Chapter 9

Besides, her legs were weak and powerless at the moment, and she was dizzy and lightheaded - she wasn't fit to go through any more trouble.

Everard had planned to help her walk, but seeing how miserable she looked, he shook his head, scooped her up in his arms, and strode toward the hotel room.

Once inside the room, Everard placed her on the bed. Just as he was about to get up, a pair of hands wrapped around his neck.

Everard froze slightly. Meeting Rebecca's dark, almost seductive gaze, their breaths nearly mingling together, he narrowed his eyes.

"What are you doing?"

As if possessed, Rebecca opened her mouth and asked, "Am I beautiful?"

"I asked you a question. Why aren't you answering?"

"You're beautiful. But I've seen women more beautiful than you. Did your husband abandon you, and now you're not confident?"

"If I'm so beautiful, then why doesn't he want me?" Rebecca asked again.

"You'll have to ask your own husband that."

Rebecca shook her head. "I won't get an answer from him."

Rather than saying she wouldn't get an answer, it was more accurate to say she wouldn't get an answer she could accept.

"Today is my fifth wedding anniversary with my husband, but he went to another woman's side. Aren't I pathetic?"

Everard nodded. "Pretty miserable indeed."

The hint of alcohol on Rebecca's breath carried a bewitching power, making even Everard feel a bit dazed. He stared at her from this close distance, watching tears well up in her eyes, along with sadness and seduction.

He could sense what she wanted to do - make a grown man gradually lose control, to prove she was an attractive woman.

Rebecca's arms suddenly pulled hard, and Everard's lips pressed against hers. Their eyes met, and Everard's gaze shifted from shock to danger, while Rebecca's look changed from slight unease to determination. She closed her eyes and actively deepened the kiss.

Everard watched as this beautiful, delicate face drew close to his. Her skin was fair, her eyebrows thin and curved, her lashes not particularly thick but very long. Now they were damp, and her eyes were red - a pitiful sight that somehow softened his heart, inexplicably stirring up some sympathy.

She insisted on deepening the kiss, her lips burning hot. At this moment, she was like a ball of fire, determined to burn both herself and him to ashes.

"Your friend will be here soon."

Everard released her already swollen lips, his fingers gently caressing them as he spoke hoarsely by her ear.

Rebecca opened her eyes.

"Didn't you say an hour?"

"An hour isn't enough." Everard's lips touched her ear, so hot it made her body shiver. When she realized what he meant, her whole face flushed an even deeper red.

"Rebecca, remember my name - Everard Whitaker."

"What you want to vent is your resentment and anger, but you've found the wrong person. Rebecca, you started this fire tonight, so you owe me . I want you to repay me when you're willing."

With that, Everard lowered his head and bit hard on Rebecca's neck.

Then, the disheveled clothes were straightened, those traces of passion smoothed away, and then came the sound of the door closing.

In the large room, only Rebecca remained, breathing heavily.

After her heart gradually calmed down, she covered her eyes. "Rebecca, you've really lost it! How are you any different from William? Any different from Celeste?"

When Natalie arrived, Rebecca had already taken a shower.

"Rebecca! Are you okay?"

Seeing Natalie's worried expression, Rebecca gave a faint smile and shrugged. "Now that you're here, I'm fine."

Seeing she was still fairly clear-headed, Natalie finally relaxed and came forward to hug her.

"What happened? Tell me."

"Come in first."

So Rebecca briefly summarized how William had been so affectionate, and then how he was called away by a phone call from Celeste. Natalie's fists clenched as she listened.

"That pair of bastards! Crystalview Hospital, right? I'm going there right now!"

Natalie jumped up and headed for the door, startling Rebecca. Rebecca quickly grabbed her. "Natalie, calm down."

"I don't have your good temper - I can't calm down at all! I'm going to slap Celeste twice! Do they really think you're easy to bully, that you have no one to stand up for you!"

Rebecca knew Natalie's temperament - when she got angry, she really couldn't be stopped. Seeing Natalie almost at the door, Rebecca quickly said, "I've decided to get a divorce!"

Natalie's steps finally stopped. She turned to look at Rebecca.

"Natalie, I've decided to divorce William." Rebecca walked over and pulled Natalie back to sit on the sofa, even pouring her some water, as if she wasn't the one who'd been wronged tonight.

"You always used to advise me not to just hold onto the Spencer Family, not to just focus on William and Oliver - I didn't listen. I always thought that as long as I looked after the two of them and was a good housewife, I could have the happiness I wanted. In the end, I just lost myself and became an accessory that others didn't even care about."

"In the past, I thought that as long as I loved William, I could endure anything. But no matter how much I loved him, five years was enough time to wake me up. I love him, he's my everything - but if I don't love him, what do you think the Spencer Family has that could keep me there?"

Natalie listened as Rebecca calmly explained everything, watching her clear and determined gaze - completely different from the confusion she'd seen last week.

"Oliver."

Natalie said, "Only Oliver could keep you there now."

Rebecca shook her head, her gaze even more determined than before. "Even Oliver can't keep me in the Spencer Family. I'm taking him with me."

"You want custody of Oliver?"

Natalie was clearly surprised.

Rebecca nodded. "Oliver is the child I worked so hard to give birth to, the one I carefully cared for these four years. How could I possibly leave him with William? Besides, William might marry Celeste in the future. If I leave Oliver in the Spencer Family, will he have a good life?"

Natalie was surprised that Rebecca had already thought this far ahead.

"Divorce? Can you really bear to?"

Rebecca laughed lightly. "What's there to bear about something that doesn't belong to me? Every day this marriage continues is another day of discomfort."

Natalie stretched out her arms and hugged Rebecca tightly, saying with some excitement,

"This is the Rebecca I know!"