Chapter 28
Steven could no longer contain his anger and slammed his fist onto the table. The coffee cup on the table jumped violently, rolled off, and shattered on the floor, spilling coffee everywhere.
the
His eyes bloodshot, he glared at Iona. “Mom, can’t you just quit gambling?”
Iona was startled by his sudden outburst. She flinched slightly, then reacted with anger and embarrassment, retorting, “Mind your own business! My affairs are none of your concern.”
Steven trembled with rage..“None of my unrepentant?”
Look at what you’ve done! You almost lost your life today because of gambling. Are you still
Iona turned her head away, avoiding her son’s gaze. “I just had bad luck. I could have won the money back. Those people tricked me. I can’t swallow
this.”
Her voice was firm, but her slightly trembling hands betrayed her insecurity.
Steven took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. “Mom, let’s drop it this time. But you have to promise me that you’ll go to a rehab center to quit gambling,” he said.
I won’t go. I heard people get beaten there. Steven, you can’t send me-” Iona tried to argue.
“I’ve already arranged for a rehab center. Someone will take you there tonight,” Steven said.
Iona’s eyes widened in horror. “No. Steven, you can’t do this to me. I don’t want to go to a place like that. I’ll go crazy.”
Undeterred, Steven turned and went upstairs to pack her things.
Yvonne received a message: [Ms. Stark, the 3 million dollars has arrived. As previously agreed, we split it 50/50.]
Yvonne smiled, and after receiving the money, she logged into another account.
The response came almost instantly, as if the person on the other end had been waiting for her: [Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it for you.]
Yvonne deleted the messages. There was one more act to play tomorrow, and then it would all be over.
A message from Reid slipped in like a ghost: [Are you avoiding me?]
Yvonne deleted it again.
Before long, there was a knock on the door. Yvonne thought it was the takeout she had ordered and was about to open it when she suddenly became alert. She peered through the peephole.
To her surprise, she found herself staring into Reid’s long, deep eyes. His eyes were like a profound lake, as if they could see through everything, causing Yvonne’s heart to jolt.
J
Yvonne stood there, stunned and filled with astonishment. She had deliberately switched hotels, choosing one in a remote location, thinking she could escape Reid’s pursuit. But he had still found her.
Reid seemed to know she was standing behind the door. He knocked a few more times, slowly and deliberately, then pointed to the expensive watch on his wrist. He raised his hand and held up three fingers in front of the peephole.
A second later, he lowered one finger, then another. His movements were unhurried but carried an intangible sense of pressure, as if he were counting down.
When he lowered the last finger, Yvonne gritted her teeth. After weighing the pros and cons in her mind, she opened the door.
Reid’s lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible smile. The smile blossomed on his handsome face felt somewhat annoying to Yvonne.
“Well, I was half–expecting to have to pay for a broken door,” Reid said.
“Mr. Simmons, what on earth do you want?” Yvonne truly didn’t understand why this man was always so persistent with her.
Reid didn’t answer. He walked into the room as if he owned the place and casually scanned it. The furnishings were rather shabby, with peeling paint on the walls and even some dust in the corners.
He walked over to the bed, sat on it, and tested its springiness, which creaked loudly. Turning to Yvonne, he said, “Pack your things, I can’t sleep on this bed.”
I never asked you to sleep here,” Yvonne retorted. As she passed by him, Reid suddenly hoisted her up over his shoulder.
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10:37 AM
Chapter 28
+15
“Hey! Reid, what are you doing? Put me down!” Yvonne struggled and shouted, pounding her fists on Reid’s back, but he stood as still as a mountain.
“Stay still. Do you want to be trending on social media tomorrow?” he said.
Yvonne immediately understood. She knew that with Reid’s fame and influence, it would be incredibly easy for him to make something a trending topic.
If he didn’t want to be discovered, not even the most persistent paparazzi could find a single clue. But if he wanted to be discovered, he could definitely make it happen.
Yvonne dared not move anymore. She wasn’t yet divorced from Steven. If someone were to capture her in such an ambiguous situation with Reid, the consequences would be unimaginable.
“Put me down. I’ll walk by myself!” Yvonne shouted helplessly.
Reid paused for a moment, as if thinking, then let her down. He held her hand tightly, as if afraid she would run away.
Yvonne glared at him, trying to shake his grip. “Why are you acting like a scoundrel?”
Reid looked deeply into her eyes, his profound gaze flickering with complex emotions–affection, helplessness, and a hint of desire hidden beneath
the surface.
He spoke slowly, “If I were a scoundrel, you wouldn’t be Steven’s wife anymore.”
His voice was soft, but each word felt like a heavy blow to Yvonne’s heart.
Reid wished he had known earlier how much Steven would hurt her. He truly regretted not taking her away from Steven sooner.
This time, Reid had only brought one bodyguard. The bodyguard raised a partition, and the back seat became like a separate, private world, shutting out the noise and chaos of the outside.
As the car drove out of the city, Yvonne couldn’t help but ask, “Where are you taking me?”
Reid replied half–jokingly, “Since you’re not being obedient, I thought about finding a remote wilderness and burying you there.”
Yvonne snorted. “Childish.”
After speeding along the highway for a while, the car pulled into a quiet hot spring resort, nearly deserted of people. Reid navigated the resort like he owned the place, driving smoothly to a private villa.
He took Yvonne’s hand and led her inside. As soon as they entered, Reid tugged off his tie and undid his belt buckle.
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