Chapter 168 Why Slander Me
Thinking about how busy Lila was now at Stellar Legal Advisors, I couldn't help but feel genuinely happy for her. But let's be real, the uptick in business there was mostly because I left the firm and went back to Edward. I used to love him so much, marrying him without a second thought. He was my everything, the light of my life, and I couldn't wait to spend forever with him. Now, though, he's like a dagger, constantly hurting me. His actions left me bewildered and in pain, and every encounter with him was like grappling with a familiar, yet unsolvable puzzle.
These tangled emotions messed with every part of my life, including Lila's firm. It's all just so sad. Even though I was no longer tied to Stellar Legal Advisors, Edward's shadow still loomed over it, affecting its business. Thinking about it made me a bit sad. I didn't dare step foot in Stellar Legal Advisors again, worried my presence might cause more trouble for Lila.
Stuck at home all day, bored out of my mind, I started watching videos online. After a while, I even thought about starting a livestream. Funny enough, the divorce case I handled for Alice gave me some unexpected online fame. In this crazy world, any kind of fame, good or bad, became a form of capital. So, despite everything, I gained some recognition online, even if it was a bit controversial. Given that, I thought, why not take advantage of this popularity and start a live-streaming journey?
I decided to focus my livestream on legal aid, something I knew inside out. During the streams, I'd connect with people who needed help and offer free legal advice. I wasn't doing this because I had too much money or out of sudden kindness, but because, as a businessman's kid, I knew the value of fame.
I wanted to use the online platform to gather popularity, which I could later turn into real benefits. This was my plan, my way out of the mess, even though it seemed risky, just like my life at that time, full of helplessness and contradictions.
One day, while I was live streaming and explaining some legal stuff, with the screen flooded with comments and questions from viewers, the door was slammed open with a loud bang, like a thunderclap, making my heart skip a beat. Edward stormed in like a madman, his eyes blazing with a rage I'd never seen before.
His gaze felt like knives cutting right through me, sending chills down my spine. Before I could even react, he slapped me hard across the face. The burning pain spread instantly, and my ears started ringing. I was left stunned, a mix of shock, hurt, and anger swirling inside me. I couldn't believe that even though things had gone south between us, Edward, who I thought was a gentleman, would hit me. I gathered all my strength and yelled, "Edward, are you out of your mind? What's wrong with you?"
He snarled through gritted teeth, "Crazy? Diana, you're such a fake! Don't you know what you've done?" The disgust and fury in his eyes made him look like a stranger. I had no idea why he was acting like this.
Trying to keep my cool, I took a deep breath. I told myself not to show any weakness. I stared right back at him and asked, "Edward, what the hell are you talking about? What did I do that made you barge in here and hit me?" My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might burst out of my chest.
Edward let out a cold, disdainful laugh. "Diana, don't think you're still that innocent person you once were. Aria is pregnant too. How dare you do something so monstrous to her? You're going to be a mother; how can you be so heartless?"
His words hit me like a ton of bricks. Aria? What could I have possibly done to her?
Just then, Melissa rushed in, having heard the commotion. She went pale seeing the tension between us and quickly stepped in front of me. She was trembling slightly, knowing how furious Edward was and not wanting to provoke him.
She signaled me with her eyes to stay calm and cautiously said to Edward, "Mr. Howard, please calm down. Let's talk this out; don't be impulsive."
Then she turned to me, trying to comfort me. "Mrs. Howard, don't argue with Mr. Howard. Let's figure out what's going on first."
Full of confusion and hurt, I tried to think back over the past few days. I was sure I hadn't done anything to harm Aria. Unable to hold back my anger, I pushed Melissa aside and shouted at Edward, "What exactly did I do? You need to explain yourself! How can you accuse me like this?" My voice trembled with emotion, and I felt my body shaking.
My words seemed to ignite Edward's fury even more. His face twisted with anger as he stepped closer, his finger almost poking my face. "You dare to ask? What you did to Aria is beyond cruel! Do you think you can fool everyone?" His accusations hit me like a sledgehammer, leaving me utterly bewildered.
Since Aria visited me in the hospital before I was discharged, we hadn't seen or contacted each other at all.
Edward's mouth twisted into a cold, disgusted smile as he saw my stunned expression. "Diana, stop pretending. Don't think you can hide the awful things you've done. Aria has woken up, and she told me everything."
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