Faux Vows, True Desires novel Chapter 488

Janice was wrestling with him, shoving, yanking, and even pulling his hair in a frenzy. With a wild flurry of actions, she finally managed to push the old bastard away. Panting, she stumbled back, scrambling to her feet and staggering a few steps before looking around frantically, searching for something to drive the scoundrel out of her house.

The thought of someone seeing them together, with her clothing slightly askew, and jumping to the conclusion that they had reconciled was unbearable.

There was no way she would reconcile with him. All she wanted was to stay far away from him and live out the rest of her days in peace.

This man, who once promised her happiness and swore never to let her be hurt, was the very source of her pain and misery.

Spotting a vase on a table, not too large, Janice strode over and lifted it, turning around to find Nathan had sprawled back onto the floor like some shameless deadbeat.

Fuming, she marched toward him, vase held high, ready to smash it down on him.

But as the vase came crashing down, she pulled back at the last second, sparing him from the blow. If she injured him, he might demand she take care of him, and that was a loss she couldn't afford.

She couldn't do it.

Janice, holding the vase, turned and walked away.

Eventually, she stormed into the bathroom and filled a bucket with water. Thankfully, during her time staying with the Moore family, she had built up some strength helping out with chores, otherwise her pampered self would've struggled with the weight of the water.

Nathan, now second only to Owen in his antics, leapt to his feet at the sight of his wife wielding a bucket of water.

Janice thought he was finally scared.

But as he strode over and snatched the bucket from her grip, he chided, "You should've called me for this kind of heavy lifting. Let me help you; a bucket of water is quite heavy."

Janice was speechless.

After setting the bucket down where he had been lying, Nathan flopped back to the ground and suggested, "Janice, grab a cup, and pour the water over me, cup by cup. It's easier that way."

"Once it's half empty, then you can dump the rest on me."

Janice was flabbergasted.

After more than two decades of marriage, she was just now realizing how shameless Nathan could be.

He was truly another Owen!

Owen interjected, "Mrs. Bright, I assure you, I have never sunk to Nathan's level of shamelessness!"

With Nathan having thoroughly infuriated her, Janice stormed over, intent on dousing him with the bucket.

"Janice, I've already told you, a whole bucket's very heavy. Don't do it. Never mind, I'll do it myself."

As she was about to dump the water, Nathan performed a swift kip-up, snatched the bucket from her, and poured it over himself, drenching his clothes and hair.

After the self-inflicted dousing, he went back into the bathroom for another bucket, and in front of Janice, drenched himself again.

Janice stood there, dumbstruck.

"Janice, do you want me to do it again?" Nathan asked.

Coming back to her senses, Janice pointed towards the door, her face dark with anger, and barked, "Nathan, get the hell out of here. Now."

Undeterred, Nathan laid back down, deciding to embody his shamelessness to the fullest.

He wasn't the patriarch of the Blue family at that moment; he was just a man shamelessly seeking his wife's forgiveness.

"I won't go. I'll just lie here until I catch a cold or get sick, and then you'll have to take care of me."

She remembered the past all too well, and every memory tore at her heart with excruciating pain.

Now approaching fifty, she didn't have much time left, and she no longer wanted to dwell on the past. She tried to consider it all a bad dream.

She just wanted to spend the rest of her days in peace and quiet.

Crouched on the floor, she clutched her face and sobbed her heart out.

Nathan scrambled to his feet and hurried over, squatting down with the intention to wrap her in a comforting embrace.

"Don't touch me!"

Janice cried out, forcefully swatting his hands away.

"Get out, just go – don’t touch me! I feel tainted by you!"

Her sobbing turned into a wail.

Nathan's outstretched hand froze mid-air, then slowly retreated.

He stood up, turned around, and grabbed a box of tissues. Bending down, he gently placed the box beside Janice.

"I’m going, I won’t touch you, please stop crying. I’m leaving right now."

His voice was laced with agony as he spoke, then he twisted around and walked towards the door.

Her sobs, her tears, they were like daggers, slashing a thousand cuts across his heart.

She was in pain, and so was he.