03

I would do the only thing I could to get back at Mason: give someone else what I never gave him. I had a plausible purpose. After three years of trying, and failing, to be loved by Mason, at least being desired by another man was enough.

I navigated through the crowd. The lighting was dim, and I could barely make out the drunken bodies around me. I knew I did not have much courage, so I approached the bar and ordered a few shots.

The bartender looked at me with curiosity, after all, the people who frequented that place weren't very shy. I seemed like a little mouse, huddled and looking around with wide eyes at everything.

"On the house, sweetheart," the bartender smiled kindly at me.

I downed the liquid without caring about the burning sensation in my throat. I needed to be quick and get back home before Eleonor noticed my absence, after all, I had snuck out in the middle of the night.

When the music became tolerable, the shame faded, and my head felt lighter, I knew I was ready.

After the second drink, my body grew warmer, and I took off my coat. My attire consisted of only a thin blouse and jeans, unlike all the other women in the nightclub, who were practically naked.

I continued to look around, frightened, so the bartender leaned in over the counter. "Looking for someone?" he asked.

"N-no... not exactly," I stammered.

"Look, I've been working here for 2 years, and there's only one type of woman who frequents this brothel," he shouted over the music.

"What type?" I became curious.

Of course, I did not want to be mistaken for a hooker.

"The type looking for sex," he smiled as my cheeks turned red. "And there's no need to be ashamed of it. You're in the right place," he leaned in closer. "See, we have some male prostitutes here too."

I fell silent. I could hardly believe I was resorting to a brothel to lose my virginity.

What had all my education and class amounted to?

"Thank you for the drink," I said, stepping away from the bar.

I had abandoned the revenge plan. I simply couldn't picture myself... sleeping with a stranger just to level the playing field with Mason. My heart was saddened, but my morals remained strong.

But before I could move away, a tall, strong figure brushed past me. I was already feeling a bit woozy and couldn't see the man's face, but his scent caught my attention.

It was a strong aroma, overpowering all the other scents in the club.

I stood near the bar, staring at the man and trying to discern his features. But the drink had already taken its toll, and my vision was blurry. The only things I could make out were the man's dark hair, black clothing, and strong build.

"I'm about to head out, Peter," he spoke to the bartender, his voice barely audible over the din.

The bartender nodded in acknowledgment.

As the man took a step away from the bar, I reached out and grabbed his arm. I was somewhat tipsy, so I staggered, but I held on firmly. I never drank, and I wasn't accustomed to two shots of tequila in a row.

"You..." I began, my words slurring slightly as I struggled to focus.

"Pardon?" The man turned to face me, his eyes catching the faint glimmer of the bar lights.

"Do you work here?" I inquired.

It was a brothel. Most of the men and women there sold their bodies. This man had to be a prostitute.

"Something of the sort," he replied cryptically.

"I need your services," I blurted out. "I... I want you to spend the night with me."

**

I dragged my sore body as I walked slowly back home. I had gotten out of the taxi two blocks away and taken a short walk to the mansion, so as not to raise suspicions.

The man at the brothel wasn't satisfied with just doing it once. We had tried a few more times, and by the time we finished, it was almost dawn. The prostitute had fallen asleep, and I left some bills for him.

At least the revenge was accomplished: I was no longer entirely devoted to Mason. I was just as unfaithful and dirty as he was.

As soon as I opened the front door, I saw Eleonor stomping towards me. "Oh, you still know how to come back? You are the daughter-in-law of the Donovan family, and yet you went out all night. Tell me, where did you go?"

I was tired, so I ignored her.

Eleonor grabbed my clothes. "How daring of you to act so rudely to me? Did you forget how your family begged our Mason to marry you?"

I snorted coldly and pushed Eleonor away. "They begged you, not me, so you should go and look for them!"

Eleonor accidentally pulled my collar, revealing the marks on my neck. "You!" Eleonor's eyes widened, her voice laced with a mixture of shock and fury. The words tumbled out of her mouth, carrying an unmistakable sense of betrayal. "Arabella Collins, how dare you cheat behind my son's back?! I trusted you, welcomed you into our family, and this is how you repay us? I am going to teach you a lesson you will never forget."

My heart raced, my body trembling with a potent mix of fear and rage.

Eleonor's face contorted with anger, every line etched with disappointment and rage. In that moment, her piercing gaze seemed to strip away my defenses. "Are you going to tell me or not?"

"I do not know!" I looked at Eleonor viciously and felt triumphant at the taste of sweet revenge.

The air crackled with tension, each passing second amplifying the weight of the situation.

As the silence lingered, my eyes met Eleonor's gaze with a glimmer of revenge.

"You do not want to tell me?"

Slap!

Eleonor's hand descended upon my face. Of course, it wasn't the first time I had been hit, but it was the first time I had truly done something. I deserved it.

The pain made me curl up, and I smiled wryly. "Your son can drink and have fun outside, but I can't even find a lover? He does not have any self-control or respect for his wife, that is why I cheated on him!"

Eleonor was so angry that she staggered backwards. "Do you still believe you hold any semblance of authority as the eldest daughter of the Collins family?" she sneered, her voice dripping with contempt. "Your family's luck has long since run dry." With a derisive scoff, she continued, "If it weren't for Mason's pity towards you, you'd be scraping the gutters for sustenance." Her eyes narrowed with disdain. "How dare you?"

"How dare I?" I laughed bitterly. "My family wasn't the only one to benefit from this marriage." I stepped back and walked towards the stairs. "So screw you, screw your son, and screw this marriage!"

Eleonor's voice rose to a venomous crescendo. "Today, I will ensure you learn a brutal lesson!"

As I cautiously ascended the staircase, Eleonor sprang into action, her fingers curling tightly around the delicate porcelain vase perched on the nearby table.

With a primal fury in her eyes, Eleonor charged towards me.

In the fraction of a second, I turned, my eyes widening in alarm as I caught a glimpse of the lethal weapon hurtling towards me. There was no time to evade as the vase crashed against my skull with a deafening shatter, splintering into a shower of gleaming shards.

Pain exploded through my senses, a blinding agony that momentarily stole my breath.

Bang!

Bang!

I crumpled to the ground, my body tumbling and rolling down the staircase, before succumbing to unconsciousness.

"Now you know your place," Eleonor said, watching my faint form sprawled on the ground.