I Once Married You (Harper and Benjamin)

Annie didn't respond, her silence and blank stare all falling into Benjamin's gaze.

He casually asked, "What's wrong? Anything you can't talk about?""

"What answer do you want? About whom?"

"What do you think?" He remained unchanged, looking at her indifferently as if to say, "Isn't it obvious?"

Annie pressed her lips. "What do you want to know?"

"Who's that ex-boyfriend that she can't seem to forget?" His voice was low and hoarse, tinged with a hint of indifference.

His words left Annie stunned.

She thought, "Harper's ex? But she never had one. Though many pursued her, she had never been with anyone else. Wasn't her heart his and his alone?" Annie looked at Benjamin with confusion, her eyes seemingly asking, "Are you sure you want to ask about Harper's ex?"

Benjamin stared back at her, interpreting her expression as a struggle to find the right words.

He squinted, and then calmly said, "Is it that difficult to answer?"

"Not really. I'm just curious. Did Harper tell you that?" Annie asked, looking at him.

"Why does it even matter? I just need to know who this person is that she has been holding onto and is willing to sacrifice her marriage for. Is he really worth it?" He smirked. Anníe furrowed slightly, realizing that Harper must have said something like that to him.

She responded, "It doesn't matter who he is. I mean, you're the one who's married to her now. And as for whether he's any good or not, I'm just an outsider. I can't judge. Perhaps only Harper understands."

Annie's response left Benjamin with the impression that she was holding back because she knew how deeply Harper cared for that man. Annie also appeared concerned that revealing the identity of that man might upset Harper. Thus, Annie resorted to a carefully worded yet official response to avoid causing any distress.

If Benjamin pressed further, it seemed to be beyond his expectations.

So he didn't say anything more.

After Curtis arrived, Benjamin took Larry away.

Larry was still drunk, but he was much better than he was in the wee hours. He went straight to sleep as soon as he got into the car.

Curtis asked, "Mr. Martin, should we send Mr. Ellison back to his place?"

"No. Just find a hotel near the company."

Curtis acknowledged and first dropped Benjamin off at the company before driving Larry to a nearby hotel.

When Benjamin arrived at the company, his face was cold and stern. The staff in the secretary's office were the most adept at reading his mood. At a glance, they could tell he wasn't in a good mood today. So, one of them quickly messaged Curtis, asking: [Mr. Yost, what's wrong with Mr. Martin today? Please tell us. I don't want to be caught in the crossfire.]

Curtis glanced at the message and simply replied: [Focus on your work and don't gossip about the boss.]

After Curtis had settled Larry in his hotel room and instructed the front desk not to disturb him, he contacted Larry's secretary to explain the situation and arrange for some clothes to be sent over before returning to the Martin Group. Benjamin had already started working while Harper just got out of bed.

Though she had slept, it wasn't restful, leaving her groggy early in the morning.

After freshening up and leaving the bedroom, she didn't find Benjamin in the living room. She walked to the door and glanced outside, noticing that Larry was nowhere to be seen.

Even though she knew they must have left together, she couldn't shake off a lingering sense of discomfort.

Angie was preparing breakfast, and seeing Harper alone, she asked, "Did Benjamin head to the office already?"

Harper pressed her lips and smiled faintly, "Yes, he had a morning meeting, so he got up early."

She couldn't mention their midnight argument or that she wasn't sure what time Benjamin left.

Because Angie was arranged by Benjamin's family, the news would undoubtedly reach them if Angie knew.

Harper didn't want to worry her grandfather.

However, Angie didn't dwell on it. She prepared breakfast for Harper and went to the nearby supermarket to buy fresh fruits and vegetables.

Harper sat before the dining table, nibbling on the soup and a few side dishes. She didn't feel like touching the eggs or any other nutritious foods. She checked her phone. It was only around seven o'clock.

She sent a message to Annie: [Still sleeping?]