Love's Bitter Edge (Eva and Leonard)
Chapter 222

Chapter 222 My Wife on Paper

Zack looked like he had just rushed over from a construction site. His clothes were covered in dust, his face was smeared with dirt, and he was breathing heavily. But he didn't seem to care about any of those things. "What's wrong with Leonard?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.

"What do think? It's all because of Amelia!" Emma spat, her fists clenched in frustration." Leonard might be confused right now, but there's no way he's completely forgotte everything."

"And Amelia," she continued angrily, "knowing what's going on, how can she be so shameless, acting like she belongs in his life?"

Emma and Jill started ranting, their voices growing louder as they vented their anger. 1, however, closed my eyes, retreating into my thoughts.

Maybe Amelia had been in love with Leonard since college. Maybe that's where her resentment toward me started.

Suddenly, fragments of memories clicked into place-how I'd buy her lunch back then, pretending it was because I wasn't hungry or didn't feel like eating.

I'd thought I was doing her a favor, but now, I could recall the bitterness in her eyes, the flashes of hatred that I had been too naive to notice.

At the time, I assumed her resentment came from frustration with her own circumstances.

Maybe she felt trapped by her background, envying the things she didn't have. It never. crossed my mind that her real hatred was directed at me. Suddenly, I understood why she did what she did.

She was willing to go for it, even if it was just for a fleeting moment of happiness.

I still remember what she said in the Harmon residence. "I've always been pampered and spoiled."

She couldn't see the brutal deaths of my parents or the pain I had endured being forced into marriage with Leonard all these years.

She even turned a blind eye to how Leonard humiliated me at work because of her.

In her eyes, I deserved it all-every bit of it.

I could barely make out what Jill and Emma were saying as they continued to curse out Amelia and Leonard.

Their voices were growing fainter. Julian was fed up with the noise and ordered the two of

them to go buy me something to eat and some necessities.

The room fell silent when they left, leaving only me and Zack.

He sat next to my bed for a long time without saying a word. His eyes were fixated on the hand where the IV needle was inserted. "Zack..."

"Does it hurt?"

We both spoke simultaneously, then stopped, falling into an awkward silence.

I shook my head. "No, they gave me anesthetics."

I lowered my gaze, trying to hide my sadness from him.

How could it not hurt? It hurt when they gave me the anesthetic, and it was still painful up to that point in time.

Just looking at the needle in my hand made me feel like I was going to die from the pain.

I suddenly remembered how Leonard used to say he didn't want me to have kids because it would be too painful, and he knew I was afraid of pain. Tears welled up in my eyes as the memories hit me.

Leonard always knew I was terrified of pain.

Even when he was seeing other women after we got married, he would still stay by my side when I got sick.

But now, he won't even give me the most basic respect. He thought everything I did was just to gain his attention.

When the reporter shouted that I was bleeding, I saw his footsteps falter, but he didn't turn back to look at ine.

I knew at that moment he saw Amelia as me.

If anything happened to me, I used to be his top priority.

But even so, my heart still felt like it was being torn apart.

Zack gently pulled me into his arms, gently stroking my hair.

"Eva, let it out. It's okay to cry.

"Don't worry, I'll stay by your side. You don't have to be afraid."

"You don't need Leonard; you've still got me and your friends. Don't be afraid."

I sobbed uncontrollably, desperate to release all the pain and anger inside me.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and Leonard's voice, laced with sarcasm, filled the room.

"Looks like I came at a bad time. Well, it seems someone's already here to comfort you. "You're my wife on paper, Ms. Eva."