Chapter 4

That evening, Lauren sat in her cramped maid's quarters, writing a letter.

She'd gone through her phone and found the list she'd compiled years ago of the business partners she'd secretly approached on Yale's behalf. There were also bank records showing the money she'd transferred to Zachary to cover his medical expenses after she'd gotten down on her knees to apologize to him, along with statements detailing Yvonne's spending abroad using Lauren's credit card.

Lauren had never been good at expressing herself. Her therapist had once suggested that she try putting her feelings into writing.

So she wrote everything down. All the things she'd done for Yale over the years, the experiences that had shaped her childhood, her difficulty expressing emotions, and the truth about how her father had threatened Yale's safety to force her into breaking up with him.

By the time she finished, tears had fallen onto the page, blurring her signature.

Just then, the call bell rang. Yale was summoning her.

Lauren's former bedroom now belonged to Yvonne.

When Lauren went to answer it, Yale was leaning against the doorframe, his shirt hanging loosely from his body and a bright red lipstick mark staining the corner of his mouth.

His brow furrowed at the sight of her. "What the hell have you been doing? I've been calling you for ages."

He moved to look at the things on her desk, but Lauren quickly stepped in front of him. She hadn't finished organizing everything, and it was too soon to show him. Without enough evidence, Yale would never believe her.

Her guarded reaction only irritated him further, and his voice turned cold.

"Lauren, go to the convenience store and get a box of condoms. Hurry up. Vonnie and I need them."

The last trace of color drained from Lauren's face. Inside her pocket, her fingers tightened around the letter until the paper crumpled.

"Yale, do you really have to do this?"

He gave a cold laugh. "You think you're in any position to refuse? Think about your father."

Outside, the wind howled through the bitterly cold night. Beneath the streetlights, Lauren's slender figure looked painfully small and alone.

Yale was particular about everything, right down to the brand, scent, type, and size of the condoms he used. Unfortunately, none of the nearby convenience stores carried exactly what he wanted.

Lauren had to travel a considerable distance before finally finding the right kind late that night.

The streets were deserted when a few thugs spotted her, their eyes lighting up.

"Well, look at this! What a gorgeous woman!"

"Out here in the middle of the night with a box of condoms? Can't be much of a lady, can she?"

"Exactly. If she's looking for a good time anyway, she might as well come with us."

Back at the mansion, Yale stood by the window, staring toward the front gate. He glanced at his watch, a slight twitch disturbing his otherwise stern expression. Without realizing it, he'd crushed the cigarette between his fingers.

Meanwhile, Lauren fought desperately against the men surrounding her, but no matter how hard she struggled, their filthy hands kept groping her.

There had been a time when Yale would stubbornly wait outside the bar whenever she went out partying. He'd worried about her having to make her way home alone late at night.

Yet now, he was the one who'd sent her out on an errand in the middle of the night.

Then again, what else could she expect? A woman wandering the streets at this hour, carrying a box of condoms. Was it any wonder she'd attracted men like these?

Lauren stumbled and fell. Her fingers closed around a sharp rock, and she was just about to use it, determined to take at least one of the men down with her even if it cost her life, when a tall, imposing figure suddenly appeared.

Rage radiated from the man, his handsome, forbidding face filled with murderous fury.

The thugs fled in terror, leaving Lauren pale and weak with exhaustion. It took her a long moment to collect herself and realize that the man who had come to her rescue was none other than Yale Sutton.