Chapter 401 A Forced Kiss
In the past, I merely wanted my child back, but my hatred toward the Shaw family grew as time passed. I could not forget how I had been waking up crying amidst my yearning for my child every day in the past year.
“Anna, you’re my wife, yet you’re helping outsiders to oppress my company?”
Michael’s brows were creased slightly, and his eyes radiated faint fury as he stared at me.
Upon hearing that, I could not help guffawing. I looked at him with a derisive expression on my face. “Wife? Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten that we’re divorced? We’re no more than strangers at present!”
The events of my meeting with him that day had been wholly contrary to my expectations. I initially thought he would be livid to see me, assuming that I would be the last person he wanted to see in his lifetime. From his reaction, however, I sensed that it was not the case.
The instant I mentioned the word “divorce,” his expression changed in a flash, rage blazing in his eyes that were pinned on me.
“Are you that eager to be strangers with me? Anna, it’s just been a year, but I never expected you to have changed so much!”
Michael’s countenance was glacial, his words coming out in a near bellow. I could sense that he was really enraged at that moment, but I was not bothered.
We no longer had anything to do with each other anymore, so there was no need for me to soften my attitude toward him when he was ruthless to me back then. Speaking of changing, no one changed more than him. I initially thought that the two of us would be together forever, living happily ever after as a family of three, but he let me down. After signing the divorce agreement, he disappeared without a trace. How callous was his treatment of me back then! I could not help but wonder if he harbored even a shred of reluctance when we had been together for such a long time.
“I’m here today to inform you that Nifty Group has been officially established in the country. Starting today, I’m going to poach every single client of Joyful Success! I want to witness Joyful Success being gobbled up by our company!”
As I loathed to dwell on memories long past, I stood up to leave after uttering those words placidly.
Click-clacking toward the door in my high heels, I was about to leave the room when a hand gripped my arm. In the next second, I was tugged backward, and Michael hugged me tightly.
Startled, I wanted to push him away, but his lips captured mine before I could do anything.
I sensed a warm sensation on my lips, followed by the familiar taste of him pervading my mouth. The second he touched me, my heart pounded wildly. I thought hatred was all I had left for him, but only then did I realize that I could not forget him.
With all my might, I attempted to struggle out of his grasp. At that moment, I did not only hate him, but I detested myself even more. I hated myself for being so useless that my heart would still race because of him despite him having hurt me so deeply.
You deserve to suffer, Anna Garcia!
Despising my current self, I chastised myself inwardly.
However, Michael had no intention of letting me go. His hold on me tightened, hugging me so forcefully that it was as though he wanted to meld me into him.
I hated him with a vengeance. Even though I knew I still had him in my heart, I would never forget how he hurt me.
As he forced a kiss on me, I could not break free with my puny strength. Left with no other choice, I could only bite his lip hard.
As pain assailed Michael, he abruptly released his grip on me and brushed a long, slender finger across his lips. When he glimpsed the blood on his finger, his expression went cold.
He was about to speak, but I did not give him that opportunity. Before he could utter a single word, I struck him hard across the face.
I put a lot of strength into that slap as though venting the loathing with me.
“You’re utterly shameless!”
After spatting those words, I snagged my bag and stalked away, afraid that he would do something else to me.
When I left Joyful Success, many people fastened their gazes on me. While I was there in the past, a lot of things happened. Everyone knew about my marriage to Michael, but I had no idea how many of them knew about our divorce.
As I walked past them, a lot of them started whispering among themselves, but I did not care a whit whatever they were saying. I was no longer the same person I was in the past, and I would not allow my mood to be affected by insignificant people.
Having left Joyful Success, I strolled along the street alone. For some inexplicable reason, I felt empty on the inside. At the same time, Michael’s handsome face lingered in my mind.
During the year I had been abroad, I reminded myself every day that I hated him, yet a simple action of his shook my resolve. Verily, I was annoyed at myself for being so uncommitted.
My phone rang out of the blue, interrupting my train of thought. I took out the phone, my brows knitting together when I saw that it was a call from Nicholas. Nonetheless, I still answered it in the end.
“Hello.”
I took a deep breath, doing my best to make myself sound calm and unruffled.
“How did you feel when you saw Michael? Has your resolve wavered, and you can no longer bring yourself to go up against Joyful Success?”
Nicholas’ voice sounded from the other end of the line. His voice was still mild, but it carried a hint of warning.
I knew what he was thinking, and I truly detested his seemingly unintentional reminders every so often. Even so, I actually had to thank him as well. If it were not for his constant reminders, I might not have been able to make it thus far.
“No, but the meeting today confounded my expectations.”
My voice remained even, for I did not want him to notice anything off about me.
“I’m glad to hear that. I thought all your painstaking effort to make yourself stronger in the past year would go to waste after you meet him again for the first time.”
His tone seemed to have eased after he heard my reply, but I had not had the presence of mind to care about whatever he was thinking then. My emotions were a chaotic mess.
I initially thought that my heart would be as hard as stone when I returned, but I then knew that I had overestimated myself.
“Where are you now? Let’s have dinner together tonight.”
At that exact moment, Nicholas’ voice drifted over once more, and it had turned tender. During the past year in Anglandur, he had been my only friend and helped me a lot. Although we were using each other, we also encouraged one another.
“No, thanks. I’m a bit tired, so I’d like to rest earlier.”
My emotions were all over the place after I saw Michael. If I were to meet up with Nicholas, I could not be sure that I could keep them under wraps. Honestly, I was afraid that he would realize that something was amiss.
