Chapter 198 If you don’t love each other, you should have told me

Chapter 198: Chapter 198 If you don’t love each other, you should have told me

Daisy stirred.

Her brows knitted together as she slowly opened her eyes, still hazy with sleep, for a moment she didn’t remember where she was. Then she felt the warmth beneath her cheek, the steady rise and fall of a chest, and the gentle weight of an arm around her.

Alessio’s eyes opened almost at the same time.

For a brief second, neither of them understood what was happening.

Then Alessio noticed the people standing at the doorway.

His expression changed. His gaze moved from Grandpa James to Rafael, then to Cedric. Finally, his eyes settled on Jessica.

The warmth that had been present while he slept disappeared instantly, replaced by coldness.

Daisy slowly lifted her head from his chest. She blinked sleepily, her mind still foggy. Then she looked toward the doorway.

Her eyes widened.

She had absolutely no idea why everyone was standing there.

"You’re really cheating on me with him?"

Cedric’s voice exploded through the room.

Daisy’s eyes widened in shock. She stared at him, completely bewildered by the accusation. She had only just woken up and barely understood why everyone was standing around her room, let alone why her husband was suddenly shouting at her.

"What the hell do you think you’re doing?" Cedric continued angrily. "You act like you love me in front of everyone, you pretend to be this innocent, caring wife, and behind my back you sleep with random men? How shameless can you be?"

Daisy’s face went pale. She immediately shook her head, trying to explain but the words couldn’t come out. Her hands moved frantically, trying to gesture that nothing had happened but Cedric wasn’t looking at her hands.

Alessio’s expression darkened.

"Shut up."

His voice was cold and sharp. He climbed off the bed and stood between Cedric and Daisy, his green eyes fixed on him with growing irritation.

Jessica, standing nearby, watched him for a moment and bit her lips. The effortless way Alessio straightened himself after getting off the bed somehow looked unfairly attractive, but she quickly turned her attention back to the argument.

Cedric’s eyes became even redder.

"You shut up! She is my wife!"

"Your wife?"

Alessio repeated calmly.

"Yes! My wife!" Cedric snapped. "So stay out of this."

Alessio gave him a cold, almost disbelieving look.

"Then maybe you should start acting like her husband."

Cedric’s fists clenched.

"You don’t know anything about us."

"I know what I can see."

Alessio’s gaze briefly moved toward Daisy before returning to Cedric.

"I see your wife sleeping alone in a separate room while you’re nowhere near her."

Cedric’s expression hardened.

"That has nothing to do with you."

"Maybe it wouldn’t," Alessio replied, "if you hadn’t just accused her of cheating."

Cedric stepped closer.

"You don’t talk nonsense about my wife!"

Alessio’s eyes narrowed.

"I’m not the one talking nonsense."

He gestured toward Daisy.

"She clearly just woke up. She looks confused, and you’re standing here screaming at her without even asking what happened."

Cedric’s jaw tightened.

"You were sleeping with her!"

Alessio went silent for a moment. Then his expression became colder.

"She wasn’t doing anything."

"Then why was she in your arms?"

"Because she wasn’t feeling well."

Cedric scoffed.

"You expect me to believe that?"

"I don’t care what you believe."

Alessio’s voice remained remarkably calm.

"She was exhausted and she nearly blacked out earlier. I stayed with her because she needed someone to make sure she was alright."

Cedric’s eyes flashed with jealousy.

"And you expect me to believe you were just being kind?"

Alessio stared at him.

"Yes."

There was a brief silence.

Then Alessio added, almost dryly, "Not everyone sees your wife and immediately thinks about betraying her."

Cedric’s face darkened.

"What did you just say?"

Before the argument could escalate further, Grandpa James finally spoke.

"Enough."

His voice was quieter than before but it carried enough authority to stop both men.

Daisy immediately turned toward him. She hurried over, anxiously reaching for his hand and trying to gesture that she didn’t understand what was happening.

James looked at her. His expression was deeply troubled.

"Listen, both of you."

He took a slow breath.

"If you two don’t love each other, then why have you been pretending all this time?"

Cedric froze.

Daisy’s eyes widened.

James looked between them, his face filled with pain.

"You act like a loving couple in front of everyone. You smile, you stand together, you let me believe that you are happy."

His voice trembled.

"If you don’t love each other, you should have told me."

Cedric opened his mouth.

"Grandpa, I—"

"No."

James shook his head.

"Not another excuse."

He looked at Daisy again.

"And you, sweetheart... if you were unhappy, why didn’t you tell me?"

Daisy’s eyes filled with emotion. She desperately tried to explain through her gestures but James could only understand pieces of what she was saying.

"I know," he whispered. "I know you can’t say everything."

He gently squeezed her hand.

"But I need to understand what has been happening between you two."

The room fell silent.

Cedric looked at Daisy.

Daisy looked at Grandpa James.

"So tell me the truth."

Grandpa James’s voice sounded very authoritative now.

Cedric lowered his eyes. He couldn’t look at his grandfather. What was he supposed to say?

Should he tell him the real reason he had stayed with Daisy all this time? That from the very beginning, he had never married her because he loved her. He had stayed because he wanted Grandpa James to eventually give him his share of the family property and inheritance. Daisy had simply been part of the arrangement, someone he had to keep beside him until he got what he wanted.

And the worst part was that Daisy already knew. She knew he didn’t love her. She knew about Jessica. She had even asked him for a divorce.

Cedric’s fingers slowly curled into fists. He couldn’t bring himself to say any of that aloud.

The silence continued.

Grandpa James watched him for several seconds before his shoulders slowly sank.

"I see."

His voice carried a deep sadness.

"You don’t have anything to say."

Cedric swallowed.

"Grandpa..."

James shook his head.

"No."

He took a slow breath, his face tightening with disappointment.

"I don’t need to hear another excuse."

His gaze moved from Cedric to Daisy.

"If neither of you wanted this marriage, then why have you both been pretending for so long?"