Chapter 3

The whispers came washing over Anthea. She had known how much Harlan loved Beatrice, but her mind still went blank as she heard the discussions. She felt empty, as if someone had dug her heart out. By the time she came to her senses, she realized she had been following behind Harlan. She watched Harlan take Beatrice to the suite on the top floor. Perhaps he had been too hasty, but he did not even care that the door was left ajar. Their voices were clear as they flowed from the suite. "Harlan!" Beatrice questioned in tears, "Don't you resent me to your bones? Didn't you make me pay five million dollars as compensation just because I dirtied your girlfriend's dress? Why did you win the bid to take my virginity? Are you still in love with me? You still love me, don't you?" Harlan sneered and asked in return, "Love you?" Pinning her wrists down, he continued in a deep and vicious tone, "You have a wild imagination, Beatrice. I bid for you for two reasons. Firstly, I want to torment you. Secondly, your first night with a man was always meant to be mine. Do you need me to refresh your memory on how you seduced me back then?" His words were filled with hate, but the way he kissed her was nothing but love. Anthea stood outside the door, watching him pinning Beatrice to the bed and tearing her dress apart. He could not be less impatient. Their clothes were stripped as their breaths were intertwined. … The moment he finally made Beatrice his woman, a teardrop rolled down the corner of Harlan's eye, dripping on her collarbone. "Harlan, are you crying?" Beatrice was stunned. Grabbing her waist with all his might, Harlan snapped in a husky voice, "Shut up." Anthea was shaking all over. She dug her nails deep into her palm, but she could not feel the pain. She watched them get entwined with one another until midnight. She had also watched him take Beatrice over and over again until Beatrice passed out, unable to endure it anymore. She watched him embrace Beatrice after he fell asleep, kissed her deeply on the forehead, and called out her name over and over again. At that moment, Anthea finally lost it. Walking out of the club in a daze, she suddenly saw everything around her turn dark. Suddenly, a blinding light shone on her, and what followed was a loud crash. Failing to dodge in time, she was knocked to the ground by a car before a wave of pain engulfed her. While her consciousness was in and out, she heard people shouting in shock and calling the ambulance. … By the time she woke up, she was already at the hospital. "Thank God you're finally awake! You need to have surgery right now. Hurry up and call your family over to give their consent," said a nurse. A few nurses were standing before Anthea, holding a surgical consent form anxiously. As Anthea was in a daze, she subconsciously called the number at the top of her favorites in her contacts. She only realized that it was Harlan after she made the call. Just as she was about to hang up, the call was answered. However, what she heard was Beatrice's choppy voice. "Harlan, your girlfriend is calling. Since it's late, it must be urgent… Why don't you go to her? Let me leave… I can't take it anymore…" In the next second, Harlan mentioned in an icy voice, "Just ignore her. Beatrice, I've won the bid to have the entire night with you. The night is still young, so try me if you dare to escape." What followed was the sound of sensual kissing. Then, the call ended. Awkwardly looking at Anthea, the nurse asked, "Do you… have another family member to call?" Trembling, Anthea closed her eyes. With tears streaming down her face, she felt her heart had been torn into pieces. "I'll sign the consent myself. I'll take responsibility if anything happens," she replied. She grabbed the pen while shaking and signed her name. Her blood streamed down her fingertip and dyed the consent form red. Once she penned the last stroke, she lost consciousness.