Chapter 1730

Olivia wheeled her chair to the couch, plopping down before positioning it to face Edward. He was stunned.

"Edward," she began, her voice slightly slurred, "there's something I've wanted to tell you for days, but I didn't know how." She gestured with one hand, still clutching a beer can in the other. "Don't you feel that you've become ill-tempered since you returned? It's almost as if you've turned into a different person!" She tilted her head back and took another swig.

Edward responded coldly, his brow furrowed. "Oh? Have I?"

"You have!" Olivia insisted. "At first, I thought you were just in a bad mood because of your injuries, and I understood that. But you've grown crankier and crankier. You've never acted like this before! You never yell at me or make me cry. Now, you don't even seem to care that I'm bleeding!" She shook her injured hand, a pout forming on her lips. "Who wouldn't get injured or bleed? You were wounded and bleeding, and you saw me bleeding." She paused, speechless. She thought, I did see him bleed, but how could he say that? In the past, he'd shower me with concern if I scraped my knee, but now he feels nothing watching me bleed!

"Fine," she said, waving a dismissive hand and changing the subject. "What about you and Alexander? You told me he pushed you in front of him to take the bullets, that's why you were nearly killed. You also said he left you behind in Burnkwen to save himself. I believed you! But why didn't you confront him when he was just here? Why didn't you counter what he said? Why…"

"What's there to talk about?" Edward interrupted impatiently. "What could I do if he doesn't admit it? What proof do I have that he pushed me? We both know what happened, and since he won't admit it, I've nothing more to say."

Olivia felt momentarily stumped. He seemed to make sense. But she thought, However, Alexander and Lily looked confident, and I've known them for a long time. Wouldn't I know their characters? And what Alexander said did make sense. "Still," she continued, "he was right that it's not the first time you've taken bullets or knives for him. He knew you'd willingly give up your life for him. Why would he do such a thing? It just doesn't add up…"

Before she could finish, Edward cut her off abruptly. "Enough! If you think what he says is true and that I'm lying, then leave! I have nothing more to say! If you choose to believe him over me, stay with him!" Olivia felt a sharp pain, as if stabbed, a deep ache in her heart.