But in the next moment, Jennifer rushed into his embrace and spoke in a soft, clingy tone, “Atticus, don’t leave me by myself. I’m really afraid!”
Atticus hesitated briefly, and at last he agreed, “Alright, I will not go.”
Soon after, Dixie went back to the villa and got a WhatsApp text from Atticus.
[Since Jennifer no longer wants to continue this issue, we stop here.]
[The one I care about most is still you. Don’t overthink, and don’t act in ways you shouldn’t. I never allow anyone to threaten your place as Mrs. Reid.]
Dixie coldly laughed again and again, then quickly typed. [I refuse to marry!]
Atticus: [Do not speak mad words. Your dad’s state grows worse each day. I already asked Dr. Colton, the top-known doctor across the United States, to do heart bypass surgery for him. Also, the care and drugs he uses right now all come from hospitals owned by the Reid Group. If those suddenly end, what do you think happens?]
Dixie’s breath cut off at once, her nails pressing hard into her palms.
The Reid family held control over more than half of Jefferson City’s health services. The truth that Terrence could stay alive until this day truly had close ties to the Reid family’s help.
One more new message appeared in the message window. [Quietly stay and become my bride. I take care of Jennifer’s matter and do not allow her to trouble you again.]
Dixie rested on the wide, warm bed, yet her whole body felt very cold.
Jennifer was cruel enough to plan this kind of trap to blame her, and surely would not drop it.
As expected, Dixie’s thought was not mistaken.
Later that evening, Atticus’s bodyguards suddenly forced their way inside, pushed her into a vehicle with no reason given, and took her to the hospital.
Later, it became clear Jennifer had taken poison and kept vomiting and having diarrhea.
At that moment, she rested on the hospital bed with a pale face and pretended kindness while speaking to Atticus, “Miss Chapman is only confused for a brief moment and does not really want to hurt me.”
Atticus laughed coldly and stared at Dixie with cold and merciless eyes. “I already warned you not to hurt Jennifer again. Why do you not obey?”
Dixie looked at him calmly and showed no fear. “Atticus, yesterday’s issue and the poison have no connection with me! If I truly do it, she will not lie here still completely safe. This is clearly planned and acted by herself!”
She only said the truth, yet Atticus believed she made excuses, and his expression grew darker. “If I do not punish you, I believe you will not learn to be obedient!”
After saying it, he coldly ordered the bodyguards. “Bring her back to the villa, take away her phone, and shut her inside the underground basement. Without my permission, do not allow her to come out!”
The proud look in Jennifer’s eyes passed by. She pushed her hair aside, showing unclear red marks along her neck, and pretended to say, “Is this not a little inappropriate? Miss Chapman only completed an operation recently and has not fully healed. Atticus, I am truly alright. Just remain beside me more…”
“Alright.” Atticus’s tone sounded unbelievably soft. “I remain here beside you and go nowhere.”
Seeing them behave sweetly as if nobody else stood nearby, Dixie felt her heart stabbed again and again.
In the end, the bodyguards escorted her back toward the villa and locked her inside an underground basement without any windows.
Inside was dark and wet, and the air smelled of decay.
Dixie hugged her knees and sat on the floor, wondering how she might escape.
She did not know how much time had gone by when the cellar door was kicked wide open. The bodyguards brought three young men inside.
“Mr. Reid asks me to pass you a message: since you enjoy doing things secretly, then let you also experience what it is like to be raped!”
