Chapter 22
“Vincent! You’re a beast,” Caleb was itching to charge forward but got blocked by Vincent’s
crew.
“Mr. Gladstone, you best sit tight and watch.” They were helpless. After all, it was Vincent, a member of the FitzGerald family, Rhett’s younger brother.
In Silvergrove City, who’d dare to pick a fight with the FitzGeralds?
Who’d have the nerve to take on Rhett?
Everyone sucked up to Vincent not because of who he was but because he was Rhett’s brother. “Caleb, keep your cool. If you don’t throw a punch, I’ll tell my brother to put in a good word for you with Mr. Bryce,” Vincent said mockingly, using the Gladstone Group to threaten Caleb.
He bet Caleb, the yellow–bellied guy, would cave for his interests.
He just wanted Kristin to see what kind of a man Caleb was.
“Let me go…” Kristin pleaded through tears. “Vincent, please, let me go.”
But begging was useless. Kristin should’ve known that by then.
A few guys roughly grabbed Kristin, pushing her down on the couch, trying to rip her clothes off. Kristin cried and struggled, but it was no use.
“Help me… please, help me…” Kristin looked to Caleb for rescue, feeling like she’d fallen into an icy pit, cold and suffocating.
Caleb’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he wanted to step forward, but he hesitated.
Without the Gladstone Group, he’d be another doormat in their circle. Fingers clenched until they shook, Caleb looked away.
He hadn’t expected that Ms. Turner, once so untouchable, would be brought so low by this
crowd.
That blooming white rose was nothing but withered petals.
And Vincent, it was like he wanted to strip Kristin of all her thorns, of every shining part, drag her through the mud, and stomp her down.
Kristin looked at Caleb with despair, no longer struggling or begging.
It was pointless. How could these people possibly save her?
Lying helplessly on the couch, Kristin ceased her futile attempts to fight.
They tore her clothes open, seeing her body covered in bruises and scars.
Chapter 22
Throughout her prison stint, those bought off by Vincent ensured she received “special treatment” – a daily dose of bullying. Those bruises on her would take a long time to fade.
“Goddamn… is this chick sick or what? What’s with all these bruises?” Someone said with disgust, instinctively letting go.
They were up for a good time but not at the risk of catching something.
The others quickly backed off from Kristin. “I heard she’s sick…”
“Man, who knows how many guys she’s been with. She’s filthy. Vincent, we don’t do sloppy seconds.”
Kristin lay there, eyes empty, not moving an inch.
The cruelest way to destroy a girl was to start a sex rumor.
Kristin had been through this back in high school.
So many boys had a crush on her back then, and Kristin would find love letters on her desk daily.
Tam was the most persistent suitor, followed by Caleb.
Tam and Caleb had publicly confessed to Kristin, but Kristin turned them down gently.
Later, rumors started to spread that Kristin had already slept with guys, putting on airs but being promiscuous behind the scenes.
Kristin cried many times over these rumors and was bullied by the girls in her class, enduring verbal abuse.
Even worse, the bullies spilled pig blood on her ballet costume and stuffed razor blades into her
↑ dance shoes.
Eventually, she dated Vincent, and with no one daring to mess with him, the rumors slowly got squashed.
So, since then, Kristin had seen Vincent as her redemption, a beam of light in her dark world and savior. But suddenly, the savior turned into the devil one day..
“What good is she if she’s already got a kid.”
“Yeah, wouldn’t take her if she was free.”
“Tam was head–over–heels back in the day and couldn’t eat or sleep well because of Kristin. Tam surely wouldn’t mind. Where’s Tam today anyway?”
“He’ll be here soon.”
Numb, Kristin lay on the couch, listening to their vile words.
Slowly sitting up, Kristin pulled at her clothes, realizing all the buttons had been torn off.
She didn’t cry, because there were no tears left.
14.50
Chapter 22
Vincent sat nearby, cigarette burning down to his fingers, seemingly oblivious.
He suddenly felt some regret, knowing he might’ve gone too far.
But that was all Kristin’s fault. He just wanted her to see Caleb’s true colors.
“Kris…” Caleb approached but didn’t dare get close to Kristin. He believed what they said about her being dirty and that she was diseased.
Kristin didn’t speak, but her body involuntarily curled up.
“I’ll take you home…” Caleb said softly.
Kristin didn’t move but sat there quietly. After a while, she looked up at Caleb. “Get a paternity test with Summer.”
When they heard Kristin’s words, the guys around got excited and slammed the table. “Whoa! Kristin’s lover is Mr. Gladstone, huh? Caleb, you got some nerve, not minding the dirt!”
“Caleb, are you happy playing daddy?”
“Caleb, you’ve got balls to fuck a woman like that.”
Caleb seemed annoyed, obviously feeling his reputation damaged. “Shut up.”
The group scoffed but went silent.
“Kristin, Summer’s not my kid, and neither was I with you at the hotel,” Caleb quickly denied.
Kristin sighed in relief and nodded. That was so good.
Otherwise, she’d throw up.
At the door, Tam walked in, saw the commotion, heard the crude talk, and frowned.
His gaze settled on Kristin, and he paused.
