《Savvy Son-in-law by VKBoy》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    ¡°Rebeeca, are you kidding me? Now I know why you didn¡¯t have a wedding. To think your husband is a


    freaking pizza-delivery guy!¡± a blonde in a skimpy dress let the words flow out of her mouth like a


    monkey¡¯s exaggerated screams.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it, Jane.¡± The brte sitting in the driver¡¯s seat took her shades out and bit on them. She


    was wearing a metallic fashion dress that revealed some of her breasts and most of her healthy thighs


    with zero cellulite and perfect shine. She tried to exin herself by telling her a few things.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying your vagina never vomited white stuff after getting married?¡± Jane covered her mouth


    in both shock and pity. ¡°I went out on an extended foreign trip to find a good-looking husband, but you


    are here¡­ stuck with a pizza-delivery guy.¡±


    Reba didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry.


    ¡°At least tell me he¡¯s attractive.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Reba felt awkward to respond to such a question.


    The car they were in, a red Porsche, had stopped in front of a cluster of vintage pizza huts. A guy in an


    orange uniform ran out to meet them. He was neither tall nor short. Neither slim nor fat. His hair was


    unkempt, and his beard was not properly cared for, but as far as his eyes were considered, he


    definitely was as pure as angels.


    ¡°How long have you been waiting for?¡± he leaned closer for a kiss.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see my friend is inside?¡± Reba¡¯s brows drew together. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time or ce for a


    kiss.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. Nevertheless, he showered a smile. ¡°I¡¯m


    sorry.¡±


    ¡°Get in.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± He thought he could kiss her because her friend was around, but that didn¡¯t work.


    The door opened. He sat in the back row. Reba drove off at a high speed.


    Jane turned her head and peered at the man who looked average but still strangely sexy even when


    covered in sweat. He was well-proportioned and prepossessing enough for her to keep looking,


    probably because she liked the hardworking, sweating type of men. ¡°I¡¯m Jane. Jane Cooper.¡± She


    brought her hand out and put her polished fingernails to view.


    ¡°Benjamin Wilde.¡±


    Their hands shook one another¡¯s, and her eyes slightly drew in more light. (Mm, a sturdy grip.) ¡°Your


    hands are so tough. I don¡¯t think you are just a pizza guy. What were you doing before that? Before you


    met Reba, I mean.¡±


    ¡°Ah, well¡­¡± he nced down. His hand was still tightly held by her, and she was smiling seductively


    and biting on her lower lip.


    ¡°Stop hitting on my husband,¡± Reba intervened straight away. ¡°He¡¯s mine.¡±


    ¡°I know. I know.¡± Jane let go of his hand and sat straight. ¡°I was just teasing my best friend¡¯s hubby,


    that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°I told you because we¡¯re close, but don¡¯t publicize it to others.¡±


    ¡°Of course. You don¡¯t need to tell me that, sweetie. I¡¯ll keep your little big secret all to myself, but¡­


    answer this one question,¡± Jane looked genuinely curious. ¡°Why did you marry a poor guy like him?


    Don¡¯t give me something like love at first sight bullshit.¡±


    ¡°You know about me, right? I¡¯m very particr with the men I date.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Jane put some roasted cashew into her mouth . ¡°All the guys I fucked back then would


    keep crying, saying that they couldn¡¯t get into your panties no matter how much they tried. If we begin


    talking about those nights, it will take forever, so get to the point quickly.¡±


    ¡°The thing is¡­¡± Reba kept talking about how she and Benjamin met in a bar. ¡°We talked,ughed,


    and drank and drank until midnight. Next thing we know, I woke up in my room, and he¡¯s snoring in my


    bed.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Jane¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°You married him because you had sex?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not just any sex,¡± Reba tried to exin through whispering even though it was


    ufortable. ¡°He freaking stole my virginity.¡±


    Jane¡¯s eyes widened. She knew how Reba had waited for the right man since high school days, but


    she never thought Reba would stay a virgin for so long. ¡°S-Still, you married him just for that silly


    reason?¡±


    Reba pursed her lips in annoyance but couldn¡¯t reply in words.


    ¡°So, uh, Benjamin¡­¡± Jane nced at him. ¡°Why are you still working as a pizza-delivery guy when you


    have married the daughter of a multi-millionaire?¡±


    ¡°I like working at Rye¡¯s Pizzas, and the challenges and surprises it brings, but I don¡¯t mind choosing


    whatever profession they pick for me if my wife and her family ept me as their family member,¡±


    replied Benjamin. ¡°But they still haven¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°So you are willing to quit the job you like for the sake of your wife, huh. I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s admirable


    or¡­¡± Jane now understood things better, but the silence between the husband and wife almost


    suffocated her. ¡°Anyway, I was a bit worried when she said she got married. She¡¯s a statuesque


    stunner, but you aren¡¯t half-bad, either. However, I feel like there¡¯s a lot more going on than what you


    have let me know,¡± she looked at Reba, ¡°so why don¡¯t you drop me at my apartment first, sweetie?¡±


    As Jane requested, Reba dropped the blonde at the apartmentplex which Jane¡¯s father owned.


    Just the rents from theplex would return hundreds of thousands of dors every year for the


    Cooper family, but they still couldn¡¯t be called rich whenpared to Reba¡¯s family.


    As the car sped up on a lonely road, silence filled the space between the two souls present in the car.


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    ¡°It¡¯s been what¡­¡± Benjamin broke the boring silence, ¡°8 months since we got married? Or should I say


    8 months since you ¡®almost¡¯ forced me to marry you?¡±


    Reba didn¡¯t say anything. Her focus was on driving, or so it seemed.


    ¡°Since then, you have kept me by your side, but you didn¡¯t even let me touch you,¡± he continued


    speaking in a bit of a heavy tone. ¡°You sleep on a different bed. You never talk much. You treat me like


    I¡¯m a rock that doesn¡¯t have any feelings. Your family¡­ I don¡¯t care about them, but I do have feelings


    for you. Can you see that?¡±


    Reba replied with silence yet again.


    ¡°On the first night we met, you called me Ben with such a sweet voice,¡± Benjamin¡¯s mouth turned down.


    ¡°Where did that loving Reba go?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re home.¡± She stopped the car at the main door of the vi and left without saying another word.


    As usual, he parked the car in a different ce, at the parking spot. As he locked the car, he heard a


    snicker from behind. Without even turning back, he could tell it was the chief driver Anous.


    He was old and as bald as babiese.


    ¡°Keke, you¡¯re still wearing that shitty uniform in this ce?¡± Anous¡¯ gaze was full of mockery. ¡°And why


    didn¡¯t you bring a cheesy chicken pizza for me, bitch? Do I have to remind you that every day?¡±


    ¡°Reba came to my workce, so I came out in a hurry,¡± Benjamin tried to exin himself.


    ¡°Tomorrow, I will make sure to bring you a double.¡±


    ¡°You better, or I¡¯ll purposely make on order from your pizzapany, and give you a shitty rating, you


    understand?¡± he kept barking like a dog from up close.


    ¡°I do,¡± replied Benjamin.


    Anous snorted in Benjamin¡¯s face before walking away in confident and arrogant strides.


    Benjamin¡¯s old-fashioned flip phone rang. An anonymous call. He paused for a second and answered.


    ¡°Master¡­¡± an aged voice rang sentimentally from the other side. ¡°When are you returning? This old


    soul can only guard your throne for so long. Your father also wants to see you.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Alfred, for all the trouble I¡¯ve caused,¡± Benjamin spoke in a bit of a regretful tone. ¡°I know I owe


    you and everyone an exnation, but please wait a little longer. I can¡¯t give you an exact date yet, but I


    will return, at least to see you and Dad.¡±


    ¡°Please make haste, Master.¡±


    The call ended.


    Benjamin took an audible breath through his nose and slid the mobile down his pocket. He went back


    to the car, opened it, and took out the cheesy chicken pizza and ripped a slice off of it and entered into


    the vi through the main door.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    Benjamin entered the vi through the main door while chewing on a pizza slice. This was the same


    pizza he had wanted to give to the chief driver, though he ended up lying about forgetting to bring it. He


    took the rest of the pizza to the children¡¯s room.


    His inw¡¯s children, there were four of them. All crazy, selfish, and self-absorbed in their own ways,


    just like their parents. Two of them talked too much, while the other two rarely ever talked.


    When Benjamin walked in, they were all ying games or chatting with their friends in their own


    mobiles. Their mobiles looked stylish and up-to-datepared to the crappy old mobile Benjamin had.


    ¡°Hey, kids. I brought pizza,¡± Benjamin put excitement into his voice.


    ¡°Put it on the table and leave,¡± the oldest of the four, Lisa, replied without even looking. Even though


    she looked cute with her pigtails and all, her words were always cold and indifferent, even more so than


    Reba.


    Benjamin did as she said and was leaving. (Not one of them looked at me. They eat the pizzas I bring,


    but they don¡¯t even call me uncle. None of my friends were this self-centered when we were young. It


    just shows how poorly these kids were raised, or should I say they weren¡¯t cared for properly?)


    ¡°Ah, Benjamin, wait,¡± the second oldest among them, Roshan, called out for him.


    Benjamin stopped and turned around.


    ¡°It¡¯s Sunday, so don¡¯t forget to polish our shoes before tomorrow morning,¡± Roshan said, sparing a


    nce at Benjamin. The best thing about Roshan was his hair, which didn¡¯t needbing. It was like


    that of Justin Bieber in his Baby song. However, his character was a thousand times more


    questionable.


    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Benjamin forced out a smile. Roshan was only fourteen years old, two years younger than


    Lisa, yet he was the one who made Benjamin iron their school uniforms and clothes almost every


    single day, as told by his grandmother. For a twelve-year-old, he probably had a heart full of hatred


    because he listened to Reba¡¯s mother way too much.


    Benjamin was walking out silently with a little bit of a heavy heart.


    ¡°Wait, bring me a slice,¡± Roshan called for him.


    Benjamin stood there for a second before turning back with a hot smile on his face. He delivered a slice


    to Roshan and walked out while licking the sauce stuck to his finger.


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    ¡°Shameless,¡± a feminine voice almost hurt his ears. It was Veronica, the short-haired younger sister of


    Reba, who was wearing a see-through dress that revealed her bra and panties. She was eating


    noodles.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to describe yourself,¡± replied Benjamin before he was able to control his tongue.


    Veronica¡¯s eyes and mouth widened for a second. ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    (Ah, crap¡­) Benjamin already knew where this was going.


    Veronica immediately tossed the cup of noodles at him. He swiftly dodged to the side, but then she


    threw the fork with even greater force. Thanks to his lightning-quick reaction, the fork was caught


    between his forefinger and middle finger an inch away from his left eye. (That was dangerous.)


    ¡°Mom! Dad!¡± Veronica began crying out loud as she stamped her feet up the stairs. ¡°Your useless son-


    inw just called me shameless!¡±


    The first one to walk out of their rooms was none other than Reba.


    Veronica¡¯s tearless eyes tried so hard to get wet. ¡°Sis,¡± she ran over to her elder sister with a crying


    face. ¡°Your good-for-nothing husband said I¡¯m shameless! You should punish him!¡±


    ¡°Why did he call you shameless?¡± Reba queried.


    ¡°Because I wore this dress,¡± Veronica replied in haste. ¡°You should punish him. Make him clean the


    dishes today. No, for this whole week!¡±


    Reba cast a cold nce at Benjamin. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my sister wearing this dress in this


    house? Why did you have to call her shameless? Are you trying to get back at me through her?¡±


    ¡°Y-You¡¯ve got it wrong, darling,¡± he said, but then a re from her made him say, ¡°I mean, Reba.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s got it wrong?¡± a talldy entered the scene, her chin slightly tilted up, but her gaze looking down


    on Benjamin throughout. She had not a single white hair even though she was Reba¡¯s mother,


    Selena, and was fifty seven years old. After all, she was an A-list actress who needed to keep


    appearances. ¡°My daughter who earns over a million dors per month as a top fashion designer, or a


    trash who toils on the streets every day of the week and barely makes mere five figures per year?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the trash who¡¯s got it wrong,¡± Veronica backed her mother like she always would. ¡°As he


    always does. And he just stole my noodle cup from me!¡±


    ¡°To think you¡¯d steal food from your sister-inw,¡± Selena¡¯s gaze was filled with disappointment, with a


    mix of anger as she peered at her son-inw. She shifted her gaze to her daughter, ¡°It seems there¡¯s


    really no limit to how low he can stoop.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with the ruckus?¡± Jacob, a burly man in a ck suit, stopped right behind Reba¡¯s mother.


    He was taller than her and sturdier as well like one of those hairy guys in vintage videos. Despite his


    old age, his muscles showed out through the suit. He took a couple whiffs from his smoking pipe before


    speaking, ¡°Why are you three wasting your time with this guy?¡± he shook his head and walked past


    Benjamin. ¡°Time is money. Don¡¯t waste it on someone who eats more than he earns.¡±


    Jacob¡¯s words brought distasteful smiles on Veronica and her mother¡¯s faces. Reba seemed as


    indifferent as ever to negative remarks about him.


    Benjamin¡¯s heart grew heavy, and he lowered his head and walked away. Jacob¡¯s words weren¡¯t


    completely wrong. The menu made for breakfast and dinner in this vi would cost a lot if he were to


    eat the same food in a restaurant. A pizza-delivery guy couldn¡¯t possibly hope to afford to eat such


    meals monthly, let alone daily. Nevertheless, hearing such unpleasant words stung Benjamin¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to clean the dishes after dinner tonight,¡± Veronica blurted vehemently.


    ¡°Hold on, Trashmin,¡± Selena walked forth and put her hands in Benjamin¡¯s pocket, which didn¡¯t startle


    her daughters at all. She pulled out an envelope full of cash. This was Benjamin¡¯s earnings for the


    week. She slid it in her costly handbag with a shameless smile on her face. ¡°If you need any money,


    you can ask my daughter.¡± She then walked away.


    Veronica was now snickering inly. This wasn¡¯t the first time she saw Selena snatch Benjamin¡¯s


    earnings, though she mostly did it behind the scenes when Reba wasn¡¯t watching. Nevertheless,


    she was thoroughly entertained. She came up to him and spoke in a low, mocking voice, ¡°You can¡¯t


    even buy a pizza now. You need to ask my sister even if you want to recharge your shitty mobile. That¡¯s


    what you get for stealing my sister¡¯s priceless purity! You will pay for that sin for the rest of your life,


    roaming in this house like a dog, keke!¡± With an amused expression, she left the scene, unting her


    see-through dress.


    Only Benjamin and Reba were left standing there by the inner balcony with a view of the ground


    floor and upper floors.


    Benjamin could have left, but he stood there, hoping his wife, who looked wonderfully cute in pajamas,


    would say at least oneforting word.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Reba asked, her hands folded as though she was guarding


    herself against this man¡¯s intentions. ¡°You brought this upon yourself, so suck it up.¡± Saying that she


    went back to her room.


    Suck it up. Yeah. She was spot on, he thought. That was exactly what he had been doing for many


    months. But, like with any other human being, he, too, had his limit, and his self-control would also be


    broken one day. However, he hoped such a day would nevere, for he really wanted to set things


    right with his one and only wife.


    Suddenly, something flew past his head, and his hand reacted in response. A fork flew out of his hand


    and struck the thing that had just whooshed past him. He looked to his right. A butterfly was pinned to


    the pir by the fork, which had pierced its wings. He squeezed his lips together and walked over to the


    pir. He gently pulled out the fork and separated the butterfly. It flew off his palm, but it couldn¡¯t fly for


    long because of the holes in its wings, and it began to fall. He stretched forth his hand and made sure it


    landed on his palm. Seeing it struggle to fly reminded him of his current self. ¡°I know. It¡¯s my fault that


    you¡¯re like this, but never lose hope, my friend. Luckily, only two of your wings got hit. The other two are


    just fine. You can still do it if you try.¡± He gently blew the butterfly off his hand, and the little push he


    gave helped the butterfly, and it persevered like it was born for this. And it paid off.


    The butterfly flew as Benjamin believed.


    And he was genuinely happy for it. His phone rang. He flicked it open. The word ¡®King¡¯ popped up on


    the screen. He stared at the screen for a while before bringing the mobile closer to his ear and


    answering with a press of the button.


    Silence on both ends, but one could hear the breath of the other.


    ¡°Your breathing rhythm tells me your heart is weighing you down,¡± a mature and manly voice spoke


    from the other side. ¡°But I want to hear it from your own mouth¡­.¡± his voice turned a tad bit caring, ¡°So,


    how are you doing, my son?¡±


    Hearing his father¡¯s voice, Benjamin¡¯s eyes turned a little teary, but he couldn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry at you, so why don¡¯t youe home?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I already told Alfread I¡¯ll being home,¡± Benjamin¡¯s voice grew somewhat heavy. ¡°Didn¡¯t he tell


    you?¡±


    ¡°He did, but I wanted to hear it from you directly,¡± he said. ¡°And I¡¯m d you are nning to return. I¡¯ll


    be waiting for you.¡±


    ¡®See you soon¡­ Dad.¡±


    The call ended. Benjamin drew in an audible breath and exhaled the same. ¡°Now that they found me, I


    hope they won¡¯t cause any trouble to the Sterlings.¡±

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    At night.


    Almost everyone from the family gathered at the dining table and began eating, all except one who was


    still standing and serving food for others.


    He was the only son-inw of the Sterling family, yet taunts and mockings were flung at him every


    other minute. Even the children took part in it enthusiastically.


    Sunday was a cheat day, so Selena was gorging on everything her hands could get hold of. While


    everyone sitting ate their fill to the point of burping twice or thrice, nobody offered Benjamin food or told


    him to sit and eat, not even his wife.


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    He was hungry, but he was fed their trivial talk peppered with lies. He had to listen to them exchanging


    lies to one another. For instance, the children lied the most by hiding things they were doing. Lisa was


    chatting with her boyfriend since afternoon, but she lied about that. Roshan was watching exclusive


    stripping videos since evening, yet he acted like he was doing his homework. The other two children,


    who were much younger, also prepared their own share of little lies when in fact they had been


    watching gory videos on the inte.


    After everyone finished with their meals, all except Jacob started speaking about the good or worth-


    mentioning things they had done on that day.


    Selena said she pulled off an excellently emotional acting scene of ckmailing her ex-husband in the


    movie, and it indirectly gave Jacob goosebumps.


    Shawn, the eldest son of Jacob, said, ¡°I¡¯ve received 70%mission after two of my clients applied for


    their life and vehicle insurances.¡±


    Louis, the second son, spoke, ¡°I and my wife were focused on our business, as usual.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve created a new bikini model,¡± Reba said. ¡°Waiting for it to be epted.¡±


    Veronica grinned and showed off the bikini she was wearing through her see-through dress, ¡°I have


    been testing out sis¡¯ new bikini prototype since the past week, and tomorrow, I¡¯ll leave a professional


    review for her!¡±


    Lisa and Roshan talked about their school experience. The other two children mumbled as usual.


    ¡°That concludes today¡¯s dinner,¡± Jacob said, slightly burping.


    Everyone was about to get off their seats, but Selena said, ¡°What about you, Trashmin?¡±


    Benjamin was the only one standing, and he didn¡¯t hesitate to say, ¡°I¡¯ve delivered pizzas, of course.¡±


    Lisa chuckled. Roshan shook his head. Veronica smirked. Reba stayed silent.


    Shawn nced at his father. ¡°How much longer should we put up with this, father? I don¡¯t want to see


    an ipetent guy¡¯s face every day in this house. He has a bad influence on our children, too, with


    the way he carries himself without much care in the world. When will you kick him out? After the world


    finds out that he¡¯s your son-inw?¡±


    Jacob wiped his mouth extra clean with a handkerchief tucked at a maid¡¯s waist. ¡°You think I take


    pleasure in seeing this nobody every freaking day in my vi? I¡¯m bearing this disgrace only because of


    my daughter, because she kept him by her side.¡±


    Shawn¡¯s gaze quickly shifted to Reba. ¡°When are you going to divorce him?¡±


    ¡°Why should I tell you?¡± Reba spoke back in a sharp tone. ¡°Will you tell me when you¡¯re going to


    divorce your wife?¡± she cast a brief nce at Elizabeth, the long-haired blonde sitting next to Shawn.


    Her curly hair and chubby face made her look very motherly and appealing to the eyes, but the same


    couldn¡¯t be said about her character.


    ¡°What?¡± Shawn stood in haste, smashing his palms on the table, startling almost everyone, except the


    one standing. Benjamin was ready to rush in if Shawn were to attack his sister.


    ¡°Shawn, calm down!¡± Jacob and Selena quickly said, almost standing up in the process.


    Shawn gritted his teeth before coldly barking, ¡°Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m your elder brother. I may not earn as


    much as you do right now, but I will definitely inherit more of Father¡¯s business and wealth than you


    do.¡± Saying that he left.


    ¡°Hmph,¡± though Reba didn¡¯t like what she was hearing, she knew Shawn was speaking the truth.


    Jacob loved his two sons more than his two daughters. Both of his sons were older than his daughters


    and shared his facial features, so Jacob naturally doted on them since they were young. Reba had


    to work hard to prove herself in order to receive some love from her father. Veronica, on the other hand,


    was too busy with her own life to care if her father liked her or not.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to divorce him¡­¡± the second son, Louis, advised, ¡°you can just keep him in the


    shadows and marry a capable rich man. This guy can still serve as a bodyguard to you and your new


    husband. Nobody will ever doubt that he was your first husband. That would solve everything.¡±


    Benjamin didn¡¯t like what he just heard. He couldn¡¯t help but cast a hateful nce at the curly-haired


    Louis, whom he believed was the most mysterious and dangerous candidate of this family. Even


    though Benjamin tried to find what work Louis exactly did, he couldn¡¯t find a single detail in the eight


    months he had been in this vi. Louis wouldn¡¯t even reveal his earnings to his parents, after all. But


    since Louis was taking care of his wife and children well, neither Jacob nor Selena pressured him into


    revealing what work he exactly did these days.


    Louis looked like an innocent man wearing sses. One could easily mistake him for a librarian who


    never consumed eggs or meat, but Benjamin, with his experience, had the feeling that this guy was a


    snake living in a suit. His orange-haired wife, Be, was also as mysterious as her husband, if not


    more. She would rarely speak even to her own children.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Louis pursued his sister. ¡°If you want, I can find you a capable


    husband. A man you deserve.¡±


    ¡°Why are my brothers always trying so hard to show that they care for me?¡± Reba asked them back,


    a hint of resentment flowing through her voice. ¡°If you really cared for me, you would have guarded me


    properly so I would have never slept with such a man! And, you guys¡­¡± She looked at her parents,


    ¡°you are responsible for this, too.¡± She stood at once and strode away in quick but heavy footsteps.


    Soon, everyone left for their rooms.


    Benjamin sat down at the table, but he wasn¡¯t feeling as hungry as he was before the dinner had


    started. He couldn¡¯t digest the fact that his wife still saw him the same way she did on the day of


    marriage. ¡°You vowed in the presence of God, to love and to cherish me till death do us part, yet you


    still seem to hate that I¡¯m married to you. I know I took your virginity, but how long are you going to


    punish me for that one night? Even the moon gets to shine brightly once every month, but why am I


    suffering here for eight months straight if not to experience an inkling of your love? When will you


    understand my feelings? After my heart breaks?¡±


    He stood and walked off without eating.


    A couple of minutester.


    Benjamin knocked on a door twice before entering a room. There were two beds fixed six feet apart.


    Reba wasying on one of those and was reading a fashion magazine. He came to his bed and fell


    at once and closed his eyes.


    She briefly nced at him before getting back to reading.


    Benjamin opened his eyes quickly. (Did she look at me just now?) He could see she was immersed in


    reading the book. (Nah, she couldn¡¯t have.) Still, he kept watching her, and it reminded him of the time


    he first saw her in the bar, wearing a splendid green dress, when her beauty that could make even lilies


    and jasmines envy bound him in an invisible cage, and her smile burned his chest and burdened his


    breath. Men had surrounded her like bees would surround honey, yet she ignored all those male bees


    and came up to him who was sitting at a corner table and revealed herself like the moon revealing itself


    through the clouds and cast his darkness away. That was the shortest yet the most memorable night


    Benjamin had ever experienced.


    He shut his eyes again.


    As seconds turned into minutes, he began to murmur in his sleep. ¡°I love you, Reba. I really do.¡±


    His murmur was loud enough to reach her ears in that silent room. It made her eventually close the


    magazine she was reading and put it away. She got down from her bed, came up to his bed and pulled


    the nket that was at the end of the bed so that it now covered him up to his shoulders. Without


    looking at his face any longer than a second, she went back to her bed and switched the lights off.


    A few secondster, the lights turned on again. She came up to his bed and pulled the nket down to


    one end of his bed before switching the lights off.

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    If there was anyone more shameless than pigs, it was Shawn¡¯s wife, Elizabeth. Shamelessness ran in


    her blood was what Benjamin believed.


    Her family would spend around 100 days every year in the Sterling family, and the rest of the days,


    Elizabeth would regrly travel to and fro using Sterling¡¯s money. She didn¡¯t have any job, not that she


    tried to get one in the first ce.


    She was so dependent on her husband for hervish lifestyle of attending yacht shows and tennis


    tournaments all around the world. Still, she had no respect for Selena even though Shawn loved his


    mother more than anything else. Maybe, that was exactly why she couldn¡¯t bring herself to respect


    Selena because she wanted Shawn to respect and love her the most first.


    She would always try to put fights between Veronica and her mother and would enjoy the show from


    the side. However, she received the most entertainment from a single person. And that was the only


    son-inw of the Sterling family.


    ¡°Benjamin! Where are you?¡± Elizabeth¡¯s screams echoed in the vi. She was so loud, she even


    scared the birds nesting in the trees growing on thewn. ¡°Benj-fucking-min! I¡¯m calling you! Get your


    ass over here this instant!¡±


    Benjamin came running down from his room. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sister?¡±


    Elizabeth pped him hard. ¡°Who is your sister? Call me Madam Elizabeth, you uneducated brute,¡±


    she threw her shoes in his face. ¡°Did you forget that it¡¯s Monday? Polish my shoes first, and then iron


    my clothes. After that you take care of others¡¯ shoes.¡± She didn¡¯t even look at him before she walked


    away, still blowing steam through her nose.


    It was still five o¡¯clock, so it was quite obvious that this woman purposely disturbed his sleep. Benjamin


    could tell why she looked down on him so much. It was because she thought he was uneducated.


    ¡°This woman¡­¡± he was holding his anger back. ¡°She¡¯s much older than me, yet I¡¯m addressing her as


    sister, but she has a problem with that. Maybe I should call her Aunt next time. That fits her better.¡±


    It took Benjamin two full hours to iron the clothes and polish the shoes of a dozen people. Selena then


    came and gave him a new pair of dresses and told him to refresh them, saying that she needed to


    attend a film festival theing day.


    As the kids went to school, Lisa came up to Benjamin and took some money from him. She treated him


    like he was some money-minting machine. She always came to him if she needed pocket money


    before going to school. Though his sry was being hogged by Selena every other week, he gave Lisa


    the money he received as tips. Sometimes, the tips he would receive would be higher than his weekly


    sry itself.


    Lisa was Elizabeth¡¯s daughter, but both of them treated Benjamin inpletely different bad ways.


    As Benjamin was climbing the stairs and heading to his room, a couple of maids that were sitting by the


    stairs and rxing saw him and snickered among themselves. One of those two joined work only the


    previous day, yet she was alreadyughing at Benjamin.


    ¡°Is he the one?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s the one everyone calls the unpaid maid.¡±


    ¡°He has to respect them even when they mistreat him. He¡¯s pretty much a ve.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. He should keep his wife and inws happy even if they don¡¯t keep him happy.¡±


    The maids at the vi all called Benjamin the Unpaid Maid. It was a humiliating title as the title of a


    maid wasn¡¯t supposed to be given to a man. And to add to that humiliation, even the butlers called him


    by that title more often than not.


    Just then, someone entered the vi, but the maids were toozy to receive them. So one of the maids,


    the older one, Kathy, snapped her fingers and called for Benjamin. ¡°Hey, UM. We have a guest.¡±


    Benjamin stopped and exhaled audibly before turning and climbing down to the stairs to receive the


    guest who came to share details about some of their garden products. This wasn¡¯t the first time the


    maids made him attend to all the boring guests that wouldn¡¯t benefit them in any way.


    Even though he would listen to the maids and do their work, they would still taunt him on each and


    everything he did. Because he was good-looking, they would mock him for his average height and the


    fact that they earn more as maids than he earned as a pizza delivery guy. The maids would get any


    dresses that go unused by Selena, or other females of the house, and they would sell these dresses


    outside and earn a lot more than their sry. On the contrary, Benjamin wasn¡¯t even allowed to buy the


    clothes he wanted.


    Benjamin even cooked when the maids told him to. He wanted his wife to taste his cooking, but


    whatever he cooked, she didn¡¯t like it. Every time he entered the kitchen for anything, the chefs would


    tell him to clean the kitchen.


    No matter what part of the vi he went to at any time of the day, every worker would give their work to


    him. It had be amon thing in the past eight months or so.


    Benjamin wasn¡¯t a fool. He knew that Selena had told the workers to put Benjamin through hell so he


    would run away and never show his face to her daughter again. However, Benjamin never once


    scolded or fought back against the workers for pushing their work onto him. He was just hoping his wife


    would take notice of his goodness and have a change of heart.


    He didn¡¯t care about any adults in the Sterling family except for his wife. Everything he did was for her.


    He wanted to do a lot of things for her, like buying her good food and clothes and what not. However,


    with Reba being a fashion designer, she never let him buy clothes. Her ego was just so big she


    never liked what others suggested when it came to clothing. As for eating, she was not a good eater,


    either.


    As he was talking to the guest, his wife came downstairs at 9:30 and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Those were the


    words he had been waiting to hear since morning. He apologized to the guest for having to leave and


    told him the maids would take care of him before Benjamin apanied his wife and brought the car


    to the main door. He sat there in the driver¡¯s seat and expectantly looked at her.


    She raised one of her brows. ¡°That steering isn¡¯t something you can handle, Benjamin.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°But, my love¡­¡± Benjamin pouted a bit, but that didn¡¯t work. In fact, it made her squint her eyes. He


    sighed and got into the back seat. She sat in the driver¡¯s seat and drove off.


    Everyday, Reba would drop him off at the pizza hut and then pick him up in the evening sharply at


    5:30. He found it hard to tell if she was doing this to put a tight leash on his freedom, or because she


    cared for him a teeny little bit.


    If he talked too much, she would get angry, so he chose his words before speaking, ¡°Can¡¯t we both stay


    at a different house? One that¡¯s closer to both of our working ces?¡±


    This was the first time Benjamin posed such a question, so she was a little taken by surprise. Where


    did he get the courage to ask such a question? She briefly wondered. Though she wouldn¡¯t answer any


    troublesome questions in general, she replied this time saying, ¡°It may be rxing for you if you stay


    away from the vi, but not for me. That¡¯s the house I grew up in. And I¡¯m not leaving that anytime


    soon.¡± She didn¡¯t sound convincing when saying that as she had other ns.


    ¡°Thought so,¡± Benjamin muttered in disappointment.


    ¡°What?¡± her brows contradicted.


    ¡°Nothing. I was saying your thoughts are understandable. I feel great for having such a caring and


    understanding wife.¡±


    ¡°Save your energy for the job,¡± she said. ¡°And don¡¯t you dare tell anyone that I¡¯m your wife. To


    strangers, we¡¯re just friends.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he looked dull as he replied. How could she be so cold when he was trying to get closer to


    her? There was probably nothing harder for him than to lie to others that she wasn¡¯t his wife.


    ¡°Kathy said you didn¡¯t eatst night. Why?¡±


    ¡°Ah, my stomach wasn¡¯t well.¡±


    ¡°Should I make an appointment with my doctor?¡±


    ¡°T-There¡¯s no need. I¡¯m feeling okay now.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve already made an appointment, so we¡¯re going in the evening.¡±


    ¡°O-Okay,¡± he said. (When you¡¯ve already made an appointment, why bother asking me now?)


    Soon, after the Porsche left the vi, a new courier arrived. One of the butlers named Oliver with a


    butcher¡¯s physique received it. After looking at the ¡®from¡¯ address, which only had the name ¡®King¡¯ on it,


    he was puzzled for a second, but after seeing the ¡®to¡¯ address written on the envelope, he grinned, for


    the courier was sent for Benjamin. ¡°Keke, for the Unpaid Maid?¡± He concealed it under his shirt and


    made sure no one saw him, and he paced toward the dorms in the north-west.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    Reba dropped him at the Rye¡¯s Pizzas, a cluster of vintage pizza huts, and left without saying at


    least a cursory bye. Only Benjamin waved his hand, expecting her to look back. Though she didn¡¯t look


    back, she did notice his efforts through the mirror and faintly smiled.


    ¡°I wish I knew fashion designing as well,¡± Benjamin thought. ¡°Then I would have joined herpany.¡±


    He sighed and got to work.


    Right after entering the cluster of huts, Benjamin had to take out all of his possessions and put them in


    the employee¡¯s storage box before getting into the blue uniform. Rings, lockets, and bracelets


    especially were not allowed inside the food center after all.


    Normal deliveries must be made within 30 minutes to any part of the city, and the customers would give


    anywhere from 1 to 5 stars of rating.


    Express deliveries must be made within 15 minutes only, and the customers would give anywhere from


    1 to seven stars.


    Benjamin¡¯s average rating now reached 4.8 after over 12,000 sessful deliveries, and he was long


    eligible to do express deliveries. He even held the highest record of delivering 183 parcels in a single


    day, but the manager didn¡¯t allow him to do the express deliveries just because of one reason. Every


    evening, a Porsche came to pick up Benjamin, and it made him extremely envious. He believed that


    such a guy wouldn¡¯t need to be a seven-star deliverer as there were others who would be d to


    earn a bigger srypared to Benjamin.


    However, unaware of the manager¡¯s intentions, Benjamin kept asking for promotion. After all, express


    delivery would increase his sry by almost eighty percent, and his tips would bulk up as well.


    Before 10 o¡¯clock, Benjamin inserted a second sim into his mobile, and he started receiving calls


    straight away. However, he answered only after the clock ticked to the ten hour mark.


    The first call was a kidughing and chuckling as he ordered ten pizzas. He wasn¡¯t even smart enough


    to mask his voice. Benjamin kept asking for his name, but the kid didn¡¯t reveal it and told Benjamin to


    bring the pizzas quickly to the address he blurted out. Benjamin cut the call and shook his head.


    ¡°A prank call to start the day. I have a bad feeling about this,¡± he sighed.


    He received another call in a matter of seconds. It was an order for a party of bachelors. Ten pizzas


    were ordered.


    Benjamin prepared them in five minutes, packed them in another three minutes and hit the road on a


    company¡¯s motorcycle. He used the shortcuts to avoid traffic and the troubling police and weaved his


    way through the city and reached the destination in fifteen minutes.


    He knocked twice on the door. A fat dude walked out to receive him. ¡°Took you so long. I was dying


    from hunger.¡±


    The order was exactly 100 dors, and Benjamin received a one dor tip, so he kept peering at the fat


    guy.


    ¡°What?¡± the fat dude asked.


    The tips generally ranged around ten percent of the order price, so Benjamin expected to receive ten


    dors. However, he only received a tenth of that. Naturally, his eyes had given the fat guy a no-no


    look. Other than that, he didn¡¯t say anything as his rating would take a dent.


    ¡°Have a good day, sir,¡± Benjamin forced out a smile before leaving in a hurry. He didn¡¯t have the time to


    waste. Since it was arge order, he didn¡¯t bother about taking other orders simultaneously. Now, he


    regretted that as it would take him at least fifteen minutes to reach the pizza hut, and so it would mean


    that he earned only a dor in the first hour of work.


    When Benjamin returned, the manager quickly came to him and asked, ¡°How much?¡±


    Benjamin showed him the dor bill.


    Christopher, the obese manager, almost burst intoughter. He patted Benjamin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You can


    keep it, but listen to me, andb your hair properly and make yourself more presentable. Some


    customers do care about appearances, so if you don¡¯t look professional, they won¡¯t drop you those


    handsome tips.¡± And then he went to his desk.


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    ¡°Does he give advice so he¡¯ll feel less guilty after stealing a major share of our tips?¡± Benjamin


    wondered.


    Christopher let the delivery guys keep their tips as long as they didn¡¯t earn more than ten dors per


    delivery. Any more, and he¡¯d snatch it all. Of course, the delivery guys used all their wisdom to get


    around this, even though they had to switch on the cameras on their uniforms the moment they


    stepped out of the pizza hut.


    In the next hour, Benjamin easily delivered five different orders and worked hard to deliver the sixth one


    because he knocked on the door ten times and called the customer five times, but nobody responded.


    He just couldn¡¯t wait there and so turned the ¡®busy¡¯ mode off in his mobile and received more customer


    calls. When their orders matched the current number of pizzas he had, he switched the busy mode on


    again so if another customer were to call him, they would hear his number was busy, and the call would


    get redirected to other delivery guys that were avable.


    The third hour between twelve to one was the busiest as most employees ordered Rye¡¯s Pizzas


    because they were popr and tasted so wellpared to what their office canteens provided.


    Benjamin took his break from one to two in the afternoon. And by break, he wouldn¡¯t get to sleep on a


    bed. He was allowed to go to the washroom and then eat whatever he wanted within fifteen minutes.


    And the remaining forty five minutes should be spent teaching or helping new delivery guys and girls on


    how to make pizzas and pack them appropriately at a lightning speed.


    One of the new employees, a girl who was almost ten years younger than Benjamin, began hitting on


    him. This was only her second day, and she was rubbing her elbow with his forearm when he helped


    her on how to fold the packages fast. She was a 19-year-old charming youngdy with bushy, attractive


    hair that most boys would swoon over.


    Benjamin smiled at her and said, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Jasmine,¡± she blushed as she disclosed her name.


    This wasn¡¯t Benjamin¡¯s first time getting approached by a female coworker after joining this job. He was


    purposely living without evenbing his hair or taking care of his beard properly, so as to not attract


    unnecessary attention from girls, but because his ratings as a worker were high, some girls still


    approached him for both good and bad reasons. So he already had a typical answer ready for this


    situation. ¡°I¡¯m sure if you had seen me wearing my wedding ring, you wouldn¡¯t be doing this, Jasmine.¡±


    His wordspletely changed her expression. She moved a step away. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Let¡¯s just focus on work.¡±


    ¡°M-Mm.¡±


    Even though they continued working together for the next half hour, he could tell that she felt awkward


    and ufortable. As it was nearing 2 o¡¯clock, he said, ¡°I hope you learned something today.¡±


    Jasmine couldn¡¯t tell whether he was talking about his pizza teachings or his little moral teaching.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Saying that she walked to her spot in haste.


    Benjamin exhaled an audible breath. ¡°Why can¡¯t she just get over it? Is it really that hard for a grown


    man and woman to just be friends?¡±


    Meanwhile, at Sterling¡¯s vi.


    In the butlers¡¯ dorms, Oliver finished watering the nts and hurried back to his room. He took out the


    ck parcel out of his drawer, and tore it open without hesitation or gentleness. He found a document


    and a tinum-coated card inside. There was a ¡®W¡¯ symbol crafted with small diamonds in the center of


    the cards.


    ¡°What the heck is this? Wait, are these diamonds?¡± He gave them a closer look. ¡°Nah, what sort of


    personalized card has diamonds in it? These must be fake,¡± he then read the document. ¡°Eternity


    Bank? I¡¯ve never heard of it. Wait, is this a credit card?¡± his eyes gained glow, and his lips blossomed


    into a crooked smile. ¡°Hehe,¡± he kept reading. ¡°Shit, so I will require his mobile to activate this thing?¡±


    his pupils constricted. ¡°I don¡¯t expect much, but if this is secretly gifted to him by his wife or something,


    there might be hundreds of thousands in this ount. If I can get that money, I can buy a meat shop


    and won¡¯t have to worry about eating chicken legs and wings for at least a decade! Hahaha!¡±

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    In the evening, Reba took Benjamin to her personal physician, one different from their family doctor,


    who gave him some medication to improve his hunger. No tablets. Only some syrup. However, the


    doctor took 300 dors for providing less than ten minutes of her time, which was much more than what


    Benjamin earned that day from tips working from 10 to 4 on that day.


    As they were heading home, Reba was silent as usual. She was a woman of few words, as though


    something always ran through her mind.


    ¡°Reba¡­¡± Benjamin started a conversation. It was better than being silent, after all. ¡°Today,¡± he was


    fiddling with his wedding ring, ¡°one of my coworkers started rubbing my elbow.¡±


    Reba was startled out of her thoughts, but she put on a poker face.


    ¡°I told her I¡¯m married, of course,¡± Benjamin continued. ¡°How can I look at another woman when I have


    you, right?¡± he looked into the mirror and could see her pretty doll-like face. He wanted to nt a kiss


    on her cute cheeks, but he couldn¡¯t dare to do so, not without taking her permission. Since she never


    even let him touch her, there was just no way she would allow him to kiss her. Hell would freeze over if


    she were to allow him to kiss tonight, so he didn¡¯t even bother asking.


    Since Reba wasn¡¯t responding to his efforts, Benjamin entered into his begging mode.


    ¡°Can we have dinner together at a restaurant tonight, please?¡± he asked in a pitiful tone, like that of a


    child who was begging his mother to buy him some sweet chocte. He looked so close to shedding a


    tear or two. ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to take me anywhere again this whole week.¡±


    It sounded like a great deal, so Reba felt tempted to agree. These days, Benjamin was talking too


    much. He was growing more and more desperate for her attention. She knew that. If taking him to a


    restaurant would calm him down, it was worth trying, she thought.


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± she said.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Benjamin didn¡¯t sound too excited. At least she didn¡¯t reject him, so he wasn¡¯t sad.


    ¡°By the way, how did you injure your hand?¡± she asked while ncing at his wedding ring. Unlike him,


    she didn¡¯t wear the ring.


    As for the injury, it was the doctor who had noticed Benjamin¡¯s wound, but he didn¡¯t tell the doctor how


    he suffered the bruise.


    ¡°Ah, this¡­ one of the customers asked me to move their sofas and beds up the stairs, and they were


    clumsy, so¡­¡±


    ¡°They ask the pizza guys to move their houseware?¡± Reba couldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°They do, sometimes,¡± Benjamin said, looking at the bruise on his hand. ¡°And I should say, this was the


    most memorable part of the day as I got to help someone who needed a hand. Moreover, the guy gave


    me a five dor tip, so it¡¯s a win-win for us.¡±


    ¡°He gave you a few extra bucks, and you took it?¡± Reba¡¯s brows drew together. ¡°That¡¯s stooping


    low. Don¡¯t take it like that next time.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°If you help someone, you should demand money from them for your service, not take whatever tips


    they throw in your hands. Got it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Benjamin tried to keep silent so she would forget about this topic.


    ¡°He gave you a couple of bucks, and I¡¯m sure it was cheaper for him than hiring someone to move his


    stuff.¡±


    ¡°You are not wrong, but¡­¡±


    ¡°He used you. Can¡¯t you see that?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Benjamin didn¡¯t know what to say. This was what he found difficult to understand about her. She


    thought of things in her own self-centered perspective and made things difficult for him, straight from


    that morning when she woke up and found him sleeping next to her in her bed that no other man had


    everid on before that. It was her pride that got hurt the most at that moment, and because of that,


    she couldn¡¯t let him walk away, so she married him and bound him to her to keep him in her sight,


    always.


    Benjamin was doing his best to make her see how much he cared for her, but her eyes were still


    blinded to such things because her ego and pride would have been infinitely bigger than her breasts if


    they were to be manifested into the earthly realm.


    Thinking about breasts, Benjamin didn¡¯t even remember what exact shape or size Reba¡¯s breasts


    were. What was the appearance and texture of her nipples? Everything was so vague, not because he


    was pretty drunk when they had sex on that fated night but because if felt like it happened ages ago. All


    the hardships he had been experiencing ever since entering Sterling¡¯s vi made him forget not just


    about that night but even his own name sometimes. He also barely remembered the moment he first


    entered Reba after she said the words, ¡®Be gentle.¡¯


    At present, he wasn¡¯t even sure if she really said those words or he just cooked up that little story in his


    dreams. He could onlyugh at his own inability to not even remember such important and personal


    things about his wife.


    When they got home, Anous, the chief driver, was waiting for his cheesy chicken pizza with extra


    toppings. He waited until Reba went inside and then hurried over to Benjamin before he even


    parked the car.


    ¡°Where is my double, bitch?¡± he demanded by stopping in the car¡¯s path.


    As promised, Benjamin handed him the two pizzas worth 30 dors. All he received in return was


    Anous¡¯ snickering as he walked away like a crooked old rat.


    The head butler, Devon, was watching all this from a distance. He came over after Benjamin had


    parked the car.


    ¡°How much do you earn through tips, boy?¡± he asked curiously.


    ¡°It depends,¡± Benjamin replied casually. ¡°Richmunities make more orders but give less tips, so the


    more I avoid them, the higher my earnings will be.¡±


    ¡°Hoh, are you saying the lower and the middle ss customers pay more?¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°No, but they always make sure to tip us,¡± Benjamin replied. ¡°The rich kids just don¡¯t know what we


    pizza guys go through, so they either give a lot or nothing most of the time.¡±


    ¡°Interesting. It¡¯s really interesting how the world works these days,¡± Devon sounded amused. ¡°Back in


    my younger days, work was really simple. You know everything before what you¡¯re getting into.¡±


    ¡°Though it may seem that way now, the equation is still simple and straightforward,¡± Benjamin said.


    ¡°The longer it takes for you to reach the front door, the harder it will be for you to make the residents


    pull dor bills out of their purses. There are always exceptions, of course, like some old grandmother


    who¡¯s overly grateful, but I try not to take from such folks unless they make orders often.¡±


    ¡°Mm, I see,¡± he stretched forth his hand.


    Benjamin looked around before putting a small pack of weed. ¡°Go easy, or you¡¯ll kick the bucket soon.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯m not afraid of death anymore.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but you should at least be afraid of the one who created death.¡±


    ¡°And who would that be? God? Isn¡¯t he the one who created this weed? Why would he punish me for


    consuming it?¡±


    ¡°The issue isn¡¯t whether you¡¯re smoking weed or not,¡± Benjamin put his hand on Devon¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s


    about how you are treating your own body and life. Just because you don¡¯t have any regrets, it doesn¡¯t


    mean you¡¯re doing the right thing. There¡¯s nothing in this vi that can give you peace. Go to where


    your children are, and spend yourst days with them. I¡¯m sure your wife would also want you to do


    that.¡±


    Devon pushed his hand away. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what my wife would have wanted me to do!¡± Saying that


    he left.


    Benjamin just watched the old butler leave. Ever since Devon¡¯s wife, the chief maid of the vi, died


    about six months back, Devon hadn¡¯t been himself. He was secretly smoking and drinking after his


    work hours. From the way he went about things, he seemed like he wanted to die in the same vi his


    wife passed away. Still, Benjamin couldn¡¯t just see the old butler suffering.


    ¡°Should I just bring his children here once?¡± Benjamin wondered. ¡°Maybe, some time with them will


    change his mind.¡±


    ¡°Benj-fucking-min!¡± a voice echoed in the vi, startling the sparrows in the garden. ¡°Get your stinking


    ass over here!¡±


    Benjamin frowned. It was Elizabeth¡¯s voice. ¡°What¡¯s this gold digger up to now?¡± he thought, but then


    he yelled in response. ¡°I¡¯ming, ma¡¯am.¡± He ran into the vi to be of service to the Sterling family


    as usual.


    Oliver, who was watering the nts in the garden, was watching Benjamin from a distance. ¡°I must get


    my hands on his phone tonight. My meat shop is waiting for me!¡±

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    Things in life rarely ever go as they nned, wouldn¡¯t they?


    Benjamin so badly wanted to spend some time with his wife alone at a dinner table in a beautiful


    restaurant, but Elizabeth ordered him to cook for tonight. She actually liked Benjamin¡¯s cooking, but her


    pride came in the way of confessing the truth, so she was also the same person who criticized his


    cooking the most.


    Though Benjamin didn¡¯t say it out loud, he was hoping for the day when she would leave the home on


    a trip. Elizabeth would often go for foreign trips with her family, mostly for watching tennis tournaments,


    using Sterling family¡¯s money, of course.


    Jacob was the highest earner of the family, being the movie producer that he was. Selena earned the


    second highest. And then it was Reba.


    As usual, Benjamin served tonight¡¯s dinner as well. While Benjamin was downstairs with others, Oliver


    snuck into Reba¡¯s room and searched for Benjamin¡¯s mobile. It was ced on the bed itself, so it


    didn¡¯t take him long to snatch it and leave the room on his toes.


    Meanwhile, Roshan tried to crack some jokes saying Benjamin¡¯s job couldn¡¯t be considered as proper


    work as he only worked for six hours at a pizza hut. His mother, Elizabeth, backed him, saying only an


    eight-hour job or longer could be considered as proper work and that other jobs were just for show. Of


    course, she knew that Reba also only worked for six hours, which was exactly why she said those


    words in order to hit two birds with one stone.


    After another mocking dinner session, Benjamin found himself sitting at the dinner table alone. His


    stomach was making sounds, but he didn¡¯t want to eat the food, even though he was the one who


    cooked the dishes.


    The long-haired maid, Kathy, sat next to him and began to eat. ¡°You are a good cook. I¡¯ll give you that,


    but you¡¯re a bad husband.¡±


    ¡°Bad husband?¡± Benjamin felt insulted. ¡°What made you say that?¡± she better have a good reason, or


    she might have to suffer from his wrath.


    ¡°How can you be called a good husband when you haven¡¯t even eaten your wife¡¯s donut?¡± she asked.


    ¡°My wife¡¯s donut?¡± It took Benjamin a couple of seconds to process what Kathy just said. ¡°Y-You¡­¡± his


    face flushed.


    ¡°What? I¡¯m sure you haven¡¯t had sex with your wife recently, right?¡± Kathy asked while chomping down


    on the food. ¡°I can just tell from your bodynguage. You keep looking at her when you serve the food.


    It¡¯s as though you are craving for her attention. Men who eat donuts every night don¡¯t do that. You are


    what you eat, so I feel bad for you in this regard.¡± Saying that, she cast a curious nce at him. ¡°If you


    want, though, I can make a special case for you and let you taste my donut.¡±


    Benjamin this time wasn¡¯t shocked all that much. Many maids had already hit on him a few times,


    though he refused their advances every single time. Kathy was doing this for the first time, and she was


    over forty years old, so maybe, he was a little surprised.


    ¡°What do you say?¡± Kathy asked in a luscious tone. ¡°I haven¡¯t had sex in a while, so it¡¯s pretty tight


    now. You¡¯re gonna feel real good if you do it tonight.¡±


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    Benjamin just lifted his hand in response so that his wedding ring stole the spotlight.


    ¡°Hmph, you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re missing,¡± Kathy started sucking her fingertips on purpose and


    made just enough sounds that could stir up anymon man¡¯s lust. ¡°I can milk every drop of semen


    out with my sucking technique. Once you get to experience it, you would want to experience it again


    and again.¡±


    ¡°While I appreciate your efforts,¡± Benjamin said, bringing his voice lower but increasing its sharpness at


    the same time, ¡°I¡¯m just a pizza delivery guy who earns too little to afford you. And I¡¯m also a husband.¡±


    He stood and walked away, leaving her speechless.


    Her face warped more than a little. (Did he just say indirectly that I was a whore? Just wait, you Benj-


    fucking-min. I¡¯m not done just yet.) After finishing her meal, she went to Selena¡¯s room and locked the


    door.


    ¡°How did it go?¡± asked Selena.


    Kathy shook her head.


    ¡°Does he at least look at you in ¡®that¡¯ way?¡±


    Again, Kathy slightly shook her head.


    ¡°Maybe, you¡¯re a bit on the older side for his taste.¡±


    ¡°No, no, ma¡¯am. Give me another chance,¡± Kathy almost pleaded. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely make sure he falls for


    me within this month.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Selena smiled. ¡°You seem like you have the hots for him. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t be so


    desperate.¡±


    Kathy just blushed a bit in return.


    ¡°Fine. As long as you can separate him from my daughter, I don¡¯t care what approach you¡¯ll use. I just


    want to see my daughter p him and kick him out of this house. If you can help me with achieving


    that, I¡¯ll make you the chief maid next month.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°You can leave now.¡±


    After Kathy exited the room, Selena sat down on her bed and diligently practiced her lines for


    tomorrow¡¯s shoot.


    Meanwhile, Jacob was in his room, taking a nap in his recliner. When the door opened, his eyes also


    opened.


    It was Kathy who just entered the room and walked up to him and undressed herself and sat on the


    bed and kept masturbating. He just sat in his recliner and sucked his smoking pipe as his eyes took in


    every inch of her mature, naked body and all the tattoos snaking around her private region and all the


    curves her moving body made.


    After she climaxed, he threw in a towel. There was 500 dors inside the towel. She took the money


    and wiped her pussy and the bed with the towel before putting her uniform back on. She then bowed to


    Jacob a little before leaving the room as silently as she had entered. She had stayed in the room for


    just ten minutes, without speaking a word and only expressed herself through the gestures and faint


    sounds he made.


    After Kathy left, Jacob rested on his bed, where she had just masturbated, and he began sniffing the


    towel she had used to clean her vagina, and he began to jerk off as shes of Kathy¡¯s naked body


    appeared in his mind.


    Meanwhile, in Reba¡¯s room.


    Benjaminy down on his bed and burped on purpose.


    ¡°It seems the syrup worked fast,¡± Reba said.


    ¡°Yeah, it did,¡± Benjamin smiled. ¡°I ate a lot tonight. Thanks for taking me to the doctor.¡±


    ¡°Your cooking isn¡¯t to my liking though,¡± she remarked. ¡°I prefer Sheron¡¯s cooking.¡±


    Benjamin was a bit hurt by her words, but he answered in silence. Her words held some truth, after all.


    Devon¡¯s wife was indeed exceptional at cooking. Her loss was not just felt by Devon but the entire


    Sterling family members.


    ¡°Good night,¡± Benjamin pulled the nket over and slept, turning the other way from her. His hand


    searched for his mobile just to check if he had any messages or missed calls, but he couldn¡¯t grabit.


    ¡°Mm?¡± he sat up and began looking for it everywhere. ¡°Where is it? I¡¯m sure I left it on the bed.¡±


    ¡°What are you looking for?¡± asked Reba.


    ¡°My mobile¡­¡± he peered at her. ¡°Did you take it?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± her jaw almost dropped. ¡°Why would I do that? I¡¯ve never even touched your mobile.¡±


    ¡°J-Just asking, that¡¯s all. You don¡¯t need to give such an exaggerated expression, but can give my


    phone a missed call?¡±


    Reba¡¯s heart skipped a little. (Give his mobile a missed call? Come to think of it, I deleted his phone


    number, didn¡¯t I?)


    ¡°What¡¯s taking you so long?¡± Benjamin pressured her.


    ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Reba grabbed her mobile and acted like she had called someone and said, ¡°it says your


    mobile is switched off.¡±


    ¡°Switched off? I only recharged it in the morning,¡± Benjamin said. ¡°That thingsts like a week! Call it


    again, please.¡±


    ¡°O-Okay,¡± Reba looked disappointed with herself at this point. (How can you lie so easily, Reba?


    And you have pushed yourself into further trouble.) ¡°Hey, can you just confirm your number?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Benjamin told her the number, and she typed it and called. To her surprise, she received the


    ¡®switched off¡¯ message. She quickly said, ¡°It says your mobile is switched off.¡±


    ¡°Again?¡± Benjamin frowned.


    At the ATM nearest to Sterling vi.


    Oliver had swiped the card. It took an entire minute for the card to be processed, making him wonder if


    it¡¯s a real card or not, but then the screenpletely changed, and four ws appeared on the screen,


    sending Oliver back a couple of steps.


    ¡°You are not Benjamin,¡±an old man¡¯s voice, and it belonged to Alfred. ¡°Did he send you to activate the


    card?¡±


    ¡°A-A demon!¡± Oliver turned back and ran out without even bothering to take out the card. He had never


    seen or heard of an ATM doing anything like this. Naturally, he ran for his life.


    ¡°Guess not,¡± the voice spoke. ¡°But this means Master Benjamin¡¯s mobile was stolen? How could he let


    that happen? Who is responsible for softening him to such an extent? It must be someone from that


    vi.¡± He didn¡¯t sound happy.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    The next day.


    Benjamin found his mobile on the dining table, and he initially thought he might have forgotten to take it


    last night. However, when he sniffed the mobile once, his expression changed as though he knew what


    might have actually happened.


    However, his wife was waiting outside, so he rushed out, but he was spell-bounded after seeing


    Reba in her indo-western attire with a full-sleeved cream top and a stylized ck salwar bottoms.


    His mouth stayed open for a good number of seconds. He couldn¡¯t blink let alone take his eyes off his


    wife.


    Reba raised her brows. ¡°Seriously?¡± she snapped her fingers. ¡°You look like you¡¯re going to eat me


    here and now.¡±


    ¡°D-Did I?¡± Benjamin came back to this world. ¡°B-But you look really beautiful in this dress.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Reba sounded a little arrogant.


    ¡°Did you make this design?¡±


    ¡°Of course, but let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± He jumped into her car, startling her.


    (He¡¯s really active today.) She thought as she got in.


    ¡°It¡¯s only 9 o¡¯clock. Why are we leaving so early, my love?¡±


    ¡°We are going to my colleague¡¯s wedding first,¡± she said, touching a gift box in the seat next to her.


    ¡°I¡¯m alsoing?¡± Benjamin felt butterflies flying in his belly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited. You¡¯ll be acting as my driver.¡±


    ¡°D-Driver?¡± Benjamin¡¯s shoulders slumped. (At least that¡¯s better than nothing, I guess.)


    The vehicle stopped at a junction due to the red light. The window was open, and a small drone flew in


    andnded in Benjamin¡¯sp, startling him. But the ¡®W¡¯ symbol on the little helicopter made him realize


    who exactly sent that. He could see a ck card attached at its bottom. It was the same card with a


    diamond ¡®W¡¯ design on it, and it had a maic base, so it could stick to the metal just like his mobile.


    ¡°These guys¡­¡± However, Benjamin threw the helicopter outside without taking the card. ¡°I already earn


    enough, so there¡¯s no need for extra money,¡± he thought. ¡°I do want to buy Reba some gifts, but I¡¯ll


    be a lot happier if I do that with the money I earned.¡±


    ¡°What are you mumbling about?¡± asked Reba, gently pressing the elerator with her foot.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Soon, they reached the private grounds where the ceremony took ce. Only those with invitation


    cards were allowed. Every car that entered through oozed one word: luxury. Everybody was wearing


    gold or some form of embedded jewelry. Now he understood why Reba was wearing such a ssy


    outfit that made her look like she was from another country.


    The bride was an Indian, and so there were a lot of half-sarees roaming around. The bride also wore


    an elegant mix of white jeans and saree, with a cute little diamond crown on top, which made her look


    like a modern princess. Seeing her, Benjamin thought, ¡°She¡¯s good, but my wife is better.¡±


    One of the waiters brought a tray full of different colored wines. ¡°Alcohol so early in the morning?¡±


    The waiter smiled and said, ¡°If you are not interested, I¡¯ll go.¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Who said I¡¯m not interested?¡± Benjamin snatched the blue wine.


    ¡°Ah, Electric Blue? You¡¯ve got good taste,¡± the waiter said and left.


    ¡°Electric Blue? They bring this color from the grape skins, or do they add some kind of dye?¡± he


    wondered as he took a sip. ¡°Mm, mild sweetness on the tongue, but it packs a punch as it slides down


    the throat. Ginger and cardamom, huh. This would be a perfect winter drink.¡±


    Reba greeted the bride and the groom and wished them and gave them the gift box wrapped up in


    a shiny golden paper.


    The groom¡¯s father came up to Benjamin after seeing his casual attire. ¡°Hello,¡± he put on a smile.


    ¡°Hi,¡± Benjamin also smiled back.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see you get on stage,¡± he said. ¡°Did you already greet the bride and the groom?¡±


    ¡°No, I attended with Reba. I couldn¡¯t bring any gift as she didn¡¯t tell me until thest second.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Are you her assistant?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m her driver.¡±


    ¡°Driver?¡± he cast a weird nce at Benjamin before walking away without saying another word. (A


    driver? Why did she bring a driver along? Even if he were to bring a gift, it would be something nd


    and boring.)


    Just then, a drone flew over people¡¯s heads, and its noise caught their attention. They could see that


    the drone carried a gift package, and it flew in and floated right in front of the wedding couple, making


    them look around, wondering who was doing it. But nobody came forward. Either way, the gift package


    was wrapped up in pristine, brown leather. The word ¡®W¡¯ was all that could be seen on top.


    When the drone dropped the box, itnded in a loud thud, startling them. The bride and the groom


    looked at each other before hurriedly trying to open it then and there.


    ¡°What are they doing?¡± their parents almost sighed and shook their heads, but the crowd wanted to see


    what was in the gift box.


    Reba walked back to Benjamin, but her eyes were still on the stage. ¡°Sending a gift by a drone?


    Whoever it is, they must be too busy to attend the wedding.¡±


    Benjamin put on a poker face, not liking what was happening. He looked into the distance, toward a tall


    apartment, from where the drone was returning to.


    ¡°Crap, he¡¯s noticed us. Let¡¯s leave.¡± The two shadowy figures on the rooftop rushed away.


    The bride and the groom still kept going. They first had to unbuckle the belts that sealed the bag. And


    then there was a ck wooden box inside. ¡°How do we open this thing?¡± It was a two-feet-tall and two-


    feet-wide box, and it caught the groom¡¯s father¡¯s attention. ¡°This wood¡­¡± his eyes slightly widened


    upon knocking it with his knuckles a couple of times. ¡°It¡¯s pure dark teak wood that only grows in


    forests. Whether you use it for pirs or cupboards, it willst 120 years without a problem, but this


    ck coating they used¡­ I can¡¯t even tell what it is.¡±


    ¡°How do we open it?¡± both the groom and the bride asked in a hurry.


    After some inspection, the groom¡¯s father noticed a fine line near the top. He smiled and then lifted up


    the top by pushing it in an angle, and once his eyesy upon what was inside, his mouth fell open for a


    second, and his wife who was next to him fainted straight away.

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    CHAPTER 09


    Reba was driving the car. Benjamin was in the back, slightly shaking his head.


    ¡°Are you still thinking about the gift?¡± she asked. ¡°Ah, yeah.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s understandable. I haven¡¯t seen such a gift before, either. 25 kilos of pure gold in the form of coins.


    It¡¯s worth more than 3 million dors. The coins seem stylized, so they might sell for more if they auction


    it. That would not only cover the wedding expenses but would also help the couple start a beautiful


    journey together,¡± she sounded like she envied a little. She didn¡¯t care about the money, but would she


    also have received such a surprising gift if she had held a wedding? Would anyone in the world care


    enough for her or family to send her 25 kilos worth of gold? She could only wonder.


    ¡°A beautiful journey, huh¡­¡± Benjamin wasn¡¯t so sure about that. After dropping him off at work, Reba


    left. And Benjamin experienced one of the worst job days since he started working at Rye¡¯s Pizzas. Not a


    single customer gave him a tip today, and to add to that, Christopher didn¡¯t believe his stories when


    Benjamin told him how they kept talking about current affairs and the weather and what not and didn¡¯t let


    him go without wasting his precious time. Thest customer of the day, a dude in his girlfriend¡¯s undies,


    asked him for a discount after making the order. It was really a hectic and frustrating day for him.


    Rubbing salt to his wounds, one of the coworkers, Jasmine, showed off to others that she received a 40


    dor tip because the customer didn¡¯t have change for the 100 dor bill. Chirstopher would have robbed


    30 dors out of that 40 dor tip, but he didn¡¯t. This made many other coworkers wonder if he was trying


    to make a good impression on Jasmine in order to get her to climb into his bed. It wasn¡¯t pleasant on the


    eyes because he was over forty and obese, and she was under twenty and in perfect shape.


    For today, though, Christopher just received a hug from Jasmine, and he went over the moon because of


    that, even though he was just too big for Jasmine to give him a proper hug.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Benjamin, however, knew Jasmine from the one encounter he had that she waspletely fooling and


    curry favoring Christopher, but it was none of his business.


    After work, Benjamin waited outside. It was 4:30, but Reba didn¡¯te. Minutes passed. He still


    waited outside.


    Around five o¡¯clock. A ck Mercedes stopped by, and Jane Cooper stepped out in a skimpy skirt that


    revealed her toned thighs. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re waiting here,¡± she put her sunsses on because the sun


    was still out. ¡°Benjamin, right?¡±


    Benjamin recognized her, but he said, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember me?¡± her mouth slightly widened. ¡°I¡¯m your wife¡¯s best friend. We met only a few


    days back.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, right,¡± Benjamin forced out augh. ¡°What brought you here? Perhaps, you want a


    Rye¡¯s pizza?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give two shits about pizzas. No offense. I¡¯m here because your wife told me to take


    you home.¡±


    ¡°What? Why couldn¡¯t shee?¡± he asked, worrying if something happened to her. ¡°Well, she¡¯s busy,


    that¡¯s why. So get on,¡± she went back to her car and sat in the driver¡¯s seat. Benjamin, however, started


    walking away. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me,¡± she pushed her sses up and poked her head out. ¡°Hey,


    Benjamin!¡± she called out for him, but he didn¡¯t stop. ¡°Are you deaf?¡± she blew the horn a few times, but


    that didn¡¯t change anything. She started the engine and caught up with him.¡° What¡¯s wrong with you? I


    came all this way to pick you up, and this is how you treat me?¡± ¡°I feel like walking today,¡± Benjamin


    picked up his pace. ¡°You can go.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± she stopped the car for a second and thought, ¡°this guy¡¯s


    unbelievable.¡± After some thinking, she caught up with him again. ¡°Hey, listen, if you get in the car, I¡¯ll


    help you get closer to your wife. How does that sound? Tempting, isn¡¯t it?¡± As she expected, Benjamin


    stopped. She smirked. ¡°What? Don¡¯t feel like walking anymore?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he sat in the back row.


    ¡°Come over the front, dude,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna eat you.¡± He hesitantly listened to her and sat in


    the front seat next to her. Her bare thighs caught his eyes. She didn¡¯t have as beautiful of legs as his wife


    did, but she had a pretty good physique, too. ¡°Seeing you steal nces at my thighs, it makes me feel


    bad for you,¡± she remarked. ¡°I wasn¡¯t staring,¡± Benjamin was quick to reply. ¡°I just briefly looked, that¡¯s


    all.¡± ¡°I can understand. You have an angel for a wife. She¡¯s got the best legs among the women I¡¯ve


    seen. Even I sometimes feel like smothering those thighs with kisses,¡± Jane bluntly said. ¡°I can¡¯t even


    imagine how hard it must have been to control yourself from jumping onto her every night.¡± ¡°Can we talk


    about important things?¡± Benjamin tried to divert the topic.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°How can you help change her attitude toward me?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Well, your wife is used to men lusting after her and shamelessly chasing her all the time,¡± Jane said, ¡°so


    I bet she¡¯s not used to men who treat her brutally or coldly because it¡¯s always been her who treated men


    indifferently.¡±


    ¡°So you want me to have her taste her own medicine?¡±. ¡°No. That might only make her angry. You just


    need to make it seem like you¡¯re not the same as the dogs that chase after her.¡±


    ¡°Make it seem?¡± Benjamin felt insulted. ¡°Are you saying right now I¡¯m like a dog chasing after a bone?¡±


    ¡°To be honest, that¡¯s what I think,¡± she shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Otherwise, you tell me, do you think it¡¯s


    possible for a man and a woman in their peak youth to sleep in the same room without so much as


    touching each other for eight freaking months? It just means, your approaches are totally failing!¡±. ¡°J-


    Just how much is she telling you about our day-to-day lives?¡± Benjamin¡¯s heart began beating faster.


    ¡°Pretty much everything,¡± Jane said, putting an almost sadistic grin on her face to tease him further.


    ¡°Even the time when you touched her feet in the middle of the night and begged her to let you join in her


    foreign trip.¡± Benjamin¡¯s face was cooked with embarrassment. Jane just looked greatly amused. ¡°Haha,


    you should change your attitude if you want to make her look at you in a different way. Stop caring too


    much, and be yourself.¡± ¡°She¡¯s my wife. Isn¡¯t it only natural that I care for her?¡± Benjamin asked. He had


    been going out of his way to please his wife, and he found it hard to believe that exact same thing kept


    him from entering his wife¡¯s heart all this while. ¡°Of course, we do,¡± Jane said, ¡°but don¡¯t do it like you¡¯re a


    thirsty little dog. You get what I¡¯m saying?¡± Benjamin nodded with hesitation, even though he still had a


    lot of doubts. (I¡¯m not doing it like a thirsty little dog, though.) ¡°Then do this tonight,¡± Jane gave him a


    n. ¡°You want me to do what?¡± Benjamin cried out in shock.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    CHAPTER 10


    Later that night. Benjamin had dinner and was waiting in his room. The newly appointed maid with


    chocte looks was cleaning the room, but her eyes were on Benjamin. ¡°Can you tell me how you


    managed to trap, I mean, make Reba fall for you?¡± Benjamin almost smiled hysterically. ¡°So that¡¯s the


    first thing you could ask.¡± He shook his head. ¡°My inws think just like you. Everyone in this vi treats


    me like I¡¯m their enemy even though I¡¯m only trying to be their friend.¡± Reba came homete at nine


    o¡¯clock, looking tired. The maid quickly walked out. ¡°Should I prepare the bath?¡± Benjamin asked. ¡°I can


    do it myself,¡± she said. ¡°Wait, Jane came to pick you up, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, she did.¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t do anything funny, did she?¡±


    ¡°No, she didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Mm,¡± Reba entered the showver and walked out twenty minutester, fully clothed. She always put


    her clothes on in the bathroom itself, so he never even got a chance to peek at her beauty. She jumped


    onto her bed in her pajamas. ¡°You are not gonna eat?¡± he asked. ¡°I had dinner with my colleagues,¡± she


    said without even looking. ¡°If you¡¯re done with your questions, I¡¯ll switch off the lights.¡± ¡°You can-¡± before


    he even finished the sentence, she switched the lights off. Even though the lights were off, Benjamin was


    sitting on his bed, shivering in anxiety, not knowing what to do. (Jane told me to do that, but I didn¡¯t even


    get the chance. If I don¡¯t get the chance even tomorrow, then what? No.) He shook his head. (If I don¡¯t


    get the chance, I should just create one.) A few secondster, he silently sprayed the men¡¯s deodorant in


    the room. A few minutes passed, but nothing happened. ¡°Why isn¡¯t she responding?¡± He frustratingly


    squeezed the deodorant bottle. ¡°These damned deodorants don¡¯t show even one percent of the results


    they show on the TV ads.¡± He shoved the deodorant bottle under his pillow and lied down. The words


    Jane told him kept repeating in his mind: Just spank her butt. And then give her some excuse.


    ¡°She said I was acting like a dog chasing after a bone,¡± he thought, ¡°but if I do this now, wouldn¡¯t it make


    me look even more desperate? Just what is she thinking? She isn¡¯t trying to mess up our rtionship, is


    she?¡±


    When that thought crossed his mind, his eyes oozed killing intent for a second. The birds in the garden


    reacted to it and flew away in fright. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Calm down, Benjamin,¡± he told himself. ¡°If you think about it, your wife should like you for who you¡¯re


    and not because you pulled some petty tricks to impress her. That said, begging and being submissive


    isn¡¯t really my way, either, yet I¡¯ve been acting like I¡¯m her subordinate all this while. I know that I¡¯ve been


    acting unlike myself, but what can I do? My heart beats in strange rhythms when I smell her scent. It¡¯s


    like my body reacts on its own when I¡¯m in her presence. Everytime she smiles, every cell in my body


    screams that she is the one. No woman had ever made me feel this way. God, what am I supposed to do


    with her?¡± 1


    Though the thought of taking her away by force crossed his mind a few times, he shoved such thoughts


    aside without even consideration. After all, his father had never forced him to do anything, and in the


    same way, he would never force hi


    e way, he would never force his wife to act against her will, either, which was why he was so badly trying


    to change her to like him and to want him just as much as he wanted her.


    Amid these flying thoughts, he just couldn¡¯t sleep. And to make things a bit ufortable, the beast


    between his thighs was surging with blood. ¡°It¡¯s that time of the month, huh¡­¡± the cold temperature in


    the room didn¡¯t help, either. He rolled around, but it wasn¡¯t going down. ¡°Dammit, if this continues, I¡¯ll be


    in trouble.¡± Getting horny was thest thing he wanted right now, so he covered his face with the pillow


    and suffocated himself. Theck of oxygen forced his body¡¯s attention to his chest and away from his


    crotch. Before long, his erection waspletely gone. ¡°Whew¡­¡± He put the pillow back under his head.


    The lights suddenly switched on. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± Reba looked at him with a scrutinizing gaze.


    ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± he turned around so he was not facing her. His pants were somewhat pulled down lower than


    his waist, so she could see a bit of his alluring ass crack.


    (Was he¡­) Her eyes slightly drew in more light. ¡°Cover yourself with a nket, or you¡¯ll catch a cold.¡±


    She said and switched the lights off. ¡°You don¡¯t want to be sneezing while making or delivering pizzas


    tomorrow.¡± Benjamin didn¡¯t say anything. Her words might have sounded like she cared a bit for him, but


    he knew her enough to not feel happy from just that.


    The next morning


    In the butlers¡¯ dorms, Oliver woke up early with a loud yawn. He grabbed the water bottle and began


    sipping. His eyes nced to his right and noticed a peculiar object on themp¡¯s table,¡° Pfft!¡± he spilled


    the water onto another bed and took a closer look at it, and it really was the same tinum-coated card


    he had left in the ATM. He had no idea how it ended up here, but he didn¡¯t even dare touch it. ¡°A-A


    demon,¡± his voice trembled. ¡°It¡¯s demon possessed!¡± he began sweating and shivering. He didn¡¯t know


    what to do with it. Devon was still sleeping even though Oliver unintentionally spilled water on him


    because Devon had consumed a lot of


    weed the previous night. He didn¡¯t wake up even when Oliver tried to wake him up, so Oliver shut his


    nose, and a few secondster, Devon opened his eyes and pped Oliver in the face.


    Devon hit with such force, Oliver fell back on his bed. Devon sucked in a few quick breaths.¡° Idiot, are


    you trying to kill me or what? Is it because I didn¡¯t give you the stuffst night?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Oliver was rubbing his cheek. He pointed his finger toward the desk. ¡°That card¡­ is it


    yours?¡±


    ¡°Card?¡± Devon nced to his left and noticed the tinum-coated card. (Ho¡­ that looks like one of


    those personalized cards the filthy rich folks use. This Oliver hasn¡¯t grown his brain as much as his dick.)


    ¡°Ahem, of course, it¡¯s mine.¡± He got up and swiftly put the card in his pocket. ¡°Ahem, anyway, what did


    you wake me up for?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡± Oliver said things that were on the top of his head. ¡°Can you water


    the nts for today? I think I¡¯m feeling sick.¡± ¡°Hmph, fine, but you better pay me back with, you know


    what.¡± ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Oliver nodded twice. Oliver would leave the tastiest parts of beef or chicken for


    Devon and his wife every time he brought living animals and butchered them inside the vi. In return,


    Devon helped Oliver keep his job, despite his antics with the maids, Devon started walking, hands on


    back and chin slightly tilted up. ¡°I¡¯m going out for a walk.¡± After Devon left his sight, Oliver still looked


    tense. ¡°What the hell is that card? How did it end up on this desk?¡± he couldn¡¯t even get his head around


    how it was possible unless some supernatural forces were at work. Just the thought of it made the hairs


    on his arms rise.¡° Devon¡­ he¡¯s not gonna end up dead in the backyard, right?¡± A few hourster.


    Kathy and other maids caught cold, so Benjamin had to prepare breakfast. Most of the members in the


    house said it was bad, including his wife. However, Lisa said it was good, which surprised even her


    mother Elizabeth.


    After nine o¡¯clock, Roshan and others left for school with Anous driving a car, but Lisa came to the


    kitchen where Benjamin was quickly washing the dishes. He needed to finish washing dishes before 9:30


    if he wanted to get into his wife¡¯s car. ¡°U-Uncle Benjamin?¡± Lisa hesitantly called out for him from behind.


    He turned back in shock. This was the first time she called him uncle, and she was unable to look him in


    the eyes as though she had done something wrong. ¡°What brings the little princess into the kitchen?¡± he


    asked, while cleaning the dishes. ¡°There¡¯s a parent-teacher meeting tonight,¡± she said. ¡°C-Can you visit


    my school in my dad¡¯s ce??


    ¡°What? You want me to pose as your dad?¡± ¡°Lower your voice, Uncle!¡± she put her hand on his mouth.


    ¡°Please!¡± ¡°O-Okay,¡± this was his first time seeing her be so afraid and tense. He pitied her. ¡°Why can¡¯t


    you just ask your dad, though?¡±


    ¡°Please, Uncle,¡± she pleaded. ¡°Just this once. Help me, and I¡¯ll do anything for you.¡± ¡°You have nothing to


    offer me, though,¡± he said. ¡°I will talk positively about you from now on,¡± she said. ¡°I give you my word.¡±


    ¡°Mm,¡± he scratched his chin. When she had said his breakfast tasted good, he felt good in the morning.


    ¡°How can I be sure you¡¯ll keep your word?¡± ¡°U-Uncle!¡± she looked like she was close to weeping and


    dancing. ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯ll help you, so when should I pay a visit?¡±


    ta


    (


    ¡°In the evening, after our sses finish,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯ll definitelye, right? If you don¡¯t, they will


    send a staff member to the house!¡± ¡°I will. For sure,¡± he assured. ¡°Thank you.¡± Saying that she left the


    kitchen fast. ¡°Just what did she do at school for her to be so afraid?¡± Benjamin could only wonder. ¡°Benj-


    fucking-min!¡± Elizabeth¡¯s voice echoed in the vi. ¡°Where the hell did you put my. 18,500 dor worth


    shoes?¡± Benjamin ground his teeth in a bit of frustration. He hated being called Benj-fucking-min.¡± This


    pretentious auntie¡­ I swear I¡¯m gonna kill her one day if she keeps at it,¡± he thought. However, he ran


    outside like an obedient worker. ¡°I kept them under your bed, aunt, I mean, Madam Elizabeth.¡± Many


    heads in the hall turned to look at Benjamin in shock, including Lisa and Veronica. Did he just call the


    eldest daughter inw of the Sterling family an aunt? The one who was the most shocked of all was Aunt


    Elizabeth herself.

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    Lisa looked genuinely surprised, whereas Veronica was controlling herself from bursting intoughter


    because Elizabeth looked like a thousand pound bird crap had crashed upon her andpletely ruined


    her makeup, thereby making her look as ugly as ever. ¡°Who the fuck did you just call an Aunt?¡± Elizabeth


    howled in rage and came running at him like an enraged beast.


    ¡°W-Wait, I can exin this!¡± Benjamin ran and stood behind therge dining table. When she came from


    his left, he ran to his right. When she tried toe from his right, he ran to his left.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to exin? I¡¯m only forty years old, and you dare call me an aunt!¡± She looked for


    something to hit him with. She picked the nearest objects, the flower vases, and began throwing those


    things at him. ¡°I¡¯m not even thirty, and your children call me uncle, don¡¯t they?¡± Benjamin asked. ¡°Shut


    up,¡± Elizabeth didn¡¯t care to evenprehend what he just said. She only wanted to beat the shit out of


    him in any way possible. ¡°Stop right there if you have guts!¡± However, Benjamin kept running. ¡°He¡¯s got a


    point though,¡± Veronica opined. ¡°He¡¯s not even thirty, so I¡¯m sure he doesn¡¯t like it when someone calls


    him uncle. If someone calls me an aunt even by mistake, I¡¯d go to the ends of the earth to p the living


    crap out of him, but that¡¯s because I¡¯m just 25, not forty like you.¡± ¡°Veronica,¡± Elizabeth red at her, ¡°did


    you lose your mind after eating the breakfast he made?¡± ¡°You ate the same food as I did, so why would I


    be only losing my mind?¡± Veronica spoke back Why was this little fool suddenly speaking on behalf of


    Benjamin all of a sudden? Elizabeth didn¡¯t understand, but as the eldest daughter-inw, she just


    couldn¡¯t let Benjamin go after what he said. She looked at the maids and said, ¡°Catch him, or you¡¯ll lose


    your jobs!¡±


    That was all she needed to say. The maids were forced into action, and they surrounded Benjamin in no


    time and caught him. Elizabeth made her way in quick strides and grabbed Benjamin by the hair before


    pushing the maids aside and pping all the handsomeness out of Benjamin¡¯s face. A total of sixteen


    ps, and she stopped only after her wrist began hurting. Her eyes, however, still boiled with rage as


    she felt like she hadn¡¯t done enough.(What¡¯s with this guy? He doesn¡¯t even flinch after taking so many


    ps straight to his face?) What stunned Elizabeth, Veronica, and Lisa was that Benjamin stood like a


    rock, and he wasn¡¯t taking his eyes off Elizabeth. ¡°What¡¯s with that look? You think I¡¯ll be afraid of you?¡±


    Elizabeth was almost the same height as him, as she didn¡¯t put her high-heel shoes on yet. Even though


    her hands were hurting, she pped him a few times again.


    Just then, Kathy brought a stick from the garden. It was one of those sticks used to keep the dogs in


    check, and so they wouldn¡¯t break easily.


    ¡°This is what I¡¯ve been looking for,¡± Elizabeth grabbed the stick and beat him left and right at the


    shoulders, triceps, elbows, thighs, knees, and without any hesitation.


    Lisa couldn¡¯t watch it, but Veronica looked amused. Kathy was covering her mouth in shock, as though


    she didn¡¯t expect Elizabeth would be so cruel.


    While Elizabeth kept beating him, he briefly nced toward the first floor¡¯s balcony from where his wife


    was looking down at him. He didn¡¯t care how others felt at the moment, but what bothered him was that


    Reba just watched from a distance and didn¡¯t interfere even though Elizabeth was putting all her


    strength into every swing. That was harder to swallow than the pain his eldest sister-inw inflicted upon


    him. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Jacob¡¯s voice broke out, startling Elizabeth. He walked down the stairs, with a


    smoking pipe in his mouth. ¡°You are beating your brother inw with a stick used to beat dogs?¡± he


    red at Elizabeth. ¡°Is this what your parents taught you back home?¡± ¡°¡¯T-That¡¯s not it, Father-inw,¡±


    she tried to exin herself. ¡°He called me an aunt.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Jacob casually swatted her words away.


    ¡°You think you¡¯re still thirty years old or what? You¡¯re five-fucking-years older than Kathy, the oldest maid


    in our house. What¡¯s so wrong with a young man calling you an aunt?¡± Tears welled up in Elizabeth¡¯s


    eyes. She ran upstairs and went into her room to cry to her husband.


    Selena was secretly watching everything from behind a pir on the first floor and put on a sly smile.


    ¡°Maybe you were too harsh on her, Dad,¡± Veronica opined. She had never seen Elizabeth cry before, so


    even she felt bad because Lisa was watching everything.


    ¡°I was too harsh?¡± Jacob raised his voice as he looked at Lisa. ¡°Actually, I went easy, real easy, on your


    mom as I¡¯ve been doing since she and her useless parents stepped into my house. All she has been


    doing is leeching off of our hard-earned money. It¡¯s about time she picks herself up and shows me she


    deserves to use my family name in her invitation card, or I¡¯ll make new invitation cards for her titled ¡®Aunt


    Elizabeth.¡¯¡± Even though Jacob walked outside after his speech, his words left everyone in shock for a


    little while.


    Lisa ran upstairs to see how her mother was doing. Veronica came up to Benjamin who was still standing


    and covered in bloody bruises. ¡°Ooow, she really went all out, didn¡¯t she?¡± she bit on an apple as she


    spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t think I spoke in your favor. I helped you because you said something I wanted to say out


    loud for a while now.¡± She walked away, crunching on the apple. Kathy reached Benjamin and said, ¡°Are


    you alright? I think you should sit.¡±


    She tried to help, but he cast a cold nce at her, and she backed away. His eyes showed clear angst


    for what Kathy did. ¡°So you are the kind who spits venom because I refused your


    advances?¡± ¡°N-No,¡± Kathy¡¯s face was drained of color. ¡°I¡­¡± she briefly nced in Selena¡¯s direction. It


    was because Selena told her to give the stick, she ended up doing so. But how could she tell all that to


    Benjamin? She could only feel crappy inside and watch as Benjamin walked past her with a cold


    expression on his face.


    He didn¡¯t even look back to see his wife anymore. His heart grew so heavy at the moment, he didn¡¯t want


    to show his face to anyone. He just walked out of the vi and went under a tree to hide his face from


    others. And he painfully wept and silently wiped his tears, under a willow tree with golden curls. Reba


    was watching through the ss window on the first floor while her fingers fiddled with her diamond


    locket. Seeing him cry lightly and shed tears for the first time, even though it was from a distance, she


    felt somewhat guilty. Only one question ran through her mind: Am I doing the right thing? Meanwhile, in


    the nearest ATM from the vi. Devon kissed the card once and prayed a little before putting it in the


    machine. It asked to enter the amount. ¡°Wow, there¡¯s no password?¡± he quickly entered the value 100


    and received the amount. After touching the 100 dor bill, he started smiling. ¡°It¡¯s working! It¡¯s really


    working! Oliver, you are one unlucky bastard!¡± He couldn¡¯t help but check it once again. No password


    was asked for. This time he entered 1000, and when the machine began to count the bills, his eyes


    widened. Ten hundred dor bills soon came out. He quickly snatched them and checked them to see if


    they were real, and they seemed to be real. His smile turned intoughter. ¡°Hahaha! I¡¯ve really hit the


    jackpot!¡± He took the card and hurriedly walked out of the ATM center. Before he could take ten steps, aCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    motorcycle came and hit him at a moderate speed. Devon crashed on the ground and didn¡¯t move an


    inch. The bike stopped. Two masked men wearing pizza-delivery uniforms took the money and the card


    and left. Devon was lying unconscious on the road, with blood leaking from multiple spots.


    At the same time, Benjamin¡¯s phone just rang twice. However, he wasn¡¯t in the mood to check it out. He


    noticed that his wife was looking at him from the vi, so he turned around so she couldn¡¯t see the


    pathetic expression he was making. ¡°Did he notice me?¡± Reba wondered and moved away from the


    window. With her back against the wall, she frowned, ¡°He didn¡¯t cry when Elizabeth kept hitting him. Is it


    because he didn¡¯t want to cry in front of others, or is there some other reason?¡±

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    CHAPTER 12


    In the evening, the parent teachers meeting started, but Benjamin didn¡¯te yet. Lisa couldn¡¯t me


    him after what her mother did to him.


    ¡°Where are your parents?¡± one of the teachers passing by asked her in the corridor.


    ¡°My dad¡¯s on the way, sir,¡± she ended up lying. Unlike her, Roshan and other two children of Sterling


    family didn¡¯t need a parent topulsorily arrive, as their grades were among the top. As she was biting


    her nails, someone grabbed her shoulder from behind. She looked over her shoulder, and it was the


    least person she ever expected toe.


    ¡°Was Ite?¡± Benjamin was sweating and panting. Elizabeth hit all over his body, save his face, so


    looked clean at the moment. And luckily, he wasn¡¯t wearing the pizza outfit either.


    ¡°Y-You came¡­¡± Lisa was left in a daze.


    ¡°I gave you my word, didn¡¯t I?¡± He put his hand on her head. ¡°Let¡¯s go and meet your teacher fast. I need


    to go back to the pizza hut before 4:30.¡± ¡°What? There¡¯s only fifteen minutes left. You want to end the


    meet and travel miles in just fifteen minutes?¡±


    ¡°Let me worry about that,¡± he said, but then he noticed a long queue at her ssroom. He looked at her


    in shock. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me that we need to stand in a queue.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Uncle,¡± she apologized, and then wondered if she could call him uncle or just Benjamin after


    the whole ¡®aunt¡¯ incident with her mother. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he said.


    She wondered if he would really help her or make things worse by taking his revenge for what her


    mother had done to him.


    He cut the queue, shocking some of the kids and even Lisa. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± some of


    the parents raised their voices. ¡°Can¡¯t you see us standing here?¡± ¡°I can, monsieurs and mademoiselles,¡±


    he began speaking like a waiter at a high ss restaurant as he took out discount coupons. ¡°Can¡¯t you


    look over it just this once in return for discount coupons?¡±.


    ¡°You think you can buy us with discount coupons?¡± the parents yelled at him in fury. ¡°What discount


    coupons are those?¡± some curious kids asked. ¡°Rye¡¯s Pizzas,¡± replied Lisa. ¡°R-Rye¡¯s Pizzas?¡± all herN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ssmates ran over and plucked as many discount coupons as they could from Benjamin¡¯s hands,


    leaving their parents in stupefaction. ¡°Easy fes,¡± Benjamin put the coupons on a nearby desk before


    slipping into the ssroom


    with Lisa.


    An intimidating array of professorsy in wait for them. Even the principal and vice principal were there,


    The principal read Lisa¡¯s report before looking at Benjamin. ¡°Are you her father? You look too young to


    be her father.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m her uncle, sir.¡±


    ¡°Uncle, you say?¡± the principal cast a cold nce at Lisa, sending shivers down her spine.¡° Anyway,


    please take a seat. We have a lot to talk about your niece.¡± Both Benjamin and Lisa sat down, and the


    latter of the two assumed a timid posture. ¡°First of all, Lisa¡¯s attendance percentage is below sixty, so if


    she keeps at it, she won¡¯t even be eligible to write the year-end final exams,¡± the principal said. ¡°Her


    attendance is below sixty?¡± Benjamin looked surprised. Lisa left home everyday in the same car as


    Roshan and other children did, so this new piece of news came as a real surprise. ¡°That¡¯s not all. Her


    score in the quarterly exams is so poor we had to add marks to make her pass,¡± the math teacher spoke


    in hurry. ¡°I saw her roaming with her boyfriend on a Harley bike,¡± the science teacher said. ¡°I¡¯m sure


    that¡¯s where most of her attention is going.¡±


    When Benjamin looked at Lisa, she lowered her head in shame.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fall for her acting, sir,¡± the female social studies teacher said with base in her voice.¡± She begged


    me to add marks and pass her in the quarterly exams, but she stopped attending my sses altogether


    after that. She answered zero questions in the most recent exam, so what grade should I give her this


    time?¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± Benjamin said patiently, ¡°if she¡¯s not attending your ss, then maybe there¡¯s some


    issue with your teaching?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± the social studies teacher¡¯s face warped in rage.


    ¡°Look at her, sir,¡± Benjamin spoke to the principal in a timid manner. ¡°Look at the way she¡¯s ring at me.


    Even I, a grown man, is feeling shivers, so how would the kids feel when they are forced to listen to such


    a teacher?¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to shift all the me onto me now?¡± the social studies teacher stood at once.¡± This is


    ridiculous.¡±


    Lisa was telling Benjamin to calm down, but he didn¡¯t.


    ¡°I spoke the truth,¡± Benjamin raised his voice likewise, ¡°so, of course, it hurts.¡± ¡°Shut your mouth,¡± the


    social studies teacher picked up her sandals into her hands, ¡°and get the hell out of here, or I¡¯ll p the


    senses out of you!¡±


    ¡°Is this how you treat the caretakers of your students?¡± Benjamin posed a question to the principal, They


    were also telling the social studies teacher to calm down, but the words that came out of Benjamin¡¯s


    mouth next made her lose it, ¡°Please make that fat teacher stop.¡±


    ¡°Who are you calling fat, you bitch!¡± she jumped over the table and attacked him, swiping her sandal-


    armed hands left and right at his face, but she didn¡¯t manage to hit him even once. Nevertheless, he fell


    back and covered his cheeks and cried out, ¡°Ah! Save me from this monster!¡±


    ntly.


    She attacked him again, but the other teachers stopped her in time. ¡°Get a hold of yourself!¡± ¡°Let go of


    me,¡± she still acted violently. ¡°Just wait,¡± Benjamin took out his phone. ¡°I¡¯ve recorded everything. I¡¯m


    going to call the cops now.¡± His words shocked the principal, and he immediately pped the social


    studies¡¯ teacher and made her shut up.


    He then sent all the teachers out of the room and spoke with Benjamin alone. Even Lisa was sent


    outside.


    About fifteen minutester, Benjamin walked out with a poker face. All the teachers rushed in the room,


    except for the social studies teacher who was still fuming at him. Benjamin plucked one of his hairs and


    blew at her, shocking all the other students and parents that were there.


    Lisa¡¯s heart, however, was beating louder and faster than it ever did. She followed Benjamin while also


    looking back at the social teacher who threatened her with gestures.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done all this,¡± Lisa said with a fearful expression. ¡°She¡¯s going to target me in every


    ss from now on.¡± Her little shoulders trembled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her,¡± Benjamin assured. ¡°If she so


    much as snaps at you, I¡¯ll make sure ends up behind bars.¡±


    ¡°W-What?¡±


    ¡°I spoke with the principal, and he has agreed to adding marks to make you pass the recent exams.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Lisa couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. ¡°D-did you threaten the principal with the audio


    recording? No, even if you did, he¡¯s not someone who will shake from just that.¡± The school¡¯s principal


    was also a millionaire who used to be a street thug before hitting it big with a lottery and then ended up


    establishing a missionary school to keep sucking funds from whoever was willing to donate. ¡°Just what


    did you tell him inside the room?¡± ¡°I just told him my name,¡± replied Benjamin. ¡°Your name?¡± Lisa looked


    confused. ¡°Stop joking when I¡¯m asking you serious questions.¡± ¡°Hey, we can talk about thister. I have


    to go now.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. I forgot that you should go back to the Rye¡¯s Pizzas.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be off,¡± Benjamin


    dashed away on the motorbike so fast, it left a trail of dirt in the ground.


    ¡°So fast¡­¡± Lisa was impressed. ¡°Uncle Benjamin seems like a cool guy. Why didn¡¯t I realize this sooner?


    Maybe I can introduce my boyfriend to him?¡±


    Meanwhile, in the butler¡¯s dorms of Sterling vi.


    Oliver and a couple of other butlers helped bring Devon to his bed. After dropping him gently onto the


    bed, everyone else left, leaving Devon and Oliver there. ¡°Luckily, there were no major injuries,¡± Oliver


    said, ¡°or you would have been bedridden for the rest of your life.¡±


    Devon was wide awake, but his pupils were dilute. ¡°The money and the card¡­ those thieving bastards


    took it. I don¡¯t know how much money is left in the card, but..¡± he gritted his teeth in frustration.


    Oliver¡¯s brows knitted together. ¡°What money? What card?¡± he looked to themp desk next to his bed.


    His eyes broadened, and his heart skipped a beat. The tinum card was still on the desk, so Oliver


    thought Devon was perhaps talking about another card altogether.


    ¡°Nevermind,¡± Devon sounded sad, cringing in pain as he tried to move his leg so could rest.¡° Luck has


    never really been a part of my life ever since my wife died.¡± Oliver was growing tense. (Shit. Why is this


    card still here? Didn¡¯t he take it in the morning?)¡° Hey, Devon, you forgot to take this card in the


    morning?¡±


    ¡°Ah? What card?¡± Devon nced at Oliver who was pointing toward the desk. When his gaze shifted


    toward the desk and noticed the tinum-coated card, his heart jumped into his mouth.

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    At 4:30, a Porsche and a motorcycle stopped at Rye¡¯s Pizzas at the same time. Benjamin and Reba


    kept peering at each other through the ss shielding before them. She opened the door and stepped


    out for the first time in this ce. ¡°Were you working over


    time?¡±


    Benjamin took off his helmet and showered a smile. He didn¡¯t even hear what she just said. He was just


    so happy she got out of her car. He jumped off the bike like he was full of energy. ¡°Do you want me to


    show you around?¡±


    ¡°No.You know that I don¡¯t like pizzas, or things that have anything to do with bread,¡± she said, sounding


    not so interested in having a prolonged discussion. ¡°Y-Yeah. Then you¡¯ll probably not like the smells


    inside. Just wait here. I¡¯ll be out in two minutes.¡± He rushed into the nearest hut and came running out


    before two minutes passed. She was already sitting in the driver¡¯s seat and waiting for him to get in. He


    stopped at the door outside the second front seat. ¡°Not there,¡± she turned her back slightly. ¡°In the back.¡±


    The back door opened. Benjamin¡¯s shoulders slightly slumped before he got in and sat in a rxed


    posture with his eyes closed.


    Reba nced through the mirror and saw that his legs were spread out. She could see the sharp


    curves of his legs, and oh, they were so inviting. She ended up stealing a couple more nces, and she


    quickly moved the mirror sideways a little so that she wouldn¡¯t be able to see whatever that was up for


    view.


    Even though she was not looking anymore, she gripped the steering wheel tightly as that image was still


    shing in her mind. (Tch. How can he be so defenseless?) In these eight months, even the thought of


    tempting him never came to her mind, but now, she found herself being tempted by such a simple thing.


    It must be the work stress. She was tired and all, and so likely wanted something to ease her mind.


    Soon, she arrived home, but she didn¡¯t get out. She knew Benjamin was probably still sitting in the same


    defenseless posture. She didn¡¯t want to look back, either. As she got lost in conflicting thoughts, her


    forefinger kept tapping the steering wheel. She ended up unintentionally pressing the horn, and it caused


    Benjamin to wake up.


    He rubbed his eyes, and it took him a few seconds to realize that he had fallen asleep in his wife¡¯s car.


    This never happened before. How could he do such a senseless thing? She didn¡¯t take it the wrong way,


    did she? He tried to get a peek at her face, but the mirror was facing the other way.


    ¡°Ahem,¡± he cleared his throat. ¡°You can get out, Reba. I¡¯ll park the car.¡±


    ¡°No. You get out. I¡¯ll do the parking today.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± he was greatly surprised by her response. (Is she helping because I was hit hard by the Gold-


    digger in the morning?) He got out as a happy man.


    Reba drove the car to the parking lot. Anous who had been sitting in the shade came running and


    shouting out loud, ¡°You brought the pizza, didn¡¯t you, bitch? Otherwise, I¡¯ll definitely call your little pizza


    hut tomorrow, you understand?¡± he mmed his palm on the door, but by the time he realized who was


    sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, it was already toote. Reba got out of the car and pped him hard.


    He covered his cheek with his hand and just stood there as she walked away. (Why is this crazy


    daughter parking the car today? Luckily, I didn¡¯t speak too much, or I may have suffered more!


    Meanwhile, when Reba entered the vi, she was in for a surprise. Elizabeth was making a scene in


    the hall, asking Shawn toe with her to her family. Shawn not only refused, but also said that the


    children would stay with him.


    Elizabeth walked out alone, not counting her three spinner suitcases, of course.


    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t let Mom go,¡±Lisa pleaded to her father. ¡°You think I want her to go?¡± Shawn yelled at Lisa. ¡°I


    told her to stay, but she¡¯s leaving with three suitcases full of jewelry instead of staying here with me and


    her children. That¡¯s who your mother is. She¡¯ll probably go on a cruise trip now with her family. If you


    want, you can also go with her.¡±


    Shawn was still in his office uniform. He couldn¡¯t even work properly because Elizabeth kept calling him


    and his office all the time.


    Selena got off the couch and tried tofort her granddaughter. ¡°Knowing your mom, she¡¯s gonna return


    in a few months once the money runs out, so don¡¯t worry too much, Lisa.¡±


    ¡°Why does Mom care more about money than us?¡± Lisa made an angry face as she walked away.


    Roshan, on the other hand, just sat on the sofa silently.


    Seeing Reba enter, Selena came up to her and said in a low voice, ¡°I have a night shoot today, and


    your father is out as well, so if your husband stirs up any trouble, call me immediately.¡± ¡°Why would he


    stir up trouble?¡± Reba asked like an innocent girl. ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish,¡± Selena pinched Reba¡¯s nose.


    ¡°He¡¯s a wounded animal now. He¡¯ll of course bare his fangs if you give him an opportunity. I suggest that


    you sleep in a different room.¡±


    Her mother¡¯s words made Reba¡¯s heart beat faster. Benjamin was certainly humiliated by Elizabeth,


    but would that really make him go crazy to the point of attacking his own wife? It wasn¡¯t impossible, so


    Reba felt the need to be careful. Selena walked away with a smile on her face, but her daughter


    looked tense now. Reba hesitantly entered her room. Benjamin had already bathed and was


    struggling to


    sleep, probably because of the bruises he suffered. She wasn¡¯t surprised that he had already bathed.


    After all, he generally only took three to four minutes to take a shower.


    When she walked to her bed, Benjamin suddenly sat up, making her jump in surprise.


    ¡°No,¡± she said.


    ¡°Mm?¡± Benjamin looked at her with a vague expression. (What¡¯s wrong with her? She looks like


    something got stuck in her throat.) ¡°Is everything okay?¡± ¡°W-Why wouldn¡¯t it be?¡± she tried to look


    confident. ¡°I¡¯m going for a bath, so you better not think of doing anything silly just because my parents


    are out.¡± ¡°You always lock the door and leave no room for me to be funny,¡± he murmured to himself and


    then slowly realized something he hadn¡¯t a second before. ¡°Wait¡­ did she say her parents are going


    out?¡± His eyes immediately lit up as fanatical fantasies about his wife filled his mind.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14


    CHAPTER 14


    Benjamin¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t under his control from the moment he heard that Jacob and Selena were staying


    out for the night. As his wife¡¯s words yed in his mind, his heart melted. And the faint sounds of the


    shower swelled his emotions like ocean waves, and he was feeling so energetic all of a sudden.


    And when she walked out, he asked her a straightforward question. ¡°Can you tell me one thing?¡± ¡°No,¡±


    she said.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you speak all that much?¡± he asked. ¡°Do you have a word limit per day or something?¡±


    She didn¡¯t reply. ¡°Again, the same silence,¡± Benjamin sighed. ¡°What exactly are you, Reba? A rose?


    Or the thorn hiding underneath?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Reba,¡± she said, getting down on the bed and picking up a


    fashion magazine. ¡°Just a fashion designer, but if you want me to be poetic¡­ is there a rose without a


    thorn?¡± Benjamin paused for a second and smiled. ¡°Reba¡­ You are my rose and my thorn.¡± ¡°Yeah. I


    know that,¡± she replied. She had washed her hair, so he could feel her scent drifting all the way to his


    bed.


    ¡°So, if I want to use the rose, I have to break the thorns first, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s a given-¡± she paused and swiftly turned her head to look at him. ¡°What?¡±


    Benjamin swiveled on his butt and jumped off the bed with a push using his hands. She blinked, and he


    was standing now. ¡°Let me break all the thorns, okay?¡± his voice gained weight. Reba rolled to the


    other side of the bed and got to her feet. He walked across the bed on his knees, and she began to run


    toward the door, but he caught her by the arm and pulled her with force. Her back hit his chest roughly.


    She bound her in his arms and violently pressed her down onto the bed.


    ¡°Let go of me, Benjamin!¡± she began yelling, but he shut her mouth with just enough force.


    ¡°Just listen, okay?¡± Benjamin said, his voice reaching directly into her ears because his face was so


    close. ¡°If I wanted to use force, I would have long done so. I¡¯m not a spineless guy, and you know that


    whether you admit it or not.¡±


    She stopped struggling and listened, but she felt hard to breathe because his weight was pressing her


    down on the bed. Sensing that, he moved his hand off her mouth and rolled to the side and assumed a


    sitting position on the bed.


    ¡°Growing up, I didn¡¯t have a mother. I didn¡¯t know women existed until I turned thirteen,¡± Benjamin said,


    looking at his hands. ¡°I¡¯mcking in many ways. I know that. I¡¯m an idiot, so I


    have been trying to wear my rose with its thorns still intact. It¡¯s hurting before I even bring it closer to my


    heart, but I believe the rose is worth the pain.¡±


    Suddenly, she locked her arm around his neck and began to choke him. ¡°You expect me to believe a


    crappy made-up story? Did you forget that I learned grappling when I was young?¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s face turned quite red, and she beganughing. ¡°Haha, that¡¯s what you get for thinking you


    can use force against me.¡± She put more strength into her arms, but then something felt strange. Why


    wasn¡¯t he making any struggling noises? When she realized that, he took a closer look at his face. It


    wasn¡¯t the face of a man struggling to breathe but of someone who was being pleased. She instantly


    realized the reason was the breast massage she had been giving to his back. ¡°Kyaa!¡± she pushed him


    away immediately.


    Benjamin was standing with his hands spread outside and his eyes full of bliss. ¡°I remember it now. The


    shape of your boobs. They stand firmly with your nipples poking upwards like the tips of nted


    mangoes.¡±


    Reba¡¯s head flushed red as a ripe tomato. ¡°You effing pervert!¡± she grabbed the pillow and began


    hitting him hard with it. ¡°Forget it. Wipe it off your mind!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± Benjamin still seemed to


    be in bliss. Her hitting with the pillow only made him feel all the more better. ¡°You know that.¡±


    ¡°Then I will divorce you!¡± she yelled.


    Benjamin¡¯s expression fell t. ¡°Huh? What?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Reba sounded serious. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I was thinking when I dragged you into this, but I


    think it¡¯s better for both of us if we divorce and lead our lives separately.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± he couldn¡¯t believe what she was saying so suddenly.


    ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t want a husband that I can¡¯t control,¡± she went back to her bed and sat down. ¡°If you get


    that, just leave. I¡¯m giving you the way out. Isn¡¯t that what you wanted? Freedom from me? You can have


    it now. Just go. I¡¯ll send you the papers soon.¡±


    ¡°I wanted freedom¡­. From your family, not from you,¡± Benjamin sat down on his bed, startling her. ¡°Like I


    said, you¡¯re my rose and my thorn. I won¡¯t leave you because of whatever pain you bring.¡± Heid down


    and closed his eyes. ¡°If you want to get rid of me, just put the pillow on my face and press it down as


    hard as you can. I¡¯ll try not to resist.¡±.


    Hearing his words, Reba¡¯s mouth turned down. ¡°I hate you, but not enough to kill you.¡± She paused


    for a moment. ¡°If I wanted, I could have had you killed on that morning itself. My father would have


    covered your murder up, so nothing would have happened to me. But that¡¯s not who I am.¡±


    Her words rang true in his heart.


    He had been worshiping her for eight months, hoping love would bloom in her heart. If she really loved


    him even a little, would she have jumped in to stop Elizabeth from cruelly beating him with a stick?


    Maybe, as she had said with her own mouth, the only feeling about him she had room for in her heart


    was hatred,


    He felt like a fool at the moment, for thinking he was getting somewhere in their rtionship.


    Tonight proved that their rtionship was at the same stage if not worse than when they had started.


    Even for a man like him, this wasn¡¯t easy to digest. He covered himself with the nket, probably not


    wanting to show the face he was making. Rebaid down on the bed, but she didn¡¯t switch the lights


    off. Meanwhile, in the middle of the night, Devon woke up and was limping out. ¡°I hope the card still


    works,¡± he thought. Devon had no idea that Oliver was following him. ¡°Where¡¯s this old bastard going so


    late at night? Don¡¯t tell me¡­ he was possessed? I heard that demons possess both objects and people,


    so if he¡¯s possessed, then what about me?¡± he began to check his body to see if there were any strange


    marks anywhere. He couldn¡¯t find any.


    About an hourter.


    Benjamin¡¯s phone received a message. He opened his eyes and grabbed his mobile. The message read:


    $3000 dors has been debited from your ount.


    ¡°What? But I don¡¯t have a¡­¡± his thoughts stopped midway after the image of the tinum card shed in


    his mind.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    CHAPTER 15


    Benjamin was dreaming about having the world¡¯s greatest wedding until a maid¡¯s voice woke him up.


    When he checked the time, it was already past nine in the morning. The maid was cleaning the room.


    His wife wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡°So it was a dream¡­¡± he shook his head. He and Reba got married in a small church with only the


    church members ying witness. Could it even be called a wedding? He wondered. None of her friends


    or family were present there. None from his side were present, either. While he didn¡¯t hate getting


    married to Reba, the way their marriage happened was forgettable.


    As he was yawning, he realized that the maid was stealing nces at the bulge in his pants.¡° What are


    you looking at?¡± He covered it with a nket. The maid anxiously left the room.


    He had to wait a couple of minutes for his morning wood to calm down. And then he hurriedly prepared


    and came downstairs for breakfast. He didn¡¯t see Reba at the table, so he asked Kathy where she


    went.


    ¡°Madam Reba already left for her office,¡± replied Kathy.


    ¡°Oh,¡± he was about to sit down but immediately stood. ¡°What?¡± He didn¡¯t believe her, but he had to check


    it himself. He scurried out. Reba¡¯s Porsche wasn¡¯t there at the parking spot. His heart suddenly sank


    into his stomach. ¡°Hohoho,¡±Selena liked what she was seeing from the ss window of her room on the


    first floor. She just returned from her shoot and heard a great piece of news from one of the maids. ¡°My


    daughter is finally beginning to do the right thing. It won¡¯t be long before she gets rid of himpletely,¡±


    she was sipping on coffee with whipped cream. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see the day she kicks him out of this


    house.¡±


    Meanwhile, Shawn just walked out through the main door and noticed Benjamin standing outside.


    ¡°It seems my sister left without you,¡± Shawn looked to be in a good mood because his wife wasn¡¯t around


    the house sincest evening. ¡°Do you want me to give you a ride?¡±


    ¡°N-No, it¡¯s okay,¡± Benjamin politely rejected. Shawn¡¯s car, a silver Rolls Royce, smoothly came to a halt


    before him. Shawn got in and waved his hand. ¡°Come in.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    After some hesitation, Benjamin got in. He sat in the back seat, right next to Shawn who had a big build


    like his father. Benjamin almost looked like a little mouse inparison.


    ¡°How is your work these days?¡± Shawn started the conversation. ¡°Okay okay.¡± ¡°As the intion keeps


    hitting, people give less and less tips, am I correct?¡±


    Benjamin nodded half-heartedly.


    ¡°I never ordered pizzas in my life, and I don¡¯t care about pizzas, either,¡± Shawn said, unbuttoning his


    sleeves. ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t have called my wife an aunt.¡±


    So this was the reason he let me into the car, Benjamin thought.


    ¡°I want to break your bones and feed you to the dogs,¡± Shawn suddenly pushed Benjamin¡¯s face to the


    ss door and pressed his head hard enough, the ss door cracked and Benjamin cringed in pain. ¡°I


    really do. But I heard about your little stunt at the school. Since you¡¯ve helped my daughter, I¡¯ll overlook


    your actions for once. But never try to act smart with my wife, and stay away from my daughter. You got


    that?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Did you?¡± Shawn pressed his head harder.


    ¡°I did. I did,¡± Benjamin forced the words out of his mouth. Only then, Shawn let go of him and sat down


    and adjusted his tie. ¡°You can give Lisa money when she asks, but that¡¯s all you will do,¡± Shawn warned.


    ¡°Do anything extra, and next time, I will stick a cactus up your ass.¡± Benjamin stayed silent, or rather he


    had to, for the sake of his wife.


    A secondter.


    Shawn nced at him and leaked out a convoluted smile before putting his hand on Benjamin¡¯s


    shoulder. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t really hate you. I just don¡¯t like the fact that you stole my sister from me. I


    was nning to marry her to a wealthy businessman, but you spoiled it.¡±


    His words made no sense to Benjamin. After all, in one sentence he said he didn¡¯t really hate Benjamin,


    and in the next sentence, he said he didn¡¯t like his sister marrying Benjamin. These businessmen can


    really spew empty words with caring smiles on their faces, Benjamin thought. Shawn worked in both a


    real estatepany and an insurancepany. In truth, he was earning more than Reba, but he


    invested what he earned in the insurancepany into his real estate business. This was why it seemed


    like his ie was lowerpared to his younger sister. And Shawn also acted as though he


    earned lesspared to his sister. While Reba didn¡¯t know about this, Benjamin did.


    The driver stopped the car at a fancy store and reminded Shawn, ¡°Sir, this is the shop where Young Lady


    Veronica wanted to buy the watch.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I did promise her I¡¯d buy a Richard Mille for her next birthday,¡± Shawn said, ¡°didn¡¯t I?¡± he nced at


    Benjamin. ¡°I¡¯m running low on profits this year, so, can you give me a hand?¡± ¡°W-What?¡± Benjamin¡¯s


    heart skipped many beasts. (This guy¡­ so this is the real reason he asked me to enter his car! How


    foolish of me!)


    ¡°Her watch costs about 900 grand, you see. But I only need about 80K, and I know you¡¯ve saved up to a


    hundred grand in your ount,¡± Shawn said, shocking Benjamin. He had no idea Shawn was keeping a


    tab on his bank ount. ¡°Why don¡¯t you help brighten your sister-in


    law¡¯s birthday tomorrow?¡± he beamed a very positive smile that could easily fomon man.


    Benjamin was nning on using the money he saved up to surprise his wife one day with a wonderful


    gift, but not to waste it to buy an overly expensive watch for the one and only girl in the house who spent


    cash like water. That was who Veronica was. Even Elizabeth knew when to stop buying, but Veronica


    didn¡¯t. Even if she somehow were to learn that Benjamin added 80 thousand dors of his personal


    money to buy her birthday gift, he wondered if she would even give a damn.


    Besides 80,000 wasn¡¯t a big amount for someone like Shawn. He could have asked one of his friends


    and easily acquired it. Since he didn¡¯t, clearly, he wanted to steal most of the money Benjamin saved up.


    But the big question was, would Benjamin say yes to this bullshit Shawn was making him eat?

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    ¡°What do you say, my dear brother-inw?¡± Shawn showered a pleasant smile as if nothing bad had


    happened between him and Benjamin only a minute or two ago. Benjamin had seen a lot in his life


    leading up to this moment, but this professional businessman still left Benjamin in a bit of an awe.


    He had seen chameleons blending with their surroundings, but Shawn seemed a lot more dangerous


    than chameleons could ever be. A man who could portray both a sharp and a soft smile at the same


    time. He was just a scary man to sit next to.


    However, Benjamin didn¡¯t let Shawn suck him into the flow. ¡°Brother-inw, the thing is¡­¡± Benjamin


    hesitantly said. ¡°I was saving up the money to buy a ne for Reba.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Shawn was still smiling, but his brows were getting a bit stiff. ¡°I do want to help you, but¡­ I can¡¯t


    give you more than 10 grand.¡±


    ¡°Mm¡­¡± Shawn stayed unnaturally silent. The driver could feel the tension rising the moment Benjamin


    addressed Shawn as brother-inw, and he was sweating even though the air conditioner was on. ¡°I¡¯ll try


    to pay you back in a month, though.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t take the risk,¡± Benjamin didn¡¯t beat around the


    bush anymore as he couldn¡¯t afford to do that. Shawn¡¯s brows drew together. ¡°Are you saying you don¡¯t


    trust me?¡± ¡°How can I trust a man who pushed me against the door and threatened to kill me for calling a


    spade a spade?¡± Benjamin innocently asked. Calling a spade a spade? The driver took a couple of


    seconds to understand that Benjamin was talking about calling Elizabeth an aunt. And it almost made


    himugh. Luckily, he was good at controlling himself, or he would have suffered from Shawn¡¯s wrath.


    Meanwhile, Shawn grew silent as seconds passed. He had indeed attacked and threatened Benjamin,


    so there was no fooling around that. ¡°Start the car,¡± he said.


    The driver turned the engine on, and the Rolls Royce smoothly and swiftly took them to the next stop, at


    Rye¡¯s Pizza. ¡°Thanks for the ride, Brother-inw,¡± Benjamin said and exited the car. ¡°For someone who


    constantly licks Reba¡¯s boots and doesn¡¯t properly take care of himself, he¡¯s got some spunk in him,¡±


    Shawn muttered under his breath as he remembered how he saw no fear in Benjamin¡¯s eyes as he


    pressed him against the ss door. ¡°Perhaps, I underestimated him a little too much.¡±


    The driver stayed calm as a ko. Shawn¡¯s tactic was perfect. He intimidated Benjamin first, and then


    tried to steal money from him with sweet words. This strategy would have worked against many, but


    against Benjamin, it did not. ¡°Go,¡± said Shawn, buttoning his sleeves back on.


    Vrooom. This time, the engine revved up, and the car took off fast.


    Before entering the pizza hut, Benjamin stopped and nced at the car. ¡°He is as maniptive and


    cunning as theye. If I¡¯m not careful around him, it¡¯ll be the end of me.¡±


    As he entered the hut, he knew he was getting into a ce that would never let him rest, but working


    here felt better than being at Sterling vi, because his inws would never let him rest, too. They make


    him do work both in the morning and in the evenings. Their kids, too.


    Elizabeth was the worst of them all. She would prepare a mental list of things that needed to be done,


    and she would pour them all during the weekends, when Benjamin had to work extra hard on his


    professional job to keep up with the increased demand of service during weekends.


    ¡°Veronica. She¡¯s arrogant, but she speaks her heart,¡± Benjamin thought. ¡°Should I give her some gift for


    her birthday?¡± Benjamin put all the burdening thoughts aside. ¡°Aunty is not going to be there this


    weekend, so I should get some quality time with my wife. I¡¯ll make her take me to a restaurant.¡± He told


    himself.


    As he put the worker¡¯s sim into his mobile, he could see that Christopher was flirting with . Jasmine, and


    she was waving her body about like a shy little flower. Perfectly made for each other, Benjamin thought,


    but he also knew it was a rtionship that wasn¡¯t gonnast longer than the pizzas stored in the deep


    freezers.


    Many customers believed that Rye¡¯s Pizzas only sold fresh stock, but that wasn¡¯t true. They also stored


    things in cool ces for weeks if not months and used them whenever necessary, especially when fresh


    stock suddenly ran out. It was just that the management and the workers were good enough at making


    things appear new. Benjamin got to work without wasting time. He received a whopping 163 dors in


    tips for the day, and he hid it all in his underwear, the only ce where Christopher never checked.


    Jasmine, however, reminded him to also check Benjamin¡¯s underpants.


    ¡°I would never put my hands in a man¡¯s underpants,¡± Christopher replied to her and said, ¡° but I can put


    them in yours if you want.¡±


    ¡°You naughty,¡± Jasmine pinched his big cheeks. ¡°Hahaha,¡± Christopher blushed, and he really looked like


    an excited pig oinking on and on. Benjamin couldn¡¯t bear to watch them, and he shook his head.


    ¡°Mm?¡± Christopher noticed what Benjamin just did. ¡°What? Are you feeling jealous now that I got a


    girlfriend?¡± he wrapped his arm around Jasmine and pulled her closer. She didn¡¯t resist. ¡°Jealous?¡±


    Benjamin looked at Jasmine. ¡°For her?¡± He didn¡¯t need to say more, as Jasmine was already lowering


    her head as though she had done something wrong. ¡°I already have a princess for a wife. Why would I


    be jealous of a pig and a piglet romancing each other?¡± ¡°Y-You¡­¡± Christopher¡¯s face grew big with rage.


    ¡°Did you just call me a pig?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t give me a promotion, so what else did you expect?¡± Benjamin¡¯s


    voice grew cold.¡° You think I can¡¯t find a job elsewhere? Or I can¡¯tin to the higher ups about your


    little


    romance you have going on here?¡± Christopher frowned and pushed Jasmine away, shocking her. ¡°You


    are making the wrong enemy, Benjamin.¡± He red at Benjamin, trying to intimidate him. ¡°You¡¯re right. A


    slight correction, though. I was trying to be friends with the wrong person who steals a share of tips from


    his coworkers.¡± Benjamin¡¯s gaze grew piercing sharp. ¡°Try speaking against me to anybody, and you¡¯ll


    regret it for the rest of your life.¡± Saying that, Benjamin confidently walked away.


    Christopher, however, found himself sweating like a pig. He was much taller than Benjamin, yet he was


    intimidated by someone like him? He couldn¡¯t believe it and pinched himself to see if everything that had


    happened wasn¡¯t just some dream.


    ¡°C-Christopher¡­¡± Jasmine tried getting closer to him. He cast an angry nce at her. ¡°Get back to your


    work.¡± A cold shiver ran up her spine, and she hurriedly ran back to her spot, even though her working


    hours already ended. Meanwhile, Benjamin was standing outside. Time was 4:35 PM, but his wife hadn¡¯t


    come to


    pick him up yet. ¡°Why isn¡¯t she here?¡± Benjamin¡¯s heart drummed in strange rhythms. ¡°Is it because of


    what happenedst night?¡± his hand touched his forehead. ¡°I¡¯m so stupid.¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s phone received a message. He hurriedly flipped the phone open, thinking it was from his


    wife, even though he knew in the back of his mind that his wife never sent a message. As he expected, it


    was an alert message about money being debited from his bank ount. ¡°This is what? 12th time in a


    day? Whoever it is, they¡¯re surely enjoying themselves,¡± Benjamin thought.


    At the same time, many miles away from Rye¡¯s Pizzas, in a five-star hotel called Great Wave Resorts,


    Devon and Oliver were having the time of their life.


    Oliver had eaten a variety of meat dishes in the most inelegant manner. ¡°Where¡¯s the curd rice?¡± he


    burped and said. ¡°Sir, there¡¯s no curd rice in our menu,¡± the waiter was extremely polite in the way he


    responded. She was a beauty wearing a formal uniform with a rose in her shirt pocket.


    ¡°What?¡± Oliver frowned and red at her. ¡°Then make one.¡±


    ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­¡± the waiter swallowed her breath. ¡°I-I¡¯ll ask the manager, sir.¡± She scuttled away. A few


    secondster, the manager came up to their table and said, ¡°Sir, we can prepare curd rice for you, but it¡¯ll


    cost 120 dors.¡±


    ¡°120 dors for curd rice?¡± Oliver was shocked. ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± ¡°We have to specially prepare it


    for you, sir¡± the manager said. ¡°120 dors is still a bit too much,¡± Devon said. ¡°I can buy cereal and milk


    for half a year with that.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but if you can¡¯t pay, we can¡¯t provide you,¡± the manager didn¡¯t stretch things.


    ¡°Fine, just bring one for both of us,¡± Oliver said. The manager left with a smile on his face.


    ¡°A bowl of curd rice is 120 dors?¡± Devon was shaking his head. ¡°Even if you milk cows from a


    celebrity¡¯s mansion, it¡¯s still too much.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too much, as you say, but we can still pay with the card,¡± Oliver grinned, ¡°so it¡¯s okay, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish. This is only a tinum card and not a ck card. We don¡¯t know when the credit will


    end, so we have to be careful,¡± Devon said. ¡°At the same time, we have to spend all of the money in it


    before it gets blocked.¡± ¡°Y-Yeah, you are right,¡± Oliver said. He still didn¡¯t tell Devon that this card actually


    was delivered to the Sterling¡¯s vi for Benjamin. ¡°That said,¡± Devon lowered his voice, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a


    card that doesn¡¯t have a password. What about you?¡± ¡°Y-You¡¯ve lived longer, so if you haven¡¯t heard, I


    haven¡¯t, either.¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡±Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17


    CHAPTER 17


    Reba came home alone. As she was parking the car, Anous acted arrogantly, thinking it was


    Benjamin in the driver¡¯s seat, and this time received two ps, one on each cheek.


    After Reba left, he cursed himself. ¡°What rotten luck. Why is this crazy woman parking the car


    again?¡± It made no sense, and his stomach made hungry noises as if it didn¡¯t care about his feelings


    whatsoever.


    Seeing Reba enter the house alone, Selena put aside the book she was reading and stood from the


    sofa elegantly. ¡°Where¡¯s your disrespectful husband, my little darling?¡± ¡°How would I know?¡± Reba


    climbed the stairs without even stopping to talk to her mom.


    Selena, however, was smiling very brightly. ¡°He must be walking on his way back right now.¡± She went to


    the maids and told them to prepare a list of the works that needed to be done, so she could make


    Benjamin do all that the moment he came home.


    Selena sat on the sofa and enjoyed her once-a-week cheat drink that was her favorite milkshake with dry


    fruits and cherries. She waited for her son-inw to show up at the doorstep with bowing shoulders and a


    tired look on his face.


    Time passed. The hours needle shifted from five to seven. ¡°What¡¯s taking him so long?¡± Selena


    wondered and angrily ordered Kathy to arrange the dinner.


    Meanwhile, in Reba¡¯s room. ¡°This is my third time calling,¡± she was speaking through a mobile. ¡°How


    many more times should I make aint? I¡¯ve sent his name and picture. Can¡¯t you do something


    about him? He¡¯s showing up at thepany and has been bothering me for three months. Don¡¯t make


    mee to the police station, or I¡¯ll make sure the entire staff gets suspended.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re extremely sorry, ma¡¯am,¡± a female voice spoke politely from the other end. ¡°We have already


    inquired about the guy whose details you sent us, and he¡¯s not someone we can touch.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the son of the governor.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Reba frowned. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll deal with this in my own way.¡± She ended the call and then dialed to


    her father. He answered not-so-quickly.


    ¡°What¡¯s up, Reba?¡± He was coughing a bit. ¡°Dad, you are friends with the governor, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, hees to the same club where I y poker on weekends. Why?¡±


    ¡°His son has been harassing me, Dad.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯sing to my office and is abusing me and my coworkers. He¡¯s a psycho. Tell his dad to


    keep his son under control, or I¡¯ll put the gun you bought for me to use.¡± ¡°I-I will warn the governor,¡±


    Jacob said, ¡°so don¡¯t take reckless decisions, okay? It will be a huge problem if you kill a governor¡¯s


    son for whatever reason. You understand?¡± ¡°I do. That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you to resolve this before things


    go that far!¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure. I will. Have you eaten dinner?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood. What about you?¡±


    ¡°It will take some time for me. Okay, see youter.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Good night.¡± She tossed the mobile on her bed. She looked toward Benjamin¡¯s bed. Normally, he


    should be resting there, trying to start a conversation with her at this hour. But he wasn¡¯t in the room now.


    ¡°Was I too harsh on him?¡± she wondered. ¡°He didn¡¯t run away, did he?¡± she thought of calling him, but


    her pride came in the way. How could she who never even allowed him to touch her can now call him?


    That was just not happening. Not now or ever.


    ¡°Why should I care what will happen to him? He deserves everything he gets for what he¡¯s done.¡±


    ¡°Krgh,¡± she heard a groan and looked toward the window. Someone was climbing into the room that was


    on the first floor. Was it the man that had been harassing her these past few months? He even dared to


    come to her home now? She immediately took out the gun out of her bag, but then realized that this


    person was none other than her husband. ¡°B-Benjamin? What the hell are you up to?¡± ¡°What am I up to?


    Can¡¯t you see?¡± Benjamin acted like he didn¡¯t have enough strength to jump through the window and into


    the room. ¡°Come and give me a hand, unless you want to see me die!¡±


    Before she knew it, she threw the gun onto the bed and reached out for him. He grabbed her hand and


    took her help to get inside with a great deal of effort. Both of them were panting at the end of it.


    She poked her head out through the window and wondered. ¡°How the hell did you climb all the way up


    here? I don¡¯t see anydder.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s a secret,¡± Benjamin sat on his bed. (She really touched me!) His heart fluttered on the inside.


    ¡°Whew, now I don¡¯t need to worry about being given extra work for the night. I¡¯m sure my mother-inw


    had already made ns, but things won¡¯t go her way tonight. I have some other ns.¡± He was thinking


    about making a caketer that night.


    Reba wanted to look like she didn¡¯t care, but she really wanted to know how he managed to climb


    this high to the first floor. ¡°How did you climb? Tell me.¡±


    ¡°What will I get in return?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± her face warped a little too beautifully.


    His question was very valid, but she found herself unable to answer.


    ¡°Maybe, if you give me a kiss, I might tell.¡± ¡°Hmph, don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. I¡¯m never letting my lips


    touch yours ever again. That¡¯s


    not happening.¡± His lips were pretty pink, but so what? It wasn¡¯t just men who liked to see pink lips on a


    woman. Women also loved to see pink lips on men, but so what? His lips were inviting, but so what?


    ¡°Well, you never know.¡±


    ¡°No. I know.¡± She sat down on her bed and put the gun back in her bag.


    Benjamin already knew she always carried a gun with her because she had told him she was kidnapped


    once when she was in college, and her father had to pay a lot of ransom to get her back. Ever since


    then, she carried a gun with her no matter where she went. Benjamin smiled to himself before lying down


    on the bed. ¡°Wow, what lips my wife has got.¡± His eyes were closed, and he acted like he was dreaming.


    ¡°Berries, cherries, and grapes. It felt like I was tasting all of those at the same time.¡±


    Reba acted like she didn¡¯t care, even though she felt the same way about his lips, looks wise. She


    didn¡¯t even remember thest time she kissed him as she was too drunk back then.


    Benjamin continued, ¡°No lipstick in the world does justice to those two fleshy parts, I mean, they¡¯re so


    come-hither.¡±


    e


    ¡°Ugh, stop it,¡± she warned, her face flushing up a shade of pink ¡°And everytime she licks her lips with herN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    tongue, I want to kiss them and bite them.¡± ¡°Stop it, Benjamin,¡± she raised her voice. ¡°I won¡¯t say it


    again.¡± ¡°No. Biting may hurt her, so I¡¯ll nibble on them.¡± Reba gritted her teeth and was going to grab


    her bag. 1 Benjamin suddenly started snoring. Reba put her bag back on the desk and switched the


    lights off before lying down on her bed. ¡°Nibble. Nibble. Nibble,¡± Benjamin murmured through the


    darkness. ¡°AHHH!¡± she screamed her head off.

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    CHAPTER 18


    The next morning.


    Oliver and Devon returned to the Sterling vi in a taxi. When the other butlers asked them where they


    went, Oliver told them he took Devon to a clinic, and Devon also acted like he couldn¡¯t walk properly.


    Nobody doubted them as they weren¡¯t known for skipping work.


    They went to the butlers¡¯ dorms and sat down on their beds. Oliver was rubbing his belly.¡± We¡¯ve eaten a


    lotst night, and my stomach is already crying for breakfast.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still young, that¡¯s why,¡± Devon lied downfortably. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna eat anything for today. I


    never thought I¡¯d spend nearly 10,000 dors in one night. I wish Sheron was still alive. I would have


    taken her to a seven-star hotel.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha,¡± Oliver wasughing, but in his mind, he was thinking how to get the card from Devon. He no


    longer believed that the card was demon-possessed. If only he could get that card, he would just run


    away from this vi and withdraw enough money so he could settle for his life. ¡°Since you¡¯re resting, can


    you give me the card for today?¡±


    ¡°You want to use it again? No,¡± Devon shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s not get greedy. If we spend too much every


    day, we¡¯ll be noticed quickly even if the real owner of the card is filthy rich. Let¡¯s go out on weekends


    only.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Oliver nodded. (Tch, how do I get it from him?)


    Meanwhile, in the main dining hall, Benjamin was eating breakfast with the others. Veronica sat silently,


    looking a bit dull, which was unlike herself. However, Roshan targeted him.¡± Uncle, why do you never


    talk about your parents or family? You do have one, don¡¯t you? Why don¡¯t theye here or bring any


    gifts to us?¡±


    ¡°Because they are probably worse than him financially,¡± Louis the second son of Jacob said, ¡° so he


    might have just abandoned them.¡± ¡°And we are allowing such a selfish person to live in our midst,¡± Be


    shook her head. ¡°What wrong has our family done?¡±


    It was clear they were trying to stir Reba up, but as usual, she didn¡¯t respond to their taunts.


    Benjamin didn¡¯t, either.


    However, what bothered Benjamin was that Lisa seemed amused by the happenings. She seemed to


    havepletely forgotten the help she received from him before even a week had passed. Like mother,


    like daughter, he thought. In the beginning days of his stay at this vi, Benjamin was asked by Elizabeth


    to help rearrange the bed and sofas in her room, but a couple of dayster, sheined to her


    husband that her ne had gone missing and that she had doubts about Benjamin. However, after


    inspection, Jacob found out that one of the maids had stolen the ne and sold it in a store.


    Otherwise, Benjamin would have been branded a thief. Still and all, he had his doubts because the maid


    who had stolen the ne was none other than Kathy. Howe she was still working as a maid,


    unless she was told to steal the ne by someone from the Sterling family? Like Selena or even


    Elizabeth herself.


    Benjamin finished eating early and waited outside in his wife¡¯s car. If he stood there, she


    wouldn¡¯t be heartless enough to ignore him, would she? Devon the old butler appeared out of nowhere


    and began speaking in a strange ng. ¡°Bring me the stuff today.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me? I told you I will do it only once a month!¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Devon slipped a hundred dor bill into Benjamin¡¯s hand. ¡°Oliver stole half of my stuff. I can¡¯t


    live without it. I¡¯ll give you another hundred if you want.¡±


    ¡°Money is not the issue here!¡± Benjamin stressed his words. ¡°That¡¯s a dangerous ce to visit. You want


    me to risk my life for your entertainment?¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Devon fell to his feet and begged. ¡°Help me ovee the death of my wife. I will go see my


    children as you said. Please.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not falling for your acting, so get up,¡± Benjamin bluntly said. Devon


    stood and wiped his tears. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, okay? You¡¯re the only one who keeps the word given.¡± He had


    tried giving money to other maids and butlers, but none of them helped him but didn¡¯t return his money,


    either. ¡°You sure know how to touch the soft spots,¡± Benjamin slid the hundred dor bill into his pocket.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll bring this time, but there¡¯s gonna be none next month.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Devon was shocked. ¡°Go away.


    My wife ising,¡± Benjamin demanded, and Devon had to walk away, whispering his needs. BenjaminProperty ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    briefly nded north-west where a fifty-year-old butler was standing in the distance, watering the nts,


    but his gaze was on Reba, and he wasn¡¯t even blinking. Benjamin didn¡¯t like that.


    However, Reba was already upon him. He smiled awkwardly as she walked to the car like an elegant


    swan. He moved aside so she could get into the car. After she closed the door, he hoped the back door


    would open, and it did. He silently got in and made no sound. He was just d that she allowed him into


    the car after how much he irritated herst night with his descriptions about her lips. Maybe that was why


    she didn¡¯t put on lipstick this morning. Still, it gave her a new, fresh look. He liked it. Just as the car left


    the vi, a beggar blocked the car¡¯s path. ¡°What the hell?¡± Reba got utterly furious and blew the horn


    multiple times. ¡°Can¡¯t you hear? Get the hell out of my way!¡±


    However, the beggar kept begging with his gestures and didn¡¯t move to the side, probably afraid that the


    car would just rush past him.


    Reba tried to move past him, but he also moved with the car and kept blocking the path.¡± This old


    geezer is unbelievable! Let me call the cops,¡± she grabbed her mobile.


    ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll handle this,¡± Benjamin said and walked out. ¡°Don¡¯t give him a single coin!¡± Reba said aloud.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t deserve anything other than


    scolding after that little stunt he pulled!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Benjamin came over to the beggar who upon closer look was wearing a face mask. He


    smiled and spoke in a low voice, ¡°You couldn¡¯t wait, could you?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Master,¡± the beggar responded in a deep whisper. ¡°I needed to make sure you were safe, not that


    you need my help. But now, I will have a story to tell your father when I return, so¡­ when are you


    coming back?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying, Alfred,¡± he patted the beggar¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Tell dad to get ready to see his


    daughter-inw.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡± the beggar peeked over Benjamin¡¯s shoulder and looked at Reba who was still fuming in


    the car like an angry little bird. ¡°Is she the one?¡±


    Benjamin nodded with a smile. ¡°Can¡¯t you just bring her back already?¡± Alfred excitedly asked while also


    worrying how Benjamin¡¯s father would react after hearing this news.


    ¡°No. No yet. She¡¯s good from far, but still far from good.¡±


    ¡°If we look with critical eyes, the whole world appears that way, Master, including you and I. All I can tell


    you so you won¡¯t lose your motivation is¡­ When you are stuck foot-deep in filth-¡± ¡°-think of those who


    are buried neck-deep, I know,¡± Benjamin said. ¡°¡¯Yep. Let those words keep you humble. Don¡¯t forget that


    a good king is also a good servant.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, this is great news. I can¡¯t wait to share the news with your father. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be thrilled to


    hear that he now has a daughter-inw,¡± the beggar got so excited he started dancing around like a


    monkey.


    ¡°What the heck?¡± Reba¡¯s eyes turned round as the moon. How much did Benjamin put in his hands


    for the beggar to be dancing like that?


    Secondster, Benjamin returned to his seat, and the beggar was still dancing on the side of the road.


    Reba just couldn¡¯t watch it any longer and took off. After covering a hundred meters, she said, ¡°I told


    you to not give him money.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t? Stoplying. He wouldn¡¯t dance in joy like that if you hadn¡¯t given him a hundred dor bill or


    something.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s say I did. It¡¯s not something to get mad about, I think. Don¡¯t they say, ¡®service to man is service to


    God¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Huh, trying to be smart to save your skin. I get it. That¡¯s part of the surviving process.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you


    understand, Princess.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me princess. It¡¯s cringey.¡±


    ¡°Okay, my love.¡± The car suddenly stopped. ¡°Get out.¡± Benjamin was shocked. ¡°Sorry,¡± he immediately


    touched his ears. ¡°I won¡¯t be romantic again, I swear. It was just part of a husband¡¯s surviving process.


    Nothing more.¡± Reba¡¯s mouth twisted upon as her words were flung back at her. She started the car


    and spoke no more.

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19


    Benjamin was weaving through the city streets to deliver the parcels in time. Except for the woman who


    comined about the prices being too high and wasting his time, his day at work went smoothly. He


    earned 71 dors on the day, which was pretty average.


    He was heading back to Rye¡¯s Pizza because it was almost 4:30. However, everyone began looking at


    the sky as balloons that were stitched together began to rise high not from just one spot but from multiple


    ces in the city.


    And all these balloons at various ces read the same message, making the citizens wonder in awe.


    Looking at the message, Benjamin bit his lower lip and smiled. ¡°Alfred, you sneaky old bastard.¡±


    Somewhere else in the city, Reba¡¯s Porsche stopped. She stepped out and peered at the balloon


    message that read: BENJAMIN FOUND HIS LOVE.


    She just didn¡¯t know how to take it. Secondster, she shook his head. ¡°Nah, it can¡¯t be him. There are


    hundreds if not thousands of Benjamins in the city.¡± She got back in her car and drove off, but to her


    bewilderment, she saw more of these messages spread across the city.¡° You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me.¡±


    Her tongue poked out through her cheek. Though she didn¡¯t admit it with her tongue, her eyes confessed


    that it was romantic. However, it couldn¡¯t possibly have been the Benjamin whom she married, the one


    who toils hard everyday as a pizza delivery guy.. At the same time, near the Sterling family¡¯s vi,


    another set of the same balloon message was floating in the air with almost-invisible strings attached to


    the building tops. Selena who was chilling by the pool noticed the message. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± ¡°How


    cool,¡± Veronica was sitting next to her mother and looked thrilled. ¡°Is it Brother-inw¡¯s doing?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s just no way that good-for-nothing son-inw could have afforded this,¡± Selena couldn¡¯t sit by


    anymore. She personally left to find out who exactly raised those balloons up there.


    After Selena left, Veronica was still chilling, sipping on orange juice. ¡°The love he¡¯s talking about, it¡¯s my


    sister only, right? Or did he suddenly recognize my worth? Even if he does, he can¡¯t afford me. Besides, I


    already have a boyfriend.¡± At Rye¡¯s Pizzas. Benjamin was waiting outside when Reba arrived. She


    briefly looked at him with her inspecting eyes, He looked the same. The back door opened, and he got


    in. She drove off. They barely spoke along the way. The balloons were no longer visible as they had


    risen up and above the clouds. However, when they were almost home, there was still a set of balloons


    floating over an apartment.


    Benjamin, who was in the back seat, didn¡¯t notice that, but Reba did. She wanted to ask him if it was


    him, but then again, why should she care? Her pride also didn¡¯t allow her to ask When the car stopped in


    front of the main door, she calmly asked, ¡°When are you going to get a car for yourself?


    ¡°When I be a seven-star deliverer,¡± he replied. ¡°Thepany freely gives cars to its top members.¡±


    ¡°And when are you going to be a seven-star or whatever delivery guy?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Benjamin


    said, when in truth, he had received the promotion letter after his work that day. However, he didn¡¯t want


    his wife to know that as he wouldn¡¯t be able to ride in his wife¡¯s car if he were to get a car for himself. So,


    he was thinking of asking thepany to give him a cool bike instead. ¡°Why? You don¡¯t like me getting


    in your car?¡±


    She got out without replying. ¡°Again, she leaves without answering,¡± he sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t understand what


    she¡¯s thinking. If she wanted me to have a car, it wouldn¡¯t take her a second to buy me one, but she


    doesn¡¯t. It¡¯s because she wants me to travel in her car, right? That means she wants me to be around


    him. So how can I get a new car and disappoint her?¡± 1 He then parked the car and expected two people


    toe, and they did. Both Anous and Devon. He gave the cheese chicken pizza to Anous and a small


    packet of weed to Devon.


    What he didn¡¯t expect; however, was seeing Louis¡¯ childrening up to him and asking for pizza.


    Luckily, he brought another parcel, so he handed them all of it. They both began eating it as they walked


    away, though they only plucked the chicken pieces and tossed the rest of the pizza away, causing


    Benjamin to regret giving them the whole pizza. Louis and Be¡¯s children, d and Mercie, the boy and


    the girl, were non-identical twins. Like their parents, they didn¡¯t speak much even when others asked


    them questions. It wasn¡¯t that they were shy, but there was just something odd as well as cute about


    them.


    Before Benjamin entered the vi, he could hear Selena¡¯s voice. ¡°What¡¯s she cooking now?¡± he felt a bit


    anxious.


    When he stepped into the hall, Selena¡¯s voice grew louder. ¡°There he is. The bastard who stole my


    eldest daughter¡¯s happiness.¡± There were a couple of men sitting on the sofa before her. One was


    young, and the other was old. Did she bring another potential husband for Reba? Whoever they


    were, they definitely didn¡¯t spare any positive looks toward him.


    ¡°Mother-inw,¡± Benjamin politely said, ¡°it was your daughter who asked me to marry here. Still, I


    apologized to you many times for that already, and I¡¯ll say sorry again and again if you want, so please


    show me some respect.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, your sorry will not bring back the days my daughter has lost and continues to lose,¡± Selena


    barked at him, then came closer and said in a low voice, ¡°and don¡¯t forget about her virginity.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Benjamin sounded a little guilty as he kep his voice just as low, ¡°but I won¡¯t be able to


    steal her virginity again, either, so, isn¡¯t that a plus?¡±.


    Selena ground her teeth and waved her hand toward the stairs, telling him to go. After Benjamin left, she


    came back to her seat and spoke to the guests. ¡°What do you think?¡± she was looking at the young man


    who had a fashionable hairstyle and a clean mustache. ¡°Can you pull my daughter away from him,


    Edward? If you seed, I¡¯ll persuade Reba to marry you, and then I¡¯ll bring you into the movie


    industry.¡±


    ¡°Physically, the only good thing I can see on him is that he¡¯s got a manly butt. One month. That¡¯s all I


    need,¡± Edward said confidently. ¡°I will make your daughter kick his butt and throw him out on her own.¡±


    His words were like music to Selena¡¯s ears. ¡°Who are these fellows?¡± Jacob came down the stairs, fixing


    his suit. His smoking pipe wasn¡¯t working, so he looked a bit on edge. ¡°One of your time-pass troupes?¡±


    ¡°No, no, dear,¡± Selena stood and lovingly put her hand on Jacob¡¯s chest before introducing the two men.


    ¡°He¡¯s Francis, a professionalwyer and my collegemate. And this is his only son, Edward.¡± Jacob shook


    his hands with them so-so and looked at his wife. ¡°Where is Kathy? I can¡¯t find her right when my damn


    pipe isn¡¯t working.¡± ¡°Ah, I sent her out on work. Give that to me. I¡¯ll get it cleaned by other maids.¡± ¡°Nah,¡±


    Jacob turned around and walked back upstairs. ¡°He¡¯s making two big-budget movies,¡± Selena whispered


    to the guests, ¡°and has a lot going through his head, so please don¡¯t mind hisck of etiquette.¡± ¡°It¡¯s


    totally alright,¡± Francis beamed a professional smile. ¡°I can understand that. But why do you guys only


    stay in this 18-acre vi when you can afford to buy houses in many ces?¡±


    ¡°My husband believes it¡¯s a waste to buy properties that he doesn¡¯t live in, so¡­ that¡¯s that. I had to sell


    away my yacht because of that.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Francis slightly squinted his eyes, ¡°he¡¯s really lucky to have such an understanding wife.¡±


    Selena was a famous movie star, and others like her generally spentvishly buying things left and right,


    but Selena was different. She was the type to set the trend rather than follow one. This was what


    attracted Francis toward her back in their college days. In his eyes, there was nothing sexier than a


    smart woman.


    Francis then shook his hand with Selena. ¡°Leave your son-inw to us. Even if my son fails, I¡¯ll frame


    him in some crime and get him thrown in jail for at least a decade.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯ll be waiting for that day to arrive as fast as possible,¡± Selena excitedly said, and they kept


    shaking their hands for long enough to make Edward wonder if there was something happening behind


    the scenes,Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20


    It was Benjamin¡¯s first day as a seven-star deliverer, and Christopher didn¡¯t look like a happy man


    because he gave negative remarks for Benjamin¡¯s work, but Benjamin still got promoted. How could


    Christopher have known Alfred was working behind the scenes to give Benjamin the much-deserved


    promotion? Because he didn¡¯t know, his fat stomach was rotting from negative feelings.


    The best part, as most would say, about getting promoted into a seven-star deliverer was obviously being


    gifted a personal vehicle, but some would say that it was the fact that the founder of Rye¡¯s Pizzas himself


    would directlye in the flesh to give the car keys to the new seven-star deliverer.


    However, the founder did note today because of falling sick. So, the car-gifting event was


    postponed. Benjamin was still driving thepany¡¯s old motorcycle to go around and deliver the pizzas


    in time. The timespan had gone down from thirty to fifteen minutes, so it pushed him into using all his


    bike-riding skills to get to the delivery points in time.


    He was a few secondste for the first delivery itself, but the customer was an understanding olddy


    who lived on the sixth floor of an apartment, so she didn¡¯t think twice before giving Benjamin a seven-star


    rating. Still and all, Benjamin didn¡¯t have the time to rx, as it was necessary for the seven-star


    deliverers to make at least two seven-star deliveries per hour.


    ¡°Doing 15-minute deliveries on a bike isn¡¯t that tough, but once I¡¯m given a car, I¡¯ll have to drive around


    on a car,¡± Benjamin thought. ¡°It¡¯ll get much harder to deliver within 15 minutes on a car, so it makes me


    wonder why thepany gives its top employees a personal car. Well, at least they allow me to ride a


    bike, so I think I¡¯ll keep using this bike unless the delivery is too big to be done with this two-wheeler.¡±


    Nevertheless, he was more worried about another deadline and that was to reach the fashion college


    before five o¡¯clock in the evening.


    After giving it his all for the rest of the day, he excitedly headed to the fashion college on a taxi and


    bought a bouquet along the way.


    There was a cultural fest going on, and he hoped he wasn¡¯tte. He sat among the students and asked


    them if the chief guest had spoken yet or not, and to his luck, they shook their heads. Benjamin breathed


    a sigh of relief before waiting eagerly. About half an hourter, the chief guest arrived and more than half


    of the students got up from their seats to wee her.


    Wearing a simple cream-colored dress with embellished designs and a rose flower and falling petals


    design at the bottom, she stole the hearts of the students, especially of the male students. She was five


    feet and eight inches tall, taller than some of the male students, and her legs looked long and shapely


    even though the dress had hidden most of her skin. All the heads turned wherever she went and greeted


    the other guests of the event and the staff of the


    college. Benjamin was no exception. He kept gawking at her like a mesmerized monkey. As she took a


    seat in the front row, the students in the back rows kept talking about her nonstop. ¡°I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s


    one of the top fashion designers of the country. She looks so young!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you know?¡± She¡¯s a college


    dropout.¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± ¡°Who cares about such things? Our college girls don¡¯t hold a candle to her.


    Whoever marries that woman, he¡¯s going to be the luckiest guy in the world!¡± Benjamin felt proud of


    himself, for they were talking about his wife. The chief guest of the cultural event was none other than


    Reba.


    Once the fashion events ended, Reba and the other judges chose the winner. The dean of the


    college gave the speech first, and then asked Reba to speak to the students. Reba carried herself


    pretty well on the stage, and many people couldn¡¯t help but notice the ssy high-heels that subtly


    enhanced her gait.


    Once Reba grabbed the mic, she gave a once-over to the audience that not only contained students


    of this college but some other adults that came to watch the event. ¡°I won¡¯t bore you with a long speech,


    so please don¡¯t sleep like that guy in thest row.¡±


    Her words garnered a few chuckles. Sleeping when such a gorgeous woman was on stage? Some male


    students wouldn¡¯t even dare dream of doing such injustice. ¡°I am Reba Sterling as most of you


    probably already know,¡± Reba said. ¡°And I¡¯m here today speaking to you all as the chief guest


    because I believed in only two things. Number one: Hard work Work hard in everything you do. Doesn¡¯t


    matter how low or how high you¡¯re in your career, it is only your hard work that doesn¡¯t betray you.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Number two: Hope. Without it, there¡¯s no point in living. Have hope no matter the situation you¡¯re in.


    When your hard work and hope work together, you will get whatever you need in life. I was considered a


    poor student when I was in college, and they were right. I couldn¡¯t even finish the degree. I failed. I


    dropped out. But my pride didn¡¯t let me stay home and do nothing, so I looked for an easy job, and I


    found this field of fashion designing.¡±


    Some members in the crowd smiled andughed. Reba also smiled a little. ¡°I thought this job was


    going to be a breeze because it looked like it didn¡¯t need much mathematics and science, but I couldn¡¯t


    have been further from the truth.¡±


    The murmurs among the students slowly died down.


    ¡°It took me only a few weeks to realize the difficulties and the opportunities that lie ahead in this field,¡±


    Reba continued. ¡°It was a hassle in the beginning, but I began to work hard, hoping I¡¯d fit in. I


    persisted in assisting my not-so-friendly senior and spent days and nights with her from sketching and


    cutting to patterning and finishing. My designs were repeatedly rejected in the beginning, and it felt like


    the world was against me. My mom said she¡¯d


    rmend me to be a stylist for a celebrity. She was giving me an easy way out, but I didn¡¯t take


    it. Because by then I knew that there¡¯s no such thing as an easy career. Regardless of the profession,


    risks and responsibilities exist at every level in every project we do. It is our discipline, diligence, and


    determination that help us sustain in thispetitive world. So make hardworking a habit, or else no


    matter how talented you¡¯re, you will be left behind.¡± Students began pping. ¡°I¡¯m not done yet, though,¡±


    she said, causing some students tough a little. ¡°I¡¯ve got just one more thing to say. When I was your


    age, I, like any other girl, felt tempted by a lot of things, and I¡¯ve dated 23 seniors, hoping I¡¯d find the right


    man. I was really stupid back then, you see. I didn¡¯t know that the right man can¡¯t be found because you


    look for him. The man you like must be shaped so that he¡¯ll be the right man for you in the same way you


    decide what heights you want to reach in the world without letting those around you decide things for


    you. So don¡¯t wait for miracles to happen. Actively pursue what you want. In that pursuit, hard work will


    teach you how to be smart and how to win and keep winning.¡± Most of the students in the crowd seemed


    to be so motivated by Reba¡¯s words, but Benjamin looked dispirited. ¡°So after you lost your virginity,


    you stopped finding the right man and just decided on ¡® molding me into the right man, no, the right ve


    for you?¡± his heart ached as though thorns grew inside and tore through his flesh. ¡°Is that all I am to you?


    A mere toy that dances to your tunes?¡± he stood and walked away as tears streamed down from his


    cheeks. The bouquet of roses in his hand fell. His arms shivered as he tried to wipe the tears away, and


    he couldn¡¯t even do it properly. While the students and the staff stood and pped as Reba¡¯s speech


    ended, Benjamin¡¯s head felt like it was splitting into pieces.

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21


    As Benjamin was leaving the cultural event, some were talking about his wife. ¡°How old is she? 26? 27


    maybe? And she¡¯s from a rich background. I didn¡¯t expect her to give such an inspirational speech.


    That¡¯s rare.¡± ¡°Yeah, but since she took 25 grand toe and stay here for two hours, she at least


    needed to deliver that much.¡±


    ¡°She took that much?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we initially wanted to bring a movie star, but they asked 100 grand. We didn¡¯t have the budget, so


    we had to settle for this rising star of a fashion designer.¡±


    ¡°Damn, it¡¯s good to have some fame.¡± ¡°Yeah, but if it was that easy, everyone would be famous,


    wouldn¡¯t they? She talked about hard work and hope, but who knows how many dicks she rode and


    asses she licked to get to that position?¡±¡± ¡°Not all do such things. She seems genuine.¡± ¡°Haha, whether


    she¡¯s as sterling as her family name implies or not, that¡¯s not something we can prove from here.¡±


    Benjamin didn¡¯t even look at those men. He just kept walking and walking, not even bothering if he was


    going in the right direction. He found the nearest bar and began drinking. Everything that had happened


    in the past eight months kept ying in his mind. Benjamin wore the wedding ring. Always. Reba,


    however, never put it on. He tried to give her flowers so many times, but she didn¡¯t ept such gestures


    even once. Benjamin was always talking and smiling, trying to build the rtionship. Rebbeca, on the


    other hand, was like a rock with no heart. He was mocked and even beaten by his inws at times, but


    she never interfered to stop them. She just watched him suffer. He never understood her intentions


    behind being so indifferent, at least not until this moment. ¡°This is what I get for being so honest and


    caring?¡± he downed a full bottle of vodka, making the bartender look kind of worried.


    ¡°Bro, you should take it easy,¡± he advised, but Benjamin grabbed another bottle. ¡°Alright. I don¡¯t think you


    can go home if you drink that.¡±


    Benjamin, however, downed it all in one go. ¡°Huhoo¡­¡± those drinking next to him were mightily


    impressed by that. ¡°Damn! A whole magnum of spirits in one go? I¡¯ve never even done it in one sitting.¡±


    ¡°Who the fuck is this monster?¡± some men were genuinely shocked. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    The bartender, however, looked extremely worried. ¡°I think you should go to the hospital. You just drank


    four weeks worth of alcohol in less than ten minutes. You might get seizures.¡±


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m intoxicated?¡± Benjamin pushed the bartender away and grabbed another vodka bottle.


    ¡°Yeah. Down the damn thing once more!¡± the other men cheered. ¡°Woohoo!¡±


    ¡°I request that you put the bottle down, or I¡¯ll be forced to be rude,¡± the bartender warned.


    Benjamin didn¡¯t even care and downed the third bottle. The bartender forcibly pulled the bottle away and


    called for the security. Two heavy men rushed in and picked him up from both ends by Benjamin¡¯s arms


    and took him outside. ¡°Don¡¯t shake him too much, or he¡¯ll vomit on your shoes!¡± Some customers made


    fun of the security as they walked past them. ¡°Whoever that was, he¡¯s crazy. He¡¯s gonna pass out soon


    and wake up with a killer hangover tomorrow.¡±


    Benjamin, however, kept walking along the street. He waspletely conscious, and he still felt the pain


    in the heart as much as before. The alcohol didn¡¯t do anything to lessen the hurtful feelings.


    Suddenly, a car stopped next to him. ¡°Benjamin?¡± a familiar voice called out for him. It was Reba.


    Both she and Jane were in the car. The back door opened, and Benjamin lifelessly walked and got


    inside.


    ¡°What were you doing outside instead of going home?¡± asked Reba.


    He didn¡¯t respond. He could see how bright her face was. It was the face of someone with no worries, of


    someone who recently achieved something. (If only you could feel my pain¡­)


    ¡°I can smell vodka from him,¡± Jane looked back at him. ¡°It smells bad. Did he drink from some cheap


    bar?¡±


    Drinking outside in a bar without even taking her permission beforehand? Reba didn¡¯t like that. She


    put her foot on the elerator so hard, Jane got scared for a second. ¡°Whoa, what¡¯s gotten into you!¡±


    Jane felt her hair rise. ¡°Take it easy. You are wearing high heels!¡±


    Reba still drove rashly, and at a turn, her foot slipped over the brake pedal, and the heel broke. Her


    footnded awkwardly, and her ankle bent, and her bone cracked. ¡°Ah!¡± she cried out in pain.


    Jane reacted in the nick of time and squeezed the brake pedal with her foot until the tires skidded into a


    halt.


    Reba groaned and whined in pain. ¡°Ugh, I think my ankle broke.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jane was surprised. ¡°I


    know you don¡¯t like high heels. Why did you wear them today? For the fest?¡±


    Reba nodded while pain filled her expression. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to, but they¡¯d attract attention.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Jane wanted to rap Reba¡¯s head with her knuckles. ¡°The world cares for appearances,


    but how long do you think you can maintain your appearance? You¡¯re going to get old one day, and no


    man will look at you sexually anymore. That¡¯s the reality.¡± ¡°Huh, isn¡¯t everyone still looking at my mother


    now? Even when she¡¯s past fifty?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get fooled by your mother. She¡¯s done surgery to her face multiple times, and it worked out for her.


    But the truth is there are more failed surgeries than sessful ones, and go ask anyone who got their


    surgeries messed up, and they¡¯ll only say one thing. They badly miss the old natural charm they had. So


    try to be as natural as possible like me. Even when I wear high heels, I throw them away once I¡¯m done


    with them.¡± ¡°I get it,¡± Reba cringed in pain. ¡°Take me to the hospital.¡± ¡°Yeah, but we should first move


    you to the back,¡± Jane turned her head and looked at Benjamin who was sitting with his arms folded.


    ¡°Why are you sitting there like a statue? Come and help me move Reba to the back.¡± Benjamin kept


    staring at them, testing their temper. ¡°What the heck, dude?¡± Jane got irritated. ¡°Did you drink too much


    to be unable to even hear what I am saying?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Reba said, looking at Benjamin. ¡°I know he can hear us. Look at those eyes. Those are not the


    eyes of someone loving. Now that he¡¯s drunk, he¡¯s showing his true self. His usual good-man¡¯s face has


    worn off, and he¡¯s just like your typical man who loves for gains. The fact that he doesn¡¯t want to help me


    now but still calls himself the son-inw of the Sterling family proves that I¡¯m right.¡± ¡°No shit,¡± Jane


    blurted out in annoyance. ¡°And whose fault is that?¡± ¡°What?¡± Reba was shocked. ¡°Are you saying it¡¯s


    my fault he¡¯s behaving like this? He¡¯s the one who¡¯s ungrateful. Not me!¡± Jane¡¯s brows raised. ¡°I¡¯m not


    going to bother trying to repair your messed up rtionship, so, why don¡¯t you just slide over to my seat,


    and I¡¯ll do the driving.¡± Reba gritted her teeth and spoke no more. Jane soon started driving, and


    Reba was making low painful sounds. Jane nced and looked at Benjamin through the mirror. He


    didn¡¯t seem concerned about his wife¡¯s situation. He looks like a different man today. Just what


    happened between these two in thesest few days?) Her eyes slowly widened. (Don¡¯t tell me¡­ it¡¯s


    because I told him to spank her that evening? Did that cause all this? Does that mean I am responsible


    for worsening their rtionship?)

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22


    CHAPTER 22


    Sterling¡¯s family doctor did the necessary treatment and said, ¡°It¡¯s only a minor fracture, but since it¡¯s at


    the ankle, don¡¯t try to put that foot on the ground for at least two weeks. If the recovery is fast, you¡¯ll be


    able to do your regr activities from the fifth week.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t even put my foot down for two weeks?¡± Reba¡¯s face lost a lot of glow. ¡°What should I do in bed


    for so long?¡±


    The doctor smiled almost hysterically because Benjamin was also standing next to him. ¡°Your ankles are


    strong for a woman. You might have done some physical training when you were young. Otherwise, this


    same injury would have forced you to stay on the bed for fifteen to twenty weeks.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Reba didn¡¯t know what to say. Even though it was only a fracture that would heal in time,


    she had never been in this situation, and she looked tense like an anxious little rabbit.


    The doctor patted Reba¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s important to stay positive in these situations so


    your recovery will speed up. And your husband and your family will take care of you, so what¡¯s there to


    be afraid of?¡± After prescribing some medication, he looked at Benjamin and said, ¡°Don¡¯t let your wife


    down during her tough time, young man.¡± He patted Benjamin¡¯s shoulder on the side a couple of times


    and then left.


    Reba hated the fact that Jacob had told the family doctor about her marriage long ago, giving the


    excuse that one shouldn¡¯t hide anything from their family doctor, so there was nothing she could do.


    However, everytime he called Benjamin her husband, she wanted to p him.


    Benjamin went back to his bed, as though he didn¡¯t really care what the doctor had told him.


    It was already nine at night. Others had dinner. She and Benjamin didn¡¯t. She was feeling quite hungry,


    but she didn¡¯t want to shout and call for a maid in front of him. Shouting like she needed someone¡¯s help,


    she couldn¡¯t even imagine herself doing it.


    ¡°Where are these damn maids? They are not avable right when I need them! What is Kathy doing?


    Doesn¡¯t she know that I¡¯m hurt? Shouldn¡¯t she have allocated a maid to tend to my needs?¡± she could


    only talk to herself out of frustration. Time passed. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    At 9:30, she was rubbing her stomach. Why didn¡¯t anyonee to check up on her? Did they think an


    ankle injury was nothing to be worried about? She wasn¡¯t even able to move properly while lying on the


    bed. Even slight movement of her injured leg brought stark pain in the ankle and made her cringe. As if


    completely unaffected by her situation, Benjamin was sleeping on his bed, fully covering himself with the


    nket. ¡°I¡¯m sure he didn¡¯t eat. How could he sleep on a hungry stomach?¡± she wondered. ¡°And he


    didn¡¯t even ask me if I ate anything. I wish Jane was here. She would have helped me with anything.¡±


    She tried reading a magazine, but she didn¡¯t feel like reading anything. Hunger was one thing, but the


    lack of mood was another thing.


    Just one little identpletely changed her situation. She didn¡¯t care about what his parents or


    brothers were doing in their carriers until today, but now she wondered what exactly they were doing. Her


    parents weren¡¯t home right now. Be was a hairdresser, but she didn¡¯t talk with Be all that much. Her


    brothers stopped talking casually with her after she began to earn more than them, or that was what she


    believed.


    As for the children, she didn¡¯t talk with them often recently, either.


    All the recollection made her realize that she stopped talking much with anyone from a few years ago.


    Even she wasn¡¯t sure what exactly brought such a change in her. Again, her stomach grumbled. ¡°There


    should be some snacks in the fridge, right?¡± she hoped, but how was she going to get to the fridge? She


    didn¡¯t even have a walking stick or a walker for support. Skipping on one foot wasn¡¯t an option, either.


    Was waking up the one and only son-inw of the Sterling family the only way? She put her pride aside


    and raised her hand ¡°U-Uh, B-B-Be¡­¡±


    Bam!


    The door was kicked open, and Veronica barged in, wearing pink pajama shorts. There was a packet of


    chips in her hand.


    Reba was startled initially, but seeing her sister with a potato chips packet in her hand, her heart


    fluttered a bit. (Veronica, you remembered your sister¡­) As she got a bit emotional, Veronica began


    eating chips as she walked forth, and Reba¡¯s jaw ckened. (She didn¡¯t bring those for me?) ¡°I


    thought you suffered some serious injury, but you look fine,¡± Veronica said, bulging a vein in Reba¡¯s


    face. ¡°It seems like it¡¯s just a simple fracture. The maids sure know how to exaggerate things.¡± ¡°What


    brought my little sister here?¡± Reba asked, trying not to get angry. ¡°Surely, it¡¯s not just to check up on


    my insignificant injury, right?¡± ¡°What?¡± Veronica¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°You know, I¡¯m the one who should be


    angry because my only sister doesn¡¯t remember that today¡¯s my birthday!¡± The annoyance in Reba¡¯s


    face fell t. She did remember that it was Veronica¡¯s birthday a few days back, but then she forgot


    about it.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t me you because even our mom doesn¡¯t seem to remember it. I don¡¯t care about dad or


    Louis, but even Brother Shawn didn¡¯t buy me any gifts this time. He promised me he¡¯d buy a costly


    watch, but he didn¡¯t. He only sent a message through the mobile, and he didn¡¯t evene home today,¡±


    Veronica¡¯s voice was filled with disappointment. ¡°I can see everyone¡¯s avoiding me because I¡¯m


    unemployed, right? I don¡¯t have a job, and so nobody gives a shit about my birthday anymore. Even the


    kidspletely forgot about it. And the


    maids¡­¡± she pursed her lips emotionally, ¡°only the maids wished me happy birthday! No one else in this


    house did!¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Veronica,¡± Reba patted her bed. ¡°C¡¯mon, sit here. Let¡¯s talk about this.¡± Veronica was


    quick to sit down, but she was still pouting. She wasn¡¯t putting the chips into her mouth anymore, so


    Reba plucked the chips packet first and put it aside. ¡°You are what? 24 now? You shouldn¡¯t get angry


    when people don¡¯t wish for your birthday anymore,¡± Reba said. ¡°You think I¡¯m acting like a child for


    birthday wishes?¡± Veronica barked back. ¡°That¡¯s not why I¡¯m like this.¡± She took out an envelope and


    handed it to her sister.


    ¡°Happy Birthday Veronica, From Akash.¡± Reba read the words written on the cover. She opened it,


    and there were hundred dor bills inside. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Her heart skipped a beat.

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23


    CHAPTER 23


    ¡°Happy Birthday Veronica, From Akash.¡± Reba read the words written on the cover. She opened it,


    and there were hundred dor bills inside. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Her heart skipped a beat. A woman receiving


    money from a man outside the family wasn¡¯t something that could be overlooked.


    ¡°My boyfriend,¡± Veronica lowered her head and rubbed her thumb on her palm. ¡°He sent it to me. He


    didn¡¯t even have the time to talk to me on the phone. He sent me this shitty envelope through a friend.


    And that¡¯s not even his handwriting.¡± She paused. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. What does that mean? Does he not care


    about me? Does he think as long as he sends some cash, I¡¯ll be his girlfriend?¡± Reba thought for a


    little while and asked, ¡°What does he do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I met him at a party, and he said he¡¯s a


    businessman and gave me his visiting card,¡± Veronica exined. ¡°Since then, we kept meeting outside


    often, and he¡¯s a good guy. He never talks about his work, but he does know how to paint, and he gave


    me one of his original paintings. However, he didn¡¯t even have time to make a painting for my birthday


    this time.¡±


    ¡°Send me his details.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do some investigation on him.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Veronica was shocked. ¡°Investigation? What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Our parents are rich, so there¡¯ll be many men who¡¯ll try to trap us,¡± said Reba. ¡°If we do a


    background check on your boyfriend, we¡¯ll know whether he¡¯s a fake or not.¡± ¡°Background check?¡±


    Veronica didn¡¯t like what she was hearing. ¡°Wait, did you do a background check for Benjamin before you


    married him?¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Reba¡¯s expression froze. She hadn¡¯t done that. She was so emotionally driven after losing her


    virginity, she didn¡¯t care what his identity was. She married him after he agreed to marry her. She just


    assumed he didn¡¯t have a family because he never brought it up.


    Reba took a breath and asked. ¡°Are you just passing time, or are you serious about him?¡± ¡°Why


    would I get upset if I wasn¡¯t serious?¡± replied Veronica.


    ¡°Mm, but are you sure you want to marry, though?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Look at our parents. They had four children, and people think they¡¯re the perfect couple, but we know


    they¡¯re not even living in the same room anymore. They juste together for appearance sake. And


    look at Shawn and Elizabeth. They used to roam together like birds made for each other before


    marriage, but now, you don¡¯t see them smiling together.¡± ¡°What are you getting at, sis?¡± Veronica


    frowned. ¡°Are you telling me I shouldn¡¯t marry?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying.¡± Reba stressed her words. ¡°Don¡¯t marry unless it¡¯s necessary, or it¡¯ll


    only be a burden for you. So, do some checking on Akash to see if he¡¯s worthy or not before


    proceeding.¡± ¡°No,¡± Veronica shook her head, ¡°I¡¯d rather ask Akash directly instead of doing sneaky things


    in the dark. Anyway, thanks for your time. Take care.¡± She took the envelope and walked out. Reba


    sat there, lost in thought for a while. ¡°She¡¯s right about one thing.¡± Reba nced toward Benjamin¡¯s


    bed. ¡°I never bothered to do a background check on him.¡± She remembered their past conversations to


    see if she could pick up any clues about him, but really, there was nothing significant. ¡°Now that I think


    about it, he never talked about his past, did he? It is indeed strange. Why didn¡¯t I notice it sooner?¡± she


    thought for a bit.¡± Should I ask him? But if he¡¯s got some dark past, I might bring the trauma back¡± She


    was not heartless enough to put a person through such a thing. ¡°How should I get the info from him


    then?¡± Her stomach grumbled again and brought her out of her thoughts. She grabbed the potato chips


    packet and hurriedly ate them.


    And because of hurriedly crunching and swallowing the spicy chips, she ended up coughing a lot. It


    wasn¡¯t going away. There was no water bottle around. The dry cough hurt her throat, and tears clouded


    her eyes.


    Benjamin got off his bed and went to the fridge and took out a water bottle. She looked at him in great


    surprise. She didn¡¯t think he would wake up from her cough and then get off the bed to give her a water


    bottle. (How nice of him.)


    However, Benjamin didn¡¯te to her but walked straight back to his bed.


    The cough that briefly stopped began once again as shock took over Reba¡¯s expression.


    Benjamin sat down and finished half the bottle before putting the cap on. He kept staring at her without


    blinking.


    She was looking at him, but she didn¡¯t even make a gesture to show her need of water.


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Benjamin snorted and tossed the bottle onto her bed. Before she knew it, she ended up


    grabbing the bottle and drinking from it. While she was doing it, she realized that he was still looking at


    her, and she ended up spilling the water.


    Benjamin slightly shook his head before lying down on his bed and pulling the nket back on.


    Reba pped her hand to her forehead in a mix ofplex emotion. She had never felt this


    embarrassed in a long time. It proved extremely hard for her to digest the fact that she drank water from


    a bottle he had given her. After all, she always thought she was above him, that she was more powerful


    than him in many ways. However, now that thousandyered illusion was beginning to be shaken by the


    storm of difort brewing in her heart. She felt like some invisible chains began to bind her.


    And she could hear the men she had datedughing inside her head, saying that she will eventually lose


    to himpletely like how she lost her virginity to him.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m Reba Sterling,¡± she thought. ¡°I¡¯m the best! I have no equal! I won¡¯t let this injury cripple my


    confidence!¡±


    At the same time, near the airport. Oliver just reached the airport in a taxi. He paid using the tinum


    card before stepping out. He didn¡¯t have any luggage, except for one small bag that had a pair of clothes,


    kitchen tools, and some cash he had withdrawn from the ATM.


    ¡°Getting this card from Devon was easy,¡± Oliver smiled as he briefly stared at the card. ¡°All I had to do


    was remind him of the weed packet under his mattress, and then he went back to his old self and


    completely forgot about this card. It¡¯s scary how drugs have made a strong man into a cripple in a matter


    of months. I won¡¯t take drugs anymore, so I won¡¯t be like him, but there are still a lot of ways to


    have fun in this world.¡± He was walking in through the entrance. ¡°Once I leave this city, my second life will


    begin.¡±


    Two giant men in ssy gray suits that were walking out of the airport picked him up by the arms from


    either side and took him outside. ¡°Hey, who are you two? Put me down!¡± Oliver yelled. ¡°I haven¡¯t done


    anything wrong!¡± One of those men whispered in Oliver¡¯s ear, ¡°As long as you are holding the tinum


    card, you don¡¯t want to leave the city, or your death will be news on TV for a hit and run case.¡±


    Those words sent shivers up and down Oliver¡¯s spine. ¡°Just go back to the vi, and be a good butler,


    Oliver ude.¡±


    Saying that, the two giant men walked away without looking back. Oliver, however, still found himself


    shivering uncontrobly. A tall and sturdy man like him who had severed the heads of thousands of


    chickens and cut open the necks of even more buffalos when he was working at a farm was now close to


    peeing in public.

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24


    CHAPTER 24


    The next morning.


    It was no longer Veronica¡¯s birthday, but she was still thinking about her past birthdays right after waking


    up.


    She vividly remembered her sixth birthday, when she asked her dad during breakfast as to what gift he


    was going to buy for her birthday. Jacob replied, ¡°You are too young to receive


    gifts.¡±


    And ever since then, he repeated simr sentences until she turned 18. She demanded a big gift from


    him on her 18th birthday, and Jacob said, ¡°You are an adult, so you shouldn¡¯t be asking for gifts.¡± In the


    end, Jacob never gave Veronica a single birthday present. He didn¡¯t give gifts to Reba, either, at least


    not until she became a sessful fashion designer. However, he gave gifts to his two sons every year.


    There were times when Veronica cried because of the partiality his father had shown on his sons, and


    Selena had to console her during those times.


    Veronica was now old enough she didn¡¯t need any consoling. She was looking at the painting of ake


    dazzling under the sunlight. Compared to all the superficial gifts his brothers or his family members ever


    gave her, this single gift felt a million times more precious. She really wanted to know more about Akash


    without directly asking him, so she thought of paying a visit to his sister.


    When she entered Reba¡¯s room, she was in for a shock. Her sister looked like a ghost because she


    hadn¡¯t slept at all. ¡°Look at you. You look terrible! Like you were wed by a thousand cats in your


    dreams!¡± Benjamin just came out from the bathroom, and he was fully dressed already.


    ¡°Oh, you wear clothes in the bathroom itself?¡± Veronicaughed out loud. ¡°What more strange habits do


    you have?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something I learned from your sister,¡± replied Benjamin, cutting Veronica¡¯sugh short. ¡°If you


    excuse me, I¡¯ll go and have breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± she moved aside. ¡°I envy people like you who don¡¯t even need to look into the mirror every


    day. Nothing changes whether youb your hair or put on makeup.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Benjamin didn¡¯t mind her words and left without even sparing a nce at his wife. It was so obvious that


    even Veronica noticed the change.


    ¡°Why¡¯s he behaving oddly?¡± she sat by his sister¡¯s bed and asked. ¡°Normally, he¡¯s always itching to get


    your attention, but now, when you need it, he¡¯s not even looking at you. I feel like he¡¯s taking his revenge


    now that he¡¯s gotten a chance.¡±


    ¡°Revenge or not, I don¡¯t care what he does,¡± Reba said, acting as though she didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Sis, can you answer this question honestly?¡±


    ¡°First ask.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about Benjamin,¡± Veronica said. ¡°He¡¯s average-looking, and he doesn¡¯t evenb his hair properly. I


    don¡¯t know what you saw in the bar to like him and be defenseless against him, but how could you marry


    him? Just what made you make such a rash move? No one in the house gets it. Even Mom feels


    clueless in this situation, I think.¡±


    ¡°What made me marry him, huh¡­¡± Reba took in a breath at a slow ce. ¡°Men think we don¡¯t notice


    where they¡¯re looking, but we notice everything, right?¡±


    Veronica nodded twice.


    ¡°All the men I dated, they had beautiful smiles blooming on their lips, but this one guy was smiling


    through his eyes,¡± Reba thought back of the time when she first noticed him in the bar. ¡°That¡¯s what


    attracted me toward him. I didn¡¯t even know who he was, but I boldly went and sat by his table.¡±


    ¡°You approached him first?¡± Veronica couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°I thought it was the other way around.¡±


    ¡°Well, he looks average now because he doesn¡¯t take good care of his hair and beard, but back then,


    he¡¯s not someone you can easily take your eyes off. I¡¯m talking about nine months back.¡±


    ¡°Your standards are pretty high. To think you consider him to be so good looking, I guess everyone has


    their personal preference type. Maybe he fits into your preference.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it. I¡¯ve dated men more taller and more handsome than him,¡± Reba said, ¡°but they all were


    too eager, you know, to get into bed with me, but he had this pure adoration in his eyes. I haven¡¯t seen


    anything like it, I tell you.¡± ¡°Adoration,¡± Veronica cocked her head back and forth twice. ¡°Yeah. That very


    adoration made him fuck you that very same night and steal your virginity, huh?¡± ¡°A-Ah, well, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    Reba scratched her cheek. ¡°We were both pretty drunk back then, and we were talking, and the next


    thing I remember, I woke up the next morning, and he was in my bed.¡± She was shaking her head. ¡°I


    couldn¡¯t believe it, that I lost my virginity to a stranger I met at a bar. Seeing me worry, he said he was a


    virgin, too. Maybe I was touched by his gesture, so I ended up asking him if he¡¯ll marry me. Most men


    would run away when they hear the word marriage, but he said yes before he even knew I was Reba


    Sterling, so I¡¯ve decided to make him mine.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t surprise me. You¡¯ve always been more selfish than me, but are you sure he was also a virgin?


    I mean, there¡¯s no way we can check a man¡¯s virginity, right? I feel like we should have had this


    discussion eight months back, but are you at least sure he didn¡¯t know who you were before agreeing to


    the marriage?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I¡¯m positive,¡± Reba said confidently. ¡°Anyway, what brought you


    here?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yeah, I want you to do a little background search on my boyfriend.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Reba pulled her


    younger sister¡¯s cheek, ¡°didn¡¯t you almost mock me for saying I¡¯ll do the same thing?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m now


    only asking you to learn more about his hobbies. What he likes and doesn¡¯t.


    Such things. Can you do this for me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s something you should learn by dating him, not by doing a


    background check on him, you idiot!¡±


    Veronicaughed awkwardly for a second and then made a poker face. ¡°So you won¡¯t do it then.¡±


    ¡°I will do it if you help me until I am able to walk¡± ¡°What? Can¡¯t you ask the maids to help you?¡±


    Reba¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°You want me to beg them every time I need to get off my bed?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. I


    will help you, so don¡¯t worry.¡±

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    ¡°What? Can¡¯t you ask the maids to help you?¡± Veronica suggested. Reba¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°You want


    me to beg them every time I need to get off my bed?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. I will help you, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Good. So how about you go to the kitchen and bring me some breakfast? I¡¯m hungry, so we¡¯ll discuss


    while I eat.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Okay.¡± Veronica then went into the kitchen that was on the ground floor. It was probably her first


    time entering the kitchen in months. As she was checking through various refrigerators, looking for fresh


    fruits, she noticed a small twoyered cake in one of the chambers. The cake itself wasn¡¯t what shocked


    her, but the words written on the cake were wishing her a happy birthday.


    ¡°D-Did Mom make this?¡± her eyes turned a bit teary. ¡°I misunderstood her.¡± She happily took the whole


    cake up to her sister¡¯s room who was ck-jawed from seeing the cake being brought by her tip-toeing


    sister. ¡°Check this out, it¡¯s my birthday cake! There are pink flower designs on top! This is the best cake


    ever made for my birthday. Period.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, whoa, wait,¡± Reba tried to calm her. ¡°Wasn¡¯t your birthday yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I didn¡¯t know Mom made me this cake! She didn¡¯t tell me!¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t tell you?¡± Reba felt something wasn¡¯t right. While Veronica didn¡¯t blindly trust everything


    her mother said, she still had no idea the things Selena was capable of doing Reba also loved her


    mother so much until one day she saw her mother maids how she should please Jacob in bed. It was a


    terrifying experience for her. She thought it was a dream, but no. It was far from being a dream. Perhaps,


    that¡¯s when she began to lose respect for her parents and became more of an introvert and minded her


    business.


    Reba put her hand on her sister. ¡°Mom has been really busy with shooting since thest two months.


    I don¡¯t think she has the time to make a pastry this cute with intricate designs and all.¡±


    ¡°Then who made this? One of the maids? Still, Mom should have told them to make it, right?¡± Just then,Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Kathy entered the room, bringing a bag of fruits and water and medication. ¡°Here¡¯s food, water, and


    tablets.¡± She put everything on the table next to the bed.


    ¡°How did you know which tablets to bring?¡± Reba asked. ¡°You weren¡¯t herest night.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but Benjamin gave me a list of all things needed early in the morning when I was preparing


    breakfast,¡± said Kathy and then looked at the cake. ¡°Oh my,¡± she covered her mouth and looked at


    Veronica. ¡°You didn¡¯t cut the cake yesterday?¡±


    Her reaction surprised the sisters.


    ¡°You made the cake?¡± Veronica asked. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am. I didn¡¯t make the cake. It was Benjamin who made it two nights back,¡± Kathy said, and the


    sisters¡¯ expressions froze as they looked at each other. ¡°I heard him tell one of


    the maids to keep it in the fridge. I thought he would use the cake on your birthday, but¡­¡± she looked at


    Reba. ¡°Maybe because you got hurt yesterday, he might have not felt like celebrating.¡± Reba


    didn¡¯t say anything, but she knew that wasn¡¯t true. Even before her ankle got broken, Benjamin was


    behaving strangely. She could just see it in his eyes. ¡°B-Benjamin made this cake for me?¡± Veronica


    looked frozen. As Benjamin¡¯s image shed in his mind, she immediately swatted the cake to the side,


    and it crashed on the floor, shocking both Reba and Kathy. ¡°Why did he make a cake for me? It¡¯s not


    like we¡¯re friends! No matter what dress I wear, he has a problem with it. He always talks back to me


    negatively, and he expects me to eat the cake he made?¡± Despite what she said, she had already tasted


    the cake with her finger and liked it. However, there was just no way she could reveal that. She red at


    Kathy. ¡°Take that cake and throw it in that trash¡¯s face!¡± Kathy looked at Reba as if asking her


    permission. Reba was also feeling angry with the way Benjamin was acting toward her, so she ended


    up nodding Kathy then took the cake downstairs. Benjamin was almost done with eating his breakfast


    meal. Lisa was asking him for some pocket money.


    Kathy didn¡¯t want to do it in front of the children, but she had her own little grudge against Benjamin. ¡°You


    rejected me, so don¡¯t me me for doing this to you.¡± She came up to him with the cake hidden behind


    her back and smiled when he looked at her.


    Benjamin didn¡¯t smile in return. He had been avoiding Kathy ever since she tried to get too close to him.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Young Lady Veronica told me to give this cake back to you,¡± she smeared the whole cake in his face.


    Lisa and Louis¡¯ children were shocked, whereas Roshan began recording it on his mobile. Veronica who


    was watching from upstairs snickered throughout.


    Though Benjamin¡¯s blood rushed in rage, he thought of the words, ¡®a good king is also a good servant,¡¯


    that were passed down in his family. He wiped the cake off his face and began eating


    ¡°Ew,¡± both Lisa and Roshan felt like throwing up. They couldn¡¯t even sit there anymore.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Benjamin,¡± Kathy lowered her posture and acted innocent, speaking in a low voice. ¡°Veronica


    forced me to do this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Benjamin said. ¡°At least you didn¡¯t throw this cake in the dustbin. It took me an hour to


    prepare it.¡± He was still licking what was left on his face and what fell on his te. His words startled


    Kathy, though Veronica was too far to hear him. Benjamin leaned toward her and grabbed her hands and


    began licking them, shocking Veronica. However, Kathy felt a surge of electricity coursing through her


    body. Getting turned on like that, with her hand and finger getting licked, she had never experienced


    such a thing. Still, it onlysted a few seconds, and before she knew it, Benjamin was wiping his face


    with the napkin tied to her waist. Even though he didn¡¯t really touch her anymore, because his face


    was only a few inches away from her most private part. Benjamin stood and looked into her eyes. With


    oil still covering his face, it made him shine a bit, and she was able to get a better view of his face. He


    looked a lot more handsome than usual. Her heart was pounding against her chest before she knew it.


    How could he lick her hands like she was some kind of her pet dog? Moreover, what was he up to now?


    Will he kiss her? She wasn¡¯t ready for it.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the rest of the cake?¡± asked Benjamin. Kathy¡¯s expression fell t. ¡°W-What?¡±

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    CHAPTER 26


    When Reba was burning with tension, not knowing what exactly was transpiring downstairs,


    Benjamin entered the room with an oily face. His eyes scanned around and caught sight of the cake lying


    on the floor.


    He clenched his fists in response, but then he took a breath and controlled himself before walking in and


    picking the leftover cake off the floor onto a magazine. ¡°What¡¯s he doing?¡± Reba looked utterly


    puzzled, for he was doing something the maids should be doing, but then her eyes bulged out when he


    started eating that cake. Benjamin nced at her, paused for a second, and put the cake forward, as


    though asking her if she wanted some. ¡°Ew,¡± she felt like snakes and crabs began crawling all over her


    body. ¡°No!¡± she yelled quickly.


    Benjamin shrugged his shoulders, then walked to the table next to her bed and picked up the car keys.


    ¡°Why are you taking my car keys?¡± she asked. ¡°You already know why,¡± he didn¡¯t even stop and just


    walked out of the room. Veronica was there, looking like she was disgusted by what he was doing-licking


    the cake.


    ¡°It was my mistake, making cake without asking,¡± Benjamin said as he walked past her. ¡°Sorry for the


    inconvenience. I won¡¯t repeat it, I promise.¡± When Benjamin came downstairs, Kathy saw him eating the


    cake, and her fingers trembled. She felt like he was still licking her fingers. Her nipples hardened and


    poked out against her bra, and she felt so incredibly horny. She was afraid that her swelling breasts


    would burn a hole through her bra, and she ran to the kitchen like a frightened little fox. Benjamin


    washed his hands and face with soap before getting to the Porsche. After opening the door, he sat down


    and raised his hand but didn¡¯t touch the steering wheel yet. This was the same steering wheel Reba


    touched and used to drive every day. He grabbed it and squeezed it. ¡°I found the woman, but she doesn¡¯t


    even want to carry my love, let alone my children.¡± He lifted his chin and tried to swallow the pain. ¡°What


    am I supposed to do with her, God? What should I do with this selfish woman?¡± Stress marks showed on


    his forehead. ¡°Eight months, and we don¡¯t even go for a simple walk outside. She doesn¡¯t even stand by


    my side. Every time I try to get close, she pushes me away. It feels like I¡¯m doing this forever.¡± He rested


    his head on the wheel for a few minutes.


    While he was caught up in his emotions, one of the butlers came and skilfully deted the back tire with


    a scissor. Benjamin heard the noise and poked his head out. The butler was already running away, and


    Benjamin noticed the size of the tire shrinking. ¡°Hey!¡± he yelled and got out of the car.


    The butler already rushed into the dorms, where Veronica was there.


    ¡°Did you do it?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± he nodded.


    She smiled and said, ¡°That trash wants to drive a Porsche? There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll let him do it. Now, he¡¯ll


    have to walk until he finds a taxi.¡± About ten minutester. Veronica finished talking with the butlers and


    walked out of the dorms, and the Porsche engine started revving up. The noise was too loud to miss.


    When she looked, Benjamin was looking back at her with a faint cheeky smile on his face before taking


    off at startling eleration. Her eyes widened, and the butler who had tted the tire rushed out of the


    dorms and was also shocked to see the Porsche leave. ¡°How did he do it?¡± Veronica was gritting her


    teeth. ¡°I¡¯m sure you said there wasn¡¯t a spare tire.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes,¡± the butler stuttered and lowered his head, ¡°but it seems he used the sealing gel and pump


    machine to fix the t fire.¡±


    Her teeth-grinding grew louder, sending shivers down the butler¡¯s spine. ¡°You know you really fucked up,


    don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am. Please give me another,¡± as the butler was speaking, she pped him


    with the back of her head. ¡°Get lost. You are fired. If I see you anywhere from tomorrow, I¡¯ll make sure to


    use the same pump machine he used to fix up your t ass.¡±


    The butler was almost in tears, but he had to nod and walk away. He was a decent-looking man, but he


    had a t butt, and it really hurt when Veronica mocked him for theck of


    padding on his buttocks, even more so than losing this job.


    Veronica still looked pissed off. ¡°Why does Mom always hire guys with no bulge on their asses? Does


    she think we¡¯ll stoop so low as to fall in love with them if they are the least bit sexy or what? I don¡¯t


    understand her intentions sometimes.¡± Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    There was rain in the air, so she walked back into the vi.


    Meanwhile, Benjamin shifted gears and drove the Porsche smoothly. Like an eagle flying low, it


    whooshed through the fourne road, making many heads turn in his direction.


    At Rye¡¯s Pizzas.


    Christopher just arrived in his typical Honda car. There were some other employees who had cars, but


    he secretly ordered them to never arrive in a car as it would make him look ordinary. However, today,


    when he was about to get out of his car, a Porsche flew in and stopped right next to his car. It happened


    so fast, he couldn¡¯t even turn his head in time. ¡°What the¡­¡± he looked to his right, and Benjamin stepped


    out of the Porsche while pop music yed in the car. He knocked on Christopher¡¯s car door, and


    Christopher lowered the ss window.


    ¡°If there¡¯s even a little scratch on my car, that will be the end of you!¡± Saying that he went back to minding


    his business. He turned off the music, locked the car and entered the pizza hut.


    Christopher was still sitting in his car and looked around. This was the same old shitty car he had been


    riding for years, and it was his father who gave him this car. He mmed the


    steering wheel in frustration and cringed in pain. Old it might be, but it was still durable enough to endure


    him, but there was no respect found for his car in his eyes. Meanwhile, in the Sterling vi. Devon and


    Oliver were duking it out, and the other butlers had to step in to stop them. Otherwise, Devon would have


    likely gotten choked to death. Though the others asked why they were fighting, neither Devon nor Oliver


    replied, as they were fighting for the card.


    After Oliver returned, he didn¡¯t dare to go outside and spend the card again, at least not yet, but Devon


    realized that his card was stolen and asked Oliver to return the card. And this led to them fighting ¡°You


    better give me the card, Oliver,¡± Devon threatened, wiping the blood dripping from nose, ¡°or I¡¯ll make you


    regret it.¡± ¡°Who are you going to tell about it?¡± Oliver snorted in return, ¡°Did you forget that you¡¯ve spent a


    lot using the card? If I get fucked, you get fucked as well.¡± ¡°You little shit,¡± Devon picked up the butcher¡¯s


    knife and attacked him.


    ¡°You crazy old bastard!¡± Oliver ran around. ¡°Are you trying to kill me?¡± ¡°Yeah, give me the card, or I¡¯ll


    really chop your neck off,¡± Devon chased him.

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27


    Even though it was pouring outside, the orders didn¡¯t stoping. Driving on wet roads at high speeds


    in hurry was not something just about anyone could do. It wasn¡¯t just about the driving skill but also the


    guts needed to go through the experience of riding on 4ne and 8ne roads when thunder rumbled in


    the sky. The risk was just too muchpared to the reward.


    However, there were many willing to work even in the rain. Covering their packages in stic containers


    to retain the heat, the pizza delivery guys put their skills and courage to full use.


    Benjamin was also among them. He could have used the Porsche as there was no rule saying he


    couldn¡¯t, but he still used the motorcycle because he liked the challenge.


    During the time of rain, five minute extra time was given for all deliveries. Today, he was delivering a total


    of thirty pizzas to a college dorm. Even though he delivered in time, the boys were too busy partying,


    they made him wait more than forty minutes before paying. And they didn¡¯t even give him a tip when he


    waited outside for so long.


    He justughed at his own bad luck and left. He couldin about them, but since they were just


    college kids and he had toin to Christopher, that¡¯s that.


    When he returned to Rye¡¯s Pizza, he was in for a shock. The Porsche was gone. He ran straight to


    Christopher, grabbed his cor and forcibly lifted his big ass off the chair. ¡°Where¡¯s my car!¡± He left the


    keys in his locker, the key to which only he and the manager should have.


    Christopher, however, smiled and slowly said, ¡°Someone from the Sterling family came and took the car.


    Did you steal from them or what?¡±


    Benjamin pushed him down back into the chair. ¡°That¡¯s none of you damn business.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but it is my business to report to my superiors that you abused me, and we have witnesses, too.¡±


    ¡°Do whatever you want.¡± Benjamin packed up his next order and left without wasting time, Being a


    seven-star deliverer, he didn¡¯t need to make and pack the pizzas himself. He only needed to focus on


    making the delivery in time. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    This time, he had to deliver to a room on the tenth floor of an old apartment that didn¡¯t even have an


    elevator facility. There wasn¡¯t much traffic, either. Straight away, Benjamin felt that something was off.


    Still, he needed to make the delivery, so he had no time to waste.


    He hurried to the tenth floor and knocked on the door. But nobody opened it, and this brought up some


    frustration on Benjamin¡¯s face. He was carrying twelve pizzas, and in the cold rainy weather, their warmth


    and freshness wouldn¡¯tst long. Normally, he would have left, but he knocked on the door harder this


    time. Men appeared on both sides of the corridor. The sound of the rain masked their footsteps, but


    Benjamin¡¯s ears could clearly discern what was going on. A total of four bodybuilders, two on either side,


    attacked him without hesitation.


    Inside the room.


    A scar-faced man was consuming cocaine while topless girls sat on either side of him and rubbed his


    thighs as though they were hinting to him that they were ready for action. The phone next to the small


    heap of cocaine rang. The scar-faced man picked it up.


    ¡°Is it done?¡± the voice from the other side asked.


    ¡°Of course, sir. Don¡¯t you know I am ck Bear? Once I take up a task, you can consider it done.¡±


    ¡°Send me a pic.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± he got off the sofa and walked to the door, murmuring, ¡°it¡¯s just a pizza delivery guy, so just one of


    my men can eat him alive.¡± He opened the door, and four heavily-built were lying by the doorstep,


    cringing in pain and a couple of them coughing blood. They seemed to be in intense pain. ¡°The fuck just


    happened here?¡±


    Seeing four of his men lying helplessly on the floor stirred his blood. ¡°Did that pizza fucker do this shit to


    you guys?¡± he pulled one of them up by their shirts. ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°I-I couldn¡¯t even see anything,¡± that man spoke with pain and bled some more through the mouth, and it


    fell on ckbear¡¯s hand. ¡°Geez,¡± ckbear let go of him. ¡°Just how hard a hit in the stomach can make


    a guy like you suffer like this? I should have guessed things wouldn¡¯t be so easy when that mother-


    fuckingwyer and his cock-sucking son both called and gave me the same stinking task: to beat the


    living shit of a guy working at Rye¡¯s Pizzas. I thought I could shag a couple of bitches and sleep tight


    tonight, but this pizza guy fucked it all up. Whoever he is, I won¡¯t let him get even forty winks until I¡¯m


    done with him!¡±


    His phone rang again. He thought it was thewyer once again, but it was his wife. He answered it fast.


    ¡°Hello, darling!¡±


    ¡°Darling, my ass! I ain¡¯ting home tonight, so eat some shit outside.¡± ¡°Okay, but what work made you


    so busy?¡± he asked, but the call ended. More men showed up at the scene and were shocked to see


    what had happened. ¡°Boss, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not fine, you piece of shit. Find out who that pizza guy exactly is before the sun goes down.¡±


    One of the underlings looked to the sky. It was raining, and the sun was nowhere to be seen.¡± But, boss,


    we can¡¯t see the sun.¡±


    ckbear looked at the one who just spoke. ¡°So smart. Your IQ must be in single digits.¡±


    The underling folded his hands and lowered his head and blushed, thinking his boss was praising him,


    but a knee struck his face and sent him over the edge of the parapet, shocking the others. They couldn¡¯t


    even hear his cry for long because of the rain, but it was certain that guy died.


    The men standing there were taller and sturdier than ckbear, but they couldn¡¯t even look him in the


    eye for long. ¡°Any motherfucker can grow muscle by eating and exercising, and so


    you motherfuckers are easily receable. That¡¯s why you better show some spirit and smarts, or I don¡¯t


    know when I¡¯ll eat your lives. Now find out about that pizza motherfucker before the sun goes down. Got


    it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Boss!¡± ¡°Take these four losers to our clinic,¡± ckbear said and then went back into his room.

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28


    Veronica said she¡®d help her sister, but after she left Reba¡®s room in the morning, she didn¡®te


    back even once, Reba tried calling, but her sister didn¡®t lift the phone. Reba wanted to go to the


    bathroom in the alternoon, and there was no walking stick avable. She just couldn¡¯t call the maids,


    either, but belly was hurting. She really needed to take a piss.


    When the thought of pissing in a bottle popped in her head, she almost pped herself. Besides, the


    door wasn¡®t even locked. What if someone entered the room when she was in the middle of urinating?


    What if her urine drops fell on the bed sheet? All these embarrassing thoughts made her want to pull her


    hair


    At that moment, Kathy brought a guest into her room. It was Edward who came with a bouquet and a


    basket full of fruits.


    Reba recognized him as he was one of the husband candidates her mother had shown her in the


    past.


    ¡°It¡®s really sad to see you sitting on the bed, Ms. Reba,¡± Edward purposely spoke this way, as though


    she wasn¡®t even married. He gave her the bouquet, and she epted it and said thanks. ¡°You are...


    Edward Collins, aren¡®t you?¡± she asked, ¡°What brought you here?¡± ¡°Haha, you¡®re as straightforward and


    blunt as your mother said,¡± Edward took out a car key from his pocket.


    Reba was surprised as it was her car key. ¡°That¡®s... my car key! Why do you have it?¡± (Your sister


    called your mother, who then called me. I went to the pizza ce and fetched it for you.¡± He smiled, and


    it enhanced his vintage businessman look ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do this. I would have taken the key after


    Benjamin returned, but still, thanks for your effort.¡±


    1


    ¡°It¡®s okay.¡±


    A momentary silence followed. ¡°What did the doctor say?¡±


    ¡°Uh...¡± As much as Reba wanted to keep talking, her dder was screaming at her. He wanted him


    gone so she could ask Kathy to help her get to the bathroom.


    Herck of response suggested to him that she wasn¡®t in the mood for a discussion. ¡°Anyway, you take


    some rest. I hope you¡®ll recover quickly,¡± he took out his visit card, startling her. ¡°I would like you to be my


    private designer and make my suits from here on out.¡± ¡°Your private designer?¡± Reba looked puzzled.


    ¡°We don¡®t even know each other. Why are you...¡±


    ¡°I¡®ve seen your work That¡®s enough for me. See you soon,¡± he said and walked out. Kathy


    quickly followed him


    By the time Reba stopped reading the visiting card, Kathy was gone. ¡°Crap¡± She felt like her heart


    jumped into her mouth. ¡°No, no, no,¡±


    Was peeing in a bottle the only way? She didn¡®t want to do such an obscene act, and it brought tears into


    her eyes and made her feel helpless


    Just then, someone entered her room, and joy filled Reba¡®s heart. She cried out, ¡°1¨CJane!¡± she was


    never this happy to see her best friend.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Whoa, what the hell happened to you in just one day?¡± Jane came over and put her bag aside. She


    could see that Reba¡®splexion has dullened, ¡°You look like a ghost.¡±


    ¡°Help me get to the bathroom Quick¡± Reba bent to the side and hugged her friend.


    ¡°Hey, I¡®m not going anywhere,¡±ne wrapped Reba¡®s arm around her shoulder, but Reba shook


    her head. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That¡®s not possible. It¡®s hurting even with slight movements. So you need to pick me up into your arms.¡±


    ¡°Huh, I like athletes, but I¡®m not an athlete. What if I make you fall?¡± ¡°It¡®s fine. Just hurry up,¡± Reba


    said in a painful voice Realizing her urgery, Jane picked her up with some effort. ¡°Holy... you are heavy!¡±


    ¡°Shut up, and go!¡± ¡°That¡®s what I¡®m doing¡± Reba helped her open the bathroom door. ¡°Don¡®t drop me


    Put me gently down on the


    seat.¡±


    ¡°You think I¡®m a kid? I was going to do that.¡± She did as Reba said and then stood gasping.


    ¡°Why are you still here?¡± Reba barked at her. ¡°What? Shouldn¡®t I pick you up after you¡®re done?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but you want to watch me pee or what?¡± Reba was furious. ¡°We have seen each other¡®s


    bodies when we bathed together back in school days, so what¡®s the big deal?¡± ¡°No. Just get out.¡± ¡°Fine,


    but make it quick I don¡®t want to be sitting in your room alone.¡± She shut the door. Reba finally could


    pee. She never felt better, ¡°W1ooo...¡± It was like she was rising from hell and unto heaven as a lot of load


    was gone from her dder. ¡°Are you done?¡± Jane asked. ¡°I just started!¡± Reba replied in haste. ¡°Why


    are you in such a hurry?¡± ¡°I wanted to share something with you,¡± said Jane. ¡°It¡®s about my boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°The one you met abroad?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s a pro¨Cwrestler.¡± ¡°What? Why did you go for a wrestler?¡±


    ¡°Because he eams a lot, and you should have seen his cock It¡®s long, hard, and thick Velns running all


    over it. My word. It was the best middle leg alright. And he could please me with that hammer without


    ripping me apart.¡± Reba flushed greatly. ¡°Stop describing your boyfriend¡®s shaft to me, you shameless


    jerk!¡± She had never seen a man¡®s penis in the flesh, not as far as she could remember. That night she


    had sex with Benjamin, she didn¡®t remember much of it at all


    ¡°It took so much effort to put that whole thing in my mouth, but it feels like it¡®s worth it when I see his body


    quiver and hear him moan.¡± ¡°I said, stop it!¡± Rebbeca shut her ears. ¡°Can¡®t you hear me?¡± ¡°I can hear you


    just fine, but I¡®m telling you what you¡®re missing.¡± Jane said, crossing her arms. ¡°You are at the peak of


    your life, and so is your man. I just feel bad when I see both of you struggling to get closer.¡± ¡°What? I


    never tried to get closer to him!¡± Reba barked. ¡°I don¡®t care about him or even about having sex. Sex


    itself doesn¡®t keep a rtionship going Benjamin is fine with being my husband without touching me. We


    are okay with the way things are.¡± ¡°I doubt you¡®re okay, but Benjamin surely is not. You know that.¡±


    Reba frowned and went silenc.


    ¡°If I hadn¡®t seen it myself, I wouldn¡®t have believed that a man like him existed,¡± Jane said. ¡± Most


    husbands are selfish and do whatever that pleases them Who would marry a woman and stay with her


    even when she doesn¡®t give him the least bit of happiness, physically or mentally? Heck, I doubt you


    even gave him a kiss on the cheek, but he still talks sweetly with


    you.¡±


    ¡°W¨C What are you getting at?¡± ¡°I¡®m telling you that he¡®s special, you fool,¡± Jane said, ¡°Don¡®t lose him. Put


    your pride aside before his patience runs out, before his hope burns out.¡± Reba didn¡®t say anything


    ¡°I¡®m telling you all this because you two fucked in my apartment, and in my bed,¡± sane said. ¡°I had to


    throw away my favorite bedsheet because of you blemishing it with your blood! You better put your


    differences aside and have a sessful rtionship, or I¡®ll never forgive you!¡± ¡°That¡®s what you¡®re more


    worried about? Your freaking bedsheet?¡± a vein popped in Reba¡®s cheek ¡°Let mee out so I can


    whip your ass.¡± However, Reba had no idea that Jane sneaked out of the room, not wanting to


    confront an angry Reba. (I¡®m doing everything I can to help you, Benjamin. I hope this little


    conversation will make her approach you and open up to you.) On her way out of the vi, she told a


    maid to go to Reba¡®s room to help her.

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29


    Benjamin came home very hungry, holding a long package in one hand. He wanted to eat something


    spicy, so he cooked extra spicy chicken fry and then went to his room for a bath.


    Lisa slipped into the kitchen and took the chicken fry and rushed to her room. Both she and Roshan


    gorged on it and loved the taste.


    Meanwhile, inside Benjamin¡®s room. ¡°How long is she going to take to bathe?¡± Benjamin wondered.


    Having waited ten minutes doing nothing but sitting on his bed, he asked. ¡°Can youe out?¡± Inside


    the bathroom, Reba was still there, sweating from having stayed there since afternoon. Nobody came


    to help her, and she had even cried a couple of times. Even after Benjamin entered the room just now,


    she was so angry she didn¡®t call for his help straight away. Now, Benjamin was asking her toe rit, so


    wiped her face clean.


    Standing on one leg, she opened the door. Benjamin was on his bed and was peering at her, looking


    mildly annoyed, ¡°C¨CCan you carry me to my bed?¡± she asked, Benjamin¡®s expression didn¡®t change.


    ¡°Don¡®t you have the maids?¡± if it was him before he heard Reba¡®s speech on the stage, he would


    have jumped when she asked him to carry her, but now, his heart wasn¡®t so eager to help her. It felt


    heavy for a valid reason.


    ¡°You are right here, aren¡®t you?¡± she hesitantly replied, but he stayed silent. ¡°Will you help me or not?¡±


    she asked again. Even though she was talong the support of the doorpost to stand on one foot, she


    could only stand that way for so long. Benjamin got up and unfolded his sleeves. When she gave a


    puzzled look, he said, ¡°I don¡®t want to be touched by you, you know.¡± He went to the shelves and picked


    up her gloves. Reba¡®s jaw dropped. ¡°You¡®ve gotta be kidding me.¡± ¡°I wish I was,¡± he came to her,


    walking slowly and steadily without blinking. She was wearing long shorts that reached up to her knees.


    The curvy shape of her knees didn¡®t stir his heart, but then again, the little mole right above her koneeN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    was able to catch his attention. He quickly looked back up at her face, ¡°Did you just stare at my legs?¡±


    she asked. ¡°O¨COf course not,¡± he stopped before her. ¡°I was wondering where my hands should hold


    you.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡®t it obvious? One on my back, and the other under my knees.¡± ¡°Yeah, but that¡®s way too romantic,


    and I don¡®t want to give any false hope,¡± he leaned forward, and before she realized what he was doing,


    his finn shoulder pressed into her navel and lifted her up like she was a feather when Jane had almost


    burst a veln to pick her up. One of his hands firmly grabbed the back of her thigh. ¡°What are you doing!¡±


    she screamed.¡±


    Put me down.¡± If her right ankle wasn¡®t injured, she could have used force, but now, she wasn¡®t in a


    position to do so.


    Benjamin leaned so that she fell softly on her bed. She was on her bed before she even realized


    1. it.


    He went back to his bed and picked up his towel and clothes before entering the bathroom


    ¡°What a show off,¡± she clenched her fists. ¡°If only I had one good maid in the house...¡± she believed that


    all the maids in the house were fucking her father, and she hated them and his father for it. ¡°I wanted to


    buy and move to my own house after marriage, but I ended up marrying a fool. I need some more time


    before I find a better location for a home, and then I won¡®t step in this damn house again. There¡®s nobody


    in this home that really cares about me anyway, except Mom maybe.¡± Benjamin walked out of the


    bathroom, which genuinely shocked her. It had been only two and half minutes since he entered, and he


    was already out. He generally bathed fast, but this was a record even for him. She didn¡®t look pleased


    with that at al). ¡°Can¡®t you spend some more time in the bathroom and clean yourself better?¡± she


    suggested. ¡°We¡®re living in the same room, after all. I¡®d prefer it if you keep yourself clean.¡± Benjamin,


    however, didn¡®t even reply. He just walked out of the room as though he didn¡®t care.


    Reba gritted her teeth.¡°This guy... He used to stare at me all the time, but now that I¡®m in bed and


    unable to walk, he doesn¡®t even look at me! He¡®s finally showing his true colors! All men are the same!¡±


    As she squinted her eyes harder, she noticed the package put on her bed. The 99 dor receipt glued to


    it was signed by Benjamin. ¡°Why did he put his package on my bed?¡± she was about to push it off the


    bed, but then a thought crept up in the back of her mind. Her hands froze for a second. ¡°Is this what I


    think it is?¡± she opened the package with anticipation, and her expectations were met. Her face gained


    some glow, and she almost smiled as she looked at not one but two walking sticks with elbow crutches.


    No one in the family brought her a walking stick, and she didn¡®t expect him to be the first one to buy this


    much¨Cneeded tool. Not just one, but two of them. She pressed her lips together in a bit of regret for


    having just called him a fool. ¡°L... I thought he was angry at me, so... why did he bring me these?¡±


    Meanwhile, Benjamin came downstairs only to get shocked upon seeing that his chicken curry was gone.


    He checked the whole kitchen, but it was nowhere to be found.


    Just then, one of the maids entered the kitchen.


    ¡°Did you see the chicken fry?¡± he asked. ¡°I put it on the stove and went for a bath. Now, it¡®s gone.¡± The


    chubby maid had remembered seeing Lisa take it, but she said, ¡°I don¡®t know.¡± She then went out of her


    way to say, ¡°Today¡®s dinner menu is chicken, so if you want, you can wait.¡± ¡°Wait?¡± Benjamin frowned. It


    would take at least one to two hours to prepare everything, but he really wanted to eat it right away.


    ¡°Where¡®s the meat? I¡®ll cook it myself.¡± ¡°I think Oliver is killing the hens in the backyard. You can go there


    to collect it yourself.¡± ¡°Ah, fine¡± Benjamin went to the backyard, and the maid was right. Oliver, the fifty¨C


    year¨Cold butler had already beheaded four chickens. However, Louis¡® children were there. d was


    licking the raw blood off the chicken¡®s head, while Mercie was flicking another chicken¡®s head and


    making it roll on the floor. ¡°Hey, what are you two doing here?¡±


    VT


    Benjamin¡®s entrance startled the children, and they ran into the vi through another entrance. Benjamin


    looked at Oliver who was sleeping on the bench. He pped the bench, and the butler woke up. Oliver


    was surprised initially. ¡°Unpaid maid?¡± After realizing that it was Benjamin who hit him, he grew angry.


    ¡°Can¡®t you see that I was sleeping?¡± Oliver might be old, but he was tall and had a typical butcher¡®s


    physique. ¡°Kneel and apologize to me ten times,¡± Oliver threatened, ¡± or I¡¯ll squeeze your balls hard


    enough you¡®ll permanently lose your ability to harden your di¨CMmmphh,¡± he lowered his gaze, and


    Benjamin¡®s hand was firmly grabbing his balls and squeezing them hard enough, he felt powerless. After


    Oliver suffered enough, Benjamin let go of Oliver¡®s balls and grabbed his hair so he wouldn¡®t copse to


    the ground. ¡°I¡®ve seen you hit on my wife a few times already. If I so much as think lustfully of her again,


    I¡¯m warning you,¡± his gaze turned murderous, ¡°you¡®ll regret ever being born.¡±


    Oliver¡®s face was overtaken by fear. His eyes didn¡®t see Benjamin but a ferocious beast right now, and


    his entire soul felt squeezed by some insurmountable power. His dder had long leaked all the urine it


    had.


    When Benjamin let go of his hair, he pathetically copsed and shivered, but his eyes still contained


    rage. (You little bastard... you have no idea who you just messed with!)


    On the first floor¡®s balcony, Louis and Be were sipping crimson tea. And they noticed everything


    Benjamin did. ¡°So he does have some backbone,¡± Be smirked. ¡°I thought he was just a pussy.¡± ¡°If he is


    this tough, why does he lower himself so much for my sister?¡± Louis wondered. ¡°Maybe he really loves


    her,¡± Be said. ¡°Love, huh...¡± Louis looked at Be, his wife. ¡°Do you love me?¡± She faintly smiled. ¡°You


    know I do, don¡®t you? Our two children are proof of that.¡± ¡°Mm...¡± he looked away and squinted his eyes


    as he looked into the distance. ¡°That man said he liked my sister the moment he saw her. Was he talking


    about love as well?¡±


    ¡°Whether it¡®s love or not, that man¡®s going to be here sooner orter. We need to be prepared for that.


    You need to be ready. There won¡®t be any turning back.¡± Louis nodded. ¡°I know.¡±

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30


    ¡°The fuck you mean you couldn¡®t deal with him?¡± Francis mmed thew book on his table as he spoke


    through the bone. ¡°If I had known you were so ipetent, I would have wasted my time with a piece of


    shit like you.¡± ¡°Calm down, sir. It¡®s my men that failed. Not me,¡± ckbear spoke from the other end while


    a woman was sucking his cock. ¡°I will beat him senseless before the sun goes down tomorrow and send


    you a whole carousel of bloody pics.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you better,¡± Francis¡® voice turned hoarse, ¡°or I¡¯ll specially hire a samurai assassin to shove a


    sword up your ass.¡±


    The call ended.


    ckbear wasn¡®t smiling anymore. The woman sucking on his dick was crying because one of his hands


    continually pressed her head into taking his penis fully into her throat. She was literally choking on it, with


    tears streaming down her face. ¡°I lost my mood. It¡®s not working.¡± He kicked her to the side and stood


    and pulled his pants back up. She coughed for fifteen seconds before saying, ¡°Is it over? My husband¡®s


    debt?¡± she innocently asked. ¡°He doesn¡®t need toe here again, right?¡± ckbear stooped down to


    her level. ¡°Yeah, he doesn¡®t need to, but you should¨Cuntil I grow tired of you.¡±


    Her eyes broadened in shock. ¡°That¡®s not what you promised!¡± she grabbed his cor and yelled in rage.


    ¡°I¡®ll call the cops. I¡®ll tell you everything you do here! I¡®ll ¡ª¡±


    A life got lodged in her throat before she even knew it.


    ¡°You think the police don¡®t know I do my business from this shile hole of an apartment?¡± he grabbed her


    by the mouth using his fingers and squeezed it. ¡°You know what? I hate dumb bitches like you who don¡®t


    know how the world really works. People like you should be killed left and right, so global warming will at


    least take a u¨Cturn, though I seriously take anything the government says with a big fucking grain of salt.


    Like how I control addicts like your husbands with drugs, the government controls people through fake


    fear and terror, so they wouldn¡®t want men like me who bring real terror to life into the society to rot in


    cells. Of course, thugs like me need to be smart to not get fucked in the ass by those in power, or that¡®d


    be the end of me.¡± As he was speaking, life left her eyes. ¡°Chu, chu, too bad, I even thought of fucking


    you in the ass next time around.¡±


    The room door opened, and one of the underlings brought a report.


    ¡°Took you fools so long.¡± ckbear checked the report. ¡°That¡®s it? He works at Rye¡®s Pizza in the


    morning and lives as a butler at the Sterling family the rest of the time? What about his address and the


    couple that fucked each other to bring this fucker into life?¡±


    ¡°A¨CAbout that, we couldn¡¯t find anything, Boss,¡± the underling replied hesitantly. ¡°His name didn¡®t show


    up in the local registry. We contacted one of our cops, and he couldn¡®t track that bastard¡®s past, either.


    It¡®s like he didn¡¯t exist untilst year,¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°That means he¡®s either a nobody, or he¡®s someone we should deal carefully with,¡± ckbear thought for


    a second. ¡°Now I¡®m starting to see why four of my men got taken down by him. I shouldn¡®t rush with this


    dude.¡± He faintly smiled. ¡°Benjamin Wilde. Whoever you are, I¡®m going to meet you soon.¡± ¡°Uh, what


    should I do with this bitch, Boss?¡± the underling asked about the dead woman lying on the floor, with


    fresh blooding out of the hole in her neck ¡°Do whatever you want. I don¡®t care.¡± At Sterling family¡®s


    vi.


    Benjamin returned to his room after his meal, but he didn¡®t enter and stood next to the entrance.


    ¡°You rushed into marriage, so of course, you¡®ll feel bored now,¡°Selena was talking to her daughter,


    putting her gently on Reba¡®s hand. ¡°A pizza guy will add nothing to your life. He and you grew up in


    different worlds, so you won¡®t be able to understand each other well. I know I¡®m repeating this, but life is


    short, so don¡®t waste time with someone that you don¡®t see a future with.¡± She patted her daughter¡®s


    hand a couple of times, then kissed on her cheek once. ¡°Think of this ident as a stroke of luck. Use


    this free time to give your future a thought.¡±


    Reba didn¡®t say anything. Selena noticed the walking stick next to the bed, ¡°Ah, did you tell one of the


    butlers to get this stick for you? I was going to buy you one. I guess there¡®s no need now.¡±


    Reba just forced out a stretchy smile. ¡°Good night, my little darling.¡± ¡°Night to you, too, Mom.¡±


    Selena then walked out. She turned her head and looked at Benjamin. Seeing the pain in his face, she


    smiled and said, ¡°Men love the pain, but women love to inflict the pain. In the end, both want to feel


    stronger. Let¡®s see which one wins. Your ability to endure or my ability to inflict pain.¡± She was about to


    pat his shoulder but didn¡®t want to touch him, so she just withdrew her hand and walked past him.


    Benjamin stood there for a while before taking a deep breath and entering the room. Seeing him enter,


    Reba¡®s eyes slightly widened. ¡°Were you listening to our conversation?¡± she asked without hesitation.


    Benjamin jumped onto his bed and pulled the nket on. ¡°I was asking you a question,¡± she stressed.


    There was no response.


    The acids in Reba¡®s stomach mildly burned. (Fine. If that¡®s the game you want to y, I can y it all


    too well.) As silence filled the room, Reba closed her eyes. Her thoughts drifted and drifted and took


    her to the night when they first met.


    ¡°Do you believe in love and promises?¡± he asked while sipping on red wine.


    ¡°I don¡®t even believe in people, so why would I believe the promises they make?¡± Reba smirked and


    smiled, ¡°Promises... they are easy to make and easier to break. As for love...¡± she began shaking her


    head slightly, ¡°that¡®s probably the biggest lie we share in the front while speaking behind each other¡®s


    backs. There¡®s no significance for love in this world full of lies.¡±


    ITI


    ¡°So, you don¡®t believe in ther.¡±


    ¡°Not really. Why? Are you doing PhD in love, or what?¡±


    Benjamin just smiled faintly in retum.


    Some timeter, Reba began hearing a voice, speaking to her in utter darkness, ¡°On Ground, I


    promise; on Water, I promise, on Wind, I promise; on Fire, I promise; on Heavens, I promise; my love for


    you is real I promise...¡±


    Coming back to the present, Reba opened her eyes fast and looked to her right. Benjamin was


    sleeping on his bed. She looked confused. Those words she heard just now, it felt like someone was


    speaking to her in her dream, and their voice was pretty simr to Benjamin.


    ¡°What¡®s with this weird dream...¡± she wondered. ¡°Did I really talk about love and promises with him on the


    first night I met him? In a bar?¡± she could only shake her head. ¡°Why did I only remember it now? This


    must be my imagination. Yeah, that¡®s it.¡°

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    ¡°I¡®ve already had sex with you, Reba,¡± Benjamin coldly said to her. ¡°Even if I hadn¡®t, you are not worth


    the work it takes to get to you ¡± Saying that he walked away


    ¡°Wait,¡± she called out for him desperately, but he didn¡®t stop. She felt like her whole world copsed, and


    her heart crumbled


    ¡°Madam, breakfast!¡± a voice prated through her dreamy world and forcibly wole her up. Reba


    suddenly opened his eyes and realized that it was a dream. Her heart, however, we beating fast in


    reality. She looked to her right. Benjamin had already gone, but her car keys were still on the desk. She


    purposely left them on the desk to see if he would take them again, but apparently, he didn¡®t The maid


    put the food and water on a foldable table nert to her bed wash yourself and eat before the food runs


    cold, madarn,¡± the maid said and left. Meanwhile, at the dining table downstairs.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    The whole table was upied by guests, with both Jacob and Selena sitting anong them Benjamin was


    serving them food along with some other maids. ¡°When are you going to show us the rushes of your


    films, Mr Jacob)¡± one of the guests asled ¡°We can¡®t wait to see them on the big screen with the public,


    but of course, we still would love to see how they have shaped up before the release.¡± ¡°The shooting is


    almost done.¡± Jacob said. ¡°Once the post¨Cproduction work begins, I¡¯d definitely screen both the movies


    on the same day for you guys.¡±


    ¡°Haha, we¡®ll be waiting.¡±


    ¡°You have a 92% sess rate,¡± Jane¡®s father said, ¡°so let¡®s hope both of your movies will be


    highest grossers across various countries.¡± He looked slightly older than Jacob, not counting the painting


    done to his hair. ¡°They will,¡± Jacob confidently replied, ¡°and with those profits, I will build a charity


    organization¡±


    ¡°Haha, you really are an interesting man, Mr Jacob Sterling.¡± Some of the guests praised him


    Selena, however, was buying none of ir, not even her own husband¡®s words Jane¡®s father was not hall as


    rich as Jacob, but being in the finance business, he had connections and so helped Jacob by gathering


    money from other rich people across the country. However, Jane¡®s father also had a big crush on Selena


    for years, and despite loowing that, Jacob still took his help which Selena didn¡®t like. As for Jacob, she


    knew him better than the most Jacob wasn¡®t someone who would stand and wait in the queue, but at the


    same time, he was too miserly to buy a privat e flight, afraid that others would ask the flight for temporary


    use when he wasn¡®t using it. She had never seen him donate to a beggar, so how could he build a


    charity organization with the profits he might earn from his movies? Those were nothing more than


    empty words spoken to elevate himself at the moment, she believed.


    As one of the guests, an old financier with a long beard, was eating scrambled eggs, Benjamin brought


    waffles with almond butter, and as he was putting it on the table, the butter dripping on the waffles slightly


    brushed past the guest¡®s sleeve. The old financier¡®s face warped pretty fast. ¡°I¡®m sorry,¡± Benjamin was


    quick to apologize. ¡°I¡®ll clean it right away.¡± He took out his kerchief, but the old financier stood and


    pped Benjamin in the face. It was a loud p that even reached upstairs. ¡°I didn¡®t wear this 6000


    dor suit so you could apply sauces and creams on it,¡± the old financier rebuked Benjamin who was


    covering the cheek that was just pped hard. ¡°Mr. Robert,¡± Jacob said, ¡°please sit.¡± ¡°Sorry, Mr. Jacob,¡±


    Robert, the old financier, looked at the almond butter that was on his sleeve and frowned in anger, ¡°but,


    tell this man to get out of my sight.¡± Jacob looked at Benjamin who then had to lower his head and leave.


    As he was leaving, he noticed that Selena looked quite amused.


    Robert wiped the butter off with a tissue paper and still muttered under his breath. ¡°Waste fellow.¡±


    Another financier, an Italian guy with a long ugly¨Clooking hairstyle, said, ¡°My son seems really interested


    in your daughter Veronica. How about we arrange a date for them?¡± ¡°Sure thing, Mr. Fabio,¡± replied


    Jacob, pleasing the ears of Fabio.


    Benjamin didn¡®t go to the kitchen but stormed into his room, rubbing his cheek as he sat down on the


    bed. Reba guessed what might have happened; however, she suddenly had this imagination where


    she nted a ldss on that same cheek and eased his mood.


    She clutched her cheeks. (What the heck am I thinking?) Benjamin took his mobile and walked out. After


    he left, Reba started feeling weird. A kiss. What would being kissed feel like? She wondered.


    Even though she had dated many men, she didn¡®t even kiss one of them. Though some men tried their


    best to kiss her while on date, she gave them a death¨Cre, and they approached her no more. She


    didn¡®t spare Benjamin, either. She either gave him the death re or shook her head disapprovingly


    everytime he endeavored to kiss her. ¡°Come to think of it, I didn¡®t even let my husband kiss me, not even


    once...¡± tears almost sprang to her eyes as she understood that something was definitely wrong with her.


    ¡°Is this really who I am? Who I wanted to be?¡± When growing up, she didn¡®t receive much of the parents¡®


    love, and so she longed to be loved. She looked for the best husband, and somewhere in that process,


    she changed. Where? She had no idea


    When was thest time she smiled at Benjamin? she couldn¡®t remember. She always thought he was her


    husband, but he had no jurisdiction over her, so he could wait as long as he wanted, hut was she fair in


    thinking so?


    LLL


    She briefly remembered the day when she and Benjamin had gone to the supermarket, and while they


    waited in the queue at the checkout, an old woman tried to cut the queue, and another man in the queue


    scolded the old woman, making her stand in the back end of the queue with a tearful face. However,


    Benjamin then let her stand before him, and his simple action brought a smile upon her face, and she


    wished both Benjamin and Reba to lead a happy married life. Reba was only standing behind,


    and she wasn¡®t even wearing the ring, yet the old woman had blessed them as though she knew they


    were both husband and wife. ¡°Why did I remember that now?¡± her brows raised. ¡°Yeah, right. We haven¡®t


    been living a married life at all.¡±


    After taking a deep breath, she leaned over and opened the drawer next to her bed and fetched a ck,


    feathery box. She opened it, and there was a diamond ring, with the diamond shaped thin like a feather.


    This was her wedding ring, which she was supposed to be wearing.


    She brought the ring closer to her ring finger and hesitated for a while. Should she, or should she not?


    After pursing her lips a bit, she put the ring on and kept staring at it, which brought a faint smile to her


    face. The self¨Cservingrvae that had cocooned themselves in her belly were perhaps beginning to


    break out of their shell and be something else entirely.

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32


    ¡°I won¡®t go,¡± Veronica straightforwardly replied, ¡°I told you, dad. I already have a boyfriend.¡± ¡°So what?


    It¡®s just dinner. Go and meet him first,¡± Jacob suggested. ¡°Who knows? You might like him?


    ¡°What?¡± Veronica¡®s face warped fast, and tears soon welled up in her eyes. ¡°You think so low of me just


    because I don¡®t have a job, don¡®t you?¡±


    ¡°Fabio Romano, ¡± Jacob didn¡®t seem to care that she was crying, ¡°He owns over 600 theater sites across


    the world.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± a vein popped in Jacob¡®s forehead. ¡°With your talent, do you think you can even own a single


    theater in your lifetime?¡± Veronica felt greatly insulted, but this wasn¡®t the first time Jacob had demeaned


    her so much. ¡°Jacob,¡± Selena tried to intervene, but he raised his finger and made her stand back Jacob


    gave Veronica a visiting card. ¡°This is the visiting card of Fabio¡®s son. You¡®ll meet tonight at the appointed


    restaurant. That¡®s final, if you want to keep living in my house.¡± Saying that he walked away. Selena tried


    to console her, but Veronica was trying so hard to not cry. She looked at the visiting card. ¡°Remedeus


    Romano? That¡®s the shittiest name I¡®ve ever heard!¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Selena patted her shoulder and


    whispered a few things that would likely piss off Remedeus.


    Veronica¡®splexion brightened. ¡°If I do that, he¡®ll hate me, right?¡± ¡°Trust me, Italians hate when you


    burp in their faces.¡± ¡°You talk as if we like getting burped in the face, Mom.¡± ¡°Just do what I say. Don¡®t


    give him the greeting kisses, and try to talk with your hands instead of your mouth. Whenever you use


    your mouth, try to swear on whatever you can.¡± ¡°Fine! But if that doesn¡®t work, I¡®ll just break his head!¡±


    Meanwhile, Benjamin was exiting the vi on foot. ¡°Walking on foot again?¡± the gate guard snickered at


    him. ¡°Mind your business, will ya?¡± Benjamin advised him. The gate¨Cguard, however, kept on snickering.


    Benjamin couldn¡®t bother wasting his time on this guy, so he walked off. ¡°Is he the one?¡± a group of three


    guys waiting at theer of the street got their eyes on Benjamin. They all had baseball bats in their


    hands. ¡°He isn¡®t even six feet. Why are you afraid of him?¡±


    ¡°Who said I¡®m afraid?¡± Oliver was among them, and he covered his face with a mask so that only his


    eyes and mouth were left open. ¡°I want to beat the shit out of that chicken myself, but in case, something


    unexpected happens, jump in and give me a hand.¡± ¡°Aight.¡±


    ¡®Now then, watch me make him crap in his pants,¡± Oliver was about to run across the street and meet


    Benjamin, but a red van appeared out of nowhere and was about to hit Benjamin.¡± Watch out,¡± he yelled.


    He was too far from Benjamin to reach in time.


    The van hit Benjamin, or so it seemed for a second, making Oliver stop in his tracks and put his hands


    on his head in shock. The next second, he saw Benjamin still on his feet as Benjamin had moved away


    in time.


    However, the red van stopped about fifty meters away. And thugs wearing sleeveless shirts with pig


    logos and tom jeans walked out, armed with metal rods and knuckle dusters. They all had tattoos and


    kept their mouths busy with chewing bubble gums.


    ¡°The Hogs!¡± a shiver ran down Oliver¡®s spine. ¡°Why are they interested in him?¡± he looked at Benjamin


    who was still there, standing and staring at the thugs. ¡°What are you doing? You should run back to the


    vi! They are notorious thugs who take money to beat people!¡± as he was speaking, one of the thugs


    charged at them. ¡°Shit. If I¡®m here, I¡®ll be dragged into this mess.¡± He turned around and ran back to


    where he was hiding before with his three friends.


    As Benjamin put the phone in his back pocket, a licual rod zoomed into his face with a whooshing sound.


    He effortlessly caught it with one hand, startling the thug with a rugged body. The thug tried to thrust a


    kick in. Benjamin deflected the attack with his own leg and struck the thug¡®s face so fast and hard, he


    was blown off his feet. Blood gushed into the air from the broken nose. He crashed on his back and


    cringed in pain.


    Benjamin was now holding the metal rod. He put it on his shoulder as he walked past the injured thug,


    ¡°I¡®m not in the mood to care who you are or what you want,¡± he swung the rod down and struck the head


    of the thug on the ground, causing him to lose consciousness straight away, ¡°so think again before you


    attack.¡±


    Three thugs rushed forth this time with wicked grins crossing their faces. ¡°He¡®s done for!¡± Oliver thought.


    A white SUV dashed past Oliver, before he could blink, it went and hit the three thugs, killing one of them


    and severely injuring two of them in the process. The white SUV hit the wall and stopped, but the


    shocking thing was that there was no driver. The other gang members of the Hogs abandoned their


    mates and hastily left in their red van.


    Benjamin dropped the metal rod and began tending to the injured. He looked in Oliver¡®s direction and


    asked him and his friends to help. They hid their baseball bats beforeing for help. After the thugs


    were taken away in an ambnce, Benjamin looked at his hands that were covered in blood. He walked


    up to the nearest tree and wiped the blood off with the leaves before grabbing his mobile and calling


    Alfred. However, Alfred didn¡®t pick up the call.


    Benjamin bit his lower lip in little frustration. He then sent a text message to the same: ¡®You


    MATHS!


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    shouldn¡®t have done this. At least send somepensation to the family of the one that died, and don¡®t


    repeat this if you want me to return.!


    A few seconds after he sent the message, he received a message.


    Understood, Master.¡±


    Alfred still didn¡®t feel better. Though it seemed like Oliver and his friends didn¡®t doubt him and thought of


    what happened as pure ident, he still knew the truth and the fact that a life was lost.


    ¡°They don¡®t understand the value of human life, and keep hunting for a living...¡± Benjamin looked in the


    direction of the vi. ¡°Will she understand and forgive me if I tell her my troubles and my past?¡±

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33


    ¡°The Hogs failed?¡± Francis the criminalwyer cut the call. I just wanted him beat, so I can push the


    me onto Jacob or his eldest son, which will surely make him flee from the vi. But why is just beating


    this bastard taking so long? I want my son to enter Selena¡®s daughter¡®s life, so I can be rted to


    Selena at least this way, but...¡± after thinking a bit, he dialed another number. ¡°Hello, ckbear. What


    happened to the task I gave you? Were you fucking sleeping?¡± ¡°I was working on it, Mr. Francis, ¡±


    ckbear replied a little politely, ¡°but you went and asked the useless Hogs to finish the task that even


    four of my men couldn¡®t finish?¡± ¡°Let¡®s get to the point. How much time will you need?¡± ¡°A month. Not a


    day more.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Francis¡® voice turned cold. ¡°If you fail this time, be prepared to see the samurai.¡± He


    then ended the call. ¡°Edward said he¡®ll take care of the son¨Cinw in a month as well, didn¡®t he? Let¡®s


    see which one of us will seed first.¡± ¡°Why, sir?¡± Francis¡® assistant, a gorgeous youngdy with curly


    hair, asked as she typed a document on her desktop. ¡°1 know you got divorced recently, but why do you


    want to enter Selena¡®s life now? She¡®s well over fifty, isn¡®t she? Is it because she was your first love?


    ¡°Selena may be an old woman to you,¡± Francis said and smiled as he remembered the days when he


    and Selena went to watch movies together and had fun on the beach, ¡°but she was the only woman who


    made me feel alive in this boring world.¡± When he failed a subject in one of the semesters, he was about


    tomit suicide by jumping from the campus¡® rooftop. However, it was Selena who held his hand and


    stopped him and changed his mind. If not for her, he wouldn¡®t even be alive today. Though they became


    great friends afterward, things changed when Selenia suddenly became a celebrity. Francis felt inferior


    and avoided meeting her or responding to her calls. By the time he realized how foolish he was, she had


    already be a popr star and began living in an entirely different world. He couldn¡®t just go and ask


    her to marry him after not even meeting her in years. After hearing of Selena¡®s marriage, he ended up


    marrying his rtive, but his heart had always been thinking of Selena ¡°What I expect from her isn¡®t to


    roll in the bed with me,¡± Francis said. ¡°I just want her to be happy and easygoing like she was in the


    past.¡± Despite Francis saying such positive words, the assistant took his words with a grain of salt. After


    all, Francis¡® wife had divorced after seeing him having an affair with his assistant. Francis paid his


    assistant more just to keep her by his side. After Francis left the room, the assistant just shook her head.


    ¡°Men... once they have the taste of a woman and like it, they¡®ll go to any lengths to keep that woman to


    themselves. I¡®m sure he wants Selena all for himself as well, so that means he¡®s going to go after every


    person that¡®s her strength. Once he uproots her pirs of support and leaves her in dire straits, he¡®ll fly in


    and shower his support. What a cunning old bastard. He thinks he has his hold on me, but it¡®s the other


    way around, bitch. Making you willingly give divorce to your wife wasn¡®t


    hard, and wrapping you around my little finger and making you forget about Selena entirely won¡®t be


    hard, either.¡± At Rye¡®s Pizzas.


    Benjamin¡®s day at work started well. In the evening, the owner of thepany personally visited in his


    ck Maserati to give a Honda to Benjamin. ¡°Samael M. Breaker,¡± the owner introduced himself to


    Benjamin by shaking each other¡®s hands. ¡°Benjamin Wilde. It¡®s an honor to finally meet you, sir. I¡®ve


    heard a lot about you.¡± ¡°Keep working hard, and you¡®ll be seeing me often,¡± Samael said, handing over


    the car key to Benjamin ¡°I can still make deliveries on a bike, right?¡± Benjamin had to ask just to make


    sure. ¡°Of course. The car is yours,¡± Samael said. ¡°Whether you use it during your work hours or not is


    entirely up to you.¡± Samael was a tall man with long dark curly hair. Benjamin was quite fair, but Samael


    had this pale skin that just stole the attention of the female workers. His ck bespoke suit would cost


    over 60,000 dors, but his red diamond studded tie would easily cost over 100,000 dors. Benjamin


    could totally understand why most people couldn¡®t even take their eyes off of Samael. Some of the girls


    asked to check his sunsses, and then began to murmur the fact that they were gold trimmed. When


    Christopher guessed that their price would be over 300,000 dors, everyone was left shocked. Now


    they all understood why the owner of Rye¡®s Pizzas was nicknamed Mr. Million, because the things he


    wore were easily worth a million dors. Jasmine tried to seduce Samael by showing a bit of her non¨C


    existent cleavage when he asked her how she was doing at work along with other workers, but she didn¡®t


    receive any response. After Samael left, Jasmine felt disappointed for missing a great chance. Still,


    seeing Benjamin standing by his new gray Honda car, she approached him and said, ¡°Can you drop me


    at my home, please?¡± ¡°Don¡®t you have Chrstiopher for that?¡± Benjamin asked.¡® She had no response for


    that, and she could only watch him leave. After he drove off in his new car, she felt jealous, ¡°His wife is


    really lucky.¡± She then went and asked Christopher to give him a ride to her home. He initially refused,


    saying that he still had work left to do, but when she massaged his shoulders with her delicate fingers, he


    was pleased and then dropped her at her home. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34


    At Sterling¡®s vi


    The gate guard was sleeping with his mouth open, and a fly took a lour inside his mouth before entering


    his nose. He was forced to sneeze. It woke him up He checked his watch. ¡°5 30 only?¡± There were still


    thirty minutes left for his shift to bepleted ¡°Where¡®s the Unpaid Majd?¡± he was looking at the list of


    groceries Kathy had given to him to bring, but he wanted to make Benjamin do the job for him as he had


    done so twice in the past A gray Honda zoomed into his view and slowed down at the entrance but kept


    coming straight at the chair he was sitting in ¡°Hey, hey, hey!¡± he cried out in fear. There was no time for


    him to even move. He thought the car would hit him and squash him into the guardpost, but the car


    stopped inches away from him. He almost pissed in his pants.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The car moved back a little, and then a familiar head poked outside. An amused grin yed on that face,


    shocking the guard ¡°U¨CUnpaid Maid?¡± ¡°What are you lookdng at?¡± Benjam?n asked. ¡°Open the gate.¡± ¡°Y¨C


    Yes,¡± the guard¡®s body automatically reacted, and before he realized what he was doing, he ended up


    pushing the gate open. The Honda went right through, leaving the guard to wonder whose car Benjamin


    stole.


    Seeing a new caring, Anous quickly ran over to the front entrance with hunched shoulders.


    ¡°Wee to the Sterling vill ¡ª¡± the moment he noticed Benjamin in the driver¡®s seat, his tongue froze.


    Benjamin got out of the car and tossed the keys to Anous and gestured with his thumb to park the car


    and went right past him. Anous stood gawking at the car, finding it extremely hard to digest the fact he


    was treated like a driver by the useless son¨Cinw of the Sterling family. He hadpletely forgotten


    about the cheesy chicken pizza Benjamin was supposed to bring for him


    The moment Benjamin entered the vi, Devon came up to him, with bandages covering his head. ¡°Can


    you bring me the stuff just once more this month?¡± he asked in a low volce


    ¡°I already told you, didn¡®t t?¡± Benjamin didn¡®t even stop. The reason he agreed to bring some Weed to


    Devon was so that Devon wouldn¡®t go crazy andmit suicide after losing his wife


    Devon could onlyugh at his situation as he walked away


    As Benjamin was climbing the stairs, Veronica wasing down the dark maroon gown with short


    sleeves andnee¨Clevel cut in the front and calf¨Clevel cut in the back, and the minimal golden cross for a


    locket made her look extremely pleasant on the eyes Her hair was curled fashionably on the sides so


    that it gracefully tucked behind her ears. Realizing that Benjamin was looking at her without blinlong, she


    smiled, ¡°What? Can¡®t take your eyes off my beauty?¡± ¡°Min,¡± Benjamin nodded, ¡°you really look good in


    this dress.¡±


    ¨C¨C¨C¨C+ 11¨CL¨C¨C¨CTaivan amitive remark on her dressing sense


    before. However, he didn¡®t speak more and kept walking. Still, his words made her look at herself once


    more. ¡°I guess he prefers this style that doesn¡¯t reveal much skin,¡± she thought,¡± but I¡®m not really a fan


    of these types of dresses. Hopefully, Rernedeus doesn¡®t have boring tastes like this trash.¡± Benjamin


    opened the door and walked into his room, concealing the faint smile on his face as the dress wom by


    Veronica was Reba¡®s creation, so he couldn¡®t help but imagine how Reba would look in that


    dress.


    Reba just stayed silent as he went into the bathroom and had a shower. She looked at her hand that


    had a ring. She had that ring hidden when he had just entered the room, and even now, her heart was


    beating unusually. ¡°Should I keep it or not?¡± as she was wavering, Benjamin walked out, having already


    worn both his shirt and pants. When he pulled his wet hair back, he looked much more handsome, and


    she had to look away. (Why does he look hot today? Is it because I¡®ve been thinking a lot more about


    him since this morning? I want to look at him again.) she felt a burning sensation in her chest. (What is


    this uneasy feeling? Is this what they call being horny is? I¡®m not sure what it is, but it¡®s making things


    hard.) she was still covering her ring finger so she hid the ring from his view. Benjamin sat on his bed


    and kept peering at her, making things a little more awkward for her. She didn¡®t turn her head in his


    direction, but a lot of thoughts buzzed through her head. (Why is he looking at me for so long? Is he


    homy as well? Do men get more easily excited than women?) ¡°The walking stick...¡± Benjamin asked, ¡°is it


    comfortable?¡± ¡°Y¨CYeah,¡± she replied a bitte. (So, that¡®s what he wanted to ask I was overthinking


    things.) Without thinking, she ended up lifting her right hand to tuck the hair behind her ear. And that¡®s


    when Benjamin noticed the ring. His heart fluttered for a second and brought glow into his face, but then


    the words she had spoken on the stage shed in his mind. His expression fell t fast. (Is she wearing


    the ring to fool me into believing that she cares about our marriage?) His stomach chumed. Unable to sit


    there, he stood at once, picked his mobile and walked out.


    1


    Unaware of Benjamin¡®s intentions, Reba had a little smile going on his face. Even though Benjamin


    only inquired about the walking stick, it felt really nice when he cared about her. This wasn¡¯t the first time


    he showed care, but this was the first time she could feel it clearly. even though he wasn¡®t overly caring


    like most of the time.


    ¡°I should buy him something in return,¡± she thought. ¡°Once I¡®m able to walk, I¡¯LL...¡± her phone rang. A call


    from an unknown number. She answered and brought the cell closer to her


    eat.


    ¡°Hello, my little bird,¡± a creepy caring voice came from the other side, sending a chill all over Peharra¡®s


    hartu

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35


    ¡°Hello, my little bird,¡± a creepy caring voice came from the other side, sending a chill all over Reba¡®s


    body. ¡°Normally, I am the one who ensnares women, but it¡®s the opposite in your case. You¡®ve tied me up


    with your peerless beauty.¡± Reba immediately recognized this man. It was Arlo Campbell, the


    governor¡®s son. She thought he wouldn¡®t contact her again after her father had talked with his father.


    Clearly, she was wrong


    ¡°What¡®s wrong, dear?¡± Arlo continued to speak in a saucy tone, ¡°Did you think I will give up on you just


    because your father had a little chat with mine? While your father may be rich, my father is the richest


    elected official of the country. Even the president has to think twice before talking with my dad, so you


    see... I believe your father didn¡¯t give enough respect to my father, but I can forgive him because he¡®s


    responsible for your birth. Without him, a rare bird like you wouldn¡®t have been bom. You are a thousand


    times more beautiful than your mother, and I¡®m d you didn¡®t enter the movie industry, or you couldn¡®t


    have kept the natural beauty you still possess. I can keep on praising if that¡®s what you want to hear, but


    the gist of my heart is this ... Even if I have a hundred dicks, all of them will get hard for you... I heard you


    broke your ankle, and I¡®m worried for you. I can¡®t get you out of my head. If you want, I can pay a visit to


    your house, and I can meet your family, too. What do you say, my little bird?¡±


    ¡°Fuck off,¡± Reba said and cut the call. She frowned and touched her forehead. ¡°This guy... Jf I bring


    Dad into this, they¡®ll bother him during his movie release times. How can I teach this psycho a lesson?


    Should I ask Brother Shawn for help?¡± she thought for a second and shook her head. ¡°Nah, he¡®s the type


    who expects 10 dors of help for every 1 dor of help he gives. If I ask for his help, he¡®ll start arranging


    dates with men in his circle without my permission. I can¡®t give him any ground to take advantage of me.


    Who should I ask then?¡±


    A few hourster.


    In a private restaurant, a man wearing a multi¨Ccolored wig was staring at the baby rats crying and


    squealing as they swam and tried to get out of the hot soup in the bowl.


    He gently put a spoon in the bowl. One of the pups climbed the spoon and managed to reached the


    other edge. Both the spoon and the pup fell out of the bowl, and the pup was running along the edge of


    the table. A fork came down like a bolt and struck it down. As it struggled in itsst moments, he lifted up


    its body with the fork and put it into his mouth and crunched on it and closed his eyes and savored its


    taste. ¡°Mm... the taste of innocence. There¡®s nothing else like it.¡±


    A waiter came up to his table, leaned forward and said, ¡°Mr. Arlo, someone wants to meet you.¡±


    Arlo waved his hand, and the fork in his hand was now lodged into the waiter¡®s eye.


    ¡°AHHH!¡± the waiter bowled in horror.


    Arlo opened his eyes and looked at the waiter, ¡°Sorry, brother. I like my dinner time, and I couldn¡®t control


    myself when you disturbed it.¡± He signed a cheque for 100 grand and put it in the waiter¡®s shirt pocket.


    The waiter was still in pain, shock, and fear. He looked terrified, and


    bloody juices were dripping down his right eye socket. Arlo patted his cheek a couple of times. ¡°Don¡®t


    bother someone else¡®s meal time, okay?¡± he then stood and adjusted the sleeves of his suit a little.


    ¡°Thanks to you, I lost my appetite.¡± He then walked out, and ckbear was waiting outside with a file in


    his hand. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¨CI got assigned for the uing flower project, sir,¡± ckbear politely spoke


    ¡°Ah¨Chuh,¡± Arlo entered his ck limousine surrounded by six tall ck bodyguards in suits.¡± Come on


    in.¡± ¡°Y¨CYes, ¡± ckbear entered and hesitantly sat on the opposite side. He still looked ufortable.


    ¡°Couldn¡®t you wait until my meal finished?¡± Arlo asked, ¡°Because of you, a waiter lost his eye.¡± ¡°1¨C...¡±


    ckbear didn¡®t know what to say. This was his first time meeting Arlo, after all. Though he may be an


    infamous gangster in his neighborhood, he was smart enough to know there¡®s a much bigger world


    outside the ce where he grew up and thatpared to the likes of Arlo, he was nothing but a frog in a


    well. Seeing ckbear sweating, Arlo smiled. ¡°Take it easy. I¡®m not going to spoil my car with your blood,


    so you don¡®t want to spoil it with your sweat, either.¡± ¡°Y¨CYes, sir,¡± ckbear quickly wiped the sweat off


    his face and neck with his shirt. ¡°Show me what you got,¡± Arlo put forth his hand. ckbear handed him


    the file.


    Arlo opened it, and there was an album full of girls and women of all ages between 18 and 50. Every


    single one of them had a certain charm about them and had some presence on social media. They also


    covered all religions.


    ¡°How many of them signed the contract?¡± Arlo asked. ¡°About half of them, sir,¡± ckbear said. ¡°We¡®re


    currently in talics with the rest.¡± ¡°If they refuse, I don¡®t need to tell you what to do, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. We will fuck their careers up.¡±


    ¡°Mm, the contract says they must be avable until the year of elections without fail, but there will always


    be those who give excuses.¡± ¡°I will deal with them, sir.¡± ¡°No,¡± Arlo leaned forward and said, ¡°I will deal


    with them. Send every unprofessional bitch to me, and I¡®ll break her the way I see fit.¡± ¡°S¨CSure,¡±


    ckbear¡®s heart skipped fast. He had seen many monstrous men in the mafia, but this politician¡®s son


    still unsettled him more. (Whoever marries this monster is going to have a horrifying married life.) As they


    talked, time passed, and the limousine stopped in front of Sterling¡®s vi. The gate guard asked them if


    they needed something, but the driver didn¡®t answer them. When the guard raised his voice, the driver


    took out a gun and shut him up.


    ckbear recognized the Sterling vi and wondered why Arlo was looking at it. ¡°Is there anything you


    need in that vi, sir?¡± he asked, wanting to use this opportunity to make a better impression.


    ¡°My heart,¡± Arlo said and looked at him. ¡°Will you get it for me?¡±


    ¡°U¨CUh,¡± ckbear couldn¡®t find the words. (I know I¡®m crazy, but this guy is crazy on a whole ¡®nother


    level.)


    Arlo nced at the driver through the mirror, and the limousine drove off. The gate guard, however, still


    stood frozen with his back pressed against the main gate, and pee leaking down his pants


    Meanwhile, Reba was alone in her room, wondering how she should deal with Arlo and also why


    Benjamin didn¡®t return. She used the walking stick toe out of the room. ¡°Where¡®s he?¡± she looked for


    him without calling for his name as that would be too embarrassing. Walking wasn¡®t easy, but she wanted


    to see where he was and what he was doing That desire made her search for him. Luckily, there was no


    maid to see her struggling to walk After


    searching many rooms, she eventually reached the balcony, and Benjamin was sleeping on the couch.


    ¡°He¡¯s sleeping out here in this chi¡± ng weather? What if he catches a cold?¡± she went back to her room


    and brought a nket with great effort. When she tried to cover him with the nket, a muscle in her an


    de twitched, and she fell on top of him N?velDrama.Org owns all content.

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36


    When Reba tried to cover Benjamin with the nket, a muscle in her ankle twitched, and she fell on


    top of him. Her butt crashnded right on top of his belly, and her hand pressed down on his chest as


    she sought bnce. She quickly looked at Benjamin, but luckily, he was still in deep sleep. She found


    herself staring nonstop at his handsome face, and his pink lips. She could lean closer and kiss them, but


    she didn¡®t want to do it this way.


    Her hand that was resting on his chest could feel its definition, and for a second, she wondered if he got


    abs. She could tear the shirt open, but she withdrew her hand. However, her other hand then


    unintentionally ended up taking the support of his pelvis as she stood. And her eyes widened as she


    looked at her hand and felt the feeling of touching his pelvis. ¡°Did I just...¡±


    She took a quick look at his face, and he was still sleeping like a baby. She couldn¡®t tell where she was


    putting her hand because of the nket covering him, but she felt like she did something wrong. She


    almost wanted to p herself for it. ¡°A mistake is still a mistake. I wouldn¡®t want my private parts touched


    ev... by mistake, either. I feel sorry for him, but at least he¡®s not awake.¡± Shaking her head, disappointed


    with herself, she walked away.


    After going to her room, she tried to sleep, but it wasn¡®t proving easy. She got up from bed and opened


    her locker and took out her diary. It had been months since shest wrote in her diary, and she felt like


    writing another page again.


    She started writing from her car ident till that night.


    Meanwhile, Veronica was having dinner with Remedeus at a decent restaurant. Remedeus was a tall


    guy with thick arms and legs and extremely short curly hair. His clean¨Cshaven face was seasoned and


    mature, but Veronica was having none of it. She believed that her boyfriend was not only younger but


    also more handsome. Remedeus was a bit too macho for her taste, and he was eating as fast as he was


    spealdng with her.


    Veronica implemented all the ns her mother had told her, and she even went a step further and said


    she didn¡®t like his name.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Remedeus, however, didn¡®t seem offended. He just smiled in return and said, ¡°I thought you were smart,


    but you¡®re just a spoiled brat.¡± ¡°What?¡± Veronica felt offended. ¡°Say it again if you dare!¡±


    ¡°I will say it twice, you spoiled brat! That¡®s once. You spoiled little ¨C¡± before he finished, Veronica grabbed


    the whole grilled chicken with her arms and threw it in his face like she was throwing a pumpkin. There


    was no item for him to dodge. Once he recovered from the pain and wiped the oil and spices off his face,


    he kept ring at the empty seat where Veronica was sitting only seconds ago. He could hear the


    onlookers murmuring and chuckling. ¡°Veronica Sterling... you just made the biggest mistake of your life!


    If I don¡®t throw a whole grilled pig in your face in this very same restaurant, I¡®ll change my name!¡±


    Veronica took the taxi, brought a costly paint brush set along the way, and went straight to


    her boyfriend¡®s apartment, but when she came to his doorstep, she heard Akash talking to his father on


    the phone, sitting on the windowsill, saying, ¡°Dad, I¡®m just dating her, that¡®s all. It¡¯s nothing serious.


    Besides, I¡®m not foolish enough to marry a foreigner.¡± Veronica¡®s eyes tumed teary. She dropped the


    paint brush set there and left. ¡°You are already 32 years old, son,¡± Akash¡®s father spoke through the


    phone. ¡°It¡®s about time you stop wasting time with dating andmit yourself to marriage. A rtionship


    strengthens when you experience hardships together, not when you eat dinner together on an artificial


    date night. Love before marriage is but a seedling. The real fruits of love are bom after marriage, son.¡± ¡°I


    get it, dad. I¡®m busy, so I¡®ll call youter, okay?¡± ¡°Fine, but your hunger only keeps increasing with age, so


    watch your diet and eat well.¡± ¡°Yeah. Take care.¡± Akash ended the call and sighed. ¡°I¡®m serious about


    Veronica, but how can I convince my parents about it?¡± he rubbed the back of his head. ¡°Should I just


    introduce her to them first? Wait, I think I heard a noise outside just now.¡± He opened the door, but


    nobody was outside. ¡°Mm?¡± he looked down and noticed a gift box. He picked it up and wondered,¡± Who


    left this here?¡±


    Meanwhile, Veronica was walking alone on the street, tears streaming down her eyes.( Nothing serious?


    Yeah, I was a fool to think we had something serious going. I¡®m a clueless idiot.)


    Akash was a lean man who had little to no muscle mass or fat on his body. He had an unusually high


    forehead, and she was quick to judge him like most others, but then he ended up being the winner of the


    paintingpetition she attended. Normally, she wouldn¡®t have bothered to apologize, but in his case,


    she went out of her way to approach and apologize to him the next time she saw him at a party. He told


    her that he was a partner of a start¨Cuppany, and she told him she was a rising product reviewer,


    which made himugh inly. That was how their rtionship started.


    Now, she was regretting why she bothered to apologize to him. After all, her heart felt heavy yet broken


    now because of him. A car passing by stopped and started moving backward in her direction. The man in


    the driving seat sipped some beer and said, ¡°How much?¡± Veronica looked at him and shook her head


    and kept walking. ¡°You are hot, so how about 250?¡± he asked. She kept walking faster. ¡°300?¡± Again, no


    response.


    ¡°Soo? That¡®s as high as I can pay for your face,¡± he said, stopping her in her tracks. ¡°Heh,e and sit


    in the front,¡± he smirked and began sipping the beer.


    ¡°500?¡± Veronica was grinding her teeth as he stepped down from the footpath and approached the car.


    ¡°That¡®s the best you can pay for my beautiful face?¡± she picked up her


    high heel and began hitting his face while he was still busy drinking. ¡°Hey! Stop!¡± he tried to talk to her,


    but she kept waving her footwear close to his face. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± He squeezed his


    foot down on the elerator, and the car took off for thirty meters and then stopped. He poked his head


    out and yelled. ¡°If you didn¡®t like the price, just say no, bitch!¡± ¡°Wait right there if you dare, you bald


    fucker!¡± Veronica ran after him and threw her sandal. It didn¡¯t even hit the car, but he quickly drove off


    and didn¡®t stop this time.


    Veronica waved her other leg and threw the other sandal away in frustration. She was still breathing


    hard. ¡°I didn¡®t see the license te. I can¡®t let him get away with treating me like a slut even after I


    dressed so modestly! I should tell Brother Shawn about this.¡±

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37


    The next morning.


    Benjamin woke up at 5 and found himself covered in a nket. It was his nket, so he wondered if


    Reba was behind it, but he found it hard to even imagine Reba caring about him enough to cover


    him in a nket.


    ¡°It must have been a maid,¡± he thought. (The new maid is giving me long stares like she wants to eat me.


    Is it her?) He shook her head. ¡°This is what bes of a husband who isn¡®t cared for by his wife. Almost


    every woman who walks into his life thinks they can sleep with him. It must be even worse for a wife


    uncared for by her husband. Adulthood is appalling, alright. I wish I was still a kid. How cute would it


    have been if I had met my wife when we were kids?¡± Just the thought made him flush a bit. ¡°Ugh,¡± he


    sighed, ¡°it¡®s not possible now anyways.¡±


    He suddenly looked up, and a small drone flew down to his level and showed him a video on mobile


    screen. It disyed the kind act of Reba putting a nket on him.


    ¡°So it was her...¡± Benjamin¡®s heart fluttered. He wanted to smile, but he held himself back and waved his


    hand. The drone flew away fast. He picked the mobile off the couch and sent a message to Alfred,


    saying: Thanks, but don¡®t monitor what happens inside our bedroom, or I¡®ll break every drone in sight.


    The reply ¡®noted¡® came soon. Benjamin put the phone in his pocket and walked to his room with a spring


    in his footsteps. Reba was still sleeping, all except her face covered by the nket. He came up to


    her bed and leaned closer and kept staring at her. He gently moved aside the few strands of hair


    blocking her face. ¡°Look how beautiful you are.¡± He gently stroked his fingertips over her hair. ¡°Though


    I¡®m your husband, I can¡®t hold your hand in public. I can¡®t show my affection like I want to. But... Thanks


    for what you didst night. It melted away all my anger.¡± He brought his face closer and gave a small


    peck on her cheek


    He stood and kept staring at her for a little longer. He faintly smiled. ¡°I wonder when we¡®ll watch a movie


    together, or end our day with a good candlelit dinner without the inws around. Just the two of us. It still


    seems like a far¨Coff dream to me, but giving up isn¡®t in my blood, so I¡®ll continue to work toward those


    goals.¡±


    As he talked to himself out loud, he went for a shower. He bathed for ten minutes and then came out


    shirtless, thinking his wife was still sleeping. However, she just woke up and was yawning. Her yawn


    stopped midway and jaw dropped further after she looked at Benjamin¡®s body which had great muscle


    definition and shape. There was just enough fat under the skin that enhanced the look of his toned body


    to another level. Benjamin was quick to cover his chest and eight abs with the towel.


    Reba looked away and cleared her throat. Her eyes, however, were still wide awake for as long as he


    was in the room. After he put the shirt on and walked out, she took a deep breath and exhaled the same.


    His shapely chest and abs shed in her mind once again. ¡°Did I really


    sleep with him? With that body? And I don¡®t remember anything at all?¡± she shook her head somewhat


    helplessly ¡°If he was an inch or two taller, I might havepletely fallen for him just now. That would


    have been bad. Reba would never want to feel inferior, not to or for anybody.¡±


    Meanwhile, Benjamin sat for breakfast. He was pretty early, so the kids weren¡®t there to bother him. No


    maid or inw disturbed him, which was unusual, but he was d they didn¡®t show up and pour bad


    words into his ears. He ate peacefully and then washed his te like he usually did.


    Afterward, he walked out of the vi with a bright expression that weed the moming sun, as reflected


    in the orange shirt and ck jeans he was wearing. ¡°I have a feeling, today is going to be a good day.


    Did my fortunes turn after my wife started caring for me a little?¡± he wondered andughed a little.


    ¡°Surely, good times await those who wait.¡±


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    He strolled his way to the parking spot, and he kept looking around. There were six cars in total, but his


    car wasn¡®t there. He rubbed his eyes and checked again. It didn¡®t make a difference.


    He had a bad feeling about it. He went to the dorms and looked for Anous, but Devon told him that


    Anous was involved in a car ident and got hospitalized. Benjamin took the address and went to the


    ident spot, where his gray Honda was dumped on the side of the road. It had hit a crane parked on


    the side of the road. Its engine and front half waspletely damaged.


    VE


    Benjamin thought it was just bad luck and then went to the hospital to see Anous. However, he heard


    that Anous was already discharg b affled him, but then the nurse told him Anous only suffered a minor


    injury to his forearm, and that was it.


    Benjamin returned to the vi, thinking Anous would have returned, but he was wrong. Anous was on


    leave for an entire week, and so Shawn told Benjamin to drop the kids at the school.


    Benjamin drove a Jaguar SUV to the school and dropped the kids there, but there he saw Anous


    bringing his kids to school. Benjamin didn¡®t know that Anous was also sending his children to this


    prestigious school as it would require a lot of money. ¡°His sry shouldn¡®t be enough to pay the fees.


    How¡®s he doing it?¡± Benjamin wondered..


    After dropping his kids at school, Anous drove away in his Chevrolet. As he was smoking, he received a


    call, the name ¡®Sponsor 1¡® disying on the screen. He answered. ¡°Hello, Madam. How are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Just finished watching ice hockey,¡± a feminine voice replied from the other side. ¡°So, how did it go?¡± ¡°It¡®s


    wrecked beyond repair. It¡®ll only be useful for scrap.¡± Anous said, smirking. ¡°He would probably be balling


    his eyes out now.¡± ¡°I wish I could see him crying with my own eyes,¡± she said, ¡°but it¡®s alright. I¡¯ll show


    him real hell once Ie home. Still, keep troubling him until I make my entrance.¡±


    ¡°Sure, Madam Elizabeth.¡±


    The call ended.


    Anous put the phone aside and picked up his cigarette again. ¡°I hope she sends me twenty grand this


    time. I¡®ll install sr panels at my home. It¡®ll cut down the electricity bill and also increases the value of


    my house.¡± He soon reached his home, but to shock, a quarter of his house was destroyed because a


    double ¨Cdecker bus had run through it. Anous couldn¡®t evene out of his car as he felt a sudden pain


    rise in his chest.


    Benjamin¡®s car stopped not far from Anous¡® car. ¡°I told them to not kill, so they destroyed his house, huh,¡±


    he shook his head and exhaled audibly. ¡°Now, I don¡®t feel like beating the crap out of him.¡± He got out of


    the car and walked up to Anous¡® car, wondering, ¡°Mm, maybe I should take his car for spoiling mine.¡± He


    reached the front door, ready to pull Anous out, but to his surprise, Anous was clutching his chest hard in


    the driver¡®s seat and copsing. ¡°Give me a break. I have to take care of this douchebag now?¡± he gritted


    his teeth and struck the ss window hard with his elbow.

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38


    Anous survived the heart attack thanks to Benjamin¡¯s help. Anous¡® wife thanked him a dozen times.


    Benjamin had wanted to take Anous¡® car, but then he changed his mind after being thanked by Anous¡®


    wife a lot of times. When Anous¡® woke up hourster, the first thing he saw was his wifeughing to


    Benjamin¡®s jokes, and the scene twisted his gut. Firstly, what was the useless son¨Cinw doing, sitting


    next to his wife? And why was sheughing so much? Having already suffered from a heart attack


    before, he quickly realized that he was admitted into a hospital, but why was his wife busy talking with


    Benjamin when she would be worried about him? Though he didn¡®t want to admit it, Benjamin was a


    much better looking guy and was younger, too. It was natural that his wife would get easily attracted


    toward the son¨Cinw who even managed to fool someone like Reba into marrying him. Just the


    thought of Benjamin ying with his wife squeezed his heart. His blood pressure began to rise. The


    cardiac monitor sent an alert to the doctor, and Anous wife got extremely worried when her husband


    started convulsing Benjamin stepped in and pped Anous¡® chest, shocking her. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    she yelled at him, but then Anous¡® heart rate came back to normal, leaving her shocked.


    ¡°When he wakes up, tell him I want my Honda car,¡± Benjamin told his wife. ¡°What car?¡± she asked,


    lookingpletely confused. ¡°Just tell him, ma¡®am. He¡®ll know.¡± Afterward, Benjamin gave her Anous¡®


    mobile and walked out. As he was walking in the corridor, Anous¡® kids ran past him. ¡°He has a good


    family.¡± Benjamin didn¡®t go to work but came home. More than thirty people were sitting at the dining


    table and messily eating. Reba was also there, making him wonder how she managed to climb down


    the stairs. Judging by the way she treated them, he could tell that they were her colleagues. When he


    was walking past the dining table, one of the guys called out for him, ¡°Hey, you. Come over here, and


    pour us some drinks.¡± They could easily do that themselves, but they had decided to ask him, thinking he


    was also another one of the workers. Benjamin briefly looked at his wife who couldn¡®t look him in the eye.


    He then served them withoutining. They ate and chatted for more than an hour, and then wished


    Reba a good recovery before leaving The dining table was such a mess that even the maids weren¡®t


    willing to clean it. Wearing disgusted expressions, they escaped into the dorms, not wanting to be the


    one to clean the table.


    Reba was sitting in one of the chairs by the table. Though her colleagues helped to bring her


    downstairs, theypletely forgot about taking her back to her room. Now, she was sitting at the dining


    table which looked so beautiful before the meal but turned quite ugly afterward, ¡°Who¡®s going to clean


    this mess now? Even the maids sneaked out without shame,¡°Reba was cursing them. However, her


    husband who had gone into the litchen returned with two buckets and two towels. He gently dropped all


    the tes, bowls and utensils into the buckets with one hand and elegantly cleaned with the other hand.


    Reba who couldn¡®t even look at the mess her colleagues made only seconds ago was now watching


    her husband do such lowly work with ease and ir. Could a table be cleaned so


    skillfully and elegantly? She hadn¡®t seen anything like it until today. Benjamin¡®s expression was casual


    throughout, as though he wasn¡®t affected by the mess on the table in the least. He was working fast, but


    it felt like time was moving slowly. While she wanted to look away, she couldn¡®t move as if her neck was


    nailed in ce. There were instances when their eyes met.


    ¡°I... Um, you...¡± she couldn¡®t speak even though she had done no wrong. And then her thoughts were


    chaotic till the very end. ¡°Have you eaten?¡± Benjamin asked.


    Reba wasn¡®t expecting that question. (So he noticed that I haven¡®t eaten anything? But why¡®s he


    asking me if he already knew?) ¡°Why? You can eat if you¡®re hungry. Don¡®t worry about me.¡± ¡°Then,


    should I get you to your room,¡± he asked. There was no way she could climb the stairs even with the help


    of a wallong stick A minor slip-up could cause a much worse injury, after all


    Reba¡®s face gained pink as she wondered if he¡®ll lift her up into her arins or put her over his


    shoulders. ¡°No. I can wait here until you are done eating,¡± (What the hell am I saying?) ¡°Really?


    Benjamin was greatly surprised.


    ¡®¡®Yeah, go on.¡±


    Benjamin went into the kitchen and returned after twelve minutes, holding a bowl full of spicy egg fried


    rice. Its aroma filled Reba¡®s nose and made her forget the fact that she had been sitting there and


    waiting


    Benjamin didn¡®t even remember thest time he had lunch in the vi. Maybe this was the first time? He


    wasn¡®t sure, but he sat in the very next seat to his wife and began eating. In between, he tried to feed


    her, but she was quick to shake her head.


    Reba was secretly salivating. She really wanted to taste it. ¡°I¨CIt smells smoky. Are you sure you didn¡®t


    roast it too much?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I put it on high me, so it will smell that way. Otherwise, the egg smell will dominate and make it


    harder to consume this whole bowl.¡±


    ¡°O¨COh,¡± she didn¡®t know what he was talking about because she never cooked, except a couple of times


    where she went to foreign restaurants that made the customers cook for themselves. ¡°Let me see..¡± she


    reached out for his bowl and pulled it until it stopped right before her. She put a spoonful in her mouth


    and kept nodding. ¡°Mhmm, it¡®s not bad.¡±


    Benjamin was a little surprised as she had always said his cooling was bad. ¡°There¡®s more leftover rice,


    so I can make you some if you want.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°No thanks,¡± she pushed the bowl back to him, and he resumed eating (What the hell? Persuade me


    more!) Despite all her inner wanting, she couldn¡®t express herself.


    Benjamin finished eating and then came up to her. ¡°Shall we go?¡±


    She faintly nodded and raised her arms. He picked her up into his arms gently and took her up the stairs.


    Kathy and the new maid who saw that were ck¨Cjawed. A butler took a snap and forwarded the image


    to Selena who was in her motorhome.


    ¡°WHAT?¡± Selena didn¡®t believe the picture was real.


    As Benjamin climbed the stairs, his eyes met with Reba¡®s eyes. She wasn¡®t wearing any make up, not


    even simple lipstick, but she looked very attractive and different. Reba was having different thoughts.


    (His beard looks better from up close.) she thought. (But I still prefer a stubble over this jungle any day.)


    ¡°How¡®s your ankle?¡± he asked. ¡°¡®I was able to sleepst night,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡®t feel all that pain today. I


    think I¡®ll be able to walk just fine in a couple of weeks despite what the doctor said.¡± ¡°Good for you.¡± As


    he was entering the om, her foot lightly struck the door frame. ¡°AHH!¡± Reba cried out.

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39


    Reba¡¯s cry was heard by the maids and the butlers. Though she felt quite the pain for a second, once


    he put her on the bed and her foot neatly rested, she didn¡¯t feel the pain anymore.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Benjamin apologized for the tenth time. ¡°I was¡­¡± he couldn¡¯t say the reason as he was


    staring at her face and forgot about the surroundings.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you did it on purpose,¡± Reba said, ¡°so it¡¯s alright.¡±


    Benjamin was left speechless. Was she always so understanding? No, something definitely changed in


    her. He couldn¡¯t pinpoint it but could feel it. ¡°Uh, I couldn¡¯t make it to the job in the morning,¡± he said, ¡°so I


    asked for a night shift.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you won¡¯t be here tonight.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He sounded disappointed.


    She felt a little bit sour. She currently wasn¡¯t wearing the wedding ring. ¡°Okay. I give you permission.¡±


    Whether she was being humorous or not, Benjamin faintly smiled and said, ¡°Thank you, my love.¡± He


    leaned forward and gently adjusted a few strands of hair falling down the front of her face, almost tickling


    her cheek and ear with the tip of his finger. ¡°My first andst love.¡±


    Thest few words increased the sound of her heartbeat, and he could hear it. Normally, she wouldn¡¯t


    have let him be so close to her for so many long seconds, but she felt a bit powerless against his charm


    tonight and kept staring at him almost like a mesmerized doll. Benjamin could feel the baby romance


    rising in the air, and if not for his wife¡¯s wounded situation, he might have taken a chance to peck a kiss


    on her cheek, but for now, it still felt like a far away dream: being able to kiss her when she was awake.


    He was still too afraid to pull off such a stunt.


    Nevertheless, he waved his hand and said, ¡®See youter,¡¯ like any good husband would before leaving


    the room.


    Reba¡¯s head was full of conflicting thoughts, but positive ones slightly dominated the negative ones.


    She took out her wedding ring from under her mattress and kept staring at it.¡± He wore his ring all this


    while, even though I and my family members didn¡¯t really support him. He didn¡¯t ask me for money even


    though he could easily have after my mom forced him by taking part of his sry away. He¡¯s really a


    tough guy, yet¡­¡± she remembered how he shed tears in the garden after Elizabeth had hit him


    repeatedly with a stick. ¡°I made him cry.¡± Her jaw began to harden. ¡°I married him to keep him by my


    side, and I know that if someone disrespects my husband, they are disrespecting me as well, but if I fight


    for him, I¡¯ll be fighting my own family.¡± Despite everything Benjamin had done for her, a big question still


    bothered her. Was he really worth fighting her whole family for? ¡°I still can¡¯t decide,¡± she hardly breathed


    in the past minute or so. ¡°Maybe I should spend some time with him to get to know him better. That might


    help me decide whether he¡¯s worth fighting for or not.¡±


    Meanwhile, Benjamin walked out through the back door of the vi, wondering what he should do with


    the free time he got. ¡°Should I just go back and spend some quality time with my wife?¡±


    A familiar old couple were ying with the dogs on thewn, tossing them food and bone shaped toys.


    Seeing Benjamin, they called out for him.¡±Get over here, Mr. Maid.¡± The only two people who


    unhesitatingly called Benjamin in such a humiliating manner were none other than Elizabeth¡¯s parents.


    ¡°What do you need me here for, Mr. & Mrs. Conway.¡±


    ¡°One of the puppies just defecated on the grass,¡± the bald old man with an eagle tattoo on his head said.


    He was Nn Conway. ¡°Scoop it up and take it out of our sight.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Benjamin picked up the puppy and walked away, leaving the elderly couple speechless. ¡°Get


    back here, you rascal,¡± the old woman, Dorothy Conway yelled. Her voice was loud enough to startle the


    dogs, but Benjamin acted like he couldn¡¯t hear her. He went into the distance and kept poking the


    puppy¡¯s belly with his finger, and the puppy began to yfully bite on his finger. Dorothy ground her


    senile teeth in frustration. ¡°This brat has grown balls in the weeks we¡¯ve been out. Do something,


    darling.¡± ¡°I¡¯m older than you, so what do you want me to do?¡± Nn replied. ¡°Let¡¯s just wait until Elizabeth


    returns. Then, we can make this punk eat dog poop.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t wait that long. Let¡¯s call Devon. He¡¯ll help


    us.¡±


    ¡°Devon¡¯s too old,¡± Nn suggested. ¡°Let¡¯s go with Oliver. He¡¯s in his prime and can squeeze a duck to


    death with bare hands.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Oliver or whoever, just don¡¯t fail!¡±


    Nn and Dorothy were over eighty years old, and Elizabeth was their only child. She was born in the


    fifteenth year of their marriage, so they raised her like a princess, giving her everything she asked for.


    And one day, she asked for Shawn, and they managed to set things up in a way love blossomed


    between Shawn and Elizabeth. After Elizabeth married into the much richer Sterling family, she had her


    way because she was the eldest daughter-inw, but things changed ever since the son-inw entered


    the family. His entrance made Jacob realize that the partners of his eldest son and daughter did not have


    jobs worth mentioning in public. Jacob could at least go around saying that his daughter-inw was a


    housewife, but he couldn¡¯t possibly say that his son-inw As a result, Jacob had been treating Elizabeth


    harshly ever since Benjamin entered the Sterling vi, and the Conway family hated Benjamin for it. They


    wanted him gone from the vi, so they could act freely like in the past.


    However, for now, Benjamin was only gone from their sight. Meanwhile, Reba was still fiddling with


    the wedding ring. ¡°I¡¯m so bored.¡± She tossed the ring up into the air and caught it a few times. ¡°Should I


    get a TV installed in this room? It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve watched television, so I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    Just then, Benjamin entered the room with hands on his back. ¡°B-Benjamin!¡± Reba quickly hid the


    wedding ring under the pillow. ¡°I thought you had gone out!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    ¡°I wanted to, but then I thought ¡®when was thest time I spent an afternoon with my wife,¡¯ and here I


    am,¡± he sat on his bed. ¡°I¡¯m stuck here in bed, so I¡¯m not sure if I can give you goodpany,¡± she said.


    Benjamin brought his hands to the front and revealed a cute little brown puppy, surprising her. He put it


    on her bed, and the puppy began to sniff Reba¡¯s clothes and licking her hand while wagging its little


    tail at a good speed. As the puppy was going down to her foot, he came over in a hurry. ¡°No, no there!¡±


    he picked up the puppy and put it in herp. The puppy sat up and kept staring at Reba for a little


    while before barking a couple of times. Benjamin was smiling, but then his expression changed after


    realizing that his wife¡¯s expression was growing stiffer. ¡°R-Reba, is everything alright?¡± Reba lifted


    her hand, and her skin reddened where the puppy had licked not long ago. She looked at Benjamin like


    she was seeing a ghost. It was at that moment Benjamin realized that she was allergic to dogs and also


    that he messed up big time when he saw the little puppy climbing her in an attempt to lick her face.


    ¡°NOOOO!¡± he cried out.

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40


    What Benjamin thought would be a memorable afternoon turned into a forgettable one.


    The family doctor was called to treat Reba. Selena hurriedly came home and kicked Benjamin out of


    the room.


    ¡°How could you not know Reba is allergic to dogs?¡± even Veronica just looked at Benjamin with eyes


    full of disgust. ¡°You really don¡¯t deserve to be her husband!¡± Benjamin couldn¡¯t even talk with Reba as


    the mother and daughter pair blocked the entrance.


    He could only walk the other way and exit the vi. He sat on the stairs, wearing a dull expression. He


    only wanted to brighten Reba¡¯s spirit, but he ended up worsening her situation. He clutched his head.


    ¡°I only want to show how much I love her, but why do things always turn out this way? It¡¯s like God


    doesn¡¯t want me to be with her?¡± he looked up at the sky. ¡°No one can go against your ns, right? It¡¯s


    times like these I want to believe there¡¯s no God.¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s mobile received a text message. He checked it, and his heart skipped. It was a message


    from his wife: Bring me a tasty pizza for tonight.


    Blood heavily rushed into Benjamin¡¯s heart after he read the message, and a big smile bloomed on his


    lips. ¡°I¡¯m going to make the best pizza there is!¡± he excitedly stood and scuttled toward the parking spot.


    On the first floor of the vi, outside Reba¡¯s room, Kathy had just sent a message through Reba¡¯s


    mobile, and Selena was standing right next to her. ¡°I sent the message, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Selena faintly smiled. ¡°My daughter hates fast food. He knows that, too, but he¡¯s itchy to prove himself to


    her, so he¡¯ll bring the pizza tonight, and¡­ I can¡¯t wait to see how things will unfold. I might get to finally


    see the moment my daughter ps the living dreams out of that useless guy!¡±


    A few hourster.


    Benjamin came for work in the evening. Seeing himing in the taxi, Christopher¡¯s ego was satisfied.


    Other workers asked Benjamin why he didn¡¯te in Honda and if he already sold the car or something.


    Benjamin avoided answering before going out for the delivery.


    At a random apartment in the city.


    Five men beat the living crap out of Akash. He was bleeding from nose, mouth, and ears. He coughed


    blood and begged them to stop; however, they only stopped after Shawn told them to.


    Shawn squatted down to Akash¡¯s level. ¡°You deserve more for hurting my sister,¡± he caught Akash¡¯s


    forearm and another man caught Akash¡¯s hand at the end. Shawn was handed an ax, shocking Akash.


    ¡°No, no, no, please!¡± Akash pleaded. ¡°I won¡¯t even look at your sister.¡± Akash¡¯s mouth was stuffed with


    cloth so he couldn¡¯t speak let alone shout anymore.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote to say such things, but don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t take your life. Only the hand you can paint with!¡±


    Shawn repeatedly struck Akash¡¯s wrist until the hand waspletely severed. Akash cried out, but his


    voice didn¡¯t even reach the other rooms on that apartment floor.¡± Give him first aid so he wouldn¡¯t die


    from blood loss,¡± saying that Shawn walked away. In ten minutes, Akash¡¯s wound was neatly bandaged,


    and he was left alone in his room. Akash was still crying, but his blood also boiled as he looked at his


    severed hand lying on the floor. It was so messily cut, he thought reattaching it was impossible. As


    seconds passed, tears overflowed. ¡°Who is his sister? When did I hurt her?¡± he wasn¡¯t even given an


    exnation, so he was utterly frustrated and enraged.


    Just then, the door was open, and a pizza delivery guy walked in. It was Benjamin.


    Akash kept staring at him, wearing aplex, sad expression. (Right. I ordered a pizza, didn¡¯t I? At least


    he didn¡¯te when those guys were present, or they would have done something bad to him, as well.)


    ¡°What happened here?¡± Benjamin quickly came over to Akash. He looked straight into Akash¡¯s eyes, as


    though demanding an answer. He wasn¡¯t intimidated by the blood or the severed hand. ¡°Who did this to


    you?¡± ¡°I wish I knew. How am I going to face my parents now?¡± Akash broke out into tears as he hit his


    head against the wall. ¡°It¡¯s better to die!¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Benjamin put the pizza box between Akash¡¯s head and


    the wall. ¡°Let me die!¡± Akash howled at Benjamin, but a backhand p from Benjamin made Akash go


    silent. ¡°If you want to die, then do it after you call and tell your parents that you¡¯re just a coward who runs


    away from the fight.¡± Akash frowned. ¡°What do you want me to do? The guys who did this to me were


    like rowdies. There¡¯s no way I can fight against them and win.¡± ¡°Then at least die trying,¡± Benjamin said


    and put his hand over Akash¡¯s shoulder. ¡°No matter the reasons, there¡¯s no honor in suicide.¡±


    After Akash calmed down, Benjamin packed the severed hand in a stic cover, then helped Akash find


    a taxi. Afterward, Benjamin dialed a number. ¡°Alfred, I need your help.¡± ¡°Anything, Master,¡± replied Alfred.


    Benjamin was staring at Akash¡¯s visiting card. ¡°I want you to take care of this guy¡¯s treatment. Note down


    his details.¡±


    ¡°If you are talking about the guy you sent in a taxi just now, then don¡¯t worry, Master. We will make sure


    he gets treated well.¡± Benjamin looked around at different apartments. ¡°Are you guys following me 24/7?¡±


    ¡°Of course, not.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t trust you in this regard,¡± Benjamin was still looking around. He could see some


    eyes shining from behind dark ss doors. (They are stealthy, but I can still feel their gaze.) ¡°I¡¯m not a


    baby that needs protection. Tell the guys to keep their eyes off of me, or I might lose it one night and give


    it to them.¡±


    AT240


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡°Sure, Master.¡± Benjamin ended the call, and a Mercedes stopped right before him. Jane and her


    boyfriend were in the front. ¡°What are you doing out here, Benjamin?¡± she raised her sses and asked,


    but looking at his uniform, she could easily guess. ¡°Out here for delivery?¡± Benjamin nodded and briefly


    looked at her boyfriend who was sitting in his undies. He was a foreigner who had a tall figure and a


    toned body. ¡°Is he poor?¡± Both Jane and her boyfriend went silent for a little before looking at each other


    andughing their asses off. ¡°You really are funny. Why don¡¯t you-¡± Jane was speaking, but then she


    realized that Benjamin had long disappeared. She wiped her happy tears and looked at his boyfriend. ¡°I


    know you are trying to tempt me into having sex with you in the car, but your fantasy won¡¯t be realized


    until I see a pig fly.¡±


    ¡°But pigs don¡¯t fly!¡± ¡°No. They do, in dreams, don¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Ha-ha,¡± he could only shake his head.

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41


    At midnight, Benjamin came home with arge pizza he took two hours to prepare. He had to take leave


    early before his night shift was over. After all, he wouldn¡¯t want to feed his wife a pizza at four in the


    morning.


    It was just past twelve, and the dogs were out and barking and ying in the garden. They noticed


    Benjamin strolling toward the vi, but what caught their noses was the smell emanating from the


    package in his hands.


    All six dogs began running toward him, already drooling saliva. Benjamin initially didn¡¯t think anything


    was wrong, but the scene of six dogs running brought up doubt in his mind. Once he realized that they


    were attracted by the smell of the pizza, his heart skipped a beat.


    He immediately ran toward the vi. The dogs were faster than him, or so it seemed initially. Whether it


    was the work of adrenaline or not, Benjamin actually managed to cover more distance than the dogs and


    entered the vi. Once he was in, the dogs didn¡¯t dare step inside. They had a mental barrier stopping


    them from setting foot in the vi because thest time they did, they were whipped by the butlers.


    ¡°Whew,¡± Benjamin breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the dogs toe after me like that. Weren¡¯t


    they fed properly?¡± Kathy and a pointy-nosed butler were secretly watching them from behind a pir on


    the first floor. ¡°What the hell, Johnny? How did he manage toe inside lookingpletely safe?¡± she


    twisted the butler¡¯s ear. ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t feed the dogs anything?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Kathy. I haven¡¯t fed them anything since morning,¡± Johnny said, frowning. ¡°I swear on my life!¡± He


    had a huge crush on Kathy, so he always did everything she asked for him.


    Though Kathy used him like a dog, she didn¡¯t even let him touch her or kiss her because his face was full


    of dark marks because of popping pimples, and his cheeks looked like rough patches of a cricket pitch.


    ¡°Then how did he outrun the dogs?¡± Kathy could only bite her nails in frustration. ¡°Anyway, he passed


    stage 1, but there¡¯s no way he can pass stage two.¡± ¡°What¡¯s stage two?¡± Johnny curiously asked.


    ¡°Reba already slept, so he should wake her up first, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll be able to do it because


    Reba will be in an angry mode right after waking up.¡± ¡°What if she wakes up from the pizza¡¯s aroma?¡±


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    Kathy gave him a cold look. ¡°You think this is a movie, or what?¡±


    ¡°You are right, but if Madam Reba doesn¡¯t eat the pizza, can I eat it?¡±


    Kathy elbowed him in the face and shut him up before following Benjamin secretly.


    Benjamin entered the room and closed the door.


    ¡°Tch,¡± Kathy hugged the wall and tried her best to hear what was happening inside. Johnny mimicked


    her.


    They strained their ears for an entire minute but heard nothing.


    ¡°What the hell is he doing?¡± Kathy got more and more frustrated with every passing second. If she failed


    this time, Selena would surely punish her, so she wanted her mission to seed no matter what.


    ¡°Should I barge in?¡± as she was hesitating, she received a message from Selena, asking about the


    progress


    Selena had gone to attend a wedding of a Russian billionaire¡¯s son at one of the super yachts where


    bottles of wine ranging thousands of dors were wasted like water. Because the bride liked Selena very


    much, the billionaire not only invited Selena to the wedding but also offered 2 million dors and sent a


    chopper to receive her. Though Selena had asked Jacob to attend the wedding with her, he was busy


    with the post production and selling the rights for his two uing big-budget movies, so he just sent


    his wishes to the bride and the groom through a video message. Meanwhile, Benjamin who had entered


    the room just stood by the bed, gawking at the beauty of his sweetheart who was sleeping in shorts and


    sleeveless shirts. The chocte-colored clothes shone in beautiful contrast with her fair, smooth skin.


    Her figure, especially her wire like waist and her irresistible thighs arrested his view. Benjamin swallowed


    his saliva as he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of her. He could hear his own heartbeat and nothing else.


    All of the boundless beauty before him was his, but he couldn¡¯t touch it or feel it. If only he could, he


    would have been the luckiest man alive, he thought.


    He took a deep breath and calmed his swelling emotions. ¡°Should I wake her up? She gets easily ticked


    off if someone disturbs her sleep.¡± He put the pizza box on the desk and sat on his bed. ¡°I should find a


    way before the pizza cools down.¡± While he was thinking, his eyes ended up catching a glimpse of her


    wonderful thighs, and he kept staring at them and totally forgot about the pizza.


    Reba didn¡¯t wear stretchy, skinny jeans like most other women around her age did. She wore


    comfortable clothing and only revealed some of her skin when she attended parties and whatnot. But


    seeing her thighs while she was sleeping on bed was a first for him. His dick had turned hard and grown


    so heavy he felt tongue-tied at the moment. He fell on his bed and kept biting the pillow, trying his best to


    control himself from jumping onto her bed.


    After a long struggle, his little brother calmed down. Benjamin didn¡¯t want to go through this again, so he


    covered Reba with the nket, and her lips felt oh so inviting. He licked his lips like an innocent little


    puppy wanting some taste of her lips. He bit his lip and slightly shook his head. ¡°God must have been


    extra careful while shaping you in your mother¡¯s womb. Otherwise, why do I feel this pull toward you? I


    have no exnation as to why I¡¯m starving for you, Reba. It must be our destiny.¡± He leaned closer


    and gently kissed her forehead. A few minutester.


    Kathy couldn¡¯t wait anymore and was about to barge into the room, but the door opened, and Benjamin


    walked out. He didn¡¯t look the least bit surprised to see her and Johnny standing right outside the door.


    He gave them the pizza box and went back in.


    While Kathy stood frozen, Johnny opened the box in a hurry. However, there were only sauce packets


    and tissues inside. ¡°EHHH? It¡¯s all finished?¡±


    Kathy realized that Benjamin had eaten the pizza instead of waking up Reba. That wasn¡¯t within her


    expectations at all. While she grew angry at herself for failing, she also felt stirred by Benjamin¡¯s action.


    She would love to be the partner of someone who considered his wife¡¯s


    sleep more precious than the pizza he heartfully made. ¡°For tonight, you win, Benjamin.¡±


    Johnny acted like he was looking at the pizza box and brought his face a bit close to Kath¡¯s breasts.


    ¡°Don¡¯t rub your filthy face in my boobs, you pervert!¡± she mmed the opened pizza box in his face.


    Johnny, however,ughed in return. Kathy could only shake her head and walk away. He still


    shamelessly followed her.

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42


    Shawn had been sitting on a golf court for over two hours, but he patiently waited. A Ferrari entered his


    view, and then gradually the noise of its engine. He stood and didn¡¯t move even though the vehicle came


    straight at him. At thest second, the vehicle arched around him and stopped fast, lifting up grass and


    dirt. A handsome hunk stepped out. He was almost as tall as Shawn and just as masculine. He was


    wearing what might seem like a casual white T-shirt and blue jeans, but these were the same clothes


    worn by his favorite movie stars, which heter acquired for free. His shoes had gold linings, and so hid


    the tip of his wallet showing through the backpocket. ¡°Did I make you wait for too long?¡± he asked. ¡°Any


    longer, and I might havee looking for you,¡± Shawn said with a poker face.


    ¡°Haha,¡± he and Shawn thenughed and shook each other¡¯s hands.


    They sat down at a table with an umbre attached on top. He took out two Mayan Sicars from the


    tobo box and gave one to Shawn. They peacefully smoked for a minute and half.


    ¡°So, how are you doing these days, senior?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Busy is all I can say. Working on two careers parallely is taking its toll on me.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you quit the one that¡¯s less profitable?¡± ¡°I will once the time is right,¡± replied Shawn.


    ¡°What about you, Artur? Are you still roaming the world aimlessly?¡±


    Artur smirked a little. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve seen everything there is. I¡¯ve been repeating the same routine, and


    world has be a boring ce.¡±


    ¡°Boring, huh,¡± Shawn nodded twice. ¡°That means you just haven¡¯t found the right woman


    yet.¡±


    ¡°Right woman?¡± Artur almost burst intoughter. ¡°Haha, good joke.¡± Shawn exhaled a bit audibly. ¡°Do you


    remember Reba?¡±


    Artur raised one of his brows. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°You know, the pper.¡±


    ¡°Uh, ah, yeah, the one who pped the judge on stage for touching her inappropriately,¡± Artur nodded,


    ¡°yeah, I do remember her. It has be quite a news back then. If my memory is correct, isn¡¯t she your


    sister?¡±


    ¡°Mm. Four years back, I asked you if you¡¯re interested in her,¡± Shawn said, ¡°and you said you¡¯re not


    interested in marrying at the time. So, how about now?¡±. Artur seemed surprised. ¡°Where¡¯s thising


    from? Did youe to meet me after all these years to do match-fixing?¡±


    Shawn smiled and said, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have agreed to meet unless you benefit in some way


    AL1242


    from it.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, we graduated from the same college.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but we¡¯re not friends. We¡¯re just businessmen. So, I¡¯m just putting my proposal first,¡± he put his


    phone down on the white table, and Reba¡¯s image was being disyed on the screen. Her facial


    features caught Artur¡¯s eye, but he acted like he wasn¡¯t affected by it. ¡°She¡¯s currently wasting her time


    with a fake husband, so I¡¯d be grateful if you can at least pull her away from him. Whether you marry her


    or notester.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Artur thought for a little bit. ¡°I¡¯ll think about your sister¡¯s matter and answer you


    within a day. As for what I wanted to talk about, you work in a reputed insurancepany, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Shawn nodded.


    ¡°I want you to fuck up a family. Can you do it?¡± ¡°Do they have a strong background?¡± ¡°They have millions


    in the bank, but other than that, nothing.¡±


    ¡°Then why do you want me to go through such a long process?¡± Shawn asked. ¡°Can¡¯t you just hire some


    men to mess with their lives?¡±


    ¡°No. I want the system they believe in to betray them, then they¡¯ll have nobody they can trust.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t ask what grudge you have with them, but it¡¯ll take some time. I¡¯ll approach them through an


    agent they know, and you know how it goes. Once I make them sign certain documents, it¡¯ll be easy to


    steal all the cash from their bank, and they won¡¯t be able to do anything about it.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    ¡°The housewife of that family refused to sleep with me back in college,¡± Artur said. ¡°I just saw her


    yesterday again, and she looked so happy, but her face just made me remember the bad times. I just


    want her to feel the pain I felt. Hundred fold.¡±


    ¡°Just leave it to me. Forward their details through mail before tonight, so I can start working as early as


    possible.¡±


    Artur smiled. ¡°I¡¯m d you are willing to work with me, Senior Shawn. I really take good care of those


    that stay on my good side.¡±


    Shawn also smiled in response. Artur Bonsbell was the son of billionaire David Bonsbell, a tycoon of the


    tobo industry. Being in a positive rtionship with Artur would greatly help Shawn in his endeavors,


    so he had the ns of marrying his sister to him since college days itself. He also had a few other men in


    mind in case Artur didn¡¯t work out, but Artur was always the first in line.


    After the informal meeting, Shawn didn¡¯t go to his office but came home. And his inws were waiting in


    his room, ready to greet him, acting over the top as usual. ¡°My son-inw,¡± Dorothy shed crocodile tears.


    ¡°Your wife and my daughter has locked herself in a room for the past few days. She¡¯s waiting for you to


    *


    42


    the Sterling family.¡±


    ¡°Yes, son-inw,¡± Nn backed his wife¡¯s words. ¡°Elizabeth loves you more than she loves Lisa and


    Roshan. It isn¡¯t good for a wife and husband to live in separate homes, so go and bring her back. Don¡¯t


    hesitate. Even if it¡¯s her mistake, think about the children, also.¡±


    ¡°Can you two leave me alone, please?¡± Shawn asked, and his inws quickly walked out with smiles on


    their faces. ¡°This sneaky old couple¡­¡± Shawn squinted his eyes. ¡°If you allow them to grab even a single


    hair, they can pull the entire scalp out. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re here for some fucked-up reason. If only I wasn¡¯t


    focusing on my career, I would have long taught them their ce.¡± Shawn took off his suit and tie and sat


    on the bed and drank some water. ¡°I heard Reba got injured. Maybe, I should pay her a visit.¡±

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43


    Anous¡¯ wife told him to quit the job. However, not wanting to lose his primary sponsor, he was thinking of


    returning to work in a few days even though he suffered from a heart attack ¡°Benjamin told my wife that I


    should bring his car?¡± Anous¡¯ frowned a little bit. ¡°So he isn¡¯t as dumb as I thought. But I have Madam


    Elizabeth on my side. I have nothing to fear even if the truth gets known.¡±


    At that moment, Alfred entered the room with a basket full of fruits and a bouquet. ¡°You seem to be doing


    great, Mr. Anus.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, mister, but my name isn¡¯t Anus. It¡¯s Anous. U is silent.¡±


    ¡°Ah, is it?¡± Alfred sat down and began crunching on one of the apples from the basket, puzzling Anous,


    who thought the fruits were brought for him.


    ¡°Who are you, sir? What do you want?¡± Anous asked. His wife or children weren¡¯t in the room.


    ¡°I just came to see a patient in the room next to you,¡± Alfred replied, ¡°so I thought I¡¯d meet you as well.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but¡­ do I know you?¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± Alfred spat the apple seeds on the bed.


    ¡°W-What are you doing!¡± Anous got mad immediately. ¡°Get lost from my room!¡±


    ¡°You lost your nerve just because I spat a couple of seeds on your bed,¡± Alfred said, ¡°so how do you


    think Benjamin should react after you purposely destroyed his new car he spent so much effort to earn?¡±


    Anous was initially startled. ¡°Oh, so you are from Benjamin¡¯s side.¡± He faintly smiled. ¡°You must be his


    grandfather or something. Your grandson told my wife that I should buy a new car


    for him. He still doesn¡¯t seem to know his ce in the pecking order, but it¡¯s alright. I will remind him once


    I return to my job.¡± He was smirking. ¡°Is that so?¡± he put the bouquet and the flower basket on the bed


    and took out a knife that was hidden inside the basket.


    Anous¡¯ heart skipped a beat. He was still feeling weak, so if this old man were to attack him, he wasn¡¯t


    sure if he could properly fight back.


    ¡°Fret not,¡± Alfred stared right into Anous¡¯ eyes. ¡°I intend to leave your fate up to Benjamin, but since I¡¯m


    here, I can¡¯t go without doing nothing, so¡­¡± he swiftly threw a punch with his left hand, and it knocked


    Anous¡¯ out of his senses. Alfred then put the knife to use andpletely shaved Anous¡¯ hand. That


    didn¡¯t satisfy him, so he went on to remove all of Anous ¡®fingernails. That didn¡¯t satisfy him, either. He


    then removed the toenails, too. ¡°This isn¡¯t enough, but¡­ I¡¯ll let the Master finish him.¡± He wiped the blood


    off the knife and put it in his coat before taking the bouquet and fruit basket and walking out of the room.


    He went to the room where Akash was being treated.


    Alfred was wearing an old coat and blended with the crowd, so nobody really knew who he


    -7A? TER 43


    was. The nurse also thought he was just another old man. He introduced himself to Akash and told him


    that he was sent by the same pizza delivery guy who had helped him. Akash was freely given VIP


    treatment that cost over forty thousand dors, and his hand was reattached, so he wanted to thank


    Benjamin personally, but Alfred told him to heal first.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Akash asked Alfred if he knew who attacked him. However, Alfred replied, ¡°Some things are better not


    known.¡± He then gave the bouquet and fruits and left. Akash wouldter realize that there was actually


    3000 dors worth of cash hidden in the fruit basket.


    Meanwhile, at Bonsbell¡¯s mansion.


    Artur received a report on Reba. ¡°Mm, she¡¯s like the embodiment of beauty, and she¡¯s twelve years


    younger than me. I do feel like meeting her. What do you think?¡± he looked at his private security guard


    who was over fifty years old and was also the head of the guards.


    ¡°She¡¯s both beautiful and thoughtful from what I can tell,¡± the head of the guards replied.¡° She¡¯s definitely


    worth a try, sir.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll pay her a visit this evening.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make the necessary preparations.¡± ¡°Give the Ferrari to one of your boys,¡± Artur told the guard. ¡°I¡¯m


    bored with it. I¡¯ll buy a new one along the way.¡±


    Later that evening. Benjamin made the special pizza again and brought it home. He looked excited


    because he wanted to give it to Reba; however, Lisa and Roshan were sitting outside. Seeing them,


    Benjamin ran into the butlers¡¯ dorms and used another entrance that linked both the vi and the dorms.


    Just as he reached the room, Johnny suddenly showed up and tried to steal the pizza from him, but he


    couldn¡¯t even touch the pizza as he rushed past Benjamin.


    ¡°What?¡± Johnny was left shocked. ¡°I was sure I caught it.¡±


    Benjamin didn¡¯t even bother to look at Johnny. He entered the room and locked the door.


    ¡°Wait, why are you locking the door?¡± Reba asked. She wasn¡¯t wearing the same clothes asst night


    because the allergic feeling was gone. ¡°Uh, about that¡­¡± Benjamin opened the pizza box and revealed


    what he believed was the most beautiful pizza he ever made. The names ¡®Benjamin & Reba¡¯ were


    written with the sauce, and seeing how the names were intact, Reba understood how carefully


    Benjamin carried the parcel home.


    ¡°You want me to eat it?¡± she asked in surprise. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that I¡¯m not a fan of fast food? They are


    not good for health.¡±


    ¡°I-I know, but¡­¡± Benjamin scratched his cheek. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask for a pizza yesterday afternoon? I


    actually made onest night, but you were sleeping, so I couldn¡¯t wake you up.¡±


    Reba had no idea what he was talking about. She ate burgers a couple of times, but she


    never tasted pizza before, so she wasn¡¯t sure if she should taste it or not. However, seeing Benjamin¡¯s


    pitiful eyes, she pitied him a little bit. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have just one piece. That¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Benjamin excitedly put the pizza box before her on the bed, in a way that his name was


    facing her. ¡°Pick the slice with my name on it, please.¡± ¡°Mm? Why?¡± she couldn¡¯t help but ask


    ¡°I¡¯m yours, that¡¯s why,¡± he replied.


    Reba almost smiled and shook her head. (Whatever, it¡¯s just a slice.) She told herself and picked the


    slice that had Benjamin¡¯s name on it. Just after she put it in her mouth and was blown away by the rich


    texture of the pizza, Benjamin ripped another slice that had Reba¡¯s name on it. Her eyes widened.


    ¡°W-Wait, why are you eating that piece first?¡± Benjamin grinned like an excited child and said, ¡°You are


    mine, that¡¯s why.¡± He hurriedly gobbled on that piece in a matter of two to three seconds.


    Weird imaginations of herself getting eaten popped up in her head, and Reba found herself


    flushing a bit as he chewed on the slice that had her name on it.


    At the same time, a luxurious car stopped in front of the main entrance, catching the attention of Lisa and


    Roshan.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Roshan was up from his chair and so was Lisa.


    ¡°A bugatti?¡± Oliver who was watering the nts was ck-jawed. ¡°I have only seen it in GTA before.¡± He


    put the water pipe aside and came over to take a closer look. A handsome man as tall as him stepped


    out. Dressed in a sparkling blue suit, he shone brighter than the bugatti itself.


    He tossed the car keys to Oliver before climbing up the stairs and walking past the two teenagers who


    had their mouths wide open as they could see diamonds embedded in his suit.


    ¡°Are those diamonds in the suit?¡± Lisa whispered to Roshan who could only shrug his shoulders.


    Meanwhile, Kathy who was cleaning the dining table just noticed Artur entering the vi in a confident


    gait and his eyes checking around. ¡°Who the hell is this handsome hunk?¡± she thought. ¡°He walks like he


    owns this ce!¡±

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44


    Instead of parking the car, Oliver was taking a tour throughout the garden in the bugatti.¡° Haha, this is


    freaking awesome!¡± he felt so thrilled. ¡°If I can bust out through a gate, it¡¯ll be like ying GTA in real


    life!¡±


    However, his excitement was cut short by Lisa and Roshan who wanted to drive the ck-and orange


    Bugatti Chiron for themselves.


    Oliver could only cry on the inside as he got out of the car with a smile on his face.


    Lisa wanted to sit in the driver¡¯s seat, but Roshan pulled her back by her hair and sat in the driver¡¯s seat


    first. She yelled at him, telling him to get out, but he shut the door and went for a ride in the super sports


    car. ¡°Huhoo¡­ this engine speaks speed! The turbochargers really work!¡± He recklessly drove the car


    around the garden.


    d and Mercie were watching from the balcony while licking on lollipops with strawberry vors, and


    while putting on a poker face, they bet on whether Roshan would hit the car to a tree or not.


    Meanwhile, Kathy knocked the door twice and tried to open it, but then realized that the door was locked


    ¡°Madam, it¡¯s me, Kathy,¡± she said. Artur was standing right behind her. ¡°You have a guest. Can you


    please open the door?¡±


    Benjamin went for a bath, so Reba got up from the bed and walked with the help of the walking stick.


    It took her some effort to get to the door, and just as she was about to open, Kathy knocked again. ¡°Why


    are you in such a hurry?¡± Reba frowned in annoyance and then opened the door. Before Kathy could


    speak, she was pushed aside by Artur who took his right hand out of his pocket and introduced himself,


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Reba.¡± Reba¡¯s hand involuntarily reached out for his hand. ¡°You


    are¡­¡± he was a bit intimidating with his huge frame and all, but the faint smile on his face upped his


    handsomeness enough to make his presence feel morefortable.


    ¡°Artur. A friend of Shawn.¡±


    ¡°Oh, pleasee in.¡± She limped her way to her sofa and told him to sit there. Artur realized that she


    had suffered an ankle injury. He sat down on the same sofa, next to her. The room wasn¡¯t how he


    expected a woman¡¯s room would be. There were no dolls, no shining things. Everything was simple and


    uncluttered. He liked it. He sniffed once, and his gaze stopped on the pizza slices on the bed. ¡°I didn¡¯t


    disturb your meal time, did I?¡± ¡°Ah, no, not at all,¡± Reba quickly replied, touching her ear once. ¡°This


    is my first time seeing you. What brought you here, Mr. Arthur?¡± Though Shawn hade to her the


    previous night, he didn¡¯t say anything about his friend visiting, but she could still guess what this sudden


    visit was all about. Artur took out an invitation card. ¡°I wanted to give you this.¡±


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    ¡°This¡­ Salvation Auction?¡± she was pleasantly surprised. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a private auction? If I¡¯m correct, it


    happens only once a year, and the entrance fee itself is 1 million dors.¡±


    ¡°They only give out limited invitation cards, and I bought one for you.¡±


    ¡°For me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, this year is going to be fun. They are selling wonderful paintings, medieval silk and other stuff


    from the treasure they found at the bottom of the pacific.¡±


    The phrase ¡®medieval silk¡¯ caught her attention.


    ¡°Thanks, but why are you giving me such a pricey invitation card to me?¡± Reba straightforwardly


    asked. ¡°I mean, this is our first time meeting.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to make an impression,¡± Artur also replied in a simr fashion, albeit with an added smile. ¡°I


    don¡¯t have the healing power like Jesus, or I would have said a word, and your wound would have been


    healed. Since that¡¯s not possible, I thought we could attend the auction together. It¡¯s in the next month,


    so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to walk by then.¡±


    Reba didn¡¯t know what to say. From the looks of it, the diamonds on his suit and the gold on his


    boots, Artur seemed filthy rich. Moreover, he looked like a big bear sitting next to her. His thighs were


    almost twice as big as her¡¯s, yet they were pleasant on the eyes because he was fit. This made her


    wonder why her brother chose such a big guy for her. Was it because he thought she liked guys with


    suchrge and broad frames? As she was lost in thought, Artur stood.


    ¡°Are you leaving?¡± she asked, standing up with effort. ¡°Without eating?¡± ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯ll eat when you¡¯re in


    a position to freely walk to the dining table,¡± Artur said and patted her shoulder once. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll


    recover quickly.¡±


    Artur wasted no time and walked away with confidence and charm. ¡°He¡¯s like swag personified, ¡±


    Reba muttered under her breath. ¡°He¡¯s definitely rich from birth.¡±


    Seconds after Artur left, Benjamin walked out of the bathroom, rubbing his hair with the towel. ¡°Did a


    gueste by?¡± ¡°Yeah. A rich and handsome guest,¡± Reba got to her bed. ¡°Handsome?¡± Benjamin¡¯s


    heart skipped a beat. Because he was in the shower, he didn¡¯t focus on what was happening outside.


    However, he now realized that a man had paid a visit. ¡°W What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Reba sat down and kept staring at the invitation card.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Benjamin asked.


    She didn¡¯t respond.


    He walked over, but she put the invitation card in the drawer. He could have opened the drawer and


    checked it for himself, but out of respect for her, he didn¡¯t.


    He quickly rushed out of the room and checked from the balcony and managed to get a good


    look at Artur before he left in his bugatti.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that freaking bear?¡± Benjamin gripped the balustrade in frustration, and it cracked.¡± It doesn¡¯t look


    like he¡¯s a colleague.¡± Thoughts rushed through his mind as he walked back to his room. Then he walked


    back to the balcony again. He dialed Alfred. ¡°Who¡¯s the freak that just left the vi?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Master. You told us to not surveil you, and so we didn¡¯t,¡± replied Alfred. ¡°I¡¯m currently leaving the


    hospital where we¡¯ve admitted the bozo that lost his hand. But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll send you the details in a


    few minutes.¡±


    Benjamin walked around on the balcony, unable to stand at one spot. ¡°Just who the hell is he?¡± his blood


    boiled as he remembered the way his wife referred to that man. (Rich and handsome?) All the veins on


    his arms began to bulge up. ¡°How dare this bastarde to my wife¡¯s room and tempt her with whatever


    tricks he pulled?¡±


    Just then, he received a message. He never checked his mobile so fast as far as he could remember.


    ¡°Artur Bonsbell? The son of tobo tycoon David Bonsbell?¡± he clenched his fist. ¡°So what if he is?


    Does being the son of a billionaire make him eligible to talk with my wife?¡± he already began to climb


    down the stairs. He called Alfred again. ¡°He gave Reba an invitation card. Find out his schedule. And


    I want an invitation card for that event as well.¡±


    ¡°Not a problem, Master, but you seem to be pacing towards something.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going to the woods. I want to vent my anger somewhere,¡± Benjamin said, ¡®or I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll go


    straight to the billionaire¡¯s son and break his bones.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯d resolve everything quickly, though it might make you a viin in your wife¡¯s eyes. I hope that


    never happens. May your wife stay with you forever.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Alfred,¡± Benjamin ended the call.


    Lisa and Roshan were still quarreling as Lisa didn¡¯t get to drive the car. ¡°How could you be so selfish?¡±


    Lisa tried to hit him.


    ¡°I was fast, so I got to ride first,¡± Roshan said. ¡°If you want to ride a bugatti, why don¡¯t you ask dad to buy


    one for you? Aren¡¯t you going to college next year? I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll agree since he won¡¯t want you to


    staying at a hostel.¡±


    ¡°Huh, you just want to steal the bugatti from me once he buys it, right?.¡±


    ¡°Haha, so you¡¯ve seen through me, huh.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your sister, idiot!¡±


    ¡°If the younger brother is an idiot, that makes the elder sister a bigger idiot, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    As they quarreled and grabbed each other¡¯s clothes and pulled and pushed each other around, Benjamin


    went out of his way to take the water pipe from Oliver and directed it toward them, shocking them both.


    ¡°Uncle, what are you doing!¡± Lisa and Roshan cried out.


    ¡°Watering my inws,¡± Benjamin replied. There was enough force in the water to not just trouble them


    but make them feel uneasy. What¡¯s more, he let the water jet crash into their faces. This way, he vented


    his anger so he wouldn¡¯t need to go for a long walk through the woods.

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45


    When Selena returned home, Lisa and Roshan made a mountain out of the molehill regarding what


    Benjamin had done to them. They also repeatedly told Veronica and the maids, and they waited till


    midnight and told Shawn when he came home. And they took Shawn to Reba¡¯s


    room.


    ¡°Open the door,¡± Shawn knocked and said a few times, but there was no response ¡°He locked the door


    after having dinner,¡± Lisa said. ¡°He didn¡¯t open it when Grandma told him to!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Shawn grew angry. ¡°Since when did he grow so arrogant?¡± he banged the door harder with his


    hand. Roshan also joined his father and banged the door. The maids and the butlers were watching


    silently from the side. ¡°Reba? What are you doing? At least say something. Do you want me to break


    the door or what?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Stil, there was no response.


    Inside the room, Benjamin was reading one of his wife¡¯s fashion magazines. Reba was peacefully


    sleeping, having plugged her ears with noise cancetion earbuds. Though Benjamin sat calmly on the


    bed until now, he got worried that the vibrations might wake up Reba if they kept banging on the door.


    ¡°If I open it, they¡¯ll roast me again. Whether I open it or not, they¡¯ll roast me tomorrow during breakfast.


    So, I think it¡¯s better I


    stay put. They¡¯ll get tired and leave eventually.¡±


    As Benjamin expected, they stopped knocking after five minutes. Shawn promised his kids he¡¯ll take care


    of Benjaminter on. However, Lisa and Roshan went to their grandparents¡¯ room to bring them and


    continue disturbing Benjamin. To their shock, their grandparents had also locked their door, and their


    snoring could be heard from outside. Lisa and Roshan could only walk back to their rooms, wearing


    disappointed expressions.


    The next morning.


    Benjamin not only prepared breakfast and ate early, but he also left the food near his wife¡¯s bed before


    leaving for work. Thus, he gave no chance for others to mock him. Lisa asked Shawn to buy a bugatti for


    her, but he told her to first get the first rank in the ss. Roshan chuckled as Lisa embarrassed herself.


    Kathy brought the leftover breakfast to Devon who had been living in his own world since the past few


    days. Some butlers wondered if they should send him to the mental hospital, but nobody acted before


    taking Jacob¡¯s permission. Jacob hadn¡¯t been to the vi in the past three days, so they could only wait.


    Meanwhile, Oliver roamed throughout the city and eventually managed to find the car showroom he was


    looking for.


    It was a prestigious showroom that had four bugattis and 3 ferraris for sale. Oliver entered the building


    fully made out of ss, all except the flooring. There were no front-door receptionists, but only one guy


    dressed in a neat suit who was sitting behind a desk and


    watching sports on a television.


    ¡°Uh, excuse me,¡± Oliver hesitantly called out for him.


    ¡°Mm?¡± the customer handler turned to look at him. He looked from top to bottom. Oliver was in a typical


    butler¡¯s uniform. ¡°What do you need?¡± there was no respect in his voice.


    ¡°I want to buy a car.¡±


    He raised his brows. ¡°You want to buy what?¡±


    ¡°A car, sir,¡± Oliver tried to be polite as he wasn¡¯t sure if the card would work or not.


    ¡°What car? Are you sure you¡¯re not mistaking this for a fish market?¡± he chuckled and shook his head.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t waste my time and leave.¡±


    ¡°I can pay,¡± Oliver said, trying to sound confident as he took out the tinum card, ¡°for a


    bugatti.¡±


    The customer handler felt like his ears were hurt. ¡°You think buying a bugatti is as easy as buying fish at


    the market?¡±


    ¡°Why are you speaking like this?¡± stress marks appeared on Oliver¡¯s forehead. ¡°I only wanted to buy a


    car.¡± ¡°If you can buy a bugatti, I can buy an airne,¡± he chortled and waved his hand. ¡°Go away.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see that I have a card?¡± Oliver stressed his words.


    ¡°Card?¡± he nced at the tinum card. ¡°What¡¯s that overly fashioned card? Whatever it is, it¡¯s not a


    ck card. It won¡¯t be able to pay the price, and we don¡¯t ept monthly installments, so go away.¡± ¡°You


    don¡¯t know until you try,¡± Oliver said. ¡°Let me swipe the card.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you hear what I¡¯m saying?¡± the


    customer handler got angry and stood. ¡°I won¡¯t sell you anything, so leave!¡±


    Oliver gritted his teeth and turned around and started walking. However, after looking at the blue Bugatti


    Veyron, he turned around and said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you five percent extra tip.¡±


    The customer handler¡¯s expression slowly but surely changed. He would already receive five percent


    commission if he made a sale, so if he were to add another five percent as tip, he wouldn¡¯t need to worry


    about his expenses for another year or so. ¡°Alright. Come over here, and swipe your card. If it doesn¡¯t


    work, I¡¯m gonna break that card!¡± ¡°F-Fine by me,¡± Oliver swallowed his breath as he walked over and


    swiped the card. It didn¡¯t ask for any password and directly asked to enter the amount.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± the customer handler looked a bit confused. ¡°Eternity Bank?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the price?¡± Oliver


    asked. ¡°For that blue bugatti?¡± ¡°Ah, the current price is 2.1 million dors. But if you add my tip, it¡¯ll be 2.2


    million.¡± Oliver pressed 225¡ä and then nced at the customer handler. ¡°How many zeroes should I add


    now?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± he blinked twice. ¡°Are you joking?¡± Oliver kept staring with a serious expression. ¡°Obviously, four


    zeroes.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Oliver asked, again with an even more serious expression. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Oliver pressed four zeroes and then the green button. It began processing the payment, so the customer


    handler looked baffled. ¡°Wait, why isn¡¯t it asking for a pin?¡± ¡°Hmph, because it¡¯s special,¡± Oliver replied


    haughtily. And then they waited. As they waited with anxiety, it took a few seconds for the payment to be


    processed. When the copy began printing, the customer handler¡¯s jaw dropped, whereas Oliver felt


    relieved, for this meant that the payment was sessful. ¡°S-Sir, please sit down,¡± the customer handler¡¯s


    voice immediately filled with respect. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you drinks right away.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have some mango juice,¡± Oliver


    said. ¡°Sure, sir.¡± As the customer handler ran to the refrigerator, Oliver walked up to the blue bugatti. His


    heart began skipping hard as he touched it and ran his hand over and felt its smooth and polished


    surface. After seeing Arture to the Sterling vi in a bugatti, he wanted to buy it as well, and he did.


    The customer handler brought two bottles of mango juice. He also brought four keys-two standard keys,


    a valet key, and a top-speed key-to Oliver and told him to go for a ride while he prepared the documents.


    Oliver gave him his personal ID and some papers before sitting in the driver¡¯s seat. Having driven sports


    cars in the Sterling vi before, he didn¡¯t feel overwhelmed by the controls and took the car to the streets.


    At the same time, Benjamin had just delivered pizza parcels and then looked at his mobile. Seeing the


    last transactions, his eyes popped out of his sockets. ¡°WHAT?¡±

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46


    A blue bugatti went past Benjamin as he kept staring at the mobile screen. ¡°2.25 million dor


    purchase?¡± his head felt like it grew heavy. ¡°Who the hell is using the card?¡± he dialed Alfred.¡° I just got


    the message. Someone made a 2.25 million dor purchase using the tinum card you tried to give


    me. Do you know who it is?¡±


    ¡°I know, Master.¡±


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s someone from the Sterling vi,¡± Alfred didn¡¯t reveal the name on purpose.


    ¡°What?¡± Benjamin was startled. His inws¡¯ faces popped up in his mind, but then he mainly doubted


    Elizabeth and Veronica as only those two didn¡¯t have jobs. He even thought of Lisa or Roshan having it,


    but he didn¡¯t even think of the possibility of the maids or the butlers using the card. ¡°Who is it?¡± his voice


    grew deep.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you need to find that out by yourself, Master,¡± Alfred demanded. ¡°Be responsible for your


    money.¡± Saying that he ended the call.


    Benjamin got lost in thought for a few minutes while sitting on the bike at the side of the road. ¡°I didn¡¯t


    want to use my dad¡¯s money, but this sneaky old bastard is forcing me to find the card. Fine. I¡¯ll find and


    then break it. Jacob, Shawn, Selena, and Reba earn well and so likely don¡¯t have the card with them.


    That leaves Louis, Be, Veronica, and of course, Elizabeth and her kids. One of these six must be


    having the card with them.¡±


    The blue bugatti went past him again at a blistering speed, this time the opposite way.


    ¡°Whoever is behind the steering wheel,¡± Benjamin wondered, ¡°they don¡¯t seem afraid of getting a ticket.¡±


    He put the mobile in his pocket and started driving. Though he drove fast, he made sure his driving


    wasn¡¯t reckless. He took his next delivery to a police station, and the cops were surprised when he asked


    for the pizza¡¯s money. They said they would be lenient on him in case he were to be found for speeding


    or breaking traffic rules, but Benjamin still asked and eventually got paid. One of the cops followed him


    secretly afterward. And the cop followed patiently until Benjamin made a mistake by not stopping at a


    stop sign. The cop soon caught up with Benjamin on a bike and fined him with a 200 dor ticket.


    Benjamin argued with the cop for a while, but that only made the cop increase the fine to 250 dors.


    Benjamin eventually had to pay as the cop didn¡¯t let him take his motorbike. At the end of it all, only the


    cop was smiling as he earned more than what he spent for the pizzas.


    Benjamin didn¡¯t look happy. Time never really dragged on this job except during these kinds of situations,


    of course, where the real money earned was little to nothing. The cop literally took away Benjamin¡¯s meal


    ticket.


    Had Benjamin not charged the cops for the pizzas, this wouldn¡¯t have happened, but Benjamin still felt


    like he did the right thing.


    When he went to the Rye¡¯s Pizzas, Jasmine proposed to Christopher, but he refused. Jasmine


    ran out of the hut, crying and sobbing. The other workers believed that she was probably going to quit


    the job.


    Benjamin walked up to Christopher¡¯s desk with a faint smile on his face. ¡°I guessed she was gonna


    propose sooner orter, but I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d refuse.¡±


    ¡°Rye¡¯s Pizzas was first established by a young girl named Rye,¡± Christopher said. ¡°Once it got popr,


    she sold the business to to a guy named Samael. And my dream is to be the CEO of thispany


    and then hopefully buy this business from Samael one day.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got high aspirations, but what does


    that have to do with denying Jasmine?¡± ¡°Her bushy hair.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I asked if she canb her hair properly, and she said she liked the way she looked.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s it?¡±


    Benjamin couldn¡¯t believe what Christopher was speaking. ¡°Yeah. How can I marry someone who can¡¯t


    even do such a simple thing for me?¡± ¡°Then why did you act all lovey-dovey with her until today?¡±


    Christopher gave him a long stare. ¡°You sure seem to have a lot of free time after being promoted to a


    seven-star deliverer.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to answer, just say so,¡± Benjamin said and then minded his


    business. Christopher then briefly thought about Jasmine. ¡°She had been asking me to buy a Nikon


    camera the past two days, saying she wanted to travel around the country. I surely didn¡¯t expect her to


    propose to me with her parents¡¯ rings. I don¡¯t hate her, but then I don¡¯t really love her. I hope she¡¯ll at


    least buy the camera somehow and travel the country.¡±


    Jasmine went to her apartment. A file and a flower were left at the doorstep. She picked them up and


    went into the room. It was a ck rose. She dropped the flower petals in the aquarium and then sat on


    the sofa and opened the file. It was a one page contract titled ¡®The Little Flower That Denies Falling.¡¯


    ¡°What the heck is this?¡± she wondered for a second. ¡°Wait¡­ is it rted to the random form I filled online


    about a week and half ago? They promised me a free trip to Hawaii, but what¡¯s this rubbish about


    flowers?¡±


    Her phone rang. It was from an unknown number. She answered. ¡°Hello, this is Jasmine.¡± ¡°Uh, a


    beautiful name you¡¯ve got there,¡± a strange voice came from the other side. ¡°Excuse me? Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the bee that will help you frame your destiny,¡± he replied. ¡°All you need to do is sign the contract, and


    you¡¯ll receive a down payment of 10 grand.¡± ¡°¡¯T-Ten grand?¡± Jasmine¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Are you serious?


    This isn¡¯t some kind of joke,


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    right?¡±


    ¡°We only choose women who date more men than the number of periods they go through a


    year.¡±


    Jasmine went silent.


    ¡°Read the contract carefully. You have until tomorrow morning to choose.¡± The call ended.


    Jasmine felt something was off, but the ten grand down payment made her overlook that unease, and


    she began to read the contract. At that point, she had no idea that the contract she was reading was


    intended to buy her and her freedom.

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47


    CHAPTER 47 Oliver parked his car at a supermarket close to the Sterling vi. He paid the guard a


    thousand dors and told him to keep the car safe, and the guard dly obliged. Oliver bought products


    worth eight thousand dors from the supermarket, three-fourth of which went for buying various kinds of


    quality meat. He returned to the vi and began cooking the kobe beef first. ¡°I¡¯ve tried kobe burgers


    before, but I never thought I¡¯d eat full-blown kobe dinner. Hahaha.¡±


    As he was very much involved in cooking, Devon sneaked up on him and struck his head with a wooden


    stick. Oliver fell unconscious before he could even turn to look who hit him. Devon took the tinum card


    from him and ran away.


    The smell of the kobe beef attracted d and Mercie to the kitchen. They went upstairs and called their


    mother. Be came to the kitchen and cooked kobe curry, all the while Oliver was lying unconscious on


    the floor. d ate the curry while sitting on Oliver¡¯s body, and they really liked it. After the children left,


    Be sprayed water on Oliver¡¯s face, waking him up. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you find a better ce to sleep than the


    kitchen? And that too in the middle of making a meal?¡±


    ¡°S-Sorry, Madam, Oliver apologized and left the kitchen. He hurried to the dorms, doubting Devon, but to


    his surprise, Devon was still in his bed, mumbling vague things. ¡°He¡¯s not the one who hit me?¡± Oliver


    wondered.


    He then kept roaming throughout the dorms and the vi, looking at every butler and maid he came


    across. Who could have possibly stolen the card from him? Not knowing who hit him in the head utterly


    frustrated him. ¡°Whoever you are, I¡¯ll never forgive you!¡± At the same time, elsewhere in the vi.


    Louis was sitting in the much decorated living room on the first floor, with Benjamin forpany.


    Benjamin had been sitting for the past fifteen minutes because Louis had called for him, but Louis hadn¡¯t


    spoken a word yet. ¡°Why did you call for me, Brother-inw?¡± Benjamin asked. ¡°You know who paid a


    visit to Reba yesterday, don¡¯t you?¡± Louis said, to which Benjamin nodded half-heartedly. ¡°He¡¯s a guy


    who spends more money buying things in a month than what our family earns in one whole year. He gifts


    yachts to his girlfriends, leaves Lamborghinis and Ferraris to his security guards. Now that his eyes fell


    on Reba, you think you canpete with him?¡± Benjamin faintly smiled, surprising Louis. ¡°Reba


    doesn¡¯t care about money or power, like my inws do, which is why she even married me in the first


    ce.¡± ¡°You are probably right, but that doesn¡¯t mean she won¡¯t change her mind. People change¡­ all


    the time. For instance, no one knows this, but Reba used to love someone back in her university


    days. However, he broke her heart.¡±


    Benjamin was stunned to hear this.


    ¡°What?¡± Louis smirked. ¡°You think you were her first love or something? Verily I tell you, even though her


    first love betrayed her, she probably thinks that former lover is much better and wonderfulpared to


    you.¡±


    Benjamin gritted his teeth. His gaze turned sharp.


    ¡°She probably dreamed of marrying that man,¡± Louis continued. ¡°Can you brush off the fact that she will


    always have that guy in her mind? First love is pretty special, after all. It is unforgettable.¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s gut twisted. He stood and hurriedly walked away, looking clearly upset.


    Louis¡¯ smile widened a bit.


    Secondster, Be entered the living room. ¡°He fell hook, line, and sinker for your story.¡±


    ¡°He did. The more personally he takes it, the more he¡¯ll find it hard to even hope to have a proper


    rtionship with Reba.¡±


    ¡°Mm, you are really cold, darling,¡± she leaned on him from his back and kissed his forehead,¡± even


    before I met you, which is exactly why I chose you.¡±


    As Benjamin was approaching his room, Selena walked out and looked at him.


    Benjamin¡¯s gaze wasn¡¯t soft.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that look?¡± Selena¡¯s gaze also sharpened. ¡°Did the promotion at your job get into your head


    or something?¡± she shook her head and walked away. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for a rant. A brat who doesn¡¯t


    know how to pick his battles is bound to lose anyway.¡± Her words agitated him, but he controlled himself


    and entered the room. Reba was eating. She nced at Benjamin and said, ¡°Lisa and Roshan


    caught cold and couldn¡¯t attend school today. Brother Shawn is really angry at you. Why did you spray


    water at Lisa and Roshan without their permission?¡±


    Benjamin silently walked up to his bed. Now he understood why Selena told him to pick his battles


    because they were thinking that he purposely sprayed water on the kids because he couldn¡¯t do so to the


    adults in the vi. While it was true that Benjamin vented his anger on the kids, he did for a different


    reason. He knew that, but Selena¡¯s words still made him doubt himself.


    ¡°Answer my question, Benjamin,¡± Reba was still looking at him. ¡°I¡¯ll apologize to them tomorrow,¡±


    replied Benjamin, covering himself with the nket.¡± That should clear things up.¡±


    Reba spoke no more.


    She switched on the newly-installed television and started watching a tv-series named ¡®Lost Love.


    Benjamin¡¯s heart felt like it was being squeezed by some invisible force. He kept telling himself to not let


    his dramatic inws poison his thoughts and his married life, but the


    negative thoughts weren¡¯t going away.


    Was the reason Reba was rude to him most of the time and never really conveyed her feelings to him


    because she still had her first love in mind? At this rate, if she was still measuring him against her first


    love, would Benjamin¡¯s efforts ever be enough in her eyes? Would his love ever reach her? The thought


    itself tortured his soul. There was no one in the vi he could share his pain with, only those who would


    easily get offended at every little thing he did or said. Knowing this fact, he hid everything in his heart and


    silently suffered while his wife was engrossed in watching television all night.

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48


    During breakfast, Benjamin apologized to Lisa and Roshan in front of everyone, except Jacob who was


    still out on his work.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should have never directed my anger toward you two,¡± Benjamin lowered his head before


    Lisa and Roshan, and their egos were satisfied.


    Nn and Dorothy knew that the reason the kids caught cold was because they ate too many sweets the


    other night. It was Dorothy who bought the sweets, so they could only snicker, looking at the pathetic


    expression Benjamin was making. ¡°Such a simple sorry isn¡¯t enough,¡± Shawn said. ¡°You will be driving


    my kids to school until Anous returns. Let this experience teach you your ce.¡±


    ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­¡± Benjamin looked at Reba, as though asking her to fight for him, but she just pursed her


    lips together. Lisa and Roshan giggled without any concern.


    ¡°How was the series?¡± Selena asked her daughter. Lost Love was a romanticedy drama from over


    twenty years ago, in which she was one of the main leads.


    ¡°I finished season 1. Your acting was excellent, Mom,¡± Reba was all praises for her. Her eyes were


    still red because she didn¡¯t sleepst night, not even for a minute. ¡°It was aplex role, falling in love,


    breaking up,ing back together, and breaking up again, but you pulled it off pretty well.¡±


    Selenaughed out loud. ¡°I wish your dad was here. He would have felt so jealous! I asked him to co-


    produce that series, but he hated love stories, so he didn¡¯t agree. However, he began regretting it after


    the series became a huge hit and had seven seasons.¡±


    Her words made some other family members chuckle.


    ¡°You should keep watching,¡±Selena suggested, ¡°because there¡¯ll be a surprise for you in season 4.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Reba nodded. She wasn¡¯t eating breakfast but just drank fresh coconut water. After finishing


    the breakfast, Benjamin took the kids to the school. Though Roshan, d, and Mercie went to their


    respective sses, Lisa got on her boyfriend¡¯s bike and went somewhere.


    Benjamin secretly followed them from a distance. Lisa and her boyfriend then went into a club. ¡°Does


    Shawn know of this?¡± Benjamin didn¡¯t want to interfere in Lisa¡¯s life, but he couldn¡¯t act like he didn¡¯t see


    her enter the club, either. He got out of the car and walked straight to the entrance.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡°Whoa, there,¡± the ck guy standing outside wasn¡¯t not much taller than Benjamin but was definitely


    twice as heavier. ¡°Only couples are allowed entrance.¡±


    Benjamin wrapped his arm around that guy¡¯s arm. ¡°Let¡¯s go in then.¡±


    His mouth widely opened for a second. ¡°Damn, bro!¡± he yanked his hand away from Benjamin.


    ER 48


    ¡°I¡¯m not into that kind of stuff.¡±


    ¡°Me, neither.¡± Benjamin said and was entering, but the guard grabbed his shoulder. ¡°You can¡¯t enter


    alone,¡± he reminded Benjamin. ¡°Go and bring a girl with you, or get the hell out of here.¡±


    Benjamin caught his finger and bent it backward so swiftly, it broke before the guard knew it. ¡°AHH!


    Fuck!¡± as the guard cringed in pain, Benjamin kneed him in the face and knocked him out cold. He then


    entered the club.


    Inside the club, the DJ yed rap music, and everyone either drank or danced in the dazzling disco


    lights. Lisa was also dancing with her boyfriend, and he was touching her everywhere, but she didn¡¯t


    seem to mind it.


    Benjamin didn¡¯t like what he was seeing, but he had enough when her friend began kissing her neck. He


    strode over and grabbed her boyfriend by his hair, shocking Lisa. Benjamin pulled him away from her


    and pped him so hard he hugged the floor. Though some people stopped dancing, the rest of the club


    didn¡¯t care. ¡°Benjamin!¡± Lisa was furious at him. ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± she tried to


    p him, but Benjamin grabbed Lisa¡¯s hand and dragged her out of the club. ¡°Let go of me,¡± she still


    struggled to get out of grip. ¡°Hmph,¡± he snorted and let go of her.


    ¡°You think you can get away with what you did?¡± Lisa barked at him. ¡°I¡¯ll tell my dad, and¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what are you going to tell him?¡± Benjamin turned to face her and looked her straight in the eye.


    There was not an inkling of fear in those eyes. ¡°That you didn¡¯t go to school but went to a club instead,


    and that you let some random guy touch you and kiss you whenever he wants?¡±


    Lisa¡¯s heart skipped many beats. ¡°H-He¡¯s not some random guy. He¡¯s my boyfriend.¡± ¡°Someone who


    touches you inappropriately in public isn¡¯t your boyfriend,¡± Benjamin yelled so loudly her heart trembled.


    ¡°He¡¯s just another guy who¡¯s thinking with his dick.¡± He shook his head. ¡°You are so ignorant you don¡¯t


    even know what you¡¯re doing!¡± ¡°I will do whatever I want,¡± Lisa shouted back. ¡°Who are you to tell me


    what I should or shouldn¡¯t do?¡± she tried to walk back into the club, but he caught her and forcibly


    brought her to the car and shoved her inside. She began crying and asking for help. Most of the


    onlookers just watched, but a few called the police. Benjamin brought Lisa to the school. The outside


    gate was closed, but he pleaded to the gate guard to let her inside. Only after putting ten dors in the


    hand, he let Lisa in. Lisa was openly cursing that Benjamin would get into an ident and die soon.


    Benjamin could only sigh as he drove away from the school.


    As he was speeding, he noticed a church and stopped the car. He entered the church. There wasn¡¯t


    anyone inside, except for an old man dressed in white sleeping in the front row. This ce brought back


    Benjamin¡¯s memories as well as tears. This was where Benjamin wed Reba


    48


    He gently fell to his knees and kowtowed before the cross. ¡°Father¡­ I¡¯m not happy. But.. have it your


    way. Whether mending my marriage is in your ns or not, I won¡¯t give up, but thy will be done over


    mine.¡± Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes as his mind and flesh hungered for his wife but his heart


    pressed toward God. He felt so lost.


    The sound of footsteps made him lift his head. The old priest was standing before him, holding a binded


    ck book in his hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare to see young men surrender themselves to the Lord these days,¡± the old priest said.¡± Whatever


    worries your heart is burdened with,y them all at His feet. He¡¯ll free you in His time.¡±


    ¡°My wife doesn¡¯t love me, Your Reverence,¡± Benjamin said in a sad voice as he got up to his feet. ¡°Every


    night, I wonder if I¡¯ll ever see love in her eyes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give up, son,¡± he put his hand on Benjamin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°As long as you abide in Him, yourbor


    won¡¯t be in vain.¡± Benjamin nodded with tearful eyes. ¡°Thank you, Your Reverence.¡±

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49


    Benjamin walked out of the church with a slightly less burdened heart than before. As he drove to the


    Rye¡¯s Pizzas, he noticed Devon entering a casino. ¡°Why¡¯s he going in there?¡± Benjamin wondered but


    didn¡¯t bother too much as he was already tight on time.


    His first order today was into a bad neighborhood where even the police would think twice before


    entering. There was little to no traffic in the neighborhood. He reached the destination, an old house that


    wasn¡¯t being properly cared for. There was a dog tied to a tree in the garden, and it looked malnourished.


    The rope around its neck had left a deep scar in the flesh, which had begun to rot.


    Seeing Benjamin, the dog began barking with the little strength it got. Benjamin ignored the dog and


    reached the front door. The was no door bell, so he knocked on the door three times. The door opened


    and ckbear was standing on the other side of the doorframe, wearing a pleasant smile on his face.


    ¡°Sir, your delivery,¡± Benjamin gave the three pizza parcels. ckbear gave him a hundred dor bill and


    told him to keep the change. Benjamin thanked him in return, but then said, ¡° Sir, your dog¡­ it¡¯s going to


    die soon if you leave it like that.¡± ¡°So?¡± ckbear raised one of his brows and also a corner of his mouth.


    ¡°You want me to give it a pizza or what?¡±


    Benjamin didn¡¯t know what to say, but then he took out some money and gave it to ckbear. This


    amount equaled the tip Benjamin had given him, so ckbear understood Benjamin¡¯s intentions straight


    away.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to give you one star,¡± ckbear said in a rigid tone. ¡°Thank you,¡± Benjamin said ¡°Hmph,¡±


    ckbear shut the door in his face.


    Benjamin turned around, and on his way out, he untied the rope binding the dog¡¯s neck, but it stayed


    there and didn¡¯t run into the street. Pitying it, he took out a pizza from his next order and left it there. The


    dog greedily gorged on it. Benjamin also left a bowl of water nearby before heading for his next order.


    Because he brought one less parcel than the ordered number, he was again given one star. When he


    returned to the Rye¡¯s Pizzas, Christopher was already sharing the news with other employees. A seven-


    star deliverer receiving just a single one-star rating isn¡¯t a small matter, but receiving two one-star ratings


    in session went viral among the other deliverers of thepany. ¡°What did you do to receive such a


    poor rating?¡± Christopher mockingly asked Benjamin. ¡°Did you arrive with messed up parcels or


    something?¡±


    Benjamin, however, didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°You can escape from me, but you can¡¯t escape from the chairman,¡± Christopher said. ¡°He¡¯s going to call


    you before the day ends. Be prepared to give excuses, keke. Despite Christopher¡¯s negative remarks,


    Benjamin was calm and proceeded to do his job. He sessfully delivered the orders till evening and


    received a total of eight seven stars consecutively.


    At the end of his shift, he received a call from Samael. ¡°Hello, this is Samael. You remember me, don¡¯t


    you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. Please speak,¡± Benjamin replied politely. ¡°Yeah. I called you because, you know, you received


    two low ratings, and I wanted to know the reason.¡±


    Without hiding the truth, Benjamin exined what had happened. ¡°You did the right thing is what I want


    to say,¡± Samael said, ¡°but don¡¯t repeat this again, Mr. Benjamin. You should put your job before


    everything else. Even if you see a person suffering from a heart attack, you should prioritize delivering


    the pizzas in time. That¡¯s what being a seven-star deliverer means, understand?¡±


    Benjamin couldn¡¯t say yes.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Samael asked.


    ¡°What if the person suffering from a heart attack is someone from your family?¡± asked Benjamin.


    Samael went silent for a little while. ¡°I see where you¡¯re going, but let¡¯s be practical. If you want to put


    food on the table, you have to sacrifice some part of your humanity. That¡¯s just the way the world works.


    If you aren¡¯t selfish, you can¡¯t survive. I bought Rye¡¯s Pizzas because it was sessful but not because I


    liked the pizzas. Do you get what I¡¯m saying, Mr. Benjamin?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. I do, but¡­ ¡°No buts. If you want to do charity work, this ain¡¯t the job for you, so think about it.¡±


    Saying that, Samael ended the call.


    Benjamin sighed. ¡°This guy sounds more selfish than my inws. I get that I messed up with one order


    by failing to deliver the exact number, but I didn¡¯t do anything wrong with the other one. Instead of


    speaking with the customer regarding the issue, these guys want to discipline me with their hypocritical


    logic. Is every job like this, or only this delivery job?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the one!¡± a loud voice reached Benjamin¡¯s ears. He turned to his right, and a group of four bulky


    ck men wereing in his direction. One of them was the guy he had knocked out at the club that


    morning.


    ¡°You let this little punk do a number on you?¡± The other men mocked the guy who lost as they stopped


    before Benjamin. ¡°Hey, dude, you messed with the wrong guy, you know that?¡±


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Benjamin was still in his pizza-delivery uniform. ¡°I apologize for what happened. It was nothing personal.¡±


    ¡°But we took it personal, bitch.¡±


    ¡°Listen, guys. I can offer you free pizzas if you want. Think of it as my way of reconciling with you.¡±


    One of the guys licked his lips, tempted by the offer, but he changed his mind after receiving a death


    re from the one who got kneed in the face that morning. ¡°You think we¡¯ll fall for your pizza tricks?¡± the


    guy in the front swung his fist fast. Benjamin swiftly lowered his center of mass and punched his liver. His


    eyes bulged, and saliva spilled out from his mouth. He copsed forward like a pig suffering from severe


    constipation. The jaws of the other three men dropped low. ¡°You might want to take him to a doctor,


    fes,¡± Benjamin said, skipping their heartbeats. As he stepped past the man suffering on the ground,


    the other three moved to the side and didn¡¯t dare to attack him anymore.

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50


    Benjamin came home and was shocked to see that the stairs leading to the first floor were gone, and an


    esctor was installed in its ce.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± he rubbed his eyes twice, but it didn¡¯t change what he was viewing. d and Mercie


    were going up anding down the moving staircase. Seeing Benjamin stupefied, Kathy came over to


    him and said, ¡°Shocked, right? You should have seen it being built. That billionaire¡¯s son is really crazy.


    He brought over a thousand workers and built this thing in under three hours. His reason was that he


    wanted Reba to freely move between the floors until her ankle injury healed.¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s blood boiled almost instantly.


    Kathy could literally feel the heating off of him, and so she kept talking, ¡°He even installed a moving


    walkway on the first floor so she could free go from her room to the living room.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Benjamin hurriedly ran up the esctor, shocking and worrying her at the same time. It seemed


    reckless, but he wasn¡¯t injured in the process.


    As Kathy said, there was a moving tform installed on the first floor that connected Reba¡¯s room


    and the living room along the corridor. Benjamin clenched his fists. While he got angry, he wanted to see


    what Reba thought about all these sudden changes. He entered the room in quick steps.


    Reba was watching the Lost Love series. ¡°What¡¯s with the esctor?¡± he asked in frustration.


    She paused the video and nced at him. ¡°I told him it wasn¡¯t necessary, but Brother Shawn gave him


    permission, so that¡¯s that.¡±


    ¡°But, how are you okay with that?¡± Benjamin gritted his teeth. ¡°Didn¡¯t he do all this for you?¡±


    Reba kept staring at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? He¡¯s just showing his interest in me, and he


    probably doesn¡¯t know that I¡¯m even married to you. Otherwise, why would he try so hard?¡±


    ¡°Y-You are fine with that?¡± the acids in Benjamin¡¯s stomach burned. He took a deep breath and tried to


    control himself. ¡°I feel like this needs to stop. The sooner the better. Please tell him the truth, that you¡¯re


    married.¡± ¡°You are overreacting, Benjamin,¡± she tried to exin. ¡°You look stressed, so go and take a


    shower.¡±


    1€))


    ¡°No,¡± Benjamin was walking out. ¡°I¡¯ll go and tell him the truth myself.¡± ¡°What?¡± Reba was startled.


    ¡°Wait, if you go there alone¡­¡± she grabbed the walking stick and walked out of the room with effort, but


    Benjamin was already gone from her sight by then. ¡°Dammit. Why is he so impulsive?¡± she came back to


    her bed and called his mobile.


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    Benjamin checked his phone, but he didn¡¯t answer, as if he did, she might change his mind.


    ¡°Tch, this guy¡­¡± Reba angrily put the mobile away and resumed watching the tv series.¡± Why should


    I care if he suffers?¡±


    About an hourter.


    Benjamin arrived at the 3 billion dors worth Bonsbell mansion built on hills and had a huge golf course,


    two tennis courts with one hard and another grass court, four outdoor swimming pools, including an


    infinity pool and housed hundreds of rooms. The main gate itself was made of hardened iron, and it


    opened with the press of a button from the gate guard. Benjamin said he wanted to meet Artur, but the


    gate guard didn¡¯t even ask if Benjamin had the appointment. He just waved his hand, telling him to leave.


    ¡°Do you want your boss to fire you tonight?¡± Benjamin asked while still seated in the driver¡¯s seat. He


    was currently driving a Mercedes, but it wasn¡¯t enough to catch the guard¡¯s attention. However,


    Benjamin¡¯s recent words did.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell him your name,¡± the guard said. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t allow you inside, you better leave without making a


    fuss.¡± ¡°Tell him I¡¯m Reba¡¯s husband.¡±


    Though the guard didn¡¯t quite get what Benjamin was nning, he ryed the message and then came


    back and opened the door.


    The stone pavement that led through the garden was of high quality. It was neatly maintained with not


    one fallen leaf anywhere in sight. No matter where he looked, there was a spot that could entertain a


    large gathering of family or friends. Needless to say, it was a lovely residence boasting outstanding


    views.


    Benjamin¡¯s car stopped by the infinity pool where Artur was swimming with his dogs of eight different


    breeds.


    Once Benjamin got out of the car, he had to wait five long minutes before Artur got out of the pool,


    completely naked and exposing his junk. There were four maids standing nearby, and two of them


    helped dress him up while the other two used hair dryers on the dogs. ¡°The Unpaid Maid¡­¡± Artur looked


    at Benjamin in a slightly mocking gaze as he sat in his recliner, ¡°that¡¯s what they call you in the vi,


    right? If you are willing, I¡¯ll let you work here in my mansion at a decent pay, of course. No one will ever


    mock you here. You can live with your head held high.¡± ¡°I was doubtful, but now I¡¯m sure,¡± Benjamin said.


    ¡°You knew that Reba was married.¡± Artur faintly smiled. ¡°So? Does that make any difference? From


    what I hear, you haven¡¯t even kissed since marrying her.¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s face lost some glow, but his pulse was quickening. ¡°Look here. I don¡¯t even consider you my


    competition, but I¡¯m a good guy, so¡­¡± Artur said, snapping his fingers. One of the private security guards


    came into view and opened up a briefcase. Artur waved his hand, and the guard put the whole suitcase


    at Artur¡¯s feet. ¡°There¡¯s about 2 million dors in that case. All 100 dor bills. Take them and live your


    life like a king in some small town.¡±


    ¡°So you want me to bow before you to take your money and in return break my rtionship with my


    wife?¡±


    ¡°Take it however you want,¡± Artur said, biting on a hot dog one of the maids had just given to him, ¡°but 2


    million dors isn¡¯t a small amount. It¡¯d take a lifetime to earn that much with the tips you get from


    delivering pizzas, don¡¯t you think? You can say I¡¯m also giving you one big tip for your little service of


    walking out of my way. After all, when the elephants walk, they don¡¯t want to hear the donkeys braying.¡±


    Benjamin could feel his own pulse throbbing at the moment. ¡°How can I leave my wife in the hands of


    someone who doesn¡¯t even ask his guests to take a seat? How can I abandon my beautiful jenny just


    because a brazen elephant has lost its mind and begun marching at us?¡± The security guard was about


    to act, but Artur raised his hand and stopped him. ¡°I guess Reba didn¡¯t marry you for nothing,¡± Artur


    stood and looked right into Benjamin¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m starting to like ¡®your wife¡¯ more and more.¡± Benjamin


    clenched his fists.


    ¡°Seeing how you hurried here, I assume you liked riding the esctor, I guess?¡± Artur purposely taunted


    Benjamin. ¡°Every time your wifees downstairs, she¡¯ll remember me. Just the thought of such a


    gorgeous woman thinking about me is making me horny.¡± He lifted his hand to the side, and one of the


    maids sunk into his embrace, and they kissed each other rather violently. Benjamin turned around and


    was walking back to his car. Artur signaled with his hand to the guards, and a total of twelve private


    security guards surrounded the car.

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51


    CHAPTER 51 The private security guards of the billionaire¡¯s son were all professional fighters who had


    either served in the army or worked in underground fighting clubs. Each of them knew how to take down


    an opponent in just one hit.


    Benjamin looked like an easy meal, so not all of them went guns zing, as it seemed more than


    enough to deal with some random dude who was either foolish or brave enough to walk into a lion¡¯s den


    alone.


    However, it soon proved that he was indeed a fool as he didn¡¯t fight back. As fists pounded his cheeks,


    and kicks hurt his ribs, he withstood the pain. Seeing him standing on their feet despite their attacks, the


    guards grew more aggressive with their attacks and drew blood from Benjamin¡¯s mouth. Though he was


    moved from the spot, he was still on his feet.


    ¡°Your persistence will get you killed, brat,¡± the head of the guards jumped andnded a spinning kick to


    the side of Benjamin¡¯s face. It lifted Benjamin off his feet and sent him rolling on the floor. His nose and


    mouth were leaking blood, and his sight turned blurry. Another security guard grabbed him by the shirt.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Artur said. ¡°Anymore and he¡¯ll die. Just throw him out.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Two guards dragged him out of the mansion, and the dogs followed them till the entrance. If


    not for the guards being with Benjamin, the dogs might have attacked him already.


    After the guards left him on the street, the gate guard was shaking his head, not out of pity but because


    of annoyance. ¡°It seems they are not willing to give you your car back. That¡¯s the price you have to pay


    for recklessly entering the building.¡± Benjamin didn¡¯t say anything and walked away. The Mercedes was


    used by Reba before she bought her Porsche. Nobody in the Sterling vi used it these days except


    for the butlers, so he didn¡¯t worry too much about the car. ¡°If Reba sees me like this¡­¡± Benjamin


    wondered. ¡°Will she be worried?¡± He really wanted to know. The reason he didn¡¯t fight back was to make


    his wife care for him at least this way. He took a taxi and went straight back to the Sterling vi.


    When the gate guard saw Benjamin, he was stunned. ¡°W-What happened to you?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Benjamin ignored him and walked in.


    Even though it was nighttime, there were lights in the garden. Oliver was pruning the nts as he often


    did after having dinner, and Devon was begging him to visit the casino as the guys working there had


    stolen the tinum card from him. Oliver, however, didn¡¯t care. He already bought a bugatti with the card,


    so why should he risk his life tussling with the crazy guys working at a casino? He just didn¡¯t see much


    benefit there. Oliver and Devon couldn¡¯t help but notice the wounded Benjamin walking so casually, for a


    second they thought he applied bloody makeup all over his face.


    Benjamin looked at them but went right past them and entered the vi.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The kids were having dinner. Lisa and Roshan went speechless after seeing Benjamin who


    looked like a zombie. d and Mercie, however, felt tempted toe up to him, though they didn¡¯t in the


    end. Kathy and Johnny were also there, and they had contrasting expressions. Kathy looked a bit


    worried, but Johnny was smiling. As he went up the esctor against his will, the kids murmured just


    what had happened to him.


    Benjamin knocked on the door once before entering. To his shock, Reba was sleeping. He didn¡¯t


    expect that, but given she hadn¡¯t slept much the previous night, it made sense that she slept rather early


    tonight. After all the hassle he went through, why was she sleeping? This wasn¡¯t fair! He walked out of


    the room, closed the door and knocked multiple times, a bit loudly this time before entering again.


    However, Reba was still sleeping tight. ¡°Are you kidding me? I know she watched some tv show or


    something, but how can she not hear such loud knocking?¡± His aves suddenly widened. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡±


    he walked up to her bed and looked at her ears closely. As he feared, she was wearing the noise-


    cancetion ear plugs. ¡°Oh, crap¡­¡± he hesitated for a few seconds, but then eventually decided to pull


    those ear plugs out. Since she was sleeping, facing toward his bed, he was able to take out the one in


    her right ear, but what about the one in the left ear? He didn¡¯t dare to move her.


    ¡°One ear is open, so this should be enough, right?¡± he went back out and knocked loudly on the door


    three times. He paused a second and then knocked loudly again and said, ¡°I¡¯ming in, my love.¡± This


    time, his efforts paid off. Reba opened her eyes, but seeing an almost zombified Benjamin, her heart


    jumped into her mouth. Fear gripped her so much she couldn¡¯t even yell or speak.


    Benjamin went to the steel clothes rack on the side of the room and picked up his towel and a pair of


    clothes and went to the bathroom, casting a nce at her in the process. Reba¡¯s heart was still


    beating fast. All the drowsiness was gone as thoughts rushed through her mind. ¡°Is that all blood?¡± Blood


    covered his face and all over his shirt and parts of his pants. It was far from pleasant to watch. Though


    she guessed what might have happened, she wanted to make sure before jumping to conclusions. She


    waited until Benjamin came out.


    Benjamin took his time. He washed himself cleanly and came out, looking much better, though the


    bruises on his face were still pretty much visible. His right cheek had also swollen a little bit. That was


    where the head of the security guards struck him with a flying spin kick. ¡°Benjamin,e over here,¡± she


    almost demanded him. Benjamin listened to her and came up to her bed. ¡°Sit down. Let me have a look,¡±


    she said.


    When was thest time she asked him to sit on her bed? Never! This was the first time, so he was so


    happy on the inside, though he couldn¡¯t show it on his face. He immediately sat down. She gently


    touched his face and frowned. A part of his lower lip was ruptured. His jaw was


    bruised, and his cheek was swollen. ¡°How could they hit you like this? Did Artur do this to


    you?¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s mouth turned down as he nodded with a sad countenance. ¡°He knew we are married. He


    purposely let his security guards gang up on me as I was leaving,¡± his eyes turned wet. ¡°He even took


    your Mercedes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about the car, but¡­¡± Reba frowned. ¡°How could he let his men hit you


    after knowing that you are my husband?¡± she couldn¡¯t digest that. ¡°Who does this Artur think he is? I


    should have known when he said he was a friend of Shawn. I can¡¯t believe I let such trash enter my


    room!¡± As Reba scolded Artur without reserve, Benjamin¡¯s heart fluttered, and his stomach felt full


    even though he hasn¡¯t had dinner yet. ¡°And you¡­¡±Reba¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡°How could you foolish


    enter their ce alone?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡± Benjamin didn¡¯t know what to say. (Why¡¯s she getting angry at


    me?) ¡°Ugh,¡± he acted like his jaw suddenly hurt when tried to speak. ¡°Are you okay?¡± her expression


    slightly changed, and she looked both angered and worried. ¡°I already called the doctor, so just bear the


    pain until hees.¡±


    ¡°Y-You called the doctor?¡± Benjamin got emotional. Tears sprang into his eyes. ¡°Reba!¡± he leaned


    forward and suddenly hugged her, greatly surprising her. ¡°H-Hey!¡± as their chests pressed against one


    another and their chins rested on each other¡¯s shoulders, she felt embarrassed for a second, but as his


    scent entered through her nose, she began to feel a littlefortable. She wondered if he was using this


    wounded opportunity to hug her, but even if he did, it wasn¡¯t that big of a deal as it was only a hug, and


    she thought he deserved at least that for all of his efforts. But then something shocking happened.


    Benjamin¡¯s head slightly turned, and his lips ended up kissing the hard line of her neck, sending a jolt of


    pleasure through her soul that made her body jerk

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52


    CHAPTER 52 Reba¡¯s body jerked in response to the unforeseen kiss. Her eyes widened in full.


    Though she was greatly surprised for a second, it didn¡¯tst long. After all, she knew men were like this.


    You give them an inch, and they would try to take up the whole space.


    However, before she reacted, Benjamin moved his head back and said, ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t meant to do that. I


    was moving my head, and my mouth ended up touching your neck. I promise.¡±


    Benjamin sounded really convincing. It didn¡¯t seem like he was making things up, so she couldn¡¯t rebuke


    him. ¡°I-It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Benjamin didn¡¯t want to get up from her bed, but he didn¡¯t want to look bad, either, so he painstakingly


    stood and went to his bed.


    And then they waited for the doctor. Reba still felt a bit awkward, so she covered herself with the


    nket. Still, the moment when his lips pecked her neck kept popping in her mind, and her body began


    acting weird. A strange sense of pleasure coursed through her blood, and she couldn¡¯t restfortably


    no matter the position she assumed. Her ankle was still far fromplete wasn¡¯t worried about that


    much as she rolled on the bed to the left and right.


    Benjamin just sat and kept looking at her, wondering if he disturbed her sleep. He felt a little bit guilty.


    He wanted to do something. After some thinking, he began to sing in a sweet-toned voice that was easy


    on the ears.


    ¡°Two lives


    One dream;


    Four eyes


    One sight¡­¡±


    Reba opened her eyes and was all ears while still buried under her nket.


    ¡°Two Tongues


    One voice;


    Four legs


    One stand¡­¡±


    As Benjamin continued to sing, she found her heart beating in strange rhythms.


    ¡°Two stomachs


    One meal;


    Four ws


    One foe;


    Two hearts


    One beat;


    Four wings One flight¡­¡± Even though Reba was resting, she found her blood rushing and swelling


    her emotions as her heart surrendered to his words.


    ¡°Two birds


    One love; Four directions


    One destination.¡±


    Benjamin stopped. The song ended, but it had already made her hunger and thirst for more. Benjamin


    thought a little song would help her sleep, but it only excited her wee little heart. She felt like he had his


    way with her by putting the profound bond between two love birds into words that stirred her soul and


    made her feel guilty at the same time.


    After all, even though she and Benjamin were married, she acted far from being a proper wife. She knew


    that, but his song made it all the more clear and striking as to how far their bond waspared to true


    love birds and made her wonder how life would have turned out had she been a loving wife to Benjamin.


    ¡°Looking the world through your eyes¡­¡± Reba felt sad as she thought about it. ¡°I haven¡¯t done


    anything like that. Feeling your hunger, shaking your dream, fighting for your goal, and speaking on your


    behalf¡­ I haven¡¯t done any of those either. All I did¡­ was worry about myself. Care only about my


    priorities.¡± She was beginning to realize just how wrong she had been, not just in treating Benjamin as a


    husband but also the way she had been living so self centeredly.


    His words had made his wish clear. He wanted her to be his partner. He wanted both of them to be like


    love birds that were each other¡¯s breath of life and could never be separated as long as their hearts had


    the strength to function.


    ¡°You are a wonderful guy, Benjamin¡­¡± she thought. ¡°My hatred for you can¡¯t seem to prevail over your


    love for me. It makes me wonder if I¡¯m worthy to be your wife.¡±


    The doctor entered the room after knocking. ¡°I was really shocked to see the esctor,¡± he looked


    surprised and happy. ¡°Whose idea was it?¡±


    Benjamin, however, wore a poker face. ¡°Please sit down and treat me, doctor.¡± ¡°O-Okay, but¡­¡± the


    doctor checked upon Benjamin¡¯s wounds. ¡°How could let others hit you like this? Didn¡¯t you fight back?¡±


    ¡°I slipped in the bathroom and suffered these wounds,¡± said Benjamin. ¡°Your wife already told me what


    happened, though.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Benjamin felt slightly embarrassed. Reba chuckled a little from under the


    nket.


    The doctor chortled and poked Benjamin¡¯s cheek, making him frown. He took out some tablets from his


    bag and then an injection. Benjamin¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°D-Doctor, I don¡¯t want an injection.¡±


    ¡°What? But it¡¯ll be effective,¡± the doctor advised.


    ¡°No, doctor,¡± Benjamin looked at the needle like he was looking at a demon. ¡°What no? You¡¯ll thank me


    later,¡± the doctor still tried to jab him in the shoulder, but Benjamin jumped and rolled of the bed and ran


    out, shouting he didn¡¯t want to get jabbed.¡° What the heck?¡± the doctor couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°He¡¯s an adult,


    and he still fears a needle? What is he? A housecat?¡± he could only shake his head.


    Reba pulled the nket down and looked at the doctor with a smile on his face. She had no idea that


    Benjamin feared the needle so much. ¡°Doctor, leave that injection here. I¡¯ll do it after he sleeps.¡±


    ¡°Ah, okay, but do you know how to do it?¡± . ¡°I can look it up on the inte.¡± The doctor¡¯s expression fell


    t. ¡°No thanks.¡± ¡°Eh? Why? I can do it, doctor. Trust me!¡±


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    He put the tablets down and said, ¡°Maybe another time, when I¡¯m supervising.¡± Saying that he left.


    Reba seemed a little angry and disappointed. She pulled the nket over. ¡°I never really liked this


    family doctor, and now I think I know why!¡±


    Meanwhile, in the Sunshine casino. Alfred tried to enter the casino, dressed up as a beggar among


    beggars. Even the walking stick and bowl he used were dirtier than soles of pigs.


    Naturally, the guard standing at the entrance had a problem with that. He warned with a straight face,


    ¡°This is the third time. Try entering again, and I¡¯ll put my baton to use. Don¡¯t me me afterward.¡± He


    pushed Alfred back with the tip of the baton.


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Alfred snorted. ¡°How rude of a dude you are. I¡¯m only here to pick up a lost card, and you treat


    me like I¡¯m worse than shit.¡±


    ¡°Because you are,¡± the guard was blunt. ¡°Now go away.¡± ¡°I ain¡¯t going anywhere until I get the card.¡±


    ¡°What card? Are you trying to cook up some nonsense to get in now?¡± the guard was losing his patience.


    ¡°If you want to beg, do it elsewhere, where it¡¯swful and appropriate. Here.¡± He took a dor note and


    threw it in Alfred¡¯s face.


    Alfred picked up the dor note and shoved it in his pocket. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll honor your weedy kindness and


    come back after your shift is over.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± the guard couldn¡¯t believe this beggar¡¯s words, but since the beggar was walking away, he didn¡¯t


    stop him.

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53


    Artur came to the Sterling vi driving Reba¡¯s Mercedes the very morning. The children had gone to


    school, but Oliver was there, and he wondered why Artur didn¡¯te in a bugatti. Devon was still


    begging Oliver to help him get the tinum card back.


    Artur entered the vi like a lion, but his overflowing positive expression drastically changed after seeing


    the newly installed esctor being removed right before his eyes. If it was his home, he would have


    roared, but now, he walked forth without uttering a word.


    Kathy came up to him and said, ¡°If you want to go to Madam Reba¡¯s room, there¡¯s another way.


    Follow me.¡±


    He followed her, and she took him through a long route and eventually took him to an empty room on the


    ground floor. Once he entered, she locked the door.


    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Artur asked, frowning.


    Kathy began to undress. Once she removed her dress, her full, round breasts were only being covered


    by her white bra. ¡°I want you to help me,¡± she said, seductively, running her finger from her lips to her


    navel as she closed the distance. Artur raised his brows. ¡°Seriously? You think I¡¯m that easy?¡± he turned


    halfway and pped her breasts with the back of his hand so hard, her bra came off, but she cried out in


    pain as she got pushed a few steps back ¡°Ah!¡± she didn¡¯t expect him to be so rough. No. it wasn¡¯t rough.


    It was brutal. She instinctively covered her boobs with her arm. ¡°Move,¡± Artur affirmed himself with just


    one word, and she felt intimidated and stepped aside. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood of fucking a maid, or I would


    have shown you hell and heaven at the same time.¡± He opened the door and walked out like nothing had


    ever happened.


    Kathy bit on her finger. ¡°This guy¡­ Madam Selena told me to trap him and turn his attention away from


    her daughter, but he¡¯s too scary. Much scarier than Shawn.¡± She could still feel the pain in his chest, and


    for some reason, she turned horny. Though it wasn¡¯t as magical as when Benjamin had licked the cake


    off her fingers, Artur also had something special in his hand. ¡°I want to find a husband who is dominant


    and creative in bed, but only buffoons like Johnny are chasing me. At this rate, I¡¯m going to stay single


    forever! No! I can¡¯t let that happen!¡± She dressed up quickly and walked out. Artur was nowhere in sight.


    ¡°He¡¯s already found his way to the first floor? I must report to Madam Selena as fast as possible!¡±


    Selene had always wanted Edward to marry Reba. While Edward wasn¡¯t even close to Artur in terms


    of wealth, Edward was someone she could always keep under control. that over a billionaire¡¯s son. After


    all, if she wanted she could always attend the parties of billionaires using her celebrity status, so


    billionaires were nothing really special in her eyes. As long as she liked her son-inw and could keep


    him in control, it didn¡¯t matter if that guy was blind or bitchy.


    Though Shawn listened to Selena¡¯s words, if someone from Shawn¡¯s side were to enter the Sterling


    family, her authority would weaken, and she didn¡¯t want that. Artur installing an


    esctor within hours before even consulting her had greatly hurt her ego, and she wanted Artur gone


    from her daughter¡¯s life and from her sight as fast as possible.


    When she was thinking of how to antagonize Artur, Reba herself came to Selena¡¯s room this morning


    and said she wanted the esctor gone. Her words were like music to Selena¡¯s ears. She didn¡¯t even


    ask the reason why her daughter wanted the esctor to be removed, but if she knew that the reason


    behind was Benjamin getting injured, she might have reconsidered. At the moment, Artur entered


    Reba¡¯s room. She was alone and watching the Lost Love series as Benjamin had gone for work. ¡°Hi,¡±


    Artur showered a handsome smile.


    Reba paused the video and looked straight at him, her gaze sharpening steadily.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Artur asked, sitting down on the couch by the wall, with one leg crossed over the


    other, and his armsid back over its length. ¡°You don¡¯t look happy to see


    me¡±


    ¡°And why would I be?¡± Reba¡¯s voice grew cold. ¡°Because you beat my husband ck and blue?¡±


    ¡°Your husband?¡± Artur cheekily smiled. ¡°He¡¯s only a husband on paper, right? And the outside world


    doesn¡¯t even know it? You don¡¯t seem to be wearing your wedding ring, either. I can see that you are


    completely and utterly disappointed in him.¡± Reba frowned. ¡°What did youe here for?¡±


    He tossed the car keys to her. ¡°I brought the car back. I value both money and people, but I value people


    more. I hope you can see that.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen enough,¡± she replied in a sharp tone. He faintly


    smirked. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re breaking apart the esctor and the walkway?¡± ¡°My family doctor said


    whoever installed those things in a house must be a funny guy,¡± she said.


    Artur smiled a little. ¡°If you have nothing else to say, can you please leave?¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling


    well.¡± ¡°Yeah, I can see that,¡± he nced at the television. ¡°Lost Love, right? That¡¯s my mom¡¯s favorite


    show.¡±


    Reba didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Anyway, see youter,¡± he began walking. ¡°Oh, wait,¡± Reba took out


    something from the desk drawer. It was the invitation card for the auction. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can visit the


    auction, so please take it.¡± Artur forced out a smile. He walked up to her and plucked the card out of her


    hand and elegantly slid it into his inner pocket. He then leaned closer and kept staring at her, which


    made her ufortable, but then he sent a flying kiss. Her hand flew and pped his thick face hard


    even before she realized what she was doing. But


    she didn¡¯t look like someone who had made a mistake. She kept ring at him.


    Artur looked angry for a second, but then he almost smiled and said, ¡°I think I deserve to get hit by your


    beautiful hand more than once. See youter, Ms. Reba.¡±


    As he was walking away, she said, still sitting on the bed, ¡°It¡¯s Mrs. Reba.¡± He paused for a second


    but kept walking without looking back


    T


    !


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    After he left the vi on foot, the head security guard was waiting outside in his Rolls-Royce Sweptail


    which was freely given to him by Artur a while back. He opened the door, and Artur got in. He drove the


    car away and noticed that Artur wasn¡¯t looking asfortable as he did before he entered the vi.


    ¡°Forgive me for saying this, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯s worth it, sir. I did say she seemed beautiful and


    thoughtful, but if she can¡¯t see your worth even after what you¡¯ve done for her, then she¡¯s just stupid.¡± A


    corner of Artur¡¯s lips curled up rather abruptly. He was rubbing his cheek. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°Pardon, sir?


    Did you say something?¡±


    ¡°Luther,¡± the image of Reba pping Artur kept ying in Artur¡¯s mind, ¡°this woman is stupidly brave,


    and I like it.¡±

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54


    Not long after Artur left, Jane came to the Sterling vi to introduce her boyfriend to Reba, but she


    kept on talking to Veronica on the first floor after seeing the esctor being destroyed. ¡°You mean to tell


    me you installed this like two days back, and you¡¯re removing it now?¡± Jane¡¯s head swelled from anger.


    ¡°Do you guys have any idea how much money you¡¯re wasting? I can buy a freakin¡¯ house with what


    you¡¯re wasting here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my idea,¡± Veronica yelled back. ¡°It¡¯s my sister¡¯s idea, so go and yell at her.


    Not me!¡±


    ¡°Huh, fine! I¡¯ll beat some sense into her!¡± Jane hurriedly started walking, but with the esctor being


    removed, she had to stop. ¡°Wait, how do I get to the first floor?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a staircase leading up from the backyard,¡± said Veronica.


    ¡°Got it,¡± she wrapped her arm around her boyfriend and strode forth confidently. Those who didn¡¯t know


    about Jane could have easily mistaken her for the heir of the vi.


    ¡°Is that her boyfriend?¡± Veronica didn¡¯t seem to like Jane¡¯s boyfriend. ¡°He¡¯s too macho. Not my taste. If I


    get caught up in those arms, I¡¯d freak out instead of feelingfortable!¡±


    Unlike Veronica, her sister Reba was impressed by Jane¡¯s boyfriend. ¡°A wrestler needs to have this


    much of a build,¡± she said and even touched his bicep once after taking his permission.


    Jane kept hugging her boyfriend all the while, her arms circling around his narrow waist.


    Once the pleasantries were over, Jane yelled at Reba for wasting the money, and then Reba


    exined everything that had happened, excluding some awkward moments. ¡°Artur Bonsbell is such a


    douchebag?¡± Jane couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°To think I had a crush on him when I was in college¡­¡± she could


    only shake her head in disappointment, but then she kissed her boyfriend. ¡°I have Donovan, so I think I


    hit a jackpot. He¡¯s taller, stronger, and cooler than Artur!¡±


    Donovan didn¡¯t seem to have a problem with kissing Jane in Reba¡¯s presence, but Reba¡¯s face


    gained pink


    ¡°Hey, hey! You guys look like you¡¯re gonna have a go at it in my room!¡± she almost yelled. ¡°Huh, did you


    forget where you first had sex?¡± Jane asked back Reba¡¯s shoulders jerked up and down. ¡°D-Don¡¯t


    you talk about such private things before your boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, fine,¡± Jane wrapped her arm around Donovan¡¯s arm. ¡°We¡¯re thinking of watching a movie


    together, but Donovan likes big-budget action movies, so I¡¯m thinking¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll ask for my dad to book some tickets in advance,¡± Reba said, ¡°though I don¡¯t know if he


    even announced the release dates.¡± ¡°I told you she¡¯d do it,¡± Jane punched Donovan¡¯s chest in


    excitement and then hugged Reba and nted a kiss on her cheek. ¡°You are my best friend for a


    reason, but pick the best


    seats in the theater, okay?¡±


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    Reba didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry.


    ¡°By the way, where is your Benjamin?¡± Jane wiggled her brows up and down.


    ¡°MY Benjamin?¡± Reba swiftly pinched Jane¡¯s thigh.


    ¡°AUHHWW!¡± Jane¡¯s cry was a tender mixture of moan and scream. ¡°He¡¯s your husband, so of course,


    he¡¯s your Benjamin!¡±


    Reba tried to pinch her again, but Jane moved back Donovan, however, purposely pushed Jane


    forward so she would get caught by Reba.


    ¡°Donut! How could you betray me!¡± Jane cried out. ¡°You guys keep talking,¡± he said and walked out,


    looking a bit tired. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting outside.¡± After some ear twisting, Reba let go of Jane. Both were


    panting, and then theyughed together.


    ¡°You seem to have a good boyfriend,¡± Reba said. ¡°He seems sensible.¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s not at all sensible


    in bed, I tell you,¡± Jane whispered. ¡°We¡¯ve had sex like sixteen times yesterday.¡± She even showed her


    hickies on her corbone and waist. She was about to show the marks on her inner thighs, but Reba


    stopped her.


    ¡°Stop it, Jane!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Jane purposely teased her. ¡°You feel like having sex now, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Hmph, you¡¯re too easy to


    read!¡± Reba grappled with her and choked her with a suffocating grip. ¡°If you think mere words can


    melt my self-control, you haven¡¯t understood me well enough.¡± Right after she said that, she thought


    back to the song Benjamin sang the other night and wondered if what she just said was really true or not.


    Seeing Jane struggle for air, Reba let go of her, and her mind focused elsewhere.


    Jane gasped for air. ¡°Were you trying to kill me or what?¡± she booted Reba¡¯s ankle, making her cry at


    the top of her lungs.


    Donovan and all the workers who heard her scream came running inside, only to see Jane forcibly


    shutting Reba¡¯s mouth while tears flowed out of Reba¡¯s eyes. ¡°What happened?¡± Donovan asked


    in worry.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Jane grinned. ¡°We were just ying.¡±


    Meanwhile, in the Sunshine Casino.


    In the basement, more than a dozen security guards were down on the floor, with broken teeth and jaws.


    Only two men were standing by the table stacked with money. One was the owner of the casino, a bald


    guy in a red suit, and the other was Alfred in his usual beggar¡¯s clothing. And the beggar¡¯s staff he held


    had blood all over it.


    ¡°W-Who the fuck are you?¡± the owner was sweating all over, especially from his bald head.¡± How can you


    beat someone so cruelly?¡±


    ¡°Why are you ying innocent now?¡± Alfred smacked his bald head with the stick and made him bleed.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± he cringed in pain. ¡°Fuck.¡± Alfred raised the stick again. ¡°Wait,¡± he immediately took out the


    tinum card from his purse. Alfred stared at him for a long three seconds, sending shivers down his


    spine, before he plucked the card out of his shaky fingers. ¡°You should have done this when I was asking


    you nicely.¡± He picked a handful of hundred dor bills, turned around, and left while wiping the blood off


    the walking stick with the cash.


    Even after Alfred left, the owner couldn¡¯t stop himself from shaking, and he hit the table in utter


    frustration and screamed.


    Alfred casually walked out of the casino, and the guard standing outside had asked if he got what he


    wanted, to which Alfred showed him the card. ¡°Is that card really important?¡± the guard asked, having


    received a tip for allowing Alfred to enter the casino. ¡°You could have just blocked it and requested a new


    card from the bank, couldn¡¯t you?¡±


    Alfred smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s not the card that¡¯s valuable but the symbol we put on it.¡± He put the card in


    his pocket and walked away, seemingly with the help of the walking stick.

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55


    Benjamin just reached the old town street to make thest delivery of the day. The dust in the air was


    making him sneeze. Giving the pizza boxes while sneezing would likely give him a low rating, so he


    called the customer and told her to walk out. And she did. A fat annoyed grandma with a hand fan in her


    hand, rebuking Benjamin for making her walk forty steps from her doorstep.


    ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am, but you don¡¯t look that old,¡± Benjamin lied through his teeth, ¡°so I thought this much


    distance was nothing.¡±


    The grandma¡¯s expression softened. She even showered a toothy smile and said, ¡°I will look much


    younger if I wear makeup. Do you want to see?¡± ¡°M-Maybe another time,¡± Benjamin said. ¡°I need to go


    home on time, or my wife will make a meal out of me.¡±


    ¡°Haha, so you¡¯ve got an energetic wife, huh. She¡¯ll keep you under check, so good for you,¡± she gave


    him the money, but no tip. ¡°Uh,¡± Benjamin scratched his cheek, ¡°my wife will be happy if I take some


    money home in the form of tips, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Hoho, I wasn¡¯t thinking of giving you any tip, but¡­¡± she


    pinched his cheek once and said,¡± there you go. That was my tip.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Benjamin¡¯s expression fell t. She chortled and then put two dor bills in his hand.


    Benjamin showered a smile quickly but smoothly. ¡°Thank you. May God bless you with a long life.¡±


    ¡°What long life? My husband died over forty years ago,¡± she began telling her sad story. ¡°My sons


    listened to their wives and kicked me out of my husband¡¯s house. Now I live in an old friend¡¯s house, with


    the little pension I get. This is the first pizza I ordered in three months. Now that I think back on it, my


    husband liked pizzas very much.¡±


    Benjamin looked a bit sad. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Every adult has their own sad story. Just¡­ don¡¯t think living a long life is always a good thing,¡±


    saying that she began walking back to her friend¡¯s house.


    Benjamin felt bad for taking the two dor tip. After she entered the house, he walked over and left the


    money at the door handle.


    As he was walking out, he felt dizzy. After taking ten steps, he copsed forward on the grass. Seconds


    later, the door opened. The old woman was chewing on the pizza with a grin ying at one corner of her


    mouth. She dialed a number while standing right inside the house.¡± ckbear, I got him. He¡¯s passed out


    at my doorstep. Come within half-hour, and you can have him.¡±


    ¡°As expected of someone who was once called the Rowdy Queen,¡± ckbear sounded


    impressed from the other end. ¡°But be careful. He¡¯s not your average Joe.¡±


    ¡°I used a special mixture of sleeping gas with itching smoke,¡± she said. ¡°He isn¡¯t going to wake up for at


    least a day unless we force him to. But what do you need him for? He looks pretty normal to me, despite


    what you said.¡± ¡°Just tie him up. I will tell you the detailster.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Just don¡¯t forget to bring the money and pot.¡±


    ¡°How could I forget?¡±


    The call ended.


    She put a mask on and walked out. She caught Benjamin by the feet and dragged him inside her house


    with effort. She locked the door, removed the mask, and grabbed a pizza slice before turning around.


    Benjamin was up and standing. ¡°Hello, ma¡¯am.¡± The pizza slice in her hand flew and hit the wall behind


    her as her whole body jerked in fear.


    ¡°I really believed your story¡­¡± Benjamin¡¯s eyes gained redness, and his burning gaze cut all her


    confidence.


    ¡°I-I was only doing what I was told to do,¡± she tried to exin herself. (How the hell is he standing? Didn¡¯t


    he take the gas?)


    ¡°I got that much, but, who¡¯s this ckbear?¡± asked Benjamin, his gaze turning razor sharp. This wasn¡¯t a


    gaze any young man his age should be possessing. ¡°I really don¡¯t know him. I just know him by name,


    that¡¯s all,¡± she said and then begged,¡° Please don¡¯t kill me.¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s mouth turned down. He walked past her and picked up the pizza slice that had fallen on the


    floor. ¡°Pizza is precious. How can you throw it on the floor?¡± he put his hand forward. ¡°Do you have any


    idea how much effort it takes to make one? C¡¯mon, take it.¡±


    She hesitated initially and looked confused, but then she took the pizza slice and ate it quickly. ¡°Now,


    why don¡¯t we talk about your real story?¡± he said.


    Minutester. ckbear arrived in an old-fashioned roofless ck car with a big metallic bear¡¯s face at


    the front. He stopped a little far from the old woman¡¯s house. ¡°Go and check.¡±


    His underling covered his nose and mouth with a doubleyered cloth mask and barged into the old


    woman¡¯s house with a gun in the hand.


    About a minuteter, Benjamin opened the door and walked out. ¡°Well, well, well,¡± ckbear seemed


    just a little surprised, ¡°would you look at that? This bastard always exceeds my expectations.¡± ckbear


    never trusted the Rowdy Queen in the first ce. He didn¡¯t care whether she died or not. He didn¡¯t care if


    his underling died or not, even though there was no sound of a gunshot. He started the car and


    squeezed the elerator with his foot.


    He thought he got away. However, he noticed in the rear-view mirror a bike with a pizza delivery guy


    riding it. ckbear smirked. ¡°You want to chase my ck Ghost? In your dreams, fucker.¡± He entered


    the main road and used the boosters, startling Benjamin. The distance between them steadily increased.


    Benjamin didn¡¯t give up but twisted the elerator of his motorcycle to the max. Fuel increasingly


    pumped into the engine, and though he couldn¡¯t reduce the distance between them, he didn¡¯t let it


    increase. Both vehicles zoomed past a police officer who was writing a ticket to a car owner for driving


    well past the posted speed limit. The wig of the car owner flew off his head. ¡°Bloody hell,¡± the police


    stopped his signature midway and chased these two on his bike. ¡°You little punks ain¡¯t going nowhere


    without getting my autograph today!¡±

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56


    Oliver was having the time of his life, driving a bugatti on an eightne road, while eating a roasted


    chicken leg, zooming toward the distant hills. Could life get any better than this? He wasn¡¯t driving that


    fast, but he was full of happiness. ¡°There¡¯s no way I can take the card back from the Sunshine casino.


    Though Devon fucked it up, I¡¯m not sad. If I sell this car, I can still have more than enough to buy a meat


    shopbined with a small house and settle for life. I will drive this beauty for a few more days, and


    then¡­ I¡¯ll say goodbye to this car as well as the Sterling family.¡±


    An old car dashed past his bugatti, surprising him. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± he was impressed for a second, but then a


    pizza bike rushed past him. His expression quickly changed. ¡°You want to show off to others, huh. Fine,


    then I¡¯ll show you what real speed looks like!¡± his car elerated fast. The police siren rang in the back,


    but Oliver didn¡¯t care. Hepeted with the bike and the old car. Seeing the bugatti speeding up, the


    police grew angrier. At this point, all four vehicles were going well past 100 miles per hour, and no one


    seemed to be considering the idea of slowing down.


    Like a roadster from the cartoons, Oliver¡¯s bugatti managed to catch up with the pizza bike. Because


    Benjamin was wearing a helmet, he couldn¡¯t recognize him. He grinned as he kept going faster and


    reached close to 200 miles per hour.


    Benjamin wondered if the one in the bugatti was an aplice, but his focus was still on the old car.


    Secondster, the bugatti caught up with ckbear¡¯s ck Ghost. This time, Oliver opened the window


    to get a better look at ckbear, the vast amount of air at that curve suddenly rushed into the car and


    made it unstable. It skidded to the left and crashed at the edge and rolled over the footpath. ¡°What a


    fool,¡± ckbear had no idea who Oliver was, and he didn¡¯t stop or even slow down. Benjamin, however,


    stopped the bike at the ident spot. He didn¡¯t abruptly stop but took his time to slow the wheels down


    and return to the ident spot. The bugatti was squashed to a pulp by the time it stopped. It looked


    impossible for the driver to be alive.


    The police bike also stopped, and he dialed for an ambnce first, while Benjamin rushed in for rescuing


    the driver.


    The officer was the same guy who wrote a ticket to Benjamin the other day for not stopping at a stop


    sign. He just stood there even after the call ended and peered indifferently at the crumpled car. There


    were heavy winds blowing on the 8ne road at the moment. ¡°Some rich kid who didn¡¯t know how to


    drive on a highway. He was asking for a death ticket.¡± He walked up to Benjamin¡¯s bike and noted down


    the details of his license te. ¡°Riding a bike on this road with such speed¡­ he deserves a 1000 dor


    ticket and some time behind the bars! It¡¯s a pity the car in the front has slipped away.¡± Afterward, he


    walked over to the ident scene


    and told Benjamin who pulled the bloodied, disfigured Oliver out.


    Benjamin frowned after recognizing him, but his frown deepened after realizing that Oliver had no


    heartbeat.


    ¡°I called the ambnce,¡± the police said, ¡°but I knew the chances of him surviving that crash were slim to


    none. Looking at it positively, he wouldn¡¯t have had the time to feel pain, though he might have had that


    last realization of screwing it up as the car was going to hit something.¡± ¡°Will you shut up?¡± Benjamin


    red at him. ¡°What?¡± the police got angry. He grabbed Benjamin by the cor and pulled him up and


    dragged him away. ¡°You¡¯reing with me.¡± Benjamin struck the nape of the officer and knocked him out


    cold. He waited until the ambnce came and took Oliver¡¯s body, which would be taken to the mortuary.


    ¡°Does he have a family?¡± Benjamin wondered. ¡°He¡¯s close with Devon, so maybe I should inform him.¡±


    He then took a nce at the crumpled bugatti. ¡°Now that I think about it, why¡¯s he driving this luxury car?


    Did he somehow fool the agent into allowing him for a test drive?¡± he went silent for a few seconds, then


    sucked in a deep breath. ¡°What the hell is life exactly about? One second we are here, and the next


    second, we¡¯re gone. It¡¯s all really such a mystery.¡±


    Meanwhile, ckbear stopped by a mobile canteen and brought a hot dog. Both Jane and Donovan


    were also eating at the same canteen. ckbear¡¯s eyes fell on the lovers, who were chatting and


    laughing together.


    His mobile rang. It was his wife calling.


    ¡°Tch,¡± he answered. ¡°I¡¯m busy, sweetheart.¡±


    ¡°M-Martin, save me!¡± she spoke in a fearful tone. ¡°Jessica!¡± ckbear¡¯s heart started pounding, ¡°What¡¯s


    wrong? What happened?¡±


    ¡°If you want your sweetheart to be in this world by the time you get here, Mr. ckbear,¡± a hoarse voice


    spoke from the other end, ¡°you better bring some pizza immediately.¡±


    ¡°You motherfucker!¡± ckbear was enraged. ¡°Do you have any idea who you¡¯re messing with?¡± he then


    blinked twice. ¡°Wait¡­¡± Did he ask to bring a pizza? ¡°This voice¡­ aren¡¯t you my useless brother-inw?


    What sort of screwed-up game are you trying to pull?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget the pizza,¡± the voice turned even more demanding.


    ¡°Give it to Jessica,¡± ckbear said.


    ¡°I¡¯m in danger, here, Martin,¡± his wife now spoke. ¡°It¡¯s been ten years since we got married, and we still


    don¡¯t have children. My brother is telling me to marry a MAN. What do you have to say about that?¡±


    The veins in ckbear¡¯s forehead popped out through the skin. ¡°Tell him to stay right there. I¡¯m on my


    way.¡± He threw the half-eaten hot dog aside and got in his car. ¡°That little fucker who can¡¯t get a girl and


    wanks day and night in his room is trying to give advises to my wife?¡±


    ¡°This is one cool car,¡± Jane said aloud as she came up to the car. ¡°Can you give us a ride,N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    mister?¡±


    ckbear showed her his middle finger before driving away.


    ¡°What a rude bastard,¡± Jane could only curse him. ¡°If you want, I can buy a roofless car for you,¡±


    Donovan said, imagining having sex with her in such a car. ¡°That¡¯d be a waste of money, so no.¡±

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57


    Oliver¡¯s death only became a piece of news to the Sterling family. Since he had no family and because


    he wasn¡¯t even driving a vehicle from the Sterling family, they were not obligated to exin anything.


    When the hospital called the Sterling family to take his body home, Shawn refused.


    Later that day, Devon went to the hospital the next day and spent his own money to cremate Oliver along


    with some nts he had collected from the vi. Oliver liked to water nts so much so he¡¯d do it even


    after dinner every night, so Devon wanted to do this.


    As for the crumpled bugatti, it was sent to a scrapyard.


    When Devon returned to the vi as a tired old man, he entered the dorms and sat on his bed. He


    grabbed a water bottle and emptied half of it before putting it back on the desk, and that was when he


    noticed the familiar tinum card on the desk.


    His expression froze for a second. And then tears sprang up to his eyes. ¡°Oliver¡­ did you fight the


    casino guys for me?¡± he couldn¡¯t control his tears. ¡°I was very mistaken about you. You really were a


    good guy.¡± He lowered his head, covered his eyes with his hand and cried. After crying for more than


    three minutes, he grabbed the card. mes of anger rose in his eyes. ¡°Is your death really an ident,


    or¡­¡±


    He wanted to do something, but he felt like he was too old to investigate by himself.


    Meanwhile, it was getting dark outside.


    The Rowdy Queen was cooking instant noodles in her house, but being near the stove made her cough.


    Everything in her house was in disorder. Even the clothes and emptied food packets were lying


    everywhere. In short, it was a mess.


    ¡°Whoever that pizza-delivery guy was, he¡¯s no joke. I¡¯ve never seen anyone disarm a gun so quickly and


    effectively. While he cost me a packet of pot, I still feel lucky that he wasn¡¯t interested in me. At my age,


    I¡¯m not in a position topete with hot-blooded youngsters.¡± Her stomach rumbled. ¡°Shit,¡± she rubbed


    her belly. ¡°I finished a full bowl of vegetable soup in the afternoon, but all the tension and thinking has


    already made me hungry.¡± She coughed a couple of times. ¡°Damn. The cough is really persistent today.¡±


    Knock Knock.


    ¡°Mm?¡± she frowned. ¡°Who is it at this hour?¡± she peeked past the curtain and noticed an old man with a


    bowl in one hand and a walking stick in the other. He looked pretty terrible. (Look at him. Is he the


    beggar king or what? But why in the world is he begging at this hour?) She took a breath and said, ¡®who


    is it,¡¯ loudly. ¡°Just a hungry beggar hoping for a meal.¡± A rather dull reply reached her ears, suggesting


    the other party was hungry maybe? ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to offer,¡± she barked impatiently. ¡°Just leave.¡±


    ¡°Why are you lying, ma¡¯am?¡± His voice contained a bit of annoyance. ¡°I can smell the noodles you¡¯re


    cooking.¡±


    ¡°Tch, does this guy have a dog¡¯s nose or what?¡± she ground her teeth before dropping the coriander


    leaves in the cooking pot. ¡°Even if I let him in, I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll have any money for me to steal.¡± She


    then yelled, ¡°I¡¯m cooking just for myself. Go away.¡±


    A second of silence followed.


    Knock. Knock. A vein in her neck throbbed. The door was knocked again. She had enough of this


    beggar¡¯s y. Rolling up her sleeves, she stamped her feet on her way to the door and opened it with


    force. ¡°Since you want to be pped so badly¡­¡± she waved her hand at him. He caught her wrist and


    said, ¡°You are still as arrogant as ever, Lily.¡±


    Her expression froze. Only one man had ever called her by that name very long ago. ¡°Y-You are ¡­ Don¡¯t


    tell me¡­¡± she backed away. ¡°W-What do you want?¡± her heart was beating fast. ¡°D Did youe here to


    take revenge after all this while?¡± her body shook against her will. ¡°If I really wanted revenge, I would


    have made your life miserable long ago,¡± he said and removed his mask, surprising her. Now she was


    able to remember her face. ¡°But seeing how you¡¯re living now, alone, depressed, and awaiting death¡­ I


    think you¡¯re suffering enough.¡± She gnashed her teeth. ¡°Alfred Bond!¡± The scariest moments of her past


    shed in her mind, when a single assassin stormed into the secondrgest mafia of the country and


    routed them


    all by himself. Over three thousand of them. Seeing this monster among monsters, whom she


    backstabbed in the name of love and failed, she couldn¡¯t control her heartbeat. Even after having


    thousands of deadly battles, there was only one scar on his back, and that was a knife wound given by


    her, aimed at his heart. But somehow, he survived.


    ¡°Why do you look like so shocked?¡± he asked, letting out a faint smile. ¡°Did you think I¡¯d be pushing up


    the daisies by now?¡±


    ¡°I-If you¡¯re alive, then that means ¡®that¡¯family is still¡­¡± her heart rang in her ears.


    Alfred¡¯s gaze turned a tad bit serious, but his facial muscles were calm. ¡°If you are gonna stay shocked


    like that, you¡¯re gonna have a cramp in the face. You are not young anymore.¡± He walked up to the stove


    and turned it off before pouring the hot noodles in the bowl. When his hand reached out for the fork, her


    heart skipped many beats. She had seen this man kill dozens with a fork in the past, after all


    As he slurped on the noodles, he nodded in appreciation. ¡°Mhmm, your cooking has improved. You got


    better at using the spices.¡±


    The spice mixture came with the noodles packet when she had bought it in the supermarket, but she


    didn¡¯t feel the need to tell that to him.


    ¡°W-What are you here for?¡± she asked. She wanted to know that more than anything else.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I already tell you? I¡¯m just here for the noodles, but¡­¡± he sniffed the surroundings a little bit, ¡°it


    seems you still haven¡¯t quit your bad habit. It may be a soft drug, but when consumed over a period, its


    effects on one¡¯s health are uncool.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    She didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Do you remember the first time we met,¡± he asked. ¡°It was a beautiful night. I met a woman who


    outshined the moon, or so I thought.¡±


    She lowered her head in regret. After finishing half of the noodles, he put the bowl on the table and


    began walking out.¡± Goodbye.¡± As he left her sight, she wanted to apologize like she wanted to in the


    past, but again, what she had done wasn¡¯t something that could be erased or forgotten with a mere


    apology. She just watched him leave. Seconds passed. Even though her stomach was making noises,


    her heart right now didn¡¯t feel like eating. Sitting in the chair, she suffered in her head.

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58


    At night. Benjamin was sitting on his bed and watching the Lost Love series with his wife. She was sitting


    in her bed.


    She was watching season four, so she nced at Benjamin. ¡°How can you understand it when you start


    in the middle? You are just watching it to get my attention, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Why do you ask when you


    already know?¡± Benjamin chewed on roasted almonds rather angrily. Because of her, he had to watch


    the show in which Selena was one of the main leads. For him, it was a torture.


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t like what you¡¯re doing,¡± Reba said. ¡°I can¡¯t putplete focus on the tv show.¡±


    ¡°Huh? I¡¯m sitting like six feet away from you!¡±


    ¡°Still, I can¡¯t focus because of your chewing noises and scratching your beard every other minute. Why


    don¡¯t you just sleep?¡± Benjamin could only sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you need to ¡®focus¡¯ while


    watching a romantic drama. I can easily guess the screeny. The main leads get together after some


    long struggle and then easily break up because of some forced mistake or some stupid


    misunderstanding. Rinse and repeat. The acting and theedy is okay, but there¡¯s no real surprise or


    weight to the scenes. I can¡¯t understand how this series became a huge hit.¡±


    Despite all that he said, Reba didn¡¯t seem to care. Either she was just so immersed in watching the


    tv-show, or she acted like it. Either way, it felt like he received an invisible p from her.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Benjamin covered himself with the nket.


    Seconds turned into minutes.


    He heard sniffling. He pulled the nket down, and Reba was crying because Jacob gave a special


    appearance in the show, and currently, both Jacob and Selena were on screen, touring the sea together


    on a motor boat. This scene brought tears to her eyes as the chemistry between them seemed so


    natural, even though they were already many years into the marriage by then.


    Why did such a lovely couple now live in two different rooms? The reason wasn¡¯t as simple as choosing


    to befortable and luxurious. Her heart still ached for her parents. ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± Benjamin


    came over to her bed. ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± Seeing her so vulnerable, his heart throbbed slow and heavy. It felt


    painful in a way. He didn¡¯t know why, but he felt like protecting her all the more. Without himself knowing,


    his hands reached out for her. His hand wiped her tears. Her mouth was still downturned from the


    swelling sadness in her heart. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay,¡± Benjamin said. ¡°Everything is going to be okay.¡± He


    brought her head


    closer to his chest. She leaned on him for a little while until her heart eased down.


    Afterward, she sat straight and looked at him. He stared back at her with a soft look. Her cheeks were


    still a little bit wet, and there was still a hint of sadness lurking in those eyes.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said in a murmur, but his ears caught that word. ¡°I must have disturbed your sleep. Sorry.¡±


    His heart gained wings and flew for a second. ¡°N-No problem.¡± He stood and went back to his bed, made


    the sleeping-gesture with his hands, telling her to sleep.


    She didn¡¯t feel like watching the tv-show at the moment, so she switched the TV off and slept.


    The next morning. Selena woke up with a beautiful view of the garden through her ss wall as sunlight


    kissed the trees as well as her almost alike.


    As usual, she had to have coffee first before getting off the bed. A fat maid named Delle always took care


    of Selena¡¯s needs in the house just as Kathy took care of Jacob¡¯s needs. Delle was an obedient woman


    who only did what was told, so Selena never had to waste her concentration on this maid.


    Every morning, assuming Selena woke up in the house, Delle would bring two things. A cup of coffee,


    and a random book from the vi¡¯s library.


    After drinking the coffee, Selena would read the book for fifteen to thirty minutes everyday until it


    finished, whether the book was interesting or not. Once the book finished, Delle would bring a new book


    along with coffee the following morning.


    Today as well, Delle brought coffee and a new book


    The cream coffee was as tasty as ever. She received most of the needed sugar from her daily coffees.


    After finishing the coffee, she lowered her head to pick up the new book. However, her expression slowly


    but surely changed when she read the title ¡®How to stop hating your Inws.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    A vein in her neck throbbed. ¡°What¡¯s this? Are you starting to get smart with me now?¡± she red at


    Delle who quickly apologized and said she just randomly picked a book from the shelves. ¡°Tsk, whatever.


    I¡¯m sure Trashmin put this book on the shelves. That guy is smarter than he looks. I thought Francis and


    Edward would take care of him, but what the heck are they doing?¡±


    Even though she hated breaking her routine, she threw the new book out the window. It fell in the bushes


    below.


    Selena peered at Delle. ¡°I¡¯ll forgive your mistake if you tell me Trashmin¡¯s morning routine within three


    days.¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know about these things, ma¡¯am,¡± Delle looked timid. ¡°Take seven days if you want, but


    figure out his routine,¡± she said. ¡°I could have done it myself, but how can I stoop so low as to waste my


    time monitoring him? If you don¡¯t want to do it, then you can consider your job terminated.¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, please reconsider,¡± Delle tried begging, but Selena ignored her, took out a water bottle from the


    fridge, and went into her mini open gym room that extended out of the vi on the first floor and had


    ss walls on two different adjacent sides. It had a great view while she exercised there.


    As she was warming her body up, she noticed two people in the garden. She didn¡¯t care about them at


    first, but a secondter, she stopped her work and came up to the ss wall and squinted her eyes. ¡°Are


    they¡­¡±


    Her eyes turned red from rage as she realized that the two people in the garden were Benjamin and


    Reba. The former was tagging along with a water bottle and towel in hand while thetter was


    walking with the help of a stick. Moreover, they were smiling together!

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59


    Selena rushed back to her room and brought binocrs and peered through the lens to get an absolutely


    zoomed-in look at her daughter and her much-hated son-inw.


    Right now, the chemistry between them still seemed awkward, so that was a positive. Still, thoughts


    sted in her mind, making her strain her neurons as she wondered how exactly her daughter managed


    to reach the garden.


    Did Trashmin bring her in his arms? DID HE?


    ¡°Dangerous¡­ It¡¯s too dangerous to keep them in the same room. I must separate them somehow!¡±


    ¡°Now I really despise that little slut Jane! She must be the one responsible behind this change. Ever


    since she returned, my daughter¡¯s gaze has be softer.¡±


    ¡°Women are physically weaker beings,¡± she gritted her teeth, ¡°if a stronger man were to help her when


    she¡¯s in a vulnerable state, he¡¯ll leave a great impact on her heart. I can¡¯t allow that to happen! Not when


    Edward has just begun to knock on her heart!¡±


    She wanted to call Edward, making him rush to the vi and take Benjamin¡¯s position, but that was


    practically impossible, so she looked for a person who could practically do that. She went to one of the


    rooms on the first floor and knocked on the door.


    Shawn opened the door, holding a file and a pen in one hand. ¡°Mom?¡± He looked surprised.


    ¡°Shawn, you didn¡¯t sleepst night?¡± ¡°I had some urgent work, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Mm, but you should put that file aside and rush to the garden.¡± ¡°To the garden? Why?¡± ¡°To help your


    sister walk, of course!¡± Shawn seemed bewildered. ¡°Are you serious?¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Selena¡¯s eyes were still red at this point. ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking?¡± her eyes erged. ¡°N-No, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you get it?¡± she stressed her words. ¡°Our useless son-inw is helping Reba walk in the


    garden! Go and push him away! Take his ce!¡±


    Shawn nowpletely understood what his mother was talking about. ¡°But, mom, I and Reba aren¡¯t


    really on good terms. You know that.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± Selena wanted to twist his ear, but he was a


    fully-grown adult and her eldest son, so she held herself back. ¡°You are a lot closer to her than Trashmin


    is!¡± Shawn nodded. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong.¡± Moreover, he didn¡¯t want to let Benjamin get close to Reba as


    that would only hinder Artur¡¯s chances. ¡°Give me five minutes. I¡¯ll fresh up, and¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯ll kiss her and hug in those five minutes!¡± Selena grabbed her arm and pulled him


    out.


    Shawn sighed and followed her. (Whenever she experiences little difort, she won¡¯t shut. up about it


    until that element of difort gets taken care of. Elizabeth is also the same in this regard. Perhaps,


    most women are like that? In any case, I don¡¯t get why they get so sensitive about even minor stuff, yet


    no amount of attention I give to them satisfies them. The investments always need to be high, but the


    returns are so unpredictable. It¡¯s one of the reasons why I stopped going out with Elizabeth for shopping


    or even to the beach. It¡¯s just too much of a hassle, so I just let her do everything on her own.) Shawn


    got lost in his own thoughts and calctions until they reached the main entrance of the vi, and then


    Selena pushed him out. She thought Shawn would go and act like he coincidentally ended up walking


    out into the garden so early in the morning; however, he walked straight to them without a shred of


    hesitation.


    Benjamin looked at Shawn and frowned initially but then forced out a smile. (Why is this bastarding


    in this direction? Just when I thought I finally got an opportunity to spend some memorable moments with


    Reba, this walking shark had to show up!) ¡°Reba,¡± Shawn called out her name, surprising her. ¡°B-


    Brother Shawn?¡± she was both surprised and confused, and then he caught her hand. ¡°Let me assist


    you,¡± Shawn straightforwardly said. ¡°I¡¯m taller and stronger. The chances of me sessfully assisting


    you is much higher than your good-for-nothing husband.¡± ¡°U-Uh, um¡­¡± Reba didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°Y-You¡¯re right, Brother-inw,¡± Benjamin moved back by himself, not wanting to put Reba in an


    awkward situation. ¡°I¡¯ll be following from five steps away.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Shawn said, ncing at him over his shoulder. ¡°Let us have a brother and sister moment.¡±


    ¡°O-Okay,¡± Benjamin forced out a stretchy smile, but it looked more like he was crying. (What about our


    husband and wife moment, you self-centered shark!) It was disheartening, but Benjamin had to stay back


    as Shawn and his sister kept going. He could only wonder what they were talking about. Shawn dealt


    rather smartly with his sister. After the esctor was removed, he guessed that it was better to not bring


    up Artur¡¯s name in their conversation, even though he didn¡¯t get any updates from Artur yet. ¡°It¡¯s


    important to recover properly,¡± Shawn told her. ¡°Otherwise, these types of injuries will leave some strain


    on the muscles, and pain will persist for years.¡± ¡°Yes, Brother.¡±


    ¡°I know a friend who¡¯s good at training people during their recovery phase. He doesn¡¯t give time for just


    anybody, but I will get you a membership in his gym, so visit that gym once you getfortable enough


    you can walk normally.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Reba, on one hand, didn¡¯t hate that he was caring for her, but on the


    other hand,


    she had a measure for his care. Interactions with him were always a one-sided affair since as far as she


    could remember. This was probably because there was so much age gap between her and Shawn.


    She was already beginning to feel bored, whereas Shawn never stopped talking.


    She nced over her shoulder, thinking Benjamin had already left, but there he was, still standing in the


    garden, holding a water bottle and a towel, walking to his left and right. Her lips pressed against each


    other and forged a shapely smile. She looked up at Shawn and said, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m thirsty.¡± ¡°What? Didn¡¯t


    you drink beforeing here?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Ugh,¡± Shawn felt that this whole thing was so cumbersome. ¡°Fine. Just wait here. I¡¯ll get it.¡±


    ¡°Benjamin brought a bottle, Brother. You just have to call him over.¡± (Call him?) Shawn didn¡¯t like even


    the thought of calling him to their side. ¡°How can you drink water from a bottle given by his hands?¡±


    His question startled Reba. ¡°A flower shouldn¡¯t associate itself with dung, Reba,¡±his words were


    as blunt as ever, ¡°or its value will be the same as of dung.¡± Reba frowned in response and lowered


    her head.

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60


    The new stairs werepletely built. They appeared more fashionable than the older ones. d and


    Mercie yed together as they ran up and down the stairs until they grew tired. The maids warned them


    that it was dangerous to y on the stairs, but as usual, they lived in their own little worlds that didn¡¯t


    easily listen to others¡¯ words.


    Meanwhile, Selena postponed her film dates because she had things to take care of at home.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    She didn¡¯t try to overthink and just stuck to ns that had always worked for her. And her main weapon


    was keeping Benjamin busy and frustrated. It was found on that very same day that Dorothy was


    suffering from severe pain in her feet because of skin cracking underfoot, especially at the toes as well


    as the heels. Doctor told her to get warm water treatment regrly. However, Dorothy made Benjamin


    wash her feet before letting her legs soak in warm water mixed with salt. After enough soaking, he had to


    massage her feet for at least ten minutes before applying cream at the end. He was told to do this every


    night before Dorothy went to sleep, at least for four weeks. It came to light that Nn at the same time


    had back issues. His back felt stiff every morning after he woke up. He couldn¡¯t even bend forward or


    backward properly, so the doctor told him to get massaged every morning. And Benjamin was ordered to


    take care of Nn. His mornings got upied with massaging the old man for at least half-hour. Along


    with that, he had to listen to Nn¡¯s disparagingments. Even though he was massaging


    professionally, Nn never appreciated Benjamin¡¯s effort. Not even a little bit. Kathy had caught a severe


    cold, so Benjamin was told to oversee the breakfast cooking procedures. While overseeing wasn¡¯t that


    hard, it was wasting a lot of his time. After breakfast, he had to hurry in order to drop the kids to school.


    And then he had his pizza-delivery job to take care of until evening. When he returned home as a tired


    man, the real nightmare started. Selena made him help with the homework of all four kids, which took


    him two to three hours, and it wasn¡¯t even productive as the kids weren¡¯t good at studies. After that he


    was allowed to bathe and eat dinner. And then he had to read novels for Selena before she went to bed.


    This was the past he refused to do. However, Selena made Reba tell him to do it. And he was forced


    to oblige. After reading her the books, he was told to water the nts because Oliver used to water them


    every night. He was told to fill Oliver¡¯s shoes. The only good thing that came out of doing that was he


    found the book that Selena had thrown out the window.


    Nevertheless, by the time he returned to his room, at around eleven or sometimes even twelve at night,


    Reba would already be sleeping. He couldn¡¯t even find time to talk to her because all the work in the


    house was being put on his shoulders. Dorothy even made him wash her toilet twice in one day. As if


    that wasn¡¯t enough, the fat maid Delle had been behaving strangelytely. He thought she was the only


    maid with a decent gaze, but he began reconsidering that opinion. Laden with both bodily and mentally


    tiring works repeatedly, he didn¡¯t even know how


    quickly a day passed. Before he knew it, an entire week had passed.


    In the whole of the past week, no one in the Sterling vi had done more work than Benjamin, and no


    one was paid less than him as well.


    The title Unpaid Maid truly fitted him these days, to all those watching and wondering while living in the


    vi. Delle eventually told Selena about Benjamin¡¯s morning routine. ¡°What? He yawns?¡± Selena red


    at Delle. ¡°That¡¯s all you gathered after all these days?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Delle¡¯s mouth was turned down.


    ¡°He goes to the rooftop every morning and yawns rather loudly and stretches his body. He walks along


    the parapet, scrutinizing the surroundings. He feeds birds, too. That¡¯s all I could notice these days. Sorry


    for disappointing you. I won¡¯t show my face to you anymore.¡± She didn¡¯t say anything and began to walk


    away. ¡°Wait, I never said I fired you,¡± Selena said, surprising Delle. ¡°Does that mean¡­ I can continue


    working here?¡± Delle¡¯s heart beat faster as she awaited Selena¡¯s response.


    ¡°You can.¡±


    Delle teared up. ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am. Thank you very much.¡± She lowered head and quickly left the room.


    Selena faintly smiled. She never wanted to fire Delle, but by saying she would if Delle failed, and by


    keeping her in job even after she failed, Delle would feel really grateful for the opportunity Selena had


    given. All Selena had to do was twist her words a little bit so that she would benefit from any situation the


    most. ¡°He yawns, she said. What can I do with that useless information? Tsk, Veronica has been living at


    her girlfriend¡¯s housetely. If she was here, I would have burdened him some more by making her give


    him absurd tasks.¡± After some thinking, she wondered, ¡°Maybe I should tell Dorothy to tell her daughter


    toe back as soon as possible. Since Jacob is too busy toe home these days, I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll


    have a problem.¡± She knew exactly what type of woman Elizabeth was. If only Shawn were the head of


    the house, she would have raised hell and said she wouldn¡¯t return until Jacob was gone from the vi.


    However, Jacob and Selena still controlled most of the things rted to the Sterlings. So Elizabeth had


    no other choice but to swallow her pride and return sooner orter.


    Though Selena didn¡¯t like Elizabeth, the biggest problem she was currently facing was the problem of


    potentially losing her daughter to her son-inw whom she despised down to the bone. If only he hadn¡¯t


    married her daughter, Selena would have been able to introduce her to a lot of rich suitors, but with


    Reba already marrying a pizza-delivery guy, she couldn¡¯t go and introduce her to just about anybody


    as she and her daughter would beughed at. She could only go to her friend¡¯s son, Edward.


    Selena who was already being burdened by her eldest daughter-inw felt further angered by the arrival


    of a son-inw she never sawing.


    Even if you wake her up in the middle of sleep, she could give a thousand reasons for her hatred toward


    him.


    And until now she supremely seeded in not letting Benjamin get adjusted to his new family, much less


    establish himself in this new environment.


    ¡°Just wait, son-inw. I won¡¯t wait for Edward or anybody to do the work. I will not only frustrate you, but


    will also let my daughterpletely overlook you. And that¡¯s not the end of it. I¡¯ll make your life so


    miserable, you¡¯ll not even think of getting near my daughter ever


    again.¡±


    After having a coffee and reading a bit of a non-fiction book, she went to her mini gym room and looked


    at the garden through the ss wall and smiled. There was nobody there. Benjamin must be very busy


    massaging Nn¡¯s back, she thought and ended upughing so hard and long she teared up.

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61


    Right after massaging Nn¡¯s back, both with hands and with a warm towel, Benjamin went to the


    kitchen to oversee the breakfast preparations. After that, he got a little bit of breathing space to bathe


    and to eat.


    Reba noticed a change in Benjamin. He would usually whistle while bathing, especially loudly when


    he was in a good mood, but he didn¡¯t whistle in over a week. But since that wasn¡¯t really a big deal in her


    perspective, she didn¡¯t think much about it.


    Right before leaving the room, he made time to wave goodbye to Reba Though she didn¡¯t respond


    back with her voice, she was forcing herself to at least smile in return.


    Benjamin walked out through the main door and readied the car for the kids. Today, the kids werete,


    so he had to wait.


    He received a call. It was from Alfred.


    ¡°Master, how long are you going to let them oppress you?¡± Alfred sounded frustrated and angry. ¡°They


    are treating you worse than a dog. When will this ridiculous game end?¡±


    ¡°It may look ridiculous to you, but it lets me be close to my wife,¡± replied Benjamin. ¡°If she can love me


    when I¡¯m a useless live-in son-inw, how much more do you think she¡¯ll love and respect me when she


    knows about my family? Won¡¯t she give me her love for a lifetime if I give her mine?¡± ¡°I get that, Master,


    but¡­ isn¡¯t there a better way to do this? You even went and joined the Rye¡¯s Pizzas of all ces. What if


    she gets word of this andes looking for trouble.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you here for me?¡±


    Alfred went silent. ¡°The kids are here, Alfred. We¡¯ll talkter.¡± Benjamin ended the call. Devon and


    another butler brought their school bags and lunch boxes over to the car. While no one was looking,


    Devon slipped the tinum card in Lisa¡¯s bag. Benjamin took the kids to school and went to Rye¡¯s


    Pizzas.


    Meanwhile, at Samael¡¯s 40 million dor duplex penthouse.


    Artur just arrived to meet with Samael. Luther was also there. Artur expected Samael would get up and


    give him extra respect, but Samael didn¡¯t even get up from his sofa. At least, he requested Artur to take a


    seat.


    Artur sat on the opposite sofa. The ss wall offered a magnificent view of the city from the 40th floor.


    ¡°Smoking does more harm than good for mankind,¡± Samael said, ¡°but it sure brought billions to your


    father.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think pizzas deserve to be part of a man¡¯s diet, either,¡± replied Artur. ¡°I¡¯d not rmend them


    even to dogs.¡±


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ALERGI


    Both smiled at each other.


    ¡°So what brought Artur Bonsbell here?¡± Samael raised his brows, sitting royally on his couch with one


    hand on his thigh. ¡°Surely, you didn¡¯t catch your father¡¯s habit of buying the top floors of every hotel he


    visits, or did you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here for your t, Samael Mort Breaker. I¡¯m here to give you a proposal for


    selling yourpany to me.¡± Samael was genuinely surprised for a second. ¡°You sure you can afford to


    buy mypany?¡± ¡°Tobo isn¡¯t the only thing Bonsbell Corp sells. We own casinos, clubs, hotels, you


    name it. Buying yourpany isn¡¯t that hard.¡± ¡°Mm, I bought Rye¡¯s pizzas for only 250 million dors


    because it had only one base back then. Of course, we still have only one major base in the city, but we


    have 1200 in-office staff and over 31,000 delivery executives. Now we are nning to expand the


    company throughout the country. So I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t sell you unless you pay me anything less than 5


    billion.¡± ¡°5 billion?¡± Arturughed out loud. ¡°You think your pizzas are worth that much?¡±


    ¡°If they are worth nothing, you wouldn¡¯te looking for me now, would you?¡±


    ¡°Well, I have my reasons foring here, but I will praise you on one thing. No other pizzapany


    takes orders 24/7. And I know that¡¯s not an easy thing to maintain.¡± Artur didn¡¯t want to reveal things for


    no reason. However, the reason he visited Samael was simple. He wanted to buy Rye¡¯s Pizzas and


    make Benjamin¡¯s life miserable just because he wanted to get back at Reba for giving his invitation


    card back and to show her how far he would go for her, albeit in his own perverse way. ¡°Still and all, most


    of yourpany¡¯s fame is built on vapor through advertisements. Your stocks are overvalued, and I


    hope you know that. Therger yourpany gets, the more it will start to underperform.¡±


    Artur remained silent, sporting just a simple smile. ¡°1.5 billion. That¡¯s my first andst price.¡± Artur said. A


    pale woman brought fruit juice, but Artur stood and started walking. ¡°You have two days to decide.¡± After


    Artur and Luther left, the pale woman went to the sofa and took out a microphone that was hidden in its


    gaps. She crushed it between her fingers and nced at Samael. ¡°I think this is a good opportunity to


    sell thispany.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not the time yet.¡± ¡°How long are you going to keep waiting? Who can stop us


    if we act right now?¡± ¡°Patience, my dear. Have some patience. I will pluck the fruit when it is perfectly


    ripe. Until then, let¡¯s keep ying our roles.¡± At Lisa¡¯s school. During the short break, Lisa¡¯s friend asked


    for a pen. She kept checking through her bag to see if she had an extra pen, but then she found a


    strange-looking, eye-catching card, with the letter ¡®


    wembedded on it with diamonds.


    ¡°Wow, this is so pretty.¡± Her friend¡¯s eyes lit up.¡±Are those real diamonds?¡±


    CHA ERO1


    ¡°I¡­¡± Lisa didn¡¯t know what to say. They sure looked like real diamonds to her. ¡°Whichpany¡¯s card is


    it? Can I have it?¡± her friend asked.


    Lisa flipped the card, and the maic stripes made her wonder if it was a debit or credit card. But how


    did it end up in her bag? Did Dad or Mom secretly drop it in her bag? She then remembered asking


    Shawn for a bugatti. (Did Dad put it in the bag? Is this his way of giving me the money? No, let¡¯s not get


    ahead of myself. I should first confirm if this is a credit card or not. It¡¯s not ck Card, but I hope it¡¯ll help


    me buy a lot of things!)


    Her friend plucked it out of her hand.


    ¡°Hey, She! Give it to me!¡±


    ¡°Stop sweating! I¡¯m only gonna hold it for a minute, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°No. Give it!¡± after some verbal and physical to-and-fro, Lisa was able to get the card back. She put it in


    her pocket and patted the pocket a few times. (If this card is what I think it is, Nate will love it.)

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62


    ckbear sent one of his men to meet Christopher in the afternoon. Christopher was given a thousand


    dors and was just told one thing. ¡°Make Benjamin¡¯s life difficult. Make him cry and run from his job, and


    you¡¯ll receive ten times more.¡± Of course, ckbear was never thinking of giving another dor more, but


    Christopher loved the offer. He never really liked Benjamin anyway, and he always secretly worried about


    Benjamin outshining him and snatching his job for him, so if he can make Benjamin quit the job, this


    would be hitting two birds with one stone.


    He devised a n and waited until evening. When Benjamin came back after delivering hisst order, he


    left his uniform and the work-rted sim here. Christopher took the sim and gave it to another new


    delivery guy and told him to do exactly as told. The new pizza guy took deliveries in Benjamin¡¯s name the


    entire night and deliveredte in half of the orders, and with pizzas messed up in some other cases. He


    received a string of low ratings. Christopher, who was watching all the live data on his desktop, was


    feeling very happy. ¡°I¡¯ve switched off all the cameras in this ce. There¡¯s no way you can prove that it


    isn¡¯t you, Benjamin. Everyone will think your greed got the better of you. Tomorrow might very well be


    yourst day at work, but I¡¯ll get richer by ten grand!¡± At twelve in the night, he went to his home as a


    happy man.


    The next morning.


    Christopher came early to set everything up. However, as he was having espresso, he got shocked after


    seeing Benjamin¡¯s ratings that got reset to where they were before Christopher gave Benjamin¡¯s sim to


    the new worker. ¡°What the hell?¡± he rubbed his eyes once, twice, thrice, and ten times over. The result


    was still the same.


    While he was utterly puzzled, Benjamin came and headed out for his first delivery. Christopher had given


    the new worker 500 dors to make him quit his job and remain silent. But now, everything that


    happenedst night seemed like a dream. If he still didn¡¯t have the remaining five hundred dors given


    by ckbear¡¯s underling, he would have likely doubted reality itself. Nevertheless, he began devising


    other ns to take down Benjamin. Meanwhile, Benjamin again kept receiving the messages of money


    being debited from his card as he was delivering the pizzas. He really wanted to see who was using the


    card, but from the message infos, he had a guess. It was probably Veronica, he thought. Only she would


    fit the bill, as she wouldn¡¯t blink twice before spending a thousand dors or even a million dors. He


    called the customer care number that was in the message info.


    Ady with a professional voice picked up his call. ¡°This is Prisci from Eternity Bank. It¡¯s an honor to


    receive a call from you, Sir Benjamin. Please, tell us the service you require.¡± ¡°Can you tell me where my


    card is right now?¡± ¡°Just a second. Um, it¡¯s in a movie theater.¡±


    ¡°In a theater?¡± Benjamin was surprised. ¡°I¡¯ll forward you the details, sir.¡± ¡°Ah, thank you.¡± After getting the


    details, he went to the single-screen theater straight away and patiently waited outside until the show


    was over.


    While he expected Veronica toe out, Lisa and her boyfriend did, shocking Benjamin. A lot of


    thoughts rushed through his mind. The two million dor purchase of course was still fresh in his mind.


    What did she use that kind of money for? He couldn¡¯t even imagine what she did with that much money?


    Did it give to her boyfriend, trusting him blindly? He couldn¡¯t get his head around what might have


    happened, but surely couldn¡¯t just watch them as they walked out with smiles on their faces.


    As Nate, Lisa¡¯s boyfriend, was getting onto his bike, Benjamin entered their view with his gaze sharp as


    ever. Nate still very much remembered thest time Benjamin manhandled him, and he looked at Lisa


    nervously. ¡°U-Uncle?¡± Lisa was also shocked to see Benjamin here. She snuck out of school during a


    break, but she never expected her uncle toe to the same movie. Benjamin didn¡¯t say anything and


    just sat on his motorcycle that was coincidentally parked very next to Nate¡¯s bike. He nced at Lisa,


    and she took a second to realize why he looked at her, and then sat on his bike. He looked at Nate and


    said, ¡°If I see you with her again during school hours, I¡¯ll kick in your crotch so hard, you¡¯ll have trouble


    peeing for the rest of your life.¡±


    Nate shivered and stepped back in response. Benjamin drove away, whereas Lisa secretly gestured to


    Nate that she will call himter. Benjamin noticed her actions through the mirror but acted like he didn¡¯t.


    He dropped her at school even though it was already three o¡¯clock, and there was only one more ss


    left.


    But before she entered through the gate, he called for her, so she came back She thought he would take


    her home.


    ¡°Give me the card,¡± he put his hand forward. She instantly understood what he meant, but why was he


    asking for the card given to her by her father? She acted like she didn¡¯t know what he was talking about.


    ¡°What card, uncle?¡± ¡°The one you used to pay for the movie and the snacks,¡± said Benjamin. Her little


    jaw dropped. How did he know that? Did he guess, or was he watching. ¡°Have you been following me


    since morning?¡±


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Her little brain began to piece things together the way she wanted. ¡°Uncle, I think I¡¯m starting to


    understand everything now. Why you hit my boyfriend the other day at the club, and why you showed up


    at the theater¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Benjamin sounded irritated. ¡°Just give me the card and go to your ss.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you like me, don¡¯t you?¡± she said bluntly, peering at him with those round and big eyes of hers,


    scrutinizing all the movements of his facial muscles. Benjamin¡¯s expression froze for a good three


    seconds. ¡°Huh?¡±

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63


    Benjamin was riding his bike, and his recent conversation with Lisa came to the front of his mind.


    ¡°You have such a beautiful woman for a wife, so how could you fall for me?¡± she sounded shocked and


    disappointed. ¡°But¡­ I guess I can understand since she isn¡¯t letting youe near to her, and also since


    I¡¯m good looking, but still, I already have a boyfriend, and you¡¯re already married!¡± Thinking back on


    those words, Benjamin shook his head a few times fast. ¡°That little devil¡­ she sure shook me up back


    there. I couldn¡¯t take the card back from her. Was that her n from the start? I guess she¡¯s growing up


    to be as cunning as her mother.¡± Then he began to worry. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t say unnecessary things to


    Reba, would she?¡± Just thinking about it made him tremble. What if Reba believed Lisa¡¯s words?


    No, he didn¡¯t even want to imagine that case.


    He didn¡¯t even want to think about it, but he couldn¡¯t stop worrying about it. What if she told Reba the


    foolish story? How would he be able to prove his innocence? Where should he start gathering the


    evidence from? If he were to prove himself, would he able topletely erase the dark spot and clear


    his name? He had no answers to such questions, and he was already feeling a lot of stress. ¡°I can¡¯t let


    her tell anyone her ridiculous usations, especially to her mother and to Selena. If they hear it, they


    are going to make a mess out of it.¡± All the thinking brought him a headache. He felt like he was sitting


    on pins and needles. ¡°Dammit. No matter how much I think about it, I can¡¯t help but have a bad feeling


    about where this is going.¡± He gritted his teeth. ¡°Alfred, you stubborn bastard! If only you didn¡¯t leave that


    card in the vi, I wouldn¡¯t be feeling this anxious now! Everything I¡¯ve worked for until now can be ended


    with one wrong usation from her!¡± He got home with a worried expression. It was Johnny who brought


    the kids back from school. Since Johnny was already home, that meant Lisa had also arrived. Did she


    tell anyone what happened at the schoolgate? He stepped inside with a loudly beating heart. Before he


    took three steps, he froze in his tracks from seeing Elizabeth telling maids how to decorate flower vases


    at the base of the newly built staircase. (Shit. The Aunty had to return today of all times?) He tried to


    sneak into the kitchen, but Elizabeth ended up noticing him. ¡°Ah, if it isn¡¯t the one and only Benj-fucking-


    min,¡± Elizabeth swanned her way over, smiling refreshingly. Benjamin stopped and forced out a smile. ¡°S-


    Sister-inw, when did you return?¡± ¡°It took me longer than I thought to find a job, so¡­¡±


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What?¡± Benjamin couldn¡¯t hold his surprise. Which idiot took her into theirpany? ¡°You know, it took


    me some time, but I¡¯m recing a guy called Christopher,¡± her words startled Benjamin. She came


    closer and whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I can¡¯t possibly work in those shitty pizza huts for long, but this aunty


    will take really good care of her brother-inw as long as she stays there.¡±


    Benjamin couldn¡¯t even force out a smile this time.


    Elizabeth just patted his shoulder twice. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to working with a so-called seven-star


    deliverer like you, brother-inw. Don¡¯t tell anyone in the family, okay? Or it won¡¯t end well for you.¡± So


    she was only telling this piece of news to just Benjamin? What was she nning? At that time, Lisa


    came looking for Elizabeth, but after seeing Benjamin, she stopped. He noticed her and looked at her,


    feeling like he was in the wrong ce at the wrong time. She began walking toward them, but he went


    and met her before she could get to her mother. As he spoke to Lisa, Elizabeth wondered what they


    were talking about and came up to them.


    ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± asked Elizabeth, looking at her daughter.


    ¡°It was nothing, Madam Elizabeth,¡± Benjamin quickly said. ¡°I was just asking Lisa if she wanted any


    clothes ironed or shoes polished, that¡¯s all.¡± Saying that he walked away.


    Elizabeth put her arm around Lisa¡¯s shoulder and took her to her arm. ¡°Did you miss me, Lisa?¡±


    Lisa pushed her mother¡¯s arm away and was still sulking a bit. ¡°You didn¡¯t listen to me and left. Now, you


    want to act all friendly with me like nothing ever happened?¡±


    ¡°You knew I was just going out for a little while, didn¡¯t you?¡± she lowered her head to kiss her daughter,


    but Lisa didn¡¯t let her. Elizabeth was okay with that. ¡°Fine. Tell me what you want to buy, and I¡¯ll give it to


    you.¡± Lisa thought for a second and said, ¡°I want a bugatti.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯ll get a bu¡­¡± she


    paused for a second. ¡°Wait, what?¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t, then forget about ever kissing me,¡± Lisa quickly went to


    her room and shut the door.


    +


    Elizabeth could only frown. ¡°Why does she suddenly want a car now? And a bugatti at that?¡± Lisa, on the


    other hand, sat on her bed and took out the tinum card. ¡°I don¡¯t get why this card doesn¡¯t even ask for


    a password, but it¡¯s cool, alright. I don¡¯t know how much money dad put in the rted bank ount, but


    I¡¯m still 16, and I don¡¯t even have a driving license. How can I buy a car with this?¡± after some thinking,


    she wondered. ¡°Wait, can¡¯t I just ask Benjamin to buy it using this card? I¡¯ll take the car in his name, and


    then there¡¯ll be no problem. But¡­¡± she thought for a second about what happened in front of the school


    gate. ¡°He said I¡¯ve got the wrong idea, and I¡¯m really not sure if he¡¯s attracted to me or not. Maybe I was


    mistaken. Maybe he just coincidentally came to watch the movie. Mm,¡± she nodded to herself, ¡°I¡¯m going


    to ask him to buy the car and then make him give the keys to Nate. If he can do that, then I¡¯ll believe he¡¯s


    innocent. If he can¡¯t then I¡¯ll tell everything to Dad and Aunt Reba.¡±

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64


    Benjamin came back to his room, but he was still feeling tense, worrying if Lisa was going to run her


    mouth in front of her mother even after he exined everything to her. He looked at Reba who was


    looking at a diet n.


    ¡°Mm? What¡¯s that?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I went to Powell¡¯s Gym today,¡± she said. ¡°He said I can starting next week.¡± ¡°Powell¡¯s Gym?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s a famous trainer. He only trains top celebrities it seems. He said I should visit for at least a


    month.¡±


    Benjamin really wanted to go to the gym with her, but he had a job to keep. Now that Elizabeth had taken


    over Christopher¡¯s role, he didn¡¯t want to go to Rye¡¯s Pizzas as he was sure she would do everything in


    her capabilities to humiliate him in front of co-workers.


    ¡°Actually¡­¡± Reba nced at him. ¡°I was wondering¡­ if¡­¡± she hesitantly asked, ¡°you could ¡­


    apany me?¡± Benjamin¡¯s heart began beating fast and energetically all of a sudden, and he kept


    staring at her with aplex yet grateful expression. ¡°Are you willing?¡± she asked again. ¡°O-Of course,¡±


    he quickly replied. ¡°I¡¯m always willing.¡±


    ¡°But, don¡¯t you have the job?¡± ¡°Job? What job?¡± Benjamin barked out loud. ¡°I quit it today.¡± ¡°What?¡±


    Reba was shocked. ¡°Why?¡±


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡°Ah, well, let¡¯s not worry about that.¡± Benjamin was all smiles as he came up to her bed and took the diet


    n from her. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Mm, this is good. This is really good. I really want to see the trainer and talk


    with him.¡± ¡°Then you can tag along with me, right?¡± Reba asked. Benjamin gave a thumbs-up.


    (Sess! I¡¯m going to be with her in the gym? Bahaha! Now, what are you going to do, my inws?


    Come to the gym with us? Bahahaha! We¡¯ll be there by ourselves and help each other will every little


    and difficult thing. Bahahaha!) ¡°By the way, I asked Jane toe, too,¡± Reba¡¯s words crashed an


    invisible boulder on top of Benjamin¡¯s head. ¡°W-What? Why?¡±


    ¡°She asked me that her boyfriend wants to get trained by Powell, so I couldn¡¯t refuse. It¡¯s good that those


    two will also be with us. We can train together.¡± ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Benjamin was close to crying. (Not just Jane


    but also his boyfriend? It¡¯s not like we¡¯re going for some pic! Why do they have toe with us? I


    don¡¯t ept this! I want my


    precious time with my wife!) There was still one week left before Reba would start going to the gym,


    so he was already thinking on how to change Jane¡¯s mind before that. At that moment, Veronica entered


    the room in a night dress. ¡°Sis, I heard you are going to the gym soon?¡± ¡°Yeah, who told you?¡±


    ¡°Brother Shawn did. He asked me to apany you.¡± Benjamin¡¯s heart shook upon hearing Veronica¡¯s


    words. ¡°You want to help me now after I¡¯m starting to be able to walk?¡± Reba¡¯s gaze turned cold.¡±


    Where were you when I needed you? You said you¡¯d help me, but you didn¡¯t!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, sister. A lot


    happened, and¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about your excuses.¡± ¡°Please, sis.¡± Veronica sat down and begged her


    sister. ¡°My boyfriend betrayed me, and I cried two nights for what he¡¯s done. I was not in a position to


    care for another person. Give me a chance now, so I can make up for my mistake.¡± She touched


    Reba¡¯s chin and pleaded. Reba frowned and said, ¡°Fine, you cane with us, but I haven¡¯t


    forgiven you just yet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, but thanks for agreeing.¡± She gave a light hug. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll recover


    fast, so we can go to the beach afterward.¡± Beach? Benjamin began wondering how it would be to spend


    some time with Reba at beach, with just both of them soaking under the sun, rubbing oil on each


    other¡¯s bodies, and eating ice cream, and possibly kissing each other. He began blushing just from the


    images that kept popping in his mind. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go to the beach afterward!¡± he excitedly said. Veronica


    spared a nce at Benjamin. ¡°Hmph, you want toe to the beach with us? Keep dreaming!¡±


    Benjamin frowned and lowered his head.


    ¡°He cane with us if he wants to,¡± Reba said, surprising both of them. ¡°You want him to be with us


    at the beach?¡± Veronica looked a bit baffled for a second. ¡°Oh, I see. You want him to carry our luggage.¡±


    Reba forced out a smile and said, ¡°Yes because he can carry your luggage better than you can carry


    your own luggage.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Veronica exhaled through her mouth and leaned closer before whispering,


    ¡°why are you embarrassing me before this trash? I already apologized for not being able to help, didn¡¯t


    I?¡±


    ¡°You did. You did,¡± Reba patted her shoulder. ¡°I want to take some rest, so can you leave?¡± ¡°If you


    say so,¡± Veronica said and gave an annoyed look at Benjamin before saying, ¡°Why do you live in this


    room? Did you even help my sister when she was wounded? I don¡¯t think so,


    right??


    Benjamin didn¡¯t say anything. He didn¡¯t even want to exin himself to her and just watched


    ETTER 64


    as she ran her mouth another minute and then left.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind her, Benjamin,¡± Reba said. ¡°I¡¯m thankful for your help. To be frank, you had every right to


    be angry. You could have just ignored me, but you didn¡¯t, and you knew what I wanted before I even


    asked.¡±


    Benjamin looked at her with tears taking shape in his eyes.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re trying to draw near to me everyday. But¡­¡± she continued. ¡°I need some time to process


    things. Can you be patient with me for a little longer?¡± Benjamin¡¯s heart felt full. He couldn¡¯t utter a word,


    so he nodded. Reba turned and faced the other side on her bed. She wanted to put on the wedding


    ring, but she felt too guilty and unworthy. In the past week, while Benjamin was busy working like a


    house for the house, she had been thinking about everything. Though she was beginning to realize her


    mistakes when it came to treating Benjamin poorly, she didn¡¯t want to act friendly all of a sudden. She


    wanted to gradually reveal her regrets as well as her current intentions and future hopes. She wanted to


    know him more as well as show more of her to him.


    Benjamin, on the other hand, was shaking from happiness. He couldn¡¯t even wipe his tears away, but he


    didn¡¯t mind, for he could see his efforts finally bearing fruits.

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65


    The next morning.


    Reba woke up seconds after Benjamin did. She saw him brushing his teeth, so she purposely went


    into the bathroom and brushed her teeth, too. Benjamin walked out of the bathroom to give some space.


    (Why are you going out when I came in for you?) she could only brush her teeth harder. After she exited,


    Benjamin went in.


    She didn¡¯t sit on her bed but kept walking around. Benjamin then went upstairs to the rooftop.


    ¡°Why does he always go up every day? Does he like breathing some fresh air?¡± She wanted to follow


    him, but the stairs still felt intimidating. She didn¡¯t want to bite off more than she could chew. Luckily, Lisa


    was passing by. She asked Lisa to give her a hand. As Lisa helped Reba climb the stairs, she asked,


    ¡°Why do you want to walk so much when your injury hasn¡¯t fully healed, Aunt?¡± ¡°If we wait for the wound


    to healpletely, it will take forever,¡± Reba said. ¡°Besides, 1 don¡¯t like sitting on the bed and doing


    nothing.¡± ¡°You can watch movies and tv-shows, right?¡±


    Ild


    ¡°I did watch one tv-show, but that¡¯s it. I don¡¯t feel like watching anymore anytime soon.¡±


    ¡°Huh, if I were in your ce, I¡¯d watch television for at least sixteen hours everyday.¡±


    ¡°Haha, you should put more concentration on your studies instead of chatting on your mobile all the time.


    Your boyfriend won¡¯t help you get a careerter on. Only your own hard work will, so don¡¯t waste your


    time.¡± Lisa was greatly surprised. ¡°Y-You know I have a boyfriend?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Why would a


    sixteen-year-old girl spend so much time on her mobile? One of the first reasons that woulde to


    anyone¡¯s mind is that she¡¯s chatting with a guy.¡±


    Lisa awkwardly smiled, but then looked tense. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t tell your parents.¡± ¡°T-Thanks, Aunt.¡±


    Reba knew her parents were too busy to care what she and Roshan were doing. Roshan at least


    yed sports well, even though he didn¡¯t really get good grades, but Lisa has been getting poor grades


    lately. Her parents still didn¡¯t really care.


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me,¡± Reba arrived at the rooftop. ¡°Just don¡¯t misuse the freedom your parents gave.


    Freedom is a double-edged sword. You can achieve great things with it, but if you aren¡¯t careful, it will


    consume you without you even realizing it.¡± She leaned closer and said, ¡°Do you masturbate?¡±


    Lisa was stunned. ¡°W-What?¡± Her little heart kept skipping. ¡°W-Why are you asking me this?¡±


    ¡°I used to do that when I was your age, but then I realized that it was a nasty habit and then cut it off


    early,¡± Reba said. ¡°Now I don¡¯t do that anymore. I don¡¯t even drink soft drinks, except once in a while


    during professional meetings. Like me, you should take control of your habits, or they will control you.


    Gain good habits and lose bad habits. Stop wasting too much time on your mobile and do something


    productive like learning a new skill or gaining knowledge by reading books like your grandma does, or


    anything that can help you stand on your own feet. Otherwise, you won¡¯t gain true respect from anyone,


    not even your own parents.¡±


    Lisa still looked embarrassed and a bit flustered. ¡°I understand, Aunt. I-I gotta go, but how will youe


    down?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve got Benjamin,¡± she said.


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Lisa then scurried downstairs.


    ¡°I hope she doesn¡¯t send my words out her other ear,¡± Reba told herself and then looked to her left


    where Benjamin was talking with Delle at the terrace. ¡°What¡¯s she doing up here?¡± As she was nearing,


    Delle walked off and went downstairs through a separate staircase built for workers. ¡°Reba?¡±


    Benjamin was surprised and d to see her. She looked so gorgeous in the early morning light. ¡°What¡¯s


    Delle doing here?¡± she asked. ¡°Ah, she was here before I came.¡± ¡°What were you talking about with


    her?¡±


    ¡°She was just asking me how to make good pizzas.¡±


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Reba didn¡¯t say anything. Having seen a lot of crazy, dark stuff in her house since when she was


    young, she didn¡¯t like what she just saw. ¡°Benjamin¡­¡± she looked straight into his eyes.¡± Don¡¯t get close


    to them. Nothing good wille out of it.¡±


    Benjamin was startled. Now he understood what she was talking about. He raised his hand and was


    about to put it on her shoulder, but then couldn¡¯t do it just yet. ¡°Reba, you are the only one in my


    heart. There was no one else before, and there will be no one else after.¡±


    She kept staring into his eyes, possibly hoping she would understand his intentions better. Anybody


    could spew empty words, but only few would back their words with actions. What type of man she was


    looking at? One who could lie with ease, one who would hate to lie?


    Benjamin smiled and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t this a wonderful morning? Look at those parrots. Aren¡¯t they cute?¡± He


    showed the colorful parrot couple sitting on the parapet talking peacefully. ¡°They look happy and content.


    And I wish¡­¡± he nced at her, ¡°the same for us.¡± His words brought up a wee smile on her face,


    but her eyes were still trying to get a measure of his heart.


    ¡°Now, if you excuse me¡­¡± he raised his left hand, making her wonder what he was up to. He


    151


    nted his head. She hesitated for a second and then reached out for his hand. He held her hand gently


    and walked. She walked with him, as he took her to the parrots. She thought they would fly away, but


    they sat there, unafraid. When they got close enough, both of the parrots began speaking in human


    speech, ¡°You are my first andst love, Reba.¡± Reba¡¯s expressionpletely changed. The


    parrots kept repeating the sentence like they werepeting with each other. She looked at Benjamin,


    with tears already rising up into her eyes. Benjamin began to speak to the parrots in theirnguage,


    telling them to stop, which pleasantly surprised her. The parrots were a little defiant and tried to pull


    some hairs from Benjamin¡¯s beard. He taught them a lesson by shutting their mouths with just fingers.


    They kept pping their wings, begging him to free them. He troubled them a little longer before letting


    them go, and they flew away to the guava tree in the garden¡­ Reba¡¯s heart felt strangely light for


    some reason. Coming to the rooftop even before the sun rays hit the roof meant that Benjamin wasn¡¯t


    here everyday for vitamin D, but having seen him talk to the winged guests, and noticed a tray nearby full


    of birdfeed and a bowl of water, she understood without her husband proving that his words probably


    held nothing but truth in them. Reba slightly pulled his hand to grab his attention: When he turned his


    head, she warmly smiled at him.¡±Benjamin¡­¡± she looked like she wanted to say something. He could


    feel it.


    ¡°Benj-fucking-min!¡± Elizabeth¡¯s voice reached them from below. She was shouting from the garden.


    ¡°What are you doing up there? My dad is calling for you. He needs to be massaged! After you are done


    with that, iron my clothes!!!


    Benjamin angrily smiled and replied, ¡°I heard you, Aunt. I¡¯ming.¡± Both Elizabeth and Reba were


    shocked by his response.

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66


    Elizabeth went to Rye¡¯s Pizzas in her G-ss benz car and eagerly waited for Benjamin. The workers


    were all excited to see his chubby yet appealing blonde. Even Christopher who was devastated and


    frustrated because he got demoted to assistant manager without even being told why now felt greatly


    attracted toward her.


    Was she the woman of his dreams? Probably.


    He kept tagging along shamelessly and asked more and more details about her.


    As time passed, Benjamin didn¡¯te. This already frustrated her enough, and when Christopher asked


    if she wanted to eat a pizza, she ended up pping and shutting him up. ¡°What makes you think you can


    talk to me so freely?¡± she coldly blurted at him. ¡°Stay at least six feet away from me, and speak only


    when it¡¯s necessary.¡± ¡°S-Sorry, ma¡¯am.¡± Christopher¡¯s face turned pale. Now that he was pped in front


    of a lot of workers, hepletely lost his face.


    He went and minded his business.


    Elizabeth roamed around, yelling at anyone who made the slightest mistake and mocking them for not


    even being able to do a simple job perfectly. As time passed, the workers kept murmuring about


    Elizabeth. They had already checked her details online and found out that she was rted to Selena. ¡°To


    think she¡¯s from the same family as Selena Sterling¡­ No wonder she doesn¡¯t even put Christopher in the


    eyes. She isn¡¯t even intimidated by hisrge physique.¡±


    ¡°They say the rich don¡¯t need character. Now I see why.¡±


    ¡°But check out her shoes. I bet they cost at least five grand. Why is a filthy rich woman like her working


    as a manager in this pizza hut?¡±


    ¡°No freaking idea.¡±


    ¡°Hey, doesn¡¯t Benjamin also live in the Sterling vi? I heard he works as a butler there.¡±


    ¡°Does he?¡±


    As they kept talking, Elizabeth came up to them and coldly red at them. ¡°You are paid to work with


    your hands, not with your mouths, understand?¡± ¡°S-Sorry, ma¡¯am.¡± They lowered their heads in shame.


    ¡°If I see unnecessary talking again, I¡¯ll make you guys buy pizzas with all of your monthly sries, and


    don¡¯t think I¡¯m joking.¡±


    They felt chills as they could feel her gaze piercing them even with their heads lowered.


    Elizabeth went to her desk and waited for Benjamin. ¡°Why isn¡¯t he here, yet? That useless trash dared to


    call me an aunt again.¡± She almost punched the desk in frustration. ¡°I guess the beating I gave himst


    time wasn¡¯t enough. This time, a simple beating wouldn¡¯t do. I will


    make him eat his own crap!¡± At that moment, one of the workers ended up crashing a whole box of fresh


    sauce and olive oil bottles, causing a lot of noise. The oil and sauce spilled and made a mess on the


    floor. Some ss pieces hit other workers and made them let go of the ingredients they were holding. In


    a matter of seconds, an entire section in the hut lookedpletely spoiled. Elizabeth was quick at yelling


    at that worker and taking her frustration on him. Just then, a health inspector entered the hut and noticed


    the mess. He didn¡¯t care for the reasons and inspected them some more like checking for the hygiene of


    the workers, the cleanliness of the food-prep surfaces, and if the pizzas were beingbeled correctly or


    not. In the end, he wasn¡¯t satisfied with what he saw.


    He not only fined them but assured Elizabeth that he would write a column about Rye¡¯s Pizzas in the


    uing weekly food journal. While the workers seemed worried, tense, and disappointed, Elizabeth


    didn¡¯t break a sweat. She only got this job to make Benjamin¡¯s life miserable, so if thispany got bad


    reviews, it would only benefit her as it would upset Benjamin.


    At Artur¡¯s mansion.


    Luther just ended a phone call. ¡°It¡¯s done, sir.¡±


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Mm,¡± Artur was sipping green tea.¡±Since Samael refused to sell hispany to us, it¡¯s only natural that


    we do our best to crush him, but we should do it in a way that he¡¯lle begging for us to buy his


    company at half the price I mentioned.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sir. Once we make some customers report a string of illnesses after eating their pizzas, and


    we nt enough evidence in their humble little huts. Our inspectors will close the business, and our


    judge andwyers will do the rest, dragging the case until Samael sheds tears of blood.¡± Meanwhile, at


    Sterling¡¯s vi.


    Since Benjamin didn¡¯t go to work, Elizabeth¡¯s parents kept him with them and made him do all kinds of


    work, from making him cook the food they wanted to taste to washing Nn¡¯s underwear. There were


    washing machine, but Nn wanted his filthy underwear washed by hands, giving the reason that the


    machines spoiled the cloth too quickly. Obeying every single one of theirmands wasn¡¯t easy, but he


    did his best and didn¡¯t give them a chance toin. Nevertheless, they didn¡¯t appreciate his hard


    work and always downyed his efforts. When they finally slept at about twelve in the afternoon,


    Benjamin hurriedly came back to his room, albeit not with empty hands. He brought carrot pudding with


    him. When he offered it to Reba, she was just mesmerized by how beautiful it looked. The cashews,


    raisins, grated carrots, andyers of prettified it to perfection. The smell of cardamom just stirred her


    nose, and she felt like tasting it before he even asked her. ¡°W-What is this?¡±


    ¡°Carrot pudding. Try it,¡± he said with a smile.


    She took a spoonful and put it in her mouth. The carrots, contrary to her expectations,


    smoothly slipped down her tongue, and the nuts added texture, and theyers of butter and sugar added


    depth to its taste. This was probably the sweetest cooked thing she ever ate. Her eyes were full of


    delight. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± She said it, and then suddenly realized that she ended up speaking her mind


    before she could stop herself. She looked at him with a little fluster growing on her face, for this was


    probably the first time she gave a positive remark regarding his food.


    Benjamin, however, just had the same smile as before she tasted the pudding. It was as though he


    always knew she liked his food, whether she admitted it or not. This made her feel all the more


    embarrassed.


    Meanwhile, Selena came up to the rooftop. She went to the terrace and noticed the tray on the floor, put


    in the shade of nts. It had some seeds, grains, and raw carrot pieces. She smirked. ¡°These shitty


    birds seem to love eating for free and living in this vi, just like you.¡± She poured wet and dirty food from


    a packet she picked up from the kitchen¡¯s dustbin. She then mixed the water in the bowl with dirt. She


    poured some strange liquid on the wet food and then left.


    Secondster, two parrots flew in and stopped on the terrace¡¯s ntation before jumping andnded


    next to the tray. There were some meat pieces in the wet food, and the parrots dly chomped on those.

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67


    On the first day after Benjamin quit the job, he did a lot of things that made him feel happy more than


    proud. Firstly, he had made a carrot pudding, one good enough to make his wifepliment him for the


    first time. And he expressed his love for her not just through words but also by focusing on her little


    needs and wants.


    At the end of the day, Reba felt like she really was treated like a queen. But it was at night, something


    much more memorable happened for her. She was tying up a bandage around her ankle to keep it firm,


    and she was doing it clumsily. Benjamin took it upon himself and tied a beautiful-looking knot that almost


    impressed her. But that wasn¡¯t all. He suggested she could also add knots to her designs to give them a


    unique feel, and he showed her very many wonderful designs with a rope and a scarf. Thanks to him,


    Reba learned a lot in one night. She was a bit overwhelmed even, so she asked him to help her


    practice these knots for a few days, until her brain got used to making them. The only troubling situation


    Benjamin encountered was at the dining table at night. Elizabeth was around, and she made sure the


    new maid put minced meat pieces on Reba¡¯s te whereas only bones on Benjamin¡¯s te.


    Elizabeth wanted to ask Benjamin why he didn¡¯t show up at job, but she didn¡¯t want Reba to know


    she began working at Rye¡¯s Pizzas which she used to mock all the time, calling it not even a job. Even


    though Benjamin didn¡¯t show up, Elizabeth vented her anger on the staff by firing three people for


    making the slightest mistakes that ticked her off. Still and all, the worker who dropped a tray of sauce


    bottles wasn¡¯t among them. Even though Benjamin was being poorly treated by Elizabeth, Reba


    couldn¡¯t stand up for him. She had never been an emotional support for him, and she was still not ready


    to show public support for him in the Sterling vi, and she felt bad about it. Nevertheless, Reba slept


    peacefully that night, thanks to all the good memories she made that day.


    Benjamin couldn¡¯t control himself from nting a little kiss on her cheek after she slept. And then he


    went to his bed and slept.


    The next morning.


    Benjamin woke up early as usual. He didn¡¯t go to the rooftop first and instead went to the garden and


    brought a few flowers and put them next to Reba¡¯s bed, hoping she¡¯d see them and feel pleasant


    right after waking up. He then went upstairs to the rooftop to do his usual morning routine, and there


    were two maids scissoring themselves by the terrace, shocking him. The seed packet in his hands fell.


    The noise seemingly startled the maids, and they hurriedly covered themselves and ran downstairs.


    Even though the maids left their naked images kept ying in his mind, which irritated him. He picked up


    the seeds packet and went to the terrace, only to see that the tray looking dirty


    with wet food, and the water bowl had some dirt that settled at the bottom. ¡°What the¡­¡± he tossed the


    waste in the dustbin and cleaned the tray and bowl, put seeds and water in them.


    He whistled and waited, but the birds didn¡¯te. He kept whistling for a little while, but there was no


    change. ¡°Did they go somewhere?¡± He wondered.


    Meanwhile at Selena¡¯s room. There were two maids who received some cash from her. ¡°You two did a


    good job,¡± Selena said, smiling.


    ¡°But do you think it¡¯ll work, ma¡¯am?¡± one of the two maids, Kathy¡¯s cousin, asked. ¡°I mean, didn¡¯t Kathy


    already try and fail?¡±


    ¡°She did, but she didn¡¯t really use all her weapons,¡± Selena reminded. ¡°So, you two, from here on out,


    just try to keep revealing more and more skin in front of him but without him doubting.¡± She remembered


    how Jacob first fell for Sheron, Devon¡¯s wife, even though sheron was many years older. It only takes


    one nce at a woman¡¯s nakedness for a man¡¯smonsense to wane. Just fill his eyes with your


    naked wealth, and it¡¯ll drive him mad soon, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    At the same time, Veronica woke up early and came out of her room with a water bottle in her hand.


    As she was drinking, she noticed Benjamin climbing down the stairs. (This guy¡­ he sleepste and yet


    wakes up early every day. How does he do that?) She walked over to him, wanting to tell him to bring a


    lot of pizzas home for free as her friends wereing over. ¡°Hey, you.¡±


    Benjamin stopped and looked at her and seemed shocked because her shorts were a little too small, and


    her shirt was also so small, he could almost see her underbood, meaning she wasn¡¯t even wearing a bra.


    ¡°W-What¡¯s with your dress?¡± he looked away. ¡°Can¡¯t you dress modestly for one day?¡±


    She immediately grew angry and immediately tossed the water in his face. ¡°I¡¯ll dress however I want!


    Who are you to tell me?¡±


    He wiped the water off his face and looked at her and said, ¡°I¡¯m your brother-inw.¡±


    ¡°Huh, look at you,¡± Veronica smirked. ¡°You don¡¯t even know how to appreciate fashion, yet you married a


    fashion designer.¡±


    ¡°You call showing your butt through the shorts as fashion?¡± Benjamin asked back.


    ¡°That¡¯s the trend these days, and clearly, you are too retarded to see it, the cultural progress.¡± ¡°Not really.


    I can see clear enough to tell that the line between shorts and panties has been thinning down as the


    world is progressing,¡± he said. ¡°Next what? You cover your privates with fig leaves and call it progress?¡±


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Veronica went for a quick p in the face, but Benjamin caught her arm effortlessly, which quite


    surprised her. His gaze turned from soft to real sharp.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me hurt you, sister-inw,¡± he said.


    Her heart shook as his words didn¡¯t just reach her ears but flooded a sense of fear throughout her body.


    She found herself standing frozen even after he let go of her hand and turned around and walked away.

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68


    Benjamin massaged Nn again this morning. Nnined everytime Benjamin made the slightest


    of sudden movements. Benjamin was growing tired of his remarks, and his patient was really being


    tested today.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t even know how to massage using your hands, how are you ever going to please a woman


    fully?¡± Nn raised a valid question, though only in his perspective. ¡°You have to massage in a way they


    will want to be touched more. They should beg with their eyes to keep your hands running all over them.


    They should ask you to press you everywhere.¡± He nced over his shoulder. ¡°Why are you pressing


    like ady? Press harder with your fingers.¡± Saying that he looked forward again and kept talking.


    ¡°Massaging is an art. It¡¯s not for the likes of you who can¡¯t-¡±


    With his thumbs, Benjamin suddenly poked Nn¡¯s spine a bit hard, causing a cracking noise.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Nn froze for a second. He couldn¡¯t move. ¡°W-What did you do?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no,¡± Benjamin acted innocent. ¡°I think I heard something pop. Mr. Nn, are you alright?¡±


    Nn tried to move, and it hurt. He couldn¡¯t move his back even a little bit. He sat there like a statue on


    his bed. ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Everytime he moved, he cringed in pain, though it wasn¡¯t severe enough to make


    him scream. ¡°You idiot! You pressed too hard. I think my back broke. Call the doctor immediately. I don¡¯t


    want to be walking the rest of my life looking at the ground!¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, yes, I¡¯ll call him right away,¡± Benjamin said and left the room.


    Seconds passed, but there was no sign of Benjamin. He called out for him, but there was no response.


    ¡°Did he just leave me here?¡± Nn ground his teeth. ¡°You little bastard¡­ at least he called the doctor,


    right?¡± he looked around. ¡°Where¡¯s my mobile? Where are my sses?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Benjamin returned to his room and looked amused. ¡°Now I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll ask me to massage him ever


    again.¡±


    ¡°Did something happen?¡± asked Reba, having just brushed her teeth ande out of the bathroom,


    wearing shorts that came just up to her knees. She noticed Benjamin look at her once, and then steal a


    nce at her legs, which brought up a little smile that brightened up her whole face. Her legs were still


    wet, so she rubbed them with a towel. ¡°Benjamin, I asked you if


    something happened.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Benjamin replied. ¡°No, I mean, nothing worth mentioning. By the way, should I teach you how to


    do the knots?¡± ¡°Not now. I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s have breakfast, shall we?¡±


    ¡°With pleasure.¡±


    As they wereing out, she said, ¡°You said you don¡¯t know how to y golf, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯ll teach you


    once I¡¯m fully healed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to that day,¡± Benjamin said, already imagining Reba standing behind him and


    holding his hands to show him how to strike. As he came downstairs with his wife for breakfast, there


    were two maids serving at the dining table. These were Amber and Ashley, the same two maids he had


    seen scissoring their pussies on the rooftop that morning.


    Amber, Kathy¡¯s cousin, was a golden blonde with a lean physique but a beautiful face and always had


    this subtly seductive look in her eyes. She was one of the maids Benjamin she rarely ever talked to


    because a need never arose. As for Ashley, she was the new maid whom he would find staring at him


    almost every time they were around. She just spelled trouble for him, as he had this feeling that she


    would eat him away if he were to give his consent, so he always maintained his distance. While Ashley¡¯s


    face wasn¡¯t that attractive, she¡¯s got the curves any man would find trouble to look away from.


    And the first few words that came out of Ashley¡¯s mouth was, ¡®let me serve you,¡¯ as she helped both


    Reba and Benjamin sit so it wouldn¡¯t be easy to doubt. As they ate breakfast, Benjamin could see


    Ashley¡¯s cleavage as she was cleaning the other side of the table. And she irregrly looked at him,


    making him wonder if she wanted to talk with him about what happened in the morning Reba was


    always looking at Benjamin, so she noticed him looking at Ashley. While he wasn¡¯t watching her with lust,


    Reba didn¡¯t like it. ¡°What¡¯s with your dress?¡± she calmly spoke in a rather sharp tone while peering at


    Ashley. ¡°Are you trying to seduce my husband?¡± ¡°W-What?¡± Ashley was shocked, and so was Benjamin.


    ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t doing anything like that, ma¡¯ma?¡±


    ¡°Then why are your boobs almost spilling out of your dress?¡± Reba gaze sharpened. ¡°Do you take me


    for a fool? Go and get dressed appropriately!¡± ¡°Y-Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Ashley hurriedly left.


    Reba then briefly nced at Amber who was wearing the regr maid¡¯s outfit that covered most of


    her skin.


    Benjamin stayed silent, but his heart was fluttering. Did his wife just fight a maid for him? He dreamed


    many times for this to happen, though not for this type of reason. Nevertheless, he looked at her with


    bright eyes. However, she didn¡¯t seem too pleased with him, making him wonder what went wrong.


    Secondster, his eyes slowly widened. Did she think I was looking at Ashley? He wanted to exin


    himself, but that might make him look bad in her opinion, so he just stayed calm. What happened has


    happened. He just wanted to make sure something like this never happened again. After the breakfast,


    Benjamin was about to give his hand to help Reba climb the stairs, but she refused to hold his hand.


    She didn¡¯t ask for Amber¡¯s help, either. She just grabbed the handrail and climbed the stairs by herself,


    albeit with great effort.


    Benjamin¡¯s heart started hurting all of a sudden. He wore this helpless look. He wanted to help


    UMAPIER


    her, but he couldn¡¯t.


    Selena who was watching from the first floor was smiling. Things didn¡¯t turn out as she wanted yet, but


    this wasn¡¯t bad, either. She quickly came to her daughter and helped her climb the stairs and at the same


    time scolded Benjamin, saying, ¡®Why is the only son-inw of our family so useless? He can¡¯t even help


    his wife when she needs him.¡±

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69


    CHAPTER 69 Selena apanied Reba to her room and went a step further to talk to her in private


    in the room.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look happy, Reba,¡± she said. ¡°And that¡¯s a clear sign that this marriage isn¡¯t working. It


    never has. You guys never spent quality time together, so obviously, he doesn¡¯t really try to help you


    when you¡¯re in need. That¡¯s the kind of husband you¡¯ve chosen.¡±


    ¡°Mom, can you please leave me alone?¡± Reba said.


    ¡°Fine, but take a good rest and think. Use this time toe to a decision,¡± Selena said and walked out.


    Benjamin was outside, looking unhappy and tense. She tried to start a conversation, but he ignored her


    and walked past her. She didn¡¯t mind that, though, as she knew he probably was thinking of giving some


    exnation to staring at another female¡¯s breasts.


    Benjamin came and hesitantly stood next to Reba¡¯s bed. She sat with her back against the


    headboard, but she wasn¡¯t even looking at him.


    ¡°Reba¡­¡± he tried to talk


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk,¡± she said, rather softly yet bluntly.


    Benjamin, however, wanted to rify things now that she seemed quite upset. ¡°This isn¡¯t me giving


    excuses, but there¡¯s nothing between me and that maid. I did look at her cleavage once, but that¡¯s all


    there was to it. Nothing more.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you expect me to believe that, right?¡± she talked back fast. ¡°I do, so you can go now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth.¡± Reba just shook her head. ¡°You know, every time you fight Veronica for


    wearing tight and exposing dresses, I thought you were different, but you¡¯re the same. You can¡¯t help but


    look when some skin is shown.¡±


    ¡°Mmch,¡± Benjamin didn¡¯t know how to exin to her. He raised both of his hands. ¡°I¡­.¡± He brought his


    hands down, his lips pressing against each other hard. ¡°I think it¡¯s better I talk to you after you calm down


    a little. I¡¯ll be outside, so call me if you need anything.¡± Saying that he left.


    Reba¡¯s heart was growing heavier. Just when she was beginning to open up to him, he began looking


    at other women. Now, she started to wonder if Delle and Benjamin had met coincidentally on the rooftop


    or if there was some other reason.


    ¡°Does he see me any different than the maids?¡±


    All these thoughts only burdened her heart some more. Faint stress marks fought for ces on her


    forehead. Her eyes turned wet, but she didn¡¯t cry or even blink. Her mother¡¯s words came to her mind.


    Like Selena said, she could still choose to divorce Benjamin and marry some rich man with no problem


    as she and Benjamin didn¡¯t have any kids together. There would be no issues whatsoever. However,


    what Reba couldn¡¯t say for sure


    was that even if she finds some other man, what was the guarantee that he wouldn¡¯t look at other


    women?


    Just looking itself wasn¡¯t the issues as it was only natural for someone to look at the opposite sex,


    especially if they were good-looking. It was a typical human instinct.


    After giving herself this sort of reasoning, she remembered that Benjamin wasn¡¯t looking lustfully at


    Ashley. She knew very well how a man with lust would look, for she had seen his father look at new


    maids so lustfully, she was terrified of the expression he would make those times. It felt like he would do


    anything to make that maide into his bed, even if it required him topletely disregard his own


    family.


    Benjamin¡¯s eyes were like her father¡¯s. They were nowhere near close, at least for now. So, she thought


    she should go and talk to Benjamin and discuss these things. ¡°Mom was right. We never spent quality


    time together. That¡¯s why I got angry at him so easily.¡± She got off the bed and walked out with the help


    of the walking stick. However, Benjamin was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Mm? Where did he go? He said he


    would be here¡­¡± her heart suddenly skipped at the thought of him going after a maid. She sat on the


    handrail and came downstairs by sliding on it and at the end managed to slow herself down by bringing


    her leg over the railing and thus increasing the friction. She used to do that when she was young, but


    even after many years of gap, she was able to pull it off almost perfectly. However, she wasn¡¯t in the


    mood to feel happy about it. She kept looking for Benjamin and couldn¡¯t find him in the kitchen or the


    dorms. She went to the backyard where Johnny was watering the nts. ¡°Hey, did you see Benjamin?¡±


    she asked. ¡°Y-Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Johnny lowered himself and was overly polite. ¡°I saw him take the kids to


    school.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Reba suddenly felt relieved. She totally forgot that Benjamin needed to drop the kids at


    school.


    ¡°Why, ma¡¯am? Is there anything you need help with?¡± ¡°No, nothing.¡± She turned and walked away.


    Johnny kept staring at her legs and licked his lips and murmured to himself. ¡°What a waste. All that


    beauty, and no one gets to taste it. If I was Benjamin, I would at least sneak into her bed at night and lick


    her legs clean, keke.¡± Something fell on his shoulder. ¡°Mm?¡± he nced to his right, and the smell of


    fresh bird crap entered his nose and warped his expression. He looked up at the sky, and there a parrot


    just flew past him. ¡°You damned bird!¡± He looked for a stone and threw it as fast as he could, but it


    missed the target. This wasn¡¯t the first time the parrots crapped on him, so he felt really angry now.


    ¡°When I catch you two, I¡¯ll make bird soup and eat you together, I swear!¡±


    Meanwhile, Benjamin just dropped the kids at school, all except Lisa who was still in the car.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you getting out?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Because I want you to do me a favor,¡± she said, taking out the tinum card. ¡°Buy me a bugatti with


    this¡­ in your name, of course. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll tell Aunt Reba that you haveThis text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    some kind of crush on me.¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s expression stiffed. ¡°What?¡± Seeing the clear nasty smile blooming on her face, he felt like


    grabbing her little neck and choking her to death.

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70


    ¡°Kids can be really mean and even unknowingly wicked sometimes¡­¡± Benjamin was speaking through


    his mobile as he drove on a highway.


    ¡°I get that you agreed to buy her a car, but you at least warned her to never y games with you, right?¡±


    Alfred spoke from the other side. ¡°I told her if she threatens me again, I¡¯ll go straight to her principal and


    ask him to give her an F-grade in all of her subjects, and she shivered when I said that, so I don¡¯t think


    she¡¯ll try to use me like this again.¡±


    ¡°Mm, but when are you going to take your card into your hands, Master?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± replied


    Benjamin. He was never intending to take that card anyway. He only wanted to take it from Lisa and then


    break it, but now, he wasn¡¯t in a position to do that, or Lisa could mess everything up. After what


    happened during the breakfast, thest thing he wanted was for Lisa to approach his wife and tell her he


    had a crush on Lisa who was still a minor and over ten years younger. Moreover, Lisa was his niece.


    Without a doubt, Reba would divorce him, he thought. ¡°Alfred, can you freeze that ount for me?¡±


    Alfred didn¡¯t reply, but Benjamin heard a faint chucklee from the other side. Benjamin could only


    purse his lips. (This guy¡­ is heughing at my situation?) ¡°Alfred, you brought the card into the vi and


    caused this mess, so take some responsibility.¡± ¡°I will if you are willing to hold the card, Master. Your


    father agrees with me on this, too. He doesn¡¯t want his son to struggle both mentally and physically.¡±


    ¡°I felt stressed for a few weeks after I ran away, but I¡¯m not mentally stressed about the past anymore.


    I¡¯ve moved on and married a woman, too. She¡¯s my world now, but of course, I would love to bring her


    home and introduce her to everyone if she¡¯s willing.¡±


    ¡°And how long will that take, Master?¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t take long if you can freeze that card, I tell you.¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s not happening, so stop asking


    about that.¡± Benjamin cut the call even though Alfred was saying something.


    ¡°If the card goes missing, she may doubt that I stole it,¡± Benjamin thought. ¡°How can I get both the card


    and also convince her that I¡¯m clean and never had a crush on her? She doesn¡¯t even listen to half the


    things I say. It¡¯s not going to be easy. That much I can tell.¡±


    He exhaled audibly through his nose and checked his hair with his fingers. ¡°I wonder if I have aged a little


    in these months I¡¯ve been at the vi. The Sterlings sure are good at putting stress, but I can¡¯t let them


    turn my hair gray. My priority is to win over my wife¡¯s heart, but this selfish mother-inw is so cunning,


    and I¡¯m worried that I¡¯ll lose myself and hit her one of these days, and she¡¯ll die from shame.¡±


    ¡°s! It¡¯s a pain in the ass if I don¡¯t fight, and a bigger pain if I fight.¡±


    He could only shake his head.


    Soon, he arrived at the Rye¡¯s Pizzas, and only after getting out of the car, he realized that he had quit the


    job. ¡°Ah, crap. I drove to this ce out of habit. Should I just greet some of my friends for onest time? I


    sent the application to Christopher, but they might not know that I


    quit.¡±


    As he was about to enter, he noticed Elizabeth sitting at the manager¡¯s desk. His eyes almost popped


    out of the sockets, and he immediately turned the other way and walked.


    ¡°Benjamin?¡± just then, Christopher said his name aloud and walked out of the hut.


    Benjamin had to stop and turn around.


    ¡°It¡¯s you indeed,¡± Christopher was smiling, and his cheeks were red. ¡°You arete as usual.¡± ¡°Hmph, I


    quit, remember?¡± ¡°What quitting?¡± Christopher came closer and said, ¡°Your resignation was torn into


    pieces by the new manager.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°She said you were a butler at her vi, and so she¡¯ll decide things after discussing with you.¡±


    Benjamin was startled. So, Elizabeth was really the new manager then? She was telling him the truth?


    ¡°Wait, if she¡¯s the new manager, then what about you?¡± he looked at Christopher from top to bottom.¡±Is it


    my imagination, or did you lose a couple of pounds?¡± Christopher was almost in tears as he covered his


    red cheeks. ¡°The new manager is crazy. She pped me eighteen times yesterday. I didn¡¯t eat anything


    yesterday. I wanted to quit the job, but she threatened to file a policeint that I harassed her at


    work. She looks so attractive, but her heart is wicked. She¡¯s really the devil incarnate!¡±


    Benjamin patted his shoulder. ¡°I feel you, bro. She hit me, too.¡± ¡°She did?¡±


    ¡°Multiple times already,¡± Benjamin¡¯s mouth turned down as he remembered those times.¡± I¡¯ve never let


    anyone in my life hit me like that, you know.¡±


    Christopher could rte himself with Benjamin, and likewise. Probably for the first time, both of them


    pitied each other.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Elizabeth entered the scene and gently put her hand on Christopher¡¯s back, sending a shiver up his


    spine. ¡°Assistant manager, why don¡¯t you go to work so I can talk with my butler?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Christopher hurried in without looking back.


    Elizabeth and Benjamin were staring at one another without blinking. She smiled, but he didn¡¯t.


    ¡°I¡¯ve checked your application form from back when you joined for this job,¡± she said, ¡°and your name


    written there is somewhat different from the name you go around telling everyone. What¡¯s going on there,


    huh?¡± her smile turned into somewhat of an evil grin. ¡°It¡¯s kinda sketchy. I wonder how Reba will react


    once she knows that her husband is a fraudster who goes around getting jobs with fake resumes.¡±


    Benjamin looked calm, but his heart kept skipping like a tense little rabbit bound in a cage.

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71


    I know Reba better than you know,¡± said Elizabeth, still putting on a gentle yet scary smile that made


    well use of her brows to convey her hidden feelings. ¡°She hates liars. Maybe¡¯ despise¡¯ is a more


    appropriate word. Once I tell her how much of a fraudster you¡¯re, that your whole career and living is


    based on a lie, she will never trust you a word you say ever again. That¡¯s the kind of girl she is.¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s heart pounded against his chest so hard he couldn¡¯t clearly hear her voice. ¡°What do you


    want?¡±


    ¡°Fufu, what do I want?¡± Elizabeth seemed amused. ¡°What would I want from a guy who doesn¡¯t shave


    his beard or evenb his hair? I¡¯m starting to wonder if you¡¯re hiding yourself from someone, which is


    why you¡¯re not willing to shave yourself. This long hair also covers your face well. So firstly, why don¡¯t we


    get you a neat haircut and shave in the saloon I choose. I¡¯ll also get my hair styling done, but we¡¯ll be


    using your money of course.¡± Benjamin clenched his fists so hard his nails drew blood from his palms.


    The veins in his arms bulged and became so clear even Elizabeth noticed the change. However, she just


    smiled in return. ¡°Why so angry? I haven¡¯t even started having fun yet,¡± she tried to pinch his cheek, but


    he pushed her hand away. ¡°Haha, would you look at that?¡±. ¡°You better not touch me,¡± Benjamin coldly


    red at her, ¡°or I will lose control.¡±


    Elizabeth¡¯s pulse spiked for a second as she took his words the wrong way. ¡°You think I like touching a


    filthy bastard like you?¡± the stronger the man the more she wanted to manipte and keep him under


    her control. It worked with Shawn, and he would give her money and as much freedom as she wanted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t overestimate yourself. You¡¯re worth less than my shoes and will always be.¡± She poked him in the


    chest roughly. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that.¡±


    Benjamin was so angry he could have burst a blood vessel. Even counting from 0 to 10, no, o to 100


    wouldn¡¯t help quell this type of anger built up from frustration boiling for a while.


    Elizabeth could feel a wave of heating from him. ¡°My, my, you¡¯re too hot really.¡± She purposely used


    the words that could be taken both ways, just to taunt him some more, and then she chuckled to the


    point her chubby cheeks turned slightly red. Benjamin was on his toes, feeling shaky from the seething


    fury in his heart. He raised his hand fast, to which Elizabeth¡¯s eyes widened in response.


    A car horn honked a few times.


    Benjamin¡¯s hand never reached Elizabeth, but he looked toward the car that just arrived. It was Jane and


    Donovan.


    ¡°We¡¯re having Donovan¡¯s birthday party at my home tonight,¡± Jane yelled from inside the ck


    Mercedes. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare forget toe with Reba, or I¡¯ll cut all ties with you two!¡± Then car wheels


    started to turn, but then stopped. Jane poked her head out and noticed Elizabeth. ¡°Wait¡­¡± She pulled


    her sunsses down. ¡°Aren¡¯t you¡­¡±


    Elizabeth¡¯s heart jumped into her throat at once. Why was this shameless tomboyish friend of Reba


    had to show up now of all times? Out of tension, she couldn¡¯t even think clearly to respond.


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s my sister-inw,¡± Benjamin said. ¡°She¡¯s here for buying pizzas.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, she¡¯s Elizabeth Sterling, isn¡¯t she?¡± Jane said. ¡°You cane to the party, too, if you want,


    aunty.¡±


    Jane said and didn¡¯t wait for an answer, showing that she was quite busy. She didn¡¯t like calling on


    mobile, so personally visited everyone of her friends. As the Mercedes slipped out of their sight, anger


    immobilized Elizabeth. Being called an aunt by Jane, and in front of Benjamin of all people, she couldn¡¯t


    look him in the eye right now. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, she just stood like a fool and let him cover for her.


    The shame she experienced right now was indescribable. She had a nk face at the top but


    underneath was a ze ready to consume anyone. She turned toward the pizza hut and strode forth in


    quick, steady steps. ¡°Come inside. I¡¯ll deal with youter.¡±


    Benjamin briefly looked at his hand. ¡°I would have hit her had Jane didn¡¯te in time.¡± What would


    have transpired had he ended up hitting Elizabeth? He didn¡¯t even want to guess.¡° I thought I got better


    at controlling my anger better after living in the Sterling vi for so long, but I almost lost myself. I¡¯m sure


    she noticed me raising my hand¡­ his heart pounded in strange rhythms as he couldn¡¯t decide whether


    to enter the pizza hut or to just leave and face whatever that maye. He stood there for a while.


    ¡°I already told Reba I quit the job,¡± he thought. ¡°If I¡¯m seen working here now, what will she think of


    me?¡±


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    After some thinking, he entered the pizza hut and came up to Christopher and asked for his mobile. ¡°W-


    Why do you want my mobile?¡± Christopher vehemently shook his head, ready to push Benjamin away if


    needed. ¡°Don¡¯t you have yours?¡±


    ¡°I do, but I need yours.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Tsk,¡± Benjamin leaned closer and whispered in a rough tone, ¡°I know you watch kinky stuff on your


    mobile during work. Half the staff knows, so stop shitting your pants.¡±


    Christopher¡¯s face warped with shame, and he couldn¡¯t fight back as Benjamin plucked the mobile out


    the waist bag. Christopher was obese, so preferred putting the mobile in a waist bag instead of putting


    them in his pockets. ¡°Put on earphones before you do anything,¡± Christopher suggested. Benjamin shook


    his head and left for business. As Christopher wondered what Benjamin was up to, he saw Benjamin


    recording with his mobile. And he was recording Elizabeth from a distance as she walked around and


    interacted with the workers and intimidated them with her loud and harsh voice.


    TER17


    ¡°What the hell is he doing?¡± Christopher could only wonder as well as feel tensed. ¡°If she sees him, she¡¯ll


    p him twenty times!¡±


    Benjamin finished the recording, and forwarded the video to his personal email. Only then, his heart


    began feeling better. He then slowly walked up to Elizabeth and said, ¡°Aunt Elizabeth.¡± Those two words


    erged her eyes and made her immediately turn toward him. ¡°Say cheese,¡± he said and grinned. The


    sh of the mobile turned on and took a fine picture..

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72


    Benjamin came home calm as though he had just gone for a walk outside and nothing out of the ordinary


    happened.


    Secondster, Elizabeth also came home, and she looked a little frustrated because Benjamin


    threatened her he would leak the video and image to her family and friends if she were to say anything


    about his real name to anyone.


    Elizabeth was someone who visited rich parties every week. If her friends were to see her working in a


    pizza hut, they would have something they could always mock her with. Many others might take it


    differently as well. How could someone like her who changed clothes every week and shoes every other


    week work as a manager at a pizza store? The pitiful and doubtful gazes they would spare for her would


    be shameful, to say the least. Elizabeth didn¡¯t want to go through such a humiliating experience.


    Moreover, she had repeatedly mocked Benjamin for working at Rye¡¯s Pizzas in front of the Sterling family


    members. If they were to know that she was working there as a manager, what would they think of her?


    What would her children think of her? Lisa might not say anything, but Rosha would call her a joke. That


    was the kind of son he was. He would listen to her when needed but would also argue with her all the


    time if she asked him to do anything he didn¡¯t like.


    Her stomach burned so hard her breath smelled like acid. ¡°No matter what, I must delete that video! I


    should immediately hire a hacker,¡± she thought and already began to make the necessary calls. After


    entering the vi, she noticed Benjamin climbing up the stairs. ¡°Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t notice you raised your


    hand and almost hit me. That¡¯s something I can¡¯t overlook.¡± He looked at her mobile call log and dialed


    her husband. While she may not be able to directly hurt Benjamin now, Shawn surely could.


    After Shawn answered the call, she began speaking in a teary voice. ¡°Darling¡­¡± she went to tell a


    random story she had cooked up on the spot. By the end of it, Shawn assured he would deal with the


    source of her current trouble, which was none other than Benjamin. After the call ended, she snickered


    and wiped her fake tears off. ¡°Can¡¯t wait to see Shawn beat his ass.¡±


    Benjamin came to his room and hesitated before opening the door.


    Reba had just changed her dress. Benjamin stopped at the entrance and walked out immediately.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± He was about to close the door, but she told it was okay toe in ¡°You should have knocked at


    least,¡± she said, sounding just a little harsh in tone. She had worn a wonderful sparkling blue dress, but


    Benjamin couldn¡¯t look at her for long.


    He kept looking everywhere except at her as he said, ¡°Jane invited me for the birthday party.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± she said, sitting in front of the mirror and starting to put on make-up. He wondered why she


    wasn¡¯t asking if he coulde to the party with her. ¡°Uh, isn¡¯t the party at night? Why are you applying


    cream now?¡± It was still afternoon, so he asked a valid question. Reba, however, didn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°Is your ankle fine?¡± he asked. ¡°You think you can attend the party?¡± he didn¡¯t think it was a good idea to


    go to a crowded ce as she still couldn¡¯t stand properly for long. ¡°Jane is my best friend. If I can¡¯t even


    do this much for her, she¡¯ll be really disappointed in me,¡± replied Reba. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m going with


    Veronica, so you cane in another car.¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s heart slowed down pretty fast. ¡°O-Okay.¡± In the Sterling family, Veronica was always first


    when it came to wasting time at parties until Elizabeth joined the ranks.


    ¡°But are you sure you don¡¯t need my help when you get in and out of the car?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Thanks, but no. My sister can handle that much, I¡¯m sure.¡± Benjamin¡¯s shoulders slumped down a bit.


    He fell on the bed and made no sound anymore. About an hourter, Benjamin woke up. Reba was


    still in front of the mirror doing her hair and makeup, and he wasn¡¯t surprised. She was a perfectionist


    when it came to presenting herself, and he liked that passion of hers.


    Benjamin went for lunch and got stuck in the kitchen with Dorothy who kept trying to prove him she could


    make curries much tastier than he could. He said he would listen another time, but she stubbornly kept


    him there until evening. By the time he was out, Reba was already gone.


    He hurriedly bathed, applied some cream to his face and came to Reba¡¯s Porsche that was parked


    outside.


    Ashley came up to him to deliver a small package. She was covering her body properly now, but her


    gaze was still the same. Herrge eyes just needed to look at him to reveal all the hidden desires of her


    heart. She came a bit too close to give him the package, so Benjamin stepped back and snatched the


    package. She left while staring at him without blinking. She didn¡¯t smile at all, for she was like a dog in


    heat, and her priorities were dictated by the lusts of her flesh. The dark-skinned Ashley was indeed


    tempting, but Benjamin knew better, and so he didn¡¯t even spare her an additional nce this time.


    He opened the package, and there was a small invitation card for an auction. ¡°Oh, yeah, I almost forgot


    about this auction.¡± He tossed the box aside and slid the small fashionable card into his pocket. He was


    wearing a dull navy blue suit as he didn¡¯t want to stand out too much at the party, given his beard would


    attract a fair amount of attention by itself.


    As he started the car, Elizabeth stopped in front of the car and said, ¡°We areing, too.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯?¡± The back window was knocked, so he nced over his shoulder. Both Nn and Dorothy were


    standing outside, already yelling at him to open the door. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Benjamin briefly bit his lower lip before


    opening the doors. Elizabeth sat in the front row, whereas her parents sat in the back row.


    ¡°I thought I wouldn¡¯t walk for a month after what happened in the morning,¡± Nn said,¡± but luckily, it was


    the physician took care of it fast. Otherwise I would have missed a party.¡±


    ¡°What gift you prepared, mom?¡± Elizabeth asked her mother.


    WATER 72


    ¡°I¡¯m bringing home-made cooking with me,¡± Dorothy proudly said. ¡°The birthday boy and her girlfriend, I


    mean, his girlfriend will cry a river of joy after tasting my dishes!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯m sure they will,¡± Elizabeth seemed a little excited. There was a small gift box in herp.


    ¡°What about you, dad?¡± ¡°You told me he¡¯s a wrestler, so I bought him a pair of quality hand grippers.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really thoughtful of you, dad,¡± Elizabeth said and nced at Benjamin. ¡°What about you, driver?¡±


    The word ¡®driver¡¯ stung a thorn in Benjamin¡¯s heart, but he had a bigger worry. Hepletely forgot


    about taking a gift to the party. (How could I forget such an important thing? It¡¯s probably because


    Dorothy ate my brain in the kitchen! I don¡¯t have much time now. How am I supposed to buy a gift with


    these three in the car?) ¡°What¡¯s wrong, driver?¡± Elizabeth leaned forward a little so she could get a better


    look at his face. ¡°Don¡¯t tell you are not bringing a gift to the party? That¡¯s basic etiquette, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s heart rate spiked. ¡°W-Well¡­¡± He wanted to p his own two cheeks for putting himself in


    such a situation. ¡°My gift will show up during the party,¡± as Elizabeth kept staring, he ended up blurting


    what was on the top of his mind.


    ¡°Ho, it wille during the party, you say?¡± Elizabeth¡¯s stare tightened. ¡°Are you saying you are going to


    give a VIP gift? How can you afford that? Oh, wait, you might have asked Reba, right? I should have


    known, but since husbands don¡¯t usually take money from their wives, it didn¡¯t strike my mind quickly. My


    apologies.¡± ¡°Kmmpff,¡± Nn and Dorothy were holding themselves fromughing out loud. They loved it


    when their daughter roasted someone, especially if it was the one and only son-inw of the Sterling


    family because of whom they had to give up the thought of marrying their son to Reba. Benjamin¡¯s


    expression stiffened as his chest gained redness from rage throbbing in his heart.¡± Shall I start driving


    now, Aunt Elizabeth?¡± he asked without even looking at her. Nn¡¯s expression fell t whereas Dorothy


    looked like she had seen a ghost all of a sudden because this was their first time hearing Benjamin call


    Elizabeth an aunt. Elizabeth¡¯s face lost some color, but the ample amount of makeup covered it up. ¡°I¡¯ll


    take the silence as yes,¡± Benjamin squeezed the elerator with his foot. Like a bird flying down a slope


    with its belly almost kissing the ground, the red Porsche swooped down the stone pavement with a posh


    blend of swiftness and smoothness.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73


    Jane¡¯s apartment was a lone mountain, dwarfing the other rooftops in the neighborhood. Now it was fully


    covered in dazzling lights and caught everyone¡¯s attention. Jane¡¯s family had been living off like royals in


    this neighborhood from the rents alone.


    When regr cars arrived, Jane¡¯s parents didn¡¯t bother toe out to personally receive them. When


    the Porsche stopped outside, Jane¡¯s mother came to receive them. She put on quite a bit of gold and


    was all smiles as she received Elizabeth and others. She thought Benjamin was a driver, so she didn¡¯t


    even spare a nce at him and left.


    Elizabeth and her parents alsopletely ignored Benjamin after getting to the apartment, but they kept


    talking to almost everyone they thought were worth their time.


    Benjamin went to park the car in the parking space, but there was no room. He had to go to the nearest


    parkingne and park there. At the same time, another man was parking his car there. He saw Benjamin


    and immediately frowned in anger. This was the same officer who was at Oliver¡¯s ident scene. After


    getting knocked out cold by Benjamin, he felt too embarrassed to go after him, but now that Benjamin


    was right in front of his eyes, he couldn¡¯t just walk away. ¡°Hey, you!¡± he called out Benjamin as he walked


    toward him. Benjamin nced back and recognized this man immediately. He adjusted his shirt a little


    and started running ¡°Wait!¡± the officer chased him. ¡°You think you can outrun an officer?¡± he said almost


    arrogantly, but to his surprise, Benjamin¡¯s speed wasn¡¯t anything to slight at. The officer gave it his all,


    but he couldn¡¯t close the gap between him and his target.


    Benjamin made him run around a block until the officer grew tired and gave up. By the end of it, he was


    sweating crazily, with his lungs on fire. He hadn¡¯t run so hard in years. ¡°Dammit. Now that I¡¯m in myte


    thirties, my body isn¡¯t the same anymore.¡± After taking some rest and catching up his breath, he adjusted


    his tie. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t bete to the party.¡±


    He hurried to the apartment and got there in a couple of minutes. An olddy was sitting outside on the


    stairs, with a stick next to her. ¡°Isn¡¯t she Jane¡¯s grandma?¡± he approached her.¡± How are you doing,


    grandma?¡± he spoke loudly because he knew she had both seeing and hearing issues.


    ¡°Who are you, brat? Why are youing with empty hands?¡± she asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you bring any birthday


    gift for me?¡±


    The officer was startled. ¡°I-It¡¯s your birthday, today?¡±


    Benjamin just got there, but seeing the officer at the stairs, his heart jumped at once. ¡°Eek! What¡¯s this


    guy doing here?¡± he immediately moved out of the view.


    Time passed. Benjamin was grinding his teeth. ¡°How long is this bastard going to talk with that old


    woman? I want to get in, but with him around, I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°It is I and my husband who built this apartment forty years ago, with our sweat and blood,¡± the old


    woman exined, ¡°but no one cares about my birthday today.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring any gift as I didn¡¯t know, but¡­¡± the officer leaned in and kissed her on her cheek


    The old woman immediately pped him, shocking him to the core. ¡°How brazen the young ones have


    gotten these days!¡± she grabbed her walking stick and swung it around. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t leave even an old


    lady like me alone, would you? Where are you? Come and receive your punishment.¡±


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The officer had already rushed into the apartment and was rubbing his cheek. ¡°That damned old crone¡­


    she sure hit hard.¡±


    Benjamin, on the other hand,ughed so hard he spilled some saliva on the bushes. ¡°Guh, guh,¡± he even


    coughed a little. His cheeks turned somewhat red. ¡°Huh,¡± he took a deep breath. ¡°That was really funny.¡±


    He then approached the stairs where Jane¡¯s grandmother was still holding the stick and tapping the


    ground. Hearing footsteps, she frowned. ¡°You dared toe back again?¡± she waved it crazily. For an


    old woman in her eighties, she was quick, Benjamin thought while dodging her attacks easily. In a few


    seconds, she grew tired and stopped. Benjamin then casually walked past her and said, ¡°Happy birthday,


    ma¡¯am.¡± Her expression slowly but surely changed. She could tell that this voice was different from the


    officer who had kissed her only a minute ago. She felt somewhat surprised and good at the same time.


    ¡°W-Who is this?¡± she turned her head and looked behind, but Benjamin had already entered the


    apartment. And she wished she had the eyes so she could have seen this guest and taken good care of


    him. After entering the apartment, Benjamin¡¯s mood brightened up because of the flower decorations and


    the fragrances they gave. He can not only tell these flowers were fresh, but also that they were brought


    from the garden of the Sterling vi. He remembered Reba talking on the mobile about delivering


    flowers a few days back.


    ¡°Reba¡­ So you came early to design all this for your friend?¡± his heart melted from appreciation for


    his wife. ¡°I really misunderstood you. If I hade early, I would have helped with the decorations, too. I


    might have had enough time to buy a gift, too.¡±


    And Benjamin saw Jane and Reba talking with other guests together as if they both were the ones


    hosting the party, and Donovan, the birthday boy, was standing on the side, chatting with some kids.


    Reba didn¡¯t make many friends after college, and she would spend most of her free time with Jane.


    So seeing them be close and friendly, Benjamin felt happy for them. But soon, the apartment brought


    back some memories of the fateful night, when he and Reba came to this ce directly from the bar.


    She gave him directions to Jane¡¯s room on the top floor while he helped her walk and not fall. Along the


    way, she even vomited on his shirt, and it was not exactly a pleasant experience, but even when she was


    drunk, she apologized to him for spoiling his shirt and said she would buy him a new shirt. Her words


    made him smile back then.


    He looked a bit drunk himself. And he was only nning to drop her in Jane¡¯s room and leave. He put


    her down on the bed and washed his shirt and his face. He was walking out, but he


    noticed that she still had her sandals on. He came to take her sandals off, and he did. He noticed that


    there was an almost crescent moon shaped mole on the sole of her left foot. He had a simr mole on


    his right foot, which he thought was oddly coincident.


    When he tried to cover her in a nket, she caught his hand and murmured, ¡°Please, don¡¯t go.¡± Her eyes


    were closed, and she probably didn¡¯t know what she was saying, but those three words made him sit on


    the bed while she kept holding his hand.


    Coming back to the present.


    Benjamin¡¯s mind was still fuzzy. ¡°I sat there, and I don¡¯t know when, but I fell asleep. And then the next


    thing I remember, her screaming woke me up the next morning. And we were both naked.¡± He touched


    his forehead in shame. ¡°How can you forget the most important part, Benjamin? You are just a careless


    piece of shit.¡±


    He then emotionally looked at his wife who was all smiles andughs as she conversed with the guests.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t this ce remind her of that night? Not even a bit?¡± his heart sank down.

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74


    Jane¡¯s dad was talking with Jacob. ¡°When the movies be a blockbuster, you are going to be a


    billionaire. Don¡¯t forget us then, okay?¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯ve invested in the movies, too, so you¡¯re going to rise


    along with me,¡± Jacob said. ¡°Besides, you¡¯re my friend. How can I forget you?¡±


    Veronica came over and hugged her dad. ¡°Where did you go all these days, dad? I really missed


    you.¡±


    ¡°I was busy with the post-production. You could have called me if you missed me.¡± ¡°I tried, but your line


    was always busy.¡± ¡°Stop lying.¡± ¡°No!¡± Veronica pinched his arm. ¡°I really tried!¡± ¡°Ouch,¡± Jacob started


    rubbing his arm. ¡°I totally believe that you tried.¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Veronica snorted and looked at Jane¡¯s father who had little to no hair on his head.¡± So, uncle,


    how are you going to control your son-inw if he¡¯s that big?¡±


    ¡°Haha,¡± he chortled. ¡°I¡¯ll let my daughter worry about that.¡±


    ¡°Talking about son-inws¡­¡± Veronica noticed Benjamin. He told a female waiter and give their tray to


    Benjamin after she told her Benjamin was a butler, and he would dly help. When the female waiter


    came and asked him to serve drinks and biscuits to others, Benjamin didn¡¯t refuse. Instead of standing


    and talking to no one, doing something like this was better, he thought. Moreover, he was excited about


    taking drinks to Reba and wondered how she would react.


    Meanwhile, the kids kept asking Donovan to open the gifts. He told them it wouldn¡¯t be polite to open the


    gift packages in front of everyone, but they kept demanding him. These were the kids of the parents that


    lived in the vi, and they were all fans of Donovan the wrestler, so he found it really hard to deal with the


    situation.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just open the gift packages,¡± Elizabeth entered the scene. ¡°It¡¯s not a wedding but a birthday, so I


    don¡¯t see the need to be so sensitive.¡±


    Donovan looked at Jane who shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s do it then.¡±


    All the children jumped in joy.


    ¡°How about each of you open it one by one?¡± Donovan suggested to the children, making them jump


    even higher than before. They all ran over to the pile of gift packages lying at a corner. Donovan rushed


    along and told them they should open it one by one.


    Reba came to Jane with the help of a walking stick and hastily said, ¡°Why did you agree? I don¡¯t think


    this is a good idea. Gifts aren¡¯t supposed to be opened like this in public.¡±


    ¡°Why not? I think it¡¯s exciting,¡± she put her arm around Reba. ¡°Let me see what gift you sent, okay?¡±


    Reba slightly shook her head. Just then, Benjamin brought the drinks, pleasantly surprising, her. He


    was wearing a waiter¡¯s dress, to boot. ¡°Benjamin?¡± Jane was shocked. ¡°Why are you serving the drinks?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Benjamin told her in a low voice, ¡°so don¡¯t shout, okay?¡± ¡°O-Oh,¡± she nodded and then


    chuckled a little. ¡°You look funny in this get-up.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment,¡± replied Benjamin and


    went to serve other guests.


    ¡°His beard keeps on growing,¡± Jane looked at Reba. ¡°When are you going to tell him to shave? He


    looked much better on the first day I met him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not a kid,¡± replied Reba, giving the soft drink to Jane as she stopped consuming soft drinks


    years ago. However, Benjamin who was watching that from a distance perceived it differently.


    The first gift was Reba¡¯s. There were two pairs of beautiful couple¡¯s sneakers inside. Though


    Reba didn¡¯t leave her name inside, Jane remembered her gift box and immediately nted a kiss on


    her cheek. ¡°They look so cute. We¡¯ll put them to good use, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    The next gifts opened had a cookware set, a waxed jacket, wagyu steaks, a vintage luggage bag, food


    giftcards and more. Jacob¡¯s box had rare old wine priced around 10,000 dors. Everyone pped, and


    Jacob smiled in response, but on the inside, he was crying. (I don¡¯t even know this guy, but, whatever, I¡¯ll


    have to somehow make Reba and Veronica drink all of it so that it won¡¯t be wasted!)


    When Dorothy¡¯s chicken curry came up, every adultughed, but the children tasted the curry


    and liked it.


    Donovan appreciated the hand gripped given by Nn.


    Elizabeth¡¯s gift package had two gorgeous diamond rings that made Jane cover her mouth in shock


    While diamond rings were not that big of a deal for Donovan who was a millionaire himself, Jane got


    emotional and hugged Elizabeth and then Donovan and was in tears.


    Reba felt happy for Jane, but then she could see Elizabeth looking down on the sandals she had


    gifted. (Did this shameless womane to this party just to make me look bad?) Nevertheless, she


    could suck it up, not wanting to cause a scene here and spoil Jane¡¯s mood. Jacob also seemed to be


    silently fuming in rage as Elizabeth had spent almost double the amount as he did, but the thing was,


    she didn¡¯t earn even a single dor of what she or her parents had spent for these gifts. That was what


    pissed Jacob the most. At that moment, Elizabeth looked toward the crowd. ¡°Where is he¡­ ah, there he


    is.¡± She raised her hand and called for a bearded waiter. ¡°Hey, Benjamin. Where is your gift?¡±


    Benjamin acted like he didn¡¯t hear her and hurriedly entered another room to serve the guests there.


    ¡°Benjamin!¡± Elizabeth followed him, leaving Reba to wonder what exactly was going on.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Benjamin blended in the crowd and entered another linked room. He put the tray aside and


    dialed Alfred.


    ¡°Haaaah. Yes, Master,¡± Alfred was yawning. ¡°Please tell me the gift is on the way.¡± ¡°What gift?¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s heart swelled a centimeter. ¡°Don¡¯t joke with me. Didn¡¯t you send gold coinsst time I went to


    a wedding? Just send something now, too. I¡¯m at a birthday party, and I forgot to bring a gift, you see.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Master, but I¡¯m currently busy. If you¡¯ve got nothing else, I¡¯ll hang up.¡± ¡°Wait, what do you mean by


    busy? Just send someone to ¡°before he could finish the sentence, Alfred hung up. Benjamin clenched


    his hand hard, and the mobile broke. His jaw dropped. A hand rested on his shoulder from behind. ¡°Here


    you are.¡±

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75


    A hand rested on Benjamin¡¯s shoulder from behind. ¡°Here you are.¡±


    Benjamin turned. It was the police officer who grinned and then immediately threw a straight quick punch


    in his face.


    Benjamin tilted his head at thest second. ¡°Too slow,¡± his gaze turned sharp, and before the officer


    knew it, Benjamin¡¯s knuckles struck his throat, and his feet shuffled back as he struggled to breathe. A


    secondter, Benjamin came to his senses and tried to help the officer. ¡°Are you okay, officer? I¡¯m sorry. I


    didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡±


    The officer, however, kept moving away with his back lowered.


    ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t cause irreparable damage,¡± Benjamin thought.


    ¡°Hey, Driver!¡± Elizabeth finally found him. ¡°What are you doing out here?¡± she came up to him, acting all


    so naturally, then she lowered her voice. ¡°Are you trying to steal someone else¡¯s gift box?¡± ¡°What?¡±


    Benjamin frowned. ¡°What do I look like to you?¡± he shook his head in annoyance.¡± No. Forget it. I¡¯m tired


    of this game. I¡¯ll just wish him a happy birthday and be done with it. So what if I didn¡¯t bring a gift?


    Shouldn¡¯t meing here be of more value than whatever gift I may bring them?¡±


    ¡°Your presence here should be considered worth more than the gift you bring?¡± Elizabeth snorted. ¡°Who


    do you think you are? Some kind of WIP guest?¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s jaw made a hard line. Ignoring her words, he walked into the main hall, which was the only


    hall in the whole apartment. He went straight to Donovan and shook his hand. To others, it seemed a


    little weird because a waiter was shaking hands with the man of the moment. However, Donovan knew


    that Benjamin was Reba¡¯s husband from hearing the conversations between Jane and Reba.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t seem to have brought any gift,¡± Dorthy said, ¡°our butler. We were paying him very well,


    though.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Donovan had a strange smile going as he shook Benjamin¡¯s hand. ¡°He can eat as many


    sweets as he wants here.¡±


    Dorothy couldn¡¯t intervene anymore. ¡°I know this uncle,¡± one of the kids spoke about Benjamin. ¡°He


    delivered pizza once.¡± ¡°Pizzas?¡±


    ¡°Why is such a guy getting to shake hands with Donovan?¡±


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°He should just get back to work.¡±


    As people ran their mouths, Benjamin smiled and went back to working as a waiter.


    As everyone kept chatting once again, a flying drone flew in through the entrance, buzzing past Jane¡¯s


    grandmother and making her wave the walking stick in annoyance.


    The children caught sight of not just the drone but the gift box it was carrying, and they began jumping


    and shouting as the drone floated before Donovan. ¡°Who¡¯s controlling this?¡± Donovan looked around, but


    he couldn¡¯t spot anyone with a controller in their hands. ¡°Open it,¡± Jane said. ¡°Even if there¡¯s a bomb, it


    won¡¯t kill you.¡± ¡°Hahaha,¡± her words raised someughter. Elizabeth, however, wasn¡¯t smiling. (A gift


    that¡¯s sent in the middle of the party¡­ there¡¯s no way it¡¯s from him, right?) Donovan put his hands


    forward, and the box was dropped in his hands. The drone flew away just as fast, and some children ran


    after it.


    Donovan opened the box, and his eyes bulged upon seeing the special gold coins. These were the same


    number of gold coins sent thest time to the wedding. ¡°What¡¯s inside?¡± when Jane came and saw the


    gold coins, she fainted. When other women saw it, they cried out in shock. Soon, everyone began to


    murmur. ¡°That should be worth two, no, even three million dors!¡±


    As people chatted and gossiped, Elizabeth and her parents looked extremely envious. Elizabeth didn¡¯t


    believe for a second that Benjamin sent such a gift, but she still wished that someone sent her those gold


    coins for her birthday. .


    Reba, on the other hand, seemed to be lost in thought. (The same gift as that time? Even the


    drone¡­ It¡¯s like a rey of what happened thest time. What¡¯s going on?)


    Benjamin was silently serving the biscuits and sweets. Because of Alfred¡¯s little game, he broke his


    mobile, so he wasn¡¯t really happy right now. He brought a ss of coconut water and gave it to his wife,


    and she epted it. Jane¡¯s mother sprayed water to bring Jane back to her senses. ¡°Is this real gold?¡±


    Jane looked still very much shocked. ¡°Who could have sent this?¡± no matter who she looked at, they just


    kept shrugging their shoulders, including Donovan.


    ¡°Since we¡¯re in a good mood,¡± Jane¡¯s mother suggested to Jane and Donovan, ¡°you two should y the


    Kiss, Marry, Kill game.¡± And they nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go first,¡± Jane quickly raised her hand. ¡°I¡¯ll kiss my dad,


    marry¡­ Donovan, and kill all of Donovan¡¯s ex-lovers.¡±


    T1


    Many ended upughing out loud.


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s your turn, Donovan,¡± Jane nced at her boyfriend. ¡°I¡¯ll kiss, Jane,¡± Donovan said, ¡°marry


    Reba, and then kill Jane because she¡¯ll kill me otherwise.¡±


    Reba ended up spilling the coconut water.


    The entire crowd fell silent, and everyone looked at Donovan and Jane. ¡°Whoa,¡± Donovan raised his


    hands a little, ¡°why do you all look like that? It¡¯s a joke, folks. You canugh.¡±


    ¡°So it was a joke!¡± Jane smiled rather angrily. ¡°I thought you lost your mind or something, but don¡¯t y


    such poor jokes again, or I¡¯ll really kill you.¡±


    As Jane and Donovan kept talking like nothing happened, everyone began to smile once again.


    However, there was one soul in that hall who didn¡¯t buy a word of what Donovan had said. It was the


    waiter who walked straight toward Donovan with his chest swelled in fury. Reba, who saw the subtle


    change in Benjamin¡¯s countenance, wondered, ¡°Benjamin¡­¡± Elizabeth on the other hand raised her


    brows. ¡°What is he¡­¡±


    Jane noticed Benjamining toward them, but his eyes were not on her but on Benjamin. She realized


    that something wasn¡¯t right, but it took her a fraction of a second to remember who exactly Benjamin


    was, but by then, Benjamin had already closed in.


    Donovan had the faint strange smile as he did minutes ago as he looked at Benjamin. ¡°Do you want


    another handsh ¡±


    BAM-! A resounding punch to Donovan¡¯s chin lifted him off his feet and sent him crashing back into the


    pile of opened gift packages.1 The jaws of everyone there hit the floor.

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76


    The reactions of the people to the 280-pound man being lifted off his feet and getting sent crashing back


    were not subtle.


    While Jane¡¯s mouth and eyes widened, Jacob dropped the ice cube in his mouth. Dorothy opened her


    mouth so much her artificial teeth set came loose. Veronica covered her mouth with her hand.


    Jane¡¯s father came rushing in anger, but Jane stopped him.


    Most people began to murmur, wondering what the hell was wrong with Benjamin. At the same time,


    some began running their opinions about Donovan. ¡°Isn¡¯t he a pro-wrestler? How can he lose to some


    waiter from nowhere?¡± ¡°Are you guys sure he isn¡¯t an imposter?¡±


    Their words were clearly directed at Jane and her family and made them feel quite ufortable.


    The police officer came to check up on Donovan who was knocked out cold. (I only received a weaker


    knuckle punch to the throat, but this big guy got a full-blown punch to the chin. If his neck wasn¡¯t as thick,


    he¡¯d have suffered some serious injury.)


    Veronica came up to her father and said in a low voice, ¡°Dad, why are you just standing? Go and teach


    him a lesson for hitting Jane¡¯s boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°Did dogs eat your mind or what?¡± Jacob red at her, sending a shiver running through her body. ¡°If he


    didn¡¯t even do that much to stand up for his wife, he¡¯s not worthy to be living in my vi.¡±


    Veronica was stunned to hear that. Did this mean Jacob approved what Benjamin just did? How could he


    back what the useless son-inw did? she looked at her sister, hoping at least she would do the right


    thing.


    Reba, however, stood right where she was, wearing a slightlyplex expression. She pitied


    Donovan but at the same time liked what Benjamin had done for her. The remnant anger she was feeling


    from what happened in the morning had vaporized quite a bit in a matter of seconds.


    Elizabeth, meanwhile, swallowed her own breath, wondering what would have happened to her had


    Benjamin pped her at the Rye¡¯s Pizzas. What if she lost a tooth or two? She couldn¡¯t even imagine


    herself smiling with a missing tooth. She could always use artificial teeth, but why make matters worse


    with her own hand?


    Benjamin just walked out, and people still kept staring at him as he left. Amidst themotion, Dorothy


    sneakily stole a gold coin from the wooden gift box. She thought nobody noticed, but Jacob did. He also


    saw Nn shoving the rare old wine button up his shirt.


    Elizabeth saw no value in staying there anymore, so she also began to walk out. As she got lost


    in thought, she didn¡¯t notice Jane¡¯s grandma who was still sitting on the stairs and said, ¡°I would love to


    wear those gold coins as earrings. Don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll be light or not, though.¡± Suddenly, something


    smacked her butt so hard, she jumped off her feet for a second and hissed in pain. She looked back, and


    it was Jane¡¯s mother who had just swung her walking stick. ¡°Why did you hit me, granny?¡± she rubbed


    her butt as it hurt quite a bit. ¡°A thief is stealing our gold,¡± the old woman yelled and kept swinging the


    stick. ¡°Stop right there! You damned thief!¡±


    Elizabeth kept backing away, shouting she wasn¡¯t a thief. Jane and her parents ran out and stopped the


    seniledy and made her sit down in a chair and told her it wasn¡¯t a thief, but she didn¡¯t believe them and


    kept telling that they talked about gold and whatnot.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Jane came to Elizabeth and apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what she did. She¡¯s in her nies now, so she


    even forgets that her husband is long dead. She thinks it¡¯s her birthday every other week as my grandpa


    used to make her birthdays feel really special. Please don¡¯t mind her calling you a thief.¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s okay, but if


    she¡¯s attacking the guests, shouldn¡¯t you tie her ankle to a pir or something?¡± ¡°What are you talking


    about?¡± Jane rebuked. ¡°She¡¯s not a dog!¡± ¡°I never said she was,¡± Elizabeth didn¡¯t back down. ¡°It¡¯s better


    to bind her ankle than to send her to a mental hospital.¡± Jane gritted her teeth. ¡°She isn¡¯t a mental


    patient.¡± Despite her efforts, Elizabeth didn¡¯t look convinced. ¡°You know that, forgive me for inviting you.


    I¡¯ll be sending your diamond rings back through the post, so thank you foring.¡± Elizabeth forced out


    a smile and came closer. ¡°You better watch your mouth, girl, or¡­¡± she nced at the apartment, ¡°one fire


    ident can make you and your little family here the poorest in the neighborhood overnight.¡±


    Jane frowned and couldn¡¯t utter another word.


    ¡°Hmph, that¡¯s more like it,¡± Elizabeth turned and walked away confidently and arrogantly. Jane, on the


    other hand, who thought her family¡¯s future was secured was made to feel insecure with a mere


    sentence from Elizabeth. Herplete perspective over the adult¡¯s affairs in the world changed at this


    moment. ¡°Yeah,¡± she nodded to herself. ¡°I agree that our apartment is our strength and weakness, but


    I¡¯m sure everyone has some weaknesses, too. Though I don¡¯t wish it, I would like you see you fearing


    losing your property just like I did. I wonder if you¡¯d still have that arrogant look on your face.¡±


    In the background, Jane¡¯s mother was asking for her birthday cake.


    Meanwhile, inside the apartment, the police officer wearing an informal dress woke Donovan up.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Donovan looked clueless. ¡°Why am I¡­¡± Why was he down on the floor, his butt


    pressing down on one of the gift packages. And why were the guests looking at him with


    strangely unpleasant gazes? ¡°So you didn¡¯t even see the punching, huh¡­¡± the officer wasn¡¯t


    surprised as he also fell victim to a simr attack.


    Donovan¡¯s eyes widened. Something suddenly shed in his mind. He was standing with his guard down


    as Benjamin approached. He never expected Benjamin to attack him. Nevertheless, all his professionally


    trained eyes could see in that fraction of a second was nothing. Not even a blur of Benjamin¡¯s arm


    moving. This made Donovan cover his face with his hand, as embarrassment and rage burned together


    in his heart. (To think I got knocked out before I knew it¡­ Who the hell are you, Benjamin?)

 Chapter 77

    Chapter 77


    As he was driving home alone, Benjamin received a voice message from Alfred in the new modern


    mobile he had just sent through a drone,


    ¡°Master, how long will you keep trying to be what your wife wants you to be? Why don¡¯t you show your


    real worth to her? What are you afraid of? Getting rejected for who you are? So what if she runs away


    after knowing who you are? That only means she was never yours to begin with. If you want my honest


    opinion, I was ted when I heard you found your love While she may not be crooked like her mother, I


    think she¡¯s still too selfish for her own good, I¡¯m sorry, but I won¡¯t be sending a drone for the third time. If


    you want to gift someone, do it with your own hands.¡±


    Benjamin bit his lower lip. ¡°He sounds disappointed. He must be feeling quite angry at me now. Showing


    my real worth wouldn¡¯t take a minute, but I want her to love me when I¡¯m at my lowest and weakest,


    Alfred. Why can¡¯t you understand that?¡±


    He pressed the elerator and drove much faster.


    ¡°You think I like being called trash and a useless son-inw?


    ¡°You think I like living like this?¡± the Porsche hit 100mph. He suddenly hit the brake. The vehicle stopped


    in a little over a hundred feet, just a few meters in front of an olddy crossing the street with the help of


    a walking stick. There was a vegetable curries and food in her other hand.


    He stared at her for a few seconds, and the anger developing in his eyes subsided. He got out of the car


    and said, ¡°Can I help you, madam? How far is your ce?¡±


    She didn¡¯t respond and kept walking. He couldn¡¯t tell if she had heard his words or not. He went over and


    asked, ¡°Do you need help?¡±


    She lifted her head and looked up at him with a bit of a sad face. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have stopped the car.


    That would have been enough.¡± Saying that she kept walking.


    Baffled, Benjamin followed her from a distance. She was renting nearby in an old house. Her husband


    was also there, coughing blood. He had both cancer and tuberculosis. He asked a neighbor and


    understood more about her situation, that their children had abandoned the old couple and that the old


    woman was taking care of herself and her husband with her pension.


    Benjamin was about to call Alfred, but in the end, he didn¡¯t.


    He got back to his car and went home.


    Jacob also brought his daughters, daughter-inw, and her parents home in his car. Jacob asked


    Elizabeth¡¯s parents to stay and told the others to go inside. While Nn and Dorothy wondered what he


    wanted with them, he put his hands forward and said, ¡°The wine and the coin.¡±


    The couple looked at each other¡¯s faces once. They had no other choice but to give what Jacob wanted


    if they wanted to keep living in this vi So, they gave him what he asked. Jacob tossed the two items in


    his car before telling the old couple to leave.


    Just then, Benjamin was also passing by.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Jacob called for him, which surprised Benjamin and made him double-check.


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Who else is here?¡± Jacob said, resting his back against his car. ¡°Come here.¡±


    Benjamin huriedly over.


    Jacob stared at him for a little while before patting on the side of the shoulder. ¡°What you did back at the


    party¡­ While I didn¡¯t like that you served drinks for others, you did the right thing by gifting that birthday


    bear with a beautiful upper cut. A man must be like that, or he won¡¯t be able to protect his family.¡±


    ¡°Then what were you doing?¡± Benjamin¡¯s question startled Jacob. ¡°You knew your daughter was married,


    yet someone else expressed his hope of iming her? And what were you doing? Why didn¡¯t you act?


    Was it because Reba wasn¡¯t your family? I don¡¯t think so. It¡¯s because you don¡¯t even really consider


    my marriage with your daughter to be legitimate? Right?¡±


    Jacob had no answer.


    ¡°You are unbelievable, Mr. Jacob, ¡°Benjamin turned and walked away.


    Jacob had a faint frown on his face. (Poor bastard. I know you love my money more than my daughter,


    so if you think I¡¯ll fall for your act, you¡¯re only fooling yourself.)


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    Benjamin went inside, and Reba was standing at the base of the stairs. Though she had entered the


    house alongside Elizabeth, it seemed like Elizabeth just didn¡¯t even care about Reba¡¯s situation.


    Benjamin stopped next to her. Reba slightly shook her head. ¡°All the standing at the party has put a


    lot of strain on my ankle. Can you carry me?¡± she hesitantly asked. ¡°Please?¡±


    Benjamin took a deep breath with his mouth closed as though he was burdened with something. He


    picked her up into his arms and walked up the stairs. She kept looking at him, but he didn¡¯t look at her.


    His long beard kept pressing against her chest and tickled her, but she tried not to show it on her face.


    The moment he reached the first floor, he put her down and went to the room, leaving her baffled.


    Previously, he used to take her all the way to her bed, but now, he didn¡¯t even take her to the room.


    Something definitely wasn¡¯t right, she thought. By the time she got to her bed, he already covered


    himself with a nket.


    Benjamin suddenly pulled the nket down and said, ¡°I don¡¯t like the look in his eyes. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s


    the right guy for Jane.¡± He got the nket over his face again.


    Reba didn¡¯t say anything, but she began biting her nails. After some hesitancy, she said, ¡°


    Benjamin¡­¡±


    ¡°Mm,¡± he replied a bitte. ¡°Can we¡­ have our official wedding ceremony together?¡±


    E77


    Benjamin sat up fast, throwing the nket to the side. ¡°What? Are you being serious?¡±


    ¡°M-Mhm,¡± she nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t like it when Donovan said those words, either. It was my mistake that I


    even gave him such an opportunity.¡± She took out the wedding ring from under the bed. ¡°Will you put this


    ring on me once again?¡± she expectantly asked. ¡°Reba¡­¡± Benjamin was trying his best to not shed


    tears. ¡°I will slip the ring onto your finger a thousand times if you want, but¡­ don¡¯t be so indifferent


    toward me, okay? Otherwise, I don¡¯t see the point of having a public wedding ceremony when you don¡¯t


    treat me as a husband. What I want is¡­¡± his voice grew heavy, ¡°your recognition, not the world¡¯s.¡±


    Reba¡¯s heart ached as his voice slightly trembled. ¡°I have done you wrong, Benjamin, but I want to


    correct myself.¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s expression froze. Was he hearing things right? Was this prideful woman really humbling


    herself before h¨ªm? What brought this sudden change in her? He wondered for a second, but then he


    didn¡¯t really care about it at the moment. ¡°Reba, I didn¡¯t hear you. Can you say it one more time?¡± he


    even turned his ear toward her so he could hear better. Reba gritted her teeth. ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed as it


    is,¡± she grabbed a pillow and threw it at him, ¡°so don¡¯t push it!¡±


    The pillow hit his face, but he caught it with the mouth and got up from the bed, his eyes peering from


    over the pillow. ¡°B-Benjamin, you¡¯re really pushing it now,¡± she moved back on her butt as he climbed


    onto her bed. ¡°Don¡¯t do this. M-My, my ankle still needs to heal.¡± When he brought the pillow closer, she


    closed her eyes and turned her head to the side. Benjamin dropped the pillow, which fell in herp. He


    proceeded forth and nted a firm, long kiss on her inviting cheek The sound of the kiss forced her to


    shut her eyes even tighter, but then Benjamin began supremely pecking her cheek like a woodpecker, for


    tens of times with great speed, forcing her eyes and mouth to open simultaneously. This guy was really


    pushing it now!

 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78


    The next morning


    Reba woke up and first looked toward Benjamin¡¯s bed which was pulled closer to her bed.¡± What


    the¡­ did he bring it closer after I slept?¡± she touched her forehead for a second. ¡°His hyper activeness is


    sort of scaring me.¡±


    Benjamin had already gone out, so she was alone in the room. She touched her left cheek, where


    Benjamin had kissed at least a hundred times the previous night. She could still feel it on her cheek.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been kissed so many times even by my parents as far as I can remember,¡± she thought. ¡°Had


    he gone for my lips instead of my cheek¡­¡± just the thought made her face flush like a tomato. Her head


    felt hot. Her stomach had butterflies fluttering. She felt crazy. She grabbed the pillow and covered her


    face, but that only made things worse as she could hear heartbeat strengthening. ¡°Why am I feeling so


    tense? It¡¯s only natural for a couple to be intimate, but¡­ what if he asks me to do weird things? What if I


    disappoint him?¡± even someone like her knew sex was an important part of married life, thanks to seeing


    a lot of things while growing up in the vi. ¡°Ugh, I feel too tense.¡± She suddenly remembered Jane.¡±


    Right, she¡¯s an expert when ites to the matters of bed, so I should ask her. Yeah, that¡¯s better than


    asking my mom. She doesn¡¯t like Benjamin.¡± She reached out for the walking stick resting by the desk.


    ¡°Mm?¡± just then, she noticed an invitation card beside her car keys. ¡°This is¡­¡±


    It was the same invitation card Artur had given her.


    ¡°I gave it back to him, didn¡¯t I? Then how did it¡­¡± she squinted her eyes as her brother¡¯s image shed


    in her mind. ¡°Brother Shawn¡­ you really don¡¯t change, do you? You have no problem giving me away to


    some 40-year-old yboy as long as it benefits you, but what¡¯s worse is that you don¡¯t have the guts to


    admit it, or should I say you are too smart for your own good?¡± she was about to tear the card but then


    stopped. ¡°Wait¡­¡± she had an idea. ¡°If I give this to Elizabeth, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll buy at least a thing or two


    from your own bank ount.¡± She grinned and then paid a visit to Elizabeth¡¯s parents and talked to them


    about how she was unable to attend the auction because of her injury and that she had no other choice


    but to throw the card away.


    Nn and Dorothypletely bought her words and even asked her for the card. She gave it to them


    and sighed and said, ¡°At least give it to someone who can go and buy valuable goods.¡± Saying that she


    left. Nn and Dorothyughed among themselves for obtaining a rare invitation card. Meanwhile,


    Benjamin and Lisa were driving together in a Mercedes. ¡°Do you really want to buy the car for yourself?¡±


    he asked. ¡°Or is it for your ¡®innocent¡¯ Nate?¡± Lisa frowned as well as pouted. ¡°What do you have against


    him? Nate is a cool guy.¡± ¡°Cool guys don¡¯t take money and gifts from rich daughters. You think I don¡¯t


    know you steal little things from your mommy¡¯s collections and give them to him?¡±


    Lisa went silent, realizing that if Benjamin was really against it, she wouldn¡¯t be able to buy the car


    anymore. He knew multiple secrets about her, which she didn¡¯t want her family to know.


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to warn you because your dad doesn¡¯t seem to care,¡± said Benjamin. ¡°Don¡¯t talk bad about


    my dad,¡± Lisa fumed all of a sudden. ¡°He may be many things, but he takes care of mom, me, and


    Roshan.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a fine difference between taking care of someone and¡­ leaving everything in other¡¯s hands and


    ignoring everything else.¡± Lisa was still giving him an angry look ¡°Alright. Fine. I¡¯ll stop talking about my


    brother-inw.¡±


    Silence followed. Lisa nced at him. ¡°Why do you grow such a long beard? Doesn¡¯t it bother you?¡±


    ¡°It does, but not as much as Nate¡¯s beard bothers him.¡±


    ¡°Haha, so funny.¡± She punched him in the shoulder as Nate didn¡¯t have a beard at all. ¡°I¡¯m dying from


    laughter, alright. Ha-ha-ha.¡± She acted like she croaked.


    Benjamin could only smile and shake his head.


    Soon they reached the car showroom, the same one where Oliver had bought his bugatti. Lisa¡¯s eyes lit


    up upon seeing the only four cars that were there. ¡°Nate likes blue, so let¡¯s go for this one.¡±


    The same customer handler from back then smiled and said, ¡°Wonderful option. Its on-road price is only


    2.43 million dors. Are you sure you two can afford it?¡± Lisa couldn¡¯t tell whether he was being sarcastic


    or not. ¡°What makes you think I can¡¯t pay?¡± she put her hand in her purse. ¡°I have my dad¡¯s card with


    me.¡± ¡°Okay, but can your dad¡¯s card pay 2.43 million dors?¡± his brows wiggled. He was in a good


    mood, so he felt like toying with this schoolgirl. ¡°Of course, he can even buy this whole store if he wants!¡±


    Lisa yelled at him rather angrily.


    ¡°Maybe, but how long are you going to keep searching for a hand purse? Didn¡¯t your daddy teach you


    how to store things in an order in your purse?¡±


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    ¡°You¡­¡± Lisa raised her hand to p him, but Benmain came in between and grabbed his cheek with his


    fingers.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go over there and talk while she looks for the card.¡±


    ¡°Ugh,¡± the customer handler couldn¡¯t fight back because of the pain and also because he was a coward.


    Lisa searched for another minute but couldn¡¯t find it. She went back to the car but couldn¡¯t find it there,


    either. She came to Benjamin tearful and tense-looking eyes. ¡°I had it in the morning, but now¡­ I think I


    lost it somewhere. I think I should tell dad so he¡¯ll get the card blocked.¡±


    Mm, let¡¯s do that.¡± Benjamin followed her out.


    The customer handler stood there, just watching with frustration stiffening his expression. ¡°I knew it They


    wasted my time for nothing. Not all normal-looking customers can be like that Oliver guy.¡±


    Lisa, meanwhile, called Shawn and told her that she lost the card, but his response confused her After


    some talking, she ended the call and looked at Benjamin. ¡°Dad says the tinum card isn¡¯t his. He thinks


    I¡¯m joking so that I can get a real credit card from him.¡± She rubbed the back of her head. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. If


    it isn¡¯t Dad¡¯s card¡­¡± her eyes suddenly erged. ¡°Is it Grandpa¡¯s card?¡± Her heart almost exploded. ¡°Oh


    my gosh. What have I done?¡± she began freaking out. ¡°If Grandpa knows of this¡­¡± she began jumping


    on her feet and crying. ¡°He¡¯ll kill me!¡±


    Benjamin stood on the other side of the car, picking his teeth with his finger. ¡°Knowing your grandpa, it¡¯s


    unlikely for him to have such a card, don¡¯t you think?¡± After he said those words, Lisa began to calm


    down a bit. ¡°You might be right, but then whose card is it? It has to be someone¡¯s, right?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say¡­ it¡¯s mine.¡±


    ¡°Huh? This isn¡¯t the time to be joking. We have to figure it out, or this could pose a big problem. That


    card doesn¡¯t even have a password! What if whoever finds it withdraws a lot of money?¡±


    ¡°Not my problem,¡± Benjamin said, freezing Lisa¡¯s expression. As he expected, she didn¡¯t even get into


    the car and walked away on foot. She must be quite hurt by those three words he said, he thought, but it


    couldn¡¯t be helped. He had to act that way so she wouldn¡¯t cling to him for


    everything she needed. Moreover, he guessed that Nate would probably break up with her, given she


    had already told him about buying a car soon


    Benjamin took out the tinum card from his underpants. ¡°I worked my ass off for all the money that¡¯s in


    this card, but this little thing has caused so much trouble. It¡¯s better that I keep it with me.¡±


    He drove the Mercedes straight to a bank and then paid a visit to the old woman he met on the street the


    previous night. He asked for tea. She didn¡¯t recognize him, but she weed him in ¡°Nobody entered


    our home these days because of my husband, but it seems you¡¯re okay with him coughing,¡± she humbly


    said as she gave him a cup of ginger tea. Her husband was asleep, but he seemed too weak for a talk


    anyway


    Benjamin didn¡¯t say a word with her after enteriny. He either stayed calm or smiled a little when she


    talked After he finished the drink, she took the sses and went into the kitchen. When she returned, he


    was gone, but the ck suitcase was still next to the chair. ¡°Did he forget it?¡± she tried to pick up the


    briefcase, but it was too heavy. She walked out empty handed to see if he was there, but there was no


    sight of him. He was gone. She came back into the house and sat in the chair, looking tired. She didn¡¯t


    even think of opening the briefcases and just left it there on the side, thinking the guest would return.


    However, a few dayster, she would be using that as a footrest for her husband while he sat on the


    edge of his bed. And during one of their quarrels, he would kick the briefcase and then


    find it to be full of hundred dor bills with a note on top that read ¡®I¡¯m d I stopped the car.¡¯


    Her husband didn¡¯t get what the words meant, but the old woman did, and she was in tears as she


    hugged her husband.

 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79


    After a long time, everyone in the Sterling family was present again at the dining table during dinner.


    The maids Kathy, Delle, Ashley, and Amber were all serving. All of them subtly showered their love on


    Jacob, taking turns, to put food on his te. Naturally, Jacob was in a good and positive mood. ¡°Dad,¡±


    Shawn nced at his father, ¡°I heard from one of your friends that your two uing movies together


    have a budget of 650 million. Is that true?¡± The number 650 million shocked almost everyone at the


    table, except Selena and Benjamin. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too fisky?¡± Shawn said. ¡°Putting all of your


    assets into just two films?¡± ¡°Are you telling me how to produce films now?¡± Jacob chortled. ¡°You don¡¯t


    multiply your assets without taking risks.¡±


    Shawn didn¡¯t say anything, but he didn¡¯t look pleased. ¡°My husband is just worried about the worst-case


    scenario, that¡¯s all,¡± Elizabeth said andughed all by herself, but when she nced at her parents, they


    joined her as well.


    ¡°Dad, when are you movies going to release?¡± Veronica asked. ¡°My friends keep asking me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, grandpa,¡± Roshan also voiced his mind. ¡°Especially the superhero movie. My friends and I are


    eagerly waiting for that.¡±


    ¡°Haha,¡± Jacob leaked out a throatyughter of expert smokers. ¡°The action thriller will be premiering at


    the end of this month and will release next month.¡±


    ¡°Wow, so we can watch it this month?¡± Both Veronica and Roshan got visibly excited. Lisa was thinking


    of watching it with Nate, but she knew it¡¯d be impossible since she would be expected toe to the


    movie premiere with the whole family.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be busy dealing with the promotions, so I won¡¯t be home for a while,¡± said Jacob. He looked at


    his second daughter. ¡°Remedeus likes you, Veronica, so give him a chance.¡±


    ¡°Yes, dad,¡± Veronica replied with a smile. Now that Akash wasn¡¯t in her life, she was considering giving


    Remedeus a try. ¡°How is your wound healing, Reba?¡± Jacob asked. ¡°There¡¯s progress,¡± she said,


    without even looking at him. Benjamin was sitting right next to her.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    As everyone chatted about various things, Reba steeled her heart and said, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s one


    thing I want to tell everyone.¡±


    Her words garnered attention. Reba raised her left and grabbed Benjamin¡¯s right hand, startling the


    others, but the words


    that came out of her mouth next bombarded their hearts. ¡°We¡¯re nning to have an official wedding


    ceremony.¡±


    The hall fell silent. ¡°What?¡± almost all of them were shocked, even Louis and Be who were usually very


    reserved with their expressions.


    ¡°Well, to be urate, it¡¯ll be a reception,¡± she said, ¡°but we¡¯ll be exchanging rings once again,


    SO.¡±


    Shawn and Selena couldn¡¯t believe what they were hearing. Their expressions were not pleasant to


    watch, especially after seeing Benjamin smile together with his wife.


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Jacob asked her in a rather calm but deep voice. (You can do it, Reba!)


    Reba told herself before turning her head and leaning in for a kiss on Benjamin¡¯s cheek, shocking


    everyone, including Benjamin. He was pleasantly surprised by this unexpected action from her. What


    brought this sudden change in her? Veronica, Elizabeth, Selena, and even all the maids had this baffled


    expression. Elizabeth was forcing out a smile, but she still couldn¡¯t hide her frown. (Did she get


    impressed by what he did the other night at the party? She¡¯s too simple!) Veronica just looked in


    shocked. (Sis, how can you kiss that trash?) Selena¡¯s bowels boiled with overflowing resentment at


    Benjamin. She shot daggers at him. Reba went a step further. ¡°Can you all pray that Benjamin and I


    will stay together forever?¡± she now kissed the hand she was holding. While Benjamin¡¯s heart was


    flooded with happiness, the same couldn¡¯t be said for others sitting at the table.


    A woman openly disying her love for someone wasn¡¯t a small thing, especially when someone like


    Reba who kept things mostly to herself. That was what made this whole thing unbearable for Selena.


    Unable to watch it, she stood and left.


    Reba wasn¡¯t foolish. She could clearly feel the atmosphere at the table, but she acted like she didn¡¯t


    care. She picked food with a spoon and raised it toward Benjamin¡¯s mouth. ¡°Here. Have some taste of


    this.¡±


    He dly tasted it and gave a thumbs-up.


    Shawn¡¯s heart ached a little. He nced at Elizabeth as if asking why she never did something like that.


    Elizabeth acted like she wasn¡¯t even looking at Shawn, but her expression worsened some more.


    Kathy, on the other hand, almost passed out from envy. Ashley, however, looked strangely happy. She


    always had a huge crush on Benjamin. Seeing him give a thumbs-up to her cooking made her happy,


    even though he was interacting with Reba


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    A rice grain got stuck at Benjamin¡¯s mouth, and Reba picked it with her fingers and put it in


    her mouth.


    This was just too much to watch for Elizabeth. She also stood and left.


    While everyone else felt awkward seeing Benjamin and Reba smile, Jacob was having different


    thoughts. He and Selena were this close when they were young, so their actions made him remember


    his past. Meanwhile, Selena went to her room, sat down on the bed, and clutched her head. ¡°What did


    he do? What the hell did he do in these few days that Reba¡¯s¡­ looks like her childhood self. She


    used to be so open and outspoken when she was little¡­¡± Selena¡¯s eyes teared up as she remembered


    how Reba used to sleep on the stairs of the vi and waited for her mother¡¯s arrival every night. She


    used to talk about every little thing that happened in the day without hiding anything. She used to sneak


    into Selena¡¯s bed and cuddle with her mom every morning until things happened. ¡°Her love used to be so


    pure and bottomless. I messed up and hurt her heart when she was young, and then she began treating


    me differently, but she has always been my most precious thing.¡± Her gut twisted. ¡°I can¡¯t let that nobody


    have her!''''

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80


    The next morning. On the rooftop, Benjamin was caressing the parrots that looked rather dull. ¡°You two


    have be dull these days. What¡¯s wrong? Did you eat something you shouldn¡¯t?¡±


    The parrots looked clueless. ¡°Haha, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll nurse you two back to health with good food.


    However, there¡¯s going to be my wedding reception soon, and I don¡¯t want to see you two shitting on


    anyone¡¯s head.¡± The parrots half-heartedly nodded.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Meanwhile, Delle reported to Selene that Benjamin was feeding the parrots.


    ¡°Right. There¡¯s still those things, Selena¡¯s exposed a section of her teeth. ¡°Killing them is easier than


    killing chickens, but I wanted to see him suffer as they suffer. Now, I don¡¯t have time or energy to spare


    with those petty parrots. Tell Johnny to shoot those things down with a slingshot or something. Tell him I


    want them to suffer and die in the most pathetic way possible.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Delle didn¡¯t like what she was hearing, but she could only keep her head lowered.


    Afterward, Selena went straight to Francis¡¯ home and pped him for fooling around when she had given


    him a mission. She told him that her daughter was nning a wedding reception and she med him


    and his son for that.


    While Francis had a soft spot for Selena, getting pped by Selena in front of her assistant hurt his


    pride. He couldn¡¯tst out on her, but after he left, he scolded Selena in front of his assistant who calmed


    him down by gently pressing his shoulders and touching him at sensible spots.


    Nevertheless, he called Edward, who was busy snorting cocaine with a shirtless chick sitting by his side


    on the couch. ¡°What¡¯s up, pops?¡± ¡°Edward, the fuck are you doing? Did you try anything at all regarding


    Sterling¡¯s son-inw?¡± ¡°What son-inw? Ah, wait, yeah, Reba¡¯s husband, right?¡± Edward was


    smiling. ¡°What about him?¡±


    Francis gritted his teeth. ¡°Listen, you little shit. Go and break that guy¡¯s legs or cut his balls. I don¡¯t know


    what you will do, but no woman would wanna marry him afterward. If you take it easy this time, I will


    personally inflict you with everything I told you to do to Sterling¡¯s son-in w!¡±


    Edward who was rubbing some of the powder stimnt into his gums now stopped and gulped his


    saliva.


    The call ended, but he was still sweating. ¡°Fuck. I thought he¡¯d take care of it, but now, he wants me to


    handle it?¡± he called ckbear, but his call wasn¡¯t answered. ¡°This fucker¡­ Fine,


    I¡¯ll take my buddies and beat the living shit out of this son-inw myself.¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to apany you?¡± the shirtless chick asked. ¡°I can trap him and bring him wherever


    you want.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯d be great,¡± Edward grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s finish him today.¡±


    Somewhere else in the city.


    After dropping Jane at a shopping mall, Donovan entered the nearby five-star hotel, and he received a


    message that gave the details of a room number. On his way, a random stranger gave him the key in the


    lift.


    He reached the room and opened the door. A young girl was waiting for him on the bed. He faintly smiled


    before entering and locking the door.


    He received a call.


    ¡°How is she?¡± ckbear spoke from the other end. ¡°She is 19 but hasn¡¯t been with anyone


    yet.¡±


    ¡°Looks wise, meh, but she will do,¡± Donovan said. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to find virgins, so I¡¯m notining.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you understand, Mr. Donovan. You have always been an important customer to us. And we¡¯re


    d you came to this city. Hope you¡¯ll enjoy your stay here. And the gold coins you sent us were a


    pleasant surprise. Thank you. I won¡¯t take any more of your time, so have fun.¡± The call ended.


    Donovan put the mobile in his pocket and came up to the bed. ¡°You are okay with do this, right?¡±


    ¡°Mm,¡± she hesitantly nodded. ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen you on television.¡± ¡°Well, if you continue in this profession,


    you¡¯ll be seeing a lot more familiar faces, I¡¯m sure, but I guarantee you, I¡¯ll engrave my image in your


    brain forever.¡± His self-boast only forced her to smile a little. He could see that she was tense, and he


    liked it. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Emily.¡±


    ¡°Sweet name. So, shall we start, Emily?¡± he began to unbutton his shirt before he even heard her


    response, but she didn¡¯tin. Meanwhile, in the shopping mall.


    Jane was shopping for dresses for Donovan. ¡°I want to grab a dozen shirts, but there aren¡¯t many


    appealing designs in XXL size. Maybe I should contact some private designer.¡± If Reba hadn¡¯t gotten


    injured, she would have asked her. But after what happened at the party, she didn¡¯t feel like asking


    Reba to make beautiful shirt designs for Donovan.


    ¡°Jane?¡± a voice reached her from behind. She turned to look, and a familiar face was up for view. It was


    the police officer who attended the party two days prior.


    ¡°Steve,¡± Jane squinted her eyes. ¡°Are you following me?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Steve looked a little embarrassed. ¡°I came to buy a pair of clothes as well.¡±


    ¡°Really?


    ¡°Yeah. Trust me,¡± he stressed his words. ¡°What about you?¡±


    Jane paused a little while before speaking. ¡°Steve, what we had onlysted a few nights because I just


    wanted to have fun with a police officer. That was six years ago,and you still show up at my boyfriend¡¯s


    birthday party when nobody has invited you.¡± Steve forced out augh. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you should give


    up, for your own sake.¡± Steve¡¯s expression changed. A wall of tears appeared in his eyes. ¡°Why? Is it


    because I¡¯m eight years older than you?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s because I can¡¯t marry an officer who¡¯s out of the home


    most of the time.¡±


    ¡°You think Donovan won¡¯t be busy after you get married? He¡¯s a pro-wrestler.¡± ¡°Yeah, but his career will


    end in a few years.¡± Steve frowned. ¡°Listen, Jane. I can take good care of you. I will give you everything


    you want. I can love you much more than-¡±


    Jane put her hand on his mouth. ¡°Let me be blunt. I love sex. You can call me a sex maniac if you want.


    Donovan is great in bed. He can please me, but you¡­¡± she lowered her voice some more. ¡°You couldn¡¯t


    even do it three times in one night¡­ and that¡¯s back then. Now, you¡¯re much older.¡±


    Steve¡¯s heart felt squeezed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we¡¯re not a good fit. Just find someone else,¡± saying that she walked away. * Don¡¯t follow


    me.¡±


    Steve just stood there like a statue.


    Somewhere else in the city.


    A taxi arrived at a private polo club. Ashley got down from the car. After showing a card, she was allowed


    entrance.


    A group of handsome young men were riding horses and hitting a ball with long wooden sticks. If even


    one of them puts some interest in her, she could earn enough to settle for life, she thought.


    Soon, one of those riders came over to her. He was tall and devastatingly handsome. ¡°You took your


    time, Ashley,¡± he said as he touched her crotch with the polo mallet


    ¡°S-Sorry, Mr. Arlo,¡± she hesitantly spoke as he patted her vagina with the hammer edge of the polo


    mallet. ¡°Reba announcedst night she wants to have an official wedding reception.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± he gritted his teeth. ¡°That little bitch. I went easy with her despite knowing she was ying some


    stupid wife-game at home, but I was wrong. I should have treated her like I treat other bitches, right,


    Ashley?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, Mr. Arlo.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Please tell me you mixed something in the son-inw¡¯s food and killed him beforeing here.¡±


    Ashely¡¯s heart shook She looked at him in shock ¡°H-How could I do that? You only told me to keep an


    eye on both Reba and her wife.¡± ¡°Of course, but you¡¯ve gotta improvise if you want to survive in this


    field,¡± he swung the polo mallet and struck her face hard enough to make her fall. She cried out and bled,


    but he looked amused. ¡°Go back and return with good news tomorrow morning, or else don¡¯te back


    at all.¡± And then he went back to ying polo with his friends.


    Ashley was bleeding from her jaw. She got up with effort and walked away, wearing a stiff expression.


    ¡°This motherfucker wants me to kill. What should I do?¡± she couldn¡¯t even grit her teeth because of the


    pain in her jaw. ¡°Arlo Campbell¡­ You treat me like I¡¯m some dog just because I came to you out of


    necessity. I hope you suffer more than me and die a dog¡¯s death! No! Something much worse!¡±

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81


    Jane came to Sterling vi in the evening because Reba called for her.


    She didn¡¯t look to be in a good mood when she entered the room, so Reba asked, ¡°You look dull.


    What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she said and sat on Benjamin¡¯s bed which was again pushed away from Reba¡¯s bed, but


    now it was only two feet apart. ¡°Donovan left me at the shopping mall, and he didn¡¯t return. He didn¡¯t


    answer my phone call, either.¡±


    ¡°It looks like this is the first time it happened with him.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. This is a bad sign, right?¡± Jane asked.


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s a famous wrestler, so he¡¯s gotta be busy at least one day of the week.¡±


    ¡°You are right, but¡­ Anyway, why did you call me?¡±


    ¡°Uh,¡±Reba looked a little embarrassed. She kept scratching her cheek. ¡°I told you about the wedding


    reception, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you did, and that¡¯s the right thing to do, or you would have lost him, trust me,¡± Jane sounded


    proud of her. ¡°You should have done this long ago, to be honest.¡±


    ¡°The thing is¡­ I told him we¡¯ll have the reception after my one month recovery at the gym.¡± ¡°Oh boy, how


    did he react?¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything, but I can tell he didn¡¯t like it. ¡°Of course, he wouldn¡¯t. You tell him, ¡®let¡¯s have a


    reception,¡¯ one night, and then the next day, ¡®no, let¡¯s wait a month.¡¯ Are you kidding me? It would be


    weird if he just smiled and went along with your stupid, selfish request. Asking him to postopone having


    sex becuase of your injury is one thing, but what¡¯s your little injury gotta do with the reception?¡± ¡°L-Little


    injury?¡± a vein bulged in Reba¡¯s forehead. She would have grappled with Jane if she had recovered


    enough.


    ¡°Of course, it is little,pared to mine,¡± Jane pulled a portion of hair on her head and revealed a mark


    on her scalp. ¡°Did you forget?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± A buffalo had tossed Jane over a car when Jane was in


    highschool. She suffered a nasty head injury and was in aatose state for six days. Afterward, it took


    her a couple of years to regrow the hair at the wounded, stitched spot.


    ¡°Look here, Reba. You have a man who could earn enough for himself, but he stayed with you


    because he saw something in you,¡± Jane¡¯s gaze grew serious. ¡°If it was just your outward beauty, he


    wouldn¡¯t have slept in your room for months and never tried to sleep with you. Everyone cares about the


    gold, but no one cares about the soil ites from. It¡¯s the same with us women. Men care about our


    flesh , but not the heart beneath. There are exceptions, of course, and I believe Benjamin is an


    exception, like how there will be those who care more


    about the soil than the gold.¡±


    Reba¡¯s expression visibly brightened, ¡°Why do you have such a positive opinion about him when you


    only met him a few times?¡± She sat straight to appear big. ¡°Because I¡¯m Jane! I can tell what a man¡¯s


    thinking from the number of times he blinks and stares at a woman, bwahahaha.¡± ¡°Geez, you¡¯re such a


    show-off.¡± Ashley entered the room and served Jane some spicy food and sweets. Seeing the bandage


    on Ashely¡¯s jaw, she asked, ¡°What happened to your jaw? It¡¯s quite swollen. It¡¯s not mumps, is


    it??


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Ashley shook her head and then stood there, but after Jane gestured to her to leave, she had to walk


    out. (Benjamin¡¯s not here. When he returns home in the evening, what should I do? Arlo told me to kill


    him, but Arlo can go fuck himself. I can¡¯t kill Benjamin. He¡¯s a hardworking guy who loves his wife, and I


    love that about him. He¡¯s the husband I wish I had. If only he fell for me, I would have run away with him


    to some ce, but that¡¯s not possible as long as Reba¡¯s around. He¡¯s too blinded by her beauty and


    charm. I should get her out of the picture permanently, and then I can have Benjamin all for myself!) She


    then frowned. (But how do I get rid of her from Benjamin¡¯s mind?)


    She came to the roofed balcony to serve Selena an afternoon drink ¡°Where the hell are you aiming? Aim


    higher!¡± Selena was busy shouting at Johnny who kept shooting at the parrots with a slingshot. ¡°What


    sort of butler are you if you can¡¯t even hit two birds?¡±


    The parrots flew from one tree to another and kept touring the garden but didn¡¯t leave the vi even


    though Johnny persistently went after them.


    Selena had already tried feeding poisoned food that morning, but the parrots didn¡¯t touch the food this


    time. So she had to resort to this.


    Watching Johnny, Ashley got an idea. ¡°That¡¯s right. I could use that idiot.¡± She ended up speaking out


    loud, causing Selena¡¯s head to turn toward her.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°N-Nothing, ma¡¯am.¡± Meanwhile, in the outskirts of the city. Benjamin brought Devon, who had fallen sick,


    to one of his son¡¯s houses and dropped him there and handed some money over in the name of the


    Sterling family. They thought he was a butler at the vi, and they expressed their thanks. He also gave


    them a warning in the name of Jacob so that they wouldn¡¯t mistreat Devon.


    As he was returning, he entered through a tunnel. After going deep enough, he had to stop the car all of


    a sudden. Three cars were blocking the path in the front. Three more cars just arrived and blocked his


    rear, also.


    Only the car lights provided the light in the underground tunnel. There were at least thirty of them in total,


    holding all sorts of weapons from baseball bats to


    COMETER 81


    knives and knuckle dusters. The one leading them, Edward, was holding a gun. He walked to the front


    and shot at Benjamin¡¯s car, the red Porsche, aiming to kill the driver. He emptied all the sixteen rounds in


    the magazine. ¡°Kekeke,¡± he was chewing bubble gum fast and cackling.¡± Go and fetch his body. We¡¯ll


    bury it deep in the woods. Not even foxes should find it.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± his friend was walking forward, but the


    sound of the Porsche engine revving up alerted everyone. Though they couldn¡¯t clearly see if the driver


    was alive or dead, they could tell that someone was definitely still in the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°This fucker isn¡¯t


    dead?¡± Edward frowned. ¡°Everyone, go and kill this damned son-inw¡­¡± before he finished his


    sentence, the Porsche came dashing at them with full eleration.¡± This motherfucker is crazy!¡±

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82


    The cops received an anonymous call and arrived at the underground tunnel as fast as they could, but


    what awaited them was beyond what they had expected or imagined. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me,¡± they


    couldn¡¯t believe what they were seeing. The whole underground tunnel had copsed. ¡°What in the world


    happened here?¡± Now, they had no idea if anyone was even trapped inside or not.


    Later that night.


    A clean red Porsche arrived at the Sterling vi. After seeing Benjamin, the guard said, ¡°Did you get the


    Porsche serviced? It looks fresh.¡± Benjamin gave a thumbs-up before driving through the gate. After he


    parked the car, he was walking into the vi, but his ears caught the distant noise of the birds in distress.


    What bothered him was that the noises didn¡¯te from the trees but from the dorms. He had a bad


    feeling about it. He rushed straight to the dorms and kicked the door open, waking up the butlers and


    cleaners. He went to the storage room, and it was locked. He looked at the butlers. ¡°Where¡¯s the key?¡±


    he demanded.


    ¡°What the fuck? You not only barged into the dorms and disturbed our sleep, but now you ask for the


    storage room key so arrogantly!¡± one of the butlers raised his voice angrily. ¡°Did you forget your ce,


    Unpaid Maid?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t ask again,¡± Benjamin¡¯s stare tightened, Johnny nced at one of the cleaners


    who stepped forward. ¡°I have it, but I won¡¯t give you shit,¡± he came closer to Benjamin with his chin lifted


    high. ¡°You think we¡¯re gonna treat you differently just because you managed to get on the good side of


    Madam Reba? If you thought so, you are wrong. So what are you gonna do now?¡± He was slightly


    taller than Benjamin and had a construction worker¡¯s physique. ¡°You are gonna go andin to your


    wife now, aren¡¯t yo-bwugh,¡± he suddenly coughed blood as something struck his belly. His eyes turned


    white as he copsed forward and his chin rested on Benjamin¡¯s shoulder. Benjamin pushed his face


    aside, and he copsed on the floor, almost lifelessly.


    The butlers and the cleaners were astonished.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the key?¡± Benjamin asked.


    One of the butlers took the keys out from under his pillow and quickly came over to Benjamin. He


    snatched the keys and opened the door. Inside the room, the parrots were locked in a cage, with their


    wings plucked, beaks broken, and nails crushed. They were shivering in pain and made weak noises.


    Benjamin¡¯s gut twisted. As he clenched his fist, a vein bulged in his arm, and the bulge traveled up his


    arm and all the way up to the neck. The sliding sweat drop touched the bulging vein and hissed and


    turned into vapor.


    A minuteter.


    As the butlers and the cleaners wondered what Benjamin was doing inside, he walked out with the two


    un recognizable birds in his arms. Most of them were shocked, and they couldn¡¯t even recognize the


    birds. Benjamin red at all them as he left the dorms. This wasn¡¯t the time to talk with any of them. The


    birds were of higher priority.


    ¡°What the hell are those?¡± some butlers still looked shocked. ¡°Are they defeathered birds?¡±


    ¡°Who knows,¡± Johnny shrugged his shoulders. (How the hell did he know that the parrots were locked in


    there? We sedated them, so they shouldn¡¯t even have the strength to scream. Just how did he¡­)


    Soon, Benjamin brought the birds to his room. Reba was sleeping, but when the light was switched


    on, she woke up. Her sight was still blurry. ¡°Benjamin,¡± she could tell it was him, even though she


    couldn¡¯t clearly see him yet. ¡°You were gone in the morning. Where were you ¡­¡± as her sight was


    restored, he sat in his bed, with the defeathered, badly wounded birds in his arms.


    Her heart ballooned at once. ¡°W-What are those things?¡± they looked ugly at first sight, but then she sort


    of recognized them. ¡°Wait¡­ are they?¡± her eyes widened slowly but surely. ¡°Are those the parrots from


    the garden?¡± her voice hit the ceiling. She immediately rolled to the side and sat down,pletely


    ignoring her ankle injury. ¡°What happened to them?¡± she tried to get a closer look. ¡°This¡­¡± she couldn¡¯t


    look at them from up close. With broken beaks, crushed feet, they looked miserable, to say the least.


    Their eyes were mostly closed as well. It looked like they were both a step away from death. The


    extremely weak noise they made stirred her gut. ¡°H-How did this happen?¡±


    ¡°Someone put them in the cage,¡± he replied while taking out the first-aid kit that was next to her bed.


    ¡°Cage?¡± her expression warped. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡± ¡°We¡¯ll talk about thatter. First, let me


    tend to these birds.¡± ¡°You want to treat them?¡± she yelled. ¡°Are you serious?¡± she tried to pluck them from


    him, but he didn¡¯t let her.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you allergic to fur?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, to dogs and cats, sure, but birds? I don¡¯t think so?¡± she quickly dialed her doctor and asked for a


    veterinarian¡¯s number, then made a call and exined the situation. ¡°The veterinarian says he¡¯lle


    here in thirty minutes.¡±


    Benjamin didn¡¯t say anything. He cleaned the wounds and wrapped them up neatly in bandages. Before


    she knew it, she kept watching. In a matter of minutes, hepletely took care of the bandaging,


    including their feathers. ¡°You¡­ Did you learn this somewhere?¡± she asked curiously. ¡°You didn¡¯t waste


    any cotton or cloth. You looked like you had so much experience.¡± Benjamin didn¡¯t say anything. He put


    the birds on his bed. It was cold, so he covered part of them with the nket and went to the couch.


    She didn¡¯t like the fact that he didn¡¯t answer. The taste of her own medicine was bad, but she


    was able to endure it well. She went to his bed and began tending to the birds by gently rubbing her


    finger over them, telling them they¡¯re going to be alright. The birds weakly responded as though they


    were expressing their pain to her.


    Seeing her care for the birds in her own fashion, Benjamin¡¯s heart cooled down. He didn¡¯t smile, but his


    gaze definitely softened. He wondered, if he had a mother, would she have taken care of him the same


    way when he was hurt? He only heard that a mother¡¯s love couldn¡¯t be matched, but he had never seen


    or experienced it himself.


    A minuteter, she went back to her bed and looked at Benjamin and hesitantly said, ¡°Y-You can sleep in


    my bed if you want. There¡¯s enough space.¡±


    Benjamin, however, didn¡¯t respond.


    She knew he was awake, but she didn¡¯t know why he wasn¡¯t jumping at the offer. Maybe because the


    birds were hurt badly, he wasn¡¯t in the mood? Either way, she didn¡¯t persuade him anymore. ¡°Don¡¯t sleep.


    The veterinarian will be here any second.¡± ¡°I¡¯m awake,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯ll go and greet the doctor, so you


    should sleep.¡±


    ¡°Mm,¡± sheid back on the bed and closed her eyes. She didn¡¯t like to sleep when the lights were turned


    on, but tonight, she had to bear it.


    Meanwhile, in Fracis¡¯ house.


    Francis and his assistant were sleeping in the same bed, buttnaked, both of them. The phone rang. He


    woke up andzily answered. ¡°Hello?¡±


    An extremely tense and scared female voice spoke from the other end. ¡°H-H-Hello, is it Francis?


    Edward¡¯s father?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s me. Who are you? Why is your voice like that? Did Edward do something to you?¡± ¡°Listen to


    me,¡± she was crying, ¡°your son is dead.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I was waiting outside the tunnel, but¡­ your son and all those who went inside are dead. They are dead


    for sure!¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Francis grew angry. ¡°If this is some sort of a prank he¡¯s pulling, I


    swear-¡± ¡°Forget about your son. He¡¯s gone! I¡¯m telling this for your own good,¡± she continued to speak in


    a rushed and scared tone. ¡°Don¡¯t go after that son-inw! If you want to live, then stay away from him!


    No matter how many lives you have, you can¡¯t touch a hair on him. He¡¯s¡­ He¡¯s¡­ Kyaaa!¡±


    A scream came from the other side. The noise of the mobile falling on the ground, and the sound of her


    footsteps fading away was all Francis heard. ¡°Hey, are you alright?¡± he asked, but there was no


    response, even though the line was still on. Before he knew it, all the hair on his body was standing. Did


    his son really die? His eyes grew wide awake just at the thought of that possibility being real.


    At the same time, in the outskirts of the city.


    A woman had been running on the deste road as though she had been running from a ghost. She


    looked terrified and kept looking back repeatedly. However, she suddenly stopped after noticing a man


    completely dressed in ck, standing in the middle of the road at about a hundred meters ahead. His


    face was covered with a ck cloth from the top of his head to the bottom of his nose. He had a dagger


    in each hand. He looked like the manifestation of darkness itself.


    Her dder leaked out as terror took over her countenance. ¡°N-No, please¡­¡± she couldn¡¯t even speak


    as tears overflowed. ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone. I swear.¡±


    ¡°You think you managed to escape from him?¡± a voice echoed in her head, shocking her. He was more


    than a hundred feet away, yet his voice clearly reached her, even though he didn¡¯t speak out loud. The


    sheer terror petrified her body in ce. ¡°You escaped because he let you go.¡± He began to walk. His


    mouth was shut, but his voice still echoed in her mind. ¡°And we¡¯re here to cover our king. We can¡¯t risk


    getting his identity leaked.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t. Please¡­¡± she begged. ¡°Fret not. I¡¯ll make it quick,¡± he turned into a


    sh, and the next second, her head flew and rolled down the road while his presence was already gone,


    with not even a trace of his footsteps or his scent left.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84


    The parrots did show some interest in the parfait, but in the end, they didn¡¯t eat anything. The


    veterinarian had toe and check up on the birds again.


    Selena now knew what exactly had happened the previous night, and she then understood the reason


    why the muffins were so horrible, the worst she had ever eaten. She had to make


    and buy the best muffins in the city and then eat them to feel a little better.


    The word already reached Reba through Veronica, but she couldn¡¯t question Benjamin because she


    was smart enough to realize that Selena probably had something to do with the birds. Moreover, there


    wasn¡¯t much one could do if family members kept fighting against each other. Whom should she


    support? She had been seeing this since childhood, so she was thinking of telling Benjamin to control


    himself until she bought a new house where they could freely live together.


    While Reba was nning a design for her and her husband to wear during the reception, Benjamin


    went to Rye¡¯s Pizzas to invite the workers there. The date of the reception had been decided. It was after


    the two movies Jacob produced had released, so there were still over thirty days left. Benjamin didn¡¯t


    comin as any earlier date would mean troubling Jacob, and thus troubling his daughter.


    After Elizabeth quit, Christopher was promoted back to being the manager once again. Benjamin treated


    him with an ice cream sundae the size of his head just to congratte him. He gave various ice creams


    to other workers as well and made them feel a little special that afternoon, though it cost him a month¡¯s


    sry to be able to do that, for he didn¡¯t use the tinum card to treat his co-workers


    While Benjamin was returning home, Shawn¡¯s car blocked his way at a U-turn. Only Shawn was there.


    No one else.


    Benjamin got out of the Porsche and asked with a polite smile on his face, ¡°What is it, brother inw?¡±


    Shawn was folding his sleeves while his gaze was semi-sharp. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy, so I ignored my wife¡¯s


    comints about you, but to think you¡¯ve grown so daring you put too much in their food, you must be


    taught some fear.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you want to do this here?¡± Benjamin asked. ¡°In the middle of the road?¡±


    ¡°Hitting you in front of my family will make me look like a thug, but hitting you inside a car won¡¯t give me


    much thrill, either, so punching that little smile out of your face in public is for everyone¡¯s best.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you waiting for? Come and beat me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me that.¡± Shawn used his boxing skills to repeatedly punch Benjamin¡¯s face and


    body all over. He kept going even after seeing blood. Once Benjamin fell to the ground, he mercilessly


    used his boots to strike Benjamin¡¯s stomach, making him cough blood. Even after hitting so much,


    Shawn looked like he could go for another round, but killing


    Benjamin wasn¡¯t his intention. He put his foot on Benjamin¡¯s face and said, ¡°It only gets worse from here


    on out. The only way you can escape from this nightmare is to leave this city. Disappear from Reba¡¯s


    life forever. I¡¯ll give you three days¡¯ time to think. If you still decide to stay, I¡¯ll start with breaking your


    fingers one by one every day. Trust me, I won¡¯t stop until you¡¯re dead.¡±


    His words were pretty intimidating, but he couldn¡¯t tell whether his words were really effective or not.


    After Shawn left, Benjamin got up to his feet, wiped the dirt off his clothes, and spat bloody saliva to the


    side.


    A voice echoed in Benjamin¡¯s mind. ¡°How could you let him do this to you, lord? My blood is boiling. I


    want to go and cut him into a thousand pieces!¡± ¡°Shadow¡­¡± Benjamin looked toward a roadside tree


    where a man in ck was hiding in in sight. ¡°Do you want to die?¡± he spoke without moving his lips.


    ¡°But, Lord¡­.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell you again. Don¡¯t touch the Sterlings. Filthy they may be, they¡¯re still family. I¡¯ll deal with them


    myself. Besides, I don¡¯t need you here, so go back.¡± ¡°But, Lord¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an order.¡±


    Shadow replied no more.


    Benjamin went home with all the injuries. After getting out of the car, he acted like an injured man


    suffering from quite a bit of pain as he made his way to his room. The butlers and maids saw him but did


    nothing to help him.


    He went to his room and opened the door.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°How could he use my favorite book as a coaster for his drinks!¡± Selena fumed as she pushed the


    sses aside and took her book. ¡°Mm?¡± she turned her head, and a badly wounded Benjamin limped


    into the room.


    ¡°Benjamin!¡± Reba was shocked seeing blooding from his forehead. As she got down from the


    bed with effort, Benjamin came over to her with a sad face and gave her a big hug. ¡°It hurts, Reba.


    How could Brother-inw do this to me?¡± he cried out but at the same time he winked at Selena, not


    giving her the chance to even enjoy the news of her son beating her son-inw even for a second.


    The fact that he was hugging her daughter angered Selena enough already, but the way he acted like he


    was badly hurt was something she couldn¡¯t just digest. She waved her hand and hit his face with her


    favorite book, screaming, ¡°You little shit!¡± ¡°AHH!¡± Benjamin cried out some more as he stepped back a


    couple of times. Blood poured down from his nose. A lot of it. His beard waspletely covered with his


    blood now. Reba¡¯s heart began beating super fast. She red at Selena. ¡°Mom! Did you just hit him


    with the book?¡±


    ¡°U-Uh,¡± Selena¡¯s tongue got stuck in her mouth. She had ended up reacting before she knew it.


    Reba took some cotton from the first-aid kid and put it under Benjamin¡¯s nose and tried to stop the


    bleeding. He moved her fingers up so that she pinched his nose with the cotton. He began breathing


    through the mouth and exaggerated it a bit. ¡°B-Benjamin¡­¡± Reba was worried. She looked for her


    mobile but it was on the desk. She quickly looked at Selena. ¡°Mom, grab my mobile and call the doctor!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Selena made a strange face. She should call a doctor for treating Benjamin? She never even


    imagined herself doing that. However, with the way her daughter had been looking at her, she thought it


    was better to do what she wanted right now. ¡°Fine.¡± She dialed their family doctor, and while she talked,


    her daughter was looking at her and so was Benjamin, but he was still smiling. That sassy smile tore


    through her temper. ¡°You bastard!¡± she yelled. The doctor who was on the line was shocked. ¡°Excuse


    me?¡±

 Chapter 85

    Chapter 85


    The family doctor hade and treated Benjamin, even though the bleeding had stopped by the time he


    came.


    Selena was also there. She didn¡¯t want anything serious happening between the husband and wife as


    they were sitting next to each other. So she stayed in the room to make sure nothing of the sort


    happened.


    As the doctor was leaving, he looked at Selena and said, ¡°You may love your son-inw, but you can¡¯t be


    calling doctors bastards for not answering your call in the first few rings.¡±


    Selena¡¯s face flushed pink as the doctor had said what he wanted and left. Though she felt embarrassed,


    she was at least d that her words were taken in a way that would make her daughter feel better about


    her.


    However, seeing the wounded parrots resting in the bed was something she didn¡¯t like. Beds were not


    meant for birds, she thought. If not for Reba constantly being in the room, she would have already


    done something about it.


    After Benjamin rested on Reba¡¯s bed, Reba went to the couch. This only furthered Selena¡¯s


    hatred toward him.


    ¡°Come and sleep in my room,¡± Selena told Reba. ¡°It¡¯s okay, mom. I¡¯m fine here. You can go now.


    Thanks for the help.¡±


    Selena slowly walked out, cursing Benjamin in her thoughts. She ordered Belle to bring her cream coffee


    before heading to her room, with her favorite book in hand. Delle went to prepare the best tea she could,


    but while she was looking for sugar, Shadow entered the kitchen and mixed something in the coffee and


    left just as fast.


    Delle took the coffee to Selena who tasted it and said it was good. She began reading her book, but in a


    couple of minutes, her stomach began stirring. She didn¡¯t mind it and continued reading, but then her


    bowel started making noise, which even Delle heard, and that embarrassed her.


    ¡°You go,¡± she told Delle. After the maid left, she put the book down and rushed into the bathroom.


    Loud farting and shitting noises followed afterward.


    Meanwhile, outside the vi.


    Shadow just entered a ck SUV. Alfred was sitting in the back, and he sat next to him.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything crazy, did you?¡± asked Alfred.


    ¡°Nothing crazy. I didn¡¯t want to upset the Lord too much, so I only added axative in her coffee,¡±


    Shadow replied. ¡°She¡¯ll not leave the bathroom until midnight.¡±


    ¡°What if she dies from dehydration?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll call a doctor I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°Still, he might get angry at you for this.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Shadow was still wearing the mask that covered up his


    face from above his mouth.¡± She deserves a lot more if you ask me. Not just her. The people in this vi


    are all full of shit. If it was up to me, I¡¯d just make them stand in a line and then roll all their heads with


    one strike. I don¡¯t understand why the Lord is wasting his time with them. Everytime they treat him badly,


    my daggers beg me to get rid of them.¡± ¡°Despite everything, he still considers them as family. You don¡¯t


    want to dishonor our Lord¡¯s family, do you?¡±


    Shadow squeezed his lips together. ¡°Keep your shit together, or it¡¯s your head that will roll.¡± ¡°M-Mm. By


    the way, Young Lady Rye has been calling me. What should I tell her?¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t answer.¡±


    Meanwhile, Reba had been trying to change Benjamin¡¯s mind. ¡°She even stayed here and helped


    you, so forgive her for what she did to the birds, okay? I will tell her to never touch the birds if she wants


    me to respect her.¡±


    Benjamin, however, said nothing.


    ¡°How about we go to the beach with my mom and veronica? Just the four of us?¡± she asked.¡± I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll


    be fun. I can¡¯t swim yet, but I¡¯ll just sit out in the sun, and we can have a nice chat with the family. What


    do you say?¡±


    Again, Benjamin didn¡¯t seem all that interested. Going out with her alone was one thing, but going


    anywhere with her mother or sister would only invite trouble, so he was naturally against that idea.


    Reba was a prideful woman. She had already asked him twice, and she didn¡¯t want to keep doing it


    anymore. She stood and walked out of the room and came to the balcony for some fresh air.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Johnny was washing the cars in the garden. He kept looking at her for every few seconds, and she


    noticed that and went back inside.


    A few secondster, Ashley brought a ss of coconut water to Johnny, pleasantly surprising him. ¡°I-Is


    this for me?¡± he asked in shock. ¡°Yes,¡± Ashley pleasantly smiled, though only faintly. ¡°After Oliver died,


    you¡¯re the most hardworking butler in the house. Now that Devon also left, you¡¯re going to be a


    head butler, so take good care of me, okay?¡± ¡°O-Of course,¡± he drank the whole ss of coconut water


    in one gulp, making her say, ¡®oh, my. You can drink a whole ss in one gulp. You really are full of


    surprises. You can also work as well as you eat. You are one handy man.¡¯ ¡°Haha.¡± He just blushed. ¡°Too


    bad, she can¡¯t get to you even if she wants to.¡± Johnny was startled. ¡°Who?¡± Was Ashley talking about


    Kathy? ¡°Who else? Madam Reba!¡±


    Johnny¡¯s mouth widened, ¡°What?¡± he lowered his voice. ¡°Why would she want me?¡± ¡°How would i know?


    But what I can say is that she looks at you differently. Didn¡¯t you notice that?¡±


    ¡°Well.¡± Johnny rubbed the back of his head. ¡°Maybe? I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t know


    about women. If you ask me, you¡¯re better at everything than the useless son-inw. So, of course, she¡¯s


    gonna be more interested in men like you. Did you ever wonder why they don¡¯t even sleep on the same


    bed? Maybe she¡¯s waiting for a better man, but how long can she burn from passion? Because no one


    came forward, she¡¯s decided to officially wed her useless husband. I feel bad for her. If only she can find


    a man who can please her passions, she wouldn¡¯t need to be with Benjamin.¡± She sighed and then took


    the ss from him and walked away Johnny looked toward the balcony where Reba had stood a


    minute ago.

 Chapter 86

    Chapter 86


    Anous returned to his job. He took the kids to school and then dropped Benjamin, Reba, and


    Veronica at the Powell¡¯s gym. Jane and Donovan were already waiting there. Donovan didn¡¯t look


    ashamed of what had happened at the birthday party, as he seemed to already put that behind him.


    ¡°Why do we only get 1 hour?¡± Janeined before even entering the gym. ¡°Donovan says we need


    at least two to three hours to properly train our body under supervision.¡± ¡°This is like rehabilitating, you


    know,¡± replied Reba. ¡°Some training without therapy.¡± After they entered, a tall and handsome ck


    man came to greet them. Both Reba and Jane went speechless for a second.


    ¡°P-Powell?¡± Jane was shocked. ¡°It¡¯s you?¡±


    ¡°Haha,¡± Powellughed, putting his hands on his waist. ¡°It¡¯s great to meet friends from college, especially


    you, Jane.¡± He offered his hand for a handshake, but she didn¡¯t go with the flow.


    Jane grabbed Donovan¡¯s arm and said, ¡°This is Donovan, my boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Powell¡¯s gaze changed. He looked at Donovan from top to bottom. ¡°Your body isn¡¯t bad, but it


    needs some more symmetry.¡± ¡°Pfhh,¡± Donovan couldn¡¯t believe this guy. ¡°Whatever.¡± He walked past


    him. ¡°I don¡¯t need anybody¡¯s help.¡± ¡°Your wish,¡± Powell didn¡¯t mind it. ¡°My only obligation is to care for


    Ms. Reba, so..¡± when he looked at Reba and smiled, Benjamin put his arm around her shoulder,


    startling both of them.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we see how good you really are, Mr. Powell?¡± Benjamin said. ¡°I hope your skills match at


    least half your reputation.¡± Powell just smiled in return and then showed his skill with actions. He made


    Reba do low impact workouts that targeted her injured leg. After she warmed-up enough, he made


    her do slightly harder workouts using resistance bands and also making her stand on one leg. There


    wasn¡¯t anything groundbreaking in the exercises he made her do, but at the end of the first session, she


    was already able to walk a few steps without having to use the walking stick. Reba was mightily


    impressed with Powell and gave him a handshake at the end. ¡°You definitely are worth paying 1000


    dors per hour.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t magically cure you,¡± Benjamin said. ¡°You are still going to feel the pain after


    your muscles cool down.¡±


    ¡°I know that, too,¡± she replied, ¡°but you¡¯ve gotta give credit where it¡¯s due.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Benjamin said, ¡°but I would have done better. Just saying.¡±


    Powell could only shake his head,


    At that moment, Artur walked into the wym, and Powell went over to greet him,


    ¡°Why¡¯s he here?¡± Veronica looked surprised. All she had done in the gym was experiment with every


    item and didn¡¯t really do any productive work. ¡°The guy who built an exctor for you, sis.¡± She looked at


    her sister,


    Reba frowned, (Brother¡­ I thought you really cared for me, but you don¡¯t do anything in that doesn¡¯t


    benefit you, do you?) She felt really disappointed in her brother Shawn.


    ¡°Why are there so many people here?¡± Artur asked Powell, jokingly. ¡°I thought you only took one person


    in at a time?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Artur, but I had to make an exception because some of them were my college mates.¡± ¡°Oh, 1


    see,¡± he said and nced at Reba. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you again, Ms. Reba.¡±


    ¡°You two know each other?¡± Powell seemed surprised.


    ¡°Just a little,¡± Artur touched his cheek once.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be back tomorrow, Powell,¡± Reba said and walked out without the help of the walking stick.


    Benjamin followed her and helped her when she was about to slip on the stairs, He had her back.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    Donovan and Jane went in a separate car. Veronica tagged along with her sister. While Anous drove,


    Benjamin sat in the front, with the sisters in the back.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you. He¡¯s definitely joined this gym for you, sister,¡± Veronica said, ¡°It¡¯s a great opportunity if


    you ask me. Artur Bonsbell¡­ He¡¯s filthy rich. Mom and dad won¡¯t object to it. I don¡¯t like big guys, but


    maybe you do. I only see good fortunes ahead with him.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you marry him then?¡± Benjamin spoke back.


    ¡°Huh? I would if he wasn¡¯t that big,¡± replied Veronica, sounding serious and genuine. ¡°He¡¯s too far away


    from my preferences, but I think my sister has a different taste.¡±


    Benjamin nced over his shoulder and looked at his wife. ¡°Is your sister serious?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Veronica raised her hand to p Benjamin¡¯s face, but Reba stopped her.


    ¡°Hey, what are hell are you doing!¡± Reba yelled at her. ¡°I¡¯m doing what¡¯s best for you,¡± Veronica yelled


    back. ¡°What¡¯s best for my sister!¡± ¡°And that is?¡± Benjamin asked aloud, ¡°What you want, or what your


    sister wants?¡±


    ¡°O-Of course, it¡¯s what my sister wants,¡± Veronica said and then went silent for a little while.¡° I won¡¯t


    ept you as my brother-inw. Even if the heavens copse, I won¡¯t!¡±


    Benjamin could only shake his head. Talking with this woman was useless, he thought.


    Meanwhile, in Powell¡¯s gym.


    Powell was training Artur, and he received a phone call. He was about to reject, but after


    seeing the name, he asked Artur¡¯s permission and walked outside before answering, ¡°Hello,


    sir.¡±


    ¡°How are you doing, Powell?¡± a male voice came from the other side. ¡°Doing, great, sir. If not for your


    financial support, I wouldn¡¯t be here, sir, earning 10 grand a day.¡±


    ¡°Good for you. Now I want you to do me a favor.¡±


    ¡°Anything, Sir Arlo.¡±


    ¡°Nothing much. A woman named Reba has starteding to your gym, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. She¡¯s my collegemate.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great. I was about to tell you to install some cameras in the


    washroom for her, but it seems there may be no need for that.¡±


    Powell¡¯s expression changed. ¡°W-What are you saying, sir?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°Will you be able to bring her to me, Powell? If you do, I¡¯ll help you earn more than 10 grand a day with


    less work.¡±


    Powell was really tempted by the offer. ¡°Sorry, sir, but she¡¯s a friend of mine. Ask me anything else, and I


    will do that for you.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Fine. It was good talking to you.¡± The call ended.


    Powell exhaled audibly. ¡°Why is Arlo Campbell interested in Reba? Did she see her in one of the


    competitions? That guy is the king of womanizers. I¡¯m afraid Reba is going to have a hard time


    dealing with him.¡± He noticed that Luther, Artur¡¯s bodyguard, was looking at him, so he smiled and said,


    ¡°How are you doing, sir?¡±


    He only received a nod in return. ¡°This guy never talks,¡± murmuring to himself, Powell went back into his


    gym.

 Chapter 87

    Chapter 87


    When Reba returned from the gym in her tights, Johnny was watching her from a distance. This was


    the first time he was seeing her curves, and he couldn¡¯t turn his eyes away. Even though Veronica was


    also wearing tights, he was always watching her in her bikini, so she didn¡¯t feel any special to him.


    It was only Reba that was his mango just out of reach. He wanted to jump and get hold of the


    ripening mango as fast as he could so he could have a taste of it.


    However, he suddenly felt a chill of the underworld, and he soon realized that Benjamin was giving him a


    death re. He turned his head and minded his work. (Tsk! This overprotective son-inw is always right


    behind her ass. But he¡¯s a nobody, and I will make Reba realize that.) As he imagined Reba using


    her delicate arms to stroke him in the most intimate way, the thing in his pants throbbed. He get going far


    in the fantasies he lost track of time.


    Meanwhile in Reba¡¯s room. She was going for a bath, and Benjamin asked, ¡°Can I join?¡± She


    stopped almost immediately but didn¡¯t turn back to look at him. She knew she was keeping her husband


    waiting for many months, but for him to shamelessly and casually ask if he could enter in the bathtub


    with her, nervous butterflies took flight in her stomach. ¡°You waited for so long. Just wait for a little


    longer.¡± Saying that she went in and briefly looked at him before shutting the door. ¡°Haah,¡± Benjamin fell


    back on the bed. ¡°I wish she knew better than to disregard me like this. Don¡¯t you think so, guys?¡± he


    looked at the parrots, but they were still sleeping and recovering


    Delle knocked on the door and said, ¡°Madam Selena is calling for you, Benjamin.¡±


    ¡°For me?¡± he was surprised. ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Pleasee. She isn¡¯t feeling well.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± He went with her. When he entered Selena¡¯s room, he was surprised to see Selena on the bed,


    with two saline bottles supplying electrolytes to her. She looked weak and dehydrated. It didn¡¯t seem like


    she was faking it.


    ¡°B-Benjarnin¡­¡± Selena¡¯s eyes were blood-red from rage, but she wasn¡¯t in a position to move.


    Otherwise, she¡¯d have jumped off the bed and kicked the living shit out of him. ¡°How could you do this to


    me?¡± she looked pitiful as well as rageful at the same time. ¡°I¡¯ve never flushed the toilet so many times in


    one day¡­¡± she was in tears. ¡°My stomach is still making weird noises. I¡¯ve never had diarrhea this bad. If


    I don¡¯t make it out of this, and something were to happen to me, then don¡¯t celebrate because I¡¯ll be


    a ghost and possess you and make you jump off a cliff!¡±


    ¡°What nonsense is this?¡± Benjamin raised his voice. ¡°I¡¯m not responsible for you bing like this. You


    probably did this to yourself to put the me on me, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You think I¡¯ll hurt myself so badly I


    won¡¯t even have the strength to scream at you?¡± Selena screamed at him.


    Meanwhile, in Reba¡¯s room.


    She walked out of the bathroom, rubbing her hair with a towel. But someone suddenly shut her mouth


    from behind and forcibly took her into the bathroom and kicked the door shut. She thought it was


    Benjamin, but then a different voice reached her ears. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to do this¡­¡± he grabbed her


    best with the other hand. ¡°I know you wanted this too, right, Reba?¡±


    After realizing that it wasn¡¯t Benjamin but was actually Johnny, her heart rate spiked. She struggled to


    get out of his bind, but he was really strong. The pressure his hand put on her mouth and nose made it


    difficult for her to even breathe.


    ¡°Ehehe, the walls here are thick. No one¡¯s gonna hear shit even if you scream,¡± he turned her around


    and pressed her against the wall before moving his hand from her mouth to her throat. The fear in her


    eyes only strengthened his libido. He moved his other hand down to grab her pussy, but her knee struck


    his crotch hard andpletely sucked all the strength out of his limbs, causing him to back a step away.


    That little attack with the knee sprained her ankle, but she somehow managed to rush out of the


    bathroom.


    Johnny bore the pain and chased her. He shouldn¡¯t let her out of the room before he had his fun with her


    no matter what. However, she didn¡¯t go for the door but went to her bed. He went after her, but she took


    something out of her bag that shocked him.


    ¡°W-Wait,¡± he was saying, but bullets struck his chest and face repeatedly. Johnny looked at her in


    disbelief. He thought she really was into him, but maybe she wasn¡¯t.


    Benjamin rushed to the room and broke the door open. Reba turned and pointed the gun at him in


    reflex. After seeing him, she lowered the gun and sat on the bed with a plop, her eyes looking at the


    dead body. Elizabeth and others also gathered soon, and they were all left in shock. Lisa and Roshan


    asked their mother if Reba would end up in jail, but Elizabeth red at them, telling them to shut up,


    and they did. d and Mercie were also there, staring at the dead body, but Elizabeth told Ashely to take


    them away.


    As Ashley took the kids away, she looked shocked as well as disappointed. (I didn¡¯t think that fool would


    attempt something like this so fast. It hasn¡¯t even been a day since I told him, and he¡­)


    Reba just sat on the bed, not moving. The time when she got kidnapped yed in her mind. Back


    then, she couldn¡¯t do much as some of the kidnappers touched her inappropriately. Now, she managed


    to kill Johnny, but she couldn¡¯t feel happy about it. She grabbed her mobile to call the police, but


    Benjamin caught her hand and shook his head. ¡°Let me handle this,¡± he said.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®you will handle this,¡¯?¡± she looked confused. Was he saying he¡¯ll take the me for


    this?

 Chapter 88

    Chapter 88


    Selena fired all the male butlers and cleaners after giving them the next three months sry, so they


    didn¡¯tin and also leaked what happened inside the vi, and she didn¡¯t lose any face, either. Both


    parties knew that this was done to make Reba feelfortable.


    While Benjamin had taken Johnny¡¯s body in a car and went out into the city, Selena had removed


    Benjamin¡¯s bed and all his belongings from Reba¡¯s room.


    When Reba told her this wasn¡¯t necessary, she was told to shut-up.


    ¡°I know you better than you know yourself,¡± Selena told her. ¡°Right now, it¡¯s not good for a male to be


    living in your room, even if it¡¯s your husband.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ shouldn¡¯t we at least discuss this with him first?¡± asked Reba. ¡°What will he think when he


    comes back and sees all his stuff moved to another room?¡±


    ¡°Let him think whatever he wants,¡± Selena snorted. Her stomach rumbled again. ¡°Ah, for fuck sake!¡± she


    raised her hands and screamed before rushing to the washroom in Reba¡¯s room itself.


    Delle then exined to Reba about Benjamin putting diarrhea-causing pills in Selena¡¯s coffee. She


    touched her forehead in response. ¡°It¡¯s saltst time, and now it¡¯s this? Why¡¯s he acting like this now?¡±


    ¡°Now that you told him you¡¯ll make your wedding public,¡± Selena spoke aloud from the bathroom. After


    taking the electrolytes, she was feeling energetic now. ¡°He¡¯s finally showing his true colors. He¡¯ll be


    more and more assertive, and if you keep silent, he¡¯ll get away with anything and everything. Don¡¯t forget


    that he¡¯s the guy who took advantage of you when you were drunk. That type of a guy can never be


    trusted.¡± Her mother¡¯s words didn¡¯t help Reba cope with the situation any better. She just killed a


    person, yet her mother was more worried about her son-inw¡¯s situation.


    At that moment, Jacob entered the room. ¡°Dad¡­¡± as he came over, she stood, thinking he¡¯ll hug her.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the gun?¡± he asked. She didn¡¯t respond, or rather she couldn¡¯t. ¡°I asked you, where¡¯s the gun?¡±


    ¡°Benjamin took it,¡± her expression turned a bit said. ¡°Why?¡±


    Jacob gritted his teeth. ¡°How could you be so foolish, Reba? If you had only just called, I would have


    used my contacts and dealt everything smoothly. What if this guy gets caught now? Even if he tells


    everything that happened, it won¡¯t make you look good. When you killed Johnny in self-defense, there


    was no need for you to bury the body somewhere secretly, unless you¡¯re guilty. That¡¯s what the court will


    say.¡±


    Reba¡¯s heart began beating faster and faster.


    ¡°I called him, but he isn¡¯t responding. You try calling him,¡± Jacob said, even though he didn¡¯t call


    Benjamin even once. After all, he didn¡¯t even have Benjamin¡¯s number in his phone.


    She immediately dialed Benjamin. He answered. ¡°Hey, where are you?¡± she asked quickly. Sensing the


    tension in her tone, he said, ¡°Be calm. I told you I¡¯ll handle this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. You should-¡± as Reba


    was speaking, Jacob snatched the phone from her. ¡°It¡¯s me, Jacob. Turn around and get back home right


    now! If the patrolling officers stop you, everything will get messy, you hear me?¡±


    The call ended.


    Jacob couldn¡¯t believe it. He looked at his daughter in disbelief. ¡°Did he just hang up?¡± ¡°What a mouth!¡±


    Benjamin slowed down his car and stopped by the group of officers that were checking every vehicle


    passing by. They soon came to his car and checked that there as no one else inside other than


    Benjamin.¡± Why don¡¯t you open the trunk, mate?¡± one of the officers said.


    Just then another officer, Steve, recognized Benjamin. ¡°Hello, Mr. Benjamin. Where are you headed at


    this hour? To your second home?¡± ¡°Of course, not,¡± replied Benjamin, calmly. ¡°What¡¯s going on here,


    though?¡± ¡°Ah, a missing girl case.¡± He showed the poster. ¡°Have you seen here anywhere? She¡¯s the


    chief justice¡¯s daughter.¡±


    Benjamin nced at the poster and remembered her. This was the same girl standing outside the


    underground tunnel, the one she let go. (She didn¡¯t return home? Perhaps, she was too afraid to return.)


    ¡°Why are you taking so long to reply?¡± Steve asked. ¡°Surely, you aren¡¯t hiding her in your trunk, are you?¡±


    Benjamin stared at him, and Steve peered back at him without blinking and while chewing on the bubble


    gum. ¡°Just kidding, mate.¡± He furled the poster and his voice slightly changed, ¡°I saw you talking with


    Jane the other day at the party. Are you two close?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m close with her friend, though.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Steve


    felt a bit relieved. ¡°A¡¯ight. You can go.¡±


    Benjamin nodded and pressed his foot on the elerator gently as there were still cars before him that


    were moving. The dog held by the officer began to sniff and shout as Benjamin¡¯s car passed by. He


    red at the dog, and it tucked its tail between its legs and squealed in a submissive manner.


    One of the officers standing beside Steve asked, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to check that guy¡¯s car?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure. He¡¯s a hard-working guy. Not the kind to kidnap girls.¡±


    ¡°Charlie seems to have sensed something, though. Maybe he¡¯s carrying some stuff.¡± ¡°Well, we ain¡¯t got


    time to focus on that,¡± said Steve. ¡°You got a point. If we don¡¯t find the chief justice¡¯s daughter by


    tomorrow morning, he¡¯ll be all over our department.¡± Steve nced at Benjamin¡¯s car as it shrank in his


    sight. (I felt great when you hit Donovan, so now, we¡¯re even.)


    Meanwhile, somewhere else in the city.


    In a private casino, Francis was kneeling on the floor, with his facepletely covered in his own blood.


    He was gasping and cringing in pain and crying. ¡°I really don¡¯t know. Please trust me.¡± His words weren¡¯t


    clear because a few of his teeth were missing. ¡°I didn¡¯t know she was your daughter. I didn¡¯t know her


    until she called me. My son is missing, too.¡±


    A fat man was sitting in the chair before him, with two dozen armed guards standing behind him. ¡°If your


    son wasn¡¯t missing, you would have already died. It¡¯s a pity that a capablew officers like us have to


    meet like this because of our ipetent children. But this doesn¡¯t change the fact that she got into


    some kind of mess because of your son, so you should take responsibility for it.¡± He raised his hand a


    little and gestured to the guards. One of them stepped forth and took out a knife. ¡°No, wait, please!¡±


    Francis begged. ¡°Give me a chance.¡±


    Despite his efforts, his tongue was pulled out and cut into half. Blood poured out of his mouth. He shut


    his mouth and bawled his eyes out.


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    The fat man, who was the Chief Justice of the country, stood and put his coat on. ¡°Pray that my daughter


    is alive. Otherwise, I¡¯lle for your life and everyone associated with you.¡± He turned and started


    walking. He nced at the female guard next to him. ¡°Who was that son-in w my daughter talked


    about in herst call?¡±

 Chapter 89

    Chapter 89


    Sitting on Reba¡¯s bed, Jacob looked quite frustrated. For one thing, his wife was sitting next to him


    and resting her head on his shoulders. He didn¡¯t want to tell her to get up, but at the same time, he had


    more important things to do. Dealing with Johnny¡¯s body is just a minor part of that.


    However, what angered him more was seeing his daughter designing a suit right in front of his eyes. ¡°Is


    this the time to be nning designs?¡± ¡°The request came from my old friend Evelyn. She wants to


    surprise her boss, so I need to finish this as fast as possible.¡± ¡°To her boss? Who the hell is her boss?


    Some roadside romeo?¡±


    ¡°CEO Adam of Conreid Lore.¡±


    Jacob went silent for a little while. ¡°You can carry on, but do something about your mother. She¡¯s totally


    out.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, so why don¡¯t you just put her down on the bed?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll wake up if I move. Youe and deal with her.¡± Reba sighed and did what Jacob


    asked of her and seeded. Jacob didn¡¯t wait another second and slipped out of the room, sweating


    profusely for many reasons.


    When Jacob was walking out of the vi, he noticed Anous outside, standing, requesting with his eyes to


    take him back into the job. It was Shawn who gave him the job in the first ce, so Jacob simply told him


    to ask Shawn. He could have just said ¡®you cane to work¡¯, but he didn¡¯t want any unnecessary


    headache from his wife.


    However, Anous was doubtful if Shawn would care enough. He tried asking Elizabeth already, but she


    didn¡¯t even seem to care about him anymore even after all the things he did for her, though he hadn¡¯t


    exactly done anything for free.


    At the moment, only the gate guards were men working in shifts, for they never entered the vi and only


    stayed outside the main gate.


    Anous shook his head. ¡°Nah, there¡¯s no way I can work as a gate guard. It¡¯s too below me. It seems I


    should look for a new rich family.¡± He walked away s a disappointed man.


    Meanwhile, somewhere in the forest on the western side of the city. Benjamin dug a deep hole and


    tossed Johnny¡¯s body down. He barely broke a sweat despite all thebor.


    ¡°Grrr!¡±


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    A menacing growl reached his ears. From the cover of darkness, a pack of wolves prowled forth at him


    from every direction. There were at least ten of them.


    He raised his head and looked at the one in the front, the alpha. The moment their eyes met, the alpha


    wolf stopped growling and started backing away a few steps, causing the other


    wolves to do the same. Once they retreated enough, they turned and skedaddled into the shadows.


    ¡°They must have caught the scent of his blood, but I¡¯ve dug deep enough, so they shouldn¡¯t be able to


    dig and pull the body out.¡±


    He looked for a nt that would eventually grow tall, and he found a young maple tree, which he


    uprooted and then nted at the buried spot, then covered the base with dry soil. He stared at the soil


    beneath the tree. ¡°I saw you staring at my wife a few times. I got so angry that I wanted to kill you, but


    then you were also looking at other women the same way, so I thought you were just blinded by lust.


    Still, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d attack Reba. Thank God, nothing happened to her, or¡­¡± he put his pressure


    on the base of the shovel, and it dug into the soil. He took a breath and controlled himself. ¡°If you have


    any family, I¡¯ll send them some money in your name, so rest in peace.¡±


    His work here was done. As he was leaving, with the shovel in hand, a shadowy figure shed behind


    him, making him stop. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I have a confession to make,¡± said Shadow and then exined what happened with Selena as well as


    the situation with the Chief Justice¡¯s daughter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lord. I should have checked her background


    before proceeding, but she saw something she shouldn¡¯t have, so¡­¡± he kneeled and lowered his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m not giving excuses. I know I deserve punishment.¡± He raised the dagger in his hand, suggesting that


    Benjamin should just behead him. Benjamin, however, started walking. ¡°Go back home.¡± Shadow pursed


    his lips in a bit of frustration. ¡°Why, Lord? If it was the past you, you would have punished me severely.


    What has changed now?¡± Benjamin kept walking without answering. After he entered his car, he grabbed


    the wheel but didn¡¯t start the engine. ¡°Nothing changed, Shadow. I¡¯m still the same. It¡¯s still the same me.


    It¡¯s just that I feel like¡­¡± he looked at his arms, ¡°I¡¯m bound by some invisible chains I can¡¯t break. Maybe


    living in society as amon citizen is affecting me. Don¡¯t know where this will take me.¡± He started the


    car. On his way back, he tossed the shovel into the woods. The police stopped the car at multiple spots


    and checked his car and noted his details before letting him go. Benjamin came homete at night. He


    expected somemotion, but to his surprise, nobody was outside. Everyone seemed to be sleeping.


    However, after he entered, he saw Shawn sitting on the couch. He was reading some documents, but


    after seeing Benjamin, he stood and took his sses off. ¡°I thought you would get caught.¡±


    ¡°I took care of it.¡± ¡°Nothing to worry about, then?¡±


    Benjamin nodded.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me where you tossed the body? I¡¯ll make sure¡­¡±


    Benjamin smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brother-inw. I¡¯m not going to use this against the Sterlings, especially


    when Reba is involved directly.¡±


    ¡°Mm,¡± Shawn didn¡¯t believe him and was thinking of forcing the answer out of him, but Reba called


    out for him from the first floor,


    Shawn just watched as Benjamin walked past him.


    Benjamin went upstairs. ¡°I thought you would be sleeping,¡± he looked at Reba. ¡°How can I sleep after


    what happened?¡± she said. ¡°About Johnny..¡±. ¡°I took care of it. Just forget about it, okay?¡± Benjamin¡¯s


    assurance eased her. He opened the door of the room but was then shocked to see his bed and all his


    stuff gone. He suddenly remembered something. ¡°Wait, where are the birds?¡± Reba was also


    shocked as she hadpletely forgotten about the parrots.

 Chapter 90

    Chapter 90


    Reba asked Selena about the parrots in the middle of the night, but she said she had no idea about


    the parrots and told her to ask the maids who also said they didn¡¯t see the parrots.


    Reba knew they were lying, but there was nothing she could do now. Limping around the vi, she


    looked for the birds herself.


    However, Benjamin was the one who first found them. They were lying lifeless in the garden, with dog


    bites on their bodies, on both of them


    When Reba saw the dead birds, her gut twisted. He silently buried them under the guava tree where


    the couple mostly yed together. She shed tears, but he didn¡¯t. He wanted to break the bones of the


    dogs, but he felt like he should punish others first if he were to punish the dogs for acting on their


    instincts.


    As he was walking away, Reba didn¡¯t know what to even say to him. Because of her negligence, the


    parrots died. She felt sad and helpless. She might be earning millions, but could she bring the birds back


    to life so she could see her husband smile?


    Growing up, she didn¡¯t raise any pets, but the value of the lives of the two dead parrots seemed just as


    priceless as that of humans at the moment,


    She just followed him with weak footsteps as he went to the dorms. The men¡¯s rooms were almost


    empty, except one bed and the luggage on it. It was Johnny¡¯s bed, but the luggage belonged to


    Benjamin. All the other beds and unnecessary luggage was already moved to the storage room before


    the butlers left.


    He just stood there, watching the bed. Sitting on the same bed as the one who attacked his wife? The


    thought itself stirred up his temper. It felt like Selena purposely did all this. After all, there were empty


    guest rooms in the vi.


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    Reba entered the room and said, ¡°Benjamin¡­¡± she came up to him and put her hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°I apologize on behalf of my mom. Don¡¯t take this seriously. I¡¯ll talk to herter Let¡¯s go to my room.¡±


    ¡°Your room?¡± Benjamin smiled, but there was no life in it. ¡°Yeah, you are right. It was never our¡¯ room.¡±


    Reba¡¯s heart sank. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean that.¡±


    ¡°Words don¡¯t easilye out of one¡¯s mouth, Reba Lies or truth, whether we mean it or not, every


    wordes from the heart,¡± he said. ¡°But I¡¯m not upset. Like you said, that is indeed your room.¡± He


    paused as something kept hurting him inside. ¡°I¡¯m tired. Can you leave, so I can rest?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry,¡± her eyes teared up. She removed her hand off his shoulder and caught his hand.


    Please¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m not stepping into your room again. I¡¯ll stay in these dorms, if you¡¯re okay with that,¡± he


    said, without even looking at her His throat felt tight and made it hard to speak as his eyes lost focus ¡°Or


    do you also want me to leave this vi and your life like your mother


    Reba felt dead for a second. Her mind went nk. Her face turned into a stone, unable to make any


    expression. Her hand let go of him.


    At that moment, both felt like their feelings didn¡¯t matter to the other. Turning back, she limped her way


    out as fast as she could. Benjamin began putting the luggage off the bed, but his limbs felt so weak. A


    heart-wrenching pain pierced his soul from within, glistening his eyes with tears. He didn¡¯t cry, but he


    didn¡¯t put all the luggage down, either. He sat down next to the bed, thinking he was more of a waste of


    space in the vi than the luggage around him.


    About an hourter. Anous jumped over the wall using adder and entered the garden. The dogs


    recognized him and so didn¡¯t attack him. He snuck into the dorm rooms. ¡°I should steal some valuable


    things and leave before dawn breaks,¡± he thought as he covered his face with a towel. ¡°I¡¯m sure the


    men¡¯s dorm rooms are empty now. If I can break into the storage room, I should be able to


    find some valuable things.¡± However, once he entered the men¡¯s dorms, he noticed Benjamin sitting by


    the lone bed and looking straight at him. ¡°H-Hi¡­¡± he waved his hand before turning around and walking


    away. Ten stepster, he ran.( Why¡¯s this useless bastard here? He didn¡¯t recognize me, did he?) He


    briefly nced back to see if Benjamin wasing after him. Luckily, he wasn¡¯t. But then, because he


    was running in the dark, the dogs chased him now and ganged up on him from multiple sides. They bit


    him all over from head to shoulders and ears. By the time he revealed his identity to the dogs and made


    them understand, he was bleeding in many ces. Still, the adrenaline was running high. He picked


    himself up and walked over to the wall, but because both of his legs were bitten, climbing thedder itself


    proved to be extremely hard. ¡°Where are you going in such a hurry, Anous?¡± a female voice came from


    behind, startling him. He looked back in haste but saw nobody. ¡°W-Who is it?¡± his voice quivered. The


    dogs that had been around fled in different directions.


    ¡°Stay back,¡± the voice came from a tree, but something touched his back. ¡°It hurts to see your blood


    being wasted. Let me treat you.¡± He turned back to see, but there was nothing but thedder between


    him and the wall. ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± The voice came from another tree.


    ¡°T-This voice¡­¡± his teeth chattered in trepidation as he recognized who the voice belonged to. He


    hurriedly climbed thedder to jump over the wall, but something caught his hand and dragged him into


    the thicker shadows under the trees. The dogs kept barking from a distance, but two ring red eyes


    grew in the shadows and made the dogs squeal and bolt back into their cages.

 Chapter 91

    Chapter 91


    This was a beautiful morning for Selena. Not only did the coffee given by Delle not make her suffer from


    adverse effects, she also heard from Delle that Benjamin was staying in the dorms. This was perfect, she


    thought. ¡°I wanted to give Reba to Edward, but seeing how useless the father and son were, I


    changed my mind. Right now, what I need the most is someone who can stay in the house and


    shamelessly interrupt the rtionship those two got going. And there¡¯s no one better than¡¯ that¡¯ guy for


    such a job. I pped him and sent him away after he touched Veronica inappropriately, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll


    happily return if I give him a call. Shamelessness runs in their blood, after all.¡±


    Without hesitating, she dialed a number Meanwhile, having slept uninterrupted the whole previous night,


    Veronica was up for one


    shock after another after she woke upte and opened her room¡¯s door, wearing basically a bikini among


    bikinis.


    ¡°The men were all fired?¡± she was shocked as Kathy kept giving the details. ¡°What the hell do you


    mean? Why would they all get fired at the same time? What did they do? Wait, if there are no men, how


    will I know what dress looks good on me or not?¡±


    Kathy didn¡¯t tell her about the whole thing Johnny did as she thought it was better that her family


    members tell her about such sensitive information. ¡°Surely, I can¡¯t depend on the useless son-inw!¡±


    Veronica frowned. ¡°He doesn¡¯t even look at me, and when I ask him about my clothing style, he only


    gives me a thumbs down without minimum courtesy. I¡¯ve long stopped asking him, but now I should ask


    him again? Why am I forced to do this? Whose stupid decision is this to remove all the men from the


    job?¡±


    Roshan who was passing by couldn¡¯t help but steal nces at her chest.


    ¡°Where are you looking, you snot-nosed brat!¡± she kicked him in the butt and sent him rolling down the


    smooth floor. ¡°You are ten years too early to be having such thoughts. Just focus on your studies!¡±


    ¡°Just wait! I¡¯ll tell my mom that you kicked me!¡± Roshan ran away, calling for his mother straight.


    ¡°Hmph, he thinks I¡¯m afraid of his mother. What a fool,¡± Veronica could onlyugh. ¡°I¡¯m afraid of no one,


    except to those I owe something to. And I don¡¯t owe Elizabeth dog shit.¡± She was feeling hungry, so she


    asked Kathy. ¡°What¡¯s there for breakfast today?¡± ¡°ck bean omelet and spicy pumpkin smoothie.¡±


    ¡°Great. Let¡¯s have some taste then, shall we? I slept for so long I feel quite hungry now!¡±


    ¡°But, ma¡¯am. Did you wash your teeth?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I will wash in the afternoon.¡±


    ¡°But if Madam Selena knows it, she¡¯ll scold me.¡±


    Then make sure she doesn¡¯t know of it.¡±


    When they both reached the dining table on the ground floor, Amber and Ashely were watching the


    television as an advertisement for Jacob¡¯stest uing movie was being shown.


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    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s so cool,¡± Amber was mighty impressed. ¡°The graphics look so real.¡± ¡°I like the background


    music more, though,¡± Ashley opined. ¡°It looks like this film is going to be a big hit.¡± ¡°Of course it will be,¡±


    Veronica entered the scene, making the maids stand from their seats.¡± My father produced 21 movies,


    and all of them were box office hits. His movies might not get awards, but his collections only kept


    increasing over time.¡± She looked at the advertisement, still ying on the screen. ¡°This new superhero


    movie ¡®El Man¡¯ is going to be a blockbuster, too.¡±


    The advertisement finished, and the news anchor spoke. ¡°Breaking news! ¡°The headless body found in


    the outskirts of the city has been identified and dered as the chief justice¡¯s daughter, Marisa Praise,


    but her head is still missing. The entire police force is out looking for the missing head now. We hope


    God gives Mr. Terry Praise all the strength he needs to ovee this loss.¡± The maids were left in shock


    and so was Veronica from hearing the news. ¡°Marisa Praise¡­¡± she was Veronica¡¯s ssmate, so she felt


    strangely empty right now. While she wasn¡¯t close with Marisa, they used to talk nicely to each other


    whenever they met back in highschool.


    The news anchor kept listing all the news. ¡°Samael Breaker, the chairman of Rye¡¯s Pizzas, has publicly


    announced that he¡¯s willing to sell hispany if anyone approaches him with a fair price. It¡¯ll be


    interesting to see where this goes and what happens to thepany¡¯s stocks after such a bold move.


    ¡°Famous gym trainer ¡®Powell Hernandez¡¯ has been found dead in his apartment. The cause of death is


    believed to be a drug overdose, but we have to wait until after the autopsy report is given.¡±


    Veronica ran upstairs to her sister¡¯s room to tell her the news, but she didn¡¯t find her inside.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Reba?¡± she asked Reba. ¡°Did she go to Powell¡¯s gym already? No, her slot was in the


    evening.¡± ¡°About your sister¡­¡± Kathy scratched her cheek and told her something that shocked Veronica


    who then rushed to the dorms.


    d and Mercie kept running around in the dorms, chasing each other,pletely lost in their own little


    world.


    Veronica shooed them away like she was dealing with some birds. They got angry at her, but


    when she ran toward them a little, they fled without looking back.


    ¡°These two kids sure look energetic today, but they talk so little I sometimes forget their names,¡±


    Veronica said and sighed. ¡°What were their names again?¡±


    Inside one of the rooms, Reba was sitting a few feet away from Benjamin. He was also sitting down


    next to his bed, but she leaned her back against the wall. There was silence in the room.


    ¡°Are you not going to eat?¡± Reba asked. ¡°I worked so hard and made it for you.¡±


    Benjamin looked down at the breakfast pizza his wife had cooked for him, even though standing for so


    long would have hurt her ankle. With the eggs, ham, and cheese mashed all over, the pizza looked


    anything but pretty. ¡°If you don¡¯t eat, I¡¯ll cook pizza every morning,¡± Reba said in a slightly threatening


    tone.¡° You¡¯ll eat pizzas for breakfast for the rest of your life.¡±


    Benjamin hadn¡¯t slept all night. Neither did Reba. Veronica entered the room and was confused by


    the unfolding situation, but as usual, she shoved everything aside and said what was on her mind. ¡°Sis,


    your gym trainer Powell has pushed up the daisies.¡± Both Reba and Benjamin focused their gaze at


    her. ¡°What?¡± Meanwhile, somewhere else in the city. Big names from all over the country were visiting


    the chief justice¡¯s house to console him for the loss of his only child Marisa Praise. Even billionaires were


    no exception.


    Jacob also paid a visit and patted Terry¡¯s shoulder. Arlo¡¯s father was also right next to him. These three


    often met during weekends at private poker clubs, so they knew each other very well.


    ¡°Was the killer found yet?¡± Jacob asked, struggling to look at the headless body put in the coffin. Terry


    had already said he wouldn¡¯t bury his daughter¡¯s body until the head was found. ¡°No,¡± replied Terry. He


    hadn¡¯t blinked in the past few minutes. ¡°But I will.¡± ¡°If you need any help, just ask,¡± said Jacob. He


    wanted to talk about raising the ticket prices for his movies, but this wasn¡¯t the right time, he thought. ¡°By


    the way,¡± Terry turned his head to look at him, ¡°what does your son-inw do?¡± Jacob looked puzzled as


    well as surprised. ¡°My son-inw?¡± The news about Benjamin was only made public recently, but why


    was Terry asking about him now of all times? Even though he wanted to answer, he couldn¡¯t tell that


    Benjamin used to deliver pizzas, so he said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about him at ater time.¡±


    At the same time, not far from the Sterling vi, a man in a suit reached the top of a five floored building


    with a briefcase in his hand. He reached the southern edge and opened his briefcase and assembled the


    parts into a sniping gun before taking a good look at Benjamin¡¯s photo and then picking up the binocrs


    and taking a look at the Sterling vi. ¡°Where are you, Sterling¡¯s son-inw? Pleasee out and make


    my job easier.¡±


    As he looked, he noticed a dog peeing on a tree stem, and one of the maids, Amber, looked around


    before undressing and jumping in the pool and enjoying a quick swim. ¡°Whoa¡­ she¡¯s got some curves,


    especially the ass. I wouldn¡¯t mind shooting bullets of my semen down her bottom holes all day and


    night. Jacob Sterling must be shagging her whenever he gets free time. He¡¯s one lucky bastard. I wish I


    could switch ces with him.¡± ¡°Yeah, you wish!¡± a chilling voice came from his back.


    inli

 Chapter 92

    Chapter 92


    The hitman grabbed his hidden knife and swiveled fast, but a dagger had pierced his heart before he


    could do anything. He felt utterly helpless as he looked at his killer.


    The one holding the dagger had his face covered with a ck cloth from the top of the head to the


    bottom of the nose, and it didn¡¯t look like a see-through cloth, either. He then twisted his wrist a bit before


    pulling the dagger out.


    ¡°Who in the world¡­ are you¡­¡± the hitman fell and lost his life, with his eyes open. Shadow wiped the


    blood with a cloth before sheathing his dagger. He stared at the vi. ¡°You told me to leave, but I have


    orders to keep you safe, Lord.¡± .


    He took the binocrs and looked at the pool. Amber was still swimming. ¡°What the-¡°He put the


    binocrs down. ¡°Why is she swimming naked? What sort of a woman does that?¡±


    At that moment, Anous¡¯ wife came to the vi and began asking for her husband, but the gate guard told


    her he left the vist night itself. She wanted to talk to Elizabeth, but he didn¡¯t let her in. She could only


    curse him as she left.


    Meanwhile, Benjamin ate the whole of the breakfast pizza his wife had personally cooked for him.


    ¡°How is it?¡± she asked because he didn¡¯t tell her how it was. His poker face didn¡¯t help her decipher for


    herself, either. Benjamin just shook his head slightly. ¡°Is that so?¡± she was a little disappointed, though


    she didn¡¯t show it. ¡°It¡¯s not that hot today. Let¡¯s go to the beach.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Benjamin just stared at her to see if she really was being serious about going to the beach. ¡°What? Since


    Powell¡¯s body was taken for inspection, we can¡¯t even visit him today,¡± she said. ¡°I know it¡¯s not the right


    time to go to the beach, but we¡¯ve been going through a lottely. So I think it¡¯s necessary to get some


    fresh air from the ocean.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, sis!¡± Veronica backed her sister. ¡°I¡¯ll go and tell Mom to prepare


    for the trip. She loves going to the beach! She¡¯ll be thrilled.¡±


    In a matter of minutes, the maids helped prepare the luggage in three cars. Because it was the weekend,


    even Elizabeth and her family packed their luggage.


    However, to everyone¡¯s shock, Selena¡¯s motorhome entered the vi, and they had to shift the whole


    luggage into the huge vehicle. The customized interior of the motorhome was way too luxurious than the


    kids imagined, packed with beautiful decor andfortable furniture. Lisa and Roshan thanked their


    grandmother for bringing this vehicle in time. They even kissed her multiple times after using the


    espresso machines and the vehicle took the road and offered ultimatefort.


    The king-sized bed was of course upied by Elizabeth¡¯s parents first, which Selena didn¡¯t like. She


    showed them the wine rack and the bookshelves to get them off the bed so she and


    her daughters could now upy the bed for themselves. Nn and Dorothy could only smile before


    sitting in the slender yet sturdy teak chairs. ¡°It¡¯d have been nice if Jacob and Shawn were also there. And


    Louis and his wife and kids, too.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped,¡± Elizabeth said. ¡°Shawn is extremely busy these


    days, Mother-inw. As for Louis and his family¡­ Well, we know they never go out for vacation, so that¡¯s


    that.¡±


    ¡°Mm,¡± Selena nced at Reba and put her hand on her daughter¡¯s head. ¡°A lot has happened in one


    day. Use this time at the beach to rx. Stay with us, not with your useless husband.¡±


    ¡°H-He¡¯s not useless, Mom,¡± Reba spoke back ¡°Isn¡¯t he driving this vehicle while we¡¯re sitting here


    comfortably?¡± ¡°Well,pared to us, he¡¯s still useless,¡± Selena didn¡¯t want to admit that Benjamin was


    even a little useful.


    Reba saw her mom sending the driver away so she could demand Benjamin to drive the motorhome.


    With him driving, she couldn¡¯t spend time with him. Even though she wanted to sit next to him, her


    mother kept holding one of the arms and didn¡¯t let her go where she wanted.


    Reba didn¡¯t like getting controlled and manipted by her mother to this extent. The more her mother


    went out of her way to meddle with her married life, the more Reba felt like separating herself from


    the family.


    Reba gave it a long thoughtst night. After Selena tossed Benjamin¡¯s luggage out of Reba¡¯s


    room, she lost a lot of respect for her mother. If things stayed like this, her rtionship with Benjamin


    would never get better. So, she had decided to buy a new house and move there with Benjamin after the


    wedding reception.


    ¡°This is for everyone¡¯s good,¡± she thought. It took them two full hours to get to the destination. An ocean


    of clear blue waters, and the fresh, salty breeze lifted everyone¡¯s spirits the moment they got out of the


    motorhome.


    Some people noticed Selena and came for her selfies, but she coldly rejected them, saying she couldn¡¯t


    waste a few seconds on them when an important beach experience awaited her. Still, some shamelessly


    kept asking her for selfies. Reba asked Benjamin to deal with them. Though he didn¡¯t want to, he had


    to step in.¡° Don¡¯t bother my mother-inw, fes!¡± he yelled at those who tried to get a bit too close with


    her. ¡°Have some decency with someone who is on permanent menopause!¡± While his words shocked the


    Sterling folks, the others who heard it were amused.


    ¡°Trashmin, you worthless freeloader¡­¡± Selena¡¯s blood boiled. ¡°You better stay out of my sight, or I¡¯ll lose


    myself.¡± Benjamin looked at the ocean. ¡°Isn¡¯t she the biggest beach in the country?¡± He made the word


    ¡®beach¡¯ sound more like ¡®bitch.¡± ¡°No wonder its waves are always quite rude. It looks beautiful on the


    outside, but it holds some hideous creatures on the inside. Horrifying. Truly horrifying.¡±


    HENCE


    His words drove her nuts. Sheshed back at him. ¡°When you die, I¡¯ll be the first to take a leak on your


    grave!¡± ¡°But you¡¯ll die earlier than me, though,¡± replied Benjamin. ¡°And when you die, I¡¯m sure all the


    dogs in your vi will be very eager to poop on your grave.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± she tried to p him, but Reba


    stopped her in time. Veronica also joined and took her mother away and told her to calm down.


    ¡°What is this, Benjamin?¡± Reba got mad at him. ¡°Why can¡¯t you control your mouth a little? I know


    she isn¡¯t perfect, but didn¡¯t your mother teach you to respect your elders?¡± ¡°My daughter deserves


    someone so much better than him!¡± Selena yelled from a distance.¡± I¡¯ll be so d when he¡¯s gone from


    her life!¡± Reba shook her head. She wanted to have some peace and quiet at the beach, but she was


    starting to have a headache. Seeing Reba getting disappointed and frustrated, Benjamin picked her


    up into his arms and ran on the beach.


    ¡°W-What are you doing, Benjamin?¡± she was surprised and shocked. ¡°He¡¯s taking Aunt Reba


    somewhere!¡± Roshan and Lisa yelled, alerting Selena who had briefly taken her eyes off her daughter,


    but now she gave them chase. ¡°Wait, stop right there, Trashmin!¡± she ran as fast as she could, but


    running on the wet sand proved tougher than she thought, especially with the wind whipping at her from


    every direction. ¡°Where are you taking her? Let my daughter go!¡± Her loud voice still reached them, but


    not for long though, as the waves muffled her speech more and more as the distance between them


    increased. However, she didn¡¯t stop running until she pathetically copsed.

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 93


    Selena regretted not bringing the bodyguards out to the beach with her. She had wanted to trouble


    Benjamin with the task of keeping fans away from her, but she never thought he would pick her daughter


    and run away. She dialed for her bodyguards before resuming the hunt for Benjamin who had kidnapped


    her daughter.


    Not just Selena but the whole Sterling family madly roamed on the beach, looking for Reba and


    Benjamin everywhere. They found many pairs, but none of them were the people they were looking for.


    There were some topless women bathing in the sun, and Roshan kept staring at them until he received a


    solid smack on the back of his head from his mother. ¡°Where are they?¡± Veronica¡¯s neck hurt from


    looking everywhere.


    ¡°Just where the hell did he take her?¡± Selena¡¯s face was an ugly mixture of rage and resentment. ¡°She


    isn¡¯t fully healed yet. If something bad happens to her, I¡¯ll kill him myself!¡± All of them kept looking for the


    youngest couple on the shore, but it hadn¡¯t yet crossed their minds that they were perhaps looking in the


    wrong ce. Miles from the shore, on top of a medium sized tour boat, surrounded by nothing but deep


    waters and silence, two souls just kept staring into each other¡¯s eyes. Nobody had spoken a word in the


    past five or so minutes, and it seemed like they liked the silence that let their eyes talk to one another. As


    the breeze blew her hair into his face, he closed his eyes and relished her scent. He then opened his


    eyes and went back to staring at her.


    Reba¡¯s heart was beating fast enough for her to feel it. Those little skips in her chest. This feeling she


    never had before felt strangelyfortable for the most part. ¡°How long are you going to keep looking at


    me like that?¡± ¡°You are patently pretty, you know that?¡± He raised his hand and gently touched her chin.¡±


    This little chin,¡± he moved his fingers up her face, ¡°these pulling lips, this straight nose that can make


    anyone envy, and these soft cheeks that make up your wonderful smile¡­ Is there a woman more


    beautiful than you?¡±


    Her heart thumped as his forefinger ran in little circles on her cheek before sliding down and moving


    along her jaw and stopping at her chin, where he first touched. She could feel the tips


    of his fingers so clearly. Was her chin ever so sensitive?


    ¡°No, I have never seen a face more mesmerizing,¡± he said, gazing at her like an artist praising the


    perfection of nature. ¡°To get to touch this kind of beauty and warmth¡­ am I not the luckiest man alive?¡±


    Her chin quivered a little. She quickly caught his hand and said, ¡°You are only describing my looks. What


    about my heart?¡±


    He paused a second and looked at her chest. She was wearing a crop top, and the water drops off on


    her chest made it irresistible for him to look away. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen it yet, so it¡¯s hard to describe¡±


    ¡°You naughty.¡± She tried pinching his cheek, but the beard made things difficult. ¡°I want to describe you


    as well, but your beard is in the way. You are going to get it removed before the wedding reception,


    right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m nning to,¡± as he said, she lowered her head and kissed his hand long and hard enough, as


    though it contained many of her apologies. ¡°Can you please cook some food for me?¡± she requested.


    There were only the two of them on the boat because Benjamin had paid off the boat¡¯s owner using the


    tinum card. He didn¡¯t have the riding license, of course, but he didn¡¯t care. After she kissed his hand


    for probably the first time and asked him to cook for her, how could he refuse? Besides, he wanted this


    evening to be as romantic as possible, but if he were to spend an hour or two on cooking, then their


    romance meeting would be moved to that night, which he believed was better in its own way.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll see what ingredients they have on board,¡± Benjamin said, and she slowly released his hand,


    making him smile. He then went downstairs. ¡°Come to think of it, she probably hasn¡¯t eaten anything


    since the incident with Johnny,¡± he thought as he checked the trays to see what fish were there. ¡°Mm, I


    should soften the meat and use as little spice as possible, so it¡¯ll be easier to digest.¡± Generally, seafood


    required much more spice and salt to give the simr level of vor asnd meat, but Benjamin knew


    many techniques to use less salt and spice to bring out the best vor.


    After he started cooking, Reba also helped him at times, though she looked a little scared because


    they were alone in the middle of nowhere, and it was getting dark. In about two hours, the two dishes,


    fish and turtle meat, were done along with rice and other varieties. There were no candles, but only


    modern torches. However, they didn¡¯tin. They neatly arranged the food on the top deck and


    enjoyed the meals together with a pair of fulmars forpany. Reba loved the taste and juiciness of


    the meatballs much more when eaten with rice. Because the fish were deboned, she didn¡¯t need to worry


    about anything other than making the effort to put the food into her mouth. And even that burden was


    halved because Benjamin kept feeding her spoonfuls once every half minute while also sparing some for


    the tube-nosed fulmars.


    She felt too embarrassed to feed him back in the same way, especially with the way his whole focus was


    on her and not on the food.


    ¡°Can we see whales now?¡± she looked around, feeling stupid, as she knew it was highly unlikely to see


    whales when they weren¡¯t much far from the shore. But she had to say something to make Benjamin


    look somewhere other than at her.


    ¡°Whales? Probably not,¡± said Benjamin. ¡°I once made designs of hammerhead sharks and whales for the


    Animal Welfare Board,¡± she


    said, looking at the crescent moon in the sky. ¡°They wanted me to integrate more designs of endangered


    species onto their clothes, but they were paying little, so I refused.¡± ¡°Do you regret it?¡± ¡°Not really.


    Endangered species or not, the sharks and whales are still dangerous beings that kill other creatures to


    survive, so I don¡¯t really feel pity for them.¡± ¡°Yeah. You are right. They are indeed dangerous, though not


    half as dangerous as your mother. If she were to be on this boat, I¡¯m sure even the sharks would keep


    their dist¡ª¡± Reba gave a startled and squinted nce at him. ¡°I-I mean,¡± Benjamin struggled to back


    his words fast, so he kept eating. ¡°I must say the dishes are really tasty. Maybe, it¡¯s because you gave


    me a hand. You have a lucky hand.¡± Reba ignored Benjamin¡¯s remarks about her mother and smiled.


    ¡°You are right about the food. It¡¯s delicious indeed. You deserve a kiss for that.¡±


    WAMWAY Benjamin¡¯s expression froze. Did she really say those words? He wanted to hear those words


    again if he could, just to make sure. However, her gaze told him a story all in itself. He put the food bowl


    aside and moved toward her, closing his eyes in the process. The smile on her face strengthened and


    formed a dent in her cheek. She pushed his chin to the side and nted a kiss on his cheek, pretty high


    up so her lips touched the skin and not the beard.


    As she moved her head back, he turned his head, and both their lips touched, for a fraction of a second.


    She stopped moving backward; her eyes drew in more light as she processed just what had happened


    and also from the faint taste of his lips lingering on hers. And he looked just as surprised. As seconds


    sluggishly passed, their gazes glued to each other as their hearts yearned for the same thing. Benjamin


    closed his eyes and waited, as though he was suggesting to her toe to him. He wasn¡¯t touching her,


    but she felt like he was pulling her with invisible force. She briefly nced at his lips before looking at


    him again and moving forward as she closed her eyes, also.

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 94


    A few hours back.


    Benjamin was driving the motorhome, and they were yet to arrive at the beach. Selena started reading a


    book after talking for an hour or so with her daughters. Veronica just watched videos on her mobile, but


    Reba took a peek at the book her mother was intently reading. She read a song ¡®The Sweetest Lover¡¯


    sung by a character called Stussy Junksman.


    ¡°Sweetest


    He


    Who


    Takes your heat But still looks neat


    And gives you treats


    Better than the sweets


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    And never mistreats or cheats


    For he owns a well of love


    That never depletes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty deep, Mom. Which book is it from? Let me see the cover,¡± Reba


    said. ¡°It¡¯s from a fantasy novel,¡± replied her mother, refusing to fold the book while she was still reading.


    Coming back to the present.


    As Benjamin closed his eyes and waited for her to kiss him, she remembered the song, and her heart


    swelled, for she thought it fit Benjamin perfectly. Though he wasn¡¯t really friendly with her family, he


    always treated her like a princess and never mistreated her. Though kissing someone with a big beard


    and mustache wasn¡¯t her preference, she really didn¡¯t care about such trivialities at the moment, for the


    yearning of her heart for his love has grown over her and began to blossom in many ways. Maybe that


    was why, even though he wasn¡¯t touching her, she felt like he was pulling her with invisible force. She felt


    attracted to him. She briefly nced at his barely visible lips before looking at her sweetest lover¡¯s face


    again and moving forward as she closed her eyes, also. ¡°There¡¯s the ship!¡± a loud voice echoed around.


    ¡°There they are!¡± It was Selena¡¯s voice. Reba and Benjamin looked in the direction where there were


    two boats heading toward them. Selena and Veronica were on board. Selena was using binocrs.


    ¡°Were they about to kiss just now?¡± she thought. ¡°I can never let that happen! Not while there¡¯s breath in


    my lungs!¡±


    Selena then spoke through the mic attached with a loud speaker. ¡°Reba, don¡¯t listen to him! Don¡¯t be


    fooled by him!¡± Their two boats closed in and stopped next to Benjamin¡¯s boat.


    ¡°Come over to our boat,¡± Selena said, waving her hand repeatedly.


    ¡°Mom!¡± Reba¡¯s jaw ckened. ¡°Are you serious?¡± How could she get to the other boat with her ankle


    being in a tricky situation, still?


    The pair of fulmars went over to the two ships and began picking a fight with them. ¡°Go away, you shitty


    birds!¡± Selena yelled at them through the mic, but that didn¡¯t work. She told the guards to shoot them


    down, but they gave a warning shot with the gun and set the birds in fleeing mode. ¡°Trashmin, you better


    send my daughter over to my boat,¡± Selena warned, ¡°or¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s too risky to send her over a rope or even


    adder with her ankle not fully healed,¡± Benjamin told her, but she shook her head.


    ¡°Uh-ah,¡± she looked at the bodyguards. There were a total of eighteen of them. Eight on one boat, and


    ten on the other. ¡°Go and bring my daughter.¡± The bodyguards began to throw robes, but Benjamin


    started the engine and drove away from there, shocking everyone. ¡°What are you idiots doing?¡± Selena


    yelled at the driver and the bodyguards. ¡°Chase him! Don¡¯t let him out of sight!¡±


    She had been to sea many times, so she was not afraid of driving fast on the waters, though Veronica


    looked so ufortable she felt like she might pee any second. When their boat was going too fast,


    Reba also felt scared. ¡°B-Benjamin, slow down.¡±


    ¡°Just grab me and close your eyes, Reba,¡± he said. ¡°That will do the trick.¡±


    ¡°Grab you?¡± she hesitated for a second but then did what he said. She hugged him from behind, rested


    her head against his warm and sturdy back and closed her eyes. As the boat dashed on the waters and


    moved up and down over the small waves, their bodies moved in sync. Her chest was touching him and


    fueled his sense of adventure some more. He kept taking random directions and made the chasers work


    a lot


    Reba kept hugging him throughout, and time passed pretty fast for her. After some rough


    realize that they finally reached the shore. She opened her eyes, and she was right, but she didn¡¯t look


    happy for some reason. She wanted to keep hugging him, but she had to loosen her arms around his


    waist.


    He turned to her and looked at her. ¡°You are not feeling dizzy or anything, are you?¡± ¡°Mm, no,¡± she


    slightly shook her head. ¡°Then let¡¯s get going.¡±


    (Where?¡±


    He smiled and picked her up into her arms and jumped from the boat. ¡°Kya!¡± she screamed in a bit of


    surprise, but hended safely and ran on the shore. ¡°Wait, you little bastard!¡± Selena¡¯s boat just reached


    the shore, and she shouted at the bodyguard to lower adder and even hit them with the mic for not


    responding fast enough to hermands. The bodyguards chased Benjamin on the shore, warning him


    that he better stop, or they would make him regret his actions. However, their taunts didn¡¯t work on


    Benjamin. His speed was constant and fast as though he was running a marathon. The guards gave it


    their best, but they couldn¡¯t catch up with him and eventually stopped.


    After going past tall rocks, Benjamin stopped. There was a small cave with tables neatly arranged, and a


    small pile of coconuts next to the table. Both of them sat there. As Benjamin was catching his breath, s?e


    was smiling. ¡°You can try in the Olympics for running.¡±


    Benjamin cut the coconuts with the knife and put straws in them. However, she tossed one coconut


    aside, startling him. ¡°Why did you throw that away?¡± he asked. She pulled the coconut in his hand toward


    her and put another straw in it. Now, he understood why she had thrown the other coconut away. She


    wanted to drink together from the same coconut! Her heart fluttered as though it had grown wings.


    Looking into each other¡¯s eyes, both of them slowly sipped the coconut water, not wanting to finish it


    soon. Nevertheless, it finished sooner than they thought. Benjamin cut another coconut, and they


    repeated it once more. This way, they emptied seven coconuts together. By the end of it, she was


    rubbing her little belly and shook her head when he reached out for the eighth


    She looked toward the sea. With the moon¡¯s reflection falling on the waters, glinting off of the countless


    ripples and waves, creating their own reflections on each miniature surface curve, the ocean never


    looked so surreal. Just like how the moon lit up one spot in the otherwise dark


    itting before her has lit up her heart which otherwise would have still been so indifferent and cold to the


    warm things of life. She leaned forward and sped his hand. ¡°Thank you, Benjamin.¡± He didn¡¯t exactly


    know why she was thanking him, so he looked a little confused. ¡°For everything, I mean,¡± she said. ¡°I


    want to know you more. I want you to know me more.¡± Her upper body drew near to him, desperate for


    his warmth. Every cell in her body hungered and thirsted for him as she surrendered herself, wishing to


    speak to his lips through hers and more.


    He couldn¡¯t resist her either and was about to lean ahead and reach her. ¡°Trashmin!¡± the unsettling voice


    of Selena reached their ears. ¡°NO. NOT AGAIN!¡± Benjamin went nuts.

 Chapter 95

    Chapter 95


    Selena came riding a beach camel and poured foul water on the mes of love burning between the


    young couple with her vengeful words. They could have ignored her and kissed. They were both indeed


    desperate, but they didn¡¯t want their first most intimate moment when they were both sane and sober to


    be spoiled with


    Afterward, Selena made sure to stick pretty close to Reba, so close it even bothered her daughter.


    ¡°I wanted to wear a bikini and spend some time under the evening sun, but your worthless husband


    spoiled everything,¡±Selena didn¡¯t look like she would stop badmouthing Benjamin anytime soon. ¡°This is


    the worst beach trip I¡¯ve ever had. Period.¡± ¡°Bikini?¡± Benjamin¡¯s expression turned unpleasant. ¡°Why


    don¡¯t people dress their age?¡± ¡°Shut up, Trashmin!¡± Selena barked. ¡°There are still millions of men who


    would die to see me in a bikini.¡± Benjamin felt like vomiting, further enraging her. ¡°Millions of morons, you


    mean. Look at Reba, Mother-inw. She dresses well for her age. She always wears a bra that fits


    her well. Her skirts are always the right length. And, of course, she uses high-quality fabric. You and your


    youngest daughter should learn from her.¡± Reba blushed a little as she got praised. ¡°Hmph, who do


    you think she learned from?¡± Selena tried to take credit for it, but Reba raised her brows and gave a


    ¡®really?¡¯ look. ¡°Ahem, anyway, we should go back to our motorhome. The others must be waiting for us.¡±


    Reba looked back at the camel once. ¡°Do you want to ride it?¡± asked Benjamin.


    She hesitantly shook her head. ¡°No, no. I was just looking at it.¡±


    Benjamin didn¡¯t say anything afterward, but he silently talked with the camel¡¯s owner while Reba


    wasn¡¯t looking. And then they shook each other¡¯s hands. About forty minutester.


    Everyone met at the motorhome again. It was pretty dark at the beach. The coast guards were


    repeatedly telling them to leave. Selena tried to tip them off, but they didn¡¯t fall for her tricks and even


    fined her.


    Benjamin had to start the motorhome and leave the ce as quickly as possible. While Selena was busy


    cursing at the coast guards, she didn¡¯t yet realize that Reba wasn¡¯t around. Reba was sitting next


    to the driver¡¯s seat. It was more like a wide couch, so sheid down and rested her head on Benjamin¡¯s


    thigh.


    It was ufortable, but Benjamin didn¡¯tin. As he turned the wheel, a part of his forearm kept


    rubbing against her face, almost tickling her. It made her smile, though only


    faintly.


    more than I feared it. You can also drive this motorhome without any problem. You can drive both cars


    and motorbikes. You can swim. You can cook. You can be a good handyman. What else can you do?¡±


    ¡°I can bathe in under a minute, too.¡±


    ¡°Haha,¡± she chuckled a little. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. I¡¯m not sure about the others, but I can never bathe in


    under a minute, though. No offense.¡±


    ¡°None taken, ¡¯cause I¡¯m just fast when ites to bathing. I can show you next time if you


    want.¡±


    ¡°N-No thanks.¡±


    ¡°At least let me rub your back,¡± his tone was a little persuasive. ¡°You can¡¯t do it on your own that well, can


    you?¡±


    ¡°I have four bath brushes. You know that, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Are you talking about the ones hung to the wall?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°But I use them to wash the toilet.¡± ¡°What?¡± Reba sat up at once, her eyes utterly filled with¡¯shock.


    ¡°Haha,¡± Benjaminughed out loud. ¡°A joke.¡±


    Reba frowned and pinched his thigh hard.


    ¡°AHHH!¡± he cried out and almost jumped off his seat.


    ¡°A joke,¡± she, too, said.


    In the meantime, at the chief justice¡¯s house. Marisa¡¯s head was just brought to the spot. When Terry


    took a look at his precious daughter¡¯s


    face, he broke into tears and couldn¡¯t stop himself from crying. Jacob patted his shoulder and consoled


    him. Though everyone else had left. Jacob stayed. ¡°Where¡¯s her head found?¡¯ Terry asked the police. ¡°In


    the woods, sir,¡± one of the officers hesitantly replied. ¡°We found it among the monkeys.¡±


    Terry ground his teeth. Fury flickered in every fiber of his body. He turned his head and red at Jacob.


    ¡°I want to meet your son-inw.¡± Jacob waspletely baffled. ¡°W-What?¡± His daughter¡¯s head was just


    found, and he still wanted to meet Benjamin? Did Terry go insane? Meanwhile, in a random hospital in


    the western part of the city.


    Francis had been admitted to the hospital and treated, but he looked pathetic. He lost his tongue and so


    his ability to speak. His assistant who had said she wasing to see him didn¡¯t


    even show her face even though he had been lying on this bed since that morning. Of course, why would


    shee when he was in this state? Having lost his tongue, there was no way for him to keep his job.


    He wouldn¡¯t even be able to have a proper conversation with anyone, either. He knew he shouldn¡¯t


    me her, but he still felt angry that she didn¡¯t even visit him, just to see him if not for more.


    ule.


    As if that wasn¡¯t enough, the news of a tunnel copsing, and the bodies found recently were reported to


    be squashed by rocks and were in unrecognizable state. Was his son among them? He wanted to go


    and see for himself, but he was feeling so pathetic right now. How could he let things turn out like this?


    Only a few days ago, everything was alright, but now, nothing was alright. He lost everything.


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    The door opened, but he didn¡¯t even care to turn his head and look. It must be the nurseing to check


    upon him, he thought. ¡°Francis¡­¡± However, a familiar voice sounded out.


    His head turned on its own, and as the image of his wife, no, his ex-wife, reflected in his eyes, tears


    welled up pretty fast. ¡°C-C¡­¡± he wanted to say her name out, but he couldn¡¯t utter it, and it broke his


    heart. He bawled like a child.


    His wife, Cassandra, reached over for him and touched his head with her head as she empathized with


    him and shed tears alongside him.

 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96


    The next morning. Selena woke up to hear the bad news that Reba was also sleeping in the men¡¯s


    dorms. This was a shock to her.


    ¡°Just what did he do for her to be like this?¡± her gut twisted. She felt like she was losing his


    daughter. ¡°Killing some parrots clearly wasn¡¯t enough for him. I wish he had a family. Then I would have


    been able to toy with him.¡±


    When she walked out to the balcony with a cup of cream coffee, a camel was eating the grass on the


    lawn.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± her eyes sprang out of her sockets. Just then, the camel pooped on the grass, making


    her vomit out whatever that was in her mouth.


    At the same time, Reba was standing at the entrance of the dorms, with her eyes shut by Benjamin.


    He was standing behind her. ¡°What did you want to show me that you closed my eyes like this?¡± she


    curiously asked. ¡°You will see soon,¡± he said, ¡°so keep walking.¡± He made her walk until she was close


    enough to the camel, and then he moved his hands, revealing the tall, impressive camel to her,


    pleasantly surprising and puzzling her at the same time.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    A secondter, she looked at him in shock. ¡°Did you¡­ buy this?¡±


    He nodded and smiled. ¡°The owner wasn¡¯t willing at first, but then he changed his mind when I said I¡¯ll


    give him the boat.¡±


    ¡°Eh? You gave the boat in exchange for this camel?¡± she clutched her cheeks. ¡°You are crazy. You can


    buy tens of camels with that money you spent on buying the boat.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but this camel caught your eye, so it¡¯s special.¡± Benjamin¡¯s words touched her heart. If he called


    this camel special just because she was interested in it a little, how much more special was she in his


    heart? She didn¡¯t cry, but she was close to shedding a tear. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ride it?¡± Benjamin said and


    made sounds with his mouth, making the camel get down to its knees. ¡°Eh? How did you do that?¡± she


    looked shocked. ¡°I want to do that, too.¡±


    ¡°The camel isn¡¯t going anywhere. I¡¯ll teach you in time. Ride it as long as you want. We can sell it once


    you get bored of it.¡± ¡°Mm, does it have a name?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s name it Beach, since we first saw it at the beach. How does it sound?¡±


    Benjamin gave a thumbs-up.


    And then he approached the sitting came from the side and helped her climb the camel. He sat in the


    back, pleasantly surprising her. She wasn¡¯t expecting that, but his gaze told her it was necessary, for her


    own safety. However, his hands held her arms and made her hold the reins. Once the camel felt the pull,


    it arose. As it got up to its feet, he helped her counteract the camel¡¯s motion so she wouldn¡¯t fall off its


    back. It was a short but heart-skipping experience for her. If Benjamin wasn¡¯t there, she would have


    definitely fallen and injured herself. The camel started walking around the garden at a decent pace.


    The ride was a little bumpy because of the camel¡¯s movements, but it wasn¡¯t as ufortable as


    Reba had expected it to be. ¡°Do you like it?¡± he asked. ¡°I think I need to ride it longer to be able to


    decide,¡± she said, ¡°but for now, it¡¯s not bad.¡± The garden¡¯s ground was not t. It was artistically uneven


    because the vi was built on low hills.


    ¡°When the camel is moving, sway along with it,¡± he suggested as the camel was about to make a turn.


    He also guided her, showing how it should be done, and she began to enjoy the ride more. ¡°If the ground


    was sandy like at the beach, the camel would have walked in a different


    style.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t help it,¡± she said, ¡°but this isn¡¯t bad, either. Thanks for making this morning special. I¡¯ll never


    forget this.¡±


    ¡°The pleasure is mine,¡± he leaned his head and pecked on her shoulder. She felt a little tingle surfing all


    over her skin for a second, giving goosebumps on her arms. ¡°B ¨C Benjamin¡­¡± she said in a bit of a


    defiant voice. ¡°Mom is watching!¡± ¡°I know,¡± he cheekily smiled. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t like what she¡¯s watching,


    that¡¯s not our problem now, is it?¡± He parted her hairs and pecked her on the back of her neck, almost


    making her jump like a spring chicken. She had no idea until that moment that the back of her neck could


    be such a sensitive spot. A furious frown creased Selena¡¯s forehead as a wave of futile fury swept over


    her. ¡°Who brought the filthy camel into my vi?¡± she yelled. It was more of a bark that sttered saliva


    everywhere to her front. ¡°M-Mom¡¯s getting mad,¡± Reba¡¯s pulse quickened. ¡°I think we should get


    down.¡± ¡°She always gets angry, so don¡¯t worry about her,¡± he said. ¡°But¡­¡± she was worried that her mom


    might do something to the camel like she did with the parrots.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m not worried about your mother¡¯s health?¡± Benjamin kept talking in a pitiful tone. ¡°But there¡¯s


    no pill for anger, unfortunately. We can only pray that she epts us.¡±


    d and Mercie came running up to the camel.


    ¡°Can we also ride it?¡± they innocently asked.


    Benjamin, however, cast a death re at them, sending shivers down their spines. He didn¡¯t


    want these unthankful kids to spoil the precious moments he was having with his wife. ¡°Of course,¡± said


    Reba, sounding happy. ¡°Let¡¯s get them up here, Benjamin.¡± Benjamin forced out a smile. ¡°S-Sure, but


    riding four people is impossible. Let us both ride together for a little longer, and then we can let the kids


    have fun.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying? How can you make the kids wait?¡± Reba said, pulling the reins, but the camel


    wasn¡¯t stopping. She pulled them harder, but that didn¡¯t work, either. It only irritated the camel. ¡°How do


    we stop this thing?¡± Benjamin leaned to the side and rubbed the camel with a hand. ¡°Slow down, Beach.


    Stop.¡± And the camel slowed down and stopped, leaving Reba speechless for a second. She didn¡¯t


    think it would be so simple. Once the camel sat, he got down first and helped her get down safely. d


    and Mercie wasted no time in climbing the beast by grabbing its hairs. Both Reba and Benjamin were


    surprised by seeing that. Benjamin also climbed it and then tried to help them like he did with Reba,


    but they didn¡¯t even let him touch the reins and teach them anything. Theypletely ignored him and


    kept doing whatever they wanted and frustrated the camel, but because of its experience, it kept walking


    patiently. Reba felt happy. She wasn¡¯t able to care for d and Mercie all that much recently, so


    seeing them cheerful eased her heart.


    At that moment, an old Hyundai car entered the vi and stopped at the entrance. Selena¡¯s face


    regained some glow. ¡°He¡¯s finally here.¡± A thirty-eight year old man got out of the rusty car. Half of the


    hairs on his head were missing. He¡¯s got a pot for a belly and usuallyrge buttocks. Chewing on a


    bubblegum rather aggressively, he looked around and smiled after noticing Reba who was looking at


    him.


    (George?) Her expression turned for the worse as this guy had relentlessly tried to have sex with her and


    her sister years ago. (Why is this piece of shit here?) She had pped him many times, but he would still


    come after her. The days back when he lived in this vi were not pleasant, and she instinctively folded


    her arms in a defensive posture. Benjamin had no idea who George was, but he understood that


    something wasn¡¯t right.


    George just smiled and then entered the vi, calling out for his sister and his nieces. ¡°Where are you


    guys? Roshan? Lisa? And my sister Elizabeth? I didn¡¯t bring you any gifts, but I, the biggest gift, am


    finally back!¡±

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97


    Reba was so worried she didn¡¯t even enter the vi and stayed at the dorms. The change in her was


    obvious enough to easily see. ¡°Who is this George?¡± Benjamin asked her, even though he thought it


    wasn¡¯t a good idea to remind her of the past. He wanted to hear from her own mouth. ¡°He¡¯s Elizabeth¡¯s


    younger brother,¡± Reba said with a frown. ¡°He smokes, drinks, gambles, and visits strip clubs. There¡¯s


    nothing good about anything he does. He¡¯s utter filth. He and his sister together tried to marry either me


    or Veronica off to him, but we both refused. However, if Brother Shawn and Dad had no issues, I might


    have been forced to marry him, though I don¡¯t know what I would have done if things had gone that far.


    Luckily, Dad waspletely against the idea of marrying me or Veronica to someone as useless as him.


    Mom also objected to it. ¡°Still, he kept trying, and one day, he dared to touch Veronica inappropriately.


    She pped him, and he lost his cool that day and pped her back. After that incident, Mom kicked him


    out of the house. I don¡¯t know why he¡¯s here after all these years. He smiles all the time, but underneath,


    he¡¯s extremely jealous. As long as he¡¯s here, our wedding reception won¡¯t go smoothly. He¡¯ll definitely


    cause something bad to happen. He¡¯s that type of guy. Benjamin could feel the anxiousness in her tone.


    He had never seen her like this before. She was clearly worried to the point she didn¡¯t want to enter the


    vi and look at George¡¯s face.


    ¡°Just wait here. I¡¯ll go and bring the breakfast,¡± he said and then entered the vi.


    Elizabeth and her family gathered at the dining table and were allughing, except Lisa who looked dull


    because her boyfriend, Nate, dumped her. Even after all the things she did for him, he still broke up


    because she couldn¡¯t buy him the car she told she would.


    She had already tried asking her father again, but Shawn refused again.


    ¡°What do you do in general, uncle?¡± Roshan asked. ¡°I work in a garage,¡± said George, smiling. ¡°In a few


    years, I¡¯ll have my own garage.¡± ¡°Garage?¡± Roshan inly shook his head. ¡°Roshan,¡± Elizabeth


    interfered. ¡°Your uncle might not look like it, but his driving ability is second to none. If he had be a


    racer, I¡¯m sure he would have earned many titles and brought fame to my Flower family!¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t he be a racer?¡¯ Roshan asked in a slightly mocking tone.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t have good contacts back then,¡± Elizabeth said and gritted her teeth. ¡°Everyone we trusted


    only ended up betraying us. They stole our hard-earned money!¡± ¡°Still, I will not believe it unless I see his


    skills for myself.¡± ¡°Haha,¡± George smiled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go for a ride in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Why not now?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll end up vomiting. That¡¯s why.¡±


    ¡°Huh, we¡¯ll see.¡±


    Elizabeth didn¡¯t like the way Roshan treated George, but she couldn¡¯t me him, either. Roshan was not


    even ten years old when George left the vi. He probably could have forgotten eating biscuits from


    George¡¯s hands when he was only a kid. Elizabeth saw Benjamin entering the kitchen. ¡°Hey, Benjamin!¡±


    she called out for him. ¡°Why don¡¯t youe over and meet my brother, George!¡± Benjamin stopped and


    turned around to take a good look at George. He had no beard, but his mustache looked cool. ¡°I¡¯m busy,


    so maybe next time.¡± ¡°Busy? What busy? You even quit the job,¡¯ Elizabeth said, ¡°You have all the free


    time in the world now, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°One shouldn¡¯t quit their job,¡± George casually said. ¡°It¡¯s a bad


    practice. You must treat your job like it¡¯s your life, or you¡¯ll not get far in any field you step into. Where did


    you work? If it¡¯s possible, I¡¯ll get you reinstated.¡± ¡°He used to work as a pizza deliverer,¡± said Dorothy,


    snorting. ¡°Pizza deliverer? Pfft,¡± George almost burst intoughter. ¡°Sorry, but I was really surprised. How


    can the only son-inw of the Sterling family deliver pizzas?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve grown tired of telling him to quit,¡±


    Elizabeth said, ¡°but he¡¯s not the type to listen unless you p him in the face. Still, how many times can


    we p a grown adult?¡±


    ¡°How about you join my garage?¡± George nced at Benjamin, speaking in a friendly tone. ¡°I can teach


    you all the necessary skills in a year or two, and then you can raise your own garage. If you¡¯re good, you


    can earn five to ten grand every year.¡± ¡°As a seven-star pizza deliverer, I used to earn more than that,


    though,¡± Benjamin¡¯s reply silenced everyone. ¡°That¡¯s not including the tips. If I include the tips¡­¡± he


    didn¡¯t need to say further.


    Elizabeth and her mother were no longer smiling.


    George still smiled and said, ¡°If it¡¯s a garage, your customers wille to you, and you get to choose


    who you want to service to, but if it¡¯s a pizza delivery, you need to go and knock on


    talking about money, even a sessful mobile canteen owner will earn more than a seven star or a ten-


    star pizza deliverer. However, there¡¯s this thing called prestige. A mobile canteen owner can¡¯t look into


    the eyes of a software engineer and proudly say he runs a mobile canteen.¡±


    ¡°If the mobile canteen owner loves what he does, I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t feel shameful to tell others what


    he does, ¡± Benjamin countered and nced at Kathy who was standing on the side. ¡°Kathy, over there,


    cleans toilets everyday, but I¡¯m sure she proudly tells others that she


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    ¡°Pigs eat shit and feel proud about it,¡± George said. ¡°You can¡¯tpare pigs with tigers and wolves that


    are much higher up the hierarchy.¡±


    ¡°I want to talk more, but I have some work,¡± Benjamin said. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me¡­¡± he then entered the


    kitchen and packed some food in a carriage box. As he was walking out, two people entered the vi.


    One of them was Jacob, and the other was Terry Praise. Neither of them were smiling.

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 98


    Breakfasts in the Sterling family generally included a nt and egg-based diet. Today was no different


    either.


    Kathy had prepared the usual toast, oatmeal, coffee, and pancakes. All were simple things that even the


    middle ss people could afford.


    Jacob¡¯s expression softened after seeing the breakfast. He was a simple man with simple tastes, and


    this menu reminded him of his old times. He nced at Terry and said in a positive tone, ¡°Why don¡¯t we


    have some breakfast first?¡±


    Terry didn¡¯t say anything, but his eyes were still very much red.


    Jacob put his hand on Terry. ¡°You haven¡¯t slept or eaten anything in 2 days. Your daughter wouldn¡¯t want


    this for you, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Terry frowned and said, ¡°Where¡¯s your son-inw? Benjamin?¡± he looked at George. ¡°Is it him?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Jacob¡¯s gaze turned sharp as he looked at George who couldn¡¯t look back at Jacob. He then


    nced at Benjamin who was still standing by the kitchen door. ¡°That guy over there is Benjamin.¡± He


    had no idea why Terry was so persistent about talking with Benjamin, but he hoped that it was nothing


    serious.


    Terry went straight to Benjamin, neither blinking nor making any unnecessary bodily movements, and


    while using an umbre as a walking stick.


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    George, Elizabeth and others were wondering who the hell this old man was. He looked slightly older


    than Jacob, but he looked just as intimidating, even though he hadn¡¯t really done anything yet.


    Benjamin raised his brows as Terry drew near. ¡°You need something from me?¡± Terry¡¯s eyes gained


    redness from the boiling rage he tried to keep down. After closing in, he said in a low voice, ¡°I know what


    you did, Benjamin.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°My daughter Marisa is in her grave now probably because of you,¡± his cheeks slowly swelled in fury.


    ¡°You¡¯re the prime suspect, but I don¡¯t want you getting arrested and having an easy time in jail. I want


    you to suffer a thousand times more than what my daughter went through.¡± He ground his teeth, and


    bubbles of saliva frothed out of his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s not just you who¡¯ll suffer from my wrath but everyone


    rted to you. Watch me bring the entire Sterling family to the ground with a smile on my face. And they


    will all have no one else to me but you, their one and only worthless son-inw.¡±


    Benjamin could feel the killing intent from this old man. He might be wanting to stab Benjamin¡¯s belly with


    the umbre at this very moment, but he was holding himself back.¡± I¡¯m sorry for your loss, sir, but my


    family has nothing to do with this. If you have anything, take it out on me. Don¡¯t drag the Sterlings into


    this.¡±


    ¡°So you are the one who¡¯s behind my daughter¡¯s death, then?¡± Terry put pressure and weight


    on the umbre.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t kill her,¡± replied Benjamin, ¡°but that¡¯s all I can say?¡± ¡°What?¡± Terry was shaking with rage at this


    point. ¡°You think I¡¯ll believe a word of anything you say? I heard you are having a wedding reception


    soon. Good luck with that, but if that reception sessfully happens, then your wife will also need to


    suffer as much as you do because she¡¯ll be your partner. I will use all my power and influence to crush


    you, your wife, and her family. I will make sure you have no ce you can call home. I will make you


    come and fall before my feet and beg me to leave you alone.¡± .


    Benjamin frowned. ¡°I can understand your pain, but your daughter isn¡¯t really innocent, whether you¡¯re


    aware of it or not. I¡¯m hoping you¡¯re not aware of it, or you¡¯re going to really regret it if youe at me or


    my wife.¡± ¡°None of that matters now,¡± Terry¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°The only thing that needs to be done is to


    put you in your grave built at my daughter¡¯s feet. I will be working toward that goal from this moment


    forth.¡± Saying that, he patted Benjamin¡¯s shoulder andughed. ¡°Is that so? I wish you good luck.¡± Terry


    then turned around and walked over to Jacob. ¡°Your son-inw is as much of a man as I expected. No


    wonder my daughter was seeing him even though he was married to another woman.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Jacob and everyone in the hall were stunned into silence. The breakfast box Benjamin was


    holding fell to the floor. His eyes broadened in shock.


    ¡°He once delivered her some pizza it seems, and that¡¯s when she first met him,¡± Terry exined. ¡°She


    used to talk about him a lot these past few months, so I wanted to see him myself. Sorry, I didn¡¯t tell you


    this sooner. I thought she was just being infatuated with him, but now, I¡¯m telling this for your daughter¡¯s


    sake.¡± He put his hand on Jacob¡¯s shoulder and said in a low voice, ¡°As for the ticket prices, don¡¯t worry


    about it. I¡¯ll pass the bill so you can increase the prices. We¡¯ll see to it that you¡¯ll create an all-time


    domestic record for the first weekend.¡±


    Jacob¡¯s face gained some glow upon hearing Terry¡¯s words. He moved and gave a hug and said,


    ¡°Thanks, Terry. I really need this boost, but I didn¡¯t know how to talk to you regarding this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, man. We have been friends even before my daughter was born,¡± Terry reminded Jacob. ¡°I¡¯ll


    be the happiest person if you prosper.¡± Then they shook each other¡¯s hands before Jacob requested


    Terry to have breakfast; however, Terry politely refused. ¡°I¡¯ll eat the next time Ie here,¡± he said and


    then left.


    Jacob briefly nced at Benjamin before escorting Terry outside until he got into his car.


    After Terry¡¯s car drove away, Jacob¡¯s expression hardened as he entered the vi. His daughter married


    this useless man who was not even worthy to work as a butler in the Sterling vi, and this was how he


    repaid her? The thought itself burned his blood. He folded his sleeves as he strode toward Benjamin. ¡°D-


    Don¡¯t believe what he said, Father-inw,¡± Benjamin tried to exin. ¡°He was lying.¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Jacob put all his strength into his hand as he pped Benjamin. The sound echoed


    throughout the hall. Almost all the eyes sitting at the dining table brightened from what they

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 99


    As Jacob strode toward him, folding his sleeves, Benjamin¡¯s heart started beating fast. ¡°D Don¡¯t believe


    what he said, Father-inw,¡± he tried to exin. ¡°He was lying.¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Jacob put all his strength into his hand as he pped Benjamin. The sound echoed


    throughout the hall. Almost all the eyes sitting at the dining table brightened from what they saw. ¡°A man


    who lost his daughter recently woulde all this way if there¡¯s nothing going on? What reason would a


    man of his stature have to lie about trash like you? What would he earn from it?¡±


    Benjamin covered his cheek that turned red from the p. ¡°Trust me, please. He¡¯s lying.¡± ¡°Shut your


    damn mouth!¡± Jacob roared and raised his hand for another p. Kathy had already run upstairs to


    inform Selena. Elizabeth was leaking out a wonderful smile after a long time. Roshan looked quite


    shocked, for he couldn¡¯t believe that his uncle Benjamin who always chased after their aunt like a dog


    would be having an affair with another woman. Lisa looked more angry than shocked.


    ¡°I knew that he¡¯s a cheat,¡± Dorothy exaggeratedly adjusted her dress a bit. ¡°His looks sometimes even


    made me feel uneasy.¡± ¡°He¡¯s always been a cheeky bastard,¡± Nn remarked. ¡°What are we going to do


    now?¡± George asked the big question while looking at Jacob. ¡°With the live-in son-inw, I mean.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s only one thing to do,¡± Jacob grabbed Benjamin¡¯s cor and dragged him down the hall. He


    violently threw him outside the front door. Benjamin fell and rolled down the stairs and hit the shoe stand,


    causing the sandals and shoes to fall on top of him. ¡°Get out of my house. I¡¯ll send you the divorce


    papers tomorrow. Don¡¯t you dare to show your face around here anymore, or I¡¯ll break your limbs so


    you¡¯ll never be able to walk!¡±


    Benjamin got up with effort. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything wrong, Father-inw. Let me exin what¨C¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still trying to fool me after all this?¡± Jacob almost burst a blood vessel. He scuttled down the stairs


    and kicked in Benjamin¡¯s belly, causing him to fall back. Jacob didn¡¯t stop and kept kicking Benjamin


    everywhere from head to toe. ¡°I should have never let trash like you into my house, let alone into my


    daughter¡¯s life! I know very well that guys like you are only after money, but after you stood up for my


    daughter at the birthday party, I thought maybe you were different. But, no. I was right all along. You


    taught me a very good lesson. I¡¯ll thank you for that and let you leave this ce in one piece.¡± As he kept


    kicking, Elizabeth and others rushed out of the vi. Selena came to the balcony and was watching


    everything with eyes blooming from overflowing happiness and stomach bulging from too many


    butterflies fluttering in jubtion.


    Louis and Be watched from a different balcony and maintained poker faces, as usual. d and Mercie


    were ying in the background with a doll.


    Shawn just walked out of the entrance without even having breakfast, wondering why his dad was


    screaming, but then Elizabeth told him everything, and his eyes swelled from fury. ¡°He did what?¡± The


    look on his face matched his tone. He dropped the briefcase as a fit of anger swallowed his senses. He


    quickly joined his father and beat Benjamin together.


    Selena never felt better. This was what she wanted to see from so long, and she was finally feasting her


    eyes with what she had only seen in her dreams. She thanked the judge in her heart for making this


    possible. ¡°Nobody is perfect. I knew that bastard must be getting into someone else¡¯s bed. Otherwise, it¡¯s


    impossible for a man to not force his wife and wait for months without having sex. Now it makes me


    wonder if he really went to his job daily, or if his sry wasing from the judge¡¯s daughter. Either way,


    he really is cunning. He chose my daughter to be his wife, and then secretly maintained a rtionship


    with the chief justice¡¯s foolish daughter. We provided shelter, and the judge¡¯s daughter provided both


    money and pleasure. He was getting everything he needed and managed to keep it a secret all this


    while.¡± She then thought, ¡°I should go and pay a visit to the grave of the chief justice¡¯s daughter.¡±


    Kathy also voiced her mind while standing next to Benjamin. ¡°I thought he was an honest man, but he¡¯s


    just a snake.¡± A look of disgust crossed her face.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Selena amusedly said. ¡°And snakes need to be beaten to death. If we show mercy to them,


    we¡¯ll only get bitten in the end.¡± She loved how mercilessly Shawn was beating his brother-inw.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Shawn used to be a shy kid who used to be bullied a lot when he was in middle school, and that bullying


    made him less empathetic. When he entered highschool, he grew a lot in height and size, and then he


    became a bully himself. He grew more arrogant and controlling, but he was unlike other typical bullies in


    that he always took responsibility for his actions. He was not cowardly or fragile. Having been through a


    lot of fights in school and in professional life, he became sturdy like a rock. None could shake his heart


    now. That was what Selena saw Shawn, as the cornerstone of the Sterling family.


    As Shawn kicked aggressively, it allowed Jacob to slow down and get his breath back. His whole body


    had turned red, and he looked rigid but also shaky. ¡°Father-inw,¡± George stepped in and helped him


    stand straight. ¡°Your arteries stiffened from overexertion. You should calm down.¡±


    Selena liked how George used the opportunity well. ¡°He¡¯s gotten smarter than before. Good. Jacob


    doesn¡¯t lose his anger as long as there are unsolved things, so keep holding him like that.¡±


    Jacob took a few deep breaths but kept watching his son beat the living daylights out of Benjamin.


    By the time Shawn was out of gas, Benjamin was coughing blood and bleeding from the nose. One of his


    eyes looked bad, too.


    Shawn grabbed Benjamin¡¯s hair and forcibly lifted him up. Blood and liquids hung from his nose, and he


    was struggling to breathe, and he was finding it hard to even keep his eyes open. Shawn leaned closer


    and whispered in Benjamin¡¯s ear, ¡°I¡¯m not doing this for my sister. I¡¯m doing this for me.¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s eyes slightly widened from hearing those heartless words.


    Just then, Reba walked out of the dorms, wondering why Benjamin was taking so long, and horror


    struck her face when she saw Shawn repeatedly punching in Benjamin¡¯s face until he copsed back


    pathetically. ¡°Benjamin!¡± she cried out.

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100


    CHAPTER 100''


    ¡°Benjamin!¡± Reba rushed to him, ignoring the pain in her ankle. Shawn cut her off. ¡°Hold it, Reba.¡±


    ¡°Brother, move!¡± she roared and tried to get past him, but he grabbed her hand and forcibly pulled her


    away. ¡°Listen to me first, and then you are going to beat your husband yourself,¡± Shawn stated. ¡°What


    nonsense are you talking about?¡± Reba¡¯s eyes were still on Benjamin who was on the ground. ¡°How


    could you beat him like that? Are you even human?¡± Tears escaped her eyes. ¡°It isn¡¯t just your brother


    who hit him,¡± Jacob said. ¡°I did, too.¡± Reba¡¯s face froze. ¡°Your worthless husband is having an affair


    with the chief justice¡¯s daughter,¡± Jacob said. ¡°W-What are you talking about?¡± Reba didn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°The chief justice¡¯s daughter died unfortunately,¡± Jacob continued speaking in an annoyed tone. ¡°Or I


    would have brought her here to prove it. Still, her father¡¯s words are more than enough. There¡¯s no


    reason for the chief justice to lie!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t listen to them, Reba, ¡± Benjamin said through the pain as


    blood dripped from his chin. ¡°I don¡¯t even know about the girl they¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°B-Benjamin¡­¡± Reba¡¯s gut twisted seeing him in such a pathetic situation. She tried to get to him, but


    her brother didn¡¯t let her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fall for his trap, Reba,¡± Shawn warned her, squeezing her wrist with brute force so that his


    point would get across to her better. ¡°It¡¯s better for everyone in this vi if he just disappears from our


    lives.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Aunt. Dad is right,¡± Lisa stepped forth and said. ¡°I think Uncle Benjamin had a crush on me. I saw


    him following me a few times.¡± Her words shocked everyone as they thought this came out of nowhere.


    Lisa, however, stood her ground. ¡°I think he isn¡¯t innocent.¡± After losing her boyfriend, she didn¡¯t know


    where she should divert her frustration, and now she had Benjamin to divert all her anger toward. In a


    way, he was responsible for her losing Nate, she thought.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± Shawn¡¯s blood boiled. ¡°You even went after my daughter?¡± He pushed Reba aside


    and attacked Benjamin.


    ¡°Stop, brother!¡± Reba caught Shawn¡¯s hand. ¡°Maybe, Lisa was mistaken.¡±


    ¡°She isn¡¯t five, Reba,¡± Shawn red at her, but she didn¡¯t back down. She moved past him and


    looked at Benjamin.


    ¡°Is Lisa speaking the truth?¡± she asked Benjamin, whose eyes were half-open Benjamin shook his head.


    ¡°You are the only one in my heart. There was no one else before.


    There will be no one else after.¡±


    Stress marks appeared on Reba¡¯s chin as tears welled up in her eyes. Benjamin wasing forward


    to hug her, but Shawn kicked him in the chest and sent him back.


    Benjamin fell to his knee and coughed blood. ¡°Brother!¡¯ Reba clenched her fists and was about to


    attack him. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you,¡± Elizabeth said aloud. She came down the stairs. ¡°Did your


    husband blind your eyes so much you are going to raise your hand against your own brother? Against


    your own blood?¡± Reba gritted her teeth and cast an angry nce at her. ¡°This is none of your


    business.¡± ¡°Not when you¡¯re about to hit my husband,¡± replied Elizabeth, shifting her gaze to Benjamin ¡°I


    will only tell you one thing. Why don¡¯t you ask your husband what his name is? I mean, what his real


    name is.¡± Reba¡¯s brows drew together. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Why did his name matter in this


    situation? ¡°Just give it a try, sister-inw,¡± Elizabeth was trying to speak seriously and notugh even


    though she wanted to. ¡°Go and ask your husband what his real name is. Why don¡¯t you hear it from his


    own mouth?¡±. Reba turned her head to look at Benjamin who was making a sad, hurtful expression.


    ¡°What is she saying, Benjamin?¡± Reba started walking toward him. Shawn didn¡¯t stop her this time.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t your Benjamin Wilde? Tell them that¡¯s your name.¡±


    Benjamin kept staring at her; the corners of his lips turned down, and his lower lip poked outward and felt


    heavy as if all the guilt in him had gathered there. A slow shake of his head followed.


    Reba¡¯s heart sank at once.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    ¡°There you go. He got the job at the pizza shop, probably using a fake certificate,¡± Elizabeth said. ¡°I


    doubt what he wrote there is even his real name. It¡¯s like his whole life is a lie. Who knows what more he


    is hiding? Just p him and kick him out already. He doesn¡¯t even deserve to breathe the same air as


    us!¡± Tears clouded Reba¡¯s eyes. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me, Benj¡­¡± she paused, wondering if Benjamin


    was his real name or not, and the thought made her heart feel heavy. ¡°I was nning to tell you


    everything,¡± Benjamin said.


    ¡°When?¡± she raised her voice. Tears streamed down her cheeks. He raised his hand to wipe her tears


    off, but she pushed his hand away. ¡°Once a liar, always a liar. I don¡¯t know what else you¡¯re hiding. How


    can you expect me to trust anything you say?¡± Benjamin withdrew his hand. Her question was valid, but


    why did she even need to listen to his words? Didn¡¯t he already show his love through his actions?


    Weren¡¯t the days he spent with her already enough to prove his love for her? Perhaps, not. Otherwise,


    why would she ask


    him such a question, unless, maybe she was getting blinded by her burning emotion? ¡°I have a


    confession,¡± Ashley spoke out, turning many heads in her direction. ¡°I might lose my job for saying this,


    but I think it¡¯s best I tell everyone the truth.¡± She came forward, lowered her head and said, ¡°I slept with


    Benjamin multiple times.¡± Her face seemed ridden with guilt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Reba¡¯s expression drastically changed. She felt like two giant boulders pressed her shoulders down


    and made her knees feel weak. She looked more devastated than shocked. Did this mean Benjamin was


    also having an affair with Delle? It felt like her worst fears, no, nightmares had alle true at once. Her


    whole head hurt, and she fainted and copsed to the side.


    Benjamin caught her before she fell to the ground, but then Shawn violently pushed him away. Everyone


    gathered around Reba and tended to her, with worried expressions on their faces, whereas Shawn


    began punching and pping Benjamin repeatedly until he was brought out of the vi.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you until midnight to run as far away as you can,¡± Shawn said, ¡°because after that I¡¯ll do my best


    to find you and kill you.¡± Saying that he went back into the vi. The guard closed the gate and looked at


    Benjamin who was lying on the street, covered in his own blood.


    ¡°Tch, tch, you shouldn¡¯t have married someone from a rich family,¡± the guard opined, his voice sounding


    pitiful. ¡°The rich are the biggest hypocrites, after all. It¡¯s fine as long as they¡¯re the ones doing mistakes,


    but if others do the same mistakes, they go berserk. But at least, he gave you time, so run away while


    you can.¡± Benjamin got up to his feet and looked at the vi once. Tears flowed out, but he gathered the


    strength to wipe his own tears before lowering his head and walking away with a heavy heart.

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101


    Veronica woke upte only to get shocked after finding out Benjamin was gone. She ran to her sister¡¯s


    room to see how she was doing and to talk to her. When she entered her room, George was talking to


    her. She froze upon seeing him. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she immediately got angry. ¡°Ah, Veronica,


    ¡°George sounded surprised, and his lips yed a familiar smile that sent shivers up her spine. ¡°It¡¯s good


    to finally SEE you.¡± His eyes took in all the skin she was showing at the moment. ¡°Get out of this room,¡±


    she ordered. ¡°I want to talk to my sis.¡± ¡°Sure, sure,¡± he quietly walked out without saying another word.


    Veronica sat down on the bed, next to Reba who looked dull and poor. Her face had gone pale; her


    head hung forward, and her shoulders were curled in. She appeared small and so vulnerable at the


    moment. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Veronica put her hand gently on Reba¡¯s shoulder, and her sister


    emotionally hugged her. Her sister¡¯s eyes were red from crying, and her cheeks were still wet. It had


    been a long time since Veronica saw her sister like this. It melted her heart and made her want to protect


    her sister at all costs. ¡°For better or worse, he¡¯s gone. And you¡¯re not alone, sis. My boyfriend was


    cheating on me, too. I can understand what you¡¯re going through. Let¡¯s walk this road together until we


    figure things out.¡±


    ¡°I was afraid, Veronica,¡± Reba sniffled, ¡°afraid to trust any man. After a long time, I started trusting


    him, and he¡­¡± her voice cracked in the throat, ¡°now who am I supposed to trust?¡± tears sprang to her


    eyes as she tried to deny her feelings for him. The pain of losing Benjamin overwhelmed her entire body.


    Seeing her sister, an unstoppable woman, now reduced to tears, Veronica¡¯s lips puckered.¡° Who would


    have thought he was such a liar and a yboy? He didn¡¯t try to flirt with me at any time like George did,


    but then again, he¡¯s someone who stole your virginity, so he¡¯s definitely not as honest or innocent as he


    might have portrayed himself to be. Maybe no man is like that.¡± She briefly remembered Akash. ¡°They


    say one thing in the front, but do another thing in the back.¡±


    Her words didn¡¯t really help ease Reba¡¯s pain. She felt deeply troubled as her heart still wanted


    Benjamin. It felt like she was swimming in the ocean of sadness, that is the world, where everyone was


    doomed to drown eventually.


    Meanwhile, downstairs, Elizabeth and her parents were having a st in one of the guest rooms. She


    poured costly wine to her parents, with wide grins etching on all of their faces. ¡°He¡¯s finally gone,¡±


    Elizabeth was ecstatic over Benjamin¡¯s exit, especially because her brother would now have a much


    greater chance at making Reba his woman. ¡°I¡¯ve even dreamed of this happening a few times.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a


    pity that we lost a ve,¡± Dorothy opined, ¡°but it¡¯s still for the good if his


    ¡°He¡¯s not fit to be a ve,¡± Elizabeth was quick to deny. ¡°That son of a bitch called me an aunt. I wish


    Shawn at least broke one of his legs before he kicked him out.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t break sweat over a fool who¡¯s gone from our lives for good,¡± Nn said, but neither Dorothy nor


    Elizabeth listened to him.


    As the women kept chattering endlessly, George entered the room with hands in his pockets. He always


    had his hands in his pockets whenever he feltfortable or was in a dominant position so he could look


    down on others. Seeing her brother¡¯s positive bodynguage, Elizabeth asked eagerly, ¡°What did she


    say?¡± ¡°Say what?¡± George chortled. ¡°You thought I would ask her to marry me hours after her husband¡¯s


    betrayal? She would have pped me in the face if I had done that.¡± ¡°Then what took you so long?¡±


    Dorothy asked, offering him a ss of wine. ¡°What were you talking about?¡± ¡°Well, just casual things, like


    about her designing job and what not,¡± George raised his shoulders a little, ¡°you know, I was just trying to


    divert her attention from the bearded guy.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you take her to a movie or something?¡± Nn


    suggested.


    ¡°I would if I could,¡± George said, sipping some wine. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been a day since I returned. Asking her to


    come for a movie makes everything too cliche. That¡¯s not how I want to reintroduce myself to her.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Elizabeth¡¯s eyes slightly widened. ¡°You¡¯ve decided between the sisters?¡± George nodded


    slightly. ¡°Veronica isn¡¯t really housewife material. I don¡¯t think she has the patience to bear me, either.¡±


    ¡°You think Reba can?¡±


    ¡°Well, she can,¡± George said, a hint of a smile tugging his lips, ¡°better than Veronica can.¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯re


    not wrong.¡± The mother and daughter chortled together.


    At the same time, on the balcony.


    Selena was soaking under the sun, wearing a bikini, with Delle applying sunscreen lotion to her body and


    Amber massaging her shoulders and back. Kathy was holding icy lemon juice on the side.


    ¡°Mhmm¡­ this is heaven.¡± She was in bliss, her head dizzy with delight. In the background, the gate


    guard was trying to pull Beach, the pet camel, out of the garden and lead it outside the vi, but the


    camel showed resistance as it liked the garden.


    At a private polo club.


    Arlo was just finishing his meeting with a rich businessman and was shaking hands with them.


    ¡°We want only flowers under 20. We hope we won¡¯t be disappointed.¡± ¡°Have I ever disappointed you


    before?¡± ¡°Haha, you haven¡¯t, but reminding has be our informal formality, so excuse us.¡±


    TER 101


    ¡°You are excused, but fret not. I will fit in some uing stars in the list, too.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be delighted if you


    can do that.¡±


    After the meeting ended, he briefly thought of different women and then remembered Reba. ¡°If I can


    tame her, she¡¯ll be apt for pleasing VVIPs. I¡¯ve gotta get her over to my side soon.¡± He then dialed a


    number and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t I get any message from you guys? Did the hitman kill the son-inw and


    the maid?¡±


    ¡°The mission failed,¡± aputer-generated voice replied at first, but then a male voice took over the call


    and said, ¡°Mr. Arlo. The hitman was found dead right where he was supposed to shoot the targets from.


    His eyes, tongue and heart were ripped out¡­ He¡¯s one of the best in the country. Since someone like


    him ended up in that state, we suggest that you stay low for your own sake. Don¡¯t go after that target


    after they have given us a clear warning, or you might end up regretting it, Sorry for failing the mission,


    but we¡¯ll be transferring the advance you paid by the end of this month. Bye.¡±


    The call ended.


    Arlo went silent for a little while. ¡°They couldn¡¯t take care of a single guy and are spouting nonsense to


    cover up their shame. If they can¡¯t do it, I¡¯ll just have to put a bounty on that son inw so that every soul


    working underground will go after him.¡± ¡°Sir,¡± one of the workers at the club entered the hall and said,


    ¡°someone named Ashley wants to meet you.¡± ¡°Ashley?¡± A loose grin yed in Arlo¡¯s stubble. ¡°Let her in.¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights.

 Chapter 102

    Chapter 102


    The next morning. In Pure Waters bar. ¡°He¡¯s been drinking since yesterday,¡± one of the barmaids was


    talking with other maids. ¡°He has drunk way past the limit. I told him to leave, but he isn¡¯t listening. At this


    rate, he¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s report to the manager, then.¡±


    The maids then went andined to the owner. He brought a few bodyguards with him and politely


    talked with Benjamin. But he wasn¡¯t even listening, so the bodyguards lifted him up and brought him out


    and tossed him out on the streets.


    ¡°You kept your bar open for the whole night, even after the allowed time limit,¡± Benjaminined, ¡°but


    you kick me out now?¡± he sniffled a little. ¡°This is where I first met my wife. I only wanted to spend some


    time here, so let me in.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make us beat you, mister,¡± the two tall and huge bodyguards warned Benjamin.


    ¡°You picked the words right out of my mouth,¡± his gaze warned them in return.


    ¡°You¡¯re too drunk, but if you want a fight, we¡¯ll give it to you,¡± one of the guards went for a p, but his


    attack was stopped effortlessly, and then Benjamin pped him. The next second, the big guy was on


    the ground. The second guard couldn¡¯t see what just happened. He only blinked once, and then the


    other guy was hugging the ground.


    ¡°What trick did you use!¡± enraged, he threw a vicious punch. Benjamin swiftly deflected the punch and


    elbowed his chin, lifting the big dude up into the air. His heavy body flew through the entrance, his eyes


    turning white before even he hit the floor. ¡®


    The manager, who was watching everything through the cameras, rushed out in rage, ready to take out


    his gun.


    A 1980 mustang stopped at the entrance. A tall man with gray hair stepped out, smoking arge cigar


    and blowing out the smoke in style.


    ¡°Sir Rodnie!¡± the manager rushed out and humbly greeted him. ¡°What brought you here? If you had


    called me, I would havee to your ce in a second!¡±


    Benjamin nced at this gray-haired man. He was the principal of the school Lisa and Roshan were


    studying at.


    The principal looked arrogant and confident until his gazended on Benjamin and recognized his face in


    a few seconds. His expression steadily changed, and he scuttled up to Benjamin, throwing the cigar


    away and blowing the smoke away from before his mouth by waving his hands. ¡°W-What are you doing


    out here, sir?¡± he asked respectfully, shocking the manager.


    Benjamin was still covered in wounds, though not as severe as they were the previous day.


    ¡°What are these wounds?¡± Rodnie humbly asked. ¡°Who dared to offend you?¡±


    Benjamin rubbed his forehead as he was suffering from a severe headache. ¡°Can I go inside?¡±


    ¡°Inside the bar?¡± Rodnie asked. ¡°Of course. This whole block is ours. You can enter and leave whenever


    you want.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Benjamin entered the bar by stepping over the belly of the guards on the floor.


    Rodnie and the manager followed him. ¡°Who is he, sir?¡± the manager asked in a low voice. ¡°Even if I tell


    you, you wouldn¡¯t know,¡± replied Rodnie. ¡°But one thing I¡¯ll tell you is to treat him or anyone rted to him


    with utmost respect when theye here to this bar.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± he said. Though he was the owner of the


    bar in the front, the real owner was Rodnie who ran the show from behind the scenes. Be it from selling


    drugs or hooking up deals between shady parties underground, he dealt with everything. Rodnie wanted


    to guide Benjamin to the VIP rooms, but Benjamin sat outside at a corner, the same table where he and


    Reba first met and shared drinks together. He wasn¡¯t talking even though Rodnie tried to start a


    conversation. After a long, pointless effort, Rodnie told the manager to take care of Benjamin before


    going to his private basement, which he used for many purposes but primarily for sports betting. The


    manager patiently waited at a table not far from Benjamin, ready to answer. One of the maids swanned


    over and asked him, ¡°Wasn¡¯t Sir Rodnie an underboss in the past? Why did he give so much respect to


    that bearded guy over there? Who is he?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go and ask him?¡± the manager said with a poker face.


    ¡°Huh, so sarcastic,¡± the maid pinched his cheek and brought him into the mood. He grabbed her butt and


    gave a good pinch, making her jump and then hop away to clean the tables. An old beggar walked into


    the bar, and the owner stood straight away. ¡°Whoa, there. This isn¡¯t the ce where you can beg. Get


    lost.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s with me,¡± Benjamin said, stopping the owner in his tracks. The old beggar came up to Benjamin¡¯s


    table and took his time to sit down and sigh. ¡°You look more terrible than your beard, Master.¡± ¡°Did you


    come here to just say that, Alfred?¡± Benjamin pushed the wine ss toward him. Alfred put a file on the


    table, which caught Benjamin¡¯s attention briefly. ¡°Haven¡¯t you tried enough? Sign it, and I¡¯ll deliver it to


    the Sterling family. You don¡¯t even need to go there, or make theme looking for you. Go back home,


    and¡­ I¡¯m sure Rye will understand.¡± ¡°No matter how hard you try, you can¡¯t change my mind,¡± he put a


    couple of ice cubes in the red wine and gulped down all of it.


    ¡°Then what are you gonna do? Waste hours in a bar? Time is a valuable thing, Master. I think you¡¯re so


    obsessed with this woman you¡¯ve forgotten that the clock never ticks backward.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s wasting hours?¡±


    Benjamin poured more wine into the ss. ¡°Can¡¯t you see me drinking?¡± ¡°Then, keep drinking,¡± Alfred


    stood. ¡°I¡¯lle back in the evening, so make a decision by then. I¡¯ve gotta report this whole thing to


    your father, after all.¡±


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    Alfred left without saying another word.


    ¡°He left without drinking.¡± Benjamin picked up the file and checked the contents. As expected, they were


    divorce papers.

 Chapter 103

    Chapter 103


    A few dayster.


    The time for the premiere of ¡®El Man¡¯, Jacob¡¯s superhero movie, hade. A-list actors, producers and


    top professionals from the industry graced the event.


    Jacob couldn¡¯t watch the movie with his family because he had other things to take care of, but every


    other Sterling family member watched it together, and they loved it. After the movie ended, Selena was in


    tears. ¡°This movie is going to rock the world,¡± Elizabeth told her husband. ¡°You were worried for nothing,


    dear.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s indeed a masterpiece,¡± Shawn opined. ¡°Most superhero movies don¡¯t keep the viin hiding for


    so long, and the twist at the end was too good.¡±


    Lisa and Roshan were of the same opinion, but they had many more things to tell about the movie.


    ¡°The wait was worth it,¡± Roshan said. ¡°When it releases, I¡¯ll take all my friends. They are going to have a


    st for sure!¡±


    Lisa thought of Nate but then also thought she should move on. Veronica was eating ice cream because


    it was the favorite food item of the woman El Man fell in love with. ¡°If I get a lover like El Man, how


    wonderful it would be, but I know such characters exist only in movies, and not in reality.¡± ¡°When is the


    movie going to be released?¡± Nn asked George. ¡°In a couple of weeks. They are going to release a


    worldwide trailer tonight,¡± said George. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to watch it now that I know the plot.¡± He nced at


    Reba who seemed like she was in her own world.


    Watching the movie did help her forget the reality for a few hours, but the fact that the superhero story


    also had a love sub-plot didn¡¯t quite help her, either. Without Benjamin around, she felt like shecked


    more than what she had. She had been distancing herself from others and was spending time alone all


    these days.


    George barely saw her smile in the past few days, and even when she smiled, her eyescked the shine.


    Her smile never seemed alive. It was too obvious for him to see that she had fallen in love with


    Benjamin, and his betrayal had broken her heart.


    Reba was already a woman of few words, but then after the huge shock Benjamin gave, she almost


    stopped responding to others. Most people would lean back to one of their bad habits during this


    situation, but Reba didn¡¯t have any bad habits, except maybe she began to eat without worrying


    about maintaining her figure. George also tried joking with her, but she never smiled at his jokes. Maybe


    her guard against him was still too high. So, he tried the other route by going up to her and saying, ¡°Don¡¯t


    let your negative feelings


    get the better of you,¡± he said, ¡°or they¡¯ll cause you to lose. A great dialogue from the movie, don¡¯t you


    think?¡±


    She didn¡¯t say anything. As they went to the parking lot, an old beggar approached them. Elizabeth and


    her parents scolded him and shooed him away. Even Lisa and Roshan¡¯s faces contorted by seeing how


    dirty and ugly he was; however, Reba went up to him and gave a few hundred dor bills to him and


    said, ¡°Buy a decent pair of clothes.¡±


    The beggar, Alfred, said, ¡°May God bless you with a happy life.¡± After the Sterling family¡¯s cars left, Alfred


    shoved the dor bills in his pocket and scratched his jaw rather aggressively. The divorce file he had


    given to Benjamin was torn by Benjamin by running his fingers on top of the files. He had called


    Benjamin and asked why he didn¡¯t sign the papers, and Benjamin replied, ¡°She¡¯s myughter. She¡¯s my


    disaster. She¡¯s mydy of love and woe. She¡¯s my everything. My world won¡¯t beplete without my


    wife in it, and I believe she feels the same way about me. If I run away from her when she needs me the


    most, there won¡¯t be a bigger fool than me.¡±


    Coming back to the present, Alfred was still scratching his jaw.¡±This thing called love¡­ is it the most


    powerful thing there is?¡±


    Somewhere else in the city.


    Ashley was driving her car, while smoking a cigar. She remembered Arlo¡¯s words: Just this one client.


    Please him, and I¡¯ll make you the manager of one of the beauty parlors I own.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Just this once, he said,¡± Ashley didn¡¯t seem all that happy.¡±He better be telling the truth. I¡¯ve already


    done so much for him, even washed the toilets in the Sterling vi.¡±


    She stopped her vehicle at a lodge near the highway, and she entered one of the rooms. Soon, a taxi


    stopped at the lodge, and Benjamin got out. ¡°Why this ce?¡± he wondered and looked around. ¡°If


    someone sees me here with her, they might get the wrong idea.¡± He went to the receptionist and asked,


    ¡°Do you have a hooded jacket?¡± She looked at him from top to bottom. ¡°This isn¡¯t a store, mister.¡± ¡°I


    know. Do you have it or not?¡± Her expression froze for a second. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t have one. Can¡¯t you


    see I¡¯m not wearing one?¡±


    ¡°Too bad. You missed the chance of making a grand.¡± ¡°A-A grand?¡± she immediately stood. ¡°Are you


    serious?¡± Benjamin took out hundred dor bills from his pocket. ¡°I can give you more if you want.¡± Her


    eyes lit up. ¡°Just wait a minute here. I¡¯ll be right back!¡± she ran upstairs and then returned with a jacket in


    two minutes.


    Benjamin gave her the money as promised before wearing the jacket. She couldn¡¯t believe she really


    received a thousand dors, and she ended upughing a lot after that.


    Meanwhile, Benjamin was roaming outside the lodge, walking outside the room Ashley had


    entered.


    The door was locked, and the curtains in the windows blocked him from seeing what was happening


    inside, but he could hear unpleasant soundsing from inside. ¡°She¡¯s doing it with someone, surely.


    But how do I get a scoop? Is breaking in the only way?¡±


    ¡°Do you need a hand, lord?¡± Shadow appeared behind him. ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°No.You do from what it looks


    like.¡± He took out tools from under his sleeve and skilfully unlocked the door without making little to no


    noise. ¡°There you go. You can thank me now.¡±


    ¡°If I had the tools, I would have done that, too,¡± said Benjamin.


    ¡°I wish you good luck, Lord.¡± Shadow turned into a blur and vanished from there in a second.


    Benjamin then opened the camera app on his mobile and began recording before he slightly opened the


    door. Ashley was moaning hard as she got plowed by a big dude, and his identity dropped Benjarnin¡¯s


    jaw.

 Chapter 104

    Chapter 104


    Benjamin opened the camera app on his mobile and began recording before he gently pushed the door


    open a few degrees. Ashley was moaning hard as she got plowed by a big dude, and his identity


    dropped Benjamin¡¯s jaw.


    ¡°Donovan?¡± Benjamin¡¯s eyes bulged in shock. He recorded the video until he made sure he captured his


    face before getting far away from that room.


    On one hand, he got angry at Donovan, but on the other hand, he felt really bad for Jane. ¡°How does this


    guy even know Ashley? Did he meet her when he came to the vi? These two are unbelievable!¡±


    Though he saw something terrible, he didn¡¯t know how to share this with Jane, but he thought maybe


    Reba could tell her, so he shared the recorded video with Reba¡¯s mobile. He even added the text


    message: I¡¯ve been following her and found THIS! I¡¯m innocent!


    ¡°When she sees it, she¡¯ll be shocked, I¡¯m sure,¡± Benjamin hoped. ¡°Once she shows the video to Jane,


    she¡¯ll see what kind of man her lover is.¡±


    His heart, however, was still beating strangely. Would she forgive him after seeing this video? He wasn¡¯t


    sure. What if she got the wrong idea after watching this video?


    ¡°I hope things work out in my favor, at least a little.¡± He told himself, but that didn¡¯t help him much. He


    didn¡¯t feel like just sending a video was enough.


    Sometimeter.


    Ashley came out of the room, walking a bit awkwardly because her pelvis hurt. ¡°This guy was quite


    rough. He had his way with me throughout without saying a word. What an unpleasant experience it


    was.¡±


    She reached her car and unlocked the door. She picked the mobile off her seat and dialed Arlo, but it


    wasn¡¯t answered. She frowned.


    The receptionist of the lodge brought a parcel and handed it to Ashley and said, ¡°If you visit again, you¡¯ll


    be paid less.¡± Saying that she left. Ashley checked the parcel. There was only 300 dors inside. Her


    blood boiled. ¡°Arlo, you motherfucker¡­¡±


    Benjanin suddenly entered her view, skipping her heart at once. ¡°You!¡± she quickly hid her money under


    her thigh and fetched a pocket knife. ¡°Are you here for revenge?¡±


    ¡°I just want you to confess to my wife,¡± he said, his hands folded behind his back. ¡°Tell her the truth.¡±


    ¡°And why would I do that?¡± her eyes shot daggers at him. She didn¡¯t look the least bit guilty for lying


    about Benjamin having sex with her multiple times.


    Despite feeling so angry he wanted to choke her to death, Benjamin smiled and brought his hands


    forward. In the left hand, there was a stack of hundred dor bills, and in the other hand, her sex video


    began to y, shocking her.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    ¡°If you choose the left hand, all you need to do is confess, and I¡¯ll pay you this 10 grand,¡± said Benjamin.


    ¡°If you choose the right hand, however, I¡¯ll share this video on the inte. While you¡¯re not popr, the


    one you¡¯re having sex with sure is.¡± Ashley gritted her teeth. If that video were to get out, Arlo would


    surely kill her. She couldn¡¯t let that happen no matter what. ¡°I-I¡¯ll confess.¡± ¡°Great. Let¡¯s go to my wife


    straight away,¡± he grew excited. If Ashley were to give her honest confession, Reba might just forgive


    him, he thought. ¡°No, wait,¡± she hesitantly said. ¡°I have some work to do. I¡¯ll visit the vi this evening


    and confess.¡±


    After pausing for a while, Benjamin took out ten hundred dor bills and gave her. ¡°That¡¯s just the


    advance. If you tell Reba the truth about what actually happened, I¡¯ll give you the


    rest.¡±


    ¡°M-Mm,¡± she nodded and then she drove away. Benjamin sighed and said, ¡°Follow her, Shadow. Keep


    her safe.¡± ¡°Understood, Lord.¡± Shadow sent a mental message in return. A blurry shadow chased the car


    on rooftops while keeping some distance. A few minutester, Ashley reached her apartment. Shadow


    noticed a kid hanging from the third floor of the apartment. He climbed the building in a rush. The kid fell,


    but he caught him in midair andnded safely on a treetop.


    A loud crashing sound reached his ears. He looked to his right and peered through the cloth covering his


    eyes. Ashley, who just got out of her car, was hit by a heavy truck. Her lower half was crushed between


    the two vehicles, and she died on the spot.


    The truck drove away fast before the people gathered. After traveling enough distance, the truck stopped


    in the middle of a bridge. The driver dialed a number and said, ¡°Mission aplished, Mr. Shawn.¡±


    ¡°Good work. I¡¯ll send the payment soon,¡± replied Shawn. The driver ended the call with a smile on his


    face. ¡°Five grand for a simple kill. Now, I just have to dump this truck somewhere and disappear for a


    while.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get what you want.¡± The driver heard a voice in his head, puzzling him. The whole truck


    then got sent rolling over the bridge and down into the river along with the driver. The moment of impact


    knocked him unconscious, resulting in eventual death. Shadow was watching from the shore. ¡°Shawn


    Sterling¡­¡± his eyes flickered with the coldness of the underworld, but his lips bloomed in a smile. ¡°I wish


    I could kill you.¡±


    Meanwhile at the Sterling vi.


    A taxi stopped. Benjamin was inside, but he wasn¡¯t getting out. He looked at the vi, hoping to get a


    glimpse of Reba. He couldn¡¯t see her yet, but he waited, while covering his face with the hood.


    Reba was in her room, staring out the window. Her mobile rang, but she didn¡¯t even pick it


    104


    1. She hadn¡¯t checked the messages in her mobile for a while, either. She started going to work, but


    her mind was always elsewhere. She looked casual on the surface, but something in her eyes


    carried an undertone of gloom, threatening her peace.


    Shawn entered her room with a file in his hand and a smile tugging his lips. ¡°The papers are ready. You


    only need to sign them.¡± Reba nced back at her brother, tension filling her eyes as her gaze


    shifted down to the file in his hand. She had signed many contracts before, but she hadn¡¯t broken a


    single one yet. However, this time, faced with the choice of breaking a lifetime contract, she began


    hearing her own heartbeat.

 Chapter 105

    Chapter 105


    ¡°How could you let her die, Shadow?¡± Benjamin couldn¡¯t believe it when Shadow told him about Ashley¡¯s


    death. Moreover, her death was set up by Shawn of all people? His impression over Shawn had


    completely changed after this. Shadow didn¡¯t give any excuses and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lord. Please punish


    me.¡± Benjamin could only grind his teeth. ¡°What about her family?¡± ¡°She had a few rtives, but none


    close.¡±


    Currently, they were both sitting in Rye¡¯s Pizzas as customers. The female waiter looked at Shadow and


    said amusedly, ¡°Your costume looks fun. Did you make it yourself?¡± Shadow, however, didn¡¯t reply to her.


    ¡°He did,¡± Benjamin said. He was acquainted with this waiter back when he worked here.


    ¡°Oh, and that dagger at his waist¡­ is that genuine?¡± ¡°It is. Can you bring us some fries, please?¡±


    Benjamin asked, and she nodded her head and quickly left. ¡°My lord, why do you want to join this ce


    again? I don¡¯t get it,¡± Shadow asked. ¡°If my wife wants to contact me, I have to be at a ce where she


    can contact me. I thought this would be the best ce.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you just give her a ring? Tell her what


    happened?¡± ¡°I called her a thousand times,¡± Benjamin¡¯s mouth turned down. ¡°She isn¡¯t responding.¡±


    At the same time, Christopher was talking to someone at his desk.


    ¡°You want to join here as a seven star deliverer?¡± Christopher was somewhat surprised because nobody


    had ever asked to directly let them be a seven-star pizza deliverer.¡± What experience do you


    have?¡±


    The man standing before him seemed to be a little over thirty. With curly hair and hairy arms, he was


    neither tall nor strikingly handsome like Benjamin even though they were of simr height. Moreover, with


    his arms folded and his back slightly bent, he looked meek and submissive, making Christopher wonder


    if he came from some countryside. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Christopher raised his voice.


    ¡°Forget about being a seven star deliverer, can you at least take phone orders, make cash transactions,


    and have polite conversations with customers?¡±


    ¡°I-I can learn these things quickly, sir,¡± the curly-haired man replied with innocence. Christopher leaked


    out an annoyed smile. ¡°You have no idea what a seven-star deliverer means! They are extremely


    hardworking professionals with an exceptional customer service record and with the ability to prepare


    food if necessary. They can put their egos aside and fit anywhere in the chain, from being a cashier or a


    pizza maker to someone who rides at 80 miles an hour in the rain so they could reach the designated


    delivery area in time!¡±


    CENTER 105


    ¡°I can learn all of that pretty fast, sir,¡± he responded. A vein in Christopher¡¯s cheek swelled as he angrily


    smiled. ¡°Did youe here from some distant fucking vige just to fuck with my mood so early in the


    day?¡±


    ¡°I just came here to get a job, sir. Why are you getting so upset? Shouldn¡¯t you be happy? I was told


    you¡¯re always in need of drivers who can get it to customers¡¯ doors. And I¡¯m confident I can do that.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°Hmph, go and show your confidence somewhere else. Now, get out of my face.¡± ¡°Kyaa!¡±


    The females in the kitchen section screamed and rushed out, yelling, ¡®snake! There¡¯s a snake in the


    kitchen!¡± ¡°Snake?¡± Christopher frowned. ¡°How the hell did a snake get in here?¡± He didn¡¯t know what to


    do.


    ¡°Manager! One of the girls got bitten!¡± a male worker yelled. ¡°What?¡± Christopher was shocked. As he


    took his mobile out, another worker yelled. ¡°Kyaa! There¡¯s another snake!¡±


    Christopher¡¯s expression greatly changed. ¡°Not one but two? Everyone, first get outside.¡± He rushed


    outside, and all the customers and workers listened to him. Well, almost all of them except three.


    The curly-haired man rushed into the kitchen at the same time as Benjamin and Shadow did. The female


    waiter from before was sitting at a corner, cowering in fear. Her ankle was bitten. Benjamin nced at


    Shadow, and he went to take care of the woman first.


    Benjamin closed his eyes and focused his senses to spot the snake, which just climbed up the shelves.


    When he reached out for the snake, it sprang at him, but he swiftly caught it by the head and squeezed


    its mouth shut. At the same time, the curly-haired man caught the other snake. Both were full-grown


    cobras. He and Benjamin briefly looked at each other as they walked out of the kitchen and dropped the


    snakes in one bag and shut it tight with a stic


    rope.


    The others waiting outside didn¡¯t even dare toe in and see what was happening. Christopher was


    calling for an ambnce.


    Shadow picked up the poisoned woman onto his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ll take her to the nearest hospital,¡± he told


    Benjamin who nodded.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± the curly-haired man said, puzzling them. ¡°I can take care of it.¡± ¡°Are you


    sure?¡± Benjamin asked. ¡°Trust me,¡± he said.


    Shadow was doubtful, but after Benjamin gave approval, he put the woman down on the table. She was


    sweating and cringing from the severe pain around the spot of the bite. The curly-haired man bent and


    bit at the puncture marks. Seconds passed.


    ¡°He¡¯s sucking the venom out?¡± Shadow raised his brows. ¡°He watched too many movies. That¡¯s not


    gonna work.¡± ¡°It is working,¡± Benjamin remarked, startling Shadow. Shadow then focused his gaze and


    saw the redness around the puncture marks faded out at a steady pace. (This¡­ How¡¯s he doing it? Is he


    extracting both the blood and the venom around that spot? Even my stomach would be upset if I were to


    consume the venom. Who is this guy?) A couple of minutester. The woman¡¯splexion changed by


    the time the extracting was done. ¡°She¡¯s safe now,¡± the curly-haired man exhaled audibly through his


    nose and then wiped his mouth. ¡°You consumed the veno? and blood,¡± Shadow said. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid


    of getting poisoned?¡± ¡°My body is used to taking that much venom, so it¡¯s not a problem.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Benjamin,¡±


    Benjamin introduced himself. ¡°Thanks for helping her.¡± ¡°I just did what I could. No need to thank me,¡± he


    said. ¡°And I¡¯m Damian. I came here to apply for a job.¡± ¡°Oh, then I can help you.¡±


    Damian was pleasantly surprised. ¡°You work here?¡± ¡°I used to, but now I¡¯m thinking of working here


    again. The manager is making things a bit difficult for me, but he doesn¡¯t have the final say when it


    comes to seven star deliverers. The chairman does, so I¡¯m waiting for his reply.¡± ¡°Okay, but how can you


    help me, though, when you haven¡¯t even got the job yet?¡± ¡°When I get the job, I will be able to


    rmend you. Seven-star deliverers can rmend seven people per year, and their


    rmendations are given the highest priority, so you¡¯ll most likely get the job if I rmend you.¡±


    ¡°That means you used to be a seven-star deliverer?¡± Damian¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°You must be able to drive


    bikes pretty fast.¡±


    ¡°I can, but once you get the job, don¡¯t take it easy and work hard,¡± Benjamin said. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll be


    scolded first if you don¡¯t perform.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about that,¡± Damian raised his hand up to the chest level, ¡°because I¡¯ll be the best


    pizza deliverer in thispany.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I like your confidence,¡± Benjamin lifted his hand and firmly held Damian¡¯s hand in a strong,


    friendly sp, ¡°but I¡¯ll be the one who¡¯ll sit at the top.¡± Seeing his lordpete with another worker,


    Shadow faintly smiled. After all, it had been a while since he had seen thatpetitive spirit from


    Benjamin.

 Chapter 106

    Chapter 106


    Both Benjamin and Damian got jobs after not only catching the two snakes but also saving the life of a


    worker. Christopher, however, got rebuked over phone by Samael for not taking care of the property well.


    ¡°Snakes won¡¯te unless there are rats or some other food that attracts them,¡± he said. ¡°If this repeats


    again, I¡¯ll make sure your career ends, so focus on working and reducing the size of your pants.¡±


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Christopher kept apologizing throughout the duration of the call. Afterward, he began cursing the snakes


    for almost making him lose his job.¡±It was peaceful during the days Benjamin was gone,¡± he thought. ¡°He


    returned today, and it¡¯s be chaotic all of a sudden. It¡¯s even pouring outside.¡±


    It was raining quite heavily, but the pizza deliverers still went out for delivery. Benjamin and Damian used


    motorbikes, while keeping the pizza boxes in special hot containers. Both of them were delivering at


    apartments next to one another, so they traveled together andpeted to see who would get to the


    destination first. Though Damian was fast and skilful, Benjamin knew the streets better, so he managed


    to reach first a few seconds early and made the delivery also.


    During heavy rains, Pizzas were priced at two to three times more than their normal prices, but people


    who wanted to eat warm pizzas during rain would still buy it. The chances of earning handsome tips


    were also high.


    Benjamin received a 50 dor tip after delivering eight boxes. Damian on the other hand received a 100


    dor tip after delivering only five boxes.


    Damian was only a one-star deliverer unlike Benjamin who was reappointed as a seven-star deliverer, so


    Benjamin felt the need to earn more than Damian through the tips. They made chain deliveries


    afterward. It rained heavily until evening. Damian sessfully delivered all the 20 orders without fail and


    earned 380 dors in tips. Benjamin made 21 orders and earned 1320 dors in tips. He had thest


    laugh, but he wasn¡¯t all that proud of his achievement as it was natural that seven-star deliverers


    received higher tips on averagepared to other deliverers. Benjamin wouldn¡¯t have earned this much


    if it wasn¡¯t raining hard outside. The same was the case for Damian.


    At the end of the day, both earned well. ¡°It was a good first day for both of us,¡± Benjamin said. ¡°Yeah, you


    are right,¡± Damian smiled. Both of them sped each other¡¯s hands. ¡°Let¡¯s see who¡¯ll do better


    tomorrow,¡± Damian¡¯s gaze was full of spirit and zeal. ¡°Haha, sure, but prepare yourself to get second


    again.¡± Seeing Benjamin and Damian so happy, Christopher felt mad and envious. After Benjamin left,


    he came upto Damian and demanded money from his tips. He took 300 dors and let Damian


    keep the rest.


    ¡°This is what every fresher has to go through, so don¡¯t make mee to you tomorrow,¡± he said and


    hiddenlyughed. ¡°This will continue until you earn my respect.¡± Damian didn¡¯t like how his hard-earned


    money was stolen. He was walking toward Christopher who had his back turned against him, but the


    waiter he saved yesterday approached him. ¡°Hi, Damian. Are you free tonight?¡± she asked without any


    hesitation. ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to dinner.¡±


    Damian paused for a second before smiling, ¡°I¡¯m avable.¡± ¡°Great,¡± she thought he might reject her


    because he came from the countryside, but she was surprised. ¡°Save my phone number then.¡± ¡°Sure.¡±


    They exchanged phone numbers.


    ¡°I¡¯m Damian, by the way.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Sasha.¡±


    ¡°I have a car, so I can drop you at home if you want,¡± Damian suggested. ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± she said,


    but he kept staring at her, so she ended up agreeing. (What¡¯s with his look? His eyes have something


    deep about them.) As he drove his old car, he chatted with her. ¡°What do you do other than working at


    Rye¡¯s Pizzas.¡±


    ¡°Nothing else, currently,¡± she said. ¡°My grandmother and I live together. She¡¯s gotten quite old and weak,


    but she still wants to visit the park and whatnot, so I recently hired a man named Sohel to take care of


    her daily needs. The tips I earn at work will help me pay Sohel. I¡¯m saving the remaining for buying a


    taxi.¡± ¡°Oh, so you want to be a taxi driver, huh. A female taxi driver. It won¡¯t be easy with some


    customers.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware, but I¡¯ll install cameras and all, so I don¡¯t think I won¡¯t be able to handle them.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°So what about you? What did you do before joining Rye¡¯s Pizzas?¡± ¡°Ie from a very distant ce,¡±


    he said. ¡°I was jobless before.¡± ¡°I see.¡± She then opened up her heart a little. ¡°Thanks for helping me


    yesterday. After getting bitten, I was too terrified I couldn¡¯t even move, and no one came forward, except


    for you. If not for your help, anything could have happened. I¡¯m still alive because of your kindness. If I


    die, no one¡¯s there to take care of my grandmother.¡±


    Damian didn¡¯t say anything.


    After dropping her at home, he left. A red Porsche drove past his car and went at a decently high speed


    even though it was raining outside..


    IR 1.


    ¡°The roads are still slippery,¡± he thought, and the rain started oe again. ¡°I hope they at least wore seat


    belts.¡±


    It was Reba who was driving the Porsche. She was returning from work, and Arlo had showed up


    today and harassed her, so she was in a bad mood.


    Her mobile rang. She nced at the screen. It was Benjamin calling. She stopped the car by pressing


    the brake rather aggressively. Her ankle still didn¡¯t fully heal, but she didn¡¯t care. She kept staring at the


    screen until the phone stopped ringing. It wasn¡¯t just Benjamin¡¯s call, but she hadn¡¯t picked up anyone¡¯s


    call for many days. ¡°Why does he keep calling me?¡± she bit her lower lip. ¡°What more lies does he want


    to share with me?¡± Her eyes were clouded with tears.


    F


    Her phone rang again. She quickly wiped her tears and looked at the mobile screen, thinking it was


    Benjamin, but the name Hashan was disyed on the screen. ¡°Isn¡¯t he¡­¡±


    She thought for a second and answered the call. ¡°Hi, Madam, this is Hashan Harokee, the event


    manager you booked for your wedding reception,¡± a man politely spoke from the other side. ¡°You haven¡¯t


    been answering my calls, so I thought you canceled the event or something.¡±


    ¡°Actually, the event was canceled.¡± ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. A lot of things happened,¡± she sniffled a bit as she wiped her tears. ¡°And the event was


    canceled. You don¡¯t need to pay the advance I gave you, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Saying that she immediately


    ended the call even though the other person was about to say something. Tringg-! She received a text


    message from Benjamin: I¡¯m sorry.


    She thought she controlled her tears, but the tears fought back now and tried to escape through her


    eyes. She got out of the car, and tears welled up in his eyes like waves sweeping to the shore. She cried


    as much as she wanted in the rain. After five minutes, she got back inside, her dresspletely soaked


    wet. She was shivering, but that didn¡¯t bother her as her whole mind felt numb. She checked her mobile


    just to see if there was any new message from Benjamin, but there was only one new message, and it


    was from Hashan, saying that he already transferred the advance money to her ount. ¡°He didn¡¯t need


    to do that,¡± She thought. ¡°He¡¯s only making me feel even worse.¡±

 Chapter 107

    Chapter 107


    Benjamin reached arge mansion spanning over 600 acres, much biggerpared to the Sterling vi.


    ¡°The Myers mansion,¡± he checked his mobile. ¡°Someone called Narika ordered a pizza, and they


    specifically asked for the pizza to be delivered at the cottage behind the mansion? Sounds fishy but


    whatever. Let¡¯s get it over with.¡±


    He reached the back entrance, where there were no guards blocking the entrance. He entered through


    the gate without a problem. No dogs were in sight. ¡°Definitely fishy.¡± He walked over the grass pavement


    vigntly until the old cottage was in sight. The door was closed. The atmosphere was cold yet gloomy.


    Looking at the dust on the ground around the cottage, it was clear that nobody had gone in and out, but


    Benjamin noticed a few small yet clean spots, suggesting that someone or something must have skipped


    their way across. He kept staring at the cottage, and as seconds passed, his expression darkened.


    ¡°Horrible¡­¡± ¡°What is?¡± a feminine voice reached his ears. He slowly turned around. There was a long


    orange-haired woman smiling at him. ¡°Sorry for surprising you, even though you don¡¯t look all that


    surprised, to be honest. You came a few minutes earlier than I thought, so I wasn¡¯t there to receive the


    order at the gate itself. As expected of a seven-star deliverer, I must say.¡±


    Benjamin squinted his eyes. ¡°You¡­¡± he briefly nced over his shoulder and looked at the cottage. ¡°Are


    you the one responsible who put the man in the cottage in that horrible situation?¡±


    Surprise filled her eyes. ¡°You were able to tell without even entering?¡± she frowned. ¡°Who the hell are


    you?¡±


    ¡°Just answer his question,¡± Shadow shed behind her, his dagger already touching her neck before she


    could do anything. ¡°I-I¡¯m innocent,¡± she said. ¡°I was trying to give the pizza to that man, but he isn¡¯t


    eating.¡± ¡°Are you telling me he¡¯s fasting to death?¡± Benjamin asked. ¡°I¡¯m afraid so,¡± she looked a bit


    guilty. ¡°My family members put him in that situation, and I¡¯ve been trying to help him ever since, but it


    seems his heart has been broken beyond repair.¡± Benjamin wanted to confirm her words, so he tossed


    the pizza box inside the cottage through the window. The man sitting alone in the darkness, with knees


    broken, didn¡¯t even move an inch. His head was hung low throughout. Benjamin turned toward the


    orange-haired woman and said, ¡°I believe your words, but I¡¯m going to call a doctor.¡± ¡°No!¡± she quickly


    said. ¡°What?¡± Benjamin red at her.


    ¡°I mean, I can help him. I will help him,¡± she assured. ¡°I won¡¯t let him die.¡±


    Benjamin focused his sense of hearing and heard her heartbeat. It didn¡¯t seem like she was


    CHAP UR 107


    lying. ¡°Fine. I will return after three days. If he is still in there rotting¡­ you will regret it for the rest of your


    life.¡± After giving the warning, both Benjamin and Shadow left as they discussed some things among


    themselves.


    The orange-haired woman was still sweating. (Who the hell are those two? One could see through my


    stealthy, and the other was so stealthy, I couldn¡¯t sense him until the dagger was touching my throat. And


    their presence¡­ To think even I felt threatened by them¡­ The world really is vast!) She then looked


    toward the cottage, and her heart began to beat strangely. ¡°Are you really not going to eat anything,


    Carlos?¡± Meanwhile, at the Chief Justice¡¯s house.


    Jacob came to see how Terry was doing and also to thank him for allowing to raise the ticket prices. He


    would have brought a nice gift if only Marisa hadn¡¯t died recently. Gifting right now didn¡¯t feel appropriate,


    after all.


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    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for noting to watch the premiere,¡± said Terry, still looking a bit gloomy. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood


    to consume any form of entertainment now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mr. Terry. I can totally understand. You¡¯ve already done more than enough. I¡¯m really grateful


    for that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you understand.¡±


    ¡°How about we y cards this weekend? It might help you divert your attention from your loss.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but we¡¯ll see.¡± At that moment, Terry¡¯s phone rang. A text message. He nced at the


    screen, and his eyes slowly but surely widened upon seeing a poster.


    At ckbear¡¯s hideout.


    ckbear also just received a text message. After checking it, he looked surprised. ¡°Who the hell put this


    much money on this guy?¡± His underlings looked shocked. ¡°One million dors for his head? Boss, if we


    kill him, our brothers won¡¯t have to worry for another year.¡±


    ¡°We need to act fast, Boss, or someone will grab the opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Shut it, guys. This guy¡¯s no easy meal, but still the offer is indeed tempting,¡± ckbear tapped the


    mobile to his chin, wondering what he should do.


    At Rowdy Queen¡¯s humble house.


    She received a printed poster left at her doorstep. ¡°An S-ss bounty poster? It¡¯s been a while since I


    got one.¡± When she looked at Benjamin¡¯s face on the poster, she froze for a good couple of seconds.


    She then bit her lower lip and shook her head. ¡°Ah-huh, it¡¯s too low. Whoever put the bounty on his head


    have no fucking idea what this guy is capable of. You can¡¯t hunt a tiger with rabbits. Whoever goes after


    him, I¡¯m afraid¡­ they¡¯ll never see the light


    again.¡±


    Somewhere else in the city, on a random rooftop. Alfred was standing at the edge, staring at Benjamin¡¯s


    wanted poster. He didn¡¯t look happy or angry. He wore a neutral expression. ¡°If this poster reaches that


    ce, things will get out of my hand. Please settle this thing as quietly and quickly as possible, Master.¡±


    Outside the Sterling vi.


    A taxi was parked not far from the main entrance. Benjamin was sitting in the back while Shadow was in


    the driver¡¯s seat.


    Benjamin was staring at the vi, hoping to get a glimpse of his wife, but he couldn¡¯t see her again today.


    Even though they were doing nothing but waiting, Shadow didn¡¯t seem frustrated at all. He was


    extremely patient because he respected his lord¡¯s feelings. Shadow¡¯s phone vibrated. He pulled it out


    from under his sleeve and checked the message. Seeing the bounty poster, a wide grin etched on his


    face.

 Chapter 108

    Chapter 108


    While Reba was feeling low these days, Selena was super happy. She actively spent some time with


    her daughter to further brainwash her in many ways. For one, she recited poems like The Lying Lover:


    ¡°He says he loves you


    But he cannot walk in your steps;


    He always looks at you


    Yet he cannot apany you anywhere; He sleeps early but wakes upte Even though he dreams of


    deserts and dry ces;


    He says he sees himself in you


    But his shadow never merges with yours;


    He asks you all sorts of questions


    Yet he stays silent like a fallen flower to your questions;


    He smiles brightly like the sky When it shes lightning and rolls down thunder And crashes on your


    hopes


    For he is a lying lover


    With an angelic outside but a devilish inside.¡±


    ¡°He had no answers to your questions. He¡¯s a cheat, Reba,¡± Selena repeated these words.¡± Once a


    cheat, always a cheat. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll smile if he sees you suffering like this. So, forget about him and


    move on. There are many men out there who are much better looking and more suited to be your


    partner.¡±


    Reba could only bitterly smile. Only a few days back, she thought Benjamin was the sweetest lover


    there was, but now, that thought burdened her heart.


    No matter who she had a conversation with in the Sterling vi, everyone spoke in a simr fashion.


    They had no good thing to say about Benjamin. None. Not one.


    When she went to the terrace to spend some time alone, Reba remembered the moments spent with


    him and the parrots. When she went to the garden, the times when he helped her walk came to her


    mind. No matter where she went in the vi, there was a memory or two of him there. Even when she


    was driving her red Porsche, she felt like he was always sitting in the back.


    He hadn¡¯t called her in over two days, so she wondered about him. She started a voice recording. ¡°What


    are you doing now, Benjamin? Mom sold Beach to a butcher, but I managed to buy it from him and then


    sent it back to its previous owner. I¡¯ve started going to work,


    trying to keep myself busy, but it¡¯s not working. I can¡¯t get you out of my head, so how about we meet


    and talk?¡± she sniffled a little. ¡°I want to hear everything you have to say before making any decision.¡±


    She didn¡¯t want to bring up the fact that Shawn had been asking her to


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    sign the divorce papers everyday.


    After sending the voice call to Benjamin¡¯s mobile, she felt tense. She kept waiting for his call and kept


    looking at her mobile repeatedly for any new messages, but her expectations were betrayed for the


    moment.


    ¡°Why¡¯s he taking so long to respond?¡± her ego got hurt a little. She could have just called him, but she


    didn¡¯t want to talk about anything over the phone. While she sat on her bed and waited, George entered


    the room, startling her. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you know you should knock before entering?¡± Reba was quick to


    rebuke him. ¡°Ah, my bad, Reba,¡± he rubbed the back of his head and smiled. ¡°I won¡¯t repeat it again.¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± she still had the frown going on her face.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± he scratched his chin. ¡°You know I¡¯m working as a mechanic, right? I¡¯m thinking of starting my


    own garage, so¡­ if you can invest some amount¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Reba¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Isn¡¯t your sister


    there? Why don¡¯t you ask her?¡±


    ¡°I did. She said she¡¯s tight on money, so¡­¡±


    ¡°You mean she has thousands to spend on clothes and shoes but not to invest in her own brother¡¯s


    business?¡± she shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t give you a dor.¡±


    ¡°P-Please trust me this once. I¡¯m a changed man now. I will work hard and pay you back with interest,¡±


    George assured. However, he was thinking differently. (Once I marry you, all your money will be mine, so


    I won¡¯t even need to pay you anything.) Reba gritted her teeth and said, ¡°How much do you need?¡±


    ¡°A 100 grand would be enough.¡±


    ¡°What? Hundred thousand dors?¡±¡± she stood from bed in rage. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a fool? You don¡¯t


    need that much money for building a garage as far as I know.¡± She squinted her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sure you are


    nning to gamble with the money, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°O-Of course, not. I¡¯m thinking of buying thend as


    well, instead of renting, and then there¡¯s the insurance cost and what not,¡±George said. ¡°It really costs


    around 100K, Reba. Believe


    me.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t, but I will give you the money only if you promise to get out of this vi,¡± she said without


    hesitation. ¡°I can give you double the amount you asked for, but only if you promise you won¡¯t ever try to


    come into my or my sister¡¯s life. To be frank, your promise is worth nothing, but think of it as me giving


    you onest chance.¡± George was greatly surprised by her words, so much so he couldn¡¯t speak ¡°What


    do you say?¡± she asked. ¡°I can write you a check right away if you want, for 200,000 dors.¡± ¡°I-I need


    some time to think,¡± George started walking out. ¡°I will give you the answer before


    midnight.¡± Reba didn¡¯t say anything. (You think I¡¯m still the same old shy and innocent girl? If you


    really were working in a garage all these years, you would have already saved up enough to build your


    own garage. You don¡¯t get money from anyone in this family because they don¡¯t trust you. Even your own


    parents don¡¯t waste their money on you. As for your sister, she mayugh a lot when you crack jokes,


    but she values you less than her boots! That¡¯s the kind of woman she is. You¡¯re a fool if you haven¡¯t


    recognized that.) George, who went back to his room, didn¡¯t look all that happy. Should he take 200K


    and leave or should he stay and keep trying to marry one of the daughters? Though he would love to


    marry Reba, if he at least seeded in marrying either Reba or Veronica, then Jacob would take


    care of his debts and also surely build him a big-ass garage, one fit for his son-inw.


    ¡°Your offer is tempting, Reba, but there¡¯s no need to rush,¡± he thought. 200,000 dors was a big deal


    for him, but not for Reba who earned millions every year. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for my opportunity to strike, and


    when I strike, I¡¯ll strike it big.¡±

 Chapter 109

    Chapter 109


    In the evening, Benjamin just arrived at Rye¡¯s Pizzas after delivering the final order. He took his work-sim


    out of his mobile and was about to put his own sim inside.


    ¡°Lord, don¡¯t do it,¡± Shadow sent a mental message. ¡°It¡¯ll be easier to track you with your sim card active.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, but¡­ ¡°It¡¯s not like anyone is going to call your number, so please keep the sim outside


    until we take care of your bounty.¡±


    Benjamin pursed his lips together. (What if Reba calls?) It was unlikely, but there was definitely a


    chance. He didn¡¯t want to miss her call, so he inserted the sim into the mobile.


    ¡°Benjamin?¡± a ck Mercedes stopped not far from him. Jane got out of the car, looking as if she had a


    lot of questions that needed answering. ¡°What the hell happened between you and Reba? Just when


    I thought you two were getting close¡­¡±


    As she was talking, Donovan also got out of the car. Benjamin¡¯s eyes slightly widened. (Why is he still


    with her? Didn¡¯t Reba read my message?) ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering?¡± Jane almost demanded an


    answer. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°My inws made false ims on me and kicked me out,¡± Benjamin replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s what happened.¡±


    ¡°And Jane just let them kick you out?¡± Benjamin¡¯s mouth turned down. ¡°There¡¯s my fault in it, too. I kept


    some things hidden from her, but I never cheated on her.¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Donovan snorted. ¡°How can you prove that? Reba did the right thing by sending you out.¡±


    Benjamin swiftly dashed past Jane, startling her and Donovan. ¡°Keep my wife¡¯s name out of your stinking


    mouth!¡± A fist flew into his face. Though Donovan could see iting, it looked like he was facing a


    moving mountain. The fist pounded his face and sent him crashing into the car through the open door.


    ¡°Donovan!¡± Jane cried out in shock, as it looked like her boyfriend got seriously injured. She immediately


    pulled Benjamin to her side and pped him. ¡°How could you hit him like that for a few harsh words?


    Don¡¯t ever talk to me again. We never knew each other!¡±


    She hurriedly went to help Donovan. ¡°Are you okay? Nothing happened to your back, right? I think I


    heard some cracking sound.¡± However, Donovan waspletely knocked out of his senses, with his


    nose turned into a grotesquerie.


    Benjamin¡¯s tongue poked his cheek out of anger and annoyance. ¡°He¡¯s not worthy of you, Jane.¡± Saying


    that he went into the pizza hut. His words reached Jane¡¯s ears, but she didn¡¯t take them seriously.


    Inside the pizza huts, Christopher was talking to someone. ¡°SGNG? Never heard of this grocery store.


    We only take supplies from known and trustworthy stores because we are not making pizzas for dogs.¡± ¡°I


    know, sir. I¡¯m just asking for a chance, that¡¯s all.¡±


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    ¡°Sorry, Mr. Carlos. We can¡¯t take risks. You should try somewhere else.¡±


    Benjamin briefly nced at this man as he walked away with a disappointed expression. (Isn¡¯t he¡­) he


    remembered this man whom he had seen kept locked in the cottage behind the Myers mansion. He


    faintly smiled. (So she kept her word. Good.)


    He went over to his locker box to put his clothes and work-sim inside. Damian¡¯s locker box was also right


    next to his.


    ¡°How was today?¡± Damian asked. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Mine went well,¡± Damian said with a smile. Sasha came up to him and nted a kiss on his cheek


    before leaving as she waved goodbye with her fingers. Benjamin looked surprised. ¡°That was fast, dude.¡±


    ¡°Haha, ¡°Damian chortled a little. ¡°We had dinner a couple of nights back. Our tastes were matching, so¡­


    it happened.¡± ¡°Good for you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a girlfriend?¡± as he asked, Benjamin put on his wedding ring. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re married?¡± He


    didn¡¯t notice the ring until now.


    Benjamin didn¡¯t say anything. He didn¡¯t smile, either.


    ¡°How about you invite me and Sasha to your home?¡± Damian asked.


    ¡°I would if I could,¡± Benjamin replied and walked away.


    ¡°The heck is that supposed to mean?¡± Damian could only wonder. ¡°I don¡¯t believe a seven star deliverer


    can¡¯t afford to invite two guests over for dinner. I guess I¡¯ll ask him again when he¡¯s in a better mood.¡±


    As Benjamin walked out of the pizza hut, a red Porsche entered his view, skipping his heart very much.


    ¡°R- Reba?¡± Did shee for him? His heart fluttered as if it had grown wings. He rushed forth, but


    his excitement and happiness didn¡¯tst long after seeing George step out of the car. Benjamin¡¯s


    complexion immediately changed. ¡°Why are you driving Reba¡¯s


    car?¡±


    George amusedlyughed. ¡°I expected you¡¯d return to your old job, and I was right. Trash like you can¡¯t


    easily get a new job, after all, so you came crawling back to this crappy ce.¡±


    Benjamin clenched his fists. ¡°I asked you why you¡¯re driving Reba¡¯s car!¡±


    ¡°I asked her, and she gave me,¡± George said and snorted. ¡°Why are you so surprised? It seems, as her


    uncle, she cares for me more than she ever cared for you as a husband.¡±


    Veins popped in Benjamin¡¯s arms all over.


    ¡°Whoa, your face is getting red all of a sudden,¡± George acted like he was slightly intimidated. ¡°Don¡¯t get


    so mad. I¡¯m here to give you a proposal. I¡¯ll give you a million dors if you sign these divorce papers,¡±


    he took out a file from the car. Benjamin¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°Did your sister put you to this?¡±. ¡°No one


    sent me here,¡± George said, faintly smiling. ¡°I came here because I want you out of Reba¡¯s life. I just


    want her to live peacefully.¡± The mobile in George¡¯s pants had the recorder app switched on, and the


    whole talk was being recorded. George, of course, didn¡¯t have a million dors, but as long as Benjamin


    agreed to sign the papers, he could show the audio clip to Reba and reveal Benjamin¡¯s true


    character, that he was just as cheap as George if not more. The trap was set beautifully; all Benjamin


    needed to do was take the bite. ¡°How much do you earn per year?¡± asked Benjamin. ¡°Mm? Why?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s


    say, it¡¯s 50,000 dors per year,¡± Benjamin said. ¡°So you¡¯re paying 20 years worth of your sry to bring


    some peace to Reba¡¯s mind? ¡®Howpassionate of you¡¯ is what I want to say, but I¡¯m sure


    whatever money you may give, it¡¯s not earned by you.¡± ¡°So if the money was mine, you would have


    signed the papers?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not obligated to answer that question, but get out of my sight,¡± Benjamin started


    walking toward him, ¡°or you¡¯ll suffer some broken bones.¡± ¡°Hmph, I may look like this, but I grew up as a


    thug,¡± George threw the file back into the car and assumed a boxing posture. ¡°I¡¯ll hit you until you agree


    to sign the papers.¡± He shuffled his feet as he closed the distance rather quickly. A quick left jab went for


    Benjamin¡¯s face. He moved his head back. At the same moment, something struck George¡¯s fist.


    Benjamin¡¯s ears caught the noise of a small sonic ¡®boom¡¯ in the distance, and his eyes widened as blood


    sprayed out before his eyes.

 Chapter 110

    Chapter 110


    MIRO


    whom I owe some damn money. They must have hired some men to threaten me.¡±


    ¡°How much do you owe?¡± Benjamin asked, despite knowing that the bullet was actually aimed at his


    head.


    ¡°Almost half a million,¡± George was frowning throughout. ¡°Without including the interest.¡± He began


    sweating a lot, too. ¡°They won¡¯t leave me until they get the money.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask your sister?¡±


    ¡°I already did, and she told me to die,¡± George said, furrowing his brows. ¡°I¡¯m sure her husband adds


    tens of thousands of dors to her bank ount every week, yet she always says she¡¯s low on money


    when I ask her.¡± ¡°Geez¡­ what a sister.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about stealing her dress and shoe collection, but then I was afraid of Shawn. That big pig


    would kill me if I made his wife cry,¡± he cringed in pain. ¡°You think the damn sniper would have left? What


    if he moves to another location and shoots again?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like they want to kill you,¡± Benjamin


    yed along, ¡°so even if he shoots again, he¡¯ll probably go for the ass.¡± George¡¯s butt hurt just from


    hearing those words. ¡°Call the police! Did you call the police?¡± ¡°No,¡± he started walking out of the pizza


    hut. ¡°Wait, where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve done what I could. You should take care of yourself from here on.¡±


    ¡°You bastard!¡± George yelled. ¡°Get your ass back here! Krgh! How can you leave me here like this?¡±


    However, Benjamin didn¡¯t even look back. He wore a ck jacket, put his helmet on and drove away on


    his old Harley Davidson bike, the one he used to ride before getting married.


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    At Pure Waters bar.


    Rodnie was talking with someone on the phone. ¡°I¡¯m telling you for your own sake. Withdraw that bounty


    right this instant.¡± ¡°Why are you making a fuss over a nobody?¡± the voice from the other side spoke. ¡°Did


    working as a school principal soften your guts?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not a nobody,¡± Rodnie stressed his words. ¡°He¡¯s


    someone who can bring the whole system down.¡±


    ¡°What? You are saying ck Feathers can be brought down by a single man? There should be a limit to


    your pranks, man.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a prank, you idiot. Who even put the price on his head?¡± he put his sses down.¡± For what


    reason?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about the reason, but it¡¯s the governor¡¯s son who¡¯s asked us.¡±


    ¡°The governor¡¯s son? You mean Arlo Campbell?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s not the kind to listen to others, so I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s nothing we can do now. One or the other


    has to die.¡±


    Rodnie noticed Benjamin entering the bar, so he ended the call. ¡°Sir, did you know about the bounty?¡±


    ¡°There are already guys trying to shoot me dead,¡± Benjamin replied, sucking the color out of Rodnie¡¯s


    face. ¡°I-I¡¯ll do my best to talk with the guy behind the bounty and get him to change his mind.¡± ¡°Ho¡­¡±


    Benjamin sat on the couch that was in the center of the bar, ¡°who¡¯s this ¡®guy¡¯?¡± Rodnie was startled. ¡°Y-


    You didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t care,¡± Benjamin attention fully shifted to Rodnie, ¡°but since you seem to know


    the name, why don¡¯t you just say it?¡± Rodnie forced out a smile. ¡°There¡¯s no need to waste your time, sir.


    Let me deal with this small matter.¡±


    Benjamin thought for a second. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll give you midnight. Tell me the good news, or I¡¯ll go find him


    myself.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, sir,¡± Rodnie hurriedly left the ce, already making another call. The barmaids served


    Benjamin some wine and tried to sit on the couch, next to him, but a re from him made them stand


    and keep their distance. The couch wasn¡¯t there in the past, but it was recently put there just for


    Benjamin¡¯s sake. ¡°Arlo Campbell, huh¡­¡± Benjamin poured the wine in the ss on his own. ¡°I¡¯m d


    that it isn¡¯t your brother who hired the sniper, Reba,¡± he muttered under his breath. He took a few sips


    and thought about Reba. ¡°Time stands still when I think about you¡­¡± he unlocked his mobile to call


    her. On the screen, the notification of the voicemail app caught his attention. ¡°Mm? What¡¯s this?¡±

 Chapter 111

    Chapter 111


    Benjamin heard the voice recording, and his heart swelled from happiness. Surely, Reba hadn¡¯t given


    up on him just yet. Though she had told him they should meet in person, he couldn¡¯t control himself. He


    went to a private room and ended up calling her straight away. As the phone rang, his heart raced. As


    every second passed, he heard his heart and pulse more and more clearly. The call was answered, and


    there was silence. Nobody spoke. ¡°R-Reba?¡± His voice contained all the care in the world. ¡°Why did


    you call?¡± a quivering and unclear voice came from the other side. ¡°I told you we should meet directly


    and discuss.¡± ¡°Yes, but¡­ were you sleeping? I mean, your voice is shaky.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Reba rubbed her


    face. ¡°I was tired, so I ended up falling asleep.¡± A few seconds of silence followed. Both felt like talking,


    but they didn¡¯t know what to speak about. After moving away, she thought his priorities would change


    just as she was trying to change her priorities and get him out of his head, though it didn¡¯t work out. Her


    family kept telling her Benjamin wouldn¡¯t fit in the equation of Sterlings, but her heart still couldn¡¯t move


    away from him.


    Even though she had her family around her, she felt isted all these days.


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust my mom, Benjamin,¡± she opened up her heart a bit. ¡°I don¡¯t trust anyone in my family. They


    all want to marry me to a guy of their choosing, regardless of my feelings. I worked hard and started


    earning enough so that my words will have some weight in this family, and that¡¯s how I was able to marry


    you.¡± She paused, a hint of regret leaving her breath. ¡°And I¡¯m not sure where this will lead us¡­ but trust


    me, I will not let their ramblings influence me. So¡­¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Benjamin¡¯s heart was skipping fast.


    ¡°Let¡¯s be¡­ friends, until we sort all these issues, or misunderstandings or whatever they are,¡± she said.


    ¡°Is that okay with you?¡±


    He didn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°Benjamin? Are you there?¡±


    ¡°I-It¡¯s totally okay,¡± he replied andughed a little. ¡°I mean, they say couples are also best friends, so¡­


    ¡°About the divorce¡­¡± she hesitantly said and paused, but his heart shook from the suspense,¡° let¡¯s


    decide that after wee to a decision.¡±


    Benjamin breathed a big sigh of relief. ¡°Sure. So, when are we meeting? How about we go to a concert


    or a movie tonight¡­ as friends?¡±


    Reba took her time to reply. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m tired.¡± ¡°Okay. How about tomorrow?¡± ¡°¡­we¡¯ll see. Can I get


    back to sleep now?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, sure. Oh, wait, one more thing,¡± he hurriedly asked. ¡°Did you check the


    video I sent you?¡±


    ¡°What video?¡±


    Benjamin wasn¡¯t surprised. ¡°It¡¯s been a few days, so check your messages and mail, too. It¡¯s important,


    so don¡¯t forget.¡± ¡°Okay. Bye.¡± ¡°Yeah. Good night. Sweet dreams, and¡­¡± he hesitantly sent a kiss. ¡°A


    friendly kiss.¡±


    The call ended, but Reba was shaking her head. ¡°Hees across as really cheesy sometimes.¡±


    The friendly kiss through the phone didn¡¯t feel awkward or unpleasant, but it definitely felt slightly


    embarrassing. Then again, it was nothing new. Whenever Benjamin got romantic, he would get way too


    romantic with his words, saying things like she was his moon and what not. He definitely used phrases


    that no other man used whenplimenting her.


    More than these phrases, what she had always liked about him was how badly he wanted to make the


    marriage work, despite her hurting him innumerable times in just eight or so months. Could someone like


    him have slept with many other women at the same time? She found it hard to believe, but having seen a


    monstrous man like her father, she could never be 100 percent sure of any man.


    ¡°Nobody is perfect,¡± she thought, ¡°but that¡¯s no excuse, either. Maybe he¡¯s telling the truth, or maybe he¡¯s


    not. However, he¡¯s been very patient with me, so I¡¯ll try to do the same and see if it¡¯ll work out.¡±


    He told her to watch some video, but she was too tired, and her head felt heavy, so she put the mobile


    aside and went back to sleep.


    Meanwhile, Benjamin was dancing in the private room. He was so bad at dancing even dogs would have


    laughed at his dance. However, nobody was watching, so he went wild for a good couple of minutes.


    That surely took a lot of stress out of his body.


    ¡°Pfft,¡± a restrainedughter reached Benjamin¡¯s ears.


    ¡°What the ¡°he looked around. There were two eyes watching him through the vent-holes.


    ¡°Pardon my offense, Lord,¡± Shadow said, covering his mouth with his hand for another couple of


    seconds. ¡°Ahem,¡± he cleared his throat, ¡°you meant to show me a new type of dance, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s face turned red from embarrassment. ¡°Shadow, you sneaky little rat!¡± he lunged forth and


    punched the vent-hole. It broke and smashed Shadow¡¯s face, sending him flying into the artificial


    decorating bushes right next to the street.


    He bled from the nose, but he was stillughing. ¡°Hahaha. I don¡¯t think I can keep this new


    invention a secret for long. Should we call it Benjamin¡¯s Dance? How about Benj-dancing min? Pfft¡­¡±


    just thinking back on it made himugh some more, and tears sprang to his eyes. ¡°I see what you did


    there,¡± Benjamin was boiling mad. He would have crawled out through the vent-hole if only he was small


    enough to fit. ¡°Just stay right there, you bastard. I¡¯ming!¡± he rushed out through the door. Shadow, of


    course, didn¡¯t stay there but vanished in a heartbeat. Meanwhile, at Sterling vi.


    Selena and Elizabeth were having dinner early just so they could talk with each other. The daughter-in-


    law was personally putting food and curry on her mother-inw¡¯s te. There were no maids around


    them, either. Selena loved how she was being treated, even though she knew that this was all so that


    she would push the agenda of George marrying one of her daughters. ¡°George doesn¡¯t know how to


    behave with women,¡± Selena said. ¡°He isn¡¯t good looking, either. While his wild and wayward approach


    may fool some women, Reba won¡¯t fall for such tricks. If we leave things to him, he¡¯ll get nowhere.¡±


    ¡°T-Then, what should we do?¡± Elizabeth would love it if her useless brother were to be married into the


    Sterling family and also marry Reba who earned in millions. And if she were to be cause for that


    marriage to happen, she could forever make her younger brother owe him. She couldn¡¯t miss this


    chance. ¡°My husband doesn¡¯t even put my brother in his eyes. I can¡¯t make him speak for George. As for


    myself, Reba and I aren¡¯t really close.¡±


    ¡°Lives of adults are most influenced by two things,¡±Selena stared at the meat ball at the tip of the fork.


    ¡°Money and sex. We can¡¯t do anything about the money sitting in her bank right now, but we can


    definitely do something about the other thing she¡¯scking.¡±


    Elizabeth¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡­¡±


    Selena smiled amusedly. ¡°We just have to drug her with some aphrodisiacs and then make your brother


    visit her often in shorts or something that reveals enough skin or shape.¡±


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Elizabeth¡¯s heart almost exploded. ¡°You think that¡¯ll work?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate the power of drugs. Just do what I said, and she¡¯ll take the bite one day!¡±


    Just then, Elizabeth received a call. It was from her brother. When she went to the side and answered


    the call, he began screaming and crying on the phone as he told her about getting shot in the hand.


    ¡°Is everything alright?¡± Selena asked. ¡°Y-Yes, mother-inw,¡± Elizabeth forced out a smile. There was no


    way she would let Selena know her brother got wounded as that could onlyplicate things. She


    climbed up the stairs and began scolding her brother for never doing anything properly. ¡°How bad is your


    wound?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It hurts like hell. I¡¯m heading to the hospital.¡± He didn¡¯t want to talk about Benjamin giving


    him first-aid, either. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± she gritted her teeth. ¡°What the fuck are you going to do if one of


    your hands getpromised? Forget about marrying Reba, you won¡¯t be able to work as a


    mechanic!¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t happen. Please do something, sister.¡± ¡°Do what?¡± she erged her eyes. ¡°I¡¯d kill you if you


    were right next to me. That¡¯s how angry I am with you right now!¡± George¡¯s blood stirred madly. ¡°I called


    you because I got shot, and you¡¯re yelling at me? You know what? You¡¯ve never been a proper sister to


    me,¡± he howled at her. ¡°Fuck you, bitch. Go and keep sucking Shawn¡¯s dick for every little thing you


    need.¡± He ended the call abruptly. Elizabeth went speechless for a long while.

 Chapter 112

    Chapter 112


    The next morning


    Shawn had juste out of Reba¡¯s room with the divorce papers, and he didn¡¯t look happy. Asking


    his sister so many times hurt his pride, but he had no other choice right now.


    Meanwhile, inside her room, Reba was putting minimum makeup on her face. Jane was on the call.


    ¡°You are going to see him on a date?¡± Jane couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. ¡°For an entire day?


    Are you serious?¡±,


    ¡°You and my family may think I¡¯m crazy, but I¡¯m not ignoring my intuition,¡± replied Reba. ¡°Your


    intuition?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell he just hit Donovan yesterday?¡± Jane raised her voice. ¡°That guy is a thug. He has no


    respect for others. It¡¯s because he was your husband, Donovan is controlling himself from going after


    him. You get that, don¡¯t you? He¡¯s a seasoned fighter. He can eat Benjamin for snacks if he wants.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not telling me the reason he hit your boyfriend,¡± Reba said, ¡°but I¡¯m sure he had a reason,


    didn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Tsk, do whatever you want. Why should I care?¡± Jane ended the call.


    ¡°It seems having sex with a seasoned piece of trash has taken its toll on your brain, Jane,¡± Reba


    muttered under her breath. ¡°I¡¯m guessing Benjamin hit Donovan again? What do you want me to do?


    Wipe away the non-existent tears on your boyfriend¡¯s eyebrows?¡±


    She took her time to prepare herself, but just when she was about to leave the room, Kathy came


    rushing to her and said, ¡°Madam Selena has suffered a heart attack!¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Reba¡¯s expression froze. Her arm handbag fell to the floor. Within the next hour, all the adults of the


    Sterling family reached the hospital. While Selena was being moved from the emergency room after


    getting her symptoms relieved, Selena¡¯s eyes were clouded by tears after seeing her mother on a


    stretcher. Veronica¡¯s mouth was also turned down. However, Selena was still unconscious, so nobody


    from the family was allowed toe near her yet.


    Jacob had her put in one of the ICUs.


    Louis and Be were consoling each other.


    George, who just got there, briefly looked at his sister. He couldn¡¯t go and talk to her after scolding her on


    the mobile, so he went up to his mother and asked her. She pointed her finger at Nn, his father.


    Nn took George to the side and told him everything.


    ¡°What?¡± George was shocked.


    A whole ton of nude pictures and videos of many actresses were leaked online by an anonymous


    person, and Selena was also among the victims. She suffered a stroke after hearing the news, even


    though her pictures and videos were of when she was young and rash and ignorant.


    ¡°Being an actress is a double-edged sword,¡± Nn said in a rather sad tone. ¡°The attention you get can


    really be harmful sometimes.¡± He then looked at George¡¯s hand that was wrapped up in thick bandage.


    ¡°What¡¯s up with your hand? Did you jerk off too muchst night?¡±


    ¡°Stop it, dad. I don¡¯t do that shit anymore. As for this injury, I got hit by a damn bullet.¡±


    ¡°A bullet?¡± Nn waved his hand, thinking George was joking. ¡°Tell me a more believable lie.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not


    lying!¡± George pinched his dad, making him angry. ¡°Do you believe it now?¡±


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t!¡± Nn pinched him back harder, causing George to cry out.


    Meanwhile, Shawn was talking with a hacker on his mobile. ¡°Can you find out who leaked those


    images?¡± he sounded furious.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying, but I can¡¯t guarantee anything.¡± Shawn ground his teeth. ¡°At least remove those things from


    the inte. As fast as possible!¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯ll take time, but I¡¯ll make it so that essing those files is nigh


    impossible.¡± Shawn heard a strange noise on the call. ¡°Wait, are you wanking?¡± ¡°O-Of course not.¡±


    ¡°You little shit. You think you can fool me?¡±


    The call was cut.


    All the veins on Shawn¡¯s face bulged from fury. He wanted to kill this hacker, but that wasn¡¯t the priority


    right now. He suppressed his rage with great effort and then dialed to the school and requested the


    receptionist to send the children home. When she asked for a reason, he told her their uncle George


    died, a thought that was at the top of his mind.


    However, what Shawn didn¡¯t expect was that the damage was already done. Lisa and Roshan¡¯s friends


    were already shown the nude pictures of their grandmother by their friends and were humiliated and


    mocked during the recess. Lisa and Roshan left the school before even the receptionist came to them.


    As for d and Mercie, they were just happy they would get to go home and didn¡¯t look the least bit sad


    after hearing the news of George¡¯s supposed death.


    At the Chief Justice¡¯s house.


    Terry Praise and Langdon Campbell were sharing drinks in the afternoon. ¡°Jacob would have been here


    if not for the recent mishap,¡± Langdon said. ¡°I wonder how he¡¯s doing. I thought of calling him, but then I


    also thought, talking about his wife¡¯s nude pictures wasn¡¯t a good idea.¡± ¡°Selena Sterling¡­¡± Terry raised


    his brows. ¡°She still looks like she¡¯s forty. I¡¯m sure many men will be busy for a few days.¡±


    Langdon ended upughing a little, even though he didn¡¯t want to. However, he had no idea that it was


    Terry who had leaked the images. He had to leak the pictures of many actresses so


    that it wouldn¡¯t look personal, but his focus was always on Selena. ¡°We all have our dark secrets that we


    don¡¯t want to be revealed to the world,¡± Langdon said. ¡°Indeed.¡± Terry didn¡¯t look like he achieved


    something big because he was just getting started. Though he expected Selena would have a lot of dirty


    secrets, she was actually clean, so all he could find about her was some nude images and videos of


    having sex with her ex boyfriends. However, he had something much bigger in store for Jacob and his


    entire family, especially their one and only son-inw. ¡°By the way, you said something about your son


    putting a bounty on someone and then withdrawing it all of a suddenst night. What¡¯s that all about?¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Langdon was a sixty-year-old man who looked handsome in all white from hair to suit and boots.


    ¡°The former underboss of ck Feathers, Rodnie, approached mest night and told me to withdraw a


    bounty on a certain person, and I did. I asked him why, and he said it¡¯s better that I don¡¯t know about it.


    My son is furious, but as long as he¡¯s alive, I don¡¯t care if his little ass is angry or upset.¡±. ¡°Rodnie?¡± Terry


    narrowed the windows of his view. ¡°I remember putting him in jail for seven years. So, he¡¯s still involved


    in the underground businesses, huh.¡±


    ¡°Well, once you go underground, you can¡¯te out of it even if you want to,¡±Langdon said, slurping on


    the wine. ¡°Mmch, uhhh, that¡¯s how it is.¡±


    At the Sterling vi.


    ¡°She forgot to take her mobile.¡± Kathy was staring at Reba¡¯s mobile. There were 53 missed calls, all


    from Benjamin. ¡°But this guy doesn¡¯t give up, does he?¡± her eyes were full of envy.¡± If only he showed


    interest in me instead of blindly following his wife¡¯s tail, I would have shown him heaven!¡± As she cursed


    him, the phone rang again. As expected, it was Benjamin. She kept staring at the screen as Benjamin¡¯s


    image showed now. ¡°How can I make this guy mine?¡±

 Chapter 113

    Chapter 113


    A few dayster.


    Lisa and Roshan stopped going to school for the time being. Many famous figures from around the world


    visited Selena while she was still in the hospital. Artur Bonsbell also met her and made a good


    impression. He also met Reba because she stayed with her mother all these days and took care of


    her.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Today, as Selena was going to be discharged, everyone from the Sterling family came to the hospital.


    While Selena was entering the car in the parking garage, Benjamin approached her with a bouquet.


    Reba¡¯s eyes gained life after seeing him so many dayster. His beard looked a little bit bigger, but


    he looked healthy. However, the same couldn¡¯t be said for the others.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry for what happened,¡± Benjamin tried to talk to Selena, but her eyes gained redness from


    rage. ¡°Whoever released those photos and videos should be put in jail!¡± Jacob looked embarrassed


    when the topic he had tried to forget was again brought up by his son-inw. Lisa and Roshan looked


    much more shamefaced. Elizabeth, however, hiddenly smiled. d and Mercie, on the other hand, didn¡¯t


    know what Benjamin was talking about.


    ¡°Benjamin!¡± Veronica was the first tosh out at him. ¡°How dare youe here after everything you did?


    You shameless son of a bitch!¡± ¡°He¡¯s really shameless,¡± Dorothy also voiced her mind. ¡°To think he¡¯d


    come with a bouquet in his hand. What¡¯s he expecting, huh? That Selena would take the flowers and


    forgive him?¡± Selena just red at Benjamin briefly before ncing at her sons. Both Shawn and Louis


    stepped forth. ¡°You should go,¡± Louis warned, ¡°or you¡¯ll get hurt.¡± His voice didn¡¯t contain muchhatred.


    ¡°I told you I¡¯d kill you if I see you again,¡± Shawn folded his sleeves. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t havee here.¡±


    Reba stood in the path of her brothers, surprising them. ¡°Move,¡± Shawn ordered.


    Reba turned around to face Benjamin. She took the bouquet from him and said, ¡°On behalf of my


    mom, thank you.¡± Her little smile was a mixture of emotions. She couldn¡¯t make it to the date she had


    said she would, and she didn¡¯t even call him to exin what had happened. Yet, he came here to give


    flowers to her mother whom he definitely didn¡¯t like. She felt sort of bad for putting him in this situation.


    She wanted to give a hug, not just because she thought he deserve but also because she felt like she


    needed it, too. However, she couldn¡¯t do that in front of her family. She couldn¡¯t wear her heart on her


    sleeve.


    Selena, meanwhile, couldn¡¯t digest seeing her daughter talk to Benjamin. Why did she even take the


    bouquet from him? Weren¡¯t their rtionship on rocks? ¡°Reba¡­¡± she called for


    her in a soft voice while pressing her hand against chest as though she was in pain.


    ¡°Mom!¡± Reba rushed over to her. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Selena looked into her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to him. Promise me, you¡¯ll never talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Mom¡­¡± she put the bouquet on the car¡¯s hood before helping Selena get into the car. ¡°This isn¡¯t the


    time for you to worry about such things.¡±


    Elizabeth took the bouquet and threw it at her feet and stomped on the flowers, both the roses and the


    lilies. She was grinning as she did it.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Reba was annoyed from seeing what Elizabeth was doing. She pulled her to


    the side.


    ¡°Kya!¡± Elizabeth cried out.


    ¡°How can you step on flowers? They didn¡¯t do anything to you, did they?¡± Reba picked up the


    bouquet and red at her sister-inw before looking at her brother. ¡°Tell your wife to stay in her limits.¡±


    While Shawn wasn¡¯t surprised by Reba¡¯s actions, George surely did. Was she the same Reba


    who used to be all shy and timid in the past? How was she fighting back against his monster of a sister?


    Elizabeth went to Shawn with a crying face as if her arm got hurt. She leaned into him and sniffled. ¡°Why


    should we stay in this family when nobody respects me? Let¡¯s live in a separate house. You, me, our


    children, and my parents.¡±


    Shawn didn¡¯t say anything, so Jacob had to open his mouth, ¡°How much longer are you going to make


    me stand here? Get in.¡±


    His words made almost everyone get into their respective cars, and Elizabeth hated how even her


    husband still listened to his father.


    As the cars left, Vernoiced showed Benjamin her middle finger, but Reba also briefly looked at him


    and smiled. It wasn¡¯t a big smile, but it showed that she was happy to see him. And that was all he


    wanted. He couldn¡¯t smile back in time, but he still waved his hand. Veronica could only frown in


    annoyance from seeing him wave at her even after she gave him the middle finger.


    ¡°Shameless! So shameless!¡±


    After the cars faded out of his sight, Benjamin took a deep breath. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to have a heart to-heart


    with you, Reba. Then, all these invisible chains binding me might just break away, and I think I can be


    a better husband.¡±


    He then looked to his right, toward a pir. ¡°How long are you going to stand there, officer?¡±


    ¡°Ah, so you knew,¡± Steve walked out with a rather sharp smile on his face. It was your typical, forced


    smile. One of his hands was on the gun, while the other held a mobile.


    ¡°Is this about the bounty poster?¡±.


    ¡°You are always a step ahead, and I¡¯m starting to see why,¡± Steve took his gun out. ¡°You are no ordinary


    guy, are you? Not just anybody gets put a million dor bounty on their head and


    then gets the bounty taken down within 24 hours. What is your real identity, Benjamin? Are you the son


    of a don or something?¡± Benjamin smiled, but it only annoyed Steve. ¡°Do you think this is funny?¡± Steve


    shot the gun, and the bullet flew past Benjamin¡¯s face and hit a fire extinguisher. However, Benjamin


    didn¡¯t even flinch, which kind of left Steve in disbelief for a second. ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± ¡°If you had


    got any evidence that proves me breaking thew, you wouldn¡¯t be asking that but would have already


    tried to arrest me,¡± Benjamin sat on his bike. ¡°As for my identity, you


    already know it. I¡¯m just a live-in son-inw of the Sterling family who hopes to get epted into the


    family so I can hold my wife¡¯s hands in public and without asking anybody¡¯s permission for it. And I hope


    the same for you, that you get to hold Jane¡¯s hand because the one she¡¯s currently with is cheating on


    her.¡± Thest sentence shocked Steve. ¡°A-Are you talking about Donovan?¡± ¡°Unless Jane changed


    boyfriends, who else can it be?¡± Benjamin started the engine and twisted the throttle. ¡°I wish you good


    luck in your endeavors, officer.¡± He steadily released the clutch, and the bike whooshed past Steve who


    just watched. After Benjamin left his sight, Steve was still upied in his thoughts. ¡°He didn¡¯t spout some


    bullshit just to get away, did he?¡±

 Chapter 114

    Chapter 114


    Langdon Campbell had invited all of Jacob¡¯s family for the special party tonight. The party was being


    held for many reasons, but the primary reason was because Langdon bought many paintings in auctions,


    some of which were originals of Picasso. In truth, Artur wanted to buy one of Picasso¡¯s paintings, but


    David Bonsbell advised him to not givepetition to Langdon.


    Langdon was the wealthiest governor of the country with a worth of over five billion dors, which


    was lowpared to David¡¯s wealth, but Langdon had the priceless political power behind him. If he


    refused to sign the bills, a lot of David¡¯s businesses would take big blows, after all. Even though Artur


    didn¡¯t like it, he had to swallow his pride and visit the party. The same could be said for Reba.


    Because Selena was still recovering, Jacob asked Reba that she should apany him in her


    mother¡¯s ce and as the eldest daughter of the family.


    Shawn also attended along with Elizabeth and the rest of her family, all dressed up with luxurious outfits


    from top to bottom. George also wore a suit after a long time, and he looked quite happy. Louis and


    Be, who rarely attended these events, also decided toe to this party and brought their children


    along.


    The party was held on the 300-acrewn of Campbell¡¯s mansion, with tens of paintings being publicly


    disyed while protected in tough ss coverings. There were lights everywhere, even on the leaves of


    the many trees in the garden. No matter where one looked, it was a dazzling sight. Alcohol and meat


    dishes were served without restraint. Moreover, the maids were wearing clothes that revealed a bit of


    their cleavage, and Roshan was found gawking at their breasts again and received a smack on the back


    of his head from his mother.


    George, who saw that, could only chuckle. (I can¡¯t me him. He¡¯s at that age where he feels like


    burying his face in boobs for whatever reason. I was there, too.) Lisa saw the price tags attached to


    ss coverings on the paintings. Every painting was worth millions. Some were worth tens of millions.


    She looked at her father, wrapped her arm around his arm and asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you buy these kinds of


    paintings, dad? Our vi only has no noteworthy paintings, right?¡±


    ¡°Regarding that, you should go and ask your grandfather, not me.¡±


    Lisa spoke no more as she could guess what her grandfather¡¯s response would be. However, Veronica


    still asked Jacob. ¡°Isn¡¯t the governor your friend, dad? Can¡¯t you ask him to give one of these paintings to


    you? I mean, for the same price he bought it with, of course.¡± ¡°I can, but I won¡¯t.¡± Jacob¡¯s reply was as


    indifferent as it could get.


    Meanwhile, Reba was busy talking to some adult women who kept asking her about her mother.


    Elizabeth looked so envious because only one or two people talked to her whereas Reba was always


    surrounded with at least ten people.


    At that moment, Arlo entered the scene, and the women surrounding Reba received his signal and


    left her alone so he could talk with her.


    Reba¡¯splexion changed quickly as Arlo stood next to her with two champagne sses and tried


    to share a ss with her. Elizabeth noticed that and wondered what her rtionship with Arlo was.


    ¡°It¡¯s really unfortunate what happened with your mother,¡± Arlo said, putting forth the white sparkling wine,


    suggesting to her to take it.


    Reba, however, didn¡¯t even raise her hand.


    Arlo stepped closer and lowered his voice as he spoke, ¡°You know, after the photos and videos got


    leaked, the rank of your mother¡¯s name spiked in the search engines, as expected I must say, but what


    surprised me is that your name has also grown in poprity just as much if not more. It seems people


    are searching for your name because you¡¯re Selena¡¯s daughter. You are younger and look more beautiful


    than her. You are also in the peak stage of your life, so I can totally understand why everyone¡¯s looking


    for you on the inte. Your sister¡¯s name also got popr by the way.¡± He slipped some wine and licked


    his lips. ¡°There¡¯s something special in the women of the Sterling family. Something really hot runs in their


    blood. In your blood,


    right?¡±


    Reba¡¯s blood got all stirred up, but she could only reply with a smile on her face, ¡°You¡¯re the worst


    man I¡¯ve ever met, Arlo. You¡¯re the type who wants to stick your dick in every hole you see but can never


    fall in love with a woman because you have no clue what love means. Growing up as the only son of a


    rich family, you enjoyed all sorts of luxuries from a young age and lived a life that didn¡¯t develop your


    personality all that much. That¡¯s probably why you have grown into such a pervert who can¡¯t even think


    of anything good.¡±


    Arlo shed his teeth in return. He spat saliva in one of the sses, creeping her out. He then started


    walking toward Veronica.


    ¡°What is he¡­¡± Reba¡¯s eyes widened. Was he going to give that ss to her sister? She was about to


    move, but then her sister moved first.


    Veronica didn¡¯t approach Arlo but went in another direction and met Benjamin who was wearing a simple


    white shirt and ck jeans.


    ¡°B-Benjamin?¡± Reba was pleasantly surprised. She stood at a distance and observed him without


    blinking and with her heart beating faster than usual. ¡°Why¡¯s he here?¡±


    ¡°How did you get in?¡± Veronica asked Benjamin. ¡°I¡¯m sure you are required to show the invitation card


    before entering.¡±


    ¡°And I did,¡± Benjamin replied. In his hands, there was a bouquet and a folded paper.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°You did? How?¡± Veronica didn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Wait, what¡¯s that in your hand?¡±


    ¡°A painting,¡± Benjamin said. ¡°I brought it as a gift. I drew it with my own hand, you know. Want to take a


    look at it?¡±


    Veronica shook her head, but he still opened it anyway. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, sister-inw. I poured my


    heart into it.¡±


    Veronica saw the painting, and her face contorted for a second after seeing the portrait. ¡°Ew, what an


    ungly face. Not even his own mother could love such a face.¡± Arlo entered the scene and looked at the


    painting and said, ¡°It¡¯s indeed ugly, whoever that face belongs to.¡± Benjamin turned his head to look at


    Arlo. ¡°I know I¡¯m not as good as Picasso, but how can you not recognize your own face, Mr. Arlo?¡±


    Arlo, who was sipping on the wine, ended up spilling it.


    Pfft,¡± Veronica controlled herself from bursting intoughter. ¡°I get it,¡± Benjamin continued. ¡°You probably


    don¡¯t look at yourself in the mirror all that much anymore.¡± Veronica couldn¡¯t control herself anymore and


    ended upughing out loud. ¡°Puhahaha!¡± Arlo¡¯s face turned ashen. He red at Benjamin. ¡°Who the fuck


    are you?¡± ¡°Oh my, don¡¯t you recognize the person you put a million dor price upon?¡± Benjamin asked.


    ¡°Do you only remember the faces of women, or what?¡±


    Arlo¡¯s expression suddenly changed. Right, now that he looked again, this was the same guy on the


    bounty poster!

 Chapter 115

    Chapter 115


    Anger flickered in Arlo¡¯s eyes, but he coolly asked, ¡°Can you show me your invitation card?¡±


    His father Langdon made customized invitation cards for all the families and friends he had invited over


    to this party, so Arlo was sure Benjamin didn¡¯t have an invitation card, unless he stole others. Either way,


    once it¡¯s made public, Arlo could kick him out of the party by himself. That was what he was after.


    Benjamin, however, smiled and looked at Veronica, puzzling her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask my sister-inw the


    same question?¡± asked Benjamin. ¡°Because she¡¯s Jacob Sterling¡¯s daughter. His whole family was


    invited, so she¡¯s also invited.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m Jacob Sterling¡¯s son-inw,¡± Benjamin raised his brows, ¡°am I


    not?¡± Arlo frowned. Benjamin and Reba hadn¡¯t separated yet, so even though they were living away


    from each other, they were still very much a couple. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with youter,¡± Arlo started walking away.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want the painting?¡± asked Benjamin, but Arlo didn¡¯t stop. Veronica chuckled a little, but when


    Benjamin shifted his gaze toward her, she quickly collected herself and harrumphed before walking


    away. She appeared more like a child than an adult in the way she behaved.


    ¡°Benjamin¡­¡± Reba came over to him.


    ¡°Reba!¡± Benjamin put the painting away and gave the bouquet to her. ¡°This is for me?¡± It was a small


    but beautiful jasmine bouquet, and its wonderful fragrance stimted her senses and soothed her soul.


    This type of bouquet wasn¡¯t sold at a florist¡¯s as far as she knew, so he must have made it by himself.


    Regardless, it was easily the best gift she had received in a while. She wished those flowers wouldn¡¯t


    fade so she could keep the bouquet with her forever. ¡°Thanks. This is precious.¡±


    Benjamin grinned like a Cheshire cat.


    ¡°But why did youe here?¡± she looked worried. She was afraid of his family members causing a


    scene. Shawn was already giving a death re at Benjamin. ¡°I didn¡¯t shed weight in over two days,¡±


    Benjamin said, ¡°so I was looking for the best ce to unload all of it. And this ce is perfect for


    pooping, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Reba¡¯s lips stretched sideways and exposed her teeth. ¡°That¡¯s disgusting.¡± ¡°But it made you smile,


    though.¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t smile.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you did.¡±


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± She pped his arm.


    ¡°Okay, okay. You can¡¯t see your smile, but you win.¡±


    As silence crept into their space, they surrendered themselves to it and kept looking into each other¡¯s


    eyes that had beborers of love. Just then a tall man walked past them and kept checking


    Reba out and began biting his lips. He was aged over fifty and was a rich businessman, but his


    actions angered Benjamin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± she whispered. ¡°He¡¯s just drunk.¡±


    Benjamin listened to her.


    ¡°Why do you get so angry so fast?¡± she asked, still staring into his intense eyes. ¡°Is it because of your


    temper? Or do you really love me so much?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you get upset if some other woman began checking my ass out?¡±


    ¡°I would, but¡­¡± she pressed her lips together. ¡°Should we go and look at the paintings?¡±


    ¡°Why would I care about those paintings when I¡¯m already looking at the prettiest painting there is,¡± her


    words strengthened her heartbeat. ¡°Why bother about the wine,¡± his hand slowly raised up to her lips,


    ¡°when the sweetest honey resides in these lips.¡± As she stared at him, almost spellbound by his words,


    he touched her slender waist. It was a gentle touch, but there was a hint of firmness in it, and her whole


    body felt a rush of goosebumps. She didn¡¯t expect him to touch his waist like that. She pushed his hand


    down.


    Benjamin who was about to touch her lips with the risen hand stopped and pulled that hand back. She


    wasn¡¯t ready yet, to disy her love in public. He got that and didn¡¯t want to force her into disying her


    affection for him. ¡°Did I go too far? I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Reba didn¡¯t say anything, but she kept looking around.


    Elizabeth, who had been watching all this, felt so frustrated, her intestines turning greener with every


    second. She looked at her brother and rebuked him, ¡°Look at him and learn! He just walks up and owns


    Reba even after all the shit that has happened, but what about you? You¡¯re fucking busy eating


    chicken roast!¡±


    ¡°S-Sorry, sis,¡± George¡¯s mouth was covered with sauce. ¡°Doctor told me I shouldn¡¯t eat oily food, but I


    couldn¡¯t resist.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about,¡± her voice crackled with fury, ¡°you idiot!¡± She would have twisted his


    ear 360 degrees if only she wasn¡¯t at a party. ¡°I know, but I was just rifying things, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Elizabeth¡¯s brows twitched in annoyance. She clutched her head before walking away from George who


    then went back to his eating,


    Meanwhile, Artur was talking with Shawn. ¡°Didn¡¯t you kick him out of the house? Why¡¯s he still here?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t bring him with us,¡± Shawn exined himself. ¡°That sneaky bastard came here without telling


    us.¡±


    ¡°Still, this wouldn¡¯t have happened if only you had made your sister sign the divorce papers!¡± Artur was


    so mad, saliva flew out of his mouth, even though he was keeping his voice low.¡±


    After that I would have made that little fucker sign the documents myself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying,¡± Shawn lowered his head,


    ¡°Tsk,¡± Artur looked at Reba, and she was still next to Benjamin, holding the flowers he had given her.


    ¡°He just gave her what? A bunch of tiny flowers? If it was me, I would have made her a whole bed of


    flowers! I would have filled the entire mansion with flowers to receive her, yet she chooses to be with that


    pathetic bastard. Why? What does she see in him? I don¡¯t get


    it.¡±


    Just then, Arlo interrupted their conversation by stepping into their space. ¡°I¡¯m very d that you took


    time to show up, Mr. Artur,¡± Arlo put his hand forward.


    ¡°How can I miss a grand party like this?¡± Artur shook Arlo¡¯s hand


    ¡°It¡¯s grand, but we¡¯re missing the yacht vibes where we can dance and drink and throw currency notes on


    the beauties as much as we want, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes.¡±


    ¡°Then can you make some time for my friend¡¯s birthday party tomorrow night?¡± Arlo asked.¡± It¡¯s gonna be


    a st on one of my yachts, I promise.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee, but I¡¯ll try;¡± replied Artur, not making eye contact. ¡°Great,¡± Arlo then left as a happy


    man. ¡°What do you think of this Arlo Campbell?¡± Artur asked Shawn.


    ¡°Someone who gives high-interest loans for anyone that asks of him and then sucks their whole wealth


    dry using all means avable¡­ he¡¯s a devil in disguise.¡±


    ¡°Mm, I give high-interest loans to my friends, too,¡± Artur said. ¡°Does that also make me a devil, senior?¡±


    Shawn faintly smiled and said, ¡°We both don¡¯t hesitate to put our morals aside for making more money,


    so that makes us devils, too, I guess, but we¡¯re smaller devilspared to the


    likes of Arlo Campbell.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Artur snorted a little, ¡°you really have a way with words.¡± ¡°Fooling people into taking all kinds of


    insurance is my job, after all.¡±


    Their wine sses clinked. ¡°Mm?¡± just then Artur noticed somethinging over, flying in the dark sky.


    ¡°What the.¡±


    It was a flying drone, carrying a heavy object. Artur¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°A bomb!¡±he yelled.

 Chapter 116

    Chapter 116


    ¡°Can I have your number, please?¡± Aman approached Veronica and asked for her phone number, but


    she turned away from him. ¡°Excuse me, miss.¡± he asked again.


    ¡°You are excused,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Geez,¡± he shook his head and walked away.


    ¡°Hmph, every Tom, Dick, and Harry wants my number these days,¡± she murmured to herself and then


    walked up to a waiter. His handsome features struck her ego at once. Tall and charming, especially with


    the long ponytail he had. His thick eyebrows were an added attraction. If only he wasn¡¯t a mere waiter,


    she wouldn¡¯t mind asking him out on a date, she thought. ¡°What¡¯s with that ponytail?¡± she still ended up


    starting a conversation with him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a wig, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± she was shocked. ¡°I should have known. What do you do by the way, other than serving drinks, I


    mean.¡± ¡°I follow people from the shadows,¡± he replied with a nk expression.


    ¡°You mean¡­¡± she observed his expression. ¡°Stalking?¡±


    ¡°Something like that,¡± he said, maintaining the poker face.


    Veronica paused for a second and then ended up chuckling a little. ¡°Haha, that was a good joke. What¡¯s


    your name? I¡¯m Veronica, by the way. Veronica Sterling.¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Veronica. You can call me Shadow,¡± he said as he offered her a ss of


    Electric Blue.


    She squinted her eyes while taking the ss. ¡°That can¡¯t be your real name.¡±


    He faintly smiled in return. ¡°Actually¡­¡±


    ¡°A bomb!¡± a loud voice startled everyone. When heads turned toward the source of the sound, they


    realized that the voice belonged to none other than Artur Bonsbell. And then they couldn¡¯t help but notice


    the flying drone carrying a big-ass box, hovering over people¡¯s heads. ¡°Kyaa!¡± everyone freaked out and


    began to flee in whichever direction they could. Chaos birthed almost instantly.


    The boxnded in a loud thud, but nothing happened. Many people stopped running, and those who


    never ran still had their ears covered.


    All their eyes were on this package wrapped up in pristine, brown leather. The word ¡®W¡¯could be seen on


    top. The drone had already left


    While nobody dared to approach the package, both Jacob and Elizabeth stepped forward. They had


    seen this happen before. Not just those two but Reba also did during Donovan¡¯s birthday


    Though some warned them not to go closer and that a bomb disposoal squad would take care of it,


    Jacob got there and took a closer look. It had the same belts and shape and quality. His


    AIER 116


    eyes were filled with anticipation as he began to unbuckle the belts that sealed the bag.


    ¡°What¡¯s he doing?¡± Langdon put his hand on his head and looked extremely tense. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he fear


    death?¡± The government officials next to him also felt the same way.


    Once Jacob removed the belts, the leather walls neatly fell to the four sides, revealing a top quality


    wooden box inside. A four-foot-tall and four-foot-wide box.


    Jacob grinned and looked around. ¡°This isn¡¯t a bomb, people. This is a box full of gold!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Everyone was shocked. Was it a gift prepared beforehand by Jacob? That¡¯s how most people


    perceived it at the moment, except for the Sterling family members.


    Jacob looked at Langdon and waved his hand. ¡°Come over here. You should open the box.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Langdon acted all cool. Given how Jacob was standing right next to the box, there was no way


    a bomb could be inside, he thought. ¡°You really are a special friend.¡± He patted Jacob¡¯s shoulder, making


    him wonder.


    Everyone gathered around the box, wanting to witness the gold. ¡°Open it. Hurry up!¡± Langdon looked at


    the wooden box. ¡°Mm? How do we open this thing?¡± ¡°You push the top at an angle, and it will slide over,


    uncle,¡± Elizabeth said.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Langon did exactly what she said, and the top of the box moved. He pushed it with force, so


    it slid over and fell to the other side.


    ¡°The gold!¡± Elizabeth cried out, but both her and Jacob¡¯s expressions froze almost immediately. All the


    expectations of people were warped really fast as a horrible smell intruded their nasal cavities and jolted


    their brains and took seize of their lungs. People covered their noses and turned to flee for their lives.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Many people vomited, including Langdon.


    ¡°What¡¯s inside?¡± Reba, who was standing in the distance, wondered. She was about to go closer, but


    Benjamin grabbed her hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go,¡± he said and sniffed a couple of times before saying, ¡°what¡¯s inside isn¡¯t gold but dung.¡±


    ¡°Dung?¡± Reba¡¯s face contorted. Standing isted from the crowd, Shadow wasughing amusedly.


    ¡°You sent elephant dung this time, huh, Alfred. From the smell, I can tell it¡¯s rather fresh. Perhaps, you


    kept it moist on purpose.¡±


    In a matter of seconds, all the guests began to leave without even talking to Langdon. They all lost their


    appetite after smelling something horrendous. Most of them were millionaires and officials of the


    government and carried quite a bit of pride. How could they stay in the vicinity of elephant crap? They


    wouldn¡¯t even want to be within 1 mile from it. Nobody gave two-shits about the paintings anymore.


    Langdon¡¯s blood boiled, seeing how everyone was leaving like they were ignoring a loser.¡± What sort of


    joke is this, Jacob? I thought we were friends.¡±


    LAST OR 110


    ¡°What?¡± Jacob looked bewildered. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± A secondter, he realized what had


    happened. ¡°Wait, you think this gift was sent by me? No!¡± ¡°Then who sent it? Your grandfather?¡±


    Langdon yelled at him, which Jacob didn¡¯t like at all. ¡°Mind your tongue, Langdon. I¡¯m telling you this gift


    isn¡¯t sent by me,¡± Jacob replied in a sharp tone.


    Elizabeth stepped forward. ¡°Yes, Uncle Langdon. This same type of gift was sent at a birthday party our


    family visited, and it was full of fold. That¡¯s why I knew how to open it. Trust me. Why would my father-in-


    law send this gift to you when you two were so close?¡± Langdon gritted his teeth. ¡°I will find out who¡¯s


    behind this by myself.¡± He walked past Jacob. ¡°Thanks foring to the party, but you can leave now.¡±


    He began vomiting again.


    The onlookers that were still there really pitied Langdon¡¯s situation. Langdon was someone who only ate


    five-star quality food. Such a person was made to smell fresh elephant¡¯s crap in the middle of a


    prestigious party while everyone was looking, even the lifeless paintings that carried a part of their


    owners¡¯ souls. This was bound to leave a scar on him for sure.


    Jacob didn¡¯t want to stay there for another second, so he hurriedly walked out. Shawn and others


    followed him. George felt bad that a lot of food was being wasted. He grabbed another roasted chicken


    leg before catching up with the rest. Reba was also leaving, but Benjamin still caught her hand. She


    pulled her hand, but he didn¡¯t let her go.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go,¡± he said, his voice soft and carrying a sense of longing for her, ¡°please.¡± His words made her


    lose some of her strength to resist. She looked at him in aplex gaze.


    Her ethereal beauty once again struck his heart. Her face was white as what calves drank from their


    mothers, and her sparkling blue dress paled inparison to her tender, spotless skin. Her hairs shined


    so wonderfully, the moon hid itself behind the clouds like it was just another mere raindrop. Even the


    jasmines in her hands felt so jealous of her that Benjamin¡¯s eyes were not on them but on his wife. She


    looked so pretty tonight, if there were bees around, they might have ignored the jasmines and


    surrounded Reba instead, for the sweet scent wafting near her was so exceedingly rapturous. She


    stepped closer, looking with those irresistible eyes that had long caged his heart, ¡°I¡¯m not going


    anywhere, Benjamin.¡± Her voice was a whisper as much as it was a life-giving breath to his sick, starving


    soul, but then her lovable lips pecked his cheek tenderly, causing his whole body to loosen up. As she


    turned and walked away, she briefly nced over shoulder, gazing at him diagonally, and the sweet


    smile ying on her lips took his breath away. It took him a few seconds to realize that this resplendent


    woman had just tricked him, but a dreamy smile bloomed on his lips anyway, and his hand touched his


    chest and kept softly rubbing it.

 Chapter 117

    Chapter 117


    At noon, Selena was still resting in bed, with Delle massaging her feet. Kathy was feeding her spoonfuls


    of fish soup.


    ¡°You are observing every move Reba is making, aren¡¯t you?¡± she nced at Kathy. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am, and


    I think your son-inw, I mean, Benjamin didn¡¯t give up yet,¡± she said.¡± He called her mobile over 100


    times. I wanted to delete the call history, but I didn¡¯t know the password. Now, I¡¯m sure Reba ma¡¯am


    would have seen that. I wonder how she felt after checking her mobile.¡± ¡°You should have destroyed the


    phone!¡± Selena yelled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am, but please don¡¯t feel stressed. It¡¯s not good for your health.¡±


    ¡°Tsk,¡± Selena could hear her own heartbeat after yelling just once. She had be a lot more fragile


    after the heart attack. It was like she felt the weight of her heart, and it made her feel quite uneasy. She


    clutched the bedsheet in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m the one who raised my daughter. She¡¯s my property. I can¡¯t let


    some random guy own her. I wanted to force George into her life, but with his hand like that¡­ gunshot


    recoveries can take a lifetime. I don¡¯t want to give my daughter a physically handicapped man. Maybe I


    should just side with Shawn and see how


    it works out. Why don¡¯t you give a call to Artur Bonsbell?¡± ¡°What?¡± Kathy was startled. Why did she want


    to talk with Artur directly and not with Shawn? What was she thinking? Kathy could only wonder, but


    Delle had a guess. If Selena were to talk to Shawn about this, it¡¯d look like she was depending on her


    son. Delle knew Selena enough to tell that she hated being dependent on others. At a grand, romantic


    outdoor restaurant.


    Reba was waiting at a four-seater table until Jane came and gavepany. ¡°Why did you call for me


    to meet here? And you didn¡¯t want Donovan toe?¡± asked Jane. Reba snapped her finger and


    then ordered chicken tenders, which were Jane¡¯s favorite. She asked for a spicy lemon juice for herself.


    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna eat anything?¡± Jane asked. ¡°I will when Benjamin¡¯s here,¡± replied Reba. ¡°What?¡±


    Jane¡¯s expression stiffened a little. ¡°Why did you call me when you were going to meet with him?¡±


    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want to talk with him alone, Reba said. ¡°He tries to get touchy whenever an


    opportunity arises, and I be weak when he touches me.¡± ¡°Yeah, you were always over sensitive


    about your body,¡± Jane replied, ¡°to the point my ex boyfriends used to say you think with your vagina


    because you never let them have a go at it, thinking yours is supremely superior or something. Haha,


    those were funny times. Anyway, if me being here will help you, I don¡¯t mind helping.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Reba


    smiled. ¡°I want to talk with him and fix things up, but I can¡¯t trust my


    family members. They don¡¯t agree with me and give their own selfish opinions, so that¡¯s why I wanted


    you to be here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Jane assured. ¡°I¡¯ll kick his ass if he tries to force himself on you.¡± ¡°Haha, he¡¯s never forced


    himself on me, so I doubt he¡¯s that type.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you know nothing about men. At the end of the day, they¡¯re all the same,¡± she touched her neck as


    she said. ¡°I¡¯m not saying there aren¡¯t any honest men, but if he seems too good to be true, then he likely


    is. Didn¡¯t you say one of your maids confessed to having sex with him multiple times?¡±


    ¡°I did, but we can¡¯t trust her words blindly. What if my mom made her do it?¡± Reba said.¡± I¡¯ve been


    trying to reach Ashley since yesterday, but her address and everything about her is fake. It¡¯s all


    confusing. But I¡¯ve long stopped trusting anyone blindly, including Benjamin.¡± Reba said and noticed


    that Jane was wearing a turtleneck. ¡°Wait, are you hiding the hickies with that thing again?¡±


    ¡°You know me better than most,¡± Jane smiled a little bit sadly, and Reba also noticed that.


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± she could tell that Jane¡¯s voice didn¡¯t have the base it normally would. Clearly,


    something wasn¡¯t right. ¡°Yeah, it is¡­¡± Jane took a bit of a deep breath. ¡°Just that, two nights back,


    Donovan got over aggressive, and I passed out.¡± Reba¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°What?¡± Passing out while


    having sex? Was that even possible? Just what was Donovan doing? ¡°Are you fine? Just what did he


    do? This isn¡¯t something that can be ignored, right?¡±


    Jane didn¡¯t say anything. She remembered that time when she kept telling Donovan to stop, but he


    didn¡¯t. He kept choking her like a beast that had let go of all of its reservations. She passed out in the


    middle of it and didn¡¯t have sex with him again in these two days, which was a first after their rtionship


    started.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°Jane, I know you¡¯re having the thoughts of marrying Donovan, but you should reconsider,¡± Reba


    urged. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about Donovan, but if he¡¯s so abusive even before marriage, then what will


    he be like after marriage?¡±


    Reba¡¯s words rang true in Jane¡¯s heart, but should she break up with Donovan for one mistake? He


    did apologize to her afterward and said he would never do it again.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like what I¡¯m saying, at least see how much ountability he takes for things he¡¯s done,¡±


    Reba said, but Jane looked conflicted. ¡°Look. He¡¯s rich and good in bed. I get it. But the allure of easy


    money or good sex also pulls countless people into situations theyter regret. You remember Natalie,


    don¡¯t you? Just make sure you¡¯re not making the same mistake.¡±


    Natalie was a good friend in college. She loved a douchebag who would piss in her private parts during


    sex and would treat her more like a tool. Despite hisck of self-control and respect toward her, she


    ended up marrying him andtermitted suicide one day. Jane and Reba didn¡¯t even know the


    exact reason for her death because Natalie grew depressed after marriage and stopped talking with


    them.


    TEERIT


    ¡°Donovan isn¡¯t like Natalie¡¯s husband,¡± Jane said, somewhat confidently. ¡°You know him better than I do,


    so I¡¯m not going to say more.¡± ¡°So when is your dear husbanding?¡± Jane wanted to divert the topic.


    ¡°In fifteen minutes.¡± Jane thought for a second as the ground level sounds of the vehiclesing and


    going distracted her a bit. ¡°Have I told you that Benjamin began working at Rye¡¯s Pizzas again?¡±


    Reba was a little surprised. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look like you are bothered with it.¡± ¡°Why would


    I be bothered?¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, if your rtionship with him is getting serious, then he should find a more


    serious job, don¡¯t you think? How long do you want him to work as a freaking pizza deliverer? Do you


    want him to knock on strangers¡¯ doors and have clothless women pick up his deliveries?¡± Reba¡¯s


    heart skipped a beat. ¡°You really think there are women who receive deliveries naked? Doesn¡¯t that stuff


    only happen in movies?¡± ¡°Huh, I didn¡¯t tell you this,¡± Jane whispered, ¡°but I once did it myself a couple of


    years back right after breaking up with a bastard.¡± ¡°What?¡± Reba was left in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be


    kidding me.¡± ¡°I was frustrated, you see.¡±


    ¡°So? You will have sex with a stranger? What if he does something that will affect your body


    permanently? There are all kinds of men out there. Be more careful.¡± ¡°I¡¯m being more careful, of course,


    so rx.¡± Just then, a Harley Davidson bike entered Reba¡¯s view. A bearded man in a ck jacket


    and a helmet was riding it. There was something cool in the way he drove the bike and carried himself.


    Before she knew it, she found herself watching him. But when the bike stopped at the restaurant, she


    looked back at Jane. ¡°So, uh, what were you saying?¡± Jane blinked twice while chewing on the chicken


    tenders. ¡°Nothing, girl. Drink your damn lemonade. You haven¡¯t even touched it.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Am Ite?¡± a familiar voice reached Reba¡¯s ears, shifting her gaze toward her right. The man in the


    ck jacket sat next to her seat, pleasantly surprising her, but what made her go


    silent was the fact that this man was her Benjamin.

 Chapter 118

    Chapter 118


    ¡°Hey,¡± Benjamin waved his hand before Reba. Only then she started blinking. ¡°Are you


    fine??


    ¡°Y-Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± Reba picked up the ss and sipped on the spicy lemonade. Her eyes,


    e nces at him. He looked ten times more manly and cooler in this jacket and jeans. The helmet was


    resting on his thigh. He was spinning the keys around his forefinger and lookedpletelyfortable


    and lively. The only thing she didn¡¯t like was his beard. It was eating away most of his looks. Jane, on the


    other hand, couldn¡¯t look at Benjamin. Thest time they met, she had pped him, after all.


    After Benjamin sat at their table, the atmosphere slowly but surely changed. Benjamin didn¡¯t say a word,


    but the male energy made the two women go silent for a little while. He didn¡¯t do anything other than sit


    in between them, but he seemed dominant for some reason. ¡°You got your job back at Rye¡¯s Pizzas?¡±


    asked Reba, sporting an awkward smile. He nodded. ¡°How¡¯s your mother doing?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s resting. That¡¯s all she can do for a week or two.¡± A few seconds of silence passed. ¡°And why did


    you call so many times? What was so urgent?¡±


    ¡°There were many reasons but mainly two,¡± he patiently exined. ¡°You didn¡¯te to the date. I


    wanted to know why and also hear your voice.¡±


    Reba¡¯s cheeks gained some pink.


    ¡°Hear her voice?¡± Jane snorted. ¡°I agree that Reba is a natural beauty who is so amazing to look at,


    but her voice is, meh, at best. Stop over-praising her just so you can get into her panties.¡±


    Reba felt the urge to pinch Jane, but she was sitting on the other side, so she pressed her foot on top


    of her foot. Jane still smiled back as though nothing happened. ¡°Jane¡­ Do you want me to talk about the


    time when you sold your panties off for 200 dors?¡±


    Jane¡¯s expression greatly changed. She slightly shook her head. ¡°Then, speak properly,¡± Reba


    warned.


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Benjamin cleared his throat. ¡°I like Reba¡¯s voice because she¡¯s my wife. I can¡¯t say I don¡¯t


    like her voice now, can I?¡±


    Jane chuckled a little.


    Reba flushed again but for a different reason, and she ended up pinching Benjamin.


    ¡°Aw, I was joking,¡± Benjamin rubbed his forearm. It really hurt for a couple of seconds. ¡°But to be honest,¡±


    he stared at Reba like he was longing for her, ¡°I think God sprinkled a little extra of everything when


    he made this youngdy. She¡¯s a beauty who doesn¡¯t realize how beautiful she is, so how can I not love


    her?¡±


    0213


    ¡°S-Stop it, Benjamin,¡± Reba couldn¡¯t even look into his or Jane¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯re making me feel


    embarrassed.¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Jane, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t help but feel envious. Nobody ever praised her like how Benjamin just


    praised his wife, and his words felt so good on the ears. She felt the need to y with Benjamin all of a


    sudden. ¡°You didn¡¯t praise her for no reason, right? Nothing¡¯s for free in this world. You love her because


    she¡¯s beautiful. If she had an ugly face, would you have even bothered to chat with her in the bar when


    you met her for the first time? You praised her because you want to getid with her. That¡¯s the fact.¡±


    Her words somewhat spoiled the pleasant ambience permeating between Benjamin and Reba.


    ¡°Why do you rte everything with sex?¡± Reba snapped at her girlfriend a little. ¡°You know he didn¡¯t


    sleep with me even once after marrying. He didn¡¯t force me to, either. That¡¯s what I like about him.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, if I get married into a multi-millionaire¡¯s family, I can also¡­¡± Jane was saying, but then paused for


    a second, ¡°well, I don¡¯t think I can live without sex, but I can sacrifice a lot of other things, a lot more than


    Benjamin ever did. That much I can assure.¡±


    ¡°Huh, baseless bravado.¡± Just then, Reba saw Nate go past the restaurant on a motorcycle.¡± That


    little bastard¡­¡± she clenched her fists.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Benjamin was alerted.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Reba looked slightly frustrated. ¡°Actually, my dad forced Lisa and Roshan to go to school,


    saying they should face these tough situations and grow strong. But everyday, they areing home


    with sad faces. I heard they were getting bullied badly in school. Lisa¡¯s ex boyfriend is particrly


    harassing her. Sheined about it to her father, but my brother is too busy with other things at the


    moment. I feel really bad for the kids. I want to do something for them, but¡­ what can I do about the kids


    at school? How can I shut their mouths?¡±


    ¡°Leave it to me,¡± Benjamin said, startling her. ¡°I will deal with it so that no one bullies Lisa or Roshan from


    tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°H-How?¡± She looked surprised. ¡°What will you do? This is a sensitive issue.¡± ¡°Yeah, you can¡¯t go and


    beat the children,¡± Jane voiced her mind, ¡°unless you want to end up behind the bars.¡±


    ¡°I have my way, so don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Benjamin assured.


    ¡°Benjamin¡­¡± she put her hand on his hand, surprising him. ¡°I want to know more about you. You said


    you would exin everything.¡± ¡°Yes, I did, but¡­¡± he nced at Jane, ¡°can¡¯t we both talk alone?¡± ¡°You


    know she¡¯s my best friend. She knows everything about me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Benjamin still didn¡¯t feel


    Benjamin leaked out an angry smile at Jane, but she just wiggled her eyebrows and teased him. ¡°Why


    don¡¯t you start with telling us your real name?¡± asked Reba. Jane blinked twice. ¡°Wait, what do you


    mean by his ¡®real name? Isn¡¯t his name Benjamin?¡± Reba looked at Benjamin, expecting him to


    answer Jane¡¯s question. ¡°My name is not Benjamin Wilde,¡± he said. The half-chewed chicken tenders in


    Jane¡¯s mouth dropped. ¡°What?¡± ¡°My real name is¡­¡±

 Chapter 119

    Chapter 119


    ¡°My real name is¡­¡± ¡°Madame,¡± the waiter intruded into their space, ¡°any more orders?¡±


    Reba and Jane red at him. ¡°O-Okay. I¡¯lle backter,¡± he walked away without making any


    sound.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Jane turned her head fast and looked at Benjamin. ¡°So, you were saying¡­¡± He looked into Reba¡¯s


    eyes. ¡°It¡¯s Benjamin Wolfe. That¡¯s my real name.¡± A second of silence passed, not counting the noise of


    the breeze and the sounds of the street. ¡°So much suspense for nothing,¡± Jane blurted out. ¡°Aren¡¯t both


    the names almost the same?¡±


    Reba stayed silent, but she was feeling a lot better now. After all, she was so d to hear that his


    real first name was Benjamin, a name which had a special ce in her heart, one which she had grown


    attached to.


    ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± Benjamin was trying to exin himself.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to say more,¡± Reba stopped him. ¡°You must have had your reasons for hiding your


    family name, so you don¡¯t have to talk about it if you don¡¯t feel like it.¡±


    Benjamin didn¡¯t want to tell about his past in front of Jane, so he nodded in return. ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll tell you


    about my whole past soon, at a more appropriate time.¡± ¡°Then, what about the whole thing with Ashley?¡±


    Reba stressed thest word.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie. She¡¯s a liar,¡± Benjamin was quick to respond. ¡°I can prove it to you.¡±


    ¡°You can?¡±


    ¡°Just wait,¡± he then showed her the voice recording he did when had spoken with Ashley outside a lodge.


    From the conversation, it became clear that Ashley was lying when she said she had sex with Benjamin


    multiple times.


    Reba felt so happy but also quite guilty at the same time. Tears welled up in her eyes as she


    remembered how her father and brother had beaten him on that day. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± her voice struggled


    to break out of her mouth. She was genuinely sad.


    Seeing her so vulnerable, like a little bird that needed caring, Jane¡¯s mouth turned down, she was about


    to give her a tissue paper, but Benjamin got out of the seat and hugged her.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he wrapped his arms around her head andforted her. ¡°I forgot what happened that day,


    but if you cry, I won¡¯t be able to ever forgive them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry,¡± Reba still kept crying.


    Seeing the two of them like that, Jane felt like she was totally left out of the conversation.( They are such


    love birds.)


    By the time they calmed down and Benjamin sat back in his seat, Jane finished eating. ¡°My


    TE7119


    work here is over, so I¡¯ll get going.¡± Neither of them stopped her, and she secretly hated that. ¡°What do


    you want to eat?¡± Reba asked him. ¡°You choose,¡± he said.


    She picked up the menu and ordered Smoked Bison Ribs for him while she ordered ck Beans Burger


    for herself. However, when the orders arrived, Benjamin made her share both the burger and the ribs.


    Reba felt much better after eating.


    ¡°Before you go home, shall we go for a ride?¡± asked Benjamin.


    ¡°On your bike?¡± Reba was pleasantly surprised, but she also quickly nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± She had never


    sat on a bike before, so she felt both anxious and excited at the same time. When the waiter came with


    the bill, Benjamin gave him his tinum card. ¡°No, I¡¯ll pay the bill,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Benjamin replied.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to insult you, but it¡¯s going to be costly,¡± Reba persuaded, ¡°the reservation here costs


    1000 dors per hour. And I booked this table for the whole day, from 9 to 8, so it¡¯ll be 11,000 dors just


    for sitting at the table.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Benjamin just replied with an added smile and patted her hand.


    The total bill was 13,600 dors, out of which 250 dors was paid for parking Reba¡¯s car. It wasn¡¯t an


    amount Benjamin couldn¡¯t pay, but it was still equal to two to three months of his sry, so she felt bad


    for making him spend now. To add to that, Benjamin paid 400 dors in tips. The waiter thanked them


    both as he only received at an average of 10 dors per table. As they were leaving, she asked, ¡°You


    bought the bike, didn¡¯t you? Did you take out a loan for


    it??


    ¡°No, I paid.¡± ¡°You paid? How?¡± She knew that her mother took a lot of money from him whenever she


    could, so he couldn¡¯t have saved much. Benjamin tapped his cheek with his finger.


    ¡°What?¡± she seemed a little puzzled by his reply.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you if you give me a kiss.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± her smile challenged him, ¡°I will kiss you twice if your driving


    impresses me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Benjamin¡¯s face lit up like that of a child.


    ¡°I don¡¯t take my words back,¡± she said a little proudly. Benjamin locked the helmet at the back of the


    vehicle before getting on and starting the engine using the kick-start. The nearby men were quite


    surprised to see the kick-start facility in the Harley Davidson bike. ¡°Why does his bike have a kick-start?


    Is it a customized model?¡±


    Shadow, who was eating at another table in the outdoor restaurant, was smiling. ¡°That¡¯s the bike my lord


    stole from his father. It¡¯s a priceless bike in my opinion.¡±


    Reba got on to the bike and hesitantly put her hands on Benjamin¡¯s shoulders. Maybe because he


    was wearing the jacket, he didn¡¯t show any reaction. ¡°Shall I start?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Mm,¡± she nodded. The bike took off at a steady pace. There was traffic in that street, so he went slow.


    Reba felt tense for the first couple of minutes as her focus was on not falling from the bike. After she


    got used to it, she began to feel morefortable. Still and all, she never thought her first bike ride


    would be with her husband. It made her heart flutter as though she had achieved something. One thing


    she could see clearly from there was the shape of his head, and his hairs were dense, so he was


    definitely not going to get a bald head, she thought.


    Her gaze shifted to his ears, and she remembered Jane once telling her how she tricked the guy she had


    a crush on by asking him for a bike ride and talking right into his ear and bringing him into the mood.


    Reba had told her it wasn¡¯t the right thing to do, but then Jane replied that men also turned women on


    with their skillful bike rides.


    (He won¡¯t do anything like that now, would he?) she wondered. (I mean, I¡¯m not his girlfriend. I¡¯m his wife.


    His demeanor has mostly always been gentle, so maybe I¡¯m just overthinking.)


    They could see two paths ahead. One was a wide street, and the other was rtively narrow. ¡°Which


    way?¡± he asked. ¡°Why are you asking?¡± she asked back. ¡°The wider one has many turns and speed


    bumps because of the schools.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can enter the wider street,¡± she said, having no clue she


    would regret her decision big time.

 Chapter 120

    Chapter 120


    ¡°The wider street has many turns and speed bumps because of the schools,¡± Benjamin stated.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can enter the wider one,¡± she said, having no clue she would regret her decision big time.


    Benjamin happily drove through the wider street, and the many speed bumps made sure her chest kept


    bumping into his back very many times. Her face flushed into an orange tomato pretty fast. She wanted


    to cover her chest with her hands, but she was too afraid to let go of him. In the end, she had to bear


    through everything.


    After reaching the end of that street, Benjamin squeezed the brake and asked, ¡°Do you want to go


    through the narrow way?¡± Reba squinted her eyes. If she were to say yes, he would turn the bike and


    make it go over all the speed bumps again. ¡°No!¡± she quickly responded in a grudging manner. Forget


    about getting turned on, she felt so embarrassed right now. ¡°Are you sure?¡± he asked innocently.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure. Super sure. Never been more sure about something in my entire life.¡± ¡°Haha,¡± Benjamin


    chuckled a little and twisted the throttle, ¡°your wish is mymand, my love.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s cringe-worthy. Perhaps, I should call you Cringamin from now on?¡± ¡°You can call me whatever the


    heck you want, my love!¡± Benjamin said and then entered a highway and steadily went into the exclusive


    seventh gear and clocked 100 miles per hour, causing tears to fly out of Reba¡¯s eyes. ¡°Kyaaa!¡± her


    heart was in her mouth. ¡°STOOPPP!¡±


    By the time the bike stopped, her hair had be a pig pen. For someone who always took pride in


    neatness and perfection, this was a first. She got down from the bike quickly and was ready to yell at her


    husband for scaring the living daylights out of her, but when he got down from the bike and looked at her


    with smiling eyes, she couldn¡¯t scream at him. His hands rose, and his fingersbed through her


    gently. He was done sorting her hair quickly, but she wished itsted a lot longer. And that simple gestureExclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    greatly elevated his position on her friend list. She wanted to give him a kiss, but she didn¡¯t want to look


    impatient, and she held herself back.


    ¡°So, shall we continue the ride?¡± he asked. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t cross 50 mph.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± her blunt reply disappointed him. ¡°How about you teach me how to drive?¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s disappointment was quickly washed away with her smooth-flowing words. ¡°Sure, but¡­¡± he


    looked down at her foot. ¡°Is your ankle fully healed?¡±


    ¡°Your bike has a self-start, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It does, but you still need to be able to bnce the weight of the bike when it¡¯s not moving,¡± he said.


    ¡°How about we do it some other time?¡±


    CHALTER 120


    Since he gave a valid reason, she could only nod. And then the ride resumed, with Benjamin driving like


    a dad with his family waiting back home. They went to many ces in the city and took photos together


    and had fun, especially when talking to each other. Sparks flew at times between them when he first held


    her hand as they toured a museum, but they never blew up into mes. Nevertheless, Benjamin did end


    up kissing on her cheeks whenever an . opportunity arose and made her blush deep at times. Though


    she didn¡¯t resist him, she didn¡¯t brew any romance from her side, either.


    They spent over an hour at the public park called Purity Park, sucking honey from the flower stalks,


    sshing water in the pool with their feet and ying with the ducklings, blowing bubbles out of hand-


    made bubble blowers, enjoying the tranquility of nature together. She tried to catch a rabbit and failed,


    but he caught the rabbit and brought it to her. She kissed it and almost suffered from the allergic reaction


    a little bit before letting the rabbit go. To make things worse, a couple of cute little puppies came to them


    for food. She shooed them away, but they didn¡¯t go until Benjamin tricked them into chasing after the


    stones he threw into the distance.


    She tried to grab the mangoes from a tree, but they were too high for her to reach with a jump. Benjamin


    went down on all fours and helped her stand on his back, and so she was able to pluck two mangoes,


    which they consumed right then and there after a quick, little wash. Benjamin spared half of the mango,


    which the puppies ate after they left that spot.


    After walking on the grass for a bit, holding each other¡¯s hand, they settled down in the shade. Though


    there wasn¡¯t any mat, she didn¡¯t mind dirtying her dress at the moment. Benjamin sat in herp and kept


    talking about all the funny and strange incidents that had happened during delivering pizzas. Some of his


    little stories broke her belly fromughing so hard. Here was a guy who could make her dreamse


    true sitting in herp and spending time with her, ying sweet music with his words. Even silence sang


    when she was around him. She wanted these real moments sweeter than her sweetest dream to


    continue for a long time.


    They roamed until night fell before returning to the same outdoor restaurant. He put his jacket around her


    as it had gotten cold outside and asked her to dinner. She couldn¡¯t refuse even though she had eaten


    enough in thest few hours. Just like how he broke her happiness barriers multiple times that day, she


    wanted to do the same for him.


    The table she had booked for the whole day was empty, so both of them at there and talked more than


    they ate. However, this time, she made sure to pay the bill. When he asked for the two kisses at the end,


    she reminded him of all the kisses he put on her cheeks without her permission. Benjamin¡¯s shoulders


    slumped as he apologized to her in his heart. (My little heart is just desperate for you. My lips hunger and


    thirst for your lips. I can¡¯t help it. I¡¯m sorry. If I don¡¯t at least kiss your cheeks, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll end up kissing


    on your lips, which I don¡¯t want to do one-sidedly.)


    ¡°Benjamin¡­¡± her loving voice reached his ears, making him raise his head and look at her.¡± It¡¯s a


    handsome name for my handsome husband. I hope your name never grows old in my heart.¡± She


    stepped closer and embraced him warmly. ¡°Thank you, Benjamin, for today and for everything. Thanks


    for being with this broken vessel.¡±


    Like a rushing river, blood flooded into Benjamin¡¯s heart. His eyes teared up. The cold night felt warm


    from her embrace.


    At the same time, Artur reached the Sterling vi and entered a room, as led by Kathy, with Luther


    following closely behind.

 Chapter 121

    Chapter 121


    Artur reached the Sterling vi. Kathy escorted him and Luther to a particr room.


    ¡°I believe this room used to be.¡± he was saying ¡°Not even a bouquet or a bag of fruits?¡± Selena snorted.


    ¡°Why am I not surprised?¡± ¡°Haha, I doubt you¡¯d actually eat any of the fruits I bring,¡± Artur sat on the


    couch prepared for him. ¡°My father sent his regards. He hopes you recover fast. You know him pretty


    well, don¡¯t


    you?¡±


    She softlyughed for a second. ¡°Not as well as you might think.¡± ¡°I heard him once say during one of his


    drunken speeches that he asked you to spend a night with him and you wanted 1 billion dors per night.


    Is that correct? Did that really happen?¡± ¡°He¡¯s got the number exaggerated, but I did ask him to pay the


    number I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I wasn¡¯t expecting you to visit so fast and at this hour to say the least. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not just to


    see how I¡¯m doing or to talk about my past with your dad. So, why do you have such interest in my


    daughter, Artur?¡± ¡°Straight to the point. I like it,¡± Artur adjusted his suit a little as he said. ¡°To be frank,


    Reba might not be the most beautiful woman in the world, but she¡¯s definitely the most delicious.¡± He


    looked at the fruits on the table. ¡°Just like these apples and oranges, she just glows in my eyes.¡± He was


    all smiles. ¡°Not just me, any man would want to have her as their wife, I think.¡± ¡°Delicious, huh,¡± she


    smirked a little but then her expression turned a bit serious. ¡°You know your mother died from cancer,


    and two yearster, your father married an actress twenty years younger than him. She¡¯s only a few


    years older than you, isn¡¯t she? Do you know when she first met your father?¡±


    Artur¡¯s expression changed. A sense of rage flickered in his eyes. ¡°Ah, so you are not as stupid as I


    thought. Thank God,¡± Selena smiled rather politely. ¡°Your dad also used to use the word ¡®delicious¡¯ when


    talking about girls. I¡¯m not gonna talk anymore about how your mother died, but I want the guarantee that


    my daughter will never go through the same shit your father made your mother go through, you


    understand?¡±


    Artur pursed her lips. Luther, his bodyguard, stepped into the room and said with his head lowered,


    ¡°Pardon my intrusion, but Sir Artur treats his people extremely well, so how would he be treating his own


    wife?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s part of the reason why I called your master here,¡± Selena said and looked at Artur.¡° You know,


    I¡¯ve read thousands of books. In one of those books, a character said, ¡®Love is a river, and marriage are


    its biggest banks.¡¯ I think no one has put it better than that. The potential for love in marriage can reach


    its greatest heights, but it either underflows most of the time or ends up overflowing out of its banks


    because people are often self-indulgent and don¡¯t like sacrificing for others. My daughter has seen a lot


    in this vi, but she still has no clue how heartbreaking and downright filthy married life really can be. As


    long as men prefer


    different flowers and women prefer different bananas of different age groups, marriage continues to be


    the sickest game there is. So I want you to write me a prenuptial contract that makes sure you wouldn¡¯t


    mistreat my daughter, and if you do, the contract wille and bite you in the ass big time. Now, are you


    willing to sign such a contract?¡±


    Luther swallowed his breath from tension. He didn¡¯t want Artur to sign such a stupid contract, even


    though he hadn¡¯t even read the terms yet.


    ¡°Is the contract ready?¡± Artur asked.


    ¡°If you want, I can get it written in a couple of days,¡± she said.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be seeing you soon again,¡± Artur stood and put his hand forward.


    Selena smiled before shaking his hand. ¡°Whether you speak of this with Shawn or not, I¡¯ll leave it up to


    you.¡±


    A corner of Artur¡¯s lips curled up a little. ¡°I can see why my dad was interested in you. If you were


    younger, I wouldn¡¯t have minded marrying you.¡±


    Selena raised her brows. ¡°Watch your words, Mr. Artur. If Shawn was here, he would have killed you for


    saying those words.¡±


    ¡°Ah, he¡¯s a mommy¡¯s man, huh. Good for him,¡± Artur amusedly smiled before letting go of our home. ¡°I¡¯m


    looking forward to working with you, Mrs. Selena Sterling. Let¡¯s help each other out as good


    businessmen would.¡±


    ¡°You mean, as good humans would.¡±


    ¡°You can view it however you see fit.¡±


    ¡°My daughter still isn¡¯t done with her simp of a husband,¡± Selena¡¯s soul spilled vitriol. ¡°I want you to make


    him look pathetic in front of her.¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Artur siniled and assured, ¡°It¡¯ll be a piece of cake.¡±


    At the same time, Reba wasing home in her Porsche. She kept looking in the rear-view mirror


    because someone was following her. However, she was smiling because it was Benjamin. He was


    kissing his hand and sent flying kisses at her every time she looked in the mirror


    ¡°I should have given him those two kisses,¡± she thought as she clutched on his jacket as though she was


    feeling it. ¡°At this rate, he might sneak into the vi with the excuse that he¡¯se for his jacket.¡±


    However, she was slightly wrong. Benjamin was only nning to sneak under her duvet tonight and get


    those two kisses no matter what.


    The Porsche suddenly stopped, making Benjamin wonder why. His bike also stopped about fifty feet


    away.


    A few secondster, Reba got out of the car and walked up to the roadside, where a dog was


    shivering from the cold. She removed the jacket and covered the dog with it.


    ¡°M-My jacket,¡± Benjamin heart felt squeezed that his personal favorite jacket was just given away to the


    dog just like that.


    R121


    Reba got back into the car and left. As Benjamin followed her, he briefly red at the dog as his bike


    passed by. The dog barked at Benjamin as though it was annoyed by the bike¡¯s sound. ¡°You better use


    that at least for the rest of the night,¡± he wanted to stop the bike and take his jacket back, but some part


    of him didn¡¯t allow him to do it, ¡®or I curse your cold to stay with you for the rest of your life!¡±


    The dog¡¯s barks turned into sneezes.


    Secondster, the dog calmed down. It was silent once again. Shadow appeared next to the dog. ¡°I¡¯m


    sorry, but you can¡¯t have that jacket, buddy.¡± His words woke the dog up. He bent down and tried to take


    the jacket, but it bared its teeth at him and growled at him. ¡°I¡¯m telling this for your own sake, you little


    shit.¡± His pupils glowed yellow in the dark, and the dog dropped the jacket and skedaddled into the


    distance, with its tail tucked between its legs. He picked up the jacket and looked at the hidden ¡®W¡¯


    symbol inside. A little bit of pride crept up into his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll save it so that my Lord¡¯s son can wear it in


    his time.¡±

 Chapter 122

    Chapter 122


    Rebay down on the bed, but she couldn¡¯t sleep. Everything she had done that day was still pretty


    fresh in her mind.


    She couldn¡¯t believe she had experienced so many positive moments in just one day. Some of the things


    she only dreamed as a teenager actually came true. She held his hands and walked together. Sat under


    a tree and ate and talked andughed together. Though she didn¡¯t get to fish, she didn¡¯t mind that at all.


    After all, she had experienced enough memorable moments that she wouldn¡¯t be able to forget, probably


    forever.


    However, the only thing she regretted was that she couldn¡¯t put her arm around his shoulders in the


    same way he couldn¡¯t. ¡°I saw him hesitating to put his arm around my shoulders, but I couldn¡¯t react to it.


    Now, I wish I put my arm around his shoulders. I missed doing such a cool thing.¡± Though she had dated


    many men, she had never held their hands or been close with them, so everything that had happened


    today was kind of a first for her. So, despite all the awkward moments they shared together, she was still


    over the moon.


    She put earphones on and started listening to music. As the songs yed, she felt like seeing him again.


    ¡°I really felt his love today, but did he feel mine?¡± her heart was troubled at this thought. ¡°I¡¯m not good at


    expressing myself like him through words let alone poems, so how will I make him feel my love? Should I


    make a fine suit for him?¡±


    She got up from bed and began to draw the suit and added minimal styling. A few minutester.


    Benjamin jumped over the vi¡¯s wall and snuck into the garden. The dogs noticed him and ran toward


    him. He knelt down and greeted them. The puppies in the cages began barking loudly and wagging their


    tails, as though they also wanted to meet him. Puppies were kept in cages during the night, and so they


    could only watch from behind the bars. Benjamin had to spend a few minutes with the dogs before theyContent is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    went their ways. After that, he ran to the vi and jumped at once and reached the window on the first


    floor. It was open, so he rolled inside, making little to no sound in the process. The lights were off, as


    expected. Reba generally slept early.


    ¡°How can you sleep without fulfilling your promise, Reba? This is not fair,¡± he thought. ¡°If you don¡¯t


    kiss me, then at least let me kiss you. I¡¯ll only kiss you two times, no, four times, no, just eight times.¡± He


    reached the bed on toes and silently slipped under the duvet. He sniffed twice. ¡°She smells strange. Is


    she using a different soap these days?¡±


    His hand gently touched her head and felt it. He just wanted to make sure he was kissing where he


    wanted to before proceeding, and he did. Just as his lips stretched forward and kissed the cheek, his


    eyes adjusted to the darkness and saw the face of that person. His eyes popped out of his sockets.


    At the same instant, the kiss forced her eyes to open. She could feel someone was in her bed, and she


    screamed at the top of her lungs. ¡°AHH!¡± she tossed the duvet aside and switched the light on.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± she looked to her right hastily, but there was nobody on the bed. She checked under the


    bed. No one there, either. ¡°I was sure I felt someone touch my head and¡­¡± she put her hand on her


    cheek. She still had the faint feeling of being kissed by someone. She noticed that the door was locked


    but a window was open, so she hurried there and looked out. The dogs were ying with each other.


    Everything seemned normal. She pulled the ss window down and walked over to the mirror. She was


    wearing teddy bear pajamas. She faintly smiled, with a tinge of pride flowing out. ¡°Even when you wake


    up in the middle of the night, you still look stunning, Selena. No one your age can match your mor.¡±


    She then went back to her bed. ¡°I thought one of my fans had finally gone insane and snuck into my


    room, but I was clearly wrong. After the recent leaks, it¡¯s better that I don¡¯t meet my fans for a while, or I¡¯d


    only be embarrassing myself.


    ¡°Anyway, I changed to this room so that I could send my daughter to another room and take away her


    memories of living here with Trashmin. But I still feel ufortable in this new bed. I¡¯m not able to sleep


    well. Maybe, I should just get my old bed into this room tomorrow.¡± She switched the lights off and went


    to sleep.


    In the garden, Benjamin came out of the bushes. His whole body still felt goosebumps. ¡°Whoo ¡­ that


    was really close. If she had seen me, it would have been over for me!¡± he shook his head. His heart was


    still pounding. ¡°And to think I kissed that devil. Bwuah,¡± he felt like vomiting. He rubbed his mouth a few


    times. ¡°But, wait, what the heck is she doing in Reba¡¯s room? Why the heck is she sleeping in


    Reba¡¯s bed? Then where is Reba right now? Which room is she sleeping in?¡±


    He still hadn¡¯t given up after such a massive failure. His adrenaline was still running. His other important


    hormones were still very much in action, pushing him to go and get his reward. ¡°Where are you, my


    darling Reba?¡± His eyes darted at different windows on the first floor. His ears heard a faint noise


    coming from a room. It was the noise of the songs ying in Reba¡¯s earphones.


    Benjamin entered that room. The lights were still on, and Reba was sleeping with the earphones


    fallen out to the sides on the pillow. He came up to the bed and noticed the designs she was making for


    the suits. Out of the seven designs, he picked one. A simple doubleyered gray suit. He left a tick mark


    on that one.


    Afterward, he stared at Reba for a couple of minutes and smiled joyously as he remembered all the


    things that happened that day. He then pulled the nket on and covered her up to her neck. Her lips


    invited him for a kiss, but he shook his head. ¡°No, no. That¡¯s gotta be consensual,¡± he backed away for a


    second. ¡°But¡­¡± he leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose. ¡°I think this is okay?¡± he paused for a


    second, and his eyes were getting pulled back to her pretty pink lips. He shook his head. ¡°No. No. No. I


    think I¡¯m going crazy. If I stay here longer, I¡¯ll find all sorts of excuses to kiss her on the lips.¡± He switched


    the lights off and left the room the same way he came.


    As he jumped over the vi¡¯s wall and left, two figures from the vi noticed him. They were


    Louis and Be.


    ¡°Why did you let him go?¡± Louis asked her. ¡°He came at the right hour. I could have had some fun.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Be looked toward the distant tall building and noticed the masked figure sitting on the edge of the


    rooftop and ying a mouth organ. It was Shadow. ¡°There¡¯s this strange guy watching our vi for the


    past thirty minutes. We don¡¯t want any unnecessary attention. Standing close to this window isn¡¯t good,


    either. Let¡¯s get back to bed.¡± They went back to bed and cuddled with their children.

 Chapter 123

    Chapter 123


    Rodnie warned the upper ss students to not treat Lisa and Roshan disrespectfully, and that if anybody


    crossed the line, they would be immediately expelled.


    Still and all, one girl tried her luck against Roshan and then got kicked out of the school on the very same


    day after Roshanined about her. At the same time, Benjamin paid a visit to the filling station


    where Nate was working part time.


    Seeing Benjamin, Nate called for his friends that were there. Benjamin beat them all and poured petrol


    over all of them, including Nate. He took out the matchstick he brought, which caused Nate and


    everyone there to piss in their pants¡­¡± ¡°If I see you or your friends ever bothering Lisa or another girl for


    that matter,¡± Benjamin lit the matchstick, making them cry and sob and beg for their lives. They couldn¡¯t


    even run away given the state they were in. Running wouldn¡¯t help as petrol kept pumping out of the pipe


    even now. It was falling on Benjamin¡¯s boots as well, but he didn¡¯t look the least bit afraid. The onlookers


    were all either running away or kept thinking that he was crazy. ¡°I will light all your asses up without any


    discrimination, you understand?¡±


    Nate and all his friends nodded their heads fast. By the time police came, Benjamin was gone. Still, there


    were those who video-recorded the whole incident, and they gave it to the police. Nate gave them his


    address, so they visited the Sterling vi.


    Elizabeth rebuked the police and told them to get out of the vi. She didn¡¯t even ept when they said


    Benjamin was the son-inw of the Sterling family. She told them they kicked him out of the vi already


    and to go search for him in the streets. She didn¡¯t even let them search the vi, and her parents and the


    maids supported her. There was nothing the police could do.


    but Benjamin was already holding the bail papers. There was even no condition stated in the bail that he


    needed to attend the court let alone be kept in prison while awaiting trial. Still, the police could only grind


    their teeths and leave. ¡°Why did the policee looking for you?¡± ¡°And how the heck did you get bail so


    fast?¡± The other workers showered him with a lot of questions. ¡°I had to pay, of course,¡± replied


    Benjamin. ¡°How much?¡±


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    Benjamin didn¡¯t reply. ¡°Geez, money speaks everything.¡± ¡°My faith in money is restored again! I will do


    my best to earn more tips from here on out.¡±


    After the workers went back to their ces and resumed their work, Christopher came up to Benjamin.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way you could have paid for the bail on your own? Who helped you? Is it our CEO?¡±


    ¡°Why would he help me?¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re a seven-star deliver, and he seems to have some kind of soft spot for you, given how he


    allowed you to work here again after quitting without giving a reason.¡±


    ¡°You think he¡¯d help me after I threatened to kill someone?¡±


    Christopher¡¯s big heart shook like a leaf. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Just kidding.¡± Benjamin lied, not wanting toplicate things unnecessarily. Christopher calmed down.


    Of course, he had to be kidding. Threatening to kill someone could get him into spending a maximum of


    ten years behind bars, and how could Samael help Benjamin for such a serious offense?


    Damian, who had been silent all this while,ughed amusedly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how he got the bail.


    What matters is that he got it. Now, we canpete with each other again today. While I might not be


    able to beat him in the amount of tips he receives, I can beat him in the number of sessful deliveries I


    make per day.¡±


    ¡°You can keep trying, but it¡¯s not happening anytime soon,¡± Benjamin assured. ¡°Now I know the streets


    better, so you better watch out.¡±


    Theypeted again, Benjamin won as usual. While they were returning, Benjamin still had a pizza box


    he failed to deliver because the house was locked. He gave it to a beggar woman sitting on the side of


    the street. As they were riding side by side, Damian asked, ¡°You gave her a 22 dor worth pizza, and


    she didn¡¯t even get up to thank you.¡± ¡°She did thank me with her words, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, only half-heartedly.¡±


    ¡°Even if she hadn¡¯t thanked me, I¡¯m fine with it,¡± said Benjamin. ¡°Hunger doesn¡¯t have a holiday. Those


    without a roof over their heads have it rough every day.¡±


    ¡°Still, I don¡¯t think that woman showed enough appreciation,¡± Damian firmly stated his belief. ¡°Don¡¯t get


    me wrong. I like what you did, but people don¡¯t really appreciate it when you do things for them for free.


    They may speak a thousand words to thank you, but they never show even a bit of gratitude through


    their actions. They forget us as soon as we¡¯re done helping them. That¡¯s why I think twice before helping


    anyone for free.¡±


    ¡°What if I thought the same way before I rmended you for this job?¡± asked Benjamin, startling


    Damian. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect anything from you, or did I? What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you would have calcted whether I can threaten your position or not before you


    rmended me, right?¡±


    Benjaminughed softly. ¡°You are crazy, dude. Why would I even think of that? You think you can rece


    my position without working your ass off? I didn¡¯t get here because I was


    rmended, you know. Even if you were to rece me some day, it¡¯ll be because you deserved it.¡±


    Damian didn¡¯t say anything afterward. Meanwhile, in a private polo club. ¡°You want me to fuck two men


    at once? I didn¡¯t sign up for this type of shit,¡± a gorgeous blonde was talking back at Arlo Campbell. ¡°I


    won¡¯t say it again, so go back into the room,¡± Arlo warned her. ¡°Or what?¡± she was walking past him. He


    caught her by the hair and pushed her down to the floor, shocking her. ¡°Did you just manhandle me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I did, you bitch!¡± he swung his foot and kicked her crotch like he was kicking a football. She


    howled in pain and bled from her private part. He raised his polo stick to strike her head, but ckbear


    entered the scene and said, ¡°Sir, she¡¯s an up-anding singer with a decent fanbase, so I suggest that


    you let her go.¡± Arlo red at him, and he lowered his head and stepped back.


    you go. Here¡¯s the question. Who can truly keep their mouth shut in the world?¡±


    She was horror-struck by his question. ¡°N-No, no, no.¡±


    ¡°Only the dead, dear!¡± Arlo hit her head with the polo stick until it broke. He used the broken bamboo


    stick to pierce her belly. It punctured through her and emerged through the other side. ¡°What a waste of


    beauty. I hate myself every time I let my emotions get the better of me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t fret, sir,¡± ckbear calmly said. ¡°I¡¯ll find someone to rece her soon enough.¡±


    ¡°I know, but¡­¡± Arlo looked at the beauty lying on the floor in her own pool of blood, only a step away


    from death. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to rece a good-looking singer.¡±


    ¡°Actually, we can,¡± ckbear showed the image of a girl in his mobile.


    ¡°She looks pretty and natural,¡± Arlo nodded twice. ¡°What about her skills?¡± ¡°She¡¯s worked part-time in


    over 12 different jobs, so she¡¯s gotta be good at role-ying, but more importantly, she can sing and also


    y guitar. She has some presence on social media, too.¡±


    ¡°Good. She¡¯ll fit the bill. What¡¯s her name?¡± ¡°Jasmine.¡±

 Chapter 124

    Chapter 124


    Selena allowed a journalist and critic to enter the vi to give an interview. While she talked about her


    health and her current and future film projects, she also said, ¡°Sterling family is doing great. Now that my


    daughter¡¯s bitter husband is gone, our vi is much more peaceful


    now.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me a bit more about this son-inw?¡± the journalist asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to tell. He¡¯s always ill-disposed and does not like our family. We couldn¡¯t bear him. My


    daughter especially¡­¡± she wiped her non-existent tear from her eyebrow.¡± She¡¯s been through hell and


    is still recovering. It¡¯s scary how the entire family can be thrown into chaos with the arrival of just one bad


    person.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell us his name?


    ¡°Trashmi-¡­ Ahem, I mean, Benjamin¡­ something. He¡¯s short and full of shorings. He doesn¡¯tb


    his hair, doesn¡¯t shave his beard. Heck, he doesn¡¯t even get out of bed until he gets tea delivered to him.


    He gets all his work done by my daughter and the maids. I still can¡¯t believe how my daughter married


    such a moronic man in the first ce. He must have tricked her, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°So I believe your daughter has gotten divorce?¡± ¡°All I can say is that she¡¯s dating someone else.


    Someone who¡¯s infinitely more suited to be with her.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just tell us the name?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s give them the space. They¡¯ll go public when they feel


    comfortable.¡± Pretty soon, the interview was over. She told the journalist that the news shoulde in


    newspapers, magazines, as well as television. He assured her the story would be sucked up like hot


    dogs by the people.


    As he promised, the story was published the very next day, titled: The Billionaire¡¯s Daughter Who Served


    Tea. While Selena and Reba were portrayed like saints, Benjamin was made to look like the world¡¯s


    worst son-inw.


    Every daughter, wife, and mother-inw in the world who read the story began to curse him. Even the


    men hated how he made his wife work so hard for him.


    Elizabeth neverughed so hard after reading a story. And Selena never shed so many happy tears,


    either.


    Kathy, however, didn¡¯t like how the truth was twisted. ¡°I tried to serve him tea a few times, but he refused


    it all the time. It¡¯s a pity that he¡¯s left. If he was here, I wouldn¡¯t mind trying to give tea to him again.¡±


    Meanwhile, Reba didn¡¯t know of this until one of her friends called her and told her to check the news.


    When she did, she was utterly shocked. She got enraged at whoever published


    the story and immediately dialed to him and scolded him and thepany so brutally their ears probably


    bled. She then came to know that her mother was behind all this. She wanted to talk with her mother, but


    given that Selena had suffered a heart attack not long ago, Reba could only swallow her frustration.


    She didn¡¯t want to argue with her mother and raise her blood pressure. ¡°I will talk with her about this one


    day.¡± She told herself. ¡°How can she lie so much? It¡¯s disgusting.¡± She was still so upset she was shaking


    in her bed from all the anger and frustration trying to take over her senses. ¡°I hope Benjamin didn¡¯t read


    this.¡± And so, she ended up calling Benjamin eventually. She knew it was working hours, so she wasn¡¯t


    sure if he¡¯d pick her call or not, but he answered. ¡°Hey,¡± he said just that one word. There was neither


    sadness nor joy in his voice. She couldn¡¯t decipher anything just yet. ¡°Uh¡­¡± she hesitantly spoke. ¡°How


    are you doing? I mean, what are you doing?¡± ¡°On my way to deliver pizzas. Why?¡± ¡°N-Nothing. I just


    wanted to know how you were doing.¡±


    Benjamin paused for a couple of seconds before speaking, ¡°If it¡¯s about the story, don¡¯t think too much


    about it. I¡¯m sure your mother is likely behind this, but I¡¯m not mad at her because she made you look


    really good.¡± ¡°But none of it is true!¡±


    ¡°Yes, but we can make some parts true, can¡¯t we?¡± His heart began to beat a little faster. ¡°Like ¡­ you


    can serve me tea earling in the morning? Not every day, but at least now and then?¡± ¡°W-What?¡± she


    never served food for anyone after growing up. The only thing she could remember was making a pizza


    for Benjamin not long ago and that came out terribly as well. ¡°I-If it¡¯s only okay with you. Otherwise,


    there¡¯s no need.¡±


    ¡°I-I will think about it. Again, I¡¯m sorry for¡­¡±


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    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t take it to heart. At least my name wasn¡¯t mentioned in the story, so most people wouldn¡¯t


    know it¡¯s me.¡± Though he said that, he knew people could still look up for him on the inte.


    ¡°You think so?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Just give it a few days, and everyone will forget about it.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll call youter. Bye.¡±


    ¡°Bye bye.¡± Benjamin ended the call and put the mobile back in his pocket before breathing out audibly.


    ¡°She still has pride, but her love for me is fighting it, alright. I can see her serving me tea soon enough.¡±


    He giggled like a child. Just imagining Rebaing to serve him tea and then pulling her into the bed


    and kissing her made him flush like a tomato. ¡°That said¡­¡± His expression turned hard. ¡°Selena Sterling.


    You¡¯re not a mother-inw but a mummy-inw! You think you can do whatever you want and get away


    with it? Just you wait, I¡¯ll one day make you bake biscuits in the kitchen for me!¡±


    The thought of having tea served by his wife and biscuits by his mother-inw brought peace to his mind.


    Meanwhile, Jacob was watching the edited version of El Man in a studio along with some important


    people. Jane¡¯s father was also among them. And they all liked the movie very much and kept


    congratting and praising him.


    ¡°I¡¯m releasing the film by myself,¡± Jacob said, showing how confident he was with the film. By eliminating


    the distributors, he could directly talk with the exhibitors and release his uing two films in as many


    theaters as he could.


    ¡°You¡¯re definitely going to be a billionaire after this,¡± said Jane¡¯s dad. ¡°If I were you, I would make a


    toy productionpany. Its stocks are gonna go up once the movie releases. You can also use it to


    make products out of all of your past and future projects.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a wonderful idea, Mike, but I can¡¯t manage a differentpany.¡±


    ¡°You can put someone from your family to take care of it. Isn¡¯t there your son-inw? The guy who


    punched Donovan without hesitation?¡± As much as Mike hated what happened that day, he came to like


    what Benjamin did. ¡°No. That guy¡¯s a cheater, so we kicked him out.¡± ¡°Woah, when did that happen?¡±


    ¡°Some days ago. Let¡¯s not talk about that useless guy.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±


    Jacob was holding a newspaper in one hand that had the story ¡°The Billionaire¡¯s Daughter Who Served


    Tea.¡¯


    He knew his daughter probably never served tea to Benjamin, but he loved how his wife and daughter


    were portrayed as good women. Moreover, he was called a billionaire! These were all good signs. ¡°My


    lifetime dream of bing a billionaire is going toe true very soon. Once that happens, I¡¯ll take my


    family for a trip around the whole world! I will let my daughters spend thousands upon thousands of


    dors so they will never again think I¡¯m stingy!¡± He knew he hadn¡¯t been a good father to them, but once


    he fulfilled his goal, he would be ready to shower his love upon them.

 Chapter 125

    Chapter 125


    Jacob was talking with Fabio Romano, the one who owned over 500 theater sites across the world. ¡°It¡¯s


    risky, but if everything goes as nned, the profits will hit heaven. By the way, how are things going


    between your son and my daughter?¡±


    ¡°Remedeus is a soft guy,¡± replied Fabio, lighting up a cigar, ¡°but your daughter has been testing his


    temper, it seems. I just hope he doesn¡¯tsh out at her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. When soft guys get angry, they really get angry. Let¡¯s hope they¡¯ll somehow work it.¡± Jacob


    received a call. It was from Veronica. ¡°Speak of the devil!¡± He answered and put the call on speaker.


    ¡°Dad, I just went out on a date with Remedeus for the fourth time, and he wrote a poem for


    me.¡±


    ¡°Hoho, really?¡± Jacob chortled and looked at Fabio who smiled back. Even Fabio was surprised because


    he didn¡¯t think his son had it in him.


    ¡°Yeah, let me read it to you.¡±


    ¡°No need, girl. You should keep it to you.¡± ¡°No. Just listen first, okay?¡± she insisted. ¡°Veronica, you¡¯re my


    angel with eyes big as toad in a well, mouth round as fish in my te, and chest t as earth under my


    feet.¡±


    The cigar in Fabio¡¯s hand fell.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Jacob¡¯s expression also changed greatly.


    ¡°Those are just the first few lines of a page he gave me, dad,¡± Veronica seemed to be trying to not sound


    angry and frustrated. ¡°Nobody has ever insulted me like this and gotten away with it. I don¡¯t know what


    you¡¯ll do, but I want the fingers he wrote this poem to break! His thumb and index finger. I want both of


    them broken by the evening.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jacob¡¯s heart leaped into his mouth. He turned the speaker off


    and said, ¡°We¡¯ll talk once I get home.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯te home without breaking the fingers!¡±


    Jacob ended the call and shook his head.


    ¡°Forgive me for saying this,¡± Fabio said, ¡°but I think your youngest daughter is crazy.¡±


    Jacob could only force out a smile.


    Veronica, meanwhile, was roaming on the balcony, looking frustrated. ¡°Why don¡¯t I ever meet a man that


    I can imagine in my head?¡± as she bit her lip, the image of Shadow shed in her mind. She frowned.


    ¡°Why did I think of that waiter?¡± she touched her chest. ¡°He¡¯s strikingly handsome, but he¡¯s just another


    trash like Benjamin. If I get close to him and end up marrying him, I¡¯d be troubling the family just like sis


    did. I can¡¯t fall on my face like she did. I¡¯ll find the best man by myself!¡± Secondster, Remedeus called


    her and apologized, saying that he wrote the letter as a joke


    but not to hurt her feelings. However, she didn¡¯t believe his words. She was deeply hurt by what she had


    read, so she said, ¡°The wounds your words gave to my heart will never heal.¡±


    ¡°I thought we had something going,¡± Remedeus begged. ¡°Please give me another chance. I seriously


    believe we belong with each other.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? Let me tell you where you belong, Remedeus. In thepany of a woman who sneezes, burps,


    and farts in your face! Have fun praising her beauty just like you did to me!¡± Saying that, she cut the call.


    She still felt like burning him alive. ¡°Ugh! All I want is an honest boyfriend, but that¡¯s the one thing I can¡¯t


    ever seem to find!¡±. George approached her, shirtless and wearing shorts, exposing his hairy legs and


    dad-bod. Crunching on potato chips, he wore a big smile. ¡°It seems you¡¯re looking around the whole


    world when you have the most honest man in the world right before you,¡± he said confidently. ¡°Who?


    You?¡± she sniggered at his words.


    George shoved the shame aside and said, ¡°I¡¯m not wise as your father, but I¡¯m not stupid as his son-in-


    law, either. I don¡¯t lie. I don¡¯t steal. I¡¯m as honest as honesty can be. Life with me will be simple, so why


    don¡¯t you give me a try? I¡¯m sure your decision will make everyone in this house happy, but you¡¯ll be the


    happiest, I promise.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, don¡¯t dream, Uncle. You are more than ten years older than me, and you look like a pregnant pig.


    Why would I marry you? You think I¡¯m stupid and blind?¡± she shut her nose. ¡°At least shave your damn


    armpits before you walk around shirtless in the house!¡±


    Seeing how his dad-bod charm had failed, George was somewhat surprised. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fat for your


    standards, but that¡¯s because I¡¯m full of love. I¡¯m a love elephant, no, love bull. Once you get pierced by


    my loving horns, my name will y like a ringtone in your heart.¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± She didn¡¯t even spare


    another nce at him. He just watched as she walked away. ¡°s! Am I not going to be the son-in-


    law of the Sterling family?¡± he cried out to himself. Wanting to speak with Reba, Veronica went to her


    sister¡¯s room out of habit and then saw her mother reading a book.


    ¡°You finally found time to visit your mother?¡± Selena didn¡¯t sound too happy. ¡°Ha-ha, I was busy, mom.


    Sorry.¡± She came over and gave her a light hug. ¡°I¡¯m here now, aren¡¯t I? How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Great. I think I will win the trophy if I enter Wimbledon now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you will win it in your dreams tonight.¡±


    ¡°Haha.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s your lovelife?¡±


    ¡°What can I say¡­¡± Veronica¡¯s mouth turned down. ¡°Love and life don¡¯t seem to want to stick together


    when I¡¯m around.¡±


    ¡°Aw, my poor daughter,¡± Selena stroked her daughter¡¯s head. ¡°Do you want mommy¡¯s help?¡± ¡°Thanks,


    but no. I¡¯ll have to do this by myself.¡± ¡°Your wish, but make sure you don¡¯tmit the same mistake as


    your sister.¡± ¡°You need not say that to me, Mom. I¡¯ve got a three-digit IQ.¡± ¡°IQ with inexperience can


    easily be fooled, which is what happened in your sister¡¯s case. Don¡¯t let your emotions cloud your


    judgment. The person you¡¯re going to marry will need to be earning at least six figures.¡± ¡°Why only six?


    I¡¯ll go for nine figures.¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s my daughter. There¡¯s this guy from the Conreid family. He¡¯s about


    forty years old. What do you think?¡± ¡°No, mom. Forty is too old for me.¡± ¡°But then finding nine-figure guys


    who are both young and are top CEOs won¡¯t be easy.¡± ¡°Let me worry about that, okay?¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be


    waiting to hear the good news soon. Surprise me.¡±

 Chapter 126

    Chapter 126


    When Reba was having lunch, Veronica came home crying and ran to her room.


    Reba followed her into the room with a worried look on her face. Veronica had jumped onto her bed


    and buried her face in the pillow as tears kept flowing out. ¡°Veronica,¡± Reba sat down and grabbed


    her arm. ¡°What happened? Why are you crying like this? Did someone say anything bad to you?¡± Blood


    rushed into her eyes. While she might ignore insults thrown at her, she found it hard to digest when his


    sister was the subject of pain. ¡°Tell me his name. I¡¯ll go and put him in his ce!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make things worse for me, sis. Just go.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak like that. Tell me what happened. It will lessen the burden on your heart.¡±


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    ¡°Leave me alone, please.¡±


    ¡°Veronica. Nothing will change from crying, ¡°Reba sat down and tried to console her.¡± Only your


    health will worsen. So, please listen to me. Tell me what happened, and I¡¯ll try to give you a solution.¡±


    After crying some more, Veronica sat up. Reba wiped her tears off, but more tears leaked out


    nonstop, even though she wasn¡¯t crying out loud anymore. ¡°Who hurt you this much?¡± Reba was


    trying her best to not break something in rage.


    ¡°I went on a date with the son of the billionaire Ferver family,¡± she exined, her mouth turned down.


    ¡°And he said nice things about dad, mom, brother, and you, but then he said I¡¯m worth nothing because


    I¡¯m not sessful like you three.¡±


    ¡°He dared speak that way to you?¡± Reba¡¯s blood boiled. Her chest size began to increase with every


    breath. ¡°Who does he think is? Just because his father¡¯s a billionaire, he thinks he can talk trash to you?


    I will go and¡± ¡°He isn¡¯t wrong,¡± Veronica¡¯s head was tilted forward.


    ¡°What?¡± Reba was surprised. ¡°I don¡¯t have a job, sis,¡± Veronica¡¯s forehead puckered as her sister


    lifted her head by the chin. ¡°I¡¯m still living off of our parents¡¯ money. I¡¯m pathetic, just like he said.¡± Her


    heart ached, and she began sobbing again. ¡°No, you¡¯re not,¡± Reba pulled her closer and hugged her.


    ¡°You¡¯re not a loser. You¡¯re just slowpared to others because we all doted on you since you were


    young. That guy knew nothing about you. He had no idea what he was talking about, so don¡¯t take his


    words to your heart. But¡­ who even arranged a date with such a person?¡± ¡°M-Mom¡­¡±


    ¡°Tsk, she never takes a rest, does she?¡± Reba touched her forehead. ¡°Anyway, you shoulde with


    me.¡±


    Her heart skipped twice. ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°We will go and teach that prick a good lesson so he wouldn¡¯t hurt another woman like this!¡± ¡°What?¡±


    Veronica shook her head. ¡°No. Let¡¯s just forget it.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want toe, then I¡¯ll go alone. I can¡¯t


    just let this matter slide.¡± Reba hadn¡¯t seen Veronica cry like that in years, so she really wanted to


    teach Ron Ferver a humbling lesson. ¡°Please, sis. Don¡¯t make this matter worse,¡± she held her sister¡¯s


    hand to stop her.


    ¡°Listen, Veronica. You¡¯re undervaluing yourself because of some guy¡¯s words,¡± Reba touched her


    cheeks and wiped her tears with her thumbs. ¡°Adults are mainly judged by four things: Looks, skills,


    character, and wealth. You onlyck in the ¡®professional skills department, so don¡¯t think you¡¯re lower


    than someone with a job. Have more confidence in yourself, okay?¡±


    ¡°M-Mhm, but please don¡¯t go. Let¡¯s just end this thing here,¡± she begged.


    Reba pitied her sister. Veronica, who was usually so rebellious, looked like a scared little puppy. She


    sighed. ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t, but only if you promise you won¡¯t ever let others walk all over you without a damn


    good reason.¡±


    ¡°M-Mhm.¡±


    Reba smiled and hugged her and kissed on top of her head.


    A few hourster.


    At a private vi near the sea, Ron and his half-naked friends of both genders were having fun at the


    shore, ying all kinds of games. After getting tired, they sat down and chatted under fluffy clouds as


    wonderful waves crashed at their feet. Some women asked Ron topete with them in arm wrestling,


    and he obliged. As he was having fun giving them a tough time, ¡°Are you Ron?¡± a feminine voice


    reached his ears.


    ¡°Mm?¡± He looked to his right and upward. His eyes saw a woman with prettiness anybody would be


    jealous of. She was only standing and gazing, with her hair loosely falling on her shoulders, but there


    was a faint loftiness in her eyes that looked down on him and probably everyone else on earth because


    she looked like some immortal-queen incarnate.


    Every woman with working eyes would consider Ron as one of the most handsome men in the world, but


    such a man was struck silent by this total stranger. This was even more so the case for other men and


    women there. The women, especially, were ck jawed by her beauty and felt miniscule in her presence.


    A long minute had passed, but nobody said a word. ¡°Are you Ron?¡± she asked again. ¡°Y-Yes,¡± Ron found


    his voice and got up. He was much taller than her, who was only about 170cm tall, but still, her gaze was


    unaffected by his towering figure. ¡°And you are?¡± ¡°Reba Sterling,¡± she said calmly as waves greeted


    her feet. She was dressed conservatively, but she still stood out among the crowd and looked


    sophisticated and quiet.


    Ron¡¯s eyes broadened. ¡°That means¡­ you¡¯re Veronica¡¯s elder sister?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Reba looked at the women in the background. ¡°They say you can tell a man by the


    company he keeps. Every woman in your group is in mid twenties, yet they are wearing too much


    makeup even on a trip like this, as though they¡¯re begging to be fucked, which makes me wonder if


    you¡¯re just as attention-seeking as them.¡±


    Ron frowned for a second but then smiled, ¡°You know nothing about me, woman.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re right,¡± Reba said, ¡°but you knew nothing about my sister, either, yet you humiliated her


    on a date our parents arranged. Only the weak resort to such cheap actions. I just came here to tell


    you¡­ that you¡¯re much cheaper than my sister¡¯s sandals, Mr. Ron Ferver.¡±


    ¡°How dare you run your mouth like that!¡± the men in the back stepped forth. ¡°Ron, teach her a lesson!¡±


    Ron forced himself to smile and said, ¡°If you back your words with actions, l¡¯lle to your sister and


    apologize to her.¡±


    Reba raised her brows.


    ¡°You just have to win three arm-wrestling matches against three female friends of my choosing,¡± Ron


    said. ¡°What do you say?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Reba didn¡¯t hesitate for a second. ¡°But if you lose three times first, you will need to get down


    on your knees and apologize to me right here and now,¡± Ron¡¯s words made his friends snigger.


    Reba paused for a second before nodding.


    (She fell for it!) Ron grinned and looked at one of his female friends who was a state-level arm wrestler,


    and she winked as though telling her to leave everything. With a big rock as support, the match started.


    The first round started, and the opponent moved her arm before the p, causing Reba to lose. She


    wasn¡¯t surprised by how they were cheating, but she was angered by their dishonest means. She was


    well-prepared for the second round with a different opponent, but this time, the opponent lifted her elbow


    before she won over Reba; however, everyone else there denied it.


    ¡°You can¡¯t lose another match,¡± Ron reminded her.


    Anger almost immobilized Reba at this point. Her third opponent was a state-level arm wrestler,


    which she didn¡¯t know.


    Their hands firmly sped together. Everyone expected Reba to lose without their friend resorting to


    any tricks. The match ended in a second, as they had expected, but it was Reba¡¯s hand that was at


    the top. The jaws of everyone including that of Ron dropped and hit the sandy ground.


    The opponent, on the other hand, just looked stunned that the match was over before she could do


    anything ¡°Next,¡± Reba said indifferently.


    ¡°I want to try again,¡± the state-level yer said, gritting her teeth. Reba didn¡¯t object. The second


    round started. This time, she made sure to put all her strength into the wrist before Ron pped, which


    allowed her to stay in the game but not for long, though. Reba pulled her arm closer and swiftly


    thrashed the opponent¡¯s hand into the rock.


    The state-level yer cringed in pain as her knuckles bled. Ron and others werepletely shocked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve arm-wrestled with my eldest brother thousands of times in the past,¡± Reba said in a firm tone.


    ¡°Though I¡¯m yet to win against him, you are nowhere near his level.¡± Her words utterly destroyed the


    state-level yer¡¯s ego and also ate away the confidence in other females. Though Ron asked them to


    fight, they shook their heads, afraid to get injured. Reba peered at Ron coldly. ¡°I expect you¡¯ll show


    up before my sister and apologize to her, or you¡¯ll have epted that you really are cheaper than my


    sister¡¯s sandals.¡± Saying that she walked away calmly, enjoying the ocean¡¯s breeze.


    Ron looked annoyed and furious. He told his friends to get lost from there and leave him alone.


    ¡°Reba Sterling. I¡¯ll make you pay for this humiliation in my own way.¡±

 Chapter 127

    Chapter 127


    Jane and Donovan came to the Pure Waters bar. ¡°So this is where you said your friends first met, right?¡±


    Donovan asked her. ¡°Yeah, she didn¡¯te to this bar after that night, I think,¡± Jane replied.


    They sat at a table and ordered drinks.


    Jane kept staring at him. ¡°Donovan¡­ I don¡¯t care about your past or future ns, but just answer me this


    one thing. Ever since we started dating, have you slept with another woman?¡± Donovan was startled for


    a second, but he assuredly smiled, ¡°How can I?¡±


    ¡°Just say yes or no.¡±


    ¡°Of course, not.¡± He put his hand on top of her hand. ¡°We are a beautiful pair, and we are sexually


    compatible. Why would I even look for another woman?¡±


    She faintly smiled, but that didn¡¯tst long. ¡°You mean you will look at other women when I stop being


    beautiful?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that!¡±


    She smiled again and pped his hand. ¡°Just kidding.¡± Donovan breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°You know what? Our conversation reminds me of another conversation I had with Reba.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°Uh, well, I asked her how someone who was so picky and outwardly cold-hearted like her suddenly


    ended up marrying a guy. I asked what she saw in him that she didn¡¯t see in others.¡± ¡°Maybe his penis is


    just big?¡±


    ¡°Stop it. That¡¯s not the reason. Obviously,¡± Jane sipped on club soda. She thought back of her


    conversation with Reba.


    A few weeks ago.


    ¡°How did you two meet? What made you fall for him?¡± she asked Reba as they were driving in the


    Porsche. ¡°I didn¡¯t fall for him or anything¡­¡± Reba said, thinking back about that fateful night. ¡°I was


    stressed from work and so wanted to drink it off. Everything was okay until one of the guys I dated in the


    past came over and started asking how I was doing. He began interrogating me, and after realizing that I


    have stopped dating and am still single, he asked me out again. I refused politely, but he started cussing


    at me, saying things like no man will ever like me because I¡¯m arrogant and that my chances of marrying


    will only keep going down with every passing day. I just wanted to prove that guy wrong, so I looked


    around the bar for the most handsome face, and¡­¡±


    ¡°AND?¡± Jane¡¯s face lit up from excitement. She somehow knew what Reba was going to say


    afterward.


    ¡°And, there he was, sitting in the dark corner, shining like an angel. He was the perfect choice, I thought,


    and then went over to his table. We introduced ourselves and started talking¡­¡±


    ¡°Then what happened?¡±


    ¡°Well, we talked a lot.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but what was different about him?¡± Jane stressed her words. She wanted to know more details.


    ¡°He¡¯s handsome, I get it, but there must be something more you noticed in him, right?¡±


    ¡°Mm?¡± Reba tilted her head and hought for a second. ¡°You¡¯re thinking?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been so long, you know.


    How can I remember everything that happened that night?¡± ¡°So, nothing special happened then?¡±


    Reba thought for a second and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s special or not, but I did remember asking him


    during the conversation if he can love his wife the same even after she turns old and ugly. Do you know


    what he said?¡± ¡°Of course, he would have said yes.¡± ¡°Not quite,¡± Reba clicked her tongue. ¡°What did


    he say?¡±


    Reba was looking at the traffic, but her eyes began smiling. ¡°He said he hopes his love for his wife


    will only grow and ripen along with her age as it would be necessary.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ it?¡± Jane didn¡¯t know how


    to take it.


    ¡°Yeah. He didn¡¯t say any cheesy or over-the-top lines like he does these days. His words that night were


    pretty pure and soul-touching. He appeared pure, like he grew up untouched by the filth in this society.¡±


    ¡°And you made such a man into a simp who doesn¡¯t leave your shadow.¡± Reba sighed and said, ¡°I


    have my reasons.¡± ¡°What reasons?¡± Jane frothed at her mouth. ¡°Clearly, you have a thing for him, so just


    shut up and start being honest with yourself. Why are you spoiling both of your lives? Go home and


    apologize to him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what to do.¡± Coming back to the present. Jane and Donovan were


    having a great time together in the bar. After drinking, they even danced together for a while. As they


    were leaving the bar in a drunken state, Benjamin entered the bar. They were too drunk to notice him,


    but he saw them and was shocked. ¡°Why the hell are they still together?¡± he smacked his hand on top of


    his own head. ¡°Didn¡¯t Reba see the video yet?¡±


    Eight police cars and a van suddenly stopped at the bar, and they took their guns out before rushing into


    the bar.


    ¡°Freeze!¡± they warned the customers. ¡°Anyone who moves will be shot!¡±


    While almost everyone stopped, the DJ took their words lightly and still yed the music, and he was


    shot in the shoulder, causing everyone to panic and run away. The police ignored the people and went to


    the basement. Therge metal door was broken open with a bomb. Rodnie was inside with five popr


    business men and some half-naked girls serving them The table behind them was stacked with cash,


    and theptop screens showed the software they were using to conduct online betting. The televisionOwned by N?velDrama.Org.


    was ying a ser match, ¡°Rodnie Piper! You¡¯re under arrest for illegal betting and gambling!¡± ¡°Do you


    know who I am?¡± Rodnie yelled at them. ¡°You don¡¯t want to be putting me behind bars!¡±


    ¡°We very much know who you used to be,¡± the police weren¡¯t intimidated by his words. They forcibly put


    him and others in shackles. ¡°I¡¯m a school principal. What will happen to the school if you send me to


    prison?¡± Rodnie asked, trying to raise the levels of pity in their hearts. ¡°Think of the children¡¯s future.¡±


    ¡°The court will decide what will happen to the school and to this bar and every other property you own.¡±


    As Rodnie was being forcibly taken out, most of the customers had long run away, but the police noticed


    that there was still another man sitting on the couch and pouring drinks for himself.


    ¡°Who the fuck is he?¡± some police wondered. ¡°Please take care of the school for me until I return, sir,¡±


    Rodnie shouted. Benjamin raised his ss, as though he was giving his approval.


    After the police took Rodnie and others away, one of them came back and told Benjamin to walk out as


    they were going to close the bar indefinitely. ¡°This ce is really special to me,¡± Benjamin replied


    somewhat indifferently. ¡°I can¡¯t let you guys close it, even if it¡¯s for a few days.¡± ¡°What?¡± the police


    couldn¡¯t believe the nerve of this guy.

 Chapter 128

    Chapter 128


    ¡°This ce is really special to me,¡± Benjamin replied somewhat indifferently. ¡°I can¡¯t let you guys close it,


    even if it¡¯s for a few days.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± the police officer couldn¡¯t believe the nerve of this guy. He took his baton out.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Wow, chill, bro,¡± Benjamin got out of the seat. ¡°You don¡¯t have the court orders to shut this ce down,


    do you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to show you anything. Now, get out!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, sir,¡± Benjamin politely said. ¡°My inws have been treating me poorly, so this is the only


    ce I cane every day and take my stress out, so what will happen to me if you close this bar?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± the officer yelled.


    ¡°Then, can I at leaste to your station and pass time there?¡± Benjamin innocently asked. ¡°What?¡±


    Irritation coiled up the officer¡¯s intestines. ¡°You think that the police station is your guest house?¡± he


    swung the baton at Benjamin¡¯s legs without hesitation. Benjamin jumped over the couch and dodged the


    attack. The officer chased him. Benjamin made him run around until he lost his breath. ¡°What the hell do


    you eat?¡± the officer couldn¡¯t believe it because he sweated buckets, whereas Benjamin barely shed a


    drop of sweat. He wanted to beat the crap out of Benjamin, but to do that, he had to first catch him.


    Benjamin sat on the couch and poured some vodka. ¡°Come and have some of this Easy Elixir, sir. It


    costs 1250 dors per shot.¡±


    1250 dors. The price of it tempted the officer. He licked his lips and came over and gave it a shot.


    ¡°Mmgh,¡± he loved the way the vodka punched his throat. He could feel it even after it slid down into the


    stomach. ¡°How is it?¡±


    ¡°Strong,¡± the officer said and then swiftly caught Benjamin¡¯s arm and grinned. ¡°Got ya. You can¡¯t escape


    now.¡± Benjamin grinned. ¡°Pay 1250 dors, please.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± the officer asked, but then his eyes widened slowly.


    ¡°The cameras in this ce recorded everything, sir,¡± Benjamin said. ¡°Pay me and silently leave, or I¡¯ll


    share the video online. It¡¯ll embarrass the whole department, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    The officer swallowed his breath for a second and then said, ¡°What if I destroy the evidence and then put


    you behind the bars for ckmailing an officer on duty?¡±


    ¡°If you try to destroy the evidence, I¡¯ll try to be an upright citizen and beat your ass.¡± ¡°Hoho, really now?¡±


    The officer snickered. ¡°You think I¡¯m that easy, huh!¡± He threw a left jab


    at Benjamin¡¯s face, but his fist got caught easily by Benjamin¡¯s hand.


    ¡°This is just self defense,¡± Benjamin kicked in his crotch. The officer fell to his knees, Benjamin punched


    his face hard enough to knock him out.


    He poured vodka in another ss.


    Secondster, the chief justice Terry Praise walked into the bar with the help of a walking stick, even


    though he didn¡¯t really need one.


    ¡°So you¡¯re behind this,¡± Benjamin pursed his lips. ¡°You know, I¡¯m really sorry about your daughter. If I


    could raise the dead like Jesus, I would have brought her out of the ground for a father and daughter


    reunion, but I don¡¯t have such powers. Heck, it took me months just to get my wife to treat me like a man.


    I¡¯m just a guy trying to get his life sorted, so leave me alone for both of our sakes. Doing all these things


    wouldn¡¯t bring your daughter back.¡±


    Terry¡¯s red eyes were clouded by a wall of tears. ¡°My daughter didn¡¯t have a mother growing up, but I¡¯ve


    given everything she asked for. I only wanted her to live her life however she wanted, but you killed her.


    YOU took my only light in this world away from me, so I will not stop until I take away everything you


    consider precious. This bar you¡¯re visiting everyday, I will order it to be brought to the ground within two


    days, and the school your nieces and nephews are studying at will suffer the same fate. Stop me if you


    can.¡± Terry, not wanting to look at Benjamin any longer, turned around and walked out.


    Shadow appeared behind the couch. ¡°He really misses his daughter. Should I send him to her?¡±


    Benjamin cast an angry nce at him.


    ¡°S-Sorry, my lord. I was trying to ease your nerves with one of my tasteless jokes, but he said he wants


    to take away everything that¡¯s precious to you. He doesn¡¯t know he can¡¯t achieve that, but he can still


    make a mess out of the Sterlings.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about the Sterlings, but have someone guard Reba at all times.¡±


    ¡°What do you think about Mina?¡± ¡°She would be perfect, but would my father allow her to leave?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take


    care of it and bring her over before dawn.¡± Shadow looked down at the police officer lying on the floor.


    ¡°What about this guy? And what about the challenge the judge made about the bar and the school?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle it, so go.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± He nced at the vodka bottles. ¡°I know these guys can¡¯t harm you, but you can still harm


    yourself. So be careful, my lord.¡± Saying that he vanished. Benjamin picked up the vodka ss and


    finished it in one go. Meanwhile, Jane and Donovan stopped at a filling station, where Akash, Veronica¡¯s


    ex-lover, was working part-time. He filled the tank but received no tip from Jane. He put his shame aside


    and asked, ¡°A little tip would help, ma¡¯am.¡± He wouldn¡¯t have asked if Jane hadn¡¯t filled the tank fully.


    ¡°You¡¯re getting paid for your work, so why should I give you a tip?¡± Jane rebuked him and left.


    METER 128


    The next vehicle was a bike. It was Steve. He gave a 5 dor tip to Akash even though he didn¡¯t ask for


    it.


    Akash thanked him. He could see there wasn¡¯t much money in Steve¡¯s purse, but he still gave five


    dors to him. ¡°They say a light purse makes a heavy heart, but that¡¯s not always true,¡± he thought.


    Shawn had messed with his start-uppany and brought him to the streets. He thought ofmitting


    suicide many times, but it was the promises he made to his parents that were keeping him going.


    Working at a filling station wasn¡¯t easy because his arms weren¡¯t fully healed yet, but it was just hard


    enough for him to get used to working with his arms. Because he said he would work 90 hours per week,


    he received the job. His fast recovery shocked the doctors, but they had no idea that Alfred was behind


    it.


    Though he was trying to get back to his feet, he still couldn¡¯t forget what had happened. After he inquired


    about Shawn, he came to know that he was Veronica¡¯s elder brother. Akash still didn¡¯t think it was her


    who made her brother beat him. He thought Shawn acted on his own, but he would have been utterly


    devastated if he had known it was Veronica who was responsible for putting him through a horrifying, life-


    spoiling experience.


    In the meantime, Donovan dropped Jane at her apartment and told her he had some work to take care of


    her. She trusted him, so she didn¡¯t even ask him for further details.


    Donovan drove to the same lodge he visitedst time. He had no idea that Steve was following him.


    Steve had the feeling that something wasn¡¯t right. ¡°What kind of business do you have in this ce at


    this hour? Surely, it isn¡¯t just for talking, I believe.¡± He opened his purse and looked at Jane¡¯s picture. ¡°I


    got this far for you, babe. I¡¯m willing to even break thew if it¡¯s for your


    sake.¡±

 Chapter 129

    Chapter 129


    ¡°I was so looking forward toing to your wedding reception, but then it didn¡¯t happen.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Evelyn, Reba was talking over a mobile while learning to cook rice with the help of online


    video# ¡°A lot of things happened, and I can¡¯t give you a date yet, but it will happen one day¡±


    ¡°Huh, I thought you would be thest one to get married in our friend group, but you are always full of


    surprises.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t n for things to happen this way, you know.¡± ¡°Mm, can you help me find a


    boyfriend? They all look the same to me, Give me some advice, You used to date many men in


    university? How did you choose them?¡± ¡°Haha. I didn¡¯t choose them. They chose me.¡±


    Evelyn sighed. ¡°So I just have to try everyone and then judge?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no easy way as far I know,¡± replied Evelyn. ¡°But when you find the right one, your heart will tell


    you that he¡¯s special¡±


    ¡°Special in what way?


    ¡°Well, my guy can sweet talk, but he doesn¡¯t put up all sorts of facades like most men do. He doesn¡¯t act


    cool or vague. He¡¯s simple and straight to the point. More importantly, he does everything I ask of him,


    except hiding his feelings for me. Some may consider his words as sweet-sounding nonsense, but I feel


    sincerity in his words. I thought his sincerity wouldn¡¯tst long in our vi, but it did. So, he grew up on


    me, and I stopped treating him lightly. Though he doesn¡¯t earn anywhere as much as I do, I¡¯m fine with


    it.¡±


    ¡°I wishi could marry some normal guy like you did, but my dreams don¡¯t allow me to do that.¡± ¡°Did you


    buy the apartment yet?¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting there. I¡¯ll buy it by the end of this year, and then I¡¯ll be ready to


    marry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to call me every now and then.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Bye. Tell your husband I asked him.¡± She ended the call.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    The electric cooker had done its job, Reba checked the rice, and she wasn¡¯t satisfied. ¡°Did I pour a


    little more water than necessary?¡±


    She then learned to make tea, omelets, fruit juices, and other simple food items that morning All the


    sessful items ended up on the dining table. Though the adults didn¡¯t like the varieties, the children


    did.


    After learning that Reba was cooking, lunch, Selena had toe rushing to the kitchen.¡± Reba,


    are you out of your mind? What are you doing in the kitchen?¡±


    ¡°What will people do in the kitchen?¡± she casually responded,


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t cook. That¡¯s the job of the workers, Selena stressed her words as it wasn¡¯t


    even a holiday that day, which meant that Reba likely skipped work that day. ¡°You earn in millions!


    Your time is too valuable to be spent on cutting carrots and boiling potatoes!¡± ¡°Mom,¡± Reba looked


    straight into her eyes. ¡°Your favorite hobby is reading books. Did I ever say you¡¯re wasting hours upon


    hours doing that every single day?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Selena barked. ¡°Reading books is the


    privilege of the rich. It makes you wise, but what does cooking do? What does spending time in the


    kitchen achieve?¡± ¡°The cream coffee you drink every morning¡­ where is it produced?¡± asked Reba.


    ¡°The favorite food items you like to snack on while reading books¡­ aren¡¯t they all produced in this


    kitchen?¡±


    Selena frowned.


    Selena put the knife down and turned to face her. ¡°I didn¡¯t share this with you until now, mom, but you


    probably know why I stopped eating fast food long ago, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I know why you stopped consuming


    soft drinks. It¡¯s because you grew tired of drinking one too many, but as for fast food¡­¡± she slightly


    shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Reba¡¯s expression turned a little sad. ¡°When I was in the sixth


    standard I think, I ate bad food and suffered from a severe stomach pain, remember?¡±


    Selena nodded a bitte because she didn¡¯t remember that incident.


    ¡°I felt so upset from the pain that I felt life was just crap. Dad took me to the hospital, but I didn¡¯t like the


    atmosphere there, so I couldn¡¯t stay there. As we wereing home, Dad took me to a movie, even


    though I said I didn¡¯t want to. It was the first movie he solely produced. An actionedy. I remember


    laughing so hard and shedding happy tears while watching the movie. By the time the movie ended, my


    stomach pain waspletely gone.¡± A corner of her mouth curled up as her eyes turned slightly wet.


    ¡°My mood has improved a lot, and life didn¡¯t


    feel shitty as I walked out of that theater.


    ¡°Just those two hours in the theater changed my perspective of the world a lot. One good movie healed


    my depressed heart. Since that day I started seeking quality in all aspects of life because of the power it


    held. That¡¯s why I try to refrain myself from eating garbage. That¡¯s why I tried keeping myself pure for ¡®the


    one¡¯, even though my best friend kept telling me how great sex is. And when Benjamin took that purity,


    which I safeguarded with all my body, mind, and soul for years, away from me, I got so angry at him I


    wanted to see his world shatter just like mine did. What I did with him is pathetic, but¡­ I¡¯m doing what I


    can to right my wrongs. I¡¯m trying to stop thinking with my vagina.¡± Selena looked frozen as her muscles


    grew tense. Words found it hard to flow out of her mouth. ¡°D-D-Don¡¯t tell me.. You¡¯re learning to cook for


    that lying, adulterous son of a bitch, Benjamin?¡±


    Selena frowned and said, ¡°He¡¯s like a good movie, mom.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Traces of anger surged within her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? How can you waste your


    precious time for that useless guy even after he cheated on you? He¡¯s not like a good movie. He¡¯s the


    disaster of this decade! He¡¯s the curse God put on our family!¡± ¡°You are entitled to have your own


    opinion.¡±

 Chapter 130

    Chapter 130


    ¡°Stop with your nonsense,¡± Jane yelled at Steve through the mobile in the middle of the night.


    ¡°Look. I didn¡¯t see them in action, but I sent you the picture, didn¡¯t I?¡± Steve spoke, trying to reason her.


    ¡°When hees home, ask him.¡±


    ¡°Ask what? It¡¯s just a picture showing him and a girling out of a lodge,¡± Jane said, frustratingly. ¡°How


    can you tell from this that they¡¯re even together? They must being out at the same time.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± he raised his voice. ¡°They¡¯re not holding each other¡¯s hands, but you can tell


    they¡¯re walking together, can¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t, but let¡¯s talk about this. Were you following him?¡± ¡°No,¡± he replied without a shred of hesitation. ¡°I


    just happened to be passing by, and I saw


    this.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Like I¡¯d believe it. I know you are desperate, but this is too much to the point you¡¯re starting to


    scare me, Steve.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s not my intention,¡± Steve¡¯s heart felt troubled. ¡°You know that, right? I would


    never harm you. I was fine when I saw you with Donovan first, but he¡¯s not who you think he is.¡±


    ¡°Alright. You should stop this and go home.¡± She ended the call and clutched her head. ¡°I rejected him


    like a hundred times, and he still doesn¡¯t give up. I don¡¯t want to hurt him, but if he keeps this up, I¡¯ll be


    forced to.¡±


    About an hourter. Donovan came home and was surprised to see that Jane was still awake. ¡°You said


    you wille back in an hour, but it¡¯s 1 o¡¯clock now,¡± Jane looked far from happy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was talking


    with this media person, and time flew by,¡± he removed his shirt and pants, leaving only his underpants


    on. ¡°Is that media person a young beautiful woman, I presume?¡± she asked. Donovan nced at her and


    smiled, ¡°Why are you asking?¡± ¡°Just wondering what kind of reporters take interviews at midnight.¡±


    Donovan forced out a smile. ¡°Are you doubting my loyalty, darling? My worth is over nine million


    dors. I could bang a dozen chicks per day if I wanted to, yet here I am, trying to exin myself to you


    that I¡¯m an honest person. Why do you think so?¡± Jane exhaled audibly. ¡°Words and actions need to


    match, Donovan. If you keep going out at night for random reasons, no matter what exnation you try


    to give me, I can never fully believe you.¡± ¡°We talked about this already, didn¡¯t we? I¡¯m a professional


    wrestler, for fucking sake, Jane. I have the habit of working and talking with peoplete at night,¡± his


    voice grew sharp, ¡°even


    before you entered my life. And now you¡¯re suddenly questioning my habits, huh, when I even crossed


    seas toe and meet you?¡± Jane¡¯s heart ached a little. ¡°I know you care for me, but¡­ maybe I¡¯m still


    bothered by what happened thest time we had sex.¡±


    ¡°And I promised you I won¡¯t do it again. It happened in a rush. I didn¡¯t mean to do it.¡±


    ¡°I know. I know.¡± Jane awkwardly smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll try not to act like an insecure little


    girl.¡±


    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s the Jane I fell for,¡± he hugged her. ¡°Full of boldness and confidence.¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hehe.¡± She smiled happily as she melted in his embrace.


    The next morning.


    Benjamin made Shadow run the Pure Waters bar, but what Shadow didn¡¯t expect was that Alfred would


    be the first customer.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t tell me how he took care of the police officer,¡± Shadow asked him. ¡°You know anything?¡±


    ¡°He probably paid him off, but more importantly,¡± Alfred¡¯s gaze turned sharp. ¡°Why did you bring Mina


    without His permission?¡±


    ¡°It was urgent, so¡­¡± Shadow smiled not so freely. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Him through the phone.¡± ¡°Even if you tell


    Him she¡¯s guarding the Master¡¯s wife, you can¡¯t escape His punishment.¡± ¡°Ha-ha-ha.¡± Shadowughed


    tensely. ¡°You will tell Him to go easy on me, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see, but first, pour me some wine, will


    you? My body is all stiff.¡±


    ¡°I will, but you have to pay.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the first customer after I took over this bar, you see.¡± ¡°Geez.¡± Alfred could only shake his head


    and take some coins out of his pocket.


    Meanwhile, one of Artur¡¯s bodyguards was waiting at Rye¡¯s Pizzas with a small ax hidden under his shirt.


    Sasha served him pizzas and fries and was happy because he was not only eating a lot but also gave


    her a 10 dor tip, so she let him sit at the table as much as he wanted. When Damian came, she even


    gave him a long, tight hug, which he very much liked.


    Benjamin was on his way to Rye¡¯s Pizzas, but Reba called him and told him toe to the Mabel


    Fort but didn¡¯t tell him why. Still and all, he called Christopher and told him he¡¯d bete to work before


    heading to where Reba was.


    Mabel Fort was a medieval fort built by a king for his queen¡¯s 60th birthday. This was probably the most


    famous ce among couples, and hundreds if not thousands of couples visited this ce on every


    sunny day. The price to roam around the fort was also pretty cheap. Only five dors per head, and one


    could stay there from anywhere between the sixes.


    Benjamin didn¡¯t know about the history of the Mabel fort, but when he got there, Reba was waiting for


    him at the entrance, near her Porsche. Cars were not allowed inside, so they had to walk on foot. She


    took arge bag from the car, and Benjamin carried it for her. Without her telling, he could smell the food


    inside the bag. ¡°What¡¯s inside?¡± he still asked anyway. ¡°Please tell me you haven¡¯t had breakfast yet,¡±


    she expectantly asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± he replied softly. Having drunk a lot the previous night, he wasn¡¯t in the


    mood for an early breakfast, and he was now d he didn¡¯t eat anything.


    After roaming for about fifteen minutes, they settled in a small cave with a waterfall in the background.


    She opened the bag and told him all the varieties she had made. Benjamin salivated from smelling some


    of the items. ¡°Wow, did you cook all these?¡±


    Reba was pleasantly surprised. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°A guess,¡± he looked at her, feeling somewhat proud of her. ¡°Making these must have taken a lot of time.¡±


    She must have been preparing these since midnight, he thought and tried the carrot pudding and nodded


    his head in appreciation. ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he kept chewing it. ¡°There¡¯s just enough brown butter and cardamom in it. Wish there were


    cashews, though.¡± Reba put her hands on top of her head. ¡°I was thinking I missed something. So it¡¯s


    the cashew. Dammit!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Benjamin smiled. ¡°This isn¡¯t bad, but how did you know this is one of


    my favorites?¡± he curiously asked.


    ¡°You used to make it often for dinner, so it was kind of obvious,¡± she said and giggled.


    ¡°Mm, but why did you prepare so many items? Is there anything special about today?¡± he asked casually


    while enjoying the sweet item. Reba¡¯s expression changed slightly. ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s heart skipped a little. ¡°D-Don¡¯t tell me¡­ it¡¯s your birthday? No, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Benjamin!¡±


    she pinched his thigh, making him cringe in pain. ¡°Last year, on this same day¡­ in the Pure Waters bar,


    we first met each other!¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s eyes widened. She remembered that? He surely didn¡¯t. ¡°It¡¯s been exactly a year,¡± she said,


    folding her arms. ¡°How can you not keep track of it?¡± Sensing the disappointment in her voice, Benjamin


    wanted to do something, something more than just a typical apology. He picked up the pudding with a


    spoon and brought it toward her mouth, pleasantly surprising her. She stared at him for a couple of


    seconds before opening her mouth.


    As far as she could remember, nobody had ever put food in her mouth. Neither her parents, nor her


    friends, so her eyes turned teary. She leaned across the food items and hugged him.


    Benjamin didn¡¯t expect that. He didn¡¯t know what made her emotional, but he would prefer this version of


    her to the indifferent Reba any time.

 Chapter 131

    Chapter 131


    ¡°If I had known you would hug me for feeding you a spoonful of carrot pudding, I¡¯d have done it every


    night when I was in the vi.¡±


    ¡°Haha.¡±


    Benjamin and Reba enjoyed the meal together in a cave with a cold butfortable atmosphere.


    They toured throughout the Mabel fort and took pictures together. There were no animals other than a


    few birds, but the visuals from there were quite stunning as the fort was built on top of a mountain. They


    climbed the famous Mabel hill that had 777 steep steps to the top. Reba went three-fourths on her


    feet, and Benjamin carried her in arms for the rest, embarrassing her quite so much with his overly


    enthusiastic action. From the top of the Mabel hill, the whole city was up for view. There were stone


    benches, so they sat there. She prepared fresh lemon water with salt, sugar, and a little bit of grated chili


    mixed and shaken well. He drank it without a problem, but it was too spicy for her. Her tongue and mouth


    were on fire. Luckily, she brought some choctes and kept raking through her bag. ¡°Where are the


    choctes? I¡¯m sure I put them in.¡± ¡°Here, have some cold water.¡± He offered her a water bottle. She


    hastily had a few gulps and that didn¡¯t help much. He gave her the sugar packet, but she looked at him


    with a puzzled expression. ¡°Toss some of it in your mouth,¡± he said. ¡°It will help.¡± She quickly poured into her


    mouth all that was left in the packet. In a few seconds, the fire in her mouth began to subside. Her eyes were still watery, and her


    mouth was still wet. The expression she made was just too much for Benjamin. He grabbed her cheeks with both hands and pulled


    them like he was dealing with a child. Reba peered at him, wondering what he was doing. ¡°Sorry,¡± he let go of her cheeks, ¡°I


    couldn¡¯t control myself.¡±


    ¡°Sugar really helped,¡± Reba exhaled from her mouth repeatedly. ¡°Howe I never knew about this?


    Choctes are made of sugar, too.¡± ¡°If you ask me, you should have just licked your lips, ¡± Benjamin


    opined. ¡°They store the sweetest honey in the world. It would have instantly ended your suffering.¡±


    Reba gave him an icy look. ¡°Your descriptions are really getting out of hand with every passing day.¡±


    ¡°The path of true love never runs smooth,¡± Benjamin bitterly said, ¡°but I shall ovee all obstacles in


    time.¡±


    ¡°What the heck are you talking about?¡±


    Just then, three people arrived at the top of Mabel hill.


    ¡°Wow, what a view!¡± the short-haired brte, Daisy, took in the magnificent view of the


    city. ¡°It¡¯s well worth climbing all those steps.¡± ¡°We should have climbed during the evening, though,¡± the


    long-haired brte, Amelia, opened up her umbre. She was slightly chubby unlike the athletic Daisy.


    Both the sisters sat on a stone bench, and the curly-haired guy, Gael, sat in their middle and held


    Amelia¡¯s hand.


    Daisy noticed that and grabbed Gael¡¯s other hand and happily smiled. As she looked around, she


    noticed Benjamin. ¡°Woah, what a long beard!¡±


    Benjamin and Reba were sitting about twenty feet away from them, so they could clearly hear her


    words.


    ¡°He almost looks like one of the viins in the El Man trailer, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Daisy said.


    Amelia signaled with her eyes, telling her little sister to stop. ¡°Brother-inw,¡± Daisy curled her arm


    around Gael¡¯s arm and said, ¡°you will take me to the theater for the El Man movie, won¡¯t you?¡± ; ¡°No,¡±


    Gael was quick to reply. ¡°Why? I thought you wanted to watch the movie?¡± ¡°I did, because that movie


    producer didn¡¯t see a failure yet,¡± Gael said, ¡°but his wife¡¯s nude photos were recently released online,


    and it has caused quite a stir among the school students.¡±


    ¡°A-Are you saying the producer released his own wife¡¯s pictures online?¡± Amelia, who was also Gael¡¯s


    wife, covered her mouth in shock.


    ¡°Obviously,¡± Gael said. ¡°It was probably all part of the promotions. He has two big budget movies


    uing, so he resorted to this type of cheap tactic. He lost all my respect because of it. So¡­¡± he


    nced at Daisy. ¡°I¡¯m not watching El Man or any other movies produced by Jacob Sterling anymore. If


    you still want to watch the movie, you can take your sister along.¡± ¡°No. I won¡¯t go if you are noting,


    so pleasee.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What sort of logic is that?¡±


    As the three of them kept talking without any break in sight. Reba, on the other hand, looked quite


    ufortable even though she was sitting a little bit far from them.


    ¡°Shall we go?¡± Benjamin asked, and she nodded. They packaged the stuff in the bag and climbed down


    the stairs, holding each other¡¯s hands. The steps were steep, so she had to hold his hand to feel safer.


    After they climbed down, she still didn¡¯t let go of his hand. ¡°I wanted to tell them that my dad didn¡¯t do it,¡±


    Jane said, ¡°but I¡¯m not 100% sure about my dad, and I¡­¡± she gritted her teeth, ¡°hate it.¡±


    ¡°There are always those that perceive things wrongly,¡± Benjamin softly said. ¡°We can¡¯t convince or


    control them, so don¡¯t take their words to heart.¡±


    UHARTER 131


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She still had the frown on her face as she walked past him. ¡°I¡¯m going home.¡± Benjamin


    wanted to ask her to stop and share her burden with him, but he couldn¡¯t even utter the word ¡®wait.¡¯ After


    she was no longer within earshot, he frustratingly said, ¡°Dammit, man. Those three spoiled our day.¡±


    ¡°Keke,¡± a rather wildughter reached his ears. A muscr woman in a gray suit shed next to him.


    She was almost 200cm tall and looked like a woman in herte forties even though she was well over


    seventy years old. ¡°You don¡¯t have a clue on how tofort women, do you, Master Benjamin?¡±


    ¡°I told her to not take their words to heart,¡± Benjamin didn¡¯t even look at her. ¡°What more could I have


    done? Forced her to stop worrying?¡± ¡°Actions are more powerful than words, so you should have hugged


    her or kissed her or should have done something that could make her forget everything else.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Her response startled him. He nced at her. ¡°You¡­ How long are you nning to stand here? Go and


    guard my wife.¡± She raised one of her brows. ¡°Is that an order or a request?¡±


    ¡°A bit of both.¡±


    ¡°Hah, fine. Mina will keep your wife safe, so make sure to send me a box full of ice creams every night.¡±


    She started walking. ¡°There¡¯s nothing better than eating ice cream during the cold weather of the night.¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°Why do I feel like I missed a good chance of kissing Reba¡¯s lips?¡± he


    thought and imagined himself doing it, but then Reba pped him for not even reading her mood.


    ¡°No.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Maybe I did the right thing by not overdoing things.¡± He sighed. ¡°Geez, it¡¯s


    really hard to understand women sometimes. At this rate, when am I going to kiss her?¡±

 Chapter 132

    Chapter 132


    Reba was reading private messages on her social media ounts.


    ¡°Do you do hook-ups? I can pay a thousand per night.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re much prettier than your mother. Please let me lick your toes.¡±


    ¡°Can we meet? I¡¯ll do whatever you want.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll happily pay ten grand for your underwear.¡± ¡°I earn over


    100K a year. Can we go out on a date?¡±


    ¡°Are you really married? If not, I can divorce my wife and marry you. Is that okay?¡±


    Reba was grinding her teeth as she scrolled through the messages. She was not much of a social


    media person, but she just wanted to check her online profiles once to see how they were doing, but she


    didn¡¯t expect a long list of messages from perverts. ¡°These idiots have no other business? How can they


    be so shameless? How can I change the settings so strangers can¡¯t post me messages? I should ask


    Veronica. She knows better about these things.¡± She called Veronica, but her sister didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°What¡¯s she doing?¡± she tried again, but there was no response.


    She put the mobile aside, but she was still frustrated, not because of the online messages but because


    of Gael¡¯s words. ¡°Dad would never do such a thing for money, right?¡±


    Her memories offered her no solid answer for her question.


    Meanwhile, Veronica was on a blind date, and the guy turned out to be a jerk who kept


    shamelessly staring at her chest. She would have gotten up and left already, but she liked the fruit


    delight, so kept having it while hearing his boring speech. She saw Donovan at another table sitting with


    a woman who wasn¡¯t Jane. She snapped some pics and shared them with her sister and Jane.


    Secondster, Donovan received a call, and he had to exin himself.


    Veronica looked amused now that she had taken the smile on Donovan¡¯s face away.


    ¡°Do you know how to fix a light bulb?¡± she asked the guy sitting at her table.


    ¡°Of course,¡± his smile was a reflection of his inner thoughts. (Is she asking me to enter her home with this


    excuse?) He quickly finished his meal.


    Veronica took him in her vehicle, but she didn¡¯t go to the Sterling vi. She instead went to Shawn¡¯s


    office during closing hours and had his men beat this guy.


    ¡°I went to the date fully fitted, but he kept staring at my chest like he didn¡¯t even care if I noticed it or not,¡±


    Veronica fumed at him. ¡°Beat him! Keep beating him until his bulbs bulge thrice their normal size. He


    shouldn¡¯t even be able to have a wet dream for another year!¡± As this was happening, Akash just


    happened to be passing by that road. His trauma returned


    after seeing Shawn in action, and he ran away from the scene, sweating buckets.


    After beating the guy, Shawn looked at his sister. ¡°I¡¯ve never asked you this, but what kind of hill are you


    trying to di(n)e on?¡±


    ¡°A-Are you talking about the manly hills?¡± she asked back in a bit of a codednguage so that the other


    men nearby wouldn¡¯t easily understand what they were talking about.


    1


    2.


    Shawn raised his brow. ¡°What else is there to talk about? If it¡¯s not working out for you, I can show you


    some trivial hills.¡±


    1


    ¨C


    11


    -)


    .


    NO


    ¨C


    1.


    ¡°No thanks. Thest hill Mom showed me had its head in the clouds.¡± ¡°I can show you a more grounded


    one. Someone from a humble background, if you want.¡± ¡°Thanks, Brother, but I want to walk alone until I


    stumble upon some beautiful hill.¡± ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Shawn didn¡¯t persuade her anymore as she always


    shut him out of her life, except when she needed him for something. She was much more natural at


    using him than he was at using her. ¡°What shall we do with him, sir?¡± the men asked Shawn.


    ¡°Scrap him up,¡± he said, and they went for another round of beating even though the guy begged them to


    spare him. At Pure Waters bar. Benjamin was drinking with Alfred and shadow. ¡°You¡¯ve downed fifteen


    liters of strong wine in five minutes, Master,¡± Alfred tried to pull the wine bottle from Benjamin¡¯s hand.


    ¡°You should control yourself, or you¡¯ll lose yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not drunk, hic,¡± Benjamin didn¡¯t let him have the bottle. He took a few more gulps before continuing


    to speak with a tearful expression, ¡°They say nice things happen to nice people. I¡¯ve always been nice to


    my wife, but she doesn¡¯t even let me kiss her. Why?¡±


    ¡°I have no answer to such a question,¡± Alfred replied. ¡°If she lets me kiss her, I¡¯ll kill all the bacteria on


    her lips, I swear,¡± Benjamin¡¯s eyes were half -closed, and it didn¡¯t look like he¡¯d stop talking anytime


    soon. ¡°Just one kiss. That¡¯s all I¡¯m asking for.¡±


    Alfred looked at Shadow and shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s losing it. It¡¯s better if you take him to his room.¡±


    ¡°What room? This is my room,¡± Benjamin spoke. ¡°Alfred, if you talk shit, you will get hit.¡± ¡°Yes, yes,


    Master,¡± Alfred sighed and pped the swollen belly of Benjamin, causing him to vomit all the wine on


    the floor. ¡°Geez, what are you doing!¡± Shadow was shocked. ¡°I¡¯m not cleaning the floor!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all because of that witch,¡± Benjamin still looked drunk. ¡°If she wasn¡¯t there, I would have long won my


    wife¡¯s heart. It¡¯s all because of her.¡± He took out his mobile and dialed a number.


    ¡°Hello,¡±Selena answered. ¡°Who is this?¡± she didn¡¯t save Benjamin¡¯s number in her mobile, so she had to


    ask.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°Who am I? I¡¯m your son-inw, you cunning bitch, ¡± Benjamin yelled. ¡°When will you let me have my


    wife, huh? Come over here so I can p some fucking sense into you.¡± ¡°B-Benjamin?¡± Selena looked


    frozen for a second, with her eyes popping out and all. ¡°You little brat. You dare call me and talk shit to


    me? Did you forget who I am after getting kicked out of my vi? Did you forget that you used to wash


    my clothes and polish my boots?¡± ¡°Yeah, you made me do all sorts of things,¡± Benjamin¡¯s eyes teared up


    a bit. ¡°And you will pay for it! I¡¯ll make you pay! I¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    Alfred plucked the phone from Benjamin¡¯s hand and cut the call.


    ¡°What the¡ª ¡± Selena wondered why the call suddenly ended, but her blood began to boil as she thought


    back on Benjamin¡¯s words. She went over to Reba who was in the hall on the first floor and yed


    the call recording. ¡°This is his real character. This is the man you married!¡±


    ¡°Mom, he¡¯s drunk,¡±Reba tried to exin, ¡°and you two aren¡¯t best friends.¡±


    ¡°Why are you backing that bastard?¡± Selena¡¯s cheeks swelled with rage. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear him use the B


    word?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not backing him, but¡­¡± Reba pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him about this.¡± ¡°Talk?¡± Selena frowned.


    ¡°So you¡¯re still talking with him¡­ even after knowing he cheated


    you.¡±


    Reba didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Alright,¡± Selena looked away. ¡°He¡¯s more important to you than your


    mother. I get it.¡± She strode away in heavy steps. ¡°Don¡¯te running to me when he breaks your heart


    AGAIN.¡± Reba smacked her own forehead. ¡°What have I done to deserve this?¡±


    Meanwhile, at Pure Waters bar.


    ¡°I want to see my wife,¡± Benjamin got up from the couch and tried to leave, but Alfred and Shadow


    stopped him. ¡°She¡¯s waiting for me.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not waiting for you, my lord,¡± Shadow said. ¡°That much I can


    assure you.¡± ¡°If she¡¯s not waiting for her husband, who¡¯s she waiting for? You?¡± Benjamin elbowed in


    Shadow¡¯s face, making him bleed from the nose. ¡°Y-You¡¯ve misunderstood me, my lord. That¡¯s not what I


    meant,¡± Shadow tried to reason, but Alfred silently shook his head. Shadow stopped talking. They let


    Benjamin talk whatever he wanted, but they didn¡¯t let him go out. As they were trying to take him into a


    private room, a man in a ck suit, wielding knuckle dusters entered the bar.


    ¡°Unpaid Maid! Get your ass over here,¡± he raised his voice, but his lips forged a bright, cocky smile, ¡°and


    give me your balls.¡± ¡°AHH?¡± both Alfred and Shadow red over their shoulders.

 Chapter 133

    Chapter 133


    The next morning.


    Luther tried calling the bodyguard he had assigned to take care of Benjamin, but his mobile was in


    switched-off mode sincest night. Luther came to Artur who had just finished his bath and arrived at the


    dining table. ¡°He either ran away, or he¡¯s gotpromised, sir.¡± ¡°What do YOU think?¡±


    ¡°Knowing the guy, he¡¯s not the type to run away.¡± ¡°So the son-inw dealt with him? A war veteran?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no other exnation.¡± ¡°Send a batch then. If necessary, you take care of it yourself. I want


    results before the sun goes down.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Luther was standing appropriately erect, arms crossed in front of the crotch, and still


    looked rxed. His eyes exuded confidence as they always did. ¡°Where¡¯s my father? He¡¯s usually sitting


    here, ready to give me a lecture or two about how a person of means should behave differently with


    different people.¡± ¡°Mr. Terry and Mr. Langdon paid a visit, so he¡¯s upstairs, talking,¡± Luther broke out of


    his bnced stance and leaned toward Artur a bit as he replied. ¡°The chief justice came this early in the


    morning?¡± Artur wondered. ¡°It must be something important. I wonder what they¡¯re talking about.¡±


    In David Bonsbell¡¯s room. An old maid served warm drinks and biscuits before leaving the room and


    shutting the door. ¡°If you can help me with this,¡± Terry said earnestly, ¡°T¡¯ll approve all the pending projects


    and will give green light for future projects, too.¡± David was smoking. ¡°It¡¯s certainly tempting, but if things


    go wrong, we¡¯ll lose trust in our circles big time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why Mr. Langdon is here. He¡¯ll ensure that nothing goes wrong, and even if it does, he¡¯ll keep the


    repercussions to minimum.¡± David nced at Langdon who showered a simple but assuring smile while


    he crunched on a milk-soaked biscuit.


    ¡°If the governor is behind us, there¡¯s nothing to fear,¡± David chortled. ¡°Let¡¯s show them hell.¡±


    Meanwhile, at Sterling vi.


    Elizabeth and her whole family except the children were having breakfast together. Seeing them fitted for


    an asion, Veronica asked them, ¡°Going somewhere?¡±


    ¡°The Salvation Auction,¡± Elizabeth quickly replied, her eyes glowing like two proud jewels.¡° Just the


    entrance costs 1 million dors. A lot of super rare items will be sold there. It only happens once a year!¡±


    ¡°Whoa, sounds like a really big event. Can Ie?¡± Veronica asked without shame. ¡°You can if you want


    to, but as the invitation card holder, only I will be able to sit in the main seats,¡± Elizabeth exined.


    ¡°Others will have to sit in the back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with that as long as I can also bid on some things.¡±


    ¡°Of course you can, but do you have the money, though?¡± Elizabeth teased her while showing a ck


    card.


    ¡°Is that¡­¡± Veronica¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Brother Shawn¡¯s? He gave it to you?¡± ¡°Fufu, he indeed did,¡±


    Elizabeth put the card back in her bag. Veronica couldn¡¯t hide her envy and disappointment because she


    had asked Shawn for his ck Card dozens of times over the years, but he always refused it, giving the


    excuse that she should get Jacob¡¯s permission first. ¡°Did you get my dad¡¯s permission?¡± Veronica


    couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°Why would I need Father-inw¡¯s permission when I have my husband¡¯s?¡± Elizabeth casually said. She


    was right, so there was nothing else Veronica could say other than smile for a second and then grit her


    teeth afterward.


    Veronica wanted to look better than Elizabeth at the auction, and after some thing, she could only see


    one way. Stealing her mother¡¯s ck Card was the only way she could think of. ¡°Mom shouldn¡¯t be too


    upset if I spend only a few million dors,¡± she thought.


    Meanwhile, Reba was exercising on the balcony while talking with Benjamin on the mobile. ¡°Just


    why? Why did you call her a bitch? How would you feel if I use such a word to refer to your parents?¡± ¡°I


    didn¡¯t call her that. I was talking about Beach. You remember the camel you named?¡± Benjamin said not


    so confidently or convincingly. ¡°I was asking her about that, and¡­ she must have misheard it or


    something.¡± ¡°Benjamin, do you think I have a single digit IQ or what?¡± ¡°N-No, my love. But it¡¯s easy to


    mishear things especially when there¡¯s too much stuff stored in the ear,¡± he said, hardening his tone a bit.


    ¡°Do you know when your mother has her wax removed from her ears?¡±


    Reba exhaled audibly. ¡°Look,¡± she tried to speak with patience, ¡°I know you don¡¯t like my mother. I


    know she doesn¡¯t like you, either. But both of you need to change yourself, not just for me but for


    yourselves as well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always trying. You also know that.¡± ¡°Mm, and I want you to keep trying, please.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s for your sake,


    I will even touch or pull your mother¡¯s feet,¡± Benjamin¡¯s voice didn¡¯t contain a shred of hesitation. ¡°But the


    big estion is, which one do you really want?


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Touching or pulling?¡±


    Reba didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. ¡°I don¡¯t want both, but what I want is for you to take care of


    your health well. I know things haven¡¯t been easy for you, but you¡¯re not a drinker, so don¡¯t drink so much


    that you forget who you are. And don¡¯t get the drinking habit, or it¡¯ll be extremely hard to quitter on.¡±


    Benjamin didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Oh, and one more thing¡­ Jane called and asked me to distribute her wedding cards to her friends and


    rtives, ¡± Reba said excitedly. ¡°I want you toe with me. We¡¯ll do it together. What do you say?¡±


    While Benjamin felt d that she was asking for hispany, his expression changed for the worse.


    ¡°Did you say ¡®wedding?¡± ¡°Yeah. They seem to have little issues, but which rtionship doesn¡¯t have


    some back and forth? I¡¯m just d that they¡¯re not wasting more time being single.¡±


    ¡°Actually¡­¡± Benjamin steeled his heart and said, ¡°I saw Donovan cheating on Jane. I even sent you a


    video of it back when your mother was in the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Video?¡± Reba didn¡¯t like where this was going. ¡°What video?¡±


    ¡°Just check in your mail,¡± he hesitantly said. ¡°That¡¯s all I¡¯m going to say. First, see the video, and then call


    me if you want. Bye.¡± He ended the call. ¡°What video?¡± Reba¡¯s heart began to beat faster. ¡°Jane had


    finally found someone who could satisfy her desires, and if he turns out to be a cheater¡­ she¡¯ll be


    heartbroken.¡± She felt so tense she didn¡¯t even want to look at the video, but then again, she knew she


    had to know the truth, so she started checking her mail.


    At the same time, Lisa, Roshan, d, and Mercie arrived at the school, with Amber driving the car.


    To their shock, hundreds of students were standing outside the main gate. A few parents were yelling at


    the staff. The guards were trying to keep things under control. Lisa asked her friends and found out that


    school was closed indefinitely because the principal was arrested.


    ¡°How can they just shut the school like that?¡± Roshan got angry. He could see the notice put up by the


    court. ¡°It¡¯s that notice, right? if I tear it down, then we can enter the school, right?¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Lisa shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡±


    Roshan, however, didn¡¯t care about her words. He went to the gate and tore the notice, shocking


    everyone. Seeing the guardsing toward him, Roshan took out thepass pretty fast. ¡°Stop me,


    and I¡¯ll pierce this into my body,¡± he roared.


    The guards didn¡¯t believe him and stepped closer. Roshan pierced thepass into his forearm,


    stopping the guards in their tracks. ¡°I¡¯m not joking,¡± Roshan bore through the pain and then looked at the


    students. ¡°What are you still standing for? Open the gates and get to your sses.¡±


    The students looked at each other before rushing into the school while also thanking him for his efforts.


    Most of the teachers also entered the school.


    The guards still couldn¡¯t approach Roshan as he was still holding thepass. The math teacher


    approached him.


    ¡°Teacher Gael, you should also go,¡± Roshan hastily said. ¡°These guards won¡¯t stop you.¡± Gael, the same


    guy who came to Mabel hill the previous day, didn¡¯t look happy. ¡°Why do you act so rashly and


    arrogantly? Not just this once, but I¡¯ve seen you threatening others to get things done the way you want.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Roshan Sterling. My grandfather is Jacob Sterling! A multi-millionaire!¡± Roshan cockily snorted.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I have the privilege that others don¡¯t.¡± ¡°I know who your grandfather is, but who are you?¡±


    Gael¡¯s tone turned sharp. ¡°What have you achieved, huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Roshan strained his brain, but he felt at a loss for words. ¡°I¡¯m not saying you should never get


    angry, but you should learn to use it appropriately. You shouldn¡¯t ckmail your friends or family, much


    less your school authorities to get what you want. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be spoiling all the good name your


    grandparents have earned for your family.¡±


    Roshan¡¯s face lost some glow.


    Gael took thepass from Roshan and put it back in his bag. ¡°Apologize to the guards before you


    attend the ss.¡±


    Roshan, however, ran into the school.


    Gael forced out a smile before looking at the guards. ¡°I apologize on his behalf.¡±


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s alright, sir. These rich kids are all like that. They don¡¯t even put us in their eyes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not


    entirely their fault, though,¡± Gael said, grabbing the full attention of the guards.¡± They just grow a decent


    personality because of the type of environment they get raised in, so we can¡¯t really me them for


    everything.¡± ¡°You are hundred percent right, sir,¡± the guards voiced their mind. ¡°Teachers can only do so


    much when the parents themselves haven¡¯t done much to raise their children. By the way, aren¡¯t you


    going in?¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been a week since I joined here as a teacher, and now the future of this school


    looks uncertain. Since the court notice was torn down, I¡¯m sure the police will be sent tomorrow, so this


    might as well be myst day at this school.¡± Saying that, Gael entered through the gate.

 Chapter 134

    Chapter 134


    The zero squad of David¡¯s security service was made of war veterans. They normally didn¡¯t meet unless


    it was an order from David or Luther. Today, after receiving a call from Luther, they all gathered at the


    Rye¡¯s Pizzas. All twelve of them, excluding Luther.


    ¡°To kill a pizza delivery guy, you gathered all of the zero squad,¡± the one with the tattoo 2 on his chin


    said, his arms folded tightly. Unlike the rest, he didn¡¯t seem to be interested in pizzas. ¡°This is an overkill


    among overkills.¡±


    ¡°Our task is not to kill but to cut his balls off,¡± Luther reminded them once again. ¡°Let¡¯s put egos aside


    and work together.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t one of us enough to do the job?¡± the one with the number 1 tattoo on his forehead said, chewing


    bubble gum. ¡°Who¡¯s this son-inw that you wanted all of us on this job?¡± ¡°I called you all just to be on


    the safe side. Besides, this is what Young Master Artur wanted.¡± ¡°Ho, so it¡¯s personal to him. Then it can¡¯t


    be helped. Are we gonna brood here until that guy shows up?¡± ¡°He works here, so let¡¯s be patient,


    fes.¡±


    Sasha was the one serving at the two tables the security guards in normal wear sat upon. She looked


    quite happy as she was expecting a handsome tip from these guys. ¡°Hey, you. What¡¯s your name?¡± the


    guy with the tattoo number 12 asked her. ¡°It¡¯s Sasha,¡± she replied politely. ¡°You¡¯ve got nice buns. Want to


    go to the back alley for a quick tit-fuck?¡± His words made the other snicker. Sasha¡¯s face turned dark.


    ¡°Disgusting,¡± she quickly walked off, but her exaggerated reaction only amused them. Sasha went to


    Christopher andined, but he told her to bear such minor inconveniences for the sake of


    everyone. Sasha, however, took it seriously. She couldn¡¯t just let their words slide, so when Damian


    came from a delivery, she told him what had happened. Damian made an expression he never made in


    front of her. He straight away walked up to their tables and red at them. ¡°Which bastard harassed my


    girlfriend?¡± The guy with the tattoo number 12 smirked and said, ¡°Why? Do you want to take her ce in


    pleasing my dick?¡± ¡°Pfft,¡± the other members in the team spilled whatever that was in their mouths.


    Damian smiled angrily and said, ¡°Apologize, or you are going to suffer the consequences.¡± ¡°Oh, what are


    you gonna do?¡± one of them tested his temper by poking his tongue out toward Sasha and waved it


    lustfully, making the others snigger.


    Luther was silently shaking his head. He didn¡¯t like what they were doing, but this was


    nothing new, so he just watched.


    Just then, both Benjamin and Alfred arrived on foot and entered the pizza hut, Christopher began


    scolding him for skipping the job the previous day and also for bringing a beggar into the store. Even


    after Benjamin said he¡¯ll pay for Alfred, Christopher still wanted Alfred gone from his sight. He didn¡¯t want


    the other customers to be diforted by Alfred¡¯s presence.


    Damian clenched his fists and threw a punch at Number Twelve sitting at the edge, which was easily


    caught. ¡°Hehe, what¡¯s with this sissy punch? You should¡± A left hook flew in from the right and smashed


    Number Twelve¡¯s jaw so fast and hard, three teeth flew out of his mouth.


    Number 11 sitting right next to him threw a sudden punch. At first sight, it was more of a jab aimed at


    Damian¡¯s face diagonally, but a small knife slipped through the gap between the fingers and seerningly


    struck Damian¡¯s eye.


    Damian had moved his head back, and so the knife brushed past his nose and eyelids. He kicked the


    table, lifting up all the food and forks into the air. He grabbed a fork and used the momentum to attack


    Number 11 with it. Number 11 blocked using his hand. The fork pierced through the flesh, making him grit


    his teeth.


    Number 2 caught another fork and swiftly stabbed Damian¡¯s thigh three times in less than second,


    forcing him to back away.


    Number 1 jumped out of his seat and straight-kicked into Damian¡¯s abdomen, sending him flying into


    another table.


    ¡°You¡¯re a hundred years too early to be tussling with us, brat,¡± Number 1¡¯s gaze spilled murderous intent.


    ¡°Teach him a lesson he¡¯ll never forget. And¡­¡± he nced at Sasha. ¡°Teach her, also.¡±


    Half the men went toward Damian, while the other half showed more interest in Sasha. All the other


    customers had already begun to flee. Sasha, however, ran inside to hide, but the six men still went after


    them, wearing happy smiles on their faces. Damian wanted to go after them, but he was already busy


    dealing with the other five men.¡± Don¡¯t you dare do anything to her!¡± he roared, but his words weren¡¯t


    effective enough. The six men still reached the door. Number 11 nced at Damian and wickedly smiled


    and licked the blood leaking out of his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll take real good care of your girlfriend, so don¡¯t you worry,


    keke.¡± He kicked the door open in three tries. Sasha stood at a corner and trembled in fear, even though


    she was holding a knife in her hands. After all, seven men just entered the room. ¡°Can six dicks fit in


    three holes?¡±


    ¡°Two for each, so it should be fine.¡±


    Sasha¡¯s body shivered like a leaf from hearing their words, and tears sprang to her eyes, but her


    expression quickly changed when she realized that one of the seven men was none other than


    Benjamin.


    Benjamin entered the room right behind the six security personnel and struck thest two on their napes


    and silenced them, but this alerted the others. They turned around and attacked


    him without even asking any questions. Number 4 was like a giant with his 198cm height. He threw his


    fist viciously at Benjamin¡¯s face with the full intent to kill him, but caught his wrist and stopped his attack


    effortlessly, shocking him and everyone else in the room. The very next second, Benjamin¡¯s fist struck his


    chest, and his spine broke and burst out from his back


    Silence filled the room as life left Number 4¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Kyaa!¡± Sasha howled in horror and passed out from the shock


    ¡°W-Who the fuck are you?¡± Number 2 had a frown on his face as he asked Benjamin.


    ¡°Who am I?¡± Benjamin¡¯s gaze was cold. ¡°You¡¯re not worthy to know my name.¡±


    Number 11 took out his hand gun. ¡°Die, you motherfucker!¡± He repeatedly fired. Benjamin¡¯s upper body


    moved like a leaf floating in the wind and dodged all the bullets. In the end, his body flipped diagonally


    multiple times until his ankle struck Number 11 down on the neck so roughly, his body was shed in


    two.


    Number 2 and Number 3 who were taking out their guns were petrified from what they saw. The gun


    dropped from Number 3¡¯s hand, and a fraction of a secondter. Benjamin was grabbing his face with his


    hand and squeezed it hard enough his skull broke, and blood sprayed out from many spots on his head.


    Number 2 shot at Benjamin in desperation, but Benjamin vanished from his sight. The next second, he


    was sent flying out of the room, he thought, but no. It was actually just his head that flew out of the room


    and hopped on a few tables.


    Luther saw Number 2¡¯s head and deeply frowned. Benjamin walked out of the room, startling Luther. ¡°Y-


    You¡¯re¡­¡± he recognized him and was about to step forward, but a stick blocked his way. It was Alfred


    who was holding the stick


    Damian, on the other hand, took care of three of the five men, but Number 1 just joined the remaining


    two and made Damian¡¯s life difficult. Number 1 took out his gun and went for a point-nk shot, but


    Benjamin stopped Number 1 from pressing the trigger by grabbing the gun in an appropriate way. Both


    Damian and Benjamin looked at each other kicking in Number i¡¯s abdomen together. Then they took care


    of the other two with spinning kicks. Damian looked at Benjamin and showered a broad smile. ¡°Thanks.¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    he raised his hand, and they sped their hands in a friendly gesture. ¡°Is Sasha safe?¡± Damian worriedly


    asked. Benjamin nodded. Damian ran into the room where she was in, and he was quite surprised from


    seeing the way some of the guys were lying dead on the floor. ¡°Did he do all this?¡±

 Chapter 135

    Chapter 135


    Luther didn¡¯t fight. He was allowed to leave, even though he didn¡¯t tell who he was working for. Alfred


    knew who he was, but Benjamin thought he was just part of the security gang. Since he didn¡¯t fight,


    Benjamin didn¡¯t see the reason to kill him.


    Though Alfred wanted to clean everything that had happened at the pizza hut, Damian told to leave


    things to him.


    Christopher and the rest of the staff were outside. After hearing the gunshots, they had already called the


    police. They were too terrified to enter the store.


    However, the first person that had arrived at the scene was none other than the chairman of Rye¡¯s


    Pizzas, along with A?legra, his pale secretary and personal maid. Christopher kept shamelessly drooling


    at Allegra and couldn¡¯t look elsewhere ever since she arrived.


    Benjamin had already left the scene as Alfred had taken him away to a different ce.


    Allegra took care of the situation outside while Samael went in.


    ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Seeing the decapitated head and the dead bodies, Samael seemed slightly surprised. ¡°Such a


    mess you guys have made.¡± He looked at Damian and Sasha. She was still somewhat shivering.


    Sasha quickly shook her head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t us who killed them. It was¡ª¡±before she could say the name,


    Damian put his hand on her mouth and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take the responsibility, sir. Everything happened


    because of me.¡± Samael faintly smiled. ¡°Is that so? Why don¡¯t we have a little private chat?¡± He put his


    hand on Damian¡¯s shoulder and took him into another room.


    ¡°How are we going to get out of his mess?¡± Sasha started crying. ¡°Are our careers over? If I end up in


    jail, what will happen to my grandmother?¡± As she was thinking, the police sirens reached her ears, and


    her whole body shook visibly. However, the police vehicles stopped only briefly. After Allegra interacted


    with them, they left just as fast as they hade. Christopher asked her what she had told the police,


    but she told him she¡¯d tell him once he sheds half of his weight. Meanwhile, Alfred and Benjamin were


    about a mile away from Rye¡¯s Pizzas.


    ¡°I talked with your father on the phonest night,¡± Alfred was peering at Benjamin. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him


    everything, but he¡¯s already disappointed with you. If you don¡¯t return within a month, he said you can


    just forget about ever returning.¡± Benjamin¡¯s heart almost exploded from hearing those words. ¡°What are


    you saying? I-Is he banishing me from the n?¡± ¡°No one has ever been out of the n¡¯s territory for an


    entire year,¡± Alfred said, frowning,¡± not even the foot soldiers, let alone the king. Understandably, he¡¯s


    disappointed. How long can he keep the throne empty, Master? Whether you return alone, or you return


    with your


    wife, he just wants you to do it before the next lunation starts. So, to be more urate, you don¡¯t even


    have 30 days left.¡±


    Benjamin gritted his teeth, his gaze implicating warning. ¡°You both are in this together, aren¡¯t you?¡± he


    raised his hand and almost punched in Alfred¡¯s face for saying hinting he could just return without his


    wife.


    Alfred didn¡¯t even flinch. He didn¡¯t say anything, either. Benjamin¡¯s mouth turned down, and he lowered


    his fist, but veins still carved blue pathways on his skin. ¡°I ran away from home because you guys forced


    me to do something I didn¡¯t like.¡± His eyes turned teary and covered the chagrin. ¡°If my mother was


    alive¡­ she wouldn¡¯t have let things get this far.¡± He paused for a second. ¡°Reba cooked for me


    yesterday. She sweated for hours in the kitchen for me but didn¡¯t show any tiredness when she met me.


    Perhaps my mother would have loved me the same way.¡± He nodded his head as he poked Alfred¡¯s


    chest,¡± Tell him, I¡¯m seeing my mother in her. The mother I missed growing up. And I¡¯m not leaving her


    for anything.¡± Saying that he walked away.


    After Benjamin was no longer within earshot, Alfred took a mobile out of his pocket. The call was already


    on. ¡°You heard him. He¡¯s bent on being with her, my lord.¡±


    The one on the other side of the call exhaled audibly. ¡°Under all the rock-hard facade he puts on, he¡¯s


    still got a soft heart seeking love. There¡¯s still one month left. Even mothers can be enemies


    overnight in the outside world. A lot can change, but let¡¯s wait and see.¡±


    At the Salvation Auction.


    ¡°As usual, we¡¯re going to start the event with the exclusive golden seed,¡± the event manager addressed


    the audience in the grand hall that had almost 12,000 seats. ¡°After all, a mustard seed of faith is enough


    for salvation, they say. And whoever wins this golden seed of salvation this year will be eligible to freely


    attend all the future auctions without having to pay the entrance fee.¡± Everyone began pping. Soon,


    the bidding started. Artur was sitting in the front row. Elizabeth was in the sixth row. Veronica, George,


    Nn and Dorothy were in the hundredth row.


    The starting bid for the golden seed of salvation was 144,000 as it was every year. Elizabeth participated


    and persisted up to five million dors, but that was it. Veronicasted until eight million, but then Artur


    raised it to twenty million dors. And that made him win.


    Once the real auction started, all kinds of items from modern to medieval times were brought onto the


    stage. Elizabeth managed to sessfully bid four items for a total of 70 million dors. Veronica, on the


    other hand, only won one item, which cost her a whole lot more than she ever expected. However, she


    didn¡¯t regret it. What she bought was a medieval calligraphy written by a king who was known as the


    greatest lover and husband in the world after he offered his heart to the enemies in order to free his


    queen. The enemies had indeed freed the queen, thinking she would amount to nothing, but that queen


    later united her kingdom and fought the enemies and won against them and conquered the enemynds


    until where her husband was buried. It was a great tale from the past, which was made into many


    movies. Even Jacob made a version


    of that story and profited from it, so Veronica thought her father would really love the calligraphy


    At the same time, somewhere else in the city. Reba was driving in her Porsche, looking tense as well


    as angry. She had tried calling Jane, but her mobile was switched off.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°She surrendered her all to that pig, and yet he cheats on her,¡± a furious frown creased Reba¡¯s heart.


    As Donovan¡¯s face shed in her mind, fury flickered in every fiber of her heart. She was too hot, literally.


    ¡°This is why you should never look desperate in front of men, or they¡¯ll take you too easy. The more you


    try to show your love, the more you maye across as weird or boring. It¡¯s crazy how the adult world


    works. Things were much easier and straightforward when we were kids, but you can¡¯t stop much less


    turn time backward.¡±


    Her car stopped in front of Jane¡¯s apartment. Jane¡¯s grandmother was sitting outside on the stairs, where


    her little shop used to be there. Normally, Reba would have greeted her, but she just rushed past her


    today. She climbed the stairs and reached Jane¡¯s room. The door was open, so she went in. Nobody was


    there in the living room or the kitchen. She went straight to Jane¡¯s room and opened the door. ¡°Jane, I


    should tell you about¡­¡±


    Donovan was there alone, standing in a loosely wrapped towel, having just had a bath. Whether it was


    on purpose or not, after seeing Reba, the towel covering Donovan¡¯s private parts dropped to the floor.

 Chapter 136

    Chapter 136


    CHAPTER 136 Jane was with her mother, buying a wedding dress in a Myers¡¯ store. ¡°Why are you


    interested in a cheaper one?¡± her mother vehemently asked. ¡°He gave you the permission to buy one


    that¡¯s at most a million dors, didn¡¯t he?¡± Jane smiled and said, ¡°He did, but I don¡¯t want to waste money


    on something I¡¯m not even gonna wear often.¡± ¡°Why are you thinking so much? It¡¯s his money!¡±


    ¡°His money is still money, isn¡¯t it? We should spend it wisely, mom, especially after we get married and


    be a family.¡±


    ¡°Huh, talk about irony. You have such a rich boyfriend, but you don¡¯t have what it takes to spend. If it was


    me, I would have bought a dress worth over a million dors!¡± she boasted.


    Jane pped her mother¡¯s wrist. ¡°We can buy a nice house with that much money. You want me to


    spend that on a wedding dress?¡± she reproached. ¡°Not happening!¡± After some quarreling, Jane¡¯s mother


    could only give up. Her daughter was more stubborn than her in matters rted to money, after all. In the


    end, Jane chose a beautiful white dress that cost about twenty thousand dors. As they were walking


    out of the store, her mother said in an experienced, caring tone, ¡°Jane, you know why your father and I


    are able to live happily for more than twenty five years? We learned to control our anger for the sake of


    each other. Anger can make even small issues seem worse. It brings a great deal of pain if you let it. I


    don¡¯t know the statistics, but most divorces happen because of anger and ego issues. So don¡¯t ever let


    your emotions push you over the edge, or no matter how many times you marry or try to be in a


    rtionship, it won¡¯t ever work.¡±


    Jane didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°You understand?¡± her mother stressed her words. Jane nodded twice. ¡°Good,¡±


    her mother continued. ¡°Just one word can break another¡¯s heart, so always watch what you¡¯re saying.


    Even if your husband is wrong, don¡¯t be quick to judge him, unless he¡¯s done something unforgivable.


    Andst but not least, it¡¯s normal to get tempted, but don¡¯t go drooling after every man you see. That


    thing should stop after marriage.¡±


    ¡°Mom, there¡¯s still some days left before marriage,¡± Jane talked back, ¡°so why are you flooding my brain


    with nonsense right now?¡±


    ¡°That nonsense will be key to your peaceter on, my foolish daughter.¡±


    A beggar that just happened to be passing by ended up brushing past Jane¡¯s mother, and she ended up


    scolding him, ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going, old man!¡± Then she looked at her daughter and realized that


    she just utterly disregarded her own words. The beggar, Alfred, turned around and lowered his head and


    said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯re correct, madam. The fools are frequently furious, but the wise are rarely


    angry.¡±


    His words were akin to receiving a hundred ps on both cheeks. Jane¡¯s mother felt greatly


    embarrassed and hastened to her car. Jane gave the beggar one dor before getting to the car.


    As they drove away, Jane noticed Benjamin sitting on the footpath and suddenly squeezed the brake.


    ¡°Why did you suddenly stop?¡± her mother inquired.


    ¡°Just a minute, mom,¡± Jane got out of the car.


    Benjamin was lost in thought, looking a little depressed. A street dog came over and was about to pee on


    his back, but Jane came in time and shooed it away.


    ¡°Jane,¡± Benjamin stood upon seeing her. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I want to ask,¡± Jane


    cocked her head. ¡°Why are you sitting on the footpath? Isn¡¯t everything back to normal between you and


    Rebs?¡± Benjamin, however, kept staring at her with aplex gaze. ¡°What?¡± she touched her cheeks.


    ¡°Is there something on my face?¡± ¡°Jane¡­ your boyfriend is cheating on you,¡± Benjamin¡¯s words were


    straight as an arrow. Jane¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°What are you¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t say more. Just ask Reba, and


    she¡¯ll fill in the details,¡± he patted her shoulder.¡± He¡¯s not worth it. You deserve someone better.¡± Saying


    that he walked away.


    SON


    Jane didn¡¯t stop him. ¡°What was that all about? Why did he want me to ask Reba? What does she


    know that I don¡¯t?¡± her heart started pacing already. She wanted to call her best friend, but she just


    realized that she didn¡¯t bring her mobile. She had left it at home because it ran out of battery. Her


    thoughts began to run crazily. Why was Benjamin looking sad just now? Maybe, there was something


    going on between Donovan and Reba?


    Her shoulders grew tight, and a bitter taste was felt in the back of her mouth. Her face stretched thin with


    the sudden spike of fear.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    She couldn¡¯t take the tension anymore and ran back to her car. Shepletely forgot about the traffic,


    and a heavy van almost hit her, but something happened. The next second, she found herself at the


    edge of the road. The van skidded and stopped after covering twenty meters. ¡°What just happened? I


    thought I was¡­¡± she could still very much feel her heart throbbing against her chest.


    Benjamin was on the other side of the road, peering at her, but she had no idea that he just saved her


    life.


    She entered her and drove away fast. She wanted to get home as fast as possible. She couldn¡¯t even


    digest the thought of her boyfriend and her best friend sleeping together. If that were to be true, she


    might lose more than just her mind. Even though she didn¡¯t confirm anything, her eyes were already


    turning teary. Emotions surged in her heart like the waves of the sea, and she didn¡¯t put her foot down


    from the elerator.


    ¡°Woah, woah, woah, slow down,¡± her mother warned.


    Jane¡¯s emotions were running high. She ignored her mother¡¯s words and fed her fears that made noise


    in her mind worse than the waves of the sea.


    ¡°If you want to drive fast, then let me get out,¡± her mother yelled. Jane stopped the car fast, leaving her


    mother in shock. Though her mother didn¡¯t want to get out, she had to get out save her own face.


    However, she expected Jane to ask her to get back into the car, but to her great shock, Jane just drove


    off. ¡°This little devil¡­¡± her mother was utterly stunned by Jane¡¯s behavior. ¡°Just what¡¯s gotten into her?¡±


    ¡°Please let me be wrong,¡± Jane¡¯s teeth chattered in trepidation. ¡°Let me be wrong.¡± She begged in her


    thoughts as her car sped off. ¡°Let me be wrong just this once.¡±

 Chapter 137

    Chapter 137


    A desire could be wings and help a person fly or be a rope that binds one¡¯s soul. Both kinds


    were just part of the game that time yed on every person in order to test the waves of their heart to


    see what they would be when they hit the shore.


    It would only take one rogue cloud to turn a bright full moon night into darkness that could make one


    doubt everything including themselves. Such a situation knocked hard on Jane¡¯s life, and she drove to


    her home as fast as ever. Along the way, all her goals and priorities of life felt worthless at the moment


    from the thought of Reba being the dark cloud that woulde between her and her moon. Every


    passing second shook the depths of her heart, and her chest hurt like never before.


    At the same time, Benjamin was walking alone on the street, thinking about his father and his people that


    he left behind and ran away. Even though Alfred and Shadow were in contact today, he still felt guilty.


    Being away from his n made him feel sour, and living in the Sterling vi surrounded by nothing but


    sourness didn¡¯t help his case either.


    He had already fixed his mind that he would stick with his wife, but could he live away from his n for


    the rest of his life? He wasn¡¯t 100% sure, and he felt gutted because of it.


    But what he was sure about was that he wanted to bring Reba out of the Sterling vi because he felt


    it was impossible to live together with the inws who covered their hypocrisy and shamelessness with


    thorns and thistles and attacked him for every little thing. They treated him worse than the dogs in their


    vi, yet one of them was a big-time producer, and another was a famous actress both of whom were


    respected for their sess and were branded as good people with bright, colorful hearts. The reality,


    however, couldn¡¯t be farther from the truth.


    Benjamin swallowed his emotions and kept walking. The posters, banners, and pamphlets of the El Man


    movie were everywhere. Even the TVs at bus stops and tram stations kept ying the El Man¡¯s trailer


    and other promotional content. One could easily tell that Jacob was going all out with the promotions.


    ¡°There¡¯s so much drama going on in my life already,¡± Benjamin thought. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to a theater


    and see more drama.¡±


    Benjamin didn¡¯t care about the movie, but he wondered if he could see it together with Reba. Would


    she choose to watch the film with him instead of her family? Again, he wasn¡¯t


    as her family, after all. She could have easily live in a separate house, but she still chose to live in the


    Sterling vi probably because she still loved her parents and siblings despite all the ups and downs she


    had been through.


    ¡°The movie is releasing tomorrow¡­¡± Benjamin muttered under his breath, hoping his wife would give him


    a call.


    At Jane¡¯s apartment. ¡°Jane.¡± Reba entered Jane¡¯s room. ¡°I should tell you¡­¡±


    She expected Jane to be there, but Donovan was inside alone, standing in a loosely wrapped towel,


    having just had a long bath. After seeing Reba, the towel covering Donovan¡¯s private parts


    ¡®somehow¡¯ dropped to the floor.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Reba¡¯s jaw dropped very low for a second. Her purse slipped down her forearm and fell. The sound


    of her purse hitting the floor brought her back to her senses quickly. Donovan was staring right at her, but


    his hand reached for hisid penis, widening her eyes. He smirked, expecting her to step forward and


    reach for his prized possession. However, she turned and ran out of the room like a frantic little doe.


    Donovan found it difficult to process what just happened. ¡°Did she feel intimidated by the size? But I


    didn¡¯t even get hard.¡± He came up to the door and picked up her purse, brought it closer to his nose and


    sniffed it deeply. ¡°Mhm¡­ wonderful. Her scent is refreshing.


    Meanwhile, Reba didn¡¯t stop until she exited the apartment and got into her Porsche. It took her


    fifteen seconds to get her breathing back under control. She knew she left her purse in Jane¡¯s bedroom,


    but she didn¡¯t want to go back. At least not now when the image of naked Donovan still kept ying in


    her mind, even though she resisted.


    Nevertheless, her body grew hot in the process.


    Her lips squeezed together in frustration as she fought back the feelings her flesh kept


    stirring. ¡°It¡¯s not your first time seeing a dick. Control yourself. Reba. How can you get horny from


    seeing that bastard¡¯s naked body?¡± Knock. Knock.


    Her car door was knocked twice, startling her. She looked to her left. Donovan was standing outside in


    his towel, holding her purse in his hand. His athletic physique fully fitted the car window. Such was his


    stature. He appeared much bigger from her position, and all the veins in his body were so thick and big it


    would be impossible for them to go unnoticed. She swallowed her breath. Her fingers touched her throat.


    Her chest visibly expanded and contracted as her eyesy upon the extremely masculine physique of


    Donovan. ¡°Open the door,¡± his voice was loud enough it managed to barely reach her ears. Some part of


    her warned that things would go terribly wrong if she were to open that door. All she had to do was just


    turn the car key and press the elerator, but the faint whispers in her ears prompted her to take the


    easy way out.


    As though responding to the desires of her flesh, her hand reached out for the door. Seeing her reaching


    for the door, a corner of Donovan¡¯s lips curled up ever so slightly.


    A ck benz stopped not far from them.


    Jane stepped out and saw the Porsche and also Donovan standing in towel and giving what seemed like


    a woman¡¯s purse to Reba. Jane¡¯s face grew pale. Her feet moved backward, and she hit the half-


    opened car door. The door shut, but she moved back a few more steps and got behind the car. Her chest


    was gripped by immense pain. Her back tightly pressed against the car, but her knees felt too powerless


    to stand. Her face turned red as she fought her tears, but she couldn¡¯tst longer than three seconds and


    sobbed her heart out as all her beliefs were broken this instant.

 Chapter 138

    Chapter 138


    Reba had gone to Jane¡¯s apartment to talk with her friend and to show her the obscene video. She


    didn¡¯t want to share it online like Benjamin had because it was a sensitive matter. However, the little stunt


    Donovan pulled left her baffled. She ended up leaving the ce without saying a word to him.


    But she had no idea that her best friend had seen her and her boyfriend interacting and totally


    misunderstood the situation, broke down into tears and dissolved into distress she had never


    experienced before.


    Jane didn¡¯t even go to her apartment but went somewhere on foot, still crying in public, not caring what


    others thought. She sat on a random bench as sadness soaked her cheeks. The traffic sounds didn¡¯t


    even matter. Time passed, but her heart didn¡¯t stop beating ferociously. The sweet reminders Donovan


    left on her body were still there, and they stung a lot more now. The rippling waves of rage burned her


    from the top of her skin to the depths of her heart. If it was someone else, she might have beaten the


    crap out of them, but it was her best friend, so she didn¡¯t even want to look at her face anymore. She


    didn¡¯t know what else to do.


    She didn¡¯t want to go home and look at Donovan¡¯s face. As she was struggling greatly, a man and a


    woman sat on a bench nearby. At first sight, they looked like a couple, but the woman looked somewhat


    olderpared to the man.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Rye¡¯s Pizzas is closed. I wanted to get you the Extra Special Edition, Charles.¡± ¡°It¡¯s


    alright, Sofia. We cane back tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°You are so patient and understanding,¡± she looked into his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m d I found you.¡± She went for a


    kiss. As they kissed, Jane¡¯s intestines released acids excessively. She recognized Sofia who was an


    actress. No wonder she was in a rtionship with a man who seemed at least five to ten years younger.


    She couldn¡¯t help but envy her. She just couldn¡¯t sit there anymore. She got up and walked away.


    Charles and Sofia couldn¡¯t stay there for long, either, as some people gathered around Sofia after


    recognizing her. So they had to leave in their BMW.


    At Shawn¡¯s office.


    FBI officers, including a dozen of the capitol police, came to arrest Shawn on multiple charges. He


    refused initially, but after they showed him the document proofs of him embezzling sixteen million dors,


    and for insuring for dead persons, for false pretenses, for epting bribes, for breach of trust against a


    senior manager, and many more, he wanted hiswyer and wanted some time to prove his innocence.


    However, he wasn¡¯t allowed to leave. He fought back, but he couldn¡¯t win against the number.


    Shawn¡¯s assistant called Selena and told her everything, almost giving her another heart attack


    ¡°Cers


    Selena called herwyer immediately and told him to prepare everything necessary. She grabbed her


    bag and rushed out of her room.


    Her younger daughter came rushing upstairs, holding some framed scribbling as if it was a prized


    possession. It was neatly packaged in a ss frame.


    ¡°Mom, look, I bought this calligraphy,¡± Veronica excitedly showed her mother what she bought at the


    auction. It was written in a foreignnguage so Selena couldn¡¯t understand what it meant.


    ¡°How much did you waste on it?¡± Selena asked angrily. She had only given permission to spend no more


    than three million dors. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s costly, mom,¡± Veronica said, ¡°but it¡¯s worth the price. It¡¯s written by a


    famous king called Benjamin Wolfe long back.¡±


    ¡°Benjamin?¡± the name alone boiled Selena¡¯s blood. ¡°Are you fucking with me now?¡± she caught the


    calligraphy frame and threw it over the stairs. It crashed on the ground floor, breaking the ss into


    pieces. Some pieces tore through the paper and spoiled the writing.


    Veronica covered her mouth in shock. ¡°Mom! What have you done! That thing cost 200 million dors!¡±


    she ran down the stairs to check up on its condition.


    ¡°T-Two hundred million?¡± Selena¡¯s heart ached sharply. She touched her chest in response. It would take


    a dozen big movies for her to earn that much amount. She hoped the calligraphy was fine, but then her


    daughter gasped in shock and looked back at her. At that moment,


    e had fucked up big time. To make things even more bitter, she had to pay that money by the end of the


    month, or her perfect image would go down the drain because of her useless second daughter.


    Still, she didn¡¯t want to spend that much money for worthless calligraphy. She went to Reba¡¯s room.


    Reba was inside, brainstorming for a new design, just so she could get her mind off from what had


    happened at Jane¡¯s apartment.


    ¡°Reba, I need 200 million,¡± she went straight to the topic. ¡°What?¡± Reba was quite surprised. ¡°200


    million? Why do you need that much money all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°U-Uh, i-it¡¯s for your father¡¯s movie promotions,¡± she said. ¡°Not the one releasing tomorrow but the other


    one that¡¯ll release in about three weeks.¡±


    Reba paused for a second. Jacob was indeed too prideful to ask money from his daughter, so she


    could understand why he sent Selena to her. Because Shawn probably didn¡¯t have 200 million dors in


    his bank. ¡°But, mom, I¡¯m sure you have that much money.¡± ¡°Um, I do, but they are linked up with


    insurances, fixed deposits and what not,¡± Selena lied through her teeth. ¡°You saw the movie, didn¡¯t you?


    It¡¯s going to be a big hit. You will get your money back in two months, I promise.¡± ¡°Mm¡­¡± after thinking a


    bit, Reba nodded. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll transfer the money to dad¡¯s ount.¡±


    Selena¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°No, no. Transfer it to my ount.¡±


    Reba raised her brows as though asking her why.


    ¡°I want to give him the money myself,¡± Selena said and smiled. Reba smiled in return, thinking that


    this move would probably help rekindle the rtionship her parents once had.


    ¡°Okay, mom. Good luck.¡± She wanted nothing more than seeing her mother and father being together


    and happy.


    Two hundred million dors was not a small amount for Reba, but she didn¡¯t think twice before doing


    a bank-to-bank transfer, and then told her mother it¡¯s done.


    ¡°Thank you, Reba,¡± Selena gave her daughter a big hug. ¡°You¡¯re the only good thing that happened in


    my life.¡± She kissed her on the neck.


    Reba smiled happily, almost like a little child. She generally didn¡¯t trust her mother¡¯s words, but the


    thought of her bettering the rtionship between her parents affected her judgment. She had no idea


    that it wouldn¡¯t take 200 million dors for promotions even for such a big movie. She also had no clue


    that her mother not only just lied to her but would also probably not give her money back.


    In the near future, Reba would learn the bitter truth of life that one shouldn¡¯t trust even their own


    parents blindly, no matter how many sweet words and promises mighte out of their mouths. After all,


    the consequences of just one mistake could greatly affect one¡¯s future forever.

 Chapter 139

    Chapter 139


    CHAPTER 139 Lisa and Roshan came home in the afternoon and told Elizabeth about the school getting


    closed indefinitely.


    Elizabeth, however, showed them the items she bought at the Salvation auction. A forest painting, a


    golden ne, a medieval golden crown, and a 21 million dor house. When she took Lisa and


    Roshan to the house she bought at the auction, they were quite surprised. They hugged and kissed her


    multiple times and thanked her after she told them they could bring their friends to this new house if they


    wanted. There was an outdoor infinity pool, a home theater, a tennis court and a beautiful 5 acrewn.


    This was like a breath of fresh air for Lisa and Roshan. They called their friends, only those who hadn¡¯t


    teased them after their grandmother¡¯s videos were leaked, and happily partied with them in the evening.


    Nn and Dorothy joined the young ones while George was swimming in the infinity pool, asking her


    sister to join. Elizabeth told him she would swim with her husbandter. She still didn¡¯t tell anyone the


    other thing she bought at the auction because she wanted to surprise her husband with it first.


    Elizabeth also invited Louis, Be, and their children, but they didn¡¯te, as she had expected.


    Neither Elizabeth nor anyone in her family was yet aware of the fact that Shawn got arrested.


    At one of the police stations in the city.


    Selena and herwyer were talking with the police. After much discussion and some bribing, the police


    allowed Shawn to be released even though the bail wasn¡¯t given yet. Though thewyer had tried, he


    couldn¡¯t get the bail for Shawn, and it baffled him. Shawn didn¡¯t speak with his mother after getting


    released. He went into her car and sat there, looking slightly stressed as well as angry. Thewyer and


    Selena sat in the front seats. Thewyer looked at Shawn and openly said,¡± This is my first time failing to


    procure bail in years. I think you really upset someone REALLY big. A total of 27 cases were put on you.


    All in one day. And some of them are pretty serious. This is the craziest case I ever took up, without


    doubt. I will, of course, try to win every case, but let¡¯s be realistic. You should prepare yourself to sell


    some of your property. I know you also do real estate apart from the insurance business, right? Just get


    ready to sell some of those investments.¡±


    Shawn didn¡¯t say anything. He folded his arms and just stared through the window, his eyes filled with


    anger.


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him,¡± Selena told thewyer.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go and talk with the officers then.¡±


    After thewyer left, Selena looked at her son through the mirror. It had been so long since she had seen


    him put on such a cold, angry look. Was it when he got bullied as a kid? Probably.


    ¡°Your father will be disappointed when he hears this. I won¡¯t ask why you walked the wrong path, but


    don¡¯t give up. The only thing that will help you at any age is your willpower. If you lose that just because


    of one incident, you will never be able to get back on your feet.¡±


    ¡°Put the foot on the pedal, mom,¡± that was all Shawn said. ¡°Alright. You¡¯re a grown up, so you deal with


    this situation yourself, but don¡¯t forget that I will always be there for you,¡± she started the engine and


    drove off. Her driving was clumsy because she hadn¡¯t driven for a while.


    At Pure Waters bar.


    Benjamin was drinking again, though not as much as he did the previous night. ¡°My lord, the school was


    closed,¡± Shadow told him. ¡°Didn¡¯t Rodnie ask you to keep the school going?¡±


    ¡°He did. So?¡±


    ¡°I thought you would stand up for it.¡± ¡°I already have a lot of shit on my te to take care of,¡± Benjamin


    sipped some wine and then crunched on roasted nuts. ¡°Nothing will happen if the school closes for a few


    days. Let the children enjoy the holidays.¡± ¡°Does that mean you will fight for the school?¡± Benjamin


    nced at Shadow for a second and nodded. ¡°If I don¡¯t fight, who will?¡±


    Shadow¡¯s phone vibrated. It was Alfred calling. He answered, and his eyes widened quickly.¡± My lord,


    search warrants have been issued for the school and this ce and every other ce rted to Rodnie.


    Swat teams have been deployed. Also, ie tax officials are raiding the Sterling vi.¡± He frowned.


    ¡°This chief justice is really going all out. Give me the permission to kill him. That will resolve everything


    quickly.¡±


    Benjamin didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°We should at least leave this ce, my lord,¡± Shadow urged. ¡°If we¡¯re


    here, we¡¯ll be forced to engage the SWAT team. Your identity may get exposed.¡±


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    Benjamin continued chewing on the nuts.


    Shadow gritted his teeth. ¡°At least give me permission to use my Shadow Regiment.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Benjamin shook his head.


    Shadow¡¯s ear jerked a little. ¡°They are already here.¡±


    Secondster, the SWAT vehicles stopped not far from the bar. The ground soldiers blocked the exits


    while the snipers settled at tactical positions. The medics waited on the side. The search squad was


    about to rush in, but Benjamin walked out of the bar and stood at the entrance.


    ¡°Who the fuck is that?¡± the SWAT members wondered.


    ¡°Who cares? We have orders to shoot down anyone that¡¯s suspicious.¡±


    ¡°But he looks like a civilian.¡±


    Benjamin texted someone in his mobile, making the SWAT members wonder what he was doing


    Secondster, just as the SWAT team was about to act, they received orders to pull back from the


    operation, not just at the bar but every other ce. All the SWAT that were deployed


    received the same orders.


    The SWAT teams could only scold their higher ups for wasting their time. After the SWAT team left,


    Shadow walked out of the bar.


    ¡°Who did you contact, my lord?¡± He sounded a little tense. Benjamin put his hand around Shadow¡¯s


    shoulder and took him inside. ¡°Terry isn¡¯t the only one who knows politicians.¡±


    12


    ¡°D-Does that mean you revealed your identity to whoever this politician is?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a friend. Don¡¯t even


    think about killing him, or I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°Okay. You can kill me after I kill him.¡± Benjamin locked his arm


    around Shadow¡¯s neck and pressed it firmly. ¡°You got good at joking.


    ¡°T-Thanks, my lord,¡± Shadow tenselyughed. ¡°Ha-ha-ha.¡±

 Chapter 140

    Chapter 140


    Elizabeth and her family returned to the vi, only to see the ie tax officers searching the whole


    ce, not leaving a single object untouched. Even her newly bought painting was being carefully


    examined. When Elizabeth and her family entered the vi, their mobiles and their purses were taken


    away. They were made to sit on a couch just like Selena, Shawn, Veronica, and Reba, but the


    children were allowed to go outside.


    The adults, however, were only allowed to talk when the officers asked them questions. The officers


    treated the Sterling family members coldly, but some of them secretly flirted with the maids. Some even


    went as far asking them to lift their skirts. Selena secretly signaled Kathy to


    please them, and she did.


    ¡°These recent purchases¡­¡± one officer started questioning Elizabeth about the things she bought at the


    auction. They cost over 70 million dors overall, and that revtion shocked


    Selena and Shawn. Later, Shawn had to give an ount as to where that wealth hade from.


    Selena was feeling quite tense, not because of the raid going on, but from thinking how Jacob would


    react when he would learn of all the things that had happened.


    Thanks to Kathy¡¯s efforts, some of the officers grew lenient and let the Sterling family members go to the


    dorms as the searching was finished there.


    Only Selena, Shawn, and Louis stayed back to answer the officers¡¯ questions.


    In the dorms, everyone¡¯s mood was still dull.


    Delle switched the television on. Veronica changed the channel to one of the fashion channels. The


    ongoing program coincidentally was talking about a certain fashion designer.


    ¡°She¡¯s a rising star in the fashion industry with her designs not only attractive on the eyes but also having


    deeper meanings,¡± the anchor was speaking with a famous fashion designer.¡± However, hertest design


    is a big flop.¡± ¡°Absolutely. It¡¯s beyond ridiculous,¡± the fashion designer spoke. ¡°How can youpletely


    expose your nipples and call it fashion? It¡¯s barbaric. I say that she should be banned from ever making


    designs again.¡± ¡°If you are still not sure who we¡¯re talking about,¡± the anchor said with a cheeky smile on


    his face, ¡°it¡¯s none other than the daughter of the famous actress Selena Sterling, Reba Sterling.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Reba stood at once.


    As the anchor showed the new designs of bras with holes in the nipple regions, everyone in the dorm


    room turned to look at Reba with shock making their expression dance.


    ¡°T-That¡¯s not me,¡± Reba quickly said, trembling. ¡°I didn¡¯t make those designs!¡± she switched off the


    television and wanted to call her office, but her mobile was confiscated. She had no idea what just


    happened, but she couldn¡¯t bear the tension. Putting her ego aside, she went and asked Amber to help


    her.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Amber went to Kathy and made her bring Reba¡¯s mobile.


    Reba then called her manager, but he wasn¡¯t lifting the call. She called a few colleagues, but they


    didn¡¯t respond, either. She checked the online websites, and the fashion columns of all the popr


    websites were talking about her with titles like ¡®holes in the bras,¡¯ and ¡®nipples for all to see.¡¯


    Thements were full of messages, mocking and trolling her.


    ¡°How can such a beautiful woman make such trashy designs? She must have one perverted


    mind.¡±


    ¡°I bet she wears those bras on every date.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not nipple-phobic, so I don¡¯t mind those designs. Of


    course, I¡¯m joking!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s married, isn¡¯t she? I wonder if she makes the underwear for her husband with a hole in them, lol.


    It could be really handy at times.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a creep masquerading as a fashion designer. It¡¯s because of


    women like her that the society is as it is today, with divorces reigning over the marriages.¡±


    Tears overflowed from Reba¡¯s eyes from reading somements. She didn¡¯t make those designs,


    yet why were such designs released in her name? She secretly went out of the vi to find out the truth


    for herself.


    Meanwhile, at Jane¡¯s apartment.


    After roaming around aimlessly, Jane just arrived at her apartment. Her hair was a mess. Her make up


    had worn out from repeated crying. She washed her face using tap water, so her parents wouldn¡¯t notice


    anything wrong.


    As she was climbing the stairs, a young girl with arge flower on her head introduced herself. ¡°Hi, you¡¯re


    Jane, right? I just moved into this apartment. I must say it¡¯s not that beautiful from the outside, but the


    interiors are super pretty.¡± All she received however was a nk stare. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m Jasmine, by the way.¡±


    Jane just forced out a smile before walking past her without even replying.


    Jasmine shrugged her shoulders and scuttled down the stairs like a little rabbit. She was the same girl


    who worked in Rye¡¯s Pizzas before.


    In Jane¡¯s room.


    Wearing nothing but underwear, Donovan was talking with a friend on the mobile.


    ¡°You are really thinking of marrying this woman?¡± the voice on the other side spoke. ¡°She must be really


    beautiful and good in bed.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s both.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s rare to see you simp after a woman.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯m not simping after anyone. She¡¯s indeed beautiful, but I don¡¯t praise her beauty. I don¡¯t need to


    because she allows me to fuck her all the time,¡± Donovan chortled.


    ¡°Man, I wish I could marry such a woman, but the more beautiful the girl is, the more weight her head


    has, generally.¡±


    ¡°I feel ya, bro.¡±


    ¡°So, when¡¯s the marriage? Fixed a date, yet?¡± ¡°Next week, probably.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there for sure, even if you don¡¯t call me.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha.¡±


    Donovan ended the call, and the next second, Jane opened the door and entered the room, putting on a


    neutral expression. He smiled at her and asked, ¡°Your mom said you bought a cheap dress. Why? I told


    you you could buy a costly one.¡± ¡°Get out of my house,¡± Jane¡¯s voice was neither cold nor warm.


    Donovan¡¯s smile subsided rather quickly. ¡°What do you mean, darling?¡± he got off the bed. ¡°Is something


    wrong?¡± he looked into her slightly red eyes, trying to see through her. ¡°I¡¯m not a fool, Donnie,¡± she


    ended up calling him by his nickname and regretted it.¡± DONOVAN. Get out of my life.¡± ¡°What


    happened?¡± Donovan yed innocent. ¡°Whatever it is, we can talk.¡± He tried to get closer.


    Jane swallowed a breath with effort and showed him the exit. ¡°Go away. Go and fuck my best friend.¡±


    Donovan was startled. Did she think he and Reba were having an affair or something? After some


    quick thinking, he thought this was good for him. If he could get Reba, sacrificing Jane didn¡¯t seem all


    that bad. He silently walked out in his underwear. As he wasing downstairs, he noticed Jasmine.


    She was impressed by his physique and found it hard to take her eyes off him. At the same time, the big


    blue flower in her head caught his attention.


    Jane meanwhile began crying in her room. The photos on the walls that she and Reba took together


    made her cry even more. She broke all those photo frames she could find, and then fell to pieces, feeling


    worthless as a heart-wrenching pain gutted her from inside out. Her world hadpletely fallen apart


    like those ss pieces around her. She clutched her head and screamed, her face stained with tears.

 Chapter 141

    Chapter 141


    ¡°You think I¡¯d let your attractiveness make me treat you differently?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about your words, only your actions. And your recent designs are absolute trash. Talk about


    falling down thedder due to overconfidence.¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to have boldness, but there should be a limit, or it¡¯ll be barbaric.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t help you.¡±


    No matter whom Reba approached, be it her superiors or her fellow workers in the field, they didn¡¯t


    care about her words at all. Nobody was willing to spend even five minutes and listen to her story, except


    for those who wanted to have a taste of her body before they could offer any help.


    ¡°I heard you¡¯re married, but it¡¯s still fine. I can still talk to you, if you know what I mean.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re married or divorced, as it¡¯s secretlymon for women to rotate men. As long


    as I¡¯m in that rotation, I can help you.¡± ¡°A devil must havee over you for her to have made those


    designs, but it¡¯s fine if she can show me the subus in her. I will dly give all I¡¯ve got.¡± ¡°One of the


    hottest women in the world, but with zero personality. Why am I not surprised? She¡¯s making every


    woman very, very proud, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°I¡¯d buy that bra for a dor. No pun intended.¡± ¡°She isn¡¯t like those


    100 pound stick figures you see calling themselves models. She had a wless face, sexy body, and


    also a bubbly personality, I thought. I used to think my life has everything except Selena Sterling, but I


    don¡¯t think that way anymore because I don¡¯t want a daughter as stupid as Reba even though she


    rivals her mother in terms of looks. But what are looks worth when there¡¯s no substance underneath?¡±


    ¡°¡®I like her. She¡¯s so beautiful and bold. She¡¯s any man¡¯s dream. She¡¯s a blessing to men all over the


    world for making a bra of hope. Hope I can meet her before her body loosens up.¡± ¡°So cute. So hot. So


    sweet, so handsome, and a working brain. I¡¯m talking about myself, not about Reba Sterling.¡±


    These sorts ofments on the web made her lose hope in men and the world, in general. She felt like


    she was driven to a corner as variouspanies broke their contracts with her. She was a brand


    ambassador for Myers¡¯ clothing, but they, too, canceled their contract.


    All these things happened too quickly. All in a matter of hours. She went crazy as her whole career and


    her name had copsed just like that, for something she didn¡¯t do. She couldn¡¯t digest that. She couldn¡¯t


    ept the fate that the world was pushing on her, but how could she prove her innocence when her


    company¡¯s CEO himself was lying through his teeth?


    If she were to call her dad and tell him everything, would he believe her? He would probably listen to


    what the world had to say before he would turn to her. That was the kind of man he was. As for her


    mother, she might be able to help, but her mother¡¯s image was already being ruined because of this


    incident. Would Selena still be willing to fight for her daughter even at the cost of looking ridiculous in the


    eyes of the world? She wasn¡¯t so sure. While Shawn might help her, it woulde only at a great price.


    The only one she could think of was Louis. Yes, he was a man of few words, but if it was him, there was


    a chance. She didn¡¯t have any enmity with him, after all.


    ¡°I should ask him to look into this matter as soon as possible. Hopefully, he¡¯ll believe my words.¡± She


    hurried back to the vi, but the petrol ran out in the middle. She couldn¡¯t believe it. This had never


    happened before. She hit the steering wheel in anger and ended up hurting her hand.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± she cringed in pain.


    The signs were too obvious to miss. Nothing was going well for her today.


    Her phone rang. She nced, and it was from an unknown number. She took a breath and answered.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°What a sweet voice,¡± the caring voice on the other side said softly, but it felt eerily familiar. Was it


    Donovan? She suddenly felt goosebumps all over. She immediately cut the call and put the mobile down.


    ¡°Why did that bastard call me?¡± a bead of sweat formed on her forehead, even though AC was running.


    ¡°I should call and tell Jane everything, but this isn¡¯t the time. Sorry, Jane, but I swear I¡¯ll talk to you soon.¡±


    Her mobile received a text message. It was from Donovan. The message read: I want to meet you. What


    happens between us stays between us. She replied, ¡®fuck off,¡¯ and then blocked his number. After


    reading the reply, Donovan wasn¡¯t hurt. ¡°What headweight.¡± He felt all the more motivated to keep trying.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, though. You can act as arrogant as you want as long as I can get into your pants.¡± He was


    currently sitting on a sofa in Jasmine¡¯s room, still wearing only underwear. She was preparing pizza and


    popcorn in the kitchen. When she came over with a bowl full of popcorn, he pulled her into hisp. The


    popcorn fell all around. He told her to pick them up with her mouth. Jasmine cheekily smiled and then


    obeyed him. As she picked up every corn piece, her lips eventuallynded on his private part, but he let


    her touch his little brother. He let her starve like a dog in a cage with a piece of meat outside the cage.


    The meat was right in front of her, and despite trying everything in her power, she couldn¡¯t taste it, at


    least not yet.


    Meanwhile, somewhere else in the city.


    Jacob was with Jane¡¯s dad, Mike Cooper, in a popr theater, advertising his film that was going to


    release tomorrow.


    ¡°The advance bookings are just crazy,¡± Mike was absolutely happy.¡±97% upancy in all the centers


    combined. If only we had released it in more theaters, this would have surely broken the all-time opening


    records.¡±


    ¡°If the movie clicks, the theater owners wille looking for us, and we can still beat the all time highest


    grossing collections worldwide,¡± Jacob confidently said. ¡°Haha, it might happen. This will also serve as


    an automatic promotion for your next movie that¡¯s going to release at the end of this month. Though


    releasing at the end of a month can affect the collections a bit, the hype your first movie will create


    should easily cover that issue.¡± Mike looked quite impressed. ¡°You really are a genius, man. I wish I had


    your brain.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to. Just stick with me, and I¡¯ll bring you profits.¡± ¡°Haha. You¡¯re not wrong. I intend to buy


    more apartments all around the city,¡± Mike stated his dream. ¡°I¡¯ll keep them for a few years and then sell


    them for great profits. Intion rarely catches up with the increasing housing prices, after all.¡±


    A fat man pushed his way through the gap between these two, shocking them.


    ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going, pig,¡± Mike scolded.


    The fat guy, Christopher, turned back and wiped the sauce off his mouth. ¡°Did you just call me a pig?¡± He


    came to buy a movie ticket because Rye¡¯s Pizzas temporarily closed for the three days, but he never


    thought he¡¯d hear the word ¡®pig¡¯ on this day, and itpletely ruined his mood.


    ¡°Yeah, I did. So what?¡± Mike talked back arrogantly. ¡°Why do people like you evene to the theater?


    There¡¯s no seat that can bear your big ass here anyway. Just leave.¡±


    ¡°You motherfucker¡­¡± Christopher attacked Mike like an enraged gori, shocking him. As he rained


    merciless punches on Mike, Jacob threw a swift hook punch, and Christopher fell t on the floor and


    lost his consciousness. Mike then kicked Christopher until his foot hurt, and then he told the guards to


    throw him out. He then thanked Jacob. ¡°You really saved me, If he had kept going, some of my bones


    would have broken for sure.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my friend, so of course, I¡¯d help you¡­ even when you¡¯re wrong.¡± Mike forced out a smile and


    said, ¡°That¡¯s what friends are there for¡­ to have each other¡¯s backs.¡±


    Jacob received a phone call. It was from Terry. He answered it quickly. ¡°Hi, Mr. Terry. If you want some


    movie tickets, I can arrange for you.¡± ¡°So you didn¡¯t know,¡± Terry¡¯s voice was full of suspense mixed with


    a tinge of pity. ¡°Don¡¯t know what?¡± Jacob¡¯s expression quickly changed. ¡°The ie tax officers are


    raiding your vi right now,¡± said Terry. ¡°You didn¡¯t keep any illegal documents there, right?¡± ¡°What did


    you say?¡± Jacob¡¯s face quickly turned pale. As Terry kept talking, the mobile slipped from his hand and


    crashed on the hard marble floor. His face metamorphosed into a stupefied, shaken-up monkey.

 Chapter 142

    Chapter 142


    CHAPTER 142 The ie tax officers stayed in the vi all night, with three witnesses from the


    neighborhood. One of them was Mina disguised as a resident. Jacob didn¡¯t evene home. The only


    mobile he could reach was Reba, so he kept calling her and asked for progress. He told her the spots


    where he kept some illegal documents. She couldn¡¯t cover him for him, so she gave her mobile to


    Shawn, and he took care of whatever Jacob told him. Selena, on the other hand, kept asking the officers


    why their family was being suddenly targeted with no prior notice or anything. Even though they didn¡¯t


    reply at first, she didn¡¯t stop asking. At some point the Chief Commissioner grew tired and told her he


    received orders from the higher ups to do a raid and he had to do it even though there were no records


    of the Sterling family evading taxes. The officers found some illegal investments of Shawn in real estate,


    and some unexined cash credits in Elizabeth¡¯s ounts. To make things worse, Dorothy also had


    some bullion and jewelry in her lockers, which they had to break open. They mercilessly seized


    everything they could from documents to dairies and jewelry toputer chips. This went on until


    morning, and nobody in the Sterling family had slept that night, except for George who could still


    somehow peacefully sleep despite all the mayhem going around him. After the officers left, Elizabeth


    woke her brother up with a smack on the back of his head, as she always would. ¡°Why didn¡¯t they arrest


    us?¡± Dorothy could only wonder. ¡°I thought they had the grounds to put us behind the bars.¡± ¡°Oh, they


    will, but there¡¯s a procedure to everything,¡± replied Nn. ¡°I will be sad and alone once you go to jail.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dear. I¡¯ll tell them you gave me the bullion and jewelry.¡± ¡°Eh?¡±


    Meanwhile, Reba finally got the chance to talk to Louis after he walked out of the building and sat on


    a bench on thewn.


    She sat on the same bench and said, ¡°Enjoying the fresh air?¡±,


    Louis lit up a cigar and took a whiff. ¡°Just tell me what you want.¡± Reba looked a little embarrassed.


    ¡°You must have heard about it by now. The whole holes-in-the-bras thing.¡± He nodded and smiled,


    ¡°That¡¯s a piss-poor idea, sis.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not my idea!¡± Reba quickly denied. ¡°I was framed by my CEO.¡±


    ¡°And you know how?¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t even talk to me anymore. She doesn¡¯t want to listen to my


    exnation, and she fired me.¡± ¡°She must be quite envious of you.¡± Reba took a breath. ¡°I would


    have sued if not for this whole mess going on in the family. Our movies are releasing, too.¡± ¡°Well, any


    publicity is good publicity as far as movies are considered.¡± Reba just shook her head. ¡°So, I guess


    you want my help?¡± Louis asked. ¡°Can you?¡± Reba expectantly looked at him. She used to ride on his


    back when she was young. He used to carry her on this samewn. Does he still remember those times?


    Though she could see his eyes from a foot away, they felt strangely distant. Louis could, to an extent,


    understand why she came to him instead of going to Shawn or Jacob. He exhaled audibly and said,¡± You


    know why I don¡¯t let Be work outside?¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s happy to be a housewife?¡±


    Louisughed. ¡°No.You got your job without any issues and managed to be popr, but not every


    woman can be as lucky as you. Most of them get asked to sleep with others for them to get the job or to


    have some growth in their field. Men also go through this, but women have it a lot worse. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re


    aware of it as well that the cut-throatpetitive world of men seeks some rxation in women, making


    it unsafe for women to work outside.¡± Reba frowned. ¡°Are you saying I should stop working?¡± ¡°That¡¯s


    for the best,¡± Louis said. ¡°I can find a billionaire for you, and he¡¯ll go through the hardships and take care


    of you like you¡¯re his most prized possession.¡± ¡°I¡¯m nobody¡¯s possession,¡± Reba stood and started


    walking away. ¡°Thanks for your unnecessary advice.¡±


    ¡°Haa¡­¡± Louis exhaled through the mouth and faintly smiled. ¡°Why are you leaving? I never said I won¡¯t


    help.¡±


    Reba, however, didn¡¯t stop. Though she didn¡¯t expect the conversation to end like this, she began to


    understand that she didn¡¯t even need his help. When she joined her first job, her superiors asked her out


    for drinks on the very first week and told her how she could easily climb thedder if she satisfied them.


    There were even a couple of women among them. Rebained about them to the boss, but


    after no action was taken, she quit the job and joined anotherpany.


    Hardships had always been part of her professional life, and she didn¡¯t ask for her brothers¡¯ help before,


    so she felt like she should also resolve this issue with her own strength.


    Reba went straight to her personalwyer without the need for appointment as thewyer was her


    friend, though she used to be a legal assistant until recently. She was talking with a client early in the


    morning. It was a married man who kept begging her to do something about a divorced woman who had


    trapped him and then demanded money if he didn¡¯t want their private photos and videos to be shown to


    his wife and children. He had already paid a lot of money to her, but that woman still kept demanding


    more. However, since he was also to me, thewyer told him to go away.


    After he left, Reba asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you take up his case? He seemed to regret what he had done.¡±


    ¡°If he really regretted it, he would have also brought his wife here,¡± she replied. ¡°Anyway, you have


    be quite the sensation on the inte,¡± she sarcastically said. ¡°How did youe up with such


    ridiculous designs? Were you drunk when you made thern?¡±


    ¡°She, listen¡­¡± Reba told her the whole story. ¡°Can you help me?¡± ¡°Of course, I can. And I will.¡±


    She¡¯s straightforward reply boosted Reba¡¯s confidence a lot. ¡°Thank you. Thanks a lot.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. We¡¯re friends. Just go home and take a rest. It¡¯ll take a couple of days to prepare the


    documents.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After Reba left, She called the CEO Reba used to work for and told her everything. ¡°I can


    stretch the case for months or years if you want, but it¡¯ll be costly.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the money, miss,¡± replied the CEO in a soft voice. ¡°I can pay you ten times the


    amount she¡¯s paying. I¡¯ll give you free tickets to male fashion shows all across the country if you want.¡±


    She¡¯s face lit up. ¡°I¡¯d really appreciate that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you are so understanding.¡±


    She ended the call and was all smiles. ¡°Oh, my lovely Reba¡­ you came at the right time to make


    me rich. I¡¯ll milk as much money as I can from you Sterlings so I can settle for life.¡±


    At the moment, She had no clue that Mina was hearing her conversation from outside the walls.


    Mina just sighed and thought, ¡°This outside world is just as fucked up as thest time I was out and


    about. I regret leaving the n, even though I get to taste a variety of ice creams here.¡±Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

 Chapter 143

    Chapter 143


    Reba came home after meeting with She thewyer. Veronica was taking the children to the movie,


    so she thought of Benjamin for a second. She wanted to watch with him, but she wasn¡¯t in the mood right


    now. ¡°I wonder what he¡¯s doing. Should I call and tell him to go and watch the movie alone?¡± she


    pondered


    In Elizabeth¡¯s room, Shawn pped his wife repeatedly even after she began crying. ¡°70 freaking million!


    You think money is water? Who told you to buy a house and a private jet?¡± ¡°I-I¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± she


    apologized in a crying tone. ¡°I won¡¯t buy anything without asking you again.¡± Her whole face turned red.


    Seeing her like that, Shawn gritted his teeth. ¡°Come here.¡± She was shaking as he hesitantly approached


    him, thinking he was going to hit her again. However, he hugged her tightly and kissed her on the head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me hit you again,¡± Shawn¡¯s eyes slightly teared up, though no tears leaked out from the


    corners of his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to sell all those things you bought.¡± ¡°A-At least keep the house,¡±


    she said in a soft, meek tone. ¡°Our children like it.¡± ¡°Haa¡­ I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Nn and Dorothy, on the


    other hand, were in their guest room, cursing the entire Sterling family because they lost their gold. ¡°That


    bastard Jacob didn¡¯t evene home. His movies are more important than his family!¡± Nn was


    gnashing his old teeth. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have married our daughter into this family!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see what


    happens,¡± Dorothy said patiently. ¡°Our daughter is still young and is in good shape. It won¡¯t be hard for


    her to find another man.¡±


    At Pure Waters bar.


    Alfred strode into the bar with five movie tickets. There were no customers in the bar at the moment.


    ¡°Are those what I think they are?¡± Shadow asked.


    Alfred grinned and looked at Benjamin who was still asleep. ¡°Did he drink excessivelyst night as well?¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯s numbing the pain with it,¡± Shadow lowered his head slightly and sighed. ¡°He doesn¡¯t stop no


    matter how much I tell him.¡± ¡°At least he¡¯s notshing out in rage like his dad used to after drinking,¡±


    Alfred chortled.¡± Anyway, this has to be expected since he fell in love with a woman full of issues. Daddy


    issues. Mominy issues. Sibling issues and what not. From what I can tell, nobody has been emotionally


    avable for her when she needed it. Master Benjamin also sort of went through the same thing, being


    forced to fight for freedom and all¡­ Maybe that¡¯s why he feels a connection with her? It¡¯s just my guess.¡±


    ¡°I heard people say love can shatter hearts like ss,¡± Shadow voiced his mind, his voice full


    of worry. ¡°I just hope this thing called ¡®love¡¯ doesn¡¯t shatter his heart.¡± ¡°Hoping isn¡¯t all we can do,¡± Alfred


    waved the movie tickets in his hand. Shadow somewhat grinned and gave a thumbs-up. ¡°You haven¡¯t


    gone senile yet.¡±


    Elsewhere in the city.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Jacob was giving an interview to a popr radio station. He talked about his movies and thetest


    release El Man. Everything was going great until one of the female hosts asked, ¡°Is it true that you didn¡¯t


    want to pay the tax, and so you made films with hundreds of millions?¡±


    ¡°I have always paid my taxes, mydy,¡± Jacob replied with a smile. ¡°Tax to the government is like


    mother¡¯s milk to the baby. If we don¡¯t feed our babies well, they¡¯ll look and act like you after growing up.¡±


    The female host began crying almost instantly, but Jacob couldn¡¯t care less. He shook hands with the


    other hands and concluded the interview. After walking out of the interview, Jacob took out his mobile.


    He had it switched off since morning because of the tax raid.


    ¡°It¡¯s natural for the raids to happen before big movies are released, but Terry told me they weren¡¯t gonna


    raid me this time. He was dead wrong. At least Shawn hid the documents, so I¡¯m safe.¡±


    He switched the mobile on. He had to, given the movie would be screened in the theaters pretty soon,


    and he would be receiving a lot of calls and messages. He was slightly shivering. The hairs on his arms


    stood up. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I felt this¡­ thrill, haha.¡± Heughed lightly. ¡°I¡¯m going to be a


    billionaire soon!¡±


    At Terry¡¯s office.


    Terry, Langdon, and David were talking with a stranger covering his face with a mask. ¡°It¡¯s all done,


    right?¡± asked Terry.


    ¡°You can rest assured, sir,¡± the masked man replied in a confident but snickering attitude.¡± Everything is


    going as nned.¡±


    ¡°It better, or your whole life will be ruined and will be yed in a theater exclusively for your family.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah. I¡¯m aware.¡±


    After the masked man left to the guest room, Terry nced at David with a rather confused expression.


    ¡°Howe the SWAT teams were called back?¡±


    ¡°The vice-president called them back.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Terry was shocked. ¡°These damned mafias have connections with someone that high up the


    ladder?¡±


    ¡°Well, they used to very much control the government in the past, so it¡¯s no surprise,¡± David remarked.


    ¡°By the way, my son sent some bodyguards to deal with the son-inw, but they all died. I told him to


    stop going after him until we corner that bastard. I have a feeling he¡¯s probably connected with the


    mafia.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. We should just fuck up everything he¡¯s connected with,¡± Langdon opined.¡±


    Since he works at Rye¡¯s Pizzas, I¡¯ll talk with their CEO and get him fired. You just make sure that bastard


    Rodnie never gets out.¡±


    Terry nodded. ¡°Not as long as I have my position.¡±


    At Jane¡¯s apartment.


    Reba just arrived, but she wasn¡¯t allowed to enter their t. Jane¡¯s mother stopped Reba outside.


    ¡°Aunt Catherine,¡±Reba was annoyed to say the least. ¡°She doesn¡¯t lift my calls, and you¡¯re now letting


    me inside? What the hell is happening?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, either,¡± Catherine looked confused just the same.


    ¡°She told me she would rather die than see your face.¡± ¡°What?¡± Reba couldn¡¯t believe what she was


    hearing.


    ¡°Can you tell me what happened?¡± Catherine asked, her voice turning cold. ¡°She broke up with Donovan,


    and she doesn¡¯t want to talk to you. I don¡¯t want to jump to conclusions because you¡¯re her childhood


    friend, but¡­¡± Reba¡¯s heart shook for a second. Her heart picked up pace, not liking where this was


    going. ¡°N-No, no, no. There¡¯s nothing like that.¡±


    ¡°Here you are,¡± Donovan, who had been secretly eavesdropping, now entered the scene and put his


    hand around Reba¡¯s shoulder and showered a cocky smile at Catherine. ¡°Why are you wasting your


    time with these low-lives?¡±

 Chapter 144

    Chapter 144


    CHAPTER 144 ¡°Get your hands off me!¡± Reba pushed Donovan away, which didn¡¯t surprise him. ¡°I


    think I¡¯ve seen enough,¡± Catherine red at Reba. ¡°Don¡¯t ever show your face around here again.¡±


    She shut the door in Reba¡¯s face.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Reba shouted. ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood me, Aunt Catherine.¡± She knocked on the door five


    times, but there was no response.


    Donovan again put his hand on her shoulder. She turned to p him, but he caught her hand. ¡°Let go of


    me,¡± she yanked her hand, but his grip was so hard she couldn¡¯t free herself.


    ¡°I¡¯m not possessive like your husband,¡± Donovan grinned, ¡°but I¡¯m sure I can definitely please you better


    than he ever can.¡±


    She went for a p with the other hand. Again, he caught her and amusedly smiled. He was taller and


    stronger, but that didn¡¯t intimidate her. However, what bothered her was that there were people watching,


    and they made no attempt to intervene. ¡°I¡¯m the kind of guy who doesn¡¯t take shit,¡± Donovan¡¯s voice grew


    rough and sharp like a cutting wind. ¡°If you p me, I¡¯ll p you back.¡± Saying that, he let go of her arms.


    ¡°If cruel romance is your kind of thing, there¡¯s no better mate than me around.¡± Reba¡¯s blood was


    boiling. ¡°I won¡¯t warn you again. If you bother me once more, I¡¯ll make you regret it for the rest of your


    life.¡± She walked off, but he didn¡¯t stop her this time. He turned around and stared at her back and


    mumbled under his breath, ¡°She¡¯s a whole snack.¡± He took his mobile out and took some snapshots.


    ¡°Can¡¯t wait to get my hands on all this wealth.¡± He licked the mobile screen once.¡± Hehe.¡±


    He then dialed a number. ¡°Hello, ckbear. It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Donovan. How is Jasmine?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s perfect, but it¡¯s not about her. I have a favor to ask.¡±


    ¡°Anything. Just ask.¡±


    ¡°I want some dirt on a woman,¡± Donovan said. ¡°I¡¯ll send you her picture.¡±


    ¡°What if we couldn¡¯t find dirt?¡±


    ¡°Just create it.¡±


    ¡°Haha. Alright.¡±


    Meanwhile, Reba drove to her home. Just when she got home, she received a call from Benjamin.


    She was in a bad mood, so she cut the call.


    He called again.


    She pursed her lips and answered. ¡°If it¡¯s about the movie, I¡¯m noting.¡±


    Benjamin fell silent. He was about to ask her toe to the movie, but how did she know? ¡°P Please,


    Reba. I want to watch this movie with you.¡± He asked like an innocent child requesting his caretakers.


    Her mood was still pretty bad because of everything happening, be it her professional or personal life.


    However, she remembered that it was in fact a movie that had helped her when she was a kid and was


    sick.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Moreover, did she ever go to a movie together with Benjamin? No. ¡°Alright, but I¡¯m not sure if I can get


    the tickets or not,¡± she replied tentatively. ¡°I have the tickets, so don¡¯t worry,¡± Benjamin excitedly said.


    ¡°Should Ie and pick you


    up?¡±


    ¡°How long do we have?¡±


    ¡°Thirty minutes.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time for me to get ready.¡± ¡°S-Sorry,¡± Benjamin wanted to p himself. He


    had been sleeping all this while. If not for Shadow, he wouldn¡¯t have woken up. ¡°Just text me the


    location. I¡¯lle myself.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    The call ended, and Reba sucked in a burdened breath. In the past decade or so, every time she


    went to a theater, it was with Jane. Now, the whole situation with Jane made her feel strange. ¡°How can


    she misunderstand like that? Doesn¡¯t she know what kind of person I am?¡± she gritted her teeth as she


    remembered Jane once using her of stealing her purse back in the college and searched her whole


    luggage. However, the bag waster found in another ssmate¡¯s room. Jane had forgotten it there.


    ¡°Come to think of it, once she doubts something, she¡¯s quick to jump to conclusions. But how am I going


    to prove my innocence this time?


    ¡°Should I record a video of Donovan trying to make me fall for him?¡± she shook her head.¡± No. There¡¯s


    no guarantee she¡¯ll believe it. What if she thinks we¡¯re both ying a game together? That¡¯ll make things


    worse.


    ¡°Ah,¡± she touched her forehead. ¡°All this thinking is giving me a headache. If I watch an action movie


    now, it¡¯ll only worsen, but I said I¡¯lle, so I have no choice.¡±


    A few minutester.


    Reba arrived at the theater, and Benjamin was ready to open the car door for her. When she got out,


    however, he gave her a quick hug. ¡°Thanks foring.¡±


    Though she was initially surprised, it somewhat helped ease her mood a little. ¡°You asked, and it¡¯s my


    dad¡¯s movie, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but you have already seen the movie, so, youing here to watch it again really makes me


    happy.¡±


    Reba just smiled in return. ¡°Hey, by the way, when are you going to shave this beard? It¡¯s as big as


    my hand now.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. There¡¯s no time.¡± Benjamin caught her hand and took her into the theater.


    Almost all the seats were full. They sat in the middle row, a perfect spot to watch the movie without


    needing to lift or lower one¡¯s head. The two seats on either side of them were empty. Alfred was sitting


    one seat away from Benjamin, busy chewing on popcorn and watching ads ying on the screen.


    ¡°The movie is about to start, but these people haven¡¯te yet,¡± Reba wondered. ¡°Traffic issues,


    maybe?¡± Meanwhile, outside the theater.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t watched a movie in theaters for decades,¡± Mina was fuming at Shadow. ¡°You better give me


    that ticket, or I¡¯ll break your bones.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Shadow didn¡¯t even take a second to reply. Benjamin had told him to keep the seats on either side


    of them empty, so even though he wanted to watch the movie, his lord¡¯s wishes were of higher priority


    than his own.


    ¡°You really have a death wish, don¡¯t you?¡± the veins on Mina¡¯s arms swelled in size, and she vehemently


    wed at Shadow. ¡°Die!¡±

 Chapter 145

    Chapter 145


    CHAPTER 145 While the advertisements yed on the screen, Reba noticed that Benjamin was


    looking at her instead of looking at the screen.


    She acted like she didn¡¯t notice it, but then a minute passed, and he was still at it. She couldn¡¯t act


    anymore. Turning her head, she looked at him. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Benjamin lifted his hand and


    gently stroked her cheek with his tentative fingertip. Her eyes closed, and she could feel his touch all the


    more. It felt like he was probing for something. As his finger moved along her jaw, her lips pursed. When


    the fingertip reached the chin, her lips and chin together trembled. He curled his finger in.


    She slowly opened her eyes, looking flushed and slightly happy. Her expression made her look even


    more beautiful. Would there be a more perfect time to kiss? He felt really tempted to kiss her. Reba


    was also licking her lips, trying to cope with the situation.


    Alfred got out of his seat and walked away. (Dammit. I really wanted to watch the movie. I guess I¡¯ll have


    to book for another show.)


    The movie titles started ying. Seconds were passing, but Benjamin was neither looking at her, nor


    was he touching her. She slightly moved her hand so that her arm touched his arm. She didn¡¯t want to


    look obvious, so she was really careful and vague with her approach. But ever since the movie started,


    Benjamin¡¯s eyes were glued to the screen. She couldn¡¯t help but feel angry and jealous because she


    thought he was going to y with her for longer times, but he just messed with her for a minute and then


    began enjoying the movie.


    (This isn¡¯t fair.)


    She wanted his attention no matter what. Because it was dark in the theater, nobody would notice her


    actions anyway, so this gave her the courage to want to act. But how should she proceed? If it was Jane,


    she would lure a man¡¯s attention by seduction, but Reba never tried that in the past. All the time, it


    was the men who begged her during every date. She didn¡¯t have the experience of chasing a man, much


    less being the aggressor in a romantic rtionship. Just thinking about it made her heart ring in her ears,


    though it wasn¡¯t painful but in pleasing.


    After thinking for a little while, she copied his approach. She turned and kept staring at him, hoping he¡¯d


    notice her just the same way she had taken note of him.


    As she kept looking at him, a lot of thoughts rushed through her mind. Until a few weeks ago, she wasn¡¯t


    even willing to make her rtionship public with this man, but now, she was sitting next to him and


    watching a movie. What changed? Maybe, she could no longer hide the fact that she could feel his love?


    Maybe it was something different. She wasn¡¯t sure what changed, but she didn¡¯t regret this new chapter


    of her life.


    She kept staring at him. Perhaps, it was the power in her eyes, or the wanting of her heart, Benjamin


    casually turned his head and found Reba looking at him.


    But she quickly looked away like a shy doe. Benjamin wondered for a second before leaning in and


    giving her a quick peck on the cheek


    before getting back to watching the movie. Even though he didn¡¯t seem that excited, Reba found


    herself breathing slow and heavy. She wanted to return the favor, so she also gave a quick peck on his


    cheek, pleasantly surprising him..


    When his attention shifted to her, she flushed beautifully. He raised his hands and gently caught her


    adorable little face. While she was thrilled by the touch of his hands and ended up tilting her head a bit to


    the side, his face kepting closer and closer until his lips pressed against her lips. Her eyes widened


    as both their pretty pink lips softly pressed together while their eyes were still open and taking in all the


    visual love.


    Neither moved back. Their breaths were exchanged through the nose, and their scents stimted each


    other like never before. His upper lip softly thrust into the gap between her lips like an artful slug. At thePublished by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    same time, her lower lip achieved the same, and they got a taste of each other¡¯s lips, probably for the


    first time as far as they could remember. Their whole bodies bloomed and felt thrilled with goosebumps.


    It was like swimming in a river of youthfulness, as the sea of love welled up in both of them and drowned


    the other. They both experienced what a kiss really felt, as this heavenly experience brought a sweet


    suffocating pain upon their souls. Benjamin moved his head back slowly, and both their lips stretched a


    bit in the process.


    Reba did not expect this beforeing to the theater, but she should have known what she was


    getting into when she kept staring at him nonstop, and even dared to kiss him on the cheek.


    Either way, it was her first kiss. It was a clean and pure kiss with their tongues never touching in the


    process, so she had no regrets. It wasn¡¯t mind-boggling, but it definitely hardened her nipples. And the


    AC in the theater only made things much more difficult to cope with.


    Reba wanted more, but she didn¡¯t want to be rude. Though she had seen the movie, he didn¡¯t, so she


    patiently bore all the emotions and fought back the urges of her flesh.


    All this happened in the first twenty minutes since the movie started.


    The movie was so engaging until this point, nobody in the theater said a word, but this was where things


    started going South bit by bit. The quality of the post production suddenly dropped, whether it be the


    rerecording, editing, background score and what not.


    With every passing minute, Benjamin¡¯s expression also gradually changed.


    By the time the movie reached the thirty minute mark, the people got angry by how rapidly the movie


    became so unbearable. Many of them began to scream at the owner, thinking there was some fault with


    the screening equipment or something. However, things didn¡¯t change, and it got to the point where


    people threw food and bottles at the screen.


    Many frustrated folks walked out before the movie even got to the half point. Benjamin looked at


    Reba who had a bewildered expression.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked. She turned to him with a worried look, ¡°Something must have gone wrong.


    This wasn¡¯t the movie I watchedst time. They must have released the wrong version of the print. I


    should call my dad.¡±

 Chapter 146

    Chapter 146


    Reba tried calling her dad, but his number was busy all the time. She apologized to Benjamin and


    walked out of the theater. He said he would apany her, but she said it was her family issue, so he


    couldn¡¯t tag along with her.


    If only her family also trusted him like she did, how wonderful his married life would have been?


    Meanwhile, seeing the audience leave the theater, ranting about how crappy the production values were,


    Minaughed like a hyena on drugs.


    ¡°I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t watch it,¡± she boasted. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be thanking me?¡± Shadow asked. ¡°If not for me,


    you would have suffered like the audience.¡±


    ¡°Hmph! Don¡¯t try your luck with me, boy,¡± Mina red at him before leaving, as she had to follow


    Reba.


    Shadow went over to Benjamin and sat on his bike. ¡°Is the movie really that bad, my lord?¡± ¡°It was really


    engaging for the first fifteen minutes, but then¡­¡± Benjamin shook his head.¡± The quality turned horrible. I


    think someone who¡¯s envious of Jacob did this.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s that damned judge. Just give me the


    permission to kill him, my lord. If we let him live, he¡¯ll cause more trouble.¡±


    ¡°First, find out if it¡¯s him or not. We¡¯ll decide what to do afterward.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    At the same time, Veronica, Elizabeth and her family came rushing out of another theater and got into


    their car and quickly left the ce. ¡°How could he not check the print before releasing?¡± Veronica was


    grinding her teeth so hard it hurt her head.


    ¡°Normally, Father-inw is so thorough,¡± Elizabeth wondered. ¡°But the movie we watched back then was


    so good, but this one¡¯s poorly edited. I couldn¡¯t watch it.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s like this in other theaters as well,¡± George


    could only wonder, ¡°just imagine how badly it¡¯ll affect the weekend collections. People will even cancel


    their bookings. Father-inw should act as fast as possible and release the correct print. Otherwise, the


    damage will be irreversible.¡±


    Nn was driving the car, with Dorothy sitting in the back. They both hiddenly smiled andughed and


    wanted to see Jacob¡¯s face right now.


    Veronica checked online websites for reviews, and people were already leaving extremely poor reviews,


    even though the first show was yet to finish its full screen time. This just showed how much the movie


    disappointed or angered them.


    Some of the reviews were just too harsh. They just ripped the movie apart. ¡°You call this a movie? It¡¯s a


    perfect pill to lose your mind in thirty minutes!¡±


    ¡°The movie would have been a lot better in the hands of an amateur editor. I¡¯m afraid people who


    survived even train wrecks can¡¯t survive watching this 150 min debacle!¡±


    ¡°EL Man, yes, indeed, but beware, L stands for Loser.¡± ¡°To think I bought a ticket for the first day first


    show for this crap¡­ fuck my life.¡± Veronica¡¯s heart pounded against her chest from reading the reviews.


    If she was feeling this bad, then how much worse should her father be feeling? In a theater owned by


    Mike, Jane¡¯s dad. Jacob was talking with the satellitepany that was supposed to distribute the movie


    to the screens all around the world. ¡°What the hell do you mean your servers were hacked, and you lost


    the original hard-drives?¡± Jacob howled in utter rage. ¡°Is this some sort of a joke? Do you have any


    fucking idea how much I¡¯m getting fucked right now?¡± ¡°We¡¯re extremely sorry, sir, but we need you to


    bring us another copy. You have it ready, right?¡±


    Jacob gritted. ¡°I have to go and get it from my editing department. I¡¯ll bring it in an hour.¡± He ended the


    call. ¡°You should first make a press statement,¡± Mike advised. ¡°Otherwise, people will be confused. But if


    you promise them, you should also be able to deliver. If you fuck up again, then there¡¯s no saving the


    movie.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you an audio message. Just send it to the news channels.¡± Mike nodded. ¡°That should


    do it, too.¡± After Jacob left, Mike received a call from his wife. ¡°What¡¯s up, Catherine? I¡¯m busy right now.¡±


    ¡°This is important. Is Jacob next to you?¡±


    ¡°No, why?¡±


    ¡°Listen¡­¡± she exined everything that had happened between Jane, Donovan, and Reba. ¡°What?


    Are you sure about this?¡± ¡°100% sure. Jane hasn¡¯t even eaten anything since yesterday,¡± she said in a


    crying tone. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Mike asked. ¡°That¡¯s the big question.¡± ¡°I want you to make


    Reba and his father pay for what they did,¡± she angrily yelled. ¡°Erase the smile from their faces.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°l¡¯ll see what I can do. Keep an eye on Jane till Ie home,¡± saying that, Mike ended the call


    at am I supposed to do now? If I don¡¯t do what she says, she¡¯ll make my life hard at home. If I do what


    she says, I won¡¯t be able to sleep peacefully, either.¡±


    Meanwhile, Benjamin was driving aimlessly. Shadow was no longer sitting in the back seat.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning to kiss her, but then I ended up kissing her,¡± he flushed and daydreamed.¡± It felt so


    good. Mm?¡± He noticed that he was being followed. Not just by one vehicle but a lot of them, both in the


    front and the back. ¡°What do we have here¡­¡±


    At Bonsbell¡¯s mansion. ¡°Young Master, it¡¯s still not toote,¡± Luther was warning. ¡°Tell those men to abort.


    Last time, I made use of the situation and got away without having to reveal my identity, but this time, it¡¯s


    different.¡±


    Artur was watching the live video of the bikes and cars chasing Benjamin. ¡°Since 12 failed, I sent 100


    this time. If they get him, it¡¯s good, but if they fail, I¡¯m at least going to see how he¡¯ll deal with them.¡±


    ¡°You are putting your head in the tiger¡¯s mouth, Young Master,¡± Luther¡¯s hairs were standing straight. He


    still vividly remembered how his best unit was utterly thrashed by a couple of guys working at a pizza


    shop. It was so humiliating he wished he could forget about it. ¡°That¡¯s just your perception,¡± Artur


    smirked. ¡°If you use my eyes, you¡¯ll see I¡¯m so close to shoving a bomb up his ass. He¡¯s pretty much


    surrounded now. I can get him shot from every direction, but I want to see his fighting skills myself.¡±


    Luther could only shake his head. (He doesn¡¯t get it. He¡¯s writing his own death. That son-inw was


    swift and terrifying. Unless you catch him in his sleep, there¡¯s no chance of winning.)


    ¡°More than his fighting skills, I want to see him cry,¡± Artur voiced his mind. ¡°Reba is a goddess, but


    what is he? A piss-poor bastard who smells like pizzas shouldn¡¯t be on the same bed with my chick. No,


    he doesn¡¯t even deserve to be in her life.¡±


    ¡°Young Master¡­¡± Luther went out of his way to try onest time. ¡°I was obsessed with a woman like you


    are now. And then I married her. I called her a princess and what not, but now we can¡¯t even stand to be


    in the same room.¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you divorce?¡± asked Artur without even looking. ¡°And lose everything?¡± Luther was


    quick to reply. ¡°My money. My kids¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s your point, Luther?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stress yourself for a pretty face.


    It¡¯s not worth it.¡±


    ¡°Huh, are you afraid that I¡¯ll finish the mission which you failed to do?¡± Artur looked confident. ¡°Unlike


    you, I¡¯ll finish the mission that I started, so just keep watching.¡± He then gave his men the order. ¡°I want


    him utterly beaten and thrown at my feet. The man to do it will receive a million dors.¡±

 Chapter 147

    Chapter 147


    ¡°What the hell happened here?¡± Steve and many other police who arrived at a private golf course built in


    the middle of a forest were shocked by what awaited them. A bloody scene they had never seen before.


    Hundred men were littered around the field along with bikes and other vehicles parked here and there.


    Some were hacked to death. Some were decapitated. Some had their limbs severed. This was without a


    doubt the most gruesome scene he had ever seen.


    He bent down and observed one of the dead men, lying on the grass, shocked and his eyes wide open


    and full of horror. ¡°The fear in those eyes¡­ He must have seen others die around him. He must be


    utterly stunned to the point his eyes stayed open even after death.¡± Steve began sweating without


    realizing.


    Some other police recognized a few of those men. ¡°These guys are street thugs from all around the city.


    Most of them have multiple murder and rape charges against them.¡±


    Steve¡¯s brows knitted together. ¡°Why were such bastards roaming freely in the city?¡¯


    ¡°The governor. After he came to power, he began releasing criminals from prison whenever he could. I


    think he released over five hundred criminals in thest two years.¡±


    Steve¡¯s blood boiled. ¡°We work so hard to catch them, but these damned corrupt politicians make all our


    efforts look silly with just their signatures. I¡¯m sure the CCTV footage will be tampered, and we¡¯ll find


    nothing there. But still, who could have done this? It¡¯s too hard ¨C boiled even for the mafia. They


    generally cut ears, fingers, and balls, but this¡­ it¡¯s middle ages stuff.¡±


    ¡°Let our superiors do their job. We don¡¯t want to dive into this rabbit hole.¡± ¡°Ah, fuck this job, man.¡± Steve


    could only gasp in annoyance.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    At Pure Waters bar.


    ¡°You did what?¡± Benjamin was stunned by what Shadow just said. He had escaped from the chase after


    making the thugs chase like hell on a golf course and confusing them. However, now, Shadow came and


    told him he took care of them all. All hundred of them.


    ¡°They were badmouthing you, my lord,¡± Shadow bluntly stated. ¡°They were asking to be killed, and


    they¡¯re all goons, so there¡¯s no need to feel for them.¡± Benjamin clenched his fists. ¡°Leave. Go back to


    the n.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Shadow was startled. ¡°But, my lord¡­¡±


    ¡°If you want to keep shedding blood at every possible instance, don¡¯t stay around me,¡± Benjamin


    ordered. ¡°You¡¯re not helping me.¡±


    Shadow kneeled and lowered his head. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t kill another person without your permission, so


    please let me stay.¡±


    Benjamin exhaled audibly. His expression was stressful because he was worrying about the families of


    the hundred thugs that Shadow had killed. He didn¡¯t want to forgive Shadow so easily. ¡°I will let you stay


    if youpensate for the families of the dead.¡±


    ¡°I will, my lord,¡± Shadow didn¡¯t hesitate to reply. If that decision would help him stay closer to his lord,


    why would he even need to think twice? Even though he was nning to also kill Artur, he had to dy


    that n for the time being.


    At Artur¡¯s mansion.


    Artur was sitting at the dining table, but when he grabbed the fork, he realized that his hand was shaking.


    He quickly put the fork down. What had happened not long ago shed in his mind. It was worse than


    the most horrifying video game he ever yed. One after another, all the hundred men he sent had fallen


    right before his eyes, and he didn¡¯t even know the reason. Could it be the son-inw who did it? He


    didn¡¯t know, but Luther said it was definitely him.


    Artur even checked who the golf course belonged to, thinking it might have been them who did it, but he


    knew the Bisconsleys. They probably weren¡¯t behind such gruesome killing. Now, he sort of understood


    why Luther had told him to not mess with the son-inw of the Sterling family, but his pride didn¡¯t allow


    him to bear the shame, which was why Luther was no longer standing by his side. He had sent his


    bodyguard off to hire all the professional bodyguards he could and bring them to the mansion. Artur¡¯s


    phone rang. He wasn¡¯t in the mood to pick it up, but it was Shawn calling. He mused for a second and


    answered.


    ¡°Mr. Artur, you must have heard what happened. I need some quick cash to settle some things,¡± Shawn


    tried to sound as casual and confident as he could. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back in a year.¡± ¡°How much?¡± Artur took


    his time to ask.


    ¡°100 million.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Artur gasped. ¡°I know you¡¯re a capable man, senior, but I can¡¯t give that much without taking


    coteral. My dad will whip my ass with his favorite belt.¡± Shawn frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it and call back


    soon.¡± ¡°Sure. Take your time.¡± Artur hung up and snorted. ¡°Hundred million? Would that be enough to


    pull yourself out the shit you¡¯ve put yourself into?¡±


    Shawn, meanwhile, was at Ducksbelly restaurant, waiting for his friend, Brandon Conreid. However, he


    received a text message from Brandon saying he fell sick, so he wasn¡¯t going toe.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t even say a customary sorry.¡± Shawn squeezed the mobile hard in frustration. Where¡¯s the


    order?¡± he shouted at the waiter that was passing by. ¡°Is your chef fucking sleeping in the kitchen?


    The manager hurriedly rushed over and tried to calm Shawn down, but Shawn scolded him and walked


    out of the restaurant without eating anything even though he had already paid for them.


    At the same time, Jacob reached his editor team¡¯s office, only to hear that his system was hacked, and


    he lost the fully edited print. Moreover, the preservationist was missing, so the hard copy that was


    supposed to be with him was inissing, too.


    At this point, Jacob realized something wasn¡¯t right. He was releasing the movie by himself


    instead of selling it to the distributors all over the country, so he would incur huge losses if the movie


    were to fail. So he immediately made calls so that the movie wouldn¡¯t be screened at the theaters


    anymore.


    The choice was heartbreaking, but he didn¡¯t sit in his car and cry as to why this was happening to him.


    He took risky decisions one after another and worked so that he could release the re edited version


    again, though this would cost him much more money.


    Jacob then gave interviews to the media, exining that there were some technical issues, and the film


    that was released was not the final product they had nned to release. When the reporters asked how


    much money he was expecting to lose from this incident, he didn¡¯t answer.


    After spending the whole day, not giving his neurons rest even for a second, Jacob was extremely tired.


    However, he didn¡¯t go home. He went to Terry¡¯s home, and Terry weed him with aforting hug.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for what happened,¡± Terry patted Jacob¡¯s back. ¡°I assure you I¡¯ll get to the bottom of this.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Jacob really needed thoseforting words. After that, they drank together and talked some


    more.


    Once Jacob left, Terry looked extremely happy. ¡°One needs to be super rich to produce a movie, but


    whether you stay rich or not depends on the fate of the movie. In a short while, you will be so poor


    you won¡¯t even have the face to ask for my help, Jacob. I wonder what you will do when you are no


    longer able to produce movies. I wonder what you¡¯ll do when you realize your son-inw is the cause for


    your downfall.¡±

 Chapter 148

    Chapter 148


    After the most horrible day of his life, Jacob didn¡¯t sleep for long and woke up early the next day. He had


    always been a fighter, and he didn¡¯t let the El Man disaster defeat him. His family expressed their


    sympathies, which was the only positive thing that had happened in the past twenty four hours.


    He began working hard to make things right, but the main actress of the El Man movie came forward and


    publicly stated that Jacob harassed him both mentally and physically. This led to a chain of confessions


    from other female actresses from Jacob¡¯s previous films. This whole issue not only made Jacob¡¯s life


    difficult, it made Selena¡¯s life difficult to the point she couldn¡¯t even attend her shoots. There were some


    audio leaks of Jacob flirting with the actresses, so whether he actually slept with them or not, Selena


    didn¡¯t even want to talk about it with him.


    After that, nobody in the Sterling vi was talking with Jacob.Selena didn¡¯t even let Kathy go near Jacob


    anymore. However, what hurt Jacob more than the movie failure and more than his wife¡¯s change of


    attitude was that his own daughters avoided him.


    The loss of money felt littlepared to the loss of respect in his daughters¡¯ eyes. Jacob had paid half


    the people that had financed him for his movies, but there were still half left. Mike was also among them,


    and they regrly visited the vi and made rude remarks. Mike frankly stated that he wouldn¡¯t even let


    the movies release until Jacob paid all the money.


    As a result, Jacob couldn¡¯t even sleep properly. He began drinking and spending more time with Terry


    and Langdon, telling them his worries, instead of working extra-time on his movies. Moreover, they made


    him gamble and lose even more money. Jacob¡¯s wealth dropped by millions with every passing day. He


    had to secretly sell his illegal properties, too, to get past every new hurdle that popped up.


    Terry, Langdon, and David together made sure to put constant pressure on Jacob, Selena, Shawn, and


    Reba.


    She, Reba¡¯swyer, had already taken an advance payment of 3 million dors for the defamation


    and fraud case Reba filed against herpany and its CEO. Reba was left with only 32 million


    dors after that.


    Shawn, on the other hand, had already sold every asset he had except for the house Elizabeth bought.


    He would have also sold that, but he felt it was necessary since he predicted that the time for selling the


    vi was nearing.


    Jacob was a prideful man. He could have asked Selena or his daughter for money, but he chose not to.


    Whether Selena would have paid for him or not was an entirely different topic in itself though.


    Jacob put all hopes on his two movies. In order to release his films, he had decided to auction the vi.


    He was confident that he could buy a better ce once his films were to be box office hits. Nobody


    other than Veronica objected to selling the vi, and Jacob told Veronica to just buy the vi in the


    auction if she liked the vi so much.


    Because a lot of things were at stake, Shawn put pressure on Elizabeth, so she had been trying to find a


    job so he wouldn¡¯t sell all her costly belongings she bought over the years.


    George and his parents were still feeding off of the wealth of the Sterlings.


    Veronica, on the other hand, left the vi and began staying at her friend¡¯s house and dated a different


    man every day as she grew desperate to find the right man fast.


    While Jacob, Selena, and their children were busy with their rapidly changing lives, Benjamin¡¯s life got so


    boring and repetitive the past couple of weeks. He would go to work in the morning, then stay at Pure


    Waters at night and try to talk to Reba over the phone. She had asked him to give her some time as


    she needed to focus on her career, so there was nothing he could do. He couldn¡¯t even give her missed


    calls, not wanting to disturb her. Since Mina was still guarding Reba, he didn¡¯t worry about Reba¡¯s


    safety. If there was any entertainment, it waspeting with Damian during the pizza delivery that gave


    Benjamin some mental relief. Their friendship grew from calling each other with their first names to


    calling each other as brothers. On one evening, Damian tagged along with Benjamin because he was


    invited for a drink. Sasha also came along because Benjamin invited her, too.


    While Damian and Sasha danced in the crowd, Benjamin just watched them from his couch, and only he


    knew what he was thinking. Shadow came over and sat on the couch before picking up a handful of


    roasted nuts. ¡°They are auctioning the vi tomorrow. Do you want me to¡­ buy it?¡± Benjamin thought for


    a second and shook his head. ¡°Do you¡­ want to buy it?¡± asked Shadow. Benjamin shook his head


    again. ¡°What if she doesn¡¯t stay with you after leaving the vi, my lord?¡± Benjamin¡¯s heart skipped a


    beat. He nced at Shadow. ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡±


    ¡°I said ¡®what if?¡­¡±


    Benjamin sucked in a deep breath and audibly exhaled. ¡°I want her to choose me even when I don¡¯t have


    a big building under my name. Hopefully, she will.¡± His eyes looked around casually, and he noticed a


    familiar face in the crowd. It was Jane, dancing with her girlfriend. Jane also coincidentally looked at him,


    with her semi-drunk gaze. She seemed more surprised than he was. She whispered something to her


    friend before walking over to his spot.


    ¡°How are you doing?¡± she asked in a bit of a pitiful tone. In her mind, she was thinking that Benjamin was


    devastated just like her after he came to know that Reba was having an affair with Donovan. She


    couldn¡¯t evenpare her love with Donovan to Benjamin¡¯s love wit Reba. He practically worshiped


    her like she was some sort of a divine being, and yet he was betrayed.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Benjamin gestured to her to sit down. She sat next to him and grabbed a wine bottle. ¡°Are you


    still in a rtionship with Donovan?¡± ¡°Huh? Of course, not!¡± she barked. ¡°What do I look like to you?¡±


    ¡°Whoa, I was just asking.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± she snorted and then noticed that Benjamin still had his wedding ring.


    ¡°Wait, why do you still wear that ring?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Benjamin frowned. He took her question in a different way. Was she suggesting


    that he should reconsider his rtionship with Reba now that the Sterling family had lost a lot of their


    wealth and were also selling away their vi? Was that what she meant?


    ¡°What do I mean?¡± Jane snapped. ¡°Yeah, hic, I mean, you became a ve of the Sterlings for her for


    how long? A year? But what did she do in return for you? I don¡¯t know, but I bet she didn¡¯t even take pity


    on you. I tried changing her mind, but clearly, she ended up changing someone else¡¯s mind. To think she


    was my best friend for so many years¡­¡± just thinking about Reba¡¯s betrayal stirred her intestines.


    Benjamin looked clueless. He couldn¡¯t tell why Jane seemed to be mad at Reba, but he thought they


    might have quarreled about something recently. ¡°She¡¯s your best friend. You shouldn¡¯t be talking behind


    her back like this.¡±


    ¡°She WAS my best friend,¡± Jane had eight big gulps of wine and burped a little. ¡°I didn¡¯t leave my room


    for four days because of what she did, and then I thought¡­ why should I suffer and


    rot when she¡¯s the one who should be suffering and rotting. I wanted to make her pay, but God is there.


    He¡¯s making the entire Sterling family pay.¡¯


    Benjamin was a bit bewildered. Was Jane scolding Reba for telling the truth about Donovan? For


    causing her to break up with her boyfriend? It felt bizarre, to say the least. ¡°You should stop,¡± he advised.


    ¡°I think the wine is getting to your head.¡± ¡°Let it get to wherever it wants,¡± Jane blurted. ¡°I just hope I can


    do something that can make Reba cry as much as I did.¡±


    Benjamin didn¡¯t like what he was hearing. ¡°I think you should go home.¡± He tried to snatch the bottle out


    of her hand, but she didn¡¯t let him.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°This is my second home,¡± Jane sipped some more wine. ¡°You have no idea how many guys I ¡­¡± She


    suddenly remembered that she and Reba used toe to this ce in the past, and this boiled her


    blood. The acids in her stomach burned. ¡°What¡¯s the point in bragging about how many boyfriends


    you¡¯ve had?¡± Benjamin¡¯s voice reached her ears. ¡°To tell everyone just how unsessful you were in


    making a working rtionship?¡± as he kept talking, she turned to look at him. ¡°I think you should take a


    step back and understand why your rtionships are failing.¡± He swiftly snatched the bottle from her


    hand and giggled as he achieved what he was after, but then Jane¡¯s hands firmly grabbed his face.


    Before he understood what was happening, she buried her face into his face with her whole momentum


    behind it, firmly pressing her lips into his lips.

 Chapter 149

    Chapter 149


    There was a wine ss in one bottle and a wine bottle in the other hand. There was no time for


    Benjamin to react the moment Jane grabbed his face out of nowhere. Moreover, before he could even


    comprehend why she suddenlyy hands on his face, she was upon him like a wind washing all over


    him.


    Her lips firmly pressed into his lips as she used all the momentum she could muster. Her eyes were


    closed, but his eyes weren¡¯t. His eyes were far from closing. His heart jumped into his throat as shock


    shook his soul.


    11


    Shadow who had been sitting on the edge of the couch watched with his mouth wide-open and all the


    half-chewed nuts up for view.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Unlike Reba who never kissed anyone before on the lips, Jane was a supreme expert as far as


    kissing was considered. Benjamin¡¯s spine bent backward in response, but she kept pressing forward,


    sucking his lips into her mouth so she could then force her tongue into his mouth. Benjamin¡¯s hands


    dropped the bottle and the ss before pushing her away so hard she crashed back on the sofa.


    However, she got a bright smile on her face. She liked how rough he was. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting such


    strength from you. No wonder you could beat that cheater Donovan.¡± She licked her lips once. ¡°But I


    must say your lips taste really well, and you didn¡¯t even apply any vor, did


    you?¡±


    Her voice barely reached Benjamin¡¯s ears because of the loud music going on in the background.


    Benjamin clenched his fist. His veins swelled, starting from the hand and traveled all the way up to his


    neck. He was stepping forward, but Shadow shed in his path. ¡°Control yourself, my lord,¡± Shadow sent


    a mental message, his hand pressing against Benjamin¡¯s chest. ¡°Your eyes are turning.¡±


    Benjamin immediately looked away and shut his eyes. Damian, who was looking in the direction while


    dancing with Sasha, wondered. (Is she his wife?)


    111


    ¡°Take her as far away from here as possible,¡± Benjamin yelled and ran into the basement.


    Shadow swiveled and coldly stared at Jane. ¡°Do you have any idea what you¡¯ve done? If I hadn¡¯t


    stepped in¡­¡±


    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Jane was annoyed. ¡°And where did Benjamin go? To the toilet?¡±


    Shadow didn¡¯t respond. In fact, he couldn¡¯t. A lot of thoughts flooded through his mind. (This woman


    dared to tempt my lord¡­ on a new moon night of all nights. I wish I could cut her into a million pieces


    right now.) He held in the anger as much as he could.


    ¡°I asked you a question. Are you deaf?¡±


    Shadow raised his middle finger, shocking her.


    ¡°How dare you show me your attitude when I was asking you nicely!¡± Jane stood and swung her hand,


    aiming his left cheek, but shepletely missed hitting him. Shadow was still in her sight, but he was


    just standing far enough that her hand couldn¡¯t reach him. She quickly


    stepped forth and tried pping once more, but she missed again.


    Gritting her teeth, she picked up a wine bottle and threw it at him rather recklessly. He slipped out of the


    bottle¡¯s path like an elusive wind, and the bottle ended up hitting a stranger¡¯s back.


    Screaming in pain, the stranger chased Jane, but she ran away like her life depended on it. He would


    have caught up with her easily if not for Shadow swiftly throwing a pocket knife and piercing his butt. This


    time the stranger not only couldn¡¯t find who attacked him but also couldn¡¯t publicly show the pain he felt,


    either. It was just too embarrassing.


    Shadowter stood at the entrance of the basement and didn¡¯t allow anyone toe that way. Damian


    once tried to enter it, but Shadow¡¯s cutting smile made Damian change his mind.


    ¡°Chill, bro. Tell my brother Benjamin I¡¯m going home with Sasha, and that we liked our time here at this


    bar,¡± Damian told Shadow.


    As Damian left, Shadow kept icily staring at him. (Calling my lord a brother¡­) He didn¡¯t like it, but he


    could only swallow his frustration for the sake of his promise to Benjamin. Benjamin, meanwhile, was


    punching walls in the basement and left holes in them. It took about fifty punches to somewhat calm


    himself, but he was gasping by then. ¡°Why are you acting like you tasted poison?¡± a feminine voice rang


    in his mind, and it wasn¡¯t that of Jane. ¡°I poured all my heart into the kiss, but you really know how to hurt


    my feelings, Ben. I guess I should have expected this much from a guy who killed everyone he grew up


    with.¡±


    Benjamin clutched his head tightly and squeezed it hard. He wanted the voice to go away, but she kept


    giggling for some time and then it turned into crying. ¡°Those who sit on the throne must marry,¡± another


    voice yed in his mind. It was his father¡¯s. ¡°Ryenne loves you and wants to marry you. She¡¯s also a


    warrior who never lost among her peers. You should just marry her. Besides, didn¡¯t you two kiss each


    other? Take responsibility, and tie the knot.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t kiss her, Father! She took me by surprise and kissed


    me!¡± Benjamin fought back.¡± Why should I take responsibility for her rash actions?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to


    marry her, then do you have someone else in mind?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m not ready for marriage yet.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll give


    you one year. Choose someone by then, or¡­ marry the one I¡¯ll pick for you. No questions asked.¡±


    After the time passed and some crazy stuff happened, Benjamin ran away from home, not wanting to


    marry Ryenne or sit on the throne if he were to be forced to marry someone he wasn¡¯t interested in.


    All that trouble started with a kiss, and now the taste of Jane¡¯s lips still remained on his lips and made


    him go crazy. Her scent flooded his nose and loaded his brain with nothing but her image. ¡°Stop it.¡± He


    punched the hardened steel door, trying to break out of the basement.


    The sounds skipped Shadow¡¯s heartbeat. ¡°Shit.¡± He took the daggers out from under his shirt. ¡°I hope the


    door doesn¡¯t break.¡±

 Chapter 150

    Chapter 150


    The next morning.


    Jane woke up in a good mood almost like a dog with two tails. ¡°I had all these sweet dreams of being


    with Benjamin. Too bad I didn¡¯t get to kiss him well because of his mustache. If I get another opportunity


    again, I won¡¯t miss it. I will make sure he will fall for me, hehe.¡±


    She prepared coffee and walked out of her room, whistling to herself, only to see Donovan and Jasmine


    kissing by the stairs.


    She was stunned for a second, but then her eyes gained blood pretty fast. ¡°What the hell are you doing


    in a public ce?¡± she howled and sshed the hot coffee in their faces.


    ¡°Kya!¡± Jasmine screamed in pain, but Donovan bore it.


    ¡°This is my apartment, so if I see this again, I¡¯ll kick you out,¡± she warned Jasmine.


    Both Jasmine and Donovan went into their room.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you beat her?¡± Jasmine yelled at him. ¡°Just one p would have been enough for that bitch.¡±


    ¡°This is her apartment, so let¡¯s not unnecessarilyplicate things.¡± ¡°Unnecessarily? She sshed


    coffee in my face!¡± Donovan smiled and leaned toward her. ¡°Let me take care of it.¡± He licked the coffee


    off her cheek


    ¡°Stop,¡± Jasmine resisted, but he effortlessly lifted her up and pushed her against the wall and kept doing


    whatever he wanted to her face with his tongue, bringing her into the mood pretty fast.


    Meanwhile, Jane came downstairs to give coffee to her grandmother. ¡°Like a pig in mud, they really suit


    each other,¡± he thought of Donovan and Jasmine, with the former being the pig.¡± Mm?¡±


    To her surprise, Steve was talking to her. She frowned a little as old memories came to her mind. Her


    grandmother¡¯s shop used to be there in front of the apartment when she still had enough energy to work.


    Steve was a regr customer of the shop; and he usually bought cigarettes and choctes. During one


    of his visits, he saw Jane and fell in love with her. Even though she was still a juvenile back then, he


    waited until she became a major before approaching her. And then they spent one night together, but


    that was all. Even though she repeatedly told him to give up on her, he didn¡¯t. And the fact that he still


    didn¡¯t marry sort of made Jane feel guilty. She went back upstairs and prepared another coffee, then


    came down and offered the drink to both her grandmother and Steve.


    He was more than happy to receive coffee from Jane¡¯s hand. He couldn¡¯t hide his joy. Was she treating


    him well because she had broken up with Donovan? What other reason could there be?


    ¡°I already have a boyfriend, so don¡¯t get your hopes up,¡± Jane expressed. ¡°W-What?¡± Steve eximed.


    ¡°Already?¡± He knew Jane quickly changed boyfriends, but this was way too quick. ¡°Who, who is it?¡± ¡°Do


    you remember the guy who knocked Donovan out during his birthday party?¡± she


    sounded somewhat proud.


    Steve¡¯s eyes turned round as the moon. ¡°T-That guy?¡± His heart violently beat against his chest. ¡°He¡­¡±


    Wasn¡¯t it Benjamin who had warned him about Donovan? He thought Benjamin was helping, but it turned


    out that he was actually being used. Now that Donovan was out of picture, Benjamin used that chance to


    jump into being Jane¡¯s new boyfriend. Steve got so angry, he wanted to smash the coffee cup to the


    ground, but he controlled himself and put the cup down before jogging away.


    At the Sterling vi.


    Lisa was swimming for onest time in the pool. Roshan was sitting on the side, looking like he really


    hated his life. After all, Shawn had taken his mobile from him and told him to focus on his studies.


    Without a mobile in hand, the entire world felt boring to him. ¡°Lisa! How long are you going to swim?¡±


    Elizabeth came over and shouted at her daughter.¡± Go to your room and pack your luggage!¡±


    However, Lisa still kept swimming.


    Elizabeth looked at her son. ¡°Roshan, at least you go and pack the luggage. We are moving to our new


    house before the sun goes down.¡± ¡°I¡¯m noting.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°To our new house¡­ I¡¯m noting,¡± Roshan didn¡¯t look into his mother¡¯s eyes. ¡°I will stay with


    Grandma.¡± ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡± Elizabeth gritted her teeth. ¡°Is it because your dad took


    your mobile away?¡± Roshan was silent, but stress marks yed on his chin. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying


    anything?¡± she demanded an answer, but then he stood at once and walked into the vi, ignoring her


    words.


    Elizabeth looked bewildered.


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    ¡°Why are you so shocked?¡± Dorothy entered the scene. ¡°He may love you, but he always listened to your


    mother-inw, and now, who has more money? You, or your husband? or Selena?¡±


    ¡°M-My son isn¡¯t like that,¡± Elizabeth didn¡¯t believe it. ¡°He¡¯s smarter than you think, my silly daughter,¡±


    Dorothy said and sighed. ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d focus more on what I have than what I lost.¡±


    Her mother¡¯s words made her look toward Lisa. She hoped at least Lisa woulde and live with her.


    She slowly went over to her daughter and said, ¡°Lisa, I¡¯ll pack your luggage, so take your time


    swimming.¡±


    Lisa stopped swimming and got out of the pool.


    Rails ran in Elizabeth¡¯s heart. ¡°W-Where are you going, Lisa?¡±


    Lisa turned around and cast an annoyed gaze, ¡°You are moving your whole wardrobe to your new house,


    so I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not going to miss me all that much.¡± Saying that she rushed


    into the vi with an angry look on her face.


    Reba was watching all this from the balcony, and Elizabeth really wanted to hide her face


    somewhere. Her mind and heart felt numb right now. Her eyes glistened with tears, and she didn¡¯t know


    what to do. She felt awful even though her mother tried to console her.


    ¡°They grew up in this vi, so they chose their grandmother¡¯s side,¡± Dorothy grunted. ¡°But they¡¯re still too


    young to know what they¡¯re doing. Don¡¯t take their words to heart.¡±


    Despite Dorothy¡¯s efforts, a gloom still came over Elizabeth, and she whimpered.


    ¡°If only we didn¡¯t lose most of our money to pay off debts,¡± Dorothy¡¯s voice turned bitter,¡± we wouldn¡¯t be


    depending on the Sterlings like this.¡±


    Reba didn¡¯t like Elizabeth, but even she couldn¡¯t help but feel pity for her sister-inw. She wanted to


    talk to the kids, but then she thought it would be more effective if Selena were to speak to them. ¡°I should


    tell mom to send them to their mother.¡±


    However, she had no idea that things weren¡¯t going to be that easy.


    Just then, Amber brought a bouquet to Reba, and her gaze was filled with hatred very fast. The


    message ¡®Yours Donovan¡¯ was tagged on it. She tossed the bouquet down and stomped on it a few


    times before taking a deep breath. This wasn¡¯t the first gift he sent after she had given him a warning to


    not bother her. ¡°He¡¯s trying so hard to make me fall for him. I can¡¯t believe Jane dated such a scumbag¡±


    Thinking about Jane, she felt downcast. ¡°I should talk to her, but she isn¡¯t picking up my calls.¡± She


    pondered for a while and got an idea. ¡°Should I make Benjamin call her and ask her toe to some


    restaurant?¡± She felt excited. ¡°Yeah. That might work.¡±

 Chapter 151

    Chapter 151


    Arlo was in a movie theater, watching the original version of El Man. A pitying smile crept up onto his


    face. ¡°If this version had been released, it would have probably shaken the world. Too bad, it didn¡¯t.¡±


    ckbear was standing behind his seat. It was a private screening, so only those two were present right


    now.


    ¡°Trying to do two things at once will make one fail in both,¡± ckbear remarked. ¡°Not only did he try to


    produce two big movies, but he also got too greedy and wanted to release the films by himself. Naturally,


    he made a lot of enemies, and that made things easier for us.¡±


    ¡°Mm, so what did you want to talk about?¡± asked Arlo ncing back at ckbear who seemed to have


    suffered some wounds.


    ¡°One of our customers asked me to spoil a girl¡¯s name.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°That girl is¡­ Reba Sterling.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s this customer?¡±


    ¡°The foreign pro-wrestler.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Don something.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. Donovan. That¡¯s the guy. What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Well, things are just getting


    interesting,¡± Arlo rubbed his thigh. ¡°Once they sell the vi, I will push her harder, so it¡¯s only a matter of


    time she caves in. She¡¯ll be the greatest flower we ever had. She¡¯s going to make our business flourish


    and take it to another level. We don¡¯t want unnecessary hindrances during these times.¡± ¡°Understood.


    Should I just silence him then? For safety sake?¡± ckbear queried in a subdued tone. ¡°I mean, he¡¯s a


    thirsty guy, so he may even end up raping her or something.¡± ¡°Just keep an eye on him for now so he


    doesn¡¯t do anything stupid.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±


    Arlo stood. ¡°Now then, shall we go and watch the auction for ourselves?¡± Arlo¡¯s eyes smiled brightly. ¡°If


    possible, I¡¯ll get to meet my stubborn queen and ask if she needs some help with her court cases.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sir.¡±


    ¡°How much do you think the vi will be sold for?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing 100 to 150 million.¡±


    ¡°Nah, that will easily cross 200 million. It may even cross 300.¡±


    ¡°300? That¡¯s a stretch.¡±


    Arlo cheekily smiled. ¡°Shall we make a bet?¡± he put his hand on ckbear¡¯s shoulder. ¡°If you lose, you


    will give me your left hand. If I lose, I¡¯ll give you whatever you want.¡±


    ckbear slightly shook his head. ¡°If you participate, then you can just raise the price to 300 million, so


    I¡¯m not betting.¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯ve be so boring. I was obviously kidding,¡± he wore his ck suit and lit


    up a cigar specially sent from the Campbell family. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± At Bonsbell¡¯s mansion. There were dozens


    of guards dotting the mansion grounds. Even the dogs went back into cages because of their intimidating


    appearance. Some of them were even bigger and bulkier than Shawn who paid a visit now. Some held


    guns, too.


    ¡°If you¡¯re here to ask for mary help, then you¡¯re barking up the wrong tree,¡± Artur spoke his mind


    before Shawn even came up to him.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have let me in unless I could be of some use,¡± Shawn was also not the type to plead,


    either. ¡°Tell me what I can do for you in return to receive your help against the court cases.¡±


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    ¡°You already know what I want.¡±


    ¡°My sister, huh¡­¡± Shawn put on a poker face. ¡°Her career is hanging in the bnce, so if you can make


    sure she won¡¯t get a job, it¡¯ll be easier to bend her to your will.¡± ¡°I¡¯m intending on doing that, but I¡¯ll be


    needing your support.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Shawn said in a cold voice. ¡°Then, the money?¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, why the hurry?¡±


    Artur chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll give you as much as you want once we be brother-inws.¡±


    Shawn frowned. ¡°Do you take me for a fool? I helped you with three tough insurance cases, and you


    made me do them for free. Even now, you haven¡¯t even asked me to take a seat. How do you expect me


    to believe you¡¯ll keep your word?¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t put a little trust in me, then¡­ you can turn around and


    leave,¡± Artur indifferently stated. ¡°Nobody¡¯s forcing you to do anything.¡±


    Shawn paused for a little while and said, ¡°You better not betray me.¡± He put his hand forward.


    ¡°That¡¯s not in my blood,¡± Artur shook Shawn¡¯s hand firmly.


    At the Sterling vi.


    Reba had spoken to her mother about telling the kids to be with their mother. Selena agreed, but after


    Reba left, she told Roshan and Lisa they could stay with her as long as they wanted.


    They thanked her and asked her if she also bought a house somewhere, but she said she was looking


    for a good neighborhood and that she would buy one soon.


    The auction would soon begin on thewn, but Selena stayed in her room, reading one of her favorite


    books. ¡°Don¡¯t let your son-inw steal your sweets.¡¯ By sweets, the author meant things we like. And I


    like my family, my sons and daughters especially. My sons can take care of themselves, but my


    daughters still need me. Veronica can be easily manipted, but I should be more careful with


    Reba.¡± She then faintly smiled and shut the book. ¡°Well, now that I have over 200 million dors of


    her money with me, she¡¯s going to listen to my words better than ever. I¡¯ll make sure she will p the


    crap out of Trashmin and permanently kick


    him out of her life. Then I¡¯ll get her married with someone of my choosing. Haha, though Jacob screwed


    up big time, I¡¯m not really sad. Is it because we¡¯ve long stopped loving each other?¡±


    At the balcony.


    Louis and Be were drinking tomato soup, with their children next to them, asking for more tomato


    soup. ¡°Is she going to see her sister?¡± Louis saw Reba leave in her Porsche. He nced at Be.¡±


    Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s about time?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t received any update, though,¡± replied Be, shrugging her shoulders. ¡°How much longer?¡±


    Louis sounded a little frustrated. ¡°This ce has gotten boring. My nose wants to experience new


    smells.¡±


    ¡°And you will,¡± Be hugged him, and he rested his head against her chest like a child that needed


    caring. ¡°That¡¯s my promise.¡±

 Chapter 152

    Chapter 152


    Reba went to Ducksbelly restaurant where she had told Benjamin to bring Jane along However, to


    her surprise and shock, only Jane was waiting at the table, oblivious to the fact


    that it was Reba who set up the whole thing.


    ¡°Benjamin¡­¡± Reba¡¯s heart yed in a strange rhythm. ¡°He¡¯s not here?¡± she hid behind a waiter and


    dialed Benjamin. ¡°Hello, where are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Reba,¡± answered Benjamin in a low voice. ¡°My friend¡¯s grandmother died, so I had to


    come here and help her.¡±


    There was nothing Reba could say afterward.


    ¡°What do you two need me for anyway, right? You two have fun. I¡¯ll call youter. Bye,¡± Benjamin said


    before hanging up the call.


    ¡°This guy¡­ what a trouble he¡¯s putting me through,¡± she took a deep breath before entering Jane¡¯s view,


    completely grabbing her attention.


    Before Jane wondered what Reba was doing at the restaurant, Reba sat down at their table and


    said, ¡°I¡¯m the one who called you for a meeting.¡±


    Jane¡¯s tongue kept poking her inner cheek as she tried to control herself fromshing out at her ex best


    friend. ¡°Stop lying. Why would Benjamin even talk to you anymore?¡± Reba looked puzzled. ¡°Why


    wouldn¡¯t he talk to me?¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Jane blew air out of her mouth audibly. ¡°Yeah. You are pretty as an angel, so I guess even


    someone like him can¡¯t help but keep simping all over you.¡± Her gaze turned sharp soon. ¡°But he¡¯s my


    boyfriend now, so you better keep yourself away from him.¡± She mmed the table, making some heads


    turn toward their table.


    ¡°Whoa, whoa¡­¡± it was too much of a bizarre statement for Reba to get her head around it.¡± Mind


    your tongue. What do you mean he¡¯s your boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°It means exactly what I said,¡± Jane leaned forward and said with a hateful tone, ¡°You know I don¡¯t call


    someone my boyfriend unless I¡­¡±


    Reba¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Y-You kissed each other?¡± her heart started pounding hard. ¡°I don¡¯t believe


    you.¡±


    However, Jane was looking at her with one of those shit-eating grins like she had achieved something


    great. ¡°Even with the beard, I could feel his lips. They were pretty soft, tender, and


    juicy.¡±


    Reba¡¯s intestines twisted hard. Hatred flooded through her veins faster than adrenaline ever could.


    She swiftly leaned forth and pped Jane.


    Almost everyone in the restaurant turned their heads now.


    If boiling anger could ever manifest in one¡¯s expression, it would have looked like Reba at the


    moment. However, Jane also felt a sense of rage she couldn¡¯t mask. ¡°You backstabbing bitch!¡± She


    jumped across the table and started throwing punches with both hands.


    Reba was forced to defend herself by raising her arms and covering her face. As a result, Jane¡¯s


    punches couldn¡¯t reach her face. Still, she couldn¡¯t keep blocking forever as her best


    friend¡¯s punches hurt.


    Jane put all of her energy into her punches. She was clearly emotional, and so she ran out of gas pretty


    soon. The moment her punches slowed down, Reba used that opportunity to deflect Jane¡¯s punches


    before locking her arm around Jane¡¯s neck and pulling her closer.


    The workers there could only watch as it was two women fighting.


    Reba used all her strength to squeeze Jane¡¯s neck. She couldn¡¯t breathe, and saliva leaked out of


    her mouth. Seeing her like that, Reba pitied her and let go of her.


    Jane gasped for air as she knelt on the table, and the moment she got her breath back, she caught


    Reba¡¯s hair and pulled her crazily. Reba also grabbed Jane¡¯s hair, then duked it out for a little


    while until female workers stepped in and pulled them away. Jane still managed to break free and came


    charging at Reba and headbutted her. Reba couldn¡¯t dodge because she was held by two


    workers. The top of Jane¡¯s head struck her forehead hard, and she fell back and lost consciousness.


    Jane still didn¡¯t look satisfied, but the workers blocked her path. ¡°We¡¯ll call the police if you don¡¯t stop.¡±


    Jane grabbed her purse and left the restaurant, cursing Reba under her breath.


    Reba came back to her senses without anyone¡¯s help and felt embarrassed because everyone was


    watching her. More than their gazes, the fact that she ended up fighting with Jane hurt her more.


    With a face full of regret, she walked out of the restaurant, forgetting her bag at her seat. So, she had to


    return again for the car keys. And when she did, many people wereughing as they talked about her


    battle with Jane. However, they stopped talking when they saw her.


    She picked her bag and left without saying a word. After getting into her Porsche, she felt it difficult to


    breathe. Her heart felt heavy, and her eyes turned wet. She didn¡¯t even remember thest time she


    fought with Jane, but now, she let one moment of anger p her best friend.


    She looked at her hand with mixed feelings. Was pping her a mistake, or was it not? She wasn¡¯t sure.


    ¡°She said something about kissing him,¡± Reba¡¯s gaze turned sharp. ¡°Is that true?¡± she wanted to ask


    him, but even if she were to ask Benjamin, what was the guarantee that he would tell the truth? ¡°Jane


    misunderstood me. She had every reason to lie, so I must first ask Benjamin and hear details from his


    own mouth before I jump to conclusions. I wanted to talk with him right away, but he said he¡¯s at a


    funeral. I should talk to him tomorrow.¡±


    She then drove to She¡¯s house to talk to her about the defamation case.


    At Sasha¡¯s house.


    Sasha was crying at her grandmother¡¯s body. Damian and Benjamin were standing on the side, with a


    few neighbors aspany.


    ¡°She was finest night,¡± Sohel, the guy who took care of her daily needs, voiced his mind,¡± but¡­ she


    didn¡¯t wake up this morning.¡±


    ¡°God wanted to take her away,¡± a neighbor remarked. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do.¡±


    Sasha wanted to cremate her, but Sohel, Damian, and Benjamin helped bury her body in the graveyard,


    and Benjamin paid for her permanent 8¡Á8 ft space in the graveyard, for which he


    had to pay 30,000 dors.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to thank you¡­¡± Sasha cried like a baby in front of Benjamin as touched his hands with


    her forehead. ¡°I will definitely pay you the money back as fast as I can.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re friends, ¡± Benjamin patted her shoulder. ¡°You don¡¯t have to pay me anything.¡±


    His words made her cry all the more. Damian hugged her andforted her. He whispered a¡¯ thank you,


    brother¡¯ to Benjamin. He could have paid, too, but he had his reasons, and so he appreciated what


    Benjamin did. Sohel, on the other hand, left a bouquet at the grave and walked away, putting his hat


    back on.


    Soon, Damian and Sasha also left. Benjamin was still standing there, staring at the grave. Shadow


    appeared behind him. ¡°Do you wish you could raise her back to life?¡±


    ¡°There are a lot of things I wish to do,¡± Benjamin sighed, ¡°but God made me realize how much of a


    weakling I am even before I grew a mustache.¡±


    ¡°My lord, you shouldn¡¯t speak like that. You¡¯re our sovereign. There¡¯s nothing under heaven you can¡¯t


    do.¡±


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Benjamin could only smile at that. ¡°I wish, but I¡¯m not brainwashed anymore.¡± He patted


    Shadow¡¯s shoulder and walked away. ¡°No matter how strong we get, we created beings have our


    limitations.¡±

 Chapter 153

    Chapter 153


    A few minutes prior to the auction at the Sterling vi.


    At the Bugatti showroom, the shop opened at 9 AM. The customer handler, who was also recently


    promoted to the manager post, brought his girlfriend to the showroom. ¡°Baby, why don¡¯t you take me for


    a ride in one of these exotic cars?¡± she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the super cars before her, especially


    the new Chiron models. ¡°That Pur Sport¡­ Don¡¯t you want to see how it¡¯ll feel inside?¡± She put his hand


    on her belly and brought it down slowly. ¡°I will ride it really carefully.¡±


    ¡°Its horsepower is unlike anything you¡¯ve ever experienced before,¡± he raised one of his brows. ¡°Are you


    sure you can handle it?¡±


    ¡°So naughty,¡± she pinched his cheek. ¡°Haha, just wait, I¡¯ll go and bring the keys for you.¡± He went into the


    office, and she kept checking the other cars that were there, humming a catchy tune. A man with a


    winter-white hair and a time-chiseled face entered the showroom. The woman looked at this man who


    was in all white and was scratching his beard with a walking stick. His clothes weren¡¯t sparkling white but


    were as dull as they could be. ¡°Whoa, there. What do you want, old man?¡± ¡°A car,¡± his gravelly voice


    easily got on her nerves. ¡°A car? Are you sure you¡¯re in the right ce?¡± she snickered. ¡°Look at


    yourself. Wearing cheap and shabby clothes.¡± The old man took a look at himself once. ¡°People like you


    don¡¯t even deserve to be in this store, so get out,¡± she raised her voice. He squinted his eyes. ¡°Are you


    the manager?¡±


    LLL


    ¡°Yeah. I am,¡± she pointed her finger toward the exit. ¡°Will you go now?¡± she was at least ten feet away


    from him, but she waved her hand before her face. ¡°I can¡¯t bear your smell.¡±


    He looked offended, but he easily controlled his temper. ¡°A friend told me they make these cars with


    materials used for building aircrafts, and that they are among the fastest cars ever made. So I came here


    walking on my two feet, hoping to buy one of these little beasts and


    experience their top speed myself to see how far the technology has progressed in these past few years.


    Yet, you remind me that humanity never fucking changes.¡±


    Her gaze turned into a re. ¡°Did you just use an F word?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± the customer handler came over.


    ¡°Baby, he just used an F-word on me,¡± sheined to her boyfriend.


    ¡°What?¡± the customer handler was enraged. ¡°You dare badmouth my girlfriend? Are you tired of living?¡±


    He immediately tried to grab the old man¡¯s head and push him out, but the walking stick swiftly struck the


    sweet spot between his legs and turned it sour. The customer handler¡¯s knees gruffly kissed the floor as


    his face shapeshifted into that of a crooked buffalo. ¡°You¡­.¡± he tried to get up and deal with this old man,


    but he just couldn¡¯t muster the energy. The pain


    was just too much for him to even utter some words. As he was on his knees, he could now see that


    there was a wolf¡¯s carving at the top of the walking stick. The old man turned and walked away like


    nothing ever happened. ¡°Baby¡­ Baby?¡± his girlfriend kept patting on the customer¡¯s handler¡¯s back.


    ¡°Baby? Are you okay? Baby?¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± he yelled at her. ¡°Can you give me a minute of peace?¡± he was more annoyed by herck of


    commonsense for not even giving him the time to bear the pain.


    She was frustrated, but she could only wait.


    Many secondster, the customer handler was back on his feet, but he wasn¡¯t looking at her. Rather, he


    was looking at the entrance. The old man in white was still standing outside, though his back was facing


    the store now.


    He used the keys a nd got into a Chiron and asked his girlfriend to hop in, and she dly did.¡± Just run


    over that old bastard, baby. I want to see his blood.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid,¡± he blurted. ¡°If something happens to the car, I¡¯ll be fucked.¡± ¡°Then what are you going


    to do?¡±


    He smirked. ¡°What he can¡¯t.¡± He drove the car outside and went past the old man and kept circling the


    car around the old man in the space that was avable.


    She got so excited by that, she opened the window and showed her middle finger to the old man. ¡°This is


    what we can do, and this is what you can¡¯t even do in your dreams!¡±


    The customer handler loved the way she trash-talked the old man.


    Nevertheless, the old man stood unfazed, his arms loosely resting on the walking stick.¡± People like you


    are the reason why I didn¡¯t send my child outside on a journey. Life is already difficult as it is, but losers


    like you make it just as disgusting.¡± ¡°Did you say something?¡± she barked andughed. ¡°I couldn¡¯t hear


    you, geezer!¡± she looked at her boyfriend. ¡°Baby, even though we¡¯re the ones riding, it seems his eyes


    are spinning. Can you slow down so we can hear his voice?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, sure.¡±


    The car slowed down. She poked her head out and spat at him. Her spit fell on his shirt, but he didn¡¯t


    move. ¡°Now, speak!¡±


    SWOOSH¨C!!


    A ck car appeared out of nowhere and forced the customer handler to drive his car into the store. The


    ck car stopped right before the old man, and an old butler in a dark green suit stepped out, lowered


    his head and said, ¡°I came as fast as I could. If I¡¯mte, please forgive


    me.¡±


    ¡°You came earlier than expected, Leher,¡± the old man calmly said. ¡°Is it okay if I drive the


    car??


    ¡°O-Of course, Master Parul said it¡¯s yours.¡±


    ¡°Mm, he¡¯s generous as usual, but I will return it once my work is done,¡± saying that, he entered the car


    and took his time to understand the controls.


    The customer handler, on the other hand, kept gawking at the ck bugatti from inside the showroom.


    ¡°Is that.. bugatti voiture noire?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± his girlfriend¡¯s eyes popped out of her sockets. ¡°Aren¡¯t there only ten of those in existence?¡±


    More than that, her blood ran cold upon realizing that she had shown her middle finger to such a wealthy


    man.


    Before they coulde out of the shock, the ck bugatti left, but the old butler didn¡¯t. He walked into


    the store with a rigid expression.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    ¡°W-What do you want, sir?¡± the customer handler was already shaking in his boots.


    ¡°You have two choices,¡± the old butler, Leher, said, his hands ced in front of his crotch.¡° First. You can


    cut her middle finger and give it to me.¡± His words made her pee. ¡°Or¡­¡± Leher continued, ¡°you two can


    p each other until one of you is left standing. The winner can then cut the loser¡¯s middle finger and


    give it to me.¡±


    Silence followed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking by the way,¡± Leher said. ¡°Don¡¯t make me do it, or you¡¯ll be losing more than just a finger.¡±


    Both options seemed equally bad for her, but her boyfriend didn¡¯t think the same. He began pping her


    without a second thought. She got overpowered easily and got knocked out of her senses.


    ¡°I won,¡± the customer handler looked at Leher, gasping loudly. ¡°The finger,¡± Leher was looking down at


    her, suggesting he needed to cut her middle finger. As the customer handler was hesitating, Leher pulled


    out a butcher¡¯s knife from under his shirt, making the customer handler pass out. ¡°What a pair of


    absolute losers.¡± He spat in disgust.

 Chapter 154

    Chapter 154


    CHAPTER 154 Jacob wanted everyone from the family gone from the vi by the time the auction


    started, but no one in his family listened to him anymore. They weren¡¯t directly scolding him, but they


    weren¡¯t smiling, either.


    By the time the auction started, Jacob and his sons were seated next to the auctioneer they had hired,


    while the rest of the family was standing at the foyer.


    What Jacob didn¡¯t like was that both Langdon Campbell and David Bonsbell were also present among


    the buyers, and they hadn¡¯t said a word to him about their interest in the vi. Had they told him, he


    would have sold the vi in private instead of doing this humiliating thing, where he had to sell this in


    front of the people he owed money, including Jane¡¯s dad, Mike.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Like vultures, they waited patiently. Jacob hoped at least Mike woulde and talk to him, but he didn¡¯t.


    Arlo Campbell was also there, but he was here only to watch. Reba wasn¡¯t present in the vi, so he


    was slightly disappointed. Artur Bonsbell sat not far from Arlo, and he seemed slightly anxious. He


    wouldn¡¯t havee if his father hadn¡¯t forced him.


    The auctioneer greeted everyone and exined the vi¡¯s features as best as possible, but he was


    known for overselling the property, which was also why Jacob hired him.


    The auction soon started.


    The base price was set to 100 million dors.


    A slender, stunning woman in the crowd raised the price straight to 150 million dors, making every


    head turn toward her, who¡¯s got a polite smile ying on her face. Her dimples made her look cute; she


    was instantly likable as far as facial features were concerned. ¡°Laurel Bisconsley. The much-adored


    granddaughter of the billionaire Bisconsley¡¯s family!¡± ¡°Why¡¯s she so interested in this vi?¡± ¡°If someone


    like her is hell-bent on buying this vi, a lot ofpetitors can only give up.¡± Laurel, however, didn¡¯t


    change her expression. (I like the garden here. They nicely block the view of the city, giving the


    impression that we¡¯re in the middle of a forest. I want to buy something like the Myers¡¯ mansion, but if I


    can at least buy this vi, I cane on weekends and spend time with Charles or my grandma.) For


    her, this vi seemed like nothing more than a weekly vacation spot. ¡°We canceled our ns and came


    here,¡± Artur raised his voice. ¡°Why aren¡¯t we offered anything to eat or drink?¡±


    His words got on Jacob and Shawn¡¯s nerves, but there was nothing they could do. Jacob told his sons to


    fetch them from the vi. His sons reluctantly obeyed him at first sight, but they were never intending to


    return and serve drinks and food to others. They couldn¡¯t even imagine themselves ever doing such a


    thing.


    Still and all, Artur was amused to see the frustration on the faces of the men from the Sterling family. (I


    won¡¯t get this much fun in any movie theater.)


    A hand raised, hiking the bid from 150 to 160 million dors. It was from a tall and heavily built man, with


    a cigar in one hand and a wine bottle in the other.


    ¡°Brandon Conreid!¡± Some were quite surprised, for he was one of the real estate tycoons of the country


    and the current CEO of Conreid Fortunes.


    The auctioneer looked at Laurel straight away. ¡°C¡¯mon, ma¡¯am. Take us to 200.¡±


    His swift, quick persuasion worked like a charm, and she nodded and raised her hand before saying,


    ¡°200 million dors.¡±


    ¡°Great,¡± the auctioneer then kept talking with other bidders, almost taunting them with his speech.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, sirs, show your strength to the billionaire beauty, and who knows, she might just fall for you.¡± His


    words garnered a fewughs. ¡°Don¡¯tugh, sirs,¡± the auctioneer continued. ¡°The beautiful pool, the


    wonderful cinema room, and a perfect tennis grass court where even Roger Federer would love to roll


    across the court like a rxed little kitten. You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re missing. Mark my words. Whoever


    buys this vi can have a Wimbledon champion in their descendants.¡± Again, some peopleughed.


    ¡°Don¡¯tugh among yourselves, sirs. Raise the bar, so Mr. Jacob can alsough together,¡± the auctioneer


    said. A random person raised the bid to 210 million. Brandon raised it to 220, and Laurel immediately


    upped her bid to 250.


    Jacob felt slightly happy that his effort in bringing an auctioneer was paying off. ¡°Don¡¯t miss this


    magnificent opportunity over this vi built on a hill,¡± the auctioneer didn¡¯t stop talking. His words kept


    flowing like an unending stream. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to buy this


    d anywhere else in this city. The fantastic outdoors is one of a kind.¡±


    David Bonsbell raised his hand.¡±251.¡±


    ¡°We have 251 from David Bonsbell,¡± the auctioneer said aloud. ¡°Where have you been?¡± ¡°Haha, just


    watching,¡± David chortled. The auctioneer¡¯s gaze then shifted to Langdon. ¡°Isn¡¯t the governor interested


    in this gorgeous vi?¡±


    Langdon, however, didn¡¯t respond, so the auctioneer didn¡¯t dare poke him further. ¡°Ahem, at 551, we


    have our bid from David Bonsbell,¡± the auctioneer shouted. ¡°Whoa, it¡¯s 251!¡± David quickly yelled. ¡°Uh,


    yes, my apologies,¡± the auctioneer cleared his throat again and said, ¡°a slight correction. We¡¯re only at


    251. It¡¯s an odd number, and a ce that ticks every box deserves better. Who¡¯s gonna make the better


    bid? C¡¯mon guys, I guarantee you that there¡¯s no other ce like this thates at such a price in the


    market. You are going to walk away from this feeling happy and proud.¡±


    After making a phone call, Laurel raised the price to 275 million dors. Brandon quickly raised the bid to


    280 million, and it irritated Laurel. She raised the bid to 300. The auctioneer¡¯s smile widened, for he


    reached the minimum price he had promised to Jacob.


    Brandon and Laurelpeted for a little while until Laurel stopped at 360 million. And then nobody


    raised the bid for half a minute, even though the auctioneer kept asking.


    ¡°This ce has everything one can want,¡± the auctioneer raised his hand half-way into the air. ¡°At 360


    million¡­ First.¡± He brought his hand down and raised his hand again. ¡°At 360 million¡­ Second. C¡¯mon


    sirs¡­¡± he gave a once-over at the crowd, and his gaze stopped on a certain section. ¡°Over to you guys, I


    haven¡¯t forgotten you. Any bidders out there?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re stretching it too far,¡± Artur barked. ¡°End it already.¡± The auctioneer, however, denied with a polite


    shaking of the head. ¡°Sterling vi for 360 million is a steal. I expected much more fiercepetition.¡±


    The noise of a running engine grabbed everyone¡¯s attention and made them turn their heads toward the


    vi¡¯s entrance where a ck sports car just stopped ever so smoothly. Seeing the car, Artur Bonsbell


    stood up from his seat like someone pierced his ass with a needle. ¡°Bugatti voiture noire?¡±

 Chapter 155

    Chapter 155


    Seeing the ck sports car, Artur stood up from his seat. ¡°Bugatti voiture noire?¡± It was the car he tried


    so much to buy but failed to. Who the hell was in the driving seat? He very much wanted to see the


    person as soon as possible, so he started walking before he knew it.


    ¡°Bugatti voiture noire?¡± the auctioneer¡¯s jaw hung open. ¡°Aren¡¯t there only ten of those in existence?


    It¡¯s a car that even billionaires can¡¯t get their hands on. Just who could be riding that thing?¡±


    David Bonsbell frowned from hearing the auctioneer¡¯s words because he was also one of those who had


    tried his best to buy this car as a birthday gift for his son, but he didn¡¯t seed.


    ¡°That¡¯s not bugatti voiture noire,¡± Brandon said, making some heads turn toward him.¡± That thing is


    even more special and rare. It is the prototype made before the final version got released. It¡¯s the one


    and only car in existence, bugatti voiture noire zero.¡± ¡°Zero?¡± David didn¡¯t believe it. ¡°How the hell do


    you know that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because that car belongs to my dad,¡± replied Brandon, with a hint of arrogance in his tone.


    ¡°WHAT?¡± David was shocked. ¡°Bullshit,¡± Arlo snorted. ¡°That car looks a little different from the model we


    know of, but to say that it¡¯s the predecessor of the finest bugatti model there is¡­ Do you take us for such


    ignorant fools?¡±


    The car¡¯s door opened, and an old man in simple white clothes stepped out. There was nothing special


    about his appearance other than he looked simple, neat, and clean.


    ¡°Pfft,¡± Arlo burst out intoughter. A few more men joined him. ¡°It¡¯s just a middle-ss gaffer.¡± Compared


    to their distinguished appearances, the old man stood no chance in their eyes.


    Brandon, however, ignored their cackling.


    The old man in white took a look around the vi once before walking to the auction site and showed the


    auction ticket he had bought online.


    ¡°Wow, so we have ate entry now,¡± the auctioneer seemed happier than Jacob. ¡°Sir, the highest bid


    currently stands at 360 million. Do you want to raise it?¡±


    The old man went and sat in the seat where Artur was seated before.


    ¡°Excuse me, sir. Do you want to raise the bid?¡± the auctioneer patiently asked again. ¡°Please say yes or


    no.¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°My lucky number is 1, so my bid will be 361 million.¡±


    ¡°370 million,¡± Laurel didn¡¯t even give time for the auctioneer to utter the new bid amount, but he didn¡¯t


    mind that at all.


    ¡°371,¡± said the old man in white.


    Laurel nced at Brandon and wondered why he stopped bidding. She didn¡¯t know the real value of this


    vi, but as long as Brandon was in the race, she didn¡¯t mind spending a few


    more million on the vi. However, now, she had to think ten times before bidding again,


    After much hesitation, she raised the bid to 375.


    The old man raised it to 376.


    They kept bidding again and again until Laurel reached 400.


    ¡°401?¡± the auctioneer expectantly looked at the old man who nodded in agreement.¡± Wonderful! At 401


    million. First. Second. Third¡­ Final Call¡­¡± his eyes scanned all around, especially at the potential


    buyers, but after seeing Laurel stand and walk away, the auctioneer said. ¡°Over, and sold at 401 million


    to¡­¡± he looked at the old man who stood and simply said his name: Ryan.


    ¡°Just Ryan?¡± asked the auctioneer, to which a smile came as a reply. He didn¡¯t poke further.¡± The Sterling


    vi goes to Ryan for 401 million dors.¡± A section of the crowd started pping.


    Jacob went rushing to him, smiling and showing half his teeth. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Ryan.¡± If the vi had


    gone to David or Langdon, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to show his face around them in the future.


    ¡°You must be Jacob.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Jacob Sterling.¡±


    ¡°What made you sell such a beautiful vi?¡± he inquired.


    Jacob lowered his head for a second. ¡°Debts.¡± One of his best friends, Mike, almost turned into an


    enemy, and there were also those who threatened to kill him. All the stress forced him to sell the vi so


    he could settle the debts and get his movie released. ¡°Even my close friends aren¡¯t willing to wait until my


    movies get released. My family members also¡­¡± he looked visibly frustrated.


    ¡°Money canfortably harden hearts if we let it,¡± Ryan patted Jacob¡¯s shoulder lightly.¡± That¡¯s just how


    easily influenced most of the people are, unfortunately.¡±


    Those words rang true in Jacob¡¯s heart. He brought the vi¡¯s documents and wanted the transfer to


    happen as fast as possible.


    Ryan transferred only half the amount before finishing the signing process. Jacob¡¯s sons signed as the


    witnesses with the auctioneer also signing in addition. The auctioneer would receive 3 percent


    commission, so he was happy, too.


    If nobody filed a case in the court against Jacob¡¯s vi in the next three months, Ryan would transfer the


    rest of the money.


    Everyone who attended was being given drinks by maid Kathy who made it seem like she spent her own


    money for these drinks when she actually brought them from the storage room. Her intentions were clear


    to Elizabeth. Kathy wanted to shift to a new rich home.


    Arlo dly took the drink and winked at Kathy to which she blushed.


    Artur politely refused to drink He just wasn¡¯t in the mood. His eyes were still fixed on Ryan. He nced at


    Luther. ¡°I want everything about this old dude.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sir.¡±


    Kathy took the drinks to Ryan atst, and she earnestly seduced him, exposing her cleavage a little too


    much to the point her nipples would slip out if she were to squeeze her arms inward anymore. Ryan was


    not stupid. He understood what she was after, but he calmly took the drink and said, ¡°I¡¯m not what I¡¯m


    not.¡±


    He didn¡¯t need to say further, and Kathy¡¯s pride was hurt by his words. How could her mature charm not


    work on this geezer? She didn¡¯t waste her time for him anymore and instead focused on men like


    Brandon, David, and Langdon. Langdon and David liked her openness, but Brandon ignored her and


    walked over to Ryan and introduced himself. ¡°Can I ask you how you know my dad?¡± his dad never gave


    that car to him or to anyone else for that matter, so how could he give it to this strange old man. Just who


    was he? Brandon so badly wanted to know. Ryan sipped on the orange juice and smiled before saying,


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± Brandon¡¯s face lost color. He let out an embarrassing smile and walked away without


    saying another word. (Fucking prick.) Ryan¡¯s gaze shifted toward the vi. ¡°I ended up buying this little


    prison.¡±

 Chapter 156

    Chapter 156


    Langdon and David left without even meeting Jacob who was now surrounded by Mike and men whom


    he owed money.


    Ny-five percent of the 200 million he received vanished from his ount in a matter of minutes


    because he had to also pay the interest. Mike alone received 18 million out of that.


    Jacob needed the rest of the money and more for the post-production of his movies. He tried calling his


    wife and asking her on the phone to send him some money, but she hung up. He looked at her who was


    standing at the foyer, together with the family. She looked back at him, and no love was exchanged


    between their gazes; if anything, there was silent anger, frustration, and hatred.


    Ryan noticed what was going on. ¡°Housekeeping is like ying chess. If you aren¡¯t careful with your


    pieces, you will lose them to the opposition that is the world. Did this housekeeper lose only his queen,


    or others, too?¡± he pondered for a little while. ¡°If I don¡¯t do something, this little pack will disband.¡±


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Ryan slowly went over to where Selena and her family were. Elizabeth was also there, but she was


    standing a few feet away from them with her parents. What angered Elizabeth was that her brother was


    also standing next to her children, sucking up to her mother-inw.


    Selena came forward and met Ryan so she could talk privately with him. ¡°Can you give us a week so we


    can find a good ce to shift to?¡±


    Ryan briefly nced at the children: Lisa, Roshan, d and Mercie. He slowly blinked and nodded.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Selena¡¯s heartbeat steadied now. She had expected him to agree because she was a big


    celebrity, but she still had to confirm to feel at ease.


    ¡°But,¡± Ryan wasn¡¯t finished, ¡°you and your family can stay here as long as you want.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡± she didn¡¯t get what he meant. The look in her eyes changed, and she began to scrutinize his


    gaze. Was he one of those old men who had a big crush on her? Was that why he bought the vi for


    such a piercing? It was definitely possible. After all, Ryan¡¯s face had a great glow, and he had little to no


    wrinklespared to her husband. If not for his pure white hair, Ryan would pass for someone in his mid


    forties.


    ¡°The children don¡¯t look happy. I¡¯m sure they would like to stay here if possible,¡± Ryan stated. ¡°Besides,


    this vi is too spacious for me to live in, so if I have somepany, I won¡¯t feel alone. If you choose to


    stay, I give you my word that I won¡¯t infringe upon your freedoms.¡±


    ¡°If you say it like that¡­¡± Selena briefly looked at Jacob, wondering if he would agree to stay in the vi or


    not. ¡°Can I first talk with my family?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Ryan smoothly titled his head which also seemed like a nod.


    Selena went and told Lisa everything. She got extremely happy and shared the news with the rest. She


    didn¡¯t speak to her mother, but she told the news to George, and he delivered it to Elizabeth


    Elizabeth didn¡¯t want to stay at the vi anymore. Her heart was badly wounded after her children sided


    with Selena. However, her parents convinced her that she had nothing to lose if


    she were to stay at the vi.


    Lisa or Roshan didn¡¯t tell the news to Jacob or his sons, but George took care of it. Neither Louis nor


    Shawn liked what they heard, but Jacob very much did. Staying in this vi would mean that he could


    stay closer to his family, so this would give him the opportunity and the time to fix things.


    After the majority of the people agreed, Selena told Ryan she and her family would dly continue to


    stay in the vi for a little while. She was still doubtful about Ryan, but staying at the vi would also


    benefit her in a lot of ways, so she went along with this n.


    Selena then introduced everyone in the family to Ryan.


    Lisa and Roshan just shook hands with him, whereas d and Mercie were astonished by how veiny his


    hands were,


    ¡°Can I have your staff?¡± Mercie asked for his walking stick. Ryan smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t. It


    will be too heavy for you.¡± ¡°No, I can carry it,¡± Mercie tried to pull the staff out of his hand, but she failed,


    and it greatly surprised the little girl. After trying a little longer, she gave up. ¡°old man,¡± she was out of


    breath, ¡°you¡¯re surprisingly strong.¡± ¡°Hoho,¡± Ryan stroked his beard. ¡°I can say the same for you, little


    one.¡± George shook Ryan¡¯s hand for the longest. ¡°Can I¡­ drive that car once?¡± his eyes were on the


    ck bugatti. Smiling, Ryan shook his head.


    ¡°Just once?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not mine, so I can¡¯t risk it,¡± Ryan was blunt, but George still had the begging look. Dorothy had to


    take him away so he wouldn¡¯t upset the owner of the vi.


    Nn wiped his hands to his pants before shaking hands with Ryan. ¡°I¡¯m so happy someone so friendly


    has bought this vi. I look forward to ying board games with you, assuming you are interested, of


    course.¡±


    ¡°If a wolf attacks the sheep, s for the sheep. If the sheep attacks the wolf, s for the sheep,¡± said


    Ryan.


    It took a couple of seconds to process Ryan¡¯s words, and Nn didn¡¯t like it. ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m a


    sheep?¡±


    ¡°Saying is one thing but doing is another. So let¡¯s y chess tonight.¡±


    ¡°Sure. I can¡¯t wait to surprise you,¡± Nn looked resolute. (I will crush you at your own game.)


    Kathy, on the other hand, was regretting her actions. She thought the Sterlings would be gone from the


    vi, but that didn¡¯t happen. She had tried to seduce Ryan, but that didn¡¯t work, either. And now, Ryan


    and the Sterling family will stay together in this vi? ¡°I hope this geezer doesn¡¯t take what I did into his


    heart.¡± She then came up to Ryan and politely bowed.¡± I¡¯m Kathy. The head maid of the vi. If you allow


    it, I¡¯ll be taking care of your needs.¡±


    Amber and Delle were standing right behind Kathy. ¡°I don¡¯t need any maids, so you can keep serving the


    Sterlings if you wish,¡± Ryan said and


    started walking into the vi. The sound of a car made him stop and look back. A red Porsche entered


    his view.

 Chapter 157

    Chapter 157


    Reba was driving her Porsche, but her heart was elsewhere. Being pped by her best friend, and


    for something she didn¡¯t do¡­ just thinking about it brought tears to her eyes like waves sweeping to the


    shore. Pain painted her face with ugliness like rain ruining a perfect sculpture.


    The car reached the vi and stopped at the entrance. She got out and took a look at the vi, where she


    thought she wouldn¡¯t be staying anymore. She gave a once over at the garden; she would be missing the


    characteristic flutter of leaves in a breeze, the familiar smells, and the peace walking on the grass would


    bring upon her soul. She would be missing all these simple but soothing things. Just then, George


    hurried over to her and told her the good news. She thought he was just cooking up some bullshit story


    just to mess with her, but then Lisa came over and said the same thing. ¡°The new owner allowed us to


    stay here? As long as we want?¡± she still found it hard to believe. Who would be so big-hearted?


    As shocked as she was, her stare was still empty because of the sadness enveloping her heart. Her


    eyes searched for the owner but couldn¡¯t find him or anyone other than her family, for Ryan had just


    entered the vi.


    When Lisa told her how much the vi was sold for, she was quite surprised. She walked up to Jacob.


    Unlike the rest of the family, she didn¡¯t avoid him, though she was still angry at him for how things were


    turning out. ¡°Dad, is it true? The vi was sold for over 400 million?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to tell you, but spend it wisely, dad.¡±


    Avoiding eye-contact, Jacob smiled and nodded. ¡°Will you go and bring your sister back?¡±


    ¡°I will tell her. Whether shees or not, it¡¯s up to her.¡±


    Jacob could only sigh.


    Reba then entered the vi and went to her mother¡¯s room. Selena was making all the three maids


    unpack her luggage. Most of them were dresses, books, and make-up kits.


    Selena saw Reba and smiled before scuttling over and hugging her. ¡°We get to stay here even after


    selling it. Can you imagine that?¡±


    Reba smiled back, but her smilecked the shine, for it didn¡¯te from the heart. ¡°It¡¯s great, but how


    much are we paying?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± replied Selena, grinning. ¡°Great, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Great?¡± Reba frowned. ¡°You want to stay here without paying the rent?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Ryan didn¡¯t ask for it, so¡­¡± Selena shrugged her shoulders smoothly.


    ¡°No,¡± Reba shook her head. ¡°Pay him rent. That¡¯s the least we can do.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Selena frowned and clenched her teeth. ¡°Are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea how


    much renting a vi like this will cost? He can easily ask for five to ten thousand dors per day.¡±


    ¡°So? Let¡¯s pay,¡± Reba straightforwardly said. ¡°Don¡¯t you have hundreds of millions in your bank


    ounts? Even if you pay 10 grand every day, it will only cost 3.6 million per year.¡± Selena shook her


    head. ¡°No. That¡¯s unnecessary.¡± ¡°Huh? If you don¡¯t want to pay from your own pockets, pay from the


    money I gave you,¡± Reba suggested.


    Selena shook her head again. ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s unnecessary. Mr. Ryan told us we can stay here out of


    goodwill. What will he think if we quantify his kindness?¡±


    A vein in Reba¡¯s forehead bulged. She was controlling herself from barking at her mother.¡± Fine, you


    can do whatever you want, but I can¡¯t stay here without paying rent. Transfer the money I gave you. I


    need it for a lot of things.¡±


    ¡°Money? What money?¡±


    ¡°The 200 million you took from me,¡± Reba stressed her words. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Selena paused for a second.


    ¡°The thing is¡­ I bought some shares recently, and I¡¯m low on money.¡±


    Reba¡¯s heart thundered at once. ¡°Y-You¡¯re kidding with me, right?¡±


    Selena¡¯s mouth turned down a little. ¡°Why would I kid in such a serious matter? I don¡¯t have money right


    now, but I will pay you back the moment I¡¯m able to.¡±


    It was at that moment, as Reba looked into her mother¡¯s eyes, she could, for sure, see the same


    eyes from the past when her mother lied about a lot of things. Her eyes turned wet against her will, and


    stress yed with her mouth. She nodded her head repeatedly before walking out of the room.


    She went straight to her dad and asked him if Selena gave him money for his movie promotions, but he


    shook his head and asked if everything was alright because he could see the tears and redness in her


    eyes. When he answered, she looked devastated, even though she was trying to conceal the pain.


    Reba didn¡¯t tell Jacob anything and directly went to her room and sat on the bed and tried her best to


    not shed a tear, but it wasn¡¯t easy. Her heart grew heavier by the second and made it harder and harder


    to fight back. She clenched her fists. The feeling of being betrayed by her own mother even after all


    these years for whatever fucking selfish reason she might have had squeezed her already tired heart,


    Meanwhile, Shawn didn¡¯t let Elizabeth unpack her luggage that contained costly dresses and items.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to sell all of these things,¡± Shawn¡¯s words were cutting sharp. ¡°But they will be sold as


    second-hand products,¡± Elizabeth yelled at him. ¡°They won¡¯t even fetch three-fourths of their original


    price!¡± She was right. Used products could go anywhere between 25 to 75 percent.


    ¡°I know, but we¡¯re still selling them, not as your products but my mom¡¯s products.¡±


    Elizabeth was startled, ¡°Y-You¡¯re going to auction them all?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want you to sell them,¡± Elizabeth begged. ¡°I have a personal connection with all of these.¡±


    ¡°Which one do you want to sell? These or the new house you bought?¡±


    Elizabeth¡¯s heart shook, and she went silent.


    ¡°Thought so,¡± Shawn was walking out of her room but then stopped. ¡°Find a job soon, and tell your


    parents to also earn what¡¯s put on the table before them, or they can go back to wherever they came


    from.¡±


    Elizabeth¡¯s head and heart was piled with frustration. She kept throwing the pillows and everything her


    hands could grab.


    On the rooftop of the vi. Ryan was standing at the edge and taking in the view. Mina slowly came


    walking and stood about fifteen feet away from him along the edge. ¡°Do you like it here?¡±


    As winds softly blew past his face, Ryan briefly nced at her before looking at the garden below.


    ¡°Whatever happens between the walls, there¡¯s a nice breeze up here. Good enough for me to get by.¡±

 Chapter 158

    Chapter 158


    It had been a while since Jacob stayed in the vi from morning to afternoon. Everyone else had


    already finished eating, but he didn¡¯t. Usually, Kathy would have given him bed coffee every morning,


    but today, she didn¡¯t. Not just that, but no maid came to clean his room, either.


    Though Selena and the rest had eaten breakfast, he just couldn¡¯t because Ryan was also there. It just


    felt too awkward for him to be eating with his family when Ryan was around, as Jacob was used to


    being the leader of the family. Now, there was Ryan on one side and Selena on the other side. Both of


    them looked superior, and he was finding it hard to digest.


    There was no food or even drinking water in his room; the refrigerator was empty. So he was quite


    hungry. He waited until lunch, hoping Ryan wouldn¡¯te downstairs and eat with the rest, but he did.


    Again, Jacob couldn¡¯te out of his room. He hoped at least Kathy or Amber would bring him food,


    but they didn¡¯t even cast a nce toward his room. How quickly can people change? Only a week ago,


    they would have their full attention on him whenever he was around, but now they were acting like he


    didn¡¯t even exist. However, he didn¡¯t me them. After all, even his family members were treating him


    the same.


    Hey down on his bed and tried to get some sleep, but then trains and city buses kept roaming in his


    belly. The vibrations and noises kept growing louder and louder by the minute.


    ¡°Ah, screw this. I can¡¯t wait anymore.¡± He hoped that his wife would at least bring him something to eat,


    but he hit his limit.


    Wanting to order food online, he grabbed his mobile. There was a text message from Fabio Romano:


    Because of our rtionship, I will wait until your movies release, but if your movies fail, then I want


    exclusive rights to some of your other movies.


    Jacob exhaled audibly. While Mike and many other friends betrayed, Fabio was willing to wait, and he


    was also a straightforward person who would tell everything to the face. ¡°I wonder if he¡¯s still okay with


    his son marrying Veronica. If my movies work out, then it¡¯s still possible.¡± His stomach growled once


    again. ¡°Geez¡­ you won¡¯t even let me think,¡± he pped his abdomen and ended up hurting himself.


    He then ordered food online and waited. ¡°They better be here on time.¡±


    W


    About 12 minutester.


    A pizza-delivery guy entered the Sterling vi with a bright smile on his face, for it was Benjamin. ¡°A


    chance to deliver pizzas to Jacob? I surely didn¡¯t expect this, haha. I can¡¯t wait to see the look on his


    face when he takes the delivery. I just hope the maids won¡¯t spoil this.¡±


    Actually, the gate guard stopped Benjamin from entering and asked to give the delivery goods to him,


    but Benjamin knocked him out so he could enter the vi. He parked the bike, feeling nostalgic as he


    walked into the vi, wearing a helmet so others wouldn¡¯t recognize him.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Amber, who was sitting at the dining table, stood, but then recognized his attire. ¡°Ah,


    delivering pizza.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Jacob?¡± asked Benjamin in a throaty voice.


    WILS


    ¡°You can give it to me,¡± Amber suggested, licking her fingers because she was in the middle of eating


    ¡°Are you going to give me the tip, too?¡± asked Benjamin. Amber paused for a second and pointed


    toward a room. ¡°That¡¯s where the one you¡¯re looking for is staying at.¡± ¡°Thought so,¡± Benjamin went


    over there and knocked on the door. It quickly opened, and Jacob pulled Benjamin inside.


    ¡°Whoa, easy,¡± Benjamin bnced himself, or the parcels would have fallen. ¡°I ordered pizza as well as


    water. Did you bring both?¡± Jacob hastily asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Benjamin took four water bottles out.


    ¡°Great.¡± Jacob drank some cold water, then sat down and began to eat the pizzas. ¡°Mhm. I. never


    thought the crappy pizzas would taste this good. I guess hunger can really create miracles.¡±


    Jacob had already paid for the pizzas and the water, but he didn¡¯t yet give the tip. Nevertheless,


    Benjamin wasn¡¯t in a hurry. He sat down in a chair. ¡°Your face looks shrunken. Haven¡¯t you been


    sleeping welltely?¡± Jacob looked at the man wearing a helmet. From the uniform with the seven


    candle stand logo of Rye¡¯s Pizzas.


    IS


    ¡°I told the guard outside to bring the package secretly,¡± Jacob spoke while eating. ¡°But even that guy


    doesn¡¯t take my words seriously anymore. It¡¯s crazy how fast people¡¯s attitudes can change really


    quickly depending on the weight and depth of our pockets.¡±


    ¡°Anyway¡­¡± Jacob picked up his mobile. ¡°I¡¯ll transfer 100 dors, so tell me your number.¡± Benjamin


    casually said his number. Jacob typed the number, and the name Benjamin showed it in the app. His


    expression froze, and he put everything together. Pizza delivery. Rye¡¯s Pizzas. Benjamin. Wearing a


    helmet. Jacob slowly turned his head to look at the pizza-delivery guy. ¡°Are you¡­¡± Benjamin removed


    the helmet with great effort because his long beard made it difficult. Seeing his son-inw, Jacob went


    speechless. His mouth was still open, and the half-chewed pizza was up for view. A fly toured inside,


    tasted a bit, and then flew out. ¡°You seemed to like the pizza,¡± Benjamin was grinning from ear to ear. ¡°I


    personally made it for you.¡±


    Jacob was about to spit the food out.


    ¡°Just kidding.¡± Benjamin patted the bag on his back. ¡°The one I personally made is here, and I¡¯m going


    to deliver this myself, so wish me luck, father-inw.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Veins swelled and throbbed in Jacob¡¯s neck. ¡°You have no shame nor fear, do you? I kicked you in the


    face and warned you to never show your face around here, but you dared to deliver a pizza to me, and


    now you want to deliver one to my daughter?¡± he got off the bed. ¡°I will break your nose and teeth and


    get your signature and thumb print this time so you can never


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 159

    Chapter 159


    CHAPTER 159 Jacob might be old, but he was a tall and bulky man who could easily intimidate the


    common man with his appearance alone.


    Such a man now rushed at his son-inw, with fury shing in his eyes. ¡°I will break your nose and teeth


    and get your signature and thumb print this time so you can never show your face to her ever again.¡±


    ¡°You sound like a caring father,¡± Benjamin said, still sitting in the chair


    ¡°That¡¯s because I AM,¡± Jacob threw a swift punch, as fast as his old bones and muscles allowed him.


    Benjamin intentionally turned his head so Jacob¡¯s fist connected his jaw. BAM! A loud noise erupted.


    ¡°This is the least I can do for my daughter.¡± He went for an upper cut this time. He connected again.


    Benjamin¡¯s whole body lifted and flipped in the air, shocking even Jacob because he didn¡¯t think he was


    that strong. However, the next second, Benjaminnded on his feet, lookingpletely fine. That was


    when he realized that it wasn¡¯t his punch that did the flipping job. And he didn¡¯t like the calm look


    Benjamin portrayed.


    ¡°You came at the wrong time,¡± Jacob began shuffling his feet, as he warmed himself up. ¡°I¡¯ve been pretty


    frustratedtely. I will take all of my frustrations out on you.¡± He pushed the chair aside and attacked


    Benjamin again. With a quick hit at the ankle, Benjamin made Jacob fall forward, but then he caught his


    shirt midway and let it go again so the crash wouldn¡¯t be rough. It all happened in a second-too quick of a


    time for Jacob to realize what had happened. By the time Jacob was back on his feet, Benjamin was


    gone from the room. Jacob saw that there was another fresh pizza box on the bed. It made him frown.


    ¡°This guy¡­¡±


    Benjamin put his helmet back on and stealthily ran upstairs so that Amber who was eating at the dining


    table didn¡¯t notice him.


    He then went to what he thought was Reba¡¯s room, but Selena was there, getting her makeup done.


    ¡°Shit. I forgot that this devil had taken over Reba¡¯s room.¡± He didn¡¯t even enter that room and skipped


    away on his toes like a deer.


    He stopped by the next room and peeked through the window. Shawn and Elizabeth were there.


    ¡°Don¡¯t buy anymore of this stupid stuff,¡± Shawn threw the make-up kit into the window, and brush ended


    up hitting Benjamin¡¯s face. Luckily, they didn¡¯t notice him, but Shawn¡¯s actions brought tears in


    Elizabeth¡¯s eyes. Shawn felt a bit guilty and lowered his voice, ¡°Why are you crying? I¡¯m doing this for our


    own good, so put on a smile.¡±


    Elizabeth didn¡¯t smile, so he pulled her cheeks and said, ¡°You look more attractive when you¡¯re smiling,


    you know that?¡±


    ¡°All lies.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying. Makeup only masks your beautiful features. You look much prettier when you¡¯re


    smiling without makeup.¡±


    Elizabeth knew him enough to not fully buy his words, but his sweet words still were very much pleasing


    to hear, especially because he rarely praised her. So, she ended up melting in his embrace.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    A strange feeling stirred Benjamin¡¯s heart. Was it jealousy? He wasn¡¯t sure. (Damn my married but


    bachelor life. I want to urgently hug my wife, too.)


    Meanwhile on the second-floor¡¯s balcony, Nn was talking on a mobile. ¡°Yes, sir. In a week, right? I¡¯ll


    personallye and receive the payout.¡± He then hung up. A bright smile yed on his lips for a few


    seconds. ¡°Once I get the money, Dorothy and I can live the rest of our days peacefully. It¡¯ll be wonderful if


    we can raise one of the grandchildren, but I doubt they will be willing to live with an old couple. We might


    not be able to handle them, too.¡±


    ¡°Dad¡­¡± George¡¯s voice sent a shiver up Nn¡¯s spine. He quickly turned around. ¡°G-Ge-George¡­ since


    when were you here?¡± ¡°Since before you began talking to yourself,¡± George¡¯s face was glowing. ¡°To think


    you applied for life insurance without me knowing¡­ How much is the payout?¡± ¡°W-What life insurance?


    It¡¯s just some car insurance.¡± ¡°Ah, c¡¯mon,¡± he pinched Nn¡¯s belly. ¡°Does your son look that foolish? Is it


    for half a million, or more?¡±


    After frowning, Nn lowered his voice and said, ¡°Don¡¯t say it out loud. I¡¯ve kept this thing a secret from


    everyone until now. Even your mother and sister don¡¯t know it.¡±


    ¡°Haha, fine,¡± George put his hands on his waist andughed. A few seconds of silence passed. ¡°So¡­¡±


    George rubbed the back of his head. ¡°How much will you give me?¡± Nn¡¯s expression froze. ¡°Y-You


    already have a job, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, dad. If you give me a hundred grand, I could really use it, you


    know,¡± he grabbed Nn¡¯s hands. ¡°Please.¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong, but Nn looked hesitant. ¡°Please,¡±


    George begged some more. Nn shook his head. ¡°Sorry, son. I can¡¯t give you the money. Your mother


    and I will need every dor of it.¡± ¡°What?¡± George let go of his father¡¯s hands. ¡°Then what am I to you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re my son. I will help you when you need it, but right now, I can¡¯t. Please understand.¡±


    George helplessly smiled. ¡°Hmph, I get it. You never really considered me as your son because I wasn¡¯t


    good at studies or in looking after my parents. I¡¯m pathetic, which is why you never loved me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. You¡¯re my son,¡± Nn went closer and hugged him. ¡°I will always love you no matter


    what.¡±


    ¡°Dad¡­¡± George¡¯s eyes teared up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Nn was saying, but then he felt a push.


    Before he realized what was happening, his back hit the parapet, and his body flipped back and fell over


    the balcony.

 Chapter 160

    Chapter 160


    In that fraction of a second when Nn fell from the second-floor¡¯s balcony, his whole life didn¡¯t y in


    his mind, but what yed was the thought that his own flesh and blood, his own son, would try to kill him.


    He never even imagined that in his wildest dreams.


    His body crashed on the ground in a big thud, startling the dogs that were in the cages meters away from


    where he fell. The dogs barked, but he wasn¡¯t moving anymore.


    George was still watching from the balcony with a sad expression. ¡°Sorry, dad, but I still have half a life


    ahead of me. I will put the money to a better use, so¡­ rest in peace.¡± He turned and walked back into


    the living room.


    He noticed that d and Mercie were busy with the ystation on the first floor. Lisa and Mercie, on the


    other hand, were reading books as ordered by Selena who had told them they needed to finish reading


    at least 12 books in one week if they wished to buy mobiles.


    ¡°Mother-inw surely knows how to manipte kids,¡± George thought. ¡°Anyway, it seems like no one


    noticed. Should I let them know? Or should I just wait?¡± He was about to go crying downstairs, but a


    scream came from outside. It was from Delle.


    Everyone who heard the scream hurriedly came out of their rooms, except for Reba. She was in so


    much distress and in deep thought that her ears didn¡¯t even faintly catch the noise of the scream.


    Reba felt like screaming all her pain out, but she was holding it all inside, even though it felt too


    heavy to just swallow.


    She thought she had seen too many things as a child and that she wouldn¡¯t let anyone in the outside


    world fool her again, but then she ended up being fooled big-time by her own mother, the same woman


    who brought her into this world. If Selena didn¡¯t exist, Reba also wouldn¡¯t exist; and Reba hated


    that.


    She worked hard all these years, earned millions, but still lived within her means and saved more than


    90% of what she had earned. She didn¡¯t gamble. She didn¡¯t watch TV. Heck, she didn¡¯t even spend


    much time on the inte or consume other sources of entertainment. She just focused on controlling


    her desires and mostly focused on job during weekdays and focused on finding the right guy during


    weekends. Even though she went above and beyond her work, thepany framed her and fired her for


    a mistake she didn¡¯tmit, and then she also lost her money for trusting her own mother.


    She was very good at avoiding toxic people at work, but how could she avoid her mother with whom she


    had spent the most time with as a child?


    If a person you loved the most repeatedly breaks your heart, what should you do? Whether that person


    was your mother or not, the answer wouldn¡¯t be easy toe up with. Reba felt the same way. She


    could only clutch her head and hope the headache would go away. Her stomach was growling; she knew


    eating something would help, but she hadn¡¯t left the room since yesterday. Nobody had knocked on her


    door, either, not that she expected anyone to.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Life is a drama. Love isn¡¯t real. Everybody just lives for themselves. She had arrived at this belief long


    ago and then began living for herself even after marriage, but then somehow ended up falling back into


    her old way of thinking that life could still be bright as a rainbow if we strive for it.


    ¡°What should I even live for in this utterly selfish world?¡± as Reba was stressing herself, the door was


    knocked. Once. Twice. Thrice. But she was so lost in thought, she didn¡¯t hear the knocks.


    The door opened, and a guy in a helmet entered her room, giving her goosebumps, because the corner


    of his vision noticed it, and her body instinctively reacted from someone suddenly barging into her room.


    But when he removed the helmet, the shock in her face froze.


    Benjamin? He was thest person she expected a visit from while she was in this vi. Why did he


    come? To trick her with his so-called love and confuse her thought process again.


    Benjamin came over and sat down on the bed and opened the pizza box, with excitement written all over


    her face.


    She nced down at the pizza. Corn was sprinkled to form their names joined by a love symbol. Did he


    want her to eat this now? Didn¡¯t he know that she wasn¡¯t a fan of fast food?


    Benjamin cut a slice and raised it to the level of her mouth. She didn¡¯t want to eat, but when he brought


    the pizza slice closer, she ended up taking a bite. The strong vor of the corn and sauce filled her


    mouth. It was much tastier than she thought. She wanted to eat more, but she gently pushed his hand


    away. ¡°Please,¡± Benjamin begged softly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I came after lunch time, but at least eat this one slice,


    or I won¡¯t be able to sleep tonight.¡±


    She tried to take the slice into her hand, but he didn¡¯t let her and suggested with his head movements


    that he wanted to hand-feed her. She didn¡¯t resist, or rather she didn¡¯t put in the energy to resist.


    Looking like a sad doll, she ate the slice bit by bit as he fed her. He sneakily fed her the second slice,


    too, and she mechanically ate it.


    Even though he was trying his best, his love stopped at her eyes. After making her eat half the pizza,


    Benjamin asked for a hug, and she mechanically hugged him. Her eyes were out of focus, whereas


    Benjamin feltforted after smelling her scent. Like a motherly scent, her scent made him feel at


    home. He wished he could keep hugging her forever, but he had to let go at some point.


    It was easy to see she was disappointed, but Benjamin thought it was because of her father auctioning


    the vi.


    While she was lost in thought, he held her hand and asked, ¡°Reba, why don¡¯t youe with me?¡±

 Chapter 161

    Chapter 161


    ¡°Why don¡¯t youe with me?¡±


    It felt like a line from one of the romantic books she read. She wasn¡¯t in a good mood for many reasons,


    but his loving stare stirred the passion hiding deep in her heart. She didn¡¯t know what it was, but


    something felt different whenever he was around her.


    Would this feeling stay forever even when she would grow old, weak, and unattractive? Would he still


    make her feel special after forty years down the line?


    She didn¡¯t believe in love at first sight. To her, love was a beautiful feeling cultivated between two people


    and would grow over time. From tickling and teasing one another to wiping each other¡¯s tears and


    forgiving and forgetting each other¡¯s mistakes, love was a romance without an end.


    Benjamin¡¯s love surely grew on her, much more so than she ever thought it would. But what if he would


    also one day break her heart like everyone else did? Would she be able to bear it?


    All these crazy thoughts didn¡¯t make it any easier to answer his simple, straightforward question.


    She leaned forward and hugged him and kept crying silently. Was that a yes? Or a no? Benjamin didn¡¯t


    know how to take it. Amber stormed into the room. Her gasping stopped when she saw Benjamin and


    Reba hugging each other. ¡°Yo,¡± Benjamin smiled at her. ¡°U-Unpaid Maid?¡± she rubbed her eyes and


    looked again. He was still there. ¡°W-Why are you here?¡± ¡°If I said I just came to deliver a pizza, would


    you believe me?¡± Amber blinked twice.''¡±Ah! You are the guy I saw a few minutes ago! You tricked me!¡±


    Reba was no longer hugging her husband. She was no longer crying either. She wiped her face with


    her sleeve and then asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you know you should knock before entering the room?¡± she red at


    Amber.


    ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am,¡± Amber lowered her head, ¡°but your uncle Nn has fallen from the second floor¡¯s


    balcony.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Reba immediately got off the bed. Benjamin was still sitting, looking not as surprised. ¡°He


    and his wife like to stretch on the balcony. I warned him a couple of times already to not get too close to


    the parapet, but he¡¯s the type who¡¯d do exactly what you tell him not to do.¡± ¡°How is he?¡± Reba


    ignored Benjamin¡¯s words and quickly asked Amber. ¡°Is he¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s not conscious, but he was brought


    inside,¡± replied Amber, her expression hinting that it wasn¡¯t looking good for Nn.


    ¡°Take me there,¡± Reba hurriedly rushed out. Amber followed her.


    Benjamin still sat there not knowing what he should do. He looked at the remaining pizza pieces for a


    few seconds. If Reba didn¡¯t eat those, they might go to waste, so he began eating them. ¡°It¡¯s well


    made, but I¡¯m not really a fan of my own cooking. Why don¡¯t you teach my wife how to cook?¡±


    ¡°If I get an opportunity, I will,¡± replied a voice that came from underneath the bed. It was from Mina. ¡°But


    hey, why didn¡¯t you bring a pizza for me? You are eating all by yourself. You¡¯re such a selfish king! Is this


    how you treat your people? Shouldn¡¯t you feed them first and then eat if there¡¯s anything left? Where¡¯s


    the magnanimity of the Wolfe family?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s still a slice left,¡± said Benjamin. ¡°Do you want it?¡± ¡°¡­ of course.¡±


    ¡°Then you know what to do.¡±


    A few seconds of silence followed. ¡°There is no one like King Benjamin. He is handsome, kind, loving


    and superb in all respects. He is the greatest of his generation.¡± ¡°Only his generation?¡± Mina gritted her


    teeth. ¡°You¡¯re pushing it, my lord.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to eat thisst, delicious slice or not?¡±. ¡°Tsk. You¡¯re the


    greatest of all time. Happy now?¡± ¡°Hehe,¡± Benjamin put his hand under the bed, and she not only


    plucked the pizza slice but pinched his forearm. ¡°AWW!¡± Her pinch almost made him jump. Blood


    gathered at the spot pretty quickly. He blew air at the spot, but it still hurt. ¡°Damn you, Mina. How can you


    pinch me, you lord, so hard?¡±.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯ve fled from your responsibilities, my lord,¡± replied Mina, with the pizza in her mouth.¡± So, strictly


    speaking, you¡¯re not our lord anymore.¡±


    Benjamin pursed his lips and spoke no more.


    Meanwhile, downstairs, Reba went to the room where Nn was brought to. He looked all bloody


    with some bones broken, and she couldn¡¯t even watch. She came out of the room, where Elizabeth,


    Selena, and the kids were. Dorothy was crying by her husband¡¯s bed. ¡°Don¡¯t make noise,¡± Jacob yelled


    at her. ¡°If you want to stay inside, then be silent. Otherwise, get out.¡±


    Dorothy¡¯s mouth shut up for a second. ¡°When is the ambnceing? Why aren¡¯t they here


    yet?¡±


    Jacob shook his head. She had been asking too many questions, which irritated him. He and Louis had


    brought Nn into the house, but then Louis slipped away, so he had to take care of everything. He


    hoped at least Shawn woulde, but he didn¡¯t. ¡°I didn¡¯t raise my sons to be like this,¡± he grew


    frustrated and disappointed. ¡°Things aren¡¯t good in the family, I know, but they should be so active and


    responsible at times like these.¡±


    d and Mercie tried to enter the room, but Elizabeth stopped them. They still tried to enter, but Be


    called them from the first floor, and they suddenly stopped and went back to their mother.


    Seeing how easily Be controlled her children, Elizabeth felt envious. She wished her children would


    also listen to her like that. But they were standing next to Selena now.


    Selena came to her daughter and whispered, ¡°I sent you a million dors. I will pay you the rest slowly.¡±


    Reba cast a serious nce at her. She didn¡¯t need to speak a single word to convey how


    disappointed she was in her mother. She walked off from there and returned to her room. Benjamin was


    hugging her pillow and sniffing her nket, but seeing her, he quickly put them down.¡±Uh, um, w-when


    was thest time this nket was washed? Do you want me to throw it in the washing machine?¡±


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t like him, but Uncle Nn is in a life-and-death situation, Benjamin,¡± she looked mad.


    ¡°At least pretend to be worried.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Benjamin lowered his head. It was clear that she was in a bad mood, so he thought it was


    better he didn¡¯t speak much.


    Reba came up to her bed, picked up her mobile and checked the messages. A million dors were


    added to her ount. Her mother was telling the truth. She exhaled audibly before sending the money


    back to her mother.


    At the same time, George was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat of Selena¡¯s luxurious motorhome. He was


    sweating quite a bit. His heart was ringing in his ears. ¡°Fucking stubborn bastard. You fell from the


    second floor and are still breathing? Why can¡¯t you just die once for my sake?¡± If Nn were to wake up,


    Dorothy and Elizabeth would know everything. He didn¡¯t want that to happen. ¡°I messed up, but there¡¯s


    still hope.¡± Once he saw the ambnce enter the vi, he


    started the motorhome and kept elerating.


    The ambnce also was driving fast, but because of the siren, they couldn¡¯t hear the motorhome


    coming. The curvy road, and the thick and tall bushes didn¡¯t help didn¡¯t help, either. The ambnce


    driver didn¡¯t see the motorhome until it got very close. He immediately squeezed the brake, and the


    ambnce stopped, but the motorhome didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey!¡± the ambnce driver yelled, but those were hisst words before the heavy vehicle


    crashed into the ambnce resoundingly


    eso

 Chapter 162

    Chapter 162


    The horrific ident near the main gate of the Sterling vi resulted in the driver¡¯s death and left the


    others injured.


    The injured were currently undergoing treatment in the Sterling vi itself, cared for by a section of the


    nursing staff that hade to take care of Nn.


    Dorothy asked Jacob to pay off the families of the dead and the injured, but Jacob refused, and so


    George had to run away, even though he imed that it was the ambnce driver who came speeding.


    As the doctor was leaving after treating Nn, Dorothy asked, ¡°Is he going to be fine? When will he


    wake up?¡±


    ¡°He will wake up soon, but his bones are broken. Considering his age, he will have a hard time to fully


    recover. Still, we¡¯ll rmend a diet n. Just stick to it.¡± The doctor spat some words like it was the


    formal thing to do. Dorothy didn¡¯t like him at all as she didn¡¯t see any concern in his eyes or voice.


    Not just the doctor but no one else in the vi showed real concern in her eyes, except her daughter and


    the pizza delivery guy who not only helped bring the wounded nurses into the dorms but also stayed to


    take care of the doctor¡¯s needs as he treated Nn.


    Perhaps, feeling grateful, Dorothy came up to the delivery guy who was still wearing a helmet. ¡°I don¡¯t


    know who you are,¡± she grabbed his hands, ¡°but thank you for your help. I wish I could give you some


    money, but we¡¯re in a terrible situation right now, so I hope you understand.¡±


    Whether she was telling the truth or not, Benjamin didn¡¯t really care. He only helped because he pitied


    Nn¡¯s condition and dropped a drop of his blood into Nn¡¯s mouth, which helped keep him alive until


    help arrived. Benjamin had never seen Dorothy spend a dor from her own purse for anything, so it was


    likely that she was just faking through her emotions. Women her age were easily capable of crying, he


    thought.


    ¡°I want to stay here, but my boss will crush me under his foot,¡± Benjamin said and walked away. He


    briefly nced up at the first floor. Reba was looking at him and slightly waved her hand. Though she


    wasn¡¯t smiling, he smiled for her and waved back, though only subtly. After Benjamin stepped out into


    the foyer, Amber was waiting for him, her gaze sharp and critical


    ¡°When will you leave Young Lady Reba alone?¡± she asked angrily. ¡°Can¡¯t you see that she isn¡¯t in a


    situation to waste time on a rtionship that doesn¡¯t work?¡±


    ¡°My, my, you¡¯ve grown a lot in the few days I¡¯ve left the vi,¡± he patted her shoulder. ¡°Good for you, but


    the thing is I¡¯m neither a hermit nor a recluse. I think Reba isn¡¯t, either, so we¡¯ll keep seeing each


    other. If you have a problem with that, that¡¯s not my problem.¡± He walked past her. ¡°Only you three are


    left, so take good care of my wife.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me that! I do what I¡¯m paid for. Tsk,¡± Amber bit the inside of her cheek. In the


    meantime, Reba entered her room. There was a dairy on her bed, with two beautiful


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    roses inside. They looked fresh, so he probably plucked them from the garden, she thought On the same


    page where the roses were kept, some words were written: Maybe, it¡¯s the belity in our broken minds that


    attracted us to each other at first. A lot of things happened after we married, and there were times when I


    thought I was lighting a losing battle, but I don¡¯t think that way anymore even though we¡¯re living apart. I


    feel that you¡¯re also desperately seeking a connection, though you don¡¯t show it as much as I do. I hope


    you¡¯ll like the flowers. I plucked them from the nt we watered together. Next time we meet, can you


    give the roses back to me?


    They both watered a rose nt together? When? Reba stressed her brain to remember it, A few


    months back, she was practicing her designing skills. Seeking some inspiration, she came to the garden


    and kept observing the nts and flowers. Even though they were naked, they looked so beautiful. All of


    them, whether it be the jasmines, roses, or the lilies, ¡°Howe we humans do our damndest to look


    beautiful by wearing all kinds of clothes, but the flowers look the prettiest without any covering


    whatsoever? It¡¯s unfair,¡± she was talking to herself. ¡°At this rate, how the heck am I supposed toe up


    with an idea?¡± As she was rubbing her chin, Benjamin brought his face in from the side, making her heart


    almost explode.


    ¡°You scared me,¡± she yelled at him sharply but not as loudly.


    He showed her the rose flower he had been hiding behind his back.


    ¡°You think I¡¯ll fall for that?¡± she swatted the flower to the side, making some petals fall in the process.


    He picked up the petals and began to chew on them. ¡°In case you are interested in roses, I suggest you


    water them for a few weeks and observe them grow from buds and bloom and rebloom and¡­ you know,


    you might be able to find what you¡¯re looking for.¡± ¡°Hmph. I know what I should do,¡± she folded her arms


    and walked away, but she tried watering a rose nt for a few days after that, when Benjamin wasn¡¯t


    around, and she was able to see the rose nt form buds and slowly bloom into flowers. It did help her


    get multiple ideas with her designs.


    Coming back to the present.


    ¡°He said we watered the nts together, but we never did,¡± Reba thought. ¡°I always watered the rose


    nt alone.¡± Her eyes then slowly widened, ¡°Wait, did he also water the rose nts back then?¡± She put


    her brain to work. ¡°Now that I think about it, I only watered one nt, but many other rose nts also


    bloomed, even the ones with wilted flowers. Back then, Oliver and other butlers didn¡¯t water the nts


    daily for a few months. Did he water the nts at that time?¡±


    Shock filled her face. Benjamin watered the nts of the vi when all of the Sterling family members


    were busy eating his brain and draining his physical energy whenever they could?


    ¡°He took care of the garden when the butlers were busy with other things?¡± she covered her mouth with


    the book. ¡°Benjamin, you really are a crazy guy. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re lucky to have me in your life, but I


    think I¡¯m lucky to have you in mine.¡± She put the book aside and brought the roses closer to her nose


    and took in their scent. As the fragrance of the fresh roses


    filled her head and heart, she felt a little peaceful.


    ¡°He asked me to bring these roses the next time I¡¯m going to meet him, but these flowers won¡¯tst until


    tomorrow. Was he telling me to pluck new roses from that rose nt? I can do that, but if I give the roses


    to him, he¡¯ll get all lovey-dovey and try to¡­¡± she paused, then took a deep breath. ¡°He may do anything.


    He himself confessed that he¡¯s desperate for a¡¯ connection.¡¯ I wish I could speak my mind like that.¡±


    Meanwhile, in Ryan¡¯s room.


    Ryan was standing next to a wilted rose nt. He kept staring at it for a while and remembered how his


    wife used to water even the most dead-looking nts and brought them back to life and made them


    bloom more brightly than ever. ¡°People, nts, and nature


    round.¡± He broke the rose stems that looked weak or dead and dried up. ¡°You showed me how to


    properly care for others. You watered my dried-up soul and made me feel alive again, and it seems like


    your son is doing the same thing with his wife.¡± He looked out through the window when Benjamin was


    riding away on his motorbike. ¡°Whether he will manage to win against the pests that are in this ce and


    make roses and lilies bloom in his wife¡¯s heart again, I shall be here to witness all of it.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 163

    Chapter 163


    ¡°Jane, is it really you?¡± Steve couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing through the phone. She just called


    the police station to talk to him, after all.


    ¡°Yeah. Can¡¯t you recognize my voice?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ve never heard your voice over the phone, so it¡¯s hard to


    believe that it¡¯s you.¡± ¡°You have five freaking moles on your left ass cheek. Is that enough? Or should I


    give you more details?¡±


    ¡°ENOUGH! That¡¯s plenty enough!¡± Steve coughed on purpose because he was in the police station. ¡°I¡¯m


    coming right away.¡±


    ¡°Good. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Jane hung up.


    Steve put his hat on.


    ¡°Are you going somewhere?¡± his partner asked him.


    ¡°Yeah. Ady is in danger,¡± Steve replied.


    ¡°Let me alsoe along then,¡± his partner got up from his seat.


    ¡°No. I¡¯ll handle this alone,¡± Steve put him back on his seat and rushed out of the station, almost dancing


    like a little chick that just found its wings. He was so happy she remembered that he had moles on his


    ass, even though they only had sex for one ni


    Steve drove his bike and went to his home to freshen up and put on fancy clothes.


    At Jane¡¯s apartment. Jane just had a good bath, but her body still felt hot. ¡°As I thought, bathing isn¡¯t


    enough to cure this type of heat.¡±


    Her parents had gone for a foreign tour because Mike had received his money from Jacob. Mike didn¡¯t


    want to go on a trip, but his wife demanded that they tour at least two countries together, or they would


    later be too old to roam and enjoy long trips.


    Jane went to her grandmother¡¯s room, which was on the ground floor, and fed her with the meals she


    had cooked before bathing. She then returned to her room and waited for Steve.


    A couple of knocks, and Jane skipped to the door, but then tried to look casual and indifferent as she


    opened the door. ¡°You took your sweet ass time to-¡±


    ¡°Hello, my ex-love,¡± Donovan was standing outside and smiling. ¡°What do you want?¡± Jane¡¯s voice


    crackled with fury while her gaze implied warning.


    Jasmine, who had been hiding behind Donovan, now appeared in her view, smiling so unpleasantly, and


    handed out an envelope.


    Jane naturally didn¡¯t react. She just cast her nce down and realized what it was.


    ¡°Jasmine and I are going to marry each other,¡± Donovan put his arm over Jasmine¡¯s shoulders, grabbed


    her boob from around the neck and fondled it. ¡°She¡¯s much younger and tighter than you, and she lets


    me do whatever I want with her.¡±


    Waves of rage thrashed Jane¡¯s stomach nonstop as Donovan kept talking. ¡°Get lost.¡± She shut the door


    in their faces, not wanting to jump and w at them.


    ¡°She¡¯s so selfish, Jasmine remarked loudly so that Jane would hear words through the door.¡± I¡¯m d


    you broke up with her.¡±


    ¡°Me, too. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have met you,¡± Donovan bent down and kissed Jasmine on the lips, and


    their tongues yed with each other lewdly.


    Jane clutched her hands against her ears and ran and made distance from the door.


    Donovan and Jasmine sniggered and soon returned to their room. After locking the door, Jasmine burst


    out intoughter.


    ¡°She really believed that we¡¯re going to marry,¡± Jasmine teared up fromughing too hard. ¡°I guess


    emotions can make people really vulnerable to all sorts of things, but why did you y this card? To even


    go so far as to create a fake wedding card¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a sex maniac who wants to marry another sex maniac,¡± Donovan exined. ¡°In her eyes, we both


    are just like her. How do you think she¡¯ll feel now that she thinks we¡¯re going to marry soon?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll go crazy for sure. Moreover, you were supposed to marry her, so I can¡¯t even imagine how pissed


    off she must be right now.¡±


    ¡°Haha, let her suffer in her misery while we soak and swim in pleasure,¡± Donovan picked her up and took


    her into the shower room.


    A few minutester. The door was knocked again. This time, Jane didn¡¯t go skipping but slowly walked


    her way over. ¡°Who is it?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Five moles,¡± a somewhat loud yet soft reply came from the other side. A corner of Jane¡¯s lips curled up,


    and she opened the door. Steve was standing outside in a dark green tuxedo, with a small bouquet and


    an even smaller gift package in his hands. ¡°Wow, you look a few years younger in this attire, Steve,¡± she


    opined as she scanned him from top to bottom.


    Steve¡¯s face brightened up a shade. Has he ever received apliment from her before? Not as far as


    he could remember.


    ¡°C¡¯mon in,¡± she made little anti-clockwise circles with her right hand as she invited him into the room.


    Steve was removing his boots, but she pulled him in and shut the door.


    ¡°Whoa,¡± Steve looked surprised, ¡°huh. Is there a snake outside or something?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she went and sat on the sofa.


    He took his shoes off and sat on the same sofa and gave her the roses and the golden gift package.


    She put the two items on the side.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you gonna open it and see what¡¯s inside?¡± he asked, sounding a little desperate.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it afterward.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He would live with that.


    Silence followed.


    Steve¡¯s heart began to steadily increase its speed. He was beginning to hear its noise. The silence was


    so thrilling yet suffocating. There were so many things he wanted to talk about with her, but not a single


    word wasing out of his mouth right now.


    Jane was touching her forehead.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Steve¡¯s hand reached out for her and touched her neck. Her skin felt hot.¡° You are


    running a fever.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a fever,¡± she responded. ¡°What do you mean? You clearly have a¡ª¡± as he was


    saying, she turned around and kissed him on the lips. It happened all too suddenly, but it made Steve so


    happy, but before he was beginning to respond to her kiss, he realized that she was unbuttoning his


    tuxedo. He moved his head back and cut the kissing short. ¡°Whoa, what are you¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have sex,¡±


    Jane turned around so she was on all fours on the sofa and leaned into him.¡± Isn¡¯t this what you¡¯ve


    waited for all this long?¡± she reached for his lips once again. ¡°I will make your dreamse true today.¡±


    She closed her eyes. However, Steve pushed her back by the shoulders and got out of the sofa. ¡°What


    the hell did you push me like that for?¡± Jane appeared annoyed. A sense of sadness immobilized Steve


    for a little while. ¡°I didn¡¯te here running for sex. I¡¯m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, Jane.¡±


    He started walking away.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°If you go now, it¡¯s over between us,¡± Jane bluntly said.


    Steve stopped. His hand wiped the sweat off his forehead, and then he continued to walk. Jane¡¯s


    stomach churned. She picked up the roses and the gift package and threw them at him. The roses didn¡¯t


    reach him, but the gift package hit his back and fell. He was able to control himself until now, but his eyes


    teared up as he bent to pick up the pick package. A couple of teardrops fell on the floor. He briefly looked


    at her before turning and walking out with a heavy heart. Jane angrily bit her nails for a good forty


    seconds before grabbing her mobile. In the recent call list, the first one was Steve, but her eyes fell on


    the second one, which was Benjamin.


    She had already called him twelve times before calling Steve, but he didn¡¯t respond, so she ended up


    calling Steve. Now, she tried calling Benjamin again.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 164

    Chapter 164


    Christopher was howling at Benjamin. ¡°One second you call me and say you¡¯reing, and then you


    show up hourster and say sorry. What do I look like, huh? Just because the chairman is favoring you


    and Damian after that¡¯ incident, you and Damian think you cane and go whenever you want?¡±


    ¡°So Damian didn¡¯te to work today?¡± asked Benjamin while preparing a special pizza. ¡°Nope. Sasha


    also didn¡¯t. Why do they have to take leave days after their grandmother¡¯s death? It makes no freaking


    sense.¡±


    ¡°Cut them some ck, Mr. Manager.¡± Benjamin quickly finished decorating the pizza and pushed the


    te toward Christopher.


    ¡°Y-You made it for me?¡± Christopher was surprised for a second, but then quickly grabbed the te and


    walked away. ¡°Don¡¯t think this will make me overlook your recentck of attendance. You should work


    tonight and cover those lost hours, so prepare yourself.¡±


    ¡°Sure, boss.¡± Benjamin was about to put the worker¡¯s sim into his mobile, but then his phone rang. It was


    a call from Jane.


    ¡°Tsk, it¡¯s her again,¡± he didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t she stop?¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond to her call, but then his phone rang again. ¡°This woman is really persistent,¡± a deep


    frown settled on his forehead. ¡°Maybe I should clearly tell her that I¡¯m not interested in her.¡± After some


    thinking, he answered the call. ¡°Finally¡­¡± Jane¡¯s voice contained a mixture of many emotions. ¡°What do


    you want?¡± Benjamin straightforwardly asked. ¡°If I say I want you, will you surrender yourself to me?¡± she


    asked rather seriously. ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t,¡± Benjamin¡¯s reply was quick enough to irk Jane¡¯s ego. ¡°So, tell


    me, why did you call?¡±


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Jane cleared her throat. ¡°The thing is¡­ there¡¯s something I want to talk to you about Reba.¡±


    ¡°¡­okay. Talk.¡± ¡°Not over the phone. Let¡¯s meet.¡± ¡°Ah-huh, no, I¡¯m busy right now.¡± ¡°But this is really


    important,¡± Jane sounded genuine. ¡°Reba and I fought at a restaurant.¡± ¡°What?¡± Benjamin¡¯s


    eyebrows raised together. ¡°What kind of a meal made you two fight over it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about a meal!¡± Jane snapped.


    ¡°Then?¡±


    ¡°It was about YOU.¡±


    Silence followed.


    ¡°That makes no sense, ¡± Benjamin resumed talking eventually. ¡°You¡¯re joking, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I wish I am, but I don¡¯t joke when ites to rtionships,¡± Jane was blunt. ¡°There¡¯s a lot I want to talk


    to you about that incident at the restaurant and more. If youe to my apartment now, we can talk.¡±


    ¡°Your apartment?¡± rm bells rang in Benjamin¡¯s mind. ¡°No. Let¡¯s meet outside.¡± ¡°Haah,¡± she sighed.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m not really feeling healthy right now,¡± Jane talked smoothly,¡° so I¡¯m asking you to meet me here,


    but if you don¡¯t trust me, we can meet outside. What do you say? The choice is yours.¡±


    Benjamin felt conflicted. Reba was yet to share anything that happened in her daily life with him. He


    didn¡¯t know how her everyday life at work was going. He didn¡¯t know a lot of things about her


    professional life or her friend circle for that matter. He could have asked her, but he wanted her to open


    herself up to him. However, now, he really wanted to know what had happened between Reba and


    Jane. What the hell made them fight for him? The suspense was too much for him to bear.


    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s meet at your apartment, but I won¡¯te inside,¡± Benjamin said. ¡°Let¡¯s talk outside the


    building.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got no problem with that.¡± ¡°Cool.¡± Benjamin ended the call and then silently slipped out of the pizza


    hut.


    Christopher had just finished eating the extrarge pizza and burped twice. ¡°He¡¯s got a knack for making


    these moreish pizzas. If only he was born with a vagina, I would have gone to hell ande back to


    marry him. Too bad, he¡¯s got a dick in his pants. I¡¯ve been looking for good female chefs in online dating


    apps, but there are more male chefs and than female chefs these days, and those that are there are not


    interested in me even though I put my old photo of when I wasn¡¯t this wholesome. At this rate, I might


    have to celebrate my fortieth birthday as a bachelor. It sucks, but there¡¯s no helping it.¡±


    He came to Benjamin¡¯s spot, but only Benjamin¡¯s delivery uniform was there. His eyes erged. ¡°Where


    the hell did he do?¡± He looked around but couldn¡¯t find him. His fingernails pressed into his palms. ¡°Did


    he leave without telling me even a word?¡± he raised his hands up and howled. ¡°Benjamin, when you


    return, it¡¯s either going to be you or me. Only one of us is going to continue staying here!¡±


    He yelled so loudly, he also ended up farting at the same time, which made the workers around him


    move away with their noses shut.


    Christopher felt offended by their response and raised his left leg sideways and leaked out a


    and longer fart this time, causing the others to run away from his sight.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Spiritless chickens,¡± Christopher cursed them. ¡°If you were born in medieval times, I bet you all would


    have died in the womb from the crap your mothers ate!¡±


    Somewhere else in the city.


    Veronica was having fun with her friends, or so it seemed on the surface. Though she tagged along for


    shopping, she didn¡¯t buy a single thing. This was the first time this had happened to her. Though her


    friends wanted to buy a few pairs of clothes for her, she refused to buy things that way. She was already


    putting some burden on them by staying in their rooms, so she didn¡¯t want to put more burden on them.


    If Selena or Jacob were to see Veronica now, they would be shocked because Veronica didn¡¯t know how


    to hold herself back from spending money. She never cared how others thought of her.


    As Veronica walked out of the shopping mall with her friends, she was the one holding the most number


    of bags, even though she owned none of the items in those bags. She was smiling outwardly, but her


    heart was aching inside. ¡°I must find a job soon,¡± she kept telling herself. Her mobile rang. It was a call


    from Lisa, so she didn¡¯t think much before answering


    ¡°Sister Veronica¡­¡± Lisa¡¯s voice was trembling. She referred to Reba as aunt but called Veronica as


    sister because Lisa used to y with Veronica a lot when she was young, and so they were rtively


    closer. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Veronica worriedly asked. ¡°Grandpa Nn¡­¡± Lisa sniffled as she answered, ¡°he


    passed away.¡±

 Chapter 165

    Chapter 165


    A few minutes back in time.


    Nn was still yet to open his eyes. Dorothy fingerpicked his favorite melody with a guitar, but that


    didn¡¯t seem to work. Once the song ended, tears overflowed as her heart spoke to him in silence.


    He soon opened his eyes and disrobed the gloom off his wife¡¯s face. There were no bounds to her joy


    from seeing her husbande back to life from a near death situation.


    Nn tried to speak, but he found it hard to move his jaw. ¡°Where¡­ am¡­ 1?¡± He didn¡¯t seem to


    remember what had happened before the ident, at least not yet.


    ¡°In a guest room,¡± she replied, wiping her tears away. ¡°You don¡¯t remember falling from the balcony?¡±


    ¡°Balcony¡­¡± as seconds passed, what had happened with George shed in his mind like the fastest


    poison out there and stung his soul sharper and deeper than any sword ever could. And he started


    crying like a baby.


    She thought he was crying because of the situation his body was in, but she had no idea that it was the


    sense of emptiness suddenly prating the depths of Nn¡¯s heart the reason for his heart-racking


    suffering.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay, dear,¡± Dorothyforted him like a mother would a child. ¡°I¡¯m here, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    It took very many seconds for Nn toe out of his misery. Dorothy then announced to everyone


    that Nn hade to his senses. Everyone in the vi, even the maids, came rushing to see him.


    George didn¡¯te, as he had expected. Nevertheless, seeing the rest gather around him, Nn¡¯s


    eyes teared up again. He felt grateful for their presence, even though he had been surly independent in


    this family. Their smiles were like light splintering the darkness soaring in his heart.


    ¡°You¡¯ve walked through the valley of death ande out triumphantly. The worst is now behind you,


    Nn,¡± Jason grabbed one of Nn¡¯s hands. ¡°We all wish you a speedy recovery, and we¡¯ll help you


    however we can.¡±


    The others also gave their wishes. It felt good to hear even the children wishing for his recovery,


    Soon, everyone left the room. Dorothy also wanted him to sleep, so she also left, leaving Nn alone


    in this room.


    His heart began to feel empty like the silence in the room. Surely, he was alive. His heart was still


    beating. His eyes were still open. His gut was doing its job, too, but he didn¡¯t feel the worth of his


    existence right now.


    Even though it was peaceful around him, his soul couldn¡¯t be at peace.


    ¡°Why did you do it, George? How could you¡­¡± his heart still felt overwhelmed with soreness.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Meanwhile, Elizabeth called George over the phone. ¡°Dad woke up.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± George sounded more shocked than d.


    ¡°Come at night and see him,¡± Elizabeth said. ¡°You¡¯re his only son. He¡¯ll feel less pain when you¡¯re


    around.¡± George frowned. ¡°¡­ did he say anything after waking up?¡±


    ¡°Not much. Anyway, don¡¯t forget to pay a visit tonight.¡±


    ¡°O-Okay.¡±


    She hung up the call.


    ¡°You are stupid,¡± Shawn was standing right behind her. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t call someone directly involved in


    an ident and is on a run right now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an important matter,¡± she replied with confidence. ¡°He¡¯ll feel at ease, knowing his father is


    recovering.¡±


    ¡°I doubt he even cares if Nns lives or not,¡± Shawn mumbled.


    ¡°He¡¯s not like you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Shawn red at her. ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she walked out of her room, not wanting to argue with him any further.


    Shawn went to his working desk and sat down. He kept checking the records and bills. ¡°There¡¯s still a


    lot of debt left to pay¡­¡± he rubbed his forehead with both hands. ¡°Is selling ¡®that¡¯ new house the only


    way? Lisa and Roshan never lived in a rented environment. It won¡¯t be easy for them. If only Artur was


    willing to offer some help¡­ but that bastard wants my sister. However, she¡¯s not at all interested in him.


    It will take too long to force her to change my mind. Tsk, is there no other way?¡±


    The maid, Delle, knocked and entered his room. ¡°Sir Nn is asking for you, sir.¡±


    ¡°For me? Why?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, sir.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Tell him I¡¯lleter.¡±


    ¡°No, sir,¡± Delle kept her head lowered throughout. ¡°He said it¡¯s urgent.¡±


    He wanted to shout, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± but his wife entered the room, so he said, ¡°Alright. Tell him I¡¯ll


    be there soon.¡±


    Delle nodded and walked out without making any noise with her footsteps.


    ¡°Why is my dad calling for you?¡± Elizabeth curiously asked.


    ¡°How the heck am I supposed to know?¡± Shawn approached her. ¡°You and your dad have done nothing


    for me, yet I neverined. If I start being aggressive from now on, just bear with me.¡± He patted


    her shoulder on the side before walking past her.


    Elizabeth¡¯s lips blossomed into a beautiful smile. She felt lucky to have Shawn as her husband.


    A minuteter.


    Shawn entered Nn¡¯s room, and Delle walked out, leaving the two men for themselves.


    Shawn sat down and looked at Nn¡¯s condition. With the bones in his arms and chest broken, it


    would take at least a year for him to be able to live normally again. ¡°How the hell did you fall from the


    balcony?¡±


    Nn kept staring at the ceiling. ¡°I was conversing with the voices in my head, and¡­¡±


    Shawn didn¡¯t say anything. For a grown man, battling with his inner voice was amon thing to do.


    Too bad that it resulted in such an unfortunate incident.


    ¡°Knowingly or not, we all live two lives,¡± Nn voiced the words within his heart. ¡°One on the outside,


    and one on the inside-within our minds. I¡¯ve realized today that it¡¯s such a foolish thing to do-hiding our


    true selves. Perhaps, I should have been more open with everything I did. At least that way, I wouldn¡¯t


    have any regrets regardless of the oue.¡±


    Shawn thought Nn was talking about him, leading dual lives until all the bad things he had done got


    exposed. ¡°I did everything for my family. You know, it¡¯s not easy to fulfill your daughter¡¯s needs if I live


    all righteously. I can¡¯t ask my parents everytime Elizabeth asks me to buy costly things. I have my pride


    to keep as the eldest son of the Sterling family. I admit I walked the wrong path, but it was necessary. If


    I get another chance, I will walk that path again.¡± Nn faintly smiled. ¡°You are much more foolish than


    I am.¡± Shawn frowned. ¡°Did you call me just to mock me?¡±


    are


    ¡°I wish I did, but, no,¡± Nn spoke with effort because half of his face was hurting because of the


    injuries. ¡°I called you here to tell you about my life insurance payout that¡¯s going to be paid in a week.¡±


    Shawn was greatly surprised. ¡°When did you¡­¡±


    ¡°Since 20 years ago,¡± replied Nn in a painful tone. ¡°Finance is never a safe profession, since


    betrayals are quitemon where money is involved. So I thought at least my family could make use


    of the insurance money if something happens to me. Now, I want you to use half of that money to buy a


    good piece ofnd that has a high possibility of giving great profits in three to four years. Buy it in the


    name of your children. And give half of the rest to my wife, and the remaining one-fourth to my


    daughter.¡±


    Shawn¡¯s expression was t. ¡°What about you? What if your wife stops caring once you give her all


    your money away? What if Elizabeth also does the same? You are not even in a position to work and


    earn.¡±


    Nn just smiled in return. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t tell any of them about the insurance.¡±


    Shawn could understand why Nn couldn¡¯t fully trust his wife and children because when things go


    wrong, his family could do anything to get themselves out of it. ¡°How much money are we talking


    about?¡± asked Shawn.


    ¡°25 million.¡±


    The number widened Shawn¡¯s eyes. At that moment, a lot of thoughts rushed through Shawn¡¯s brain,


    and they weren¡¯t all positive thoughts. Now, Shawn was old enough to know that if one thought about


    something long enough, they could sink into it. Still, he chose to put himself in such a situation.


    Shawn slowly rose up from his seat, making Nn look toward him, ¡°Sorry, father-inw,¡± as he said,


    he pulled the pillow from under Nn¡¯s head. Their eyes made contact again, and by the time the


    realization dawned in Nn¡¯s eyes, the pillow pressed into his face stronger than he could bear.

 Chapter 166

    Chapter 166


    Benjamin came to Jane¡¯s apartment, but she wasn¡¯t waiting outside. ¡°I knew it.¡± He wanted to leave,


    but then gave a call, not wanting to look bad.


    Jane answered it pretty quickly. ¡°Hey, where are you?¡±


    ¡°In front of your apartment. Come to the window, and you¡¯ll see me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯m on my way, but keep talking¡­ I like how your voice sounds on the phone.¡±


    ¡°Huh, don¡¯t be too shrewd, Jane,¡± Benjamin raised his voice, emphasizing his feelings. ¡°The only


    reason I¡¯m here is because you are Reba¡¯s best friend.¡±


    ¡°How cold of you to say that,¡± she pouted. ¡°Did you already forget how much I helped you get closer to


    Reba¡¯s heart?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, didn¡¯t you also try to kiss Reba¡¯s husband¡¯s lips?¡±


    Jane went silent. She then hung the call because she was already standing at the entrance of the


    apartment. She could see Benjamin, and he could also see her.


    She went and sat on the public bench. He came over at his own pace. She patted the bench twice,


    telling him to sit down.


    He shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to eat you, so settle down,¡± she showered a friendly yet cheeky smile.


    Benjamin hesitated for a second and then sat down.


    ¡°Benjamin, you¡¯re maybe the sweetest, but you¡¯re not the sharpest guy in the city. You¡¯re far from it,¡±


    her voice was soft and convincing. ¡°It¡¯s taking you so long to sleep with your own wife. I won¡¯t be


    surprised if outsiders think you¡¯re impotent or something.¡±


    ¡°If I wanted to just sleep with her, I could have tricked her or forced her,¡± replied Benjamin. ¡°But what I


    want is for her to hold my hand in public and not be afraid of how her family members or anyone else


    thinks. I just want her toe out of her shell and be herself. It¡¯s not gonna happen overnight, but I¡¯m


    willing to wait. If others take it the wrong way and think I¡¯m stupid and useless, that¡¯s not my problem.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re willing to wait even if it takes three to five years?¡±


    Benjamin was silent.


    ¡°How about ten years?¡±


    ¡°Time doesn¡¯t matter to me, Jane,¡± Benjamin¡¯s voice was steady. ¡°Don¡¯t you know about the rabbit and


    tortoise story?¡±


    Jane ended up chuckling a little.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened between you two, but Reba is going through a lottely,¡± the corners


    of his mouth curled down slightly. ¡°I wish I could be with her, but the circumstances are against me.


    That¡¯s not the case for you, though. You can go in ande out of the Sterling vi whenever you


    want. So, why don¡¯t you talk to her abouting out of that vi and living with her husband?¡± he


    thought they would move out after selling the vi, and maybe his wife would choose to be with him,


    but to his shock, the entire Sterling family was still staying in the vi after it was sold. ¡°Isn¡¯t she already


    at that age where she should prioritize her husband morepared to her parents?¡±


    Benjamin kept on talking, and Jane was sort of impressed as to how Benjamin was trying to flip the


    tables


    on her. She called him here to have fun with him, yet he was trying to convince her about bringing his


    wife closer to him. Her envious eyes glittered with the glow of stars. Her heart began racing; it shook


    like a cocoon, as her feelings sought freedom like a newborn butterfly. Her body craved to roll with him.


    Her imaginations yearned to fly with him. She didn¡¯t know what was happening to her. She never felt


    her bodily passions burn this much before, and she wanted a quick fix.


    She leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulder.


    Benjamin quickly stood. ¡°What was that for?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well,¡± Jane touched her forehead. Can you take me to my room?¡±


    ¡°Seriously¡­¡± Benjamin shook his head in disappointment. ¡°Your room isn¡¯t in another country, so why


    don¡¯t you go there by yourself? I wanted to know what exactly happened between you and Reba,


    but if you don¡¯t want to say it, I will just ask Reba then. She¡¯s tight-lipped, but I will soften her lips


    with a kiss and then ask.¡± Saying that he was walking away.


    He heard a loud thud, causing him to stop and look back. Jane had fallen sideways to the ground. He


    bared his teeth in annoyance. ¡°Geez, going to such lengths¡­ are you crazy?¡± he asked aloud, but she


    didn¡¯t respond. Frowning slightly, he approached her. ¡°Hey, you are stretching your act too far. You


    should get up.¡±


    Despite his efforts, there was no response. He squatted down and touched her cheek with the back of


    his hand. It was burning hot. He put his finger under her nose, and her breath felt hot, too. He opened


    one of her eyes and observed for a little while. ¡°This is¡­¡± he pulled her sleeves up. There were blister-


    like rashes on her skin. The spots were just beginning to appear. ¡°Chicken pox.¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    He immediately picked her up into his arms and took her to her room, given he knew in which room


    number she lived.


    She wasn¡¯t even conscious. He wanted to care for her until her parents came home, but he had no idea


    that her parents went abroad. He came out of the building and brought neem leaves, and aloe vera,


    then locked the room and didn¡¯t tell anyone in the apartment about her condition, probably not to cause


    unnecessary panic.


    Time passed, and night fell.


    Jane woke up to find herself on bed, surrounded by a lot of neem leaves on all sides, with Benjamin


    sitting on the chair next to the bed. She would have jumped in shock and screamed in fear if she had


    been healthy, thinking someone was conducting a ritual on her, but she felt too weak to do that now.


    The headache was making it hard for her to just speak, and there was indescribable pain all over her


    body.


    When she sat up with effort, Benjamin gave her coconut water and exined to him her situation. She


    wanted to call the doctor, but he assured her that there was no need. His confident words somehow


    convinced her. Moreover, if Benjamin was going to be here, tending to her, she thought going to the


    hospital was a bad idea.


    Afterward, she changed into a set of loose cotton clothes as per his idea. She put on a one-piece short


    skirt to tempt him, but he forced her to wear loose pants. She said she didn¡¯t have any loose pants, but


    then he found her mother¡¯s pants and gave them to her. She could only pout and wear those baggy


    clothes.


    As hours passed, spots appeared all over her body and face. He moved the neem branches on her


    face. Her mood grew so dull she didn¡¯t even have funny thoughts anymore. She was just grateful that


    he was there to help.


    ¡°It¡¯s already eight o¡¯clock. When are your parents going toe home?¡± Benjamin finally asked the


    question that had been in his mind for hours already.


    Jane¡¯s heart trembled. If she were to tell him, would he leave her?


    At the same time, elsewhere in the city.


    Veronica took her friend¡¯s car and headed to the Sterling vi. ¡°He fell from the balcony and died?¡± she


    was driving fast. ¡°Nothing is going right for our family these days. Dad¡¯s movie failed. Brother Shawn


    and Reba are having big career troubles. And right after Dad sold the vi, this happened. It¡¯s like


    someone put a curse on us.¡±


    A ck cat suddenly ran across the street, forcing Veronica to turn the wheel fast so she wouldn¡¯t hit


    the damn cat. However, the car went out of control and ended up crashing into the flow meter of a


    petrol station at a great speed. mes erupted.

 Chapter 167

    Chapter 167


    At midnight.


    Jane was resting on her bed, covered in the sheet from neck to toe. Thest time she checked her face


    in the mirror, she looked like she was possessed by a ghost, with spots all over her face. Could


    someone ever love her after seeing her in such a disgusting look?


    She looked to her right. Benjamin was talking with someone on the phone in the living room.


    ¡°Who¡¯s he talking to at this hour?¡± she wondered. When he finished the call and came to her room, she


    said, ¡°I¡¯m thirsty.¡±


    He poured small amounts of coconut water in her mouth. After that, she smiled at him gratefully. But


    then she couldn¡¯t control her curiosity and ended up asking, ¡°Whom were you talking to?¡±


    ¡°You will know soon.¡±


    His words only puzzled her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to sleep?¡±


    He just tilted his head in response.


    (Was that a yes or no?) Jane couldn¡¯t tell. Because of the pain all over her body, she couldn¡¯t even


    sleep. Again, Benjamin picked up a neem stem and gently moved it on her face. It was greatly


    comforting.


    Seeing him take care of her like this, she didn¡¯t know how to take it. Would he really care for her so


    much without having any feelings for her?


    However, her thought process got bombarded when someone knocked on the door. Who could it be at


    this hour? Was it a neighbor? Was it Donovan?


    Benjamin went out and brought that person in. When Jane saw them entering her room, she was


    bewildered to say the least because it was the person she least expected. It was Reba Sterling.


    Benjamin had thought it wasn¡¯t a good idea to spend an entire night alone with Jane in her house.


    Moreover, he wanted to use this situation to repair the broken rtionship between Reba and Jane,


    regardless of whatever quarrel they might have had.


    When Benjamin had called Reba in the middle of the night, he wasn¡¯t expecting to pick up his call,


    but she had, as nobody other than kids slept in the Sterling vi. Nn¡¯s body was still in the vi, after


    all, and they were taking care of the funeral arrangements.


    Reba¡¯s heart at first skipped when he told her he was at Jane¡¯s house. She asked him what he was


    doing there, but after he exined the situation, she came rushing over, thinking a lot of unnecessary


    things along the way.


    Even now, seeing the spotty-faced Jane on the bed, the first thought that came to mind wasn¡¯t how sick


    her best friend looked but the hope that Jane wasn¡¯t naked under the bed sheet. She didn¡¯t like the way


    she was thinking, either, but giving one¡¯s own interests the top priority was inbuilt in human nature.


    Jane, on the other hand, had this look of anger and grief. When Reba sat down in the chair, Jane


    barked, ¡°You shamelessly came to my home after all that happened?¡± she tried to get up but couldn¡¯t.


    In that process, Reba was able to see that Jane was still wearing a dress, so she felt relieved.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to,¡± Reba took out tablets from her purse; she asked her doctor and bought them from


    a store along the way, but I had to.¡±


    Jane¡¯s lips drew into her mouth as Reba tried putting a tablet in her mouth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t behave like a child,¡± Reba was about to touch her, but Benjamin warned her to be careful as


    the


    infection was contagious. ¡°How many days do you want to suffer in this condition? If you take


    medication, you¡¯ll get better faster. We can resolve our issues after that.¡±


    Jane frowned. Even frowning made the spots on her forehead hurt more, so she couldn¡¯t do it for long.


    Her vulnerable state made her eventually give into Reba¡¯s words, and she took the tablets.


    Nobody spoke a word for a few minutes.


    Reba just sat like a statue, and it was hard to guess what she was thinking. Benjamin didn¡¯t want to


    sit idly, so he began washing Jane¡¯s clothes.


    ¡°Why the hell are you washing my clothes!¡± Jane yelled. ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m used to these sorts of things,¡± replied Benjamin.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the issue, you idiot!¡± she shouted and wanted to get off the bed, but even slight movements


    brought sharp localized pain all over her body. Cringing, she could only stay quiet. She looked at


    Reba and said frustratingly, ¡°You tell him to stop.¡±


    ¡°Someone has to wash your ¡®infectious¡¯ clothes,¡± Reba coolly replied. ¡°And I¡¯ve never washed


    clothes before, so let him do what he¡¯s good at.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a freaking fashion designer, and yet you never washed clothes?¡±


    ¡°You know I always used washing machines.¡±


    Jane could only gnash her teeth. She had asked her father to buy a washing machine, but her father


    was too parsimonious to spend money on a washing machine. They just let the apartment¡¯s


    watchman¡¯s wife wash their family clothes for free.


    Time passed.


    Reba fell asleep while sitting in the chair. Her head was bent backward, with no support. Her mouth


    was slightly open.


    When Benjamin saw her, his heart skipped for a second because it looked like she died. He went there


    and patted her. She was startled out of her sleep.


    ¡°Go to the other room and sleep,¡± he told her.


    ¡°What about you then?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I will be here, of course,¡± he gave a thumbs-up.


    Reba paused and then shook her head. There was no way he could leave Benjamin alone with


    Jane. While they might not be able to do anything physical at the moment, she didn¡¯t want anything


    else to happen between them, either. ¡°You go and sleep in that room. I¡¯ll take care of Jane.¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s heart melted, thinking Reba really cared for him. ¡°Thank you,¡± he pulled her cheek


    adoringly, but it made her hiss in pain. ¡°Sorry.¡± He tried to rub his cheek, but she pushed his hand away


    and told him to just go. And he waved a little goodbye to both the women before rushing to the other


    bedroom.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Silence followed


    Both Jane and Reba were wide awake now. ¡°How the hell did things turn out like this?¡± Reba


    asked what she believed was a legitimate question. ¡°How can you of all people be interested in my


    husband?¡±


    ¡°I thought you two broke up,¡± Jane sounded rather shocked herself. ¡°When the hell did things be


    cool between you two again? How did he forgive you for fucking my fiancee?¡±


    Reba gritted her teeth. ¡°Look, I already told you and your mother that nothing happened between


    me and Donovan.¡±


    ¡°And how am I supposed to believe that? By your words? Yeah, you¡¯re Jesus, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°If not words, then what more do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°Just give Benjamin to me.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Reba went speechless.


    ¡°I think he¡¯s too good for you,¡± Jane used to approach of rubbing salt to the wounds.


    ¡°And how in the world did you arrive at that decision?¡±


    ¡°How good is your husband in bed?¡± Jane posed a simple question.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Reba went silent, looking slightly baffled.


    ¡°Thought so. You call him your husband, but you don¡¯t know shit about him other than that he works at


    a pizza shop,¡± Jane harrumphed. ¡°Do you know what color he likes? What his favorite food is? What


    his favorite ce is?¡± Jane shook her head. ¡°Your married life is such a joke. You can spoil your career,


    but what wrong did Benjamin do? How long will you punish him for one mistake? How much more


    selfish can you be?¡±


    Jane¡¯s questions brought out the guilt Reba kept hidden in her heart. Reba¡¯s stomach


    plummeted.


    ¡°So, are you willing to divorce him?¡± Jane asked the question she had been meaning to ask.


    ¡°No,¡± Reba replied lightning fast.


    ¡°EHH?¡± Jane¡¯s face swelled, and the rashes hurt all the more. She didn¡¯t speak so many words in her


    weak situation just to get nothing in return. ¡°You are unbelievable.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, but that¡¯s also why I¡¯m your best friend.¡±


    ¡°No.You WERE.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Reba picked up a neem branch and poked Jane¡¯s nose. Jane told her to stop, but she


    didn¡¯t. Jane ended up sneezing once, and then Reba went back to poking her nose again, making


    Jane sneeze many more times, until Jane said that Reba was still her best friend.

 Chapter 168

    Chapter 168


    The next morning.


    When Jane told Benjamin just how many times Reba made her sneeze, Benjamin yelled at his


    wife.¡± How can you be so foolish? What if you get infected now?¡±


    Reba¡¯s heart skipped a thousand beats. Shepletely forgot that chickenpox could spread to her.


    She looked at Jane whose face still looked like it was cooked with rashes and red spots. ¡°A-Am I going


    to look like that?¡± her heart sank into her stomach.


    Jane wasn¡¯t happy with how Benjamin handled his wife for torturing her many times duringst night,


    but she still stuck her tongue out and teased Reba, saying, ¡°You¡¯re going to get it now.¡± She


    repeatedly said the same sentence and watched Reba¡¯s expression turn for the worse.


    ¡°No,¡± Benjamin caught Reba¡¯s wrist and said, ¡°I won¡¯t let you get chickenpox no matter what.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Reba hurriedly asked. ¡°Is there a way to stop the virus from getting worse in my body?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Benjamin looked into her eyes without blinking and seriously said, ¡°you just need to kiss your


    husband and exchange oral fluids.¡±


    The women fell silent.


    ¡°What?¡± Benjamin tried to reason. ¡°You don¡¯t believe me? My oral fluids are super powerful. I¡¯m sure it


    will help you once the fluids settle in your stomach.¡±


    ¡°Eww!¡± Reba was creeped out by his words. ¡°How can you say such stupids things when the matter


    is so serious?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being serious. What¡¯s your blood group?¡± asked Benjamin. ¡°Maybe if it matches, then also I can do


    some transfer.¡±


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    ¡°How can a blood transfer help in this situation?¡± Reba visibly grew frustrated. ¡°Have you gone


    mad?¡±


    ¡°Since you say your saliva is super-powerful,¡± Jane voiced her mind, ¡°why don¡¯t you give some to me?


    It might help me heal faster.¡± She opened her mouth. ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea,¡± Benjamin was walking, but Reba grabbed his hand and pulled him away.


    Seeing the rage rising in her eyes, he exined himself. ¡°Calm down, my love. I was only joking. If I


    wanted to give her my saliva, I would have given it already.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve done enough already,¡± Reba pushed him outside, ¡°so go home. I¡¯ll take care of her


    myself from now on.¡±


    ¡°Will you feed her in the mouth?¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t know how to cook.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, I¡¯ve been learning. I can now cook better than you if I try.¡±


    ¡°OHH!¡± Benjamin¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really? Why don¡¯t you show me how good your skills are?¡± He tried to


    enter the kitchen.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too smart,¡± Reba caught his hand and pulled him outside. Jane was trying to raise the


    sexual tension whenever possible, so she wanted him gone from the apartment. Still, standing at the


    door, Benjamin tapped his lips and also begged with his eyes for a kiss. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to get the


    chickenpox, too.¡± She shut the door without a second thought.


    Benjamin¡¯s shoulders slumped. Getting a kiss had always been hard for him. He could only console


    himself as he walked away because no one else did.


    When he got out of the apartment, he saw Donovan doing squats and exercising in public, wearing


    nothing but a tight stic short. A couple ofdies were secretly watching him from their rooms through


    the windows


    ¡°It looks like he¡¯s purposely showing off,¡± Benjamin murmured to himself. ¡°Is he trying to break


    rtionships? Wait¡­ why the hell is he still here? Didn¡¯t Jane break up with him?¡±


    Knowing Reba was in the apartment, Benjamin just couldn¡¯t ignore that Donovan was here and


    leave.


    Donovan was too focused on the aunty across the street to notice Benjamin approaching him.


    ¡°Get out of here,¡± a loud voice echoed in the vicinity, making both Benjamin and Donovan turn their


    heads to look at the entrance of the apartment. ¡°Don¡¯t ever show your face around here again.¡±


    A man in his early thirties was throwing luggage outside, and an elderly woman was crying on the


    ground, her elbows bruised. It seemed like he had pushed her outside mercilessly.


    ¡°Son, I don¡¯t have anyone else but you,¡± the woman cried and begged. ¡°Please let me in.¡±


    The young man, however, got angry he was about to hit her. Benjamin came in between. ¡°Hold your


    horses, dude.¡±


    ¡°Mind your own business!¡± he tried to p Benjamin, but Benjamin easily caught his wrist and


    squeezed it just enough to make that man cringe. Benjamin then let go of his wrist, but he didn¡¯t attack


    Benjamin anymore.


    Benjamin turned to face thedy. ¡°What is your problem, ma¡¯am?¡±


    She exined her situation while crying and gasping. After her husband died in a construction work,


    she was the one who raised her kid, sent him to college and all, but after marriage, he began treating


    her coldly, especially because she fell sick and couldn¡¯t do the house chores anymore. Her daughter-in-


    law was the main reason behind brainwashing her son, she said. Now that she was old, weak, and


    sick, her daughter-inw wanted her gone before she gave birth to a child. Her daughter-inw didn¡¯t


    want the old woman to be in her children¡¯s lives, which was why she was making her husband kick his


    own mother out of the house.


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t spent so much money for his studies,¡± the mother said, wiping the tears away, ¡°I would have


    bought a small house long ago. I sacrificed my whole life for him, but he¡¯s now calcting every penny


    I¡¯m spending. His wife constantly tells me to go out and earn money when I¡¯m sick. She says I¡¯m


    freeloading in ¡®her¡¯ house. I thought of leaving her home many times already, but I have nowhere else


    to go. My son has been my life.¡±


    Benjamin looked at her son to see if he would say anything, but he just stood like a cold boulder. As


    someone who didn¡¯t experience mother¡¯s love, Benjamin felt envious of him. At the same time, he


    pitied him for kicking his mother out because of his wife¡¯s words. ¡°What sort of a man measures a


    mother¡¯s value with money? What sort of a son tries to p his own mother? Only a greedy coward


    who can¡¯t ever think straight.¡± He wanted to beat the son, but he chose not to do so for the sake of his


    mother.


    Benjamin looked across the street and saw a newly built house put for sale. He pointed at the house


    and told her, ¡°Do you want to live in that house, ma¡¯am?¡±


    She hesitantly shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t afford even a single brick of that house.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to pay anything. I¡¯ll take care of it,¡± Benjamin assured, but the son startedughing.


    ¡°You will pay for what? That house?¡± the son started cackling. ¡°Do you know whose property that is?


    ke Agencies. They are only second to Conreid Fortunes. They only use top materials. The flooring


    was fully


    made of top quality granite. And that unique finishing¡­ no matter how I look at it, even with your entire


    life¡¯s sry, you won¡¯t be able to buy it.¡±


    ¡°Haha,¡± Donovan entered the scene,ughing like a healthy pig. ¡°If you buy that house, I will bite my


    tongue.¡±


    Benjamin nced at Donovan. ¡°You don¡¯t have to bite your tongue, but I do want you to leave this


    apartment and never bother Reba or Jane ever again.¡±


    ¡°So you want both of them for yourself, huh?¡± Donovan amusedlyughed. ¡°Fine. I agree, but if you fail,


    will you leave the two girls to me?¡± Benjamin¡¯s gut twisted when he heard those words.

 Chapter 169

    Chapter 169


    ¡°So you want both of them for yourself, huh?¡± Donovan amusedlyughed. ¡°Fine. I agree, but if you fail,


    will you leave the two girls to me?¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s gut twisted when he heard those words. ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, let¡¯s see how you¡¯ll buy that house.¡± Donovan picked up his mobile and called his friend and


    spoke to him about buying this house. Then, he looked at Benjamin with a cocky expression. ¡°No


    matter how much you try to buy it for, I¡¯m ready to buy it for a higher price, so who do you think they¡¯ll


    sell the ce to?¡± heughed arrogantly. ¡°You lost the game before you could even do anything. All I


    needed to do was make a phone call. Now, why don¡¯t you touch my feet and apologize? Then I might


    just let you take that house. Of course, Jane and Reba will be mine since you¡¯ve lost the bet.¡±


    Benjamin took out his mobile.


    What? You¡¯re going to call your mommy now?¡± Donovan mocked. He knew that the Sterling family is


    having a hard time recently, so he couldn¡¯t think of Benjamin calling anyone that could be of help to him


    in this situation.


    Benjamin walked to the side and called Alfred and exined to him the situation. He didn¡¯t speak for


    long and returned to the mother and said, ¡°It¡¯s done. That house is yours now, ma¡¯am.¡±


    His words shocked all three of them.


    ¡°Do we look like a joke to you?¡± the son snorted. ¡°Who¡¯s going to believe your words? Show us the


    proof!¡±


    Benjamin ignored him and took his mother to the house across the street.


    The son and Donovan looked at each other¡¯s faces before following them. ¡°Mom, if you listen to this


    fool, you are going to be beaten for trespassing their territory.¡±


    His mother, however, still crossed the street and stopped in front of the new house. The smell of the


    painting was still fresh. It was obvious that this house had been recently built. What his son said was


    true. The rich people would not think twice to beat her for stepping into their property without their


    permission, but having already been beaten by her own son, she didn¡¯t feel like listening to his words.


    Donovan was checking the house. ¡°I think I¡¯ll buy this one. It may be small, but it¡¯ll be good for a guest


    house All I need is a kitchen and a bedroom after all.¡± From his words, it was clear that he didn¡¯t


    believe in Benjamin¡¯s words, not in the slightest when he had said he bought the house.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Soon, three Rolls-Royce cars entered the street and stopped close to the building. Half a dozen


    bodyguards stepped out first, dressed in 5000 dor suits. Naturally, the son and Donovan¡¯s attention


    shifted to them


    A forty-year-old man with gray hairs on the sides of his head stepped out in haste, and his eyes


    searched for a person and quickly found who they were looking for. He rushed straight to Benjamin and


    offered a handshake ¡°Hello, sir I¡¯m Lucas ke I¡¯m extremely happy that you are interested in our


    building. It¡¯s a rather small one, so if you want, I can sell you a whole apartment in the heart of the city.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay I just wanted to give this house to thisdy.¡± Benjamin introduced the mother,


    The son and Donovan looked shocked Lucas ke? Wasn¡¯t he the chairman of ke Agencies? Not


    only did he do real estate business, he was also a tycoon in the gas industry. He was a billionaire


    among billionaires, a multi-billionaire. Even Donovan would find it hard to get this man¡¯s appointment.


    Why was such a man being so humble in front of Benjamin and calling him sir? Just who did Benjamin


    talk with over the phone? Donovan¡¯s mind was sted with a lot of questions, and he couldn¡¯te up


    with answers to any of those


    The son, on the other hand, looked like a constipated donkey. ¡°You think I¡¯ll believe it if you act like


    you¡¯re Lucas ke?¡± he stepped forward and howled. ¡°Just because you rented three luxurious cars


    and hired some bulky men, and a clown to act like Lucas ke, I won¡¯t fall for your tricks!¡± He red at


    Benjamin.¡± How dare you try to fool me like this!¡±


    Who¡¯s this little shit?¡± Lucas cast an annoyed nce.


    ¡°Just a man who doesn¡¯t respect his mother,¡± replied Benjamin.


    ¡°Oh, then he really needs some ass-whooping,¡± Lucas nced at his bodyguards, and they picked the


    son up by his arms and took him into the new house and gave him a thorough beating. His cries


    echoed for a good three minutes.


    What about this naked ugly rhinoceros?¡± Lucas nced at Donovan who was in his tight underwear,


    showing off his body.


    Donovan¡¯s blood curdled after being called an ugly rhinoceros. ¡°You dare¡­¡± he stepped forward, but


    the bodyguards blocked his path.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t respect women, in general,¡± Benjamin said. ¡°He¡¯s a cheater.¡±


    ¡°Then he needs even more special treatment,¡± Lucas raised his hand and squeezed it. The bodyguards


    ganged up on Donovan, who fought them fearlessly, but their number proved too much for him. In the


    end, he was beaten ck and blue by four bodyguards.


    As the wounded son limped out of the house, his mother looked worried for him. She tried to help him


    walk, but he pushed her away and scolded her.


    Benjamin blocked his path, making him shiver. Was he going to be beat again? ¡®Your mother¡¯s eyes are


    not even on the house as much as they are on you. Why can¡¯t you see that?¡±


    ¡°He will see once we give him another round of beating,¡± Lucas remarked. ¡°Take him into the house


    again.¡±


    The bodyguards tried to take the son, and he screamed for help. Nobody came forward, except his


    mother who went and blocked the house¡¯s entrance.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hurt my son anymore,¡± she begged. ¡°Please. I raised him without rebuking him when he does


    wrong. I never beat him even when I should have. That¡¯s why he¡¯s like this, but he will know his


    mistakes in time, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Her words touched the bodyguards¡¯ hearts, and they put him down. The son had a frown on his face.


    He didn¡¯t even remember one moment when his mother had beaten him. Not even a p. And this


    made him feel pathetic, but he rushed off from there, looking guilty


    Nobody stopped him this time


    ¡°Hopefully, he¡¯ll change his mind one day.¡± Benjamin wished the mother good luck.


    ¡°Once my daughter-inw knows I own this house, she¡¯lle to me smiling,¡± the mother


    disappointedly said. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I should deal with her.¡±


    ¡°If she doese, teach her a lesson,¡± Lucas voiced his mind. ¡°Show her that she needs to respect


    her elders, whether it is her mother or mother-inw, or she wouldn¡¯t get any respect, either.¡±


    The mother nodded hesitantly. ¡°Thank you I don¡¯t know if I can ever repay this favor. Once my son


    changes his mind, I¡¯ll give this house back to you.¡± She bowed her head before both Benjamin and


    Lucas.


    ¡°The house is yours, ma¡¯am,¡± Benjamin said. ¡°I can¡¯t take something I¡¯ve already given away. If you


    don¡¯t want to keep it just make it an orphanage home or somethingter on.¡±


    The mother couldn¡¯t disagree with him.


    Benjamin requested Lucas to personally take care of the paperwork, and Lucas assured he would. He


    went a step further and said the son wouldn¡¯t get the property unless her mother left it in her will, or the


    property would just be used for an orphanage or something. Lucas then invited Benjamin toe to


    his home whenever he wished, and he would love to introduce Benjamin to his daughter.


    Benjamin said he was already married so he wouldn¡¯t give any false hope to Lucas. ¡°If I doe to


    your house, it¡¯ll be together with my wife.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll wee you with open arms, either way,¡± Lucas again shook his hand and left after assigning two


    bodyguards to take care of the mother.


    Benjamin came to Donovan who still had the fire in his eyes, despite getting thrashed by the


    bodyguards.¡± You will pay for this,¡± Donovan growled.


    ¡°Keep your word, or I will erase your existence from history.¡± Benjamin¡¯s words sent chills down


    Donovan¡¯s spine, but it was the hunter¡¯s gaze that scared his soul.


    Benjamin then walked toward his bike and nced in the direction of the local park, where Mina was


    eating icecreams. Since she was guarding Reba, Benjamin felt like he could leave after warning


    Donovan. Then again, he could see that Mina was too immersed in eating the ice cream. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t


    screw up her job, would she?¡± his heart beat in strange rhythms. ¡°Maybe I should rece her with


    Shadow, but I don¡¯t want this old hag hanging out with me, or Shadow hiding under my wife¡¯s bed,


    either. Geez, I¡¯m out of options. I guess I¡¯ll let her be Reba¡¯s guard for now.¡±

 Chapter 170

    Chapter 170


    In the Woond hospital.


    Veronica woke up to find herself on what seemed like a hospital bed with all the heart rate monitor,


    blood bags, and saline that caught her eyes. Dust was dancing through the golden rays streaming


    through the vent-holes.


    She didn¡¯t have the strength to move her body straight away. She felt weak.


    The nurse entered her room and was slightly relieved to see Veronica waking up. ¡°How do you feel,


    miss?¡± she asked in a gentle voice.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t ¡­ move?¡± she asked in a painful voice.


    ¡°Ah, your body must still be in shock,¡± the nurse said. ¡°Give it some time, and you should be able to


    move. But I must say you¡¯re quite lucky. We were running low on blood bagsst night. If the guy who


    brought you here didn¡¯t have the same blood and wasn¡¯t willing to donate his blood, you would have


    entered into aa before we found blood for you. Whoever he was, he donated 3 units of blood


    without hesitation.¡±


    As the nurse kept telling how lucky Veronica was, she remembered crashing into a petrol station the


    previous night and injuring her head, neck, and shoulder and went into a shock. If not for the airbags


    coming into y, she would have probably died instantly. She remembered someone pulling her out of


    the car and dragging her away before the mes erupted and the petrol station exploded, releasing a


    huge pir of fire up into the air for hundreds of feet.


    It was an extremely close call. If not for her savior, not even her body would have been found after the


    explosionN?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Is he¡­ still here?¡± she asked with effort.


    The nurse shook her head. ¡°He left after giving his blood, even though we told him he should take rest.


    He slipped away after the nurse went out. He must have had something important to do, and yet he


    donated blood. He¡¯s a high-value man. You don¡¯te across guys like that who are willing to sacrifice


    time for others without expecting anything in return.¡±


    ¡°Do you¡­ know his name?¡±,


    The nurse thought for a second and said, ¡°It¡¯s Akash, I think.¡±


    A frown creased Veronica¡¯s forehead. (It couldn¡¯t be him, could it?) Her heart beat in an uncontroble


    rhythm. Her tongue felt sour.


    Selena entered the room and rushed over to the bed. ¡°My baby¡­¡± she hugged her and was in tears.


    Veronica¡¯s head was bandaged, and she looked small and vulnerable. ¡°How did this happen?¡±


    ¡°A cat came in the way, and ¡­¡± as Veronica exined, Selena pitied her daughter.


    ¡°You got yourself in an ident to not run over a cat?¡± the nurse was also pleasantly surprised and


    pitied her.


    Veronica didn¡¯t have the energy to keep talking, so the nurse didn¡¯t let Selena talk for long.


    ¡°Delle is right outside, so call her if you need anything,¡± Selena told her daughter. ¡°If you want me here,


    just tell her to call me. I wille as fast as I can.¡±


    me


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t dad and otherse?¡¯ Veronica asked the question that had been bugging her.


    ¡°They are taking care of Nn¡¯s funeral. Once they¡¯re done with that, they wille to see you.¡±


    Once the nurse and Selena left the room, Selena asked the nurse how long should Veronica stay here.


    The nurse said, in her opinion, Veronica would need to stay at least a week to see if everything was


    alright with her body and that the doctor would then decide the time she could go home.


    Veronica, on the other hand, was thinking about Akash. ¡°I got him beaten, but he still saved my life. If |


    was in his ce, would I have done the same?¡± she couldn¡¯t be so sure. She didn¡¯t even know that


    Akash¡¯s arms were both cut by her brother. She was under the impression her brother had beaten


    Akash brutally to teach him a lesson for betraying her.


    Now, she wanted to meet him and apologize to him after recovering enough. Hopefully, he would


    forgive her, she thought.


    Meanwhile, in Jane¡¯s apartment.


    Reba was reading from an image she had taken a while ago. ¡°Waking up to see your wonderful


    face, I feel like the luckiest man alive. I still find it hard to believe that I¡¯m married and am living with


    someone who can bring joy into my world like no other. I hope I will never lose you, or I will be losing


    the greatest part of me. Let¡¯s love each other like no other.¡±


    Reba finished reading and put on a prideful smile as she looked at her best friend who was still on


    the bed and covered in spots much more than before.


    ¡°This is just one of the poems he wrote in his diary back when we used to live in the same room¡­¡±


    Reba said. ¡°I captured them all on my mobile. To be honest, I didn¡¯t find them all that precious when


    I found the diary, but as time passed, his words grew weight in my heart.¡±


    ¡°Why the hell are you telling me all this?¡± Jane grew visibly frustrated.


    ¡°Because I want you to realize that he isn¡¯t interested in you, and he won¡¯t ever be,¡± Reba


    confidently said.


    ¡°Huh, you¡¯ve done nothing by yourself to keep your rtionship going,¡± Jane¡¯s words were sharper


    than a dagger, ¡°yet you are talking like you deserve him. Most men wouldn¡¯t want a woman like you in


    their life. In fact, they¡¯d run far away once knowing how selfish you are. Benjamin is a fool, which is why


    he¡¯s still sticking around.¡±


    ¡°Then what about you?¡± Reba had a deep frown on her face. ¡°Weren¡¯t you my best friend? How


    could you be so close with someone who¡¯s supposedly so selfish?¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Jane looked away and didn¡¯t say anything..


    ¡°If I was really selfish, I wouldn¡¯t be sitting here, taking care of you, would I?¡± Reba continued. ¡°I


    didn¡¯t sleepst night. I could hear birds cackling outside in the middle of the night. It felt like they were


    mocking me for looking after someone who wasing after her own husband, yet I¡¯m still here¡­


    trying to exin myself, hoping to set things straight, to take things back to how they once were.¡±


    Despite her verbal and emotional efforts, Jane didn¡¯t seem to be responding at the frequency she


    wanted. ¡°Say something.¡±


    Jane turned her head to look at Reba. ¡°Give me Benjamin. I will give him all the satisfaction in the


    world.¡±


    Reba¡¯s expression warped. ¡°You were always like this. You think sex is everything. That¡¯s why you


    are still single.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t think that way anymore¡­¡± replied Jane, her eyes seemingly carrying an honest look in


    them. ¡°I called Benjamin here to sleep with him, but then I fell sick, and he took care of me until you


    showed up. During those few hours, he made me feel special, even though he knew I was trying to


    cause trouble. He was willing to go against his interests for my sake, and that¡¯s something I don¡¯t see in


    many men. These days, people want their partner to change for them but are unwilling to change


    themselves


    for their partners. But Benjamin isn¡¯t like that. He did everything he could to keep his marriage going.


    He¡¯s still doing that. I mean what kind of a guy can be so submissive to his wife much less his wife¡¯s


    family so much because he loves his wife? He is the type of guy every woman wants deep down in


    their heart because he can go to any lengths for his wife. And that¡¯s why¡­¡± she looked straight into


    Reba¡¯s eyes.¡° I can¡¯t give up on him just yet. I hope you¡¯ll continue to disappoint him so he¡¯ll start


    considering giving me a try.¡±


    Reba¡¯s tongue poked the inside of her cheeks as she controlled her anger. ¡°I won¡¯t wish you good


    luck, but I wish you will recover soon.¡± She stood from her seat. ¡°I think I¡¯ll do something nasty if I stay


    here, so I¡¯ll go and send a maid to tend to you.¡± Saying that she walked out of the room.


    Jane exhaled audibly. ¡°She¡¯ll send a maid? Does that mean she¡¯s going home now? What if her whole


    family gets chickenpox? Huh, why should I care?¡±

 Chapter 171

    Chapter 171


    Three dayster.


    Reba had sent Amber to take care of Jane, so Jane was doing fine now. Her chickenpox was


    almost gone, though the spots were still mildly visible all over her body. She was yet to leave her room,


    even though she really wanted to go out and get some fresh air.


    ¡°Mom and dad haven¡¯t called me even once,¡± she puckered a little. ¡°It¡¯s like they went for their


    honeymoon.¡±


    Her thoughts shifted back to Reba once again. ¡°She doesn¡¯t know it, yet, but she¡¯s fighting a losing


    battle. Benjamin is drunk on her, but I¡¯ll be his new wine.


    ¡°I never intended to take their rtionship apart, but I¡¯ve been waiting for the right person my whole life


    just like her. Maybe not as much as she did, and I¡¯m not as cute as her, either, but¡­ most average


    women are not cute, and I think I can be more intelligent, honest, supportive, and cooperative to my


    partner than she can be. These are only basic human qualities, but they are rare these days. I¡¯m sure


    Benjamin will be attracted to me if she sees these qualities in me.¡±


    Just then, Amber brought two people into the room. She recognized one of them straight away.


    ¡°Evelyn!¡± It was her college friend. Seeing how they brought fruits and flowers, she was surprised.


    ¡°How did you know I was sick?¡±


    ¡°Reba texted me,¡± replied Evelyn, and Jane couldn¡¯t help but look at the tall handsome guy in a suit


    standing behind her.


    ¡°You two keep talking. I¡¯ll be outside,¡± the guy said and hurriedly left. ¡°Who¡¯s he?¡± Jane wiggled her


    eyebrows. ¡°Time really changes people. Can¡¯t believe you of all people found a guy so good-looking.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s my boss, you idiot,¡± Evelyn tossed a rose in her face. ¡°There¡¯s nothing going on between us.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah? But why do I see some unnatural glow in your face?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re an idiot!¡±


    Evelyn threw the whole bouquet this time.


    ¡°Aw,¡± Jane cried out.


    ¡°He¡¯s Adam Conteid. My CEO. He¡¯s a big yboy, but he keeps his cool around me.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    A few seconds passed, and Jane sat up.


    ¡°Now, tell me,¡± Jane¡¯s expression turned a little serious, ¡°isn¡¯t there something you want to talk about?¡±


    Evelyn raised her eyebrows and smiled, ¡°You¡¯re as smart as ever. Reba did ask me to talk to you


    and convince you to stay away from her husband.¡±


    ¡°And you listened to her? You two aren¡¯t really that close if I remember.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s asked for a good cause,¡± replied Evelyn. ¡°Why would I say no?¡±


    ¡°Good cause?¡± Jane snorted. ¡°Hmph.¡±


    Evelyn remembered the conversation she had with Reba who told her Jane subconsciously


    preferred strong men who still liked domineering women because her mother also controlled her father,


    and that Jane was thinking Benjamin was also like that, given how he bore all the insults thrown at him


    by his inws. But Reba told Evelyn that Benjamin wasn¡¯t like Jane¡¯s father who was submissive to


    his wife


    because he had messed up in the past by sleeping with an old me. Ever since then, he had the


    character to admit his mistake and listen to his wife. In Benjamin¡¯s case, however, he never did


    anything wrong like that, and it was only his love for Reba that made him bear all the crap Selena


    and other inws had put on him.


    Reba had always received hints as to how much of a rage Benjamin had kept sealed inside him for


    her sake. Her eyes, however, weren¡¯t quite opened until Jane told her how special Benjamin was and


    to repair their rtionship as soon as possible.


    Thinking back on the conversation, Evelyn said, ¡®You were the one who helped Reba change her


    mind about her husband, and now, you are trying to take him away from her? Does this seem fair to


    you?¡±


    A hint of guilt appeared on Jane¡¯s face, especially as she remembered the bright look in Benjamin¡¯s


    eyes as he talked about his wife.


    ¡°Are you sure you love him?¡± Evelyn softly asked. ¡°Or are you just lusting after him? I don¡¯t know about


    love, but being single isn¡¯t easy, so I can totally understand if it¡¯s just your flesh craving forpany.¡±


    ¡°Thanks foring, but you should leave,¡± Jane got up and went to the washroom.


    much as I could, Reba. I hope you two will


    Evelyn sighed and muttered under her breath, ¡± resolve this issue soon.¡±


    Evelyn walked out of the apartment, and her CEO was ying with a pet dog tied up to a pole.


    Seeing her, he stood and asked, ¡°How did it go?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s shocking to see them both be at arms like this. They used to be so close, but now they are


    behaving as if this Benjamin is a one in a billion kind of guy. I can understand Reba¡¯s perspective


    and her desire to protect her husband, but Jane¡­ she¡¯s always been vtile in her rtionships, and it


    seems sticking close to her is backfiring on Reba, so I can¡¯t help but feel for her.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say Jane used to look ugly in the past? But the woman I saw was quite pretty.¡±


    ¡°Well, she used to be obese in her middle school. After her teacher called her Shrek, and her


    ssmates began calling her a piglet, she took leave for a couple of months and then reattended


    school as a slim girl, or so I was told.¡±


    ¡°So it was a story of the past, huh.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re thinking of dating her.¡±


    ¡°Ha-ha,¡± he chortled, ¡°good joke.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t joking though, Sir Adam. You¡¯ve dated a lot of trashy women, yet you don¡¯t find my friend Jane


    worthy?¡±


    Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way. You know that, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    ¡°What about you? What kind of a man is worthy of you?¡± he curiously asked. ¡°Is it guys like Benjamin?


    Or¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about this Benjamin guy,¡± she softly said, ¡°but I don¡¯t like guys who need women to


    diminish themselves and be submissive so they can feel superior. I think rtionships have ups and


    downs, but when the woman is down, her man has to be ready to pick her up and share her pain, and


    vice versa. When one is down, the other shouldn¡¯t abandon but must lend their me, and together,


    they can shine and illuminate their household.¡±


    ¡°There are plenty of men whoy their lives on the line and work hard for their wives and children,


    though,¡± opined Adam.


    ¡°There are plenty who don¡¯t give a shit about their wives or children, either. We won¡¯t know who¡¯s who


    until we live with them and go through trials together.¡±


    ¡°Like we¡¯re doing now?¡±


    Evelyn shook her head and blushed slightly.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Haha, I was just kidding.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you were,¡± her voice turned a bit icy.


    They both drove away in a Chrysler 300, with Evelyn in the driver¡¯s seat.


    Meanwhile, Jane was texting Benjamin while sitting on the toilet seat. ¡°Why haven¡¯t youe to see


    me these past three days? I¡¯m deeply hurt by your actions, but I¡¯m willing to forgive you if you make up


    for it.¡±


    Benjamin read the message and then decided what he should do with it.


    About thirty minutester, a delivery guy knocked on Jane¡¯s door and delivered a fruit pizza, sent in the


    name of Benjamin and Reba.


    Jane made Amber eat the extrarge fruit pizza, and she looked mad. ¡°I¡¯m Jane Cooper. I¡¯ve never


    failed to seduce a guy, and Benjamin¡­ your heart is a bit resistant to this change, but I¡¯m sure I can


    melt it and make you mine.¡± Her heart burned with unbridled passion.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!