LOGIN"Who the fuck do you think you are? How dare you lay your hands on Jesse!" Gianna grabbed Florence by the collar and slammed her brutally to the ground.Florence staggered up in a drunken stumble, barely able to keep her balance. She sneered with utter contempt. "What's this? Do you really think you're some heroine? Don't make me laugh. Jesse belongs to me!"Before her words had even faded, Gianna landed a heavy punch squarely on her face.Florence cried out sharply. She covered her face, her body giving way as she collapsed again.Straddling her, Gianna unleashed a relentless flurry of punches. "You piece of shit! You monster! How dare you lay a finger on Jesse! I'm going to beat you to death!"With every word Gianna spoke, she landed another vicious punch. Florence was beaten black and blue, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.She struggled to fight back, but Gianna pinned her down firmly, completely overpowering her.I stood to the side, watching this shocking scene
"No, you really did come back."Jesse, I know it's you! I was an asshole before, and I'm sorry for how I treated you! Hit me, scream at me—I don't care, as long as it makes you feel better!"Florence's grip was painfully tight. I tried to shake her hand off, but she only tightened her hold."Florence, have you gone crazy? Let go of me!""Jesse, let's get married!"Her words were startling. "I'll divorce Gerard, that abusive prick! I'll do it right now!"Marry me, okay? Let's start over. I'll treat you well. I'll be good to you for the rest of my life!"I could hardly believe my own ears. What kind of delusional fantasy was she voicing out loud?Standing before me, her greasy hair was plastered to her forehead. Her under-eye bags were swollen like blisters, and her sallow face carried an unnatural flush.The old dress she wore was faded and washed out, with filthy black stains caked around the collar and cuffs. It gave off a rancid, nauseating odor.In her current state, did s
"Why don't you come with me to Mr. DeLove's office right now? Let's get this matter sorted out in front of him."As soon as the past was brought up, Emmett went completely silent.Just then, a tall, fair, and slender young woman stepped out of the dormitory. With two books in hand, she shyly held them out toward me."Jesse, I've got a couple of high school math and physics textbooks here."You can borrow them if you need them. There's no need to rush. Just return them when you're done using them."Her cheeks were flushed, and her gaze kept drifting away. She appeared somewhat timid and reserved.I looked at her, then at the books in my hands. A ripple of warmth rose in my heart."Thanks, Gianna." I accepted the books and said earnestly, "I'll copy them down and return them to you as soon as possible.""It's nothing, really." Gianna Manning waved her hand, growing even more embarrassed.Seeing this scene unfold, Emmett's eyes blazed with fury. "Gianna!" he bellowed. "You're not
This time around, I hoped Florence wouldn't regret her choices.Despite her reluctance, she ultimately signed the marriage papers with Gerard. Her face was stormy and livid the entire time.Living at Jane's house was now entirely out of the question for them. After all, her aunts had already taken it over.At the same time, the students in the dormitory saw the couple as a jinx and refused to let them move back in.In the end, Gerard and Florence had no choice but to stay in a broken-down shack at the edge of town—the very place once used to confine political outcasts.It was a damp, gloomy place—freezing like an ice cellar in winter and swarming with mosquitoes in summer.On my daily commute to and from work, I would pass by that shack. I never stopped, though I would occasionally hear faint sounds coming from within."Tell me the truth! Who does that baby belong to? Were you trying to trick me into fucking raising another man's child?"Gerard's voice was thick with rage, his
In my past life, Florence had supported herself through the convenience store I had established. It made her one of the few people in town with a reliable source of income.The townspeople used to greet her with smiles, each one eager to curry favor with her. She had never experienced anything like this before—being spat on and humiliated in front of everyone.I stood at the back of the crowd, a cold, mocking smile curling on my lips.Did Florence really believe that all her past glory was due to her own merit?Amid the chaos and jeering insults, Greg's deep voice cut through the noise. "Everybody, shut up!"His eyes drifted across the floor, taking in the disheveled Florence and Gerard. He then turned toward the furious townspeople surrounding them. At the sight, his brow knitted into a deep frown."What is this behavior? All of you, disperse at once!" he barked sternly.Bernice, however, wasn't about to back down. The moment she opened her mouth to argue, Steve DeLove, an offi
Greg's expression darkened even further. He spun around, his glare cutting through Florence like a blade."You shameless woman!" he roared. Snatching a broom from behind the door, he charged forward and swung it at her.The broom landed heavily, and Florence cried out in pain. Even then, she didn't dare fight back.Meanwhile, Gerard remained huddled beneath the covers. He was too frightened to move a muscle.As he struck Florence, Greg roared, "You damn city slickers! This town treated you like royalty, and this is how you repay us? You're nothing but ungrateful animals!"A few outspoken women pushed their way through the crowd and shrieked, "Let's get a look at the sleazebag who's been fooling around with these city girls!"With that, they seized a corner of the blanket and yanked it hard. There lay Gerard, completely naked.The entire scene sank into stunned silence, only to erupt moments later into an even louder chorus of gasps and shouts."Gerard Vertes?""What the hell i
When I saw Florence Chastain again—even from a distance—my body started trembling with fear. I instinctively dug my nails into my palms, the sharp sting forcing back the scream rising in my throat.Emmett McKinney grabbed my arm, panic sharpening his voice. "Jesse, are you out of your mind? You're
Emmett slipped into the crowd, a triumphant smile on his face. I followed along, but inside, I remained strangely calm. If this were my grand performance, how could it unfold without its lead actor?All along the way, the townspeople swarmed around Emmett, firing questions at him from every side. W
Emmett grabbed me. His voice was sharp and urgent, with an unmistakable hint of panic. "Hey! Jesse! Where are you going?"His expression wavered for a moment, but he quickly forced a smile. "Are you really just going to hand Florence over to Gerard? Don't just say things out of anger. I can tell Fl
Greg's arrival brought an immediate hush over the rowdy crowd. Frowning, his gaze swept across the onlookers before finally coming to rest on my parents. "What on earth is going on here?"Seeing this, Emmett quickly stepped forward, his voice laced with excitement. "Mr. Jenkins, this is bad! Jesse







