chapter 7

Amanda's POV.

I've never felt so stupid. Every day for the past three years, Nathan has been all perfunctory with me, and I keep convincing myself that he's not naturally talkative or smiley, and today I finally learned that he can talk to people at dinner and be willing to wear a little light smile.

Just not to me.

My mind was in turmoil, and I have to admit that I left Nathan's house to try to calm myself down quickly as well.

The next day, Raymond called me and wanted me to meet his daughter, Ruth.

I went to the appointment early in the morning. Ruth, a very pretty little girl, had been concentrating on her painting with oil brushes and didn't look up when she saw me coming, as if she had been immersed in her own world.

I took the initiative to say hello: "Hello, Ruth."

Ruth raised her head this time, but only tilted her head, and did not greet me, her clear big eyes looked at me, her eyes focused on my face and looked at me for a long time, before nodding.

Raymond smile a little bitter: "Do mind it, Ruth has autism."

I was surprised, "How come?"

"It's because my ex-wife did not take good care of her, but it should be my blame too, my work is too busy, I do not have too much time for her, this time back home, I just intend to take her well, I heard that there are a few very good doctors in the country." Raymond explained softly, looked down at Ruth, and kissed her hair again.

The child would normally look up when there was outside contact, but Ruth didn't, she was so immersed in her own world that she seemed to be slow to perceive the task and didn't respond to his kiss.

I felt very sympathetic, Raymond touched Ruth's head, smiled and said to me: "But she likes you very much, just nodded to you, that is to say hello to you, she hardly said hello to anyone."

I was a little surprised and said, "Really? I really like Ruth too, she's cute."

She was cute, with round eyes, long eyelashes, pink cheeks, and when she looked at me, her eyes were as clear as sea water, and I liked her from the first moment I saw her.

At one time, I also longed very much for a child with eyes that better look like Nathan's, who had very beautiful eyes, and preferably a daughter, whom I would teach to do everything I would do. Unfortunately, these were my fantasies, and I tried so many ways to conceive a child of Nathan's, but after he sensed such attempts on my part, he relentlessly moved the agreement, telling me that he would not have a child in these four years.

Now that I think about it, it's not that he didn't want a child for those four years, he just didn't want me to have a child that was related to him.

In Charlotte's place, maybe he would have been willing.

Noticing my wandering, Raymond called my name a few times and I snapped back to my senses and said apologetically, "Sorry."

"That's okay, what were you thinking about? So absorbed?" Raymond smiled, "By the way, was that Nathan who picked you up last time? Are you guys okay?"

He looked like he wanted to say something, but he didn't seem to think it was a good idea, and I didn't want to mention it much, so I said vaguely, "Fine."

"I asked you to meet me this time for one more important thing besides letting you meet Ruth." Raymond took out the check holder from his bag, "Here is what I filled out, ten million dollars."

So he knew all about it ...... I was a little ashamed and pushed the check back: "That's okay, I almost made enough money."

Raymond pushed the check back again: "This money is not much for me, I heard that this time you sell properties everywhere, why not call me? Am I no longer your friend or Mr. Bateman's teacher's student if I'm out of the country?"

His last sentence was a little joke, I pursed my lips and took the check, "Thank you, I will repay you the money."

Raymond didn't care much, he waved his hand: "It's not big deal, what matters is you and Mrs. Bateman, I heard you've had a lot of hard times lately, are you okay?"

My eyes were hot, these days I struggled to find support, my mother could not help much, I look at others everywhere, no one has ever asked me "are you okay?" I did not dare to cry with anyone, as if I cried, the courage to support me in the heart will be scattered.

I dispersed the heat in my eyes a few points, and tried to smile: "Yes, but also thanks you to help me solve this big problem, when my father returns, you must come home for dinner."

"Sure, I have not seen my teacher Mr. Bateman for a long time, this time back home also treat this matter as a big deal. However, if you feel overwhelmed, you can help me take Ruth to play more, she has no friends in here, you can take her to meet some new friends."

I knew Raymond didn't want to embarrass me too much, I was grateful to him and nodded in a hurry, "I like Ruth a lot, I can take her everywhere if you want."

Nathan's POV.

The last time I went to the office in the early hours of the morning to deal with trouble, it kept me away from home for a few days. It was only after I was done with it that I saw my phone and realized in a trance that it seemed Amanda hadn't texted me in the last few days.

She used to text me every afternoon to tell me what to have for dinner, and she did cook very well, but the thought of her bustling around in the kitchen and having to touch those dangerous knives made my dinner thoughts fade a few notches.

Thinking about the last time she hurt her hand, I couldn't help but frown and call the housekeeper on the intercom to tell him to get some new cooks in the kitchen, or at least know better than to let Amanda cook.

It's not like I'm short of that money.

Why should she spend her time in the kitchen and hurt her hands.

The jewelry, decorations, and even artwork, all stayed in place. I suddenly had a bad feeling in my heart, there was a note on the table, I picked it up and saw that it was indeed Amanda's handwriting.

The note was short, she was just informing me.

It said that she wants to terminate the agreement and getting an divorce.

She he wants a divorce?

I turned the note over and over several times in disbelief. It was indeed Amanda's handwriting, but why did she want a divorce?

I called her on my cell phone and found the number I knew so well and dialed her back, but this time it didn't work.

Why did she suddenly want a divorce? We had a year left on our agreement, what had happened to her to get a divorce? I'm trying to find a way out of her father's matter, not just to return the stolen money so simple, the hands have taken over so many projects, and when they get out of jail, maybe people may have the heart to buy a murderer, this time I have been trying to find a way to calm down these things, is she angry with me for this matter?

Yes, she must be angry, as long as I talk to her clearly it will be fine.

She is still young, she will have a temper for sure, as long as I talk to her clearly, it must be okay.

I quickly left the house, I knew Amanda would be home by this time, I had to go to her house to find her.

Just as I got to her house, I saw her get out of a car with a man who seemed to be hitching a ride on the steering wheel and smiling at her as she pinned her hair behind her ear with her fingers and gave a gentle smile.

A short, fat arm stuck out of the backseat window that seemed to belong to a small child, and Amanda reached out and touched that little hand, bending down as if to make a promise to see her next time.

That instant, a wave of unknown anger rose up

I don't even know what I was angry about, she did not touch skin to skin with that man, just said hello to a small child, but I felt ...... that atmosphere was so odd.

She watched the car leave from where she was, which was ready to go upstairs, I quickly walked up and grabbed her hand: "Amanda!"

She was startled, a turn around and found it was me, a fleshly sigh of relief, and then forcefully pulled her hand out of my hands: "Let go! What are you doing here? Did you not see the note I left for you? Have you signed the divorce agreement? Sign it and give it to me now, you can go."

I was so angry that as soon as she saw me, instead of asking me if I had dinner and if I had been busy lately, she asked me if I had signed the damn divorce papers. I glanced at the direction the car had left and asked coldly, "Who agreed to the divorce?"

"Why not divorce?" She gave me a strange look, "What else do you have going on for the rest of the year? Your father doesn't like me anyway, and three years is long enough."

I pressed her waist and kissed her, she forgot to run away, just opened her eyes wide like a rabbit. The familiar scent relaxed me, and I gradually changed from fierce at first to gentle. The kiss lasted for a long time, and when I released her, she was flushed and her eyes were watery.

It occurred to me that this seemed to be the first time I had ever kissed her other than in bed.

Such an act seemed a little odd for an agreement to marry us. I coughed, picked up the bag that was on the floor for her, and digressed: "Why are you carrying such heavy things all by yourself? Next time you want to go home, have the maid come back with you."

I wanted to pass over her mentioning the divorce, after all, she was still a young girl, and in my mind, it was right for her to do something impulsive, and I should tolerate her.

But she obviously didn't think so, she looked straight at me and suddenly said, "Do you love me?"