Chapter 6

Simone instinctively wanted to turn around, but then she remembered her "hearing impairment" and forced herself to stop.

Tom rushed to her, panic evident in his eyes.

"Simone, are you leaving me? We're about to get married—where are you going?"

Seeing no reaction from her, Tom suddenly realized and quickly repeated himself in sign language.

Simone's expression remained calm.

"It's a friend of mine who's leaving," she replied.

Tom studied her face carefully. Only after confirming her tranquil demeanor and finding no trace of deceit did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"That's good. Simone, you don’t know how scared I just was. I can't even imagine how I’d survive if you left me."

He pulled her tightly into his arms, genuine fear etched across his face.

Despite his heartfelt words, Simone felt nothing inside.

If he was so afraid of her leaving, then why had he betrayed her?

Was it because he thought she couldn’t hear, so he felt emboldened?

Too bad for him—he was about to be disappointed.

Still shaken, Tom wrapped his arm around her waist, ready to leave.

"Simone, let’s go home. I won’t let you out of my sight for even a second from now on."

"What about your assistant?" she asked.

"She wasn’t feeling well and left early," he replied smoothly, the lie rolling off his tongue effortlessly.

Simone found his response nothing short of ironic.

As they reached the parking lot, Simone spotted Belinda struggling with a man.

The man gripped Belinda’s wrist tightly, showing no intention of letting her go. His other hand reached toward her waist when she broke free and slapped him hard across the face.

Angered, the man picked up a beer bottle from the ground and aimed it at her.

In that split second, Simone felt the arm around her waist suddenly loosen.

Tom darted forward, shielding Belinda in his arms.

The beer bottle smashed against his shoulder, the sharp glass slicing through flesh. Blood seeped through his shirt, staining it bright red.

Tom’s face turned dark and menacing. After confirming that Belinda was unharmed, he grabbed the man by the collar and delivered a brutal punch to his face, each blow landing with force.

"Who gave you the nerve to lay a hand on my woman?!"

The man, recognizing Tom, was paralyzed with fear. He cowered, repeatedly begging for mercy, too terrified to fight back.

Nearby, a shard of glass had grazed Simone’s cheek, leaving a thin line of blood. Yet she stood motionless, as if she didn’t feel the pain, silently watching the furious man before her.

The scene before her began to overlap with a memory.

Five years ago, not long after she and Tom started dating, they had attended a business gala together.

It was her first time appearing in public as Tom's girlfriend. Back then, Tom’s image as a devoted partner hadn’t yet been established.

When people learned about her hearing impairment, she could clearly see the disdain and mockery in their eyes.

While Tom was pulled aside by a business associate, a group of men with bad intentions surrounded her. They assumed she was nothing more than a fleeting amusement for Tom.

Even though she couldn’t hear their words, Simone could read the leering expressions and the ridicule in their eyes.

She wanted to call for help but was afraid of causing trouble for Tom. She tried warning them again and again, but her resistance only deepened their amusement.

Just as one of the men reached out to touch her face, Tom appeared and kicked him several meters away. His eyes burned red with fury as he pinned the man to the ground and beat him mercilessly.

Later, Tom ordered his secretary to cut all ties with those men and their companies, effectively blacklisting them in the industry.

From that moment on, everyone knew Simone was untouchable. She was Tom’s forbidden treasure, off-limits to anyone.

But now, under the same circumstances, the person in his arms was no longer her.