Chapter 188 You Only Care About Lila

My heart jolted violently. Though I instinctively wanted to pull away from Yvette, some inexplicable force made me lower my hand instead. After she finished feeding me water, she still didn't let go. Instead, she leaned in closer, invading my space with a boldness that left me breathless. It was shameless and brazen. I tolerated her giving me water, but this? This was way over the line. Summoning every ounce of strength I had, I shoved her away. The effort made me realize just how weak I had become—my entire body felt like it had been dismantled and poorly reassembled, every joint throbbing in pain. When our eyes locked, I caught the flicker of anger and frustration in hers, paired with an unmistakable glint of dominance. My stomach twisted uneasily. What was Yvette thinking? I had the flu, which was highly contagious. Yet, she had not only kissed me but was now acting as if she had every right to. Why did she always think she could treat me like this? What had I done to deserve her torment in this life? Maybe I should just report her to the police to teach her a lesson she wouldn't forget. She returned to her seat with an icy, disdainful look. "You don't like me, huh? But Lila—she's the apple of your eye, isn't she? Even the place you chose to stay is conveniently close to her hospital. How touching. "Too bad, though. She's just a useless woman stuck in a hospital bed. She's not even able to get up and see you, let alone take care of you when you're sick." Yvette had always loathed Lila. She never missed an opportunity to take a jab at Lila. I turned my head away, too exhausted to argue. "Yvette, are you out of your mind? I'm sick. I don't have the energy for your nonsense." "Oh, so you're too tired to deal with me, but you have all the energy in the world for Lila?" Yvette retorted. Her relentless pestering gave me an odd, unsettling feeling—like we had never divorced at all. The way she treated me wasn't what you would expect between exes. I felt more like she was coaxing a sulking husband. If anything, her behavior had only grown more shameless since the divorce, crossing boundaries she wouldn't have dared touch when we were married. This wasn't the life I wanted. If being divorced felt no different from being married, what was the point of splitting up in the first place? Yvette arched an eyebrow but didn't bother responding. Instead, she refilled my glass with water and shoved it toward me. "Drink." I turned my face away. Her tone remained calm, but her words carried a quiet threat. "Not drinking? Fine, I'll force it down your throat again. You know I'm perfectly capable." "Yvette, I have the flu. If you keep getting this close, you're definitely going to catch it. I'm warning you—this illness isn't something to mess around with." She shot back coldly, "What? You think I'm going to you again?" At this point, I was completely powerless. Talk about a lion brought low by a pack of jackals. Reluctantly, I drank the water. Just then, the doorbell rang. She got up to answer it, and I seized the opportunity to search the bedside table for my phone, desperate to call for help. But no matter how hard I looked, it was nowhere to be found. A moment later, Yvette returned with a bowl of hot chicken soup and a box of medication. Catching sight of me fumbling around, she instantly saw through my intentions. A mocking smile tugged at her lips. "Don't bother looking. I already took your phone. Now, do you want to eat your soup in bed or get up and eat?" I had to admit, she wasn't entirely clueless. She had taken control of the situation right from the start. Judging by her smug expression, I knew my phone was as good as gone for now. With my fever raging and my body aching all over, I had no energy left to fight her. I would let her have her way for now. Once I recovered, we would settle this properly. I lay back down and closed my eyes. "I'm not hungry. I don't have an appetite," I croaked, coughing weakly. "Yvette, I feel awful. Stop tormenting me already." She stayed silent for a long moment. Just as I was about to drift odd, her voice pierced the silence. "Owen, they say exercise is the best cure. You're so uncomfortable—how about we do it once? Maybe you'll sweat it out overnight and feel better by morning." Her words startled me awake. Clarity rushed in like a bucket of cold water. I stared at her and shouted coldly, "Get out!" I could barely move, and she had the nerve to suggest that? Was she trying to kill me? If she dared push me any further, I didn't care if I collapsed right here in this hotel room or if the whole world found out—I wasn't going to let her get away with it. Yvette remained eerily calm, her expression tinged with mockery. "You want me to leave? Fine. But first, eat some soup, take your medicine, and go to sleep." I had no energy left to argue, let alone resist. Reluctantly, I sat up and forced down a few sips of soup. I barely managed a quarter of it before she made me take the medicine. Then I collapsed back onto the bed, utterly drained. Before closing my eyes, I gritted my teeth and muttered, "When you've had your fun, leave. Stop bothering me, or I'll drag myself up and deal with you." Surprisingly, she didn't say another word. Silently, she replaced the damp towel on my forehead with a cooling patch and then withdrew. Just as I was on the verge of falling asleep, I vaguely heard her muttering. Her voice was tinged with confusion and jealousy. "You hate me now, but shouldn't I be the one who hates you? You've forgotten everything you've promised me. All you ever think about is Lila…"