Chapter 2 A Heart Betrayed

The faint metallic taste of blood lingered in their mouths, spreading between them. Robin was livid, ready to bite him again out of sheer rage. But Edward didn't give her the chance. When he finally let her go, he exhaled shakily, his blood-streaked lips looking almost wickedly alluring. "You ... you shameless jerk!" Robin yelled, her eyes welling up with tears. A single drop slid down her cheek as she glared at him, red-eyed and furious. Those men had already left, yet he had still done that! Edward chuckled softly, but the movement tugged at his wounded abdomen, causing a sharp wave of pain. His face instantly turned as pale as a sheet, cold sweat beading and dripping down his forehead. Sliding back down to the ground, he leaned against the wall, his breathing shallow as if trying to suppress the unbearable agony. Seeing him like this, Robin's hand, which had been raised to slap him, froze mid-air. No matter how furious she was, she couldn't bring herself to hit him. A trace of pity flickered in her eyes. "Hey, are you okay? Don't scare me like that," she stammered, hurriedly supporting his sagging body while lowering her gaze to check his wound. The blood was pouring out, soaking through his shirt until it was a deep, chilling crimson. It was even worse than before. Robin's chest tightened. "Hold on! I'll call and check how far the ambulance is." When she pulled out her phone, Edward raised a hand and pressed it against hers, stopping her. "No need. My people will be here soon." His voice was rough, his dark eyes locked firmly on Robin. "Consider this a trade for that kiss—I owe you a favor. So, what do you want?" It would've been better if he hadn't mentioned it. Robin felt her whole body flush with heat when he brought up that kiss. Flustered and annoyed, she shoved his hand away. "I don't need your compensation! It's not that big of a deal. So what if I got bitten? Who hasn't been bitten by a dog when they were a kid? "Since someone's coming for you, I'm not sticking around. Goodbye." Snatching up her fallen umbrella from the ground, Robin spun on her heel and walked away without looking back. Halfway down the alley, Robin stopped abruptly and turned back. Without a word, she shoved the umbrella into Edward's hand, her face expressionless. "You're injured, and you shouldn't get wet. Take this." This time, she didn't look back again and quickly disappeared around the corner. Edward stared at the umbrella in his hand, the flicker of emotions in his dark eyes unreadable. She was so angry she could explode, yet she still left him the umbrella. What kind of fool does something like that? He lowered his gaze, his bloodstained fingers brushing the wound on his lips. For a moment, he was quiet, and then a faint, amused smile tugged at his mouth. Not bad. Half an hour later. Robin arrived at the private room of the hotel where her boyfriend's party was being held. Standing outside, she took a moment to calm herself, inhaling deeply before pushing the door open. A sugary, coquettish voice floated out from inside. "Hmm ... Mr. Norris, what if your girlfriend sees us like this? Won't she get mad?" Robin froze at the sound. She looked in the direction of the voice and saw Norris on the sofa, his arms wrapped around another woman. Her heart clenched violently. Norris didn't notice her standing there. He kissed the woman sitting on his lap a few times and chuckled. "That woman? She's already been tamed. She's so obedient it's boring. I told her to go east; she wouldn't dare go west. What's there to be afraid of?" "Oh, you're so bad." The woman giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck, her breath soft and sweet. "Then why bother marrying her at all?" "My dad's obsessed with her," Norris said disdainfully. "If I don't marry her, the old man might cut me off from inheriting the company. That'd be such a loss, wouldn't it?" He scoffed, his expression filled with contempt. "Besides, that woman's all fake innocence. She won't even let me touch her unless we're married. At the very least, I should get a taste, right?" A man sitting nearby laughed maliciously. "Once Mr. Norris gets a taste, could we have a turn after?" "Such a pretty girl. She must be fun to play with," someone else chimed in. Norris waved a hand casually, smirking. "Sure, why not? One at a time, line up." "Hahaha, Mr. Norris, you're so generous!" The laughter in the room and Norris's mocking expression were like sharp knives, stabbing relentlessly into Robin's heart as she stood frozen outside the door. Her entire body felt cold, her shoulders trembling as disbelief overwhelmed her. She was right here. And the man who was supposed to marry her tomorrow was just a door away, shamelessly tangled up with another woman, casually degrading her as nothing more than a plaything. At that moment, Robin realized she didn't know Norris at all. They had met in the hospital. Her father had fallen seriously ill and required an expensive surgery that her family couldn't afford. Norris's father had stepped in, paying the medical bills that saved her father's life and even giving him a position at Badman Group. After that, with both families nudging them closer, Robin, feeling deeply indebted, had reluctantly agreed to Norris's pursuit. Initially, he had been kind and attentive, the perfect gentleman. But everything changed the moment she refused to sleep with him. From then on, he became a completely different person, constantly belittling her and making her feel worthless. He would call her in the middle of the night for trivial errands—buying medicine, delivering alcohol—without the slightest consideration for her convenience or well-being. Robin had become physically and emotionally exhausted in the year they had been together. At times, she even doubted herself, wondering if she was overreacting. Was she his girlfriend, or just an unpaid servant? Now, in this heart-wrenching moment of clarity, the answer hit her like a slap in the face. To Norris, she wasn't his partner. She was just a disposable toy that could be passed around whenever he pleased.