Chapter 19 Chapter 19. Forcing Zoria to Apologize to Faye
"Did you just call me trash?" Zephyr demanded, tightening his grip on Zoria’s wrist until it felt as though her bones might shatter. Zoria clenched her teeth and drew in a sharp breath.
"Zephyr, let go, you are hurting me!"
Of course Zephyr did not release her. Instead, he squeezed her wrist even harder, making cold sweat bead on Zoria’s forehead from the pain.
"So you still know what pain feels like? Do you even realize that if you had injured Faye just a little more, you could have blinded her?"
At first, Zephyr had harbored doubts about whether Zoria had really hurt Faye, but those doubts vanished when he took Faye to the hospital. The doctor said her wound was deep, and any worse would have cost her her sight.
Faye would never risk her own life simply to slander Zoria. That truth was something Zephyr could not bring himself to accept.
"Is loving a worthless wolf like you any different from being blind?"
Just as she herself had been blind for five years, and that blindness had made her love Zephyr.
When Faye heard these words from Zoria, fury flashed in her eyes. "Zoria, how can you say such a thing? I do not blame you for hurting me, insulting me, or nearly blinding me, because I believe I wronged you. You may resent me, but you should not slander me, and you should never insult Zephyr. Zephyr is protecting you right now, and you ought to be grateful to him."
Faye spoke with a wounded expression, as if she were some heroine fighting for justice. Zoria felt an overwhelming surge of anger, her fists clenching and her eyes burning red as she glared at Faye. If Zephyr had not been holding her back, Zoria would have already torn that false mask off Faye’s face.
"Faye, put away your deceitful face! If your eyes have gone blind, it is because you deserve it!"
"Zoria, shut your mouth!" Zephyr roared in anger, his gaze sharp as a blade, his face flushed with fury.
"Apologize to her!"
"Why should I apologize?" Zoria protested. She had done nothing wrong, why should she apologize to Faye?
"Because right now you are my slave."
Zoria froze, raising her eyes to ask, "And if I refuse to apologize to her?"
"Zoria, do not test my patience. If you will not apologize of your own accord, I will command the servants to force you to kneel all night to atone!" Zephyr spoke with a vicious expression.
Zephyr was not one to speak idly. If he said such words, he would carry them out. Zoria clenched the pouch of medicine in her hand so tightly that blue veins rose across the back of her hand.
In the past, Zoria might have endured kneeling all night on the ground rather than apologize, but now things were different, for within her grew a fragile life that was growing each day.
Zoria felt as though a thousand tiny blades pierced her heart. Her pride was being torn apart piece by piece by Zephyr. She looked at him. He was still her mate, yet in her eyes he was no different from an enemy.
The pain in her left arm no longer mattered, for the ache in her heart was far worse. Zoria turned to Faye, swallowed her grievance, bowed her head, and spoke in a hoarse voice, "I am sorry, it was all my fault."
Seeing Zoria bow before him, Zephyr suddenly felt hollow inside. This was what he wanted, yet why did it feel so unpleasant? So Zoria could yield this easily after all.
If Zoria knew what Zephyr was thinking at this moment, she would have burst into laughter. Zoria had always been proud, yet when facing Zephyr she had always been the one to yield. And now he felt disappointed seeing her bow her head and apologize to Faye. It was truly laughable!
She lifted her gaze to Zephyr with empty eyes. "Can you let go of my hand now?"
Zoria tried to pull her hand back but could not. Seeing that Zephyr had no intention of releasing her, the corner of her lips curved into a bitter smile. "Do you want me to thank Faye as well?"
"There is no need." Zephyr replied coldly, his tone utterly devoid of warmth. "I ordered you to stay in the room and wait for me, yet you went to the hospital without permission. How do you intend to explain that?"
"What do you want me to do?" Zoria sneered, the corners of her lips curling as she stared at Zephyr. "I listened to you when I agreed to move out of this room, apologize to Faye, and become your slave. Yet you are still not satisfied? What more do you want? Do you want to hit me again?"
Every wound on her body had been inflicted by Zephyr. From the large scar on her forehead, hidden beneath her bangs, to the small scratches on her face, all were left by Zephyr’s hand.
Back when Zoria had still been the mayor’s daughter, with such a noble status, even if Zephyr disliked her, he had not dared to strike her and could only torment her in bed. Now that Zoria no longer held that position, Zephyr no longer restrained himself and freely hit her, slapping her whenever he was displeased.
Their eyes locked onto each other, the atmosphere gradually thickening with tension.
Faye gave a triumphant, provocative smile. She stepped forward and stood right beside Zephyr. Pretending to plead on Zoria’s behalf, Faye said, "Zephyr, let it go, Zoria did not mean to disobey you. This time she went out without your permission, but she will not do it again in the future. Besides, she has already apologized to me."
Faye’s words, unintentionally, only added fuel to the fire, making Zephyr even more enraged.
"Do not beg for her! One time means there will be a second time, so she must pay the price for what she has done."
As soon as he finished speaking, Zephyr gripped Zoria’s hand tightly and dragged her forcefully out of the bedroom. Caught off guard, Zoria was nearly thrown to the ground.