Chapter 50 Sleeping With Her
I wasn't shocked when David sent a driver to take Edward and me home. The Wilsons and Howards have been tight for generations. In the business world, there are no permanent enemies or friends; the Howards and Wilsons are both rivals and partners. If it weren't for me, Edward and David would probably be best buds. So, it made sense for David to send a driver for Edward, just to keep things smooth for future meetings.
The car rolled to a stop in front of the Howard Villa. At night, the place was all lit up but still had this peaceful vibe. Melissa saw us pull up and rushed to open the door. I was about to wake Edward, but he was out cold. Melissa and I, one on each side, dragged him out of the car. His tall frame was heavy and limp against me, and he was mumbling nonsense.
Melissa looked worn out too. "Good heavens, how much did he drink?"
Melissa and I were close. If I told her Edward got this drunk to keep me from drinking, she'd worry, so I kept quiet. We managed to drag Edward to the bedroom. Melissa glanced at Edward and then at me, saying, "Mrs. Howard, you take care of Mr. Howard first. I'll go make some hangover soup." I nodded, and she left the room.
Looking at Edward, drunk because of me, I felt a mix of helplessness and heartache. He reeked of alcohol, and his shirt was damp with sweat. I filled the bathtub and, with a lot of effort, got him into it, gently unbuttoning his shirt. His firm chest muscles were faintly visible under the water, making my face flush a bit. Even drunk, Edward grabbed a towel and draped it over himself, pressing my hand against his chest.
I gently wiped his body with the towel, my fingers gliding over his skin. The tight, elastic muscles made my heart race.
Despite our constant arguments, I still couldn't resist the allure of his body. I silently cursed myself but couldn't help pressing my fingers against his chest again. Edward reached out from the bathtub towards me, mumbling, "Diana."
I saw a tear glisten at the corner of his eye, not knowing if it was for me or for Anne. Edward held my hand tightly, and it took me two tries to free it from his large grasp.
"Mrs. Howard, the hangover soup is ready. Should I bring it in now?" Melissa knocked softly on the door, asking quietly.
"Just leave it at the door; I'll bring it in later," I said, rubbing my slightly dizzy forehead. I got up and walked out of the bathroom. As I was leaving, Edward suddenly said, "Diana, don't go." Startled, I quickly turned back to find him still in a hazy sleep.
I brought the hangover soup into the bedroom and, with great effort, got Edward out of the water, dried him off, and helped him to bed.
Turning around, I saw Anne's pillow and lace nightgown quietly lying on the side of the bed where I used to sleep. I picked up the nightgown by its straps with two fingers. The nightgown was so thin it was almost see-through, barely reaching the thighs. My mind quickly imagined Anne wearing this lace nightgown, lying in my bed next to Edward during the days I was away.
Anger flared up inside me again. I threw the lace nightgown to the floor and grabbed Anne's pillow, tossing it out.
A pink object fell to the floor with the pillow and started vibrating. The sound of it vibrating on the floor was exceptionally loud in the quiet night. I picked up the small object and found it to be a delicate female toy.
Leaving the bedroom, the entire Howard Villa was pitch dark. Only a sliver of light came from the gap in Melissa's bedroom door at the end of the hallway. I walked over and saw that her door was ajar, emitting a faint light. I knocked, and Melissa immediately opened the door.
"Mrs. Howard? Is everything alright?" she asked, her eyes widening in surprise.
"Melissa, can you, uh… Can you help Mr. Howard with his soup? And then maybe… maybe throw out the trash in the bedroom?" I said, sinking onto the small sofa in her room and rubbing my temples.
"The trash on the floor?" Melissa looked puzzled. "I thought I cleaned everything up during the day."
"It's some trash I just sorted out," I said, my voice heavy. Melissa said nothing more and went to Edward's bedroom.
With nothing to do, I decided to wait in Melissa's room for her to return.
Fortunately, Melissa came back quickly. Seeing me still waiting, she wasn't surprised. She took my hand and led me to sit on her bed, looking like she had something to say but hesitated.
I remained silent, letting her hold my hand.
"Mrs. Howard, you haven't been back for a while. Are you okay?" Melissa finally broke the silence.
What could I say to Melissa? She was a housekeeper I hired from the labor market. Although she took good care of me when I lived in the villa, and I promised to bring her with me once I settled down, she didn't know much about the issues between Edward and me.
"I'm fine," I said perfunctorily.
Melissa seemed to understand why I was waiting for her. Before I could speak, she said, "Mrs. Howard, the so-called trash you asked me to throw out were Ms. York's personal items."
I nodded in acknowledgment. Of course, I knew those were Anne's personal items. Besides Edward, there were only three women in this villa. The style and value of those items clearly weren't Melissa's, and her professional ethics wouldn't allow her to place her private items in her employer's bedroom. Those things obviously weren't mine, so they had to be Anne's.
"Did Anne sleep in Mr. Howard's bedroom while I was away?" I couldn't help but ask.
Melissa laughed at my question. I looked at her, puzzled.
"Mrs. Howard, you still care about him so much," she said, her voice gentle. "Miss York didn't stay in his room, not at first. It was only after… well, after that night, the one with the thunderstorm. I found her things in there the next morning. I think the storm frightened her."
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I remembered those storms. Even before Edward and I separated, he would often end up comforting Anne during those nights. If there was something more between them, surely there would be other signs, other clues…
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