Inside the room, the atmosphere was deeply romantic. However, it was not what she desired. Though they were a married couple, their relationship was merely a contractual obligation. Three years was the fixed duration of their agreement. Once that period ended, they would peacefully divorce.
"You've got quite the nerve," Mr. Foster breathed gently into her ear.
"It's not . . ." Emily bit her lip tightly, her face full of unwillingness.
"Not? So what is it?" Mr. Foster smirked devilishly, "You seem rather reluctant."
How amusing, this was truly amusing. Thomas Foster had never intended to lay a finger on her, but he had been tolerating her for an entire year. His patience for her had been wholly depleted on this day.
"I...I'm in pain...I was wrong..." Emily pleaded softly. Thomas was clearly doing it on purpose!
He was exerting such force!
"So you realize your mistake now? It's too late."
Upon hearing those words, Emily knew that she was finished.
In the early morning, Emily was awakened by the rustling sounds nearby. She rubbed her eyes, and saw Thomas putting on his clothes. The gentle morning light cast a glamorous glow on him, shedding radiant beams on his sharply sculpted face while lending an elegantly defined edge to his muscular frame.
Thomas glanced at her lazily, not even bothered to exchange any words with her. The lady in his bed seemed ludicrous in his eyes. His encounter with her was nothing but a mere moment of insatiable desire, nothing compassionate or merciful about it.
"Are you... coming home tonight?" Emily asked cautiously. "As a married man, it's not appropriate to spend nights outside, is it?" Emily's voice was soft and gentle, almost mumbled, as she had just woken up.
A strange sensation lightly grazed a corner of Thomas's heart, but he quickly dismissed the feeling. He's not supposed to have any feelings for her. She was nothing but an easily disposable possession to him.
"Emily, haven't you forgotten our agreement? Isn't it time for the medical bills of your elder sister, Sarah, to be paid?"
Thomas coldly buttoned up his last button with a hand of distinct knuckles, then harshly grabbed Emily by the chin and said, "Wake up, stop harboring unrealistic daydreams. Touching you really makes me feel disgusted."
The warmth of the quilt vanished instantly, replaced by icy coldness. Emily shivered, opened her mouth, but found herself unable to utter a word. Emily admitted that she was the one foolishly infatuated then, chasing after him for ten years, even going to the extent of offering herself in marriage to him.
What's even more laughable was that Thomas once said, in consideration of her long-time devotion to him, he would give her three apartments and five hundred thousand dollars as a settlement after their divorce. Emily couldn't understand why she agreed to marry such a person, even worse was the fact that she still clung to a sliver of hope for him.
"Um, I'm sorry." Emily laid down and pulled the quilt over her head, desperate to hide her tears from him.
"Hmm, as long as you know," Thomas no longer looked at her and stood up to leave.
"Thomas, are you still thinking about Catherine?" A muffled voice came from under the cover.
Thomas's body stiffened for a moment, then he coldly snorted, "Catherine is someone you will never compare to. I suggest you stop daydreaming."
"I know," Emily sobbed uncontrollably, trying her best to hold back her tears in front of him.
Thomas said nothing more and quickly left.
It's been five years, yet he still can't forget Catherine...Emily broke into hysterical crying, ultimately reduced to sobbing. She picked up her phone and made a call.
"Hello? Who is it so early?"
"Lisa, if you don't treat me well today, I won't let you off!"
"Miss Emily, are you trying to be the death of me?"
"Are we going to the bakery, Burger Barn, and the video arcade or not? I'm treating."
"Definitely, Miss Emily, let me get up and get ready!"
Emily couldn't help but snort, "Nine o'clock, the usual place."
"Okay!"
After hanging up the phone, Emily stood up, picked up the clothes on the floor, and walked into the bathroom.
Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, she looked at the traces on her body, gently touching them with her hand.
This was the first time that Thomas had left marks on her.
"Thomas, I will not give up. I will always be by your side, pestering you!"
Shortly after nine o'clock, Emily got out of the car, and Lisa had been waiting for a long time.
"Miss, you are fourteen minutes late!"
"The spot for Hamburger is reserved. Order whatever you want." Emily said with a beaming smile, "Is that sufficient compensation?"
"Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely! Whatever Miss Emily says!" Lisa rubbed Emily's shoulder in a brown-nosing manner, making Emily chuckle.
Emily looked up at the sky; let's temporarily forget about Thomas and everything else. Unconsciously, she and Lisa had been having fun for the entire day. When they left the Burger Barn, it was already half-past one in the morning.
"Lisa, let's continue to have fun at the night scenery."
"Not going back home?"
Emily was silent for a moment, and shrugged indifferently: "There's nobody there anyway. It's better not to go than to go back."
"Why? You've been married for so long, yet you haven't won him over?"
"Uh-huh."
Lisa sighed helplessly and said resentfully, "What's wrong with you? Why do you only have eyes for him? You've been hung up over him for ten years, don't you have enough yet?"
"Nope, my heart's still beating."
"I've literally had it with you, you deserve to suffer!" Lisa was so exasperated that she didn't know what to do. This silly girl would never learn to look out for herself.
"Enough about him, let's go, keep the party going."
The Tipsy Tavern is the most renowned bar in Austin city, with first-rate bartenders.
Every drink has its distinct color and flavor. They both had a particular liking for a purple one named Purple Rose.
This drink is rich and intense, it's tempting and fatal when it intertwines with the ice.
As soon as they arrived at the entrance, they were eyed by three thugs. The thugs leered at the two women and whistled at them.
"Hey beautiful, give me your number?"
"Wanna be friends?"
One of the thugs reached out to grab Emily. Emily quickly reacted, blocking the thug's hand, and smiled alluringly, "Kids, you've reached the legal age yet?"
The thugs found this even more thrilling, they each gave Emily a lewd glance.
"Pretty confident for a lady," the thug smirked and once again made a move towards Emily.
Without a blink, Emily fended off the thug's advances and said coolly, "Kids, you should be off to bed by now."
After she spoke, Emily tensed her hand.
With a snap, the thug doubled over in pain, clutching his hand and wailing, the other two thugs, seeing this, pounced at her.
Not having to lift a finger, Emily had them all down on the floor, wailing in pain.
"You kids are too young to mess with me." Emily dusted off her hands, draped an arm over Lisa's shoulders, and walked into the bar.
As Emily and Lisa stepped into the bar, the lively music and vibrant lights welcomed them into a world far removed from her troubles. Emily's laughter, though genuine, held an undercurrent of determination that Lisa couldn't ignore.
"Cheers to new beginnings," Emily declared, raising her glass with a spark in her eyes.
But deep down, she knew the night was far from over, and as the hours ticked by, a shadowy figure watched from the corner, waiting for the perfect moment to re-enter her life.