Bride of Retribution: Aloof Billionaire's Dominant Game-Chapter 515 - 278 Through countless hardships, just to give her peace of mind
The car sped along the road towards Joseph Shaw’s office.
Joseph Shaw sat in the car, staring blankly, resembling a wilted eggplant hit by frost, unable to utter a word, with his gaze unfocused and scattered.
Usually appearing carefree and nonchalant, he seemed like a completely different person at this moment.
The car stopped in the underground parking lot at his designated space, and the two tall men took the elevator up to the top floor, where Joseph Shaw’s office was located.
When Annie Gray worked as his secretary, her office was directly opposite his. The door was still locked, and although he had replaced several secretaries since then, he never let anyone use Annie’s office.
Because he felt that place originally belonged to Annie, not to anyone else. But many years had passed, and the office meant for Annie still awaited the return of its owner.
His attractive almond-shaped eyes seemed to have lost their former charm and elegance, staring fixedly at the office door for a few seconds before opening his office and walking in together with Atlas Hallow.
A long sofa was placed by the floor-to-ceiling windows, and Atlas Hallow and Joseph Shaw sat down. The secretary in professional attire immediately served them two cups of coffee. Her skirt was very short, revealing long legs in black stockings, and as she bent over, she seemed to intentionally or unintentionally expose her low-cut neckline.
Atlas Hallow couldn’t help but smirk inwardly, wondering when Joseph Shaw’s taste became like this. Did he actually like this style?
No matter how low the neckline was, he showed no interest in looking further. Once the secretary had placed the coffee, Atlas Hallow softly said, "You can leave now..."
The female secretary was slightly surprised. This was Joseph Shaw’s office, yet Atlas Hallow seemed to command like an owner here. But the man’s aura was strong, inducing a sense of pressure and submission. Regardless of feeling strange, she still bent over and retreated.
Atlas Hallow took out two cigarettes from his pocket, handed one to Joseph Shaw, and after lighting his own and taking a puff, he extended his hand to light the lighter in front of Joseph Shaw.
Joseph Shaw’s hands trembled as he placed the cigarette in his mouth, took the cigarette closer to the small flame, and inhaled. As the cigarette lit, the red sparks flickered; he took a deep puff, and the tobacco flavor strongly invaded his insides. Probably due to inhaling too quickly, he started coughing heavily, tearing up from the coughing.
"You’ve already got Violet Carter, so why entangle with Assistant Gray?" Atlas Hallow spoke softly, the words escaping from his thin lips as wisps of white smoke floated through the air, following his deep voice.
"You’ve been engaged for over a decade, right? I heard Old Master Shaw wants to hold the wedding for you both this year, so stop provoking Assistant Gray. Charlotte Miller is unlikely to ignore her matters, and if the Shaw Family and the Carter Family target Assistant Gray, how many people will be dragged into the conflict? Will you stand by Assistant Gray, or your fiancée’s side? She’s been with you for so long, isn’t it better to let her go?" Atlas Hallow laid out the stakes clearly, knowing that the Shaw Family’s status would never allow Annie Gray, with her ordinary background, no matter how exceptional she was, to enter their family.
Charlotte Miller has the habit of fiercely protecting her close ones. If Annie were really harmed, she certainly wouldn’t take it lying down.
"Marriage is just a formality." Joseph Shaw steadied his breath, his voice sounding rather hoarse. "Apart from the marriage certificate, she can ask anything of me."
"Certain forms matter most to a woman. If Annie doesn’t care about these forms and willingly stays nameless with you for a lifetime, that’s your good fortune. But she’s not that kind of woman, and the Carter Family knowing you have another woman outside will likely do anything to prevent you from having a child with Annie. Can you protect her?" Atlas Hallow usually prefers not to meddle in others’ private matters, but this involves two people — one is his woman, the other his close friend — so he had to explain the consequences one by one.
Joseph Shaw knew the severity of these issues, which is precisely why he understood the dire consequences. Even in his subconscious, he felt Annie wouldn’t possibly become a mistress outside of marriage. No matter how much affection he wished to shower her with, she wouldn’t stay, which led him to take such actions today.
The only thought he had was that any man, seeing his soon-to-be wife beneath another man, would have psychological shadows. He simply disliked Annie being with other men. The thought that other men, like him, could taste her made him lose his rationality.
But how could he stop it? It seemed there was no other way.
Strangely prepared with these photos, he intended to take a risky gamble, not expecting to harm himself in the process.
Hurting her heart, he felt very troubled, never intending to actually harm her.
"I just don’t want her to get married." Joseph Shaw said sullenly, not wanting her to marry, so he devised a way to make her unable to marry. Although the approach was somewhat extreme, it was the most effective.
"Keeping her as your lover, pressured as a mistress between the Shaw and Carter families, might result in her disappearing without a trace or retreating in fear from Violet Carter. Why should she suffer all this for you?" Atlas Hallow didn’t understand how to truly love someone many years ago but slowly realized it now.
If one pushes Charlotte Miller, it will only cause stronger resistance. Therefore, withdrawing is the best approach for a stubborn girl like her. Initially, trying to forcefully advance caused both of them to get hurt profoundly.
"I can’t help the marriage; do they expect me to sleep with Violet Carter? After not touching her for years, she can’t stand it anymore." Joseph Shaw wasn’t without his plans; however, Annie’s sudden and decisive move to marry caught him off guard, ruining his schemes.
These years, he hasn’t forced Annie to stay by his side, partly to shift some attention from the Carter Family. They somewhat knew about his activities outside, but with Violet Carter stubbornly staying abroad, they couldn’t say much.
The crucial aspect of the alliance between the two families was to birth a child with pure bloodline to secure their collaboration. But in this regard, the Carter Family’s calculation was wrong; he wouldn’t touch Violet Carter. Not just due to lack of interest, but also because he loathed Violet Carter, including everything about her.
"Assistant Gray, although from an ordinary background, has a strong temperament and personality. You’re on your own. One thing, don’t drag Charlotte Miller into these matters. If she gets involved, I have no reason to remain aloof, and I won’t show anyone face then." Having disappointed Charlotte Miller from the start, then seeing her struggle through hardships to give birth to Mia alone, he vowed not to let Charlotte worry anymore.
Whether it’s Charlotte’s own matter or not, he would handle it well, no matter the difficulty, seeking only to ease her mind.
Feelings and emotions often hinge on a fine distinction. To transition from feelings to deep emotions relies on personal insights. He realized it late and nearly made irreversible mistakes. Joseph Shaw was wrong, and whether he could grasp that fine difference remains uncertain.
In the office, Joseph Shaw inhaled intensely with each puff, seemingly needing more inhalations to quell his irritation.
Charlotte Miller had been following, feeling somewhat restless ever since she saw Annie kneel before Joseph Shaw, claiming she might as well be selling herself, sensing something terribly amiss.
She should have rushed in to tear that bastard apart, but Annie spoke so poorly of herself, it broke Charlotte’s heart.
Annie was slightly older, yet she seemed to live too vulnerably and miserably. Careful and cautious, she finally got to the point of registering, yet things went wrong.
Seeing Annie like a wandering soul, drifting into her apartment, entering the elevator, Charlotte hurried up in the elevator once Annie reached the top. She watched Annie’s apartment door close, leaning against the door to listen, seemingly no sound coming through.
Annie was probably curled up in a corner of her apartment, silently weeping.
Charlotte wished to comfort her, but sometimes sadness required personal digestion. If she were beside her, Annie might hold back, unable to let her emotions out, which would be counterproductive.
Worried about Annie, Charlotte paced the hallway, overheated her soles without hearing anything, eventually sat at Annie’s apartment door, leaning against the wall and hugging her knees, seeking rest.
Laying her chin on her knees, perhaps exhausted by the day’s turmoil, tracking Annie such a long way, she eventually dozed off...
