2: 2
The moment I said it, I hung up.
A second later my phone lit up with message after message.
I opened the chat and my eyes went wide.
Sebastian had actually posted my private photos into the group.
His so-called brothers piled on at once, crude and gleeful:
【Whoa, so his wife's got a body like that? Seb, you lucky dog~~】
【Dying, she was acting all cold and untouchable a minute ago, turns out she has moments this embarrassing~】
Jill sent a laugh-crying emoji and tagged Sebastian:
【Fine, kid, you've got loyalty. Seeing how sorry your girl looks, Daddy won't be mad anymore.】
Only then did Sebastian slowly delete the photos and blow a kiss.
I was shaking with rage and called him to demand an answer.
He answered like it was nothing:
"You humiliated Jilly so badly just now and wouldn't even apologize. This was the only way I could cheer her up."
"Did you ever stop to think how I'm supposed to face anyone after this?"
He paused, and a note of irritation crept in:
"I'm your fiancé, and even I don't mind, so what's the big deal?"
"Besides, I already deleted them, didn't I? I even blurred your face. Relax, everyone's brothers here, nobody's going to spread it."
"All right, I'm taking Jilly home first. I'll be back later."
I set the phone down and let out a bitter laugh.
Laughing at myself for being stupid enough, a minute ago, to think those messages meant he'd realized his mistake.
That he was reaching out to make things right.
I didn't call a car. I chose to walk home, telling myself it would clear my head.
By the time I reached the gate of my complex it was already two in the morning, and only the guard booth still had its light on.
I was about to head in when the guard on duty stopped me.
He looked me up and down and gave a sleazy grin:
"You're the owner in Unit 1702, Building A3, right? Even prettier than your photos. So this is the line of work you're in."
"Lucky me, I've been lonely a long time. How about you keep me company? I'll pay."
I studied his face and didn't recognize it, a new hire probably, one who didn't know me.
I frowned. "Watch your mouth. Move, or I'm calling the police."
He wasn't the least bit scared. He grabbed my wrist and waved his phone screen at me, filthy about it.
"Quit the act. If you're not in that line, why'd you have someone post pictures like these in the local dating group? You even put your address up there."
"Bet you bought this place off selling yourself too. Seeing how nice you look, I'll throw in another hundred. Deal?"
Only then did I see it: Jill had actually forwarded that photo to a local dating group of nearly a thousand people.
The man's greasy mouth came at my face. In a panic I drove my knee hard into his crotch.
The second he doubled over and let go, I spun and ran for the road. He came after me, cursing.
The first person I called was Sebastian.
The line rang more than ten seconds before it connected.
"Yeah, what now?"
I couldn't spare a thought for the impatience in his voice and rushed out:
"Sebastian, where are you? The new guard's trying to assault me—"
Before I could finish, Jill's snide voice came through:
"Your little tigress checking up on you again? She'll even tell a lie like that. These young girls really do have all the tricks."
"Forget it, forget it, just go home. Worst case I'll make my own hangover smoothie so she doesn't get jealous again, I really can't afford that. Sigh, my boy's all grown up, got himself a girl and forgot his daddy~"
"Don't push it. You can't even cook instant ramen. You'll burn your hand and come crying to me."
By the time Sebastian remembered I was on the line, his voice was thick with irritation:
"Thelma, are you ever going to stop? You upset Jilly so much she drank herself sick. If I don't make her some hangover smoothie, her stomach's going to hurt."
"All day long, suspicious of everything, like some lunatic. I've told you, Jilly and I are just close buddies. What's it got to do with you otherwise?"
"Enough. I don't have time to play along with your drama. Go to sleep!"
The call ended without a moment's hesitation.
The guard caught up and slapped me hard across the face.
"You bitch, you dare hit me? Still playing innocent for Daddy?"
"Trash like you, God knows how many men have had you. Me being willing to do business with you, that's me doing you a favor!"
My head struck the wall, and heat rushed out of my forehead as the world blacked in and out.
The man was dragging me toward the little alley off to the side.
Then, from far off, came the sound of fast footsteps and a furious roar:
"Let her go!!!!"
The person who saved me wasn't Sebastian. It was a few college kids just back from the KTV.
The guard was hauled off and handed to the police, and I went to the hospital alone to get the wound bandaged.
All night long, Sebastian never called again.
And never came home.
It wasn't until the next morning that he heard about it from the property office.
When he came in, there was, for once, a trace of guilt in his eyes.
"Lala, thank God you're okay."
"Jilly's account got hacked last night. By the time she changed the password and logged back in, your photos had already leaked, but she deleted them right away."
"I know you're angry, and I'm apologizing to you on her behalf, but the whole thing was an accident. You can't blame her—"
