Cecilia Ye froze, tears suspended in her eyes after being shouted at.
"Why are there so many tears?" Xavier Foster said helplessly.
"I told you before: keep your distance from that man."
His thin lips pressed into a hard line, Xavier Foster tilted her face up to look at him.
Cecilia Ye turned away, refusing to meet his gaze. All she’d done was share a meal with someone—and look what Xavier Foster did in response.
He’d left her alone at Grandpa Rivers’s birthday party, in front of everyone, making her the subject of all their gossip.
Now, everyone knew: at the birthday banquet, Xavier Foster had abandoned his wife and left with his mistress.
But the truth was, Cecilia Ye knew she was actually the third wheel in this marriage. But as long as she hadn’t divorced yet, why did she have to be the one humiliated?
She was crying hard, hiccuping as she sobbed, her nose red at the tip.
Her crying actually made Xavier Foster laugh.
But seeing him smile just twisted Cecilia Ye’s heart even tighter.
"Xavier Foster, do you think I’m a joke too? That I’m pathetic watching my husband run after another woman?" Her hoarse voice sounded unbearably fragile in the quiet car.
Her skin was porcelain fair. Her lips, swollen and red from his kisses, still glistened with tears across her cheeks—a heartbreaking beauty that only made Xavier Foster more ruthless.
Xavier Foster, I think I’m pathetic too.
We’re practically divorced already.
Everything’s been decided for so long—I should have stepped aside years ago.
I’ve always known who occupies your heart.
So why am I still so sad? Why does it feel like my heart is about to shatter?
"I never thought you were a joke. Don’t overthink it."
He pulled Cecilia Ye up. Noticing how thinly she was dressed, he shed his suit jacket and wrapped it around her.
After hesitating a moment, Xavier Foster admitted, "What happened at Grandpa Rivers’s birthday was my fault. It won’t happen again. As long as we’re not officially divorced, I won’t do something like that again."
The garage lights spilled through the car window, outlining Xavier Foster’s chiseled jaw.
Watching his serious expression, Cecilia Ye’s heart ached all over again.
She wanted to say: Let’s get the divorce certificate right now, so I can finally let go. She opened her mouth, but couldn’t get the words out.
"But you need to stay away from that man too." Furrowing his brow, Xavier Foster’s tone was flat. "You really shouldn’t be that close to him."
Cecilia Ye fell silent. Who forgot their vows first—it wasn’t her.
Xavier Foster bent down to scoop her out of the car, booted the door shut with his foot, and brought her inside. The apartment building had a private elevator, taking them straight up.
He set her down on the sofa. Cecilia Ye was still dazed. In just a few days, her relationship with Xavier Foster had flipped upside down.
There were so many gestures of intimacy now—things she never would have imagined before. She’d never dreamed Xavier Foster would carry her in front of everyone, let alone all the way upstairs.
Xavier Foster sat next to her, gazing at his dazed little wife, and most of his anger had melted away.
*Gurgle—*
Cecilia Ye blushed as her stomach rumbled. She’d barely taken a few bites of dinner before the crying started; now she was just starving.
"Hungry?"
"...No, I’m not," Cecilia Ye replied stiffly, refusing to admit it.
His large hand cupped her cheek, fingers softly tracing her swollen lips.
He realizes he was too rough just now—frightened her.
"Go take a shower. I’ll order something for you."
Cecilia Ye shrugged off Xavier Foster’s jacket and made her way to the bathroom.
By the time she came out, he’d already had food delivered from the hotel nearby.
She was in a white pajama set, a little cartoon bunny stitched over her chest. Xavier Foster couldn’t help finding her irresistibly cute.
On the table sat a platter of freshly steamed hairy crabs. Xavier Foster’s slender fingers were delicately picking meat out of a crab leg—slow and elegant.
When she sat down, Xavier Foster nodded to the small dish of crabmeat next to her. "Eat first. I’ll prep more for you."
Under the warm golden glow, Xavier Foster’s handsomeness softened into gentle affection. "If you ever want crab, let me make it for you."
Cecilia Ye took a bite—the sweetness of the crab dissolved on her tongue, but tears still pricked at her eyes.
Xavier Foster, each time you hurt me, you turn around and hand me a sweet. What am I supposed to do with that?
There is no ‘next time’—soon, you’ll belong to someone else.
That night, Xavier Foster stayed. He held Cecilia Ye in his arms as they slept.
For four years, she’d grown used to sleeping in his embrace. The past few nights alone, she never got a good rest.
Now, cradled against him and listening to his strong heartbeat, Cecilia Ye felt at peace.
"Xavier Foster… did you know she’d be at the birthday party that day?"
She asked, unable to bury her anxiety.
"No. I didn’t invite her."
"Oh." Hearing that, Cecilia Ye felt a little better. At least he hadn’t conspired to humiliate her from the outset.
"Go to sleep," he said.
When Cecilia Ye woke up the next morning, he was already gone. She stared into space for a while before sending Julian Jarvis an apologetic message.
[It’s fine, let’s meet up another time.]
Julian Jarvis, always good-tempered, didn’t push.
Cecilia Ye hesitated, deciding it might be best not to have dinner together for a while. It seemed every time she saw Julian Jarvis lately, she collided with Xavier Foster.
[Yeah, maybe after a few days—things are a bit busy for me now.]
In the president’s office of the Jiang Group, Julian Jarvis stared at his phone, his expression unreadable.
He frowned and pressed ‘okay’.
*
Cecilia Ye wasn’t the only one who hadn’t seen Xavier Foster since the birthday party—Vivian Belle hadn’t either.
The past few days, whenever she called him, he’d just say he was busy and not come see her.
It must be because she’d shown up at the party uninvited. Xavier Foster was angry.
Vivian Belle’s sharp nails scratched furiously at her phone case, her expression ugly.
That day, she’d dressed up just like Cecilia Ye to curry favor with the old man. And yet, she’d made a huge scene. Thank goodness Xavier Foster chased after her in the end.
Even though he’d lost his temper, after a few bouts of pouting and acting coy, things smoothed over.
"Zhi Zhi, why haven’t you gone out these past few days? Not looking for Xavier Foster anymore?"
Mother Bai sat down next to her, scarlet-polished nails resting on her shoulder.
"Hmph. I’m going to look for him right now. Would he dare not come home?"
Vivian Belle grabbed her designer purse and sashayed out the door.
She arrived at Xavier Foster’s house, but was stopped at the door by the housekeeper. Frustrated, Vivian Belle pulled out her phone to call him.
"Zhiye, I’m at your place—are you home?"
Xavier Foster had just arrived at the office. He’d deliberately ignored Vivian Belle for days to teach her a lesson. As expected, she couldn’t sit still any longer.
"What are you doing at my house?"
"Ah, last time I was there, I left something behind, so..."
His secretary was waiting for him to start a meeting. Impatiently, he said, "Give your phone to the housekeeper."
He instructed the housekeeper to let Vivian Belle in.
Vivian Belle raised her brows, strutting in with her nose in the air, not even sparing the housekeeper a glance.