Chapter 4 Doomed to Be His Prey
1382 Words
"Beth Berry, I'm not asking you!" Katie retorted without taking a look at her but kept her eyes fixed on Vincent. "Vincent, I really need the money now. I will pay you back as soon as I make any."
Vincent looked rather awkward, "Katie, you know how the company is doing now. If it's a few thousand dollars, I can help you, but fifty thousand! How do I get you that much money?"
Fortune Construction Company was expanding and did need money for new investments. Though fifty thousand dollars wasn't a casual amount, it wasn't a large sum for Vincent either. If he really wanted to help, it wasn't a problem at all.
Katie tried to reach Vincent's arm, but Vincent slapped her hand away and shouted at her, "Enough! Don't make me despise you."
Katie stumbled and fell over, the pain was so sharp that she finally broke down, crying, "Vincent..."
However, Vincent ignored her completely and turned around to leave. Katie quickly got herself up and stumbled towards him, finally managing to hold onto his leg. "Vincent, please... Please help my mum. I will pay you back. I swear..."
"Pay me back? How? Without me, you and your mother can't even survive, let alone making the money for the surgery." Vincent looked at Katie up and down and added, "Katie, you know what, if you do what I say, you won't need to worry about money. Take it as a compliment. If you help me get the contrast signed with Nate Anderson, I will give you one million and I will make sure your mother gets the best treatment."
This is the man I've been with for so many years? How can he say this to me?!
Katie stared at Vincent and suddenly found herself looking at a strange face. The gentleness and affection she used to see had completely vanished. She let go of his leg and collapsed onto the ground.
Vincent and Beth walked into the house without taking another look at Katie.
Nate had been in the car parked in a distance, watching Katie. He glanced at his assistant Tom, and Tom got out of the car at once. He walked towards Katie, holding an umbrella. "Katie Lawrence, if you agree to be his woman and do whatever he wants, then he will find your mother the best doctor and get her the best treatment and cover all the cost."
"I'm not a toy. I'm not his possession! I will pay him back!" Katie cried.
"Katie Lawrence, to be honest with you, it's rare that Mr. Nate Anderson finds a woman that he's interested in, but when he does, he's sure to have her. Also, if you don't do what he wants, I can assure you that you won't be able to find any job." Tom persuaded.
Although Katie wanted to retort, she knew deep in her heart that she could do nothing about Tom’s threat. Slowly, she got up and followed Tom to the car.
When they arrived at Nate's villa, "Get a hot bath and get changed," Nate ordered.
Katie shivered and stood still. Is he asking me to sleep with him tonight?
Nate seemed to have guessed her thoughts, "I don't force a woman to have s*x with me, especially someone who's injured. It won't be fun anyway."
Relieved, Katie went for a bath and got changed. After that, Katie decided to go to see her mother. Just as she went downstairs, Nate called after her, "Katie Lawrence, from head toe, every part of you belongs to me now. Without my permission, you are not allowed to go anywhere."
From head to toe?! Isn't he a tyrant? Katie thought, but she dared not to object for he somehow carried such irresistible air of authority. "I'm just thinking of going to see my mum." She replied meekly.
"Your job is to please me. You don't need to worry about your mother."
"But she's my mum. I'm her only family..." Tears started to fill Katie's eyes again.
Impatiently, Nate answers, "Alright, alright. You can visit her once a week and you completely belong to me except this once a week."
"Can I live with my mum?" Katie pleaded and Nate replied with a sneer. "You have sold yourself to me, Katie Lawrence. Are you trying to bargain with me? Also, you are not allowed to see that dumbass Vincent Williams again."
"Why? Nate Anderson, you..."
"You know he's an asshole anyway. Why would you want to see him again?" Nate retorted sharply.
"He is...He..." Katie hesitated and tears filled her eyes.
"He's an asshole," Nate added.
"When I was ten years old, he saved me and ended up in the hospital for a few months. He and his family have been very kind to me and in the past years, and he has been paying for my mum's treatment...It's been so many years and I..."
"What I know is that because he saved you, your father treated him and his family very well, too well perhaps. Your father made his father the boss of a construction company out of a labor worker. When your father died and your mother was seriously injured, your family's company went bankrupt and you gave all the money that father saved for you to that asshole's father for expanding their company. Now that their company has grown, they have all sorts of excuses not to give you the money for your mother's surgery."
"Did you investigate me?!" Katie was shocked, hearing Nate speaking the cruel truth.
"Shouldn't I know what I'm buying before I make the purchase?" Nate replied matter-of-factly.
Katie looked down onto the floor and said helplessly, "Sure."
Nate glanced at Tom, and Tom said to Katie, "Katie Lawrence, I have something to show you and you will know what a real man Vincent Williams is."
It was a video recording of Vincent having s*x with a girl.
"This happened on the same night when he drugged you and used you as a bait to seduce Daniel Berry. If Mr. Nate Anderson didn't take you to the hotel room, surely you know what Daniel Berry would have done to you..." Tom explained.
Katie found it impossible to believe that the man in the video was the same man she was in love with all these years.
"Katie Lawrence, you probably have no idea at all, but this stingy asshole is actually very generous to his women. He's only stingy to you and your mother." Tom added.
Katie closed her eyes and tears streamed down her face, which annoyed Nate. He held her chin tighter again and said, "How pathetic are you?! Why are you even crying for that asshole?!"
Katie sobbed, "Right! I'm pathetic! What about you?! You bought me with money! What does that say about you?" she retorted without thinking, yet she regretted right afterward. She was scared.
As expected, Nate Anderson's face turned stern immediately. He was furious. He lifted his arm up, about to slap Katie, but Katie raised her arm up instinctively and Nate caught sight of her injured right hand. He heaved a sigh and the angry feeling seemed to disappear. He said patiently, "I don't like to see women cry."
"Don't look at me then." Katie retorted.
Nate sneered and gripped her chin even tighter. "Katie Lawrence, you think too much of yourself, don't you? You are shouting at me for an asshole?! You wanna die?"
"No, I don't!" Katie said subconsciously, then she thought of her mother in the hospital and regretted what she had just said. Meekly, she added, "I'm sorry. I should not have spoken to you like this. It won't happen again."
Nate took a thoughtful look at her and went upstairs to his bedroom. Katie hesitated for a bit, then followed Nate upstairs, but she stayed in the room next door.
It was still early morning and Katie was asleep when the hospital rang. She was told that her mother had another mild attack and was now in a coma. They had to decide what to do next as soon as possible.
In a panic, Katie rushed to ask Nate for help and found him eating breakfast quietly in the dining room.
After listening to Katie's panicking explanation, Nate said causally, "Sit down and have breakfast."
"My mum is..." Katie retorted instantly but was cut short by Nate impatiently, "Sit down and have breakfast. And don't let me see you cry again."
- Writer
