Chapter 2 Born Lowly

"Mrs. Stewart, what were you and Mr. Stewart doing in the car just now?"

"Did you seduce Mr. Stewart?"

"Mrs. Stewart..."

Camera flashes went off one after another, so bright that Elodie couldn't even open her eyes. She instinctively took half a step back and bumped right into the man's broad chest.

His low, mellow voice drifted down from above her head, yet it felt like bone-chilling ice water being poured over her.

"The other day my wife and I went to a hotel and an auction, and you all followed us around taking secret photos. Now we're just going out, and you're still following us..." Adrian's lips curved into a light smile, but his eyes held a heart-stopping coldness. "Isn't this a bit too disrespectful of personal privacy?"

Anyone who didn't know better would probably think he really cared about his wife.

But Elodie felt cold all over. With just a few casual words, he had perfectly hidden the real woman in the scandal in the shadows, letting her, his legal wife, take the fall for all the ugly rumors.

So this was how Adrian protected someone he loved—going to such lengths to keep her safe.

Elodie's vision gradually blurred.

By the time she shakily escaped the reporters and returned to the Stewart Manor, she had just pushed open the door.

A loud slap viciously struck her face, making her eardrums ring and her cheek instantly swell and go numb.

Her mother-in-law, Linda King, rushed over and pointed at her nose, cursing: "You shameless slut, how dare you come back! I told Adrian from the start he shouldn't marry you. Now look, the whole world knows the Stewart family has a shameless daughter-in-law! During the day you seduce your husband to do that kind of thing in the car—you don't care about your reputation, but I still care about mine!"

On the living room sofa sat a young girl in a pink dress. Long hair flowing over her shoulders, innocent makeup, looking pitiful and lovable.

It was Chloe Johnson—the person Adrian truly loved.

Chloe stood up and walked to Linda's side, her tone gentle but every word poisonous: "Mrs. Stewart, don't be angry. Actually, you can't really blame Ms. Turner. After all, she grew up in that kind of low-class environment—maybe she naturally thinks this kind of behavior is normal."

Linda glared fiercely at Elodie: "I think she's just naturally cheap!"

Elodie covered her burning cheek, swallowed the bloody taste in her mouth, and looked back calmly: "I'm cheap? Then what does that make your son, who couldn't control himself in broad daylight when I supposedly seduced him?"

Ignoring Linda's ashen face, Elodie turned to look at Chloe, her eyes mocking: "I may be lowly, but at least I know proper behavior. I wouldn't throw myself at a married man to be his mistress."

Chloe's expression changed dramatically.

Linda was furious: "What did you say?! Elodie, I think you've lost your mind!"

She raised her hand to hit again when Adrian walked in from outside.

He frowned slightly, his tone carrying casual indifference: "What's all this fighting about?"

Seeing Linda still wouldn't let it go, he added flatly: "She's still my wife after all. For my sake, please don't hit her."

His words were less protection and more perfunctory. Linda snorted coldly and ordered irritably: "What are you standing there for? Go make dinner! Our Chloe loves roasted ribs—make plenty!"

From the corner of her eye, Elodie glanced at Adrian. The man's face was calm, but his gaze had already moved past her, landing tenderly on Chloe.

Her heart felt as if it were being squeezed by an invisible hand. Elodie lowered her eyes and turned toward the kitchen.

She had just positioned herself at the counter when Chloe's lowered voice followed from behind.

"Mrs. Linda Stewart and Adrian both hate you so much, yet you can still shamelessly stay here. That's really shameless."

Elodie stopped what she was doing, turned to look at her smug expression, and smiled coldly: "I've heard that homewreckers like to run in front of the legal wife to find a sense of existence. Looks like it's true."

She enjoyed Chloe's stiffened expression and continued jabbing at her sore spot: "No matter how shameless I am, in the Stewart family I'm still the legitimate Mrs. Stewart. I don't have to sneak around when I go out, and I don't need someone else to cover for me. Right, Ms. Johnson?"

"What are you so proud of?" Chloe gritted her teeth. "Adrian loves me!"

"Then why doesn't he divorce me and marry you?" Elodie's eyes were full of mockery. "Even half an hour ago in the car, he was pulling me close saying he had to have me. Ms. Johnson, taking a man's sweet talk in bed seriously—that's what idiots do."

"Elodie, shut up!"

Hit in her sore spot, Chloe flew into a rage and suddenly reached out to push Elodie hard!

Caught off guard, Elodie lost control and fell backward. In her panic, her palm pressed hard against the counter.

A piercing pain struck—the sharp kitchen knife sliced a deep gash right across her palm!

Blood instantly gushed out, dripping onto the white marble countertop, shockingly crimson.

Just then, urgent footsteps sounded from outside.

Chloe's eyes flickered. She suddenly screamed and then fell to the ground herself, pitifully clutching her ankle.

"What happened?!"

Adrian rushed into the kitchen.

He didn't even look at the bleeding Elodie, but went straight past her and anxiously crouched down to help Chloe up from the floor.

Chloe leaned in his arms, her eyes reddening, tears glistening: "Adrian, don't blame Ms. Turner. I'm sure she didn't push me on purpose..."

Adrian suddenly turned his head, his sharp gaze cutting toward Elodie like a knife.

"Elodie, this is my last warning!" His voice was ice cold. "Next time you dare lay a hand on Chloe, don't blame me for not being nice!"

No investigation, just immediate conviction.

After speaking, he scooped Chloe up in his arms and strode out of the kitchen.

Elodie stood frozen in place, staring blankly at the wound on her palm that was so deep the bone was visible. Blood kept dripping down, shattering into blood flowers on the floor.

After a long moment, her face deathly pale, she let out a bitter laugh.

So this was what it meant to be unloved. Even when you're bleeding profusely, he only sees someone else's fake grievance.

Fortunately, she'd had enough pain. And she wasn't going to want him anymore.

Elodie took out her phone and dialed a number with her uninjured hand.

"Kai." She looked at her blood-covered hand, but her tone was calmer than ever. "Help me draft a divorce agreement."