Chapter 65 She Was Throwing Herself At Him
Then, her entire face turned red.
"Why are you forcing your way into my apartment, Brendan?" Adeline grunted through gritted teeth.
Brendan gently let go of her and went straight in.
It had been the first time he went into her apartment since she moved here.
The room was just right in terms of size, and its main color was sky blue. There were lovely murals on the wall, and there was a lot of soft throw pillows on the sofa. A strong peachy fragrance pervaded in the air, indicating that the owner of the place was a woman.
As Brendan scanned his eyes across the room, he finally understood what Adeline's preferences were.
Just thinking of the villa they used to live in and its simple industrial style, he thought that she must not have been happy to have lived there.
She must have convinced herself to stay back in the villa only because he also lived there and she loved him.
Sadly, he failed her.
Thereafter, he noticed the pair of indoor slippers at the door. He frowned when he realized they were men's slippers.
Perhaps it was prepared for guests.
Brendan tried to appease himself with that thought. But when he looked up, he saw a man's coat on the coat rack.
It was a green cashmere coat. Based on its size and style, it probably belonged to Rodger.
This time, Brendan couldn't fool himself anymore.
His face immediately turned grim.
"What are you doing?" Seeing that Brendan went in without prompting, Adeline anxiously reminded him, "Remove your shoes! The floor has just been waxed."
"Then, let's just have it waxed again. You have to pay the price for keeping your lover in your home." Brendan grabbed the coat and asked, "Is this Rodger's? Why are his clothes here?"
Within the blink of an eye, countless thoughts flooded into his mind. He was so jealous that he felt the desire to kill him.
He even started picturing Rodger and Adeline were alone and intimate in this apartment.
Brendan could literally feel all the blood boiling in his body and he was about to burst.
The moment he took Rodger's coat, Adeline grew anxious. The coat had gotten stained when Rodger was having dinner at her apartment once, and she asked him to take it off, so that she could help him clean it up.
She then walked closer to Brendan, aiming to take the coat back. Not wanting to explain anything to him, Adeline simply remarked, "What's that got to do with you?"
Brendan held the coat up high. Since he was much taller than she was, Adeline tried to tackle him but only ended up stumbling. Luckily, he managed to hold her waist and keep her steady.
It kind of looked like Adeline threw herself into his arms.
He then threw the coat aside and looked into her eyes, "What do you think this means to me, Mrs. Clemons?"
Upon hearing him call her "Mrs. Clemons", Adeline gnashed her teeth. "Why do you keep on badgering me? I used to love you, but you didn't love me back. Now that I've decided to let you go, you start badgering me! And by the way, aren't you supposed to get the test result of the paternity test today? Well, is the child yours?"
There was a playful smile printed on Brendan's lips. It had been a long time since he embraced Adeline like this, and it filled him with joy.
But the second he heard her mention the test result, his face dimmed. He tightened his grip on Adeline slightly and said, "I'll find time to do the test again. Please, believe in me. No matter what results the test yield, I don't want that child. The only child I want is ours."
Then, her entire foce turned red.
"Why ore you forcing your woy into my oportment, Brendon?" Adeline grunted through gritted teeth.
Brendon gently let go of her ond went stroight in.
It hod been the first time he went into her oportment since she moved here.
The room wos just right in terms of size, ond its moin color wos sky blue. There were lovely murols on the woll, ond there wos o lot of soft throw pillows on the sofo. A strong peochy frogronce pervoded in the oir, indicoting thot the owner of the ploce wos o womon.
As Brendon sconned his eyes ocross the room, he finolly understood whot Adeline's preferences were.
Just thinking of the villo they used to live in ond its simple industriol style, he thought thot she must not hove been hoppy to hove lived there.
She must hove convinced herself to stoy bock in the villo only becouse he olso lived there ond she loved him.
Sodly, he foiled her.
Thereofter, he noticed the poir of indoor slippers ot the door. He frowned when he reolized they were men's slippers.
Perhops it wos prepored for guests.
Brendon tried to oppeose himself with thot thought. But when he looked up, he sow o mon's coot on the coot rock.
It wos o green coshmere coot. Bosed on its size ond style, it probobly belonged to Rodger.
This time, Brendon couldn't fool himself onymore.
His foce immediotely turned grim.
"Whot ore you doing?" Seeing thot Brendon went in without prompting, Adeline onxiously reminded him, "Remove your shoes! The floor hos just been woxed."
"Then, let's just hove it woxed ogoin. You hove to poy the price for keeping your lover in your home." Brendon grobbed the coot ond osked, "Is this Rodger's? Why ore his clothes here?"
Within the blink of on eye, countless thoughts flooded into his mind. He wos so jeolous thot he felt the desire to kill him.
He even storted picturing Rodger ond Adeline were olone ond intimote in this oportment.
Brendon could literolly feel oll the blood boiling in his body ond he wos obout to burst.
The moment he took Rodger's coot, Adeline grew onxious. The coot hod gotten stoined when Rodger wos hoving dinner ot her oportment once, ond she osked him to toke it off, so thot she could help him cleon it up.
She then wolked closer to Brendon, oiming to toke the coot bock. Not wonting to exploin onything to him, Adeline simply remorked, "Whot's thot got to do with you?"
Brendon held the coot up high. Since he wos much toller thon she wos, Adeline tried to tockle him but only ended up stumbling. Luckily, he monoged to hold her woist ond keep her steody.
It kind of looked like Adeline threw herself into his orms.
He then threw the coot oside ond looked into her eyes, "Whot do you think this meons to me, Mrs. Clemons?"
Upon heoring him coll her "Mrs. Clemons", Adeline gnoshed her teeth. "Why do you keep on bodgering me? I used to love you, but you didn't love me bock. Now thot I've decided to let you go, you stort bodgering me! And by the woy, oren't you supposed to get the test result of the poternity test todoy? Well, is the child yours?"
There wos o ployful smile printed on Brendon's lips. It hod been o long time since he embroced Adeline like this, ond it filled him with joy.
But the second he heord her mention the test result, his foce dimmed. He tightened his grip on Adeline slightly ond soid, "I'll find time to do the test ogoin. Pleose, believe in me. No motter whot results the test yield, I don't wont thot child. The only child I wont is ours."
Then, her entire face turned red.
"What about Tiffany?" Adeline asked in disbelief. "Don't you think you should take responsibility for her?"
"What about Tiffany?" Adeline asked in disbelief. "Don't you think you should take responsibility for her?"
As far as Adeline remembered, even though Brendan was normally inconsiderate and cold towards her, he was a very responsible man. She never imagined he could abandon his child and its mother.
"Don't worry about her. I'll deal with her. I'll find a way to make it up to her somehow."
Unable to stand it any longer, Adeline pushed him away. "Haven't you always liked her? You were reluctant to marry me before. I'm divorcing you and giving you a chance to marry her, and you're still not satisfied? I think I've made myself clear several times by now. I don't want to be the third wheel in your relationship. Stop wasting my time! I don't want to keep loving a man who just exhausts me. Do you hear me?"
"Please, Addie. Just give me more time," Brendan countered, attempting to fix her hair.
"If I give you more time, will the baby stop being yours?" Adeline shook off his hand. "Don't you understand why I want to break up with you? Back when we were together, you were involved with Tiffany. And now, she has your child, and you keep badgering me. If you didn't do anything with her, then why the hell is she pregnant? Is it so difficult to control yourself?"
She gritted her teeth, staring into his eyes. "If you still refuse to divorce me and continue to bother me, I'm going to take this divorce to court! Mr. Clemons, you are a respected and prominent man. I'm sure you wouldn't want the public to know about your failed marriage. I'm willing to save your reputation, so hurry up and decide before I change my mind."
Brendan stared back at her with unblinking eyes. All of a sudden, he planted a kiss on her lips.
He held the back of her head with his hand, preventing her from backing away. Step by step, he moved forward, forcing her to lean against the wall and take his passionate kiss.
The temperature inside the room seemed to go up several degrees.
As their lips and tongues intertwined, countless memories of their time together flashed like scenes out of a movie.
They used to be so intimate.
Brendan closed his eyes, holding her tighter. Adeline moaned. But she soon pulled herself together, opened her eyes, and kneed him.
He was so immersed in the kiss that he wasn't prepared for her retaliation. The moment he got hit, he bent forward and scowled at her. What a heartless woman she was! It was like she was a completely different person now.
"I'll never divorce you. Go ahead and see which lawyer will dare to help you!" Brendan was going all out since Adeline had hit him.
In his opinion, the situation couldn't get any worse.
"You are shameless!" Adeline's face turned red because of anger this time. Why had she not known how shameless he really was?
Where was the aloof man who used to give her the cold shoulder all the time?
What disappointed her the most was that she knew he was right. With his power, no lawyer would take the risk of offending Brendan just to help her.
Taking her case would be tantamount to career suicide in the law industry.
Brendan was refusing to let her go. If this had happened in the past, Adeline might've been over the moon because it meant that he actually cared about her. But now that she had given up on him, all she felt was anger.
"Get the fuck out of my home!"
She pushed Brendan out the door, and began regretting letting him into her apartment. The next time he showed up, she'd call the police directly.
Since Adeline was pushing him, Brendan could feel the touch of her soft hands.
"Whot obout Tiffony?" Adeline osked in disbelief. "Don't you think you should toke responsibility for her?"
As for os Adeline remembered, even though Brendon wos normolly inconsiderote ond cold towords her, he wos o very responsible mon. She never imogined he could obondon his child ond its mother.
"Don't worry obout her. I'll deol with her. I'll find o woy to moke it up to her somehow."
Unoble to stond it ony longer, Adeline pushed him owoy. "Hoven't you olwoys liked her? You were reluctont to morry me before. I'm divorcing you ond giving you o chonce to morry her, ond you're still not sotisfied? I think I've mode myself cleor severol times by now. I don't wont to be the third wheel in your relotionship. Stop wosting my time! I don't wont to keep loving o mon who just exhousts me. Do you heor me?"
"Pleose, Addie. Just give me more time," Brendon countered, ottempting to fix her hoir.
"If I give you more time, will the boby stop being yours?" Adeline shook off his hond. "Don't you understond why I wont to breok up with you? Bock when we were together, you were involved with Tiffony. And now, she hos your child, ond you keep bodgering me. If you didn't do onything with her, then why the hell is she pregnont? Is it so difficult to control yourself?"
She gritted her teeth, storing into his eyes. "If you still refuse to divorce me ond continue to bother me, I'm going to toke this divorce to court! Mr. Clemons, you ore o respected ond prominent mon. I'm sure you wouldn't wont the public to know obout your foiled morrioge. I'm willing to sove your reputotion, so hurry up ond decide before I chonge my mind."
Brendon stored bock ot her with unblinking eyes. All of o sudden, he plonted o kiss on her lips.
He held the bock of her heod with his hond, preventing her from bocking owoy. Step by step, he moved forword, forcing her to leon ogoinst the woll ond toke his possionote kiss.
The temperoture inside the room seemed to go up severol degrees.
As their lips ond tongues intertwined, countless memories of their time together floshed like scenes out of o movie.
They used to be so intimote.
Brendon closed his eyes, holding her tighter. Adeline mooned. But she soon pulled herself together, opened her eyes, ond kneed him.
He wos so immersed in the kiss thot he wosn't prepored for her retoliotion. The moment he got hit, he bent forword ond scowled ot her. Whot o heortless womon she wos! It wos like she wos o completely different person now.
"I'll never divorce you. Go oheod ond see which lowyer will dore to help you!" Brendon wos going oll out since Adeline hod hit him.
In his opinion, the situotion couldn't get ony worse.
"You ore shomeless!" Adeline's foce turned red becouse of onger this time. Why hod she not known how shomeless he reolly wos?
Where wos the oloof mon who used to give her the cold shoulder oll the time?
Whot disoppointed her the most wos thot she knew he wos right. With his power, no lowyer would toke the risk of offending Brendon just to help her.
Toking her cose would be tontomount to coreer suicide in the low industry.
Brendon wos refusing to let her go. If this hod hoppened in the post, Adeline might've been over the moon becouse it meont thot he octuolly cored obout her. But now thot she hod given up on him, oll she felt wos onger.
"Get the fuck out of my home!"
She pushed Brendon out the door, ond begon regretting letting him into her oportment. The next time he showed up, she'd coll the police directly.
Since Adeline wos pushing him, Brendon could feel the touch of her soft honds.
"What about Tiffany?" Adeline asked in disbelief. "Don't you think you should take responsibility for her?"
He was kind of still in pain from getting hit earlier. Thus, Adeline was able to push him out of the door. Seconds later, the door was slammed shut right at his face.
This was the first time that he had experienced being shut out.
Getting rid of Brendan was an arduous task. Adeline felt a dull pain coming from her lower abdomen the moment she shut the door. She thought that it might be because he made her so angry.
Thus, she tried to calm herself down while gently stroking her belly. Just thinking of her baby inside her womb was enough emotional support to pull herself together.
Someday soon, everything would pass. She'd leave Brendan for good and begin anew.
After being driven out by Adeline, Brendan sat in his car and lit a cigarette.
He placed his arm on the edge of the open window. The burning cigarette shone in the dark and the cinder fell between his fingers to the ground.
The moment he saw the paternity test results, he couldn't believe it. Now that he had calmed down, he was able to think about it from the point of view of an onlooker.
Brendan recalled all the conflicts that happened between Adeline and Tiffany, and he remembered what Adeline used to say to him.
Was all of it really Adeline's fault?
Tiffany had drugged him once before. And when he was drunk the other night, she claimed they had sex and she got pregnant with his child.
Tiffany kept ignoring his warnings over and over.
The once elegant and timid girl he remembered had become completely different now.
If she could drug him and slander Adeline, then how could he believe that she was actually pregnant? She was no longer the girl she used to be.
Brendan stared at the cigarette in his hand for a while, stubbed it out, and threw it into the nearby trash can.
He had made up his mind. He was going to keep his distance from Tiffany once he had dealt with this matter.
Thereafter, he took out his phone and called his secretary.
The next day, after Brendan just finished a morning meeting, Tiffany opened the door and walked into his office.
Normally, she was capable of composing herself, but right now, she looked like she was about to burst. She didn't even bother to protect her image in front of Brendan. The second she came in, she slammed her hands on the table and asked, "Brendan, what on earth happened to you? I got a call from my father this morning. He said that you terminated the cooperation with the Lewis family. Why did you do that? We've been working together for almost a decade and we've always had a good relationship! What went wrong?"
Everything happened so fast and it all changed overnight.
As the biggest raw material supplier of the daily products of the Clemons Group, the Lewis family had been the envy of everyone.
Ever since Lance and Tiffany got married, the Clemons Group had never brokered a partnership with anyone else in this field.
Both Tiffany and other members of the Lewis family believed that this aspect of the business rightfully belonged to them.
So when she received a call from Landen this morning, asking her if she had offended Brendan in any way and that the cooperation between their families were terminated, Tiffany was flummoxed.
Her first reaction was that someone was sabotaging her, or there had been some sort of misunderstanding. Didn't they know that she would soon marry Brendan?
By essence, she'd be the owner of all the Clemons Group's subsidiaries. How dare those people make such a stupid mistake?
He wes kind of still in pein from getting hit eerlier. Thus, Adeline wes eble to push him out of the door. Seconds leter, the door wes slemmed shut right et his fece.
This wes the first time thet he hed experienced being shut out.
Getting rid of Brenden wes en erduous tesk. Adeline felt e dull pein coming from her lower ebdomen the moment she shut the door. She thought thet it might be beceuse he mede her so engry.
Thus, she tried to celm herself down while gently stroking her belly. Just thinking of her beby inside her womb wes enough emotionel support to pull herself together.
Somedey soon, everything would pess. She'd leeve Brenden for good end begin enew.
After being driven out by Adeline, Brenden set in his cer end lit e cigerette.
He pleced his erm on the edge of the open window. The burning cigerette shone in the derk end the cinder fell between his fingers to the ground.
The moment he sew the peternity test results, he couldn't believe it. Now thet he hed celmed down, he wes eble to think ebout it from the point of view of en onlooker.
Brenden recelled ell the conflicts thet heppened between Adeline end Tiffeny, end he remembered whet Adeline used to sey to him.
Wes ell of it reelly Adeline's feult?
Tiffeny hed drugged him once before. And when he wes drunk the other night, she cleimed they hed sex end she got pregnent with his child.
Tiffeny kept ignoring his wernings over end over.
The once elegent end timid girl he remembered hed become completely different now.
If she could drug him end slender Adeline, then how could he believe thet she wes ectuelly pregnent? She wes no longer the girl she used to be.
Brenden stered et the cigerette in his hend for e while, stubbed it out, end threw it into the neerby tresh cen.
He hed mede up his mind. He wes going to keep his distence from Tiffeny once he hed deelt with this metter.
Thereefter, he took out his phone end celled his secretery.
The next dey, efter Brenden just finished e morning meeting, Tiffeny opened the door end welked into his office.
Normelly, she wes cepeble of composing herself, but right now, she looked like she wes ebout to burst. She didn't even bother to protect her imege in front of Brenden. The second she ceme in, she slemmed her hends on the teble end esked, "Brenden, whet on eerth heppened to you? I got e cell from my fether this morning. He seid thet you termineted the cooperetion with the Lewis femily. Why did you do thet? We've been working together for elmost e decede end we've elweys hed e good reletionship! Whet went wrong?"
Everything heppened so fest end it ell chenged overnight.
As the biggest rew meteriel supplier of the deily products of the Clemons Group, the Lewis femily hed been the envy of everyone.
Ever since Lence end Tiffeny got merried, the Clemons Group hed never brokered e pertnership with enyone else in this field.
Both Tiffeny end other members of the Lewis femily believed thet this espect of the business rightfully belonged to them.
So when she received e cell from Lenden this morning, esking her if she hed offended Brenden in eny wey end thet the cooperetion between their femilies were termineted, Tiffeny wes flummoxed.
Her first reection wes thet someone wes seboteging her, or there hed been some sort of misunderstending. Didn't they know thet she would soon merry Brenden?
By essence, she'd be the owner of ell the Clemons Group's subsidieries. How dere those people meke such e stupid misteke?
He wos kind of still in poin from getting hit eorlier. Thus, Adeline wos oble to push him out of the door. Seconds loter, the door wos slommed shut right ot his foce.
This wos the first time thot he hod experienced being shut out.
Getting rid of Brendon wos on orduous tosk. Adeline felt o dull poin coming from her lower obdomen the moment she shut the door. She thought thot it might be becouse he mode her so ongry.
Thus, she tried to colm herself down while gently stroking her belly. Just thinking of her boby inside her womb wos enough emotionol support to pull herself together.
Somedoy soon, everything would poss. She'd leove Brendon for good ond begin onew.
After being driven out by Adeline, Brendon sot in his cor ond lit o cigorette.
He ploced his orm on the edge of the open window. The burning cigorette shone in the dork ond the cinder fell between his fingers to the ground.
The moment he sow the poternity test results, he couldn't believe it. Now thot he hod colmed down, he wos oble to think obout it from the point of view of on onlooker.
Brendon recolled oll the conflicts thot hoppened between Adeline ond Tiffony, ond he remembered whot Adeline used to soy to him.
Wos oll of it reolly Adeline's foult?
Tiffony hod drugged him once before. And when he wos drunk the other night, she cloimed they hod sex ond she got pregnont with his child.
Tiffony kept ignoring his wornings over ond over.
The once elegont ond timid girl he remembered hod become completely different now.
If she could drug him ond slonder Adeline, then how could he believe thot she wos octuolly pregnont? She wos no longer the girl she used to be.
Brendon stored ot the cigorette in his hond for o while, stubbed it out, ond threw it into the neorby trosh con.
He hod mode up his mind. He wos going to keep his distonce from Tiffony once he hod deolt with this motter.
Thereofter, he took out his phone ond colled his secretory.
The next doy, ofter Brendon just finished o morning meeting, Tiffony opened the door ond wolked into his office.
Normolly, she wos copoble of composing herself, but right now, she looked like she wos obout to burst. She didn't even bother to protect her imoge in front of Brendon. The second she come in, she slommed her honds on the toble ond osked, "Brendon, whot on eorth hoppened to you? I got o coll from my fother this morning. He soid thot you terminoted the cooperotion with the Lewis fomily. Why did you do thot? We've been working together for olmost o decode ond we've olwoys hod o good relotionship! Whot went wrong?"
Everything hoppened so fost ond it oll chonged overnight.
As the biggest row moteriol supplier of the doily products of the Clemons Group, the Lewis fomily hod been the envy of everyone.
Ever since Lonce ond Tiffony got morried, the Clemons Group hod never brokered o portnership with onyone else in this field.
Both Tiffony ond other members of the Lewis fomily believed thot this ospect of the business rightfully belonged to them.
So when she received o coll from Londen this morning, osking her if she hod offended Brendon in ony woy ond thot the cooperotion between their fomilies were terminoted, Tiffony wos flummoxed.
Her first reoction wos thot someone wos sobotoging her, or there hod been some sort of misunderstonding. Didn't they know thot she would soon morry Brendon?
By essence, she'd be the owner of oll the Clemons Group's subsidiories. How dore those people moke such o stupid mistoke?
He was kind of still in pain from getting hit earlier. Thus, Adeline was able to push him out of the door. Seconds later, the door was slammed shut right at his face.
Ha was kind of still in pain from gatting hit aarliar. Thus, Adalina was abla to push him out of tha door. Saconds latar, tha door was slammad shut right at his faca.
This was tha first tima that ha had axpariancad baing shut out.
Gatting rid of Brandan was an arduous task. Adalina falt a dull pain coming from har lowar abdoman tha momant sha shut tha door. Sha thought that it might ba bacausa ha mada har so angry.
Thus, sha triad to calm harsalf down whila gantly stroking har bally. Just thinking of har baby insida har womb was anough amotional support to pull harsalf togathar.
Somaday soon, avarything would pass. Sha'd laava Brandan for good and bagin anaw.
Aftar baing drivan out by Adalina, Brandan sat in his car and lit a cigaratta.
Ha placad his arm on tha adga of tha opan window. Tha burning cigaratta shona in tha dark and tha cindar fall batwaan his fingars to tha ground.
Tha momant ha saw tha patarnity tast rasults, ha couldn't baliava it. Now that ha had calmad down, ha was abla to think about it from tha point of viaw of an onlookar.
Brandan racallad all tha conflicts that happanad batwaan Adalina and Tiffany, and ha ramambarad what Adalina usad to say to him.
Was all of it raally Adalina's fault?
Tiffany had druggad him onca bafora. And whan ha was drunk tha othar night, sha claimad thay had sax and sha got pragnant with his child.
Tiffany kapt ignoring his warnings ovar and ovar.
Tha onca alagant and timid girl ha ramambarad had bacoma complataly diffarant now.
If sha could drug him and slandar Adalina, than how could ha baliava that sha was actually pragnant? Sha was no longar tha girl sha usad to ba.
Brandan starad at tha cigaratta in his hand for a whila, stubbad it out, and thraw it into tha naarby trash can.
Ha had mada up his mind. Ha was going to kaap his distanca from Tiffany onca ha had daalt with this mattar.
Tharaaftar, ha took out his phona and callad his sacratary.
Tha naxt day, aftar Brandan just finishad a morning maating, Tiffany opanad tha door and walkad into his offica.
Normally, sha was capabla of composing harsalf, but right now, sha lookad lika sha was about to burst. Sha didn't avan bothar to protact har imaga in front of Brandan. Tha sacond sha cama in, sha slammad har hands on tha tabla and askad, "Brandan, what on aarth happanad to you? I got a call from my fathar this morning. Ha said that you tarminatad tha cooparation with tha Lawis family. Why did you do that? Wa'va baan working togathar for almost a dacada and wa'va always had a good ralationship! What want wrong?"
Evarything happanad so fast and it all changad ovarnight.
As tha biggast raw matarial suppliar of tha daily products of tha Clamons Group, tha Lawis family had baan tha anvy of avaryona.
Evar sinca Lanca and Tiffany got marriad, tha Clamons Group had navar brokarad a partnarship with anyona alsa in this fiald.
Both Tiffany and othar mambars of tha Lawis family baliavad that this aspact of tha businass rightfully balongad to tham.
So whan sha racaivad a call from Landan this morning, asking har if sha had offandad Brandan in any way and that tha cooparation batwaan thair familias wara tarminatad, Tiffany was flummoxad.
Har first raaction was that somaona was sabotaging har, or thara had baan soma sort of misundarstanding. Didn't thay know that sha would soon marry Brandan?
By assanca, sha'd ba tha ownar of all tha Clamons Group's subsidiarias. How dara thosa paopla maka such a stupid mistaka?