Chapter 3 A Weak Counterattack
907 Words
Chris instinctively stepped back, worried that he would get into his friend's troubles.
To his surprise, Fred didn't get angry. He looked straight at Sebastian, who was nearly his height, wearing a gentlemanly smile. "Oh really? Do you love her? What's her middle name, then? When and where did you meet? How many times have you gone out? Where did you go? How far along is she?"
"Do we really need to discuss details in front of everyone?" Sebastian replied, feigning a nonchalant look. "Well, then, I don't like your mattress. It's too soft."
"Oh my God!"
"Is he crazy?"
"How much has he had to drink?"
"Sebas, shut up!"
Amid the chaos of voices, Sebastian caught his father's furious shout. He turned, grinning, and pointed at Nina with his thumb. "You all don't like that Dereldan model? What about her? A woman chosen by Fred Rosenthal, surely you all wouldn't object, right?"
The air fell into a heavy silence, everyone waiting for something to happen.
Fred, however, ignored Sebastian's blatant provocation and pulled Nina's arm, leading her out of the banquet hall.
"Hey! She loves me! Where do you think you're taking my lover and child?"
Lost in his role, Sebastian chased them all the way to the hotel entrance, blocking the car door that Fred had opened.
"Get lost!"
Fred, suppressing his anger, glowered as he shoved Nina into the car, slamming the door shut before making his way to the other side.
"Don't be scared, darling." Sebastian quickly opened the door again and pressed his business card into Nina's hand, his voice filled with tenderness. "Trust me. I'll find a way to save you."
As the car started, the driver honked the horn as a warning.
Feeling satisfied, Sebastian stepped back to close the door. The next second, he saw his business card flying out of the window.
He walked over to pick up the card from the roadside, only to hear Chris' sarcasm behind him. "Enjoying the show? I had no idea you loved dramas so much. Maybe you should give up that game company and become an actor at West Wave."
"Cool, right?" Sebastian turned, grinning, flicking the card. "You shouldn't have pulled me away. You should've let me keep going. I must've looked amazing back there, like a knight."
"Honestly, I couldn't just stand by and watch my friend get beaten up. Fred was a top quarterback in college. He led Greenford Academy to win every championship. If he weren't a Rosenthal, he'd definitely be a star in the professional league right now."
"So what?" Sebastian tossed his hair back with pride. "If I hadn't broken my collarbone skiing a few months before the Olympics, the gold medal in fencing would have been mine."
"Well! So, did you wear a sword while being a knight just now?"
He was speechless.
"Let's go. You'd better check your company's taxes and fire safety. And for the next year, avoid hiring new staff and don't offend the old ones. Keep a close eye on them."
"What do you mean? Is Fred going to retaliate against me? A whole year? That long?"
"Of course. If your company's scandal shows up in next week's TrendCast Media Group's nightly news, everyone will know it's because of tonight. With Fred's style, you'll need to be more thorough with background checks for new hires in the next two to three years."
"What about Nina?"
"Do you really care about her?" Chris raised his eyebrows in disbelief.
"She's a rare beauty.
"And a rare good wife. My mom and grandma praise her all the time. I don't know what got into her tonight to act out like that. By morning, she'll be ashamed and regretting it. Looks like I won't be seeing her at my mother's gallery opening next weekend."
*****
'Tomorrow? Next weekend?'
Nina couldn't think that far ahead. Getting through tonight already felt like a challenge in itself.
Once they got home, Fred pulled her into the master bedroom, gripping her arm so tightly she felt as if her right arm was no longer hers.
Her arm finally regained feeling but at the cost of being pinned against the bedroom door. The intricate carvings on the wooden door dug painfully into her back.
"Are you really pregnant? Have you seen a doctor?"
With her chin held firmly by Fred, Nina was forced to meet his cold gaze.
"Yeah, I checked. Thirteen weeks," she said defiantly.
"Prove it."
"Too bad, the checkup report is with Sebastian. You should have taken him earlier."
Fred sneered. "You know him? What's his last name?"
"Foster. He started a video game company with friends in college. They did quite well. Now it's among the top globally."
Then he fell silent.
"What's wrong?" Nina laughed. "Realizing I'm not like the furniture in this apartment anymore? I'm a living person with memories and awareness?"
Fred's eyes were filled with contempt. He couldn't be bothered to answer such nonsense. With one hand gripping her chin, he swiftly stripped her of her dress and lingerie.
Nina found herself completely exposed while he remained fully dressed. She clenched her teeth, enduring the humiliation as she faced Fred's piercing gaze, which slowly traveled from her neck to her chest and then down to her flat belly.
"Thirteen weeks?" Fred pressed down on her belly slightly, his tone casual. "If it's not mine, then what's the point in keeping it?"
- Writer
