Chapter 2: Apologize to That Woman

Roderick's face, initially filled with a hint of guilt, quickly darkened.

He instinctively shielded Lindsay, his eyes cold and frightening. "Elaine, what are you doing?"

I glared at Lindsay. "You'd better watch your words."

Yet, Lindsay played the victim. "Am I wrong? If it wasn't for your mother pretending to be sick, would Roderick ever marry you out of pity?"

I turned to Roderick. "Do you feel the same way?"

He didn't speak, but his eyes gave me the answer.

Five months ago, my mother was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. Knowing her days were numbered, she wanted to see me marry the man I loved and have a happy home before she died. To fulfill my mother's dying wish, I pleaded with him for a long time before he agreed to have the wedding.

Yet, he believed my mother was faking her illness to force him into marrying me.

Perhaps he simply looked down on me from the start.

He was the future of the Bessemer family as well as the heir to the family business. In college, I fell for him at first sight and pursued him relentlessly for three years. Roderick liked obedient women, so I complied with all his wishes.

Yet only when I saw him with Lindsay did I realize he could be that gentle. Lindsay could whimsically act spoiled in front of him, holding his hand and even embracing him. All the things I wished but dared not do, she did effortlessly.

Once I tried acting coquettishly like Lindsay, but he coldly pushed me away. "Elaine, the way you act makes me uncomfortable." Humiliated, I watched him walk away.

After that, I never acted spoiled with him again.

He never even took the initiative to hold my hand. Being with him, I always followed behind, while only Lindsay could walk beside him.

Despite being called his girlfriend, I got nothing being with him. In everyone else's eyes, he and Lindsay were a perfect match . He took her to various events and introduced her to everyone.

If it weren't for my mother's illness and my desperate pleas, that absurd wedding would never have occurred.

I looked at Roderick with disappointment. This was the man I had loved for nine years, and I began to doubt my past taste.

Lindsay persisted, "Roderick, how is my face? Is it swelling up? How could she do that to me? It hurts so much!"

Roderick's attention immediately returned to her. I did slap her hard, as a clear imprint of the slap was visible.

Roderick's expression turned sour. "Elaine, apologize to her!"

"What if I say no?" I raised my head defiantly.

Roderick suppressed his anger. "Elaine, don't make me angry."

I had always been afraid of Roderick being angry. Whenever he grew stern, I would instinctively defer to him, because I still loved him.

But now, I no longer cared about him.

Lindsay was dissatisfied. "Roderick, I don't want her apology. I want to slap her back."

Roderick glanced at me, trying to make me submit.

Yet, I remained defiant.

My attitude infuriated him, and Roderick decided to teach me a lesson. He signaled with his eyes, and suddenly, two bodyguards appeared and subdued me.

I was pinned to the ground, struggling but to no avail.

Lindsay walked up to me with a smirk and slapped me as hard as she could several times.

Blood trickled from the corner of my mouth. I sat silently on the ground, in disarray.

Roderick looked down at me from above. "This is what you owe Lindsay. Apologize to her now, and I can pretend this never happened."