"Escape? No way. This ce is probably crawling with Minton family members. Even if I wanted to, where could I go?"


    Sophie took a couple of steps forward and caught a glimpse of a ck car parked about a hundred meters away. Colby was there, and that made her feel a bit more at ease.


    Before they entered the venue, Odie followed the old Minton family tradition and ced a masquerade mask on Sophie. He wore a half-ck mask himself.


    Stepping into the dinner, Sophie braced herself. She''d been through this before, so she felt more prepared this time around.


    Odie leaned in and said, "Hold onto my arm, or I can''t promise you''ll be safe."


    His words made Sophie even more wary. Inside, everything seemed normal, except she noticed all the guests were men, and they were all eyeing her like wolves. It made her skin crawl, and she tightened her grip on Odie''s arm.


    Meanwhile, in the Pord family''s guest room, James showed no mercy as he watched Angelo, who was upside down against the wall. Angelo''s face was red as heined, "Is it over yet? Please tell me it''s over!"


    "Not yet," James replied.


    "How much longer?" Angelo whined.


    "Three more hours."


    Hearing that, Angelo copsed onto the floor like a deted balloon. "I can''t take it anymore! My dad asked you to teach me finance, and instead, you''re making me do physical training! My arms are thicker than my legs now!"


    Angelo pounded his arms and said, "I''m done. I''m not doing this anymore. You might as well kill me!"Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    "Alright, then I''ll kill you," James said, standing up. When Angelo saw the switch in James'' hand, he panicked.


    "James, I''m warning you, I''m a Pord... put that thing down!" Angelo''s warning had no effect.


    James raised his hand, and Angelo immediately caved, "I''m sorry! Isn''t it enough that I admit my mistake?"


    James said indifferently, "Start memorizing your textbooks now."


    "Alright, I''ll do it!" Angelo, scared of the switch, used a pillow as a shield.


    He sat on the couch and


    James remained silent.


    Angelo, feeling hurt, said, "I was hit yesterday, and it still hurts. My back is even bleeding!"


    "Does it hurt? I think it''s manageable," James said.


    "Easy for you to say! You''re not the one getting hit. Try it yourself!"


    Angelo''s quite stubborn, so James simply stood up and started unbuttoning his shirt.


    Angelo, stuttering, said, "Put your


    shirt back on! Don''t start this in the middle of the night! I''m straight!"


    As soon as Angelo finished speaking, he saw the scars on James'' back, deep and shallow, all from a switch.


    Angelo''s jaw dropped. He was in so much pain from a single hit. What about suffering so many?


    James put his shirt back on, neatly buttoning it it up, and said, "I can


    endure it, and so can you we can''t do." Copelnět


    nothing


    "All these... were they from that old witch across?"