"Now be a good boy and take care of me. Don't worry, I'm not high-maintenance. I never bother with protection. Hahaha..."
In the depths of my despair, a thunderous crash erupted from outside.
The rolling shutter was forced open, and people stormed in.
"Let him go!"
It was officers from the nearby police station.
The internet café owner had driven out all the other patrons so he could assault me in peace. But someone had seen him slip something into my drink and quietly called 911 on their way out.
They rushed me to the hospital to have my stomach pumped, took my statement, and left me with a thick coat. I borrowed a charger from the front desk, and the next morning, I called the calligraphy class to resign.
Once that was done, I went to the mall next door, grabbed a cheap casual outfit, and got ready to fly home.
But the moment I stepped out of the mall, several of Lauren's bodyguards blocked my path.
"Mr. Henson, Ms. Sanchez is hosting a banquet at the Regalia Hotel today to celebrate Secretary Cobb's second anniversary. She's specifically requested that you come and perform for Secretary Cobb. If you'd please."
I frowned.
"Get out of my way, or I'm calling the police."
The lead bodyguard, Val Whitney, let out a contemptuous laugh.
"Go right ahead. Then we'll file a report too."
"Ms. Sanchez says the coat you burned last night was worth a hundred grand. That's enough to land you behind bars for a while."
I laughed in disbelief. So this was the trap they'd been waiting to spring.
"A hundred grand? I'll wire it to her right now."
But Val snatched the phone from my hand and smashed it on the ground at my feet.
"You ungrateful piece of shit."
"Without Ms. Sanchez, you couldn't even feed yourself. Who the hell do you think you are, playing lord of the manor? You haven't even signed the marriage certificate, and you think you're her husband? Take him."
They dragged me into a car and sped off.
When we arrived, the entire banquet hall had been decorated with staggering extravagance.
Noel, dressed in a tailored designer suit, had his arm around Lauren's waist as they worked the room, greeting guests.
He carried himself like the man of the house.
The irony cut deep.
Because Lauren had said she didn't want anything flashy, yesterday's wedding had been a bare-bones affair at some no-name motel. She'd only invited a handful of her personal friends, so most people in her circle didn't even know the wedding had happened.
I'd understood. I knew how hard she worked for her money. Besides, once I brought her home to meet my family, we'd throw a proper celebration. Everyone would see the announcement. The whole world would know.
So I hadn't minded.
But the Regalia was the most exclusive hotel in Capital City, operating on an elite membership system. Only those who met a certain threshold of status and wealth were even eligible to walk through the doors. A single banquet there ran into the millions.
And she'd booked it for Noel's anniversary. She'd even invited the press.
When Lauren spotted me, she walked over with a frown.
"The owner of the calligraphy class said you quit. Said you're leaving. Where do you think you're going?"
My voice came out flat. Dead.
"Home. To take care of my grandfather. Is that a problem?"
A smug, superior smile spread across her face.
"So you've finally figured it out. Without my protection, you can't survive a single day in this city. Your only option is crawling back to your little village to slop the pigs."
"Tell you what. If you wash all of Noel's underwear in front of everyone today, nice and clean, I'll forgive you. Tomorrow we'll go sign the marriage certificate, just like we planned."
Her assistant brought over a small basket. There had to be at least a dozen pairs inside.
Clearly, they'd had quite the night.
My hands had been protected my entire life. My family had never let me do so much as a single chore.
I stared at her, unable to process what I was hearing.
"Lauren, did your brain and your ass switch places? Every word out of your mouth is pure garbage."
"You two spent my wedding night making out and sleeping together, and now you want me to wash his dirty underwear?"
