Chapter 4 I Can Do Anything
1070 Words
Faye had a sleepless night.
When it was almost dawn, she decided to ask Josh for help, as he was clearly not an ordinary man.
In the morning, still sleepless and not wanting to wake Emily, Faye quietly opened the door to go downstairs. When passing a maid carrying a newspaper, she caught sight of her own photo on the back page!
"Wait, what is this?" Faye called out, pointing at the newspaper in the maid's hand.
"This is the newspaper Mr. Josh subscribes to. It's delivered every day," the maid replied.
"Please give it to me. I'll deliver it to Mr. Josh." Faye said firmly, extending her hand.
"Aren't you going out?" the maid looked puzzled, glancing towards where Faye had come from.
"Not anymore!" Faye said tersely as she took the newspaper, her face tense with worry.
She dashed along the hall until she reached a quiet corner, trembling as she opened it.
As expected, it was a missing person notice from Derek!
He painted himself as a worried husband searching for his runaway wife, ending with a chilling reference to "the children" waiting for her return.
Officially, they only had a son, so this mention of "children" was a clear threat!
Faye crumpled the newspaper in her hands, her eyes blazing with anger.
She had to figure out something to bring down this scumbag!
In the study, the maid placed a cup of coffee in front of Josh, who picked it up and took a sip.
"Sir, the newspaper has been given to Ms. Everhart. She must have seen it by now!" the maid reported respectfully.
"Your coffee brewing skills are improving. Go collect your bonus from the housekeeper," Josh said calmly, a spark of interest flickering in his eyes.
There was plenty of time, and everything was more fun when it went slow and steady.
Faye sat on a stone bench in the courtyard, shivering in the cold wind.
She needed to calm herself to suppress the impulse to confront Derek and end it all.
‘I’m such a weak and terrible mother.’ Tears streamed down her face as these painful thoughts consumed her.
Suddenly, the familiar scent of tobacco surrounded her again. A thick coat was draped over her shoulders, its warmth comforting. Without looking back, she already knew who it was.
"If you caught a cold, Emily would be sad." Josh's deep voice came from behind like a whisper in a dream.
"Mr. Josh, I’d like to ask you for a favor," Faye said, steadying herself.
She turned to face him, her eyes red and puffy from crying.
"When I went to your study two days ago, I saw a gun on your desk," Faye said, biting her lip. She didn't have time to think if Josh would be furious about it, but she had to take this chance, no matter the risk.
"So?" He didn't seem surprised or angry.
Faye gathered her courage. "Can you teach me how to use it? Please?"
She had realized that her immediate need was self-defense. Without Kyle's interruption, she could have died at Regina's hand.
While she disliked violence, nothing could stand in the way of a desperate mother.
"But it's dangerous!" Josh wasn't dismissing her. Instead, she was genuinely concerned. "If you need help, I can provide it. There's no need for you to go that far."
Faye's eyes welled up with tears. Help? She desperately needed it.
But she couldn't trust anyone easily, even if they had saved her.
Therefore, she had to become stronger first!
"I appreciate that, but..." Faye struggled to keep her emotions in check. "My situation is complicated, so I shouldn’t get any outsider involved. I want to handle this myself."
"Then I can't help you. I'd feel guilty if you got hurt because of something so reckless," Josh said, turning to leave, clearly wanting to end the conversation.
"If you agree, I can do anything!" Faye blurted out in desperation, surprising even herself.
However, she had no other options. Right now, her body was her only bargaining chip.
A mighty man like Josh probably had no shortage of women, but at least he didn't seem to dislike her.
For her daughter, she had to try.
Josh stopped and turned back to her.
"Anything?" His tone was predatory, as if Faye were a lamb to the slaughter.
Faye took a step back nervously. "Yes, anything within my power."
When Faye realized the extent of her offer, Josh had already pushed her onto the bed.
It was her first time seeing his room, which, unlike the rest of the luxurious mansion, was decorated in subdued grays and whites—simple but cold, just like its owner.
Josh's warm breath brushed her neck, sending a sensation through her entire body that made her shiver.
She found herself not entirely repulsed by his touch, even feeling a bit thrilled.
But Faye was inexperienced in such matters. Most importantly, she wasn't emotionally attached to Josh, so she tensed up uncontrollably.
Gripping the sheets tightly, she bit down hard on her lip, unsure of what would unfold next.
Josh's lips slipped to her jawline, his voice husky with desire. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Yes, but I'm not very experienced. Please bear with me," Faye said, her chest heaving and her face flushed.
She was undeniably alluring, but tears trickled down her cheeks.
Faye didn't know why she was crying. Maybe it was the humiliation of feeling compelled to offer herself or the injustice of her fate.
Not wanting to spoil the moment, she closed her eyes.
But the anticipated frenzy didn't come. Instead, the weight on her lifted.
Opening her eyes, she saw Josh sitting on the sofa across from her. His shirt collar was open, making him look sexy and tempting, but his expression had shifted back to aloofness, starkly different from the desirous man on the bed moments ago.
"Clearly, lying isn't your strong suit," Josh said, his gaze piercing through her.
"I don't have any peculiar fetishes and never force women."
He glanced at Faye's disheveled clothes, and she realized her body was almost exposed and quickly covered herself.
"Sorry, we can try again..." Faye's voice trailed off. Apparently, she didn't have much confidence.
"I'll teach you how to shoot. You don't need to repay me with your body," Josh said, pointing to her heart.
"Use your heart instead!"
- Writer
