A moment of silence followed. Griffin looked at me quietly, his face expressionless. I knew what he was waiting for. He was waiting for me to bow my head, waiting for me to admit defeat, waiting for me to personally shatter the last vestiges of my dignity.
"Griffin," I heard my own voice, terribly dry, "is it... that if I apologize, you promise you won't pursue Spencer anymore?"
Griffin nodded. Spencer was about to rush forward when Griffin's men grabbed him, their eyes bloodshot as they shook their heads at me.
I released my grip, my knees buckled and I slammed heavily to the ground. A moment of silence followed, then a murmur of discussion erupted.
"My god, Mrs. Beckham really knelt before that woman?"
"Huh? I heard Mr. Beckham has always had his first love in his heart, looks like it's true..."
"No wonder, the main character kneeling before the mistress."
Quincy seemed uneasy amidst the murmurs; she gently tugged at Griffin's sleeve.
"Griffin, it's alright, everyone's watching, I... I forgive them, please let her get up."
Griffin's expression softened slightly, his gaze returning to me, but still carrying a lingering coldness.
"Quincy is soft-hearted, let's just let this go, but don't let it happen again and don't have any more inappropriate thoughts." His words were pointed, a clear warning.
I didn't answer, but simply stood up, my legs numb. Spencer immediately helped me up, his hands trembling slightly as he gripped me. We didn't look at the two people again and walked out of the bar amidst a chorus of pity and mockery.
On the way, Spencer's eyes were red, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked. "Suzy, why did you..."
"Mom's in the hospital having surgery," I interrupted him. "Just a few more days and this will never happen again."
He froze, looking at my face, swallowing the rest of his words and wiped his eyes heavily.
When we arrived at the hospital, my mother was just being wheeled out of the operating room. The doctor said it went smoothly and she just needed to be observed. I had just breathed a sigh of relief, leaning against the wall to catch my breath, when I heard a familiar voice from the other end of the corridor.
Griffin and Quincy had also come to the hospital. Griffin saw me first, his brows immediately furrowing and he walked over in a few steps.
"The surgery?" he asked.
"I paid for it."
"Where did the money come from?" he pressed, his tone dripping with undisguised suspicion and disdain. "Eight hundred thousand, who gave it to you?"
"It's none of your business."
"None of my business?" Griffin took a step forward. "Suzy, I don't care how you got the money, but if I find out you've had any improper thoughts or damaged the Beckham Family's reputation, I won't let you off the hook."
I looked up at him, suddenly feeling utterly hopeless, "Griffin, do you think that without you I should die, or that I should steal and rob?"
He frowned.
"The money is clean; I borrowed it. As for who I borrowed it from, you don't deserve to know. Also, I don't want to wear the title of Mrs. Beckham for another day. I'll give you the divorce papers as soon as possible."
"You want a divorce?" Griffin's voice suddenly rose, drawing the attention of a nurse nearby.
He lowered his voice, but his words were sharp and menacing. "Suzy, do you think divorce is something you can just decide to do? I don't agree. You'll never be able to shake off the title of Mrs. Beckham for the rest of your life."
"I've said it many times, Quincy and I are just friends. If you keep causing trouble, don't blame me for being impolite."
Quincy then approached, speaking softly, "Griffin, don't be like this… Suzy is probably just too sad."
She turned to me and smiled. "By the way, Suzy, tomorrow is my birthday. I'm having a small party in Landing Hotel. Tomorrow is also your and Griffin's wedding anniversary. Come along, just to give me face."
Looking at her innocent face, my stomach churned. "I'm busy."
"You must come," Griffin commanded coldly, brooking no refusal. "With things going on like this tonight, people are bound to have second thoughts about Quincy. If anyone asks tomorrow, you can clear things up for her."
I looked at him and to ensure a smooth departure, I finally suppressed all my emotions and forced out a single word, "Okay."
