Sweet Divorce
Chapter 145 Betrayal

"Calm down, Rita."

Liam tried to retain his composure, but some scent floating over the air was numbing his head.

Frowning, he squeezed his hands grabbing Rita's shoulders.

It's not going to work this way.

He would soon not be able to retain his composure.

He reached for the sheet, intending to strap Rita with and then call Mrs. Davis to come help.

But he broke a glass bottle when he tried to grab the sheet. Rapidly, the content evaporated in the air, a strong scent swarmed up into Liam's nose.

"Shit, it's..." scowling, Liam tried to cover his nose with his hand so he would not sniff in the drug.

But it was too late. Soon, he became a beast controlled by lust.

***

The next day morning.

When the drug lost its effect, Rita came back to her consciousness slowly. She felt like her head was blowing.

She rubbed her head, and then opened her eyes.

She heard somebody knocking at the door. She tried to sit up. "Lillian, you awake?"

But when she saw the face of the person lying next to her, her face became pale instantly.

Shock and anger surged through her. What happened? Why is Liam here?

And he's naked...

Her head was blank when she lowered her head and saw the hickeys around her neck and shoulder.

She froze for a moment. Then fury flared in her eyes, and she kicked Liam down the bed. Gritting her teeth, she grunted. "You are an asshole! Liam Wilson!"

Liam fell on the floor hard.

The pain woke him for an instant.

He did not say anything to defend himself though. No matter what, he did it to her, and that was the wrong thing to do.

"What happened, Lillian?"

The noise they made was too loud that Michael had heard them. "Open the door, Lillian. Let's talk."

A hint of complex emotion flashed in Rita's eyes when she heard the name.

But right now she had no time to get deep into that. She grabbed her clothes and ran into the bathroom wrapped in the bed sheet.

She slammed shut the door. She leaned against the wall. After a long while, she still could not accept the situation.

She was drinking with Lillian last night. But how did he end up sleeping with Liam.

She put on her clothes, still confused.

When she whirled to return to the room, she spied something looking like a spray in the trash bin.

She halted her pace and bent to pick it up.

When she saw the instruction on it, her face became pale.

Why there was such in the room?

Her first thought was that Liam brought it. But soon she negated it. She knew Liam well enough that he wouldn't play such a dirty trick.

Then it should come to...

Only she and Lillian knew their temporary accommodation. And if she and Liam was out of suspicion, then it could only be Lillian who brought it.

"Lillian, you called me to talk, didn't you? We will have the talk, I promise. Just open the door, please." Outside the room rang again Michael's voice, jarring Rita back to reality. That's impossible.

Her best friend would not set her up.

She wouldn't.

She consoled herself. Then she tucked the spray in her pocket and walked out the bathroom.

When she returned to the room, Liam had put on his clothes.

Their eyes met, but no one talked.

Rita chewed her lips, then broke the silence. "Did Lillian call you last night?"

Liam said nothing, but Rita divined the answer from his expression.

Lillian called him.

She had held some hope, but now the hope was shattered.

Her body trembled.

The door then opened. Carrying breakfast in her hands, Lillian entered with Michael.

Eye contacts were made between the four of them. For a second, time seemed to freeze in the room.

"You wake, Rita. I bought soy milk for your breakfast, it's your favorite. Here!" It was Lillian who finally broke the silence. She passed a cup of soy milk before Rita. Lowering her eyes, Rita gave the soy milk a glance, and then moved her eyes onto Lillian. Her face dark, Rita dragged Lillian out of the room.

"What's the rush? Drink some of this to refresh your brain."

"No, thanks."

Rita refused grimly, and dragged Lillian to the balcony.

"Why?" at the balcony, Rita asked Lillian. Her stare crept Lillian so much the Lillian averted her eyes."What are you talking about? I don't understand. Are you still drunk?" Calm though she was on the surface, Lillian's fingers kept fiddling.

Rita remembered distinctively, that was her customary gesture when she lied.

"Lillian."

"Yes?"

"Do you know why I can always tell when you are lying?" Rita smiled wryly, pointing at Lillian's hands. "You cross your hands nervously every time you lie." Shocked, Lillian's body stiffened a little.

By now, Lillian knew that she could not keep this secret anymore.

"Why would you do this?" Rita threw the plastic bottle onto Lillian's face, eyes red, she groaned angrily. "Tell me! Why!"

"Because he likes you." Lillian explained, her voice low. "I can't let you and Liam divorce. I have to shatter his hope so I can have a slim chance." Rita paused. He? Michael?

It could only be Michael. He's the only one who could temp Lillian to betray their friendship.

Looking at Lillian, Rita smiled bitterly. "You betrayed our friendship for a man?"

"I love Michael, I love him so much."

For a moment, she could not even hate Lillian. But Lillian really crossed her bottom line this time. betrayal was the last thing that she would tolerate.

She took a deep breath. Repressing the bitterness, she spoke calmly.

"I won't see him anymore, you don't have to worry about that anymore. I don't like him and I won't be the obstacle on your pursuit of happiness. As to us... we aren't friend anymore."

Then she whirled to leave.

Lillian knelt down guiltily, all tears. "I'm sorry, Rita, I'm sorry. Please forgive me, please."

The harsh mewling of Lillian's made Rita's heart ache a little.

There was moment where she almost could not resist the impulse to turn back.

But she still left at the end.

"Rita!" Lillian yelled miserably as Rita disappeared at the corner.

Before, Rita would always forgive her once she admitted her fault. But this time, Rita didn't.

She huddled her legs and buried her face in them. She kept murmuring. "Rita, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

"You love me that much?"

Suddenly, a voice rang above her.

She raised her head and met Michael's cold face. "Mich... Michael?"

"Answer me!" Michael looked down at her, no more tenderness in his tone but loathing and resentment.

Everyone but Michael knew that Lillian loved Michael.

Michael had treated Lillian as a sister ever since the Burke fostered him.

But he never knew that Lillian wanted more than just being his sister. She wanted to be her wife.

Wiping away her tears, Lillian hugged Michael, her face red. "Michael, I love you, I love you so so much. Please don't leave me." "Your mother called me yesterday, saying that she would kill herself if I would not marry you." He peered at her. "It's your idea, isn't it?" Lillian's mother had always been nice.

He wouldn't know what changed her so radically just overnight that she would threaten him with her death and forced him to marry Lillian.

He wouldn't believe if Lillian said she had nothing to do with that.

"Michael, I..."

Abruptly, Michael held her up and headed back to the room while she tried to explain.

Then he threw her on the bed and crawled up over her.

"Michael, what are you doing?"

"What you wished for." There was nothing but a layer of cold ice in his eyes. "She won't meet me anymore, and I will marry you as your mother asked, give you the marriage you want. But a marriage in name only."

She would never win his love.☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐