Ashes of Affection

At one in the morning, the sound of a door opening with a muffled thud jolted Scarlett OHara from her uneasy slumber. She slowly opened her eyes and gazed at the familiar figure lying beside her, feeling a strange sense of detachment.

"Youre back?" she asked softly.

Edward Cullen paused, "You havent slept yet?"

"Cant sleep."

"Go to sleep early, I have to work tomorrow," he replied, his voice devoid of warmth.

After their bland conversation, Edward closed his eyes and fell silent. Scarlett inched closer to him, habitually draping her hand around his waist. Edward, with a hint of disgust, removed her hand and turned his back to her, falling asleep.

A tinge of bitterness welled up in Scarletts heart. She hesitated, retracted her hand, and pulled the covers over herself. After a long while, Edwards breathing became steady and even, but Scarlett couldnt sleep. She couldnt resist but to embrace him again; the faint scent of perfume sent her heart into a trembling frenzy. She never wore perfume, and Edward never did either. She remembered him saying to her six years ago that he disliked women wearing perfume...

At six in the morning, while she was still awake, the person beside her slept soundly. She carefully got out of bed, careful not to disturb him; it was time to make breakfast for the child and take him to school.

After preparing breakfast, she returned to the room. Edward was in the bathroom taking a shower while the phone on the table rang incessantly. She casually glanced at it, seeing the contact name "Little Brat!" Her heart tugged as if pulled by something. On impulse, her hand trembled and pressed the answer button.

"Edward, can you pick me up for work today? I want to wear high heels and dont want to walk!" a sweet female voice cooed from the other end.

Scarletts intuition as a woman was spot on; her fingertips turned pale as she clutched the phone.

"Why arent you talking? Are you busy accompanying your yellow-faced wife to take the child to school again? When are you going to divorce her?"

The term yellow-faced wife made Scarletts veins bulge on the back of her hand.

She opened her mouth to say something when the sound of the shower in the bathroom stopped abruptly.

Edward opened the bathroom door, and she panicked, hanging up the phone abruptly and placing it back in its original spot.

"What are you doing with my phone?" Edward strode up to her, snatching his phone back, his gloomy eyes flickering with a hint of coldness.

Scarlett was about to question him, but she swallowed the words back down.

"Did you just answer my call?" Edward asked nonchalantly.

Scarletts heart trembled, "The phone kept ringing, so I answered it. I didnt hear anything before you came out."

"Do not touch my things in the future!" With that, he grabbed his coat and left without looking back.

"Breakfast... hasnt been eaten..."

Scarlett felt like a deflated balloon, tears streaming down her face.

She hated herself, hated her uselessness; even though she had caught him, she didnt dare to ask.

"Mom, Im going to school!" Charlie Bucket stood behind the door, speaking softly.

"Okay, Ill take you!" She quickly wiped away her tears and smiled, sending her son off to school.

"Bye, Mom!"

Charlies clear and bright smile was like the warm sun in winter, instantly warming her heart.

At this moment, she knew that her six-year persistence was all worth it.

Back home, looking at the lipstick mark on Edwards shirt next to the washing machine, she clearly knew that the husband she had loved for six years had cheated.

Suddenly, the phone rang. She answered, and it was an unfamiliar number.

"Hello, who is this?"

"Its me!"

A female voice sounded from the other end.