Chapter 3 Was She a Gift?
1293 Words
"Ma'am, I'm Liam Horton, Mr. Sutton's assistant," the man introduced himself with an air of authority. "Mr. Sutton has requested to see you. Please come with me."
Yolanda was extremely reluctant to see Joseph. "I have to work," she protested.
"You might want to reconsider, given your situation," Liam responded, his tone carrying a weight of seriousness. "Upsetting Mr. Sutton could cost you more than just your job. It could end your career as a doctor."
His words were a thinly veiled threat, which was both disgraceful and manipulative.
Yolanda clenched her fists tightly. Since her father had covered only the surgery expenses, her mother's ongoing treatment and care depended entirely on her salary. Thus, she just couldn't afford to lose her job or risk her medical career.
"Allow me a moment to inform the hospital that I'll be taking leave," she said before hurrying upstairs. After making the call, she slipped a scalpel into her bag as a precaution..
She then quickly returned downstairs.
Soon, she was escorted to an entertainment venue she had never frequented.
The place buzzed with casually intimate couples and clusters of women engaged in hushed gossips.
"The guy upstairs in the VIP section is doing business with Joseph Sutton. He's notorious for his lecherous behavior and twisted inclinations," one woman whispered to another.
"Isn't he the one who nearly killed a girl last time?" another responded.
"Yeah, that's him. I wonder who's the unlucky one tonight. Well, as long as it's not us. The last girl survived, but I heard she can't have children anymore. I can't imagine what he did to her," they murmured.
Hearing Joseph's name in such a conversation made Yolanda's skin crawl with dread.
Her hands began to sweat.
Was Joseph really planning to consign her to such a man?
Filled with despair yet determined, Yolanda gripped the scalpel inside her bag.
She would not be manipulated.
Soon, the elevator came to a stop.
Liam, with a keen eye for detail, noticed Yolanda's ashen face and offered a gentle but firm reminder, "Remember how you ended up marrying Mr. Sutton. Just sign the divorce papers, and you can get rid of this."
It was true. The Sutton family owed her family a debt of gratitude, making it hard for them to refuse this marriage at first. But if Yolanda agreed to the divorce, this ordeal would end.
Yolanda looked at Liam, trembling slightly. If she had been able to refuse this marriage, she would never have entered the Sutton family, nor would she have given Joseph the power to manipulate her.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped out of the elevator.
Liam's frown deepened as he led her into a plush private box, where the dim lighting revealed Joseph lounging on a sofa. He was nonchalantly watching the scene unfold alongside another man, Harvey Graham.
"Wow," Harvey exclaimed as he noticed her entrance, his gaze openly appraising her. "How stunning."
"Come. Sit next to me," he gestured invitingly.
Yolanda glanced at Joseph.
He sat back, his legs elegantly crossed, displaying complete indifference to the situation.
It seemed that he didn't care that Yolanda, his wife, was being courted by another man.
A sense of desolation washed over Yolanda, her hope dwindling.
Harvey rose and casually draped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.
Turning to Joseph, he remarked, "Where did you find this gem? She's a breath of fresh air compared to those heavily made-up girls. This natural beauty is exactly my type."
Joseph's silence and lack of intervention were deafening, seemingly a tacit approval of Harvey's advances.
Yolanda's heart chilled, her grip on her bag tightening.
Joseph's indifference was deeply painful, yet not unexpected.
She had never imagined him spare her anyway.
"Do you drink?" Harvey asked with his hand sliding suggestively towards her waist.
Revolted, Yolanda moved further from him, replying, "No, I don't."
"No? That's alright. I'll teach you," Harvey insisted. He then poured a full glass of wine and tried to bring it to her lips.
She turned her head to dodge him, but Harvey's grip tightened, pulling her into his embrace while she struggled vehemently. "Let me go..."
"You should know that attending these social events with me is part of your duties as well," Joseph said. He leaned forward, his features sharply outlined under the light. His gaze was cold and detached, his expression devoid of warmth. "If you can't fulfill that role, you might as well pack up and move out of my place!"
Yolanda's spirit, already brittle, shattered at his words, replaced by a rising fury.
She had thought he merely disliked her, at most treating her as if she were invisible.
But such blatant humiliation was something she had never anticipated.
"I'll drink," Yolanda agreed with her voice devoid of any expectation. She hesitated only briefly before taking the glass Harvey handed her and downing it in one go.
The alcohol burned its way down to her stomach.
She felt like she was on fire, her head spinning, her grip on the table, probably the only thing that barely kept her upright.
She bit her lip so hard that it bled, keeping herself alert with the pain.
"Mr. Sutton, may I take her now?" Harvey asked, barely containing his eagerness.
Yolanda's heart raced. Her instincts screamed at her to flee. But as she looked up and met Joseph's gaze, she stopped abruptly.
Was this the humiliation he had in store for her?
Joseph quickly averted his gaze. "Just... do what you like."
Harvey's grin widened as he pulled her out of the box.
In desperation, she didn't resist this time.
Liam approached Joseph, concern etched across his face. "She's gone with Mr. Graham. I don't think she'll still be... when she's back."
Even if they wanted her to opt for divorce voluntarily, they didn't intend for it to go this far.
Joseph poured himself another drink and downed it quickly, his look grim. "You think she's some kind of innocent girl?"
"She knows we're pushing her, yet she hasn't even suggested divorce herself. It seems she won't give in easily," Liam observed.
Was she trying to cling to the Sutton family no matter what?
"Mr. Sutton..."
"Let's leave," Joseph cut him off, his tone cold. He had no desire to hear any more about Yolanda.
Liam nodded, understanding the cue, and moved ahead to open the door.
As they drove, however, the images of Yolanda willingly leaving with Harvey haunted Joseph.
She knew what might happen, and yet she left with Harvey?
She was so...
"Turn around," Joseph suddenly commanded.
Liam hesitated momentarily before quickly turning the car back towards the club.
However, they didn't find Yolanda there. She had already left.
Joseph's expression turned even more sour as he directed Liam to drive back to the estate.
Yolanda had not yet returned, indicating she was still out.
"Go find..."
Before Joseph could finish his command, the door opened, and Yolanda's voice came through.
"Mr. Nott..."
She was slightly tipsy from the drink, far from her usual composed and controlled demeanor. If not for her professional restraint, she might not have made it back at all.
She noticed the butler, Nott, who hesitated to step forward.
"Hey..."
She started to call out again when she finally spotted Joseph standing in the living room.
He was the one who had abandoned her with that vile man. Why was he here now? To make more fun of her?
That was heartless.
"Joseph Sutton?" she slurred, pointing accusing finger at the sullen man in front of her. Due to her courage fueled by the alcohol, she unleashed all the pent-up anger and humiliation she had been holding all this time. "Y... You're nothing but a bastard!"
- Writer
