Chapter 19: Betsy is Charmed!
"This…"
John had already suspected something was going on between Tristan and Betsy. But hearing Tristan speak so openly with that smug, perverted smile, hugging Betsy as if she were his already, confirmed his fear.
A strange discomfort gnawed at his chest. Though his feelings for Betsy had mostly faded, she was still his ex-wife. Seeing her in another man's arms stung his pride and stirred a bitter mix of jealousy and pain.
What disturbed him even more was Tristan's shamelessness.
He never imagined Tristan would be so brazen.
Even if he wanted Betsy, did he have to be so vulgar about it? Couldn't he at least pretend to be civil, soften his words, and make it easier for Betsy... and for him?
But no, Tristan had no such pretense.
Obviously, John had no idea how deep Tristan's sadistic tendencies ran. The man didn't care about their dignity or emotions. In fact, humiliating them was half the pleasure for him, fueling his twisted, sadistic desires.
But even if John understood Tristan's sick mind, what could he do?
Now that he had been cured of his cancer and had tasted life anew after a long stretch of despair, he cherished his existence more than ever.
Moreover, John knew—as surely as he knew anything—that if he refused to accept Tristan's third condition and refused to persuade Betsy to submit to him, Tristan wouldn't hesitate to kill him and take Betsy by force.
Running away wasn't an option either. Let alone Tristan's superhuman strength, even the gun strapped to his waist was not something John could handle at this moment.
'I have to convince her... If I don't, she'll suffer more. And maybe, just maybe, being with someone like Tristan wouldn't be the worst thing for her. Maybe she could find some form of happiness in it.'
The thought disgusted him, but it was the only way he could rationalize it.
Swallowing his pride and biting down his humiliation, John started convincing himself, bit by bit, that this might be the only way.
Betsy was already nervously watching him, waiting for his response, as he finally forced the words out.
"… Sigh… Betsy, you've already agreed to help Tristan. Don't go back on your word now. We are divorced. We don't owe each other anything anymore. I've moved on, and you should too."
He glanced at Tristan and gritted his teeth, forcing the lie to sound sincere.
"Tristan… He's a good man. You'll have a good future with him. Maybe even better than what we had."
Speaking up to this point, John quickly added, "Then, I'll take my leave if there's nothing else."
"Of course. You're a busy man. I won't keep you any longer. Go safely. I'll contact you tomorrow morning about the game."
Tristan also didn't stop him this time.
John still had some value left, and Tristan didn't want to sour their relationship, at least not yet.
On the other hand, as John saw Tristan really didn't intend to keep him here, he sighed in quiet relief.
With a curt "Thanks," he hurriedly left, almost as if running away.
Revenge? Retaliation? Sorry, John wasn't that naive.
While he was somewhat furious, John didn't entertain those thoughts.
On the contrary, as twisted as it was, a part of him remained grateful to Tristan. After all, this man had given him a second chance at life. What was his ex-wife compared to that?
In fact, John almost felt like he had gotten the better end of the deal.
He couldn't help but think that if those wealthy men on their deathbeds knew about the cure for cancer, they'd happily give up their wives and daughters.
Some might even steal other people's wives to buy a few more years.
People only truly grasp the value of life—its fragility—and realize how trivial their previous desires were when they're standing on death's doorstep. They lose the impulsive recklessness of youth.
Likewise, John had weathered countless storms and seen life from every angle.
His experiences had toughened him, sharpened his perspective. Now he could see things with clarity.
Betsy? In the grand scheme of things, she was nothing more than a chapter in his life—one he had finally chosen to close.
Meanwhile, back inside the house, Betsy was stunned, and her mind was bubbling with mixed emotions after hearing her ex-husband's parting words. He hadn't even spared her a second glance as he left, and Betsy felt extremely complicated.
She knew the relationship between them was long dead, and she understood that John's terminal cancer had made him somewhat of a psychopath, but she still never expected him to be this heartless.
However, despite her shock, she wasn't frustrated anymore. In such a situation, he had completely cut off their relationship, and a sense of burden had also fallen off her shoulders.
She had already made her peace with the situation, especially when she saw Tristan standing beside her. She knew what was coming and had no way to refuse, so instead of struggling and suffering, she chose to accept her fate.
Still, she didn't want to come off as a willing participant, a shameless bitch, so she put on an act. Feigning a headache, she clutched her head and let out a soft groan, as if somewhat confused.
"Ugh, my head. W-what happened? Why did John leave? I didn't catch what he said. Is he okay?"
But Tristan saw right through her little performance, and a smirk appeared on his lips.
"John is fine, but I've got a problem here! Madam, care to help me out?"
Tristan pointed at the bulge in his pants, his hard cock clearly pressing against the fabric. As Betsy's gaze followed his finger, barely processing the situation, he suddenly pulled her into an impulsive embrace and firmly pressed his body against hers.
"Woah!" she gasped, surprised by the sudden move.
Even though she had known that this guy was a little bold, actually seeing him behave like this left Betsy momentarily speechless.
She had already given him a hint by pretending to be confused and expecting, so shouldn't there be some playful coaxing and sweet talking after which there would be a little hesitation on her part, and eventually she'd give in to his bullying?
But this guy Tristan really didn't play according to the rules at all and directly attacked her. Betsy felt as though she didn't know where to vent her frustration or voice her complaints.
Directly jumping into action with someone she had just met was insane, making her feel as though she'd suddenly turned into some sort of slut.
However, she wasn't some young chick who hadn't seen the world. She had a strong mind.
So she quickly regained her composure, and as she tried to adapt to the situation, her mind couldn't help but drift to the miracle she had just witnessed earlier.
Despite her years of running a clinic, she had never encountered anything like what Tristan had shown her. Curing late-stage cancer with a potion? It was inconceivable.
Sure, there were experimental surgeries and new treatments, but nothing with a 100% success rate and no side effects. What she had seen defied medical understanding.
Thinking about it now and imagining the magnitude of its implications shook her, making it difficult for her to fully comprehend.
But one thing was clear: Tristan, the man responsible for this miracle, was no ordinary individual.
Once again, her eyes lingered on Tristan, this time filled with a newfound sense of awe and curiosity.
The earlier effects of the Essence of Earnest Grace, which had started to wear off due to Tristan's forced action of grabbing her boobs, surged back to life.
His display of strength, his philosophical words about life, and his treatment of John's cancer only magnified that effect.
In her eyes at the moment, he wasn't just a handsome young man anymore—he was someone deeply fascinating, mysterious, and powerful. The kind that deeply fascinated her.
There was something irresistibly alluring about him—a pull she couldn't ignore. And the more time she spent in his presence, the stronger that attraction became.
She felt no guilt or hesitation anymore—only a strange, rising anticipation. After all, the attention of a man like Tristan was exhilarating for a middle-aged woman like her, deprived of passion for years due to her impotent ex-husband.
It was like being the shy, overlooked kid suddenly noticed by the most attractive person in school.
Of course, Betsy wasn't unattractive by any means. She still had the charm of a mature MILF and a well-proportioned body with just the right curves.
It was just that after being alone for so long, she became uncertain and started to second-guess her own appeal.
Fortunately, Tristan's bold actions erased any of that hesitation. He saw her, wanted her, and in that moment, she felt alive again.
Besides, she could feel the hardness of his cock pressing against her, and the size of his penis made her gulp subconsciously. She was also a little wet during the caressing and couldn't help but whisper with some reluctance.
"Let's go to the room!"
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If you like the book, and also want read more chapters—ahead of public release, you can do so by joining me on Patreon and supporting me.
https://www.patreon.com/ProgressingDaily