But seeing her, Mason was reminded of Harper sitting in the car, applying medicine under a dim light.
Harper’s profile was visible, with half of her shoulder exposed to the air. In the hazy, indistinct light, her cheeks and chin were flushed, her back was thin and bony, and her skin, which should have been delicate, was crisscrossed with brown scars.
This Harper was beautiful, a mix of imperfection and tenderness, like a painting Mason had once bought. Harper had commented that the woman in the painting was beautiful but empty; she didn’t want to be a mere ornament for others to admire.
Yet, she had become exactly like the woman in the painting–a fragile beauty, as if she would shatter at the slightest touch.
She was far better than Isabella’s deliberate flattery.
Mason restrained the nausea in his stomach. “Get out, and don’t make me say it again.”
“Sure, I’ll leave.” Isabella smoothed her hair, leaning against the bar. “After I leave, I’ll tell everyone that you and Harper are still involved. In the middle of the night, you two were seen together alone.”
Mason took off his suit jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and walked over slowly. As he grabbed Isabella, all the warmth drained from her face, and her breath was tightly constricted. That strong hand seemed to be squeezing the life out of
her.
A demonic whisper sounded in her ear. “If you want to die, I can grant you that wish. No need for such trouble.”
He was Mason, the only legitimate heir of the Brooks family, holding great power and having seen bloodshed. Faced with threats, the most straightforward solution was to cut off the source.
Isabella pleaded for mercy, slapping at Mason’s hand and sobbing like a worm in his grasp. If he crushed her, he would consider it a waste of his hands.
With a sudden jerk, she was thrown to the ground.
Isabella coughed violently on the floor, but still sneered, “Did you do the same to Harper when she was kidnapped? Poor her, devoted to you, abandoned by her brother and lover when she was kidnapped. She barely survived, only to be treated as a criminal. When she came to you that day, did you strangle her like this?”
When she was kidnapped, the kidnappers demanded a choice between two people. Both Mason and Ethan had chosen Olivia, abandoning Harper.
No one knew what it felt like to be locked in a dark room, hearing her closest loved ones abandon her, feeling utterly hopeless.
Mason splashed a glass of red wine from the bar onto Isabella’s face. “If you don’t want to die, get out!”
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Isabella was intimidated, picked up her nightgown from the floor, and fled in panic.
Adjusting his tie, Mason was agitated. He took another glass of red wine and drank it down, recalling the situation that day. When faced with the dilemma of choosing between two people, he had considered Ethan as his brother and would have chosen Harper.
Ethan had thought the same, which led to the unintended consequences.
One glass of wine didn’t alleviate his irritation; instead, it felt like a fireball burning inside him, making his blood boil. Mason unbuttoned his collar, took deep breaths, but the heat didn’t subside at all; it only grew worse.
The doorbell turned into a buzzing sound in his ears, pounding against his eardrums.
As soon as the door opened, a wave of intense heat hit him in the face. Harper stood outside, not entering, and asked tentatively, “Ms. Turner said you were looking for me.”
It was her voice.
Suddenly, his hand was grabbed, and Harper was yanked inside, her back immediately colliding with the entrance wall. Her shoulders were tightly grasped, and after a dizzying moment, she saw Mason’s bloodshot eyes.
He was breathing heavily, yet struggling with himself. His pupils were deep, with a rim of red around his eyes, as if he were about to draw blood. He bent down, trying to kiss Harper’s neck while also shaking his head to stay awake.
As he held her, Mason’s hot lips brushed against her and whispered, “Who told you to come? Get out! Just get out!”
Harper really didn’t understand what was happening. Why had Mason become like this, and why had Isabella de- ceived her into coming here?
She was utterly confused, feeling as if her wrists would break.
Mason was tall and large, and when he lowered his head, he completely enveloped her. She cautiously asked, “What’s wrong with you?”
Before she could finish, he lowered his head, his hot breath touching her earlobe and hair. He pinched her chin, his hot lips pressing against her skin, leaving marks on her neck and lips. Her mouth was forced open, and Harper tasted the sweet and bitter flavor of red wine, suddenly realizing something.
She had taken that kind of drug before and knew how unbearable it was.
No wonder Mason was acting so recklessly, not caring who he was with. He just wanted to vent.
Taking advantage of his loosening grip, Harper dodged to the side. Mason, without support, slid down the wall and sat on the floor. He was parched, his face flushed with heat, his eyes unfocused, and his usually handsome face now looked haggard and desperate.
While he was weakened, Harper rushed into the bathroom and started filling the bathtub with cold water. This could- n’t go on; she couldn’t just leave. Mason would be in serious trouble if she did.
Cold water flowed into the bathtub.
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Harper helped Mason over. He was half–conscious and dazed. His unfocused eyes saw Harper’s disheveled hair and flushed face, but her eyes were cold and calm, like frost.
As he was put into the water, Mason instinctively grabbed Harper.
Half of her body sank into the water, her collar receiving a few kisses. She splashed around in the water, trying to es- cape, but water entered her mouth and nose, making her cough violently. Her chin was lifted, and her limbs were pinned against the slippery edge of the bathtub. Her clothes were soaked and became very thin.
Mason’s shirt clung to Harper’s skin, and the heat was transferred to her.
But she was rational. She knew she couldn’t; it was absolutely not allowed, but it was too late. Her collar had already been torn open, the buttons shattered, and the cold water and hot palms both landed on her skin.
