Chapter 171 I Don't Believe You Have No Feelings for Me
Stuart saw the mockery in her smile and felt flustered. "I did that because Angela was really important to me."
"Stuart," Josephine cut in, "I've always had a question. Can I ask?"
"Sure, go ahead," Stuart replied.
"If you liked Angela, why did you let her go? And if you still can't let her go, why not pursue her after our divorce? Are you just clinging to me to get back at me?"
Before Stuart could respond, Josephine continued, "If that's the case, I admit defeat. I used underhanded tactics during the divorce to embarrass you at the shareholders' meeting. I apologize. If needed, I can come back and apologize in front of everyone."
"No," Stuart stammered, "I didn't mean that. I really like you."
Josephine shot back, "Don't insult the word 'like.' If liking means being bullied, humiliated, ignored, and choosing someone else in a life-threatening situation, then I have nothing to say."
Stuart's guilt deepened with each word. He couldn't lift his head but still had to speak, "I know I've done wrong, and I said I would change."
Josephine snorted. "Your sincerity is disregarding my life and only seeing other women? If that's the case, I can't accept such feelings. I might lose my life one day without even knowing it."
"No!" Stuart blurted out, "I mistook Donna for Angela. Angela saved my life; I owe her."
Josephine interrupted, "You owing her has nothing to do with me. If you want to repay her, give her your life. It has nothing to do with me."
Stuart was shocked. "You..."
"Who do you think you are?" Josephine continued, "What right do you have to use my life to repay someone you owe? I don't owe you anything. My life isn't that cheap."
"Enough!" Stuart gritted his teeth. "I've explained everything. What more do you want? I owe her a life, but that doesn't mean your life isn't important! In that situation, even if I had to give up my life, I would have saved you."
"Wait for you to save me?" Josephine sneered. "I would have been dead long ago!"
"You!" Stuart was almost furious. "Can't you understand me a little? She saved me; she is my savior.. But you are my love; I consider you my own."
Josephine said, "Ask yourself, would you want this kind of love? Let's go back to the original question."
Stuart was stunned. "What question?"
Josephine said, "If you liked her, why didn't you pursue her?"
Stuart was furious. "I said, I don't like her! She just saved me; I owe her a life, that's all!"
"If you don't admit it, there's nothing I can do," Josephine said, "If you have nothing else, you can leave now."
"Josephine," Stuart took a deep breath, "I do like you, but I also have my dignity. You keep questioning my feelings."
Even with her usual patience, Josephine wanted to slap him right then.
"I should question it," she said. "Should I just ignore everything and be moved by what you've done?"
"I've explained it all," Stuart said. "Why can't you understand?"
"I can't understand," Josephine replied. "When I like someone, I pamper them, trust them unconditionally, and stand by their side no matter what. Mr. Haustia, have you done any of that?"
Stuart looked down. "I admit I haven't done enough, but I'll work hard to improve! Just give me a chance!"
"Giving you a chance requires me to be alive. If it weren't for my own abilities, you might be looking at my corpse right now," Josephine said, feeling the conversation was pointless. "That's it, goodbye."
Stuart grabbed her wrist and pinned her against the wall.
Ever since he heard about Josephine's kidnapping, he'd been anxious. Mistaking someone else for her had only made things worse.
At this point, reasoning seemed useless.
Stuart, desperate, resorted to the most primitive method to keep her.
A man's strength was ultimately greater than a woman's.
Josephine, pinned by him, couldn't move.
Her eyes showed anger and disdain. "Mr. Haustia, are you going to force me?"
Stuart hadn't intended to do anything; he just didn't want Josephine to leave.
He'd explained, but she didn't understand.
He didn't know what else to do, feeling only panic inside.
"I won't force you," he said. "I just hope you give me a chance to prove myself."
"There's no need," Josephine said. "You may not see it clearly, but as an observer, I do. You like Angela. Go pursue her. You owe her a life, so repay her with your lifetime. It's a win-win."
"My feelings for her are not like that," Stuart explained.
"You say it's not, so it's not?" Josephine pushed him hard. "You say you won't force me, so what are you doing now? Let go!"
Stuart's face was full of pain. "Josephine, I was really wrong. Please, give me a chance, okay?"
"I've already rejected you. How many times do I have to reject you for you to really hear me? Liking someone means at least respecting them. I've said this before, but you never truly respected me."
"I want to respect you, but you have to give me a chance!" Stuart pleaded.
To Josephine, Stuart was just being unreasonable and stubborn, only making her feel annoyed and utterly unattractive.
Josephine sighed. "Stuart, I don't like you anymore. To me, you have no attraction at all now. Why do you have to act like this in front of me?"
"I don't believe it!" Stuart's breathing became heavy. "I don't believe you have no feelings for me! I don't believe it!"
His large hand gripped Josephine's chin, his eyes bloodshot, and in a moment of impulse, he lowered his head and kissed her.
