Just as I was about to leave, five or six bodyguards suddenly barged in. Two of them stepped forward, pinned down my shoulders, and forced me to my knees.
My knees slammed hard against the concrete floor, the pain wrenching my brows together.
Someone was fiddling with a phone in front of me, seemingly recording a livestream or a video.
Someone else stood over me, slapping me across the face, one blow after another.
I lost count of how many times. My vision burst with stars, my cheeks swollen so badly I couldn't even close my mouth, blood mixing with saliva as it ran down my chin.
Then, all at once, I felt them stop. Everything around me fell silent.
I heard Charles's voice clearly on the other end of the phone.
"Prudence, did that make you feel better? If it's not enough, let's make it another hundred, how about that…"
I couldn't take in another word after that. My vision went black, and I passed out cold.
When I woke again, Charles was sitting at the edge of the bed, holding a bowl of porridge and blowing on it to cool it.
"You're awake. Eat something first." Charles pushed the seafood porridge toward me.
I turned my head away to avoid it.
Charles's brows drew together slightly. "Are you angry? Yesterday, that business with you hitting Prudence upset the Pruitts. They wanted me to give them an explanation."
"I admit I went too far there. But I've already transferred two villas into your name. Consider it compensation. Stop making a scene and hurry up and eat."
"I'm allergic to seafood." I frowned in disgust and shrank back, keeping clear of that bowl of seafood porridge.
Charles froze at that, his hand suspended in midair. It was a long moment before he spoke. "Sorry. I saw it on the way and just grabbed it."
I turned my face aside and ignored him.
Charles was quiet for a moment. "That…"
A phone rang, cutting him off.
The instant he answered, Prudence's syrupy little voice came through. "Charlie~ where are you? I feel so awful…"
"I'm out buying food. I'll be right back."
Charles stood as he spoke, picking up the fancy takeout box from the small table beside him and leaving. Not once did he spare me another glance.
Back when Charles and I were madly in love, the slightest thing wrong with me and he'd be beside himself with worry.
Even if I only scraped my skin, he'd insist on checking me into the hospital for observation.
Back then, we'd just failed at our first business venture and were hundreds of thousands in debt. Whatever money he had, he spent every cent of it on me.
He'd said, "You're my wife. If I'm not good to you, who would I be good to? Be good. I'll give you the luxury cars and the mansion someday. That's no empty promise."
I thought I'd met the love of my life.
But in the end it was nothing more than a dreamlike swindle dressed up as love.
The buzz of my phone pulled me back from my thoughts. I lowered my eyes to look. It was a message from Charles.
【The divorce will be finalized in six days. Don't stir up trouble in the meantime. Once I've secured the Pruitts' core technology, I'll remarry you.】
Remarry, again.
I set the phone down, too listless even to reply.
In Charles's mind, I was the lover he could never drive away, and more than that, the wife who slaved without complaint and served him willingly.
Too bad he'd forgotten.
I too had once said, "If the day comes that you betray me, I'll turn around and leave without a second's hesitation. I'll never give you another chance."
On my second day in the hospital, I was taking a midday nap when the shut door was kicked open.
Charles was at the front, fury on his face, staring at me. "Where did you hide Prudence's wedding ring?"
My eyes went blank. "What wedding ring?"
"It's the wedding ring Charlie had custom-made just for me. There's only one of its kind in the world. Yesterday he said he'd bring it to cheer me up, but who'd have thought the box would be empty…"
Prudence stepped out from behind Charles, feigning grievance as she asked, "Excuse me, have you seen that ring? It's the one we're going to use for our wedding. It means a great deal to me."
"If you really love the ring so much, I—I can have Charlie buy you another style. Please, I'm begging you, give that ring back to me."
