Chapter 8 A Misunderstanding

• Thud!
• Julius slammed my head against the door hard. A muffled thud sounded at the back of my head, and my vision went black time and again as I slid down the door.
• “F*ck...”
• He sucked in a breath, probably because his injured eye hurt once again. Turning, he swung his leg at me hard, kicking me in the stomach. Caught off guard, I sprawled to the side, the pain so debilitating that I couldn't get up for a long time.
• “Damn you, b*tch! I'm going to the hospital now. I'll let you off if my eye is fine, but you'll be getting it otherwise!”
• Julius' incensed voice rang out above my head. Hearing that, wave after wave of grief washed over me. Who would've thought that the person making such a remark would be the husband whom I've married for half a year?
• After having been put through the wringer just now, I had no energy left. Furthermore, I was both physically and mentally exhausted in the face of such a huge blow that I could only remain slumped on the ground.
• I watched as they put on their clothes and left. At that moment, hopelessness engulfed me, and I felt utterly devastated as though a typhoon had ripped through me.
• What should I do? What exactly should I do to satisfy everyone? Sure enough, one can never make a mistake, for one mistake triggers the next.
• A long while later, I struggled to my feet. Recalling Dominic's stipulation earlier in the afternoon, I chuckled wryly. No wonder he didn't care that I was married. It's because he knew that my marriage was just a joke. So I guess this is karma, eh?
• Pain immediately assailed me, not an inch of my body spared. I rummaged for some antiseptic and doctored my injuries. Then, I curled up on the sofa without eating anything, spacing out as I stared at the ceiling until I finally dozed off groggily.
• After sleeping for an indeterminate time, I was roused by the persistent ringing of my cell phone.
• With my eyes half-closed, I answered the call listlessly without even glancing at the caller ID.
• “You're not half-bad, Liliana. After having not seen you for a few years, you're actually playing games with me now.”
• Dominic?
• My eyes swiftly popped open. I glanced at the screen of my cell phone, only to be greeted by an unknown number. However, I didn't quite understand the meaning of his words.
• “I don't know what you're talking about.”
• “You don't? Well, well... The two of you are really something else. One righteously declared that she wasn't going to sell the copyright, yet the other went straight to the entertainment company and demanded an outrageous amount. Playing hard to get, huh? How intriguing!”
• At that, bewilderment manifested on my face. “Huh?”
• “There's no need to feign ignorance. We were once so intimate that we knew each other's bodies inside out, so don't you think that's entirely unnecessary?”
• Dominic's shameless remark reminded me of the humiliating scene last night. A sense of mortification rose within me, and I snapped into the phone.
• “That's enough! You're elated to know that my husband is cheating on me, right? And you're gratified to see that my marriage is in shambles, aren't you? Yes, I owe you because I took the wrong manuscript! Indeed, it's also my fault for keeping mum when I signed the contract! You may take revenge against me if you wish to do so, but I'm not playing the game with you. Just do whatever you want!”
• My voice was hoarse and shaky, brimming with a sense of helpless despair. I was just about to hang up after shouting at him when his terse voice drifted out of the phone.
• “What happened? Don't tell me he terrorized you when you confronted him after watching the video?”
• Tears streamed down my face as I recalled the protective and domineering Dominic from five years ago.
• Once, he couldn't bear to see me suffer the slightest hurt. No matter who bullied me, he'll charge over like a ferocious lion and stand up for me. Now, however, he's among those who are bullying me!
• “That's none of your business! Besides, aren't you terrorizing me as well? I hate you!”
• I hung up on him with a beep before curling up on the couch and bawled my heart out. When I calmed down, I registered the words he said on the phone.
• Julius actually asked the entertainment company for money? But how did he know that I received an offer for the copyright?