Chapter 80
Quinn held her phone in a tight grip, her head shaking subtly to indicate to Juliet that she shouldn't make the call.
"Why won't you go to the hospital? You're bleeding," Juliet's voice was laced with worry. Quinn responded with a dismissive gesture, implying that her menstrual cycle was the culprit and that a few painkillers would be enough to alleviate her discomfort.
Upon noticing the small amount of blood, Juliet swiftly aided Quinn to her feet and guided her back to the sanctuary of her bedroom. Juliet then fetched pain medication and a heating pad for Quinn before heading to the kitchen to prepare a soothing cup of hot ginger tea.
As Quinn cradled the hot beverage, she could feel the warmth spreading from her hands, and her complexion began to show a slight improvement. Juliet watched her, biting back the words that threatened to spill from her lips.
Once Quinn had finished her tea, Juliet took the empty cup and finally voiced the question that had been gnawing at her, "What's going on with you and Alexander?"
The tension that was evident in Alexander's demeanor made it clear that their relationship was not as solid as Juliet had initially thought, underscored by an indefinable subtlety. Quinn shook her head, her thoughts swirling. 'I don't know. I can't fathom what had gone awry between Alexander and me. At some point, I've inadvertently become a trivial thing to him. Maybe it started when we got married, or perhaps even earlier.
Because of Ulysses' final wish, he reluctantly married me, abandoning the one he truly loved. He doesn't resent me, but it's clear he can no longer show me the same affection as before. Our relationship is indeed complex and subtly strained.'Quinn glanced at Juliet beside her. 'The fact that Juliet is still present means Alexander has acquiesced to me cutting ties with Abigail. If I continue to defy him, Juliet will inevitably get dragged into the mess. At her advanced age, she couldn't be subjected to such turmoil.'
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Quinn's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. She closed her eyes and leaned against the headboard, letting the sound of rain at the window wash over her. She spent two days at home without contacting Abigail, who had only inquired if Alexander had caused her any trouble upon her return.
Quinn couldn't bear to respond and chose to ignore it. Online, the noise around Abigail's incident seemed to have died down. In contrast, VX Games' latest release, "Dragon Vein Street," was making waves on the internet due to their New Year's promotional short film.
They had shot a live-action short film telling the story of 'Luna,' and the script was remarkably well-crafted. Viewers left comments of being moved to tears under each forwarded video. Luna was wheelchair-bound, so Getty's injured foot did not impede filming.
Thanks to Alexander's promotional backing, the campaign was aggressive, and the micro-movie practically went viral overnight. Getty also cleverly revealed her top-ranking status, skyrocketing to fame and amassing millions of new followers within days.
Quinn also checked Getty's video channel and social media, littered with flashy photos and indiscreet displays of affection. But in all the photos, Alexander was partially hidden, showing just a hand or back and never his face. His long, elegant fingers and broad shoulders were enough to set off wild fantasies, even without seeing his face. Quinn flipped through the photographs, each one an indulgent tribute to Getty's antics, supporting her wild whims.
A pang hit Quinn when she realized she didn't have a proper picture with Alexander. Not even a selfie. She was lost in this thought when her phone buzzed unexpectedly with a message from Freya: "Dad wants us to come over for New Year's dinner. Don't forget." When Freya spoke, it was with the authority of her father, Wayne Kennedy, whose word was the law to the Kennedys. Quinn stared at the message, her eyes flickering momentarily. She instinctively touched her belly, which still ached subtly.