Chapter 5 He's My Brother-In-Law

Why was Robert here?

Surprised, I instinctively stepped back to put some distance between us.

Janice seemed a bit jealous. "Are you familiar with her? You've been looking at her for a while!"

"I'm unfamiliar with her," Robert quickly replied, his eyes flicking over me then looking away.

Did he feel embarrassed to admit he knew me?

I pressed my lips together, trying to hold back my feelings of hurt.

Just then, Maren came over, placing the blame on me. "Robert, sorry about the commotion. This is my cousin's daughter. She's been raised in the countryside and is quite untamed. I barely said anything to her, and she started causing trouble. No one would want to marry someone like that."

I glanced at her and curled my lip in disdain.

It didn't bother me that she was denying our mother-daughter connection. But the moment she tried to put me down to uplift her favored eldest daughter, she was clearly picking a fight with the wrong person.

I felt my anger rise. "You just suggested a good family for me earlier, and now you're telling me no one would want me?"

"But you didn't like that guy, right?" Janice seemed at a loss on how to handle me. She clung to Robert's arm and softly said, "You know so many people, do any of them happen to be single? Maybe you could introduce a few to her at our engagement party. It would be a nice gesture from you, as her soon-to-be brother-in-law, to show you care."

Hearing "engagement party" and "brother-in-law" made me heartbroken.

I turned to Robert in disbelief, hoping he would contradict her.

Instead, he just smiled, gently tucked Janice's hair behind her ear, and said affectionately, "If that's what you want. I just want you to be happy."

His voice kept replaying in my head, so soft, yet not directed at me.

Tears welled up in my eyes, and when I snapped out of it, I noticed Janice smirking at me from Robert's embrace.

Her smug look made it clear she had known all along!

She knew about my past with Robert, which was why she had invited me here, eager to set me up with someone else and flaunt her engagement.

Feeling manipulated and not ready to back down, I stepped closer to Robert and said in a low voice, "You left in such a rush the other night and forgot something at my place. Make sure you come by to pick it up when you get a chance."

His eyes suddenly turned cold, serving as a clear warning.

Yet, I was too upset to care. I turned on my heel and left the Spencer family's mansion behind.

Little did anyone know that beneath my show of strength, my heart was pierced by two sharp pains, one named bitterness and the other sorrow.

I wandered back to my place, mind foggy, with beer from the grocery store, and locked myself in my room.

By 2 a.m., after downing several bottles, the doorbell echoed through the silence.

Struggling to stand, I staggered to answer the door. Seeing who it was made me snap to my senses a bit. Annoyed, I tried to shut the door, only for it to be stopped by a firm hand.

The hand, with sleeves rolled up, showcased well-defined muscles.

"Sarah Wheeler, you do realize this is my place," he said, his tone laced with mockery. It was annoying but true.

After all, this was Robert's villa. I didn't have the right to lock him out.

Ignoring his presence, I headed for the bedroom, but he caught my wrist, and suddenly, I was backed up against the wall.

"Do you think this is acceptable behavior for a mistress?" he asked, his eyes cold and judgmental.

Even in such an intimate encounter, I detected the scent of another woman's perfume on him.

The memories of everything that unfolded at the Spencer family's residence fueled my anger, and I pushed him away forcefully, saying, "Don't you know me at all? If you're seeking someone submissive, go find Janice! You two are just made for each other, a pair of scoundrels!"

Irritated by my provocation, Robert's patience ran out. My words only fueled his anger, and in response, he pushed me away, asking, "Tired of throwing fits yet?"

His push sent me tumbling to the floor, my back slamming against the bookshelf without anything to cushion the fall.

It was painful.

The agony was so sharp I found it hard to get back on my feet, yet I refused to let myself cry or shout.

To me, showing tears in front of someone who caused me pain felt cowardly. Besides, I doubted anyone would bother to comfort me even if I did.

He barely acknowledged my situation, looking down at me with disdain. "You were paid for sex. If you can't grasp that and insist on behaving like this, there's no point in continuing this. We're done," he declared, and without another word, he left, not bothering to shut the door behind him.

It was only then I noticed it was raining, seeing the light drizzle outside.

Fighting through the pain that seemed to rip through me, I managed to pull myself up using the wall for support. But before I could even catch my breath, I felt a warm trickle down below.

Looking down, panic set in...