Janice showed Rachel a video. “This is the surveillance footage of the municipal hospital’s parking lot. Hans had just been discharged from the hospital that day, and I was about to pick him up. But for some reason, he left the inpatient department alone and was caught up from behind by two men.”
Rachel could see the scenes in the video very clearly. Two men dressed in black caught up to Hans from behind and dragged him into a van, leaving only a wheelchair in the parking lot. He didn’t even have the opportunity to call for help, nor could he run away in time. At the sight of the scene, Rachel felt very suffocated; she felt out of breath with a lump in her throat. How hopeless he must’ve felt at that time!
“These two men are fugitives with a criminal record. For now, the investigation shows no connection with
Justin. The police suspect that Hans was killed because he saw something that shouldn’t be seen.” Janice put away her cell phone. “A smuggling transaction, perhaps.”
Rachel couldn’t breathe as she placed her hands on the ground. Even if Justin wasn’t the one who did it, such a thing would never have happened if he didn’t break Hans’ leg.
After Janice left, Rachel went back to the city in Gloria’s car. Since she could no longer stay at the Burton Residence, Gloria took her to her apartment. “You can stay here first for the time being. Few people know about this, so it’ll be over once you compose yourself and apologize to him as soon as possible. After that, just go to work as you’re supposed to. Life goes on, anyway.”
Rachel’s face was pale as she gripped the sofa cushion. Do I have to apologize to him? She laughed. Why should she apologize to a madman who had deliberately hurt people?
Gloria darted a look at her. “I understand how you feel right now…” she said. At first, she wanted to say something, but she ultimately bit back the words on the tip of her tongue. “Never mind. Just get a good rest first.”
The door slammed shut with a loud bang, and the house fell silent.
After placing her hand on the sofa to support herself, Rachel got up and looked around her. The apartment Justin had arranged for Gloria was a duplex in an upscale neighborhood complete with a neighborhood security system and property management services. It was furnished extravagantly, which showed how important Gloria was to him.
Rachel felt for the liquor cabinet and took out two bottles of wine. Then, she staggered to push the bathroom door open, filled the bathtub with cold water, and soaked herself in it. The liquor gave a burning sensation as it flowed down her throat, but her body was as cold as ice.
No one knew how much time had passed when the sound of the door being opened was heard outside. By then, Rachel had drunk herself unconscious. When the man pushed the bathroom door open and saw the bathtub filled with red water, his expression changed at once. “Rachel!” A pair of large hands immediately lifted her out of the bathtub. Her clothes were soaked through, but there were no wounds on her body. Only then did Justin notice the red wine bottle in the bathtub.
At that moment, Justin’s anger instantly got the better of him. He grabbed Rachel’s collar fiercely and bellowed, “Do you want to die? Are you sulking here for someone to see? Just slit your wrists and hang yourself if you have the guts! How dare you threaten to kill yourself for another man’s sake? Have you forgotten who you are?”
Rachel looked drunkenly at the man before her eyes. Since she no longer had the strength to push him away,
she laughed maniacally. Isn’t this what you want to see? Hans is dead. Isn’t this what you want to see?
“How many times do I have to repeat that I have nothing to do with his death? If you really have the proof, go out and sue me right now! Sue me!”
Rachel felt nothing but desolation when she heard how confident and righteous Justin sounded. She thought to herself, Such is the world that we live in. It overflows with material desires, and whoever is rich climbs to the top by stepping on countless dead bodies under their feet. Justin is no different from Jefferey since both of them are murderers.
Seeing how she had made a mess of herself, Justin flew into a rage and slammed her head into the bathtub. “The way I see it, you really are out of your mind. You need to sober up!”
Rachel’s mouth and nose were filled with alcohol-flavored water as the sound of churning water resounded in her ears. When Justin’s large hand grabbed her by the hair and lifted her head up, she leaned against the bathtub and coughed non-stop. She had become much more sober, and she coughed until her eyes turned red. Then, she stared at Justin so hard that her eyes were bulging out of their sockets. I want a divorce!
Who cares if I’m sober? I hate him; the more sober I am, the more I hate him! she thought to herself.
Justin’s face darkened completely when he realized what Rachel meant. “You really are clueless about ordinary people’s sufferings after living a life of comfort for such a long time. Do you think I’ll let you off if you pretend that you want to kill yourself? You want to ask for a divorce, riht?” He grabbed her wrist and moved his fiendish-looking face close to hers. Then, as he looked down at her, he uttered word by word, “All right, I’ll give you a chance! I’ll let you off if you do this. Change your clothes and go out with me!”
Justin took Rachel to a well-known clubhouse in Riverdale. As soon as they arrived, a heavily made-up middle-aged woman took Rachel to the dressing room to change her clothes without the need for his instructions.
Moments later, Rachel was dressed in a black lace slip dress, and the strong perfume she had on almost suffocated her. Meanwhile, Frankie looked nervous as he stood outside the dressing room. “Who will you arrange for her to serve later, Miss Rosaline?”
Rosaline glanced at him perplexedly with a cigar dangling from her lips. “Since when have you started paying attention to these things, Mr. Beckham? Don’t worry, someone brought here by President Burton himself mustn’t be an ordinary person, so she’ll be presented to the Burton Group’s important clients, of course.”
“To tell you the truth, she is,” Frankie began, but Rachel opened the door and came out before he could finish his sentence. “Well, you look really demure.” Rosaline immediately went up and grabbed her. “You’re lucky, my lady. Mr. Wayne likes pretty and innocent-looking ladies like you.”
Mr. Wayne? Frankie’s expression changed. Just then, an attendant’s voice sounded from behind. “President Burton is looking for you, Mr. Beckham.”
While Frankie was distracted, Rosaline had already taken Rachel away. When he saw what was going on, he became incredibly anxious. How is this allowed at all?Rachel is President Burton’s wife! How can she…
The moment Rachel stepped into the room and saw the unbearably vulgar furnishings, the purple waterbed, and the tools, she immediately realized what she was about to face. Her pupils dilated, and she turned around in an attempt to run.
“Hey, where are you going?” Rosaline glared at her. “You don’t know the rules, do you? Is this your first time?”
Rachel shook her head desperately, wanting to explain that she wasn’t that kind of person.
“I don’t understand what you’re gesturing about.” Rosaline flung Rachel onto the bed with a frosty face. “No one can get out of my place after entering through the door. Just behave yourself and wait. I’ll teach you a good lesson if you irritate the guest!”
The door closed with a bang. Soon after that, a man came in. Despite his short stature, he was very fat, and his greasy face was all meat. The instant he saw Rachel, his eyes lit up. “The woman Rosaline has arranged this time is not bad. You look like a high-class woman! Why haven’t seen you before?”
Rachel cowered at once; her limbs went cold the instant she looked around the room and saw the blindfolds and the whips hung on the wall. She shook her head. I’m not
“What’s wrong?” The man took a whip off the wall and stepped toward her with a lewd smile on his face. “Will you get undressed yourself, or do you want me to undress you?”
Rachel clutched the clothes on her chest and backed away helplessly. Don’t do this… However, the instant the
man waved his whip and jumped on her, she fell into despair with hopelessness in her eyes.
