Chapter 11
Having seemingly found a channel to release his fury, Joseph’s polished shoe ruthlessly hammered into Queenie’s lower abdomen. Her cries and desperate pleas for mercy only served to galvanize him, as his kicks grew increasingly forceful until vivid crimson blood started flowing beneath her.
It wasn’t long before the potent, metallic scent of blood permeated the air, assaulting the senses of everyone present. Yet, not a single soul dared to step forward to intervene.
Queenie’s shrieks steadily diminished. Her eyes, once alive, now held nothing but vacant despair.
Her initial aim was merely to leverage Joseph’s sense of obligation to secure a comfortable life for herself after the Reed family’s downfall. Yet, once her greed was awakened, it proved impossible to contain.
She found herself consumed by envy toward Joseph and, frankly, toward anyone whose circumstances outshone hers, including Winona, She wondered why they could live in luxury without lifting a finger, while she had to fight tooth and nail just to stay afloat in life.
Her jealousy stripped her of reason, leading her to collude with the abductor, leveraging her own defiled body to manipulate Joseph’s guilt and orchestrate Winona’s removal.
But just when she was on the cusp of achieving her goals, the video ruthlessly stripped away her facade, casting her headlong into despair.
Her grasp on her consciousness slipped further, yet Joseph’s fury remained unquenched. He hoisted her up once more. His large, veined hands clamped around her throat and squeezed tighter and tighter. Her lungs were burning for air, and her face was turning a ghastly pallor.
Yet, just as she thought her end was near, he violently flung her back to the floor. He then furiously scrubbed his hands with a handkerchief the butler handed him, as if cleansing himself of her touch. “Get her to the hospital and keep her alive. Then, have her sent to prison once she’s discharged.”
Queenie’s previously vacant eyes were suddenly filled with terror when she heard that, thinking that she absolutely refused to be sent to prison.
It had only been a short span of months, but Queenie had already settled into a life of opulence.
Even though she lost the chance to be Joseph’s wife and inherit his wealth through their pregnancy, Joseph had already given her many luxury items, including handbags, jewels, cars, and properties, during those few months.
She figured that she could still liquidate those assets and comfortably start anew somewhere else, even after leaving Joseph.
Thus, Joseph’s decision to send her to prison, leaving her utterly destitute, felt like a punishment more severe than death itself.
In spite of the sharp pain in her belly, Queenie scrambled desperately to her feet, intent on clutching Joseph’s leg and pleading for mercy.
Yet, Joseph’s bodyguards moved quicker, Intercepting her and dragging her away from the scene.
“Please don’t do this to me! You can’t do this to me, Joseph!” Queenie cried out.
Her agonizing cries sent shivers down the spines of those present, leaving them with an overwhelming sense of despair. Just moments before, Joseph had been holding Queenie on a pedestal, showering her with public affection. Then, in the blink of an eye, he brutally cast her aside, unleashing a torrent of his resentment and loathing. Their love had turned to hate in a split second.
Ultimately, the events of that day never became public knowledge. It turned out that Lowe Group had expended a substantial sum to completely bury the story, ensuring that no trace of it remained on the Internet.
Even though everything in Brightwood appeared peaceful on the surface, a formidable unrest was churning deep within, Queenie and the abductor were both promptly sent to prison by Lowe Group, and every single asset Joseph had transferred to the Reed family was systematically confiscated.
Kingston and Jackie, who had intended to stage a dramatic protest before Lowe Group, were instead met by the company’s security guards, who sent them scurrying away in utter defeat.
In the meantime, those in their social circle largely refrained from public ridicule, choosing instead to silently observe the unfolding debacle.
Just as everyone expected Joseph’s ridiculous show to end, the Chapman family from a distant southern region finally arrived in Brightwood. Their
considerable distance from Brightwood, coupled with their notoriously private and uninvolved lifestyle, meant that they were initially oblivious to the full extent of Joseph’s actions against Winona.
It wasn’t until Winona showed up, bearing evident injuries, that the truth became clear to everyone. The Chapmans instantly chartered a private jet that very evening and, with a formidable entourage, descended upon Joseph’s residence.
