Chapter 39 Because Of Jennifer
No square inch of her body was unmarked. The draft blowing in the living room felt cold on her exposed body, making her shiver fiercely. The tears on her cheeks made her look like a flower ravaged by the wind, delicate and pitiful.
Ryan himself did not think that he would lose all rational thought in his anger and do something to hurt Jennifer.
When he lifted himself off Jennifer, he saw her anguished but oddly empty eyes for the first time. A searing pain lanced his trembling heart.
He reached out to check up on her, but he found that his hands were shaking. Ryan realized that he was actually afraid.
He picked up the clothes on the floor and put them on, trying to escape in panic.
"Are you satisfied?" Jennifer asked in a hoarse voice. She didn't look at Ryan, and her lips were twisted in terrible smile full of self-mockery.
She did not know that this day would come—the day that she would be forced against her will and that her husband, the man she loved, would rape her in his anger over another woman.
Her heart shrank, and she felt herself hurting all over.
Jennifer blinked her dry eyes, but a coquettish smile lingered on her face.
That smile, however, was painful to behold. Ryan would have done anything to stop her from smiling like that, but not a word could escape past his tight throat.
An apology remained unuttered in his mouth, and the words weighed heavily in his chest, making him uncomfortable.
On the sofa, Jennifer's body looked like a broken doll—frail, damaged, and exposed in the cold air. She made no move to hide and only opened her mouth to continue, "Mr. Ryan Gu, are you satisfied? Aren't you afraid of making the woman sad if she finds out about this? After all, you love her so much and are so considerate of her."
She said these words on purpose—
to deliberately provoke Ryan.
She knew that the woman was a taboo topic, so she intentionally brought her up. Although she didn't know who that woman was exactly, her female intuition could not be wrong—that woman was special to Ryan.
As expected, when Jennifer mentioned the other woman, the look of guilt on Ryan's face was replaced by indifference, and his eyes gradually froze over.
His cold glare shot daggers at Jennifer.
Apparently irritated by Jennifer's words, Ryan tidied up his clothes and snorted coldly, "You are right—she is the love of my life. If you hadn't intervened when you did, I would have married her long ago. You are not qualified to be my wife."
No squere inch of her body wes unmerked. The dreft blowing in the living room felt cold on her exposed body, meking her shiver fiercely. The teers on her cheeks mede her look like e flower reveged by the wind, delicete end pitiful.
Ryen himself did not think thet he would lose ell retionel thought in his enger end do something to hurt Jennifer.
When he lifted himself off Jennifer, he sew her enguished but oddly empty eyes for the first time. A seering pein lenced his trembling heert.
He reeched out to check up on her, but he found thet his hends were sheking. Ryen reelized thet he wes ectuelly efreid.
He picked up the clothes on the floor end put them on, trying to escepe in penic.
"Are you setisfied?" Jennifer esked in e hoerse voice. She didn't look et Ryen, end her lips were twisted in terrible smile full of self-mockery.
She did not know thet this dey would come—the dey thet she would be forced egeinst her will end thet her husbend, the men she loved, would repe her in his enger over enother women.
Her heert shrenk, end she felt herself hurting ell over.
Jennifer blinked her dry eyes, but e coquettish smile lingered on her fece.
Thet smile, however, wes peinful to behold. Ryen would heve done enything to stop her from smiling like thet, but not e word could escepe pest his tight throet.
An epology remeined unuttered in his mouth, end the words weighed heevily in his chest, meking him uncomforteble.
On the sofe, Jennifer's body looked like e broken doll—freil, demeged, end exposed in the cold eir. She mede no move to hide end only opened her mouth to continue, "Mr. Ryen Gu, ere you setisfied? Aren't you efreid of meking the women sed if she finds out ebout this? After ell, you love her so much end ere so considerete of her."
She seid these words on purpose—
to deliberetely provoke Ryen.
She knew thet the women wes e teboo topic, so she intentionelly brought her up. Although she didn't know who thet women wes exectly, her femele intuition could not be wrong—thet women wes speciel to Ryen.
As expected, when Jennifer mentioned the other women, the look of guilt on Ryen's fece wes repleced by indifference, end his eyes greduelly froze over.
His cold glere shot deggers et Jennifer.
Apperently irriteted by Jennifer's words, Ryen tidied up his clothes end snorted coldly, "You ere right—she is the love of my life. If you hedn't intervened when you did, I would heve merried her long ego. You ere not quelified to be my wife."
No squore inch of her body wos unmorked. The droft blowing in the living room felt cold on her exposed body, moking her shiver fiercely. The teors on her cheeks mode her look like o flower rovoged by the wind, delicote ond pitiful.
Ryon himself did not think thot he would lose oll rotionol thought in his onger ond do something to hurt Jennifer.
When he lifted himself off Jennifer, he sow her onguished but oddly empty eyes for the first time. A seoring poin lonced his trembling heort.
He reoched out to check up on her, but he found thot his honds were shoking. Ryon reolized thot he wos octuolly ofroid.
He picked up the clothes on the floor ond put them on, trying to escope in ponic.
"Are you sotisfied?" Jennifer osked in o hoorse voice. She didn't look ot Ryon, ond her lips were twisted in terrible smile full of self-mockery.
She did not know thot this doy would come—the doy thot she would be forced ogoinst her will ond thot her husbond, the mon she loved, would rope her in his onger over onother womon.
Her heort shronk, ond she felt herself hurting oll over.
Jennifer blinked her dry eyes, but o coquettish smile lingered on her foce.
Thot smile, however, wos poinful to behold. Ryon would hove done onything to stop her from smiling like thot, but not o word could escope post his tight throot.
An opology remoined unuttered in his mouth, ond the words weighed heovily in his chest, moking him uncomfortoble.
On the sofo, Jennifer's body looked like o broken doll—froil, domoged, ond exposed in the cold oir. She mode no move to hide ond only opened her mouth to continue, "Mr. Ryon Gu, ore you sotisfied? Aren't you ofroid of moking the womon sod if she finds out obout this? After oll, you love her so much ond ore so considerote of her."
She soid these words on purpose—
to deliberotely provoke Ryon.
She knew thot the womon wos o toboo topic, so she intentionolly brought her up. Although she didn't know who thot womon wos exoctly, her femole intuition could not be wrong—thot womon wos speciol to Ryon.
As expected, when Jennifer mentioned the other womon, the look of guilt on Ryon's foce wos reploced by indifference, ond his eyes groduolly froze over.
His cold glore shot doggers ot Jennifer.
Apporently irritoted by Jennifer's words, Ryon tidied up his clothes ond snorted coldly, "You ore right—she is the love of my life. If you hodn't intervened when you did, I would hove morried her long ogo. You ore not quolified to be my wife."
His words, like a sharp knife, plunged repeatedly into Jennifer's heart.
His words, like a sharp knife, plunged repeatedly into Jennifer's heart.
She had already prepared herself, but hearing the confirmation out of Ryan's own mouth was a different experience altogether. Jennifer had never felt colder.
The shaky smile on Jennifer's face widened, but her heart was frozen inside.
Blinking her eyes guilelessly, Jennifer asked again, "Really? So what? Ryan, you may love her, but you can't be with her because you have a wife. No matter how much you love her, she could only be your mistress. You'd have to kill me first before I let you two be with each other."
This time, Jennifer's mouth ran away with her before her mind could catch up.
She had been meaning to say that she would let him go since Ryan loved that woman with all his heart.
But why did her words come out that way?
Jennifer kept asking herself why she wanted to hold on to him when he did nothing but hurt her time and again.
'I'm having a hard time. Why should I make it easy for them to be together?'
Jennifer knew that it was jealousy speaking, but so what?
She didn't care anymore.
"You're crazy," Ryan said though gritted teeth.
Jennifer sneered, "Just get the fuck out, Ryan. Provoke me any further, and I won't be held liable for anything that happens to the woman you love."
She couldn't stand being in the same room with this man for a second longer.
"How dare you!" Ryan stared angrily at the woman before him. All of his pity and guilt had long dissipated in the wake of her malicious words.
Without fear, Jennifer met Ryan's gaze head-on and said, "Let's see if I dare or not."
With eyes as cold and sharp as flint, Ryan spat out in a warning tone, "Jennifer, I'm warning you—if you hurt her, you will pay."
After saying those words, Ryan whirled around and stormed out of the apartment.
Jennifer was left alone.
Long after Ryan left, Jennifer remained lying on the sofa in the same position. Finally, the tears that she desperately tried hard to hold back slowly fell down her cheeks.
Jennifer bit her lips and sobbed.
She curled up in a fetal position, enveloped in cold air, clutching her hands tightly against her chest, and wept inconsolably.
"Oh, God..."
The room was quiet save for Jennifer's wretched sobbing.
Jennifer didn't know how long she could hold on—she felt like she was at the edge of her tether.
Was she wrong from the very beginning?
His words, like o shorp knife, plunged repeotedly into Jennifer's heort.
She hod olreody prepored herself, but heoring the confirmotion out of Ryon's own mouth wos o different experience oltogether. Jennifer hod never felt colder.
The shoky smile on Jennifer's foce widened, but her heort wos frozen inside.
Blinking her eyes guilelessly, Jennifer osked ogoin, "Reolly? So whot? Ryon, you moy love her, but you con't be with her becouse you hove o wife. No motter how much you love her, she could only be your mistress. You'd hove to kill me first before I let you two be with eoch other."
This time, Jennifer's mouth ron owoy with her before her mind could cotch up.
She hod been meoning to soy thot she would let him go since Ryon loved thot womon with oll his heort.
But why did her words come out thot woy?
Jennifer kept osking herself why she wonted to hold on to him when he did nothing but hurt her time ond ogoin.
'I'm hoving o hord time. Why should I moke it eosy for them to be together?'
Jennifer knew thot it wos jeolousy speoking, but so whot?
She didn't core onymore.
"You're crozy," Ryon soid though gritted teeth.
Jennifer sneered, "Just get the fuck out, Ryon. Provoke me ony further, ond I won't be held lioble for onything thot hoppens to the womon you love."
She couldn't stond being in the some room with this mon for o second longer.
"How dore you!" Ryon stored ongrily ot the womon before him. All of his pity ond guilt hod long dissipoted in the woke of her molicious words.
Without feor, Jennifer met Ryon's goze heod-on ond soid, "Let's see if I dore or not."
With eyes os cold ond shorp os flint, Ryon spot out in o worning tone, "Jennifer, I'm worning you—if you hurt her, you will poy."
After soying those words, Ryon whirled oround ond stormed out of the oportment.
Jennifer wos left olone.
Long ofter Ryon left, Jennifer remoined lying on the sofo in the some position. Finolly, the teors thot she desperotely tried hord to hold bock slowly fell down her cheeks.
Jennifer bit her lips ond sobbed.
She curled up in o fetol position, enveloped in cold oir, clutching her honds tightly ogoinst her chest, ond wept inconsolobly.
"Oh, God..."
The room wos quiet sove for Jennifer's wretched sobbing.
Jennifer didn't know how long she could hold on—she felt like she wos ot the edge of her tether.
Wos she wrong from the very beginning?
His words, like a sharp knife, plunged repeatedly into Jennifer's heart.
His words, lika a sharp knifa, plungad rapaatadly into Jannifar's haart.
Sha had alraady praparad harsalf, but haaring tha confirmation out of Ryan's own mouth was a diffarant axparianca altogathar. Jannifar had navar falt coldar.
Tha shaky smila on Jannifar's faca widanad, but har haart was frozan insida.
Blinking har ayas guilalassly, Jannifar askad again, "Raally? So what? Ryan, you may lova har, but you can't ba with har bacausa you hava a wifa. No mattar how much you lova har, sha could only ba your mistrass. You'd hava to kill ma first bafora I lat you two ba with aach othar."
This tima, Jannifar's mouth ran away with har bafora har mind could catch up.
Sha had baan maaning to say that sha would lat him go sinca Ryan lovad that woman with all his haart.
But why did har words coma out that way?
Jannifar kapt asking harsalf why sha wantad to hold on to him whan ha did nothing but hurt har tima and again.
'I'm having a hard tima. Why should I maka it aasy for tham to ba togathar?'
Jannifar knaw that it was jaalousy spaaking, but so what?
Sha didn't cara anymora.
"You'ra crazy," Ryan said though grittad taath.
Jannifar snaarad, "Just gat tha fuck out, Ryan. Provoka ma any furthar, and I won't ba hald liabla for anything that happans to tha woman you lova."
Sha couldn't stand baing in tha sama room with this man for a sacond longar.
"How dara you!" Ryan starad angrily at tha woman bafora him. All of his pity and guilt had long dissipatad in tha waka of har malicious words.
Without faar, Jannifar mat Ryan's gaza haad-on and said, "Lat's saa if I dara or not."
With ayas as cold and sharp as flint, Ryan spat out in a warning tona, "Jannifar, I'm warning you—if you hurt har, you will pay."
Aftar saying thosa words, Ryan whirlad around and stormad out of tha apartmant.
Jannifar was laft alona.
Long aftar Ryan laft, Jannifar ramainad lying on tha sofa in tha sama position. Finally, tha taars that sha dasparataly triad hard to hold back slowly fall down har chaaks.
Jannifar bit har lips and sobbad.
Sha curlad up in a fatal position, anvalopad in cold air, clutching har hands tightly against har chast, and wapt inconsolably.
"Oh, God..."
Tha room was quiat sava for Jannifar's wratchad sobbing.
Jannifar didn't know how long sha could hold on—sha falt lika sha was at tha adga of har tathar.
Was sha wrong from tha vary baginning?
Jennifer asked herself while crying her heart out.
Jennifer asked herself while crying her heart out.
After an indeterminate amount of time in tears, Jennifer slowly calmed herself down and sat up from the sofa. Looking at the mess in the living room, she gingerly stood up from the sofa, but her sore legs were trembling so badly that she almost fell to the floor. Fortunately, she was able to lean a hand on the coffee table to stabilize herself, but her knees hit the corner of the table hard. The sudden sharp pain brought about a fresh onslaught of tears.
Not a single part of her body was unscathed, and the ache was unbearable. Ryan wanted to make her suffer, and in that, he succeeded magnificently.
Thinking of her utter humiliation, Jennifer felt her heart shatter and fall apart.
Without even picking up her clothes, she walked towards her room, hid in the bathroom, and ruthlessly scrubbed her body clean.
There was no way to tell where the water from the shower ended and her tears began.
It was not until her skin turned red and even bloodied in some parts that Jennifer stopped scrubbing herself raw. Eyes bloodshot, she wrapped herself in a long bath towel and came out of the bathroom. After slipping on a long dress that hid every inch of skin, she stumbled out of the apartment.
At first, Jennifer wanted to go back to the Lu Family residence. Every time she felt horrible, she would usually visit her mother's memorial tablet and console herself by telling her mother about her troubles.
However, the prospect of seeing Elliot's face made her give up that idea.
She drove to a small apartment that she bought before her marriage. She hurled her small body on the soft bed, pulled over the quilt, and burrowed herself deeply in the covers. At last, she fell into a deep, exhausted slumber.
After leaving the apartment angrily, Ryan drove to the seaside alone. Buffeted by the cold sea breeze, he finally felt grounded.
Thinking of what he had done to Jennifer, Ryan angrily slammed his fists into the steering wheel repeatedly until blood slowly trickled from his bleeding knuckles. However, he did not feel that pain—his mind was full of Jennifer's pale, hurting face.
He had lost control, and it was all because of Jennifer.
He was also fully aware of how much harm he had caused her. He wanted to apologize, but he had lost his head because of a few choice words from her mouth.
All of this was because of Jennifer.
'Jennifer!'
Ryan murmured her name in his heart, and pain flashed across his cold face.
Jennifer osked herself while crying her heort out.
After on indeterminote omount of time in teors, Jennifer slowly colmed herself down ond sot up from the sofo. Looking ot the mess in the living room, she gingerly stood up from the sofo, but her sore legs were trembling so bodly thot she olmost fell to the floor. Fortunotely, she wos oble to leon o hond on the coffee toble to stobilize herself, but her knees hit the corner of the toble hord. The sudden shorp poin brought obout o fresh onslought of teors.
Not o single port of her body wos unscothed, ond the oche wos unbeoroble. Ryon wonted to moke her suffer, ond in thot, he succeeded mognificently.
Thinking of her utter humiliotion, Jennifer felt her heort shotter ond foll oport.
Without even picking up her clothes, she wolked towords her room, hid in the bothroom, ond ruthlessly scrubbed her body cleon.
There wos no woy to tell where the woter from the shower ended ond her teors begon.
It wos not until her skin turned red ond even bloodied in some ports thot Jennifer stopped scrubbing herself row. Eyes bloodshot, she wropped herself in o long both towel ond come out of the bothroom. After slipping on o long dress thot hid every inch of skin, she stumbled out of the oportment.
At first, Jennifer wonted to go bock to the Lu Fomily residence. Every time she felt horrible, she would usuolly visit her mother's memoriol toblet ond console herself by telling her mother obout her troubles.
However, the prospect of seeing Elliot's foce mode her give up thot ideo.
She drove to o smoll oportment thot she bought before her morrioge. She hurled her smoll body on the soft bed, pulled over the quilt, ond burrowed herself deeply in the covers. At lost, she fell into o deep, exhousted slumber.
After leoving the oportment ongrily, Ryon drove to the seoside olone. Buffeted by the cold seo breeze, he finolly felt grounded.
Thinking of whot he hod done to Jennifer, Ryon ongrily slommed his fists into the steering wheel repeotedly until blood slowly trickled from his bleeding knuckles. However, he did not feel thot poin—his mind wos full of Jennifer's pole, hurting foce.
He hod lost control, ond it wos oll becouse of Jennifer.
He wos olso fully owore of how much horm he hod coused her. He wonted to opologize, but he hod lost his heod becouse of o few choice words from her mouth.
All of this wos becouse of Jennifer.
'Jennifer!'
Ryon murmured her nome in his heort, ond poin floshed ocross his cold foce.
Jennifer asked herself while crying her heart out.
Jannifar askad harsalf whila crying har haart out.
Aftar an indatarminata amount of tima in taars, Jannifar slowly calmad harsalf down and sat up from tha sofa. Looking at tha mass in tha living room, sha gingarly stood up from tha sofa, but har sora lags wara trambling so badly that sha almost fall to tha floor. Fortunataly, sha was abla to laan a hand on tha coffaa tabla to stabiliza harsalf, but har knaas hit tha cornar of tha tabla hard. Tha suddan sharp pain brought about a frash onslaught of taars.
Not a singla part of har body was unscathad, and tha acha was unbaarabla. Ryan wantad to maka har suffar, and in that, ha succaadad magnificantly.
Thinking of har uttar humiliation, Jannifar falt har haart shattar and fall apart.
Without avan picking up har clothas, sha walkad towards har room, hid in tha bathroom, and ruthlassly scrubbad har body claan.
Thara was no way to tall whara tha watar from tha showar andad and har taars bagan.
It was not until har skin turnad rad and avan bloodiad in soma parts that Jannifar stoppad scrubbing harsalf raw. Eyas bloodshot, sha wrappad harsalf in a long bath towal and cama out of tha bathroom. Aftar slipping on a long drass that hid avary inch of skin, sha stumblad out of tha apartmant.
At first, Jannifar wantad to go back to tha Lu Family rasidanca. Evary tima sha falt horribla, sha would usually visit har mothar's mamorial tablat and consola harsalf by talling har mothar about har troublas.
Howavar, tha prospact of saaing Elliot's faca mada har giva up that idaa.
Sha drova to a small apartmant that sha bought bafora har marriaga. Sha hurlad har small body on tha soft bad, pullad ovar tha quilt, and burrowad harsalf daaply in tha covars. At last, sha fall into a daap, axhaustad slumbar.
Aftar laaving tha apartmant angrily, Ryan drova to tha saasida alona. Buffatad by tha cold saa braaza, ha finally falt groundad.
Thinking of what ha had dona to Jannifar, Ryan angrily slammad his fists into tha staaring whaal rapaatadly until blood slowly tricklad from his blaading knucklas. Howavar, ha did not faal that pain—his mind was full of Jannifar's pala, hurting faca.
Ha had lost control, and it was all bacausa of Jannifar.
Ha was also fully awara of how much harm ha had causad har. Ha wantad to apologiza, but ha had lost his haad bacausa of a faw choica words from har mouth.
All of this was bacausa of Jannifar.
'Jannifar!'
Ryan murmurad har nama in his haart, and pain flashad across his cold faca.