Chapter 37
Chapter 37
Annabel replied coldly, “My mother doesn’t have any siblings.”
Sutton chuckled, unfazed. “Haha, quite the sense of humor, niece. Have you really forgotten your
uncle Sutton?”
His oily voice sent a shiver down her spine.
Annabel’s skin crawled, and her tone hardened. “Uncle, perhaps you have the wrong person. We have absolutely nothing to discuss.”
Sutton kept laughing. “Actually, I was in such a rush last time, I forgot to bring a gift. I wanted to treat you to dinner. Oh, by the way, your mother, Ms. Miller, will be joining us.”
Annabel tensed instantly. “You!”
He’d found Sophie’s address already.
The threat was blatant. Annabel had no choice but to agree.
Sutton seemed perfectly relaxed now. “Take your time thinking it over, niece.”
Annabel wasn’t wasting any time. “When and where?”
Sutton quickly gave her the location. The time was tonight.
Annabel went to her room and took a moment to compose herself before calling Mason. “Stay with my
Mason immediately sensed something was wrong in her voice. “Trouble?”
Annabel briefly explained the situation. Mason instantly said, “I’ll go with you!”
mom. I have something tonight.”
་་
“No,” Annabel refused, adding, “I can handle a creep like him. My main concern right now
is
my mom.”
Mason paused for a moment. “Alright, I’ll go stay with Sophie. But keep your location shared with me, understand? Don’t try to be a hero…”
After a few seconds of silence, he added, “Just remember, I’ve got your back, no matter what.”
Annabel felt a flicker of gratitude. “Thanks. I’m counting on you fof
my mom.”
After hanging up, she acted as if nothing was wrong, calm and unhurried, simply waiting for nightfall.
With two hours left before the meeting, Annabel changed into long sleeves and pants before heading out.
Lillian happened to be coming upstairs just as she was leaving. As they passed each other, Lillian said snidely, “Going out again, sister? Planning staying out all night again? Do you have any idea what people are saying about you?”
Annabel stopped, replying icily with four words, “None of your business?”
on
Lillian, startled by the coldness in Annabel’s eyes, froze for a second before her face flushed red. She snapped, “How is it none of my business? You’re ruining the White family’s reputation! As part of this family, I’m affected too! Dad’s been so upset he can barely sleep. Don’t you even care?”
Annabel looked amused. “Isn’t his dutiful daughter here to comfort him? I haven’t even accused you of being shameless and damaging my reputation and here you are blaming me?”
Lillian trembled with suppressed rage.
A strange glint appeared in her eyes as she bit down hard. “It seems you’re heading out, sister. Don’t let me make you late for your appointment.”
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Chapter 37
Sutton is way more dangerous than Beatrice, Lillian thought with grim satisfaction. ‘There’s no way that little bitch Annabel will get away th
Annabel sized Lillian up, then suddenly asked, “Want to come?”
Lillian quickly refused. “No, I need to stay home with Mom and Dad.”
Annabel gave her one last long look before turning and walking away.
She really didn’t have time to deal with Lillian’s nonsense.
Annabel arrived right on time.
The moment she pushed the door open, she was hit by a thick, choking cloud of smoke.
The private room was packed, mostly with men. The few women present were dressed provocatively, their restless eyes darting around the room.
“Well now, who brought the girl? She’s a looker!”
Laughter erupted. “Easy there, Gallagher! You’re old enough to be her dad. She looks like she might break if you handle her too rough.”
One comment led to another, and soon all the men in the room were leering at Annabel, their conversation turning crude and vulgar.
Annabel’s gaze swept coldly across the crowd, finally landing on Sutton Jared in a corner near the window. Instead of walking straight in, she raised her voice slightly. “Uncle, I’m here.”
Sutton acted as if he’d only just noticed her and got up from his seat.
Though the men stopped their verbal harassment, their eyes remained fixed on Annabel.
Sutton gestured for Annabel to enter. “Since you’re here, come on in. Have a drink with my friends.”
Annabel replied firmly, “I don’t drink.”
Sutton’s expression stiffened for a moment before he forced a smile. “No alcohol, fine. Have a soda then. These are all my friends, you should at least show your uncle some respect, right?”
Annabel glanced at the already open drinks on the table. “I don’t drink soda either.”
Sutton’s face darkened. “Annabel, are you here to join me for dinner, or to embarrass me?”
Annabel’s eyes flickered. Just then, a waiter approached. She picked up a teapot and a cup from his tray.
Pouring herself a cup, she addressed Sutton, “Actually, I ordered tea when I arrived. I’ll toast with this instead of alcohol. That should be acceptable, right, Uncle?”
Without waiting for his reply, she nodded curtly to the table and downed the tea.
She remained standing by the doorway, refusing to step further inside.
Sutton narrowed his eyes, surprised by Annabel’s caution. Noticing the waiter still lingering, he snapped irritably, “We don’t need anything else. Why are you still here?”
The waiter glanced at Annabel. “But this young lady asked me to wait, saying she might need something else.”
Sutton looked at Annabel, who offered a faint smile. The coldness in his eyes intensified.
‘This little brat came prepared,‘ he thought. ‘But she’s still just a naive kid, way out of her depth. Overestimating herself!”
Chapter 37
A smirk touched Sutton’s lips. “Annabel, there are a lot of gentlemen here. One cup of tea isn’t nearly enough.
Annabel frowned, but since she had prepared the tea herself and the waiter was still present, she managed a small laugh. Alright then, it contine toasting everyone.”
She poured another cup, then another, making her way around the room,
cup
by cup.
felt strange, increasingly wrong.
As she neared the end of the circle, she started feeling dizzy. Her breath grew hot, and her body
‘Impossible!‘
She hadn’t touched anything except the tea.
“Whoosh-“Someone nearby deliberately blew a thick cloud of smoke right in her face.
Caught off guard, Annabel choked and coughed, the heat inside her intensifying.
‘It’s the smoke!‘
They weren’t smoking regular cigarettes!
Annabel’s pupils constricted. She bit her tongue sharply to clear her head and faced Sutton. “Uncle, I’ve finished my toasts. I have other plans, so I won’t disturb you and your friends any longer.”
She turned to leave, but a hand clamped down on her arm, holding her fast. “Hey now, little lady. You came all this way. You can’t just leave without having some real fun with us, can you?”
Annabel felt awful; her vision was blurring, and she couldn’t break free.
She looked around for the waiter, desperate, but he was gone. Someone must have
sent him away. The door to the room was now shut tight.
at Sutton, who was now smirking openly.
“Sutton!” Annabel bit her tongue again, harder this time. Regaining a sliver of clarity, she glared fiercely
She shouted, “Grandfather is meeting me for dinner next door! Shouldn’t you go say hello?”
Hearing this, Sutton’s smile finally vanished.
But the bald man holding Annabel didn’t care. He was already worked up, high on whatever was in the smoke, and started pulling her towards him. “Don’t worry, beautiful. Uncle here is gonna teach you what it means to be a woman! No, not just me–all the guys here are going to have a real good time with you!”
Annabel didn’t speak, biting her lower lip hard, gathering whatever strength she had left.
She watched Sutton, waiting.
Waiting to see what choice he would make…
Sutton was indeed wary of upsetting Walter White. But as he stared at Annabel, a calculating glint suddenly flashed in his eyes. “You guys have your fur…
”
He stood up and headed for the door, adding as he left, “Just remember to keep it down a bit.”
Chapter 38
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.