Chapter 3
“What happened?” Caitlin asked in confusion.
Then she spotted Eleanor, who was disheveled and trembling as she curled up in Xander’s arms. It all clicked.
He was furious for the woman he loved.
Before Caitlin could react, Xander slapped her face hard.
“Don’t act clueless!”
His bloodshot eyes locked onto hers like a furious beast. “Caitlin, do whatever shady stuff you want for business, but leave Eleanor out of it. She’s not like you–she’s simple–minded.”
Caitlin stood frozen.
Her cheek stung, but her heart hurt more after hearing those words.
Shady?
She thought back to the early days of their company when she had hustled for clients. She had been put in the same risky situation, but she’d rather lose a deal than sell her dignity.
Xander had even stormed off to teach that client a lesson.
He beat the guy up and locked him in for a few days. Then, he comforted her. “You did the right thing. Thanks for protecting yourself.”
Everyone knew Caitlin hated backdoor deals.
And now, he
thought she was the one playing dirty.
06:24
Chapter 3
Tears fell from Caitlin’s eyes. “Is that how you see me?”
Xander was stunned and hesitated.
Right then, Eleanor clutched his sleeve, face flushed. “Mr. Jackson, Mrs. Jackson told me to toast, but I said I can’t handle alcohol. Mr. Zeller kept pushing drinks. I don’t feel well…”
Xander’s face twisted with anger again, and he shot Caitlin a nasty glare. “You’ve changed. You’re not the person I used to know.”
Without another word, he picked Eleanor up and walked away.
Caitlin lowered her eyes, forcing a bitter smile.
Yeah, people did change.
Xander wasn’t who he used to be either.
On the way home, she was suddenly dragged into a dark alley.
“What do you want?!” she shouted, face going pale.
Those men didn’t answer. Instead, they shoved her down roughly.
All around her were 99 liquor bottles.
They cracked them open and started forcing her to drink. She tried to scream, but she was choked and unable to speak.
The burning alcohol slid down her throat, sharp and painful.
Caitlin fought back, but it was useless. She cried powerlessly.
When they were done pouring the drinks, they yanked off her clothes, laughing and leering at her tender body.
“Hold on,” one guy said. “Didn’t the client just say to teach her a lesson?
Chapter 3
If we go too far, we’ll be the ones in trouble.”
Another guy shrugged. “Come on, man. Who gets their wife treated this badly? If we mess her up, he’ll even thank us.”
Caitlin’s eyes flew open in shock.
Were they talking about Xander?
Since Eleanor had been forced to drink and almost been taken advantage of, he felt bad for her and decided to let Caitlin go through the same thing.
He did love Eleanor.
Right when those men were about to lay a hand on her, a police siren blared nearby. A passerby shouted, “Stop! I called the cops!”
Those men panicked and bolted in different directions.
Caitlin was safe, but she just stared blankly at the night sky, completely
numb.
Then, she broke down into tears.
All the pain she’d been holding in came rushing out. She lay on the ground, gagging in agony. She threw up until there was nothing left but bile, then finally stood up and tremblingly made her way home.
