CHAPTER 98: CHAPTER 97: LET ME LEAVE YOU

"I’ve never in my life met a shameless man like you."

Luke Gardiner took a punch, his lip split and bleeding. His eyes reddened, and he charged at Ethan Harper, shouting, "Florence Fuller can only be mine."

Florence Fuller was originally on her way to Long Island Hotel when she received a call from Ethan Harper halfway there.

The number was Ethan’s, but the voice on the other end wasn’t his. The person was very polite: "Miss Fuller, you might need to come to First Hospital."

Florence’s heart skipped a beat with worry: "Did something happen to Ethan?"

"Sir was injured."

Florence frowned: "I’ll be right there."

She rushed to the hospital as fast as she could. Ethan’s assistant, Thomas Jones, was waiting at the door and approached her as she arrived: "Miss Fuller."

Florence didn’t recognize him.

"I’m Thomas, Mr. Harper’s assistant. I’ve come to take you upstairs."

Florence understood: "Let’s go."

In the elevator, she asked, "What happened? How did he get injured?"

Her expression was filled with unconcealed concern.

Thomas thought for a moment: "He was beaten."

They had all been waiting outside. Thomas was quite anxious in such circumstances, especially since Florence’s legal husband had shown up. He didn’t know what plan Ethan had in mind. Anyway, when they heard the commotion and went in, they were all shocked to see Ethan had been beaten.

Luckily, they managed to separate them.

Then, they called the police and sent him to the hospital.

Luke definitely wouldn’t be taken to the police station; the police had just come to the hospital to take statements.

"What?" Florence couldn’t believe that someone like Ethan Harper could be beaten?

"Who did it!"

Thomas awkwardly chuckled: "You should probably ask Ethan."

Thomas led Florence to the hospital room door on the respective floor.

As soon as Florence entered, she saw Ethan’s bruised face, with swelling and cuts at the corners of his eyes, and his lip split and bleeding. She hurried over: "How... how did you get so hurt?"

Seeing her arrive, Ethan slightly spread his arms, and as Florence came over, he embraced her tightly, resting his head on her waist and stomach.

"Who beat you?" Florence asked worriedly, "Were you hurt anywhere else besides your face?"

"No," he murmured against her, his voice soft and subdued. "I just wanted to hold you."

"So what happened?" Florence asked.

Ethan didn’t respond.

Florence looked over at Ethan’s assistant. Thomas looked at Ethan, then back at Florence, speaking up: "It was a Mr. Luke Gardiner."

Florence’s heart skipped a beat, she looked at Ethan: "How did he find you?"

"I was at the racecourse today, then he came, saying he wanted to talk..."

Florence interrupted him: "Talk about what?"

Ethan silently gazed at Florence, his eyes showing a trace of sadness.

Florence looked at him: "Talk about what?"

"He wants me... to leave you!"

Florence’s gaze darkened.

Ethan keenly sensed her displeasure.

Florence was silent for a moment. She cupped Ethan’s face, her intent unclear: "And what about you? What do you think?"

Ethan shook his head: "Even if you drove me away, I wouldn’t leave. Do you think I’ll leave just because he tells me to?"

Florence traced her fingers over Ethan’s face: "I didn’t know he would come looking for you."

And you even got beaten up.

Ethan gave her a reassuring smile: "It’s okay."

Looking at his bruised face, Florence felt uncomfortable inside.

She stayed with Ethan for a while, then found an excuse to leave the room, intending to call Luke Gardiner. As she stepped outside, Thomas came out of the room: "Are you looking for Mr. Gardiner?"

Florence nodded.

"He’s in the room over there." Thomas pointed to the direction opposite.

Florence nodded and walked over.

At the door of the room, she didn’t intend to knock before entering. She overheard Luke’s angry voice: "He has the nerve to interfere in other people’s relationships and still has a face? I talked nicely to him but he wouldn’t listen, he insists on being around my wife. If it were you, and some man is around your wife and won’t leave, how would you feel?"

As Luke finished speaking, Florence pushed the door open and entered.

Seeing her come in, Luke’s previously arrogant demeanor visibly deflated.

The police officer made eye contact with her too.

Florence smiled slightly: "Officer, there must be some misunderstanding here. I’m here to resolve this issue. Is there anything else you need from me?"

The police knew that the parties involved in this conflict were not to be trifled with. With Florence there, they felt relieved and left the room together.

For situations like this, it’s best to turn big issues into small ones, and small ones into nothing.

No one wants to escalate it.

After signing the documents and seeing the police off, Florence returned to the room.

Compared to Ethan’s injuries, Luke’s face was in much better condition, with the worst being a bruise at the corner of his eye. Alone in the room with him, Florence coldly questioned, "What do you mean by this!"

Luke didn’t look at her: "What do you mean, what do I mean?"

"I’ve never interfered in any of your matters, have I?" Florence walked over: "Why did you go looking for Ethan Harper?"

Luke coldly chuckled: "You get so worried when I find him, what? Are you here to accuse me? To stand up for him?"

"Luke Gardiner!" Florence frowned: "Don’t go overboard."

"I’m overboard? Who is overboard?" Luke confronted her: "Florence Fuller, tell me who’s overboard. How many times have you shown me a nice face, said kind words? How many of my calls have you answered, how many messages have you replied to? Is this the way a wife should treat her husband?"

Florence sneered: "Don’t put yourself on such a high pedestal. Since we got married, you’ve been fooling around outside, constantly having rumored mistresses. Have you ever considered me? Wife to husband? What kind of husband are you?"

Luke’s face darkened.

"You were indifferent to me from the start. I told you that you could continue living as you did before, I didn’t interfere with your life; what right do you have to meddle in my life?"

"You’re my wife!" he stubbornly said, "Where does that leave my dignity if you’re with another man?

Florence laughed in anger: "I’m a person, not your personal property! And how can you be so selfish? You can have women surrounding you and scandals all over, but I have to be virtuous and wait for you at the Gardiner Family’s home? What kind of dream are you having? I’m not like those self-deluding women who keep a lonely home. You can be flirtatious and I can be carefree too."

"If what you want is a wife who will stick by you, put up with all your dirty messes without complaint, then let me advise you to sign the divorce papers and find someone else! I’m not that kind of person."

Luke’s eyes trembled, Florence’s words pierced through him like arrows.