Chapter 8

“There’s no such thing as overcompensation. The wound will definitely leave a scar on Zach’s leg, so this compensation is reasonable. You two can talk. I’ll get going.” I promptly left the ward. In half a month, this couple’s carefree and loving days would come to an end. Following that, Henry would make an impact on Laurel’s life, and Laurel would become his prey. Zachary would never have another chance to talk and laugh with Laurel. At the thought of this, I strongly believed that Henry was a monster. When I got out of the hospital, I told Lee to send me back to Maple Villas, where Henry and I lived. That was because I had left some herbal medicine in the villa and wanted to take it to my mother's house. I could gain at least 5 kg in a month if I took herbal medicine on a regular basis and ate my mother's delicious cooking. I left the herbal medicine in the living room, and it was still untouched. I had no idea if Henry had returned home last night or what the outcome of his conversation with Jade had been. “Why didn’t you come out of the car when I asked you yesterday?” Just as I was about to leave with the medicine, Henry appeared on the stairs. He looked down at me, clearly displeased. Why was Henry at home again? He usually only showed up once every three months. Henry was dressed in plain black loungewear, but his face and figure made him look like a model. “I’ve never meddled in your private affairs, so I don’t want to break the status quo,” I replied calmly. “Really? Is it just a coincidence that their resources were cut off and their scandals began to fly all over the place every time I was rumored to be with them?” Henry gave me a blank stare. It turned out that he was aware of what I was doing, but he never stopped me. That was because, unlike Laurel, he was only fooling around with those women. When I just wanted to talk to Laurel in my previous life, Henry was so protective of her that he looked like he wanted to tear me apart. I didn’t deny what I had done in the past. “You gave them a lot of money and resources that are considered our joint property. So it is only fair that I get it back another way.” “Then why didn’t you ask Jade to give it back to you in person last night? I gave her a house, half of which belongs to you.” Henry descended the stairs and stood in front of me, towering over me at 1.9 meters and exuding an oppressive aura. Was Henry possessed? I frowned. Why was he still in the mood to talk to me? He would file for divorce in a year at most and give me an inexhaustible amount of property as my divorce settlement. What do I care about a mere house? “I thought it through. She’s not the first woman you’ve given a house to, nor will she be the last. I can’t possibly deal with all of them.” I quickly dismissed the subject and left. If I had known Henry was home, I would’ve asked Lee to come in and get the medicine. Henry’s piercing gaze did not leave me until I walked out of the house. I tossed the medicine bags into the backseat and told Lee to take me to my parents’ house. Back at my parent’s house, I handed over the herbs with cooking instructions to the helper. My mother was in the kitchen as usual because one of her hobbies was cooking. At this time, my father’s car arrived. As soon as he entered the front door and saw that I was at home, he showed me his phone with widened eyes. “Look! What’s going on here?” I read the header of the tabloids, “Celeb Jade Perry spotted entering a hotel with Henry Pelham. Both parties had since denied having a romantic relationship.” Henry and Jade’s relationship should not be described as romantic. It was adultery! I returned the phone to my father and comforted him. “Dad, it’s all fake. You know that with Henry’s status, he has to put up a front.” “How could you defend him?!” My father was furious. I wasn’t defending Henry. I was just afraid that my father would get angry and cause a scene. It wasn’t worth the effort. “Then why don’t we go and teach him a lesson right now?” I rolled up my sleeves. “I’ll help you, Dad! Let’s beat him to a pulp!” My father’s face was glum, but when he heard what I was saying, he grinned. “I had no idea you were into dark humor!” I took my father’s arm and explained, “Dad, don’t get mad. Just think about how much the Pelham Group has boosted Avonopolis’s economy. Then you’ll feel better about him.” “Yeah, you’re right. Henry donated new running tracks to several schools. I suppose he is giving back to society and is concerned about the people’s livelihood.” My father suddenly remembered Henry’s generosity. “That’s right!” I agreed. While we were talking, my mother set up the dining table and invited us to eat. They were all my favorite dishes. Sure enough, my mother was the best. It was an enjoyable lunch. My father had to rush back to work, so it was just me and my mother at home in the afternoon. Some of my mother’s friends came over. Four women, including my mother, sat around the table and talked while playing cards. I lay on the sofa and clicked on the news about Henry and Jade. Jade clarified that she and Henry were just friends. Henry was planning to invest in a drama she had recently starred in, so they met more frequently to discuss filming. It seemed that Henry had forked out a lot of money. He was indeed very generous in this regard. This was also the most straightforward and efficient method. I fell asleep on the sofa before I knew it and did not wake up until Krystal called. Checking the time, I knew that Krystal wanted to ask me to go clubbing again even before answering the phone. “Zee, come out and have a drink with us! There’s a hottie here!” Krystal shouted excitedly on the other end of the phone. “How hot?” I asked. “Hellfire hot! Hurry over! Tess is already here. Yen has a small performance abroad, so she can’t make it.” Krystal’s description of the hot guy was surely exaggerated. Since the girls found out I was going to divorce Henry, they have been taking turns asking me out for dinner, karaoke, or shopping. They would not leave me alone for a moment. I knew they were trying to divert my attention because they were worried I was acting calm when I was actually depressed. This kind of distraction was exactly what I needed. Otherwise, I could not stop thinking about my past. “I’ll get dressed and be right there!” By the time I hung up the phone, Krystal had already sent me the address. I arrived at the club in good spirits half an hour later. The city’s nightlife was only getting started. Krystal had been to almost all of Avonopolis’s bars and nightclubs, so she knew which ones had better alcohol or hotties. I had to admit that Krystal had high standards for men. They all looked like movie stars. At this moment, I felt nauseous and gagged from drinking too much. This was pointless. When I saw a group of attractive men, I secretly compared them to Henry. I did not talk to the guys and just drank my guts out. Henry had a more appealing face, figure, and aura. He was superior to them all. “Excuse me. I need to use the bathroom.” I got up and walked toward the bathroom. The handsome guy sitting next to me immediately reached out to support me. I did not object and enjoyed the nice treatment. I vomited when I got to the bathroom. I then rinsed my mouth and washed my face before exiting. Outside, the handsome man was still waiting for me. He asked, “Can I get your number?” “Why?” I asked knowingly. “So we can get to know each other,” he replied straightforwardly. “You can call me whenever you’re feeling lonely.”