"Are you stupid or are you faking you don't know?" Nate sneered. "why were you druggedlast night? Your fiancé must have known about it. Didn't you know what was going tohappen when he took you to see Daniel Berry? lf l hadn't suggested you come to my clubdo you think you would be able to escape again?
"Don't be ridiculous.l trust Vincent." Katie retorted.
"Ha-ha. You trust him?" Nate said in disdain. "if he really loves you, he won't use you as baitand for numerous times. He even drugs you to make you sleep with other men for thesake of his so-called business cooperation proposals. What's more, he's f*****g DanielBerry's daughter anyway. Do you really not know?
Daniel's daughter?! "Enough. This is nonsense. l don't believe you. l thought someone likeyou with fame and power would know how to respect others.
"Didn't he just leave you here so that you can sleep with me in exchange for a chance of cooperation?" Nate sneered
"Enough, Mr. Anderson. Stop this nonsense." Katie couldn't take it anymore and wanted toleave.
Just then, Katie's phone rang. The screen showed the name of Katie's neighbor, Mary. ltgave her a worrying feeling and her heart beat faster. "Hello, Mary" She answered thephone.
"Katie, your mother just had a heart attack and has been taken to St. Rose Hospital!" Marysaid worriedly.
Nate heard the voice coming from the phone clearly, and just at that moment, a car slowlydrove over. lt was Eddy who came for Nate. Nate opened the door for Katie, suggestingthat Katie get in the car.
She hesitated a bit, but she was too worried about her mother to reject help now. "Thanks,Mr. Anderson and Mr. Morgan."
"No problem. You are mine anyway. l shall at least help a bit." Nate replied indifferently.
"I'm not yours," Katie said clearly.
"You have agreed and that's why l helped you last night. Keep your word, Katie Lawrence.
Nate spoke a bit sternly.
As he was actually doing her a favor now, Katie bit her lips and restrained her anger andfrustration. She remained silent.
On the way to the hospital, Nate was abnormally quiet and left Katie alone. Katie kept hereyes fixed on the traffic, praying to get to her mother as soon as possible. She was tearfuand terribly worried.
The doctor had just come out of the emergency room when they arrived. "Dr. Smith, how'smy mother?" Katie ran towards the doctor and asked worriedly.
"She's safe now, but it's getting worse, Katie. it's been too long. She needs coronarybypass surgery soon. lf she has another heart attack, l don't think she will be as lucky asthis time." Dr. Smith sighed.
Tears ran down Katie's cheeks. She wiped them away and tried to speak calmly. "Thanksto Dr. Smith.l will sort out the money as soon as l can."
Dr. Smith nodded and left. The chief nurse reminded, "Katie, please remember to pay fortoday's bills.
"| will, thanks." Katie nodded.
Katie went to the cashier to pay but was told that there wasn't enough money in her bankcard.
"| will need time to borrow some. Can l pay tomorrow please?" Katie pleaded
"We are not a charity organization." The cashier replied coldly
She tried to call Vincent, but it just wouldn't go through. Helplessly, she rang her friendLuna Davis.
"Hey, Katie," Luna spoke, sounding a bit upset.
Katie knew that Luna wasn't well off either and her family was all greedy and stingy,especially her mother-in-law, so she tried not to ask Luna for help. However, she didn'thave a choice this time
Katie hesitated before she said, "Luna, l know it's not easy for you, but my mum's in thehospital again and l really need money. l don't have anyone else to ask for help..."
"How much do you need?" Luna asked without hesitation.
"About one thousand dollars.
"Ok. Give me a minute."
What Katie heard next from the other end of the line was Mrs. Jones shouting angrily,"What?! My son has married a useless dumbass. You can't even look after your ownparents and younger brother and now you are helping a friend?! A friend?! Do you think lown a charitable foundation or something, huh?!"
Katie couldn't take it anymore. "lt's alright. l will think of another way, Mrs. Jones, pleasedon't treat Luna like that. Take care, Luna." She hung up.
"Katie? Hello?'
Not long after Katie hung up the phone, she received a notification message from the banksaying that Luna had transferred five hundred dollars to her account. it's probably all herpersonal savings.
A sudden flash of lightning lit up the sky and angry thunder followed. Katie looked up tosee the thick heavy clouds above. A storm was brewing.
She checked on her mother and hurried outside the hospital afterward to hail a taxi andheaded to Vincent's. She wondered why he was not answering his phone.
The rain was pouring down when she arrived. As Katie got out of the taxi, another carpulled over behind her. She turned around to see Vincent holding an umbrella, about toopen the door for someone in the car. But he paused as he spotted Katie
"Hey Katie, what are you doing here?" He asked, sounding a bit displeased.
"i've been calling you, but you didn't answer.." Katie replied and looked at his car. shenoticed a woman sitting in the front seat. "Who is she?
Vincent looked away and answered, "No one. She's...
The woman opened the door and stepped out of the car. Vincent hurried to her with theumbrella immediately. "i'm Beth Berry, Vincent's girlfriend, Daniel Berry's daughter." Thewoman in a tight red dress spoke proudly.
"Girlfriend?" Katie stared at Vincent in disbelief, "Vincent! What about me? What am l toyou?!"
Vincent looked at Katie coldly, "Well, l guess that's it for us. Beth is my girlfriend now andmy parents and grandma all love her. You know your mum is a huge burden and whoknows how much more money it will cost. My grandma doesn't really want me to marryyou anyway and l don't want to upset her."
Recalling what Nate said to her while listening to Vincent's ridiculous explanation, Katiecouldn't help finding it bitterly amusing. She mocked herself. So everything that NateAnderson said is true. He's been dating Daniel's daughter and i've been a fool! And he isprobably the one that drugged me, using me to please Daniel!
Angrily, Katie lifted her hand and was about to slap Vincent on his face, but Vincentgripped her wrist instantly. "Be sensible, Katie! We are grown-ups. Also, i've spent a lot ofmoney on your mother in the past years. Now, please leave, in peace.
"You've spent a lot of money?! Vincent, you bastard! Before my dad passed away, howmuch help have we given you?! l even gave you the 500 thousand dollars that my dad leftfor me for the company, which would never have grown so successful without thatmoney!" Katie retorted.
"l have looked after you and your mother for a few years. Come on, Katie, let's not start thismeaningless argument and end up embarrassing yourself." Vincent said impatiently.
Katie tried her best and lifted up her chest, took a deep breath, and despite the immensepain and shame she was feeling, she said, "Vincent, can you lend me fifty thousanddollars? My mum has just had another heart attack and l can't even pay for tonight'ssurgery. Dr. Smith says she needs cardiac bypass surgery soon, or..."
As Vincent had been paying for Katie's mother's treatment in the past years, so Katie hadnever asked for a salary while working for the Williams' Fortune Construction Company.
Also, Katie thought that they were engaged anyway and what she was earning was forboth of them.
Beth sneered and mocked, "Aren't you ashamed, Katie Lawrence? Vincent has dumped youand you are still asking him for money."