Chapter 1823


    "So, all those questions you asked me earlier, you weren''t really concerned about me, were you?"


    Morrison asked.


    Rose looked at him, "You just said it was fine."


    "But what about the beginning?"


    Rose pressed her lips together, “Clearly, Winston is in much worse shape than you."


    Morrison''s icy stare locked onto her, and the taut string that was Rose''sposure grew even


    tighter, as if one more tug would cause it to snap.


    In just a few days, the way she looked at him had changed so much. Before, he could clearly see


    the worry she held for him. But now, the concern on her face was for someone else. He wouldn''t


    have it.


    He stared at her, his dark eyes like a pool of ink, as if determined to detect any trace of deceit in her


    expression.


    "Rose, you''re doing this on purpose, aren''t you?"


    She frowned in confusion.


    “You''re trying to provoke me, to make me agree to a divorce, right? All this talk about setting me


    free to be with Mona, it''s just an excuse for you to get out of this marriage."


    Rose''s expression tightened, "Think whatever you want. As long as we can get a divorce, your


    thoughts don''t matter."


    She was used to it anyway. In his heart, she was never the good person, was she?


    "You''re so eager to divorce me to be with Winston?" Morrison''s voice was heavy with usation.


    Rose''s eyes snapped shut, "What I do after the divorce is none of your business. Who I''m with is


    my affair. I can''t possibly spend my life alone."


    Morrison felt thest thread of his restraint snap. He yanked Rose into his arms, rough and


    unyielding. Her face paled as she was suddenly crushed into the soft bed beside them.


    As the world blurred before her eyes and Morrison''s overpowering scent enveloped her, she


    realized she was trapped. Her hands were pinned above her head, powerless to resist.


    "Rose, I''ve warned you countless times tonight not to push me. You''ve really outdone yourself.


    You''vepletely exhausted my patience"


    His words were sharp and fierce. Rose trembled with fear, sensing the cold weight behind each


    syble. She had a terrible feeling about what might happen next.


    Morrison, his chest heaving with pent-up anger, aimed all his fury at her. He held her wrists with one


    hand and with the other, he violently tore her nightgown to shreds.


    The memory of her nonchntly wearing that nightgown in the hallway, as if it were the most natural


    thing, made him want to rip it apart. Their interaction was surprisingly natural. He was in a bathrobe,


    and she was in pajamas. Just the thought of it sent a sharp pain through his head.


    “Morrison!” Rose''s face turned ashen with fear, but Morrison was relentless.


    It wasn''t until Morrison''s body brushed against her exposed stomach that she jolted with shock.


    Somehow finding the strength, she broke free from his grasp and pped him across the face with


    all her might.


    The sound echoed with a chilling rity. Morrison froze, his movements halted, yet he still pinned


    her legs beneath him, looming over her with a terrifying gaze.


    His cold eyes flickered briefly. Gently, he brushed her disheveled hair aside with a tenderness that


    belied the situation.


    "Rose, you said you loved me, right? Then why are you so set on divorce?


    Isn''t life with me enough? You fought so hard to marry me, didn''t you?"


    Her lips trembled, "No, it''s not enough. They were right. I am the dark-hearted other woman who


    couldn''t control her desire for you. I thought I was better than any other woman, and I didn''t


    consider myself a vile person. I thought I could make a ce for myself in your heart, but I was


    naive."


    Morrison leaned in, his forehead against hers, his voice a low murmur, "But I don''t want a divorce


    now...


    His intimacy made Rose''s gaze waver.


    "So stop making a scene. We have a long life ahead of us."


    But Rose shook her head, “It''s impossible. Things are much more difficult than I imagined. I thought


    I could handle it, but I can''t. I can''t stand having a husband who loves another woman."


    That was the root of the problem. All her beliefs were just that, mere beliefs.


    Morrison''s brow furrowed, "You mean Mona?"


    Rose didn''t want to speak her name, turning her head away. But Morrison wouldn''t allow it, pressing


    his forehead against hers, forcing her to look at him. "I decided to marry you with no intention of


    getting back with her. She''s in the past"


    Something in Rose stirred, her eyes lifting, her longshes brushing Morrison''s skin. "It''s toote?


    she said quietly. "As long as she''s in your heart, we can''t move forward"


    Morrison''s eyes narrowed, his gaze intense as he watched her, his frown deepening.


    Rose stared directly at him, saying, "You don''t need to tell me how I should feel. I admit I knew


    about Mona''s presence initially, but I didn’t want to let her and your rtionship bother me. I wanted


    to gradually remove her from your heart, but now I realize that it''s impossible."


    "Did you suddenly understand this now? If Winston hadn''te along, would you have continued


    like this with me?"


    She bit her lip, “Think what you like. If it makes you feel better."


    A vein pulsed on Morrison''s forehead. His temper, uninvaded for years, trampled on again and


    again by this woman. His gaze turned icy, but when he saw the fear flickering in her eyes, he


    forcefully suppressed his anger.


    “Are you afraid of me?"


    Rose bit her lip, her eyes downcast, her tremblingshes betraying her true state.


    Morrison leaned in and gently kissed her lips, a softness that left Rose lost in a daze.


    "You''re my wife, I''d never hurt you. Just be a good girl, okay? From now on, I''ll only cherish and


    love you."


    His low, warm murmurs were filled with allure, carrying both temptation and a tender intimacy that


    left Rose lingering in a daze. Her mind went nk, but


    her eyes inexplicably welled up with tears.


    He spoke of cherishing and loving her. These were dreams she dared not even entertain in her


    sleep.


    Her rxed body made Morrison feel more and more satisfied. His hand gently rested on the subtle


    swell of her belly.


    “This is our son. Do you think he''ll take after me?" he mused.


    Almost instinctively, Rose murmured back, "Yes, he will."


    A light chuckle escaped Morrison''s lips. "Well, whatever you say goes. But he really is ugly”


    Rose blinked, and the next second, Morrison''s lips gently kissed the gentle bump. Her body


    shivered.


    “Even if he''s not the most handsome, he''s still our son. I''ll give him everything—the best of


    everything.”


    Rose''s eyes slowly misted over. His words tonight, without a doubt, had pierced straight to her


    heart. He spoke of cherishing and loving her. And he spoke of giving their son the best.


    The image of a cozy, blissful family of three—once a distant dream now seemed within reach.


    "Do you like that?’ he whispered low. Rose bit her lip, eyes closed, too shy to respond.


    “Hmm?"


    He pressed her for an answer, his tone firm.


    Suddenly, Rose''s eyes snapped open, meeting Morrison''s smiling gaze. She opened her mouth,


    struggling to speak, but a string of phone rings abruptly cut through the silence.


    Rose quickly pursed her lips, swallowing her words. She turned her head towards the bedside,


    where Morrison''s phone had been flung in the earlier chaos.


    She could vaquely see that the caller ID was a saved contact, not an unknown number, but from her


    angle, she couldn''t make out the name.


    Rose looked back at Morrison, her expression beginning to clear.


    "Just ignore it.” Morrison''s lips curved into a half-smile.


    She didn''t mind. But the phone was relentless, ringing over and over, refusing to be ignored.


    Annoyed and disrupted, Morrison''s face darkened with irritation as he finally answered the call.


    N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    “Hello?”


    “Mr. Witt.”


    It was his assistant, Riley''s voice.


    Morrison was in no mood for interruptions. “This better be life or death."


    “Mr. Witt, Mona almost jumped off a building. She''s very distressed right now.’


    Morrison''s brow furrowed in an instant. “Jumped off a building?"


    The room fell silent, save for the voice on the phone, which Rose could hear all too clearly. In an


    instant, the warmth of moments ago felt like being doused by a bucket of ice water, from head to


    toe.


    Watching their positions now, her lips twitched into a sardonic smile.


    Rose, so easily beguiled by a man''s sweet words, was indeed foolish.


    "I told you to watch her. How could you almost let her die?" His voice grew cold, clearly expressing


    displeasure and perhaps even anger about the matter. Anyone could tell that Mona''s life and death


    were far from trivial to him.


    "I''m sorry, Mr. Witt. It was my oversight. Mona suddenly wanted some fruit.


    When I came back with it, I found her nearly jumping out the window."


    "How is she now?"


    "She''s been causing a scene. Mr. Witt, you shoulde. She won''t listen to anyone else. If she


    finds another chance...”


    Morrison looked down at Rose, to see her gazing back at him with a detached look.


    "Keep an eye on her. I''ll be right there.’


    Rose''s lips curled up into an almost imperceptible smile. Morrison hung up, and leaned down to kiss


    her lips softly.


    "Mona''s had a bit of trouble. I need to go check on her. You stay home and be good."