Chapter 17

Yvonne Lane felt as if her fingertip was about to catch fire. It was very hot, and her heart was pounding violently.

"Oh no! What's happening to me?!"

She withdrew her hand, her face blushing as she said, "All... alright. Let's tuck in lest the dishes get cold." After saying that, she lowered her head and started eating.

Julian Youngblood smiled when he saw that Yvonne Lane's face was almost buried in the bowl. His smile deepened as he asked, "Do you like me, Sister?"

"I like you," Yvonne Lane replied without hesitation.

"I like you too, Sister. I like you very much," Julian Youngblood said as he curled his lips into a smile. It had been ages since he had last found someone who could interest him.

...

After the inspection from the Urban Management Bureau ended, Jade Meyer told Yvonne Lane, "Yvonne, we will be having a gathering with our high school classmates this weekend. Come and join us."

"A gathering?" Yvonne Lane laughed. Given her current condition, she would be mocked if she were to go to the gathering. "No. I'm not free, and I won't be going," Yvonne Lane replied.

"This kind of gathering with our high school classmates is rare. What is it you're busy with? Come and join us!" Jade Meyer tried to persuade her, sighing lightly. It was apparent that she wanted Yvonne Lane to attend the gathering.

If the previous super scholar and prettiest girl in the class were to attend the gathering in her current state, everybody would be shocked. Jade Meyer couldn't wait for their high school classmates to see Yvonne Lane in her pathetic condition.

"I need to work over the weekend. Do you really think that weekends would be rest days for me given the scope of my job?" Yvonne Lane asked.

Jade Meyer was speechless when she heard that. Indeed, she had forgotten.

"However..."

"I'm clearing the rubbish. Let's talk another time." Before Jade Meyer could finish her statement, Yvonne Lane turned to leave.

She was not stupid. She knew Jade Meyer's intentions.

However, no matter how hard she tried to avoid it, the vice director instructed her to send a document over to someone from the Urban Management Bureau at the weekend at a Luxury Club in Shen City.

Ordinary sanitation workers were not allowed to enter such a luxurious club. However, when Yvonne Lane went to the entrance, a staff member was already waiting for her, and he led her in through a side door.

When the staff member opened the door to a private room, many people were inside.

When Yvonne Lane stepped in, she heard a familiar voice, saying, "Look who's here!"

Yvonne Lane saw Jade Meyer, Marie Zimmer, and some of her high school classmates. Jade Meyer was the one who spoke.

Yvonne Lane knew immediately that Jade Meyer had deliberately made the arrangement. As she was from the Urban Management Bureau, the supervisors would be eager to get into her good books. As long as Jade Meyer wanted a document and specified the person she wanted to bring it to her, the vice director would accede to her request.

"See! I didn't lie to you. The prettiest girl in our class has become a sanitation worker!" Marie Zimmer said, looking snobbish.

At that moment, Yvonne Lane's uniform completely stood out from the attire of the rest of the people in the private room.

"Isn't this our beautiful super scholar? You were imprisoned for three years and I almost couldn't recognize you. Zachary Shaw used to dote on you. What happened? Why did he allow you to be a sanitation worker? Doesn't he care for you?"

Yvonne Lane's body froze. Whenever she heard Zachary Shaw's name being mentioned, she felt like she was being pricked in the heart.

The person who spoke walked over to Yvonne Lane and Yvonne Lane saw that it was Walter Simpson. Walter Simpson's family was reputable in Shen City and he had tried to woo her once before.

After she had gotten into a relationship with Zachary Shaw, Walter Simpson had tried to molest her. It was only after Zachary Shaw had taught him a lesson that Walter Simpson had started to behave himself and stopped creating trouble for her.

Yvonne Lane ignored Walter Simpson. She walked over to Jade Meyer and handed the document over to her, saying, "This is the document that you asked for."

Jade Meyer smiled hypocritically. After taking the document, she said, "Yvonne, sorry to have had you make the trip."

When Yvonne Lane turned around and was about to leave the room, Walter Simpson suddenly caught hold of her arm, saying, "Why are you in such a hurry to leave? This is our gathering. Let's catch up."

After saying that, he took a glass of red wine and put it to Yvonne Lane's lips, saying, "Come on, drink up this glass of wine. Back then, you were convicted of driving under the influence. Don't tell me that you can't drink!"

Yvonne Lane refused to open her mouth. She turned her head and pushed him away.

Walter Simpson lost his balance and spilled the red wine down himself. He became angry and gave Yvonne Lane one tight slap in the face, shouting, "Ugh! Do you think you're still Zachary Shaw's girlfriend? You're merely a sanitation worker. You don't know what's good for you!"

As Walter Simpson was shouting, he took up the bottle of red wine beside him and poured it down Yvonne Lane's head.

The cold wine soaked her body, embarrassing her.

Jade Meyer smiled, saying, "Yvonne Lane, apologize to Walter Simpson quickly. He may forgive you."

"Apologize?" Yvonne Lane found the idea ridiculous. She was being humiliated, but she was expected to apologize to Walter Simpson!

Yvonne Lane pursed her lips, her Almond Eyes looking bright. She looked determined not to give in despite being humiliated.

However, her expression caused Walter Simpson to only become more infuriated as he said, "Yvonne Lane, do you think that you're still Zachary Shaw's girlfriend? I'm giving you a chance to apologize to me. Even if I raped you right here, no one would stand up for you!"

Walter Simpson pushed Yvonne Lane to the floor, and a ripping sound soon followed. Yvonne Lane's top was torn open, revealing her flesh.

"No!" Yvonne Lane screamed.

However, none of her classmates spoke for her, let alone stood up for her.

She hadn't been exposed to any sunlight during her three years of imprisonment, making her fairer than anyone. However, she was also covered with scars.

Some of the scars had not faded away, looking petrifying.

Those were the scars that she had gotten during her imprisonment.

Yvonne Lane struggled to cover her body. As she was about to stand up, she felt excruciating pain in her hand. She was shocked and immediately turned her head. Marie Zimmer was stepping on her right hand with her high heels.

"Sigh. Yvonne, why are you in such a hurry to leave? You have not yet apologized to our Young Master Simpson," Marie Zimmer said wickedly. She looked as if she couldn't wait to see Yvonne Lane in a more pathetic state as she increased the strength on her foot.

The pain in Yvonne Lane's hand reminded her of her prison days when her finger bones had been broken inch by inch agonizingly.

Back then, Yvonne Lane had been unable to defend herself and was forced to accept the treatment.

However, at that instant, Yvonne Lane used all of her might to break away from Walter Simpson. She used her left hand to push Marie Zimmer's foot away from her right hand before she mustered all of her strength to dash out of the room.

She wanted to get out of this place. She had to get out!

She held her torn clothes around herself and ran forward. However, a strong force came from behind her, causing her to fall flat on the floor. In the next instant, a foot was stepping hard on the back of her foot.

"Pain... it's painful!"

Yvonne Lane felt excruciating pain in the back of her foot, as if it was on fire.

She heard Walter Simpson's voice sounding beside her ear, saying, "Are you trying to run away? Don't you know that my family is one of the shareholders of this club... eh?"

Walter Simpson suddenly paused as he made that statement.

A moment later, Yvonne Lane heard a familiar voice saying, "Walter Simpson, what are you trying to do?"

Yvonne Lane froze instantly. "That is... Zachary Shaw's voice."

She used to think that Zachary Shaw would protect her, but she had ended up being dumped by him.

Yvonne Lane shivered. She had never expected herself to meet Zachary Shaw again in such a sorry state after getting out of prison.

"Why? Have you brought your fiancée here for a meal? What a coincidence. Your ex-girlfriend is here to have a meal with me too. However, your ex-girlfriend doesn't know what's good for her and she has agitated me. Do you want to stand up for your ex-girlfriend?"

As Walter Simpson spoke, he pulled Yvonne Lane's hair, forcing her to lift her head to face Zachary Shaw.

Yvonne Lane saw Zachary Shaw's familiar face instantly.

The man who had used to feel sorry for her when she was in pain now merely looked at her in amazement, his eyes full of disdain.

Back then, he had given his consent to hurt her hand in the same cold manner.

Yvonne Lane's pupils shrank when she saw Maya Hall standing beside Zachary Shaw. She could vividly remember Maya Hall smiling as she had watched someone pulling out her fingernails back then, breaking her finger bones one by one.

"The pain... the pain was agonizing!"

Yvonne Lane shivered more violently.

Zachary Shaw and Maya Hall were like the demons in her dreams, startling her awake from her nightmares. At that instant, they were standing in front of her.

"Walter Simpson, whatever you intend to do to her, that's your business. I have nothing to do with her," Zachary Shaw said agitatedly as he furrowed his brows.

Yvonne Lane was cut to the heart. Although she had given up on Zachary Shaw, her heart ached when she heard him saying the same words again. She regretted loving Zachary Shaw in the past.

"Yvonne Lane, what are you thinking of? Are you hoping that someone will save you?" Yvonne Lane laughed at herself.

She could only depend on herself!

"Is that so? Am I free to treat her as I wish?" Walter Simpson suddenly pulled Yvonne Lane over to an artificial pond to one side, pushing her head under the water.

Suddenly, cold water gushed into Yvonne Lane's mouth and nose, suffocating her.

Walter Simpson seemed like he wanted to take out his frustration on Yvonne Lane for causing him to be beaten up by Zachary Shaw back then. He repeatedly pushed Yvonne Lane's head under the water as he said smugly, "Yvonne Lane, let's see who will save you now."

"Zachary, Julian Youngblood is waiting for us. Don't let him wait too long." Maya Hall's voice resounded in Yvonne Lane's ears.

"All right," Zachary Shaw replied.

It was another 'all right". Back then, when Maya Hall had told Zachary Shaw that she wanted to cripple Yvonne Lane's hand, he had said "all right" as well.

Just two words, and yet it could send a person down to hell.

Yvonne Lane felt suffocated and she no longer had the strength to retaliate.

"Will I die? I didn't die in prison but am I to die here?!"

"Who will save me? No one... will..."

Once, twice, the cold water covered her head, the water splattering perpetually with Yvonne Lane being pushed under the water. However, no one went up to stop Walter Simpson.

Maya Hall held Zachary Shaw's arm and walked slowly to the steps. She curled her red lips into a smile as she watched Yvonne Lane being badly treated from the corner of her eyes.

No one would save Yvonne Lane. Even if she managed to survive, she would be half-dead.

"Enough! Bring that woman to me!" A voice suddenly resounded from the second floor.

"This voice..." Maya Hall looked at the second floor in disbelief. A slender figure was standing up there. His fine facial features were captivating, but at that instant, he was looking unusually furious.

"That is... Julian Youngblood, and Julian Youngblood is looking at Yvonne Lane!"