Chapter 118 How Dare You Despise Me?
Seeing Stuart down, everyone left quickly, leaving just him and Doris.
Doris's eyes welled up before she could speak, and Stuart couldn't ignore her.
"What's wrong? Did someone bully you?" he asked.
Doris, knowing how to play her cards, shook her head and bit her lip. "No, I just missed you. It's been days."
Stuart realized he'd spent the past few days with Josephine during the Starlight Festival. Those days felt nostalgic, which was new for him.
Leaning back, he pinched his nose, thinking, 'Maybe I was just tired. Otherwise, why would I enjoy being with Josephine?'
Even having dinner with Liam and the others wasn't fun, so his feelings must've been an illusion.
He looked at Doris again. Her face, though only half like his first love, was enough to soften his heart.
"Let's go. I'll take you home," he said, standing up.
"Stuart," Doris grabbed his sleeve and said, "there's a power outage at my place. It's so dark, and I'm scared to go back alone."
Stuart suggested, "I'll take you to a hotel."
Doris, hoping to make him stay, agreed. They headed to a nearby hotel.
As they walked, Stuart saw a familiar figure and froze. When he looked again, the person was gone.
"Stuart?" Doris called, seeing him dazed.
"I have something to do. You stay at the hotel," he said, striding off.
Doris called after him, but he didn't look back. She clenched her fists in frustration.
Stuart chased the figure but found the street empty. It felt like a hallucination.
He stood alone, feeling abandoned.
Meanwhile, Josephine woke up thirsty. Stuart usually left warm water by the bed, but he hadn't been home for days.
She had to go downstairs for water. The quiet Haustia Manor was almost eerie at midnight.
In the kitchen, Josephine drank half a glass of water and stared out the window, thinking of Stuart's disdainful look when they were young, his fights with Liam, and their time at the military base.
Letting go was easier said than done.
She turned around and saw a shadow on the living room sofa. "Who's there?" she exclaimed.
The lights were off, and her heart raced. She turned on the light and saw Stuart.
"You're back?" she asked, surprised.
Stuart had his arm over his eyes and didn't respond. The smell of alcohol and smoke was strong.
"Are you drunk?" she asked, standing still.
Stuart didn't move or answer. She thought about leaving but instead walked over, pulled down his arm, and touched his forehead. She was relieved he didn't have a fever.
Before she could pull her hand back, Stuart grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms.
Startled, she didn't scream, her voice stuck in her throat. Stuart held her tightly, making her sit on his lap.
"What's wrong with you? Let go of me! I want to go to sleep!" she struggled.
"Don't move," Stuart's voice was thick with drunkenness. "Or do you want to do it here..."
"Stuart!" she gritted her teeth. "Upstairs!"
She wasn't sure if he was really drunk, but he carried her upstairs steadily.
Josephine hated the smell of alcohol and smoke, and Stuart reeked of it. She didn't want to wake Andrew, so she stayed quiet until they were in the room.
"Stuart, let go of me! You stink!" she struggled.
"You despise me?" Stuart threw her onto the bed and pressed down on her. "What right do you have to despise me? Josephine, how dare you despise me?"
"Get off me!" she was furious, not wanting this dirty and smelly Stuart near her.
However, Stuart tore her nightgown apart. She struggled desperately, not wanting him to touch her in this state.
He gripped her wrists and pinned her legs down. His strength was much greater, and she couldn't resist.
Her wrists hurt, and her legs were immobile. Stuart kissed her, but she turned her face away, his lips landing on her cheek.
He held her hands above her head with one hand and pinched her chin with the other, forcing her to accept his kiss.
Josephine bit down hard. The taste of blood filled their mouths; Stuart's tongue was bleeding.
The kiss paused for a second, then Stuart, excited by the blood, kissed her even more deeply.
She passively endured his kiss; whenever she struggled, he clamped down harder.
She didn't know how long it took before he left her lips, his burning kisses trailing from her cheek to her earlobe.
He murmured a name.
Josephine's hands and feet turned cold, her heart contracting violently.
Stuart, pressing down on her, called out another woman's name.
