After sending me home, Charles returned to the company for a meeting.His schedule was hectic.
I could not understand why he insisted on watching me go upstairs when he had other things to do and
someplace to be.
Before I could put down my bag, the director of the TV station called and invited Nina and me to dinner.
It seemed we two got the chance to study abroad, and this was probably a send-off sort of thing.I must
say, I was a little surprised.
The director seldom made time for these things.
If there was anything he wanted to say, he would always just tell us through his assistant.
Nevertheless, I did not think too much about it.I figured he was only trying to be nice for once.
With that, I changed my clothes and went to the restaurant.I was the first one to arrive at the private
room.I had been waiting for a few minutes when I got a call from Nina.
"Scarlett, I'm sorry.I won't be able to make it to the dinner.There's something wrong with the program,
and I'm trying to fix it" she anxiously said.
Without waiting for my reply, she hung up the call.
I felt a little uneasy when I realized that I would be alone with the director later.
Just as I was thinking about what I would say later, the door of the private room opened, and two men,
who I did not expect to see, came in.
It was Nate and Mr.Valdez.I was stunned.Did the director also invite them? These people were evil.
To think, they showed up at the same time.
They must have ulterior motives.
While I was contemplating if I should leave or not, the director of the TV station called me, saying that
something had come up.
Since Nate and my father were old friends, he decided to ask Nate to accompany me to dinner on his
behalf.
After hanging up the phone, I realized that this was a setup.
Nina was meticulous and thorough.
How could something go wrong in the program? The director must have made trouble for her, so I
would come here alone.
My blood was boiling in anger.
All I wanted at the moment was to stand up and leave.
All of a sudden, Nate put his hand on my shoulder and smiled slyly at me.
"Scarlett, aren't you gonna say 'hello' to us? You used to be a polite girl.Have you forgotten all the
manners your father taught you?" I raised my head and stared daggers at him.
He was a man who was not worthy of respect.
What qualifications did he have to lecture me about manners? "I'm not in the mood for bullshit,"
I fired back.I wanted to leave, but Nate was pressing on my shoulder, stopping me from standing up.
"Scarlett, long time no see.You haven't changed.You're still as beautiful as the last time I saw you.Since
you're already here, stay for dinner, will you?" Mr.Valdez invited, acting chummy with me.
"Aren't you afraid Charles will know about this?" I asked through gritted teeth.
In the past, Nate would, at least, disguise himself and keep his filthy intention hidden.
But now, it seemed that he did not care anymore.
"So what if Charles finds out about this? There's nothing he can do about it anyway.Besides, your
father and I are old friends.Am I not allowed to invite you to dinner and have a chat with you?"
As soon as Nate said these words, he ordered the waiter to serve the wine.
He did not seem to take my words seriously.
He even turned to Mr.Valdez and jokingly said, "Valdez my friend, don't covet Scarlett in the future,
okay? She's my good friend's daughter."
Mr.Valdez nodded and bowed his head in agreement.
"Yes, yes.I promise I won't."
The performance of these two made me sick to my stomach.
I clenched my fists, and my mind went blank in anger.
"Now that Valdez has promised he would behave himself, Scarlett, I'd like to propose a toast to him.Let
bygones be bygones."
Nate picked up the glass and gave it to me, asking me to drink it.
"I won't drink it," I firmly said.
How I wished those two would disappear from my sight this instant.
"Fine.I'll make you drink it myself."
Nate held the back of my head and forcefully made me drink the wine regardless of my protests.
"Mr.Lively, behave yourself!"
I shouted at the top of my lungs and shook off the wine glass in his hand at the same time.
Nate was taken aback, and I took the opportunity to bolt to the door.
Nate's face was dark and gloomy as he stared at the shattered wine glass on the floor.
"Scarlett, you'd better learn to be polite when I show respect to you."
Nate sounded like the devil from hell vicious and terrifying.However, I just ignored his threat and
marched out of the door.
But just as I was about to touch the doorknob, Nate pulled me back into the room.
He even locked the door, so I would not escape.I was starting to panic, but I tried my best to calm
myself down.
"If you hurt me Charles won't let you go " I warned.
"Ha-ha! You silly girl, are you threatening me?"
Nate slowly approached me with a smirk, which highlighted his wrinkles and made him look more
repulsive than ever.
I was forced to retreat to the table.
Unfortunately, I tripped over a chair, and it sent me stumbling to the floor.
I happened to land on a piece of broken glass, which dug into my palm and made it bleed.
Before I could react, Nate pulled me up again, threw me aside, and stared into my eyes.
"I didn't lay a finger on you for the sake of the Moore family.You'd better not do anything stupid."
My waist hit the corner of the table, and it sent a sharp pain to my side.I rubbed it to ease the pain and
just turned a deaf ear to his empty threat.
"Nate, calm down.Let's have dinner first.I believe Scarlett won't do anything stupid now," Mr.Valdez
urged.
"Stop pretending that you're a good man.Both of you are filthy," I said with a sneer.
"Since you keep misbehaving, I should let you know how cruel the world really is."
Nate reached out his hands to me.
I could see malice in his eyes, and I shuddered at the sight of it.
Unexpectedly, a knock sounded on the door.
The waiter had come to serve the dishes.I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw an opportunity to escape
again.
Nate must have seen through me that he pressed me down the seat and warned, "Don't you dare play
any tricks, or else..."
When he opened the door, he did not once take his eyes off me.
The waiter who was serving the dishes did not seem to notice anything unusual.
Anxious, I tried to stand up and run away, but Nate pressed my injured hand on the table harder.
The broken glass stabbed deeper into my palm.
It was excruciating, but there was nothing I could do but grit my teeth and endure the pain.
The waiter left the private room once all the dishes were served.
Nate pressed me down on my seat the entire time.
As a result, I did not find a chance to escape.
At that moment, he put on a concerned look on his face and asked, "Scarlett, let me see your hand,"
He then reached out to grab my hand, but I moved it to the other side.
“Disgusting" I muttered under my breath.
Nate's smile disappeared.He pointed at my nose and cursed at me.
"You bitch, I'm not always this kind.Do you want to be beaten?"
"Sure.I'll show everyone how horrible the CEO of the Lively Group is."
With a sneer, I took out my phone from my bag to do a live broadcast of the scene.
"How dare you?!"
In a fit of anger, Nate yanked my phone from my hand and tossed it away.Then, he slapped me across
the face.
The sound of his palm hitting my face echoed across the small private room.
As if it was not enough, he punched me square in the head.
My head tilted sideways, and I felt a ringing in my ears.
What was more, I caught a whiff of blood at the corners of my mouth.
At that moment, my phone on the floor rang.
It was Charles.I wanted to pick it up, but Nate stepped on it into pieces.
A few seconds later, the phone stopped ringing, and the screen went off.
Now, my last hope was extinguished, and all that was left of me was despair.
Meanwhile, Nate was fuming with anger.
His eyes were bloodshot, and his expression was terrifying.
Suddenly, he grabbed my neck and asked with a sneer, "Do you want to die? I can fulfill your wish."
"Let me go."
I slapped his arm with all my remaining strength, but he only strangled me harder.I could not breathe,
and the ringing in my ears grew even louder.
"Nate, forget it.It's not a big deal,"
Valdez persuaded Nate into letting me go.
"No.This bitch deserves to be punished."
Nate did not heed to Mr.Valdez's persuasion and choked me harder.He looked like a blood-thirsty
vampire that was about to devour his first victim for the night.
His grip on my neck was increasing by the second.
I was as helpless as an animal that got caught in a hunter's trap.
No matter how hard I struggled, I could not break free.
My eyesight was starting to get blurry.
Just as I felt that I was on the verge of death, Charles's figure appeared before my eyes.
Of all times, how I wish I could see him right now.
God must have heard my pleas.I suddenly heard his voice, and I could attest it was real.
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