A while later, Rachel stood up by leaning against the wall and staggering away.
The bodyguards wanted to stop her, but he said coldly, “Let her!”
Without Justin’s permission, no doctor would listen to Rachel’s request, not even if it was an emergency. Hans was crippled now, since there was a comminuted fracture in his left leg.
Later, Justin took her home by force and locked her up for three days. As a protest, she didn’t even take one bite of the food the servants sent her. It was only three days, but she was only skin and bones at the end of it.
Riverdale was once again graced by rainfall and lightning. “She’s still not eating?” The servant shook her head, looking troubled. Julian frowned when he heard that. “This can’t go on.” With that, he went upstairs.
“Hey, you can’t go, Julian!” Sue tried to stop him, but to no avail.
Julian made a beeline for the bedroom. Rachel was curled up on the bed in her white nightgown, her hair unkempt, and her face pale. If he didn’t know better, he would have thought she was dead. “Rachel.” He quickly went up to her, but when he came closer, he carefully hunkered down, worried that any sudden move might make her break apart.
He knew better than anyone what not to do, since it was the same situation as last time. Back then, she was also curled up on the bed, and the bed was caked in blood. She looked like a broken, lifeless doll. “Rachel.” He carefully held her shoulders. “What happened? Tell me.”
But Rachel said nothing. She was shrouded in a deep, dark despair.
Julian felt powerless, but he had to carry on. “You have to live on no matter what happens. Your grandma needs you; don’t forget about that. Just eat and keep on living. Everything will get better.”
Rachel stared at Julian, but she didn’t look like herself anymore. Her mind was blank. On the first day, all she could think of was how Hans’ leg got broken. On the second day, all she could think of was everything that happened ever since she was married to Justin. It was maddening, and it almost killed her. But on the third day, she couldn’t remember anything.
All she could think of was that she was a jinx; she thought perhaps everyone around her would be better off if she never existed. Nobody would be able to threaten them then. There was nothing in her gaze. Her eyes were lifeless.
Julian panicked. He couldn’t take it anymore, so he held her up and whispered, “I’ll take you away from this place.”
Sue was shocked to see Julian coming out with Rachel. “What are you doing, Julian? What if Justin sees this? Put her back quickly!”
The moment she said that, Justin came in from the entrance with all his fury. When she saw Justin, Rachel quickly curled up further.
“I’m taking her away today no matter what.” Julian’s face darkened. “I’m not letting her die here.”
“And why is she going to die?” Justin looked at him gravely.
“Because of your abuse.”
“Is that so? Is that what you told him? That I’m abusing you?” Justin looked at her and came up to them.
All the color was drained from her face, and she gripped Julian’s shirt.
“You’re denying it?” Julian took a step back, alarmed.
Justin was still looking at Rachel calmly. “Your friend was injured because of you. You’ve been throwing a tantrum for a few days now. Yes, you blame yourself for this, but I don’t think your friend would want to see
this, right?”
When Rachel heard this, she quickly looked up, and she started panicking.
Julian frowned, “What happened?”
“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you after she heals up.”
Julian still had his suspicions, but Rachel tugged on his shirt and signed at him. Put me down.
That surprised Julian, but before he could put her down, Justin was already taking her from him. “You’re still injured. Best not touch the ground.”
Rachel shivered when she felt his anger, and she tried to break free, but Justin the criminal whispered, “You’d better follow my orders if you don’t want me to break his other leg.”
Rachel trembled, but Justin took her back up nonetheless. Even though she was in his arms, all she could feel was a terrifying iciness, and all the alarm bells went off in her head, as if any sudden movement might break her down.
“Hans’ report is out. Comminuted fracture in his left leg.”
Rachel paled. You’re a madman, Burton!
“You should have known it’s not easy dealing with me the moment you married me. Everything you have comes from me. You have no choice but to follow my orders from now on.” Justin the abuser looked at her coldly. “Or I won’t mind seeing him wheelchair-bound for the rest of his whole life.”
Rachel shuddered heavily.
After he put her down, Justin tossed a document on the table. “Share transfer agreement. Sign this, and you’ll be one of the biggest shareholders. You’ll have the right to take part in the BOD meetings.”
Rachel couldn’t bring herself to look at it. If she knew the deal would cost Hans his left leg, she would have killed herself back in the car crash.
“Sign it,” Justin threatened her coldly. He gripped her hand tightly and moved it to the signature line.
Rachel gritted her teeth and signed the papers, but every stroke felt like torture for her. Tears started falling on the paper, and along with it, the last remnants of hope within her.
Justin frowned heavily, as if his sorry excuse of a conscience was telling him to stop.
I won’t see Hans again. Let him go.
However, Justin’s ego was so fragile that one little plea was enough to make him go berserk and engulf his conscience. What replaced it was boundless evil. “Come with me to Tina’s engagement banquet this weekend. You’d better stay in line and act your part as Mrs. Burton,” he threatened her once again and
stormed off with the agreement.
Rachel plopped down on the carpet and sat there for a long time, all the while holding the edge of the table, trembling in fear.
After the share transfer, Rachel became one of the shareholders of Hudson Pharmaceuticals, and the finance department stopped treating her like garbage. She went into the office to check the accounts, but she found no trouble with it. However, she suspected that the chief had another account in his hands.
On the other hand, Janice ordered a cup of coffee and waited for her below the company.
Sorry. Been busy the last couple of days.
“I know. I saw the news. Congrats.” Janice had a dark look in her eyes. She was different from usual. “Why did that happen to Hans?”
