Chapter 139 A Hellish Abyss
Douglas's face was cold as he cursed and kicked a chair aside.
Jason had been with Douglas for a long time, but it was the first time he had seen Douglas so irate and out of control.
He had a bad feeling about this.
Despite having sent his men to investigate and search for Regina immediately after she went missing, several hours had passed with no news.
Sandra shook her head vigorously. "I really don't know what happened. I clearly locked her up here. I just wanted to scare her a bit."
Just like the pranks she had pulled repeatedly before, she just wanted to vent her anger.
Seeing Douglas's rage and the blood-stained knife approaching her again, she blurted out, "Philip... could it be Philip who took her?"
"Philip?"
"Yes," Sandra quickly distanced herself. "Philip wanted to see her. He always wanted me to help him get Regina out. He still loves Regina and wants to get back together with her. He..."
As Sandra continued to speak, her words became increasingly incoherent.
But Douglas understood her perfectly.
Without a word, he turned and walked out.
It was already 11 P.M, and Philip was still in the president's office of the Heyday Group.
The large office was brightly lit.
Since William's death, Philip had taken full control of the Heyday Group, but his days had not been easy.
The glory and pressure weighed heavily on him.
Nevertheless, he always knew what he wanted. Over the years, he had gone to great lengths and used every means to climb to this position.
After approving the last project contract, Philip leaned back in his chair, feeling a bit tired.
Now that he had everything he wanted, he suddenly remembered a time when, due to William's favoritism and suppression, every step he took in his career was a struggle.
At his lowest point, William had frozen all his assets as a so-called punishment.
That was the second year he was with Regina.
Philip rarely talked to Regina about his family matters, and Regina didn't know what was happening. She only knew that during that time, he had little money and couldn't even cover basic expenses.
One day, she suddenly gave him a bank card.
She explained that the card contained the money she had earned from her part-time jobs. Sandra had worked as a translator and voice-over artist, gradually accumulating $300,000 by her senior year.
For a college student who hadn't graduated yet, such savings were quite impressive. But for Philip, this money sometimes wasn't even enough for a day's expenses.
He laughed and asked her, "What? You want to support me?"
Regina nodded seriously.
But Philip's mood suddenly soured.
Because he remembered that Claudia had once said the same thing and done the same thing for him.
In the early years, Philip couldn't tell if he was sincere or just playing with Regina.
If he were sincere, he would always try to distance himself from her whenever he felt he was falling for her.
If he were playing, he would always fall into endless struggles after hurting her each time.
At his most painful moments, he drank too much, sat in the bathtub, swallowed a few sleeping pills, and thought about ending it all.
He saw a psychologist.
After a series of tests, the doctor said he might have a split personality.
Philip found it laughable.
Calling it a split personality was just a nicer way of saying it.
In reality, wasn't it just a sign of mental illness?
Yet, he adamantly refused to classify his struggles and anguish as a manifestation of split personality disorder.
In the following years, he repeatedly fought with the outside world and with himself.
In his struggles, he hurt himself and her again and again.
Philip took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
Many past scenes flooded his mind like a tide.
His head was so crowded with memories that it felt like it was going to explode, causing a dense, throbbing pain.
At this moment, he felt nothing but guilt and regret towards Regina.
Of course, there was also a bit of lingering regret.
He wanted to have her.
He wanted to possess her completely.
However, in the past few years, he and she had never had sex.
Regina's cautious demeanor when she suggested he see a urologist, trying to act nonchalant despite her embarrassment, was still vivid in his mind. It was enough to make Philip smile just thinking about it.
How could he not have a physical desire for her?
But initially, because of Claudia, he did have a period of aversion to women and sex.
Later on, there were several occasions where he and Regina came close to having sex, but each time, something would invariably interrupt them.
Especially after that incident, he rarely had the urge to possess her.
Because he knew very well that his affection, his uncontrollable desire to possess, would one day push her into a hellish abyss.
Just as Philip's thoughts were wandering, his phone on the desk vibrated.
He raised his hand, rubbed his temples heavily, then opened his eyes and looked at the number on the screen.
Instantly, his brows furrowed.
It was Edward, his half-brother Edward, who had been missing for a while.
A cold smile appeared on Philip's lips.
Over the years, Edward had been favored and protected by William, which had cultivated a gentle, mature, and steady gentlemanly demeanor. But after William's death and Philip's gradual takeover of power, Edward's calm facade had been torn apart.
Philip answered the call. "Edward, it's late. Why are you calling?"
Edward, hearing Philip's calm tone, felt a deep sense of oppression. He said in a muffled voice, "I do have something to bother you with."
Philip played with a lighter in his hand, occasionally making a clicking sound and sparking a flame. "Just say it. If you're short on cash lately and can't cover your living expenses, you can file a report with me. For the sake of our brotherhood, I'll take care of your 'retirement money' from now on."
Edward snorted coldly. "How much do you think my retirement money is worth?"
"So you really are here for 'retirement money'?"
"How much is it worth?"
"To me, it's worthless. But as I said, for the sake of our brotherhood, and because I'm generous, I'll give you hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars a month. That should be enough for you to live on, right? Just stay out of my sight from now on."
"That won't do." Edward suddenly changed his tone. "Come on, Ms. Valrose. Why don't you talk to him and see if he can increase my retirement money? Otherwise..."
Before Edward could finish, Philip suddenly stood up from his chair and demanded sharply, "Is Regina with you?"
