Chapter 132 Edward's Women
Even though I never cared much about how I looked in front of David, I didn't want his help with this. I wanted to deal with Anne myself. It shouldn't be too hard. Seeing I was set on this, David didn't push it and let me go alone.
As I drove out of the neighborhood, I noticed David was tailing me from a distance. I figured as long as he didn't butt in, it was cool.
Soon, I pulled up at the VIP ward of the hospital. The perks of being Mrs. Howard were evident as I got in without a hitch. But even David, with all his Wilson Family clout, wouldn't get in without an invite. I headed to the double room where Anne had been, but she wasn't there. Her stuff was still around, so she hadn't checked out yet. Frustrated that I couldn't confront her, I thought I might as well see what Edward was up to.
With that in mind, I made my way to Edward's room. Before I even got to the door, I heard laughter inside. I knew that voice—it was Anne, and she sounded like she was back to her old self, visiting Edward. I peeked through the glass on the door. Anne was in a playful Lolita outfit, sitting cross-legged on Edward's bed, her hands waving around, making the lace and bows on her skirt dance. Edward, lounging comfortably on the sofa, seemed utterly at ease, his gaze fixed on her with a relaxed expression. Without knocking, I barged in and put a firm hand on his shoulder, asking in a hostile tone, "What's so funny?"
Edward and Anne looked uneasy when they saw me.
"Mrs. Diana Howard. Have a seat." That's when I noticed Aria was also in the room, sitting on a sofa out of view from the door. She shifted a bit to make room for me. Aria's expression was perfectly controlled, her gentle smile looking gracious and composed. Anne, on the other hand, looked like she was ready to pounce. Instead of taking the seat Aria offered, I plopped down on Edward's lap. His hands instinctively spread out, as he clearly hadn't expected me to be so bold in front of Anne and Aria.
In a soft, jealous voice, I said to Edward, "Honey, it's been a few days, and it looks like you're doing well, laughing it up with Anne and Aria." I did it on purpose to make Edward drop his guard.
But my little act pissed Anne off. She jumped up, pointing her finger right at my nose, and yelled, "Diana, how dare you come and bother Edward? If it weren't for you, he wouldn't be in this state!"
I stared into Anne's eyes, my tone icy. "You know exactly how Edward ended up like this. Do I need to remind you?"
"You! Edward, you need to do something about Diana. She bullies me the moment she shows up." Anne, at a loss for words, turned to Edward for help.
Edward seemed to be enjoying the show, sensing the tension between us. Aria, trying to keep the peace, said, "Mrs. Diana Howard, you're here to see Edward, not to argue, right? Anne's just worried because Edward hasn't fully recovered. Don't take it personally."
Aria's words were poorly chosen, managing to offend both Anne and me in just a few sentences. The room got even more tense, and I couldn't help but find it amusing. It felt like we were in some ancient emperor's palace, with all the jealousy and drama. Edward looked like a proud king, watching us three women squabble.
But then, Anne started crying, covering her face and whining to Edward, "Edward, aren't you going to do something? Diana bullies me, and even Aria doesn't understand me."
Edward had enough. "Enough," he said, moving his legs.
I got the hint and quickly stood up. Edward walked over to Aria and looked down at her coldly. "This is none of your business. Leave," he commanded.
I thought Aria would be mad, but she wasn't. She stood up with a faint smile, put on her coat, and turned to Edward. "Edward, I'll go now. I'll bring Anne's favorite fried chicken tonight and come back to see you."
Aria's ability to endure was impressive. I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed and also admire her. If Edward had scolded me like that, I would've punched him. No wonder Hayden chose her to have Edward's child. Aria seemed like a weak little rabbit, but I knew she was just good at enduring. Her ambition was no less than Anne's.
As Aria walked past me, she paused and gave me a seemingly kind smile that felt full of hidden meanings. "Mrs. Diana Howard, you all should have a family talk. I'll be leaving now," she said softly.
Her seemingly harmless smile concealed many secrets. My intuition told me that Aria knew about the online harassment I experienced. Whether she was involved, I couldn't be sure, but her blatant attitude of stirring up conflict was certainly suspicious.
After Aria left, the only sound in the room was Anne's sobbing. Edward stood by the window, hands gripping the windowsill, his body slightly leaning forward. He stared intently outside, as if something captivating held his gaze. After a while, it seemed like he remembered something.
He slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. With a flick of his finger, the pack opened. He skillfully took out a cigarette with his index and middle fingers, placed it between his lips, and then took a lighter from another pocket. A sharp click later, the flame jumped to life, and he leaned in to light his cigarette, taking a deep drag. As the smoke slowly escaped from his mouth, his brows furrowed slightly, and a faint expression of fatigue and resignation settled on his face.
This action surprised me. I had known Edward for 20 years and we had been married for over four. I had never seen him smoke. He once said he didn't like the sight of men smoking, but now, his smoking was so practiced that it made me wonder if he was a seasoned smoker.
I knew he and Anne were well aware of my purpose for coming, just waiting for me to speak first. Anne continued to sob, her shoulders shaking slightly, seemingly heartbroken, but I knew she was just pretending to be weak. She occasionally glanced at me and Edward, observing our reactions, clearly putting on a show.
I couldn't help but ask, "Edward, when did you learn to smoke? And so skillfully too."
Edward didn't answer immediately. He took another drag and flicked the ash, a trace of irritation flashing across his face. Then, regaining his composure, he said, "I know that incident has caused you a lot of pain." After saying that, he turned back to the window, silently smoking.
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