Chapter 805: Throwing the Sack

“I’ll spend time with you next time. Use this cash to buy some clothes. Be a good girl.”

Ethan Hawthorne caressed Wendy Hughes’s cheek, left some money behind, and departed without a second thought.

Wendy gritted her teeth, resentment simmering as she counted the bills. Blessed with stunning looks since childhood, she believed her older sister was the only woman prettier than her; no one else even came close. No matter where she went, men swarmed around her like flies, and she could always get whatever she wanted simply by acting coquettish.

Yet she had no idea what had gone wrong lately. Her life was spiraling downward. She had no job, no house, and no savings. How had she ended up in such a pathetic state?

She had initially found comfort in the belief that her sister was living an even more miserable life. At least Wendy was in Tristone, safe from the grueling labor of the fields. However, she recently heard that her sister had returned. Not only was Rosalind living comfortably, but she was as beautiful as ever. It was painfully obvious she hadn’t suffered a single day of hardship. The realization left Wendy burning with envy.

Fortunately, she had met Ethan. Although she didn’t know the man’s real name or what he did for a living, she didn’t care. He was wealthy, handsome, and generous—a massive upgrade from the wretched old man she had at home. She was more than willing to stay by Ethan’s side. It would be perfect if he eventually married her, but she knew better than to rush things. She had to play the long game.

Ethan’s rented apartment wasn’t far from Ashton Road. At only a half-hour walk, it was a perfect spot for his trysts. He stopped in an alleyway to eat a bowl of pork and pickled mustard green noodles. It was already past ten o’clock. Things had gotten too wild last night, causing him to sleep in.

Thinking of Wendy’s uninhibited passion, Ethan couldn’t help but smile. Upon closer inspection, Wendy and his wife actually shared a resemblance, particularly in their eyes, which were almost identical. Their temperaments, however, were vastly different. Rosalind Green was perpetually timid and fragile, never one to take the initiative.

After finishing his noodles, Ethan took a slow, leisurely stroll. He wasn’t scheduled to meet Goldie Thorne until tomorrow, leaving his schedule completely open today. In a fantastic mood, Ethan sat in a roadside park for a while, even buying a packet of food to feed the fish, savoring the rare moment of relaxation.

Once he finished feeding the fish, Ethan headed home. He needed to speak with Bernice about getting Madman Feng to supply some goods. If Bernice failed to secure the merchandise, their partnership would be effectively over. He had no use for dead weight.

There were quite a few mansions around Ashton Road. As the former French Concession, it was an affluent district lined with European-style villas and lush landscaping. Beautiful blooms dotted the streets everywhere. The people residing here were mostly figures of immense status and prestige—a fact that had always been true and remained so today.

Shortly after eleven o’clock, Ashton Road grew lively as people hurried home from work and school. Suddenly, a battered tricycle abruptly appeared on the street, pedaled by a group of street thugs. Bernice was stuffed inside a burlap sack in the back, completely motionless. She had been tormented to the point of passing out and remained oblivious to the world around her.

“Boss, right here. This spot’s got the most foot traffic.”

After scanning the terrain, the thugs selected the most crowded section of the street. They dumped the sack onto the curb and pedaled the tricycle away as if they were flying.

“Hey! You dropped something! Stop right there!” a kind-hearted passerby shouted.

Instead of stopping, the thugs only pedaled faster. In the blink of an eye, they vanished without a trace.

The sack hadn’t been tied tightly, allowing a lock of black hair to spill out. Sensing something was terribly wrong, someone boldly tore the burlap open. A wretched, battered Bernice was exposed in broad daylight. However, with her hair matted over her face, no one immediately recognized her.

Given her current state, everyone knew at a glance exactly what she had been subjected to. Some turned their backs in embarrassment, while others continued to stare unabashedly. As more and more people gathered around, the mounting clamor finally roused Bernice.