Chapter 151 I Don't Want to See You
The red mark of her hand showed plainly on Francis’ handsome face. He was stunned for a moment, and then a tidal wave of anger surged up from his chest.
"Harper."
She actually slapped him again. He had been too lenient with her. Harper, however, seemed to think it wasn't enough. The next second, she raised her hand to slap him again. This time, Francis intercepted her halfway, and she hit the back of his hand instead. The crisp sound of the slap made it clear that Harper had used all her strength.
"Are you crazy?"
The veins on Francis' forehead bulged as he grabbed her wrist, and he intended to teach her a harsh lesson. He wanted her to know that no one had ever dared to slap him in his life. But just as he was about to act, he noticed that the delicate wrist in his hand was trembling uncontrollably.
How could this be?
He looked up and asked in confusion, "Your hand..."
Before he could finish his sentence, he saw the tears streaming down her face, and he instantly felt a pang of panic and forgot what he was about to ask.
Harper slowly pulled her right hand back with her left hand. Then she clasped her hands together and pinched her palms hard to stop her right hand from trembling. Her eyes were filled with hatred. "Francis, I have never wronged you during our marriage. Please don't use your filthy thoughts to desecrate my loyalty to our marriage."
Harper had thought that even if they divorced, there was no need to be enemies. They could at least maintain some dignity when they occasionally met. But now, she realized that her mindset could not coexist with this bastard.
She pinched her palm and responded to his mockery, "And I have always known that you abandoned me. There's no need to remind me repeatedly. I never thought you couldn't live without me. I know that clearly."
Her self-deprecating words left Francis at a loss for what to do. He wanted to say he didn't mean it that way. But Harper didn't give him the chance.
She said coldly, "I hope Mr. Getty remembers his words. From now on, nothing is between us. Even if we happen to meet, please act like we are strangers. I don't want to see you."
With that, she turned around and slowly walked out of his sight. Suddenly, Francis found it hard to breathe. It felt as if a sharp awl had pierced his chest and broken his heart.
After seeing Harper get into the car, Francis took a step forward and felt his feet weak.
"Mr. Getty..."
Victor quickly supported him. The wind was strong, and Francis spoke with great difficulty, "I really just wanted her to come back."
But whenever he saw her with another man, the words he wanted to say were twisted and became reckless and hurtful. As a result, he unintentionally hurt her. He really just wanted her to come back and to be by his side. And that’s all.
Victor knew that if Francis went to find Harper now, it would only deepen the conflict. He advised, "Mr. Getty, let's go home first."
On the way back, Harper looked out of the window and remained silent. The car window was slightly open, and the wind made her eyes red. She felt a fleeting pain in her heart, which made it hard to hold back her emotions. During their two years together, they had many tender moments, and she remembered those beautiful times. But why did everything change so drastically once they separated?
Francis' words just now were like a bucket of cold water, which made her painfully clear-headed. She would never easily show her true feelings to anyone again and allow them to trample on her heart. Never again.
When they arrived in Northfield, Harper accompanied Keith to the hospital to have his wound dressed.
When they came out, it was already close to midnight.
"Grab a bite?"
"Grab something to eat?"
They spoke almost simultaneously and then exchanged a smile.
Harper quickly said, "Let's be clear. I'm treating this time."
She had mentioned treating him to a meal many times before but had yet to actually do it. This time, she was determined to make it happen.
Keith smiled as he said, "Alright, I'll just follow your lead."
They went to a place called Sizzle & Spice Diner. After ordering what they wanted, they sat across from each other, suddenly feeling a bit awkward.
Keith broke the silence first, saying, "I was too impulsive this afternoon, so I said something I might mean to. Don't take it to your heart."
Harper was taken aback and looked at him as if trying to gauge the sincerity of his words.
"I just felt like you didn't want to get entangled with Mr. Getty, so I said that. If you need, I can explain it to Mr. Getty."
Keith spoke candidly and genuinely offered to help her out.
Harper let out a long breath. She had felt a bit awkward about the whole thing. She wasn't ready to consider a romantic relationship at the moment. Keith was great as a friend, but if he pursued her, she wasn't ready to accept it.
She showed her first relaxed smile of the day. "Mr. Bolton, there's no need to explain to him. Thank you for helping me out."
If Francis misunderstood, so be it. Given his natural arrogance, he probably already hated her and didn't want to see her after what she said. Thinking of it this way, she felt a sense of relief. She really didn't want to see him again. It was pointless that they kept harming each other.
Keith could tell from her expression that he was right. Revealing his feelings now would be unwise. Harper wouldn't accept it, and she might even distance herself from him.
His eyes flickered, and he smiled lightly as he said, "It’s okay as long as you didn't misunderstand. But if you ever need me, I'm still happy to be your fake boyfriend."
The tension between them eased considerably. After a long day, they were both hungry. And the warm food eased and even lightened their moods, and they had a pleasant meal.
After dinner, Keith offered to drive Harper home. When they arrived, Harper said goodbye to him in the car, and Keith smiled back.
Just as she was about to get out of the car, Keith suddenly broke into a sweat, clutched his stomach, and appeared very uncomfortable.
Harper immediately showed concern for his condition.
Keith looked embarrassed as he said, "I think I might have eaten something wrong. Could I use your bathroom?"
Harper hesitated for a moment. But she saw Keith's pained expression. So it would be too unkind to refuse, and she nodded.
Once inside, Harper pointed Keith to the bathroom, and he went in directly.
After a while, Keith came out and looked a bit pale.
Harper had him sit on the sofa and poured him a cup of coffee as she asked, "Do you need to go to the hospital?"
Keith shook his head. "I've had a problem with my stomach for a long time. It's too late to bother you. I'll sit in my car downstairs for a while."
As he spoke, Keith stood up but stumbled after a few steps and almost fell.
Harper quickly reached out to support him. Seeing his pale face and obvious discomfort, she felt a bit guilty. After all, she had chosen where to eat, and now he was sick because of it, which made her take an undeniable responsibility.
She hesitated for a moment and said, "Why don't you lie down on the sofa for a bit? If you still feel sick, I'll call an ambulance. I'm not going to sleep yet anyway."
Keith looked at her steadily and asked, "Are you sure it's convenient for you?"
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