Chapter 67


    Kristin was trying to exin herself out of a bind, but the more she tried, the more of a mess


    she became.


    Over the years, Kristin had be worse at exining herself.


    James grabbed her wrist and yanked her in front of him. “Okay…”


    The words trailing after that never made it out. She just stood there, gawking at Summer.


    “I’ll agree to whatever you ask.” James looked down at the scars on Kristin’s wrist, reminders of het


    past attempts at cutting.


    “Was it tough inside?” James whispered.


    Kristin just sat on the ground in front of James, her gaze falling helplessly.


    Truthfully, she couldn’t even measure her own grit anymore. After all, she was living in hell and was


    numbed to all forms of suffering.


    “These scars can be removed,” James said, looking at Kristin.


    Kristin yanked her wrist back, covering it with her sleeve. “No need.”


    Why bother with such an ostrich act?


    “You don’t have to go back to the club anymore. Stick with me, and I can’t just let you continue as a


    receptionist. Stick with me for three years, and I’ll have someone deposit a hefty sum into Summer’s


    ount every month, and the rest I’ll transfer to your card. You can use my credit card for whatever


    you need. If you need cash, just tell me.”


    James didn’t know how else to make it up to Kristin, other than giving her everything she could want,


    materially speaking.


    “No,” Kristin looked down. “I promised Harriet I’d help…”


    James frowned. “Think it over.”


    Kristin nodded, then spoke again. “I hope to keep it private.”


    That was for James‘ sake. She didn’t care about her reputation anymore.


    James rubbed Kristin’s head, not directly responding. “Not sleeping yet? nning on keeping me


    company?”


    Kristin panicked a bit, instinctively stepping back.


    James chuckled. “Until you make up your mind, I won’t touch you, but I don’t want you to make me wait


    too long.”


    Tears still clung to Kristin’s eyshes and she had clearly been crying.


    After a moment, James spoke again. “You sure don’t want to bring Summer over?”


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    Chapter 67


    Kristin stood up and shook her head. Bringing Summer over would mean she’d be trapped by


    James.


    “Get some sleep. After the chamber ofmerce dinner, I’ll go back with you.” James promised


    Kristin.


    Kristin nodded and ran back to her room.


    James heaved an exasperated sigh. It was torment to have a juicy steak right in front of him. yet unable


    to take a bite…


    But what could he do? He had brought this upon himself.


    It was his fault.


    At the Nightlight Club.


    Kristin came to work and everyone at the club was sneakily eyeing her..


    She was used to it. Ever since James‘ breakfast incident and the time Rhett dragged her away. the


    employees had been acting like this.


    Even Yara started to tiptoe around her. “Kris…” Yara nced around before whispering. “What’s your


    deal with Mr. Bryce?”


    Kristin kept her head down as she replied, “I just knew him from before.”


    Yara gasped. “Kris, you’re the talk of the club now. Look over there.”


    Kristin nced up the stairs and saw dozens of women, all staring at her.


    They were probably all dying to know which of the club’s girls had snagged the notoriously picky Mr.


    Bryce.


    And Kristin had be that person of interest.


    “With big clients today, everyone buck up and get to work,” the manager shouted toward the staircase.


    As the crowd dispersed, the manager walked up to Kristin with a smile. “Kris, had breakfast? Working


    at the front desk is a bore, wanna switch it up?”


    The manager wanted to offer Kristin a better–paying and more rxed position.


    Kristin shook her head, declining.


    The manager didn’t press further.


    A red sports car pulled up outside the club’s revolving doors. A woman dressed to the nines got out,


    tossed the keys to the valet, and strutted in.


    Kristin kept her head down, not looking up.


    “Miss, you are…?” the manager hurriedly approached, asking.


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    Chapter 67


    The woman shoved the manager aside, scanned the room, spotted Kristin, and marched straight


    toward her.


    A loud smack echoed through the hall and it went silent.


    Kristin numbly looked up, recognizing her assant, and instinctively turned to run.


    “Running?” Adrienne leaned against the bar, amused by Kristin’s attempt to flee. “Keep running. If you


    don’t beg me on your knees today. I’ll sell your little bastard to human trader.”


    Kristin faltered her steps and turned back frantically, gasping for air. “What do you want to do…”


    “Stopped running?” Adrienne smiled, closing in on Kristin.


    “Who are you?” Yara, finally snapping out of her shock, bravely stepped in front of Kristin. “You can’t hit


    her!”


    The manager and security caught on and rushed over.


    “Are you all blind?” Adrienne looked down her nose at them, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “I’m


    Adrienne, Ms. Haywood, your boss James‘ fiancée.”


    The manager was shocked, looking at the head of security. They had indeed heard about the Bryce


    family’s engagement with the Haywood family.


    Adrienne was the second heiress of the Haywood family, the one engaged to James.


    Years ago, there were rumors about Adrienne humiliating Linda by dumping a milk tea on her head in


    front of the entire cast, and then having someone beat her up. The incident caused a stir but was


    quickly hushed by James.


    James didn’t react to.Adrienne’s treatment of Linda, which only emboldened Adrienne.


    For years, Adrienne had behaved like she was James‘ fiancée, throwing her weight around everywhere


    she went. No matter what nasty rumors surfaced, James would take care of them. Hearing that the big


    shot had arrived, the manager didn’t know what to do.


    “Kristin, skedaddling from Silvergrove City to Crescendo Town, you’ve really got some nerve,” Adrienne


    said, shoving Yara aside and grabbing Kristin’s hair. “All the guys in Silvergrove have had their way


    with you. Now are you here to snatch my man?”


    Kristin clenched her trembling fingers, but didn’t say a word.


    The hall quickly filled with onlookers, all stunned by the scene unfolding before them.


    “Take a good look, everyone. Know who she is?” Adrienne said with a smirk. “Kristin, the girl from the


    infamous case of false heiress that rocked the nation six years ago? Ring any bells?”


    Whispers started spreading among the crowd.


    Kristin felt the darkness creeping in, once again the center of gossip and disdain in front of an


    Chapter 67


    audience.


    In extreme desperation, Kristin was suffocated by the memory of public humiliation.


    “Thisdy here is the thief who took over the real heiress of the Turner family for a year, nothing but


    trash,” Adrienne continued, yanking Kristin’s hair. “Know what the men in Silvergrove City circle call


    her? She is yed out by everyone.”


    Kristin bit her lip hard enough to draw blood.


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    How could she exin and how could she fight back against such rumors?


    “I’ve got videos of her, plenty of them… Wanna see? X–rated.” Adrienne chuckled, pulling out her


    phone to search for the videos she had taken when they bullied Kristin.


    Kristin, crying, tried to stop her, her fingers numb.


    “Scared now? Weren’t you scared when you were seducing my man? Kristin… you’re quite the piece of


    work,” Adrienneughed wildly, not taking Kristin seriously at all, just reveling in the thrill of bullying


    someone else.


    “Remember six years ago… Oh, when they cornered you in that alley, you were pregnant, and they still


    didn’t let you off.”


    Adrienne’s words were like hell itself, forcing Kristin to relive moments that made her wish she were


    dead.


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