Elaine Hughes had always believed that for a woman, the most important thing was to marry the right person. Her marriage to Robert Lancaster was a match made in heaven, and she was, by all rights, the object of envy for women everywhere.

Two years ago, before the cataclysms began, she and Robert Lancaster had always been seen as an enviable, fairytale couple. They were a perfect match in looks and talent, supported each other, and were hailed as the model couple in their social circle.

But it wasn’t until today that Elaine Hughes discovered she was nothing but a complete and utter joke.

Tonight, she had carefully dressed up to accompany Robert Lancaster to meet his so-called "friend." The whole time, she had been wondering what she ought to say to this person to help Robert accomplish his goal.

And Robert Lancaster? For the promise of some supplies and a place to live from Bernard Simmons, he had sold her out without a second thought.

All the sweet, tender moments they had once shared as a couple had now become the most ridiculous of jokes. At that moment, Elaine Hughes completely gave up on Robert Lancaster.

Despair from being betrayed by her closest loved one, humiliation, and rage all surged in her heart. ’Since Robert can ruthlessly sell me out,’ Elaine thought, ’then I can just as easily abandon him and choose another man!’

Looking back, rejecting Bernard Simmons for being too frivolous and choosing to marry Robert Lancaster instead was the biggest mistake of her life.

’Since Bernard still likes me after all these years, then... as long as he agrees to divorce Paige Walsh and marry me, I’m willing to leave the Lancaster Family and choose him instead!’

With tears in her eyes, Elaine Hughes looked at Bernard Simmons in silence, quietly awaiting his response.

’If Bernard just says the words—that he’ll divorce Paige—then I’ll give him my body and soul and spend the rest of my life with him...’

Bernard Simmons looked down at Elaine Hughes. Her beautiful eyes were filled with a heart-wrenching sorrow that made one want to reach out and soothe the pain in her heart.

The next second, Bernard Simmons let out a sneer.

He looked at Elaine Hughes with mocking eyes and said, "Elaine Hughes... who the hell do you think you are? You actually have the nerve to tell me to divorce my wife?"

Elaine Hughes froze, staring at Bernard Simmons in disbelief.

She seemed utterly confused, unable to understand why the man who had just been looking at her with such tenderness would now say such things to her.

As Elaine Hughes stared in shock, Bernard Simmons continued to mock her. "Elaine Hughes, have you looked in a mirror? Take a good look at yourself. Do you really think you’re worthy of being compared to my wife?"

"My wife is a professor at a research institute, a medical scientist who was just awarded a national medal, an outstanding woman officially named the Star of Cathaysia, and a businesswoman worth a hundred billion... And you? What are you now?"

"I only said a few nice things to you because I wanted to sleep with you, and you have the audacity to push your luck and tell me to divorce my wife? You’re a woman who was sold off by her own husband. What right do you have to make that kind of demand of me?"

Bernard Simmons’s words were like sharp knives, stabbing viciously into Elaine Hughes’s heart.

The man who had just been affectionately telling her he liked her was now looking at her like she was trash. Elaine Hughes couldn’t take it anymore.

She broke down, screaming at Bernard Simmons, "Get out! Get out! Get away from me! Don’t touch me!"

Bernard Simmons’s response was a vicious slap across the face.

A sharp CRACK echoed through the faintly scented room. Bernard Simmons had shown no mercy with that slap; you could almost hear the air tear.

An angry red welt immediately appeared on Elaine Hughes’s fair cheek, and a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes widened as she stared blankly at Bernard Simmons, as if the slap had dazed her. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Bernard Simmons grunted dismissively. "Alright, cut the theatrics. Your husband delivered you to my bed today. Who knows who else he’s passed you off to? The fact that I’m willing to play with you, despite how filthy you must be, is me doing you both a favor."

’What kind of woman haven’t I had over the years?’ Bernard thought. ’If I wanted to, I could sleep with a different one every day.’

’To me, Elaine is just a piece of candy I always wanted but never got to taste back when I was young. Now that I have the chance, I can finally make up for that little regret.’

While unbuttoning his shirt with slow deliberation, he said, "I’ve already promised Robert Lancaster. I’ll give you a shipment of supplies, arrange an apartment for you in The Metropolis Residences, and I’ll even have people sent to repair that villa of yours..."

"You know it too. The way you are now, past your prime, you aren’t even worth this price. I’m already being more than generous. If you have any conscience, if you know how to show gratitude, you’ll cooperate obediently. I don’t like women who fight back in bed..."

As he spoke, Bernard Simmons casually tossed his shirt aside.

He leaned down, reached out, and stroked Elaine Hughes’s swollen cheek. In a pitying tone, he said to her, "Be good, Elaine. I don’t want to have to hurt you again..."

"A night of passion is worth a thousand pieces of gold. We’ve already wasted several hours; we can’t waste any more. How about you cooperate, and we can have a nice, intimate night together?"

Bernard Simmons was getting a little anxious himself. This was Paige Walsh’s bedroom, after all, and she would most likely be back early tomorrow morning. He had to get the room back to its original state before she returned.

Elaine Hughes’s limbs were weak. Watching Bernard Simmons draw closer, she closed her eyes in despair and said through gritted teeth, "I hate you... You... you all make me sick..."

Seeing this, Bernard Simmons just smiled nonchalantly and raised his hands to start undoing the buttons on Elaine Hughes’s cheongsam.

He leaned close to Elaine Hughes’s ear and said softly, "Elaine, do you like this cheongsam I picked out for you? The moment I saw it, I just knew it would be perfect on you..."

The next second, Bernard Simmons violently ripped open her cheongsam!

Elaine Hughes’s skin was suddenly exposed to the air.

Feeling the chill, she once again summoned all her strength and began to struggle.

But her limbs were limp, and all her struggles were easily overcome by Bernard Simmons.

Just as Bernard Simmons took off his pants and was about to get down to business...

At that very moment, the bedroom door was thrown open!

Hearing the sound, Bernard Simmons and Elaine Hughes both looked toward the door—

Paige Walsh was standing in the doorway, her icy gaze fixed on them.

Beside her stood a stunned Zane Simmons.

Paige Walsh was still covered in red rashes from an allergic reaction. Her face and lips were also swollen from it, making her look somewhat disheveled.

But in a more wretched state were Elaine Hughes and Bernard Simmons, nearly naked on the bed.

Seeing her, Bernard Simmons hurriedly pulled the blanket over himself. As he frantically tried to get dressed, he said to Paige Walsh, "Honey, it’s not what you think! This bitch seduced me..."

But before he could finish, Paige Walsh strode forward and viciously slapped him across the face!

Paige Walsh put her full strength into the slap, and Bernard Simmons’s ears were left ringing.

Paige Walsh gave Bernard Simmons no chance to make excuses, screaming at him, "Get out! You disgusting thing! Both of you, get out!"

Just then, a few security guards entered the bedroom. They draped a coat over Elaine Hughes and then hastily carried her out.

Bernard Simmons touched his slapped cheek. He then shot Paige Walsh a livid look, said nothing more, grabbed his shirt, and turned to leave.

Now, only Paige Walsh and Zane Simmons were left in the bedroom.

Zane Simmons stood blankly to the side, at a loss for what to do.

He knew his father had countless lovers, but witnessing the scene of his father in bed with another woman with his own eyes still came as a considerable shock.

After a moment of silence, he quietly walked over to Paige Walsh’s side and began to comfort her in a low voice, "Mom, don’t be sad..."

The next second, Paige Walsh swung another vicious slap across Zane Simmons’s face!

She looked at Zane Simmons, her eyes bloodshot, and shrieked hysterically, "You get out too! You and your father are cut from the same cloth! Both of you are filthy things messing around with countless women! Get out—! All of you, get out—! GET OUT—!!"