As Ashley realized what it was, her throat churned. She quickly ran to the trash can, bent over, and nearly threw up bile.

Supporting herself with one hand on the floor, her head almost buried in the trash can, she dry-heaved repeatedly until her stomach was completely empty, and she collapsed to the side.

Brian looked at the condom on the floor, and his gaze was deep in thought.

After a moment, Ashley, with trembling hands, threw that thing into the trash can, then, as if tossing a bomb, carried the trash can out of the room.

Half an hour later, she returned, having showered and brought back a new trash can.

Brian watched her, noticing her reddened nose and eyes brimming with tears, feeling suddenly elated, “Olivia’s... reward for you?”

Ashley nodded.

Brian smelled the fresh scent of her body wash and smirked, “All cleaned up?”

Ashley nodded again, her voice slightly hoarse, “It’s late, Mr. Quinn. You should rest.”

Brian eyed her with growing interest, “What, don’t you want to take revenge?”

Ashley shook her head, “There’s nothing to avenge. It was just a joke.”

“A joke?” Brian’s voice was low and deep, “I thought she was showing off.”

Ashley glanced at Brian and then looked away, “I don’t understand.”

She didn’t understand Olivia’s way of thinking or the twisted emotions of wealthy people.

Even if Olivia had slapped her or cursed at her, Ashley felt she could understand.

But giving her a used condom?

Brian smirked, “She gave you one; how about you give her two?”

Ashley suddenly looked up, “Mr. Quinn, I’m injured.”

“Aren’t I?” Brian lifted the blanket, one leg bent, revealing his aroused state, “Very fair.”

Totally a bullshit!

Ashley wanted to leave, but before she could turn, Brian commanded, “Lock the door.”

“Mr. Quinn!” Ashley’s face filled with anger, “What are you trying to prove? Prove that you—”

“Ashley,” Brian’s expression didn’t change, but his voice turned cold, showing no compromise, “Or do you want to do it in front of her?”

Ashley felt as if her throat was being squeezed and couldn’t say a word.

He would do it.

Brian, displeased, said, “You know what, you don’t have right to say no. You’ve been spoiled!”

Ashley’s face turned white, then red, and then white again. Finally, she stiffly turned and locked the door.

When she turned back, her eyes were numb. As she walked to the bed, she resignedly unbuttoned and undressed.

By the time she stood before Brian, there was hardly anything left on her.

Brian lifted his hand, hooking his finger around the edge of her underwear, “Good girl.”

Ashley voluntarily took off the last of her clothing and climbed onto the bed, straddling Brian’s waist.

Brian touched her slender, tight waist, “Do it yourself?”

Ashley bit her lip, cautiously holding onto the headboard and adjusting her position.

Her movements were clumsy, and she tried hard to suppress her sounds, not making Brian very comfortable.

But seeing her face full of resentment, yet having to use all her strength to please him, gave Brian a sense of mental satisfaction.

To her, he was special.

This realization made Brian even more excited.

When she got off the bed, Ashley felt like she had done eight thousand squats.

Brian, satisfied, pointed to the three condoms on the floor, “Should we pack them up and send them to Olivia?”

Ashley closed her eyes, got off the bed, and lay on the ground.

Her legs were weak, so did her voice, “Mr. Quinn, you should sleep now.”

...

The next morning, Ashley dragged her aching waist out of bed.

She silently ate an egg before heading to school.

When she got to school, her head was still a bit fuzzy.

Just as she reached the school gate, someone grabbed her arm and dragged her away.

“Who?”

“Your father!”

Jack pulled Ashley to a bush and roughly threw her to the ground, snatching her bag, “Money, give me money!”

Ashley hissed in pain as her elbows and knees got scraped, with blood oozing out instantly.

She looked at Jack with hatred, “Are you crazy? This is in school!”

“Fuck, if you and that bitch hadn’t holed up in the Quinn Family, would I have to come here! Money? I need money!”

Jack looked more disheveled than last time, and the sour stench on him indicating how long he had been wandering.

Ashley avoided him, “I’m a student. Where would I get money? Don’t forget, you just took all my savings a few days ago!”

Jack was like a giant piece of trash.

His hair hadn’t been washed for who knows how long, hanging in clumps. His clothes were full of grease and dirt, and she could smell his stench from two meters away.

Black nails and eyes crusted with gunk...

When he didn’t find any money, he threw her bag on the ground and grabbed Ashley’s hair, “Money, I need money, where is it!”

“Don’t force me to call the police!” Ashley trembled, glaring at him, “Jack, don’t think I—”

“Pop!”

Jack slapped Ashley directly, “Huh, you little bitch, you dare threaten your father?!”

He pushed Ashley to the ground, kicking her hard in the thigh, “You are my daughter, and you have to support me! It’s only right!

“No money? No money, then go be a whore! If you don’t give me money, I’ll take your kidney and your liver!”

Like a crazed, impotent monkey, he vented all his anger on Ashley.

Punches and kicks landed on Ashley, bringing back memories of being beaten as a child, which made her body stiffened, not responding.

Ashley took a few deep breaths, using all her strength to raise her hands, protecting her head, curling up to shield her vital organs.

She bit her teeth hard.

Don’t be afraid.

Ashley, don’t be afraid.

She thought to herself, “The old asshole’s getting older now and physically drained; he can’t really hurt you! It will be over soon, it will be over soon.

“He can’t make you bleed internally or damage your spleen anymore.”

...

Every minute of self-anesthesia stretched into several times longer, and Ashley unconsciously bit her lip, still refusing to let go.

Jack didn’t control his volume, and the commotion behind the bushes soon attracted the attention of students, who loudly called for security.

Hearing people running over, Jack, panting, stopped.

“I’ll give you three days. If you don’t come up with two million, I’ll make sure you and that bitch mother of yours die!

“Don’t think you’re safe hiding in the Quinn Family; you’ll have to come out sometime!

“Ashley, no matter you are alive or dead, you’re the part of the Evans Family. Don’t think you can escape!”

After making his vicious threats, Jack turned and limped away.

The security guard ran over and saw Ashley curled up on the ground, quickly helping her up, “Are you okay?”

Ashley wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, “I’m fine.”

“Really? Do you need to call the police? Should I take you to the hospital?”

“No need,” Ashley stood up, “I’ll handle it myself.”

Jack was her registered father, and being a repeat offender, even if she called the police, it would be downplayed as “domestic issues.”