Chapter 4 Insult
"Is this the new face that Mr. Matt has brought in?" Another man came out of the bathroom, his gaze fixed on Charlotte. He looked at Charlotte's legs and pulled out a hundred dollars, trying to stuff it into her neckline.
Charlotte stepped back and said calmly, "I don't work here."
"Tsk, quite brave," he said with a light laugh, picking up a stack of bills and taking her hand, placing it in hers, "A tip for you, I've always been generous with beautiful women—ugh!"
With a "snap", the stack of money fell to the ground. Henry pushed the man away and grabbed her arm, dragging her outside with a hint of anger in his eyes.
Charlotte was his person, how dare anyone touch her!
"Where did you come from, do you know who my father is..."
"Mr. Pattinson, I suggest you don't bring up your father, you're just unlucky this time, but I will reimburse you for your medical expenses," David said, swinging a check and throwing it directly in the man's face. He couldn't imagine why Henry had rushed over so urgently, and it turned out to be because of Charlotte, this troublemaker.
David Burke? The young master of the Burke family! The man stepped back, hitting the corner of a table, the bottle in his hand clattering to the floor, reflecting his pale face. And the only person who could make David step in to clean up the mess was none other than the powerful Mr. Chan.
His pace was swift, and with Charlotte in high heels, being petite, she had to run to keep up with Henry's stride.
Breathless, she asked, "Henry, what are you doing?"
Henry composed himself, pushed her into his room, and slapped her face: "Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" He scrutinized her clothes from head to toe, his eyes filled with disdain, "Just for this little money, you've made yourself so miserable?"
Her face stung with the slap, her heart sinking even further. Was this what he always thought of her? Even though she had suffered enough in jail and hated him deeply, his words still managed to upset her. Why was that?
"Well, I am very poor now, so Mr. Chan, be generous and give me some money," she replied sarcastically.
Her eyes were downcast, looking at her once radiant self, now humbled before others. He should be pleased, yet he seemed infuriated instead.
"Fine!" Henry pushed her away, returning to his seat to watch her struggle to stand. The room fell silent, turning to look at this tyrant, knowing Charlotte wouldn't get out of this booth easily today. Even the burning incense on the table couldn't calm him down as he casually lit a bill on fire and threw it to the ground, glaring at Charlotte.
But Charlotte, pale-faced, stared at the drinks on the table. She had seen how he punished women who tried to get close to him. Now, these methods were being used on her.
Henry sat in his chair, his face cold: "When you finish this bottle, I'll give you a million."
The liquor he demanded was the strongest, not caring about the price, only the alcohol content, which was enough to knock several strong-drinking men to the ground.
"I won't drink it," she said, about to leave.
"Bang—" A bottle landed near her feet, shattering and cutting her thigh, blood flowing from the wound.
Charlotte trembled.
"Did I allow you to leave?" Henry sneered. "Aren't you very poor? Aren't you the kind of person who can deceive anything? Your mother is waiting for you in the hospital. Don't you want to cure her?"
Her mother, he was using her mother to blackmail her! Charlotte's eyes widened, as if she couldn't quite understand his motives.
A man beside him was holding an opened beer bottle, his hand resting on her shoulder, the other hand twisting off the cap and then pouring the contents over her head.
The beer cascaded down, blinding her, and a pungent smell of alcohol assaulted her senses, leaving a sour feeling in her heart.
With a strong push, she shoved the man against the wall.
Charlotte bowed her head, wiping the alcohol from her face, her complexion pale, her steps unsteady, her voice trembling: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I can't drink."
She could plead for her mother, but she had to protect the baby in her belly.
The others seemed intent on forcing her to drink, but eventually, Henry kicked the table, sending the bottles flying: "If you don't want to drink, then get lost!"
He frowned, knowing that Charlotte used to be able to hold her liquor, and was aware of her current financial difficulties. Yet she hadn't touched a single drop, and she didn't seem worried that he might harm her mother.
"Okay..." Charlotte nodded. With her head down, seemingly unaware of the gazes behind her, she quickly left the booth.
She touched her cheek, took a deep breath, grateful she hadn't drunk. She didn't know how much the alcohol could have harmed the child she carried, the child who had already suffered with her in jail.
After working for two weeks, she went to a hospital in Luo City and paid a deposit in advance.
She wore a maternal smile, a common enough expression in hospitals. Alone, she sat in the maternity department's chair, her face beaming with happiness.
"Number 314, Charlotte Dawson." Snapping back to reality, she walked into the consultation room.