《Daddy Mommy鈥檚 Getting Remarried》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 The night deepened, curtains shut tight, enveloping the room in a soft, intimate air. ra Colon was out of breath, her cheeks flushed. She was distracted. The scent of another woman¡¯s perfume on her husband, which he never wore, filled her mind with turmoil Suddenly, ra¡¯s worry creased her brows Her husband seemed to notice her distraction and responded with a harsh ¡°correction.¡± After a while, the man got up and headed to the shower. Exhausted, ra forced herself out of bed, hearing the sound of water cascading in the bathroom. The man, Walter Colon, was her husband only in name, had always been indifferent to her feelings, treating her more like an outlet for his desires than a wife. After satisfying his needs, he would shower and leave without a word, as if she were nothing more than an object for his sexual gratification. As ra picked up Walter¡¯s discarded shirt from the floor, aiming to hang it to prevent wrinkles- always cautious around his unpredictable moods¨Cher fingers halted at the sight of a red lipstick mark on the cor. A pang of realization hit her. She drew the shirt closer, the foreign perfume confirming her suspicions. Slumping back onto the bed, a resigned thought crossed her mind. ¡®He is seeing someone else.¡± Minutester, the water stopped. Walter emerged from the bathroom, a white towel wrapped around his waist, his wet blonde hair adding to his allure. His cold, elegant aloofness was as unforgettable as it was distancing, ra looked away, knowing better than to bring up up the lipstick. After all, she wasn¡¯t really in a position to question him. Despite usually leaving right after their encounters, tonight, Walter remained. Walter nced at her coldly and pointed to the contraceptive pills on the bedside table. ¡°Take the pill,¡± he ordered. Obediently, ra clenched the pill in her hand, swallowing it under his watchful eye. Walter never trusted her, always insisting on watching her take it. He then presented her with a document, his voice icy. ¡°Sign this. What are your terms?¡± ra, puzzled, thought, ¡®Sign what? Is he asking for a divorce?¡® Her hand trembled as she epted the divorce papers, the reality stark before her. It wasn¡¯t about staying because Walter cared but because he wanted out. Herughter was bitter, and she thought, ¡®Looks like his mistress is getting impatient to take over.¡±Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ra had braced for this moment, yet its arrival still stung. For three years, she had been the perfect wife, her warmth constantly rebuffed by his coldness, all for nothing. With no exnation, just a decree, Walter was ready to sever their ties. ¡°Why?¡± ra finally asked, looking up at him as he dressed, seeking some sort of closure. 13:20 Wed, 29 May M Chapter 2 Chapter 2 ¡°You don¡¯t need to know,¡± Walter snapped, initationcing his icy re. He then added, ¡°I¡¯ve ensured you¡¯re financially secure. The vi is yours. There¡¯s a one¨Ctime child support payment of 20 million dors, and then monthly¡­¡± Before Walter could finish, ra cut him off. ¡°I want nothing but Marlie¡± This was her first¨Cever interruption, a bold departure from her usual reticence. The room suddenly chilled with tension. The dim, cold light cast ghostly shadows. Marlic Colon, their two¨Cyear¨Cold daughter, was the subject of this standoff. ra had nearly lost her life giving birth to Marlie, leading toplications that made future pregnancies nearly impossible. Despite that, Walter never even considered the possibility of another child. ¡°You think you can afford to take care of her?¡± Walter sneered with mockery. ra smiled, a mix of defiance and determination lighting her face. ¡°That¡¯s my concern, Mr. Colon. Just agree, and I¡¯ll sign immediately.¡± Faging divorce, she no longer addressed Walter with any endearment. ra¡¯s smile left Walter momentarily taken aback. Without makeup, her beauty was undeniable: bright eyes, a radiant smile, and skin so delicate it seemed to glow. Her waist was so slender it could be encircled with a single hand. But then, his gaze turned icy, thinking, ¡®She dares speak to me like this?¡® ra added her condition to the agreement and crossed out the child support use, signing her name with a bold stroke. She rose, approached him with the document, and said with a veiled struggle, ¡°As you wish. I¡¯ve wanted this divorce for a long time.¡± Suppressing the pain that threatened to overwhelm her, ra continued, ¡°Marlie means nothing to you. Let me have her.¡± Walter¡¯s brief nce at the divorce papers was followed by a cold, scrutinizing zing look at ra. Seeing her apparent relief instead of sorrow, he questioned, ¡°You¡¯ve wanted a divorce for this long?¡± ra, feigning indifference, stressed, ¡°I only want Marlie.¡± Ater a moment of silence, Walter coldly conceded, ¡°Fine¡± He then picked up his bespoke suit and left the vi with decisive steps. Watching his retreating figure, ra¡¯s strength ebbed away, and she copsed to the floor, a painful realization dawning on her. ¡®He is resolute. He doesn¡¯t even want his daughter¡® Thoughts of Marlie intensified her pain. She was born prematurely and fragile and had spent her earliest years fighting for her life. Despite surviving a perilous heart surgery, Marlie hadn¡¯t spoken a word. Though tests showed her hearing and vocal cords were normal, doctors suspected autism. No wonder Walter discarded Marlie without a second thought. The Colon family held significant status in Zwingenrath, with Walter at the helm of the Colon Group, dominating wealth rankings and wielding considerable influence. ra bitterly mused, ¡°What am I, then? incapable of bearing more children, with a daughter diagnosed with autism, I am nothing but a burden to the Colon name. Deemed worthless, we are fit only to be abandoned.¡± Wed, 29 MayOriginal from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 ra numbly rose to her feet, mechanically collecting her things as she stepped down the spiral staircase. Below the servants¡® whispers floated up to her, 49% ¡°Mi. Colon just stormed out. He looked really ticked off,¡± one whispered, ¡°I¡¯d much prefer to be back with the Colon family. Who would want to deal with that woman upstairs?¡± muttered another. ¡°Right, and her daughter is just as much of a mess. Have you seen her? She has always been in and out of hospitals since she popped out. Those two are a disaster. If I were Mr. Colon, they¡¯d have been history long ago,¡± one added, ¡°Poorthing, though. A son might¡¯ve spared her this fate.¡± The maid sighed, ¡°Sympathy? For her? Please. Heard she got pregnant on purpose, thinking she¡¯d secure her spot in the Colon family that way. As if she had a shot. She tried to game the system, but karma is a bigger yer ¨C hit her with a premature baby and no son. And get this, the kid can¡¯t even talk,¡± another servant responded. ¡°Wait, so she¡¯s mute? Or something else?¡± one asked incredulously ¡°Beats me. The Colon family wants nothing nothing to do with her. Shh, she¡¯s on her way down said another maid. The maid rolled her eyes and said, ¡°Who cares? Even if she hears, what¡¯s she gonna do? Comin? Like anyone would take her side.¡± As ra descended, the two maids turned, their faces showing disdain and arrogance. re heard every word, realizing even the servants looked down on her. tomorrow, you two can return to the Colon family. Your services are no longer needed here,¡± ra stated, her voice even. ¡°Fine by us¡± One maid snorted, her disdain palpable. ¡°Yeah, acting all high and mighty?¡± scoffed the other, discarding her apron and strutting off. The vi felt more hollow than ever. ra quietly packed her belongings. Apart from a few simple clothes she usually wore, she donated all the luxurious items Walter had given her clothes, jewelry, bags¨Cto a second¨Chand shop, directing the proceeds to his ount. and wi She then mailed the tinum credit card and vi keys to Walter¡¯s office, severing thest ties. Without a backward nce, she left the vi behind. Next, ra took a cab to Mercy Hospital. Shepleted the discharge process for Marlie, who was brought out by a nurse with a relieved expression as it unburdening herself Marlie had big doe eyes,N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. she looked down. and despite her pallor, her natural beauty was unmistakable. However, Marlie¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t meet ra¡¯s her eyes wandered, or Kneeling, ra wrapped Marlie in her arms, whispering, ¡°Marlie, I am here to take you home. Just call me mommy, okay?¡± Marlie didn¡¯t respond or acknowledge her. The nurse, barely concealing her contempt, remarked, ¡°She is not normal, you know. Autistic. Doesn¡¯t talk.¡± A pang of pain struck ra, but she met the nurse¡¯s gaze fiercely. ¡°She is perfectly normal to me. She¡¯ll get all the love she needs and be happy!¡± 1/2 13:20 Wed, 29 May M Chapter 3 The nurse rolled her eyes and muttered, ¡°Fine.¡± That dismissive ¡°fine¡± cut as deep as when Walter had used it, a throwawayment dismissing her entire world. ra, holding back her pain, picked up Marlie and left, determined to prove them all wrong. SEND GIFT Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Meanwhile, in the opulent top¨Cfloor office of the Colon Group, located in Zwingenrath¡¯s most luxurious building, Walter stood with his back to the panoramic ss windows that offered a view of skyscrapers and sprawling bridges. His assistant, Vemon Ford, was updating him on recent events, handing back a credit card and keys that ra had returned. At the same time, Walter¡¯s phone pinged with a new message from a second¨Chand store, indicating over a million dors received for sold clothes and jewelry. Walter¡¯s eyes narrowed as he snapped the credit card in half and demanded, ¡°She moved out already?¡± Vernon stuttered, ¡°Mr. Colon, perhaps you should see for yourself. I¨CI¡¯m at a loss for words.¡± Walter frowned, thinking. So she left, what¡¯s there to see?¡± Yet, he felt a strange pull towards the vi. The moment Walter opened the door, even he, typically indifferent, was taken aback The vi had been restored to its original, empty showroom state, ra had transformed this space into a home over three years, adding warm¨Ctoned curtains, meticulously chosen paintings, and quaint decorations, with fresh flowers in every corner. But now, all traces of her presence were erased, as if she had never lived there at all. ¡®Is this her loud and clear message? She wants nothing from me, making a clean break? How dare she!¡® Walter thought, his fists clenched and lips pursed in a cold fury. Vemon, always mindful of Walter¡¯s mood, tentatively asked, ¡°Mr. Colon, what shall we do with the vi?¡± ¡°Take it,¡± Walter said coldly, leaving without a backward nce. Vernon stood agape, his mind racing. ¡°This vi, in the city center, worth tens of millions, just given to me? How could I ept this? ncing back at the vi, Vernon couldn¡¯t help but worry about ra. Having been with Mr. Colon for many years, Vernon was well aware of his character, Walter¡¯s need for control was intense; he hated when others interfered with his possessions. He was dominant and authoritarian, never tolerating challenges or dissent. ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to ra now? Vernon wondered.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. 11 Chapter 5 Chapter 5 ra didn¡¯t waste any time after parting ways with the Colon family. With her degree in Financial Mathematics, she swiftly secured a position in business nning at an investment firm. She found a cozy apartment for herself and Marlie, hiring a nanny to keep things running smoothly while she was at work. The new job was conveniently located, a quick dash home in case of emergencies. One morning at the office, ra overheard coworkers gathered around themunal TV, buzzing with gossip, ¡°Have you guys caught thetest? Zwingenrath¡¯s most eligible, Walter, back in the spotlight from Chaseau with his sweetheart,¡± one mentioned.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Tamara Moss, right? Zwingenrath¡¯s top socialite another chimed in, eyes wide. ¡°Yeah, seen walking hand¨Cin¨Chand at some fancy hotel. Seems serious between them,¡± a third added with a hint of envy. ¡°Tamara has got it all. She has beauty and brains and belongs to one of Zwingenrath¡¯s powerhouse families. Not to mention her artistry, No wonder Walter is finally off the market, mused another, almost dreamily. Catching a glimpse of the TV, ra saw Tamara gracing a gallery opening, the epitome of grace and sophistication. The memory of the lipstick mark and the distinct perfume on Walter¡¯s shirt shed through her mind. ¡®Tamara¡¯s doing, no doubt, she thought. ra then mused sarcastically. Seems the world is clueless about Walter¡¯s brief detour into matrimony. So he rushed the divorce for his first love¡¯s grand return, Interesting The office buzzed with more spection. ¡°Looks like wedding bells are in the air for Walter. Time for many to officially abandon their daydreams,¡± one joked. ¡°Heard the date is all set,¡± whispered another. ¡°A match made in heaven. They re just perfect for each other,¡± someone concluded as the group began to disperse with a collective sigh. ¡°Well, back to reality for us mere mortals¡± ra turned away, a sharp ache in her chest making her face go white. They¡¯ve even set a date? Figures I would be thest to know. Ditched Marlie to ensure his princess wouldn¡¯t be displeased. Just then, her boss, Richard Hunt, walked in and immediately noticed her pallor. ¡°ra, you don¡¯t look so good. We¡¯ve got that big pitch tonight. You alright?¡± Forcing a smile, ra assured him. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mr. Hunt. Really.¡± ¡°Good to hear. Tonight is a big deal for us. This contract could make or break our year. I¡¯m counting on you to seal the deal. You¡¯ll be rewarded handsomely,¡± he replied. ra nodded, her resolve firming. She needed that bonus to secure Marlie¡¯s spot in the best preschool. That evening, ra dressed with care, a rare touch of makeup highlighting her features. She arrived at the Super Clubhouse where Richard was waiting. Upon seeing ra, Hichard nodded approvingly. ¡°Monight¡¯s guests are influential. We need them on board. The firm¡¯s future depends on it. Got it?¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Hunt,¡± ra responded confidently. ¡°The n is solid. We¡¯ve got this¡± Chapter 5 Richard¡¯s expression briefly faltered as he thought, ¡°It¡¯s not just about the n; it¡¯s the people we need to impress tonight.¡± Chapter 6 Chapter 6 ra faced a daunting duo a notorious womanizer and a cold¨Chearted magnate, each intimidating in their own right. The club manager was already at the door, ready to wee them personally. with a determined push, Richard nudged ra into the mix. Caught off guard, she stumbled forward,nding straight into a familiar embrace. Why does this scent feal so familiar? she thought, puzzled and taken aback. Lifting her head, she locked eyes with Walter, who, as it turned out, was the evening¡¯s key investor Richard had alluded to. Walter¡¯s brows furrowed, his distaste for the situation evident. With a swift push, ra found herself stumbling aside before another set of hands steadied her, the touch unwee, ¡°Easy there, beauty, Wouldn¡¯t want you to take a tumble,¡± the man flirted, his hand sliding up her arm in a presumptuous attempt at familiarity. ra, ufortable with the stranger¡¯s touch, struggled to maintain herposure as Richard made introductions She was introduced to Walter of Colon Group and Wird Hersey of IMC Group¡¯s Avalonia¨CNirvana region leadership. Forcing a smile. ra greeted them, though her heart wasn¡¯t in it. She quickly seized the moment to distribute the prepared project proposals, eager to shift focus As everyone settled, Wird made a point to sit close to ra. Wird, known for his roving eye, made no secret of his appreciation, openlyplimenting ra¡¯s looks in front of everyone. ¡°Richard, where did you find such a stunner? She¡¯s quite the looker,¡± he remarked, though mindful of Walter¡¯s presence. However, the room¡¯s attention soon turned to Walter, the real power broker of the evening.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Attempting to gauge Walter¡¯s interest, Wird asked, ¡°What do you think, Mr. Colon?¡± ra, stealing nces at Walter, found his indifference disheartening. What was I expecting? she mused, well aware of his character. Walter nced at ra¡¯s appearance: the ck dress that highlighted her curves, the subtle makeup enhancing her natural beauty. Yet, his response was dismissive. ¡°in and unremarkable.¡± ra¡¯s heart sank. Her makeup, meant for professionalism, now seemed a misguided attempt at allure, especially since she hadn¡¯t anticipated Walter¡¯s involvement. Wird, seizing the moment, quipped, ¡°Indeed, how could shepare to your fianc¨¦e, Ms. Moss? Ady of grace, education, and high standing.¡± Walter retorted, ¡°She¡¯s not even in the same league.¡± ra was white¨Cfaced, thinking bitterly, ¡®in his eyes, I¡¯m just a schemer, unworthy of mention alongside his pristine Tamara.¡± Biting back the pain, ra presented the project proposal with feigned calm, hoping to steer the evening back to business, ¡°Mr. Colon, Mr. Hersey, please, have a look at our project proposal.¡± BZU? Wed 2 May t Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Before ra could introduce the project, Wird cut in with a whistle, jokingly saying, ¡°Hold up, beauty. Business can wait. First, we drink, then we get personal, and businessesst. That¡¯s how it¡¯s done.¡± Richard, eager to smooth things over, quickly added with a smile, ¡°Mr. Colon, Mr. Hersey, allow me to pour the wine.¡± As he said this, Richard brought out a bottle of red wine from Romani Winery, worth tens of thousands of dors. It was a major investment for him, and a failure to close the deal tonight would mean a huge loss.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Let her do it,¡± Walter remarked coldly, barely acknowledging ra¡¯s presence. ¡°She is here to serve drinks, isn¡¯t she?¡± In an instant, ra felt insulted. Her fingers clenched tightly behind her back, almost digging into her skin. Yet, she bit back her anger. Her aim today was to seal the deal, secure hermission, and quit on the spot. 1 refuse to spend another day at apany that engages in such shameful practices to attract investments; ra thought with disdain. As she opened the wine bottle and stepped forward to pour, Walter coldly nced at her and said, ¡°Kneel to pour the wine. Don¡¯t you know the rules?¡± Shocked, ra shot back, ¡°Mr. Colon, I¡¯m a businesswoman, not a call gd Walter sneered. ¡°To me, it¡¯s all th the same.¡± ra¡¯s anger surged, but she couldn¡¯t let it show. Richard, sensing the rising tension, subtly kicked ra¡¯s knee, forcing her to kneel The moment she knelt, Walter, leaning backzily on the couch, locked down at her with disdain as if she were trash. ra felt greatly distressed. ¡®He asked for the divorce, and I left without asking for anything. What more does he want from me? He hasn¡¯t cared for me at all in these three years. Discarded like an unwanted toy, she thought bitterly. ra tried to stand up. Richard quickly pressed down on her shoulders, whispering, ¡°Here, the one pouring cannot stand taller than them. It¡¯s the rule. Til add 10% to yourmission. Don¡¯t mess this up for me. Seeing ra¡¯s hesitation, he warned, ¡°If you back out now, can you afford the breach of contract penalty?¡± Realizing her predicament, ra gripped the bottle even tighter. She couldn¡¯t afford to pay the penalty. For Marlie¡¯s sake, she had to bear it. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do it,¡± she said, frustration evident in her tone. After kneeling and pouring the wine, she offered the ss to Walter, When Walter took the ss, his fingers brushed against hers. He paused, then suddenly, he flung the entire ss of wine in ra¡¯s face. Drenched and chilled, ra looked at Walter in disbelief. ¡°Disgusting. Get a new ss, pour again,¡± Walter stated, his revulsion clear, ¡°He actually finds me disgusting. It¡¯s no wonder he never kissed me! ra thought, fighting back tears. It dawned on her, the disdain he showed even after their intimate moments, always rushing to phower. Even Wird couldn¡¯t watch silently anymore. He gently pulled ra towards him and started wiping her face with a napkin, showering her with. 13/20 Wed, 29 May M Chapter 7 . ¡°Absolutely Gorgeous! A figure carved from marble, aplexion like cream. Mr. Colon, what are you doing? Why get hung up on formalities? You¡¯re missing the ability to cherish beauty¡± 49% ra didn¡¯t shrink away from Wird¡¯s gestures, instead keeping her eyes locked on Walter, determined to see how far he would go to humiliate her. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Sweetheart, let¡¯s get you into dry clothes. You must be so ufortable,¡± Wird offered, pulling ra up. ¡°It¡¯s just a contract. Make me happy, and I¡¯ll sign itter. ra¡¯s heart skipped a beat, thinking, ¡®A man leading a woman to a changing room here? It¡¯s nothing but a yground for their pleasure! She gave Walter a frosty look. ¡®Is he going to let this yboy whisk me away?¡± Surprisingly, Walter said coolly, ¡°I Mr. Hersey signs, I¡¯ll sign too.¡± The implication made ra gasp. He was pushing her into another man¡¯s arms. Richard was ecstatic, signaling ra with his eyes. He thought for the sake of a big deal, a little sacrifice seemed trivial. He quickly opened the door for them, ra settled into a terrifying calm. The anger from before had drenched her back. The st of the air conditioning made her feel as if she was beingContent is property of N?velDrama.Org. encased in ice. She red at Walter defiantly. Walter, however, didn¡¯t spare her a nce. Feeling cold to the bone, ra finally said, ¡°Fine, thank you, Mr. Colon.¡± Wird dragged ra to the changing room. The manager brought a more sexy ck dress, obviously aware of what was toe, and promptly left, closing the door firmly behind him. As soon as the door closed, Wird pushed ra, making her lose her footing and fall onto the sofa. ¡°Be good, let¡¯s have some fun first. I¡¯ll take you to a hotelter,¡± he proposed, excitement evident as he forcefully tried to kiss her. ra dodged, causing his chin to hit her shoulder hard. She winced in pain but remained silent, likely bruised. ¡°Don¡¯t shy away, darling. You¡¯re just perfect. Right curves in all the right ces. And those legs are so slim. You don¡¯t look inexperienced, so drop the act. Rx, let me enjoy,¡± he teased. ra forcefully pushed Wird away and kicked him off the sofa with her long legs. Wird hit the floor, shocked. ¡°Kicking me? Don¡¯t you want the contract signed? Mr. Hunt brought you knowing my preferences. Weren¡¯t you aware?¡± ra cursed internally, ¡°If I knew you were such an asshole, I wouldn¡¯t have bothereding to this shit ce.¡± ¡°Mr. Hersey, ying games isn¡¯t my thing,¡± she said, her voiceced with scorn. Wird paused, then smirked mischievously. ¡°A woman I can¡¯t handle? Are you fucking kidding me?¡± ¡°Got a wife, Mr. Hersey?¡± ra asked. He shook his head, clearly not ready to settle down. Twirling her hair, ra smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t know me, Mr. Horsey, I¡¯m persistent. If you get involved with me, I¡¯ll make sure you end up marrying me. I have countless tactics. I can disrupt your affairs, wreck your dates, create scandals, and even secretly have your child. Think about it. Do you wanna try it? Don¡¯t underestimate me. After all, where there¡¯s a will, there¡¯s a way.¡± Wird¡¯s heart skipped a beat as anxiety crept in,This sounds like a recipe for disaster. A casual fling is one thing, but getting tangled up with her? That¡¯s asking for a lifetime of drama. And she¡¯s not joking around.¡°¡± 13:20, Wed, 29 May & M Chapter 9 Chapter 9 ra couldn¡¯t help but smirk when she saw Wird¡¯s hesitation. ¡°Really, Wird, happy ying second fiddle to Mr. Colon?¡± Wird¡¯s brows knitted in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ra kept it straight. ¡°Look, the project I¡¯m proposing hasn¡¯t even caught your eye yet. It¡¯s a small investment with massive potential, Why share the bounty with Mr. Colon when you could have it all? Isn¡¯t it obvious who¡¯de out on top?¡± ¡°You¡¯re stirring the pot.¡± Wird narrowed his eyes, suspicious. ¡°What¡¯s your game?¡± ra shrugged, unfazed. ¡°No game. I¡¯ve already rubbed Mr. Colon the wrong way. Without his signature, my deal is dead in the water. But if you¡¯re in for the whole ride, my goal is still within reach.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s in it for me?¡± Wird pulled ra closer, a teasing lilt in his voice. ¡°The promise of future gains doesn¡¯t quite thrill me as much as the pleasure of yourpany right now, especially when you¡¯re this enticing ¡°Look at the bigger picture, Mr. Hersey,¡± ra pushed him away, her tone icy. ¡°Give it some thought.¡± Wird pondered, his gaze intensifying. ¡®Walter¡¯s reach is far and wide, a tough act to follow, A project like this, maybe it¡¯s time I took the lead.¡± ¡°All right, sweetheart, I¡¯m in. Lost the appetite for anything else tonight,¡± he conceded Yet, he couldn¡¯t resist tightening his grip on her chin, adding, ¡°But next time, consider yourself warned. ra breathed a sigh of relief. ¡®Close call. Any closer and I would¡¯ve been in real trouble tonight.¡± When they returned to the VIP room, Walter hadn¡¯t left. Richard was diligently tending to him- Richard, noticing ra¡¯s lighter attire and flushed cheeks, jumped to conclusions. Eagerly rising to greet them, Richard beamed at Wird. ¡°Mr. Hersey, shall we finalize the contract?¡± Pen in hand, Wird dered. ¡°I¡¯m all in. Full investment. Pleasure doing business, Mr. Hunt.¡± As Richard¡¯s grin widened, the tension in the room spiked. Walter¡¯s gaze was stormy, his stare cold as he fixated on ra. Walter then stood, his towering figure casting a shadow over ra, prompting her to instinctively step back. ¡°You¡¯re so cheap.¡± he sneered before storming out.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Numb to the humiliation, ra thought bitterly, ¡®Cheap or not, what does it matter to him? The deal¡¯s done, I get my share, and that¡¯s thest we see of each other! With Walter gone, raid out the project in detail. Wird, now serious, was thoroughly impressed after reviewing the proposal. After some further discussion on the details with Richard, ra excused herself. Leaving the room, she headed straight for the restroom, obsessively washing her hands to rid herself of Wird¡¯s touch. The clothes she had changed into there, not in some lounge, were already dumped in the trash, and she nned to discard her now more revealing outfit as soon as she got home. 13:20 Wed, 29 May Chapters Suddenly, the restroom door burst open. Stunned, ra found herself face to face with Walter. 4931 Instinctively, she was to check her surroundings, confirming it was the women¡¯s restroom. ¡°Mr. Colon, this is thedies¡® room. You seem to be lost,¡± she stated, attempting to keep her voice even. With a click, Walter locked the door behind him. ra¡¯s heart raced, shouting, ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Feeling his icy re, ra instinctively shrank back. In no time. Walter had her pinned. Without a word, Walter brutally ripped her dress, a flimsy piece provided by the club that couldn¡¯t withstand such rough handling Chilled to the bone as her dress gave way, ra hastily covered herself, her voice a mix of panic and fury. ¡°Stop it!¡± Walter¡¯s gaze, now cold and bloodshot, fixed on a mark on her shoulder. His demeanor shifted from icy to vicious as he mocked. ¡°Found yourself a new target already?¡± And then, another rip. He savagely tore through her skirt, his movements brash. ra, overwhelmed and voiceless, felt a mix of anger and helplessness as the words stuck in her throat. Reduced to her underwear, with her long hair cascading messily over her chest, she stood exposed, her face flushed with intense shame. Walter, with a pack of wet wipes in hand, scrubbed away at her makeup and the mark on her neck as if cleansing her of filth. Trapped and almost naked, ra couldn¡¯t resist, nor did she dare to ¡°Did you sleep with him?¡± Walter¡¯s grip tightened on her skull, forcing her to meet his fierce gaze as he interrogated her. He then added, ¡°So, you refuse my money to whore yourself out? nning to use the same filthy tricks on Wird that you used on me?¡± His usation struck ra like a dagger, leaving her trembling the light fading from her once¨Cvibrant eyes. In his view, ra was always the maniptor, the one who used pregnancy as a trap for wealth. Now, seemingly eager totch onto her next victim post- divorce. With a scoff, ra retorted, ¡°Yes, Mr. Hersey and I were alone in the lounge for a solid half hour. Just the two of us. What do you think happened? We did everything imaginable.¡± Walter¡¯s expression instantly turned stormy. In an instant, he hoisted her up, seating her on the vanity¡¯s icy marble. Her mind racing with rm, ra protested, ¡°Have you lost your mind? What are you trying to do in here?¡± She pushed against him. ¡°Let go of me! We¡¯re divorced, remember? We¡¯re nothing to each other now.¡± But her efforts were futile against his domineering force, his hands unforgiving as they roamed. Pissed off, ra couldn¡¯t help butsh out, ¡°Walter, don¡¯t I disgust you? Just been with someone else. You really wanna go after that? You into that kinda shit?¡± That brought Walter to a halt. The ice in his stare could¡¯ve turned blood to frost. But then, he was on her again, even rougher than before. ra had never been treated like this. Her eyes widened, the fight draining out of her. Just then, someone outside jiggled the doorknob, unable to get in. SKIZA Wed, 29 May¡ªWAM Chapter 10.3. ra struggled, shaking her head in terror, desperately covering her mouth to muffle any sound.. Outside, someone kept knocking, louder how. ¡°Who¡¯s in there? Theard noises! Open up, I gotta pes.¡± ra was freaking out, body tensed, terrified of being seen like this. Walter, his eyes red with rage, remained relentless. Eventually, the woman outside left, cursing under her breath, With a look of pure disgust, Walter shoved ra aside. She copsed from the vanity, every part of her hurting. Typical slut.¡± he spat out disdainfully. His words crushed her. She curled up on the floor, her face burning with shame, clutching at the scraps of her dress, but it couldn¡¯t cover her humiliation. Walter washed his hands, then coldly tossed a long T¨Cshirt and a check her way. ¡°Take the cash and fuck off. Never wanna see your face again,¡± he ordered.Original from N?velDrama.Org. ra scrambled into the T¨Cshirt, covering up her mess. Shaking, she managed to stand, eyeing the check. Ten figures, huh? Fucking generous,¡® she thought, bitter as hell. Thinking back on his insults, she ripped the check upright in front of him, scattering the pieces. She mocked. ¡°Sorry, your cash can¡¯t cut it for me. Why settle for crumbs when I can have the whole feast? Money, power, and status. I¡¯m after it all.¡± Those were the most self¨Cdegrading words ra had ever spoken. Truth was, she didn¡¯t want any of it. She had thought she could stay with Walter forever. But it was all just a dream. Three years gone. Time to wake the fuck up,¡± said ra inwardly. Walter looked like he might explode. ¡°ra, with a trashy y mom like y you, you want Marlie to turn out just like you?¡± His words were cut off by a loud p. Walter, the hand on his cheek, stared in disbelief as ra stormed out. Fuming, he thought, ¡°This woman, always so meek around me, barely raising her voice. She fucking hit me!!. SEND GIFT Chapter 11 Chapter 11 ra dashed out of the restroom, sprinting toward the exit. Her legs almost gave out several times, but she couldn¡¯t bear to stay a second longer. As the burst through the club¡¯s doors, an unexpected downpour greeted her. The wind and rain chilled her to the bone, echoing the coldness in her heart. Marlie was her Achilles¡® heel. ¡®I can take any insult thrown at me, but I won¡¯t stand for anything against my daughter, ra vowed silently.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Though the T¨Cshirt Walter lent her was long enough to cover part of her thighs, It was too thin. She stood in the rain, shivering from head to toe. ra was about to hail a cab when a stretch Bentley pulled up. The door opened and out stepped Tamara, a beauty ra had seen on TV earlier. ¡°Why is Ms. Moss here? Could she be looking for Walter?¡± ra wondered, pulling back her hand meant for the cab and hiding by a marble column, sneaking more nces at Tamara. Tamara exuded beauty, confidence, and grace, a sight to behold. Meanwhile, Walter emerged from the women¡¯s restroom, bumping into Wird. Wird, taken aback and checking the sign again, questioned, ¡°Mr. Colon, did you get lost? You were in thedies¡® room,¡± Without a word, Walter kept walking. Catching up, Wird said, ¡°Mr. Colon, you seemed disinterested in the project today and not happy with that businesswoman. I went ahead and signed the deal myself to avoid bothering you. You don¡¯t mind, do you?¡± Walter grunted a response. ¡°What¡¯s with your face?¡± Wird asked, puzzled by the slight redness on Walter¡¯s cheeks and the odd fact he hade out of thedies¡® room. ¡®Something is really off with Walter tonight, he thought but decided not to push it. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Walter said, brushing off the question and moving on. Wird, trying to change the subject, mentioned, ¡°Mr. Colon, I¡¯ve heard some big news. The Neal family from Lokerten is sending representatives to Zwingenrath. They might have a major project in the works. How about we meet them? I could use your clout.¡± Walter paused for a moment. Lokerten, just behind Zwingenrath in terms of financial significance but geographically distant, rarely had dealings with them. The Neal family¡¯s interest in Zwingenrath intrigued him. ¡°What do you say? Shall we meet Lokerten¡¯s wealthiest? I¡¯d need your presence,¡± Wird suggested, eager not to miss out on a l a lucrative opportunity. *Plus, have you heard? The Neal family¡¯s daughter is said to be breathtakingly beautiful, unmatched across the nation. Yet, no one has seen her face. Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± Not interested.¡± Walter cut him off coldly, quickening his pace. have been tuning me out. Well, you do Wird, always quick to notice, spotted Tamara and teased, ¡°Ah, your fianc¨¦e is waiting. That exins why you have be have a beauty waiting Following Wird¡¯s gaze, Walter saw Tamara approaching Tamara, moving with graceful steps, reached Walter¡¯s side and said softly. ¡°Walter, sorry I missed your call, Heard you were here and came to find you. Hope I¡¯m not intruding,¡± Wetter raised an eyebrow. ¡°Not at all. What¡¯s up?¡± There¡¯s something my father wants to discuss with you. Would you minding over?¡± Tamara asked with a warm smile, naturally taking Walter¡¯s arm As Walter felt Tamara¡¯s hand on his, he caught a glimpse of a figure behind a marble column. ¡®ra is still here? he thought with surprise. Then, casually, he held Tamara¡¯s hand and responded, ¡°Sure.¡± 0 Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Tamare couldn¡¯t contain her excitement when Walter unexpectedly took her hand. ¡°Awesome, the car is waiting for us,¡± she bubbled over with joy. Following her, Walter climbed into the stretched Bentley and instantly released Tamara¡¯s hand once inside. As they shut the door, the ck Bentley whisked away into the rainy night. Walter nced out, catching sight of a silhouette in the rain through the dark windows. ra, head down as if in deep thought, looked so fragile, almost as if the storm could sweep her away any second. The downpour blurred the streets into a misty blur, with the howling wind merging heaven and earth into one vast grey nothingness. ¡°What¡¯s got your attention?¡± Tamara, leaning closer, asked softly. Walter sharply turned to her, his cold gaze making her flinch. ¡°I don¡¯t do well with people invading my space,¡± he stated icily. ¡°ob.¡± Tamaraughed awkwardly, retreating slightly. ¡°Even me? Screw it, we¡¯re about to get hitched. He¡¯ll warm up to me. She reassured herself silently.Original from N?velDrama.Org. As they drove off, Tamara spotted a figure through the rear window. ¡°It¡¯s hert ra!¡± she gasped internally, shocked. A chill smile crept over Tamara¡¯s lips. She had snooped around beforeing back home and found out about the woman Walter was hiding. It had to be the one who¡¯d just caught his eye. ¡®Damn it, she cursed silently, seething with jealousy. The relentless rain blurred the windows further, obscuring the outside view Walter, I¡¯ve already told my dad. Can¡¯t you stay?¡± Walter, seemingly deaf to her pleas, exited the car and disappeared into the storm. ¡°Umbre!¡± Tamara yelled, but it was toote. Left with her arm hanging in the air, she stamped her foot in anger inside the car. ¡°Is Walter running back to that bitch? Tamara thought, her mind swirling with unease. In a burst of rage, she smashed the umbre handle against the window. ¡°Tamara¡¯s face twisted with malice as she muttered to herself, ¡®Gotta figure out a way to get rid of ra. That woman has got to go. After witnessing Walter and Tamara¡¯s affectionate disy as they left together, ra stood frozen in the chilly wind, her feet seemingly anchored to the ground. Knowing about Walter¡¯s affair, hearing about his uing marriage, and then seeing him unt his love with another woman right in front of her was Like a punch to the gut. It hurt even to breathe. nerd moment, she snapped out of her daze and halled a cab, mentally steeling herself. ¡®Get it together. I can¡¯t afford to waste time, Marlie is waiting for neathome. About half an hourter, ra arrived at her apartment building. Without an umbre, she prepared to make a quick dash from the cab to the entrance. But just then, arge ck umbre was opened above her, offering her refuge from the storm. ra looked up in surprise. As ra looked around, her eyes quickly spotted a Roll¨CRoyce Silver Ghost parked a short distance away, sticking out like a sore thumb. The guy in ck holding the umbre, decked out in a ck uniform, spotted ra and called out with respect, ¡°Miss Neal, Mr. Neal is asking for you to SEND GIFT Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Earlier, outside the club, ra had gotten drenched. Now, feeling the chill, she instinctively wrapped her thin T¨Cshirt tighter around herself. Cade was just about to offer his coat when ra cut him off. ¡°Forget it. Just tell him I¡¯ll visit his grave when he kicks the bucket,¡± said ra. ¡°But Mr. Neal¡¯s health is on the ropes. If you don¡¯te back, what¡¯s gonna happen to thepany and all that cash, hundreds of billions of dors?¡± Cade looked troubled. Tasked with driving fifteen hours from Lokerten to Zwingenrath, he worried about how he would report back to his master, Frank Neal, after receiving such a dismissive response from ra. ra replied coldly, ¡°His dough? Got nothing to do with me. Show your face around me again, and I won¡¯t even bother for his funeral.¡± Then, she just walked right past Cade, her slight figure vanishing into the storm. The rain was so heavy it almost blinded her as she sprinted back to her apartment, soaked to the bone. Jaylee Brooks, Marlie¡¯s nanny, handed ra arge towel with concern. ¡°Oh dear, soaked without an umbre? Go get a warm shower.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Wrapping the towel around herself, ra called out to the living room, ¡°Marlie, mommy is home!¡± Sadly, Marlie sat on the living room carpet, lost in her toys, oblivious to her surroundings. ¡°Well, Marlie has been in her own world all day.¡± Jaylee sighed. At that moment, ra felt a crushing wave of helplessness and defeat. She stumbled into the living room, copsing next to Marlie. Holding her close, ra was searching for any shred offort after enduring a humiliating night. Just one look from Marlie would have meant the world.Original from N?velDrama.Org. But Marlie remained unreachable, immersed in her solitude. Tears streamed down ra¡¯s face, a stark reminder of her vulnerability. Having left Lokerten at 18, ra had learned to suppress her tears, maintaining herposure even through her divorce. Now, with her tears mingling with rainwater, she couldn¡¯t discern one from the other. Clutching Marlie, ra trembled, a sight so heart¨Cwrenching that Jaylee had to look away and leave. ¡°I¡¯m off then since you¡® ¡®re back. Marlie is fed and bathed, all set for bed. I¡¯ll see you in the morning,¡± Jaylee whispered before exiting. Before she left, Jaylee sighed again, torn by unasked questions about the absent father. ¡®How could he not care? Heartless. Juggling work and an autistic daughter would break anyone,¡® she thought. After Jaylee i e had left, ra got up. up after a while. She stepped into the shower, the warm water washing over her cold body. She scrubbed furiously, attempting to erase the day¡¯s disgrace. She was appalled by Walter¡¯s treatment and her degradation, climaxing in shame and clinging to him in desperation. ¡®Am I really so low?¡± She scoffed inwardly at her reflection. Mid¨Cshower, the doorbell echoed. Wondering if Jaylee had forgotten something, ra quickly wrapped a towel around her wet hair, approaching the door. Çú Chapter 14 Chapter 14 This guy, who an hour ago had told her to stay the hell out of his sight, was now standing in her living room. ra¡¯s mind went nk, thinking. ¡°How the hell did Walter show up at my doorstep? I saw him getting into Tamara¡¯s car ra was speechless, shocked to the core. She even forgot she was barely dressed, wrapped only in a towel. Walter mmed the door shut, his eyes scanning the provocative scene before him. The towel barely covered ra, revealing more than it hid. Her curves and long legs were irresistibly tempting. ¡°Walking around like that, ra? Who are you trying to lure? That desperate for a man? Wasn¡¯t I enough for you earlier? Walter bombarded her with questions, his cold eyes fi filled with anger. Hearing those unreasonable usations, ra thought Walter was intolerable. Then seeing him soaked through, she realized he had also been caught in the rain. ¡°Who I¡¯m waiting for is none of your damn business,¡± ra retorted, casting a nervous nce toward the living room. ¡°What do you want?¡± Marlie was out cold on the nket, her sweet face a picture of innocence, albeit with a touch of sickly pallor. ra rushed over, scooping Marlie up to take her to bed, almost dropping her towel in the process. She had no choice but to clutch at it, trying to maintain some decency, though her actions only served to fan the mes of temptation further. Walter¡¯s eyes tightened, his jaw working. He was well aware of her appeal. A normal guy would¡¯ve been drawn in, but the mere thought of her with another man snuffed out his desire, turning it cold. After tucking Marlic in, ra ditched the towel for a robe and reemerged. Walter nced into the room, querying, ¡°Marlie asleep?¡± ra stood guard at the door, shooting back, ¡°What the hell are you up to?¡± Marlie hadn¡¯t been out of the hospital for more than two years since her birth. Walter¡¯s visits had dwindled until he stopped altogether. It had been a while since hest saw Marlie. ¡°You have got no right to Marlie. I¡¯m taking her,¡± he dered, voice, cold as ice. ra felt like she¡¯d been hit by lightning. ¡°I¡¯ve signed the damn divorce agreement. We settled on terms. How can you just flip the script?¡± she said wildly. Suddenly, Walter shoved her against the wall, his leg blocking any escape. ¡°Sure, you signed. But I didn¡¯t. I can take Marlie anytime I want.¡± He sneered. ra was in disbelief, her emotions a whirlwind ¡°What does this mean? The signing was supposed to end it all. Now he is saying he didn¡¯t sign and wants to fight for custody?¡± She knew deep down, in a legal fight over custody, she¡¯d lose. Walter, you¡¯ve got someone new. I let you have M. Moss,¡± she spat, biting back anger for Marlie¡¯s sake. ¡°What more do you want?¡± You know about her?¡± he asked, eyebrow cocked.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. SEND GIFT 13:21 Wed 29 May: Chapter 14 ¡°Oh, Chapter 15 ¡°Walber, you think you can just snatch Marlie without worrying I¡¯ll spill the beans about us? Don¡¯t forget, you haven¡¯t signed off yet. That means, technically, we¡¯re still hitched. So, what¡¯s gonna happen to your precious Ms. Moss, huh?¡± ra¡¯s tone was unmistakably a threat. Giving up Marlie wasn¡¯t an option for her.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Walter¡¯s gaze sharpened, a menacing light flickering within. ¡°You¡¯re threatening me? Blow our cover and paint Tamara as the mistress? You wanna trash her rep, doom her to be a pariah in Zwingenrath?¡± he spat out. ¡°She¡¯s not the mistress?¡± ra shot back, barely hiding her smirk. Finding humor in the situation, she thought about Walter¡¯s shirt stained with lipstick and his perfume¨Cscented embrace. He was unting Tamara as his fianc¨¦e, despite not having broached divorce with ra, who hadn¡¯t signed anything. They were seen together everywhere, sping hands. If Tamara isn¡¯t the mistress, who is? ra mocked internally. Walter was speechless. The atmosphere became stifling, heavy with tension. Finally, Walter said, ¡°Tamara has got nothing to do with this mess. She shouldn¡¯t get hurt. Knowing about her, you ought to back off and not stir trouble.¡± His staunch defense of Tamara cut deep into ra. ¡°What¡¯s this ¡°back off crap? Oh, so Tamara is off¨Climits to pain, but I¡¯m fair game to be dumped? ra felt a pang of agony, her eyes shadowed with pain. ¡°This is my turf. Get out, or I¡¯m calling the cops,¡± she dered. ¡°Call the cops?¡± Walterughed it off, clearly unphased. ra¡¯s expression hardened, fully aware of Walter¡¯s clout in Zwingenrath, She knew she stood no chance in a custody fight against him. Under his dominating influence, she was forced to relent. In a lower voice, she proposed, ¡°How about we both back down? I won¡¯t mess with you and Ms. Moss, and I¡¯ll make sure nobody finds out we were ever an item. Just leave the custody battle alone. We can live our lives, with no hard feelings. Agreed?¡± Walter suddenly hoisted ra up, pinning her against the wall with one hand gripping her chin tightly. He barked, ¡°No fucking way, unless you sign this addendum.¡± After saying this, he whipped out a piece of paper from his suit¡¯s inner pocket. The document, damp and stained from the rain, was thrust in front of ra. She scanned each word, her disbelief escting with each line. ¡°This is outright tyranny,¡® she thought, appalled. The main points of the agreement were outrageous. First off, she had to move back to their original vi. Walter would sort out Marlie¡¯s kindergarten, and he would pick the nanny and driver¨Cclear surveince. Second, she was to report to the Colon Group, shoved into investment nning. Her sry would be dumped onto a ck card ¨C control masquerading as generosity. Third, a no¨Cmen policy at home. ¡®Seriously?¡± She sighed inwardly. Fourth, she was expected to be at his beck and call for his ¡°needs.¡± ¡°What the hell? Am I supposed to be on speed dial for sex? she wondered, disgusted. Chapter 15 This is absurd. ra internally sneered, her patience snapping. Without hesitation, she ripped the oppressive agreement into pieces. ra¡¯s bold. ¨C rejection, a clear shub, immediately ignited Walter¡¯s fury, SEND GIFT Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Walter¡¯s grip was unyielding, almost crushing her jaw. ra was drenched in a cold sweat, her pain tangible. ¡°Wake the hell up.¡± Walter snapped coldly. ¡°You think you¡¯ve got the chops to manipte the media? Mess with Tamara, and I¡¯ll shut it down fast. But if i take Marlie, you can kiss goodbye to seeing her again.¡± Marlie was ra¡¯s weak spot. Through her pain, ra mocked. ¡°Oh, Walter, pulling this shit? Shows you¡¯ve got no shame. What¡¯s this, if not sugar daddy vibes? You marry Ms. Moss and shove me and our kid into hiding? Didn¡¯t peg you for such a lowlife.¡± Het struggle to free herself only caused her robe to fall open, leaving her chest bare. Walter¡¯s eyes turned cold,ced with mockery. ¡°Oh, cozying up to Wird now? Thinking you can snag a rich guy? A shameless woman like you, a mother? No, a bitch I guess.¡± As his eyes wandered down, his breathing grew heavier until he spun her around, pressing her against him from behind. ra¡¯s wrists were pinned above her head with one hand, her robe nowpletely off, leaving her exposed. She could feel his heated body against hers, his arousal unmistakable. E ¡°Stop it! Don¡¯t you dare touch me!¡± ra¡¯s voice was desperate, defiant. ¡°Sleeping with Wird but ying hard to get with me? Name your price, Il pay it,¡± Walter barked, his face flushed with a loss of control. Men are ves to their instincts, desperate to quench their explosive desires. ¡°Fuck off!¡± ra screamed. ¡°Marlle is right next door.¡± Walter¡¯s expertise in degradation was unmatched.Original from N?velDrama.Org. Quickly, he spun her, using his luxe tie to restrain her hands efficiently. ¡°Don¡¯t be too noisy. Got quite the appetite, huh? Seems the restroom romp didn¡¯t satisfy you.¡± He mocked, his tone dripping with derision. The sight of marks on her shoulder ignited his fury, his desire to punish her overshadowing any concern for her feelings. Cornered by memories of his past actions, ra, flushed with shame, resorted to her final gambit. She leaned in, her seductive form clinging to him, challenging him, ¡°Walter, you¡¯re not still hung up on me, are you?¡± Suddenly chilled, Walter snapped back to reality. Harbor feelings for her? Impossible. He derided himself. raughed mockingly, feigning flirtation. ¡°So, the addendum means I can¡¯t bring men home. Does that leave the rest of the world fair game?¡± Walter¡¯s fists tightened, his jaw set, veins throbbing at his temples, his brows quivering like an enraged beast. ra read his brewing storm all too well, Despite her dread of his wrath, she met his ring stare head¨Con. Chapter 16. I¡¯m not signing anything. Wake up, Mr. Colon. I¡¯m keeping myself for Wird. You were right; I¡¯ve got my sights set on a grand marriage. Time for you to gor Mr. Colon,¡± she said defiantly. Walter¡¯s Chapter 17 The next morning, after making sure Mailie was settled, ra hit Errus Investment Corporation. Based on her contract, she figured the only had to stick it out for three months before balling. She nned to chat with Richard, score half hermission for the sealed deal, and bounce the next day. Tair deal, right? Richard should be cool with it, ra thought. As soon as she stepped into thepany, a cacophony resembling a mix of screams and howls assaulted her ears, ¡°Damn, that hurts like hell¡± came a voice eerily like Richard¡¯s. ra sped up, finding a crowd huddled around Richard¡¯s office door. Inside, Richard was a mess. His head was wrapped up, eyes a bruised mess, bleeding at the corners, and face swollen beyond recognition. His arm looked jacked, just dangling there, and he was hobbling. It was a sorry sight. ra paused, thinking, ¡°What happened to Mr. Hunt? Looks like someone gave him a real beating. Seeing ra, Richard bellowed, ¡°What the hell are you still doing here?¡±
  1. d. shot back. ¡°M
ra, puzzled, back. ¡°Mr. Hunt, I need to talk. I¡¯m thinking of quitting early. I¡¯ll take half themission fromst night¡¯s deal and call it quits.¡± Richard, livid, shouted, ¡°What the fuck are you? You¡¯ve got me into this mess!¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ra, taken aback, fumed internally, I¡¯ve barely been here. How is this shitstorm my fault? He has got the nerve to me me after throwing me to some big¨Cshot client like I¡¯m disposable? I was kept in the dark. Who¡¯s screwing over who? ¡°I¡¯m out today,¡± ra said, icily. She couldn¡¯t care less about Richard¡¯s drama; she just wanted her cash and out. ¡°Save it. Talk to the new boss. He¡¯s the one handling yourmission now!¡± Richard spat out, seething ¡°New boss?¡± ra was floored. She had done her homework on Errus Investment Corporation beforeing aboard. Richard¡¯s baby is not huge, but solid with legit projects. She was here to snag a few fund projects and dip. Who managed to push him into giving up his baby? Unbelievable, she thought, stunned. Richard¡¯s frustration hit a peak, and he began wrecking his office in a rage. ra walked in, trying to calm him down. ¡°Look, Mr. Hunt. We¡¯ve got a deal. Before you bolt, let¡¯s sort out the handover, okay?¡± ¡°Why the hell should I? You¡¯re the reason I¡¯m screwed!¡± Richard shot ra a venomous look. ¡°You¡¯re quite something, ra Pissing off Mr. Colon right. off the batst night. Then he sends goons to beat me, forces me to sell off thepany, and now I¡¯m banished from Zwingenrath. Mr. Colon¡¯s word isw here. I¡¯m done in this town.¡± ra, still reeling, managed to ask, ¡°Walter took over Errus Investment Corporation?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Richard, fueled by rage, showed ra aside with his one functioning arm, heaved his suitcase, and hobbled out, grumbling internally, ¡°More like a tant heist than a buyout. Screw the stuff; I need to save my skin! After all, given just one hour by Walter to disappear, Richard knew staying meant not seeing another day. With Richard¡¯s dismal exit, the office buzzed with whispers and spection among the employees. ¡°Who¡¯s the new boss? Did Richard say Mr. Colon!¡± One employee asked WED 29 MBY Another chimed in. ¡°Could it be the Mr. Colon from the Colon Group?¡± A third replied, ¡°It¡¯s gotta be. Who else has the clout to chase Richard out of Zwingenrath like he¡¯s nothing? ¡°Damn, we were a small fish. Now, merging with the Colon Group? We¡¯re part of a big league corporation,¡± an optimistic voice added. Someone else eximed, ¡°This is freaking awesome!¡± ¡°Hold your horses. Changing bosses might meanyoffs,¡± a cautious voice warned. Trying to be positive, another employee said, ¡°Come on, we ha Chapter 18 Chapter 18 ra was in total shock, barely hearing a word around her. Waller had snapped up herpany, making him her boss overnight. Thoughts of hermissions and contract shed through her mind ¨C no way he¡¯d respect those, nor would he agree to her leaving early. She recalled Walter¡¯s demand the previous night for her to sign an addendum, which she outright refused. Theri today, he had Richard kicked out, trapping herpletely Wonderful, what do I do now? I can¡¯t just not show up and quit. They willbel it as skipping work; they could sack me for that. Technically, I won¡¯t be breaking anyborws, but it will screw over my reputation. Job hunting will be a total nightmare. And my hard¨Cearnedmissions¨CI can¡¯t just walk away from them. I need that cash, She thought. Thinking back tost night, ra had an epiphany. That exins his smugment about me begging him toe back. As if I¡¯d ever beg Her thoughts were cut off by her phone ringing out of the blue. Seeing it was her ce.¡± ¡°But a sale doesn¡¯t end a lease. That¡¯s basic,¡± ra countered. ¡°I get that, which is why I¡¯m paying you to break the lease, plus your deposit. It¡¯s all been transferred to your ount. Check it. Just remember, you¡¯ve got two days,¡± thendlord rattled off. ¡°Wait, who did you sell it to?¡± ra had her suspicions but wanted to hear it.Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Eh, might as well tell you. A Mr. Colon. He didn¡¯t hesitate about the price. His only ask was to get the tenant out. Now, hurry up and pack,¡± thendlord said, hanging up before ra could say another word. Left with the dial tone buzzing in her ear, ra stood in her office, feeling her thoughts evaporating slowly. Now homeless with only two days to pack up, she thought desperately, ¡®How the hell am I supposed to find somewhere new sost?¡® Achill shot through her, a sickening realization making her skin crawl. ra took off, racing from the investment firm in full sprint. Mid¨Crun, her phone rang. It was Jaylee, Marlie¡¯s nanny, just as she feared. ra stopped dead, gasping for air, and answered breathlessly. ¡°What¡¯s up? What¡¯s gone wrong?¡± she blurted out, panic¨Cstricken. On the other end, Jaylee¡¯s voice carried a hint of difficulty. ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t do this after today.¡± ra, thrown for a loop, asked, ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Got some family issues. I¡¯m out,¡± Jaylee murmured. ra cut in sharply, ¡°Jaylee, did someone snatch Marlie?¡± After a pause, Jaylee sighed. ¡°Listen, As someone who¡¯s been there, I¡¯m telling you straight. It¡¯s tough for a woman alone, especially after a divorce, to raise a child. I mean, just let the dad have her. Why bust your ass fighting? Life is long, it¡¯ll get better.¡± And Marlie? ra asked, phone clenched tight. just took her. Had all the right paperwork; Teuldn¡¯t stop him. Sorry, he has settled up with me, Jaylee rushed, then hung up. ra was left standing numbly by the roadside, and cars blurring past her. ¡°I should¡¯ve seen iting,¡® she thought bitterly. Walter, the cold¨Chearted king of Zwingenrath, was merciless. Within hours, he had pushed out Richard, taken over ra¡¯spany, grabbed her apartment, and now, Marlie too Chapter 19 Chapter 19 ra shivered, ¨¤ bone¨Cdeep chill setting in. What the hell is he up to? He couldn¡¯t wait to dump me, and now this? He is trying to back me into a corner She reyed Walter¡¯s biting remark. ¡°I¡¯ll make you crawl back begging.¡± ¡°Really? After everything, it¡¯se to this? She despaired internally. Walter had snatched Marlie, using her to tighten the screws, leaving ra powerless. Her phone red again, insistently. ra knew who it was without looking. With a heavy heart, but no choice, she picked up. ¡°Dammit, Walles. This is way over the line!¡± ra exploded. The caller paused, then corrected, ¡°It¡¯s Wird, I got your number from Mr. Hunt.¡± ra paused, realizing her mistake. She hadn¡¯t checked the caller ID in her haste. ¡°Mr. Hersey, what do you want?¡± she asked, biting back irritation. ¡°You and Mr. Colon knew each other? How are you on a first¨Cname basis with him? Even I wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± Wird pushed. ¡°We¡¯re not acquainted.¡± ra lied tly. ¡°Was there something you wanted?¡± ¡°Have the gall to ask me? You promised me solo investment in the projectst night, that I would pocket all profits. Come today, Mr. Hunt sells thepany straight to Mr. Colon, roping me into a partnership with him. Are you trying to make me Mr. Colon¡¯s enemy? How do we settle this mess?¡± Wird raged. ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. Something this big, and you had no clue? Were you and Mr. Hunt ying me?¡± ra was dumbfounded, thinking she¡¯d have never gotten involved had she known. ¡°Cat got your tongue? I¡¯m telling you, you¡¯re owning this project from start to finish. I¡¯m at Colon Group now, get over here. Let¡¯s hash out the project details,¡± Wird hall¨Cthreatened. ¡°You¡¯ve got thirty minutes. If not, I won¡¯t let it slide!¡± The Line went dead. ra was left frustrated, now with Wird on her case too. Checking her watch, she found it was already ten¨Cthirty. It was only a twenty¨Cminute drive to Coton Group, and ra was cutting it close. Yet, she couldn¡¯t shake off the confusion as to why Wird had headed there. She figured it must be rted to the project, especially now that Wird¡¯s partner had directly be Walter. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, ra hailed a cab. No matter what, she needed to make her way to Colon Group. Walter had taken Marlie, and she was hell- bent on getting her daughter back. Soon enough, the cab arrived at the lowering edifice of Colon Group. ra stepped out, looking up at the imposing structure. The building was a modern marvel, its cool, sleek design cutting through the sky, standing proudly in the heart of the bustling city. It was a clear disy of Colon Group¡¯s financial muscle.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ra knew the ce well, though she had never been inside. After all, she was supposed to remain unseen. As she entered the lobby, it seemed the receptionist had been briefed, as she was allowed through without a word. for the elevator, she pressed the button for the top floor, thinking to herself, Wird must be with Walter in his office right now. Reaching the top, she found herself in Walter¡¯s domain, a ce of opulence and state¨Cof¨Cthe¨Cart tech, all reserved for him. Standing at his office door, ra gently pushed it open. As the door swing halfway, she caught sight of the scene inside. There was Walter, back tumed to her, with a woman wrapping her arms around his waist. The woman stood on her toes while Walter leaned in. From ra¡¯s perspective, it was undeniable. They were locked in a kiss Chapter 20 Chapter 20 ra¡¯s chest tightened, a suffocating sensation overwhelming her as she watched the scene unfold. For a split second, she wanted to storm in and confront Walter. If you¡¯re over me, why the hell drag Marlie into this?¡± she thought, biting back her anger. She stood at the door, knocking emotionlessly. Tamara had noticed ra the moment she arrived, envy shing in her eyes at ra¡¯s stunning beauty. Beyond her looks, it was ra¡¯s natural elegance. her bare¨Cfaced radiance, her cool aura, and her killer figure that sparked jealousy. That bitch dares to show up?¡± Tamara thought bitterly Hearing the knock, Walter turned and snapped, ¡°Who let you in? Get the hell out!¡± ra thought to hersell. If Wird isn¡¯t here, and Walter is getting cozy with Tamara, Wird couldn¡¯t be in the office. I must have misunderstood; Wird didn¡¯t send me here! ¡°Sorry for disturbing.¡± ra muttered, turning to leave. Tamara, feigning sweetness, tugged at Walter and asked, ¡°Walter, who is she?¡±Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. He replied coldly. ¡°Someone unimportant.¡± ra paused, swallowing the pain in her heart. Tamara¡¯s eyes glinted with a scheme. She moved towards the door, cooing, ¡°Walter, don¡¯t be hasty in shooing her away. Maybe she is here for something vital. Why not let her speak?¡± As Tamara tried to pull ra around, ra caught the whiff of a familiar perfume. It was the same she had smelled on Walter¡¯s shirt, making her skin crawl. She shrugged off Tamara¡¯s hand effortlessly. Suddenly, Tamara twisted, spilling her coffee all over herself. Her pristine white dress was ruined. ra narrowed her eyes, seething inside. Tamara did that on purpose! I didn¡¯t touch her wrist. How could the coffee spill like that?¡® Hearing themotion, Walter strode over, his eyes scanning the mess. His gaze firstnded on Tamara, who was wearing a serene smile, and then shifted coldly to ra. Tamara, all sweetness, waved it off. ¡°Walter, it¡¯s not her fault. In just a clumsy moment, she bumped into me. It¡¯s only a dress, no need to get worked up.¡± ra scoffed to herself. Really, Tamara? Putting on a whole damn show, pretending to be this graciousdy? Trying to frame me with such a low move? Doesn¡¯t she see she is just cheapening herself?¡® ¡°Really? Looked pretty intentional to me.¡± Walter¡¯s tone dropped even colder. ra¡¯s heart clenched, struggling for breath, thinking, ¡®What¡¯s his deal? Thinks I purposely spilled coffee on Tamara?! ¡°Apologize,¡± Walter snapped, his words almost a growl. Tamara, barely hiding her triumph, smirked slightly. Still ying the peacemaker, Tamara said, ¡°Walter, no need for her to say sorry. I¡¯m okay.¡± This was Tamara Wed, 29 MayG Chapter 20 48%1 ¡°As if ra stands a chance against me Tamara gloated internally. Tr the real deal here, daughter of one of Zwingenrath¡¯s wealthiest, the Moss family. right behind the Colon family. We¡¯re the elite union. And ra? Just some lowlife, I¡¯ll make sure she is put firmly in her ce today! Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Cara remained silent, looking at Walter indifferently, her fists clenched. Apologizel Walter repeated, pointing to the spill on the marble floor. ¡°Clean it up¡± Tamara continued to y the saint. ¡°Walter, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll get the cleaning staff.¡± She knew Walter was obsessed with cleanliness and wouldn¡¯t tolerate the mess. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll do it¡± ra bent and picked up the cup from the floor. There was still some remaining inside. Suddenly, she straightened and poured the coffee on Tamara, She was so fast that Tamara couldn¡¯t react in time. Tamara¡¯s exquisite makeup was ruined. Even Walter¡¯s suit had some stains. Tamara was stunned. She didn¡¯t expect ra to be so bold before Walter. ra dusted off her hands, shrugged, and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She smiled and pointed to the first coffee stain on Tamara. ¡°If I bumped into you jus! now, the stain would be higher and there would be a stter. However, if you identally spilled it on yourself, it would form a spill¨Cand¨Cdrag pattern, and the stain would be lower. I don¡¯t see any stter on you, and the stain is lower. What do you think? If you recall, perhaps you¡¯ll remember what happened just now?¡± Tamara had noeback. Her lie was exposed. She underestimated Tamara, failed to set her up, and ended up embarrassing herself. Tamara¡¯s pale face flushed. Walter narrowed his sharp eyes, his handsome face cold and stern. ra nced at Walter. ¡°Since you insisted I apologize, I have to do something worthy of it, right? Otherwise, how unfair will it be? I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ll pay for the dry cleaning.¡± Tamara looked at Walter and tried to salvage the situation. ¡°No need, ra. You¡¯re right. Maybe I identally spilled it myself. It¡¯s not your fault. No need to apologize. I¡¯ll be more careful next time. Although she was humiliated, Tamara could only swallow her pride. ra sneered, ¡°How do you know my name? Have we met?¡± ra exposed Tamara for knowing her, and her rtionship with Walter, and that was why Tamara tried to frame her. Tamara Froze. She was rendered speechless again. ra didn¡¯t wait for Tamara¡¯s answer. She scrutinized Tamara and raised her eyebrows. Her smile was insincere. ¡°You¡¯re right. Of course, you would know who I am.¡± ra¡¯s words were vague but hinted at something. Tamara¡¯s face turned ck. Was ra hinting that she knew of ra¡¯s rtionship with Walter and decided toe between them anyway? However, to maintain her image, Tamara could only force augh and endure it. ra looked coldly at Walter. ¡°Sorry, Mr. Colon. I quit!¡± She took out the resignation letter prepared for Richard and threw it at Walter. Then, she dashedText property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. out. Walter watched ra disappear. He looked at his stained suit and recalled the pst time. How did he not know before that ra could be so prickly? Chapter 22 Chapter 22 ra regretted it after leaving. Her satisfaction was fleeting, and what should she do after? Waller still had Marlie and could easily keep her from seeing her. She was too impulsive. ra shouldn¡¯t have offended him and provoked Tamara. Anxiety filled her. When ra exited the elevator, she ran into Wird in the lobby. ¡°Why did youe from there?¡± Wird pulled ra toward him. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my calls. I thought you were standing me up. Where did you go?¡± ra shook off Wird, ¡°Why di ¡°Why did you ask me toe here?¡± ¡°You think I want to? The project is now assigned to Vernon, Mr. Colon¡¯s assistant. I can only call you here to discuss it,¡± Wird exined. His eyes lingered on ra. She wasn¡¯t wearing makeup today, butpared to that night, she seemed more beautiful. Her beauty was iparable. Wird had seen many women but never someone like her. ¡°Come on. I won¡¯t hold it against you as long as you handle the project well¡± Wird tried to pull ra close again. ra frowned and avoided him. She didn¡¯t know much about Wird before, but she looked him up onler, Although Wird was good¨Clooking and generous, he was notorious for being a yboy. Walter wouldn¡¯t associate with someone like Wird, but they were distant cousins. No wonder Richard had inquired about Wird¡¯s preferences, then had ra dress up for the appointment to secure a big project. Alter being rejected repeatedly, Wird¡¯s face turned ugly. ¡°It¡¯s true. You were fooling me that night. But I¡¯m set on you, ra honey. You can¡¯t escape.¡± He grabbed ra¡¯s wrist. ¡°I¡¯ll have you in my bed.¡± ¡°Get lost.¡± ra shook her wrist desperately but couldn¡¯t break free. ¡°I¡¯ve resigned. Go find someone else.¡±¡±N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°Isign the contract because of you. Do you think you can back out? You better pay me back.¡± Wird admired ra up se. He loved seeing women flustered. It called to the hunter¡¯s instincts in him. Wird stared at her delicate neck and down to her neckline and cleavage. He swallowed. She was alluring. He itched to take her somewhere private. He should have taken her that night. ra could sense Wird¡¯s predatory gaze. She shouted, ¡°Let go now. We¡¯re in public. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯m going to scream.¡± ¡°Go on, I like that. If you want to back out, sleep with me. That¡¯ll make up for my loss.¡± Wirdughed wickedly, his hand on her waist. Her waist was thin. He could easily wrap his palm around it. ra thought she was about to be molested when Wird unexpectedly released her, ra hastily adjusted her cor and smoothed her long hair, not wanting to appear too disheveled. When ra turned around, Walter walked out of the elevator. No wonder Wird had stopped. 1/1 Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Dressed in a new suit, Walter was expressionless. He nced at ra and red icily at Wird. ¡°This isn¡¯t a nightclub. Don¡¯t embarrass me.¡± Wird quickly apologized. ¡°Sorry, Mr. Colon. I came to ask Vernon about the project, so I called her here. I¡¯ll leave you two to it.¡± Wird walked off hastily, afraid of being implicated. Walter took out ra¡¯s resignation and threw it back at her. He whispered in her ear, ¡°Resign? Don¡¯t you want to see Marlie again?¡± ra red at Walter resentfully. ¡°How can you go back on your word? You promised that I could have Marlie.¡± ¡°No. I never agreed Marlie could remain with a mother who sold herself.¡± Walter sneered and walked off. ra bit her lip. She didn¡¯t sell herself. She had no idea Richard would do that. Now, she couldn¡¯t exin to Walter. Seeing Walter leave, Wird felt relieved. Sometimes, he didn¡¯t dare to speak to him. If they weren¡¯t rted and his grandfather hadn¡¯t begged, Walter probably wouldn¡¯t look at Wird twice. That was why Wird wanted to handle big projects independently, rather than always being submissive to Walter. Wird dragged ra aside. ¡°What¡¯s up between you two? Don¡¯t deny it. I won¡¯t be fooled again.¡± ra lied, ¡°We met a long time ago at a nightclub. I drugged him and slept with him, then faked a pregnancy so he¡¯d marry me. That¡¯s who I am. Still want me?¡± Wird¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Are you out of your mind? You tried to pull a fast one on him? Mr. Colon is the big shot in Zwingenrath and he is loaded. That is impossible.¡± ra didn¡¯t reply. The impossible had happened. ¡°You better stop dreaming. Do you know what happened to thest woman who tried to seduce him?¡± Wird went on. ra asked, ¡°What?¡± Wird shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never seen her again.¡± ra frowned. What did that mean? Did she die? ra knew how ruthless Walter was. She had first¨Chand experience. Wird looked at her. ¡°Seriously, you¡¯re still kickin¡®? With those ideas, you should¡¯ve long bitten the dust.¡± ra didn¡¯t reply. She had indeed ¡°died¡± many times.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Something dawned on Wird. ¡°Hold on. Mr. Colon doesn¡¯t set foot in those joints. You can¡¯t have met him there. He only tagged alongst time because I decided on the ce. You¡¯re pulling my leg again, aren¡¯t you?¡± 1/2 4:12 PM Chapter 23 ra didn¡¯t bother to exin further. ¡°Believe what you want.¡± She turned to leave. She was annoyed by everything that had happened. ¡°Hey!¡± Wird called out, but he didn¡¯t dare to harass her anymore. What ra said could be true. Thinking back, Walter and ra were off from the beginning. If she had slept with Walter, Wird wouldn¡¯t dare touch her. +5 Walter was dominant, controlling, and possessive. No one should ever break Walter¡¯s rules. Even if it was women Walter no longer wanted, whoever touched them would be punished. Wird wouldn¡¯t risk it. He sucked in a breath. Thank God he had stopped that night. Otherwise, he might be six feet under now. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 +5 In the following days, ra stayed in a hotel temporarily. She didn¡¯t contact Walter, and he wouldn¡¯t call her either. He had Marlie and wasn¡¯t afraid ra would disappear.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ra sent out numerous resumes in the meantime. Since Walter said she sold herself to support Marlie, she wanted to find a job. However, ra was rejected very quickly, telling her she didn¡¯t meet thepanies¡® requirements. ra knew Walter was responsible. Walter had put her on a recruitment cklist. He was forcing ra to go back and beg him. Walter was ruthlessly exploiting her vulnerabilities. ra missed Marlie terribly. She recalled Marlie¡¯s pale, pitiful face and her heart ached. ra relented and returned to the Colon Group. This time was different. The receptionist intercepted ra. She nced disdainfully at ra¡¯s cheap clothes and rolled her eyes. The receptionist asked, ¡°Miss, who are you looking for? Do you have an appointment?¡± ra replied calmly, ¡°I¡¯m looking for Walter Colon.¡± The receptionist was taken aback when ra called out Walter¡¯s name. ¡°Who are you? Do you think Mr. Colon will see anyone? If you cause any trouble, I¡¯ll call security.¡± ra shrugged. ¡°Sure. Go ahead. Call them. If Walter asks me why I didn¡¯te up, I¡¯ll tell him it¡¯s because of you.¡± She looked at the receptionist¡¯s nametag. The receptionist backed down. She didn¡¯t dare to risk it. Staring at ra suspiciously, she called the secretary¡¯s desk to confirm. She received a reply shortly. The receptionist told ra, ¡°Miss, Mr. Colon asked you to go to the lounge on the 87th floor and wait for him.¡± The receptionist¡¯s tone was more polite. Smiling awkwardly, she led ra there respectfully. ra was indifferent to the change in attitude. She took the elevator to the 87th floor. The Colon Group building had 88 floors. The top floor was Walter¡¯s office, and a transparent winding staircase connected the 87th and 88th floors. The lounge was spacious, with carpets covering it. It was furnished with elegant sofas. ra sat on the sofa and waited. She was surprised by the luxury. There was a private kitchen, a dining room, rooms, and a bathroom. The cityscape was visible from the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows. ra waited until evening, but Walter did not show up. The lounge wasfortable, and the sofa was soft. Gradually, fatigue set in. ra leaned back to rest, and eventually, shey down and fell asleep. 1/2 Chapter 24 As thest rays of sunset faded away, Walter finally finished his work. Coming down the staircase, Walter saw her delicate figure curled up on the sofa. Her long hair partially covered her face. It was so quiet he could hear her breathing. Walter was furious. How dare she fall asleep? Crossing the room to wake her, he suddenly froze. +5 Her exquisite profile, her petite and sharp nose, the distinct shape of her lips, the curve of her closed eyes, and her smooth neck made her even more alluring in the shadows. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 ra slept deeply, her brows furrowed, her exhaustion obvious. Walter retracted his hand and sat down beside her. ra slept for a long time, but it was as though she was in a nightmare. Suddenly, as though she sensed someone beside her, she woke up abruptly and shot upright. Moonlight streamed in through the windows, illuminating the man beside her. His face was sculpted and his eyes deep¨Cset. It took a moment for ra to realize it was Walter. His sharp eyes, hidden in the dark, stared at her like a leopard. ra was startled. She broke into a cold sweat. Was Walter waiting for her to wake up? That wasOriginal from N?velDrama.Org. impossible. He usually left after she fell asleep and never stayed overnight, let alone wait for her to wake
  1. up.
ra shook her head to regain herposure. ¡°Sorry about sleeping.¡± She remembered why she came here. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?¡± ra got up to turn on the lights. The lounge was too dark, and she couldn¡¯t see Walter¡¯s expression. It made her anxious. However, she felt weak, and her legs gave out. She fell onto him. ra panicked. She clung instinctively to him. Walter reached out and hugged her slender waist. It was still as narrow and smooth as he remembered. ra finally steadied herself when she was within an inch of his face, her arms around his shoulders. His scorching breath almost melted her. She flushed. §à§Û It was the first time ra was so close to Walter¡¯s face. She didn¡¯t dare to move, afraid their lips would meet. They had never kissed before, even though they had had sex. Walter¡¯s presence was dominating. Her heart felt like it was in her throat. Walter must be able to hear her heartbeat. Walter scrutinized ra. She was trembling. She had sweated profusely from her nightmare. Her thin clothes clung to her, revealing her exquisite curves, delicate corbones, full chest, slender waist, and long legs. Her sweet fragrance filled his nostrils. Walter swallowed. He lowered his head and kissed her. ra was stunned. This was her first kiss. His lips were hot and soft. Nothing was like this. She widened her eyes. His mesmerizing eyes were closed, and hisshes were long. Sensations spread in her body. Her mind went nk. The kiss deepened. Walter¡¯s breath became more urgent. Desire rose. With a hand, he pulled down her 1/2 4:12 PM G Chapter 25 zipper and reached inside. The chill woke ra up. She remembered how he had kissed Tamara passionately just now. What was he doing now? She didn¡¯t want this. With a burst of strength, ra pushed Walter away. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 +5Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Caught off guard, Walter hit the sofa. ra also fell backward andnded on the ground. The lounge¡¯s lights were voice¨Cactivated. Lights came on suddenly. Everything became visible, including their disarray. ra, breathless from the , choked. Having gone hungry the whole day, her stomach felt ufortable. She covered her mouth and heaved. Walter turned livid. Did his disgust her that much? So ra still couldn¡¯t forget that person. Her were reserved for that man. Walter felt as though someone had doused him in ice water. ¡°Get lost!¡± he roared, his eyes bloodshot. ¡°Sure.¡± ra quickly stood up from the floor and fled the lounge. After being together for three years, ra understood him well. Walter was going to explode. When she gave birth prematurely three years ago, he was the same. ra still didn¡¯t understand why. She was the one who had fallen down the stairs and almost died, and Marlie was kept in an incubator. Walter threw a huge temper at her then and proceeded to ignore her. Now, Walter found someone new. Nevermind. Since they were divorced, she shouldn¡¯t dwell on the past. ra left hurriedly. She returned to her hotel andy on therge bed weakly. Calming down, she regretted her actions. She wanted to have a good chat, to understand what Walter wanted, and how she could get Marlie back. However, she messed things up. She felt anxious. Her lips felt hot. ra touched them. She could still taste him. She was confused. Why did Walter her? He had never done it before. Not even during . Why was today different? Did he mistake her for Tamara? ra felt disgusted. She ran into the bathroom and turned on the tap to rinse her mouth. As the water flowed, she hesitated. It was her first . ra still loved Walter. She was reluctant to erase any trace of him. ¡®What is wrong with me? He has someone else, but I can¡¯t let go of him,¡® ra thought. Dejected, ra returned to bed and wrapped herself in a nket, but she couldn¡¯t sleep. After tossing and turning, she dozed off briefly in the early morning. The next day, ra woke up even more anxious. She wandered around the hotel for most of the day, taking several showers to stay awake, but she still couldn¡¯t think of any solution. She picked up the phone several times to call Walter but chose not to. Even if the call went through, what would she say? Walter was undoubtedly still angry. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 However, ra missed Marlie too much. She wanted to see her. She thought of where Walter would bring Marlie. Marlie wasn¡¯t in the vi she used to live in. She had checked. His family refused to acknowledge Marlie¡¯s existence, so they couldn¡¯t have her. Walter had a luxurious top¨Cfloor apartment, but Walter liked his peace, so he would never allow a nanny to care for Marlie there. Her eyes lit up suddenly. Walter had a vi on a mountain. It was secluded, situated along a mountainside, surrounded by a vast forest. One had to drive up a long path to it. When they were just married, he had taken her there once. Their rtionship wasn¡¯t bad at first. It only worsened after ra gave birth to Marlie. Although it had been a long time, she vaguely remembered the location. Could Walter take Marlie there, where no one could find her? ra decided to try her luck. ra checked the route. She needed to take a bus to the foot of the mountain and hike up. With her heart set, she left the hotel and headed to the bus stop. Harry Zinn tailed ra and boarded the bus with her, hiding in a corner at the back while calling discreetly. ¡°I¡¯ve got my eyes on the chick. I haven¡¯t been able to catch her alone before now, but she seems to be heading to Ranary Hills now. I am on the bus with her, and this route¡¯s got one final stop at the base of that mountain. I bet she¡¯s going hiking. This is a golden chance.¡± A cold and venomous female voice came. ¡°She must die today. I¡¯ll double the price. I¡¯m transferring 200 thousand dors to you now. Do you remember what to tell her before she kicks the bucket?¡± ¡°Yes, of course!¡± Harry¡¯s face was sinister. ¡°Rx. I¡¯ll get it done. Wait for my good news.¡± There was no one in the back with him to overhear them. ***** After hanging up, Tamara faced the mirror in the fitting room, smiling maliciously. She wouldn¡¯t let ra get away with what happenedst time. Furthermore, when Tamara went to Colon Group to find Walter, he wasn¡¯t in the office. She went to the lounge and saw Walter and ra . Although the lounge was dark, Tamara wouldn¡¯t mistake Walter¡¯s silhouette, and she heard ra¡¯s moans. Furious, Tamara left. They must have had after. She wasn¡¯t about to watch that. Damn it. Tamara should have expected it. If ra was alive, she would continue to seduce Walter. ra was always a threat. Luckily, Tamara had nned for this. ra would disappearpletely. Tamara grinned coldly. She turned smugly, admiring her new dress. The skirt fluttered. Walter belonged to her, and no one couldpete with her. 1/1Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 When the bus arrived at the foot of Ranary Hills, it was dusk. ra alighted and looked at the sky. The sun cast the mountains and forest in an orange glow. Unfortunately, the night was approaching. ra regretteding toote. When she reached the vi, it would likely be pitch dark.Original from N?velDrama.Org. ra nced at her phone. It had only 20% battery left. She decided to turn it off, saving the battery for when she needed the phone¡¯s shlight. An older woman who alighted with her asked, ¡°Going up the mountain, huh? There¡¯s no public transport going that way, you know. It¡¯s not some touristy spot. Only well¨Cheeled folks with vis up there.¡± ra looked at her. She was around sixty with graying hair, wrinkles, and a sun¨Cwornplexion. She seemed to be a local farmer. ra replied, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s urgent. Do you know a shorter way? I want to reach halfway before it gets dark.¡± ¡°You hit the jackpot asking me! See that fork up ahead? There¡¯s this little path. It¡¯s way closer. It¡¯s a bit winding and all, with bushes and weeds on the sides. Just watch out not to scratch yourself. It¡¯d be a shame if a young girl like you got injured.¡± The woman pointed at it. ¡°Thanks!¡± raughed dryly. She was no longer young. The path was as described. ra picked up a long branch to clear her path. Ranary Hills, located in the suburbs of Zwingenrath, was a cliff peak formed by geological movement. It was just about 2000 feet. Darkness fell. Shadows grew long. ra sensed something was amiss. There were always faint rustling sounds behind her, but when she turned, she saw nothing. She thought it might be small animals, or wild cats at first. As ra climbed, her uneasiness increased. Finally, she sensed movement and turned abruptly, seeing a man in a ck hooded sweatshirt and a hat standing, looking sinisterly. ra was startled. She had seen him on the bus. He had followed her. Realizing he was discovered, Harry leaped out of the bushes. ra narrowed her eyes vigntly. ¡°Who are you? Why are you following me?¡± Harry¡¯s greedy eyes roamed over ra. ¡°You¡¯ve got some curves and a pretty face. Sweetheart, someone¡¯s paid me to take you out. Such a pity. How about we spend some time together first? If you pleased me, I might just do it a tad quicker.¡± ra¡¯s face paled. Someone wanted her dead? Although she could fight, it might not be enough to deal with this thug. Harry licked his lips. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed. He approached, his hand outstretched. ¡°Stay away!¡± ra growled when he was about to touch her. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Harry grinned wickedly. ¡°You¡¯re squealing already? Save your energy. Don¡¯t worry. No one wille even if you scream your lungs out here.¡± ra¡¯s face paled further. It was true. It was deste and far from the cluster of vis. It was getting dark. Who coulde to her rescue? Harry unbuttoned his shirt and advanced toward ra. He grinned lewdly and pounced. ra dodged and, with a spinning motion, kicked out. Her foot hit Harry on the back of his head. It was a ssicbat move. Harry cried out painfully. He fell forward, thorns scratching his forehead. He bled. ¡°Fuck!¡± Harry struggled to get up, but he was dizzy. ra didn¡¯t expect to defeat Harry with a single move. She turned and dashed into the forest. The sky darkened. The sun was setting soon. Harry caught up before ra ran far. ¡°You bitch. Don¡¯t think you can escape today.¡± Harry pounced at ra. There was a loud ripping sound. Harry had torn ra¡¯s top, revealing her shoulder. Harry¡¯s eyes widened. His excitement grew. She felt great. Harry¡¯s touch made ra feel nauseated. She was at a disadvantage. She had no strength to run. She couldn¡¯t hide. She couldn¡¯t call anyone for help. ra backed away slowly. Night fell rapidly. Suddenly, ra¡¯s foot slipped, and she swayed. She heard the sound of stones falling and was startled. She realized she was standing on a cliff. The falling stones made no sound. She didn¡¯t know how deep it was below. Harry leered at her. ¡°Where can you go now, bitch? How dare you hurt me? You have to die today.¡± ¡°Who sent you?¡± ra, on the brink of terror, asked. She almost fell into despair. She wanted to die at the thought of being raped. ¡°You¡¯ve offended a big shot.¡± Harry¡¯s eyes were bloodthirsty as he closed in. A big shot? ra was stunned. How many people did she know in Zwingenrath? Could it be Wird? Just because Wird didn¡¯t get to call the shots on the project? ¡°Who?¡± ra¡¯s voice shook. Her fingers trembling.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Come here and please me, and I¡¯ll make it pleasant for you.¡± Harry had already unbuckled his belt and 1/2 4:13 PME Chapter 29 dropped his pants. He rubbed his hands, then remembered what Tamara had told him. ¡°Tsk. Since you¡¯re dying, I¡¯ll spill the beans. You offended someone called Colon. You shouldn¡¯t have gotten in his way.¡± ra was dumbfounded. The name cut through her heart like a dagger. It hurt. She never dreamt that Walter would want her dead. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 ra¡¯s body trembled. Her lips quivered. She refused to believe it. She had already signed the divorce papers, so how was she getting in his way? Even if she pushed Walter awayst night, he wouldn¡¯t want her dead. He had already forced her into a corner. Why kill her? She was Marlie¡¯s mother. Why was he so ruthless? ra clutched her phone tightly behind her. No, Walter couldn¡¯t be this cruel. ra turned on her phone. Trembling, she pressed the number 1 from memory and intuition. It was a shortcut to Walter¡¯s number, even though she had seldom contacted him. However, ra¡¯s heart clenched. What was she doing? Was she still harboring fantasies about him? She hoped Walter would answer but feared it might be true. Danger permeated the night. The phone vibrated and was hung up. Something in ra broke. Walter had hung up. That meant Harry was telling the truth. A man who wished her dead wouldn¡¯t answer the phone. ra felt like she had fallen into an icyke. She went numb. She hadn¡¯t felt such despair when she was divorced, but now, her heart died.N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ra wanted to leave quietly with Marlie. She didn¡¯t want his money and didn¡¯t want to trouble him. She couldn¡¯t understand why Walter wouldn¡¯t let her go. He was so malicious. But then, Walter could give her to other men, so he certainly didn¡¯t care about her. Perhaps he was furious because she hadn¡¯t agreed to the additional agreement he proposed. Walter was about to remarry. Perhaps she annoyed him, or he wanted to get the blot in his life entirely. Or perhaps, he wanted revenge when she exposed Tamara¡¯s tricks and embarrassed her. Maybe he knew ra wanted to find Marlie and leave the city with her. ra didn¡¯t want to die. She had to survive for Marlie. Otherwise, who would protect Marlie? Marlie had suffered too much since birth. Her father paid no attention to her and her stepmother would not treat her well. ra could imagine what would happen. If Walter could abandon ra heartlessly, he could easily abandon Marlie too. As Harry approached ra, ra shut her eyes in despair. Could she only wait for death now? Suddenly, Harry noticed a lighting from behind ra. It was her phone. His gaze turned terrifying. ¡®Damn it. She¡¯s calling for help,¡¯ he swore. Money was more important to Harry. With money, Harry could get plenty of women. He couldn¡¯t ruin things now. Harry rushed forward, snatched ra¡¯s phone, and kicked her off the cliff. ¡°Bitch, die!¡± As ra fell, the phone vibrated. Harry looked down and saw an iing call. It was from Walter. Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Harry¡¯s eyelid twitched. Thankfully, he dealt with her before the call came in, or he would be in trouble. The phone rang for a long time and finally disconnected. After a pause, the phone rang again. Harry wanted to throw it away but thought it would give away where he kicked her. He decided to take the phone back and discard it when the battery was drained. The phone kept ringing. Harry turned the phone to silent, dressed himself, and walked to the edge. He nced down. It was high. Death was certain. Too bad he couldn¡¯t y with her. Harry remained there for a while leaving, feeling assured.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ***** Walter called ra three times but they went unanswered. Why wasn¡¯t she answering? What did she want? Walter¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Uneasiness filled him. He frowned and returned to the private room. Tamara noticed Walter had been restless. He even got up to make a call on the terrace. She eavesdropped but didn¡¯t hear him. She was nervous. ¡®Is it rted to ra? How did things go on Harry¡¯s side?¡® Seeing Walter¡¯s frown, Tamara asked, ¡°Walter, what¡¯s wrong? Who did you call?¡± Walter nced at her. ¡°You ask too much. I¡¯m leaving. I¡¯ve got something on.¡± He walked to the sofa and picked up his jacket. Tamara hurriedly stopped him. ¡°Sorry, Walter. I didn¡¯t mean anything by it.¡± She had finally arranged for him to have dinner with her father. ¡°Please don¡¯t leave. Dad will be here soon. He has always wanted to talk to you about the project. He¡¯s just caught in a bad jam.¡± Walter hesitated. He put down his jacket. A gleam shed in his dark eyes. Since ra didn¡¯t answer, it probably wasn¡¯t urgent. He couldn¡¯t dy his n. ¡°Fine.¡± Walter sat down. Tamara was relieved. If Walter left, she would be in trouble. Her family once dominated in Zwingenrath, but their finances weren¡¯t goodtely. They desperately needed to cooperate with Walter, who would invest and secure a major project. Tamara¡¯s phone vibrated then. It was a text message. Tamara spoke, ¡°I need to use the washroom, Walter.¡± With an innocent smile, Tamara got up. Locking the bathroom door, Tamara took out her phone. Harry had sent, [Done.] Tamara was delighted. Still, she called Harry. ¡°What does it mean? Is she dead?¡± Harry smiled. ¡°Rx. No one could survive such a fall.¡± ¡°You sure? The bitch seems to have called. Her phone is still on,¡± Tamara asked, lowering her voice further. ¡°I¡¯ve got the phone. It¡¯s been ringing but I didn¡¯t answer it. I¡¯ll dispose of it when the battery runs out. 1/2 4:13 PM E Chapter 31 Transfer the rest of the money to me now,¡± Harry told her. ¡°Sure.¡± Tamara hung up and did the transaction. Walter had indeed called ra just now. Fortunately, Harry did his job. Tamara sneered. The bitch was finally dead. She could finally rx. Tamara checked herself in the mirror and walked out with the most gentle smile she could muster. +5 Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Intense pain overwhelmed ra. Her mind felt groggy as the waves of unbearable pain assailed her. She wanted to drift off but also wake up. Finally, she forced herself to open her eyes. Above her was a white ceiling with two rows of bright LED lights. Shey there momentarily, not knowing where she was. Was she dead? Suddenly, ra recalled being kicked off the cliff. Terror surged within her. The feeling of being swallowed by darkness, the despair, and the fall came rushing back. She broke into a cold sweat, waking up at once. Walter had sent someone to kill her. Breath rushed out of her. ra held her hand to her chest and struggled to breathe. Gradually recovering from her fear, she sat up. It smelled of disinfectant. She wasn¡¯t dead. ra looked around. She was in a hospital. Someone had saved her. Who? Sadness washed over her. Walter would be disappointed. Her eyes stung, but she held back the tears. It wasn¡¯t worth crying for him. Just then, a nurse entered. She eximed, ¡°You¡¯re awake! I¡¯ll get the doctor.¡± A young doctor entered shortly, visibly relieved. ¡°You finally woke up. I was considering doing another head CT. How are you feeling? Any dizziness or nausea?¡± the doctor inquired. ra replied, ¡°No. I¡¯m fine. How long was I out for?¡± The doctor answered, ¡°A day.¡± ra looked outside. It was pitch ck again. She had thought only a few hours had passed. ¡°Miss, may I ask for your name? Sorry. We couldn¡¯t find any identification or a phone on you,¡± the young doctor asked. ¡°Myst name is Neal.¡± ra didn¡¯t give her full name. The thug had taken her phone. ¡°Miss Neal, do you need us to notify your family?¡± the doctor asked again. ¡°No, thank you.¡± ra¡¯s eyes were sad. ¡°I have no family.¡± The doctor was taken aback and changed the topic. ¡°You¡¯re lucky. You fell from the cliff but got caught on a tree branch. A passerby saved you. Otherwise, you¡¯d have died. You only have some minor external injuries. They¡¯re treated and should be fine. We were concerned about a severe concussion and didn¡¯t know when you¡¯d wake or if there was any brain damage. Since you¡¯re awake, you should be fine. Before you leave, we¡¯ll do another head CT.¡± ra nodded. ¡°Who saved me? Is he still here? I would like to thank him.¡± 1/2 4:13 PM G Chapter 32 ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll go call him. Hold on,¡± the doctor said. The doctor returned shortly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. He just left. The nurse at the front desk said he got an urgent call just when he heard you woke up. Don¡¯t worry. He has already paid your medical expenses.¡± +5) ra quickly got out of bed. If he just left, maybe she could catch up with him.Original from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t leave yet. Rest. You can¡¯t be discharged until tomorrow morning at least.¡± The nurse stopped ra. ¡°I know. I¡¯ll be right back,¡± ra replied. She ran out. She took a while to find the front desk and approached the receptionist. ¡°Which direction did the man who brought me here go?¡± The receptionist recognized ra. She pointed to the east. ¡°You¡¯re a bitte. He probably left.¡± ra rushed off. She followed the signs to the parking lot. She glimpsed the tail lights of a Maybach as it departed. Though the parking lot had streetlights, it was dim. She didn¡¯t see the driver. She only knew the license te was local. The man was probably from a wealthy family in Zwingenrath. ra felt dizzy. She braced herself on her knees, panting. Although she didn¡¯t see him, he felt strangely familiar. ra caught her breath and returned to the hospital. She asked the receptionist, ¡°Did the man leave his name?¡± The receptionist shook her head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°How did he pay my bill? If it¡¯s by credit card, there should be a name,¡± ra asked again.N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ¡°He paid in cash.¡± The receptionist shrugged. ¡°What about the license te? Since he parked here, can you find the te number?¡± ra pointed to theputer. ¡°It¡¯s a ck Maybach.¡± ¡°Sure. Hold on.¡± The receptionist turned on theputer and replied shortly, ¡°I couldn¡¯t find it. There are two possibilities. Either he parked next to the parking lot, or the car was there to pick him up. I think thetter is more likely as I remember he arrived with the ambnce.¡± ra was disappointed. ¡°I see. Thanks anyway.¡± The receptionist smiled. ¡°He¡¯s very handsome. Tall too, and gentle. The nurses on duty were curious to know who he was. It¡¯s too bad. But, you¡¯re lucky. They said you nearly died. Hopefully, you¡¯ll have better luck from now on.¡± ra forced a smile. ¡°Thanks.¡± ra returned to the ward. She was wearing a hospital gown, had no phone, and couldn¡¯t contact anyone. She asked the nurse, ¡°Where are my clothes?¡± The nurse replied, ¡°They were already in tatters. We cut them when we treated you. I threw them away. Oh, right.¡± The nurse remembered something and took out a bag from the cab. ¡°The man gave this to me before leaving. It¡¯s for you.¡± 1/2 4:14 PM U G Chapter 33 ra took it puzzledly. When she opened it, she was stunned. There was an elegant outfit, a pair of white sheepskin shoes, and ten thousand dors in cash. ra was moved. The man was so thoughtful and generous. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t know who he was. +5) Chapter 34 Chapter 34 €74% ra remained under observation overnight and had a head CT in the morning. After confirming she was fine, she was discharged. In the cab back to Zwingenrath, ra contemted her next move. She would have to return to the hotel. Her belongings and documents were there. When the taxi arrived, ra paid and hastily returned to her room. She was startled to find someone in her room. Although the man¡¯s back was to her, she recognized him. It was Walter. ra was frightened. She took a step back. Why was he here? Did hee to check if she was dead? Did hee to finish her off? Hearing movement, Walter got up and walked to ra. His imposing height and open cor made him look fierce. His dark eyes were fixed on ra.Original from N?velDrama.Org. Walter felt angry when ra stared at him like he was a stranger. ¡°What? Don¡¯t you recognize me? Talk!¡± Walter scrutinized ra. Except for looking paler, she seemed fine. However, her outfit and shoes were all high-end luxury and couldn¡¯t be found inmon stores. His gaze turned cold. ra was expressionless. ¡°What do you want me to say? I¡¯m still alive. Are you disappointed?¡± ra had never acted so coldly. Walter felt ufortable. His face turned ugly. Since Walter failed to answer ra¡¯s call, he had been calling her but she never picked up. He couldn¡¯t contact her for the next day. He had Vernon find out where she stayed and had been waiting here. Now that she was back, she took that tone to him. Who had she been with? ¡°Where¡¯s your phone?¡± Walter asked through gritted teeth. ra looked at Water confusedly. Didn¡¯t he know? ¡°I lost it.¡± Walter frowned. He took out a piece of paper from his suit pocket. ¡°Sign this. You can start work tomorrow. I won¡¯t hold the past against you.¡± ra listened, thinking, ¡®What did he mean? Did he forget he wants me dead? If I yield, would he spare me? Should I be grateful?¡¯ She bowed her head and sneered. She didn¡¯t want to die, and she couldn¡¯t die. She had to persevere for Marlie. ra had already made up her mind. She had to take Marlie away and disappear. She could only endure now. ra picked up a pen from the table and signed without looking at the agreement. She handed it to him. ¡°Done. When can I see Marlie?¡± Walter was surprised by her ready agreement. Something felt off. 14:33 Thu, 6 Jun Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Keeping the agreement, Walter called Vernon. ¡°Bring over a new phone and a new SIM card now.¡± After hanging up, Walter stared at ra. Did a man buy her the clothes? ra wouldn¡¯t buy them. She had never bought luxury clothes before, Either Walter gave them to her or she would wear cheap T-shirts. Walter had never seen those clothes and she had left the vi empty-handed. Walter clenched his fists. Her outfit irked him. He approached her andmanded, ¡°Take them off.¡± ra was shocked when he raised his voice. She trembled. ¡®Why? What did he want?¡¯ When ra didn¡¯t move, Walter decided to do it himself. ra stumbled back fearfully when he touched her. Walter frowned even deeper. There was terror in ra¡¯s eyes. ¡®D a m n it. Why is she afraid of me?¡¯ Enraged, Walter pressed ra against the wall and cornered her. Then, he stripped her. Even though she shook, Walter didn¡¯t stop until the clothes were in the trash. Only then did Walter feel relieved. ra wrapped her arms around herself to hide herself. Her back was against the wall. Her back had been badly scratched but her front was fine. Walter couldn¡¯t see her back and didn¡¯t notice her wounds. ra appeared at his mercy. His eyes turned red and his breathing grew heavy. He had her before and knew how irresistible she was. Walter recalled how she had rejected his kiss and how she might have possibly been with someone else. The thought made him mad. Walter lifted one of her legs. ra eximed in panic, struggling to bnce herself. She clung to him. What was he doing? She didn¡¯t want it. She tried to resist but Walter didn¡¯t budge. ra grabbed his wandering hand. ¡°No, don¡¯t. Not likest time¡­¡± She was frightened by that experience. It felt good and not at the same time. Walter snickered. ¡°Why not? You enjoyed it.¡± ra cried out. She couldn¡¯t stop him. Despair filled her. The room suddenly felt suffocating. After a moment, Walter bit her earlobe. ¡°My turn.¡± When Walter was about to take her, his phone rang. ra was already limp, covered in sweat. Her thoughts were s t t r e d. She turned slightly and glimpsed his phone on the table, Tamara¡¯s name was shing on the screen. ¡°Miss Moss is calling you,¡± Walter cursed and left ra. He picked up his phone, his eyes dark. After a while,Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. he e replied, ¡°Gor After hanging up, Walter was moreposed. He threw a towel over ra so he wouldn¡¯t be tempted. ra sat on the floor, covering herself with it. It had been close. She didn¡¯t know whether she should thank Tamara for saving her. ¡°I¡¯m going out,¡± Walter said, buttoning up his shirt and looking down at ra. ¡°Stay away from Tamara. Don¡¯t provoke her. Since you signed the agreement, do as I say. Got it?¡± Chapter 36 Chapter 36 ra looked up but decided not toment. She struggled to steady her breathing and responded, ¡°Understood.¡± She wanted to see Marlie and would endure. Her unusual obedience made Walter wonder if she understood what he actually meant. He bent and grasped her chin, repeating firmly, ¡°Stay away from Tamara, understand? If you mess with her, you¡¯ll regret it big time.¡± Some people were dangerous. ra¡¯s jaw ached. Her eyes teared up. She bit her lips so hard they were white. Of course, she knew. There was no need to emphasize. ra only wanted to survive. ¡°I understand. Thanks for the reminder.¡± She even smiled.Original from N?velDrama.Org. The answer was satisfactory but Walter felt something was off. He couldn¡¯t figure it out. He released ra and straightened. ¡°Vernon will bring you a new pher. Use the new number and add me on WhatsApp. Call if somethinges up.¡± ra grabbed his shirt before he left. ¡°About that agreement, can I¡­¡± She thought about how to phrase it without offending him. ¡°Can I stay here?¡± Walter thought momentarily. Given the current situation, it was better. Moreover, it was close to thepany and there were people around and surveince. ¡°Sure.¡± ra felt relieved. She didn¡¯t want to move back to the vi. It was suffocating and lonely there and felt like jail. She began cautiously, ¡°When Marlie? I really-¡± Walter interrupted, ¡°ra, don¡¯t push it. If I¡¯m not pleased, you won¡¯t see her. Report punctually tomorrow.¡± Walter left, mming the door shut. I see ra tightened her arms around her. It felt colder since his departure. She had bumped into the wall earlier and her wounds had reopened. It hurt. Her legs were weak. ra managed to get up. She nced at the clothes Walter threw away and picked them up. She would dry clean them tomorrow. She hadn¡¯t managed to thank the man for it. She should keep them in case she needed to return them. ra would never allow herself to be disgraced. She must leave Zwingenrath with Marlie. ra leaned weakly against the wall. The more it hurt, the more awake she was. The agreement had stated she mistress now? Would he use her just like before? Why wouldn¡¯t he let her go? ra took a shower. She hadn¡¯t showered in two days and she felt ufortable. As the warm water cascaded over her, it and traces of his touch but also worsened the pain in her wounds. not ????????????????? only washed away fatigue was to be his beck. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 74% +5 ra woke up the next day and got ready for work, changing into work attire. When Vernon came, he brought her a set of uniform, which included a white shirt, ck jacket, ck skirt, and a pair of ck leather shoes. It was the standard outfit for Colon Group¡¯s administrative staff. When ra arrived at Colon Group earlier than expected. She had not eaten, so she bought a piece of bread and milk. It wasn¡¯t appropriate to eat at the entrance so ra nned to find a lounge where she could eat. Unexpectedly, ra bumped into Tamara. Tamara was dressed exceptionally radiantly. She wore a blue evening gown with a fashionable cape made of ultra¨Cthin cashmere. She had a wide- brimmed high¨Cenddy¡¯s hat in the Same color. Her lips were carefully painted, and her eye makeup was well done. With her head held high, Tamara was quite eye¨Ccatching. ra didn¡¯t want to see Tamara, but they always crossed paths. Tamara came here to find Walter and Walter wanted ra to work here but avoid Tamara. How was it possible? Frowning, ra moved to avoid Tamara. However, Tamara had noticed her. She screamed, covering her mouth. Her eyes were wide as if she had seen a ghost. The scream caused everyone to stop and look at them. ra was stunned. ¡®Why is Tamara so terrified? Is there something on my face?¡± ra touched her cheek. There was nothing. Tamara stared at ra in disbelief, trembling. ¡®She was supposed to be dead. How could she be here?¡® Tamara stumbled back, almost falling. She looked around and realized everyone was staring at them. Tamara pointed at ra and shouted, ¡°Why won¡¯t you leave me alone? Scram! I don¡¯t want to see you again.¡± ra frowned even more. Leave her alone? She had only met Tamara several times. ¡°Miss Moss, you can pretend you didn¡¯t see me.¡± Tamara was even more shocked. Her jaw dropped. Could the dead talk? Then she realized something was wrong. Everyone could see ra. Tamara wasn¡¯t hallucinating. The bitch ra wasn¡¯t dead. Harry had deceived her. Not only had ra not died, but she dared to work here. ra must havee to seduce Walter. Tamara breathed in deeply, forcing herself to stay calm. Fortunately, she hadn¡¯t revealed anything just now. ra couldn¡¯t be bothered with Tamara. Tamara seemed like a lunatic. ra headed to the elevator. ¡°Stop! Why are you here?¡± Tamara shouted. ra ignored her. Tamara grabbed her. ¡°I¡¯m talking to you! Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ra turned. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t catch you. I did hear a bitch barking. What about you?¡± ra wanted to avoid Tamara but it seemed Tamara was determined to cause trouble today. 1/1 Chapter 38 Chapter 38 After being repeatedly provoked by ra, Tamara turned red and veins bulged: acted like a shrew, lunging at ra and yanking her long hair. on her neck. She suddenly abandoned her elegant socialite image and When Tamara touched ra, she finally confirmed ra was alive. How dare Harry take double the payment when he had failed? Only low-ss women without manners would pull each other¡¯s hair. ra was taken aback by Tamara¡¯s actions. Her scalp hurt so much that she couldn¡¯t defend herself. Tamara shouted, ¡°You shameless t. Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m about to marry Walter?¡± When she raised her hand to p ra, someone seized her wrist. ¡°Ouch!¡± Tamara felt as though her wrist was about to break. Tears welled up in her eyes. She had to release ra. ¡°Who¡¯s the busybody?¡± Annoyed, Tamara turned and froze. ra also looked at the neer. The man looked gentle and handsome. His eyes were kind. His fringe was short and he wore an elegant suit. He looked like a refined gentleman and was attractive. ra was shocked. How could it be him? Mike. It had been three years since theyst parted ways. Why was he here? Why did he stop Tamara and help her? The man looked at ra in surprise. His voice was gentle. ¡°Is your back healed?¡± ra was startled. How could he know? Her heart raced. The only person who would know was the one who saved her. Was he the one? Was he the one who also paid for her bills, her clothes and give her cash? Trembling, ra asked uncertainly, ¡°Is it you? Did you save me?¡± The man smiled but remained silent. Tamara protested unhappily, ¡°Mike, why are you meddling? You don¡¯t even know who this slut is.¡± ra was dumbfounded. He was Tamara¡¯s brother? How could that be? She clearly remembered he had said his name was Mike Smith.N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ¡°Sorry for the trouble, miss. My sister lost it today and hurt you. I am Mike Moss. You can have my business card,¡± Mike Moss said, taking out a business card and handing it to ra. Then, Mike turned and threw Tamara aside before speaking to her sternly, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your affairs. But please don¡¯t disgrace our family in public.¡± ra was taken aback. Disappointment and pain shed in her eyes. Mike did not seem to remember what happened three years ago. Moreover, he was the oldest son of the affluent Moss family. 1/1 Chapter 39 Chapter 39 ¡°By the way, I don¡¯t know who you are,¡± Mike asked softly. His voice was pleasant, just like before. ¡°ra Neal.¡± ra took a deep breath and exined with a smile. Let bygones be bygones. Today could be the first day they met. ¡°Sounds nice.¡± Mike¡¯s lips were curved. He looked at her uniform. ¡°Do you work here?¡± ¡°Kind of,¡± ra replied vaguely. Mike saw ra¡¯s dropped breakfast and picked it up. ¡°Sorry. Tamara is spoiled. Since these are dirty, let me buy you something new. Where do you work? I¡¯ll bring it to you.¡± ¡°No need.¡± ra¡¯s voice was indifferent. She looked up at him. ¡°Thanks for saving me. When I woke up, you had already left. I didn¡¯t know who you were, so I was worried I couldn¡¯t thank you.¡± Without waiting for his response, she continued coldly, ¡°Thanks for the clothes and money. I¡¯ve packed them up for you. if you give me an address, I can send them to you.¡± Tamara listened to their conversation. Because of Mike, she didn¡¯t dare to make trouble. However, she realized Mike had saved ra at Ranary Hills. That was why Harry failed. Tamara was enraged. It was so close. How could the bi t c h be so lucky? Mike frowned. ¡°I was going to see you but I had to leave. As for those stuff, they¡¯re because you need it. No need for niceties.¡± ra was about to reply when Walter¡¯s tall and dashing figure appeared. His cold and sharp gaze swept across them. ra stiffened and shivered. Walter strode toward them. His gaze fell on ra. Her long hair was disheveled, her clothes in disarray, and she had been talking with Mike. ¡°What are you doing?¡± His voice was cold. ra stammered, ¡°1¡­¡± Tamara went up to Walter affectionately. ¡°Walter, I came to find you.¡± Walter brushed off Tamara¡¯s hand. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you.¡± Tamara stood awkwardly to the side. ¡°Walter, it¡¯s been a long time.¡± Mike greeted. Walter¡¯s face was tense. ¡°When did you return?¡±Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°A few days ago.¡± Mike smiled. ¡°I haven¡¯t been back in three years. Zwingenrath has changed a lot. I almost didn¡¯t recognize it.¡± Walter nced at Mike. ¡°Your vision is restored?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Mike looked around. ¡°I could see back much earlier but underwent some repair surgeries and professional eye lens recovery training. I¡¯ve regained my sight.¡± ra looked down in silence. That was right. When she saved Mike three years ago, he was blind. It was understandable that Mike didn¡¯t recognize her. 11 Chapter 40 Chapter 40 ¡°Walter, is she your employee?¡± Mike pointed at ra. ¡°Which department is she in? I identally knocked over her breakfast. I wanted to rece it.¡± ra was surprised. She didn¡¯t expect Mike to hide Tamara¡¯s unruly behavior nor repeat the question she hadn¡¯t answered. ¡°It¡¯s only breakfast.¡± Walter¡¯s tone was stiff. ¡°Or do you think we can¡¯t feed our staff?¡± Mike grinned. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that.¡± Walter stared at ra coldly. ¡°Haven¡¯t you got a watch? Why are youte on your first day?¡± ra could only mutter, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Colon. Mr. Moss, goodbye.¡± She quickly left, taking the next elevator. Mike¡¯s eyes followed ra until she vanished. Walter¡¯s expression worsened.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°I dyed her just now. Don¡¯t me her,¡± Mike exined. He didn¡¯t press when Walter didn¡¯t answer where ra worked. It was apparent Walter didn¡¯t want to tell him. Something was going on between them or Tamara wouldn¡¯t publicly assault ra. Walter had been unfriendly since he appeared. ¡°I¡¯m here for the coboration.¡± Mike changed the topic. ¡°Shall we discuss it?¡± ¡°Walter, I¡¯m here for that too.¡± Tamara quickly put on an innocent and charming appearance. ¡°Since you agreed, he was happy and kept asking how it¡¯s going.¡± Tamara also wanted to get closer to Walter and see his reaction to ra¡¯s death. She couldn¡¯t meet Walter in thest few days, so she had toe in today. However, ra was alive. Tamara cared about the project too. The sooner it was established, the more secure she would be. Not wanting to seem overeager, Tamara changed her tune. ¡°Walter, I¡¯m not rushing you. I missed you and came to see you too.¡± She pretended to be shy and lowered her head, twisting her fingers. Walter nced at them. ¡°You can go back. When the proposal is ready, I¡¯ll contact you.¡± Thest part was directed at Mike. Walter left. ¡°Hold on, Walter¡­¡± Tamara wanted to chase him. She hadn¡¯t even talked to Walter. How could she leave? It was uneptable. Mike wretched Tamara back, dragging her out of the Colon Group. ¡°Exin yourself.¡± Mike¡¯s tone was cold. He knew Tamara. Tamara pretended to be gentle and virtuous but was arrogant and ruthless. When she was abroad, she was harsh on the s e v n t s, often scolding and hitting them, causing a lot of resentment. ¡°Exin what?¡± Tamara revealed her true colors. ¡°Are you talking about that b i t c h ra? She¡¯s Walter¡¯s mistress. She¡¯s a vixen. Why can¡¯t I hit her?¡± Mike was shocked. No wonder. However, ra didn¡¯t feel like someone who depended on a man. When Mike saved her, her frail and pale appearance made his heart ache. Although Mike only exchanged a few words with her, his heart clenched. For some reason, ra gave him a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. 1/1 The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!