CHAPTER 71—

As Zheme drove, he couldn't help but look back at the hiccuping girl, her eyes were downcast, hands clasped in her lap. She looked pitiful, sad, scared and it was all because of him, because of what he did to her.

Back then while doing it, he felt no regret, but now since his actions induced such fear within her, he was lost in an ocean of lamentation.

He shouldn't have broken his promise, he shouldn't have slapped her, instead he should have found another way to protect her, should've known that standing up to his father was the only way out. But because of his incompetence, she couldn't even look him in the eye and that fact tore through his heart.

Sighing, his fingers wrapped tighter around the steering wheel, eyes straying from her vulnerable form as he grumbled out a subdued... "Lexie..."

Lexie's eyes darted up, lips trembling as another sob broke through. "Y-yes."

"Why did you have to do it? Couldn't you have been a bit more patient