Before Elaine could catch her breath, Kevin hauled her upright and slapped her hard across the face.

"How fucking dare you?" he snarled. "Who do you think you are? I've seen plenty of whores like you. Don't bother pretending you're a dignified woman when, in reality, you're just a fucking whore!"

He lashed out at her, his insults growing harsher.

The slap that landed on Elaine's cheek hurt so badly that her ears began to ring. She trembled uncontrollably, and her vision swam.

Kevin was still seething. No one had ever dared lay a finger on him, so he couldn't believe a mere slut like her had the audacity to slap him. He had to teach her a lesson!

His gaze darted around the room. Spotting a candelabrum, he grabbed it and stormed toward Elaine. He yanked her up by the hair and shoved a lit candle into her mouth.

"You're just whoring yourself out for money, aren't you? I'm loaded. Swal

Elaine was so nervous that she was trembling all over. Then, she remembered this man had addressed Kevin as his uncle earlier.

Despair almost swallowed her whole. She couldn't believe how unlucky she was. She escaped a huge threat only to walk right into another trap. 

This man was probably here to get back at her for hurting his uncle. That explained why he wanted to ask about her name and age.

"I didn't stab him on purpose," she cried, so desperate that she almost went down on her knees again. "He forced me to do so! I mean it."

Joseph froze for a moment, then recalled the bloody gash he had seen on Kevin's neck earlier. It must've been from a sharp object, and the wound looked pretty deep, too. He exchanged a glance with the driver up front, suddenly finding Elaine interesting. 

"You're probably the first person in Tenby bold enough to stab a guy like him. But I'm not really inte

Skylar ordered Elaine to get changed, but he remained where he was, showing no intention of moving away or even averting his gaze. He stared at her coolly, utterly unfazed. 

Elaine hauled herself upright. She knew he was trying to humiliate her, but she couldn't help frowning. "Can you leave first? Like you said, I'm as good as a log in bed. I suppose you can't spare me another glance, can you?"

Skylar's expression darkened. He hated it most when she threw those sarcastic jabs at him. A sinner like her should be on all fours, desperately groveling before his feet for his forgiveness. What right did she have to act so self-righteous?

"If you aren't willing to get changed now, you can do so outside," he sneered. "I'm not your driver. Why should I get out and wait for you?"

The parking lot was empty for now, but it was under constant surveillance. No matter how much Elaine despised him, there was no way she'd get changed outside the car. Forcing herself to appear unfazed, she opened the bag. "Fine. Since you don't mind, I won't either."

The dress was a perfect fit, hugging her curves and showing off her figure.

Once she was done changing, she stepped out of the car wearing a neutral expression.

Skylar's gaze followed her, lingering on how indecent she looked in the low-cut dress with its high slit. Anger flared in his chest. 

Her figure was flawless—slender yet filled out in all the right places. And her bare, makeup-free face softened the otherwise provocative look of the dress. It was as if she'd been born to wear it.

During the first two years of their marriage, Skylar was painfully aware of the attention she drew whenever she wore dresses like this. Back then, he always told her such clothes didn't suit her and forbade her from wearing them outside.

Yet now, he was the very one who had deliberately ordered the boutique to send him this dress. And all he could feel was that Elaine was intentionally trying to seduce other men.

The moment she slipped into the dress, she scrambled out of the car. Was she really that eager?

Leaving the parking lot, they entered the elevator and made their way upstairs toward the private room. While walking down the hallway, Elaine attracted countless men's attention. Some drunk men even deliberately staggered closer to her, trying to brush against her shoulder. 

Skylar looked like he had just swallowed a lemon. Seizing her arm, he shoved her against the wall of the corridor and bellowed, "Is it that hard for you to stay away from other men? If I weren't here, would you be throwing yourself into their arms this very instant?"

Elaine said nothing. This was her first time in a place like this, and she was well aware of what he had prepared for her tonight. No matter how composed she pretended to be, it was impossible for her not to be afraid. 

Skylar took her silence as a sign of submission. Noticing how other men kept looking at them, he yanked her arm and dragged her a few steps forward. 

He flung open the door of a private room nearby and shoved her inside.

"So impatient you can't even talk anymore, huh? Fine. Let's give you what you want."

It was still daytime. In other nightclubs around Tenby, the doors wouldn't even open during the day. But Crimson Bar was part of the Frey family's business. 

If Skylar said the word, it didn't matter whether it was noon or midnight—the place would open for him at any hour. 

Inside the private room, heavy, dark curtains were drawn tight. Under the dim lights, the air crackled with unmistakable sexual tension. 

About five or six men sat there, along with several young women in heavy makeup serving drinks. 

The moment Skylar and Elaine entered, the lively chatter inside halted abruptly. One of the men called out to Skylar in a servile tone, "Mr. Frey, you're here! Come have a seat."

The other men stood up as well, instinctively sneaking glances at Elaine. 

Compared to the escorts in the room, Elaine was clearly different. Men who frequented places like this were always particularly fascinated with her type, the kind who looked graceful and untainted. 

Peter Larson, the eldest son of Tenby's real estate tycoon, was practically gaping at Elaine. Summoning his courage, he asked, "Mr. Frey, is she yours? You're a lucky man, indeed."

Skylar dropped onto the couch, crossing his legs as he twirled a glass of red wine. He snorted. "My woman? Do you think she's worthy of that?"

The moment those words left his mouth, the men who'd been eyeing Elaine grew bolder. If she didn't belong to Skylar but was still brought here, it didn't take a genius to guess the reason. She had likely offended him somehow. 

Kevin Zimmer, a stocky middle-aged man, immediately chimed in, "She's such a rare beauty. Mr. Frey, you've got excellent taste."

A smirk tugged at Skylar's lips as he looked at Elaine. "Mr. Larson and Mr. Zimmer are both complementing you. Aren't you going to offer them a toast?"

The other men in the room perked up at once. Sensing an opportunity, they shoved the escorts beside them away. Eager not to miss such a chance, they all rushed to flatter her. 

"Ms. Shelton, you're truly stunning, and your figure is absolutely to kill for. Even the top girls at Crimson Bar can't compare to you."

Peter and Kevin grinned from ear to ear as Elaine approached with a toast. Kevin took the opportunity to caress her hand while she poured him a drink. His eyes, squished among layers of fat, gleamed with lecherous delight. 

Skylar took it all in silently, his grip around the wine glass so tight that he nearly shattered it. 

But in the dim light and with everyone's attention zeroed in on Elaine, no one noticed the storm brewing behind his eyes. They all thought Skylar had dumped her.

He drained his glass of wine in one gulp. Watching the other men coax Elaine to drink more, he sneered. "Don't be fooled. She isn't an easy target. She's wild—loves to be stimulated, in fact. Just one or two men probably won't satisfy her."

Then, he deliberately asked in a suggestive tone, "Ms. Shelton, how are your injuries? Healing up alright?"

Only now did the men begin to examine Elaine closely. They finally noticed the large burns on her neck and left shoulder. Her dress was low-cut and sleeveless. With just a closer look, all her scars were perfectly visible. 

And with Skylar's insinuation, those wounds inevitably conjured filthy images in the men's minds. 

Kevin's eyes lit up. He looked as if he'd found a hidden treasure. He loved fooling around, but because of his age, he lacked stamina. So, he took delight in twisted, perverse games with women. 

A moment ago, he had been worried someone as delicate as Elaine wouldn't be able to endure it. But after hearing how bold she was, he was overjoyed. He wished he could just drag her off and have his way with her. 

"Well? You've spent enough time ogling and teasing her, haven't you?" Skylar taunted, adding fuel to the fire. "What's wrong? Worried you can't let loose with me here?"

He rose to his feet. At this point, he refused to believe Elaine could stay composed if she was left alone in a room of hot and bothered men. He wanted her to beg for his help. 

"I've got other business to take care of," he said, turning to stride out. "I'll leave Ms. Shelton in your capable hands. Take good care of her."

Elaine began to panic. She bit her lip and didn't say a word, but she couldn't help but hurry after him. Just as she was about to make a beeline for the door, Kevin grabbed her arm. 

"Hey there. Where are you going?" he drawled out. "Don't worry—you're just my type. Tell me whatever kinks you're into, and I'll make sure you have a good time."

Frantically, she tried to yank her arm free, but Skylar had already left. He shut the door behind him without even looking back. 

Kevin's eyes turned red with lust as he took in the scars on her body. He was immediately consumed by a violent urge to inflict even more pain. 

Seeing Elaine struggle only excited him further. He stood up and pinned her roughly to the couch, and in the scuffle, the lit cigarette in his hand accidentally fell right onto the burn on her injured shoulder. An agonizing scream escaped her lips as she shrank away in fear. 

The other men, eager for entertainment and unwilling to admit they couldn't handle her, simply laughed and egged Kevin on. After all, Skylar had brought her in himself, so no one would even dare to speak up on her behalf. 

The glowing cigarette burned a fresh wound into Elaine's shoulder. Overwhelmed by despair, she suddenly lashed out and slapped Kevin hard across the face. 

Kevin hadn't expected her to fight back. He froze for a split second, then he grabbed a fistful of her hair and flung her to the floor. 

A liquor bottle on the table shattered in the chaos. As she crashed down, shards of glass sliced into her shoulder and arm. The half-healed wounds ripped open, leaving her arm a mass of bloody flesh. Sweat began forming on her forehead, and her face turned ghastly pale in an instant.


Before Elaine could catch her breath, Kevin hauled her upright and slapped her hard across the face.

"How fucking dare you?" he snarled. "Who do you think you are? I've seen plenty of whores like you. Don't bother pretending you're a dignified woman when, in reality, you're just a fucking whore!"

He lashed out at her, his insults growing harsher.

The slap that landed on Elaine's cheek hurt so badly that her ears began to ring. She trembled uncontrollably, and her vision swam.

Kevin was still seething. No one had ever dared lay a finger on him, so he couldn't believe a mere slut like her had the audacity to slap him. He had to teach her a lesson!

His gaze darted around the room. Spotting a candelabrum, he grabbed it and stormed toward Elaine. He yanked her up by the hair and shoved a lit candle into her mouth.

"You're just whoring yourself out for money, aren't you? I'm loaded. Swallow a candle and you'll get ten thousand bucks. Eat them all and this check for 50 grand is yours!"


Chapter 21 Joseph Montgomery Saved Elaine