Chapter 401 The Betrayer
Anne had just stepped into the grand, luxurious mansion when she felt the eerie atmosphere. Before she could gather her thoughts, a dark figure lunged at her.
Suddenly, a scalding cup of coffee was thrown over her head without warning.
"You wretched woman!"
Nicholas' face, twisted with rage, came into view as he screamed at the top of his lungs.
"I've given you the best of everything, provided you with resources, helped you expand your social circle so you could enjoy a life of luxury. And what do you do? You sneak around with that Jeffrey behind my back and dare to investigate my business dealings. Is this how you repay me?"
Anne was completely stunned by the sudden turn of events. She stared in horror at Nicholas, who now seemed like a demon.
The hot coffee ran down her delicate face, dripping into her clothes, burning her skin like fire.
But the physical pain was nothing compared to the agony tearing at her heart.
"Nicholas, I..."
Her lips trembled, her throat felt choked, and she struggled to get a few words out to defend herself.
"What do you mean, 'Nicholas, I'?"
Nicholas didn't give her a chance to explain. Like a wild beast, he roughly grabbed her by the collar and lifted her off the ground, his face full of disgust and anger.
"You're nothing more than a pawn I've kept by my side! You do what I say, and now you dare to betray me? Do you really think Jeffrey cares about you? Don't be naive. He's only interested in what he can get from me, pretending to be all loving and caring."
Anne's feet dangled in the air, and she struggled to breathe, but the defiance in her eyes didn't waver.
She gripped Nicholas' hand with all her strength, trying to argue, "Nicholas, Jeffrey and I are genuine!"
"To you, I'm just an object to manipulate. Jeffrey doesn't care about my past; he values me for who I am. He gives me the kind of care and attention you never did. Unlike you, who always treated me like an accessory."
Anne panted heavily, watching Nicholas' uncertain expression. Fear gripped her heart.
Thankfully, Nicholas let go of her collar and shoved her away.
Anne stumbled but managed to steady herself. Her voice trembled as she said, "As for investigating your business, I admit, at first, I was scared of getting caught up in it. I've been with you for so long, and if your illegal dealings with Fiona were exposed, I'd be implicated too."
"I've already been to prison once; I don't want to spend the rest of my life behind bars. But then I thought, if I could persuade you to stop, maybe you'd see me as one of your own and give me a better life. How is that betrayal?"
Anne was on the verge of breaking down, her voice hoarse as she cried out.
"Nicholas, we both knew from the start that we were using each other. I stayed by your side, serving you with all my might, hoping to escape my dark past and find a way to live a stable life. I've done so much for you, just hoping you'd give me a future. And you, you just wanted my young body to show off and entertain you."
Her voice grew even more hoarse, almost pleading.
"I collected that information not to harm you! I was genuinely afraid that if things went south, we'd both be doomed. I don't want to see you get into trouble because if you fail, I'm finished too. All my hopes would be shattered. I'm still young, with a long life ahead, but I've put all my chips on you. Now you're pushing me to the brink. What am I supposed to do? Please, don't misunderstand me. I never intended to betray you!"
Nicholas listened, a flicker of unease crossing his face. He snorted coldly.
"You're quite the talker. Do you think I don't know what you're up to? Ever since you noticed my interest in Fiona, you've been restless. Is Fiona the same as you? She understands me, supports me in business. And you? All you know is how to indulge yourself. You saw me treating her well and got jealous, so you turned to Jeffrey for a backup plan. Do you think I don't know?"
Fiona, who had been standing in the shadows, stepped forward with a mocking smile, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Look at this slut, thinking she's climbed up the social ladder. Does she even know her place?"
Anne's anger flared instantly. She glared at Fiona and retorted, "Don't pretend to be high and mighty. Everyone knows your dirty little secrets!"
With a sharp slap, Nicholas struck Anne across the face, sending her crashing to the ground.
"How dare you talk back! You're nothing but a shameless traitor!"
Nicholas, still furious, kicked Anne hard, cursing as he did, "Still got the nerve to argue!"
Fiona's eyes gleamed with a barely noticeable satisfaction, but she put on a facade of concern, gently holding Nicholas' arm and speaking in a coquettish tone, "Nicholas, calm down. Don't get yourself worked up over someone like her."
But her grip was light, not intending to pull Nicholas away, allowing him to continue venting his anger on Anne.
Anne was stunned by the beating, her tears forgotten, her voice subdued.
"Nicholas, I admit, seeing you with Fiona scared me. I knew I wasn't as important to you as she was. I was afraid of losing everything, so I tried to secure my future. But I never wanted to harm you. I just wanted to survive, to have some security!"
Fiona leaned in close to Nicholas, her voice low but clear, "Look at her, still making excuses."
"From now on, you're not going anywhere. Stay here and reflect. If you so much as contact Jeffrey again, I'll make sure you wish you were dead!"
With that, Nicholas snorted and stormed off.
Fiona's fake concern vanished, replaced by a look of triumph and scorn.
She slowly approached the crumpled Anne, looking down at her with a sneer.
"Look at you now, so pathetic. If you knew this would happen, why did you bother? Did you think your looks would get you everything from Nicholas? To him, you're just a toy to be discarded when he's bored."
She signaled to the bodyguards, who understood immediately. They grabbed Anne, who struggled but couldn't overpower them, and dragged her away.
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