When he finally fell silent, she mercilessly crushed a paper crane beneath her foot, grinding it.
“How many years has it been? We’re divorced now. Those old promises don’t count anymore, especially since you never fulfilled yours.”
“Stop this endless pursuit. It’s truly pointless. You don’t need me specifically. Use these tactics on Olivia or other women–you can have as many as you want.”
“Now you can play around for as many years as you like without anyone stopping you. Isn’t that perfect? Why are you so fixated on me alone?”
The words he’d once spoken now came back like a knife, piercing straight through Maxwell’s heart.
His heart filled with bitterness. His lips quivered for a long time before he managed a dry response: “I don’t want anyone else. I only want you.”
“Jessica, I’m serious. I only want to spend the rest of my life with you. I don’t want anyone else. If you don’t believe me, then supervise me. If I ever betray you again, you can punish me however you want!”
“Not interested,” Jessica replied, feeling utterly exhausted. After this perfunctory response, she turned and left without hesitation.
*T’ll walk you back,” Adrian followed behind her, deliberately kicking over several candles as he passed Maxwell.
The candles‘ flames ignited the paper cranes on the ground. The fire gradually spread, soon consuming almost all the paper cranes.
These are Jessica’s paper cranes! They can’t be destroyed!” Maxwell cried out.
He frantically tried to extinguish the flames, his elegant hands developing one blister after another from the burns. Yet he seemed to feel nothing, continuing his desperate efforts.
Despite his attempts, it was futile.
The paper cranes were almost completely incinerated, leaving only ashes.
The fire caused chaos, scattering rose petals across the ground where they were trampled and crushed, creating a complete mess.
The romance was utterly destroyed.
Maxwell clutched the single remaining paper crane in despair, feeling a profound sense of helplessness.
What would it take for her to forgive him?
Would she only be satisfied if he too suffered repeated near–death experiences?
The next day, Maxwell handed a spiked whip to his bodyguard.
“Strike me. Beat me until I’m near death, then take me to Jessica. Let me beg for her forgiveness.”
Looking at the cold, gleaming whip, the bodyguard hesitated.
“Mr. Reed, are you sure about this? This could actually kill you! What if Mrs. Reed still won’t forgive you?”
“That’s none of your concern. You’re just my hired bodyguard. When I tell you to act, you act.” Maxwell spoke icily.
He closed his eyes, mercilessly resolute toward himself, determined to endure the suffering.
12:12
His ‘Harmless‘ 10–Year Fline? My Secret Divorce Paners Say Goodbye Forever!
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Chapter 24
The bodyguard ceased his attempts to dissuade him and mustered the courage to strike.
Crack!
The whip sliced through the air, landing on Maxwell’s back. The barbs tore away strips of flesh, instantly shredding his shirt and ripping open his skin.
“Ugh…” Maxwell bit down hard, unable to suppress a groan as his face turned paper–white,
“Continue!” he shouted at the bodyguard.
The bodyguard steeled himself, delivering one lash after another with full force.
After countless strikes, Maxwell was covered in blood, practically a bloody mess with flesh torn open everywhere, a horrifying sight.
Cold sweat drenched his forehead, his pale lips stained red from biting them.
There wasn’t a patch of uninjured skin on his entire body. He was barely conscious.
The bodyguard frantically tossed aside the whip and, following Maxwell’s earlier instructions, brought him to Jessica’s doorstep.
“Mrs. Reed? Miss Reid? Miss Reid! Mr. Reed is dying! Please come see him one last time!”
Hearing the commotion, Jessica frowned, not knowing what new trick Maxwell was trying to pull.
A guilt trip?
She coldly glanced at the bloody figure on the stretcher, feeling no sympathy, only inexplicable anger.
“Maxwell, this guilt trip won’t work on me! Do you think threatening your own life is amusing? You think because you don’t value your own life, I’ll pity you and forgive you? Dream on!”
Jessica slapped Maxwell across the face, her voice rising to a shout.
12:13
