Chapter 6 Shattered Trust

Marrying her was the worst decision he had made? Robin felt like she'd been struck in the chest by his words, a wave of hurt and anger flooding over her. She looked at him and retorted, "Why would you say that about me? How much do you even know about me?" It was bad enough dealing with the kind of terrifying situations she only read about online, but now she was being doubted by him as well when she had done nothing wrong! Edward was about to speak when a loud banging noise suddenly echoed from the door. "Robin! You b*tch! I've been waiting for you in front of the City Hall for half an hour, and now you're here sneaking around with some other guy! "If I hadn't seen the surveillance footage, I wouldn't have known you brought a man into your house! "I know you're in there; open the door!" Norris's furious voice, accompanied by his constant pounding on the door, reverberated through the room. Edward's brows slowly furrowed as he glanced at Robin, whose eyes were red from holding back tears. There was a fleeting look of surprise in his gaze. So, the camera wasn't something Robin set up? In other words, he misunderstood her? Robin didn't notice his gaze, too shaken by Norris's pounding to think straight. Her face turned pale, unsure whether she should open the door. Norris had a bad temper, especially when he was angry or drunk. If things escalated, he would easily resort to violence. Right now, it was just her and Edward in the apartment—if she let Norris in, it could be bad for everyone. Outside, Norris continued to shout insults. "B*tch, no wonder you never let me touch you. You act so pure and reserved, but behind me, you're fooling around with some guy! "You're not opening the door? Fine!" The next moment, the door was slammed so violently that everything inside the room shook. In just a few seconds, the entire door came crashing down! Robin took a half-step back in shock, accidentally bumping into Edward behind her. Remembering their earlier argument, she immediately tried to step away, but his large, defined hand gripped her and pulled her behind him. His cold, deep voice rang out, "Stay back." Robin froze for a moment, and by the time she regained her senses, Norris had already stormed into the room. He was holding a metal rod, his face twisted with rage as he glared at the two of them, spitting on the floor with disgust. "You filthy couple, you think not opening the door will save you?!" he sneered. Robin furrowed her brows. "Norris, you're the one who cheated first. I've already broken up with you, so who I'm with from now on has nothing to do with you." "Shut the hell up!" Norris interrupted, his voice dripping with venom. "Once I'm done with this pretty boy, I'll deal with you, you b*tch!" Losing all rationality, he swung the metal rod at Edward's head. If it hit, he'd be either dead or severely concussed. Robin's face went pale, her heart stopping momentarily in fear. She could only scream, "Mr. Dunn, watch out!" Just as the iron rod was about to strike, a large hand, with knuckles clearly defined, intercepted it. Edward stood firm, not moving an inch, his gaze mockingly fixed on Norris. His arm tensed with sudden force, the smooth lines of his muscles becoming evident. He gripped the tip of the iron rod with one hand while, with a twist of his body, his other hand seized Norris's arm and twisted it behind him! The sharp crack of bone snapping echoed through the air, followed by Norris's agonized screams. But Edward didn't stop. He lifted his leg and, without mercy, delivered a brutal kick to Norris's chest! This time, it wasn't just Norris's arm that broke. A few of his ribs cracked as well. He didn't even have the strength to groan—he collapsed unconscious on the floor. But the earlier movements seemed to have aggravated the wounds on Edward's body. He frowned, his face turning even paler than before. Robin noticed this immediately. Without sparing a glance at Norris, who was lying unconscious on the floor, she rushed to Edward's side. She anxiously asked, "Did your wound reopen? Do you need to go to the hospital?" "No need; I'm fine," Edward replied, lowering his head. However, his gaze inadvertently caught a glimpse of her nightgown's neckline, revealing a small patch of skin that gleamed in the light—pure white and blinding. He quickly shifted his attention back to the unconscious Norris, asking coldly, "What should we do with this guy?" His tone was so casual, as though he were talking about something disposable, like trash. Robin felt a sudden lightness in her chest and almost wanted to laugh. However, the smile quickly faded when her eyes swept over the broken door and the mess in the living room. She shuddered to think about what might have happened if Edward hadn't been here today. And the thought that she'd been under Norris's surveillance every day made her skin crawl, her stomach turning in revulsion. It was a good thing she hadn't married him otherwise ... She bit her lip, the unease still lingering. When she looked up again, she saw Edward on the phone, his brow furrowed in concentration, his expression cold and serene. "Mm, send it over as soon as possible," he said before ending the call. Send what over? Robin blinked in confusion. Ten minutes later, Edward's bodyguards arrived. After taking photos and gathering evidence at the scene, they dragged Norris to the police station. The tiny camera and the metal rod, the key pieces of evidence, were also taken along. Not long after the bodyguards left, the workers arrived to install the new door. They were efficient, finishing the job in about half an hour. Seeing their hard work, Robin intended to offer them some refreshments, but as soon as they finished, they quickly left without a word. She couldn't do much about it. Staring at the brand-new door, Robin smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "This door looks so sturdy. It shouldn't be so easy to break through now." Edward finished checking the door's lock and, hearing her comment, raised an eyebrow. "Didn't they tell you? This door is made of the same material as Zuriel vaults. Not even a bomb could break it open easily." Robin was stunned, her mouth slightly agape. She pointed at the door, struggling to ask, "I ... I have such a good door for this tiny little apartment? Isn't that a bit of a waste?" Her rent was only 3,000 a month for this small, run-down apartment. Why was it treated like a vault? Edward chuckled lightly, but his expression suddenly shifted, his face tightening as beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.