No Wife, No Life Chapter 42

Emily never thought Harper would flip out like that. She found herself slammed to the ground by Harper.

Harper straddled her, yanking her hair, her voice raw as she yelled, "What the hell did you do?"

The dress, the one her mom had made, was now a mess. The hem was shredded, and there was a huge tear at the chest.

Her mom's dress was totally ruined.

It was the only one her mom ever made for her, one of a kind.

"Harper, are you crazy?"

Emily screamed from under Harper.

"Emily, I told you not to mess with me. Why can't you just leave me alone?"

Harper's anger boiled over. She yanked Emily's hair even harder.

Emily's eyes welled up with tears from the pain.

"Can't we just get along?"

Harper's voice shook with rage.

She knew Emily's return was all part of a plan.

Emily wanted to take everything from her, like a ruthless plunderer.

"You can have my dad, my husband, my job, but this dress is mine. It was my mom's gift to me. You had no right to destroy it."

She stressed every word.

This dress was her connection to her mom, and now Emily had ruined it.

Emily struggled to breathe under Harper's weight.

She tried to grab Harper's arms, but Harper dodged her.

For a moment, Emily thought she was going to die.

"Let her go!"

Suddenly, someone rushed in, shoving Harper off.

Harper fell, hitting her forehead on the steps. Blood trickled down her face.

Emily coughed and collapsed into Alex's arms, tears streaming down her face.

"Alex, Harper's insane. She tried to kill me."

She whimpered like a hurt kitten, clinging to Alex.

Harper tasted blood in her mouth.

She wiped it away with her sleeve and struggled to sit up.

Her stomach was cramped. She touched it gently, as if to reassure the baby inside.

"Harper, I never thought you were like this."

Alex's voice was cold, his eyes icy.

"Mr. Lavien, like what?"

Her voice was calm, emotionless.

She pointed at Emily in his arms and said slowly, "Your lover destroyed everything I had. What do you think I should do?"

"Alex, Harper's just jealous because you chose me over her. Let's go. I don't want to be around her anymore."

Emily spoke softly.

Alex said nothing, his face dark as he helped Emily up, and they left together.

Harper's body went limp, all her strength drained away.

She picked up the dress from the floor, caressing it gently, tears falling onto the fabric.

Everything she wanted to protect was destroyed.

Her mom, her brother, and Alex—everyone she loved was gone.

After a while, she stood up, put the dress in a bag, and left quietly.

The next day, Harper showed up at the CEO's office early.

Her forehead wound had been treated, but the scar was still visible and glaring.

When she walked in, Alex was already at his desk, working.

"Mr. Lavien, I'm not your secretary anymore. It's not right for me to stay here, so I'm moving out."

Harper stood tall in front of him, her face calm, her tone flat, like nothing had happened yesterday.

Alex's hand froze mid-motion.

He looked up, his eyes cold.

"Fine."

He went back to his work.

Harper didn't say another word, packed her things, and left.

As she opened the door, she bumped into Travis.

Travis noticed the wound on her forehead and asked, "You okay?"

Harper's tone was flat, "It's nothing."

Travis gave her a meaningful look but didn't push it.

After Harper left, Travis closed the door and asked, "What happened to her forehead?"

Travis was Alex's secretary, but they were more like friends since they had known each other since they were kids.

Alex put down his pen, deep in thought.

When he saw that wound earlier, his heart had ached.

But what could he say? That he had caused it by pushing her?

How could he admit that?

Luckily, Travis didn't push further. Instead, he tapped his forehead and asked, "By the way, yesterday was Harper's mom's death anniversary. Did you go with her to pay respects?"

Yesterday, both Alex and Harper were absent from the office, so Travis assumed they had gone together.

Alex froze.

Yesterday was Harper's mom's death anniversary?

How did he not know?

Seeing his expression, Travis asked in surprise, "No way, you didn't go?"

For five years, every year on this day, Harper would text Alex, "Alex, today is my mom's death anniversary. Can you come with me to pay respects?"

But Alex never cared.

He was too busy to go with her. 

Every time, he would transfer money to her and coldly tell her, "Buy whatever you need."

She sent that message for four years, and he responded the same way for four years.

But yesterday, she sent him nothing.

And he had actually asked Harper to attend Emily's birthday party.

No wonder she wore a black dress yesterday. It was for this reason.

"Alex, you're unbelievable."

Travis shook his head, his expression indescribable.

Suddenly, Alex remembered something, his voice hoarse, "Do you know about Harper's green dress?"

He couldn't understand why Harper would get so angry over a dress. It was so unlike her.

Travis frowned, opened a photo on his phone, and asked, "Is it this dress?"

Alex glanced at it and nodded silently.

Travis sighed, exasperated, "Of course I know that dress. The last time we drank, Harper mentioned it. It's the only dress her mom made for her, the only one she left her. What happened to it?"

Alex's eyes darkened with guilt.

He didn't know that dress was her mom's keepsake.

He remembered Harper's red, tear-filled eyes, her voice full of sorrow, "Your lover destroyed everything I had. What do you think I should do?"

On her mom's death anniversary, he had made her attend Emily's birthday and pushed her, causing her injury.

What had he done?