?


    "What''s wrong? I was just telling the truth. Did it hurt your pride? Well, there''s nothing I can do about that. I have no idea where you get the confidence to think I''d have any feelings for you.


    "Could it be that when you''re with those young girls, they''re pretending to tter you and butter you up just to fool you, an old man? You actually believe that you can make women fall for you easily? Tsk, tsk, tsk, how pitiful."


    "Shut up!" Geoffrey covered her mouth. "Sydney, don''t think I don''t know you''re deliberately provoking me! You''re clearly just being stubborn." He yanked the nket away, forcefully flipping her over on the bed, making her lie face down.


    Grabbing a fistful of her hair, he lifted her head and hissed into her ear, "Sydney, I''ll make sure you know the price of being stubborn. Don''t even think about leaving tonight!"


    His rage consumed him, like a wild beast ravaging its prey. Yet deep inside, his pride had been severely wounded. It was precisely because of this that he had gone mad.


    Sydney clutched the pillow,ughing bitterly, her heart filled with a deep sorrow. She wanted to cry, but no tears came. She had lived for half a lifetime and gone through so much. What was there left to cry about? All she could do wasugh.


    Geoffrey, true to his word, made her pay the price. He was like a madman, determined to break her spirit.


    He gripped her neck, forcing her to submit. He yanked her hair, coercing her into begging for mercy and admitting she was wrong.


    But each time, Sydney taunted him, "You''re no match for Wesley."


    The more she did this, the more enraged Geoffrey became. It wasn''t until nightfall that the torment finally ceased.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    The phone by the bedside had rung several times, but Geoffrey acted as if he hadn''t heard it.


    It wasn''t until Geoffrey himself was utterly exhausted that he stopped.


    He grabbed Sydney''s face and turned her toward him, a smug smile ying on his lips. "You stubborn woman. No matter how hard you pretend, your body can''t lie."


    Sydney remained motionless, too drained even to open her eyes, let alone mock him.


    Geoffrey picked up his phone and nced at the caller ID. It was Yvonne calling.


    Noticing that Sydney was already asleep, he answered the phone. "Hello?"


    "Dad, what''s going on? I called you so many times. Why didn''t you pick up?"


    Geoffrey wiped the sweat from


    and sat on the edge


    bed. I was busy. Didn''t have time."


    "Dad, are you okay? You sound out of breath. Are you feeling unwell?"


    "No, I feel great." Geoffrey was quite satisfied.


    "Yvonne, do you need something?" He was in a good mood.


    "Dad, let''s have dinner together tonight."


    "Tonight?"


    "Yes," Yvonne replied, "It''s been a while since we had dinner together."


    Geoffrey nced at the woman


    sleeping next to him and said, "I''met


    bght. Let''s do it another


    swnow


    "But I''m almost there."


    "What?" Geoffrey frowned. "You''re almost here?"


    "Yes, I''ll be there in two minutes. I even bought your favorite roast duck."


    Geoffrey was rendered speechless.


    "Dad, what''s wrong? Why aren''t you saying anything?" Yvonne asked.


    "I''m fine. Since you''re almost here,e on in. It''s true, we haven''t h


    dinner together in a while," Gerad


    muttered.


    "Alright, I''ll be there soon." Yvonne hung up.


    Geoffrey ced his phone aside and gently kissed Sydney on the face, whispering, "Get some rest."


    He got out of bed and walked toward the bathroom, his steps a bit unsteady.