Bride of Retribution: Aloof Billionaire's Dominant Game

”Atlas, do you think Annie will never be able to get married?” This is what worries her the most. Physical scars can be healed, but what about those on the soul?

The long scar on her wrist is like a terrifying cut across her heart.

That scar is in a place only she can see, and when those photos are scattered at Annie’s feet, when the man she thought she could spend her life with sees them too, she might never have the courage to step into marriage again, so what will happen then?

Charlotte couldn’t bear this kind of suffering, almost as if she felt it herself.

”She’ll be okay.” Girls who lack love are often stronger than others.

Charlotte took the bag and went into the bathroom to change.

Atlas had arranged for a high-class hospital room; the entire suite came with a table, sofa, and bathroom, making it clean and comfortable, almost as if they weren’t even in a hospital. There was even a vase with yellow roses placed on a small cabinet by the hospital bed, radiantly out of place in such a gloomy atmosphere.

”Go to Rich Diner and have the chef make a couple of pastries, and then have someone send them over.” Charlotte was determined to stay here because Annie didn’t have many relatives, so her staying was understandable.

In this situation, she had no appetite, but going without food for too long would be too much for the body. Having some pastries on hand would at least give her something to eat when she felt unwell.

Daniel Parker handed the car keys to Atlas and then turned to walk out of the ward. The outside world hadn’t been peaceful lately, yet the boss still had to devote a fair amount of attention to a woman, leaving him no choice but to tighten up and be more careful in his work.

After changing clothes, she felt more comfortable since the bloodstains on her clothes earlier were truly oppressive.

”I still have things to do today. I’ve left two men outside for you, and I’ve already arranged things with the hospital. You need to rest as well.” Atlas glanced at the sofa, which was enough for her small frame to sleep for a while.

Ever since she saw Annie soaked in bloody water, Charlotte had felt a chill all over her body. Yet, at that moment, Atlas’s concern was like a warm current, transmitting through his grasp of her hands, spreading throughout her body.

Time flickered by, imprinting his image in her eyes. After crying for too long, everything seemed blurry, but at that moment, only Atlas’s eyes were clear.

People often describe attractive eyebrows as being like a gentle breeze and eyes as bright as the moon, but Atlas’s were not like that.

His eyes weren’t like the bright moon but were deep seas full of unknown emotions, yet where his gaze fell, it brought warmth and security. Years ago, Atlas’s eyes weren’t like this; they were like ancient glaciers, distant and cold.

Atlas truly couldn’t stay any longer. He wanted to be there, but some matters couldn’t be delayed. He gently caressed Charlotte’s face, lingering for less than two seconds, and then turned to leave.

Charlotte lay by Annie’s hospital bed, and once everyone had left, the large bed seemed even emptier.

What does it feel like to be so tired and yet unable to sleep?

She watched Annie transition from a deep sleep to waking up, from the scorching sun of the afternoon to the starry night...

”Charlotte, I’m sorry for the trouble...” was Annie’s first weak and feeble words upon waking up.

Charlotte poured a cup of warm water, helped Annie sit up halfway, handed her the water, and then said, ”Next time, if you do it again, I won’t save you. You know how much trouble it causes.”

Only a truly close friend would dare to say something like that. Annie knew that Charlotte hadn’t distanced herself.

The faint smile at the corners of her mouth was heart-wrenching to see, and Annie whispered, ”I won’t do it again.”

Someone who has been dead once but didn’t succeed at it is unlikely to want to die a second time.

It really hurt when she cut down.

”As long as you know.” Charlotte looked at Annie’s deathly pale face and sighed deeply. Some things she had to say since this was about Annie and Joseph Shaw, but it didn’t seem appropriate to bring it up now.

Charlotte had always been puzzled about why Joseph Shaw had suddenly called to ask her to break into Annie’s room. Could there really be telepathy in this world?

Annie saw Charlotte’s reddened eyes, and she couldn’t stop her own tears from falling as she choked, saying, ”Charlotte, it seems I really can’t be happy, but I’ve never done anything bad in this life, except knowing he was engaged and still tangled with him for eight years. I’m truly shameless, whether I was forced or not, I’m a moral destroyer, so this is my retribution...”

”Stop saying that nonsense. If there’s retribution, it should be on Joseph Shaw.” Charlotte put down the cup and pressed a button to raise the hospital bed a bit, making Annie more comfortable lying down.

”You know, he’s really handsome. I was nineteen when I met him, right? Still had some unrealistic fantasies in my head that now seem ridiculous.” Annie had never talked about this to anyone, burying it so deeply in her heart that it rotted away, affecting all her emotions and finally leading her to cut her own wrist.

”Where’s the humor? When I met Atlas, I kept saying I had no chance to refuse. But maybe there was a chance; I just subconsciously didn’t want to refuse. I couldn’t decide to die because I knew of Mia’s existence, so Annie, this isn’t funny.” Charlotte propped her chin, sitting at Annie’s bedside, trying to untangle Annie’s heart.

One can imagine a man like Joseph Shaw, a young, rich, handsome playboy who’s hard for girls to resist.

Annie closed her eyes. If she had a child, she definitely wouldn’t want to end her life, but she didn’t have a child or family. In this city, she had nothing left except a small apartment on the property title and some savings in the bank, and that was it.

These are cold things. Although money can give a sense of security, apart from that, she really didn’t want to go home alone, suffer from insomnia alone, and bid goodnight to dawn alone. It’s too painful.

Looking at Annie’s gloomy expression, Charlotte felt terribly upset. She couldn’t bear Annie’s feeling of being on the verge of giving up on herself, yet some paths must be walked alone.

————————————————Cutting Line————————————————

The hotel suite had evidently become Atlas’s office.

Originally, the presidential suite came with an office, decent enough for some discussions, certainly less formal than in the Hallow Clan, where meetings involved dozens of senior executives.

The guy who walked in either secreted too much oil or shaved his head deliberately. When he took off his hat, it revealed a head shiny like a light bulb, with a sinister scar running from the corner of his eye to his jaw. Seeing Atlas, he gave a slight bow and respectfully called out, ”Young Master Hallow...”

”Walyon, last time we met was in Las Vegas, wasn’t it? Must be six years by now?” Atlas looked at Walyon, his brows slightly furrowed. Him coming in person meant the matter was surely complex.

”More than that. This is the seventh year, Young Master Hallow. I came myself because I have something I can’t handle. The money flooding into Hallow Clan’s stocks all came from the underground banks in Las Vegas, and you know I can’t get involved in that place. Every line has its rules.” Walyon ran his hand over his bare head, giving a somewhat embarrassed smile.

”I understand.” Atlas nodded, getting Walyon’s point. Those like him who lingered in the gray areas tended to follow rules better than most, for it was these very rules that allowed them to survive safely in their world.

Felix cut the brake line that killed his father, thinking he had done it undetected. But does he think he’s a fool?

Meanwhile, his mother is like a living corpse lying in the ICU, tubes all over her body, practically akin to being dead.

After dealing with Felix, he will personally remove his mother’s tubes, setting her at ease on her final journey.

Doctors said she couldn’t survive; yet though her life is hanging by a thread, it seems like she’s just clinging on, waiting to see the tragic end of her husband’s killer?

His mother was a narrow-minded woman, held grudges all her life, likely waiting for Felix to go first. Or once Felix is gone, maybe she wouldn’t even need those tubes pulled and would pass peacefully herself.

”If you’re going to Las Vegas, I can introduce you to a friend. He still has some influence there,” Walyon said, noting Atlas’s inscrutable eyes. The calmer they seemed, the bigger the storm brewing behind them.