Chapter 36

He strode toward me with a displeased look on his face. "Scarlett, is this how you were brought up?"

I raised my head when he grabbed my wrist, my eyes colliding with his icy ones. As we stared at each other, a humorless smile abruptly stretched across my lips. "You're talking to me about upbringing?

Ashton Fuller, what exactly is your version of a good upbringing? Taking care of another woman in front of your own wife and completely disregarding her feelings? Is that it?"

Ignoring the grim expression on his face, I sneered. "Do you mean to say that Rebecca is a cultured person? She brazenly covets another woman's husband and has no qualms being a homewrecker.

Just how were you brought up that made you have such different views about a good upbringing compared to me?"

"Scarlett!" His hand on my wrist tightened. The veins on his forehead bulged out as he forced his next words through gritted teeth. "You should feel lucky that I don't hit women."

I huffed out a laugh, enduring the bone-crushing pain on my wrist as I looked at him. "How kind of you, Mr. Fuller. But can you do me a favor and let go of me? Grabbing a woman's wrist so hard is no different than hitting a woman."

Ashton was so angry that he looked like he might pop a vein any second now. Fortunately, he flung my hand away. "Don't act like you know Rebecca.

You're not worthy of judging her!" His voice was harsh. He swiveled around, emanating an impossibly cold aura. 

I'm not worthy? His words struck a nerve in me. All my pent-up anger and frustration poured out of me in raging torrents.

I stormed toward him and yanked his arm, cracking a smile that didn't reach my eyes.

"Yes, you're right. I'm not worthy. In terms of hypocrisy, indeed, I can't compare to Rebecca.

In fact, how could I ever compare to the bunch of you since playing on other people's feelings isn't my forte?

As if that isn't revolting enough, you lot just can't help yourselves from spreading your filth to others."

Having said that, I ignored the anger radiating off him and went back into the restaurant. Rebecca and Joe were still sitting at the same table.

Upon seeing me return, Rebecca plastered a fake smile on her face and called out to me in a pretentious tone, "Scarlett…"

Slicing her a look that could kill, I poured all the food and soup I had ordered onto her head, all trace of restraint in me already gone.

Without waiting for her to react, I said, "I don't know how you turned out to be such a vicious attention-seeker who loves bullying others while playing the victim, or how you became a b*tch who loves stealing things that clearly don't belong to you, but let me tell you something, hmm?

Karma is a b*tch, and all your evil deeds will come back and bite you in the a** someday."

"Since you like second-hand goods so much, I'll grant your wish. To tell you the truth, yes, I have feelings for Ashton.

But honestly speaking, when it comes to his wandering eye, I feel sick just thinking about it. In fact, it's loathsome.

So please, spend more time with him, or god forbid he starts sleeping around. Disgusting!"

"Scarlett!" An angry voice resounded from the restaurant's entrance.

I didn't spare him a glance. So what if he's angry? I was a saint compared to them and their backstabbing ways.

After saying my piece, I pivoted on my heels and walked out. As I brushed past Ashton's shoulder at the door, my elbow was grasped tightly by him.

My temper got the best of me and I lowered my head to bite him hard.

Initially, I thought that he would let go, but he scooped me up without warning and roughly threw me into the car before starting the engine.

He drove recklessly throughout the whole journey, causing nausea to wash over me once again due to the bumpy ride.

Luckily, the car stopped not to long afterward. Before I could whoop with joyful relief, I was hauled out of the car and carried into the villa.

Ashton was livid as he briskly brought me into the bedroom.

Bang! The sound of the door slamming reverberated throughout the entire villa.

"Let me go! Ashton Fuller, you're such a sorry excuse of a man!" Trepidation swelled in me and I spoke in an unbridled manner.

He sneered and wrapped his hand around my throat to keep me quiet, glowering at me with a hint of violence in his eyes. "A sorry excuse of a man? My wandering eye? I'm disgusting?"

The strength of his grip increased and his pupils constricted while he growled menacingly, "You really surprised me, Scarlett."

His hand around my neck cut off my airway, causing me to suffocate. I kicked him hard several times, because even though I couldn't speak, I wasn't going to back down without a fight.

Remaining stubborn to the end was better than surrendering myself to his torture.

We locked gazes, starting each other down.

After some time, I could barely breathe, causing my brain to be in an oxygen deficit. A wave of dizziness crashed into me. He wants to strangle me to death!

Shortly after, he loosened his grip. As soon as I was free, he leaned over and sealed my lips with his, making it hard for me to draw in some much-needed air.

Unable to move an inch, I was so angry my chest heaved violently. After he pulled back, I snapped at him, "Bullying a woman. That's the only thing you're good at?"

He curled his lips just as his gaze turned ravenous.

Panic rose in me when I saw the brutal and hostile glint in his eyes. "You can't do this to me, Ashton!"

My voice trembled when I spoke.

He caged me in and kissed me wildly.

My brows scrunched together from his biting kiss and I grew flustered. "You will regret this, Ashton!"

He momentarily paused in his actions and uttered in a low and hoarse voice, "Be a good girl. I'll be gentler."

B*stard!

I broke down all of a sudden, all the accumulated grievances and heartache bursting out of me like water from a broken dam.