Chapter 5

Nicola hung her head low, and tears silently streamed down her cheeks.

The figures standing in front of her soon left.

She waited quietly. Soon, she heard a flurry of footsteps approaching.

Soon, Lachlan's familiar, urgent voice reached her ears. "Nicola, I'm late!"

Lachlan rushed to her and quickly untied the ropes from her hands and feet.

Nicola pulled off the thing covering her face and discovered it was a pair of black pantyhose.

The white stain on them was both derisive and challenging to her.

She looked up at Lachlan.

He saw her red and swollen face and was a little guilty. He avoided her gaze and pulled her in his arms tightly. "I'm so sorry, Nicola. It's all my fault for being late and getting you hurt. It must be done by those rival companies. Don't worry. I won't let them get away with it. I will let those who hurt my wife pay the price."

His voice was filled with hatred, but Nicola only felt chill.

For the first time, she realized her husband, whom she had loved for so many years, was so good at acting.

The scent of Cassie's perfume on him made Nicola almost retch.

She broke free from Lachlan's embrace and asked calmly, "Would you really... make those who hurt me pay the price?"

Lachlan turned sharply to Nicola. He sensed an underlying meaning in her words.

He felt an inexplicable unease. "Of... of course."

Nicola smiled slowly, and her smile was tinged with coldness.

"Oh, Lachlan, don't you know that you will stutter when you're nervous and lying?" she said inwardly.

But it didn't matter. If she couldn't rely on him, she could rely on herself.

She would make those who hurt her pay the price.

Lachlan noticed something was off with her expression. He instinctively held her hand and swore, saying, "Nicola, I know you're still upset about Cassie and me, but trust me. Cassie was just a fling. Once I get tired of her, I'll send her away." You're my wife. I only love you. You're the most important to me."

Nicola once believed his words, but she had been slapped over twenty times by Cassie.

Lachlan claimed to love her, but he had just stood by and coldly watched as Cassie humiliated Nicola.

Lachlan carefully carried Nicola and drove her to the hospital.

Cassie had used considerable force to slap Nicola, and the former's sharp nails had left bloody marks on Nicola's face. Even her eardrum was injured and bled.

Nicola remained silent when the doctor examined and treated her.

Lachlan stayed with her closely. When the doctor mentioned her hearing might be affected, a flicker of regret crossed his eyes.

Nicola was then sent to a hospital room for observation.

She didn't want to see Lachlan, so she quietly lay on the hospital bed and closed her eyes to feign sleep.

Lachlan stayed in the room for a while until his phone rang.

He saw Nicola's eyes closed and hastily answered.

The room was quiet, and Nicola heard Cassie's playfully flirtatious voice through the phone. "Mr. Begum, where are you? My hand hurts, and I want you to be with me."

Lachlan chuckled softly, talked in a lower voice, and walked out. "I'm at the hospital. Come over."

He glanced at Nicola on the bed. After he confirmed that she was "asleep," he left the room.

As soon as the door closed, Nicola opened her eyes.

She got up and followed Lachlan.

Cassie had already been outside the hospital. After Lachlan allowed her to go to the hospital, she quickly found her way in.

Lachlan pulled her in his arms and took her to a quiet corridor in the inpatient section.

Cassie clung to him tightly and pouted playfully. "My hand hurts. Only a kiss can make it better."

Lachlan followed her words, kissed her palm, and then gently chided her. "You slapped her too hard. "You slapped her too hard. Her hearing almost got damaged."

Cassie snorted, "Are you feeling sorry for her? Are you going to slap me for her? I knew it. You don't truly love me."

Lachlan pinched her nose and said in a doting tone, "Don't play coy. I only played along with you to vent your anger. Nicola's still hospitalized. Don't you know who I truly care about?"

Cassie giggled, stood on tiptoe, and kissed his cheek. "You're the best, honey."

Her soft body brushed against his sensitive part, and he was turned on.

He gripped her waist and put her on the window ledge. He said in a husky voice, "But you hurt Nicola. As her husband, I can't let you off easily. Naturally, I have to punish you."

With that, he lowered his head and swallowed her surprised voice.

Soon, her seductive voice, mixed with the sound of having sex, echoed through the corridor. It was reminiscent of slaps echoing in the air.

Nicola stood at the stairwell corner and witnessed the absurd scene. She slowly pressed on her phone to stop recording.

She couldn't watch them any longer. She turned back to her room and vomited into a trash can until her stomach was empty.