Chapter 23: Guilt
Forgetting to bring her pajamas, her hair still half–damp, she wore only a bath towel that hung down from her chest, barely covering her bottom. Her graceful neck and slender shoulders were exposed, and the parts covered by the towel were temptingly full, reminding Troy of how they felt under his touch. Her slim, white legs were revealed, with skin as smooth as silk and as white as milk.
The two locked
Imogen immediately changed her expression and went to the coat room to retrieve her pajamas. She declared, “I’ll sleep in the guest room tonight.”
Troy questioned, “Imogen, what exactly do you mean?”
He fixed her with a lingering look.
“I’m just trying to help you two,” she retorted with a hint of sarcasm. Imogen detected a faint smell of alcohol on his body.
“Are you angry because I asked you to toast Sarah?” Troy asked, nonchalantly leaning against the doorframe.
“Can’t I be angry?” Imogen raised an eyebrow, unimpressed with his disinterest. Her anger was not solely about the toast.
More apparent was how his friends around him talked about Sarah.
“You’ll eventually call Sarah your sister–in–law. What’s the point this time?”
“Don’t worry. After the divorce, I’ll never call a mistress my sister–in–law again.” Troy’s face turned stern as he mentioned “Imogen.”
“Why?”
Troy straightened up and stepped closer. “You said Sarah was a mistress, but what about the man at the studio’s entrance?”
Imogen didn’t know how he and Liam had gotten together.
Troy pressed further, “Is he the person you like? You haven’t talked to me since I returned from my business trip. I’m afraid you’ve already decided on a divorce.”
Imogen hadn’t expected Troy to twist the conversation, so she mockingly smiled and said, “That’s because…”
In the middle of her sentence, her voice faltered. She cut herself off and sighed, “Think what you want.”
“What’s the reason? Because you want to love someone as Jade did? What do I care? I doubt you’d understand. No wonder it was so easy for you to agree to a divorce,” Troy said calmly. His eyes were as black as night, but his convictions were strong.
“Why do you think that?”
“Isn’t it true that you agreed to a divorce because you wanted to help us or be with the
person you like?”
Imogen fell silent and then laughed.
Tonight, her heart was already broken and numb.
She closed her eyes hopelessly and said, “Think whatever you want. I’m going to bed.”
She was too tired to get caught up in Troy’s game.
As she turne
and, Imogen headed outside.
“Wait,” Troy called out, grabbing her wrist. “You sleep in the master bedroom, and I’ll go sleep in the guest room.”
Imogen let out a startled cry as he pulled her slightly, causing her to stumble.
Troy quickly steadied her with his long arm, wrapping it around her waist.
“Are you okay?”
“It’s fine,” Imogen said, shaking her head in shock.
Then suddenly, her bath towel slipped off.
A chill ran through her body.
Imogen froze for a moment, her face flushing red as she hurriedly covered herself and said, “You… look away.”
“I haven’t seen it all before.”
Troy teased her when he noticed her discomfort.
But when he casually glanced at her naked body, his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he tightly gripped her thin waist. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“Don’t you want to go to the guest room? Be quick!”
Imogen quickly grabbed the towel and wrapped it around her chest.
As soon as she opened her eyes, she was met with Troy’s dark, intense gaze, as if he was trying to pull her in.
Imogen was taken aback.
Gradually, the handsome face before her grew larger, and he blew warm air on her face.
She just had to close her eyes.
With closed eyes, she could feel the darkness enveloping her, void of
But the kiss didn’t happen as she expected.
Imogen looked around.
any light.
Troy took a step back and said, “Sorry, I’ll go to the guest room. You should get some rest.”
He stood ou the door, closed his eyes, and tried to forget what had just happened.
He had almost kissed her.
He was losing control.
How could he still want to kiss Imogen when he was about to divorce her and marry Sarah?
He tried to convince himself that he was merely reacting to Imogen’s beautiful body. When she stood naked in front of him, he was just a normal guy with natural physical responses.
Troy rubbed his forehead.
Imogen stood there, stiff, listening to the heavy sound of the door closing.
The air around her felt cold, seeping into her skin.
She quickly pulled up the blanket, wrapped it around herself, and curled up in the corner of the bed, hiding her head in the blanket. Crystal tears dripped from the corners of her eyes, soaking the bedding.
His cold departure had felt like a slap in the face.
He showed a hint of tenderness, and she fell for it. She felt so cheap!
Not long ago, he had asked her to toast Sarah. But when he pushed her a little, she couldn’t help but turn against him!
He didn’t spare a glance for her as she left the room.
He must really care about Sarah.
She had hurt herself again.
He probably thought she was worthless.
To him, she was just a toy. He didn’t mind pampering her when he was in a good mood. or tossing her aside when he was sad.
She was even crazier than Sarah.
Imogen reminded herself not to expect something that didn’t belong to her anymore. She hoped to quickly dissolve the marriage.
She didn’t want to stay here anymore. She wanted to leave and be with her father.
To give birth and raise her child
ad go to a rural
area characterized by mountains and rivers.
Boom-
Thunder roared outside.
Imogen woke up from her thoughts, her heart pounding in her chest.
She stared into the darkness, taking deep breaths and wiping the sweat from her brow.
Flashes of fi d blood filled her mind, the haunting scenes of violence and death refusing to fade away.
Every time she closed her eyes, she could hear the sharp, abrupt sounds and see her father’s body soaked in blood and exposed bones.
Boom and rumble-
Imogen clenched her teeth and shivered, her face becoming increasingly drenched in
sweat.
Her breathing quickened, and the scenes before her eyes blurred even more.
This wasn’t right.
Imogen propped herself up and got out of bed. She rummaged through boxes and cupboards until she found her medication. Unscrewing the bottle, she poured out a pill.
But as she was about to take it, she suddenly remembered that she was pregnant and couldn’t take this medication anymore.
Imogen shook her head and set the pill back down. She curled up into a ball.
Just a little longer, and everything will be fine.
Thunder continued to roll outside, with rare lightning illuminating the dark night, adding to the eerie atmosphere.
The sound of the door handle turning suddenly came from the room.
The voice was soft, but in the silent room, it was clear.
Imogen felt like a startled cat, her hair standing on end. She became tense, staring at the door, huddled under the blanket, and only daring to open one eye to peek. She didn’t dare to breathe or move.
The room’s door was now open.
A tall figure walked toward the large bed.