shing in her eyes. But soon, she lowered her gaze. ¡°We can¡¯t, Edward,¡± she said sadly. ¡°May is your wife now. I can¡¯t take what belongs to her. ¡°She was the one who took everything from you!¡± Edward raised his voice. ¡°You were supposed to be my wife!¡± Sharon still looked sad, but on the inside, she was smirking. Edward refused to divorce Macie. Although he framed it as revenge, Sharon still did not want Macie to keep that title, so she had to force Edward to divorce Macie willingly. ¡°I¡¯m happy as long as you still love me. Still, May is yourwful wife at the end of the day,¡± Sharon said, her voice full of sorrow. Edward instinctively wanted to say that he would divorce Macie and marry Sharon instead, but the words refused to leave him. He gripped the steering wheel tightly. After a few seconds of silence, Sharon bit her bottom lip, resentment shing in her eyes. ¡°Pull over up ahead. I¡¯ll get May some tacos. Those are her favorites,¡± she said eventually, changing the subject. Edward, momentarily distracted, looked at her kind expression. Suddenly, he recalled how Macie had looked when she had fallen after he had pushed her into the kitchen. For this reason or another, he stopped the car and got the food. But things did not work out the way Sharon expected. After getting food for Macie, Edward drove her straight to the hotel instead of bringing her home. ¡°Get some rest. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow,¡± he said gently, tucking her hair behind her ear. Sharon forced out a smile as she watched Edward¡¯s car leave. She gritted her teeth tightly and stomped away on her high heels. Edward parked the car in the garage and took the elevator up. He looked down at the takeout bag in his hand, thinking about how Macie had sprayed him with the showerhead earlier. He wouldn¡¯t have brought food for Macie if Sharon hadn¡¯t insisted. He felt that she deserved to starve! He opened the door and entered the house. The living room was dark. ¡°Macie! What the hell¡¯s wrong with you? Why didn¡¯t you turn the lights on?¡± Edward yelled furiously. No one answered. Edward¡¯s anger intensified. He turned on the lights and headed to the kitchen to set the food down. There, he found that the floor had been cleaned up¨Cevidence that Macie was home. With a dark expression, he went to the guest bedroom and knocked loudly, as if trying to bring the door down, and yelled Macie¡¯s name twice. Still, no one answered him. Losing his patience, he got the keys and unlocked the door himself. The door swung open with a loud bang. ¡°What the hell are you doing in there-¡± Edward cut himself off. The room was empty. ¡°Great! Just great!¡± he snarled, clenching his fists. He was beyond livid at this point. ¡°How dare she run away!¡± Invitation 11 +15 BONUS Chapter 11 Edward mmed the door shut with a loud bang and turned back to the kitchen. The food he had brought back now looked like a joke. In a fit of anger, he threw everything into the trash. Then, he took out his phone and called Macie. The busy tone beeped for a long time, yet no one answered. Just as he was about to lose his temper again, he remembered that Macie¡¯s phone was broken. He didn¡¯t call again. His expression remained cold as he returned to his bedroom to shower and go to bed. 1 Macie could go wherever she liked. It had nothing to do with her. At 2:00 am, Edward woke up to an agonizing pain in his stomach. Irritated, he snapped, ¡°Macie, where¡¯s the¡­¡± 1 The door across from his was ajar¨Cstill in the same position as when he had mmed it shut earlier. Edward clenched his fists and went to find himself some antacid. The burgers from dinner had been too much for his sensitive stomach, so he hadn¡¯t eaten much. On top of that, he had drunk some alcohol, and now it was all catching up with him. His stomach felt empty. He checked the fridge, remembering the food that Macie had made for dinner, but there was nothing inside. He checked the kitchen as well, only to find the counter and cabspletely empty. Instantly wide awake, he was filled with a dark, simmering rage. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is, is it? Who gave you the guts to act like this? You¡¯d better nevere back for the rest of your life!¡± he growled. The next day, at work, Nathan Levy, Edward¡¯s assistant, could clearly sense that Edward was in a foul mood. He found it terrifying. To avoid getting caught in the crossfire, he stood a distance away from Edward while reporting to him. ¡°Go and pick out a phone,¡± Edward told him that morning after handing him a signed document. ¡°What brand and model would you like, Mr. Fowler?¡± Nathan asked cautiously. ¡°Whatever,¡± Edward replied irritably. ¡°What about the color and features-¡± Nathan tried to rify, but Edward cut him off. ¡°I said whatever. I just need it to be able to make calls!¡± +15 BONUS Shuddering, Nathan quickly took the document and retreated. As soon as the office door closed behind him, he let out a long breath. ¡°Weird. He told me to get a phone but didn¡¯t care which. What if he doesn¡¯t like the phone I picked out?¡± he muttered under his breath, shaking his head. He thought that working under Edward was much harder than attending to a murderous king. At the same time, in the hospital, Maciey on her stomach on the hospital bed, still feeling a sharp pain in her lower back. She had fallen asleep earlyst night, but her sleep had been restless, as she had woken up multiple times due to the pain. 1 In the morning, she checked her phone and saw three missed calls from Edward from the night before. She didn¡¯t call back. Then, as she had forgotten herptop at home in her rush to leave yesterday, she had no choice but to watch her educational videos on the cracked screen of her phone. In the afternoon, her scan results came back. It turned out that her cyx was fractured. Macie stared at the X¨Cray coldly. She had been thrown to the ground once and shoved down another time. Last night, Edward had used her of attempted murder, but he was the one who was trying to kill her. ¡°If you¡¯re experiencing domestic violence, you can seek legal aid,¡± the nurse who was applying a hotpress to her back told her. (1 ¡°Thank you. I will do that if I need help,¡± Macie said, returning the X¨Cray to its folder for safekeeping. These medical records would serve as evidence. Should Edward continue to refuse divorce, she would have solid proof to charge him with domestic violence and infidelity. Night fell. Over at a five¨Cstar restaurant, Edward and Sharon dined together. ¡°Ed, you really don¡¯t have to spend every day with me. May won¡¯t like it,¡± Sharon said as she watched Edward cut up her steak for her. ¡°Who cares what she thinks? Your happiness is all that matters,¡± Edward said coldly, expressionlessly. Sharon smirked subtly before masking it quickly and clinking her ss with Edward¡¯s. ¡°Are youing to my fashion show tomorrow? I can get you a VIP pass,¡± she said shyly. There was a brief silence. Edward did not respond. Sharon looked up at him. ¡°Ed?¡± Edward snapped back to his senses. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°What were you thinking about? You were lost in thought,¡± Sharon asked. ¡°Nothing,¡± Edward said, pursing his lips. ¡°Were you thinking about¡­ May?¡± Sharon probed, clenching her teeth. +15 BONUS ¡°Of course not. I was thinking about work,¡± he immediately refuted. He did not meet her gaze. Clearly, he was making up an excuse. She stared at him for a moment, half¨Cdoubting his words, and repeated her invitation to her fashion show. This time, he agreed. Forcing a smile, he raised his ss to hers again. ¡°Sharon, are you okay?¡± Edward shook Sharon gently outside the hotel as she leaned against his shoulder. Sharon¡¯s eyes were closed, her arms wrapped loosely around him. She did not answer him, seeming He had no choice but to carry her into the hotel. He opened her purse, got her room card, and brought her to her room on the fifth floor. With a soft beep, the door opened. As he moved to ce her on the bed, her arms suddenly tightened around his neck, refusing to let go. ¡°Sharon¡­¡± Edward was pulled down to the bed with her. Sharon¡¯s perfume surrounded him as she mumbled indistinctly. ¡°Edward, please don¡¯t go¡­ Don¡¯t love May. I love you¡­ I love you so much¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t love her,¡± he said as he tried to free himself from her arms. Before he could, she pressed her lips against his. ¡°No, you love her. You married her. You¡¯re going to go back to her¡­¡± she mumbled. Hearing this, Edward fiercely denied this in his heart. He didn¡¯t love Macie. Not even a little bit. Their marriage had been forced upon him by Yosef. He would never fall in love with Macie! But actions spoke louder than words, so to prove that he wouldn¡¯t go back to Macie, he cradled Sharon¡¯s head and returned the kiss. The air in the room grew warm. Sharon wrapped her arms around Edward¡¯s waist as they pressed their bodies close together. The kisses trailed from their lips all the way down to their corbones. All Edward could see in his mind was Macie¡¯s face. It fueled him with anger, and he vented that anger by biting down viciously on the skin between his teeth. Suddenly, a soft hand brushed against his skin. It instantly jolted him awake. He froze. Official source is F?ndNovel Sharon opened her eyes, still caught in the moment, as Edward propped himself up. He looked down at her, his expression stunned and dazed. Then, he abruptly pulled away, rolling off to the side. Invitation 12 ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ed?¡± Sharon sat up and hugged him around the waist from behind. Edward pushed her hands off and said hoarsely, ¡°Sorry, I overstepped just now. Get some rest.¡± With that, he hurriedly got out of bed and fled the scene. ¡°Ed! Ed!¡± she called out hurriedly and followed him. But when she opened the door, the hallway was already empty. She bit her lower lip, nails digging into the doorframe as her eyes filled with resentment. In the parking lot, Edward got into his car, his expression dazed and unfocused. He was still shaken by what had happened earlier. He buried his head in his hands, full of regret. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the newly bought phone lying on the passenger seat. His gaze flickered away almost guiltily. Meanwhile, Sharon closed the door and went to the bathroom. In the mirror, she saw the hickeys on her neck. She smiled deviously as she snapped a photo and sent it out. It was already 11:00 pm when Edward got home. He entered the elevator, holding the new phone. He figured that Macie must be waiting for him with some warm, hearty food to help his hangover. She had always done that in the past, no matter howte he returned home. At that thought, he remembered how Macie had given him attitude and left home yesterday. He scoffed coldly and unlocked the door. Unlike his expectations, the door opened up to a cold, dark living room. Even the silence in the kitchen was unnaturally still. Without even changing his shoes, Edward rushed to the guest bedroom. The door was still standing ajar, and the bed was untouched. Macie hadn¡¯te home at all. ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve, Macie Smith. You might as well just fuck right off!¡± Edward roared, livid. The veins on his arms popped as he crushed the phone box he was holding. He threw the box onto the ground in the guest bedroom and returned to his room to shower and change. When he came out, he dried his hair while dialing the same number repeatedly. However, no one picked
  1. up.
After dozens of missed calls, his patience finally ran out. His expression darkened, dangerously. ¡°Nathan, find someone for me,¡± hemanded darkly over the phone. eyes shing Nathan, who was tasked with a personal request from his boss in the middle of the night, looked at the name and number Edward had sent him. He was stunned. Wasn¡¯t this Edward¡¯s wife? As Edward¡¯s personal assistant, he was one of the only people who knew that Edward was married. It was just never made public. He had met Edward¡¯s wife a few times before, mainly while delivering and picking up documents for Edward. His impression of her was that she was beautiful and gentle. But Edward¡¯s tone made him think that he was being asked to track down an enemy. Not daring to specte further, Nathan focused on finding her whereabouts. The next day, Macie woke up at 6:00 am. She took out her phone to check the time, only to find more than 100 missed calls, all from Edward. What the hell was he losing his mind over in the middle of the night? It wasn¡¯t just the missed calls. There was also a text message that had been sent around 11:00 pm. ¡°May, Ed drank quite a lot tonight. But don¡¯t worry, he just went home.¡± Apanying the text was a photo taken in a bathroom. Sharon had taken a photo of herself in the mirror, the hickeys on her neck and shoulders ringly obvious. She was clearly unting her victory and trying to provoke Macie. Macie gripped her phone tightly, a mocking smile ying on her lips. All the missed calls from Edward¨Cwas that what he had done when he returned home from cheating and found no one waiting for him? She had spent the night in pain, barely able to sleep, while the two of them had been indulging in a night of passion. But what was the point of Sharon sending this to her? Macie had long since stopped caring. Giving it another thought, she realized there was another point to it. This was evidence of his infidelity, delivered to her on a silver tter. 1 She would keep it well. Over at Fowler Group, Edward had called Nathan for a report several times by noon. Nathan had checked flight records, train stations, and even ferries. There was no trace of Macie anywhere. He was sweating profusely by that point, fearing for his job security. ¡°Mr. Fowler, does Mrs. Fowler have any friends? Or family? Maybe she went home¡­¡± he asked tremblingly. ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Edward growled. Macie was an orphan. She wouldn¡¯t have a family to return to. As for her friends¡­ Did she have any friends? He realized that he actually didn¡¯t know. Edward clenched his fists. For the first time ever, he realized that he knew absolutely nothing about Macie. He didn¡¯t even know where to start looking for her. This content belongs to f?ndnovel Invitation 13 Chapter 13 ¡°Keep looking. I refuse to believe that she could just vanish into thin air!¡± Edward gritted out. Nathan had really tried everything. He had even called Macie multiple times, but she wouldn¡¯t answer. Just as he was about to lose all hope, he called onest time¨Cand this time, Macie picked up. ¡°Mrs. Fowler! Where are you?¡± Nathan asked excitedly. ¡°What do you need from me?¡± Macie returned his question with her own, her tone indifferent. Read full story at Find¡ïNovel 19 ¡°Mr. Fowler-¡± Nathan blurted out but stopped himself just in time. He quickly came up with an excuse. Mr. Fowler asked me for a document, but I couldn¡¯t find it, so I wanted to check with you. But you weren¡¯t around, and we need the document urgently¡­¡± Macie was exasperated. Edward had lost something and couldn¡¯t find it, yet he was now making his assistant ask her. ¡°Tell him to look for it himself,¡± Macie said coldly. ¡°Mrs. Fowler, Mr. Fowler has been in meetings all day long. He¡¯s busy,¡± Nathan said. He was clever. He made his voice sound urgent and flustered, as if he would burst into tears the next moment. Even though Macie was annoyed by Edward, she knew better than to take it out on his assistant. Reluctantly, she said, ¡°Check his study. Look under the cabs and on the floor in case it fell.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t have the guts to rummage through Mr. Fowler¡¯s things. Why can¡¯t you¡­¡± Nathan trailed off, voice trembling. ¡°I¡¯m at the hospital. I don¡¯t have the time. Just do it yourself,¡± Macie said bluntly. Nathan immediately agreed and hung up. He wasted no time in sending Edward a message. ¡°I found her, Mr. Fowler. Mrs. Fowler is in the hospital.¡± Over in the meeting room, Edward had his hand resting on top of his phone. As soon as his phone vibrated, he nced at the screen and froze immediately. He abruptly got to his feet. Grabbing his phone, he strode out, saying, ¡°Keep going. I need to take care of something.¡± Nathan was still looking up which hospital Macie was in when the door to his office was mmed open with such force that it nearly came off its hinges. ¡°Where is she? Which hospital?¡± Edward stormed over to Nathan¡¯s desk, anger almost palpable as he made his demands. How could he have forgotten? Macie was hurt. She was in the hospital. She hadn¡¯t run away from home. Inexplicably, his anger subsided. ¡°M¨CMr. Fowler, I¡¯m still looking it up,¡± Nathan stammered. Edward calmed down slightly and regained some rationality. Then, he thought of something and said, ¡± Start with the hospitals in Oroville. That¡¯s near my home.¡± Nathan nodded hastily. However, Edward couldn¡¯t wait any longer. He grabbed Nathan and dragged him along while he searched. ¡°I found her, Mr. Fowler! As you guessed, Mrs. Fowler is at the hospital nearest to your home. She¡¯s in Room 316,¡± Nathan finally announced. ¡°Please drive faster,¡± Edward told his driver. His expression was cold, his lips pressed into a hard line. Now that Macie was found, he had time for other questions. ¡°How did you know that she was at the hospital?¡± ¡°Mrs. Fowler finally answered the phone. She told me-¡± Before Nathan could finish, a loud bang came from the back seat. Edward had punched the seat in rage. His expression was as dark as thunder. Rage overwhelmed him once again. He wanted nothing more than to interrogate Macie right that second. At the hospital, Macie¡¯s tailbone was still hurting, so shey on her stomach and chatted with the other patients in the ward, trying to take her attention off the pain. Suddenly, the door was kicked open with a crash. The entire room was startled, including Macie. She instinctively looked over at the door. The faint smile on her face disappeared when she saw who it was, reced by cold indifference. Her hands clenched into fists. Seeing this, Edward became more angry. Just moments ago, she had been talking andughing with other people. Was she targeting her cold attitude only to him? ¡°You¡¯re trying to make me angry on purpose, aren¡¯t you, Macie? I thought you said that your phone was broken. How did you answer Nathan¡¯s call in that case?¡± he roared. The fact that one of Nathan¡¯s calls was deemed more important than the hundreds of missed calls he had made that morning made him apoplectic. ¡°Have you lost your mind, Edward Fowler? This is a hospital. Don¡¯t throw your tantrums here,¡± Macie said coldly, ring at him. ¡°A hospital?¡± Edward sneered. ¡°So you know this is a hospital. Did you act like you would be on the verge of death just to get a ce here?¡± Macie clenched her fists tighter. She wanted to prop herself up, but the pain in her back made her frown. ¡°Go on! Keep pretending! Make it look more real!¡± Edward snarled. He strode forward, grabbed her by the cor, and yanked her upright. ¡°It¡¯s just a burn on your foot! Did you really need to be hospitalized? Who are you putting on a show for?¡± Macie couldn¡¯t take it any longer. She raised her hand and pped him. The crisp sound echoed through the room. Edward froze for a moment, then flew into a rage. He shoved her hard. Macie¡¯s back hit the edge of the bed. She curled up, her back feeling like it had shatteredpletely. She could no longer hold back her tears. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten too bold for your own good! How dare you hit me!¡± Edward said through gritted teeth. He was about to step forward again, but the other patients stopped him. ¡°Stop that! What are you trying to do to the patients?¡± A nurse rushed in just in time, drawn by themotion, and immediately intervened. ¡°Get out of my way! I¡¯m her husband! She¡¯s not hurt at all! She¡¯s just pretending! I¡¯m here to take her home! ¡°Edward yelled. ¡°Husband? What kind of husband are you? She has a bone fracture! Did you not know that?¡± the nurse roared back. ¡°How is she supposed to recover without staying in the hospital?¡± Edward¡¯s fiery rage was suddenly extinguished. He stood frozen, staring at Macie, who was curled up on the bed. Invitation 14 The doctor arrived after the nurse drove Edward out of the room. Macie only bit her bottom lip. Her tears were overflowing from the intense pain. The ward fell silent once again, except for the sound of her sobs. The other patients looked at her with sympathy for this unfortunate woman. ¡°Domestic violence is against thew. I¡¯m calling the police right now.¡± The nurse, unable to stand it any longer, took out her phone. Edward snapped back to his senses and immediately snatched the phone away. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it! Domestic violence? What are you talking about? If you keep making things up, I¡¯ll make sure you lose your job!¡± he threatened. ¡°The patient has a fractured cyx. Were you not the one who did this?¡± The nurse looked at him questioningly. A fractured cyx¡­ Edward froze again and looked at the injured area. The first time, he had thrown her to the ground. The second time, he had pushed her down hard. Could it be¡­ Seeing that he had fallen silent, the nurse picked up her phone again and spat, ¡°You look like a decent person, but you¡¯re just a domestic abuser.¡± 1 However, Nathan arrived just in time before she could make the call. He pulled the nurse aside and smiled apologetically. Edward stoodpletely frozen in ce. All he could hear was Macie¡¯s painful sobs. He remained motionless for as long as the doctor examined and treated her. When the doctor finally stepped out, Edward grabbed his arm and began to say hoarsely, ¡°Doctor¡­¡± ¡°The patient is in stable condition,¡± the doctor replied, his expression cold. ¡°Will she need surgery?¡± Edward asked again. ¡°Surgery isn¡¯t rmended for a fractured cyx. She¡¯ll need hospitalization and treatment,¡± the doctor answered. Edward let out a breath of relief and slowly released his grip. ¡°Non¨Cessential personnel should stay away from the ward. Next time, we¡¯ll call the police immediately,¡± +15 BONUS Chapter 14 The doctor arrived after the nurse drove Edward out of the room. Macie only bit her bottom lip. Her tears were overflowing from the intense pain. The ward fell silent once again, except for the sound of her sobs. The other patients looked at her with sympathy for this unfortunate woman. ¡°Domestic violence is against thew. I¡¯m calling the police right now.¡± The nurse, unable to stand it any longer, took out her phone. Edward snapped back to his senses and immediately snatched the phone away. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it! Domestic violence? What are you talking about? If you keep making things up, I¡¯ll make sure you lose your job!¡± he threatened. ¡°The patient has a fractured cyx. Were you not the one who did this?¡± The nurse looked at him questioningly. A fractured cyx¡­ Edward froze again and looked at the injured area. The first time, he had thrown her to the ground. The second time, he had pushed her down hard. Could it be¡­ Seeing that he had fallen silent, the nurse picked up her phone again and spat, ¡°You look like a decent person, but you¡¯re just a domestic abuser.¡± 1 However, Nathan arrived just in time before she could make the call. He pulled the nurse aside and smiled apologetically. Edward stoodpletely frozen in ce. All he could hear was Macie¡¯s painful sobs. He remained motionless for as long as the doctor examined and treated her. When the doctor finally stepped out, Edward grabbed his arm and began to say hoarsely, ¡°Doctor¡­¡± ¡°The patient is in stable condition,¡± the doctor replied, his expression cold. ¡°Will she need surgery?¡± Edward asked again. Read full story at f?ndnovel ¡°Surgery isn¡¯t rmended for a fractured cyx. She¡¯ll need hospitalization and treatment,¡± the doctor answered. Edward let out a breath of relief and slowly released his grip. ¡°Non¨Cessential personnel should stay away from the ward. Next time, we¡¯ll call the police immediately,¡± the doctor warned before leaving. (1) Edward swallowed the words he wanted to argue and clenched his hands. He looked down without saying a single word. After standing still for several seconds, he quietly walked into the ward. Macie was still lying on her stomach, the back of her hospital gown lifted slightly to reveal the medicated area. He then noticed her feet. They were red and swollen, and the blisters were already broken. When he looked at her face, he saw that her eyes were closed. Her hands were clutching the pillow, clearly unwilling to acknowledge his presence. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you were hospitalized?¡± Edward asked. Macie remained silent. ¡°You came the night beforest? Did you go homest night? Why didn¡¯t you answer my calls this morning?¡± Edward¡¯s tone had softened considerably. Still, Macie pretended not to hear him. After waiting for over ten seconds, Edward¡¯s patience snapped, and his anger red up again. Gritting his teeth, he demanded, ¡°It¡¯s just a hospital stay. You don¡¯t even need surgery. Why are you being like this?¡± Seeing that Edward wouldn¡¯t give up, and considering they were in a hospital ward, Macie finally opened her eyes. She red at him and spoke slowly, emphasizing each word. ¡°Do you actually care whether I go home or not? If not, why are you pretending to be concerned? ¡°Oh, I forgot. You¡¯re only angry because no one is there to serve you. But unfortunately for you, I¡¯ll be in the hospital for a week. So, please hire a temporary caretaker in the meantime.¡± Edward¡¯s face darkened further at her three consecutive retorts. ¡°I¡¯m trying to have a proper conversation with you. Do you have to act like you¡¯re ready for battle?¡± ¡°Am I not having a proper conversation with you?¡± Macie sneered. ¡°Tell me, which part of what I said was false?¡± ¡°You-¡± Edward started to argue, but Macie cut him off immediately. ¡°Are you going to argue with me? If you argue, that means you care about me. It also means that you¡¯re not just contacting me because you need someone to take care of you.¡± Edward¡¯s expression remained grim, but he had no guilt about thetter usation. ¡°Did I ever say that I needed you to look after me? You¡¯re making this up.¡± ¡°Oh? Who was the one who forced me to cook for you and your ex¨Cgirlfriend while I was already unwell the night beforest?¡± Macie¡¯s voice was icy. ¡°And who was it that pushed me to the ground, worsening my injuries and fracturing my tailbone? ¡°Sharon deliberately dropped the food tray, spilling the boiling grease and scalding the top of my foot. The blisters all burst, yet you still used me of trying to murder her.¡± A simple recounting of the events was enough. The other patients in the hospital ward gasped audibly. They wondered what sort of scumbag Edward was. It was bad enough that he teamed up with his ex- girlfriend to torment his wife! If this weren¡¯t a society governed byw, he might as well have been plotting to kill her! Invitation 15 ¡°You were the one who was about to stab her with a kitchen knife! I saw it with my own eyes!¡± Edward argued. ¡°Oh? Then did she actually get hurt?¡± Macie shot back. Edward was instantly at a loss for words. Official source is find{n}ovel Sharon¡¯s so¨Ccalled ¡°injury¡± wasn¡¯t even as bad as a scratch from a fingernail. She didn¡¯t even need a band- aid. ¡°You say I¡¯m making things up, but it seems to me that you¡¯re the real expert at twisting the truth.¡± Macie sneered when he remained silent. ¡°And as for your question about whether I went homest night¡­ What¡¯s the matter? Were you so eager for me to catch you in bed with that woman? ¡°You sure are self¨Crighteous for someone who¡¯s cheating while still married.¡± Edward¡¯s back stiffened instantly at those words. He then retorted forcefully, ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± ¡°Oh? Then what left that hickey on your neck?¡± Macie mocked. 1 Edward¡¯s hand flew to his neck. He then quickly pulled out his phone to check his reflection. Lifting his cor, he saw a hickey on the side of his neck. ¡°Listen to me!¡± Edward hurried to exin, ¡°This isn¡¯t-¡± But Macie cut him off coldly. ¡°Save it. Just leave. Stop disturbing the other patients.¡± However, he didn¡¯t move. He still wanted to exin and clear his name, but Macie gave him no chance. With an icy gaze, she moved her hand over the call button. ¡°If you darey a hand on me again, I¡¯ll press this button. Then we¡¯ll settle this in court.¡± ¡°I-¡± Edward opened his mouth. He wanted to deny being an abuser, but the sight of Macie¡¯s injured back was stark evidence of his crimes. ¡°Mr. Fowler, we should go. Everyone¡¯s at the office, waiting for you to start the meeting.¡± Outside the room, Nathan, who had been listening to his boss¡® argument with Macie, walked into the ward worriedly. He intended to take Edward away for the time being. Judging by Edward¡¯s outburst in the ward and the way heter pounded his car in anger, Nathan was genuinely worried that the former would resort to domestic violence. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Edward shoved Nathan¡¯s hand away. He clenched his fists as he red at Macie. He looked like a volcanic mountain ready to erupt at that moment. While he wanted to argue that nothing had happened between him and Sharon, seeing Macie¡¯s indifferent expression only made his frustration grow. Nathan braced himself and stepped forward again. It took him several minutes to finally drag a reluctant Edward away. Edward, unable to vent his fury, suddenly lost control. With a sharp thud, he mmed his fist against the wall of the hallway. Nathan swallowed hard in horror, thinking, ¡°Damn. It¡¯s a good thing I got him out of there. If he¡¯d thrown that punch in the room, Mrs. Fowler might not have made it out alive!¡± At the same time, guilt crept up on him. After all, he was the one who had brought Edward to the hospital, deceiving Macie in the process. Standing near the hospital¡¯s entrance, Edward turned his head onest time to look at the third floor. Then, without hesitation, he strode away. ¡°I walked out of an important meeting halfway, only toe here and take shit from her?¡± Edward gritted his teeth and spat. ¡°That ungrateful woman! I¡¯m never looking for her ever again!¡± Once inside the car, Nathan sent Macie a message of apology. Macie replied soon after. Not only did she hold no grudges against him, but she also reassured him, saying that she understood that he had no choice in the matter. Nathan was so touched that he nearly teared up. He couldn¡¯t understand why Edward did not appreciate someone as kind as Macie. A long silence filled the car. Then suddenly, a furious voice erupted from the backseat. ¡°Why the hell didn¡¯t Macie answer my calls? I called her so many times!¡± Macie didn¡¯t trust Edward. Thus, she wouldn¡¯t listen to his exnation. In fact, she didn¡¯t care about him at all! Nathan thought, ¡°Her not picking up the phone isn¡¯t exactly a crime. Besides, isn¡¯t it obvious that Mrs. Fowler didn¡¯t pick up your calls because she¡¯s too disappointed in you?¡± Naturally, he didn¡¯t dare say that aloud. Instead, after a brief hesitation, he ryed the message from Macie. ¡°Mr. Fowler, Mrs. Fowler said that she won¡¯t use you of cheating or interfere with your rtionship anymore. She also said that she won¡¯t inform Mr. Fowler Senior. You can rest assured-¡± A loud thud sounded. Nathan immediately sat upright when he heard that. He thought that Edward¡¯s punch had gone straight through the seat and into his back. As Edward sat in the backseat, his eyes were wide with rage, his knuckles numb from the impact. Macie¡¯s words were rational,posed, and remarkably understanding. But somehow, Edward only felt more pissed. Invitation 16 Nathan didn¡¯t understand why Edward was so upset. After giving it some thought, he realized it was because¡­ ¡°She could have told me directly! Why did she have to tell you instead?!¡± Edward roared. Why go through his assistant? Would it kill her to call or text him? Nathan stared nkly ahead, his silence speaking volumes. He wondered if the method ofmunication really mattered that much and if it was worth Edward flying into a rage. He didn¡¯t get it. Why was Edward so desperate to find her if he didn¡¯t love Macie? But if he did love her, why would he sleep with another woman and hurt her so deeply? Meanwhile, Macie declined the concerns of her fellow patients in the ward. She just wanted to be left alone. What she had told Nathan was the truth. Out of respect for Yosef, she wouldn¡¯t expose Edward and Sharon¡¯s affair. Besides, she would be gone in just 25 days. As long as the couple didn¡¯t provoke her again, they could do whatever they wanted. Edward waspletely out of it the entire afternoon. He either zoned out in meetings or signed documents incorrectly. Nathan watched as yet another file was tossed into the trash, followed by Edward¡¯s coldmand to reprint it. With no choice, Nathan obediently did as he was told. Fortunately, these weren¡¯t documents that required signatures from multiple department heads. He¡¯d be the one getting yelled at otherwise. In the office, Edward irritably threw down his pen and leaned back in his chair before staring nkly at the ceiling. How did Macie know aboutst night? His shirt cor had covered the marks on his neck, so how did she see them at a nce? Or¡­ had she gone back? But why was she so certain that the other woman was Sharon if she had? His gaze sharpened, and his brows furrowed as he picked up his phone to make a call. As soon as the call connected, a voice filled with joy and surprise rang out from the other end. ¡°Ed, why are you calling me now? Do you want to-¡± Before she could even finish her sentence, the cold voice from the other end interrupted her sharply. ¡°Did you tell Macie about what happened between us at the hotelst night?¡± Sharon¡¯s grip on her phone tightened instantly. She had expected Macie to argue with Edward and had already prepared a response. However, Edward¡¯s tone caught her off guard. He sounded furious and even intimidating. ¡°I¡­ I just told May to leave the door open for you¡­¡± Sharon¡¯s soft and cautious voice was tinged with fear.¡± Ed, are you mad? I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have said anything¡­¡± Hearing her timid response, Edward suddenly snapped out of his anger and gradually calmed down. So what if Sharon had told Macie? He didn¡¯t love Macie anyway. The one he truly loved was Sharon. ¡°I¡¯m not mad. I was just asking,¡± Edward exined, his tone lightening up. Hearing his voice return to the familiar, gentle one she knew, Sharon slowly rxed. Then, she deliberately added, ¡°You were so mean just now. I was scared¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just¡­¡± Edward started to exin, but the words got stuck in his throat. He wondered what was wrong with him. He didn¡¯t know why he had gotten angry or why he had snapped at Sharon. He nked out for two seconds before hastily adding, ¡°I was just worried that it might affect you if the news got out. You are nning to enter the entertainment industry, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Oh, so you were worried about me! It¡¯s okay, Ed.¡± Sharonughed. ¡°May isn¡¯t the kind of person to deliberately ruin me. She wouldn¡¯t post anything online to harm me.¡± Her words implied something else. If any rumors did surface online, she could easily pin it on Macie, even if she had been the one to spread them herself. Sharon smiled slyly as calction and triumph filled her eyes. ¡°You didn¡¯t forget about my runway show tonight, did you?¡± she asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Edward replied. ¡°Good! You have toe, okay? If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll be mad and ignore you!¡± Sharon pouted yfully. Edward agreed, and after a few more casual exchanges, they ended the call. In the dressing room, Sharon¡¯s expression turned cold as she stared at her phone, her eyes dark with malice. She recalled the moment when Edward had hesitated while exining his anger. Her teeth clenched as she muttered, ¡°May¡­ Edward still cares about you after all.¡± Meanwhile, Edward, in the CEO¡¯s office, reflected on why he had snapped so suddenly. Ever since he left the hospital, he had been struggling to control his mood. But he couldn¡¯t figure it out. He didn¡¯t have the time to dwell on it. His assistant had just ced a freshly printed stack of documents before him. This time, he signed them without error. As Nathan watched the process go smoothly, he silently thanked the heavens. ¡°I¡¯m leaving work on time today. If there¡¯s anything important, report it to me via phone,¡± Edward instructed. ¡°Understood, Mr. Fowler,¡± Nathan replied obediently. Just as he turned to leave, a chilling voice rang out from behind him. ¡°Are you and Macie close?¡± Nathan felt a deep, instinctual fear run down his spine. Every fiber of his being screamed that admitting to anything right now would be career suicide. Turning back with a serious expression, he answered, ¡°I only interact with Mrs. Fowler when necessary for work, like when I retrieve documents from your house. We¡¯re not close. At most, we are simply acquainted.¡± Edward¡¯s gaze darkened further. ¡°Then why did she only answer your calls?¡± 1 Nathan wondered if Edward was jealous. He found thetter¡¯s expression terrifying. Thinking quickly, he calmly replied, ¡°Mrs. Fowler likely assumed that it was a work¨Crted matter since I am your assistant, sir. That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t make things difficult for me. I called her several times before she finally answered. I believe that even while upset, she didn¡¯t want to interfere with your work.¡± It was a perfect response. As expected, Edward didn¡¯t press further. The tension in the room dissipated, and with a dismissive wave of his hand, he allowed Nathan to leave. Once outside, Nathan exhaled sharply as he stood there. Without hesitation, he pulled out his phone and deleted every message between him and Macie. Discover more novels at find[?]ovel If Edward ever saw the texts where Macie mentioned that she was being more considerate because of Nathan¡¯s workload¡­ Nathan probably wouldn¡¯t live to see another day. Invitation 17 Edward was in a much better mood. He even crossed his legs leisurely while sipping his coffee in the office. At exactly 5:30 pm, he got up, grabbed his coat, and clocked out to have dinner with Sharon. As soon as he started the car, his phone rang. He took it out, nced at the screen, and thenughed coldly before hanging up and putting it back in his pocket. ¡°Weren¡¯t you cursing me out just this afternoon? I called 100 times, and you ignored me. Now that you need something, you¡¯re calling me?¡± Edward sneered, stepping on the gas and driving off. He could already guess why Macie was calling. He figured that it was probably about money for her hospital stay. After all, where else would she get the money when she hadn¡¯t worked in the past two years? Thinking about all the times he¡¯d put up with her and all the kindness that went unappreciated, he gripped the steering wheel tighter. Just the night before, she had sshed water on him and gone crazy, hitting him with a toilet brush. His foot pressed harder on the elerator. About ten minutes into the drive, halfway to his destination, he stopped at a red light and opened the car¡¯s call log. There was no second call from Macie. ¡°Let¡¯s see who else you can turn to for money.¡± Edward scoffed. He continued driving. When he arrived at an intersection another ten minutester, he could feel the irritation well up in him. He suddenly changed direction and set the GPS for the hospital. Before long, an iing call lit up his screen. Edward smirked and answered via Bluetooth. ¡°Ed, are you off work?¡± Sharon¡¯s voice chimed in. ¡°I¡¯m already at the restaurant waiting for you.¡± The smirk on Edward¡¯s lips slowly faded. He replied, ¡°Traffic is bad. Wait for me.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be waiting!¡± Sharon purred sweetly before hanging up. Sitting in the car, Edward hesitated for a few seconds, debating whether to return the missed call from 20 minutes ago. But after a brief moment of indecision, he let his AI assistant send a text instead. Edward smirked again when he heard the near¨Cinstant reply. It was just as he expected. Macie was waiting for him to give her a way out. ¡°Read me Macie¡¯s reply,¡± Edward instructed the AI assistant. ¡°Okay. Here is the response from contact Macie: ¡®Never mind¡®.¡± The AI¡¯s voice echoed through the car. Edward was momentarily stunned and confused. That was it? Where was the rest of the message? He repeated themand, but the result was the same. Frowning, he nced at the central screen. When he read the two¨Cworded reply, he was so angry that he made the car swerve slightly. ¡°You call that driving? Are you drunk? Even if you¡¯re driving a Rolls¨CRoyce, you still have to follow thew!¡± a nearby driver cursed at him. Ignoring the man, Edward pulled over to the side and immediately called Macie. ¡°What is the meaning of this? You call me, then tell me ¡®never mind¡®? Are you messing with me?¡± Edward snapped. Would it kill her to add another word to her reply? And that tone of hers! She hurt Sharon first, yet she had the nerve to act high and mighty after everything. ¡°Never mind¡® because someone already sent it over. You don¡¯t have to make the trip,¡± Macie replied coldly. ¡°Sorry for wasting your time. I shouldn¡¯t have called you.¡± She had regretted dialing his number the moment she did, but she truly had no one else to call. Edward hanging up within five seconds wasn¡¯t a surprise either. She had set herself up for this. Edward¡¯s temper red at Macie¡¯s words. She was essentially saying that she shouldn¡¯t have called him. He wondered who else she was nning to call if not him. If he wasn¡¯t her first choice, then who the hell was? Updates are released by F?ndNovel ¡°Deliver what? Who sent it to you?¡± he demanded. Invitation 18 Macie didn¡¯t answer Edward¡¯s first question. There was no need to. But as for the second, since it involved ess to the house, she exined, ¡°I contacted your assistant. He¡¯s your employee and has been to the house a few times. He won¡¯t leak your address. You trust him as well.¡± Edward lost his temper immediately. He wanted to blurt out what was truly on his mind, but what came out was, ¡°So what if he¡¯s my employee? He was there when you were home, but you weren¡¯t there this time!¡± It was just an excuse to vent his frustration because he couldn¡¯t say the real reason out loud. Why would she rather call Nathan than call him a second time? Was it just because he hung up on her once? Hadn¡¯t she ignored hundreds of his calls before? The thought that Macie would rather turn to an outsider than to him was driving him insane. Find the newest release on F¦ÉndNovel Macie was silent on the other end of the line for a few seconds. She knew that Edward didn¡¯t like strangers entering his house, which was precisely why she had chosen Nathan and emphasized that he could be trusted. Even so, Edward still ended up being furious. ¡°There¡¯s surveince at home. If you¡¯re worried, you can check the footage. You can also change the door lock when you get back. This won¡¯t happen again.¡± Macie epted his anger calmly. She had left in a hurry and forgotten to bring her medical card. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have needed to ask anyone for help. ¡°Is that the point? The point is-¡± Edward shouted but suddenly choked on his words, unable to continue. Macie frowned slightly and thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Then open the windows for venttion when you get back, or call a cleaning service for a deep clean.¡± Even for someone as obsessive with cleanliness as him, it was all too much. It wasn¡¯t like Nathan had never been to the house before. ¡°You!¡± Edward was so infuriated that he hung up and mmed his hand against the steering wheel in frustration. He couldn¡¯t believe that she had called Nathan. Feeling resentful, Edward thought that he would rather die than care about Macie again! He restarted the car and headed toward the restaurant where he was supposed to meet Sharon. His expression remained stormy and terrifyingly dark, and even after reaching the private dining room, his anger hadn¡¯t subsided. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ed? Who made you so mad?¡± Sharon asked with concern. ¡°Who else¡­¡± Edward¡¯s voice was cold. However, he stopped mid¨Csentence as he sat down. ¡°It¡¯s those ipetent subordinates. Their work is just awful.¡± Sharonforted him, ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re too good. Your employees just can¡¯t keep up with you. Don¡¯t be angry, Ed. It¡¯s after work. So let¡¯s not think about it anymore, okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not angry. I¡¯m perfectly fine.¡± Edward huffed. ¡°Oh, really? Your expression is as ck as coal, and your tone is so sharp,¡± Sharon teased, holding up a small mirror to him. As Edward stared at his reflection, he was momentarily stunned. His face did look murderous, as if he had been provoked beyond reason. But why? Why was he so mad? This wasn¡¯t right. Macie didn¡¯t call him again. That was all. Edward pressed his lips together and stayed quiet for a while. When the food arrived, he finally concluded that it was because Macie had let Nathan into the house without his permission and even gave him the door code. She clearly didn¡¯t take Edward seriously. Sharon used a clean fork to ce a spare rib on Edward¡¯s te and smiled. ¡°Cheer up. You¡¯re with me now.¡± ¡°Sorry. My bad,¡± Edward apologized. However, his smile looked more like a grimace than anything else. Sharon assumed that he was just stressed from work. It only made her happier that he had left work on time to have dinner with her even after his subordinates had made such a huge mistake. Invitation 19 Nathan had brought everything Macie needed to the hospital. He respectfully ced them on the bedside table. ¡°Thank you, and sorry to trouble you with the trip. I¡¯ve transferred the taxi fare to you. Please ept it,¡± Macie said, smiling. ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Mrs. Fowler. It¡¯s my duty to run errands for you. Besides, I owe you an apology. I should have told you in advance that Mr. Fowler wasing to see you,¡± Nathan uttered apologetically. ¡°You were taking orders from him, so you wouldn¡¯t have dared to tell me anything. Ipletely understand.¡± Macie¡¯s expression cooled the moment Edward was mentioned. Nathan wanted to exin himself. He could have informed her beforehand, as it wouldn¡¯t have been a big deal, but he had chosen not to. This content belongs to F¦ÉndNovel ¡°Thank you again. You should head back. You¡¯re still on the clock,¡± Macie urged. ¡°Mrs. Fowler, Mr. Fowler-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear any exnations on his behalf.¡± Macie cut him off directly. ¡°You can go now.¡± Nathan fell silent before he turned away slowly. As he did, he caught a glimpse of Macie¡¯s injured lower back and the foot she had propped up. The injuries looked severe¨Cpainfully so. He wondered how much suffering Macie had endured. ¡°Please rest well. I wish you a speedy recovery.¡± Nathan sighed before leaving. He didn¡¯t ept the fare Macie had transferred and returned it instead. As soon as he got into a taxi, his phone buzzed with a message from Edward. ¡°You¡¯re skipping work without reporting in. Your full attendance bonus for the month will be deducted.¡± After reading the text, Nathan felt like the sky was crashing down on him. He hurriedly typed out an exnation, only to receive a cold reply. ¡°Rules are rules. You are no exception, even though you are my assistant.¡± When he read Edward¡¯s message, Nathan was overwhelmed by a suffocating sense of powerlessness. He let out a desperate groan. ¡°I was only gone for half an hour! Shouldn¡¯t it just be a one¨Cday deduction?¡± Moreover, he had only gone out to deliver something to Macie, who was family to Edward. Was there +15 BONUS really a need to be this stingy? That was the entire attendance bonus. Did Edward think it was easy to work his ass off round the clock? Nathan thought that Edward was such a ruthless capitalist! If Edward and Macie ever got divorced, Nathan would absolutely support it. He felt that a petty man like Edward didn¡¯t deserve Macie, not even with all his wealth. ¡°Ed, who are you texting?¡± Sharon asked as she watched the man across from her typing. ¡°My assistant. He left work without permission.¡± Edward snorted coldly before adding through gritted teeth. ¡°He can kiss this month¡¯s attendance bonus worth 1,500 dors goodbye.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the right move. What if every employee starts cking off?¡± Sharon agreed. Edward didn¡¯t respond. Sensing that his mood still hadn¡¯t improved since arriving, Sharon bit her lip and muttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ed. You¡¯re so busy with work, yet you still made time to have dinner with me and attend my fashion show.¡± ¡°This is something I should do. No matter how busy I am, I¡¯ll always make time for you,¡± Edward replied. Sharon¡¯s lips curled up slightly at those words. Then, she deliberately asked, her expression meek, ¡°You sounded really upset when you called earlier. Was it because you argued with May? I shouldn¡¯t have texted her. I apologize¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about her right now. She¡¯s nothing but a heartless woman,¡± Edward growled, his anger ring up again. Watching his expression and hearing his words, Sharon suddenly wondered if it was all her imagination. Did Edward truly not care about Macie anymore? ¡°I¡¯m going to the restroom,¡± Edward said, standing up. Sharon nodded and hummed in response. As soon as Edward left, Sharon noticed that he hadn¡¯t taken his phone. Hurriedly, she reached for it. She unlocked the phone on her first try. Discovering that her birthdate was still the password filled her with satisfaction and joy. It proved that he still loved her even after two years. 912 Invitation 20 As soon as Sharon opened the social media app, the timestamp of the second conversation from the top made her smile fade, and her expression turned cold. It was timestamped at 5:57 pm. That was when Edward was on his way to the restaurant. She tapped into the chat. The previous messages had been erased, leaving only two from Edward: ¡°Why did you call me? Did you need me to do something for you?¡± This update is avable on Find[?]ovel ¡°Never mind.¡± Sharon switched to the call log. The first entry was Macie¡¯s name. Edward had called her first. The call Before Sharon could specte on what they might have said in those two minutes, she heard footsteps approaching near the door. Snapping back to reality, Sharon quickly exited the app, turned off the screen, and put the phone back in ce. The private room door opened, and Edward walked in. ¡°I forgot my phone.¡± Sharon smilingly handed it to him. As soon as Edward left again, Sharon¡¯s smile disappeared in an instant. Her eyes darkened with resentment and malice as she mumbled to herself, ¡°Did you have toe back just for your phone when you¡¯re only going to be in the restroom for such a short time? Were you afraid that I might look at it?¡± A woman¡¯s intuition was never wrong. Edward was attracted to Macie. Just a few days ago, he had refused to divorce, iming that he wanted to torment Macie. But that was a lie. He simply didn¡¯t want to let her go. At that thought, Sharon clenched her jaw and pressed her lips together tightly. Her nails dug deep into her palms. In the hallway, Edward walked toward the restroom while looking down at his phone. His gaze lingered on his chat with Macie. The sight of her curt reply again irritated him for some reason. After hesitating for several seconds, he typed out a message, only to delete it. 10 Frustrated, he exited the chat and instead sent a text to Nathan. Nathan¡¯s reply came quickly. After reading it, Edward pressed his lips together. It turned out that Macie wasn¡¯t short on money. She had simply forgotten her medical insurance card. But wasn¡¯t that still the same thing? Otherwise, why bother with reimbursement? With that thought, he clicked on the transfer page. He hesitated several times, changing the amount from 5,000 to 10,000 to 30,000. And then¡­ he backed out. ¡°Why should I be the one rushing to send her money? Why doesn¡¯t shee to me if she¡¯s short on cash?¡± Edward muttered to himself, frustrationced in his voice. ¡°She hasn¡¯t even apologized to me yet. Why should I be the first to cave?¡± With that logic, he stubbornly returned to the private room, determined not to concede. After a quick dinner, Edward drove Sharon to the fashion show. ¡°Ed, the runway show starts in half an hour. I¡¯m going to get changed. You can wait here.¡± Sharon smiled and led him to an empty conference room, to which Edward nodded. Sharon headed backstage to the dressing room, where the other models immediately turned to look at her, whispering among themselves. One of them finally came forward curiously. ¡°Sharon, we heard that a super handsome guy in a Rolls- Royce brought you here. Who¡¯s he to you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s exactly what you think it is,¡± Sharon replied, basking in their envious gazes. ¡°Wow! Is he some rich heir? Are you marrying into a wealthy family soon?¡± another model asked. ¡°I¡¯m not saying anything yet. But when the timees, you¡¯ll all get an invitation,¡± Sharon announced smugly. The room filled with admiration and ttery. The same people who once looked down on Sharon- disliking how this overseas returnee had swooped in and taken the spotlight¨Cwere now eagerly trying to cozy up to her, hoping that she could introduce them to high society. Meanwhile, Edward sat staring at his phone in the conference room. Five minutes had passed, and Macie still hadn¡¯t epted the money transfer. Another three minutes ticked by. Unable to wait any longer, Edward dialed Macie¡¯s number. Invitation 21 In the ward, Maciey on her stomach, practicing sketching on her graphics tablet. The phone she had ced at the side rang. Macie picked it up and took a nce at it. Then, she tossed it aside nonchntly. The phone stopped ringing 40 secondster. Macie thought that the person would not call again, yet she Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n Find?Novel received another call. Two more calls followed suit. It felt like the person was going to make another hundred phone calls relentlessly like what they had done in the morning. Macie could not understand why Edward was calling her now. ¡°Does he want to ask me to make dinner for him? He knows that I¡¯m staying at the hospital, though?¡± she pondered. Macie worried that Edward might storm into the ward and cause a ruckus again like what he did in the afternoon. She put down the stylus, took a deep breath, and answered the phone. Before she could even say anything, the person on the other end of the line started ranting furiously. ¡°Why are you only picking up on the fourth call? You had better have a good reason for it.¡± Macie kept silent. ¡°Hah! So, you do realize that it¡¯s already the fourth call. Anyone withmon sense would be able to tell that I was trying to ignore your calls,¡± she thought. Even though those were her real thoughts, Macie did not say them out loud. She couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with Edward. (1) ¡°I was in the restroom earlier. I just got back in bed,¡± she replied monotonously. Edward¡¯s anger dissipated slightly when he heard her exnation. He asked, ¡°Did the nurse help support you when you¡¯re moving around?¡± Macie had a dumbfounded look in her eyes. She wondered what Edward was trying to achieve. Was he concerned about her? ¡°No,¡± she responded expressionlessly. ¡°Where are the nurses? Did you not press the call button before going to the restroom?¡± Edward¡¯s voice sounded through the phone. ¡°What exactly are you trying to say?¡± Macie asked straightforwardly since she had no intention of continuing with the conversation. There was a brief silence. It could have been a problem with the phone¡¯s reception, or Edward simply had no idea how to respond to her. ¡°Why were you asking these questions? Are you worried about me?¡± Macie purposely phrased her questions in a way to annoy Edward. As expected, he instantly replied exasperatedly, ¡°What do you mean I¡¯m worried about you? Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself!¡± Macie scoffed. There was no warmth in her eyes. She was about to hang up when she heard Edward saying, ¡°I was just worried that your injury might worsen if you had slipped and fallen. Grandpa would yell at me if he found out.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Nathan ry my message to you about how I wouldn¡¯t tell Grandpa about this?¡± Macie asked. Edward nearly blurted out and said that Nathan did not ry her message. Yet, he worried that Macie might contact Nathan to confirm if he was telling the truth. Edward muttered through gritted teeth, ¡°You¡¯d better keep your promise. I was just trying to prevent you from going back on your word.¡± Macie snickered. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Fowler. I know my ce, and I¡¯ll do my part dutifully. I won¡¯t cause you any trouble.¡± She wanted to spend her remaining time here quietly and peacefully before leaving. Macie simply felt that Edward was being petty and overly cautious. On the other hand, Edward was still waiting in the meeting room. What Macie just said was exactly what he wanted to hear. At the same time, he could not help but feel oddly annoyed and frustrated. ¡°I¡¯ll hang up now if that is all,¡± Macie said. ¡°Keep the money. Otherwise, Grandpa might say that I hadn¡¯t fulfilled my duties as your spouse. Also, you should talk to me directly about any matters moving forward. I don¡¯t want to hear it from a third party,¡± Edward replied frigidly. He ended the call after saying that. Edward nced at his watch and noticed that it was about time for the fashion show to start. He got up and turned toward the door. ¡°Sharon? When did you get here?¡± Edward finally spotted the person standing at the side. ¡°I just got here. I was about to tell you that it¡¯s time.¡± Sharon smiled softly. ¡°Let¡¯s go then,¡± Edward said. After she had led him to the venue¡¯s entrance, Sharon said bashfully, ¡°You need to get some good photos of me from the front rowter. I¡¯ll thank you in advance!¡± ¡°I will. Good luck with the show.¡± Edward¡¯s lips lifted in a slight smile. As she watched him enter the venue, Sharon¡¯s smile quietly faded. She clenched her teeth whilst feeling anger rise within her. ¡°Did Edward just talk to May on the phone? Did he call her again? He even told May to contact him directly¡­¡± Sharon pondered. Jealousy consumed her. She felt the need to act quickly. Invitation 22 In the hospital ward, Macie had a slight frown on her forehead. She did not think much of Edward¡¯s final remark. As she switched to another app on her phone, Macie noticed that Edward had transferred some money to her ount. The transferred sum was 30,000 dors, and he left a remark stating that it was money for her surgery. Macie transferred the money back to him at once. Even if she did not return it now, Edward would probably ask for the money back when they proceeded with the divorceter on. Sitting in the first row, Edward noticed that Macie had sent the money back to him. He sent her a message asking about it and received a reply. ¡°I won¡¯t need surgery, so I don¡¯t need the money.¡± Edward responded. ¡°You¡¯re staying at the hospital for a few days, right? Use the money for the hospital fees.¡± Macie typed another response. ¡°The hospital fees won¡¯t cost that much. I can afford it.¡± After sending the message, Macie turned off her phone and tossed it aside. Meanwhile, Edward sent her more messages. In his first message, he asked Macie what she meant by not that much¡°. In his second message, he transferred the money to Macie¡¯s ount again and told her to just ept the money. Yet, he did not receive any new messages afterward. The show had started, and the models walked down the runway one after another. However, Edward simply stared at his phone. When he became sure that Macie would not reply to his messages, Edward shoved his phone into his pocket out of frustration. ¡°Macie is being more and more haughty these days. I¡¯ve given her two chances already. I¡¯d rather die than give her the third chance!¡± he inwardly grumbled. Edward directed his gaze to the runway and crossed his legs. He looked like he was paying attention to the show. However, his eyes were unfocused. He was actually sulking. Sharon was ced somewhere in the middle for the order of the models going up on the runway. As soon as she stepped onto the runway, she immediately spotted the man sitting in the first row. She thought that Edward was looking at her, so she met his gaze, smiling. Sharon only realized that Edward was staring into space when she reached the end of the runway. She clenched her jaw slightly. She turned around and returned backstage. Then, she secretly fetched her ¡ú +15 BONUS phone and sent him a message. The phone in his pocket vibrated. Edward took it out immediately, yet it was not a message from Macie. Instead, it was Sharon reminding him to take photos of her. She also told Edward that he had missed the first round of her walking down the runway. After sending her a quick apology, Edward snapped out of his reverie, looked toward the runway, and took out his camera. Sharon came up on the runway again. Edward smiled faintly at her this time. The two of them met each other¡¯s gaze, and Edward managed to take her photo. When Sharon turned around, she appeared to have stepped on her dress and fell to the floor. As the audience gasped in surprise, Edward rushed onto the stage, scooped Sharon into his arms, and carried her backstage. Follow current nov?ls on findnovel The reporters quickly sensed that the incident could provide materials to be made into headlines. They swiftly took photos as the incident urred. Then, they tried to get the respective media outlets to upload their articles online as soon as possible. The fashion show director heard that one of their models had tripped, fallen onstage, and even been carried backstage. He was positively fuming when he went looking for the model. Meanwhile, the other models stood by their sides, waiting to see how things would unfold. Sharon¡¯s backstagepanion was a man she deemed her future husband. Some of them even managed to discover his identity. The man turned out to be the Fowler family¡¯s sole sessor. The Fowler family¡¯s status and influence came in handy at such moments. The director entered the room looking like he was about to spit fire. Yet, his expression softened tremendously after he had spoken to Edward. He even looked too eager to get on thetter¡¯s good side. The other models also directed their gazes toward Edward, who had money, power, and even good looks. They were envious of Sharon¡¯s good luck. Sitting on a chair, Sharon apologized to the director for ruining the show. The director looked at Sharon¡¯s dress. The skirt was wide enough to prevent the wearer from stepping on it while turning. Yet, he had a dawning realization as he watched Edward crouch and massage Sharon¡¯s ankle. Sharon was not the first person in their industry to make a name for herself or catch a powerful man¡¯s eyes by taking a fall on stage. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Ms. Emerson. What matters is that you¡¯re not badly injured. You should get some rest.¡± The director adopted a concerned expression. He continued, ¡°Mr. Fowler, you can leave with Ms. Emerson first. I¡¯ll find a recement for her spot in the show.¡± Edward cast him a sideways nce and nodded. Invitation 23 Chapter 23 ¡°You can contact my assistant and let him know if you suffer any losses for tonight¡¯s show,¡± Edward said. The director¡¯s eyes instantly lit up. He liked speaking to someone like Edward, who was generous and straightforward. He smiled slightly. ¡°We won¡¯t suffer huge losses because of a minor incident like that. Besides, we should have considered the possibility of idents like this happening too. Ms. Emerson can join our fashion shows again once her injury is healed. I¡¯ll always have a ce for her.¡± Edward rose to his feet. He gave the director Nathan¡¯s business card nheless. Then, he helped Sharon get up from the chair. Chapters first released on find?novel When he noticed Sharon limping and swaying slightly, Edward picked her up in his arms again. Sharon looped her arms around Edward¡¯s neck and leaned against his shoulder, looking rather shy. Meanwhile, the reporters had gathered outside the exit a while ago. They managed to take photos of the pair as soon as they emerged from the building. Sharon seemed frightened as she buried her face in Edward¡¯s chest. (1) Edward called out sternly, ¡°Delete the photos. Otherwise, thepanies you¡¯re affiliated with will face severe repercussions.¡± A brief momentter, the security guards came over to help clear a path so that Edward could carry Sharon to his car. She sat in the front passenger seat. ¡°Edward, what do we do if they upload the photos on the inte? It¡¯ll be problematic for you,¡± Sharon said worriedly. Instead of being concerned about how there might be scandals regarding her personal life, Sharon was worried for him. Edward stroked her hair and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re still so thoughtful and considerate, Sharon.¡± In his opinion, Macie could neverpare to Sharon. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone take care of it. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Edward lowered his hand. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for causing so much trouble,¡± Sharon bit her bottom lip and said apologetically. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Your legs were injured because of what Macie did. You should just skip the fashion shows happening in the next few days.¡± Edward started the engine and drove off. Sharon hummed in response and took out her phone. ¡°I¡¯ll inform the director that I need to take a few days off. I forgot to do that just now.¡± Although she had said that, Sharon had actually opened her inte browser. As expected, several entertainment news articles about her had been uploaded online. Sharon tilted her phone slightly to keep Edward from seeing the screen. Then, she instructed her assistant to spend some money on getting those news articles to be the top trending news online and gain more exposure. At the same time, she switched to another app and sent a text message to someone. Then, she put down her phone. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to your help, Edward. Otherwise, the director would have harshly reprimanded me because of what happened today.¡± Sharon tried to find suitable topics to keep the conversation going. ¡°It was nothing. What matters is that you¡¯re safe and sound,¡± Edward responded. Sharon¡¯s lips curled. The way Edward had rushed onto the stage earlier was a sign that she was still important to him. Sharon was determined to eliminate Macie, who was an obstacle to their rtionship, as soon as possible. Their car pulled up outside the hotel Sharon was staying at 20 minutester. Edward was just about to open the car door for Sharon and help her get out of the car. Suddenly, a group of paparazzi appeared from behind a tree and came running toward them. The camera shes went off nonstop. ¡°Move aside! Stop taking photos of us!¡± Edward was infuriated. It turned out that these hical reporters had even followed them all the way here. ¡°Stay in the car, Sharon. I¡¯ll take you somewhere else.¡± Edward quickly got back into the driver¡¯s seat. He started the engine and sped away. In the front passenger seat, Sharon looked shaken as she circled her arms around her body. In a choked voice, she said, ¡°How did they find out where I was staying? They even waited outside the hotel.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a model, and you¡¯ve already achieved a certain level of fame. Naturally, those annoying reporters have their ways of tracking you down.¡± Edward¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Can you take me to a nearby coffee shop or somewhere I can sit and wait for a while? Once those people leave, I¡¯ll return to the hotel.¡± Sharon bit her lip and pitifully asked Edward for help. ¡°I¡¯ll have to take up more of your time. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Edward replied, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so courteous with me. The paparazzi probably won¡¯t leave so soon. They¡¯ve already found out where you¡¯re staying.¡± Invitation 24 ¡°What should I do, then? I left my personal documents in my luggage. I won¡¯t be able to stay at other hotels¡­¡± Sharon sounded lost and helpless. ¡°You can stay at my ce,¡± Edward suggested. Sharon paused for a split second. She lowered her head and replied meekly, ¡°That¡¯s not a good idea. I don¡¯t want to see you and May argue because of me again.¡± ¡°She has no right to decide that. That¡¯s my apartment. I decide who gets to stay in my own home,¡± Edward said monotonously. 1 Her cheeks were still wet with tears as she tried to politely decline his offer. However, he ignored her refusal and took her back to his residential area. They got into the elevator and went to the floor where Edward¡¯s ce was. Sharon followed behind him. With her finger, she wiped off the foundation applied to her neck to reveal her hickey. The door was opened. Sharon thought she would immediately see Macie, but the ce looked quite empty. She briefly scanned the living room and softly asked, ¡°Is May already asleep? We shouldn¡¯t wake her up, then.¡± Edward removed his jacket. ¡°She¡¯s not home, so you don¡¯t have to speak so softly.¡± ¡°Where is she, then?¡± Sharon asked. ¡°She¡¯s staying at the hospital because of a tailbone injury,¡± Edward answered. ¡°Which hospital is it? I should visit her once my leg injury is healed.¡± Sharon had a concerned look on her face. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. She won¡¯t appreciate you showing her that much kindness anyway.¡± Edward¡¯s face darkened when he recalled what happened in the afternoon. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that she¡¯s not around. She won¡¯t be a nuisance and won¡¯t be able to harm you either.¡± He walked toward the other guest room and noticed they used that space as a storeroom. He nced over his shoulder. ¡°You can sleep in Macie¡¯s room tonight.¡± Sharon stood by the wall, looking a bit flustered. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep on the couch. May doesn¡¯t like other people touching her things¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t possibly let a guest spend the night on the couch.¡± Edward expressed his disapproval. Sharon clenched her fists when she heard the word ¡°guest¡°. ¡°It¡¯s just one night anyway. She won¡¯t say anything about it.¡± Edward supported Sharon and led her into the guest room. He turned on the lights and helped Sharon sit down on the edge of the bed. Edward could detect a faint, pleasant scent in the room. It was the natural scent that Macie gave off. ¡°Get some rest. You had quite a shock tonight,¡± Edwardforted her. Then, he exited the room and closed the door behind him. When the door shut, Sharon narrowed her eyes and stood up. She had thought that Edward would take her to the master bedroom, yet she was left in this room. She wondered if Edward felt wary about crossing the line because they were in his home. She studied the room¡¯s decor and interior. There were very few things in the room. Sharon walked over to the closet. She did not seem like someone who had twisted her ankle not too long ago with how steady her steps were. She opened the closet and found just a few pieces of clothing inside. Moreover, they were clearly cheap products bought from roadside stalls. The fabric was simr to those of tablecloths. Sharon felt even more pleased. She pulled the drawers open and rummaged through almost everything in the room. She ultimately did not find much. Then, she took a photo of herself lying on the bed and sent a text message. Meanwhile, Macie, who was at the hospital, had just put away her graphics tablet. Her phone¡¯s notification ringtone sounded just then. After reading the message, Macie tightened her fists. She could feel her anger rising. She wondered why Edward hadn¡¯t just taken Sharon to the master bedroom but let thetter sleep on her bed instead. She didn¡¯t think his actions were necessary. Her finger hovered on the screen disying Edward¡¯s phone number. Three secondster, her impulse was pushed back by her rationality. Macie tapped on her phone to exit the page. (1) She reasoned that it was merely a room. Sharon could use it however she liked. Regardless, Macie would move out of the room in another two weeks. Macie tried to recall what she had kept inside the room. She already had Nathan bring over herptop, the most valuable item she owned. She couldn¡¯t recall if there was anything else¡­. Then, she froze. She remembered that there was another thing. It was a diary she had kept during her high school days. It was a record of a period Macie wished she could erase forever. It contained the untold feelings of love and yearning that the young Macie had for Edward. ?????? ???? F¦Énd£Îovel Invitation 25 Macie bit her lip as she remembered about the diary. She med herself for not tearing it to bits or setting it on mes beforehand. However, she figured that Sharon probably would not be able to find it since the diary was locked inside a drawer. She eventually calmed down. When she was about to turn off her phone, a notification window for a news article popped up on the screen. The title read, ¡°The Fowler Family¡¯s Next Sessor Rushes Onto the Stage for a Model During a Fashion Show.¡± Macie stared at the screen for a brief moment. The Fowler family¡¯s next sessor¡­ She figured that the media could only be referring to Edward with that title. Her gaze fell on the word ¡°model¡± next. When she came to her senses, she noticed that she had tapped on the link for the news article. A photo was disyed above the article. Edward was carrying a woman in his arms. That person buried her face in his chest. Macie recognized that it was Sharon just by looking at her side profile. Her finger swiped on the screen. The following close¨Cups captured Edward shielding the woman, his This content belongs to find(?)ovel re fixed on the paparazzi. He did a great job at ensuring that the reporters could not harass the woman. Descriptions of the incident were included in the article, too, but Macie did not read them. With an impassive face, she exited the page. Macie was neither sad nor upset. Her tears had dried up since a long time ago. Her mouth turned up in a mocking smile. She had called Edward and asked for his help to bring over her stuff at the time. Macie finally understood why he was so grumpy earlier. It turned out that he was on his way to meet Sharon. Edward clearly had double standards. He yelled at Macie just because Nathan had dropped by their ce as per her request. Yet, Sharon was allowed to visit and even stay over at any time. Macie decided to stop thinking about it. She struggled to push herself up and get ready to wash herself. Yet, she received a text message just then. She saw that it was a message from Nathan. The person involved in the incident had not said anything to her yet. On the other hand, Nathan was already trying to exin on Edward¡¯s behalf that what was described in the news articles was just an ident and Macie should just ignore them. Macie snickered. ¡°An ident? The two of them had even spent a hot night togetherst night,¡± she thought. Macie could not be bothered to find out the truth. She did not reply to Nathan and simply tossed her phone aside. Meanwhile, Nathan received news of an urgent situation at the Fowler Group¡¯s office building just as he was about to get off work. He quickly headed to the PR department to assist in handling the issue. He sent Macie a message to exin the situation first while hurrying toward the other department. However, he did not receive any replies from her. He sighed before thinking, ¡°Mr. Fowler must have hurt Mrs. Fowler¡¯s feelings. He is such a terrible man. He got off work early to watch a fashion show that his ex¨Cgirlfriend was involved in. ¡°He couldn¡¯t even make time to bring Mrs. Fowler her medical card. He deducted my bonus for excellent attendance even though I did the favor for her. Now, even his scandals have be the most searched news online¡­¡± Nathan could go on and on about hisints about Edward. He let out another sigh. Then, he reported the progress to Edward in real¨Ctime as they tackled the issue. At home, Edward finally checked his phone after he finished his shower. The news articles had already been taken down from the inte by then. Edward furrowed his brows. The topic became the number one most searched local entertainment news in just half an hour. He could not help wondering if someone had a hand in making that happen. Edward instructed Nathan to keep digging. At the same time, he sent Sharon a message to let her know that the issue had been taken care of. While he was blow¨Cdrying his hair, a thought urred to him. He wondered if Macie had also seen the news since the incident was one of the top trending news online. For some reason, Edward felt a little anxious and uneasy. He stopped drying his hair. Instead, he grabbed his phone and opened the chat window with Macie¡¯s name. He kept deleting the words shortly after he had typed them out. Their conversation abruptly stopped two hours ago when Macie stopped replying to his messages. ¡°Why should I exin to her? It¡¯s not that big of a deal anyway.¡± Edward pursed his lips. He wanted to put his phone down but hesitated. After mulling over it for roughly ten seconds, he started typing on his phone again. Just as he was about to hit send, a yelp from outside caught his ear. He tossed his phone aside and hurried out of his room right away. ¡°Sharon! Are you alright?¡± Edward rushed into the bathroom and helped her get up. 640 ¡°I¡¯m alright, Edward. I¡¯m such a klutz. I tried to wash myself quickly, but I lost my footing,¡± Sharon said while leaning against him. Invitation 26 Edward helped Sharon regain her footing. Just then, one of the straps of her top slid off her shoulder. From his angle, Edward could see Sharon¡¯s deep cleavage. The red marks he had left on that part of her skinst night were still visible. Yet, the top that Sharon was wearing¡­ belonged to Macie. At that moment, Edward felt as though he was caught cheating right before Macie¡¯s eyes. His palms grew numb, and he instantly turned his face away. ¡°Edward, can you hold onto my left arm? I want to wash my face.¡± Sharon looked up at him. Edward helped wring out a wet towel and passed it to Sharon. After wiping her face, Sharon tried to support herself by holding onto the sink. ¡°I¡¯m done now. Thanks. You can go¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Sharon was about to fall again, but Edward was prepared this time. He grabbed her by the waist and caught her effortlessly. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t push yourself. You need to be mindful of your foot injury,¡± Edward said. Sharon gripped his arms and turned around. The two of them stood facing each other. Her hands slowly crept up, and she circled her arms around Edward¡¯s neck. She had a shy yet seductive look in her eyes. It felt like the temperature in the narrow bathroom was rising gradually. Their lips drew closer. Just as Original content can be found at find?novel they were about to touch, Edward¡¯s gaze drifted across the hickey on Sharon¡¯s shoulder. It was one of the marks he had left on her bodyst night in the heat of the moment. Suddenly, Edward came to his senses and straightened himself. Expressionlessly, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll carry you back into the room.¡± He could argue by saying that what happened the night before was just an act of impulse, but what about this time? Edward would not allow himself to make the same mistake twice. Sharon was carried in his arms and lowered onto the bed despite her reluctance. She could not understand why her ns to seduce Edward had failed. The same thing happenedst night, where Edward stopped abruptly and refused to go further. Just when he was about to back away, she clutched onto his hand and bit her lip. ¡°Edward, do you hate me?¡± Edward¡¯s lips were pressed into a thin line. He answered, ¡°No.¡± ¡°It seems like you do, though¡­¡± Sharon circled her arms around his waist to stop him from leaving. He stiffened for a bit. Then, he slowly pried her hands off. ¡°You¡¯re injured, and you need to get enough rest. ¡± ¡°I only injured my foot. I didn¡¯t injure anywhere else¡­¡± Sharon tried to hold onto his waist again, but Edward took a few steps backward to put some distance between them. If she tried to cling to him again, the fact that her legs were perfectly fine would be exposed. Sharon could only gaze at him as tears welled in her eyes. ¡°Sharon, I want to treat you with care and respect. Even a small injury like this is considered a huge issue to me,¡± Edward said gently. ¡°So, you should rest well tonight. Good night.¡± He turned around and left the room. Inside the room, Sharon was feeling skeptical after hearing Edward¡¯s remarks. Frustrated, she mmed her fist on the bed, having been so close to being physically intimate with him. After closing the door behind him, Edward returned to the master bedroom so quickly that it seemed like he was fleeing from something. He could not put his finger on it, but the longer he stayed in Macie¡¯s room, the more agitated he felt. It was as though he were being judged. His heartbeat quickened, especially when he detected that faint scent. It felt so strange to him. Edward could not figure out why he felt that way. He walked over to his bed and picked up his phone. Edward saw that he had identally sent the message earlier, yet Macie had not replied. He tightened his grip on the phone. His feelings of frustration and agitation were instantly reced by anger. He threw his phone, whichnded on the carpet and slid toward a corner of the room. In the ward, Macie was texting Julian. She had seen Edward¡¯s message, yet she felt that he did not have to inform her about Sharon. It made her wonder if Edward was exining Sharon¡¯s stay or unting that he¡¯d brought another woman home. With her being away from home, those two could do whatever they wanted in the house. Still, the thought of those two fooling around in her bed made Macie¡¯s stomach turn. She found it all utterly disgusting. She decided to throw everything away¨Cfrom the sheets to the mattress. She also made a note to disinfect the room. Invitation 27 Even though the news articles were quickly taken down, Yosef had learned of what had happened. He called from the Fowler residence early in the morning and yelled at Edward furiously. Edward was on his way to work. He quietly listened and did not talk back while Yosef scolded him harshly. ¡°Macie is such a nice woman. Do you not feel guilty toward her at all? Do you not appreciate all the sacrifices she¡¯s made in the past two years?¡± Yosef felt so frustrated with his grandson. Edward pursed his lips. ¡°Sacrifices? Just because she¡¯s prepared our meals? She used the washing machine to wash our clothes and the robotic vacuum cleaner to clean the floor. I was the one who had to look after her during the past two years. What¡¯s more, she¡¯s utterly ungrateful: She even pped me yesterday,¡± he thought. ¡°If you really can¡¯t appreciate her efforts¡­ I hope you won¡¯t regret this someday. There¡¯s only two weeks left-¡± Yosef continued. Edward cut him off since his patience was running out. ¡°I need to hang up now, Grandpa. I¡¯m driving. You forced me to marry her back then. I can give her everything except love.¡± 1 He hung up after saying that. Meanwhile, Yosef let out a deep sigh. He had initially nned on telling Edward about the contract marriage. Yet, it seemed like he did not need to bring up the issue. He decided to set Macie free once the stipted time was up. After arriving at the office building in his car, Edward took an elevator to get to his floor. His brows furrowed when he recalled Yosef saying something about there being only two weeks left. However, he did not think much of it. He figured that it was probably something insignificant. He allowed his thoughts to drift off to something else. Yosef only mentionedst night¡¯s incident going viral online. He did not scold Edward on other matters, which meant that Macie really did not tell Yosef about her being admitted to the hospital because of her injuries. Edward felt an inexplicable strange sense of unease in his heart. However, this form of obedience and cooperation was exactly what he needed from Macie. After entering his office, Edward concentrated on work to stop himself from overthinking. In the morning, Sharon sent him a message saying that she had asked her assistant to check the situation at the hotel. Unfortunately, the paparazzi were still waiting around the area. ¡°Normally, the paparazzi wouldn¡¯t show much interest in a model like me, who hasn¡¯t garnered much attention. It must be because of what happenedst night that they¡¯re onto you now. I¡¯m so sorry about this, Edward.¡± Edward read her message. Sharon had just returned to the country and had indeed not garnered much fame yet. It was because of him that she ended up getting all this unwanted attention and harassment. He felt somewhat guilty about it. He typed a reply and sent it, telling her to stay at his ce for now. Regardless, Macie would be staying at the hospital for some time. That night, Edward returned home after a tiring day at work. He opened the door and paused when he noticed the lights in the living room were turned on. Then, he hurried toward the kitchen. ¡°Macie!¡± He stared at the familiar silhouette. Yet, as the person turned, Sharon¡¯s face came into view. Edward stiffened and forced a smile. ¡°It¡¯s you, Sharon. Sorry. I didn¡¯t recognize you because of the clothes. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I had to borrow Macie¡¯s clothes since I didn¡¯t bring mine. You must be exhausted. Hurry and wash your hands so you can have dinner.¡± Sharon beamed. Edward nodded and walked out of the kitchen to put his jacket away. In the kitchen, Sharon gripped thedle¡¯s handle tightly as she took in the disappointed look in Edward¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not good at using the type of cooker you have in your kitchen. So, I made some soup, which was the simplest to make.¡± Sharon served Edward a bowl of soup at the dining table. Readplete version only at find?novel ¡°Your foot injury isn¡¯t fully healed. You didn¡¯t have to do this,¡± Edward responded. He froze at that moment. It was because¡­ Macie had suffered even more severe injuries to her legs. Moreover, she had injured her tailbone. Yet, he had forced her to cook up a feast two days ago. With suchparisons, the difference in his treatment of Macie and Sharon was apparent. Edward pressed his lips together and dropped his gaze, concealing the mixed emotions he was feeling inside. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay here for free. May happens to be away, so I¡¯ll help take care of you.¡± Sharon smiled softly. She did not notice that Edward was spacing out. Invitation 28 ¡°How¡¯s the soup? Is it good?¡± Sharon looked at Edward expectantly. She had the soup ordered and delivered from a restaurant. So, she was confident that he would be satisfied with the taste. ¡°It¡¯s delicious. You have excellent cooking skills,¡± Edward remarked after having a sip. Truthfully, he found the soup to be quite oily and salty. It tasted like something a regr restaurant would make. Edward much preferred Macie¡¯s cooking, which tasted lighter on the pte. Her dishes were different from the food that was prepared outside. ¡°You should have some more if it¡¯s to your taste, I can make it for you every day,¡± Sharon said chirpily. When Edward heard Sharon¡¯s offer to make soup every day, he quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll help bring over your personal documents tomorrow. You can stay in one of the hotels owned by Fowler Group. No paparazzi would dare follow you there.¡± Sharon bit her lip hard. Yet, she was smiling again two secondster. ¡°Alright. Thank you, Edward.¡± The two of them continued eating. When Sharon offered to get him a second serving, Edward politely declined. ¡°I ate quite a lot in the afternoon. You can have more.¡± Edward got up and made himself a cup of tea. Sharon clenched her jaw. After looking at the food on the table, she decided to order from another restaurant tomorrow. On the balcony, Edward sipped some tea to eliminate the oily aftertaste. At the same time, he was looking at his phone. Macie had not replied to his messages for an entire day. He felt more and more irked as he stared at his phone. Edward removed the chat window since he found it annoying to keep seeing it on his homepage. Then, he sent Nathan a message, telling him to fetch a few things from the hotel. Nathan went to the hotel on an errand for Edward, where he met Sharon¡¯s assistant, Reba Grant. Realizing that he was delivering belongings from the woman who was involved inst night¡¯s incident, guilt struck him. He felt like he had betrayed Macie. Nathan had just exited the hotel¡¯s entrance when several reporters swiftly surrounded him. They took photos and tried to interview him. ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong person! I¡¯m not him!¡± Nathan replied quickly. The reporters left, yet the things Nathan carried in his arms were knocked all over the floor. Reba quickly checked afterward and found that some of the valuable items were stolen. Nathan had no choice but to call Edward and apologize for what happened. Edward was exasperated. ¡°Are those reporters thieves? They even stole her watch and her bag? Have you made a police report?¡± Nathan informed him that he did and the hotel staff would also check their surveince footage. Sitting at the dining table, Sharon curled her lips. She got up and limped toward Edward. ¡°Edward, it¡¯s fine even if those things are stolen. What matters is that your employee is not harmed.¡± ¡°Those people must be crazy about money, ¡± Edward said, ending the phone call. I¡¯ll get those exact items for you again.¡± After all, Nathan had failed to protect Sharon¡¯s belongings. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I can always find new recements for those things myself.¡± Sharon was being very considerate. Suddenly, she furrowed her brows. It seemed like she just remembered something as she anxiously asked, ¡°What should I do? My personal documents are kept in that bag. It¡¯ll take time for me to apply and get those documents reced.¡± ¡°You can just stay here for the time being. I¡¯ll tell Nathan to bring your things over,¡± Edward replied. ¡°Huh? Won¡¯t I be a bother? May¡¯s not home at the moment. We probably need her permission¡­¡± Sharon cautiously said. ¡°Don¡¯t mind her. You can stay here if I say so.¡± Edward remained expressionless. A brief whileter, Nathan delivered the items to Edward¡¯s ce. Seeing how another woman had moved into the ce, Nathan felt extremely bad for Macie, who was still hospitalized. He left shortly afterward. Edward thought that those were all Sharon had for her luggage. A whileter, Reba arrived with more bags and suitcases, which lined the corridor. ¡°Edward, the guest room is a little small. I can¡¯t put all of my things inside. What should I do?¡± Sharon seemed a little flustered. ¡°We¡¯ll just move Macie¡¯s things out,¡± Edward responded. ¡°That¡¯s not very appropriate. Which room will May stay in when she gets back?¡± Sharon bit her bottom lip. ¡°There¡¯s another smaller guest room. She can stay in that one,¡± he replied indifferently. 2/2 Newest update provided by find?novel Invitation 29 Chapter 29 Hence, Sharon instructed Reba to move Macie¡¯s things out of the room. Although she did not get to stay in the master bedroom, Sharon found it satisfying to have kicked Macie out of her own room. Edward furrowed his brows as he watched them move Macie¡¯s belongings. He entered the room and noticed Reba trying to pry open a drawer. He went over to help. Men were physically stronger. After a few tries, Edward managed to yank the drawer open with his brute force. Even the metal parts of the lock were bent out of shape. (1) Only a notebook with a light blue cover was ced in the drawer. Edward picked up the notebook and flipped to the first page. He instantly realized what the notebook was. ¡°Only those with secrets would write diaries,¡± Edward snickered. He was about to flip to the next page when a hand reached over from above his head and snatched the notebook away. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be reading a woman¡¯s diary. I¡¯ll help May keep it somewhere safe.¡± Edward pursed his lips. He stared at the notebook, debating whether to ask for it back. But at the same time, reading the diary felt pointless. He got up and left the room. After Edward was gone, Sharon flipped to a page randomly. Her eyes bulged when she read the contents. Sharon wanted badly to tear the notebook in half. She was so d that Edward had not read the diary. At first, Sharon considered tearing the notebook to shreds and discarding it. Yet, she eventually changed her mind and ced the notebook under her pillow. A sinister smile tugged at her lips. ¡°May, I¡¯ll treat this as a gift from you¡­¡± she thought. In the ward, Macie had received another ¡°tip¨Coff¡± from Nathan. He informed her that Sharon had moved into their house and exined why it happened. Macie pressed her lips together. She had known about it much earlier, but there was nothing she could do to change the arrangement. She typed a reply, telling Nathan to ignore the issue and not to update her about these things anymore. She could tell that Nathan was trying to help ease the tension between her and Edward. However, Macie would be divorcing Edward in another two weeks. She had also spoken to the doctor and had her admission extended from one week to two. Macie wanted to avoid seeing Edward and Sharon as much as possible. She simply wanted to have some peace during this final stretch. Meanwhile, Reba had carried out Sharon¡¯s instructions and finished moving all of Macie¡¯s stuff into the smaller guest room, which was used as a storeroom. Sharon had ultimately imed Macie¡¯s old room for herself. She looked at the master bedroom¡¯s door, which was tightly shut, and tried turning the door knob. However, she found that it was locked from the inside. It was as though Edward was trying to keep thieves and burrs out. ¡°Edward, have you gone to bed? I just want to let you know that I¡¯m done unpacking my things,¡± Sharon began to say. ¡°You should rest early, then.¡± Edward¡¯s voice came from behind the door. ¡°Alright. You too. Good night,¡± Sharon replied. She walked back to her room, albeit reluctantly. Nevertheless, she figured that she had all the time since she managed to move into this house with him.. Things were quite peaceful for the next few days. Nathan had brought Macie a new phone and told her that Edward had bought it for her. Yet, Macie simply tossed it into the drawer of her bedside table. ¡°Did she say anything about the phone?¡± Edward was reviewing documents in his office with his head lowered. ¡°¡­Mrs. Fowler didn¡¯t say anything. She even tossed it aside, lookingpletely repulsed¡­¡± Nathan grumbled inwardly. However, out loud, he lied and said, ¡°Mrs. Fowler told me to thank you. She liked it very much.¡± He smiled slightly. Edward lifted his gaze and looked at Nathan. ¡°To be precise, was she thanking me or you?¡± Nathan felt a chill run down his spine. He smiled awkwardly. ¡°She was thanking you, of course. I told her The rightful source is find(?)ovel that it was a gift from you.¡± Edward was finally satisfied. He asked, ¡°How long will she stay at the hospital?¡± ¡°She asked the doctor, and it would take around two weeks,¡± Nathan answered. ¡°It¡¯s going to take that long?¡± Edward frowned. ¡°But she said that she wouldn¡¯t need surgery.¡± ¡°She suffered from fractured bones, after all. It¡¯ll help with the recovery if she stays there longer,¡± Nathan responded. Edward fell silent, so Nathan turned to leave. Just as he reached the door, he heard Edward¡¯s instructions. ¡°ce an order with The Terrace and have them deliver food to the hospital every day.¡± hapter 29 ¡°Understood,¡± Nathan responded. After leaving Edward¡¯s office, Nathan found himself feeling quite confused. Invitation 30 C +1 Chapter 30 Nathan deduced that Edward cared about Macie a lot. Yet, he couldn¡¯t understand why Edward was fooling around with another woman, to the point of bringing his mistress back to his home. Nathan ordered the meals for Macie. However, he was savvy enough to tell her that the order was ced by the Fowler family and not Edward. He worried that Macie might just flush the food down the toilet if she knew who it was really from. At the hospital, Macie ate those meals. She figured that it was most likely Yosef¡¯s idea since they were from the Fowler family. However, Macie furrowed her brows. She wondered if Edward had told Yosef that she had been admitted to the hospital. Strangely, she did not receive any new messages from Yosef. Macie did not send him any messages either since she would probably have to share details about her injuries. Macie spent her days leisurely. During the day, she watched tutorial videos or worked on her sketches. She had enough practice to ensure that she could quickly adapt to her new job. She was also in a good mood since she did not have to see Edward. Coupled with the help of the nutritious meals, she looked much more radiant than before. Looking at the countdown disyed on her phone, she thought about how the day she could finally leave Edward was drawing closer. Macie¡¯s heart was filled with the hope she had for her new life. She started packing her things in the morning of the day she was getting discharged. When she carried her bag and turned around, Macie spotted someone standing by the door and staring intently at her. She was momentarily startled but quickly regainedposure, her face nk and silent. She had no idea why Edward had suddenly shown up at the hospital and even stood by the door with that frightening look on his face. ¡°Mrs. Fowler, let me help you with that.¡± Nathan hurried into the room and took Macie¡¯s bag from her. ¡°No. I can do it¡­¡± Macie rejected his offer to help. ¡°I¡¯m here to help with these tasks today. You don¡¯t have to be so courteous with me, Mrs. Fowler.¡± Nathan smiled slightly. Macie looked at him and smiled faintly. ¡°Thank you.¡± Standing by the door, Edward¡¯s face darkened when he saw Macie, who had stared at him with an impassive expression, smiled at Nathan. He took a few big strides. Before Macie could grab the other bag she ced on the side of the bed, Edward grabbed the handle and picked it up. He then looked at her. Macie met his gaze. She tried to snatch the bag from him but failed. Moreover, Edward just stood there, unmoving. Macie felt rather drained. ¡°Does this mean that you don¡¯t want me to go home? Should I extend my stay at the hospital?¡± Edward gritted his teeth. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say anything?¡± Macie was at a loss for words. She didn¡¯t know what he wanted her to say. After giving it some thought, she said monotonously, ¡°I¡¯ll be good and won¡¯t try to harm Sharon again. I¡¯ll make sure to keep my distance from her.¡± Regardless, Edward refused to believe that Sharon was behind all those incidents. Macie had no intention of arguing and exining herself anymore. She would rather Edward assume that they were all her doing. Edward felt even more irked upon hearing those words. He did not want to hear that from her. Yet, his pride would not allow him to share his honest thoughts. He turned around in agitation and spat, You¡¯d better be!¡± Somewhere further away, Nathan discretely opened a drawer. As expected, a phone was left inside the drawer. Nathan took the phone and put it into the bag. They got to the parking lot soon enough. Nathan was driving that day. Macie was nning on sitting in the front passenger seat. However, Nathan swiftly put Macie¡¯s bag on the seat. He reckoned that Edward would probably rip the car apart that day if Macie were to sit in the front passenger seat. ¡°Mrs. Fowler, I¡¯ve unlocked the rear doors.¡± Nathan reminded her with a smile on his face. Inwardly, he was feeling anxious. Macie turned slightly and got into the backseat. Meanwhile, Edward got in from the other side of the car. Just as he was about to start the engine, the notification ringtone of Nathan¡¯s phone went off. Nathan nced at it and found that it was a message from Edward. It read, ¡°You need to maintain a professional attitude during work. Stop smiling so much.¡± Nathan was rendered speechless. He couldn¡¯t understand the reason for such an absurd demand. He questioned when he had even smiled. Even if he did, it was only with Macie. He ultimately concluded that men could indeed get really jealous. Nathan remained silent. He had a nk look in his eyes. Another message popped up on the screen. It 273 was still from Edward. ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? Invitation 31 Chapter 31 ¡°People might think I have an unprofessional assistant otherwise,¡± Edward said. Being a mere employee, Nathan didn¡¯t dare argue and could onlyin inwardly, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that exnation makes it even more suspicious?¡± As the car moved steadily forward, Macie turned her head to look out the window, avoiding any questions about how Edward knew her discharge time or why he hade to pick her up. The reason was nothing more than to ¡°shut her up¡°-to prevent her from speaking carelessly in front of Yosef. It could also be because he had a shred of lingering conscience. After all, he was the one who caused her fractures. In the back seat, Edward remained silent, his gaze shifting from the back of her head to her foot. The blister marks had faded, leaving only faint red traces. Macie was walking fine now, and herplexion looked rosier than before. It seemed like the nutritional meals hadn¡¯t been a waste. Edward smiled at the thought of it. Macie might be giving him the cold shoulder, but in reality, she still epted whatever he sent¨Cwhether it was the phone or the meal n. Yet, she hadn¡¯t even said a simple ¡°thank you¡°. His smirk faded as frustration crept in. Still, since her injuries were partly his fault, he chose not to dwell on it. When they arrived at her apartmentplex, Macie assumed that Edward would simply drop her off at the entrance and leave. It was a workday, after all. But unexpectedly, he grabbed her bag and stepped out of the car. ¡°I can head up by myself,¡± Macie said coolly. Edward didn¡¯t respond immediately. As he swiped his ess card at the entrance, he finally turned back, looking slightly awkward. ¡°Don¡¯t think that I¡¯m doing this voluntarily. I just don¡¯t want Grandpa nagging me.¡± Macie followed him inside, unfazed. She didn¡¯t notice the subtle shift in his expression. Naturally, she knew that Edward wasn¡¯t suddenly being considerate. She wouldn¡¯t tter herself with such thoughts. Behind them, Nathan observed his boss¡® stubborn and proud behavior. Justst night, Edward had told Nathan to pick up Macie from the hospital that day. He inwardly sighed. He believed that a man who refused tomunicate would only end up with regrets someday. The three of them entered the elevator. As they reached the apartment door and Edward entered the passcode, a female voice rang out from inside when the door opened. ¡°Ed, did you forget something?¡± Edward froze for a split second. While he instinctively wanted to nce back at Macie, he still stepped in without hesitation. After all, he had already told her before that just because she didn¡¯t reply didn¡¯t mean that she didn¡¯t see
  1. it.
Macie¡¯s gaze lowered slightly. She wasn¡¯t surprised at all to hear Sharon¡¯s voice. Nathan, on the other hand, discreetly studied Macie¡¯s reaction and followed behind them. ¡°May, you¡¯re finally out of the hospital!¡± Sharon paused before beaming upon seeing Macie behind Edward. ¡°Come on in! You must¡¯ve suffered while hospitalized. Have a seat and rest. I¡¯ll get you some Newest update provided by find(?)ovel water.¡± Sharon bustled around warmly, grabbing a cup and heading to the water dispenser. Nathan¡¯s expression became indescribable. Inwardly, he scoffed. He thought, ¡°Talk about shameless. If someone didn¡¯t know any better, they¡¯d think that the mistress was the rightful owner here. Macie didn¡¯t sit down. Instead, she walked straight to her bedroom¨Conly to halt when she found the door open. She stared inside. Theyout, the furniture¨Ceverything had been changed. This was no longer her room. ¡°Oh dear, Ed didn¡¯t tell you?¡± Sharon walked over, holding a cup of water. ¡°I moved in temporarily. Since I had a lot of stuff, I took your room. You don¡¯t mind, do you?¡± Macie clenched her fists and turned sharply to re at Edward. Edward stated, ¡°Your room is bigger anyway. Let Sharon stay there. You can sleep in the smaller one.¡± He then added impatiently, ¡°It¡¯s just a room. Do you really have to look at me like that? You can move back in once Sharon moves out.¡± Invitation 32 Chapter 32 Macie quietly took a deep breath, forcing herself to suppress the urge to argue. After all, it was just a ce to sleep. She didn¡¯t think that it made a difference where she slept. She could endure it¡­ It was only for ten days anyway. ¡°Where are my things?¡± Macie asked. Edward, noticing that her anger had subsided as quickly as it red, replied, ¡°Sharon had someone pack them up and put them in the small guest room.¡± Hearing that, Macie walked to the other small room and pushed open the door, only to find her belongings scattered messily all over the floor. Anyone who didn¡¯t know better would think that it was just a pile of trash. Behind her, Nathan inhaled sharply. The mistress had bullied the rightful wife terribly. First, she took over thetter¡¯s bedroom, and now she was forcing her to sleep in what was basically a storage room. Edward, who had followed, took in the scene and frowned slightly before turning to Sharon. ¡°Is this how your assistant handles things? By dumping everything on the floor?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Ed.¡± Sharon bit her lip, her gaze filled with remorse. ¡°I didn¡¯t check when she moved the things. I had no idea that she was so careless. I¡¯ll speak to herter.¡± She then stepped to the door. ¡°May, let me help you tidy things up. I¡¯m really sorry. Can you not be mad at me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll do it myself,¡± Macie rejected her coldly. ¡°May¡­¡± Sharon¡¯s voice carried a pitiful sob. She stood there helplessly, casting a pleading look at Edward. ¡°Do you really have to speak to Sharon in that tone?¡± Edward scolded Macie, his expression darkening. ¡± She wasn¡¯t the one who threw your stuff. Why are you taking it out on her?¡± Macie clenched her fists at those words. Finally losing her patience, she turned and retorted, ¡°How exactly am I taking it out on her? Did I yell? Did I hit her? All I said was that I would tidy it up myself.¡± Readplete version only at FindN()vel Edward paused for two seconds before responding, ¡°It¡¯s your tone. You¡¯re giving her attitude.¡± ¡°Hah! Oh, really?¡± Macie sneered. ¡°If you don¡¯t like what you see, don¡¯t watch. Just leave.¡± Edward was infuriated by her defiant attitude. Grabbing Sharon¡¯s hand, he turned to leave. ¡°It¡¯s pointless to be kind to her. Come on, Sharon. Don¡¯t bother with her.¡± The room fell silent as they left. Finally, there was some peace. Macie squatted down and started picking up her belongings. ¡°Mrs. Fowler¡­¡± Nathan ced her bag on the nightstand and helped her. That day, he had truly witnessed Sharon¡¯s tactics. Her ability to act pitiful and maniptive was first- rate. Macie hadn¡¯t even said anything particrly harsh, but Sharon had still managed to look like a victim, and Edward had taken her side without question. ¡°You can go too. I can handle this myself,¡± Macie reassured Nathan. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Mr. Fowler hasn¡¯t called for me yet,¡± Nathan replied, feeling sympathetic for her. Just as he spoke, a cold voice came from the doorway. ¡°Nathan.¡± Nathan turned around to see Edward standing there and staring at him, his expression dark. He was clearly upset. Left with no choice, Nathan got up and reluctantly left. He had only wanted to help Macie clean up, but Edward had ended up being jealous. ¡°Take these out and throw them away. Thanks.¡± Macie handed Nathan a stic bag filled with the bedsheets, pillows, and nkets she found dirty and disgusting. Who knew how many times Edward and Sharon rolled around in them? Macie couldn¡¯t even stand touching them. ¡°Yes, Mrs. Fowler,¡± Nathan saidpliantly, taking the bag. ¡°Why are you throwing them away? Where will you sleep?¡± Edward asked, his brows furrowing. Throwing away even the pillows and nkets? He wondered if Macie was nning to leave again. X Invitation 33 ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere. I just don¡¯t like these anymore,¡± Macie replied impassively. Edward¡¯s tense posture rxed at those words. He instructed Nathan, ¡°Go to the supermarket downstairs and buy a quilt and a bedding set.¡± Nathan obeyed and left, while Edward returned to the living room. Macie continued tidying up. Most of her belongings were there, but¡­ She suddenly stood up and strode to her old room. Just as she was about to unlock a drawer with a key, someone appeared behind her and pulled open the bottommostyer. Macie froze for a moment upon seeing the empty space inside. When she turned around, she was greeted with the sight of Sharon¡¯s smugly curved lips. ¡°Where¡¯s my notebook?¡± Macie demanded. ¡°What notebook? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Sharon feigned ignorance. ¡°Didn¡¯t you open this drawer?¡± Macie gritted her teeth. Before Sharon could reply, Edward approached from the doorway, wearing a frown. ¡°What are you two arguing about?¡± Just as Macie was about to confront her, Sharon quickly responded first, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. May was just checking if she left anything behind.¡± Then she leaned in, lowering her voice to whisper in Macie¡¯s ear. ¡°Macie, I threw that notebook in the trash. Did you really want Edward to see all those disgusting things you wrote?¡± Macie¡¯s body stiffened, a cold chill spreading down her spine. She could only re at Sharon. Sharon continued, ¡°You should be grateful to me. What kind of look do you think Edward would have given you if he had seen it? He only likes me. You, on the other hand, make him sick.¡± Macie clenched her fists, biting her lip as her entire body trembled. She stared at Sharon, unable to utter a single word. Sharon was right. Edward had never liked Macie. He only felt disdain and hatred toward her. Rather than letting him find out about the notebook and use it to humiliate her, it was better that it was thrown away. She had nned to destroy it anyway. ¡°What did you leave behind?¡± Edward asked from outside the room after watching the two speaking quietly between themselves. ¡°Nothing,¡± Macie answered softly. She then stood up and walked past Edward with her head down. Sharon smirked and was about to take Edward¡¯s arm when he suddenly asked, ¡°When will your ID be ready?¡± Sharon¡¯s smile stiffened. ¡°Since I¡¯m an orphan, my household registration is still in a collective record. I¡¯ve already asked my assistant to help process it.¡± She added, her eyes misty with emotion, ¡°Am I causing trouble for you, Ed?¡± ¡°No. Don¡¯t overthink it. I was simply asking,¡± Edward reassured her. ¡°I thought you were going to kick me out now that May is back,¡± Sharon murmured sorrowfully with her Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n find~novel head lowered. Edward reached out and gently ruffled her hair. ¡°How could I? You can stay as long as you want.¡± Hearing this, Sharon smiled. ¡°Thank you, Ed. You¡¯re so kind.¡± Macie, who was inside the guest room, listened to their sickeningly affectionate exchange and felt nothing but disgust. Regardless, she would be leaving soon anyway. Sharon could stay forever for all she cared. Nathan returned with the bedding set, but before he could help make the bed, Edward ordered him to leave. ¡°She has nothing better to do. Let her take her time setting it up,¡± Edward said. Right then, Sharon asked sweetly, ¡°Ed, can you drop me off at the studio? I need to head out.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Edward agreed. The house finally fell silent again after the three of them left and locked the door behind them. Inside the small guest room, Macie straightened up and took a deep breath as if finally able to rx. As the room had grown dusty from being unused for so long, she went to get a cloth to start cleaning. Invitation 34 When Macie went to the bathroom to wash the cloth, she noticed that all her personal toiletries¨Cher toothbrush, skincare products, and everything¨Cwere gone. Only Sharon¡¯s set remained, neatly ced beside Edward¡¯s. Macie let out a mockingugh. She had lived there for two years, but Sharon had erased all traces of her existence within just two weeks. She had gone from being the rightful owner to an outsider, an intruder who no longer belonged. At the same time, a Rolls¨CRoyce came to a stop outside the modeling office. The car door soon opened, and Sharon stepped out. She deliberately stood sideways to bid Edward goodbye so everyone in the lobby could see him. As the car drove away, she smiled brightly and waved before turning around, her expression filled with confidence, pride, and satisfaction. ¡°Wow, Sharon! Your boyfriend dropped you off again!¡± ¡°You two have such a good rtionship. Mr. Fowler is rich and handsome. And since he¡¯s an only child, no one will fight you for the inheritance!¡± ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m so jealous! You¡¯re so lucky.¡± Sharon¡¯s smile grew even wider as she soaked in their endlesspliments. But then, a mocking voice interrupted them. ¡°Boyfriend? Are you sure you¡¯re not just the side chick? Mr. Fowler hasn¡¯t officially acknowledged your rtionship.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he already 27? What if he¡¯s already married?¡± Sharon shot them a re and gritted her teeth. ¡°Sour grapes! You¡¯re just jealous, aren¡¯t you? If you¡¯re so capable, why don¡¯t you find a handsome, rich boyfriend too?¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you get him to go public with your rtionship? We¡¯ll believe you when he does it,¡± the other woman retorted. Sharon clenched her fists upon hearing that. Before she could think of aeback, the director arrived, cutting off the argument. Inside the CEO¡¯s office at Fowler Group, Edward appeared to be listening to his subordinates¡® reports. In reality, his mind waspletely elsewhere. He was mentally listing off dishes. For the past two weeks, he had been eating nothing but overly processed food, so much so that his stomach problems had red up again. Every night, he found himself rummaging through the fridge, +15 BONUS Readplete version only at find?novel craving the taste of Macie¡¯s cooking. After much deliberation, he settled on three dishes and pulled out his phone to send her a message. He frowned after hitting send. He wondered if three dishes were too many. After all, Macie had just been discharged from the hospital. So, after some thought, he sent another message saying that just one dish would be fine. (1 ¡°Mr. Fowler? Mr. Fowler,¡± the manager cautiously called his name. Edward looked up. ¡°The n looks fine. We¡¯ll implement it next quarter.¡± The room fell into silence. Everyone in the room stared at him. Edward looked back at them, equally confused. ¡°Sir, the n was already approved earlier. Right now, we¡¯re discussing the new product line for next quarter,¡± the manager awkwardly reminded him. Edward remained silent. This was the second time it had happened. The first time, he had abruptly left a meeting halfway through. Now, the executives were all specting. One manager, who was sitting closest to him, nced at Edward¡¯s phone screen out of the corner of his eye. The chat window was filled with one¨Csided messages from Edward. There was not a single reply from the other person. He noticed that the name on the chat was¡­ Macie. He pondered if it was a woman. There had always been rumors that Edward was secretly married, but some imed it was fake. But now, it seemed like the rumors might be true. Still, he thought that the model from two weeks ago was named Sharon or some other. He couldn¡¯t help but think that the upper circle of society was indeed messy. Back at home, Macie had just finished dusting the furniture, mopping the floors, and opening the windows for fresh air when she received a message from Edward cing an order for food. She pursed her lips and huffed before she tossed her phone onto the bed. So that was all she was to him¨Ca maid. She had barely returned, and he was already ordering her around. Invitation 35 At 10:00 am, Macie went downstairs to buy groceries and prepared exactly what a certain someone had requested¨Cthree dishes, not one less. She delivered them to thepany on time. This was the first time in her two years of marriage that she had stepped into a ¡°public setting¡°. She had no idea what kind of whim had struck Edward, but she nned to simply leave the food at the front desk. After exining her reason for being there, the receptionist gave her a scrutinizing and hostile look before saying, ¡°Please leave before I call security. We don¡¯t allow unrted personnel to visit our Macie pressed her lips together and briefly remained silent before taking out her phone to send Edward a message. However, when she opened the chat, she hesitated and called Nathan instead. After she stepped outside to call Nathan, she exchanged a few brief words and then waited for him to handle it. Inside the CEO¡¯s office, Edward¡¯s expression darkened as he watched Nathan hang up the call. His eyes turned icy as he demanded angrily, ¡°Why did she call you again?¡± Not only had she not called him, but she hadn¡¯t even replied to any of his messages. Nathan, sensing the chill up his spine, replied professionally, ¡°Perhaps Mrs. Fowler thought that you were in a meeting and didn¡¯t want to disturb you. Meanwhile, I¡¯m your subordinate. It¡¯s my duty to run errands.¡± Edward wasn¡¯t buying it this time. Clenching his teeth, he red at his phone and snapped, ¡°Then why couldn¡¯t she just call me first to check?¡± Nathan silently thought, ¡°Sir, you asked Mrs. Fowler to deliver your food, but you didn¡¯t even tell me to inform the front desk to let her in.¡± ¡°Mr. Fowler, should I go down to get her-¡± Nathan began, only to be cut off. ¡°She has legs, doesn¡¯t she? Let here up by herself.¡± Nathan was left speechless. Even as he said this, Edward was already dialing Macie¡¯s number. It rang for several seconds before she picked up. ¡°Can¡¯t youe up on your own? Is Nathan your assistant or mine? What right do you have to order him around?¡± Edward growled. There was a three¨Csecond silence before Macie responded emotionlessly, ¡°The front desk doesn¡¯t allow outsiders in.¡± +15 BONUS The mes of Edward¡¯s anger were instantly doused. He hesitated before asking again, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just say who you are?¡± ¡°What should I say? Does the front desk know who ¡®Macie Smith¡® is?¡± She sneered. ¡°You could¡­¡± Edward froze. Macie could have said that she was Mrs. Fowler, and the receptionist would have called Nathan, who would have let her through. But¡­ He couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it. After all, he had never acknowledged Macie¡¯s existence¨Cnot in public or even at home. On the other end of the line, Macie heard Edward¡¯s long silence and scoffed internally. She didn¡¯t know what she could have said. She considered if she should have said that she was his wife but knew better than to im that title. ¡°You could have just called me,¡± Edward finally muttered. Speechless, Macie thought, ¡°Didn¡¯t I already call Nathan? Oh, right. Nathan is his assistant, and only he can use him. Ten more days. Once they pass, I won¡¯t have to serve this trash of a man anymore.¡± Edward¡¯s voice came through the phone again. ¡°I¡¯ve told Nathan to inform the front desk. Take the elevator straight to the top floor.¡± Macie frowned, not wanting to go up to see him. However, the call had already ended. ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? Find_Novel(. ¡°Apologies, miss. I hope I did not offend you earlier. Pleasee in,¡± the receptionist said, bowing while wearing a forced smile. ¡°None taken. You were just doing your job. You have a pleasant attitude,¡± Macie replied. The receptionist was touched. At first, she had assumed that Macie was just another gold¨Cdigger trying to cling to Edward. But then she noticed Macie¡¯s simple, modest outfit and had only asked her to leave rather than saying anything too harsh. Now, upon a second look, she saw that Macie carried herself with quietposure and had striking yet elegant features. Especially considering Nathan had personally instructed her to show proper respect, the receptionist couldn¡¯t help but wonder who Macie was. Invitation 36 ¡°Excuse me, may I ask how you and Mr. Fowler are rted?¡± the receptionist asked in a hushed tone. ¡°I¡¯m his housekeeper who cooks for him,¡± Macie replied indifferently. The receptionist hesitated, wondering if there really was such a young housekeeper. And if that were the case, why had Nathan instructed her to be respectful toward this woman? She had no time to ask further questions as the elevator doors opened, and Macie stepped inside, heading straight to the top floor. Macie found Nathan already waiting upon her arrival. He immediately took the food container from her hands and softly said, ¡°Mrs. Fowler, I was just about to go downstairs to meet you, but¡­¡± He hesitated before adding sincerely, ¡°And please, you can always ask me for help, really.¡± Macie understood that he was a kind person. She gave him a faint smile. ¡°You can take it inside. I¡¯m leaving.¡± This update is avable on Find1Novel ¡°Aren¡¯t youing in?¡± Nathan asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see his stinking face,¡± she replied coldly. 1 ¡°That¡¯s¡­ quite an urate description,¡± Nathan silently agreed. Macie pressed the elevator button and was about to step inside when a voice sounded from behind her. ¡°You¡¯re here, so why aren¡¯t you bringing it in? Why are you standing there like an idiot?¡± ¡°Mr. Fowler, I have the food with me,¡± Nathan announced, to which Edward shot him a re. ¡°Was I talking to you?¡± Nathan could only stand there quietly in response. Macie, who had already stepped into the elevator, didn¡¯t even bother to turn around. She waited for the doors to close. But just as they were about to shut, arge hand reached in, grabbed her arm and pulled her straight out. Thrown off bnce, she stumbled backward, her back colliding with a firm, solid chest. When she looked up, she was met with a pair of tightly pressed lips and a dark expression. ¡°You have the food. Why did you pull me?¡± she demanded coldly. She wondered if Edward was insane. What did he expect her to do¨Ckneel and serve him his meal? 1 ¡°Why are you leaving when I haven¡¯t started eating? Do you expect Nathan to bring your food container back for you? He doesn¡¯t have time for that,¡± Edward argued. From this close distance, he noticed for the first time just how wlessly smooth, fair, and delicate her skin was. With her exquisite features, Macie was a natural beauty. But that beauty was currently marred by a deep frown, full of irritation, as she struggled to break free from his grip. ¡°You can just bring the container home after work, can¡¯t you?¡± Macie asked, exasperated, still unable to break free from his iron grip. Edward fell silent. On the side, Nathan, who was still holding the food container, silently thought, ¡°Mr. Fowler just wants to spend more time with you, Mrs. Fowler. He just..: doesn¡¯t know how to say it properly.¡± ¡°How long are you nning to hold on to me? You¡¯re hurting me,¡± Macie snapped, ring up at him. Edward immediately let go. He shifted his gaze away before turning and instructing, ¡°Follow me. Once I¡¯m done eating, you can take it back. I might not be home until midnight.¡± 1 Macie didn¡¯t understand what that had to do with her. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t as though they didn¡¯t have extra containers. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she decided not to argue. She figured that she just had to wait for a little while more. She could handle that. Nathan silently followed behind, not daring to make a single sound. After cing the food container on the table, he tactfully slipped away, closing the door behind him. Edward sat down on the couch and opened the container. Inside were three dishes. He nced at her and reminded her, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to just prepare one dish?¡± (1) ¡°If you can¡¯t finish it, throw it away,¡± Macie stated. Seeing her attitude toward him, he felt anger rise in his chest. Still, he forced himself to hold it in. After all, he was why Macie stayed in the hospital for half a month. It was normal for her to still be angry. And she even cooked three dishes for him. He knew that she was soft¨Chearted despite her stubbornness. Invitation 37 +15 BONUS Chapter 37 Edward convinced himself to let it go and focused on his meal. The moment he took the first bite, the deliciousness of the grilled honey balsamic ribs nearly overwhelmed him. The happiness and satisfaction he felt peaked instantly. Listening to the increasingly rapid sounds of eating beside her, Macie couldn¡¯t help but nce at him with an expression full of unconcealed disdain. She would have thought a pig was wolfing down its food if she didn¡¯t know better. The affection she once had for him was now reced by repulsion. But for now, she had no choice but to stay in this temporarily disadvantageous situation. Three dishes, one bowl of macaroni, and a soup¨CEdward finished everything in just ten minutes. Fully satisfied, he wiped his mouth and hands with a wet tissue. Meanwhile, Macie had already stepped forward, swiftly collecting the empty containers before turning to leave without hesitation. Seeing her so eager to leave, Edward couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Have you eaten?¡± He suddenly felt a little guilty about eating so fast that he hadn¡¯t even left anything for her. Macie didn¡¯t answer and was already at the door. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m talking to you.¡± Edward raised his voice slightly. ¡°I¡¯ve eaten,¡± Macie replied coldly, not even looking back as she shut the door behind her. ¡°Why has she be so temperamental after staying in the hospital? Seriously. Why are women so difficult?¡± he muttered, venting his frustration. Then, he found himself reminiscing. Macie hadn¡¯t always been like this, especially in the early days of their marriage. Back then, she had been the gentle and considerate woman who always smiled at him and treated him warmly. Now, she was so cold that she never smiled at him again. Edward convinced himself that she was just still mad. Given some time, she would return to how she used to be. Meanwhile, as soon as Macie got downstairs, her phone pinged with a message. It was from ¡°him¡± cing his dinner order. She rolled her eyes, wishing he would keep eating until his stomach burst. +15 BONUS Newest update provided by findnovel After finally getting to eat the meal he had craved for half a month, Edward was in an excellent mood. His work efficiency skyrocketed in the afternoon. The project manager¨Cwho had braced himself for a scolding¨Cwas stunned when he emerged unscathed. ¡°Did Mr. Fowler receive some good news today?¡± he cautiously asked Nathan. Nathan paused for two seconds before nodding. Curious, the manager pressed for details. Nathan simply replied mysteriously, ¡°He had a good lunch.¡± ¡°It¡¯s that good? Which restaurant was it? I should try it sometime,¡± the project manager mused. ¡°It¡¯s exclusive,¡± Nathan replied, his smile knowing. The manager was stunned for a second before something clicked in his mind. His expression shifted to one of shock and realization. ¡°Is Mr. Fowler really involved with that D¨Clist, barely¨Cknown model?¡± he wondered. Since Edward had mentioned earlier that he would being homete, Macie hadn¡¯t rushed to prepare dinner. She was so focused on practicing her drawing in the living room that she lost track of time¨Cuntil she suddenly heard the door lock turning. To her surprise, it was Edward instead of Sharon who returned. Seeing her confused gaze, Edward changed his shoes and exined somewhat awkwardly, ¡°I got off work early today.¡± Macie didn¡¯t respond and only busied herself with putting away herptop and graphics tablet. ¡°What are you drawing?¡± Edward took off his coat and approached her. But the moment his eyesnded on her screen, Macie quickly shut it. ¡°What¡¯s there that I¡¯m not allowed to see?¡± Edward asked, displeased. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Macie picked up herptop and avoided him by moving around the other side. Edward extended an arm to block her. ¡°I saw you drawingst time, too. You even had Nathan bring yourptop to the hospital. Why have I never known that you liked to draw?¡± Invitation 38 Chapter 38 Macie turned her head slightly to look at him, her expression devoid of emotion as she asked, ¡°Have you ever cared about me before?¡± Edward was instantly at a loss for words, his expression frozen in ce. Macie then returned to the small guest bedroom, leaving the man standing there, lost in thought, with a trace of guilt and self¨Creflection in his gaze. Since Edward had returned home early, Macie decided to head out to buy groceries. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Edward called out as he watched her prepare to leave right after he had just returned. ¡°The supermarket,¡± Macie answered tly. In the past, Edward never cared about such things. He barely even spoke to her. But that day, for some reason, he seemed unusually talkative. After getting her response and noticing the fabric tote bag in her hand, Edward obediently put his shoes back on and silently followed her out. Macie didn¡¯t turn around when she heard his footsteps behind her. When they reached the elevator, she assumed that he was going out for his errands until he followed her all the way into the supermarket. She thought that he was there to buy his things, but¡­ The unwanted tag¨Calong showed no signs of leaving. Wherever she went, he followed. If she turned left, so did he. If she moved right, he was immediately beside her. Macie was left utterly speechless. Not only that, but as she picked out vegetables, Edward randomly tossed wilted, old, or hollow ones into her bag. Finally unable to hold back, Macie clenched her fists and asked, ¡°What exactly are you trying to do?¡± ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m just grocery shopping with you,¡± Edward replied as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Macie was briefly silent. This version of Edward feltpletely unfamiliar. She wondered if the sun was rising from the west that day. If this had been in the past, Macie would have thought it was sweet for a husband and wife to shop for groceries together after work. But now, all she could think was that Edward had lost his mind and needed a doctor. (1 Chapter 38 Checktest chapters at find?novel As she had long given up on him, there was no room for wishful thinking. Macie indifferently said, ¡°Mr. Fowler, you don¡¯t know the first thing about grocery shopping. Please, don¡¯t give me a harder time.¡± Watching Macie take out all the vegetables he had picked, Edward tried to justify himself. ¡°Well, how was I supposed to know which ones were good? ¡°What about this one? This tomato looks fine.¡± He picked one up and, with an extremely serious expression, questioned Macie. Macie looked at him, their eyes meeting. Edward¡¯s gaze, fixed on hers, carried an emotion Macie couldn¡¯t decipher. However, the atmospherested less than two seconds before Edward¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Sharon? Why are you calling?¡± Edward answered. Macie turned and walked away the moment she heard that. Still holding the tomato, Edward went after her. He said into the phone, ¡°Dinner together? Let¡¯s just eat at home. There¡¯s no need to go to a restaurant. Macie will cook. ¡°I already went home. I¡¯m buying groceries right now. I got off work early today. ¡°Pick you up? Sure. Wait for me.¡± The short conversation ended. Then Edward told Macie, ¡°I¡¯m going to pick Sharon up. Just go straight home after you¡¯re done. You don¡¯t have to wait for me.¡± Macie didn¡¯t turn her head. Her expression remained the same from beginning to end. She quietly sneered. She realized that the reason why Edward suddenly wanted to go grocery shopping with her was to prepare dinner for Sharon. At that moment, inside a model¡¯s dressing room, Sharon¡¯s expression twisted in contempt after hanging up the call, her eyes shing with malice. Was Edward grocery shopping with Macie? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to despise her? As Sharon thought back to how she had stayed in his home for half a month with absolutely no progress, and how Edward pushed her away every time she tried to get intimate with him, her frustration only grew. ¡°Macie, it looks like I need to get rid of you once and for all,¡± Sharon quietly vowed. Invitation 39 Chapter 39 When Edward brought Sharon home, Macie was already busy in the kitchen. Edward walked in, stood close to Macie, and watched her roast vegetables while sneakily stealing a piece of braised beef. Their bodies were almost touching. Sharon clenched her teeth as she watched from the doorway. She didn¡¯t know if it was just her imagination, but she thought that Edward seemed to be getting closer to Macie ever since she returned. ¡°May, what are you making? It smells so good!¡± Sharon smiled as she walked in and squeezed between them. ¡°Seriously, Ed. How could you make her cook right after she got back? You¡¯re treating her like a maid,¡± she added, pretending to stand up for Macie. Macie remained indifferent. She picked up on Sharon¡¯s disguised mockery. ¡°It¡¯s her duty to cook,¡± Edward replied matter¨Cof¨Cfactly. ¡°I bet you don¡¯t like my cooking! Poor you. Having to eat what I made while May was in the hospital for two weeks,¡± Sharon teased. ¡°Nonsense. Your cooking is fine. But now that Macie is back, cooking is her job again. Go change your clothes,¡± Edward responded. Macie had no interest in their back¨Cand¨Cforth. Without saying a single word, she flicked her spat, sending a shrimp flying in the air. Edward, who noticed this from the corner of his eye, quickly pulled Sharon aside before the oil sttered on her white dress. ¡°Can¡¯t you be more careful?¡± He frowned at Macie. ¡°My apologies. The spat was too light. The kitchen is small, so please take your conversation elsewhere,¡± Macie replied coldly. Edward led Sharon out. As they walked away, their conversation could still be heard in the kitchen. ¡°Ed, May didn¡¯t mean to do that. The spat was the problem, really. Don¡¯t overthink it.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know! Stay away from her. She poured hot soup on youst time.¡± Macie coldly smirked when she heard this. It never failed to amaze her how the despicable couple could alwayse up with new ways to frame her. When dinner was ready, Edward took the initiative to serve mashed potatoes. He pulled out a chair for Macie, and poured her a drink. Sharon watched from across the table as Edward attentively served Macie first before pouring her own drink second. She pouted and yfully whined, ¡°I¡¯m on my period and can¡¯t drink anything cold. Ed, could you make me some ginger tea?¡± Edward immediately got up to make it. Sharon turned to Macie and shot her a triumphant smile. However, Macie ignored herpletely. A man like Edward was only valuable to Sharon. To Macie, he was already utterly worthless trash. She got up to wash her hands in the bathroom. Meanwhile, Sharon sneaked into the kitchen and discreetly sprinkled some white powder into the food. ???? ????s? ???????s ?? F¦ÉndNovel When she returned, she cheerfully scooped a spoonful of braised beef for Edward. ¡°Ed, try this! May made it just for you,¡± she said sweetly. Before eating, Edward reminded her to avoid cold drinks and keep warm. Sharon¡¯s heart warmed at his concern. ¡°Ed, you¡¯re such a caring man. May is really lucky to have you.¡± Edward frowned slightly. He had never said anything like that to Macie before. He turned his head slightly to gauge Macie¡¯s reaction, only to see her remainpletely indifferent. Not a trace of sadness was to be found. He only stared at her, seemingly in disbelief. ¡°Ugh¡­ It¡¯s so salty¡­¡± Sharon suddenly gagged and spat out the food, frowning. As Edward immediately looked at her, Sharon gave him an apologetic smile. ¡°Sorry, I probably prefer milder¨Ctasting food.¡± ¡°But I tasted it earlier, and the seasoning was just right,¡± Edward said before taking a bite himself. A secondter, he, too, grimaced and spat it out. Invitation 40 Edward turned to Macie and asked, ¡°Macie, why did you add more salt?¡± ¡°Oh no, these two dishes are too salty as well¡­¡± Sharonmented as she tasted each of the dishes. She then bit her lip and looked at Macie. ¡°It could have been a mistake if only one dish was too salty, but for all of them to be too salty¡­ ¡°May, I know you don¡¯t like seeing me eat the food you made, but Ed has to eat too. If you do this¡­¡± She trailed off before putting on a magnanimous expression and turning to Edward. ¡°Ed, don¡¯t be mad. May is just jealous. I¡¯m staying at your ce, and she still has to cook for me¡­ It¡¯s just because she loves you too much.¡± ¡°Macie, you¡¯re an adult. Don¡¯t you think that you¡¯re being childish?¡± Edward couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and mmed the table. ¡°Sharon is only staying here temporarily. Didn¡¯t I tell you beforehand? She¡¯ll only stay in your room for a short while. Can¡¯t you be a little more understanding?¡± As the two of them echoed each other, Macie picked up her te and calmly asked, ¡°Are you done talking? I¡¯ll eat the food. You two do as you please.¡± Edward became even angrier when at her indifferent attitude. How could she act this way when he was trying to reason with her? Macie picked up a piece of braised beef with her fork. But before she could eat it, arge hand suddenly swung over and knocked her fork to the floor. ¡°I already said that it¡¯s salty, and you¡¯re still eating? What, are you trying to prove that it¡¯s not?¡± Edward snapped. Find the newest release on Find?Novel Macie stared silently at the fallen fork, then turned to the kitchen to get another one. ¡°Ed, let¡¯s eat out. We can bring some food back for Mayter,¡± Sharon suggested, pulling on Edward¡¯s arm. Edward, who was still fuming at Macie, didn¡¯t move. ¡°Don¡¯t be like this. A man should be more forgiving. Besides, I don¡¯t even mind,¡± Sharon coaxed him. ¡°May was just discharged, so be more understanding. Let¡¯s go.¡± Hearing her mention Macie¡¯s discharge, Edward finally hesitated. Since Macie was still mad at him, he decided to be more forgiving. ¡°May, I¡¯m taking Ed out. Just throw the food away, okay?¡± Sharon said in a hostess¨Clike manner before shutting the door behind them. The house was finally quiet again. Macie pursed her lips, used her fork to scrape away the topyer of the food, and ate theyer beneath it. She didn¡¯t find it salty at all. She didn¡¯t even bother exining herself. After all, would Edward even listen? A few words from Sharon were enough to make him lose his temper and start yelling at Macie. Even if only the surfaceyer of the food were salted, he would still use her of doing it on purpose rather than suspect Sharon. Moreover, Edward wouldn¡¯t even bother checking the security cameras. He¡¯d already decided it was her fault. Macie was used to this. She had even mentally prepared for Sharon¡¯s next scheme. But she was tired. Just ten more days. She just wanted some peace. Thinking about the divorce papers she had printed that afternoon and left in her room, Macie decided she would talk with Sharon tomorrow. When Edward returned over an hourter, he saw that the dining table had been cleared and the kitchen was spotless. ¡°May, . Come out. I¡¯ll make him apologize to you. He was too harsh earlier.¡± Still, there was no response. At this point, Edward¡¯s temper red up again. He turned to Sharon and snapped, ¡°She can eat or starve for all I care. She¡¯s beingpletely unreasonable. She made a mistake, yet she expects everyone to coddle her! How is she shameless enough to do that?¡± 0 Invitation 41 ¡°Stop it, Ed¡­¡± Sharon said. Inside the room, Macie silently put on her headphones, ying music to block out Sharon and Edward¡¯s conversation. While they wanted to put on a show, she couldn¡¯t be bothered to watch them. Just like that, two hours went by. Macie decided to wash up first to avoid running into them. Grabbing her toiletries, she stepped out and caught the sickeningly sweet chatter between the two in the living room. Hearing the bedroom door open, Edward nced up only to see the bathroom door shut. Updates are released by Find¡ïNovel He thought that Macie had been acting strange all day. He wondered if she was angry but decided that it seemed more like a detached indifference. For as long as she was in the bathroom, Edward kept his eyes fixed on the door. A sh of malice flickered in Sharon¡¯s eyes when she noticed this. When the bathroom door opened ten minutester, Edward practically sprang up to his feet and strode toward her. He intended to confront Macie and ask how long she nned to sulk. But then, he changed his mind. He stopped in his tracks, reached behind, and pulled Sharon forward. He spun her around and pressed her against the wall before leaning in. He figured that Macie would definitely get jealous seeing this. Perhaps she would p him like she did in the hospital or, at the very least, argue with him. As long as she hit him or yelled at him¡­ Edward waited in anticipation. However¡­ The guest room door opened and closed. Even though she was just a few steps away, Macie hadn¡¯t even paused or looked back. She hadpletely ignored him, as if he didn¡¯t exist. Edward clenched his fists as rage burned inside him. ¡°Ed¡­¡± Sharon had been startled at first, but soon her arms wrapped around his neck. She tiptoed to press her lips to his. Before she could kiss him, a loud bang echoed. She yelped in surprise as her face turned pale. Edward had punched the wall right beside her head. ¡°Go to bed early,¡± he said, his expression dark, before turning and heading into the master bedroom. Sharon stood frozen, her heart pounding. He had missed her by just four inches. She didn¡¯t know what was going on. She wondered why he had suddenly lost it and hit the wall. Shaken, Sharon quickly sent him a message to check on him. Edward stood by the window inside the master bedroom. Even though his phone buzzed non¨Cstop, he didn¡¯t receive the message he wanted to see. He wondered why Macie had suddenly changed. 1 He clenched his teeth as his whole body tensed. Images of her once warm and gentle smile and her caring words flooded his mind. Compared to now, the difference was night and day. For a moment, he even doubted whether the hospital had swapped the real Macie with someone else. The more he thought, the angrier he became. But the angrier he got, the more he thought about it. He kicked the wall in frustration. In the guest room, Macie quickly applied her skincare, afraid that if she took too long, she¡¯d hear the noises from next door. That would be disgusting enough to give her nightmares. She put on her headphones, listened to a lecture, and sketched on her graphics tablet. She worked until 1: 00 am before shutting down herputer. Edward had work the following day. Macie was sure that he wouldn¡¯t have that much energy. As she expected, the other room had gone quiet. Relieved, Macie went to sleep. But in her half¨Casleep state, she heard the door of the room beside hers open. She instinctively thought, ¡°Wow. Impressive. Didn¡¯t they have enough fun while I was gone for half a month? They¡¯re having so much fun untilte every night.¡± In the living room, Edward poured himself a ss of water and took some stomach medicine. He had finally felt better around noon, but eating out that night had made him ufortable again. He went to check the fridge. At that moment, the overly salted braised beef didn¡¯t seem inedible. He figured that he could just eat a bit more of the side dishes to bnce it out. However, the fridge waspletely empty. Macie had thrown everything away. Frustrated, Edward walked to the guest room door. He raised his hand to knock on it to wake her up to cook. But after hesitating for a few seconds, he ultimately lowered his hand. Invitation 42 Chapter 42 Edward went to the kitchen, fiddled around, and ended up heating up the leftover mashed potatoes. He was surprised to find that it tasted pretty good. Perhaps it was because Macie had cooked those potatoes. Everything she cooked always had a sweet and fragrant taste. The next morning, Macie woke up early and immediately noticed that half of the mashed potatoes were gone. She frowned, trying to recall if she had identally thrown some outst night when she was tossing the leftovers. Toozy to think further, she gave up on making a mashed potato egg skillet casserole and instead fried some eggs and bacon. Edward woke up early just to have a good breakfast. However, he frowned when he saw the simple meal on the table. ¡°Why aren¡¯t we having mashed potato egg skillet casserole?¡± he asked. ¡°There weren¡¯t enough potatoes,¡± Macie replied expressionlessly. Edward froze for a second, recalling how he had devoured themst night. Feeling guilty, he didn¡¯t dare to admit it. ¡°Then just fry up whatever¡¯s left for me,¡± he said. Macie was speechless but still went to the kitchen to cook up two eggs with lightly seasoned peas. Edward ate everything, including the bread and bacon. ¡°I¡¯m heading out. For lunch, I want garlic shrimp, balsamic¨Czed spare ribs, and beef stew,¡± Edward said as he reached the door. After speaking, he paused for two seconds before finally opening the door. As the lock clicked shut, he pressed his lips together in silence. He just couldn¡¯t bring himself to say the words ¡°thank you.¡± Macie was tidying up the dishes when she looked up and met Sharon¡¯s gaze. Sharon was leaning against the wall when she mocked, ¡°Being a housekeeper isn¡¯t easy, huh? You¡¯re up earlier than roosters but sleepingter than dogs.¡± She then sneered. ¡°Since you seem to love it so much, why don¡¯t I hire you again when Ed and I get married?¡± Macie met her gaze head¨Con, her expression icy as she spoke. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to make me your target. Edward and I are getting divorced soon.¡± ¡°Who¡¯d believe that? Someone like you wouldn¡¯t just let go of a great man like Edward,¡± Sharon scoffed. Macie didn¡¯t reply. Instead, she went into her room and returned with a document. Sharon hesitated for a moment when she saw therge, bolded title on the first page. ¡°It¡¯s a divorce agreement,¡± Macie said. ¡°I¡¯ve already signed it. Just get him to sign. The sooner it¡¯s done, the sooner I¡¯ll be gone.¡± Sharon took the document and flipped straight to thest page. As expected, Macie had already signed it. She continued skimming through the contents. For original chapters go to FindN0vel Knowing exactly what Sharon was looking for, Macie went straight to the point. ¡°I¡¯m leaving with nothing. I don¡¯t want a single penny from him. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Sharon scoffed, crossing her arms. ¡°In that case, return everything Edward¡¯s grandfather and parents gave you. All those are supposed to be mine.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being too optimistic. The Fowler family never liked me. I never received any money or gifts from them,¡± Macie replied indifferently. Naturally, the initial ten million didn¡¯t count as it was part of the arranged marriage agreement. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± Sharon¡¯s eyes were filled with doubt. ¡°Your scheme was why Mr. Fowler Senior forced Edward to marry you, no?¡± ¡°Believe whatever you want. You¡¯ve already searched through everything in my room,¡± Macie said as she turned to clean up the dishes. ¡°As for that agreement, if you don¡¯t want him to sign it, then forget it. If I hand it over, he¡¯ll refuse to divorce just likest time.¡± Sharon clenched the document in her hand as she watched Macie disappear into the kitchen. She recalled Edward¡¯s furious reaction thest time Macie brought up divorce. It was midday. At Fowler Group, Edward checked the time every ten minutes. He was waiting for Macie to bring him lunch. However, she still hadn¡¯t shown up even past noon. Unable to wait any longer, he reached for his phone to call her. Just as he was about to dial, the office door opened. ¡°Macie, why are youte-¡± Edward looked up andined, only to freeze for a second. ¡°Sharon? What are you doing here?¡± 2/2 Invitation 43 Chapter 43 ¡°Surprised to see me?¡± Sharon asked smilingly. She then joked, ¡°Or are you just disappointed that it¡¯s not May who came?¡± Edward frowned instantly and retorted without thinking, ¡°How could I be? Don¡¯t say something so disgusting.¡± Sharon smirked and stepped closer. Latest content published on findnovel Right then, Edward added, ¡°It¡¯s her duty to bring me lunch. Why would I keep her otherwise? I just didn¡¯t want you to go through the trouble. You shouldn¡¯t be doing this kind of thing.¡± ¡°I was just passing by. I only work half¨Cdays now since I don¡¯t have any runway shows,¡± Sharon replied. ¡°Just put it on the table. I¡¯ll have Nathan drive you to the studio,¡± Edward said as he walked over to the couch. ¡°There¡¯s no rush. I¡¯ll keep youpany for a while.¡± Sharon sat down beside him, smiling. Edward didn¡¯t argue. As he opened the lunchbox, the rich aroma of food filled the air. He cautiously took a small bite. ¡°I knew it. She did that on purposest night,¡± Edwardined. It seemed that the food was seasoned normally that day. ¡°Of course. She prepared this only for you. Naturally, May wouldn¡¯t add too much salt.¡± Sharon sighed.¡± It¡¯s fine. She must feel ufortable with me staying at your ce. At least she only added extra salt and not poison,¡± shemented optimistically. Edward frowned at the mention of poison. He thought that Macie might be capable of it. After all, she had deliberately spilled scalding hot soup on Sharon¡¯s foot. She was willing to suffer herself just to inflict even greater harm. ¡°I¡¯ll rent a ce for you. Macie poses too much danger,¡± Edward said. ¡°1 Sharon hesitated when she heard this. She wondered if she had pushed too hard, making him decide that she should move out. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I spoke with May this morning. I told her that I¡¯m notpeting with her for you, so she doesn¡¯t have to worry about me,¡± Sharon reassured him. ¡°Besides, if you rent me a ce, she¡¯ll probably just get even angrier. She can keep an eye on me when I¡¯m right under her nose.¡± Edward frowned upon hearing that Macie would keep an eye on Sharon. (1 Yetst night, Macie had seen everything and actedpletely indifferent. Judging by her behavior, he was almost certain Macie had some kind of split personality. She seemed to be coldly unaffected one moment, then vengefully retaliating against Sharon the next. Oddly enough, he found that Sharon¡¯sints about Macie¡¯s tricks didn¡¯t make him angry. On the contrary, he felt a strange sense of satisfaction. Edward let out a cold snort, the smirk on his lips appearing briefly before he started eating. Meanwhile, Sharon was deep in thought about what Macie had said that morning. The divorce document was still in her bag. She needed to figure out a way for Edward to sign it without realizing it. There was no room for error. She knew that getting a second chance would be nearly impossible if he caught on. After lunch, Edward didn¡¯t immediately send Sharon away. Instead, he instructed Nathan while he focused on his work. When Sharon brought him a cup of tea and noticed a stack of documents on his desk, an idea began to take shape in her mind. Seeing how preupied he was that he couldn¡¯t even spare her a moment, she eventually left on her own after 20 minutes, with Nathan to drive her. As soon as the door shut behind Sharon, Edward looked up from the files and pushed them aside. He pulled out his phone and sent Macie a message, questioning why she hadn¡¯t personally brought him his lunch. Five minutes passed, but there was still no response from Macie. Annoyed, he sent another message, ming her for making Sharon go out of her way. He deliberately used a harsh tone, expecting her to defend herself. But¡­ Ten minutester, there was still nothing. Furious, Edward tossed his phone aside and crossed his arms. Downstairs at Fowler Group, Sharon shot a disdainful nce at the receptionist as she left. She sneered.¡± Open your damn eyes next time and take a good look. Watch it. I might just have Ed fire you otherwise.¡± Invitation 44 Chapter 44 The receptionist lowered her head, not daring to argue. Nathan followed Sharon and rolled his eyes at her arrogant and domineering attitude. After all, even the legitimate wife wasn¡¯t this haughty! s, Sharon was the one Edward liked¡­ Meanwhile, Macie was revising her r¨¦sum¨¦ at home. She had been out of work for two years, and though she could rely on connections to get into Julian¡¯spany, the HR department still had to process her application. 1 Macie didn¡¯t even nce at her relentlessly buzzing phone. Now that Edward was full from eating, he was probably throwing another fit, defending Sharon yet again. Did he really think Macie had asked Sharon to deliver the food? Sharon had insisted on doing it herself. But now that Macie had already handed over the divorce agreement, Sharon probably wouldn¡¯t tamper with the food again just to frame her. Nathan drove Sharon to work that day. By now, every internal personnel had almostpletely epted her as ¡°Mrs. Fowler¡°. Sharon had been wondering how to slip the divorce papers among Edward¡¯s documents for him to sign, but in the afternoon, the chief nner came to her with a proposal to secure an investment from Fowler Group. A smirk appeared on Sharon¡¯s lips when she heard this. Things were working in her favor. Five dayster, she brought the contract herpany and Fowler Group drafted and went with the chief nner to Edward¡¯s office for the signing. In the conference room, the chief nner made small talk with Edward to build rapport. Taking advantage of the moment, Sharon discreetly slipped the divorce papers in among the other documents. ¡°Sign here, Ed. And thank you, by the way. Thanks to your investment, the chief nner has given me both the opening and closing spots for the uing fashion show.¡± Sitting beside Edward, she leaned in, her arm brushing against his intimately. ¡°Ms. Emerson has an exceptional figure and appearance, but it¡¯s her unique aura that truly stands out. She¡¯s the perfect choice for the grand opening and the finale,¡± the chief nner said tteringly. Edward knew that it was just empty ttery. However, since he was investing in the next show, he thought that it was reasonable to ensure that Sharon had a prime position. As he looked at the front page of the contract and was about to flip through it, a delicate, slender hand had already positioned it directly at the signature section. Edward hesitated for a second but eventually signed it. He didn¡¯t think it that Sharon would dare slip in anything dangerous enough to trap him. Beside him, Sharon held her breath, watching intently as Edward finished signing the document. When he was done, she swiftly pulled the contract back and stuffed it into her bag before he could say anything. Edward frowned, but a secondter, Sharon took the documents out again and said, ¡°I think I was too quick to put them away. My bad! I¡¯m just in a rush to get back to rehearsals.¡± She ced the papers back in front of Edward, smiling. ¡°Ed, take another look at the terms to avoid any disputes after we leave the office.¡± ¡°Ms. Emerson is quite thorough. Mr. Fowler, you should review it onest time. On our end, we are also looking forward to a long¨Cterm coboration with Mrs. Fowler,¡± the chief nner added. Edward picked up the documents and skimmed through the key points. He thought that everything seemed fine. But as he flipped through, he pursed his lips slightly. Why did it feel like there were fewer signature sections than he remembered? He wondered if he was imagining things. Sharon tensed up as he flipped through a few more pages, but eventually, Edward put the papers down. ¡°It looks good. The manager will handle the follow¨Cups with you,¡± he announced. ¡°Great! We¡¯re looking forward to working together!¡± The chief nner stood up and shook hands with him. As they left, Sharon told Edward that she¡¯d be waiting for him to have dinner at home that evening. Hearing that, Edward was momentarily lost in thought while Macie came to mind. The rightful source is find[?]ovel Invitation 45 Five nights ago, Edward had another argument with Macie when he got home. He used her of beingzy for making Sharon bring her meals and having a bad attitude for ignoring his messages. But, surprisingly, Macie didn¡¯t argue back even once. She simply listened in silence. Instead, it was Sharon who stepped in. She took the me and said that she was the one who had volunteered to bring the meals. Over the next few days, she continued bringing lunch every noon. Edward pressed his lips together. He thought that Macie had been throwing a tantrum for far too long. It went on for so long that he hadpletely run out of patience. Clearly, he had spoiled her too much to the point where she no longer even knew her ce. Edward stood up, his expression dark. He was determined to teach her a lesson when he got home that evening. Sharon arrived home first at 5:00 pm and immediately threw the divorce agreement in front of Macie. Seeing the document, Macie took it without hesitation. Sharon narrowed her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s the point of just signing the agreement? Isn¡¯t there a divorce cooling- off period? Edward¡¯s bound to find out.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± Macie replied calmly. ¡°The Fowler family will take care of it. They never approved of me as their daughter¨Cinw in the first ce. Once the signed agreement is in their hands, the rest will be handled ordingly.¡± Sharon still wasn¡¯t fully convinced. ¡°So Edward doesn¡¯t even have to be involved?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. By the time he sees it, the divorce will already be final,¡± Macie exined. ¡°I¡¯ll be done with my part. Now you should start thinking about how you¡¯re going to marry into the Fowler family.¡± Sharon clenched her fists and scoffed. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. I have my own ways. You should be packing your things and getting out of my house.¡± ¡°Three days. That¡¯s all I need,¡± Macie replied. ¡°I¡¯ll pack up and be gone after that.¡± ¡°Why three days?¡± Sharon questioned suspiciously. ¡°You¡¯re not trying to stall, are you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re overthinking this. I can¡¯t wait to leave,¡± Macie spat coldly. She turned away and headed back to her room. Did they really think she wanted to stay? If not for the agreement, she would¡¯ve left long ago. ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? find~novel She nced at the three¨Cday countdown on her phone screen. She would finally escape from this prison in just three days. Outside the room, Sharon was still doubtful about Macie¡¯s departure timeline. But then, a sinister smirk appeared on her lips as she thought of a malicious n. 1 ¡°Macie, oh Macie¡­ You¡¯re the one who refuses to leave on your own. You can¡¯t me me for what I¡¯m about to do,¡± she quietly mused. Inside the room, Macie looked at the suitcase leaning against the wall. She had already packed most of her things. Now, she just needed to endure the next three days. After that, she would have nothing to do with Edward or Sharon ever again. The friendship of their childhood and the unspoken crush of her youth¨Cit would alle to an end. Suddenly, a thought struck her. She had left something behind with Sharon. Turning around, she stepped out of her room and went to the living room. She looked at the woman sitting on the couch and expressionlessly demanded, ¡°Give me the ne I gave you when we were kids at the orphanage.¡± Sharon turned her head. After a brief pause, she remembered and sneered. ¡°That cheap stic thing? You actually think I kept it?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Macie¡¯s jaw tightened, her fists clenching. ¡°Did you throw away the only thing I got from my mother?¡± ¡°What else was I supposed to do? Keep it as a lucky charm? It was trash,¡± Sharon mocked. A wave of fury surged through Macie¡¯s chest. She stared at the woman in front of her, feeling an overwhelming sense of grief. She had no real hope of retrieving the ne, but hearing Sharon¡¯s words still cut deep. She hated Sharon. But more than that, she hated herself for trusting the wrong person and giving her heart so freely. Everything happening now was her punishment. At that moment, the front door unlocked. Edward had returned from work. ¡°What are you two arguing about?¡± he asked, frowning. ¡°I could hear you from outside.¡± Sharon immediately rushed over, putting on a pitiful expression as she recounted the whole situation. Then, as if ming herself, she lowered her head. ¡°Macie, it¡¯s just some worthless trinket,¡± Edward scolded Macie. ¡°Do you really need to be so petty?¡± Invitation 46 Chapter 46 ¡°Worthless? Ha, that¡¯s right, Edward. Everything is worthless to you,¡± Macie said as she red at him. Her whole body trembled as she gritted her teeth to hold back her emotions. This content belongs to F?ndNovel Sharon was the one who had lost Macie¡¯s ne, yet Edward immediately med thetter for being petty. Seeing the redness in Macie¡¯s eyes, as if she was on the verge of tears, Edward suddenly froze. ¡°It¡¯s just a ne. I¡¯ll buy you another one,¡± he suggested in a softer tone. ¡°I don¡¯t care about yourpensation! No amount of money can bring back what it meant to me!¡± Macie bit her lip, then turned away angrily. ¡°Don¡¯t be ungrateful. I already said that I¡¯dpensate you. What more do you want?¡± Edward raised his voice as his patience wore thin. The only response he got was the sound of a door mming shut. Edward¡¯s frustration red. He hadn¡¯t even had the chance to scold Macie for her attitude these past few days, yet she was now snapping at him first! ¡°Ed, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault¡­¡± Sharon stepped forward, apologizing. ¡°I was adopted once, but I was mistreated and had to return to the orphanage. I must have lost the ne when I moved. It¡¯s my fault for letting May down¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. How much value can that thing from your childhood be? It¡¯s just a cheap stic trinket.¡± Edwardforted her, ¡°Macie is just trying to make things difficult for you. She¡¯s been behaving for a few days, but now she¡¯s acting up again.¡± ¡°But¡­ May said that it was really important to her,¡± Sharon murmured guiltily. Edward scoffed. ¡°What nonsense. She¡¯s just saying that to guilt¨Ctrip you. Besides, she gave it to you willingly. It¡¯s not like you stole it. Her losing the ne is on her.¡± Sharon finally felt reassured when she heard this. Meanwhile, Edward, still irritated with Macie, took Sharon out to dinner. Macie, who was in the guest bedroom, heard every word of their conversation. Tears welled up in her eyes as she recalled the time she had first arrived at the orphanage. When no one wanted to y with her, Sharon had been the first to befriend her. Later, sheplimented Macie¡¯s ne, saying that it was beautiful. She had even suggested that, as lifelong friends, she could keep it safe for Macie so she wouldn¡¯t have to see it every day and be reminded of her mother. Macie had believed her. So, she had handed it over. She was only six years old at the time. If only she had known what the future would bring¡­ +15 BONUS Edward was right about one thing. It was Macie¡¯s choice to give it away. This oue was on her. Meanwhile, Edward might have been angry, but as he ate at the restaurant, Macie¡¯s tearful face kept surfacing in his mind. Her red eyes were filled with unshed tears. She looked as if she had suffered the greatest injustice. Across from him, Sharon asked smilingly, ¡°What are you thinking about, Ed? You¡¯ve been zoning out for a while now.¡± ¡°Macie,¡± Edward replied. ¡°Isn¡¯t she so dramatic? It was just a cheap trinket, yet she acted like the whole world was against her.¡± As he spoke, he didn¡¯t even notice the faint smile tugging at his lips or the rxed tone in his voice. However, Sharon noticed it all as she sat across from him. Her grip on her knife and fork tightened. ¡°May is¡­ a bit sentimental.¡± She forced a smile. ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s not like you. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve decided to buy her a new ne. That will stop her from bothering you about it again,¡± Edward announced. Even though he was technically thinking of her, Sharon had no interest in letting Edward buy Macie anything. ¡°There¡¯s an auction at eight. Come with me. We¡¯ll see if there¡¯s anything suitable,¡± Edward added. Sharon¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of her head at those words. She had assumed that Edward would just buy some cheap ne worth a few dozen bucks. But now, he actually wanted to go to an auction! Invitation 47 +15 BONUS Chapter 47 Edward was focused on his phone, sending messages to get details about the auction items for tonight. Because of his concentration, he failed to notice Sharon¡¯s twisted, jealousy¨Cfilled expression. After dinner, Edward drove Sharon to the auction house. In the car, she thought to herself that Edward would surely buy something for her, too. As for whatever he got for Macie, Sharon figured that she could just take itter. Smirking slightly, she clenched her fists Readplete version only at Find1Novel and scoffed inwardly. During the auction, Edward asked for her opinion, ¡°Sharon, what do you think of this ruby ne?¡± Sharon put on a smug expression upon hearing that. She had expected this. She knew that Edward wouldn¡¯t forget about her. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful. It¡¯s vibrant yet elegant,¡± Sharon replied shyly, filled with anticipation. Edward rubbed his chin andmented, ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s too striking. It wouldn¡¯t suit Macie. She looks better in soft, muted colors.¡± Sharon¡¯s expectant expression froze. She bit her lip and clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. She questioned why Edward was asking for her opinion when the ne was for Macie. She wondered if he had truly brought her along to help pick something for Macie. Sharon was furious! As more jewelry pieces were auctioned, Edward continued to ask her thoughts. She forced a smile each time, firstplimenting the piece and then saying that it wouldn¡¯t suit Macie. She thought that if she couldn¡¯t have it, neither could Macie. The only relief Sharon felt was that Edward took her advice seriously. After over an hour, he hadn¡¯t ced a single bid. And, naturally, he never even considered buying anything for her. Then, the auctioneer announced, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, we now present tonight¡¯s grand finale¨Cthe Rose Crown!¡± As soon as the image appeared, the crowd¡¯s gaze was fixed on the screen. The ne was too exquisite. Designed in the shape of a rose, it was adorned with natural pink diamonds. Vivid but not ostentatious, it exuded a regal, princess¨Clike elegance. Sharon fell in love with it at first sight. However, she also knew that a final piece like this would have an astronomical starting price. And Edward hadn¡¯t mentioned anything about buying her a gift that night. ¡°The bidding starts now. Opening price¨Ceight million!¡± the auctioneer announced. Sharon lifted her chin and gazed at the ne she desperately wanted to own. She held onto a sliver of hope. She was confident that Edward didn¡¯t consider getting it for her at all. Just as she was about to drop a hint, she saw him raise his paddle. Her eyes lit up instantly. There was no way Edward would give a ne this expensive to Macie, so¡­ ¡°This looks nice. Macie will love it.¡± Edward turned to her, smiling. Sharon didn¡¯t utter a single word. As the bidding war escted, Sharon clenched her teeth. Despite wishing she could tear Macie apart, she didn¡¯t stop Edward. She simply let him buy it. After all, it would ultimately be hers anyway. Finally, Edward won the bid at 90 million dors. After paying on the spot, he took possession of the ne. Even the air on the drive home felt sweet. He was so thrilled that he hardly noticed just how happy he was. He was practically gushing, ¡°This should stop Macie from sulking. You have no idea how cold she¡¯s been to me these past few days. She won¡¯t take my calls or reply to my messages. She¡¯s never behaved this way. ¡°I know she¡¯s still mad about me pushing her and causing her fracture and hospitalization. But now that I¡¯ve gotten her this gift, she should finally forgive me.¡± Every sentence sounded like aint filled with frustration, but the deep affection in his voice was enough to drive Sharon insane with jealousy. Edward had fallen for Macie. And he was way more in love than Sharon had thought. ¡°Ed, you and May have such a great rtionship. You care about her so much that you¡¯re spending 90 million just to make her happy. I¡¯m honestly envious.¡± Sharon forced a smile. Invitation 48 Chapter 48 +15 BONUS The excitement on Edward¡¯s face gradually faded at Sharon¡¯s words. He pressed his lips together, remained silent for a few seconds, then denied while frowning, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to appease Macie. Also, I¡¯m not doing it out of my ¡®feelings¡® for her.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t you buy the ne for her?¡± Sharon asked through gritted teeth. Edward fell into a longer silence this time. A few minutes passed before he somewhat awkwardly said, ¡°I waspensating her on your behalf. Don¡¯t overthink it. My marriage with her is just a formality forced by my grandfather. I will never love her. n Sharon might have believed him before, but not this time. After all, when Edward bid on the Rose Crown, he didn¡¯t even nce at her. He simply fixated on it and relentlessly ced his bids. And yet, he never once mentioned buying anything for her. His feelings for Macie were obvious. They soon arrived at the apartmentplex and took the elevator up. Holding a velvet box in his hand, Edward opened the lid to take onest look at the ne. He thought to himself, ¡°It¡¯s not like I want to give Macie a gift. This is justpensation on Sharon¡¯s behalf to stop Macie from crying and pestering her.¡± Once they reached the apartment, Edward walked straight in without waiting for Sharon behind him. He knocked on the door of the smaller bedroom, only to not receive a response. ¡°Macie, are you asleep? I need to talk to you,¡± Edward called out, knocking harder. Macie had no intention of answering. After all, it wasn¡¯t like they needed her to cook since they had already gone out to eat. But the knocking didn¡¯t stop. It only grew louder. Finally, she frustratedly got up and went to the door. ¡°What do you want?¡± She opened it and red impatiently at the man standing there. Edward, who was in a good mood, didn¡¯t argue with her. Instead, he opened the box as if presenting an aplishment. Macie¡¯s eyes flickered as she momentarily froze at the sight of the pink rose ne. Its beauty stunned her for a split second. +15 BONUS ¡°Sharon lost something that belonged to you, didn¡¯t she? This ispensation,¡± Edward boasted. ¡°It¡¯s not worth much, but at least it¡¯s better than that stic ne of yours. Take it and stop sulking already,¡± he added before looking away unnaturally, his tone almost coaxing. After speaking, he waited for her response. He thought that Macie would definitely like it. He thought that she would ept it, and then, just maybe, she¡¯d smile at him again like before. The corners of his lips lifted slightly in anticipation, but at that moment, he heard her coldly asking, ¡°Did you call me just for this?¡± Edward froze and turned his head to stare at her. 1 Macie¡¯s face was nk, her gaze cold as she continued, ¡°I gave it to her willingly. You said I deserved it, didn¡¯t you? I agree. So there¡¯s no need for anypensation. This was all my fault.¡± She turned to go back into her room. But before she could shut the door, Edward forcefully pushed it open, stepping inside. ¡°I said I wouldpensate for it, so just take it. I don¡¯t want to risk youing after Sharon again.¡± Edward growled, shoving the box into her hands. This wasn¡¯t what he wanted to tell her. Instead, he wanted to apologize for saying that she deserved it. But¡­ This update is avable on find{n}ovel He couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it¨Cjust like he could never bring himself to thank Macie. Deep down, he always felt like she was supposed to do everything she did for him. When Macie didn¡¯t take the box, Edward grabbed her hand. As she tried to break free, the two of them struggled. Sharon discreetly watched them from outside. She ground her teeth out of jealousy as her nails dug into the skin of her palm. 1 Finally, as Macie resisted, the box slipped from their grip and fell to the floor. Edward stared at it, dumbfounded. ¡°I swear,¡± Macie began. ¡°I will never bring this up with Sharon again. If I do, I¡¯ll be struck by lightning and die a horrible death.¡± Stunned, Edward clenched his fists. He angrily roared, ¡°Hah! You¡¯d rather swear such a vicious oath than ept the damn thing?¡± 2/2 Invitation 49 Chapter 49 ¡°Give it to someone who likes it. I don¡¯t care,¡± Macie said calmly. Edward felt like he was about to explode. He stared at Macie¡¯s expression. It was that same detachment and indifference he hated the most. She looked as if he were nothing more than a stranger to her. ¡°If you have nothing else to say, please leave. I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± Macie dismissed him. ¡°Sleep? It¡¯s only 10:00 pm!¡± Edward shouted. ¡°I bought you a new ne, didn¡¯t I? What more do you want? Tell me!¡± Macie instinctively stepped back when she saw Edward¡¯s aggressive stance, as if he was about to throw a punch. She couldn¡¯t help feeling afraid. N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on Find¡ïNovel If a husband hit his wife, it would just be considered domestic violence, not aggravated assault. Otherwise, Edward would serve at least a three¨Cyear sentence. As they stood off against each other, Macie¡¯s phone on the bed suddenly rang. She rushed over to grab it, ready to call the police if necessary. Edward caught a glimpse of her phone screen. It was still the old, cracked one. She hadn¡¯t even used the new phone he bought her. Then, he saw the caller ID. It was Julian. He was surprised that it was a man and wondered who the hell this bastard was. His fury spiked to its peak, far beyond what it had been moments ago. Hepletely lost control. With one swift motion, Edward snatched the phone from Macie¡¯s hands and smashed it onto the floor. Macie gasped in shock, watching her cracked phone split into two. She snapped angrily, ¡°Are you insane, Edward?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the crazy one! Who the hell is he? You were about to answer his call!¡± Edward roared, his jealousy and rage consuming him, Macie never even nned to answer. She had no intention of exining Julian¡¯s identity to this rabid madman. She crouched to pick up her broken phone, but Edward kicked it away. ¡°It¡¯s already broken in half! Why the hell weren¡¯t you using the phone I gave you?!¡± Edward shouted again. Macie took a deep breath. She had no idea why Edward had suddenly gone rabid. All she wanted was to leave peacefully three dayster. 409 +15 BONUS Without exining herself or answering him, she quietly stood up and turned to leave. ¡°Macie! Where are you going? Are you going to meet him?¡± Edward strode after her and grabbed her wrist, stopping her from leaving. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re married to me! If you dare cheat, I¡¯ll-¡± 1 A p across his face silenced the rest of his threat. Edward clenched Macie¡¯s arm tightly, ring at her with murderous eyes. ¡°Did you just hit me because of him?¡± Edward gritted his teeth, his eyes turning red. A bitter feeling mixed with humiliation surged inside him. ¡°You¡¯re a lunatic!¡± Macie shouted in rage. ¡°You should get your head checked.¡± She thought that Edward was genuinely mad! It was just one phone call, and he was using her of cheating! Yet, he had brought Sharon home. Who knew how many times they had slept together? He even kissed her right in front of Macie! Macie had never said a single word about it. While Edward¡¯s cheek burned from the p, his mind cleared a little. He demanded once again, ¡°What¡¯s his full name? When did you meet him? Is he in Kiyora now?¡± ¡°What does that have to do with you?¡± Macie shot back. ¡°Answer me!¡± Edward growled. Macie didn¡¯t say anything. She knew that this mad dog would go after Julian indiscriminately if she said his name. She refused to drag Julian into this mess. ¡°Are you protecting him? Hah! Fine. Don¡¯t let me find out!¡± Edward sneered, his rage boiling over. ¡°You¡¯re hurting me!¡± Macie yelled. Her arm was aching under his grip. Edward¡¯s grip loosened slightly at those words. He then looked down at Macie¡¯s slender arms. He could easily wrap his hand around them. His moment of blind rage had left five distinct red marks on her skin. ¡°If you dare step out of this house tonight,¡± Edward warned darkly, ¡°I¡¯ll break your legs. As for that man¡­ I will ruin his reputation once I find out who he is. He¡¯s finished.¡± Invitation 50 hapter 50 Gritting her teeth in silence, Macie red at the deranged man before her. A rabid dog, a manic lunatic, aplete psychopath¨Cnone of those words seemed sufficient to describe Edward. The door was locked, reinforced with two extra security locks, and Edward himself stood guard beside it, refusing to budge. Macie turned back to her room, choosing to ignore the deranged man entirely. Edward¡¯s expression softened slightly when he saw her enter her room. Momentster, a box was thrown out of the room. He clenched his teeth in frustration but made no move to pick it up. After the noise settled, Sharon carefully opened the door of the guest room and stepped out. Spotting the ne on the floor, she picked it up, then turned her gaze to Edward standing by the door. She approached him and uttered, her tone gentle and considerate, ¡°Ed¡­ You must have misunderstood May. She loves you so much, after all.¡± ¡°Misunderstood?¡± Edward let out an angry scoff. ¡°For two years, she hasn¡¯t socialized or contacted anyone. What exactly could I be misunderstanding?¡± ¡°Well¡­ you didn¡¯t catch her in the act either¡­¡± Sharon murmured. ¡°If I had caught them, that bastard would already be dead!¡± Edward¡¯s expression turned vicious. Sharon studied him. Even though she knew that Edward had feelings for Macie, and his rage stemmed from jealousy, she still asked softly, ¡°Are you¡­ jealous?¡± Edward froze, his expression stiff for a few seconds before he hardened his tone, saying, ¡°Ridiculous! She¡¯s not even worthy! I¡¯m just protecting my dignity as a man! No man would tolerate this!¡± Sharon sneered inwardly. Even though she could see right through him, she chose not to expose the truth. She had to im Edward before he realized his true feelings for Macie. She could secure a position in the Fowler family as long as she had his child. But first, she needed to get rid of Macie. With careful words, she continued to soothe Edward, coaxing him to shower and sleep. She even volunteered to guard the door, reassuring him that she wouldn¡¯t let Macie leave. It was already past midnight. Edward had work the following day. Seeing Sharon¡¯s determination, he finally relented and returned to his bedroom. However, he tossed and turned in bed. His mind was consumed with thoughts of who the unknown ¡°lover ¡°was. He wondered if it had happened while Macie was hospitalized. +15 B The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. But first, he would find and destroy that bastard. Then, he would keep Macie locked up in the house forever. Meanwhile, Sharon entered the kitchen, turned on the gas stove without lighting it, and heated some water. 1 A cruel, twisted smile spread across her lips. Edward finally fell asleep at 2:00 am. Three hourster, he was jolted awake by frantic knocking. When he opened the door, he found Sharon standing there. 1 ¡°Ed¡­ I feel dizzy¡­ I can¡¯t breathe¡­¡± she gasped, her breathingbored. She then copsed into his arms. ¡°Sharon? Sharon!¡± Edward shouted in panic. He was now fully awake. He frowned when he caught the strange scent in the air. Without thinking a second longer, he carried Sharon out of the apartment and rushed her to the hospital. Inside the small guest room, Macie was also awakened by the noise. It was nearly her usual wake¨Cup time, so she got out of bed, intending to wash up. But the moment she opened the door, an rming smell hit her. It was¡­ a gas leak! She rushed to the kitchen, only to find the smell growing stronger. The stove burners were off, but the gas valve was wide open. She quickly shut it off, opened the windows, and closed the kitchen door before heading toward the front door. However, the living room was already filled with gas. Even though she tried to hold her breath, her body was still weak from her previous hospitalization. Dizziness and nausea overwhelmed her instantly. Using thest of her strength, she managed to reach the door before copsing. Just before she lost consciousness, a chilling thought crossed her mind. She had definitely turned off the gasst night. So, how did it leak? It wasn¡¯t carelessness on her part. Moreover, Edward and Sharon had escaped so quickly without even warning her. The conclusion was clear. 2/3 ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? findnovel They didn¡¯t just hate her. They wanted her dead. (1 Invitation 51 Chapter 51 Edward drove Sharon to the hospital. After a round of examinations in the emergency room, Sharony on the hospital bed with her eyes closed in difort. ¡°Doctor, what happened to her? She only said she felt dizzy and unwell before fainting,¡± Edward asked. ¡°Her vital signs are normal, and her heart rate is stable. It seems that she inhaled a small amount of gas, which caused her dizziness,¡± the doctor replied. For more chapters visit F?nd-Novel Edward froze for a moment at the mention of gas. He wondered if that strange smell he noticed when opening the door was natural gas. ¡°An ident at this hour is most likely due to a gas leak. You should report it immediately and have it inspected. If too much gas umtes, it could lead to an explosion,¡± the doctor warned seriously. Hearing the word ¡°explosion¡°, Edward suddenly remembered something. ¡°Macie! Macie is still at home!¡± As soon as the words left his mouth, he bolted for the exit. But just then, a¨Cweak cough came from the hospital bed. ¡°Ed¡­¡± Edward hesitated and turned to see Sharon reaching out to him. ¡°I¡­ I feel so awful¡­¡± Hearing her cry, Edward clenched his jaw, struggling momentarily before saying to the doctor, ¡°Doctor, please take care of her for me. I need to get home.¡± With that, he rushed out. Sharon, who was still lying on the temporary hospital bed, gripped the sheets tightly as she watched his retreating figure. As Edward sped all the way to the apartmentplex, the sound of approaching ambnces filled the air. An ominous feeling crept over him. Someone had to be home to call emergency services. It couldn¡¯t be what he thought. He figured that someone else must have called the ambnces. With no time to park his car properly, he left it by the curb and ran through the entrance. Just as he entered theplex, he passed a stretcher being carried out. He abruptly turned back, but paramedics had already blocked his view, +15 BONUS There was no time for him to think. He rushed into the elevator, his heart pounding as he reached his floor. When he stepped into the hallway, he saw a small crowd gathered near his apartment door, whispering amongst themselves. ¡°Goodness, that was so dangerous! A gas leak? Where¡¯s the man of the house?¡± ¡°He wasn¡¯t there. My son was heading to his morning shift when he saw the woman copsed at the door. He called 911 right away.¡± ¡°I just took a look inside. The gas was turned off, and no one else was in the apartment. Does she live alone?¡± ¡°Definitely not! I always see a man around when I go grocery shopping. He¡¯s quite handsome. The woman who copsed is a regr resident, but recently, another young woman showed up¡­¡± 1 A murmur of gossip swelled. There were two women and one man, but only one woman was left behind in the ident. That was enough for everyone to overthink the situation. 1 Edward didn¡¯t hear everything clearly, but his patience snapped. ¡°Move!¡± he barked. When the small crowd gathered around and saw the man of the house return, they stepped aside and stopped discussing among themselves. ¡°Macie, Macie!¡± Edward rushed inside, calling Macie¡¯s name as he ran toward the small guest room. But the door was open, and she was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Hey, are you looking for the prettydy with straight hair? She was already taken away by an ambnce, ¡°an elderly neighbor at the door informed. Edward turned around, and the neighbor continued nagging, ¡°Are you her husband? Where were you when the gas leak happened? She passed out, and no one even noticed.¡± Hearing the words ¡°passed out¡°, Edward suddenly froze, panic rising in his chest. It turned out that Macie was taken away in an ambnce. He wondered if it was the one he had just seen at the entrance. At that moment, emergency gas repair personnel and property management arrived. Edward instructed them to handle the gas leak before dashing toward the elevator. Invitation 52 Chapter 52 ¡°What about the woman with wavy hair? You have to save her, too!¡± the elderly neighbor called out again. ¡°I already sent her to the hospital earlier,¡± Edward replied hastily, not catching her intention to pry for information. Without saying another word, he disappeared from sight. Behind him, the small group of onlookers exchanged nces, their faces lighting up as if their guesses had been proven right. They learned that the one who lived there permanently was actually his wife. Then the other woman must be¡­ And it seemed that the man clearly knew about the gas leak. Otherwise, why would he have sent that woman to the hospital first? He even left his rightful wife to get out on her own and copse at the door. They thought that Macie¡¯s situation was pathetic and pitiful. The man was handsome, but who knew that he was such a heartless, unfaithful scoundrel! Edward sped toward the nearest hospital, calling Macie three or four times on the way, only for the calls to go unanswered. ¡°Damn it! Is there no nurse around? Can¡¯t they just answer for her?¡± he cursed in frustration, only for his words to get caught in his throat when he suddenly remembered that he had broken Macie¡¯s phone into twost night. Edward clenched his teeth, feeling his worry and fear intensify. Sharon had still been conscious enough to call his name, but Macie had copsed outright and had to be taken away by an ambnce. If not for some kind soul, then Macie would have¡­ Edward couldn¡¯t even bear to finish the thought. Regret flooded him. He should have realized earlier that the strange smell was a gas leak. But he barely ever stepped into the kitchen. He mostly heated food in the microwave. If only he had a little more basic life knowledge¡­ At the hospital, Edward rushed into the ER. The doctor, seeing his urgency, informed him, ¡°Your girlfriend has been moved to a general ward-¡± 1 +15 BONUS ¡°Doctor! Where is the patient who just arrived by ambnce?¡± Both of them spoke at the same time. Edward froze for a moment. The doctor, too, looked taken aback. He was surprised when he heard Edward mention the ambnce. He thought that Edward was talking about the wavy¨Chaired woman. ¡°She¡¯s not my girlfriend. She¡¯s my wife. She¡¯s in the ward, right? What¡¯s the room number?¡± Edward asked quickly. ¡°Wait, who exactly are you talking about?¡± The doctor frowned. ¡°The woman who came by ambnce, not the one I brought in earlier,¡± Edward rified anxiously. The doctor was confused by their rtionship. So the second woman was the wife? Then the first one was¡­ the girlfriend? ¡°The patient is in critical care. It¡¯s gas poisoning,¡± the doctor said. Edward¡¯s entire body went rigid, and his eyes widened in shock. Macie had gas poisoning! Sharon had only inhaled a small amount, but Macie had¡­ Following the doctor¡¯s directions, Edward rushed to the emergency room and stood outside for nearly an hour, wracked with guilt, anxiety, and torment. If only he had brought Macie to the hospital with him from the start¡­. Finally, the emergency room doors opened. Edward hurried forward, desperate for an update. The doctor removed his mask and exined, ¡°After hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the patient has been stabilized.¡± Edward felt the tension in his back finally rx. His shoulders slumped in relief. ¡°Are you the patient¡¯s family?¡± the doctor asked. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m her husband,¡± Edward replied. ¡°Do you realize that if she had been brought in just a few minutester, she would have gone into cardiac failure and suffered brain death? Gas poisoning is no joke. It took ten minutes to render her unconscious. 15 minutes, and she¡¯ll be in shock,¡± the doctor warned sternly. Edward¡¯s expression froze, a mix of anguish and regret shing across his face. Macie had almost died because he hadn¡¯t gotten her medical attention in time. She was transferred to a patient ward for observation. As no visitors were allowed inside, Edward could only stand by the ss window and stare inside. 2/3 Fresh chapters posted on find?novel Inside, Maciey on the bed. She had an oxygen mask over her nose, and her mouth was deathly pale. She looked so weak, as if she were barely holding on. Invitation 53 Chapter 53 For two patients to be rushed in for gas poisoning¡­. The nurses, now well aware of what might have transpired, cast disgusted looks at the man in question. While Edward had rushed here in a panic, he was the one who only saved the mistress first when the ident happened. They didn¡¯t see the point of him pretending to be devoted now that his wife was still unconscious. That morning, Edward had taken leave from work and had waited outside the hospital room for an extended amount of time. He hadn¡¯t even gone to check on Sharon. Sharon eventually came looking for him. When Edward snapped out of his thoughts, he quickly helped her take a seat. ¡°How is May? It¡¯s all my fault. I passed out and didn¡¯t manage to wake her up.¡± Sharon looked remorseful. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. You¡¯re a victim, too,¡± Edward said. ¡°Has the cause been investigated? Was there a gas leak?¡± she asked. ¡°No. They suspect that the me went out while the gas stove was still on,¡± Edward said, pressing his lips together. That was the report from the property management and repair team. However, by the time they arrived, the stove had been turned off, the windows had been opened, and the kitchen door had been shut, preventing further gas buildup. ¡°Did you use the stove before going to bedst night?¡± Edward asked Sharon. ¡°No. I didn¡¯t even go into the kitchen,¡± Sharon replied innocently. Edward frowned. ¡°Did you see whether the kitchen door was open or closedst night?¡± ¡°It was open. I was keeping an eye on May to make sure she didn¡¯t leave, so I stayed in the living room,¡± Sharon replied. Edward was momentarily stunned. ¡°You didn¡¯t go back to your room all night?¡± Sharon nodded. ¡°I slept on the couch in the living room so that I¡¯d hear if the door lock was touched.¡± ¡°Sharon¡­ Why did you do that?¡± Edward felt a surge of guilt. While he had gone to sleep, Sharon had stayed in the living room to keep watch. And that was exactly why she had inhaled too much gas and passed out. Readplete version only at find?novel ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just never imagined that there would be a gas leak.¡± Sharon sighed. ¡°We were out for dinner After an entire morning, Edward had calmed down from his initial panic. Now, his expression darkened at Sharon¡¯s words. Indeed, if no one else had touched the stove, then Macie was the only possible culprit. He wondered if it was simply an ident or a deliberate move by Macie. 1 It seemed that she had poisoned Sharon with gas and nearly killed herself in the process. Now that he thought about it, Macie had always been willing to harm herself just to hurt others. Given that nothing like this had ever happened in the past two years, Edward was convinced that she had done it deliberately this time. His fingers curled into a fist as he red at the hospital room door. He wanted nothing more than to go inside and question her at that moment. ¡°Ed, May probably just forgot about it. She¡¯s worse off than I am. Don¡¯t be mad at her,¡± Sharon said, shaking his arm. ¡°If she had any basic safety awareness, you wouldn¡¯t have had to suffer. This wasn¡¯t forgetfulness. This was attempted murder!¡± Edward huffed. ¡°But May was hurt too. It wasn¡¯t on purpose.¡± Sharon tried to defend Macie. ¡°Have you forgotten? When you got burned half a month ago, Macie also ended up with even worse burns, didn¡¯t she?¡± Edward gritted his teeth. ¡°That was just her ying the victim. She¡¯s ruthless, even to herself. Sharon lowered her head in silence when she heard that, struggling to find a way to defend Macie. After a long pause, she said hesitantly, ¡°She must be angry that I¡¯m staying at your ce. Could you help me find an apartment? I¡¯ll move out.¡± ¡°Move out? No way. You¡¯re staying right where you are!¡± Edward snapped, still furious. ¡°She promised me that she wouldn¡¯t hurt you again. She even pretended to be noble by refusing to take the ne, but in reality, she was just nning something even worse!¡± Invitation 54 ¡°I¡¯m seeing a side of her I never knew. She¡¯s vicious!¡± Edward stated. Hearing his furious rant, Sharon, who was sitting beside him with her head lowered, let a small smile flicker across her lips before quickly suppressing it. Although Edward had taken the whole day off, he returned to work by noon. Sharon remained at the hospital. Although she had regained consciousness, she still felt a little dizzy. Having hospital staff take care of her reassured Edward. Because of this incident, Edward was enveloped in a dark, brooding mood. Macie, driven by jealousy toward Sharon, had gone insane. She had caused a gas leak that could have killed all of them, even himself. She was nothing short of a terrorist! Nathan quickly noticed his boss¡® foul mood. Within an hour that afternoon, Edward had already lost his temper three times. Bracing himself, Nathan asked about it while retrieving some documents. While subordinates weren¡¯t supposed to pry into their boss¡® personal matters, knowing what had enraged Edward might help Nathan avoid further missteps. Edward hadn¡¯t intended to say anything at first. But when he remembered that Macie had a good rtionship with Nathan, he decided to tell thetter. ¡°Do you see that? She¡¯s a venomous woman¨Ca sociopath! She should be locked away in a mental institution!¡± Edward gritted his teeth in anger. Nathan was momentarily stunned, then instinctively asked, ¡°Are you saying that Mrs. Fowler caused the gas poisoning that affected Ms. Emerson? But Ms. Emerson turned out fine. You also seem unharmed, sir.¡± Discover more novels at find[?]ovel ¡°I was in the bedroom, and the door helped block some of the gas. Plus, I left in time,¡± Edward replied nkly. ¡°In that case, why wasn¡¯t Ms. Emerson severely affected? She was still able to walk out and call for help,¡± Nathan continued. ¡°She slept in the living room¡­¡± Edward started, but then he suddenly froze. He thought that Nathan was right. Shouldn¡¯t Sharon, who had slept in the living room, have inhaled even more gas than Macie? Why wasn¡¯t she seriously affected? ¡°¡­Macie must have done it on purpose. She deliberately went closer to the kitchen gas, opened the windows, turned off the stove, and erased all evidence,¡± Edward insisted through clenched teeth. There could be no other exnation. Macie was capable of scalding her own foot just to manipte others. What else wouldn¡¯t she do? +15 BONUS She had even copsed right by the door. If she had truly lost consciousness, how could it have been such a coincidence? She would have passed out much earlier inside the apartment. The more Edward thought about it, the more convinced he became, and his anger intensified. Nathan wanted to say something but ultimately sighed and kept quiet. Edward seemed to havepletely misunderstood Macie. From what Nathan had seen, he thought that Macie was kind¨Chearted. He simply couldn¡¯t believe that she would intentionally do something like this. After work, Edward took some broth to the hospital for Sharon. He stayed with her, chatting while she ate. The entire time, he never once visited Macie¡¯s hospital room. (1) He had already paid her medical bills and hospitalization fees. He thought that that was more than enough. After all, that wicked woman had tried to kill both him and Sharon. Macie regained consciousness the next morning. It wasn¡¯t until the nurse came to check on her and run some tests that she realized an entire day had passed. ¡°Your husband came to the hospital but not to see you. That woman downstairs was well enough to be discharged yesterday, but she¡¯s still staying, iming that she feels dizzy,¡± the nurse muttered, unable to hold back her disdain. She had heard that Macie was the legitimate wife, yet her husband only cared about his mistress, leaving her home alone to almost die from gas poisoning. Macie remained impassive and calm as shey in the hospital bed. Naturally, she knew exactly who ¡°that woman¡± was. Macie had been the one who ended up in this miserable state, yet those two were still as intimate as ever. Even when she was on the brink of death, it wasn¡¯t Edward who had called the ambnce¨Cit was the neighbors. So she hadn¡¯t died after all. Macie fugured that Edward and Sharon must be disappointed. Invitation 55 Chapter 55 ¡°Miss, if anyone asks if I¡¯m awake, just say that I woke up and fell asleep again,¡± Macie said. The nurse looked at her and nodded despite thinking that Edward probably wouldn¡¯t ask. Macie was in a private hospital room. Shey in bed, staring nkly out the window. She wanted to leave and go far away from those two despicable people. She couldn¡¯t understand why they still had to torment her when she would be leaving in just three days. Only three days left. No, two. She could finally leave tomorrow. Macie closed her eyes. She had already packed everything. Now, she just wished time would pass faster. At noon, an unexpected visitor arrived. It was Nathan. ¡°Mrs. Fowler, how are you?¡± Nathan greeted. He brought a fruit basket with him. ¡°Mr. Fowler asked me to check if you were awake.¡± Macie remained expressionless and didn¡¯t feel like responding. The mere mention of Edward filled her with hatred. Newest update provided by ¡°As long as you¡¯re okay, Mr. Fowler can rest easy. He¡¯s actually very worried about you,¡± Nathan added. Macie sneered at his words. ¡°Worried about me? He wishes I were dead.¡± Nathan froze. ¡°How could that be? Mr. Fowler-¡± ¡°Enough. I don¡¯t want to hear you making excuses for him. I appreciate you visiting. Thank you,¡± Macie coldly interrupted. Nathan hesitated for a few seconds, then told her what Edward had said to him earlier. While Edward believed that Macie had tried to kill him, Macie was convinced that Edward wanted her dead. Nathan had no idea what was going on. ¡°Mrs. Fowler, is there some misunderstanding between you and Mr. Fowler? Maybe you should talk to him directly, or I can pass him a message for you,¡± Nathan suggested. Macie¡¯s expression turned even more mocking. ¡°He really knows how to twist the truth, doesn¡¯t he? using me of intentionally causing the gas leak?¡± +15 BONUS she spat through gritted teeth. She trembled with anger. ¡°If he thinks that I¡¯m in the way of his happiness, why didn¡¯t he just agree to a divorce sooner? Why must he kill me? He¡¯s worse than an animal! I must have been blind to ever love him!¡± Nathan nervously gulped at her outburst. After venting her rage, Macie regained someposure. She looked at Nathan and said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing I want to exin to him. He¡¯d still me me even if the truth were right in front of him. ¡°You can¡¯t wake someone who pretends to be asleep. It¡¯ll all be over tomorrow. There¡¯s no point in arguing anymore. This must be my karma. At least I survived.¡± Nathan frowned in confusion. He wondered what she meant when she said that it would be ¡°over tomorrow¡°. ¡°Lastly, don¡¯t say anything to him on my behalf. Don¡¯t even try to exin. Otherwise, you might get dragged into this. Edward only listens to what he wants to hear,¡± Macie warned. Nathan pursed his lips. He sighed silently and left. Sitting at his desk in his office at Fowler Group, Edward nced at his watch every few minutes. Nathan had been gone for over 20 minutes. He was still furious over Macie¡¯s actions in the past two days. Despite that, he avoided confronting her directly and chose to ignore her instead. He wasn¡¯t sure why. He had every reason to demand answers and even press charges against her for attempted murder. And yet¡­ When he thought of the frail, dying figure that he had seen through the hospital room¡¯s ss window¡­ When he thought about how Macie had almost died¡­ All he could do was stew in his anger, unable tosh out at her. After all, she had only done this because of jealousy and resentment. Her methods were just extreme. Yesterday, in his anger, he had refused Sharon¡¯s suggestion to find a new ce to live. But he thought that he should perhaps arrange a different residence for her after she was discharged. Today¡¯s Bonus Offer Invitation 56 Chapter 56 Edward was deep in thought when a knock on the office door interrupted him. It was Nathan. ¡°Has she woken up?¡± Edward asked as soon as Nathan stepped in. ¡°Yes,¡± Nathan replied. ¡°I also spoke with the nurse about Mrs. Fowler¡¯s condition. She¡¯s recovering well and no longer needs oxygen, but she¡¯s still easily fatigued.¡± Edward showed no reaction, his expression remaining cold and unreadable. He didn¡¯t show the slightest trace of relief or joy at the news. Nathan observed him for a few moments before turning to leave. But before he could step out, Edward spoke again. ¡°Find a ce.¡± ¡°A ce?¡± Nathan paused, puzzled. ¡°Decent environment, high security, private, and fully furnished.¡± Edward listed his requirements sinctly. Nathan couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Edward was nning to move out with that mistress of his. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll start looking,¡± he responded, nodding. Just as he reached the door, Edward¡¯s voice came again. ¡°Did she say anything else?¡± Nathan halted, turning his head slightly. ¡°No. Mrs. Fowler is still weak.¡± He had debated whether to say more the entire way here. Ultimately, he decided to gauge Edward¡¯s mood first. But when he saw Edward still clearly furious, he figured that it was pointless. He knew that Edward wouldn¡¯t listen anyway. Macie and Edward were family. Eventually, they would have to sit down and talk. At his desk, Edward scoffed at Nathan¡¯s response. ¡°Weak? Ha. She¡¯s faking it again.¡± His voice dripped with sarcasm. ¡°She¡¯s just feeling guilty and afraid to speak. Otherwise, why wouldn¡¯t a normal person exin themselves immediately?¡± Nathan sighed. Inwardly, he thought, ¡°Mrs. Fowler really does understand Mr. Fowler¡¯s temper well.¡± That afternoon, Sharon arrived at the hospital room. She smirked when she saw Macie lying in bed. ¡°What a pity. Has Edwarde to see you? He visits me every night. He even brought me flowers and gifts,¡± she drawled. ¡°We¡¯re only three floors apart. It wouldn¡¯t take him more than a minute to drop by, right?¡± Macie slowly turned her head, her expression devoid of emotion. ¡°Was it you or Edward who turned on the gas?¡± Sharon folded her arms and sneered. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you? Edward and I were out for dinnerst night.¡± Seeing how confident and self¨Crighteous Sharon looked, Macie clenched her teeth. ¡°I locked the kitchen door before bed, but it was open in the morning. Also, I¡¯ve been cooking for two years. I wouldn¡¯t make ?????? ???? F¦ÉndNovel such a basic mistake.¡± Her voice turned icy. ¡°Whether it was you or Edward, human life is nothing but a game to you both, isn¡¯t it? Are you disappointed that I didn¡¯t die?¡± Sharon blinked innocently. ¡°What are you talking about, May? I don¡¯t understand a single word.¡± As long as she refused to admit anything, who could prove what happened that night? Watching her continue to y innocent, unfazed, and utterly shameless, Macie let out a coldugh and said, ¡°Oh, I forgot to mention. The house is equipped with security cameras.¡± Sharon¡¯s body instantly stiffened, her face draining of color. She was surprised that there were cameras in Edward¡¯s house. If that were true, then everything she had done must have been recorded.¡± Panic surged through her. Clenching her fists, she forced a smile and said, ¡°May, I just remembered I have something to do. I should get going. Rest well.¡± Macie watched Sharon¡¯s hurried retreat, knowing exactly what thetter was rushing off to do¨Cerase the footage. But why had Macie told Sharon about the cameras? Why didn¡¯t she simply show Edward the evidence and clear her name? X Invitation 57 Even if Macie had shown him the evidence, Edward would have defended Sharon. After all, love made one blind. Whatever Sharon did was correct in his eyes, while Macie was someone he loathed and wished dead. A bitter smile tugged at Macie¡¯s lips. Two years of devotion, and all she got in return was a death sentence from him. Meanwhile, Sharon had already taken a cab home and contacted a tech expert. She found that Edward¡¯s studyputer was password¨Cprotected and tried entering her birthday. A secondter, the device was unlocked. Her lips curled into a smug smile. Both Edward¡¯sputer and phone passwords were tied to her. If this wasn¡¯t love, what was? Sharon instructed the technician to erase the security footage. After thetterpleted the task, she asked, ¡°Is itpletely wiped?¡± ¡°Rx. Even the cloud backup is gone,¡± he assured her. Satisfied, Sharon let out a relieved hum. She thought, ¡°Macie, you¡¯re as foolish as ever. You practically handed me this information. I wouldn¡¯t have even checked if you hadn¡¯t mentioned the surveince. Did you think that I wouldn¡¯t know Edward¡¯s password? Too bad¡ªevery single one of them is my birthday.¡± By the time Edward finished work, it was past nine. As usual, he headed to the hospital to apany Sharon, bringing her favoritete¨Cnight snacks with him. ¡°Edward, why don¡¯t you take some up to May? She woke up today,¡± Sharon suggested. Edward frowned. ¡°You went to see her?¡± ¡°I stopped by this afternoon, but she didn¡¯t seem to want to see me.¡± Sharon lowered her head, her voice meek. ¡°Of course she doesn¡¯t. She can¡¯t even show her face after what she did to you. You¡¯re still suffering from dizziness because of her!¡± Edward snapped, his anger ring up again. ¡°But May is pitiful too. You should check on her. I¡¯m sure that she wants to see you,¡± Sharon coaxed sweetly. ¡°No.¡± Edward¡¯s refusal was firm and immediate. ¡°I¡¯ve already been merciful enough by not pressing charges. She¡¯d be kneeling before you if she had any conscience left. She¡¯d be begging for forgiveness.¡± Sharon watched him fume, hiding her satisfaction. She pleaded a little more, knowing that it would only irritate him further, before smoothly changing the subject. Edward stayed at the hospital until 11. As he stepped into the elevator, he stared at the button for Macie¡¯s floor, pausing for several seconds before pressing for the ground floor instead. Why should he visit such a venomous woman? He hadn¡¯t even held her ountable or scolded her. He felt that Macie should be grateful, throwing herself at his feet, begging him not to cast her out. The thought of Macie in tears, pleading with him, made Edward scoff internally. The next morning, at eight, Macie checked herself out of the hospital. She quietly returned home and packed up all her belongings¨Cher bags from the closet, bedding, water cup, toiletries, towels¨Ceverything. Then, she dumped it all into the garbage downstairs, erasing every trace of her presence. The divorce papers were prepared. The copy for Edward was left behind, while the original had already been mailed to Yosef at the Fowler residence. The contract was fulfilled, setting her free. Macie stood at the apartmentplex entrance with only a small suitcase and a bag. The security guard chuckled and asked, ¡°Heading off on a trip?¡± If only he knew that her luggage was all she had left. She thought that it appeared pathetic and barren. It was as if the past two years had just been a temporary stay. The car soon arrived, and she left. ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? f?ndnovel She cast onest nce at the ce she had lived in for two years, bidding a final farewell. 1 Loving Edward had been the biggest mistake of Macie¡¯s life and her greatest regret. Tilting her head back, she gazed at the sky. The sun broke through the clouds. A new life awaited her. Invitation 58 That night, as usual, Edward left work and went straight to apany Sharon before returning home. Another day passed without him seeing Macie. He had attended a social gathering that evening and had a few drinks. Feeling difort in his stomach, he sat at the dining table, and a sudden image of Macie bringing him a bowl of hot soup shed through his mind. She would always remind him to be careful and fuss over him like a nagging mother. If he scolded her, she would obediently stand aside, saying nothing. But as he came back to reality, therge house felt empty. There was no one else around. Edward frowned, realizing that he had been thinking about Macie a lot these past two days, which annoyed him. He got up to take some medicine and pour himself a ss of water, but something seemed missing. After a moment, he realized that Macie¡¯s mug was gone. He didn¡¯t dwell on it as it was just a cup. But when he went to the balcony to collect theundry, he noticed that her bath and face towels were also missing. ¡°Macie came back?¡± he muttered to himself, frowning. Then his expression darkened. ¡°She even took her things. It looks like she¡¯s fully recovered. Yet, she still hasn¡¯te to apologize and beg for forgiveness. What, does she expect me to go looking for her? Unbelievable.¡± Scoffing, Edward returned to the master bedroom to wash up and sleep. Meanwhile, in a different neighborhood, Maciey in bed, using her new phone to log into her social ounts and reply to messages from her senior, Julian, and her friend, Alice Hart. Earlier that day, Macie was putting on the act of returning to the country, turning down Julian¡¯s offer to pick her up and arrange her amodation. In fact, the shares she had received over the past two years had given her enough dividends to purchase For more chapters visit this small apartment outright. It was more than sufficient for her to live on her own. Alice scolded Macie for being heartless, as thetter had disappearedpletely for two years after leaving the country. It had taken Macie a great deal of effort to coax Alice back into a conversation. Julian had texted, ¡°Get some rest first. There¡¯s no rush to start work. I¡¯ve already made the arrangements.¡® Macie agreed. She nned to start her job in three days. She still needed to buy work attire. After all, she was starting her professional life now. It was her first night of being truly free, and as she took a deep breath, she slept soundly. +15 BONUS Meanwhile, Edward had just brought Sharon home. She originally nned to stay in the hospital for another two days, thinking that it was a great opportunity for her to deepen her bond with him. But when she went to find Macie at noon, intending to see how long thetter would keep clinging on past the three¨Cday deadline, she was told that Macie had already been discharged early that morning. Back at home, Sharon opened the door to the guest room. As expected, all of Macie¡¯s belongings were gone. The only things left were a divorce agreement and an unopened brand¨Cnew phone. She smirked in satisfaction. More importantly, the nine¨Cmillion¨Cdor ne Edward had bought for Macie was still sitting on the living room table. After a nce, she confirmed that it hadn¡¯t been swapped. The ne was authentic. ¡°Edward, it must¡¯ve been tiring for you to pick me up after work. I could¡¯vee back on my own,¡± Sharon said in the living room while looking at him. ¡°It¡¯s my duty to pick you up. After all, you were hospitalized because of Macie,¡± Edward replied. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I understand how women can get jealous. Honestly, I envy May for being able to marry you,¡± Sharone said, giving him a yful wink. Edward pressed his lips together at her words, saying nothing. He simply ced her belongings in her room. When he returned, he saw her holding a small ornate box. ¡°This was your gift to Macie. It¡¯s so valuable. No matter how angry she is, she shouldn¡¯t have thrown it away. I¡¯ll put it back in her room for her,¡± she said. Edward looked at the box and immediately thought of Macie¡¯s cold expression, her outburst, and the man he still hadn¡¯t identified. Macie hadn¡¯t even tried toe back and apologize. Anger started to rise within him. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t want it, why give it back?¡± he coldly questioned. ¡°Keep it. Consider itpensation for the gas leak incident. You suffered a lot for the past few days.¡± Invitation 59 Chapter 59 Sharon¡¯s eyes lit up with surprise, but she hesitated, feigning uncertainty. ¡°This is the ne you spent two hours choosing and paid a fortune for, just for May. It wouldn¡¯t be right for me to ept it.¡± Edward¡¯s anger red. Two hours and nine million dors, yet Macie had dismissed it without a second thought, even throwing it aside. ¡°She doesn¡¯t deserve it. Just take it,¡± he said coolly before heading into the master bedroom and shutting the door. Sharon watched him leave. Then, a greedy and excited smile curled her lips. She had initially nned to make Macie return the ne to Edward, but now, getting her hands on it had been effortless. Wasting no time, she put it on, sat in front of the vanity, and took photos under perfect lighting to highlight the dazzling rose¨Ccrowned design. Then, she posted them on her Instagram ount. Inside the master bedroom, Edwardy in bed after washing up. He intended to sleep but found himself wide awake. His phone screen kept switching between two pages¨CMacie¡¯s contact profile and their chat window. He wrestled with his emotions, torn between anger and hesitation. He wanted an exnation, yet he also wanted her toe begging for his forgiveness. Ultimately, pride and reason won out. He refused to be the one to reach out first. If she had the guts, she could stay in the hospital forever and nevere home. Scoffing, Edward ced his phone on the nightstand, turned off the lights, and went to sleep. At dawn, Macie¡¯s internal clock woke her up early. She instinctively sat up and was ready to head to the kitchen to make breakfast¨Conly to freeze. She nced around and reminded herself that she was back in her own home, wholly disconnected from Edward. Shey back down and shut her eyes, trying to fall asleep again. However, it was futile. Habits were terrifying. Two years of routine had etched themselves into her very being. Her lips pressed together, and her eyes were cold. She needed to break free from these habits and erase everything tied to Edward, Since she couldn¡¯t sleep, she got up, changed into casual clothes, and went for a morning run. By the time the sun had fully risen, she was having breakfast. Macie messaged Alice to see if she was awake. Half an hourter, Alice finally replied, stillzing in bed while gossiping about entertainment news. Macie opened the screenshot Alice sent her. The headline read, ¡°Edward from Fowler Group Buys a Nine- Million¨CDor Ne for His Girlfriend.¡± 1 Chapter 59 Get full chapters from fin?novel Macie ate her pudding, musing about how small the world was. She hadn¡¯t even been gone two days, and already Edward was in the news. Her appetite was ruined as that was the first thing she read in the morning. She had no interest in the article and was about to exit the page when the image of the ne caught her eye. She paused. It was a rose design, entirely encrusted with pink diamonds. It looked exquisite and luxurious. However, wasn¡¯t this thepensation gift Edward had mentioned to Macie four nights ago? Back then, he imed that it was nothing expensive. Yet, it was actually worth nine million dors. And now, it adorned Sharon¡¯s neck. Thetter¡¯s caption on her social media post read, ¡°Thank you for the ne! I love it!¡± Macie let out a cold, mocking smile. It turned out that the ne was for Sharon all along. Then why bother pretending to give it to her? She considered that Edward had perhaps assumed that she wouldn¡¯t ept it. After all, he had never once bought her a gift in thest two years. Macie thought that Edward was hypocritical and efficient as he killed two birds with one stone. She exited the page and shut off her phone, but just then, a video call from Alice came through. She answered, and Alice, noticing the breakfast shop in the background, gasped. ¡°You¡¯re up this early? Aren¡¯t you experiencing any jetg?¡± 1 ¡°Jetg is just a matter of forcing your body to adapt. Two days is enough to reset it,¡± Macie replied calmly, as if she were simply talking about an internal clock. Invitation 60 ¡°Impressive. You¡¯re still as strong as ever,¡± Alice remarked over the video call. She asked, ¡°Did you see the gossip piece I sent you? Why haven¡¯t you replied?¡± Macie hadn¡¯t responded yet when Alice suddenly remembered something. ¡°Oh, right! You¡¯ve been abroad for two years. You probably don¡¯t even know who Edward Fowler is.¡± Macie lowered her gaze, remaining silent. How could she not know? She had been his housekeeper during that time. ¡°He was in our college too, but in the finance department while we studied digital media arts.¡± Alice clucked her tongue before continuing, ¡°I heard he broke up with his girlfriend in junior year. But who would¡¯ve thought that they¡¯d get back together four yearster¡­¡± She continued rambling, speaking unclearly while brushing her teeth. Macie, not wanting to interrupt her friend¡¯s enthusiasm, turned the volume to its lowest setting. Alice was her college roommate and a close friend, but she had no idea that Macie and Edward had actually been ssmates in high school as well. Macie had kept that fact well hidden, along with her secret crush, never revealing a single hint. On the other end of the video call, Alice kept talking but eventually noticed Macie¡¯sck of response. She asked, ¡°Are you even listening?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m listening. Go on,¡± Macie replied. ¡°Let me tell you why I started following him in the first ce. A year ago, my dad wanted to set me up with him. But it turned into a misunderstanding because they found out that Edward was already married.¡± Alice continued, then asked, ¡°So, do you think that he got divorced and went back to his ex, or was he cheating during his marriage?¡± Her words reminded Macie of something. She scrolled back to the original post to take a screenshot, only to find that the entry had disappeared. Just like before¨Cwhen the famous embrace incident happened¨Cthe media outlets covering it had all taken down their posts. At that time, she had saved a screenshot before everything was erased. Fortunately, Alice had sent her one in advance. It was yet another piece of evidence of his infidelity. ¡°Whatever it is, it has nothing to do with us,¡± Macie replied. 1/2 Get full chapters from f¦É?dn¦Ïvel ¡°It¡¯s been two years since west talked. I just wanted a topic to chat about,¡± Alice said. They continued talking for a bit before ending the call. As Macie walked home, she went through all the evidence of Edward¡¯s cheating on her phone, focusing on the messages and photos Sharon had sent. Sharon probably never expected Macie to have backups from the very start, anticipating that they might Meanwhile, in the Fowler Group CEO¡¯s office, Nathan was giving a report. He said, ¡°Mr. Fowler, we¡¯ve taken care of the trending topic online. However, since it was posted at midnight, the PR team couldn¡¯t handle it in time, which is why it hit the headlines this morning. ¡°I apologize, Mr. Fowler. The team member on duty left at 11:30 pmst night. From now on, we¡¯ll implement an overnight shift schedule,¡± ric ckwood, the head of the public rtions department, said, bowing in apology. At his desk, Edward sat with his hands sped, his gaze dark and brooding, anger simmering beneath the surface. But why hadn¡¯t he exploded in rage yet? It was because his fury wasn¡¯t directed at the PR team. It was aimed at Sharon. He wondered if she had intentionally posted the picture at midnight to let the news spread overnight, only for it to be a done deal by morning. He wondered what exactly she was nning and what she was after. Across from him, Nathan and ric waited anxiously, bracing for his wrath. But after several long seconds without a single reprimand, they hesitantly nced up. Edward¡¯s expression was terrifyingly cold, the fury unmistakable¨Cbut strangely, he wasn¡¯tshing out. Invitation 61 Chapter 61 ¡°Mr. ckwood, you may leave. Just make sure that the trending topic is taken down,¡± Edward said. ric was momentarily stunned but quickly nodded in relief. ¡°I assure you, this won¡¯t happen again.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for overnight shifts. My personal affairs are my own to handle,¡± Edward said indifferently. With that, ric left. Nathan was about to follow when Edward stopped him. ¡°Did you find the ce I asked for?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve shortlisted five properties. When you have time, you can review them,¡± Nathan replied. ¡°Now,¡± Edward curtly instructed. Nathan immediately sent the files to Edward¡¯s email and prepared to go through them individually. But before he could finish describing the first option, Edward cut him off, saying, ¡°This one.¡± Nathan paused, surprised. He had expected Edward to be picky or even reject all of them, forcing him to look for more options. But instead, thetter made an immediate decision, as if he were eager to move that woman out as soon as possible. Without further question, Nathan left to contact the agent for the lease. As he opened the office door, he overheard Edward on the phone. ¡°I found you a ce. If you¡¯re free today, move in.¡± Nathan was caught off guard. He was surprised at how soon Edward expected the move to be. Nathan wondered if Macie was the one being asked to leave. But he thought that it didn¡¯t seem right. After all, Macie and Edward were still in the middle of a cold war. She probably wouldn¡¯t even answer his calls. Meanwhile, Sharon had just woken up at home when she received Edward¡¯s call. She was ted, thinking that he was calling to check if she had eaten breakfast. But his first words left her stunned. ¡°M¨CMove out? Edward, didn¡¯t you say that I didn¡¯t have to?¡± she stammered before biting her lip. ¡°I reconsidered. Macie will be back soon. If you two live under the same roof, conflict is inevitable. For your safety, I rented you a ce,¡± Edward said, his tone unreadable. Sharon pressed her lips together. She knew that Macie would never return. After all, the divorce papers had already been signed. Edward just didn¡¯t know it yet. Naturally, she wasn¡¯t stupid enough to tell him now. Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t he just rush to stop Macie before she even left the station? ¡°Alright. Thank you for thinking of me, Edward,¡± she said sweetly. ¡°But today feels a bit rushed. I have rehearsals this afternoon. Can I move in a couple of days?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Edward replied. ¡°Let me know when you¡¯re free. I¡¯ll take you there myself. The ce is secure and private. You won¡¯t have to worry about paparazzi.¡± Sharon thanked him, thinking that the call was about to end. But then Edward asked, ¡°Did you post about the ne I gave you on your Instagramst night?¡± ¡°I did. It was so beautiful, and since it was a gift from you, I was thrilled and just wanted to share it,¡± she answered. ¡°Why do you ask, Edward?¡± she added, feigning innocence. ¡°Your post was picked up by the media and made it to the trending list,¡± Edward said before pressing further. ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice?¡± Checktest chapters at find?novel ¡°I just woke up. I was uptest night,¡± Sharon replied. ¡°And Reba didn¡¯t tell you? Isn¡¯t this kind of thing bad for your image?¡± Edward¡¯s tone carried a hint of irritation. Sharon could hear his displeasure. ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to check my messages before your call,¡± she said, her voice tinged with grievance. ¡°Did this cause trouble for you? I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know this would happen. I only posted it on my private ount. I had no idea that the paparazzi would figure out it was me.¡± Invitation 62 ¡°Ed, please don¡¯t be mad at me, okay? I swear, I didn¡¯t mention your name,¡± Sharon pleaded, her voice fragile, as if she were on the verge of breaking. Edward took a deep breath and said, ¡°Even if you posted it from a private ount without mentioning my name, the Rose Crown ne is one of a kind. The paparazzi were already hounding me after the fashion show incident.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ed. I didn¡¯t think it through¡­¡± Sharon sobbed. Hearing her cry, Edward pressed his lips together and stayed silent for a few seconds. He ultimately decided to let it go. He thought that Sharon was a simple person and had probably posted it out of excitement. As for the timing, she had said that she was uptest night, so he figured that it likely wasn¡¯t intentional. ¡°Stop crying. I was just asking. Just don¡¯t post things so casually in the future. It¡¯s too easy for the paparazzi to link us together,¡± Edward said, his tone softening. 1 Sharon sniffled, her voice still slightly choked, but the corner of her lips lifted in satisfaction. That was precisely why she posted it. How else could she make the public see her as the futuredy of a wealthy family? ¡°I understand, Ed. I promise I won¡¯t share anything again,¡± she whispered, her obedient tone evoking sympathy. ¡°I was at fault, too. I should have reminded you after thest fashion show incident,¡± Edward admitted. ¡°So, are you ashamed of me? Do you not want to be associated with me in public?¡± Sharon bit her lip, her voice trembling as if she might cry again. ¡°No,¡± Edward denied immediately. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m married. I can¡¯t be involved in any romantic scandals.¡± As soon as the words left his mouth, he froze. He had said no scandals, yet he had kissed Sharon more than once. That was far worse than mere gossip. (1) A heavy silence fell over him as he clenched his fists. A wave of guilt and hypocrisy washed over him, unsettling his heart. He suddenly felt like a man betraying everything he was supposed to stand for. 2 ¡°But you and May have a secret marriage, right? It was never made public,¡± Sharon¡¯s voice came from the other end. ¡°It¡¯s a secret marriage, but some of the major families know. My grandfather made sure of that,¡± Edward replied. ¡°Besides, gossip about thepany¡¯s decision¨Cmaker can affect stock prices.¡± Indeed, that was the key point. 204 As for the unsettling emotions that had just surfaced, Edward brushed them off as if they were nothing. He chalked it up to just a momentarypse in judgment. ¡°I get it now. As long as you don¡¯t hate me, that¡¯s all that matters,¡± Sharon said sweetly. Edward didn¡¯t respond. The call ended abruptly, leaving him deep in thought. His current rtionship with Sharon was ambiguous, entangled with hints of intimacy. They had already appeared on trending searches twice and became the subject of gossip. Edward wondered if he was going too far and if he should draw a clear boundary with Sharon. Lost in contemtion, he absentmindedly opened his contact list. His gazended on Macie¡¯s name. It had been some time since theyst spoke or saw each other. That day marked the fourth day since they had been in contact. Yet, Edward felt like a whole week had passed. He recalled his struggle the night before. He had stayed awake until 2:00 am, obsessively investigating the senior who might be hanging around her. His dark circles were worse than ever that day. After hesitating for several minutes, he finally swallowed his pride and dialed her number. He thought that he might have gone too far. After all, he was still married to Macie, yet he had brought Sharon home into the former¡¯s bedroom. Any woman would be unable to tolerate that. And Macie loved him so much. That was why she had resorted to something as extreme as the gas leak. The phone rang twice. Edward was sure that she would pick up. After all, he was giving her an easy way This content belongs to f?ndnovel out. :¨C Invitation 63 Instead of the familiar voice Edward was expecting, a mechanical prompt sounded. ¡°Sorry, the number you dialed is unavable. Please try againter.¡± Edward froze. He didn¡¯t know why the number could be unavable. He hung up and redialed Macie¡¯s number repeatedly. But each time, he got the same response. Anger immediately surged within him. Before, when he had called her over a hundred times, the calls had at least gone through. She had just refused to pick up. But now, it seemed that she had blocked his number. Edward clenched his fists, a coldugh escaping his lips. He thought, ¡°Very good, Macie. I gave you an out, and you refuse to take it. Do you really want me to go to the hospital to find you? Dream on!¡± It had been four days since the gas leak incident, and he hadn¡¯t even scolded her. He had even arranged for Sharon to move out. Not only was Macie ungrateful, but her attitude had gotten worse. Now, she was even pulling this stunt. 1 Seething, Edward felt like he had spoiled her too muchtely. In the past, she would never have dared to defy him. She had always been submissive and never questioned him. 1 But now, she had even put him on her list of blocked contacts. Since Macie had cut him off, he had no intention of sending her any messages. If he did, even he would feel pathetic. It would be like he was groveling before her. At the bus stop near a shopping district, Alice spotted a familiar slender figure and immediately recognized her. She approached the person and brightly greeted them. ¡°May!¡± Macie turned in surprise. When she saw Alice, a smile naturally spread across her face¨Cuntil she noticed Alice¡¯s stunned expression. She tilted her head in confusion. She wondered if Alice couldn¡¯t recognize her after two years of not meeting each other. But she thought that it didn¡¯t make sense as Alice had just called out her name. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost in daylight,¡± Maciemented. ¡°May!¡± Alice ced both hands on her shoulders, her expression serious. ¡°What happened to you? Weren¡¯t you traveling abroad? Why do you look like you¡¯ve been drained of all vitality?¡± she asked, shocked. Macie paused and instinctively raised a hand to touch her face. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m not wearing any 1/2 This update is avable on find(?)ovel makeup.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. You hardly wore makeup in college, but your skin was glowing back then, and you looked so full of life. Now? You look like you¡¯ve been through hell. Even your eyes have lost their spark,¡± Alice said, sighing. She sounded full of concern. (1) Macie pressed her lips together in silence. Had these two years really drastically changed her? Then again, she thought that it made sense. She had nearly died from the relentless mental and physical torment, the constant suppression, and the suffocating emotions. So, how could she possibly look radiant? ¡°Tell me. Did something happen while you were abroad? Or were you trafficked and forced intobor? Don¡¯t tell me you were stuck in a scam ring, barely escaping with your life!¡± Alice spected wildly. Hearing Alice¡¯s increasingly exaggerated theories, Macie chuckled. ¡°If that were the case, wouldn¡¯t you have received a scam call from me in the past two years?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking!¡± Alice said, her tone serious. ¡°I know. Thank you for worrying about me. I¡¯m fine. I just see things differently now,¡± Macie said, her smile gentle. ¡°People change with their experiences. It¡¯s normal.¡± Alice remained skeptical. But seeing that Macie was in one piece, she felt relieved. Without hesitation, she pulled Macie into a tight hug. Macie gasped softly. Alice quickly let go, rmed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did I squeeze you too hard? You really don¡¯t look well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I fell a while ago, and the hug just pulled at the injury a bit,¡± Macie reassured her. Chapter 64 Invitation 64 Chapter 64 Alice wanted to check Macie¡¯s injuries, but thetter stopped her, saying that it was nothing serious. Instead, Alice hugged her again, but gently this time. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know you were hurt. I just got too excited after not seeing you for two years.¡± ¡°I should¡¯ve told you earlier. I didn¡¯t want you to worry. I missed you too,¡± Macie said. Reunited after so long, they walked through the shopping district hand in hand. Macie needed new clothes, and Alice helped her pick out several professional outfits for work. ¡°Get a few casual dresses too¨Csomething fresh and elegant, like your style,¡± Alice suggested, handing her a few more pieces. Macie looked at the different styles of clothing. Over the past two years, she had barely dressed up, always wearing in T¨Cshirts and long pants as a housekeeper. When she first married Edward, she used to wear beautiful clothes, wanting to show him her best self. But all she received in return was a cold remark. ¡°You look like a streetwalker. Stop acting so slutty. That¡¯s disgusting.¡± She still remembered that dress. It was just a simple white floral dress that was modest and youthful. She had never understood what was slutty about it and how it made her look like a streetwalker. That night, she had cried silently and thrown away all her dresses. Two years had passed, and now she finally understood that there was nothing wrong with the dress or her. It was Edward who simply despised her and wanted to humiliate her. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Alice¡¯s voice pulled her back to reality. Macie smiled slightly and took the clothes. ¡°Nothing. I like all of them.¡± Alice noticed the faint bitterness in her smile and frowned slightly. When Macie went into the fitting room, Alice followed her inside. Macie had just changed when the curtain was suddenly pulled open, startling her. ¡°Alice? Why did you ¡± Alice¡¯s expression was solemn. She had caught a glimpse of Macie¡¯s back just now. Thetter¡¯s lower back was covered in dark bruises. ¡°Turn around. Let me see your injury. You were avoiding it earlier. I knew something was wrong,¡± Alice demanded. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s already healed.¡± Macie tried to push Alice out but failed. Finally, she sighed and allowed Alice to examine her injury. 1/2 ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? FindN0vel ¡°How did this happen? This isn¡¯t a minor bruise. It¡¯s no wonder you winced when I hugged you,¡± Alice said concernedly. ¡°I fell andnded on my tailbone. It fractured,¡± Macie calmly exined. ¡°Fractured? My god! Did you fall down the stairs? Who pushed you?!¡± Alice was shocked. ¡°I wasn¡¯t pushed. I slipped. It was my own mistake,¡± Macie replied. Alice stared at her in disbelief. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. We were roommates and best friends for four years. Do you think that I don¡¯t know you?¡± She took a deep breath and continued, ¡°Macie, if you had trulye to some great revtion in life, your demeanor would be different. People who¡¯ve gained wisdom are carefree. But you? Sorry for being blunt¡­ ¡°But you look like someone who¡¯s lost everything¨Clike someone who lost their parents, husband, and child and went bankrupt overnight. That¡¯s the kind of emptiness I see in your eyes.¡± Macie froze, her head slowly lowering. ¡°What happened to you? If you¡¯re in trouble, tell me. I¡¯ll help you,¡± Alice said firmly. ¡°I¡¯ve already taken care of it,¡± Macie answered softly. ¡°But for the details, give me some time, Alice. I¡¯m not ready to talk about it yet. When I am, I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡± Her voice carried a quiet plea. Alice gazed at her friend. She was wondering what could have happened to make Macie seem so lifeless. What was she running from that she was so afraid to face? +15 BONUS Chapter 65 Invitation 65 Chapter 65 ¡°I¡¯m not forcing you. Just tell me when you¡¯re ready,¡± Alice said before sighing. ¡°Okay,¡± Macie replied, her smile faint. After purchasing all the clothes that fit, they moved on to picking out high heels before finally stepping into a hair salon. ¡°Cut my hair shorter¨Cjust to my corbone,¡± Macie instructed as she sat in front of the mirror. The stylist nodded and began trimming while Macie stared at her reflection. She really did look lifeless, drained of any energy or vitality. But she had left Edward. So, wasn¡¯t she supposed to start living well? She had escaped the cage and was never going to go back. A small smile tugged at her lips. She would take her time and heal¨Cpiece by piece. ¡°Don¡¯t just chop it off in one go. Give heryers, curl the ends outward, and add some volume at the crown, ¡°Alice directed the stylist. Two hourster, Alice admired Macie¡¯s new look. ¡°Not bad at all. It¡¯s like a brand¨Cnew you. Just apply some makeup for work, and you¡¯re all set.¡± Macie ran her fingers through her hair. She thought that it felt different. Her look was now slightly sharper, more polished, and less weighed down by exhaustion. As the time for her dinner appointment with Julian approached, Alice drove them to the restaurant. In the car, Macie borrowed Alice¡¯s lipstick. Thetter teased, ¡°Oh? Putting on lipstick just because you¡¯re seeing Julian?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke like that. Nothing is going on between us,¡± Macie said. ¡°Maybe not on your end, but back in college, he liked you. He even confessed, but you turned him down,¡± Alice reminded her. Macie paused. She vaguely recalled Julian confessing to her during their college days, but at the time, she had been in love with Edward. No other man had caught her interest. ¡°I just don¡¯t want him asking too many questions about me,¡± Macie said, putting the lipstick back in Alice¡¯s bag. ¡°Fair enough. Now that you¡¯re back, if he still likes you, maybe you should give it some thought,¡± Alice suggested. Macie fell silent. Aside from the fact that she and Julian had been ssmates and would now be colleagues, there was a deeper reason for her hesitancy. She had lost the ability to love. The hardships of the past two years had utterly drained that part of her. Meanwhile, as lunchtime approached at Fowler Group, Nathan brought the signed rental contract to the CEO¡¯s office, intending to collect the documents Edward had finished signing. ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? F?ndNovel But the moment he walked in, he noticed Edward staring nkly at nothing, lost in thought. Not a single document had been signed. ¡°Mr. Fowler, here¡¯s the rental contract for your review,¡± Nathan said. Edward snapped out of his daze, took the contract, and only nced at the lease duration. It was a six- month minimum. He thought that it was eptable as he could renew itter. ¡°If there are no issues, I¡¯ll take my leave. Do you need me to order lunch for you?¡± Nathan asked. ¡°No need,¡± Edward replied. He had already nned to have lunch with Sharon. Just as Nathan was about to leave, Edward suddenly ordered, ¡°Call Macie using your phone.¡± Nathan froze for a second before he understood the situation. He figured that Macie must not have answered Edward¡¯s calls again. Taking out his phone, Nathan hesitated just before dialing. He wondered if Edward would get jealous again if Macie actually picked up, just likest time. ¡°Put it on speaker,¡± Edward added. Nathan looked up and studied Edward¡¯s expression. Although Edward wasn¡¯t outright furious, his mood was unmistakably foul, and his eyes held a dark, stormy intensity. Following his boss¡® orders, Nathan made the call and put it on speaker. As the dial tone rang, Edward¡¯s fingers curled into a tight grip. Invitation 66 It would be a disaster for Nathan if Macie answered his call and blocked Edward¡¯s number. Nathan stole another nce at Edward, feeling the suffocating tension in the air. Edward¡¯s demeanor was dark and brooding, causing Nathan to sense that his life might be in danger. ¡°Sorry, the number you dialed is unavable. Please try againter.¡± The mechanical voice echoed again. Edward froze while Nathan was grateful for the situation. ¡°Try calling again,¡± Edward ordered. Nathan redialed several times, but the response was always the same. Edward let out a soft chuckle. ¡°So, she treats everyone the same, huh?¡± Just like that, the anger he had been brewing faded away, his mood inexplicably lighter, though he wasn¡¯t quite sure why. ¡°Forget it. You can go. She¡¯s blocked you, too,¡± Edward said. Nathan blinked in confusion, then nced down at his phone. He finally understood that Edward was mad that Macie had blocked him. ¡°Mr. Fowler, this might not necessarily mean that you were blocked. It could just be that her phone is turned off,¡± Nathan suggested. Edward frowned. ¡°How could it be? She¡¯s in the hospital. Of course she¡¯d have her phone. I called her multiple times this morning and received the same response.¡± ¡°Well-¡± Before Nathan could think of another excuse, Edward muttered, ¡°Her phone¨Cright, I smashed it four days ago.¡± Nathan was shocked that Edward and Macie¡¯s fight had been that serious. ¡°But I bought her a new one. Did she not use it? Or did she just block me?¡± Edward¡¯s anger red up again. ¡°Mr. Fowler, instead of making guesses, wouldn¡¯t it be quicker to go to the hospital and ask her yourself?¡± Nathan suggested. ¡°I¡¯m not going,¡± Edward coldly refused without a second thought. ¡°She tried to kill me. She should be the oneing to apologize and beg for forgiveness. I¡¯ve already let it go by not pressing charges. Does she expect me to go to her first?¡± Nathan hesitated before finally revealing what Macie had told him that day. ¡°As a man, I think you should visit her first. There¡¯s nothing shameful about making the first move in love. In fact, a man who takes the initiative is the most attractive.¡± Edward stared nkly at Nathan. ¡°Mrs. Fowler told me that she didn¡¯t do it. I think that there might have been a misunderstanding between you two. It¡¯s best to meet and clear things up,¡± Nathan continued. ¡°At the very least, what if she simply forgot to turn off the gas by ident? If the gas leak wasn¡¯t intentional and she was the one who got hurt the worst, you hadn¡¯t even checked on her once in all these days.¡± 1 Edward fell silent. His gaze unfocused as he pressed his lips together, lost in thought. Nathan observed his reaction, hoping that Edward would finally go to the hospital and talk things through with Macie. After a long pause, Edward finally spoke. ¡°Macie said all of this?¡± ¡°Yes. She told me personally and was very emotional about it. I don¡¯t think she was lying,¡± Nathan replied. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡± Edward demanded. ¡°Mrs. Fowler didn¡¯t want me to. She said that you wouldn¡¯t believe her and that you only believe what you want to believe,¡± Nathan answered. Edward felt a sting. It did seem like something Macie would say. But if she had exined, would he really not have listened? Even if she had just said that it was an ident, wouldn¡¯t that have been enough to stop him from being so angry? ¡°As for why I didn¡¯t tell you immediately,¡± Nathan added, ¡°it¡¯s because you were already furious that day. I was afraid that it would only escte the fight, so I thought that it would be better to wait a couple of days.¡± Edward pursed his lips before suddenly standing up. Seeing him about to leave, Nathan asked, ¡°Are you going to the hospital to see Mrs. Fowler?¡± Edward turned his head and frowned. ¡°I have lunch ns with Sharon.¡± Chapter 67 N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on FindN0vel Invitation 67 Nathan fell silent. He wondered if he had just wasted his breath as it seemed like Edward still didn¡¯t believe him. Inside the elevator, Edward¡¯s expression remained dark. He didn¡¯t think it mattered that Macie had exined to Nathan back then. After all, she hadn¡¯t said it directly to him. Instead, she had told Nathan not to tell him. Edward felt that Macie could have just called him and cleared the situation up herself if she genuinely thought that he had wronged her. He had already given her multiple chances to step down from her stubbornness. Would it kill her to take the initiative even once? Frustrated, Edward drove to the restaurant where he had made a reservation. Sharon had arrived early and was flipping through the menu. Although they had argued in the morning, Edward had agreed to have lunch with her without much hesitation. Sharon took it as a sign that they had no significant issues. She believed that if she kept pushing, she would reignite the love he once had for her in their college days. A few tables away, in the booth at an angle from hers, a familiar voice called out, ¡°Julian.¡± (1 Julian instinctively turned around. When he saw the woman who looked just as pure and beautiful as ever, he stood up, unable to take his eyes off her, a smile forming on his lips. Some people, who were once breathtaking, would remain breathtaking no matter how much time passed. ¡°Wee back, Macie.¡± Julian extended his hand, and Macie shook it. ¡°Oh wow. I guess I¡¯m invisible now,¡± Alice teased, grinning. ¡°How could that be? You¡¯re just as stunning as ever. If I didn¡¯t notice you, I¡¯d have to get my eyes checked. ¡°Julian chuckled, shaking Alice¡¯s hand as well. ¡°What a smooth talker. And yet, you never managed to use that charm to win over the woman you liked,¡± Alice quipped, raising a brow. Julian instinctively nced at Macie before smiling and saying, ¡°That just means I wasn¡¯t good enough. I¡¯ll have to try harder.¡± +15 BONUS Macie slid into the booth with Alice beside her, and the three of them began ordering food while chatting casually. ¡°It¡¯s been two years, Macie. You seem much calmer now. Your whole demeanor has changed,¡± Julianmented, his smile faint. Macie looked up, her expression serene. ¡°And you, Julian, have grown more mature. You¡¯re truly a leader among young professionals.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just my work grinding me down. Are you indirectly saying that I look worn out without hurting my feelings?¡± he joked. ¡°Not at all. You¡¯ve simply shed the youthful look of a student. Your presence is now moreposed and For original chapters go to find[?]ovel refined,¡± Macie replied. ¡°You two haven¡¯t seen each other in two years, and you¡¯re already tradingpliments.¡± Aliceughed. ¡°Then let¡¯s talk about something else. Macie, which countries have you visited over the past two years? Anywhere special?¡± Julian asked. ¡°Yes, May! Do you have pictures? Show me!¡± Alice added excitedly. Macie froze momentarily, realizing that she had walked into a trap of her own making. One lie required a hundred more to cover up. ¡°I was mainly in Nordwynn and the surrounding areas. Life there was peaceful and simple,¡± she fabricated, then quickly changed the subject. ¡°Julian, how has yourpany been doing these past two years? I haven¡¯t kept up.¡± Julian sighed, feigning disappointment. ¡°Macie, you really haven¡¯t been paying attention at all. Have you forgotten that you¡¯re a shareholder? Weren¡¯t you even worried that I¡¯d run off with your money?¡± Macie chuckled. ¡°How could I? I trust your character and ability. Besides, I just returned and already received my share of a property.¡± ¡°Julian¡¯spany is doing great. They keep producing hit games. Even my dad is envious. He asked me if we could somehow acquire his entirepany along with him,¡± Alice saidughingly. ¡°Please thank Mr. Hart for his generous interest. If I ever hit a rough patch, I¡¯ll personallye knocking on your door,¡± Julian replied with a light chuckle. (1) Invitation 68 Chapter 68 As Macie listened to Julian speak, she felt genuinely happy for him. His long¨Ctime dream had finally ¡°Speaking of which, I have to thank Macie. She was the one who secured a ten¨Cmillion¨Cdor angel investment back then,¡± Julian said, looking at her. ¡°May, that¡¯s amazing! Why didn¡¯t you ever mention it?¡± Alice eximed in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s because she left to go abroad right after securing the investor. I was deeply touched and even wanted to make her a shareholder, but she disappeared so suddenly.¡± Julian sighed. Macie¡¯s mind drifted back to two years ago when she heard this. At that time, she had nned to start a business with Julian. But then fate had dangled another opportunity in front of her¨Cone she had foolishly taken. She had abandoned her career for love, only to be a caged housekeeper. ¡°Angel investment? May, how did you end up as a shareholder? Do you get dividends, too?¡± Alice asked, catching onto the crucial detail. ¡°Later, the angel investment turned into a personal investment. Macie and I split the dividends 50-50,¡± Julian exined. ¡°Whoa! So you found a filthy rich investor?¡± Alice was amazed. ¡°It was Mr. Fowler Senior,¡± Julian answered. ¡°Given his status, ten million dors was nothing more than a casual private investment.¡± At the mention of ¡°Fowler¡°, Macie¡¯s instincts went on high alert. She subtly observed Alice and Julian, worried that they might start piecing things together. ¡°May, when did you be so close to Mr. Fowler Senior?¡± Alice asked. This update is avable on Find1Novel Macie forced a smile. Just about toe up with an excuse, Julian exined, ¡°Back then, I was leading apetition team, and Macie was my vice¨Ccaptain. Mr. Fowler Senior was one of the judges.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We crossed paths a couple of times, and when he evaluated Julian¡¯s startup, he saw great potential and decided to invest,¡± Macie added. ¡°But why didn¡¯t he just go through the angel investment process? Why make it a personal investment and split profits with you?¡± Alice questioned. Macie pursed her lips slightly. The truth was that Yosef had initially intended to give her the entire share, but she had refused and insisted on a 50-50 split. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering? Don¡¯t tell me that you have some deeper connection to the Fowlers¡­¡± Alice narrowed her eyes, pausing mid¨Csentence. 246 Macie instantly tensed, her body stiffening as she watched Alice closely. ¡°Are you secretly his long¨Clost granddaughter? That would exin why he was so generous,¡± Alice spected. Macie let out a quiet sigh. She was relieved that Alice hadn¡¯t said ¡°granddaughter¨Cinw¡± instead. ¡°No. It¡¯s nothing like that. He¡¯s just a kind and generous man. Angel investments go throughpany ounts, while personal investments are handled privately and processed faster,¡± Macie exined.¡± And like Julian said, ten million is pocket change for someone with his status.¡± Alice found this exnation reasonable. Moreover, Julian and Macie¡¯s team had been exceptional back then. Whenever theypeted, they almost always won first ce. As they chatted, Macie suddenly heard the waiter¡¯s voice near the entrance. ¡°Sir, do you have a reservation?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s for Table Eight.¡± (1 A deep male voice responded. The sound was so familiar that it sent a shiver down Macie¡¯s spine, her body instinctively trembling. She thought that the world was too small and that Kiyora was even smaller. It wasn¡¯t enough that she had already heard about Edward¡¯stest scandal in the morning. Now, she had to run into him at the same restaurant at noon. Macie refused to let him spot her there. Chapter 69 Invitation 69 Chapter 69 At the restaurant¡¯s entrance, Edward confirmed his reservation, and the waiter led him to his table. As he walked, he absentmindedly turned his head, scanning the room. His steps briefly faltered. His gaze locked onto a woman at a nearby booth. But just as he focused his sight, she lifted a menu, obscuring her face. For a split second, he could have sworn that he saw Macie. As he followed the waiter, he kept looking in that direction. Just as he was about to glimpse her profile, arge pir blocked his view. When he looked again, he could only see the back of her head. He saw that the woman had short hair. With that, he concluded that it wasn¡¯t Macie and she had long hair. Moreover, he assumed that she was still in the hospital. So, there was no way that she could be there. Edward finally withdrew his gaze, expressionless. He figured that he must have been seeing things. Or perhaps he was just too fixated on her. She had blocked him, and he had spent the entire morning sulking over it instead of working. Now, he was so on edge that every woman reminded him of her. At the booth near the entrance, Macie slowly lowered the menu, her heart still racing. Even though she sensed that he had walked away, the panic in her chest hadn¡¯t settled. She didn¡¯t know why she was hiding. After all, she and Edward were divorced. So, he had nothing to do with her anymore. Find the newest release on But she hadn¡¯t told Alice or Julian about her marriage. To her, that part of her past was nothing but a disgrace¨Csomething she never wanted anyone to know. So, for now, she would keep it buried. She wasn¡¯t afraid of Edward. She was just afraid of the humiliation. ¡°Macie, are you okay? You look a little pale,¡± Julian asked with concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I skipped breakfast, so I might have low blood sugar,¡± Macie replied smilingly. Alice, sitting beside her, instinctively replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t you-¡± Before she could finish, a sharp pain shot through her thigh. Someone had pinched her. Macie turned to her and whispered, grinning, ¡°Don¡¯t expose me. Let¡¯s just say I skipped breakfast, or else I¡¯ll seem like a total glutton.¡± Alice smirked and rubbed her leg. ¡°Oh? Worried about your image in front of Julian?¡± she teased. Macie just smiled, letting her joke. She thought that it was better than them realizing that she had been acting strangely. Across from them, Julian chuckled. ¡°Eating well is a blessing. Besides, Macie, you¡¯re too small. You should eat more. Lunch is on me.¡± Macie smiled but said nothing. All she wanted was to finish quickly and leave before Edward saw her. A few booths away, separated by three rows, Sharon swirled her wine ss and looked at Edward.¡® Edward, was your morning busy? Are you tired?¡± ¡°Not too busy,¡± Edward answered absentmindedly, sipping his wine. ¡°1 ¡°Then why do you seem so distracted? You¡¯re not secretly worrying about me, are you?¡± Sharon joked. Edward snapped out of his daze and focused on her. His mind had been filled with Macie ever since he stepped into the restaurant. ¡°Have you been to the hospitaltely?¡± he asked. Sharon¡¯s smile stiffened for a brief second before she quickly masked it. She wondered why he was suddenly asking her about that. On the contrary, he was actually asking if she had gone to see Macie. ¡°Not yet. Rehearsals have been keeping me busy. I get homete, wake upte, and then head straight to work,¡± Sharon casually answered. Edward pressed his lips together and fell into silence. He had hoped that Sharon would check on Macie so that he wouldn¡¯t have to. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ed?¡± Sharon prodded, feigning ignorance. ¡°Nothing. I just wanted to ask if you¡¯ve had your follow¨Cup checkup,¡± Edward said before downing the rest of his wine. Sharon smiled without exposing his lie. Why had he been so lost in thought if he was only asking about her checkup? And why drink alone like that? Her fingers curled into a fist under the table, her nails digging into her palm. She felt an impending crisis and knew that she needed to act fast. She smiled sweetly as she poured ore wine into his ss. If he wanted to drink, then she would just get him drunk. And then, she would take him straight to a hotel. Invitation 70 Chapter 70 A smirk tugged at Sharon¡¯s lips as she plotted in her mind. The main course arrived, but Edward barely ate. Instead, he finished nearly an entire bottle of red wine. When a second bottle was opened, the alcohol began taking effect. ¡°No more, Sharon. I still have work this afternoon,¡± Edward said, moving his ss away to stop her from refilling it. ¡°You seem stressed. I¡¯m guessing that work has been overwhelming. A little wine and a nap in your office will help you feel refreshed,¡± Sharon gently coaxed. Edward listened, though his bad mood wasn¡¯t because of work. It was because of Macie. She still hadn¡¯t reached out to him and wasn¡¯t answering his calls. It frustrated and enraged him, leaving him restless. In the end, he ced the ss back on the table and nudged it toward Sharon. She poured him another drink. Meanwhile, Macie and her friends had finished with their meals. Julian paid the bill as they got up to leave. ¡°I need to use the restroom. May,e with me?¡± Alice asked. Macie nodded and walked with her while Julian said, ¡°I¡¯ll wait outside.¡± Th?s chapter is updated by find{n}ovel ¡°There¡¯s no need, Julian. You should head back to the office. You have to work this afternoon,¡± Macie said. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not in any rush,¡± Julian replied. Macie and Alice went to the restroom. Alice took a longer time while Macie stepped out first, washing her hands at the sink. Just then, a voice from outside made her freeze. ¡°Ed, are you okay? Let me help you. Be careful, or you¡¯ll fall.¡± Sharon¡¯s voice rang out. Macie went rigid. She couldn¡¯t believe how unlucky she was. She wondered if she should head back into the restroom stall and hide. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. I¡¯m fine. Men and women should keep their distance. I¡¯m married.¡± Edward¡¯s voice came next. Macie scoffed, a mocking smirk ying at her lips. Married? Keeping a distance? Hadn¡¯t he and Sharon already rolled in the sheets multiple times during their marriage? 1/2 Oh, right. It wasn¡¯t considered cheating anymore if it was not a pursuit of true love. Just as Macie turned to return to the restroom, she heard Sharon speak again and decided to stay put, only shifting her position to avoid direct eye contact with Edward. Footsteps approached from behind, growing closer. Her heart pounded in her chest. She didn¡¯t think that he would recognize her from behind as her hair was different now. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to rx. The sound of the footsteps passed by her, fading into the men¡¯s restroom. Only then did Macie slowly turn and walk out. Sharon waited outside as Macie passed by in the opposite direction,pletely unrecognized. Inside the men¡¯s restroom, Edward frowned, his mind unsettled. Just before walking in, he could¡¯ve sworn that he saw Macie again. The slim figure, the height, and even the way her arms looked¨Ceverything matched his memory of Macie, except this woman had short hair. After using the restroom, Edward washed his hands and instinctively nced to the side, only to see a woman with voluminous waves instead. ¡°Edward?¡± A voice called his name before he could think further. He turned and took a moment to recognize the woman before him. ¡°Ms. Hart,¡± Edward greeted. ¡°At least you still remember me. Seeing your face, I almost thought you¡¯d been drinking in broad daylight, ¡°Alice remarked. Edward¡¯s face was visibly flushed from the alcohol, and his usually sharp eyes were clouded. He lookedpletely different from his usual cold andposed self. Just then, Sharon entered, quickly linking her arm around Edward¡¯s and feigning concern. ¡°Edward, are you okay?¡± She nced sideways at Alice, assessing her. She thought that Alice looked familiar. Wasn¡¯t she one of Macie¡¯s close college friends? Alice clicked her tongue. ¡°Seriously? In broad daylight? You two aren¡¯t even trying to be subtle.¡± She then turned to Edward, her gaze sharp. ¡°So, are you openly cheating now?¡± Invitation 71 Edward¡¯s brows furrowed even deeper at Alice¡¯s words. He sternly rified, ¡°Ms. Hart, please watch your words. Don¡¯t make baseless usations.¡± Alice found his reaction amusing. ¡°Oh? Then why are you two holding hands? I even saw the trending news this morning.¡± Edward nced down, realizing that Sharon had linked arms with him. He immediately shook her off. Sharon nearly ground her teeth in frustration, though she kept a smile on her face. Nevertheless, she shot a re at Alice, the troublemaker who was stirring things up. ¡°Trending news is nothing but rumors, Ms. Hart. You shouldn¡¯t believe everything you read online,¡± Edward said, his tone growing colder. Alice let out a scoff. She thought that Edward was clearly more than just slightly drunk. Otherwise, how else could he say something so self¨Crighteous when the evidence was right in front of him? ¡°Your little sweetheart is wearing the nine¨Cmillion¨Cdor ne, isn¡¯t she? Next time, if you want to deny something, at least clean up the evidence first,¡± she mocked. Edward¡¯s eyes immediately snapped to Sharon¡¯s neck. His hand shot forward, about to snatch the ne off her. ¡°Ed, what are you doing? You personally gave this to mest night!¡± Sharon shrieked, stepping back and clutching her neck protectively. ¡°Impossible. That was a gift for my wife. You don¡¯t deserve to wear it,¡± Edward growled. He moved forward again to reim it. Sharon dodged his movement. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she shot a sharp look at Alice, the instigator who was watching the drama unfold. She wondered why thetter was targeting her. ¡°Miss, I don¡¯t even know you. Why are you so set on making things difficult for me?¡± Sharon asked in a pitiful tone. Alice crossed her arms, unimpressed. ¡°And which eye of yours saw me targeting you? I¡¯m just stating facts.¡± (19 She eyed Sharon disdainfully. She found this level of maniptive act to be pathetic. Only a fool like Edward would fall for someone like this. ¡°You¡¯re obviously trying to create problems between me and Edward!¡± Sharon used. Alice had been ready to fire back, but a better idea crossed her mind. Smirking, she said, ¡°Of course I am. Who knows? Maybe I¡¯ll have to deal with you in the future. +15 BONUS This content belongs to F¦Énd£Îovel ¡°Oh, by the way, did you know? My dad once nned for me to marry Edward.¡± Sharon stiffened at those words. Just by looking at Alice¡¯s refined outfit and demeanor, it was clear that she came from wealth. And judging by the way she spoke to Edward, they seemed familiar. Sharon wondered if Alice¡¯s ims were indeed true. Sensing Sharon¡¯s hesitation, Alice smirked in satisfaction and turned to leave. As she walked away, she threw out onest remark. ¡°Edward, you low¨Css scumbag, I¡¯m telling your grandfather about your affairs!¡± Half¨Cdrunk, Edwardtched onto one key point. ¡°I didn¡¯t cheat! I didn¡¯t!¡± Alice couldn¡¯t care less about a drunkard¡¯s protests. She thought that a married man who was tangled up with a mistress was garbage, a scumbag, and utterly disgraceful. Herment about marrying Edward had just been to mess with Sharon. Even if every man on earth died, she would refuse to touch Edward. Upon further thought, she then wondered who Edward¡¯s wife was. She pitied the woman and figured that she must¡¯ve been unfortunate enough to end up married to him. With that thought, Alice quickened her pace. She couldn¡¯t believe that Macie wasn¡¯t even waiting for her. After all, this was peak drama. How could Macie miss out on such a spectacle? Outside, in the za, Alice spotted Macie¡¯s figure in the distance. She raised a hand and jogged toward her. Just then, Macie turned around and was about to signal Alice to hurry up when she suddenly spotted Edward stepping out of the restaurant from the other direction. Panic shot through her. Without thinking, she crouched down and bent low, using the parked cars as cover as she quickly moved away. Invitation 72 A knock on the car window startled Julian. When he looked up and saw Macie, he quickly unlocked the door. But instead of getting into the passenger seat, she hurried into the back, looking visibly flustered. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡± Julian asked immediately. ¡°No. It¡¯s nothing¡­¡± Macie said, trying to steady her emotions. ¡°Julian, can you start the car? Just drop me off at the next intersection.¡± Julian, though puzzled, started the engine. As he turned the corner, he spotted Alice walking into the za with a man and woman beside her. He recognized the man as Edward Fowler. ncing at the rearview mirror, Julian noticed that Macie wasn¡¯t even seated properly. She was crouched low in the back seat, hiding. Alice had alreadye out, so why was Macie acting like she was fleeing? Who was she avoiding? ¡°Macie, are you hiding from someone?¡± Julian asked. ¡°I-¡± Macie was about to answer when Julian added, ¡°The only people with Alice were Edward and that woman. Are you¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m hiding from the woman,¡± Macie quickly cut in. ¡°Her name is Sharon Emerson. I know her from high school, and we had a falling out. I don¡¯t want to see her.¡± Technically, Macie spoke the truth. Even if Julian asked Alice, the story would hold up. ¡°I see. For a second, I thought that you were hiding from Edward,¡± Julian said. ¡°How could that be? I don¡¯t even know him,¡± Macie replied, forcing herself to soundposed. ¡°That makes sense. Even though we went to the same college, we weren¡¯t in the same department. I wasn¡¯t close to him either,¡± Julian remarked. Macie rxed slightly. She hoped never to see Edward again. Outside the restaurant, Edward rushed to Alice¡¯s car and searched around before muttering in confusion,¡± She was just here. I saw her.¡± Alice, who was leaning against the driver¡¯s seat, rolled her eyes. ¡°Looking for me? I¡¯m right here.¡± She clicked her tongue, adding, ¡°The Fowler family is really doomed. Their only heir is out here, wasted and stumbling around like a clueless duck.¡± She sighed dramatically. ¡°Oh well. Maybe not entirely doomed. You still have that illegitimate half- brother, don¡¯t you? You had better watch your back. Your inheritance might not be so secure.¡± Edward ignored her taunts, still mumbling, ¡°I swear I saw her. Where did she go?¡± Alice was about to ask who this woman was, but before she could, Sharon rushed over and linked her arm around Edward for support. ¡°Edward, let¡¯s go home. Don¡¯t run around like this. You might get hurt.¡± Alice climbed into her car and buckled in her seatbelt. Just to mess with Sharon, she smirked and said, ¡± Wow, Edward. Even drunk, you came running to find me. It looks like you¡¯re deeply in love with me.¡± 2 Chapters first released on Find[?]ovel The thought alone disgusted her, but she felt that it was worth it to rile up Sharon before driving off. Left standing there, Sharon was livid and jealous. She had just gotten rid of Macie, and now there seemed to be another rival. That woman said that her family had nned to marry her to Edward. Sharon wondered what would happen to her if that were true. Meanwhile, Edward, still dazed from the alcohol, finally registered Sharon¡¯s words. He nodded slowly and said, ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go home. I need to find Macie.¡± Sharon¡¯s rage intensified. It was always about Macie. Didn¡¯t Edward say that he didn¡¯t love her? Yet the moment he got drunk, he distanced himself from Sharon and tried to take back the ne. Now, he was chasing after Macie. Clenching her fists, Sharon let out a bitterugh. ¡°Of course Edward. Let¡¯s go home to find May.¡± +15 BONUS Chapter 73 Invitation 73 Chapter 73 Edward obediently followed Sharon and got into the cab. Meanwhile, at the next intersection, Macie declined Julian¡¯s offer to tour thepany in advance, opting to wait for Alice instead. When the red sports car pulled up, she quickly got in. ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable, May! When I mentioned Julian, you acted like you wanted nothing to do with him, but then you happily hopped into his car just to talk to him longer,¡± Alice teased. Macie had no words to defend herself. Bracing herself, she exined, ¡°It was only for a few minutes. We barely had time to say anything.¡± ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s enough time to sneak in a few kisses.¡± Alice smirked. Macie fell silent. ¡°Come on, spill. What did you two talk about? If you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll just make up my own version,¡± Alice pressed. (1) With a helpless smile, Macie sighed. ¡°I swear, we only talked about work.¡± The two women bickered yfully on the way home. The cab stopped outside a luxury hotel. Sharon helped Edward toward the entrance, but he suddenly yanked his arm away, frowning. ¡°I have a wife. Keep your distance,¡± Edward emphasized. 1 Sharon¡¯s lips curled into a smirk, amusement flickering in her eyes. She thought, ¡°Let¡¯s see if you can still say that once we¡¯re in bed. I¡¯ll make sure there¡¯s no distance left between us.¡± She then turned to Edward and coaxed with a smile. ¡°Of course. Let¡¯s go home. May is waiting for you.¡± At first, Edward went along with her, but as they reached the hotel entrance, he abruptly stopped. His gaze fixed on the doors. Then, he nced up at the building. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Edward? Let¡¯s go home,¡± Sharon said, trying to nudge him forward. Edward suddenly swung his arm, forcefully shrugging her off. Sharon staggered back, nearly toppling in her high heels. ¡°This isn¡¯t my home. Don¡¯t try to fool me,¡± Edward snapped, turning on his heel to leave. Panic surged through Sharon. She wondered if he had sobered up. She quickly followed him, only to see him pulling out his phone and making a call. His voice carried a hint of grievance as he said, ¡°Macie,e pick me up. I drank too much. Did you make my favorite hot soup? I want to drink it.¡± On the other end of the line was his assistant, Nathan. ¡°Mr. Fowler, where are you? Have you had too much to drink? I¡¯lle get you right away,¡± Nathan said. Edward nced up at the illuminated hotel sign. ¡°Four Weather Grand Hotel.¡± Behind him, Sharon, who had overheard the conversation, assumed he was really calling Macie. She reached out, ready to snatch his phone, only to realize that he had called Nathan instead. Get full chapters from FindN()vel What was more, he could still recognize words and speak clearly. Sharon wasn¡¯t sure how drunk Edward actually was, but she was determined to take advantage of the situation. Whenever Edward was sober, he rejected her at every turn. So, she figured that this was her best chance. She grabbed his arm, trying to pull him up, but Edward simply sat down on the curb, silent and unmoving, waiting for Macie to pick him up. Nathan arrived at the hotel ten minutester, having precisely tracked the location. What he saw was unexpected. The normallyposed, cold, high¨Cstatus CEO sat on a stone step. His expensive suit looked like something bought from a discount rack,pletely out of ce on him. now. Next to him, Sharon was desperately trying to pull him up. ¡°Mr. Fowler, are you alright?¡± Nathan asked as he approached. Edward lifted his head, frowning. ¡°Nathan, why are you here?¡± ¡°Mr. Fowler, you called me.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Macie? Why didn¡¯t shee pick me up?¡± Edward grumbled, clearly starting to sulk. Sharon quickly interjected, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Nathan. Ed had a little too much to drink. He won¡¯t be going to the office this afternoon. I¡¯ll take him home.¡± 2/2 Invitation 74 Nathan observed Edward closely. He said, ¡°You don¡¯t seem drunk at all. You still recognized me.¡± Edward had clearly meant to call Macie but had dialed Nathan instead. ¡°He¡¯s definitely drunk,¡± Sharon insisted. ¡°Otherwise, would he sit on the roadside with no regard for his image?¡± Nathan nced at her and immediately saw through her intentions. If she took Edward home, he would be done for. Stepping in firmly, Nathan stated, ¡°Mr. Fowler is perfectly sober. He has two international meetings this afternoon. He can¡¯t afford to take the day off.¡± Sharon opened her mouth and was about to suggest postponing the meetings, but Nathan cut her off. ¡°These are multi¨Cbillion¨Cdor deals. Are you willing to take responsibility for any dys? Can you handle that?¡± Sharon fell silent. Multi¨Cbillion¨Cdor deals? If Edward sobered upter and realized she had dragged him home instead, she would be finished. Left with no choice, she watched in frustration as Nathan took Edward away. She stomped her feet in anger. Meanwhile, outside an apartmentplex, Macie had arrived home. Alice followed her up, scanning the modest 800¨Csquare¨Cfoot space before sighing dramatically. ¡°This ce is so small. My bathroom is bigger than this.¡± ¡°Please, Alice, try to endure it. This is where we ordinary folk live,¡± Macie said smilingly. ¡°It¡¯s just me living here, so I don¡¯t need much space. The location is good, and the management is decent, so I bought it outright.¡± ¡°There are two bedrooms? I¡¯m staying over tonight,¡± Alice announced as she looked around. Macie chuckled at how quickly Alice had gone fromining to settling in. Macie wasn¡¯t physically tired that day, but the emotional whish exhausted her. She couldn¡¯t even eat in peace without running into Edward. From now on, she would avoid anywhere within a ten¨Cmile radius of Fowler Group. ¡°You missed the drama while you were off in Julian¡¯s car. I was just telling you about the gossip this morning,¡± Alice said while lounging on the couch. Macie continued unpacking her shopping bags, her face unreadable. ¡°It was hrious. I ran into Edward and his mistress in the restroom. I called him out for cheating, and get this¨Che was literally holding her arm while denying it.¡± Macie¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change as she folded her new clothes. ¡°Then he got drunk, stormed out like a lunatic, and even blocked my car. I have no idea what he was trying to do. Honestly, his wife must have the worst luck ever.¡± Macie blinked, speechless. It was a strange, almost surreal feeling to hear her best friend rant about her without even realizing it. Edward woke up from his nap at 3:00 pm in the CEO¡¯s office at Fowler Group, his mind slightly groggy. Finding himself in the office lounge, he frowned. After stepping out, he requested coffee from Nathan. Nathan entered and asked, ¡°Mr. Fowler, how are you feeling? Are you still dizzy? Do you need a hangover remedy?¡± Edward frowned. ¡°Why would I need a hangover remedy?¡± Nathan hesitated before asking, ¡°Did you ck out? Do you not remember getting drunk at lunch and demanding to see Mrs. Fowler?¡± Edward had just taken a sip of coffee and immediately choked, sputtering as his face darkened. A faint redness crept up his ears. As he tried to recall, he realized he couldn¡¯t remember much. Panicked, he grabbed his phone and saw that he had made dozens of calls to Macie. Yet, not a single one was answered. A conflicting mix of emotions surged inside him. On one hand, he thought that it was good that she hadn¡¯t picked up. If she had, she would have witnessed his humiliating state. That would have been utterly shameful. But at the same time, he was inexplicably furious. Macie really had blocked him and hadn¡¯t answered even once. 2/2 Official source is FindN()vel Invitation 75 Caught in his own contradictions, Edward wrestled internally, torn between frustration and self¨Cinflicted torment. In the end, anger won out. His face darkened as he wiped the coffee spill from his lips. ¡°Macie sure has grown some nerve. Four days in a row with this attitude. Has she forgotten who she is?¡± Edward scoffed under his breath. ¡°With that temper, any other family would¡¯ve kicked her out long ago. She has no family background and still doesn¡¯t know how to hold on to her ce as Mrs. Fowler. ¡°If she won¡¯t even open her mouth to talk properly, what¡¯s the point of having one? This was all her fault, yet she acts like the whole world owes her something.¡± Nathan, standing nearby, silently observed Edward, who had now fully transformed into a bitter,ining husband. His lips twitched as he stared at the ceiling, barely restraining his disbelief. Every word Edward spoke was full of resentment and disdain. Yet, this was the same man who had spent his entire drunken afternoon desperately trying to call Macie. Now, after a nap, he was suddenly refusing to acknowledge it. ¡°Mr. Fowler, since you¡¯re sober now, you should review and sign the documents you left unfinished this morning. You have no other scheduled ns this afternoon, so you can clock out on time,¡± Nathan reminded him. Edward tossed the wet wipe aside. ¡°Give me any schedule for tomorrow. I¡¯m working overtime tonight.¡± He didn¡¯t see a point in clocking out on time. After all, he would have to just go home and stare at an empty house. Sharon had beening backtetely, and Macie wasn¡¯t around either. Once Sharon moved out, it would be just him, alone again, every night. ¡°Didn¡¯t you leave early every day before? I started pushing your afternoon tasks to the following day because of that,¡± Nathan pointed out. Edward opened his mouth to respond but hesitated. It was because Macie had just been discharged from the hospital. He had rushed home to catch her in time to shop for groceries and cook together. But he thought that saying that out loud would be strange. It would sound like he had deliberately adjusted his schedule to go grocery shopping with her. ¡°I said that I¡¯m workingte, so just do what I say. Why ask so many questions?¡± Edward snapped irritably. 1/2 44 Nathan shrugged. ¡°Alright then, Mr. Fowler. Whatever you say.¡± He turned to leave and was about to step out when Edward suddenly spoke again. ¡°Find time to visit the hospital. See when Macie is getting discharged.¡± After a brief pause, he quickly added, his tone harsh as he said, ¡°Tell her to return home already. Does she think that money for the hospital bills grows on trees? She doesn¡¯t even have a job. All she does is spend money.¡± The source of th?s content is findnovel Nathan could hardly believe it. Edward just spent nine million dors on a ne for a model, yet he is fussing over Macie¡¯s hospital bills. He was at aplete loss. Even as a man himself, he couldn¡¯t help but think that Edward was an absolute scumbag. ¡°Apologies, Mr. Fowler. I¡¯m busy this afternoon and won¡¯t have time to go to the hospital,¡± Nathan replied bluntly. Edward frowned. ¡°What are you so busy with?¡± ¡°I have to check in with the administrative department, coordinate the conference room schedule, and handle the paperwork once you finish signing everything,¡± Nathan said, pretending to think. ¡°You can¡¯t spare even some time? I won¡¯t deduct it from your attendance. Your full sry is intact,¡± Edward reassured him. Nathan gave him a deadpan look. ¡°Mr. Fowler, you already docked all my attendance bonuses this month. ¡± ¡°Right¡­ Yeah, I forgot about that.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re that concerned, you should visit her yourself. You¡¯re free after work, after all,¡± Nathan added as he reached the door. Just before stepping out, he paused, nced back, and said, ¡°Mr. Fowler, you should stop lying to yourself. Or else, you¡¯ll regret it when it¡¯s toote.¡± Invitation 76 +15 BONUS Edward stared nkly at the door, his mind racing. He couldn¡¯t understand the meaning behind Nathan¡¯s advice to stop lying to himself. He wondered when he had ever not been truthful. And regret? What was there to regret? He made decisions, and he stuck to them. Edward grabbed the file on his desk, trying to force his focus onto the words in front of him. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t concentrate. So, he tossed it aside and ced his phone directly in the center of the table to avoid missing any calls. But the next few hours only brought calls from his team, not from the one he had hoped for. Meanwhile, Macie was hanging out with Alice that afternoon. They swatched lipsticks and spritzed perfumes on their wrists. They¡¯d already picked out a new handbag and some jewelry and were now sitting in their favorite restaurant. The source of th?s content is f¦É?dn¦Ïvel When her phone buzzed on the table, Macie nced at it, then flipped it over. ¡°Who is it? Why aren¡¯t you picking up?¡± Alice asked. ¡°Just a telemarketer,¡± Macie said, shrugging it off with a smile. But it wasn¡¯t a telemarketer. It was the Fowler family¡¯sndline. They¡¯d been calling since 2:00 pm, and Maciepletely ignored it. She¡¯d changed her number recently, so only a handful of people had it. She didn¡¯t need to answer to know why they were calling. The Fowler family could find her new number easily. And as she expected, they¡¯d followed up with a text. The text read, ¡°Mr. Fowler Senior would like to speak with you.¡± But Macie didn¡¯t think there was anything left to say. The divorce papers had already been delivered, and Yosef knew what to do. The two¨Cyear agreement was over. She¡¯d held up her end of the deal. At the Fowler residence, Nn reported, ¡°Mr. Fowler Senior, Mrs. Fowler still isn¡¯t answering.¡± Yosef sighed and leaned back in his chair. ¡°She¡¯s changed her number. It¡¯s a clean break.¡± ¡°Has Edward called?¡± he asked after a moment. Nn shook his head. ¡°No, sir.¡± ¡°So, he rekindled things with that woman again, hasn¡¯t he?¡± Yosef asked sternly. Nn hesitated, unsure what to say, as Edward had specifically warned him not to speak too freely in front of Yosef. ¡°There¡¯s no point hiding it from me. Last time, he imed that he was just helping someone out of a tough spot. But this time? A nine¨Cmillion¨Cdor ne? How will he exin that? What a mess. He doesn¡¯t appreciate the treasure right beside him,¡± Yosefmented, shaking his head. Macie hadn¡¯t mentioned the divorce agreement previously. But this time, she had sent over the signed divorce papers herself. The signature was undoubtedly Edward¡¯s. Yosef figured that Edward had probably wanted this divorce for a while now, which was why he hadn¡¯t called. Yosef sighed and replied, ¡°Transfer 50 million dors to Macie¡¯s ount. Consider itpensation for the two years she spent by Edward¡¯s side. She left with nothing¨Cnot a single penny. What a foolish girl.¡± Nn nodded and left to carry out the order. Meanwhile, at the Fowler Group¡¯s CEO¡¯s office, Edward nced at the clock. It was already 6:00 pm. He¡¯d finished all the documents on his desk and was now slipping on his suit jacket, ready to leave. Just as he stood, there was a knock at the door. Nathan entered, carrying a stack of proposals and contracts that needed his review. ¡°Mr. Fowler, these are the documents you¡¯ll need to handle tonight-¡± he began to say. However, he stopped short when he saw Edward with his jacket on, clearly preparing to leave. ¡°They can wait until tomorrow,¡± Edward said curtly before leaving. Nathan was speechless. Edward took the elevator to the parking garage, got into his car, and drove off. Almost instinctively, he found himself heading toward the hospital. His mind wandered as he drove, his thoughts swirling in a chaotic haze. By the time he snapped out of it, he was already pulling up to Medford Hospital, where Macie worked. Therge sign reading ¡°Medford Hospital¡± loomed to his side. It was only 800 miles from his home. Invitation 77 Edward pursed his lips, debating with himself for several minutes. Finally, he decided to head home. (2 He didn¡¯t know why Macie wasn¡¯t answering his calls. He wondered if it was because she didn¡¯t have her phone or if she had blocked his number. Edward had bought her a new phone. If it wasn¡¯t at home, it meant that she was using it. If she were using it, then it seemed that she had indeed deliberately blocked him. That would give him something to confront her about, at least. But if she wasn¡¯t using her new phone, how had she been managing at the hospital all these days? Edward pondered if Macie had been using herputer instead. He returned to their apartment feeling slightly hopeful. He took the elevator up, stepped inside, and headed straight for the guest bedroom. The door wasn¡¯t locked. He pushed it open and froze. The bed was stripped bare. There were no sheets or pillows, just a bare mattress staring back at him. Edward¡¯s heart skipped a beat and then began to race. His back stiffened, and a wave of unease washed over him. Why was it so empty? Where¡¯s Macie? Did she leave again? His eyesnded on the phone sitting on the nightstand. He walked over and picked it up. A thinyer of dust coated the surface, and the stic film was still intact. There was even a small dent from when he¡¯d thrown it. His fingers tightened around the phone as a mix of panic and denial surged through him. He figured that Macie must be staying at the hospital to recover. She almost died from gas poisoning, so it was likely that she was staying there for longer. Naturally, she¡¯d take her bedding to make herself morefortable. Edward was convinced that that was it. He was certain that it was. Macie wasn¡¯t answering Edward¡¯s calls because she had no phone. She wasn¡¯t ignoring him and hadn¡¯t blocked him. Clutching the new phone, Edward bolted out of the apartment. He drove back to the hospital, but he didn¡¯t wait for the elevator this time. He took the stairs, racing up eight flights, two steps at a time. His breath came in ragged gasps, his heart pounding harder with every step. His fingers tingled with anxiety. (1 Edward tried to reassure himself that Macie had taken her bedding to the hospital. However, his mind kept circling back to the emptiness of the guest room. Her mug was gone, and her bath towel was missing. He wondered if she had really taken everything and if she was moving all her things to the hospital. When he reached the eighth floor, his footsteps echoed loudly in the stairwell. He burst into the hospital room, his voice loud and desperate. ¡°Macie!¡± Everyone in the hospital ward was shocked. A middle¨Caged woman, presumably a family member of the patient, shot to her feet and snapped, ¡°Who are you? How dare you barge in here like this! Are you going to be responsible if my parents experience a heart attack from the shock?¡± Edward stared at her, then at the elderly patient lying in the bed. His expression went nk, his mind struggling to process what he was seeing. This update is avable on f?ndnovel ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I must have the wrong room,¡± Edward muttered as he backed out. Once outside, he double¨Cchecked the room number, his heart sinking as he confirmed that it was indeed the one Macie had been in. Panic surged through him again. He pushed the door open once more and asked, ¡°Excuse me. Do you know where the previous patient in this room went?¡± The family member red at him. ¡°Are you insane? Why are you asking me? Ask the nurses if you want to know about thest patient!¡± Edward blinked, realization dawning. He hurried to the nurses¡® station and asked, ¡°Do you know where the previous patient in Room 9 went? Her name is Macie Smith.¡± The nurse, noticing his frantic state, quickly checked the records. ¡°Macie? Yes, she was in Room 9.¡± ¡°Where is she now?¡± Edward demanded. ¡°She checked out yesterday at 8:00 am,¡± the nurse replied. Edward staggered back in surprise. He gripped the counter to steady himself. He couldn¡¯t believe that Macie had checked out of the hospital yesterday. Invitation 78 Edward wondered why he wasn¡¯t aware that Macie had left the hospital. Upon seeing Edward¡¯s shocked reaction, the nurse eyed him suspiciously and asked, ¡°How are you rted to Macie?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m her husband,¡± Edward muttered. The nurse frowned, studying him with apparent skepticism. ¡°If you¡¯re her husband, why didn¡¯t you know that she was discharged?¡± Edward didn¡¯t answer. His mind was nk, his thoughts scattered. After a few seconds of stunned silence, he snapped to reality and bolted down the stairs. If Macie had been discharged yesterday morning, why hadn¡¯t shee home? Where had she taken her bedding and pillows? Did she know someone else in this city? Had she gone to rent a ce? But she hadn¡¯t worked in two years. Where would she get the money? Was it from Yosef? Edward thought that none of it made any sense unless Macie moved in with that so¨Ccalled ¡°senior¡± of hers! The thought sent a jolt of panic through Edward, quickly morphing into jealousy and rage. His foot mmed on the gas pedal, the car speeding dangerously close to the limit as he raced back home. Once inside, he stormed into the guest bedroom and yanked open the closet. It was empty. The room, already sparsely furnished with just a nightstand and two wardrobes, now felt like a hollow shell. Edward¡¯s anger peaked as he pulled out his phone and dialed Macie¡¯s number again. The same cold, automated voice greeted him. He tried sending her a message, only to be met with a red This content belongs to F¦ÉndNovel exmation mark. Macie had blocked his contact. ¡°Macie,¡± Edward growled her name through clenched teeth, then immediately sent her a friend request on social media, His hands trembled as he sat on the edge of the bed. He clutched his head. If there had been a mirror, he would have seen the bloodshot eyes staring back at him. But no matter how long he waited, there was no response. Desperate, he sent multiple verification messages, each one more frantic than thest. Edward¡¯s eyes fell on the nightstand. The drawer was closed. He yanked it open, hoping to find anything that would prove that Macie might return. Instead, Edward found a stack of papers. He picked them up, and the bold letters at the top struck him like a knife to the heart. It read, ¡°Divorce Agreement¡°. ¡°Fine. Fine! Macie, you¡¯ve got guts!¡± Edward roared as he jumped to his feet. He had thought that Macie¡¯s casual mention of divorce half a month ago was just a joke, a passing remark she hadn¡¯t seriously meant. But now, there it was¨Cthe divorce agreement, right in his hands. ¡°Don¡¯t even think of a divorce. This marriage was something you schemed for, wasn¡¯t it? I¡¯ll show you what it means to get in easily but leave with difficulty. You begged for this, so even if you have to, you¡¯ll plead for decades!¡± Edward¡¯s words echoed in the empty room. Then, without hesitation, he tore the thin stack of papers into shreds, the pieces fluttering to the ground like confetti. A twisted smile curled on his lips as he stared at the scattered fragments of the divorce agreement. ¡°I¡¯ll never sign it. Macie, you won¡¯t get your way.¡± Just then, a small piece of paper caught his eye. Edward crouched down and picked it up. It was Macie¡¯s signature. That alone wouldn¡¯t have been surprising, but his signature was on the other half of the torn paper. Edward¡¯s eyes widened in shock. He scrambled to find the matching pieces, piecing them together under the light. There was no mistaking it. It was his handwriting. At that moment, it felt like the sky had fallen. He copsed to the floor, his anger dissolving into disbelief, confusion, and a mind¨Cnumbing sense of loss. Invitation 79 Chapter 79 Edward wondered when he had signed the divorce agreement. Macie never gave him any documents! If he had seen it, there was no way he would have signed it. His mind raced, trying to figure out where things had gone wrong. He sensed something amiss as he rubbed the piece of paper between his fingers. The signature didn¡¯t have the texture of ink. It was¡­ Edward held it up to the light, squinting. A photocopy? He rubbed it again, confirming that it was indeed a copy. His initial panic subsided, quickly reced by a fresh wave of anger. ¡°Macie! You lunatic! You faked a photocopy to mess with me!¡± Edward snarled through gritted teeth. He had thought that it was a real divorce agreement with his actual signature. It turned out to be just a prank! All that panic and confusion for nothing. Wait, no. Edward wasn¡¯t panicking. He was just angry and confused about when he supposedly signed it! Edward stood up and red at the shredded pieces on the floor. In a fit of rage, he stomped on them, grinding the paper into the ground. The friend requests he¡¯d sent were still unanswered. Frustrated, he sent another one, this timeced with his anger. Meanwhile, at the restaurant, Macie¡¯s phone on the table kept vibrating intermittently. Finally, Alice looked up and asked, ¡°Who¡¯s this telemarketer? Let me see. I¡¯ll give them a piece of my mind and make sure they never dare to spam you again.¡± She reached for Macie¡¯s phone, but Macie grabbed it first and ced it on the couch beside her. ¡°I¡¯ll delete his contactter,¡± Macie said, switching the phone off so it wouldn¡¯t vibrate anymore. ¡°I just bought a new ce, and he¡¯s a furniture salesman,¡± she added, offering a usible exnation to stop Alice from asking further questions. ¡°I get that he¡¯s struggling with sales, but this is harassment. Just report him,¡± Alice said. The source of th?s content is find{n}ovel Macie nodded, and the two continued their meal. Shortly after, Alice went to grab more beer. Macie took her phone, turned it back on and checked the flood of messages from the ¡°telemarketer¡± who had sent over 20 frantic friend requests. ¡°Macie, you deleted my contact? How dare you! ¡°Why aren¡¯t you home if you¡¯ve been discharged? Where are you messing around? Are you with that other man? ¡°Damn it, Macie. If you dare cheat on me, I¡¯ll make sure you regret it for the rest of your life!¡± The messages continued. It was a mix of insults and demands for Macie to unblock Edward¡¯s contact. Macie¡¯s expression remained cold, her eyes devoid of emotion. She thought that Edward was such an idiot. She and Julian had never been more than friends, yet he was jumping to conclusions like a paranoid fool. And even if there had been something between them, he didn¡¯t have a right to question her. After all, hadn¡¯t he already thrown her under the bus, siding with that other woman and humiliating her? Still, it had been two days since Macie left. She wondered if he had seen the divorce papers yet. If he had, he shouldn¡¯t even care where she was now. After scrolling through the messages, Macie finally understood. At first, he hadn¡¯t found the papers she¡¯d left in the nightstand drawer. ¡°You lunatic! Did you use a photocopy to scare me? Do you think I¡¯m a fool who can¡¯t tell the difference? ¡°You¡¯d better get your ass back here, and I¡¯ll let this little prank slide. ¡°My patience is running thin. If you don¡¯t reply within three minutes, then don¡¯t me me for what happens next. ¡°Don¡¯t make mee find you, or you¡¯ll regret it!¡± After reading the messages, Macie rolled her eyes hard. She thought that Edward was insane. He said he wasn¡¯t a fool? Indeed, he wasn¡¯t a fool. He was aplete idiot. If Edward already knew it was a photocopy, how had it not urred to him that there was an original? He had called this a prank. But who would have the time to prank him? Invitation 80 Macie couldn¡¯t help but feel a wave of exhaustion wash over her. The fact that she had been married to someone like Edward for two years was almostughable. If people knew, they¡¯d probably mock her for it. Alice returned with the beers. Upon noticing the look on her friend¡¯s face, she asked, ¡°May, what¡¯s wrong? ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m just annoyed by some idiot telemarketer,¡± Macie replied with a forced smile. She couldn¡¯t believe that she¡¯d even bothered to read through Edward¡¯s messages. It was like poking a wound just to see if it still hurt. 1 ¡°I told you to let me yell at him. You¡¯re too nice just to block him outright,¡± Alice said as she sat down. ¡°I did block him, and I deleted him too. But reading those messages still pissed me off,¡± Macie admitted. ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? F¦ÉndNovel They clinked their beer bottles, and Macie tossed her phone aside, determined not to pick it up again. While Macie calmly ignored the chaos, Edward was on the verge of losing his mind. He was infuriated by Macie¡¯sck of response. ¡°Fine, Macie! Do you think I¡¯m just making empty threats? You think I¡¯m someone you can mess with?¡± Edward ranted to himself. He immediately called Nathan and barked orders to track Macie down. Nathan listened to Edward¡¯s furious tirade on the other end of the line, then hung up and muttered, ¡°You brought this on yourself. Now your wife¡¯s gone, and you¡¯re panicking.¡± 1 He opened his chat with Macie and sent her a message, only to be met with a ring red exmation mark. Nathan was at a loss for words. Her phone number was unreachable, and she¡¯d deleted him from all her social media ounts. Nathan had a sinking feeling that Macie was serious this time. He sent a detailed message to Edward, asking for the exact time Macie had left so he could narrow down the search. He workedte into the night, but by 11:00 pm, he still had no leads. Back at home, Edward hadn¡¯t changed his clothes, eaten dinner, or even bothered to fix his disheveled hair. He looked like aplete mess, slumped on the couch in a state of utter frustration. Just then, Sharon returned home. She had lied to Edward earlier, saying that she¡¯d be backte due to rehearsals, and now she had to keep up the act. As soon as Sharon spotted Edward on the couch, she immediately approached him. She cooed, ¡°Edward.¡± However, Edward didn¡¯t respond. She sat beside him, reaching out to wrap her arm around his, only for him to yank it away. ¡°Edward, I¡­¡± Sharon was taken aback, but when she saw the look on his face, her concern turned to shock. Edward¡¯s eyes were hollow and unfocused, like a puppet whose strings had been cut. There was no life or spark in them. ¡°Edward, what¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re scaring me. What happened?¡± Sharon asked worriedly. Finally, Edward seemed to snap out of his daze. When he realized who was sitting next to him, it was as if he¡¯d found hisst lifeline. He grabbed her arm tightly, his voice desperate and demanding. ¡°You¡¯re friends with Macie. You must know where she went, right? Where is she renting? What¡¯s her new phone number? Have you been in touch with her? And that senior of hers¨Cdo you know him? What¡¯s his name? ¡°I¡¯ll make sure he spends the rest of his life rotting in prison!¡± Edward gritted his teeth in rage. Sharon was caught off guard by the barrage of questions. It dawned on her that Edward must have found out that Macie had left. But had he seen the divorce papers? ¡°Edward, you¡¯re hurting me,¡± Sharon whimpered, tears welling up. It was true. Edward¡¯s grip was crushing as if he wanted to break her arm. Hearing her plea, Edward regained his senses and released her arm. Invitation 81 ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sharon. I got a little carried away just now,¡± Edward muttered. Sharon nced at the red marks on her arm and pretended not to know what had happened. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Edward slumped back onto the couch, his head hanging low in defeat. ¡°Macie. She¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°Macie¡¯s at the hospital, isn¡¯t she? Are you still drunk from lunch?¡± Sharon asked, feigning confusion. ¡°She¡¯s not at the hospital. The nurse said she checked out yesterday morning,¡± Edward replied. ¡°What? Really? Neither of us knew about that,¡± Sharon replied in surprise. ¡°Her room is empty. All she left was the phone I bought her and¡­¡± Edward¡¯s voice trailed off. ¡°And what?¡± Sharon pressed. Edward clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. ¡°A pile of useless paper. A photocopy. Did she really think that would scare me? She¡¯s such an idiot!¡± Sharon frowned. A photocopy? What was that supposed to be? Shouldn¡¯t it have been the divorce papers? She stood up and walked into Macie¡¯s room, her heart racing when she saw the shredded pieces of paper scattered across the floor. Did Edward tear up the divorce agreement? Did that mean the divorce was off? Panicked, Sharon knelt to pick up the pieces, her mind racing. She thought, ¡°I should¡¯ve hidden it. I should¡¯ve waited until the 30¨Cday cooling¨Coff period was over before bringing it out. What do I do now? If Edward¡¯s copy is destroyed, the divorce won¡¯t go through. Does that mean that Macie wille back? When will I ever get to be Mrs. Fowler?¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Edward¡¯s voice suddenly came from the doorway, startling her. ¡°I¡­ I saw trash on the floor and wanted to clean it up.¡± Sharon turned around, forcing a smile. ¡°That¡¯s not trash. It¡¯s Macie¡¯s little prank,¡± Edward said coldly. ¡°She thought that she could scare me with a stupid photocopy. Does she think I¡¯m as dumb as she is?¡± Sharon heard the word ¡°photocopy¡± again. She examined a piece of the shredded paper and realized that the printed part didn¡¯t reveal much. However, when she looked at the signature area, she realized that the agreement was a photocopy. Follow current nov?ls on find?novel It truly was just a photocopy. So, where was the original? Had Macie hidden it? Did she not want the divorce after all? Sharon thought that Macie was such a schemer. She couldn¡¯t believe that Macie had yed her like this! She clenched the piece of paper in her hand, her eyes narrowing with anger. ¡°Do you have her phone number? Call her,¡± Edward demanded. Sharon didn¡¯t want to make the call, especially not in front of Edward. If she did, she wouldn¡¯t be able to berate Macie properly. But Edward was already walking over, so Sharon quickly turned away and pulled out her phone to delete all her messages with Macie. Before Sharon could say anything, Edward snatched the phone from her hand and scrolled through her contacts, only to find no trace of Macie¡¯s contact number. ¡°Edward, you scrolled too fast. Let me do it,¡± Sharon said, her smile sweet as she snatched her phone. She quickly added Macie¡¯s number and dialed, putting it on speaker. Shortly after, a cold, automated voice answered. ¡°Macie must have blocked me,¡± Sharon said innocently, though inside, she was seething. Inwardly, she thought, ¡°Macie, you¡¯d better hope I never find you, or you¡¯ll regret it!¡± Even though Macie didn¡¯t answer Sharon¡¯s call, Edward wasn¡¯t ready to give up. He asked Sharon to send a message instead. Fortunately, Sharon had already deleted the message history. As for social media, she simply told Edward that Macie had deleted her as a friend a while ago. Edward had no choice but to drop it. As he walked away, Sharon followed him and asked, ¡°Edward, have you eaten dinner yet? Do you want to go out for somete¨Cnight snacks?¡± However, Edward didn¡¯t respond. He walked into the master bedroom and shut the door firmly behind him. Invitation 82 In the hallway, Sharon clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. Fuming, she stormed back to her room and began frantically calling Macie. But no matter how many times she dialed, all she got was the same cold, automated voice. She sent messages, but there was no reply. Sharon was on the verge of losing her mind. In the master bedroom, Edward took a cold shower, trying to calm his nerves. He called Nathan again, asking if there had been any progress in finding Macie. When he got the same disappointing answer, he angrily threw his phone across the room. Lying in bed, his eyes wide open, sleep was impossible. Macie had been gone for two nights now. The thought of her possibly being with that other man¨Ckissing him, or worse¨Cmade Edward¡¯s head feel like it was about to explode. Anger consumed him, burning away any remaining shred of rationality. In the room next door, Sharon couldn¡¯t sleep either. Soon, she heard the sound of things being smashed in Edward¡¯s room. It scared her so much that she didn¡¯t dare go out. (1) Macie¡¯s departure should have been her chance to step in, but Edward was furious at that moment. She didn¡¯t want to get caught in the crossfire. Once Sharon found out where Macie was, she¡¯d make sure that thetter never showed her face around Edward again. Sharon was sure he¡¯d eventually forget about Macie and then turn to her. A cruel smile spread across Sharon¡¯s face, her eyes gleaming with malice. Meanwhile, in another neighborhood, Macie had already showered and gone to bed. Alice, who hadn¡¯t gone home, decided to squeeze into the same bed as Macie instead of using the guest room. Macie had set a password on her social media app to prevent Alice from seeing Edward¡¯s profile. They seemed to know each other, and she didn¡¯t want to risk being found out. The next morning, at Fowler Group¡¯s headquarters, Nathan arrived early for work and immediately noticed the dark circles under Edward¡¯s eyes. ¡°Mr. Fowler, did you not sleep wellst night?¡± he asked cautiously. ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep at all,¡± Edward replied coldly. Nathan was at a loss for words. When Macie had been around, Edward didn¡¯t appreciate her. Now that she¡¯s gone, he couldn¡¯t sleep. ¡°You have a meeting at 10:00 am. Maybe you should take a quick nap before then,¡± Nathan suggested. 1/2 ¡°No. Your only task today is to keep looking for Macie. If you can¡¯t find her¡­¡± Edward¡¯s voice trailed off. ¡°You¡¯ll be demoted to the junior secretary¡¯s office,¡± he added, his gaze icy. 1 Nathan felt a chill run down his spine. He sighed inwardly, then turned to leave. Nathan considered simply packing up and transferring elsewhere. If Macie didn¡¯t return, he wouldn¡¯t have to deal with this terrifying version of Edward anymore. After a night of anger, spection, and frustration, Edward was finally starting to calm down. He sat at his desk, his hands pressed against the surface, fingers gripping his forehead. His expression was dark and foreboding as he stared into space. He began searching through Macie¡¯s college records, pulling up ss rosters and group photos. He knew that they attended the same college. Edward also looked up all thepetitions and projects she had participated in, the awards she had won, and the honors she had received. The search took him two hours. He was captivated as he scrolled through photos of Macie during her college days. She looked radiant, her smile bright and full of life, her youth shining through. There were pictures of her at speechpetitions that made her seem confident, articte, and graceful. Videos of her debating showed her calm,posed, and sharp¨Cwitted. Then, there were her achievements in innovation and entrepreneurshippetitions, where her team consistently took first ce. She had been the one to present their projects, her confidence and expertise undeniable. Edward found himself mesmerized by Macie in her college days. He was so engrossed that he nearly missed Nathan¡¯s knock on the door to remind him of the uing meeting. Follow current nov?ls on find{n}ovel Invitation 83 Chapter 83 Edward snapped out of his thoughts, flipped the tablet face down, and grabbed the files before heading out. As he walked, his mind kept reying the videos and photos of Macie. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder how amazing Macie was. He didn¡¯t know how he had never noticed it before. But Edward could guess why. Macie had always been at the top of her ss in high school, so it was no surprise that she shone even brighter in college. Although they had attended the same college, their majors were different. Moreover, he had been with Sharon back then. Looking back, Edward felt like he had missed out on four whole years of Macie¡¯s life¨Cyears when they had been in such close proximity. A wild thought even crossed his mind. What if he hadn¡¯t been with Sharon back in college? Would he have fallen for Macie? Edward¡¯s fingers curled involuntarily, but the meeting had already started, forcing him to push those thoughts aside. The meeting ended two hourster, and it was time for lunch. Nathan had ordered food. Edward hadn¡¯t eaten since the night before, and though he was starving, the sight of the food did nothing to whet his appetite. For some reason, everything seemed to remind him of Macie¨Ceven the bowl of soup before him. The soup was too rich and overloaded with seasoning. Macie¡¯s soup, on the other hand, had always been light and subtly sweet. Edward tightened his grip on the spoon, his lips pressing into a thin line. A wave of self¨Cdisgust washed over him. He wondered if he was now unable to eat anything unless Macie made it. He figured that if Macie found out, she¡¯d probably gloat and act even more spoiled. Lately, her temper had been getting worse. He couldn¡¯t let her get too full of herself. The source of th?s content is f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l? Edward scoffed and downed the soup in a few quick, angry gulps. Despite not sleeping all night, Edward¡¯s energy seemed endless. He skipped his afternoon nap and continued poring over Macie¡¯s records. He watched every video two or three times, even digging up information about her elementary school and her homeroom teacher. At that point, he knew her life story inside and out. By two in the afternoon, it was time to get back to work, but Edward¡¯s eyes remained glued to the tablet. ¡°Mr. Fowler, these are the documents that need your signature and approval this afternoon,¡± Nathan said as he walked in. When he noticed the fatigue on Edward¡¯s face, he asked, ¡°Did you not rest at all during lunch?¡± Edward ignored the question. ¡°Any news?¡± Nathan hesitated for a second before nodding. ¡°We checked with the service provider. Mrs. Fowler removed her phone card, which is why her phone appears to be unreachable. Perhaps she¡¯s just taking some time off to clear her head. She mighte back on her own in a few days.¡± Edward¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t she tell me beforehand? What kind of person just disappears like that? Does she respect me at all?¡± (1 Nathan couldn¡¯t help but retort, ¡°And did you care about Mrs. Fowler when you brought someone else home?¡± Edward froze, then red at his assistant. Nathan took a cautious step back. ¡°To be fair, you were in the wrong here. What you did was essentially cheating,¡± Nathan said, bracing himself for the fallout. After all, if he couldn¡¯t find Macie, he¡¯d be transferred anyway. So, he figured that he might as well speak his mind. ¡°I didn¡¯t! Sharon and I never did anything physical!¡± Edward snapped. Nathan¡¯s ears rang from the outburst, and he stared at Edward in surprise. No physical rtionship? Then what about those hickeys from two weeks ago? Invitation 84 ¡°So you¡¯re saying that you didn¡¯t go all the way but did everything else?¡± Nathan summarized bluntly. Edward wanted to argue, but no words came out. ¡°Bringing Sharon into your home, treating her like she belongs there, driving her around, giving her extravagant gifts, and the constant headlines, and when the ident happened, you saved her first,¡± Nathan listed, ticking off each point with his fingers. ¡°You didn¡¯t clear up the misunderstandings or visit Mrs. Fowler. You didn¡¯t even care about her while she was in the hospital.¡± Nathan sighed. Edward fell silent, his fists clenched, his teeth gritted. He couldn¡¯t find a single word to defend himself. ¡°You went too far, Mr. Fowler. If it were anyone else, they would¡¯ve divorced you by now.¡± Nathan dropped the final bombshell. The word ¡°divorce¡± seemed to trigger something in Edward. Edward shot up from his chair, sending it flying backward. Nathan flinched, taking a few steps back and swallowing hard. ¡°She would never divorce me! Even if the world ended or if the sun rose from the west, Macie would never leave me.¡± Edward red at Nathan and continued, ¡°You have no idea how much she loves me. This marriage was something she schemed for. She would never give up being Mrs. Fowler!¡± Nathan stayed quiet as he watched Edward¡¯s sudden outburst. It seemed that just mentioning divorce set him off like this. Edward had imed that Macie would never leave him, but it seemed like he was the one who couldn¡¯t let go. 1 In short, Edward was all talk and no action. ¡°Don¡¯t get too worked up. It was just a hypothetical,¡± Nathan said, his smile stiff. ¡°There¡¯s no such hypothetical! If you can¡¯t speak properly, then shut up! I¡¯ll deduct your bonus next time,¡± Edward snapped. 2 Nathan stayed silent and nodded. He had no choice but to sumb to Edward¡¯s authority. ¡°So, should we keep looking? Mrs. Fowler removed her phone card, and there was no record of her ID or phone number leaving the city. There aren¡¯t any hotel or hospital records either.¡± Edward frowned. No record of leaving the city? No hotel stays? Then where was Macie? Suddenly, he clenched his fist and mmed it onto the desk, making the file holder shake. Edward was seething with anger. The only ce he could think of where Macie might be staying was at that bastard¡¯s house! Jealousy drove him mad. He swept all the files off the desk in a fit of rage. Nathan had already retreated to the door. He was trembling in fear. It was his first time seeing Edward lose hisposure like this. Even at his angriest, Edward had only ever yelled. ¡°Find out who that man is! The one Macie¡¯s with!¡± Edward growled through clenched teeth, his eyes filled with murderous intent. Although Nathan was confused, he agreed and hurried out. If they couldn¡¯t even find Macie, how could they possibly find the other guy? For more chapters visit f?ndnovel Nathan sighed, feeling like Edward had brought this on himself. Edward didn¡¯t stop working the entire afternoon. He stayedte until 10:00 pm before heading home. Nathan had failed to find any leads. Macie seemed to have vanished into thin air in the city. At 8:00 pm, Sharon texted Edward, asking to have dinner together, but he didn¡¯t reply. He didn¡¯t answer her calls either. Night fell, and the streets were bustling with traffic. Edward was driving. The windows were rolled down, the cool wind hitting his face, trying to calm his racing thoughts. Macie had been gone for two days. Edward didn¡¯t know where the hell she was. X 272 Invitation 85 During the day, Edward had tried sending Macie another friend request, but it was immediately blocked. This text is hosted at find?novel He couldn¡¯t even send a message. ¡°Macie, you¡¯d better never show up again!¡± Edward muttered through gritted teeth. When he got home, Sharon had already prepared dinner, eagerly setting the table for him. When Edward saw her wearing Macie¡¯s clothes and apron, something inside him snapped. He stormed over and tore the clothes off her with brute force. 1 At first, Sharon thought that Edward was finally making a move, even if it was a rough one. She didn¡¯t mind. But she quickly realized she was wrong. 1 As Sharon tried to lean into him, Edward shoved her to the ground. ¡°Who said you could wear her clothes or use her things?¡± Edward yelled. Sharon was terrified, tears streaming down her face as she looked up at him, her voice trembling with hurt. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Why are you treating me like this? I¡¯ve worn Macie¡¯s clothes before, and you never said anything. Why are you so angry today?¡± Seeing her cry, Edward suddenly came to his senses. He helped her up but immediately let go, his expression conflicted. ¡°I¡¯m just really angry at Macie right now. I¡¯m sorry. I took it out on you,¡± Edward murmured. Sharon breathed a sigh of relief. She had thought that he was forbidding her from touching Macie¡¯s things, but it turned out he was just venting his anger. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Edward. I understand. I won¡¯t wear her things again,¡± Sharon said apologetically as she reached to take his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t think about Macie anymore, okay? Let¡¯s eat. I can be here for you too. I¡¯ll always be with you. Before she could finish her attempt to seduce him, Edward stepped back and pulled his hand away. Sharon caught off bnce, stumbled, and nearly fell again. ¡°Go to bed early. Don¡¯t bother with unnecessary things. If you have time to cook, start packing. I¡¯ve already rented a ce for you,¡± Edward said emotionlessly. 1 With that, Edward turned and walked into the master bedroom, mming the door behind him. Sharon clenched her fists at the dining table, her nails digging into her palms. The apron was torn, and her sleeve ripped. Although she had hoped to seduce Edward, he had pushed her away without a second thought. Sharon med it all on Macie. Edward would never have fallen for her if it weren¡¯t for thetter¡¯s interference. Sharon wanted to smash the pot on the table, but in the end, she quietly cleaned up and put everything back in the kitchen. Late at night, Edward woke up repeatedly from restless dreams. After getting up to use the bathroom, he found himself inexplicably drawn to the guest room. The bed was bare, stripped of everything except the mattress. Hey down on it, curling up on his side, but no matter how much he tried to breathe in, there was no trace of Macie¡¯s scent left. He missed Macie. (1 The next morning, Edward jumped up from the mattress when he realized where he was. The version of him fromst night, who was confused and vulnerable, felt like apletely different person. Edward remembered how he had entered the room and smelled the mattress and air like a fool. He felt infuriated and humiliated. Then, Edward hurriedly washed up, got dressed, and rushed out of the house, his heart racing and his ears burning. He sensed that this wasn¡¯t normal. He felt like he was losing his mind. He didn¡¯t know why he had slept in Macie¡¯s room. And then there was that thought, the one that had yed on repeat in his mind before he finally fell asleep. He had longed for Macie. Edward inwardly cursed himself. Indeed, he was going crazy. Invitation 86 Edward¡¯s mood was foul all morning because ofst night¡¯s incident. Nathan had been searching everywhere¨Ccitywide, statewide, even nationwide¨Cbut there was still no trace of Macie. It had already been three days. ¡°When are you going to find her? Can¡¯t you work faster?¡± Edward finally snapped at Nathan as the workday neared its end. Nathan was at his wit¡¯s end. He had exhausted all his resources and still couldn¡¯t locate Macie. ¡°Mr. Fowler, maybe you should use your personal connections to track down her new phone number. I can¡¯t ess that kind of information. It¡¯s a privacy issue.¡± Edward¡¯s eyes lit up with realization. He immediately started reaching out to contacts in the telmunications industry, trying to ess the database. 1 But the tel operators weren¡¯t privately owned, and no matter how many connections Edward used, he couldn¡¯t get through to the top level. After hours of fruitless effort, he slumped into his chair, defeated. He didn¡¯t know what else he could do or how else he could find Macie. It was already 11:00 pm, and Edward was still at the office. Suddenly, he remembered his grandfather. If anyone could get Macie¡¯s new phone number from the tel operators, it was him. Thus, Edward immediately dialed home. Thendline rang repeatedly, but no one picked up. Edward paced around his office like a caged animal, his anxiety growing with every passing second. He called again and again, refusing to give up. Finally, after several minutes of relentless ringing, someone answered. ¡°Mr. Fowler, why are you calling sote?¡± Nn asked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to disturb Grandpa, but I need his help with something urgent,¡± Edward said desperately. Hearing the urgency in his tone, Nn replied, ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll ry the message to Mr. Fowler Senior first thing tomorrow.¡± ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? find?novel Edward couldn¡¯t wait until tomorrow, but before he could protest, he nced at the wall clock. It was already 11:30 pm. ¡°Fine. Make sure you tell him as soon as possible,¡± Edward said. He exined that Macie had left and that he hadn¡¯t been able to contact her for three days. He was about to ask Yosef to help track down her new phone number when Nn interrupted. ¡°Mrs. Fowler left? Didn¡¯t she divorce you?¡± Edward froze, his mind going nk. ¡°Who said we¡¯re divorced? Macie would never divorce me!¡± Edward shouted. What nonsense was Nn spouting? Was he half¨Casleep or something? Macie and Edward were still married! ¡°But Mr. Fowler Senior received the divorce papers from Mrs. Fowler two days ago. The two of you are already divorced,¡± Nn said, sounding just as confused. Edward felt like the ground had been ripped out from under him. His blood ran cold, and his mind wentpletely nk. It seemed that Macie had sent the divorce papers to the Fowler residence. Edward refused to believe it. ¡°It¡¯s fake! It¡¯s a photocopy. Macie¡¯s ying a prank on me. I can¡¯t believe she¡¯d go this far, even dragging Grandpa into it. Is she out of her mind?¡± Edward roared. He inwardly cursed, thinking that Macie was really pushing her luck. He couldn¡¯t believe her audacity to scare Grandpa with a fake document. Wouldn¡¯t she realize Grandpa might believe it and kick her out of the Fowler family for good? Edward was furious, his anger boiling at Macie¡¯s deception and the prank that had gone too far. ¡°It¡¯s not a photocopy. It¡¯s the original, with your signature on it,¡± Nn exined. 2 Edward¡¯s eyes widened in shock and disbelief. Invitation 87 Chapter 87 Edward didn¡¯t think that an original divorce agreement with his signature on it was possible. ¡°I never signed anything! I haven¡¯t even seen the document!¡± he roared. Nn, now fully awake from Edward¡¯s shouting, sighed. ¡°But the document is real. The signature looks authentic, and since you didn¡¯t call to object, Mr. Fowler Senior assumed you agreed to it.¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t! Why should I ept a document I never signed?¡± Edward¡¯s voice was filled with rage, the veins on the back of his hand bulging. Nn frowned, hesitating before saying, ¡°Did Mrs. Fowler forge your signature?¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly the kind of illegal thing she¡¯d do. She doesn¡¯t have a brain in her head,¡± Edward hissed. ¡°Forging a signature makes the divorce document invalid. She¡¯s just ying games with me and Grandpa!¡± Edward fumed inwardly. ¡°What does she think I am? A monkey in a zoo? How dare she mess with me like this!¡± He was so furious that he could barely think straight. He wanted to tear the earth apart to find Macie. Nn sounded puzzled. ¡°Mrs. Fowler wouldn¡¯t joke about something as serious as divorce, let alone forge documents.¡± ¡°Why not? She¡¯s been throwing a tantrum because of Sharon, and now she¡¯s taken it this far. She¡¯s also pulling this disappearing act and removed her phone card. Does she think that I¡¯ll feel threatened and beg her toe back? Macie is delusional! She should remember her ce. She was the one who insisted on marrying me in the first ce.¡± Nn listened to Edward¡¯s furious rant in silence for a few seconds before cutting straight to the point. ¡°If Mrs. Fowler was the one who wanted to marry you, it¡¯s even less likely that she¡¯d want a divorce. If this document is fake, it could backfire horribly. So, maybe Mrs. Fowler really does want to divorce you.¡± 1 Edward froze, his mind exploding with Nn¡¯s words. His grip on the phone tightened so much that it felt like it might shatter. Macie loved Edward very much. She went to great lengths to marry him. There¡¯s no way that she¡¯d leave. Even if the sun rose from the west, she¡¯d cling to the Fowler family and never let go. Official source is Find~Novel If that were the case, why would she forge Edward¡¯s signature? If Yosef believed it, wouldn¡¯t they end up divorced? That would go against Macie¡¯s supposed goal of staying in the Fowler family. ¡°I get it now,¡± Edward said through gritted teeth. ¡°She forged it because she knew that it wouldn¡¯t hold up legally. She¡¯s just ying games with us. She¡¯ll thene back like nothing happened, still acting as Mrs. Fowler. Fine, Macie. If you want to y games, I¡¯ll y along!¡± A forged signature, huh? Edward would give Macie the real one! She could pack her bags and get the hell out of the Fowler family for good! Edward let out a coldugh, his eyes dark and menacing. Nn tried to say something, but Edward had already hung up. Nn didn¡¯t understand why Edward was so frantic to call in the middle of the night. Thetter didn¡¯t want the divorce but sounded like he was ready to go through with it by the end of the call. If that were the case, why even call? Why bother looking for Macie? Nn shook his head, feeling like he couldn¡¯t understand the younger generation. But since Edward had mentioned that he hadn¡¯t seen the document, Nn decided to bring it up with Yosef first thing in the morning. Meanwhile, back at Fowler Group¡¯s headquarters, Edward printed out a divorce agreement. He signed the document without reading the contents and took it home with him. Invitation 88 Edward would give the divorce agreement to Macie if she wanted it so badly. He wanted to see if she had the guts to take it. He couldn¡¯t believe that Macie even dared to fool Yosef. After everything thetter did for her, this was how she repaid him. Edward wondered if she had forgotten that it was only because of his grandfather that Edward married her in the first ce. Sharon was still awake, having prepared another meal and waiting for Edward to Newest update provided by find~novel As soon as he walked through the door, she started to approach him, but he frowned, his expression dark. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell youst night not to do this? Have you packed your things yet? If you¡¯re done, I¡¯ll have Nathan help you move out.¡± Sharon froze, tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°Edward, are you really that eager to kick me out? Last night and tonight. It¡¯s always the same¡­¡± Edward pursed his lips briefly before replying, ¡°It¡¯s inappropriate for you to stay here. I¡¯m married, and Macie left because of it. So, you should move out. It¡¯s better for both of you. She won¡¯t target or hurt you anymore.¡± 1 Sharon¡¯s tears spilled over, her sadness and anger boiling over. ¡°But don¡¯t you love me? Isn¡¯t it perfect that Macie¡¯s gone? We can live together! Without her, this house can be ours.¡± Edward¡¯s frown deepened, his face stern. ¡°This is mine and Macie¡¯s home. You and I are in the past. The moment you left me for a million dors, there was no going back.¡± 1 Sharon clenched her fists, her eyes wide with disbelief. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. You must still love me. Otherwise, why would you treat me so well? You drive me to and from work, attend my shows, bring me home, and even let me stay in Macie¡¯s room. When Macie and I were both hurt, you protected me first.¡± Edward¡¯s fists tightened at her words. Nathan had said the same thing earlier, using him of going too far. And now, it seemed that all of it had given Sharon the wrong idea¨Cthat he still loved her. ¡°And you kissed me¨Cmore than once. You left marks on my neck. Doesn¡¯t that prove that you still love me?¡± Sharon cried, her voice breaking. Suddenly, Edward¡¯s temper snapped. He turned and red at Sharon furiously. ¡°That was a mistake! Nothing happened between us!¡± ¡°A mistake? What kind of mistake happens twice? And it was a French kiss!¡± Sharon screamed. ¡°Do you know what you did when you kissed me? You-¡± Sharon kept going, vividly describing the moments. Edward felt hisst thread ofposure snap. Suddenly, the sound of his hand hitting her cheek echoed through the room. He hadn¡¯t even spare a thought. He just acted. Sharon¡¯s face bore a bright red handprint, and her words died in her throat. 3 She stared at him in shock, tears streaming down her face. Edward¡¯s expression was dark, but he didn¡¯t regret his actions. ¡°You have until tomorrow to move out. I¡¯ve already found you a ce and paid the rent. I¡¯ve done more than enough for you,¡± Edward said coldly. He turned to leave but stopped after a few steps, his voice deep and threatening. ¡°If you dare mention any of this to Macie, you¡¯ll regret it.¡± Sharon bit her lip so hard it drew blood. ¡°You¡¯ve fallen for Macie, haven¡¯t you?¡± she shouted. Invitation 89 Chapter 89 Edward paused as he turned the doorknob. He then nced back at Sharon. ¡°I haven¡¯t fallen for Macie,¡± he said tly. ¡°Who are you trying to fool? You clearly have. That¡¯s why you don¡¯t love me anymore and want me gone,¡± Sharon shot back, her fists clenched. Edward frowned, his expression unreadable. ¡°Not loving you has nothing to do with whether I love Macie. Th?s chapter is updated by f?ndnovel I¡¯ve told you that you and I ended two years ago. You betrayed me for money and left. There¡¯s no going back from that.¡± Sharon still refused to believe him. It was apparent that Edward had fallen for Macie, which was why he no longer loved her. ¡°When I first came back, you told me that you didn¡¯t mind anymore. You said you understood. How could I have fought against your Grandpa back then? He threatened me to leave. What else could I do? Did you want him to banish me from the city?¡± Edward replied, ¡°Not minding meant that we could be friends again, not that we could restart our rtionship.¡± He had reflected on it before. Even though he could still get close to Sharon, he could never cross that final line. And every time he did, he felt guilty, like he was betraying Macie. So, the truth was that what Edward thought was love for Sharon was just an illusion. He didn¡¯t love her anymore. Sharon sneered. ¡°Stop ying games with me. What kind of friends kiss and sleep in their wives¡® room? You still love me. Why won¡¯t you admit it? We had three years together. Two years apart wouldn¡¯t erase that unless you never really loved me in the first ce.¡± Then, she resorted to maniption. ¡°I admit, leaving the country was my fault, but I had no choice! I was a victim, too! If you loved me, you should¡¯ve gone abroad with me. You should¡¯ve protected me when your grandfather threatened me instead of doing nothing and then resenting me for leaving!¡± Sharon was good at twisting the narrative, and her outburst left Edward wordless. Without saying another word, he walked into the master bedroom and shut the door. In truth, he couldn¡¯t find a way to refute her. ¡°Edward! Come out! You said that you don¡¯t love Macie, which means that you still love me!¡± Sharon shouted as she pounded on the door. ¡°I came back to make it up to you. Let¡¯s live together, okay? I¡¯ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you. You and Macie are already divorced. There¡¯s no love between you two. I forgive you for having a marriage behind my back. Let¡¯s start over!¡± Inside the room, Edward sat on the edge of the bed, his mind in chaos. He still held the signed divorce agreement in his hands. T Did he not love Macie? Was he still in love with Sharon? Was it his fault for not protecting her back then? Was marrying Macie a betrayal of their love? His head was pounding, his thoughts a tangled mess. Putting aside everything Sharon had said, there was one thing he knew for sure¨Che and Macie weren¡¯t divorced. Whether it was the photocopy or the original sent to Yosef, he believed that it was all fake. Edward¡¯s focus returned, and his rationality kicked in. He headed to the bathroom to shower, ignoring Sharon¡¯s voice outside the door. As the steam rose and the water flowed, only one question upied his mind¨Cdid he love Macie? Macie was gone, and he had been frantically searching for her. Beneath his anger and frustration was a deep sense of panic and anxiety. He had grown so used to having Macie by his side. Without her, he couldn¡¯t eat or sleep, and everything reminded him of her. *E Invitation 90 As Edward rewatched the videos of Macie from her college days, he found himself drawn to the radiant, talented young woman she had been. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder¨Cif Sharon hadn¡¯t been in the picture, would he and Macie have naturally fallen in love? And then there was the previous night when Edward had slept in Macie¡¯s room. He hadid on her mattress, trying to catch a hint of her scent. She had consumed his thoughts. After finishing his shower, Edward stepped out of the bathroom, the cool air helping to clear his mind. He felt like he had reached a conclusion. It didn¡¯t matter if he loved Macie. He didn¡¯t want her to leave his sight or slip out of his control. 1 When Edward saw the crumpled divorce agreement by the bed, he walked over, intending to tear it up. But he noticed the watermark and case analysis in the document¡¯s body before he could. Edward was speechless. It was a serious printing error. Back in the office, he had been so blinded by anger that he hadn¡¯t checked the document before printing it. But it worked out. He didn¡¯t need to tear it up. He could keep it and use it against Macie. Since Macie dared to fool Edward with a fake divorce agreement, he¡¯d make one even more convincing than hers. He wondered if she¡¯d be scared and dare to pull something like this again. Edward smirked, a sense of vengeful satisfaction washing over him. Now that he knew that the agreement sent to Yosef was fake and that he and Macie weren¡¯t divorced, he felt a strange sense of relief. He figured that Macie was just throwing a tantrum and would return eventually. Newest update provided by Find¡ïNovel For the first time in days, Edward slept soundly. The next morning, Yosef woke up early. While doing his morning exercises, he listened to Nn¡¯s recount ofst night¡¯s events. ¡°He called at midnight? Doesn¡¯t he sleep?¡± Yosef grumbled. ¡°Mr. Fowler was very anxious at first. He seemed to want you to do something for him, but he didn¡¯t say what. Instead, he started talking about Mrs. Fowler, saying that she had left,¡± Nn exined. ¡°It took him this long to realize that Macie was gone? Even a corpse would¡¯ve started to smell by now,¡± Yosef said, his face darkening. He asked Nn what else Edward had said, and after hearing the details, he was so angry that he stopped his exercises. ¡°Forged signatures? How dare he even think that! Macie graduated from Arlington College. Do you really think she¡¯d do something like that?¡± If Edward had been there, Yosef would¡¯ve whipped him with his belt. ¡°Are you saying that Mr. Fowler really signed the document?¡± Nn asked. ¡°Of course. Otherwise, Macie wouldn¡¯t have sent it to me. That brat must¡¯ve signed it and now doesn¡¯t want to admit it,¡± Yosef said with a cold snort. ¡°But why wouldn¡¯t he admit it if he signed it himself?¡± Nn asked, confused. ¡°Why else? He¡¯s regretting it! Calling you at 11:00 pm, frantic because he can¡¯t find her¨Che¡¯s lost his mind, ¡°Yosef said, hitting the nail on the head. ¡°I can¡¯t figure out Mr. Fowler¡¯s intentions. He seemed like he didn¡¯t want a divorce, but then he said he did at the end of the call,¡± Nn said. Yosef immediately told him to call Edward. On the other end of the line, Edward had just woken up. ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re up so early,¡± Edward said, answering the call. ¡°Who can sleep like you? Your wife¡¯s gone, yet you¡¯re still snoring away,¡± Yosef said sarcastically. Edward instantly became alert. He sat upright in bed, his expression grim. ¡°Grandpa, can you help me track Macie¡¯s new phone number? She removed her phone card,¡± Edward said. ¡°I found it four days ago,¡± Yosef replied. Edward¡¯s heart leaped. ¡°Send it to me, quick!¡± X Invitation 91 ¡°Why should I give it to you? Are you going to pester May?¡± Yosef snapped. Edward pursed his lips before muttering, ¡°I¡¯m not pestering her. I just¡­¡± ? 47% He lowered his voice and continued, ¡°I just want to know where she is and bring her back.¡± ¡°Why would you do that? Weren¡¯t you the one who wanted a divorce? You already signed the divorce agreement. You¡¯re her ex¨Chusband now, so why are you still interfering in her life?¡± Yosef barked from the other end of the line. ¡°I never wanted a divorce. I didn¡¯t sign that, and I never even saw those documents,¡± Edward quickly denied. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that May forged them and lied to me? Isn¡¯t that what you told Nn, too?¡± Yosef listened to his grandson ranting on the other end, then spoke calmly. ?????? ???? Find1Novel ¡°That¡¯s exactly what happened. She left me a copy and sent the original to you, but my signature was forged. It has no legal standing,¡± Edward insisted. He paused for a couple of seconds, then softened his tone. ¡°Grandpa, please don¡¯t be angry. Macie only did this because she was upset with me. Just ignore those documents. ¡°I never thought that she¡¯d send it to you and then disappear. She¡¯s just acting immature and impulsive. I¡¯ll apologize on her behalf. Just tear up the document and don¡¯t take it seriously.¡± Yosef remained expressionless as he listened. ¡°Edward, have you ever truly understood May? ¡°You¡¯re calling her immature? Are you belittling her? She was an exceptional student and a national schrship recipient. She would never forge a document and send it to me.¡± Edward tensed up when he heard that. His grandfather was taking this matter seriously. He wondered if that meant that his marriage to Macie was truly over. ¡°No. The documents are-¡± He quickly protested, but Yosef cut him off. ¡°You im that it isn¡¯t your signature? Fine. Bring yourwyer today, and we¡¯ll have it analyzed. I¡¯ll hire my own expert, too. That way, you won¡¯t be able to argue your way out of it.¡± 47% 2.12 PM Wed 1 Oct When Edward heard that, he felt that the arrangement was unnecessary. He pondered why his grandfather wouldn¡¯t believe him. Did his grandfather want them to divorce, too? He clenched his fists and fell silent momentarily before saying, ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll do the analysis. But if they prove that my signature was forged, you have to stay out of this.¡± Yosef rolled his eyes in exasperation. He had wanted to intervene because he didn¡¯t want to lose Macie as his granddaughter¨Cinw. But his grandson hadn¡¯t been stepping up, and he could do nothing about it. 1 Then, Yosef remembered the note that hade with the divorce agreement. It read, ¡°The two¨Cyear contract has ended. I no longer have any connection to the Fowler family. Please don¡¯t get in touch with me.¡± He sighed. After all, he was the one who had pushed Macie into this marriage for two years. Edward had said it before¨CYosef was the one who forced him into marrying her. He could offer her everything, but love wasn¡¯t one of them. Hearing the rustling sounds of his grandson getting up on the other end, Yosef was about to hang up. But then, he heard the door open, followed by Edward¡¯s voice. ¡°Sharon? What are you doing here? Didn¡¯t you go back to your roomst night?¡± Yosef froze mid¨Cmotion. His grip on the phone tightened before he roared, ¡°Edward! You bastard! You actually let that woman into your home like she belongs there?¡± His voice was so loud that Edward could hear him clearly, even with the phone at arm¡¯s length. Guilt and panic hit him all at once, so he hurriedly said, ¡°Grandpa, let me exin-¡± ¡°What the hell is there to exin? No wonder May wanted to divorce you. You¡¯re pissing me off.¡± Yosef didn¡¯t even let Edward exin. After yelling, he broke out into a coughing fit. ¡°Grandpa, what¡¯s wrong? Is your asthma acting up again?¡± Edward asked urgently. Ignoring Sharon, he rushed to his room, grabbed his coat, and was ready to head out. Invitation 92 At that moment, Sharon finally stirred awake by the door. Seeing Edward already awake, she propped herself up against the wall. Her voice was hoarse as she said, ¡°Ed¡­ can we start over? Let¡¯s forget about those two years. After all, we both made mistakes.¡± Edward stepped out, and she grabbed his arm. However, he shook her off, his expression cold. ¡°I made myself clearst night. Don¡¯t bother ying the sympathy card. Move out of my ce today.¡± ¡°Ed, Ed¡­¡± Sharon followed him. But after spending the night by the door, her limbs went numb, and she fell on the floor. She assumed that he would turn around like before, offer her a hand, and check on her. But this time, he didn¡¯t even nce back. He just slipped his shoes on and walked out the door. ?????? ???? F?ndNovel When Edward finally turned around, Sharon was still on the floor and looked at him with tearful eyes. ¡°Ed¡­¡± she cried out.. But his expression was indifferent, and his eyes carried a cold chill. ¡°If you don¡¯t move out today, don¡¯t me me for having your stuff thrown out.¡± With that, Edward left and mmed the door shut behind him. Inside the house, Sharony on the floor and sobbed uncontrobly. She angrily pounded the ground a few times. She refused to ept this. There was no way she was letting her rtionship with Edward end like that. In the underground parking garage, Edward got into his car and drove straight to the Fowler residence. On the way, he called Nn to check on Yosef¡¯s condition. After learning that Yosef had taken his medicine and was feeling much better, Edward finally let out a breath of relief. 2:12 PM Wed 1 Oct After all, his grandfather was the only one who truly cared about him, and Edward couldn¡¯t afford to let anything happen to him. After hanging up, he quickly contacted Nathan and told him to bring awyer to the Fowler residence as soon as his workday began. Half an hourter, Edward¡¯s car pulled up in front of the estate. Nn was already waiting at the entrance to greet him. ¡°Mr. Fowler, breakfast is ready. Why don¡¯t you join Mr. Fowler Seniorter?¡± he suggested. Edward grunted in acknowledgment and walked toward the main hall through the long, ornate hallways. At that moment, Yosef was sitting at the head of the table, sipping tea. He nced up at the sound of approaching footsteps. ¡°Grandpa,¡± Edward greeted as he stepped inside. ¡°Get on your knees,¡± Yosef said tly as he set down his teacup. Edward tightened his fiats, then slowly stepped forward and kneeled at his grandfather¡¯s order. Yosef hadn¡¯t made him kneel to admit his mistakes since he was a kid. Edward wondered what had happened. He considered if Yosef was furious about Macie using fake documents to deceive him. ¡°Grandpa, I apologize on Macie¡¯s behalf. She didn¡¯t mean to do that. She just got carried away because she was upset with me,¡± Edward said with his head bowed. Hearing that, Yosef grabbed his cane and struck him twice. 1 Edward¡¯s arm throbbed with pain from the blows, but he silently endured it. ¡°You still don¡¯t see it, do you?¡± Yosef snapped. He went on, ¡°You used to hate your father for cheating on your mother and having an illegitimate child. You even med him for making her so miserable that it ultimately led to her death. ¡°And yet, look at you now. How are you any different from your father? You bring your mistress home, and now your wife wants a divorce. What¡¯s the difference between you and him?¡± Edward was frozen in ce, his mind nk. Had he really turned into his father¨Cthe very man he loathed? He wanted to deny it and say that he wasn¡¯t like his father, but the words caught in his throat. Ovee with 2:12 PM Wed Vet shame and guilt, he lowered his gaze. 47% Edward had an ambiguous rtionship with Sharon. He let her into his home, allowed her to sleep in Macie¡¯s room, and ultimately drove his wife away. Somewhere along the way, he¡¯d be just like his scumbag father. Invitation 93 ¡°Back when you were in eighth grade and about to start high school, I refused to let your father¡¯s mistress into the family. I did everything to protect your position as the rightful heir and kept that woman¡¯s illegitimate child from ever being acknowledged as a Fowler,¡± Yosef said. He went on, ¡°But look at you. You grew up to be just like your father. The apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree, does it?¡± There wasn¡¯t a single curse word in the scolding, but to Edward, it was the harshest thing he¡¯d ever heard. Every word cut deep and left him feeling wounded and exposed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Grandpa¡­ Paparazzi swarmed Sharon¡¯s hotel, and her bag was stolen. She lost her ID and couldn¡¯t check into a hotel,¡± Edward exined in a low voice. ¡°And that¡¯s why you let her stay at your ce? If you¡¯re so charitable, why don¡¯t you start taking in stray cats and dogs?¡± Yosef shot back. Edward was left speechless and unable toe up with a response. ¡°How long has she been staying there?¡± Yosef pressed. ?????? ???? Find_Novel(. Edward hesitated as he debated whether to lie to his grandfather. But before he could answer, the cane struck him again. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about lying to me. Tell me now, or do you want me to ask May?¡± Yosef coldly asked. Edward hesitated before saying, ¡°About 20 days.¡± Yosef¡¯s eyes widened in anger as he struck Edward hard several times with his cane. He barked, ¡°About 20 days? And you made May go through all that for so long? ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about why you even let Sharon stay in the first ce. Are you telling me that you couldn¡¯t find her another ce to stay? I don¡¯t think you¡¯re doing this out of sympathy. You just want to get back together with her.¡± Edward immediately looked up to defend himself, but Yosef¡¯s re stopped him cold. ¡°You¡¯ve already had two scandals with her¨Cone where you carried her out of the event and another where you gave her a nine¨Cmillion¨Cdor ne. Edward, what do you have to say for yourself?¡± Yosef snapped. 1 2.12 PMI wea TUCT 47% Edward clenched his fists and ground his teeth. He had nothing to refute because he had indeed done those things and was witnessed by many people. ¡°I agreed to your divorce and had no objection. May is a fine young woman, and I¡¯ve already caused her enough pain these past two years. From now on, you should stop bothering her.¡± Yosef calmed down and spoke with a neutral expression. Edward panicked at those words. He hurriedly dropped to his knees and moved forward two steps, gripping his grandfather¡¯s leg. ¡°No! I didn¡¯t divorce her. Grandpa, that document was fake. I never signed it. The court won¡¯t recognize it, and I never filed for it. Legally, the divorce isn¡¯t valid.¡± Yosef looked at him coldly. He could see the desperation in Edward¡¯s face, along with panic, fear, and regret. ¡°Stop denying it. You signed the documents, but now that she¡¯s gone, you regret it,¡± he said. He continued, ¡°But what good does that do? She¡¯s noting back just because you changed your mind. You had your chance, and you threw it away.¡± Edward shook his head and insisted that he hadn¡¯t signed anything. Seeing his grandson¡¯s stubborn denial, Yosef gestured to Nn to bring the original document. Nn flipped to the signature page and held it up. Edward looked up, and when he saw his signature, he froze. He recognized it instantly, but¡­ ¡°No¡­ No, this isn¡¯t right. I never signed this.¡± Edward shot to his feet and lunged for the document, but Nn quickly stepped aside. ¡°Don¡¯t let him get his hands on the original document. If he loses it and tears it up, it¡¯ll be a real mess,¡± Yosef instructed coolly. When Edward realized that he couldn¡¯t get to the document, he turned to beg his grandfather. But Yosef remained indifferent the entire time, his expression unchanged. Breakfast was served, and Yosef calmly ate his meal. However, Edward had no appetite. He sat there like a deted balloon as he ran through his memories repeatedly, trying to figure out when he had signed those documents. 2:13 PM Wed 1 Oct 4/70 The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Invitation 94 After breakfast, Nathan brought thewyer to the Fowler residence. But the moment they arrived, Edward tried to send them away. ¡°Heh, feeling nervous? With all three parties here, you won¡¯t be able to use May of forging documents again.¡± Yosef scoffed. Edward gritted his teeth as he shot a warning re at thewyer to stop him from speaking out of turn. He even secretly texted thewyer to im that the signature was forged. But Yosef saw right through it and ordered Nn to confiscate all themunication devices from thewyers representing both parties. The original documents were brought out forparison. Yosef even had the attendants block Edward from getting close. In the end, thewyers reached a unanimous conclusion. One of them stood up and reported, ¡°Mr. Fowler Senior, this is indeed Mr. Edward¡¯s signature.¡± N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on find?novel The words hit Edward like a sudden blow. He stood frozen, and his eyes reddened as he shouted, ¡°I didn¡¯t sign
  1. it. I swear I didn¡¯t.¡±
He continued, ¡°It was forged. I won¡¯t ept it!¡± Seeing Edward lose hisposure, Nathan sighed inwardly and shook his head. Edward had signed the divorce agreement himself, but now he couldn¡¯t bring himself to ept it. On the contrary, Yosef and Macie had alreadye to terms with it. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone handle the paperwork. Once the cooling¨Coff period is over, the divorce decree will be delivered to your office,¡± Yosef said to his grandson. ¡°No, Grandpa. You can¡¯t do this. Macie and I aren¡¯t getting divorced,¡± Edward roared. He continued, ¡°You were the one who made me marry her in the first ce, and now you¡¯re telling me to get a divorce? How can you have the final say in everything?¡± Yosef raised his head, his expression calm. ¡°I admit that I forced you to marry her. But you¡¯re the one who 2:13 §²§® Wed 1 Oct signed the divorce agreement. I had no part in that.¡± 2.47% He went on, ¡°I regret it now. The only mistake I made was sacrificing two years of a young woman¡¯s life to satisfy my selfish desires by forcing her to marry you.¡± Edward¡¯s eyes widened in shock as his grandfather¡¯s confession sank in. Yosef admitted that he had forced Macie to marry Edward. It wasn¡¯t Macie who had manipted his grandfather into pressuring him to marry her. He wondered if this was genuinely the truth. ¡°Mr. Levy, take Edward out of here. And if he asks you to find Macie, don¡¯t help him,¡± Yosef ordered, signaling everyone to leave. Nathan nodded, though he¡¯d already spent four days looking for her. Edward was basically dragged out by the housekeepers. He continued to shout that he hadn¡¯t signed anything and tried to tear up the documents. Finally, the main hall fell quiet, and Yosef sighed heavily. ¡°Mr. Fowler Senior, I think that Mr. Fowler truly regrets his actions. Perhaps you could help bridge the gap between them?¡± Nn suggested. He continued, ¡°Sometimes, people don¡¯t understand the value of something until they¡¯ve lost it. In the past, Mr. Fowler didn¡¯t realize how much Mrs. Fowler meant to him. But now that he does, I¡¯m confident that they¡¯ll find happiness together again. You might even get to hold a great¨Cgrandchild soon.¡± Yosef was silent for a few seconds, deep in thought. What he had said earlier was intended to make Edward realize his mistake and regret his actions. If Macie was willing to forgive his grandson, the divorce agreement could be avoided, which Yosef would definitely prefer. ¡°Send a message to Mrs. Fowler. Tell her that I¡¯d like to discuss the details of the divorce procedure with her,¡± Yosef instructed. Nn received his instructions, sent out the message, and then made a call. This time, the line connected. 2:13 PM Wed 1 Oct ¡°May, it¡¯s me, Grandpa Yosef,¡± Yosef said warmly. ¡°Mr. Fowler Senior, can¡¯t you handle the divorce procedure on your end?¡± Macie¡¯s cold voice was direct and distant. Yosef felt sad when he heard her abandon calling him ¡°Grandpa Yosef¡± for a distant, formal address. 47% Invitation 95 ¡°May, Ed knows that he was wrong. He¡¯s been looking for you these past few days,¡± Yosef said. He continued, ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to deal with Sharon. Can you please forgive him just this once? Give him another chance. ¡°Ed has fallen for you, though he didn¡¯t realize it until now. He just told me that he didn¡¯t want the divorce, and he even cried. I promise that he¡¯ll be a good husband to you from here on out.¡± On the other end of the line, Macie¡¯s expression remained cold and unaffected by his words. She should¡¯ve known better than to think that Yosef could resolve the divorce issue. She shouldn¡¯t have even picked up the call. ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? FindN0vel Now, it seemed that Yosef was even pleading on Edward¡¯s behalf. Pigs flying, the world ending, or the sun rising in the west¨Cany of those seemed more believable than Edward suddenly turning over a new leaf. ¡°Mr. Fowler Senior, you¡¯re asking me to give him another chance. But can I ask you to give me a chance to live?¡± Macie asked. On the other end of the line, Yosef froze and was confused by her words. She continued, ¡°Have you ever seen blisters the size of a fist? I couldn¡¯t even walk without feeling like I was stepping on knives. ¡°Or a fractured tailbone? I spent half a month in the hospital and couldn¡¯t sleep because of the pain. ¡°And then there was the gas poisoning. The doctors said if I had been brought in just two or three minutester, I would have gone into shock and died.¡± She spoke in a t, emotionless tone. Macie concluded, ¡°Please let me go. The two¨Cyear contract is over. I don¡¯t want to die. I just want to live.¡± 1 On the other end of the line, Yosef was stunned into silence. His eyes widened in shock, and he struggled to find the words. ¡°You¡­ Are you telling me the truth?¡± His voice trembled. 2:13 PM Wed 1 Oct ¡°Of course. I have the hospital records, and the scars on my body prove it,¡± she said. 47% She added, ¡°For two years, I faced nothing but emotional abuse, insults, and humiliation. I was treated like a nanny or a housekeeper and never was once respected as an equal. ¡°So, please don¡¯t make me go through that again. Even if I made a mistake, I don¡¯t deserve this.¡± Macie¡¯s voice cracked as she spoke, and the pain of the past two years weighed on her. She couldn¡¯t help but feel the bitterness of all the unfairness she had to endure. After getting everything off her chest, she hung up the phone, took a deep breath to steady herself, and got ready to head to work. At the Fowler residence, Yosef sat frozen on the couch. His face showed the nkness of someone still trying to process the shock. He thought, ¡°Oh my God¡­ What had Macie been through these past two years? How had I not known?¡± Edward had hurt Macie so deeply and nearly killed her. Yosef questioned the kind of monster his grandson had be. She hadn¡¯t told him the truth before out of respect. But now, how could he possibly defend his grandson after all that had happened? Yosef¡¯s expression was a mix of heartbreak, regret, and fury. He turned to Nn and barked, ¡°Call Edward!¡± Nn was already dialing when Yosef suddenly changed his mind. ¡°No. He¡¯ll just make excuses. Call his assistant, Nathan.¡± Nn then dialed another number. When Nathan answered, Yosef took a deep breath and spoke in a low, serious tone. ¡°I know that you¡¯re in the car with Edward right now. All you have to do is hum, but don¡¯t tell him.¡± On the other end, Nathan sensed the gravity of the situation. He nced at Edward in the backseat and quietly hummed in response. At first, he wondered about what Yosef wanted to ask him. But when he heard that it was about Macie, Nathan responded with a heavy ¡°Mmm¡°. 2:13 PM Wed 1 Oct Invitation 96 ¡°So¡­ it¡¯s true?¡± Yosef asked. 47% On the other end of the line, he still couldn¡¯t believe it even after hearing the answers. ¡°It¡¯s not just true. There¡¯s more,¡± Nathan replied. ¡°I¡¯ll put everything in a message and send it to you.¡± After hanging up, he quickly typed out everything he knew about Macie¡¯s sufferings and the incident with Edward bringing Sharon into their home. 1 Although Edward and Macie were already divorced, Nathan felt that Yosef still cared for Macie and might be able to help her get some justice. The ride was eerily silent. Checktest chapters at F?ndNovel Edward sat in the backseat, lost in thought. He still couldn¡¯t believe that he and Macie were divorced. At the same time, he was grappling with the truth from two years ago¡ªthat his grandfather had forced her to marry him. She had been innocent all along, yet he had resented her for two years. 1 Edward raised his hand to cover his face. His throat tightened, and his eyes burned with unshed tears as sorrow washed over him. He couldn¡¯t stop thinking about everything he¡¯d done to her¨Cbossing her around, mocking her with cutting sarcasm, nitpicking, forcing her to work, and even hurting her physically. He was a monster. 1 But why? Why had Macie never told him the truth? Why had she endured hismands and insults without ever fighting back? She even debased herself, was always respectful, and did everything for him without a single word of protest. 1 Edward asked himself those questions and ultimately found the answer. It was because she loved him. Macie had never hid her love for him. Her feelings for him had always been obvious, written inly in her eyes, overflowing with affection. And because she liked him, she was willing to lower herself and to go that far in trying to please him. But what about him? Edward had taken her love for granted, stomped on her heart for two years, and at one point even felt repulsed 2:13 PM Wed 1 Oct by it. 47% His shoulders trembled as his cheeks became warm and damp. He wiped the corner of his eye and pulled out his phone to call the Fowler residence. When the call connected, his voice was choked with emotion. ¡°Grandpa, please give me Macie¡¯s number.¡± On the other end, Yosef¡¯s furious voice exploded. ¡°You have the nerve to ask me for her number? You selfish son of a bitch! You nearly got her killed. Do you want me to bear the weight of her death? ¡°What the hell did she ever do to deserve this? Yes, I forced you two together, but she never did anything to hurt you. ¡°But you, Edward¨Cyou heartless bastard¨Cyou¡¯re even crueler than your father.¡± Edward was stunned by the outburst. 1 Before he could respond, his grandfather continued, ¡°Your divorce is final. If I had known that your marriage was built on her suffering, I would¡¯ve put an end to it a long time ago. ¡°May gave her word. Two years meant two years. She¡¯s been through so much, yet she¡¯s neverined to me once. I¡¯ve ruined her life.¡± Edward feltpletely lost when he heard the mention of ¡°two years¡°. He didn¡¯t understand what that meant. But at that moment, none of that mattered. He pleaded, ¡°Grandpa, I don¡¯t want a divorce. I didn¡¯t sign those documents. Please tear them up. ¡°Please¡­ I¡¯m begging you¡­ Tear them up¡­¡® Edward¡¯s voice cracked with desperation, tinged with almost a sob. Last night, he refused to admit he had feelings for Macie. He only told himself that he didn¡¯t want her to leave. But now, at that moment, he¡­ He really couldn¡¯t live without her. He loved her. WALJON. ???? ? Invitation 97 In the passenger seat, Nathan heard Edward sobbing and shouting, Frowning, Nathan sighed inwardly. If Edward knew that it woulde to this, why had he been so sure of himself before? Just days ago, Nathan had warned him to be honest with himself, but Edward had insisted he¡¯d never regret his choices. No matter how much Edward begged or cried at the Fowler residence, Yosef refused to waver. Any thoughts of reconciling Edward and Macie had beenpletely snuffed out. The call was ruthlessly ended. Before hanging up, Yosef left him with only one cold remark. ¡°You¡¯re not good enough for May.¡± 1 In the backseat, Edward redialed the number, but his grandfather refused to answer the call. It was only then that Edward¡¯s heart truly shattered, and regret crashed over him in waves. The man who was always so stoic andposed now broke down in anguish. His cries were raw and desperate, like a lost puppy abandoned on the side of the road. He clutched his head and was unable to hold back his tears. In the heart of the city¡¯s bustling business district, Macie stepped out of the cab. She tilted her head back to take in the towering skyscraper where Julian¡¯spany upied the entire 12th floor. As she walked forward, she let the moment sink in. This was the start of a new chapter. From that day, she was officially part of the workforce. A message popped up on her phone. While waiting for the elevator, she pulled it out and saw Julian¡¯s text. He asked her where she was. Macie replied that she was in the lobby. It was rush hour, so she needed to wait a bit for the elevator, but she had factored in extra time before the interview. A slight dy wouldn¡¯t be an issue. Julian responded with a simple ¡°Okay.¡± Macie locked her phone and waited. Three minutester, a clear voice sounded behind her. 2:13 PM Wed 1 Oct She instinctively turned around. ¡°Julian?¡± she said, surprised. ¡°Over here. This way¡¯s faster.¡± He waved at her, his smile warm. Without hesitation, Macie walked toward Julian. 46% The crowd waiting for the elevator nced over. They noticed a handsome guy standing by the entrance to the private elevator¨Cthe one reserved forpany executives and upper management with an ess card. The crowd couldn¡¯t help but envy the woman he¡¯d called over. ¡°Mr. Atkins? Is that really him?¡± someone whispered as the private elevator doors slid shut. ¡°Who¡¯s the woman he just came down to meet? From behind, she looks pretty young.¡± ¡°I think I heard him call her name, but I didn¡¯t catch it. She¡¯s definitely not an employee. She¡¯s probably a business partner or something.¡± Spection buzzed among the employees. Inside the private elevator, Macie nced at Julian. ¡°Why¡¯d youe down to get me? I could¡¯ve just gone up by myself.¡± ¡°The public elevator is packed, and it would¡¯ve taken forever. I¡¯ll have them issue you an ess card so you can use this one from now on,¡± he said. ¡°It sounds like there are some conditions attached to that. I don¡¯t want any special treatment. The public one¡¯s fine,¡± Macie said. She hadn¡¯t worked in an office before, but after seeing Julian swipe his ess card, she could tell that this elevator was reserved for executives. Julian smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not special treatment. You¡¯re a shareholder. It¡¯s one of your perks.¡± She understood his exnation and didn¡¯t refuse anymore. The private elevator was spacious, its interior sleek and spotless. The polished metal doors reflected their images, and Julian took a brief nce at her. ¡°You look great today. That outfit really suits you,¡± heplimented her. 2:13 PM Wed 1 Oct She nced down at her outfit. She wore nude heels, a khaki skirt suit, and a white blouse. 46% ¡°As long as it looks appropriate, that¡¯s all that matters. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve dressed formally,¡± she said, her smile faint. Julian didn¡¯t think much of it. After all, Macie had spent thest two years traveling abroad, so it made sense Fresh chapters posted on that she hadn¡¯t been working during that time. Invitation 98 Julian turned to look at Macie. She had applied light makeup with soft red lips that weren¡¯t too bold. Her overall look was simple and fresh, giving her an understated elegance. ¡°Not at all. You look beautiful.¡± Julian didn¡¯t hold back his praise at all. He smiled and added, ¡°Back in college, you were our department¡¯s top beauty and one of the most outstanding students. The number of guys chasing after you could probably circle the whole city of Williamford.¡± ¡°Stop teasing me.¡± Macie blushed slightly. Julian chuckled. Seeing how easily she got flustered, he felt like he was back in their college days. He was tempted to ask if she had a boyfriend but figured that it was too soon since they¡¯d only just reconnected. So, he decided to hold off for now. As they chatted, the elevator reached the 12th floor. Julian led the way as he introduced the ce. ¡°Look, this is ourpany logo¨CBrightech Studios. It¡¯s a bit tacky, but we hope it brings us good luck.¡± Macie looked at thepany name and then nced around the front lobby. It was simple yet stylish. It was spotless and had a polished, professional feel. ¡°Good morning, Mr. Atkins,¡± the receptionist greeted Julian. Julian nodded before turning back to Macie. ¡°Come to think of it, I asked you back then what to name the ¡°Of course not. It has a strong, promising feel. You picked a great name.¡± She smiled. As they walked through the office, he gave her a quick rundown of the different departments they passed. Behind them, the receptionist stared in surprise at Julian and the unfamiliar woman. Her mind raced with questions. She wondered if Julian had really asked her for input when naming thepany. She was curious about this woman¡¯s identity and pondered if she was his wife. But the woman had called him Julian. Shouldn¡¯t she have called him ¡°honey¡± if she were his wife? 1/2 Chapters first released on f¦É?dn¦Ïvel 2:13 PM Wed 1 Oct 4070 The HR department members handling the interview were already in the conference room. When the door opened, they saw Julian walking in with Macie. They immediately stood up. ¡°Good morning, Mr. Atkins.¡± ¡°This is Macie Smith, the candidate I mentioned the other day. Go ahead and proceed with the interview. Don¡¯t mind me,¡± he said. Macie stepped forward and extended a hand, her smile warm. ¡°Hello, everyone. I¡¯m Macie Smith.¡± The interviewers shook her hand in turn as they introduced themselves, their expressions friendly. Julian had not only personally rmended Macie but had also apanied her to the interview. From the looks of it, he intended to stay and watch. That only heightened the interviewers¡® pressure. Hiring Macie was a given, and they were just following procedure. They were impressed as they reviewed her resume. What they had assumed was favoritism turned out to be genuine talent. Macie had graduated from Arlington College as a national honors student, won numerous high¨Clevelpetitions, and even brought along a portfolio of her work. When her designs were projected onto the screen, the interviewers nodded in approval. It was unsurprising that someone personally recruited by the boss would be on a different level. No wonder he was giving her so much attention. ¡°Macie said that she¡¯s gotten rusty after a two¨Cyear break, but that¡¯s really selling herself short. Her skills haven¡¯t dropped one bit,¡± Julian remarked. He smiled as he looked at the screen. Macie smiled faintly but didn¡¯t respond. This was her best work. She¡¯d spent a month brushing up her skills just to get back to this level. One of the interviewers asked, ¡°Ms. Smith, we currently have an opening for the lead designer position in Design Team Three. Would you be interested?¡± Before Macie could answer, Julian interjected, ¡°Isn¡¯t Palmer Sten, the design director, nning to transfer to another department?¡± The interviewers quickly understood what Julian was getting at. 2:13 PM Wed 1 Oct Invitation 99 One of the interviewers smiled and said, ¡°Ms. Smith, your professional expertise is outstanding. Your leadership in several teampetitions during college makes you an excellent fit for the director position.¡± Macie pursed her lips at the remark and nced at Julian. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m qualified for that. I¡¯d be happy to join the design department as a staff member.¡± The interviewers were momentarily surprised by her rejection. Macie continued, ¡°Thank you for your confidence in me. Thepetitions during college were team events, and the leader back then was Mr. Atkins, not me. I was just the assistant, so I can¡¯t really take credit for that. Updates are released by Find1Novel ¡°I¡¯m well aware of my weaknesses. This is my first job, and I have a lot to learn, especially when ites to leading a team. If I get promoted, I¡¯d like to start from the ground up.¡± After hearing her response, the interviewers appreciated her honesty and sincerity. Then, they turned their attention to their boss sitting nearby. Julian didn¡¯t seem too happy at her response. Before he could say anything, Macie spoke up. ¡°Julian, did you forget what I told you before? Don¡¯t start me off with such a high position. I know you mean well, but that would just put a lot of pressure on me.¡± He sighed when he saw the pleading look in her eyes and said, ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll do it your way, and you can work your way up.¡± She smiled gratefully and continued discussing the details with the interviewers. When the topic of sry came up, Julian intervened again. He thought that the proposed base sry of 10,000 dors was too low and insisted her starting sry be 20,000 dors. The interviewers naturally didn¡¯t dare say much, but Macie spoke up and requested a lower figure instead. She had already looked up typical sries in the field. Since the job market had be increasinglypetitive in recent years, 10,000 dors was the standard starting pay for fresh graduates. She had been out of the workforce for two years, so she figured that was a fair rate. ¡°Macie, are you here to work or suffer? First, you turned down a director position, and now you want a lower sry?¡± Julian sighed. 2:13 PM Wed 1 Oct 46% ¡°I appreciate your support, but I¡¯d rather follow the standard procedure. I don¡¯t need special treatment. Justnding this job is already a huge opportunity for me.¡± Macie smiled. Julian studied her for a moment before finally relenting. Nevertheless, he felt that 10,000 dors was too low, so they settled on 15,000 dors. Macie officially joined thepany. She declined Julian¡¯s offer to personally escort her and instead followed a staff member from the human resource department to the design department. She joined Design Team Three. When the human resource staff member introduced her, her new colleagues initially assumed that she was brought in as a team lead and eyed her curiously. But once they realized that she was just an entry¨Clevel employee, they lost interest. Macie was officially settled into her new job, but she still felt a little dazed as she sat at her desk. Up until four days ago, she was still a ¡°nanny¡°. She thought that it was surreal how quickly her life had changed. Edward was in a foul mood at Fowler Group¡¯s CEO¡¯s office. After returning to his office, he sat motionless with his bloodshot eyes lost in a daze. No matter how he tried, he couldn¡¯t focus on work. He wondered why he had only realized how much Macie meant to him when it was already toote. He couldn¡¯t ept it. He hadn¡¯t had the chance to make things right or tell Macie how he felt, so how could she disappear from his life like this? Edward picked up the phone and called Nathan to his office. His voice was hoarse as he ordered, ¡°I don¡¯t care what it takes. Find me Macie¡¯s contact information and her current address.¡± Nathan met Edward¡¯s bloodshot gaze, which carried an imposing authority. He could only nod in response. 2/2 Invitation 100 In fact, Nathan waspletely helpless. The only one who could reach Macie was Yosef. Unfortunately, Edward had no way of contacting her. That morning, a manager came by with the product nning proposal for Edward. But after a brief discussion, it became clear that Edward wasn¡¯t in the right headspace. His eyes were red and swollen, so the manager had no choice but to leave. ¡°Mr. Levy, do you know what¡¯s wrong with Mr. Fowler?¡± the manager asked Nathan in the Assistants Department¡¯s office. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s going through a breakup,¡± Nathan replied absentmindedly as he looked up from hisputer. But then he realized that it wasn¡¯t entirely urate. Macie and Edward were married. They weren¡¯t dating, so it wasn¡¯t a breakup. It was more like¡­ Right, a divorce. s¡­ A newly divorced man was bound to be a mess, especially since Edward had brought this on himself. Nathan could only shake his head and sigh. The other assistants who overheard that were stunned and the manager was equally taken aback. After a moment, the manager said, ¡°Can you try to calm him down? This is really affecting the work progress.¡± Nathan smiled and nodded, but the truth was that there was nothing he could do. That day, thepany group chat exploded with gossip. Everyone was buzzing about Edward¡¯s split from some Newest update provided by find¡¤novel unknown model. Midday arrived, and it was time for a break. After a morning of getting familiar with her tasks, Macie had already hit it off with a couple of coworkers. She made ns to grab lunch together at thepany cafeteria. ¡°Macie, let¡¯s go out and eat.¡± 2:13 PM Wed 1 Oct 46% Julian appeared at the entrance of the design department. He called her out in a way that couldn¡¯t be more conspicuous. Immediately, all eyes in the department turned toward the boss and the new hire. Their gazes were filled with curiosity and spection. Feeling the weight of their stares, Macie turned to the two co¨Cworkers beside her. ¡°Sorry, let¡¯s reschedule for tomorrow.¡± With that, she quickly followed Julian out and picked up her pace. ¡°Her name is Macie Smith, right? What¡¯s her rtionship with Mr. Atkins?¡± ¡°He personally came to get her for lunch. They¡¯re not dating, right?¡± ¡°Hold on! I just remembered. I saw her downstairs this morning while I was waiting for the elevator. Mr. Atkins picked her up himself. I thought she was one of our business partners.¡® The office buzzed with chatter and gossip. Inside the elevator, Macie asked, ¡°Julian, why didn¡¯t you text me first?¡± ¡°Because if I did, you¡¯d definitely refuse. So, I had toe find you in person.¡± He smiled at her. She met his gaze, and the emotions in his eyes were clear. She wasn¡¯t naive. She knew exactly what it meant. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡­¡± She sighed, but before she could finish, he cut her off. ¡°I don¡¯t have any ulterior motives. You¡¯re my junior, and you just got back from abroad. Honestly, this gratitude or just basic courtesy, I owe you a meal.¡± ¡°But you already treated me to a meal two days ago,¡± Macie pointed out. ¡°That was a wee¨Cback meal. This is different,¡± Julian said. She fell silent. Macie had no idea how to turn him down when he had already shut down every excuse she could devise. Julian 46% +25 BONUS 2:14 PM Wed 1 Oct was sharp. He knew exactly how to frame things. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about what the employees say. No one will dare gossip,¡± he added. She pursed her lips slightly before finally relenting. ¡°Just this once, then. After today, I¡¯ll be eating at the Julian turned to look at her, and after a few seconds, he hummed in acknowledgment. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!