The following day, Crystal crept from the sofa, fumbled for her clothes, staggered back to her room, and went directly into the bathroom. Once the door was closed behind her, she looked in the mirror and frowned. Crystal felt like crying. “Nobody cares about your suffering,” she told herself. “So, quit whining….”
Without bothering to undress, she climbed into the shower, curled up into a ball, and ran hot water over her trembling body. Eventually, the water began to cool, and she stripped off her clothes so that she could wash away the events of the night before. But, like a particularly bad smell - like that of a cigarette or a skunk’s spray - no amount of scrubbing could alleviate her mental trauma. She could not believe that she had allowed herself to be forced for money, and she hated herself for enjoying it.
The whole t
Nathan looked, first at Crystal and then at Helen. “Okay,” he said. “Before we start accusing anyone of insinuation, let’s have the doctor take a look. In the meantime, the guards will lock Miss Smith up and keep an eye on her.”Two strong men took hold of Crystal and escorted her out of the room without being told directly. She was led down the hall and pushed into the first room on the left. “We’ll be on the other side of the door,” one of the guards said, “so you may as well be good.”Crystal sat on the ground without saying anything, and as the door closed, she began to cry. Why does nothing ever work out right? - she wondered - And why does Helen have it out for me? I n
Crystal glared at Nathan. “If you hit him again,” she said, “I will shoot you!”“Do you know what you are doing?” Nathan asked. He tried to grab the gun from her, but she stepped backward - she didn’t shoot.Nor will she - thought Nathan as he stood up and stepped toward her.Crystal didn’t give him another warning. Instead, she lowered the gun, aimed at his left thigh, and fired. The sound of the blast was deafening, and everyone’s ears began to ring. The attack barely slowed Nathan, though. He stumbled backward a step, but once he recovered his balance, he resumed his approach.Crystal adjusted her aim and shot him in his right leg. This shot brought him to his knees.
After everything that Crystal had gone through with Nathan, it broke her heart to hear that Nancy, like her, had been so disempowered by a man. Crystal had found her salvation, though, and she thought maybe Nancy could too. She touched her new friend’s hand and said, “This doesn’t have to be the end. There is always room for hope.”“I don’t know about that,” Nancy admitted. “Most of the time, I don’t even know what I’m doing from day to day. Should I go back? Should I try to fight for custody of my son, or should I just leave well enough alone? I know that Paul will be a good Father to Clark, but the woman he is with is no good...”Crystal: “When was the last time you saw your son?”Nancy: “It’s been a while. I don’t know
Crystal adjusted the camera and took a picture. The camera made a clicking sound, and Nancy changed her pose. The water in the tub splashed up the side of the tub, exposing her breasts, and the camera captured the moment. “There we go.” Crystal laughed and said, “Just a few more, and then we’ll be done.”The luxurious bathtub was made of transparent crystal. Ceramics surrounded it, and the room was lit by candlelight. The effect created a plethora of shadows, with each one going in a different direction. It was very sexy. There was a light sheen on the water from the Foam Bath, and rose petals floated prettily between Nancy’s legs.Nancy had a champagne flute in her hand. She took a sip, and she flinched when she heard the camera click thrice more. She had been resistant to this nude photo shoot, but Crystal had reminded her
Nancy’s ire began to rise. She glared at Crystal and said, “That was Paul. Why did you hang up on him like that?”Crystal smiled and said, “This is part of the plan. We are going to build up some mystery around you and play a little game called Hard To-Get. So, please do not do anything without my say so. Do you understand?”A shark-like Cheshire grin appeared on Nancy’s face, and she said, “Oh, Crystal! You are so wicked. I love it. How did you get to be so smart?Crystal shrugged and said, “Maybe it’s Maybelline.” And both girls broke into a fit of giggles. They went into Nancy’s room together, and while she was dressing, Crystal noticed a mark on her arm that she hadn’t previously seen. She pointed to it and asked, “What happened?&rdquo
The higher Clark climbed, the closer to his Mother he felt.When Paul saw his son, he began to panic. “Don’t worry!” he shouted. “Daddy will get you down from there!”When Clark saw his Father, he was so afraid that he wet his pants. “Don’t come up here,” he cried. “You are all bad guys. Even you, Daddy!”Where is my Mommy? - Clark wondered. She had said she was on her way, but he had not seen her yet, and he was beginning to wonder if she would show.One of the servants shouted up to him: “Little master, don’t move! I am coming up!”When Clark heard that, he began to scramble up the tree as fast as he
Clark clung to his mother as she carried him to his Father’s car. He was terrified that someone would take him away and that his mom would leave without him. He nuzzled against her, and the smell of her perfume offered him some comfort, but not enough that he was able to stop crying.Paul climbed in behind the wheel. Crystal took the seat behind him, and Nancy sat with Clark beside her. Clark was afraid that his Father would send his Mother away, and he had insisted that they sit as far away from him as possible. Clark hadn’t even wanted to go to the hospital, but he had been injured while climbing down the tree, and his mother had insisted.As the car pulled out of the driveway, Nany glared at Paul’s image in the rearview mirror. When he looked up, he saw her stroking their son’s little face with her hands, and he returned her cold star
Nancy carried Clark into the dining room, and Crystal followed them. There was a high chair at the foot of the table for Clark. His mother sat to his left, and Crystal sat to his right.As Nancy dished food onto Clark’s plate, he smiled and said, “Thank you, Mommy. You are the best cook in the whole world.”“And you are the best son in the world.” Nancy smiled. She kissed him on the cheek and said, “Now, eat up quick before it gets cold.”Before Clark could begin to eat, though, Paul walked into the room. He approached the head of the table and sat down. The other three watched him carefully and a little impatiently.Now that he had joined them, they knew they could not eat until he started eating. That was one of his rules.
Crystal looked at Mrs. Bush in a trance.“Amos Davis is…”Eric stood up and pressed the wound with a swab of alcohol.“Is Amos Davis Nathan’s father?” Crystal asked again.“Yes.” Eric looked down at her. “Are you surprised?”“So you and Nathan...”“You have a good imagination. We are not related.”“What about the child?”“Isn’t it obvious? The child’s death was the main cause of her nervous breakdown.” Eric held out his injured hand and said, “Honey, aren’t yo
At night, Crystal woke up sweating from her nightmare.The servant somehow slipped down on the carpet and fell asleep by the door.Crystal opened her eyes in tears. It was dark and still. She looked down at the overlapping lights, her heart aching as if she had been sliced open by razor blades.She tiptoed out of bed and picked up the phone from the bedside table.She walked barefoot into the bathroom, sat on the toilet, and stared at the black screen for a while.A week before, she had lost control of herself and seemed to have unconsciously dialed the number she had branded at her fingertips.But there came a female voice without feeling:
Eric looked at Crystal in shock.“You can rest assured that these small cuts will not affect the child’s physical health. And it won’t affect your revenge on Nathan!” Crystal said happily, her jaw suddenly strangled.Eric clutched her jaw tightly. “I thought you were a strong woman, but you’re just so vulnerable.”“That’s right. I’m vulnerable. Didn’t you know that?”That was why Eric asked the servant to put the blades away.Just now, it was also the servant who heard that Crystal was looking for the blade, so she rushed to find Eric immediately.Looking at the sweat on his forehead, the way he was out of bre
Inside the villa, doctors came in and out. Luckily, Eric sent Crystal into his car, and he gave her warm measures in time and kept her cold feet warm.“Miss Smith and the baby are fine. But Miss Smith was cold and somewhat weak. As for her feet, it’s taboo to touch cold water in this weather,” replied the doctor. “You’d better help her now, help her to activate her blood lest she might fall off rheumatism when she is older.Eric had Crystal’s feet rubbed by himself with the best essential oil.Crystal fell asleep in a daze. Her tears never stopped, as though she had dreamt of something sad.Her dry lips moved, calling someone’s name.Eric got close enough to hear her.
Crystal seemed to see Nathan staring at her with an angry face in her bewilderment.Her heart was beating wildly across her chest. She broke down and wanted to reach out and let him take her away.Suddenly, she didn’t want to take care of anything. She was not as strong as she thought.She just wanted a man who loved her, and she loved. She wanted to be cared for, have a child, and live a simple life. But the next second, the figure turned into Eric.He held down the handrail of the wooden bridge and jumped into the lake.Splash! Splash!Several bodyguards also jumped down one after another.Eric quickly walked over to her, took
Vic came in from the outside and was quite surprised to see this scene.He had expected Nathan’s return to make up with Crystal.Crystal was thrown into the bathroom, and her body crashed against the cold porcelain wall.Nathan hadn’t given up yet, even though she had made it so clearly.He picked up a birdbath and jabbed it into her hand. “Pee.”Crystal held the basin. “Do you want to check, and then you give up and let me go?”“Now!”He tugged at her trousers.Crystal went out today wearing suspenders, and Nathan took off her coat and stripp
Crystal pulled away from his hand hard and turned to leave.He instantly retrieved her body, and she hit him hard on the chest.Nathan held her tightly, his last icy line collapsed.“Don’t go. Don’t leave me.” He said.This man, who had just been proud and arrogant, was momentarily weak again.Crystal was not feeling any better, and her heart was trembling.“I miss you so much. I’ve been thinking about you, Crystal, every minute of the day. My life was dull and sad. I function every day, but I’m dying inside,” His voice, with the hot air, blew in her ear.Crystal felt as
A man was sitting with his legs crossing on the dark blue leather sofa, silent and noble in the living room.Crystal stood at the door, only by seeing him at a glance did she want to run away. However, her feet were like a tree with deep roots, so steady and heavy that she could not move it a little.Every night, the man she saw in her dream was now sitting in front of her. The man put out the cigarette and said casually, “Miss Smith, here you are.”The voice was like thunder, which immediately woke Crystal up.She jerked around to leave…“Miss Smith, don’t you want your watch back?” Nathan’s cold voice sounded again.It’s him!
“More than 20 years?” Nancy didn’t understand. “That is to say, I’ve been waiting to meet you since I was born,” he gave Nancy a charming smile, “You’re in a cold sweat, am I so horrible?” Nancy shook her head, “No...” “I don’t want to be someone you’re afraid of,” he kissed on the back of Nancy’s hand, “I just want to be a big tree, to provide shade and shelter for you.” Nancy lowered her head in a panic, dared not look at him. That’s so unreal, and such dreamlike happiness would catch everyone unprepared, especially someone a boy crazy like Nancy. Marcos was like a noble prince; no woman could resist his charm and tenderness.