Chapter 19
From Layla's Perspective:
Inside the room, it was extremely quiet. Matthew and William both had their eyes on me.
The difference was, one looked slightly worried, the other was filled with coldness.
Wrapped in an oversized men's jacket, I suppressed the urge to go crazy and walked trembling toward William.
Looking at this man I'd loved for ten years, all kinds of emotions rushed through me.
Shame, embarrassment, regret, hatred...
A burning tear rolled down from the corner of my eye. I took a deep breath and swallowed the bitterness and metallic taste in my throat.
"Layla, don't look at me like that! Am I wrong? Last time, it was also my brother who came to the house and let you go. This time, him again. How come I never knew my workaholic brother cared so much about your business, like he's got a radar on you or something, showing up anytime, anywhere." William sneered as he wiped the blood from his mouth, as if he'd already confirmed the truth, his eyes moving back and forth between Matthew and me with disgust.
I was shaking with anger, but my good upbringing kept me from cursing out this shameless man.
Seeing that I didn't speak and Matthew didn't deny it, William became even more arrogant.
He walked up to Matthew in a few steps and grabbed his collar hard. "I treated you like a brother, but behind my back, you got together with my wife. You make me sick! And you have the nerve to bring up Dad; you're the one who should be condemned!"
"Enough! William, the way you are right now really disgusts me!" My anger reached its peak. I shouted loudly, as if trying to release all the resentment and regret in my heart.
I don't curse, and I rarely hit people.
But today, looking at William's face that was just begging to be slapped, I raised my hand for the first time and hit him hard.
The deafening sound of the slap echoed through the room. Both brothers were clearly shocked by my action and didn't react for a moment.
I rubbed my numb palm and said coldly to William, "Not everyone is like you, with a dirty heart and dirty eyes!"
I took a deep breath, holding back my trembling anger, and said seriously, "William, these past few days have felt longer than our entire ten years together. Thank you for letting me see what you really are, what an ugly face you have. I want to divorce you. This is not up for discussion."
Seeing William about to refuse, I quickly cut him off. "If you don't agree, I'll file for divorce! We don't have kids, I don't want your money, and you cheated first. I believe this lawsuit will be simple."
At this moment, I seemed calm, but only I knew how angry I really was inside.
In fact, if I had a knife in my hand right now, I'd dare to use it on this bastard William.
I never imagined that my husband would one day try to rape me!
The pain in my body constantly reminded me of William's cruelty and violence just now. Whatever little feeling I had left for him finally disappeared.
Unlike my hatred and anger, William actually calmed down, looking guilty. "Layla, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it just now. You know me, I don't mean any harm, I just speak without thinking. I don't know what's wrong with me. When I think about you leaving me, I just can't control myself and want to keep you by my side."
"Layla, I really know I was wrong." William pitifully reached out to grab my sleeve, but I quickly dodged.
Just then, a sudden authoritative angry voice rang out in the room.
"William! What did I tell you yesterday! How dare you do something so inhuman! Come home right now!"
I frowned and looked toward the source of the voice, only to realize that Matthew had somehow started a video call with Quinton.
He pointed his phone camera at William, his expression cold.
"Dad, when... when did you start the video call with Matthew?" William, who had just been pressing me down like a thug, now looked pale as a sheet and stuttered.
"From when you started slandering your wife and your brother! William, you've disappointed me so much. I thought that at most you were just spoiled by your mother, a bit pampered, but had basic values. Now I see I shouldn't have let your mom raise you! Come home right now!"
"Matthew, you keep an eye on him. If he dares not come home, have the bodyguards tie him up and bring him back!"
"Okay, Dad." Matthew calmly hung up the video call and pointed William toward the door. "It's getting late. Are you going out yourself, or should I escort you out?"
"I choose neither." After saying this, William quickly ran into the elevator and pressed the close button.
Watching the elevator doors close, I frowned at Matthew, with a hint of resentment.
Now, everything related to the Brown family made me angry and irritated, and I wanted to stay far away.
"What are you doing? Let go of me!"
"Let me go, I'm not going back!"
Suddenly, William's shouts came from downstairs. I looked out the window and saw him being pushed into a van by several men in black, his head pressed down. In the blink of an eye, they disappeared into the night.
"Sorry, I didn't expect William to be so bold." Matthew beside me spoke in a low voice.
He was clearly polite, saying nice things, but I just felt inexplicably irritated and said unkindly, "Don't pretend to be nice in front of me. Is your whole family so good at pretending?"
"I know you're angry. I won't bother you anymore. If you need anything, contact me anytime. As long as it's something I can do, I'll do my best." Matthew frowned and sighed lightly, looking a bit hurt.
Walking to the door, he looked at me with complicated eyes, as if he had a thousand things to say.
But in the end, he just silently closed the door and left without saying anything.
As the room returned to quiet, I could no longer suppress the grievance in my heart. I collapsed on the floor and broke down crying.
The fear and suffocation of being pressed down by William, choked by the neck, clothes being torn, was still vivid in my mind. Fear and panic lingered in my heart.
No one knew that at that moment, I thought I was going to die.
If it weren't for Matthew's appearance, I would probably be covered in injuries by now.
But thinking about how he had the same blood as William, the same last name, I couldn't help but feel disgusted.
Even though I knew he was the only one in the Brown family who helped me.
As the sky gradually brightened, my phone suddenly rang urgently, pulling me back from my grief and anger.
Looking at the caller, it was Emily. I was surprised.
From what I knew of Emily, she wasn't someone who could get up at five in the morning. Something big must have happened.
I quickly wiped away the tears on my face and answered the call.
"Hello, Emily."
"Layla, something's wrong. Ethan is missing!"