Chapter 18 Forced by Helplessness
A police officer was asking questions while another took notes. They finished quickly.
The officer said, "Miss Bruce, we've caught the guy. Anything else you need from us?"
She gave a faint smile. "No, just follow the legal procedures." All she wanted now was to hide away, to be found by no one.
She was terrified of those photos, the person who took them, and Jack.
The photo of Emily and Jack unsettled her. She even began to suspect that the incident at the crosswalk was orchestrated by that person.
It seemed like someone wanted her and Jack to get back together.
Yes, the three-month contract was almost up, just a few days left.
She had been too hasty, unable to bear Jack, so she left.
She thought that person wouldn't notice or come after her, but as soon as she left Jack's apartment, all this happened.
She hadn't had a chance to open her laptop yet; she had to wait until everyone was gone.
The police left after taking her statement.
A nurse had just finished changing her IV and was about to leave when Alison quickly called out, "Nurse, I want to be discharged. It's inconvenient for me to handle the paperwork right now. Can you help me? Also, can you check how much my hospital bill is?" She needed to see if she had enough money.
The nurse said, "Miss Bruce, your wounds haven't healed yet. It's not suitable for you to be discharged."
"No, I must leave. Please help me with the paperwork," she said urgently, not wanting to deal with the police any longer.
The nurse hesitated but eventually agreed.
Half an hour later, the nurse returned. "Miss Bruce, your hospital bill is a total of one thousand three hundred fifty-five Canadian dollars. You paid a deposit of ten thousand, so you have over eight thousand left. Are you sure you want to be discharged?"
Oh my God, how was the deposit so much? "Nurse, who paid the deposit?"
The nurse's eyes flickered with a hint of disdain. "Miss Bruce, Mr. Winston paid your deposit. Aren't you his girlfriend?"
"What? Jack paid the deposit?"
"Yes, when you were brought in last night, Mr. Winston arrived immediately."
No wonder he was asleep by her bedside when she woke up. He had stayed with her all night.
Seeing Alison in a daze, the nurse asked again, "Miss Bruce, do you really want to be discharged?"
"Yes, right now." Alison glanced at the IV; the fluid was almost finished. She would leave as soon as it was done.
"Alright, I'll handle the paperwork for you. Miss Bruce, don't move around too much, or your wounds might reopen, making it harder to heal."
Alison nodded, listening to the nurse's footsteps fade away. She closed her eyes to rest for a moment; she was utterly exhausted.
But whether her eyes were open or closed, her mind was filled with thoughts of Jack paying her hospital deposit.
It truly surprised her.
After the IV finished, Alison anxiously opened her laptop while waiting for the nurse to complete the discharge paperwork.
The startup sound made her heart race, and she had a feeling there would be an email this time.
Sure enough, she opened her inbox with trembling hands, and a new email popped up immediately.
The email read: "Alison, the three months aren't up yet. Do you want the photos to be exposed? Get back to Jack immediately and stay until the three months are over!"
Alison stared blankly at those two lines, unable to understand why that person only wanted her to stay with Jack, with no other apparent motive.
She couldn't believe it was that simple. Believing it would make her a fool.
But no matter how hard she thought, she couldn't figure out that person's true intentions.
The most humiliating part now was that she had to go back to Jack, back to his apartment.
It was so frustrating.
Jack's "Get out" still echoed in her ears.
She had left, but now she had to crawl back.
She was so angry she could grind her teeth, stomping her feet in frustration. But after thinking it over, she knew she had to go back.
She had endured this long; with just a few days left, giving up now would be a huge loss.
Clenching her teeth, her nails dug into her flesh. No matter how painful or difficult, she had to go back.
Those photos absolutely couldn't be exposed.
Just then, the nurse returned with the discharge paperwork. "Miss Bruce, here's the balance of your deposit and the receipt. The doctor prescribed some medication. Make sure to take it on time, or your wounds..."
Alison heard the nurse's sigh and just smiled faintly. She wasn't afraid of scars as long as the photos didn't get out. She would do anything.
Her body no longer belonged to her. Was there anything more humiliating than that?
She had over eight thousand dollars left, enough to last a while, but it was all Jack's money. She couldn't touch it.
She owed him over a thousand in medical bills, which she would repay someday.
She liked money, even loved it, but she never took what wasn't hers.
She wasn't that kind of person, just humbly trying to protect the photos.
Alison didn't know if Jack would continue to humiliate her when she returned. What if he kept bringing women home?
She had to endure it. Just a few more days. For those three months, she had to persevere.
Dragging her luggage, she used Jack's money to call a cab for the first time. In her condition, taking the bus might cause her chest wound to bleed.
Pale-faced, she got into the cab. The driver glanced at her a few times and asked, "Hey, you don't look well. Why not stay in the hospital a bit longer?"
The driver was so kind, like a family member.
She smiled at him. "I'm much better now. A few more days of rest at home, and I'll be fine."
The driver also advised her to rest more.
She thanked him and sat quietly, staring out the window.
She was going back. When she gave the apartment address, her heart raced.
She knew returning meant more humiliation and torment, but she had to endure it.
Dragging her luggage, she got into the elevator. Everything was so familiar.
She had lived in this apartment for almost three months, even the security guard seemed especially friendly.
The cactus at the end of the hallway was blooming beautifully.
Alison carefully squatted down, afraid of touching her chest wound.
She clumsily retrieved the key from under the flowerpot.
She was back without his permission.
Pushing open the door, the living room looked the same as yesterday, except the dining table was a mess. The plates and bowls she had set out were still there, but they were empty.
He had eaten the food she left.
What about that woman? The thought of her made Alison's heart ache.
She slowly cleaned up the dining table and walked to the bedroom, too tired to even change clothes.
Her chest hurt. Although the knife hadn't killed her, it had caused significant damage.
Her luggage was still by the door. She didn't have the strength to unpack. She would do it later when she felt better.
Maybe it was the IV from the morning, but as soon as Alison lay down, she fell asleep.
From afternoon to dusk, Alison remained in a daze, time slipping away quietly.
She vaguely heard the phone ringing in the living room but didn't want to move. It was probably the housekeeper calling to tell Jack she was coming to work. She remembered Jack saying the housekeeper would be back in a few days. Coincidentally, when she arrived, the housekeeper took a three-month leave.
She continued to sleep, feeling weak and cold, even under the covers.
After dark, the only sound in the apartment was her faint breathing.
She curled up, unsure if she was awake or asleep.
Suddenly, it seemed like the door opened.
Footsteps quietly approached the bedroom.
Was it Jack? Her heart pounded, her hand clutching her chest, feeling like it would burst out.
How should she face him?
"Thud!"
"Ah!"
A dull thud was followed by a woman's scream. "Jack, whose luggage is this? I tripped!"
The noise woke Alison up. Leah's last visit flashed through her mind.
Alison bit her lip, struggling to sit up, still feeling dizzy and cold. She was definitely running a fever.
But she knew she couldn't disturb Jack and that woman.
Otherwise, he would heartlessly kick her out again.
But she couldn't leave. She had to endure, stay by his side.