Return, My Love: Wooing the Neglected Ex-Wife

Chapter 46:

As the room seemed to spin around her, Joelle lost her balance and tumbled onto the bed. Before she could even process what was happening, Adrian was already kneeling between her legs, unbuttoning his shirt with deliberate movements. Panic surged through Joelle. She tried to scoot backward, but he was faster, grabbing her wrist with a firm grip.

Wrapped only in a towel, her body tensed in fear, and her voice quivered as she demanded, “What are you doing?” Adrian pressed her hand against his waist, a smirk playing on his lips. “Ah!” she gasped. He leaned in closer, and in a desperate attempt to break free, Joelle began hitting him with all her strength. “Adrian, if you can’t control yourself, go find a prostitute. I’m not your plaything! What do you think I am?”noveldrama

Adrian’s grip tightened on her wrist. “Why should I pay for someone else when I have a wife who can satisfy me?” Joelle froze for a moment, her heart pounding, before she yelled, “Adrian, let go of me right now!” But instead of releasing her, Adrian yanked the towel from her body, leaving her exposed. His desire was evident, and the vulnerability only fueled his impatience.

With a sharp tug, he pulled off his belt, his voice cold and unforgiving. “Joelle, you’ve been playing your little games well lately, but dragging this out too long only ruins the moment.” Joelle’s fury flared. “Who’s playing games with you?” Adrian’s face was mere inches from hers, his eyes narrowing with intensity. His forehead pressed against hers, creating an unsettling closeness. “Still pretending?” he murmured, his voice a dangerous whisper.

Joelle’s body sank into the mattress, her limbs growing weak under the weight of her own despair. She bit down on her lip as Adrian pinned her wrists with one hand, his other hand skillfully exploring her body, igniting every nerve he touched. Her breathing grew erratic, her body betraying her as it responded to his touch. Heat spread across her skin, and in a desperate attempt to regain control, she grabbed his hand. “Katherine will be back any minute! She has a room card!” Her voice was laced with urgency, hoping this would make Adrian stop.

But her words only seemed to excite Adrian further. His breath was hot against her ear, fanning the flames that were already consuming her. “That just makes it more thrilling. Let’s see if you can make me finish in ten minutes.” Joelle’s protest was reduced to a muffled moan as she felt herself being swept away by the overpowering tide of desire. Katherine returned about an hour later, just minutes after Adrian had left following a quick shower.

Joelle’s face remained flushed, her body still marked by the intensity of their encounter. Though Adrian had dragged her to the bathroom midway, not all traces could be washed away. Katherine noticed her flushed face. “Why is your face so red? Did you just take a shower?” Joelle quickly averted her gaze, busying herself with drying her damp hair. “Yeah.”

“Ugh, I’m exhausted!” Katherine groaned, collapsing onto the bed. “I’ll try to catch that guy again tomorrow. If I can’t, we’ll head back home.” Joelle attempted to comfort her, offering a small smile. “You’re excellent. I’m sure you’ll close that deal.” Katherine sighed, staring up at the ceiling. “Not necessarily. If I don’t manage to catch him tomorrow, I’ll think of another way.”

“Alright,” Joelle murmured. “I’m visiting Sloane tomorrow. I don’t even know if she’ll want to see me.” Years ago, Joelle had given up everything, determined to marry Adrian. Sloane had been the most opposed to it, but Joelle couldn’t bring herself to reveal the truth about her wrist injury. She knew it would only shatter Sloane’s heart even more. Joelle had been Sloane’s only student, but at twenty-three, she was told she would never play the violin again. Back then, she had convinced herself that marrying Adrian, the man she had loved for years, would be her new beginning. But reality had turned out to be nothing short of a disaster.

Katherine had been out all day, and as soon as she hit the bed, she fell into a deep sleep. Joelle quietly removed her makeup, tucked her in, and finally went to bed herself. The next day, Joelle went to visit Sloane. Sloane, renowned internationally, lived a very low-profile life. Now nearly sixty, she had no children and lived alone in an old apartment building without an elevator. The only people moving between the buildings were either children not yet in school or elderly folks shuffling slowly along.

Joelle carried the gift she had prepared for Sloane. As she approached the street at the traffic light, a motorcycle suddenly sped toward her. Two men, both wearing helmets, were on it. One drove while the other snatched the bag from her shoulder. “Hey!” she shouted. For a moment, Joelle instinctively held on, struggling against the man. But the motorcycle’s force was too strong. In the midst of busy traffic, she was dragged four or five meters, her elbow scraping against the hot exhaust pipe. The searing pain brought tears to her eyes. In the end, she could only fall to the ground, helplessly watching as the motorcycle sped away.

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The entire incident lasted less than ten seconds. Joelle looked down at the burn on her arm, ignoring the stares from passersby. She couldn’t believe someone had dared to rob her in broad daylight. The cash in her bag wasn’t important, but her vital documents were gone, and replacing them would be a nightmare. She struggled to her feet, limping over to a car that had stopped beside her. Desperate, she asked for help. “Excuse me, do you know where the nearest police station is?” As the car window rolled down, Joelle’s breath caught in her throat. It was Adrian and Michael.

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