?


    Screams echoed from the pavilion, each one blending with the next, until a full half-hour passed before silence finally fell.


    During this time, not a single servant appeared. The staff had grown used to Reba being hit, and nobody dared to intervene. After all, they were just employees, and Reba wasn''t particrly kind to them. It was best to avoid trouble whenever possible.


    Rebay motionless on the pavilion floor, barely conscious. Her body was covered in bruises, though her face remained unmarked.


    Standing over her, Nathaniel looked down with a mix of disgust and hatred. He snarled, "Reba, if you hadn''t lied to me, I wouldn''t have had a falling-out with Damon. The Preston Group wouldn''t be in this mess, begging for partnerships. You deserve every bit of this."


    Reba didn''t reply. Her eyes were full of despair.


    How much longer would this endless, miserable life continue? If she had known what returning to the country would cost her, she would never havee back.


    It was toote now. There were no second chances. All she could do was find a way to escape.


    Nathaniel crouched down, grabbed Reba''s chin, and forced her to look at him when she remained silent.


    "When you came back to the country five years ago, Drake contacted you several times. What did he want?" he asked.


    Reba turned away, still silent.


    Nathaniel let out a coldugh. "You think you''re safe if you don''t answer?"


    "He ckmailed me," Reba replied. "He said he''d release videos of us together if I didn''t return to him."


    Nathaniel sneered. "You really think


    I''m that same fool from five years


    et


    ago? Drake''s an executive at MK Company. If he really wanted you, he''d have dragged you back


    overseas, not let you stay Wielono


    me


    for five years.


    "So don''t give me excuses. I already know he was digging into N''s background. What I want to know is why?"


    Reba''s eyes widened in fear, and


    she subconsciously clenched her hands. She looked at Nathaniel coldly and asked, "Since you could find this out, why can''t you figure out why he''s looking into N


    "Arguing will only make you suffer more. Do you want to go into the basement?" Nathaniel taunted.


    Reba shuddered, fear shing in her eyes. The basement of the Prestons'' vi was her nightmare. She''d rather die than step in there again. Nathaniel smiled in satisfaction when he noticed her fear. "Tell me what you know if you don''t want to go there."


    Reba took a deep breath. "I don''t


    know why he''s investigating N either. I just know that he suddenly wanted toe here after seeing N''s photo, and he warned me not to do anything to her or he wouldn''t let me off."


    Nathaniel squinted, his gaze skeptical. "Given his warning, how did you get away with causing N''s ident at sea? Exin that."


    Reba shook her head. "I don''t know... After N''s ident, he didn''t contact me again."


    To this day, she had no idea why Drake was after N. As far as she knew, there was no connection between them.


    Nathaniel threatened, "If I find out you''ve lied, I''ll make you wish you''d never been born."


    Reba trembled. "I''ve told you everything I know. He never really trusted me. He wouldn''t share anything important with me."


    "I''ll look into it," Nathaniel warned. "You''d better pray that what I find matches what you''ve said."