Chapter 34 I Think You're Dirty Too
Stuart felt even angrier, never expecting Josephine to say such words.
His face darkened. "You don't want to be my wife, do you?"
"Do you want me to step down?" Josephine shrugged. "I can certainly do that."
Her casual tone instantly fueled Stuart's rage.
"Really?" He stood up, looking down at Josephine. "You've planned this all along, haven't you? If you leave me and the Haustia family, you'll find another man, won't you?"
Josephine took a deep breath, reminding herself not to get angry. But the man before her was the man she had loved for years. He always easily uttered the most hurtful words.
Josephine suppressed all her emotions. "If I were to find another man, I would do so after leaving you. And you?"
Stuart couldn't hear her question; he only heard that Josephine wanted to find another man.
He bent over, gripping the armrests of her wheelchair with his hands.
"Josephine, how dare you? Do you really think I have such a good temper?"
Josephine had no idea why he was so angry.
Stuart had a mild concussion, but if he had a problem, the doctor wouldn't have let him leave the hospital.
Stuart was home now, so he must be fine.
Moreover, with Doris showing concern, why should she bother approaching? She didn’t want her warm concern to be met with his cold indifference.
She also didn't know before that Stuart was such an unreasonable person. He had double standards for himself and others.
She didn’t say anything to his ambiguous relationship with Doris.
Josephine realized that loving someone could be so humbling.
When she thought about her past self, she felt ashamed.
It was already painful not to get Stuart's love, and she was so humble.
She bravely looked into Stuart's eyes.
Once, she thought Stuart's eyes were beautiful. His eyes were deep and bright, as if they contained all beautiful things.
As long as Stuart glanced at Josephine, she would be quickly captivated.
Josephine blinked, lowering her head, and didn't look at him. "Stuart, what did I do wrong to make you so angry?"
Stuart was stunned. He thought, ' Right. We're just a marriage of convenience, so it's not wrong for Josephine not to care about me. I haven't mentioned the photo yet, so Josephine has no idea where she went wrong.'
Stuart had no idea how to tell her about the photo.
Or he didn't want to believe it was true in his heart.
Stuart even had a faint thought. If he really questioned Josephine with the photos, perhaps things would be irreparable.
By then, everything might go in a direction he couldn't control.
Stuart was unwilling to see such a development.
"I told you that you are now my wife, representing the identity and dignity of the Haustia family, so you should know what you should and shouldn't do."
"So?" Josephine looked at him again. "Except for not caring about Mr. Haustia in time, did I do anything wrong?"
"You!" Stuart gritted his teeth and looked at her.
Previously, Josephine was always gentle and soft in front of Stuart.
However, Stuart didn't know when Josephine's eyes became more persistent and determined, and she no longer obeyed him.
Stuart liked the feeling of being in control, but Josephine repeatedly made him feel angry and out of control.
"Josephine, why do you become like this?" Stuart's eyes were full of dissatisfaction. "I thought I was good to you. The Haustia family has never owed you anything for your daily expenses. Your father doesn't have the talent and ability to do business, so the Kalmien family has relied on me to support them. What about you? Why do you defy and anger me time and time again?"
Josephine looked at him calmly.
He continued, "Many married couples are together for business reasons, not love. They can compromise for mutual benefit, so they get along well. But why do you always cause so much trouble?"
Josephine smiled. "Mr. Haustia, would I also be allowed to have an affectionate man outside? Mr. Haustia, can you step back?"
Stuart's eyes were cold and mocking. "It seems you've forgotten that even in a marriage of convenience, there's still a weaker party. Now the entire Kalmien family business depends on me. Do you have the capital to negotiate with me?"
" Mr. Haustia, you only know how to control others without any self-control."
"What do you mean? You want to control me?" After saying this,
Stuart felt a strange sensation. But it was fleeting, making it hard for him to understand.
Josephine shook her head.
"You don't want to control me, right? Since you don't want to, why do you always say I never control myself? You've enjoyed the benefits of my family, so you always have to pay a price."
"So, because I'm the weaker one, I should be morally blackmailed by you. You've cheated and betrayed our marriage, and yet, you are blaming me, right?"
"I don't cheat."
"Cheating isn't just about physical betrayal," Josephine said. "Sometimes, emotional infidelity is even more disgusting than physical."
"Do you think I'm disgusting?" Stuart retorted angrily. "Josephine, when have I ever controlled your thoughts?"
"You said I couldn't bring shame to the Haustia family, right?"
"You can think whatever you want, but you have to keep your distance from other men. That's the most basic requirement."
"Can I have feelings for other men?"
"That's your business." Stuart looked at her with cold eyes. "I don't care who you like. But during our marriage, don't let other men touch you. To borrow your words, it disgusts me too."
Josephine suppressed her inner sadness. She always thought these years had been painful enough. But Stuart always managed to add another cut to her already severely damaged wounds.
Due to the marriage, Josephine had an outlet for her long-suppressed emotions.
Even though Josephine knew that Stuart loved another woman and was unhappy with her, she still married him without hesitation.
In their three years of marriage, Josephine had never expressed her own feelings to Stuart. Over the past three years, even there had been a slight improvement in their relationship, Josephine would expresse her love to Stuart. But Stuart never gave her a chance.
Josephine had a hunch that Stuart might know something. It was precisely because Stuart caught a glimpse of Josephine's feelings for him that he could foresee how troublesome it would be to have real emotions in a marriage of convenience.
So, Stuart chose silence and indifference.
Or maybe he just pretended not to know anything.
He enjoyed Josephine's love. Of course, all of this was just Josephine's speculation.
Perhaps Stuart didn't know that Josephine liked him at all. But sometimes, a woman's intuition is very keen. She would rather deceive herself, perhaps to preserve a little self-respect.
She said slowly, "Since you put it that way, I won't hide it from you. There is indeed a man in my heart."
Stuart's eyes suddenly sharpened. "Who is he?"
