Wrong Flirt, Right Trouble: His Uncle Pulls Me Close

In the parking garage, Thea Sherwood was left sprawled in the aisle between two cars, her clothes in tatters.

She clutched at herself, her eyes vacant.

Her skin, once fair and smooth, was now covered in marks from being bound and whipped. Some of the lashes had torn her skin open, and the surface was a dense patchwork of dark bruises, as if they were suction marks.

She was also bleeding from where she had been torn.

And he had taken pictures. So, so many pictures.

Thea Sherwood stared blankly at the ceiling, seemingly unaware of who she was or where she was.

Timothy Sherwood had been waiting nearby. After delivering his own daughter, he was filled with a complex mix of emotions.

’He didn’t want this either,’ he thought, ’but there was no other way. Thea was all grown up; it was time she contributed something to the family.’

’I’ve been so good to Thea since she was a child. Just this once. She only needs to sacrifice this one time.’

Charlie Rhodes had already transferred the money—hundreds of millions. The company was saved, and Thea was its savior.

’Besides, Charlie is impotent. He just did it for his own sick pleasure. Our Thea is still a clean girl.’

After getting the all-clear from Charlie Rhodes, Timothy rushed over as soon as the man had dumped Thea in the parking garage. He found her quickly.

”Thea...” Timothy hurried forward, taking off his suit jacket and wrapping it around her as he pulled her into his arms.

”How could this happen? What happened?” Timothy asked, feigning ignorance.

Hearing Timothy’s voice, Thea froze, then turned her head mechanically.

A flicker of light returned to her vacant eyes. ”Dad... Dad!”

”Who did this, Thea? Who did this? I’ll find him and tear him limb from limb!”

Even now, Timothy Sherwood was still playing the part of a good father.

Hearing her father’s words, Thea could no longer hold back. She threw her arms around him. ”Daddy...”

Thea burst into tears, sobbing in Timothy’s embrace.

Timothy patted her back, consoling her. ”Don’t cry, don’t cry. You’re breaking my heart, my baby girl.”

”There are too many people here. Let’s go home first. Don’t worry, Thea. I will catch that monster!”

Timothy carried Thea to the car. She was crying so hard she was oblivious to everything else.

She couldn’t bring herself to recall what she had just endured. It was like a nightmare.

Every time she closed her eyes, the images flooded back: that disgusting old man, his demonic laugh, his revolting hands, his repulsive mouth.

”AHH!” Thea shrieked, clawing frantically at Timothy.

Timothy’s heart ached, but beneath the pain was a deeper sense of guilt. ”Thea, don’t be afraid. Dad’s here.”

...

When Ivy Sherwood got down to the parking garage, she didn’t see anyone. The garage was huge, and she had no idea where they might have left Thea.

Ivy knew where Thea’s car was parked. She went over and found the car, but Thea was gone.

Just then, Ivy saw a car driving out of the garage. She recognized the license plate—it was Timothy Sherwood’s car.

’That bastard!’

Ivy was about to get into her own car to give chase when Silas Blackwood grabbed her by the wrist from behind.

”Ivy Sherwood, what the hell are you doing? Do you even see me?”

Silas Blackwood felt completely ignored. Ever since dinner started, Ivy had been preoccupied with something.

”Let go!”

Ivy shook off his hand. ”I have something to do. I need to go home.”

Silas was taken aback. ”What about me?”

”Go wherever you want.”

With that, Ivy got into her car, SLAMMED the door shut, and stomped on the gas. The car shot out of the parking space, leaving Silas staring at her taillights.

”Ivy Sherwood!” Abandoned, Silas stood frozen for two seconds before it sank in.

He was furious. What was she thinking? Did she think he was begging to have dinner with her?

She’d just ditched him and run off. He swore that if he ever had dinner with Ivy Sherwood again, he’d be no better than a dog!

...

Timothy Sherwood drove home quickly.

Thea had cried herself to sleep.

He carried Thea out of the car, his eyes filled with pity.

Timothy didn’t knock, opening the door himself so as not to alert the maids.

As he was about to carry Thea upstairs, he saw Ruby Sterling standing on the staircase.

”You...” Ruby stared in shock at the person in Timothy’s arms.

”Thea!” Ruby was horrified. She knew instantly what had happened, and a flame of fury ignited in her heart.

She slapped him hard across the face. ”Timothy Sherwood, are you even human?!”

How could Timothy... How could he...

”Shh, don’t wake our daughter,” Timothy said, carrying Thea into her room.

Ruby followed, screaming, ”You monster! You’re not human! Give me back my daughter! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!”

This was the daughter she had cherished and protected for so many years, a girl she could never even bear to scold. And Timothy had...

She knew better than anyone what kind of man the Godfather was. How could Timothy sell out his own daughter for money!

After laying Thea on the bed, Timothy came back out, and Ruby’s fists immediately rained down on him.

”Enough!” Timothy roared. ”This is all because you’re useless!”

”I’m useless? Timothy Sherwood, let’s get one thing straight. You’re the useless man here, the one who sold his own daughter!”

Having gotten the money, Timothy couldn’t be bothered to argue with Ruby.

”Fine, it’s all my fault, alright? It’s already happened, so what do you want to do? Even if we return the money to the Godfather, things won’t go back to how they were.”

”Besides, nothing really *happened* between the Godfather and Thea. This won’t affect her ability to get a boyfriend in the future. If you don’t say anything and I don’t say anything, how will anyone ever know?”

”Are you going to report the Godfather? Do you really think we can win a fight against him?”

Ruby sobbed. Timothy’s words, as twisted as they were, had a point. What was done was done.

And she could never report the Godfather. She was no match for him.

But her daughter... she was only twenty-two, and the Godfather was over sixty!

Ruby cursed, ”You bastard!”

Timothy pulled her into his arms. ”There, there. Haven’t you always wanted a piece of the company? How about I give you ten percent of the shares?”

Timothy tried to placate Ruby. This incident had to be treated as if it had never happened.

”The company, the company! That’s all you ever care about!”

”What would we do without the company? How would I support you and the children? Ruby, I know I was wrong. I promise something like this will never happen again.”

Ruby’s heart ached for her daughter. Hadn’t she left Aethelgard and married Timothy precisely to escape that world?

And now, her own daughter had fallen into the same pit.

But it was true that she had always wanted company shares. If Timothy was willing to give them to her, she could eventually kick him out of the company.

She knew Timothy was unreliable, a leech who had married up, always expecting money to just fall from the sky.

”Ten percent isn’t enough. I want thirty percent.”

”Impossible.” Timothy would never agree. That was far too much.

”Timothy Sherwood, are you a man or not? If you give me a single point less than thirty percent, I swear I won’t let this go. I’ll expose everything you’ve done. The company’s stock will plummet, and both you and the company will be finished!”

”You...” Backed into a corner, Timothy had no choice but to agree. ”Fine. Thirty percent it is.”

Timothy continued, ”But you are not to tell anyone about this. Absolutely no one else can know.”

The moment the words left Timothy’s mouth, a loud POUNDING came from the front door.

Timothy’s heart sank. He had forgotten about Ivy—the daughter who always defied him!