Our Love Turned to Dust, Yet You Left Me in a World of Winter

Since Larissa often showed up in the financial-related news, lots of people recognized her. Passersby raised their phones and filmed, whispering about what they saw.

“Oh my god! Rich people also eat from street stalls?”

“She must be buying food for her husband. People said Miss Hamilton really loves her husband. I heard she bought a pair of emerald rings from a former prince at Sotheby’s. The bracelet that came with them is worth ten million dollars!”

On the dressing table lay that golden bracelet I had polished until it was smooth. Larissa had said it looked perfect on her and had spent a long time taking photos of it. In the end, it had been an unnecessary showpiece.

Larissa bought what Richard wanted, got into the car and drove as she dodged several CCTVs to his home. But he was not there. The CCTVS Richard had installed for Larissa’s convenience had already been hacked by the men I hired.

I smiled to myself as I said, “Larissa, you don’t need to look for him. I already invited Richard to tea.”

Her graceful shape froze.

“Ajax, don’t be impulsive!” she cried.

But no matter how she shouted, I ignored her.

I shut off the CCTV footage and had a servant hold Richard’s mouth so he couldn’t make noise.

“He’s too loud! Give him a few slaps to wake him up.”

Richard’s eyes were full of anger. After being slapped many times, he spat out the bloody rag.

“So what if they catch me? Larissa will come and save me!” he shouted back, sneering.

“Besides, Larissa already said it. Your mother will die of old age. Once that hag died, I’m the most important person to her,” he added, smiling through blood.

Richard then shamelessly went on, “Oh no! The child she’s carrying and I are Larissa’s true family. We matter a hundred times more than an impotent like you who can’t help a woman bear children!”

I forced my face to stay calm, then pulled out a dagger and lunged.

“Then I’ll make you a eunuch!” I shouted as I hissed.

The blade was only a centimeter from Richard’s groin when a strong force slammed into my wrist and knocked it away. I heard the dagger hit the floor beside my ear and felt the sharp crack of my wrist bone almost breaking. Pain ripped through me and I shouted in pain before curling onto the ground.

When I looked up, Larissa stood between me and Richard, trying to pull him away from my men. Richard wept, long tears running down his face.

“Larissa, my face and body hurt so much. Why do you all want me dead? Do I deserve this?” he begged.

“I never meant to kill Mrs. Russell back then. I was careless!” he continued.

Larissa just looked at Richard with eyes full of sorrow. In fact, she did not even bother to see me lying on the floor.

“Ajax, let him go!” she begged.

After that, both Larissa and Richard helped me sit up and put me back on the sofa. I looked at her and gave my choice.

“Today, you can only choose between me and Richard.”

Larissa stared at me, unable to believe what I asked.

“Must you really make this so hard for me?” she whispered.

I felt anger and something like laughter at the same time.

“Hard?” I repeated.

“I only want the man who killed my mother to go to jail. Is that so difficult?”

I threw the whip with iron spikes at her feet.

“Or you can whip him ninety-nine times yourself. I’ll pretend I saw none of this and let him go.”

Richard shook with fear, but he still spat cruel words as he shouted, “You devil! No wonder you couldn’t get Larissa pregnant. No wonder your mother died early, you damned impotent!”

“I did want to kill my mother. Do you know what she said before she died? She was crying and calling your name.”

I sat back on the sofa, my face hard and empty.

“Larissa, I’ll count to three. If you don’t do it, we’ll get divorced.”

Larissa looked torn. She took the whip, her hands shaking and handed it to the bodyguard.