Faye''s hand, holding the water, froze.
She avoided Horace''s eyes, her voice dropping almost to a whisper. "That... that was such a long time ago. Why bring that up now?"
"Was it?" Horace chuckled, leaning back on the sofa. "Did you know I had a bright future ahead of me? But for you, I gave up my chance to be a research scientist. I was expelled, and my record was permanently stained. And you, Miss Yeaton, you didn''t seem to feel the slightest bit of guilt. In fact, afterward, you couldn''t wait for me to stay far away from you."
Faye''s face flushed red. She took another sip of water, forcing herself to stay calm. "Horace, I was grateful to you. Didn''t I get you a job at my dad''spanyter? You even made it to vice president-"
"And do you know how I became vice president? I drank until my stomach bled, until I ended up in the hospital. I was like a dog at your dad''spany. Now that Yeaton Holdings has copsed, what kind of vice president am I? I''m nothing."
Horace''s voice suddenly rose, filled with long-suppressed resentment. Faye flinched, startled. She realized that Horace was different now, almost frightening.
"Horace, I have to go," Faye said, grabbing her bag to leave.
But as she stood up, she swayed, feeling dizzy. A sense of rm shot through her. "Horace, what did you give me to drink?"
"Nothing much. Just a little something to make you more obedient," Horace said, getting up and walking towards her step by step. "You wanted to know about thepany, right? I''ll tell you. It''s hopeless. Yeaton Holdings ispletely finished. You''re not some rich heiress anymore. Soon you''ll have nothing, and it''s time you paid the price for letting me take the fall for you all those years ago."
"Horace, you wouldn''t dare. Don''t you dare touch me," Faye struggled to get away, but her body felt weak, and she copsed back onto the sofa.
"What right do you have to talk to me like that? Who knows who your father offended, but once the Yeatons are bankrupt, you''ll be just an ordinary person, maybe even worse off than me."
Horace grabbed Faye''s chin, his
eyes filled with vengeful satisfaction. "Faye you used to be so arrogant, didn''t you? You always looked down on people like me. Well, now you''ve fallen to this."
A terror Faye had never known washed over her. She tried to push him away, but
her arms felt weak and heavy. Humiliated and hopeless tears welled in her eyes. She regretted evering here.
"Horace, please, don''t do this. We were ssmates. I know you''re not this kind of person," she tried to plead.
"It''s toote, Faye. You know I liked you. I spent four years of university simpering after you, but you never even gave me a second nce. All you could see was that Joel. NOW, I''m going to make you see that from this day on you''re not good enough for him either."
He yanked Faye off the sofa and dragged her towards his bedroom. Faye fought with all her might, but in the end, she could do nothing.
She could only watch as the man she hated and despised the most took away the one thing she held most precious.
An hourter, Faye woke up from the sharp pain. Horace was suddenly kneeling in front of her. "Faye, I''m sorry. I was wrong."
"Get out! Get away from me!" Faye shrieked, tears of humiliation streaming down her face. "I''m calling the police. I''m going to sue you."
A cold smile flickered in Horace''s eyes. He tossed an iPad to her. "On here is evidence of your father embezzling public funds and bribing officials. If I''m in a bad mood, J report your father immediately. Not only will he go bankrupt, but he''ll also go to prison. And as for that little incident you had me take the fall for, if I decide to bring that up, you''ll be finished too."
"Horace, you—" Faye''s face went deathly pale. She never thought the man who
used to be like herpdog could be so vicious.
"Be my girlfriend. Otherwise, we''ll all go down together," Horace threatened with a cold smirk.
It turned out that everything had its cause and effect.