Take My Breath Away

"You and Tam have just gone back to normal. Like none of this affects you. You know better than anyone what I went through during your pregnancy. I gave up my cushy life at home and holed us up in a basement taking care of you. Everything I did was for you. And how did you repay me? Instead of thanking me, you framed me! Tessie, you..."

Erica cried so hard that she couldn't get the rest of it out. Matthew always said she was stupid. She was beginning to think he was right. She was more than stupid!

Tessie also cried. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry..." Before Erica uncovered the truth, Tessie was living worry-free for a few months. She thought things would go back to normal; that she wouldn't have to worry about her parents or a baby.

What Tessie didn't count on was Erica marrying Matthew, the most powerful man in the city. That man had vast resources at his command. She had nowhere to hide.

In the driver's seat, Matthew took out two pieces of tissue and handed them to Erica. He coldly warned his wife, "I asked you to talk to her, not sit here and cry. Cut it out, or I'll hand over her to some thugs now and then send her to the slum!"

'Wow...'

Erica and Matthew had discussed this before Tessie came out to the car. She remembered some of the things Matthew suggested doing to punish the girl.

More than ten minutes ago

With a distressed look at the man who came with her to look for Tessie, Erica asked, "Tessie needs to pay for what she did, but I can't think of anything." That was what bothered her the most. She wanted a punishment that fit the crime.

Matthew turned off the engine. "Simple," he said. "First, she needs to admit what she did. Then she needs to explain how she framed you. After that, she should apologize to you in public. Wasn't she afraid her family would find out what she did? You have to let the Su family know what happened, and make them apologize too. And don't stop there. Didn't she accuse you of bullying her? So do it. And finally, we drive her out of the city. She wanted to stay here, right? Didn't want her parents to yank her out of school? Well, she gave up that right when she messed with you. Ask nicely, and I'll ship her out of the country. To the deserted area of H Country, perhaps." 'She can join Lenora. An appropriate punishment, ' he thought.

"The deserted area? Won't they starve to death?" Erica asked.

"Not really. There's grasshoppers, crickets, ants, termites, stinkbugs. Even scorpions. Those guys might be a pain, but if you remove the stinger they roast nicely. Why are you so shocked? Didn't you want that?"

Erica sh

f the family.

Lyman Su hit Tessie so hard she fell to the floor.

However, no one cared about her.

Even though her lips were bleeding, no one spared a second glance.

Since Tam had decided to go back to his wife, he no longer had any interest in Tessie.

Julianna, whose face had been beaten black and blue, glared at Tessie. She stared at the girl writhing on the floor and said, "Tessie Su, you're such a bitch! I thought you were my friend! I did everything for you! And then you go and fuck my father!" She spat the f-word as if it were something foul she were spitting from her mouth.

Erica had made a scene at Champion Group. So, Julianna and Yanny also knew that Tam and Tessie were having an affair. It was no secret after that.

Tessie, crying wet hot tears, said nothing. She just covered her burning cheek and cried silently.

The living room went dead silent. Julianna was furious. And then she started yelling at Erica, as well. "And you, Erica Li. You were Tessie's best friend and turned on her. You deserved to have her screw you over!"

A hint of malice flashed in Matthew's eyes. 'Julianna Wu? Good! I remember you.'

Erica sneered, "Come on, Julianna. We used to be friends! What happened to you?" It was just that their friendship had ended when Erica stopped Julianna from dating a bad boy.

Later, Erica heard that guy got Julianna pregnant. When the thug found out she was pregnant, he tried to make her get an abortion, and she refused. So, when she was three months along, he beat her badly. She miscarried, and the two broke up.

"You—" Julianna choked on her words.

Matthew turned his head to look at Lyman Su. The old man stared at Tessie with an angry face, as if looking at an enemy.