Chapter 118 He Will Pay the Price for Making the Relationship Public
That day, Regina received a phone call on her way home from work.
The caller ID showed it was Sandra.
Since she wasn't with Douglas tonight, Regina directly answered the call, putting it on speaker and placing it on the car mount.
As soon as the call connected, the other side didn't speak immediately. Regina knew that Sandra had been moody recently, so she spoke first. "What do you want to say?"
On the other end, Philip, holding the phone in one hand and a cigarette in the other, took a deep drag. The smoke enveloped his cold, harsh face. He stood on the hotel balcony. Hearing Regina's voice, he felt like his heart was being torn open, letting the wind rush in.
"Nothing. I just wanted to hear your voice."
Regina's grip on the steering wheel tightened, and a chill spread through her body.
It was indeed him.
"Sandra's new boyfriend is you, isn't it?"
"It's me." Philip's lips curled, but there was no smile on his face. He asked knowingly, "Are you satisfied?"
Regina didn't respond, but she didn't hang up immediately.
Philip squinted, extinguished the cigarette, and said sinisterly, "I know you don't want to be associated with me, but what can I do? I can't forget you, so I have to find ways to stay connected to you."
Emotions welled up in Regina's chest, making it hard for her to breathe. She asked him mockingly, "Why can't we part on good terms?"
"Why part on good terms?" Philip looked at the vibrant sunset, his eyes seeming clouded with dark clouds. "Regina, I told you, I can't get over you."
Regina sneered. "So what? Philip, I'm married."
"Married? Do you want to be Douglas's secret wife for the rest of your life?"
Philip's words couldn't shake Regina.
"He's different from you."
Just as Regina was about to say more, Philip interrupted her, "If he dares to reveal your relationship, he'll have to pay for his actions."
Regina slammed on the brakes, stopping the car at a red light.
She stared at the red countdown, feeling an overwhelming pressure.
"He had a great time at the Seasons Hotel that night, but Regina, my heart was in pain. I can even write a ten-thousand-word essay and post it online, telling my tragic story. After all, my girlfriend of six years was raped by him, and then she married him and fell in love with him."
He laughed self-deprecatingly, coldly mocking, "The president of the Century Group is indeed formidable; I admit defeat."
Regina understood.
Philip wanted to label Douglas as a "rapist."
Scandals and public opinion were indeed sharp swords.
The last major corporate executive exposed for a sex scandal saw his company's market value drop by seven billion dollars overnight.
The Century Group had significant influence both domestically and internationally. Such a scandal, even with the best PR, would inevitably affect the company.
It might ruin Douglas's reputation or causeCentury Group's stock to fluctuate and create internal turmoil.
"I think you understand the pros and cons better than I do." Hearing Regina's silence, Philip finally laughed. "Of course, you can say how deeply you love him now, that you willingly let him rape you. But Regina, I have evidence. I can prove that on the night at the Seasons Hotel, you were still my girlfriend of six years, and I can prove that Douglas committed rape. Who do you think public opinion will side with?"
"If he dares to reveal your relationship, I'll speak out. " His smile grew more sinister. "If you keep avoiding me, I'll speak out too."
"Philip." Regina's face showed no emotion, and her voice was calm, but she was panicked inside. "You know you're not a good person either. Didn't you play with other women when you were with me? You think he can't find dirt on you?"
"You're defending that rapist? Yes, I've never claimed to be a good person. If he wants to find dirt on me, let him try. If you're willing, we can go down together." Philip knew she wouldn't act rashly and smiled mockingly. "Want to try, Regina? I can tell you, I have more than just this on him."
Whether his words were true or not, Regina couldn't tell.
She closed her eyes, her mind in chaos.
The green light ahead turned on, and she momentarily forgot to release the brake, causing a long, sharp honk from behind.
The pressure in Regina's chest grew, making her feel like her organs were about to explode.
Finally, she started the car.
The white sedan moved through the bustling traffic, and Regina's distracted gaze fell on the dazzling night scene outside the window.
In her moment of distraction, she heard Sandra's coquettish, deliberately raised voice. "Philip, I'm done showering. My underwear is in the room. Can you get it for me?"
Regina heard the voice and laughed mockingly. "Philip, you're disgusting."
After breaking up with Philip, Regina hadn't said a bad word about him. Even when she decided to leave, she did so calmly.
She never thought of looking back. Nor did she think of slandering him.
But why did he have to degrade her like this?
Philip heard the slight tremor in her voice, and for a moment, his heart softened. He couldn't help but soften his tone. "I didn't want it to come to this. Didn't our six years mean more than his six months with you?"
Back then, he told her the truth about that night at the Seasons Hotel.
He also told her that if she were willing to come back, he wouldn't care about what happened that night.
He was willing to let go of everything, to lower himself.
As long as she returned to him, he would treat her well.
He would treat her better than before.
But she remained unmoved.
Philip wanted to say more, but Regina hung up the phone.
She didn't want to waste time on useless words.
Regina drove home.
Distracted, she scratched the car's body with noticeable marks when she parked in the garage.
She sat in the car expressionlessly, turned off the engine, and didn't get out for a long time.
Until ten o'clock at night, Douglas drove home, and his headlights illuminated her parking spot. He vaguely saw someone slumped over the steering wheel, motionless.
Douglas didn't even park his car in the garage. He got out and quickly walked towards her!
However, as he approached the driver's side, he feared his sudden actions might scare her, so he restrained himself and gently knocked on the window.
Regina, who had her head down and eyes closed, stiffly raised her head at the sound.
She turned her gaze and saw the person beside her. In that instant, her taut nerves seemed to snap.
Douglas opened the car door, bent down, and leaned close to her. "Mrs. Semona, why do you seem unhappy?"
Regina tried to force a smile but found she didn't even have the strength to utter a word.
Douglas didn't ask more and carried her out of the car.
He carried her all the way to the elevator, back to their apartment, and only when he placed her on the couch did Regina speak softly, "I was just thinking about something."
"What?" Douglas asked.
"I think our current situation is pretty good."
"So?"
"Let's not go public, okay?" said Regina.
