I was overwhelmed by the gesture. "I can get up and pour water myself."
His tone, which had just been peaceful, instantly switched back to being domineering. "You're injured, so lie down. Why are you trying to be so tough?"
Just pouring a glass of water? Was that being tough? I took the cup and drank silently, my mind on something else. Hugh Pei wasn't truly cold and heartless; his tenderness and care were reserved only for the woman he loved.
Lila Wei was so lucky. In the future, she would enjoy his domineering gentleness every day, the chosen one.
"What's being done about He Kang?" I asked after I finished the water.
"He's being held at the police station. After the procedures are done, he'll be sentenced. He'll get life, at least," Hugh Pei said calmly. Then, his tone shifted. "And that Yan Zijun, he confessed the whole plan to kidnap you."
"Oh," I nodded. "That's good."
Hugh Pei sneered. "What's good about it?"
I was taken aback. Wasn't it good that the bad guys were brought to justice? Hugh Pei was truly a man I couldn't figure out.
He continued, "Was it a good idea to give your number to a stranger you met at a bar? Or to go see a movie and eat barbecue with him?"
"…" I was speechless. If I hadn't been acting out of a desire for revenge, deliberately seeking validation from someone else, Yan Zijun would never have succeeded.
Hugh Pei pressed on, "Why aren't you talking?"
After a moment of silence, I retorted, "Hugh Pei, are you jealous?"
I could smell the thick scent of jealousy, but I didn't understand why he would be. He had no feelings for me. He had even laid down the rules: we could see other people, as long as my flings weren't his friends.
My question seemed to make Hugh Pei extremely uncomfortable. He suddenly stood up, his voice cold. "You're overthinking it. I just find it humiliating. That's why I'm going to suppress this with the media. Otherwise, everyone will know you were kidnapped while on a date with another man."
So that was Hugh Pei's real thinking. For a man of his status, to have his wife go out for movies and barbecue with another man and get kidnapped—where would he put his face if that got out?
"I understand," I said, already accustomed to his cold words. After this incident, I decided to repay Hugh Pei for saving my life. "Get the divorce papers ready soon. I don't want a single penny. Consider it payment for you saving me this time. I value my life."
Someone who has died once treasures life the most.
"Oh, and those photos, are they the originals? Bring them to me while you're at it," I added.
Hugh Pei, for some unknown reason, suddenly flew into a rage. He pulled the photos from his coat pocket and slammed them onto my blanket, where they scattered everywhere.
His face was grim as he turned and left without a word, leaving me utterly confused.
What did that mean? He gave me the photos, but what about the divorce agreement? I quickly gathered the photos, counted them—not a single one was missing.
He probably needed to revise the divorce agreement. That must be why he hadn't given it to me yet. Hadn't I just offered to take nothing? Hugh Pei would need to go back and make changes.
With the photos safely in my possession, the huge weight on my chest finally lifted. My dad's problem was solved, and I could divorce Hugh Pei. From now on, I wouldn't be the resentful Mrs. Pei, but the free and independent Miss Xu.
When my dad learned that the matter was resolved, he suggested we meet in person.
I quickly refused, not wanting him to find out I had been kidnapped and injured. I made up an excuse and we talked on the phone instead. My dad said excitedly, "Zoe, your old man has finally been cleared! Otherwise, I could have jumped into the Yellow River and never washed myself clean!"
"Dad, from now on, choose men for your assistants and secretaries. Don't get framed right before you retire. A decade of good reputation destroyed in a day isn't worth it," I said earnestly, eating the pomelo Ginny Deng had peeled for me.
"I'll definitely learn my lesson. But Zoe, you should invite Hugh Pei over for a meal sometime. I want to thank him," my dad said.
"Thank him?" I was stunned. Shouldn't he be thanking me? I was the one who sacrificed my marriage for those photos, though my dad didn't know it.
My dad sighed. "Ai, I used to be so biased against him. I always felt he didn't care about you and didn't respect your mother and me. But this incident showed me he's actually a pretty good guy."
I was puzzled. "Dad, what are you talking about?"
And so my dad explained. Zhao Sufang was from C-City, where my in-laws had lived for years and had a strong network. So, he had swallowed his pride and asked my father-in-law for help. My father-in-law passed the matter directly to Hugh Pei, who had made a trip to C-City a couple of days ago and resolved the issue.
And I had known nothing about it the entire time, even misunderstanding that Hugh Pei was doing it to have leverage to force me into a divorce where I got nothing.
The pomelo in my hand fell. My whole body felt like it was on a rollercoaster, my mind a complete blank. Ginny Deng whispered, "What's wrong?"
"Anyway, just remember to bring Hugh Pei home for dinner sometime soon. I want to thank him personally," my dad said and then hung up.
It took me a while to process everything.
Ginny Deng thought I was suffering from some post-concussion syndrome and was scared enough to reach for the call bell. I quickly stopped her. "Ginny, I think I completely misunderstood Hugh Pei. What do I do?"
When I told her the whole story, Ginny Deng fell silent too. She was probably as caught off guard as I was.
"Where are the photos?" Ginny Deng asked after a long moment.
I pulled the photos from under my pillow. "Here…"
We stared at each other, another long silence stretching between us.
If Evan Yu hadn't come in to do his rounds, we probably would have stayed in shock. Seeing him enter, I quickly hid the photos.
"How are you feeling today? Is the dizziness any better?" Evan Yu asked his usual questions.
I answered him briefly, but my mind kept replaying the image from a few nights ago: Hugh Pei throwing the photos on me and turning to leave.
Ginny Deng was also dumbfounded by such a bizarre turn of events. She had personally witnessed my ten years as his devoted follower; in her mind, Hugh Pei treated me like an enemy.
She stood up and said to me, "I'm going out to clear my head."
"Clear what?" Evan Yu asked, his hands in the pockets of his white coat. The mask covered his face, but his handsome brow and eyes were visible. His voice, muffled by the mask, had a surprisingly alluring quality.
"Clear… her hair, I guess. It's messy," I said, running a hand through my own hair. "I'll clear mine too."
"Getting a divorce?" Evan Yu always managed to drop a bombshell with the fewest words.
I stared at him. "How did you know? Did Hugh Pei tell you?"
He shrugged. "Yeah, he did. The night you got hurt. Lila Wei was there too."
Just moments ago, I had felt guilty for misunderstanding Hugh Pei. Now, Evan Yu's few words dispelled that feeling. Hugh Pei wanted a divorce too; otherwise, why would he tell Evan and the others?
He was a man of his word. He either didn't say anything, or if he did, he meant it. He would definitely go through with the divorce.
I lowered my eyes. "Oh. Yes, we're getting one. To thank him for saving me, I've even decided to not take any of his assets."
Evan Yu's voice held a hint of a smile. "Congratulations."
"Congratulating me on a divorce?" I looked up and rolled my eyes at him. "Why don't you wait until my second marriage to congratulate me?"