Chapter 3 How Could You Be So Cruel

• As Eric spoke, he turned to look at Lara with a hint of a smile in his eyes.
• Lara was stunned; she never thought that Eric would lie to her mother to avoid a divorce. Just as she was about to explain herself, Eric forcibly silenced her by saying, “Don’t make Mom angry again, Lara. You know how her heart is. Do you really want her to get another heart transplant?”
• Jean then said, “Did you forget how Eric got me a heart transplant with his own money? It’s wrong of you to get the wrong idea about him just because of some loose woman. He has helped us so much and loved you so much over the years, after all. Divorce is such a serious thing; how could you bring it up as you please?”
• Lara kept silent with a cold expression while looking at the smug-looking Eric in front of her. She wished she could expose his lies openly and tell Jean that the money was hers and that she didn’t owe Eric anything, but she couldn’t say a word.
• “It’s okay, Mom. Lara surely wouldn’t bring that up again after you reminded her this time. Isn’t that right, Lara?” Eric said while walking to Lara’s side. Placing his hand on Lara’s shoulder, he then said softly, “You really got the wrong idea about me, honey. There really was nothing between that woman and me. Don’t be mad, okay? You know that I’ll never divorce you.”
• The smile on Eric’s face made Lara feel sick to her stomach. How dare he say there was nothing between him and that woman? If that was true, then who fathered the baby in her womb? Who nearly got her killed by making out in a car? she thought. She couldn’t help but shake him off right away when it occurred to her what his hand might have touched.
• However, Jean’s expression turned glum at once.
• Lara could only say, “Mom, I’d like to speak to Eric alone.” With that, she turned around and walked through the door without regard for Eric’s response. After finding a quiet spot, she looked at Eric before her. “Tell me why you lied to my mom.”
• “I’m sorry, honey. It was my fault; I succumbed to her seduction for a moment and did something unfair to you. Forgive me, okay? I promise you that I’ll never get in touch with that woman anymore,” Eric pleaded while taking Lara’s hands in his.
• Lara stared at Eric’s seemingly remorseful face before pulling her balled fists out of his grasp. She and Eric owned a small advertising company that had given them a pretty comfortable life in Oaksworth over the past few years. It had occurred to her that men would become corrupt once they got rich. However, she never expected that Eric, who had always been meticulously attentive to her, would actually cheat on her in such a short time. “Just get the divorce papers ready when we get home. I told you that I hope you’ll give up all your property.”
• Eric’s hands froze. Staring at Lara, he uttered between clenched teeth, “How could you be so cruel? We’ve been married for three years!”
• Lara bit her lip without speaking as her face took on a look of determination.
• Eric looked at her with a sarcastic smirk. “Well then, I’m fine with a divorce—only if you give up all your property.”
• “In your dreams!” Lara snapped. Why should I give up all my property when he was the one who had an affair? she thought.
• However, Eric replied, “Don’t forget you’re sexually frigid, Lara. For so many years, I’ve never asked you to fulfill your duty as my wife, so what’s wrong with me having another woman outside? I wonder if your mom’s heart will stop beating in a fit of rage if she learns that the money for her heart transplant back then came from her daughter prostituting herself, though.”
• “You shameless son of a b*tch, Eric!” Lara raised her hand in an attempt to slap Eric across the face, but he grabbed her wrist before she could do so.
• Seeing how furious Lara looked in front of him, Eric said with a sneer, “Who’s the shameless one here, you or me? You shamelessly slept with someone else and bore him a child for money, but I never loathed you for that. How could you demand that I stay celibate for your sake? Just take a moment to think about your mom’s diseased heart. Do you want to be an unfilial daughter by giving her another heart attack?” Feeling increasingly smug at the sight of her pale face, he continued with a sneer, “Why be so merciless after so many years of marriage? As long as you don’t ask for a divorce, we’ll remain husband and wife. Don’t worry; your secret is also mine. I definitely won’t go around telling anyone about it.”
• As Lara stared at the face of the man before her, she wished she could jump on him and claw his face. I must have been out of my mind back then. How could I give money to such a guy? she thought. “Yeah, dream on! I’ll make sure that you can’t even afford a piece of underwear!”
• The smile on Eric’s face turned cold, and he shook Lara’s hand off with such strength that he nearly broke her arm. “In that case, let’s wait and see who’ll be the one stripped of their property, Lara.”