Chapter 8
530words
Sunlight pierces through the curtains.
Theodore opens his eyes.
His mind is completely clear.
No severe pain, no ringing in his ears, no irritability that makes him want to destroy the world.
Since his mania began, this is the first time he's had a full night's sleep.
It feels so good he wants to sigh.
Instinctively, he tightens his arms, wanting to embrace the soft "medicine catalyst" in his arms.
Empty.
There's only a mass of cold air in his embrace.
Theodore abruptly sits up.
He turns his head.
And sees me sitting on the sofa by the floor-to-ceiling window.
My hair is casually pinned up, with a tablet in hand, checking the stock market.
Hearing movement.
I look up, my eyes cool and detached.
"Good morning, Mr. Theodore."
"Last night's sleep duration: 8 hours."
"Service successfully completed."
"Please remember to leave a five-star review."
Theodore stares at me blankly.
Sunlight spills across my face.
That face he had looked at for half a year and found extremely boring now radiates a cold beauty he can't take his eyes off.
Before, when Ivy saw him wake up, she would anxiously hand him his slippers.
The current Ivy.
Like a CEO who just closed a multi-billion deal, calculating the profits.
This sense of contrast stirs up a strange, restless fire in Theodore's heart.
"Who told you to get out of bed?"
He pulls back the blanket, his voice hoarse, carrying the laziness and dissatisfaction of just waking up.
"Am I your pillow?"
I put down the tablet and stand up.
"Sorry, the pillow service was a free gift last night."
"If you want to hug again tonight, you'll have to pay extra."
Theodore laughs in anger.
He steps barefoot onto the carpet, walking toward me step by step.
"Ivy, do you think that because you have leverage over me, I wouldn't dare to touch you?"
He backs me up against the floor-to-ceiling window.
With one hand braced beside my ear.
In his eyes is not only anger, but also a new, dangerous desire to explore.
"A 50-million fraud, and you still dare to talk about charging me more?"
"I told you, that was a transaction."
I look straight into his eyes, not backing down an inch.
"And, Theodore."
"You have to admit."
"Last night was the best sleep you've had in years."
Theodore's pupils contract slightly.
That hits the mark.
He did indeed sleep incredibly well.
So well that he doesn't even want to get up.
Just at this tense yet ambiguous moment.
Bang!
The master bedroom door is suddenly pushed open.
"Theodore! Something's happened!"
Chloe rushes in.
She holds a financial statement in her hand, her face full of panic (or perhaps schadenfreude).
Seeing our current position—
Theodore half-naked, pressing me against the window, the two of us almost touching.
Chloe's expression twists for a moment.
But she immediately starts screaming.
"Your father is here with the board members!"
"The finance department traced yesterday's unusual transfer of fifty million!"
"They say..."
Chloe shoots me a vicious look, pointing at my nose.
"They say it's your mute wife who stole the company funds!"
"The police are already downstairs!"
