Chapter 3 Hitting Her Back

Allison's firm words caught Nolan off guard and sent a sudden shock through him.

But soon after, a thought followed. Allison had loved him for eight years. She had spoken harshly to him before, yet she never truly walked away from him. She wouldn't be able to do something like that.

Besides, the divorce itself meant little. To him, it was nothing more than a formality. Their relationship would remain the same.

"Be reasonable," Nolan said in a softer tone. "I'm exhausted today. Just try to be a little bit more understanding."

His hand moved to her hair, lightly ruffling it. "Sign the agreement and get some sleep. I won't be coming back tonight."

The anger that had been burning inside Allison suddenly disappeared.

She brushed his hand away without hesitation, then picked up the pen Nolan had prepared for her. Silently, she signed the divorce papers.

Nolan preferred this version of her. When she stopped crying and arguing, everything felt easier. Relief escaped him in a long breath, though a faint sense of unease appeared in his chest.

He disliked that feeling. To brush it aside, he handed Allison a bank card. "Take this. The password is your birthday."

"A reward for me?" Allison replied with a cold laugh. She took the card and threw it straight into the trash. "Since there's no money on it, don't bother using it to insult me."

Nolan grabbed her wrist, his expression turning stern. "What are you talking about?"

Allison pulled her hand away with force. Pain shot through her wrist, but she ignored it.

"Go ask your mother," she said. "Whenever a card passes through her hands, the balance somehow turns to zero. Isn't that impressive?"

After saying that, she turned and walked toward the guest room without hesitation.

Her body had only just gone through surgery. It could not take any more strain. What she needed now was rest.

Nolan watched her as she walked away. After a moment of silence, he gestured toward the butler. "Check the balance on this card."

Allison thought she would not be able to fall asleep tonight. But after Nolan left, exhaustion took over, and she soon fell into a deep sleep.

Maybe people only suffered when they feared losing something. Once that thing was already gone, there was only peace left.

Even so, Allison still felt as if something had been torn away from her heart, leaving behind a dull ache that she could not ignore.

At half past five the following morning, a knock sounded on the door.

"Allison, get up and prepare coffee for the President."

This was always the first task assigned to Nolan's secretary each day.

The voice called out three times, yet no reply came from inside the room. Impatient, the female supervisor of the presidential residence pushed the door open and walked in. She then strode to the bed and yanked the blanket away.

The early summer morning still carried a chill, and the thermostat in this guest room had been broken for a long time.

The moment the blanket was removed, Allison shuddered and sat up.

Fever burned through her body. Weakness pressed down on her, and she wanted nothing more than to lie back down to rest again.

She reached toward the thin blanket that had fallen to the floor. But before she could grab it, a wooden baton struck the back of her hand.

The residence supervisor always carried that baton to discipline the staff under her authority.

Yet during the two years Allison had lived here with Nolan, the baton had only ever been used on her.

Because the supervisor was someone planted here by Hollie, even though she knew Allison's identity, she constantly targeted her.

Over the years, Allison's hands had swollen more times than she could count. And Nolan had always ignored it. For his sake, she had endured it again and again.

"What are you staring at?" the supervisor snapped as she lifted the baton once more. "Working here is a privilege, yet you still dare to be lazy!"

Before the baton could fall again, Allison caught the woman's wrist. In one swift motion, she snatched the baton and swung it hard across the supervisor's back.

"Ah!" the supervisor screamed and stumbled toward the door, trying to leave the room.

Allison caught her by the hair, yanked her back, and brought the baton down again.

Before, this woman had taken pleasure in hitting her. Now, she would make her feel that same pain.

Allison meant to return every strike she had endured, yet the baton snapped in two under the force.

Only then did she let go of the supervisor. "Get out!"

The supervisor stumbled toward the door and rushed out. Several servants standing outside had watched the entire scene, and humiliation burned through her.

She kept cursing Allison in her mind. She reminded herself that when Hollie arrived, she would make Allison pay for everything.

After that outburst, Allison's fever seemed to become worse. She drank a full glass of water, wrapped the blanket around herself, and lay down again.

The next time she opened her eyes, several maids were dragging her toward the living room.

They brought her before Nolan. He sat on the sofa with a cold expression.

Hollie sat beside him, quietly crying. "When we were in school, Allison never liked me. I always tolerated it. I never expected her to beat Phyllis just because I was the one who let Phyllis have a job here. She even broke the baton while hitting her. Phyllis must be hurting so much."

Phyllis Gilbert, the supervisor, stood nearby with tears running down her face. "Mr. President, Ms. Pearson, this is all my fault," she said. "I failed to manage the staff here properly."

Seeing Hollie and Phyllis both crying made Nolan pull Hollie closer. "Don't cry," he said gently. "It's not good for the baby."

At the mention of the baby, Hollie's crying grew louder.

"I can't even protect Phyllis," she said through her tears. "How could I protect my baby? Maybe I should just end it all!"

She suddenly stood and reached toward the fruit knife lying on the table.

Alarm crossed Nolan's face at once. He immediately grabbed her hand and pulled her back into his arms. "Don't do anything rash. Calm down."

"Nolan, let go of me," Hollie said while holding him tightly around the waist. "Allison is watching. She'll get upset and cause trouble again."

While clinging to him, she lifted her tearful eyes toward Allison. A trace of triumph flashed within them.